Titans Tower

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Dark Days Past Character Roster & Sign-Up [OOC] Communications [Guide] Beta Protocol [Guide] The Titans Initiative [Event] Epilogue Gotham Los Angeles Titans Tower The Watchtower
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Location: Titan Tower; 14F - Kitchen
Tags: ShadowBroker ShadowBroker BainOfBridges BainOfBridges
Alphus chewed the remaining bite of his blueberry pancakes in silence. And for a time, his stomach felt satisfied. Until it lowly growled for more, and so with a rise from his seat by the kitchen counter he went to fetch exactly that. Since Miss Drake and Miss Sycleia's departure he'd said little to virtually nothing. During that time one could argue the desire to make pancakes had perhaps been a bit more pressing matter at hand given how famished he was, but at the same time one could argue that was nothing but an excuse. And as such he'd done something you don't regularly do when in a room of people you're trying to connect to.

He distanced himself.

He'd chosen not to move towards the other Titans, the remaining two being with him; Huge and Steve. But instead sat at the counter, and now he was trying to think of a means to strike up conversation. After the spiel he'd given on his conviction he had to believe the others had their own reasons for being here. The question was: "Should I ask?"

Setting three pancakes on the plate he opened the fridge, reached for syrup and proceeded with it towards his seat- Huge and Steve's conversation more of background noise than something he was actually paying attention to. At least until he heard Steve's repeated question again:

" You had the chance to meet any of the others yet?"​

And his reaction and response was kindled once again. "No." Alphus interjected-- at least he thought he had--"I haven't. But I do believe that is precisely the opportunity the opportunity Miss Drake and MIss Sycleia are gaining right at this moment." And just as he said that he set his plate down and pulled out the stool to it.

"If I...may be so forward" he continued, "why did you decide to join the Titans? Steve? Huge? "

 

Location: Titan Tower; 14F - Kitchen
Tags: The Regal Rper The Regal Rper BainOfBridges BainOfBridges

"I see." Huge responded in kind as he leaned back on the chair, tilting his head to a side as he focus his interest to comprehend Steve. He said it himself, not only he was speaking more than he needed to but he continued to act nervous. It is not like Huge couldn't accept such a trait from him, but he didn't understand from where does the nerves comes from? Was it something he said? "Then don't." continued in order to bring him to ease, "Think and then talk." it was a straight forward answer but neither he had anything better to say nor the impression he might need more than a "Just do it."

Meanwhile, as the conversation turned into a different focus- one that seem to be running around the table since the arrival. The one who say nothing, the pancake baker; he intended to speak first, at least this time. Huge narrowed his eyes, not answering to Steve's question since the answer couldn't be any different from them. Moreover, another inquiry raised in order to take over the void in such a struggling conversation.

"Why did you decide to join the Titans? Steve? Huge?"

A good question, one that had been repeated before if not by them by his own morale standards. True be told, he felt more like a soldier rather than a hero, a man given an order just to follow in line. However there was no one giving him orders at Bludhaven, or was there? It was but his scars that gave him such a purpose and his own power the one that enhanced such a devotion, filling a hole with a task, covering the scars with steel. Was that all there is? A corrupted memory that crawled underneath the bed, screaming in a silence voice.

Huge didn't give it a thought, it was the abc for him. He had no doubts as to what to do and what is truth; "Because it's right." he replied in gesture, nodding towards him, "There is strength in numbers." both a sentimental and tactical explanation for Alphus, Huge did indeed wondered which of the two he would take to the heart, only to know him better of course.
 
Angel Marie Jansen (Warcry)
Location: Titan's Tower - Memorial Hall -> 5th Floor, Conference Room B
Tags: Sir Les Paul Sir Les Paul Randomfella Randomfella

Marie jagged presence sent a flurry of unpleasant emotions across Shane's face. She'd hit a nerve, and now suspected it wasn't really that nice to meet her. Maybe she should have just kept her mouth shut and let him think of her as a frost queen. It was always hard to choose. Two sides, always fighting; One side wanting to bond with the people around her, to have their approval. The other side certain that friendship was a pleasant lie to mask one-sided arrangements. Even her invitation to the Titans would not have been extended if she'd not been of some potential use.

Shane spoke, rather unexpectedly, his unremitting positivist tarnished only by the water in his eyes. Marie nodded, so he'd inherited his powers. She wondered idly what kind of powers would leave him looking the way he did. The most juvenile part of her wondered whether his forehead felt like a normal forehead or not. Her irrelevant thoughts were quickly interrupted by their entrance into the room.

*Spinning batman logo cut*
The flurry of combat as the Titans made war on Braniac's forces reminded her of the cartoons she was allowed to watch in the labs. It was almost surreal watching clockwork soldiers fight one another. The battle turned this was and that, but eventually numbers prevailed, and the impressive Titans were crushed. The difference between the two forces became apparent. While the Titans worked with superhuman coordination, like a military unit, the Crimson Corps had something deeper. They understood one another, their roles, their capabilities. They weren't individual war machines, they were parts in one grand siege engine.

This realization lent her a sense of comfort. She didn't have to become a super soldier, more weapon than person, master of all skill. No, where she found her shortcomings, there would be other Titans to fill the gap, working synchronously, not in tandem. A team with the strength of it's individuals, and individuals with the strength of their team.

Her anxiety eased slightly as she repeated it again to herself. She didn't have to be good at everything ... she just had to find out what she was good at, and do it well for her team. There was gratitude in her stare as she looked back to Johannes ... the REAL Johannes.

It was settled ... she was going to be a Titan.
 

Rebecca Drake, Blackbird
Titans Tower, 5f, Conference Room A
Epiphany Epiphany Seraph Darkfire Seraph Darkfire Sir Les Paul Sir Les Paul

Apologies for the shorter post, guys ^u^
Becky nodded, raising an eyebrow at Scyleia's appeal to Chordhana and her reference to Alex as "male" instead of by his name. She kept her mouth shut, however, making her own mental notes. She certainly had very clever teammates, and that was something uplifting.

Something caught her memory as she listened and she frowned. "Agent Johannes told us that we wouldn't be doing field missions until we were level 2 agents, and this seems an awful lot like a field mission..." Becky trailed off, looking at Tresa with an arched eyebrow. "So what's the deal there? Is this a test run of sorts?"

If this was a field mission, she figured that they'd let her grab her suit before they left. Black was the best for stealth missions, after all.
 
  • Virimater Representative​
    ZcunrVQ.jpg
    Chordanha​




    Location Titans Tower, 5F, C. Room A
    Tags Epiphany Epiphany sitanomoto sitanomoto Seraph Darkfire Seraph Darkfire
    Tresa was the first to speak up, and almost immediately to answer the question posed by Becky. Which appeared to be a convenient occurrence as Chordanha appeared to be pondering what the other two brought up.

    "It is a field mission. Let there be no miscommunication. Scyleia and you were chosen due to your real-world experience. Alex was chosen due to his abilities. In short, he can provide you with personal shielding that can stop bullets. He is likely also the weakest combatant among you three, but I don't doubt his understanding of criminal conduct is the greatest. Additionally, because these islands are not sanctioned by the UN, the same limitations that would normally be placed on you simply don't exist," she explained to them. Something about her tone made it somewhat apparent those answers had been rehearsed. She nodded over to Chordanha whom seemed unphased by the intrusive answer.

    "To answer the first question presented, our scouts gain plenty information, but they must literally take on their roles within De Terra society. Those roles don't afford opportunities to relay information back to the motherland, so only the most prized information makes it back. You won't have that problem as your stay in De Terra will be relatively short, you have the skills to stay alive and the male to cover your mistakes you may make. In fact, you will also be given the secondary task of returning with any information from our informants if possible--although there is no guarantee you will encounter them or even recognize them based off whatever information we provide you with. We value the lives of our people, so maintaining their cover is priority," Chordanha explained to them, oddly adding a layer of detail they previously lacked. The skill of the scouts wasn't the problem--it was the medium, or lack thereof, for information.

