Solunae

Sun and Moon Born
Original poster
FOLKLORE MEMBER
Invitation Status
Posting Speed
  1. Multiple posts per day
  2. 1-3 posts per day
  3. One post per day
Online Availability
All the Damned Time
Writing Levels
  1. Intermediate
  2. Adept
  3. Advanced
  4. Prestige
  5. Adaptable
Preferred Character Gender
  1. Male
  2. Female
Genres
All forms of Fantasy, Magi-Tech or blended Genre, SciFi, Paranormal, Dark Mystery, Post Canon or AU Fandoms

[bg=#616060]
Chronicles of PAGAN
IC THREAD

This Reality is not the one you are accustomed; this reality - that reeks of death and of fear is slowly being consumed by things classified as SHADES. The Agents of PAGAN are all that stands between humanity and the Darkness that lurks around every corner, down every alley, within the depths of every mortals soul. Having risen up above the authority of all known governments on Earthy, they monitor every facet of society now - from the rich to the poor; trying to safe-guard our very humanity from the corruption brought to our plain by the SHADES. Welcome to earth 2064, where metropolis stacked atop metropolis suffer the strain of over population as well as political conflict between nations. But these are not the worst of their problems. In this reality the SHADES - creatures of the dark - are the real problem. From Ghosts and Ghouls to Banshees and Poltergeists; humanity is plagued with fear and haunted on a nightly basis. The toll of surviving one of these encounters if to live branded as a TAINTED, monitored always, trusted by none. Given a single choice to either serve PAGAN or to live in constant fear of not only your abilities - but of PAGAN and society too. Step a toe out of line and you simply vanish - locked away in Purgatory; a triple max prison built just for the TAINTED. Life within for the remainder of your days as little more than a lab rat for the R&D department of PAGAN.

[btn=modc|https://www.iwakuroleplay.com/threads/chronicles-of-pagan.157155/]INTEREST THREAD[/btn] [btn=modc|https://www.iwakuroleplay.com/threads/pagan-agents.157199/#post-3324691f]CHARACTER GALLERY[/btn] [btn=modc|https://www.iwakuroleplay.com/threads/chronicles-of-pagan.157187/|self]OOC THREAD[/btn]

6axWXYC.jpg

:: ARC I ::
THINGS WERE QUIET, ALMOST TO QUIET
. . .
[/bg]
[bg=#616060]

However, for those of the PAGAN Global Headquarters knew it wouldn't stay that way for long; it never did after all. The normal grunts and suits were running around, getting jobs done that needed doing with time constraints that never seemed to be enough.
Grigorie Bane was locked away behind the large mahogany and steel doors of his penthouse which was the normal monitoring a near constant flow of information came scrolling across his screens and various panels. A dull and bored expression masked his face while shoulders sat stiffly and his posture rigid as though he were under a constant watch - even though he was not.


Today was a busy day so far, he'd been over reviews and statistics for damn near the entire morning. But now finally with Dusk approaching it was nearly time for what he'd been waiting for the whole morning. He lifted a slow hand and touched the screen before him activating a link into the Tele-coms. "Scala, just curious how is that new set up going?" His voice channeled across the telepathic network that was set up on the Communications levels all the day down to the R&D level where Jakob Scala stood glaring down at a panel of his own.

"Hardly 'Sir' seeing as you left me with little more than a few hours to get some figures together. My programs are running as fast as they can to work out the best schematic, but so far all I see is disaster no matter how I pair this... 'Group'"
The man's voice that returned to the Chief was strained and angry - like always. Thick black rimmed glasses sat low on his nose while a hand scratched at the man-bun tied at the back of his skull. The rest of his hair was shaved clean off while a scruffy thick beard shielded his face. "I mean Sir I feel I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't mention this but your idea of having a TAINT as a Team Leader is ... reckless at the very least. Whoever it is they wouldn't be fully controlled by their triggers - it could leave a massive blind spot. I'm just... " He was suddenly cut off however.


"I didn't call down to ask for your opinions Jakob. I asked if you had the group schematics figured. Now that I see you do not I will remind you that it is only 4 hours until Dusk and we will be dispatching our new Alpha and Omega teams tonight. Just get it done. Day shift will be coming down and Night Shift should be waking up if you need to run additional tests or personality gauges just do it the Night Shift should be up and about by now after all." He then disconnected.

Jakob Scala gritted his teeth and pulled at his septum piercing whispering in almost a hiss. "Bastard..." He then yelled at one of his assistance "Please go and round up the motley crew Bane wants us to organize have them assemble here ... NOW!" He hollered at the last.

