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EPIC M&M: Issue 7 (IC)

Calinon

First Post
EPIC Headquarters
Mega-city of New York
October 27, 2120

Michelle

About halfway to your room you come to the realization that probably the only place anything clean, undamaged and unwrinkled will be your change room in the War Room. With a groan, you head off through the school in your nightclothes and bath robe. Unfortunately a fair number of students are up and about. As you head through the cafeteria, you find a lot of students gathered for breakfast.

"Woo, nice leg..." one boy starts to call out. It's followed by a meaty crack, and a thump and clatter. You turn to see one of the guys laid out on the floor, Cosmo's left elbow right about where his head was. Cosmo hasn't stopped eating his breakfast yet.

He takes a moment to swallow. "Morning, Michelle. The squirt and her rabbit got you again, huh?" he says without turning. In front of his plate, you see a large cannister. "Dara has some clothes that might fit. Saw Monica sneaking into her room and liberating a few things last night," he says.

Neutron
"You... want naked pictures... of X12? Hooo kay..." Monica says. "I find that oddly disturbing. But hey, I'll see what I can do," she adds with a grin. As you get dressed and ready, so does she, in a short sundress likely made by Dara. Thunder will hate it, you think.

"I'm probably going to spend tonight with Dara, sport," she says, jumping up on your back as you get into the hall. "Gotta catch up with all the girl stuff and gossip ya know. Now let's go grab some breakfast and... breakfast!" she suddenly exclaims, hopping off you and heading right to Rebounds door. A few seconds later it pops open and she tiptoes in with a devious grin.

A few moments later you a loud clatter sounding very much like someone pouncing onto a bed and a loud shriek that definitely doesn't sound like like it came from Rebound or Monica.

Speed Demon
As you stretch on the end of your bed in your nightclothes, ARIS puts the call through without telling you who it is.

"Isn't it a bit late to still be sleeping, Vincent," says Jun Po on the screen. "And here I thought I had been very patient in my timing of this call."

Jun Po looks completely healthy, much to your surprise. Given the reports of her condition just a week ago, you had expected an emancipated image. Instead, she looks as healthy as ever.

Johan
"No no no!" wails Jennifer bursting into tears.

"Wraaaaa!" wails Mr. Bunny in sympathy.

"You promised to take me home! Home home home! Not back to the bad people!"

"Wraa!"

"And they don't even have her name on them!" she says. Of course, she is completely ignoring the fact that Michelle's name is engraved on her jewelry box. "She's just mean," she finishes, wiping her nose on her sleeve and plopping down on your bed, emptying the jewelry box in one motion, rifling through everything.

After a few moments of peace, she says, "So when you gonna take me back to Mr. Split?"

Mr. Bunny this time remains quite quiet, and you have a feeling that this particular question isn't asked off the cuff.

Aboard the EPIC Jet
Approaching New York

Michael

"Oooo, Halloween is coming up," Dara says, snatching her book back as Kodiak lumbers over and puts his head over the seat. "I wonder if maybe a frying pan on both ends, so I could

"Warrr, grrr, rawr!" he exclaims. Oddly enough, you get a feeling you know exactly what he just 'said.' Something akin to "Why the hell am I in bear form and why do I think you have something to do with it!" Apparently, Bear-speak is much quicker than English...

OOC: Forgot you speak with animals :)

"Hello to you Mr. Grumpy Bear!" Dara says, grabbing hold of Kodiak's lip flaps and pulling them up to make him smile toothily. "Awww, who's a happy bear!"

"Wrrr rawr graa," he grunts, which you think has something to do with eating a certain Chinese girl. It's kind of slurred. No lip use and all...

Just then, Empath comes by, heading for the cockpit. "Awww, who's a happy bear!" she says with a smirk as she passes.

Kodiak lets out a huff, squints one eye and raises the eyebrow on the other at you in a 'little help here' look.

X12
"At any cost," sighs Thunder. "Everyone on EPIC maybe? How about all of New York? The entire ALF. How about a billion innocent lives," he says swivelling his chair to face you. "At any cost is a method used by mercenaries, terrorists and the desperate. All of us risk our lives every day for each other, for a stranger and to fight the evils of the world. But we would never sacrifice each other or an innocent for a personal goal. Never.

"About nine years ago, I had a choice to either kill Mason or save the small town of Hango in the ALF. Six hundred and forty two people lived in the village. If I had killed Mason, they'd have all died, but how many thousands would still be alive; tens of thousands even. And I really wanted to kill him. He'd killed our father a week before. Instead, I saved the town.

