Players:
Stryfe
Summary: Stryfe approaches Eris with an offer to join the Mutant Liberation Front.
Log Title: The Proposition
Rating: PG (V)
NYC - Four Arms Apartments (Roof)
The roof looks out over the city the best it can. Since it's only a few stories high and is one of the shorter buildings in the area the view isn't that great. There's an old pigeon coop up here that's long since been used and other than the door, that's the only other thing up here. There's a small railing around the edge that's just one bar with a few posts, nothing to really prevent anyone from going over the edge. Over all those it's a nice quiet spot to go and relax.
Scene
The weather is a bit cooler than it has been for the past few weeks. The sky is blue and dotted with a few white clouds, and the breeze is pleasant and just the right temperature. The roof of this building looks as though it is frequented by one person or another. There are a few bottles and cigarette butts scattered around, as well as a lawn chair and small table. A woman stands near the railing of the roof, leaning against it casually and glancing down at the city below. Eris sighs and shakes her head, it's been hard to leave Mutant Town since her photo was printed in the paper. She'll need to lie low for a little while. The woman is currently wearing black pants and a green shirt. Her eyes are obscured by sunglasses and she appears to have many items of expensive jewelry.
A buzzing sound followed by the sound of a loud displacement of air heralds the opening of a large glowing portal behind Eris. Slowly, almost casually, a man steps out. The man is dressed in thick armor with spikes about it, and a large metallic mask covering his face. He offers a deviant smile as he stands there. "Greetings, Eris. Or should I say… Envy?" He asks. A few seconds later, a woman appears behind him, dressed in a face and body-covering purple suit. The tail of hair that trails out the back is pink, as is the visor over her eyes.
Eris shakes her head at the buzzing and looks around for the source of the sound. She seems temporarily confused by the appearance of the portal, but when the people walk out she is less concerned. This is Mutant Town, and it is not uncommon to see someone fly up into the air or suddenly port into place. The woman does quirk a brow when her name is mentioned, holding out her hand and materializing a large quartz blade. "You know my name, wo who are you?" She narrows her eyes. "Most people looking for me are looking for trouble. They tend to find it."
"I should hope I've found trouble. Some of the members of my organization are… less than troublesome. And that pains me." The man says, voice deep and penetrating. "My name is Stryfe. I lead the Mutant Liberation Front. If… you've ever heard of us." Of course, the previous two stryfe's are dead or missing, so who he is is still a mystery. The man behind the mask is simply another face to carry it. "We fight for Mutant Rights. To give us a fair share in the world." He states simply. "And to prevent humanity from stifling us."
Eris alters her posture slightly to look a little less threatening, but she still keeps her sword out. She leans on one hip and rests the sword on her shoulder, still holding the hilt of the blade. She frowns at the man. "Mutant Liberation Front?" She ponders for a moment. "I have heard of you. Seperate from the group headed by Magneto, if I'm correct." She smirks. "And you call yourself Stryfe? I assume that you've heard of me, since you know my name. And since you are dissapointed in the lack of trouble caused by your associates, I'm guessing that you intend to use me to meet some end."
You aren't carrying anything.
"It's not a lack of trouble, but a lack of spine. Two of my members still have their consciences. Sometimes, we need fighters without those. Tempo and Bullet, while good soldiers, won't take their own initiative if they think it might be wrong. We're going to be staging a strike in a week at a facility that is run by mutant haters. Mutant haters who may have developped a way to counteract the X-Gene. And… obviously… we don't want that. We like our powers too much."
Eris studdies the man and taps the sword idly against her shoulder. She is silent for a few moments as she seems to try and decide whether or not this man is really worth her time. "If your members do not see that such a development is too dangerous to allow to exist, then maybe they aren't worthy of working for you. If such a method exists it would be Holocaust for our people." She taps her sword a couple more times. "It seems like something I would be interested in assisting you with. Something that most would assume I would assist I would take part in. So tell me, Mr. Stryfe, how do I know that you are who you say you are? Many people want me dead right now."
"You want proof of what? My mutancy? The fact that I'm not one of them? What would it take?" Stryfe asks with a laugh. "I will say this, if you insist on some sort of proof, just attempt an attack. You'll never lay a hand on me." He states with a little arrogance. "And my Locus would take me away in a heartbeat even if you managed to. No, Bullet and Tempo have their uses. I just need someone to… make sure they keep playing properly. We don't want either one alerting the wrong people. Bullet still has ties to the X. And Tempo… still has her family." His eyes would roll if they were very visible. "But they'll do what I tell them. Or else. As for you… You have strength, conviction… and RAGE." He grins.
Eris smirks slightly as the man speaks. "I see." She changes her stance again to one that's a bit more braced. Eris looks the man up and down and then glances at the woman who appeared with him. The armored suits do concern her slightly, since she fought with a heroic team a few days back who had similar costumes. "It is true that I have the properties you spoke of. But despite having chosen the name Envy, I also have Pride." She nods. "Let me put it this way. This company is a dire threat. It needs to be taken out quickly and completely. I don't see why you should be the one calling the shots on such an important operation just by listening to your words." She grins and tips up her sunglasses, revealing her eyes. "So here's the deal. I'll attack you. If you can go five minutes without taking a hit, I'll agree to join you. How's that sound?"
