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.
The effect of the creation Cancer had latched around Isabel's neck was immediate. Aries whistled in fascination as the device, a metal collar that Aries knew to be a mutant suppression device. It had seen its use many years ago, when those dreadful mutant camps had been in effect. Aries hadn't known that Isabel had a history of them, but if Cancer had created one, then it meant she feared them.
Speaking of Cancer, he was enjoying the sudden loss of Isabel's powers. What a wonderful treat right off the start, to see that she feared the abilities of a piece of hardware that had seen its use fade over time. Tonight, it would get a chance to shine again. Grinning from ear to ear, a sick twisted thing that would give nightmares to children, Cancer clapped his hands together slowly, licking his lips as his ability feasted on her fear, even as it dug deeper seeking more.
"I do not doubt that you'd try that. But don't scare you? Oh ho ho, how wrong you are! I can taste it, your fear; it comes to me like a fine wine."
"Cancer, if you're quite done, I believe I can take it from here. You've crippled her from my strikes; now let me finish this quick."
Cancer turned to his companion, hissing as his comrade tried to steal his prey. Of course he would want to end this quickly; Aries was different from him, preferring to end his foes suffering quickly rather then drag it out. Cancer, though, enjoyed seeing his victims suffer. To see their fear and despair grow as everything that tortured them in life came at them, making them remember all the terrible memories of the past. Cancer enjoyed that, a guilty pleasure for him. Aries was not going to take that from him, not with her.
"You had your chance Aries...now she's mine!" He was always aware of her, they both were as they argued. Now with that said, Cancer focused all his attention back on the woman. "Now...what else might you fear my little flower?" Letting his eyes drift to the shadows, he grinned slightly. "Well, if we don't scare you, maybe that man does." Pointing his finger off to the side, Cancer smirked as a being stepped forward from the shadows. A man Isabel knew too well.
A man named Zephyr. And the expression on his face was not one someone wanted directed at them. And it was directed at Isabel.
As darkness descended upon New York, a lone man ascended the rooftop of an old, condemned building. The view from the building wasn't great, but it did allow him a good look upon the greater downtown from afar, those lights just starting to lighten the night of the city that never sleeps. The man, silently, watched as the city's night life began to come alive, the thousands who chose to work or play in the grip of shadows rather than the light. And the man knew, within those thousands, would be terrible peoples, murderers, gangsters, rapists...and even they were nothing compared to the true monsters that lurked within the city. Like a plague, they infested the city little by little, endangering the people and spreading their disease like rats.
Well, tonight there would be a new kind of monster to stalk the streets. And these monsters would begin the slow process of eradicating this disease...with itself.
A slow smile creep along his face as he turned to his companions, who were just joining him now. These two, his most trusted advisers and companions, who had been with him in this project since the first step. Now, after years of planning, preparation, carefully outlining each step and finding all the pieces to complete the chess board, finally, it would all begin to come to fruition. Tonight was the first step to cleansing the plague that had invested the world...and the General, for he needed no real name anymore, could barely contain his glee. He would, of course, for he was The General and he had soldiers that followed his example and lead. But for these two, he showed them just a little bit of his joy before hardening like a rock.
"Report."
The first of the two, a man barely into his thirties, tilted his head to the side as he listened to a voice in his ear, before speaking. "Everyone is in position and awaiting your orders, General. Teams one through four report that they are ready to commence "Operation: Revelations" at any time." Nodding to the man, The General turned to his partner, a woman in her younger twenties.
"And our "special" forces?"
"They are in place, with all their targets acquired. They merely await the command that will unleash them."
Smiling, The General clapped his hands together, rubbing them palm to palm as he looked out over the night once more, letting that scene of peace sink in for one more moment, before giving his order. The first order of many to come. "All forces, we are a go. Commence operations. Show the world what he can do. Show them all."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In a much more active portion of the city, two beings stirred from their observation. All day they had been waiting, watching their intended target intently, hoping that the call for action would finally come. Well...one of them had been. Why the two had been paired had been apparent the moment they were given their target, but as one watched his overeager partner, he couldn't help but notice just how different they were. One, hyper with energy and all but raring to go. And him, calm, patient, knowing that the time would come. Maybe that's why they had been paired, aside from the advantage.
