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.
>"I'm sorry. I didn't know. I shouldn't have said that. Please don't go."
Hades sat back down from his risen position, slightly mollified. He allowed his professional mask to drop slowly. Emotions started to return to his formerly expressionless face and his eyes grew less cold. Noel looked miserable. Hades ire and frustration began to cool. Even though Hades and Noel had interacted for a relatively short period of time, they had been through much together and she was still one of the few people Hades actually trusted.
>"Wait. Did you say... you're staying?"
Hades nodded and took a breath but before he could speak, Noel continued in the manner of a drowning person clutching at straws, desperate and slightly frantic.
>"Staying here staying? Staying long enough to train puppies staying?"
He smiled gently. "Yes Noel I am staying for a while. At one point in my life I was in charge of a war kennel. I know what is required to train scout, guard, attack and ever war dogs."
He sat back, a little more relaxed. "It usually takes 12 to 16 months for dogs to reach adult stage depending on breed. Then the real training begins and that can take anywhere from 4-6 months. There are companies who can do it in a shorter time but my training tends to be more through."
Any dog Hades trained would be capable of fending for itself in the wilds for extended periods of time. It was one of the requirements that He had if he was ever going to take them on missions.
"Probably a Doberman for guard and a wolf dogs or two and one or two Caucasians for War hounds."
He paused. Best not bore Noel with facts and figures. Then he had a thought.
"Would you like me to train you one?"
He asked with a smile, half jestingly. Perhaps she could use a dog. It might help her and at the very lease help protect her. She seemed more than capable of getting herself into all sorts of situations that posed hazards to her physical, emotional and mental health, often to all three.
"Besides," He continued, "I need to stay around to look into purchasing and setting up additional safe houses."
He knew better to offer her one this time. She seemed to dislike gifts? and needing the items given even more? Though if she asked he would happily part with one. Perhaps he would buy a hotel, or actually open one. that would be fun. He knew just the one....
Hades speaks in #ec4511 Thanks Ghost for the second Sig
Hades nodded and responded with a small smile. No more words were required. The voice was pleasant but Hades had the distinct impression that the mouth that uttered those words found them... slightly foreign. It was almost as if the naked woman in front of him was something like a shape shifter (which would explain the claw marks on the shelter they were currently sharing) and had spent too much time in non-human form. She could equally be a mutant who communicates to animals and or raises them (also explaining the marks on the shelter and had spent too much time communing with said constructs/animals. It did not matter, communication was unhindered and if she chose to share more about herself Hades would welcome that but he would not push or pry. He respected her privacy and she seemed to respect his. He actually liked it that she did not speak much or flood him with questions. He had just spend over half a year in solitude with only the trees, the mountains and nature as his company, he would have found a voluble companion extremely irritating.
He noted her watching his actions as if she wanted to learn. If she wanted to he would explain. He would happily share knowledge that he had. This person may well have saved his life. In Hades world that was a deed soon forgotten. Hades stirred. The time for relaxing was over. Now came the time for the painful part. He rinsed out his makeshift bowl and using some water and the but of his knife he mashed some herbs to form a paste. The salve would help prevent infection and speed healing. Again it was an old Navajoes Indian recipe.
Hades took a deep breath then turned to Amber.
"Amber I need to ask a favor of you. I need you to check my back. I was shot three times, two of them are through and through, as far as I can tell. I need you to confirm that and see if the wounds are inflamed. Finally I need you to check if there is a third exit wound on my back."
To his relief, she once again complied with a minimum of words.
According to Amber, two of his wounds were healing nicely and there was not third exit wound. Hades heart sank a little. He could not afford to leave the bullet in there, especially not so close to his lung. He took a moment to gather his thoughts then spoke. He hated asking so much of one whom he had just met and knew so little of but there was no one else. Once the deed had been done he would explain the situation to her. If he survived. If he did not, well there was no point. Time was also of the essence. The people who perused Hades could not be too far behind. Hades would have to move tomorrow one way or another. He would understand if she chose to travel with him or leave. The choice was hers and Hades would respect it.
