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| Fresh Blood; Sage, Forge, Radius | |
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| Topic Started: Nov 4 2011, 11:42 PM (288 Views) | |
| Betsy Braddock | Nov 4 2011, 11:42 PM Post #1 |
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Telepathy (I'm not a bloody ninja)
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SDate:September 17th Time: Midnight The cavernous underground room was dingy, the air thick and heavy with the various scents that came with the nature of the place. Over on one side of the room, a crowd was gathered around a sunken pit, in which two fighters pitted themselves against each other in a show of macho supremacy that went centuries upon centuries back, the nature and reason for fighting having changed very little since then. The rest of the room was given over to a bar area, tables and a second, slightly smaller area for fighting. This ring was different, not so much for the size, but for the fact that this ring showcased fighters of a different nature…If Betsy had heard correctly, two midgets had apparently been brawling a week last Tuesday. Sitting a little further back into the shadows of the booth, the White Queen kept her telepathic senses sharp. While the Hellfire Club had a hand in this particular establishment, it was not likely that the common patron would know and she was here for a very particular reason. One of the newer fighters had quickly risen to infamy. He was apparently unbeatable…and also more interested in the money he could win rather than the social status, or so she had been led to believe. The White Court needed another Knight, especially as the King had returned, so that as dutiful as he was, Shatterstar need not protect both monarchs and concentrate his efforts more specifically. With her was Forge and also Katherine and Tessa. The Pawns presence was not entirely necessary, indeed it did not take all of them to try and lure one young man, but they all had their own reasons for being there. Sage’s prospective advancements, whichever court that might be within, would come with an increase of responsibility and so it was beneficial for her, just as she was able to provide the White King and Queen with instant, useful information. With Sage around, carrying any sort of mobile device was all but rendered useless. Then naturally Forge wanted to get back into the swing of things. It would not have been unusual for him to leave a public engagement with Betsy, as it was her particular forte, but he was back and more determined than ever. And Katherine...Well an extra pretty face didn't hurt to have around. As for herself, well she might have been blinded but that did not mean that Betsy was any less involved than she had been previously. She was more careful and rarely went anywhere without some sort of protection, trusted in fewer people and generally tried to steer clear of paranoia while remaining sensible, but that did not mean for a second that she was going to withdraw from her duties. She could not be weak, not even for a minute. So, it was business as usual for the Queen. Tapping the side of her glass distractedly, she tilted her purple head towards Sage and Katherine. “Can you see our person of interest?” she asked lightly, her head firmly in the opposite direction to where the brawling was going on; a legacy to a former Black Queen. “In a minute, I want you to go and invite him over to join us. If he seems reluctant, point out that it is worth his while…” she smiled slyly. Hellfire was a sort of twisted DisneyLand for adults…dreams really could come true. Brushing the darkly amusing thought away, her free hand slid over Jonathon’s. This was not the place to talk about all they needed to touch upon now that he was back with them, but it did not hurt to place it upon the table. “Are you free tomorrow, my King? I feel we have much still to discuss now that you are back with us. Will you join me for lunch in my chambers?” |
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| Forge | Nov 6 2011, 04:21 PM Post #2 |
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Perhaps one of the things that most of the members of the Hellfire Club wished to do was leave a lasting impression upon the earth, well perhaps many of them wished for true immortality. Many of them controlled large holdings in various businesses or ventures that allowed them to enjoy an abundant lifestyle. It was through a lasting legacy that they could achieve a sort of immortality. Because in the end, if you were not forgotten some essence was able to survive. That was the case for one of the former Black Queens. Her underground fighting circuit was still going strong despite her current circumstances. Forge had not ventured to the fighting arena for a long time. It had been since their first meeting with Wilson Fisk that the White King had been there. As part of the Inner Circle he wasn’t afraid of such places but he was not directly involved and it appeared to be running along smoothly. Keeping tabs on the place was not something that ranked high on his list of Urgent Things to Do. So he delegated that to Angelica. One of the fighters in the circuit was rising through the ranks very quickly and was showing great promise. The Heads of the White Court decided to see this great warrior for themselves. A fighter like that had great potential and neither the King or Queen were ones to pass up an opportunity. Forge and Betsy were joined by Sage, the White Pawn. Her knowledge base was astounding. She could retrieve virtually any information that they needed. If there was something that Betsy couldn’t glean, for some unexpected reason, it was expected that Tessa could gain