Shard

Pariah

Location
💀 Warehouse District - Connor’s Home.

Interactions
💀 None.

Time
💀 Late Evening.

---

A worried call from Connor’s mother was what welcomed him into their house. Her absence remained, but the disembodied voice trickling into the boy’s ear made sure to confirm his well-being, and location. ”I just got home after walking Cerbie,” Connor explained, slipping out of his shoes, ”why, what happened?” The boy continued, a dainty hand reaching for the television controller, as he had been instructed.

“A Variant attacked midtown, we’re getting packed full of patients. Stay inside, Connor, don’t go out anymore, tonight,” Claire Everest stated, the pale creature’s mother, and concerned parent. They had lived by themselves for as long as Connor could remember, and memories of his father were all but vacant. Indeed, upon approaching the issue, it was quickly dismissed, and the little ‘Monster’ was left with unanswered questions for a past shrouded in mystery. As far as he knew, he never even had the second part of a typical, parental set. There was only one aspect of the situation which shone through every time the teenager attempted to coax his mother into an explanation, and that was her distaste for the man.

”I didn’t plan on going out, anymore,” a black claw pressed down on the controller in Connor’s hand. It mattered little which news channel he tuned into, as every anchor behind a camera covered the same story.

“Good,” Claire returned, “I have to go, sweetheart.., I’ll likely have to work overtime tonight,” she sighed. After a catastrophe like they had witnessed, the worst one in modern times, overtime was the least of anyone’s concern.

”Okay, mom,” Connor offered, his obsidian gaze fixed on the television screen. Constant coverage of Midtown was being streamed through the polished surface, chaos and mayhem stretching across a large part of the city. Buildings had been toppled, the streets were torn asunder, and vehicles were haphazardly tossed about. ”I’ll see you when you get home..,” the teen finished, his voice slowly fading, along with the development displayed before him.

Dropping to the sofa, Connor slipped out of his sweater, that scrawny frame coming into full view of Cerberus, before the large canine joined his master on the comfortable foundation of soft, sturdy cushions. ”Holy fuck, that’s horrible..,” the Variant clenched his teeth, slender arms resting on Cerberus’ shape where the Wolf Dog laid his head on Connor’s lap. From footage of devastation, the camera’s focus soon shifted to a gathering of people sitting at a debate table.

“Let’s be honest,” came a statement from a woman Connor could recall. She was an anti-Variant journalist, constantly writing pieces damning ‘Monsters’ of the world. “This came as a surprise to no one. We’re letting these Variants march around freely, without supervision, and then we get shocked when this happens?” She moved a hand towards the large screen behind them, indicating the destruction caused by what had been dubbed ‘Subject 7’.

“You can’t use this as fuel to hate monger, Mary,” a man replied, the frown on his face confirming a dissatisfied response. “The thing that attacked didn’t even look sentient. You’re using deaths caused by an actual monster to attack Variants who are just as human as you and I.”

“It’s difficult not to see Mary’s point on this, James,” came a third voice, another woman who often found herself in a position debating the Variant issue. “We have Variants in our schools, too. What happens if they have a ‘bad day’,” she gestured with her fingers, “will that be enough for us to act? You don’t know if this.., shadow thing was sentient, or not.”

“They can be dangerous, let’s not kid ourselves,” James added, “but holding a biological part of their being against them is just intellectually dishonest,” he continued. “Any human who wants to cause damage can do so just as easily. I think the entire history of mankind is proof enough, for that, Nina.”

“Are you willing to compare a human with a gun..,” Nina rebutted, before turning her attention to the screen revealing Midtown in its aftermath, “to that?” She raised a brow, “many of these Variants are actual nukes, James. At the very least, we need to escalate some form of control.”

“And what do you suggest?” The male journalist asked, looking to the two women who opposed him on the issue of Variant security. “Concentration camps? Separate schools for Variants? Are they all going to start wearing ankle monitors?”

Mary, who had been quiet between for a short spell, decided to speak up. “Whatever’s necessary to prevent this,” she yet again indicated the screen. “There are five million Variants on the planet. Five million, among billions of people, and yet.., they could destroy the whole world. That should tell you something about the powers we’re dealing with.” The woman now raised her voice, “those buildings that were destroyed weren’t empty, James. They’re still searching through the ruins after survivor.., and the kill count keeps rising.”

