Fantasy Ascension PROJECT - The Tomorrow Era

[Refaulted]

Lucas looked out of the taxi window, angling his head back so he could see the grand skyscraper with full view. The slope of it made him wonder why the architecture of it had been chosen in such a way, as it didn't seem like a very wise choice to make. But it definitely made it stand out as an important building. The letter was right when it said that he would recognize easily. He wouldn't have to worry about going around Los Angeles as a confused newcomer, which was wonderful.


The taxi pulled into the roundabout, making it's way towards the front entrance. At least, Lucas assumed that's what it was. When it came to a lurching halt, Lucas leaned forward, pulling out his wallet in the process. He began pulling out a couple bills. "Thank you, sir. How much do I owe you?"


The man told him the fare he owed him, and Lucas paid him in exact change, to make it easier on the man. As Lucas was about to get out, the taxi man whistled in marvel at the DYNasty building. "You're a lucky son of a bitch, ya' know that? To get a job at such a major company like DYNasty. Heard that it was one of the greatest paying corporations in the world, and people call them the 'tomorrow of today', or some shit like that." Lucas only mumbled in response, knowing that he wasn't exactly 'hired', and more-so there to ease his curiosity.


After retrieving his large dufflebag and backpack from the back of the taxi car, he slapped the side of it twice to signal he was good to go. The taxi driver gave a quick wave, and then screeched his way through the rest of the roundabout. Lucas watched him make his way down the street, then out of sight. He was stalling, as he was apprehensive of what was to be expected of him once he met the man in charge of all this, Vincent Guite. With a heavy sigh, he turned and walked through the glass doors, into the building.


Once inside, he took in his surroundings. The lobby was a wide and tall room, with a marble floor that had different patterns of stone decorated around it. The walls were lined with pillars of metal painted white, that rose from the floor to the ceiling. On the far wall, opposite of the entrance, portraits of different men and woman lined orderly about it. Couches and tables were located around the floor of the room, with a couple business men and women speaking in low tones about things he could not hear clearly. In the center of the room, and rounded desk was being manned by a woman with coppery red hair, pulled back into a ponytail. She wore a black business suit, and she sat right below a large logo for the DYNasty company.


Unsure of where to go, he walked towards the woman, hefting his dufflebag higher onto his shoulder. She quickly glanced up at the approaching man, before returning to looking over something on her computer. When Lucas reached the desk, he barely opened his mouth when she spoke. "I'm deeply sorry. But we are not hiring anyone at this point and time. We appreciate you considering DYNasty as one of your options, but we are full on staff, and have no need for anyone else here right now. Thank you, and have a nice day."


Lucas stood there for a moment, confused at what had just happened, then shook his head, reaching into his pocket and pulling out the letter that had been sent to him. "I think you misunderstand. I don't want a job here. I received this letter from a man by the name of Vincent Guite, telling me that-"


Before he could finish, the woman snatched the letter out of his hand, opening it up and looking it over quickly, then placing it back in it's envelope and placing it in her desk. She then stood up and walked out from behind her desk, gesturing towards an elevator located on the wall to the left of the entrance. "I apologize, sir. I didn't realize you were one of the new employees. Please follow me." She then walked towards the elevator, with Lucas following a bit behind her. When they reached the elevator, the woman placed her hand on a pad on the wall next to it, which made a few beeping noises before allowing the elevator to open. The two walked inside, and the door closed behind them.


Once inside, the woman spoke again. "Floor 26, Briefing Room." As soon as she finished, the elevator began moving upwards. She then turned to Lucas. "I assume you must be Mr. Versailes. I read all the files on you and your teammates. I apologize for my rude behavior previously. I didn't realize who you were at first." Lucas stared at her, confused. Teammates? There were others he would be working with? Possibly like him? With powers? "My name is Lissandra Cian. You may call me Mrs. Cian, of course. I am an employee here at DYNasty, and one of Mr. Guite's assistants. I work at the front desk on occasion, like just now. I also work with some of the more delicate documents within the company, which means that I know everything about you...Metalmorph."


Lucas stood leaning against the elevator wall, watching the numbers crawl slowly higher and higher above the door of the moving room. His gaze shifted over to Mrs. Cian, realizing that only citizens of St. Louis called him Metalmorph. He would leave an engraving in metal surfaces whenever he took out a criminal back home, letting people know the alias of the vigilante, though not who he really was. The police hated him back there, as his methods were...extreme. But necessary. And lawful in equality.


The elevator finally reached the 26th floor, and came to a smooth halt. The door slid open, revealing a large room on the other side. A large, oval table took up a lot of space in the room, clear of everything except a couple of manila folders stacked neatly on the right side of the table. Mrs. Cian pointed to the seat in front of the folders. "Those are quick descriptions of those who you'll be working with, including one on yourself. We only gave out what we thought was necessary, and we will not give out any more information on them, since they have not yet arrived. Also." She reached into her pocket, and protruded a small electronic device. "Mr. Guite told me to give this to you specifically. You may set your bags down in the corner of the room, and we will set you up with appropriate accommodations before you leave here today." She gave a slight head nod/bow, then stepped back into the elevator. Before it close completely, she smiled, in a way that showed someone who was toying with their food. "Welcome to DYNasty, Lucas Versailes. Have a nice day."


