Heroes: The Road of Good Intentions

[frigidmagi]

I led Blackheart to the closest chair and had him sit down.

"I'm not sure a hospital could even treat him Grav. They needed specialized tools just to break his skin back in the office remember?" I look over at Tachyon.

"Are you going to need anything exotic for medical care or can the arm be taken care of normally?" I ask. Something occurs me.

"I'm okay, at least no physical injuries. Is anyone else hurt?"

[LadyTevar]

Argent looked up at Blast from where she was still in the floor, leaning against Tachyon's leg. The Look clearly said 'Do I really have to answer such a stupid question?' But she reached out with her empathy before speaking, more for Blackheart's benefit and anything else. "Blast, Gravitas, Hotfoot, and Hydro are okay. I think you and Hotfoot weren't even touched, Blast. Tachyon's right arm is... not broken, I think...." she looked up at Tachyon to clarify. "Hurts like a bitch, makes my arm ache just leaning here ... but it's just bruises and exhaustion for him."

She looked down at herself, the cuts that were no longer bleeding as her limited healing started to work. Her healing also accelerated the formation of bruises, which seemed to spread in time-lapse across her arms and legs, and one slowly was creeping up her face in sick shades of blue-black. "Give me a couple of days and my wounds will be gone ... maybe even before Blackheart grows his eyes back." Blackheart had regrown an arm in less than a week; Argent was confident he'd heal just as quickly this time. "Other than the eyes, Blackheart's got several broken ribs, possibly a punctured lung, broken knuckles from hitting too hard ...," she trailed off as the rest of the team got the idea.

"He's the worst of the wounded, but he's also the best at self-healing. Unless he says otherwise, I don't think we need a hospital, Gravitas. We just need to clean off and disinfect the wounds." She wanted to add that Blackheart needed to wash the blood off his face and cover his eyes with gauze or something -- bloody, empty eyesockets were creepy even when it wasn't a man she'd slept with not 24 hours prior.

[frigidmagi]

"Alright, I don't have any medical skill at all and I don't think anyone else does expect you Argent. So why don't you go ahead and take care of yourself and anyone else you can and get some sleep. Grav, Hotfoot can you check the area, make sure we haven't attracted any attention? Hydro can I talk to you?" Blast said motioning to the other room.

There was the lingering question of how the hell did he end up in charge, but at the moment there didn't seem to be anyone else willing to do shit. So Blast just tried to do what Blackheart would do and hope no one would notice that the 19 year rookie was leading.

[Cynical Cat]

"The flesh will heal," said Blackheart. He had been healing faster. It had taken him a little over a week to regenerate his hand. "I will need food. You might want to rob a bank or something to cover the next grocery bill because it will be a dozy."

[SirNitram]

"I can handle money. Hotfoot, let's check the area." Gravitas rose up and began carefully looking out of windows, the cautiousness revealing that more than once he's had to do this for his own safety.

[General Havoc]

Flesh beasts with wings. Flesh beasts in armor. Flesh beasts made of insubstantialities, shadow and darkness and raw energy. Flesh beasts who violated physics with a careless flaunt. Flesh Beasts who killed.

Flesh Beasts who died.

Hydro did not get to see much of what happened after his attack on the armored pyronics. His attention was elsewhere, and fearing no damage to himself, he suffered the blows and strikes of countless raging monsters without ill effect, for water accepted blows and returned them with interest. Broken bodies littered the ground about him, a raging storm of an elemental no longer clear, but tinged crimson red with the blood of the fallen. The blood ran inches deep on the floor, and he drank it up like so much spilled water, clouding his form a deep red. He lashed and spun and flailed at his sudden enemies, until such time as the world shifted black again, and then everything vanished.

And now there was peace.

He was sitting in the middle of a richly furnished room inside a flesh-beast domicile, and around him were the remaining flesh beasts. The bloody toll was apparent enough. Nine Flesh Beasts there had been engaged in the battle. Six were here before him.

Six living, and one not.

