AngelofOctober

Mass Effect: Intervention

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Young Justice Avenger (A Next Generation Amalgamverse)

@Timemaster

There is a kid here. That has to be rough. To be the only kid, and even a sixteen year old is vastly different from an eleven year old. He’d have to do his best to make sure that the kid would be properly protected. Sure in a world of powers kids are more capable, but they aren’t more capable mentally. Wish Tony had thought this through better than that.

There’s the girl who looks like she ran a marathon, up 1,860 steps? That’s either a test of her endurance, but judging how sick she looks - was it worth it he wonders? The younger ones were going to have to be taken care of by the older ones. They had more experience more wisdom

Something about the Joker’s son? Well he takes back anything profound he said just a second ago about the older being more experienced and wise. He’s also starting to creep himself out because he’s starting to sound like some entitled hero with a big head and this is starting to sound a lot like

Micheal: Viral could you not passively influence my emotions

Viral: You were worried about a small head

-That actually wasn’t at all what I was worried about

Viral: Now you’re not

That voice though? That has to be

Viral: Danger!

Viral No!

Micheal -sigh-: It wasn't a real guillotine. Tone it down.

Viral now standing in the room surveying all the little flesh sacks he had been surveying next to Micheal, proudly licks his fangs and flexes his four arms proudly.

"Either way they now know I am on guard and prepared to defend them from danger,"

Micheal: Is that your attempt at a nice save?

Thornwood Asylum For The Criminal Insane- A Villain Roleplay. (Closed Indefinitely)

Upside down. Blissfully unaware of the goings on outside. There were a lot of pitter patter of feet.

“One feet,”

“Two feet,”

“Hehehe,”

“Bye bye feet,”

The feet were stomping. Running. His feet were wildly stuck in the air as he waved them around toward the ceiling. Feet. Feet. Hehe.He's listening in, wondering what’s going on and why there is so much stomping going on outside.

“They have escaped!”

Ohhhhh? Nifty. Nifty swifty. The prisoners have escaped. The guards sound scared, worried, or concerned or both or all of them. Swinging his feet around. The lights flickered briefly. Hmmmmm? The lights danced briefly. More stomping outside.

Then the locks clicked. Something is happening outside. Simone huffs, blowing what little hair has gotten in his eyes. Is it warmer in his cell? Maybe? Swinging his legs back and forth. His ears perk up to the sound of-

-Huh is that killing outside!? Are people dying outside of his cell?

“One guard,”

“Two guards,”

“Thre- no that’s an inmate,”

“Bye bye inmate,”

“Three guards!”

“Hehehe”

It feels warmer in his cell. Maybe. Just a little? He feels a little warmer, unlike before. Blood feels like it is flowing again. His cell door opens-

-AAAAAAAAH!” he slams the door closed.

“Ah?” Simone ask.

The guard turns around, “Fuck! Do - do you have powers?”

“Heehe, silly everybody here does,”

“How - how bad are you?”

“Not bad at all,” Simone tells him, “They took me in and I have done nothing wrong.”

“That can’t be true,” the guard stammers.

“Oh it's very true,” Simone responds, “What’s your name?”

“Edward,”

Eddy the No Face Guard. Because all the guards look the same. They all wear the same clothes. Maybe they are the same person!

“That’s a nice name,” he giggles.

“How old are you?” Eddy ask him.

“I dunno,”

Eddy suddenly has a face to show expression. He looks confused. Simone’s confused too. He answered truthfully. He blinks at Eddy’s puzzlement.

“You don’t know?”

“It’s the truth,”

“They just threw a child into Thornwood?” Eddy sounds baffled.

“Does everyone here deserve to be here, in your opinion?”

Eddy takes time to think about it, scratching his red beard. Ope. No face. His face vanishes until needed for further purpose.

“I suppose,” Eddy sighs with conflict in his voice, “Not.”

“See,” Simone kicks his legs in the air, “I don’t belong in here.”

“There’s a riot happening,” Eddy begins to explain, “Someone has taken over the facility, the power isn’t working as well, and the inmates are escaping. Powers are back online.”

That’s very interesting.

“Saaaay, Eddy, I am going to have to defend myself,” Simone begins in his sing-song way.

“I don’t know if I feel comfortable with releasing you,”

Simone blinks and does jumping jacks in the air, “I promise I won’t do anything bad and I’ll go right back to my cell if that’s what you want after. Pretty pleaaase. You came in here which means you need to be protected, righhht?”

“I - you promise? I could lose my job if I let you free,”

“I promise,”

Eddy makes his way over. March. March. Authoritative feet. He leans over him, still upside down, till he somersaults to stand up. Facing Eddy. Staring into his pixelated blurry face. Wait, it would be better if he had a face now. Staring into his pensive brown eyes.

“I am going to release you,” Eddy tells him, putting his hands on the straps of his jacket.

“Thank you,”

“One strap,”

“Two strap,”

Eddy watches him hesitantly, “You’re really a child, aren't you?”

“And it was very bad to lock me in here, huh?”

Eddy hesitantly begins to undo the bindings of his straightjacket. Eddy is so tall. But Simone leans his head into his chest. As if a child would bury their head into the chest of a Father. Silly Eddy isn’t his Father. But that’s what Eddy wants.

“What are you thinking about?” Simone asks Eddy.

“I,” Eddy seems puzzled by his gesture, but places his hand on his head, “My own children. And how I would feel if they were in a place like this.”

“Aww, that’s so sweet, I remind you of your children,”

Finally his bindings are done. Stretching out his arms. Mmmm. Nice. Eddy looks at him. Oh he still has a face. He’s smiling warmly at him. Simone leaps up to hug Eddy, “Oh thank you! Thank you!”

“Of course, should we get out of here?” Eddy smiles.

“I think so,” Simone smiles, dropping back to the ground.

Eddy nods and begins to lead. He wasn’t paying attention very well. Poor Eddy probably just wanted to go home. His feet go stomp. Stomp. As he is motivated to protect him. Simone fiddles with the gun he took from Eddy’s holster. Oh did he say nothing about that? He took it. Tee-Hee.

“Say,” Simone speaks up as Eddy opens the door.

“Yes, what is it-

-Bang. Eddy is shocked. They never fall to the floor dramatically like they do in the movies. Eddy’s eyes shake. He goes to grab for his taser.

“I took that too, while we were talking,” Simone giggles.

“Why?!” Eddy screams.

“So that way you can wonder what it is like to be killed by your children too,”

Of course he didn’t Have to kill him. But Eddy is a guard. And Simone could never be friends with a guard. If Simone was going to be a hero, then he had to kill the bad guys. He heads to the door and opens it, stepping out of his cell. Now what did freedom look like in a prison riot?