"I apologize for this but I must ask for your help. This needs to be done in sequence and a mistake could kill me. I dislike asking so much but there is no one else. In this wound.." He pointed to the wound on his upper right of his chest. "..Is a bullet that is very close to my lung and needs to be removed. I plan to sterilize the blade in fire and then I need to ask you to dig it out without nicking my lung. Once that is done I need you to hold me down and keep me from moving while I cauterize the wound. Can you do this?"
"Take as much time as you need to prepare yourself." There could be no room for error, no mistakes. This was going to hurt, it was going to be a challenge not to pass out. He could not afford that. If he did not cauterize the wound fast enough he would bleed out in minutes or less. He grabbed a smoothed shot stick and placed it in his mouth to bite down on and took a small stone in each hand to clench around then nodded to Amber. When ever she was ready.
It had been a while since Hades had been to the range, well a range that was not CQC. As parked his black Toyota Hilux in the parking lot he glanced over at the black and white For monstrosity that was in the lot next to him. It looked a tad out of place. Off hand Hades guessed by the color scheme and the chrome, Texan, most probably Texan, It seemed to fit. Today he had in mind two of his rifles he wanted to play around with.
He shouldered his cases, paid the fee and went in. First to check zero and start off the short ranges. It would be later in the day before he pulled out his second rifle. His first one was a Remington 700 bolt action. He had replaced the barrel with stainless steel and finished it with Teflon. Then the Barrel and action screws had been bedded in Devcon Aluminium into a fiberglass and Kevlar stock. The screws torqued to 60 pounds. It was like an old friend to him. He broke out a box of .308s and stared down the Leupold 10x scope.
Hades got into one of the classic bench shooting positions. Boots flat on the apron, rifle against shoulder, other arm flat along the bench under the rifle sunk into the sandbags. He fired four shots. All landed in the same hole and practically point blank range. Satisfied he was zeroed, he moved on. He shot systematically moving up 100 yard every twenty shots, 100 to 300. He found his position and held it. Find your spot weld, lock it in, half breath in for 3 heartbeats and gently caress the trigger.
After he had finished he went to examine his accuracy. At 100 yards clover leafs, but they got rarer the further out he got. At 300 yards, his best was an illusion of a circle within 1.386 inches or so. He snorted to himself. He still had not lost it. He kept shooting as the day wore on. Finally he felt ready.
He pulled out his second rifle. This was had history, it was from an old friend, it was something... different. A black walnut affair emerged from the case. It was an old, old bolt-action model 70 with a fat bull barrel and a Unertl 36X scope running almost the entire length of the barrel. For ammo, in honorof his friend he would break out .300 H&H Magnum loaded with a Sierra 200 grain slug. He settled himself down at 1400 yard range. Pushing the limits of what he could achieve. His friend had been a sniping legend in his day and had challenged Hades to push himself far beyond the bounds of what he thought he could achieve. He had left this rifle to Hades. He had bet that Hades could make a 1400 yard shot. Today he would try, he had spent most of the day working up to this.
At this range there was no talk of grouping, you were just trying to hit the target. Hades braced the rifle on sandbags fore and aft. He breathed softly, half lung in half lung out. *Bang*. He had went wide, he had broken early. Undaunted he tried again. Cleared his mind. He ran the ballistics once again in his head. *Bang* closer but still no shot. One last try. *Bang*. Hades ran through the check list. Yes the scope was exactly where he wanted it, yes the trigger pull was smooth and unhurried, yes he his position was solid with no last second twitch, no flicker of doubt or lack of belief had robbed him of his shot. He went to check with the spotting scope. There on target well within the 4 inch circle of that piece of paper one thousand four hundred yards out was a clear crisp hole. Dam his friend, he was right after all.