    "Ideally, you won't have to kill anyone. Realistically, you likely will in De Terra. Those that you kill are already off the records and chances are, you would do our country a favor by ridding these islands of them. The only chance of you killing a citizen of Virimater occurs with our informants, and that is a calculated risk we have decided to take--and I can only reiterate that we value the lives of our people," Chordanha further explained. She seemed to hammer in the point of the value on life, yet had next to none for those of De Terra.

    "Let me make a few more things clear. Two of you will be relatively young captives for pirates, beautiful girls. Attractive. Most of those in De Terra are men, to our knowledge. Aside from the Prime, few of our citizens are as attractive and even fewer from any other island are. Your value to them first and foremost will be your bodies, if you understand what I mean. It may appear to you that I am harsh on these people, but there is a reason. Unlike Paradise and even Aterterra, the men of De Terra refuse compliance of any kind. There is no negotiating with them," Chordanha told them, now more serious than ever. This was a different tone. Far different than before. It wasn't even laced with general man-hating; this was directly purely at De Terra.

    "You think of yourselves as scouts, but I would consider you more of saboteurs. War is inevitable with De Terra, but fighting it will be a delicate and drawn out balance with the other nations if we are to survive. What you are doing by weakening De Terra is buying is time and potentially ensuring we can sustain ourselves if either other nation ever decided to attack," she told them, finally confessing what their true roles were. It all came together now. A dozen unanswered questions.



 

Alexander Alfaise
Location: Titans Tower 5F Conference Room A
Tags: sitanomoto sitanomoto Epiphany Epiphany Sir Les Paul Sir Les Paul

"A good summary, male. It's good to see you're well trained. Becky and I will find you useful after all. Let's confirm our colleague's request first, though, before leaping to rash conclusions."

Alex frowned slightly as Scyleia spoke to him in that manner. He hadn't considered her to be one of those people, and he was rarely wrong about people. The slight shift in her face let him know that he still wasn't wrong about her. She was very clever, manipulation of a person through their prejudices wasn't easy.

He kept a scornful look on his face, as if he was insulted by the way she spoke to him and turned his eyes back to the two as Tresa began to talk.

'In other words, I'm effectively a meat shield for the girls' Alex thought as she explained the reason they'd been chosen. That wasn't a problem, he was rather used to being used along that vein. It was rather insulting to be considered that way, but he'd already stopped concerning himself with how these two women saw him.

Then Chordanha began to speak, explaining the role of the scouts 'Deep Cover' he thought. Cops did it all the time to catch the big time criminals. Generally speaking though, those types of people either got so deep into their story that they changed sides, or would reach a point that they couldn't do what was asked of them and ended up dead.

Which led him to what she was saying about killing. She was basically telling them that it was alright for them to kill anyone they wanted. Everyone in De Terra was unpleasant so it was alright if a few went missing. That was something he was familiar with as well. If someone had the wrong background it didn't matter as much if they died or went missing, it was just another part of their bad life. The people Chordanha did seem to care about were still considered casualties of war if they died.

Alex did find that he agreed with Chordanha about the men of De Terra. In any outlaw society, the strong preyed on the weak. Unfortunately, that often turned out to be women. It was an ironic thought as well as Alex was quite sure that the four women in this room could easily beat any man that came into their path. Still, his two partners for this venture were quite beautiful, which only added to his role as their shield.

Ultimately, it just boiled down to Politics. They were afraid of going to war with De Terra because it would leave them open to their enemies. It was equivalent to stealing food from another person's plate, just to make yours last longer.

Well, in the end, no matter what he thought about them they were asking for help and he honestly had nothing better to do.

"If I am going to be using my abilities, I'll need to acquire my equipment" he said once Chordanha was finished speaking as he fiddled with the pendant around his neck "I'll also need to store this" he wondered if he needed to make a complaint about the lack of information in an email. His first thought when he'd read the email was something along the lines of meeting his team, not being sent off to another country. He wasn't even sure if these two girls were his team. It seemed like they'd just been picked for this mission based on their skills, it was possible he'd end up with another group after it was over.

A shame too because he was enjoying being surrounded by beautiful women...even if two of them were less than friendly.
 
Angel Marie Jansen (Warcry)
Location: 5th Floor, Conference Room B -> Somewhere
Tags: Sir Les Paul Sir Les Paul Randomfella Randomfella

Marie nodded along as Johannes explained what their time here would be like. Fitness and combat ... she could already imagine the burning, the sore ache she would wake up to. She wasn't worried. A life in captivity had given her a deep appreciation for athleticism, and In the year she'd been living a mostly-normal, high school life, she'd trained for soccer and track ... though she'd only had a year to come back from near emaciation. Regardless, she knew she could put in the effort, knew it was something she could excel in. Combat training on the other hand ... that didn't sound pleasant. She'd never hit anyone before ... and she was terrified of using her voice against an actual person. She was a little relieved to find that a portion of it would be tactical training, not purely actual combat.

Marie glanced over at Shane as Johannes informed them that they were about to split up. Chewing at her lip, she fidgeted with her new wrist-appliance. She wondered idly how many others there were, what her odds were of ending up with the only person she'd actually met so far. With her back to the door, it took Johannes' reference to draw Marie's attention to the impossibly pale blonde standing there, a kind smile on her stark red lips. She took a fright initially, startled by the woman's unearthly appearance, those cracks that seemed to abolish the light around them. Casting an uncertain glance back to the comparably Gucci Johannes, it became apparent that style here was a matter of choice, rather than requirement. Another thing to be relieved about, she supposed.

Marie, outed by her quizzical glance to Johannes, tried to backpedal into a smile at Agent Q. It was odd that she hadn't entered the room, and was instead lingering at the doorway ... maybe there was more between the two than a clash in styles. The lanky blonde pushed herself up from the chair, lingering for a moment with her stare falling somewhere past Agent Q. Finally she turned around, facing Shane, and forced another smile.

"I uh ... it was nice to meet you ... I'm a lab experiment, by the way ... I hope I see you again ..." She stammered, and with that, she turned again and moved hastily to the door. Slipping out into the hallway, she joined Agent Q, peering up at her expectantly. As they moved off, she cast a final glance back at the door, trying to push her social anxiety from her mind. Glancing back to the floor in front of her, she soon found herself peering over at the haunted doll of a woman leading the way, particularly those impossibly black lines and marks.

She wanted to know if they were real or not, but she'd quickly learned that the first question to come to mind isn't always the best. If they were real cracks, the woman might not take kindly to her pointing them out. So instead she walked in uneasy silence, wondering what kind of rigours lay ahead, chewing at the corner of her lips as their footsteps echoed down the hall.
 
Shane Tift (Shift)

Location: Titan's Tower - Memorial Hall -> Titans Tower, 5F, C. Room A -> Titan Tower; 14F - Kitchen
Tags: Sir Les Paul Sir Les Paul Neon Valkyrie Neon Valkyrie ShadowBroker ShadowBroker BainOfBridges BainOfBridges The Regal Rper The Regal Rper
It didn't matter that he had watched it before, the video was still inspirational nonetheless, and a reminder of why he was here. Sure, he had felt slightly off-put by what had happened, but that was now irrelevant, his goal, like the missions those in the clip had, yet perhaps on a much smaller scale at this time, was all that was important to him now. Still, it did cause him to worry once more on exactly how he would be, working in a team and all, would he end up being more danger to his allies than good? His face turned stale for a short moment, before he quickly snapped back into realisation, planting a smile back onto it.

The way Johannes went on about training made it sound far less intense than Love had described, yet Shift still imagined it wouldn't be anything to scoff at. He nodded as the agent explained the situation to them, putting on an enthusiastic face. As Johannes finished, Shane noticed another woman at the door of the room, perhaps here to go over the physical tests? She looked almost like a cyborg who had been in close proximity to an explosion, or at least what Shane imagined such a thing would look like, cracked and dented. He glanced toward her for a split second, before looking back to Johannes. Her appearance, while definitely peculiar, surely didn't raise any vital questions in his mind, not in a place like this, and not while he himself hardly looked like a normal man. Listening to Johannes once more, Shift nodded, it was likely best to listen to the mans advice, yet his stomach was beginning to feel emptier by the second...