Young Justice Avenger (A Next Generation Amalgamverse)

“Gram,”

Welp she noticed.

“You aren’t getting yourself in trouble?”

“No,”

“But you’re sneaking out,”

“Sneaking out,” it’s broad daylight, “in broad daylight, through the front door?”

“You usually tell me where you’re going,”

That’s true.

Especially since he helps out during the day at the bookstore, stationed in downtown York. He thought that he could’ve left earlier, now he’s probably going to be late despite being early.

“I am just going,” MIcheal responds.

“When are you going to be back?”

“Later,”

Gram is staring at him.

“Later, maybe not for a while,” Micheal scans the bookstore, staring at the shelves, “Bye.”

He panics rushing out the front door. He doesn’t like leaving her out of the know, but in this case it’s probably for the best. She’d likely freak out if he told her what he was doing and there is always the risk that someone might try to use them to get to him. Get accepted into Tony Stark's team, suddenly thinking like a bigshot. Think your head is getting a bit big there Micheal.

Viral: I think your head is a little small

“I mean getting an ego,” Micheal says out loud. He’s used to looking a little strange responding out loud to a conversation he can only hear.

All he has to do is walk a few blocks and should be there. But now he’s definitely later than what he intended. Hopefully he isn’t the only one late.

Making a good impression already. He hopes Gram and Gramps aren’t too upset with him flying out of the shop, honestly he got nervous. Explaining hero stuff to Gram and Gramps is kind of difficult and showing them VIral would be a nightmare. Viral’s a bull - well in a bookstore.

Viral: I am not a bull.

Micheal: It’s a saying Viral we have been over this.

Viral: I am merely saying your phrases are inaccurate

Micheal: Sorry. Showing Gram and Gramps a horrendously hulking, four armed, alien monstrosity in a bookstore will go well.

Viral: This is that Human thing when you say one thing, but you mean another

Micheal: Sarcasm

Viral: Sarcasm.

He shakes his head. Speaking of Viral. He’s not sure how to introduce him to a team of young heroes. Taking out a cigarette.

Viral: Don’t worry our meeting will go horrible.

Lighting it. Pausing.

“Is that your attempt at sarcasm?” he ask with lit smoke in his mouth. A woman passes him a look as he walks.

Viral: I did well

Is he flexing his four arms? He probably is proud of himself. Micheal sighs, taking a drag. Inhaling. Then exhaling. It’s a relatively calming task because the truth is that he doesn’t have nerves of steel. A young team of heroes, hopefully Tony Stark knows what he is doing, and hired who he thought was the best of the best of the young heroes.

Finally here. That didn’t take long. But he’s definitely late, hopefully he can get to the elevator because 93 stories was a bit much. Snuffing the cigarette out on the lid of a nearby trash can.

Ready?

Viral: My nerves don’t quake

He’s going to take that as a yes. Stepping into the lobby. Crap. Someone else is using the elevator. And apparently going up multiple floors? Multiple people then? It smells - medical in here. Reminds him of the hospitals in fact. Everything here is so sterile. Stairs it is then. 93 steps. And he was going to have to take it at a brisk pace, wasn’t he?

Viral: I could take the stairs for us.

I don’t really think that’s the best idea.
Viral: Why are you always so worried about how people will react to me?

Because I don’t know if anyone has been briefed and suddenly a large alien monstrosity walks into the room. It’s called tact Viral

Viral: Fear is also a tactic

And this is why you’re not going up the stairs or entering the room

Sighing. This is going to take him a while isn’t it?

Why did it take you so long?

Oh I had to walk up a flight of steps.

Why didn’t you take the elevator?

Oh because it was currently in use.

Viral: Or you could let me have the glory conquering the stairs

Tone down the glory talk
Viral: Will they truly fear me?

Micheal sighs. Crap. He’s being a bit too hard on him. He swears he sees a big black blur up one of these steps.

“Sorry partner, I shouldn’t be so harsh on you,” he apologizes, “This is going to be difficult for the both of us. And you must be anxious too.”

Viral: I do not fear others judgements

Trying to act tough for the both of them, isn’t he? He appreciates Viral's just trying to help and he’s lashing out. He shouldn’t have been so harsh. He’s been a bit too mean to Viral today.

“It’s okay to admit it Viral, you’re a protector, but you cannot always be the one protecting, having vulnerability is okay too. It makes you stronger,”

Viral: Does that mean

Uh no. Let me explain first. Then can you introduce yourself? Okay? Please trust me.

Viral: You’re the only human I do trust, very well

Just take it nice and slow Micheal.

He's result to counting the steps to pass the time;

99

100

Viral: Why are you counting? Is there a significance in this?
You’re going to make me lose track.

200

There are a lot of stairs. Why even have stairs? Why can’t there be two elevators? He hasn’t seen that figure in black since several floors below.

300

Okay he’s going to stop counting. It got ridiculous the moment he reached 250.

500

Why is he still counting? To keep his mind busy he supposed. He stopped being nervous about the situation two hundred steps ago.

800

He has to sit down and take a break.

Viral: What if I told you my nerves quake?

“I wouldn’t view you any less,” Micheal responds, taking a sip of water in his backpack, “In fact I would appreciate the honesty and think that you are truly braver than most who wouldn’t be able to admit such a thing.”

Viral: Hmm I will have to contemplate your answer

Break over.

Where was he 800. Counting is the tortuous part. Standing back up. And starting it all over again at.

801 and go.

900

920

Sure he’s not nervous any more, but doubt is creeping in. Is he the right person for the job? Will Viral and him provide what the team needs? Will they be of any help?

1,000

Seriously this is going to keep going? This is not the end of the stairs?

1,300

Maybe he lied about not being nervous any more. Maybe he was trying to believe he wasn’t nervous. Maybe these steps are some kind of test.
1,500

When are these stairs going to end? The profound thinking of two hundred steps ago have vanished.

Made it!

1,860 steps.

There's a muffled conversation behind a door: "Go ahead, get Miss Triathlon a bottle of water, a coffee for Miss Lance, did I miss anything?"

He’s probably very late. He walks slowly, leg honestly feeling like jelly right now. At least he didn’t run up the steps and simply took it at his own pace. Opening the door, oh that girl looks like she’s going to puke on the rug, doesn’t she? Did she run up here? She’s soaked in sweat. Maybe no one will notice he’s very late, as he tries to sneak in without being noticed. Like being late for class.

