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✦ At this Location: Kitchen✦ Thinking About: Enforcing Kitchen Manners ✦ While on Team: Omega ✦



Those in the Kitchen seemed to be getting acquainted, which was a good thing considering they were mostly on the same team. Collin, their quiet little newbie, seemed to be upset by Gabriel's weapon at first, but also seemed to recover fairly quickly when the redhead called him on it. He explained that he kept odd hours, partially thanks to his mutation's limitation of his need to sleep, which made sense. "Well, I envy you. I need at least six and a half hours of beauty sleep, or I'm an absolute bear. Just ask Lyn," she responded with a good-natured chuckle. She wasn't going to keep berating him for openly carrying a weapon in a common area - overall, he was an alright kid.

Alex entered the kitchen before too long, offering to make breakfast for everyone. The Omega twin kindly declined, turning her attentions back to the rest of the kitchen.

Gabriel offered to get his teammate some juice, which definitely made the girl happy. It was only natural for the eagle eye to offer to assist him, given the extent of his injuries he had sustained from the last mission, but he was a stubborn one, and refused her. She couldn't help but smile at the boy, "Hey, can't say I never tried to do anything for ya, sweetie. Just want to make sure you don't overdo it. You are infirmed, you know." The nature of her tone and the expression on her face would make it clear that she was just joking around with him. If she were in his position, she probably wouldn't have been able to be so goodnatured about everyone treating her like she was some delicate flower, about to snap in half at any moment.

The blonde Alpha looked at the ladies of the kitchen, lamenting the fact that one cannot force help on the unwilling, a statement that was only too true. The redhead offered the girl a quick nod to show her assent, before the girl turned back to flipping through a cookbook. Charlotte had mentioned that she did not know sign language when Collin had attempted to speak it with her, naturally apologizing to the girl. The new Alpha assured her that it wasn't a problem, just a reflex on her part, to which she could only smile.

"Well, still, I like to be able to talk to people however they are most comfortable. Maybe you can teach me a little. You never know when it might come in handy." Again a sweet smile spread across her features, actually interested in learning some of the language if the girl was willing to teach her.

The conversation turned towards the status of both teams, which was only natural. Too much had happened on their last missions, and on their return, for it not to be the main thing on most students' minds. She was quick to point out that the Omegas seemed to be doing fine, or at least better than their black and blue counterparts. Everyone was reeling from the attempted murder of Bella by one of her own teammates, but the main reason she cared, if she was honest with herself, was simply for the impact it had on her sister. She didn't have personal relationships with any of the parties directly involved, but Lyn did, and being the older of the two, it was her duty to make sure that her sister was alright, emotionally and physically.

When asked what her plans were for the rest of the day, she was open about her intention to get some training done in the afternoon and maybe curl up with a "good" book. Schoolwork had resumed, which meant that she had a book report to prepare for. At the very least, she could get a heads start on it, and if she could find a quiet place to just relax and read for a little while, it felt like it would do wonders for her own spirits.

Colin expressed her own excitement about the possibility of training, asking how one went about doing so in the base. She wanted to not feel useless, and find a way to help her teammates. She really did seem like a sweet girl. Marcel, another new Alpha arrival, spoke up and offered the gym or the danger room as the best and easiest methods of training, asking about the girl's power. Alex echoed the boy's sentiments, offering the same two places as potential training places.

"Yea, like Alex said, if you want to use the danger room, it's best to ask someone higher up on your team, or your team leader for permission first, especially when you're new. It has security clearance and whatnot. Before we moved underground we had a pretty nice range that I spent most of my time in, but now I'm limited to the danger room for that. I really miss the stables...I was working on mounted archery before the move, which is a little harder to do now."

As Alex began preparing her food, she nonchalantly mentioned that she hoped not to start a fire. It caught the southern gal a little off guard, her expression turning to one of slight concern. "Well, Jesus, sugar, how many times have you caught a kitchen on fire? Do we all need to give you some extra space?" She was partially kidding, but partially not. It seemed odd that was the girl's first thought when she turned on the stove.

Shortly afterwards, they were joined by two more arrivals, Eden and Thomas. Again, more alphas. As the only Omega present, she was really starting to feel a little out of place, though she couldn't exactly quantify why. It was good for her to learn more about her sister's team - maybe it would give her more confidence, or less, that she was in good hands in the missions to come.

Eden, floating slightly above the ground, seemed upset that no one had thought to make coffee yet, asking the rest of the group if they wanted any. "None for me, darlin'," she responded to the flyer, leveling a smile on her male companion as she asked how everyone was doing. Everyone was so friendly this morning. Lachlan, another new arrival, was the first to respond to the healer's question, careful not to speak for everyone else when he said he was doing fine and eager to get her hands on a cup of coffee. The redhead smiled at all of them, shifting slightly in her spot - it was starting to get rather crowded in here. And again - all Alphas.