Exhaling a deep breath, Connor rubbed his forehead. This was escalating quickly, and the moment his mother called about what had taken place in Midtown, he knew immediately that the ramifications would be far-reaching. This wasn’t going to pass within the next week’s news. This was a disaster, both for Variants, and for humanity.

Pariah

Location
💀 Warehouse District - Connor’s Home.
💀 Warehouse District - Streets.

Interactions
💀 None.

Time
💀 Evening.

---

A sloppy, red tongue traced itself past Connor’s face, causing the boy to emit a giggle in response. He gently combed a set of clawed digits through the thick mat of fur which eagerly revelled in attention. ”How about we go out, Cerberus?” The Variant asked, his fingers moving towards those large, pointed ears where tender scratching caused the Wolf Dog to nearly fall over from affectionate bliss. He was quite a large creature, which at times had been displayed in wrestling matches against the scrawny teenager now petting the beast. One was not required to delve deep, before an obvious answer surfaced, which indicated that Cerberus, a fitting name for such a large specimen, easily stood victorious against his petite owner, and best friend. It was a rather common display, where Connor and Cerberus fought like boys so often did, an act found in primitive desires, and yet, filled with laughter, and joy.

”Hah, no, Cerberus! Out! Not tackle!” Connor tried, nearly pushed to the floor by a massive snout pressing itself against his chest. ”Okay, okay!” The Variant smirked, patting his clawed hand against Cerberus’ side, the warmth of bright, grey fur contrasting against Connor’s chalk-white skin. They were quite unique, this duo of oddities. However, it was anything but an uncommon scenario, seeing Cerberus struggle against his harness. Once it was on, business passed as usual, but getting him into it was comparable to slipping a child into clothes. A feat in itself.

”I swear, Cerby..,” Connor breathed, the boy now having fallen to his knees in a desperate attempt to slip that harness onto his massive companion. An onlooker would likely have panicked, their attention on a fearsome canine as he stood above a clearly miniscule individual. ”I will haunt your dreams,” the Variant huffed, his statement perfectly melded into Connor’s ghostly voice. However, the response he was afforded was a large tongue leaving a wet path across his face, yet again. ”Ugh..,” The Variant sighed, scrambling to his feet. ”Do you want a waffle?” Came a question, which prompted the Wolf Dog to turn his head in curiosity. He clearly knew that word. ”Harness..,” Connor raised the green-colored contraption in his right hand, ”waffle,” he finished.
Hearing a bark, the boy groaned slightly. He needed to get Cerberus into that harness, or else the canine wasn’t allowed outside. Indeed, he was a Wolf Dog, and not even ordinary domestic pets were allowed outside without a leash. That went double for something as potentially dangerous as Cerberus. However, it wouldn’t take long to measure Connor’s lacking strength in response to the dog’s. If Cerberus wanted to, he could escape the boy’s grip, with or without a leash.

”Wait up, you nut!” Connor exclaimed, his finger tapping Cerberus on the snout. The dog was an eager kind, if playful. Hearing that sizzling sound of a waffle in the iron was enough to make an already restless beast anxious in anticipation. However, what worked, was finally being able to slip Cerberus’ harness on while the Wolf Dog’s attention remained on the waffle iron. ”There..,” the Variant huffed, ”I need to teach you to get into that thing without bribing you with waffles every time we leave the house..,” he finished, an obsidian gaze lingering on the beast who occasionally alternated his attention between Connor and the heavenly scent of food. It did not take long for whining to trickle through, and the young ‘Monster’ reached for what had been so desperately desired.

”Relax, you big baby,” Connor grinned, ”get your bowl.” It was a statement which caused the Wolf Dog to once more tilt his head, a pair of large, grey eyes staring into the black orbs standing above them. ”Your bowl,” Connor repeated, ”get your bowl, and you get the waffle.”