Thornwood Asylum For The Criminal Insane- A Villain Roleplay. (Closed Indefinitely)

Storytime

*I am kidding, kidding, I am not a monster. I am:

Known Aliases: Gremlin

Age:
22
24
25
29

*I've lost track. I look like this:

*Lol. :P

Appearance:

"Have you ever seen a 5'3" man at 125 pounds fend off four guards, they had to restrain each of his limbs, he may not be as strong as them. But he wormed around like a weasel, singing his head off the entire way down the hallway until someone shoved something in his mouth to shut him up. I am not even convinced he's one person, but four psychos in a trench coat." -An Account from a Guard at St. Wesley's Hospital

You're not so certain that Simone is all that there, sitting in his cell, just singing nursery rhymes and laughing to himself. The platinum blond, slumped over, giggling and talking to himself. Lavender colored irises, if you get the chance to look him straight in the eye they seems completely lucid. Does he even perceive the same reality as others you wonder.

Short framed and compact build, it's not that Simone is some secret powerhouse, but he does posses a surprised strength. He isn't going to go somewhere if he doesn't want to go and will drag his heels, unless someone has super strength then he's going no matter what. If he weren't in his straight jacket, he'd likely wear loose fitting clothes, that are easier to maneuver in. Running ankle sneakers, a lightweight rain coat, and a loose fitting shirt and pants. Would be something he'd prefer to wear.

Talks in a distinct croaky, vocal fry, that is somewhat nasally, slightly sing song cadence. Though that often shifts depending on circumstance. And can become more sinister and menacing.

Psyche Profile:

Simone is actually a really good. I never meant to hurt anyone I mean I never hurt anyone. I had a lot of good friends. They liked me because they thought I was really sweet. Which I am. I promise to keep all of my friends secrets and I'll never tell them. My lips are sealed. So are theirs though too. Bad luck follows me everywhere I go. And all of my friends end up dead. Their blood is very pretty like paint. It's ombre - that means multiple colors, sometimes I like to watch the colors change. But it can get smelly if it sits out too long.

History:

There was a prince who lived an ancient castle. But he was not the song of the king as the king thought. So he locked the prince away in a tower for the rest of his life. Until one day he met a powerful creature who could turn him immortal.
*Snickers. That's not true. I am not a prince or immortal.

I was actually kidnapped by aliens, but they brought me back when they no longer wanted me. When they realized they couldn't experiment on me. I remember their ship being bright and cold, and when I looked out the windows I saw so many stars. Space was beautiful. I loved looking at the milky way, it was peaceful and I began to really love those aliens. But those aliens didn't love me.
*Do you believe me?

Stop that you're giving away the secret. Let me tell the truth. I promise to tell the truth now. Please believe me. I was born to a single Mom, who had me, but my Mom suffered from the kind of depression woman get after giving birth. She thought I was the seed of evil. She told my Mother that I was the son of a Revenant. No one of course believed her. Because there's no such thing, not in suburbia. Especially if you're not the chosen one. Or special in some way. And my Mom wasn't special, or else she wouldn't have hated me when I was born. And I wasn't special or else I would be the chosen one. I am a haunted one. A cursed one instead. That's why I had to die. Or at least that's what she said.

My Aunty didn't believe so she took me and raised me. With her own children. I was the middle child. I had an older sister and an younger brother. But it was always very clear that I was taken in by strange circumstances. My obsession with blood began at an early age, they say. They always treated me like I was Special, not special.

They say it is because my brain was damaged that I was a little slow. But I wasn't. They just wanted to perceive me that way. Made them feel good to take care of the Special baby they rescued.

*Do you feel sorry for me? Did I make you cry? What if I lied about that too?

Gremlin's not a different side of me. It's what people started calling me. I don't know why, but I like it.

Ready For a Hunt

Powers:
Blood Weaver - There were monsters who lived among humans who fed upon their blood and wove blood to their uses. Versatile and limited to the imagination of the weaver, the blood weavers were powerful sorcerers of humans who joined covens of Vampires being permanently fed on for knowledge. Some blood weavers were Vampire sorcerers who used blood as a focus for magic. And Revenants. Though how blood is used as a source for magic is not the blood, but the life energy within the blood that circulates through the user ,and their unwilling victims, body. For you see neither Revenant or Vampire are undead creatures.

Capabilities:

Bloody Manifestation - Accessing his veins by cutting through his skin. Simone has the ability to weave the life force in his blood and utilize in different ways;

Ichorpods - He can extend the blood pouring from his veins into pseudopod like tentacles which he then can use to grab onto objects, lift himself to higher places, trip other people, grab onto people and hoist them up. He can group the tentacles together to create a shield that can slow down the force of objects like bullets, and shield himself from taking lethal slashes.
Example:

Crystallization - Has the ability to harden his blood and crystalize it. Allowing him to use it for many different functions. He can hold down an enemy with a ichorpod, cut the ichorpod, and harden the ichorpod to hold down their ankle. Or he can use it to harden to create a blade or other weaponry or tool.

Fragment

Faster Healing - Because Simone's blood is literally like magic, he has a much faster healing time than most folk do. His minor cuts, scratches, scrapes, and bruises heal within seconds. For more medium wounds it takes a bit longer for the wounds to close up, if minor wounds are within seconds, than medium, deep wounds might take upward to eight minutes at the fastest and ten minutes. For lethal wounds, he doesn't recover as fast and still requires medical treatment. His healing doesn't stop him from dying. Just stops him from dying As fast as a regular Human. He can choose to control his healing.

Bloody Extraction- Can extract the blood from others as well, either draining them, and or controlling the flow of their blood. *Or extracting genetic memory from that individual from taste. *If they are willing that is.

Hemo-Pressure Vibrating his bloodstreams or ichorpods, he can turn his blood into a stream of high pressure liquid that can cut through steel, or hard surfaces.

Weaknesses:

General Overview:
Revenant Cell Anemia - Simone's powers do not recover red blood cells. He does deal with the affects of anemia, which is fatigue, and the more he uses his powers the more fatigue he feels. Fatigue is the least of his worry, he can also deal with dizzy spells, vertigo, and generally go unconscious if his iron levels get too low.

Blood Loss- Faster Healing doesn't mean he cannot bleed himself out. There is always that risk.

Bloody Extraction - Cannot bleed someone out or take control of their blood if they are unwilling. Will to Live is a natural deterrent for him to bleed them out because he's not controlling blood, he is controlling their life force. If they have a strong will of life, he's not going to be able to bleed them out.

*Lost of Memory - Revenants can lose their memory when sharing genetic memory of those that they are extracting when tasting them. This is often when they drink more than they need. When Revenants are high on blood many memories can get mixed together. Making a Revenant confused about themselves.

