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.
Posted by Iris/Rayne on Sept 7, 2007 19:53:08 GMT -6
Mutant God
1,558
0
Nov 20, 2008 23:33:20 GMT -6
Neena pushed open the door to her room and looked around. The place was rather bare; aside from her clothes she hadn't brought much with her from home. The room was a bit larger than the students' rooms, almost like a mini apartment, minus the refrigerator, with a desk in one corner, and a small sitting area in the other. There were also the usual; closets, bathroom, nightstands. It actually looked similar to a hotel mini-suite. It was set up with two beds. Neena had let the Headmistress know she wouldn't mind a roommate. One was pending, but Neena had yet to hear back for sure.
In the meantime Neena figured she wouldn't bother with decor just yet. She spent more time out of the room than in it anyway, so she figured she'd leave that to her future roommate. As long as they didn't want to paint things bright yellow. Something about that color just gave her headaches....
Posted by Iris/Rayne on Apr 23, 2007 23:59:43 GMT -6
Mutant God
1,558
0
Nov 20, 2008 23:33:20 GMT -6
Iris straightened reflexively as the Headmistress walked in. Still new herself, she hadn't yet settled in enough to feel comfortable around those in charge. Raina seemed to be nervous as well, so Iris didn't feel so bad. When Miss Tipper asked about Raina's powers, Iris decided to make herself scarce. She smiled and backed toward the door.
"Nice to meet you Raina. My rooms at the end of the hall if you ever want to chit chat." She looked up at Raptor a smiled, still not used to his height. "Nice to meet you too." With that she slipped out into the hall and down toward her room. She grabbed her keys and purse, then headed out of the mansion to shop.
Posted by Iris/Rayne on Apr 22, 2007 20:33:01 GMT -6
Mutant God
1,558
0
Nov 20, 2008 23:33:20 GMT -6
"Nice to meet you Raptor." Iris returned the handshake, adding a slight bow and a smile. He towered nearly a foot above her, forcing her to look up. It was an unusual sensation.
Her smile widened slightly when the young woman introduced herself as well. "Raina? That's my name too. Well, sort of. My name is Rayne. But everyone here has been calling me Iris, so I answer to either one. It's a pleasure to meet you." She tilted her head slightly and adjusted her stance to be able to speak to both of them. "Well, I'm not exactly a student, though I am here to learn, I suppose. I haven't been here long, actually. It's turning out to be a very interesting place, for sure." A quiet laugh escaped her throat.
Posted by Iris/Rayne on Apr 22, 2007 15:05:32 GMT -6
Mutant God
1,558
0
Nov 20, 2008 23:33:20 GMT -6
Iris was headed toward her own room at the end of the hall, head down, messing with her phone. She passed an open door and saw two people inside she'd never met. Any other time she'd have passed on by with just a smile and nod. But her shyness was quickly fading after all of the others she'd met seemed so friendly. So instead she paused in the doorway.
Posted by Iris/Rayne on Mar 27, 2007 0:09:44 GMT -6
Mutant God
1,558
0
Nov 20, 2008 23:33:20 GMT -6
Iris paused next to Skoliro in the hallway as Keith went in to collect his things. Though not really looking, she caught a glance of something sparkling in the room. Curiousity overtook her shyness, and she poked her head in. At first she thought a block of ice was in the middle of the room. But it shone a bit differently than ice, and she felt no chill in the room. She raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"Interesting decor," she commented as she withdrew back into the hallway.
Posted by Iris/Rayne on Oct 11, 2007 18:05:34 GMT -6
Mutant God
1,558
0
Nov 20, 2008 23:33:20 GMT -6
(OOC: Just had some free time, and decided to wrap up a few loose story ends.)
Neena waited until noon before returning to the room Nika had pointed out to her. It was hard to miss, considering the hole in the wall next to the door. She knocked lightly. No answer. She knocked again, and listened. Still nothing.
”Iris? Are you awake?” Still no answer. ”Iris, I’m Neena, one of the teachers. I just want to make sure you’re okay.” Nothing.
Neena stood back slightly, and blinked one eye over to x-ray. It took only a brief scan to see that the room was empty. Switching back, she opened the door and stepped in, and looked around. All personal items were gone. The only thing out of place was a piece of paper on the desk, which she picked up. A slight frown tugged at her lips as she read what sounded like a farewell letter.
