[CHAR] —(••[ 𝕎𝕀𝕊ℍ𝔼𝔸𝕋𝔼ℝ ]••)—

Large Group
Modern
Fantasy
Casual
Anime/Manga

GM January

Co-GM

RedDusk

Co-GM

banjoanjo

Join Status: Full

Hidden 9 yrs ago → 8 yrs ago

Raw —

Zeroth

Student Body

 Arbiters 

Lawrence Ellison | Grant Rotem | Christopher Francis | Callan Webb

Kusari Bloodworth | Marcus Howell | Siena Santana | Christmas Halvost

Brent Roless | Sophia Lemane

 Aberrations 

Lilliana Brandt | Emma Halwell | Sander Lorraine | Zoe Fletcher

Hazel Baker | Angélique Lachance | Allison Revel | Ernest Mars

Building A

Suite 430 - Callan Webb, Marcus Howell, Siena Santana

Suite 330 - Grant Rotem, Padma Majumdar, Brent Roless

Suite 318 - Hazel Baker (X), Lawrence Ellison

Suite 317 - Kusari Bloodworth

Suite 226 - Sophia Lemane

Suite 225 - Alexis Hunter, Aaron Erikson, Christopher Francis, Rain le Blanc

Suite 202 - Sander Lorraine (X), Christmas Halvost

Building B

Room 305 - Ernest Mars

Room 302 - Gregory Irving

Room 301 - Allison Revel

Room 300 - Angélique Lachance

Room 203 - Savannah Churchill Emma Halwell

Room 201 - Zoe Fletcher

Room 200 - Lilianna Brandt

"In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes."
Dead to Me

 Padma Majumdar |  Alexis Hunter |  Rain le Blanc
  
 Aaron Erikson |  Savannah Churchill |  Gregory Irving

Christopher: red - [img]http:// i.imgur.com/qdJ8I7l.jpg[/img] - [img]http:// i.imgur.com/2YbSl33.jpg?1[/img]
Angélique: 9e0039 - [img]http:// i.imgur.com/OiIXHEg.png[/img] - [img]http:// i.imgur.com/pt38qxf.png[/img]
Siena: ff57ff - [img]http:// i.imgur.com/EqVwCQa.png[/img] - [img]http:// i.imgur.com/o12VzBP.png?1[/img]
Zoe: palevioletred [img]http:// i.imgur.com/ytozL8X.png[/img] - [img]http:// i.imgur.com/6BMKPIE.png[/img]
Lilliana: lightcoral - [img]http:// i.imgur.com/9yn6u85.png[/img] - [img]http:// i.imgur.com/VW0bAVD.png?1[/img]
NPCs: f7976a
NPCs (Alternate): f2550d
Gregory: f26522 - [img]http:// i.imgur.com/4UNryQd.png[/img] - [img]http:// i.imgur.com/M8aYiWR.png?1[/img]
Sophia: BD892F - [img]http:// i.imgur.com/eoV4Dgr.jpg[/img] - [img]http:// i.imgur.com/V2PDEDC.jpg?1[/img]
Hazel: fff79a - [img]i66.tinypic.com/m7tcpe.png[/img] - [img]http:// i.imgur.com/ebxkSgA.png?1[/img]
Marcus: 33ec06 - [img]http:// i.imgur.com/XZCyPaz.png[/img] - [img]http:// i.imgur.com/cEEYEIg.png[/img]
Ernest: 00a99d - [img]http:// i.imgur.com/FWMorlL.png[/img] - [img]http:// i.imgur.com/AV2Qdry.png?1[/img]
Lawrence: 00ffbb - [img]http:// i.imgur.com/n1b6iEd.png[/img]
Callan: a2d9ce - [img]https:// i.imgur.com/SqhcfKy.png[/img] - [img]http:// i.imgur.com/Qr7lWDl.png?1[/img]
Sander: cyan - [img]http:// i.imgur.com/xp0eIcQ.png[/img] - [img]http:// i.imgur.com/YVYBldt.png?1[/img]
Brent: B0C4DE - [img]http:// i.imgur.com/jw3F1O9.png[/img] - [img]http:// i.imgur.com/bHYqmRC.png?1[/img]
Grant: 0095FF - [img]http:// i.imgur.com/oomUzLi.png[/img] - [img]http:// i.imgur.com/Sfg2kpR.png[/img]
Christmas: 8493ca - [img]http:// i.imgur.com/Kxn0drf.png[/img] - [img]http:// i.imgur.com/Wg1lU2p.png?1[/img]
Allison: a187be - [img]http:// i.imgur.com/vKUiWGu.jpg[/img] - [img]http:// i.imgur.com/R97pbDY.jpg[/img]
Emma: 8A3DFF - [img]https:// i.imgur.com/Ws2k7Dv.jpg[/img] - [img]http:// i.imgur.com/6q0cwLE.png[/img]
Tulpas (Determination): 580ACC - [img]https:// i.imgur.com/bLnUsPO.png[/img]
Kusari: 662d91 - [img]http:// i.imgur.com/55cuDim.jpg[/img] - [img]http:// i.imgur.com/61vkwIl.jpg?1[/img]

[center]
[h1]Insert Great Title Here[/h1]

[ pictures here ]

[h2][color ]name[/color] | [color ]name[/color]
[color ]name[/color] | [color ]name[/color] | [color ]name[/color][/h2]
[img]http:// i.imgur.com/3R5vYYi.png?2[/img] 
[color=silver]????????. ????, ????????   / /   ??????????????, ????????????????   / /   ????????   / /    ~????????[/color]
[sub]Collab with...[/sub][/center]

Shane Alkana | Decker Gottman | Ethan Sonnino | Myla Dalbesio | Eric Richardson | Genevieve Harper | Hector Rivers

Click thumbnails to view full photographs.

Room Assignment: Building A - Suite 411
Lexy Panterra - Lit (Skrux Remix)

Raiden ft. Bright Lights - Heart Of Steel

Room Assignment: Restricted - Containment Chamber 22
Porcelain (AWAY Remix)

Rosa Schur | Director Lina Zhang | Fredric Francisco 
Commander Michael Kardos | Secretary George Greten | Clark Rosendahl

Click thumbnails to view full photographs.

Theme Song: Carl Orff - O Fortuna ~ Carmina Burana

Theme Song: Sara Bareilles - Opening Up

Theme Song: TAPE FIVE - Bad Boy Good Man

Theme Song: The Conduit Main Theme

Theme Song: The Franklin Electric - "This Is How I Let You Down"

Theme Song: Rag'n'Bone Man - Human

Space Deer Avatar – Original by Kezzi-Rose.
STAG – Original by Kyle Dickinson.
Grave Watcher Attack – Original by Por.
Deer Skull Icon – Original by HotDogeBuns.

Lawrence Ellison – Original by PSlenDy, edited by Baklava.
Grant Rotem – Commissioned from shizzzu.
Christopher Francis – Artist unknown.
Kusari Bloodworth – Original by Berabou.
Marcus Howell – Commissioned from reis-artroom.
Siena Santana – Original by 千夜QYS3.
Christmas Halvost – Commissioned from eleth89.
Brent Roless – Commissioned from GlassTrinity.
Sophia Lemane – Artist unknown.

Lilliana Brandt – Artist unknown.
Emma Halwell – Commissioned from Liche (NSFW link).
Sander Lorraine – Commissioned from eleth89.
Zoe Fletcher – Commissioned from ky-th.
Hazel Baker – Original by OFFCAR/오프카.
Angelique Lachance – Commissioned from kazuko-chii.
Allison Revel – Original by kuvshinov-ilya.
Ernest Mars – Original by dreamxxdream.
Gregory Irving – Artist unknown.

Padma Majumdar – Original by MonoriRogue, edited by Baklava.
Alexis Hunter – Original by Studio Feel., edited by Baklava.
Rain le Blanc – Original by Eiri, edited by Baklava.
Aaron Erikson – Original by Gohandesu Yo, edited by Baklava.
Savannah Churchill – Artist unknown.

Shane Alkana – Original by PSlenDy, edited by January.
Decker Gottman – Original by casanovakevin, edited by Baklava.
Ethan Sonnino – Original by Pixiv Id 740932.
Myla Dalbesio – Artist unknown.
Eric Richardson – Original by Non204.
Genevieve Harper – Artist unknown.
Hector Rivers – Artist unknown.
Callan Webb – Commissioned from meodwarf.

Rosa Schur – Original by Bev Johnson.
Lina Zhang – Original by miura-n315.
Fredric Francisco – Original by sandflake.
Michael Kardos – Original by Kojoz.
George Greten – Original by okiura.
Clark Rosendahl – Artist unknown.

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Hidden 10 yrs ago → 9 yrs ago Post by January

Raw —

January

Member Seen 3 yrs ago

January

1199 posts

in 3976 days

Seen 3 yrs ago

Sparrow | Kadabra | Foresight | Newton | Prism | Merlin | Hephaestus | Morph | Benediction | Menagerie

Click thumbnails to view full photographs.

𝔸 𝕡 𝕡 𝕖 𝕒 𝕣 𝕒 𝕟 𝕔 𝕖 :

Sparrow is beautiful in the way those young Victorian ladies are. She really enjoys dressing in the fashion of the time, and her power provides her zero issues with mussed hair and clothes during flight. That her golden hair matches her golden glow when she uses her powers is just unfair, really.
ℙ 𝕖 𝕣 𝕤 𝕠 𝕟 𝕒 𝕝 𝕚 𝕥 𝕪  :

A little childish for her age, Sparrow likes being a bit babied by the other members of the team and prefers hanging out with Kadabra--a little too much. I mean, we ship them, but Kadabra's kind of a cold fish, so not sure how that'll work out for her.
𝕄 𝕒 𝕘 𝕚 𝕔 :
 
Information is scarce thanks to government media suppression. All hearsay and internet reports.

Levitation-turned-true flight. She can also grant that flight to nearby people. And whenever she's using her powers, she glows golden. Immune to most incoming damage while flying. Simple set, but useful. Has moved the entire Precursor team before. Upper limit of flight sharing is unknown.
𝔸 𝕣 𝕞 𝕒 𝕞 𝕖 𝕟 𝕥 𝕤 :

None, yet.
𝕋 𝕙 𝕖 𝕞 𝕖  𝕊 𝕠 𝕟 𝕘 :

Eyes Closed

𝔸 𝕡 𝕡 𝕖 𝕒 𝕣 𝕒 𝕟 𝕔 𝕖 :

He's not extra tidy and he's not extra messy--Kadabra keeps it casual all the time with hoodies and jeans and a generally bored expression on his face. Not sure if he's always that bored or just faking it.
ℙ 𝕖 𝕣 𝕤 𝕠 𝕟 𝕒 𝕝 𝕚 𝕥 𝕪  :

A little careless and mostly aloof, Kadabra really only knows how to think in terms of a battle. He can come up with plenty of ways to throw or spear something at someone, but he can't boil noodles. He actually said so once to a nearby reporter who asked if he had time to answer questions. Something like "No. I have to make sure I boil noodles right this time."
𝕄 𝕒 𝕘 𝕚 𝕔 :
 
Information is scarce thanks to government media suppression. All hearsay and internet reports.

Kadabra can move things with his mind, but can't move people. Simple, straightforward, and dialed way up. Kadabra can throw mountains. That seems to be current upper limit. It's not really an upper limit you want to be testing, ever.
𝔸 𝕣 𝕞 𝕒 𝕞 𝕖 𝕟 𝕥 𝕤 :

None, yet.
𝕋 𝕙 𝕖 𝕞 𝕖  𝕊 𝕠 𝕟 𝕘 𝕤 :

Walking Through the Fire

𝔸 𝕡 𝕡 𝕖 𝕒 𝕣 𝕒 𝕟 𝕔 𝕖 :

Foresight is a down-to-earth, comely sort of pretty that comes from someone who doesn't bother dressing up or trying to be pretty. She's naturally attractive with her thick, brown locks and big eyes, though not a stunner like Sparrow or Perfume.
ℙ 𝕖 𝕣 𝕤 𝕠 𝕟 𝕒 𝕝 𝕚 𝕥 𝕪  :

A weird case of airheadedness permeates her every interaction. She can't seem to concentrate for very long on anything except when she's using her powers, but even then, she seems to be struggling with the urge to say things. Like something's stopping her from clearing her own thoughts.
𝕄 𝕒 𝕘 𝕚 𝕔 :
 
Information is scarce thanks to government media suppression. All hearsay and internet reports.

Foresight can read the future from tarot cards. She seems to see a lot more than she says, but that's because what she says is limited to what others ask her. She can't give them details unless they very specifically ask for something, but if their question is even a little off, it's "No" or "I need a different question." She's often just as frustrated as the person asking her help.
𝔸 𝕣 𝕞 𝕒 𝕞 𝕖 𝕟 𝕥 𝕤 :

None, yet.
𝕋 𝕙 𝕖 𝕞 𝕖  𝕊 𝕠 𝕟 𝕘 :

Rust

𝔸 𝕡 𝕡 𝕖 𝕒 𝕣 𝕒 𝕟 𝕔 𝕖 :

Newton looks like a pleasant, smiling dude almost all the time and he isn't faking it. The guy's cheery smile and semi-casual dress gives off the "happy average Joe" impression to the max. Until he drops a gravity field and levels a mountain or something.
ℙ 𝕖 𝕣 𝕤 𝕠 𝕟 𝕒 𝕝 𝕚 𝕥 𝕪  :

Bright and upbeat, Newton is a different kind of space-case than Foresight and often loses track of what he was doing just moments ago if he gets distracted by something else. In combat, he doesn't think things through very much, deferring to Kadabra's calls on strategy.
𝕄 𝕒 𝕘 𝕚 𝕔 :
 
Information is scarce thanks to government media suppression. All hearsay and internet reports.

Makes almost small-village-sized gravity fields at peak power. Otherwise he generally covers a block with one attack. He can lob a gravity ball towards an area and have it expand into a field of preset size that flattens everything down to a nice, smooth landscape. He isn't very good at aiming his gravity balls.
𝔸 𝕣 𝕞 𝕒 𝕞 𝕖 𝕟 𝕥 𝕤 :

None, yet.
𝕋 𝕙 𝕖 𝕞 𝕖  𝕊 𝕠 𝕟 𝕘 𝕤 :

I'll Take You

𝔸 𝕡 𝕡 𝕖 𝕒 𝕣 𝕒 𝕟 𝕔 𝕖 :

Regal Chinese beauty basically describes Prism. She's got that weird combination of black hair and violet eyes against a porcelain doll face that makes her look incredibly striking. Apparently her eyes were brown before, so I guess Dreamcatcher's manifestation of powers can sometimes come with facelifts? Or maybe it was something she chose on purpose when she met with Dreamcatcher. 
ℙ 𝕖 𝕣 𝕤 𝕠 𝕟 𝕒 𝕝 𝕚 𝕥 𝕪  :

Surprisingly Machiavellian despite her fragile looks, Prism will shoot first and ask questions later, which is why the Institutes like her so much whenever they need to clean up any runaways. She's gotten in trouble for occasionally endangering a civilian in her pursuit of a monster or an Aberration, but she never means to put them in harm's way. She's just extremely tunnel-visioned during a chase.
𝕄 𝕒 𝕘 𝕚 𝕔 :
 
Information is scarce thanks to government media suppression. All hearsay and internet reports.

Shoots a lot of lasers at once. She can basically drown an entire city in lasers if she wanted to expend all her energy at once. And these lasers can slice through buildings like wet paper. Her lasers can curve and home in on you, even if some of them don't really move as fast as lasers should. Perks include small-radius teleportation and extremely accurate aim.
𝔸 𝕣 𝕞 𝕒 𝕞 𝕖 𝕟 𝕥 𝕤 :

None, yet.
𝕋 𝕙 𝕖 𝕞 𝕖  𝕊 𝕠 𝕟 𝕘 𝕤 :

Glorious

𝔸 𝕡 𝕡 𝕖 𝕒 𝕣 𝕒 𝕟 𝕔 𝕖 :

Handsome, classy, and tall, Merlin is the Apollo to Whisper's Adonis, if we're setting counterparts here. Merlin's always got that smirk on his face, and I guess, given his powers, he has the right to be eternally confident. Usually wears snappy, custom-tailored suits for that added charm.
ℙ 𝕖 𝕣 𝕤 𝕠 𝕟 𝕒 𝕝 𝕚 𝕥 𝕪  :

Cocky. Cocky. Cocky. Merlin thinks he's god's gift to the world and he's not entirely wrong given how unfair his set of powers is and how easily he can apply the power to most situations. He's not very experienced in battle since the government's trying to slowly work him up through easier fights first instead of risking losing him by throwing him against something too dangerous.
𝕄 𝕒 𝕘 𝕚 𝕔 :
 
Information is scarce thanks to government media suppression. All hearsay and internet reports.

Elemental generation. He can generate and control water, earth, fire, wind and metal for now, though he didn't always have metal. This not only makes him a jack of all trades but also a master of them all, too. He can't generate too much of one element at the moment, but he seems to be getting a lot better with that really quickly.
𝔸 𝕣 𝕞 𝕒 𝕞 𝕖 𝕟 𝕥 𝕤 :

None, yet.
𝕋 𝕙 𝕖 𝕞 𝕖  𝕊 𝕠 𝕟 𝕘 𝕤 :

Canon

𝔸 𝕡 𝕡 𝕖 𝕒 𝕣 𝕒 𝕟 𝕔 𝕖 :

Hephaestus, last any of us saw of him before the government tucked him underground where they could guarantee his safety (as much as they could anyway), was a pretty large guy. Not tall, but big-boned. And that's exactly the word for him. He's not fat at all. That's all muscle. He just looks pretty stocky compared to someone lanky like Merlin. 
ℙ 𝕖 𝕣 𝕤 𝕠 𝕟 𝕒 𝕝 𝕚 𝕥 𝕪  :

They shoved him underground about five years ago, the same time Menagerie stopped showing up on anyone's radar, but from the old snippets of conversations caught while he used to help on the field he was a pretty quiet and chill guy. Never raised his voice, never complained, and he liked to admire flowers. Foresight visits him a lot, as some of the more fervent journalists have stalked and found out for us, though they couldn't go any further than the outer defenses of the fort that they have Hephaestus holed up in.
𝕄 𝕒 𝕘 𝕚 𝕔 :
 
Information is scarce thanks to government media suppression. All hearsay and internet reports.

No clue on Hephaestus's capabilities. He can make really crazy magical arms that can be hyperattuned to a mage's magic, but that's all we know. He can probably do other things, but that's where the information leak completely stops.
𝔸 𝕣 𝕞 𝕒 𝕞 𝕖 𝕟 𝕥 𝕤 :

None, yet.
𝕋 𝕙 𝕖 𝕞 𝕖  𝕊 𝕠 𝕟 𝕘 𝕤 :

Lullaby

𝔸 𝕡 𝕡 𝕖 𝕒 𝕣 𝕒 𝕟 𝕔 𝕖 :

Blue eyes and black hair should be an impossible combination or something, but with all the weird side-effects that could happen as a result of Dreamcatcher dishing out powers at random, no one is surprised anymore. Morph's long, black hair sometimes moves around on its own if she's thinking too much on transforming into something.
ℙ 𝕖 𝕣 𝕤 𝕠 𝕟 𝕒 𝕝 𝕚 𝕥 𝕪  :

Practical, though not to Prism's extent, Morph is careful in everything she does and is more of an observer than an actor, which suits her power perfectly, to be honest. Not much more is known about her since she spends most of her time not being herself.
𝕄 𝕒 𝕘 𝕚 𝕔 :
 
Information is scarce thanks to government media suppression. All hearsay and internet reports.

Morph can look like anything. Not anyone. Anything. Not sure on size and time limits, but her biggest confirmed shift was into the Statue of Liberty for a few hours, so that might be her upper limit on both ends. Everything else about her is kept strictly under wraps, which bolsters the impression that the government is indeed using her for espionage.
𝔸 𝕣 𝕞 𝕒 𝕞 𝕖 𝕟 𝕥 𝕤 :

None, yet.
𝕋 𝕙 𝕖 𝕞 𝕖  𝕊 𝕠 𝕟 𝕘 𝕤 :

Liberty Flute

𝔸 𝕡 𝕡 𝕖 𝕒 𝕣 𝕒 𝕟 𝕔 𝕖 :

Looks like a prince, has a princely name, could be a prince of some small country. Carries himself with a dignified air and does his best to keep his hair slicked carefully against his head to match the usually form-fitting shirts and outfits he prefers.
ℙ 𝕖 𝕣 𝕤 𝕠 𝕟 𝕒 𝕝 𝕚 𝕥 𝕪  :

Stingy is the impression most people get from him every time they've ever seen him at work. He won't waste energy healing everything that comes up. He'll actually leave allies to suffer until there's a sufficient density of injuries to make it worth his while. As long as they can still perform their functions, he doesn't think it necessary to heal them any more than the bare minimum to keep them on the field, and it's not because he has a small reservoir of magic or that his spells are costly. He just doesn't do it as often as he could because he thinks "topping off" would be "beneath him." 
𝕄 𝕒 𝕘 𝕚 𝕔 :
 
Information is scarce thanks to government media suppression. All hearsay and internet reports.

Benediction can bring people back from the dead if they haven't been dead for over two days. He can also heal at range with a soft beam of white light that fully restores the target back to perfect health, healing even chronic diseases. On top of that, he can also place borderline invincible barriers around five targets at once. Some rigorous tests have confirmed he feels a bit of strain on maintaining the barrier against a heavy onslaught, but that doesn't mean the barrier broke during that onslaught.
𝔸 𝕣 𝕞 𝕒 𝕞 𝕖 𝕟 𝕥 𝕤 :

None, yet.
𝕋 𝕙 𝕖 𝕞 𝕖  𝕊 𝕠 𝕟 𝕘 𝕤 :

Undaunted

𝔸 𝕡 𝕡 𝕖 𝕒 𝕣 𝕒 𝕟 𝕔 𝕖 :

Menagerie looks like a girl at first glance. This guy's a ladies man in more ways than one, and he seems blissfully unaware of how rare it is for guys to look that effeminate.
ℙ 𝕖 𝕣 𝕤 𝕠 𝕟 𝕒 𝕝 𝕚 𝕥 𝕪  :

Kind of a bleeding heart mage activist the last time we saw him. He disappeared around the same time they moved Hephaestus underground and speculation runs rampant on why, but then the government assured us all the Precursors were fine and we took them at their word. Heard he's an overall good guy, though. Helps old ladies across the street kind of deal.
𝕄 𝕒 𝕘 𝕚 𝕔 :

Information is scarce thanks to government media suppression. All hearsay and internet reports.

He can make monsters similar to Dreamcatcher, but they're smaller, weaker, and they always die within a week. Not viable, not self-sustaining, and not nearly as efficient as Dreamcatcher's monsters. It's weird that his power is so gimped for a Precursor, and no one's ever seen him in a fight. His creatures are just too ineffectual against anything that matter.
𝔻 𝕖 𝕒 𝕥 𝕙 :

What the fuck? Did he really attack the school? They had to have killed him right? Fuck, there's so much we don't know.
𝔸 𝕣 𝕞 𝕒 𝕞 𝕖 𝕟 𝕥 𝕤 :

None, yet.

𝕋 𝕙 𝕖 𝕞 𝕖  𝕊 𝕠 𝕟 𝕘 𝕤 :

Cold Skin

Refrain | Manic | Whisper | Queen Bee | Backdoor | Scaffold | Firestarter | Perfume | Cancer | Hashtag 

Click thumbnails to view full photographs.
Glory and Gore

𝔸 𝕡 𝕡 𝕖 𝕒 𝕣 𝕒 𝕟 𝕔 𝕖 :

Refrain is pretty lightweight at 163cm and roughly 51kg. He doesn't just hit like wet paper, he basically is wet paper. With the strength of a puppy corgi and the cardio of a tranquilized snail, Refrain is the ultimate moral support. While a life of crime as the ringleader of Cat's Cradle has now somewhat improved his generally poor health, it hasn't actually made that much of a difference. Refrain tends to favor dress shirts, slacks, and dress shoes, but general attire is not a good way to identify him. Beauty mark under his left eye and glasses are better indicators. The mark especially when he's wearing contacts.
ℙ 𝕖 𝕣 𝕤 𝕠 𝕟 𝕒 𝕝 𝕚 𝕥 𝕪  :

Quiet and generally unassuming. Guy doesn't look at all like he would be the head of Cat's Cradle, and yet he is. We have yet to catch any reports that can even pretend to guess why. Civilians that have run into him "alone" (Whisper or Manic likely nearby, out of sight) report him as a polite and gentle kind of guy. Sociopath, maybe?
𝕄 𝕒 𝕘 𝕚 𝕔 :
 
Information is scarce and only basics have been gleaned from repeated combat.

Can amplify and mitigate others' magic. Has been able to buff all nine of the other Cradle members before, though effect seems definitely weaker than when amplifying just one target. Cannot buff and debuff at the same time, but he switches quickly so there's not much downtime between effects. A single-target debuff wipes out even a Precursor's magical powers, rendering anyone Refrain focus-targets a regular for all intents and purposes. Don't draw his attention. If he nerfs you, another of the Cradle will home in for the kill and they'll almost always succeed in that instance.

He can't buff himself (so no positive feedback loop there, phew) and is otherwise completely normal and very vulnerable. Just...good luck getting to him behind the other nine Cradle members.
𝔸 𝕨 𝕒 𝕜 𝕖 𝕟 𝕚 𝕟 𝕘  / /  𝔼 𝕧 𝕠 𝕝 𝕦 𝕥 𝕚 𝕠 𝕟 :
 
Aberration  //  Animus

𝕊 𝕥 𝕚 𝕘 𝕞 𝕒 : 
Does it still exist for an Animus or do they just accept it so well it might as well not exist?
𝔸 𝕣 𝕞 𝕒 𝕞 𝕖 𝕟 𝕥 𝕤 :

None, yet.
𝕋 𝕙 𝕖 𝕞 𝕖  𝕊 𝕠 𝕟 𝕘 :

Renegades

𝔸 𝕡 𝕡 𝕖 𝕒 𝕣 𝕒 𝕟 𝕔 𝕖 :

Subject to change. Classically handsome. Has glasses for reading (something that makes the ladies swoon until they find out who he is). Wears a relaxed smile that, depending on the viewer’s knowledge of his membership in Cat's Cradle, comes off as either confident charm or snake-ish douchebaggery. A blue glow can usually be seen in the centre of his upper chest, from his rune. Since his power isn't a combat-based one he usually stays out of the front lines, staying by the side in a quick disguise. He's a natural ginger but he never keeps the same hairstyle or hair colour for more than a month. He seems to have an erratic fashion sense too, ranging from trendy dark coats to gaudy bright t-shirts.
ℙ 𝕖 𝕣 𝕤 𝕠 𝕟 𝕒 𝕝 𝕚 𝕥 𝕪  :

A really cocky bastard. Likes to tease his teammates. Has a fierce loyalty to Refrain that rivals even Whisper. Seems to have retained the friendly rivalry from their childhood with the latter.
𝕄 𝕒 𝕘 𝕚 𝕔 :
 
Information is scarce and only basics have been gleaned from repeated combat.

Master manipulator of emotions. He senses every living thing within a 110m radius and can have them emotionally (and physically) incapacitated within an instant. Donovan's ability allows him to instill an intense primal emotion in his targets (usually fear or depression), which lets him order them to do whatever he wants. Whenever he uses his power, a blinding blue light shines from the center of his chest.
𝔸 𝕨 𝕒 𝕜 𝕖 𝕟 𝕚 𝕟 𝕘  / /  𝔼 𝕧 𝕠 𝕝 𝕦 𝕥 𝕚 𝕠 𝕟 :
 
Aberration  //  Animus

𝕊 𝕥 𝕚 𝕘 𝕞 𝕒 : 
Does it still exist for an Animus or do they just accept it so well it might as well not exist?
𝔸 𝕣 𝕞 𝕒 𝕞 𝕖 𝕟 𝕥 𝕤 :

A butterfly knife he uses to finish people off when he has them paralysed in fear.
𝕋 𝕙 𝕖 𝕞 𝕖  𝕊 𝕠 𝕟 𝕘 :

Your Life

𝔸 𝕡 𝕡 𝕖 𝕒 𝕣 𝕒 𝕟 𝕔 𝕖 :

Tall, dark, and handsome, (okay, seriously, what's with the boy-band vibe from Cat's Cradle, sometimes?) Whisper would be an Abercrombie & Fitch model (you know, those mostly naked ones on their shopping bags) if he wasn't a psycho Animus whose power revolves around screaming you to death. As some awkward and incredibly noticeable side effect of his powers, his eyes glow faintly cyan under most lighting and he's probably the most obvious of Cat's Cradle to spot. He's also usually their vanguard into a new area, so if we had to have the public face of Cat's Cradle, Whisper would be it.

ℙ 𝕖 𝕣 𝕤 𝕠 𝕟 𝕒 𝕝 𝕚 𝕥 𝕪  :

Extremely protective of Refrain. Perhaps to make up for the two brothers Refrain lost in the West Coast US disaster of 2011. Regardless, he goes into a frenzy when Refrain is in danger. Potential trigger to make use of, but exceedingly risky.

𝕄 𝕒 𝕘 𝕚 𝕔 :
 
Information is scarce and only basics have been gleaned from repeated combat.

Whisper has a 300m range with a targeted sound wave and a 100m range when he's just letting off a point-blank sound explosion around him. His power is always on all the time, so normally he can't talk. For record's sake, a whisper from him can send you and your chair flying a few meters away.

𝔸 𝕨 𝕒 𝕜 𝕖 𝕟 𝕚 𝕟 𝕘  / /  𝔼 𝕧 𝕠 𝕝 𝕦 𝕥 𝕚 𝕠 𝕟 :
 
Aberration  //  Animus

𝕊 𝕥 𝕚 𝕘 𝕞 𝕒 :
Does it still exist for an Animus or do they just accept it so well it might as well not exist?
𝔸 𝕣 𝕞 𝕒 𝕞 𝕖 𝕟 𝕥 𝕤 :

None, yet.
𝕋 𝕙 𝕖 𝕞 𝕖  𝕊 𝕠 𝕟 𝕘 :

Setting Fires

𝔸 𝕡 𝕡 𝕖 𝕒 𝕣 𝕒 𝕟 𝕔 𝕖 :

With firey red hair and a pixie-like face, Bee almost rivals Perfume beauty-wise. She typically wears edgy punk type clothes ([x] [x] ) and dark, but lightly applied make-up. She has a tattoo of some peonies on her left shoulder. This symbol glows a warm, honey-gold color on the center of her chest, just below her collar bone, whenever her powers are active. 
ℙ 𝕖 𝕣 𝕤 𝕠 𝕟 𝕒 𝕝 𝕚 𝕥 𝕪  :

She doesn't seem to be quite quite as downright psychotic as her powers make her out to be. It might just be a bad case of resting bitch face, but she comes off as rather... unpleasant/grumpy. She isn't known to talk or gloat very much aside from a few reportedly snide, joking remarks to her fellow members. She's rumored to have some sort of crush on Whisper, but this hasn't been confirmed.  
𝕄 𝕒 𝕘 𝕚 𝕔 :
 
Bee is able to completely control insects, arachnids, and the like-- even some insect-like monsters leftover from Dreamcatcher. This is still under speculation, but due to data gathering on the largest swarm she's ever amassed on the fly (no pun intended), it would seem she can summon any bugs within a 4 mile radius. She can also grossly increase the size of her insects-- to a degree. 15-20 car-size creepy crawlies at a time, five the size of your house, or one that's straight out of a Godzilla movie. These numbers aren't exact, but sightings have been consistent enough to suggest that the number of bugs she can grow is dependent on the size. 

If giant swarms or just plain giant bugs (some of which are definitely poisonous) didn't seem like it was enough, Bee can also fly via a pair of large, translucent wings. As with her bugs, she is able to "summon" her wings at will, along with a pair of long, antennae. When is this state, she is extremely fast and agile-- like trying to swat a fly that's sending hordes of bees straight for your eyeballs at the same time.
𝔸 𝕨 𝕒 𝕜 𝕖 𝕟 𝕚 𝕟 𝕘  / /  𝔼 𝕧 𝕠 𝕝 𝕦 𝕥 𝕚 𝕠 𝕟 :
 
Aberration  //  Animus

𝕊 𝕥 𝕚 𝕘 𝕞 𝕒 :
Does it still exist for an Animus or do they just accept it so well it might as well not exist?
𝔸 𝕣 𝕞 𝕒 𝕞 𝕖 𝕟 𝕥 𝕤 :

None, yet.
𝕋 𝕙 𝕖 𝕞 𝕖  𝕊 𝕠 𝕟 𝕘 :

Mononofrog_4sk - Asphalt

𝔸 𝕡 𝕡 𝕖 𝕒 𝕣 𝕒 𝕟 𝕔 𝕖 :

He likes wearing loose, flowing clothes and usually just ends up buying shit that's two sizes too large for him. Guy looks pretty nondescript otherwise and wouldn't be easy to spot in a crowd even if you knew what you were looking for. Don't try to pick him out from a crowd and find some similar guy, then cause a panic over nothing. He's not the one that you need to worry about anyway.
ℙ 𝕖 𝕣 𝕤 𝕠 𝕟 𝕒 𝕝 𝕚 𝕥 𝕪  :

Can't tell if he has one. Doesn't often communicate with the team outside of Refrain and none of those conversations were ever loud enough to record. Can't tell if he likes Refrain or talks to him out of sheer necessity. Otherwise stays well out of combat and shows up only to usher the escape.
𝕄 𝕒 𝕘 𝕚 𝕔 :
 
Information is scarce and only basics have been gleaned from repeated combat.

His makes portals, but he can't choose the destination. He can set a few waypoints down (and only he knows where he set them), but the actual teleportation magic will randomly select from there. For a gimp, it's pretty damn good at keeping Foresight from tracking them. There's likely a limit distance for Backdoor's teleports as Cat's Cradle has never been spotted too far from a previous teleport. A few cities' distance away seems to be the farthest they can go in one jump, though it's not known how far they can move if Refrain boosts Backdoor.
𝔸 𝕨 𝕒 𝕜 𝕖 𝕟 𝕚 𝕟 𝕘  / /  𝔼 𝕧 𝕠 𝕝 𝕦 𝕥 𝕚 𝕠 𝕟 :
 
Aberration  //  Animus

𝕊 𝕥 𝕚 𝕘 𝕞 𝕒 :
Does it still exist for an Animus or do they just accept it so well it might as well not exist?
𝔸 𝕣 𝕞 𝕒 𝕞 𝕖 𝕟 𝕥 𝕤 :

None, yet.
𝕋 𝕙 𝕖 𝕞 𝕖  𝕊 𝕠 𝕟 𝕘 :

Bleach

𝔸 𝕡 𝕡 𝕖 𝕒 𝕣 𝕒 𝕟 𝕔 𝕖 :

She lost half her face from a light splash of magical griffin acid (Dreamcatcher's experimental phases are strange...) and now sports hideous scarring on the bottom half of her face despite multiple rounds of plastic surgery.
ℙ 𝕖 𝕣 𝕤 𝕠 𝕟 𝕒 𝕝 𝕚 𝕥 𝕪  :

Very motherly to the team despite all that's happened to her and despite the atrocities they often commit. Forms some kind of weird nuclear family with her as the mother, Hashtag as the father, and everyone else as the kids.
𝕄 𝕒 𝕘 𝕚 𝕔 :
 
Information is scarce and only basics have been gleaned from repeated combat.

She creates magical scaffolding in the air that needs to be connected to each other as they're created, forming a constantly moving, floating construct comparable to the magic carpet from Aladdin. However, instead of just sitting on a carpet and moving, Scaffold has to constantly create new carpets in front of the one they're leaving behind as they move forward. She used to be considerably slower at putting things together, but not only has she gotten much faster with her ability, just like everyone else in Cat's Cradle, she also makes use of Refrain's boosts when they need to get away in a hurry. For her, the boosts amplify the speed with which she can create and "set" the next panel of scaffolding for movement. Her scaffolds are easily shattered by most strong magical attacks and can't really function as shields or even distractions, but she can definitely give the group strategic angles on the battlefield since she can generate and sustain her magical panels from about 150 meters away.
𝔸 𝕨 𝕒 𝕜 𝕖 𝕟 𝕚 𝕟 𝕘  / /  𝔼 𝕧 𝕠 𝕝 𝕦 𝕥 𝕚 𝕠 𝕟 :
 
Aberration  //  Animus

𝕊 𝕥 𝕚 𝕘 𝕞 𝕒 :
 Does it still exist for an Animus or do they just accept it so well it might as well not exist?
𝔸 𝕣 𝕞 𝕒 𝕞 𝕖 𝕟 𝕥 𝕤 :

None, yet.
𝕋 𝕙 𝕖 𝕞 𝕖  𝕊 𝕠 𝕟 𝕘 :

Say Go

𝔸 𝕡 𝕡 𝕖 𝕒 𝕣 𝕒 𝕟 𝕔 𝕖 :

Dark, wavy, shoulder length hair. Has the darkest complexion out of the group. Tends to dress practically, in cargo pants and such. The CC broke into one of the USARILN bases around December 2016 and stole a heat-resistant bodysuit from one of their Hephaestus troves, so sometimes she can be seen in that. It's pretty much a white wetsuit-looking thing with red highlights. For the aesthetics, I guess.
ℙ 𝕖 𝕣 𝕤 𝕠 𝕟 𝕒 𝕝 𝕚 𝕥 𝕪  :

Despite being one of the younger members, she seems to have a rational head on her shoulders. Frequently slaps the nonsense out of her misbehaving teammates' heads, especially Cancer and Perfume. 
𝕄 𝕒 𝕘 𝕚 𝕔 :
 
Information is scarce and only basics have been gleaned from repeated combat.

Firestarter can heat up an area covering several average city blocks up to 1000 degrees celsius. An indicator of her power in use is shimmering, highly distorted air that quickly gets warmer. Another visual tell is the condensed orange glow around her hands when her powers are activated. Her power only takes about three minutes to transfer all that heat. While she's superheating an area, she has to stand still, and her effect kind of blooms out strictly in front of her in a bit of rough cone, so she's vulnerable to flank and rear attacks while she's "casting." She also needs time to cool down after every round or she starts to slowly succumb to her own heat.
𝔸 𝕨 𝕒 𝕜 𝕖 𝕟 𝕚 𝕟 𝕘  / /  𝔼 𝕧 𝕠 𝕝 𝕦 𝕥 𝕚 𝕠 𝕟 :
 
Aberration  //  Animus

𝕊 𝕥 𝕚 𝕘 𝕞 𝕒 :
Does it still exist for an Animus or do they just accept it so well it might as well not exist?
𝔸 𝕣 𝕞 𝕒 𝕞 𝕖 𝕟 𝕥 𝕤 :

Heat-resistant, Hephaestus-crafted bodysuit
𝕋 𝕙 𝕖 𝕞 𝕖  𝕊 𝕠 𝕟 𝕘 :

Start A Fire

𝔸 𝕡 𝕡 𝕖 𝕒 𝕣 𝕒 𝕟 𝕔 𝕖 :

Stunningly beautiful, Hollywood-tier beautiful. Even after years out of the spotlight, Baxter has retained the blonde starlet aura from her glory days. Generally dresses in expensive, feminine-looking clothing or that ActiveWear stuff everyone has these days. She's not exactly easy to miss on the street.
ℙ 𝕖 𝕣 𝕤 𝕠 𝕟 𝕒 𝕝 𝕚 𝕥 𝕪  :

A caustic tongue. Seems to have little respect for others except to those stronger than her. She seems to obey Whisper's hand signals and Cancer's orders well, though she has shown reluctance to let Firestarter boss her around. Seems ambivalent towards Refrain and Manic. Appears to have some sort of rivalry going on with Bee.
𝕄 𝕒 𝕘 𝕚 𝕔 :
 
Information is scarce and only basics have been gleaned from repeated combat.

Perfume exhales a giant cloud of golden smog that can be remote controlled. The initial cloud only spans about 10m, but then she spreads the particles around up to 100m around her. Spreading it takes time and she does have to stand still to thin out the cloud to more practical sizes, but she's gotten faster at it. The process only takes her a few minutes now where it used to cost the group a more than 20 minutes in the past. According to reports, the cloud has a pleasant scent of lavender outside of the real effect's range (about 50 or so meters outside of the 100m setup) that attracts people to it. Its effects depend on how long you've been exposed to it. A few seconds means a seized up nervous system for around three hours. Half a minute means you're completely paralysed for two to three days. Being exposed to it for full minute is means that you'll succumb to quick-acting leprosy-like symptoms and die within eight days.
𝔸 𝕨 𝕒 𝕜 𝕖 𝕟 𝕚 𝕟 𝕘  / /  𝔼 𝕧 𝕠 𝕝 𝕦 𝕥 𝕚 𝕠 𝕟 :
 
Aberration  //  Animus

𝕊 𝕥 𝕚 𝕘 𝕞 𝕒 :
Does it still exist for an Animus or do they just accept it so well it might as well not exist?
𝔸 𝕣 𝕞 𝕒 𝕞 𝕖 𝕟 𝕥 𝕤 :

None, yet.
𝕋 𝕙 𝕖 𝕞 𝕖  𝕊 𝕠 𝕟 𝕘 :

Primadonna

𝔸 𝕡 𝕡 𝕖 𝕒 𝕣 𝕒 𝕟 𝕔 𝕖 :

Shirtless. Always shirtless. He likes showing off his full-arm tattoo and knows he's practically invincible with Tumor wrapped around him. His tattoos are pretty distinguishable, but he has a mole beneath his right eye and below the right corner of his mouth for further identification.
ℙ 𝕖 𝕣 𝕤 𝕠 𝕟 𝕒 𝕝 𝕚 𝕥 𝕪  :

Still somewhat stuck in the adolescent "too cool to care" attititude it seems. Hardly listens to Refrain until the guy forcibly shuts off his powers and Tumor drops to the ground unmoving and without its devouring ability. At that point, Whisper or Manic are usually on hand to deal with him if he charges Refrain in his stupidity.

Ironically enough, he's an Aquarius.
𝕄 𝕒 𝕘 𝕚 𝕔 :
 
Information is scarce and only basics have been gleaned from repeated combat.

Cancer wears his "magic pet" like a black blob around his neck and shoulders, as if imitating a feather boa. The pet, Tumor, devours everything it touches besides him and his allies, because he can fine tune that control. This pet seems to have a movement range of 200m since it's been spotted that far from Cancer before returning to its master. It is its own intelligent entity and it is as deadly as any of Dreamcatcher's creations. Dealing with Tumor is a no-contact-ever type of strategy because no one knows the full extent of the "eat everything" ability. Tumor is about 30m long completely unfurled and moves incredibly fast. It can float several meters off the ground and can bend and twist its boneless body any way it wants in order to touch you. It has a creepy face but its entire body is basically a touch-and-be-destroyed magical mouth. 
𝔸 𝕨 𝕒 𝕜 𝕖 𝕟 𝕚 𝕟 𝕘  / /  𝔼 𝕧 𝕠 𝕝 𝕦 𝕥 𝕚 𝕠 𝕟 :
 
Aberration  //  Animus

𝕊 𝕥 𝕚 𝕘 𝕞 𝕒 :
Does it still exist for an Animus or do they just accept it so well it might as well not exist?
𝔸 𝕣 𝕞 𝕒 𝕞 𝕖 𝕟 𝕥 𝕤 :

None, yet.
𝕋 𝕙 𝕖 𝕞 𝕖  𝕊 𝕠 𝕟 𝕘 :

Gasoline

𝔸 𝕡 𝕡 𝕖 𝕒 𝕣 𝕒 𝕟 𝕔 𝕖 :

Has never been seen with long pants on, or even shorts for that matter, even in the wintery cold of Siberia. Good God, what is wrong with these psychos? The easiest of the group to spot in a crowd because of his aforementioned eternal booty shorts and constant leather clothing.
ℙ 𝕖 𝕣 𝕤 𝕠 𝕟 𝕒 𝕝 𝕚 𝕥 𝕪  :

What we're guessing at least--it's not like we've been able to watch them for long--is that Hashtag is the most irreverent of the group and tends to be the cause of some friction whenever he insists on licking minor injuries that others aren't keen on sharing with him. Seems to have a personal beef with Whisper, but has a surprising amount of respect for Refrain.
𝕄 𝕒 𝕘 𝕚 𝕔 :
 
Information is scarce and only basics have been gleaned from repeated combat.

Hashtag has to stick his fingers into the injuries to heal them. He can't just touch them or lightly insert the tips of his fingers. He has to stick the entire length of his fingers into the wound. If the wound isn't deep enough to stick his hands in then he licks them, maybe several times depending on the depth of the wound. Wounds that are deep enough for him to stick his hands straight into heal immediately once he removes his hands, a fairly excruciating process. Its effects are instantaneous. Skin doesn't even knit together, it's just back together in a snap. No process, just result. Given the nature of their healer, most of Cat's Cradle do their damnedest to not take any damage. Occasional banter recorded by nearby military units reveal it's something of a mark of shame in the group if you've had to be licked by Hashtag recently.
𝔸 𝕨 𝕒 𝕜 𝕖 𝕟 𝕚 𝕟 𝕘  / /  𝔼 𝕧 𝕠 𝕝 𝕦 𝕥 𝕚 𝕠 𝕟 :
 
Aberration  //  Animus

𝕊 𝕥 𝕚 𝕘 𝕞 𝕒 :
Does it still exist for an Animus or do they just accept it so well it might as well not exist?
𝔸 𝕣 𝕞 𝕒 𝕞 𝕖 𝕟 𝕥 𝕤 :

None, yet.
𝕋 𝕙 𝕖 𝕞 𝕖  𝕊 𝕠 𝕟 𝕘 :

Kisses Back

Garrote | Cat's Cradle

Click thumbnails to view full photographs.