Blood Addiction Frenzy - Revenants and Vampires do not need Blood to survive. They drink Blood because it can be highly addictive and give them similar affects of being drunk or being high. They need to stop themselves from going on Blood Frenzies its why many Revenants do not fully extract others, simply take what is needed to stop themselves from becoming addicted.

Skills and Talents:

Sorcery -
A long time ago a strange person told me how to use magic. They whispered magic's secrets to me and I listened to them. And I practiced it, over and over again till it became second nature to me.

Foraging -
Someone once told me the secrets of the lands, about the mushrooms and berries you can eat, and the ones that will make you sick.

Don't Eat Me- by Simone

Drawing -
The pencil spoke to me and told me what to do. So I learned to draw following the instructions of the pencil.

Being Sneaky-
I can walk on my tippy-toes and move quietly in my environment. I learned from a cat that once spoke to me and told me how to do so.

Balancing -
This kitty cat taught me how to balance really well on tiny spaces. I can walk on rails very carefully, and can land very carefully without losing my balance.

Analyzing -
Sometimes I watch the environment very carefully. Like the watchdog who once spoke to me. I am very good at picking out patterns and details and putting them together.

Acrobatics -
I was taught how to soar by a bird once. I can do lots of high flips. And jump from high places and landing well. Flipping and spinning and soaring in the sky.

Motivations: To find myself. Myself flew flew away. And I do not know who I am any more. Once I am free I will find the memories I lost. And find who I am. My head is so messy. So many things to remember.

Containment Procedures: Patient should remain in cell, away from individuals with blood. Keep his iron blood levels low, in order to keep him fatigued and malaise, as well keep him restrained in a straight jacket to keep him from access to his own blood source. Patient must stay away from sharp objects. And keep his cell at a low temperature to keep his blood from flowing appropriately.

Young Justice Avenger (A Next Generation Amalgamverse)

We're Doing This Aren't We

Viral likes to think my middle name stands for him, but it's Vincent. For those curious.

Age: 20
Appearance:

Just Chillin'

From first glance at a distance Micheal might look more intimidating and much bigger than his actual frame. The lean framed man is swallowed by a massive hoodie that swallows his frame. Though he's always preferred comfy lounge wear, over what he calls tight clothing. A pair of cargos with a ton of pockets, he jokingly calls them his utility pockets.That's the truth to a certain extent, his pockets hold his keys, his pack of smoke, a utility tool, but nothing he suppose a hero would carry around. A pair of worn down black and white converse in a hoodie that doesn't belong to him.

5'5" he's not the tallest guy of the bunch and he's not built for strength much either. He's built for running or really, quick escapes and getaways flying from rooftops, soaring from rooftop to rooftop. Which seems impressive to others considering his prosthetic left leg. Viral does all the physical labor usually. He has a husky voice usually on the more hoarse side of things.

Known Aliases: Viral [Veer-all]

You're being a bit much.

Is this better?

Thank you for discovering your library voice

I Live Inside of Us

Venom? No. A four armed monstrosity takes over Micheal's form, revealing some 7ft, creature with a snarling voice, and a long tongue. There is no symbol on its chest, most familiar with what this is may see them only associated with the Spiderman. But Viral seems not associated. Despite its size Viral has well developed legs, a lean bulky frame, and a massive tail. As if its taken on some features and knowledge of its host.

Powers:

Viral has similar capabilities all Symbiotes share:

All symbiotes have the ability to form tendril-like pseudopods. Which Viral uses to deflect blows and ensnare prey.

Symbiotes have the ability to process breathable gases when the host normally cannot breathe.

Symbiotes can expand to considerable limits in order to cover any host or object. It should also be noted that their constitute matter is also somewhat bulletproof, it takes a few shots before someone can penetrate the suit and bring harm to the host.

Symbiotes that have fully bonded with their hosts have a more biologically complex symbiosis with their hosts, and can share thoughts and memories with them.

Powers of Viral -

Enhanced Strength - Name speaks for itself. Viral often times the muscle of the duo. Able to rip doors off its hinges, bend metal. He's so dense he can stop cars in their track. If the scale of strength is from Normal Human to Superman, Viral sits in the middle at Hulk strength, but not Superman levels of strength. His limitations seems to be at semi truck level.

Life-Force Drain - When Viral ensnare and entraps his prey, he then can drain their life-force from their body. This life-force is then synthesize for various uses, it can be used to fuel Viral and give him an extra boost in vigor. Not necessarily making him stronger, but making him breathe deeper, focus better. The second way life-force can be synthesized is used for minor healing affects, ways of repairing damage or exertion.

Minor healing effects in this case mean; *Notes from me I dislike healin' that can just solve everything so healin' always gonna be on the low tier scale imo. He can regenerate some minor wounds, gashes, and some deep cuts. But we're not talkin' healing from lethal injuries here. This use of life-force is extended upon Micheal because Viral protects Micheal.

Acidic Claws, Barb Tail Tip and Fangs- Viral has the bite force of an alien great white, unhinging his jaws and being able to tear into the flesh of humans and anything as weak as them. His teeth and his claws are coded in an acid that also burns their flesh, eating away at the wound. The acid last a short period of time, though it leaves a burning stinging rash afterwards that last a few hours.

Stinger - Viral possess a barbed stinger on the tip of his tail. Which has a powerful neurotoxin. When slashed or pierced with Viral's barbed tail, the neurotoxin enters the blood stream and begins to leave the victim with sharp nerve pain. Think a jellyfish sting, but at an intense level that could cause death, though most of the time those that get struck by the tail live in miserable agony for up to an hour to 24 hours. Depends on the doses.

ESP - Has the ability to sense incoming threats. It's not necessarily a Spider Sense because it doesn't sense danger, and is much quicker than Spider Sense is. But it can detect danger in every direction rather than danger from a singular space. Giving Viral ample time to dodge bullets, punches, and blows.

Micheal's Powers -

Even without the Symbiote suit Micheal had already possessed his own meta-genes.

Minor Regeneration - Viral only enhances Micheal's natural regeneration from minor wounds. [see my note about healing powers] It's Micheal's regeneration abilities from cuts, scrapes, minor bruising, that likely saved Micheal from the car crash that killed his parents. With the Symbiote suit - Micheal's regeneration is enhanced significantly. Again though he's not resurrecting from the dead and lethal wounds still recover medical attention. The way lethal and major wounds work with his regeneration is that the wound is partially regenerating and breaking down at the same time, giving him a longer window before death.