The previous day’s events had indeed been stressful, from what Neena understood, but she’d been hoping to at least talk with the girl. Sighing, she headed back downstairs to show the Headmistress, and update the files.
------------------------------------
Later that day, near dinner-time, Neena led a young boy, a new resident, up to the dorms, to get him set up with an empty room. She paused at one door, poised to open it, then stiffened slightly.
”Is something wrong?” The boy was an empath, though just barely thirteen, and still unsure of his powers. Neena smiled at him, then shook her head.
”No, no. Just realized I was about to go in the wrong door. This one’s occupied. Let’s try this one instead.”
Once the boy was settled in, and headed back downstairs to eat, Neena went to the first door, and walked in. There were very few possession’s in the room; only one occupant from the looks of things. But what had caught her attention was the floor. Or rather, what was on the floor.
People stole girl, no time to get help, must save girl.
It was almost as if the message were a part of the floorboards, rather than etched into them. Figuring it was part of a game, but still, the Mansion had taken enough damage already. She closed and locked the room, using a spare master key, then headed downstairs to the Headmistress’s office. It took some searching, but she finally found the name she was looking for: Maksim Sacha Borova, aka Zelek. She hadn’t met him yet. So she decided to track him down. If nothing else, she figured he would come looking when he couldn’t get into his room.
----------------------------------------
By the next morning, Neena was convinced that Zelek was nowhere to be found. No one had seen him for over a day, or longer. Considering he was known to have purple hair, he shouldn’t have been that hard to find. True, there had been more than one occasion where residents had up and disappeared for no apparent reason. Still, since he was listed as a teenager, Neena decided that, if he was gone longer than another twenty-four hours, she would go to the police. Not that she figured they would do much, since the boy was a mutant. But mutant or not, he was still a person.
As she was a bit absentminded anyway, she had no reason to connect Zelek’s note with Iris’s disappearance.
Posted by Iris/Rayne on Aug 25, 2007 14:05:26 GMT -6
Mutant God
1,558
0
Nov 20, 2008 23:33:20 GMT -6
Iris had been tossing and turning all night. Despite being home, nightmares continued to haunt her sleep. Her subconscious kept flashing images at her; Syn, taunting her with smug smile... Nail, covered in crystal and in pain... Suffocating beneath a red-eyed gaze... A look of surprise and pain on Raina's face... Being enclosed in dirt tomb... A wall of fire blocking her way... Nika, with claws extended... Being stuck in a glass cage... More fire...
In her dreams the visions were vivid and clear, though they faded from one to another. But the few times she awoke in a cold sweat, she couldn't remember what she'd seen. The only image that she could remember was a pair of silver eyes staring back at her from within a mountain lake. That nightmare had been with her ever since she was little, but it had only come to her once in a while. Yet, ever since coming to the Mansion, she'd had it every time she closed her eyes.
She would take several deep breaths to calm herself, then try to return to sleep, only to be plagued again once her subconscious took control.
On top of the stack still-unpacked boxes, Ebony watched her mom toss and turn, her blue eyes wide with curiosity in the dark. A soft purr-slash-murr, rumbled from her throat every time her human shifted. She could sense the fear and unease in the air, but she did not want to risk being hit or tossed, as had happened on occasion when her human had these 'episodes'. Instead she contented herself with standing watch for any real threat the dark night might produce.
Posted by Iris/Rayne on Aug 18, 2007 21:57:21 GMT -6
Mutant God
1,558
0
Nov 20, 2008 23:33:20 GMT -6
Iris watched Nika go, but she really wasn't seeing anything. Despite Ruby's and Nika's efforts, guilt still consumed her.
With a sigh, she stood up and began shifting things in the room. It took some effort, but eventually the hole in the wall was covered by the nightstand and a couple of boxes, enough so Ebony wouldn't bolt out.
Then she slid into her desk chair. For a while she simply sat there, arms crossed on the desktop, head down. She resembled a rag doll, the way her body was slumped forward. Thoughts and images replayed over and over in her head, and emotions. She felt like an amnesia patient, frustrated by the blank spots where memories should have been. Some part of her felt that, if she could only remember what she'd done, she could avoid doing it again in the future. Then another part would come back and argue that even if she knew, why would she think she could control it the second time around?
