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.
"Lori went for the vital organ... a knife to the heart is pretty vital." Paul commented dryly as he upgraded Aura's danger rating in his mind. This young woman had some serious issues. From the expression on her face it seemed quite likely that she didn't just practice violence but that she actually enjoyed it. There was no way that Paul wanted to get on her bad side but he wasn't sure if he really wanted her as a friend either. That would take a little consideration.
It didn't really sound like Aura was interested in mutant unification and bringing peace to the world. She apparently though that even though mutants were more advanced than humans they still had quite a few of their bad traits which meant they would forever fight each other for power. That was a depressing thought and it definitely brought into question what exactly Aura was truly fighting for. If she wasn't fighting to bring peace then didn't that mean she was fighting simply to fight?
The disturb-o'-meter ticked up a few more notches when she started to talk about eating humans. Even for a mutant the idea of meeting another human, whether they were considered a lower form of life or not, was just wrong. He ate animals because they did not have the same intellect or emotional capabilities as a person. Sure they could think, possibly even reason, as well as feel some sense of happy or sad but they weren't on the same level. That argument couldn't be made about humans. Sure, a person could argue that mutant kind had evolved one step farther, giving them abilities beyond that of a normal human, but that didn't mean that humans could be considered prey!
Paul couldn't remember ever hearing the name Syn mentioned but he made note to ask Lori about it at one of their later meetings. If Syn had been a leader that Aura could admire for cleansing the world of 'human filth' as she called it, then the woman had probably been as wild if not wilder than Aura. He actually felt a touch of thankfulness that she was dead. Imagine if Paul had come to the Sanctuary while she was leader... he probably wouldn't have stuck around.
"Killing is a necessity... it's part of survival. I've killed to protect my own life and I've killed to revenge my own death. It's not something I particularly enjoy but neither does it bother me." Paul replied seriously since he had decided that honesty was the best policy for the time being, "I don't feel joy about taking another persons life but it doesn't make me sad either. The law of the jungle is kill or be killed and that's what I'm forced to live by. People that leave me alone get left alone. Those that choose to come after me..." There was no need to finish the sentence and instead he chose to just let it hang in the air. More than likely Aura would think him weak for not having more zeal when it came to removing the human blight but he didn't particularly care. She was entitled to her opinion just as he was entitled to his own.
A part of him almost felt like apologizing to Aura for the heard life she had already endured but somehow he just knew she wouldn't particularly appreciate the gesture. She would probably respond better to an invitation to go to some club and slaughter everyone inside but that wasn't exactly Paul's style. Oh well. "It's interesting... you read in books and stories about children that have grown up in a perfect home environment but I have yet to meet any. I think that it must be simply a fantasy that everyone dreams of instead of an achievable reality."
"Yes, my ability does have a down side when it comes to verifying that I really am a mutant." It had taken a while for Paul to get used to both the blessing and the curse of his ability and though he still wasn't completely at peace with it he had mostly accepted it. Really he didn't have a choice in the matter. It was his, whether he wanted it or not, so accepting it was his only choice. "Thankfully the damage is minimal though not particularly enjoyable."
No need to dance? Was Aura truly that good of a fighter or did she simply have an over inflated sense of self-worth? For all Paul knew she might even be an enforcer for Lori. He had learned not to underestimate someone just because they were female. Lori herself had proven just how deadly a woman with a strong will and strong power could be.
"I've seen the worst of humanity over the years. Wars over trivial issues, starvation, disease... but thus far the mutant community hasn't proven to be much better. There is so much in-fighting between us that we pull ourselves back down to their level. What we need is a unifier... a leader that can bring all the mutants together to push for the future we want. Maybe Lori will prove to be that person or maybe that person only exists in the distant future." Aura spoke so honestly about her own issues that Paul saw no reason to hide his own dreams. Whether she agreed or disagreed with his assessment was of no consequence. This was his mission to pursue and from the vision he had gone on with Alister's help he knew that eventually he would find the person.
There was something a little bit off about Aura when she spoke. She was obviously a young woman but she spoke about humanity with so much malice and contempt and tossed around fighting and death with a casualness that made her sound like a war torn veteran. What had happened to her? Where had the innocence gone that normally lasted at least through the twenties or thirties?
