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 end of the gargoyle’s tail twitched. He peered over at Andrea after giving her some space. His claws dug slightly into the ground at the unappealing sound of her gurgling coughs. He noticed her gaze quickly retracted behind her dark skin, and her hands came over her face. He was beginning to get an idea for what kind of mutant she was. Soon after she uttered a few words, and was relieved she was already talking. Skyler was standing by as she felt her way up the tree and was standing eyes still closed.
“I’m guessing you’re from Greek mythology too. Gorgon right? The whole medusa thing, except she’s wayyy uglier…I mean…you’re pretty for a gorgon—you’re attracti—I’ll get you there,” he replied stumbling precariously over his words. He silently stomped his foot and mentally slapped his forehead. He looked flatly at Andrea who was dripping wet, and looked a bit haggard from today’s little adventure. He didn’t want to drag someone through the streets of New York looking the way she was. Hopefully she’d forgive him for his clumsy choice or words if he could… dry her off. Yes, now there was an idea. It always felt better to be high and dry. “Hold still,” he said spreading his wings, grinning to himself at his idea. He spread them to their full span, the webbing between the forks in his wings stretching. The gargoyle pulled them back and flapped them once sending a powerful gust of warm air in Andrea’s direction, probably flattening her against the tree, sending her locks of hair in a gravity lacking frenzy. Well…maybe it worked out better in his imagination.
Skyler decided he was done trying anything new, and would do just what Andrea asked for. The reptile boy folded his wings and took the female’s hand leading her at a strolling pace through the park. He noticed some mucky duck feathers stuck to the bottom of his foot from the sticky lake water and shook his hocked leg to get it off and continued on.
Skyler glided through the water, contrasting with the flailing and disorientated manner that Andrea had. His wings were pulled tightly against his back, and his tail swished from side to side propelling him forward. He felt around dim water resisting the urge to gag at the tepid lake’s mucky taste. He grasped a limb and pulled her out by the waist, kicking his legs to get them both to the surface. He gasped at the air, his own lungs sore from lack of breath. He treaded towards the edge of the lake that was a few yards off since they had drifted. With a grunt, the gargoyle hauled the gorgon’s body onto the grass. He laid her out on her back. “Andy? Andrea!? Gah, wake up…” he uttered blinking through his wet eyelashes staring in terror. He knees locked and he looked around for help. People darted their gazes away. “Wake up sleeping beauty…” he said pulling back an eyelid, which revealed her eye that was rolled back into her head, only a fraction of the orange iris was visible. He yanked on a patch of his hair, biting down on his lip.
The gargoyle knelt down beside her, looking anxiously around. The raw embarrassment about what was going to come next was pretty damn unfortunate, but on the contrary a bit of bashfulness was a whole lot better than loosing someone he had just met and would never forgive himself for it. Skyler lowered her jaw and pressed down her tongue away from her air passage with his two fingers. Feeling the time tick away, and hearing the mocking quacks of those stupid ducks he bowed his head and pushed a breath into her. Don’t think romantic thoughts…
He pressed down on her chest a few times, counting as he went, trying a second time before he heard a watery gurgle come from her throat. A huge feeling of relief washed through him. He shuffled back and waited for her own body to recover itself. “Would you rather receive a mouth to mouth from a reptile, or die? Please, say something…” he said through clenched teeth. He kneeled there, tail wrapping around his ankles, eyebrows arched in worry. He helped her sit up with a firm hand on her back and scooted Andrea against a tree trunk. “Sorry for sending you in for a swim…Head back to the mansion?” he asked slowly, giving her a moment to collect her thoughts.
Skyler grasped Andrea’s masked hand and shook it firmly, reflecting her smile back. A brow quirked as did his ears when she annunciated her name rather deliberately, nodding at each syllable. “Good to meet you Andrea,” he replied. He paused after a few steps waiting for the female to catch up. They strolled the perimeter of the lake as he struck up a topic to discuss.
“You came here because you were tired of people telling you Halloween was over?” he chuckled trying to make light of it. He nervously laughed wondering if that sounded a bit out of line. He quickly tried to cover it up. “I always win the costume contests,” he added. Skyler gave the green mutant space between the lake. “Have an idea what you might take? I’m thinking about taking on of the history classes and a film course that looks cool along with the other stuff,” he said shrugging. He hadn’t thought about it all that much yet either.
