The Masquerade Troupe (REBOOT)

Aaron Massimo"Likewise."


It was unclear how far their destination was from the mansion they'd been brought to initially, so Aaron made himself comfortable in the back of the limousine, putting his feet up across the seat and leaning back to stare absently out the tinted windows. Ryan brought up good points, he thought to himself as he listened in on the conversation happening in the cab. He'd assumed that the mansion belonged to Bird, but he'd never said anything of the sort, and thinking back on their host's actions within the mansion it did seem like he might have been as much a stranger there as the rest of them. If the mansion's owner was to discover that someone had been drinking their stock and decided to do something about it it could be an inconvenience.


Aaron pushed the matter out of his mind. There was nothing he could do about it at this moment, so it wouldn't do him any good thinking about it any further. He tipped his head towards Sophia and Angela. "So, any ideas?"


"The powers. Got any ideas what yours might be?" He pointed his hand like a gun at Sophia, then at Angela, then at the roof and pretended to pull the trigger. "Spirit Gun," he said without much energy behind it. "For example, I cannot shoot lasers from my finger."







 
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"Hah," said Sophia. She was still fuming about Bird, but she reluctantly redirected her thoughts to participate in the conversation. She looked down and gave herself a cursory look, which only served to remind her that her outfit was covered in coffee stains. "I dunno. I don't feel any different."





But Aaron had planted the seeds of imagination. What if she could fly? Or turn invisible? Man, that would throw the shopkeeps for a loop. "I suppose Bird can teach us the secret to accessing our inner laser fingers while we're stuck here."





@OverconfidentMagi @Nooguy
 
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"Yeah that sounds like the earth back home, perhaps we're in some sister dimension." Angela remarked as she listened to Bird's remark over the limo intercom, shifting slightly in her seat to look out the tinted windows of the limo at the sandy landscape. "With this much sand are we in Nevada or something?" She shot the minor question toward Bird. "And if we did leave genetic material back in the mansion to exactly WHOM are the authorities going to match it to? Since we're not even from this universe technically we're anomalies that have no natural position within this place. Long story short unless we're caught and processed into the system we're all essentially ghosts." The brunette quipped as she looked around the inside of the limo, finding a small circular button set into one of the seat armrests and pushing it experimentally. With a smooth motion the armrest's wooden surface slid back revealing a chilled bottle of champagne. "And whoever owns all this, even if they're as rich as that mansion made it seem, will still have a problem knowing who we are. Gotta admit if anyone's got skeletons in their closet from our other universe this is as potent a clean start as any." Angela remarked. "Not that I'm saying you've all done terrible terrible things." The woman quickly corrected herself as she popped the cork from the bottle of champagne, the projectile rocketing across the limo and promptly cracking against the opposite window of tinted glass with a sharp 'CRACK', leaving an appropriate crack within the surface. "....whoops..." Angela said softly, slightly surprised at the outcome of her act before shrugging and grabbing a small champagne glass from the newly opened bottle alcove in the armrest next to her. "Anyone want some of this champagne? It's-damn, some fancy french brand name so it's gotta be good." Angela quipped as she poured herself a glass and took a sip, even holding up her pinkie finger. "Ah, not bad, kinda makes you feel all bourgeoisie and crap." She added, taking another sip while looking at the very sandy very bland surroundings they zoomed past.
 
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Bird

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The man listened in on everyone's comments, talking aloud as they spoke their pieces. Should they be concerned about finger prints and all that jazz? Not really, no. The rough girl pretty much summarized why. Even if they were to take prints, it would literally be impossible to match them up to any other data/records. Plus, it would be equally impossible to find a match for Bird's own fingerprints. Cameras? None to be found. There was no way they could be tracked down through that event. Even still, the villain decided to not address the topic. Assuring them positively could lead to the appearance of the man being a know it all. Negatively assuring them, would just be bad all around. So while ignoring it may not be a great option...it's the best in this scenario, certainly? Shaking his head, Bird just kept on driving.


The topic of powers and abilities being brought up once more, did peak the villain's interest. He first addressed Sophia's comment, ignoring the obvious sass within it. "I can only help you all, by giving you tips on my own powers...but things aren't so easy. First off, you need to understand. These aren't from some comic book, or a TV show. You can't be Superman, or someone like...the Green Lantern." The man stopped briefly, trying to control himself. Talking...no, teaching, was bringing out Masuku. But he needed to be Bird right now. After a deep breath, the villain continued. "Kinetics. The ability to control things with your mind. That's what us Legends have. That's what you will all have, as well. So figuring out, and controlling your powers, is strongly based on your mental state." Bird had to take another, even longer breath to hold it back. "...but I'll help you all out with that later."


For a long time, the whole 'split personality' thing was done on purpose. But now?...maybe it isn't. Trying to ignore these really hard questions, Bird started letting the grip on his mind go. Just to relax it. Unintentionally, his clothes began radiating the colors of reality once more. But at this point, the man was so used to it he hardly noticed.


{Time Skip}



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The drive lasted nearly three hours, with only the passing of endless sand dunes and the very rare mountain, to break the lapse of nothingness. Conversations ran between the front and the back, giving some exit from the barren land outside. There never seemed to be specific topic, with mostly just small talk echoing repeatedly. By the second hour, the talking became so tedious, that Bird cut off the microphone between cabins, and turned on some music up front. Never any one channel for longer then a song or two, which might have gotten annoying to some. But finally, they crested over a tall hill. Once at the top, a grand view was available. Bright lights, fancy buildings, allure and glamour for all! The city of Los Vegas. Arguably the only reason to be out in the god forsaken wasteland, and a haven for regular people, and villains alike.


Without any sort of announcement, the villain drove the limo all the way into the city. After suffering through another hour of painstaking traffic, Bird pulled them into an underground entrance. It went down a sharp angle, and flattened out just a little too short for the limo, making it sit a little elevated. Giving a very brief warning about it, the man got out of the limo, instructing the others to as well. Bird went to the far left, where there was a run down old door. The paint might have been a dark blue at some point, but now it was a flaky, faded green. Past that, was an equally run down hallway with another worn door at the end. The kind of place you would expect to see in a haunted mansion or something.


"Okay," Bird began, once everyone filed in, "follow me lead, and don't loose sight of me. If you do...good luck." After that short order, the man's colors changed yet again. Instead of reality however, he faded into a harsh coat of greens and blues. The second the villain touched the door handle on the far side, everything changed. Instead of a building on the verge of collapse, it momentarily blurred, becoming a clean room in the after fact. The walls were a dark steel, the floor a bright red and brown. Both doors were much larger then at first, reinforced with heavy plates of metal. "Here we go. Remember what I said."


Swinging open the door, lead to another bar. But this one, was significantly different from the mansion. The entire room echoed the entrance for style, but the shading of the red carpet seemed a little dull in comparison. Almost twenty tables sat around in no particular order, with all but two occupied. Speaking of, the occupants weren't the classiest folks. They all had the appearance of thugs, some closer to mobsters. Some threw around cards and poker chips, while others merely chugged beer and smoked cigars. Certainly not a classy place, in any regard. Growing a disdainful look, Bird rushed past the people in a bit of haste. In the far right corner, was another door. That was his destination.


Hoping everyone was keeping up, the villain reached it with more or less ease. Slipping out a key card, the man swiped it into a reader on the wall. An audible, 'click!', could be heard nearby, as the door gave way. Shouting a vague command to shut the door behind them, Bird didn't stick around long to wait. The room went right into a stair case that went up two stories, till it flattened to yet another door. Sliding the same key card opened it. Pushing it open with much gusto, led to the steel door meeting a steel wall. But the loud thud, came nothing close to the noise of the bar below. The room beyond, was actually rather plush. Kind of like a five star hotel, just missing the hot tub and customer service. It stretched back thirty feet, with a nice kitchen on the right hand wall, and a living room on the left. Hugging tight to the wall on the left, was another hallway, with unseen rooms beyond. But other then that, most of it was open space. So...perhaps not a five star hotel room, and more like a penthouse. But still.


Turning around, Bird tried to scan everyone out, "So, we all here?"


[Tagged - @Tarmagon @OverconfidentMagi @Nooguy @Nivrad00]


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"Looks like the traffic in this universe isn't any better than back home," muttered Sophia as she gazed out the window.


At their destination, she hopped lightly onto the concrete and stretched her cramped limbs. It was probably best not to ask what would happen if they got lost. Judging by the shifting appearance of the hideout, it was some supernatural crap she wouldn't enjoy. With a wary expression, head turning every which way, she entered the building on Bird's tail.