"New York City has grown a lot, though it was pretty close to this size when I first came. If I remember the numbers... maybe a million less people. I stayed maybe ten years before heading to the west coast. Life is different out there. Not as fast paced as here."
And then the death of his love and the acceptance of his mission had led him back to the East. It seemed like so long ago even though he had only returned a little less than a year before. Pulling out his cell phone, Paul glanced at the time and then slipped it back into his pocket. It was still early enough that he saw no reason to head back to the apartment just yet. More than likely Lumen was still out on her investigation which meant that he still had time to try and gather more information.
"So how did you meet Lori? I'm sure it wasn't as exciting as my first meeting with her." Though the smile was small on his face it was still obvious in the tone of his voice. He wasn't afraid to poke fun at himself especially if it distracted his subject long enough to let them provided information that they might not under other circumstances, "Was she already running things back then?"
It was amazing how busy life could get even though a person was technically unemployed. Paul hadn't done a landscaping job since the winter chill set in but he still found himself rushing all over the world on occasion. He really needed to sit down and seriously look over his priorities. Was he going to tell Lumen about his meeting with the unicorn? Would he pass the information on to Jude? Would he report back to Lori to discuss the situation? It made him feel like he was stuck in the middle, being pulled in several different direction. It was like the world was trying to make him pick sides when he preferred the low key approach of sitting on the fence.
For tonight though his reason for running late was much simpler; he lived in New York City. It had started with a cab that got bogged down in rush hour traffic. Paul had bailed early, paid the driver, and then moved on to the subway. Unfortunately that was also crowded with people trying to get home or trying to get somewhere which meant that he had been stuffed into a card like a sardine and had even been unable to get off at the correct stop. Going one stop farther along the route, Paul had exited and then begun to jog back down the street toward the restaurant that Lumen had invited him to. The note had said she was meeting someone and would appreciate his company but hadn't said much beyond that. It had left Paul curious and since he didn't have to worry about 'curiosity killing the cat', he might as well satisfy it!
Slowing his pace, Paul walked the last block to the restaurant. Pulling his phone out of his pocket he noted that while he had missed their 6:30 meeting he had managed to make it before 7:00. That was something at least. Hopefully his blond friend wouldn't be to upset. Walking in, he scanned the restaurant until he spotted her platinum tresses. Immediately heading her direction he failed the notice either the police officer sitting at the bar or the aura caster concealed beneath her hoodie.
"Hi... sorry I'm late. Rush hour was longer than an hour today." He apologized quickly as he took a seat next to Lumen, "You're guest isn't here yet?"
The next morning was rushed but yet it had almost a surreal feeling about it. Naveed had given him a ride to the airport yet again and while he hadn't wished him well or said anything like 'good luck' he had at least given a half-hearted wave goodbye. That was the best he had to offer and Luke was quite willing to accept it. Soon enough he was on the flight to Ontario and in a few hours he was changing planes to the private charter than 'Jacobs & Jacobs' had booked. Deborah, ever the wise assistant, had even arranged for some cooler clothes to be waiting for him on the plane. After changing into the sneakers, khaki pants, and a teal green silk jacquard shirt. Stretching out in his seat, the blind man managed to doze as the long flight progressed. He wasn't even aware of their stop for fuel in Atlanta though he did wake up when they stopped again in Miami. Since the refueling was supposed to take thirty to forty minutes, Luke left the plane to stretch his legs. He hadn't considered bringing a gift but when he walked past a gift shop the idea of a peace offering seemed like the smart thing. Leaving the shop with a plush dolphin under his arm the blind man chose to make one more stop before making his way back to the plane and re-boarding. A few minutes later they were taxiing to the runway and then lifting off.
***
It had been some time since Luke had been to the Caribbean and he never would have imagined that his next trip there would involve tracking down an old girl friend to apologize for ruining the best thing he'd ever had. He had contacted Deborah mid-flight to have her read him the actual itinerary so he knew exactly where he was going. Though neither Sedna or Naveed had said it, a little research had revealed that Raina's new job was as a teacher. That wasn't really a surprise because it meant that she was doing what she loved but that raised a question... had their relationship been holding her back? Had they been so busy with each other than it had kept her from her true calling? If that was right then even if she forgave him they probably wouldn't get back together. Luke hoped that wasn't the case but if it was he would respect her decision.