Skyler stopped as they came upon a few geese that waddled out of the water. The birds toddled over, their heads tilted and beady black eyes looking hopeful at them. “I brought some bread with me,” he said pulling a small plastic back from his short pocket. He handed Andrea a piece if she wished to feed them. He tossed the crumbs onto the grass and the geese squabbled over the morsels, their tail feathers excitedly waggling. “Naw, they look like little prehistoric dinosaurs,” he chortled. Moments after, his handful of bread was gone. The birds looked up expectantly, their necks lowering. “Sorry fellas, that’s all I got,” he told the birds. The feathered critters didn’t look convinced, as they opened their beaks and hissed charging at Andrea’s knees. “Gah! Shoo! Shoo!” he spat waving his arms at the geese trying to scatter them. This only angered them as one flapped its wings and launched itself at the gargoyle causing him to jump back. His tail flung out to catch his balance and swept Andrea off her feet as his thick appendage collided with her ankles casting her into lake. The mob of geese followed pecking at the girl’s black hair and freckled face, a mass of feathers and splashing water from a fountain converged across the surface.
At the sight of this Skyler cackled with amusement, standing over the edge of the lake. He was keeled over, holding his undulating stomach that was aching at his point with laughter. “Andrea you okay? So, sorry! I thought that one was going eat me alive!...Andrea?...Andy!?” he said noticing the girl’s arms flailing more then she should have been.
A confused moment after he realized the mutant couldn’t swim. He briefly panicked. His amusement quickly turned to horror. He jumped in expecting his feet to his the bottom but it was a lot deeper then he expected and was up to his head in cold water. The gargoyle surfaced, eyes widened as he realized she was out of sight. His eyes scanned the greenish black water for an outline of a figure which was difficult to do considering the mutant’s color scheme. He spotted a shadow and dived for it.
Skyler eased the pain from his scalp with the palm of his hand, looking at the gorgon with an apologetic smile. The gargoyle glanced at the girl’s forehead for a moment with worry hoping he hadn’t jabbed her with his horns. “Really, really sorry about that. Those good for nothin’ punks,” he chuckled.
The gargoyle again tried to put on a friendly demeanor since she sounded a bit skeptical about his origins. After his run in with Meld from the Sanctuary he knew where the green female was coming from. “Oh! I am too. No reason,” he proclaimed, nodding. “I joined about a week ago. I guess I still haven’t met everyone on campus,” he explained. He offered one of his hands which held short curled claws, but he remained grinning tail weaving contently from side to side. “I’m Skyler, Sky for short,” he added politely, looking her in the sunglasses, trying hard to get the other to at least let her shoulders lay flat.
“How long have you been at the mansion?” he asked, beginning to walk slowly over to the lake, tracing its perimeter, inviting her for a walk. “I really love it there. What kinda courses are you taking?”
Skyler’s jade colored eyes narrowed on Alchemist. What was so damn funny? The gargoyle then wasn’t sure how to respond when a hand rested on his shoulder. He looked rather confused at the mixed messages he was getting. Was this support, or was he not getting the joke? His ears were cocked at a funny angle, nose wrinkled some.
Then, a new kind of gaze rested on the opposite mutant. Suddenly he seemed have some sort of connection and understanding of the other male. The winged-boy fell silent, waiting for the information to settle in his mind. “I’m sorry to hear that…So Meld is like preying on wandering little mutants? What a nut-case, someone needs to put that crazy-lady in line. Someone like her shouldn’t be on the loose. I feel bad for anyone unfortunate enough to bump into her during the night,” he muttered, arms folding across his chest. Skyler lifted a brow at Alchemist as he spooned the pudding out of the cup with his fingers. Although didn’t say anything because he wasn’t exactly miss lady-fingers either.
Skyler really needed to hear those words from someone, and not to mention the Australian was sincere about it. He readily forgave Cafas for butchering his name. “It really was. They’re right when they say not to talk to strangers, especially in dark alleys,” he replied. “I really hope he’s okay,” he sighed. Skyler gently pushed the custard away with his clawed fingers, barely scratching the thin plastic. “Enjoy it. I’m on a diet,” he chuckled.
