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 Pharoah Dynasty
An ancient sorceress is on a quest to bring her long-lost warrior-king to the modern era in a bid for global domination. Can the heroes of the modern world stop her before all is lost?
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.
Moving through a city with a nest of hissing serpents in your hair was a lot harder than Hollywood made it out to be. For one, it was nearly impossible to keep them under a scarf, so she had been forced to walk around with her raincoats hood up. The other thing was they had an annoying habit of poking their heads out from within her hood. The biggest one was the most annoying by far. It had recovered from its head wound, but seemed a little... slow... to her. It had curled around her neck so it could watch where she was walking. She had already been stopped a few times by curious pedestrians, who seemed just overflowing with questions about what kind of snake it was. They generally left her alone though, after the others popped out to investigate as well. Apparently one snake was just fine, but a handful of them was too much for the average person to handle. As the Greek shuffled along, trying to remain out of the bulk of the crowd, she reached up to touch the large white snake cautiously. Out of all of the serpents, the white one seemed to be the least aggressive toward her. It had twitched back quite a few times, before it grew used to her and allowed her to pet it.
Getting her mind back on track, she turned her attention to the task at hand. She needed food. Desperately... All of her worldly processions (or at least the ones she could carry) were in a backpack slung over her shoulder. She had personal items, her bible, and more than a few changes of clothing- but those wouldn't last long. After she found food, she would need to investigate a place to stay. Living on the streets wasn't on her agenda, and she had enough money saved up for at least a few nights in a motel. Her stomach grumbled, and she pushed herself toward a small food stand across the square. She wasn't really afraid of anyone tracking her down this early, but even so she had made sure to find a small shopping plaza that not many people occupied. With the sun High over head, she padded quietly past people, ducking further into the safety of her red hood as she approached a Pigeon covered fountain. The birds, who were much to used to people for their own good, tilted their heads and cooed at her, expecting that she was carrying some sort of food for them. A few danced around her feet, causing the Twenty three year old to halt and adjust her steps, lest she step on one by accident. The momentary pause in movement sent some of the birds into a frenzy, they took flight from their perches and flapped wildly around her, wanting to be first in line when the bread started to fly.
The frantic flapping of wings, and the scent of prey in the air sent the serpents under her hood into a fit. Hissing blocked out a good portion of her hearing, and before she could react one black body streaked out and snagged a flapping, frightened bird in its toothy grasp. The other six snakes followed suite, and before she knew it Andrea's shielded vision was blocked out by the flapping of wings and the shrill squawking. The Greek shrieked and threw her hands up to protect her face, but before she could bat the birds away they were gone. A loud clank, followed directly by six more reached her ears. Her Snakes were already snapping after new prey when her eyes fell on seven stone pigeons at her feet, all locked in positions of panic. Andrea felt her stomach fall, no, vanish. A giant empty void opened up insider of her, and she gulped. They had the same power as her...? How was it even possi- She witnessed one slim black snake arch its head back and open its mouth wide. Its fangs protruded and with a little jerk, it sent two thin streams of clear liquid sailing at a fleeing bird. The liquid hit, and in seconds the pigeons feathers started to darken and harden. The poor creature struggled to flap a few more times before it careened to the ground, where the stone finished spreading. All that was left was a pigeon struggling to move, to breath. Andrea felt the blood rush from her cheeks, and she pulled her hands to her lips.
It was a long journey and tiring journey for the young man, but a hopeful one. He finally made it back into New York City, the place where people are lost and found. The place where dreams can come true, no matter how disgusting the dream. Almost as bad as Vegas or LA, New York was the place to be for crime and passion, for mutants and humans. Slow, purposeful steps down the packed streets of New York, Bear made sure to keep his knife at the ready without drawing suspicion. In a place like this, you never know what could happen to you or who could happen to you. On the way into town, Bear ran into a young couple who had just been jumped and robbed, he didnt see the criminal and had no idea how to find him. He barely even knew the couple had been robbed before hearing them yell those infamous words from the movies. "STOP THIEF!"