That was not something to consider now, however. The order had been given and it was time for them to act. Finally.
They had been tracking their target all day, keeping an eye on him in anticipation of this moment. Not that their target made it hard; he was well-respected, of that there was no doubt. And he clearly had no qualms with being out and about in public, without a care in the world for the look of it. But he knew just what burden this man had; they had studied him intently for this moment. He also knew just how tough this would be, even with all the training, preparation and planning they had put into it.
Their target was the leader of the X-Men, after all. Taking down Sam Johnson, known also as Cold Steel, would not be an easy task. But they were going to succeed.
They had tracked Cold Steel to one of the many bars in New York, where he had been for only a short while. Going in to encounter him would be a foolish endeavor, too many innocents to consider. They were after him and him alone; they didn't want others involved if they could help it. A stroke of luck, then, that he had already exited the bar and was making his way off to another one. Someone in the sky above was favoring them this day. With a nod, his companion was already moving into position to intercept him, cutting off his path. Meanwhile, he would wait in the shadows, wait for his chance to strike. He fingered one of the many knives he carried on his person. Time to bring this fool down.
On the street, his partner could barely keep the bounce in his step contained. It was finally, finally time! Finally, he was going to be able to go wild against someone that he didn't have to hold back on. This was going to be fun! Grinning, the man looked up to where CS was coming down the street. And what a foe he had as his first mission!
"Finally! I thought you'd never come out of that place. I've been waiting very, very patiently you know, San Johnson!"
During his training, his commander, his teacher, had taught him that battles were ever evolving things. One could plan, one could anticipate, one could study until the days grew long and the nights even longer. But he had also taught him, in the word's of a famous man, that no battle plan ever survives first contact with the enemy. The only thing you could do was adapt as quickly as you could, for it could mean life or death on the battlefield. Anyone who could not was like to not last for very long.
That was coming into play now.
Truthfully, Aries had expected her to do one of two things; shield her head with the same bone armor as the rest of her or do evade his blow and strike one of her own. He had not anticipated the spider-like visage that she donned instead. Certainly, it was in the reports and studies he had received, but to actually see it up close...it was something else.
Backpedalling, himself, Aries looked up to where her main body was now suspended, considering his options. Sure, the fact that she had gone there weakened him; he had to make physical contact with her. The bones she had expended could count as that, but all his experiments had been to the person's skin. Bone wasn't something you could merely pull out of someone to test on. He could try, of course...but that wasn't the option that presented victory.
Smiling, Aries knew what had to be done. It was why he had been sent with another of his fellows; a combination of powers with the greatest chance of victory. He had had his turn...now it was time for his comrade to take center stage. "Most impressive. Truly, a beautiful creation, designed to both inflict the worst damage to your foes while keeping you safe from harm. And of course, incite fear. For who wouldn't be terrified of that form!"
Glancing to his side, he signaled for his companion to come forth before turning back to Isabel. "But I said earlier that you would face all that your victims did. I gave you their pain...now its time to taste their fear. Cancer, if you would."
The person that walked from the shadows was a complete contrast to his ally. Where Aries was styled clean and dignified, Cancer looked like he'd just stepped off the street. His clothes looked dirty and worn, his hair was a mess, he had a deathly pallor to his skin. He also wore a black suit jacket that looked like it had seen better days. But his eyes were the worst. They were just so sharp and alive that they couldn't have been the eyes of this walking corpse. But they were and they were focused sorely on Isabel.
