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.
Site adaptation by Sen, Lix, and Tempest. <3
Yes, Torture Is Complementary To Your Stay (Circe)
Posted by Cold Steel on Jan 17, 2010 13:36:17 GMT -6
X-Men
Team Leader of the X-Men Teacher of Self-Defense
color=48D1CC
4,375
105
May 19, 2024 6:40:03 GMT -6
The repetitive sounds of the clink of the pick as it struck down on the large rock at his feet had started to be his only escape from the camps and the longer he stayed away from his cell the better he had begun to feel. The clinking continued as he had rethought everything that had happened over the past week and how messed up everything had become. Again he felt he was the one to blame, not only did he not for see Pacifica stepping up the violence to the senate bombing, but he didn’t expect everyone to get captured during the bombing clean up. Sure there was other measures he could have done but that would have meant the all the lives that were saved because of them would have been lost.
He had found Ghost, and by a hand of fate she had become his cellmate even if it was only temporary he was glad to know she was all right, in passing throughout the day on occasion he saw one or two people he knew from back home but he was only granted glances and smiles seeing as the guards didn’t like the prisoners talking to much during the work schedule.
It was a standard chain gang at the moment; they were helping to gather the materials needed to build another story on the building. He tried not to think about what the building was for but failed miserably it was large enough to remain insight even if he turned his head to the side, and turning around completely for the moment was impossible. The guards for some reason wanted the inmates to admire the building that they were working on and made sure to point them in the right direction.
Sighing at the fact that no one in the vicinity could speak English even remotely well was a fact that the guards also liked. Really wishing he asked Alex some basic phrases during the little free time he had, Sam was nothing more than a man lost in translation. He didn’t talk much to anyone other than those who could speak English most of the time he had talked or sung to himself to pass the time.
As the pick continued to hit the iron ore the clinking sound started to create a beat that started to sooth him. Every time the pick hit it started to drown out more and more of his surroundings and every time it hit he was more and more tempted to start to sing until he actually started to sing, something that the guards weren’t fond of. As the sweat dropped down his back Sam opened his mouth and started to sing, "Thinking up is working up my appetite looking forward to a little afternoon delight, rubbing sticks and stones together making sparks ignite and the thought of loving you got me so excited, sky rock-Gurghck!”
The little happiness he had had for the moment was snuffed out as his pick fell to the ground as the shock collar lit up like a Christmas tree around Sam’s neck forcing his body to tense up and shut down. Once he fell to the ground and had begun twitching he heard the laughter of a few of the guards at his expense.
Another day in the camps. Alexandra had lost count of how many they were. She had lost count of time. She knew that somewhere during the morning, Stix would come and grab her to deliver her to her assignments for the day. She assumed that all the prisoners were working during the day and returned to their cells in the evening. Or maybe night? She wasn’t sure. In the grayish world of her cell, time ceased to exist. Day and night ceased to exist. Anything else but the Camps ceased to exist.
The door of her cell opened, as always Miss Stix and another two guards appearing. Alexandra got up from the bed and exited her cell almost robot-like. 18 steps until the door. 10 to the elevator. 23 seconds to reach the first floor. 8 steps till the bridge. 234 steps across the bridge. She counted each and any of them, her way of being distracted from what was around her. 131, 132, 133-
"Thinking up is working up my appetite looking forward to a little afternoon delight, rubbing sticks and stones together making sparks ignite and the thought of loving you got me so excited, sky rock-Gurghck!”
Alexandra was forced out from her little world made of numbers. Sounds, voices were still there, except she tuned most of them out. This one, however, she couldn’t. Without even realizing, she stopped and turned around, glancing down from the bridge. She was searching for this voice, her heart throbbing with pain. She wanted to be wrong.
She found him, just as he fell to the ground under the effects of the shock collar. Guards not far from there were laughing. Another mutant twitching in pain was their favorite joke. Her hands turned into fists by her sides. Alexandra never felt so little in her whole life. First she’d found Lily in this God forsaken place. She knew that Kaz had been captured too. And now? Sam. Sam, whom she wanted to protect more than anyone. Another failure added to the growing list.
“A friend of yours?” Stix had moved to her side. Alexandra had no idea when that happened. Blue eyes snapped to the guard, realizing her mistake. She had isolated herself from everyone in an attempt to protect them from the danger she represented. And now, she had just put on Sam a target sign. “No.” She simply answered. She wanted to go down there so badly. To check if he was alright. She wanted to have the chance to look again at Sam and convince herself that he was fine. But she didn’t. Instead, she just started to walk. She couldn’t count anymore. She couldn’t tune out the voices from bellow. Behind her, Cristina Stix smiled.
Her day was carried on as usual. She’d scrubbed floors today under the surveillance of Miss Stix. She’d been shocked for not scrubbing enough. She’d been delivered back to her cell. When time passed and nothing happened, Alexandra almost dared to think that her failure from today hadn’t been noticed. Or at least, it was misinterpreted.
Minutes later, the door of her cell opened. From her uncomfortable bed, Alexandra glanced at Stix. “Move.” Was everything Stix spoke. Reluctantly, Alexandra got up from her bed. This was wrong, she knew it. Stix wasn’t supposed to come until the next day. Her steps were shaky as she exited her cell. She glanced over her shoulder at Stix.
This time, Alexandra wasn’t leaded to any forced labor. The room which they entered almost looked like the child of an isolation cell with a laboratory. It was much bigger than the cells but the same dull grey. It was lighted better. On one of the wall, there were chains with cuffs at the end. She was leaded toward that wall. When she realized what this might mean, she tried to fight. But she didn’t have a chance. The two guards from behind Stix quickly put her to the ground with a few well-placed kicks. Alexandra winced as she looked at Stix. The female guard was removing the remote from her belt. Somehow she wanted to prepare herself for the incoming shock but there was little she could do. She braced herself, waiting for the pain. It wasn’t long until the now familiar sensation of pain surged trough her body. Alexandra twitched on the ground as the pain came in several waves. It was the punishment for her rebellion.