“Thanks for helping me out, bro,” he said shrugging, quickly stopping the movement in his shoulder, wincing. “I’ve run into some generous people here, takes some getting used too. I nearly ran out of here,” he said grinning at Alchemist. Gosh, it felt good to have some reassurance.
Skyler walked out of the ice cream parlor with a waffle cone with a scoop of mint chip and chocolate. He exited, the bell of the door ringing as looked right past the rather bewildered or amused glances. Why should he have to be any more self conscious then anyone else on the streets today? He really wasn’t going to let his differences get him down today. Instead, he was going to celebrate it now he had made it to the X-mansion.
The gargoyle weaved through the hoards of people, shouldering past curious fingers and eyes. He was relieved to feel the early morning grass beneath his feet. Out here the crowds were sparse and was able to enjoy the green surroundings. He strolled down the cobblestone path, watching the bikers and the owners that looked like their dogs. He spotted a bench under the shade of a willow tree, and sat down.
He felt like a kid again, sitting under the sun and licking away at the ice cream before it melted. He felt he deserved this after all the shenanigans that had happened between him and the Sanctuary and the Xmen. His tail looped through the back of the bench, swaying contently, ears twitching every now and again to catch a bird song.
Ten minutes had passed and he had heard the exchange between two children that were spying on him. It was cute at first but then it turned into any other intrusion on his privacy and enjoyment of being out in the city. Luckily, he was almost finished with his cone and got up to dump the napkin in the bin giving him a chance to get some space from the overtly curious kids. Unfortunately his getaway signaled the children to pursue chase and they leaped onto his tail laughing furiously. Skyler whipped around and quickly chided them before they ran off giggling. “Gah, where’s their mum? Damn little weasels,” he uttered to himself.
He turned around briskly after tossing his trash and bumped heads with someone. He stumbled back, clawed hands digging into his hair. “Sorry ‘bout that! You alright?” he said to the stranger before he had a chance to look up. An inquisitive tail flicked at this new face, wings folding neatly in response. “I guess I’m not the only mutie who’s not missing this beautiful day,” he grinned. “You from…the mansion?” he asked soon after, knowing there were other groups he rather not encounter after meeting Meld.
The gargoyle’s pointed ears seemed to droop at the refusal. “I was hoping it would be a kind of peace offering, after I nearly attacked you. Sorry about that, I hope you forgive me, Alchemist. Name’s Skyler,” he said placing the cup of chocolate pudding back on its tray. “I was acting hostile because I was scared,” he said eyes wandering from the male’s face, a small quiet sigh leaving his flared nostrils. No it wasn’t the common kind of fear, the kind he got from blood and guts. It was the kind where he knew he might have lost something, something good. Thus, didn’t want to make a connection with another mutant at the X-mansion. He tried to push Alchemist away as to avoid making another friend, before his plan on leaving the mansion. But it seemed he was stuck here.
The reptilian eyes darted at older mutant when he asked the question. There was a pause, Skyler scrambled for a lie, but he was useless at lying. He gave a small snort before he began. “Yesterday evening I wanted to go see Central Park before it got dark out, and took a little shortcut through the alleys. There was some creepy looking lady, she was a mutant too actually…we got talking about this thing between humans and mutants. And then she went on about this place called the Sanctuary…oh, and her name was Meld? She seemed pretty damn popular with the cops…” he replied, a sheepish grin began to spread across his face.
“The women was influential or rather had a way with words and I agreed with her while in the moment…I think one of the neighbors called the police when they saw me or Meld, I’m not sure. But it seemed the police had already been looking for her, but they attacked both of us. So I fought back and I hurt one of the policemen…I don’t know if I killed him or not.” Skyler chewed on his bottom lip and lifted his clawed hands over his face. “I just got caught in the middle of it, and I didn’t realize my own size or power. It was self defense…I would never want to take someone’s life. I don’t know where to go…” he continued, spilling it to the stranger in front of his bed.
