Fantasy Ascension PROJECT - The Tomorrow Era

[general ostruppen]

Adam had been observing everyone and been keeping quite. (Well this isn't what I expected to turn out. But At least now I knew who was hot headed or more calm) He turned his attention to the file in front of him. The only file he read was about him, just to see how much they new about him. Luckily they didn't put down to much info. He spread out each and every other individuals info in front of him. He started scanning each and every one of them carefully. He overheard Ezra talking about her split personality and took an interest on her when he realized that she knew different forms of martial arts from the files, "So Ezra you know martial arts yourself?"


@RoyalPhoenix32

 

[Semblance]

(ahaha yea i made Avalon's personality tough, sassy, and stubborn so she might be hard to work with ahaha, sorry guys )


Avalon listened intently at Dwayne's explanation of his skills. She was amazed that someone could be so intelligent, and he was both smart and nice, unlike the pretentious ass over there. She sat back in her chair and looked around the room, studying each and every one of them now that she had calmed down. She knew that she probably hadn't made the best first impression, but she didn't really care. The brunette was tough, sassy, and independent. Avalon had been relying on only herself for the past few years fighting crime in New York City, and she didn't see why she would have to suddenly start working with other people. She had been this close to not even coming, but her curiosity got the best of her. Who was Vincent Guite, and how did he know about her powers? Speaking of which, she was starting to get a little impatient that he was taking so long, but she kept her mouth shut.


She directed her attention onto the oldest woman of the group when she mentioned how this might be their interview. "I don't know how I feel about being watched without even knowing who it is," she said. "It makes me feel like a lab rat," she added, shuffling uncomfortably in her seat.


@amb3rlin

 

[DrCompton]

Dwayne nodded to Gabriel and gave him a brief smile. "Good to know Mr.Valdez Acosta." When Timea spoke, Dwayne turned his attention and nodded to her. Dwayne had been making mental notes of each person, and Timea had earned a spot as Dwayne's potential confidant in this circle of misfits. Taking out his phone he began to answer emails, the task was a bland attempt to make Dwayne look preoccupied as he continued to add to his mental dossier of each person in the room. Timea was smart, spoke calm with authority, even if she was intimated. Also she was cute. Gabriel was smart, but too brash. He would rub people wrong, he wouldn't be a strong ally. Ezra and Arthur were too much of a wild card. He'd only met the protective personality, while Erza played her music. That worried Dwayne. Avalon also seemed like she had a decent head on her shoulder. Dwayne looked up and watched the interaction between the two females Dwayne considered best to be an ally thus far, then looked back at his phone. He wasn't sure about Lucas, Sam, or Adam. Lucas had only spoken when Dwayne had first walked in, Sam hadn't spoke once that Dwayne could remember, and Adam had been very brash at the beginning, starting the original argument with Gabriel, then suddenly shut up when others had jumped in.


Dwayne put his phone away, again looking around the room. He'd decided this group of misfits could be assembled to be a decent team, even with the rocky start. The question was, who would lead them? Unless Guite was hiding something, Dwayne had automatically assumed himself to be the leader of this group. And other than Timea, who had been a soldier, Dwayne felt that no one else commanded respect other than himself. He kept the thought to himself and looked toward the females again, "I wonder if we've already failed, fighting each other." Dwayne smiled a little, indicating the sentence should be considered a joke, "And he's just leaving us in here so we can't cause in trouble." Then he focused on Timea, "So you were in the Air Force, in charge of your own Helicopter right? Im sure that must have been an exciting life?"


@amb3rlin @jaundice

 

[RoyalPhoenix32]

@general ostruppen


Ezra cocked her head to the side.


"This one does know martial arts but she will not demonstrate it for anyone."


She said before going back to playing her guqin. It was a good chance for her to get better at blocking people out when she plays the guqin, but she will only answer when her name is called.


'This one is getting better...Yeah, a bit better at playing it...Not as much as Huizhong...No, not as good as that old man...'


She thought and Arthur chimed in as well.

 

[Refaulted]

Lucas Versailes




​

Lucas's eyes stayed fixed on the man, Gabriel, as he went into his own rant about them all being here. He seemed entirely pissed off at what he had come all the way here here, and most likely expected something entirely different than what he got. But Lucas had assumed that, once he stepped into the building, thing's would be more in line with his abilities. What other reason would a company as large and powerful as DYNasty reach out to him, a thirty-year-old mechanic who works behind one of his brother's bar. They knew he had his strange power, and that was not safe for him. If it was let out who he was, he would surely be arrested when he went back home. The police there were not happy about how he handled things, even though he was vastly more successful than any elite police force in the city.