When she came back into her senses fully, Stix was just finishing cuffing her to the wall. Alexandra rolled on her back, looking up at the woman. “What do you want?” she asked, forcing herself to stand up despite feeling weak. She leaned against the wall, when her feet refused to hold her weight. Stix laughed briefly. “You’ll see.” She answered, turning to the two guards behind her. “Bring him in.”
Posted by Cold Steel on Jan 18, 2010 11:22:36 GMT -6
X-Men
Team Leader of the X-Men Teacher of Self-Defense
color=48D1CC
4,375
105
May 19, 2024 6:40:03 GMT -6
Later that day after a few more hours of mining sweat escaped from every pore in his body, and had his mutation worked without him getting shocked it would be clear that his body would be giving off a small steam affect. As the day wore down the guards that had been watching him approached him slowly and grabbed him by the arms and dragged him back to what he thought would be his cell. However as they passed the exit that lead back to his and Ghost’s cell they continued onward and down or up in an elevator he wasn’t sure but had to assume it was up due to the lurching of his stomach.
The doors binged opened and he felt his body be forced a few inches before his body responded with a forward motion. The hallway was like all the others, dark and plain, the shadows of lights remained visible under the dim lights that decorated the walls. Walking forward he frowned slightly, he didn’t want to move cells, he liked where his was, Ghost was the only comfort he had in this hell, even Slate had been a decent enough neighbor on occasion.
He didn’t want to lose the only comfort he had, and even if he kicked and screamed he knew his requests would go unheard. Being brought in front of a door he was pulled to a stop, it wasn’t like the cells he was accustomed to these cells had large doors opposed to bars, then again maybe these doors didn’t lead to cells but some other kind of room, an execution chamber perhaps?
Sam remained quiet as the large door of an unknown material was forced open and his two guards pushed him inside. They followed in and he looked around, there was a woman and two other guards none of which he had seen before. Looking around to see if there was someway he could escape his eyes trailed to a figure on the floor. His heart sank and his will to leave the room left him. He didn’t want to leave now that he knew that Alex was here.
Sam’s body tensed and his fists clenched yet he did nothing for a moment, not yet, he wanted to know what exactly was going on. His body relaxed for a moment till he was pushed forward and then kicked to the ground. Landing on his knees he looked to Alex and then offered no sort of comfort to her if she was looking for it. ”I didn’t ask for a new roommate…” he said calmly hoping that someone in the room spoke enough English so someone could understand him.
The ‘he’ who Stix mentioned entered the room minutes later. By then Alexandra found the strength to stand on her own feet. Movement still made the places where the guards’ boots met her body to ache but she didn’t wince, nor frown. Her face was straight, blue eyes empty and hollow as silence filled the room. Cristina Stix had a smile on her face. That made Alexandra worried.
Her heart sunk as Sam entered the room and yet her face didn’t show any sign of recognition. She didn’t even flinch when he was thrown to the ground. Alexandra stood by the wall, still bracing herself, motionless while blue eyes left Sam after a short glance. “What’s this?” She asked in Romanian, her eyes now on Stix. The woman glanced for a short moment at Sam before shifting her attention to Alexandra. “I saw you took interest in this one.” She replied, a satisfied grin upon her lips.
“I don’t even know him.” With a shrug, Alexandra let her hands fall to her sides. “I’m sure you don’t.” Mentally, Alexandra frowned while Stix shifted her attention to the other two guards. “Tie him up.” She commanded, gesturing to one of the metal chairs on the other wall. From behind the guard, Alexandra’s face shifted to worried as she looked at Sam. “I’m sorry.” She mouthed to the ice mancer. Her teeth were gritted together as she closed her eyes. What had she done?
Posted by Cold Steel on Jan 18, 2010 13:46:12 GMT -6
X-Men
Team Leader of the X-Men Teacher of Self-Defense
color=48D1CC
4,375
105
May 19, 2024 6:40:03 GMT -6
It seemed that his comment fell upon foreign ears for no one seemed to acknowledge him except for the woman who just stared at him before turning and speaking to Alex. Alex looked to him and mouthed something and Sam sighed, he didn’t know exactly what she said but he knew it wasn’t good. Eyeing a metal chair coming into view Sam shook his head, ”I’m fine on the floor… Well if you insist!” Sam said as the two guards behind him lifted him from his arms and placed him on the chair. Eyeing the rope that was coming into view again he sighed and then looked from a worried Alex to smiling guards.
Thinking about how easy it would be to take at least one of them down to the ground before they could tie him Sam wondered how fast the remote to his control could be switched on. TO bad he didn’t know who had the remote. Unless…. Looking as the men approached him with rope Sam grinned slightly, ”I’ll have to pass on the rope!” moving his arms away from the rope the guards got closer in an attempt to restrain him.
Bad idea on their part they should have used the collar first. Lifting one foot and one hand Sam caught one of the guard’s arms that was holding the rope and wrapped his hand around the wrist and gave a swift shift forcing the guards wrist to break with a quick pop. The guard in front of him was far less lucky for Sam stomped his foot out to the man's shin and pushed forcing the man to fall forward into Sam’s head. Leaning his own head forward Sam managed to head butt the man. Both guards fell to the ground, one knocked out the other holding his broken wrist.
He didn’t condone this sort of violence but he had a point that he wanted to make. None of the injures were permanent, not only that but he didn’t kill anyone for that Ghost would be happy, he didn’t break his promise and he had no intentions of breaking it. As he was giving a few of the guards a smug grin he was tempted to laugh as they had done to him but he had refrained, for he felt it would have been a little much.
