The X-men run missions and work together with the NYPD, striving to maintain a peaceful balance between humans and mutants. When it comes to a fight, they won't back down from protecting those who need their help.
Haven presents itself as a humanitarian organization for activists, leaders, and high society, yet mutants are the secret leaders working to protect and serve their kind. Behind the scenes they bring their goals into reality.
From the time when mutants became known to the world, SUPER was founded as a black-ops division of the CIA in an attempt to classify, observe, and learn more about this new and rising threat.
The Syndicate works to help bring mutantkind to the forefront of the world. They work from the shadows, a beacon of hope for mutants, but a bane to mankind. With their guiding hand, humanity will finally find extinction.
Since the existence of mutants was first revealed in the nineties, the world has become a changed place. Whether they're genetic misfits or the next stage in humanity's evolution, there's no denying their growing numbers, especially in hubs like New York City. The NYPD has a division devoted to mutant related crimes. Super-powered vigilantes help to maintain the peace. Those who style themselves as Homo Superior work to tear society apart for rebuilding in their own image.
MRO is an intermediate to advanced writing level original character, original plot X-Men RPG. We've been open and active since October of 2005. You can play as a mutant, human, or Adapted— one of the rare humans who nullify mutant powers by their very existence. Goodies, baddies, and neutrals are all welcome.
Short Term Plots:Are They Coming for You?
There have been whispers on the streets lately of a boogeyman... mutant and humans, young and old, all have been targets of trafficking.
The Fountain of Youth
A chemical serum has been released that's shaving a few years off of the population. In some cases, found to be temporary, and in others...?
MRO MOVES WITH CURRENT TIME: What month and year it is now in real life, it's the same for MRO, too.
Fuegogrande: "Fuegogrande" player of The Ranger, Ion, Rhia, and Null
Neopolitan: "Aly" player of Rebecca Grey, Stephanie Graves, Marisol Cervantes, Vanessa Bookman, Chrysanthemum Van Hart, Sabine Sang, Eupraxia
Ongoing Plots
Magic and Mystics
After the events of the 2020 Harvest Moon and the following Winter Solstice, magic has started manifesting in the MROvere! With the efforts of the Welldrinker Cult, people are being converted into Mystics, a species of people genetically disposed to be great conduits for magical energy.
The Welldrinker Cult
A shadowy group is gaining power, drawing in people who are curious, vulnerable, or malicious, and turning them into Mystics. They are recruiting people into their ranks to spread the influence of magic in the world, but for what end goal?
Are They Coming for You?
There have been whispers on the streets lately of a boogeyman... mutant and humans, young and old, all have been targets of trafficking.
Adapteds
What if the human race began to adapt to the mutant threat? What if the human race changed ever so subtly... without the x-gene.
Atlanteans
The lost city of Atlantis has been found! Refugees from this undersea mutant dystopia have started to filter in to New York as citizens and businessfolk. You may make one as a player character of run into one on the street.
Got a plot in mind?
MRO plots are player-created the Mods facilitate and organize the big ones, but we get the ideas from you. Do you have a plot in mind, and want to know whether it needs Mod approval? Check out our plot guidelines.
Agnes awoke with a shriek as the sound of the sizzle filled her ears again as it did so long ago. She was exhausted, sweaty and the sheets of her bed had nearly formed a noose around her neck. After her terrified scream, the runaway sat bolt right up in bed, gasping as she looked left and right. She was here all right, still at the mansion, in her bed, with her roommate Gina sleeping soundly in the bed across the room. She was surprised that she had not woken her up. With a sigh and a shuddering breath, Agnes tossed her sheets aside and climbed out of bed, making for the door.
It had only been a night since the runaway’s evening with the musician Rhythm. She was still shaky whenever she thought about it because every time she did, she wanted to kick herself for running away like she did. That young woman in those few seconds that they kissed really made her feel the most beautiful that she ever did. And yet she still ran away. Not because she did not want her, but because of something her parents did to her so long ago. That was why she dreamed about that awful night. That was why the nightmares were coming back.
With a sniffle, Agnes opened her door and slipped out into the hallway. She was dressed down to just a pair of drab, gray sweatpants and a loose Hello Kitty t-shirt that looked faded and wrinkled beyond belief. Barefooted she walked down the carpeted hall and made her way towards the kitchen to…find something to do. Whether it was to just get a drink of water, sit and cry, or both, she needed to do something other than sit in bed.