In a way confessing felt good, like he wasn’t as alone in this. But saying it aloud only brought back the guilt. “After all the X-mansion had done for me…”
Skyler flinched when the other grabbed his shoulder, followed by a grunt of surprise. There was a sudden sensation of heat in his shoulder and he could feel the bullet dissipating from his shoulder. The welt on his shoulder seemed to level, but the removed bullet unblocked veins and caused a new, but slow flow of blood. A sigh of relief left the gargoyle, the pain of it seemed to be cut in half, now that the hunk of metal wasn’t pressing against nerves in deep flesh. “What the heck was that?” was the boy’s inquiry on the male’s powers. It had something to do with substance that was for sure.
Before Skyler could utter a proper thank you the fellow mutant had slipped precariously flailing for something to catch himself then landed with a cringing thud in the bloody mess on the floor. The reptilian winced as the eighteen year old picked himself up. “Oh lordy, this is going to look bad, really bad,” he said, reaching for the bathroom door, knowing that blood on both of them were going to raise some questioning glances. “I’m nobody’s responsibility, give me a break.”
Skyler shuffled out into the hallway, one forearm pressed against the wall, and his muscular tail was undulating out behind him for orientation and balanced. “I wish the doctors did room service,” he muttered, determining himself to make it down the stairwell, taking a few deep breaths…
After hearing excited chatter from nurses, and being asked about his pet cat when giving his IV drip, he was beginning to stir from his hospital bed. He opened one eye, waiting for his eyes to focus properly on the mind blowingly mint green walls and odd shapes around the room. He was able to identify the pink mop of hair. “I was hoping you’d run,” he said, sitting up, rubbing his eyes. He grimaced at the stiffness in his shoulder but saw that it was patched properly up, and the hole in his wing had been synched closed to heal faster. “Did you tell me your name?”
Skyler noticed a cup of chocolate pudding placed neatly with a spoon beside his bed. His tail flicked from under the sheets with thought, fingers twitching for the treat, but quickly buried his hands in hair. He felt like he didn’t deserve even a perfectly innocent cup of custard, not after what happened yesterday. “You want it Pinky? I’m not hungry,” he asked, letting his head fall into the pillows.
((I kinda fast forwarded it for us. Hope that’s cool with you. ))
Skyler’s ears twitched, holding his breath hearing footsteps coming down the hall. Unfortunately, the sound of footfall didn’t fade and stopped at what sounded like his door. He tried to quiet his ragged breathing, letting his lips part for more air. He rested his head on the cold tile, listening to the muffled sounds about his room. He crossed his fingers it wasn’t Shinbo. It would have been the most painful for his first friend here at the mansion to discover his wrongdoing. But in moments his doubts were confirmed, that this was a person he never met as distorted words sounded in the next space.
As the door hesitantly opened, a low animalistic growl erupted from his throat, which was something new even to his own ears. He had never been in such anguish and fear before. At this point he felt more like any beastly mutant then any reasonable human-being. His narrowly slit eyes met the fluctuating green gaze above him. This person was a stranger to him. Despite the fellow’s disarming words, Skyler was still in a confused and hectic state. The gargoyle picked himself up off the ground, the bottoms of his feet and claws slippery against the pools of scarlet. His uninjured wing opened, encompassing the older male in a threat display. His tail whipped from side to side, drumming against the shower door and knocking toiletries left and right. “I don’t want your help! Just get out!” he hissed viciously, clawed hands extending forward to shove the other out of the door way. His logic was utterly backwards. He really did need assistance, but he was just so frustrated and fearful of what others would think of him so he refused the lent hand.
With the effort of springing forward like that and with the loss of blood, his head suddenly felt extremely light, seeing a white glow in front of his eyes. Skyler felt this urge for his eyeballs to roll back in his head, and that scared him enough to ask for medical attention. The reptilian boy crumbled to his knees, catching his breath. He turned his head over his shoulder, seeing his reflection in the mirror. Over the area of his shoulder blade was a large lump under his skin inches away from the wound itself. With a small movement something metallic caught his eye. The bullet had impacted his skin at such a strange angle that it was actually still beneath the flesh. “Actually on second thought…I’d like some help,” he reluctantly uttered, pain finally winning the battle over his stubbornness. He held his head in his hands.