The plane landed after almost twenty hours of travel time. It was late when they arrived and while his first instinct was of course to rush off and see her he knew that wasn't the right choice. She was probably asleep and his body was tired too. Even with the naps he had taken, sleeping on a plane was not the most restful experience in the world. What he needed was a good nights sleep and then he would be off to see her first thing in the morning.
"But that won't work either." Luke realized quietly. Raina would be heading off to class in the morning and their reunion needed to be private... not in front of a class room full of children. No, what Luke needed to do was sleep, relax in the hotel, somehow find out where Raina was staying, and make his way there a little after dinner. If she was still the same woman that he knew and loved so well, she would probably take an evening stroll in the cool air. That was when he would meet her.
With a plan settled on, Luke made his way to a hotel near the airport and got a room for two nights. If he had to come back and get a room for a lengthier stay then he would but for now he would just take it one day at a time. First sleep and then eventually a meeting. "Tomorrow Raina... I'll see you again tomorrow."
The whole situation was starting to get a little out of hand. At first it had been only one or two but now it seemed as though every wax figure in the museum was beginning to come to life.
"Your wax figures that know your wax figures and also somehow know our names." Paul commented slowly as his mind raced to try and accept this new reality that now lay before him.
"Of course mate... though are we telling the truth about what we know? Me? I’m dishonest, and a dishonest man you can always trust to be dishonest. Honestly. It’s the honest ones you want to watch out for, because you can never predict when they’re going to do something incredibly… stupid." Suddenly striding away from Paul the pirate walked directly over to Lara Croft and planted one on her, leaping away before the Tomb Raider could response. "You see... THAT was stupid." Turning he ran in his arm flailing sort of way while Lara chased after him into the other room.
"OK... this is romantic." Paul commented dryly to himself before falling into step behind Lumen and Sherlock. As he approached the doorway he heard the unmistakable voice of an American rock star that the whole world knew.
"Elvis... of course." Apparently the man had decided to put on an impromptu concert in front of the other wax figures and his two human fans.
As several of the other musicians applauded with the dull thudding sound that probably had something to do with their wax appendages, the King took a bow and then hopped down to swagger over toward Lumen and Paul. "Hey little lady... no fainting please." The lip curl was there as was the iconic voice but for some strange reason he continued on past Lumen to approach Paul. "I could have used you in the day Pauly... but I was 'Gonna Get Back Home Somehow'." I guess when it's your time it's your time. It's [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCqAt6-sptk[/url]'Funny How Time Slips Away'[/url]."
Having never been a huge fan of Elvis Presley, Paul simply looked at the man with raised eyebrow. "You know you don't have to sing ever song title and lyric you know... you could just talk through the whole sentence." He commented dryly.
Jack Sparrow had gone off into a corner but was now returning though he was acting strange. He was still in the pirate garb but his walk was different and when he caught sight of himself in a mirror he paused and spent several moments studying what he saw. Finally when he spoke, his voice was completely different. "'Well that's just... unexpected... and weird.'"
"Weird doesn't even begin to cover it." Paul muttered quietly before turning around to see where Lumen had gotten off to. Scanning the growing crowd of wax people he finally spotted Lumen, still accompanied by Sherlock but with yet another blond headed figure moving her direction. "I wonder who that might be..."
Taking a deep breath in, Paul let it out slowly, doing his best to clear his mind with that one simple move. It wasn't nearly as effective as a nice ten or fifteen minute session of meditation would have been but it was amazing how much a person could accomplish in only one breath when they had the proper training. Fate had conspired to throw an obstacle in his way and he had been floundering like a fish out of water. It was time to adapt to the situation and show fate who was the true master of their own destiny.
"I might have to have you do that... although I don't know if I'd want it to go with this shirt. Perhaps something bright that would go well with a black sateen shirt. I often where black to slightly more formal events since I've been told it helps to accent my hair." Paul responded with a smile as he relaxed into his chair, purposefully allowing the tension to melt away from his muscles.