In the bar, she grimaced, tread lightly, and started keeping her eyes in front. Better not to draw attention amongst such unpleasant company. As she passed the next steel door, however, her expression broke into a grin.


"No way, are we staying here?" Sophia said as she wandered toward the living room. She plopped into a bean bag and made a satisfied noise as she sank into the fabric. "Maybe this won't be so bad after all."
 
Aaron Massimo


Aaron was quiet for most of the trip, leaning back with his eyes closed so one might have assumed he'd decided to take a nap. Nevertheless his eyes were open as soon as he felt the limousine slow down and begin the familiar stop and go pattern of driving through heavy traffic. It came as a surprise when he found he recognized the buildings passing by outside the limousine's windows. Bird had brought his flock to the city of sin itself. He supposed it made sense for a villain to be in Las Vegas. Even in the world without super villains Vegas had its sparkling reputation for debauchery.


He gave a small salute to the replica of the Statue of Liberty as it came into view in the distance. Welcome back I suppose. In his world he'd treated Vegas like his own personal playground, but he'd been a little to obvious about it. Most of the casinos weren't the best of sports to people who tended to win more than they lost. A real shame. It looked like he'd have a second chance to play around in the city though, what with this being an entirely different Vegas than the one he knew.


Bird brought the limo past the section of the city he was familiar with and pulled into an underground parking area. "I guess this is our stop then," he said as he climbed out of the back of the vehicle and stretched before following after Bird. He narrowed his eyes at the sudden change of scenery as soon as Bird touched the door but didn't say anything. It looked like whatever was on the other side was kept hidden by some force. Was this also Bird's power, or was it someone or something else's?


And on the other side of the door was... an underground casino. Aaron couldn't help but grin as he walked into the room. Of course. Give simple people something useful like superpowers and they'd sure as anything use it to gamble. Bird didn't seem to be comfortable around the types of people that filled the room, keeping his head down and quickening his pace to not spend any longer near them than was necessary, but Aaron felt like these were the kinds of people he could understand easy enough. He openly looked around, nodding to anyone who met his eye, keeping his body relaxed, like he was telling anyone who looked at him that yes, he did belong here.


Bird led his flock through the room in a hurry though, which didn't give Aaron the few minutes he'd have needed to decide who in the room he planned on making new friends or enemies out of. Ah well, he might have to swing back around sometime. As Bird led them up a short flight of stairs it occurred to Aaron that maybe some of the people in that room had powers. Hell, maybe all of them did, he didn't know how rare those kind of abilities were in this world. Maybe he'd have to learn up a bit before trying to go out and make enemies of people.


Bird pushed open the door. Aaron let out a low whistle. "Nice place you've got here," he commented before plopping down onto the first couch he ran into. For someone who'd apparently napped all the way here, he didn't waste any time finding a new place to lay down.


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Ryan had listened with half his attention as the conversation had waxed and waned. He had asked his questions, and if they hadn't actually been addressed, well there was nothing he could do about it. His attention was captured momentarily when Bird began to, radiate was the best word he supposed, that oddly colored aura he had had about himself in the mansion. Settling back into the seat, which was surprisingly comfortable, he left his mind replay the sensations of his travel, and all the insane events that had happened after his arrival on this world. Part of his mind was curled up into a little ball, mewling in terror at the thought of being on another world. The practical part of his mind told the whimpering part to get over it. He was here. He had made a choice to come here, even if he had thought it was a joke. Live with your choice.


The hum of the road and the constantly changing music as Bird channel-surfed with the energy of a ferret hopped up with a pixie stick kept him from drifting off to sleep, but Ryan managed to blank his mind, just letting the drive flow over and around him. When Las Vegas hove into view though, and it could only be this world's Las Vegas, things changed. As Bird maneuvered them through traffic, the hum that had briefly disturbed him at the beginning of the drive returned, buzzing in the back of his head like a swarm of angry bees. A brief glance at Bird's serious face told Ryan now was not the time to start in with more questions, so he gritted his teeth, trying to figure out what he was hearing. The hum subsided as bit as they entered an underground structure, making it possible for him to obey Bird's instructions that they all stay close as they exited the limo. Briefly he wondered how it would be returned before it was missed, but he dismissed that thought. Not his problem.


Another magic trick from Bird, and they were through a door into a seedy looking bar filled with toughs. These were the type of people who sensed weakness, and swarmed you under. Ryan noted Bird's expression and the relative speed which he was traversing the room with, and plastered neutral expression onto his face, meeting any curious gazes with a flat stare that said 'not impressed' as he crossed to where Bird was opening a door with an electronic key card. He stood by the door as the rest went through, then closed the door behind him. Ascending the stairs he entered the new suite of rooms, taking in the immediate area.


"Nice place you've got here."
 
'Kinetics...mind abilities? The subject of exactly what kind of abilities the four of them were to have made Angela ponder on the subject. After the rather shocking display from Ryan back at the mansion bar the brunette had been pondering on the subject and exactly what sort of ability her body was to develop. For the meantime Angela simply fell into silence, glancing out at the passing dunes and scant rocky outcropping in the distance. That feeling of being on edge only grew within her as time passed, the woman's right leg continuing to bounce noticeably as she came to appear mildly agitated. Angela didn't know what was causing this feeling of tension within her, she'd not recalled feeling like this since she was back in the military during patrols which seemed too quiet or peaceful. Biting her tongue the woman simply shoved the discomfort to the back of her mind and dulled her thoughts by putting most of her attention to the seemingly endless dunes and desert around the limo as they sped along.


Eventually coming to crest along a hill Angela spotted a familiar sight. "So we're in Nevada after all." she'd remark softly to nobody in particular, looking at the glimmering city of sin and fortune below. Continuing to remain largely silent for the next hour or so as Bird drove along the bustling traffic, Angela cocked an eyebrow upon seeing the limo eventually head down an entrance of sorts. As the vehicle stopped the brunette made her way out, last of the four of them, and closed the door as she followed Bird's lead. "In vegas and being led into a shady back room. Well I'll admit this is certainly fitting of the whole 'villain' shtick'." Angela quipped only to be thrown for another loop as Bird's reality warping abilities once again made themselves known. "Something tells me this is going to be a frequent theme." She murmured, following Bird and the group through the apparent 'true' doors to...another bar? Well at least the room was occupied compared to the mansion's own bar, the murmur of gruff language and drunken remarks oddly making Angela feel slightly relaxed considering the company she was normally with. Not one to dwell on the situation Angela continued after Bird toward yet another door; was this door going to lead them to some evil lair now? Slipping through the door and hearing it rather loudly clang shut behind them, they were brought to yet another door, and upon passing through was brought into a starkly different style of decor compared to the previously seen display.


With a soft whistle of her own, Angela raised her eyebrows as she slipped her hands in her pockets. "Sheesh, talk about extremes Bird. Is this place yours or just another 'borrowed' flat?" The woman said with a mild tease as she headed into the kitchen and casually opened the fridge to peruse what was on the menu, retrieving a pizza box and a beer of which she popped the lid off one of the kitchen counters, and joining the group as she slipped onto a rather nice couch. With a bite of pizza and sip of beer Angela seemed to calm a bit, her right leg lessening in its bouncing but never ceasing entirely. "Alright well I'm content for the time being so what's next Bird Brain?" She quipped, her name not insulting, but more simply an amused tease as she munched and sipped on her pilfered meal.
 

Bird

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The man quietly waited for everyone to enter the suite, hoping none of them got caught up in the business downstairs. It was far more dangerous then any of them would've realized, and if they took the time to snoop around?...well, Bird would have one less member of his future team, to say the least. Such a dangerous place, had it's benefits though. No branch of the law would dare try to interfere with this place, and most private companies would laugh if you tried hiring them to do it. The only real threat that might infiltrate, or more likely, attack the underground casino would be the local branch of Heroes. But even them...it hasn't happened yet, at the least. Because of all this, having a hidden base here was perfect. Practically no concern of being discovered. Of course, this wasn't technically Bird's hideout. He would never have any one place tied down like that, too many risks. But a shady deal made with the owner, insured it's usage when needed. Such transactions didn't need to be explained, so the villain ignored the tough girl's question. Better to leave something unanswered, then lie about it. After all, lying now would lead to some confusing interactions in the future.