"Well, I'm having a lovely morning, Thomas, how about yourself? Seems like you've made a cute little friend," she commented, looking over his shoulder to the brunette busying herself with the coffee pot. Lachlan introduced himself around, shaking the healer's hand as he did so, the redhead offering a small flutter of her fingers in response, repeating her own name in case he needed it. They had so many new faces now-a-days, it was prudent to never assume that one knew her name (something she had learned early, being a twin). No doubt, several of those present assumed she was her Alpha sister...that could prove entertaining, were she in the right mood.

Listening to Dmitri and Kerrigan give a little run-down of what they could do, it kind of excited him to hear how useful they sounded, especially the Adoptive Muscle Memory. "Lava, huh? Must be pretty handy with keeping enemies at bay, obviously not something I'd want to get caught on the receiving end of. Though, I really do wonder how some burns would work to build me up," he he said, in response to Dmitri's power before continuing for a small comment on Kerrigan's response, " Hey, nothing wrong with being cocky as long you know your opponent well enough that you can show them up. Adoptive Muscle Memory sounds pretty great, maybe I'll take you up on that offer later."

Still bouncing in his little rhythm, starting to shuffle from side to side, he thought about how to actually explain what his power was in a way that would make sense. “I mean, in a way, super strength could be a part of it, if I ever get to that point. Endurance too, I guess. My thing is . . . like an underdog, to be blunt. It's good for long fights, especially where I'll be taking a lot of hits. As I take more punishment, the harder I hit and the harder I can get hit, and the longer I can stay in the middle of things. I suppose it doesn't really have a well-defined limit, other than how much I can actually take the pain. I don't think it could stop a bullet or anything like that, and I really don't want to test that,” Darien explained, trying to keep it brief. Thinking about his choice of words, he kind of liked the word punishment, pretty fitting for what he did. At least he thought so.

"And everyone makes them. Blake reminded her gently, his southern accent as sweet as honey on bread. "But this one isn't yours to swallow. Scott knew the risks putting someone so volatile on a team; he set you up for failure." Even so, there was no way Bella could have known about Kat's intentions to hurt her. He understood that Kat needed protection, needed rehabilitation from her former life - what he could not comprehend was why that meant she should be on a team. Maybe one of the less active ones, sure. But the Alpha and Omegas routinely put their lives on the line; the last thing they needed was to worry about betrayal from within.

As an example that the same thing could have happened to Narcissa, the cowboy rehashed the size shifter's injuries, but Bella didn't see it as the same thing. "And it won't be the last time that there is a fight within the ranks. Leion tried to maim Roland a few days before our last assignment. It happens; and it doesn't reflect your leadership skills." The fact that no one had died yet on her watch said it all. Any one of her people could have while in that compound.

“You weren’t here Blake.”

Even though she likely hadn’t meant it that way, all he heard from her lips was the accusation that already constantly replayed in his mind. As a friend, he had failed her. He had left her to face the enemy alone. “It wasn’t Evelyn that he loved.” He argued quietly, refusing to believe what she thought of herself.

Carefully treading his way through the conversation, he explained that Katerina and Gideon were two very different cases - Gideon was a beast; Katerina maintained her humanity. “No, doll.” He said, shaking his head, “I’ve worked with animals all my life - they are not malicious by nature. Those that appear that way have been mishandled, abused… starved. They don’t have agendas; they don’t intentionally harm.” He didn’t need to finish the statement lingering in the air. Only humans can be so cruel.

She wobbled as she moved through the room and without any hesitation, he found her, steadied her. Wrapping his arms around Bella’s small frame, he pulled her against his chest for support, the embrace promising so much more than his simple words could have. His warmth, the way he took care to help her unwind those nerves, everything about it said what he hadn’t; it spelled plainly how much she meant to him. And while the majority of him longed to fuss over her and convince her to stay in bed, having her so close was enough to quell the urge.

At his behest, his best friend rehashed what she remembered of Katerina’s assault, emotions getting the better of her as she described what she thought had been Leonardo Rossi. The longer she spoke, the heavier the weight grew, crushing his heart. The inflections, the way she described how he smelled, how he felt… Christ in Heaven, they had become more than friends in his absence. She had moved on from Gideon, just not with him.

Masking the pain bubbling within with a stony expression, he let her continue, demanding himself to remain a gentleman, no matter the cost. Isabella needed her best friend, he needed to be what he could for her and he could pick what was left of himself off the ground when she wasn’t so close. But the pain of knowing, of finally realizing she had never seen him in the same light was enough to steal all of the life and laughter from his core.

Thankfully, the medical staff gave him a reprieve, and as he sank into the chair, he closed his eyes from the world and focused on making even breaths - despite how narrow his throat now felt, despite how much it burned to breathe. His head between his knees, his mind could not stop racing, replaying the aches as well as a scratched record. She didn’t love him. She never would.

At least, not in the way that mattered. Not in the way he had hoped for, and damn himself for believing she would ever see past who he was.

Training his features, he was careful not to look directly at her when the songstress emerged from the shower, obviously anxious to check on the man she had given the privilege of carrying her heart. Slowly rising to his feet, he somehow found the words she wanted to hear when she asked for his blessing to leave the infirmary. Extending his hand for her to hold, his world shattered as he betrayed himself for her.