Turning to his hind paws, Cerberus wasted no time in jumping away, his legs carrying him to Connor’s bedroom which the canine considered his den, and returned with a silicone bowl between his chops. Without a second thought, Cerberus dropped it to the floor, followed by a bark. It took a mere second after Connor lowered that delicious waffle into the Wolf Dog’s bowl before it was devoured without remorse. ”Geez, you act like I don’t feed you..,” the Variant chuckled, combing his fingers through Cerberus’ thick, gray fur. With the moment upon them, finally, Connor attached Cerberus’ leash, a bright green length with several cartoon paw prints across its shape, to the harness with a similar theme. After a small tug, the now happy Wolf Dog followed along as they stepped into the dimming evening light.

Now, Connor could indulge in what the boy had been longing for, and walk his dog, in the process. They often warranted more than a few whispers and heads turning their way, though whether it was the massive canine or his small, Variant companion was hard to say. However, none could deny that together, they made quite a noteworthy couple.

Pariah

@Ruiner

I made the text bold. Hopefully, it's easier to read, now.

Pariah

Location
💀 Warehouse District - High School.
💀 Warehouse District - Connor's Home.

Interactions
💀 None.

Time
💀 Afternoon - Evening.

---

Five years, it had been quite a while. A realization which washed over the young Variant, or rather, self-proclaimed ‘Monster’, as those large, obsidian eyes lingered on a pair of headphones, held within pale hands. Clenching his teeth, Connor exhaled a small sigh and noted how warm air trickled past his ghostly porcelain skin. Thin, black claws traced a path across a plastic surface, the headphone’s blue paint somewhat dulled throughout many years of use. The boy had never forgotten, but some days managed to pass, from dawn til’ dusk without conjuring thoughts of a past now lost. What could one say in reference to a close friend who was ever-so-suddenly erased? Presumed dead, they said. Connor had no recollection of the, by now, young man’s family, or where they were. Memories had slowly faded, and with little to recall, he was at quite a disadvantage.”I hope you’re okay, dude..,” words trickled past the boy’s mind, his small hands gently grasping a pair of old, worn headphones given to him by an old, lost friend.

Leaning back in his seat, Connor’s attention rose towards a teacher who had been explaining the use of iPads, which in itself was a rather ironic disposition, in being presented to a room full of technologically obsessed teenagers. “Alright, take good care of these,” came a tired voice from the opposite end of their classroom. Teaching was likely a hectic, thankless, and annoying job, which reflected itself on Mrs. Kyle’s face. Dealing with sixteen-year-olds did not sound like an appealing prospect for anyone, and even Connor was prepared to agree with that.

As each desk was handed a tablet, the porcelain-skinned Variant put aside his headphones, and viewed its sleek surface with a tilt of his head. How many times was he going to face this issue? Again, the teenager sighed, but this time, he spoke up. ”Mrs. Kyle,” came a ghostly voice, unique and, in regards to general opinions, disturbing.

“Yes, Connor?” An answer traced its way back to the young ‘Monster’, confirming their exchange.

”I can’t use this,” the Variant explained, his thin brow somewhat raised. Placing a sleek, raven-colored claw on the surface of his brand new iPad, Connor dragged the inhuman digit across a still shiny, untouched surface. As one might have expected, the device scarcely reacted, and Connor’s lack of finger pads was a clear culprit in the endeavor. The display warranted laughter from every direction, which didn’t affect Connor in the slighest, but rather, his attention remained on their teacher who now displayed a less than comfortable expression.

“Oh..,” she cleared her throat. “I’ll see if we can get you a laptop instead..,” the woman tried. Every student had their needs, and some of them were quite special. In Connor’s case, his body was the root cause of many complications. He could not participate in physical education outside on sunny days, either. However, little did they know that exercise held no meaning for the boy. He could neither build fat, nor muscle, and remaining stuck in time was patiently waiting for its grand reveal. The teenaged figure staring back at Connor through the surface of a polished mirror would linger, for an eternity.

”Sorry for being a nuisance, Mrs. Kyle.” The apology was sincere, but a small chuckle accompanied Connor’s words, as he handed back his gracious gift.