The young woman was both a talker and a flirt. In fact, she almost reacted like a person that was completely starved of conversation. Perhaps she didn't have a whole lot of friends that she could talk to? Small wonder considering the fact that she was driving a hearse. That probably scared off a lot of girls that might otherwise be her friends. Then of course her self confidence might scare off some of the men as well. She was interesting and if it weren't for the fact that there was a certain blond in his life, Paul might even have asked her out. Of course, even if that off the table, there was nothing wrong with a little harmless flirting of his own.
"I actually hadn't thought about staying to assist with the meal but with a lady such as yourself here, how could I ever leave?" Paul responded with a slight twinkle shining in his blue eyes. "As for my presence here, I don't know that I'm exactly looking for spiritual enlightenment. I something have a hard time actually believing in some all powerful being out in the cosmos that is sitting back to watch us scurry around the planet. However, I have heard that some of Sebastian's teaching are interesting and slightly different from the main stream so I'm a little curious."
The questions never seemed to stop and really the only thing Paul could do was smile just a little more broadly. Even with her apologizing for prattling she still threw out yet more inquiries as she tried to get to know him. Off in the distance, he assumed from the kitchen, he could hear the sound of a kettle whistling. Hopefully that meant that Sebastian would soon be joining them with tea for the lady and the unicorn.
"I'm actually from here though I've just come back. I spent quite a few years in California and only returned maybe six months ago. It's changed a lot since I was here so long ago but there are some things that always stay the same." He finished the statement with a slight smile of satisfaction. Yes, the streets never seemed to change. Sure the players changed as different gangs killed off others but the basic system of street society never changed it simply survived.
"I never really got the different between all of those characters." Paul admitted with a slight grin, "Superman, superboy, superwoman, supergirl, superdog... couldn't they come up with more original names than those?" It was funny to talk about people with powers from the comics especially since they had their own abilities. Of course, neither of them were as powerful as the god like superman but it was still interesting. "I think all of us dream about flying... its part of the human condition. Being able to soar over the world like a bird allowing us to look down and see everything clearly..."
Walking into the fictional book character room, the two separated to browse. Lumen walked over to look at Sherlock Holmes, commenting about how she had read all of the books, while Paul walked over to look at the figures from Tolkien's Lord of the Rings. They had chosen to use the movie actors for their wax figures but they fit the descriptions from the books so well that Paul couldn't really fault them.
The clicking of heels announced the arrival of another guest. Paul didn't turn around to see who that guest might be so he was surprised when he felt a hand on his shoulder. "You shouldn't be walking any further without checking for traps first."
"Huh?" Paul asked in wonder as he turned around to find himself face to face with Lara Croft from tomb raider. Sure her skin had a little bit more shine to it than was natural but it was still her and she was still a very good looking woman... especially in THAT outfit.
Behind him another voice suddenly spoke in response to Lumen's question but Paul was to distracted to notice who that might be. Over Lara's shoulder he could see another of the wax figures, an armor clad King Arthur, rising from its place while carrying a great sword. "Where is that wicked temptress Morgana? She may be my half-sister but she can no longer live after what she has done!"
"Well... this is different." Paul commented while his mind continued to try and process what was going on. These were wax figures! How in the world were they suddenly acting like living, breathing beings?
"You have to be able to adapt to anything." Lara instructed with that little pout for which she was so well known. Turning away she strode over to Arthur, plucking the sword out of his hand and then tossing it over to Paul. "Try to hit me."
Paul looked at the sword which he had caught and now held in his hand and then looked back up at Lara with raised eyebrow, "Really? You want me to attack you with a sword? Lumen... a little help please!"
Apparently silence was king up North because when they had finished, no one spoke. Even Sedna rose and left the room without ever speaking. Luke's hand continued to massage his throat before he leaned over, reached for his cup of tea. It was no longer hot but that last swallow of liquid would feel good on his throat. Moments later, he replaced the completely empty vessel where it had previously been sitting.
The older woman returned and handed Luke a paper. It must have been from an ink-jet printer because he couldn't read it but he figured it must hold some sort of meaning. Perhaps this was the information he sought? Maybe this held the secret of Raina's destination.
"Who said anything about running off? As long as she doesn't run away from me I'll be satisfied." Luke replied softly before folding the paper and tucking it in his jacket.