Nothing could be done for this poor couple, the hustle and bustle of New York allowed the mischievous thief to get away unscathed. "Ah the sweet smell and sound of New York." With that Bear took in a deep breath of exhaust filled air, enjoying it entirely. He had spent so much time away from the city that he forgot how much this City truly sucked. "Why did I want to come back here? This place has nothing except pain..."
With a small sigh to himself Bear pushed on, he knew he had to find a place to stay, he knew he had to find a job and he knew he had to find Aris. How he was going to do these things, he knew not. In his mind, in order to get a place to stay, you had to have a job but in order to get a job, you have to have a place to stay. The sanctuary is always a choice but not a great one, getting an old rundown apartment could work but too many memories of old rundown apartments.
Bear continued his walk into the city, trying to figure out what he was going to do with himself. After a bit of time, he found himself somewhere in the middle of New York, near a small fountain covered with pigeons. Birds in general intrigued Bear, their freedom, their general safety in the sky, but their bravery in approaching humans. Maybe not bravery so much as stupidity. Bear gently leaned against a building, his duffel bag dangling from his shoulder as he watched the birds intently. After a moment, a girl approached in a Red Raincoat, the birds saw this as a food offering and began to get closer before causing her to pause in step. The thought of Food lit up their eyes and their feet as they began to swarm her. His eyes didnt catch what happened or how it happened so much as a flurry of birds and feathers followed by a grand total of 7 Pigeon Statues. Wide eyed and curious, Bear looked on, the Red Raincoat Girl was frantic and upset. He didnt know whether or not to approach her to find out what was going on. The fact that he, generally, did care about people got the better of him and he slowly approached.
"Excuse me.. Miss? Are you okay? Is there anything I can do to help?"
((OOC: Hope you dont mind, I saw your post and saw this as an opportunity to start RPing.. I'm Bear ))
Andrea sucked in a breath as everything caught up to her. Her snakes were restless, tugging on her head as tried to pull her towards the fleeing birds. She latched onto the biggest of her serpents, earning herself a soft warning hiss. She drew her eyes away from the dying pigeon on the ground to glance nervously around her. A few people seemed to be making a hasty retreat, but it seemed no one else had really noticed. She had gotten lucky it seemed. Her gloved hands brought back her stretching albino, trying to tuck it back into her hood as best she could before more of a scene was caused.
""Excuse me.. "
She flinched, turning her head just about as fast as her snakes reacted to the voice. A multitude of little black tongues licked the air, seeking his scent, as they all angled beady orange eyes the guys way.
"...Miss? Are you okay? Is there anything I can do to help?"
Andrea couldn't help but freak out, just a little. Her hands snatched back the smaller black snakes hanging out the sides of her hood, trying to keep their head down as much as possible. "S-stay back!" The Greek shuffled a little ways away, wanting to maintain a safe distance between herself and the unknown male. "It isn't safe to get too close to me." As if to solidify her words of caution, one of the black serpents escaped her hold and short forward with a hiss and its fangs bared. The stranger was unfamiliar, and therefore a threat to them. Her other snakes hissed a second warming, and retreated into the shadows of her hood.
Andrea eyed the male cautiously for a few moments, before she shook her head and answered the rest of his question. "There is nothing you can do to help me..."
Bear watched cautiously as the girl snatched little black heads out of the air and into the hood of her raincoat. He was about to step closer to see if she was okay when he heard her fumble her words slightly, "S-stay back!" Bear glanced at her curiously as she shuffled away from him a bit. "It isnt safe to get too close to me." It was almost as if he could smell fear on her, if fear had a scent at all. Never-the-less, Bear took a slow step forward but was forced back, startlingly, by the sight of a black snake lunging forward at him with a hiss before retreating back into her hood. Bears eyes lit up at the sight of this and he fumbled around a bit in his mind before hearing what sounded like a small plea for help, to him at least. "There is nothing you can do to help me..."
"I dunno, Miss... But trying to help someone that doesnt need help has always been my weakness." Bear shifted slightly in his shoes before taking a slow step forward. "I wont hurt you and I dont think you'll hurt me.. I'm Nick... Some people I used to know called me Bear." A small grin found it's way onto his face as he held out his hand for a handshake. Bear was obviously much larger than the poor frightened girl. He figured she wasnt frightened so much of him as she was of herself, those snake like things coming from her raincoat an obvious reason why.