Hardly changing her position, she reached over and pulled a notepad and pen to her.
you should stay with people you care about! She wrote down what Ruby had said, then paused. Below it she wrote,
But what happens if you put the people you care about in danger? How can you say you care about them?
Standing up, she left the pad on the desk, then turned to collapse on the bed. Eventually she turned over, and cried herself to sleep.
Posted by Iris/Rayne on Aug 18, 2007 20:46:18 GMT -6
Mutant God
1,558
0
Nov 20, 2008 23:33:20 GMT -6
Iris gulped in several breaths to calm herself. She only vaugely registered Ruby's exclamation and departure. Her heart was pounding so loud between her ears, she could really focus.
"Umm...I'm sorry Iris. I thought it was real and I was trying to protect you."
Iris blinked several times, then looked down. She saw the hole, and Nika looked through it at her. She closed her eyes and slumped against the door.
"It's okay Nika. Don't worry about it." After all, what was one more hole a this point? Tricity was already going to kill her as it was. Eyes still closed, she reached up and pulled the letter opener out of the wall, setting it on the desk. She took several more breaths, then sat on the bed. She looked at Nika and tried to smile. "I think I just need some rest. I haven't slept well in days." Obviously. "I think I'm going to go ahead and turn in. Thank you... for try... for cheering me up."
Her eyes were still red, and she did look as if she needed rest more than anything.
Posted by Iris/Rayne on Aug 18, 2007 19:40:19 GMT -6
Mutant God
1,558
0
Nov 20, 2008 23:33:20 GMT -6
A genuine chuckle escaped Iris’s throat. Nika was right; Iris had been on both sides of her 'tail-kicking', and could appreciate her statement. And she didn't doubt Ruby could as well, especially after hearing what her sister was capable of. Emerald was lucky to have a little sister like her. Again Iris’s smile waver just a bit, as another wave of sorrow washed over her. But she took a deep breath to surpress it. Ruby and Nika were trying so hard to comfort her; she didn’t want them to think their efforts were wasted.
A rather loud knock on the door nearly startled Iris out of her seat. She was obviously still jumpy. She stood and went to open it, but there was no one in the hallway, at least, not that she could see. On the ground was a little envelope, with her name on it. Curious, and suspicious, she picked it up and closed the door. The envelope looked like a normal greeting card envelope, though a bit bulky. She shook it, but nothing rattled or moved inside. She moved to the desk and pulled out a small letter opener keychain. Gingerly, she slit open the top, holding the edges. Unconsciously, she also held her breath. Paranoia was going to be a constant companion for a long time to come.
Inside was a simple greeting card, the kind that plays a song when you open it. She gave Nika and Ruby a confused look, and red the note aloud.
”And the number one way to clean the cat’s litterbox is....”
Inside, the card read, ‘Get rid of the cat!’ But Iris didn’t read it. All she saw was the sudden appearance of a furry mouth full of razor sharp, dripping fangs, a pair of blazing red eyes, and a set of gigantic claws aimed at her throat. Her shriek drowned out the monster’s roar, as she fell backwards, nearly landing on Ruby, dropping the card. Suddenly the door burst open, and the room was, for about five seconds, bathed in a blinding white light.
It took more than a few moments for Iris to register that the monster wasn’t attacking. It was laughing. No... scratch that. Someone behind the monster was laughing hysterically. And the laughter was being accompanied by a short version of ‘Who Let the Dogs Out’ in the background.
”You should’ve seen your face! I’m SOO going to post this my fansite! This is priceless!”
”CHIP!! I’m giong to KILL you!!” Iris shot to her feet, but the thirteen year old was out the door and down the hall before Iris could get to the doorway. Iris made a frustrated half-growl, half-shriek and slammed the door, her heart still pounding furiously.
She didn’t notice the tiny, fast-fading sparks in the corners of her ceiling, nor the one under the bed. Also, she didn't see at first the letter opener sticking out of the wall besides door, right where the beast's heart would have been.