"You may think this is just me boasting of ethics, but even in my rage and anger I knew I could not see all the possible outcomes of letting so many innocent people die. I sometimes think of all the nameless people who have lost their lives to Mason. But then I think of the countless people that Sandstorm has helped to save; probably millions; tens of millions. Because he was in that village; I had no idea until a year later when he approached me to join EPIC.

"Every time you retreat into this programming Prophet drilled into you, everytime you make his death your reason for being, you lose what it is to be human. Think of all of your friends at the school, and how much they have risked for you, and how much they continue to be willing to risk for you. They risk that you will have a flashback and beat them so badly, even my brother cannot heal all her injuries in a single night."

You can't help but notice his subtle change from 'they' to 'her,' nor a hint of anger in his voice.

"They are willing to risk that Prophet might exert control over you, or worse, one of them, to keep you from falling back into his hands. You best think very hard about all of them before you so callously state you'll sacrifice them for a selfish goal. Knowing that, how many of them would be willing to take those risks? And how long do you really think it would be before Prophet had you back in his control again, without them?

"And you better think long and hard about that, because your staying on EPIC depends on how you can answer those questions."

He turns back to his monitor, making it clear he doesn't expect, or want, an answer right now. He wants you to think about it.

Jay
Carl at first doesn't really acknowledge what you've said, but after about five minutes, he phases out of his chair backwards and goes over to talk to Raisa. This time, there is no overhearing the conversation as Carl creates a vibrating wall of energy to block sounds from travelling up the plane.
 

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Mordane76

First Post
"I've had a lot of time to think about some of these things already. I'll think about your points for awhile, but answer me one more question before I go and deliberate - you say that when I fall back on my programming that I lose some of what it means to be human... I wasn't born and raised, Thunder - I was made. I'm not 'human' like you; I'm human by design. How can you expect me to think and act like you and others?" X12 asks.

"And Monica knew what she was getting into; I told her up front. Anyone who wants to know how I feel is welcome to know. The only reason Mia Toan is in custody and not in the morgue is because of Michael - not me. Criminals like Mason and Prophet and Mia don't deserve to live - it's not just for them to continue living after what they've done. Kodiak told me the same thing - that I'd lose a bit of myself if I had killed her, but you know what? I don't have any of myself to lose, because everything I am is what he made me... what he did to us isn't like anything you can possibly imagine, Thunder, and he deserves to die for that alone... his other crimes just provide more and more reason to put him in a box.

"I'm not going out of my way to sacrifice people, Thunder... but I don't have to think long about the choice between saving a few innocents or destroying a greater evil. You can ask me later if I've changed my mind, but you're gonna have to show me something worth changing it for, because right now there isn't anything. I don't have family, I don't have a past, I've lost probably the person closest to me since I arrived at EPIC to Prophet already, and watched him turn Kevin's memory into an evil crony. Whatever you've got to change my mind best be damned good,"
X12 says, muttering the last sentence, then turns to go back to his seat.
 

Dalamar

Adventurer
"I assure you, I have no intention of taking you back to the bad people," Johan quickly says as Jennifer bursts into tears, "but as you can see yourself, your actions have made some people deem that an acceptable course of action for themselves.
Surprisingly he finds himself unable to continue scolding Jennifer as he watches her play with the jewelry. I wonder what kind of a childhood she has had, considering her inability to really tell right from wrong, he thinks to himself.
 

Mimic

First Post
Most of Michelle's anger fades as she tries to hide the smirk as she looks at the boy that is laid out on the floor.

Michelle takes a few steps closer to Cosmo, unconsciously straighting out her bath robe. "Yea, she is driving me nuts, I don't know how Johan puts up with her. Personally I think we should just give her back to Split. But," she adds with a sarcastic smirk. "That would be too cruel of a thing to do to the man. Nobody deserves to be punished that badly."

With a sigh she adds. "I guess she wouldn't deserve it either."

"So how do you know what Monica was doing last night? Spying on your old girlfriends?" She says giving him a mischievous look. "The stalker motiff doesn't seem to suit you."

"But checking out Dara's room is a good idea. Thanks... for everything." She says glancing towards the boy on the floor.

"Well, I should get going, the jet will be landing in less then an hour and Thunder has requested my presence there." She says making quote marks with her fingers when she says requested. "But I got to ask before I go, whats with the caninster?"
 