"I see, I see, the fear that you hide. I see, I see, the pain you hold inside. Oh wicked maiden, who drowns in seas of blood. Oh how I will show you, the pain of those begrudged." Stepping next to his companion, Cancer lifted a hand to point a single finger at her, his face breaking into a smile that would rival even Isabel's own most sadistic. "Let's just get rid of those pesky bones, shall we?"
As if answering his call, something suddenly wound its way around Isabel's neck, closing with a click. She would know what it was in an instant, of that they were sure. For it was about to drop her into a fear she had experienced before.
As the revelation dawned on Isabel, Aries calmly removed a handkerchief from his pocket, dabbing at the fresh blood on his shoulder. Oh, how he hated to ruin such a fine piece of clothing...but he could always replace it later. Tonight was a special occasion of course and he'd wanted to look his best, even knowing that the clothes would likely end up in tatters from his task. Still, what a waste.
His eyes never really left Isabel, however, knowing better than to leave himself that open against such a foe. He watched as she looked to her own shoulder, to see what had caused the sudden spike of pain that no doubt had caught her by surprise. It was a look he never got tired of seeing, of the shock and surprise his opponent as they came to the realization that any attack they unleashed on him would, in the end, be their undoing. The best was when they didn't clue in right away to what had just happened, to constantly throw themselves at him until it was far too late.
Judging by how Isabel wasn't charging him in a rage, as the reports said she would do, that fact had not been lost on her. Tossing the handkerchief to the wind, Aries stretched out his arm while she prepared herself. The wound might not have been entirely crippling, but it would hurt. The longer he allowed it to hurt, the worse it would get. "Fascinating, is it not? The variations in abilities that a mutant can have. I can see from your expression that you understand the situation, which I'm happy to say is surprising. The reports didn't speak well to your intelligence."
Giving his blade a few test swings, Aries slowly began stalking closer. His blade dropped down to his side, his mind calculating the next plan of attack. Aries knew his companion would want in soon, but not yet. There were still cards on the table he could play. She would not fall for that trick again, knowing she could be harmed if she didn't strike him down in a single strike. But what if she thought she could inflict a serious, fatal wound and retreat? Oh yes, what indeed.
"Now then, let's not delay this any further then we have to. I'll make it quick, I promise I will. Just let it end so you don't have to suffer anymore. So that no one else has to suffer anymore." He wondered if she'd take the bait as he got closer and closer, lifting his blade up before thrusting for her face. The only question that remained was if he could evade what was come enough to enact his plan.
The first of the Zodiac threads, intended for Isabel, is up for all to see. Tune in if you wish.
Now, I need some input for the open thread, which is thread five. I'm going to send the remaining Zodiacs to cause chaos in the city and for that, I need some volunteers. Libra, as I've listed, is able to send people into a rage and to some degree, control them. I'm looking for people who'd like to come into the thread under his control and then those who might possibly want to become his pawns in thread. Just to have some mutant on mutant action that I don't have to control so people can enjoy themselves even if I'm slow.
Over and over again, Aries blade flashed out, a blur of quick strikes that even the best trained eye would have trouble seeing. It was Aries pride, the skill that he had trained during those long years, working day in and day out to master the blade now in his hand. As such, the chaotic swings that he was throwing Isabel's way were nothing to him; each motion required little force and his blade was as light as feather in his hand. But of course, a true master know how also to deceive his foe, which was his intent.
And he was already playing her in more ways then one. For one, even though his quick strikes were plaguing him little, he showed exhaustion on his face, giving the appearance that his furious attack was taxing him. He was pretending to have such a furious attack that his defense was weak, allowing Isabel glances at possible weaknesses she could exploit. Another trap to bring her one step closer to her defeat. And, of course, his coup de grace was still waiting to be unleashed. It needed only her to take advantage of the gift he had given her...THERE!
Isabel finally struck, her hand streaking forward with a speed that did no justice to her file. Aries knew, of course, that words on paper and video were one thing; only from first hand experience could one truly understand what a person was capable of. Isabel was faster then he had come to expect. Still, not quite fast enough to cripple his plan. It did make it hurt a lot more though.