But the silken feel of her fingertips in his rough palm nearly brought him to his knees, and he retracted it only seconds after the contact. No matter how many times he had gone over it in his head, he couldn’t do this. He could not be her Blake anymore, not when he felt like his grief would swallow him whole. He couldn't pretend like everything was fine and walk her to see the man she had chosen over him. Seeing them together would kill whatever part of him might be left.

Stepping back, it pained him to see her react skittishly. Even now she doesn’t see it. She doesn’t see you. His conscience whispered, the knowledge raking salt over the gaping wounds on his soul. She never did. After all of their years of friendship, she couldn’t recognize his hurt over her paranoia. If his best friend in the entire world didn’t know him enough to see his anguish, no one ever would.

The last piece of him fell into an eternity of twisted nightmares as the thought solidified. Whatever he had deluded himself into thinking had always been a lie... or she would have seen his pain. She would have identified it for what it was and not mistaken it for whatever fleeting fear she had.

He spoke her full name, banishing any moniker he’d ever given her from his mind. Never again would he allow himself to use them, to be close to this woman would only bring him more misery. And though he didn’t want to, he opened himself to her one last time and met her gaze as he abandoned his post as her rock, her best friend. With one heavy look, Isabella would finally find the turbulence he had kept hidden from everyone in the world. The disappointment, the exhaustion… the unbounding dolor.

And she said nothing.

Turning away as the choking silence filled the room, the Texan could take no more abuse - self-inflicted or otherwise. Struggling to breathe, he left the beautiful girl in tears, and though his eyes stung, none of his own fell as he mutedly moved through the corridors.

He was already on the next floor when she finally found the courage to speak to him, but an empty apology was all she could manage. He could have sworn he could feel another knife digging into his chest. Yeah,... He thought bitterly, his hands in his hair once again. Me too.

It was likely a full two minutes before he found any sort of will to respond to her. She was sorry, but as the words echoed in his mind, he didn’t know if she even knew why she said them. Lifting his chin up defiantly, Blake tried for a fire he didn’t wholly feel. But in time, he promised himself, he would. Anger would feel a whole hell of a lot better than this broken-hearted misery. “Don’t. Just… don’t.” It was over. A done deal. He didn’t need her to prolong it.

Even as he said it, his resolve to get some distance from her grew. He couldn’t have her in his head, whispering whatever it was she actually felt and piling it onto his own stack of emotions. If he could ever feel something other than unparalleled despair… he’d talk to her. For now, he needed to lick his wounds, learn how to be someone different. Someone unbroken. Someone not in love with Isabella Stone.

Clicking his comm to a frequent channel, his voice was a little more even as he addressed Alice. “I don’t know what you’re doing right now, but I’m going out. I need to drink.” He said, already making the appropriate notifications to the senior X-men, Forge in particular so that he could port them out of the facility with a pair of power-blocking wrist-bands. The last thing he needed was to be exposed for being a mutant while getting drunk. “I’m buyin’.”


Nashville, Tennessee, Legends


He had scarcely been at the counter for thirty minutes, but a bottle of Johnny Walker’s finest was nearly gone. The scotch smelled sour on his breath, but the pain in his eyes had dulled marginally as he slammed his glass down with a loud thunk meant to get the bar keep’s attention and finally started to talk about what was on his mind. He’d said nothing for the first few drinks, save to order more. “So that’s it then.” He growled, pointing down at the empty container when the bartender met his gaze.

“Keep them coming.” He said, sliding another hundred dollar bill in the man’s direction. Nodding as the man kindly poured another, Blake took a swig and pressed on as though he’d never stopped talking.

“All she had to say was she was sorry.” Blake spat, reliving the entire scene for the thousandth time. His Alcohol had done well to temporarily burn through the hurt, and all that was left for him to deal with was unbridled anger. “Sorry for what? For lookin’ over me all these years? For not lovin’ me? For not thinkin’ I was good enough? What does she have to be sorry for; it’s not her heart anyway.” It was his, and she trampled on it and then all she had to say for herself was “I’m so sorry.” Like that helped.

His jaw ticked and he polished off the drink in another gulp. “I’m not monster enough for her. Her current boyfriend is behind bars, feral as they come. Her last boyfriend was a homicidal maniac when she met him.” If only scotch would make him forget he ever met her. Life would be easier then.

He’d been ready to say something else when another voice interrupted him. “Heya Toots.” A man with the form of a basketball leaned against the counter in between Alice and Blake and winked at her, with a smile so wicked it might have made babies cry. “You look like you could use a good time. What are you drinking?”

He reached for her, but before he could even get close. Blake moved between them, grabbed his wrist and twisted it until he heard a popping noise. “Her drinks are done bought. She’s got company, and you sir, aren’t fit to kiss her shoes.”

Grunting the man started to say something more, but the cowboy didn’t give him the chance before his fist collided with the man’s nose and sent him sailing backward into the stools. Like an elephant in a stampede, the human basketball came to his feet and rushed toward Blake, swinging his arm out too far and hitting another guy at a nearby table in the back of the head.