(( Members with completed profiles may go ahead and jump in, there will be no posting order for now just try not to run away and leave active members behind! Obviously our characters know that they're being re-assigned but don't know exactly who their new teams and partners will be just yet. Enjoy! ))
[/bg]
 
Esmeralda Baylin

e90b94d808619eb9e85fb7774071d712.jpg

Purgatory was not too bad of a place, personally. It ain't heaven nor is it a place to live in. An ex-convict who lived within these very walls told her that when she was merely ten years old. He had been one of the very few exceptions who was pardoned. "Pardoned, huh," the platinum blonde mumbled to herself as she made her way across the triple max security prison's courtyard. Some of the guards' attention was focused on her, ensuring that she didn't do anything that would make her regret being brought here. "They make it sound like I intentionally got myself tainted." she said aloud this time before reaching one of the bench tables there.

Esmeralda then took a seat as one of the guards held his gun closer to his chest. "Not that I have anything to complain, though. It almost feels like home," she continued before taking the book that she had stuffed out of her pocket. She then wondered whether she was going to spend her whole life here. Probably, she said to herself. She knew that eventually, she would get used to all of it. Considering she was already used to the episodes that occur maybe once or twice a day.

She never had an episode here before or rather, a serious episode. The only serious one she had was within her sleep. She then wondered whether there would be changes to the schedule today. Although she doubts there would be.

@Anyone​
 
  • Like
Reactions: Solunae
"Falkyn, wake up," a sweet feminine voice implored him.

The man in the bed cracked his eyes open and sat up, "best alarm I could ask for," he mused. Falkyn sat up and rubbed his eyes, before beginning his wakeup routine. He stretched, then went through a workout routine that took him almost a half an hour before taking a shower and getting ready for the night. By two hours to dusk, he was fully armored and armed. He looked at his secure terminal, and found the windows shifted from where he'd left them. That meant he'd been given new information.

He stood over the screen and read while he took a bite from a breakfast burrito, making his own notes and suggestions to the person who'd given him this information. Then her face flashed onto the screen, "Your new assignment is waiting for you, down in the R and D dungeon," the blonde said.

"Have I mentioned I hate your promotion?" Falkyn observed as he put his earpiece in, and automatically Seri's communications transferred there. "What's the assignment?" he asked her.

"Only every day," she chuckled. Further, she remained mum on his latter question.

"One of these days I'll have to break you out of there and get you back into the real world," he mused before she chuckled again.

"I have to get back to work, do play nice too, I'll be watching," she teased with a laugh before their connection ended.

Falkyn laughed to himself, looking at a picture on his desk, one she had pulled from a surveillance camera after their first mission together of the two of them both holding guns on a SHADE. "The good old days," he observed quietly to himself before he went to the refrigerator again. He withdrew another burrito, then left his quarters and took a meandering path down the building towards the R&D area. He shared a conversation with the floor's janitor about baseball for a few minutes, before continuing his path to his destination.

There, a tech warned him he could not eat in there. Falkyn simply looked the man dead in the eyes, took a bite and chewed, and continued eating with intense eye contact until the tech backed off. He leaned on a table eating slowly, rifles over his back and the grip of his handgun printing through his duster.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Solunae
A new assignment. THE assignment. For all these years she’s made her due with whatever pithy assignment she might come across. Whatever mindless job her commanding officers might find for her. All in the hopes she’ll eventually land a good ‘gig’. She’ll be able to really do some good in the field. After joining Shadowveil, she thinks she’s got that chance.

Her orders came down only 2 days before she was to report. Which is fine, that’s plenty of time. She cleaned out her closet, her trunk, said some goodbyes.. and that was it. She had no real emotional connection to the military base she had been staying at. It was really more of a stopover before what she had hoped would be a better assignment. The base she was staying at was little more than a field test for the suit. And she’s happy to say she wasn’t disappointed.

She had shown up 15 minutes earlier than she was supposed to for her ‘ride’. She was nothing if not prompt. She wouldn’t show up at her new assignment in full gear.. she wouldn’t feel right doing that. So it’s her military casuals now. Slacks, a purple and brown colored leather jacket and a dark tank top under. She took a rail to the transport station, where she would get her link to headquarters. To THE headquarters. She would be lying if she said she didn’t feel at least a little bit of excitement.