𝔸 𝕡 𝕡 𝕖 𝕒 𝕣 𝕒 𝕟 𝕔 𝕖 :

Led a pretty small, but efficient gang in Vietnam for a period of time, so he looked the part with slicked-back hair and tailored suits. The sunglasses that the guy would even wear indoors is kind of indicative of how douchey he was, really.
ℙ 𝕖 𝕣 𝕤 𝕠 𝕟 𝕒 𝕝 𝕚 𝕥 𝕪  :

Fucking nuts. This guy made Cat's Cradle look like saints. Extortion, robbery, human slave trafficking, drug rings, cold-blooded murder, and practically a million other crimes on his rap sheet kind of testified that he needed to go and he needed to go fast. But with Dreamcatcher's monsters taking priority over everything else, Garrote was allowed to wreak havoc with little Precursor intervention for the longest time. And he enjoyed every moment of it. Named Garrote by the media because he had a kink for using his powers to twist someone's neck around and around until the spine just corkscrewed hard enough to snap. Not a pleasant person even by accounts of the people on his side.
𝕄 𝕒 𝕘 𝕚 𝕔 :
 
Garrote had osteokinesis. And it was insane enough that he almost killed Sparrow with it. That would be the only time anyone's ever seen Benediction react that quickly to a situation, given the healer's usual shitty methods. He practically piloted the jet plane himself to get there when the drone's video feed showed Sparrow dropping from the sky, blood streaming behind her. Said something about how he wasn't sure if he could counteract Garrote's powers with his if Garrote was still alive. The Precursors had gone into that fight with only cursory knowledge of what Garrote could do, and he had really thrown them for a loop when they found out that if even a particle of his bone dust made contact with any of their bones, he could start a chain-reaction of cracks and splits that would spread throughout their body until their bones were little more than powder under flesh and skin. He had somehow snuck some into Sparrow's body when she had landed briefly to drop off Kadabra, and her invincibility during flight didn't stop the damage that had apparently already started. 
𝔻 𝕖 𝕒 𝕥 𝕙 :
 
It took a mountain from Kadabra and the biggest gravity field Newton had ever made in his life to kill the Animus. Luckily, it seemed like working the damage through Sparrow's invincibility had cost Garrote enough energy to prevent him from manipulating his bones into flight or high speed, so the mountain managed to nail him head on, even accounting for how long it took Kadabra to lift the thing and position it for a good throw. It says something about how terrifying he was that Newton dropped a gravity field on the area afterwards, crushing the mountain in the process. Because, you know, you can't be too careful after dropping a mountain on someone. Garrote was a huge, bloody smear by the time they found his remains in the rubble.
𝔸 𝕨 𝕒 𝕜 𝕖 𝕟 𝕚 𝕟 𝕘  / /  𝔼 𝕧 𝕠 𝕝 𝕦 𝕥 𝕚 𝕠 𝕟 :
 
Aberration  //  Animus

𝕊 𝕥 𝕚 𝕘 𝕞 𝕒 : 
Does it still exist for an Animus or do they just accept it so well it might as well not exist?

Monster Frisbee will be updating this page the moment we hear about anything new, guys!

Animated Dream Catcher Pixel – Original by r0dents.
Dream Catcher – Original by LadyMidnightSolace.
Cat Skull – Original by Berneri.

Sparrow – Original by Dhiea. 
Kadabra – Original by Josco. 
Foresight – Original by Matsunaka Hiro. 
Newton – Original by Tokuko Ma-ma. 
Prism – Original by Fcsz3d1a. Merlin – Artist unknown. 
Hephaestus – Original by Pixiv Id 15408965. Morph – Original by Matsunaka Hiro. 
Benediction – Original by Orii. 
Menagerie – Original by Pixiv Id 8799394.

Refrain – Artist unknown. 
Manic – Original by casanovakevin. 
Whisper – Original by Black-pirates. 
Queen Bee – Artist unknown. 
Backdoor – Original by Pengruoxi. 
Scaffold – Original by Claire Hummel. 
Firestarter – Original by loish. 
Perfume – Original by Ricemo. 
Cancer – Original by Pixiv Id 12769733. 
Hashtag – Artist unknown.

Garrote – Original by Pixiv Id 3739547, edited by Baklava.

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ℕ 𝕒 𝕞 𝕖 :

Lawrence B. "Doc" Ellison

𝔸 𝕘 𝕖 :

Nineteen.

ℍ 𝕖 𝕚 𝕘 𝕙 𝕥 :

5'8", 172cm

𝕎 𝕖 𝕚 𝕘 𝕙 𝕥 :

150lb, 68kg

𝔸 𝕡 𝕡 𝕖 𝕒 𝕣 𝕒 𝕟 𝕔 𝕖 :

A weird mix of professional and casual, Lawrence carries the look of someone who should care more about his appearance than he actually does. While he carries an air of being professional upon first meeting him, this illusion is quickly shattered upon closer inspection. His hair is messy almost to the point of not being tolerable, and his clothing, while suitably "proper" is usually in a state of disarray, whether it be a flipped collar or uneven wrist cuffs. Beneath which glimpses of tattoos can be occasionally seen. 

Besides this, he's fairly average in most respects. A bit on the short side for height, and in no way a chiseled example of athleticism. Almost always on his person, tucked under an arm or in a pocket, is a book entitled "Meditations". This, however, is not always the only book he carries with him. The library is like his personal home, and he often likes to bring pieces of it with him when he's out and about. It's a habit forged from constant interruptions of his studying over the past year.

ℙ 𝕖 𝕣 𝕤 𝕠 𝕟 𝕒 𝕝 𝕚 𝕥 𝕪 :

Lawrence carries an aura of serenity about him, almost to the extent that it could be considered apathy. This is no accident. Upon learning the effect his power has upon others, he took it upon himself to embrace an almost fanatical devotion to the philosophy of Stoicism. This isn't to say he's an emotionless shell, but rather he uses reason and logic to ward off what negative thoughts that he can. In a nutshell, he tries to take "A stoic is immune to misfortune" as seriously as possible. Particularly considering the volatile Abberations he finds himself interacting with every day.

As far as positive emotions go, he has no problem expressing them, although his methods can sometimes leave something to be desired. Behind the serenity lies pool of wit and venom that he unleashes upon those he feels comfortable with. Friends are showered with insults while strangers are showered with advice, perhaps an outlet for keeping his calm facade. It's all in good fun though, and he takes the occasional singed eyebrow from a moody Abberation in stride.

Ultimately though, what drives him day to day is a desire to be helpful. Good and bad mean little to him compared to helpful and helpless. His powers have yet to manifest in a way that's useful to the Institution as a whole (Much to his relief), so in the meantime he does what he can for his peers. As such, he rarely leaves the school grounds, instead preferring to set up and read in the corner of the library until a student bothers him.An almost inevitable occurrence these days.

ℍ 𝕚 𝕤 𝕥 𝕠 𝕣 𝕪 :

Lawrence was... what one might call a volunteer at the institution. That is to say the dreams he experienced, and their implications, shook him to the core. Enough so that he practically threw himself at the chance to join USARILN East. This would probably surprise most of his current acquaintances, considering his almost unhealthy indifference to misfortune. Needless to say, he usually keeps that particular detail to himself. Regardless, it was one year ago that he first stepped foot in the Institution, and since then his life has been relatively normal, all things considered. Especially compared to many in his same position.

His initials fears could be called an absurd overreaction when compared to how underwhelming his power is. That isn't to say he has found himself entirely useless though. Abberations in particular began to seek him out when word of his power started to spread. Sometimes all they needed was a "fix", a quick chat when he was in a good mood to ease their minds during a struggle with their stigma. Still, this was not always a... good idea. Before he had learned to control his power, and his emotions, there was more than one occasion when he was caught in a bad mood. Sometimes adding a little fire to an Abberation who's having a bad day ends in violence. Sometimes meaning usually. 

In the months since gaining a measure of control over his ability he has seen a steady rise in his "popularity". In truth, most people just use him, but he has long since resigned himself to that fate. On most days he sets up shop in the library during his free time, with a sarcastic plaque that reads "Dr. Ellison" (The source of his nickname) facing outwards from his little reading nook. Arbiters, as a whole, tend to leave him alone. Unlike Abberations they couldn't get much practical use out of his ability, and having your mind potentially manipulated is something most people would rather avoid. As such, he's made a lot of acquaintances over the past year, but next to no friends. Whether this bothers him or not is anybody's guess.

In spite of a noticeable lack of being sent out into the meat grinder like a number of his peers, Lawrence has noticed an... almost uncomfortable amount of attention on him from the Institution these past few weeks. The guards, in particular, seem to be paying him an unhealthy amount of attention. For the most part he's tried to dismiss it as paranoia, after all the Institute isn't particularly shy when it needs something. Still, that unknown fills him with a certain amount of unease when his mind dwells on it too long.

𝕄 𝕒 𝕘 𝕚 𝕔 :

Interpersonal Influence: Lawrence has an "aura" about him that has a subtle, yet noticeable affect on the minds around him. Others will find themselves drawn towards his mental state, relaxing if he is relaxed, becoming anxious if he is afraid. While this used to be constant, he has managed to exert a certain amount of control over it in the past year. He can flick it on or off at will, and only reasonably for 3 people at a time. While "active" this aura becomes visible, and engulfs both him and the recipient in a faint white light.

Instead of choosing the influence the target's mind, Lawrence can instead choose to influence their body. He does not have nearly the same impact when using his ability in this manner, able to influence only small changes in function (Inducing minor shivers, twitching, etc.) and comes with increased strain on Lawrence himself. He can only use this ability for, at most, a minute on the target, with larger targets being harder to influence. Other than this, it has the same tell and range as his other power (30 meters, for reference) and cannot be used in conjunction with it.

𝔻 𝕣 𝕖 𝕒 𝕞 :

"Thank you..." The woman sobbed, finally finding the peace she had sought for so long. He lived a quiet existence, secluded in the wilderness, but that did not seem to stop folks from hunting him down. Bookshelves seemed to stretch endlessly in all directions, and behind the woman lay an equally endless line of others waiting to find their peace. He did not mind though. The work was... rewarding. A quick glance out the window confirmed it: All the friends he had made thoughout his lifetime were there. Some had been seekers much like the woman in front of him, others never needed his power to begin with.

With a wave of his hand he motioned the woman to join the group outside, and turned to greet the next man in line. His body was bathed in flames and hatred was plastered across his aging face. In moments though, the flames were extinguished by tears, and he knelt before Lawrence sobbing.

"Thank you..."

ℕ 𝕚 𝕘 𝕙 𝕥 𝕞 𝕒 𝕣 𝕖 :

Shadows dance across the walls, illuminated by flickering torchlight. In the center of the room sits a single chair, a throne, occupied by none other than Lawrence. Who else, after all, would be a fitting candidate to lord over this domain? This institution? The decor was no accident, the archaic designs were such because he desired them to be. As if to toast those men and women who held ultimate power in a day long past.

In front of him knelt a man who looked to be much older, much more prestigious at first glance. In a different world, it would be fitting that their positions were reversed. They both knew, however, the absurdity of that situation in present times. No, in present times this was the only arrangement that made sense. Still, in spite of the totality of his servitude, the kneeling man argued:

"But Sir surely you can forgive his insult just once. He is both a child and a fool, we don't need to-"

A wave of Lawrence's hand silenced the man. Almost as if enjoying the challenge to his authority, his eyes sparkled with delight and a hint of amusement spread across his lips. Still, those that knew him were aware that a smile was never a good reaction. Lawrence was... creative when it came to his talents, and it was this creativity that he delighted in.

"How is your wife doing?"

The kneeling man's outburst was completely ignored, but rather grow angry his face drained of all color.

"P-please, I-"

"Healthy? As healthy as that fool is anyway. See, we're running a little low on money these days, and I just can't imagine that we can fit feeding the both of them in this week's budget. So, you can either slip a knife through his ribs or slip a blade through hers. It's your choice."

With painful emphasis on that final word, the walls of the room fell away, revealing an endless multitude of featureless people, stretching past the horizon. As one they reached out him, their voices rising in a beautiful chant.

"Our choice."

"Our choice."

𝔸 𝕨 𝕒 𝕜 𝕖 𝕟 𝕚 𝕟 𝕘 :

Arbiter

𝔸 𝕣 𝕞 𝕒 𝕞 𝕖 𝕟 𝕥 𝕤 :

xxx

I have none yet! Yada yada not important enough, yada yada plot device.

𝕋 𝕙 𝕖 𝕞 𝕖  𝕊 𝕠 𝕟 𝕘 𝕤 :

The Stoic's Calm Mind
The Stoic Facade Fades for a Climactic Showdown
A Brief Glimpse of Doc's Thought Process

Look, I know they call me 'Doc' but do you really need me to psychoanalyze the newbies? I'm sure you have people for that.

...

What? My opinion? Why does that matter? You know what, nevermind, let's just make this quick so I can get back.

People The Doc Likes:

People The Doc Dislikes:

People The Doc Is Neutral On:

Lily - Lily first? All right, I guess I have known her a week longer than the others, so I'm game. I guess it makes me a horrible person if I say I prefer her when she's depressed instead of manic, but you guys never really cared about how terrible we are. I mean, of course I want her to be in a good mood whenever possible for her sake, but... Wow that's a lot to handle at once. Still, that doesn't bother me too much. What bothers me is her powers. Taking on the injury of someone else? I'm not sure whether I respect her for having the mental fortitude to do that, or worry about her sense of self worth. What is she saying about her own value if she can damage herself readily? This is all speculation though, I'm not inside of her head (Magical hocus pocus aside) and I hope I'm wrong. Still, I'd be lying if I said that didn't affect my view of her. 

Emma - All right, so Emma. Another person I'm not quite sure how I feel about, exactly. On the one hand, I appreciate how kind she is to everyone, and if taken at face value that's pretty great. On the other hand... Emotions are sorta my thing, you know? I deal with Aberrations every day, so I've seen all kinds. I'm not saying she's secretly a void of emotion or an ocean of depression, but an act is an act. I don't really care for people who put on a front. So, it's hard to say one way or the other how I feel about her. I respect her good qualities and have no respect for her "bad" ones, if you can even call it that.  If she can't trust me enough to take off that mask I won't be able to trust her enough to become her friend.

Grant - He's something between a kindred spirit and a polar opposite. I wouldn't consider myself lazy but I can definitely relate to someone that doesn't give a damn about appearances or being "productive". Still, that bone he has to pick with authority? Grow up. Now I don't mean that in the sense of "Oh, you need to get over everything that's wrong with you and live a happy life", but there's clearly a deeper problem there than teen angst. Instead of lashing out he needs to realize that the people trying to help him are trying to help him. He's almost an adult, having these issues isn't a problem but not trying to fix them is. Needs an actual therapist. So if he blows up on me, I get it, but it's not going to win him any points. Other than that, he seems all right by me. 

Chris -  Another of those people I would describe as being in between a kindred spirit and polar opposite. I think we have similar tastes in company to a degree, in that we both can respect a more muted attitude in people. His preferences in that regard though seem much stronger than mine are. The real difference lies in the fact that the guy doesn't seem comfortable with himself, at all, and that's an issue. Self acceptance is a pretty big part of life, you know? Someone who can't talk about themselves with others clearly has a lot of honest introspection to do. Kinda feel like I should introduce the guy to Stoicism and see if anything good comes from it, seems like the perfect type to benefit. Still, I'm not here to take on an apprentice. If he wants help accepting himself I'll do what I can, but if he doesn't then I can't see much of a friendship developing during his time here. I'd feel like I was hanging out with an empty shell.

Sander -  This guy's harder to get a solid read on than most, I'll give him that. I feel like I could flip my "Calm the fuck down" magic switch on 24/7 around him and I'd still be weary of getting caught up in a tantrum. Still, he seems... reasonable, which I like. Dude clearly hates this place and everything about it, but he falls in line instead of trying to be a rebel and wasting his time. I'm perhaps not so much of an... idealist as he is, but as long as he doesn't go full radical one day and start marching in the streets I think we'll be fine. Rather, as long as he doesn't expect me to join him when that happens, because honestly I would rather just read about it later.

Callan -  So, Callan, our resident hero-complex. I'm not even quite sure where to start with her. She's... weirdly normal, in the sense that her powers and life at the Institute don't seem to be able to make a dent in her in her natural personality and schedule. Not that I've known her since birth or anything, but I just get the feeling that if I had met her before and after she awoke from her dreams, she would be the same person entirely. I can't say that I really "get" the hero complex thing she has going on though. That and the amount of effort she puts towards achieving her ideals is disproportional to their size. She's both spreading herself too thin, and not putting enough effort to make up for it. If one or both of those realities doesn't change, she's either going to burn out or break. Whether she's aware of this and doesn't care, or is unaware of it entirely, who knows? I don't. 

Kusari - I enjoy a good verbal spar, but holy Hell I think she and I have different reasons behind why. It's one thing to burn your friends in a fun way, it's another to try and torch every individual you come across indiscriminately. I get that she doesn't really have to worry about an Aberration accidentally killing her in a bit of rage, but tempering her tongue with a bit of wisdom would go a long way towards helping her get by in life. Personally? I think it's fun, in a way, but I can't really agree with going around making potential enemies left and right. It's careless, dangerously so. I feel like she's missing a reason not to though. Perhaps not exactly lacking a will to live, but a will to live well. I may not have much ambition in my life, but I at least try to live well by my own definition. Maybe one day she'll find what she needs.

Padma - She lived, she died. I never spoke to her in between those two events. 

Marcus - I swear this guy would get along great with Emma because I get the exact same vibe from those two. He's the class clown to her social butterfly and neither one feels entirely natural. I like the humor, personally, it's a lot better than the usual angsty, whining, and angry bags of hormones that usually wander the halls. I'm not quite saying it's a mask, I think he's genuinely someone who likes a laugh. Still, it almost feels like he's putting... to much of himself into it, and neglecting other aspects in the process. I'm not sure if he's consciously doing that or not, but it makes getting a real read on him difficult. So, I think I'm going to just wait and see when it comes to him, and hopefully not regret it.

Lincoln -  Wait, who?

Zoe -  Hot headed Aberration? Never seen that one before. Like I've said before though, I'm so used to this by now I don't even care that much. On the one hand, she's honest and straightforward, which is good. On the other, she's honest and straightforward, which is bad. Tactfulness, while I'm not always the best with it myself, exists for a reason. She reminds me a bit of Padma with the whole inflexibility thing, which again is admirable but not always good. Still, she seems very... self aware of how she ticks, and her decisions and actions aren't bred from ignorance. I just wish she'd drop that self confident facade she uses as a defense mechanism. It's easier to read than Emma's and loses her just as many points. Trust people to like who you are or accept that they won't, especially if you're not going to be shy about making enemies anyway.

Hazel -  A calm Aberration? I'd rather take my chances with the moody ones. That collar around her neck doesn't help matters, in all honesty she's pretty suspicious. Rather, the circumstances surrounding her are suspicious, and I'm not usually one to question these things. I've said I couldn't get a read on a couple of people so far, but she by far takes the cake in that department. It isn't even that she's trying to wear a mask as far as I can tell, but that she's missing in her own body. Maybe if my powers were stronger I could do something for her, but until then it's hard to have an opinion. Maybe one day I'll meet her for real, if I'm even right about this.

Siena -  "A kindred spirit and polar opposite", just how many times am I going to have to describe somebody that way? First off, I'll be damned but she reads as much as I do. Hell, maybe she even reads more than I do these days with all the Aberrations constantly taking up my time. If knowledge were actually power I'd wager the two of us combined could probably take over this small corner of the world with little difficulty. Still, she's lost in a way that I'm not even sure can be helped. Plenty of people around here are trying to hide their true selves, or trying to avoid introspection so that they themselves don't have to know what lies belief the surface. Her though? She's trying hard and not able to come up with any answers, and that's not something even a professional can help with, I'd wager. I don't envy her power if that's the end result of using it. I can't say that I relate to a wealthy upbringing either, but my life's been comfortable enough this past year that I can understand not having to worry about money, to an extent. Overall, if she ever finds the answers she needs about herself, I wouldn't mind sparing a chair in my corner of the library.

Samantha - Who?

Angélique - Short. Fucking. Fuse. You could teach a class called"Aberrations 101" and have the entire first lesson be those three words repeated over and over. She's no exception. Still, she keeps it hidden relatively well I guess. If going off to sulk instead of blowing up is hiding it. Still, if she had turned out to be an Arbiter I bet she would be a natural leader here, one that would see no shortage of combat. I'm sure that's going to be the case anyway, and it's pointless to think of what could have been. Ultimately, she can be moody, but she's not lacking in good qualities either. As long as she doesn't try to blast music while I'm reading we're not going to butt heads too often.

Allison - she's... Friendly, that's for sure. A bit too friendly. Actually, sometimes I feel like I'm just prey being watched by a predator. I get the whole teasing thing- I rag on people I like as well- but the attention can get a bit... tiring. Still, while I feel like she obviously wants a special sort of attention on a constant basis, I also get the feeling she's trying not to act on that desire. Woe be to the libido of whoever she decides to hook up with.

Savannah - Oh, hey, a crazy Aberration. Never seen one of those before, and hopefully I never see another one again. Unstable, unhappy, and probably homicidal. One of those people that clearly needs my switch flipped on them 24/7 but I have no desire to be that close to her that often. She's still young enough though that something could change during her time here at the Institution. Tons of professional help, maybe a few hours a day at Ground Zero. At least there's not much chance of her blowing me up with her magic, I don't exactly have much to counterspell.

Christmas - Is... he an Arbiter? The way he acts some of the time, most of the time, all the time, is like he has a stigma going haywire constantly. He's pretty high on my "Needs Professional Help" list, but I do think some conventional therapy would do wonders for... whatever is wrong with him. He does seem to try to function at least, in spite of whatever crippling anxiety he's suffering from. Seems to hang around people, seems friendly enough too even if he really needs to think before he acts sometime. Ultimately he seems to value other people much higher than he values himself. That's not only pitiable, it's stupid. Another person that I think would get a lot of benefit from Stoicism if he ever bothered to dedicate himself to it. That, and a good slap of reality. Thankfully the two do not need to be mutually exclusive.

Alexis - Apparently she was a child actor? That sort of life would screw anybody up, but she seems oddly balanced. Suspiciously balanced, especially for somebody attending this school. Still, who am I to judge? It is nice to meet someone who isn't a total bitch, or unhinged, so in that sense I suppose you could say she's easy to get along with. That whole sense of conviction with good/bad/right/wrong she has though is annoying, to say the least. Especially as someone who prefers to look at the world in shades of grey. Maybe that cut and dry sense of morality and purpose is what sews her together, but if I were her I'd prefer to rip out those stitchings and see what the fabric really looks like underneath. Maybe she'd find the same person, maybe she'd find someone else, but I would probably find that person more agreeable.

Aaron - I guess he would be  bit like me if I tried to be, relatively speaking, "Normal". Really, I think normal is the best way to describe him, in almost an uninteresting way. He reminds me of the kids I would bump into during school just a couple years ago. I guess it's sad, in a way, that something like that could be considered uninteresting, but the unwelcome excitement of the last year has changed who and what I consider boring. Maybe if I get to know the guy a bit more- and I'm sure I will- then I'll find something I've been missing about him. Until then though I could give or take him and hardly notice either way.

Brent - Brent seems... like he's missing something. Some kind of drive or reason that most other people seem to have. Is it a goal? Is it a purpose? Is it a use for his life? I can't say, personally. Perhaps his magic can be seen as an extension of that lack of purpose, it's ability is to enhance something already existing. Most magic creates or changes the world or the people on it in some way, his merely makes something do the same thing it already did better. Why does Brent get out of bed in the morning? If it's for anything important I have no idea. As it is, I don't mind him, the guy's friendly enough. It just bugs me that I don't know why he's friendly enough.

Ernie - Selfish. I find it hard to find fault with that though, because I think a person should always value themselves above others. Christmas could take some notes from the guy, at the very least. On the one hand, socially, I don't really have a problem with the guy. It's a dick move if he lets people get close to him without being able to return much genuine affection, but I don't expect that will ever affect me. He's pleasant enough though as long as you're not expecting anything more from him than a buddy to kill some time with. What does affect me, however, is how much he'll have my back when we get thrown into hell together. I can predictably rely on him to look out for number one, which puts him about one step above Christmas, however as far as relying on him to keep my safe if his life doesn't depend on it? Let's just say that's not a bet I would put money on. Or my life. 

Sophia - Conventional. Therapy. Not that I really mind, on the contrary I quite like it when people are quiet. Still, there's quite a wide difference between someone being quiet, and someone being mute. She seems good with kids, younger kids anyway, which is a plus since I'm not. At all. So if I see a herd of ankle biters coming my way I'll be sure to use her as a human shield. Overall, she seems like a good enough sort, but there's something to be said for communication. Unless she can work past whatever's holding her back, I can't really ever see us getting closer than passing acquaintances. I'm not going to waste time pulling teeth out of someone who doesn't want to go to the dentist. 

If you want my real opinion? I don't really give a damn about who a person is or how they act. I don't get close to people I don't respect, that's the criteria. That respect needs to be earned, and I just don't know anybody well enough to say "Ah, yes, this is somebody I'd like to invest in as a friend". Plus, it makes my job easier if I don't have a bunch of buddies trying to take up my free time, most people who want my help don't want an audience in their time of weakness.

ℕ 𝕒 𝕞 𝕖 :

Elizabeth?! No! Eliza?! LIZZY?!

𝔸 𝕘 𝕖 :

3! I mean, between 13 and 19! Sorta!

ℍ 𝕖 𝕚 𝕘 𝕙 𝕥 :

20 inches!

𝕎 𝕖 𝕚 𝕘 𝕙 𝕥 :

28 pounds! The Pound?! Bad place!

𝔸 𝕡 𝕡 𝕖 𝕒 𝕣 𝕒 𝕟 𝕔 𝕖 :

I'm a dog! Woof!

ℙ 𝕖 𝕣 𝕤 𝕠 𝕟 𝕒 𝕝 𝕚 𝕥 𝕪 :

I'm Lizzy! I like bones! And cats! And people! My best friend is super awesome! Too awesome to share! I don't mind sharing him with people that are like him, but I don't like it when people not like him try to take his attention! Grrrr! Get it?! Uh...
I like to run, yes! And eat a lot! And chase cars sometimes! Squirrels are fun too but I sure don't know what to do with them! Also, I sometimes see this tail out of nowhere and I feel compelled to chase it! It always hurts me when I get it though! Uh... Did I mention I really like food?!

ℍ 𝕚 𝕤 𝕥 𝕠 𝕣 𝕪 :

Wow, uh, I don't know! I used to live everywhere! East side of town has lots of food! West side of town has lots of garbage to play with! People don't really like me, but I see them with food and I can't resist sometimes! I'm pretty quick at running away too! Sometimes men come out of nowhere and try to grab me but I think they're stupid! Too fast for them! Lots of cats around too! They don't like me either.

One day I saw my best friend with food! So I followed him! I think he tried to get away from me, but he's pretty slow! Then, instead of chasing me, he gave me some of the food! YUM! So I kept following him to some really big place that felt really weird! He didn't let me in.

So I waited! I'm not stupid, food once means food twice right?! He didn't look happy to see me, but he fed me anyway! So I followed him again! And again! And again! He even let me inside eventually! Outside is nice, but inside is nicer! 

So... Yeah! I sure don't know when that was but it was a long time ago!

𝕄 𝕒 𝕘 𝕚 𝕔 :

Sometimes when I rub against a balloon it explodes! Loud!.

𝔻 𝕣 𝕖 𝕒 𝕞 :

Bones! Cats! SQUIRRELS! Run run run run run!

ℕ 𝕚 𝕘 𝕙 𝕥 𝕞 𝕒 𝕣 𝕖 :

Giant cats! Giant squirrels! Run run run run run away!

𝔸 𝕨 𝕒 𝕜 𝕖 𝕟 𝕚 𝕟 𝕘 :

Ex-Stray Dog!

𝔸 𝕣 𝕞 𝕒 𝕞 𝕖 𝕟 𝕥 𝕤 :

A collar! It's not magic but it's nice!

𝕋 𝕙 𝕖 𝕞 𝕖  𝕊 𝕠 𝕟 𝕘 𝕤 :

Dinner in the title? Must suit me!

ℕ 𝕒 𝕞 𝕖 :

Elizabeth Reid

𝔸 𝕘 𝕖 :

19

ℍ 𝕖 𝕚 𝕘 𝕙 𝕥 :

5'6" (168cm)

𝕎 𝕖 𝕚 𝕘 𝕙 𝕥 :

124lbs (58kg)

𝔸 𝕡 𝕡 𝕖 𝕒 𝕣 𝕒 𝕟 𝕔 𝕖 :

ℙ 𝕖 𝕣 𝕤 𝕠 𝕟 𝕒 𝕝 𝕚 𝕥 𝕪 :

Elizabeth was always a friendly woman, not quite to the extent of being called a "Social Butterfly" but never passing on an opportunity to hit the town or chat up a new acquaintance.  While friendly though, she abhorred small talk, preferring to delve into more serious topics about the people she was with and the things they were experiencing. As such, during the rare times she didn't have plans with other people she could be found at the library, hunting for something new to share and discuss.

However, like all Aberrations her stigma was constantly chipping away at her. Elizabeth preferred to remain stonefaced about it until the second it burst, which usually resulted in a burst of violence before sinking to the ground and screaming until it went away. Lightning followed by thunder. As her power grew so did her stigma, and the frequency of these episodes increased as time went on. Near the end of her life she feared being kicked out of the Arbiter dorms for being too unstable- and if Lawrence weren't her roommate it would have probably been likely.

ℍ 𝕚 𝕤 𝕥 𝕠 𝕣 𝕪 :

Arriving at USARILN East two years ago, Elizabeth established herself as an ever present part of campus life. It seemed as if she had managed to make at least one friend in every clique at the Institution, and would frequently leverage them to tag along for any given social gathering taking place in the student body. She was never the best student- fully aware of how little it mattered- choosing to focus on her own studies rather than those taking place in the classroom. At first, like many, she was terrified of the prospect of being deployed- used as a weapon. However as time went on it became increasingly evident that she was looking forward to the next incident, and was one of the few students who seemed to actually enjoy their intended use at USARILN East.

A year ago Lawrence Ellison arrived at the Institution, and the two were scheduled to be roommates. For all intents and purposes, the two seemed to hit it off well, and were often seen together. He never seemed to tag along for her more social gatherings, and she appeared to attend less of them as time went on. Instead finding more time to free up in the library. Rumor had it that this was because of her worsening stigma causing several incidents with other students, but that isn't exactly possible to confirm at this point. Still, while her stigma worsened her power also grew, and rumor also had it that she was in consideration to join Shane's team.

One day she and a few other mages were sent ahead of Shane's team to buy time for their arrival against a potential Category 4. USARILN East had been as tight lipped about what occurred during that battle as they always were, but Elizabeth was one of several casualties to result from that day. Far from the first- or last- student to perish at USARILN East, she wasn't mourned long despite her extensive popularity.

𝕄 𝕒 𝕘 𝕚 𝕔 :

Elizabeth was, simply put, a master of electricity. Her power had one main focus, and as such did that one thing exceptionally well. At first simply limited to a normal electric shock- no more than a mild one you might get around the house, and subject to all the same limitation of needing to be grounded- this eventually was far surpassed. First in voltage, growing to the absurd levels required to incapacitate or outright kill many category 2 DC creatures. Then, near the end of her life, she had managed to strip electricity and it's limitations from her power if need be and fire what can only be described as pure plasma at her enemies. Rumor is that she was even able to wound the Category 4 with this in her final battle, but the likelihood of that is absurd at best.

𝔻 𝕣 𝕖 𝕒 𝕞 :

She, like many, isn't known to have told anybody the contents of her dreams.

ℕ 𝕚 𝕘 𝕙 𝕥 𝕞 𝕒 𝕣 𝕖 :

She, like many, isn't known to have told anybody the contents of her dreams.

𝔸 𝕨 𝕒 𝕜 𝕖 𝕟 𝕚 𝕟 𝕘 :

Aberration

  𝕊 𝕥 𝕚 𝕘 𝕞 𝕒 :          

Unknown, she never seemed to talk about her Stigma with anybody, even when it was out of control.

𝔸 𝕣 𝕞 𝕒 𝕞 𝕖 𝕟 𝕥 𝕤 :

Elizabeth owned no armaments.

𝕋 𝕙 𝕖 𝕞 𝕖  𝕊 𝕠 𝕟 𝕘 𝕤 :

Elizabeth's Theme Music

Or Alternatively This

(* Indicates some sort of character importance.) 

I'd Love to Change the World - Ten Years After (Playing in his head as he's walking across campus)

Whiter Shade of Pale (With Extra Verses) - Procol Harum (Whisper sings to himself while trying to fall asleep)*

Some People Have it Worse Than I - Tim Minchin (Lawrence's personal alarm in the morning)

Moonage Daydream - David Bowie (Lawrence in a good mood walking through town)

King Shiv - Man Man (Lawrence in a not good mood walking through town)

Draft Dodger Rag - Phil Ochs (Lawrence trying to keep his mood up when called out to die again)

Mutineer - Warren Zevon (Lawrence x Elizabeth)*

Year of the Cat - Al Stewart (Ironically, going on a walk with Lizzy)

Pay The Man - The Offspring (Lawrence dealing with Zhang)*

Travellin' Band - Creedence Clearwater Revival (Lawrence walking with a hungry Lizzy)

Surf's Up - The Beach Boys (Lawrence receiving an upgrade)*

Beginnings - Chicago (Lawrence while brewing his morning coffee)

Such a Night - Dr. John (Lawrence out on a Date)

Rain Dogs - Tom Waits (Lawrence's real feelings about him and his class)*

Someone Saved my Life Tonight - Elton John (Lawrence x Lizzy/The Aftermath of Elizabeth)*

Radio Silence - Harvey Danger ('Doc' Ellison in the library)*

John Barleycorn - Traffic (Nothing special, just Lawrence's favorite song)

Fool's Overture - Supertramp (Lawrence on his way to a mission)*

I Know I'm Losing You - Rare Earth (Lawrence's favorite song to sing/Shower song)

Bourbon Street - Jeff Tuohy (The Lawrence Harem)**********

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𝕃 𝕚 𝕝 𝕚 𝕒 𝕟 𝕟 𝕒   𝔹 𝕣 𝕒 𝕟 𝕕 𝕥

𝔸 𝕘 𝕖

17

ℍ 𝕖 𝕚 𝕘 𝕙 𝕥

5 feet

𝕎 𝕖 𝕚 𝕘 𝕙 𝕥

100 lbs.

𝔸 𝕡 𝕡 𝕖 𝕒 𝕣 𝕒 𝕟 𝕔 𝕖

Standing a short height of 5 feet, she looks younger than her real age. Her golden hair reaches down to her waist and is always worn in a messy do. She sometimes puts it up in a high ponytail but even when she puts effort into it, her hair still ends up looking messy. She has strange golden colored eyes that can sometimes be expressive and at times emotionless and blank. She prefers wearing loose casual clothing.

ℙ 𝕖 𝕣 𝕤 𝕠 𝕟 𝕒 𝕝 𝕚 𝕥 𝕪

Lily has a Bipolar Disorder. Her mood swings erratically from depression to mania, sometimes spanning days but other times minutes. During her manic episodes, she can be extremely irritated and jumpy. She has a tendency to talk fast, jump from one idea to the other and is very easily distracted. She can sometimes go for days without sleep and can act impulsively in this mood. During her depressed episodes, she is completely listless and can have extended periods of feeling worried and empty. She has trouble concentrating, remembering and making decisions during these episodes and prefers being alone most times. Often times she can be seen snoozing in inappropriate places. 

She hates doctor visits particularly during assessment days. She resents being told that there is something wrong with her. 

While she thinks her power gives her some sort of worth for the community, she is annoyed by its nature. She often tries to puzzle out why a healing ability was given to her when she can't even focus most times.

ℍ 𝕚 𝕤 𝕥 𝕠 𝕣 𝕪

Lilianna Brandt (Lily for short) was the name given to her by USARILN East's staff when they found her a week ago near the facility. She was found unconscious with a severe traumatic head injury. The medical staff feared that she would not survive but she proved them wrong when she woke up from only three days of coma. However, when she woke up, she had no idea who she is and where she is from. She exhibited strange healing capabilities as well as an erratic mood disorder. During her manic episodes, she is able to remember bits and pieces of her past but her memory is often too fragmented to make sense of. But whichever mood she's in, there are things that remain constant. The memory of the visions. And the stigma.

𝕄 𝕒 𝕘 𝕚 𝕔

𝔼 𝕐 𝔼   𝔽 𝕆 ℝ   𝔸 ℕ   𝔼 𝕐 𝔼
Lily can "heal" anything instantly in a 30m range. Those she means to "heal" don't need to be in her line of sight--she can "detect" the injured. The "healing" is perfect--for a period of time. Any damage she heals, she gains and she feels. So, in its truest essence, she doesn't really heal a person. She merely transfer the injury to another, in this case, herself. Sometimes, unable to bear the pain, she eventually returns the damage to the original person especially when she is in her depressive mood. She tends to bear the pain and helps people better when she is in her manic mood. Her visual telegraph is a black string that wraps around her wrist and connects to the wrist(s) of her target. Since the black string is not truly physical, it goes through objects. It is visible to everyone.

On a target to which she has already transferred injuries, she can multiply that injury randomly around the point of effect (so roughly in the same area). Up to three times, for a total of four wounds. Cannot be used on existing wounds. Has to be an injury she transferred while the connection is active. If she transfers an injury and cuts the connection, that injury can no longer be multiplied. Has to be done as part of the combo.

Limiter: Multiplying an injury is tiring. The more severe the wound multiplied, the more exhausting, up to something like a lost leg multiplied (in the form of the opponent losing three more peripheral appendages) knocking her out completely.

Telegraph is still the same string, but with more threads branching out towards the replicated wounds.

𝔻 𝕣 𝕖 𝕒 𝕞

The road branches in two. The left veers into a clear path. The trees are green and full of life, the birds are chirping happily as golden rays of sun peek through the leaves of the trees. The life all around Lily coalesce into a golden ball that slowly floats down. As soon as it settles down on her hands, it bursts out and fills everything with a gentle glow. She is transported to a peaceful place, a perfect utopia without debilitating diseases and without pain. Death comes as a welcome friend after a long fulfilling life. 

ℕ 𝕚 𝕘 𝕙 𝕥 𝕞 𝕒 𝕣 𝕖

The path to the right is hazy and cloaked with a thick mist. The floor was littered with brambles and thorns. Owl hoots and moans of pain can be heard echoing through the trees. But while the path seemed to hold horrifying secrets, it promised power beyond imagination. As Lily stepped onto the path, she is accosted by a million voices whispering harshly. Her foggy mind clears up and she sees herself atop the highest mountain. Everlasting life. Immortality. As she looks down, she sees that she is standing atop a mountain of corpses and skeletons.

𝔸 𝕨 𝕒 𝕜 𝕖 𝕟 𝕚 𝕟 𝕘

Aberration

𝕊 𝕥 𝕚 𝕘 𝕞 𝕒

Fragments of her old memory - she finds herself more and more frustrated as she tries to grasp what they mean and angry that she can never piece them together to make any sense.
Decisions - she finds herself confused when she tries to figure out the reasons she had for choosing the right fork in the road (prior to losing her memory).

𝔸 𝕣 𝕞 𝕒 𝕞 𝕖 𝕟 𝕥 𝕤

None at the moment.

𝕋 𝕙 𝕖 𝕞 𝕖  𝕊 𝕠 𝕟 𝕘 𝕤

Take Me As I Am ~ Tonic

𝕃𝕒𝕨𝕣𝕖𝕟𝕔𝕖  𝔹.  𝔼𝕝𝕝𝕚𝕤𝕠𝕟
"It's comfortable being around him. I feel peaceful when he's just there. I don't want him poking around in my head though. That would be just... I wonder if he can help me remember things from my life before coming here. Who my parents were... what I was like before well, I'm like this. Maybe he already knows? Has he been through my mind before? I did fall asleep in the Library that one time and he was there. That was a good nap. Maybe I should sleep there more often. Hmmm... I'm hungry."

𝔼𝕞𝕞𝕒  ℍ𝕒𝕝𝕨𝕖𝕝𝕝
"I think Em thinks I'm cuckoo. Normally I would have chewed her head off for thinking that way but she's nice and I like her. She's nice to me so maybe she likes me too? She cheers me up and hangs out with me. Not that her cheering up makes any difference. I wonder if she'd like to have a sleep over or something. We can talk about stuff and---" Lily stopped. A frown crosses her face, her mood obviously shifted. "She's pretty and popular. I'm obviously not any of those. Why would she like me? And why do I need to tell you what I think of her anyway? It's not like my opinion matters in this place."

𝔾𝕣𝕒𝕟𝕥  ℝ𝕠𝕥𝕖𝕞
"He looks so tired all the time. Maybe a little pick me up would do him good. Coffee maybe? Tea? Black tea tastes so nice. Chocolate? Catnip? Uh... does that even work on humans? Oh, oh! A crackle chute! I remember this cat back home. She was so happy with the crackling material she played with it for hours..." Lily's voice trailed off and her brows furrowed as she tried to hold onto the momentary burst of memory. When it slipped out of her mind, she stared for a few minutes at Grant from a distance, frowned and then walked away.

ℂ𝕙𝕣𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕠𝕡𝕙𝕖𝕣  𝔻𝕣𝕒𝕜𝕖  𝔽𝕣𝕒𝕟𝕔𝕚𝕤
"I told him I liked his spiky hair this one time and he glared at me. Does he not like his own hair?" Lily reached up and scratched her head, successfully messing up her already messy golden hair. "Or does mine bother him? I wash it all the time. Maybe I should ask him. Hmmm...But when I think about it, he glares at me all the time," she looked at herself as if she was trying to figure out what it is about her appearance that seems to aggravate Chris. When she looked up, she saw him passing by. "Oh, there he is. I should just ask him and... w-what is that smell? That smells like freshly baked croissant," completely forgetting that she wanted to talk to Chris, she turned around and walked off in the opposite direction.

𝕊𝕒𝕟𝕕𝕖𝕣  𝕃𝕠𝕣𝕣𝕒𝕚𝕟𝕖
"Wow! He's so tall. I bet if I stand directly behind him, no one will be able to see me. He must come from a family of tall people," Lily looked up at the clear blue sky. "If it rains and he's holding an umbrella over me, I'd probably still get wet. Well, it's always nice to soak a bit under the rain. But I don't like the cold too much. I'd probably get sick. And getting sick would really suck..."

ℂ𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕒𝕟  𝕎𝕖𝕓𝕓
"She's so strong. I bet she can toss me all the way to the other side of the world if she wanted. Huh. I wonder where I would land? Will it be okay to maybe ask someone to be thrown there with me? Em maybe? But then how will we get back? Will it be better to go alone?" she paused, a dark look replacing the laid back expression on her face just seconds ago. "Maybe she could just throw me all the way up there," she pointed straight up the sky. "Then I can face Dreamcatcher and ask him why my dreams are always so confusing. I want my memories back. I don't even know how I lost them in the first place."

𝕂𝕦𝕤𝕒𝕣𝕚  𝔹𝕝𝕠𝕠𝕕𝕨𝕠𝕣𝕥𝕙
Lily was in a particularly depressed mood when asked about Kusari. It also didn't help that she just woke up from an unpleasant sleep. Her dreams had been  filled disjointed memories and disembodied voices. She didn't say anything, shrugged and then walked away.

ℙ𝕒𝕕𝕞𝕒  𝕄𝕒𝕛𝕦𝕞𝕕𝕒𝕣
Lily was still in a bad mood when asked to comment about Padma. "Why do I need to comment about each and everyone? Does it really matter? If I said I liked her, would you leave me alone? She's athletic and active. And I probably won't want to hang out with her cause I haven't had a good night's sleep yet. She probably won't like me and maybe even hates me already. I don't really care."

𝕄𝕒𝕣𝕔𝕦𝕤  ℍ𝕠𝕨𝕖𝕝𝕝
Bringing up Marcus immediately shifted Lily into a better mood. "Oh, Marcus. He's fun. I like him best. He's always smiling and is always always cheerful. I don't think anything can bring him down. Sometimes he reminds me of little Lisa. She has always been that little ray of sunshine for me. But of course, Lisa's a girl. Marcus is a guy. I don't think he can ever look like a girl even if I give him long hair... or a dress. That'd be really funny," she laughed. But when asked about who Lisa is, her stare was blank and it didn't seem like she realized that she had remembered something from her past for a few seconds. "Who's Lisa? I thought you wanted to know what I think of Marcus?"

𝕃𝕚𝕟𝕔𝕠𝕝𝕟  𝔾𝕚𝕝𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖
Lily was in one of her rare serene moments when asked about Lincoln. (She probably just came from spending time in the Library with Lawrence) "He hates me, I'm sure. I don't mind. He stays away from me most of the time anyway. I'd like to be friends with everyone. Even him. But he's big. He's even taller than Sandy and I think he'll just step on me like I'm some sort of bug if I tried talking to him," and then she shifted back to her manic mood. "I wonder if I'll be a pretty golden bug. Or maybe a colorful one. Would I have wings? I'll ask Em and Marcus what they think about that," she wandered off with a loopy grin on her face, missing walking into a tree by just a few inches.

