Shadows Looming

[Eviscerus]

Noticing he walked into the middle of introductions, Zealot nodded at Kristian and said "My name is Victor Cross. It is... a pleasure... to meet you both. Most seem to label me Zealot however, for obvious reasons." Victor had little experience with the niceties of social interaction, so though it wasn't exactly truth, Victor pronounced his pleasure at meeting them anyways, as he knew no other way to express a greeting without being rude.

[Thejoshie]

Victor didn't say anything Mervyl didn't already know. But man, was it comforting to hear someone else say it. "Congratulations. From what I heard, humbleness is step one of progressing here."

Mervyl didn't show any hesitancy at all in the shaking of Victor's hand. Mervyl figured that the armored man's attempt alone to swallow his pride warranted his respect. "I too, acted rashly. I apologize as well."

Mervyl again casted a casual glance over at the other table. "Victor, Kristian, We need to realize that if we truly want to get the most out of this school... we are going to have to take the mantle of Alpha team. For me, anything less is a complete failure."

Mervyl offered a plate to Victor. "We know this fact. Therefore, it's up to us to spread it to the others."

[ex3lev3n]

"That's some nice kit you're hauling, Victor," he said as he motioned to the finely detailed armor. He wasn't savvy on the specifications of plate armor, but it looked to be able to withstand small arms fire at point blank range, and that sort of protection isn't easy to come by. The weapon that hung at Zealot's side, a scourge if he remember his archaic weapons training, was also remarkably crafted, not to mention wicked. The weapon had been called a "scourge" for two millenia for a reason. "What do you make of the other seven?", he said in a hushed tone to his new comrades.

[Eviscerus]

Victor smiled wolfishly, taking the plate from Mervyl.

"So, a coup d'etat eh? I don't suppose you'd prefer to remove them while they were unguarded, one by one? I imagine you think our mantle would be more secure if we faced them down in a semi fair fight. Which is infinitely more dangerous, but in this case, probably more prudent." Zealot always thought of taking the more extreme course of usurping control: by eliminating the competition. The thought of social or political maneuvering obviously never crossed his mind.

Victor turned an appreciative glance to Kristian. "Thank you, it was crafted by the master craftsmen of my order." Victor looked around at the other students. "The Witch I know to be competent at a few things, such as firearms and... magic," Victor spat out that last word as if it were a curse. "The mime seems a bit on the egotistical side, but that doesn't stop him from being dangerous. He doesn't seem to let his ego over run his ability to grasp a situation. The waspish girl seems hard. Steel like. Perhaps used to a life of crime and would be hard to crack and probably decent enough in a fire fight, though that last part is speculation." Victor turned to Kristian and realized he'd given him what Victor saw as their weaknesses and strengths, in a way that suggested what he might do to eliminate them, not join teams with them. Victor grunted and re-worded it a bit. "What I mean to say is, those three look competent alright. The others look raw, though I might have misjudged them and their abilities. A couple of the others seem to already have a cogent alliance as duo's so their teamwork could be an asset."

[Thejoshie]

Mervyl was slow to speak, not only letting Victor speak first (and get his take on them), but forming his own words carefully. He lowered his voice.

"The 'witch' has a name. Blackbird Starblossem, I believe." Mervyl consumed and swallowed some potatoe salad. It was slightly better. She helped me out of a scrape. As Victor says she is quit competent. The other one he mentioned is named 'Stinger' I believe. I recently helped her from getting harrased by one of the hypocrites."

Mervyl levitated the metal tea pitcher and poured himself and the others a glass. "The others I never seen before. Though most of them have the look as if they have no idea what they are getting themselves into. The twins look skittish, the cowgirl and that boy next to her looks... arrogant. Not confident-arrogant like Victor, but arrogant-arrogant. The kind that get yourself and others killed. I hope I'm wrong..."

[ex3lev3n]

Blackbird. Kristian's throat closed when he heard the name, and he felt himself fluster. Scanning the Courtyard in an attempt to hide his moment of shock, his eyes settled on the entrance to the underground track. Needing a moment to himself, he raises slowly from his seat and secures his duffel bag. Looking to his squadmates, he gestures towards the track with a toss of his head. "I'm going to run some reconnaissance. Get a better lay of the land," he states as he heads on in that direction.