To be assigned to the main base of PAGAN, to be amongst the best of the best. She just hopes she has something to add to this already impressive organization. But that’s something for her superiors to decide.
She waits for only a few minutes before the helicopter arrives, and after a brief security scan she is on her way. Her sea bag will be delivered subsequently, and she’s sure her suit is already at the main headquarters and locked away. At least she hopes it is. She had thoughts that the R&D here would be interested in it, since it’s newer tech. Which is fine.. so long as she’s present. But then, she may not have a choice in that. She’s the newbie, after all. The helo makes it way through the very crowded city, something Emily is quite used to. She grew up in an area like this.. upon one of the lower levels, in fact. Her father often jokes about how she dug her way up from hell to make something of herself.

The helicopter docks at the main PAGAN headquarters, and she is directed towards the main entrance. While she had already gone through a security scan before boarding the helo, she is once more put through the scrutiny of a security checkpoint before she can even enter the lobby. She shows them her digital orders, goes through a DNA scan, an iris scan, a check for weapons or any other sort of contraband. With each order she obeys without question, she is obedient to the guards of course. She actually had a detail like this once, security at a PAGAN base out west. So she understands why they need all of this, especially here. If any of the horrors locked away in this place were to escape.. it would mean a hell for so many..
The security checkpoint passed, she now makes her way in the general direction of the Research and Development department. She has to follow some of the signs, of course, not having a clue as yet to layout. Even for her getting schematics of this place is pretty much impossible.. another security measure. She isn’t sure if she should be meeting someone here.. she has no idea EXACTLY what her assignment is yet, really. She has surmised it will probably be a new beat, she hopes it’s not a temporary assigned duty. That would just crush her. She wants to be here for the long haul, to be able to offer whatever aid her skillset can. She has no idea she’s to be part of a new troop.

Emily stops just outside of where she thinks she is supposed to be, hoping someone will meet her here. A commanding officer to dole out assignments, to tell her precisely what it is she is doing here.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Solunae
Jericho Raines
Mornings were pretty uneventful ever since Jericho left the Army. They used to be occupied by early physical training, some yelling from a sergeant, and (if he was lucky) an MRE or meal ready to eat. Now, it seemed like he had nothing to do. He woke up precisely at 0600 to his new bare apartment. Avoiding the boxes stacked on the floor, he jumped in the shower and washed up quickly for the day ahead. His apartment was arguably nicer than what he had before. It had everything he could ask for: a nice bed, a personal bathroom, TV, and even a kitchenette. After walking out of the shower, he put on his grey combat gear and grabbed breakfast: leftover takeout.

As he chowed the cold noodles, Jericho flipped on his TV to catch the news. The headlines were filled with the typical day to day news. Country XYZ was at war with Country ABC. Shade attack in the Center State Zone. The usual. He watched half-heartedly as he continued to get ready for the day. Grabbing his two pistols, he did a minor maintenance check before stowing the Five Seven in its side holster and the Rhino in a concealed holster on his back. With one last check, he shut off the TV and walked out of his room to the meeting point at R&D.

His superiors had been pretty hush hush when giving him the new assignment. All he knew was the higher ups thought his "talents" were better suited in areas other than basic security. Whatever the case, Jericho was looking forward to his new position as basically anything beat having to stare at a surveillance monitor twelve hours a day, seven six days a week. But the large amount of cloak and dagger surrounding this job had him somewhat unnerved. He didn't know what to expect and he hated not knowing. Guessing from the overall mission of PAGAN and the large quantity of anti-shade ammunition he was giving, he was being thrown on the front lines of the war on SHADES.

After short elevator ride down, Jericho found himself in the gleaming white facility of science and secrecy known as R&D. He recalled coming here only once, during the orientation tour when he first came to PAGAN. Around him there were many scientists bustling around, notebooks and test tubes in hand, conducting what his tour guide had called "experiments and tests for the benefit of humankind." With all the scientists in white lab coats doing sciency things, an armed man in combat gear looked sorely out of place. Luckily for Jericho he wasn't the only one sticking out like a sore thumb. On one side of the room, he noticed a heavily armed man munching on a burrito. Guessing the man was also there for the same reasons, Jericho walked over to him and asked, "You here for that new job opening?"

@ShatteredSkies
 
  • Like
Reactions: Solunae
Simon B. Jackal​

Concept_Art_-_Simon_Jackal_by_Ali-Masako.png


Targets were shown all through the area, one by one each were being blasted through with quick precision. A blur swept through, vanishing and appearing in quick intervals before the roar of a shotgun filtered through. Decimating the target and knocking it's head clean off, the weirder having a wide smirk on his face as he wasted each and every target. Then backing off, porting to a makeshift wall as cover as he popped out the shells from his gun. Popping in two new ones in the chambers as he prepared to go out again...