Meekly she wandered into the kitchen and found herself just standing in the middle, staring at nothing but the darkness that was all around. In those ink black corners she saw a combination of things: her past, possible futures, hidden secrets about herself, and those she outright said. But the worst of all was that the voices her parents continued to persecute her.
“We didn’t raise you to be…this!”
“You’re a monster! Look at you!”
“Sinner!”
“That’s how the devil got to you!”
“Lecherous fiend!”
“Creature!”
“Mutant! BURN!”
“Stop it! Stop it!” she cried as she clawed at her stomach. She could feel that brand being pushed against her stomach all over again. She could hear the chanting of her parents’ followers, all of them demanding the blood of the demon that flowed through her veins.
Shakily she wandered over to a sink, angrily grabbed a glass from the cupboard and flipped on the water. As she stuck the glass underneath the cool stream that flowed out and poured over her hands, Agnes cringed as she felt the brand on her stomach once more, just as fresh and grotesque as ever. It as if her parents that permanent branded her with a scarlet letter, so everyone would know she was inhuman. So that even if she ever managed to strengthen herself up to find some sort of happiness, it would forever be tainted by that mark.
Shaking, Agnes put the glass up to her lips and took a long drink, listening to the water as it flowed out of the faucet and drain down her throat. But in the middle of her attempt to refresh herself, more voices rang out.
“Tie her down!”
“This is for the Lord’s work!”
“Stop it,” Agnes said in a raised voice after a slight choking on her water.
“Burn it out! Save her soul!”
“I said Stop IT!” she cried as she turned to face the empty darkness, her fingers clutching the glass so hard she could hear it cracking.
“It’s only because we love yo–“
“STOPPPP!” Agnes screamed at the top of her lungs now as she hurled the glass into the dark. Her ears were immediately met with the sound of it shattered against the wall and soft drip-drip of water followed after.
Unable to hold back anymore, Agnes slammed her arm into the counter behind her and slowly rolled down onto her knees, finally allowing herself to cry. Everything her parents had done to her freshly entered her mind and there was nothing she could do to forget it. Nothing except for sit there and bawl her eyes out. All the while, as tears cascaded down her cheeks, a buzzing entered the room as hornets and flies began to flow from her mouth and swarm protectively around the shuddering runaway. They would protect here, but there is nothing they can do to protect her from memories.
Amber rolled out of bed and slipped on a dark purple robe, careful to remain quiet so that she didn't wake up her sleeping roommate Henri. Normally she would have been up hours ago, either lurking the streets of New York or back at home in Sanctuary. Unfortunately this was the third night in a row that she had gotten only a couple hours of sleep, those couple hours being right around the time she normally would have awoken for her nightly activities.
Nightmares had haunted Amber since she had escaped from her captors not long ago and returned to New York. She kept seeing images of snarling bears and wolves bearing down on her, trying to take her head off. Then there were the scientists themselves, prodding her with needles and threatening to shoot her any time she disobeyed. Not only that, but her recent experience as a prisoner had brought back older memories of angry mobs trying to chase her down and kill her, or the one time she was almost stabbed by a man simply because here eyes betrayed her as someone not human.
Amber walked to the bathroom and splashed cold water on her face, trying to shake the now ever-present cobwebs free. The lack of sleep hadn't been kind on her and she could swear she was looking more and more like a figure out of a horror novel. Her normally pale face had taken on an almost greyish tone and her eyes had dark circles around them. Actually, those dark circles had existed even before her capture, but now they were even more prominent. Not for the first time she wondered if her mutation was somehow evolving, taking a turn for the worst, if that was the case. Her pale white skin and black eyes were bad enough, but what if she were to become a true monster? She didn't know if she could live a life like that.
Once done in the bathroom, coffee was the next order o the day. If she wasn't going to be able to sleep, then the least she could do was have a very strong cup of coffee so she didn't feel like a member of the walking dead, even if she was starting to look like one. The Mansion was quiet at that time as the Mansion usually was at that time of night. If it had not been quiet then there might have been something truly wrong, and Amber wasn't certain that she could deal with one more thing wrong in her life at that moment. What she really needed was some peace, someplace where she would simply not have to worry about anything at all. Maybe with some time things would get better. Maybe she could live a few weeks as her new flying lizard form or something. It was small and similar enough to modern lizards that she probably wouldn't draw all that much attention, not really. With her mind pondering the idea of living as a lizard full time for a while, she approached the kitchen.
“Stop it! Stop it!”
Was that Agnes?
“I said Stop IT!”
She didn't know the girl very well, but she definitely seemed to be in trouble.
“STOPPPP!”