"Maybe I can help just by walking with you, a few feet away if you like. Nobody is safe in New York City by themselves, not even me... So you'll be doing me a favor by keeping me safe and I can do the same for you." His grin turned to more of a smile, hoping the girl would accept his offer so he could have at least one friend in New York. Or even just an acquaintance. Heck even just someone to talk to for five minutes here or there.
((Nice to meet you too... Sorry it's kinda short...))
(( Tis alright, mine can vary between short and essay. ))
"I wont hurt you and I don't think you'll hurt me.. I'm Nick... Some people I used to know called me Bear."
Oh, how she dearly wished those words were true. She could not trust herself however, no matter now much she wanted too. Still, they brought a small amount of warmth to her heart... Even with a hissing brood of serpents, some people would still approach her in a friendly manner. She took a long while to respond, staring at his offered hand like it was poison. Could she really afford to be friendly at this point in time? Behind her glasses, her eyes dropped to the ground. Friendly was something she could do, but it would be painful. She thought of the friends she had left behind, and why she had come to such a decision. Perhaps this was the first step in leaving her old life behind... just a shake of his hand. Andrea adjusted her feet, standing at an angle from him, and then raised her hand cautiously to his.
Her gloves gave way to little warmth from the handshake, but she did have to admit that merely the touch of someone else made her feel a little less alone. "I... am Andrea. It is very nice to meet you Nick..." She forced a small smile, and withdrew her hand before the largest of her snakes, who thankfully was only curious, could sneak down her arm to investigate. "Maybe I can help just by walking with you, a few feet away if you like. Nobody is safe in New York City by themselves, not even me... So you'll be doing me a favor by keeping me safe and I can do the same for you."
She blinked at him, and started to shake her head slowly. "I do not-..." But she paused. He wanted to simply walk with her... and he wouldn't even stand close, if she so wished. The kindness in his offer touched her... and yet the kindest thing she could do to him was leave him by himself. There would be nothing she could do to help if she hurt him in some way. The Greek dropped her eyes, and frowned. Someone else had acted the same way to her once, and all she had ended up hurting him in the end as well. But... she really didn't want to be alone. 'What could the harm in a simple walk be?' She asked herself. No answer readily supplied itself, so she raised her eyes and smiled weakly. It was a gamble, sure, but her whole life had been one thus far. What was one more throw of the dice, when you had nothing left to lose anyway?
"...mind." She finished, pulling back the snake on her arm. "I do not mind at all. A walk sounds lovely.
"I... am Andrea. It is very nice to meet you Nick..."
Bear smiled wide, shaking her gloved hand as she introduced herself. "Nice to meet you Andrea.." Finally, someone to talk to, a year and a half and Bear only ever talked to one person, Alexis, he spoke a few words here and there, but never actually spent time with anyone. Alexis was almost forced on him so he didnt even know if she counted. The last person he talked to before Alexis was probably Aris or that monkey guy. He shrugged off the thought of not having any friends at all for over a year and smiled at Andrea, watching a very large snake slither down her arm slowly as he shook hands with her. "That's a... Pretty big snake there Andrea... I know this is dumb, but I assume you're a mutant and not just some tattooed girl?" Bear laughed lightly
"I do not..." She slowly pulled the large snake back away from him as the hand shake stopped. "...mind."
"Alright, sounds good to me... Where should we go? And how far away from you should I walk?" He laughed a bit, hoping not to sound serious with that last part. His sarcasm never took too well, so he couldnt tell really how people would react. "Now... I dont know about you but I was on my way to get something to eat before I saw you. Would you care to join me?" He waited for a minute, hoping she would say yes. I just want some company for a bit, offer to pay, yeah that might convince her. Wait no, then she could think I think it's a date. I didnt say date did I? GAH! Calm down... It's polite to offer to pay if you ask someone to eat... Right? Right. "I'm buying.."
"Dont worry, if you decide you dont want to eat with me by the time we get wherever we're going, we can go our separate ways." Bear smiled lightly, hoping he could convince the girl to sit with him for a bit and enjoy a small meal so they could talk. About anything.
