Alpha/Omega: Runaways [Archive] - Giant in the Playground Forums

herodofcows

2015-03-17, 08:57 PM

Eli is speeding through the trees, glancing behind him every so often and (uncharacteristically) sweating.

* * * *

Kaitlyn sighs as she looks at the pantry. SOMEone forgot to go shopping . . .

* * * *

Eli loops around, crashing through the bracken in a wide arc, trying to set up a pick. One blur, another . . . dammit, he missed.

* * * *

Aha! Found you! a voice seems to whisper in her ear. She spins around, clutching a half-empty jar as a makeshift bludgeon . . . but the kitchen is empty. Fear and suspicion begin to gnaw sickeningly at her stomach.

* * * *

In the second that he spends cursing his inaccuracy, a blow to the back of the head sends him sprawling into a nearby treetrunk. The wood goes CRACK as it impacts Eli's spine. At least, he HOPES it's just the wood.

"Too slow," an amused voice says in a rich baritone. Eli's head whips up, but he only catches a blur as the speaker darts away.

"Run run run, you know you can't win . . ." the voice calls out from somewhere in the trees.

* * * *

Grabbing her bag, Kaitlyn creeps over to the window and peers out.

Please, don't be alarmed. You had to know this was a possibility . . .

The street appears largely deserted, minus the parked cars. Kaitlyn's eyes scan around, looking for a telltale sign of . . .

I mean, we can't just have you running around, can we? You and . . ."

THERE! Sitting in a red Honda. Kaitlyn sees him just as he looks over and sees her. He grins and gives a small salute, horn-rimmed glasses giving him a slightly owlish appearance despite his dark skin.

"-Eli! That's it! Well please, don't worry. I think you'll both find that we treat our new brothers and sisters VERY well, regardless of any initial . . . resistance."

The man unfolds himself from the car and starts walking towards her house. Kaitlyn feels a sinking in her stomach. He's MASSIVE. Not freakishly so, but big and muscled enough to be intimidating on a conventional level. She inhales, centering herself, and then exhales.

The meta is right. She HAD known this day would come. From the moment that she'd told that first Alpha guy that she wanted to be left alone, his wrinkling nose had told her that she'd said the wrong thing.

Oh no, he'd assured her, certainly not, you have every right, but won't you reconsider . . . no, I see. Well, let us say, if not adieu, then perhaps au revoir, mademoiselle. I have a sixth sense for these things, you know, and I really do think you'll come to see things our way at SOME point . . .

Apparently they'd gotten tired of waiting.

* * * *

". . . while I get you, my friend gets Kaitlyn!" the other guy finishes in a singsong, before rushing back into the clearing.

There's nobody still there. Eli is running, running, running towards Kaitlyn's house, a knot of fear tightening in his stomach.

He'd known this day would come. At first they'd asked all nicely, but those others, the people like him? The Alphas? They talked a fancy game, but Eli had recognized them for what they were: a gang. And eventually, gangs stop asking and start telling.

Comissar

2015-03-18, 02:22 AM

Kait's heart was hammering. Should she call the police? No... Somehow she knew that would be a bad idea. She backed away from the window, keeping her eyes firmly fixed on the man in the car. When he started getting out, she knew she only had one choice. Hastily slinging her bag over her shoulder, she raced for the back door. She had to run. She knew the woods here, if she could reach them before the man with the horn rimmed glasses she'd be safe. He'd follow her, but without his car he wouldn't be able to get to her fast enough.

She yanked the back door open, slamming it shut behind her. If he was still watching her, then she had to keep her cards close to her chest. Feet pounding against the grass, arms pumping, she ran for all she was worth toward the forest.

Kyoh

2015-03-18, 03:16 PM

The trees looked like blurs of green and brown as Eli jetted through the forest, zig-zagging at speeds faster than drag racers. When he reached the edge of the tree line, he turned back to make sure he wasn't being pursued.

Who the hell was that? he wondered. Eli realized he was breathing hard, and took a moment to slow his heart rate. He never got this worked up running. And he was never described as slow.

Eli pulled up the hood of his jacket and briskly walked into the suburban neighborhood. If he knew anything about the Alphas, he knew they would never expose themselves as metas in public; he was safe. For now.

