Veiled Malice

Matty scampered off again, making a bee line for the trees where he'd seen his sister last. Apparently, his may-fly like attention span had been reached when the adults started talking. "Matty!" Katrina called out to him. "Don't you harass your sister! And stay with your father!" She shook her head in mock exasperation. "I hope their father already scooped up Joice. So, what are you here for today? Just out enjoying the weather?" She glanced up at the overarching Centurion statue. "It takes my breath away every time I see it."

"Yeah, sure," Ren says tentatively to Sean's request. He gave Lynn a reassuring nod, more for her earlier turmoil than to say that he'd be okay. Then he got up and followed Sean outdoors. It was cold out today - winter weather would do that - but he couldn't feel any of it. But for perhaps the first time, that wasn't because of his mechanical body. "What was it you wanted to talk about?" Ren asked in a neutral tone. He still wasn't too sure of Sean's intentions. Prejudices died hard, and seeing someone that reminded him of the enemy holding "one of his own" like that might have prodded him into doing something stupid.

"Yeah, sure," Ren says tentatively to Sean's request. He gave Lynn a reassuring nod, more for her earlier turmoil than to say that he'd be okay. Then he got up and followed Sean outdoors. It was cold out today - winter weather would do that - but he couldn't feel any of it. But for perhaps the first time, that wasn't because of his mechanical body. "What was it you wanted to talk about?" Ren asked in a neutral tone. He still wasn't too sure of Sean's intentions. Prejudices died hard, and seeing someone that reminded him of the enemy holding "one of his own" like that might have prodded him into doing something stupid.

"Yeah, sure," Ren says tentatively to Sean's request. He gave Lynn a reassuring nod, more for her earlier turmoil than to say that he'd be okay. Then he got up and followed Sean outdoors. It was cold out today - winter weather would do that - but he couldn't feel any of it. But for perhaps the first time, that wasn't because of his mechanical body. "What was it you wanted to talk about?" Ren asked in a neutral tone. He still wasn't too sure of Sean's intentions. Prejudices died hard, and seeing someone that reminded him of the enemy holding "one of his own" like that might have prodded him into doing something stupid.

Approved

Approved

Approved

"That's so cool!" the boy exclaimed in awe. "You built the Pyr'mid? I went there just last week!" "Matty!" the woman called out as she came up to the two. The boy - Matty, it seemed - jumped at the call of his name, then brightened as his mother stood by his side. "What have I told you about running off, young man?" Matty's former ethusiasim dimmed slightly. "Sorry mama." But it could not be extinguished, as he smiled brillantly a second later and pulled on the woman's sundress. "Mama! This man built the Pry'mid! He's a builder!" "Oh, is he?" the woman chuckled, then nodded politely to Fred while smiling. "Sorry about Matty. I can barely keep up with him any more, and if my husband wasn't around, I'd have no chance of looking after him and his sister." She held out her hand for Fred to shake. "I'm Katrina." The woman, Fred noticed, was rather beutiful. One of those "if I was a several decades younger" types. It was tougher to tell with today's women, but Fred estimated her to be late twenties, maybe early thrities. Auburn hair that fell about her shoulders framed her face perfectly.

"That's so cool!" the boy exclaimed in awe. "You built the Pyr'mid? I went there just last week!" "Matty!" the woman called out as she came up to the two. The boy - Matty, it seemed - jumped at the call of his name, then brightened as his mother stood by his side. "What have I told you about running off, young man?" Matty's former ethusiasim dimmed slightly. "Sorry mama." But it could not be extinguished, as he smiled brillantly a second later and pulled on the woman's sundress. "Mama! This man built the Pry'mid! He's a builder!" "Oh, is he?" the woman chuckled, then nodded politely to Fred while smiling. "Sorry about Matty. I can barely keep up with him any more, and if my husband wasn't around, I'd have no chance of looking after him and his sister." She held out her hand for Fred to shake. "I'm Katrina." The woman, Fred noticed, was rather beutiful. One of those "if I was a several decades younger" types. It was tougher to tell with today's women, but Fred estimated her to be late twenties, maybe early thrities. Auburn hair that fell about her shoulders framed her face perfectly.