Hades sat back and relaxed his body. It ached after more than half a day of being contorted into the uncomfortable positions usually required of bench shooting but there was a satisfied air to him. He still did not quite believe he had made that shot. It was enough. He mentally saluted his friend. He was ready for a drink. Hades had almost finished putting his rifle away and was waiting for the employees to bring him the target papers when he heard footsteps approaching and he heard a voice that sounded eerily familiar. He had heard it somewhere, but where?
Hades speaks in #ec4511 Thanks Ghost for the second Sig
So apparently Miss Acha could fight. Well good on her, perhaps stereotypes were not all wrong. Mr Wong was thinking in particular of those regarding the fiest of red headed individuals. She looked at him with a shocked expression. Mr Wong chuckled, raised his eyebrows and shrugged his shoulders almost apologetically.
"What? You fink all seliotypes are long? I was not always a cook. I am Chilese and I low Kung Fu!" Mr Wong said smiling.
"You see the movie Ip Man? I actually studied under one of his students in Hong Kong." He said proudly.
>"I should call this in. Do you want to be scarce when the other cops show up, or do you want to wait around?"
Mr Wong thought for a moment. "It plobably beta dat I lot be alang." He would let her figure out how to explain that one. If he was recorded as being on scene with a member of the NYPD, that would make things... difficult in the future.
"Can you wait few minuts befor call in? Need to finish saying." he asked.
When Quin indicated her agreement Mr Wong continued, "You walk, I talk." And gestured to a spot where they would be out earshot of anyone and out of sight of prying eyes. Once they were there he continued.
"I said before that I give you sample and we see how to go from there, so here it is." He paused for a moment, organizing his thoughts.
"Ok, so here what I lo. There are at least one " He pointed at the incapacitated men on the ground. "Maybe up to four orginizasons werking togeda to fom a smugoling ling." He looked around to make sure that there was indeed no one else in earshot then continued at a lower volume. "They grab children and give dem drugs to see if mutant or lot. If yes then sell for much much much much much monney, if lot den sell to lomal smuggling ling."
He sighed expressively. "Missy Acha, I like dis city, but I am one man, a very smaw potato. I cannot tak on one army, much less free of four, so on my owg what can I do? I give you dis info and you come back tell me what you find. If as you say earlier you actually find more info and show me dat you can help. Can and not just twy, den I" He pointed to himself. "I go and stick my lek out to get more info for you."
He waited for her to respond.
"So I guess my pwice is info and a fava, what say you Missy Acha of Niped?" He had gotten tired of annunciating each letter of NYPD so pronounced it as one word.
Once he got his answer he would vanish and leave Quin to deal with calling such an event in.
Hades speaks in #ec4511 Thanks Ghost for the second Sig
Noel seemed frustrated. To be honest Hades was beginning to feel a little frustrated himself. Was it his imagination or did they seem to be communicating on two different wavelengths.
>"Hades you are so...Extra. You're over the top. And you're out of the house too much to be a responsible pet owner. I was kidding about the puppy. Kind of. The responsibility..."
Hades mere raised his eyebrows. He had thought it a good suggestion. Puppies would reach adult stage in 12 to 16 months. From there it could take 2-3 months depending on temperament to train the dogs to become competent guard/attack dogs.
"Noel, I have raised and trained dogs before, If I did decide to purchase puppies I would stay to train and raise them."
Apparently she had a rather low opinion of his abilities, or perhaps just a low opinion of him in general.
>"Friends. Sounds like you got 'em in spades. Why don't you give them a visit? Get yourself grounded."
Hades smiled bitterly. Ground himself? He was taking time to slow down, to re-assess things, to process. Months in the wilderness with no distractions had given Hades much time to think. Grounded? It seemed that Noel was the one that could use some grounding. To slow down, to perhaps pause in this frantic grasping of life, perhaps to process and make peace with the memories that she had or that she had picked up. She definitely was on a different wavelength. Perhaps this would be a good time to end this..reunion. She did not seem to be in such a great place herself.