What had happened to the other two, Hydro knew not, but the dead one here, the one that had been called Legacies, had sustained horrific physical trauma. Flesh Beasts, even Meta Flesh Beasts, could not sustain such traumas as this and survive. Like the demons before, like the pyronic entity Hydro had smothered. Legacies was dead.

Still a swirling, watercolored red, Hydro did not move or speak or otherwise comment. Familiar enough with the concept of death to know what this meant to the other Flesh Beasts, he held his non-existent tongue. Whatever had happened, they were now elsewhere, and the pyronic entities were nowhere in sight. He guessed that this domicile belonged to one of the flesh beasts. Based on their talk, he guessed it was Argent.

Thousands of questions came to mind as to motive and reason and what he was doing here, but he did not ask them. This was not the time. Flesh Beasts acted so strangely all the time, but what little he did know about them indicated that this was simply not the time. Legacies was dead. The two other Flesh Beasts they had left behind were dead. They had elected to remove him from the place they were when they escaped, and had they not, Hydro himself would no doubt also be dead, for the Pyronic entities had more ways of killing than physical trauma.

They had prevented his death. That much was clear. Now he needed to determine why.

The Flesh Beast named Blast asked to speak with him, and he turned his tendril to Blast and slithered wordlessly out of the room after him, taking care to draw every drop of his blood-tinged water with him as he went, so as not to damage the textural-floor covering. He followed Blast into the other room, his tendril glancing around at his surroundings, prepared, if necessary, to leap through a window or into a drain, but not acting yet.

When they had entered the room, Hydro spoke in a soft voice, like a gurgling stream.

"What is this place?"

[frigidmagi]

"What is this place?"

Blast was unsure how the question was meant but decided to take in the most narrow meaning possible.

"This is a dwelling place for us. The dwelling is called a house, it is a structure created from materials such as stone, wood and metal by tools for us to shelter in. Shelter is a requirement of ours. Which brings me to the desired topic of discussion. Requirements, do you have any? Do you need more water or not do you require rest?

[General Havoc]

Hydro did know what a 'house' was, but it was a bit of a relief to have Blast explain it anyhow in terms that were cogent and understandable. Hydro's tendril lazily circled around, pointing at this and at that, as though he were looking around the room. This he was, but he replied regardless, taking care in how he answered. He did not know the motives of these flesh beasts. If they were asking what his needs were, it could well be with the intention of denying him such things later. He had no doubt whatsoever that they had the means to prevent his egress if they so chose.

"I am... unharmed," he said uneasily, not sure if that was what Blast was getting at. "I do not require rest in the manner of Flesh Beasts." He considered what to say to the last part. To be honest, at present he did not need more water, but...

"I could however do with further water," he said. "Have you... a source thereof? It need not be pure or otherwise unmixed. I can draw it from any source."

He did not mention that such sources needed to be non-living. Let them believe he could dessicate them at will.

[LadyTevar]

After Blast had left the room, Argent rose to her feet to collect the items she'd asked Hotfoot for. She handed Tachyon a damp washcloth and soap so he could start washing off, as she came over to Blackheart with another. "You chose well," she said softly, too low to reach Blast's ears as she carefully started washing the gore from Blackheart's face. If he wanted to take over, she'd let him.

[Cynical Cat]

"What do you mean?" Blackheart asked as Argent began to wash off the caked on blood. He sat still as a statue. He was tired, very tired. The strain of the fight and having Blast having leach off him meant that he pretty much had nothing left.

[frigidmagi]

"I could however do with further water," he said. "Have you... a source thereof? It need not be pure or otherwise unmixed. I can draw it from any source."

Blast decided not to push to hard on that one. Let Blackheart do the full talk thing.

"Water we can provide. Please follow me." Blast led outside to the pool.

"There are some chemicals mixed in it but it should not be a great problem for you. Use it has you need." Blast sat down on the edge of the pool.

"We should perhaps have a fuller discussion. If you are feeling capable of it. You were a prisoner in that... place?" He asked.

