First time making samosas from scratch; also making fried pakoras, fruit salad, and daal. I can't wait to try it all~
7
likes
1 yr ago
Okowa, the sister of sushi! I got my chicken, my fish, my mushrooms - I'm gonna drown it all in soy sauce-
1
like
1 yr ago
Maybe I'll play Cyberpunk 2077 some more. My brother maxed out my character a year and a half ago. Haven't seen him since. Miss him.
3
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1 yr ago
Mica, my pet snail, passed away today. :(
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Bio
°˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖°
”Mr. Dawson, why don't you have a seat?” He said, gesturing to the brown leather chair he had his hand resting on.
The men behind Adel stepped forward. They each placed a firm hand around his upper arms, half-guiding, half-dragging Adel to the seat. If Adel struggled in any way, their plan would have been quickly subduing him with a blow to the cheek - but besides tensing up, the man didn’t fight.
They shoved Adel into the seat, twisting it so it faced the mirror. Vincent still had that smirk on his face as he picked up a bowl of shaving cream and an applicator brush on the counter.
Slowly, methodically, Vincent applied shaving cream to Adel's face while speaking.
”Now, my men tell me that you and your spies have decided to make it your home in White Pine. Not that I care too much about that.”
He set down the bowl, picking out a barber's blade instead. He opened it, the fresh gleam of a clean, sharp blade within.
“What I really care about, though, is who set you up to do this.”
The blade pressed against Adel's neck as Vincent leaned over, staring at the man through the mirror.
"A million times I have done this charade. The moment people figure it out, I get the boot." she thought.
"But don't you want to see the fear in their eyes when they see who you really are...? Don't you want dominion of this place, just like how you were unchallenged in Vaal Kastrix?" said the Voice.
Ciara scoffed, immediately thinking of Gulliver and Valen. "I'd love to wipe the smirk off their faces."
"It starts by building a rumor. A rumor of power. This could be the place to start."
She took a deep breath, narrowing her eyes resolutely at the Undermage. "Head Advisor, with all due respect, you have no right to ask me about my intentions. If you want answers..."
She stood from her seat, rising to her full height.
I can retropost for Sam, during all of these timeskips, but it's going to be something stupid like "Meanwhile, 180 days later..."
I wouldn't worry too much about retro-posting. Like you said, it's a lot to retrospect. I don't believe Sam was ever approached by the FF, like Allen mentioned. I wonder if that could still happen... Might be cool~
(collaboration between @Estylwen and @tsukune) Greencrest Heights, White Coast_
“So, you’re telling me you let her go?” Aislin said, waving her hand as she pressed a phone to her ear.
“Correction, I gave her an extended leave.” Hallmark’s professionalism couldn’t hide the annoyance in his tone.
Aislin smirked. “And you want me to look into her activities prior to this, apparent, shitstorm?”
“Yes. The leads will be sent to your tablet.”
“Consider it done. But I gotta say, Hallmark… I think you’re getting soft.”
“No, my dear CT, I’m simply playing my cards. Rhea is a unique case, but never has an agent been ignorant enough to break their word.”
“...Very good, boss. I’ll contact you if I find anything.” Aislin said. She pulled the phone from her ear, pressing the ‘end call’ button. A part of her feared for Rhea; Hallmark was a black wolf when things didn’t go his way. Aislin reviewed the first lead on her phone: Thanks-A-Latte.
Haruka was completely lost in his own world when he finally stepped out of the cafe, a crushed paper napkin in his balled-up fist. The lady who introduced herself as Xing Huo, a 'Fire Spirit' for some cult called Polaris, had left her number on the napkin. "Give me a call whenever you're ready - because you know that you can't run away from your past, your destiny... no matter how hard you try," was what she had said before she left giggling.
Was this what his brother had been trying to hide from him? That their family was a part of a dangerous Asian organization which had finally caught up with them?
...And the sickening revelation that the two of them were not natural Metahumans, but unexpected products from a supposedly failed 'ritual'. Now that their powers had awakened and matured, they wanted them back to join them, the real family.
He felt complicated right now. Shizuka had been trying so hard to keep him out of this danger... but now they were going to use him to threaten his twin.
...He just didn't know what to think anymore.
He would have to find a way to get Shizuka to talk to him, face to face: about everything he had been hiding from Haruka all these while, about Polaris, about their mother. And it was about time he started to come clean with his brother, about the things he knew from Jennifer and Rori...
Who knows, maybe all these things are only parts of a bigger picture, a bigger conspiracy...
He was so engrossed mulling over all these new information that he didn't watch where he was going and walked straight into someone; the bump was hard enough to jerk him out of his own thoughts.
While Haruka exited the building, Aislin stepped up. As both were absent-minded, they managed to stumble into each other’s way, knocking Aislin from her daydream. In the middle of a smiling apology, Aislin took in the person she half-trampled. He seemed normal, for all intents. Except... Aislin swore she recognised him. Pulling out a tablet, she stared at the screen, then back at the man. She gasped.
"Ah, sorry, my bad," Haruka apologized hurriedly, then gave her a confused look from the way she was staring back and forth between him and her tablet.
“Oh my God, you’re the guy! And to think I’d find you here, of all coincidences.” Aislin said, pointing her finger enthusiastically at him. “I, uh—” she blushed, shifting to offer a handshake. “I’m Aislin.”
Haruka returned the handshake, but he continued to stare at Aislin curiously. "I'm Haruka. So, uh, are you looking for me?" What a strange night tonight - that there was more than one person who was looking for him...
Aislin beamed, tapping on her tablet for a moment. “Yes, yes indeed. I think you’re the only person who can help me right now, Haruka.”
She showed him the tablet, a huge image of Rhea taking up the screen. “Do you recognise this woman?”
Haruka raised an eyebrow. "Yes," he breathed, recalling his awkward conversation with Jennifer at the cafe counter before this lady in the picture snapped them out of it, and then he realized that he had been hogging the counter for too long. "I remember her. Is she a friend of yours?"
“Yes. Her name is Rhea; she’s, hmm… gone missing.”
Haruka looked up at from the tablet to Aislin. Missing? "I'm... sorry to hear that." Then he shook his head. "I have never seen her after that day in the cafe, when she left together with some African-American man." There was no way anyone who was in the cafe on that day would be able to forget that man... not with such a loud and flashy entrance.
Aislin pursed her lips, flicking the screen. “Was it this guy?” The image was much fuzzier as it was taken from the security tape, but it showed the definition of an African man sitting with a drink, head turned to show his faded mohawk.
Haruka stared at the screen, unblinking. "That's him! This... Where did you get this from?" He frowned at Aislin. "Who are you? What's going on?"
“Please don’t think ill of me.” Aislin smiled sheepishly, tucking the tablet away in her purse. “I have a kind benefactor that wants to see Rhea returned safely home. She’s also my friend. As it stands, you are the sole person that’s interacted with her.”
A couple with a dog walked within hearing range, alerting Aislin. She moved away from the cafe building, gesturing for them to walk. Their discussion was private, after all.
Meeting Haruka’s suspicious eyes with an earnest face, Aislin continued. “Did she say anything to you? Where they were going?”
Haruka relaxed when he was certain that this lady wasn't a bad person. He looked off to one side. "No, we didn't really talk to each other, because I was with... someone else," he began. "But I think I saw your friend treating the man to a drink--- Ah, there is something else I remembered."
He turned to face Aislin. "That man... I can feel something about him, some sort of power. He felt like a walking storm. I think he can manipulate weather, or something similar." That was the other impression that African-American had left on him - the air current that suddenly went wild in the store when that man entered, and he had to use his own air power to suppress the unnatural turbulence.
Aislin whistled, giving the street a quick glance. “You’re brave to use the ‘P’ word, especially with the way baselines are feeling nowadays.”
The mention of ‘feeling’ weather-manipulation piqued Aislin interest. She tilted her head, grinning. “So if I heard that right, all four of us are special. Rhea’s a meta. The African and you must be as well, if what you felt is correct.”
Always lovely to bump into another one who understands. Aislin thought.
"I knew exactly how it felt like being a baseline," he muttered under his breath, soft enough for only himself to hear. Then he spoke louder, "'Special', huh... I never really thought of it that way. Even with these powers, we are still no different from a mere human being." It just became another tool for people to hurt others in order to attain their selfish desires, to amplify their greed for even more power...
He shook his head slightly to clear those thoughts from his mind. "What are yours and your friend's abilities? For me..." He stopped in his tracks, opened his palm with the ball-up napkin, and created a mini-tornado that spun the napkin ball around his hand. "I'm an air manipulator. That's why I can feel that man's superpower."
I'm getting cynical vibes... Aislin mused as Haruka spoke. Their path led them to a small park within the city. She watched the napkin spin on the spot, intrigue on her face.
"But he didn't feel you? It must be a trait exclusive to your power set." She said, tapping her chin. "Rhea's, well, a healer. But it's more than just bruises and scrapes. Real crazy to watch, I'll tell ya."
Haruka blinked at Aislin's question about his power. "I... don't know. I don't purposely keep my power active all the time... other than the 'feeling' part. That is passive." He perked up a little upon hearing that her friend was a healer, and that reminded him of someone. "I guess that is handy," he mused. "I bet it is crazy to watch how broken limbs can just join back together so quickly and seamlessly, as good as new."
