Welcome to Gaia! ::

Scott grit his teeth, trying his best to tamp down his irritation. The novelty of people’s faces was quickly wearing off, because although he could clearly identify everyone now and recognize that they were actual human beings, he was beginning to realize that they were extremely annoying human beings. The hugs, the screams, the… were people crying? His knuckles whitened around his pen as all these raw, unfounded emotions bumped up against his desire for logic and order and for everyone to just sit the hell down and shut up. The fact he was situated by the only other rational person in the room was a small consolation, tampered by the fact that he still saw flashes of Hermione in her. But at least those golden eyes seemed a touch less manic than he had imagined them to be.

“Full of sound and fury, signifying nothing,” he answered Hanna, continuing to watch the group hug as if it were train wreck, arms and legs tangled like in some gruesome scene.

Scott audibly exhaled as their “superior” spoke up, looking completely unapologetic for the sound. The voice was still the same one that had set that whole bloody massacre in motion, but it was the only point of reason he had to grab onto at the moment. He could forgive the man for a few nightmare inducing memories if it just meant a stop to the hugging, and at the very least the start of the answers to the questions that really mattered.

“…what exactly are you looking for that is different from others?”

That was… well, that was certainly a good one. Not what Scott would have started off with, perhaps. Maybe a “What is Deus Ex Machina?” would have been nice. Or a “What are all those shadows about?” Or “Why did you make us kill each other on a make believe island?” was always one to get the gears turning. But, no, Caelius’ question was certainly adequate.

What was he looking for? Pen tip tapped against the blank half of his paper as he soon felt himself sinking into his thoughts. He had spent his entire life not looking. The only reason he was even here in the first place was a moment of weakness, a crack in his well constructed wall of singular truths that he had allowed to grow too big. His search had always been more of a distraction, looking in those places he knew he wouldn’t find anything that could overwhelm him. But he had signed over his life to be here. He had died for this. He had never wanted to confront or fight those mysterious forces that hid amongst the shadows. He, like everything in his life, just wanted to understand them.

“For something to make sense.” In Scott’s monotone, the comment would sound like a wry crack amongst all the talk of finding weapons and purposes and self-esteem and whatever other more legitimate answers people had. But his leveled gaze was serious as he added, “For once.”

Scott found himself derailed by a soft voice coming from besides Hanna. He looked over, shocked to see someone extending their hand in a polite, constrained introduction. Was it a trap? Was she going to immediately proceed to pounce upon them and cuddle them once either he or Hanna engaged her? Scott narrowed his eyes in suspicion, watching closely, waiting to see if the poor girl took the bait. When only a handshake occurred, his tension eased, and he'd even offer Scarlett a wave and half smile, still looking every bit unhuggable.

Gale grinned up at Ariane. He was beginning to remember why he liked the girl - that confidence, the easygoing twinkle in her eyes with a hint of sharpness about her...it was all very likeable to someone like Gale.

Except for the whole smacking his leg thing. Gale made a sound of protest as she pushed at his feet, propped up on the table. He grudgingly dropped them, however, crossing one leg over the other and folding his arms across his chest.

Caelius. So the mysterious figure at the front of the room was named Caelius. Gale's eyes narrowed slightly, frowning as he tapped his fingers absently against his arm. He knew at least a part of why they were here - a very general, blank sort of reason that had something to do with choosing to be alive again, and something to do with weapons, but other than that it was all a bit hazy. His gaze slid first towards a few of the others, listening silently to their reasons.

"What exactly are you looking for that is different from others?"

It was a strange question, but a serious one, important to answer. Gale's pale golden eyes watched Caelius carefully, his thoughts roiling, twisting inside of his head before he answered, very clearly and simply "More. I'm looking for more." He waved a hand, gesturing at nothing and anything. "I'm looking for something other than what I used to have.

"I'm looking for everything."

There was a pause. Gale cracked a devilish grin. "And I'm looking for that awesome shotgun I seem to remember."

Cass hadn't been sure how to jump into the conversation, sitting in her seat awkwardly and looking at the others seated around the table, fussing with her skirt and trying, with all her might, not to cross her legs and inadvertently flash someone. Flashing people =/= good idea. Especially if they would enjoy it. So she just stamped one foot on top of the other one and watched the conversation bounce back and forth.