Everyone had finally arrived. All except the rough guy, made themselves comfortable. Which, in a way, was actually reassuring to Bird. If they could all be so calm after tonight's events, then it was very likely that this could all work out. Time to slowly start testing the waters. The man pulled a chair from the kitchen into the living room, turning the back end to face those gathered there. Siting with his stomach against the back of the seat, Bird crossed his arms around it, giving the impression of being relaxed as well. But...was he? In truth, no. Thevillain was having a mental breakdown. The man had a very clear plan, and had been psyching himself up for sometime. But actually going through with it, was an entirely different situation. Regardless of such inner terror, not a single bit of it showed on the outside. Making sure everyone, including himself, was ready, the man took off his mask. The odd bluish-green camo colors faded away, revealing only what the tough guy had previously seen, to the rest of the group. That in it of itself, wasn't the hard part. This next section, was.


"Hello everyone. I'm glad to see you all made it! Would've been a shame if..." The villain took a small breath. "...eh, anyways. You guys got here, from another world. Asked some questions, drank some liquor, all's well that ends well. However, we still don't know hardly anything about one another." Setting the mask down on the ground to his right, Bird met their eyes as he talked. "And I personally feel as though, trust can only be built on a solid foundation. So I want to make that foundation, here and now. How, you ask?" Once more, the man had to mentally calm himself. "Simple. We give out some information about ourselves. Only four questions. Our name, age, combat experience, and particular skills." Bird had to laugh at himself, slightly out loud. "Ah, sorry. It's certainly not a normal set of questions you'd share, and it's mostly so I know how to move forward with you all. But something can do two things." The villain let that sit for just a second, before continuing. "Of course, I don't expect you all to just be willing to divulge information, without something in return. So, in faith of my standing, I'll go first."


The light in the room faded a couple shades, and the man's generally neutral appearance turned hard. "Please, do not misunderstand, or be ignorant to the gravity of what I am about to do. People would kill for this information, and it is easily enough to put me in the ground. So, do not take this lightly." Letting his demeanor go neutral again, and the light return to normal, Bird continued. "But seriously, try not to, okay?"


The man left out some important details, though. Sure, he was telling the truth about this info being devastating if it got out. But it wouldn't kill Bird's career, not by a long shot. It would merely make future jobs a bitch to pull off. Plus, he was willing to tell these people this info for two reasons. Firstly, because he did truly want to build up trust. Secondly, because by them knowing this info...they become just as big a target, as Bird himself is. They all get to be equally as screwed, if something goes wrong. Not all the heat will be on the villain. Was it a bad move? Maybe. It could certainly backfire heavily, if one of them were to be interrogated. But as mentioned before, the info wouldn't be crippling. Especially, if it wasn't all exactly true...besides, the man was expecting them all, expect perhaps Sophia, to figure this all out. To realize that Bird, was really putting them in a bad situation for his own sake. But in an odd way, that might just make their bond stronger. To know they're all evenly in danger.


"Without further ado. I, have three names. 'Bird', which you've all been using so far, is only the second one." Calm down, dammit. It'll be okay. "It's what I go by in the underground network. Almost any major organization, or group that is big enough to know of my services, knows me by 'Bird'. My actual name, however, is Masuku Miken." The man took a moment to organize his thoughts. "My last name, is one you might here in the news, or spoken of on the streets. It's what the public knows me by...'The Masquerade Killer'. Not a name I gave myself, it just stuck after a certain event." Not bothering to explain, Bird went on. "I am twenty-four, thanks to last April. My combat experience...it would take a considerable amount of time to say. But I have around six years of solid experience. I know several styles of combat, and can use most weapons with ease. Not the best marksmen, admittedly." The villain had to think, on what skills he could share. "...skills...well, I am a self proclaimed expert on infiltration, espionage, and a master saboteur. I can make any person disappear, steal anything regardless of how tightly it's locked, and even topple governments given enough time." The silence drew out for a moment. "Oh yeah!" Bird got excited, "I can also nit an amazing scarf, and bake cookies like no one's business." Calming back down, the man finished with, "How about you all? Please, share anything you think is noteworthy."


[Tagged - @OverconfidentMagi @Nooguy @Nivrad00 @Tarmagon]
 
Sophia's pleased grin slipped off of her face as she listened to Bird speak. He put on his darker demeanor momentarily, like he had at the mansion, and Sophia reminded herself to keep her cool. When in Rome, etc. The idea that someone might want to kill her gave her a hollow feeling inside her gut, but she stuffed her worries into a closet before her inner monologue could distract her from the conversation.


Sophia listened to Bird's formidable list of skills with an impressed expression, though she felt dour inside. She was going to sound pathetic in comparison. The idea of hopping in the next inter-dimensional portal back home seemed more appealing by the minute.


Cleared her throat, Sophia sat forward. "Well. I'm Sophia Gross. Eighteen. First let me say, that is one impressive list, Bird."


She put on a nonchalant tough-guy expression, looking at each of the others in turn. If not for her current attire, she could have been one of the gangsters in her home city that dealt out death daily. Beanbags were gangster, right? "I uh, don't have much combat experience. At least, not directly. But when I need to deal with someone, I like to stay out of sight, avoid attention. I may not be some sort of villainous mastermind like Bird, but I can talk my way out of anything."


She motioned to her apron. "You probably know already that I have a day job. And believe me, I can chat with the patrons all day like any other innocent girl. But that just means that when someone goes missing in the night, no one ever suspects me."





Sophia leaned back and crossed her arms, indicating that someone else should share. At some point, as naturally as breathing, she had stepped over the line from truth to falsehood. But at least lying was one thing she was actually good at.
 
"Well," Ryan said, pushing himself off the wall and assuming a relaxed stance. "Like I said before, name's Ryan. I'm, hmm... mom and dad died six years ago, twenty six that makes me. You tend to lose track on the islands. I know my way around the guts of most things electronic, though I'm a bit rough around the edges. Not a lot of call for things like that were I was spending time."


Pausing for a second, Ryan marshaled his thoughts before continuing. No point in keeping any secrets, at least, not minor ones.


"I only know two styles of hand to hand. Krav, which I'm passable at, but prefer not to use, and Eskrima. If there were any formal ranks, I'd probably be called a master."


Ryan made the statement blandly. It wasn't a boast, it was simply fact.


"I pull my weight, and support my crew-mates. Not much of a drinker, but I do enjoy the good stuff, and not much of a socializer either."


Ryan swept the room with a glance, ending on Bird, or Masuku, whichever was currently in residence he wasn't sure. The killer didn't seem to be present at the moment, and Ryan hoped it would stay that way.


"Nothing else out of the ordinary, unless you count whatever the hell happened back there where we landed."
 
Aaron Massimo


Impressive was right. If what Bird said was entirely true, and Aaron wasn't about to call that bluff, then it was no wonder he was a powerful supervillain. By sharing his true name, heroes and villains kept their identities a secret for very real and good reasons, he was binding them to him. If they wanted to they could spread Bird's true name to those who would know what to do with that information. But in return they had to tell him about themselves. In reality it was a very one-sided exchange, but that isn't how it would feel to those in the room. Equivalent exchange meant equivalent responsibility, bound both sides, even if it was just a facade. This Bird would be a fun person to keep around.


Sophia and Ryan were by comparison very, incredibly, boring. It wasn't really any of their fault, after all they were just normal people. Sophia made a show out of trying to appear like how she probably imagined a villain would act, but it just came off as childish. She'd never fought anyone, let alone killed someone. Aaron would have to find someone to take a bet on whether or not she'd throw up the first time she saw a real dead body. He glanced over at Angela, maybe she'd take that kind of bet. The only fact he really cared enough to file away to memory was tat Sophia was eighteen. Hey, useful facts were useful. The only useful information Ryan shared was that he knew how to punch people, which anyone could have guessed by looking at him. So really Ryan managed to say a whole lot of nothing Aaron cared to remember.


"My turn then," Aaron was still lounging quite comfortably spread over Bird's couch. He seemed to have already made himself perfectly comfortable in this new locale. "My name is Aaron Massimo, 22 years old, zero combat experience, no useful skills. If it comes to a fight I will run away."


He stopped talking as if he was done, but after giving it some thought he did offer up a little more. "I suppose if I have to come up with something useful, I suppose I could say I'm a generally lucky person. Things just tend to work out in my favor more often than not when I just sit back and do nothing. I suppose I should blame that for my laziness, but that'd just be a cop-out really. I can cook pretty okay but hate doing it, dislike alcohol but find getting other people drunk hilarious, prefer listening to someone else play bad music over playing anything myself, and my favorite hobby is picking up pretty young women at bars." He seemed to not pay any mind to the fact that thee were two women int he room when he shared his last point. It seemed like nothing short of Ryan unintentionally calling lightning down onto everyone's head would break Aaron's unchanging relaxed attitude towards literally everything so far.