ℤ𝕠𝕖  𝔽𝕝𝕖𝕥𝕔𝕙𝕖𝕣
"Why the heck is everyone so tall in this place? I'm gonna get stuck looking up at everyone and everyone looking down at me. I swear, one day I'll just find myself trampled down and pancake flat on the floor," Lily shook her head at the thought. "Oh, right. Back to Zoe. Uhm... sometimes I'm scared to look at her cause it looks like she wants to just gobble me up or something. I'm small, I know but I don't think I look appetizing at all," she looked at the donut she was holding in her hand. Yep, the very same donut in the profile pic in her CS."But maybe if I dip myself in chocolate then I'd look like this donut too?" she placed the donut in her mouth and wandered off.

ℍ𝕒𝕫𝕖𝕝  𝔹𝕒𝕜𝕖𝕣
Lily frowned when asked about Hazel. "No." When asked about what she meant by no, she shook her head, her frown deepening further. "She's all drugged up, isn't she? She's like some sort of empty doll. She's nice. And quiet. And have perfect manners. But SHE'S. NOT. THERE. Those doctors... they did this to her. The same thing they want to do to me too," she gestured angrily with her hands and then stomped away. It was, after all, assessment day for her.

𝕊𝕚𝕖𝕟𝕒  𝕊𝕒𝕟𝕥𝕒𝕟𝕒
"She tells really good stories. Although sometimes they change when she retells them. They're all so dramatic and tense and exciting. But I usually find myself confused about which version is the real one. Maybe she confuses herself too? Maybe all the books she has read and is still reading muddled her mind up somehow? But reading books should make people wiser, right?" Lily looked thoughtful for a few seconds. "Eh... I read books too. But I don't feel wise at all. I like eating cookies while reading though. Chocolate chip is the best!"

𝕊𝕒𝕞𝕒𝕟𝕥𝕙𝕒  𝕊𝕦𝕞𝕞𝕖𝕣𝕤
"I'm tired talking about other people. You've been hounding me for several days now. What is this for anyway? It can't be for a graduation album, right? Cause we just got here," Lily looked irritated as she complained. "Samantha... Well, she looks like she'd scold me every time I look at her. And so I usually don't." She eyed the vanilla cinnamon donut extended out to her. "Bribing me with food, huh?" she took the donut. "This better be good. Who's next?"

𝔸𝕟𝕘é𝕝𝕚𝕢𝕦𝕖  𝕃𝕒𝕔𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕔𝕖
"Angel? Loud music. I can't hear myself think when she has her music to full blast." Lily popped the last of the donut into her mouth, shrugged and walked away. "Bring me a chocolate peanut butter coated one next time you want me to talk," she called over her shoulder.

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Hidden 10 yrs ago → 9 yrs ago Post by Bubsy 2

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"Just 'Em' is fine."


 𝔸 𝕘 𝕖

17

 ℍ 𝕖 𝕚 𝕘 𝕙 𝕥 :

5'4"

 𝕎 𝕖 𝕚 𝕘 𝕙 𝕥 :

125 lbs.


 𝔸 𝕡 𝕡 𝕖 𝕒 𝕣 𝕒 𝕟 𝕔 𝕖 :

I look so normal. Or, more accurately, I put so much effort into looking normal. I spend so much time obsessing over clothes, outfits, hair, makeup... it's so fucking bullshit. I look so fucking good and I hate it. I always look so happy, always smiling, always laughing. The cracks are showing. I can't stop it, I can't shake this fucking nervous twitch. It looks so fucking weird, it makes me look so fucking weird. Restless legs syndrome or some shit. I can't stop moving.

I fucking hate it.

But I guess I hate everything, huh? I looks happy, I smile well, I can lie and most people won't be able to tell the difference. I'm so fucking perfect, everyone sees me as so perfect! I just can't help it. 'She has so many friends, she's so pretty, her grades are so good, she must be so perfect!' It's vain as fuck but I know they're thinking it. I've heard them say it. I'm so good at pretending, so good at faking, it's pretty fucking funny. 

None of them can see me.

When I'm alone it all bleeds away. The happiness. The sadness. It's nothing. I don't want to be alone, I want to be away from everyone. The stigma eats at me, tears at me, but I don't care. Let it yell, let it get its jabs in. The stigma is right about me.

Sometimes I think that voice in my head is the only one that sees the real me.


 ℙ 𝕖 𝕣 𝕤 𝕠 𝕟 𝕒 𝕝 𝕚 𝕥 𝕪 :

I am a mess.

I already told you I'm a good faker, right? I'm nice, personable, people like me. I'm good at making other people feel like they're these things. I'm funny, I guess. People laugh when I talk, but maybe that's just because I'm pretty. I try to do good things. I don't always do good things. I try to help people. Sometimes I can be shy, I guess. I used to be more shy but I threw that shit out. I got good at talking to  people. I guess I can thank Riley for that. I'm a lot smarter than people give me credit for, too. Because I'm popular and pretty people think that I'm kinda dumb but I do way better in class than them. They might think that's not important, but fuck 'em. People talk shit because they're jealous.

So, why is someone so perfect an Aberration? That's a good question, isn't it? There's a side of me that I'd rather people not see, because the truth is I'm a bad person. I know it. I'm worthless, I feel all this shit that I push down but it's always there. People are bullshit. Dreamcatcher is bullshit. God is bullshit. Friends, family, it's nice to act like it matters, but... it's bullshit. Or is it? Is that what the stigma wants me to think? No, it's always been there, just louder now. But I guess my biggest sin is that I feel so lonely. That's fucking pathetic, right? I'm surrounded by people that like me and I still feel so fucking lonely. That's sad, isn't it? I'm so melodramatic, so weird, why can't I just be... happy? I guess I really hate myself because I should be happy, I should be normal, I have every right to be, but...

I'm not.


 ℍ 𝕚 𝕤 𝕥 𝕠 𝕣 𝕪 :

A month before I ended up at USARILN I... I did something really bad. I didn't really think about it too much. I'd been on the verge for a long time, I think. I stuffed that feeling away for so long, but when the X showed up on my throat... I didn't want to live like that. That inky black monster watched me as I did it. Guess you couldn't do anything back then, huh Determination? I wonder if she still remembers it. 

It doesn't really matter. Obviously what I did didn't work out. 

People passed out of my life really suddenly. I guess I'd gotten used to it already. I'd lost the most important person already. The month after felt like a jolt of electricity. It happened so quickly, it was uncatchable. After my mom and Frank found out I was a sub, the... they were on the verge of throwing me out. They gave up on me so readily. Frank's dad was killed by a sub. He thought about it a lot. He told me about it before I changed. He hated them- hated us so much. He was furious, confused, but the thing I'll remember most is...

They were so scared of me.

Everyone abandoned me but Val. She told them that she'd take me, and she did. They protested but she didn't care. She flew all the way from California, picked me up, and promised she'd take me somewhere safe. My big sister was the fucking coolest. We were on the run, for, what, two weeks? It feels like a blur now. 

That didn't work out either. I'm here now.


 𝕄 𝕒 𝕘 𝕚 𝕔 :

𝕋 𝕦 𝕝 𝕡 𝕒 𝕞 𝕒 𝕟 𝕔 𝕪  𝕍 𝟝


Emma channels her emotions to create creatures formed by pure thought. She can only rely upon her positive emotions to create Tulpas, but through the lens of her mind they become twisted and bastardized. These creatures appears to be made of darkness manifest, beings of solid shadow that look to be constantly churning and swirling upon themselves. Ever since she fought the monster in her dream, it's felt like her stigma is nearly gone.

Love: Pulls people and objects towards itself by sheer force of mind. Love has a range of 30m, and a decidedly forceful pull.
Happiness: Self-destructs itself, creating a small explosion; it takes 3 minutes to reform itself. Happiness can follow more complicated commands than other Tulpas, such as "Wait seven seconds before exploding three meters east of the target". 
Devotion: Turns the ground into a thick and sticky sludge, greatly impairing movement. Devotion has a 10m range.
Determination: Determination is much stronger than her peers- she can hit very hard, and throughout her growth has become very strong. Determination is sentient, capable of abstract thought, reasoning, and communication. Determination is able to move through existence and non-existence, and can mentally communicate with Emma. Emma can cut this off, a feature which goes both ways. She can be sent commands by thought. Determination can command other Tulpas. Unlike the other Tulpas, she has the appearance of a person. She is 6'3", has a narrow frame, and long blue hair with a chronic case of resting bitch face.


Charity: Can siphon energy from one target. Charity's effects are almost unnoticeable before it's too late- the effect is too weak to be perceptible, but in a fight it will definitely tire out an opponent faster that they would normally.

Emma must command her Tulpas verbally, and is unable to when they are out of earshot. Bereft of command they'll continue with the last order given to the best of their ability, but they are not very intelligent. She can summon four Tulpas at a time.


 𝔻 𝕣 𝕖 𝕒 𝕞 :

It's so warm. That's what I remember the most. It was so warm. Pleasant, the sunlight washed over me, it was making me clean, burning away all the bad shit I felt, but... but I was scared. I was alone. I knew all my friends left me, ran away, they saw me for what I really was. They saw me and ran away. I was so alone. But no, no, I wasn't alone, something else was there... a presence. I could feel it staring down at me but there was nothing. I felt so empty, so alone. What had it done? The thing staring at me had done something... something awful. I could feel something inside me. Power. A higher purpose. It welled up, surged, and suddenly the presence was gone. It was gone and she was too.


 ℕ 𝕚 𝕘 𝕙 𝕥 𝕞 𝕒 𝕣 𝕖 :

They were all around me. Friends. People I could trust, people who loved me. I felt so... fulfilled. Was I happy? I'm not sure, it had been so long I forgot what the feeling felt like. I had to think... think... no, this must be it! This must be happiness. A man approached me. He was handsome, strong, his smile was so reassuring. He sat down next to me, leaned against me, he smelt so good... ”Tell me, was it worth it?” he asked. ”I... I don't know.” He shook his head. What I said made him so angry. ”Everything you've done, and... you... you don't know?” He was gone. But I was still happy. Still alive. The emptiness was gone, finally.


 𝔸 𝕨 𝕒 𝕜 𝕖 𝕟 𝕚 𝕟 𝕘 :

Aberration


  𝕊 𝕥 𝕚 𝕘 𝕞 𝕒 :          

I can hear these... voices. No, not someone else's voice. It's my voice, twisted, wicked. It tells me how worthless I am, tells me my life has no point, reminds me that I'm not happy. I'm pathetic, a burden, no on likes me, my friends hate me, I hate me. It keeps talking. All day. Every single jab at myself amplified.


 𝔸 𝕣 𝕞 𝕒 𝕞 𝕖 𝕟 𝕥 𝕤 :

N/A


 𝔼 𝕞 𝕞 𝕒 ' 𝕤 𝕄 𝕦 𝕤 𝕚 𝕔 :

Oh, did I never tell you that Val and I used to collect vinyls? Yeah, I know, 'who the fuck uses vinyl anymore'. It was fun though!

  

  

  

  



Can't Stop Thinking About You
Things Keep Changing
I Need To Know If This Is Going To Get Better
Can't Get Out





I think I threw away the last one because it stopped making me feel better. I don't think this is going to either, but it's something to keep me sane, at least.

𝕄𝕒𝕣𝕔𝕦𝕤

i didn't fuck anything up this week
good job, i guess
but i'm sitting on a fucking bomb
that's about to blow us up
sorry, marc

i'm stuck in this weird place where
maybe i depend on him
or maybe i depend on not depending on him
but i need someone to tell me that i'm worth it
even though i'm not
and i think the knowledge that someone cares enough to try
is kind of comforting
and kind of disgusting
and i think that if he left i'd fall apart
and if he stays i'll fall apart too
i'm just one step away from a ledge
and one word from him will make me jump off or come down
and i barely know him
isn't that sad?
i just don't want him or i to say something dumb
like
'i love you'
because i don't think i'd be able to live with myself if that happened
maybe it would be easier to just say no


ℂ𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕒𝕟

i think we're pretty tight now
one of the few cool people in this shit hole
i'm doing it again (whoops)
i wonder how much she can hurt me
probably more than what would be considered 'healthy'

maybe callan is the friend i wish i had
the one that isn't really here
the one i made up in my head
maybe she's the closest thing to a bff in this fucked up world
so why didn't i try knocking on her door?
maybe it's because i can't be bothered anymore
maybe because i don't really feel like anything has a point anymore
but i don't think that's true
i think i'm just a shitty person
that isn't able to give back the effort other people put into me
so why do they like me
why do they like me
what do they see in me that i can't see in myself
i hope cal is okay
but i don't think she is


𝕊𝕚𝕖𝕟𝕒

whoever you are
hope you enjoy the cake

siena santana
told me that she's changing
that she can't hold onto who she really is
she's my friend
and my boyfriend's roomate
and she told me a secret and asked for my help
but after the battle i could only worry about my fucking self
that's all i'm good at, isn't it?
being melodramatic and not doing anything for the people around me
what a joke
she reminds me a lot of the people i grew up with
but is also nothing like them
she's a mystery, and maybe not one that i should solve


ℍ𝕒𝕫𝕖𝕝

didn't see her this week
i moved out
am i avoiding her?

my friend
my friend who's trying to kill my other friends
who thinks she's a weapon
who denies that she's a person
who i shouldn't trush
but i do
i want to help her, but i think the fact that i even think i can
is just my own fucking ego
i can't fix broken people
but maybe hazel isn't a broken person?
who the fuck am i to write these things about her
and everyone else


𝔹𝕣𝕖𝕟𝕥

i guess he's become my co-conscpirater
i still don't think he's a nice person
but
what can you expect in a place like this

how crazy he must think you are
how right he must be
you and him saw a monster eating your dead friends
and you laughed
hahahahaha
what a joke
jesus, emma
you're the joke
where do i even start with how fucked up all of this is?
brent doesn't seem like a nice person either
but can i blame him for telling me to kill myself?


𝔼𝕣𝕟𝕚𝕖

who the fuck are you to act so nice to me

he's an asshole
the same kind of asshole that so many other people you know were
maybe that you are
he gets off on having the upper hand on people
thinking he has something up on them
relishes the idea of blackmail and drama
so why does he seem so nice?
you've seen what he is, 
don't doubt yourself
but you went way too fucking far
you crazy bitch
how long can you use the stigma as an excuse for everything you are?
the stigma isn't changing you
it is you


𝔸𝕟𝕘𝕖𝕝

sorry
they're killing you and i'm not really doing anything
i don't think you deserve that
mb

why
why
we should've been friends
where'd i go wrong
where did she
she's not a bad person, is she?
no, even if she is
nothing should've ever gone that far
why can't you let things go?
why can't you just let people not like you?
why do you need a reason?
but still
it's not all my fault, is it?


𝕃𝕚𝕝𝕪

the girl with no memory
just a phone and a name
at least i have my memories to give me
some small degree of comfort
i can't imagine what it's like
lily seems too nice for this place
a quality that a lot here don't have
but she also killed all those people at dc
so what should i think?
maybe all that matters is that i like her
can i really judge someone for defending us when i couldn't?
maybe i was just shoving the load onto other people
forcing them to take the tough choices
i'm sorry, i guess


𝕃𝕒𝕨𝕣𝕖𝕟𝕔𝕖

another case
of me being
a useless and shitty person
my roommate and my friend
who'd lent an ear when i felt like i was falling apart
trapped up in a hospital
with no visitors
i saw so many others
but not him
was it because of how fucking weak-willed i am?
or because i thought he didn't want my company?
there's no excuse


𝕂𝕦𝕤𝕒𝕣𝕚

she's so abrasive
but under all of that
i think she's a nice person
it was nice, at least, to share a bottle of wine
even if i was the only one that could feel the effects
she's helped me so many times 
when we're out on the battlefield
she's a lot stronger of a person
than i could ever hope to be


𝔻𝕖𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕞𝕚𝕟𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟, 𝕠𝕣... 𝕤𝕠𝕞𝕖𝕠𝕟𝕖 𝕖𝕝𝕤𝕖?

why
why
why
what the fuck did i do
i can't stand her being so close to me all the time
i love it so much


[1] Aphasia
They always talk at me, but I don’t think I (really) understand.

What about my own voice?

[2] Agoraphobia
It would be easier if I could just lock myself in that damn dorm, isn’t it?

Hazel (probably) wouldn’t be great company.

[3] Insomnia
hey, is it scary?

Duh.

stupid question i guess. you guys are fighting all the time right?

That’s not the scary part.

huh?

It’s after. At like 1 AM when I’m in bed and can’t sleep and everything is quiet and still and I have no choice but to be along with my thoughts.

Fuck, I used to love staying up all night.

lmao you're a dork trying to sound all deep and shit

at least you’ve got scars to keep you warm late at night right? ;)

... not that I'm jealous or anything.

[4] Fold in my Heart
i'm not really sure
if i really like hurting people
or if it's the x
anyways, how do i tell you something that i can't even admit to myself?
you need me to(o)

[5] Plastic Memories
today she asked
why we were broke up
i lied and told her i couldn't remember
but i'm still bitter

[6] Hypnophobia
i think it's better to burn out than fade away
i think it's better to feel numb than feel like this
i think it's better to separate myself than live with myself
i think it's better that i think i'm disguting
i think it's better this way
i think it's better this way
i think it's better this way
but how long can it go on

[7] Aquamarine Dream
hodgepodge dirty dime dozen beautiful mess insecurities keep adding up and up and up

and up

she told me that the world was gonna roll me (very funny)

but it's fine

really

it really is even if thi

[8] footnote
jesus
this shit is fucking awful
i should burn it

[9] halycon days
a long time ago we laughed so much
every day was like a long party
and we were so happy
not too long ago
we realized things weren't as good as we thought
and things were a little less happy
one day
i left her
and she left me
and i stubbornly refused to talk to her 
and she stubbornly refused to talk to me
not too long ago
i was trying to make it
but i was still hurting because we were so far away from each other
in so many ways
and i try to stay away from people because i don't want them to hurt me as much as she did
and i keep trying to forget about it
today you're back
and it's the same
but it will never be the same

[10] vibes
smell of cigarettes 
ass pressed up against my waist
bass thump
dark room
these shoes weren't made for dancing
but at least i can find the beat
you're the first one to find me
drowning
we're just friends
but so much more
i used to be a good girl

[11] hypnophobia
1. heaven
2. hell
3. purgatory
4. eternal peace
5. i will be the cause of our death
6. we are all bound to the same fate.
7. i am waylaying the inevitable 
8. struggle is pointless
9. we said we'd see each other there
10. i don't think it's happening
11. i have no expectations
12. i am fine with fading away
13. eternal oblivion

[12] synthetic love
are you thinking about me?
i'm thinking about you too
do you love someone else as much as you loved me?
i sometimes wonder if i could love him as much as i loved you
are we looking up at the same moon right now?
of course we are, we're connected in ways that we can't imagine
are you waiting for me?
i'm-


𝔼𝕞𝕞𝕒

'look at me
i write
in lower case
one thought at a time
because
it makes me feel deep and shit
i'm such a
tortured artist
also i have all this fucking time to hang with callan and marcus and all the other fucking chucklefucks around here but i fucking ignore the person that cares about me the most because i'm a FUCKING BITCH


ℂ𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕒𝕟

bitch, bitch, bitch, venemous bitch, why the fuck does emma like you so much? i want to slam your face into a wall but emma probably wouldn't like that, i guess i'll have to settle for berating you on fucking roof tops and making you cry like the little bitch you are I HOPE YOU FUCKING DIE CALLAN BECAUSE THINGS WOULD BE A LOT EASIER THAT WAY

she's alright, i guess. i kind of want to be friends with her like em but i don't think that's going to work out anymore.


𝕄𝕒𝕣𝕔𝕦𝕤

i wonder what fucked up his face and also what fucked up his sense of humor? unlikeable, not as funny as he thinks he is. i've met his type before and i don't like his type, the whole act isn't as cute as emma thinks it is. he's not as cute as emma thinks he is. just because you got me tea doesn't make me your friends, why the fuck should i have to like him he's in my fucking way. i kind of hope this whole callan thing comes up and he decides he's into her.

she's not yours, cunt.


something else
i'm her phantom. sometimes i forget i'm not really her. sometimes i think about meeting her. a lot of the time i want to be her. sometimes i feel nostalgic for a life that isn't mine. sometimes i feel love for someone that never loved me. sometimes i think she does love me but i know she doesn't. sometimes i convince myself that's not true. i know she loves me. i know she hates me. sometimes i remember things that haven't happened to me. sometimes i feel things that are outside of my ability to comprehend. 

i remember going to the jungle cruise at disneyland. did you know that the jungle cruise at disneyland is a self sustaining ecosystem? it requires almost no maintenance, if humans died out and a thousand years passed the jungle cruise at disneyland would still be there. 

but the animals won't ever be real.






Dear Stranger,

I'm Emma Halwell and I'm fourteen years old. There's a line I always give people when I introduce myself to them- "I'm Emma. Or Em. Either way is fine." It's funny how habits form, isn't it? The smallest routines in our daily life can become unbreakable habits- well, I'd be lying if I said that line was habit. The truth is when I was younger I spent a lot of time practicing that particular phrase- my best friend, Riley, told me that nicknames endeared people to you, and I was hard-pressed to disagree. I always called my sister Val, her name's Valentine... I had nicknames for Riley too, but she preferred it when I didn't use them in public. I always thought that was strange, but I guess it was foreshadowing in its own way. I was always good at picking up on things like foreshadowing and metaphor when it came to books and movies, which made my ignorance to the reality of our relationship all the more ironic. 'Dramatic irony', I think, is the proper term. Anyways, the line. I was never good at talking to people when I was young, so I put a lot of thought into the words I used. I practiced and practiced and practiced, introductions, conversations, everything. Riley would help me, so I guess I'm thankful for that. She'd always tease me though, and I can't really fault her for that. Normal people didn't have to practice things like that, but I've always needed to carefully craft the way I conduct myself. I even do that now, to an extent, although it has gotten easier. I don't feel anxiety creeping up when I'm around my friends, and everyone is my friend. I know, it sounds a little ridiculous, but there aren't a lot of people that dislike me. I guess the one thing I'm good at is making friends, and that's a good thing because I put so much work into it! Really, I'm good at making it look effortless, but it's hard too maintain all those relations. After all, it's natural for friends to fight, so it's easy for things to break apart when you're around so many people. I hate that. I hate drama and I hate confronting people. Ya wanna know what I do to keep away from it? I don't let it happen! That's right, it sounds ridiculous, but drama very simply doesn't exist for me. It's easy to dispel it, and even easier to ignore it. Eventually if you ignore it long enough it festers until that person simply doesn't exist in my sphere anymore or it just disappears.

I know, it doesn't sound like a good solution, but it really is the easiest way.

Anyways, there's this thing I've been thinking about. Well, it was a word. 'Sonder'. It's not a real word, it was just made up by some random blogger, but I kind of like it. I'll tell you what it means: It's the realization that every random person you pass has a life equal in complexity to your own. They all have problems, aspirations, friends, etc. Interesting, even if it is bullshit, right? Everyone has their own story! And that's cool. That's really cool. But, have you ever wondered if you're the main character of your story? What if you're just an NPC in someone else's personal fanfic? You might even be an important part of that story, but it would kind of suck, wouldn't it? To know that there's not really a point to your life besides to serve someone else's? I used to think that was my status, but I've kind of changed my thinking on the matter. 

I like to go out on walks ever night. Like, late at night. If I had to go to sleep early I would start at six and be back at nine. If I could get away with it I'd go out near midnight and wander for however long I felt like it. There's this big stretch of woods by my step-dad's house that I'd explore for hours and hours. It gives me a chance to think, decompress, usually listen to some music off my phone- it's a good time, I'd recommend walking out at night with some good music if you get the chance. You get to look up at the stars and think about you place in the universe, y'know? It was in those woods where I became convinced that I wasn't just a side character. I'm the main character of my story. I deserve that much, don't I? But here's the thing: Even if I want to believe that I'm the main character my life really isn't that interesting! I hate to say it but I'm more or less a typical high school girl. I'm not really remarkable, I don't have any notable talents or interests, I'm smart enough but not genius-status, I'm not strong, or fast, or have 'special' powers. The most notable thing about me is that I'm pretty and I have a lot of friends. It sounds a little self-defeating, I know, but it's not really that bad! Because there's something I realized: What if I'm the main character and my story just hasn't started yet?

That makes sense, right? I think it does. When I'm out in those woods I'll make up these tall tales in my head about how my story is going to start- I think I'm pretty good at making up stories. I've always been good at living in my head when I need to. Anyways, for example, in one of them maybe I'll see DC out in the woods, suddenly awoken from his slumber! And bam, just like that, I'm the 'chosen one'! Eleventh Precursor with the raddest powers. I'd get to save everyone and have sick super powers. I know, it's silly, but I like to imagine fantastic things like that happening to me all the time. Maybe it even could happen? Unlikely, I know, but we live in a crazy world. People have asked my why I like to go out so late at night to wander around in the middle of nowhere- I've given them different answers: Escape, for fun, for health, and so forth. But really, I think that's the answer. I go out in hopes that I'm going to find the start of my life, the real start. Not what I've got going now- that's too petty for a main character, isn't it?

Anyways, I should wrap this one up. I've rambled enough. 

Thanks for listening,
Emma Halwell



I remember the first time I visited their house. They always came to see us, or came to see my mom more accurately… I didn’t care for them.



She was sitting out on the back porch when he found her.

”Sorry about Kyle, Emma… I know he can be a… difficult kid.” it was clear he was doing his best to be apologetic, but she didn’t really care. Sure, her step-brother to be was kind of a dick but… in response she gave a shrug. ”It’s fine, Frank.” her apathy towards the situation evident in her voice. ”I’ve got Val to watch out for me anyways, she can break your son in half.” she gave a slight laugh, doing her best to sound like she was at least slightly interested in talking to him. A clearly forced chuckle was his reply.

They’d been dating for two months. Her mom and Frank, that was. A strained family history made the situation entirely too awkward for Emma. She knew that Frank wanted to have some sort of relationship with her since he knew that she never really knew her father, but she just… didn’t care. Emma wasn’t looking for a father figure. Her mom, her sister, posted up in a lofty apartment in TriBeCa paid for by her absentee dad’s alimony, that was family for her. She didn’t want to move upstate, out into the middle of nowhere, trapped with a brother and a father she wasn’t interested in having.

”It’s just…” she braced herself. She knew what he was going to say- that tone that told her he was going to try to make some heartfelt speech that she didn't really want. ”I know… I’m not trying to be your father, but I’d like to… I want to do what I can.” honestly, she felt bad for him. She could see that he was trying. She was trying too... trying to get along, trying her best to stay out of the way of what may be her mom’s last shot at being happy, trying to keep herself from hating the idea of moving away from her friends, from her home, from a city that she loved, from…

”Mhm.” she gave a slight nod. It was the best she could muster, a forced affirmation. 

It was funny how much time she had spent worrying about her own problems in a world that was dying around her. It all felt so… distant. Precursors, Dreamcatcher, monsters, USARILN, somehow none of it really factored in. Sure, seeing the supermen fight giant creatures on TV was cool, but it was just images on a screen. It almost didn’t feel real, so distant from her life of he-said-she-said drama, scumming around town for a party to go to, for friends to lie to, for something to feel.

It’s kind of funny how the things that define us are often the reasons we hate ourselves.

Of course it was petty, in the grand scheme of things. Her life didn’t matter an ounce. Frank cleared his throat- obviously he had said something while she was lost in her head and she had missed it. ”Sorry, what was that?” she didn’t need to turn around to know that there was a frown on his face. ”I’d like for you two to get along… you and Kyle. Your mother would too. But if… if that’s too hard just tell me. I’ll tell her to stop making you guys hang out, you won’t have to worry about it.” there was a subtle pain in his voice, she recognized.

Emma sighed. Subtle enough that he didn’t notice. Once again, she didn’t care. ”I’ll do whatever you guys think is best.” she shifted her weight in the seat, a feeling of discomfort settling in. She wanted him to leave. He didn’t seem to know what to say to that. ”Right. I’ll get out of your hair now. Goodnight.”

”Night.”


That car ride… I’d only been alone with him a couple of times. I didn’t like it.



She had gone to see a concert Val was playing. Not a big affair, mind you, more a bunch of hipsters packed into a shitty bar. She was only fourteen, sneaking into a bar armed with a fake ID, her sister’s approval, and her best friend/girlfriend who could talk her way in and out of nearly any situation. Honestly, it wasn’t as hard as it should’ve been to walk in, but they didn’t dare try to order drinks. They just wanted to enjoy the show, not test their luck.

Val would sneak them drinks and whatever else she could get her hands on when they got backstage anyways. She could always count on her older sister.

Unfortunately, their luck ran out sooner than that could happen. It was around halfway through the show that Val called a pause, then came down and informed Emma and Riley that Frank was waiting outside to take her home. It was about five minutes later than Emma found herself in the passenger seat of his truck, Riley absent with the promise that Val would give her a ride home. Emma’s mom didn’t exactly approve of their friendship. If she knew the extent of it she might have a heart attack, they had decided. 

He was the first to talk. ”If it’s any consolation I would’ve let you stay if it were up to me.” he said, trying to sound jovial. She didn’t respond for a moment. ”You’re not the bad guy. It’s fine.” dejection in her voice obvious. She’d rather not talk right now, but he pressed the issue. 

”Well, I’m sure it was a good show, at least. Valentine has always been talented.”

”Yeah.” 

”Riley was with you, right?”

”.. Yeah.”

”Don’t worry. I won’t tell your mom.”

”Thanks.”

There was a long pause.

”So, I saw the letter you left on your desk.”

Emma turned to him, shock evident on her face.

”Don’t worry, I didn’t read it. But I saw who it was to…”

”You shouldn’t have.”

”Yeah. I know… I’m sorry. But listen… if you want to see him, I could take you. I know your mom wouldn’t. I know Valentine wouldn’t. I know that... he did bad things in the past. But… I think you should. It would be good for you, for both of you probably.”

Emma responded with silence. The thought of meeting her father hadn’t really crossed her mind, to be honest. She had written him letters out of a natural curiosity… wanting to know who he was, why he wasn’t there, but the thought of meeting made her apprehensive. He was the man who wasn’t there for her.

Not that she cared about that.

”I’ll think about it.”


I started to get along with Frank better after that. Months passed. When he asked again about my dad I didn’t really know if I really wanted to meet him, but I did all the same.



Frank was waiting outside. Inside, it was smoky. They had both wondered why he had wanted to meet her at a bar. A dingy one at that. But he still agreed to take her all the same, and that was what mattered. He was sitting on a stool at the bar, carrying on a conversation with the bartender. Multiple empty glasses lay in front of him. He looked… tired. A complete stereotype of the deadbeat dad.

Looked like self-loathing ran in the family.

She walked up to him with hesitation. Both men turned to her. He was far from what she imagined. She’d always wanted to picture him as some kind of monster but… he wasn’t ugly, far from it in fact. Perfectly sculpted hair, nary a hint of grey, a slight stubble that added to his appearance instead of detracting from it, reasonably fit... but there was a weariness in his eyes.

”Emma. It’s good to see you, finally.” was the first thing he said to her. She just kept staring. ”Jeff, you know we can’t have kids in the bar.” the other man said, eyeing Emma up and down. ”It’s fine. She’s my kid.” her father said, a forcefulness in his voice. The words sounded wrong to her. The other man gave him a disgruntled look, but didn’t push the issue, instead walking away to treat with other customers. Her father patted the stool next to him, indicating she should sit. She reluctantly obliged. ”Hard to believe. ‘My kid.’ My own flesh and blood, sitting here, and I hardly know you. You look like a good girl, Emma. Pretty.” he gave a slight tip of his glass before he took a sip from it.

”T-thanks.” she said reluctantly. ”Want something to drink? Uh, like, a soda or water? Unless…? he raised an eyebrow, extending his own drink to her. She was a little shocked at that. Whiskey. She never liked it, but it wasn't unfamiliar to her. ”No… no thanks.” there was a moment of awkward silence before he spoke again. Perhaps he was expecting something else from her. ”So, how’s Val doing? I haven’t seen that girl since… well, right around when you were born.” he tapped the bar rhythmically as he spoke, the discomfort between them clear. ”She’s… good. Moved out to the west to work on her music.” he nodded in response. ”And your mother?” he forced out. Emma paused, considering how much she should say. ”She’s good.” was all that she decided on. He nodded.

Five more minutes of forced conversation about her life passed before he posed a question that confused her.

”Did your mom ever tell you what I did? Where all that money comes from?” Emma raised an eyebrow. This wasn’t what she had imagined. It was too awkward, not some magical family reunion. ”No…? She… never really talked about you.” she said, befuddled. He sighed. ”I see. Y’know, I used to really be something. We could’ve had a good thing.... you should've seen how much of a success I was. A hedge fund manager. I made a fortune. Paid for that townhouse in TriBeCa you guys live in. Lived in. I lost a lot of it after alimony… and some BS frauge charges."

Another pause. He looked down. It's too bad I never got to be around... never got to know you." he covered his face with his hands, cadence slowing, "Did... did your mom tell you I hit her? Is that why I haven’t gotten a call, or even a letter for almost all of your lif-” he stopped suddenly. I’m sorry. The… my doc put me on anxiety meds. I think it’s got everything jumbled up. I must… I look like a real deadbeat, don’t I?” he was crying, she realized. She could hear it in his voice. She was looking down at the bar, not at him, filled with embarrassment and frustration and confusion.

”Why… are you telling me this?”

”Guess I’m venting. Not like I have anyone to do that to other than the bartender.” a slight grin, a small chuckle, but she didn’t find it funny. That was when Emma realized he had barely attempted to connect with her, not now, and not once during her entire life. He wasn't her dad, not really. The reason he wrote her back, she now thought, was so he could take out his frustration on her. Her mom wouldn’t have it, and Val wouldn’t have it either. So he came to her. She clutched the hem of her dress. ”I… I think this was a mistake.” she said, as she got up and left. 

He didn’t move to stop her.

Frank turned when the door swung open, surprise in his face evident. ”That… was quick.” he realized that Emma was crying sooner than she did. ”Is everything all right? What happened? Did he… hurt you or…?” his voice filled with concern. Genuine concern. Not like her dad. That was the moment she realized he cared, that he wasn’t just faking it for her mom, that he really cared about her. She shook her head.

”I… I want to go home… Fra-“

She shook her head. In the end, she was another stereotype.

”Dad.”



I think I kind of liked it. I think I did it on purpose, actually. My desire to live out my life like some kind of pained artist or the main character in a novel… I kind of liked being sad, feeling torn up. It made me feel important.

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Hidden 10 yrs ago → 9 yrs ago Post by Deathmyster

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Deathmyster Derpity Derp

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ℕ 𝕒 𝕞 𝕖 :

Grant Rotem

𝔸 𝕘 𝕖 :

17 (February 14)

ℍ 𝕖 𝕚 𝕘 𝕙 𝕥 :

5'10"

𝕎 𝕖 𝕚 𝕘 𝕙 𝕥 :

156 lbs.

𝔸 𝕡 𝕡 𝕖 𝕒 𝕣 𝕒 𝕟 𝕔 𝕖 :

(Props to shizzzu for making this fine piece of art and @January for letting me mooch off. :D)

Grant has a light tan complexion to come with his usually messy, black hair and green eyes. The only thing of note about his face are some now faded scratches amongst his facial features, but nothing too apparent to distract. He barely pays attention to his attire and hair, usually leaving as many buttons possible open (apart from his pants), and ties incredibly loose. Thus why when someone sees him in a usual, casual setting, he mostly wears t-shirts, usually wrinkled. He wears a tired expression in an everyday situation, even when in a good mood, but that quickly changes once something escalates. He isn't the tallest, nor the bulkiest person in the world. Heck, not even the fittest person, but enough that he can survive.

ℙ 𝕖 𝕣 𝕤 𝕠 𝕟 𝕒 𝕝 𝕚 𝕥 𝕪 :

If it weren't obvious before, Grant is a messy and unorganized person, not having the mindset to be clean in any way, and his power only added to that laziness. He also constantly comes off as a very tired person, slouching and having his hands stuffed in his pockets most of the time. In that sense, he's a slacker. Lazy and reluctant to do anything that he warrants "unnecessary" in his perspective. Emphasis on 'reluctant'. If he's pestered or convinced, he's likely to do that "unnecessary" activity anyways, no matter how grumpy or annoyed that makes him. He is prone to being not so proficient in making conversation, but that doesn't mean he's anti-social. Just that generally, he's a bad talker. Although he is tired and neutral with most people, while he's with any type of parental figure, he has come to lash out at them, usually becoming angry or irritated, and in some cases, just outright yelling at them with irrational outbursts of distrust and betrayal. No matter how nice, bad, or friendly they are, Grant will have nothing to do with them if possible.

ℍ 𝕚 𝕤 𝕥 𝕠 𝕣 𝕪 :

When they, the government, found Grant, all they saw was a teen with his hands wrapped around his arms in an alleyway, his back against the building's wall, quiet sobs coming from him. It was the dead of night, and he was obviously cold. Lights flashed on him, and in an instant, his pained face turned into one of panic. His mind told him, 'evil, run, don't let them, distrust, betrayal', and he tried to flee, he tried to struggle, even using his power against them. Garbage bags one after the other, even trash can lids were thrown at the men. He'd yell at them, cursing, saying they're horrible, saying he didn't want to go. Eventually, they finally managed to catch him after he tired out. Struggling, and hateful thoughts flowing out of his mouth, he was taken and transferred out to USARILN East.

𝕄 𝕒 𝕘 𝕚 𝕔 :

Feigned Dominance
Through the visual telegraph that of a chain that seems to come from behind him, Grant can use the said chain in order to manipulate and alter inanimate and nonliving targets. When the chain makes contact with a valid target, which includes physical and nonliving objects or environment, he can control and manipulate the target as long as it is within his power's range. By anything physical, it literally means almost anything. From objects to even the floor at his feet, if he were to have that much energy. The range of his power is a 10m radius, and once something is out of that range, it stops Grant's control over it. He now has the use of three chains.

Acquired second chain!
Range increased to 10m! (Originally 5m)
Acquired third chain!
Range increased to 30m! (Previously 10m)
Significantly less exhausting to use chains!

𝔻 𝕣 𝕖 𝕒 𝕞 :

Grant walked down a path. Just a simple sidewalk, and all was white around him. No people. No noise. Just pure silence. He only continued to take each step with stride in the peaceful white void, until the world around him began to shift. Move. The sidewalk under him turned to dirt, which grew grass. The ground moved, creating varying mounds of land spanning into the distance. He was amazed, staring down at the sight... Then he looked up. The sky had appeared, blue as can be, clouds materializing out of thin air. The path ahead curved up into a slope as he followed it. He climbed the rising path and when he reached the top, he saw the tranquil world that had been created, the sun peeking from the horizon. Then it ended.

ℕ 𝕚 𝕘 𝕙 𝕥 𝕞 𝕒 𝕣 𝕖 :

Grant found himself in an empty space. Just like before. Yet, everything was black around him. He looked around, confused, panicked. In the distance, he could see his parents, waving. As if they were saying goodbye. He didn't want that.
	"No!" He shouted. "Don't leave!" He pleaded, running toward them, but he was stopped. Right in front of him, his parents rose from below, but they didn't wave. They just stood there, staring down at him. "D..Don't go... please!" He'd beg. Without hesitation, his parents kneeled down and enveloped him in their caring arms. He felt satisfied like this, like his worries were drifting away... but when he turned his head up to them, their faces began to crumble, like stone or sand. Deforming. Melting. Right in front of him, and his face was frozen with horror. His parents crumbled into his arms and slid away. Then it ended.

𝔸 𝕨 𝕒 𝕜 𝕖 𝕟 𝕚 𝕟 𝕘 :

Arbiter

𝔸 𝕣 𝕞 𝕒 𝕞 𝕖 𝕟 𝕥 𝕤 :

N/Aaaah too lazy m8

𝕋 𝕙 𝕖 𝕞 𝕖  𝕊 𝕠 𝕟 𝕘 𝕤 :

"Yaaaaawn..."
".......Eh."
"Guess I have to fight."
"SHUT UP! GET AWAY FROM ME! I WON'T LET YOU BETRAY ME, JUST LIKE THEY DID!"
He was alone.
Them.

Padma

Chains. How ironic. He would laugh if he could. Instead he's trying to pull away from them. His arms held back by chains. She was there. She was right there. Do something. Go on. He can't. He couldn't. He screams. The darkness takes Her. He struggles. He loses. He's on his knees. The darkness spits It out. The knife. Her knife. Hilarious. He could just hear the laughter. Pathetic. He can't move. His lungs hurt. His throat hurts. Everyone is screaming now. It isn't funny anymore. Nothing is. His fault. All His fault. It had to end.

Callan?

An endless battlefield, stretching across forever. Bodies lay all around him, the sky red. The earth soaking up the blood. They’re all here. They all knew. He tried to close his eyes. He didn’t want to look. It hurt just to look at it all. 
”It’s your fault.” His eyes shot open. He was frozen. ”You didn’t do anything.” He turned his head. ”Coward.” It ended.

A blank slate. All white around Him. An even and neutral slate. He looked around quietly, in awe. This was different. So different. “It’s your fault, you know.” Tense. He turned to Her once again. Not this again. The words he expected did not come. ”But I’m no different. It’s your fault. Do something about it.” Oh. It was different. But He understood. Equal grounds. A clean slate. There are no grudges.

Angel?

He looks around. Safety. Comfort. A brief respite. Trees, grass. Beauty. Footsteps. The grass crunches a bit. He turns. He tenses up. Why was She here? His shoulder felt a light impact. A smile was given. As quick as She was here, She stepped away. He watched Her go. Gone. Alone again. The peaceful world crumbled around him to complete darkness. Ah. Back to normal.

She was there again. He was trapped in the darkness. Why was She here? He tried to move. He couldn't. He can't. She began to scream. Why was She screaming? Her of all people? It hurt. She was like them. Why? They all began to scream. She led them. He wanted it to end already. His head felt like it would burst. She was just like She said. She was a banshee.

Darkness. She’s gone. What happened?

Brent?

Light. Bright light all around. A comforting white. A nice space of air. He looked around in awe. He felt calm for once. At ease. Without trouble. Without terror. No screaming. No laughter. A light was ahead. He was unsure of what to think of it. He was unsure of where it would go.
"What are you waiting for?" He asked. Confusion and a glance, but He was pushed toward the light before He could see Him. "Go on. Show them what the Master Tactician can do." Hesitation. But He began to step forward toward the light. Then it ended.

T-Tater Tot?

Hey. A dog. He smiles. He kneels. He pets. It’s good. This is nice.

Them

They were there. They just show up sometimes. He can barely recognize who They are anymore. He didn't want to. Close his eyes, shut Them out. Can't hear Them, can't see Them. Don't trust Them, don't let Them near, They'll just throw him away again. Stay away. Run away. He should hate Them. He needs to bring himself to hate Them. Ignore Them. They're only dark figures in the past now. The close past. Hate Them. Why can't he hate Them?

Why does he need to feel so alone without Them?

Stop it. He has to wake up. Stop crying. Stop feeling.

Misc.

1. He's alone. It's all just darkness. Nothing to see. Relief. Then laughter. Then more. All around Him. Drowning His own voice out. Why are they laughing? It's all aimed at Him. They won't stop. It keeps going. Stop it. Why is He so alone?

2. It's the same. Dark. He waits. He hopes. They shatter. Screams. Wails. Cries. Block them out. Hands over ears. It doesn't work. It hurts. He starts to scream. Join them, and maybe He'll stop feeling so alone. They stop. They don't want to hear Him. He stops. It starts again. He screams. It stops. He hugs himself. Keep screaming. Yell them away. He cries. It hurts.

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Hidden 10 yrs ago → 9 yrs ago Post by BayRat

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BayRat Oh No

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Bio

ℕ 𝕒 𝕞 𝕖 :

Christopher Drake Francis

𝔸 𝕘 𝕖 :

18

ℍ 𝕖 𝕚 𝕘 𝕙 𝕥 :

5'11

𝕎 𝕖 𝕚 𝕘 𝕙 𝕥 :

180 lbs

𝔸 𝕡 𝕡 𝕖 𝕒 𝕣 𝕒 𝕟 𝕔 𝕖 :

Pale white skin with large blue eyes, small pale lips, slightly narrow nose, and messy-spiky white hair. Very slim and a bit lanky in his build. While not very muscular, is body his still somewhat toned and not flabby in most areas. He rarely smiles, often bearing a distant or annoyed expression.
 
He often wears a variety of winter clothing, particularly sweat pants and hoodies or other large jackets. However if prepared for combat he will resort to either wearing a loose jacket or no shirt at all with black, brown, or grey shorts.

ℙ 𝕖 𝕣 𝕤 𝕠 𝕟 𝕒 𝕝 𝕚 𝕥 𝕪 :

At first glance, Chris is a quiet individual with seldom any desire to speak unless be it absolutely necessary. Often having a cynical view and serious tone. He is very cautious of getting close to people, keeping this persona of uninterested and rude demeanor to turn people away from him. He doesn't like to talk about himself in the slightest, and he has learned to be complacent with loneliness due to him adapting to keeping distance.
 
Even to those he warms up to, Chris's cynical nature doesn't change much. He will start making sarcastic or passive-aggressive comments of the like, he has no interest in lying about his opinion and will tell people directly on most subjects without caring if he offends them initially. A sort of, brutal-to-be-honest mentality, but even so he will refuse to talk about himself.
 