Amber ran as fast as she could the rest of the way towards the kitchen, robes billowing behind her. "Agness, Agness what's wrong?" She looked around for the threat but all she saw was the hysterical teen.
In her fit of fear, cringing and crying to herself, Agnes felt her swarm protectively buzzing and scuttling around her. They would keep her safe, they would make sure that nothing and no one bothered her. But in doing so, she felt so utterly alone. She felt much weaker and much meeker than she liked to feel. The whole purpose of this turning point in her life was so that she could begin to undo everything that her parents had done to her. This was not the case anymore though. In one night, everything she felt about them had returned and Agnes was left a crying, blubbering heap on the cold floor of the kitchen. Never did she feel so hopeless.
“Agnes…Please…”
That familiar voice of Rhythm rebounded in her head and Agnes could have sworn she felt the woman warm breath on the back of her neck. Cringing and biting her bottom lip, a warm sensation wrapped around her like a shawl. It was as if the woman were here and wrapping her arms around her from behind. Agnes wanted to rest back, feel the curves of that woman’s body as she held her but instantly the feeling vanished as she felt her head touch the front of the counter.
Alone again, Agnes could only cry as those insects who were sworn to protect buzzed deafeningly around her head. But…in mere seconds another voice invaded the silence.
>> "Agness, Agness what's wrong?"
Looking up, it took Agnes a moment to perceive the young woman standing in the entrance to the kitchen. The extremely pale skin, the black eyes and instantly she knew she was staring at Amber. The young mutant was one she had met ages ago in an alley and again here at the mansion. It was almost like kismet that the two would always meet when the other was feeling down or depressed. But it was the concern in the mutant’s voice that managed to shake Agnes back to some sort of reality.
As she looked over her disheveled self, Agnes sniffled as she attempted to calm her heart. She had to return the swarm to their location, she had to get some kind of control in this situation! Deep breathing, Agnes held up a hand to signal Amber to wait a moment. One second…two seconds…calm breathing and the swarm actually began to recede. Slowly the returned to their queen hive, crawled or flew into her mouth and returned to their nestled homes within her body. Agnes took a shuttering breath and sighed as she glanced up at Amber.
Sniffling, she was about to nod her head that yes, she was fine. After all she only wanted to be alone and that was it. But, she could not bring herself to nod her head. She could not even maintain a calm look. Shaking, as if nearly frozen, the runaway shook her head as she returned to gaze to Amber.
“I…I…no. No I’m not.” she whispered hoarsely and attempted to wipe the tears from her eyes. “I’m damned.”
Amber wasn't the type to be naturally afraid of bugs. She liked to think of herself as being more practical than that, better than the stereotypical shrieking female of the movies. If she saw a spider on the ground she either ignored it or killed it. It wasn't like bugs, at least most of them, were inherently dangerous and she had enough legitimately dangerous things in her life to worry about without adding a phobia of creepy crawlies to the list.
When there were hundreds of flying bugs in a small area, however, many of which were highly unpleasant like stinging wasps, that was a different story entirely. She knew Agnes wasn't going to let them hurt her, or at least she was pretty sure Agnes wasn't going to let them hurt her, but there was a certain visceral reaction that occurred when placed in such a situation. For most, that reaction might have been to flee, but Amber wasn't much like most. Most didn't have the ability to develop an innate protection against biting and stinging insects in the form of tough scales.
Despite the growing control Amber had been developing over her power, upon seeing the swarming insects she felt the instinctive fear reaction in her body that triggered the beginnings of a shift. She felt the burning pain race through her body as her skin began to change from white to gray and harden into scales. It was only through monumental force of will that the shift didn't go any further than that and it was only when she saw the swarming insects recede back into Agnes that she was able to reverse the shift back into her normal, natural human form, complete with smooth, white, non-scaled skin. She felt ashamed at her reaction, knowing that she wasn't in any real danger. Yet another way in which she was cursed.
“I…I…no. No I’m not. I’m damned.”
"You aren't damned," Amber replied sadly. Sometimes she felt a little damned herself and it struck her as ironic that she, of all people, was here trying to comfort Agnes when she had so little comfort herself. She began walking closer to the other girl, now that her swarm appeared to be controlled. "My sister would say that we are b-both b-blessed because of what we are. Maybe we b-both need to take an example from Aura and try to believe that." She tried to smile although the smile didn't reach her eyes. She felt, much to her shame, close to tears. How could she argue that Agnes wasn't damned when she felt so very cursed herself lately?