Equipment:

This is starting to feel like airport security. I don't really have anything special.

Usually carries on him a small travel size bag with some water in it
Also a pair of tactical finger less gloves inside that bag

Otherwise, some stale gum - forgot it was in there honestly and I think a water bottled leaked on it. Getting it stuck to the nylon.

An expired coupon

Pack of cigarettes

Skills:

Viral tends to steal a lot of my skills

We share knowledge and memories. It is less stealing and me enhancing your natural capabilities. I am borrowing.

And I only borrowed those vehicles

Shall I remove myself from your mind and flesh?

I am only joking. You're really bad at reading tone sometimes.

Boxing - *Micheal is a skilled boxer, he's been technically practicing boxing at a young age. He used to watch his father's fights in the ring and copy his moves. His father was a well renown boxer at some point in time
*Viral sharing knowledge with Micheal allows Viral to mimic Micheal's boxing style. All though add four arms into the mix and Viral can land a lot more blows than Micheal can.

Free-Running - Though derived from parkour, free-running focus is more on the artistry or performance, it is an acrobatic performance art. It is more focused on the flourish, rather than speed and efficiency. Micheal takes careful of course not to fuck anything else over.
*The way this extends to Viral is that he uses this capability to make long jumps over rooftops, and can wall run on all fours. He also can jump over obstacles like benches, and even balance himself on narrow ledges that might seem impossible for something as hulking as Viral.

Car Jacking - I am not proud of my past, jacking cars. But I know a few things about taking a car. And how to hot wire it without needing a key. I know how to unlock the door as well without having to bust a window. Not sure how helpful that's going to be. -shrugs-
*Viral while Viral is not going to be carefully unlocking cars and hot wiring them, he can use his constitute matter to take over a car and seize its engine for his use.

Writing - Just a hobby. Love writing short stories and poetry.
Viral No comment

Known Associates:

Thanks for Getting your Ass Kicked For Me

Supergirl

Micheal: Without her help I wouldn't have found Viral that day, most likely. We were way in over our heads and we knew it. We just had to lick our wounds and turn tail and run. Well I was sick as shit that day, but I had to find Viral. That is if he wanted me. I admire the hell out of her. I didn't know who she was at the time when we intervened.

Don't Get Yourself in Too Much Trouble

Micheal: Swore he was going to become my adversary at some point. You see Spider Man on the news and you don't get the impression he's going to kick your ass. Then he stands in front of you. And you're like yeah he's going to kick my ass. It started off as a misunderstanding. Viral looks similar to one of his foes. And he thought I was out to cause mischief. When he realized that wasn't the case, he apologized and became the nicest guy I have ever fuckin' met. He gives advice from time to time. Moral support when I needed it.

Viral: One day when we get strong enough, we will use this friend of ours to find the prey that I seek. It is good to have a strong ally.

Known Adversaries:

Could Have Went Better

Micheal: The first time we met Silver Banshee we were way in over our heads. Course we were in over our heads. She was fightin' Supergirl for fuck sake. We should have known how powerful she was. But Viral a glory hog, he protest, but it's the truth or it feels like the truth sometimes. It's probably the first time I recognized I was in over my head. Way in over my head. In fact I thought I had lost Viral forever. That I lost a chance - at making a difference, maybe even redeeming myself.

Viral: It was my fault we got involved in that situation with Silver Banshee. I am a hunter. My directive is to hunt down foreign and alien threats alike that pose a threat. I didn't chose Earth, but crashed here. If I was to stay here, then I need help conquer its foes. I could have looked for a different host. Found someone stronger. Physically, yes. But not mentally. I wanted to find Micheal.

While Silver Banshee may had never sought the duo out, the day they had the guts to intervene when she was fighting Supergirl intrigued her. Another powerful entity, well they were weak then, but could grow stronger. Now she seeks them out, as she seeks out Superman and Supegirl with the same tenacity.

Good Music - Otherwise Stay Clear

Micheal: All I wanted was to go to a concert. Like a normal person. And do somethin' good for my life. Instead I got pulled into vampire cult bullshit. The name Scream Queen should've given it away if I am bein' truly honest. I am never gonna be able to enjoy a soundtrack from Scare Tactics without havin' to think 'bout the night some vampires tried to convert me.

Viral: I looked forward to finding what Micheal finds interesting about the noise boxes of his he enjoys. He talked nonstop about this Scare Tactics. And while the noise from the speakers was scratchy and irritating, I do understand his enjoy. What I Do Not Appreciate is when someone tries to Dominate my Host.

Micheal was a long time fan of Scare Tactics, someone from juvie got him interested, Micheal spent an awful amount of time saving up money to earn VIP tickets to a Scare Tactics concert. Not realizing at the time that it was a front. Scare Tactics and the Scream Queens culty vampire groupies were using the VIP tickets to learn in potential victims to feed on them. One of those victims would have been Micheal if not for Viral. Who objected right away. This time they didn't get their asses handed to them, but they also didn't quite win either. The Scream Queen doesn't hunt them near as much as the Silver Banshee, but she holds a deep grudge against the pair.

Canon Basis: Micheal is actually a character who has elements of Eddy Brock and elements of Peter Parker. I wrote the character in response to both characters and kind of have a what if Peter Parker didn't have the opportunities he had and support he had. I know that might not seem significant, but hopefully that interest yall the way it interested me to ask and explore those questions.

Bio:

It sort of starts out the way it always starts out, doesn't it? You're living your happiest and best life, it ain't like there weren't any hardships. But it ain't like my parents were pieces of shit either. My Dad was a professional boxer, they use to call him the Dragon in the ring cause his fist hit hard and fast like a Dragon breathing fire. Course as a kid you want to emulate your parents so, I took up to copying his moves when I was young. Meanwhile, my Mom had a few bestsellers out. Even had a movie deal supposedly. While Grandma and Grandpa owned a bookstore on Mom's side. Kind of found that funny. I was born September 18th.

But I don't think anyone here is for my childhood stories told from rose tinted glasses. Everyone here is for the tragedy. When I was nine, December, near Christmas. When it snows in Jersey and York, and we're visiting relatives. As you do during the holidays. When a truck came screeching down a windy road, slipping on a patch of ice. Flipping us over. Caused an eight car pileup. Neither parent made it. Neither did my left leg. But they always say I was lucky and I should have died.

Only can tell that story with that much calm if I don't go into the details. So I am not. Rest of the story is as goes. I get taken in by my Mom's parents. The ones who own the bookstore. And then I was expected to get on with my life, you know. As most people expect a kid to do. We deal with the grief. Let him cry. Hold him. But it's back to school. Back to life as you know it.