Slowly climbing up to his feet, Luke turned to face Sedna, his expression serious. He could see that the woman was smiling but he didn't feel joyous or jolly right now. What was happening was to important and the whole thing deserved his respect. "I'm sure she's making the best of things... she always does. Thank you Sedna. Thank you for trust me with this information and with Raina's heart." It was something that had really only just clicked in his mind. Naveed and Sedna had accepted his reasoning and provided him with what he needed. That meant that they trusted him not to hurt Raina again. From the over protective brother and the wise woman that meant something very special.
"Don't hurt her again." The larger man's voice was just as serious with just the slightest to touch of menace, "Next time we won't be so forgiving." Sedna glanced over at Naveed and when her eyes returned to Luke she was still smiling though she didn't say anything to reprimand Naveed. That must mean she at least partially agreed with that warning... right?
"Is there a fax machine in town that I could use?"
***
The fax machine was in a little store near the airport which meant that Luke could also go ahead and purchase a ticket from the village to Ontario. Once the ticket was secured he faxed a copy of the ticket as well as the itinerary back to the Jacobs & Jacobs office. On it was a simple hand written note. 'Deborah, Raina's gone again but I know where she went. I fly tomorrow for Ontario but I need a private jet to be chartered and set up for flying to her final destination. Please make whatever arrangement are necessary. Thanks. And thanks for the nudge out the door. Luke.' Once that was done Luke returned to Naveed's little house for one more night of fitful tossing and turning. The last leg of his journey would begin in the morning.
The humming was like buzzing in the background at first but it slowly became more and more pronounced. It had an almost musical quality to it but Luke wasn't exactly in the mood for music. He just wanted to find Raina... that was his only purpose for coming here. As Naveed began to talk to her, what she was doing began to make a bit more sense but at the mention of a match between himself and Naveed he had to raise an eyebrow ever so slightly. A match of... throat singing? Until this day he had never heard anything about throat singing much less heard it actually done. Sure it was a nice custom, and it was probably even beautiful in its own way, but Luke wasn't in the mood. Sitting around singing was not going to get him any closer to Raina!
Naveed went on to explain what was going and then Sedna picked up where he ended, offering the whereabouts of Raina as a prize should he win. Standing from the couch, Luke turned away and walked over to the closest window, his blind eyes staring out without seeing while his radar swept the landscape around him. He was tempted to just walked away and use his own vast resources to find Raina. There would be immigration records and some sort of paper trail that he could follow, but that would take time. "I'm not a singer! I don't even know how!" He thought somewhat angrily to himself as he tried to come to some decision. He could hear Naveed behind him, getting louder, waiting for someone to compete with him and while Luke didn't want to he knew that he had to. Raina would respect him for having taken this path to find her but if she found out he had turned away from her native roots... there would probably be no future for them.
Turning, Luke strode back over and sat cross legged on the floor across from Naveed. He was behind, quite obviously, the the crescendo from the other man seemed to be filling the room. Unfortunately the native man knew the animals better than Luke, at least, the animals here in the north.
Allowing his eyes to close, Luke spend a few moments focusing his breathing, pushing aside the sounds that Naveed was making and bringing to his memory the sounds of the animals that he had known for years. He was mostly a city dweller and while most didn't think of the city as a place for animals he had learned different. There was the chattering squirrels in the park, the cooing doves and pigeons, and the shrieks of the falcons as they hunted the other birds. There had even been the baying of dogs from the more run down parts of town. This was to be his mode of attack. He would start with the quieter animals, perfect those before building to form his own crescendo with a final note. He didn't know if could pull it off, after all he had no experience with this, but for Raina he would try. The animals noises from Naveed that were discernible and recognizable to Sedna seemed like nothing more than noise to Luke which meant that they were easier to ignore. Hopefully Sedna would be able to recognize his own sounds or he would fail this test.
Beginning with the quietest, he focused his mind on the memories of time spent around nesting pigeons. Their cooing as they moving around their perches. Not loud, but soft and steady. It was barley discernible over the sounds from the other man, but it was there. Slowly growing in strength and accuracy as Luke focused himself. Having been blind for so many years had enhanced his hearing and while he had never previously used it for this application, it gave him natural ability when it came to mimicking other creatures.