Her voice had been so meek that Agnes herself was surprised by it. When she spoke, all she imagined was an injured field mouse in the hands of a maniacal, fat cat. She was weak, tired, and utterly alone. She was reentering the breakdown she had from months back when the guidance counselor had attempted to make a connection with her. That day, everything bubbled to the surface to the point that she became a geyser and exploded in a massive wave of emotion and insects. It was an embarrassing and horrible point in her life.
And right now she was feeling just as bad. Someone really liked her and she rejected them because of what her parents had done to her. Now she being tortured by nightmares once more, memories of what she had hoped she had finally buried deep into the back of her mind. But that apparently was not the case.
Why else would she be crying on the kitchen floor, hugging herself for warmth.
>> "You aren't damned…”
She looked closely at Amber. The mutant always had been trying to lift up her spirits ever since she met her. She did not know how she could do it. The world was so cruel, so angry towards their kind. Amber had it worse since, unfortunately for as beautiful a girl as she was, she definitely looked as if she had something wrong with her. Sometimes it was just harder to hide ones mutations, even if they could indeed be harmless.
And yet…she always told her that their kind was blessed. How could she say that? Every mutant she’s met so far has had some issue with humans. The only one who seemed to have some luck was Gina and she was thankful for that. But for the rest of them…the world was cold place.
>> “My sister would say that we are b-both b-blessed because of what we are. Maybe we b-both need to take an example from Aura and try to believe that."
Agnes sniffled, wiping more tears from her cheek as she simply sat with her back against the counter, staring at the cold floor that chilled her rear. An involuntarily shiver ran through her body as she hugged herself tighter.
“I…I tried…I tried so hard,” she whispered as she slowly turned her gaze up to Amber again.
She did not know why she said what followed next. She was always so closely guarded about what happened to her but there was something about this night. Maybe because it was dark, maybe because she was simply tired of keeping it to herself and just wanted some kind of sympathy from someone, who knows. For whatever the reason, though, Agnes found her voice suddenly begin to tell of her horrid night so long ago.
“M-My parents damned me.” she whispered. “W-When they…found out I was a mutant…they tried to exorcise me.” Very gently and with shaky arms, she lifted up the front of her night shirt just to show her stomach. There, in the pale light of the moon that filtered in through the window, the scarred skin, the brand in the shape of a crucifix was visible. “They tortured me, my own parents…” she gasped as tried to hold back a fresh flood of tears, “just because I was different. S-Sorry if I…don’t share your sister’s sentiments.”
In a way, Agnes was the perfect example of everything that was wrong with the world. It wasn't the fact that she was a mutant, nor the fact that her power was a bit on the creepy side nor even the fact that she was tormented by what she was. No, it was the reason why she was tormented by what she was. In a perfect world she would have been able to live in peace, learning to control and embrace her power without having to feel damned and without having to feel alone.
In the perfect world Amber, too, wouldn't have to feel cursed in her own skin. She had it better than Agnes, in a way, because she actually liked her power. In fact, as much as she resented the curse that came with it, it was the power itself that made life bearable. It gave her a freedom that she was never able to know as a human and a way of looking at the world that was more, pure almost. It was pure and simple in the way that the struggle to survive in nature was pure and simple, predator eats prey, prey flees from predator, the strong survive and the weak perish. Maybe it was a harsh world, that one, but at least it was a simple world and at least there was no one to judge and no one to torment. Even if one animal ate another animal, it was all a matter of survival and not petty human cruelties. Agnes had no such respite from the human world, she was trapped there always and forever.
“I…I tried…I tried so hard,”
What was she supposed to say to something like that? That she had tried too and also failed? But that wasn't quite true because, no matter how many problems it caused her, she simply couldn't' hate her power or the fact that she was a mutant. No matter how difficult her life was because she was a mutant, the fact remained that it was still worse, in many ways, before she had discovered what she was. "You shouldn't be made to feel ashamed of what you are. N-none of us should. Look at me, I look like a d-disease victim, not something human or healthy. B-because of how I look people hate me, even though I've done nothing to them. B-but I still love my power and what I can do. It's not my fault, nor is it yours that you are made to feel that way, its their f-fault, those who can't accept what you are." Maybe it wasn't exactly the most inspiring and uplifting speech that she had ever made, but at least it was honest.
“M-My parents damned me. W-When they…found out I was a mutant…they tried to exorcise me. They tortured me, my own parents…just because I was different. S-Sorry if I…don’t share your sister’s sentiments.”