He turned around immediately, breaking a beer bottle on his attacker’s skull. His fists clenched, he clearly wasn’t done as his fury rounded on Blake. Ready for another brawl, adrenaline pumped through his veins as he grinned at Alice. “Think I can take him?” He asked, light in his eyes for the first time all evening.

It was over too soon, and soon after the bouncers had him by the scruff of his shirt and were all too obliging in seeing him out the door.

Kicking an invisible clod of dirt on the sidewalk out of frustration, the cowboy glowered at the slammed door. "I was winning!" He said, shaking a fist at the establishment.

It was then that he glanced up at his friend, a genuine smile lifting his features as he realized he'd felt alive in there. “Let's go. I'm not drunk enough to leave this town yet, and there are plenty of other bars that I probably won't have to punch the lights out of anyone.” He said, taking her hand and dragging her down the strip.

Three bars later, they were finally sitting down in the back corner... two already bought bottles of Johnny Walker Blue on reserve. "I can't believe that guy with the camera was all in our faces. He deserved to have it smashed when he wouldn't go away." He said, though between his southern lilt and the drunken slur, it might have been difficult to make out his exact words. But he raised his glass to toast and poured the liquid fire down his throat with no more thoughts of Isabella clouding his mind.

Despite their possible dire situation, the pair continued to joke in the dressing room, at the MRD’s expense. It was a wonder that the man was still pounding on the door, taking their existence so seriously. Wasn’t it obvious by now that they were no real threat? The conversation moved onto the Fuzzy, who Daylia admittedly had a crush on. "I figured you’d hag on to that." She said with another giggle, unashamed of her thoughts about the older x-men member.

Again the conversation drifted back to her clothing choices. "I already know how she feels about my clothes. But who cares? You guys aren't the ones wearing them." She said, defending herself yet again. Though as a onesie was brought up, it was clear the two were thinking about quite the opposite kind of clothing item. While one looked comfortable, the other would probably give you a front wedgie for days.

It was not long before the pair made their escape via the solid back wall. It was a tiring experience for Daylia. She had put everything she could into it, trying to make sure she would be able to drag Gracie out the other side with her. Worn she followed her partner in crime through the back halls, trying to find an exit. "Ugh, portals." Daylia said lowly. She was already dreading the one they would have to take home.

Once out of the maze of hallways, they were soon joined by the ‘rescue’ team, and after a few jokes at the new kids’ expenses and a vomiting session, they were off to find the portal. "Yeah yeah." D said, waving off Gracie’s comment about the day. "If you want some memorabilia, I left it back there on the ground for you." She said with a small smirk. It wasn’t long before Narcissa was herding them through the portal.


--------- Base side ---------


For probably the millionth time that day, Daylia was glad to have Gracie by her side. The dark haired girl was there, helping her despite watching her toss her cookies outside the mall. She listened to her vent about the mission, and even tried to defend her friend from her own harsh words. A smile touched the edges of her lips as she booped Gracie on the nose with her index finger. "Well, I can’t think of anyone better." She said, trying to make the other woman feel better.

She gave a shrug as Gracie admitted she was not impervious to telekinetic abilities. "Dude, I don’t think a lot of us would be able to withstand them. Stop being so hard on yourself for something you can’t control." What had happened in her past was truly not her fault. Of course guilt wouldn’t see it that way, so D could only try to make her feel better in the moment.

She gave another shrug as Gracie posed the question. "Because I shouldn’t be experimenting on the field." When they had walked through the wall, D wasn’t one hundred percent sure they would be able to come out of the other side. It was one reason she had put everything she had into it. She gave another shrug with the follow up. Gracie went on, telling the redhead that she wouldn’t have let her go down. "See, that is why I trust you." She said, another smile creeping onto her face. "And that, I don’t blame you for. If I could have, I would have stepped away from myself too."

Gracie joked about not being able to eat, and D simply shook her head. Immediately she regretted the choice as her vision blurred. "Yeah, yeah, we’ll see how you feel tomorrow." She said with another smile before disappearing into her room.


--------- Time Skip: Greenhouse ---------


At Narcissa’s request, Daylia abandoned her quest for the Rainbow Bridges in dream land for the time being. It was an odd request, or so she thought, to come alone. It lead the faux redhead to believe she was in for a scolding. Of course she had guessed one was coming eventually since the mission, but it worried her even more that she was to come alone.

It was as warm as expected in the greenhouse, and despite the warmth Cissa looked comfortable. Of course it shouldn’t have surprised Daylia, considering how warm her team lead’s blood ran. The blonde greeted her in her usual british tone, before giving her the task of picking out a nail polish color.

It was odd, to say the least, that Narcissa would be wanting to polish the redheads nails. She fought the urge to ask, and instead picked a color at random. Then came the ‘how are you feeling’, and though she felt fine, her statement didn’t carry the thought across as firmly as it should have. It was something the Sun Queen obviously picked up on.

"Yeah?" She said, though again it came out more like a question. "I mean, I guess we all could be doing a little better, not being trapped her, but all in all I’m doing as well as can be expected." She added with a shrug.