[Eviscerus]

Victor's brow furls as Kristian rises and departs. Something spooked him a bit. Victor shook his head and relaxed his muscles. Whatever it was, it wasn't his problem, yet. Kristian would be checking the grounds, which would leave Mervyl and Zealot to coagulate the team.

"I am not very good at speaking to a group, unless it's to instruct them on how I plan their demise. I know that... Blackbird you said her name was?... well she'll be on our side and stand by me... well us... if I asked her to. I saved her the trouble of wasting bullets on a gang of thugs and got her a car out of the deal. Since you have more rapport with this Stinger, you should probably do what you can to enlist her. The mime is somewhat of a wild card. Though if his arrogance is a problem for you I can try and speak to him." Victor looked at the others, pensive. "Perhaps what you say about that arrogant ones is correct. Should we sever the weak links now? Before our enemies have a chance to use it against us. It would probably be frowned upon, and would not engender trust from the others though.."

[Sandman XI]

Trey, the smug bastard of the tour, had been chatting up this redneck chick for the longest time. She didn't scorn his advances... She didn't even acknowledge him!As if he himself had not been there the whole time. He was laying on his best stuff too. No girl ever said "No" to him. But he gave her the benefit of the doubt, maybe she didn't like guys. That made him try even harder. Seeing where Razorwing is heading, he can't help but have to break it off for a bit. "Think about it," he says with with a wink to the girl. By the time he caught up to Razorwing he was already down in the track. "Hey buddy," he called out, "I couldn't help but overhearing you're starting to get some alliances started. Now, if you're the type of guy I think you are - and why wouldn't you be if you're here - you like to take your chances. Now with somebody like me, man your chances wouldnt be chances. They'd be guarantees!" Trey looks to the track and then back to Razorwing, "Name's Trey, you gotta name?"

[Elfy]

Stinger follows along quietly as the tour continues. She listens and looks as the old man points out the surrounding features. Particularly, she takes note of the food freely available. Only then do her arms drop to her sides. She only gives the alpha team a quick look-over before heading over to the food tables.

She grabs a plate, utensils, glass, and two paper napkins before quickly filling her plate with a variety of food and filling her glass with sweet tea. She doesn’t bother waiting on anyone and sits at the first open picnic table.

She doesn’t waste anytime and digs into her food right way. Only after she has a couple of bites does she bother looking around at the others. Looks like some of the boys are hanging out together. Suits her just fine; she can focus on eating.

[Angel]

Blackbird was quiet for the rest of the tour. Caellin reprimanded her for getting too close to the witch hunter. It was turning into a moth to a flame scenario. She liked the danger, but one day she would die for her fascination. She stayed quiet for the rest of the tour, grinning maniacally at the thought of a hunter/hunted relationship.

By the time the tour was over she was glad to be outside. She noted the other places she could go besides the dormitory. Any place wold be better. She makes notice of the new people. The 'old guard', as it were. Perhaps they would be useful later on. Flouncing around the serving table, she found nothing appetizing at all. She eventually wound up getting nothing and then tried to walk over to wear the Alpha team was. She was met with six hot glares of disdain. Before takin another step, she 180'd towards the others. Where could she sit? In her head she sighed alf of desparation half of acceptance as she found herself fluttering back to the flame.

When she got to the candlestick she saw the military guy and the guido take off. Sitting somewhere in between the rest of the group. she squeezed herself in. "So, what do you think of the new collective?" She asked openly with a snicker, looking at all of them there.

[Eviscerus]

Victor smirks and turns to Blackbird. "They are competent and dangerous." Victor's face turns serious for a second then winks at Blackbird. "So of course we're plotting their downfall. Want in? I tell you what, tainted one, you help us with this and I promise I won't threaten to kill you for an entire month." Blackbird notices how he said he wouldn't threaten to do it, never saying he wouldn't actually do it. "Be that as it may, we're still coming up with the plan and before that we have to decide who we trust and who we think can be the greatest asset. Mervyl and I discussed you, and the consensus has been that you are capable. To that end I suggest you accept my offer and stay on my good side." Victor smiled, a smile Blackbird could tell was his attempt at a disarming one. Victor's dark eyes flashed as he smiled, the effect akin to looking into the eyes of a cobra before it strikes.