He's easily annoyed by people, especially overly positive and active attitudes or aggressive tones, whether someone insult him or compliment him, he's probably going to dislike them either way. Though he can be complacent to those that aren't to far in one side or the other, especially if he does warm up to their company.
 
He is afraid of loss, afraid of hurting others due to what he calls a 'curse'. His own powers make him afraid that he will turn into a monster. Not to mention that his transformations can be painful.

ℍ 𝕚 𝕤 𝕥 𝕠 𝕣 𝕪 :

He was founded in the ruins of a city devastated by a monster later killed by the military, the only survivor, and surrounded in flames that he surprisingly survived, and left there as a child surrounded by corpses that he once knew. Since then, while he has been serving without question, he has been very reclusive on a social level.

𝕄 𝕒 𝕘 𝕚 𝕔 :  
Dracomancy 

His magic is that of the dragons, ultimately being able to transform into a draconic form, but also has some abilities in his base form

Human Form

He can breath flames from his mouth in a straight line of up to 10 meters, capable of melting steel.
Maximum duration: 30 seconds
Cooldown: 30 seconds
 
Dragon Form

Line becomes a spray with a distance of 12 meters and widens closer to the edge of its range, with the maximum spread being 7 meters. 

Duration: 30 seconds
Cooldown: 5 minutes

Human Form

He can grow scales from his dragon form onto his mortal body for armor. He can currently transmute his hands and wrists up to his elbow in clawed scales, as well as parts of his chest, scales have a durability approximately on par with platinum With new upgrade durability scales now exceed platinum durability.

Duration: 30 minutes
Cooldown: 1 hour
 
Dragon Form

Already present in Dragon form, however the scales on the underside are half as durable.

With intense concentration, Chris can now transform back at will. His dragon form is slightly bigger, more durable than his previous form, and now has flight-capable wings.

Transformation time reduced to three minutes. Duration of dragon form still 2 hours. Cooldown time reduced to 12 hours. 

Transforming between states generates a body, meaning that wounds and ailments don't carry over and if Chris was previously injured in his human form before he transforms, once he transforms back into a human he no longer sustains those injuries. Vice-versa for his dragon form as well.

Chris now has more mental control in his Dragon form and hardly feels that violent urge now. His fire breath now only needs 30 seconds between each use.

Committing to a transformation, Christopher will collapse onto the ground and rapidly transmute his body into a dragon. For the first minute the only changes are his skin being transmuted into scales, which would feel like getting your very flesh peeled off by a metallic knife. The following 30 seconds increase his muscle mass and changes his humanoid features into that of a beast, starting with the head, and at some points resembling a canine or werewolf, and the remaining 2 and a half minutes growing a tail and finalizing the form into what is seen below, all the while screaming in agony.
His new transformation sequence is much more attributed to separate life stages. In a similar fashion to caterpillar Chris's body deteriorates and melts into a tar-like bio-mass with bones(that have become broken down into fragments) and vital organs remaining intact and within the puddle. The second half of his transformation sequence, once broken down, reconstructs his form into that of his 'next stage' in the caterpillar example, only instead of a butterfly it is a dragon. The process starts with the skeleton, with the still solid bone fragments reforming and growing into a full dragon skeleton. Both the ooze and still functional organs will begin to climb up the skeleton once it is completed, fitting the organs that morph appropriately for the dragon's anatomy to be in there proper places, and lastly muscle, tissue, blood and other fluids fill the ins and outs of the beast until the thick plated scales and scutes coat the whole body. Its vital to note that although Chris's body breaks down during the transformation, his organs are still functional and vulnerable under the primordial sludge, it is possible to kill him by damaging vital organs or even by drowning his lungs. 

Transforming back into a human; his draconic form, rather then melting, decays in a more crumbling, dust-like fashion. With bits and pieces falling off like sand and disappear shortly after. As he falls a part, body tissue and fluids break down into that same tar-like sludge which collapses through the disintegrating body. By the time what is left of the dragon's body is the decomposing skeleton, the sludge beneath slowly forms and molds Chris's body, with the vital organs of the dragon morphed back into human design. 

The dragon form is largely based upon various reptilian features, mostly lizard-like. Like all reptiles the dragon form is exothermic/cold-blooded. Keeled scales armor his body like plated metal, and have become superior to platinum in durability. When the dragon is about to unleash a breathe of fire, its chest and throat light up in crimson with heat, while the flames writhe up to the throat. The dragon form itself has an indefinite heat resistance as it cannot be burned or melted even by magma or the heat of plasma, however it does not factor in other damage types from heat based attacks like explosive or kinetic force. Being a reptile means that Chris has a low cold tolerance, lack of environmental heat or exposure to heat can potentially cause Chris to become more lethargic or reduce his overall endurance. He is susceptible to hypothermia. 

Chris appears to have a high pain tolerance particularly in his dragon form, and can sustain multiple injuries while retaining conscience. In moments of intense pain or emotion primordial instinct takes over the mind in addition to a dramatic increase in pumping adrenaline, creating an unpredictable berserk-like state. The degree of which depends on the situation, in  anger out of vengeance or pain its easy for him to single out targets, but in cases of even pure rage or intense fear can trigger blind frenzies with the natural'fight-or-flight' drive not knowing flight. Once he has exhausted his energy nearly entirely the adrenaline combined with these over-driven instincts settle, which gives him the opportunity to retake control.

Passive instincts while more controllable dictate a position primarily of pride and fury. He has a habit of feeling invincible from the 'high' effect of his transformed state, despite evidence to the contrary. Other animal-like instincts are also active in his mind, which includes some sense of self preservation (though this gets over-ridden as well in a berserk stage), and hunting instincts. Quick motions or frantic panicking of other creatures, especially human-esq ones, can potentially trigger a feeding response.

Its forked tongue functions just like snakes and some lizards with the same physiology as a smell receptor, making Chris at this stage able to pin down and track certain scents of up to 2 miles accurately. It has remarkable vision with crocodilian-like eyes, and just like a crocodile it possesses a nictitating membrane (A third, transparent eyelid) that can protect its eyes from hazards. The slit-like pupil can widen, again like most crocodilians, to enhance light absorption in the retina for remarkable night-vision. If that still isn't enough for visual enhancements, the dragon form has heat-sensing glands much like a pit-viper that, when active, detects heat like an infrared camera. In term of hearing it is pretty much the same as a human's and nothing else of remote interest other then that he possesses internal ears much like any reptile. 

Razor sharp teeth run along the jaws, and a second set of teeth running down the roof of the mouth. Two long horns stick out from the back of its skull, and all along the spine to the tail runs a row of sharp spiny scutes. The wings are composed of elongated fingers like a bat, the claws of which are still somewhat functional. The overall body mass is muscular, including the tail. The tail itself is prehensile and in that respect can function as an 'extra limb' if needed. 

For most methods of movements the body moves from side to side, in an s-shape, like most reptiles; Exceptional only when flying or 'galloping' (much like some crocodiles) The dragon is quadrupedal, however it also has limited bipedalism in the form of standing upright or in the form of a sprint similar to some lizards(Due to top-heavy weight this only functions as a single directional charge over short distances.) He can move as fast as a cheetah overall on land and is twice as fast in flight. Due to his weight and body design, the dragon form currently isn't efficient in water, which is a contrast to most living reptiles. He is quick to sink due to his heavy weight and with the additional burden of wings he can only move in short bursts in deep water similar to a non-aquatic bird that has fallen in the water.

The blood of the dragon has the same pH has bleach, making it mildly toxic as it can burn human skin if exposed on it long enough. The stomach bile is acidic enough to eat through platinum. Saliva and much of his other bodily fluids are also mildly corrosive. The draconic form has a moderate degree of chemical resistances, enough where at least his own acidic fluids don't corrode him from the inside out. Generally speaking he is difficult to corrode in this state.

Duration: 3 hours
Cooldown: 6 hours 

Version 2.0

About a few feet longer and taller (most in neck length) then his previous form.
Dragon form 2.0 Measured in feet by proportion.
Height: 9.8 (legs: 3.8 Torso: 2 Neck: 4)
Width: 2.8 feet (roughly the width of Torso at its widest.)
Weight: 2.5 tons
Length: 20 (Neck: 4 Torso: 6.2 Tail: 10.8)
Wingspan: 38.8 (Each wing is 18 feet, added with torso width)

Approximately the size of a horse not including tail length

𝔻 𝕣 𝕖 𝕒 𝕞 :

Silence, tranquility. It was a bright sunny day, and he could feel the warmth of the sun grazing him. Before him stood the burning, mangled corpses of various obscene monstrosities, deceased at his wake, leading up to a dirt road that lead to a vast city. He saw kids playing in the streets ahead, their parents watching over them, people chatting, talking, living normal lives as if they were blissfully unaware of now deceased monsters, and Chris himself. He watched, as they continued to be happy with their lives, and he walked down, passing over or walking onto the dead creatures. As he came closer to the village, he saw a marble statue of an unknown creature, reptilian and winged, spewing flames on what appeared to be demonic apparitions, and a few people themselves looked to the statue in awe, some children were even hugging or pretending to be either the dragon itself or the demons falling before it.
He couldn't help but smile, and just before he woke up, he felt something, or someone, hold his right hand. Before he could look, for a second he saw the statue come to life, animate itself with gleaming orbs for its eyes.

ℕ 𝕚 𝕘 𝕙 𝕥 𝕞 𝕒 𝕣 𝕖 :

Flames were all around him, fires towering this way and that. What was once a forest was now a wasteland of heat and ash. The sky was dark with clouds, yet he wasn't harmed. He saw though corpses, corpses of burning people, he couldn't reckognize them, but he knew they were all human, some were mangled, others eaten. Then the earth started to shake in rhythm, several stomps preceding behind him, and when he turned, he saw the gleaming red orbs of a dragon's eyes, staring at him. Slowly the light from its eyes faded as its reptilian eyes showed Chris his reflection, uninjured though stained with blood, and in utter shock.

𝔸 𝕨 𝕒 𝕜 𝕖 𝕟 𝕚 𝕟 𝕘 :

Arbiter

𝔸 𝕣 𝕞 𝕒 𝕞 𝕖 𝕟 𝕥 𝕤 :

xxx

You have none, yet. You will get some as the story progresses. Keep track of them here. Some of them might be really important or something, I don't know.

𝕋 𝕙 𝕖 𝕞 𝕖  𝕊 𝕠 𝕟 𝕘 𝕤 :

"He's a piece of shit, whats more to talk about that filthy animal?"

"She seems resourceful, but I don't think she cares much for me. Especially after that flag football incident."

"I hate his sense of humor and I find it hard to tolerate his company. If he'd learn to shut tup and take things more seriously he'd probably have at least a scrap of my respect, and would be more valuable on the battlefield."

"Considering the bits of her power I witnessed and her creepy...robotic-like persona, I can see why some people are scared of her. I however don't mind her presence, considering how quiet she is shes easy to tolerate. Though after her attempt at playing the piano I believe she has the intelligence of a toddler."

"What? Th-those are just rumors. I enjoy her company but were just..were just friends. These kinds of questions aren't important for public knowledge anyway."

"I'm convinced now that I despise him, more over I think he's rather petty."

"Respectable. Though he's a bit unstable, as you can expect from one with an X, he has yet to cross me. For me at least I find him reliable."

"She has that big sister vibe, I suppose. Its hard to shake her off when she gives some logical advice, even if she can get a bit..passionate..sometimes. I can tolerate her for the most part, I could use her company every now and then."

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Hidden 10 yrs ago → 9 yrs ago Post by RedDusk

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coGM

RedDusk Likes cheese and slacking

Member Seen 4 yrs ago

RedDusk

Likes cheese and slacking

761 posts

in 4558 days

Seen 4 yrs ago

Bio

ℕ 𝕒 𝕞 𝕖 :

Sander "Sandy" Lorraine

𝔸 𝕘 𝕖 :

17

ℍ 𝕖 𝕚 𝕘 𝕙 𝕥 :

6’1’’

𝕎 𝕖 𝕚 𝕘 𝕙 𝕥 :

170lbs

𝔸 𝕡 𝕡 𝕖 𝕒 𝕣 𝕒 𝕟 𝕔 𝕖 :

Character illustration by eleth89 on DeviantArt.

Tall and gangly, Sander does not seem sure of his limbs, yet his movements are hardly awkward. He moves slowly, tentatively, talks softly, and always seems like he’s trying to making himself as small as possible, though it is a little bit hard with his tall frame. In his younger years, an interest in track and field has given him some definition, but he still looks quite unhealthy with his fair complexion. On the left side of his ribs, three prominent scars dotted his skin. They are obviously gunshot wounds, with corresponding exit wounds on his back. His hair is a dark brown mess with blond strands mixed in, which he grows out. From the way it looks, it is obviously he spends far more money on hair products than he cares to admit. His eyes are blue, dull and frozen not unlike the winter sky. Other than that, his other facial features remain unremarkable, albeit a little bit sharp on the eyes. When socializing, Sander wears a plain smile, though it hardly ever reaches his eyes. 

However, there are also days when he has gone without violence for too long and his Stigma gets bad, Sander found himself in an almost homicidal mood. He retains his smiles, mostly because they have become almost second nature for him, but his eyes flickered and his limbs twitched as he reined in the violence. It is best to avoid him when he is in these sort of moods, but it is likely that he would go out of his way to avoid others as well. 

Sander’s choice of apparel can be best described as ‘casual’. He wears comfortable t shirts and jeans on each and every occasion, putting on shorts and tank tops when he’s feeling sporty, or a hoodie when the weather turns cold. Despite the informal tone of his apparel, Sander is not sloppy about his appearance. His clothes are always freshly washed and immaculate, and it is rare for him to wear the same clothes twice in one week.

ℙ 𝕖 𝕣 𝕤 𝕠 𝕟 𝕒 𝕝 𝕚 𝕥 𝕪 :

At his core, Sander is an idealist, likely due to the influence of his family. He sneers at the term ‘subnaturals’, firmly believes that his people deserved the recognition for all the sacrifices they made. This somewhat dangerous belief, combined with events of his past and his Stigma, became the fuel to his unrelenting yet directionless rage. However, with his keen sense of observation, he is no fool. He had seen how far the government was willing to go to dispose of troublesome subnaturals and what his people were capable of when left to run amok with their powers. The need for order is clear. 

So to survive, he learnt to play their games, and he played it well. To most, Sander seems even-tempered and approachable for an Aberration. He buries his emotional baggage deep, with the occasional outbursts that mostly result in the destruction of nearby furniture. Many would probably notice his compliance to most of USARILN East’s rules. Some people might perceive such obedience as weakness, to Sander, it was a way to rein his rage in. While not as moody and melancholic as many of his fellow Aberrations, Sander does have his own way of keeping people at arm’s length. For all his friendly demeanour, he remains a deeply private person and hardly ever voices his true opinions.

ℍ 𝕚 𝕤 𝕥 𝕠 𝕣 𝕪 :

There was not much to say about Sander’s early life. He grew up in a regular middle class family in North America, had brother 5 years his senior and was blissfully ignorant of his power for the first 12 years of his life. However, the tentative peace shattered once his brother’s power and involvement with a powered crime organization became known. Eventually, the government came for him; their modest family home was soon surrounded by armed men. However, Mr and Mrs Lorraine was not inclined to give up their eldest son, and his brother was not keen on surrendering either. The situation soon escalated into violence, then Sander couldn’t recall much more after that. From what people told him, he took three bullets to his side and spent the next month in the nearest hospital. However, once the staff found the large X on his throat, he never got to go home again. 

Ever since, Sander moved back and forth between facilities, undergoing various assessments and tests. His record wasn’t exactly pristine, there had been instances when his rage got the better of him, which always resulted in damages to himself and others.  As his behaviours slowly re-adjusted into the realm of the acceptable, Sander finally got transferred to USARILN East.

𝕄 𝕒 𝕘 𝕚 𝕔 :

Exsanguinate

Through the consumption of blood, be it human or animal, Sander gains enhanced physical capabilities as well as heightened senses. The more he consumes, the more potent these augmentations becomes, though it takes a couple of minutes after feeding for the physical effects to fully activate. Once a limit is reached, he gained invulnerability as well as the ability to heal from any wounds he had received before hand, though this healing process is tedious and quite prolonged. However, if this limit is then ignored and overcame, Sander will enter a state of frenzy, losing his ability to reason, his invincibility as well as his sense of self-preservation. The fact that he found the crimson fluid impossible to resist does not help in the slightest. While he does not need blood to survive at all, he just feels the urge to consume it. It makes him feel strong and vibrant, not unlike the effects of some conventional drugs. When he’s on one of his blood high, his irises glow a haunting crimson.

Upgrade 1: Sander can know absorb blood through skin contact. While doing this, he will be engulfed in a crimson glow as the blood seeps into his skin. This method of absorption is faster than directly ingesting the blood, which also means it is easier for Sander to lose control.

Upgrade 2: Sander can now tag one target through physical contact to draw blood from. This method of consumption is slower than the other two, but he could better control the input. The ability has a maximum range of 100m, and once used, both him and the target will be engulfed in a red glow.  

Upgrade 3: Now he is able to share his invulnerability with one target he had drunk from in his stage 3. He didn’t have to touch the target, but they would have to stay within 2m of himself. While this ability is activated, both him and the target will glow red, however, the duration of stage 3 will be halved for Sander.  

Upgrade 4: Sander’s next upgrade unlocked. He can now convert the blood he consumed into a backup power source of sort and draw from them at will. The storage lasts up to a day. He can also select which stage he would like to be in and spend the appropriate amount of blood to stay in that stage. New infusion of blood will go into maintaining and prolonging the stage he has chosen. The maximum amount of blood he can store is equivalent to the amount he needs to reach stage 4 normally. The telegraph for this is wisps of red smoke rising from his torso.

Upgrade 5: His power is now slightly more manageable. The crash and the desire for blood haven’t changed, but in the high, he has more control now—though not complete control.

Outside of stage 3, either above or below, Sander’s power can convert consumed blood into armor as a crystallized blood layer on his skin/clothes.

Sander’s ultimate upgrade: Sander’s control over his power has vastly improved, allowing him to fully control himself even in stage 3 and mostly able to in stage 4. He can also share his invulnerability with 3 other people as long as he has drunk their blood before. He can also fly, even outside of the blood high. Even though he can fully control the directions, his flight speed is little more than a balloon floating. He can carry one person with him in his flight. His withdrawal symptoms have also drastically improved, and he can stay in within the blood high much longer now.

𝔻 𝕣 𝕖 𝕒 𝕞 :

Unlike many of his fellow mages, Sander does not find it easy to distinguish between his ‘good’ dream and the bad one. They both started with a sea of blood and the fume of scorched flesh. His eyes stung as he waded forward, but he was not alone. Allies dogged his steps, both strange and familiar faces at his side as he pushed forward. He felt their blood pulsed as clearly as his own heart beats, and he couldn’t help but smirk. 
 “What will it be?”

 “Maestro?”

ℕ 𝕚 𝕘 𝕙 𝕥 𝕞 𝕒 𝕣 𝕖 :

In his nightmare, Sander did not, or rather, could not move freely in the pool of blood. Thick chains encircled his wrists, and the liquid kept rising steadily, its heat choking and curling down his throat. He struggled to no avail, staring helplessly at the single spark of light above as the blood slowly engulfed him. Its last words echoed softly, chafing his already frayed nerves:

 “Or Monster?”

 A snap, then metal rings came apart. He was torn asunder as he rose above the waves, white knuckles clinging to the cobble wall.

𝔸 𝕨 𝕒 𝕜 𝕖 𝕟 𝕚 𝕟 𝕘 :

Aberration

  𝕊 𝕥 𝕚 𝕘 𝕞 𝕒 :          

Sander is plagued by the memories of his family being slaughtered while he stood by and did nothing. He combated these thoughts with the rationalization, but parts of him are well-aware it wasn’t just the will to live that held him back. Furthermore, his situation since had not improved; the regulars stood above his people like dog lords, twisting and cutting the strings to their lives, while he bowed and grovelled like the rest. But what can he do? What will he do?

𝔸 𝕣 𝕞 𝕒 𝕞 𝕖 𝕟 𝕥 𝕤 :

xxx

You have none, yet. You will get some as the story progresses. Keep track of them here. Some of them might be really important or something, I don't know.

𝕋 𝕙 𝕖 𝕞 𝕖  𝕊 𝕠 𝕟 𝕘 𝕤 :

The Bird with a Broken Wing
In My Veins
King
Nothing And Everything
Waves

“You caught me at a very bad time, ma’am. Haven’t slept well lately.”

“But you’re right, I wouldn’t speak the truth otherwise. Please, let’s get this over with before… Well, we both want to go home at a decent hour tonight, don’t we?” 

“First up, Lawrence Ellison? Everyone calls him Doc. I don’t. Why? Nicknames imply some degree familiarity, while he and I are definitely not friends. Not that he is unpleasant, quite the opposite. His power gives him that calming aura and it serves well. It takes the edge off my thoughts when he’s near. My problem is with his personality. Logic and rationalization is his wall, neutrality his pedestal. How long will he continue to hide?”

“Ah, but then saying that would make me a huge hypocrite now, wouldn’t it? Let’s move on.”

“Lilliana Brandt is, well, capricious. I don’t know her that well, but she isn’t quite stable with her mood swings, but then, aren’t all Aberrations? We will see how it goes.”

“Next is Emma Halwell. Friendly, proper and peppy. But she wears a mask, and when you look closely, there are cracks. Hey, it takes one to know one. She calls me Sandy sometimes, and I let her. Not many people call me that anymore, ever since I dyed my hair brown…Makes it harder to see the blood.” 

“What about Grant Rotem? Well, hard to say, since he doesn’t do much. A self-styled slacker, I believe. I don’t blame him, since what there is to do in this so-called school? Not all of us wanted to be here, ya know?”

“Christopher Drake Francis. Yes, I know him. The lizard boy. Call it a dragon if you’d like, I just see a huge lizard. For a supposedly cold-blooded creature, he is surprisingly hot-headed. And venomous, too, but I guess that fits. He’s not the easiest person to get along with, no, but I suppose I don’t mind his remarks. His words rang hollow, if anything.”

“Next is Callan Webb. She…um…likes those superheroes types, right? Tries to become them, even. Might not work out though, since they are more ideals than people, but well, live and let live. How she spends her time is not my business.”

“Kusari Bloodworth…disturbs me. It’s not hard, with a name like that. She dwells too much on the dark sides of things and it feels as if she doesn’t even care anymore. Hadn’t cared for a while. It scares me. If I let go, if I…submit, will I become like her?” 

“Padma Majumdar? Ah, the British chick. Sorry, I forgot who I am talking to. Anyway, yes, I know her. I see her sometimes when I go out for my morning jogs. Yes, I still jog sometimes, would you prefer I lock myself in a room and claw at the walls? But back to the topic, I think she is proper and organized, and quite sure of herself. Which is good. We can all use a little certainty.” 

“You want my opinion on Marcus Howell? Alright. He smiles, he jokes around, he just does whatever to fill the silence. It is as if he’s compensating for something. But overall, I think he means well.”

“The next one is Zoe Fletcher. Huh. Isn’t she the redhead, tall with blue eyes? Yes, I know her. She doesn’t mince her words and looks you straight in the eyes, which is refreshing. But I think she needs to rein in that temper of hers. Violence is the language of the incompetent. I know, it’s rich, coming from me, but it’s not like I have any choice on that matter, alright? Then again, she might not be so different.” 

“Hazel Baker. I will give this one a pass. For the sake of my…Fine. You asked for it. Just look at her. What do you see? What is left? I do not know much about psychology or whatever, but the girl looks like she could use professional help. But instead, you people collared her like a dog and put her into this glorified prison of a school...”

“Ahem. I am sorry. I was…out of line. I do not know all the facts. Can we speak about someone else?”

“Siena Santana? What there is to say? All I see is a wealthy young girl with her head in the clouds. There is something wrong though. I’m not quite sure myself. Maybe she has been up there for too long?”

“Angélique Lachance, right? Is that how you pronounce it? She’s just another Aberration with issues, if you ask me. But hey, that’s the minimum requirement for joining our club. She has good control, I will at least give her that. Listens to very loud music though, like Lincoln. I have sensitive hearings when…you know.” 

“Allison Revel keeps an approachable façade, though it is not hard to see that unlike Emma, hers is far from benign. I have no love for manipulators, you of all people should know that. Not to mention the rumours about her…appetite.”

 “The amount of rage  Savannah Churchill manages to contain in her pint size body is staggering. It is unhealthy. She needs an outlet, but…don’t look at me. I have my own demons to fight.”

 “Who’s next? Christmas Halvost? He’s rather meek. Dude’s afraid of many things. I don’t blame him, really. I’m scared as well, but at least I have my rage to fall back on. What does he have? I pity him, if anything.” 

“Ah, Alexis Hunter. You must think we have a lot of in common. I’d admit, I think so too. But interactions with her only prove me wrong. I hold no illusion about myself and the world, ma’am. When I look, I see shades of grey. I believe we can do better, but the grey is still there. Alexis doesn’t see that though. It would be her downfall.” 

 “Aaron James Erikson. The clockwork mage. I’d admit, I hold him in high regard. He keeps his head up and forges forward. He doesn’t wallow, like many of us here, and that’s quite impressive.”

“Brent Roless is energetic, even when he doesn’t have a reason to be. That guy doesn’t do half measures. He always gives it all, always goes all the way. It is all or nothing for him. Sure, he has that drive going for him. What I don’t get, is his motives. What for?”

“Ernest Mars is trouble. You know I don’t enjoy violence. Yes, I really don’t, despite what it looks like on the field. The rush is…overpowering, and it prevents me from feeling much else. But this isn’t about me.”

“Ernest does not hesitate to use force to get what he wants. That spells trouble in my book.” 

“I have enough demons up here. Don’t pair me with another one.”

“Sophia Lemane is quiet. Not sure if she is shy or just dislike socialization in general. I mean, we don’t have a shortage of those types around here, do we? Still, she seems kind and mellow. Like a mother-figure kind of person, you know?”

“Finally. Are we done? I want to actually get some sleep tonight. Good. Then I will take my leave.”

 However, about the…things you promised. Can you put them in a proper container this time? Like the ones you used in the lab? Bags are messy, even when you use straw.” 

“You are right. I do. For example, you have the lovely stench of rabbies and rotten pomegranate. Maybe consider some cologne, hmm?”

“Wouldn’t help much though.”  

“I don’t see why you need to know this. No, I don’t see why this can affect my effectiveness in field. You’re just being a creep.” 

“But if I must…Just know that I expect timely compensation.”

“It’s always something akin to food. Not exactly like food, but close. How do I put this? They smell…savoury. Bags are just desirable, like canned food. Animals smell raw and earthy. Bugs and fishes just turn my stomach.”

“I don’t know why. Maybe something up in my brain is wired wrong. Do you think I want this?  

Christopher Tabasco. Hot sauce. Whatever you call it. Sharp, with a bite. When he is…a lizard, he is odd. Like pine needles. Not something you put in your mouth. 

Savannah If you want a name, it would be…meaty. Like processed meat. Something you have in a pinch, but not always.

Angélique She…grapes. She smells like grapes. Maybe a note of wine? 

Siena You thought I would say book, didn’t you? Hah. No. It would be jam. Sweet. Good on bread, but little else.

Zoe This one is…tempting. Like those mango flavoured Cruisers. Yes, I just admit she smells good, but that’s that. Don’t twist my words into something perverted.

Lilliana Strawberries. Definitely strawberries. 

Aaron Chocolate. The bitter kind. 

Hazel She is an exception. Sterile. Plastic. You know that smell of pharmacists’ and labs? It is wrong. She shouldn’t…but I digress. It is not place. Nor yours. 

Marcus Herbs. Green garnish. Holiday dinners.

Lawrence Wheat. Dry crackers. No, not the flavoured kind, the plain ones. 

Callan Hot summer days and fizzy drinks.

Padma Earl Grey tea. Yes, very specific. Full-bodied with a citrus note and quite…aromatic. Ahem. Let’s move on.

Grant Plain. Very plain. Rice. That sounds about right.

Christmas Coffee. Undiluted and hearty. Promise a rush of blood to the head. Warm.

Allison Cookies. Yeah, definitely cookies. The vanilla scent of baked goods. Far too sweet for my taste.

Emma Again, sweet. Candies, lollipops or jawbreakers. Manufactured sweetness. 

Kusari Wrong.

Alexis I’d say…smoked salmon? Something like that. Not particularly salmon, but just smoked meat in general. 

Brent He has the scent of apple cider. 

Ernest He smells like that drink my mother used to make for me on Christmas. ‘Mudslide’, I think it was called. You know, add coffee liqueur, vodka and bailey. Give it a shake, then put some cream on top. I know, I shouldn’t be drink alcohol that young, but it was a festival thing, ya know. She didn’t put much vodka in mine anyway… My mother was not an alcoholic. Please, don’t talk about her like that. 

At first, there was the rising sun. 

He watched the red rimmed horizon with a smile on his lips and an itch in his growing limbs. 

His world was rhythm when red track flowed backward beneath him. One two, one two, rinse and repeat. It was simple. Never easy. But he enjoyed it. There was solace in its certainty. Until the track ran red, and he sank. Blue eyes and golden hair brought him back, but he knew that hand, and he knew what it had done. Would have done. He loved and feared in equal measure. 

Voices rang in his ears. They were talking, with him, to him, over him. But not about him. This was never about him. He hugged himself under the oak desk, waiting for the storm to pass. This one wouldn’t though, of that he was certain. At least, not without loss. At least, he could choose who to lose. He chose.

He was doing the right thing. 

He thought he was doing the right thing.

He watched the rising sun, still. When the fog in his head cleared. When his chest loosened enough to breathe. 

Even against shimmering sunlight and his shaky breaths, she stood out. Still with golden hair and blue eyes, a touch softer and five years too young, but he could see the similarities. Or he was just seeing ghosts. 

She didn’t tell him why she was here. He never cared enough to ask. Theirs were quiet moments hidden in the crack of dawn, when she spoke about the white sand of her home and he listened, glassy eyed and twitchy. Then the stories would end when his fingers came away sticky and red. Just the healing itch, they said, don’t touch it. 

He was digging the bullets out. And he was tired of finding nothing. 

He was tired of being nothing. 

He was so tired.

Even the sun set in paradise. Even dead men dreamed. 

When it was his turn, he chose release. Ever the fool. Ever the coward. When will you learn? Echoed the words of a ghost. 

He found freedom instead. 

On the tip of his tongue, he tasted life. In his hands, he clutched death. Another pair of blue eyes, another head of golden hair. Another ghost. But he was beyond grief. Beyond fear. Beyond rage. Beyond reason. 

He was free. 

He stalked the bleached halls until he was the only one left. Until thunder cracked and he lost his footing and he fell. 

He was falling. He was falling still.

His new life is reduced to a number. They stoke his fire and torched him on a cold metal slab. The fire without, and the fire within. Just so they could find out which one burnt brighter.

There was pain. He turned it outward. 

The fire fitted him well. It lived in the meagre space of his chest, and it lived for the freedom he found. He bled hate and pain into its heat, so it would keep him warm.

He missed warmth. He couldn’t find it, so searing heat would do. That was alright. He had nothing left to lose, so he didn't care if they all burnt.

They might kill him. A part of him wished they would. The Stigma didn’t let him die, that selfish thing, but he wouldn’t let it hold him back. They were fickle and fearful; they flinched when he watched. 

He was waiting for another lapse. A breather, and he would seize it, like how he closed his jaws around that thrumming pulse. Petty retaliation for his pain, because he didn’t care. He was just so tired. 

But they didn’t kill him. Just cold room and blank walls. He counted faces to keep time, before. They took even that from him. 

It hurt, and he couldn’t take it. He just wanted everything to end.

It came to an end. But not in the way he wanted. 

She walked into his life in a storm of rustling paper and clinking of heels on metal. He noticed her hair first: curled locks like spun gold and he thought of old ghosts that haunted his sleep still. 

But she was different. So vibrant. So wise. A certainty he didn’t even know he needed. A ray of light to brighten his bleak days. 

She told him the truth, of what he was and what he will become. What he could become. She promised him hope, and he ate it all up. He believed her. He tried to. 

He did everything they asked. Everything she asked. Yet her promise remained out of reach. But he kept at it, still. He wondered why, sometimes. Guilt for ghosts? 

Pointless and foolish. When will you learn?

Because he knew what was behind her truth. She was artist; he her work. Nothing more and nothing less. And he couldn’t really blame her. Couldn’t really blame anyone but himself.
His rage was ashen; he was holding onto ghosts. 

For how long now? How much longer?

Christmas

“I'd kill for him. I'd die for him. And I think he would do the same for me.

I just don't understand why.”
Callan

“Callan is stronger than me. Probably braver than I can ever be. I envy her. 

But she just made the right choice, I guess.

I got what I deserve.”
Ernie

“Still an Aberration, but he wasn't as bad as I thought. He seemed to be more comfortable around me. Maybe that's for the best. 

What was it? Birds of a feather?”
Marcus

“I have only talked to him once, but he’s reasonable, I suppose.”
Kusari

"Kusari isn't an Aberration. Yet she's just like how I used to be...

I don't like her."

3x Laugh

Hidden 10 yrs ago → 8 yrs ago Post by Baklava

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Baklava

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Baklava

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Bio

"A true hero isn't measured by the size of her strength, but by the strength of her heart."

 𝔸 𝕘 𝕖 

17

 ℍ 𝕖 𝕚 𝕘 𝕙 𝕥 

5'7" , 170.18cm

 𝕎 𝕖 𝕚 𝕘 𝕙 𝕥 

170 lbs, 77 kg

 𝔸 𝕡 𝕡 𝕖 𝕒 𝕣 𝕒 𝕟 𝕔 𝕖 

"..."

Callan has light brown skin, a wide nose, large eyes, and curly, aquamarine hair (naturally dark brown, but she stays on top of her roots enough for nobody to know). She has a solid, athletic build-- certainly not an unhealthy girl though her shape distributes the extra pounds fairly well. She typically wears casual athletic wear, such as windbreakers, sweatshirts, leggings, shorts, sweatpants, and tennis shoes. On occasion, she's been known to accessorize with scarves, hats and sunglasses, but that's about it. 

The closest cartoon-esque depiction of her body type I can find: [x]

A few examples of what her wardrobe looks like: [x] [x] [x] [x] [x] [x] [x]

 ℙ 𝕖 𝕣 𝕤 𝕠 𝕟 𝕒 𝕝 𝕚 𝕥 𝕪 

"The real world sucks... but someone's gotta save it."

Callan is a generally kind-hearted and level-headed person, though at times she can be a bit competitive. Her aversion to the limelight, however, seems to contradict that inherent desire to be MVP in those moments. This was especially true during her time on the varsity girls basketball team. Students and faculty alike were certainly familiar with the name of the rising star of Westlake High School, though she often expended little effort in reaping many of the 'benefits' that came with popularity. In part due to her own insecurities, but for other reasons as well.

Basketball aside, Callan has a clear set of priorities. Once you get to know her, Callan's schedule is an easily predictable one. Her activities outside of school exist within the realm of five categories: sleep, eating, training, TV, and video games (comedies and feel-good shows being among her favorite genres). More prone to following instructions, she might like to think of herself as down to earth, but Callan is more of a dreamer-- as well as extremely trusting. To a fault.

As a result of her upbringing and love for television shows and the heroes they depict, Callan has always thought very highly of the Precursors. She's had little reason not to. Living in a large, well-protected city like Atlanta, Callan would readily admit that she hasn't experienced much loss in her life. Seeing death and devastation on the news, Callan was always able to turn an optimistic eye towards the Precursors-- viewing their victories in lieu of tragedy. 

Callan isn't necessarily an unhygienic person, but she does have a tendency to keep her space in a state of disarray. She's also got a gross habit of nibbling the ends of the cords of her sweatshirts when she's bored. Internally, and in spite of her desire to use her newfound abilities in a noble and responsible fashion, Callan does occasionally fall subject to more selfish aspirations. She is eager to please those she is close to and, at times, overly concerned with her appearance. She can be impatient and has a tendency to avoid or sometimes not even acknowledge the existence of her problems-- the stress of which sometimes rears its head in the form of subtle nervous habits.

 ℍ 𝕚 𝕤 𝕥 𝕠 𝕣 𝕪 

"Heroes aren't born, they're made...."

Callan has lived in Atlanta, Georgia all her life. Growing up, her family was very religious-- stemming mainly from her mother's side. It was her father's side of the family, however, that Callan had always been the closest to-- especially her Grandmother. Holidays with her parents and 14-year-old brother, Dom, were more frequently spent there as a result of familial tensions.

Since she was little, Callan has always played basketball. From expensive club teams to gear, her father ensured that she was prepped for success. Though they weren't a remarkably wealthy family, money never seemed to be an issue when it came to basketball. She possessed a remarkable talent for the game, dominating her position as a power forward and regularly leading her team to victory with stats no college scout could overlook. A promising future which would never come to pass-- though Callan has done her best to view it as more of an opportunity than a curse.

Cal discovered her powers one day after school. Fortunately, nobody was home when she lost control of her ability. Her childhood home in the suburbs was completely torn apart. Neighbors called the police right away and Cal was sedated before causing any real harm to anyone. The insurance company even agreeed to cover the damage. Or so she was told. With a tearful hug, Cal said goodbye to her parents and brother-- unsure of whether or not she'd ever see them again.

 𝕄 𝕒 𝕘 𝕚 𝕔 

A Girl and Her Shadow

Cal has super strength, agility, resilience, speed, and balance. She is able to lift semi trucks with relative ease, dodge or take a bullet without it penetrating her flesh more than half an inch or so, run up to 40 mph, and balance on the tip of a lamp post without batting an eye-- "the perfect soldier" as someone once told her. 

All of that changes, however, when her shadow suddenly crawls out of the ground and takes on the form of a large, black stag-like creature with antlers, glowing white eyes, a long, whip-like tail, and razor sharp claws. The shadow is stronger, faster, and far more resilient than she is. She currently has absolutely no control over the shadow creature when it takes form and can't really control when it is summoned either. It tends to most consistently appear when Cal is gravely injured or experiencing extremely negative emotions (something that thankfully doesn't happen very often due to her level headedness). 

When the creature manifests itself, Cal loses all of her enhanced abilities. Due to her lack of control, she prefers to avoid summoning the shadow stag monster (so far nameless) at all costs. 

Maxed out and without her suppression cuff, she can PULL appx. 132,000 lbs.

Upgrade One : I Can't Do This Alone...

Cal can summon and partially control a small part of her shadow... to an extent. So far it's just an arm/claws.

Upgrade Two : Don't Run Away

Using a what are basically the equivalent of invisible, elastic reigns connecting herself to the shadow monster, Callan can partially control it. Most notably, she can send it back into her shadow when she wants.

Upgrade Three : The Ultimate Tool

Callan can now manifest Misery as a weapon without losing her superbuffs. Even with her superstrength, however, the weapon is very heavy for her to lift.

Upgrade Four : Flight or Fight

Misery can now manifest wings and fly-- Callan cannot.

 𝔻 𝕣 𝕖 𝕒 𝕞 

A six year old Cal sits two feet from a small box TV on the floor, huddled up in a blanket and chewing on the collar of her shirt. The rest of the space surrounding young Cal is cold and shrouded in thick fog. She is alone.

Her face is illuminated by the glow of the TV screen-- Cal sees herself on the screen, fighting tooth and nail, trying to kill a vicious monster. She watches as her blood splashes across the pavement. The monster lunges at several people with smooth faces except for wide, open mouths. Earsplitting screams ring out from the speakers. Superhero-Cal tackles the beast again... and again. Finally, the beast succumbs and Cal is left standing, triumphant. She feels an overwhelming sense of accomplishment. 

The smooth-faced people crowd around her. Screaming becomes cheering. The screen is overcome with static. She sees her six year old self scrambled up to the TV, playing with the buttons frantically-- trying to get it working again. She stops and turns to face Cal-- acknowledging her for the first time. 

"Can you help me?" she asks.

 ℕ 𝕚 𝕘 𝕙 𝕥 𝕞 𝕒 𝕣 𝕖 

As the little girl continues staring at her expectantly, Cal hears the crinkling sound of a bag of chips being opened behind her. Turning around, she sees an area of fog clear to reveal the cushiest couch she's ever seen. She sees herself sitting on the couch with a bag of chips in one hand and a remote in the other, sprawled out on with a coffee table brimming with snacks laid out before her. 

The TV screen is a 60" at best, displaying the same monster as before-- only this time there is no one stopping it and the people's faces are smooth except for only eyes. The speakers are silent. With each swipe of it's claws, the people and buildings vanish until the monster stands before a smooth, empty world. The monster becomes Cal and with a wave of her hand, trees and buildings of her own design spring up out of the ground.

The Cal on the couch shifts her position and pats the couch-- beckoning Cal to join her.

 𝔸 𝕨 𝕒 𝕜 𝕖 𝕟 𝕚 𝕟 𝕘 

Arbiter

 𝔸 𝕣 𝕞 𝕒 𝕞 𝕖 𝕟 𝕥 𝕤 

xxx

 𝕋 𝕙 𝕖 𝕞 𝕖  𝕊 𝕠 𝕟 𝕘 𝕤 

"Alright, let's do this."

"I'm not sure what I believe anymore..."

"I don't want to be alone right now."

"I'm just trying to make a difference."

"They will applaud."

"It's my turn to make history..."

"Everybody who gave up is just the fuel for wanting it more than anybody against us."

The passcode feature has been turned off...

C H R I S

"I don’t know much about Chris, to be honest. Well… I know almost as little as you can know about a person after glimpsing them half naked.  I know he’s tallish, has white hair, turns into a dragon and has a short-temper.  Whenever I see him around, he always seems to be brooding. I wouldn’t say I dislike him, but … the last thing we need is a rampaging dragon if we’re stuck in a tough situation. I think he’s friends with Siena or something, too. Which is cool and all, but I’m still a little wary.

I just hope he keeps his cool."

"What is this guy's deal? I don't know what happened between him and Marcus, but whatever it was couldn't have warranted breathing fire all over my roommate. He better not try anything like that while I'm around. Dragon form or no, I'll make hat broody asshole think twice!

Doesn't seem like Siena's been hanging out with him anymore either. Gee, I wonder why."

S A V

"I don’t know anything about her. I get her killed and I don’t know a single thing. I’m so sorry, Savannah…"

"I wonder who her parents were... what she liked to do... where she was from... Gotta try not to think about it too hard. The number of people I've failed is starting to stack up. I can't pay them all their respects. Can't use all my time for this. 

It'll tear me apart, so I keep moving forward instead."

A N G E L

"Angelique Lachance. That name sounds familiar for some reason.  Er, anyway—she’s older, I think. She’s also tall… really fit… and has a pretty eccentric style. I-in a good way! Maybe she was a model or something before she came here. I dunno.

She seems friendly. Though  there’s something about her I find a little intimidating. Oh—and apparently she and Emma don’t get along. I’m not sure why…. Maybe I should ask. "

"We never saw a body, right? She could be....

Nah. Even I'm not that optimistic."

S I E N A

"Siena the enigma. The more I learn about Siena, the more I'm glad she's my roommate. I know that sounds kinda corny, but... I dunno. I've never been friends with someone who lives in an estate before. Er-- lived, I guess. Shame on me for thinking all rich girls were snobby because she's not like that at all. Mostly keeps to herself. Has her nose in her reading tablet a lot.

Overall, I like her. We should hang out a bit more."

"I thought Siena seemed the same as always, but Emma was concerned. I don't know why. She's definitely a lot smarter than me and seemed pretty capable back on the island. Enough to try and stop me... by force. Didn't work of course, but... I sure didn't like it. Ah, I don't want to think about it anymore. She said she was sorry and I was never really that mad to begin with. It's nice to be worried about, but I wish she wouldn't waste it on me.

I'm glad we're on the same page about doing the right thing though... right?"

Z O E

"Zoe and I have… very different views. A few examples: I think it would be a better idea to keep my arm attached to my body in the middle of combat (and, by extension, my blood). Zoe thinks otherwise. I don’t think killing is always the answer. Zoe… hell, Zoe’s almost killed two of her own teammates now. That I know of. She’s scary. And, above all, dangerous. The way I see it, it’s only a matter of time before something happens and the healers can’t fix it. And I… I just hope it doesn’t happen to anybody I know because… I don’t know if I could stop her. The school locked up Hazel for attacking her teammates, but not Zoe. So… 

It kinda feels like all the odds are against me here. Probably best to just stay out of her way. "

"I'm trying a new approach with the Zoe situation. I think it'll help. I can't stop her from melting anyone in the heat of the moment, but maybe I can do it premptively. I don't know. As much as I'd like to ignore it and pretend everything's fine, staying out of her way feels like a bad idea now. The Kusari thing was a mess and I doubt we'll be so lucky next time. I get the feeling she's aware of that. As long as we're being honest, though... I haven't been trying my best with her. Whatever problem she's going through... feels a little out of my league. I don't even know her that well.

Ultimately it falls on her to accept help, but goddamnit I don't want to see her fuck up that bad again. Get your shit in order, Zoe... I know you can do it. You're not an idiot. "

L I L Y 

"Lily is so small and cute. She usually seems like she’s in a good mood when I see her talking to people. It’s sad to think she has to hurt herself so badly in order to use her ability. I thought Christmas had it bad. 

Unfortunately, I don’t know much else about her."

"Lily saves the day again. And again and again and again. And she never stops smiling.

It's inspiring... but I worry sometimes."

G R E G

"He's an aberration, he has long, pretty blonde hair, he almost took Hazel's head off and then almost had his face completely melted off by Zoe. Maybe I can relate to that, but I'd rather not think about it.

