[Nexus AU] Rebuild of HALO 1.11: You Can (Not) Find Pop-Tarts

[[Let's face it, people at HALO are pretty screwed up, and they have screwed-up pasts that relate to how screwy other characters are.
But let's step back and take a different look at things. A lighter look, but not one without problems.
Let's say... what if, when Carrie arrived, she was swiftly adopted by Tobias Vulpan? And if Sam, rather than settling down with Dani, stayed free and single and at the top of her game as an apex badass, teaching young men and women to be as awesome as her? If Matt were more stable?
Carrie would have a family, people to call her own and love and cherish. She wouldn't go down the road leading to her suicide and ascent to deific power, and instead would become a fiercely devoted member of the Vulpan family. Angela would be heartened by having a sister and wouldn't join up with Lunaria, remaining an assassin. Matt wouldn't become an angel, and Aurea would be more socially active. And Dani would still be looking for a sweetheart...
But that doesn't mean everything is sunshine and coffee. Tobias would still be looking for a wife, slipping deeper into the maddening boredom that leads kings like him to pointless war.
These people have problems to face, but this is a fresh chance at events with a brighter start for most. How will events unfold in this new telling of HALO?]]
CURRENT PARTICIPANTS AND CHARACTERS

Spoiler

Show

FireFox: Tobias, Angela, Matt, Samantha, Aurea
Inyu: Chris
BR: Dani, Patty
Beans: Carrie, Pesty

Matt wakes up in the infirmary, staring at an unfamiliar ceiling. What... What happened?

((This seems like the best way to start off, given the title. Feel free to supply an answer to the lad. :smalltongue:))

His recently-adopted sister Caroline is sitting nearby; she smiles as he wakes.
Hey, there you are... um, I'm not sure what the heck happened but... you're okay now, right?
She leans forward, dirty-orange eyes concerned behind her glasses and wings tight behind her back.

The redheaded young man sits up and takes stock of how he feels. Then he looks down at his bare chest with his vulpine eyes and counts the scars. I feel fine, Carrie... Well, a little stiff and sore, but not injured or anything.

Carrie sighs in relief. "Good... we were pretty worried."
She was, at least.

I wasn't. The redheaded foxgirl puts her hand on Caroline's shoulder, having snuck up behind her. Serves you right for trying to spar with Dad when he's in a Mood.

Matt grimaces, recalling how he didn't have time to even blink before the spell rocketed him into a wall. Oh... now I remember...

Carrie meeps, wings twitching, but puts her gloved hand atop Angela's.
Can't say I'm sorry to have missed that match... or the Mood in general.
She sighs a little.
That was kind of... not too smart of you, though.

I was just trying to do something about it. Matt shrugs, then looks back down at himself. ... But why is my shirt off?

Carrie wanted to ogle you while you were out. Because even in this happy, alternate universe, Angela is still a dirty liar. It's more likely that Patty wanted to ogle him. :smalltongue:

Angela!
Carrie's wings puff up in indignation.
I do not ogle my new family. I don't even like boys!
The Blightwalker crosses her arms with a little tsundere huff.

More for me, then. Angela giggles and leans down to kiss her sister's cheek by way of apology.

Erm, right. So. What are we going to do about Dad? Matt looks away, embarrassed as always about Angela's behavior.

Carrie, placated for now, shrugs.
Um... avoid him until he's un-moody?
Maybe stoke a fireplace and leave a glass of scotch and some untranslated classical literature, sort of like leaving cookies for Santa, except the presents we're hoping for are the cessation of vindictive anger and stuff?

Angela brushes Carrie's wings while she thinks. Hmm... we should get him laid.

Matt starts to sputter out an objection to that plan, then gives up and puts his shirt back on.

"Angela, that's---that's..." Carrie thinks. "... actually not totally stupid but I'm not giving you credit for it."
Maybe Dad does need a woman in his life... and it'd be awfully nice to have a mother...

And speaking of the devilangellust priestess, at that moment in walks Patty, a teasing smirk on her face. "...did somebody say something about somebody getting laid? What depravity!"

Matt looks relieved that he got his shirt on before Patty walked in. He stiffly gets out of the bed and waves to her. I guess we're going to look for a woman who can distract, romantically, our father.

Angela leans against a wall, looking smug.

Carrie's wings tighten against her back when Patty comes in; for some reason she always gets nervous around her.

As usual, she keeps quiet when the older gal comes in, toying with a lock of her hair.

[MEANWHILE!]

Somewhere away from the awkward conversations that are currently being held is a young man of around eighteen years of age. He seems dressed in appropriate attire for a parkour practitioner, well fitted jeans and a nice t-shirt with a hooded jacket and light tennis shoes.

Currently, Christopher Grimm is walking towards the gun range for his daily firing practice. His eyes dart to and for occasionally out of habit.

"Oh. I thought we might be asking for something difficult, like exterminating all Magtoks or turning Klingons into hippies," Patty says with a giggle, leaning against the wall.

Sam is at the firing range already. Her hair is cut short and dyed black, but she otherwise looks just like her original universe self.


So... who do we know that's available right now? The assassin asks.

I-I, um, can't think of anyone that'd make a good match...
Carrie takes a sudden interest in her sneakers.

Patty taps her lip, a thoughtful look on her face.
"Well, I can think of a few possibilities, but the question is are both 'available' and 'suitable' boxes checked on the questionairre."

Well, uh... Matt remembers that Boudica used to have a fling with Tobias, prior to stealing his genes, cloning him and his sister, and forcing Angela to be her assassin. He decides she's probably out. Can't think of anybody.

Then forget suitable and a good match. Let's start with everyone possible. Angela thinks for a second. There's the other half of Matt's and my DNA... but I dunno where she is. I heard Dad talking about a succubus/vampire member of HALO, but she hasn't been around for years. Do we know any women in the larger Nexus?

Well, there's...
Carrie thinks.
Dr. 115? N O P E N O P E N O P E
Dani? ... Taken. :smallredface:
... Carrie doesn't know many more people.
... I don't go outside, I dunno.

Patty shrugs, looking slightly bemused.
"Well, there's always my mom, but I'm not sure she'd be interested."

... We're so screwed. Matt sits back down on the bed and sighs.

Angela shrugs. It's not that bad... We just need to go looking for people. So long as we, y'know, don't pick fights with him, it won't be that bad.

... Okay, we just need to get out and start looking.
... Correction.
Get out alive.

"Oh, I should be able to handle that." Patty grins. "Nobody will even know that we're gone, even!"

I'll go poke around Vulpan Keep and see if there's anyone there. The attractive young women waves farewell and leaves.

Matt tries to look at Patty without making it obvious that he's looking at her. If she notices his staring, he'll quickly clear his throat and bring something else up. Carrie, do you want to, uh, ask Aurea for help...?

O-oh, yes!
She springs up a little hastily, perhaps too eager to get moving... and away from Patty. She'll head out, unless stopped, to find her sister with the smart pants.

[Firing Range]

As for Chris himself, he is slightly more beat-up and rough looking than he is int he original universe. He has a few scars on his face and nose now, and his nose has obviously been broken a few more times. Other than that, he's probably almost exactly the same. At least appearance-wise

Chris smiles and nods towards Sam. "'sup boss. Nice day today."