After the elevator closed, Lucas turned back to the table. He set his gear down on the floor in the corner, then proceeded to walk over to where all the files were, and began reading through them, curious as to who he was getting mixed up in this with...


(@amb3rlin @Phineas Forge @DrCompton @Semblance @RoyalPhoenix32 This is the first post of the RP. You may now respond when you have the time. I will be updating the rules very soon, pertaining to IC rping, but for now, please make your posts at least three paragraphs for an introductory post. Thank you.)

 

[RoyalPhoenix32]

Ezra had boarded her plane with Huizhong and many of the school as well to see her off. While she wasn't born Chinese, she spoke the language well enough to get by and had found a family. She would miss them terribly. But now wasn't a time for tears, it was a time of smiles and no farewells for she was going to come back. Huizhong patted her on the head, though she had to bow with her height, and smiled with tears brimming his eyes.


"Xiaodan and Xiaolian. Both of you are off to see your home once more, but do not fret over an old man like me..."


"Huizhong! Your more of a father in the past 15 years than this one's birth father was. If it comes down to it, This one will not leave China and stay with family. Family here is more than family over there."


"*Sigh* Xiaodan and Xiaolian. Go, and see what this DYNasty holds for you both."


"I will Huizhong! I'll not forget you and your teachings!"


Arthur said as she temporary control as she boarded the private jet with her guqin and quarter staff in luggage. As the plane got ready for lift off, Ezra felt lonely as this would be the first time in nearly 15 years since her departure from the United States. While her birth family was there, they were the ones to give her up for adoption and later lead her to Arthur. She didn't feel excited to be going back but then again, this DYNasty knew a lot about her and she wanted know why this person wanted her to come to his company. Ezra fell asleep as Arthur took control, knowing she was safe. Within 12-13 hours, the private jet touched down in LAX Airport and both Ezra and Arthur woke up. They were finally back in their 'home' soil, well not home home but their native soil. Then came baggage claim and did both of them hate customs for having a weapon in her possession.


"I already hate it. Hot and dry air, not much better in China for damn sure."


Arthur murmured as she slung the guqin case and Quarter staff onto her back after having the quarter staff screened to leave the airport but in now way is she to use it. Ezra took control and nodded in agreement. She hated the hot weather already but DYNasty awaits them. She got into a cab and asked to go to DYNasty.


"I envy you for getting a job there. Everyone says its the 'tomorrow of today' or shit like that...Here we are."


The cab driver said as he drove to the DYNsaty building and asked for 3 dollars. Ezra looked sheepishly at him before giving him a solid 20 and told him to keep the change.


"This one thanks you for your wonderful service for driving her to this building. Bye!"


Ezra said as she got the guqin case and quarter staff onto her back before walking to the DYNasty building with her three bags in hand.

 

[amb3rlin]

Timea was nervous as hell. It wasn’t helping that she felt like a mess after a long day of travel. Gripping the handle of her roller bag she stood staring up at the tall building. Her sunglasses were smudged, her long hair was in a messy braid over her shoulder, and she knew she smelled like she had sat next to an overweight accountant with terrible body odor for five hours. . . because that’s exactly what she had just done. After her flight the previous day had been canceled she had settled for a redeye flight last night, with plans to arrive in LA early in the morning. Once she finally made it on the plane it had been her luck to be squished between the smelly accountant and a window that gave her a great view of the wing. It had been a miserable trip. With no time to settle into her hotel room, shower, or eat, she had to come straight to meet Vincint Guite at DYNasty. Timea crinkled her nose in frustration.


The entire flight she had worried about the letter, DYNasty, and this Vincent guy. How did they know what she could do? What if they wanted to do weird experiments on her? Would she ever see her family again? WHAT IF she blasted someone with her light beam in a panic? WHAT IF she burned the tower to the ground? WHAT IF SHE DESTROYED LA AND WENT DOWN IN HISTORY AS A VILAIN?!


With a lack of sleep and only airline pretzels and pepsi in her stomach, her imagination ran wild. She fought to rein it in. She took a step forward and sent her fears away. Another step and she straightened her shoulders. Another step and she smiled. Soon she had arrived in the lobby and located a restroom.


She threw open the diaper changing station and plopped her roller bag onto it with a bang. In a few deft motions she had stripped to her underthings and undone her hair. A skilled packer, she quickly withdrew a whole new outfit - jeans, navy blue v-neck, and simple but sophisticated gray boots with a slight heel. After washing her face, pulling her hair into a low ponytail, and reapplying deodorant and mascara she felt a million times better. What really did the trick was brushing her teeth. Much better.


“Alright girl, you’ve got this,” she told her reflection.


She gave herself one last look and a reassuring smile in the mirror before reemerging into the lobby. Her roller bag clicked along faithfully behind her as she approached the front desk. As she approached she took a deep breath and released her negative feelings from earlier in the day and focused on the good things ahead. Anger and worry had never solved problems for her. Warmth and optimism, however, had gotten her far.


“Hello, I am here to speak with Mr. Vincent Guite--am I saying his name correctly? I received a letter from him asking for a meeting here. This is a fantastic building! I can’t imagine how stunning the rest of it must be after just getting to see the lobby. It’s very welcoming for such a large space.”