Agamon

Adventurer
Sanjay rolls his eyes. "Oh, yeah, but he's got such a nice ass," he says flatly, admiring Monica's new dress. "No problem, you have fun with Dara, I'll find something to keep myself entertained..." His voice trails off as she bolts for Rebound's room.

He watches her creep in and is surprised by the squeal. "Wha--" Curiousity overcomes him as he pokes his head in the doorway. "Mon, we really gotta stop this whole invasion of privacy schtick we've got going..." he says, looking around to see what's going on, averting his eyes if there's any nudity invovled.
 

Elementor

First Post
Unable to hold back the happy surprise in his expression Vince blurts, "Jun Po Bay-bee!! You are totally a sight for sore eyes. I promise if I knew you were calling that I would have been up well before now. You look gorgeous! I was worried that you might still be feeling a bit under the weather but I am totally glad you called me. Need a lift home?"
 

Gideon

First Post
Michael

Holding a straight face was never Michael's strong suit and sitting next to a tiny Chinese girl holding open a very large bear’s lips just doesn't seem like the right moment to get better. Once again Michael ends up on the floor this time because of his own raucous laughter.

Calinon said:
Kodiak lets out a huff, squints one eye and raises the eyebrow on the other at you in a 'little help here' look.

"Okay....fine." Michael says and barely growls out after that "You better stop chasing away my smokes." And then quick as a bumble bee Michael leaps over the seat and starts unmercifully tickling Dara.
 

Calinon

First Post
EPIC Headquarters
Mega-city of New York
October 27, 2120

Michelle

With a sigh she adds. "I guess she wouldn't deserve it either."

"Personally, I think she should be locked up where he can't get to her. The way she's trapsing around in ARIS makes her a rather large security risk, you know."

"So how do you know what Monica was doing last night? Spying on your old girlfriends?" She says giving him a mischievous look. "The stalker motiff doesn't seem to suit you."

"I only need an hour or two of sleep a day. Vampire and all"

"But I got to ask before I go, whats with the caninster?"

"Beef jerky for Jackal," he says. "Probably wolfed down the cannister I sent to him at that chinese guy's place."

You make it over to Dara's room and ARIS opens it up for you. For a mentally disorganized and unstable person, her room is freakishly neat and organized. Good thing too as it's like being in a high priced store with racks of clothing she has made on a rather simple looking sewing center she has stowed in a corner. Unfortunately, most things are made to fit Dara, making nearly everything questionably short. It is, however, a lot better than what you are wearing now, and you can find dang near anything you want that will 'fit' as long as it's a skirt or dress. Luckily, the skirts won't be as short on you as they are on Monica.

Neutron
You poke your head about the corner into Rebound's room. No nudity involved, but mainly because the girl on whose stomach Monica is firmly sitting is firmly trapped beneath the blankets.

"And who the heck are you," Monica says, pinning the girls arms to her sides. She doesn't sound mad persay; perhaps a little hurt you think. "And what are you doing in Jackies room?"

"Getoffame!" the squirming girl squeals.

The girl is exceedingly pale with white-blonde hair and vibrant blue eyes, eyes which notice you. You recognize the girl as Crystal, one of the students a year behind you. She's gone from startled to more than a little mad and the air temperature is dropping noticably.

"Isaidgetoff!" she says icily. "And you get out!" she shouts at you.

"Hey, what's up Sanjay?" comes Rebound's voice from the hall. He comes bearing a mountain of breakfast goodies. Then he pales. "I heard shouting and... Oh crap." He seems torn between dropping the tray of food and running or simply standing there.

Johan
Jennifer plays with the jewelry for a good fifteen minutes, which is about ten more minutes than Michelle gave you to live. It's also a good fifteen minutes of rest for you. Then suddenly...

"Bored now!" she squeals.

"Wraa!" echoes Mr. Bunny.

"Let's go play with the robots!"

"Wraa!"

And with that, the two end your musing by vanishing into ARIS with a fizzle, Mr. Bunny still wearing most of Michelle's wardrobe and from what you can see, he and Jennifer decked out in a good deal of Michelle's jewelry. The rest remains in several disorganized piles on your bed, and a single pair of female underwear flutter to the ground in the doorway to your living room.