“I was hoping you wouldn’t ask,” he said. “I’m sorry…Just get me some help, and I’ll be on my merry way.” The gargoyle shakily stood finding balance on the counter top. “You guys have a nurse’s office where they give you some ice and a band-aid? Where is it?” he muttered in question shouldering past. “What’s your name Pinky? Ugh my head…”
The gargoyle rushed down the hallway face turned down towards the floor. His pace to his room was quick and deliberate, eyes trained on the nearing numeral on his door. His face was scrunched, wrinkles on the bridge of his nose in pain, teeth tightly clenched together. His hand was firmly pressed against the top of his shoulder, a few spots of blood dripping onto the wood surface leaving a blotchy trail. His left wing quivered and dragged along behind him, a hole ripped through the sensitive membrane. He let out a shaky sigh as he felt his grasp around the door knob, and jerkily turned it and kicked the door open, eager to get inside. He leaned on the inside of the door, slamming it close, sliding down the smooth surface as he seated himself on the carpeted floor. He tilted his head back, hoping that he didn’t draw any attention in the hallway, guilt causing his stomach to crawl with caterpillars.
He didn’t bother to turn the damn television on. The excited journalists and news reporters were probably already making a scene of Meld reappearing with a twist, a new mutie, a face the public wasn’t familiar with yet. Skyler regretted even listening to that retched woman’s words. Her slick phrases had easily manipulated him beyond anger. He didn’t like feeling of being so enraged, so hurt, so raw. She had tried convincing him that humans deserved to die, that all of them were the same. Humanity, as she viewed it was jealous and apprehensive and couldn’t be trusted. Therefore, they must die. And even in those fleeting moments, he believed her. The policeman he might have killed probably had a wife, kids, friends… The Sanctuary, as misleading as the name was, almost became his home. Shame was racking his consciousness. He wished he hadn’t shown the X-men mansion disloyalty. After all they gave him a home, their hospitality, tolerance and even a potential family. And even before his first week with the X-men was he about to shatter their trust.
Skyler stumbled up and forward, his long and heavy tail sweeping objects and shelves off dressers and desks, causing them to tumble to the ground. He made his way into the bathroom, franticly searching for gauze for his opened shoulder. He found a roll and began wrapping it tightly in the material. He needed stitches, but wasn’t able to easily reach the area that had been blown off. Oh god, the blood was still oozing from the bandages. All he could do was apply plenty of pressure to the area in hopes that the bleeding would stop. He was too afraid and embarrassed to ask or go for help. Skyler spread out across the floor, eyes squeezed shut, small whimpers and groans leaving him. After this predicament, he was guessing he was going to end up at the circus again, and deserved it.
Skyler gave an irked frown when Meld began to get a few things together to write down a phone number. Who did she think she was? A 1-800 number any time he happened to be attacked by a mob of police? Was she going to lead him back to the sanctuary or simply leave him here in the dark with a phone number? “Are you going to show me where the Sanctuary is?”
Skyler eyes widened in shock and in increase of alertness when the body dropped to the floor with dead weight. He slid off the mount of boxes and got to his feet, eyes staring at the stranger’s victim for a few moments before his eyes ever reached the other male’s face, and when it did his gaze flickered already with caution and distrust. He didn’t take killing lightly, even if it was a valuable favor. “Thanks,” said the gargoyle, lacking much enthusiasm. Out of state of mind his tail was uncomfortably snaking from side to side, knees buckled and stiff.
He caught Meld’s glance, he had already taken up prudence. The winged-mutant made a half circle around the hooded individual, eyes needling before stepping away towards Meld. “Yah have a name?” he asked his voice having a little more life to it then the other two, and it sounded like frustration and desperation. “Can we get the hell out of here and get to this Sanctuary place, and do it without running into the cops again? You think we can pull that off?” he asked. The last thing he wanted to do was lay another hand on someone, or draw blood. The madness was stopping here.
Thunder crackled outside, and thunder sang its war cry. Rain began to fall on the outside pavement. The droplets sparkled and blinked with the shifting search lights. Skyler felt the cold seep into through his skin, perhaps it wasn’t the temperature but the feeling of emptiness beginning to consume him. He breathed outward, a plume of vapor leaving his panting lips and nostrils, mind still rattled. He pulled his clawed hand over the open flesh on his shoulder, teeth clenching. He leaned his head on his elbow against the wall, trying to sort out his storming thoughts, and part the clouds to see a solution to this dilemma. He growled with frustration turning around and began pacing, and stopped in the dim light when he saw a pile of boxes and pulled himself up in his throne of shame to sit.