A sharp pain filled his neck and covered his body as the collar lit up, he stopped smiling and started to shake as the other guards in the room started to laugh, one picked up the rope and had begun to tie him and as soon as he was tied both legs and arms to the metal chair he stopped shaking for the collar was turned off. He looked up to see the woman still smiling. The guard whose wrist Sam had broke seconds before and threw a punch into Sam’s face. He went with the punch and now had a bleeding lip.
Spiting the blood to the floor Sam looked to the man with a straight face, ”Sorry things had to end up like this” another punch to the face and the two guards who he had assaulted were replaced with two others. His eyes trailed to Alex and he gave her an apologetic look, he didn’t want her to see him like this. ”It’ll be alright, just look away.” he said as he looked down to the ground hoping these new guards couldn’t speak English.
Senses were something quite interesting. Alexandra enjoyed to have all of her senses working in most of cases. This however, wasn’t one of those. She wanted to be able to turn off her hearing somehow, just as easy as she’d closed her eyes so she wouldn’t see Sam. But her ears picked up clearly every sound. Sam protesting against being tied. The laughter that left Stix’s mouth as soon as the fight begun.
Alexandra opened her eyes, her face blank without any emotion showing. There was that urge to help Sam. And it was so damn hard to fight it off. But she knew that it was futile. What did Sam think when he attacked the guards? Even if he managed to take them all out, where would they run?
She watched Stix remove the remote from her belt trough half-closed eyes. The button was pushed. Although not actually seeing Sam being shocked, the image from earlier that day was played over and over in her head. Whatever was left of her nails dug trough the skin of her palms as her eyes traveled to the wall behind Stix. Letting her eyes follow a crack on the wall at least distracted her from seeing Sam being tied to the chair for whatever purposes Stix had.
”Sorry things had to end up like this”
Alexandra turned her head toward Sam. She wanted to give him an apologetic look upon seeing the blood on his face. She wanted to go by his side and tend his wounds. She wanted to hug and kiss and promise him that everything will be alright. And yet, all she managed was a look filled with reproach. Why?! Why was he talking with her? Yes, it was English and most didn’t understand but what if one did? And why would he talk with her when she was playing the ‘I don’t know who you are’ card?
”It’ll be alright, just look away.”
Alexandra turned her head. She looked away. But it wasn’t alright. It wouldn’t be alright. “What the hell is this? You brought me here to prove that none can escape even if they’re trained to fight?” A hint of anger touched her voice as she spoke to Stix. Alexandra sighed, she ought to keep her anger in check or she’d only fuel Stix’s suspicion. “I’ve seen it. Can I go now?”
Stix turned toward the molecule manipulator with a half-smile. “Patience is a virtue, Miss Kettler. You’ll see soon why I have brought this young man here.” Her smile widened slightly as her attention shifted to the two guards. “You. Go to the infirmary.” She ordered, a hand raising to gesture toward the guard with the broken wrist. “As for you, go get a replacement and guard the door.” Both men nodded, and quickly complied the woman’s orders.
Once the door closed behind them, Stix looked from Sam to Alexandra. Alexandra met her stare with what it could have been classified as boredom. Impatience to leave. At least that was what Alexandra hoped she was looking like. Stix moved next to Sam, placing her hand underneath Sam’s chin, forcing him to look up. “A rebellious one, you are.” She commented. In English. Alexandra stopped in mid-breath. “What is his name?” Piercing green eyes traveled from Sam to Alexandra curiosity noticeable in her eyes.
Alexandra turned her whole body around to face Sam as she took another step forward. “I told you. I.don’t.know.him.” This time Alexandra replied in English. In hopes that Sam would stop talking to her. Stop showing any signs that he knew her. Stix let out an exaggerated sigh as she looked back at Sam. “Miss Kettler here refuses to tell me your name. So I guess I will have to ask you. What is your name?”
Posted by Cold Steel on Jan 19, 2010 14:16:34 GMT -6
X-Men
Team Leader of the X-Men Teacher of Self-Defense
color=48D1CC
4,375
105
May 19, 2024 6:40:03 GMT -6
She was talking to him first Alex then the female guard who seemed to be enjoying this little torture scene a bit too much. Alex didn’t know him, which was good it kept up with pretenses and hopefully kept each other safe, however even if Alex claimed ignorance it seemed that the guard didn’t believe her. Watching as the guards were rotated and sent places Sam watched the female guard approach him.
Giving her a rebellious grin as she so promptly called him moments ago Sam leaned forward and spoke to the female guard in English, ”My name?” Sam asked weakly before laughing and lifting his head fully so the blood dripped from his lips instead of going into his mouth. This was the moment he was familiar with; old training sessions with T.A.T. came into play, never give out information, and your better off dead than giving the information that they want. Grinning with blood red stained teeth, ”What ever you want it to be, Mistress, now you gonna make this worth my time or is this more of a teasing thing?”
It was a classic taunt, something that he got marks in back in the day. She responded with a raised eyebrow and a twitch of a lip into a twisted grin. He didn’t bother looking at Alex, he already knew that if she wasn’t worried she would be upset even downright pissed with him for saying what he just said. The female guard walked around behind Sam and out of his sight, wishing he had eyes in the back of his head he tried to turn his head to see what she was doing but soon gave up. Looking to one of the guards he smiled and then nodded his head back to get his attention, ”Must be getting the special treatment…”
He heard footsteps and then his body tensed as his collar lit up like the forth of July. Shaking the chair back and forth violently to the shocks Sam fell over and felt a foot in the ribs. His only respond was a wince and a grunt followed by some coughing. He heard a snap of fingers and his chair was upright again closer to Alex only she was now off to an angle of her. Made things a lot easier, he didn’t have to look anywhere but where she was now seeing as she wasn’t directly in his line of sight.