Soon enough after he was finished, the other agent called for Marie to follow. Turning toward her as Marie spoke, Shane smiled in response, casually putting his hand up in a wave. "You too, good..." His voice was upbeat once more, preparing to say goodbye, before almost instantly stopping mid sentence. Once more he had spoken too soon, his mind processing her words after he had began. He went blank, his expression almost freezing in time as the girl began to leave, his body not even turning to follow the motion. As she reached the doorway, the young man's fingers curled to a more relaxed state, the smile on his face creeping downward to a deadpan. Finally he turned around as she was leaving, clearly confused, and unsure how to respond to the sudden statement. "Luck..." Shane finished, his tone now much more silent, almost like a whisper.

The young man looked back toward Johannes. "Uh..." He began, attempting to recollect himself, before giving a slight smile once more. "Thanks for everything." He finally got the words out, his words still showed some confusion to them, though he tried to hide it. He then got up, preparing to leave the conference room. "I'll be sure to check the laptop out soon." He stated toward the man, before exiting, a small yet audible grumble escaping from his stomach, causing him to grab it in some discomfort.

"I'm a lab experiment, by the way" The thought echoed in his mind as he walked down the corridor. How could he have reacted so... Peculiarly? It wasn't exactly something that was impossible, considering the types of people that came through these halls but... The way she said it so casually, just slotting something like that in mid sentence, it definitely threw him off, and looking like that was something he wanted to avoid. It also made him think of the kinds of people that would do that to a young girl, experiment on her, maybe that was the source of her ability? Or maybe they were testing on her after the fact? Whatever it was, it sounded sickening to him, surely any positive treatment wouldn't be worded in such a way.

The time from the conference room to the kitchen gave him plenty of time to mull it over, one hand on his chin, the other on the opposing elbow. As he approached the room however, a few voices could easily be heard, and while he wanted to get to his work as soon as possible, it was not in his best interests to appear shy, not around these potential recruits. As he move through the doorway, a smile on his face, he approached the fridge to get a look at what was inside. They looked normal, for the most part, though perhaps a heroic visage didn't seem to fit one of them. Whatever they were discussing, it didn't sound like they were close friends. "Don't mind me guys, just getting some grub." Shift spoke up in a friendly tone as he faced toward them, hand raised in the air as if to say hello. Soon enough the young man put his hand back toward his side, moving to look within the compartments of the kitchen, it wasn't his intention to interrupt them after all.
 
Titan Lieutenant​
DlWPbBw.jpg
Agent Q​





Location Titans Tower, elevator C
Tags Neon Valkyrie Neon Valkyrie
"Johannes there doesn't quite have the same... energy as I do," Agent Q commented as she guided Marie to the elevator. By this time, Q had a significant change in demeanor. Oddly enough, she also found herself explaining the situation to the new recruit.

"Aaaaanyway, I'm Agent Q. I believe I'm the head of the physical department here, but Tim hasn't quite made all of the roles completely clear. Or I wasn't paying attention--one of the two," Q continued to explain, giving the briefest of introductions as to her person.

"So, before you're free to roam, you've got one last prerequisite: completing the baseline physical exam. Bench press, squats, a lot of running... but then you can go join up with the others. And, I can go figure out what has Johannes so riled up," Q explained, hinting at whatever odd exchange happened earlier.

Physical Assesments
- Bench Press, max weight.
- Weighted Squat, max weight.
- Sit-Ups, per minute.
- Push-Ups, per minute.
- Pull-Ups, per minute.
- Punches to bag, per minute.
- 100-meter dash, timed.
- 1-Mile run, timed.
- Jab, total force.
- Side kick, total force.​



 
Location: Titan Tower 5th Floor,
Conference Room A
Tags: sitanomoto sitanomoto Seraph Darkfire Seraph Darkfire Sir Les Paul Sir Les Paul

Scyleia acknowledged Tresa's explanation with a nod. If Titan leadership had any reservations about how their junior agents would be used, this senior agent didn't show it. Not that she would publicly anyway.

Chordanha's further explanation offered few surprises, though it did add a layer of additional detail. The attitudes demonstrated by the other woman were what the Amazon expected. She repressed a grim smile, suddenly conscious of how long her own people had held similar attitudes towards foreigners...and to some degree how they still did. Scyleia's few years spent in the Patriarch's World with her wife and family, that broadening of perspective, had left its mark on her though and allowed her the ability to see things through new eyes.

"Unless there are additional clarifications our leadership wishes to make," Scyleia said, inclining an eyebrow at Tresa, "I believe we're ready to go...as we were asked to be when arriving here. It would be ideal to ensure Alex is properly armed and provisioned, though. After all, if Becky and myself are expected to maintain a low profile going in, it'd be ideal if we weren't visibly armed...and equally ideal if our male is."

"You have useful experience with this kind of culture," she said, turning her attention to Alex. "Let us know if there's anything you think we need have or should not have to avoid the wrong attention. I imagine we'll need to fly or sail there so we can finish our planning in transit. It sounds like time is of the essence, after all."

The Amazon glanced Becky's way, in case the other woman had anything to add before they left the room to get the mission underway.​
 
Titan Commander​
latest
Tim Drake​




Location Titans Tower, Memorial Hall
Tags clarinetti clarinetti
"Of all people, you intend to introduce him to these teens?" Johannes said with no amount of restraint for the distaste he had for whomever this 'him' was. If a soul was around to hear, it would have been the first time anyone spoke to Tim in such a tone.

"Like it or not, he has likely saved as many lives as any one of us. Or you," Tim said, offering a quick rebuttal to Johannes.

"I do not question his influence. It is his methodology that I don't care, Drake. He is the last person you want influencing meta-humans that are little more than children," Johannes fired back, only allowing even more of his professional distaste to pour through his teeth.

"Perhaps. Consider this: his methods have saved a City. Even Bruce could never tame Gotham--and if he did, it was never for nearly as long. We cannot coddle these Titans forever. Besides, he made the trip here solely to visit the Tower. It's best to keep relations amicable," Tim explained. There seemed to be a hint of logic merged with some experience all before the final, actual explanation: a little politics.

Johannes stopped his next reply as they saw the last Titan walk through the shadowy main walk of the Memorial Hall. Not only did it seem there was no point in bickering, but it appeared this was a poor time for it. The final member of the Titans was also the latest to be accepted. She was the daughter of a later generation Titan, Hot Spot, but she wasn't here for that. She joined at the behest of Waller, whom apparently had the request from an older sibling of hers. Yet again, more internal red tape.

"I would have liked to get you in with a group--the experience is always better with others. But, given the last minute arrangements, I'm sure you can forgive us. I'm Tim Drake, Titan Commander; and, this is Agent Johannes Keplar, my Right Hand Lieutenant. And this," Tim said, extending his hands outward to reflect on the dozens upon dozens of statues that surrounded them, "Is the Memorial Hall. I'm sure you've heard plenty of stories about some of the people immortalized here. Your father did have a tendency to embellish some things, however."

Johannes crossed his arms then offered the comment, "Don't you all?"

Tim released a light scoff.

As that moment passed, another gentlemen in a black suit came to retrieve the luggage the gentlemen that had escorted Camille in with--right before offering her the same metallic, biometric-locked case the other Titans received. Both darted off together to the elevator, leaving just the three of them.

"I know you had some reservations about joining a group of 'heroes'; your brother made it sound as if he had to coax you to consider joining. Makes me wonder, if you don't mind. What made you reluctant to join? And, more importantly, how did you come to your decision?" Tim asked her. He was a quick-witted man, obviously. Camille, if she put two and two together from the stories of her father, would know exactly who this man was. 'The smartest Robin'--some even considered him the truest successor to Batman as a detective. It made sense that the questions he asked would have such immediate depth.