From the quiet pigeon he moved on to the chattering and barking of the squirrel. The annoying sounds that filled the city parks on sunny days. While not necessarily the most pleasant sounds in the world they were far stronger and more powerful than the doves he had begun with. His volume was rising but still it was below the level of his competition. Though he couldn't see it, there was an ever so slightly disappointed expression on Sedna's face. She had been hoping for a better showing from the city dweller. Hopefully he had some surprises that were yet to be shown.
The shrill cry began softly, but as it was uttered again and again, it echoes off the walls and began to fill the room. The call of the falcon filled the air, echoing and slowly building to meet and eventually surpass Naveed. Luke's throat was hurting, almost burning, from the effort of creating sounds he had never attempted before but he refused to stop. Raina was worth everything he could give and any sort of pain he had to go through. With each call the sound was becoming more accurate as he dialed in the sound. He would never reach that perfect pitch and tonal quality that a falcon could create but he would get as close as he could... as close as physically possible.
Suddenly as though a switch had been thrown, both men stopped. Reaching up Luke massaged his throat as he waited for Sedna's decision. Whether he had won or lost didn't really matter... he had tried. Whether he got the information of Raina's whereabouts from Sedna, or found them on her own, the red haired beauty would respect that he had at least attempted to go the native route. At least, Luke hoped she would.
Paul had to chuckle at Aura's comment and shake his head ever so slightly. "Forgiving... not really. Wise... perhaps." He answered through his laugh
And then it was time for more memories. Aura wanted to know the story behind his death at Lori's hand and since she wasn't immediately trying to kill him herself, he guessed she deserved to know. After all, if he hadn't wanted to talk about it he shouldn't have mentioned it in the first place.
"I was out jogging one day and I saw something odd. A blond woman was chasing after a man that was running from her as fast as he could. I thought he must have snatched her purse or something so I started running after them. Eventually I caught up with them in what appeared to be an abandoned warehouse. I looked in and there was the blond being attacked by either five or six guys... I can't remember the exact number. I thought she would need help so I ran in to fight. During the fight she revealed her ability to manipulate metal. At the end, after both of us had killed several of the men, she and I were the only two left. I spoke with her about how it was nice to meet a fellow mutant but apparently she didn't believe me so she threw a knife into my chest."
That had actually been a pretty painful way to go, though he had been able to speed up the process by pulling out the knife. And then it had been time to focus on revenge.
"I've killed people before that killed me so when I resurrected I started down that path. I had no idea Lori was anything special, just some woman that had made a bad decision. However, when I arrived at the Sanctuary I began to realize that there was something different about her. After talking with her I decided it was wiser to be her friend than her enemy."
Ending his story, Paul stood up from his chair and stretched, trying to work out the kinks in his back that had started to build up after so long. "It sounds as though the Sanctuary here has become your adopted family. I can't say I've gone quite that far yet. I enjoy my time here and enjoy the people but I haven't established the sort of trust and connection yet. Maybe in the future."
Paul hadn't been completely sure what to wear for this date but eventually he had settled on clothing that had earned him compliments in the past. Black shoes, black jeans, a black sateen dress shirt, and black sport coat. For warmth against the chill he was wearing a black trench coat which he promptly took off and carried over his arm once they were inside. The all black ensemble might have been a bit much for some people, but Paul had received compliments over the years about how black clothing accented his nicely silvered hair, so he thought he could pull it off.
Female super heroes... athletic feminine forms garbed in skin tight garments that left little to the imagination. Why did it immediately make Paul think that this first hall probably attracted a lot of teenager interest. "Seems pretty empty." He agreed as he turned away from the Lynda Carter Wonder Woman and wandered over to where Lumen was standing. With her tight skinny jeans and cute hair she was more attractive than any of the figures in the room. She was also more attractive because she wasn't a fantasy... she was real.
"Did you have a favorite super hero growing up?" He asked as he turned to glance at the figure standing next to cat woman. The velvet rope here seemed a little less dust covered which made him suspect that this was a more recent addition. The woman was garbed in black and gray with a brown gun belt that went around her thighs, waist, and over her shoulders. On her back were two machete type weapons while in her outstretched hands were two revolvers that she seemed to be aiming off into the distance. Glancing at the plaque, Paul didn't recognize the name. "Resident Evil... I must have missed that film."