 

[DrCompton]

Dwayne was a little anxious as his jet prepared to land, finishing the last of his bottled water he threw it into a waste container before settling into his seat and buckling up as the jet began it's descent.


Dressed in a dark blue suit, with his hair combed it looked as if he was just going to a business meeting, which is what he wanted. Dwayne was more nervous that because people knew who he was, his family would be in danger. This could be a trap, and so Dwayne wanted a plausible excuse out. Making his way to the car that was waiting for him, Dwayne only had a small carry on which held his uniform. When he told the driver the DYNasty building, the driver gave a quick look and drove, "Business meeting Mr.Compton?"


"Something like that, Bob." Giving the tone of 'I don't want to discuss this' Bob just smiled and drove.


As they pulled up to the building, Dwayne stepped out and looked toward Bob, "Park there, If I'm not out in 30 minutes, or any one asks you too, leave. I'll call if I need you again okay?" Bob nodded and proceeded to park.


Dwayne walked inside the building with his bag in his hand, looking around. He saw the lady who was dressed up and another woman talking, he walked up and gave his signature smile, "Excuse me, I dont mean to interrupt, but I also have a meeting with Mr.Guite." Dwayne couldn't help but give both woman a once over together. Normally he would have made a remark about how he wouldn't mind meeting with the two of them first, but he had other things on his mind, like who was Mr.Guite, and how the hell did he know who he was. Dwayne also figured that if the other woman was here to meet Mr.Guite as well, she probably had something special about her too, and until he figured out what it was, he would try not to piss anyone off.

 

[Phineas Forge]

As Sam got off the plane, she pulled her cell phone from her jacket to check the time. Despite having less contacts in her phone than fingers on her left hand, she still never left home without it. For her, it wasn't so much the idea of the being connected to others or being able to Twitter things, it just seemed like a useful tool to have if the need arose. It had the internet, which was a source of nearly infinite information, and the phone had GPS in case she ever needed to get around. Plus, it kept time, so she never needed to wear a watch. Seeing that she had time, she grabbed her bag and, using her handy dandy phone with GPS, headed to a highly rated restaurant near the airport. It wasn't anything special, just burgers, fries, and shakes... but Sam did love her some milkshakes.


After getting lunch, Sam found a dark alley behind the restaurant. Grabbing her phone once again, she deftly typed in DYNasty, searching for their building. Once she was sure where she was, Sam looked around, making sure she was alone, before grabbing all of her things. She then utilized her ability and converted herself and her belongings into astral forms. In this manner, Sam took off in flight straight towards the DYNasty building.She wasn't accustomed to flying with quite so much stuff, but she managed just fine though she grew tired quickly. For some reason, Sam had decided that having a taxi take her would be bad because there might be some way to follow her location as she traveled. She wasn't normally quite so paranoid, but this letter had changed everything.


She arrived about a block from the building and once again found a place that seemed to be desolate. This time, however, she found a place underneath a bridge. There was no one down there, just a cute little creek rushing by. She converted herself and belongings back to physical form and emerged from underneath the bridge. She was, needless to say, pretty tired from overuse of her abilities. She walked the last block, pulling her rolling luggage behind her. The walk made her show up a few minutes late, but she wasn't too worried... How many people like me can there be in this world? Doubt they'll turn me down for tardiness, she thought as she made her way into the building.

 

[Semblance]

Avalon stepped out of the yellow taxi with a compact gray suitcase in hand, her green eyes surveying the large building in front of her. She had spent the whole day traveling, flying through three time zones on a six hour plane ride. When she had finally landed in LAX, she wasn't used to the hot dry air. She had spent most of her life in New York, so she was used to more humid weather. The brunette reached into her bag to pull out some lotion; she could practically feel her skin drying up.


In her hand was the letter she had received from Vincent Guite, and she quickly skimmed the letter for the hundreth time. She had told her roommate that she was coming in for a job interview, but she knew that this was going to be more than just an interview. The letter had mentioned that this DYNasty company knew of her abilities, causing her head to be flooded with questions. She thought that she had been discreet when she was out saving people in NYC, but if a company from across the country in LA had noticed, she was worried about who else might know. This letter was all she had been thinking about for the past week, when she finally decided to come check it out herself.


Clad in black boots, dark skinny jeans, and a dark purple button up, she gave the taxi driver the fee and said thank you. "You know, I've been driving quite a few people to this place this week. You guys are lucky to have gotten this prestigious job," the driver informed her before speeding off.


Avalon wondered who the other people had been as she thought back to the letter. It had mentioned that she would be working with others like her as a team, and that made her nervous. She didn't even know that there were people out there like her, and she wasn't exactly the best at working in a team. She had spent most of her life fighting crime on her own, not relying on anybody but herself, and she wasn't too happy that she had to start now. Sighing, she fiddled with the letter in her sweaty hands as she walked up to the large curved building. She opened the glass doors and let the cool air conditioning hit her. The brunette walked up to the lady at the front desk, rolling her suitcase with her.


"Hi, I'm here to see Mr. Vincent Guite," she told the lady.