Johannes, while silent, couldn't help but consider it was just for the free education, like what Jackson was to receive. Really, this was far easier than applying for grants and loans.




 
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Steve Carter - Animus
Location: Titans Tower 14th Floor, Kitchen
Tags: ShadowBroker ShadowBroker The Regal Rper The Regal Rper Randomfella Randomfella




"Because..." Steve started before he immediately paused to think on his words. It annoyed him how a single question had already began to eat away at his resolution to think before talking. This single question was a good question. A very good question. But, he did not know the answer. Not a, single answer at least. Not one that could be verbalised. He could pick from a plethera of answers that in some manner applied to him; the direction of his moral compass, a desire to control his abilities, a lack of anywhere else to progress, a feeling that if he wanted to be smart then he really had no choice.

"I'll tell you when figure that out." Steve finally resolved, starting his answer from the beginning.

"It's been a blur, being approached and getting to here." he continued, a finger idly tapping the side of his plate. The toast and allowed theft of some of Scyleia's prepared food had managed to fill the corners of his stomach that needed filling. His eyes darted up and over to the new arrival as he entered, offering a smile and a waved hand of greeting to him as he passed through into the kitchen. His arrival certainly answered the question of if their cohort was the only one currently going through these processes.

"Not got a groundbreaking event to define me or some righteous cause I follow. I'm just... here."
 

Rebecca Drake, Blackbird
Location: 5F Conference Room A
Sir Les Paul Sir Les Paul
Epiphany Epiphany
Seraph Darkfire Seraph Darkfire

Becky nodded, opening her mouth to put in her own request to go and grab her suit (which wouldn't have taken any more than four minutes, five tops) then caught Scyleia's words.
"I believe we're ready to go...as we were asked to be when arriving here. It would be ideal to ensure Alex is properly armed and provisioned, though. After all, if Becky and myself are expected to maintain a low profile going in, it'd be ideal if we weren't visibly armed...and equally ideal if our male is."
Becky frowned. She didn't like the idea of looking vulnerable. Most of her modus operandi was looking tough, hence the piercings and short hair. Being vulnerable wasn't exactly her fortè. Besides, her real strength lay in the shadows, like a true Bat-family member. Placing herself out in the open made her flinch inwardly, but she'd adapt.
"Seeing as how we shouldn't be visibly armed, I'd like to go and grab my knives while Alex grabs his equipment. They'll be hidden on my person, but at least I'll have a way to defend myself."
Her tone made it sound as though she found the idea of Alex being visibly armed when she was not rather distasteful.
 


​
Hero Points: 0
Codename: DeadmanRank: Tier 3Cards: NoneLocation(Initial): Titan's Tower - Gym
Location: (Final) Titan's Tower Kitchen

Tags: BainOfBridges BainOfBridges The Regal Rper The Regal Rper Randomfella Randomfella ShadowBroker ShadowBroker

It nothing else, Dante knew he would stay in peak physical conditioning while he was here. While the rest of his group went off to do their physical test, he contented himself with his own particular workout regime. Normally, he would follow a rather strict workout regime, working specific muscle groups on certain days with scheduled off days to maximize the benefits to his training. Given his relocation and the associated shenanigans involved, though, he'd missed a few of those training days, so today was going to be a full body hell workout. He had to admit, compared to the YMCA he was used to, this place was a gigantic upgrade.

After the standard stretches and preparing, he set to the real work. On days like this, where he intended to burn out the entirety of his body, he had found it was best to start with the bigger compound workouts that hit multiple muscle groups first then slowly progress to doing isolation exercises that specifically hit one muscle group. He'd feel it tomorrow, but as he'd already demonstrated with the physical fitness test, he recovered rather quickly.

It started with deadlifts and squats. The first few sets were relatively light with only one plate on each side of the bar. For him, 135lbs(2 45lb plates and a 45lb standard bar) for a squat or deadlift was rather light. Even still, he made sure to keep his form as flawless as possible to avoid potential injury. This particular habit was hammered home by various patrons of the YMCA he used to attend. Many of them had, unfortunately, injured themselves before realizing the importance of form. After each set, another plate was added to each side of the bar. Since he had just done squats for his test a few days ago, he stopped short of his max to instead see how high he could push his deadlift.

Of course, this wasn't meant to be a 10 repetition set. No, this was to be a one rep max. Four large plates and one smaller (25lb) plate were on each side, bringing the total weight of the bar to 455lbs. With a deep breath, he approached the bar, taking into account the positioning of his feet as he lowered down to grip the bar.

'Don't strain it, and for the love of your fucking spine don't jerk it!'

His posterior lowered, keeping his back straight as his body started to work. Slowly, almost imperceptibly, the bar began to raise off the ground. Sweat ran down his neck as he struggled to keep his form. Inch by steady inch, the bar came up from the ground. With one last burst of pure rage-filled strength, he reached the top of his position.

And then his grip gave out...

In that moment of elation when he at last reached the crest of the movement, his grip slacked for just a second and he was forced to nearly drop the weight rather than lowering it properly. A resounding boom accompanied the impact and he almost found himself falling forward over the bar when it pulled him down. Thankfully, he had managed to keep enough form to prevent injury to his back.

His hands, on the other hand.

Dante sighed as he turned his shaking palms over. Sure enough, the abrasive grip of the bar had torn off some of the callouses on his hands, and now they were bleeding. "Fucking hell... I really need to invest in some fucking gloves one of these days...." Dante muttered to himself. Fortunately, it seemed the Tower was prepared for meatheads like him to overdo it, as there was a first aid kit with bandages fixed to the wall.

Given how quickly and efficiently he wrapped up his hands, it was obviously not the first time he had torn the callouses off his hands and likely would not be the last.

Even with his hands torn up, he still racked his weights and finished the rest of his workout. Pull ups to finish off his back, incline/decline/flat bench and dips for chest, then a slew of various isolation drills for his arms and shoulders. Not to mention the ab workouts...

Then came the finisher. That poor heavy bag swinging in one corner of the room had no way of knowing just the kind of punishment it was in for. Fists, feet, knees, elbows, that poor bag took every bit of abuse Dante could dish out for the next twenty minutes. If anyone were watching, it was obvious he had practiced his fundamentals. His boxing was compact, except for that damn left hook. A good portion of that time was just him throwing that same punch over and over, trying to fix that giant opening Hyperion had exploited against him before. When it came to kicks, that's when you could tell his foundation was in Muy Thai. Unlike other arts, which could kick with the top of the foot, Muy Thai kicked nearly exclusively with the shin. That, of course, required a lot of conditioning to build the strength of the shins up. Traditionally, part of that conditioning came from literally kicking down trees. Even now, Dante still remembered the welts and bruises he got when he first started as if it were yesterday...

By the time he was done, his grey muscle shirt was soaked through with sweat and he could hardly even raise his arms over his head.

It took him a good twenty minutes to find his way back to his room to wash up. Once he was clean, he pulled on his black jeans, shoes, and strapped his father's pistols to his waist, tied his hair back in a half tail, and set out from his room to get some food. No, you did not read that wrong, he indeed set out shirtless. A peculiar habit of his after particularly grueling workouts. In all honesty, it was due in large part to how difficult it was to actually raise his arms enough to pull a shirt on at the present moment.

Thankfully, finding his way to the kitchen from his room wasn't difficult, even for the directionally challenged ghost-child.

So, with no shirt, and a fresh swell to his muscles, and his limiter on prominent display, he entered the kitchen. It seemed one of his previous groupmates was here scrounging for food as well. Dante couldn't help but feel a healthy amount of competitiveness with the soldier boy, given the other beat him quite soundly in some of the fitness test events. For the moment though, Dante's focus wasn't on competition, but on getting some food.