Bone parted flesh as her hand stabbed deep into his shoulder, the pain seering throughout his body without remorse. But pain and Aries were old friends and he quickly pushed aside the lancing heat that his shoulder had become, Aries winced in pain, her fingers all but making the arm useless. His sword remained in his hand, but his arm dangled, the nerves paralyzed from the injury. He cursed, winced in pain, his other arm grabbing the hand that had pierced him as it stabbed deep into his flesh, weakly trying to remove it...and then he laughed.
"Wonderful...the report did not lie. You are truly a wonderful opponent for my first mission. And this pain...oh, how this pain must have been felt by all your victims." Little did Isabel know, he had achieved his goal the minute his skin had touched hers. "Now its time you tasted what they felt."
Shoving away with a grunt, Aries knew she would see. See his wound, red with his blood...and yet no wound would be there anymore. How she would feel it now, the pain he had felt but moments ago before in her shoulder. And most importantly, she would know fear as she realized what had just happened...and that fear would be the final nail towards her demise. "Now its time for you to join them."
The sound of metal meeting bone echoed through the empty park, barely drowned out by the sounds of the city at large around them. Aries watched as his sword bowed and bent from its impact with Isabel, a curious grin sliding across his features as his blade skidded against Isabel's skin. No, not her skin, not exactly. In that brief moment he had been speaking before, she had created a shell of bone around her body, coating all but her head and hands in its protective shell. A most impressive feat.
And a calculated one.
Aries sword might have been stopped by that bone armor, but it was built for this purpose. The blade bent, it wobbled, but it didn't break, returning to form as he drew back the weapon to play for a strike upon that exposed face or hands. Or rather, he had intended to...but a much better option suddenly presented itself. Her body wasn't the only thing outlined in bone; her fingers were also beginning to grow a new attachment. Oh, how I will make you regret your powers soon, m'dear.
Changing his pattern, he thrust and swiped his sword at her, acting as if he was trying to find a weakness in her armor and panicking at the same time. In a way, he was doing just that. But in reality, his strikes were doing something else; leaving his right side open, a tempting target for this woman if reports were correct. Any other attack he would do his best to defend against, but in reality, it mattered little where her blades fell upon him, save for a fatal strike.
Soon she would learn just why he had been sent to be her end. Him and his sulking companion.
The man watched her approach, his expression never wavering despite facing down one of the most notorious killers in this day and age. A normal human would have gone running for the hills the moment they saw Isabel at all. A bold human would have held his ground for a moment before bolting for the hills. Even other mutants were in fear of this goddess of death, with only the boldest or strongest daring to risk her wrath. Oh, they had done their research on her well; the man and his companion knew exactly what they were facing tonight.
She did not disappoint on the intel that she was direct to the point when something did not amuse her. The threat was rather vivid in its imagery and the man could not keep his grin from widening as he clapped his hands together, applauding her words. "Oh, most spectacularly said! You come as advertised, no, more then that. You are far more than I could have ever hoped for."
Bringing his hand down to his side, he rested it upon the hilt of his sword, a model of rapier that was designed for dueling stronger swords of the age. Its hilt was styled just for him, the constellation of Aries clear in its design. Tapping his fingers against the hilt in a rhythm only he knew, Aries glanced to his companion before turning his attention back to the creature before him.
"Oh, we saw the news, Ms Duskmoor. But that's hardly the only thing we've seen of you. We've been watching you for a very long time, following you through the years even as he ducked into your past. I must say, you are quite the specimen. Both physically and for your reputation.
But to the purpose of this fated meeting; I am Aries. And I have come here tonight to take the life of Isabel Duskmoor." There was no hint of emotion in that tone, as if this was something one did every day. But there was no mistaking then intent there, as he drew his sword to his side slowly and suddenly charged her, snaking the blade to pierce her heart.
