Neon Exposure. (IC)

[TheAbsurdist]

Well it wasn't raining. That could be said for the night. Though he'd likely get an earful later, but then it was a school filled with exceptional people. So there would be a point where the people simply weren't there. And he didn't have a 'real' costume. At least as far as these things are normally considered in the community. Well, no, honestly he didn't know if others had that issue as he did. Right now he was wearing his modified hooded sweater and pants. It was loose fitting and allowed for moment, and had pockets that he could store things. The colors were selected to blend with the city at night, dark blues and grays.

It would work, if it wasn't for where he was. Having ascended the fire escape he just watched and felt out there, watching a part of the town that fascinated and sickened him.

[Brown Dynamite]

As Erick made his way onto a rooftop in preparation for his mode of travel of choice he began to consider the merits of purchasing an actual on the job vehicle once again. As much fun as moving rooftop to rooftop, his legs would like a bit of a break from time to time. Pulling himself forward he would crouch before scanning around he knew the quiet air was hiding yet another night of trouble. As long as Big Al's boys were running around his city, Erick had no qualms about bearing down on them. In fact, the cityscape gave him a sense of comfort as it always reminded him of why he wore a costume that blended into the night and scaled rooftops in the first place.

[TheAbsurdist]

The web trembles. And he lifted his head, moving off to the side, he went to the shadows, or more accurately just gave himself some space, to see who the other person was. He recognized that his ability to feel a person like that was a distinct advantage, not at least. It was something he was cultivating, in addition to his other abilities.

Errant was not known. The other man was. To some degree, he made the mistake others did, seeing Foreshadow, given that that hero tended to make sure that he wasn't the center of attention. Unfortunately the roof top they were on didn't give him a lot of space to hide. So that barred, he turned and looked and saw someone who looked like Foreshadow, and he was just a teensy bit star struck.

[Brown Dynamite]

Omen tilted his head as the shuffling sounds of Errant's footsteps quickly getting his attention. Parsing his lips he managed to speak ending the silence. "Yo...this is new. Normally the roofs aren't public domain. But hey I suppose matter of probability and all." As Erick casually spoke he looked over the awestruck male. Not on edge in the slightest as Big Al's boys tended to dress more formally while sticking to sea level.

[TheAbsurdist]

Errant was happy for the mask over the over half of his features, it and the hood helped hide quite a bit. He did notice that the experienced heroes tended to shrug a bit about the whole telepath thing, or were just in general unimpressed. It helped sometimes to deal with them. To remind him of perspective. Which being at Claremont tended to skew wildly. His hands were in the pockets of the hooded sweater, and he watched Omen for another moment before speaking. "Wasn't expecting anyone either. 'Specially by the casinos, just came out to people watch. I guess. 'm Errant." His voice was surprisingly deep for his size, with an odd accent that was just impossible to trace, sounds vaguely South African, but not, either way there was a touch of monotone there, that if Omen knew the kid better, hinted at when he was reining in his emotions.

[Brown Dynamite]

The casinos were within breathing distance of home, not that it didn't mean he needed to take better precautions in the future. Omen wasn't sure if the kid was nervous or simply shy but one of the two options came to mind as he watched body language of the guy slipping his hands in his pockets whilst speaking in a robotic tone. Of course he was open to the possibility of the guy just being cold. It was nighttime on a roof after all. "Ah pleased to meet you Errant. I'm Omen. People watching's always good I suppose. But the sight's not going to change anytime soon. Especially 'round here minus the odd drunk or cheater tossed out from Atlantis every now and then."

[TheAbsurdist]

And he saw where Omen's eyes were. "'m a Claremont student." He didn't turn away from him, instead he moved, and kept himself, and his hands in his field of vision the whole time until he could sit down on the edge of the roof and looked at him. And then he looked away, back towards the streets, watching the people down there. "Five drunks so far, broke ones, they still take the cheaters out to the backrooms, still rough them up a bit before letting them go, ya. Depending."

He was not really hunting down a lead so much as not wanting to be at the school recently, at night the feelings were oppressive a lot of the time. His training with Eve was progressing, there was problems in conceptual understandings of things.

[Brown Dynamite]

"Claremont huh. I always wondered what passed for homework there. Regular classes are obvious, but the more err individualized ones you'd figure has to be something special." Omen would walk forward to the edge of the roof leaning off of it keeping himself firmly in place with a single foot on the ground to examine the ground level. Whether walking a tightrope, performing on the edge at a Cirque performance, or leaning forward on one foot of the edge of a very tall building the basics all led back to hours of basics on the pommel horse. Or the balance beam all things being equal. "Not surprising, can't expect them to change to a softer hand over night. At least it's not the Fens."

Looking over the flashing lights below once more a smile managed to creep on his face. "It's not all bad though. You do this long enough and don't you know become some sort of hard-boiled loner who could fill a chapter in the DSM, and it does become a sight for sore eyes."