"That's a... Pretty big snake there Andrea... I know this is dumb, but I assume you're a mutant and not just some tattooed girl?"
Tattoo's? Lord no! Some much was wrong with her body already that would only exaggerate the problem. "Tattoos? No, I am all.. natural." That word held a certain bitterness that she did not mean to place in it. "I am as mutant, as mutant can be." A smile finished her statement, and she hoped she had not come across as anything but pleasant. "He is the biggest of them..." she mumbled, glancing down at the white snake. who had given up his quest to investigate the man, and was busily winding himself around her neck and shoulders. "He is also the most calm. it is the others i worry about." the serpents chimed in with a soft hiss, and Andrea wrinkled her nose and reached up to tug her hood down further. "They get mad at me for hiding them... but they don't like other people."
He mentioned distance, and she giggled. Perhaps this wouldn't be so hard after all. "I would suggest at least an arms length, the smaller ones can only reach about that far." And then onto the subject of where to go, and apparently what to eat. "I was also looking for food... I do not know this part of town very well though, so you might have to choose." She paused, then thought to add. "I cannot go inside though... crowds are dangerous for me." Annoyingly so, seeing as only a day ago she had been able to go wherever she had pleased. She was drawn away from her thoughts for a moment as his offer to buy fully sank in, and she blinked. But a few months ago, such a thing would have sent her into a fit. before she had come to the realization that not every offer to take her out for food was a step toward a relationship. Normally she would have flushed deep brown and stuttered, maybe made a fool of herself while she was at it. But she felt oddly different now, perhaps from her newest mutation, or... maybe it was because she had finally made up her mind on a certain man.
The thought brought back memories, and she forced herself not to outwardly show how much they distressed her. "I am alright, I have not eaten in quite a while..." A few days, to be exact. It still surprised her more though, hat she had not felt the monstrous hunger she had suffered with for a year, since she had woken up the previous night. It led her to wonder if her snakes had bee the only cause of her headaches, hunger and sickness....
"Well, to me, mutant is all natural. I'm a mutant too, you probably wouldnt guess from looking at me..." Bear smiled lightly, he couldnt help but think how cool it must be to have a pet with you at all times. But he also had to think how much it must suck to have a pet or a dozen with you at all times. "Did you name him? I mean... How can you expect to bond with him if you didnt name him? Just make sure he likes it or you wont bond." Bear laughed lightly before extending his arm out and stepping to within arms length of Andrea. "Shall we walk?"
"Why are the other snakes so hostile towards people? I mean, I'm hearing them hissing at... I guess me... Constantly in that hood of yours." Figuring Andrea said she didnt know the area too well, Bear had to try and lead the two of them to food from his memory. "Alright, you dont know where, you want food but you cant eat inside... How about central park? There's bound to be places to sit down outside with food nearby... Or walk outside..." Now if only I could remember how to get to central park. We go down that street there, then this street here then... Wait... No... I'm gonna get us lost... We're so screwed..
"I am alright, I have not eaten in quite a while..." These words sank in a bit for Bear as he tried to figure out what she meant. For most people quite a while meant a few hours and for some it meant a day or more. Could it be true that she hasnt eaten in more than a day? Wherever we go... She better not eat like your typical girl. 'Oh just a salad for me..'
"So... What do you mean by 'quite a while'? Personally I havent had anything to eat since yesterday... Which is kinda surprising for me... But I figured I better save money for a new place. I just got back into town you see. I was here, in New York, a little over a year ago and some stuff happened and I had to leave. I lost my apartment I had with this other mutant kid. And I lost touch with one of my best friends.. But now I'm back and trying to start over..." Bear smiled lightly, glancing over his shoulder at the girl walking beside him. "What's your story?"
Another soul who though of mutations in a happy light? Andrea smiled and nodded, choosing not reveal her own dismal views on their 'gifts'. Instead, she turned her attention to the snake nestled beneath her chin. "Did you name him? I mean... How can you expect to bond with him if you didn't name him? Just make sure he likes it or you wont bond." She hadn't even thought of naming them... not yet at least. Snakes were often viewed as creatures born of evil. Sin incarnate. Andrea herself had never hated them, yes, but she hadn't necessarily liked them either. "...I have only had them for a day... A little less than a day actually." She blinked at the orange eyed serpent, and it licked the air in response. "...I will call him... Sloth..." The Snake licked the air again, staring up at her with one beady eye, before it dipped it head and nestled itself into the crook of her neck. The others, well... they kind of had personalities, but they are all so aggressive to her that she hadn't been able to separate them. She heard a familiar hiss next to her right ear, and blinked. 'Wrath...' Two down, she had five more to name, but that could wait until later.