“It is fine,” came a response, albeit somewhat exasperated. Though a somewhat awkward development, class eventually saw itself coming to an end, and Connor was finally released from its clutches. However, it brought a thought to mind, once more. How many Variants attended school? It was rather rare for a powered individual to exhibit physical mutations like Connor himself, which made it impossible to tell. As far as the white-toned ‘Monster’ knew, he was the only specimen. Had he ever met another Variant? It was unclear. None that he could recall. According to N.O.V.A’s database, the entire world exhibited approximately five million Variants, which in the context of billions painted it a miniscule number. Connor could go an entire lifetime, which in his case was a long stretch, without meeting another.

Closing his locker, the ‘Monster’ exhaled another small breath, before slipping his headphones over those pointed ‘elf-like’ ears. He had earned many nicknames throughout the years, all of which he found adequately amusing. Death Boy, Elf Boy, Alien, Ghost, and a personal favorite, Shark Boy. His teeth, pale skin, and black eyes did warrant the title, and it was one he often found himself laughing at.

Striding down a soon thinning corridor of students, Connor’s attention remained on the floor as he walked, the boy’s focus aimed at a string of lyrics dancing their way into his ears. One would accurately draw the conclusion that music moved the boy’s limbs more so than he would admit. Silence was a daunting prospect, and thus, Connor dispelled it with a consistent stream of lyrics and instrumental bliss. Where some claimed that they could not write without listening to the inspiring touch of verbal art, Connor fell under the same concept. He would argue that everything looked grey without music, and that reflected itself upon his drawings.

”Ugh..,” the teen grunted, stepping into an afternoon bombardment of sunlight. Pulling his hood into place, the situation grew somewhat more bearable, and Connor could proceed on a path to his home. He was hungry, and despite this Variant’s scrawny appearance, the boy ate as much as anyone else. In fact, he could very well eat more, if hunger dictated the notion. However, yet again, he was somewhat of a special case. The boy’s powers were relatively known to him, but many of the side-effects withheld themselves, still. However, Connor had not unleashed his powers in a very long time. Destruction was their only purpose, and when they were, ironically, capable of giving life, it was a perverse reflection of what existence truly meant.

At the very least, he would be the star of any given Halloween party. Chuckling at such a ridiculous thought, the ghostly teen entertained his imagined scenario, and continued to pad along a sunlit street, clawed hands gently resting within his shirt pockets. There were times where Connor wanted to throw that hoodie off in a futile attempt to appreciate that massive, celestial body far beyond the sky. An act which had granted humanity life since ages eternal, but for Connor, it was a reminder, not a pursuit.

He was a mockery of life. With powers drawing him Death’s Majesty, life was cruelly twisted in response. Indeed, the boy claimed to ‘own who he was’ which remained a truth. However, as Connor slowly freed his hand from the safety of his shirt pocket, the boy felt a stinging sensation boring itself into his pale flesh, all the while sparing his claws lacking such emotional receptors. Clenching his teeth, Connor soon returned the appendage to the comfort of shade, a sigh managing its way past his lips. ”At least I don’t burn..,” came a quiet whisper.

Following his arrival at home, Connor proceeded along the same routines which had enveloped him for years. Drawing, painting, and finishing his homework, something which would occupy the Variant until evening eventually peered in through an open window. The sun set, and with it, Connor was quick to pull those curtains aside and enjoy the evening glow. He wouldn’t mind some takeout, and with his mother at work.., no one was there to nag him into cooking something ‘healthy’. A nurse to the end.

Pariah

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Pariah (superhero RP reboot)

@Artifex

Think there are enough people for an OOC and Discord?

Pariah (superhero RP reboot)

@Artifex

Will you be putting together a chat engine, (Discord), for this RP?

Pariah (superhero RP reboot)

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Pariah (superhero RP reboot)

I think my desire to get back into RPing has returned, and this might very well be the reason.

You’ve made something really cool here, and I enjoyed the attention to detail which you’ve put into it.

If you allow another person to join, I’d like to. I might throw up a character when I get home.

⚫ The Fates' School for Gifted Monsters ⚫

@Darcs

Very colorful, I have to say. It will be interesting to see how you write out her ability, when it's used. You can put Jo in the character tab and throw up an IC post when you're ready.

Also, welcome to join the Discord.