"Simon Jackal, report to R and D immediately." He frowned at the voice on the intercom. Adrenaline still rushing through his veins as he gripped his weapon tightly, knowing he'd have to relinquish it on the way out.

"Piss off." Simon grunted but knew better then to disobey. No matter how much he wanted to give whoever was interrupting his training a good boot up the ass. He twirled his shotgun with a flair before leaving the room, leaving his weapons and left over bullets with the attendant at the armory before he stomped out. Shoving his hands into his pockets as he went, his moods swiftly going from anger and back to acceptance in his mind. Wondering if he'd ever not feel angry at anything..
 
  • Like
Reactions: Solunae
@Makomin

It was a bright day, an exciting day - what day wasn't?

Stella Artemis awoke, and what a glorious thing it was. Jazz music - triumphant saxophones and sprawling piano - served as the harbinger for her awakening, along with the ambient sounds of birds and an ever so gentle breeze. None of the latter sounds were genuine, of course - such sounds were inconsistent when it happened in the regular course of nature. Pre-programmed however, it would replay with one hundred percent consistency every single morning.

Vigor was the word that would best describe Stella's morning routine. Coffee. Bagel (strawberry cream cheese). Standard work outfit.

Today was a day full of promise, and new hope for one Esmeralda Baylin. An 'Other'. Stella abhorred the term 'Tainted', as it ran counter to her philosophy of positive energy. It was a word full of harsh connotation. No, this Esmeralda was simply an 'Other', and with enough positive energy in her life, she'd be one of 'Us'.

Sky-rail - a special one restricted to PAGAN operatives - made the journey to Purgatory surprisingly trivial and, indeed, Stella was familiar enough with the place given her line of work. The inhabitants of the jail, however, never quite got used to Stella's demeanour each time she visited, smiling and whistling as if a beautiful field to frolic in.

"Good morning! I'm here for Esmeralda Baylin, is she in?" Stella inquired, almost as if asking for a regular old friend at work.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Makomin and Solunae
Shifting shadows, the annoyance of 'static' in her mind, this and more would wake her up from a deep nearly comatosed sleep. The very same sleep she endured night after night, induced by a high end mixture of pentobarbital, ketamine, and a few others she couldn't remember the names of anymore. She was beyond used to this treatment; time after time when her body became immune and her drugs were changed she had been through this song and dance one to many times now. She would have to tell the Lab Bastard once again that her dose was loosing affect, a moment she was not looking forward to.

Vivid blue eyes opened and shifted to the side where a clock face embedded in the wall panel read off the time. She was late getting up it seemed, and so she sat up slowly her mind half in a fog. Messy black layers of cropped raven black-blue hair spilled down over her face and curtained her eyes. Pain radiated up her arm its focal point the back of her right hand where an IV was half buried in the port found there. She moved slowly - her reactions only a ghost due to the drugs being pumped into her - reached over with her unpierced hand and yanked the IV out.

A gentle sigh escaped from her at this point - free from the heavy pressure flow of the drugs in her hand her arm already felt better. But in the absence of the drugs came a different pain - one she was even more used to. Only a few minutes had passed when a tingling at the back of her mind started. It radiated forward in her conscious as a weaving wave of colors, of sensations that were not her own. Pain was starting to to blossom behind her eyes and she leaned her head forward to rub them gently. She needed to get going. She stood slowly and pushed the panel of a cabinet to release it's latch. Inside the cabinet was a set of headphones with silly little triangles set on the headband's top, almost like a pair of cat ears. She huffed sigh and slowly pulled these headphones on and flicked a button on the right earpiece. The 'Static' faded to a lower hum and she felt a little better if not cured from it.

Now that she was shielded - at least a little bit - she could move freely through her room without feeling nauseous. She quickly wrapped her right hand to hide the port at the back of it, then shifted to wrap and bind her chest tightly in place. Over this she pulled on a black tank top and then a steam pressed white button up dress shirt with a pair of straight edge black slacks, then finally at the end she pulled on a pair of retro black and white converse hightops. One of the only things that showed a spark of personality to her.
She picked up her dog tags on the way to the ladder that led from her room and tossed them on over her head before climbing up and out of her room.