"Why are the other snakes so hostile towards people? I mean, I'm hearing them hissing at... I guess me... Constantly in that hood of yours."
Why indeed. She could only hope that maybe it was because of how new to the world they were, and not just because she was cursed to live out the rest of her days hiding from people. "I think it is because they are not used to being outside. Everything is frightening to them." '..And not because they are evil, and probably wish harm onto people.' One of her snakes hissed and Andrea squinted. Sometimes she got the feeling... that they could understand her thoughts. She re-focused on him just in time to hear him mention Central park, and her heart skipped a beat. That place was familiar to her. She had traversed it s path ways may times... met a few people there. It was dangerous for her to tread on those grounds, if she wished to remain hidden. She continued after him, somewhat nervously, and chewed on her lip. Maybe, just this one time, for the last time. "I have been there before, some of the vendors there have wonderful food."
"So... What do you mean by 'quite a while'?..." She shrugged, and instead of answering right away let herself get lost in his story. It was fascinating, even if it was condensed, because it was similar to her own plight. What was it her boss had said to her once? 'It's funny how you will find answers to your own problems though conversations with others.' She wouldn't dare ask him what 'some stuff meant, for fear that it would get too personal. But then again, he finished off by asking her what her own story was. She smiled back at him, pushing up her glasses with a gloved finger, and quickly decided what she would say. "Well, I guess I have you beat on when I last ate. It must have been a week... or was it a week and a half.." She raised a hand and picked off days one by one on her fingers, before giving up. "I guess I lost count after seven..." She shrugged the matter away, recalling that she hadn't had anything to drink either- until that Iv had pumped her full of fluids. "My story?..." She sighed softly, wondering what she would tell him, and what she would leave out.
"It is too long to tell, at least right this moment it is." But she had to say something, or else he would be the one doing all of the talking. She decided to remember the happy things in her life, instead of her current problems. A smile lit up her face, "I am originally from Greece you see, I have only been here for about a year." One exciting, scary year. "I suppose you could say I am starting over as well. What with the new additions to my family." She patted sloth, scratching around the wounds on his face, and smiled a little brighter. Maybe they weren't all that bad. "I am still so unused to them... but it is surprising how much better I feel with them here, than when I didn't have them." of course, he wouldn't know that she was talking about how the snakes had affected her, and she didn't feel inclined to inform him. Her smile faded a little, "... if you do not mind me asking, why did you have to leave?"
Bear smiled lightly as she named the big snake 'Sloth', it seemed to suit him as far as he could see. A nod in response to the girls thought that the snakes are just mean because they're so new to this world. Bear couldnt help but think of how new he was and still is to this mutant world. As a kid, he never wanted to admit he was a mutant and it took him until his first trip to New York to really admit that he was a mutant to anyone other than Aris. His first time involving himself in 'this world' Bear hated it and reacted badly, he could honestly feel where the snakes may be coming from. "Yeah this place can be scary, especially if you dont really know what's going on... And I bet they dont..."
"I have been there before, some of the vendors there have wonderful food."
"Well it's good that you know the place because I really dont, I just figured it'd be a good place to go because it was in the open. Heh..." With a smile Bear glanced ahead of them, still trying to figure out how to get there, admitting one is lost is just like admitting he's not a man. Real men dont get lost right? Right? God I'm totally lost, I have no idea how to get to central park from here... Wait, the name... It's in the center of New York? Hmm... Head towards the center... Wait... Which way is the center? Where am I? Oh god... I'm lost... Bear was panicking in his head a bit before giving in to his logical mind rather than following his genetic coding. "Alright, seriously, I dont know where we're going... Heh... How bout you lead the way to the park?"