Except down that road I took a wrong turn. Don't know if I was angry or had a good enough reason for it. But in middle school I started hanging out with the worse kind of people. The worse kind of kids, who probably need some loving and care from their parents. Who might see the only way to get attention is through negative actions.

Drinking at an early age. Smoking. Not really listening to my grandparents at fifteen. Don't really know what I was thinking, still asking myself that question. Don't know how I even got involved in petty crimes. Vandalism of property. Petty shoplifting. It was a thrill I guess and I felt alive. I had some good things still even then, good things I was ruining. I had my boxing. Still trained in that even after Dad passed and never let go of his coat ever since. I wrote to pass the time. Always loved art. Whether that be in taking the plunge, really got into parkour somehow after watching some kids at the skate park. Or writing stories. They say kids emulate their parents the most, guess I emulated them to keep them around.

I should have listened to my grandparents more I think. But I think I was lost. Searching for something meaningful. Probably took it too far when I stole the wrong car from the wrong person. I was pressured into it. One of those dumb kid things where we thought it would be so cool to do. I mean we had stolen their parents cars a few times. And once a beat up hooptie. But this was something different. This was a nice, luxurious car, sitting out in front of a poor downtown neighborhood. It was shiny and red. To get a joy ride in something like that.

Well lesson learned, when you're sixteen and steal some rich asshole's car. And after a laundry list of felonies to your name, they send you to juvenile corrections after something like that. I was in juvie for two years. Wasted all of my opportunities. With boxing. With art. With high school. All because I wouldn't listen and was trying to fill an emptiness inside of me.

I was eighteen when I was released. Returned to my grandparents, with a heartfelt apology and them accepting me back with open arms even though I screwed up so royally. Helped them after that, at their bookstore. Trying to get myself back on track after that. After all I had done. All the public destruction, all the petty theft, even crashing some rich guy's car and breaking down someone's fence. Maybe I'll write books, maybe I'll get back into boxing if they'll have me. That's what I thought to myself.

But instead I got the weirdest belated birthday present that year. Always enjoyed clearing my head in the great outdoors. Despite my prosthetic, I still loved taking hiking trails, still lived sitting out there listening to the sounds. It was a way to clear my head and also write in peace. Should've paid more attention to the news, but I don't regret it. Apparently I didn't get the memo of the meteor that crashed landed in some woods outside of York's boundaries. Or else I would have never met Viral.

Again, I don't hate Viral. Don't regret him becoming my partner. But it took us a while to get used to each other. I admit when I first met him I hated him, but that's because he had a habit of taking me places and not explaining. He used to take a lot more control over in the first few months we met. Till I learned to take back control from him. I think that's when he started to respect me more, the year after been much better because I think Viral finally sees me as a reliable partner. And the rest is history. I hope that we can make a difference, Viral and I. And I can fulfill the promise I made to him some day, after we get stronger.

Young Justice Avenger (A Next Generation Amalgamverse)

-Character Tab-

Thornwood Asylum For The Criminal Insane- A Villain Roleplay. (Closed Indefinitely)

-Happy blood noises-

Character Tab

Containment Field [High Casual]

@Eric Horst

team leader is also open

Containment Field [High Casual]

My WIP

Professor James Morgan Foster - PHD Biology, Associates in Experimental Sciences
Nickname: Some in the B.C.I.T. have referred to James as Professor Weird, due to his unorthodox mannerisms and interest
Age: 32

Role: The Biological Specimen Analyst in the B.C.I.T. is headed by lead Professor Mendel Mercer, but what the B.C.I.T. had always struggled with is someone who could truly understand the morphology of the weird and the strange that they worked with. Many of the B.S.A in the organizations were only familiar with the practical applications of biology and understanding biological components. Many of them are unfamiliar with the more er supernatural at times concepts they work with. A former member of Virtue Medics, who was the whistleblower on their Chimera Project, James was scoped out by Mendel due to the fact that he could understand things outside the realms of science his current team cannot.

"The experiments were cruel and violated human rights, they broke a lot of laws working on the Chimera project, a lot of laws that cost a lot of people's lives. Not just those that they took, but the employees who worked there. Anyone who saw the value in our work quickly begun to realize it was the kind of work you had to bury your ethics and morality away to survive the horror that it eventually implanted inside of you."

Even if you tried to avoid it, you couldn’t. No matter how many times you tried to look him in the eyes, your would immediately begin to examine the other side of his face. It wasn’t like any kind of burn you ever seen before. The skin underneath the horrifyingly disfigured flesh that had scarred over is unusually smooth and black. Blackish veins seem to extend from the blackened skin like lighting strikes reaching out from the clouds. The top of his scalp on the left side is a clump of flesh and hair growing out of it. Lumpy keloid scarring sits on ninety percent of the left side of his face.

At the roots of his hair is chunks of black hair, going silver and white. His skin is pallid giving the impression of a corpse or someone frail, with bruised eyes. Even if the right side of his face is somewhat normal, there is something uncanny about the way his skin divides from blacken, vein tentacles on one side, to smooth white caucasian on the other. With only the corner of his right lips being burned with similar results. You’re not sure where to look, his brown irises are wide, with a double lid, giving him a more youthful appearance than his tired, sickening, and graying hair says. He could have been a quite beautiful and handsome man, with his thin, arched brow, and his soft facial features that give him a masculine prettiness. But it is fractured by the horrific gore on his face that you can’t seem to stop drifting to looking at.

If he has noticed, he hasn’t said anything he continues to smile. Being a rather thin framed man in a leather bomber jacket, and some kind of button down shirt underneath with no tie underneath. Often wearing black slacks and a pair of black loafers. He’s very sophisticated as well. Nothing about his demeanor doesn’t say professional. He stands tall, despite being, what 5’4”? Shoulders straight, spine straight, a generally friendly, but formal demeanor. Yet, you find yourself rudely staring at his disfigurement.

“Sorry,” you’re the one bringing attention to the fact you’re staring at him.

James just smiles, “That’s just fine. We all have something funny people can’t stop staring at.”

Is that how he copes with it? You don’t get the impression it actually bothers him. His voice is light in tone. It’s a bit somber, but there is a slight chipperness to it’s melancholy. It’s very comforting and lulling in fact, he is clear with the way he speaks, making sure each syllable is pronounced properly. Which gives off the further impression of someone with a lot of formality to them despite the light airiness to his voice.

“Would you um like to get started?” you ask trying to distract yourself from someone with so much mystique to them.

“I am ready whenever you are,” he smiles again, his left side of the face seems to move less than the other. Which you assume some form of paralyzed muscle.