Out of the corner of his eyes, he noticed Timea looking at him, apparently trying to decide something about him. He turned to look at her briefly, before picking up his own file and sliding it across the table to her. "I have nothing to hide about myself here. You can read anything you want about me. You want to know something about me, ask." He then turned to Gabriel again, his face a stone-cold mask as he listened to him angrily fight with the man named Adam, and then seemed to go and begin getting cozy with Dwayne. They spoke about science things that Lucas didn't truly care about. Timea spoke up after he seemed to relax a bit, speaking about how Mr. Guite was probably eavesdropping on what they were saying already.


Once they seemed to be finished talking, Lucas himself spoke up. "I'm sorry I got your name wrong, Gabriel. That's my bad. I thought it didn't really matter. I thought it was just a middle name. I'll make sure I get it right in the future..." His eyes scanned the room, though he stayed turned to the man. "I also think you should be slightly less of an asshole. All of us are probably nervous, since someone knows who, or what, we are. For some of us, me for sure, that is pretty dangerous. Even though I bet you don't really care, and are visibly upset that your plans were not...well, ideal, but maybe we should see what this Guite guy has to say. As he takes all of us 'freaks', as you call us, I'm sure he wouldn't kill us. At least not right away. We have things we bring to the table, each of us, that are amazing. If we are just patient, then everything'll be sorted out, just like that."


"Well spoken, Mr. Versailes. Or, on the streets of St. Louis that you're called, Metalmorph."

Lucas looked over his shoulder as a door opened near the back of the room, flipping out towards them. Out of the door stepped a older man in a black suit. He walked over to the end of the table, with the California sunshine glowing outside the large window at the end of the room. The gentleman stood rather tall, probably close to six feet tall. His hair was strikingly strange, with it swiped white to the side in the front, and then slicked back salt-and-pepper colored in the back. He had thick eyebrows above dark brown eyes, and wore a cheerful smile on his lips. Facial ringed around his mouth, leading down to his jawline and going up towards near his ears. He stood with a sort of dignity about him, showing that he was a man in charge of things, though he also had an air of a calm cheer about him that Lucas found rather odd. But he didn't say anything, for fear he would anger the man with his first words.

Another person followed the man into the room. One was a woman with short blonde hair, which swung to the right side of her face. Her eyes were a misty grey, and seemed to focus on each and everything in the room. She wore lipstick that was a light red, which struck out against her pale skin. She wore a black dress that reached down just to her knees. She also wore clean, white cloves on either hand, hiding delicate hands. She had a lean frame, which could have been from the participation of gymnastics, or some other form of exercise. In one of her hands, she held a clipboard, a seemed to be jotting down notes as she looked over the grouped up citizens. Her eyes almost felt like they were piercing you like a hawk.





The older man pulled the seat located at the end of the table opposite of the elevator, and gently lowered himself into it. The woman stood closer to the window, near the corner of the room. The man then folded his hands together, placing them on his stomach, and giving his smile to each of the amassed beings in the small meeting room. "I deeply apologize for being late. I was caught up on the phone with a potential customer, and I would not want to seem like a man who is so selfish as to leave in the middle of such an important business call." He shrugged his shoulders. "What's a man to do? Now, let me stop rambling, hm? I assume that it is very apparent, but my name is Vincent Guite, but you may call me Vince. I am the CEO of DYNasty. This..." He gestured with his hand to the woman in the corner of the room, who curtsied slightly. "Is one of my top assistants, Sydney Marcell. She handles most of the employee service, so if you ever need help with something, you may have her help you if she is free."


He then leaned forwards, placing his arms on the table. "Now, I'm sure you all are wondering why you are here. And it truly is not a difficult, or complex, answer. I will keep it brief. I am a man who looks for solutions. I do not enjoy starting problems, but if it is to better the world and gain our way closer to overall peace, then I will do what I must, no matter what. But, mere humans are not what can help achieve such a world. There are those who wish to see chaos befall the world, and want the our very ways of life to crumble into a smoldering pile of ash. Now...that's where I wonder...Will you step up to the job of protecting those who cannot defend themselves, bringing the world into the world of tomorrow of peace and positivity?"


Lucas sat there, contemplating what the man said. He definitely seemed to think his words through before saying them, which Lucas had learned that most any business man needed to succeed. And he didn't seem to be lacking his own stance of humbling himself to his guests. The Missouri man sat with his arms crossed over his chest, thinking about what he truly wanted. If he accepted to assist the man, then he would be submitting the freedom of a vigilante to a company that may just end up using him. But he wanted to protect the innocent...His eyes slid over to the others in the room, then he shrugged his shoulders. "Frankly, I will leave if I find commands to be against my moral code. But you know how to talk, buddy. I want to protect people. All I have back home is a car workshop and my brother. As long as I can protect people, I'll help you out with this...project of yours, or whatever." He looked back over to everyone. "What about you guys? Sounds like a fun time, really."

 

[RoyalPhoenix32]

Ezra stopped playing her guqin to look at Mr. Guite. Very charming and having about the same feel as Huizhong...She stared at him with her head cocked to the side, contemplating his words before Lucas spoke up.


