Fantasy Weapons (ic)

[a z u l a]

They made you into a weapon and told you to find peace.









Katia & Cole

The telepath's hands were covered in blood as she circled the room, and she wasn't quite sure if it was hers or her opponents. Probably both. It was silent except for the sound of heavy breathing as she and the man across from her studied each other, trying to decide who would strike next. Her whole body ached, but that was nothing new. Old bruises mingled with new ones and her skin was more black and blue than white. She spit blood onto the tile floor before turning back to her opponent, bracing herself before lunging forward towards him. She aimed her fist at his gut as her other hand blocked her face, but the taller man was much stronger and despite her blow, managed to land a solid hit across her face. Her jaw was screaming in pain as blood started to drip from her split lip, but she remained focused on her target and continued her attack, kneeing him in the ribs and landing a blow to his face as he tried to retaliate.

He grabbed her much smaller frame and threw her into the wall, earning a cry of pain from the girl as she tried to pull herself back up. Before she could recover, he was on top of her and kicking his boot into her ribs. She scrambled to fight back, throwing punches wildly even though she was out weighed. Even if it was just training, she was determined not to lose to Cole.

"You're not so tough now, are you?" Cole chuckled, holding her so that she would have no choice but to surrender. It was infuriating, not being allowed to use her powers in combat training. They hadn't recruited her for her fists, the only reason she was here was because she could kill people without moving a muscle. And it was no fair, Cole was twice her size and much stronger, even if she was strong for her size. The arrogant bastard pissed her off, and she wasn't going to let him forget who was more deadly here.

The smug grin was wiped off of Cole's face as she flung him across the room, using her powers to hold him down as she slowly stood up and made her way over to him. "Katia..." A stern voice over the speakers warned, but she had no time to pay attention to protocol. Cole needed to be taught a lesson. She may have lost the sparring match, but her powers easily out matched his and she wasn't going to let him forget that.

"Look who isn't so strong now?" She spat as she pressed her boot to his throat, applying pressure as she slowly crept into his brain, applying pressure there too as she rifled through his mind. "Katia, enough." One of the scientists called again through the speaker in the small sparring room. She gave a little 'hmmph' of disapproval as she removed her shoe from his neck, but not without giving him a little kick to the ribs before walking away.

"You cheated."

"And you're a bastard."

"I hate you too, sweetheart." Cole teased as the two walked towards the common area for lunch. Though she'd wiped as much blood off of her as possible, her knuckles and lip were still split and she was pretty sure there was dried blood in her hair. Cole didn't look so great either, even if he had won she hadn't gone down without a fight. She swore they put her with him just to test her, to see if she could keep herself from snapping and frying Cole's little pea brain like an omelet. If he wasn't one of their favorite little soldier's she would've by now.

"Do you enjoy being the bane of everyone's existence? Or is that really just your personality?" Katia remarked sarcastically as she grabbed a lunch tray with their sanctioned meals. While they had some freedom over what they ate, they were pretty much only given nutritious food that would keep them in fighting shape. She missed kit-kats and fries, something she hadn't been allowed to eat in years.

"You just don't appreciate my charm." Cole sighed dramatically, following after her as she headed towards a table already occupied by her favorite siblings, Bianca and Casper. The necromancer was the first friend Kat had made at Paragon, she still wasn't sure if Bianca was brave or just plain stupid for befriending the girl that accidentally killed every one who got close to her. She was leaning more towards stupid than brave since the brunette had also recently befriended Cole, her least favorite mutant in all of Paragon.

"Bianca, how can you possibly stand him?" Kat groaned, placing her food on the table and taking a seat beside her friend.

"I'm right here, you know." Cole said, taking the seat across from Bianca and winking at her as he bit into the apple on his tray.

"How unfortunate." Katia sneered, her jaw aching as she slowly bit into her food.

Interactions: casper and bianca geminiy​

 

[A.I.S.H.A.]

Mayumi was training earlier today on pin pointing specific areas of control for her wind. Like stopping a flying object mid air or allowing an object to fly into her hands. It seemed simple enough but it demanded... too much.

Mayumi looked at the bandages for cuts and bruises across her body. She had to make what was effectively wind powerful enough to be found in hurricanes and control it in areas the size of her palms. She could get the wind speeds right... most of the time, but even then, she was wildly inaccurate. Her injuries were proof of the fact. When she walked into the common area for lunch, some of the others were already there, Cole, Casper, and so on. She waves quietly at them in greeting before walking over to grab some food. Mayumi liked the fact that they always gave them something nutritional to eat. It meant that Paragon actually cared about their health. Why that was didn’t matter so much as the fact that they did. It meant she wasn’t going to go hungry and neither was anyone else. It could stay that way if she could just... figure out that blasted technique.

Paragon took her in when no one else did. It was only fair, right? Paragon gave her a life of security, all for a simple enough price. To kill. Although Mayumi didn’t enjoy killing needlessly, she liked to think that she was doing it for the others at Paragon, especially the younger ones who were still growing and learning. Today’s lunch for Mayumi featured some eggs for protein and an assortment of fruits and vegetables. She decided to grab herself an extra apple along with it. They were her favorite. She walked over to an empty table and sat down. After taking a moment to be thankful for her food, she starting eating.

The others in the common area seemed to be arguing about something. Maybe Cole was being perverted again. She found it surprising that they would still get together and eat with him but perhaps it was nice that they did. It wasn’t like he was a bad person. He was just... an acquired taste, if Mayumi wanted to put it tactfully. She happily munched away at her food bit by bit as she listened in on the bickering happening at the other table. The scientist she was working with earlier today told her to get some rest and pick up where they left off later but... Mayumi pressed a finger on one of the bandages on her arm. She flinched and watched it soak up a little blood. They hadn’t closed yet. She couldn’t afford to take a break and fall behind but she wasn’t going to help anyone if she overworked herself. Maybe for now, she’d be fine. These injuries weren’t a big deal, right?

Mentioned: a z u l a geminiy

 

[Twin Fantasy]

She'd had him.

Ruby swore her thumb had been over his pulse. Tonka had this wild, glassy look in his eyes, like he didn't know where he was. He peered at her, down from where she'd pressed him up against the wall. Even without utilizing her powers, Ruby Bierman was a force to be reckoned with in combat. Beneath her seemingly tiny frame was a thick layer of musculature, grown only thicker through years of taking blows. Energy conversion was a lot like regular exercise: You build muscle, but also feel sore as shit when all is said and done. She had a bit of his blood on her hands, which would make anyone nervous.

Tonka's eyes darted from left to right. His eyesight was crummy, but he could at the very least see he was absolutely fucked. Ruby closed her fist tighter around his neck and Tonka realized, or decided, that this woman was trying to kill him. Suddenly, his loose blood prickled, and Ruby could clearly feel it. She tried to wipe it away with one hand, but it only caused the tiny-needles-stabbing-through-her-skin feeling to intensify. He spat, and the red spit became sharp as a needle, boring into Ruby's cheek. She released him, grabbing her face and shouting, as Tonka fell to the floor. The feeling of air entering his chest was intense, powerful. The solid dagger of blood slowly melted out of Ruby's face, dripping on the floor. Finally, one of the scientists came in and broke it up.

"Tonka," the lady said, "you were supposed to fight without using your powers."

"She wuh- she..." Tonka wrung his hands together. "She w's gonna kill me..." Ruby clicked her tongue a bit.

"They would've stopped me before I could." Much quieter, she added, "Unfortunately." Before Tonka could retort, the doc was gently but firmly grabbing his shoulder. It was time for him to go get food. Aside from training, meals were the only times Tonka spent out of his room. When he was younger, this was a rule -- the scientists at Paragon worried exposure to the outside might further stir the cocktail of mental illnesses he bore. Nowadays, it was a personal choice. He'd already accidentally harmed a couple potential friends in his lifetime, and figured it'd be better to just leave the friend-making to other people.

They ushered him out first.

--

Ruby Bierman

Ruby got her face cleaned up and bandaged, along with the other small wounds she'd received. Tonka was awful in hand-to-hand combat, idiot relied almost entirely on his powers. He knew his way around a knife, but that was mostly for personal use. She sighed, now sporting a big, square band-aid on her cheek. She was told not to tongue the puncture wound from the inside of her mouth, but it was incredibly difficult not to. At least the plaster made her look like a badass. Maybe she'd stick her tongue through the hole to freak out some of the newer guys.

The food options were pathetic. God did Ruby miss Chinese food. But after a fight like that, she'd eat like a pig no matter what was being offered. A good battle tended to make her hungry. Doctors had noted that she had a, quote, "robust appetite". After getting two separate trays of food, she scanned the room for a table to sit at. Kat was the obvious choice, though the presence of Cole was a deterrent. But fuck it, she couldn't let some sleazy horndog ruin her day more than it'd already been ruined. She speedwalked over.

"Hello hello hello. I basically won a sparring match today, but Bastard Boy cheated." She slid into a seat, shoveling some of something into her mouth. Ruby was proudly the antithesis of ladylike. At best, she could pretend to have good etiquette if the need arose. "Now the inside of my mouth tastes like Tonka blood. Shit's nasty." She spoke with her mouth full, though trying her best not to spit food everywhere. Not for anyone's benefit, mind you, but because that's her food and she had no intention of wasting it unless somebody tried to fuck with her. She'd voluntarily thrown up on someone before. It's the easiest way to end a fight.

