[Nexus] HALO 179: Under New MAGnagement!

[Recaiden]

Arlem nods quickly. You are a lot alike, doubting yourself. Believe; people have more potential than you know. You've not seen a tenth of what the Nexus holds, so do. All things are at least a little possible here.
Leo might find that he does believe in himself and has great hopes for discovering his abilities, due to some attempted meddling with his emotions and memories. Just small changes, for his own good, she'd promise.

[Hattish Thing]

Magtok's Office

"If you're discovered, get out and go home. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. Get out alive and intact, by any means necessary. I can't guarantee an immediate rescue mission before something bad happens, if you're caught. A rescue mission will come, of course, but that doesn't excuse doing anything stupid. You will not be safe."

Magtok attempts to make eye contact with the both of them, to stress how serious he is about this right now.

Shoyler frowns and sighs a bit as he listens closely. It sounded like these slavers were particularly nasty pieces of work. It'd be dangerous, as Magtok warned. He'd need to be prepared. Yes, sir. I understand. Is it possible I be provided with elegant clothing or something like that? I could pretend to be the father of some far off Prince, eager to gather as many slaves to work as servants for his coming-of-age party. The ruse worked before when I was to infiltrate a Castle. Though we were disguised as slaves to enter, not... Uh... Not the buyers... Er... Sorry. I tend to rabble... My apologies.

[Zefir]

[PSI-chosis: Poolside]

"Hmmmm." Mr C replies " Yes that makes sense. Just need to know what I'm about to do."

Magtok's Office

It may be hard for him to look in their eyes, since Tovpir's eyes are futher down^^.

After all he jsut nods. Their is nothing to say for him and at least Tovpir got his natural protection. He only needs to worry if they find something strong enougth.

[Recaiden]

[Psi-chosis]

((A post for Zefir, since I had nothing to go on earlier))

"you're about to move things without a touch, like I can. Well, to start, close your eyes. Later it will help to perceive, but currently you want to focus on your mind's eye."
Arlem carefully pushes the air near Mr. C around.
"Can you see how I'm doing this?"
You can hear this, right? Can you make me stop speaking? Can you imagine how you would do that? It's hard because one can't perceive their brain, but think of the ideas this evokes.

[Lord Magtok]

Lab

"Hrm. So what else have you got around here, besides punch guns?" Poor Pesty; Magtok's already lost interest in Thumper. Doesn't really bode too well for future funding, does it?


MagOffice

"Done," Magtok snaps his fingers, and a Magbot walks in with a suitable costume hanging off of a coat hanger.

"I'll be sending one of my own to MALE if all I've got is you two, I suppose. "

[ImpSyndrome]

[PSI-chosis: Poolside]

Arlem nods quickly. You are a lot alike, doubting yourself. Believe; people have more potential than you know. You've not seen a tenth of what the Nexus holds, so do. All things are at least a little possible here.
Leo might find that he does believe in himself and has great hopes for discovering his abilities, due to some attempted meddling with his emotions and memories. Just small changes, for his own good, she'd promise.

Leo is thinking of raising a point in regards to reasonable doubt, but he suddenly feels an uncharacteristic swelling in his self-confidence. Was Arlem affecting his mood and behavior somehow? Regardless, he finds that his headache is gone now, and further telepathic messages sent to him will now be easier to both discover and decipher.

Leo realized the potential of PSI Telepath α!

"Alright, let's not waste any more time with words alone," braver!Leo says. "If there's any other place within HALO that would be more conducive to practicing psychic skills, we should go there; otherwise, I think we should get started right away. I've got to admit, I'm a bit excited to learn more of what I'm capable of."

[Mee]

"Erm....no idea about that. But I know she is really fast, uses Dust crystals, I think dual-wields some kind of weapon, oh and is friends with this girl named Arkhosia, good at fighting.....but when she joined? not the slightest clue."

"You're good friends with her, but don't know when she got here? Do you have any rough idea?" Kwen-ni asks, eyebrow raised slightly.


Civvy, who had excused herself from Magtok's office, was now around somewhere! She wasn't doing too much, so if anyone wanted to bother say hi to her, that would be good.

[Arkhosia]

"You're good friends with her, but don't know when she got here? Do you have any rough idea?" Kwen-ni asks, eyebrow raised slightly.


Civvy, who had excused herself from Magtok's office, was now around somewhere! She wasn't doing too much, so if anyone wanted to bother say hi to her, that would be good.

She may run into Plotclone!Thalia, stalking down the corridor with a frustrated look on her face.

[Mee]

She may run into Plotclone!Thalia, stalking down the corridor with a frustrated look on her face.

"Ohiathere." Civvy says, waving, looking up from her book.

[Arkhosia]

"Ohiathere." Civvy says, waving, looking up from her book.

Hello miss.
The fox Faunus, ears perked and tail swishing in irritation, says to her as she strides briskly into the kitchen.
She looks rather irritated.