I still don't really know much about the guy, actually."

"Another one dead. Brent and Ernie's friend, right? They're getting closer to home...."

S O P H I A

"I don’t think I’ve ever spoken with Sophia. Come to think of it, I don’t usually catch her saying much at all. Always seems to be hiding in the background. Maybe she’s shy?"

"Shy or quiet, I don't know. Another person to try and keep safe."

H A Z E L

"Another person I don’t know very much about. My knowledge goes as far as knowing she’s Emma’s roommate, seems to have a drinking problem, and is very unstable. Unstable enough for them to stick her in a collar and room her with a therapist mage. I don’t want to misjudge her, but… she attacked her own teammates. 

I don’t know. Maybe I’ll ask Emma about it sometime, but for now… that girl gives me a bad feeling. "

"It's hard to hate someone who seems so... completely unaware. Even Emma's tulpa has more awareness! She may not remember what happened in D.C., but I do. She has no idea what almost happened. Maybe I didn't do such a good job of staying on my feet, but Misery.... 

Anyway, I don't know what to think. I still kind of blame her, but... I'm the one who lost to a lunatic."

M A R C U S

"Marcus is my roommate. Clever as he is, sometimes I wish he’d take a break from the jokes. But besides that, he’s nice and cute and funny and… uh. Anyway, he’s also Emma’s boyfriend.. But that isn’t my business. In fact, I should really try and avoid spending so much time with him. It’s not doing me any favors and Emma is a good person. She deserves this.

I’m sure I’ll just get in the way. "

"I don't know what to do. I want to be there for him, but... that's Emma's job! Goddamnit, I'm so stupid. Ernie's right. Steering clear isn't a great plan, but... ugh. What else can I do? He's not okay right now. Marcus is my friend before anything else and he needs help.

I don't want to hurt Emma, but... Jesus, where are you and why does Determination look like your ex?"

E R N I E

"Y'know. I like Ernie. A lot more than I thought I would-- and I'm not sure why. He's got 'the jokes' and he's friendly. Far as I know, he's the only one that knows about my little crush on Marcus. And now-- besides Lawrence-- he's the only one who knows about the situation with my parents. I'm... glad somebody knows. And I’m glad it’s him. I’m not sure why Emma would say he isn’t boyfriend material, to be honest.

Not that I like him like that or anything."

"One of the coolest people I've ever met, if I'm being honest. I feel like  I could seriously tell him everything. He's helped me a lot, so... maybe I should. But I've been leaning on him way too much already. I want my problems to be my own. I wish he couldn't see right through me.

Then maybe I could focus more on helping him instead."

L A W R E N C E

"I'm glad he's okay."

"Still okay. I haven't seen him around much, but he's still been keeping my secret. Counts for something."

S A N D E R

"Sander is fairytale good looking. And... kind of amazing. It's thanks to him I didn't get zapped in Wisford. And apparently he’s strong enough to rival Misery. I wasn’t too sure about that at first, but he says he’s been a mage for 5 years and he practically took down Factory all by himself. It might be a good idea to listen to him more. That being said, I still think there’s something off about his behavior.

I like Sander, but I think there's still a lot about him that I don't know."

"Sander is still Sander. He seems a lot happier lately. I know his relationship with Christmas is supposedly going well, but wow. What a difference! Can't help but wonder how he managed to get over his Stigma troubles. Kinda doubt the remedy is love, as nice as that sounds. 

He and Zoe should talk."

B R E N T

"Brent is like the jock honor student of our group. He always seems to be smiling and seems pretty passionate about fitness—and astronomy, apparently. Also, I think he hates me.. Can’t say I don’t deserve it… it WAS my fault, after all. He’s not so different from the guys back home. Knows how to put on a smile and hide his true intentions until the last moment. I wish he’d let me apologize, but I understand. Nothing I could ever say or do will make up for getting Savannah killed. At least one person knows that…. "

"Hmm... I guess we're on better terms now. Though I'm not really sure how to define the terms we were starting on after Wisford. And I pretty much blew him off in D.C. so that's not great. There's something about him that I like, but there's also this weirdly uncomfortable feeling I get. Is it guilt? I don't know. Can't figure it out. He's friends with Ernie and Marcus though so he can't be all bad.

Siena and Brent seem to be hanging out a bit more lately, too, huh?"

G R A N T

"Although I haven’t spoken to him much, I think I understand Grant a little better now. And I feel horrible. I never see him around the school. I think he stays holed up in his room. I can’t pretend to know exactly what happened when Padma died, but… he shouldn’t seclude himself so much. I can’t help but wonder if I would’ve turned out that way if I were in his shoes. I was lucky enough to have friends to pick me up, but… I never see Grant hanging out with anyone. But I’m sure I’m the last person he’d want to hang out with."

"He's still a hard read, but I think we had a good talk. I'm glad to see Grant out and about, too. It's comforting to know he forgives me for what I did, but he obviously doesn't forgive himself. I get that. Forgiving yourself is hard... Not saying this is the case for Grant, but sometimes I think it's impossible. 

It was so cute seeing him with Tater Tot. I hope we get to see that side of him more often."

C H R I S T M A S

"Christmas huh... I don't really know what to think about him. Seems like he fades into the background. But, with a power like his, he really shouldn't, right? I've said it before, but I'm glad he's got someone like Sander to stick with him. They're both quiet and keep to themselves, but I bet Christmas is the sort who might get picked on without someone to be there for him. At first I thought he was just shy, but... I think he’s a little off, too."

"I haven't seen him all week, but I think he's okay. If Sander's mood is anything to go off of. He'll be well taken care of I'm sure. "

A L L I S O N

"Geez, I’m pretty unfamiliar with a lot of people in my class. Allison is pretty. I wonder if maybe… that’s part of why she was staying with Kusari? I don’t know. I don’t know what happened and I’m not sure I want to. She got hammered at Angel’s party and crashed so I didn’t see a ton of her there either."

"Don't get me wrong. I wanted to find Angel just as much as she did, but sending a four people after a boat full of powerful enemy subs with no plan isn't high on my list of things I'm okay with. We weren't even sure if Angel was taken at all and I wasn't about to lose four teammates on a hunch. I'm not mad. Nobody made me group leader, but I wish she'd be more careful. I don't remember her being this wreckless... she and Angel must have been close.

Didn't end up mattering anyway."

E M M A

"I’m… actually really glad I got to know Emma. In a way, I guess it makes me feel a little better about she and Marcus being together. They’re both nice and cool and friendly. I think they deserve each other. They deserve to be happy…. I’m trying really hard to get over it. Not to be jealous. When I’m hanging out with Emma, that’s almost a little easier… I think. She knows how to have a good time and it’s nice to hang out with someone so… I don’t want to say normal. Because Emma seems special to me… she reminds me a little of Gaby, but we seem to have a lot more in common. She’s like the friend I never had, you know? Okay—that sounds corny. But it’s true."

"Always thought she had it all put together. I mean, I thought she seemed stressed lately but... man, I'm such an idiot-- and literally the worst best friend ever, too. I don't know what to do. If Det tells her... And that stuff about her sister...! I still feel like she should know. I don't want her to go through the same thing I did, but... She's gonna find out sooner or later. About everything. If I keep thinking about it, I'm gonna lose my fucking mind.

I never meant for this to happen. I'm sorry, Emma..."

K U S A R I

"The mystery that is Kusari seems to just keep getting bigger with no end in sight. One moment we’re talking and I think I’m starting to figure her out and the next…. I don’t know. Maybe that’s just how she is? I don’t think I’ve ever met someone so forward… and I guess I’m still trying to wrap my head around how someone as attractive as Kusari could have any interest in me. Besides that, I’m glad she’s okay. Maybe that’s stupid of me to say considering her power, but… if she keeps hurting herself like that, I think it’s eventually gonna take its toll. Uhm… I just don’t want to see her cry like that again. "

"I can't help it. Kusari may be physically immortal, but I think it's all starting to make her a little unhinged. She's all alone in her dorm room and I rarely see her talking to people. I know she's kind of intense to be around, but... who's looking out for her? And how can I do it without leading her on? I remember what she said that last morning on the island and I can't believe she really feels that way. I keep thinking maybe I shouldn't have gone back to her dorm with her that night, but... ugh, goddamnit.

Kusari, I want to help, but... am I making things worse?"

Disclaimer: I rarely/almost NEVER take these points into consideration when writing Callan responses. It's just for fun.

M A R C U S
 ⋆ 

E R N I E
 ⋆ 

E M M A
 ⋆ 
D E T E R M I N A T I O N
 ⋆  ⋆ 

S A N D E R
 ⋆ 

S I E N A

L A W R E N C E
 ⋆ 

L I L Y

C H R I S T M A S

C H R I S
 ⋆ 

A L L I S O N

A N G E L
 ⋆ 

K U S A R I
 ⋆  ⋆ 

Z O E
 ⋆ 

B R E N T
 ⋆ 

G R A N T
 ⋆ 

S O P H I A

H A Z E L
 ⋆ 

First Day, First Fight
Chapter 1: That's ridiculous. Of course it wasn't me.
Chapter 2: A Bloodbath, Roomies, and Resolve ⋆ ⋆
Chapter 3: Early Morning and Late Night Ride ⋆ ⋆
Chapter 4: The Middle Preparations
Chapter 5: A Perfectly Unlikely Leader ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Chapter 6: Fight or Flight
Chapter 7: Do Something
Chapter 8: It was mine. dream
Chapter 9: Old Basketball Wisdom
Chapter 10: Just Dropping In ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Chapter 11: Déjà vu ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ 
Chapter 12: The Chop Wizard
Chapter 13: Lily's Help ⋆ ⋆
Chapter 14: Padma ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ 
Chapter 15: Psalms and Heroes ⋆ ⋆

USARILN Week 1
Chapter 16: One Punch ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Chapter 17: A Penny For Your Pizza ⋆ ⋆
Chapter 18: The Jade Dragon ⋆
Chapter 19: Apologies and Pep Talks ⋆ ⋆
Chapter 20: Gym Rats ⋆ ⋆
Chapter 21: Doctor Lawrence ⋆ dream

Chapter 22: First Day Senior
Chapter 23: The Lunch Crew Assembles ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Chapter 24: Pillow Mountain ⋆
Chapter 25: Hey mom.

Flag and Seek
Chapter 26: Multiple Scorgasms ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Chapter 27: Facing the Pants ⋆ ⋆
Chapter 28: The Losers Bench ⋆
Chapter 29: The Losers Stench ⋆ ⋆
Chapter 30: Undignified
Chapter 31: Someone Took His Clothes?? ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Chapter 32: General Thoughts and Suggested Improvements
Chapter 33: The Dinner Crew Assembles ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆

Family Issues
Chapter 34: Between Laughing Fears and Trembling Convictions ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Chapter 35: Rematch ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Chapter 36: Hope, Healing, and Isolation ⋆ ⋆
Chapter 37: Blame It On The Dog ⋆
Chapter 38: One Tiny Phone Number ⋆
Chapter 39: Paper Puffing ⋆
Chapter 40: Shadow Secrets ⋆ ⋆

Wisford Prep
Chapter 41: The Ocean Pokes Back dream
Chapter 42: Breakfast Club ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Chapter 43: New Trick ⋆ ⋆
Chapter 44: Spill Your Guts ⋆
Chapter 45: More Apologies ⋆ ⋆
Chapter 46: Earbuds ⋆
Chapter 47: Farewells and Secrets ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆

Wisford
Chapter 48: The Striker Team Waits ⋆ ⋆
Chapter 49: The Striker Team Waits Pt 2 ⋆ 
Chapter 50: The Striker Team Strikes ⋆ 
Chapter 52: Callan's Second Strike
Chapter 53: Fore!
Chapter 54: Dig, Dig, Dig
Chapter 55: Bad News Bears
Chapter 56: Savannah Dies ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Chapter 57: Disarmed dream
Chapter 58: Zoe ⋆
Chapter 59: Cold

La Plata
Chapter 60: Recovery ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Chapter 61: Reruns
Chapter 62: Is it Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Hospital? ⋆
Chapter 63: A Friendly Chat (With Zoe) ⋆ 
Chapter 64: Recovery and Regret ⋆
Chapter 65: Wishes of Recovery ⋆
Chapter 66: Plenty of Wishes ⋆
Chapter 67: Cold Distractions
Chapter 68: Love and Zombies ⋆
Chapter 69: Suspicions, Snacks and Sportswear ⋆
Chapter 70: Mutual Invasion of Privacy ⋆

D.C.
Chapter 71: Fancy Distractions
Chapter 72: Teenage Delinquents ⋆
Chapter 73: Revelation ⋆
Chapter 74: Wild Party ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆

Chapter 75: Dom and Disaster
Chapter 76: Recall ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Chapter 77: Fighting with Giants
Chapter 78: Hazel Loses Friendship Points ⋆ ⋆ ⋆

Zhang's Estate
Chapter 79: Missing
Chapter 80: Euthanasia ⋆

The Amigos Appear
Chapter 81: Unpleasant Uncertainty
Chapter 82: Rhohan ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Chapter 83: Rhohan a la carte ⋆
Chapter 84: Unwise ⋆ ⋆
Chapter 85: The Ship That Sank ⋆
Chapter 86: No Excuse ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆ ⋆
Chapter 87: Do You Feel Like A Hero? ⋆ ⋆
Chapter 88: Questions Without Answers ⋆ ⋆

Back to USARILN
Chapter 89: Helicopter Highlights ⋆
Chapter 90: Pep Talks and Toast ⋆
Chapter 91: Permission Slip Up
Chapter 92: Barely Aware ⋆
Chapter 93: How's Your Fine? ⋆
Chapter 94: Knock On Wood ⋆
Chapter 95: Misery Training Pt 1

Chapter 96: Déjà Vu ⋆ ⋆
Chapter 97: Love, Basketball, and Aliens ⋆
Chapter 98: Bad News ⋆
Chapter 99: Callan Actually Cleans Something ⋆ ⋆ 
Chapter 100: Nightmares and Chill ⋆ ⋆
Chapter 101: Wish Granted ⋆
Chapter 102: Pure Therapy ⋆ ⋆
Chapter 103: Empty Encouragement ⋆
Chapter 104: Will You Train With Me? ⋆

Chapter 105: Floating ⋆
Chapter 106: Secrets Out ⋆
Chapter 107: Kicked Out Of Waffle House ⋆ ⋆

* collabs

Callan arts here!

FC: meodwarf
Banner Babies: Reis-ARTroom
Old FC: snowy-town
Playlist: @Diggerton
Sparklies #1: scourgemangastudios
Sparklies #2: piirmy

Hidden 10 yrs ago → 9 yrs ago Post by Piercing Light

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Piercing Light ...

Member Seen 5 mos ago

Piercing Light

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503 posts

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ℕ 𝕒 𝕞 𝕖 :

Kusari Bloodworth

𝔸 𝕘 𝕖 :

18

ℍ 𝕖 𝕚 𝕘 𝕙 𝕥 :

6 feet

𝕎 𝕖 𝕚 𝕘 𝕙 𝕥 :

110 lbs.

𝔸 𝕡 𝕡 𝕖 𝕒 𝕣 𝕒 𝕟 𝕔 𝕖 :

Kusari is a tall young woman, with a frail, thin body. Some are reminded of the Dreamcatcher when they see her, though she has yet to hear that from anyone herself. Her skin is pale, looking as if it were powdered to mimic porcelain. Her hair is ghostly white, almost transparent, and it runs down all the way to her hips. A side fringe hides her right eye along with the white streak that marks her as an arbiter. A single braid is styled on the left side of her face, hanging just past her left temple. Her eyes are deep crimson red, and framed by thick white lashes. Her eyes are narrow, this along with her hawkish facial features give her an imposing visage. Her voice is low, yet bold, betraying the ethereal image one may have of her at first.

ℙ 𝕖 𝕣 𝕤 𝕠 𝕟 𝕒 𝕝 𝕚 𝕥 𝕪 :

Kusari is grossly sardonic, and nearly always pessimistic. She frequently makes remarks that could only label her as a misanthrope under normal circumstances. Any bridge she has crossed in the past she strode leaving behind a trail of gasoline, inevitably lit aflame by the sparks cracking from her mouth. She might make some excuse for her behavior. Perhaps that she's just acting out, that she doesn't mean it, but that would be a lie. She always means what she says. The best thing one could say about the way she talks to people is that at least her language isn't vulgar... usually. 

Oddly enough, aside from her mouth, Kusari is hardly a 'bad person.' She doesn't go out of her way to fight anyone, even if someone ends up wanting to throw hands after something she's said. She's a student with great grades and attendance, and has a clean record sans one particular incident. However, these things are merely a consequence of her living on auto-pilot, she doesn't know what else to do, and she hasn't bothered trying to find out.

ℍ 𝕚 𝕤 𝕥 𝕠 𝕣 𝕪 :

I don't know why my mother called them that day. Maybe she was growing tired of looking at the biggest mistake she'd ever made, maybe she was growing too paranoid that someone else would do it. Or maybe the growls of her empty stomach whispered into her ears like a devil on her shoulder. Whatever the case, I still don't know, and I've forgotten how to care. I woke up to the sound of sirens that day, and of course I jumped out of my rickety bed and looked out the window, as I always did when I heard sirens. Usually they passed this run down apartment complex, but today that dreadful noise I feared stayed, like the buzzing of a hive hanging above me. They were here, the army, they were here for me. I called for my mother, first in stuttering hushed tones, then in panicked screams as the door began to be broken from it's hinges. But she wasn't home. 

I ran to the window to the street below, and jumped out. I lived on the sixth floor of this building, but that didn't seem to cross my mind at the time, I just wanted to get away. I hit the ground as gracefully as rag doll, I could hear the bones in my body as they splintered apart. My right leg looked like something that would be covered in a mosaic if this were being filmed, and my left arm was bent in ways an arm shouldn't bend. Somehow, I managed to lift my bleeding head from the pavement and see that behind one of the army's armored vehicles, was my mother. I slowly got to my feet, ignoring the soldiers yelling at me not to move. I started to hobble towards my mother, frustration and tears in my eyes, I didn't know if I was moving to kill her or seek solace, my head was pretty banged up. My mother turned away from me and was led away by a solider, and I stopped. I think I understood fully then what she had done, I wasn't her daughter anymore, I was a monster. Of course, I'd always been a monster, hadn't I? What business did I have even questioning her choice?

A loud bang hit my ears, and I felt something pierce my chest, bringing with it an intense burning pain. I looked down and saw blood pouring from my chest. They had shot me in the heart. It hurt, and I ended up falling onto my back, yet somehow I didn't die. As more figures moved towards me I let out a derisive chuckle. I really was a heartless monster.

𝕄 𝕒 𝕘 𝕚 𝕔 :    I Sing the Body Eldritch

Kusari's body is far from normal. She is able to rapidly regenerate wounds, and has near limitless endurance. There is no injury she can't recover from short of being obliterated, though she can be rendered immobilized or unconscious comparatively easily. The time it takes for a wound to heal can vary, a shallow cut will heal within a minute, but something drastic like losing a limb can take a week, unless she is able to reattach it. Losing vital organs is not lethal as somehow her ability compensates for whatever was lost until it fully recovers. This goes for everything, including her brain, though she will likely pass out if her brain is damaged heavily. While her body is healing, it is always surrounded in a dim light.

By cutting off an arm or a leg, Kusari is able to grow a powerful monstrous limb in it's place. It takes about a minute for the new limb to grow. When she grows a new leg it's appearance resembles that of a raptor, with three red razor sharp talons that gleam like polished steel. This new leg is capable of easily tearing apart a car door with it's strength. When her arms are replaced, her strength is enhanced in the same way her legs are, and her nails become deadly crimson claws.

By cutting off an arm or a leg, Kusari can now grow a tentacle in its place. Can choose between a clawed limb/tentacle. In its relaxed form, the tentacle barely touches the ground when she stands fully upright. With the suction pads, Kusari can pick up items along the length of her tentacle. Her new limb can also squeeze into very tight spots. Significantly less strength than her clawed limb.

It takes about a minute for the new limb to grow, same as clawed limbs.

At the cost of a slow 2 minute growth period, Kusari can now grow her limb-forms far past her body (whatever they may be) up to 15m.

𝔻 𝕣 𝕖 𝕒 𝕞 :

In my dream, I was everything. I was a saint, I was loved, I was worshiped. I saved countless lives across the planet using my powers for good. I inspired those around me, rousing them from despair into hope. The term 'subnatural' was quickly thrown away, and others like me were able to be called 'mages' by not just each other. What a simple dream it was, what a stupid, unrealistic, pathetic dream. Yet it was the one I chose. Maybe such a pathetic dream suits me just fine...

ℕ 𝕚 𝕘 𝕙 𝕥 𝕞 𝕒 𝕣 𝕖 :

In my nightmare, I was nothing. My body was a formless mass of flesh. No eyes or ears, just the feeling of my body as it moved on it's own, devouring everything in it's path. There was nothing but a perverse pleasure as I ate, even when people came to destroy me I seemed to feast on their desperation and suffering. My body grew and grew as I ate, until there was nothing left, just me. I was alone, and longed for the taste of anything I could grasp, yet there was nothing. Well, there was one thing left to eat, the only thing left...

𝔸 𝕨 𝕒 𝕜 𝕖 𝕟 𝕚 𝕟 𝕘 :

Arbiter

𝔸 𝕣 𝕞 𝕒 𝕞 𝕖 𝕟 𝕥 𝕤 :

xxx

𝕋 𝕙 𝕖 𝕞 𝕖  𝕊 𝕠 𝕟 𝕘 𝕤 :

"My name Is Kusari Bloodworth, if you must know."
"I'll have to let you know, I don't know how to hold back."

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ℕ 𝕒 𝕞 𝕖 :

Padma Majumdar

𝔸 𝕘 𝕖 :

17

ℍ 𝕖 𝕚 𝕘 𝕙 𝕥 :

5'10"

𝕎 𝕖 𝕚 𝕘 𝕙 𝕥 :

170

𝔸 𝕡 𝕡 𝕖 𝕒 𝕣 𝕒 𝕟 𝕔 𝕖 :

((She does not have the pictured tattoo.))

Padma is a tall, handsome young woman of Indo-Persian descent.  Her skin is almost always clear, and her hair shiny and free of tangles, whether she’s wearing it up or down. Her body is fit and well toned, which goes well with her favored attire of activewear.
 
She is crisp and competent in demeanor, and has a deliberately light British accent.

ℙ 𝕖 𝕣 𝕤 𝕠 𝕟 𝕒 𝕝 𝕚 𝕥 𝕪 :

Fastidious and disciplined. Padma has a hair and skin care routine, as well as an exercise regimen that she keeps with almost religious fervor. Her study habits are every bit as arduous, and in most aspects of her life she prefers to stay engaged. Though she is an affectionate and generous friend, her company is not for the lazy. Spending a social day with her will find you playing a sport(fencing or cricket if you know it) or spending time outdoors. She can be convinced to go shopping, if you are so inclined, but at far from a leisurely pace.
She has a deeply ingrained sense of duty and integrity, and is one of those Mages who arrived, and remains, at USARILN entirely by choice.

ℍ 𝕚 𝕤 𝕥 𝕠 𝕣 𝕪 :

Padma's father, Solomon, has a very British stiff upper lip.  In spite of everything happening in the world, he always insisted on "Keeping Calm, and Carrying on."  And so his daughter, no matter what sort of fairy tale creature attack dominated the news, was always playing sports and studying as if it were the normal days before the Dreamcatcher.  Or, maybe just before the Slumber.  
 
If she hadn't been a Mage, she probably would have been an athlete or a scholar, but fate had other plans.  The decision for Padma to turn herself over to the government was a simple one, and they both reached it at the same time, and for the same reasons.  King, Country, and Kind.

𝕄 𝕒 𝕘 𝕚 𝕔 :

Shadow Walk

Padma can move out of three-dimensional space, and into the two-dimensional world of shadows.  In the Shadow Realm, she can climb other shadows(including the moving shadows of people or other animals) to traverse the two-dimensional landscape.  
 
She is still effected by gravity, and takes up as much space as she normally would.  At present, she cannot take anything other than the clothes on her back into the Shadow Realm, and cannot stay any longer than five minutes before exhausting herself.  If she were to be "crushed" while in the Shadow Realm(for instance, if someone deliberately shadow-puppeted closing their hands on her) she is forced back into three-dimensional space, usually quite disoriented.
 
Her shadow, while Shadow Walking, has a faintly glowing white outline around it, as does her body just before and after switching realms.

𝔻 𝕣 𝕖 𝕒 𝕞 :

There was a grid of city streets, fairly populated, but many of the people were destitute, or lost. Padma saw this city from above; there were catwalks of wispy darkness that ran along and across the streets, but also over the buildings.
From these catwalks, Padma could reach down and, as if they were quite close, nudge or move the people walking. She showed the lost where to go, or else moved the affluent toward the destitute, so that, faced with such poverty, they were moved to generosity.
 
She heard a cry, and raced across the catwalks, to see a child fallen in the street, a bus bearing down on him. She reached down and plucked him from its path, putting him down gently next to his crying mother.

ℕ 𝕚 𝕘 𝕙 𝕥 𝕞 𝕒 𝕣 𝕖 :

It was the same city, but this time made of clay and laid out before her, with little clay men and little clay women moving about their life. She saw a clay man accosting a clay woman in an alleyway, and she reached down and smushed his soft clay body into the wall. It was ugly, and she tried to smooth the blemish over, but no matter what she did, it stayed lumpy in the area he had been. The woman had fled. Frightened, maybe, but safe.

𝔸 𝕨 𝕒 𝕜 𝕖 𝕟 𝕚 𝕟 𝕘 :

Arbiter

𝔸 𝕣 𝕞 𝕒 𝕞 𝕖 𝕟 𝕥 𝕤 :

xxx

𝕋 𝕙 𝕖 𝕞 𝕖  𝕊 𝕠 𝕟 𝕘 𝕤 :

Atmospheric

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Chasers115

The FatCat

108 posts

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"I will do what I have to."

"There's not much I have left to lose."

𝔸 𝕘 𝕖 :

17

ℍ 𝕖 𝕚 𝕘 𝕙 𝕥 :

5'6"

𝕎 𝕖 𝕚 𝕘 𝕙 𝕥 :

127 lbs.

𝔸 𝕡 𝕡 𝕖 𝕒 𝕣 𝕒 𝕟 𝕔 𝕖 :

Faceclaim Credit

Marcus is a very disheveled human being, but he doesn't necessarily mean to be; he always looks like he just woke up and someone told him that he immediately needed to get ready for some important event, regardless of how much time he's had to get ready. However, one gets the feeling that it's almost on purpose. His hair is a calculated type of messy, and his clothes are always purposefully plain; although a careful observer would notice that he never wears anything but long sleeve shirts.
 
His face bears some scarring; two slashes underneath his right eye and a small slash across his mouth. If one were to look underneath the long sleeves he always wears, one would find that his left arm bears some serious burn scars. Despite this, Marcus's eyes always twinkle mischievously, and he tries to maintain a smirk or smile. Around his neck, he wears a set of dog-tags, which he tends to fiddle with when he gets nervous.

ℙ 𝕖 𝕣 𝕤 𝕠 𝕟 𝕒 𝕝 𝕚 𝕥 𝕪 :

Marcus, despite everything that's happened in the last years, tries to play the funny guy. He's always got a quick quip or humorous joke to try and lighten the mood. Even if he can't make people burst out laughing, he reasons that a brief chuckle is better than a moment of sullen silence.
 
In moments where he's alone, he finds himself prey to the same sullen silences that he tries to avoid. Very often, he sits by quietly by himself, doing something to occupy the time. Most of the time, he's lost in his own train of though, eyes reading over pages in a book without comprehending them, or some other task.

If confronted in these quiet times of his, he's quick to snap out of it and return to his funny guy persona. Usually this will be accompanied by some sort of light scolding, but it usually takes a moment for his words to stop sounds hollow and get back to the innocent cheeriness of his usual guise.

Karaoke? Sure; I'll Sing for You! (Marcus's Voice)

ℍ 𝕚 𝕤 𝕥 𝕠 𝕣 𝕪 :

Marcus and his powers were discovered by what could tentatively be described as a nurse. At the time, he was in a make-shift hospital near a recently destroyed town. He found himself bedridden for a while, having been brought in by a search and rescue volunteer team. This gave him plenty of time to mess around with his powers a little bit, and he did so carefully, after re-positioning his arm where his IV wasn't; it didn't take long for one of the more attentive nurses to notice something off. Three days before he was to be discharged, a couple of government 'recruiters' showed up and gave him an offer. Now, he finds himself a new member USARILN East.

𝕄 𝕒 𝕘 𝕚 𝕔 : Temporal Displacement

Marcus has the ability to affect his own personal timeline. When he uses any of his powers, it affects him and his personal belongings only. Travel is near instantaneous, and to outside viewers it would appear as a short-ranged teleportation. Marcus's set location for any of these powers is definite; if there is anything obstructing his end point, it will be immediately vaporized, allowing Marcus room. It should be noted that this vaporization effect only occurs on the bare minimum amount of matter required for his body, so it is possible for him to become trapped inside a solid object. Whenever Marcus does use one of these powers, a loud static sound will emanate from the location he will appear in. Currently, Marcus has three powers:

Temporal Rewind: Marcus has the ability to rewind his own personal timeline, but only by small amounts. He rewinds back to his position and state of being as he was exactly four seconds before activation. If he was damaged in some way in this four second interlude, some of damage received immediately heals itself, provided the wounds are not very extensive. In cases where he rewinds after sustaining too much damage, the wounds will only partially heal. This power takes half a minute to 'cool down'.

Temporal Leap: With this ability, Marcus can travel up to eight seconds forward in time, allowing him to close small distances very quickly. In order for this power to work, Marcus must physically be able to get to the location in eight seconds; otherwise he is moved as close as possible to the desired location. If he attempts to pass through solid objects, he will simply impact the object at full-running speed. If an object is somehow moved into his path in the middle of his power, the vaporization situation mentioned above will occur. This power is on a similar, but separate, half a minute cool down as the Rewind.

Marcus can activate these powers twice before a 'cooldown' is required. The abilities can be chained together for rapid movement, but he must wait for one 'jump' to completely finish before entering into another one. Both powers are still on separate cooldowns.

Temporal Stasis: After touching a creature, Marcus can completely stop all their movement and actions for exactly two minutes; he cannot end the effect early. They are immovable and indestructible during this time, and are completely unaware of their surroundings until the stasis ends. While this power is in effect, Marcus cannot use his Rewind or Leap powers. A target affected by the stasis appears to be visually artifacted, similarly to a corrupted video. It takes half a minute after the end of stasis for Marcus to be able to use this ability again, during which he can use all his other powers normally. Using Stasis 'resets' the number of Rewind/Dashes Marcus can take before 'cooldown'.

𝔻 𝕣 𝕖 𝕒 𝕞 :

Marcus found himself seated still, in inky darkness. Before he could comprehend what was happening, two bright lights shown out directly in front of him, startling him with a sudden noise. The world tumbled and turned into a maelstrom of sharp objects and loud noises. As he felt he could not bear it any more, he found himself sitting back in his original position, strangely relieved. Everything was calm, and he could relax. Around him, he found friendly faces, all of them his, and all of them reaching a hand out to help.

ℕ 𝕚 𝕘 𝕙 𝕥 𝕞 𝕒 𝕣 𝕖 :

Marcus found himself face to face with a man. This man stood still, but held a gun to Marcus's face. He did not fire, nor did he move as Marcus walked around him, examining him closely. Finally, after what seemed like ages, he took the gun from the man's hand, and the man did not resist. All Marcus could see was the fear in his eyes as he pointed the weapon at the man's head, and pulled the trigger. As he did, he saw the flesh of his arm wrinkle, sag, and rot away to reveal bleached bone underneath.

𝔸 𝕨 𝕒 𝕜 𝕖 𝕟 𝕚 𝕟 𝕘 :

Arbiter

𝔸 𝕣 𝕞 𝕒 𝕞 𝕖 𝕟 𝕥 𝕤 :

xxx

You have none, yet. You will get some as the story progresses. Keep track of them here. Some of them might be really important or something, I don't know.

𝕋 𝕙 𝕖 𝕞 𝕖  𝕊 𝕠 𝕟 𝕘 𝕤 :

Lonely Hope

Time's a Wasting!

G-Force (Max's Theme)

Tale of the Tags

A Little Bit of Everything (Marcus's Playlist)

Talking to the Mirror

"W-what happened? Where...did it all fall apart?"

"Why?"

"Please...I don't want to be alone again."

𝕎𝕖𝕕: 𝕆𝕔𝕥. 𝟟, 𝟚𝟘𝟚𝟘   / /   𝔹𝕒𝕝𝕕 ℍ𝕖𝕒𝕕 𝕀𝕤𝕝𝕒𝕟𝕕   / /   ℤ𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕘'𝕤 𝔼𝕤𝕥𝕒𝕥𝕖   / /   𝟚𝟙𝟘𝟘

"Listen to my words, very carefully: Mandatory. Once a week. I expect you to at least, at the bare minimum to text me once a week."

"Alright! Alright! Jesus! You don't need to shou-"

"A. Week. And I will personally come find you if you do not."

"I told you, the island had shitty reception; how was I supposed to get a message out? You want me to climb a palm tree or something?"

"You got a message to be once, you can do it again."

"You're acting crazy. Sammie, tell her she's acting crazy."

"Nuh-uh. I'm staying out of this one. This here is a family discussion."

"Thanks Sammie, you're super helpful."

It hadn't taken long for Marcus to seek out a quiet spot after they'd gotten off the helicopter. It had been a while since he'd updated Max, and he certainly didn't mean to worry her, even it the circumstances had meant he wasn't even able to contact her at all. Still, even though it was currently shouting at him, it was good to hear her voice. She only shouted at him because she cared, or something heartwarming like that. After a while, she calmed down, and they were able to have an actual discussion.

"So what have you two been doing anyway?"

"Well..."

"Oh! Oooh wait until you hear this one, Marc. You're going to love this."

"Shush you, I'm getting there."

He grinned to himself as he heard the sound of a raspberry being blown in the background, but listened intently. Usually his sister wasn't this cagey about something unless it was important...or embarrassing.

"We sort of...

"We?"

"It's somewhat your fault! You are my co-pilot, aren't you?"

"Only when it's good times, you're on your own when shit like this happens."

"Maaax, what did you do?"

"I...sort of..."

"She crashed the plane."

"You did what?"

"Hang on. Listen first."

"I'm listening."

"Some shitty DC monster caught the underside of the RedLine with a laser or something, and it took off our landing gear. I still managed to land it, but it was a little choppy."

"Pfft."

"Nice sis. You yell at me for not calling you, but you crash a plane and I don't hear a damn thing."

"I was going to tell you next time you called."

"Urgh. So what? You're just grounded for now?"

"Until they get it fixed, yeah. Plus there's some paperwork I need to fill, and a formal briefing we both have to go to, but after that we should be good to fly again."

"After I repaint the design you sheared off my plane!"

"So what have you been doing now?"

"Hanging out mostly; kicked some ass at cards the other night, and Sammie insisted we have a girl's night tonight, so we're watching some old movies."

"The Notebook is a classic! Besides, you chose Alien!"

"Isn't that a super old horror movie? Don't you hate horror, Sammie?"

"I mean...it should be fine. I'll just hide behind Max!"

There was a moment of silence as Marcus chuckled slightly to himself. They were sure in for an interesting night if Max was exposing Sammie to horror movies. Poor girl probably wouldn't sleep for a week. She'd have nightmares for weeks.

Maybe they would have something more in common than Max. He was only vaguely aware of a voice coming through the phone, snapping out of his thoughts in time to catch the tail end of it.

"-eam, Marc."

"Say that again, Max? You cut out a little." Marcus lied. 

"Tell me a little bit about your team, Marc."

"I mean, it's not my team. I am on a team, and there are other people in the team-"

"Oh shut up about the semantics. When I need something to brag about, it's your team."

"Oh god, you don't actually do that, do you?"

"She does."

"Gaaaawwwwwd."

"Tell us already! Out with it!"

"Gaaaaaawd...fiiiiine..."

"Which one's that?"

"I don't actually think he's made the public eye yet. Tall and blond, looks like he really doesn't give a shit even in the worst of circumstances?"

"Not ringing any bells."

"Alright. Overall, he's a...decent enough guy? He's incredibly hard to read, but I think that's his schtick."

"What does that even mean?"

"I'm pretty sure it has to do with his power. Something about 'altering emotional states' and 'bringing them closer to his own'. Said he mostly just used it to calm people down when they needed it."

"So if he's calm...

"...you're calm. Exactly. It can get a bit unsettling though."

"How so?"

"Well...there was an...incident during one of our latest missions. He came by to see how I was doing after it, and I was almost sure he was going to scold me. And...I'm still not sure if he did or not? It seemed like he was just talking business the whole time, rather than actually getting angry or irritated. I don't know...I wish I had a different emotion to judge him by other than 'ambivalent'."

"Yeah, I guess I could see how that would be a little weird. Maybe he just needs someone to open up to?"

"I highly doubt that. You haven't met the guy/"

"Hey, you never know!"

"It seems like a really bad idea. I dunno. He's supposed to be giving me some advice now that we're back on campus, so maybe I'll talk to him then."

"Heh. Norn."

"I know? It's a really weird name, but it's super fun to say. Norn.."

"Noooooooooorrrrrrrrn"

"You guys? Hello? Focusing? You said she almost blew you up with a grenade?"

"Yeah, that was the first time we met. I don't think she really knew what she was doing when she-"

"Then she shouldn't be throwing live explosives around everywhere!"

"Hey, to be fair; she took out the targets she was aiming at. I think."

"Yeah, and she almost took you out too! Christ. Thank goodness you've got those-"

"Yeah. No kidding."

"Have you interacted with her since?"

"Once or twice. She seem like a nice enough girl. A little scatterbrained, and it seems like she gets easily overwhelmed. She's a healer, which is a very important person to have around."

"Oh boy, I bet. D.C's boys are tough, and I only fight the little ones."

"We. I'm here too, you know!"

"But she heals by doing damage to herself. Last time she had to do that, she took a lot at once. I was worried she was going to..."

"Eugh. That does sound rough. As long as she knows her boundaries."

"Yeah. That's what I'm worried about."

'"Oh god."

"What?"

"Emma is..."

"What?"

"She's..."

"What, Marcus?"

"...she's...Pandora."

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE-"

"Jesus Christ."

"Oh my god, are you two actually dating? Is she as cute as she is on TV?" "Sammie." "Where does she get her hair done? Have you two been doing cute couple things?" "Sammie." "Have you two kissed? Oh my god, have you two-" "SAMMIE."

"What?"

"Calm down."

"Awww...."

"Thank you."

"Yes. Absolutely. I think she does it herself. Yes. And Yes."

"D'awww."

"Well, tell us a little bit more about her."

"Yeah! Give us the deets!

"Well, you saw her power; she summons those big dudes and they fight for her. The big one's called Determination, and he's pretty intimidating."

"Yeah, I saw that guy. Is he...real?"

"Honestly...I'm not sure how to answer that. Like, he talks now. And he seems to have feelings."

"That's a little weird"

"I know. It kinda freaked Emma out at first. And I honestly don't know if she's gotten used to it yet."

"Tell us more about her though!

"Gawd. Alright. She's cute, and funny, and she can deliver sass as well as she can take it, which is something very important when dealing with me. She's great to just...be around. Really good at being a friend first, you know what I mean? And I feel like us dating has only made all of that stuff better. I know that she'll always be there for me, no matter what happens."

"Careful; you're going to send Sam into another one of her 'high pitched noises' episodes.

"But..."

"But?"

"I worry about her. I said I can always rely on her being there for me...but I don't know if I can rely on her being there for herself. I don't know if it's her st- if it's just something she's going through, but the last few missions seem to have taken their toll on her. I think she's bottling it up too much. Plus, I'm pretty sure there's more things she's going through that she's not telling me...and I just wish she could know that I can be there for her. No matter what happens, she can always fall back and I'll be there to cushion her landing."

"I'm gonna cry, you guys. It's too sweet."
"Sounds like you two are close...is she someone you'll finally talk to?"
"...Marcus. You can't keep doing this to yourself."

"Gleep-near.

"What does that even stand for?"

"Long 'I' actually. 'Glaiyp-neer'. It's the chain that holds Fenrir until Ragnorak. End of the world and stuff."

"..."

"What? I know things. Plus, Mr. Hemsworth was a total stud back in the day."

"Anyway...I honestly don't know much about the dude. We haven't interacted like...at all outside of the few missions we've been in. He just seems to vanish as soon as we're finished. I don't know if our schedules just don't ever have us running into eachother, but...it's not like we've been in huge areas. You'd think I would have seen him once."

"Maybe he's hiding from you."

"Maybe he's hiding from everyone. Whisper style. Loner bad boy type!"

"He doesn't seem the type. He just seems...automatic. At least, from what I've seen."

"I'm going to kick his fucking ass."

"You're going to have to get in line, sis."

"What? He thinks he can just pick fights and then nearly kill you when things aren't going his way?"

"He says it's because he's a 'monster' and 'can't control himself'."

"Our cure for those is usually Fox 1 and Fox 2. Or Fox 3, 4, 5 and 6 if you're Max."

"Oh, I can definitely make sure he's fucking 'controlled', alright. Put a combat boot so far up his pasty white ass..."

"Oh trust me. It's not going to happen again. Unless Zhang is quick on the cuff switch, she's going to end up with one less frontliner on this team."

"If he's going to pull that kind of shit, he doesn't deserve to be on the team in the first place. She needed to plug him twice in the head when that first happened."

"Vampire? Does he sparkle?"

"You should know, you saw the footage. Extensively."

"WHAT!? N-no..."

"Yeah, he's kind of an odd duck. Also he's super gay."

"Hah! Told you!"

"Yeah, I think he's dating Christmas. That's 'Pixie' as you would know him. He seems like a nice enough guy normally. A bit on the passive side..."

"I sense a 'but' coming."

"He's another one of the wild ones. When he's in combat mode, he's basically no better than a feral animal. Hell, he bit Callan during a training session. Like, with teeth, left a mark and everything."

"Kinky."

"Yeah, and that was after he got his pants torn off."

"The hell kind of 'training' are you guys doing!?"

"It makes sense in context...I think. That's not the point. He's dangerous when he's fighting, and I'm worried about the collateral. But then...I see him around Xmas...I just don't know what to think about him."

"Sometimes it's not just black and white. People tend to be more complex than that."

"Yeah, I just wish I knew where he was on the spectrum."

"..."

"He's totally a top."

"Big black sword? Bright aquamarine hair that you can see from a mile away?"

"Oh! That one! The one Ifrit was carrying! She was-"

"Sammie. I want you to think very carefully about what you're going to say next. She's one of my best friends. She's my roommate. I have to live with her. I know you wouldn't say anything incredibly weird about one of my best friends."

"I...would never."

"I appreciate that."

"It must have been pretty cool fighting next to Kadabra!"

"I bet, it's definitely something I'll have to ask her about next time we talk, if she's feeling up to it."

"Have you not talked to her recently?"

"No...she's been holed up in her room for the last few weeks. Some bad shit happened in D.C and...I think she's taking it pretty hard."

"Well, you said she's your friend. You gotta be there for her if she needs it."

"Yeah. Definitely. She scares me though. Like, legitimately scares me."

"What? Why's she scare you if she's your fr-"

"Nono. Scared for her, not by her. She's our invincible supergirl; paragon of champions and better than the rest, and she knows it. But that's what I'm worried is going to get her hurt. I'm scared that someday she's going to come up against a challenge that she isn't going to be able to fight, and I'm not going to be able to do anything about it. Because if there's something that she can't deal with...what chance do I have of stopping it? And every time we go out on a mission, that possibility seems to get more and more real."
"I can't...I can't lose her...I can't lose anybody else. Not again."
"First of all, calm down. You're starting to freak yourself out too much. I can hear it in your voice."

"Yeah. No. Sorry. I'm good."

"You really ca-...worry about her, aren't you?"

"...yeah. I just...I don't want anything bad to happen."

"Well, she's your friend. You have to trust her. Even if that means the possibility of her getting hurt. You do trust her, right?"

"Of course! She knows...she knows what she's doing."

"Well there you go."

"...I guess you're right."

"...also I shoved macaroni under her door."

"You're an idiot."

"I don't think she's made the news yet."

"Yeah, I don't think there's been much on her. Not that we've seen at least. White hair, you said?"

"That's the one. Hot-headed and abrasive, but I think her mind is in the right place, at least."

"Nope. Haven't found anything like that."

"I'm not surprised. I already told you...it got a little rough down there."

"And I still don't know what you mean by tha-"

"Ask her if the carpet matches the drapes!"

"You want me to die, Sammie? I thought we were friends here. Besides, I probably owe her my life; don't want to make her think twice about saving me next time."

"...although..."

"What? Although what? Do you know?"

"No! Nono! Nothing like that...it's just...I think she peeked on me in the shower."

"EEEEEE-"

"That's a little creepy, don't you think?"

"I doubt she meant...anything by it."

"Did she wink? Say anything? Give you her number?"

"...no."

"She did. Oh my god Marcus, you have got to-"

"No! No! Nothing! We're friends! And nothing else! We shot guns together! Once! And there were other people! We're a team!"

"But she did-"

"Nothing else!"

"Zip Zip Boooooiiii!"

"God dammit."

"Somewhere out there is a mythology professor that is super excited about all these new names."

"Yeah, I had to look that one up myself. I guess it fits..."

"It's a little mean though!"

"Oh you haven't met her. It's not that far off. She knows what she's good at...and it's not pretty. Especially not when she's lashing out against our teammates instead of our allies."