"What's goin' on with you guys?" Her chin rested on her palm.

// a z u l a geminiy //


Tonka

After yet another lecture about keeping his powers under control, Tonka was cut loose for lunch. He didn't eat a whole lot, which was cause for concern -- the doctors suspected gastrointestinal issues might've been yet another genetic foible. It'd explain why he got nauseous so easily. Therefore, half of his meals came in capsules. He'd get handed a couple of pills and then some real food and a glass of water. Tonka had never drank soda before, but he'd heard of it. Why would someone WANT bubbles in their drink? Doesn't that mean it's a day old or so?

He'd never not sat alone for meals. In the beginning, they just had him eat in his room. Nowadays he chose to be by himself. His whole body was bruised and sore, and he was tired, absolutely exhausted. He rested his face on the table. It was nice and cool.

Sleepy.

He started thinking about whales. Whales were the only animals Tonka knew. He'd seen someone reading a book about them. They were huge, and since they were huge, they never had to argue with anyone. Nobody bothered a whale. And really, whales didn't bother anyone else. Tonka wished he was a whale, because then he could just get left alone and not harm anyone, by accident or otherwise. He wondered where they live. Do whales even exist? They might all be dead by now. He'd tried to read the whale book, but couldn't make heads or tails of the letters on the page. Poor bastard couldn't even write his own name, let alone read a book with big words about whales.

Not that he had any use for reading, he'd been told otherwise. While plenty of the others knew how, he was a special boy for special assignments and didn't need to know nerd shit like that. Dr. Sheraton had told him that, anyway, and she was really nice. Only ever stuck him with the zappy thing once when he was really angry. She also told him about babies, which sounded terrible, but it's good to know regardless.

His food stared back at him.

// OPEN //​

 

[geminiy]

Bianca Hanlon & Casper Hanlon

The library was always Bianca's favourite place to be. In the far back corner, sheltered by a few dark bookshelves, Bianca sat with her legs crossed and her back against the wall. The form of her skull glowed softly through her porcelain skin, casting a dull light on the spines of the books around her. No one ever bothered her in the library, Bianca typically had the entire place to herself. Floating in front of her was a large book, the pages fluttering forward as Bianca's eyes took in each word carefully, the imagery painting pictures in her minds.

She was reading up on the subject of modern witchcraft, not that she believed in the stuff. Many modern witches had interesting ideas of how spirits acted after their bodies had passed on. Perhaps they were right. Bianca only was certain that they could come back, not where they went when they weren't holding books and turning pages for her.

If only her parents could see her then. They'd truly believe that the girl was possessed as they had believed when they sent her away to Paragon all those years ago.

Meanwhile, across the facility, Bianca's elder brother was hard at work. He had been up for two days straight in a pitch black room, attempting to get out of the room merely through shadows. Casper was exhausted, his limbs shaking and his mind reeling. Using shadows was tiring, even more so on over forty eight hours with no sleep. But the researchers refused to give in, wanting an answer as to if Casper could truly teleport through shadows or simply meld into them.

In a moment, the lights flickered on and seared pain into Casper's eyes, earning a sharp yelp as he scrambled to cover his eyes. A voice came on over the intercom, telling him that he was done for now, followed by the heavy metal door creaking open to release him.

"He's out." A soft voice whispered in Bianca's mind, the book flipping closed and being pushed back onto the shelf. The spirits always watched out for Casper when the two were apart, keeping Bianca in the loop. Paragon could keep them physically apart but only Bianca could interact with the ghosts. Bianca stood up, pushing her way out of the empty library and out into the hall.

The two siblings met in the hall in front of the lunch, Bianca's face instantly turning into a frown. Casper looked horrible. Dark circles dulled his eyes, his skin ghastly pale.

"I'm going to sleep." Casper groaned, his voice hoarse from days of not speaking. Bianca shook her head and looped her arm through his.

"You can, after you get something to eat. You look like shit."

That's how the two always were. No silly greetings, no small talk. Straight to the point.

The two walked into the lunch room, Bianca guiding Casper to a table before going to get lunch for the two of them. Bianca picked up her own tray, another tray floating up behind her and following her to the table. Setting the trays down, Bianca took her apple and placed it in the middle of the table.

"Take it. Thanks for your help." She spoke softly as she sat down beside her brother. The apple vanished from the table in front of her, dissipated into nothing but energy. The ghosts loved fruit.

Just then, two of the Hanlons' closest friends made their way over, Kat sitting beside Bianca and Cole sitting across from the two. She nodded a greeting, taking a bite of food. Kat was always a comforting face for both Casper and Bianca, Kat being the first friend that Bianca had made at Paragon. In such a scary place, it was nice to have someone besides her brother that she could count on. And then there was Cole, the absolute shit disturber that Bianca had actually grown quite fond of even though 99% of the time he drove her crazy.

"I don't know how I do it," Bianca laughed, taking another bite. "See, I could probably kill him but I doubt that would get rid of him. You know, the whole ghosts thing. I can almost guarantee Sparky would come back to haunt my ass."

A weight slumped against Bianca's shoulders, pushing her much smaller frame into Kat. Casper had passed clean out, using his sister's frame for support. She simply readjusted her position to account for her brother sleeping against her. A sigh fell from her lips.

"They've had him up for two days trying to see if he can teleport with his shadows even though they know damn well that's not how it works." Bianca growled. Ever since Casper arrived, she had wished that he hadn't. It was nice to have her brother, her only family member that was not entirely crazy, beside her but she would never wish the treatment that he received at the hands of Paragon on anyone.

Bianca watched as more bodies came to the table. Mayumi and Ruby joined the four at the table, both looking equally as shitty and beaten up as Cole and Kat.

"Damn, you guys went hard I see. You lot look awful. Especially you, Sparky. Those bruises are unsightly!" Bianca teased with a smirk. Cole's face could never be unsightly, even when banged up and bruised. And of course the cocky bastard knew that. "It seems I'm the only one still intact. That's a first."

Casper began to slump forwards off of Bianca towards the table. His head would have smashed clean into the table if it wasn't for Bianca's quick arm breaking the fall.

"Can someone hold him up please? I'll give you more food at dinner." Bianca asked, though she wasn't asking anyone sitting at the table. Bianca's skull gently began to glow, though she continued to eat as if nothing was happening.

Casper began to sit up straighter, soft indents on his shoulders as if hands were holding him steady. Another helpful use of the ghosts. They didn't always hurt people and with Bianca's polite asking and offerings of food, they were much more willing to help. Casper's head was also held up so that he was sitting completely upright while still sound asleep. The air around them grew cold with the presence of the ghosts but Bianca doubted anyone really noticed or cared. Her spirits were a part of her and her friends had likely gotten used to it by now.

| Kat & Cole a z u l a | Mayumi A.I.S.H.A. | Ruby Twin Fantasy |​

 

[Winona]

Zero

He pressed a hand against his side to try and staunch the flow of blood. Although he knew that it didn't matter how much blood poured out of him, it wasn't like he enjoyed the feeling of it coursing down his side and soaking his clothes. And it wasn't like they would waste medical supplies trying to stop the injuries. It was all part of "testing" him -- to see how much pain he could handle, how much blood he could lose, how deep his wound could be before his body would just give out.

So far, they hadn't found that limit yet. Sure, deep injuries might slow him down, but his body still always pieced itself back together again. Even now, he could feel the flesh under his hand tingling as the skin stitched itself back together. They were done for now -- lunch, and then Zero would probably come back out here. He was the ultimate tool for others to test their powers out on, because of his body regenerating itself. Even with the gash in his side, the burns that bubbled along his arm, he knew that by time lunch was done, he would be heeled. There wouldn't even be scars left behind to speak of his previous fight.

He left the training room, pausing briefly in the bathroom to wash the blood from his hands and his side. Already, the bleeding had mostly stopped, save for a small trickle. Good enough.

Heading into the lunch room, he was met with the usual uncomfortable glances around. Zero didn't do social. Since he could remember, he had lived here, and as a child he had spent so much time undergoing experiments and recovering to try and make his body regenerate that he'd never made friends with some of the others that were here as long as him. Plus it didn't help that most of the others were scared to make friends, in case they accidentally killed them. Zero didn't understand it -- not having control over your power, but he didn't have control over his, either. His was just a passive thing, though.

Zero was glad he didn't hurt people by accident. Instead, he was calculated. Exact. Zero didn't love killing, so he wasn't like some of the other people -- the ones that would kill everyone in their way. He just... killed the target and moved on. Whispered a small prayer, hoped that they would find peace, and then he'd clean his weapon and move on.

He grabbed a lunch tray, loading it up with some of the food available, and then made his way over to one of the few empty tables. A corner table, one that no one sat at and avoided because they knew it was his table. On the days that Zero ate in here, anyway. If he could, he would spend every day eating in his room and not bother coming out here. But the scientists thought that the social time would be... good or something? He wasn't really sure, because it wasn't like he did the social thing.

The most social thing Zero did was getting hurt.