That bastard had mentioned Kait, though. Eli picked up his pace and made straight for Kait's house. There were a number of shortcuts he knew, like cutting through certain backyards or through abandoned areas where he could run full out. He just hoped he wasn't too late. He'd only known Kait little more than a year, but she was someone he trusted. And that was a rare thing for him.

herodofcows

2015-03-18, 10:56 PM

Really? the whisper in her head still follows her, sighing through her neurons, Are you going to make me chase you?

A glance back shows him rounding the corner of the house as she heads towards the wood. He's walking quickly, but it's not a particularly fast walk. If things were normal, Kaitlyn would have no fear of outdistancing him. Unfortunately, things aren't anywhere NEAR normal.

We really don't have to go through this whole song and dance . . .

Even in your head, the man's tone is smug.

We'll all be laughing about this later, I promise you.

* * * *

A brisk walk sends Eli in the direction of Kaitlyn's house. Staying within the cul de sac, he's got a bunch of eyes on him. Housewives. Children heading off to school. Not a multitude, but enough to feel safe.

Well . . . safe-ish.

Comissar

2015-03-19, 02:22 AM

Kait glanced back behind herself as she ran. "Get the hell away from me! I don't want any of this!"

The treeline was close now. All she had to do was lose him in there. Being able to project his thoughts wouldn't help him find her, whatever he said. He was right about one thing, though. She had been dreading this. If she could get away, though. Find Eli. They'd be safe.

Kyoh

2015-03-19, 02:43 AM

Eli spotted Kait walking down the street; she was heading towards their meetup in the woods. The way she was glancing around, it was clear that something had her spooked. Eli shadowed her, watching to see if she was followed. As soon as she reached the trees, he caught up to her in the blink of an eye.

"Hey," he whispered, knowing that anyone would be startled by his sudden appearance. "You okay? What happened?"

herodofcows

2015-03-19, 03:16 AM

As expected, Kaitlyn starts suddenly, and only slightly relaxes when she sees that it's Eli.

"Eli!" she exclaims, and then lowers her voice and glances around, "We have to go now. I think the Alphas are after us . . ."

She begins walking briskly down the street, gesturing him to follow her.

"Come on, I know a place. We have to hide!"

* * * *

Just before Kaitlyn hits the treeline, someone grabs her from behind. She begins to scream, but then . . .

WHOOSH

Suddenly, she's deep in the trees. Standing in front of her, holding her arms in a vice-like grip is . . .

Eli! Of course it's Eli! How many other super-speedsters does she know?

"You all right?" he asks, concern on his face. He rushes on before you can answer, "Listen, we have to go now. I think the Alphas are after us . . ."

He begins dragging Kaitlyn north-westward, angling back towards town.

"Come on, I know a place. We have to hide!"

Comissar

2015-03-19, 03:29 AM

Kait feels relief flood through her. She follows after Eli without hesitation. As they make their way back through the woods, worry gnaws on her mind. "Are you sure it's safe to be in town? We could just run to the next town over, with you here there's no way he could catch us."

Something else felt off, though. "Do you think there's more than one of them? He said he knew about you."

Kyoh

2015-03-19, 12:14 PM

Ah ha. Some sort of trickery is afoot.
Eli glanced back as he followed Kait down the street. "What happened?" he asked. "Is someone following you?" They needed to talk in privacy, but Eli was still wary of that other speedster. He could still be nearby, but Eli sensed they weren't in any real danger from the Alphas. They were trying to recruit them--or maybe press gang--but they wouldn't kill them. At least, so Eli hoped.

herodofcows

2015-03-20, 10:56 AM

"There's a guy. He's got powers, like us. I think there might be more of them, and he said something about the Alphas. I don't want to take any chances."

Kaitlyn keeps walking down the street at a brisk pace, not making eye contact. "Walking" might even be giving her too little credit: she's all but barreling down the street, power-walking with little regard to who she might run into. She passes right in front of a mother and her child, who stop just short of running into her. Kaitlyn doesn't even acknowledge them. The mother gives an annoyed "tuh!" and keeps walking.

* * * *

"There's a guy. He's got powers, like us.One-of-them-is-a-speedsterI think there might be more of them, and he said something about the Alphas. I don't want to take any chances."

Eli keeps walking north-west, still holding Kaitlyn with no small amount of force. Maybe it's the nerves?

Comissar

2015-03-20, 02:09 PM

The sudden change in Eli's voice was incredibly jarring. The fact that he immediately went back to normal afterwards made it all the more so. Her blood ran cold as realisation started to sink in. She hesitated, slowing briefly before being tugged onward again.