***
Jake's sour mood was continuing and right now that was the only thing keeping him from falling asleep right at the control panel. "I always work day shift... didn't the boss ever think I might have had a date? It is a holiday for crying out loud! I might have wanted to go out with my girl!" The argument was weak and even Jake knew it though he refused to admit it. He hadn't had a date in a month or longer and it wasn't going to change just because it was New Years Eve. If he hadn't been working he would have been at home watching the ball drop on TV.
Looking over at the monitor made him sigh in exasperation. The building had been almost empty but now two people had come in. A man and a woman that seemed pretty chummy as he watched them talk and laugh. Apparently even an old gray haired dude could score a hotty... why couldn't he? "Probably has money." Jade muttered nastily before leaning back in his chair to get more comfortable. Picking up a newspaper that the previous shift had obviously left behind, Jake began to thumb through it as the minutes passed by. He didn't realize that with ever word he read he was getting closer and closer to sleep.
***
"I read quite a few 'Nestor Burma' while I was in France but I didn't get into the whole super hero world to much." Paul observed as he glanced over to where the Invisible Woman and several others stood, looking over the room with all the vigilance associated with super heroes. "After I came to the states I got into it a bit more. It probably looks pretty strange for a few years there... a forty year old man reading comic books."
Sebastian... Maya... Jude... they were all connected. This was not turning into a pretty picture and Paul couldn't help wondering exactly where he fit into everything. Apparently, if Allister and Jude were right, things were hurtling toward some sort of climatic finish that he had no control over. He was just like a fly caught in a huge spider web. It was only a matter of time until the spider sensed his struggling and moved in to end it. Was that really all he had to offer? Was that the best he could do?
"Zhese people here, zey want to end Sebastian before he ever gets it in his head to do... whatever he does. If zere is any chance of an alternative, I want to help."
The connection, perhaps even love, between a father and son was one of those bonds that was almost impossible to sever. Sure it could broken if there was enough evidence but it took a whole lot, especially if there had been a good relationship at the foundation. Since Jude didn't act like someone that had been abused or mistreated, Paul was willing to lay money that the unicorn had been a good father. What had changed to make him end the world? More importantly, was he really ending it or simply changing it? From what Paul had seen in his life time, a chance just might be a good thing.
Looking back at Lumen, Paul raised an eyebrow ever so slightly. The slumping in her muscles was becoming more obvious and if he wasn't wrong, there was even a touch of the weariness beginning to creep into her voice. It was definitely time to get her out of here.
"We'll be in touch Jude." Paul said quietly as he turned to the door, quickly unlocking it and pulling it open before turning back to focus his eyes on the sunglasses that mirrored his own expression back to him, "If you see her, tell Katrina I said hi and that I'm still working on the sides equation she asked me about."
Pausing, Paul waited for Lumen to exit with the intention of following her out. Once outside it would only be the work of a few moments to hail a cab and get home then, more than likely, Lumen would need to lay down for a nap while he did something else.
(OOC: And apologies for my delay. Life can get so busy sometimes.)
IC: Luke had tossed and turned through the night, sleeping only in chunks of 30 or 45 minutes. He mind was in such a turmoil that a full nights sleep was impossible but strangely enough when he had to get up the next morning he didn't feel tired. Perhaps it was the exciting of moving one step closer to his goal or maybe it was just all the training he had subjected himself to for so many years.
The trip to Sedna's house was made in silence without a word spoken between the two men. For Naveed that was simply part of his makeup while Luke was to busy thinking about the situation to make pleasant conversation. Finally they arrived at the house and with a little shove from Naveed, Luke found himself propelled into the kitchen of the small house. Sedna, the woman he had encountered so long ago was sitting there, going about her business without really acknowledging them for several moments. Naveed explained he had brought a visitor but until the woman was finished with her project, she did not look over at them.
Finally she turned, giving him the strange smile that he remembered from his previous visit. On his last trip to the North he had learned to respect this woman that Raina admired so much... he didn't particularly understand her or want to send a lot of time with her but he could show her respect. She had proven to be a wise lady that gave good council.
After nodding his own greeting to the woman, Luke remained silent, waiting until she would address him. It was obvious she already knew the situation from the conversation she carried on with Naveed and if he remember one thing about her it was the fact that she refused to be rushed. After brewing tea and then taking a seat in a rocking chair near the couch where she had directed them to sit, Sedna broached the subject of why her visitor had come.