[TheAbsurdist]

"This is more... extra credit." Given that he was off campus, and already had more than one tussle he knew, just knew that this was something else. In part skill building, and other things. He took his hands out of his pockets and gripped at the brick he was sitting on. "I am following up on a weapons dealer. Though I don't think that meeting is happening."

A slight shake of his shoulders, as he laughed a little. "I think I am already there..." Reaching up and tapping at his temple through his hood. "Telepath. Don't know too many other, but the consensus is that we are kind of touched."

[Brown Dynamite]

Chukling at the repartee it wasn't as if he had much to connect with as far as the actual powers went. "Well mr. touched, don't get overzealous. No need to miss class from being out all night. Tell ya what if you don't mind the company, I can help you out with your weapons dealer issue. We just have to put boots to the ground and 'question' the right people." An outing hunting for gun runners did sound a tad more entertaining than sight-seeing at the moment. That and a splash of violence always did the body a little good.

[TheAbsurdist]

"Errant. Just Errant. Besides, do you think you can sleep well if you can hear all the things a bunch of sleeping teenagers dredge up?" Pushing off his perch and he bounced a little. "However I am still getting the hang of things, I am a recent transfer, started in October. Haven't practiced my movement across rooftops. I used the fire escape to get up here."

"I have a name. An alias I am sure, Horatio. Didja hear about the Tiger Guy or the Metal Guy, ya? Those were tests. How successful they do determines how well the goods sell, I guess. I am sure I've missed a couple other tests. Probably some pharmaceutical ones in the Fens." He didn't talk like a teenager, he talked like someone who already was several diagnoses in on the DSM. But then that was par for course with this.

[Brown Dynamite]

Omen suspected that being upbeat wasn't exactly Errant's thing. Then again who would want to be wired into the thoughts of all his teenage classmates. That just sounds like a recipe for an aspirin party. "Movement across rooftops is my bread and butter. Just don't try and overreach."

Waving his hands in front of Errant's face Omen would begin to quip. "Earth to Errant. You picking up something crossed signals or however it works." As Errant went off on his tangent, Omen was slightly taken aback. But he figured it came with the package.

[TheAbsurdist]

"No... the weapons dealer is named Horatio. It's all I got. I have a face, but does me little good." A frown on his face under the mask covering his lower half of his face. "He tests advanced tech. Generally in populated areas, where the aftermath can hit the news. Great for sales." Folding his arms across his chest as he glanced to him, "For the record I don't lose awareness of my surroundings unless I choose to."

"One moment." And then Omen would feel a pressure against his thoughts briefly, as Elias reached out, scanned. Fortunately the teenage telepath kept the radius of his search. Though he wasn't overtly shouting his efforts, and so as long as someone wasn't ready he had a good chance of being able to do with without too much notice, and the casinos and the general mindset of the people there was... not something he wanted to feel clinging to him like cigarette smoke.

[Brown Dynamite]

Wanton destruction in populated areas, the guy sounded like a real peach. Having been corrected in the assertion that Errant had gone off the reservation, one based off the fact that Foreshadow's powers tended to take the man's mental faculties. Omen felt a bit of relief before slightly getting lost in his thoughts. Not saying a word as Omen felt a strange sensation against his mind, he would instead rely on the tried and true notion of quipping to oneself as he waited on Errant's searching methods. Hm my internal monologuing has a front row audience now. Note to self get better ad space for the next show.

[TheAbsurdist]

"Now I will have to shift my focus elsewhere... fortunately, I am not too helpless, ya." He had a funny way of talking, he was decipherable, but his accent indicated he wasn't from Jersey. "But scanning faces like this isn't easy, but go ahead and make jokes... it kills time-" And then he stopped abruptly, his brows knitting together under his hood. And he moved along the roof until he lurched to a stop, one hand going up. "Got the person. Two blocks up, coming towards us. Red jacket, and black cap on. Other side of the street."

His eyes snapped open and he stepped towards Omen, and then turned and moved toward edge and looked for a visual confirmation of the man.

[Brown Dynamite]

"Heh, alright remind me to call you next time I lose my car keys." Omen crossed his arms as a direction was pointed out. "Oh? Special delivery and it's not even my birthday. We should thank him personally when we get the chance." His eyes were peeled open to try and get a good look for a man matching the description Errant laid out for him. Sliding back into a more rigid position his demeanor became slightly more rigid for a moment before relaxing once more. Shifting into his game face so when it was time to move he would be ready to leap forth at a moment's notice.

[TheAbsurdist]

"That is easier than this." His eyes narrowed a little, as he moved up along the wall. "Should note that Horatio hires exceptional people, either powered or skilled."

The man did not look special. He looked like a bit of schlub, honestly, a battered Redsox hat on his head, several days worth of stubble, some of which had start to go grey. The winbreaker he wore was old, and out of style, his jeans looking as lived in as the rest of him. Though he didn't stand out, he looked like he could be one of a hundred people who went to the casino's everyday.