With a laugh and a slight sigh, Bear acknowledged her winning the length of time between her last meal and now. "That is quite a while indeed. I dont know that I could go that long honestly... I would end up passing out or even stealing if it got to that point where it felt like a necessity." He really couldnt understand why she hadnt eaten in so long, he came to New York with money he had saved up and was able to afford an apartment and food for himself. Why wouldnt she do that? Maybe she left in a hurry after finding out something about herself or hurting someone, maybe the snakes had something to do with it. No... It couldnt have anything to do with the snakes... She's only had them for a day... Wait... A day? Wow, no wonder she's so afraid of herself, she doesnt know what's going on fully.
"My story?.." Bear smiled and nodded slowly as she began to tell her story. He listened intently, trying to take in everything he could. It seemed to Bear that Andrea was in a similar boat, her family changed, she is starting over in a new place and she really doesnt know where she belongs at this moment in time. He couldnt help but feel for her as she told her story, he wanted to help but had a slight feeling she wouldnt accept no matter how bad off it could be. Then came the question of truth... The question he was hoping he wouldnt have to answer... It was almost a disease of his, he couldnt lie when asked a direct question, he was honor bound not to lie. "... if you do not mind me asking, why did you have to leave?"
"Heh... Well, my story is kinda long as well, but not really as long as yours... Now I'm telling you this in hopes that you wont be afraid of me... When I first came here, I hated my ability and my best friend Aris.. Or you may know of her as Meld... She loved her ability and loved the fact that she was a mutant... It was the best thing in the world for her. I felt like I was cursed... I got into some trouble, broke a few bones, may have killed a few people and I had a mental breakdown. I ended up killing two people on my way out of New York before I completely lost my mind... I couldnt handle the idea of being a mutant... Heck I couldnt handle the idea of getting stronger from getting hurt. It didnt make sense to me really... But... Meh, that's my story... I went insane for a while... And now I'm... Ok..."
"Alright, seriously, I dont know where we're going... Heh... How bout you lead the way to the park?"
The twenty three year old nodded and took the lead with a smile. "Sure, I think I know a short cut as well." She smiled and turned in the direction she new best- the way she had come. They were not far, maybe a handful of blocks, so it wouldn't be an excruciating walk- just a tiring one. The only roadblock to her was having to walk down a crucial main street, so she would lead him through a length of alley way until they had cleared the main stretch.
"That is quite a while indeed. I dont know that I could go that long honestly... I would end up passing out or even stealing if it got to that point where it felt like a necessity." His comment about not being able to match her record time without food upturned the corners of her mouth, and she chose to inform him of her secret advantage. "Well actually, I had a bit of a helping hand. I had been sick for quite a while. My appetite more or less vanished for a good majority of those days."
She finished her admission and quieted to listen to the extended version of his story. Half way down a rather deserted sidewalk, she found herself struck by his words and unable to continue walking. He admitted to felling cursed... to being afraid of himself; his mutation. He spoke of hurting people without wanting too, killing people... She was struck. The want to open her mouth and spill her guts was more than she could bear. Someone so similar... 'he would understand...' The story stopped with 'and now I'm okay...' and all she could do was nod mutely.
She couldn't just leave him standing there without a word... he would think she was afraid of him. "I understand..." She started calmly, with little more than a soft sigh and a small reassuring smile. "Perhaps it would be best if i showed you something, and let you in on a little more of my history." Without a further word, she led him down the sidewalk and into the alleyway. "I have looked this was for a long time..." She continued, once they were tucked into the alley's darkness. "My skin has always been this shade, and my hair has always had a life of its own. But aside from that, I was cursed as well with two other misfortunes."
Carefully, she pulled her gloves off and paused before a paper laden wall. Over the ages people had decorated it with fliers and posters of all kinds. She raised her hands and pressed them to the wall. After holding them there for a moment, she withdrew them and tucked them safely back into her gloves. Her point, though small, had been proven by the perfect stony hand prints left behind. "Anything I touch becomes stone. Anything I look at loses consciousness, and now.... I have my serpents." She patted Sloth on the head gently, and glanced at him. "I have been here for a year, and in that year I had made friends, found a job... and found a home." She smiled sweetly, turning to face him once more. "I am too dangerous to stay however, unless I wish to put them in harms way..." her head tilted, and she blinked. "You and I, we have more in common than I could have ever expected."