"This one would love to join...I as well...Nice to meet you, Mr. Guite. This one knows you know her by her files...Same here but get no mistake. I'm here because...This one is sorry for Arthur's outburst. She...Ezra, seriously. Don't...This one doesn't condone the use of violent words...Alright, I won't use violent words...Good, this one will...But, I only do this for the people that can't defend themselves...This one agrees as well."


Ezra said before both she and Arthur got into a small argument over something, only they would know.

 

[Semblance]

Avalon's attention fell onto the tall man and the blonde secretary who had just walked into the room. The man known as Vincent Guite had a commanding aura, as if his mere presence ordered authority. She listened intently to what he was saying and paused for a few moments when the offer was given. She enjoyed her independence and freedom, never having to rely on anyone but herself. However, it seemed like what this man was offering was something bigger, and greater. Avalon had only been able to help the defenseless of New York City, but if she got an opportunity to help the whole country, even the world, that was not a chance she could pass up.


Her piercing hazel eyes glanced from Luke, who had already agreed, back to Vincent. "I will join too," she said firmly, meeting his eyes. "But I assure you, if you try to exploit my abilities or force me to do something I do not want to, you will regret it and I will leave," she added just as firmly.


@Refaulted

 

[jaundice]

Gabriel's eyes flickered away from Compton- he was satisfied to know that he was surely held in high regard by one person at least- to focus on Versailles. About to make a retort, he closed his mouth upon the long awaited entrance of Vincent Guite. During his preparation for the interview, Gabriel had taken the liberty of researching the man who had contacted him. He was more impressive in person as he was in photos. One could smell the charisma on him. A real businessman.


Thoughtfully, he chewed through Guite's words and found himself wanting. He tried to control the surprise on his face when, right off the bat, people began to throw themselves into his lap. Regardless of their opinion on him, it was clear that there needed to be a touch more cynicism in the group, which he was happy to provide.


Voice dripping with irony, he leaned forward in his seat and asked, “What's the starting salary going to be, Mr. Guite?”


“I mean, I can only assume you mean to pay us exorbitantly, if you believe that the only line it will take to buy us into your project is 'Boys and girls, we're going to save the world!' What exactly does that entail? You want us out there fist-fighting for the good of mankind? You're a weapons manufacturer; peace is bad for business. I don't have moral qualms about that, of course, I respect the free market like everyone else, but I don't like double-talk. What's in it for you? What's in it for me?”

 

[general ostruppen]

Adam followed up on what lucas said. "Hell yeah Ima join, Also Guite 10/10 for your hair." He was finally meeting the big man himself and was ready to get a move on. "So when do we start working?" He looks around and is happy to hear that everyone is well more cooperative. If that's the correct word for it. He gets off his chair to stretch his legs, he then looks out the window to gaze the city.

 

[amb3rlin]

"I don't know how I feel about being watched without even knowing who it is," Avalon said. "It makes me feel like a lab rat.”


“Agreed,” Timea responded with a grimace. “And ever since. . . this power thing happened, I’ve been trying to avoid becoming a lab rat, you know?”


As Ezra and . . . whoever else spoke from Ezra, apologized for startling her, Timea had to fight to keep her face calm. Split personality maybe? She had never encountered anything like that. She felt guilty that she was so apprehensive of Ezra, but the way she talked to the way she separated herself from the group and played her strange instrument was enough to cause Timea’s intuition to raise the alarm.


Thankfully Mr. Lightning--what was his name, somebody Compton, right?-- spoke to her then, asking about her time in the Air Force. A rush of pride filled her and a smile lit up her face.


“In charge of my own helicopter.” She chuckled, but her tone was kind as she explained. “I was the pilot and crew leader of a Sikorsky HH-60 Pave Hawk. To keep it simple the Pave Hawk is a tricked out Black Hawk, and I specialized in search and rescue missions. Buy me a beer and I’ll tell you about some of my missions. The ones I’m allowed to talk about anyway!”


Her attention was drawn away to a few of the files as they exchanged hands around the room. The chance to talk about her life as an Air Force pilot was a nice distraction, but her worry returned as she wondered who might be looking over her file and what they were thinking. Was she old, stupid, not as powerful as the others? She found her gaze flickering toward Lucas. He met her eyes and willingly gave her his own file to peruse.


"I have nothing to hide about myself here. You can read anything you want about me. You want to know something about me, ask."


Timea only had a moment to feel thankful and impressed as the man they had all been waiting for finally made his appearance. Mr. Guite had a presence of command about him. He carried himself well and seemed confident in who he was. It wasn’t until Mr. Guite took a seat at the table that Timea realized she had stood at attention when he entered the room. In the military, when a commanding officer entered the room everyone rose in respect and stood ready for orders. Old habits die hard. After Mr. Guite was settled Timea gracefully returned to her own seat.


