LibriumArcana.Games

After Blackheart's meeting the team was let loose from Ultima. With only a request to return in a week or so to discuss the matter of their return to Ultima on a more permanent basis the team was granted a leave of abscense whether temporary or otherwise.

Agent Bowman began his investigation into the matter of the nanites and Tarot. Agent Shigure began to integrate himself into the workings of Ultima.

During that week, Saibot and Argent discover quite a few things about each other.

Day 1: Garth learns that Lei knows Tai Chi, and practices katas for at least half an hour every morning. Lei learns that practicing her katas in just one of Garth's cotton teeshirts and her underwear gets her dragged back to bed. Little Italy wakes up to much joy and happiness that day. Eventually, Lei finally gets the dinner Garth had been promising, after a quick stop to get suitable clothing.

Day 2: Lei does her morning excerises, wearing just his shirt. She didn't want to lose another pair of undies when the inevitable happened. Garth was beginning to like waking up in the mornings. After making Little Italy again have a wonderful start to the day, they began to discuss the important things, like 'what now'. Garth convinces Lei to move in with him.

Day 3: Little Italy is beginning to get used to wonderfully happy mornings. Lei reveals that she has three safehouses... 'Frisco, Millenium City, and Chicago. She'd never like Chicago, that was Ember's choice and Ember's connections with the Mafia that kept that place protected. It was an easy choice to empty that safehouse now that Ember was gone. Garth's place starts to get that 'woman's touch', with a mildly Oriental theme. Lei leaves those watching that safehouse a little message via the musical alarm system: "Someone captured/arrested! Safehouse compromised! Evacuating."

Day 4: Little Italy's singing "That's Amore". In Chicago, a warehouse mysteriously burns to the ground. Lei brings more clothing and items from her NYC safehouse to Garth's apartment, but disagrees on giving it up just yet. She does finally ask if she can see the room where he keeps all the momentos from his time as the White Guardian. At Lei's gentle urging, Garth starts telling the stories behind some of the items in the room ...

It isn't easy for him....
***

"And this one?" Lei asked, holding up what seemed to be a broken sword hilt. "What's the story behind this one?" She was honest in her curiousity, especially since the Guardian Force had been most active during her mid-teens, just over eight years ago. If she was a fangirl, at least she was polite about it.

Garth looked at the broken sword handle, the guard shaped like some weird claw. He remembered it, and the space-mutant which weilded it.

"That was wielded by the Crushor, a mutant sent to infiltrate a chemical lab in Sangreta, California. It was a female, from what we could tell, she took the form of a leggy redhead, got close to one of the top scientist. By the time we got onto her, she was getting chemicals out of the building regularly using his position."

He told her the story, slowly, letting it sink into her, as much as he dredged it up from his memory.

The story ended with after the Guardian's had defeated the half pig, half lobster monster.

Dark Silver wrote:He told her the story, slowly, letting it sink into her, as much as he dredged it up from his memory.

The story ended with after the Guardian's had defeated the half pig, half lobster monster.

There was pain in the retelling of each story, Lei could feel it as Garth spoke. It was the same feelings of failing his team, of being unable to prevent their deaths that he'd had ... was it just 5 days ago when he told her of the Guardian's last battle together?

In order to heal, one must get past the pain. Carefully, subtly, Lei used her Empathy to peel away the negative emotions haunting these memories so that Garth could look at them without the self-hate that had been driving him for so long.

"I remember that ... my cousins were so excited because the Guardians were in California," Lei encouraged him with a smile. "You were not even near 'Frisco ... but everyone was talking about how you saved us."

After his little pep speach, Blackheart hit the showers. After fifteen minutes of hot, steaming water he felt almost human again. The meta walked out of the showers and dried off before changing into civvies. He turned in his battered armour and got ready to go home.

Cam had woke up, in the middle of the night, in a dark room, with a spillting headache, alone. A nurse came in a few moments later doing her rounds. She checked Cam's charts then the monitors ad when she finally looked at the girl she was a bit startled to see her awake.

"Oh! My, you gave me a scare. When did you wake up? Come on, you can talk to me." She walked to the side of the bed and place her hand on Cammie's.