“Thank you again for allowing me to interview you,” you clear your throat.

He sits back, and places his legs casually across each other and continues to smile. Studying you. If everyone has something funny people can’t stop staring at, what is your funny thing he’s studying?

Personality:

“A lot of people assume that I never redeemed myself because I didn’t face consequences for my actions. I think a few of them would preferred if I faced the death penalty. And while I was fully prepared for those consequences, they never came. Now I have to make the best of living with the nightmares. Most would run from it, and never face it. Others would bury it and hide their pain. I chose to face it, to live with it. Because it’s already become a part of who I am seen on my face.”

An enigma to some, they have adopted to calling him Professor Weird mainly due to the way he thinks. Unlike most of the team of B,S,A’s James has a way of understanding the specimens they study with not only a grave bit of empathy, but also with the sincerity to understand it’s world. How it sees the world. This makes others in the B,S,A department cautious of him. Many argue with Mendel Mercer that James is too far gone due to his work in Virtue Medics. They say that he’s been corrupted or twisted by that corporation. Though James doesn’t quell their arguments by denying it, he simply states - maybe that’s true, but it can be used for the better now.

Even if James won’t argue against his critics the Director of the B.S.A. Department Mendel Mercer argues against those claims as well as the current Director of the B.C.I.T. Marshall Armstrong. Marshall sees James ability to see when Virtue Medic had gone too far and not to cover it up as honorable and someone looking for redemption. He admired and respected that James was willing to put everything on the line to do the right thing. While Mendel Mercer respected that James doesn’t look at the specimens they study as merely monsters, but consider them life, he admired James creativity and ability to think outside the box and that is why he was asked to joined the B.C.I.T.

That is where everyone who knows or that develops a relationship with James will agree with, that James is an extremely respectable individual. James works extremely well with others, he doesn’t start arguments or debates with others, he respects others work. He has a strong sense of morality and ethics, considering what he was doing for Virtue Medics some people would assume he doesn’t. Though James originally aided in the project because he believed Virtue Medics did want to improve medicine for people. It quickly began to turn out to be a lie. As he descended into a rabbit hole, that pushed that bounds of how much someone could break their moral code.

It is true James doesn’t see the specimens, often experiments of some kind as monsters. Considering his history, he knows that somewhere deep in the mind of the specimens they study and exterminate was a person. And it brings great pain to James that human suffering or any species suffering just to further push the boundaries of science is cruel. James always felt this, even during his time in Virtue Medics, he always had that sense of this isn’t something that should be done. He greatly empathized with the tormented and tried his best during that time to soothe them as best as he could. James tries to understand the specimens life not as some monster who brutally murders other people, he understands they are dangerous and have often lost a piece of their humanity, but he wants people to understand they were once people so he puts great time and effort into understanding that these are corrupted lives the true monsters is reckless and cold hearted science.

As for people James is a very friendly individual, albeit an oddly formal individual. He stands up straight, talks very clear. Some say he actually awkward, and what people read as his rigidness is actually just uncomfortableness though there is no way to confirm this. James is a passionate individual, who is quite calm and collective. He seems to have a handle over his appearance very well, it doesn’t bother him when people spend more time looking at his face than looking at him in the eye. James does have a sense of humor, though it is often dark in nature and his usual excited smile makes him come off a bit - well psychotic to others.

It isn’t that James is psychotic. It’s that James finds amusement in odd things. While someone might not find, “and then he clamped his jaws on his head and made it explode like a ripe melon,” funny or amusing. The idea fascinates James. And then his mind does the rest, where the man’s head is replaced with a melon and the melon is being squeezed by the specimen in question. Meanwhile everyone else is just horrified he’d say something like that with just relative ease.

And while James does seem to have a hold on his life, he does suffer from guilt for the things he was done. He sees that anything he ever told himself as to why he couldn’t stop doing the experiments in Virtue Medics as an excuse or some sort of justification. He had a chance and opportunity to say, but he was young and naive and went along with it to please his superior authorities at the time. He tries not to let the nightmares eat away at him, but they are still there. They just live beside him or as a reminder. A feeling of deja vu of something horrible. He does suffer from the torment he caused others and his dreams are often filled with the memories of the horrific things that has happened in the B.C.I.T. Often his work in the B.C.I.T. spurs on memories of the things that have happened in Virtue Medics. Things he has done.

He does what he can, a day at a time, trying to do good work, better work, to make the most out of the second chance he was given. Though he is deeply apologetic for the things in his past. With those things in mind James is a fan of jazz and classical music, though he will be heard listening more to a smooth jazz when working than classical. He likes to spend his downtime designing bits of genetic code, which some have criticized is the weirdest hobby someone could have. How can I randomize human DNA as a hobby. He’s got several of those ideas plastered in his cubicle. Likes to go outdoors when he needs time to relax, spend time in the woods, or to go on trails and see how far he can go until he finds civilization again.

He dislikes horror movies, especially body horror movies probably because they bring flashbacks of the Virtue Medic labs. He is advocate speaker of the precautions of scientific advances in medicine and changes to the body. And wrote a book on the subject with his newfound freedom called; The Danger of Designer Science. Apparently a best seller.

Skills:

Experimental Medicines -

The distinction between James and someone in the medical field is that James deals with theoretical medicine. While he might understand the basics of what he was taught in schools, his area of study was actually experimental sciences. In lame man’s terms is, James is not a doctor taking care of a patient in a hospital. His field and focus is in testing, experimenting, and funding new research of already available information and changing that available information into new found discoveries.

Pattern Recognition -

You could attribute James brilliant work on the Chimera Virus or really anything with a genetic sequence to his highly observant ability to recognize patterns in the genetic code. Though it isn’t just genetic patterns he understands, he understands the patterns of the world around him. The things that connect other things together in the world. He’s able to piece these things together and make relevant connections that others could not.

Perceptive -

James is also highly perceptive as well as being able to recognize patterns and connections others cannot. Some would say that he has the look of someone studying or observing the world around him in a way that others do not. Peeling back layers of subtext, linguistic patterns, and trying to figure out the deeper meaning of things around him. He applies this more into his work in the way functions connect with functions, the ability to perceive and understand the morphology of a creature merely by perceiving how it works.

Animal Tracks -

Considering James interest in the outdoors, he for a while became interested in animal footprints. He can identify the type of creatures that have passed through. If they are digitigrade or not. Yes his hobby has bled a bit into his work, but James has always been fascinated with the way things have worked, to break them down, and to him he’s always enjoyed speculating what something was doing at the time of where it has been.