His pitch was intriguing. It had never occurred to her to use her power to help others. She spent her life in service to her country, and then as an emergency medical pilot. That had always been her passion, her plan, and she only knew one way to do it: flying. It was an epiphany to her that she could do more.


As a few people in the room vocalized their conditional support, she found herself uncharacteristically quiet. When the young, brash scientist asked about pay and began to question the premise of Mr. Guite’s proposal she lowered her gaze to Lucas’s file.

 

[DrCompton]

Dwayne smiled a little as Timea lit up when she started to talk about her time in the service, when she mentioned a beer Dwayne was about to respond when, like everyone else in the room, his attention was pulled toward Vince and the blonde entered the room. Dwayne looked at Vince for just a moment, then got distracted by the woman that followed him in, his eyes following her to her spot near the window, before Dwayne focused back on Vince as he proposed his deal to the group. Some gave their vocal support with conditions, Gabriel being Gabriel, brought up payment, and the very real idea that DYNasty was a weapons manufacturer, so was CSEI. That didn't matter to Dwayne, World Peace was still an appealing idea. Timea, who only moments ago had seemed open and talkative, simply looked down at the file. Dwayne knew he'd help, but he was curious about the answers to the questions Gabriel had asked.


In the back of his mind, his dossier was constantly being updated by the actions of the people. Timea would be a reluctant leader, not a good candidate which was unfortunate. In a rare moment of impulse, Dwayne spoked up, "Who would lead this team?" Stupid. Now they will think you're jockeying for position. Dwayne's face did not give away his inner-disappointment with himself, and his eyes did not leave Vince.

 

[general ostruppen]

Adam heard Dwaynes question and waited awhile to see if anyone was willing to fill the slot of leadership. "Well if anyone isn't going to call dibs, why don't I try out. I used to work with military units back in my day, saw alot of shit that some of you might not see everyday." saying with a grin. He took a seat next to Guite and crossed his arms, giving a look at him and the others. "Unless someone is willing to take the challenge of taking leadership?". He pulls out his phone and looks through it till someone responded.

 

[Semblance]

Avalon scoffed at Gabriel's question about the pay. She didn't expect a man like that to do anything unless he was paid a lot. She had agreed to join because she wanted to be part of a bigger purpose, and help save people. The brunette didn't need a reason other than that. However, she would like some more details as to what exactly they would be doing, so she turned her attention onto Vincent. "What exactly are we going to be doing?


She glanced over at the two men who wanted to claim leadership of the group, but she stayed silent. Avalon was suspicious of this mission already. She had barely even wanted to join it, let alone lead it. Although she had offered her agreement, she knew that the second she sensed something was wrong, she was going to leave. Looking at the two men before her, she figured that either of them would be good leaders, although she didn't know them well enough yet.


@Refaulted

 

[Phineas Forge]

Sam had been ushered into and out of the elevator just like the others. She couldn't help but glance at everyone as they rode up in the elevator. As everyone made their way to the table where the personnel files were located, Sam straggled behind wondering what exactly she had gotten herself into. Unlike the others, as far as she knew, she could escape at any time if the need arose. That was a comfort to her. She moved to the table and took a seat, glancing through the files as they made their way around. She didn't care much about the others, she was mostly interested in her own file.


Once people started talking, she watched them intently. She wouldn't say she enjoyed watching people, but given the choice between interacting with them and simply watching them, watching was almost always her first choice. She listened as insults were thrown and others tried to smooth things over. She wasn't really sure why they were all there, so she wasn't sure what they hoped to gain from this interaction. As far as she was concerned, these people were simply people on the same journey, like passengers in the same train car; she didn't need to speak with any of them in order to get to her destination, at least, not yet.


So we got Dr. Death. He uses Dr. to let everyone know how smart he is and the Death part, well, cause he's a self-proclaimed necromancer, so that part is obvious. Besides, who doesn't love a little alliteration? Then we have the Playboy, a guy just out playing with his toys and gadgets. Next we have the Metal Giant, referring to the man who was clearly taller than the rest, though he was quiet. Hmm, ah, Helio Pilot, yeah. Helio, like heli- minus the copter, but with an o to make it like the sun. Sam thought, as she made mental nicknames for people, using the information from the files. She was going to keep going but that was when things started really happening; Mr. Guite came in.


She listened as he spoke, and what a speaker he was. Something didn't add up in Sam's mind though. How does someone become so filthy rich and build such a gaudy building if all they want to do is 'save' the world? It just seemed fishy, to say the least. She was surprised when Lucas looked to the others and said that he was in. Why would anyone want in on this scheme... She just couldn't wrap her mind around it. She'd never, not even once, considered using her abilities to save people, help people, or protect the world from the big bad boogeyman... but these people, they were... different than she was.


Wonder Twins, that's what I'll call them. Sam joked inwardly to herself. Wonder, cause of all these people with special skills, she's the first to pull out her 'wonder' and the twin part, cause there's two of them, apparently... it's weird, but whatever. Sam continued to listen as people agreed to join in. Until Dr. Death spoke up, asking about pay. She liked his point, at least. He was right, something was up and she was also interested to see how Mr. Guite would answer.


