[COLOR=GRAY][INDENT][INDENT][i] [/i] [/INDENT][/INDENT][hr][CENTER][img]https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1070792705547980842/1079957264212971520/image.png[/img][/CENTER][indent][sub][COLOR=SILVER][B]Location:[/B][/COLOR] [I]Pacific Royal Collegiate & University - Dundas Islands, Pacific Ocean[/I][/sub][sup][right][COLOR=SILVER][b]The Homecoming Trials: # 1.89[/b][/COLOR] [I]Campfire Tales and Terrors[/I][/right][/sup][/indent][sub][hr][/sub][INDENT][sub][color=SILVER][B]Interaction(s):[/B][/COLOR] All quoted below, you know who you are. Calliope - [@PatientBean], Cassander - [@Lord Wraith][/sub][SUP][RIGHT][COLOR=SILVER][b]Previously:[/b][/COLOR] [I]'Most People I Know (Think That I'm Crazy)' [/I][/right][/SUP] [INDENT] [quote=@Jarl Coolgruuf] [color=lightgreen]"So you metabolize sunlight?"[/color] he echoed, turning to Banjo, [color=lightgreen]"That's so cool! I bet you have to ingest a lot more cholesterol to compensate unless it works independently of vitamin D synthesis. We can talk more about it later."[/color][/quote] [color=darkgoldenrod]"Huh..."[/color] He stopped in his tracks. [color=darkgoldenrod]"I, uhh, didn't know you would know that..."[/color] He said to no-one in particular. Mainly himself. [color=darkgoldenrod]"Well, yeah it's independent of Vitamind D synthesis, actually, it's independent of everything. I think-- theoretically at least, it's independent of respiration. But that's a pretty big leap of faith to take, testing whether or not I can go without breathing when I juice. Oh, I... I call it juicing."[/color] He became aware he was distracting from the task at hand. [color=darkgoldenrod]"But yeah... yeah, anything else you want to know we can talk about that later."[/color] Banjo's gears ran wild as he wondered just how much he'd been underestimating the football friends. And whether they'd caught on and were just too polite to say anything. He shook it off and focused on what came next as the large South African sheila took centre stage. [quote=@Zoldyck] [color=#FF7514]”Well, guess it’s my turn. I’m Katja, but you can call me Kat if you want.”[/color] giving an apathetic shrug at the idea. [color=#FF7514]”My ability is density manipulation which means I can alter my own body mass and toughness. Basically I can turn myself into a human wrecking ball. Or punching bag, so if anyone needs a sparring partner who you want to try your abilities on, I’m your [i]meisie[/i]”[/color] She punctuated that statement with a humorless chuckle before looking at Banjo. [color=#FF7514]”Guess I’ll follow your example and explain a bit more about myself. As most of you have probably picked up on by my accent, I’m not from this side of the Atlantic, not originally anyway.”[/color] Katja paused for a moment as she looked up to the sky and took a deep breath before continuing. [color=#FF7514]”I was born and raised in Bloemfontein. Now, that name might not say a whole lot to most of you, but a little over a decade ago there was a large anti-hype massacre over there. The [i]munnies[/i] got to my parents and well…”[/color] She bit down hard on her lips, casting her eyes down for a few seconds before looking back at the people around the campfire with an awkwardly forced smile on her lips. [color=#FF7514]”I’m sorry for ruining the mood, just felt like the best moment to open up.”[/color] [color=#FF7514]”Anyway...”[/color] she took a shaky deep breath to regain her composure, hiding away her pain back into that deep corner before looking at Banjo with that same forced smile on her face. [color=#FF7514]”You euhm, going to finish that?”[/color] Katja said, pointing her thumb to the untouched plate belonging to the Aussie. [/quote] "Oh no..." Banjo thought to himself at first. "I didn't just bloody inadvertantly open the floodgates on some kind of mass-trauma dump by everybody in attendance, did I?" But as Katja continued her story, and even heavier, the details which were so painful they must be omitted, Banjo started to justify his decision to himself further. "Actually... this might be for the best anyway. Like I said. Finding stuff in common. A dozen randomly assembled hyperhumans, with the oppression and abuse that we generally face, the odds aren't too bad that someone here might be able to relate to losing parents over it. I mean, it's at least peripheral to you and Sparky McGee over there anyway, huh?" Most surprisingly of all, when she finished, she threw a smile on and asked Banjo if he was done with his food. Banjo chuckled warmly, and returned his own smile. [color=darkgoldenrod]"Have at it."[/color] He said, handing her the whole plate, and pointing to the sky. [color=darkgoldenrod]"I filled up earlier."[/color] Beween the heavy cloud cover and the late hour, the sun was a barely visible seam in the darkness, but she'd get the gist. "Well, she seemed friendly enough." He thought to himself. "Maybe I was wrong. Maybe Trace didn't poison that well." He scratched his chin in contemplation with his now free plate hand, before considering what he could do with the arm. "Give it a shot?" He put his arm around Calliope, who tensed slightly at the sensation, before relaxing into it after making eye contact and confirming it was indeed Banjo who was doing it. "Whoa... Ok. That was-- Good. This is... Things are working out. This is all good. People are talking. Nobody's trying to kill each other. Calli's sensing it too, maybe? This is good..." Slowly the supercharged Holden V8 engine which drove Banjo's self-confidence started to up its revs. [quote=@psych0pomp] [color=#D90037]“Bloody, ‘ell,”[/COLOR] Trace grumbled. [color=#D90037]“I’m Trace Whitlock. [i]They and them[/i] for the lot of you that didn’t get the memo. I’m from Sutton London. My dad is British Military, my mum is dead, and I was scouted for a professional football league before all [i]this[/i] happened. And by football—RORY—I mean your fuckin’ soccer. Except better and with less bullshit.”