Posted by Iris/Rayne on Aug 18, 2007 15:34:42 GMT -6
Mutant God
1,558
0
Nov 20, 2008 23:33:20 GMT -6
Iris didn't look up at first when Nika tried to comfort her, not until the catgirl confessed what she'd done. Though she was sure Nika was trying to make her feel better, it did the opposite. Having worked with Nika in the Danger Room session, Iris thought she knew how the girl's powers worked; they didn't kick in until she felt threatened, and adrenaline rushed into her system. Or at least that's what Iris thought. If that was true, that meant that Nika didn't attack her first. Whatever Iris had done, she'd acted first, and Nika only retaliated. It was still Iris's fault.
She pulled the girl into a hug, eyes still tearing. "It's not your fault Nika. None of this is. You were just protecting yourself. You shouldn't leave. You belong here."<"I don't."> She didn't say that last part aloud, but her eyes and body language spoke volumes.
Then Ruby spoke up, thoughtfully. "She is right you know,well except the whole her leaving thing. I mean I cant control my powers yet either, thats why Emmy sent me away from the mansion during the KP thing because she was afraid I would either get hurt or blow something up...which my powers tend to do. But not everyone has control.
Look at Emerald she proably wouldn't have lost as much blood or gotten as injuried if she had more control of herself, but by what that one guy was saying it was the shot that the lady gave her. Not only that Emerald has done some pretty bad stuff when she lost control....worst than destorying a mansion, way worst. The only bad thing I really think I did was I short circtued the refigerator and Ice started shooting at everyone." That mental image actually made Iris smile. She could just imagine the confusion such an event could produce.
Ruby turned into her fox pup form. Iris blinked in surprise. It was the first time she'd actually seen anyone turn into an animal. From under the bed came a soft hiss. Apparently Ebony's hiding act wasn't totally due to Iris's earlier outburst.
"If you leave here then you have more chances of loosing control around people who wont care wether you live or die. They will do anything to stop you...but since people like me, Nika I think its your name." Ruby looked at Nika then back to Iris. "And everyone else in the mansion knows how to calm you down. It will be a lot easier for us to control you, and you can trust us much more than creepy humans. With the exception of my dad, you can trust him."
<" 'Creepy humans'? That's an odd statement..."> Again Iris didn't say that aloud.
"All in all, you should stay with people you care about! Same goes for you Miss Nika."
For a moment didn't say anything. Ruby looked to be much younger than Iris, at least when she was looking more human than fox, may fourteen or fifteen in age. But she sounded so much older, as if she'd experienced so much more in life. It was rather surprising.
Iris sighed, and rubbed her eyes. When she looked back up, she had smile on her face. A sad, tired smile, but a smile nonetheless. She reached down to scratch the foxgirl's ears, hoping she wouldn't mind.
"You a wise girl, Ruby. Your dad and sister must be proud." She sighed deeply and turned back to Nika, hugging her tightly again. "Nika, I don't want you to leave. You didn't do anything wrong. You shouldn't have to leave. You've got too much potential." She looked at Ruby, including her in that last statement. "Thank you." Her smiled faltered a bit, but she managed to keep it in place.
Posted by Iris/Rayne on Aug 17, 2007 22:30:11 GMT -6
Mutant God
1,558
0
Nov 20, 2008 23:33:20 GMT -6
"No... no, I'm not hurting. Whatever the Doc gave me helped. I'm just... I can't... I don't think I can stay here anymore." The words came out in a rush. With a frustrated sigh, she sat in the desk chair, head in her hands.
"I came here to learn control, not lose it! I told Tricity my mutation wasn't dangerous. I never thought anything like this would happen! I can't believe I put everyone in danger..." Even though she didn't completely understand what had happened, she was blaming herself for everything that had happened to the mansion, and its occupants.
Her shoulders tensed. Several tiny drops appeared on the desktop.
Posted by Iris/Rayne on Aug 17, 2007 21:54:35 GMT -6
Mutant God
1,558
0
Nov 20, 2008 23:33:20 GMT -6
Iris smiled a bit more when Nika approached. She opened the door wide enough to let both girls in, then closed the door behind them so Ebony wouldn't scoot out. Not that she was likely to; she had retreated under the bed during Iris's outburst, and hadn't emerged since. She accepted the gift from Ruby. Seeing the fish flying above the city brought a genuine smile to her face.