Errant looked to Omen then, his brows lifted a little. "We should wait, see what he is doing. Right?" That question was indicative of his inexperience. His mother had not really trained him to be a hero. Her teachings were in the more calculated pragmatism.

[Brown Dynamite]

Omen nodded not having much of a dilemma as far as next steps went. In his case it was more indicative of self-confidence than any foundation built from experience. "Well it's not exactly a multiple choice test. I think everyone approaches things differently. Sure we could raise a commotion charge headfirst and try and get some answers now. But why waste effort on poor form? So, shadowing him for a bit of the wait and see is how I would go at it. Besides we're after big fish don't want to capsize the boat before we get out to sea."

Omen kept his eye on the nondescript man. Not exactly the sort that would be easy to pick out of a line up. So losing him in the crowd would be a no no. Aside from wanting to commend Horatio's hiring practices, tailing a guy who looked like he needed a support group to get through the day wasn't going to be a high point of the night.

[TheAbsurdist]

"Mitigating collateral. This is probably an advertisement for some weapon tech." He glanced to him, and he watched the man without direct line of sight, it was tricky, but he could that. Though he hadn't know it five minutes ago. So he was forging new territory, but it was necessary. Really. He couldn't wait around for his 'new friends,' they had lives ans entanglements and things. So he had to do what he could to press any bit of information he had. Unfortunately he had to rely on his telepathy more than he ought to, but options were limited. The help was appreciated, but it was a variable he had to account for now.

[Brown Dynamite]

Omen grunted in acknowledgement of Errant's statement. The normally conversative fellow was doing his best to keep his full attention on the target they were tailing. His mind was calling out telling him to leap out the moment the guy was alone and just get to some persuasive questioning so to speak. But when a guy's within arm's reach of passerbyers it wouldn't be apt to risk the civilians when they weren't initially in any danger. Sure he had enough faith in himself to try something risky, and perhaps he'd sneak up on the guy without a hitch never seen nine times out of ten. But striving for perfection meant not settling for a mere ninety percent chance of success. Especially with so much unpredictability. So playing it safe was without a doubt the choice to go with.

[TheAbsurdist]

GM

The man looked normal, like at least twenty other people, he stopped at a bus stop, looking like he was digging through the ashtray there, getting a workable butt, and then lit it after he straightened it out. He looked the part of desperate normal buy, that it was hard to believe he was some special thug hired by some sociopathic arms merchant. Yet Errant was claiming such. Lifting his hand he checked the watch on it and nodded, pressing his other hand to this throat like he was checking his pulse. Then his face made a pained expression as he pressed something to his neck. And then with a the hand that held the watch, he gestured outward, and fire sprayed out from his palm, a smirk on his face. "Ha... now this is cool."

[Brown Dynamite]

Manufactured pyrokinetic abilities or at least flame manifestation.  The fact that his brain cells weren't getting enough oxygen makes it a shame that he's burning up more of it in the air.  The time for stalking was over, the vagabond looking man was now a threat to the public around him.  And producing flames put him in a category known as soon to be a source of information.  Omen dropped down using his grappling-hook pistol to ease him to the ground level.  "You know, the expression if you can't stand the heat stay out of the kitchen.  No idea what sort of mutagen you just took you big oaf, but don't regret it when we make you cool off."

[TheAbsurdist]

Elias moved, he lacked the easy ability to make down to the ground, not without quite a bit of luck on his part, and he was reluctant to push it that hard.  He moved though, he moved as fast he could, as he made it to the fire escape, and started to slide and scuttle down the stairs in a mad dash.  Of course doing this while keeping his thoughts locked onto them was... a bit interesting.  Co-locating his senses was more than a little confusing, like mixing two HUDs or something.  He had no analogy for this, just that he would likely have to abandon this to help take down the pyro.

[TheAbsurdist]

GM

 

"And every day... some stupid f### tries to iceskate uphill."  The mans expression wasn't maniacal or crazed, he just lifted his head to look at the descending Omen.  "Don't suppose i can convince you just to move away, huh?  That would be too easy...  Fine then, let's do this."  And then he started to move at Omen, though he really didn't want this fight, that much was clear.  But his options for this were... limited to say the least.  As he didn't doubt the hero would press forward, regardless of this.  And he wasn't even aware of the other one yet.

[Brown Dynamite]

"Well don't worry, I'll be doing plenty of moving."  Omen called out as he charged forward pulling out his Escrima sticks from their magnetic holsters.  Suddenly he would slide forward aiming for the space between the larger man's legs to help and take him by surprise.  Quick to capitalize on his own feint, the domino masked vigilante would turn back around using the motion to help launch a series of strikes towards the large man's ribcage.

 

What he didn't expect was the soft thud of resistance when hie found himself pushing against an underlayer of armor.  A wide grin on his target's face.  Not exactly a great start to his assault, but Erick pulled back paying close attention to whatever came next.  Well at least it'll be two on one pretty soon.