"Eli, can you let go of my arm?" despite her best efforts, a note of worry crept into her voice, "I'm not a kid. I know the way back too."

Kyoh

2015-03-21, 04:14 PM

"Yeah, I thought it was them," Eli said. He watched Kait cut past the mother and child, uncharacteristically brash of her. "Hey," he said, matching her pace, "where are we going?" Normally they'd have met up in the woods, so Eli seemed confused by her direction. Of course, maybe that wasn't such a bad thing, cos the other Alpha could still be there waiting. Though he hadn't told Kait about his encounter yet.

herodofcows

2015-03-21, 11:20 PM

Kaitlyn looks back, askance.

"I told you, I know a place." she says, pausing and looking at him concernedly, "Are you okay?"

After a moment's pause, she moves again without fully waiting for your reply. She seems to be headed back to her house, which seems incautious at best . . .

* * * *

Eli pauses and looks back at Kaitlyn, askance.

"I told you, I know a place, Damn it, just drop it, Rashawn. She knows." he says, looking at her with concern, "Are you okay? Seriously man, drop it. I f***ed up."

"Eli" flickers into nonexistance. Standing in front of Kaitlyn, still grabbing her by the arm with an apologetic expression on his face, is a short-ish Asian guy in his early twenties. He's wearing slacks and a white button-up, all of which look slightly worse for wear.

"Now, don't freak out-" he begins.

Comissar

2015-03-22, 05:27 AM

What the hell...

She stepped back instinctively, pulling her arm through the man's grasp. Her eyes were widening in panic, heart pounding as she realised that she'd just been found, truly found.

"What have you done with Eli?!"

With such a clear threat in front of her, her entire body was tensed and ready. If he tried anything, she would just pass right through him.

Also, I literally just noticed that 'Eli' and 'Kaitlyn' have subtly different colours for their voices even before the charade was dropped. Nice going :smallsmile:

Kyoh

2015-03-22, 07:31 PM

Eli reached for Kait's arm to slow her down. "Is it safe there?" he asked. She had just left her house in a hurry... Eli had assumed that meant that an Alpha had shown up there or in that area. So why was she going back? "Maybe I should go first," he proposed.

herodofcows

2015-03-22, 07:59 PM

As you grab Kaitlyn, she stops and turns to you. Her eyes seem to come into focus a little bit, and suddenly she seems a lot more present, as though you'd shaken her out of whatever funk she'd been in.

"Yeah . . . yeah, sorry. Probably a good idea," she says, suddenly taking a deep breath. She smiles up at you, "I'm sorry, I've kinda been in full panic mode for a bit. Not thinking too clearly."

As you continue to hold onto her, you notice something a little odd about how she feels. It takes you a few seconds to fully realize what it is:

She's wearing long sleeves, but it feels like you're touching skin.

* * *

The guy's eyes widen as you step out of his grasp. After a moment, he sighs.

"Eli's fine. My partner is just trying to get him over to your place so we can all talk, okay?"

He backs away from you, hands raised.

"Look, you're a density controller, right? I'm not gonna be able to stop you if you try to run. So why not hear us out?"

Despite his attempt at projecting a relaxed tone, you hear some urgency creep into his voice.

"Please. We wouldn't be doing this if it weren't important."

Thank you for noticing!!! I was proud of that.

Comissar

2015-03-22, 08:20 PM

Kaitlyn hesitates, taking another step away from her would-be captor. She couldn't outrun him, but he couldn't catch her. Stalemate.

"I already told you I don't want to be part of this," Her voice was full of uncertainty as she continued, "I just want to be left alone. We both just want to be left alone!"

Kyoh

2015-03-23, 03:11 PM

Eli took a step back and released his hold on Kait. Something was very wrong. "How did we meet?" he asked her, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. Was it possible that this wasn't actually Kait? He hadn't really thought about it much, but the possible powers other metas could have could be limitless. It could definitely include the ability to create illusions...

herodofcows

2015-03-23, 05:36 PM

"We . . . we found each other after our powers manifested. What's going on here, Eli?" Kaitlyn asks, eyes narrowing slightly.

You suddenly notice that the street has gone entirely quiet. Looking around, all the people that were going to school have suddenly vanished.

"Kaitlyn" looks at you for a second, then freezes in place. Within your head, you hear a sigh.