"Thank you Ruby. It's beautiful." She paused, then asked, "Your sister... Will she be okay?"
When Nika asked if she was okay, she swallowed, a lump in her throat. She turned, and set the little snoglobe gently on her desk. "Not really Nika." Her voice was soft, and broke as she tried not to start crying again.
Posted by Iris/Rayne on Aug 17, 2007 20:36:24 GMT -6
Mutant God
1,558
0
Nov 20, 2008 23:33:20 GMT -6
Iris didn't feel clean at all, despite the fact that she'd scrubbed until her skin was red, and her fingers and toes were water-wrinkled. But at least she didn't smell anymore. That, combined with the hot water running out, finally forced her out of the shower. She secured a towel around her body, then wrapped one around her hair, avoiding the mirror the whole time.
Back in the main part of her room, she began rummaging for clothes. It turned out that they were still packed, so she set to sorting through the boxes, a task made difficult by the bath towel. Yet, she was still sufficiently paranoid to keep it around her somehow.
Just as she located a usable outfit, there was a knock on her door. Still jumpy, the sound nearly scared her out of the towel and her skin.
"Miss Iris? I have something for you that might make you feel better."
Gulping back a shudder, Iris paused and took a deep breath.
"J-just a second." She dressed in a hurry, leaving the smaller towel wrapped around her hair. Cautiously she opened the door a crack. The girl from the infirmary looked back at her, the one with the fox-like ears. Iris sighed in relief, and opened the door wider to let her come in if she wanted. "I-I'm sorry. I'm still a l-little jumpy. Ruby, right?" Iris cringed as she heard herself stutter. But she tried to smile at Ruby.
Iris tripped in the hall in her hurry to get to her room. The fact that the floor was cracked and buckled didn’t help. She practically ran into the door trying to get it open as fast as possible. Once inside she slammed it shut and leaned against it, breathing heavily. But after a moment she abruptly stood up and fumbled to get the door open again. Then she remembered her cat, and slammed the door closed again. She hurried to the window and scrambled to get it open. There was a screen on it, she didn’t have to worry about Ebony getting out. It would have been a comical sight, if it weren’t for the tears streaming down her face.
She turned and leaned against the wall. Slowly she slid down it, until she was sitting on the floor, hands in her hair, shivering uncontrollably. She wasn’t cold; far from it in fact. But the events of the last few days, or however long it had been, came crashing down on her like a brick wall. She wasn’t sure, but she had a feeling that more than that had fallen on her today, literally. But the physical pain was the least of her problems at the moment. Whatever the DocProf had done was keeping that dulled. But her mind was spinning.
Perhaps in time her experience in KP would be relegated to her nightmares. Maybe. But not right then. Right then it was as vivid as if she were reliving things over and over again. She drew some comfort from Emerald’s claim that she’d left Kaz unconscious, but only a little. She still didn’t know what had happened to Nail. If the place they’d been fighting at was the same as where they were being held, and if Tricity was there, and if the Xmen were winning, like Emerald seemed to indicate, then maybe, just maybe, Nail would be okay. But that was a lot of ‘ifs’. Too many....
And what had happened to her? The last thing she remembered clearly was seeing Syn approach, just after she’d claimed Iris and Nail had nearly escaped. After that everything was blurred. She could recall feelings moreso than images, and most of those were of confusion and pain. Something about being really, really hot, then really, really cold. And fear. Unbelievable fear. But why?
With a frustrated snarl she slammed one fist sideways into the wall, then recoiled from the shock.
A dark shadow that had been approaching her suddenly skittered away. Ebony returned to her hiding spot under the bed, frightened by her owner’s uncalled for lash out. She meowed pitifully. Some of Iris’s frustration drained away, and she lay on her stomach. But soon she began crying again; she hadn’t honestly thought she’d ever see those blue eyes again. She braved a scratched arm to pull her friend out and smother her in hugs and kisses.
On the desk nearby, Iris’s cellphone vibrated. The air shimmered as the Mpath program came online. Crystal stood, hand on hips, looking at Iris.
”Well, well. Look what the cat dragged in. And where have you been? Did you just get caught up in your shopping, or was there a sale in the spa store?”