"Friends of that nature, I do indeed have in spades." The emotions slowly drained from his face, leaving that professional, calm, inscrutable mask. He gathered his things as if to rise. It was clear that much had happened to Noel and at present she was not that interested in being forthcoming or talking about anything serious. Perhaps it was the location, or perhaps she was still "grounding" herself.
"Feel free to visit them any time in Brooklyn. They can be found at Green-Wood Cemetery." He paused for a moment.
"It was good to see you Noel. It appears that since we last met we both have been through a lot. It appears a great many things have changed, and as you suggested, grounding may be required." He did not mention who needed the grounding.
"I will contact you once the sale is complete. Unless there is anything more....." He trailed off, turning as if to leave, unless there was something Noel wished to say.
Hades speaks in #ec4511 Thanks Ghost for the second Sig
>"I try not to keep that-- It isn't my experience. People can't keep things from me, Hades. Just... think about that."
Hades sobered at the comment. He of all people knew the treasures and darkness that lurked withing memories.
"My apologies" Said Hades. "I did not mean to be insensitive."
>"I suggest you get a puppy and learn to behave.”
"Puppy Huh?" Hades mulled the idea over. It did have merit. Perhaps a wolf hound or two and two Caucasians, and perhaps a Doberman. Once upon a time Hades had helped train attack and guard dogs in Mongolia. He resolved to look in to it later. "Perhaps I just might, and probably more than one." Hades said smiling. It would be fun, well not at first, but the results would be well worth the effort.
>"Please don't do this, Hades."
Hades blinked. Had he crossed a line. Then he figured that she might have some triggers what with loosing memories and having her mind turned inside out. Triggers for PTSD or the equivalent for one who's mind has been mauled are always unpredictable. Ah well best leave the joking alone for a while.
"Once again, my apologies, I don't seem to be doing very well today."
He stared ahead, more than a little frustrated with himself for his social ineptness. Then his thoughts turned elsewhere. Friends, the word reverberated in Hades mind. Usually when he was working he would shut down such thoughts. But here now, with Noel, he was relaxed. He allowed his thoughts to turn where they would. Friends....
Without realizing it, Hades had murmured the word aloud. His eyes contemplative. As he turned the word over in his mind, names started to come to him, names floating up from the depth of memories. Again without realizing it he murmured them out loud.
"Fergus, Wyatt, Winters, Cardsharp, Bull, Lip... friends." As he whispered the names, there was a ghost of a smile on his lips. He could remember their faces, their accent, their antics. There was a tinge of sadness to his expression. He was not just a keeper of secrets, but also a keeper of memories. It was almost time to visit their graves. They had all served together in WWII. He shook his head, returning back to the origin of his current train of thought. Well at least he discovered that he had a friend he could call on in a time of need. Friend enough to help, but perhaps not yet friend enough to joke around.... yet.
He realized that he had been staring into the distance for a minute or so. He turned to Noel.
"Sorry, lost in memories."
Hades speaks in #ec4511 Thanks Ghost for the second Sig
>"Well, this just proves the point that you are someone I want to know."
Mr Wong Hurrumped at this, looking unimpressed, as if to say Well Duhhh, I found your information quickly.
>"I was told that you might have some information about the local underground. The NYPD likes to keep tabs on things like that as much as we can so we aren't standing with our asses in our hands when the Feds get involved. Plus, it doesn't hurt us to look like we have at least a bit of handle on our own city."
"Oly look lik you have handow on city? You mean to tew me you dong wewe have handle on city?"
Mr Wong shook his head and sighed.
>"As for what's in it for you...There's always money. Or, we're open to reasonable suggestions. "Better? The food was incredible, by the way."
At the compliment Mr Wong bowed his head for a second as a gesture of accepting the praise.
"Fank you, glad you enjoyded it."