But that wasn't really what she wanted to know. Speaking up for the first time since she'd entered the room, Sam asked "And if we say no... you'll use these files to blackmail us into doing this anyways?"

 

[Refaulted]

The CEO of DYNAsty nodded his head in the direction of both Erza, Avalon, and Adam. "I am grateful for taking your time to work with us here. We only want to see a better world in the end of this, so this is greatly appreciated on my end." He then turned to look over at Gabriel, who had spoken up about payment. Vince chuckled for a few moments, before speaking once more. "Any and all expenses that you each will need will be covered by the company. This includes multiple accommodations, both in the headquarters itself and any other sort of housing you would prefer. Food, water, clothing...all that will be covered as well. You will also receive weekly compensation, like any other job. As much as you will work with us on our project, that does not mean you do not have your own lives and hobbies to attend to. You have access to nearly any room in the building, including laboratories and libraries for studying, weight rooms of different types to practice your different sets of skills, and much more. You will also receive help from Miss Marcell and Mrs. Cian whenever needed. They are your assistants as much as they are mine." His voice then turned into a more serious pitch. "As I feel you can tell from my looks, as well, I am not as young of a man as I was in the past. My wish has always been for world peace, but you cannot simply start to look for world peace without something to build you up. Thus, I started the closest I could to achieve it...weapons manufacturing. Know that I am not a dim man. I only make business deal with those I believe benefit the overall outcome of the world." He returned to leaning back in his chair, closing his eyes for a brief moment and taking a deep breath before opening them again. "Before I pass, I want to see my dream become reality, as most humans do. Once I am gone, this company will fall with me. For me, my dream becomes a reality. For you that are younger...you will live in a world where you can raise a family without having to worry about the looming danger that threatens your future." He smiled at Gabriel again. "I hope my answer is not one you dislike. I do not wish to come out as a condescending man to you. I merely have a wish, is all."


He then began responding to the other questions of those in the group, starting with the woman Avalon. "What you will be doing is getting assigned a mission by DYNasty to complete an objective. These objectives will have you focus down criminals that begin popping up in the world that can create an amazing threat to another country. You go in, defeat the target through whichever means you find necessary as a team, and then return home. Very simple, O hope you find that." Then, looking over to the goth woman, he shook his head. "No. After this meeting, these files will be destroyed. Nothing about you will leave this building except what you take out. If you decide to work with us, then we will appreciate the assistance. If you decide to walk out of that door, then we will not stop you. Your life is yours to live. I am no slave driver, my lady."


He then turned to the two men, Adam and Dwayne, giving them a mischievous smile. "I see you two would be rather excited to become the leader of this team. Me and my assistants went over this very topic before the letters were even sent out. Now, know that we went over this thoroughly, so we feel like our decision is informed well enough. But, I would rather have the word of those who will help us and those who won't, before we say anything about that. My apologies on that."

 

[Seraphina Valentine]

Katarina rested her head on the window of the taxi, her eyes gazing at the city before her. She soon realized that, despite how it was portrayed in the movies, putting your forehead on the window of a moving vehicle was certainly not comfortable. With a small sigh, she sat up and looked through the front window. She made awkward eye contact with the male driver and quickly averted her gaze. Feeling increasingly impatient, she dug through her purse and, for the twelfth time that day, read her letter from DYNasty.


When she had first received the note, she had been sure it had been sent to the wrong address. Surely, there must be someone else named Katarina Armour and they'd mixed the two names up, because why would anyone want Katarina to work for them? Especially such a large and successful company. But the number of her home had been written on the parcel, her zip code, even her middle name. It couldn't have been an accident.


She couldn't help but wonder how the company knew about her, and why exactly they needed her assistance. She felt a creeping suspicion in the back of her mind, but pushed it away. They hadn't given her any reason to feel apprehensive - at least not yet - so she decided to go in with an optimistic attitude. Hopefully, this Vincent guy would be able to answer all of her questions.


Katarina's jaw dropped when she saw the immense building in the distance. "E-excuse me, sir? I-is that DYNasty?" She quietly asked the taxi driver. He sent a glare to her in the rear view mirror, as if her question had inconvenienced him in some way, and simply grunted in response. He'd been acting like this since she had gotten into the car. How rude, Katarina thought to herself, though she was used to that sort of thing happening to her. It seemed as though people could sense that she was unlike them, dissimilar, weird. They treated her as if she were less than them. Though she had done nothing offensive or unpleasant, Katarina felt a rush of embarrassment and gloominess. She twiddled her thumbs as she stared down at her lap, wondering if her life would always be like this, if she would always be considered antithetical or unequal.