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With the lot of them seemingly comfortable Bird once again took the spotlight, bringing things toward the actual introduction of everyone after going over some more information of himself with a show of his rather 'charming' darker side. With all that's happened the five of them hand't really learned anything about one another save for what was seen initially both at the manor and during the limo ride. The soldier was slightly surprised that their host Bird was the first to divulge such personal information about him, but with the lot of them sharing equal information it gave the multi faced mastermind just as much leverage over them as they had on him. Angela was honestly a bit surprised to see the more 'innocent' of them to come forth and introduce herself. Content to listen for the meantime Angela simply munched on her pizza as the girl by the name of Sophia went over the information Bird had laid out for them to answer. From the look of her apron Angela assumed Sophia had worked at a coffee shop or restaurant of sorts.


As Sophia finished with her own introduction, Angela finished her current bite of pizza before her attention was drawn to the man who'd produced a rather shocking display back at the manner. The brunette was a bit surprised to find someone of similar age to her considering the overall 'youth' of the group though twenty six was hardly old. From what she heard Ryan seemed like one who would mesh a bit better with the world their group had been pulled into, and his affinity for electronics likely would mesh with whatever shocking ability was no doubt his 'kinetic power' if the manner bar scene was anything to judge upon.


Moving over to the second of their group's males Angela had to stifle a laugh as Aaron belted out a quick line of information about himself in a 'short, sweet, and to the point' style. That was until he caught a supposed second wind, Aaron making himself out to be an individual more comfortable doing things from behind the scenes and away from direct violence. Angela outright bit her tongue at Aaron's final remark, but she kept herself 'respectful' of him as he finally brought his introduction to an end.


clearing her throat and looking around at the rest. "Well I'll be the second to introduce myself then, and it's a pleasure to meet ya Sophia, Ryan, and Aaron. Christ, y'all seem to be just babes from what I've heard, not meaning to sound rude at all." The brunette remarked, quickly correcting herself with a friendly enough grin to the group, not meaning any insult to her remark of them as babes. "I'm Angela Helsing, only have the one name sadly, and am of the age of twenty six last time I checked. As for combat experience I've got a good eight years of combat experience in a variety of war zones from urban to desert, jungle, and so on." Angela paused as she took another swig of her beer before giving a soft sigh. "Ahhhh as for actual skills I'm well versed in warfare both high profile and covert and am a damn good shot if I've got a good firearm in my hands. Speaking of firearms I'm well skilled in most but prefer either a rifle, pistols, or a good shotgun. Demolitions is also a well practiced skill of mine, and well beyond the simple aspect of simply making a big boom. Hand-to-hand combat is another well practiced skill, honestly have forgotten the actual names of what I know, but I prefer to keep the experience known to those who make themselves my enemy." Another pause came as Angela leaned her head back on the couch she sat on, whistling slightly as she pondered a bit. "Ah, and I can actually make a good smoked salmon or steak if I'm to stick with going over less combat oriented skills." Angela finished off the last dregs of her drink before setting it on the side table beside the couch she sat on. "Honestly though I'm just a big 'ol teddy bear of warm fuzzy emotions if you can see through my rough and tumble 'charm'." She finished her spiel with a bit of a sarcastic spin though having spoken in earnest prior, relaxing back as she laced her hands behind her head.
 

Bird

​



The villain listened intently, as the others spoke, hardly moving an inch save for tilting his head a tad. In truth, he was pleasantly surprised that the timid girl, Sophia Gross, spoke up next. The man even offered up a raised eye brow in response. Sadly, though not unexpected, she didn't offer much up to the table. Being a, 'people person', could certainly help here and there, but it was a skill others could just as easily possess. On top of that, her facade of being tougher then she looked was just hard to watch. It was clear as day Sophia had no real world experience, or at least...this world experience. Poor thing would probably run screaming the first time someone pulled a gun. Electing not to comment, Bird merely responded with a shallow chuckle. Could he use her? Possibly. Being a more or less blank slate means that the girl could be molded into something better, something amazing. But...shaking his head ever so slightly, the man dumped his thoughts into the abyss, listening just as intently to the next person.


Ryan, the tough guy. In all? Not quite what the villain was anticipating. Bird was under the assumption of Ryan being more of a...bruiser type. Someone who gets angry easy, and lets fists fly aimlessly. But if the guy has, 'mastered', those styles of combat? Perhaps it is unfair to judge a book by it's cover. The idea that, if his personalities were each in their own bodies, Masuku scolding Bird for coming up with false assumptions was funny. The villain gave himself a please grin at the thought. Trying to focus more on the topic at hand though, the man realized Ryan was staring directly at him. Why? Who knows. The kinetic replied in kind, not letting the other man's gaze go. Ryan had interesting eyes. They've seen...things. But they were still innocent, youthful. The villain wished he still had such beautiful eyes, like they once were. Alas, that time was long ago, and there was no going back now. It wasn't until the next person spoke up, that the man's attention was dragged away.


Aaron Massimo, the boy. His initial response to the group wasn't exactly unexpected, but it still caught Bird off guard enough to make the villain raise his eyebrows once more. The man was waiting for more, and for just a second figured the boy might've actually been done. But then, Aaron continued on. He was...familiar to the villain. They way the boy talked, how he supposedly acted, and performed...was almost like how Bird was early on in his career. Perhaps a little more nonchalant, but still...this could be interesting. At face value, it's easy to say that Aaron was a manipulator. Good with words, and careful not to say too much, or too little. Even still, you could hardly notice it. The smooth grace, slightly off putting personality, and the smart mind, was exactly what makes a villain...villainess. Is that a word? Probably not. Regardless, Bird's wide grin was unmistakable right now. The man had to consciously force himself to stop smiling. Thankfully for his sake, another began speaking up.


Last, but certainly not least, was Angela Helsing. The tough girl. Her answers to the questions was predictable. Even without being who he was, Bird could've pointed out a lot of what she offered to the table. It was obvious the girl wasn't lying about any of it, which was nice. The only thing to really stick out, was her over confidence. That, of all things in this world, made the villain's skin crawl with something a tad more then annoyance. Being prideful was a no no. However, the man figured it would be pointless to make a scene right now, if ever. Ignoring it, the man thought on the rest she was talking about. Angela at least had a fair reason to be prideful, assuming the girl wasn't exaggerating her skills. Someone who is already well versed in many forms of combat, along with plenty of experience to back it all up? Amazing! But...there was a lot of room for improvement.


"Honestly? I'm surprised in you all...but not in a bad way. Let me just say a couple things." Looking at the youngest of the group, Bird directed his attention to Sophia. "You are a child. Ignorant wouldn't be the correct word...however, it isn't wrong either. But, don't take it to heart too much. You're fresh, new. Plenty of room to improve, which I'll do exactly that." A bit harsh, sure. But hey, he is a super villain after all.


Addressing Ryan, "Same goes for you, regarding improvement. Technical skills will go a long way, and it's a skill well needed. Focus on remembering what you already know, it'll help in due time." There was a lot more the man could've said, but not now. It wasn't the time for a lot of things, the less said the better.


"You." The villain looked at Aaron. "About what I expected." Acting like that, would be enough to convey the man's 'disappointment' in Aaron. But obviously it was a facade. Enough to make the other's believe what would be the expected response, however, the boy would know better without a doubt. In truth, the villain was quite pleased with the stranger. Saying that out loud to the rest of the group, would make it seem like the man was playing favorites.


"Lastly," Bird gave his focus to the tough girl, "I quite like what you offer. But...you're still a child." His expression turned a little hard. "We learn from experience, yeah? So you've learned a lot. But don't think you have seen it all, till you actually have." Sure, war is hell. Angela has seen a lot of war. Probably a lot of comrades died, witnessed corruption and death on a scale most people could never dream of, and had to do more then a couple questionable decisions. She's not the only one. Nor, has she come close to what a certain super villain has seen. What he's done. Letting his expression soften almost to that of a loving father, Bird finished with, "Trust me. Arrogance born from resentment and anger, will only be the cause of your death someday."