As darkness descended upon New York, a lone man ascended the rooftop of an old, condemned building. The view from the building wasn't great, but it did allow him a good look upon the greater downtown from afar, those lights just starting to lighten the night of the city that never sleeps. The man, silently, watched as the city's night life began to come alive, the thousands who chose to work or play in the grip of shadows rather than the light. And the man knew, within those thousands, would be terrible peoples, murderers, gangsters, rapists...and even they were nothing compared to the true monsters that lurked within the city. Like a plague, they infested the city little by little, endangering the people and spreading their disease like rats.
Well, tonight there would be a new kind of monster to stalk the streets. And these monsters would begin the slow process of eradicating this disease...with itself.
A slow smile creep along his face as he turned to his companions, who were just joining him now. These two, his most trusted advisers and companions, who had been with him in this project since the first step. Now, after years of planning, preparation, carefully outlining each step and finding all the pieces to complete the chess board, finally, it would all begin to come to fruition. Tonight was the first step to cleansing the plague that had invested the world...and the General, for he needed no real name anymore, could barely contain his glee. He would, of course, for he was The General and he had soldiers that followed his example and lead. But for these two, he showed them just a little bit of his joy before hardening like a rock.
"Report."
The first of the two, a man barely into his thirties, tilted his head to the side as he listened to a voice in his ear, before speaking. "Everyone is in position and awaiting your orders, General. Teams one through four report that they are ready to commence "Operation: Revelations" at any time." Nodding to the man, The General turned to his partner, a woman in her younger twenties.
"And our "special" forces?"
"They are in place, with all their targets acquired. They merely await the command that will unleash them."
Smiling, The General clapped his hands together, rubbing them palm to palm as he looked out over the night once more, letting that scene of peace sink in for one more moment, before giving his order. The first order of many to come. "All forces, we are a go. Commence operations. Show the world what he can do. Show them all."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As the darkness of Central Park was slowly beaten back by the many lights that brought it to life at night, two figures stirred from their posts. They had been waiting all day for this, patiently watching their intended prey, listening to the reports of her location at all times. They had tracked her here, to Central Park, and only an act of God timed their orders to act while she still remained within it. Now, with darkness their ally and the solitude of the park on this night, they had gotten the orders at long last. It was time to reveal themselves to the world...and what better way then by taking down someone the world knew quite well.
Isabel Duskmoor. A mutant with a long-standing history of bloody and violent carnage, who probably had more bodies to her name then most soldiers. She was a dangerous breed of mutant, one who saw humanity as a stain that needed to be cleaned, often with their own blood. Tonight, however, it was Isabel who was the stain and tonight, her blood would be used to wipe it away.
They had spent hours preparing for this, studying her actions, her history, her habits. They had been chosen of the twelve to handle her, for their abilities were most suited to taking her down. She was a serious threat, beyond any shadow of a doubt, and to take her lightly would be fatal. Luckily, they were not stupid, nor prideful, nor cocky enough to make that mistake. She would get their full attention and by night's end, it would prove to be her unmaking.
The two figures watched as she approached, one within the shadows, the other standing clear in the light. A sword hung at his hip, dressed in black dress pants, a white dress shirt and a red vest that covered his torso. He wore brown leather gloves fitted to his hands, dress shoes and a small black circular hat atop his head. There was a smile on his rather handsome features and he waited till she noticed him before speaking. "Good evening. Ms Isabel Duskmoor, I presume? Such a lovely night for a walk for such a lovely lady. I have been awaiting this meeting for some time."
A plan? Kyle had anything but a plan. There was just too much to handle; between the two of them, there was no way they could contain all the attacking art. If they devoted to the task and Evelyn would admit that some damage may be impossible to avoid, maybe. But that left whoever was doing this to create even more trouble, which couldn't be allowed either. Add to that the patrons who were in danger...the odds were severely against them in this scenario.
Unless they played a risky gambit. One that could get either of them seriously hurt no matter which path the other took.