the knowledge just as easily. Betsy instructed Sage to keep an eye out for their prospect and then offer him a meeting that would be well worth his while. Forge watched the events of the fight club from their private booth. He had been nursing a dark amber cocktail that evening and pondered the different fights. He wasn’t opposed the fighting himself. He had been trained in combat but he was an engineer and a maker of weapons. It was much more enjoyable for him to see one of his creations put to use and emerge triumphant, whatever that invention might be. Betsy got his attention, a simple task for her, when her hand slid to his. She asked him to join her at lunch for a discussion. “Of course. I can easily clear my schedule for you My Queen,” he obliged. The list of possible conversation topics was profound. Given the current state of affairs the White Queen could have wanted to talk about any number of events. She had rebuffed Forge’s attempts to give her something to replace her sight in the past. He wanted to be able to provide for and support her in a way that she truly needed. He felt he needed a way to make it up for not being there in her time of need. |
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| Jared Corbo | Nov 17 2011, 01:05 PM Post #3 |
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The man known to his new peers only as Radius found himself sailing through the air. His opponent - an angry, slightly overweight middle-aged man who was feeding his mid-life crisis with steroids and fancying himself as a regular Tyler Durden - had enough about him to do some real damage to the average man; and fortunately for him, though Jared Corbo was far from the average man, uppercuts traditionally took him by surprise. He hit the side of the cage and bounced back on to his knees, staring down at the slick, sweat-covered mats on the floor. None of it, of course, was his. He needed a moment, however; though he couldn't feel the physical damage that such a punch would normally incur, he felt the air growing thin within his shield as his lungs strained to compensate for the winding they'd just received. "Fucker," Radius spat, standing to deliver a right hook with far greater force than the average man would be capable. It almost sent his robust opponent straight through the steel mesh of the cage. Instead, he made a boulder-shaped dent in it before his body slumped forward on to the mat, barely conscious. The guy was bleeding... Badly. Not only had the force of Radius' enhanced punch broken his nose and cheekbone, the flesh there was shredded from the vibrating particles in Jared's forcefield. He doubled over, thick blood oozing from his face to the mat below like gravy over a roast dinner. Jared felt he may have gone too far - that the man might be in serious trouble - and approached with the intention of helping him. But the concern that had broken out on his face was short-lived. Jared remembered who he was; what he had been through. He was no hero... and nobody deserved his help. He sent a final decisive kick to the man's torso, levelling him out on his back, and turned to stare at the proprietor - who in turn nodded to the heavy who was guarding the cage door. It swung open for Jared to leave, and when he climbed the steps out of the sunken pit he was given a wide berth by some of the other fighters who were primed to drag the fat man off to get medical assistance. Jared didn't seem concerned one way or the other anymore; his job was done for the night. He hung back for a while, making a point of standing well away from the crowd that was milling around the cage, ready for the next fight. He didn't appreciate any kind of after-fight attention, and most of the guys knew well enough now to stay away from him. Then again, there was always the odd guy who'd come up, irate that he'd won so easily and cost the guy $XX in cash. Radius found it hard to keep his right hook sheathed in such instances, but he was learning for the sake of his brother. This - all of this - was for the sake of his brother. Jared didn't care what happened to himself anymore. The few people on the planet who could actually hurt him were welcome to do so, and end his suffering forever. He didn't want this life anymore. It was a curse that he couldn't lift by himself. When the next fight was well and truly underway, Radius saw someone approach him. It was one of the oddly-dressed women who had been watching from the private booth that Callaghan kept for management and for business contacts who wanted something a little different for the evening. Jared couldn't quite understand why a bunch of rich fools - including three women, no less - would want to experience any of this. And yet, the dangerously-slender woman approached until she was watching the proceedings from just behind Jared. "It's all very primitive, really, isn't it?" she said, suddenly. "I'm sorry... what?" Jared replied, turning his head, quite unsure as to why the strange woman was addressing him. "I mean, of course, you put on a good show... but this is just like Spanish bull-fighting without the theatrics, isn't it? And yes, in this analogy, you are the bull. And how it suits you, having gored that obese gentleman just now." Radius turned on his heel and gave the woman the full force of his frown, suspecting that maybe he and his brother had been detected by the authorities. "Look, whoever you are, whatever you want... Just walk out of here. Leave now. If you threaten my brother, you won't get that courtesy from me again." Katherine chuckled. "And here I thought your brother was the one with scalpels for hands. What are you going to do, repel me to death, Jared? You need to relax. Not everybody in this world