"She did seem...angry."

"Oh you wouldn't believe it. She seemed nice at first, but I ended up on her bad side, and it is not a place you want to be."

"I'll trust you on that one. Is everything okay?"

"Yeah. Everything's fine. We...exchanged some words. She's a bitch, but she doesn't hide from that. Thinks she knows everything and thinks she can get away with bullying people into submission."

"Maybe just stay away from her then? Seems like the best course of action to me."

"That's the plan."

"She plays a mean game of pinball though. Kicked my ass."

"Everyone can kick your ass at pinball."

"You have got to be kidding me."

"H-help me. I can- I can't breathe..."

"As a newborn baby. And she didn't even care."

"Oh my god. I'm crying. Max, help."

"And it's weird, because she seems like a nice girl, modesty aside. She's incredibly literal-minded, and sheltered to the point that she didn't know what saltwater was, but she's really nice when you get to know her."

"And you...you got to- to know her pretty intimately, didn't you!"

"Listen. She asked me if the reason I wasn't frolicking around with her was because I thought she was ugly. What am I, as a decent human being, supposed to do in a situation like that?"

"'Frolicking'? Bro, your personal life is not any of my business."

"No, I didn't mean it like-"

"You cheating on Pandora aside-"

"I hate you."

"-what's her power, even?"

"Well...as far as I know...she makes a giant fist...

"Uh-huh?"

"...and punches stuff with it."

"...I see."

"Straight to the point! I like it!"

Slyph. No. Sylph. I think?"

"Yeah, Sylph."

"Siena. Her name is Siena. Way easier to remember."

"She's the one who saved all those people, right?"

"Yeah..."

"You don't sound so happy about that."

"Yeah...it's hard to explain. She wanted to keep going, despite the risks. And despite the toll it was taking on her. It was going to kill her...and she knew that."

"What, she just didn't care?"

"No. She didn't."

"What happened?"

"I...stopped her. I prevented her from using her powers any more. It didn't go over well."

"Oof."

"'Oof' is right. And it pretty much spiraled from there. She's my roommate, so I thought I knew what she was like. I always thought she was just quiet, a little bit sheltered, maybe a little naive...but that's all been turned on its head. Now it turns out that she's got a shitty homelife that she probably doesn't even consider shitty, she's stubborn as a mule, and she has no regard for her own well-being! And this all came out in the span of a week or so! How am I supposed to deal with that?"

"One day at a time, that's how. Are you two still friends?"

"I don't even know anymore. I think we've been avoiding each other."

"Do you want to be friends?"

"Yeah, of course. She's my roommate after all."

"Then you need to do more than avoid each other. Talk again."

"I've tried that. Last time we had a serious discussion, she told me that I was supposed to let her die if push came to shove."

"..."

"Yeah. You know I can't do that. And you know why I can't do that.

"Yeah. Yeah I do."

"So...I don't know. I can't keep that promise."

"If she's going to keep throwing herself into the fire, I'm going to keep pulling her out. Forcibly if I have to."

"At least one of us here has to care about her life. It might as well be me."

"Excalibur? Oh! That's...that's...I think her name is Allison?"

"You think?"

"We haven't talked. I literally have not interacted with her more than a single time since we've been here."

"Sounds like you need to make a new friend!"

"Pixie is a cute name for a girl!"

"She's a boy."

"Oh..."

"But I honestly don't think he would mind. Last time I saw him, I'm pretty sure he was wearing a woman's swimsuit."

"Oh...?"

"Who cares what the guy wants to wear? It's not like it's your wardrobe."

"I didn't mean...I don't mean it in a derogatory way; I'm just stating facts!"

"Mmm. Well what's he like?"

"He's very shy. Very soft-spoken. Like he doesn't want people to know he's there. Too kind for this team of ours."

"Not a fighting spirit?"

"Not at all. Plus, his power is healing blood. Poor kid's getting cut open all the time, and that's without him getting horrifically maimed in-field. I don't think I've ever talked to him when he wasn't bleeding from some portion of his body. But he's helped me out in the past, and our healers are always saving our lives. Maybe I'll snag him some Precursor band-aids or a fruit basket in thanks."

"Do you still have those dumb things?"

"It's funny, I think you can actually see me trying to sneak away in the back of that interview."

"Using someone as media bait is a pretty mean thing to do, Marc."

"Hey, it was his idea. Besides, I think he did just fine. Spouted a lot of bullshit - half that interview was completely him just messing with the reporters - but did fine nonetheless."

"Wait? That was all just fake? It sounded so cool though"

"Most of it yeah. Brent's a master in bullshitting, not an acting General in charge of monitoring mystery girls. You really think they'd let a teenage boy anywhere near 'Command'?"

"He's got you there."

"He's a decent enough guy though. Seems too high-strung though, and either has too much self-confidence or not enough."

"He's snotty?"

"He tries too hard to be perfect. The perfect friend. The perfect body. The perfect teammate. It all comes off as some sort of act. Every so often it slips a little, and there's someone else underneath. Honestly, I think it's going to get him hurt one of these days. He's going to realize that his plans aren't as perfect as he makes them, and he's going to get a rude awakening."

"I'll be there to pick him up of course, we are Team SAP after all."

"Team what?"

"Ernie is a guy that I know I can depend on. I feel like he knows how hard it is to find good friends, so he tries to reciprocate the feeling. Plus it's good to have a few guy friends, too."

"I don't think I've ever heard a guy complain about having too many female friends."

"Hey, you need someone to get into trouble with every now and again! Him and I have certainly had our fair share of trouble. Like those tabloids for instance."

"Oh! That's him? What's the story behind those pictures anyway?"

"Precursor practical jokes."

"You sure it wasn't forbidden love? Because I've read a few stories that say otherwise."

"You're a degenerate, you know that?"

"Thbbth."

"Did you just spit all over my phone?"

"But yeah, I feel like I can trust Ernie to be right behind me whenever trouble comes knocking. There are a few things we...disagree on, but he's had my back every other time besides that. Even when it would have almost gotten us melted into goo. Guess it's up to me to make sure I've always got his back, huh?"

"Aww, it really is true love."

"I'm gonna hit you."

"She's so young and she's already been through so much. I feel awful for her."

"Yeah, life can be rough like that."

"I feel so bad though. Like, I tried to talk to her about it once, and I think I caused her to have a panic attack or something."

"Yeah, DC's made it hard on all of us. Is she going to be okay?"

"I don't know. She's quiet. I doubt she'd ever tell anybody even if she wasn't. And after that, I don't want to check up on her and ask her either. Last thing she needs is for me to be reminding her of all that shit."

"She's gone? You asked her to leave?"

"Yep. Had her go grab me some M&M's. What's this about, Marcus? Are you okay?"

"God, Max. I don't...I don't know."
"She was the first. Even after all that time recovering in Saratoga, I don't think I'll ever get used to seeing dead people."

"It's not something anybody should ever have to get used to."

"...and it's...it's all my fault. I'm the one who killed her."

"Marcus. Marcus, I need you to come back to me. There wasn't anything you could have done about it."

"But there was! I could have done anything else, and she would probably still be alive! I don't...I don't know what to do about this."

"You can't blame yourself-"

"But it was my fault, Max!"

"You couldn't have known. There is no way you can be perfect in every scenario."

"God...I killed her. She didn't even know what was happening."

"Marcus, I..."

"I'm sorry."

"Have you told anybody else about this?"

"N-no. They wouldn't understand. They'd think I did it on purpose. They'd think I wanted her to die. Not after-"

"Marcus. It's not the same. And besides, I was there for you."

"I'm not there now, Marcus. You need to tell somebody."

"No. No! I-I can't...not now. I just...I just need more time. I can explain if I just have more time to think about this."

"Oh, Marcus. I'm so sorry. I wish...I wish you didn't have to go through this."

"Less than 48 hours. That's how long it took for one of my teammates, one of my friends to die. I talked to her two days prior, and then she's suddenly gone."

"Are you okay?"

"No! I'm not okay! She's dead! Gone forever!"

"Marcus...I know how you must be feeling-"

"Fuck, Max...I was cracking jokes with her. We were talking about pulling pranks together. We were going to do so much stuff when we got back. But...but she never made it back..."

"How am I supposed to live knowing that could happen at any moment? How am I supposed to protect my friends if they could be killed the second they leave my sight?"

"Marcus, I-"

"I'm tired, Max. And I just want my friend back."

"...and they didn't make it back."

"Oh my god...is she...?"

"She's doing the best she can. I heard her trying not to cry last night."

"It's rough...losing friends..."

"Yeah...it is. It really is."

"Remember what I said, Marcus. Once a week at least. I'm your sister, I deserve to at least know that you're okay."

"Yeah! Don't make us buzz your dorms, because we definitely will!"

"Alright, alright. Jesus you two. I'll keep in touch."

"You'd better!"

"Tell your roommates we said 'hi'! And Pandora!"

"I'm not going to do that."

"You're a brat."

"Learned from the Queen!"

"Alright. Stay safe out there, Marcus."

"Will do. You guys do that same. Once you fix the plane of course!"

"Hey! That is not-"

Click.

Lawrence

He’s a hard read, but I think that’s his whole schtick. Like, he doesn’t want to open up to people for some reason. I honestly thought he would be more angry about what happened at Wisford and DC, but he was perfectly calm. But again, maybe that’s the schtick in action. I don’t know how to take the advice he gave me. Yeah; if I can’t handle the weapon, I shouldn’t put everybody in danger because of my actions…

But what about me? What about my safety?
Lily

Alright, second impressions: even worse. She’s a nice girl, I can tell that right of the bat without even talking to her. It seems like every time we get near each other, one of us almost gets killed because of the other. First she almost blew me up, and then I made her nearly bleed out. Is there a fruit basket I can send for ‘sorry I almost left you dead in the middle of the street’?

I didn’t see her much at the estate. I wonder how she’s handling DC.
Emma

We had quite the talk at the Estate. She thinks she’s worthless and not worth the trouble it takes to save her; that’s a hard rut to come out of, I know. She apparently doesn’t talk to many other people about this sort of thing if it made her so uncomfortable at the beach. Or maybe she was uncomfortable because of whatever it was she didn’t want to tell me; I assume I’m not being told the full story as usual, but it’s not best to pry.
It’s hard to keep secrets of your own if you’re always snooping into other people’s.
I’ll stick by her side. Not just because I’m her boyfriend, but because she needs someone to be able to talk to. Someone who legitimately cares about her. Someone there to bring her back up to stable ground. 

Of course, I could just be projecting. That’s always a possibility.
Grant

We fought together the first day, we fought together at Flag Football, and we fought together in DC. You’d think after all of that I’d know more about the guy. I never seem to see him outside of the life-threatening missions, save for one time that he helped me unload logs from a truck. I guess my opinion of him has to be positive then.

He’s a valuable asset in battle: Quick-thinker, listens to orders when he needs to, and is able to come up with his own course of action when he doesn’t. Although…I’d like to evaluate him as more than a soldier someday.
Christopher

I don’t know what this guy’s deal is, and I’ve stopped caring. He scorched my leg down to the tendons on the beach, in a fight that he picked. I don’t care what little sob story he pulls about ‘being a monster inside’ and ‘not being able to control himself’. He’s an arbiter. I’d buy the buillshit if he was an abe, but I know for a fact that whatever choices he makes are based off his own rational thoughts, not whatever ‘stigma’ the others have to deal with.

If his intention was to come out to the beach to kill me, why stop? If it wasn’t…why start? Whatever the reasoning, Zhang had better be aware that I value my own life more than I value a hot-headed dragon, regardless of how good he is at fighting DC.
Sander

God, between him and Ernie, I’m having a real hard time learning to trust aberrations. Or, the male ones at least. I thought he was a maniac, and then I saw him around Christmas and thought he could be a good guy, and now I think he’s less of a maniac and more of an asshole. 

His obsession with Christmas is a little over the top at best, and downright dangerous at worst. Back in DC, he ran off with one of our two healers without even saying a word, and then never came back. I don’t know if he went off to fight or what, but I was expecting him to come barreling through a crowd of people at any point. I don’t know if he’s legitimately trying to act feral, of if he’s just dumb enough to think it’s a good idea.
Callan

God, there was something about seeing her rolling around without an arm that still chills me to the bone when I think about it. Like some image from a dream that you can’t do anything to stop it. Seeing our invincible supergirl nearly biting the bullet really sobers you up. 

I haven’t seen her since DC, but I imagine she’s probably not taking what happened there lightly. Even if she had nothing to do with it, how does it look when the Hero is hanging out with the villians?

I really wish she’d talk to me about it…
Kusari

She’s beaten me, saved me, and shot guns with me. I’m not sure where to categorize her on the ‘friendship bar’. She seems nice enough when we’re not on a mission, maybe a little abrasive and a little hot-headed, but friendly at least. 

Then there’s the truck incident…we’ve really got to keep coming back to this one, huh? Not publicized, and the only part of her that was shown had the audio cut out. You and I know what happened, but the rest of the world is left in the dark. Hard to tell if the monster limbs are a reflection of her power, or her actions as a whole. But who am I to talk?
Padma

I never actually knew her that well. She was on our team that first day and...she didn't make it back. Reminds you of how cruel the world is now. A child doesn't matter here, indeed.I don't know that I would have saved her, either
Marcus

I don’t know what to say about myself anymore. I thought during the interview with that lady that I could be a shining beacon of hope, but I clearly have no problem being exactly what everyone's afraid subnaturals are. I killed a man. I’m a murderer, and that knowledge will never go away.
Not that it hadn’t been there already.
So why do I not feel guilty for it? He probably had a life; a caring wife, children that loved him. And I ruined all of it. Shouldn’t I feel awful about it? I’ve tried to…but it hasn’t worked. Has this place really broken me down to these levels?
Zoe

Zoe’s…tricky. Callan seems scared of her, and I think it’s because of whatever happened back in Wisford. Apparently she has the power to literally rot people to death, which is pretty horrifying. Plus, I’m almost positive she was deliberately trying to frighten me back at the arcade. 

Still, I saw her once at the Estate, and that was during Siena’s night. I have to at least be appreciative of her being there, if nothing else. Guess if you can get past the rocky exterior, you’ve got a friend for life. Maybe I should give it a try…one of these days I’m prepared to get shouted at.
Siena

What can I say about Siena? How much do I even actually know? I heard her talking to her father, which seems like a pretty screwed up relationship there. I also apparently chucked the one thing she needed to not freak out during DC. So from her point of view, I’m an asshole who deserves everything I get.

But from mine, I was keeping a friend from killing herself. She thinks I don’t trust her not to hurt herself…and she’s right. She asked me to sacrifice her life if the time comes…and I absolutely refuse to do so. ‘Just one more subnatural’ is a lot easier to justify that ‘just one more friend’, and too many of the friends I used to have are gone. 

If I have to break a friendship to save a friend, I’ll do it.
Angélique

God, I feel so terrible for her. How must it feel to constantly have the universe just kicking you right where it hurts the most. A girl, terrified of accidentally hurting innocent people, being forced to hurt innocent people to save herself and her team. It’s awful, and if there were any for me to stop that from happening…I wish I would have seen it.

I said too much during the car ride, and I’m afraid I’ve pushed her too far. But, even at the end of it, she still seemed like she was taking it better than I would have expected. Either I’m great at pep talks, or she’s better at hiding her feelings than I am at noticing them. In all honestly, either one’s possible. 

I want to be friends with her, but I want her to be friends with herself first.
Allison

That’s the girl that was shopping with Siena and Angel and Brent, right? She was sympathetic when Siena punched me again. That’s…all I know about her, actually.
Savannah

I’m coming to terms with the things I’ve done. Give me a little longer. Some time to prepare before I face myself.
Christmas

Christmas seems like a nice enough kid. Way too skittish in my opinion, and certainly too willing to be beaten up by bullies if that whole Ernie situation is anything to go by. Still, it seems like he's got some amount of strength to him, at least. 

Besides that, I’ve not seen him at a point where he wasn’t unconscious or rapidly nearing unconscious. Maybe once we get back to USARILN I’ll track him down, see how he’s been since the dog incident. Did I ever properly thank him for that…? 
Brent

1/3 of our apparent boy band, Team SAP. I like the guy, I really do, but he always seems to cool for his own good. Like he knows exactly what to say or do to try and make himself seem perfect on the outside. He’s a good friend, and excellent shot, and an all-around great guy to hang out with. But if he were so perfect, he’d probably know better than to snoop around stories that are better left untold.

He knows about Savannah, and I’m grateful that he at least made that much painfully obvious. I’m not sure when the other shoe is going to drop…hell, I’m not sure if he’s even scheming anything; he’s a hard read, at least around me. At this point, I’m not sure if I should prepare myself for the worst or just keep going along and hope that whatever happens, he at least has the decency to make it quick.
Ernie

I wish circumstances were a little bit different, because Ernie actually seems like a pretty cool guy. We’re friends, and he’s the other member of our little ragtag ‘SAP’ group. He’s friendly, can take a joke, and has shown that he is willing to take down someone just to defend my honor.

Any other time, I’d trust him with my life. But our little talk made it clear that there’s a storm brewing between the two of us. Our thoughts on the matter are too different; something’s got to break between the two of us, eventually. When it does…I’m not the kind of person that would be willing to kill one of my friends. 

That’s why I know Ernie would win.
Sophia

We talked. She’s quiet, but she seemed like she was always quiet. I wish I could apologize more for what I put her through, both in Wisford and DC. And it was me…all of the shit she had to sit through was all directly related to my attempts at being someone I can’t be: a leader.

It seems like I have a habit of saying too much. Or is it just a habit of saying the things that are better left unsaid? She’ll never tell me how she’s feeling…but I genuinely do wish her the best. Hopefully, her coping methods are better than the rest of ours.
Rain

She seems like a nice enough girl. Apparently she slipped her cuff though, and I don't think I've seen her since? I hope she's alright...
Marcus stopped, watching the waves crash onto the beach, fidgeting with his dog-tags as he walked. It helped to at least voice these thoughts out loud, and he knew that there was always someone listening when he had these little discussions. "Put in a good word for me, will you? I've done some terrible things...I'd like to see you again when it comes. Although...hopefully it's a long way off..."

“What? You want my thoughts on the other kids you got corralled in here? You might not know this; but I haven’t exactly been here that long. I also don’t have a degree in psychology, so I can’t psychoanalyze them and…just the first thoughts? Alright, alright, but only because you asked so nicely.

Lawrence seems like a nice enough guy. Dude’s got a sharp tongue though, and he’ll destroy you in a battle of wits if you don’t know what you’re getting into. He knows what’s going on and what he wants out of this place though, but I imagine that comes from experience. Although…if I’m being completely honest, he kinda creeps me out with how calm he can be. I know he tries to stay neutral because he doesn’t want to risk affecting others, and I’d like to see what he was like before all this. Part of me worries that if he drops the façade, he’ll actually be super crazy and just slaughter everyone. That’s ridiculous though…right?

Lily...Excuse me? Full name? Jeeze, I didn't realize I was talking to Mrs. Zhang herself here. Fine. Lilliana is a great big ball of energy. I could certainly see her and I getting along perfectly well when she’s not in one of her moods. Bipolar disorder, right? Yeah, I figured as much. God, it’s kinda sad, isn’t it? I just want to pull all her troubles right out of her; let her be happy all the time! Power-wise, it’s interesting. I don’t know that I’d rather have her over a good old fashioned med kit though. At least with the med kit, you know the wound’s not coming back! I mean, I doubt she’d ever intentionally hurt someone, but it’s not a risk I’m willing to put myself on the receiving end of.

Emma's a blast! Thank whatever fucked up god is out there that somebody at this place at least knows how to smile! You might not have noticed, but I’m not dealing with the best of crowds here; fortunately, she seems like one of the few who’s actually willing to TRY and have a good time, rather than mope around and let everything go to hell. Those little things she makes though, the ‘Tulpas’, I don’t really care for them. Those things give me the heebie jeebies; reminds me a little bit too much of DC’s boys, and I’m not the biggest fan of those guys. Don’t tell her I said that though; don’t want her taking it to heart! I've seen her psych report. Perhaps we have more in common than I thought.

Grant...There's not a whole lot I can say about him. He’s quiet, but most of all, he’s lazy. Hell, he might be quiet just because he doesn’t want to expend the effort to talk! He seems content to just let life pass him by, you know what I mean? Just wandering through the days, stickin’ to a routine, and not really contributing anything for himself or anybody else. Makes you wonder how a guy could do that every day of his life and not get bored. If I’d met him before this whole business went down, I’d say he was a total buzzkill. Nowadays…I don’t know…he might be the smartest one of us here.

Christopher's an asshole. There’s no two-ways about that. Dude’s got a stick the size of a flag pole stuck up his backside, but I’m not gonna be the one to point it out to him. I don’t know what kind of history the dude has, but I’m not too interested in talking long enough to find it out. You’d think he’d have a better time given the fact that he can turn into a DRAGON and all; if I was given that sort of ability, I would abuse the hell out of it! But, I don’t have that, so all I can do is sit here and talk about how he needs to loosen up a little. Frankly, the only reason you’d put us in a room together would be to test how long it takes him to punch me square in the face. D-don’t…don’t do that. I like my face unpunched, thank you.

Sander is a man with a plan. He plays along fairly well, and I certainly couldn’t tell you what his plan is, but nobody is that spick and span without having some sort of ulterior motive. If I were a snitch, I’d tell you to keep an eye on him, but I’m not. He’s the kind of guy I’d like to stick close to, were it not for his power. You want my honest opinion? Dude’s a liability; he needs to drink blood to ‘activate’ himself, and then he goes into a frenzy the more blood he gets? You’re gonna have the gall to be surprised when shit goes south, aren’t you? That being said, I’m just interested to see how high he soars…or how much collateral he takes when he crashes.

Callan seems nice enough. She almost seems like Grant, if he were just a touch more willing to extend himself. She’s honestly the closest thing we have to a super hero around here; and you wouldn’t believe it unless you saw her in action. Once you get her going, she’ll play the super hero to a ‘T’; it’s actually kind of funny to see how drastic the change is. The rose tinted view of DC bothers me a little bit, but it seems like it bothers her too. Which, I can understand; it gets hard to stand up for what you believe in and see the good side when it keeps fucking everything up all the time. Wait…no…that was rude of me; don’t write that down. It’s certainly not a topic I’d bring up if she was here, but I’ve got my own opinions on the matter. Aside from that, she almost seems like a normal lazy teenager. A lazy teenager that could throw a truck across the parking lot. Ain’t it weird what passes for normal nowadays?

Kusari has been interesting to try and figure out. First time I saw her I thought it was DC himself; my lungs nearly came out of my mouth at that sight! She’s small, but don’t let that fool you; girl’s got a bite! And damn, does she bite HARD! The things that come out of her mouth…she doesn’t try and hide her opinion of you, that’s for sure. Honestly, I could see her and I being two sides of the same coin. Like, take me; I’ve got humor, quick wit, a great personality, stunning good looks, and…well you get the idea. If you were to take me, strip away the jovial nature I have, and make my jokes a bit meaner, I have a feeling you’d get a similar personality. She’s not really worried about anybody but herself, and she’s not afraid to make that known. You’d think her power would be suitable, but she’s got the chance to be the most self-sacrificing person here. It’ll be interesting to see what she does.

Padma scares me. Like, not fear scare, but I’m definitely intimidated by her. Have you seen the chick? I’m willing to bet serious money that she could break me in half and not even call it a warmup! Definitely not the kind of person I would normally hang out with; hell, I spent my free time yesterday trying to figure out how many buffet cheesecakes I could eat. It’s not a lot, if you were wondering. Her ability’s a sneaky one; she can hide in the shadows and move around without you seeing her! There’s a lot of opportunity for that, but she can probably do more good with it than I can. But yeah, I am in no way prepared enough as a human being to keep up with her. I applaud her for her regime and determination, but I applaud her from my nice comfy chair. 

Zoe seems like she could also use some lightening up. She’s got a temper, but as long as you can avoid setting her off, she’s a pretty okay person! She’s upfront, which is something I can certainly appreciate; if she doesn’t like you, then you had better believe that you are gonna know about it. Although, I get a ‘big sister’ vibe from her; if you get past the rocky exterior, I feel like she’d be a friend for life. She seems like she’s trying to do all the right things, but I just think she’s going about it from the complete wrong direction. I’m afraid to see her when she’s angry though! God help whoever has to deal with the brunt of her wrath!

Hazel's a robot, right? You put a fully automated robot in with a bunch of students to see if we could figure it out? It’s impressive technology, I’ll give you that! It’s super lifelike, but it doesn’t act like a real…pardon? She’s not a robot? What the hell did you do to her then!? She did it voluntarily? That’s…god. Yeah, yeah…give me a second. That’s a raw deal. Was she like that before all of this went down, or is it a present from our good friend in the sky? Hmm. I don’t know how much you want me to say about her then. She’s gone; there’s no person in there. Her power? Yeah, sure, I mean, she can punch shit really well. Like I said…there’s not a whole lot to say, there. 

Siena seems like your basic nerdy rich girl. Don’t get me wrong, she’s great to hang around with, seems like a real bubbly person when you get to know her. Although, I don’t know if I’ve gotten to know her either; every time you talk to her, little things change. Like she doesn’t even know her own story, no pun intended. She’s a huge bookworm too, which is something I can certainly get behind. Actually, I guess that makes sense: the girl with the power to take from books would be the one who reads the most books. Yeah, I only just now pieced it together, shaddup. She’s nice, like I said. A bit too uptight, and a bit too anxious, but maybe a public school will be good for her. 

Angélique seems like your average, angst fueled, rock and roll teen. I feel like she’d be a nice person to hang out with, if only she could get out of her own head. Before all this, I bet she would have been great to be friends with. Yeah, I’ve heard about the incident. That’s something hard to live with, hurting that many people. That’s the kind of thing that’ll stick with you, something that’ll rot you from the inside out. I feel for her; that’s a burden that must be tough to bear. I imagine that’s why she always irritated; probably tearing herself up all the time. She’s been through a lot, and someone just needs to tell her it’ll be fine, that everything will turn out okay. I bet if I asked her about her music, that’d cheer her up for a little bit at least. 

Allison and I are two different sides of the same coin, I think. She’s nice, but she’s certainly not willing to make a few enemies if it’s necessary. She certainly enjoys teasing people and messin’ with ‘em, which I have no problem with, but some people don’t take it quite as well. Of course, I’ve heard some nasty rumors about her, but I try not to pay much attention to those. Unless I should actually worry about that…she…she can’t ‘Last Crusade’ a guy, can she? No? Energy blade!? That’s pretty awesome! She could be like a samurai or something! Sorry, yeah…like I said, she seems nice enough; I could see us getting along. 

Savannah is one of the few people here that actually scares me. I heard she’s like, ALWAYS angry. Not just frustrated or a little pissed, like, tear your face from you skull if you blink incorrectly. But god, look at her! She looks harmless! ‘Oh, gimme back me lucky charms, you blokes, or I swear on me mum I’ll throw me blarney stone at ye!’ God…was that mean of me? I feel like that was mean of me. What, you don’t think she’d appreciate that kind of joke? I mean, she can’t blow me up if I just don’t rewind, right? Easy solution! Nah, you’re right; probably best that I just don’t say anything around her. 

 Christmas …Listen, I don’t hate the kid, but he’s irritatingly passive. I want to go all older sibling and protect him, but it seems like a wasted effort, honestly. He’s a doormat; people are going to step all over him, and he’s not gonna do anything about it except shake and cry. Maybe that’s why I don’t like him; I hate seeing people being afraid of things that have solutions. If there’s something I could do, I’d love to help, but there’d always be something else! Hell, even his magic is like that; he can heal other people only if they’re willing to hurt him? That’s a recipe for some screwed up interactions, there! Like I said, I’d love to help him somehow, but the kid’s gonna give himself an ulcer or something before long. 

Aaron is a great guy to hang around! He’s super relaxed, and seems to be one of the people actually dealing with this place in a decent way. Hell, he seems like he never even skipped a step between normal life and here. A genuinely friendly guy; the kind that I’m willing to bet would always be there when you need him. He’s a total gamer too! I never used to have many games when I was young, but I always wanted to get into that kind of thing! I like his power; little clockwork dudes? Good to see someone’s power fits in with what they’re lifestyle was like before everything. But hey; he and I could have some sort of a theme going if you put us together! 

Alexis? Freakin' barf-o-rama there. She's one of those goody-two-shoes people that tries to see the good in everybody, no matter what. I'm all for it, but she's definitely going to get her and and anybody around her killed by trying to talk down this week's latest threat. She's fine, but I'm not a huge fan of being collateral, you see.

Brent seems like my kind of friend. A jokester, never takes much to heart, always has a funny quip. I dunno, something about him rubs me the wrong way though. He seems like he lays it on a little bit thick; like the jokester personality isn’t his actual personality. Like he’s afraid of breaking character or something. God, I am SUCH a hypocrite; let me start that again. Seems a lot like me, but he also feels like he needs to be more sure of himself. I heard he survived a Perfume attack though, so I’ve got to give him some respect for that. His power’s certainly interesting enough; seems like there’s a lot of things he could do with it if you gave him the materials. Let’s call him a wild card, shall we? 

Ernie appears to be a nice enough guy. Real clingy though, and super OCD or something. I don’t know that I’d be able to hang around the dude for very long before I politely excused myself from his company. But I’ve heard some things about him, which is mostly the reason I try to avoid him. I was never a fan of bullies back in my hometown, had a few incidents with them myself, but I was lucky enough to have someone standing up for me. Heh, would you believe I was not always the charming gentleman before you? Well, let’s just say that I wasn’t always able to laugh everything off and quip back; and Ernie’s ‘fame’ reminds me of just how much I hated those days. I know he comes from a troubled past, but he let his past define him, and not in a good way.

Sophia is super quiet. Like, SUPER quiet. I haven’t exactly been able to chat to her very much. Are we just recruiting child soldiers now? Between her and Savannah, that’s two children your just letting run around risking their lives. Yeah, I know, I’m only four years older, but four years makes a helluva difference! All the little things she does certainly makes her seem like she cares though. From what I’ve heard, she can get pretty sassy too, which is enough material for me to work with. All in all, kind beyond her years; much more willing to care for people than a thirteen year old girl should have to be.

 “Is that all? No more questions? Did I win any prizes? Damn, I thought I gave some really moving answers too. Well, feel free to come around and chat some more, you know how much I love listening to myself talk for minutes on end. I don’t suppose I get to know what sort of database all those responses are going in, huh? Nah, didn’t figure as much. Just do me a favor; warn me before this becomes public knowledge. I’ll need some time to barricade the door.

Howell Do You Know Me? (Max and Marcus) - (Artist Credit)

A few pages have been torn out of this book.

1x Laugh

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ℕ 𝕒 𝕞 𝕖 :

Zoe Fletcher

𝔸 𝕘 𝕖 :

18

ℍ 𝕖 𝕚 𝕘 𝕙 𝕥 :

6'0"

𝕎 𝕖 𝕚 𝕘 𝕙 𝕥 :

150 lbs

𝔸 𝕡 𝕡 𝕖 𝕒 𝕣 𝕒 𝕟 𝕔 𝕖 :

Headshot by Ky-th

By densukii on Deviantart

Tall, lean and muscular, Zoe's appearance gives off what can only be described as a predatory vibe. She has the air and manner of someone used to fending to themselves, and an expression often firmly fixed into a confident smirk. There is an air of arrogance about her, not least because of the way she carries herself and her relaxed, lazy stride. She seems to have been in more than a few scraps, which is obvious if you take a closer look - small scars litter her body, and are especially visible on her knuckles. Her usual clothing is generally fairly muted and not designed to draw attention, though the rest of her appearance makes it pretty much impossible.

For the particularly observant, it's apparent that her arrogance isn't quite all that it seems. While she puts on an admirable front, rings under her eyes, ragged nails and the way her eyes dart around as though waiting for an attack all speak to the insecurity and self-loathing that she tries to hide. All in all, her appearance is that of someone confident on the surface, but to the exceptionally observant it may seem she's struggling to hold it together.

ℙ 𝕖 𝕣 𝕤 𝕠 𝕟 𝕒 𝕝 𝕚 𝕥 𝕪 :

Zoe is the kind of person that comes off as a born warrior or an arrogant bitch, depending on who you ask. An adrenaline junkie of the highest degree, if there's a fight going on then she'll do her best to be involved - and if there isn't, she'll more than likely make someone angry enough to start one. Despite her aggressive tendencies, she doesn't actively try to start fights despite often being involved. It just happens that a lot of people want to wipe the smirk off of her face, and that she's very easy to make angry. It's fair to say she's sadistic, volatile and easily provoked - something which has gotten far worse since she gained the 'X' on her throat.

Of course, like most people, she does have at least some redeeming qualities. For one, she's incredibly trustworthy, and will take a secret to the grave if she's trusted with it. She's also endlessly loyal (sometimes to the point of stupidity), and looks out for people weaker than herself as best she can - even if those people happen to hate her guts. Swift to become attached to anyone who sees past her attitude, it's almost strange how someone so starved of affection is so determined not to need or accept any help. She's honestly terrified of her own instability, but being called out on this is a real sore spot for her, and there's no doubt that anyone doing so will find themselves on the receiving end of an attempted assault.

While her harsh manner extends to friends as well as enemies, there is certainly a difference between the two. Towards people she dislikes, her remarks aim to be as cutting as possible, and she will make no secret of the fact that she hates someone's guts. Towards her friends, it's something closer to playing devil's advocate for whatever plans or concerns they may have rather than outright malice. She's perfectly willing to help people for what she sees as being their own good, whether they like it or not. Still, this doesn't tend to come off too well when her only way of tackling a problem seems to be charging at it head-on.

One thing that she hates is when people she trusts lie to or manipulate her without her knowledge. Like most of her hangups, it seems to be the result of some deeply ingrained self-loathing; the girl secretly considers herself a coward, a psychopath, and an utterly weak person. When she's particularly angry or upset, she has a habit of going incredibly quiet for a while before reacting, although her reactions will remain characteristically volatile. She has difficulty mustering the strength to keep control and master the urges brought on by her stigma, and it's a struggle she fails more often than not; to the point where she'll seriously hurt herself just to try and silence her fears and feel like she's in control.

ℍ 𝕚 𝕤 𝕥 𝕠 𝕣 𝕪 :

Zoe rushed into the hospital, a look in her eyes like a cornered animal. In her arms, there was a small body bundled in cloth, unmoving. Desperation filled her voice as she stood in the waiting room, the cross on her throat clear to see. "Help! Please, you have to-" her voice broke, taking on a horrified note. "I couldn't stop myself."

After the bundle was taken from her, she knew what would happen if she stayed. Knew there was no way life would be the same. But despite that, her feet refused to move - and it wasn't long before they came to pick her up. She didn't resist, and soon enough found herself at USARILN East.

There's a lot I'd like to take back.

I wasn't strong enough.

There are things I try not to think about, and you're one of them.

 See, I didn't know about all this when I changed, you know? I didn't realise what it would be like having this mark on my throat, being one of the freaks. There's a reason I ran. A reason that I was trying to leave you behind. I thought you'd realise that, but... God, you had to come with me, didn't you. You always were the type of kid that played hero, that liked to think we'd both be okay forever if we just helped each other through.

It's funny really, you almost got me to think that too for a while. I think it's the first time I can remember bring happy in a really long while; those years when all of us were together. Complete pain in the ass, looking after you guys, but it was worth it. I mean sure, what we did wasn't exactly making an honest living, but it kept everyone fed. People like you that didn't have a place to turn. So I was okay with it, and so were all of you.

But I wanted to hurt. After I had the dream, I wanted to hurt them, and it kept getting worse. Even if I didn't show the mark, I'm pretty sure everyone could tell something was up. I tried to find an excuse to get away, and every time you'd stop me. Until I showed you, anyway. And you still chose me, you believed in me, and look where it fucking got you. I wish you hadn't tried so hard to protect me from myself. If you'd just told me to go, hadn't come after me... hell, even if you'd ratted me out to the others, none of this would've happened. I would've ended up dead, but that's still a possibility here. I don't blame you, but you tried to help me. You wouldn't let me leave alone. Even knowing what a liar I was, what a hypocrite, what a coward... you followed me.

You were the first person I helped. The first person I was actually able to save, for a while. Even when I went off the rails a little, you kept me grounded - Or tried to, anyhow. I kinda did my own thing a lot, but we both know I'm not great at listening. Point is, you were the closest thing I'd had to a brother in a long, long time. Hell, I hardly remember the 'real' one. Only memory I have there's that he died and I didn't. Know mom and dad would've preferred it the other way round.

Sometimes I think taking you in's the only good thing I ever did. And I even ruined that.

Never told you much about my family, huh? Then again, I don't know how they're doing now. Difference is, I don't really care to. Hope the whole house burned to the ground with them in it. As for you, I guess what happened is more personal. In its own way.

Point is, when I'm ready I think I'll try and find out if you're okay. I'm not yet. It's getting worse, you know. The feeling. So much worse. And I don't know if I'm strong enough to control it yet. The people I've met here, well, at least some of them seem to be pretty good ones. I like some of them, I really do. But I'm scared that I'll hurt them the same way I hurt you. I have now. So many times, again and again, and I can't stop it. I don't know how.

One day I promise I'll learn how things turned out. I found help as fast as I could, but with the state you were in I don't know if that's enough. Chances are you'll never see me again either way. I killed you. Saving you's the one good thing I ever did, and I killed you. Guess it was pretty naive of me to think anything else, to think that maybe there'd be one thing I didn't completely ruin. The others don't know what a coward I used to be, but that's fine. Because I know. And I'll make sure I pay for every last bit of it.

I miss you, buddy.

I saw you. I tried to end it and it wouldn't let me and it made me see you instead. How fucking delusional was I? There's no way anyone would have survived that.

I couldn't say goodbye.

I was broken when you found me. Broken, but surviving; I guess I'm still that way, really. And you let me use it to secure some sort of future-- a future built on whatever we could claw away from everyone else. But it wasn't enough. The little things, the things where no-one got hurt, it wasn't enough to keep us all going. We both knew that, and it wore on you, I think; that's why I took up the burden. Started... well, started hurting people. Bad shit. Break-ins, muggings... nothing really big, but that shit scares people, and I had to hurt quite a few. Nothing that'd get us properly hunted down, and we'd move when it started to look a little unsafe. You just looked after the others while I was out.

Sometimes I'd ask if they were scared of me. You'd never answer, and I guess that was answer enough.

I'd already learned to embrace the pain, to keep going no matter how much it hurt. How to pretend I was untouchable, to do whatever it took to come out alive. But after taking us both in, being with you guys gave me a purpose. If only you'd known what I'd become, you'd have put me down as soon as you got the chance. There were times when I'd let myself hesitate, when I couldn't bring myself to finish what I'd started, and maybe if I'd listened to my conscience then I'd be better now. But I did it for you. All of that shit; knowing there were people relying on me, I could do it. And it gets easier, after a while. I can bury it now, bury it deep, and hope it never comes up again.

Don't think I buried it well enough, though. I'm still scared of them.

Now that I think about it, you used me. I let you remake me knowing you just wanted out, did whatever it took to make sure that I'd be okay, and eventually that you guys would be too. Hoped I could make sure they had a better time of all this than I did. I'd do most of it again if I got the chance. Sacrifice is all someone like me's good for.

Well, maybe. I don't know if I owe you or not, because you saved me. If it hadn't been for you, I think I'd be dead, but you taught me to survive - No, more than that, you taught me to live again. We found each other, and because of that, we were able to save other people too. I think about that sometimes. Lets me pretend there's something good inside me. Ha. Like I've ever even come close.

We were bad for each other in a way, but I suppose we needed each other too. Needed to remind each other that there was something alive left in all that we'd done, and I guess that's all it ever comes down to. An exchange, a transaction, always something to gain and even more to lose. Someone to understand. Never got as close as you wanted, but... I suppose I was scared of that. Caring just makes it hurt more when people turn on you, when you end up hurting them. But despite everything, I didn't run away.

You promised me that you'd look after them if I ever went anywhere, and I believe you did. You always kept your promises to me. Maybe you'll keep them alive too, and I really hope you do now that I'm not there anymore. Hey, maybe you saw my T.V spot! I'm alive, anyway, and you guys'll be safer without me around. I hope no-one's having to do the stuff I used to. Hope you're getting by without that; another me's the last thing the world needs.

Still wish you were here, too. That's probably the most fucked up part of all this, huh? You're the only person that really understood me, understood how far we had to go. You knew me, and these guys don't. Or they don't understand like you did. You didn't want to be what you were, so I took on that responsibility. This monster, though; when I give myself over, I'm capable of so much I wouldn't have thought. I could be ruthless before, but... trust me, that's an understatement now.

You'd understand, right? You'd know that it isn't really me, you'd understand why I have to let myself give in. It's like we did for the others, like it was back home; someone has to dirty their hands so everyone else can make it out okay. You were able to see that I only did these things because somebody had to, that I was trying to spare everyone, that I wanted to protect you. So you'd understand. I have to believe you would, that there's a reason I'm able to do these things. That it's necessary, and if it's necessary, I can live with that. Or I'll just have to lie to myself until I can. Tear myself apart until I'm in control.

So I can't say goodbye to you yet. Always frustrated you, but it's still true I'm not good at letting go. And I know I should have left a whole lot earlier - Maybe then none of you would have been hurt. Maybe if you'd been with me, I wouldn't have been able to screw it all up. Maybe, maybe, maybe. Not like I'm gonna find an answer any time soon.

Should've killed you when I had the chance.

You're a real piece of work, aren't you?

Oh yeah, here we go. I almost forgot about you, didn't I? Should've remembered when I was writing to the others. Can't believe that I'd let myself forget about the person that's responsible for my fall in the first place. So, where do we begin?

How about the time you hid? Ran away knowing some some fucking sub was tearing your brother apart while he begged you for help. Mercy. Anything. There's nothing you could have done, huh. That's what you told yourself, but you've seen the devastation that you've left behind. It should have been you.

They were right to blame you for it. 'I'm just a kid', like that excuses it, like that excuses anything about your sad little excuse for a life. You were scared, the first time the knife sliced you open. Cruel and unusual, making you inflict the hurt on yourself. A nice little reminder that it was all your fault. Sobbing, but what could you do? You tried to wipe away the tears, but that only got salt in the wounds.

Get up. That was the rule. You always get up and keep fighting, because otherwise someone else gets hurt. That's what happens when you're weak. Pain. Cowardice. Pain and pain and more pain. I guess it's one of the truths of the universe. Everything always seems to revolve around it with you, around hurting and being hurt. It's not like that for everyone, and I think that hurt more. You can't lose yourself so easily when it's your heart that's hurting.

Oh, that's some poetic shit, right? By your standards, anyway; they're not exactly high.

It didn't break you, though. Or you don't think it did. Jagged at the edges, maybe, sharp, but strong. You didn't shatter. You don't resent it, and you don't cry over it anymore. Maybe because you took ownership of it, your tendency to tear things down.

But the water did, as it burned your lungs and took your strength away. It wasn't the pain that scared you, because it always hurt when you fucked up and made them angry. It was the helplessness, because even if the other ones hurt, they were your choice, you were in control. Or that's what you tell yourself, because it's easier to believe it was a choice you made than to accept you were nothing more than a child. Easier to believe that love is painful and terrifying and drowning than it is to believe no-one loved you at all. Easier to keep quiet because speaking up would never work.

How long will you pretend to be the master of your own destiny? That's why the stigma scares you so much, because it's fucking with that. Fucking with your control. Maybe you could deal with the things you'd done if you could choose to hate them. If you weren't being hijacked to think they're the best things in the world. If you asked for help, maybe things'd get better, but you don't want anyone to feel sorry for you. You'd rather be hated.

You once told your best friend why you love the smell of gasoline. And then you broke his nose because his pity pissed you off, even though you knew he was just trying to help.

And part of you still wants to let someone else help you, let the next group in, because you're so desperate for anyone to care. But you don't believe they will, because you don't think there's anything about you worth keeping alive. I know you're not afraid of dying. You welcome it, dashing into danger with outstretched arms. Hoping that one day, the axe will fall on your pasty little neck. You say you're not a liar? You lie to yourself every day.

You just want something, anything, to justify your sad little worldview. Maybe that's why you play the monster now, so you can tell yourself it was right what you did because maybe they were like you. I don't, I've always done what I had to No, you've been like that for a long time.

Do you remember her? Of course you do.

Do you remember how she looked, sleeping silently, believing she'd found somewhere safe at last? Trusting you, YOU when you said it'd be okay, you deceiving lying conniving pathetic monstrous murderous piece of shit bitch--

Remember how it looked when you put a bullet through her fucking skull? Hey, firecracker, that a happy memory for you? Come on, it's not like she didn't deserve it, right? Not like they didn't all deserve it because of everything they took from you. Freaks, monsters, murderers every last one of them and you couldn't let the world have one more.

Oh wait... that was nothing to do with them, was it? Killing your best friend. Killing her. For a fucking grudge against someone she'd never met, someone you never knew any more about than hearsay. Because they were all the same, right? No, they aren't, not even a little; but you are, you always were, you sick little freak.

You knew it was wrong then. Deep down, you knew that they weren't all together. How many others didn't deserve it, had never harmed a soul? A threat, a threat, a threat, forever and always. Threats couldn't be allowed to live. A mantra. And yet when you were a threat you didn't speak up, when you felt that pull you didn't speak up, because you just couldn't handle one more rejection, right?

You know now exactly how wrong it was, and you aren't even sorry. Not properly, not really. Sorry won't bring anyone back, won't take back your actions, won't fix a single goddamned thing. I suppose you've already done too much to get back.