They would have to split up. One to find the mutant, the other to do their best to contain the madhouse of art. Logically, it was the only plan that would work if they wanted to hopefully come away from this mess intact. The only question was which of them got which job. "I might have something...but I won't lie Evelyn. Its a bad draw no matter which route we tak...."
Speaking of routes, the one they were taking suddenly brought them into the path of a new threat. Evelyn, having been in the lead, was the first to face this new arrival. And what an arrival it was! A samurai of the past, fully clad in armor, as if time had not flown past its era at all. Its armor was as fine as something aged could be, its blade sharp for the display. Which also meant that the blade striking down at Evelyn could easily part her in two. If it hadn't been trying to kill her, Kyle could almost admire the beauty of it.
But even as he watched, Evelyn was being pushed back, that blade coming far too close for comfort. In fact, though her guard was good, the Samurai seemed to have all the years of experience behind it; a small line of red appeared on Evelyn's shoulder to show for it. Nothing serious but enough to tell Kyle that she would be outmatched soon. She, flesh and blood, could tire. That suit would not. That's it. Play time is now over.
His next motion was fast, as his body language spoke a much different tune. Suddenly he was in Evelyn's place, using his forearm blades to deflect the suit's weapon aside. And before it could recover, Kyle hit it hard. With his energy. Straight into the chest at a level that he reserved only when he intended to seriously injure. The suit, held together only by the magic of the mutant causing this, was blown apart, the various pieces of the armor flying scattered across the room. Kyle's face was mostly covered, but his eyes told the story now. As would Evelyn's echoes.
"This has gone on long enough. I know you care for this art Evelyn and I'd spare it as much as I could. But I'm not holding back anymore. If its a threat, I'm shutting it down. For good. Now let's go; I believe our friend is just ahead."
Alright, I'm probably gonna start this thing, or at least the setup threads for it, this weekend. Depending on how willing my muse is willing to commit to the task. (Which is 50/50 on the best of days xD)
In any case, I have four Main threads that are set up(which Ill note below) and then Ill work on setting up possibly a couple of open, chaos threads. The four Main's are set for certain people, while the others are open and free to join. Bear with me if I'm a bit slow, since for these threads, Im most likely going to control the Zodiacs initially to make things run along smoothly(if I go insane, Ill probably pass some off. Maybe. We shall see >_>)
Thread 1: Isabel vs Cancer/Aries
Thread 2: Cold Steel vs Leo/Sagittarius
Thread 3: Zephyr vs Gemini(Male)/Aqaurius
Thread 4: Forte vs Taurus/Capricorn
Thread 5: Virgo/Pisces/Libra/Scorpio/Gemini(Female) + Soldiers vs Mutants.
After these threads are complete(or close enough Id say), the Zodiacs will be free game for those who want to face one. Note: If anyone wants to play a certain Zodiac for threads or for a specific thread with someone, please, post it here and let me know. Ill record it on the main page or in a new thread...some nice little log somewhere to help keep things all nice and tidy. ^_^
Edit: Apologies; all the Zodiacs engaged in this first battles are going to survive. Their purpose here is to make a statement by taking out some heavy/well known mutants to prove their strength. It's gonna be worse for our guys, not theirs. ^_^
That had done the trick. Kyle knew it the instant that he said it that his comment about hitting Evelyn on the butt had he'd hit the sweet spot. For starters, it had stopped Maya dead in her tracks inches before she would have passed by the gates. That in itself told him trouble was coming.
Even if that wasn't enough of a sign, what Maya showed next was. Her body language and expression said it all; he'd gone too far at last. Now she was ready to lay into him in an entirely different manner. Considering the distance between them, a charge was likely to come, as fast as she could to cover the ground to strike at him. That was perfectly fine for him. His style was better suited to counters then to actual attacking, so if she came to him it was all the...
It all happened in the blink of an eye. One minute Maya was there, the next...