All right, fine. You noticed. Look, just come to Kaitlyn's house, all right? It'll be easier to talk face to face. We really don't want to hurt you, my idiot partner aside.

"Kaitlyn" flickers out of existence, and suddenly things go back to normal. Parents and children are leaving the neighborhood for work and school. Some pass you by with a slightly disconcerted look.

* * * *

The speedster blows out his nose in irritation. You get the impression that he's irritated often.

"Yeah, Pascal mentioned that in his report. And you know what? Ordinarily that wouldn't be a big deal, but things are ramping up. The world is about to change, little girl. The Third Generation is coming, and we need . . . ugh."

He sighs again for a moment, and makes a visible effort to restrain his anger. When he speaks again, his voice is quiet.

"Look, just for f***ing ONCE, can we just be cool about this? I'm getting really f***ing tired of having to run down neutrals like you."

You see he's idly picked a few twigs off a tree as he talks. As he finishes, his voice begins to vibrate slightly. You see the twigs get shaken to powder, and the fragments run through his fingers like sand.

Comissar

2015-03-23, 07:09 PM

Kait's expression turned to one of confusion, mixed with irritation at the 'little girl' comment. What the man was saying made little sense to her. She hadn't seen or heard about anything big brewing. Well, nothing out of the ordinary anyway. And what did he mean by 'third generation'?

His outright anger caught her by surprise, and vibrating the twigs to dust made her very glad indeed that she could be intangible. Her shock and fear of the man start to give way to something else in the face of his irritation. She finds herself starting to get more and more angry with him, angry that he'd tried to kidnap her. Angry that he had the gall to blame her for his attempts at wrecking her life.

When she spoke again, her voice was as quiet as his, "I've lived here for as long as I can remember. I grew up here, went to school here and all my friends are here. A couple of years ago I find out I can walk through walls, and I just f***ing knew that if anyone found out my life would be over." She glares at the man, "I had to keep it a secret from everyone. And then one day I have to reveal what I can do to save my life, and it turns out I meet a guy who's got the same problem I do. And it's great! I can finally be myself around someone!" Her voice takes on a more scathing tone as she continues, "But then your buddy shows up and starts telling me that I must join you, and I have to help some idiotic organisation I've never even heard of." She shakes her head, a humourless smile on her face, "So I tell him no! I just want to live my life, I don't want to have to give everything up just because I happen to be able to pass through things. But no clearly doesn't mean no for you a**holes, because here you are again!" Kait stalks toward the speedster, close to yelling now, "Well you know what?! I don't give a s**t! You can't make me come with you, and you know it! So why don't you and your buddy with the glasses just pack up and go home!"

Reaching the end of her outburst felt good. A lot of what she'd said had been rolling around her head ever since she first was approached for recruitment. She'd never really let go of the resentment that had built following that day. But now she was left simply standing and staring at the speedster, heart racing as adrenaline pumped through her.

Kyoh

2015-03-23, 08:02 PM

Eli spun about as the illusion ceased and "Kait" disappeared. How long had he been fooled? Was he ever actually following Kait to begin with? He had no clue where she could be. If the Alphas had began pursuing her, then that means they would've have shown up at her home, and she could be in trouble there.

Eli ran across the street, ignoring a car that honked angrily as he raced by. As he ran, he wondered if it was a trap, some elaborate ruse to lure him, but he didn't have a choice. Kait could be in trouble, and he had nothing else to go off of.

He slowed as he approached Kait's house. Everything seemed fine. He didn't see anyone out of the ordinary. Cautiously, Eli walked to the front door. "Kait?" he called, stepping inside.

herodofcows

2015-03-23, 10:18 PM

As Eli enters the unlocked front door, he comes face to face with a large dark-skinned man in horn-rimmed glasses. The man immediately puts his hands up in a gesture of surrender.

"Good to meet you in person," he says, smiling slightly. His voice is only slightly like the one he projected into your head. It's more nasal in person.

He beckons you to follow as he walks down the hall towards the living room, taking a seat on the couch.

"I know we got off on the wrong foot here, and I'd like to apologize," he begins after a deep breath, "I know this is asking a lot, but could you please hear me out? Pretend for a moment that my partner is not an bipolar idiot with an inferiority complex."

* * * *

"RRRAAAAGH!"