"Not too long ago. Just a couple minutes, I think. Am I at Memorial?" She looked around. "How did I get here?"

The nurse chuckled. "My dear, you are in the Medbay of the Ulitma's Headquarters. You were brought to us by Argent after the fight with the Astronomer. You've been out for a week."

"What?" Cam's headache was getting worse. She tried to remember what had happened. Argent must be the pretty Asain lady. Why did they bring me here? And more important, why didn't they just leave me?

"Get some rest dear," The nurse smiled and patted Camie's hand. "Now that you're awake, they'll be poking and proding you more than ever. Espicially since you screwed up one of our MRI's and spooked a few of our lab tech's." She moved away toward the door. "I'll inform Blackheart you're awake, he'll probably want to talk to you."

"Who? And what do you mean 'screwed up an MRI'?" But the nurse was gone. Cam put her head back on the pillow and closed her eyes.

Blast went home, he needed some sleep. As for Ultima, he couldn't quit. Hell, he didn't want to quit even with Tarot floating around in there somewhere. Something would have to be done about that walking hole in the world sooner or later however.

He walked in turning on the lights as he opened the door, why hadn't he heard that background hum before, like string instruments warming up. He pulled food out of the fridge, feeling a cello like bass movement in his bones from it. Turning on the coffee maker and making toast added what almost sounded like flutes to the music. How had he missed this before?

He slid into that other seeing, and saw himself in a multi-colored, glowing, pulsing web of energy, flowing in time to the song. He reached out and lightly touched one strand of the web and the song changed, his weaving hand influencing the tone and rythem of the song.

Was this a result of his pushing his powers so hard at the battle in the park? Was this just a normal outgrowth that would have happened anyway? He didn't know. And as he reached out father with his senses, he wasn't very sure he cared either way.

So, he had a week off. There really wasnt much to do but start seeing a Metapsychologist. So he did. He sat down with the good doctor and taqlked about how during the attack his mind got overrun by his animalistic tendancies and how they almost got him killed.

He talked about how his brain dealt with the pain of having his skin durgically removed while he was still conscious, and how his mind dealt with the horror of seeing his own body sprawled before him bereft of skin.

He felt better at the end, and scheduled another appointment for two weeks later.

The rest of the day was spent basking in the sun by the pond in the park. Animal Control got several calls about the Alligator in the park. But once they got there and realized he could speak and wasnt hurting anyone, they eventually stopped responding.

Gravitas was feeling more like himself. He was starting to find the right levers and pull them. He began making speeches and appearances at public events. He donated some time to the various groups training new Metas, where he focused on the morality of their powers and their uses, emphasizing the need to help others.

He even got on the Daily Show by the end of the week. What had been intended as a brief but serious discussion on Congresswoman Rand's statements quickly turned into Jon Stewart egging on the Nova into his favourite political impressions, up to and including his rendition of Arnold Schwartzeneggar's relection slogan, 'I'll Be Back!'.

The key was to balance out the rhetoric with a down-to-Earth image. It was quite the balancing act, but if there was no challenge, why bother?

Seven finally found his way out of the building and began a long walk back to his car, he didn’t even want to bother trying to find a cab he was sick of normal people looking at him. He knew he looked messed up, but if he had a human body he would have been dead by now, it was funny to him in an almost ironic way that he could be upset over how he looked at the moment even though such things probably had saved his life more than once today. It was already past midnight by the time he eventually got to his car and started the engine, then he noticed something stuck under the windshield wiper, a parking ticket. Seven began laughing a sick bizarre mechanical sound accompanied by grinding gears and metal, probably what akin to the sound of two toasters fucking. All the pain anger and fear of the day poured its self out and became a sick laughter at the irony of being ticketed as he helped save the damn city.

Finally Seven calmed down enough to get out of the car and grab the ticket before returning to the driver’s seat and driving home. When he finally got back to his garage he parked the car and headed into a cold room, full of half assembled cybernetic parts. He selected a hand, some metal to be used as a shoulder piece and a new pair of eyes. In the corner a loom like device turned it’s self on and began knitting the active camouflage material into fresh synthetic skin. Seven took of his shirt and what remained of his pants then removed his holsters and guns putting them on a work table to be cleaned tomorrow. Finally he walked over to what looked like the dentist’s chair from hell.