Finished up with his dialogue, the villain stood up from his chair and returned it. Walking over to the entrance of the left hallway, the man turned to offer up the last bit. "Thank you all, for being honest. Or at least, as honest as you were. Please don't take my comments to heart, that'll only cause unwanted emotions. Take them to mind, instead. Dwell on them, it'll help in the long run." Taking a deep breath, Bird had to stifle the feeling of failure. So far, the interaction with this group hasn't been entirely satisfactory. Most of that could be chopped up to the lack of social interaction, and general oddness of the villain. Still..."I'm going to retire for the night, feel free to do whatever. Down this hall will be a few spare bedrooms, should be enough for all of y'all. Word of advice, do not go downstairs till I say so. Won't stop ya, but try not to, okay?" Turning back down the hall, the man shouted a little bit more. "Get some rest, long day tomorrow!" With that, Bird slipped into his room and locked the door.


[Tagged - @Nooguy @Nivrad00 @Tarmagon @OverconfidentMagi]
 
Aaron Massimo


Aaron allowed a more reserved grin, but in his head he was bowing low before Bird like the court's jester might to the king. Always glad to live up to expectations. True, that statement could show disappointment, but that wasn't how it was meant this time. No, Bird had pointed out character flaws with the others based on how they'd introduced each other, so him lacking any criticisms for Aaron meant one of two things. Either he thought Aaron was lying and therefor it wasn't worth wasting constructive criticism on falsities, or he actually liked what he heard. Aaron made the conscious decision to believe the latter, as it was the more pleasing of the two options.


He casually threw a salute in the direction of Bird's retreating back as he made his way towards his own room for the night. Good night, little bird. Aaron almost said that aloud but refrained. Instead he waited for Bird to disappear and then counted down softly from twenty to one, and then he swung his legs around and sat up on the couch he'd been treating more like a bed ever since walking into the suite and plopping down on it.


"What an amusing person," he said, and then he stood up with a groan and spoke louder, "I think I'll take that advice to get some sleep. Oh, and Ryan, try not to have any nightmares. I wouldn't want to wake up to you having lit your bed on fire during the night. But if you do happen to wet the bed with your new super powers, feel free to wake me up. A good laugh is worth sacrificing a little sleep over."


​


 
With the lot of them having finished in their introductions it was Bird's turn to grab the focus of attention back toward himself. Angela assumed the villain had requested the lot of them to introduce themselves so he could glean exactly WHAT he was going to be working dealing with in the future; and then came the vocal analysis. Working down the order they'd introduced themselves, Angela listened to Bird's own remarks and thoughts upon each of them. Sure, nobody was a perfect monolith of mental, emotional, and physical balance, and each comment seemed well placed. In all honesty Angela found her liking of the unique villain grow slightly at his upfront remarks. The brunette simply gave a soft smile as the villain's own observations of herself came to bear, and what she heard for the most part was what she'd heard from most be they a friend on the field or some shrink, but for the time being she simply accepted Bird's words with a casual nod. Angela knew full well she was far from some ordinary kid off the street, but she also knew the world in which she and the rest of her acquaintances resided in would be an entirely different demon in and of itself. All she had to worry about was the mundane forms of combat, torture, and pain; people capable of utilizing abilities that are far from the mundane though threw an entirely new curve ball into the way things were handled. Angela felt herself struck with a pang of eagerness in her mind, and for the first time in years, a shimmer of uncertain wariness almost bordering on fear for exactly what new flavors of horror she'd come to see with the new types of characters the lot of them would be encountering. Would she come to regard the others around her as close friends only to see them hurt, tortured, and worse; would it be herself who'd be hurt and have the others see such horrors, or would some of them come to resent one another and even attempt to bring harm to those they resented? Such thoughts quickly were thrown to the side as Angela realized Bird had gotten up and left down a nearby hallway, the brunette having gotten lost in thought for a bit before coming back to the current situation having caught on something about rest. "That's the statement of the year Aaron." Angela remarked before she too got up, leaving her empty beer bottle on top of the now empty pizza box sitting on the parallel cushion from where she sat. "I'll have to agree with you there on the sleep bit especially with all that's transpired in the past few hours." She remarked, stretching slightly and scratching the back of her head before heading down the hall Bird had gestured the bedrooms were located. Looking over to Ryan, Angela paused in her stride toward the bedrooms. "And if you manage to get those under control you can be our universal electronics charger." She quipped with a chuckle before slipping into the bedroom which sat opposite from the room Bird entered. With a soft sigh she got comfortable, stripping from her boots, fatigues, and tank top before slipping into the covers of the nicely sized bed, her clothing left in a heap on the floor. There she laid for roughly an hour or so staring up at the ceiling of her bedroom, left hand resting behind her head as her mind processed the events of the day. "Well Angela you went from merc work to villain-in-training within a single day...guess you'll see if that's a good or bad thing in the coming weeks, hm?" The brunette spoke to herself before giving another heavy sigh and closing her eyes to try and get some sleep, unsure of she'd wake in the morning to see the same room or wake to her previous life with all that transpired turning out to be a dream. "Fresh start wouldn't be so bad." Angela said softly before soon slipping into a slumber.
 
Ryan maintained a carefully neutral expression as Bird ran down their various skills and their uses despite his categorizing them all as children. Until they got used to this new world, and until he had a handle on whatever he had done, it was true enough he supposed. Bird's depart and parting comment to rest seemed to have triggered a general exodus from the sitting area. The guy, Aaron he had said his name was, rose and departed, though his comments as he drifted down the hall after Bird shifted him further down Ryan's opinion spectrum than his introductory comments had.


"That one's not going to pull his weight," Ryan thought drily. "All advice on how to do things right, but no practical experience. Armchair general. And backstabber. Don't underestimate his threat, just because he's not Bird."


Angela followed Aaron and Bird down the hallway, disappearing into a room after a comment about him becoming a universal charger. Interesting. Where Aaron chose cutting comments, Angela used humor. Ryan wondered if that was her deflection mechanism. Despite his resistance to everything his father had tried to force on him, Ryan had absorbed a lot about military types. Some became machines, some got out, and the successful ones devised methods to help them deal with the things they both saw and did on a regular basis. Angela seemed to be one of the successful ones.


Stepping into the nearly empty room, Ryan snagged a couple of slices of the remaining pizza, letting his glance slip over Sophia. The poor thing seemed lost, and not at all suited to the life she had been thrust into. She was trying to project a strong front, but something about her little story just didn't sit right. 


"Get some rest," he said, heading for the hall. "It sounds like our benefactor has a full day planned for us."


A quick check revealed both an empty bedroom and the bathroom down at the end of the hall. After a quick visit to the latter, Ryan closed the door on the bedroom, settling down to remove his boots and set them where he could easily find them in the dark. After a moments consideration, he took one of his batons and stuck it into one of his boots, placing the other under the pillow. His jacket went over the door handle, hung so that anyone opening the door would cause it to fall. Not that precautions like that would do any good against Bird, who could simply step through reality, but old habits had kept him alive and fairly well, so Ryan indulged them.


"And now we see what the future holds," he thought, drifting off into a light sleep.
 
Sophia listened to the rest, reclining in her seat, with arms crossed. She found herself unintentionally comparing herself to each bit of information she got about the others. Could she learn how to fight? Did she have any useful skills? The last violent thing she'd done was set a house on fire. When Bird voiced his "critiques," Sophia nearly let out a huff in indignation before remembering Bird was a super villain and maybe wouldn't appreciate that. She thought she deserved some credit after scraping out a living for herself on the unfeeling city streets. But remembering Ryan's tough attitude and Angela's war stories, she had to admit she might be outclassed. What bothered her more was that no one seemed convinced of her lie.


She responded to Ryan with a smile: "Thanks. You have a good night, Ryan." For once, she didn't feel like making a quip. The girl watched pensively as the last of the recruits disappeared, reluctant for some reason to follow, as if it would be like retreating from a battlefield. Instead, she leaned back in the bean bag and stared at the ceiling. Her thoughts were circular, going from villains to powers to Bird's comments – why had she lied in the first place? – and ultimately spiraling back into that dark pit in her stomach that reminded her she was very, very far away from home. She clenched her fists involuntarily.


A vision raced across her eyes, flashing noiseless brightness and dark shapes. Barely stifling a cry, Sophia stumbled to her feet and looked for danger. Was it darker than before? She found the wall and tried the light switch, but it was already on. She stood there, one hand on the wall like she might drift away at any moment, until it was clear she was still alone and the light in the room hadn't changed at all. She felt a little light-headed. Was this someone's power? Or was she just going crazy?