Just down the hall you hear Monica and Sanjay making a good deal of noise in the hall. Well, ok, mainly Monica. The image of her striking a rather provocative pose for you in South America can't help but pop into your mind. Kind of like a photograph...

Speed Demon
"First, Vincent," she says with a slight frown, "your descriptives are inappropriate. But thank you for the," she pauses. "Compliment, no matter how ill worded. I am, in fact, feeling perfectly fine again and have been discharged from hospital.

"Sanchez told me that the rest of the team would be returning from mission today, including Jackal and Kodiak, both of whom I would very much like to see when they land," she adds with a faint smile. "Unfortately, Sanchez has her hands full with a student named Jennifer and since she told me most of the staff is at home, I thought that yes, you could certainly come in a vehicle to bring me back to the Headquarters."

Aboard the EPIC Jet
Approaching New York


Michael
That worked. "Dara is pretty much pinned against the window squealing and beating you over the head with her very heavy design book. Luckily, she doesn't have much room to swing it. Kodiak gives a big shake of his ursine head, lips flapping wildly before changing form back to human. He rubs his face with his hands and sighs, sitting back down in his seat.

"There was a day, comrades, when being able to turn into a giant bear garnered a certain level of respect."

"I think it was a Thursday," quips Empath from the front of the cabin.

X12
"How can you expect me to think and act like you and others?"
"Cloning isn't uncommon, X12. Neither is special forces training. You happen to be a clone with special forces training, and a mutant to boot. And a clone is still a human, training or not. And humans can choose how they act."

"...Whatever you've got to change my mind best be damned good."
"I won't debate whether or not the people in Anarchy need to be executed for their crimes; nobody in EPIC will say they don't. But the moment we start putting that goal ahead of the protection of our team and the innocents we protect, we stop being heroes and start being villains.

"But it's not me who needs to change your mind. You'll have to figure out on your own if what you said is true or not. If you're nothing more than what Prophet made you. If you have nothing and nobody you care about to lose. When you can tell me if you are or aren't, and if you do or don't, I'll think about sending you out into the field again."

He limps up front towards the cockpit with that blunt announcment to you.
 

Mordane76

First Post
X12 snaps. "Special Forces training?" he yells after Thunder. "You call being forced to kill someone or be killed by him SPECIAL FORCES TRAINING?! You think they beat you mercilessly even if you do succeed in the army?! I can make my own choices?! I don't even know what memories are really mine, and what is from the countless Directives Prophet slaughtered in his quest to make the perfect soldier! You have no clue what you're talking about - and you can't stop me from going into the field after him," he rumbles, heading after Thunder.

"You try and box me up and I'll split; I'm sure there are others out there that wouldn't mind the fame and fortune that comes with taking down a big shot like Prophet," he snips, making no effort to keep his voice down. "Try and confine me, KYLE; the mission is what matters. If you understood that, then you'd understand why nothing else matters. If someone doesn't kill Prophet, there won't be any innocents left to save when he's done... if you understood that, you'd know that laying it all on the line is the only way we're going to stop him. Why not ask Dara, or Ms. Desrochers, how it felt having him in their head... ask them if they think that everyone's coming home healthy after this one, Thunder. Why not ask Kevin, while you're at it... I'll go find you a Quija board so you can."
 

Agamon

Adventurer
Sanjay gets a sly smirk on his face, looking on the scene. "Monica, leave her alone. You know what she's doing here." Pulling back out of the doorway, he sighs and rolls his eyes. "Jackie? Oh brother, this going a bit too far..."

Hearing Rebound, he turns, raising an eyebrow and smiling. "Calm down, Jackson," he says, keeping an eye on the tray to make sure all that food doesn't go to waste hitting the floor. "Crystal just surprised Monica...or maybe that's the other way around..." Sanjay's expression turns more serious. "Anyway, you really should have known this would happen. Mon wakes you for breakfast everyday. Maybe it's time you started using ARIS like the rest of us."

Sanjay turns beside Jackson, putting his arm over his shoulders. "See, buddy, it's like this: I've talked to Monica about this whole surrogate mother thing, and she firmly believes that you'd be 'lost without her guidance'. But we both know that that's a load of hooey, right? Now I'm sure you enjoyed the attention she's given you, and I let it go, because you and me, we're friends, right? But, I think it's time you told her yourself that you'd like your privacy back. You and Crystal would make a nice couple, but I'm not sure Crystal's going to stand for...well, stuff like this," he says, waving a hand at the doorway. "Sound good?"
 

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