She nodded. "I get 'cha. In Rhea's case, though, it makes her a tad reckless."
They approached a bench in a sheltered part of the greenery, Aislin setting her purse on it. She rifled through it before pulling out a realistic plushy, briefly showing it to Haruka. Aislin placed the cat on the bench, and without another word, gave it a long stare. Just as the silence was getting uncomfortable, the cat suddenly meowed as it came to life. Leaping down, it playfully pawed at Haruka's shoe.
Aislin snickered. gesturing to the cat. "Dare you to take a wild guess at what just happened."
Haruka had wondered what Aislin was doing when she took out a plush-cat and merely stared at it; he nearly jumped when the cat suddenly mewed and played around at his feet. He watched the cat in awe. "This... is amazing. Did you do something to give 'life' to it?" He was currently studying programming because of his interest in computers and software, but this was different. This felt too real to be a mere computer program.
He pocketed the napkin before he squatted down and held out a hand to touch the cat. "...Can I?"
"Aw, you think so?" Aislin said, eyes shining. "It's not as legit as Creation. I don't know if anyone's ever had that intense of a power."
The cat meowed again, tail waving passively. "She won't bite. Right, Missy?" Aislin said, chuckling. "What you're seeing is an animation. Missy simply responds to intent, and it's from years of practice that they appear 'life-like'."
Haruka tickled the cat under its chin, still wowed by how realistic it seemed and felt to him. "'Animation'? Is it like how a puppeteer controls their dolls, but with invisible strings in the form of your own thoughts?" He stroked the cat, and his face was slowly beginning to brighten up from the conflicted state since his conversation with Xing Huo.
"Similar. I've always felt it was more of a mental connection where objects are given programs and then run. Like the cute, cuddly program." Aislin laughed. On cue, Missy squirmed onto her back to bat at the man's fingers, head tilted with wide eyes.
"Mreow?"
Aislin straightened, noting the fading light. "Say, uh," she cleared her throat. "I'd still like to ask you a few more questions regarding my investigation. Would you be alright if we grabbed a drink?"
"Wait..." Aislin scrunched her eyes at Haruka. "Do you drink?"
Haruka couldn't help but let out a chuckle at her narrow look as he stood up. "I may not look like it, but I am already past the legal drinking age. I guess we Asians just don't look as old as our true age."
Aislin clapped her hands gleefully. "Perfect! Youthful looks is a wonderful thing. Let me put Missy to rest and we'll scope out a joint."
Down a couple blocks and across the street they found a cosy little pub. The brick building was on the old side, but a fresh, metallic sign reading ‘Mercer Tavern’ gave it an inviting appearance. Aislin and Haruka walked through the wood doors and up a flight of steps to the main area. It held a rustic-chic feel with the electric chandeliers and dark wood accents against the brick walls.
“Table for two, please,” Aislin told the hostess.
“Sorry, your friend's a bit too young to enter, Miss.” The lady said, gesturing to Haruka.
Haruka was used to this; letting out a sigh, he simply whipped out his ID card to the hostess. The lady scrutinized the face on his card and looked up at him suspiciously, but she still let them into the bar in the end.
They sat at a table near the corner, with a perfect view of the front door and a fire escape to the left. A brunette came by with menus and inquired about drinks.
"First round'll be on me," Aislin said. "I'll start off with a Caesar."
"...I guess I'll have the same as you," Haruka winked at Aislin. "And see who will get drunk first." It had been a while since he had actually let loose of himself, putting away the polite and softspoken image he had been wearing his whole life (no, even so, he was still nowhere as blatantly rude and unforgiving as his sardonic twin). He really felt like drowning himself in some alcohol, to wash away all the annoying dark thoughts churning inside his mind...
Aislin laughed, shaking her head at Haruka. "Drunk, huh? Well, let's get business out of the way first, shall we?"
Before the waitress turned away, Aislin held up her hand. "I've changed my mind. Two Mojitos, por favor." The waitress just manged to hide an eye roll before walking away.
Aislin placed her hands on the table, relaxing in her seat. "For the record, I do appreciate you helping me out. We've figured out the man Rhea met was some type of meta. They left together. Did you happen to overhear any of their conversation, perhaps?"
"You did say that your friend has gone missing... and I know how it feels to lose a friend," Haruka waved her words of gratitude off, a slight sadness flashed across his face before the smile was put back on. "I'm sorry, I didn't try to listen in to their conversation... though at one point the man suddenly stood up, and he seemed upset at Rhea." He furrowed his brows, trying to pull out more of the cafe scene from his memory bank.
Aislin seemed puzzled. "Now that's strange. Rhea's known for her tact. Unless she wanted to upset someone, it simply wouldn't happen." In which Haruka could only shrug in response, since he didn't know the reason for the man's sudden outburst, either.
She sighed, peeking at her menu. "I'm thinking of getting an appetiser. Do you prefer anything?" It was more of a distraction than anything. The pieces she picked up about Rhea just weren't making sense. Not that she was frustrated, yet, but she didn't have enough clues.
"I can pretty much eat everything on the menu now," he joked lightly, then stopped when he noticed the expression on Aislin's face. "...Is there something wrong?"
Aislin playfully stuck out her tongue. "No." She glanced at the menu again before pushing it aside. "Rhea's just not making this easy. And I have a feeling... the person she met has something to do with her disappearance. This African meta. They talk, she goes home, and several hours later she's gone."
The waitress walked by their table with a tray, setting down two cold glasses. Aislin reached for hers, peering at the lime and crushed peppermint leaves through the ice.
"Are you two ready to order?" The waitress asked.
"We'll start with an appetiser. The stuffed mushrooms, please."
The brunette nodded, walking to the back. Aislin took a long sip of her Mojito, giving Haruka a humorous look. “So, what do you do for work? No wait... don’t tell me.” Her eyes narrowed in thought. “You’re drinking on a weeknight. Haven’t looked at a clock the entire time we’ve chatted. Are you self-employed?”
"I'm still studying in college... well, used to," Haruka took a sip of his drink before he replied slowly. The cocktail certainly made him feel a little more refreshed after a really long day today. He thought about how everyone in his course eventually found out that he was a Metahuman after the mall incident, which forced him to resign from school for 'safety reasons' (he was blamed for almost killing the hostages with the air vacuum). "I guess the only way to complete my studies is to go back to the Academy Program again."
He didn't want to do college through the academy - he was told that he had the potential to become a DOVE, but he wanted to learn more about other things like computers instead of just training on his power non-stop; besides, Shizuka would probably flip shit at him if he ever found out his twin had followed in his footsteps.
"How about you?" he asked, equally curious about why Aislin would be as free as him on a weeknight. "From the way you have been asking me questions - and also that photo of the man's footage you showed me just now - I take that you are a private investigator of sorts?"
Before replying, Aislin managed to polish off most of her drink. That does sound cool... Miss Rose, Private Investigator~
"Perceptive." Aislin nodded. "Mainly, I am whatever my company needs. Like a contractor, of sorts. Whatever you imagine investigators do, we do that and more."
The stuffed mushrooms arrived, along with a fresh drink for Aislin. With the smell wafting off the dish, it seemed the chefs outdid themselves. Crab meat, cream cheese and spices — Mmm. Two disappeared almost immediately.
"That sounds interesting," Haruka commented, then paused to down more of his own drink (he was used to drinking slowly, a skill to prevent himself from getting drunk too quickly). Then he continued, "Mind if I ask about the company you are working for?" Before he started digging into the appetizer. It was indeed delicious.
“Sure!” Aislin said, using a straw to play with the leaves in her drink. “We’re a grassroots company with our home right here in Baybridge. We have contractors all over the US working with people. I’ve been with them for about five years, and I’ve never done the same thing twice. It’s refreshing, not like your typical office job.”
Haruka considered her for a moment. He recalled his conversation with Xing Huo and wondered if he should risk involving such a nice young lady to help him... If what she said about her company was true, maybe it wouldn't hurt to just ask if she might have heard of them.
"Hmm... does the name 'Polaris' ring a bell to you?"
Pausing, Aislin stared off to the side. “...No.” Her grimace was followed by a long swig of Mojito. “Which, from what I know, means two things. Either A, they’re inconsequential. Or B, dangerous. We pride ourselves in knowing all the big players out there. It’s our job.”
She tilted her head. “Haruka, do you know anything about this ‘Polaris’?”
Haruka chose his words carefully, "What I know is that they are some sort of mysterious cult based in Asia... and they may have some connections with the 'Founding Family', a counterpart organization based here in the West."
"Shit." Aislin shook her head, a loose smile on her face. "Two groups that are new to me. And you're... concerned about these entities?"
"Yes," Haruka looked around and lowered his voice. "I'm... scared. For my brother. I think he has been investigating them for awhile, and now they are probably after him." He then finished his glass of Mojito in one swig, and then raised a hand to ask for more.
“That’s definitely cause for concern... You know what I think you need?” She pawed down his raised hand, pointing to the bar. “Something a little quicker than that. Like, I dunno, apple pie shooters. They go down easy.”
After a couple rounds of shots, more shots, and drinks consisting of tonic and rum, Aislin hiccuped in her seat at the table. Walking from the bar was a unique struggle, she found. The room insisted on swaying like a ship’s belly.