[/COLOR] They shrugged. [color=#D90037]“As much as my power goes. It’s easier to show you."[/COLOR] They pulled the back of their shirt up, which caused the front to ride up as well. Their torso was finely muscled, though far from the definition of Katja’s, and as pale as the rest of them. Their deep blue veins were obvious underneath. At first, it would be hard to tell what was happening in the light of the campfire, but it became apparent that a long limb started to form underneath the back of their shirt. At the end was a hand with fingers. The arm extended longer than a normal one should, lengthening out six feet in front of them. It was as pale as their flesh but didn’t seem to be made of skin. It looked to be denser and made of marble. While it bent in the middle, as if it had an elbow, there was nothing natural about it. The hand splayed its fingers and dove into the fire. It picked up some smoldering coals and held them there as if just holding a handful of rocks. It crushed them into a cloud of fine dust—easily—before dropping them back into the pit. The arm then crumbled away, landing on the ground like chalk before bubbling up as if someone doused it in vinegar before disappearing entirely. [color=#D90037]“That’s it. And I can produce six of those things.”[/COLOR] They could do more with it, but they didn’t care to elaborate. Surprises might be fun in the future. Not to mention, they were already braced for whatever shit Banjo was about to spew. [/quote] "Oh, so the dead Mum thing. That wasn't just bullshit." He thought to himself. Trace'd dropped that nugget so glibly he wasn't entirely sure that was actually true at the time. He found himself relieved he hadn't fired back a "That's probably why she didn't move around so much." Especially after what he'd said before. Oh... what he'd said before. They were noticeably avoiding eye contact too. Shit. Then when they showed off their power he found himself realising the depths of those self-confidence issues he'd exploited to fire back at them. The guilt made his stomach churn. He was still mad. He'd still probably wind up running damage control on what they'd said before, if and when - god willing - that came up later with Calli. But he still didn't like what he'd done. The depths of shittiness... it wasn't equitable. He just wanted to hurt because he hurt, and that was the clearest way to do just that. He wasn't going to have to fucking talk about this later with 'em though, was he? I mean, Trace knew the score, right? The churning didn't stop. "Well, shit..." [quote=@Jarl Coolgruuf] Trevor smiled at the group and gave a small wave. [color=lightgreen]"Hi everyone! My name's Trevor and I'm a H.E.A.T. program volunteer. My ability is..."[/color] He trailed off as he racked his brain for a good explanation. [color=lightgreen]"It's easier to show than tell."[/color] He reached down and placed his hand flat on the ground. In the next instant the skin of his arm started to disappear. Not into thin air and disappearing, it moved into the ground under his hand. But moving was also not quite the right word. His flesh was disappearing and reappearing in the dirt in a rough outline of his hand, then his wrist, and the better part of his forearm that filled in over a few seconds. At the same time, a mixture of dirt, rocks, and grass replaced the limb now half buried in the ground. He flexed his new fingers a few times as small bits of dirt fell back to the ground before taking a firm hold of his original arm and giving a firm tug to free it from the dirt. The arm dangled limply in his grasp as he gave it a good shake to dislodge any dirt stuck to it. He didn't seem to mind as drops of blood welled up near the lump of bone sticking out the top, but he was careful to hold it hand side down. [color=lightgreen]"I can move other stuff around too. It doesn't have to be part of me either. More importantly I'm with Calliope, cool name by the way. We should stick together."[/color] By pure chance he happened to glance at Trace with all those arms behind her and gears turned in his head. Trevor looked down at his own disembodied hand and had to suppress a chuckle before he even started. This would be perfect, he just knew it. A joke would make her feel better after he spat with Banjo. Even at a distance it was obvious he was struggling not to laugh at his own joke as he tilted the severed limb in her direction. [color=lightgreen]"You seem like you got things handled but just ask and I'll be happy to lend you a [i]hand[/i]."[/color] [/quote] Okay. So the guy who was interested in how his powers worked was called Trevor. If Trace wasn't lying before the other one was called Rory. With mental notes he started to piece together the names of those on the team, should they remain as such by the end of things. He hoped so... wouldn't want to have to learn a bunch of new names. He noticed Trevor didn't really share anything about himself of value. Was it shallowness, only really interested in discussing powers? Or was there something more there that was the reason why he really didn't want to share. Ten minutes ago he'd likely just chalk it up to a lack of depth, but Banjo had underestimated him already once, so now he wasn't so sure... [quote=@Tackytaff] [colour=BC8F8F]“Makenna,[/colour] She began her introduction, shining smile at the ready as it came her turn. [colour=BC8F8F]“Full merit scholarship Yale undergrad, treasurer of the Yale Daily News, and recipient of the Goldfarb Community Service award.”