His gaze moved across the lunchroom, taking in everybody there but not staying on anyone for long. As usual, the main table occupied by Paragon's greatest and finest -- Katia, who would be a better killer if she could keep control of her emotions. Cole, who was too preoccupied with making not-so-witty flirtatious comments at the girls (how had they not killed him yet?). And then Bianca and Casper -- ghost girl and shadow boy. Bianca was nice, and somehow managed to be optimistic about this place. Gross. And Casper was on the fast track to pushing himself too hard, and ending up dead. Zero had seen it happen before.

With a shake of his head, he turned his attention back to the tray in front of him. The sooner he ate, the sooner he could get out of here and go back to doing what he did best.​

 

[darkborn]

Kieran Delta
​

Kieran laughed softly to himself as he disappeared yet again in another console, avoiding yet another guard's attentive scan over the area that Kieran was in before. Avoided yet another guard. Kieran let another chuckle, this time virtual, as he floated in a vast seas of binary code. Here and there, pictures of pages, videos, pictures floated by him; but always in the background, there was a fast red-orange wall of binary code that obscured his vision to the rest of the complex. THAT wall was easy to get past- it was the others that Paragon had beefed up security. And then there were the occasional 'practice' firewalls, such as this one in front of Kieran. He simply touched it with his holographic hand, and a hole formed in the firewall, allowing him to slip through.

As he continued gliding through THE MATRIX, he laughed. He found this practice hilariously easy. Honestly, he was a bit apprehensive over what the scientists were going to try and throw at him; they were brutally creative in thinking up of ways to utterly decimate him. But this one looked like a walk in the park.

Then, a burning hit his side.

Kieran wrenched his head to look at the direction where the pain came in, and if his could show any color, it would have been drained of it. MALWAREBYTE. Or, a modified version of it. They got an anti-virus program to hunt him down? Crap. Crap. Crap. Thus began the chase through the virtual space. Kieran tried hiding in various programs. Blam. They were vaporized. He tried losing them amidst the sea. They teleported themselves back to him. He tried fighting them back. That didn't work so well. Finally, Kieran in a last desperate bid to get rid of the little gremlins, landed on one. It hurt to touch an anti-virus. But the other ones turned to face him, and fired. Right before they could hit him, Kieran jumped. And boom went the anti-virus. He finally found a way to destroy them. He repeated the process until there was only one. And then he felt like he could temporarily disable this last bot. Prevent it from copying itself. He wouldn't have much time to act, though. He needed to move and get the man.

He zoomed through the sea, until he found yet another firewall, this one also blocking his path; but only this time, it was blocking his escape. While this firewall was harder to get by, Kieran could still accomplish it. And then he materialized outside the computer, into the saferoom. ...Only to have half a dozen men aiming their tazers at him. ..Crap. How did they know..? No time. He felt one of the stingers graze him. He had to act, fast. He rolled to the side, and quickly raised his hands in front of him. A glimmering shield of energy and 0s and 1s formed in front of him, taking the impact of the other tazers, and thus preventing Kieran from getting tazed.

Well, except for one. Kieran noticed that one of them was trying to get around his shield. Perfect. As the man finally got around the shield and raised his tazer to shoot, he was blasted unconscious by a quick bolt of, well, data energy. Kieran quickly rolled again to the tazer, and set it off, incapacitating yet another guard. He then started moving around the small room, using his power to reconstruct the tiny little thing into something more useful....

A flashbang. He threw it at the guards, and they barely had time to react until it exploded. Amidst the ringing and blindness they experienced, Kieran swiftly got to work, knocking out the four other men in a series of grapples and pressure points. Once all of that was done, Kieran stood in the middle of six unconscious men, and sighed. His target escaped. Or was attempting to escape. He'd have to go hunt him dow-

Another electric shock. Blackness.

Kieran woke up with a headache, and with a scientist looking disapprovingly at him. There was a guard-Kieran's target- behind him, looking sympathetically at Kieran, while holding an electric baton. The target snuck up on him and hit him on the head with an electric baton. Kieran's mouth thinned as he realized this, and also realized the lecture he was going to get.

About an hour later, Kieran trudged out of the room. That... was a disaster. At least there was some silver lining to all this as now he could go eat. As he entered the cafeteria, he saw that the others were there. His lecture made him late. Kieran made an internal suffering sigh, and proceeded to get his rather bland food. He then set his tray down next to Cole, and slumped into his seat.

Interacts: a z u l a
Mentions: Everyone else.

 

[A.I.S.H.A.]

Mayumi perked up when Bianca spoke to her, interrupting her train of thought. She looked at her before swallowing the eggs she’d been chewing.
“It’s part of the job,” she said as she turned back to her plate. Mayumi cut a piece of the vegetables and put it in her mouth. As she chewed, it slowly dawned on her that she may have come off as insensitive. She swallowed the bit and added, “But, I hope you guys take care of yourselves. Get some rest.” In all honesty, Mayumi was quite the hypocrite. Telling others to take a break while refusing to do so herself. But it wasn’t a luxury she could afford right now. Mayumi turned back to her food and continued eating, saving the apples for last. As more gathered, Mayumi finished the last of her meal and grabbed one of the apples. The soft crunch sound emitted from her lips as she bit down on the fruit.

Mayumi looked up at the others to take stock of who else had joined the group. Kieran and Zero were among them now. By the looks of it, everyone was worse for wear but Zero seemed especially out of it. Mayumi sighed. She turned to Kieran, who decided to sit with them. Without a word, she grabbed her extra apple and offered it to him. Her expression was wooden, almost as if she were sitting at a poker table studying his expression for clues. Then she spoke.

“It’s sweet. And has nutrition. You need it, so take it,” she stated, refusing to take no for an answer. Then Mayumi turned to Casper. Of them all, he was the most beaten down. She wasn’t sure what she could for him. At most, negotiate for some time to recover but Paragon wasn’t the type to go beyond the bare minimum. Having the minimum was great but... sometimes she couldn’t help but wonder if they could be better. Mayumi took another bite of her apple and stood up. Maybe she could fetch a first aid kit for everyone.

Winona geminiy

mentioned: darkborn

 

[Shadowfall]

Her entire body felt like giving out of her, or at least, this body felt like giving out on her. Today's training was a different type of stress test from those in the past. Usually, it involved some sort of specific action that required her to change her body or shape to complete. Getting through a gap that progressively got smaller and smaller as she passed through each, or having to morph her body into unnatural tools to slice, cut, and otherwise chop materials of various quality. First they were rather asinine. Wood, metal, drywall, which left an itching sensation in her skin for a little before she shed it away. Then it became kevlar, flesh, bone, and soon cadavers of various body types. She was somewhat oblivious to the end of these means, but she wasn't stupid.

Today however, she wasn't being tested on her ability to change and shift into different forms and tools for different situations. It was to test how many bullets she could take before she had to change her form, or pass out. A turret was at the end of a hallway that fired an unrelenting amount of bullets, only to stop at somewhat unpredictable intervals. Her goal was simple. Get to the doorway. Then she could eat. Despite the simplicity of the task, this was something that wasn't helped by how long this narrow corridor was and the caliber of the bullets.

She had been here for at least an hour now, only a quarter of the way left before she could leave. Her body was already riddled with bullet holes that would be fatal to most. The remnants of forms she had shed were naught but scraps of flesh torn apart by the storm of hellfire that was unleashed upon her over and over again. Already, she had clawed at this form's chest, a large ogre of sorts, burly, strong, and riddled with bullets, to reveal a much more diminutive form. A mostly chitinous mass of bone that had covered the entirety of her skin. Her head was a mask of sorts, her body angular to better withstand the turret's lead retort.

As soon as the bullets struck her, her form began to crack in some places. Her chest, her face, her arms, her legs, but her shell was thick enough to withstand it. Slowly, she trudged forwards, gaining speed and intensity and she started into a sprint, unphased by the increasing amount of fire she was taking. With her speed built up, she burst through the comparatively flimsy wooden door and through to the concrete wall on the other side, where a group of observers had been taking copious notes. Millie had stopped entirely, putting a dent into the wall from the sheer force and density of her body. She rested on the ground, silently trying to catch her breath despite the blood, cracks, and dust that had settled atop her.

"Millie, darling, it's time to eat. You've earned it." Said a female scientist just outside of her vision. She felt a pair of hands hoist her to her feet, and she felt her suit of armor creak in ways she knew it wasn't supposed to. "Report to the mess hall." She heard, much more sternly this time, which spurred her to limp away her injuries and to the place where she knew everyone would be eating.

She hadn't bothered to peel away her bony exterior by the time she had scooped up something to eat. An incredibly protein dense meal of two eggs, vegetables, and a protein packed slurry of a drink, in addition to a cup of water. She hadn't known any other real food asides from this, so lunch wasn't something she looked forwards to because of the food, it was more or less to watch everyone else eat, and talk, and interact. Herself however, didn't participate in such a thing. She liked to sit in on one of the less populated tables and simply listen, if they didn't move away. Today, she decided to sit somewhere somewhat close to some of the other subjects, an empty table just next to some of the more bruised and jovial of the subjects she had seen.

Comfortable, now with at least something of a conversation to listen in to, she tore off the solid mask that had covered her face to reveal her pale features, bumped and bruised from the mere force of bullets hitting her, and tossed her bony and bloodied helm onto the empty table, the damaged thing clattering and chipping as the spare tendons that once held it to her face shriveled away. Her fingers were deadly points that skewered an apple in her grasp, eating and watching with the same energy as a wolf guarding their kill from other predators.

indirect mention: Winona geminiy darkborn A.I.S.H.A.