Sophia realized her fists were clenching and relaxing, her heart was still pounding. She needed a distraction, needed to calm down, needed to deal with everything tomorrow. 


Her eyes caught the metal door. It wasn't like the people out there had anything against her, did they? She was harmless. A little too harmless. And maybe she didn't know jiu jitsu or whatever, but no matter what Bird had said, she knew how to handle herself. And this silent, empty lounge was starting to get to her. She looked around, as if afraid the super villain might be spying on her through a dimensional peephole, before cracking open the door. The only one at the bar was the bartender. It looked like Bird's warning had been superfluous.


"Hey," said Sophia, settling into a stool with a pleasant smile. "Can I, can I have a glass of water?" The bartender gave her a skeptical look, but procured a curved glass full of water and clinking ice. It had been a long time since she'd drunk anything, now that she thought about it. She took a long, refreshing sip, and rested her elbows on the counter. She made to initiate a conversation, but found the barkeep disappearing into a back room. With a shrug, Sophia sat in silence.


She suddenly realized there was someone behind her.
 

Bird
​


 
​


After the villain locked the door, he moved over to a little desk. Sliding out the rolling office chair, Bird took a seat, and scooted as close at possible to the counter. Leaning his head back, and raising his arms to support the load, the man let out a sigh. For the first time in awhile, finally, the person behind the mask could relax. Letting his grip on reality go, the villain's mind faded into the darkness. When feeling returned, the first thing he did was look at the clock on his desk. Seven minutes had passed, gone, into the abyss. Bird's normally carefree eyes, became stern and focused. Sliding out a little keyboard, a computer fluttered to life, the bright screen throwing the man's vision for a loop. As his vision became more clear, the mouse moved over to click on a little note pad icon in the desktop. The application loaded up to a blank page, a sight the villain was used to seeing by now. Without another thought, his fingers began dancing around the keys, typing out the events of the past day. Making little snide comments about, 'Bird's performance being unsatisfying', and how, 'I could have handled it better'. For this wasn't the same man. Physically, of course it was. Mentally? Not quite. 


Masuku Miken. The man under the mask, under the facades. When he was finally done recapping today's events, he clicked a little trash bin icon in the upper right corner, and all three pages of work disappeared without a trace. You see, the villain didn't do it for the sake of keeping track. It was more so, to remember. To insure that his memories weren't being deluded by his other personalities. It was mostly nothing other then curiosity, but still...he couldn't deny his mental state being a little wonky. The proven science of Roamers. I'm virtually a ticking time bomb. Once it goes off?...who knows what will happen. The slightest sound hit the villain's ears. It was so quiet, and with everything else in consideration, might not have even been real. Even still, Masuku wasn't going to take the chance. Lifting out his hand, he willed the very tip of his glove with power. Quickly slicing downwards, a small rip in reality opened up. Pulling it open, the man stuck his face into it. At first glance, nothing was wrong. Except...he couldn't see everything from here. 


Ripping the fabric wide, the villain stepped into it entirely. From within reality itself, everything became clear. Sure, there was a weird pink and purple film over it all. But he had gotten used to that by now. The villa seemed intact. While the man didn't pry, it appeared everyone was in one of the rooms. The door was closed and locked, and...wait. The door wasn't locked. On top of that, only three of the rooms were occupied, other then Masuku's. Floating straight through the floor below, the man sunk into the bar. He found himself in the men's bathroom, thankfully empty. It never occurred to him, that his room was above it. Passing off the thought, the villain headed out into the main room of the underground, 'casino'. While distorted, a loud clank caught his attention to the doorway. Someone had obviously just left, which meant that only a person at the bar was here. Even the barkeep was in the backroom, doing whatever he did. However, something was unnerving about the figure sitting down. They were slumped over...with an object sticking out of their back...her back. Recognition hit the man like a wave. 


Retreating back to the bathroom, he sliced open another entrance to his dimension. Practically jumping out, the man waited impatiently as the tear sealed itself. Once it was completely gone, Masuku raced out into the lounge, over to Sophia's prone form. A sinking feeling settled into his stomach. Not because of the girl, but due to the thing in her back. Trying to stay polite, the villain checked for a pulse, but...nothing. Looking closer at the object, it was clear it was a knife. From the angle it plunged into the girl's body, it must have pierced her heart. Poor thing probably died almost instantly, not even a vague struggle. The thought of wanting to see the state of her heart and tissue, was only subsided by another discovery. A little string on the handle of the knife. Pulling on the end of it, a piece of paper unraveled and fell onto the girl's back. Picking it up carefully, Masuku took in every word.


Bird.


We know what you are attempting, we know what you succeeded in, and we know what you will do next. This is the kind of thing we do not appreciate, and certainly will not tolerate. Send them home, and do us a favor. Stay out of trouble. This, is your only warning. Further action, will make you an official threat. 


Sincerely, Dark Angel.




Oh. No words, no thoughts, nothing filled Masuku's mind. He had been careless, and now?...there was a serious threat. A legitimate cause for concern, even for him. However, there is a time to think on the letter. This, was not that time. Sophia died, her corpse sitting right next to him. Sure, the girl wasn't super useful, but she could've had a use. She might've been great, given the chance. The man had to really consider how to deal with this situation. Should he tell the others? Let them see the body, as an example of what could happen to them if they don't listen?...no, that would only backfire. For now, the man decided, it's best to let them stay innocent. Not wanting to spill any blood, Masuku first made sure the bar was empty. Confirming it was, he opened up a tear directly behind the girl. Sliding into reality himself, he grabbed the dead weight and hauled it into the rift. Then, as a final goodbye, the villain pushed her off into reality. 


Watching Sophia float off into the expanse of what could only be the entire universe, he spoke aloud, "Listen. I lied. You could never have gone back home, no matter how long passed. I...I'm not strong enough for that. Never will be. But maybe, one day, you'll make it there. Reality extends to everything within the multiverse, so...just hope, okay? You were  a good kid, you didn't deserve this. And I promise, I'll get revenge for you." After that, the man floated back into his room above, slipping into the physical realm once there.   


Once the clock hit four o'clock AM, it buzzed just enough to waken to the sleeping man. At some point, he had passed into unconsciousness. The events of only a few hours early replayed over and over, replacing his nonexistent dreams. Shaking off the paralysis and stiffness, the villain began his morning routine. Surfing the internet for news stories that might prove relevant, hitting up the police schedule in the general area, traffic times, etc. Then, unlike his usual behavior, tried dabbling into social psychology of progressing Legends. After all, these people he brought here were practically children, right? At least, as far as their powers go. Getting them to use their abilities was the obvious first step. Sometime later, the man had laughed at the absurdity of what professionals thought worked, too much to care anymore. Slipping into the bathroom connected to his room, Masuku brushed his teeth, took a shower, and changed his clothes to everyday attire. Slipping his now palm sized knives into his pockets, the man officially left his room. All in all? Took just slightly over an hour. Cooking up breakfast, a hearty twelve eggs, twelve sausage links, and four previously frozen rice patties, he set it all on four plates. Two eggs, two links, and one rice patty for everyone. By now, the clock read, '5:32 AM'. Being two minutes late, bugged the man. Still, considering he had to do a lot more then usual, it wasn't bad timing.      


Wanting to see their reaction time, Masuku pulled open a nearby drawer. Taking out one of the three objects inside, he pulled the pin and chucked it down the hallway to the bedrooms. Covering his ears and eyes, the sound still pierced him slightly. It was just a standard flash bang, but it affected him like that? It worried the villain a little, that he might be loosing his edge with explosives. Passing it off, he yelled hoping they weren't completely deaf, "Let's go! Rise and shine, lot's to do today." After that, he started eating his off his own plate nonchalantly.


[Tagged - @Nivrad00@Tarmagon@OverconfidentMagi@Nooguy]  
 
Ryan slept fitfully. The bed was comfortable enough,  but the buzzing that he had first noticed at the mansion came and went. Naturally a light sleeper,  each time the buzzing rose,  Ryan found himself waking,  if only for a few moments. The last time though,  he could hear the sounds of someone puttering around in the kitchen. A glance at his watch showed just after 5, and even though he hadn't slept well,  Ryan sat up with a quiet groan. Retrieving his batons and stowing them in their carrier,  Ryan pulled on his boots  before examining his clothes critically. 


"These were fine on the island, " he thought,  "But Bird is going to have to upgrade our wardrobes first thing,  or we're going to stick out like sore thumbs."