[General Havoc]

As Hydro approached the massive receptacle filled with water, gradually he began to leach a deep red sludge out of himself and left it on the grass, such that by the time they reached the pool, his form was clear and translucent once more. Without hesitation, he extended a second tendril into the pool, and began drawing water off, leaving the chlorine and other imperfections behind as he slowly resumed his full mass. Normally, he kept roughly 25 gallons within his own form, but given everything, he decided it might be better to maximize.

"I was... the subject of experiments within that place. The pyronic entities placed me in a containment field and performed tests of various natures. I believed at first that they wished to determine what I was. Later I believed that they desired that I suffer discomfort in the process."

Declarative statements notwithstanding, Hydro's voice rolled and rumbled like a distant flash flood. There was no mistaking his opinion on the pyronics.

"There was a disturbance. The containment field was breached. I destroyed the research equipment and broke down the barriers to egress, and when I emerged from the laboratory, I encountered you. I am afraid I do not know for what purpose I was restrained within this laboratory, nor where I had been located previous to it, nor what period of time I was kept within it. I believe it was extensive."

He turned his primary tendril to Blast. "Who are you Flesh Beasts?" he asked. "You said you were there to defeat Pyronic Entities who threatened yourselves or those in your care. What then was that place?"

[frigidmagi]

Blast reached up and removed his mask and rubbed his face. Damn big question Hydro asked. Leave God and the Devil out of it for now. Getting into Theology would be... problematic. Did living water have a soul? And he couldn't even tell a priest without blowing cover!

"That place was... It was an outpost of a power that wishes harm to my species. We call ourselves humans. We call them demons. They delight in pain, the pain of others. We do not desire to be hurt. Thus, conflict. It is however... More complex then that in that there are humans who work for them and there are beings we call demons that oppose them. It is... messy. We are... We are gifted humans. We can do things others cannot. Because of this we feel it is our duty to protect our fellows from those who would harm them. Right now our position is also... complex and messy. What of you?" Blast asked.

[LadyTevar]

"What do you mean?" Blackheart asked as Argent began to wash off the caked on blood. He sat still as a statue. He was tired, very tired. The strain of the fight and having Blast having leach off him meant that he pretty much had nothing left.

A small part of her was relieved he was talking to her, and not simply killing her for letting Legacies die. She didn't let that leak out, however, simply rinsed out the bloodied cloth and continued carefully washing Blackheart's wounds. "I mean Blast," she explained quietly. "Or am I wrong in thinking you're training him?"

[General Havoc]

Hydro gurgled a moment as he rolled this over. "Humans," he said, as though the word was unfamiliar. "You are... meta-Flesh Beasts. You have capacities that exceed and violate standard physical laws." He was not asking this time, but stating.

He withdrew his tendril from the water, now fully loaded with 40+ gallons, swollen up to man-size or more, his color once more a pale aquamarine.

"The Pyronic entities exhibited... animosities..." he said, using his own terminology to describe the demons. "They wished, I believed, to cause distress in myself. They succeeded. It was for this reason that I extinguished the Pyronic that appeared shortly after I encountered you. I believe it was the chief researcher that performed my experiments. I wished to destroy it, so as to prevent further distresses. I do not... recall at what time or place I was brought into that location, nor by what means. My direct recollection stops at that location."

He hesitated, perhaps confused as to why this was.

"I am... familiar in a general sense with Flesh Beasts. I do not understand them, but I possess knowledge of their capacities in the general sense. My expertise is not Zoological, but Botanical. I know that physical trauma causes discomfort to Flesh Beasts, and sufficient such trauma impedes biological functions to the point of death. I know that the Pyronics performed such traumas upon flesh beasts during my stay there. I do not know the purpose of these traumas."

He seemed to hesitate again.

"I am... uncertain as to where I was prior to my incarceration within the Pyronic laboratories. I do not know why this is, but I have no recollections prior to this. It is... puzzling."