is your enemy. At least... not yet." His eyes narrowed as he stared back at her, taking a small step towards her to show he wasn't intimidated in anyway. Still, he asked: "Who and why and how? Start talking." "You will find out everything that it is necessary for you to know in time... but out of curiosity, do you really suppose it's hard in this day and age to pick a fugitive out of a crowd? You really need to do a better job at hiding yourself. I also find it curious that you would choose to be a glorified stress ball in return for what little secrecy and protection you get around here. The proprietor here might be a mutant sympathizer, but how long do you think it will be before these others find out you've got a brother hiding around here who does bleed? But enough. My... boss has a proposition of sorts for you. It would mean you and your brother could stop running, if you so wished. If you are curious, then you may hear what she has to offer. If not... you can stay here and watch while your father, or somebody else, burns the flesh off your brother until he is nothing but a skeleton with a set of sharp limbs." |
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| Betsy Braddock | Nov 23 2011, 04:40 PM Post #4 |
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Telepathy (I'm not a bloody ninja)
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“Good,” she smiled across to Jonathon. “How does one o’clock suit you? It’s a little late, I know, but I have to call my London office at the end of the business day over there. Let them know I’m still alive,” she smiled in a teasing manner, but the comment had a serious edge to it; while she had not dropped off of the face of the earth completely after her attack, she was going into the offices noticeably rarely. Back at the end of June, she had claimed to have been struck down by a severe illness, which had covered her for a few weeks, but now… As hard as it was for her, Psylocke knew that some form of replacement for her lost eyes were now very necessary. Squeezing his hand, the telepath released it and sipped at her drink carefully, mentally sweeping the dim rooms on occasion for any threats. It was in a place such as this, that they had first come across the Kingpin, the imposter ruler of New York City. It had taken months and a great deal of bloodshed on both sides, but they had finally struck him and his people a crippling blow and sent the man a very clear message that he should have stayed in Miami. Across the way, Katherine was enticing the young man with whom they wished to speak, giving him just enough to pique his interest, or so Betsy hoped. The Pawn was one of the White Court’s medical staff, more than anything, but she was also good in social situations and of course had a very pretty face. So, rather than Angelica or another Pawn, Psylocke had invited her along on this little recruitment, so that she might see this side of things from a closer perspective. ::Thank you, Katherine, will you bring him over now please?:: she asked and settled back in her seat, tilting her head towards Forge. “I do hope this one is more pleasant than that awful German man we had to talk to all that time ago…Strucker, wasn’t it? The things I’d heard about him…” |
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| Forge | Nov 30 2011, 12:09 AM Post #5 |
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Forge nodded in agreement to Betsy’s plan to meet at one o’clock. “That works. Take the time you need to set your business in order. You’ve allowed me to do as much,” he replied. The White Queen gave his hand a gentle, reassuring squeeze and then released him. He turned the glass in his other hand gently and brought it near enough so that he could smell the perfume of the amber liquid. Drink had been a comfort as much as it had been a poison to him after he had lost his arm and leg. The Maker made sure not to dally with it lightly ever again. Forge scanned the area casually. He was taking in his surroundings and keeping an eye on any possible threat. The Kingpin had come to them like a snake in the grass at the fight club. It was unlikely that someone else would come to posture their power but it was not entirely impossible. Besides, when a bet was lost with large sums of money at stake the situation could turn violent in a moment. Having returned to New York, Forge wanted to be as involved as possible and wanted it to be clear he had not lost his edge if the need for action arose. The White King spied one of the Pawns talking to the fighter they had been seeking, or at least Forge thought it was the man they had come looking for. Forge’s eyebrows rose slightly with the mention of one of their former white knights. Andreas Strucker. “Yes. There were some interesting stories, for lack of a better word. Though, I’m sure the type of exploits those twins were said to enjoy have a very niche clientele,” he said. Forge also kept it quiet that the female Strucker had momentarily been on the shortlist for his choices of White Queen. Betsy probably already knew that or she would know with the little bit of effort. |
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| Tessa Ayasli | Dec 1 2011, 06:21 AM Post #6 |
