"You make it sound like some kind of conspiracy. but... some strange things have been happening lately. I suppose we could talk to my Current events Teacher. He might know something."
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"You make it sound like some kind of conspiracy. but... some strange things have been happening lately. I suppose we could talk to my Current events Teacher. He might know something."
Crazydude:
SpoilerOOC: Groden is the lightning-thrower
He rolls his eyes. “Coming from the fellow who murdered all of those men when he could have just walked away, throwing terms like ‘evil’ around is a little grade-school.” He smiles coldly. “They were innocent, you know. No control whatsoever over their own actions. They were used, like you’re being used, like Jesmond and Groden and myself are being used. Because you really, really don’t want to see this become a straight-up fight between the ones with the real power.”
The man tucks his newspaper under his arm. “The sides are clear. They call themselves order, but they’re only interested in controlling everything. We desire freedom, they labeled us chaos and decided to wipe us all out. We use pawns such as you and me because a battle between the lords of either side would leave half a galaxy in ashes within the first few minutes. Untold amounts of sentient life forms would die, and for nothing. Call us evil, fine, but no one wants that.” He pauses. “Do you?”
The bus begins to come to a stop, the brakes screeching painfully, but the man seems unaffected. “You can trust us because we really just want to win this war and be done with it. You fight, you win, you grow stronger, you build an army, and you fight some more until there are no more enemies. After that, you can rule over this world as you see fit and the lords of chaos will move on.”
He stands. “You can just walk away, but the price would be your power to have a choice. You would be just a pawn in someone else’s game, because the war is inevitable. The only way you could stop it is too kill everyone.”
James_S_W:
“Hm. Maybe. But not right now. Do you mind if I come in? I have some stuff in my dorm to grab, but we should at least have an extensive case to build before going to a professor.”
"uh, sure, no problem"
damn, am I glad that I 'cleaned up' my room last night
As John unlocks his room, he asks "so, what exactly are you trying to prove?"
James_S_W:
SpoilerShe bounds down the hallway. “Tell you when I get back!” She calls over her shoulder.
Shrugging, John enters his dorm.
To find a middle-aged man with long red hair dressed in a psychedelic victorian suit spinning on his chair, giggling like a lunatic.
“WHEEEEEEEEEEEEE- oh it’s you!”
He stops the chair suddenly, causing him to fall off the side with a crash.
SpoilerJohn slowly blinks at the figure
huh. well, I didn't have any of Tim's stash today, and I'm not drunk... SO this is happening. probably best to just go with it
"why hello sir" John says as he bows.
James_S_W:
SpoilerHe points at you excitedly from the floor. “Ooh! You have manners! Not like any of the other jerks so far.” He picks himself up, wobbling unsteadily for a moment before, with a flick of his wrist; a cane appears in his hand, allowing for him to balance.
“That’s better. Now, we have little time before your sweet canapé returns to share her zealous exploration of the unknown with you. Tell me, Johnny boy, and don’t lie, you were at the police station, right? You saw the two riding on the wings of eagles? ‘Course you did, why am I even asking. Shadow told me you were there. Listen up, because I’ll only ask this once.” He leans in conspiratorially. “You seem to have an interest in… er… ‘current events’ and I wanted to know if you wanted in on it. All you gotta do is say yes and let me boop you on the forehead, and you can be… so so much more than this.” He gestures at the small dorm room.
SpoilerJohn heart is racing as he considers the possibilities. But he knew, the was no was he could deny the opportunity
"Yes"
James_S_W:
Spoiler
“Boop!” He taps John’s forehead with the palm of his hand, and the world explodes in a kaleidoscope of colors.
“Do you have a reason to live?” Feathers are flying. “If I gave you power, could you begin to live again? I propose a contract: The power of the king is… um… a different life, a different providence, a…. different soul? Um.” The sun shines between two planets orbiting around each other. “I forgot the rest. Screw it, by the almighty power vested in me, go do whatever the hell you like!”
A bright white light, and John finds himself sitting at his desk, the man gone. On the desk is a small multicolored piece of paper, folded to resemble a star.
Mary suddenly bursts in. “Alright, got it!”
SpoilerWhat just happened? There was a bright flash of colors. Then feather. Then the two planets and a sun. Then light. Then this piece of papers. I feel like it all means something, but what.