 

[Elf_Ruler]

Bristol couldn’t stand training days, the smells of everyone intermingling, the fact that she wanted nothing more than to be out of this cursed place, but Paragon was homeor at least as close to home as she could get. Not for one second did she forget why she was there, her bruises a constant reminded, the yellowing ones reminding her that newer black and blue ones would fill their place. All the scientists did was push and push until she came close to breaking. Her head pounding from the fact that the scientists wanted to see just how far she could really mess with time. No, she would never be a time jumper but each training always reminded her of why she had kept her power a secret.

Each combat training reminded her that she had failed at keeping herself hidden. She had walked into the common lunch area and saw a group of people already sitting near each other the group that always seemed so closely bonded. Sure, Bristol could hang with them if she chose but most of them, she didn’t want to. She wasn’t particularly close with anyone in the group, so she had very little trust in each one them. Plus, she was always one step close to being demoted, especially with the fact that the entire group together was well known. Better powers, more kills, and for the most part well trusted. Bristol could only manipulate how time was seen in others, she couldn’t compel anyone, she couldn’t produce fire, she couldn’t bend metal. She could break a nose, she’d done that once to a scientist, but she didn’t dwell to often on what she had done, and she took a seat near Zero, and said nothing to him. She looked over at him and then back at her food. No one really liked Zero and no one should but at least he didn’t talk.

Mention(s): a z u l a and everyone at the table, Winona

 

[Alvaris]

Finnian “Discharge” Argos

Sweat dripped down Finn’s forehead. His shirt clung to his body and his fingers tingled. They always tingled when they pushed him. The feeling of the plasmoids exiting his skin soon disappeared. The more he worked the more his body became one with the powers. It didn’t seem to matter how much time passed, he didn’t feel like a mutant. He wasn’t born with supernatural abilities.

Swish. The blade shot out, heading toward his back. Quickly he dropped, turned, and shot a plasmoid ball at it. The explosion was smaller and cooler than when he first began. The blade clanged to the ground.

“Again,” her voice shouted through the intercom. “Melt it this time.”

He furrowed his brow and stood. Being able to make bombs come out of his body wasn’t good enough. He had to leave no trace, burning hot enough to turn everything to ash. The rooms temperature rose with every explosive he created. There was only so much heat he could withstand. He wiped his brow with the back of his hand and winced, his hand burned.

Too bad they hadn’t started with the little things. After he wasn’t able to completely disintegrate a small house they decided to give him smaller things until he was too exhausted to melt a knife.

Swish. Clang. Swish. Clang. Swish. Clang.

“Not good enough,” she said, her tone flat. The intercom muffled before her voice grew distant. “Send them all at once.”

The drumming in his chest filled his ears. He couldn’t dodge them all, he wasn’t fast enough. He didn’t have the energy. Finn took a deep breath, allowing the hot air to fill him. He felt his body heat up, the glow brighter than normal. The simultaneous swish sounded. Balling his hands he fired the plasmoids out of his body, the heat swirled as they exploded when making contact with the knives.

A pain jabbed in his shoulder as a few clattered on the ground. Finn grunted before he reached up to pull the blade out. The metal became malleable in his hands. Finn frowned, dropping the blade.

“Acceptable. Break for lunch,” she said. She was his least favourite. Her voice sounded like a man’s, her fried blonde hair reminded him of straw, and she chose the most unflattering lipstick colours.

On a more positive note, food was waiting. Finn’s body ached, his legs screamed as he walked out of the room and headed toward the cafeteria. He probably smelled like a sewer, but he didn’t want to miss out on food or company. Finn yawned before getting some food. He scanned the cafeteria, eying the table with Katia and Bianca. Cole was there too, he didn’t hate the guy, but he didn’t particularly like him. Finn frowned, Casper looked dead beat. He approached the group and grinned.

“Training days,” Finn said with a short chuckle as he plopped down by the group. He grabbed the apple and bit into it. “Looks like everyone’s had a productive morning.” His eyes rested on Casper for a moment longer than the rest.

geminiy a z u l a & Everyone else is at the table



Renca “Dilemma” LeVelle

Renca yawned. “This again?” She said. “Aren’t you sick of this? I am.” She sighed loudly as the swordsman stepped forward. They scolded her for killing the last one. She’d done it out of spite, hoping that the more swordsman she killed the less likely they’d be willing to “train” her. However, they always managed to find someone else. She had to give them credit for that though. They always provided a live opponent for her, even though they changed most of the others to droids. She preferred the lives ones.

“If you wish to keep your status and freedom, don’t kill him,” her trainer’s shrill voice sounded over the intercom.

“Who said I want those?” She uncrossed her arms and stared at the man holding the katana. They were testing the durability of her powers, but that wasn’t enough. They also wanted her to harden her tattoos, as if that was possible. Their idea of “stretching” and “testing” abilities seemed somewhat absurd. It wasn’t possible to use her abilities like a sword, and they were stupid to expect this. She’d been trying for months, well, she gave up after a month of no success, which was when she began killing the swordsmen.

The man shifted his weight before tightening his hand on the hilt of the blade. Renca smirked and licked her lips. The blackness rose off her body. “Want to play a game?” She asked before wiggling her brows. “I might even consider allowing you to live.”

“Renca.” Her feeble attempt at sounding stern was laughable.

“Seems like he’s facing quite the Dilemma,” Renca chuckled. She could be funny if she wanted. The swordsman stepped back, sweat beading on his forehead.

“I think the droids would be a better option,” the man shouted.

“Nonsense.” Renca lifted her hand toward him, not because she needed to, but she enjoyed the fear her dramatic flares instilled in others. The shadows leapt off her hand, darting toward him.

The man sliced up, cutting through the blackness.

Renca sucked in a breath. “Ow.” The man smiled before cutting through her murky tattoos. Renca stepped back as she watched lines separate one tattoo from the next. The man laughed as Renca feigned retreat. The man stopped, seeming somewhat satisfied with the damage he’d inflicted on her tattoos. The blackness had become nearly transparent with his “hard” work.

Renca straightened her posture. “Did you actually think that hurt?” She said with a short laugh. Slowly her tattoos melded back together. The long-faced man’s eyes widened. “They didn’t tell you that it doesn’t hurt me when you attack it?” Truly, this activity was useless.

The man charged, holding the sword at his side. She contemplated her next move. Killing him was certainly a viable option. Binding him could also be entertaining. When he neared her, Renca shook her head moments before the shadows engulfed him. Her ability reached a certain extend of solid, but it wasn’t “good enough” for them. They desired it hard like steel, not having pressure like water.

“This exercise has grown increasingly unsuccessful,” Renca said as the shadows began to crush the swordsman. “The more lives you provide the more funerals you must pay for.”

“Release him. This is your only warning.”

She crossed her arms. Forcing her hand was more irritating than anything else. Renca smirked. Five. Four. Three. Two. The lasers burst on the scene, slicing through the void she detained him with. She called back the blackness while he coughed. The lasers didn’t hurt, nor did they actively destroy her shadows. They merely weakened them when many were fired at once. If she wanted, she could have killed him, but today she didn’t feel like putting up with the consequences.

“Break for lunch and leave your disobedience at the door when you return.”

Renca turned and headed toward the door. This was all far too tiring. He was fortunate enough she hadn’t killed him. Renca headed toward the cafeteria, spotting Finn up head, his shirt was a shade darker than earlier. He grabbed his food and headed toward the table already full of others. Of course. Boggle heads stay with boggle heads.

Renca grabbed her food and sat at a table near Zero and Bristol. It was impossible not to be near anyone, but she’d much rather be away from the chatter. She glanced at Finn’s table. Their company could be quite cloying.

Her attention was drawn back to Zero and Bristol. Suddenly she felt rather chatty. Scooping up her food, she moved toward Zero’s table and sat across from him. Slowly she lifted her water bottle, her eyes on the blonde boy.

“If your trainer needs suggestions, I’d be happy to oblige,” Renca said placing the bottle down. “If they truly wanted to test your abilities, they’d try one through the heart.” She pointed to his chest, allowing the shadows on her hand to slowly cross over the table.

Winona Elf_Ruler ​

 

[Winona]

Zero

So, maybe he allowed one person to sit at his table. Bristle. Briar. Something like that. Just one of the many girls that were stuck here at Paragon, and one of the many girls that he had done absolutely zero speaking to (and no, that wasn't a pun). Although to be fair, he was here to work, and had done pretty much no speaking with anyone. Only on missions, and that was all business talk. Or sometimes others liked to test him with stupid quips or comments, but Zero was good at ignoring them.

Like the girl that approached now, taking a seat across from him, and Zero could only let out a sigh. Rebecca, right? Look, he was terrible with names. Maybe it was all the hits to the head that would've killed most people. He didn't say anything to her, instead picking up the apple off his tray and taking a bite of it, his gaze only moving up to meet hers when she spoke to him. Why? Why didn't people know to just leave him alone at this point? He was better off alone. They were all better off alone.

He chewed and swallowed the bite of apple before speaking.

"Done it."