A section of the R&D's white floor near the eastern wall slowly lifted before the cat like headphones peeked out swiftly followed by livid blue eyes. ~Just another day at the office~ She though as she climbed out of the floor. All around her scientists, technicians, and lab assistants rambled about working on whatever various new project Scala had them working on. But where she wondered was the pied piper himself. In her search blue eyes rolled across to combat boys standing to the side of the room. She was instantly reminded of Morgen Allister, her last partner, he'd looked a lot like them. Shaking her head to free them of the memories she had another thought ~Why are they here...~ struggling through the last remnants of her 'Meds' she remembered a memo coming from Seri the night before during her shift. "Oh yeah ... reassignments." She knew Scala would be with them soon enough so made her way over slowly to stand only a few feet from the two men. She said nothing nor did she look at them; simply stood and stared at the floor before her while hands were crossed behind her back and held each of her elbows.
 
Esmeralda Baylin

e90b94d808619eb9e85fb7774071d712.jpg

As she was about to turn the page of her book, her vision blurred slightly before she witnessed another TAINTED taking it in hand and throwing it into the trash can. And just like that, her eyes focused back to her current situation. She just had an insight of the book's future. Oh well, looks like I have to take care of it now. The platinum blonde merely stuffed the book back into her pocket before catching a glimpse of a guard listening keenly into his earpiece. He then looked at her before making his way to her. Was there a change of sort?

When the male guard reached her, he said out in a gruff voice while his grip on his gun tightened slightly, "Get up." Esmeralda Baylin knew that nothing would come out of her resisting, as such, she instantly stood up before following the male guard to the facility's visitation area. I have a visitor? It can't be Mother because she's probably working in a bar somewhere nor can it be my useless father of mine or my elder brother. She didn't expect this visitor to be someone she knew of and she was right. In front of her stood another female with dark hair that had strands of blue-dyed.

"Can I help you?" she asked with a raised eyebrow. Although she doubted so, she wondered what an agent of PAGAN would want with her. She was, after all, TAINTED.

@Shizuochan
 
  • Love
Reactions: Aero Blue
She was beautiful, Stella noted. The average person may have found that sad, a girl such as her confined to Purgatory, but Stella felt a sense of optimism and hope. She'd pluck Esmeralda out of this place, take a lovely young girl away from such a monotonous existence. No one deserved this, Stella reasoned. This thought struck her with a blow of solemn sadness, before heavily altered endorphine production rushed unnaturally to compensate.

Stella regarded Esmeralda with a bright smile, revealing a minute morsel of chocolate and a blue fragment of candy-shell between her front teeth.

"Hi, Esmeralda!" The agent said, as if running into a dear friend upon school grounds. She reached into her pocket and produced a plastic bag of assorted nuts, handing it towards her new acquaintance. "Trail mix? Nuts and choc- hmm, oh dear, I seem to have eaten all of the chocolate pieces. Silly me! I'll get you a candy bar on our way back."

The last phrase reminded her of just exactly why she had come, "Oh, right, that reminds me. Esmeralda Baylin, I'm Stella Artemis, agent of PAGAN, and I'm busting you out of here. Just kidding. But seriously, you wanna go somewhere more fun? I'm with PAGAN, and we could really use your talents. Seriously. Can I call you Esme, by the way? Very cute. I like that."

@Makomin
 
  • Like
Reactions: Solunae




EVZA CESTMIR
25 / TAINTED / MALE[/hr]


This began as any other day had for Evza. Waking up at around four in the morning, his coffee maker automatically turning on at the same time. A book lay haphazardly on his bare chest. He never got enough sleep, and this morning was no exception. His eyes squinted in the darkness of the small room; only the small amount of artificial light peeking in through a slit in the curtains. His back was still firmly planted on his subpar mattress. He knew that he had enough time to get himself ready, but wasn't exactly excited for what was to happen today. In fact, he was absolutely apathetic.

An hour passed, and the ceiling still looked the same. Evza finally raised his torso, but still sat in place. He looked around, the light becoming more intense as 5 am rolled around. He himself preferred the darkness, maybe a soft lamp to read by, but opened his shades anyway. He knew that darkness was not ideal for someone trying to wake up. He slipped himself out of his covers, and his feet planted onto the cold reinforced steel ground.

Once taking his shower, and performing normal, everyday hygiene, he slipped into his normal black leather coat. Evza neglected to look into the mirror until this point. He would never express this thought, but he doesn't think he will ever come to terms with his appearance. From the front, he seemed relatively normal, but as he turned slightly, you could see the gnarled, jagged smiled that looked permanently carved into his features. He decided that today was not the day to dwell upon his rampant imperfections, and attached the familiar mask around his head. Adjusting it on his face, it sufficiently covered the extent of his deformities.