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Tessa sat quietly behind her King and Queen, watching as Katherine moved to attract the man that they had come to view. He had just destroyed some poor bastard in the small arena, putting on a display that was impressive... but then again, he was fighting a human. Even she, being a mutant with no physical enhancements to speak of, could most likely have defeated the man. She probably would not have nearly killed him in the process, though. She looked to Betsy and Forge as they spoke about a previous encounter with a man named Strucker. Her mind performed a quick search, assisted by the Forge saying there was a twin, and came up with the names of Andreas and Andrea Strucker. Two mutants who's powers were closely tied together. More interesting to her was who their father was. The investigation on the name Strucker and it's completion was over within a moment's time, and Sage glanced impatiently towards Katherine and Radius, who seemed to be having a conversation. Was it really taking that much effort for Katherine to get the man to come speak with them? Tessa stood, raising a brow in their direction, and reached out and touched the White Queen on the shoulder. “I will retrieve him,” Tessa said simply, looking between Forge and Psylocke before turning and walking towards Radius. She approached Katherine from behind and heard the last bit of her conversation with their prospect. Tessa came to stand beside her fellow Pawn and put both hands on her hips, staring down Radius. She looked overdressed for the environment that she was in, the result of having more money than she would ever need. Designer clothing was part of the lifestyle that she had become accustomed to while within the ranks of the Hellfire Club... and she never disappointed with her appearance. “You are very dramatic, Katherine,” Tessa said while still looking to Radius. “This man is the reason we are here. Did you tell him that? We don't intend to leave without him.” Katherine shot her a glare, but it went unseen by Tessa. She was busy smiling towards Radius while taking a few more steps towards him. “You are a smart man. Katherine has explained that we are here to make you an offer... well,” Tessa turned and pointed towards the two beautiful people across the room, Forge and Betsy. “They are the ones that we work for. We are not here to threaten you and if you decline, feel free to return to the hole that you came from.” Tessa turned and moved to Katherine, linking her arm within the other woman's. She began walking towards the King and Queen. “Follow us,” she continued, glancing once more to Radius with a smile that most anyone would have a hard time resisting. “You know you want to.” Tessa and Katherine then returned to Betsy and Forge, hopefully with Radius in tow. |
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| Jared Corbo | Dec 5 2011, 10:18 PM Post #7 |
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"Another one?" Jared commented rhetorically, eyeing up Tessa as she approached. He couldn't deny that the woman had something a little... extra about her. But shrugging off the thought - it was unutterably pointless, after all - he frowned in her direction. She spoke of not leaving without him. As he'd never counted himself an asset to anyone, the young Canadian had begun to suspect that he had more in common with quarry in this particular situation. Clearly these people worked for General Clarke, or at least one of his men, and were intending either to lure or coerce him into a holding cell, so he could be tried and found a threat to national security, just like the terrorist that he so obviously was. But he wondered if they even realized how easily his powers would enable him to elude even their best attempts. Something about this new woman's smile bothered him: it seemed warm and inviting, but he had seen that smile before. He had seen it on his father's face as he announced to the nation that he had a mutant son and was prepared to working feverishly to cure him so that he could be the first of many redeemed souls. Now she contradicted herself, having gestured to her employers sitting in their little private booth off to the side, saying that he could decline. Just moments before, she had said they wouldn't be leaving without him. So which was it? He followed her index finger over to the man and woman that (presumably) wrote her cheques. They sat with arms folded, observing all around them with regal posture - although, the female was wearing sunglasses. The converted cellar they were in couldn't possibly have been darker, so he wondered how she could see clearly. And yet, he could have sworn the purple-haired woman had been staring right at him, just a moment ago. "Follow us. You know you want to." Having sized up the sallow-skinned woman more than once by this point, Jared eventually gave a sardonic snort along with a shrug in Katherine's direction. "Hey. A party's a party," he said, and began to follow them slowly - though he hung back, suspicious of how calm they were. Perhaps they were more powerful than they looked. Perhaps they were... like him. He pulled on the brakes about a half a yard behind the two envoys, staring at the man who sat in wait with his blind partner. He couldn't help imagining that the man was some kind of pimp. Whatever words came out of his mouth, Jared would be all ears, that much was certain. "So what is this, eh? I don't have all night, so if you're gonna try and cuff me, please get on with it. My money's on me," he said, regarding Forge as he began to vibrate his forcefield, thus creating a faint white glow around his person; almost like a mist. "Also, when you fail - which you will - please pass on my regards to my father. That is who you're working for, yes?" |
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| Betsy Braddock | Dec 8 2011, 07:38 PM Post #8 |
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Telepathy (I'm not a bloody ninja)