His voice was monotone, cold, void of emotion like the expression on his face. It was easier that way, left people guessing if they never really knew what you were thinking. People had questioned for years why he'd gotten the code name (which had, basically, become his real name because no one here even knew that his real name was Jeremy -- ha) but he was pretty sure it was because of that. His ability to show zero emotion, to keep everything hidden. Hey, there was nothing scarier than a guy that was still coming after you without showing an ounce of pain after being shot a few times. Bullets were his favorite.

"Twice." He added, one finger going up to tap his chest where his heart was still beating -- slowly, steadily. "Once with a bullet that just hit an artery. Passed out, but I was fine." He explained. The regenerating always started near his heart, and then fanned out. Every part of his body would be fixed, but whatever it was that put him back together would focus on the organs first. "Second time was with a knife. Straight through. Thought I was a goner because it stopped beating for a second."

He took another bite of his apple, and then dropped it back to his plate. Zero wasn't hungry, and he wasn't interested in whatever stupid game the girl in front of him wanted to play. He leaned back, straightening his back and squaring his shoulders, his arms crossing over his chest as he looked back at her once more.

"You should go annoy someone else, Rebecca."

Alvaris Elf_Ruler​

 

[a z u l a]

Katia

"Funny, I won my sparring match too, until Kitten here decided to cheat." Cole responded to Ruby bitterly, stabbing his food a little harsher than necessary. He was tired of the little brat's constant attitude, he didn't understand why the scientists all thought she was so special. She could move things with her mind, so what? The girl was a basket case and had no control over her emotions or her powers. Cole's powers may not have had as much of an awe factor as hers, but he was much more capable and just as effective. He didn't accidentally kill someone every other day.

"Sometimes dogs need to be put in their place." Kat huffed, glaring over at Cole with a sneer before turning back to the blonde who'd joined their table. "You should ask them for bleach to wash your mouth out with." She joked, looking over to the aforementioned beast who was sitting alone in the corner. Truthfully, she felt bad for Tonka. She knew what it was like to isolate yourself out of fear of hurting other people. When she'd first arrived at Paragon she'd been a disaster, scared of both her newly discovered powers and the other monsters residing in what was basically a jail, she'd lashed out and destroyed everything around her until they'd sedated her. Even now, years later she didn't have full control.

"Damn. You really do look like Casper the-and he's out." Kat sighed as Casper slumped over. He looked horrible, she hadn't seen him in days and she knew from talking to Bianca that they'd been pushing him much harder lately, they'd been pushing all of them harder lately. Even though they'd pushed them hard the entire time they'd been at Paragon, something had changed lately. They were going on much more missions and getting their asses kicked in training daily. Everything felt stricter, more serious, if that was even possible. Katia had been trying to listen in on the scientist's thoughts to figure out what was going on, but she never seemed to be able to get in without being noticed. Every time she tried to read someone's mind it caused them pain, but she knew if she could just get a grip on herself she could do it without being noticed. Too bad she was an emotional disaster.

"Awe, you think I'd waste my eternity bothering you? How sweet." Cole teased the necromancer, chuckling under his breath as her brother finally knocked out on the table. He enjoyed annoying the older Hanlon sibling, especially by flirting with his much better looking sister. It was a shame he wasn't awake to quip back.

"They don't care about limits. If they thought giving me a lobotomy would help they would" The telepath scoffed, glancing over at the nearby security guard as wondering if perhaps she shouldn't have suggested the lobotomy. She wouldn't put it past them.

"Yes well, Kitty-Kat likes to use her claws." He sneered at the younger girl, earning what was practically a growl back from her. "We can't all be as beautiful as you, now can we? Poor feral Kat looks like she crawled out of a dumpster." This earned him a a smack to the face, Kat using her ability to send her uneaten apple flying across the table into his face.

"Thank you, for that." Cole smiled bitterly, taking a bite of the apple now on his tray as more people joined their table

"Hello Finn." Kat greeted with a smile, noticing the spots of blood on him and frowning. "Yes, it seems like the only one who didn't get their teeth kicked in today was Bianca."

Casper & Bianca geminiy Ruby Twin Fantasy Finn Alvaris

Cole

"Welcome, Kieran. You look rather cheery today." Cole joked as the boy came to sit with them. Kieran was the only person who had willingly befriended him, he'd practically annoyed Bianca into being his friend, and he was fairly certain everyone else at the table would kill him if given the chance. He couldn't blame them, Cole was purposefully abrasive. He didn't need friends, they would merely stop him from being the best killing machine he could be. That's why he liked Kiera, he was focused and driven just like Cole, he understood that it was all about survival not making friendship bracelets.

Bianca on the other hand, was an entirely different story. At first her optimism had been annoying and he'd purposely gone out of his way to make her see the reality of how shitty their life at Paragon was, but she'd still continued to beam like sunshine no matter how bad things got here. Despite her cheery attitude, she didn't put up with his shit and always had a witty comeback for all of his smart-ass comments. It was refreshing, and probably the only thing keeping his mind stimulated and preventing it from turning to mush.

"Need a little recharge?" Cole asked his friend, sparks flying from his fingers as he gestured towards him. Perhaps the reason Kieran seemed to be the only one to put up with him was because their powers worked so well together. That, or Kieran was the only one with a brain, which seemed more likely.

Interactions: Kieran darkborn Bianca geminiy​

 

[A.I.S.H.A.]

Mayumi grabbed her apple and stood up. Upon turning around to head towards the door, she spotted a lanky red haired boy emerge from the shadows and sit quietly on his own ( shyland ). She blinked at him, remaining unmoved despite his rather sudden appearance. After a moment of silence, she started on her way towards the door without saying a word. She walked through the door and continued down the hall towards the infirmary. Mayumi avoided eye contact with anyone but her gaze was trained straight ahead. Guards would pass her by down the hall and she would step aside to let them pass before continuing along her way. She rounds the corner and stops in front of a scientist. They watch each other for a moment before he opens his mouth to speak.
"Mayumi, right?" he asked. She nodded. The scientist opened his binder and began flipping through papers. He took out an envelope and handed it to her. Mayumi furrowed her eyebrows slightly.
"Isn't this..."
"Your letter. The people you're writing to no longer live at the address you put down. So, they sent it back to us," he said. Mayumi's expression faltered slightly. "How long has it been?" the man asked. Mayumi looked at her letter with a distant expression.
"Uh... a long time," she said, pocketing the envelope. The scientist closed his binder. "Can I search for them?" Mayumi looked up. The man shook his head.
"For security reasons, we won't be able to let you roam around but," he said, putting a hand on her shoulder, "don't worry, we'll find them for you, ok?" Mayumi was uncertain about her own feelings but after overcoming her hesitation, she nodded.
"You trust us, right?" he asked. Mayumi nodded again, a somber gaze casting itself over her expression. "Good. Keep up the work, Mayumi. We expect wonderful things from you." The scientist let his hand fall from her shoulder and he continued on his way, leaving Mayumi to consider the shortcoming on her own. She grit her teeth and clenched her fist tightly. Then, she exhaled, the wind around her causing her hair to flutter slightly. Mayumi looked ahead once more and kept walking.

She reached the infirmary and opened the door, revealing a room full of beds and medical equipment. A few nurses milled about treating some mutants that needed help recovering from injuries. She walked past them and approached a nurse.
"Can I help you?" she asked.
"Can I request a first aid kit?" Mayumi asked. The nurse frowned.
"I'm sorry but we can't jus-"
"I will return it. My name is Mayumi Yukimura and I am willing to accept any punishment if I go back on my word," she said. The nurse crossed her arms.
"Well, it's obvious you're gonna keep pestering us until you get what you want so here's what I'll do. Take some spare first aid in that cabinet over there. Don't worry about bringing any of it back, it's all old anyway. I've been meaning to get rid of it," she said. Mayumi nodded and walked over to the cabinet she indicated. Upon opening it, she realized why this first aid was... well. Mayumi jumped at the cockroach that scurried out when she opened the drawer. Inside there was a nearly finished roll of bandages. Parts of it were torn. She grabbed it, as well as some bottles of pain relievers, and a broken needle with a mangled ball of stitching.
"Thank you," she said to the nurse as she walked out the door. Mayumi began making her way back down the hall with her supplies in her hands. She inspected the broken needle as she went. There was no rust on it, but the tip was jagged and shortened, obviously having been snapped in two at some point.

"Oh!" Mayumi yelped as she was thrust towards the ground.
"Watch where you walk," growled a guard as he passed her by. Mayumi sat up and found that her bottle of pain relievers had opened, spilling its contents on the floor. She grabbed the bottle and inspected it. Luckily, there were still some left. Mayumi sighed and started recollecting her first aid before standing up and dusting herself off.
"Someone ought to teach you some manners," she grumbled before continuing on her way. When she reached the mess hall again, she entered and began searching for those who needed treatment. Her eyes settled on Tonka ( Twin Fantasy ). He was usually by himself, which didn't surprise her. He had a tendency of lashing out, not to mention his inability socialize... like at all. Mayumi walked over to him and sat down.

"You should eat before your food gets cold," she said, laying out her scant supplies before her, "But first, take these." Mayumi took what little remained of the pain relievers and held it out to him.