The female guard was visible again and was picking up toys to play with, looking at a whip then setting it down, her displeasure obvious with one look on her face. Sam grinned until she looked back at him ”You sure you don’t want to tell me? All I want is a name…” Sam nodded his head and spoke, ”Tommy, Tommy Macdonnely” he sighed pretending like that was his name and then looked up to her, ”You broke me, I’ll tell you anything you want!”
Blue eyes full of impatience quickly traveled from Stix to the crack on the wall. Alexandra folded her arms again, the chain screeching and clinking as it was dragged across the concrete floor.
”My name?”
The discrete crack run up the wall, ending somewhere near where it met the ceiling. Blue eyes traveled down the wall, back to where the crack had its origins.
”What ever you want it to be, Mistress, now you gonna make this worth my time or is this more of a teasing thing?”
Out of the corner of her eye, Alexandra watched Sam briefly. Anger flashed in the eyes of the molecule manipulator as her body twitched for a second. She gritted her teeth again, shifting her attention to the door as the male guard from before entered, accompanied by a new one. With a short movement of her head, Stix gestured the guards to … attend Sam.
”Must be getting the special treatment…”
The crack on the wall became interesting again. The sound of the chair shaking was rather familiar. The image was played again in her head. Alexandra closed her eyes, in an attempt to tune out both the images and the sounds. A failure, that was. The chair was dragged closer to her. Curiosity beat her in the end and Alexandra opened her eyes. She didn’t seek Sam, but Stix.
The woman raised a whip in her hand, glancing at it with obvious displeasure. Alexandra wondered how she couldn’t have possible noticed the variety of torture tools upon the small table when she was brought into this room. On that note, she might have been mistaken when she assumed that this room was the child of an isolation cell and a laboratory. Perhaps an isolation cell and a torture chamber would have been much more appropriated. “ ”You sure you don’t want to tell me? All I want is a name…” Right.
”Tommy, Tommy Macdonnely. You broke me, I’ll tell you anything you want!
Alexandra simply blinked, unsatisfied. She felt like Sam had given up too easily. Uncharacteristic for one who had fought against being tied up to a chair. The molecule manipulator sighed, not allowing herself to hope that it will work. Hope was something that didn’t exist in this place. At least, not from where she was standing. Stix smiled briefly before bending to pick up something that was hidden by the table. Alexandra turned her head around fully, instead of watching the scene from the corner of her eye.
For the second time during her short stay in the room Alexandra found herself freezing in mid-breath. When Stix straightened herself, a hand was slightly raised to present a branding iron. At the top of it, the Romanian Mutant Camps’ logo shone red and hot, almost looking impatient to meet the flesh of his victim. Alexandra’s eyes were locked on the object, even as it moved. She failed to notice the smile upon Stix’s face as she advanced toward Sam. As if mentally commanded, the other guards advanced too, quickly immobilizing Sam.
Stix remained appallingly silent. She stopped next to Sam, eyeing the branding iron with a ghastly smile. Tilting her head to the side, she let piercing green eyes to travel back to the ice mancer. “I hate being lied to...” She uttered, sighing dramatically. The silence lingered for a couple of seconds. Then, with a swift movement, the branding iron sailed trough the air, the logo almost grinning in anticipation of the contact with the skin. “… Sam."
Alexandra’s throat went dry as she inhaled. She swallowed, struggling to keep her face composed and uncaring. Her father had passed on an important skill to her. The ability to deceive, to trick, to mislead people. Alexandra Kettler was the queen of lies. Was, until emotions were thrown into the mix. This was a reminder that when she got involved, inevitably she got hurt. Apparently, others got hurt too. Admitting this left a bitter taste in her mouth. How could she have been so stupid to think that it would be different now?
The pain, she felt it with every sense. She could see it. It was painted in the color of blood. She could taste it. It tasted rotten. She could feel it. It stung her skin like a thousand needles. She could hear it. It sounded dissonant. She could smell it. It smelled putrid. Alexandra suddenly felt sick.
The smell of burnt flesh reached her soon. She held her breath in a futile attempt to block it. Stix pushed the branding iron further into Sam’s chest before removing it. Alexandra swallowed again, struggling to find the strength to speak. When she did, her voice sounded weak, broken. “Now you’re torturing people because I happened to look at them?” She spoke in Romanian, a lame attempt to conceal from Sam the fact that he was here because of her. “This is sick. Even for you.” She concluded, letting her arms drop by her sides. The chain hit the ground with a clink, then it fell silent.
A smile that could have been catalogued as triumphant made its way to Stix’s lips as she looked up at the molecule manipulator. “Miss Kettler… Trust me, I do recognize emotion when I see it.” Alexandra’s heart sunk even lower. Her shoulders relaxed under the feeling of defeat. She didn’t find the strength to face this situation holding her chin up.
Stix’s free hand found its way to Sam’s chin again, forcing him to look at her again, her face turning deadly serious and menacing. “Now, brave one, tell me what it’s your connection with Miss Kettler?” A corner of her lip rose slightly. “I suggest speaking the truth this time. There are more from where this came.” She looked at the branding iron before nodding toward the table where other instruments of torture awaited.
Alexandra just wondered… if Sam did reveal his connection with her… what would be his punishment?
Posted by Cold Steel on Jan 20, 2010 14:14:55 GMT -6
X-Men
Team Leader of the X-Men Teacher of Self-Defense
color=48D1CC
4,375
105
May 19, 2024 6:40:03 GMT -6
All right it was fairly obvious that he was lying even if his tone somehow managed to hide it. He knew exactly what he was doing, if he wanted to cooperate with the guards he wouldn’t have had attacked them in the first place. The name he gave out was one he had thought up on the spot and it was clear that the woman guard who was running the show didn’t by it. Watching her lift a giant metal red-hot branding iron Sam blinked and then let out a smirk, ”Skipping the whips all together? And here I thought this was gonna be long and drawn out!” Sam said trying not to activate his powers in defense, even if they would manage to activate he would only get a nice shock as punishment.