He waited about another hour to leave his assigned chambers. He thought this would at least gave him enough time to finish the novel he'd been reading. Unfortunately for him, a rumbling voice echoed from the intercom installed inside. "Evza Castmir. Report to R&D immediately." A small vein threatened to expose from his forehead, but he sufficiently held himself back. Closing the book, Evza slipped the small novel into a pocket and swiftly left out the door, his long coat sweeping behind him. He reminded himself to at least try to disable the intercom.

He wasn't familiar with the faces he encountered at all. He had been training this entire time for this moment but did not feel any excitement. Evza even worried slightly whether or not he was ready to start his new position at PAGAN; this was quickly replaced by what he knew. He was ready. His boots clicked on the flooring as he approached the entrance to his destination, R&D. He saw other standing around aimlessly. He hoped he was in the right area. He stood on a clean white wall as he waited for someone higher up than him to show up. He crossed his arms, and stared off into the distance.
 
Esmeralda Baylin

e90b94d808619eb9e85fb7774071d712.jpg

The platinum blonde was for a moment, lost for words. This PAGAN Agent, Stella Artemis, was just such a....chipper. She had never in her life met someone so energetic as the other female, let alone an agent. The last agent she had met nearly shot her when she bent down to tie her shoelace. Esmeralda knew that the dark-haired female wasn't lying for a fact because the guard who had let her in would have known otherwise and she couldn't be crazy enough to defile what the other agents at the headquarters would want. But then again, she couldn't know much than the female standing in front of her.

"My talent? Is that why I'm locked up in a triple max security prison," she asked blatantly, not because she wanted to sound bitter but because it was so ironic for the people who placed them here to ask for help from them, TAINTED. She then took a handful of nuts out of the plastic bag that was given to her before popping a few in her mouth and chewing tentatively, "Thank you and no worries, I don't really fancy chocolate. The caffeine keeps me awake at night.". She didn't want to mention the fact that her mind would be overblown by the amount of screaming she could hear from other TAINTED's dreams.

Just as she finished the last few pieces, she nodded before saying, "Esme is fine by me. Also, when will we be leaving?". Esmeralda Baylin didn't care where she was going. As long as it was away from here. The thought of possible death was close in her mind but she knew that 'her kind' are nowhere near to be 'researched'. As such, they still needed her alive.

@Shizuochan
 
  • Like
Reactions: Solunae
As he took the last bites of his burrito, several people filed into the room. First being a stiff postured, also heavily armed male, then a trio of motley looking people in plain clothes, probably TAINTED. He scanned them over seperately, before looking to the other agent in the room.

"Something like that, I feel like this is the punchline to some joke," he began, finishing his burrito and balling up the wrapper. "Kobe!" He called, before throwing it into the trash bin a few feet away. "I'm here for the new Special Underwater Basket Weaving Unit that the company is putting together," he said evenly.

"However, there should be more of us coming, there's usually an even number of underwater basket weavers on a team," Falkyn added. "But let's introduce ourselves shall we?" He knew some of them wouldn't be excited about it, and neither was he, but who cared? "I'm a heavily armed man named Falkyn, and I like Pina Coladas and blowing shit up in the rain," he said simply, before looking to the second person to walk in the room.

"Okay G.I. Joe, you're up "

@Ramboing @Solunae and anyone else in the RnD room
 
  • Like
Reactions: Solunae

Now as Emily stands there (hands folded behind her back, posture straight as a board), she starts to notice a few others funnel into the department. Huh..

Her brows furrow as she silently looks over the newcomers. They don’t SEEM to be scientists, or employees of this department. That’s just a hunch she has. Were.. they ordered here like she was? If so.. that means.. they’re all getting assignments. And when that happens in a group like this.. it usually means a new squad is being put together.

Now Emily certainly doesn’t mind being part of a squad. Not at all. In fact she rather enjoys it. But.. given her specialty… infiltration and reconnaissance.. having ‘teammates’ is fine, but could hinder her effectiveness. Or make her useless. But then again.. if that were true.. she wouldn’t be here at all. They must have some kind of layout, right? Right.

She hopes.

Her eyes are first drawn to Jericho as she stands silently at attention. She steps a little closer now towards Jericho and Falkyn, stopping just close enough to clearly hear them. They were both armed.. which she thought was odd. But her mentality is.. well she’s in home base and no credible threat.. so why be armed? But then again.. considering that some of the worst of the worst are housed here..

Okay maybe she does need to go around armed.