"Fuck me...." Dante grumbled as he looked up on top of the shelves. A solitary container of protein powder was visible from the ground. Dante had, when he arrived, stashed some of his things high off the ground, given his flight abilities made retrieving them easy. Without his powers though.....

He sighed, readying himself before hopping up on the counter. Another hop and he could just barely knock down the protein into his waiting arms. After hopping back down (and almost eating shit when his legs nearly gave out), he prepared a quick protein shake as he surveyed the others gathered while leaning back on the counter.

"Getting crowded in here in a big hurry, ain't it?" Dante chuckled to himself as he took a swig of his shake.

Clearly, he didn't care if it was a bit odd to be shirtless in the kitchen...
 
Last edited:
Angel Marie Jansen (Warcry)
Location: 5th Floor, Conference Room B -> Somewhere
Tags: Sir Les Paul Sir Les Paul

The two walked briskly toward the elevators, Q's comment earning a flicker of a smirk from Marie. It was interesting, she'd perked up almost as soon as they were out of Johannes' line of sight, and now there was renewed energy in her stride. She couldn't disagree, despite his provided reasons, there was an air of half-interest surrounding the tall, dark-haired agent.

The elevator doors slid closed as they stepped aboard, the girl cocking an eyebrow at Q's odd statement. If anyone should know what they did here, it was the head of a department. Her stare fixed itself back on the elevator doors before her. Was there something ... wrong with her? Marie was, to be certain, not your average jane when it came to mental stability, but it seemed like those cracks ran deeper than Agent Q's skin.

A long pause suggested it was Marie's turn to speak, and she managed well enough despite a stammering start.

"I uh ... I'm Marie, it's nice to meet you." She assumed Q already knew this, but it was practice for people who didn't have access to her dossier. "You do all seem pretty busy, I hope that gets cleared up soon ..." for everyone's sake.

The elevator came to an almost imperceptible stop, the doors sliding silently open a few seconds later. Marie waited for Q's lead again. She went over the list of trials ahead in brief detail. It would be a welcome break from the rigours of social interaction. Then she heard it ... join up with the others. Marie had managed to forget that, after this, she would be meeting all the other recruits, possibly even some full-fledged Titans. More chances to make a fool of herself, show her ineptitude. Her fist clenched and unclenched around the handle of the briefcase. All in due time.

She nodded once Q fell silent. Had Johannes been riled up? She'd heard more from the recording than from the actual man, but nothing about his lack of energy had seemed riled. Perhaps he was more pleasant when he wasn't ... riled up.

Marie felt her worries melt away as her muscles burned with each new test. It reminded her of mornings on the track at the high school, just her and the crisp morning air. Nothing to think about but moving forward. Thankfully the exercises had been arranged in a rotation to keep her from straining anything, and it seemed like no time before the sweat-covered teen came to a panting stop beside the heavy-bag, eyeing up the indicator for her best kick. Where her mood had been rather dour thus far, it felt like the corners of her mouth were a little lighter ... even if she didn't have anyone to compare herself to, she felt proud of her performance ... and desperately in need of a shower.


- Bench Press, max weight. 72lbs
- Weighted Squat, max weight. 122lbs
- Sit-Ups, per minute. 40
- Push-Ups, per minute. 26
- Pull-Ups, per minute. 10
- Punches to bag, per minute. 65 PPM
- 100-meter dash, timed. 14.8 seconds
- 1-Mile run, timed. 6:59
- Jab, total force. 187 psi
- Side kick, total force. 453 psi
 
Virimater Representative​
ZcunrVQ.jpg
Chordanha​




Location Titans Tower, 5F, C. Room A
Tags Epiphany Epiphany sitanomoto sitanomoto Seraph Darkfire Seraph Darkfire
Chordanha offered a scoff. Not at the male. Not really at any of them. More so, at all of them.

However, it was Tresa that would explain. "I believe Chordanha glossed over the actual way you will be entering De Terra. Scyelia, Rebecca, you will be taken as slaves by a raider ship. Alex, your role will be considerably different and arguably more important. On the crew of raiders coming to the outpost will we place you at, there is a Virimater loyalist. He will betray one of the other crew members and you will pose as him for the remainder of the raid. This will, of course, require killing him--but that likely will be done by the loyalist. What this means is that neither of you two will have... well, any real equipment. In fact, you'll barely be clothed--as Chordanha explained, your value on De Terra will be your bodies," Tresa told them. Ironically, she explained more than Chordanha did. But, it made sense as well. She was actually one of their 'superiors', not the representative asking for help.

"That said, your equipment also won't work, Alex. In De Terra, they do not possess the standardize ink cartridges or refilling ports for the device you use. Instead, you will be using a more crude device made by Tim. It's neither as sanitary, efficient or fast, but it will get the job done. It consists of two parts. A small foot pedal that acts as a power source for a small needle that must be dipped into ink--which is used for writing in De Terra. It is slower, it will hurt more and has a higher chance for infection. Due to that, before you leave, you and Rebecca will receive a one-month dose of slow-release antibiotics. I would suggest giving everyone their rune before you leave," Tresa explained. As she did, she walked over to the all-too familiar table to retrieve a handful of devices from the compartments.

Inside were two small intramuscular injectors--the same kind that had been used in boot camps for years, albeit a bit more sophisticated. And, the devices that Tresa previously described. They were, as explained, quite small. In fact, literally half of the size of his current portable device. The stylus was encased in a dulled steel casing with a few buttons--likely to release or hide the needle--and then a port in the back which seemed to go to a folded wire which itself connected to a small box that a foot pedal was attached to. It resembled a sewing machine, albeit smaller. Operating it would not be comfortable--neither would being on the receiving end. This was the reality of being undercover. No fancy devices. Such would likely get them caught.

Lastly, Tresa pulled out a full face mask and a pair of clippers. She grinned. "The mask will match his face. The these clippers will match his hair," she told him. There seemed to be an odd amount of almost sadistic joy coming from her wanting to trim his hair. It was considerably ironic given her own abilities.

Chordanha finally chimed in. "I cannot risk you being caught. From moment one, you're going to be in contact with a valuable asset acting as a raider. I have been told you will only be in captivity on the boat for about four hours, but it will be rough sailing. The currents are violent and the winds rarely favorable. Still, I fully intend to diminishing the risk to my assets as much as feasibly possible," she explained. It made sense then as to why so much effort would go into altering the appearance of Alex.

Still. Reality was setting in. They were about to go into their first, dangerous mission--and the preparation for it was less apt than expected.




Marie Neon Valkyrie Neon Valkyrie is now free to roam the Tower.

Note: The reason Scyleia is not receiving an injection is that she is highly resistant/nearly immune to terrestrial infectious agents as per her Amazonian heritage.
 

Alexander Alfaise
Location: Titans Tower 5F Conference Room A
Tags: sitanomoto sitanomoto Epiphany Epiphany Sir Les Paul Sir Les Paul

Alex hadn't expected to be able to use his own equipment. The nature of De Terra had been enough to give him that impression. When the devices were brought out, he examined the machine he'd be using. In the moment, he began to pull the machine apart using dexterous fingers. He delicately removed each piece as he examined it before putting the machine back together. One thing an artist knew best were his tools.

"This won't be a problem" he said "I've done tattoos with far less primitive equipment" giving a tattoo with the bare necessities was a skill he'd learned long ago. Mainly because he knew that his abilities were needed at the time and he had to be able to do without his machine if it was damaged.

"The pain won't be a problem as well, my runes give pain separately from the device used" he could use the best machine in the world and the pain would still be as great as if he'd used a shard of glass "I will still use my equipment for the initial tattoos here, it will be faster" he turned his eyes to Tresa.

"I'd also request that the two of you also be given my runes. It would give me additional arsenal in case of an emergency" if he was going to be applying shield runes to both Rebecca and Scyleia, he'd have no offensive capabilities. Tresa and Chordanha would allow him to acquire a single strength and speed rune. A single strength rune could make him stronger than a man twice his size.