 

[RoyalPhoenix32]

After the interaction with the secretary, Ezra got into an elevator with her guqin case and quarter staff along with her three bags before heading to the floor she was told to go to. Along the way, Ezra was becoming irritated by the elevator music as it rang a sour note to her ears. Arthur reacted to the music by using the vectors to shut it off and it would remain off till she got off. Silence often didn't sit well with Ezra so she began to hum some Chinese music. A ding caught her attention and she got off the elevator, the music starting up again as the elevator doors closed.


'Good riddance to that horrendous piece what people call here music..,'


Ezra thought before she placed all her bags down in a corner along with her guqin case and quarter staff before opening her guqin case. The guqin was bought by Huizhong a year ago and still in good condition. She began playing while tuning at the same time, listening to the notes very carefully. She had hoped someone with sound was her so she could help the person along. Finally she got the strings tuned just right and began to play



.

 

[Refaulted]

Lissandra Cian

​

Mrs. Cian looked down at the watch that was located on her wrist. It was a very ornate one, made out of shining silver, and the small hands inside made of gold, with a small topaz in the center of it. It was the most expensive thing she owned, which had been a gift from her husband. She never left home without it, and constantly checked it to make sure it was there every time. She didn't want to lose such an expensive item.


She proceeded to look up from it just as the elevator doors opened back into the lobby. She was to await the rest of those who would take a part in Mr. Guite's program, and she didn't want to keep them waiting on her. She had to be there when they entered. Her own little pet peeve, truly. If she let them stand there due to her tardiness, Mr. Guite would probably demote her from top secretary, and she had worked hard to get there. As she sat back down and logged back onto her computer, she kept her eyes half on the front door in case there were any visitors.


After a few minutes, a young woman entered through the doors, carrying some bags, and a large case on her back. Quickly, Lissanra opened up a window on her computer, which showed the files of each guest they were to expect. She would rather not make a fool of herself as she did with the man before, so she wanted to be prepared from now on. Before the woman even walked up to the desk, Lissandra pointed in the direction of the elevators. "Miss Estrild, I presume. You may take the elevators over there up to the 26th floor, where the meeting room is. You may lay your things down anywhere in the room, as long as it is not obstructing the way of others paths to their seats. You my sit anywhere and await Mr. Guite there." She tilted her head and smiled. "Have a nice day, ma'am."


After her, the secretary encountered the rest of the ones that would be a part of the team. As they all came in at nearly the same time, Mrs. Cian's frown deepened slightly, here eye's matching faces with names on the files. After she memorized them, she ushered them over to the elevators, where she gave them the same speech she gave to the man named Lucas. Once at the correct floor, she practically pushed them out of the elevator, unhappy that Mr. Guite had chosen so many people for such a delicate project. But she wouldn't complain. After dismissing herself, she returned back down to the lobby, checking her watch as she descended...

Lucas Versailles

​

Lucas's eye's shot up from the file he was holding in his hands, staring directly at the elevator doors as he heard the sharp ding. As soon as he looked at the beautifully decorated doors, they opened to reveal a group of people, with Mrs. Cian standing behind them all. She seemed impatient, and this was only proven true when she ushered the ladies and gentlemen out of the elevator, only to close it as soon as they were out. He watched as the number slowly declined, meaning the woman was returning back to the bottom floor.


As soon as she was gone, Lucas folded the folder he had before been looking in, which was about the man Dwayne Compton, or 'Mr. Lightning'. He was the last one of the folders Lucas had looked through, and he was rather impressed by those he assumed he would be working with. He placed the folder gently on the table, before turning his chair to face them, looking them all over, though he had no right. He was definitely as confused as they were, if not more.





He pointed to the tan-skinned woman with long brown hair. "Timea Parsons..." He then swiveled his finger to point at the black-haired woman who seemed to have a goth-esque appearance. "Sam Pouze..." He turned to the lean, reddish-brown haired man. "Dwayne Compton..." Then the woman with chestnut hair and hazel eyes. "Avalon Chandler..." He then glanced over to the other black-haired woman, who had taken a seat near him. "Ezra Estrild..." Then, he looked over at the short man. "Gabriel Acosta..." Finally, he turned to the man brown hair and green eyes. "Adam Fero...That's all of you, I guess." He tried to give a welcoming smile, as he didn't want to seem like he was rude, but all he could manage was opening his mouth a slight amount. He gave up quickly, not wanting to make a fool of himself so easily in the first hour. "I'm Lucas Versailles. Not Luke. Lucas." He then turned back to the table, not giving them a chance to respond to his face. He opened the files to look them over again, trying to avoid eye contact until the Guite man came to see them.

 

[general ostruppen]

"Ceris..... Yeah I know but this is a really big opportunity for me that I want the most, and you don't see me getting that nowadays. I'm kind of tired of being a Merc." Adam had been driving for twelve hours straight in his customized Ford Shelby GT500. Having no sleep and getting a call from his girlfriend was not a good way to start off a new day. He was looking around for this Dynasty building and it took him awhile. After driving around for an hour and listening to his angry girlfriend he finally found the place. "Listen Ceris, I got to go. I think I found the place sooooo love yah bye." After abruptly hanging up and getting some relief, he parked his car to a empty slot and got out.