One of the armed men calls himself Falkyn… and he’s obviously taking this whole thing very lightly. At least not seriously, in her mind. Which is fine for him, there’s nothing wrong with a little levity at a time like this. But Emily wouldn’t be doing so. While Falkyn did want Jericho to introduce himself next.. Emily’s first instinct is to speak up. To let them know who she is, what she is. But she stands silently near them, waiting patiently her turn. She wants to make a good impression, especially if what she gathered from the short conversations was true. They were here for ‘job openings’… and probably not basket weaving.

That would be real disappointing.

Her eyes then draw to Mishka.. speaking of looking out of place. She’s clearly not military.. Emily gets the sense she might be one of the subjects of this place. One of the TAINTED. She almost seems to not want to be here. If she is one of the subjects.. she can understand that line of thought. Brown eyes glance towards Jericho and Falkyn, and then she takes a few steps closer to Mishka. She stands silently there closer to her, her hands still folded behind her back as she listens to the boys talk. She almost makes it seem like she doesn’t notice Mishka there. She doesn’t want to make the girl feel more out of place by staring or forcing conversation.

Out of the corner of her eyes does she notice Evza then.. he seems another that just doesn’t seem to want to be here. Odd.. Mishka and Evza didn’t SEEM to want to be here (that’s the impression Emily gets), but Falkyn and Jericho seem perfectly fine, even making dumb little jokes. Perhaps those touched and those who are not stand out even more to her now. Out of the corner of her eyes does she watch Evza, again not wanting to make him feel to (more) uncomfortable with straight up staring and forcing of conversation or inclusion. Let them go at their own pace, as Falkyn and Jericho are.

And she will just wait her turn in the small group that seems to be forming around the two men. Maybe she is now amongst her new assignment…
 
  • Like
Reactions: Solunae
The remark about her confinement in Purgatory triggered an unusual reaction in Stella's mind. It was the sort of negativity her new brain-wiring was meant to reject, yet it was so poignant, so resounding that it was difficult to ignore. Thankfully, Esmeralda spared Stella from having to answer, switching the topic to chocolate instead. A rhetorical question, then. Merciful. Real answers were so hard to give. The truth was always so painful.

And so, as always, she smiled. Because that was easy.

"That's wonderful Esme! I'll have you know that Stella is short for Stellar, on account of me being so great!" The agent winked, a caricature of joviality, "We'll be going now! To PAGAN Headquarters. We can stop first for some fast food though, if you want; our cafeteria is, um, well, let's just say the bathrooms are strategically positioned, shall we?"

With spontaneity, Stella rose, nodding in acknowledgement as armed guards opened the door behind her.

@Makomin
 
  • Like
Reactions: Solunae
Simon leaned against the wall...Tapping his foot repeatedly as he tried to focus his blurry vision. Rubbing his arm where the scientist jabbed in the needle to give him his dose of Halitol. Knowing that his adrenaline was spiked during his practice made the lab fucks nervous. So they shot him up just in case he got into a mood. He gritted his teeth as he felt anger and rage bubble in him. Mood swings. He preferred anger rather then the depression that came after. Easier to deal with. Even if he did snap at everyone like a rabid dog...

"Why don't you assholes just get me drunk? Be way more fun on my end..." Simon muttered to himself as he rubbed his face. Desperately trying to focus as he was starting to get a headache.
 
Jericho Raines
Jericho stared at the man with the burrito, Falkyn. For someone so heavily armed, he had this... enthusiasm around him. He took everything in such a light hearted manner, impressive considering the possibly dangerous things to come. He listened to the man say a few things as more people started filing into the room. First was an odd person with... cat ear headphones? They were standing somewhat off to the side, but, while distant, Jericho could tell they were there for the same reason. Next was another odd one, a women who was eying all three of them, just watching. With all four of them, it was most likely they were going to all be put together as some kind of squad or something. For what purpose? Jericho hoped to find out soon...

He turned back to Falkyn once the man had finished. Judging from his response, the man also didn't know anything. "Well Falkyn, the names Jericho Raines. And if we are playing by the same rules, I like whiskey and blowing up stuff at night. More colorful and not as muddy," he replied with a little snarkiness. Looking over at the person with the cat headphones, he called out, "How 'bout you?" Hopefully even with those headphones they were listening or things were about to get awkward.

@ShatteredSkies @Solunae

 
Alright things were starting to get less hazy - her perception of things was becoming further heightened. She glanced towards Evza and Simon as they had ambled in their familiar signatures burned in her memory but at first she didn't say anything. Instead she was busy trying to focus on the music in her headphones ~Drown it out drown it out~ She kept repeating to herself over and over. But no matter how she tried the longer she was off her meds the more aware she became. Falkyn was being ... funny? She had seen him around - mainly in secret meetings with Seri behind closed doors of course - their sexual attraction to one another had always left her ... intrigued and yet clueless as ever. Jericho was a new guy but they both seemed like NORMANs to her mental perception of them and so as they chit chatted she tried once again to drown out the commotion in her mind.