He gurgled again. "I recall technical knowledge of Flesh Beast anatomy, and of Botanical studies, and of my own nature and certain elements of Flesh Beast cultural matters. I recall that Flesh Beasts display aggression by immersing metallic implements within the bodies of their targets. I recall that this is due to the expectation that this will produce physical traumas. I recall what Meta-Flesh Beasts are, and that physical reality is warped in various methods by them at their behest. I recall... isolated moments that would appear to have taken place elsewhere than within the Pyronic containment facility, but not how I came to be in such places, nor where they were located."

He seemed to be speaking to himself more than anything else. His tendril raised suddenly to "stare" Blast in the eye.

"I... do not possess an explanation as to this lapse."

Now he sounded almost worried.

"If I may ask... for what purpose did you remove me from the Pyronic containment facility? Are you intent on performing further researches into my nature, so as to gain advantages over the Pyronics?"

[frigidmagi]

"If I may ask... for what purpose did you remove me from the Pyronic containment facility? Are you intent on performing further researches into my nature, so as to gain advantages over the Pyronics?"

"No. We are not researchers, even if we were... I would not allow it. We must at least try to be better then our enemies. I will not allow sapient beings to be caged and tormented and..." Blast held up a hand and concenrated, it was still hard, very hard and it still caused pain but not so much... He streched his hand away from Hydro so it would not be a threat.

His hand glowed and hot energy bubbled around his hand. He felt only a comforting warmth but somehow knew in the back of his skull right now that he could melt iron.... He closed his hand and the energy vanished back into him.

"I do not require advantages over the Demons. I promise you this. I will not allow you to be caged or tormented unless you attempt to harm people for no good reason. But no one will use you like the Demons did without fighting me first. You may Believe in Me on this." Blast said returning the alien's gaze levelly.

[General Havoc]

Hydro could not help but recoiling slightly as the Flesh Beast produced energy from its limb. One thing he did believe. This meta-flesh beast did not require researched advantages.

Hydro's tendril cooly faced Blast. There was no reading his expression, for he had none, a blank mass of animate water, but he seemed to pulsate and bubble for a second before answering in a lower, softer tone.

"For... what purpose would you give such a pledge?" he asked, and his voice was hesitant as he did so. "I am not a Flesh Beast. I am a hydraulic entity of indeterminate nature. You uncovered me within the confines of a Pyronic establishment. Have you means of determining that I am not in league therewith?"

He was not trying to accuse anyone of anything, but this made frankly no sense. If they did not wish to experiment upon him, then what did they want with him?

The concept that they might not want anything in particular did not cross his mind.

[frigidmagi]

"For... what purpose would you give such a pledge?" he asked, and his voice was hesitant as he did so. "I am not a Flesh Beast. I am a hydraulic entity of indeterminate nature. You uncovered me within the confines of a Pyronic establishment. Have you means of determining that I am not in league therewith?"

"Your physical nature matters not. You are a thinking being. You reason. You feel. You have done us no harm and do not currently seek to harm us. That entitles you to rights and certain treatment. As of now we have no evidence that you work with the demons. We may be wrong, but if we are wrong and you are in the league with the demons and seek to harm us we will destroy you. But if you do not wish us harm, then we will do you no harm. As for now, I wish a peace between us and you. You may leave if you wish but it is my hope that you stay for a time. Perhaps we can help one another, but the choice is yours. You do not have to decide now. We need time to rest and recover. Take that time to consider and make a decision. Is that acceptable to you?" Blast asked.

[General Havoc]

The ambulatory mass of sentient water did not respond to Blast for some time, sitting motionless on the edge of the swimming pool, with nothing but the soft sounds of its surface rippling in the wind. It was impossible to determine what Hydro was thinking, or even if Hydro was thinking, but a minute or so later, his tendril reformed slowly, and the ripples within his body emitted noise.