Adam then got out his Aviators and went inside. As he entered inside the building he went to the front desk and just chilled there. The women behind the counter looked at Adam with a concern look. "Ummm.. May I help you sir?" The women asked. Adam for some reason scanned the women and then pulled out his letter of invitation. "I'm here to meet a man that goes by the name of Mr. Vincent Guite." As he handed her the letter.


"Oh my looks like he's found himself a good batch of you people." She informed him as she ripped open the envelope and scanned the letter. Adam looked confused there for a sec (Wait a minute there are other people that got the same invite..... Huh well this is a cheesy small world). The lady then asked if Adam had any luggage that he needed carried, he nodded in reply and the lady called in someone to retrieve his luggage. Adam gave luggage boy his keys and followed the counter lady to an elevator. Adam when entering the elevator realized that the music was crap. So he grabbed out his phone and blasted it to full, listening to "Ride or Die" 2 Chainz.


He arrived to the bottom and was led to the meeting. "Sweeeet."

 

[amb3rlin]

So Mrs. Cian seemed nice, if a little uptight. Timea was ushered into the elevator along with a few others, and somehow ended up in the most awkward spot on the elevator: right in the middle of the group. She held her roller bag close and tapped her fingers on the plastic handle. It was difficult to be discreet about sizing everyone else up when she was in the center. Instead she became very interested in watching the electronic screen above the doors as it ticked past numbers, showing all the floors they were passing.


When the doors dinged open it was a relief to get out. The click of her roller bag’s wheels followed her into the large room. Timea was used to meeting rooms, but this was by far the fanciest one she had ever been in. Everything was high quality, polished, and screamed money.


The room was occupied by a woman playing a strange instrument and a man who proceeded to point and say everyone’s name. As he said her name, Timea flourished her hand and did a little bow, smirking slightly as she did so. Inside, however, her stomach was flip-flopping. She saw the file. There was a file. She had been sent a letter. What was this place? What did they know?


Throwing discreetness out the window, Timea openly studied the rest of the group. They looked a little confused, a little awed by the scope of the building and the splendor of the meeting room perhaps. Mostly she noticed they all looked really. . . young.


God, did that mean she looked old to them? Her younger siblings saved their teasing about age for the eldest, Tonia. Timea had always been fun and cool and exciting. Air Force pilot, helicopters, world travel, mysteriously single and all that.


She felt like chances were good she was the only one in the group who had celebrated their 30th birthday, and really. . . She was halfway to her 40th now.


Good gravy that was a grim thought.


Taking a deep breath she decided to embrace it. She was second oldest in her large family, so she knew how to be the big sister. They were here for a meeting. Let’s get to it.


“Alright, well, thanks for the introductions Luke -- I mean, Lucas. Lucas, thank you. Looks like we can all set our things to the side, take a seat, and hopefully Mr. Guite will be in soon. I dunno about the rest of you but I um. . . I’d love to hear whatever he’s going to pitch us. I had no idea there would be er. . . You guys. Others.”


As she spoke she set aside her roller bag and took a seat, indicating that the rest of them should follow suit. She chose to sit across the table from Lucas. Mostly so she could get a better look at him.


That one might have hit 30. Now it was a game and she had to find out. She squinted at him and titled her head to the side, trying to decide.

 

[general ostruppen]

As Adam was approaching the meeting room, he was accompanied by several other people. He figured that these people must be the other invited people. They entered the meeting room and there sat some business looking person. He decided to call dibs on the chair across from the person. He took the seat and laid his feet onto the chair. He simply listened to this Lucas man (Course this wasn't the Boss, Seriously when are we going to actually speak to the man). Adam heard a buzz on his phone and took it out to check.


Of course it was Ceris and she was pretty upset and lonely that he hung up so quickly. Ceris is the type of girl who always worries about Adam, always being worried and scared when I don't come back on time or call her back like usual, that's what he like about her. She's the only other person that actually cares about him. He texted back to her saying that he was in a meeting and he'll give a call when he gets his room. As he was typing he took another glance at everyone and it was obvious that everyone was uncomfortable in a way. So he decided to break this awkwardness once and for all. He finished his text with Ceris and started breaking the silence that stood.


"Soooooo when exactly is this Guite guy suppose to be here. I mean no offense but I didn't drive twelve hours straight to just sit here and watch everyone awkwardly look at each other. Is he coming or what?" He stared at Lucas for a response and looked around to see if anyone will say anything themselves. Hopefully someone else other then Lucas starts talking.


@amb3rlin @Phineas Forge @DrCompton @Semblance @RoyalPhoenix32 @Refaulted

 

[jaundice]

Gabriel hated the oppressive feeling of the city; he had never been to Los Angeles before, and it was certainly not New York City, but the crowding and the high buildings put a bad taste in his mouth. The California dry heat was no help to his mood, either, especially not when he was in a suit. He had hoped that it didn't look too cheap, but it was the only one he had. You couldn't buy Armani on a research assistant's salary, even if he hadn't been out of work for a few months now. Still, what he had was better than nothing.


To be sure that he made the best impression possible on his new boss and coworkers, he had worn plain clothes on the long train ride from Chicago to California, and changed into his suit at the Amtrak station bathroom before catching a cab. The DYNasty building itself, though he was not fond of skyscrapers, was aesthetically pleasing. A modern art installment in and of itself. It would be an honor to work with such an acclaimed company, to be able to further his research under their mantle without having to hide his nature or slog through any more graveyard dirt. He chuckled, wondering what they thought of his escapades back at Princeton- surely, if they knew about him, they knew about that.