 

[Alvaris]

Renca watched the blonde. He lifted his apple. Took a bite. Much like her, the boy spent majority of his time alone. However, unlike him, she had whims of desire to converse, to instigate. His lack of emotion was somewhat unsurprising and slightly disappointing. After training, she felt quite unfulfilled. Twice. Like a boy, his arrogance filled the very air she was trying to breath. A small smile rose on her lips. Plucking out his heart would be satisfying. He can regenerate, but he couldn’t regrow now, could he? She nearly laughed at the name he called her. Rebecca. Comments like that only fueled her desire instead of keeping it at bay.

She pulled back the blackness and straightened her posture. Before she spoke, she took in his features. Defined jaw line. Drab golden hair. Crooked nose? It looked crooked. If he wasn't so Zero, she might have found him attractive. “I see no others more satisfying to converse with,” Renca said, but the truth was it seemed far too much work to march over and deal with the amount of people across the room. “But, I would love for you to prove this. You may talk big game, but can you walk it out?” Boys always boasted, especially the scientists and trainers, however, she quickly discovered that their arrogance could never live up to their tales.

“Oh right. You won’t, cause you’re a dog. All dogs obey their masters.” Renca sighed and shook her head. “Tail between your legs, whimpering because you need someone else to think for you. Disappointing.” Renca picked up her apple, muscles taut. She highly doubted a rise would come from him, at least a physical one. Zero reminded her of the training droids she destroyed regularly. Mindless and doing only what is commanded. Paragon crafted him, it was obvious. He practically worshiped the ground they walked on and it was disgusting.

Winona

 

[Ghostiiys]

Ahlai

Ahlai circled her opponent , unfortunately for her it wasn't a real person. She didn't get many chances to fight someone up close and personal as she had a record of making most people permanently death and when she was really trying, Ahlai made a few of their heads pop.

"l want you to not use your ability this time okay Ahlai? " A voice spoke from the intercom.

"Okay su-" Ahlai didn't get much of a chance to finish her sentence as her robotic companion punched her in the face causing the girl to reel , the force of the metal hitting her face staggered the girl. Stumbling onto the floor , as she managed to get back onto her feet her opponent took a swing , Ahlai barely managing to avoid it grabbing it's arm and using all of her weight to drop onto the ground making the droid tumble over her and onto the floor.

"You.Stupid.Fucking.Trash." Ahlai yelled as she jumped back kicking the droid in the head repeatedly , as it dented and cracked under her strength the machine grabbed her leg and flipped Ahlai to her side making her hit her head. Grunting and disoriented Ahlai tried to get back up but was kicked under her chin , causing her to bite her tongue and gush blood out of her mouth. The droid picking her up by her hair as Ahlai struggled , grabbing at the robots hand unlatch herself but to no avail. It wasn't until she turned herself around , her hair twisting causing more pain but Ahlai was able to grab its forearm , placing her feet on its stomach and using it as a leverage to pull off its arm.

With its hand still holding a chunk of her hair Ahlai used the arm as a weapon , hitting the robot in the head and causing it to drop before bludgeoning it until it was nothing more than shards of metal.
Ahlai spit on its remains , wiping the blood and saliva off her face before looking at the intercom. "Can I go now please?" she sighed. Her whole face was in extreme pain as she rubbed her cheek. The door to her training room open as she walked out.

After the adrenline rush came to a halt Ahlai realized how hungry she really was. Food was always worth the pain , as she had a huge appetite. Making her way to the cafeteria she grabbed a tray and served herself twice the helpings. Looking around she noticed how everyone had settled in and Ahlai hated butting in to conversations.

She stood for a moment before heading towards Renca , although they didn't converse much she was one of the easier individuals in this facility. "Hello Rennie! How's it going? " She exclaimed before taking a seat. "And hello to you too Zero." she kept her conversations curt with that one. He was too hard headed to know courtesy if it hit him in the face.

Alvaris Winona

 

[geminiy]

Bianca Hanlon & Casper Hanlon

More and more bodies gathered at the table, making Bianca regret ever having left the library. All she had wanted was a peaceful lunch before training that afternoon but clearly she wasn't about to be granted that. Kat was always welcome as far as Bianca was concerned, she was one of the few faces that actually didn't make Bianca want to add another ghost to her repertoire. And then there was Cole. She couldn't quite place when the guy started tagging along and keeping her company, though Bianca definitely put up a fight at first. Cole wasn't nearly as bad as everyone made him out to be and although Bianca would never admit it, she didn't mind having him around.

A soft laugh breathed from Bianca's lips at Kat's comment.

"I much prefer to be the one doing the kicking. I like my teeth intact, my smile is my money maker." Bianca joked, flashing a bright grin at Kat before taking a sip of water. "I had the morning off, I've got training after this. I cannot wait to see what joyride Paragon has in store for me today."

A knot began to twist in the pit of Bianca's stomach, a feeling that she could not ever remember not having. The things Paragon did to her were twisted, cruel. Things that kept her up at night or woke her suddenly in the dead of night covered in sweat, the inside of her cheek bloodied from unconscious biting. Many of the exercises she had been through had never been talked about, only kept as a secret between herself and the scientists that made her a lab rat. Bianca would never breathe a word of it to anyone, not even her brother. It hurt too much to speak about it.

"Oh c'mon Sparky, you know being bonded to me in the afterlife wouldn't be that awful. I'm very fun in private. It is an honour to stand by my side." Bianca retorted to the man, the playful smirk that came every time she spoke to Cole forming on her lips. "But now that I'm thinking about it, I don't think I want your ass following me around until I die. Who knows if an ego that big can even fit into one spirit? The very last thing I want is more than one of you, Sparky, as much as I absolutely love your company."

Casper stirred beside Bianca, his body falling forward and bracing himself on the table with his hands. His eyes shot open, wide awake from whatever he had just been dreaming. Bianca had seen that look many times: deranged, lost, angry, sad. Casper looked around to assess where he was, blinking the sleep out of his eyes.

"Well good morning, Sleeping Beauty." Bianca teased, watching her elder brother closely. His face was draining of colour, his eyes looked almost hollow. "You should eat something and then find somewhere to take a proper nap."

"I'm fine." Casper mumbled, slowly struggling to his feet. He began making his way away from the table, not having touched a bite of his meal. "I've got work to do."

"Come on, you need to eat." Bianca said, reaching out and snagging his wrist in her hand. His skin was ice cold and damp to the touch. "Sit down." Casper pulled his arm free and turned away, walking toward the door. Bianca rolled her eyes and stood up, making her way after him. He was going to kill himself if he didn't start taking care of himself. Bianca knew that, hell even Casper knew that.

Bianca grabbed her taller sibling's shoulder, pulling him back harshly and stepping around him so that she blocked his way to the door. "Casper, sit down and eat before I kick your ass." Her words became a demand over a reassuring suggestion. Although the tiny girl may not look as scary as her fellows at Paragon, she was not someone to be reckoned with. If Casper had been a little more awake, a little better hydrated, a little more fed he wouldn't have tried to push past her.

A big mistake on his part.

As he made an attempt to walk around Bianca an unseen force pulled him backward, dragging him by the sleeves of his jacket. Bianca crossed her arms and had to stifle a laugh as Casper attempted to swat the ghosts off of him, shaking his arms and trying to remove the jacket. She loved when they knew what she needed without her even saying a word. Casper was lifted slightly off the floor and then slammed down harshly onto the bench, causing the whole table to rattle with his weight. Bianca made her way over, her skull still faintly glowing blue through her skin, and poked a finger into his chest.

"I told you: sit down and eat. It wasn't a suggestion, Casper." Bianca growled, her typically sweet expression stone cold. "Don't make me have to throw you across this room."

Casper stared down his sister as if he was trying to throw back the sharp gaze coming from Bianca. They often did this when a disagreement occurred, as if they were arguing in their minds. But it was simply a battle of strength, seeing who would give in first. As usual, Casper finally dropped his gaze with a huff and silently began eating the food in front of him. Bianca took her empty tray over to the disposal, taking her sweet time. She needed a moment to cool off. For a few months, Casper had seemingly been throwing himself away. The guy who usually took pride in caring for himself seemed to not give a care to if he lived or died, only what he could accomplish in life. Not much terrified the girl raised at Paragon but the thought of losing Casper chilled her to the core.

Bianca put the tray away and closed her eyes for a moment, trying to collect herself. It broke her to see Casper like that but she didn't have a clue how to help him, for the first time ever. Bianca ran a hand through her hair, deciding to take a few moments more to breathe. She could feel a guard staring into her back, a soft voice in her ear whispering that she was being watched. She slowly turned, a guard standing a few feet away. Maybe her whole display hadn't been such a good idea.

"What are you looking at, Paul Blart?" Bianca growled. She probably looked like a kid arguing to a parent twice their size but she didn't care. If only she could wipe that stupid glare off that guard's face. The guard pointed back to the table that she had been sitting at, silently telling her to return to her seat. Normally, Bianca would have attempted to retaliate somehow, but she was far too mentally drained. A cold hand rested on her shoulder, a hand that could not be seen or felt by anyone but her. It felt like the spirit was telling her to listen, that it was going to be okay.

Without another word, the brunette made her way back to the table and slid into the seat between Casper and Kat. She quietly watched the exchange between Zero and Renca. At least if they started brawling in the lunch room, the attention would be taken off of her. Casper quietly continued eating, his torso stiffening at the return of his sister. It had already been a tough day and arguing with Bianca only made it harder.