Of course, Daylia being the person she was, reflexively returned the question. "Good." She said, unsure of how else to carry the conversation. Oh how she wished Cissa wouldn’t torture her, and that if she were going to lay into her, she would get it over with. Quickly.

Sadly, that did not seem to be Narcissa’s plan. Methodically, the blonde began working on her fingers. First filing then polishing. Between the first and second coat, there was a pause. "Uhh, okay." She said to the offer of water. She did not take the time for any though, feeling that there was a threat in there when Cissa stressed the word ‘careful.’

As the silence grew, Daylia had become more and more uncomfortable. In an attempt to cut to the chase, she opened her mouth and began the spiel. Fortunately, or unfortunately, or perhaps a mixture of the two, Daylia did not get the response she had expected. The soft laughter was almost as unsettling as a door creaking open in a horror movie. Her brow lifted at the question. "Yeah, I, uh, I’m finished." She tried her best not to make this one sound like she was questioning herself again.

Again she followed the order, giving up her hand once again, waiting not so patiently for the woman’s full response. With her jaw clenched shut now, lest she dig herself a grave, she watched as the blonde continued to paint her nails. Was there some type of poison in it?

Thankfully, Cissa began to address the situation before Daylia’s resolve not to speak dissipated. It almost felt like a compliment of sorts, or at least as close to one as she would get from the Sun Queen. As she finished, D’s mouth twitched at the corners, a small smile appearing. "Seriously?" She asked before giving a small laugh.

"Why do I think you think we failed? You sent Kerri and the new kids after us, then you came for us yourself." She said, pointing out why she had thought they were in the wrong. "I’m not even sure if you gave us the full ten minutes before coming after us." She added with a shrug. "So yeah, that’s why I feel like you want to rip me a new one." She shook her head, her small smile lingering slightly.

Narcissa spoke again, pointing out the obvious. "Probably." She shrugged. "But, who wants to have a conversation with someone who just threw up?" There was the stank breath, and of course the possibility of throwing up again. "I just figured you were waiting for me to feel better before laying into me."

Silently she watched the polish again, waiting for the Sun Queen to move on, and move on she had.

Cissa had finally gotten down to the nitty gritty of why she had summoned Daylia in the first place. Confusion crossed her face as she listened, a brow lifting in question as the sun queen admitted that it would have been an awkward team conversation. Both her head and jaw dropped as the word ‘pregnancy’ came out of her team leads mouth. More confusion laced her face as he mouth moved wordlessly.

She had been effectively stunned on mute.

At least for a moment. "What?!" The word came out a little louder than she had originally thought it would, echoing around the green house. She closed her eyes and shook her head. "What??" She repeated, unable to make her mouth form any other word.

Her, pregnant?

"Wha-" She almost asked for a third time. "Why- Who- What in the world are you thinking?" She said, trying to string together some coherent thought.

"I mean, I’m pretty sure you have to have sex to get pregnant. So unless I’m carrying the next baby Jesus, I am not pregnant." Her shoulders started to shake now, laughter bubbling up. "Seriously? Why is that the first thing-"

Daylia stopped mid thought as she sobered. "Wait a minute. Is Dimitri saying I slept with him?" She demanded.

Was he spreading rumors? That had to be it, that had to be what convinced Narcissa that D was preggers. There was no way her mind would have immediately jumped to that just because D had gotten sick on the job, once.

"Oh, oh, I’m gonna’ kill him." She said her eyes narrowing. Her hands clenched into fists, effectively ruining the polish job Narcissa had done. "I’m gonna’ rip his lungs out and feed them to him."






Ｌｏｃａｔｉｏｎ: Greenhouse
Ｔｈｉｎｋｉｎｇ: WHO THE HELL ELSE THINKS I'M PREGGERS?!
Ｗｉｔｈ: Narcissa

""

Oh, even if we're discovered
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxJust be sure to wear your best; we will surely make the covers.

In the mission at the prison, Julian had stretched his powers further than he’d managed in a very long time. So much so that as soon as his team made it back and everyone made sure everyone was accounted for, he made his way over to the dormitories, the slow way. It almost felt foreign to him, simply walking everywhere. He supposed his powers did spoil him a bit, and might have made him just a tad less patient than the average person. He was already tired, dead tired, from such overuse of his powers, and walking the rest of the way certainly did not help matters. As soon as he reached his room, he let himself fall to his bed. He did not even bother to change out of his costume. He was not entirely sure he even felt the impact of the bed against him before he was completely out. He slept for what felt like eternity. It was certainly the rest of the day, and at least the rest of the night. He did not wake till at least noon the following day.

At least now he was feeling significantly better. It had been a few days, but his batteries were fully charged, as it were. He was still rather angry over the entire prison affair. He was angry at those who meant to trap them. He was angry at the X-Men for not realizing the entire thing was a trap soon enough. He was angry at Katerina for trying to kill their team leader. More than anything else, he was angry at himself. The very moment the situation went south, he immediately deferred to the nuclear option and tried to kill all involved. Granted, he’d been stopped before he could actually cross that line, but he was still angry over the fact that such was his first suggestion in dealing with his enemies. He specifically left the Hand to avoid ever having to kill again, and yet as soon as he was faced with a proverbial wall, his thoughts went immediately to mass murder. Thy were the enemy, but even they did not deserve death. That was not what he was about anymore.