He had hardly stepped up to the front desk when a smartly dressed woman herded him into an elevator with a group of strangers. The quiet was unnerving. Even more unnerving, Gabriel found when he looked at the people around him, none of their appearances really screamed 'scientist.' He clasped his hands in front of himself to prevent them from shaking. He couldn't be mistaken about what this company wanted from him, could he?


By the time they had reached the 26th floor, as he filed out with the rest of them, Gabriel felt taut enough to break. Some man called his name as he was lowering himself gingerly down into a seat.


“Valdez Acosta, Mr. Versailles,” he corrected automatically. “Two surnames. Americans always get that wrong.”


He opened the file on the desk and felt himself blanch. He scanned one page as fast as he could before flipping to the next, the horror and the anger pooling in his stomach. Thoughts of a state of the art lab and brilliant coworkers and a 6 digit salary that had eagerly been dancing in his mind were suddenly, cruelly, extinguished.


Pushing his file away from him as though disgusted with it, he said, perhaps louder than he should have, “This is a goddamn joke. And a bad one. You want to know where Mr. Guite is right now, buddy? He's sweating us out, waiting until we're good and ruffled so he can be the good guy and smooth it all over. Christ. I knew I was too hopeful to assume I'd be working with actual scientists, doing what I took out the cost of a small island in loans to learn to do. Instead I've been signed on for a freak show.” He gave a dry, humorless laugh. “Which one of you is the bearded lady?”

 

[Semblance]

Avalon followed Mrs. Cian and the others into the elevator to the 26th floor. She already hated this elevator music, and the secretary's grump attitude was not helping. She shot a glare at her before turning her piercing gaze onto the others cramped in the same elevator. They didn't really look like what she had expected. Everyone looked so different, and she was already starting to regret this a little. She didn't expect there to be other people. Avalon was more of the independent, self-reliant kind of woman, and being forced to work with people she barely knew was hardly her forte.


Sighing, she stepped out of the elevator, well practically pushed out by the secretary, with the others. They were greeted by a man in a chair who obviously wasn't Mr. Guite but acted like he owned everything. Great, she had only been here for less than ten minutes and she was already regretting her decision. The only thing that kept her from turning around and walking right out of the building was the fact that she had flew 6 hours across the country and across 3 time zones from New York City to Los Angeles.


Avalon took a seat in the waiting room, putting her suitcase next to her, and shot the man she now knew as Lucas a glare when he said her name. She redirected her blazing gaze onto the two men and woman who had just spoken up. "I have no idea, but if he's not here in the next five minutes, I'm out," she said with annoyance. "I didn't fly 6 hours to be stood up." Her piercing hazel eyes scanned each person in the room, wondering what kind of people they were.


@jaundice @general ostruppen @amb3rlin

 

[general ostruppen]

"Well aren't you the inspiration of a scientist we need. Telling everyone that were in a freak show to make this atmosphere even worse. Good first impression you made." Adam stared at this stranger and this guy was probably going to be a downer if they ever worked together. Hopefully that was never going to be the case. He straightened himself up alittle, "By the way I'm assuming that when you said Freak Show, I'm going to say that your a freak yourself?"


He was wondering to himself what was the reason that this person got brought here for. I mean seriously this guy doesn't look all that much, but of course he never put the final judgement on someone right off the bat. While he was waiting for the stranger to respond he went onto his phone and started playing his recent song but had the volume low. He looked at the person with the red hair who just responded. "You think flying in a plane for six hours is bad, try driving on the road for twelve hours and only stopping five times."

 

[Semblance]

Avalon rolled her eyes, hoping that whatever they were here for, she wasn't going to have to be working with these people. She shot a glare at the European man and retorted, "And what makes you an actual scientist? If anything, you're the only freak show here."


She redirected her attention onto the man with the dirty blonde hair. "Damn that sounds rough. Where did you come from? And why didn't you just take the plane?" she asked, partly because she was curious why he would have go through the trouble to drive and partly because she figured that if she was forced to work with these people, she might as well start making nice.


@general ostruppen @jaundice


(she actually has brown hair! ahaha

 

[general ostruppen]

"Well if you must know, I'm a driver and I don't like being the passenger. Plus my car I hand made from scratch, took me three years to get the parts and materials to actually build the thing. It a beauty I tell yah." He grinned with pleasure of taking pride of his work. He then figured that this girl was an ok person and shouldn't get her on a bad side.


"I also like taking my car for a spin wherever I go, especially whenever Im on a case." He then leans back onto his chair and feeling the lack of sleep creeping up on him. He sets his eyes for awhile till he had to respond again.


@Semblance

 

[jaundice]

Gabriel tapped his fingers on the table irately, sliding his gaze down to the man audibly playing his music, then to the mouthy brunette- respectively, Adam and Avalon, if he recalled from the file. He wouldn't doubt that they hadn't read a whole book between the two of them in a year. He took the time now to loosen his tie; this wasn't the job interview he had come to Los Angeles expecting, and if he was going to be trapped in a room with these jokers for too much longer, he might as well make himself more comfortable.