[Mee]

Hello miss.
The fox Faunus, ears perked and tail swishing in irritation, says to her as she strides briskly into the kitchen.
She looks rather irritated.

"Hey-" Civvy started to say, before Thalia kept going right past her.

Civvy shrugged slightly, and just went back to her book.

[Arkhosia]

"Hey-" Civvy started to say, before Thalia kept going right past her.

Civvy shrugged slightly, and just went back to her book.

From the kitchen, one may hear a clinking of bottles and glasses, a chair being pulled roughly, and some crying.

[Mee]

From the kitchen, one may hear a clinking of bottles and glasses, a chair being pulled roughly, and some crying.

Well, Civvy was actually no where near the kitchen. She was just in a random hallway somewhere reading.

[Arkhosia]

Well, Civvy was actually no where near the kitchen. She was just in a random hallway somewhere reading.

I thought hallway was near the kitchen, sorry!
If retconning:
Thalia instead of walking away, asks Civvy:
Do you know where the kitchen is?

[Mee]

I thought hallway was near the kitchen, sorry!
If retconning:
Thalia instead of walking away, asks Civvy:
Do you know where the kitchen is?

"Turn left, walk about two more hallways, then it'll be on the right." Civvy says, pointing off in one direction down the hall.

[Arkhosia]

"Turn left, walk about two more hallways, then it'll be on the right." Civvy says, pointing off in one direction down the hall.

Okay, thanks. Is there any alcohol there?
Thalia asks, slightly relieved.

[Mee]

Okay, thanks. Is there any alcohol there?
Thalia asks, slightly relieved.

"Yup. Should at least be the stuff for cooking, but I think some people hide beers in the fridge, and probably at least a few things of wine."

[Lord Raziere]

"You're good friends with her, but don't know when she got here? Do you have any rough idea?" Kwen-ni asks, eyebrow raised slightly.

Damn, she caught him there. He really only met her once after all.
"Ok, I'll be honest with you, but you gotta promise to keep this a secret. Don't worry, it won't get in the way of your duties. I hope."

[Arkhosia]

"Yup. Should at least be the stuff for cooking, but I think some people hide beers in the fridge, and probably at least a few things of wine."

Ok, thanks. God knows I need some.
Thalia comments, unaware that a god does not know that, and walks away.

[Mee]

Damn, she caught him there. He really only met her once after all.
"Ok, I'll be honest with you, but you gotta promise to keep this a secret. Don't worry, it won't get in the way of your duties. I hope."

Kwen-ni crossed her arms, and raised an eyebrow at him. "All right. Let's hear it."

Ok, thanks. God knows I need some.
Thalia comments, unaware that a god does not know that, and walks away.

Civvy watches her goes, blinks a few times, and goes back to her book.

[Arkhosia]

Kwen-ni crossed her arms, and raised an eyebrow at him. "All right. Let's hear it."



Civvy watches her goes, blinks a few times, and goes back to her book.

Anyone who enters the kitchen will find a fox Faunus downing a bottle of wine!

[Lord Magtok]

Kitchen

"No, this doesn't look like a treasury, either. Drat." Magtok apparently meant to be elsewhere, but lingers just a minute longer, reaching out to wordlessly pat Thalia's shoulder. Presuming she doesn't say or do anything in response, that's all the comfort he intends to offer before resuming his search for HALO's fabled secret money vaults of endless gold. Y'know, the one that totally exists outside the hopes and dreams of our cyborg, and has definitely been funding this place since it started.

[Arkhosia]

Kitchen

"No, this doesn't look like a treasury, either. Drat." Magtok apparently meant to be elsewhere, but lingers just a minute longer, reaching out to wordlessly pat Thalia's shoulder. Presuming she doesn't say or do anything in response, that's all the comfort he intends to offer before resuming his search for HALO's fabled secret money vaults of endless gold. Y'know, the one that totally exists outside the hopes and dreams of our cyborg, and has definitely been funding this place since it started.

I just wish I could work up the courage to face my fears sometimes. You ever get that feeling, Magtok?
Her voice is slightly slurred. Huh. Guess Vinum Veritas is true.

[Lord Magtok]

Kitchen

"Sometimes, sure. She died on her own, though. Or...deadtimed, more accurately. I like to imagine I'd be able to stand up to her and win, now that I've aged and grown, but really, she'd probably just have me whimpering in a corner all over again."

Magtok peers at the door, considering whether to stay or just leave on that cryptic note, before his conscience eventually wins out, and he takes a seat opposite Thalia.

"Regina Idiotarum. Alternately, Rex Idiotarum. King of Idiots, in Latin. A genderfluid shapeshifter, deity-level sorcerer specializing in blood magicks, and leader of AMEN at the time. August, seven years ago, in Trog's Tavern. I'd taken over the Town, which is what we were calling the Nexus back then, and raised AMEN's banner over it, only for her to take it back down and give the world back to its people, for some really stupid reason. Then she became a cop, more or less took over the town a second time, and just...she just cuffed me and marched me upstairs to her room, right in front of everyone. Nobody said or did anything, whether because of fear of her or just callousness, they just...let her go."