[Angel]

"Oh, but where would the fun in that be," Blackbird winked and smiled at her tormentor, "who wants an old dog with no chase? I threaten you. You threaten me. We go along until one of us actually finishes the job." She shook her head with a laugh. To think, this started out with her simply flirting with him. It obviously grew into much more than that.

"Now as for your plan to put us at head of the class, what do you have in mind?"

[Arcane Snowman]

Having taken his share of the freely offered food, Franz strode off to the side, contemplating. Without any real consideration, he placed his bowl of, stuff, in mid air, about waist height, and it stayed. Next he pulled out something from underneath and sat down on it, before tugging himself in and producing a notepad and a pencil from a pocket. Taking a spoonful of grub, he started to write, the path to success came through knowledge, of enemy and ally alike, and so he would start out with the basic assumptions.

[ex3lev3n]

Hearing the other young man's voice calling to him as he descended into the underground, Kristian leaned against the wall of the track, taking a few deep breaths to calm himself. Although it had only happened a handful of times in his life, he understood that the unexpected mention of his mother or father could bring out in him a more savage creature, one he wasn't ready or willing to show the others. When the other teen approaching him, he regained his military posture and turned to face him, evaluating him. "Kris", he replied coolly. "You're either brave or stupid to follow a complete stranger underground. Which is it?" he asked as he shifted his duffel to the other shoulder.

[Sandman XI]

"Both, man," Trey grins, "but then again bein brave and stupid'll getcha places. Or dead. An I'm still here, ain't I?" He chuckles, "Nah, man," he says looking at the track with his hands folded behind his head, "you gotta have a sense of humor around here. You get too serious and the sharks'll eatcha. You see that table o'goons when we walked up there? They're waiting for us to slip up so they can eat us alive."

[ex3lev3n]

"They can try", he replied matter-of-factly to Trey. Kristian was not in the habit of underestimating others, nor was he in the habit of underestimating his own abilities. Powered though some of the other students may be, they were still fallible, still had weakness. And that was where Kristian would persevere. He would study the so-called "Alpha Team", learn where the cracks in their armor lay, and take a hammer to them. He had already made two allies today, perhaps he could make do with another... but then again, his assessment of this youth had shown him that he was a glass-jaw, and he wouldn't put his life in another's hands if he did not know that they could be trusted with it. "What's your story, anyway? he asked as nonchalantly as possible, hoping to fool the other young man into a state of complacency where he might offer up valuable information to his power set and his reason for being at Ev Prep.

[Thejoshie]

Mervyl eyes flicked at the now growing crowd, lightly fingering a white paper napkin and folding it. "Don't think so brutal. Unecessary violence is often returned 10 times over."

As he said this, the previously stated napkin was slid down to Stinger. Her size truely underestimated her appitite. And it betrayed her past. To an extent, anyway."Slow down, chew your food. There's plenty. Avoid the Macoroni."

Mervyl looked past Victor and to his new friend. "Blackbird, fancy that."

[Eviscerus]

"Brutal and decisive is how I prefer my victories, though I see your point. Any suggestions then? I'm not much for political games or social subterfuge, perhaps we should start by infiltrating their rooms, learning what we can about them, maybe even weaknesses. I am reasonably sure I could do so without being detected by them. Perhaps Kristian could help with that angle too. As far as the actual denigeration of the team, do you have some plan?" Victor eyed Mervyl as he gave advice to the waifish girl. He seemed to like to give advice, especially in the form of orders, though that's the way Victor worked as well so he couldn't really fault him for it.

[Sandman XI]

"My story," Trey questions with a smile. "My story is simple. My old man owned some legit businesses and dealt with legit businessmen. Now I see you askin yourself, 'what's that gotta do with the price of eggs in China?'. My old man pops out a kid like me. Up until then his legitimate businesses were failin. Then I come along and everything starts fallin inta place. I was his good luck charm. Everytime I was around things would go well for him. Except for that one time. That one time!" Trey hangs his head, "Pops was havin a meetin and some no-good punks in costumes comme ta bust it up. One thing leads to another and the punks end up shootin back. I was the only survivor. Pops had plans though. He sent me here. Said the business would go on when I got out. I'm here for him. So yeah." With a hint of sadness and regret, he sighs and looks back up at Kristian. He smiles half-heartedly, "And you, what's your story?"