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As they sat and waited, Betsy was already growing somewhat impatient. The sooner they left, task achieved or otherwise, the better. And if the young man was not what they were searching for, then no harm would be done as a simple mind scrub would suffice in sending him back on his merry way. Sipping her drink, the telepath gave a laugh tinged with a shudder as Jonathon spoke about the Strucker twins. “Very niche,” she agreed. “In other circles, it would be classed as illegal.” It was said all stories and rumours had a grain of truth in them somewhere and the unfortunate thing was, there was no grain of truth when it came to the stories about Andreas and Andrea…it was a whole sack. “Thank you, Tessa,” the Pawn was off, quick and efficient as always to assist Katherine in tempting the young man over to talk with them. Hopefully this meeting would not be too drawn out. There were still many things to do and simple necessity had brought them there that night. It would be worth it if Jared accepted…well, as long as it did not go to his head in any case. Leaning to her King as the two Pawns approached with the Canadian in tow, Betsy grinned, lips close to Forge’s ear. “Well, this is going to be interesting to say the least. Lets see now if he was really worth the trip down here. Fighting is one thing, but it is more how he behaves that I am interested in…” Raising an eyebrow at his already defiant, defensive stance, Betsy straightened herself up and looked towards him. Silently, Katherine moved around so that she could lend her eyes and leave Sage on the man’s other side, effectively pinning him in. “Your father? No.” That said immediately, Betsy allowed a silent pause for her direct statement to sink in. “As for nulling you, don’t tempt me…” while she could not nullify his powers in the traditional sense, Psylocke could reach into his head and find the switch that made him feel in control and able to operate under his own duress, effectively turning him into her little puppet. She could make him think and feel his powers were not his own to command and all without lifting a finger. “Now, take a seat, hush up and make sure you sit on your attitude for a little bit as it may get in the way of rational thought. What we have to offer you could change your life, for the better if you embrace it. But let me tell you now if you accept what we have to offer and then abuse it, you will be much worse off than if you decide to leave this table tonight,” Betsy could predict that no doubt he would be rolling his eyes and doing the whole chip on his shoulder internal routine, but if he did not understand the severity of the situation that night, then he would not know what he was letting himself in for and they could not afford mistakes. |
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| Forge | Dec 15 2011, 02:18 AM Post #9 |
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Forge had to admit that Tessa was ambitious and driven. When Katherine was stalled momentarily in bringing the young fighter to the Hellfire Club, the computer minded woman said that she would retrieve him. Sage did not say she would attempt to, but rather that she would. Tessa was not the type to let much of anything stand in her way of a goal it seemed. The dark haired woman broke from their small group and stalked across the fight club arena. As Sage left, Forge said to Besty, “She is very intricate. She is both blunt and subtle at the same time.” It was clear that Tessa wanted to be the new Black Queen. She had proven herself to be competent in the field and she could be trusted as a Pawn. As with all members of the Club though, that trust could be tenuous. A rise in rank meant a rise in power and privilege, that was something highly sought after but it required a person with the nerve and resolve to complete the task. Sage might have the qualities for such a move but an advancement of that magnitude could include painful betrayal. That was not a prospect Forge looked forward to encountering. The two Pawns brought forward the prospective Knight. The White King felt Betsy lean into to whisper to him and he turned slightly toward her. He agreed with Betsy. Any mindless dolt could be trained to fight but they would only employ someone who could handle themselves with a certain degree of poise and self-restraint. If a cohort went off halfcocked, it could ruin delicately laid plans that had taken months to come to fruition. Forge did not know what the women said to him but the young mutant came with his guard raised. It was a natural first instinct of course. He thought the Club was hired, such a silly idea, by his father to bring him in and that gave Forge the impression that he was a man on the run from something. That made the Prospect desperate and most likely unpredictable. A fine white mist rose from the Canadian’s body. Forge nodded subtly in agreement with his Queen’s summarization of the consequences. It probably seemed very droll to the young man to hear about great powers and great responsibilities but it was all very true. If Radius accepted their offer he would be given many privileges but he would be expected to hold up his end of the bargain. “To put it simply we represent a group of like minded individuals, all of which are what you may call well-connected. You came to our attention through your success here in the pits and we believe that a partnership could be mutually beneficial to everyone involved,” Forge explained. “You could supply your personal talents and abilities at our discretion and then you would be free to explore pleasurable pursuits of your whims. I am also sure that we could help with this little matter of your father hiring men against you.” “But as earlier indicated, if you accept and then find it prudent bite the hand that feeds, it would be very unfortunate.” |
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7:34 PM Jul 11