If he was, he might as well just return to the Hand.

He rubbed the Satanic ring on his finger with his thumb, silently hoping the hellish magic would not suddenly run out of it without warning. He made a literal deal with the Devil to obtain it; or, at least, the Devil’s Son. But the price was worth it. He would rather die than return to the Hand. Though the problem with that, he supposed, was that the Hand used death as a recruitment tactic. The last thing he wanted was to return as one of the Hand’s undead minions, assassinating the innocent without any control over his own body. He made a mental note to arrange for a cremation, should fortune escape him and he were to die on a mission with the X-Men. He wondered if such meant that Hellstrom was to keep his soul in such an event, though he brushed aside such thoughts.

He spent the morning training with Peyton. At some point, she asked him to teach her how to fight with her own bare hands. Naturally, he was not one to decline such a request, especially if it meant spending more time with the spitfire blonde. He was fond of the girl. She amused him. She was not necessarily a natural fighter, but she was already a trained athlete and had the physical capabilities to become a fighter. It would take some work, but he figured he could mold her to becoming an agile fighter, if not a particularly strong one. This was fine. A smaller fighter could be just as deadly if they learned how to use their ostensible weaknesses, such as their size or perceived lack of physical strength, as strengths. That meant teaching the girl to use her opponent’s strength and size against them, which were the defining principles of judo and jujutsu, both of which he was more than adept at.

He’d smirked at the woman when she complained about training out in the snow. He supposed it was natural to complain if one was more used to warmer climates , and if one was not used to training in extreme temperatures as he was. ”This is nothing,” the Englishman said. ”You should see how cold it gets back home. I had a home in mountains in Norway growing up. In the winters it would get so cold and covered in snow you could not feel your own face. Training in that was torture. This is a walk in the bloody park.” Naturally, he only taunted her to get her fired up, which always seemed to work. One of the things he enjoyed most about Peyton was how easy she was to provoke. Her temper was particularly amusing to the thief.

Eventually, they settled into a decent groove and warmed up enough that the cold was not as much of a bother. He taught her several takedowns, throws, and grapples that used her smaller frame to her advantage. He then let her practice on them. She was by no means great at them, but she was a relatively quick learner. He was patient with her, however. Not everyone grew up learning these things from as early as they could walk. Some people were not raised in a secret ninja monastery. She was sloppy, but he could tell that the longer they trained together the more refined she got, even if such progress was slow.

He laughed as she asked him to show her how to knock out a teleporter’s teeth next. ”I assure you, little wolf, our teeth are knocked out the same as anyone else’s.” He teleported a few times around here before returning to his original spot in the snow. ”You simply have to catch us first.” He smiled, almost tauntingly. ”As for how to catch us, well that’s simple. Look for a pattern.” Most teleporters tended to fall into a habit of using the same patterns of teleportation after they’d worked too many times. More often than not it was subconscious, and they had no idea what they were doing. Even he had fallen victim to this in the past. This usually did not hurt the teleporter when they were fighting simple foot soldiers, but more advanced fighters that had a knack for pattern recognition could easily see through this and use it to their advantage. This is why he worked to be as unpredictable as possible.





xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Oh, if we run this lightxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Take a little lifexxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
No one will care at all.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Oh, we canBurn it and leavexxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
For we are the beautiful thieves.
No one suspects at all. No one suspects.xxx

Coming across the party the boys had going at the pool was a god send - she was just lamenting the fact that it didn't seem like there was anything fun going on around here. Stripping down without a second's hesitation, she was more than willing to pay the entry fee for a chance to take advantage of the sweet slip n' slide Charlie and Christian had engineered. The werewolf insisted that waterslides were better than bars in terms of making friends, the brunette raising her shot glass towards him as she spoke. "Amen to that, handsome. I have a feeling we're all going to get along just fine."

There was no denying that the slide was awesome, the brunette stating the obvious after she resurfaced from the depth of the foam-filled pool. Maddy and Jacen had joined them at some point, and she was ambivalent about the additional company. Apparently the octopus mutant had some questions about the soap that had been used to make the pool so frothy, inspiring a brief conversation with Chrsitan that she seemed to have missed. Oh well - today was about making new friends. She hadn't spent a lot of time getting to know pretty much everyone here, since they were Omegas, but clearly they had good taste when it came to having fun if they ended up here.

The appearance of the pug, which seemed to being the others more joy than it did her, was followed by the appearance of a new face, yelling at the creature to come back to her. Maddy had apparently already taken a shine to the little puppy, shouting at her for splashing the dog away. The brunette playfully stuck her tongue out at the Omega gal, "[color-mediumseagreen]Your child's never going to get anywhere in life if you protect it from a little splash! It builds character! No one likes a helicopter parent," she shouted back, though her expression betrayed the fact that she was just joking around with the girl. Jacen asked if she wasn't a dog person, the brunette's hands finding the small of her waist after she lifted herself up and out of the soapy water.