"Do you know who I will be replacing?" he asked "Groups like these tend to be closely knit. They spend a lot of time together, drink, fight, and die together. If I am replacing someone part of that group without knowing their personality, my ruse will fall apart at the start." he looked at Chordanha "If it is someone new however, there won't be any problems, if no one knows them it is easy to step into a mask"

The needle of the machine popped out as he said that before he turned his eyes to the machine and began testing its operation, making sure it was at least smooth. Any catching would disrupt the rune creation.

In his mind, he was running scenarios based on the information he knew. How he would act around those he was supposed to fool, mentally preparing himself for the things he was sure he'd regret doing. This was all a bit to...sudden. Like throwing a baby into the deep end of a pool.

Out of the two choices he had, he was beginning to realize that prison probably would have been easier. He knew the rules there at least, same as in any gang. There was almost always one person in charge. But here, with the Titans, even the guests seemed to have more pull than their own people. Too many leaders and too much to worry about. He wondered what would happen if they died. Probably nothing. The people that picked them for this job and those that approved it would probably get a smack on the wrist.

The more value someone had, the less could be done to them. Alex frowned slightly as he thought about this.

'Increase my value' he thought. The better he did, the stronger he became, the more they'd pay attention to him. He'd have to become so valuable that even as a threat they wouldn't do anything to him.

Alex then grinned at Tresa "Well, I'd request my own barber, but he is in prison, so I'll have to settle for you" he said chuckling. He thought she seemed a bit excited at the thought of cutting his hair but he didn't really have much of a choice. He was surprisingly un-gifted at styling his own hair. It was a main reason why he kept his hair relatively short.

"Is it possible for me to hold on to the weapons for the girls?" he asked. An armed raider would just be par for the course and in an emergency, he could get them their weapons quickly.
 

Location: Titan's Tower Kitchen

Note: I am sorry for the small respond, I am currently on a tight position. In order to ease people's waiting; I am, for now, removing myself from the kitchen.

Tags: BainOfBridges BainOfBridges The Regal Rper The Regal Rper @Randomfella One Mean Ghost One Mean Ghost

The more people began to arrive the more Huge understood there will be more coming as he remained in a public area. His eyes analyze each individual, though not for long time as to make them feel uncomfortable by his presence. Nevertheless, the question of why were they there has already been answered; even though Steve's answer gave little of his own objectives - maybe he was hesitating.

He finished his plate as he leaned backwards to the back of his seat, sighed as he nodded to himself. He agreed to himself that he had expired his own interest in being here or needs to continue to socialize. He stood up, grabbing his plate, "Don't mind me." he expressed as he move away to wash his dish and be on his way. He tried not to look at anyone else- there been enough conversation for him.

He aimed to return to his quarters, crossing his arms behind him as if he was thinking once more, allowing the inner voice on his head babble and roam around without control.
 
Camille Pedrosa Crockett
Location: Memorial Hall
Tag: Sir Les Paul Sir Les Paul

If there was one thing which could be said about the Tower, it was that it did indeed live up to her expectations. As a child, Hot Spot had upon request regaled her with stories ripe with adventure, offering detailed (If not slightly dramatized) accounts of his time with the Titans. Amongst all that, a sense of awe had been imparted upon her, and even all these years later she felt it stir within her as she walked the hallowed halls. However, now was not the best time to get lost in childhood nostalgia- there was work to be done, and she was already behind schedule as it was. Further along the corridor were two men who were, judging by the tone of their voices, feuding with each other- her welcome committee so to speak, she suspected. The teenager failed to catch the words exchanged, and upon reaching the pair set the incident aside as she offered a curt nod to the men before her. Both held an air of authority in their mannerisms, one which demanded respect befitting of their positions- just what she would expect out of the personnel heading this group. Drake’s reputation preceded him, and while she knew nothing of this Mr. Keplar, she suspected he’d be equally qualified if Waller hired him.

“I have heard a great deal about this place and those who once roamed these halls- it does not fail to impress. It is an honour to meet you, gentlemen, and I apologize for keeping you waiting so long: the flight unfortunately was delayed.” Camille responded evenly, extending her arm to accept the steel briefcase as Mr. Drake continued to speak. The young woman had not anticipated having her motives for joining questioned in the first minutes of orientation, but took no offence to the line of questioning. Most selected candidates would immediately jump at the opportunity she imagined, so it would stand out that she’d taken her time before confirming acceptance. And if they were to bring her in, invest the time and energy to train her, they wanted to ensure that their hard work would be repaid in full.

“With all due respect, Mr. Drake… previous iterations of the Titans have had internal struggles which splintered, if not completely disbanded, the team. Not to the same extent as the former League, that is, but there were conflicts which threatened its continuation. Any organization is prone to such issues of course, but the consequences are all the more serious when it can endanger the lives of both its members and the people they are charged with protecting.” The teenager paused, weighing her words before going forward. “And so before reaching my decision, I wanted to know who was running the show, who would be responsible for overseeing operations and holding us accountable. I wanted to make sure that I wouldn’t be catching a plane back in a few months from now because they couldn’t make it work. Upon hearing more about the people spearheading this initiative however, I decided it was worth pursuing.”

Glancing at the two of them once more, she felt the pair silently eyeing her, Mr. Keplar in particular. Were they expecting her to say something else, perhaps hoping to affirm her commitment to the group? “I hope you don’t take offence to my concerns, nor take my apprehension as a lack of commitment.” she tacked on after a moment, unsure if it would do anything to convince the pair. Not that it mattered all that much- if they didn’t take her at her word now, she would simply prove it through her actions. “Now, do you have any further questions, or shall we proceed with the orientation?”
 

Location: Titans Tower - 6F, Gymnasium -> 12F, Warcry's Room -> 14F, Kitchen

Tags: BainOfBridges BainOfBridges The Regal Rper The Regal Rper @Randomfella One Mean Ghost One Mean Ghost
Marie was still sucking at her thumb when the elevator doors slid open. Stepping out onto the twelfth floor, she withdrew her thumb and peered down at the minuscule burn left by the ID badge now pinned to her hoodie, the article draped loosely across her shoulders. She'd found it in the bowels of the briefcase while retrieving her room information, accidentally activating the DNA sampler on the back while scrutinizing her own tiny likeness.

Pulling the folded paper from her pocket, it took only moments to find her room number, tediously engaging the palm-scanner for what was already feeling like the hundredth time today. The lights flickered on automatically, illuminating the spacious suite. As she stepped across the threshold, some kind of in-built blind in the far wall split and peeled back, revealing the almost wall-sized window that looked out across the city. Marie nodded approvingly ... despite being a single room, it was her largest home to date.

Setting the briefcase unceremoniously down beside the desk, she spied her duffel bag waiting for her on the bed. Pulling a change of clothes from within, the wiry little blonde moved into the bathroom, where she spent long minutes standing dazed under the hot water, her mind wandering far as the heat loosened her muscles. The prospect of meeting her team mates still loomed in her mind. Finally emerging with a long sigh, she towelled of and pulled quickly into a pair of faded blue jeans and a black t-shirt that slouched off one shoulder.

Pressing the little PDD back onto the side of her neck, just behind her jaw, she finally slipped her shoes back on and took up her new titan appliances. Her hair still damp, Marie stepped in front of the mirror for a final check before proceeding out into the hallway, only now bothering to tie her long blonde locks back into a ponytail.

Back to the elevators again. She'd read on the card that the kitchen was to be found two floors up. Mostly she was just hungry, but with the variety of facilities to be found in the great hall, it also seemed as good a place as any to start exploring. As she neared the kitchen, the smell of blueberry pancakes brought a spring to her step, her mouth watering as she strode through the door. expecting to encounter one, maybe two other Titans still lunching, it was a little startling to find the Kitchen full to busting. Already intimidated by the numbers, it didn't help that she was, again, the youngest one in the room.