“...And this big, burly dude came from outta nowhere! Started moving these blades with his mind, see. I was like, ‘holy shit!’, and just managed to knock him on his ass. After he sliced me in the face, of course.” She said, enthusiasm in her sluggish voice. Her fingertips rubbed the scar tissue on her jawline.
“By this time, Rhea hadn’t contacted me in six months. With no healer, it left this damn scar. I was upset, tell ya what.”
Haruka was equally drunk - his pale face was now rosy red, and he had completely lost his usual composure. He laughed heartily at Aislin's complain about her friend before he sobered up. "I feel you, I reeeally do! I wanted some brother bonding with - hic - Shizu since he got kicked out of RAVEN for being a terrrrific agent... but noooo! Here I am worried sick for his stuuupid - hic - assss, but he never even bothers to come back to look out for me!"
He slammed down his emptied glass on the table for emphasis. "Just because the bullet holes on me are - hic - gone, he thinks he doesn't need to care about me anymore!"
Bullet holes? Aislin wondered vaguely before chiming in. “ Well... That’s a load of shit. I dunno nothing ‘bout family, but I know this! You. Have to. Stick. Together.” Her hands stamped out the last sentence, nearly spilling her drink.
Haruka let his head fall onto the table. Shit, now his head was hurting like a bitch. "I know... I know he's trying his best to protect me, our family..." he mumbled, his breath fogging part of the empty glass as he spoke. "...Just where the hell is he now?"
A sympathetic frown crossed Aislin face as she reached out to pat Haruka’s head. “There, there, sweetheart. You aren’t alone. Fate is funny, ya know… You and I have a similar problemmm...”
The rum and tonic was completely inhaled before Aislin continued. “Rhea, she double-ditched my ass. I don’t have a family, yet she was my family. Then… then…”
Her lips quivered. “Oh, I don’t know, she must hate me! The ass cut me off two years ago. Yet here I am with a contract to find her!” She pressed her face into her hands, mirroring Haruka as she collapsed on the table.
“Screw family, man… Screw ‘em.”
"How... nice..." Haruka hiccuped before he let out an envious chuckle. "To have a friend you can call... family." He thought about his 'friends' - the other survivors of the Verthaven disaster - and sighed. He felt so far away from them that he wondered if they were still considered 'friends' after so many years apart. He pushed himself to sit upright, and he clutched his head. "What's the time now? I... should go home..."
"Uhh, 1:08am." Aislin squinted at the clock above the bar, wiping her eyes. "Lemme uhm... call a cab. And, I really hope you don't take this the wrong way, but I wanna escort you home." She pulled out her phone, typing in a number.
"Urghhh..." Haruka grimaced as he tried to stand up. "I can get home on my own---" But he fell down on his back onto the chair. "...Damn. I can't feel my legs anymore."
Aislin watched with an amused expression, phone pressed to her ear. Their waitress, excited to close for the night, was at their table with the bill. While mumbling with a drunk slur into the phone, Aislin took the bill, threw a card on the table, and the waitress happily rang them through. The evening's cost wasn't terrible, racking up to $130.00 with the tip.
With two glasses of water set by their table, Aislin slung her purse over her shoulder. "Cabbie says he'll be here in five. You uh.... look like you could use some water."
A few minutes later Aislin helped guide the duo as they stumbled out into the street and into the back of an idle cab. She gave the driver a slurred greeting and turned to Haruka. "It'sss your place first. Where we going?"
"My brother has an apartment nearby..." Haruka began, and gave the driver the address. "He's so gonna kill me if he sees me like thissss..." He was still having a headache, but he felt a bit better after some water, that at least he could still think straight (even though everything was still rocking before his eyes).
As the city lights flashed by, Aislin waved Haruka off. "Pfft, no way man. He won't bother ya, and besides!" she smiled wide. "You need to let loose sometimes. I mean, you had fun tonight, right? I had fun. Lots of fun~"
"Yeeeaaah, me too..." Haruka agreed, turning his head to give her a smile. "I liked your cat... it was really cute. And I hope you can find your friend. Sorry that I haven't been of much help---" Then he remembered the other thing he had told her. "And... just forget all that I've said about those cults or whatever." He was starting to regret getting a stranger involved in something dangerous...
AIslin nodded, a mischievous glint in her eyes. “Alright, Haruka. I could forget all about it. Absolutely. But let’s consider this for a moment. I am, after all, what’s the word you used... a private investigator?”
Briefly patting her purse, Aislin gave him a wry grin. “You’ve helped me a lot with my current job. I wanna help you. Typically, the fees involved with investigating a ‘group of people’ falls in the tens of thousands. We’re professionals. But... I’m willing to cut you a deal.”
Aislin lowered her voice, eyes locked with Haruka. “Please give me permission to get you some answers. Let me shed some light on the story.” She briefly rolled her eyes. “Sure… it’ll cost you a couple thousand, but it’s worth it~”
"But..." Haruka tried to protest, then he stopped himself. Something about the glint in Aislin's eyes told him that she was completely set on investigating the cult. Even if he did manage to discourage her, someone from the cult might be watching them, and would still get her dragged into all this anyway, using her to threaten him just like how they were using his twin. "...Alright," he finally resigned, before he gave her a playful smile. "Does that discount include the little bit of information I provided about that African man you're searching for?"
"Yes, indeed it does," Aislin said with a chuckle. "I'll text you an account you can transfer a deposit to, and I'll write the job up."
The cab rolled to a stop and Aislin curiously looked out the window. "Oh. That was fast. Not too shabby of a place you got here, Haruka."
While it wasn't as glamorous as those in the classier areas like the Lower South Royer Town in Prince Ed-Field, the condominium where Shizuka and Holly shared was one of the most expensive houses in Greencrest Heights - not to mention, the tallest apartment building around here... and their house was at the topmost floor. It's going to be a pain to go all the way up when he was in this state, he thought sarcastically.
Haruka stumbled a little as he got out of the taxicab. "Not mine, my brother's," he corrected her. "And thanks for the ride; I can walk up on my own this time." He gave her a cheerful wave before he wobbled towards the lobby area.
"Mmm, 'night." Aislin waved back sleepily, watching until he disappeared into the building. Giving the driver her own address, Aislin leaned back in her seat as the cab pulled away, melting into the night.
This was probably the worst beating they had recevied yet - Reiji could barely keep himself conscious from the literal burning pain across his entire body. He gritted his teeth and crawled slowly across the stone ground towards his unconscious wife; the agony was too much for the greatly weakened Yui to bear that she had fainted after just two whips. She was still breathing, but Reiji feared that she was already at her limit.
"Don't be a childish fool," he could remember how Hwee-Suan had sneered at him before she threw the couple into this cell and locked them up ever since. "No matter how strong your will is, it can only protect yourself... and you'll lose everything else around you. Is that what you really want?"
He held Yui in his arms and stroked her greasy curls gently. Polaris never gave them a choice from the very start: all they wanted was to monopolize their powerful cerebral abilities for themselves, to use them as their trump cards in their crazy plan to start another 'revolution'.
This time, a Metahuman Revolution.
He raised a hand to touch the suppressant collar around his neck - even here, his power was still feared by these people who also possessed some form of superpowers, and they didn't trust his words about the psychic blocks in his mind. The collar was effective to negate most of his powers. Most. He couldn't even tell Yui that he still had enough power left to allow him to read people's thoughts, though a little unstable due to interference from the collar. He couldn't tell Yui because Hwee-Suan was still wary of his power, and she had chosen to use Yui's mind instead to keep tabs on the two of them.
He couldn't risk losing his only card, a chance to save his son from being the cult's puppet, to free his family from Polaris.
He was able to pick up bits and pieces of information from the guards who would drop by to give them some food (they still needed the couple alive, after all). Those guards were part of 'Feiying', a personal army of ruthlessly trained assassins to serve and protect the Lee family. He had peeked a little into their minds whenever they came to deliver food... and it seemed like Polaris had been working with this 'Founding Family', an equally insane organization that had the West completely under their control, just like Polaris had absolute rule over the East.
Even being shut inside here for who-knows-how-long, Reiji could feel it in his guts, that this was extremely bad news.
He was snapped out of his thoughts when the ground beneath him rumbled, and he turned his head to see the door beyond the cell opening. It was the same guards as usual, but this time they had something - someone - in tow between them.
Reiji had to force himself to keep his face blank when he recognized who this person was. He continued to stare silently as the guards opened the cell door and threw the person down next to him. He waited for them to leave until their footsteps couldn't be heard anymore, before he tried to shake the person's shoulder.
"Mrs. Takashiro... Mrs. Takashiro."
The lady in dishevelled business suit moaned and opened her eyes slowly. She appeared to be too weak to move, and her eyes seemed unfocused - almost crazed.
"No, no, no..." she mumbled, rolling her head side to side on the concrete floor. "Don't take it away from me... It belongs to me... The power is mine!"
There was too much noise in Asami Takashiro's mind for Reiji to get a proper read on her. All he could see were two faces... and it appeared to be twin boys. One was dark-haired, and the other silver-white.
Instead of writing something for our various collabs, I wasted time rewriting my bio. Go look at it because I made some rather classy comments about most of the people here.
"She was made a fool out of, and she intends on paying the pair back in full. Starting with Rhea."
Oh, it's good. Really good. =FT= You've inspired me to go write my own dynamics.