After what seemed like an eternity of awkwardness, the taxi finally slowed and came to a stop. Katarina hopped out as hastily as she could, grabbed the bags holding the few belongings she had brought with her, and handed the driver a $50. The cost had probably been half of that, at most, but she needed to get away from him. Nervousness and depression overcame her as she walked through the door, and she dug her nails into her fists, forcing the feelings away. She straightened her spine and held her head up, putting a smile on her face as she strode to the counter.


"H-hello. My n-name's Katarina. I-I received a l-letter from Vincent Guite..." Her voice trailed off as she pulled out the letter and showed the woman.

 

[general ostruppen]

"Well if we put it to a vote, fine by me." Adam was glad this guy was putting everyone at ease, it would have been annoying if everyone kept clutching onto suspicion. Plus he couldn't wait on who would be the team leader of this group. Then he thought to himself if there was any questions he should ask before this meeting came to a close. Then popped two in his mind. "Actually I have two questions if you don't mind answering real quick, 1. You guys by chance got a body shop in this place that I can use for my car, and 2. Would you mind me having someone move in with me if I'm staying here?". As he asked the question someone was knocking at the door.


@Refaulted

 

[Phineas Forge]

Sam ignored Adam's comments, questions and the knock on the door. "You've made a bit of a miscalculation, sir," the last word had a certain amount of defiant tone to it that was undeniable. Even if she believed that he would really destroy the files if someone opted to leave (which she didn't), something still made her upset. Sam's gaze turned to the man known as Vince. "Knowledge is power, proof being that guy..." she said pointing at the only powerless individual who'd been summoned to this meeting. "And you've greatly mishandled the information here. You might destroy the file, but you can't destroy our knowledge of what was in those files. I will forever know Mr. Lightning is the guy that runs CESI. Nothing is stopping me from blackmailing him with my knowledge." Sam had no desire or need that Dwayne Compton could satisfy, unlike Gabriel. She really had no desire to blackmail or anyone specifically, Dwayne just seemed like the best target of blackmail, what with the successful business and oversized bank account.


On the flip side, they all knew that the Ghost was one Samantha Pouze and how she managed all of her heists. It had all been in that stupid file and they'd all perused it to their liking. Of course, Sam had numerous pseudonyms and fake identities that she could utilize and probably never have a problem with any authorities, but both of her most well-kept secrets being so haphazardly handled really ticked her off. Any one person in this group could cause quite a bit of trouble for everyone in this group and that was just a fact. She then addressed the rest of the group by turning her head from one person to the other as she spoke, focusing mostly on those that had already agreed to join up. "How can you guys be so ready to jump on board? For one, a room practically defeated you. A room... let that sink in. Put you all in a room with some suspicious letter and you almost got into a fight. But you think you can go into places unknown and stop war from happening... really?!" Her tone was incredulous as she made her point aloud. She didn't think it was impossible, just impossible with this group of people.

 

[DrCompton]

Dwayne watched Vince explain himself to the group. Vince knew this company would fall without him, and so he wanted a team assembled to carry on his dream for world peace. Dwayne nodded and listened as he answered each question. When he focused on Dwayne and Adam, Dwayne felt his red get hot just for a moment from embarrassment from the failure that was his earlier question. Then Adam talked and Dwayne felt fine again, he was about to make his point clear when Sam spoke, pointing out the blackmail issue. He smiled at the small compliment that was sent toward him, then looked back at Vince. "Well I think the general idea is, if we all have dirt on each other, then no one can spill the beans?" Sam had brought up a very good point. "But Sam is right, a room almost beat this group. Which is why Im in, depending on who you assign to be the team leader, Vince. I already have 4 people in this group, who I'd be willing to listen too, who I feel like could keep this team together, and yes, I am cocky enough to believe that I could be one of those people, but there are certainly people here who I would not feel like be a good leader, who would just run this team into the ground."

 

[Semblance]

Avalon stayed silent as the others in the room began to voice their own opinions. She wasn't a leader, but she wasn't a follower. She was self-reliant and independent, so she didn't really care who was the leader of the group because they wouldn't be her leader.


She looked over at Sam as she reprimanded them for being defeated by a room and she scoffed. "That pretentious pig called me a whore, and I simply stood up for myself. What, did you expect me to just take it? I wouldn't exactly call that defeated. As long as other people treat me like a decent human, I will extend the same courtesy," she replied calmly to Sam. "As for blackmail, they have no evidence. I can easily deny these files. I mean it's crazy that any human would have special powers," she added.


Ever since Avalon had saved her family from a drunk driver as a little girl by causing the other car to swerve, she knew she could use her powers to help others. As the years went by, she fell in love with going into the more sketchy areas of New York to save whoever needed saving. It gave her a sense of purpose, and if this Vincent could amplify that, then she was willing to give it a try. After all, she knew that she could drop out any time she wanted.