She felt a sense of bubbly - anxiousness coming from the side and opened vivid blue eyes to spot Emily standing rather close to their little nonchalant group. Her eyes seemed cold and rather irritated when she looked at the other woman - but anger started to dilate her pupils as Simon's shot sent him into an broil. Her skin felt warm and her heart kicked up a beat as the anger filtered into her. Evza was being the 'Quietest' one there. She let a slow hot sigh out and finally just after Jericho shot her a question she turned yanked down her headphone so that they rest on her shoulders to yell his way "CAN IT SIMON FOR SHIT SAKE" She was mostly directing his own anger back at him ... For a moment she grit her teeth and felt the anger pushed it back calmed herself - realizing she was letting all those around her affect her. A stony expression came back to her face as she realize Jericho had said something. She fought through the haze in her mind to remember "What... Huh?" She asked blank expression of a statue coming back to look at him, "Names Mishka Vorona..." nothing more nothing less.

Her blue eyes cut away and she searched for Jakob's sorry ass when were they going to get started. She noticed however that some of the technicians were passing anxious looks her way. Always waiting for her to snap - never trusting her. Same reasons she was in this new bullshit assignment. She did not want to even know why this many were gathering. All she wanted to do was leave and return to her own room. She sighed. "I like classical music and silence" She finally finished her remark to Falkyn and Jericho blue eyes returning to stare vacantly at the pair.​
 
"Well fuck you too!" Simon rubbed his ear in absolute irritation. That shout was just deafening and it wasn't like it was his fault. "Stupid headphone wearing bitch..." He hissed as he took a deep breath in. Rubbing at his aching temples as his anger filtered down to a slow simmer. It was the best he could do with the drugs pumping through his system. "Unless if you're actually really a man...or woman...or man..." And now he was going in circles. At least she had a pretty good ass. Not much can hide that...Unless if she was a man...but if she was a woman...Fuck he's getting a headache. Was he insane? Was this what being insane feels like? If so, he wanted a refund because he wasn't hallucinating nearly enough hot women!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Solunae

Another ‘newcomer’ enters the research and development department.. one that is clearly not in research and development. She watches as Simon seems to be trying to get ahold of himself.. he seems really out of it. She had heard tell of some of the… residents.. in this place being almost constantly drugged to keep them suppressed. For their safety and the safety of those around them.. a stance that has always bothered her. And it’s probably something she’s going to have to get over if she’s going to function here.

Jericho is the man’s name.. so there’s Falkyn and Jericho. She can see those two having a wonderful bromance. And good for them! A small smirk crawls across her lips at the thought. Two guys and their guns. She’s seen it a hundred times.

Nothing wrong with a man and a big gun, though.

Jericho directs the next to the young one that Emily had perched herself next to. Her hands still folded behind her back she looks in the direction of Mishka.. perhaps for the first time noticing her eyes. Tiger eyes… that’s what they call those kinds of eyes. But it’s Mishka’s response that takes her by surprise. Emily’s eyes widen with Mishka’s outburst.. she looks towards Jericho, wondering what brought that on. But then she realizes that she is directing that outburst towards Simon. For reasons that Emily really doesn’t see.

Emily’s hands now fall to her sides as she looks between them all.. and then her eyes rest upon Mishka as she now.. finally… speaks, her brows furrowed a little. Her voice has a certain sternness to it, but also a tender edge. “Mishka.. there’s no need for outbursts here. We’re all going to be working together, we’re going to have to coexist, okay?” She’s… not 100% sure they are all going to be working together, but experience tells her you don’t gather a bunch of people that have no right being in the same room without reason. Usually to make a squad. She’s seen that hundreds of times too. She then nods to Mishka, as if to accentuate her words. There is no hint of anger or malice in her tone.. it is utter calmness. She doesn’t know if she’s dealing with a being that could rip her apart or make her brains into soup or eat her eyeballs or what.. but she does see that the girl is troubled.

She looks passed Mishka towards Simon, motioning to him as she speaks once more. “And you too, okay? We’re all on the same team here.” Her tone remains even, the same utter calm as before. She seems to genuinely want to be of use to them.. even if it’s just keeping them focused on not cussing at one another.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Solunae