@BlessedWrath Heh, I know the feeling. I slept 'till noon today. It was great. I don't believe there to be any big rush, but I am looking forward to an update from your charrie. Sam's cool. :3
Above the downtown streets and melting in with the night sky, Aislin crouched on an apartment roof. She wore a CID uniform, a dark, fitted outfit made for movement. After six days of rest, Hallmark sent her on a small contract. A job she’d been itching for. With a duffle bag resting by her feet, Aislin began pulling out her tools of the trade.
The target for the evening: Phil Dolman. A politician held in modest regard and known for his fence-sitting with Metahumans. Not that Aislin was there for his diplomatic views; her contractor was more interested in his time off work. Hallmark was approached by the man’s wife, asking for evidence that Phil was cheating on her. She said it was nothing new, but if she wanted to win in a court of law, she had to get hard evidence.
18th floor. Purple folding chair on the balcony. Aislin recounted, pulling out a tablet and resting it by her feet. From her vantage point, she could see the target’s home. Only a few floors from the roof, with a fire escape adjacent to the balcony.
Taking a stuffed cat from the bag, Aislin held it gently. “Missy, rise and shine.” The cotton-stuffed cat held a rigid position before stirring, a paw rubbing its sleepy eyes. Meowing as Aislin set it down, Missy brushed its face on her leg.
“Voicebox, check. Let’s see if your eyes work.” Aislin pulled up an app on her tablet. A video feed showed the hazy outline of a leg and a faint illumination. It was her on screen, as Missy was still nuzzling her. A column on the side also confirmed audio levels were recording.
Aislin gave Missy a nod. Showtime, cutie. The cat descended the fire escape, pausing at the gap between the staircase and the target's balcony. It sprung up to the metal railing, balancing delicately against the wind. Haunches coiled, the cat leapt across to the other side, landing silently in the folding chair.
The lights were turned on in the living room, two individuals sitting in plain view with a bottle of wine. Aslin studied the tablet, recognising the politician from the job file. The woman beside him was finely dressed, a plastic smile on her face. Aislin noticed the woman's wine was left untouched. Either the lady was paid to be there or needed sobriety to effectively schmooze with men of power.
Keeping a part of her attention focused on Missy, Aislin sat in for the waiting part of the job. Maybe a half hour passed. Probably more. Finally, the mood became a lot more intimate as clothes were thrown to the wayside. From the balcony, Missy could see every detail. Aislin refrained from making a face, waiting only a minute more before commanding Missy back to the roof.
Gently releasing Missy from her mind, Aislin checked the lifeless cat once more before quietly placing it in the duffle bag. Cutting out the important piece of the recording Missy took, the agent sent it over a secure line to HQ.
Pressing a button on her earpiece, Aislin radioed in. “Boss~! It’s CT. I’m uploading contract 245 to you now.”
“Thanks, CT,” Hallmark said. “We’ve just received the package. I have another job for you.”
Aislin pursed her lips. “Yes?”
“We’ve lost contact with a courier, codename Aegis. The alarm system notified us, and we know the emergency hatch was opened. The safehouse is no longer secure, and I need you to activate the manual destruct. I’ll send the details to your device.”
“And this courier?” Aislin asked.
“See if you can find us any leads.”
“Right. CT out.”
Aislin yawned, lazily opening the package as new data popped up on the tablet. Her eyes skimmed the job file until they came to a stop on the courier’s face. She did a double-take, nearly dropping the tablet as she brought it up to her nose. Her mouth hung open, shock in her eyes.
There’s no mistaking it... That’s my boo. Rhea!
Old Raygate, Prince Ed-field
Roughly 50 minutes had passed since the chaos of Veronica and Makoto. The train container stood silently in the field, darkness hiding the destruction. Aislin approached cautiously, watching from her screen as Missy led the way. No one was in the vicinity, as Missy’s eyes confirmed, and Aislin pulled out a flashlight. She saw chairs thrown to the side, cupboards left hanging open and personal belongings decorating the floor. Fragments of a flashbang crunched under Aislin’s foot as she approached a whiteboard. Whoever was here wiped the whole thing, albeit hurriedly. Shreds of Rhea’s handwriting remained intact.
“I’m late, Rhea...” Aislin lowered her head. There was nothing here. No company laptop, no cell phone, no meaningful personal effects. Just abandoned clothes and a dead space.
She picked up on the blood trail from the emergency hatch, following it with her flashlight. Missy stayed close to her heels, meowing uncomfortably. The trail ended at a decrepit warehouse. Aislin played the beam across crates and broken glass, stepping inside. There were minor indications of a struggle, but it seemed to jump around. Strange… Someone might have taken long leaps or teleported. All she found was a pistol, the same used in the company’s bug-out bags. Except, there was no bag. Just the pistol. Five bullets remained in the clip.
Aislin placed the pistol in her duffle bag and pressed her earpiece. “CT here. I’m requesting a vehicle pick up at the Old Raygate’s power plant. We need to talk…”
Before she left, Aislin returned to the safehouse. She opened a secret compartment in the floor, twisted a few knobs, and evacuated the container before it caught on fire.
Rosemaple Lake, Roseview - Present time...
Aislin sat in her regular attire, leather jacket unzipped and aviators hooked on her shirt. She sat in a shaded room, light cutting through the half-shut blinds. Her elbows rested on a mahogany conference table, chin resting on overlapped hands.
Hallmark sat across from her, dressed to the nines as a proper CEO would be. His curly black hair was styled back and a Rolex glimmered on his wrist. On the table before him sat a china cup steaming with African coffee, along with a slim briefcase.
Hallmark eyed Aislin silently over his cup, taking a long sip. The silence drew on until Aislin rolled her eyes. Their encounter last week hadn’t gone well, especially the part where she was told Rhea had been in the company for over two years. It was ‘for their protection that co-workers never associated’. Aislin called his ‘privacy policy’ a load of bull, proceeded to tear him a new one and was escorted from the room by a security guard.
“If you’re pissed, just say so. I’m sorry I gave you shit for not telling me Aegis was Rhea. As I said, I’ve been looking for her for… a long time.” She said.
“CT, if I had a dollar for every time you’ve yelled at me…” Hallmark set down his cup. “No. I didn’t call you here to rebuke you. A suspicious job has come in, and my intel has told me it’s someone we know.”
Aislin tilted her head as Hallmark slid the briefcase over to her. He smiled knowingly. “This job, cracking a cellphone’s lock, belongs to Aegis.”
“Whaaat?” Aislin said, lights in her eyes. “But this job paid to be strictly anonymous.”
“Exactly, which is what piqued my interest.”
“Why, though?” Aislin gave the briefcase a confused look. “She’s MIA. Why would she put a job through us in secret?”
Hallmark leaned back in his seat, fingers pressed together. “Good question. I believe Aegis has been compromised in some way. I want you to deliver this job to her at the meeting point. Then radio me.”
Aislin raised an eyebrow, smirking. “You’re going to let her just walk away?”
A wolfish grin flashed across the CEO’s face. “I never said that.”
Rhea Harlow & Aislin Rose
New Raygate, Prince Ed-field
Rhea sat on a crate in an unassuming, narrow alley. Both Malik and she recovered well enough, and as always her healing left no scars. Adjusting to a lay-low lifestyle, however, left something to be desired. This was only her second time outside in a week. The first time was mainly for necessities as everything she owned was lost. Currently, her attire consisted of sweats, running shoes, and a grey hoodie.
Before finding her way to the meeting point, Rhea tentatively spied on the Founding Family’s base, or what was left of it. The entire place had been destroyed. No clues, no answers. Just a plastic bag rolling across the driveway.
Rhea shifted uncomfortably, heels bouncing as she sat. Waiting was incredibly boring. Sure, she should be concerned about who would be delivering the package. But it wasn’t like she knew any of the other couriers, plus she paid extra for the ‘no questions asked’ policy. Hopefully, there wouldn’t be any hassles with the pick-up, and then Malik and she could start phase two of tracking down Marcelle.
The courier was twenty minutes late. Are they making me wait? Rhea wondered, standing up to stretch.
At the end of the alley, a taxi cab stopped on the street. Rhea clicked her tongue, folding her arms. Finally…
A woman got out as the taxi rolled away, dressed in a leather jacket and slacks. She walked into the alley, slowly removing the aviators from her eyes. “Well. Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes.”
Rhea’s eyes widened, her stomach twisting in a knot. “...”
Clipping the shades on her shirt, Aislin gestured to the briefcase. “You have a lot of nerve attempting to pull the wool over Hallmark's eyes. He says hi, by the way.”
“Shit.” Rhea mumbled, pressing a palm to her forehead.
Aislin stared at Rhea for a moment. “...Two and a half years.”
“What?”
Aislin shook her head. “You’ve ignored me for two and a half years without so much as a ‘thanks, bye’. I’ve tried to contact you, I’ve searched for you. And all the while, you didn’t give a shit.”
Rhea narrowed her eyes. “Can I just have my package—”
“No. You’re listening to me now.” Aislin growled. “If this is about your dangerous work, I’ll have you know that I’ve been working in secret with Hallmark for five years. And I kept in touch with you as I did my contracts.”
Shock flashed across Rhea’s face. “Well I,” her jaw jutted out. “I just wanted to protect you.”
“Pretending I’m dead was not the way to go about it. Didn’t our friendship mean anything to you?” Aislin said, tossing the briefcase at her.