Amber lifted a hand, intending to put it comfortingly on Anges' back, if the other teen would allow her to do so. She was even more at a loss for words than she had been before. "I d-don't know what its like to have a family, not really. I've only had one for a year. I l-lived in an orphanage my whole life, with no one to love me or even care if I lived or died. So I don't know what its l-like to have my p-parents turn on me like that. I d-do know that humans can be terrible cruel creatures. When I was g-gone I was held prisoner for weeks, a lab rat forced into combat with b-bears and subjected to experiments because of 'scientific curiosity'." Amber couldn't help the note of extreme bitterness that came into her voice as she spoke. Science was supposed to be something good and pure, not something cruel and inhumane. "I know its n-not the s-same, but maybe it is just a little bit. B-because humans are cruel and they hate our kind, maybe even those who are supposed to care about us the most."
Posted by Andrew Leroy on May 23, 2011 23:19:24 GMT -6
Omega Mutant
1,155
1
Jun 4, 2014 22:48:52 GMT -6
He'd been in the library later than he'd meant to. Andrew had found a book that had drawn him in. That was why he was getting to the kitchen to start his nightly baking so late. Unfortunately what was waiting for him in the kitchen wasn't the usual quietude. Andrew headed into the kitchen only to freeze in the doorway. He recognized one of the girls that were residing on the floor of the kitchen. Her name was Amber he thought. That wasn't the problem though. Now, it was painfully obvious that at least one of those girls had been crying, probably the one he didn't know.
Andrew was rubbish with crying girls.
The only thing that kept him from quietly panicking about the situation he'd walked into was the scars he'd just seen on the unknown girl and words he just barely heard from Amber. Andrew had already been having trouble separating the well meaning humans from the scum simply because the scum seemed much more pervasive. Seeing and hearing more evidence that suggested the inherent cruelty of their sibling species did nothing to help that. To make matters worse Amber's story played on a fear he'd had ever since he'd gotten his power.
There wasn't much Andrew could say to make what either girl had gone through any better. They'd have to come to terms with what had happened to them on their own. All he could do was be there to listen and they already seemed to have that in hand. So Andrew remained where he was, stock still in the doorway, immersed in thoughts of humans and whether or not he should even bother with them at all.
The movement was out of Agnes field of vision but before she knew it, she felt the comforting hand of Amber on her shoulder. She sniffled as she kept hugging herself, trying to wrangle herself in, to get some control over the situation. She could not allow herself to be like this anymore. Her parents had hurt her, and bad, but she needed to quite simply, just get over it. Yes, it was horrible, yes the mark they left upon would forever serve as a reminder, but she could not do this for the rest of her life. She could not sit on the kitchen floor in the middle of the night for the rest of her life. That simply was not an option.
But such a thing was easier said than down. How to do you even start picking up the pieces after something like this? Forgive and forget? Let bygones be bygones? It was a nightmare to figure out her next move. Instead though, she turned to look at Amber.
The girl was sweet and she definitely tried her hardest to put a positive spin on her powers. But she too was filled with the bitterness had having gotten on the wrong side of humans.
>> "I d-don't know what its like to have a family, not really. I've only had one for a year. I l-lived in an orphanage my whole life, with no one to love me or even care if I lived or died. So I don't know what its l-like to have my p-parents turn on me like that. I d-do know that humans can be terrible cruel creatures. When I was g-gone I was held prisoner for weeks, a lab rat forced into combat with b-bears and subjected to experiments because of 'scientific curiosity'…I know its n-not the s-same, but maybe it is just a little bit. B-because humans are cruel and they hate our kind, maybe even those who are supposed to care about us the most."
It had been a long time since Agnes had let that bitterness splinter into her heart. When she was living on the streets she hated everyone, despised everything. But ever since coming to the mansion, she was quickly beginning to make some headway. She was beginning to understand that not everyone was bad and indeed some people could be trusted! For the first time in a long time she felt like she had a chance to make a good life for herself full of compassion and understanding.
But then she listened to Amber’s story.
“My god,” she whispered with a shake of her head.
The trials and utterly cruelty that the young, pale mutant had to go through. It was a nightmare to think that she had to suffer through something so horrible. The betrayal was not exactly as she had experienced with her parents, but it was still bad. To be held captive and forced to fight other creatures simply for the amusement of others. Humans really could be the cruelest of creatures.
Her throat sore from crying, Agnes spoke in a meek, hoarse voice as she turned her attentions fully onto Amber. “I-I’m sorry. I-It’s a terrible thing…to witness some of the worst that mankind has to offer. That’s…not fair, that you had to go through something like that. How horrible.” In a friendly, understanding manner, she placed her hand on Amber’s shoulder as well. They were simply a pair of survivors trying to help each other out. “I…apologize for you finding my like this. Been…” she sniffled as her slowly uncurled her legs and stretched one out across the kitchen floor. “…a long couple days.”