"Hey mary, you're a psych student, right? What do you know about dream interpretation"
SpoilerAdam is legitimately shocked at hearing about the thugs. Had he really killed innocent people? "Th-they had guns on me. There were five of them. It was kill or be killed. Anyway, how can you try to scare me with the notion of being under someone else's control when that's all you guys keep trying to do? So maybe I can trust you, and maybe I can't, but if you don't mind, I think I'll get a second opinion." He backs up toward the door. "And if you do mind, well...", Adam sarcastically ponders the notion, "frankly, I just don't care. I'm gonna go have a chat with Jesmond and Groden, see what their side of the story is." He gets to the door, but stops briefly on the steps out and turns back and playfully finishes with, "Does your boss know you call him 'Old One Eye'?" He then heads outside and into the hospital.
James_S_W:
SpoilerShe frowns. “It’s all rather pseudo-sciency… but I’ll try. Tell me your dream.”
…
“Well, the feather usually has a variety of meanings… Sometimes lightheartedness, sometimes success. The two worlds… I’m guessing that means conflict, two different concepts clashing. Bright light usually holds the meaning of sudden clarity or understanding. As for the multicolored light… rainbows normally represent hope and success, or a bridging between your earthly self and a more spiritual self. Generally colors represent emotion… so it could mean a meeting of multiple different emotions and personalities.”
She scratches her head. “It’s all really just hocus pocus.”
Crazydude:
SpoilerHe grins. “Oh, he knows what I call him. He knows I’m telling you more than he’d probably like. He knows everything. He’s watching us, right now. And I can tell you one thing for certain: He’s not happy.” He follows Adam off the bus. “You have this odd concept that because Order is all you’ve ever known, it’s what’s best for the universe. That is a lie, because even your version of Order is a corruption of the 'purity' they desire. Of course, it’s a double standard, they get to murder anyone they like and call it good. We hold no such pretentions. Good and Evil were concepts created to keep evolution from progressing as it naturally does. They will discard morality the moment it becomes a hindrance to their plans.” He stops at the door. “Best not too many people step in here, it’s a powder keg as it is. Anyhow, Adam, you are not so moral as you like to believe, as Order wants you to be. Every time you think that because you’ve won you’ve earned something, that was us. Every time you saw something you wanted and actively hunted it, like that sweet Veronica girl, that was us. When you mercilessly killed those men last night, that was us. Order would guilt you into thinking it was wrong to kill them. It’s doing so right now, whispering lies into your heart, saying that innocence must be protected, when Order itself sent those men to kill you against their will. They were weak. You are strong. That is the true justice of the universe, the truth they cover with their lies.”
Spoiler"Thanks any ways. I head the dream a few nights ago and it's been bugging me. SO, what did you have to get from your room?"
Spoiler
Yes we do have something to do. The Lady has more champions. Coordination is key, I wanted to off you earlier today because well, It's really hard to tell who works for who. Everyone working against The Madness, has to get together and coordinate. To quote a wise man and risk being pretentious, "If his forces are united, separate them" and so far, we're doing that for the Madness. We need to communicate with the other champions.
James_S_W:
Spoiler“Don’t ask me how, but I got this security cam footage. Check it out.”
It shows a young man waiting at a bus stop, suddenly attack by gun-wielding lunatics. They chase him away. “Campus security did nothing, didn’t even file a report. This is from last night. Cops were called by the gunshots, but no one ever saw anything happening. Don’t tell me this isn’t weird.”
C_O:
SpoilerVeronica frowns. “All I know of the lady is what the birds have told me. I’m the champion of Cordelia. Asrais are water spirits, she dwells in the Holcomb and wanted to protect the city from Madness. So who is to say all the other champions of Order were even empowered by the same person as you or I? We’d need to gain their trust first."
Spoiler"What the hell? That doesn't make any sense. How could security do nothing?"
Should I try this? yes, yes I should
"Look, with all the crazy stuff happening lately, there is probably safety in numbers. You should probably stay in my room tonight. Until we have some time to talk to higher-up people"
(ooc: before you even ask, CHA check. [roll]1d20+5[/roll]
James_S_W
Try that charisma check again.
0ooc: uh, it doesn;t seem to be working for me. would you mind rolling for me? or showing me why it wouldn't work)
This is a good dice roller that I predominantly use for mine. I find the forum roller tends to go low.