Rhea plucked it from the air, swallowing the lump in her throat. She had no words to give. Aislin was right. She was always right. Feeling the heat burning in her cheeks, Rhea knew she needed to make an exit. Aislin couldn’t get the real answer from her. Not now, hopefully not ever.
As Rhea turned to leave, Aislin sighed. A small grin pulled at her lips. “...Rhea.”
Rhea gave the spy a side glance, pausing.
“I still want to be friends. I’ve... missed you, a lot.”
Rhea searched the ground wordlessly, turning her face away. She hurriedly wiped her eyes dry as she walked out the other side of the alley. She left without a goodbye, and Aislin let her go. They would see each other again, soon enough.
“This is CT,” Aislin said, tapping her comms. “Aegis has the job.”
“Good.” Hallmark’s voice crackled in her ear. “Lay low. I’ll notify you when I need you.”
Being unaffiliated with any one government or organization, CID enjoys the freedom of working on contracts with whomever needs their services, both in the US and across the border. They specialize in secrets, blackmail, and decryption. Their most popular service is the transport of secrets, as the more illicit of things are moving off fiber optic cables. Although CID tries to focus their attention on helping regular people, most can’t afford the ludicrous prices. The company’s HQ is hidden in Rosemaple Lake, Roseview and has access to many safe houses around the city.
CID is by no means a big company with roughly 25 employees, all metahuman. Their task force is split into three divisions: the spies, security, and the couriers. The spies account for 20% of the taskforce, but bring in a large portion of the income. The small security division stays strictly at HQ, save for an occasional bodyguard job. Couriers and spies are pocketed throughout the US with only a handful actually in Baybridge. The couriers and spies are told not associate with one another, and to strictly use code names.
Hallmark (Daxton Locke) — The professional, enigmatic CEO of the company. He’s always found dressed in a suit and tie, with his black hair styled back and the finest jewellery on his hands. He’s a strange CEO in the fact he’s also the company’s dispatcher, and coordinates with Miss Admin on agents and their jobs. He has a personal connection with all his agents and knows them quite well. Many suppose this is his way of sniffing out moles in the company. Although Hallmark treats his employees professionally, he does overstep his bounds when information is withheld or someone tries to lie to him. It should be noted that Hallmark is also the only baseline human in the entire company (besides the tech group).
Miss Admin (Brogan Huntley) — the secretary and public face of CID, and right-hand of Hallmark. She’s a tall lady with maroon glasses framing her face and long auburn hair tied in a bun, a single bang curling to the side. Miss Admin has a strong ‘no-nonsense’ attitude and is incredibly organized. She works in the background of CID, keeping the machine running smoothly. Under her is a small team of baseline employees who run all the tech jobs that CID brings in. She doesn’t typically associate with agents unless they're in trouble with the boss. Her meta-ability is basic, but very useful in their work. She can tell, through emotion, whether someone is lying or not.
Aislin keeps her hair quite short for minimal upkeep. It’s parted to the far side, bangs gracing her forehead, and back layers tapering at her collar bone. It’s cut to follow the curve of her head, with layered strands gently sweeping along her jawline. Aislin’s face maintains a round, youthful-look, save for the crow’s feet at the edge of her eyes. Her high cheek bones bring some welcomed angles to her face. A small beauty mark sits at the side of her lips. Besides the taut appearance around her eyes and the freckles scattered across her skin, she is moderately blemish free. There is, however, a single blade scar arced near the bottom of her jaw, an inch or so from the chin. Having graduated to C’s, Aislin boasts a body that’s curvy yet athletic. Years of training has given her a small powerhouse, capable of running for miles.
Attire:
On most days, Aislin’s go-to outfit is a plain shirt under a leather jacket with wool sleeves, and square aviators. She wears dark, fitted slacks that have some stretch in the material. The outfit is ideal for most anything, like going to town, being inconspicuous while eavesdropping, or doing minor field work.
To get real casual, Aislin wears pink flannel pyjamas. Doesn’t matter where or with who. She usually has her stuffed penguin in tow.
Personality
Outward Personality:
Being very much a high-energy individual, Aislin tends to fill her conversations with enthusiasm. She is kind to her associates, listens well, and has near mastered the art of giving advice. Although she’s popular at the office and other social circles, Aislin maintains one best friend. She’s isolated herself over the years; she finds it hard to relate to most people, especially if they’re non-meta.
Aislin is a curious soul and tends to run her mouth by asking personal questions. What she lacks for tact she makes up in empathy and big smiles. She is completely turned off by those with aggressive personalities and tends to remove anything dark in her life. She’s very sensitive to other people's personalities, even more so since she sees auras. She also tends to be very private about her personal life.
Her mischevious side has married her curiosity ever since becoming a field agent. It’s something that she’s not always comfortable with as she occasionally has to fight people. But she’s never taken a life, and never will — she made that very clear to Hallmark, her employer. Her fighting style has adapted with her personality, specialising in quick, non-lethal takedowns (preferably at a distance).
Innate Personality:
Born with the heart of a child and a great love for life, Aislin is over-emotional. She has zest in her actions and words, although on the flip side, she is prone to hissy fits. Aislin is playful, not one to take life seriously. She doesn’t usually clue into the direness of her situation until it’s too late, which may also be due to a small form of arrogance. This is accentuated by her carefree nature.
After years of meditating and self-reflecting, she is patient and perceptive. Aislin has only become more of a dreamer over the years as she continues to see life through a different lens. There is magic in the world, this she knows. Her personal beliefs are not high on the popularity scale, but instead of conforming, Aislin rose above it. She is a free spirit, disliking any forms of authority or control. This does not mean she’s vindictive, though, as her nature is peace-loving. In a situation where she has no power, or she loses the position of power, Aislin is fearful.
Hobbies/Interests:
Her interests haven’t changed too much over the years. Aislin still loves a dank toke every now and again. Her fascination with Taoism has expanded to include Buddhism and Hinduism. Having said no to take-out a long time ago, Aislin knows how to make a tasty meal with her own hands. She loves music and nature and tends to enjoy both at the same time. Mainly, her days are consumed with pushing the limits of her power, and meditation.
Skills/Talents:
Aislin has taken up sculpturing, but not in a way most would think. She can take certain ‘loose’ material, like ice, and animate it into a shape. If done correctly, when she disconnects from the material, it will retain the new shape. She’s become quite good at it and has several swan sculptures chilling in her freezer.
Meditation has brought Aislin a refined level of focus. This is a necessary skill due to the nature of Animating. It has also helped Aislin better see subtle energy and auras (more info in the Power section).
Having spent roughly five years at Hallmark’s training facility, Aislin’s collected several courses under her belt. The big one, though, is Basic Combat Training, where they teach physical skills and mental discipline. Her aerobatics is on the lacking side, as she can’t do a backflip to save her life.
Goals/Motivation
If there was a way, she’d want every person to experience what it’s like to be a meta-human, so she’s curious about the science behind meta powers. Aislin also wants to have great stories to tell when she’s in her 50’s, so she’ll continue to put herself in unique situations.
History/Bio:
From a quiet orphanage, Aislin was adopted into a well-off household with preoccupied parents. They were a business couple that wanted a quiet, polite daughter without the hassle of raising a baby. Aislin was adored by her parents but was often left to her own devices for long periods of time. This created a form of isolation that Aislin eventually came to accept, and was catalysed by the birth of her powers. They developed at a young age, and to her, appeared to be magic. Rippling walls, walking cutlery, and other strange occurrences became commonplace. Her friends, however, quickly rejected her.
Aislin’s parents couldn’t have been prouder, and sent her to Academy 218 to harness her potential. The school had a peaceful appearance, but as the year unfolded, things became more and more chaotic. Aislin was nearly eaten by a monster meta named Jaska who triggered his Beast Mode by a near fatal wound. Hilariously enough, it was Aislin’s fault he was injured. Without planning or preparation, they ventured into the dark caves outside the school grounds. Before Jaska transformed, Aislin caught a glimpse of a blue-skinned woman.
After the incident, Aislin boldy (or naively) entered the caves again to find the blue meta, only to come across a terrifying man named Luis. After a life-threatening chase, Luis was shot by a masked individual. Aislin escaped the caves and confided in her friends, wondering if anyone knew what was going on. Eventually, the unwelcome guests on the island became known school-wide as the ‘Changeling Unit’, and strategies were formed to remove them. Every staff member that could fight, and many bold students partook in an intense battle. It eventually led to the Unit being forced to flee the island, and nothing more was heard.
Aislin completed the rest of her years in the Academy in moderate and very welcomed peace. This was roughly when Rhea and Aislin bumped into each other and began a glorious friendship. Nearing her graduation, Aislin was approached by a certain company that said they paid well for meta spies, and would continue her training in Canada. Aislin thought she’d give it a try, and quickly found she loved the work.
While collecting incriminating data in Italy, Aislin hit a rough patch with a mafia member who specialised in metal manipulation, specifically blades. This was where she received her scar, but she came out on top and extracted a briefcase that contained 1.2 million dollars worth of intel for Italy’s government. Shortly after, she heard about the tragedy that befell Verthaven, and the Devil. She noticed people looked at her and her animations differently. Again, the isolation gap widened.