"Naveed was right to bring you here first. Regardless of how angry it may make you. Tell me Luke, why must you find Raina?"
For a few moments, Luke didn't respond, instead taking the time to raise his mug of tea and sip at the hot liquid. He had always been a tea drinker, especially herbal teas, having decided that he didn't really want his body being addicted to even something as minor as caffeine. The taste and heat in his mouth had a familiar feel to it that helped him relax and clear his mind. "Because we both need closure. She deserves to hear me admit that it was my stupidity that let this relationship fall apart and I need to find out if I've screwed this up beyond repair or if there's a chance of us fixing things."
Turning back to his tea he took another sip, thinking about what had happened. "She was the best thing that ever happened to me and if I'm completely honest then I'd have to say that I just got scared. Every where I looked it seemed like there was someone better... someone better suited for her or more like her or more able to compliment her abilities. I've always put on a persona of complete confidence. I learned that both in the business world and on the streets you can't show fear or the enemy will eat you up but even though that's what I try to project to the world Raina knew different. She made it all the way into my heart where she saw the abandoned and forsaken child that had never quite gotten over it. she tried to reassure me but eventually my own fear took over. I tried to explain it away by saying that I was trying to help the world around me but really it was just fear... fear and nothing else."
The silence in the room was comforting and Luke enjoyed the quietness as he took another swallow of his beverage. It was up to Sedna now. She could just give him the information he wanted, ask more questions, or reject his plea. Everything was in her hands.
Since their wild and crazy date on Christmas Eve, Paul and Lumen had settled into something of a routine. Lumen was comfortably staked out on his couch with the kitchen table often time covered by her laptop and various paper work from her investigations. Paul spent most evenings relaxing with her in the living room, talking or just watching TV, but at times when she seemed extremely focused on something or just extra tired he would move into his bedroom to read or relax on his own while giving her the privacy she might need. They still hadn't known each other very long but over the past week their friendship had grown and so he had gone for broke and asked her for another chance at a date. By some miracle or perhaps momentary insanity, she had said yes!
***
Cursing under his breath, Jake Aston punched in at work and headed for the locker room to don his uniform and the normal assorted gear. He didn't know what he had done to tick off the shift supervisor but it must have been something. What else explain his suddenly transfer from the morning or afternoon shifts to the evening and night shift. It was his first day starting the shift and already he was feeling tired since his internal clock had not had an opportunity to adjust. It was six o'clock and normally that meant he had just finished dinner and was relaxing on his recliner watching TV. In another couple of hours he'd drift off to sleep before waking up at his normal five a.m. alarm.
Once dressed he made his way through the narrow halls that lead to the control room. Entering the room he found himself looking at a wall filled with monitor showing faces of the famous or dead. There was Muhammad Ali, Babe Ruth, Elvis, Gandhi, and others to numerous to name. Oh the joys of working at a wax museum.
"Everything's been quiet. Business has been slow this evening and unless you get a sudden rush you should be able to lock things up at eleven like normal. With the party going on down at Time Square, I doubt you'll see many more visitors." His fellow guard reported as he stood up from the chair and quickly made his way to the exit, leaving Jake to handle things on his own. Sure the ticket agent would be in her booth until ten but for the most part he was alone. This type of display was set up to basically run itself without outside intervention which meant that there were very few staff members required.
"Great..." Jake muttered to himself as he took a seat in the chair that was feeling far to comfortable this evening, "Just how I wanted to spend my New Years Eve."
***
Paul had been wanting to do something different for this date. He and Lumen both had enough seriousness in their lives already so what they both needed was something a little bit lighter and more fun. He had briefly considered the idea of going to Times Square but the idea of fighting through the mobs of people had made that a very brief idea. Instead he had settled on a simple dinner at home with his 'World Famous' taco buffet followed by a trip out to one of the lesser known New York City attractions. Wax museums weren't for everything but they could still be lots of fun if you were there with the right people.
"So here we are." Paul said as he climbed out of the taxi and then held the door open for Lumen to exit before closing it behind her, "The world's best, brightest, and most famous people all preserved in wax for our viewing pleasure. I hope you brought your camera."