How many people would you have killed if things had stayed the same? Why wouldn't you face it like she did?

Never mind that, there's no point in asking. It's not as if you kept count. After all, it was all written down. They'll have kept that old thing around, I'm guessing. They won't have forgotten you, for better or - oh, who are you kidding, it's definitely for worse. But how are you supposed to feel about that?

Guess you'd rather die than figure it out, huh.

You sickening little coward.

Choices (Zoe's voice post)
by theonlyexception

𝕄 𝕒 𝕘 𝕚 𝕔 :

Reassemble

Allows her to decompose organic material on anyone within 2 metres of her body. The ability requires contact with a person to become active, but once she's made initial contact it can be controlled within a 45 meter radius of her. Her ability can now be spread from creature to creature like a virus, provided they make physical contact with each other within the radius. She can also change the speed of the ability's effects at will. The speed it can spread at from a point of contact has also doubled.

Victims outside the radius will spread their infection to other organic objects in physical contact with them. Each consecutive infection outside the radius will lessen the effects of her power, taking roughly 3 infections before her power loses its effects completely.

Her ability's effects can be sped up if she focuses them into one area, roughly the size of her hand. If she makes contact, the ability is almost instantaneous, like tearing through wet clay.

Initially all that her targets feel would be an unusual itch, but if they allow it to progress it will eventually become incredibly painful. The speed of her ability has increased dramatically over time, and she is limited to only affecting things she can see.No longer needs to see a target to affect it.

The ability's use is indicated by thick black lines appearing on her skin where she channels the power, black mist rising where she makes contact and black specks exuding from affected targets. Black veins now appear on Zoe’s infected victims. 

When making direct contact with something, the decomposition proceeds incredibly quickly, taking only a few seconds - essentially reducing the contacted area to liquid. The more of her body is in contact, the wider the spread of the damage. In essence, if Zoe were to run her hands over a creature, it would leave a melted sludge where its surface skin was.

This ability's use is indicated by moving, tattoo-like lines appearing on her skin where she channels the power, and a black mist rising from whatever is affected.

Power effect radius increased to 15 metres. No longer needs to see target for ability to work.

Zoe's power can now work faster to the point where it's almost instant, like tearing through soft clay. The speed it can spread at from a point of contact has also doubled.

It can also now be spread from creature to creature under her control like a virus, provided they make contact with each other and stay within the radius, and the rate it works at can be changed at will.

The radius it can work in has increased to 30m.

The lines and mist generated by her power now appear much darker and thicker, and black specks now exude from any affected creatures.

As a result of the upgrade, her stigma has noticeably worsened.

Range increased to 45 metre radius.

No longer needs to make contact to start the effect, and can instead start it on anyone within 2 metres of her body.

Zoe’s infected victims will now spread their infection to other organic objects in physical contact with them when they are outside of her range. Each consecutive infection will lessen the effects of her power, taking roughly 3 infections before her power loses its effects completely.

Black veins appear on Zoe’s infected victims.

𝔻 𝕣 𝕖 𝕒 𝕞 :

The sun shines down on her face, standing in the middle of a remote village. Around her, ramshackle huts give way to homes of her own making, comfortable and safe. In the background, she can hear people laughing and imagine the smiles on their faces. They don't need to want for anything, to wish for anything, because she's created for them everything they need. 

It's a paradise, but not one for her. She moves on, her job completed and another utopia created. Wherever she goes, she is celebrated for her actions, praised and loved. She's worth something, to so many people, but as she looks out upon the village as they celebrate without even noticing her departure, there's one thing that remains clear to her - she is completely alone.

ℕ 𝕚 𝕘 𝕙 𝕥 𝕞 𝕒 𝕣 𝕖 :

"You can protect them."

A whimper echoes through the narrow street. Wordless desperation, from a man who long since lost the ability to beg for mercy. She's never seen his face before, but she despises him - despises his kind, who act from nothing but selfishness and greed. Justice, for all that ever wronged her, all who ever sought to do no more than hurt. As she grips his face in her hands, she smiles, and moments later not an inch of flesh remains on his skull. The sight is, in a word, horrifying.

Letting go, behind him she sees the face of a child a few years younger than she is, smiling brightly and seemingly unaware of the bloodshed surrounding them. 

"Is he gone?"

"I got rid of him."

As Zoe speaks, her eyes scan the ground behind them - a graveyard of mutilated, unburied corpses. Despite this, she speaks with grim certainty, a cold satisfaction. She has the power to ensure a perfect life, for her and the ones she cares about, to destroy anybody who would harm them. To ensure the happiness of everyone that matters.

"No one will ever hurt you again."

𝔸 𝕨 𝕒 𝕜 𝕖 𝕟 𝕚 𝕟 𝕘 :

Aberration

  𝕊 𝕥 𝕚 𝕘 𝕞 𝕒 :          

Zoe's stigma manifests itself in what is essentially a feeling of bloodlust, an urge to hurt and harm other people. An intense compulsion telling her that giving in would make her happy constantly demands she give in. The more she cares about someone, the more it makes her want to hurt them - and whenever she gives in to the compulsion, the memory replays again and again, accompanied by a rush of joy.

𝔸 𝕣 𝕞 𝕒 𝕞 𝕖 𝕟 𝕥 𝕤 :

xxx

𝕋 𝕙 𝕖 𝕞 𝕖  𝕊 𝕠 𝕟 𝕘 𝕤 :

(XYLØ - Afterlife)

(EDEN - Drugs)

(Imagine Dragons - Shots (Broiler Remix))

(Hellberg - The Girl)  

(Natasha Blume - Black Sea)

(Razihel - Legends) 

(Rogue ft. Laura Brehm - Dreams)

(Stephen - Crossfire)

(Krewella - Beggars) 

(Chase and Status - All Goes Wrong)  

(Foo Fighters - Stranger Things Have Happened)

(Mumford & Sons - Broken Crown)

"Wait, you seriously want to talk to me? And I haven't even broken a rule today! Isn't that a surprise. Have to say, I didn't know you guys were fans. So, was it my good looks or charm that won you over?"

"...Oh, you do this with everyone, huh? Well whatever, ask your questions then. I'm a busy girl. Things to do, people to see, you know? Don't want anyone thinking I'm not thrilled about being here."

"Backtalk? Wouldn't dream of it. Where do you want me to start?"

Lawrence

"The guy kind of... Well, he doesn't really lose his cool, does he? At least not that I remember seeing, even if I deserve it more than most. He's always calm and in control of himself, even dealing with all of our shit. Don't think I could do it, myself, even before my s- Uh, situation ended up like this."

"Well, being forced to go fight monsters isn't exactly good for a girl's stability, you know? I thought we were talking about Lawrence here - I'm sure there'll be time to talk about me later."

"Anyway, I'm almost jealous of him in a way. Being able to take everything in his stride and never really lose his head, it's something I could use a bit more of myself. Plus, he does the whole therapist routine, so people kind of trust him."

"I don't know if I'd rather be like that. Sometimes it seems like he doesn't feel much about anything."

Liliana

"If I'm being honest about this, Lily, Liliana, whatever you want to call her, is definitely a handful. I'm not really relaxed enough to just go with it whenever she does the whole personality swing thing, so I just try to stay out of it. It's tough to keep track of which one I'd end up dealing with." 

"Yeah, yeah, it's not her fault. I don't blame her for it, that's not what I'm saying. Fact is, though, I've only got so much energy to deal with anyone and she goes a little past that limit. Doesn't mean I've got anything against the girl. Life here's bad enough for the rest of us, so it must suck to deal with her problems on top of that."

"Of course I'd work with her if I had to. Hell, she can heal, right? Well, sort of. I'd just be worried she'd flip at the wrong time and screw someone over."

"No, not deliberately. She doesn't seem like the type."

Emma

"Emma's the type who seems like she could make friends with anyone. Seems like she wants to, as well.
You know the drill, relaxed, friendly and considerate. The type almost no-one minds, and most people seem to like."

"It scares me."

"I'm sure she'll try and talk to me. Doesn't mean I have to go along with the conversation. Trust me, it's better for her - and I'll watch her back if it comes down to it. She's a good person, right? At least as far as I know."

"So it's better that she doesn't deal with someone like me, not directly. Being around people like that only makes it harder to stay in control I'm not hurting anyone that doesn't deserve it. Not again."

"No comment."

Grant

"He makes me look organised. Not that I'm the queen of productivity or anything, but I at least do something with myself. I think Grant'd be pretty happy just sitting in his room for the rest of his life. Seriously lazy."

"Yeah, it gets on my nerves a bit. Life's for people to go out and live, not just sit around doing nothing. Every day in this place could be our last - Don't give me that look, you know I'm right - so I think there's something to be said for making the most of our time."

"That's different. I have reasons for avoiding people. He just seems like he can't be bothered with anything, and acts like it's a chore whenever he goes outside. I don't think I've ever seen him looking fully awake."

"Well, if I had to think, he doesn't exactly seem to like authority, or is it being looked after? That's all I got. Only time I've seen him actually react to something with any kind of energy."

Chris

"Oh, where do I start with this one? The guy's got a stick the size of a telephone mast shoved directly up his ass. Seriously, he looks for a problem with everyone - I don't care if he likes me or not, but I am not the only one."

"Don't encourage me. I've got enough to say here, and it's all just as nice as that."

"Positives? Well, he's strong enough to be pretty helpful in a fight, I guess. I don't need to watch his back. Personality wise, at least he can keep his mouth shut sometimes. You know, seeing as if he never opened it again I'd be more than happy."

"Fine, I'll talk about something else. Let's see... From what I've seen of him, he seems to try and push people away a lot. Like he's scared of getting close or something."

"Yeah, kind of like me, but only if I was a little bitch. Feel free to tell him I said that."

Sander

"Out of everyone here, I honestly feel like I don't know him at all."

"Well, he's pretty closed off, and doesn't say much. Well, nothing even close to an opinion. Friendly, I guess, but it's all surface level. He pushes people away with that, but I don't know if it's deliberate or not."

"You're right, I guess all of us do."

"I don't think we'd really get along. At least not until I see him grow a backbone instead of just bowing to everything he's told with a 'Yes sir' and a 'Thank you ma'am'. Sometimes you have to push the boundaries, instead of just playing along."

"I probably shouldn't have said that to you, huh?"

Callan

"Callan is an interesting one. See, I really don't mind her personality. Honesty's something we need more of around here, and she gets to the point pretty well when she has to. Doesn't feel the need to be a constant ball of energy, either."

"You're right, she's a little lazy, but she doesn't just sit around all day and it doesn't seem to stop her getting things done alright. Tries to be a good person, from what I can tell. Like I said, I don't mind her."

"Yeah, there's a but. It's the whole Dreamcatcher thing. Call me a cynic, but I'm not exactly grateful for my powers - and I don't think I'm the only one. After all, they've done a hell of a lot more harm than good. So it really gets on my nerves when she goes all defensive."

"Besides, I was never really a fan of 'heroes'. At the end of the day, you can't rely on someone else saving the day."

"Just speaking from experience."

Kusari

"Her only purpose in life must be to piss me off. Doesn't she have anything better to do than run her mouth all the time?"

"I know she's like that with everyone. Doesn't change the fact that I can't stand dealing with her, and the way she speaks... It's not just the things she says, exactly, but how she delivers them. As though she really believes everything she says."

"There's honest. I'm honest. That's different from ragging on everyone's flaws, hitting them where it hurts all the time. Not everything has to be said out loud."

"I'm the first to admit it, but we all know I've got one hell of a short fuse. It doesn't mix well."

"Worst part is, I can't exactly teach her a lesson. What am I gonna do, punch her? She'd probably just laugh in my face."

Padma

"She always seemed like the type that'd work herself too hard to me."

"No, I appreciate a break now and then. You need to relax sometimes, or you burn yourself out a bit. Just means other people have to try and pick you back up."

"It makes you into a burden, you know?"

"Me? Nah, I'm strong enough to go it alone. I know how much I can take, alright? Just happens to be more than some of these guys can."

"Yeah, well, we never really spoke."

"No."

Marcus

"He's not a bad guy to be around, I guess. I guess we could do with more people willing to have a laugh around here."

"Yeah, I know I'm not the comedian of the century, but that's not the point." 

"Point is, it's good to have people like that. You let everyone just sit around and mope all day, it's not long before they start giving up. It's not fun to watch."

"Of course there's a time and a place. But as long as he knows when to stop, we shouldn't have a problem."

"Never asked about them. Anything that gives you scars like that isn't gonna be a happy memory. As far as I'm concerned, he has a right to keep his secrets."

Zoe

"I thought we agreed this wasn't a therapy session."

"Fine. They'd do well to keep their distance from me, so I'm doing them a favour by acting out."

"It's not that I don't want friends, but - hell, you already know why. It's just easiest for everyone, means I won't do something I regret."

"Of course I care, asshole. But they have each other for that, right? Don't need a psycho like me hanging around them. Best thing I can do is protect everyone. Be the pillar, the one that doesn't need any help. I think I can be strong enough for that."

"Then I'll just have to get stronger."

Hazel

"Not meaning to be rude, she's majorly creepy. Never reacts to anything, doesn't understand how anything works. Calling whatever she's got going on a personality would be a stretch."

"No, the others aren't like that. There's a difference between being in control and that."

"She doesn't annoy me. Actually, if I think about it she's pretty polite to everyone. I just don't feel right whenever she's around. Something about her just unnerves me."

"Don't know. Maybe I'm just worried about what happens when you stop pumping drugs into her system. With how she comes off, I hope no-one else is around her if it happens."

"Am I being unfair? Sorry, but that's something I'd prefer not to find out."

Sienna

"She doesn't mean to, I think, but she gets on my nerves quickly. I can't talk to her for too long without getting annoyed." 

"Silver spoon, right? Never really wanted for anything, so there's only so much she can understand. I know it's not deliberate when she says stuff, and I try my not to take it personally, but it isn't easy."

"Stuff like that kind of hits home. Not her fault."

"I can't say I've noticed anything strange about her. Really into books, but that fits with her power and all. She has seemed a bit erratic sometimes, but I figured that's just her personality. Is it?"

"Didn't think you'd tell me."

Angelique

"She can be a bit snappy, but I think that goes for a lot of us. Doesn't mean I won't get provoked, but I see where she's coming from in a way. If she could try not to direct it at me, it'd save everyone a headache."

"We're pretty alike, actually, from what I can tell. She doesn't seem to get into quite as much trouble as I do, but her abilities seem a bit easier to vent with than mine are. I mean, it's a lot easier to scream at a wall without hurting anyone." 

"Okay, maybe she just handles her issues better than I do. I'm not exactly the world authority on healthy coping mechanisms."

"It doesn't bother me that much. Unless it's really loud and I'm trying to sleep or something. Then it definitely bothers me."

Allison

"Like I said before, I respect honesty. It's one of the few good qualities I can actually stick with, so I appreciate it in others."

"Saying that, she does mess with people a lot more than I'd like, and I'm pretty easy to get a rise out of. So that's not exactly fun. As long as it doesn't go too personal, I can take a joke, though."

"Oh. That. Yeah, she can be a bit... Uncontrolled? We'll go with that. I don't want to offend your sensitive ears."

"Eh, if what I've heard is true, our St- Our issues, are quite similar. Except where I want to hurt people, she wants to, uh, do something completely different to them. Apparently. It seems rude to actually ask her, true or not."

Savannah

"And people say I need to work on keeping my cool."

"I'm just saying, if ever a kid needed to chill the fuck out then it's her. Girl'd pick a fight with her own reflection if it looked at her wrong."

"Her attitude isn't my problem. As long as she doesn't direct it at me, because if she thinks she can get away with that she's got one hell of a life lesson coming up."

"I'm four years older and a hell of a lot bigger. I wouldn't need any powers for that one."

"Nah. I know I act up, but I'm not the type to actually go around and beat up kids, am I? I'd just frighten her a bit, before she picks a fight with someone that isn't so considerate."

Christmas

"This guy is kind of a wimp."

"Okay, he's a complete doormat. He looks terrified of everything, and he just straight-up takes whatever people decide they want to do to him. Won't retaliate, even when they deserve it, because he's just that much of a coward."

"I feel like I'd have to look out for him if someone was giving him trouble. At least I'll be able to fight back. Hope they get another healer if I get hurt helping him, though. I mean, I've got a strong stomach, but drinking blood straight from another person isn't on my bucket list."

"Fact is, I can't always watch out for him, and I'm not gonna follow him around like an overprotective mom. Sooner or later, he'll have to toughen up. If he doesn't..."

"This place'll break him."

Alexis

"She seems to think there's good in everyone. Which is an attitude I'm in two minds about."

"Well, it's as admirable as it is stupidly naive. Trying to make everyone get along is all very well, but some people are just never going to work that way." 

"No, I'm not a fan now that you ask. She's a liability, to herself and anyone that has to work with her, and sooner or later something's gonna go very, very wrong."

"What I'm saying is that her 'we can all be friends' shtick is going to get her or someone else hurt while she tries to rearrange the man-eating monsters into a goddamn prayer circle or something."

"Then again, I suppose technically there would be something good in them when she gets eaten for her hippy bullshit."

"You're right. Sorry."

Aaron

"Seems a decent enough kid. My first impression was maybe he could stand to be a bit more alert, but I don't think he's too shy about speaking up. The opposite, if anything."

"We don't really talk that much."

"His attitude? Oh, you mean the 'forging ahead' thing. See, that's where we differ, and probably why we're not really buddies. It's easy enough for him to talk about letting go of the past, but some things aren't easy to just forget about."

"If he even starts with that stuff about it being a learning experience, I think I'll break his nose. Just so long as we're clear on that before I do it. I warned you guys, you can't blame me."

"No, I don't plan on actually doing it. That doesn't mean it won't happen."

Brent

"He's almost obsessive, to be honest. Everything's planned, it all has a purpose no matter what he's doing. Always working."

"I've just never seen someone put so much effort into anything without actually caring."

"That's just what it seems like. Like he's working hard and trying to win because it's what he's supposed to do. He thinks he's meant to be some kind of winner, I don't know. Thought you guys would have psychologists for that kind of questioning."

"Running away? Hiding something? Maybe, I guess. How about you go ask him that, instead of putting me through twenty questions on it? I'm sure he'll be much friendlier to you."

"Well, he seems that way. Always says hi and everything, you know? I can't say I mind the guy."

Ernest

"He's an example of what happens when we stop trying. Stop caring about anyone but ourselves. He's weak, and he's exactly what I don't want to be."

"The rest of us deal with our problems at least a little, but he doesn't even try. As far as I'm concerned, that makes him weak. Too weak to put anyone else first, no matter what's going on. I wouldn't trust him not to leave me to my fate if I was in trouble."

"I don't have a problem with a little selfishness. What I do have a problem with is when it hurts other people. Not just refusing to help, hurting. That's exactly what he does."

"No. If I ever became that weak... It'd mean I don't deserve anyone's help. Even if he won't help me when it comes down to it, I'm stronger than that."

Sophia

"You mean she's not mute?"

"Seriously, she's never said a word to me. Not one."

"No, that has to go past nervousness. There's a reason there, has to be. No-one is just that shy out of nowhere."

"I don't know how else to describe it. Because she doesn't really give off an antisocial vibe like some people in this place do. Really doesn't seem as though she hates us or anything..."

"It's more like she can't. Get the words out, I mean. While I'd like to try and help her with that, dealing with this kind of situation isn't exactly my strong point."

Gregory

"Clinical. That's the first thing that comes to mind. Precise. Knows what he wants to do when he wants to do it, and you can tell by how he acts all the time. Reasoning behind it all, you know?"

"No, he's not like them. They push every day, take every single one separately - he seems to think bigger than that. Or something."

"Yeah, he can annoy me. If you're gonna go about hitting people with confrontation about everything, don't be surprised and get all pissy when they retaliate. Maybe if it's so irritating, he should think before he speaks."

"I'm not great at taking my own advice, no. What's your point?"

"Well, I'm not about to start up his fan club or anything. If he doesn't go putting his foot in his mouth, I can tolerate him. I'm just not sure how likely that is."

"Just so we're clear, none of that gets back to them, alright? I have a reputation to uphold. Can't have them thinking I've gone soft or anything."

"What can I say, I'm a sweetheart. So, anything else? I do autographs. I was thinking of bringing out a line of t-shirts, maybe a novelty mug..."

"Yes, I'm joking. I don't love myself quite that much. Give it a couple of years, and I might get back to you, but right now I need my beauty sleep."

Lawrence

He stopped me from getting myself killed. I shouldn't resent that as much as I do, but it's tough to be rational about any of this. It should make me feel better that someone gave enough of a damn to stop me getting myself hurt, but it doesn't. Maybe it's because I'm so terrible at looking after them in return. And I snapped again, too, after all he did to try and help me. Pretty tough to do for someone that's not worth helping, I guess.

Feels like I let him down, really.

Liliana

We haven't really spoken since DC, but I still like the girl. She's kinda weird, but the whole amnesia thing must be pretty tough to adjust to so I'll cut her some slack there. Plus it's always useful to have a healer around. All that being said, though... well, she did save me in La Plata. From permanently crippling myself, if nothing else. In other circumstances, I'd probably be a hell of a lot more grateful for that, and even now I appreciate how willing she was to go through that for someone she'd never even spoken to. 

But I hope she doesn't save me twice.

Emma

Don't think she likes me, but the feeling's pretty mutual. That's probably for the best. Although I'd be more comfortable if her summons weren't immune to my powers. I mean, I could try to argue about what she said back at the lighthouse, but I know she's right. I'm hurting the others, I'm enjoying it, I don't even know how to do anything else... 'fucking psycho' seems like a pretty accurate description. Wonder how long it'll take before they figure out it's pointless even saying all that shit to me. It's not like they ever come up with anything I haven't realised for myself.

So she can call me whatever she likes - one more insult's hardly gonna make a difference at this point.

Grant

...

Chris

I tried. I tried to get some kind of reason, and all he did was cry about how trying to talk out his problems was pointless. I mean, I'm not the most patient at the best of times, but holy shit he's a petulant fucking baby. And he actually seems to think he's frightening as well, which is almost funny because he's so completely pathetic it's unbelievable. He doesn't even try to face up to people, he just acts like it's all everyone else's fault, crying and whining.

Well he can cry me a fucking river. At least I've had reasons for snapping that aren't just 'teach that shit not to fuck with me' - it's the most insecure middle-schooler bullshit I've ever heard. And apparently whatever happened in Ground Zero was even more trivial than that? You know what, I take it back - it's not just 'almost funny', it's hilariously pathetic. There's a part of me that's weak like that, and I think that's what pisses me off most of all.

To put it simply: I can't stand this little bitch.

Sander

Holy shit, that was embarrassing. If ever I wanted to erase a memory--

How drunk was I? I mean, he was pretty cool to me, considering the way I acted back there, but you'd think I'd have noticed sooner. And I appreciate that he didn't, uh, go along with it. But I don't know him, and I'm more than happy to keep it that way. Considering Emma's going out with Marcus, and Ernie is Ernie (ugh), poor old Sander was the only option, in the wrong place at the wrong time. As for why I was looking for any of that?

...Old habits die hard, I guess.

Callan

I don't get it. Even after she explained, I don't get why she's bothering to talk when I've done so much to fuck her and her friends over. But she seemed... sincere. And she's still naive, still wants to see some better way in things, still the opposite of who I am. It's probably genuine on her part. But she thought I was a murderer, that it wouldn't even bother me to kill her, and hell - she's partly right. I won't hesitate if it really does come to that. So I don't get why she won't just ignore me. She's seen the worst parts of who I am.

And she's so wrong about the things she said. I'm anything but strong. I'm so weak I almost killed someone because I can't get over shit from so fucking long ago. But I didn't tell her that, maybe because I don't want anyone to know I'm weak. Maybe because I want to believe there's something worthwhile left in me.

I just don't get why it hurts so much when people think I might be worth helping.

Kusari

I'm sorry.

I warned her. I told her, not all of my Stigma, but some. That's why I told her, as a warning. Because I wanted her to stay out of my way, because I didn't want this to happen-- and I knew it would, that it was coming one way or another after what happened in the cellar. And I don't have any right to be, but there's a part of me that's pissed at her too. She - I don't know, she plays with people. Pushes their buttons and pulls their strings and keeps on asking questions, but like hell does she take the answers into account. Like hell does she listen to a warning.

And in my case, it was one push too fucking far. Because I don't know how to do anything else. Because I can't get past who I used to be, how things used to be, because I'm so terrified of ever being that weak again. If it hadn't been for the water, maybe it would have been fine, can't know now. I thought I was getting better, but what happened... showed me I can't afford to let my guard down. That I'll never be a safe person to have around.

I'm sorry for how weak I turned out to be.

Padma

I didn't know her. I never will.

Marcus

Could've probably gone about that better, but I think I... kind of fixed things? Not as well as I could have, and I definitely screwed it up, but something's better than nothing. The whole thing, the lighthouse and that half-assed apology, all seems like more evidence that I'm kinda shitty. Still, he said he planned on protecting people, and I think I believe that. If I'm only able to hurt people, it's good to think there's someone trying to keep them alive - god knows I can't manage to do that. That seems to extend to me, too, even after everything. He wasn't willing to say he'd walk away, and I don't know how to feel about that.

We might not see eye-to-eye, but it's good to know where he stands if nothing else.

Zoe

I can't do this anymore. I can't keep seeing them dead, liking it, living with the weight of everything I've done - what the fuck's wrong with me? I just can't seem to treat people right, to actually act like a normal fucking person for once in my life, and every time I try it's like things just don't come together. Maybe I'm just not able to be kind. There's something broken, some crossed wire in my head. Keep on lashing out, hurting people... and then I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, but I know sorry doesn't fix anything. I know better than anyone that sorry doesn't fix anything.

But it's like I can't stop, like I don't know how to stop. No matter how much I hurt, how much pain I go through, how many conversations I go into with good intentions, I can't make anything right. And I've tried, tried so fucking hard, and it just doesn't work. Because I'm a coward, deep down, a scared little girl that doesn't know how to let go of the past. How to forgive it - like I deserve any forgiveness. I hurt so many people and I think I'm gonna hurt more and I'm so scared.

To tell the truth, part of me's jealous of the others. Because I really wish I wasn't like this, you know? But hurting's the only thing I ever got from anyone, right up until I was strong enough to break out on my own. To protect people, to shield them, to be the person they can rely on and knows what to do. The rest of me's still there, but I'm so scared to let anyone in. I don't want to admit how pathetic I really am. So I keep on faking it while I feel myself falling apart.

Fuck, I just want this to be over.

Hazel

Okay, honestly, she's fucking weird. I'm not gonna talk about the fight, because I've not really got room to judge anyone there, but just going off of the way she acts? Almost completely emotionless, just makes a judgement based on whatever logic is going on in her brain. It doesn't even seem like she doesn't care, it's more like she doesn't understand. Like whatever that collar does to her's stopped her from knowing how to, uh, 'people'. It's screwed up.

Siena

Part of me's worried at how unworried she is by me. There's stuff in that conversation that I think most people would've questioned, would have confronted me about-- but she didn't. Hell, I almost get the feeling that she wanted a shot at questioning the guy I captured for herself; not the same way I wanted it, I don't think, but... I don't know. There's something dangerous about her, and I'm not sure whether to try and encourage or discourage it. In the end, that doesn't seem like a choice for me to make.

I trust her, though, despite everything. I trust her and she's smart enough to think things through better than I can. Most of the time, anyway. That's why I looked for her in the first place, why I told her about everything, why I asked her for help. From what I can tell, she kept it quiet like I asked. Doesn't seem to be scared of me either, which helps with some things, but I can't keep from wondering how long that'll last. And I can't help feeling maybe it'd be safer if she was.

Angelique

I didn't mean for things to go this way. Maybe there's more I could have done to stop what happened, maybe not; but there's so much more I could have done afterwards. So many decisions I could've made a little smarter, done a little better. And now, intentional or not, I've put everyone's lives on the line for her. Used to wonder what I was capable of doing for the sake of a friend, and it turns out it's a lot worse than most decent people would. Throwing everyone back into hell for the sake of my personal goals.

And even knowing what I'm about to put everyone through... to get a friend back alive, I'd make the same choice a thousand times.

Allison

She's so wrong about me it's unbelievable. I saw how upset she was about all this, how desperate she is to believe Angel's alive - and I just stood there without saying a word. What a good friend, right? Heartless bitch, more like. Still, she'll figure it out soon enough; I'm going to tell them everything, after all. It's probably better that she sees I'm terrible anyway and maybe this time'll be enough for her to really figure it out. So it's probably selfish that I can't stop worrying about that. Funny, though. I decided not to tell her because I didn't want her running off to get killed, and then I went and got us all signed up for the chopping block. Accidentally, but the end result matters a whole lot more than the intentions.

Least things'll be easier for her without me once she realises what a hypocrite I am.

Savannah

I'm surprised everyone gives that much of a shit about her. People die. If everyone's sitting around blaming themselves, they're just wasting their time - at least, they are if they're not doing anything to fix it. Make sure it doesn't happen again.

...Guess I'm one to talk about repeating mistakes, though.

Christmas

Wonder if he was okay, after the fight. Physically, I mean. The kid doesn't seem mentally okay anyway, but even then it was strange. Something was with them out there, him and Ernie - They wouldn't tell me anything, and I doubt he'd talk to me properly if I tried to ask. After all, he saw me being... Me, I guess. Don't know how to describe it. In any case, he didn't speak up - But I think I'd have to rip his ear off before he would. I should've done a better job of looking after him, though. Should've been the one taking the knife. Lucky he didn't get killed.

Alexis

'It didn't have to happen'. I've thought that phrase way too many times since that first fight. Cracked skull, right? First dead person I saw here - not the goriest I've ever come across, but not great. Still, I didn't know her, and that's probably for the best.

Doesn't mean the memory's not clear as day.

Aaron

Fracture, huh? At least, that's my best guess. Didn't tell us 'cause they didn't wanna freak us out - although I'm guessing they lost him somehow. Not like they took more than one of us from the island. Part of me's disappointed I didn't get to see whatever happened to him. That's kind of fucked up, isn't it?

Whatever they did with him, I'll make sure he's the only one.

Brent

He shouldn't have dragged the rest of them into it. It's not his fault what I did, but I don't appreciate being overridden. When I tell someone I have my limits, I fucking mean it - if he'd just listened and taken the damn shot, Allison and I could've destroyed the slime before anything else went wrong. It all worked out okay this time, but if he tries that shit again then I'm telling him to go fuck himself. Sure, it's good that he stopped me before I did anything serious, but still, none of it had to happen in the first place.

When it comes to what's going on in my head, he doesn't know nearly as much as he thinks he does. But then, he's an arbiter. I don't know why I expected anything more.

Ernest

I think I'm starting to not mind Ernie, which is strange. We're not friends, and we definitely don't hang out, but I don't feel all that hostile towards the guy. Although I don't think we see eye-to-eye on the whole cleaning issue - this week's probably not made the best impression with his neat freak tendencies. For what it's worth, though, I tried to give him advice. Just 'cause I'm not some kind of genius, doesn't mean I can't try and say something smart occasionally.

Don't know how much he'll have taken on board, though. Still don't think he's all that brave when you get down to it - seems kinda worried that I'll bust him for the whole thing with David, even after I said I'd take the heat. Not my style, though. I prefer not to break my word. Hopefully I helped the guy figure out what he was worried about - at least a little.

And hey, at least I got free cake out of it.

Sophia

...

Gregory

Dead. Just like the others, dead because the Amigos were too strong for us. I don't care enough to bother grieving for him - grieving's kind of a sick experience for me anyway nowadays. I try not to reflect on stuff like that, better to just bury it like all the rest. As for all the ways he could have died... I try not to think about that, too. If only that meant I always succeeded.

This is me, right?
I hate it so much, I'm so scared...
And I still want it so much more than words can say.

Lawrence

He was pretty close when he stopped me from running, wasn't he? Everyone was so panicked, so distracted, they might not have even noticed it starting, if his insides were slowly reduced and melted away - and then they would have, wouldn't they? They'd have screamed and panicked and fought, but they wouldn't have been fast enough. I know they wouldn't have been fast enough, because I can hear how he'd scream.

Feel the pain as I'm knocked down by any number of powers, as blood rushes and spills across the floor from gaping wounds that are just too much to heal quickly enough, and it's only seconds but it feels like forever doesn't it? Or maybe, maybe I just want it to be forever, maybe that's what I want things to be. Pain and bliss, agony and ecstasy, mixed and bubbling and burning me away. Sometimes I start on the others too, they're so close, so many, so tightly packed--

More voices join his in the screaming, an indistinct choir of agony.

And fuck, it's the best sound in the world.

Liliana

I wonder, sometimes, what would happen if I made her watch. One of the others, someone she considers a friend - after all, she's pretty eager to take on injuries for herself, from what I've seen. So how far does that push, how much can I make her take before she loses it? An interesting question... tantalising, even. It wouldn't even have to kill her at the end of the day. It's about reaching the edge, not pushing anyone over it.

And it would be useful to know how much she's willing to endure. With or without a little encouragement.

Emma

She's right about me. I don't think she realises just how right, but that makes the thought of proving it all the more satisfying. Pretty difficult to stay all high-and-mighty when you're slowly melting away. Piece by piece - taking it slowly. But honestly, I wouldn't stick around for this one. Not because I wouldn't want to watch her slowly fall apart, but because it's more satisfying to let the effect work on its own, feel the rush continue even when I'm gone.

To show her that she isn't even worth my time.

Grant

...

Chris

He transforms, doesn't he? And when it fades, he seems to be healed, whole once he's back as a person. That just presents... so many possibilities for me. Take off his wings, his legs... and I could go so far, so far until he was forced to change back for his own safety. Split open his skin, leave it to peel off section by section, burn out his eyes, melt his gums and watch his teeth fall into his own mouth, reduce him until he was completely helpless and keep going until he's nothing.

And even after all that, I have him to deal with. The human. So pathetic, so self-important, so utterly fucking childish. If he wants to cry, that means I can give him something to really scream over. He's so desperate to hold onto his suffering, to pretend that he's somehow special in all of this, and it's beautiful to show him how very wrong that is. Everyone has a breaking point. I take it slow once he can't run. Once his bones are rotted away and his limbs lie limp and useless, I take it so, so slowly. But I don't kill him, no. I don't kill him for a long time.

Not until I get to hear him beg.

Sander

I don't know much about him, really. It limits my imagination in an irritating way, stops the images from having any kind of personal touch - but I don't think I could take my time for this one either way. After all, he's invincible after a while. So I'd make it fast, make it simple, and above all else quick. The moment he let his guard down, It'd be quick. Removing everything I could reach, and then once he was nothing but the most vital parts of himself...

I guess then it's off with his head.

Callan

Trusting. Naive. So very breakable. Forgiveness? I know how forgiveness ends, how it always ends, but maybe she doesn't and that's okay! No better way to learn than being part of a demonstration, after all. Practical. She thinks I can beat this, that I'm strong enough to do that--

No no I'm not at all, am I, not even close to it. Falling further, falling faster... but there'd be no better way to prove her wrong. I'm not even breaking a promise if I hurt her enough beforehand, that's the beauty of it. Because I'm sure that thing will come out, try to tear me to shreds or strike me down, and then I'm only doing what she asked me to. Fulfilling a duty, showing her just how strong I can be. Or maybe it's showing her just how weak I really am.

Of course, that's less fun. But if I hurt her enough, fuck her up enough, maybe she'll have to struggle with her control just like I do. No escape, no respite, no relaxation-- fighting it every single day. Then she'll know what a lost cause it is trying to help me.

Kusari

It's a memory now, isn't it? I can still remember every part of that moment, but it's almost unreal at the same time. The terror that caused it seems dull and muted, and in comparison her pain is bright and fucking delicious as every nerve burns away and regrows and burns again. And there's something real about it, utterly real, none of the strangeness that comes with the others-- the pleasure of the whole thing is almost visceral by comparison.

The kind of high that people spend their whole lives chasing. I don't know how many times I've seen it since I got back. But it's always just so good. So unbelievably good. Haven't seen her since that happened, don't think I want to, because I know I'll want that feeling again. I'm trying to describe it but it's beyond words, into the depths of something primal and rabid and animal instead. Kill her. Kill her, and then bring her back just so I can do it again. I tell myself it's disgusting, utterly inhuman; hell, I've been sick a couple of times when I come back to myself once the whole thing's done.

But no matter how hard I try I can't stop myself from wanting.

Marcus

Wouldn't promise not to save me, wouldn't promise to walk away. It's not something I think I can understand, but that's fine, right? Just means I have to make sure it's impossible. The scenario's the same as before, tendons snapped and ligaments melted away so he can't run anywhere. So he has to struggle to move anywhere, desperately fighting and unable to stand. Except now he can't help anyone either, can't help me, can't decide that I have to make it out alive.

I normally die in these ones, one way or another. Hurting him feels good, but that doesn't. Not as much, anyway.

Zoe

More and more. Temptation after temptation. How can I put that into words? How could I ever explain why things are this way? How I'm so scared, so disgusted, so horrified - and how you still can't resist that self-indulgent bliss? It's easy to think I should just get it over with and tell them, there's nothing stopping me. Tell them I fantasise about tearing them to shreds, tell them I've enjoyed everything I've done to such a sick extent.

That I've never been some strong warrior, some determined hero, some suffering soldier-- fucking look at what I've turned into. I'm a monster. A freak. A subnatural. A psychopath that gets off on her own diseased fucking rampages. The most pathetic specimen that anyone's ever shit out onto this broken little excuse for a planet, whose only claim to fame is ruining the life of everyone she ever came across.

Isn't it selfish of me to even want help? Or is it more selfish to hold back from that because I'm scared of what they'll think when they learn how deep that sickness goes? I don't know if I can face them knowing how depraved and disgusting I really am. And even if I'm ever brave enough, I know there's nothing they could ever do to help.

Besides, it's not like I've never lashed out before. Maybe some of this is just me.

Hazel

I wonder what it would take to make her react like a person. To break through whatever robotic fucking haze she's got going on and make her do something human and feral. This one's odd - I don't know if she'd understand what was happening when I plucked out her eyes or made her hands disintegrate into nothingness, and that makes the whole thing lose its appeal.

It's better when they know what's happening, what I'm doing, who's doing it. It's personal, not clinical and detached like she is. That's just boring. It's easy enough to ignore this one, because the pain just wouldn't stick out like it does with the others.

Siena

Unpredictable, that's what I said. And I'm starting to think she's dangerous too. There's a mask there, a disguise, even if I didn't realise it before. There are... so many things that could lie under that, and I want to know. So I reach up, and I tear away the surface, pulling the skin from her face. There's a kind of resistance, a stickiness as I try to tear it away, and the resistance makes it feel so real; the stench of blood and rot hitting me in a single moment.

There are layers to work through, layers upon layers of skin and muscle and eventually I reach bone. She's dead by then of course, but I don't stop, don't stop peeling everything away until there's only dust left. Until there's nothing left of whatever mask she's been hiding behind, and I see what remains. But there's nothing, and I'm sorry, and I just can't help but laugh. Whatever she's hiding, whatever isn't there for me to see... none of it's going to be left once I'm done. Who knows, maybe I'll even get to see what that danger was.

Angelique

She's my friend. The singer, and so fond of making speeches, of trying to speak up, of trusting in me when it's all just bullshit. Every time she's there, every time she's helpful, I imagine it. When she smiles, I imagine digging my hands into her throat - slowly, oh-so-slowly, once her vocal chords are destroyed. There's a look on her face, fury, betrayal, but she's helpless. Helpless against everything I'm doing.

It's her lungs that do it. Slowly, precisely, ripping away the inside, ever-so careful because I wouldn't want to do it too fast. She wants to scream, but it doesn't do anything, and that's when I let her go. Blood bubbling up in her throat, spilling from her mouth, as she spasms and flails and chokes. There's so much pain, I can feel it in the air, with every nerve, with every fibre of my being and it's indescribable. It's... incredible.

Then I blink, and she's sitting next to me again without a care in the world. Believing I can change.

And all I want to do is vomit.

Allison

So forgiving, isn't she? Naive. An easy opportunity. Still, without my powers, I couldn't hurt her the way I would the rest. Not rotting, not melting, nothing that easy and effortless. But I'm stronger than her, so it's be a simple matter. The moment she tries to reach out, I knock her down, pinning her - then I grab her arm, force it to bend as far as it can and then further still until the joints tear and bones shatter.

The feeling itself isn't remarkable on its own, even if it's so satisfying to feel everything finally give. It's the sound that makes it, as tendons snap and bones crunch. A very particular sound, a mixture of a crack, loud and painful as bone breaks and shifts and grinds, and a pop as everything comes out of place - then the agony hits, fractions of a second after, and the screaming replaces it. Music. And it continues, adding to the symphony as it reaches new heights with every snap and pop and break.

She passes out, eventually, and I stamp her face into the concrete until she never wakes up again. Dead, dead without even knowing a thing about Angel's fate. Or sometimes I tell her, and she dies struggling with that hope, desperate to see her just one last time. It's tragic either way. And really fucking cruel of me.

Wonder how forgiving she'd be if she knew about that.

Christmas

...

Brent

He thinks he knows, thinks he understands even a little of this, of me. So arrogant, so fucking arrogant. No, he doesn't understand the complete and utter loss of control and the bliss that comes with it-- he never could. It was naive to think he'd ever get how far this feeling goes, but we're nothing alike. This one isn't as precise as the others, isn't as methodical.

It's an animal thing, tearing off chunks and pieces and tossing them aside carelessly. Sometimes he'll die quickly, sometimes he'll live a while, but I don't pay any attention to it. It doesn't matter how much he suffers, even if every rip and tear sends shivers down my spine; what matters is that I'm not in control, that he sees how different we truly are. No thoughts, no decisions, as I let myself be a spectator in his grisly demise.

I don't even bother to wash the blood from my hands.

Ernest

Still thinking about David... it's a shared experience, the first time I really got to have some fun with someone around here. Fond memories, on my part, and when it's Ernie's turn on the chopping block I bring them all back full-force. There's nothing too complicated about the first parts, a thumb drawn down the face, an ear torn free and tossed aside. It's fun seeing how he reacts to all the blood, the uncleanliness of it all as I smear it across his face.

We put out his eyes, too, as I remember it. I'm guessing bleach doesn't work on his durability, but my powers are a good compromise, a thumb dragged across agonisingly slowly until he's completely and utterly blind. 'Course, I'm not cleaning any of this up - it's more fun to let him panic from being covered in his own blood, considering all the clean-freak shit. Even more fun to watch him try and keep it together through all of it.

There's no need for him to worry, though; I'll keep his secrets once he's finished, if nothing else.

Sophia

...

Others

They're only memories, once they die. Beautiful, horrifying memories of broken bone and spattered viscera, but my imagination doesn't add much to it. Merciful, right? Ha. Might sound that way, but like hell it is - because the memories feel so much better than anything else ever could. I can't explain this to anyone, not properly, not really showing what's happening in my head.

How do you tell someone that their dead friends are your goddamn fantasy material? Even if I don't have a choice about what I feel, what I see-- they already think I'm sick enough. Maybe they want to know, some of them, what drives me to do the things I do, but...

I can't help but think that it's better that they don't. But I'm starting to wish I could tell them anyway.

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GreenGoat Harmless Flower Person

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Harmless Flower Person

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ℕ 𝕒 𝕞 𝕖 :

Hazel Baker

𝔸 𝕘 𝕖 :

18.

ℍ 𝕖 𝕚 𝕘 𝕙 𝕥 :

168cm

𝕎 𝕖 𝕚 𝕘 𝕙 𝕥 :

50kg

𝔸 𝕡 𝕡 𝕖 𝕒 𝕣 𝕒 𝕟 𝕔 𝕖 :

ℙ 𝕖 𝕣 𝕤 𝕠 𝕟 𝕒 𝕝 𝕚 𝕥 𝕪 :

To others, she would seem polite if reserved, with never a harsh word, and manners immaculate. To those who knew her, they would find out she had no other emotions besides that. Her words were empty, her smile programmed and her manners automatic. A ghost living in an empty shell, she's constantly under a fog induced by drugs, to dampen her emotions and thus the frequency of her rampages. Her hair was styled to hide her eyes for this reason, for hers look lifeless, especially unnerving when she tried to put on any mask of emotion. The drug induced fog was not something forced upon her, but one she had taken voluntarily. She fears the clarity of her sharp mind, the memories of her burden, her shame. There was nothing she wouldn't do to forget her past, even for an instant.

ℍ 𝕚 𝕤 𝕥 𝕠 𝕣 𝕪 :

She was captured at a young age by the government, delirious and almost feral, having destroyed a large amount of property though with only small injuries caused by her directly. Interested in her capabilities as a bunker buster, she was taken in by the government, to try and harness her ability. They found out early on that it was hard to contain someone who destroys material with ease, so they had Hephaestus, who was also in that same underground facility she was in, design her room to be resistant to her attacks. She didn't exactly see much beyond her room, and what little she saw made little sense in her head.

They found out quickly she was exceptionally talented at destroying nonliving materials, but with the frequency of her rampages, she was hardly practical to use. However, after finding out she calmed down after every rampage, they have decided to make a sort of an obstacle course for her to run though, damping her need for violence. To further decrease her violent tendencies, she was put under some experimental drugs that induced a slight feeling of euphoria, though it clouded her mind so much the first time she remained motionless for the duration of the effect. They had perfected the drug to make it so she can still function regularly while under it, though it needed to be taken regularly, with which she was strangely cooperative.