Quickly clearing the food from his tray, Casper disposed of it and made his way out of the lunch room, Bianca watching closely as he did so. He had no idea where he was going or if he was even going to make it there as his vision began to swim and his ears began to buzz from the fatigue. Finding a dark corner down the hall, Casper slid his jacket off and tossed it to the ground, slowly melting into the shadow of the corner. He wanted to sleep and not be disturbed. He hardly cared that his jacket was out in the open as long as his body was hidden from view.

"I should've strung him up in the rafters," Bianca sighed, talking to no one in particular. The only other person that likely cared about Casper beside Bianca was Kat, maybe Cole. She had no one to turn to but herself. "Maybe then he would have gotten the memo. I don't know what I'm going to do with him. If he keeps going like this he's going to kill himself."

| Kat & Cole a z u l a | mentions Zero Winona | mentions renca Alvaris |​

 

[0k_mang0]

Juniper

a z u l a geminiy Alvaris A.I.S.H.A. darkborn Twin Fantasy​

It’s only been 4 days since completing her first mission, and each night since then, she had the same dream with the same terrified face staring back at her. It always woke her up, and she’d end up having just a few hours of sleep before getting through the day, pretending to be all right.

They say the first time isn’t always easy, but Juniper was supposed to be mentally prepared better for this. She did train for nearly ten years to become an assassin, after all. The stealth infiltration had gone surprisingly all right with little trouble; she knocked out anyone that almost caught her and continued her way to the target’s location. But when she got there, she hesitated — it was the eyes, so full of anguish and fear, pleading her not to bring down her blade…

Clank!

Her katana flew out of her hands, clattering to the left corner. She ducked her opponent’s blade once, twice—sidestepped away from a downward slash—and a heavy shoulder slammed into her body, sending her tumbling backward on the floor. She wanted to grab his wrist or elbow the side of his head after that dodge, but it took her one-second too long to decide which.

“Get up,” her opponent demanded as Juniper quickly scooted to her sword and picked it up. Their blades met again. Whenever she thought she found an opening, her flurried attacks were always either dodged or parried, even when she had him stepping backward for a moment.

She flinched from the thin slice on her left shoulder—crap, she shouldn’t have reacted. A second later, her sword was forced out of her hand. She tried fighting back unarmed, but then she got kicked down again.

“Where’s your head at, Juni?” her older brother barked, holding the tip of his slim dao sword under her chin to prevent her from getting up.

Kang

Kang stepped back, but didn’t help his little sister get up on her feet—she could get up by herself just fine.

“My head is resting on my shoulders just fine,” Juniper retorted, picking up her sword for the fifth time. She was ready to go another round, but they were told the sparring session was done for now. After getting a bandage for the cut on her shoulder, Juniper headed to the lunch area with Kang beside her, as usual.

While getting their food trays, Kang asked in a low, stern tone, “What happened to your focus?” Ever since his sister came back from her first mission, she had been acting off. The lack of enough sleep was obvious, and her carelessness occurred more frequently during training. Kang knew that Juniper was disciplined in her combat skills more than she acted out to be, but she was making the smallest, simplest errors that she knew she shouldn’t do.

“Well, my focus is currently on the turkey sandwich behind you. Scoot over.”

“Juni…”

“Kay, I am tired, sweaty and on the verge of being hangry. And I know you wouldn’t like me when I’m hangry. Now please, back off and let me get my turkey.” Without waiting for a response, she shoved her brother’s dumb muscly arm out of the way, placed her food choices including the delicious turkey sandwich on her tray, and sat on the other side of Kat with the others—unfortunately, that also included Cole. “Ew, who invited Coleslaw?”

Juniper didn’t have to tell the others not to mind her brother, who sat alone with his own lunch at another table nearby, where he could keep an eye on his baby sister like a broody, overly protective guard dog. Kang had been doing this after she thought she was old enough to sit with her friends (to Kang, they were just colleagues) during mealtimes. This was normal.

 

[Twin Fantasy]

Ruby Bierman

Ruby looked up for a moment, noting that Casper Hanlon appeared on the verge of death at the moment. Her lips quirked into a grin. "Damn, Cassy, at least kick the bucket outdoors so Jesus can find you." Not that she herself was looking much better. Baby Robert Smith over there managed to get a couple solid hits on her before the cheat of the decade took place. She'd have to wash her mouth out real good, just to make sure her face wound didn't get infected by a deluge of beef. (God, she could NEVER date a vegetarian.) "Get some food in you and take a three-hour nap, bub."

She would have punctuated that with a slap on the back, but she doubted Casper could handle a full-on Ruby Bierman Smack right now. Especially since the K.E. from Li'l Dracula's stunt was still buzzing inside her body and probably wouldn't go anywhere for a little while. She didn't wanna be the one responsible for killing the guy. Her attention turned to Cole. (Ugly, stupid, hetero Cole.)

"Yeah, but you probably deserved it." She grinned. "If I thought I had to lose to you I'd probably start biting." Pause. "Which biting should totally be a valid battle strategy, like, nobody expects it." Cole was one of her least-favorite people. The man just did not seem to understand the phrase I'm gay. Motherfucker probably thought he could "convert" lesbians with his magic cock, but the guy probably couldn't convert a YouTube video to an MP3 on one of those websites. IQ of negative one. He was probably attractive as men went, but he had better chances consensually banging a cat than Ruby. Such a shame, one of the most sexually available women of the New Order was only available to other women. Too bad, so sad, boo hoo hoo.

Ew, Zero was here too. Bleh. Ruby would like to drop an elbow on his jaw. Frankly, it seemed like there were few people Ruby wouldn't drop an elbow on. Kat was safe because hoo-ee, pretty lady, but everyone else? On thin fuckin' ice. "Call it a personal win for Kitka, at least she's more likable than you." She gave Kat a little 'wink wink, nudge nudge' motion.

// a z u l a geminiy Winona //​

 

[0k_mang0]

Nolan

Casper geminiy​

They made the obstacle course harder again.

One of the ledges shifted to the side and made him stagger his landing. He hadn’t expected that. Nor did he expect a pillar to shoot out from the floor right in front of him after he made another teleporting jump. Almost everything was moving in the room. Even the bars on the wall occasionally vanished before or while he climbed up.

Eventually, he made it to the finish line. He made one final push after nearly dislocating his shoulder a few moments ago, teleported 15 meters before the wall could block his path, and landed on his knees.

“You’re three-point fifty-six seconds slower than last time, Nolan,” one of the scientists said monotonously through the speakers. “Run it again.”

Nolan cursed under his panting breath, trudging his way to the starting line. He would’ve been slightly faster if they hadn’t added 5 or 6 more pounds on each of his shin weights. Nolan’s main specialty was stealth; he’s supposed to move freely without the extra weight slowing him down. Perhaps they wanted to see if the extra weight did affect his teleporting. The in-between time for Nolan to use his power lasted slightly longer near the end – of course, it was most likely just fatigue from almost constantly teleporting. Teleporting felt a bit like bungee jumping, bouncing at the bottom with the rope tugging his stomach. So yeah, it got exhausting at some point.

After the next three or four more course runs (he ended being 0.94 seconds slower than the previous time), he was pulled out for another interrogation round. A month had passed since his father went missing. Dr. Christopher Sousa, one of the higher leveled research scientists, escaped the facility one night and was rumored to have possibly stolen a few confidential files. An hour later, security guards raided Nolan’s room for intense questioning. This time, he was being questioned about a recently found surveillance video of him and his father having a serious talk, just a week before the disappearance. The video had no audio, which had been mysteriously deleted somehow. Nolan explained that his dad was just trying to apologize for putting him through the experiment and such. There was no hug at the end. That was the last time they’d spoken to each other.

They wouldn’t actually consider his suggestion, but he challenged them to get a mind reader after noticing the skeptical expression on the two interrogators’ face. His answer would still be the same if they had: Nolan truly did not know where his father was.

While making his way to the cafeteria, he stepped on a jacket lying on the floor. The jacket belonged to Casper, he recognized it. He scanned around the area until he found the jacket's owner slumping inside the shadow of the corner nearby. Quite literally, Casper was inside the shadow.

Quietly sighing, Nolan approached Casper, carrying the jacket under his arm, and crouched down three feet away. He furrowed his brows at him with a mix of confusion and worry.

“You look like shit,” Nolan said, his tone hinted with soft sympathy. “C'mon, get up. I don’t want you to be one in this corner.”

 

[darkborn]

At Cole's offer of a recharge, Kieran winced, and hastily held his hands up. "I-I've had plenty of shocks today, thank you, though." One of his hands went and gingerly touched the bump on his head. After that slight little emphasis that he had a rough time, he took a couple of bites. While the food was bland, Kieran took the time to enjoy it, as his stomach was killing him from the hunger.

After preventing immediate death at the hands of famine, Kieran turned back to Cole. "It's just that they added a new anti-virus program to the practices. It's particularly more.. brutal and ruthless than the last ones. They're upping the game for me. I managed to get by them...just not the guards that the anti-virus alerted."

Feeling like he explained enough at the moment, he took a couple more bites, albeit less appreciative. The blandness was getting to him now. Finishing that round, he couldn't help but overhear everyone else's comments to Cole. At that, he slightly bristled, before forcing himself to calm down. "Hey, guys. There's no need for that. We're all in this together, right? Snapping at each other won't solve anything." He stopped and thought for a moment. "Nor will fighting with each other at all help. There may come a time when we have to do missions and watch each other's backs, right?"