It was only then that something caught her at the corner of her eye. In the doorframe to the kitchen, she saw a dark silhouette. At first she did not know what it was, figuring that it was only a trick of the shadows, but that theory quickly vanished when she focused her attention and spied that indeed there was someone there. The vision startled her briefly, causing the buzzing inside her chest to start up again. Thankfully she managed to keep them calm as she looked at the new comer closer. A tall…very tall young man, looking awkward and a little unsure of what to say or do now.
Gulping and fearing that she was trespassing and just plain looking stupid she nodded to him. “Hey,” was all she said. She then glanced to Amber to see if she knew who this person was or not.
Amber knew she wasn't doing much to improve Agnes' state of mind with her own depressed history. She couldn't' help the way she felt, couldn't do much about the things that had happened to her in the past. In an ideal world she might be able to do things to change the future, but she didn't live in that world of her dreams, where mutants and humans could simply co-exist peacefully and where she never had to worry about humans turning on her simply because she possessed a different set of genes than they did and had the misfortune of wearing those genes openly in her eyes and on her skin.
Agnes' own horror story of her parent's exorcism and the scars they had left on her flesh were yet more proof that the type of world they currently lived in only brought despair upon mutants. Maybe if she had been born human, maybe if they had both been human, the world might have been a happier place. Or maybe not. The way she saw it, had Agnes been human her life would have been better, but if Amber herself was human then she wouldn't even have the fragile escape that her mutation allowed her. Maybe she wouldn't even be alive to experience the world any longer. It was a bitter pill to swallow, the difference between having no life at all and having a life tormented by constant pain and sorrow.
“I-I’m sorry. I-It’s a terrible thing…to witness some of the worst that mankind has to offer. That’s…not fair, that you had to go through something like that. How horrible. I…apologize for you finding my like this. Been…a long couple days.”
Amber shrugged despondently, although in truth it was a comfort to have someone around who understood. Why that should make any sort of difference at all she wasn't sure, but the truth was that it did, if only a little. She even managed a genuine, if weak, smile. "I guess we've both been through some b-bad things. What we are, I think its b-both our curse and our b-blessing, in some ways. Do you know, sometimes I fantasize about simply leaving the human world all together and living, j-just for a few weeks, as a lizard?" That was one thought she had never shared with another person before.
“Hey,”
Agnes' word prompted Amber to turn her head, noticing for the first time the figure standing and watching them. "Andrew?" She was pretty sure that was his name. She was also pretty sure that he had heard at least part of their conversation and that she didn't know him nearly well enough to want him to know so much about herself. It wasn't safe to bear your soul to people you barely knew.
Posted by Andrew Leroy on May 24, 2011 14:51:17 GMT -6
Omega Mutant
1,155
1
Jun 4, 2014 22:48:52 GMT -6
He probably wasn't meant to hear what he had. The two girls had been speaking in what they had thought was private. Therefore he'd pretend he hadn't heard what they'd said. It was the least he could do for them. He offered a tentative but confused smile.
"Uh, hi Amber. Did I interrupt something?"
Andrew shifted on his feet. He didn't need to feign the nervousness in that movement. Attempting to fool two people at once into believing that he hadn't heard a thing was nerve wracking. Still, it was better than the last time he'd had to act. At least now he wasn't having to fake holding a knife to Sam's back. Glancing around, Andrew moved into the room a little. With little else to do, as he couldn't think of a way to alleviate the tension, he moved over to the counter and leaned against it.
Now that the immediate actions were taken care of Andrew went back to brooding over humans. He wanted to give them a chance. Honestly he did. However at every turn they did their utmost to prove that they didn't deserve it. They hurt his friends and attacked innocent mutants. The girl Amber seemed to be trying to comfort had scars that would never go away because of humans. It was getting harder and harder to give them the benefit of the doubt with each new travesty that occurred or was uncovered. He tried not to let these reflections show on his face. Andrew held his slightly curious and confused expression as well as he could.
To be honest it was not that bad of an idea. A chance to escape the world, to become something different, something that few people cared to bother…it was the perfect escape. Sometimes, only sometimes, Agnes wished she could turn into one of the many bugs that she housed. It only for a chance to slip away from the world.