Years of combat had trained Kyle's instincts and his reaction time to know something bad was coming and to already be moving. He spun suddenly, automatically checking his rear for attack...he almost managed to get out of the way. Almost.
The next thing he knew, he was peering out from the side mirror upon his bike, staring at a much larger Maya on the other side. Kyle had no clue what had happened, but something told him not only was this Maya's doing, that that smug look upon her face thought she'd proven herself the better. Glancing around his current surrounding, he had to admit; she was. This time. Kyle just counted his blessing that she didn't think to call the police; apparently the thought hadn't crossed her mind.
Folding his own arms within the mirror, Kyle cocked an eyebrow as she turned to leave before threatening him one last time. "Clever little trick." He smirked at her final words, bothered by his current situation since she'd pretty much told him he'd be okay in an hour...if no one broke the mirror. "Well, I hope you have that rifle handy. And what a pleasure it had been to make your acquaintance."
As Maya stomped off into the mansion, Kyle took one last look around his surroundings before sitting cross legged and folding his arms across his chest, closing his eyes as his head tilted down slightly. He had an hour to kill; time enough to work out what had just happened. And how to prepare for it the next time around.
Oh, and plan Evelyn's next training session. It would be such a wonderful one to plan.
He could see that he was pushing the right buttons...he just wasn't pushing them hard enough. Or rather, he was pushing them in the wrong way. Kyle had to find something that would push the button right down, something that she couldn't shrug off as easily as childish words. The right taunt to dig deep into her skin and settle there, no easily dislodged as his previous words had been.
It hit him like a lightning bolt to the head, the lights flashing on as if it had been obvious all along. Sure, Evelyn had gotten training, likely from the X-Men. But if Maya was her partner, then surely Maya had taken some personal effort in training Evelyn too, right? Heck, Kyle was doing it on the side and he wasn't doing it for anything other then giving Evelyn a chance. That and he simply enjoyed her company/messing with her.
Which gave him an angle he could use. It all depended on how much Evelyn spoke of their encounters; fairly little, he was guessing from Maya's reaction. Well, nothing ventured...
"Oh, now something makes sense. I wondered where Evelyn learned all her new tricks...you must be training her. Well, you've done a fairly decent job so far. But its no wonder you're trying to slip away from this fight; if Evelyn was so easy to smack on her behind, I can't imagine her teacher is much better."
The die was cast, the bait was in the water. It was time to see what kind of fish hooked the line.
In some part of Kyle's mind, the fact that Maya was choosing to opt out of physical warfare irked him. He'd been expecting a fight, already calculating what he'd have to do against an opponent like her. To have it die before it could even really begin, well, that was blasphemy! That part of him wanted to call her out, throw a blow, do something to re-ignite that fire. It was an extremely hard part to quell in its urges.
But another part of him respected her control. Kyle knew from personal experience how hard it was to reign in one's emotions at times, especially during moments like this. The simple fact that Maya had pulled it off, although somewhat reluctantly it appeared, was something to be noted. Not many people could do such an act, which often lead to them making terrible mistakes. Again, something learned from experience, both his own and watching others. Kyle had only recently mastered that himself...but Maya seemed to be well on her way.
Still, the two waging sides could not come to a choice. One wanted to fight, the other wanted to walk away now. But that final jab had united them in cause and if nothing else, they both had something to them now. They were both curious about this Maya.
It came to a two-point idea. First, as she was stalking away, Kyle casually flicked a finger in her direction, a small bolt of his energy lacing out to strike the back of her head. Small, quiet, little more than a stinging flick to the back of the head in terms of damage...but enough to draw her attention again. And then, a little verbal jab when her attention was clearly gotten.
"Well, I never took Evelyn for fancying girls, but if I'm missing something you have, which part is it I wonder? The chest or below the belt? Though I suppose you have those and what I have down there, so hmmmm?
Indeed, Evelyn chose to date you. But only because you asked first. I wonder how it would have played out had I? No wait...I believe I already know the answer."