After the Overload Crisis in Baybridge, Aislin was relocated to an apartment in Lower South Royer Town for ‘some needed R&R’, according to Hallmark. With time to sit and think, Aislin tried contacting Rhea for the hundredth time. After they both graduated, Rhea just… disappeared.
Currently, Aislin does small contract work for Hallmark, mainly involving politicians.
Relationships
Family:
Mira Rose - Adopted mother David Rose - Adopted father Biological parents unknown.
Dynamics:
| Rhea Harlow |
| Bad | Ex-Best Friend | ”She just up and left. Was it something I said? |
Having close ties since their time in the academy, Aislin was sure the two of them were inseparable. But Rhea hasn’t bothered contacting her for the past two and a half years.
Abilities
Power Class:
Other
Power:
Animation
"The power to give crude life to inanimate objects. Not to be confused with Creation as the lives of animations are tied to the user and not their own."
Essentially, Aislin works on something like Wifi. The objects in her vicinity, and what she can see, are candidates for her puppet strings. It all works through a mental connection. After 5-7 seconds of creating a link with an object, Aislin programs it with a command. The object wakes up and completes the command it’s been given all on its own, giving the illusion of self-thought. If an animation does not have an order, it will do nothing if Aislin is keeping her attention on it, else it’ll die. Over the years, Aislin has refined her connection to be stronger, quicker, and more precise. This has come at a cost, as the connection is so tight it must be gently released.
Creating a link and waking up an object is the only step in which eye contact is required. Animations can be out of her sight and still work fine. Not that Aislin would intentionally send them far away, but animations can only go so far before the Wifi connection is lost, and they die. Aislin’s range, roughly, is about 50 feet.
To change the shape of the material once Aislin purposefully disconnects with it, she has learned to slowly extract herself. This pulls the atoms together at a slower rate, and they’re more likely to find permanent spaces in this new shape. That is how Aislin turns an ice cube into a butterfly.
Animation works because it mimics the flexibility of life, of carbon-based bodies. Atoms stiffly packed together, like a wood chair, would normally never be able to kick up on its back legs and pretend it's a stallion. But if the animator gives the material energy through attention, these atoms pull away from each other minutely. The atoms have space to move and bend, and this gives the animation the flexibility it needs.
Having grown up with a very bendable, pliable reality, AIslin has opened herself to the possibility of something existing beyond what one normally sees. This thought eventually developed into perceiving static energy in the air, and the electrical discharge on people. Aura-seeing is as follows. If Aislin cares to look, and you’re within 5 feet, she can tell if you have a good or bad intention. A haze appears an inch off the skin. Colours change depending on the intent someone presents, and Aislin has seen her fair share of beautiful and ugly auras.
Limits:
Animations demand a varying level of attention on them at all times. They do not require eye contact, just thought. This limits Aislin to 1-2 animations at a time, depending on how intricate the commands are that she gives. As long as Aislin focuses her awareness, the animations can live near-indefinitely. In a moment of say, sleep, pain, or distraction, the animations die.
Swarm animations work as one, are treated as a single animation and have predictable flight paths.
The heavier and denser the object, the harder it is to animate. Anything that exceeds the weight of a microwave is considered to be too heavy. Anything with a density higher than silver is too compact to animate. This includes alloyed metals like steel, or pure metals like platinum. The durability of animations is in direct correlation to what material they're made of. Silver is the strongest, whereas paper, ink drawings, or cotton material are weak.
Weaknesses/Drawbacks:
Organic material, living or dead, cannot be animated. This includes people, animals, and plants. Since animations are so tightly intertwined with her mind, a sudden disconnection can hurt. Only by gently releasing their link can Aislin avoid any backlash, and this takes anywhere from 5-7 seconds.
Backlash has several levels of intensity. On the low end, her lack of attention would kill an animation and she would feel a mild shock. If someone were to absolutely destroy the material making up the animation, leaving a pile of ash, the backlash would be equivalent to a mental spike shoved in her brain. Repeated offenses lowers Aislin’s tolerance, giving the backlash the illusion it’s getting worse.
Other:
Aislin still holds onto her stuffed penguin, Tao.
Hallmark made Aislin a custom gadget for field work. It’s a cotton-filled black cat covered in synthetic hair, made to look realistic. There’s a voice box in its throat, audio recorder in its ears, and a camera in its eyes.
I've brought a character back from the past, aka, Academy 218. :)
Basic Information
Name:
Aislin Rose
Nickname/Alias/Etc:
C.T. (Short for Curiosity)
Gender:
Female
Age:
27
Height:
5’4
Weight:
125 lbs.
Home District:
Lower South Royer Town, Prince Ed-Field
Appearance
Hair Color:
Light brown, pale green highlights
Eye Color:
Caribbean blue
Ethnicity:
Caucasian
Physical Appearance:
Aislin keeps her hair quite short for minimal upkeep. It’s parted to the far side, bangs gracing her forehead, and back layers tapering at her collar bone. It’s cut to follow the curve of her head, with layered strands gently sweeping along her jawline. Aislin’s face maintains a round, youthful-look, save for the crow’s feet at the edge of her eyes. Her high cheek bones bring some welcomed angles to her face. A small beauty mark sits at the side of her lips. Besides the taut appearance around her eyes and the freckles scattered across her skin, she is moderately blemish free. There is, however, a single blade scar arced near the bottom of her jaw, an inch or so from the chin. Having graduated to C’s, Aislin boasts a body that’s curvy yet athletic. Years of training has given her a small powerhouse, capable of running for miles.
Attire:
On most days, Aislin’s go-to outfit is a plain shirt under a leather jacket with wool sleeves, and square aviators. She wears dark, fitted slacks that have some stretch in the material. The outfit is ideal for most anything, like going to town, being inconspicuous while eavesdropping, or doing minor field work.
To get real casual, Aislin wears pink flannel pyjamas. Doesn’t matter where or with who. She usually has her stuffed penguin in tow.
Personality
Outward Personality:
Being very much a high-energy individual, Aislin tends to fill her conversations with enthusiasm. She is kind to her associates, listens well, and has near mastered the art of giving advice. Although she’s popular at the office and other social circles, Aislin maintains one best friend. She’s isolated herself over the years; she finds it hard to relate to most people, especially if they’re non-meta.
Aislin is a curious soul and tends to run her mouth by asking personal questions. What she lacks for tact she makes up in empathy and big smiles. She is completely turned off by those with aggressive personalities and tends to remove anything dark in her life. She’s very sensitive to other people's personalities, even more so since she sees auras. She also tends to be very private about her personal life.
Her mischevious side has married her curiosity ever since becoming a field agent. It’s something that she’s not always comfortable with as she occasionally has to fight people. But she’s never taken a life, and never will — she made that very clear to Hallmark, her employer. Her fighting style has adapted with her personality, specialising in quick, non-lethal takedowns (preferably at a distance).
Innate Personality:
Born with the heart of a child and a great love for life, Aislin is over-emotional. She has zest in her actions and words, although on the flip side, she is prone to hissy fits. Aislin is playful, not one to take life seriously. She doesn’t usually clue into the direness of her situation until it’s too late, which may also be due to a small form of arrogance. This is accentuated by her carefree nature.
After years of meditating and self-reflecting, she is patient and perceptive. Aislin has only become more of a dreamer over the years as she continues to see life through a different lens. There is magic in the world, this she knows. Her personal beliefs are not high on the popularity scale, but instead of conforming, Aislin rose above it. She is a free spirit, disliking any forms of authority or control. This does not mean she’s vindictive, though, as her nature is peace-loving. In a situation where she has no power, or she loses the position of power, Aislin is fearful.
Hobbies/Interests:
Her interests haven’t changed too much over the years. Aislin still loves a dank toke every now and again. Her fascination with Taoism has expanded to include Buddhism and Hinduism. Having said no to take-out a long time ago, Aislin knows how to make a tasty meal with her own hands. She loves music and nature and tends to enjoy both at the same time. Mainly, her days are consumed with pushing the limits of her power, and meditation.
Skills/Talents:
Aislin has taken up sculpturing, but not in a way most would think. She can take certain ‘loose’ material, like ice, and animate it into a shape. If done correctly, when she disconnects from the material, it will retain the new shape. She’s become quite good at it and has several swan sculptures chilling in her freezer.
Meditation has brought Aislin a refined level of focus. This is a necessary skill due to the nature of Animating. It has also helped Aislin better see subtle energy and auras (more info in the Power section).
Having spent roughly five years at Hallmark’s training facility, Aislin’s collected several courses under her belt. The big one, though, is Basic Combat Training, where they teach physical skills and mental discipline. Her aerobatics is on the lacking side, as she can’t do a backflip to save her life.
Goals/Motivation
If there was a way, she’d want every person to experience what it’s like to be a meta-human, so she’s curious about the science behind meta powers. Aislin also wants to have great stories to tell when she’s in her 50’s, so she’ll continue to put herself in unique situations.
History/Bio:
From a quiet orphanage, Aislin was adopted into a well-off household with preoccupied parents. They were a business couple that wanted a quiet, polite daughter without the hassle of raising a baby. Aislin was adored by her parents but was often left to her own devices for long periods of time. This created a form of isolation that Aislin eventually came to accept, and was catalysed by the birth of her powers. They developed at a young age, and to her, appeared to be magic. Rippling walls, walking cutlery, and other strange occurrences became commonplace. Her friends, however, quickly rejected her.