While she was now stable in a sense of the word, it was decided she was to be released at USARILN East, for further experimentation, focusing mostly on socialization and to see how stable she can remain in a relatively normal human setting with multiple external influences. Before releasing her however, she was collared with something Hephaestus made when she was asleep, one designed to tone down her violent tendencies by suppressing her emotions every time she felt the need to rampage. Unfortunately, it also weakened her abilities, though it also weakens her Stigma's call. The collar itself is highly visible, bearing Hephaestus' stag horn symbol upon it.

𝕄 𝕒 𝕘 𝕚 𝕔 : Void Impact

It is the ability to produce spatial displacement attacks in a range of 15m around her. While utilizing her abilities, her affected limbs turns transparent. Using this ability, she could punch an object in range and leave massive craters in the shape of her fists in it. For now, she could produce craters around 10x the size of her fists. Her limbs, while transparent, are incredibly easy to injure, with even a poke being able to produce a stab wound. However, if she tries to use this ability on the living, she won't displace any materials, but they would still take the full brunt of the heavy, wide-reaching impact from her attack.

Upgraded during an operation soon after she arrived at USARILN East. She had experienced a vision of sorts, one she would never tell anyone, and found she could create images of weapons to attack with, instead of just her bare hands. While the range remained the same, her attacks now have more variety to it.

Second upgrade after the operation. By now she could basically double the effect of her ability, with the projected attack being larger and more damaging than normal. However moving is harder while this ability is active, akin to moving through thick sludge for her. Using this makes her limbs practically invisible instead of just transparent. Any weapons she projects however will look solid. As a side effect however, her stigma is stronger, being able to even creep in a little through the collar without the drugs.

After following Lawrence's orders at Ground Zero, her powers increased, by virtue of sating her stigma. By now her abilities no longer produce invisible attacks, but instead project large spectral purplish disembodied limbs, or weapons should she elect to produce those instead. In exchange, she can project them without needing to attack, as well as perform fine motor skills such as manipulating an object or picking an object up. Any limbs utilized for projection will disappear completely, though it will leave dark purplish crinkles on the air around it, as if it were paper someone crumpled.

After the supposedly friendly match of flag football, she gained the ability to explode any non living material she displaces, within a maximum range of 20 metres for the explosion. The explosion will also produce purplish magical smoke.

During a mission on codename Factory, she gained the ability to control the dematerialization effect of her ability on and off. Her range also doubled from 15m to 30m in a radius around her.

On an island, in a mansion with things she could barely imagine, she gained the ability to project armor on top of her projections.

𝔻 𝕣 𝕖 𝕒 𝕞 :

A vast empty field, with but a single dirt path. The green grass seemed to grow as tall as her hips, but just in front of her a girl was dancing. It was Hazel, as much as she herself was Hazel, but she seems so free. Her smile was radiant as she took a step forward. But towards what? She was leaving, but what was she leaving? There was hope in those steps, there was despair, there was light, and the dark, but all was right. She took it all in, and she stepped forwards. She ran ahead of her, beckoning her, telling her its alright. But what was alright? What did she leave to be able to run so freely? But she could, and she could run on the path with her. She stopped in front of her, the real(?) her, and extended a hand, head tilted questioningly.

ℕ 𝕚 𝕘 𝕙 𝕥 𝕞 𝕒 𝕣 𝕖 :

Behind her she spoke, Hazel, like she was Hazel. All three of them were Hazel, none real, but no one fake. The Hazel behind her spoke, though no words reached her. The path behind was gone, cut off abruptly by waving green grass. With a wave, the Hazel behind her cleared a wide swath of land, the grass abruptly turning into ash, leaving a wide area of empty dirt. There was no more path, but she could walk without fear. This Hazel however, did not run or dance, she simply walked, probably due to her limbs being encased in heavy armor. She could run, but she did not, instead taking it in and carrying it with her. But what did she carry?Why didn't she remove them to run? She carried them and became all the stronger for it. Stronger, but what did she carry that needed her to be stronger? Like the first, she too extended a hand, a small smile on her face.

𝔸 𝕨 𝕒 𝕜 𝕖 𝕟 𝕚 𝕟 𝕘 :

Aberration

  𝕊 𝕥 𝕚 𝕘 𝕞 𝕒 :          

That smile haunted her even in the deepest part of the drug induced fog. 

Don't worry, I'll protect you.

She had trusted her, and true to her words, she did try. But they weren't a match for him, not when they were still that small, that young. Hazel was picked out first, but she, true to her words, struggled and kicked so much, that she was instead the first. After he was done with her, he took a knife to her face, then took a brief rest. Before he regained enough energy to continue however, the police burst into the basement and shot him dead.

True to her words, she had protected her, and she had blamed herself for it.

𝔸 𝕣 𝕞 𝕒 𝕞 𝕖 𝕟 𝕥 𝕤 :

Hephaestus' Collar
A bright white collar on her neck, bearing the glowing symbol of the stag horns. It suppresses her ability, as well as her Stigma's intensity. Should she fly into a rampage even then, it would start suppressing her emotions until she calmed down. It is not locked, nor fastened in such a way that she could not open it, but she would not take off the collar if not forced to.

N/A

𝕋 𝕙 𝕖 𝕞 𝕖  𝕊 𝕠 𝕟 𝕘 𝕤 :

It is calm, is it not?

The path... My path.

...useless.

>Entry XXX9881
DATE [REDACTED]
LOCATION [REDACTED]
DR WALTER WILLIS
And once again, I turn to this. 

No matter what that know it all Burke says, I find that logging in my thoughts in conjunction with the usual reports and papers tends to help a little. Easier to think without all the jargons, formatting, and other extraneous bullcrap in those papers. You can call it any fancy name you like, Burke, but a bloody knife is still a damned bloody knife.

There was that screaming subnatural they've somehow managed to capture too. More like a screaming animal, a gibbon comes to mind, than an actual girl. Don't we have enough of them in here already?

>Entry XXX9882
DATE [REDACTED]
LOCATION [REDACTED]
DR WALTER WILLIS

Burke lost control of the subnatural.

>Entry XXX9885
DATE [REDACTED]
LOCATION [REDACTED]
DR WALTER WILLIS

Long day. I had to stay in a bloody room locked up nice and tight because Burke simply 'forgot' that the sub destroys non living materials easily. She went on a rampage almost immediately. Again! Couldn't even have a bloody smoke. Now he's offloaded her to me, citing 'a lot of other projects' and how he 'couldn't possibly handle them all'. I'm bloody busy with my own bloody projects, you bloody imbecile!

First thing's first. How do you make a prison for subs with anti material abilities? A living prison comes to mind immediately, but that's far beyond my scope of work and expertise, as well as raising a whole lot of potential problems. I should have a word with the others and see what comes up.

>Entry XXX9888
DATE [REDACTED]
LOCATION [REDACTED]
DR WALTER WILLIS
Managed to get Hephaestus himself to work on her cell. Didn't see that coming. Now that she's all locked up however, my work to make her into a weapon can truly begin.

Fuck me if that's a bit out of my field, but its going to look bad if I refuse. My life work could potentially be deemed unfeasible. I'm not going to lose everything just because some dumb kid are bloody out of her mind. Should just be killed in my opinion. My work will make using subs to combat those creatures unnecessary. It will replace human combatants with machines that can perform far better than any human can. It will be efficient, with lightning quick decisions unfettered by doubts or battle fatigue. While I am still stuck on a rut, and focusing on powered suits at the moment before working on the AI, it is still certainly better than your shitty 'super human' project, Burke!

>Entry XXX9912
DATE [REDACTED]
LOCATION [REDACTED]
DR WALTER WILLIS
Her violence and peaceful phase too short, with violence phase too often. Problematic. Mama's birthday soon. REMEMBER TO PICK UP THE PRESENT.

>Entry XXX9919
DATE [REDACTED]
LOCATION [REDACTED]
DR WALTER WILLIS
It was so easy. I was overthinking it like a bloody idiot. All I had to do was manipulate her emotion. Had to go to Burke for help. BLOODY BURKE! I wish someone else was working on that project.

What I needed was something that suppresses emotion without truly affecting the mind or senses. Obviously this ruled out many common drugs we could have used. It does affect some of her functions though, for example stimulus that would normally be attached to some sort of emotion. Feeling happy while listening to music, eating something that gives off the feeling of contentment, or feeling pain and fear when one's hand gets pricked by a needle. She experiences none of the emotions that would be attached to those sort of stimulus.

At least, that was Burke's explanation of it. It works, and that's enough for me. The drug we're using also works as a sort of a leash, and opens up an easy reward and punishment system. She does well, and she gets the drug and maybe something extra. She doesn't do well, and we put her in a dark room to be alone with her nightmares. Having experienced peace through the drug, it must be hard to go back to suffering again. Almost makes me feel sorry for her. Ah well, easier for us to program her the way we want.

>Entry XXX9923
DATE [REDACTED]
LOCATION [REDACTED]
DR WALTER WILLIS
These bloody muffins had raisins — BLOODY RAISINS — in them! I specifically asked for chocolate chips damnit! Of course, I can't just yell at my assistant like that. Had to coddle her and go 'ooh no, its alright everyone makes mistakes' and all that rot. If she wasn't good at handling the subject, I'd have her kicked out.

>Entry XXX9924
DATE [REDACTED]
LOCATION [REDACTED]
DR WALTER WILLIS
My assistant is calling the subject by name. It is unfortunate, but we cannot let emotions play into this. We're on a mission to make the best weapons for mankind's future. Even that idiotic, saccharine, utterly unreliable Burke is ultimately working towards that cause. Will write recommendation of talent, and suggest she be transferred to another team where her feelings will not hinder her. 

>Entry XXX9927
DATE [REDACTED]
LOCATION [REDACTED]
DR WALTER WILLIS
There is nothing but a video recording of the subject, suspended in a clear cylinder filled with some sort of liquid. Only the cylinder remains fully visible in the video, though there are the blurry shadows of a terminal to one side. She was kept alive by a tube that fed into her mouth, naked save for all the wires and tubes on her to regulate her condition. Every once in a while the goggles fixed onto her face starts flashing lights into her eyes. This continues for a full ten minutes, broken up once in a while by a blurry figure in a white lab coat checking up on the terminal.

>Entry ERROR
DATE ERROR
LOCATION ERROR
Reinitializing...
Loading memory bank...
.
.
.
Memory corrupted...
.
.
.
Extrapolating...

"You got green eyes, just like me."

She looked up in surprise, staring at that girl with the southern drawl. Under that wide brimmed hat, she had the greenest eyes framed by short messy brown hair. She was missing a tooth, something readily apparent as she grinned widely at her. The little cowgirl seemed a bit out of place here in Maine, especially since the girl didn't know of any ranches nearby. As far as she knew anyways. 

As if she had read her mind, the girl spoke again. "Just arrived a while ago, figured I'd go round and meet the folks. So what's yer name?"

The girl jumped a little as the girl with the hat sat beside her on the log, tossing in a rock at the stream as she did so. Shy as she was, she fidgeted about a bit before finally mustering up the courage to speak. Brushing aside her brownish hair, she started to speak.

Resetting...

.

..

...

Completed.

Loading entries...
>Entry XXX9950
DATE [REDACTED]
LOCATION [REDACTED]
DR WALTER WILLIS

I fucking did it.

I had problems with the bloody pilot getting knocked about during live testing. Being knocked about tends to lead to them reflexively gripping anything nearby, potentially pulling, pressing, or pushing things they should not. It was a good thing I was behind all that bulletproof material; one of the test pilots pulled a lever when his mech got shot at, veering his vehicle off target. The mech survived that shot, and he was able to complete the course, but that still is, was, an issue I needed to fix. 

Of course, with my genius, it was easy enough to engineer a chamber filled with more improved version of PFC used before.  Of course, the method for producing the material and the exact composition would be found in my detailed reports. What this liquid does, is to prevent the pilot from being knocked about when the mech is impacted with great force. As a bonus, this also enables us to make a much faster version, with increased mobility at higher speeds not usually possible with the standard seat and harness configuration, made possible because of the, to put it simply, G force cushioning effect of the liquid. Obviously there is an upper limit to this, but being able to withstand beyond 20 Gs of force is still quite impressive. 

I astound myself sometimes. Only a man of my genius could have taken old technology and made it so much more. Once I refine the liquid more, I can only imagine how valuable it would become. After all, it is the only PFC like material that is less dense than PFC, and also has composition suitable for the lungs. For now, we have rigged an experimental mockup cockpit, as well as another less cluttered tube for the subject. 

Now if only I can design a competent AI, I can get rid of all this extraneous life support system and make a REAL masterpiece.

>Entry ERROR
DATE ERROR
LOCATION ERROR
Reinitializing...
Loading memory bank...
.
.
.
Memory corrupted...
.
.
.
Extrapolating...

"Wooo!" The girl wearing the cowboy hat stopped the bicycle suddenly, jolting the shy girl off the back. "That was a blast!"

The girl wobbled around, legs still shaking from the ride. It wasn't the first time she had followed the bold and brash cowgirl over there, but still she was unused to the high octane hijinks the little girl was capable of. Most other primary schoolers her age wouldn't even be able to imagine that sort of ride through the woods, downhill, and stopping just before a dead drop off a cliff. But if anything, the girl certainly wasn't lying; they could see the full moon clearly here.

"I...I heard the moon was made of cheese."

Without warning the girl laughed, her hat falling off as she rolled about on the ground.

Dr. Walter Willis — ++++++++++

"He is nice to me. He reassures me. He comforts me. He punishes me. He trains me. He molds me. I am his weapon. I am... ."

Lawrence — ++++

"Peace. Calming. Do not know what he is thinking."

Emma — +++++

"..."

Kusari — ---

"She's scared of me. Did not understand me. Will kill me if afraid. I'm afraid."

Gregory — -----

"Scared? Hate? Tried to kill me. Crazed lunatic. Did not like him. Do not want to be near a scary person."

Brent — ------

"He hit me. That hurts. Tried to kill me as well. Do not want to be near him."

Grant — --

"Irrational, thoughtless. I do not understand him. Calm if anything."

Angel — ++

"Nice. She has a nice voice. I want to hear her voice more."

Siena — ++++

"It was delicious. She gave me something delicious. I do not like the black and white man. Maybe she will give me more delicious things if I meet her again."

Ernest — +++

"He seems nice. Very odd person."

Marcus — +

"He's quite odd. Did not seem to like the water. But, he at least, was not mean or angry. Has scars. Perhaps from them?"

Callan — +

"Strong but afraid? I do not know her much. Her ability seems similar to mine. I wanted to train with her, but she's afraid of me."

General (EAST USARILN) — -------

"..."

who am i

i am the weapon i am the blade

why am i here

i am afraid i am weak.

what should i do

be perfect be perfect.

i cannot

then die then disappear.

cutting biting tearing void of thought crawling fear eye of the sea biting cold white blind light gaze upon my heart it is black it is fear it is anger it is dark it sees me

i am worthless

they will kill me

Hidden 10 yrs ago → 8 yrs ago Post by PapiTan

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Bio

𝔸 𝕘 𝕖 :

17

ℍ 𝕖 𝕚 𝕘 𝕙 𝕥 :

5'7"

𝕎 𝕖 𝕚 𝕘 𝕙 𝕥 :

112 lbs


𝔸 𝕡 𝕡 𝕖 𝕒 𝕣 𝕒 𝕟 𝕔 𝕖 :



ℙ 𝕖 𝕣 𝕤 𝕠 𝕟 𝕒 𝕝 𝕚 𝕥 𝕪 :

Where does one start with an oddity like Siena? Probably with the fact that she's a grade A nerd. It's rare that one can find her without a book or an e-reader on hand in some way, and rarer still are the moments when she hears a subject that she doesn't look up more about.  Curiosity burns strong in Siena's mind at all times, and it shows in how she devours new information without a hint of hesitation.  It's fortunate for Siena that she was born into the realm of privileged wealth, for her quest for knowledge was never impeded by lack of resources. 

Much like others born to the wealthy, Siena has never really been in want of anything in the material world, and it can show. She rarely thinks about money as a problem (never, really), and while seemingly generous, is only so because she doesn't know what it's like to not have the funds. Her idea of normalcy is what most people consider a luxury, and honestly? She is aware of this to some extent, and even tries to dial down her usual lifestyle with conscious effort--something not helped by the way that her parents treat her. One would think that knowing that she has no monetary concerns would make her carefree, but they would be off base. Siena frequently gets anxious, usually assuming a worst-case scenario when left to her own devices. Better yet, it's easy to tell when the stress sets in--just keep an eye out for trademark twirling and tugging at the ends of her hair. 

Another notch to the odd? Siena is effectively a chuunibyou in an odd sense of the word. Beside the fact that she's wildly creative (so much that she often feels pain for her own creations), she suffers a few delusions as a result of her powers creating emotions that were never hers. Emotions that went unresolved until Siena created events to match them out of desperation. In all honesty, a large portion of Siena's belief in her past events are inaccurate at best and completely fake at worst. The girl frequently loses track of herself, telling others a history that never quite matches up with what she's said before. Though her power is real enough, much of her supposed angst is not. The fact that her ability to both empathize and sympathize makes connecting to people easy enough isn't exactly a boon in the situation either. How do you tell someone about your emotions when you're not sure which ones are really yours?


ℍ 𝕚 𝕤 𝕥 𝕠 𝕣 𝕪 :

Siena Santana was born into this world with a silver spoon in her mouth. Her family was rich, her family loving, and she was never left wanting for anything. To her, the world was set behind a rose-tinted lense, and her playpen was just another realm where she could dive into fantasies that her sunshine-filled life couldn't provide. (Yes, that was familiar. That had to be right.) Even before she had been chosen, Siena fully believed that her life was magical. 

Her sister was the reason for that. Chosen and blessed with magic, and no wonder why. She was lovely, sweet, and beautiful, and the warmth of her magic even more so. Siena had hazy memories of warm lights, hazier memories of screaming not to be taken away when that sister vanished for good. (Wrong. What was her face? Her name? There was no sister.) Perhaps that was why her family panicked when Siena's own abilities began to come to life. They didn't want a repeat of that event. They didn't want to run the risk of her powers surging, wild and uncontrolled. Her mother and father reassured her that everything would be okay, even when she lashed out. Even when their sweet daughter had struck them hard enough to scar. (No...Siena Santana never raised a hand against her family. The scars came from a boating incident, but the emotion of horror felt so real.) 

There was never a question on whether Siena would present herself to the government. Never a question on where the girl would end up. Her family promised to keep in contact with her, to send her supplies and care packages filled with their love and affection while she was surrounded by her own kind. (Correct.) Siena only regretted leaving without her farewells to the sweet neighbor boy that had stolen her heart. (Wrong. There were never any real feelings for him. Only remnants of someone else's grief.) 

She can only pray that USARILN East is what she needs to stop the lines from blurring.


𝕄 𝕒 𝕘 𝕚 𝕔 :

Literary Manipulation


If she's formed an intimate enough connection to a character in printed media, Siena can literally assume their name. That's not just taking on a name and living as them, it is dragging the name out of the print and taking it on herself. In this state, Siena can mimic one attribute or ability from the character in question--the one most prominent to her. Need a deductive mind? She can take on Sherlock Holmes and bring his keen eye to the scene. Need someone that can run real fast? How about Barry Allens? Useful for a variety of situations, assuming that Siena cares about a character enough. 

On the flip side of the usefulness of her ability, Siena's magic is limited by a number of rules. For one, she has to have a source available. Though she doesn't necessarily need a physical book thanks to the advent of technology, while she's taking the name out of the book, the name of the character must be visible. That means closing a book or turning the screen of her e-reader off will effectively disrupt the casting. More than that, Siena can only imitate one attribute from a given name at her current level. What gets imitated is likely to be only what Siena finds the most prominent, and may not be the best thing to imitate. To take things further, if the character should be particularly willful or powerful, they can potentially overpower Siena's own consciousness, effectively turning her into a possessed puppet of said character for however long the effects last. 

And what, exactly, dictates how "powerful" a character is? Once again, that's Siena's perception of the character. The stronger she perceives a character to be, the shorter the amount of time that she can take their names for. This perception extends to the point in time that she is drawing them from as well--a character that is out of their prime at the point in the work she takes their name is not going to be as powerful as the same character at their peak. Even assuming she could take a character's name at their prime, control it safely, and maintain the effects for a long enough time, Siena can't push a character past their limits. Did she take the name Achilles? Shoot her in the heel. She's still going to go down, even if she's not vulnerable herself. 

Her abilities are also far from subtle too. It takes a bit of time for Siena to take a character's name, and that's nothing to speak of how very unsubtle it is visually. The name literally pulls itself from the page, printing itself neatly across the back of Siena's neck, and using her powers has several visual cues including magic circles (they glow purple), changes in eye color (it varies), even Siena's hair can be affected by the magic itself. In addition, certain characters may have some...unexpected effects on Siena physically.

Also of note, Siena can read fast as a side effect of her magic. When she sees words, regardless of the language that they're in, they transmit their meaning directly to her. In a sense, she's not reading so much as she is listening to the book as she sees the words. However, she cannot listen, speak, or write in languages that she hasn't mastered.

At the cost of potency, Siena can draw two names at once. Both will be weaker, but can widen her versatility. In this state, she has better control over the individual names that she has drawn from. Both names will be printed onto her neck when multiple names are drawn.


Siena can now draw two names without the cost of potency, but they now last far shorter and likely cannot effect anything that would require set-up. She can still choose two draw two names at decreased potency for a longer hold.


Siena can now fully control one name with no mental repercussions at the cost of drastically reduced duration. The stronger the name, the shorter the time, to the point where powerful names she could have normally used for several seconds last only a second or less.


Siena now has the ability to transform a small part of her body (a limb or something) into that of a character of her choice. However, she can only pull one name while doing this and the duration is much shorter.


𝔻 𝕣 𝕖 𝕒 𝕞 :

She was a goddess.

A name printed on the back of her neck, blocked by trails of wispy light and strands of dark hair, her hands wrapped around a dusty tome with no title on the cover. A familiar book with a name that she had always been drawn to, but never brave enough to call. Her eyes were green, flecks of hazel and gold visible for the light that dared to peer through them. Trasncendent. She was powerful and confident, sure of herself in ways that the present version of her couldn't understand. A smile crossed her face, her hand pressed softly against the chest of an ailing man, his heart weak from injuries that should have overwhelmed him. On cue, a faint glow washed over the woman's hand, and Siena could feel a soft heat pulse through her fingertips. A warmth that she passed onto the ailing man. She could help people. She could be much more than the girl with a silver spoon. 

She could be a goddess.


ℕ 𝕚 𝕘 𝕙 𝕥 𝕞 𝕒 𝕣 𝕖 :

In the face of opposition, there was an army. Her army stood strong, friends that she knew well from the countless pages she devoured. Friends that, unlike those that she could remember, wouldn't leave her side. Her eyes, a noxious green flecked with shards of black, didn't see the unworthy. A single movement of her hand was more than enough to send a legion of monsters to level her enemies to the ground. The world was at war against her, and somehow, this demon of a woman didn't care.

Siena the devil, she could hear the whispers. She didn't have to separate the two worlds she loved so dearly with pages and words. These worlds were hers for the taking, and it would be worth every drop of blood spilled. Every scream and desperate cry. It was worth it. She flicked through pages of a book, looking unimpressed and uninterested. There was nothing for her in a book found in joy and peace, only monotony and weakness. Dropping the tome into the dirt, she waved a hand, ordering a prisoner to her side with yet another of her rosters. 

To bring these worlds under her control, it was worth it.


𝔸 𝕨 𝕒 𝕜 𝕖 𝕟 𝕚 𝕟 𝕘 :

Arbiter


𝔸 𝕣 𝕞 𝕒 𝕞 𝕖 𝕟 𝕥 𝕤 :

xxx

You have none, yet. You will get some as the story progresses. Keep track of them here. Some of them might be really important or something, I don't know.


𝕋 𝕙 𝕖 𝕞 𝕖  𝕊 𝕠 𝕟 𝕘 𝕤 :

The Riddle Story - CRANKY
A Bella! - M2U


**It should be noted that these are Siena's perceptions of her friendship, animosity, attraction, and repulsion. Also attraction and repulsion is more like "are you hot or not" in Siena's view.







"Show your fangs."
Back against the wall, heart pounding, eyes staring at emerald--grey. Emerald? Emerald. It had to be emerald. She feels heat rise, and anger pounds against its confines, and she knows that something is trying to break free. She knows he wants it to escape, shatter its prison so that they can run wild, but she holds the inferno back with a nervous smile. Hides her fangs because a lady should never bare them.

And he is not disgusted. Only disappointed.

"Who deserves to pay?"
It floods her senses and she can't respond to the question because she knows the answer. Emerald eyes. Hazel-tinted grey eyes. Scars. Both. Neither. It's hard to separate them, but it doesn't change the answer.

She knows who deserves to pay.

Chris
"Coward or beast. I don't know what the fuck you are, but I know what I wish you would be. You need someone to keep you anchored, but you chose the wrong person.
It's hard, isn't it? To make that decision.
Are you really that fucking desperate?
I understand. Don't worry. I understand.
I can't bring you back every time. I can't.
But I can keep trying.
I can't do it.
But I'll try.
So stop.
It's better for you to stop.
Please.
But if you need me, I'll keep playing this part. I have to do it.
Stop."

Angélique
"I don't know where you are anymore, but I know they are looking for you. 
I'm sorry I didn't do anything to help you.
I won't bother saying words to someone that isn't here.
But I will say them when I see you again.
You'd better still be alive when we get to you."

Zoe
"I'm not afraid of you because you're not the worst I've seen. You hurt and kill, but you don't break people the way they are meant to be broken. 
People are fragile, after all. So fragile, so easy to break.
Shatter, break, and repeat. 
That's what I do. That's what anyone I've known has always done.
I can keep them there for longer than you can fucking imagine, and that shit feels good.
I think you would agree, but I don't want to have to hear it out loud.
I'm not afraid of you because I know I can be worse.
Would you feel better? Knowing that you're far from the bottom?
But you don't have to take my word for it."

Marcus
"You're supposed to be better. That fucking heart of gold is supposed to be stronger. You're our face, so get your shit together and do your job right.
And I know that it hurts. I know. I know.
You forfeit your rights to being a person and not a symbol the second you took that fucking mic.
You are more to this world than one lonely subnatural swept along by the tide.
Feels like shit, doesn't it?
I understand. I understand.
Get it through your fucking skull, you're getting the hard job. If I have to be shit to make it easier, then I can do it.
Even if I have to hurt us both to do it.
I have to.
Don't worry about me. Don't worry. I don't mind.
It's the only thing I can do."

Ernie
"I fucking liked you, but I know you're not the normal person I want you to be. You know how, don't you? How to be cruel because it's a fucked up world out there? And you fit right into it, don't you?
When did this world change you? Was it your first day or your hundredth?
But I'll shut the fuck up. I won't say anything. 
I don't want to break whatever illusions we've created.
I'll keep teaching you piano.
Until my hands are just like his, and my fingers are too clumsy to show you how.
I'll keep pretending I don't know how much shit you can cause.
Until you can't keep pretending yourself. Until I've forgotten why I'm pretending.
That's fine for now, isn't it?"

Cal
"You always want to do the right thing. You can fight, you can do what you need to, right? So stop finding ways to make yourself wrong. Stop looking for shit that you can pin on yourself because you can't fucking fix everything. Just look forward and charge, and one of us can pick up the shitstorm behind you.
I wish I could be more like you.
You're supposed to be the goddamn hero. If you break, then what the fuck do you think is going to happen to the rest of us?"

Brent
"Stop trying to help me. Stop trying to fucking fix me and figure out what you want from me. How the fuck am I supposed to help you if I don't know what you want from me? Do you even know what you're looking for here? 
Please...please tell me you know.
I can't keep being honest with you, so just figure out what the fuck you want from me. Just fucking tell me what you want.
I want to understand. I want to help you.
I don't know what I'm doing.
Please just tell me what to do. I don't know how to do this.
I can't fix you if I don't know what to fix.
Just give me something to fix. Something that I can do.
I can't help.
But I'll keep trying.
I can't.
Not if I don't know how.
I can't.
Not if someone doesn't tell me what to do.
I can't.
Not if I don't know what's broken.
Just fucking tell me what you want.
Because I don't think I understand.
I don't know how to do anything else.
So let me help. Don't make me fumble blindly like this.
Just fucking tell me.
Because I only make mistakes, and I don't want to break you too.
Tell me so I can leave first."

Chris
"██████ ██ ██████ I don't know what ███ ████ you are█ but ████ ████ █ ████ ███ █████ ███ You need someone to keep you anchored█ ███ ███ ████ ███ █████ █████

Are you █████ ████ █████ desperate?

I can██ bring you back every time. █ ████

I can██ do it.

██ ████

█████

████"

Angélique
"I ████ know where you are █████ ███ I know ███ ██ █████ ██ ███ 

█ ███ ████ ████ ███ █ █████ ███ ███ ███

You'█ ████ ██ll be alive when we get to you."

Zoe
"I'm not afraid of you █████ ███ ██ ██ ███ ██ ███. You hurt and kill, but you don't break people ██ ██ ███ ██ ████ █ █ █████ 

█████ ████ ██ █████ 

I can keep them there for ████ ███ you ██ █████ █████ and that s██ ███ good.

I'm not afraid of you █████ █ ███ █ ██ █ ████

But you don't have to take my word for it."

Marcus
"You're █████ █ █ better. That █████ heart of gold is █████ █ █ stronger. You're our face, █ ██ ███ ███ ██████ ██ █ ███ ██ ███

██ ████ █our ███ █ ████ █ ███ ██ ██ █ symbol ██ █████ ██ ███ ███ ██████ ██.

███ ███ ███ ████ ███

██ █ ████ ███ █████ ████ you're getting the hard job. If I have to █ ███ █ make it easier, then I can do it.

I have to.

It's the only thing I can do."

Ernie
"I ████ like█ you, ██ I know you're ██ the normal person I want ██ to be. You know ███ don't you? ███ █ █ ███ ████ ██ █ █████ █ ████ ██ ████ And you fit right in█ ██ ███ ███

██ ██ ███ ██ ███ █ █ ███ ██ ██████ 

I'll keep teaching you piano.

I'll keep pretending █ ███ ███ ██ ███ ███ ██ ██ ████.

That's fine ██ ██, isn't it?"

Cal
"You always want to do the right thing. You can fight, you can do what you need to, ████ So stop finding ways to make yourself wrong. ███ ████ ██ ███ ███ ██ ██ ██ █ █████ █████ you can█ █████ fix everything. Just look forward and charge, and one of us can pick up ██ █████ behind you.

You're ████ █ █ the ██████ hero. █ ██ ████ ███ ███ ██ ███ █ ██ ███ █ ███ █ █████ █ ██ ███ █ ██"

Brent?
"███ ███ █ ███ ██ ███ █████ █ █████ ██ █ ███  █████ ██ ███ ██ ███ ███ ██ How ██ ███ am I supposed to help you █ █ ███ ███ ███ ██ ███ ███ █? Do you ███ know what you're looking for ███? 

I ██ keep being honest █t█ █o█ █ ███ figure out what ██ ███ you want ███ ██ ███ █████ ███ █ ███ ██ ███.

I don't know what I'm doing.

█ ███ ██ ██ █ I don't know what to fix.

I can█ help.

I can█.

I can█.

I can█.

Just █████ ███ ██ ████ ███ ████

█ don't ███ ██ █ █ ██████ ████

████ ████ ██ ██

██ █ █ █ █ leave █████."

Siena ██████
████ ███ ████ ██ I ██████ ███ ███ █ ██ ██ ██████ ██ ████████████████ ███ ███████ 

█ ██████ ████ ████ will ██ ████ █ ██████

████████ ████ ███ ██ ██████ ████ ███████ ██ ██ ███ ███ ███ ███████ ██ ███ ██████ █ █████ protect ████ ████

█ ████ ██ ████ ████ you █████ ████ █████

████ ███ ████ ███████ a█ ██ ████ ███ ██l█l███. ████ █████ ███ █████

████ ██ ████ I w██ ████ ██ ███ █████ i██ ██████ █ll ███ █████████ Be████ ██a█ ████ ████ m█ █o ███

███ ████ n████ ██████ ████ █ ██st███ █e█r███ ████ for the █m███ ██████."

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Hidden 10 yrs ago → 8 yrs ago Post by Vox Angelis

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Vox Angelis Dust in the wind

Banned Seen 2 yrs ago

Vox Angelis

Dust in the wind

Banned

410 posts

in 4570 days

Seen 2 yrs ago

Bio

Doesn't look much like she is 20.

2’02’’ ft.

31 lb.

She looks like a half-eaten nugget

Huehuehue

Her life is a never-ending story of fuck-ups. Being transformed into a half-processed nugget is the greatest of all.

𝒮𝓎𝓂𝓅𝒽𝑜𝓃𝓎 𝑜𝒻 𝒟𝑒𝓈𝓉𝓇𝓊𝒸𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃

She's mute though.

Something something happy.

Something something edgy.

T H I C C black X

 𝒮𝓉𝒾𝑔𝓂𝒶 

She's turning into a bipolar schizophrenic insomniac. In short,

Hue

Unlimited Metal Frameworks

"All I feel is pain now."

It's dark and cold and lonely...

-An amazing assortment of punk, rocker and metalhead fashion clothing and accessories tubes, hooks and metal frames.
-A large polished mirror

Help me...

Help me...

Help me...

Help me...

Help me...

Help me...

Help me...

Help me...

Help me...

Help me...

Help me...

Help me...

Help me...

Help me...

Help me...

Help me...

Help me...

How Angel looked like before she embraced the nugget life.

It's hard to believe so much happened in the small amount of time I've spent here. It's... hard to think this is how it ends for me after all this...

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Hidden 10 yrs ago → 9 yrs ago Post by VarionusNW

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VarionusNW Nobody In Particular

Member Seen 34 min ago

VarionusNW

Nobody In Particular

1814 posts

in 4555 days

Seen 34 min ago

ℕ 𝕒 𝕞 𝕖

Allison Revel
𝔸 𝕘 𝕖

18
ℍ 𝕖 𝕚 𝕘 𝕙 𝕥

5'7"
𝕎 𝕖 𝕚 𝕘 𝕙 𝕥

138lb.

𝔸 𝕡 𝕡 𝕖 𝕒 𝕣 𝕒 𝕟 𝕔 𝕖

ℙ 𝕖 𝕣 𝕤 𝕠 𝕟 𝕒 𝕝 𝕚 𝕥 𝕪

Most people who've known Allison for a short period of time might refer to her as one of the nicest people they've ever met. She seems kind, considerate, and unabashedly honest, and for all intents and purposes she is, or atleast she tries to be. Allison is the sort of person who tries to be as likeable as possible, but in an honest way. Being a lowest common denominator sort of likeable is something that Allison sees as counterintuitive and fake. Allison would rather be honest and lose out on a few people than live a lie.

As honest as Allison is, she isn't against messing with people, and as anyone who's known her for a while might tell you, there is a reason she has earned the endearing title of "unrelenting bitch". To her, there is nothing more fun than treating others as playthings and toying with them, pulling on their heartstrings and such. While she does enjoy messing with people, she does so lovingly. Why would she go to the effort of toying with someone she didn't care about in the slightest?

Beyond the friendly, playful girl lies the aberration taunted by an unsightly stigma. To put it bluntly, Allison wants to fuck anything that moves, and that gets old real fast. Allison spends every day irritated, keeping up appearances and attempting to ignore her own thoughts.

ℍ 𝕚 𝕤 𝕥 𝕠 𝕣 𝕪

According to her account, Allison was entirely against the idea of being a prisoner of the government, and would have preferred to stay hidden, until she met a young man whom she refuses to name. The young man apparently convinced Allison to make herself known to the government, claiming that the two of them would stay together in a slightly more contained environment. Allison claimed that the young man was with her up until her transportation to USARLIN East, but no evidence of him even existing has been found.  The "young man" was determined to most likely be an aspect of Allison's stigma. Allison still seems convinced that the young man was real, describing several encounters with the man, as well as a detailed physical description, though she is adamant that his name should never be spoken.

𝕄 𝕒 𝕘 𝕚 𝕔

Shard of Dissonance
Allison can manifest a blade of energy. This blade resembles a dagger of some sort, though it's exact design seems to differ to all who look at it. The shard cannot cut through living matter, and instead passes through it, though it is capable of effortlessly cutting through inanimate objects/nonliving material. The shard is also capable of disrupting the abilities of other mages. If the shard comes into contact with a caster, any magic being cast is immediately disrupted for the duration that the shard stays in contact, and the caster becomes unable to cast for that duration. After a minute of being active, or if Allison drops the shard, it will dissipate, and cannot be manifested again for three minutes. The stronger the target that's disrupted, the greater the strain. The shard can manifest up to a length of 6 meters.
Allison can create 3 shards made from the same material and have the same effects as her blade. She can launch in succession or one by one. When it comes into contact with a target, it can’t be removed. However, if the target moves outside of a 20 meter radius around Allison, the shard will disappear. Each shard has a recharge time of 1 minute.
Allison can manifest a blade of energy. This blade resembles a dagger of some sort, though it's exact design seems to differ to all who look at it. The shard cannot cut through living matter, and instead passes through it, though it is capable of effortlessly cutting through inanimate objects/nonliving material. The shard is also capable of disrupting the abilities of other mages. If the shard comes into contact with a caster, any magic being cast is immediately disrupted for the duration that the shard stays in contact, and the caster becomes unable to cast for that duration. After a minute of being active, or if Allison drops the shard, it will dissipate, and cannot be manifested again for three minutes. The stronger the target that's disrupted, the greater the strain.

The shard can manifest up to a length of 6 meters.

Allison can create 3 shards made from the same material and have the same effects as her blade. She can launch in succession or one by one. When it comes into contact with a target, it can’t be removed. However, if the target moves outside of a 20 meter radius around Allison, the shard will disappear. Each shard has a recharge time of 1 minute.

𝔻 𝕣 𝕖 𝕒 𝕞

"What a wonderful night." He spoke with blatant sarcasm as he laid back in the bed.

"I'd rather not recall it. I can't believe you convinced me to..." Her words were groggy and sluggish, nearly stumbling over each other.

"Yea, yea. Forget about it, Alli." She playfully glared at him. He knew that she hated being called that. "Come over here. Let's just forget about today for a bit." He held out his arms to her from across the bed.

"Actually, I'm not sure if I'm up to it tonight. I'd rather just sleep. It's been an exhausting day." She felt as if the weight of the world was on her shoulders, and the man next to her seemed to be the cause of most of that, yet staring into his peculiar red eyes was the most comforting thing. "Tommorow, babe, I promise." She leaned over to kiss him before resigning herself to sleep. Just before she closed her eyes, something seemed to fall from the ceiling, impaling itself in her chest. She felt the blade pierce through her heart, and it hurt like nothing else. The excruciating pain seemed to replace the emotional weight that had been crushing her moments before. Her heart was filled by pain, though, in that pain it was whole.

ℕ 𝕚 𝕘 𝕙 𝕥 𝕞 𝕒 𝕣 𝕖

There he was. Right above her. Motionless. Silent. His eyes were a piercing red, wide open, staring directly into her soul. She felt powerless. She knew she couldn't do anything in this moment, only stare into those piercing, unblinking eyes. Though, she felt an overwhelming sense of joy in that moment, and it felt strange and wrong, but it felt wonderful, even as she felt his blood slowly dripping down the length of the blade that had impaled the both of them. The blade had cut through his heart, and she knew that he was dead. No, not dead, gone, forgotten, a voice lost to the wind. And she, well she had no physical wound. The blade simply sat in her chest, yet her heart was not pierced. There was a hole in her heart. though, one that the blade could not fill.

𝔸 𝕨 𝕒 𝕜 𝕖 𝕟 𝕚 𝕟 𝕘

Aberration

  𝕊 𝕥 𝕚 𝕘 𝕞 𝕒         

Allison is plagued by insatiable lust. Basically, she has the urge to fuck anything that moves. Unsuprisngly, this gets old really fast. Most of the time, Allison is extremely frustrated, attempting to ignore the stigma by thinking about anything else. Even when she gives in to her urges, they are not sated. Only horrible violence seems to calm her urges. So, it's like bloodlust, but with actual lust.
𝔸 𝕣 𝕞 𝕒 𝕞 𝕖 𝕟 𝕥 𝕤

N/A

𝕋 𝕙 𝕖 𝕞 𝕖  𝕊 𝕠 𝕟 𝕘 𝕤

The Hollow - A Perfect Circle
The Plan(Fuck Jobs) - The Front Bottoms

Hidden 10 yrs ago → 10 yrs ago Post by canaryrose

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canaryrose

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canaryrose

1454 posts

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Seen 1 day ago

ℕ 𝕒 𝕞 𝕖 :

Savannah Churchill

𝔸 𝕘 𝕖 :

14

ℍ 𝕖 𝕚 𝕘 𝕙 𝕥 :

4"8

𝕎 𝕖 𝕚 𝕘 𝕙 𝕥 :

90 pounds

𝔸 𝕡 𝕡 𝕖 𝕒 𝕣 𝕒 𝕟 𝕔 𝕖 :

Savannah is a delicate, petite young girl. She has a heavy Irish accent (because of her origin).Her skin is freckled and tan in color, and everything about her is small, from her hands to her feet. Her hair is painfully curly. It's almost untamable, and she finds it very hard to brush or style, however occasionally she does straighten it (as shown in the picture above). She often wears kid's clothing, due to the fact that she is short.

ℙ 𝕖 𝕣 𝕤 𝕠 𝕟 𝕒 𝕝 𝕚 𝕥 𝕪 :

Savannah is- well, to be blunt, a fairly angry person. Because of this, she separates herself from others at all costs, but she can't avoid people all of the time. When she does speak to people, physical contact is an absolute no. Whether it's a hug or even a casual high-five, she hates touching other people. This is mostly because of the explosive nature of her magic, she feels that she destroys everything she touches. She also loves to use choice Irish curses, such as "Blast you to hell!" Anything can send her over the edge, such as a simple touch or a slight insult meant as a joke. She's also a homicidal maniac, as she often has urges to obliterate someone off the face of the Earth. Not that she hasn't done that or anything. Even when she's not feeling like a maniac, she's not the friendliest person either. She can often be found screaming at others in rage, and she can get scary. Actually, most of the time, she is in a rage. Anything that goes into her room is likely to never come out, and it was probably torn to pieces by her fingers within a day. Unless it's something that she treasures, such as her violin or, I don't know, bed. If you ever went into her room, you would find a complete mess with torn paper and other things strewn across the floor. Only a few precious things would be together, such as her violin and pictures of her family.

ℍ 𝕚 𝕤 𝕥 𝕠 𝕣 𝕪 :

Meet 14-year-old Savannah, small-town Irish refugee. When she was 9, some of Dreamcatcher's monsters attacked her village, killing her father, and her older brother.After Savannah and her mother recovered, they decided to seek refuge in America. They moved to Westbrook, Maine. However, Savannah's mother was increasingly distant from her, giving her only remaining daughter little to no attention. One night, Savannah dreamed two dreams- and she chose the one she thought was better. That morning, she woke up with a black X on her throat, feeling as if she had to hurt someone, do something to hurt someone else. But she resisted it, instead telling her mother what had happened. Instead of the normal response Savannah had expected, her mother proceeded to call the police and lock Savannah inside of her room. After 30 minutes, a team came for Savannah and arrested her. It wasn't without struggle though. The tiny girl made futile attempts to escape multiple times, and before coming USARILN East she was held in prison for about a week.

𝕄 𝕒 𝕘 𝕚 𝕔 :

Counterbomber: An ability where, upon contact, Savannah can channel a magical charge into a sigil, which is then placed upon a target (has to be a spell-user). The sigil in question is a circle with space for an arrow-shaped mark to come through. If the target casts a spell while the sigil is located on them, there's an explosion, kind of like a firecracker. The stronger the spell casted by the target, the stronger the detonation will be. Each sigil lasts for about five minutes, and afer one goes off she needs five minutes to recharge her powers. She can only have one sigil at a time.

𝔻 𝕣 𝕖 𝕒 𝕞 :

Savannah's dream was one of beauty. A peaceful utopia, criminals gone, the ugly bits of the world had vanished. Savannah was a normal person in this utopia, walking around in beautiful clothing, the peace of the world enveloping her. But yet, something was missing. She felt it deep within her soul, that something was not right. However, the dream was nothing but euphoria and beauty.

ℕ 𝕚 𝕘 𝕙 𝕥 𝕞 𝕒 𝕣 𝕖 :

The land was red and brown, tarnished. Thousands kneeled in front of the 14 year-old, fear in their gazes. Savannah had all she had ever wished for, power, beauty, wealth, a world where nobody disrespected her. Initially, she chose this path, loving the feeling of accomplishment and smugness that came with it.

𝔸 𝕨 𝕒 𝕜 𝕖 𝕟 𝕚 𝕟 𝕘 :

Aberration.

  𝕊 𝕥 𝕚 𝕘 𝕞 𝕒 :          

Her stigma is an emotion. Constant rage that drives her insane, making her tear apart everything in her room. She often feels urges to punch someone, kill someone, anything that might relieve the feeling. But the only thing that can relieve it is the use of her power to kill someone.
 
There is also another thing that torments her. Memories of her childhood flash through her mind on a daily basis. They are mostly of the attack on her home as a child and her father's death, but they often vary.

𝔸 𝕣 𝕞 𝕒 𝕞 𝕖 𝕟 𝕥 𝕤 :

xxx

𝕋 𝕙 𝕖 𝕞 𝕖  𝕊 𝕠 𝕟 𝕘 𝕤 :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTwdGRHl5Mw

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