Watching the poker get nearer Sam blinked, ”Well if you knew my name then why did you bother asking me, odds are I was just going to lie to you…AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH” the female guard forced the brand into his chest and the searing sensation screaming out through his pores echoed all the way out through his mouth, he was fairly certain that his scream was the loudest it had ever been, he was fairly certain that it echoed through out not only the room they were in but the entire complex.
As she removed the brand every breath he took felt like his body was covered in ice, which meant the nerves were being burned which meant if he could put up with this pain for a little longer the calm would soon come. All he needed to do was keep his mouth shut and breath, breathe and think of somewhere else. Images of the mission he went on with Ghost passed his eyes as the white sandy beaches and the blue water blocked out the smell of burning flesh momentarily.
Moments that was all he had before he breathed in to much air forcing not only his stomach to expand but his chest as well and as soon as this was done pain exploded throughout his chest once again and another smaller grunting motion could be heard as he snuffed out the second oncoming scream. He didn’t want to give the guards the satisfaction that they were expecting.
Through gritted teeth and tensed body he listened to the two women before him speak in Romanian, he didn’t know what they were saying, even if he could understand them he doubted he could hear them. His ears rang out for a second as Alex lowered her figure to the ground and the female guard looked to him and smiled. When she spoke it felt like a snake was coiling around him slowly constricting the air out of his lungs, ”I have no connection with her, she reminded me of a girl I used to date and I gave her a wink a day or so ago, that is about as much connection as I have with her.” despite the pain and the gasping breaths he still managed to conceal the truth from the female guard, ”But I’m guessing the truth isn’t what you’re looking for.” his body tensed up as another round of pain rippled from the area of the brand.
Her mind was being ripped apart. Her heart as well. By the time Sam spoke, a creepy feeling had found the way to her. Alexandra Kettler hated herself. For starting a war. For failing to protect the ones she cared about. For caring, in the first place. She winced as the sounds that Sam let out while trying to conceal the pain reached her ears. Her body tensed up quickly.
”I have no connection with her, she reminded me of a girl I used to date and I gave her a wink a day or so ago, that is about as much connection as I have with her. But I’m guessing the truth isn’t what you’re looking for.”
Alexandra let her eyes travel from Stix to Sam. She hoped he knew just how sorry she was. Stix, on the other hand laughed. A laugh that echoed trough the room and bounced off the walls only to hit the molecule manipulator like a ton of bricks. Alexandra let her shoulders lower even more. She was tired. So tired of this. With hallow eyes, she looked at Stix. It wasn’t wrong to assume that the guard didn’t believe one word. “Sam. You amuse me.” She muttered in response, as soon as the laughter ceased. Stix chuckled, straightening herself then spun on her heels and moved toward the table once again.
Alexandra frowned. Stix, indeed, found this quite amusing. The molecule manipulator mustered up all her forces. It was time to change tactics. She breathed in, trying to ignore the lingering smell of burnt flesh. Then with rapid steps, she moved in front of Sam. Her face ceased to be emotionless. Instead, a well thought anger flashed upon her features. “You idiot!” Her voice was slightly louder than normal. She didn’t need to yell to prove her point. Curious, Stix turned around watching the scene with much interest. “You’re either stupid or you find pleasure in pain. Stop playing, this isn’t a game!” She hissed these words at Sam, then straightened herself and turned around to face Stix. “He is lying. ”
Interest became even more visible on Stix’s face, an eyebrow arching slightly. “Oh?” Blue eyes narrowed at the woman. “He didn’t give me any wink a day or two ago. I just looked at him because I heard him singing.” Alexandra paused for a few seconds, looking away from Stix for a brief moment. “You don’t hear many singing around here.” She sighed, as once again she looked at the guard. “I really didn’t meet this man ever before.”
Stix smiled. A simple brief smile. “Very well then.” The guard shifted her attention back to the table, spending a few moments inspecting each tool. In the end, she picked up one. It was a rather thin and short blade. She looked at it and with the same ghastly smile from before she advanced toward Alexandra. Stix’s following action made her freeze into place. Somewhere inside of her mind she had prepared herself to face the fact that Stix was most likely inclined to not believing her. Briefly, she wondered what other kind of torture Sam will endure. But she’d failed to notice that the actual torture was meant for her.
Stix hand was extended toward the molecule manipulator, holding it out for her to grab. A quizzical look appeared on Alexandra’s face even if she was almost certain what that was supposed to mean. “Go ahead. Take it.” The thin blade advanced a little bit more in her direction. She shifted her eyes from the object to the person that was holding it several times before finally stopping on Stix’s face. “What?!” The guard grinned. “You said you have never met this man before. I think you shouldn’t have a problem in hurting him yourself. Go ahead, prove me that you’re speaking the truth.”
Patience slipped away from the molecule manipulator quickly. Anger flashed in her eyes again, this time half pretended, half true. “If I haven’t met this man before I am supposed to hurt him with ease?” Stix eyed the blade, the grin fading into a smile quickly. “Well then. Let’s spice things up a little for you.” She let the hand which held the knife drop by her side, her eyes locked on Alexandra’s. “You either take over the torture or you’ll spend days locked in here, seeing as each and every mutant inside this building will get branded with the Camps’ logo.”
Alexandra gasped in response, eyes widening at this request. She found herself unable to even think. “What will you choose, miss Kettler? Hurting one you’ve never seen in your life or every mutant in the camps?” The hand was extended toward her again. What before had been widened eyes now were narrowed at the guard, holding the purest hatred that could have been conceived by Alexandra. The kind of hatred that surpassed even the one she’d felt for her father.