Aislin’s parents couldn’t have been prouder, and sent her to Academy 218 to harness her potential. The school had a peaceful appearance, but as the year unfolded, things became more and more chaotic. Aislin was nearly eaten by a monster meta named Jaska who triggered his Beast Mode by a near fatal wound. Hilariously enough, it was Aislin’s fault he was injured. Without planning or preparation, they ventured into the dark caves outside the school grounds. Before Jaska transformed, Aislin caught a glimpse of a blue-skinned woman.
After the incident, Aislin boldy (or naively) entered the caves again to find the blue meta, only to come across a terrifying man named Luis. After a life-threatening chase, Luis was shot by a masked individual. Aislin escaped the caves and confided in her friends, wondering if anyone knew what was going on. Eventually, the unwelcome guests on the island became known school-wide as the ‘Changeling Unit’, and strategies were formed to remove them. Every staff member that could fight, and many bold students partook in an intense battle. It eventually led to the Unit being forced to flee the island, and nothing more was heard.
Aislin completed the rest of her years in the Academy in moderate and very welcomed peace. This was roughly when Rhea and Aislin bumped into each other and began a glorious friendship. Nearing her graduation, Aislin was approached by a certain company that said they paid well for meta spies, and would continue her training in Canada. Aislin thought she’d give it a try, and quickly found she loved the work.
While collecting incriminating data in Italy, Aislin hit a rough patch with a mafia member who specialised in metal manipulation, specifically blades. This was where she received her scar, but she came out on top and extracted a briefcase that contained 1.2 million dollars worth of intel for Italy’s government. Shortly after, she heard about the tragedy that befell Verthaven, and the Devil. She noticed people looked at her and her animations differently. Again, the isolation gap widened.
After the Overload Crisis in Baybridge, Aislin was relocated to an apartment in Lower South Royer Town for ‘some needed R&R’, according to Hallmark. With time to sit and think, Aislin tried contacting Rhea for the hundredth time. After they both graduated, Rhea just… disappeared.
Currently, Aislin does small contract work for Hallmark, mainly involving politicians.
Relationships
Family:
Mira Rose - Adopted mother David Rose - Adopted father Biological parents unknown.
Dynamics:
| Rhea Harlow |
| Bad | Ex-Best Friend | ”She just up and left. Was it something I said? |
Having close ties since their time in the academy, Aislin was sure the two of them were inseparable. But Rhea hasn’t bothered contacting her for the past two and a half years.
Abilities
Power Class:
Other
Power:
Animation
"The power to give crude life to inanimate objects. Not to be confused with Creation as the lives of animations are tied to the user and not their own."
Essentially, Aislin works on something like Wifi. The objects in her vicinity, and what she can see, are candidates for her puppet strings. It all works through a mental connection. After 5-7 seconds of creating a link with an object, Aislin programs it with a command. The object wakes up and completes the command it’s been given all on its own, giving the illusion of self-thought. If an animation does not have an order, it will do nothing if Aislin is keeping her attention on it, else it’ll die. Over the years, Aislin has refined her connection to be stronger, quicker, and more precise. This has come at a cost, as the connection is so tight it must be gently released.
Creating a link and waking up an object is the only step in which eye contact is required. Animations can be out of her sight and still work fine. Not that Aislin would intentionally send them far away, but animations can only go so far before the Wifi connection is lost, and they die. Aislin’s range, roughly, is about 50 feet.
To change the shape of the material once Aislin purposefully disconnects with it, she has learned to slowly extract herself. This pulls the atoms together at a slower rate, and they’re more likely to find permanent spaces in this new shape. That is how Aislin turns an ice cube into a butterfly.
Animation works because it mimics the flexibility of life, of carbon-based bodies. Atoms stiffly packed together, like a wood chair, would normally never be able to kick up on its back legs and pretend it's a stallion. But if the animator gives the material energy through attention, these atoms pull away from each other minutely. The atoms have space to move and bend, and this gives the animation the flexibility it needs.
Having grown up with a very bendable, pliable reality, AIslin has opened herself to the possibility of something existing beyond what one normally sees. This thought eventually developed into perceiving static energy in the air, and the electrical discharge on people. Aura-seeing is as follows. If Aislin cares to look, and you’re within 5 feet, she can tell if you have a good or bad intention. A haze appears an inch off the skin. Colours change depending on the intent someone presents, and Aislin has seen her fair share of beautiful and ugly auras.
Limits:
Animations demand a varying level of attention on them at all times. They do not require eye contact, just thought. This limits Aislin to 1-2 animations at a time, depending on how intricate the commands are that she gives. As long as Aislin focuses her awareness, the animations can live near-indefinitely. In a moment of say, sleep, pain, or distraction, the animations die.
Swarm animations work as one, are treated as a single animation and have predictable flight paths.
The heavier and denser the object, the harder it is to animate. Anything that exceeds the weight of a microwave is considered to be too heavy. Anything with a density higher than silver is too compact to animate. This includes alloyed metals like steel, or pure metals like platinum. The durability of animations is in direct correlation to what material they're made of. Silver is the strongest, whereas paper, ink drawings, or cotton material are weak.
Weaknesses/Drawbacks:
Organic material, living or dead, cannot be animated. This includes people, animals, and plants. Since animations are so tightly intertwined with her mind, a sudden disconnection can hurt. Only by gently releasing their link can Aislin avoid any backlash, and this takes anywhere from 5-7 seconds.
Backlash has several levels of intensity. On the low end, her lack of attention would kill an animation and she would feel a mild shock. If someone were to absolutely destroy the material making up the animation, leaving a pile of ash, the backlash would be equivalent to a mental spike shoved in her brain. Repeated offenses lowers Aislin’s tolerance, giving the backlash the illusion it’s getting worse.
Other:
Aislin still holds onto her stuffed penguin, Tao.
Hallmark made Aislin a custom gadget for field work. It’s a cotton-filled black cat covered in synthetic hair, made to look realistic. There’s a voice box in its throat, audio recorder in its ears, and a camera in its eyes.
Written in collaboration with @Mr Allen J New Raygate, Prince Edfield.
Soaring countless feet above the air and barreling through the city, Rhea could have shown more concern. At the moment, it was a struggle to keep her eyes open. Since Malik did the daring deed of rescuing her, she found it unlikely he’d drop her from this height.
Cat’s outta the bag… He’s a meta, like me. she thought, a half-delirious grin on her face.
After their daring escape, Malik managed to get far enough away that he felt comfortable landing on a rooftop, and thank God because he was getting tired. Especially with this knife in his chest. Well, compared to forty bullets, that's nothing! Malik felt glad to be alive. Though, the man was hopping up and down.
"That was exciting, yeah." He said, high off the adrenaline. "But, think we lost them?"
“With the stunt you pulled?” Rhea looked back in the direction they fled. “I think we’re okay.”
Rhea appraised Malik, grimacing at the knife embedded in him. “If I wasn’t on the verge of passing out I’d heal you. Are you going to be okay?”
"Yeah... it's..." Malik looked at the knife protruding out of his body. "... Just one knife."
He tried to brush it off... before a wave of realization hit Malik when he put two and two together.
"Wait, did you...?" Malik asked, "I told you to stay out of it, now look at what happened!"
A pained expression crossed her face. “You’re right. And I’m sorry. Whatever reason you had for being at, presumably, the Founding Family’s base, it would have gone smoother if I wasn’t there."
“You saved me. We’re both wounded, but…” she gritted her teeth. “I did what I felt was right. No one should go through what’s happened to your friend.”
While Malik was still pretty angry that she had got involved... he couldn't stay angry when he realized that the two of them are in this together now. While it might have been easier to just leave Rhea, take the phone, and stay off their radar, he couldn't just stand by and let Rhea get killed - and from a pragmatic standpoint, he would have been exposed anyway (D'oh!).
"Me and my big mouth," Malik said underneath his breath. "I understand ya' fully, while I'm still a little annoyed ya' went behind my back - what we need to do is look forward and realize that the two of us are in this together."
Malik pulled out the cellphone that belonged to Marcelle and showed it to Rhea.
"I grabbed this phone out of their base... it's my friend's Marcelle's phone," Malik started off. "This is the clue that'll help me find her... but, the only problem is that I have no idea what her unlock code is!" Malik awkwardly laughed as he scratched the back of his head.
Her name is Marcelle… Rhea tilted her head, staring at the bright purple device. It’s not ideal, but Hallmark’s techies have programs for cracking phones.
“That could be a problem.” Rhea nodded. “You’ve checked that it’s code-locked? I have a possible solution for you. It’s expensive, but I can get that phone cracked for you in 12 to 24 hours.”
"Money isn't a problem, but I'm not entirely sure, I'll have to charge it...." Malik answered before he put the phone back into his pocket. "But, I have another issue..."
He said as he crossed his arms.
"... What exactly happened? Why did they kidnap you or something?"
Her eyes drifted to the knife still hanging off Malik. “If I tell you, will you let me fix this blade chillin’ in your ribs?”
Malik looked down.
"... Sure."
“Apparently, the Founding Family has ways of negating Tor, which is what I use for anonymous browsing. I ran a search, found an encrypted site with their name, and before I knew it, two masked ladies blasted in my door.” Rhea said, shaking her head. “You saw all the good parts. They cornered me and I eventually found myself in that garage.”