 

[Phineas Forge]

"You gonna get defensive if I call you a three-legged alien too, girl?" Sam responded to Avalon, quickly realizing that she hadn't come up with a name for the similarly aged girl yet. She didn't have time to come up with one at the moment, though Camelot and apple popped into her mind. "All I'm sayin' is, the words of some asshat are enough to get you all riled up. He's an asshat, who gives a shit what some asshat says. There are two people that have the power to define who you are... you and the person that you listen to. Everything else that anyone else says is just background noise. But that's how I live my life, you live your life however you want." Sam shrugged, realizing that she was preaching too much. She just didn't understand people sometimes and she didn't want to most of the time.





"Speaking of living my life, I'm gonna go ahead and decline my involvement in this little operation. You guys have fun saving the world. Maybe we can do this again in 5 years, like a freak show reunion, I'll bring cupcakes," she finished, looking specifically at Gabriel with the freak show comment. He wasn't wrong, there were a lot of freaks in the room and she was just one of them. No matter how she tried to wrap her head around this operation, putting a bunch of freaks together just seemed like trouble. Combine that with Sam's lack of drive to protect people that many people in the room seemed to share, just made her seem like this was something she shouldn't take part in. "If there's nothing else you need from me, I'll be on my way."

 

[amb3rlin]

Timea winced visibly as the man called Adam claimed he had military service. A few years ago she would have cut through the conversation to respond to his comment, but today she kept quiet. No reason to derail the conversation to try and prove she was more military.


While the rest of the group continued to discuss the role of leader, Timea was more interested in watching the young goth woman. She had finally spoken up. Timea liked her nerve. Her words accusing the young brunette of overreacting and caring too much about what the “asshat” thought of her made Timea smirk, though she tried to hide it behind her hand. She also nodded in agreement as Sam bluntly pointed out that the group had nearly been defeated merely by being left in the same room together.


Then Mr. Lightning gave his verbal consent to join the team. It was conditional, however, depending on who the team leader was. Timea raised her eyebrows at this. Curious, that he had signaled out four people so quickly that he would follow. Perhaps he was a better read of people than she was. Or more trusting.


She noticed she was not the only quiet one at this point. The necromancer was silent, probably thinking of something else condescending and snarky to say. Timea guessed he would join the team, but act like he was doing so grudgingly. Personally, she thought his ego would hardly allow him any other course.


There was also another woman who had yet to speak up. Timea glanced at her, briefly wondering her story. She thought she caught her eye for a second and gave her an encouraging smile.


Then there was Lucas. He was suspiciously quiet, and Timea thought she knew why. Before he spoke again, she took her chance. Once again she rose to her feet, and though her words were directed toward Mr. Guite, she looked at the young goth woman, as though silently inviting her back.


“I’m interested in your proposal, but cannot yet accept. My loyalty is worth more than big words and a show of money. I would be willing to participate in a mission as a kind of . . . call it a trial run. That way I can see if you and your grand ideals measure up to your speech, and if I have a viable place on this team. I don’t dislike you Mr. Guite, but I do not yet trust you.”

 

[Refaulted]

The Lobby Downstairs...
​

Mrs. Cian looked up from her computer at the individual that had made herself known. Quickly, and without any pause in her typing, she moved from working on her work assigned to her by Mr. Guite, and opened up the file for the woman in front of her. "Katarina...hmmm..." Her eyes quickly flicked over the file which had come up. Luckily, all those who had been sent one of Mr. Guite's letters were stored in an easy enough place for the woman to find, even though it was stored in one of the largest databases in the entire world. Looking over the picture, she matched it up to the face of the woman, making sure to memorize her. Then, in the blink of an eye, she arose from her seat, gesturing to the elevators on the other side of the lobby. "Good day, Miss Armour. Mr. Guite is currently on the 26th floor with the others. Please take your belongings up there. Once you have met him and the meeting is over, we will discuss what to do with your things..."

The 26th Floor Meeting...


​

Vincent Guite took his time to answer each question in order, from what Lucas could easily tell. The air he held about him was about as calm as a simple glass of water, and as smooth as the horizon itself. He scratched his chin, thinking for a moment before replying to Adam. "A body shop for your car...may take some time to make up for you for personal use. Of course, there is a large garage located on the second-floor drive-in building next to the building. We can supply you with tools you need as you request them, though all within true reason. Of course, simple tools such as wrenches and such will come easily...things with more difficulty of being provided will have to go through it's own meeting with my assistants. As for someone moving in with you, that is your own decision. At times, you may be called on out of the blue. If they are able to handle that happening to you, then by all means, we will make arrangements for you and your other here. I will speak to one of my assistants about it."