Any other time Iris would have simply ignored the sarcastic hologram. But she was already headed toward hysterical.
”Shopping?! Shopping??! For what?? A straight jacket?? ‘cause that’s the only thing I’m missing right now!!” Ebony wriggled free and darted back under the bed, scared by Iris’s yelling. ”I was kidnapped Crystal! Kidnapped!! And I still don’t know why!!” Actually, she had a pretty good idea why, but she was in hysteric-rant mode, so it didn’t matter. And the fact that the hologram was simply staring at her, emotionless, wasn’t helping either. Crystal blinked.
”Your body temperature is rising. You need to relax, or you’re go-“
“Relax??!!!” Iris all but shrieked. Had Crystal been solid, she would have found herself being throttled. And given the circumstances it was amazing that all the young blonde did was grab the phone and hurl it across the room. The impact left a mark on the wall above her bed. Crystal shuddered, then disappeared.
For a moment Iris just stared. Then, like air out of a balloon, all of the anger and hysteria drained out of her, and she slumped against the wall again. Her face took on a dull expression. Finally she pushed herself somewhat upright and stumbled into the bathroom, shutting the door. She turned on the shower, as hot as it would go. As it heated, she stripped of her clothes. They were still the same ones she’d worn in the park, and were tattered and scorched from the fight; the shirt Kaz had provided had turned out to be too small for her, at least as far as she was concerned, so she’d just worn it under her old shirt to cover any embarrassing holes. With a grimace she tossed both shirts and the jeans in the trash, along with her undergarments. She was reacting to the situation in much the same way a rape victim would, a result of the trauma. Had she realized her room was being watched, she would have probably gone into shock.
As she turned, a glimmer of color brought her focus to the mirror.
Her eyes were red and dull, her hair limp and lifeless. Even her usually tanned skin seemed pale and grey. Since she was turned sideways, she could see the various stones embedded in her back. Her hand, on the sink, gripped the edge of the counter until her knuckles turned white. Again tears began streaming down her face. She turned away and back to the shower. She sat, slumped, in the bottom of the tub, letting the water beat at her back, wishing with all of her heart that somehow the water could wash away the gems, and all of her shame along with them.
-----------------------------
Back in the main room, Iris’s phone lay silently on the floor. Soon the air shivered, and Crystal again swirled into existance. She glanced at the bathroom door, an uncharacteristic frown on her face. Her gaze swept the room. Something was off, something other than Iris. She blinked, bringing up the last image she had of the room, and compared it the recent one. It took nearly two full minutes before she spotted the difference, high in the corner of the room. She zoomed in on the tiny metal discs stuck to the walls in the corners. They looked like ordinary nailheads. But they hadn’t been there yesterday. And there were no other signs of construction in the room.
Crystal began a scan of the entire room, searching for other foreign presences. Other than cat hair from a cat other than Ebony, there was nothing obvious. But as she scanned the desk, she caught the outline of a smudge on the photoframe. A fingerprint. She took a closer look, then saved the image.
So, someone was spying on Iris, eh? Why? Crystal narrowed her eyes, clicked her tongue in thought. Did it have to do with this whole kidnaping deal? Did her captors release her only because they intended to keep a closer eye on her elsewhere? If so, what were they hoping to discover? Iris had said very little that was helpful or informative. Was this group mutant-haters in general, or had Iris been targeted for a reason? She made a note to hack the War Room computers later to find out what had been going on for the last few days, after she finished her other ‘project’. In the meantime, back to the ‘peeping toms’....
“Well, we can’t have that, now can we?” Crystal said aloud, then vanished in her usual sparkling fashion.
In the next moment she reappeared on Chip’s computer monitor. The young techokinetic was in the middle of an online game, and wasn’t particularly happy to see her. Until she mentioned that Iris was back home, and hadn’t mentioned anything about him taking care of Ebony while she was gone. Of course, she neglected to mention to him that she hadn’t actually told Iris he had. Instead she suggested a rather... specific... prank to pay her back. She even offered to help him make the perfect 'prop', adding in her own little 'suprise' when he wasn't looking. Once she was sure the right idea was planted, she disappeared again. Knowing Chip, it wouldn’t be long before the ‘peeping toms’ got an eyeful.