SMASH

The tree that the speedster was standing next to explodes, for lack of a better word. A cloud of splinters goes flying in all directions, ghosting through Kaitlyn as she goes intangible on instinct.

When the dust settles, the speedster's clothes are even worse for wear. He has the intent look of one who feels he has been pushed too far. Again, you get the sense that he is no stranger to this sentiment.

"We're NOT going home, and YOU can't go home," he growls through his teeth, as though trying to keep himself calm is taking every last bit of effort, "Because soon there won't BE any homes left to go to. The Third Generation is COMING, little girl. And when they come, your precious little "normal life" is going to burn."

He looks at you, almost accusingly.

"Do you have ANY idea what I'm talking about? Is your head so far up your a** that you don't know about what's coming?"

Comissar

2015-03-24, 02:52 AM

Kaitlyn flinched away as the tree exploded, reflexively raising an arm and turning her head to protect herself. As the dust settled she found herself looking at the man with naked fear. She stood paralysed. Desperately wanting to run, but knowing deep down that it wouldn't help.

When he started making his threats about her home burning, she truly believed he was capable of it. She shook her head slowly at the thought.

Coincidentally, her shaking her head would coincide roughly with the point where her new 'friend' is asking if she has any idea what's going on.

Kyoh

2015-03-25, 11:16 AM

Eli slowly follows the other man, eyeing the area for any unseen intruders. He did not take a seat, but paced across the room from the speaker. "Where's Kait?" Eli asked. "I'm not talking until I see her."

He didn't trust this man for a moment, and he wouldn't until he verified that they hadn't harmed Kait. Of course, he would have to make sure that any Kait they paraded in front of him was actually real. It was strange that he'd have to start double-checking things like that.

herodofcows

2015-03-25, 06:34 PM

"Arthur's going to bring her back around, I promise," the man says, lifting his hands, "He's . . . okay, look, I'll show you."

The man looks fixedly at the table for a moment. A small image flickers to life, showing Kaitlyn and a short Asian guy (Arthur, presumably) standing on opposite sides of a clearing. Next to Arthur, there's a stump that's been blown to smithereens. You hear the man sigh.

"Jack*ss . . ." he mutters to himself.

In the image, Kaitlyn is looking wary and bewildered. Arthur takes in a deep breath, exhales, and begins to speak . . .

* * * *

"Okay, here's how it goes: You and me and people like us are metahumans. Alphas, Omegas, neutrals, whatever we happen to believe," (you remember Pascal the recruiter explaining about Alphas and Omegas all that time ago, when you first got found by the Alphas), "We're all metas. But we're not all the same. I mean, obviously, but . . ."

He thinks for a moment, and then his face brightens up.

"Wait, I have the perfect metaphor for this. Think about a fireworks display or something. Metas are like that. We have the First Generation metas, who were the first metahumans to show up back during the turn of the 20th century, and the ones that are left are probably the strongest among us. Think of them like a professional fireworks show: limited to one place, but bright and shiny as all hell.

"Then you've got your Second Generation metas. They started popping up all over the place around the 30's or so, not as powerful as the First Generation, but they come with a lot more variety from one to the next. You and me? We're Second Generation. We're like some of those cheap-a** homemade firecrackers and sparklers: sure, we're not as bright or powerful, but we're all the f*** over the place on a national holiday."

As he's been speaking, Arthur has been warming up more and more to the story, which is why it's a sudden come-down as his face falls and his eyes get serious.

"Right, so . . . that brings us to the Third Generation. They don't exist yet. We only know about them because of one very powerful precog and their writings. We know they're coming sometime soon, and when they do . . . well, imagine if someone lit the sky on fire for 4th of July. Lots of power, lots of people, all over the world. We won't be able to keep a lid on metahumanity anymore. The best we can do is to get ready to minimize the damage as much as possible. And to do that . . ."

He looks straight at Kaitlyn, and his face has lost its anger. If anything, it's almost pleading.

". . . we need you."

Comissar

2015-03-25, 07:42 PM

Although initially silent simply from shock, Kait found herself listening carefully to the man's description. She had heard some of it before, but there hadn't been mention of generations before. Her expression changed from one of wariness to one of confusion. She sits herself on the forest floor, hugging her knees to her chest. Although it would be more comfortable, she doesn't allow herself the luxury of leaning back against a tree trunk. Instead, she remains intangible. Right now she still isn't sure of just how safe this man is.