Alexandra breathed out… There was no actual choice for her. She either hurt Sam and save hundreds from getting hurt while ending up with a broken heart or didn’t hurt Sam, didn’t save hundreds and proved Stix she was right. She grabbed the blade from Stix’s hand with a sudden movement, her hand clasping it tightly as she turned back to Sam.
She took a step closer. Then another and another, until her figure was looming above Sam. The chain moved with her screeching again. She didn’t hear it. Nor did she see anything but Sam. She avoided his eyes. Or looking anywhere near his face. Her hand moved slowly, the blade advancing toward Sam’s chest. Metal touched skin. Alexandra bit her lip, hard, until the taste of blood touched her tongue. She exhaled… and cut. The metal slashed trough skin slowly but aimed for going deep. She put more pressure into it. Blood was fast to surface, touching the cold metal of the blade before running down Sam’s chest. Her hand moved, guiding the blade trough skin and flesh. Accidentally, it touched the skin and with it the crimson red liquid dripping from the wound.
Alexandra felt paralyzed for a moment. The cutting stopped. For a few seconds, she stood motionless. Then, slowly, she raised her hand, her eyes inspecting the blood stained blade. And her hand. There was blood on her hand. It wasn’t the first time. But this… this was Sam’s blood. And she couldn’t handle it. Her eyes felt watery as she looked up at Sam, the attempt of an apologetic smile on her lips. “I can’t do this. I’m sorry Sam.” For whatever will come. Her words came out as a whisper. She looked at the bloody blade again and she knew she would regret it. Her palm opened, letting the blade drop to the floor. The clink echoed in her head again and again and again. Alexandra closed her eyes as tears escaped their prison.
Posted by Cold Steel on Jan 21, 2010 15:00:39 GMT -6
X-Men
Team Leader of the X-Men Teacher of Self-Defense
color=48D1CC
4,375
105
May 19, 2024 6:40:03 GMT -6
Sam smiled back widely back to the female guard as she spoke, ”You think it’s amusing now?” he started to laugh, ”give me a few hours to get my composure back and let’s see if I can amuse you some other way?” he gave her a wink and started to laugh and then blew her a kiss. Yes, again he knew it wasn’t classy to do this in front of his girlfriend but then again he was trying to prove to the girl he didn’t even know Alex.
His body tensed again quickly as Alex spoke, hoping that she wouldn’t break what they had done so far to convince the female guard that they didn’t know each other. He was lying but he didn’t want the female guard to know about it. He held his breath till Alex finished her cover and he grinned slightly, ”I sing all the time, give me a few minutes and I’ll think of a tune for you.” he said as he spat out sarcasm to the female guard ignoring the fact that Alex was closer than she had ever been since they have been picked up.
He could almost feel the warmth of her skin on his even if she was a few feet away just her being in arms reach gave his body a warm feeling all over that dulled the pain. That was until the female guard started to speak again. Watching the knife play in her hands for a moment he lowered his head and readied himself for another round of torture, it wasn’t like they were going to kill him anyways, if they were going to do it, odds were it would have happened already, why torture and then kill, if they were anything like previous camps both for mutants and humans they would be looking to turn a profit of some kind, and a dead mutant didn’t make for free labor.
Watching the knife be passed from the guards hand to Alex’s his heart stopped for a moment. There was no way Alex was capable of this but when he heard the alternative he nodded his head slowly and smiled a poor smile through gritted blood soaked teeth and in pain. The smile was directed towards the female guard, ”That’s messed up…” he looked back to Alex then blinked once in her direction before averting his gaze. He didn’t know if she could bring herself to do it but he would rather have her inflict a pain on him instead of being broken down by watching mutant after mutant be branded like a piece of live stock.
Sam was made of sterner stuff he could take the pain, no need to make Alex go through the torture of seeing all those people suffer. Before he looked back at her she was already approaching him with the knife. Hesitation clearly written on her face even when the metal touched his skin, already branded his chest was already screaming out in pain, however the cut felt cool as it dug into his chest. Even as blood dripped down over the scaring from the burn it gave a nice cooling sensation the eased his suffering momentarily. The only thought he had was ”You can do this Alex, just cut me and you can go, you do this and your safe.”
The cut was a good start but as she had started she ended just as suddenly. He frowned at her as his breathing (grunting) slowed. His body loosened up as she dropped the knife and apologized. He shook his head and didn’t look at her, she should have kept going, and she should have done what she was told so the both could get out of this hell.
He looked away when she cried and his lips bleed out as he sunk his teeth into them. Already weak and fatigued from everything that has happened over the past twenty four hours Sam wished there was something he could have said or done to make things easier for her. ”Don’t cry, not your fault…” he hissed out in a hushed whisper so only Alex could hear him. It really wasn’t her fault, in fact he would have preferred to have been tortured by Alex opposed to the others, with her he knew she would be gentle as possible making it only look painful.
Looking over to the guard Sam rolled his head weakly to the side and spat blood on the floor at the female’s feet, ”We done here? Dinner is coming around soon…”
Sam’s word echoed trough her head as a painful reminder that it wasn’t like that. Alexandra opened her eyes, tears fogging up her vision. She blinked, slowly, another round of tears falling down her cheeks. Her breath got stuck in her throat as she tried to speak. She tried again. Sam, she couldn’t lie to. Not now. Not here. There was no point in deceiving him that she wasn’t the culprit of this story. “It is.” She admitted, weakly. She shifted her eyes, without focusing on anything in particular. She was unable to look at Sam anymore. “You have no idea.” She whispered, more for herself than for Sam.