She wasn't sure she'd met any of these people seated at the table with her.

Cass took a moment to neatly write her name out on the card in front of her and begun to play with one of the corners before she took a minute to introduce herself.

"I'm.." she paused, biting her lip a bit, "Cassandra Norris, previously Gamma Twelve." she introduced finally, before the man at the head of the table spoke up. Caelius. That was a unique name. However, his inquiry about a purpose was something Cassandra had absolutely no hesitation about.

In fact, she grinned at the idea of someone wanting to be a hero, offering the boy a thumbs up, before she sat up straight to share her own purpose;

"I want to be a part of something that is about a group; not just me. I'm tired of living in the limelight. I want to be free of what I was before and grow into something better than I would have ever had a chance at before."

It didn't register to Before that Cassandra was that candidate in the Gym. You know? The one whose head blew up? If it had, maybe he would have had something or someone else to focus (maybe even fixate) on instead of the most recent hunter who'd introduced himself. But Before was also the sort who'd volunteer to go into a booby-trapped room first, not to mention he tended to Act Now, Apologize Later. He was staring right at Davey with wide teal eyes, "Dude, you have one arm." There was no tone of malice in his words, no hint of condescension. At most it was a hint of awe but for all intents and purposes, Before might as well have said Davey was male.

Davey swing his head to lock gazes with Before. His glare intensified, and if he was a cat his fur would have been standing on end. His right hand balled into a fist - hopefully just a sign of tension and not an actual threat. Though it had to be said that Davey was very close to forgetting that Caelus was in the room and watching them all.

"Yes," he hissed out, "I have one arm. What of it?"

Ah, making friends and influencing people. Davey was off to great start!

"Aw, don't pout now," She grinned at Gale, unable to resist the urge to tease him; again, the word 'kid' almost slipped out... Until she remembered how everyone in the room had gone through something that no 'kid' would have been able to handle. She did raise an eye brow at his mention of a shotgun, although if the weapon he 'found' in his mind was a shotgun... Awesome.

Ariane brought a hand up to cover her forehead - yes, Before, you just made her face palm with your comment on David's lack of arm. Before she could do or say anything, Bix was already on it, elbowing the other ex-Beta. If not for Before's epic fail, she would no doubt have commented on Bix's comment on wanting to be a hero.

Ah well.

"Pardon Before," She chuckled, looking at the one who called himself 'David' with a grin before glancing at Before in a 'do not say anything else' manner, "He means no harm."

If they weren't in a meeting, she would have allowed Before to continue with his... Before-ness. Maybe even crack a 'He's 'armless!' joke to see if David would be able to take it well. However, as their 'superior' had stated, they were going to be judged - she didn't want to find out what would happen to those who 'fail' this 'judging', not when they had to go through so much to pass the one week test...

Then again, she got what she was asking for - a life that was exciting, that was far from being mundane. The only thing that would make it better would be Dean and Jeremy...

When David gave Before his pointed and slightly angry response Bix made a squeaking nose and plunged his blushing face into the crook of his arm. Before started to babble nonsense and Bix peeked over his arm at his friend floundering.

By the time Before rushed out a plea for help, Bix had already decided he couldn't bear it anymore. He clapped his hands around Before's head, one on top and one on the bottom, holding it shut.

"He's good. No problem. Everything is fine. Moving on?" His sentences were short and fast and he gave David, and the room, pleading eyes. Somebody else introduce themselves, please!

"I don't pout," Gale responded briskly to Ariane - whom he had already decided he wanted to call "Boss" because he rather liked the nickname and it seemed to fit the older girl pretty well. She was a take charge sort, at least from what he had seen.

And she was pretty too, but that was beside the point. Gale's eyes flitted towards the new guy that had just entered, his gaze automatically moving to the arm - or rather, the space where his arm should have been. And, of course, the first thought in his head was that is so totally awesome.

Except he clamped his mouth shut, instead watching with interest as Before actually did comment on the missing arm, trying not to smile as Ariane pushed her elbow into his side. Bix had already leapt into action, attempting to shut Before up, and Gale smiled, though it was hastily covered by the hand that he raised.

I have a feeling there won't ever be a dull moment here...