He paused considering. "OK, at lest you tryded to do goot. I help you. Money I dong need more, but maybe fava would be usefuw to me. You have car? we tak dere. I give you littow info and you ask you boss if fava is ok, ok? If you boss say ok, we tok moa."
"After you Miss Acha."
Mr Wong gestured for her to lead the way. Just as they were heading out, a large group of Japanese blocked the alleyway.
"You are Mr Wong? Friend of Mr Chan's?" The leader demanded in English tinged with a Japanese accent.
Mr Wong nodded.
"We have message for you and your friend" He gestured to the redhead "To pass to Mr Chan."
The leader nodded to the girl and five men split off pulling dual hatchets and short Japanese swords. they advanced towards the girl and surrounded her. The remaining ten surround Mr Wong. As a sign of contempt they left their weapons sheathed. They wanted to make sure that Mr Wong lived to tell the tale.
They attacked. Hades though for a moment and decided to stay in cover. Mr Wong as it turned out was very good at.... he thought for a moment and picked Wing Chun. They all attacked with Karate. He responded.
He dismantled them, without killing anyone. Someone very very observant might have gotten the slightest of impressions that Mr Wong was holding back. It was so tempting, Hades could kill each and every one of the ten people in two moves or less. It would be so much faster, butttt that would blow his cover. A Chinese chief who knows Kung Fu is believable. A Chinese chief who can kill with the efficiency and skill of a seasoned black Ops wet worker.....less so.
As he stood around the graning bodies of his attackers, he found one who was still concious.
"You go tell your boss. He have messagch for Chan, go tew him dilect. I no message boi."
He then turned to see if "Miss Acha" needed any assistance.
Hades speaks in #ec4511 Thanks Ghost for the second Sig
Hades mentally shook his head, it would take too long to try to explain. That was not how he saw it. He had basically opened his mind knowing that she could do so much more than look and he would never know. The self control it had taken him, a lifetime assassin, to essentially lower his guard, relinquish control of his safeguards had been very challenging.
Wait, was Noel looking uncomfortable? Hades found himself enjoying the conversation more and more. He found himself almost grinning with a mild predatory look.
>I wouldn't know. My memories are an amalgamation of other people's, not all from this generation. I suppose we're doing what friends do. Having coffee. Or, tea."
"Come now Noel" Said Hades, he was grinning, slightly, but definitely grinning.
"We both know you are far more in touch than I am."
This was true, Hades rarely went out these days, when he did , even if he was dressed up the the nines. It usually ended with at least one person going to meet their maker. He was a minimalist at the moment, and did not see a purpose of socializing. The only time he had shared drinks was usually with members of a strike team after a mission, but eve that was rare these days.
"and besides" he continued, still smiling "you have just admitted to having multiple perspectives into this matter." She had left the door wide open on that one, practically painting a cross hair in bright bold strokes.
"Thus, knowing what you know, what else would you suggest. I'm all ears."
Hades could not resist slipping that little bit of colloquialism in there, it seemed appropriate. He sat back. He really was enjoying this. This was the most he had smiled for.... well he could not remember how long. Wait was he .... smirking slightly? Noel seemed to have the ability to get him to lower his guard and relax when not on a mission. When they were on a mission it was business as usual, but once outside of work mode.... well it was certainly not an unwelcome effect, a slightly unfamiliar one to be sure, but not entirely unwelcome.
He would have to mull over this.
Hades speaks in #ec4511 Thanks Ghost for the second Sig
I will be away back packing for the next 3-4 days and may or may not have internet reception for a few days after that. hopefully will be back to full posting speed next Friday or so.
Hades speaks in #ec4511 Thanks Ghost for the second Sig
He said a little exasperatedly. His shift was almost over and he was tired. Today had been a busy one. If he was doing this for a living he would be happy as he would get bonus from tips. As it was He only had two more weeks of this. After that he would be more than happy to steer clear of commercial cooking for a while.