"That's so cool!" the boy exclaimed in awe. "You built the Pyr'mid? I went there just last week!" "Matty!" the woman called out as she came up to the two. The boy - Matty, it seemed - jumped at the call of his name, then brightened as his mother stood by his side. "What have I told you about running off, young man?" Matty's former ethusiasim dimmed slightly. "Sorry mama." But it could not be extinguished, as he smiled brillantly a second later and pulled on the woman's sundress. "Mama! This man built the Pry'mid! He's a builder!" "Oh, is he?" the woman chuckled, then nodded politely to Fred while smiling. "Sorry about Matty. I can barely keep up with him any more, and if my husband wasn't around, I'd have no chance of looking after him and his sister." She held out her hand for Fred to shake. "I'm Katrina." The woman, Fred noticed, was rather beutiful. One of those "if I was a several decades younger" types. It was tougher to tell with today's women, but Fred estimated her to be late twenties, maybe early thrities. Auburn hair that fell about her shoulders framed her face perfectly.

Velocity was barely a blur to the man before her fist met with his face in a painful way - but only for a second. The his eyes rolled back in his head as he was slammed backward down the hallway, careening crazily of the floors in a macabre ragdoll fashion. He finally came to rest after his body used a credenza to cushion it's horizontal fall. The noise of the man's pinball journey drew the attention of two further men inside the room he'd been guarding. Both had pistols in their hands, and the one standing over the cowering Denton hauled the boy to his feet, placing the gun to his head. "Do not attempt to stop us, Velocity," he warned in a deadly calm voice. "We are leaving this area with this boy. Any heroics on your part will result his death." Denton whimpered softly, but it seemed like he was partly out of it, similar to how Eric looked like shortly before his heart attack. The other man aimed his gun at the speedster girl, but did not fire. He was waiting for approval of the hostage taker, apparently.

Velocity was barely a blur to the man before her fist met with his face in a painful way - but only for a second. The his eyes rolled back in his head as he was slammed backward down the hallway, careening crazily of the floors in a macabre ragdoll fashion. He finally came to rest after his body used a credenza to cushion it's horizontal fall. The noise of the man's pinball journey drew the attention of two further men inside the room he'd been guarding. Both had pistols in their hands, and the one standing over the cowering Denton hauled the boy to his feet, placing the gun to his head. "Do not attempt to stop us, Velocity," he warned in a deadly calm voice. "We are leaving this area with this boy. Any heroics on your part will result his death." Denton whimpered softly, but it seemed like he was partly out of it, similar to how Eric looked like shortly before his heart attack. The other man aimed his gun at the speedster girl, but did not fire. He was waiting for approval of the hostage taker, apparently.

Velocity was barely a blur to the man before her fist met with his face in a painful way - but only for a second. The his eyes rolled back in his head as he was slammed backward down the hallway, careening crazily of the floors in a macabre ragdoll fashion. He finally came to rest after his body used a credenza to cushion it's horizontal fall. The noise of the man's pinball journey drew the attention of two further men inside the room he'd been guarding. Both had pistols in their hands, and the one standing over the cowering Denton hauled the boy to his feet, placing the gun to his head. "Do not attempt to stop us, Velocity," he warned in a deadly calm voice. "We are leaving this area with this boy. Any heroics on your part will result his death." Denton whimpered softly, but it seemed like he was partly out of it, similar to how Eric looked like shortly before his heart attack. The other man aimed his gun at the speedster girl, but did not fire. He was waiting for approval of the hostage taker, apparently.

A metallic hand burst through the canvas, with a second following it a moment later. The tarp got torn in half, revealing one soggy machine boy. His hair had the advantage of being made out of metal as well though, so it mostly stayed in place after the deluge. Seeing as how the situation had calmed down significantly, Daisuke wasn't inclined to start things up again. Especially since the skeleton had somehow gotten coated in grain during the time he'd been under cover. That was pretty funny. He looked back and forth between the mermaid (he didn't know they could live out of water!) and the witch girl, who now seemed a lot less threatening than she did before. Maybe it was the bump on her head, or the fact that she was soaked to the bone, (the skeleton was too, but since he was all bones...) but she seemed more like a person now than an enemy. Daisuke muscled his way the rest of the way of the tarp and eagerly waited for the witch's answer.