"Ok..." Kaitlyn's voice is small, still feeling cowed by the man's earlier display of power, "I'll listen to you. But I don't want you to wreck my house. Can we talk here instead?"

herodofcows

2015-03-27, 11:09 PM

The speedster looks at Kait and then sighs. He has a seat on the ground: not so near as to be threatening, but near enough for courteous conversation.

". . . sure. What do you want to know?"

* * * *

Back at Kaitlyn's house, the man dismisses the illusion and turns to Eli.

"Do you understand now?"

Kyoh

2015-03-28, 01:19 AM

Eli viewed the scene carefully. After what he had just experienced, he was very suspicious of illusions and tricks. Still, the scene in the forest seemed to be authentic. The Alpha wouldn't have shown his partner behaving threateningly if it was a crafted illusion. Eli believed what he saw was true and that Kait was out in the forest. She would be safe, he knew; with her power, she was practically uncatchable.

Rather than answer the man's question, Eli said, "Take me to her." He would play their game on his own terms.

Comissar

2015-03-28, 02:59 AM

Kaitlyn lets out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding in. "You've said all this stuff about first, second and third wave people. About how... Important it is that Eli and I help you with it." She hesitates before continuing, wondering if she was going to trigger another outburst, "You've still not really said why it's so important that we join you. I mean, I get that you're worried about this 'third wave', but I don't really see what difference we'd make." Her eyes fall downward as she continues, and she sounds more like she's talking to herself now, "Like, I'm just a school kid? Before all this," She waves her hand vaguely to indicate herself and the speedster, "I was just worried about exams and people's opinions."

herodofcows

2015-03-30, 08:16 PM

The man gives Eli a concentrated look for a moment, and then shrugs.

"I can have my associate bring her back. Bide a moment."

He closes his eyes for a moment. When he speaks, his voice takes on a slight echoing quality.

"Arthur, I am speaking to Eli now. Can you please bring Kaitlyn back?"

* * * *

Arthur is about to answer, and then gets a faintly annoyed look on his face.

". . . sure, one second," he says, replying to thin air before turning back to Kaitlyn, "Sounds like my partner is with your friend. He wants me to bring you back to your house so we can all talk."

He stands and holds out his hand.

"Can you trust me that far?"

Comissar

2015-03-31, 01:46 AM

Kait hesitates at the sight of the outstretched hand. She wasn't sure what to think. On the one hand, her concerns about him damaging her house were genuine. She'd seen what he could do when he lost his temper. On the other hand, when she was willing to listen to him he seemed far more relaxed...

She took his hand, pulling herself up from the forest floor. As she brushed herself off, she nodded. "Ok."

herodofcows

2015-04-03, 12:56 AM

The speedster nods and grabs Kaitlyn's hand.

ZOOM

Eli sees Kaitlyn and the speedster come rushing through the trees. They skid to a halt just in front of Eli and the other meta. Eli notes that the speedster seems to be slightly faster than him but has less apparent control . . .

"Right," begins the other meta almost immediately, "Kaitlyn, Eli . . . my name's Rashawn. This is my partner, Arthur, with whom I think you've both had some acquaintance. I apologize for the way this has proceeded so far. Mistakes . . . were made."

You see that he glances at Arthur as he says this. Arthur lets out a small "tuh" in response and rolls his eyes. Smoothly, Rashawn continues, pacing around the area as his eyes travel around the woods.

"We're both Alphas, and we're hoping you'll join us as soon as you hear what's at stake. You've heard about the coming Third Generation, and I'm sure you have some idea about what that could mean for the world. Imagine all of the confusion, the rush, the fear, the elation that you felt when you first discovered your gifts. Imagine that in the hands and hearts and minds of millions of people from all over the world, from all walks of life. They will be scared, elated, and looking for guidance in a time of tremendous upheaval.

"You've heard of the Omegas, I believe. So far, their supremacist rhetoric has had limited impact by virtue of power differential. We Alphas have more resources and more powers among us, which means we can usually get to new metahumans first and instill them with the principles of non-interference. The Omegas do not make any world-changing moves because they are outmatched right now. It's a peace enforced, and it's imperfect, but it's peace nonetheless.