"What makes me an 'actual scientist,'" he bit out, making vicious air quotes, "is a combination of factors, which you might know if you took the time to read my file before shooting off your puta mouth. For one thing, I have an Ivy League degree in Bioengineering. For another, I've been a paid researcher in a genuine laboratory. I am positive that I am overqualified to hell and back for whatever we're being roped into doing. And for the record, yes, I unfortunately and with great begrudging count myself among the ranks of you as freaks. I don't know if I ever made national news, but if you heard about a guy digging up graves in Princeton, New Jersey..."


He clicked his tongue and pointed at himself. "The Necromancer cometh."


(@Semblance Just by the way, Gabriel is ethnically Colombian, not European)

 

[Semblance]

Avalon was getting ready to reply to the man with the dirty blonde hair when the previous man spoke up.


"Excuse me?" She was insulted. She knew exactly what puta meant. "Before you starting calling other people whores, why don't you make sure you can back up your insults?" she spat, standing up angrily. "And by the way, reading your file wasn't worth my time, you pretentious pig." Avalon was ready to kick this guy's ass. After spending years on the streets helping people with her powers, she had encountered numerous gangs. Granted she always kept her distance but she had the decency to learn close combat techniques should a time come when she couldn't use her powers. She had encountered many arrogant, pretentious narcissists like him in New York, and she despised every one of them. Her piercing hazel eyes glared at his, practically burning a hole through him. "I could tear you apart, puto," she said in a low voice, anger flashing in her eyes.


@jaundice @general ostruppen


(oops! my bad haha)

 

[DrCompton]

Dwayne slipped his hands into the pocket of his suit and walked to the table, looking at the profiles. He picked up his own, wondering what they had on him, he thumbed through it. They had enough. If something were to happen to this file everyone would know who he was, and that would put his parents in danger. That was something Dwayne had tried very, very hard to avoid. His hands trembled a little as he closed to profile, he looked at the table again, and sat it down. He opened each profile, read it quickly and sat it back down.


He looked around the room, this looked like a great group of people Mr.Guite as assembled. He didn't feel safe here at all, but he figured they all had their power, or something to offer. Dwayne watched the three argue as the others did their own thing, "Well this isn't really fair, Im the only one here without a power." Dwayne smiled a little, "And you should all calm down, I have a feeling all of us are going to be best friends, or at least find a way to pretend to be best friends. Mr.Guite didn't just randomly pick a handful of people with powers to get them all together to kill them." Dwayne paused a moment, "Actually, maybe he plans to take over the world and plans to kill us all right now. That would be a shame." Dwayne pulled a chair out at the end of the table and sat down, placing his right leg over his left.


"But even if he plans to kill us all, I need you three to be best friends until we get out of here, I'd rather not end up like one of Mr.Valdez Acosta's husks." Dwayne pulled out his phone, checking his email, before putting it back into his suit pocket, "Also, Mr.Valdez Acosta, I've been meaning to get in contact with you anyways, CSEI needs a new lead for a Bio-engineer program we're opening up, I called your last boss. He called you an asshole, but a very smart asshole. I need smart people, I could care less how you treat your lab workers."

 

[RoyalPhoenix32]

Ezra just continued to play her guqin, opting to ignore the others. Arthur had the same idea as well. The music calmed her and Arthur along with providing some much needed distraction for her since Arthur didn't like how one of them was being a Húndàn, or asshole in English. Then someone asked when Mr. Guite was coming and she didn't pause but softened the music.


"This one doesn't know when he'll show. This one believes he wishes to see how we react to one another."


"Same."


Ezra said while Arthur agreed before both went back to playing the guqin.


 
That was before she heard the word 'freak' and 'puta'. She stopped playing her guqin and looked at the who said those words, her vectors highly visible for all to see. Arthur was pissed.


"I dare you to say that again, pìyǎn,"


Arthur said while glaring at the person who dare call her and Ezra freaks and their mouth a 'puta'. Her vectors, 4 in total, were wiggling and ready to cause some damage.

 

[Semblance]

Avalon's glare redirected onto the man who had spoken up without a power. After a few moments, she sighed and sat back down in her chair, figuring that this pretentious ass wasn't worth her time. "Pigs will fly before I become best friends with this egomaniac ass," she muttered as she opened up her file. It surprised her how much information Mr. Guite had on her, and she had to admit that it made her feel wary. How was a man all the way across the country able to get this much about her?


When she was done reading, she turned back to Dwayne. "So if you don't have a power, then what can you do? Mr. Guite must have had a good reason to call you here as well," she asked, letting her hazel eyes focus on him. Avalon glanced over at the woman who seemed to be talking to herself and wondered what her backstory was. She knew that everyone in this room must have interesting histories, as most people with powers like them do.