Swallowing hard, and trying not to be too obvious about keeping her eyes on the floor, Marie made a b-line for the fridge, having already spotted Shane amid the faces, busy sorting through the cupboards for unknown quarry. Hovering in his blind spot for a few seconds, unable to think of anything to say, she quickly turned for the fridge and pulled it open, scanning the inside only after determining she would be unable to hide inside of it.
 
  • Titan Commander​
    latest
    Tim Drake​




    Location Titans Tower, Memorial Hall
    Tags clarinetti clarinetti
    While Johannes was likely listening to the subtle nuances of her thoughts, Tim was already comparing her to the only member of her family he directly knew: Hotspot. Down to it, she was nothing like him. Not in his youth and certainly not as an adult. Isaiah was one of the first to leave the old League and forsake the old ideals of heroism. Not that anyone could blame him; the League dissolved because it plainly didn't function. Still, Isaiah never had this type of tact of verbose nature. Tim made a mental note that he would definitely need to read up on her siblings--especially considering one worked with Waller.

    "You must have picked up your manners from your mother, miss," Tim commented with a sly smirk, "because they are far better than what I recall from Isaiah."

    "Prior to today, no one aside from Waller and I knew just who was going to be part of the Titans--including my lieutenants. This is Agent Johannes Keplar, Second in Command, and a member of the Omega Branch whose name has never ran in any media. Now, Agent Q... you may be more aware of. Streetname Dollface, former vigilante, one of the greatest hand-to-hand combatants alive. She fought the current Nightwing to a stand-still until a few choice words triggered that girl's temper. If you know of her, or Agent Love or even Hyperion before his departure, then I presume your brother played a large hand in bringing you aboard," Tim commented. This was the intellect he was known for. If she knew any of them, it was Tim Drake. A living legend. One of the few of the original Bat Family left alive. The second Great Detective.

    "Family is one of the better reasons to join. Without mine, I have no idea where I'd be," Tim added, also adding a fair amount of weight to the sentiment given his family was all adoptive.

    Tim nodded to the suitcase she was given. "Biometric locks. Aside from overrides that only I possess, you are the only individual in this building that can open that briefcase. I'll keep this short. Inside it is scholastic information designed around a curriculum designed in part by us, in part by Waller and his goals and primarily by the United Nations. Your room number, some additions provided by the staff such as a condensed handbook made by Johannes and a map of the Tower from Q--all included. Every empowered Titan is given PDD's--which are flat discs that suppress your abilities. Johannes will explain the other devices, but you have one specifically built for you. You will be given a second watch--and while I know it's just such an abomination of fashion--it serves a second purpose. The crystal dial can emit a short purse of ultraviolet radiation. Not quite as powerful as the tubes you have now, but it's better than nothing. Not to mention, you won't need those batteries for a while as you train here," Tim explained to her. It was a highly condensed version of what he and Johannes were both explaining.

    Afterwards, he looked over to Johannes and gave a slight nod.

    "I have zero intention on going through all of that again," Johannes replied immediately--and dryly. His eyes began to glow a bright green hue and in a moment, a new voice was heard inside the head of the youngest Crockett.

    'I happen to be a telepath. Forgive the intrusion, but it will save us all time to simply show you what all of the others have seen.'

    It was an odd feeling, really. A memory being implanted. It wasn't fake, either. It obviously wasn't 'meant' to be hers. It was almost like remembering--with a distinct clarity--an episode of a television show you never actually watched. It also spoke to the skill level of Johannes in that he could transition this thought into her mind so easily--so smoothly. It was a blissfully short implant:

    "Inside your briefcases are a few items you will need. These briefcases can only be opened by placing the right front of your palm over the three indents for a palm vein verification, then your left sequentially. You will see an orange light followed by a green before a brief click. The briefcases are durable, but not indestructible. They will be considered part of your tools. The first item inside is a communications device. A manual exists for it inside as well and must not leave the briefcase; you will find it labeled WTComms. Two buttons and a dial. The dial allows access to six different encrypted channels. The Titans Tower open comms is currently Channel 2. The top button allows you to speak. Any other functions, you can look up yourself or ask about later. The second device has a similar manual and is called the WTBand. It's effectively a highly-tuned, reliable fitness tracker with a micro-computer. It has even more functions than the Comms, so you'll need to read up on it yourself. We will also have classes over its functions at a later date," Johannes explained to them. It was literally the exact same speech he gave the last group, word-for-word. It was as if he was scripted. Perhaps he was.

    "Get them out, put them on. The rest is mostly paperwork. A survey Tim wanted you fill out along with instructions for your storage lockers, which have similar biometric locks, and your room numbers. We do separate genders. There are also two handbooks in there. Both paper, by my insistence. When we have class, you will bring both. If I take you on a mission, you will have the pocket handbook. The larger one is five hundred and sixty-two pages of law, ethics and the role of a 'hero' in our society. It was one of the compromises the U.N. had us make. The pocket handbook is twelve pages and is about everything I think you'll actually need," Johannes continued on, showing a little of his own personality. Both in his reiteration of Tim snidely as he was corrected before and his further snide remark about the U.N. compromises.

    "Shane, this is the part you'll actually be interested in. It's different than what Love explained, but not much. Your classes will be broken down into three categories: Classroom Blocks, Fitness Blocks and Combat Blocks. No training on the weekends, but you will have two blocks per day. Classroom blocks are as one would expect: you listening to a lecture, going through tests, some activities. You will learn your role there. Fitness Blocks are primarily physical conditioning. I will admit, it will eventually become a little more extreme than you think. Regardless. Combat Blocks are likely the most unique in that they are not strictly how to fight. Combat classes will also be oriented to resourcefulness and strategy. Also, because your conditioning will be intense, early on, you will likely learn even more. Your body will need more time to rest," he explained. He was quite direct. And, far more polite than Agent Love.​

    But then... then came the most vivid memory of them all.





 

Location: Titan Tower; 14F - Kitchen
Mentions: ShadowBroker ShadowBroker BainOfBridges BainOfBridges Randomfella Randomfella
Interactions: Neon Valkyrie Neon Valkyrie One Mean Ghost One Mean Ghost
Listening to each answer his question, Alphus paused in silence when the answer had been given. Huge's had been one Alphus understood, but the answer itself told Alphus little of what he'd hoped to gleam- while Steve's had given him a bit of insight. In a way, both the answers had given him a little insight. One was here out of some sense of duty, another was here perhaps because the calling felt right. Alphus wasn't certain or couldn't be sure. Perhaps if he was a better conversationalist in personal scenarios such as these he could've rekindled the conversation by shifting it to a different topic. Instead, he let it die. Merely nodding and smiling lightly in understanding to both after seconds of silence had passed by. Unsure of what else to say or how else to continue the conversation, Alphus chose to retreat to the round discs of goodness, only to turn his head at the welcoming of a new voice.

Seeing the owner to that new voice made Alphus' eyes widen slightly in awe as the multicolored man passed and his eyes didn't cease to follow. Rex Mason he thought immediately. A man he'd once did his high school report on in a biology paper no more than four or five years ago. But even with that time, it was as clear as day. This was his descendant. For a good three seconds Alphus couldn't help but stare at Shift-- but like a slap to the face he immediately realized what he was doing and turned his attention back to his meal, ears turning a light shade of pink just at the tips as embarrassment settled in.

He didn't say a word. While Alphus could tell this man wasn't Metamorpho, he also did not want to inadvertently offend him through interest or inquiry. So, he picked his shield of silence, sat on the chair of solitude and picked up the fork and knife of justice to finish off the four pancakes that'd been left to cool on his plate in a pool of syrup. He'd only gotten through two and a half of fluffy disc delight when a man without a shirt, covered in sweat- clearly out from the titan's gym came walking in, just as Huge himself prepared to be walking out.