Moving quietly,  Ryan made his way to the washroom,  splashing water on his face and taking care of necessary business. There was nothing he could do about his hair until he got some toiletries,  so all he could do was comb it with his fingers. He was reaching for the door handle,  an actinic glare outlined the edge of the door accompanied by a sharp 'CRACK!' that made his ears ring even through the door. Ryan found himself standing in the hall, both batons at full extension and surrounded by crackling arcs of electricity. Before he could register more than the dissipating odor of explosives, Bird's voice rang out. 


"Let's go! Rise and shine, lot's to do today."


Holding the crackling batons as far away from his body as he could,  Ryan moved slowly to the kitchen to find Bird calmly eating breakfast. 


"Umm, Bird? " he asked,  using one baton to gesture at the other,  "Do you have any idea how I'm doing this? And more importantly,  how I turn it off? "
 
Sleep often held a comforting reprieve to people, and the same for the most part could be said for Angela, but with the recently transpired events her mind wasn't in the most calm. She flitted through echoes of her past, visiting various scenes from happy, sad, and angry. The surprise party her folks had for her on her sixteenth birthday and the piece of crap jalopy they had managed to save up to buy for her as a present; getting into a particularly nasty fight at middle school over a stupid matter and sitting outside the principal's office as her parents fought with the principal over whether or not she'd be expelled; the rush of stealing from the stuck up preppy neighborhoods and enjoying her spoils with some of her friends; her first day in boot camp and the sour taste of bile in the back of her throat from the nervous knot in her stomach; the panic of her first gunfight and seeing a friend get shot right in front of her; beating a fellow soldier to a bloody mess when she was told to 'suck it up' upon hearing of her parents' deaths and subsequently being discharged; the ensuing years of mercenary work for any client who could pay. Needless to say the trend of increasingly dark images and memories only continued for Angela as they started to shift from past memories to thoughts of the future. 'Who was going to die, how were they going to die, when would they die; who was going to betray us, how would they betray us, when would they betray us, and would they be a friend or enemy if they did?' Questions flitted through the woman's dreams as she wandered to what horrible things this new supernatural world held and what new methods of cruel, merciless acts awaited her and her compatriots. 


With her slumber not giving much in the aspect of rest, Angela soon came to awaken at just about five in the morning. The small window in her room giving a sparse view of the sunrise streaking the morning sky through the eclipsing buildings as she moved to sit at the edge of her bed, head resting in her hands as she pushed the thoughts and emotions from her dreams down, suppressing them. "Well...looks like  it all isn't a dream Angie, now whether that's for better or worse is the next million dollar question." The brunette grumbled to herself as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes with her right hand, feeling abnormally on end, her body tense and feeling like it just...needed to DO something, ANYTHING, like some weird fight or flight response. Slipping on her fatigues and boots, Angela was midway through tugging on her tank top when a soft clattering came from the other side of her door. "Huh...with my luck that's a-" BANG!!! Now...the thing with flash bangs is that no matter how seasoned someone is from combat and war...they're still a bitch when they hit. Ignoring the ringing in her ears and faint swimming sensation of her head, Angela swiftly slipped her pistols from their holsters upon the floor, but just as she was about to slip her door open and take aim a familiar voice rang out which wrought an irritated growl from the woman.


"Let's go! Rise and shine, lot's to do today!"


Giving a low growl to herself, Angela slipped her holsters over her tank top before holstering her firearms and yanking her door open with an understandably irritated look to her face, an audible 'crack' heard as the doorknob smacked against its doorstop. Stepping out, the brunette smelled food, and for the first time she realized how starving she was...but didn't she just eat last night? "Good god almighty Bird if you're wanting to kick the day off by pissing me off then congratulations you've just won the solid gold kewpie doll." She spoke in an annoyed tone, fists clenching and unclenching as her body's sensation of tension only grew worse from the sudden excitement of Bird's little 'morning alarm'. What seemed even more odd was the sensation of, for lack of a better term, 'jolts' sailing up her legs with each step she took with a sensation somewhat like one gets when they try to walk on a leg that's half asleep, but with the normal 'pins and needles' feeling more like 'nails and bolts'. So caught up in her irritated stupor, Angela simply walked around Ryan as he stood shocked. "Morning Rye Bread , sleep well?" She asked softly, having already sat down and eating grumpily before finally starting to smell something off. "In the hell smells like ozone?" She spoke with a partial mouthful of an egg, turning to see Ryan still standing with his batons....which were sparking....with electricity......actual electricity. Swallowing her mouthful, Angela simply sat there staring, eyebrows raised as she saw the display. "So....that's a thing apparently, and without the explosion......should we call you static shock?" She asked, that pang of dry humor filling the air from amidst her sour demeanor before the woman turned her attention back to her food, eating it with a bit of gusto one would expect from a person a day or so without food. She had no idea why, but Angela's appetite had grown, and that irritating sensation of tension and pent up pressure on her body only grew as she bounced her right leg animatedly all the while as the day before. "Welp...Imma just step away a bit, don't really feel like getting a new exotic method of the electric chair soooooo, yeah." Angela quipped as she took her plate and moved over a few chairs, shifting the assorted plates appropriately as she sat down again.
 
Aaron Massimo




*BANG*


Suddenly and without any recollection of there being any transition from laying down soundly asleep, Aaron found himself sitting up in the bed, unpleasantly lucid despite the early hour.  The jolt of being ripped from the unwaking world so suddenly had blocked out whatever event had actually caused him to wake in such an unpleasant manner, but whatever the cause he could still feel his heart beating fast against the inside of his chest.  Though there were still a few drowsy cobwebs inhibiting some of his higher functions, the machines within his head nonetheless began to do their work the moment Aaron had opened his eyes to his unfamiliar surroundings.


After a moment he let out a slow breath.  The events of the previous day ran and reran in his head.  It had all really happened.  It wasn't some kind of sickeningly fantastic dream born from his unhealthily bored mind.


"Let's go! Rise and shine, lot's to do today."


That wide, stupid, childish grin took over his face again.  Aaron let it hit him all over again, wash over him.  He fell back onto the bed, one hand covering his face as he just lay there laughing, deep and sincere and so foreign feeling.  The high didn't fade, at least not very far, but it was ever so slightly tempered by a rising hunger as Aaron became aware of the smell of food, either being cooked or having just been cooked.  A man after his own heart.  He sprang out of bed with more enthusiasm than he had since he'd stopped believing in Santa Clause so many years ago.  The only clothes he had was what he'd been wearing the day before, so he simply redressed and ran his fingers through his hair a few times until it fell more or less into place.  Not exactly fresh, but surprisingly presentable for the second day if he was allowed to say so.


Aaron swung into the dining area to find Bird sitting and eating.  Angela and Ryan were there as well.  The latter was busy playing with his super powers, again, and if the arcs of electricity were and indication, the previous guess that Ryan's power was something to do with fire might need to be revised.  


"Good morning Bird," a respectful nod, "Angela," a second one,  "Sparky," just a grin.


He pulled a plate closer and sat down, closer to Ryan's little spark show than Angela seemed willing to.  "And Ryan can't be Static Shock, he isn't black."  As soon as Ryan's eyes flicked away for a moment Aaron was holding his rice patty closer to the crackling batons trying to crisp it from the energy.  "Hey, if this guy's got electricity now, does that mean pyro's back up for grabs?"
 
Ryan was still trying to stop whatever he was doing that was electrifying his batons when first Angela, then Aaron made their appearance. At least Angela treated his uncontrolled powers with a bit of respect, Aaron seemed to think that they were something humorous. As his ire rose, the tendrils snapping around his batons lengthened and shifted from blue-white to nearly pure white.


"Okay," he thought, keeping his attention on the batons. "Emotions. Master Lin said never to fight from anger. Fight with anger to make yourself strong. Fight from anger to give your opponent an advantage and blunt your own skill."


Reaching an internal decision, Ryan stepped away from the table and into the larger living room. Ignoring the power snapping and arcing around the batons, he settled into a relaxed stance, then began to flow through one of his favorite exercises. Block and counter-strike. High, high, low. Disarm. Spin to block the imagined opponent behind you. Strike through. As he flowed through the forms of the exercise, Ryan felt himself relax, both from the shock of the flash-bang and Aaron's annoying attitude. As he relaxed, the flowing power changed hue, from actinic white to a blue-white glow that hugged his batons closely. As he finished the exercise, bringing both batons up in imaginary salute, the glow winked out.


"Hunh," he said aloud, collapsing both weapons and returning them to their sheath. "That was, different."