This really was turning into a circus. Then again, what does one expect when they scream and break a glass in the middle of the night as a school for mutants? Agnes sat there on the ground hugging a knee to her chest as she had bawled her eyes out. She had revealed to Amber, a mutant of similar horrific background, the terribleness that she had to endure. In a way she found some understanding, a connection with her fellow mutant. In a way, as horrible as it was, it was good to know that she was not the only one in the world.
But that scene of understanding and comradery quickly ending by the intrusion of another person. Agnes had addressed the stranger, feeling embarrassed for what she had been doing, but he did not really seem to acknowledge her. Instead, it seemed more like he (his name being Andrew apparently) and Amber knew each other.
>> "Andrew?"
>> "Uh, hi Amber. Did I interrupt something?"
Her cheeks flushed a brilliant red as she suddenly felt embarrassment creep over her. She had caused this scene and now she was being attracting more attention to herself. Amber seemed to understand but whoever this Andrew guy was, he did not seem like he should be bothered with the information. Mutely she cleared her throat and wiped the last of tears away. Luckily she had already pulled her shirt down after showing the scars to Amber. She wondered what that conversation would have been like had he walked in spied that.
Shaking her head, she sighed as she forced a smile to Andrew.
“Nothing. Sorry for taking the space.” she whispered. “I’ll get out of your way.”
Agnes decided it was probably better to let Amber speak to Andrew than interfere. It was obvious that the two knew each other and she did not want to intrude on it. Maybe that was why the both of them were up so late? Little late night liason?
She let that possibility hang in the air as she grabbed a dish rag from the counter and disappeared towards a dark corner of the kitchen where she had hurled the glass. Catching that sparkle of the glass shards, Agnes began to carefully gather all the glass together and dry up the small puddles of water that had been left behind. This was really turning into one hell of a night. Hopefully she wouldn’t–
“Ow!”
…cut herself.
She winced and grumbled. Holding her hand up, she watched the tiny droplets of red blood as they rolled down her cut finger. With a grimace she wrapped the towel around the superficial cuts and attempted to clean up the rest of the glass.
Amber shook her head mutely. "We were just talking." Maybe he was interrupting, but he was here now and she wasn't about to tell him to leave. Although she didn't know Andrew well, she liked him and didn't want to insult him. Even if she did, she had enough enemies as it all ready was that she really didn't see why she would ever want to gain another one. Not that she had done much to gain the ones she all ready had except exist.
"I g-got a new lizard form," Amber offered the words to Andrew, noticing that he looked a little uncomfortable in their presence. Probably because he had overheard more than either one of them would really be comfortable with him hearing. New forms were a safe topic of conversation all around. Unless there was some reason why she would want to hide the full range of her shifting capabilities, she was normally quite pleased to talk about her power. She might even go so far as to say that she was proud of it and the range of freedoms it gave her.
Amber sent an encouraging smile Agnes' way, choosing not to comment on the tears still being wiped out of her eyes. Hopefully Andrew also had the common sense not to say anything, otherwise she would have to have a word with him. Possibly a word involving sharp claws and teeth, depending on just how intensive he acted. There were, after all, a few advantages to being able to turn into dinosaurs.
“Ow!”
Amber winced the moment Agnes cut herself, having been watching as the other girl began to clean up the glass. At least blood wasn't something that she was too squeamish around, kind of hard to be when one was a predator by nature and sometimes hunted for her own meals. "L-let me get something to clean that up." She went rifling through the cupboards, in search of paper towel and some sort of bandaid.
Posted by Andrew Leroy on May 27, 2011 11:50:29 GMT -6
Omega Mutant
1,155
1
Jun 4, 2014 22:48:52 GMT -6
Both of the girls claimed he hadn't interrupted anything. It was the sort of lie a person used when they either didn't want to make the interrupter feel bad or they didn't want anyone to know whatever it was that had been interrupted. Andrew was willing to better that it was more the latter than the former responsible for its use this time. Andrew turned his attention to Amber as she said that she'd a new form. He smiled a little.
"That's great Amber."
He violently quashed the jealousy that threatened to arise. Sure Amber was advancing her abilities with her power but it came with its own costs. With that little reminder he moved on from those thoughts just in time for the other girl to excuse herself and head over to a wall. Andrew noticed for the first time the shattered glass that lay there. It was probably more evidence of whatever had set off this little conversation but Andrew wouldn't ask. Instead he moved over to help with the clean up. Despite not owning the place Andrew felt like this was his kitchen.
Andrew approached the wall right as the girl cut herself on one of the shattered pieces.
"Here, I'll take care of this."