Oh, and you got a 7 total, complete failure. I'll update when we get some more peeps checking in.
Spoiler
We were both empowered by different people, the one thing we have in common is the fact that we met those metal birds. Interesting isn't it? Wait, hold on
John then shouts, Eagleaus, Flutterhawk, can we talk to you two for a while?
Spoiler"Right, 'stopping evolution from taking its natural course. Somehow, that sounds exactly like what the villain would say in a movie right now.You keep trying to pressure me into believing that I have to join either your side or theirs, but I never even wanted to be a part of your war in the first place! So for now I'm gonna remain a bit more neutral, and see if I can't figure out a little more about both sides. If you're really the 'free-spirited' faction, then you shouldn't mind me diverging from your laid out path anyway, right?"
James_S_W:
SpoilerShe frowns skeptically. “Thanks, Prince Charming, but I think Veronica and I will be fine.”
She returns her attention to her laptop. “I think we need to go back to the police station. That could be the epicenter of all of this.”
C_O:
SpoilerThe birds chirp in response. “What do you need?”
Crazydude:
SpoilerHe grins. “Movies? Really? You have laid my well-thought argument a fatal blow with your inspiring examples of the popcorn villains from the cinema!” He shrugs and walks away. “Argue all you like, but you must acknowledge one absolute truth: You need us far more than we need you.”
Spoiler
Well, I just want to ask, have you two met or helped any other people who also oppose the Madness?
OOC: Can the back and forth be a little faster?
Spoiler"But why would the nexus be a police station? That seems like it would be as successful as building a wooden deck in some water rapids"
C_O:
SpoilerEagleaus tilts his head. “Help is a strong word. We observe, for the most part. There are two others that we know of, a boy named Melvin who went hunting that the Lady wanted to make sure didn’t get into trouble, so we kept an eye on him, and a boy being personally trained by our creator, Vain. His name we do not know, and he is being held back until he is ready. Vain wouldn’t like it if you tried to drag him into the fighting prematurely.”
Flutterhawk dips her head low in shame. "We're only helpers, we don't really get told the... the important stuff... sorry..."
James_S_W:
Spoiler
“You have a better idea? We have to start somewhere.”
Spoiler"Okay, I guess we could go to the police station and see if anything is going amok there"
SpoilerAdam frowns slightly as the man walks away, feeling less than satisfied with that discussion. "Hmph, what's with these guys and speaking all 'Lord of the Rings' intense or whatever. Anyway, if I need them so much then why do they keep trying to illicit my help?" Adam just sighs and heads in to the front desk. "Uh hi, I'm looking for a Mr. Groden and a Mr. Jesmond? We're classmates."
Spoiler
John grins saying Don't worry, every little bit helps. Wait, Melvin. By any chance is his last name Groden?
C_O:
SpoilerFlutterhawk bobs her head. “Yes. Melvin Groden, the boy who can throw lightning.”
James_S_W:
Spoiler“Right.” She stuffs her laptop into her backpack, closes her eyes tightly and breathes deeply. “Alright, Mary, no time for fear.” She opens one eye. “You saw nothing.”
Crazydude:
SpoilerThe front desk employee raises an eyebrow. “I’d need to see your school ID, if you really do go to Ottenstad Private School. Besides, he’s being questioned by the police right now.”
Spoiler
John's grin widens as he shouts YES, YES, YES! I know exactly where he is! Holcomb River Hospital.
He then turns to Veronica, calming down and continuing Sorry to impose on you some more, but would you like to join me in this recruitment drive?
Spoiler"Uh, yes....of course, my ID. Ya know, I think I left it in my car, lemme go grab it really quick." Adam hustles back outside quickly. "The police? Hm, so now they decide to show up? Although that actually does kinda make sense; like he needed medical attention first, but now that he's stable he can be questioned/arrested. Hmm....maybe Kyle was just overreacting, or was just speaking on behalf of rumors, or both. But still, I've at least gotta get up to Groden and see what I can dig up. So..." Making sure nobody's watching, Adam quickly conjures up an illusion around himself, giving him the appearance of a standard adult cop, complete with a new (much huskier) voice. He then jogs back inside to the desk in a rushed fashion, as though he's in a hurry. "I was called in about two kids. Jesmond and Groden?"