Returning to the kitchen, he saw an unclaimed plate and started towards it, only to pause with a frown. Four plates. Four of them, but there were supposed to be FIVE of them. Bird, himself, Angela, Aaron, and Sophia. The young woman had seemed a little out of sorts when he had told her good night last night. Had she left? Had Bird sent her away, sent her back home... Killed her? Aaron and Angela apparently hadn't notice the odd discrepancy with the breakfast arrangements yet, and Ryan debated calling their attention to it.


"Check first," he thought, moving away from the table and back into the hallway. That was the room Bird used. Leave it. Aaron there, Angela there. None of the other rooms showed signs of being used except his own. Making his way back to the table, he sat at the unclaimed plate, taking a few bites before coming to a decision.


"Four plates," he said, staring directly at Bird. "You prepared four plates, yet last night there were five members of our little band of misfits. Since Sophia is conspicuous by her absence, and you said you couldn't send her home, I'm going to have to assume that she's either dead or fled. Which one is it?"
 

Masuku Miken
​


 
​


In a word? Unsatisfactory. The three people had terrible reaction time, coupled with poor decision making. With their speed, they would be dead ten times over before they even got out of the doors. The villain might've given them flak over charging into the room head first, but he really couldn't due to his call out. Next time, the man plotted to rig up some elaborate set up...but, such productions would take time, and money. Or at least, some guy with powers to manipulate images. That was mute right now, as there was a but of a concerning situation at the moment. Ryan, Mr. Sparky, was crackling at high voltage. The villain did crack a bit of a mental smile, thinking on the applications of an electrokinetic. Useful ability, both in and out of combat, very practical. Despite the display, Masuku refrained from making any comments out loud, as the other two misfits hopped aboard the train. Angela Helsing, spouting off insults and humor at once. Her reaction was pretty close to what the man was expecting, but still not to par. The girl at least brought her weapons with her, either out of consideration of shooting the host, or simply due to natural tendencies. Highly likely of being the latter. The last of the litter, Aaron, was the most...slow. The villain guessed that the boy had some sort of monologue, resulting in such a delay. Because of that, Masuku didn't even comment on the matter. He was about to offer some insight into Ryan's condition, when the man in question went off into the living room. The display he was providing was intriguing, and as such, caused the villain to never loose his sight.


But meanwhile, Masuku addressed the two still eating, "Morning. My goal wasn't to irritate any of you, but rather to test your timing. Which was unacceptable, by all standards. Don't worry though, I'm grading on a curve." The more or less carefree man from the night before, was gone. In his stead, was Masuku. Cold, harsh, and to the point. At least...when it comes to teaching. Failure isn't an option to him. So given the performance the three showed? He was actually being nice about it. "Even still, I'm glad to see you all at least made it." The off hand comment was reinforced but Ryan, who returned from his little dance. The directness of his comment was appreciated, if still not wanted.


"I was hoping I could finish my breakfast, but very well." All that was left on the man's plate, was crumbs of left over rice. "Perceptive, congrats. But I'm also disappointed that none of you figured it out sooner." Was he being too harsh? The villain made a mental note to dial the criticism down a notch. "She's gone. Soon after everyone went to bed, Sophia went into the bar downstairs. By the time I figured out she was gone, I went to check, but to no avail. The girl disappeared." Picking up the dish, the man began washing it spotless. "Asked the bar keep about it. He said that she came down and asked for a water, to which he complied, then went into the back to clean. When he came back around, Sophia was gone. No trace. Supposedly, no one else was in the bar at the time." Sliding the plate into the dryer rack, the villain faced them once more. 


"Personally? I suspect foul play. The girl was too scared to simply run, we all know that much. But getting kidnapped? Much more likely. Which means, someone was in the bar." Sliding out the same drawer that he recovered the flash bang, Masuku fished out the second of the three items, a stack of money. All hundred dollar bills, pilled high enough to fit a hundred of them. Ten thousand dollars, in cold hard cash. Casually tossing it onto the counter, the man stared them all in the eye. "The bar is popular among thugs and crooks, both human and Legend. But, it's always the same crowd, day in and day out. So, time for your first lesson!" 


"By nine o'clock AM, the usual people will start flowing in. They would've been there last night, at least one of them. So you will all go down there at nine, with some of this cash, and join games...but there's a catch. You'll have five objectives," The villain pointed to a finger on his hand, counting down them in turn, "win at least two games of any form of poker, break even or make a profit out of the cash I loan you, ask questions about last night and get any info you can, and lastly? Don't let anyone get suspicious of you." The man smirked, "That one is the most important. The group are all regulars, they know each other, and who outsiders are. It'll be hard enough to make sure they accept you, but not letting them get nervous is even more important. Don't worry though, if anything goes down?" He winked at them, "I'll bail you out." Unwrapping the cash, he handed each of them thirty bills, keeping the last ten for himself. "Use two grand for gambling. The other thousand, is to update your appearance. I was going to get you all wardrobes, but that was before I knew how many people might accept the letter, and what body type they'd all be. Would've cost a fortune, based off of nothing more then, 'maybes'. I'll take you guys to some shops as soon as you're ready. Any questions?" 


He was lying, yes. Thankfully, he at least didn't show any proof of such things to them. No indication, even in the slightest. If they do harbor suspicion, which Masuku was anticipating, then it would only be based on their own perception. So much for trying to build a base around trust, huh? But it was necessary to lie, at this moment. Telling the truth of Sophia's demise would only cause panic, or at the very least, massive concern. Perhaps if Masuku knew more about the situation himself...but in truth, he didn't. So, best move for now, is what he did. Lying to them about a possible kidnapping, and using the story to also provide them some practical experience? Perfect! Plus, it would prove to help acquire a better grasp of their skills, by seeing them work directly. After all, the man still hardly knows anything about them. 


[Tagged - @Tarmagon@OverconfidentMagi@Nooguy]
 
Aaron Massimo




Aaron laughed as Ryan completely fried his rice cracker to a burnt black before he had to drop it smoldering back onto his plate.  The combined sensations of burning and numbness from his fingers was odd and only mildly uncomfortable.  He clenched them in and out until he cold at least feel when they moved.  They continued to tingle, and he suspected they would for quite a while.  He'd have to be careful not to touch Ryan directly when the man felt particularly sparkish.


His smile faltered, if only for a moment.  Sophia was missing.  And just like that, someone had stained his paradise.  Truth be told, Aaron didn't feel much for his two more battle-hardened companions.  But Sophia, he'd... well not liked, he rarely liked anyone until long after he'd met them if at all, but he'd been entertained by her.  How she tried to act tough to fit in when she obviously didn't and lied so unconvincingly to cover up her ignorance, what those with a gentler tongue might call innocence.  If nothing else she offered a welcome foil to the two, the term he kept throwing around in his head was brutes.  If she was gone he'd have no one left to play with.  Ryan and Angela were fun for minor distractions, but they never reacted enough to be worth it, and Bird, well, that pedestal was too high for him to dare.  That only left one option.  He would just have to find whoever had taken poor miss Sophia and ask them nicely to please return her.


Deep within the confines of Aaron's mind an imaginary version of himself, but with eyes that were ruby red instead of their real emerald green color - it was his imagination, he'd allow artistic liberties if he felt like it - slowed the heavy metal gears of his mind to a momentary halt.  Yes, that was the moment Bird had told him that Sophia was missing.  The imagined scene continued with the doppelganger taking a new gear from a closet set into the wall of the room, it was filled with countless other gears of all sizes and even shapes, and he pushed it into space between the other gears being used.  He pulled a lever worn smooth from years of use and the machinery began to move once more, the added gear falling into place perfectly.  


"New clothes?  Wonderful, for a second there you had me worried we'd be making our first impressions in a possibly hostile crowd wearing second-day outfits."  Aaron would be glad to change into something fresh.  Even tough he hadn't slept in his clothes, at least not the outer layers - he wasn't foolish enough to dare sleep naked in a strange place, certainly not - he still felt uncomfortable about wearing the same thing again.  Nothing even smelled, it was just habit that made him want to put on something new for the new day.  The gambling and trawling for information would be easy.  Gambling wasn't anything new to Aaron, not be any stretch of the imagination, and he knew for a fact that he was a good enough player to at the very least not lose too much of Bird's money.  If the tables ran anything like he remembered from the last time he'd been in Vegas, the one in the other world, he'd probably do a bit better than break even.  As for information gathering, there was a bar down below.  Alcohol and gambling, it wouldn't be hard at all to get tongues moving.
 
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