The chair had robotic arms coming out of the sides, the floor around it and the ceiling above it, tubes were sticking up out of the neck which ran to tanks built into the floor and the whole contraption hummed with anticipation. Seven hated this thing even though he had probably spent several years’ worth of time in it over the course of his life. It was not the machine’s actions it’s self that he hated but what was done with his brain while it worked.

It could best be described as dreaming yet it was something more there were none of the normal organic barriers to the dreams, they lasted the entire time that the machine worked yet had no external influence. Additionally there was no way of knowing he was dreaming, his brain seemed to stay more active than a normal dream yet he couldn’t influence anything that was happening. Sometimes there were horrible nightmares that pushed the limits of what he could endure and left him afraid to power down for days, other times there were paradises so blissful he never wanted to awaken. Yet all of it was just as real as his actual life occasionally leaving him to wonder what was real and what was not.

Seven looked down at his broken hand, there really was no excuse for letting such a condition continue and it could take a day or two to fix the shoulder. The synthetic skin would be stripped while he was in the chair, and his organic fluids would be flushed and replaced in addition to the repair work on his hand, eyes, and shoulder. New skin would have to be attached while he was awake an odd sensation to say the least. He sighed, a fairly useless gesture considering he didn’t have lungs, and climbed into the chair. There was a cold slick feeling as the first tube was inserted into his neck, then his optics shut down, followed by a feeling of falling before finally everything stopped and the dreams began.

Next morning

He needed confession. While he wouldn't call what had happened active murder, he had still killed and lied. Also confession helped him think, helped him get a handle on things. The church was massive and new, built from a special gift from the Vaitican and from private donations across the world. The New Church of Saint Micheal was considered a modern wonder of the world and the new center of Catholism in North America. He vaguely remembered his father talking about it with pride...

He slid into the box, the divider kept the priest from seeing his face, just as it kept him from seeing the priest. Which was good, Blast was pretty sure he didn't want his identiy becoming public knowledge just yet.

"Bless me father for I have sinned, in what I have done and what I have failed to do. It has been 8 days since my last confession. I have joined a government agency, in charge of law enforcment and in doing so have killed 3 times and lied 4 times..."

Blast began to outline the events of the last couple of days breifly and carefully. He said nothing about his name or the names of others he had learned, while he trusted the priest of St. Micheal it was best to keep some information a secret.

"For these and all the sins of my life I am sorry."

"My son, you say you have killed and you repent for it. These lies, these killings, they were in the act of defending the weak, those who could not defend themselves yes?"

"Yes father, two of the men I killed were engaged in criminal acts and attacked me and members of my team. The thrid whose death I aided in was killed attempting to kill my team after we interrupted him in torturing another law officer he had kidnapped." Blast replied.

"Well...," the priest began, chosing his words carefully.
"The church has had many members deal with similar sins. The bible says that in God's hand lies the life of every living thing. To take a life is gravely contrary to the dignity of the person and to the holiness of the Creator. But to join willingly into the defense of a nation is a righteous cause. You carry out your duty honorably, truely contribute to the common good of the country and the maintenance of peace.

"Death is never to be taken lightly my Son but you are truely repentant for your actions. Your chosen lot will take you down dark paths I feel. It would be wrong for me to try to disuade you from your course when then possibility of a greater good exists. May God look after you and keep you close my Son."

The priest spoke a few lines in latin and pronounced the required penance to Blast through the screen.

"O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all of my sins because of Thy just punishments. But most of all because they offend Thee my God, who art all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve, with the help of Thy grace, to sin no more, and to avoid the near occasions of sin. Amen. "

With that Blast withdrew to do his penaence.

When he got back from basking and turned on CSPAN in his cable-outfitted lair.

He wished he hadn't

Senator Ayn Rand was railing agianst Metahumans, and calling for universal Metahuman Registration again.