@DrCompton @RoyalPhoenix32

 

[DrCompton]

Dwayne held his hand up to Erza, "Erza, or Arthur, Im not sure who Im talking too, or if Im talking to you both. But if Guite is waiting for us to react to each other he wants us all here for a reason. And that reason isn't to kill each other. The files provided have a very in depth analysis of us all. If one of us is a freak, we all are. Thats why we're here." He went through the room, pointed at each individual and said what their ability was, or at least what powers they had all been willing to use to prove his point. "As I said before, Im the only one here without a legitimate power, unless you count my brain and my money. Im probably the smartest person here, and I promise Im not tooting my own horn. I admit Mr.Valdez Acosta could take me on Bio-Engineering, but I'd only need a few weeks of study to catch up to him. Also Im Mr.Lightning." Dwayne looked at Avalon when he mentioned who he was, then started to look around the room, "We're clearly being assembled here for a purpose. Probably to be a team of some sort, what we'll be doing? I haven't the slightest clue. But judging from these files we're all... "good" guys, and gals." Dwayne looked around the room. "So it won't do any good to turn on each other here, or make enemies in this group. If you're not wanting to be apart of team, I doubt Guite will force you. Im not saying we have to be best friends, but the best thing we can do now is wait patiently without attacking each other and see whats being offered to us."


@RoyalPhoenix32 @Semblance

 

[jaundice]

Gabriel couldn't help but roll his eyes at the threats and the hostility. Brutishness such as that always revealed which people were not clever enough to come up with a scathing rejoinder, and who did not have wits worth his time spent entertaining. Instead, he turned his attention to the so-called “Mr. Lightning.” Now, here was someone a bit more respectable. He sat up a little straighter and looked up and down the table at everyone, to make sure they had caught the compliment and the job offer, and would know to demonstrate him some courtesy.


He nodded, saying affably, “You must be Compton. I saw the name in the file, but I thought it must be a coincidence. I've never been so glad to be mistaken. I've been following your father's company for a long time; admirable work. If we are allowed to leave here in our preferred states, I would be delighted to work with your people, as long as you aren't too put off by what you've read about me.”


For emphasis, he wiggled his fingers, like a fairy tale witch casting a spell. Without fully realizing it, he had begun to lean forward in his seat, eyes intense and fixed. Even if nothing came of this fiasco at DYNasty, such a high position under the Compton Industries banner was prestigious enough to have anyone in his field drooling.


“Mr. Compton, I won't debate your genius, we're both better than that. You're no doubt a polymath with all the perks. But, that is the failing of the jack of all trades: a month's worth of even the most intense study is still cursory. That is why people like you hire people like me to head their departments. And, besides,” here he smiled, practically leered, “if you asked anyone else in the world but me, true cell reanimation is still only theoretical. That's what makes science beautiful, isn't it?”





Self-satisfied, he let himself relax back into his chair. At the very least now, if he did choose to go along with Vincent Guite's bad joke, he knew there was one person among them who knew what he was talking about. For now, he would try to follow Compton's advice, and not make very many more people cross with him. He knew well enough that he couldn't promise that of himself, of course, but he could make an effort.

 

[amb3rlin]

Timea winced as insults started to get tossed around. Now she not only felt old, she felt old and stupid. She sat among geniuses, apparently. She fidgeted openly in her seat, obviously uncomfortable. Tension in the group made her extremely uneasy. To her it seemed clear that people were jockeying for position, attempting to establish who was leader and who they could ally with.


One reason Timea had thrived in military life was due to the fact that such things had always been so clear. You walk into a room and know your place, know your rank, know your chain of command. It was something she dearly missed in civilian life. There were no ranks on everyone’s shoulder that let you know where you stood with them.


Or name tags, those were pretty helpful too. She’d forgotten half the names already. The files that had been on the table were being perused by others and were out of her reach. As some more rude comments were made her fingers itched for the distraction. Instead she chose to literally twiddle her thumbs and try to gauge a good moment to jump in and try to smooth things over.


When what’s-his-name, Comp-whosits, starting listing off everyone’s powers she became even more tense. Re-animation. . . That terrified her. She glanced nervously at the scientist as he adjusted his tie, and nearly jumped out of her seat when he wiggled his fingers. Necromancer, he had said. The idea scared her, causing the blood to drain from her face.


Not quite as unsettling was Ezra’s display of power. The vectors seemed so alien and intimidating. It didn’t help ease her mind when someone said something about someone named Arthur while looking at Ezra. . . Who the heck was Arthur? What was the deal with that? Did the vectors have a name? Was she possessed? Arthur was an odd name for an alien overlord but at this point Timea was becoming rather open-minded to the stories she would believe of the room’s inhabitants.


“Mr. Lightning is right,” she jumped in. It was obvious she purposefully avoided looking at Gabriel, and she still appeared pretty tense. However, her voice was steady. “Name-calling and attacks and um. . . displays of power--” she shot a nervous glance toward Erza “--aren’t going to get us what we really need. We need more information, and it seems like the only person who can give us that is this Mr. Guite. And to be honest, I’d bet money he’s watching this whole exchange. The letter felt like an invitation to an interview to me. . . Maybe this is it.”

 

[RoyalPhoenix32]

Arthur calmed down a bit as she went back to playing her guqin. The music began to soothe her angered frayed mind to a calm peaceful mind.


"This one agrees with your words, but...This one takes offense anyone calls her freak. Many do not like being called that and this one is included."


She said as she continued to play her guqin. She saw one person a bit unnerved by her display and stopped playing.


"This one is sorry for unnerving you...I'm sorry as well...This one is Ezra...and I'm Arthur...Arthur is this one's...Other personality."


Ezra said with Arthur chiming in at times.


@DrCompton @amb3rlin