>"I was told you might be a good friend to have though. That you know lots of things about lots of things."
What was this? Cliche town? No hint of sublty whatsoever. Who was this woman and what movie set did she come from? Perhaps it was the fact that it had been a long shift and Hades patience was running a little thin. Perhaps it was the cheek of Mr Chan to even suggest his name to anyone. It HAD to be Mr Chan. Perhaps it was the over the top approach. Hades mentally sighed.
"Many pepow say many fings, done not mean all are true. You order food yes? I just finisded your orda. You go, eat. When you finish I will be off shift, then we talk."
He turned and walked back to the kitchen, muttering to himself "Pepo these days, all crazy."
Once the lady had returned to restaurant. Mr Wong went back to work, mollifying Hua Ping on the way back that no, the woman was not his lady friend. He thought that the lady wanted to ask him some questions about Mr Chan. He would talk to her after shift. No he was not sure how she knew of Mr Chan, perhaps she should ask him herself when he got back. If she would not mind, he had a job to do and orders to fill. He left Hua Ping in a little bit of a huff. But then again he was a grumpy chief, and one never ever messes with a grumpy chief.
Mr Wong finished his shifty and changed out of his apron and cooking clothes into usual street clothes. Jeans, t-shirt and hoodie. Clothes worn by countless others so much so as to be almost nondescript. He stood near the end of the serving corridor, out of sight of the patrons, extended his phone around the corner and took a picture of the lady in question. In less than a minute encrypted information was winging its way to his phone.
Out of habit he wiped the info off the phone and locked it. Then he headed out towards the main doors. Along the way he passed by the lady's table. He dropped a note as he passed. The note simply said "Same Place."
He waited for her further along in the alley. Far far away from prying eyes and ears. Once she got there he turned to her his voice angry but he kept the volume low.
"Lady, who you tak me for Huh? Let me mek dis simpow."
He took a breath to calm himself then started speaking.
"You are Quincy Acha, you are NYPD." He said accentuating each of the four letters.
"So the weal questeon, is what you want to lo, and how wiw it benefet me?"
He crossed his arms and looked at the Officer.
Hades speaks in #ec4511 Thanks Ghost for the second Sig
Hua Peing was working the counter at the "Sum Ting Wong" Chinese restaurant. Business had been good, she had been worried for a but what with one of their chiefs having to go back to China for family affairs but he had put her in touch with an old friend before he left. This "Friend", Mr Wong was proving a perfect replacement. He was a little rusty but was a good cook. He was a quiet man and he worked hard, but there was something about him..... something different. Truth be told he seemed to have more of a flair with cooking that the chief he was replacing. He was her new favorite and she was toying with trying to enticing him to stay, but suspected she might be unsuccessful.
The door bell rang, she looked up to see another customer. She sighed in frustration as the American began to order. This was a proper Chinese restaurant, you sit at the table and get your order taken, not order at the counter like some cheap take out fast food place. Suppressing her frustration at the stereotyping she gently steered the lady to a table and took her order.
>"...And I was told that I might speak to a Mr Wong?"
She frowned. Was Mr Wong in trouble? She hmmmed.
"You wait here, let me go check."
She clicked off in her high heels. As soon as she was past the counter she yelled in Cantonese: " 喂! 王生,有個鬼妹找你!" (*Translation: Oi! Mr Wong, there is a white woman looking for you*)
Mr Wong, was doing this for a friend. Mr Chan was an Chinese Triad informant from China who had a day job as a chief. Hades had owed him a favor and he had called it in. He did not mind so much. It was physical work that helped his recovery and yet it was not athletic, giving his wounds time to heal. Plus it was honing his cooking skills and indeed re-sharpening his command of Cantonese and Mandarin.
He heard Peing's yell and frowned. His face had been altered, and he had told no one that he was here. Perhaps this was connected with Chan? He yelled back that he would see her in the alley behind the restaurant. He thought he caught a mutter about not seeing lady friends at work but he could not be sure. He ignored the comments.