Again, Alphus made no attempt to engage. He resgined himself with a nod in the shirtless one's direction then a glance in Huge's as he left. Studying and observing while covered in a magical barrier powered by will of sheer uncertainty. Then a thought that should've been more of a realization came to him, he hadn't introduced himself to these two new fellows yet. Not only was it rude, it was almost a breach in proper manners- scratch that it was a breach in proper etiquette. A breach he aimed to fix, till a girl came walking through the kitchen door.

Orchid eyes turned her way and immediately Alphus detected nervousness, unease, and a desire to stay inconspicuous. Not hard to observe and easy to see given how she avoided looking directly at anyone and everyone in the kitchen room. Watching the girl move, Alphus sat back on his stool at the kitchen counter; shifting his gaze between the three new guests. For Rex Mason's descendant and 'the shirtless one' he was not sure of what say. "Hello? How are you? I am called Alphus, what is your name?" May have been a good start but one or two large forks of pancake made it seem rude to talk with one's mouthful and he had no napkin or cloth to hide his mouth while he talked. Just as Alphus had resolved his conundrum by drinking a glass of water, he noticed the girl still looking into the fridge and as he rose to set his plate to rest he wondered if she was still hungry or had abandoned hunger for trying to hide.

"Excuse me." He said with a slight clear of his throat to get the young one's attention. "If you'd like, I have enough pancakes here to share." He offered, gesturing with his empty plate towards the remaining stack of eight to nine pancakes he'd intentionally left alone in case others wanted them. "You are free to take as much as you like." The last sentence in reference to all that still remained.

As he set his plate in and began to clean it, Alphus turned his attention to 'the man of shirtless' and tried to engage in what he hoped would be a conversation that could lighten the staleness of the room's mood. "I'm Alphus by the way. Alphus Bartimeur. And my ally over there is Mr. Steve. Pleasure to meet all of you today. I trust your time at the gym went well Mr. ?"
​



 
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​
Hero Points: 0
Codename: DeadmanRank: Tier 3Cards: NoneLocation: Titan's Tower Kitchen

Tags: BainOfBridges BainOfBridges The Regal Rper The Regal Rper Randomfella Randomfella Neon Valkyrie Neon Valkyrie
It seemed that the kitchen was rapidly becoming the popular gathering place in the Tower.

Within mere moments of Dante starting his precious protein shake, a new face walked... No, more like scurried in... Her eyes never seemed to make even the slightest attempt to meet anyone else's. From her posture to her mannerisms, she was acting just like a scared little mouse. Given how many times his older sister had droned on and on about the physical cues people used when they were nervous or anxious, it had become almost a subconscious habit for him to pick out when other people used them. Hell, if he had a nickle for every time she had told him, 'You know, crossing your arms in front of you is a defensive posture. Fitting given you usually do it when I've caught you in a fib,' he could have paid for college by now.

Well, he couldn't exactly blame the girl for being a bit skittish. She was the only girl in a kitchen full of metahuman guys. It struck him that they really knew next to nothing about each other. Hell, he didn't know the names of anyone here except for the multi-chromatic soldier boy currently pilfering from the pantries.

"I'm Alphus by the way. Alphus Bartimeur. And my ally over is Mr. Steve. Pleasure to meet all of you today. I trust your time at the gym went well Mr. ?"

His eyes shifted off of the girl who seemed to be contemplating her next meal to the one who had addressed him. At the mention of the gym, a cocky smirk spread across his lips.

"Yeah, I'd say it went pretty damn well. Well... except for this mess" He held up one of his bandage-wrapped hands for emphasis as he shook his head. "Tore the skin off my hands during a deadlift.... Fuck me, amirite?" He laughed, clearly not caring at all to watch his language. Really the only time he ever did something like that was when his nephews were around, and that was out of respect/fear of his elder sister. "Name's Dante. Dante de la Cruz." He introduced himself as he pushed himself up from his leaning position against the counter top. Moving to the sink as he finished off the last of his shake, he rinsed the container before setting it aside to dry.

"Hey, Little Mouse, you got a name or can I just let that nickname stick?" Dante called with a playful gleam in his eyes as he looked over to the girl who seemed to debate whether or not vanishing into the fridge was within the realm of possibilities. They did need to get to know each other, after all. Though the name 'Little Mouse' did seem quite fitting, given the girl's skittishness thus far. Oh hell... If she got shocked by that greeting and squeaked in surprise.....

That would be fucking adorable!
 
Shane Tift (Shift)

Location: Titan's Tower - Kitchen
Tags: One Mean Ghost One Mean Ghost Neon Valkyrie Neon Valkyrie ShadowBroker ShadowBroker BainOfBridges BainOfBridges The Regal Rper The Regal Rper
Shane was too distracted by what he had in the fridge to notice the initial disturbance, pondering over his options thoroughly, though his stomach clearly indicated it wanted to wait no longer. Finally, he moved a large container of previously cooked spaghetti and meatballs, enough for a small family, yet he shoved it all in the microwave nonetheless. Hell, he even watched it turn in there, eager to satisfy his insatiable hunger, assuming the others were still deep in conversation.

A large smile grew on the young man's face as the timer grew closer to 0:00. His concentration, however, was cut off by quite the pleasing sound, a voice he had thought was directed at him. "Pancakes!?" Shift turned toward the sound, before grabbing a couple from the stack, and forcing them into his mouth. "Theyse... Ahr greaht... Tanks" He mumbled with a full mouth out toward the young man, taking full advantage of his request, not realising it wasn't directly aimed at him.

Shane raised an eyebrow as he noticed the young man looking away, at least originally, his eyes moving to notice a familiar face. His mouth however was far too full to greet the young man, half-watching as he continued to eat. It seemed that Dante wasn't interested in the pancakes, his eyes moving away from the other young man. Shane followed his gaze, looking over to see a far more recently familiar figure. "C'mon Da..." Shane began to mutter, before taking a deep gulp, finishing the stack in his mouth, a large smile forming over his pancake covered face. "Spook, you should know better than to be giving out nicknames." He slightly chuckled at the end in a deep tone. From his own experience, Shift would assume Dante was somewhat accurate, the girl did seem rather skittish, though he couldn't keep what she had told him from his head. Either way, getting some attention off of her would probably help to some degree. "Do they still call you that?" He questioned, still somewhat curious to what changes he had experienced after Love.

A sudden ding caught Shane's attention, with great joy, he reached back around, grabbing the large container from it, pouring the large serving into an equally large bowl, before placing it on the table and taking a seat, a pink tongue poking out to lick his lips with joy. Shane's expression perked up as he realised he had left the one who had kindly donated the delectable pancakes earlier, causing him to shift his body toward Alphus. "Shane, thought you'll probably get to know me as Shift." He spoke up in a friendly tone, his grin turning to more of a casual smiling, extending a hand out toward the young man.
 
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Steve Carter - Animus
Location: Titans Tower 14th Floor, Kitchen
Tags: ShadowBroker ShadowBroker The Regal Rper The Regal Rper Randomfella Randomfella Randomfella Randomfella One Mean Ghost One Mean Ghost Neon Valkyrie Neon Valkyrie


Well at least one thing had been answered for Steve. They definitely weren't the only ones here. Steve took the moment of silence as a manner of respite as the trio entered. Maybe it was another new batch? No, they acted like they knew each other. Or maybe they didn't and had just managed to hold conversation that was less awkward than the kind Steve had managed prior to their arrival. He withdrew physically a little, shifting from the table to resting his back against the kitchen counter. Steve jolted slightly as his elbow knocked a rack of kitchen knives slightly ajar and quickly set them right before folding his arms and properly regarding the new arrivals.

The girl looked like she felt equally as out of place as he did. It amused him that he found this fact to be comforting. But the other two certainly seemed more... Steve pondered how to put it. Colourful? It was visually appropriate for one of them, although the term might be more applicable in a personality sense to the other. Afterall he had just shown up swearing and throwing about nicknames while missing a shirt.

"Spook? What, big fan of Ghostbusters?" He perked up with a good natured smile. Steve hesitantly raised a brief hand in introduction. "As Alphus said- Steve Carter. Either's fine."
 
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