[/colour] She paused for a moment, wanting so much it could have ended there. [colour=BC8F8F]“Not that’s what any of you [i]really[/i] wanted to hear about me.”[/colour] She continued, still smiling as she folded her hands together, looking over the group. [colour=BC8F8F]“Four delta esoteric expulsive; vocal projection and mimicry. I can sound like whatever or whoever you want,”[/colour] Her head tilted as she innocently lifted her eyes to the darkening sky above. [colour=BC8F8F]“Or just a real screamer if it’s called for.”[/colour] With a final flash of white teeth, she looked expectantly to her left to continue the chain. [/quote] She rattled off a series of accomplishments like the rote recitation of her CV. Sure, Yale was impressive, even Banjo had heard about there. He knew they were an Ivy league school, bunch of schools famous for their prestige, and they had some weird thing with Harvard. He also knew they had a high end law school, and were known for business management and economics as well. But that was the sum total of what he knew. He supposed it was something to be proud of, and that Makenna was probably pretty quick to namedrop Yale to anyone new. It did after all pop up three times in the first complete sentence she'd bothered to say in his presence. He wanted to redirect and see if he could get people back on track of actually sharing something meaningful about themselves, but Haleigh took to the stage and he immediately became mindful of criticising what people chose to share, particularly in front of the person who saw him chew out Inigo not that long before. So instead he ate his criticism, and listened in. [quote=@Kuro] [color=d94a3f]"I suppose I should probably explain some things. Hi, the name's Haleigh, though obviously some of you already know that. I'm from Vancouver—it's not that far from here, actually. About a day's worth of driving by car. Anyway, my dad is a Mountie. You know, the guys in red, one of the stereotypes when one thinks of Canada. Mom, well..."[/color] Haleigh paused momentarily, before deciding to skip over that point. It was a topic she wasn't willing to go into. [color=d94a3f]"The Cascades were his stomping grounds, so he frequently brought me on his trips. To hike. Camp. Just anything to do with the outdoors. I guess he rubbed off on me in the end since I became an outdoors blogger and spent time out there solo before... well, the [i]incident[/i]. I don't like to talk about it, personally. It's difficult to when one day you're... 'normal', and then the next you've buried yourself alive and become the reason people could've died back home. When your neighbors decide you needed to die over something out of your control."[/color] She looked down at her legs, before taking a deep breath. They needed to know. [color=d94a3f]"Some of you are probably wondering about the wheelchair, I figure. Honestly, I hate it. I would much rather prefer to walk. But I can't. Not without people getting hurt. It's something that's been hanging over my head ever since I developed this stupid ability. I could sink this island with a stroll. Destroy the school with a jog."[/color] Haleigh grimaced, clearly fighting back her emotions. [color=d94a3f]"I don't want to be the reason why more people get hurt, so I guess that's why I'm here. Tad's helped me with this [i]inhibitor[/i] thing of his, but..."[/color] She trailed off, unable to finish her statement. [/quote] So... she was in the chair for all of our sakes, and not hers. Well ain't that a kick? Trailing off added weight to everything she had just said and every passing beat was uncomfortable. Full of newfound confidence from how things were going with Calliope, Banjo decided it was his place to say something, even though he'd barely spoken a dozen words directly to Haleigh since being here. "Hell, none of us knew each other until only recently, so why not me?" He justified to himself. [color=darkgoldenrod]"It's ok. That's what I guess a lot of us are here for..."[/color] He hid behind the "lot of us", it was complete bullshit in his case. He was here because he was dragged here. [color=darkgoldenrod]"...and you wouldn't be the only person here who's scared of what they're capable of. Truth be told, when I first heard about the 'Big Bang' and the expansion of the universe, I figured I'd be responsible for the heat death of the whole shebang."[/color] What he kept to himself, was that it was still a nagging belief he couldn't shake. But to others he knew it sounded ridiculous, so maybe that might be helpful here. [color=darkgoldenrod]"Not everyone here has control over what they do either."[/color] He gestured to Sparky McGee. [color=darkgoldenrod]"But maybe with time you'll be able to run down the street, stop on a button, and rise the dirt you're on a thousand feet in the air. Like shaping a mountain or a cliff-face... things take time. Hopefully, unlike a mountain or cliff-face, maybe this won't take quite so long."[/color] The ending was a bit clunky, but he wasn't really used to offering reassurance. He couldn't relate to the last part at all either. He had almost perfect control of his powers, in his opinion. In part because they were straightforward in nature, but also because as he'd said - his powers terrified him into respect. 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