He clocked out, washed his hands and stepped out into the alley way. Soon after a short, red haired athletically built woman entered the alley way.
"My lame is Mr Wong, who a you? Why you ausded for me? Do I lo you?"
He said as he naturally slipped into a strong Chinglish accent which he had perfected on the streets of Hong Kong
Hades speaks in #ec4511 Thanks Ghost for the second Sig
The woman heard his request and promptly left. She was an odd one, although Hades would never be so naive as to classify himself ans anything remotely normal. Having spent so long tracking and living off the land, Hades had immediately surmised that she was a mutant. Chances were that she was either a shape-shifter or one who could resurrect creatures of centuries past. Regardless she seemed more of an ally than a threat so far.
He finished removing his shirt, all the while carefully checking for additional injuries. He found bruises and perhaps a cracked rib but nothing life threatening. He still had three gunshot wounds but they appeared to have stopped bleeding and until he had a fire going and had some water he was not going to touch them. Lastly he still needed to see a healer to get rind of whatever was suppressing his mutation.
Hades rose slowly, wincing at the pain and stiffness. There was a stream nearby which he used to fill his water skins. By the time he returned, the woman had returned with wood.
> "I've gathered some wood. I'm sorry I don't know much about starting a fire. I've never needed to learn."
Hades nodded gratefully and spared her a small smile. Her words spoke of a mutant who relied heavily on their powers. That in itself was not a bad thing. Although Hades tended to ensure that he was just as lethal and functional with or without his mutations, but then again that could be part and parcel of being an assassin. From the way she spoke it was almost as if she had fallen out of the habit of using the English language. A loner perhaps.
"Thank you for the wood and meat. I will get a fire going. I am Hades."
He said as he worked calmly but efficiently. His actions were slower, hampered by his injuries. But the smooth and efficient way he set about his tasks belied the extensive practice he had.
Soon he had a small almost smokeless fire going. One of the branches the Woman had brought was mostly hollow so Hades fashioned a cup with which to boil water with. He also expertly skinned the hare. He scrapped the skin to be used for later, saved the guts for string and set about making a stew with the last of the herbs that he had with him. He would have to gather more tomorrow. He fashioned one more bowl and offered her some stew, then sat by the fire enjoying the food and enjoying the peace and quiet. Once the meal was over he would set to the messy and painful yet necessary task of tending to his wounds properly.
Hades speaks in #ec4511 Thanks Ghost for the second Sig
Admitted Hades. Secrets, some which would almost never loose their potential to cause chaos and mayhem no matter how old they were. There was a price to being a keeper.
>"Do you really think in this modern age of technology that you can slip into a life of anonymity?"
"It is possible, I have done it a number of times, for short periods, say a few years or so, but you are right, it is getting harder and harder to do."
>"I would still help you if you called. You know that, right?"
"Thank you. Well now I do."
Hades said with a slight smile. It was good to know that there were people who he could count on. Perhaps it was time to start building a network of people like that again.
>"It's not some sense of debt, Hades. I hated that you gave me something, and I hated it even more that I needed it."
Hades blinked. He was not quite sure how to respond.
"Noel, at a time where you barely knew me you helped me obtain something priceless. At I time when I knew very little about you, I trusted you and you repaid me more than a hundred fold. At the time you had a need and I was more than happy to help. I... I apologize if it caused discomfort."
Was that perhaps the wrong reaction? Should he have charged rent instead? Baaa these were things in the past. Hades mentally shook his head and moved on.
>"... You scare me, but we're still friends."
At this Hades rocked back and blinked a few times. A smile spreading slowly across his face. Just a small one. He pondered for a minute. It had been a while...
"You have seen more of me than most people ever do." He paused then sat forward.
"So, Noel, as you seem to be the resident expert, What do friends.." He looked at her with a hint of a glimmer in his eyes. "...do in this current... generation?"