It was nice, to him, that Andrea took the lead so easily, back Alleys never really scared Bear and as long as she was comfortable with where they were going and how they were getting there. Bear could deal with it, after all, he realized that she would obviously want to avoid crowded streets as much as she could considering her fears. He easily followed her every step of the way, continuing his story and hoping not to send her running in fear. He finished his story and she was silent for a while, unmoving even, his heart skipped a beat, waiting for her to turn around and run, he couldnt blame her if she did. After all, she is, or rather, was walking with a perfect stranger whom just admitted to being insane at one point in time. But then those fateful words came that allowed his heart to return to normal.
"I understand..." Bear smiled wide as she said those two amazing words. "Perhaps it would be best if i showed you something, and let you in on a little more of my history." She told him of her mutation and how she had looked the way she does for quite some time. Bear couldnt imagine the thought of looking like a mutant. If he wanted to he could always hide the fact that he was a mutant. People would never know just by looking at him, they would just think that he is an abnormally large person but those people are out there. He really couldnt feel for her in that sense, but he did know what it was like, obviously, to hate himself for being a mutant.
He watched closely as she took off her gloves and walked up to the wall in the dark alley she pulled him into. She touched her hands to the wall gently before pulling them away, his eyes widened at the sight of her hand prints on the papers on the wall. He couldnt help but walk up to the wall and touch the hand prints lightly, realizing they were etched in stone. Andrea explained her mutation further, her touch turns things to stone and her gaze knocks people unconscious. Very greek indeed. "I have been here for a year, and in that year I had made friends, found a job... and found a home." Her smile touched Bear. "I am too dangerous to stay however, unless I wish to put them in harms way.... You and I, we have more in common than I could have ever expected."
"I guess we do Andrea... We're both running from something, trying to change things we cant change. I came to the realization that I am a mutant and there's nothing I can do about it... So are you and there's nothing either of us can do about it... And despite what you may think, I think you're pretty darn cute. But that's the ramblings of a crazy guy." A light laugh escapes his lips before he reaches out to pat her on the shoulder. "You and I, we should stick together for a bit? Maybe you can keep me sane and I can help you keep other people safe. I'm not much of a people person anyway. But before you answer that, let's go get that bite to eat, I'm still buying." Think back, man I wish I had a script in my head right now that I could read before I say things and after I say them to make sure I didnt make a fool of myself. Oh man... I asked her to stick with me... What if she takes that the wrong way... Oh and by the way, nice speech romeo... You're so stupid sometimes... Gah! What do I do? Say something funny? "Something funny?" D'Oh!
"I guess we do Andrea... We're both running from something, trying to change things we cant change. I came to the realization that I am a mutant and there's nothing I can do about it... So are you and there's nothing either of us can do about it... And despite what you may think, I think you're pretty darn cute..."
Such truth those words held. There was nothing she, nor he, could do but live life the best that they could. She would try to remain a non-threat, and he seemed to be content with just staying sane. She smiled and nodded, not noticing the lack of a blush when he popped the cute word. She hadn't felt that heat in her cheeks for months... and she didn't expect to feel it again for many more.
"...But that's the ramblings of a crazy guy."
"You are more sane than most of the people I have met here." Because of that she found herself taking what he said to heart. Even if it couldn't penetrate the bitterness and confusion, it was warming, at the very least. "You and I, we should stick together for a bit? Maybe you can keep me sane and I can help you keep other people safe. I'm not much of a people person anyway. But before you answer that, let's go get that bite to eat, I'm still buying."
She considered his words for a few moments, debating very quickly the pros and cons. But, he had succeeded at making her feel human again- even if it was only a little- so she saw no reason to turn him down. "I would love too. I was actually looking for a place to stay for the night, or maybe a few. I have enough money with me to afford some motels... Do you have anywhere to stay?" She had added that last bit in after feeling like she was leaving him out. Thinking only about herself whilst in a group conversation. She turned her attention to walking again, and barely caught what he said next.
"Something funny?"
"What?" She blinked back at him, one eyebrow perched above her dark glasses, and paused mid step. "... What is funny?"