She exhaled. Stix got what she wanted. Alexandra blinked, then with a quick movement, she wiped away the tears from her eyes. No point in satisfying Stix further. The molecule manipulator turned around, looking at the guard with the kind of determination that scared even herself. “You got what you wanted. He’s my friend. I can’t hurt him. Now let him go. Bring in whoever you want. Torture them. Torture me. I don’t care.” Alexandra exhaled again. There was no point in deceiving herself either. Whatever came next, she wasn’t ready for it. Nor she could ever be. She cursed the moment when she had become so soft. So easy to break. When she got out of here, if she did, she promised herself that emotions could no longer exist. She promised herself that she’d kill anything that could be catalogued as anything but anger or hatred. She wasn’t sure what she felt for Sam. Something more than friendship or maybe even love? It didn’t matter anymore. Friendship, love… all would be dead and she’d never allow herself to feel it ever again.
Stix smiled briefly. There was victory in her eyes. One that Alexandra could see clearly. The guard shook her head at her, still smiling. Alexandra just narrowed her eyes, slightly confused at this reaction. “Now, now. Why would I do that?” She chanted, entertained by the angered face the molecule manipulator had on once these words reached her ears. “What?!” Her voice reflected the same amount of anger that her face showed. Judging by the death glare Stix just received, there was quite a lot.
“Miss Kettler. You fail to notice once again that this is about you. I promised I would find a way to break you. I just did.” Stix chuckled while shifting her eyes to the two guards who were still immobilizing Sam. “Bring him here.” She ordered. Without a single word or gesture, the men complied. One grabbed Sam, forcing him to stand up then pushed him in Stix’s direction. The other grabbed the chair and dragged it across the room until it was relatively in its original position. Sam was pushed down again.
Alexandra however failed to notice any of the movements or sounds. She didn’t hear the chair being dragged across the room, nor did she see the guard that did it. She didn’t see Sam as he was forced away from her. She didn’t even notice that her mouth was slightly open or that she had stopped breathing. Only when the feeling of dizziness was acknowledged by her body, she breathed in. Her eyes fell on Sam for a moment. Then moved back to Stix. Alexandra gritted her teeth together. Anger replaced the shock quickly. “I swear that I will kill you even if it’s the last thing I do.” Alexandra hissed her words out, loud and clear for Stix to hear. In Romanian. They weren’t meant for Sam’s ears.
Stix laughed at this statement. A laughter full of confidence. There was hard to imagine from she was standing that the threat she received could be considered valid. Alexandra Kettler was chained to a wall, a shock bracelet hugging her wrist. Her mind was broken. There was no real threat there. The laughing ceased at some point, but a hint of amusement remained carved on her features. “My, my. Getting a bit violent, aren’t we?” She replied in Romanian, shaking her head slightly. “And yet, I am the one holding the torture instruments, isn’t it?” Stix continued, nodding her head at the table. Alexandra remained silent. A promise was a promise, even if Stix wasn’t taking her seriously.
Smiling, Stix shifted her attention to Sam. “As for you, my dear, I’m afraid that dinner will have to wait.” Piercing green eyes inspected the torture instruments again. She picked one, similar to the blade that Alexandra had used earlier. Except it was slightly longer. With the same smile, she put the blade on Sam’s forehead tilting her head to the side as she let it travel across the skin down to his neck. She stopped there for a brief moment, leaning closer. “And you know… if you’ll still be standing by the time I’m done with you… I might consider your offer.” She grinned, winking at the ice mancer before glancing over her shoulder at Alexandra to see her reaction.
The molecule manipulator didn’t respond. She shifted her eyes, convincing herself that every word was meant to annoy her. Even if it did, she wasn’t giving Stix more satisfaction that she already did. Chuckling, Stix turned to Sam again, letting the blade slide across his skin until it reached his chest. “Well then, miss Kettler, let’s talk about those bank accounts.”
Of course. Alexandra knew that they would probably get to that. But she didn’t expect it to be so soon. The molecule manipulator didn’t turn as she spoke. She had already made a mistake. A huge, unforgivable mistake. She wouldn’t make another one. “The answer is still no.”
Posted by Cold Steel on Jan 22, 2010 13:52:56 GMT -6
X-Men
Team Leader of the X-Men Teacher of Self-Defense
color=48D1CC
4,375
105
May 19, 2024 6:40:03 GMT -6
Letting out a loud sigh he lowered his head, wondering why named him her friend. If anything he thought he would have been more than a friend seeing as they do things he wouldn’t do with most friends… he shook his head and ignored the previous thought for the time being pushing it to the back of his mind. Now, now he needed to focus on Alex and the fact that she just gave the guards a weapon.
Sam was worth more to Alex than anyone else, she just said it; she would even be willing to torture in his stead. He smirked slightly forgetting his previous thoughts completely she was willing to take his pain. His affection for her continued to grow despite the fact that she just took a knife to his chest cause it wasn’t her fault. Deep down he knew that even if Alex fessed up to the guards there was still no way they would let her go they were after something and with him there they were going to get it.
Feeling himself being lifted and pushed like a tiny rag doll Sam’s bare feet scraped against the ground blood dripping from the recent cut on his chest and the older marks of the beating he took a few minutes before. The smell of burnt flesh tingled Sam’s nostrils as his torso moved this way and that with the way he was being pushed. This wasn’t right none of it was, they weren’t supposed to be here, they were here to rescue not be rescued and right now that was exactly what Sam needed someone to rescue him.
The sound of the chair moving was a silent escape from the grunting that he was producing through more gritted teeth. If this kept up he’d need a new set of teeth. Never before had he grinded his teeth so much in such a short amount of time. He had been tortured before but never with such a disregard for his own safety. Burns were one thing but cuts, and now? He wasn’t sure what was coming but he knew it was obvious… he wouldn’t like it.
Felling a body approach him and crouch down to his body as it laid on the cold ground he tilted his head when a sharp knife was forced upon it. It was the female guard again she seriously must have had it bad for Sam. ”Damn, haven’t eaten all day…” mocked Sam before she pulled down with her wrist forcing. Letting out a gasp and another grunt Sam’s knuckles turned white as his fingers dug into the palms of his hands. It was the only way he knew how to distract himself from the situation long enough not to notice that the blade was still there.