"Now . . . imagine what happens when the Third Generation gets here. Oh, we Alphas will do our best to reach out to as many of our new brothers and sisters as possible. We'll TRY to convince humanity and metahumanity not to clash, to live apart and avoid the xenophobia and bloodshed that is sure to follow, but the Omega rhetoric is . . . well, it has a certain appeal. People have a way of believing that they deserve more than they have even WITHOUT powers. The Omega doctrine of Darwinian meritocracy will speak to any new meta dissatisfied with their current station in life, and we doubt the results will be kind to humanity OR metahumanity."

He pauses for a moment, as though collecting his thoughts, and Arthur takes the opportunity to jump in.

"So basically, after the blah blah blah, we need people like you to help keep the peace," he starts, making eye contact with you both, "We can't predict what will happen when the Third Generation comes. I mean, how could we? But we can make sure they come into a world where the nutcases and the bigots are recognized for what they are, and to do that we need as many of the First and Second Generation on board as we can get. Do you understand now? People you know will be Third Generation metas. You can reveal yourselves. They'll come to you for guidance. You can be teachers, counselors, people who know what they're going through. You can steer them away from the Omegas, and towards a more peaceful solution, and you can have all of Alpha Sect at your disposal to help you do that. That's . . ."

He pauses for a moment, quickly floundering for words, and Rashawn smoothly steps in.

"That's the cause behind our urgency. We don't know WHEN this will happen, but it will be soon. So please, where do you stand?"

Comissar

2015-04-03, 10:19 AM

Kait stumbles forward as Arthur comes to an abrupt halt. She struggles to keep control of her stomach as the world jars to a stop. When the world stops spinning, she looks up to see Eli. Or at least, someone she hoped was Eli. She smiled uncertainly at him, "Hey..."

She crossed her arms over her chest as she listened to the two explain themselves. When they finally finished, she stayed silent for a few moments longer as she thought over what they'd said.

"So... If this big reveal is going to be unavoidable... Why are you waiting until that moment to let the world know you exist? Wouldn't it make more sense to reveal yourselves before and just give a gentle warning about what you think is coming?"

Kyoh

2015-04-03, 01:58 PM

Eli gave Kait a quick nod. His eyes narrowed in suspicion. He awkwardly poked her side in a lightning fast movement that Kait or any other person without equally fast reflexes wouldn't be able to notice. She checked out. Eli kept his gaze straight ahead and pretended not to notice Kait's reaction.

Once the Alphas had finished their spiel, Eli also took a few moments to consider their options. Despite all of their trickery, he believed that they were being honest about the situation, though they had done little to endear their cause to him. Still, the Omegas' ideologies were far out line from his own thinking.

After Kait's question, Eli jumped in, "And what happens if we don't join you?"

herodofcows

2015-04-05, 03:19 PM

Rashawn and Arthur look at each other, and Rashawn gives a small nod. Arthur turns back to both of you, his face seeming apologetic.

"Well . . . that's the thing: if we can't trust you to help in the coming crisis, we're going to have to treat you as potentially hostile. POTENTIALLY, though. We won't attack you or anything, unless you give us a reason to. But we'll be keeping an eye on you, and we'll be ready to come down hard if we have to."

"As to Kaitlyn's question," Rashawn steps in smoothly, "We've tried that, in limited test conditions. Small communities, contained neighborhoods and the like. In most cases, people respond with distrust and paranoia. Discovering that a group of powerful individuals has existed for most all of living history without detection tends to make people question just how much of a hand we have the world's condition. And then, when it fully sinks in that anyone in their midst could suddenly become a part of that group . . . well, the overarching thought seems to be 'they might hurt me because of this grievance or that disagreement, so I'd better make sure they don't'. THAT, at least, is a mess that can be preemptively avoided."

Comissar

2015-04-05, 04:17 PM

Kaitlyn flinches as she feels something jab her in the ribs. She glances between the two Alpha's in confusion, neither had moved. Her attention flickered over to Eli as well, he was studiously ignoring her. Had she imagined it? She moved her hand across to gently touch her side. It did feel slightly sore, as though someone had poked her. The Alpha's started talking again, no time to wonder about it.

Her confusion turned to bewilderment as Arthur all but said they'd be considered enemies if they didn't join. She hesitated. What she wanted to say was that that was unfair. That they wouldn't even have thought about opposing the pair if they hadn't pushed their way into their lives. But she didn't dare to. Her house was here. Eli was here. While she could keep herself safe if she triggered another one of Arthur's rage's, she couldn't protect everything else as well.

Instead, she asked "How... How long before these new people start showing up?"