After that, his eyes took on a slightly... dangerous look to them. "And I, for one, don't want to deal with arguing. So, quiet....please?" That 'please' was said in a very... menacing manner. Kieran wasn't going to put up with crap like this.

After that little moment, he turned back to Cole and said in a lowered and slightly conspiratorial tone of voice: "Hey, I managed to get GTFO. Want to play with me later?" He thought for a moment. "I also managed to get my hands on a peculiar game called 'Folklore Hunter.'"

 

[0k_mang0]

Juniper – Kang (a little)

a z u l a geminiy Alvaris darkborn​

Taking a bit of her turkey sandwich, Juniper rolled her eyes at Kieran’s lame short monologue that almost sounded like it was stolen from High School Musical, unimpressed with his mediocre intimidation attempt. Ugh. Why do boys have to be so stupid? Especially when there was no reason to prove anything. Really, there were many obvious reasons why some people didn’t like Cole. Just because there’s a possibility any of them would work with him in the future, didn’t mean Juniper or anyone had to like him.

For a few moments, she thought there was a slight chill in the air—it most likely came from the air conditioning vent that was on the ceiling above her. Still, she glanced over her shoulder and saw Kang stiffly shifted a bit in his seat from the empty table across from them and clenched his jaw for a second after glancing at Kieran. Juniper lightly shook his head at him. No doubt her big brother would immediately send a flurry of icicle shards if Techno-boy did anything rash. She did not want blood on her food now or ever.

“If you were one of the girls that Cole shamelessly hit on one too many times, you’d consider frying his balls off, too,” Juniper said dismissively and turned to Kat and the other girls (plus Finn because she knew he didn't like Cole either). “Anyway… Kang told me earlier we might do an extreme capture the flag training session later, or something like that. Sounds kinda fun. In an extreme way, I guess.”

 

[Alvaris]

Finn chuckled lightly at the exchange between Cole and Kat. Typical. Two strong personalities clashing on a regular basis certainly kept things interesting. Finn smiled as he looked at Kat. The more people the merrier for him, but he knew not everyone felt that way.

Finn took a bite of his apple before propping his elbows on the table. “Sounds like we were the fortunate ones,” Finn said. “I take my duty’s as punching bag very seriously.” He placed a hand over his chest and winced, he’d nearly forgotten about his wounded shoulder. “If it wasn’t for us they’d have to fight each other and…well, that actually sounds hilarious.”

He glanced at Bianca as she spoke. Sometimes she was difficult to read. At one moment she seems mildly optimistic and upbeat, but then it goes sour with her chaotic tendencies. She often reminded him of a roller coaster. Roller coasters, how he missed them so. The faster the better. He never got sick, but he did occasionally get dizzy riding them. Finn smiled, his mother refused to ride them, but his father would despite knowing he’d throw up.

Bianca’s biting remark was an overt reminder that the past was more a pain than a joy. Part of him wished he’d lost those memories beneath the bidding of Paragon, but he had no such luck. It didn’t seem to matter how many people he killed or dirty deeds he did, the ethics his parents taught him always rose. Always made him disgusted. Always made him angry.

Finn took another bite of his apple, listening to the conversations around him, trying to keep the darkness at bay. Death didn’t always sound so bad. Finn glanced at Bianca. You can’t save a person who doesn’t want to be saved. “I’m sure one of these days it’ll sink in,” Finn said. “As my trainer so delightfully reminds me.” He paused and straightened his posture. “In order to be the best, you must be broken. You have to rebuild,” his voice was high and screechy as he mocked his trainer. “At least it’s something stupid like that.”

Juniper sat down a moment later and he turned his attention to her. Sometimes Ruby was a little much for Finn, but he generally didn’t mind her company. Kieran’s voce rose among the cluster of people at the table. “We’re always watching each other’s backs K-cup,” Finn said, his eyes on Kieran. “Maybe not always for the right reasons, but we gotta start somewhere.” He grinned before winking.

“Extreme capture the flag sounds like a bomb.” He chuckled at his own joke as he wiggled his brows at Juniper. “How was training, Tinder?” He asked before shaking his head. “Nope. Don’t like that one. Scorch? Nope. I’ll keep working on a nickname.”

Interactions: 0k_mang0 darkborn geminiy a z u l a

Mentions: Twin Fantasy

 

[a z u l a]

Katia

Kat rolled her eyes as she watched her friends bicker, not that she considered Cole a friend. Despite enjoying Bianca's teasing of the ever annoying man across from them, she kept glancing over at Casper as he slept, worry creasing her brow as she took in his unsightly state. They were pushing him hard, and she could tell from the worry that was always painted on Bianca's face that it was much worse than even she could see. The two were so close that it made Kat wish she had a sibling growing up, though that wouldn't matter since she was stuck inside Paragon and she wouldn't want anyone else in here, or stuck on the outside wondering what had happened to her. Perhaps her life would be different if she'd had a family.

"Hey Juniper." Katia greeted with a small smile, though she couldn't kept her eyes from flickering towards the siblings that were now arguing by the door. They had all had their share of very, very, very rough days at Paragon. It seemed like this whole week was Casper's. They'd been lighter on her in the last few days because she had an upcoming mission and she needed to be in fighting shape for it. Some of the others must not've had missions in the next few days, because they looked like they'd gotten their asses kicked particularly hard. She watched worriedly as Bianca practically shoved her brother down and forced him to eat, only for him to get up and sulk away as soon as he was done.

"Casper's an idiot, but he'll keep himself alive. Who else is gonna look out for you? Sparky?" It was mostly a joke, but truthfully Katia hoped that her friend loved his sister enough to make sure he was well enough to stick around. As much as she tried to separate herself from the others and not get too attached, she had grown to care about both siblings in her time at Paragon. She was so afraid of hurting others that she'd tried to keep from getting close to anyone, but it got lonely after a while and it seemed the others were determined to make a friend out of her.

"Capture the flag?" The brunette asked curiously, turning back to Juniper as Finn was the last to arrive at their table. Paragon was always coming up with new ways to test their abilities, usually they involved pain and torture, but a game sounded fun for once.

Interactions: Bianca geminiy Juniper 0k_mang0 Alvaris

Cole

"Oh, really now?" Cole flirted back, wondering just how much fun Bianca would be in private. Too bad there was no such thing as privacy in Paragon. "I'd keep you entertained for the rest of eternity, though." He defended himself as the necromancer teased him about his ego, perhaps he could be a little much but there were very few things Paragon let him have, so his ego would have to do for now.

Their flirting was cut short as her brother finally woke from his nap, looking groggy and half-dead as he tried to make his way up from the table. Cole didn't particularly like Casper, but he didn't exactly want him to die of exhaustion in the middle of lunch. That wouldn't be any fun. Besides, he didn't like seeing Bianca upset, and lately she'd been more stressed than usual over her brother.

"Hello, Junebug." Cole sneered, as the girl sat beside him. Thankfully, Kieran came to his rescue as the girls ganged up on him, yet again. He couldn't exactly blame them for not liking him, he was an ass on purpose. He was stuck in here for the rest of his life, he might as well make it entertaining, even if it was at the expense of the others.

"Why yes, Kieran I would love nothing more than to get away from my fan club." The blond joked, though he was looking forward to spending time with his only real friend. Even if it was only for an hour, it was nice to distract himself from the horror of his reality. Of course he didn't like hearing that Kieran was getting beaten up in training, but if his training was getting harder it meant that he was getting better, and the more powerful you were the more Paragon valued you.

Bianca geminiy Juniper 0k_mang0 Kieran darkborn​

 

[0k_mang0]

Juniper

Katia, Cole a z u l a , Finn Alvaris , Bianca, Casper geminiy​

Again, boys were stupid. “Ew. Finn, no. All of those are terrible,” Juniper chided. “Thank god you’re not in charge of handing out codenames. And training was the same as always. Swinging swords and stuff, nothing new.” She hadn’t been feeling like talking about her day since her mission. It could also be her recent inconsistent sleeping schedule that made her kind of unusually detached, as well as get more bruises around her body during training this week. Her brother was right—she couldn’t find her focus anymore.

After Cole called her “Junebug” (ew, lame), Juniper stuck her tongue out at him for a second, but made no reply as she tried to scoot away from him while staying within enough speaking distance from people that she actually liked.

“Yeah, capture-the-flag. Very classic game. Whoever’s team gets the flag or whatever first, wins,” Juniper explained to Katia. “Well, it’s Paragon, so their definition of a ‘game’ would most likely be not as harmless, probably involves more maiming,” she added with a shoulder shrug. “Besides, it’s kinda weird when you think about it. You know, ‘cuz we’re not exactly trained to capture…” Though I wish we were, Juniper thought pensively, lightly spork-poking her small fruit salad cup with disinterest.

Glancing at the exit, Juniper just witnessed Bianca’s brother stumble out of the cafeteria. Even from a distance, he looked terrible. Yikes. Hopefully, Casper would be somewhat okay before Paragon begins Capture The Flag to the Death.

“I’m sure Casper will be a little better after a quick nap,” Juniper reassured Bianca. Optimism had been challenging for her to find lately. “I definitely need to find enough time for one later, too.”