"What a fucking cunt" he said to himself. Then he had an idea. That bitch had articulated her fucked up belief system on air multiple times. Her speeches, her spontaneous and amazingly long speeches were matters of public record. He could rip her apart with them. He had the misfortune of hearing one a few months ago when he was escorting Sally to some function or another. Loony bint stood up on a table and started ranting. How the hell did she get elected?

He got up and walked across the room to the landline phone and called up the Head of the Politcial Science Department at the university. She also advised the Young Politicians club.

"Hello Sally, yeah this Alex how are you?

Oh I am doing..fine... life has been interesting lately

Yeah I did join the Ultimas and yes, I was involved in recent...events.

"Well I was actually wondering if you could do me a favor. I was wondering if it would be possible for you to help me arrange a debate involving Senator Rand, myself, Gravitas, and..." he thought for a moment "Hillary CLinton. She has written a bunch of books on the matter" of course, she was way older than any human had a right to be. Much like Strom Thurmond in that regard.

"Thank you Sally you are awesome."

"Alright, I will take you out for dinner. How does Tomorrow evening sound?"

"Good?"

"Alrighty, I will pick you up at 8"

and he hung up the phone.

Such were the benefits of having a political science professor who wanted you in bed... saddly he would have to break the news to her that any mating between them could potentially be dangerous.

"The team did what we had to do...we saved alot of people. We hurt alot more..."

He moved over, pointing to a small stone, red and crumbly, the remains of a brick which had glazed over from age and heat. "This is all that remains of a five story apartment building near Ghenes, Ontario. The meta there had gone insane, and tried to take over that part of Canada. Had a few meta's on his side, the army couldn't deal with them. They called us in."

He glossed over the story, not letting himself get lost in the telling, slowly he went over each of the peices, the memories attached, tll he came across the manniquin, wearing the white costume.

The holes and rips were still there, the remnants of the last battle, through the blood, bile and other stains had been cleansed. A single light shown down from the ceiling upon it, and he was silent.

Dark Silver wrote:"The team did what we had to do...we saved alot of people. We hurt alot more..."

He moved over, pointing to a small stone, red and crumbly, the remains of a brick which had glazed over from age and heat. "This is all that remains of a five story apartment building near Ghenes, Ontario. The meta there had gone insane, and tried to take over that part of Canada. Had a few meta's on his side, the army couldn't deal with them. They called us in."

He glossed over the story, not letting himself get lost in the telling, slowly he went over each of the peices, the memories attached, tll he came across the manniquin, wearing the white costume.

The holes and rips were still there, the remnants of the last battle, through the blood, bile and other stains had been cleansed. A single light shown down from the ceiling upon it, and he was silent.

The pain here was too raw and too strong for subtle empathic tricks, and the last time she'd tried to ease the pain from it he had refused. Thus, there was only one thing Lei could do at this point.

She stepped forward and slid her arms around him, simply holding him close. "You've told this one..." she murmurred, her touch sharing her emotions with him, support/protect/love/shared sorrow/hope. "You did far more good than you ever did harm, hero. That is far more than I can say about my life."

He nodded as she wrapped her arms around him, and his own slide over her shoulder and her side.

"Along time ago....a lifetime ago.. A different man."

He said the words softly to no one in particular, turned his head and kissed the top of hers lightly.

He picked her up suddenly, holding her in his arms, as he began to walk out of the room, craddled against his chest. There were other times to reminice, times to remember, but there were plans tonight.

None of them included the past. Except for her.

Dark Silver wrote:He nodded as she wrapped her arms around him, and his own slide over her shoulder and her side.

"Along time ago....a lifetime ago.. A different man."

He said the words softly to no one in particular, turned his head and kissed the top of hers lightly.

He picked her up suddenly, holding her in his arms, as he began to walk out of the room, craddled against his chest. There were other times to reminice, times to remember, but there were plans tonight.

None of them included the past. Except for her.

"Woah!" Lei exclaimed, then laughed as she was carried off, his intentions and emotions making his evening plans extremely clear.

Sometime later, after making Little Italy once again feel like singing 'That's Amore', she held him in the darkness of the bedroom. "It wasn't that long ago," she murmurred to him, "and that man is still here... I can feel him inside you."