Magtok shakes his head, and produces his own bottle. Not the same stuff, though. Can't go confessing to everything. He pours himself a glass, or more precisely, a cheap plastic cup, and sips from that.

"The important thing to remember is it wasn't your fault. It doesn't matter if you fought every step of the way, or quit partway through because you thought you'd die, or lost hope right from the beginning. The blame doesn't lie with you, and you're not obligated to prove anything to anyone because of it. You're not a victim or broken or any less of a person for anything that happened. It doesn't define who you are, and doesn't have to be a part of how you present yourself to the world."

[Arkhosia]

Kitchen

Thalia turns visibly pale when he talks about the Rex and Trog's thing.
... That's what happened to me. Thank god the bastard who did it to me got shot in the head in an alleyway by law enforcement.
I know, but as you probably read, I was left with mental issues from that. I m certainly not broken, but it does define me and who I am, Magtok. The reason I declined the mission... not only due to my status as wanted in Skyside, but because I can't trust myself to not attempt to slay the owners in a blind rage at all the misery I'd see.

[Lord Magtok]

Kitchen

"I know what happened to you, Thalia, that's why I told you that story. And I just mean in the long-term. Right now, sure, it's the biggest thing that's happened to you in a long time, but in a year? Two, maybe? You'll have other things going on. Skyside's slavers are going to be beaten up, down, and sideways for all they've done, HALO's going to help you through this or that, and things are going to get better."

He reaches a hand out across the table, to rest over hers.

"It will get better, okay? I promise, as leader of HALO, as Lord Magtok, and if you'll have me, as a friend. We'll get you past your issues, clear the bounty, whatever else needs to be done. Your past will lose, it will be utterly vanquished, and future you will be free to be whatever she wants without fear."

Magtok, I don't think that's a kind of promise you're qualified to make.

[Lord Raziere]

Kwen-ni crossed her arms, and raised an eyebrow at him. "All right. Let's hear it."

"the truth is that I only met her once when she foiled my robbery attempt of some gems. I'm not really a sheriff, I just pretended to be one to infiltrate HALO to check up on her without being caught as the criminal I am, since its supposed to be the Heroic Anti-Evil and LAWBREAKING Organization, so I figured you'd all be like those strict police types that don't tolerate crime around these parts and pursue it with zeal towards anyone who dares do evil or break the law, and I'm being honest now because you spotted an inconsistency in my lie that I could find no way to lie around.

My real name, is Valcario De Zantasa, pirate, cowboy, thief of boredom, and I'm starting to think my assumptions about this place are crooked if they have let evil people in before and are undisciplined enough to let a valuable resource like you clearly go to waste. I truly am only trying to check up on Caelynn though, just a visit. Man, I've gone to so much trouble to do this that I'm starting to question if just walking in and just honestly asking outright, then walking out as if I was a normal person would've been faster and more effective. Which doesn't give me a lot of faith in your organization, how am I supposed to be running from the authorities and living on the edge of civilized society while braving death or capture if your so.....laid back about this? Not natural."

[Arkhosia]

magtok succeeds!
Thalia simply nods, beforeattempting to give Magtok a hug!
Thank you.

[Lord Magtok]

Kitchen

Aaagh, hug! As much as Magtok might insist he's fine now, hugs still put him a little on edge. He's had plenty of years to master the art of not looking like he's freaking out inside, though. He even manages to pat her back briefly and pull away at the appropriate time, without darting away before the hug can start or going catatonic halfway through!

"Just doing my job. Don't tell anyone about Regina though, okay? I'm not ashamed of it anymore, I just...I don't want anyone to feel bad for me over something that happened a whole seven years ago, y'know? Someone to look up to, a villain to look down on, maybe, but I'm not after anyone's pity."

He drops that empty plastic cup in a trash can, as he heads out of the room.

"What I am after is this place's treasury. You haven't seen it, have you? Blargh, I can't find a single thing in this darned Rapture-imitation when I'm looking for it. I swear, I've seen like six bathrooms, passed the dormitories eleven times, and I'm pretty sure I walked in on some DRDs about to curtain, but no treasury. HALO has to keep funds for things like fancy tournaments somewhere, but if I have to ask one of the vets, I'm going to look silly."

You already look silly, Magtok.

[Beans]

Lab

"Hrm. So what else have you got around here, besides punch guns?" Poor Pesty; Magtok's already lost interest in Thumper. Doesn't really bode too well for future funding, does it?

He'll just be foisting the problem on someone else. I pity the Lemurians.
Weeeeeell, I had tentacles in storage, but I was worried Marvel would sue on behalf of Doc Ock... I do still have the Phoena Belts, those are kind of like lightish power armor.