Her face brightened. "I discovered something, though. The Black Hound is working with the Founding Family."
"Well," Malik said scratching the back of his neck. "I feel a little responsible for this, so, I'm gonna lend ya' a hand."
He dramatically posed.
"I'm staying with a friend that's really nice... Come with me so we can lay low at her apartment. No one should know that we are even there."
Rhea folded her arms, mulling over the opportunity. She was tired, sore, and sliced up good. Her safe-house, if Hallmark hadn’t sent someone to destroy it already, was no longer safe. Malik wanted her help, and she did owe him a great deal.
After a moment, Rhea gave him a serious look. “This Family group is scary, and we’ve kicked the hornet’s nest. I think it’s fair to say whoever we associate with is being put at risk. Having said that, I’ll tag along. I’ll be able to treat us both, and get some rest…”
"Of course," Malik said, putting his arms behind his head. "It'll be just like the movies!"
Rhea laughed. "If so, we're not getting paid enough."
"Now, let's go!" Malik looked around, spotted the fire escape, and motioned for Rhea to follow. The duo made a slow descend down the building and walked through the yellow-lit streets.
... I'm really liking where these IC posts are going. Great writing, guys.
Alright, here's the new organisation I made specifically for an event I plan on doing later. Feel free to voice your comments.
We need more organisations like this, although I feel they may not have enough political power simply because they're fully supporting (icky) metas. The MIP probably have a huge target on their back, and I definitely see a conflict happening between pro-meta and anti-meta rights groups (on top of fighting terrorists?).
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/4YdTjtv.png[/img][hr][color=gray]°˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖°[/color][hr]
[youtube]https://youtu.be/rezCIh2m1aE?si=Did-gcY4xbFe-3LL[/youtube]
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[img]https://i.imgur.com/Q0s7sCV.png[/img][hr]
[i][color=bd4abd][b]”Mr. Dawson, why don't you have a seat?”[/b][/color] He said, gesturing to the brown leather chair he had his hand resting on.
The men behind Adel stepped forward. They each placed a firm hand around his upper arms, half-guiding, half-dragging Adel to the seat. If Adel struggled in any way, their plan would have been quickly subduing him with a blow to the cheek - but besides tensing up, the man didn’t fight.
They shoved Adel into the seat, twisting it so it faced the mirror. Vincent still had that smirk on his face as he picked up a bowl of shaving cream and an applicator brush on the counter.
Slowly, methodically, Vincent applied shaving cream to Adel's face while speaking.
[b][color=bd4abd]”Now, my men tell me that you and your spies have decided to make it your home in White Pine. Not that I care too much about that.”[/color][/b]
He set down the bowl, picking out a barber's blade instead. He opened it, the fresh gleam of a clean, sharp blade within.
[color=bd4abd][b]“What I really care about, though, is who set you up to do this.”[/b][/color]
The blade pressed against Adel's neck as Vincent leaned over, staring at the man through the mirror.
[color=bd4abd][b]”So, what'll it be, Canary? You gonna sing?”[/b][/color][/i]
~*~
[url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/194413-nocturnal-memoirs-an-urban-fantasy-mafia-epic/ic][b]Nocturnal Memoirs[/b][/url] (2024)
[hr]
[i]"A million times I have done this charade. The moment people figure it out, I get the boot." she thought.
"But don't you want to see the fear in their eyes when they see who you really are...? Don't you want dominion of this place, just like how you were unchallenged in Vaal Kastrix?" said the Voice.
Ciara scoffed, immediately thinking of Gulliver and Valen. "I'd love to wipe the smirk off their faces."
"It starts by building a rumor. A rumor of power. This could be the place to start."
She took a deep breath, narrowing her eyes resolutely at the Undermage. [b]"Head Advisor, with all due respect, you have no right to ask me about my intentions. If you want answers..."[/b]
She stood from her seat, rising to her full height.
[b]"You'll have to duel me for them."[/b][/i]
~*~
[Url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/191189-iris-ascendis/ic][b]Iris Ascendis Roleplay[/b][/url] (2023) | [url=https://www.tiktok.com/@the.valencia.king/video/7300030820545531141?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7246981308223161862][b]TikTok Tribute[/b][/url]
[hr]
We have a RPer Appreciation thread?
[url=http://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/85654-rper-appreciation-thread/ooc?page=8#bottom][b]This is beautiful, I'll bookmark it.[/b][/url] (2016)
[url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5533862][b]Another kind comment.[/b][/url] (2024)
[url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5546326][b]This is what makes it worth it.[/b][/url] (2024)
[url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5565747][b]I'm grateful for the ride.[/b][/url] (2024)
[hr]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/D21yHAF.png[/img]
[table][row][cell][img]https://i.imgur.com/uJwaWQN.jpeg[/img][/cell][cell][img]https://i.imgur.com/7NOolR8.jpeg[/img][/cell][cell][img]https://i.imgur.com/RaTjqkM.jpeg[/img][/cell][/row][/table][/center]
<div style="white-space:pre-wrap;"><div class="bb-center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/4YdTjtv.png" /><hr class="bb-hr"><font color="gray">°˖✧◝(⁰▿⁰)◜✧˖°</font><hr class="bb-hr"><br><br><iframe src="//youtube.com/embed/rezCIh2m1aE?theme=dark" frameborder="0" width="496" height="279" allowfullscreen></iframe></div><br><br><img src="https://i.imgur.com/Q0s7sCV.png" /><hr class="bb-hr"><br><br><span class="bb-i"><font color="#bd4abd"><span class="bb-b">”Mr. Dawson, why don't you have a seat?”</span></font> He said, gesturing to the brown leather chair he had his hand resting on.<br><br>The men behind Adel stepped forward. They each placed a firm hand around his upper arms, half-guiding, half-dragging Adel to the seat. If Adel struggled in any way, their plan would have been quickly subduing him with a blow to the cheek - but besides tensing up, the man didn’t fight.<br><br>They shoved Adel into the seat, twisting it so it faced the mirror. Vincent still had that smirk on his face as he picked up a bowl of shaving cream and an applicator brush on the counter. <br><br>Slowly, methodically, Vincent applied shaving cream to Adel's face while speaking.<br><br><span class="bb-b"><font color="#bd4abd">”Now, my men tell me that you and your spies have decided to make it your home in White Pine. Not that I care too much about that.”</font></span><br><br>He set down the bowl, picking out a barber's blade instead. He opened it, the fresh gleam of a clean, sharp blade within.<br><br><font color="#bd4abd"><span class="bb-b">“What I really care about, though, is who set you up to do this.”</span></font><br><br>The blade pressed against Adel's neck as Vincent leaned over, staring at the man through the mirror.<br><br><font color="#bd4abd"><span class="bb-b">”So, what'll it be, Canary? You gonna sing?”</span></font></span><br><br>~*~<br><a href="https://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/194413-nocturnal-memoirs-an-urban-fantasy-mafia-epic/ic"><span class="bb-b">Nocturnal Memoirs</span></a> (2024)<br><br><hr class="bb-hr"><br><br><span class="bb-i">"A million times I have done this charade. The moment people figure it out, I get the boot." she thought.<br><br>"But don't you want to see the fear in their eyes when they see who you really are...? Don't you want dominion of this place, just like how you were unchallenged in Vaal Kastrix?" said the Voice.<br><br>Ciara scoffed, immediately thinking of Gulliver and Valen. "I'd love to wipe the smirk off their faces."<br><br>"It starts by building a rumor. A rumor of power. This could be the place to start."<br><br>She took a deep breath, narrowing her eyes resolutely at the Undermage. <span class="bb-b">"Head Advisor, with all due respect, you have no right to ask me about my intentions. If you want answers..."</span><br><br>She stood from her seat, rising to her full height. <br><br><span class="bb-b">"You'll have to duel me for them."</span></span><br><br>~*~<br><a href="https://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/191189-iris-ascendis/ic"><span class="bb-b">Iris Ascendis Roleplay</span></a> (2023) | <a target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@the.valencia.king/video/7300030820545531141?is_from_webapp=1&sender_device=pc&web_id=7246981308223161862"><span class="bb-b">TikTok Tribute</span></a><br><br><hr class="bb-hr"><br><br>We have a RPer Appreciation thread?<br><a href="http://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/85654-rper-appreciation-thread/ooc?page=8#bottom"><span class="bb-b">This is beautiful, I'll bookmark it.</span></a> (2016)<br><a href="https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5533862"><span class="bb-b">Another kind comment.</span></a> (2024)<br><a href="https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5546326"><span class="bb-b">This is what makes it worth it.</span></a> (2024)<br><a href="https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5565747"><span class="bb-b">I'm grateful for the ride.</span></a> (2024)<br><br><hr class="bb-hr"><br><br><div class="bb-center"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/D21yHAF.png" /><br><br><div class="table-responsive"><table class="bb-table table"><thead class="bb-thead"><tr class="bb-tr"><th class="bb-th"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/uJwaWQN.jpeg" /></th><th class="bb-th"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/7NOolR8.jpeg" /></th><th class="bb-th"><img src="https://i.imgur.com/RaTjqkM.jpeg" /></th></tr></thead></table></div></div><br><br></div>
The Otter,
NoriWasHere,
Yankee,
Andre Valias,
Evil Ghost Note,
IAmTheIsland,
Atrophy,
LanaStorm,
Memoria,
flux