Laying there, in the dark, only the ambient glow of streetlights and the moon coming in from the window to light the room as they held each other close, he let himself smile.

He kisses the top of her head again, holding her gently, letting himself take in her scent, her feel, almost as if memorizing the moment.

"Tomorrow..." he said softly, his voice a deep murmur almost, "I'll take you to New Orleans....I have someone I want you to meet..."

Dark Silver wrote:"Tomorrow..." he said softly, his voice a deep murmur almost, "I'll take you to New Orleans....I have someone I want you to meet..."

She frowned slightly at the emotions behind that statement. A seperation, a feeling of loss, strong love/caring, it was all tangled and jangled up inside him, all leading to the center of what made him become White Guardian. Those feelings didn't interrupt the general air of contentment and happy afterglow Garth had been sharing with her, however to him it was very important that she meet them. Whomever was down there had been/still was important to him. Something in the taste of the emotions made Lei believe the people might be dead... or at least someone he'd not seen in many years.

"If you'd like... I've been to the French Quarter, so we can make the trip faster," she offered softly.

"We'll decide that in the morning" he said softly.

He laid there with her, in the quiet darkness for close to an hour, occassionally claiming her mouth again in soft kisses, his hands tracing lovingly over those sinous curves of her form.

It was almost like being a kid again, your first love, the first kiss, the first time lying together. A night of firsts, repeated over and over again this week past.

There was still decisions to make though, Ultimas waited for a answer from them, a slow fire was lit within him at the memory of what they did, of the nanites, of the pain which spiderwebbed through him

Was Blackheart and Tarot that anxious to get rid of him, that they'd put those things in him? Or where they that afraid he wouldn't join.

Whatever the case...they put them into Argent also. It was obvious to him they planned on using her to control him. He wouldn't let it. If he had to kill Blackheart and Tarot himself to do it.....

Well...he killed before. It wouldn't be so hard to do it again.

He kept those emotions hidden deep, where he hoped Lei couldn't find them, he didn't want to expose her to them, to that part of himself. Not yet.

"I love you..." he whispered, kissing her hair gently, his eyes closed.

Dark Silver wrote:"We'll decide that in the morning" he said softly.

He laid there with her, in the quiet darkness for close to an hour, occassionally claiming her mouth again in soft kisses, his hands tracing lovingly over those sinous curves of her form.

It was almost like being a kid again, your first love, the first kiss, the first time lying together. A night of firsts, repeated over and over again this week past.

"As you wish, " Lei replied, feeling like she should be purring like a cat. Unlike Garth, this was a series of firsts for her. As a teen, she'd experimented with sex, but that all had ended quickly when her partner had freaked over the forced empathic bond her power inflicted with such close contact and emotional highs.

There was still decisions to make though, Ultimas waited for a answer from them, a slow fire was lit within him at the memory of what they did, of the nanites, of the pain which spiderwebbed through him

Was Blackheart and Tarot that anxious to get rid of him, that they'd put those things in him? Or where they that afraid he wouldn't join.

Whatever the case...they put them into Argent also. It was obvious to him they planned on using her to control him. He wouldn't let it. If he had to kill Blackheart and Tarot himself to do it.....

Well...he killed before. It wouldn't be so hard to do it again.

He kept those emotions hidden deep, where he hoped Lei couldn't find them, he didn't want to expose her to them, to that part of himself. Not yet.

"I love you..." he whispered, kissing her hair gently, his eyes closed.

Amazing how those three little words could set off such a large emotional reaction. If emotions could make the world change colors, it did just then. "I can feel that...," Lei answered, blushing a little at how her empathy just painted the room with her own declaration of love. "... so much you want to kill Tarot for hurting me. For some odd reason I find that touching..." Her head moved a little, kissing his nose.

He grinned, his arms shifting around her, as he placed a final kiss to her lips.

"Goto sleep you she-demon.....you've drained me dry for the night. Your sure your not part succubus?"

Garth chuckled, grinning at her teasingly, as the night went on, and he slept next to her.