"I do not wish you harm," he said in an oddly flat voice, like he was reciting a grocery list, his mind plainly on something else Blast had said. "The Pyronic entities responsible for what was done to me have been destroyed, or otherwise disabled. I do not believe I presently require assistance, for I do not know where we are, or what I would otherwise do here. My specialty is botany, not Flesh-beast politics or warfare."

"If... you propose we help one another, then it is because you believe you may require help, no? With what do you require assistance? Are there further Pyronics that have not been destroyed that you shall endeavor to eliminate? Will they attempt the same with you?"

He stopped for a second, and started over.

"The... Flesh Beast who was killed by the Pyronics. The one called Legacies... he was an... associate of yours? Of all of yours? Perhaps there is another word."

He fell quiet again, discordant bits of speach that seemed to start and stop at will.

"I do not know where else I would go at this time," said Hydro. "I would ask though to be told for what purpose you wish me to remain here."

[frigidmagi]

"My duty is to defend my fellow humans from those who wish them harm. It is quite possible I will need help with that. Whether you chose to help us is up to you. Yes, I think there are more demons out there and we may fight them again. Legacies was... a teammate. A friend. We will miss him. As for what purpose... I believe this may be the safest place for you now and I believe we can both benefit from each other. Do you disagree?" Blast returned.

[General Havoc]

Blast spoke the term Hydro had been thinking of, and he remained silent for several moments, before responding.

"The Pyronic entities sought to understand many things, not merely my workings, but those of flesh beasts. Their approach was flawed. You cannot comprehend the nature of a thing by destroying it, or subjecting it to indignities and crude experiments. You can only thus destroy all hope of ever understanding the thing, and thereby of anyone else understanding it. I do not comprehend Flesh Beasts and many other things, but you cannot achieve such comprehension through seizure, dissection, and physical destruction. You can only achieve comprehension through observational analysis, empirical testing, and aggregation of data."

His voice deepened to a rumble. "The Pyronics do not understand this."

He paused once more, then continued.

"I will remain," he said, "at least for the present. The Pyronics wished to comprehend my own workings, and wished to do so via their own means, which are flawed and destructive. And if they endeavor to do the same to you Flesh Beasts, then there shall be no means of comprehending you, for you all will be dead."

The tendril retracted, and Hydro shifted opacity a few times. "Do the other Flesh Beasts approve of my remaining present? They seemed... consumed with violence and anger before, and recently have lost a... friend..." the word seemed unfamiliar as he bubbled it out. "Will they not object to my presence?"

[frigidmagi]

"They will not. Do not worry about it for now. Rest for now I will speak to the others... Will you be comfortable here by the pool or would you prefer to be inside?" Blast asked.

[General Havoc]

"I do not know the prevailing temperatures in this place," said Hydro, "but presuming they do not fall below the freezing point, I would prefer to remain outside at least for now. I shall wish to investigate some of th items within the domicile, but for now, there are several species of rare plants located here that I would like to inspect, and moreover the irrigation system on the northern side of the garden is inadequate and requires supplementing."

"I... would however wish to speak to the other flesh beasts, before long. They no doubt have no wish to converse at this time, due to... events... but regardless, if possible I would know what occurred back in the Pyronics' laboratory, and who they are, and what it is they intend to do next."

[frigidmagi]

"I... would however wish to speak to the other flesh beasts, before long. They no doubt have no wish to converse at this time, due to... events... but regardless, if possible I would know what occurred back in the Pyronics' laboratory, and who they are, and what it is they intend to do next."

"I'll see what I can do to ensure you have a chance. Our neighbors are not used to metahumans or nonhumans so I would ask you to be careful no others expect the residents of this house see you for now. It is safer for all of us. I will speak to you again soon." With that Blast went inside and took a breath. Blackheart shouldn't have to big of a problem with what he did. But when excaltly was the best time to tell him?

[Cynical Cat]

"Blast is good kid," said Blackheart. Then he laughed. "Not that he's that much younger than myself. He'll do what has to be done. I just try and give him the benefit of my fuck ups so he doesn't have to make them."