He gazed at Meld, focusing on the bionic paired eyes through the darkness. He couldn’t clearly see her features that were obscured by radical flashes of light then plunges of darkness. What was she thinking? What cogs and wheels were working right now?
Through the stifled silence the metal mutant spoke up, finally giving his brain something to chew on and dissect. He peered at her through his glittering jade eyes. “I could have put my hands up…I n’er dreamed of killing a person. I didn’t think…it would actually end this way. The stranger prolly had children, family,” he said gulping down a lump in his throat. Skyler well knew what it was like to lose a father and a mother. “I’m afraid to go back to the mansion. Still, they’d be angry with me, or disappointed. I made them a promise to have control and responsibility over my mutation. I would ever be able to face Shinbo after this or the professors…” he said head bowed sorrowfully. “Can I come with you to the Sanctuary for now?...I’ll let the X-men worry about me for a while, or let what they see on TV fade in their minds a little,” he said, tail undulating in a regular rhythm in a meditative way. “I’d still do anything to look like them…” he said frowning at Meld’s incorporated metal plates.
Skyler looked outside into threatening world, unaware of what lurked in time with the shadows. The gargoyle sighed wrapping his wings around himself, he just needed to think about surviving at the moment and what his next move was. “So what now? How do we get out of this mess? Something tells me this isn’t your first time,” he said staring into storm and chaos.
Skyler noted that Meld left the cop he had saved, and let him declare the man’s death sentence. He began walking over to the fallen cop who then had jumped back to their feet. The man had the gun aimed right at his head only and arm’s length away. The gargoyle’s eyes widened, falling perfectly still and ridged. He could see the terror spread across the policeman’s face, the kind of fear that was pre-judged. The pistol was shaking, the trigger trembling against a wobbly finger. Skyler let his expression of anger slowly fall, face impassive. His arms were at his sides, and looked straight at the man, calm. He watched the cop’s reaction. He didn’t seem as scared, but nonetheless the muzzle of the gun was ready to blow his brains out. In-between a heartbeat the gargoyle struck out with his leg with breakneck speed, knocking his opponent onto his back. The gun slid across the pavement. The cop scrabbled up to run, and the mutant pursued in chase. He front flipped and landed squarely with his clawed feet on the adults head, slamming his face into the pavement. He landed on all fours balanced on the head and shoulders, his claws swiping at the skin as he made impact and jumped off. He didn’t know if the man was knocked out cold or dead, he was glad it was a mystery.
The gargoyle hissed, tail lashing as the search light was upon him. His entire world was bathed in blinding white light. He felt faint as he took a look around at the destruction. The police cars were vacant, and their drivers were slain across the alley floor. Then the most terrifying moment was when he saw Meld. The metal monster raised the beating human heart like a trophy into the air. The man was like a dying fountain. Blood everywhere. The smell of blood and gun smoke was overpowering. It stabbed at his mind, and tainted his memory. Shock and confusion was plastered to his face.
Skyler was finished with this scene. He turned around and bolted, prepared to have Meld come with him. He sprinted to the nearest alley way and took a few random turns trying to get ahead of the searchlight. He spied a blind spot, safe from the revealing helicopter lights. He turned into the dark abandoned garage, waiting for Meld to catch up.
He slid down the wall, sitting, face in hands. “Why did I do it!?” he began, voice on the verge of breaking. “They’ll never let me back into the x-men mansion! After all they had done for me…I don’t know…Did I kill him?...” Skyler raised his head, realizing his hands felt crusted, for there was dried blood woven between his fingers and palms. He stood up again, pacing about. “I-I would never…How?....I let my anger get the better of me…” he continued, then he cast an accusing glare at Meld. “If we didn’t have that little talk, I wouldn’t have done it,” he spat, regretting having listened to any word she said. He put his fists to the wall, furious with himself. “Where am I going to go now? They’re going to be after you and me!” he stammered.