"It's not that I don't like dogs. I just don't want to ever be responsible for for. I pick up enough s**t from all the whiners around here. I don't have to pick up a dog's too," she responded simply. It felt like she spent a lot of her time trying to get her teammates, and even those that weren't her teammates, to act like teenagers and forget the weight of their missions and whatnot when things got rough. Often, it seemed like she was the only one. It was a thankless job.

The dog complied with it's owners demand that it get out of the pool, though it didn't last long. It was a little cute the way that it asked permission from its apparent owner to play some more, the girl then apologizing to the rest of them and assuring her that she would get the dog if it proved to be a nuisance. It was quick to jump back into the water, the brunette finding she didn't mind the dog as much now that the owner was around. She wasn't responsible.

The girl introduced herself as Parker, one of the new Alphas, the brunette giving her a small wave and a smile as she shook out her wet hair. Charlie took the liberty of introducing the group, the brunette giving the lucky boy a small grin as he informed the new girl of her team affiliation. Maddy in that appeared to be her signature wit, insisted that she was the king of the sea, correctly the lucky lad, and it made her giggle despite herself, giving the girl a soft shake of her head. Classic Maddy...

Jacen encouraged his teammate to behave herself in the hopes that she might get to spend more time with the black and tan ball of dog smell, causing her to smile slightly. Maybe there was something wrong with her that she didn't react the same way as the rest of them to the swimming canine. Turning her attentions back to the new Alpha, she approached the girl, offering her hand in a traditional shake - it seemed like the right thing to do to welcome the new girl into the fold.

"Glad to have another Alpha around here. You look pretty athletic - want to jump in and help me show these jokers up on the slide?" Now that she was closer to the girl, her took the liberty of looking the girl over to "assess" her on the Tara scale. She seemed alright - had some sweet ink, which was cool, and while she wasn't the world's most loving dog person, the pug was so ugly it was kind of cute. It never hurt to get friendly with teammates - maybe they would help each other out someday.

Charlie commented on the girl's tattoos, offering her a drink before announcing there would be another round. While he was dealing with that, Christian suggested that they institute a battle of the sexes, since there weren't enough Alphas around to make it a team-building exercise. The geokinetic's hands swept into the air with an excited "whoop" before linking her arm through the new girl's and giving her a soft tug towards the slide. "Bring it on. We're ready, right Parker," she said simply, giving the girl a smile and seemingly little chance of not participating.

Charlie posed the question of music, asking if anyone had a speaker they could use. Unfortunately, the brunette should only shrug her shoulders and hold her hands up, indicating she was empty. If only...the only thing better than a pool party was a pool party with dancing and sweet music. Jacen's turn down the slide ended in a three-sixty spin before splashing down, Christian offering a hearty clap at the performance. The brunette held out both hands with all fingers extended, indicating a ten. It was, after all, nice form.

The octOmega asked where the boys had found the materials for the slide and the boogie board, the brunette giving him a stern look. "Does it matter? Don't question the bounty of the gods, young one. Just accept it and be grateful." Her tone took on a pious quality, the brunette bowing her head in mock reverence as she crossed herself.

The drinks were distributed, the brunette accepting her cup with a thank you to the giver, laughing at Christian's warning that they needed to be careful not to leave their breakfasts in the pool. It wasn't a nice mental image, but it got the point across. Before she could drink, however, the werewolf proposed a toast, the brunette nodding in agreement, though ti didn't sound like he had any idea what they should toast about. "Well, how about to a genius-level ingenuity when it came to engineering this whole thing. You boys did one hell of a job, and you're generous to spread the fun around. Plus, the ladies appreciate the trunks," she finished with a mischievous grin and playful wink before taking the shot and setting her cup down once it was empty once more.

"Again," she called as she grabbed the boogie board and made her way to the top of the slide once again, happy as a proverbial clam. She laughed as the boys rough-housed, Christian throwing the lucky lad into the pool with a wrestling reference that she didn't quite get, but at least they were having fun. This was just what she needed.

Extraordinary.

For there was no other worthy praise that Micah King could compare to the series known as Factory novels written by author Derek Raymond. From the first book of the series called 'He Died with His Eyes Open' to the last 'I Was Dora Surez' MJ was mesmerized. It was rare for the nineteen year old mutant to come across a novel that conjoined outburst of passionate lyricism, even rarer for a novel focused on crime and detectives to carry out a philosophical quest in such a beautiful and equally horrific way. The setting of the books were everything that the inspired future mutant detective found addicting, an atmosphere of pure unrelenting existentialist noir.

The light skinned teenager would be hard pressed to find another book series as engaging as the one he'd just completed. The protagonist had been one of the books more compelling elements to keep the pages turning, an unnamed veteran police officer in his ever-shifting relationships that as he learns astonishing truths of others helped to shape him over the course of the drama. Even upon finishing the series all MJ deduced from the true essence of the character is that the forty-one year old detective was susceptible to extremes of emotion. Having been married to a psychopathic murderer who killed their nine year old daughter in his earlier years credited to his experience as a detective.