You aren't carrying anything.
"You're more than welcome to test me. But you will find yourself wanting." Stryfe laughs as he just takes a moment to… watch Eris. His eyes intent on her physical stature. That's all that makes a difference to him. "As for why I call the shots, I know what is going on. Always. There's very little I do not understand in this world." He states simply. "And… you couldn't stop their computer systems without my assistance."
Eris holds up her hands in a shrugging motion. The sword looks rather heavy, but she manipulates it as though it is hollow. "Still, after hearing your boasts I'd rather test you myself. And since you agreed to it…" She makes a shooing motion with her hand, indicating that the woman behind Stryfe should probably back up. Eris then holds up her sword next to her and looks as though she is about to charge. She stomps down her forward foot and causes an eruption of crystal spines to come up out of the roof around and beneath Stryfe. At the same time she drops her sword and materializes one of her crystal fan-blades before chucking it at the man.
Stryfe's movements seem to be semi-precognizant of what's about to happen. Before the crystals burst, he's already leaping behind himself to land on an air conditioning unit. The crystal fan blade was seen coming from way before. He pulls a shield from the back of his body armor and uses it to knock the crystal fan blade away. "Good attempt." He says, with a smile.
Eris seems only slightly surprised by Stryfe's dodges. The way he was speaking she assumed that he had an ability to counteract her own, but so far he seems only to have dodged. The woman charges forward and materializes a crystal scythe. She charges straight for her crystal spines and simply leaps through them to swing her weapon at Stryfe. The spines shatter before the woman reaches them. As Eris approaches a wall of crystal climbs up out of the ground behind Stryfe.
As the woman makes her move, Stryfe himself pauses a moment, to allow her to get close before leaping atop the growing crystal wall for a split second before leaping over the woman and her creations. He pulls a pair of metal spines out of his belt, and flings them in different directions. One, where Eris is now, and one where he feels she will be in a moment. "Eventually, I may share my secrets." He laughs.
Eris watches the man jump above her and runs up her own wall to do a running wall-kick and backflip back in his direction. As she begins to kick off she notices the metal spike and alters her trajectory, causing herself to roll off to the side rather than directly at Stryfe. She lands and grabs her left hand, looking down to notice that it has been glanced by a second metal spike. She stands up and snaps her fingers, causing the remaining spikes and wall to regress back into the ground slowly. She is repositioning the minerals to their original locations, not wanting to collapse the roof of a mutant apartment building by removing the minerals. Eris folds her arms, leaving her wounded hand visible. "Interesting. It seems that you can decide what I will do before I do it." She ponders for a few moments and nods. "Alright. At this time it appears that I cannot defeat you without endangering the stability of this building."
"There are ways around my ability. But few have found it. And… I congratulate you on dodging that last one. It's rare that someone sees it fast enough." Stryfe laughs. "Would you like to have others at your back who believe as you do? That we deserve EVERY right and privilege as those flatscans do? That we are supposed to be here? I don't care about ruling or any of that Magneto nonsense, I just want them to stop plotting against us. And if they do, well… they have no place in the world."
Eris reaches into a pocket and pulls out a tissue, wrapping it around her hand to suppress the bleeding. In truth she didn't see the second attack. Her foot slipped on the crystal wall and threw off her landing slightly. She won't admit this, however. Eris would rather him think she dodged intentionally. "I think that I could work with you. Personally I do believe that Mutants are superior to Humans, but Magneto's methods are too soft-hearted. If someone stands against our kind, they die. It is the natural order. Once they learn that then the world will be as it should be."
"Close enough. We're currently based in our own location. But we all have access to our teleporter. And she'll take us anywhere we want to go. Won't you?" Stryfe asks, turning to the purple-suited, pink-haired woman who moves to his side. "WE will come for you before the attack, and if you choose, you may come with us afterwards. No police will find you there. Human technology is limited in our hideaway."
Eris nods. "Ok. I think I'd like to help take this place down. Any idea when this will be taking place? I'd rather be dressed appropriately for battle if someone came to pick me up for that." Eris glances at the pink haired woman and nods. "We'll see how the situation plays out before deciding whether or not I come back with you." She probably will, since she is slightly curious about this hideout.
"Next Saturday, most likely. Maybe Friday. It'll be unexpected. But be prepared for either. I'll send our teleporter and either Tempo or Bullet to get you. They both… stand out a little. Tempo refuses to get rid of her gold lame. Bullet… well… he's rather large. Or rather small. Depending on how he feels." Stryfe states with a nod. The pink-haired girl flings something and a rip in space opens again. "We'll see you soon, Envy."
Envy nods. "Alright. I'll keep myself prepared on both days. I assume you know how to find me." The woman turns and walks back to the edge of the roof, not looking back as the man departs. "I'm glad someone is finally taking action."
~ Fin ~