A metallic hand burst through the canvas, with a second following it a moment later. The tarp got torn in half, revealing one soggy machine boy. His hair had the advantage of being made out of metal as well though, so it mostly stayed in place after the deluge. Seeing as how the situation had calmed down significantly, Daisuke wasn't inclined to start things up again. Especially since the skeleton had somehow gotten coated in grain during the time he'd been under cover. That was pretty funny. He looked back and forth between the mermaid (he didn't know they could live out of water!) and the witch girl, who now seemed a lot less threatening than she did before. Maybe it was the bump on her head, or the fact that she was soaked to the bone, (the skeleton was too, but since he was all bones...) but she seemed more like a person now than an enemy. Daisuke muscled his way the rest of the way of the tarp and eagerly waited for the witch's answer.

A metallic hand burst through the canvas, with a second following it a moment later. The tarp got torn in half, revealing one soggy machine boy. His hair had the advantage of being made out of metal as well though, so it mostly stayed in place after the deluge. Seeing as how the situation had calmed down significantly, Daisuke wasn't inclined to start things up again. Especially since the skeleton had somehow gotten coated in grain during the time he'd been under cover. That was pretty funny. He looked back and forth between the mermaid (he didn't know they could live out of water!) and the witch girl, who now seemed a lot less threatening than she did before. Maybe it was the bump on her head, or the fact that she was soaked to the bone, (the skeleton was too, but since he was all bones...) but she seemed more like a person now than an enemy. Daisuke muscled his way the rest of the way of the tarp and eagerly waited for the witch's answer.

He doesn't speak in it, and that's the only thing missing: Fatboy Slim - Weapon of Choice sMZwZiU0kKs This brought to you by Cosmicarius' bringing up of Christopher Walken's name in the Movies thread. :D

He doesn't speak in it, and that's the only thing missing: Fatboy Slim - Weapon of Choice sMZwZiU0kKs This brought to you by Cosmicarius' bringing up of Christopher Walken's name in the Movies thread. :D

He doesn't speak in it, and that's the only thing missing: Fatboy Slim - Weapon of Choice sMZwZiU0kKs This brought to you by Cosmicarius' bringing up of Christopher Walken's name in the Movies thread. :D

Renichi sat and listened intently to Lynn's story. It was really the first time besides her name he'd learned about her, and as she went on, and he realized how hard her life had been, he sympathized a lot. Many of the homeless people he'd been sharing a hovel with had similar life stories. It never got any easier to hear about them, though. In an attempt to comfort her, Ren threw an arm around her shoulders and pulled her in a little closer, whispering, "I'm sorry," in her ear. He then kissed on the top of her head and held her so she'd know she wasn't alone anymore. Being alone sucked, that much Ren knew.

Renichi sat and listened intently to Lynn's story. It was really the first time besides her name he'd learned about her, and as she went on, and he realized how hard her life had been, he sympathized a lot. Many of the homeless people he'd been sharing a hovel with had similar life stories. It never got any easier to hear about them, though. In an attempt to comfort her, Ren threw an arm around her shoulders and pulled her in a little closer, whispering, "I'm sorry," in her ear. He then kissed on the top of her head and held her so she'd know she wasn't alone anymore. Being alone sucked, that much Ren knew.

Renichi sat and listened intently to Lynn's story. It was really the first time besides her name he'd learned about her, and as she went on, and he realized how hard her life had been, he sympathized a lot. Many of the homeless people he'd been sharing a hovel with had similar life stories. It never got any easier to hear about them, though. In an attempt to comfort her, Ren threw an arm around her shoulders and pulled her in a little closer, whispering, "I'm sorry," in her ear. He then kissed on the top of her head and held her so she'd know she wasn't alone anymore. Being alone sucked, that much Ren knew.

Thankee kindly. I had a lot of fun, (at Heritage's expense, really :oops: ) and it certainly illustrated the value of luck in M&M. I'll never roll that well for one of my PCs, I just know it.

Thankee kindly. I had a lot of fun, (at Heritage's expense, really :oops: ) and it certainly illustrated the value of luck in M&M. I'll never roll that well for one of my PCs, I just know it.

Thankee kindly. I had a lot of fun, (at Heritage's expense, really :oops: ) and it certainly illustrated the value of luck in M&M. I'll never roll that well for one of my PCs, I just know it.