Irascible and indomitable, as a police officer he was grimly obsessive, obstinate, sarcastic, and unpredictable. Both highly professional and unprofessional to suit his needs, the one thing MJ would always remember of him was his commitment to solving murders for it was a commitment to avenging the dead. That spoke to Micah on a depth most others wouldn't understand, given the murder of his biological parents in front of him during his youth.

The new recruit was fully dressed in his casual attire for the day which consisted of a stylish black vest with no undershirt, comfortable cargo pants with a belt, and black fingerless gloves with a pair of black shoes. MJ had yet to vacate the haven of his new quarters since the discussion with his mentor Emma Frost yesterday. With his promoted position as one of the new members of the Omega team, the power mimic had a lot to contemplate on his mind. Laid out on his backside with his shoes dangling off the side of his bed the mutant let the completed book drop closed next to his pillow. For the last few hours it'd served as a worthwhile distraction from the more pressing concerns in MJ's thoughts. What the <********> were the X-men doing? The entire school had been banished from their home at Greymalkin Lane by the attack of the Sentinels and forced to find refuge in Alberta, Canada at this hidden base underneath Alkali Lake. As mutants they were being hunted by their own government that doesn't recognize their rights as citizens or baseline human beings.

The entire world seemed to be against them. Required to live down in these corridors like rats in sewers just to survive, that was probably what infuriated MJ the most. The young mutant was not one to bow down or walk away from a fight, he could only hope that being a new Omega would allow him the opportunity to take out some of his rage and frustration on those who deserved the brutal a** whooping he intended to give.

Until that point in time MJ would focus on his studies, training, and getting to know some of his fellow peers of both the Omega and Alpha teams. Ms. Frost had strongly suggested it might be a good idea to find it in his own time to introduce himself to the Omega's team leader, a task he would have set upon himself regardless of the advice. Informed that her name was Narcissa the new recruit assessed it was an adequate hour in the day to get out of his room and explore around for while. Pushing off the bed Micah walked across the room as his light brown orbs spotted his newfound communicator, the basic impression of how to use it wasn't too complex and if needed he'd ask someone for further instruction. Attaching the comm to his vest Micah then chose to exit his single bedroom closing the door behind him, one of the upsides to this facility was the design scanners for the bedrooms outside the doors. It took a handprint registration programing to gain entry so MJ wouldn't have to worry about any prankster teammates getting in his quarters. Not that he wasn't for a little fun and downtime despite his more stoic nature.

One needed all the fun they could get living in such conditions as they were.

Reaching inside the front pocket of his vest as he wandered down the hallway on the fourth level, MJ took out his gray beanie and pulled it over his head. Tucking his hands inside the pockets of his cargo pants he walked aimlessly until he came upon the elevator and stairs. Opting for the latter for the exercise of stretching his legs further, MJ made his way up two levels then glanced at the holographic scenery on the walls giving the illusion of being topside. Personally the young mutant had adapted well to the idea of living underground, MJ's extensive collection of true crime and cook books would assist keeping him preoccupied. Continuing forward on the second floor of the facility the light skinned mutant made a right turn and ended up in a room that turned out to be one of the facility's lounges. Apparently it was a room that was not empty. The first indication that drew Mj's attention was that of a female voice he didn't recognize(Raine), "As far as I'm concerned, we all had breakfast together and have been sitting and watching TV. You guys have seen Full Metal Alchemist, right? If not, you'll have to watch it in case you get caught and anyone asks any questions. Better make it convincing," her comment clued MJ that there might be more people in the room as he roamed closer inside. Brown eyes peered around the surroundings and all he saw were a duo of a female and male sitting on the couch with their backs to him observing the television.

Not yet making himself known, MJ overlooked that such an action might make him seem like a creeper, he was uncertain if he should interrupt the female brunette and dark haired male. Yet it was his intention to reach out and meet some of his fellow peers. He gave a slight shrug at the possibility that these two might be craving some alone time, it was also feasible that these two had information that could direct him as well. A small smile found its way to his lips as he moved forward within their view off to the side and rose his right fingerless gloved hand in a small waving motion from his pocket, "Yo, sorry don't mean to interrupt you both," he calmly greeted now able to take a closer look at the male company. MJ never forgot a face, he recognized the Native American(Aren) male as someone who attended his fourth period Tactics and Strategy class overseen by headmaster Cyclops.

"I'm one of the new Omega members, the names MJ. Would either of you happen to know Narcissa?" he inquired them both noting the bag of doritos. He hated doritos...

MJ had no idea if either of them were an Alpha or Omega but whatever the case it was possible that they could know of the team leader. He paused momentarily observing their body language before he continued on, "Was tryin' to just be able to introduce myself to her as a courtesy, ya know. New recruit and all that." he explained as a bit of his southern pronunciation revealed itself in his statement. He waited for a moment until his eyes lingered to the show on the television before turning his full attention back to the duo.

The power mimic realized too late he hadn't even asked them for their names, "Pleasure to meet you both by the way. Either of you Omega?" MJ asked. He might as well start matching who was with what team as he came to meet his peers.