Once he finished, others began to speak up, mainly Dwayne, Sam, and Avalon. Lucas listened to each of them, though he knew he was not actually being spoken to. He wore a blank expression on his face, his head not turning to each person as they spoke, but instead his eyes moved as each voice spoke. One hand rested peacefully on the table with little whims about it, while his other spun the tiny rungs on the office chair. The cool metal gave him a sense of calmness in the raising commotion of the room. The woman, Sam, obviously did not seem happy with how Mr. Guite was speaking, or what he decided to share, and he understood. He did not want to jump to a conclusion, but he assumed that having her privacy suddenly placed in front of her in a room with so many strangers made her rather upset. Lucas was not ashamed of his past, though the man behind his mask would definitely prefer to stay in his coffin of sorts. Metalmorph, as was his name as a vigilante, could have the spotlight if it arose. Lucas just wanted to keep his family safe.


As they kept speaking, Lucas's grip on the metal rung began to tighten slightly. They were getting nowhere fast by arguing with each other. Sam seemed distraught enough to leave, which made Lucas wince, in a way. She definitely seemed capable as a comrade, under the tough shell she had. All of them seemed capable. He was the real odd man out. He had refused to speak up once Mr. Guite had entered the room, aside of voicing his opinion of assisting in this squad he was creating. It was when Timea spoke up, though, that his grip on the metal loosened. She spoke with enough reason to earn a note in Lucas's mind. Once she finished, Lucas coughed quickly, then proceeded to speak his own mind. "Same with Timea, Mr. Guite. Although you say things like you can change the world to your whim, really, it's up to us. If we can work together as a team..." He turned to look over at Sam, raising his hand to show his own caution at his words. "...at least, those that want to..." He then looked back at Vince. "...then maybe we can help you with your vision. Trust is better shown than taught, really."


The CEO nodded his head as they spoke, before talking once more. "You, Mr. Versailes, and you, Miss Parsons, are correct. You do not have to trust me so quickly off the bat. It is only right of you to have such notions about a man who seems to appear out of the blue to you, offering you a proposal such as this. We have an entire team monitoring information globally, as to see to the threats as they appear. Once they find something, it is immediately sent to me or one of my assistants, and then you would be briefed on the mission before being sent out into the fight..."


Lucas nodded from his chair, though he decided to refrain from speaking. He believed his opinion was not needed, as he was interested in using his powers for something bigger than petty crime and the occasional rapists and killers in St. Louis. If this was not made for him, then he would leave. Simple as that. If he needed to disappear because of these people, he could. It was rather easy when you're name was not something heard usually. He could appear in any city as Lucas Versailes, and become a new Metalmorph as he saw fit. His eyes scanned over the rest of the group, looking for their reactions...

 

[RoyalPhoenix32]

With all that was happening, most seemed to forget Ezra/Arthur in the room but with her playing music and not paying any attention to things outside her meditation. It just seemed she wasn't there to be apart of the team but to be entertainment as a harpist, a Chinese harpist. Arthur was listening while Ezra just played her music, it was a boon for them. One can listen and tell the other what is being said while the other just doesn't pay one lick of attention. But things would go south if someone wanted to...oh say try to smash Ezra's/Arthur's guqin.

 

[jaundice]

Gabriel had been mostly satisfied by Guite's explanation of his affairs, and with a nod he relaxed back fully in his chair. He still wasn't convinced that the CEO wasn't taking tricks on all of them, but he could respect where the idea came from- who in the world didn't want a legacy? Besides, he wasn't opposed to being plied with the promise of money and access to DYNasty's research labs. He appreciated the effort. Even the prospect of blackmail from the people around him didn't faze him. Nobody outside of this room would believe he really had the ability to reanimate the dead, and his worst crime was corpse desecration. If anyone did oust him as the Princeton Necromancer, there wouldn't be much of a point, except to spite him. He didn't have the money to make a ransom on the information worthwhile.


Now, the talk of leadership among them, that was interesting. Gabriel could not claim to be a very political person, nor a very popular one, but authority had always sounded very appealing. It was too bad that, in all likelihood, he would not get the position. He preemptively consoled himself for the loss with the thought that there were already a number of people on the team who would balk at working under him, and it would be easier for everyone to avoid such awkwardness. If Guite allowed them to throw in votes, though, he knew which proverbial horse he would bet on besides his own.





“Parsons and Versailles have the right idea,” he finally piped up. “As much as it would give everybody here the warm fuzzies to help you make your dream come true, sir, we are an as yet untested element. Consider me a probationary team member for now. And, another thing: exactly how covert will these missions be? You can't expect a group of eight--” he stopped and glanced at Pouze, “or rather, seven... At least seven people who appear to have supernatural abilities will not go unnoticed for long when they go around knocking down the doors of international terrorist cells. The majority of us can't even fail to be noticed in our own cities, when we work quietly and alone.”


He frowned, looking back at Pouze for a moment. It would be disappointing to have her leave, her abilities seemed fascinating, but perhaps it was for the best. Anyone who wasn't willing to put in their best effort would be a drag on the team. If safety was her concern, then running around the world doing life threatening missions for world peace wouldn't be an ideal career choice. It certainly wasn't for him, either, but there were other things DYNasty could offer him.