"You are more sane than most of the people I have met here."
"That's very sweet of you to say Andrea... But I dont know about that... I may seem more sane but when I was being brought back into being, basically, normal again... I had fits of losing it occasionally for what seemed like no reason... But I'll take what you said for what it was... A compliment... Thank you very much, I appreciate that.. It means a lot for someone to say that." Bear smiled lightly as the two continued their trek through the back alleys of New York, heading to their final destination, Central Park. Bear couldnt help but think of what he was going to do after they got their bite to eat.
"I would love to. I was actually looking for a place to stay for the night, or maybe a few. I have enough money with me to afford some motels... Do you have anywhere to stay?"
"I'm so glad that you want to stick together, that makes me feel better about my safety. I do mean what I said, either one of us by ourselves just isnt as good a chance of getting away as it is with both of us. Heck, on my way wherever, before bumping into you, I saw a nice young couple get robbed and there was nothing I could do to help them. And as for a place to stay, I do have some money tucked away for a hotel or something... I dont know that I have enough, quite yet, for an apartment, which is my main goal... But I'll get there.. The honest way." Bear grinned to himself before his thoughts caught up to him and he muttered those stupid words.
"Uh... Heh..." You idiot... I said say something funny not literally say 'something funny'. I cant believe you dont think before you speak... Why am I demeaning myself? What the heck is wrong with me? Wow... Ok catch your brain and come up with something. "Something funny happened to me today... I met a really cool person without even expecting to." Bear laughed nervously, trying to cover his tracks, hoping he didnt confuse her too much with his lack of brain power.
After a few blocks, the two of them emerged from the Alleys and found Central Park staring them in the face, the smell of food was in the air and the fresh oxygen from the trees floated around the food smell making the entire experience that much better. The walk wasnt that long and the time spent in the Alley was interesting to say the least, this day could not be spent any better so far. His first time back in New York and Bear already has a new friend but still hasnt found his old ones. No matter though, a new friend is just as good as an old friend. Too many questions that cant be answered and shouldnt be asked between old friends anyways. Newspaper clippings about the doings of Meld have floated by Bear a few times in his journey, his childhood friend seems to have lost her way. Or rather, found HER way. Only time will tell which direction Bear goes. Humanity has a place in his heart but so does destruction, a small place but a place none-the-less.
She turned to him with a smile while she walked, "We all lose control sometimes..." She could think of a prime example for herself right off the top of her head. But she wouldn't mention it. "It isn't how much control you have, many of us have none. It is how much you believe in yourself..." She turned back to watch where she was going, and her brow furrowed at her own words. COuld she really give such advice, when she held little to no belief in herself at all? Her hood came alive with hisses again, Andrea reached up to try and quiet them, and scooted a few steps away from Bear- to be on the safe side.
"I'm so glad that you want to stick together, that makes me feel better about my safety. I do mean what I said, either one of us by ourselves just isnt as good a chance of getting away as it is with both of us."
She was drawn from her thoughts, and her smile returned. "A agree. I had been planning on-..."She came to a blank there. What had she been planning? Now that she thought about it, she had left the mansion with not a single plan hatched. Saph must be furious at her... not to mention Verdy. "...-on being solitary for a while... but it is better this way. Having someone to talk to will give us both a reason to remain in control."
"Something funny happened to me today... I met a really cool person without even expecting to." The Greek grinned, and flashed her fearsome canines. Thankfully not at him, though. "Thankyou, that is very nice of you too say, Nick." They emerged from the alley, and Andrea had to stop for a moment. She felt awkward, but was determined to get this done. A quick scan of the area showed her that there wasn't a soul around she recognized. The coast was clear... Raising a hand, she pointed.
"There is a Vendor, just over there on the other side of the street. I cannot go with you, but I will wait for you over there-" She pointed to a large tree a goof distance away, which was pretty much abandoned. "...I will eat practically anything, so get me whatever you want." She paused again, then dug in her pocket for her wallet. Fishing out an appropriate amount of money, she passed it to him and grinned. "You pay for the first one, and the other five are on me. I tend to eat a lot." With a quick nod, she turned and hurried across the street to the place she had pointed out.