”Lucky me…” muttered Sam as he spat some blood to the ground next to his head and closer to female guard, ”I best bring some sort of protection then…” he smirked slightly before he started to feel light headed. His eyes shut momentarily as he had an out of body experience.
Sam watched the female guard pull the blade down his chest, he saw the other guards grinning in the back like a pack of ravenous hyenas was this really why he opposed to killing people? Was this the reason he protected humans so they could perform acts like this? No these few people didn’t speak for the population; they were nothing more than bad apples.
”Aww looks like my date for the night might not make it…” the female guard pointed over to the table and called for a poker once it was hot enough she placed it on the cuts she had recently made on Sam’s chest. She burnt the skin a the blood forcing the bleeding wounds on his chest to cease. ”That’s better now he won’t bleed out that just means we get to have some more fun with him, right Miss Kettler, we can have as much fun with him as we like!”
Alexandra remained as quiet and still as a statue. Her head was turned to the other side, forcing herself not to look at Sam, no matter what sounds came from that direction. Breathe in, breathe out. Ignore as much as you can. Again, she wished there was some way to stop hearing. Alexandra folded her arms. Clink, clink. The sounds the chain made provided a short moment of distraction. She closed her eyes. Seconds passed and yet they felt like minutes. At some point the grunting stopped. Although curious to see what happened, Alexandra fought the urge to open her eyes and look at Sam.
But Stix wasn’t late on giving her information she hadn’t asked. “ Aww looks like my date for the night might not make it…” Blue eyes opened slowly. With the corner of her eye, she saw Sam, no longer conscious. At least, he wouldn’t feel the pain, she hoped. Gulping down air, she closed her eyes again when Stix grabbed the hot poker. Inside her, something was happening. There was hatred. There was anger. And slowly she let these emotions flood her mind.
”That’s better now he won’t bleed out that just means we get to have some more fun with him, right Miss Kettler, we can have as much fun with him as we like!” Alexandra’s expression was blank she turned to look at Stix. Worry appeared for a second in her eyes as she glanced at Sam. She wanted to have the power to heal him with one look. And yet, she didn’t. But … she would do the next best thing.
Blue eyes turned back to Stix, sharp and hateful. The guard smiled, satisfied as she threw the hot poker back on the table. “Let me know when I can leave.” Certainly, this wasn’t the answer that Stix expected. The smile faded. Alexandra didn’t bother to say anything. Instead, she took a seat on the floor, crossing her legs in front of her while her hands hung by her side. She closed her eyes and ignored the flash of anger on Stix’s face.
“Bring water. Now!” Stix ordered, no longer satisfaction noticeable in her voice. The molecule manipulator opened her eyes slightly. She watched Stix with her back turned at her. One guard was already moving out of the room. The other was paying too much attention to his leader rather than to the prisoners.
A hand moved slowly. Skin touched metal. No one paid attention enough to her to realize that she had just retrieved the blade that only minutes ago she had willingly let go. Once it was secured and hidden behind the waist band of her pants, Alexandra let her hand return to its previous position.
The guard returned seconds later, a bucket of water in his hand. Through half-opened eyes, the molecule manipulator watched how the guard was gestured by Stix to throw the water on Sam. With the smile returning, Stix walked over to Alexandra, her boot connecting with the molecule manipulator’s ribs. She winced. And yet, when she fully opened her eyes and turned her head to look at Stix, unimpressed was clearly written all over her face. “Ready to go so soon?” She asked, blinking innocently at the guard.
Stix, as expected, didn’t appreciate Alexandra’s humor. With her lips forming a straight line, the guard seated herself next to Alexandra, hands resting on top of her knees. “Miss Kettler. I am loosing my patience. Just give us what we need and all this will be over,” Alexandra sighed, shifting her eyes from Stix to Sam. “No.” Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Stix turning her head toward one of the guards. “Go ahead.” The male guard simply nodded before removing the familiar remote from his belt.
The shock collar was activated. Alexandra shifted her attention from Sam to Stix’s belt.
Miss Sticks, you’ve just made the biggest mistake of your life today.
Stix’s remote stood secured to her belt, almost grinning at the molecule manipulator. Alexandra mentally grinned back. It wasn’t going to stay there for long. That something smiled in anticipation.
Posted by Cold Steel on Jan 28, 2010 15:34:50 GMT -6
X-Men
Team Leader of the X-Men Teacher of Self-Defense
color=48D1CC
4,375
105
May 19, 2024 6:40:03 GMT -6
The peaceful sound of the waves from the ocean smacked across his face as the water seemed to be rising on the beach. ”Must be high tide…” Sam muttered allowed so everyone could hear his current state of being which involved him to be no where close to where his body was now. Another splash and he opened his eyes coughing and sputtering the pain rushing back to his body as he reached out and clasped his side. His vision was hazy for a moment before he laid back down in the buddle of blood and water under him his face and chest drenched in water as the once opened wounds were now burned shut.
He grinned slightly and closed his eyes again, hoping for that euphoric feeling to take him back to the beach on Hawaii maybe a hit to the head was all he needed. Hell even a quick nap, all this torture has taken a lot out of him all he wanted was a release from the pain. Opening his eyes again he looked up to Alex and smiled slightly lifting his hand into the air giving everyone in the room a thumbs up. ”Thanks….I was getting thirsty….” he smirked and smacked his lips together making a loud sound, ”Could I have some more? My quench has yet to be satisfied…” he let out a weak laugh that could be compared to a wheeze.
Within seconds his request was satisfied with another bucket of cold water being thrown at him. His mouthed opened quickly and swallowed the water that was thrown at him. ”Thanks…” he looked up to the female guard and smiled again, ”So about that dinner?”