He knelt on the floor and began carefully collecting the glass shards.
"There should be some bandages in one of the drawers Amber."
Along with other first aid things that Andrew had relocated to the kitchen just in case. Andrew knew his own luck. Heck, it wouldn't hurt for him to start carrying a first aid kit with him like some kind of battle medic.
Agnes winced and nodded as she stepped back away from the broken glass. She really hated that she had caused this much of an incident in the schools kitchen. It really was not right of her to panic like that. But those nightmares had just been getting worse and worse. It was as if her parents were actually haunting her and not only attacking her dreams but tormenting her in her waking hours! It was absolute insanity that she was allow them to do this to her, but she did not know how to make it stop.
“T-Thank you,” she squeaked out at Andrew as she moved away. “I’m…sorry for the mess.”
She had never met the man before but he seemed nice enough. He was very tall and strong looking, but he seemed to have this inner storm about him. She did not know. She couldn’t put her finger on it. He was a complete mystery to her. As she watched him clean up the broken shards she meekly stepped away as he announced over to Amber who was searching for bandages.
>> "There should be some bandages in one of the drawers Amber."
He acted like this was his kitchen. Hell…maybe it was. For all she knew he could have been the school’s cook.
Deciding it was better to not get in anyone’s way, Agnes headed over to the sink, closer to Amber and turned on the faucet. She stuck her cut finger underneath the cool stream of water that poured out and she immediately flinched. The water was cold and stung her wound deeply, but despite the amount of blood that seeped out, it was nothing for her to faint over. She, obviously, had been through much worse. Still though, that did not mean she did not know how to express pain when she felt it.
With a sigh she let the water roll over her wound before she turned her attentions over to Amber and gave her a half smile.
“Sorry, I…I didn’t mean to cause such a stir.” she whispered. “I’ve been having dreams and…I think I came down here a little more confused and half-asleep than I should have been.”
Her voice was low, muttering and apologetic. She really was sorry for causing the ruckus and making the nice man clean up her broken glass. Maybe, next time, she would look for a nice styrafoam cup rather than glass. Less clean up and chances of cutting herself.
As she let the water run, she nodded to Amber.
“That’s cool,” she started. “About your abilities, I mean. Sometimes…it must be nice to just turn into a lizard and vanish.”
It didn't occur to Amber that talking about her power might cause any sort of discomfort in anyone else. After all, her father was Abyss and her sister was Aura, two of the most pro mutant people she knew. Especially her sister, who was always encouraging her to embrace her power absolutely and telling her how blessed her power made her. She even tried to encourage her not to be ashamed of her eyes and her skin, the visible marks of her superior nature, or so she said. Of that, Amber wasn't quite convinced, but even with the curses that came with it, it was hard for her to be anything but embracing of what she could do. One should be proud of who and what one was, as much as that was possible. Perhaps it was easier with her than it was for others, however, given the amazing nature of what she could do. Maybe if her power was different she might look at the mutant situation differently.
"There should be some bandages in one of the drawers Amber."
Amber followed where Andrew indicated, opening the drawer and finding some gauze and bandages. Although she had never been to squemish around blood, becoming a full-fledged predator certainly helped her stomach when it came to such things and Agnes really wasn't bleeding that much, certainly less blood than a sickle claw to a coyte gut.
“Sorry, I…I didn’t mean to cause such a stir. I’ve been having dreams and…I think I came down here a little more confused and half-asleep than I should have been.”
Amber walked over to Anges and bent down to begin tending to her wound. It might not have looked particularly pretty, but at least it wasn't too deep and probably wouldn't require any stitches. "You d-don't need to apologize," Amber whispered back, giving what she hoped would come across as an encouraging smile. "I'm the last person to judge for irrational outbursts." Her own outbursts ended to be less outbursts and more inbursts, involving crying alone in her room, but the point was that she could understand fairly well where the other girl was coming from. Sometimes life sucked and one couldn't do anything else but go a little crazy for a bit.
“That’s cool. About your abilities, I mean. Sometimes…it must be nice to just turn into a lizard and vanish.”
"Sometimes vanishing is the only thing one really can do," Amber replied, louder this time in order to include Andrew in the conversation. She didn't want him to feel like they were ignoring or shunning him. "The world is a harsh p-place, especially when you're a mutant. Its n-nice to be able to escape sometimes." Of course, not everyone had the choice to escape and she felt a profound sorrow for those individuals. To be forever trapped in an unforgiving world that hated and shunned you for something you had no choice over at all must be a terrible fate indeed. At least she had options, most mutants did not.