Fascinations and Shelters

It would be disingenuous to say that James life didn’t start off pretty easy. Unlike many people he gained a foothold above the rest of his classmates due to his family’s income. His father Orwell Foster was a small clinic doctor in Washington in Tacoma, and his mother an attorney in a small firm in Seattle. It wasn’t too above the masses, but their income was enough to make life comfortable. Summer vacations. No worry of starving. Then Emilia was born four years later. Emilia, Emily, was born with a genetic defect as a baby. Though his father’s connections and influences allowed him the opportunity to participate in a study of regenerative medicines. Emilia was implanted by her own stem cells in order to cure her disorder. It was this relationship between Emilia and this idea of an experimental science that could save someone that fascinated James. He didn’t want to get into science to save people, but he wanted to get into science to further future advancements.

James schooling and early life was marked with very little, to no challenge. His parents were able to afford a good charter school. Even with Emilia’s surgery and operations of the past, they didn’t have to squeeze much when it came to income. And while his interest didn’t always align with kids his age, James managed to escape most early childhood bullying. It wasn’t to say that he wasn’t a target of it, or that he had a lot of friends. Neither were true, it was merely never much of a concern in his early days.

A Rift Beginning

To say much had changed by the time he became a teenager isn’t entirely accurate. James continued a pretty easy streak up to the age of fourteen where the family may have faced it’s first or more or less a setback. With Alexandria, his mother, facing the closing of a firm she had worked at for several years. It seemed money might be tightened and the family vacations they went onto every summer break might become less frequent. Though to call that a setback in terms of other families it seems a bit like an over exaggeration. Because even at that time Orwell was making enough money to continue to support the family.

That and James relationship with his sister began to become strained. Being four years apart, she begun to become the spotlight child. It very likely the operation she had in her earliest years of life had guaranteed her a clean bill of health, but due to it she became a bit of a miracle child in the family. Born deadly ill, to be miraculously cleared. She made sure everyone in the family knew it, and knew how to take advantage of that fact by the age of ten. As children they played a bit more because she still needed his support, but newfound freedom, going to school, and finding power in friendship made her difficult to deal with.

James never had many friends, just a close few. But they found his fascination with breaking apart the world and reconstructing how the mechanics worked weirded them out a bit. While they just wanted to see the latest movie, James dismantled the movies structure for them after the fact. When they just wanted to talk about interest, James fascination was how those interest were built or made. When the topic was video games, he discussed how the latest video game was created, what engine was used to create it, and how many retierations it went through. Despite being - annoying according to his friends, they still spent time with him.

James never struggled in school much. A straight A student who strived for excellence in every way. He was extremely hardworking, asking for extra credit assignments even when he didn’t need them. Asking for summer homework, even when he didn’t need it. It too was kind of an annoying habit to his teachers and to his friends. Some kids even thought James was simply showboating or showing off that he was smarter than them. Which did gain him enemies in his later years of school at sixteen. Though James was never placed in honors or any gifted program due to his parents influence, they rejected the decision to do so several times. Though the answer as to why was never clear.

By seventeen James was finishing up high school and joined a program offered by his school to complete his associated in college before graduating high school. One of those early programs offered up to students to give them the opportunity to leap into their major once they graduated high school. It’s only then the friction between his family began to really develop.

His father, while never directly stating anything to him, sort of assumed or expected he would be following him in his footsteps. In short term medical services, as James called it. His mother slightly encouraged the idea as well. Though James had his mind set on studying experimental sciences. Which both parents were obviously cautious about. One argument in particular left his father to give him the silent treatment for a week, after he told him his work was short term prevention. What he meant to convey was that focusing on the future of medicine would lend to better healthcare in the future. His father took it as an affront to his work.

James graduated high school at eighteen. And due to his own eagerness and parental pushing went straight into college afterward.

Sometimes the good we find in the world are contracts with the devil

Pushing back black hair out of brown irises, James is looking around for his family. His father was quite annoyed to coming to his graduation. Probably because he has stood firm on his stance of where he would like to be in the future. Emilia flirting with some guy in his class, so he makes his way there. Her hair has grown long enough it’s reaching her tailbone. Her makeup makes her look much older than her actual age. She turns her attention to him, a pink midriff, pants that hug her legs and expose her hips. She was given so much opportunity in life and she’s not taken advantage of it.

“Watt’up loser,” she tells him. Gyle laughs.

“Good one,” Gyle tells her.

James turns to Gyle, “She’s nineteen and my sister. If you know what’s best, please leave us.” Gyle rolls his eyes.

“Who does this guy think he is, the King of England,” Gyle points to him. Emily just laughs. She fixes her hair and looks flirtatiously at Gyle, “So you comin’ tonight.”

“Yeah, if His Highness let’s me go,” Emily scowls at him. Gyle laughs. He slinks off and James looks at Emily with a softer expression.

“I wish you would consider the future more Emi,” he tells her.

“And stand on a stage in that square gown, I’ll pass,” Emily tells him, “Family only needs one try hard.”

“Where is mother and father?” James ask her.

Emily shrugs her shoulders, “Pfft beats me. Maybe dad drove off because he couldn’t stomach the fact that you’re betraying him like that.”

“That’s just his pride talking,” James replies to her.

Once again she shrugs her shoulders dismissively, “Congrats on your nerd paper. Now goodluck getting into your niche field in this economic situation. I am not going to waste my life on a fifty percent chance. Now I am going to find another older guy to flirt with and don’t stop me. Nineteen means I am legal.”

There’s more to life than that. If he had been put into her situation and given the chance of a second life he would have taken the opportunity to build a career for himself. Why is she wasting her life away?

“Emi,” she turns to face him one more time and raises a brow. Crossing her arms across her chest.

“Yes?” she ask him.

“Please be more thoughtful,” James tells her, instead of arguing with him she just flips him the middle finger before fading off into the crowd of families. As a child his life seemed the happiest and the easiest, he wonders how they began to drift this far apart. Instead of being greeted with smiling faces he’s searching for them in the crowd.

“James Foster,” an unknown man’s voice calls him from behind. James turns to face who is addressing him. An older man, in his late forties, a crown of hair, but he’s lost most of it. With thick circular glasses. He doesn’t look like a Professor of the school, he’s wearing a sweater over a polo, with tan khakis.

“Um hello,” James greets him, sticking out his hand, though not sure how this man knows him or his name. The man accepts his hand and smiles at him.

“My grandson William’s in your graduating class,” he tells him, “Where are my manners, I am Theodore Muris. I am also friends with your Professor Clarkson.”

“Well it’s a pleasure to meet you, I was actually looking for my family,” James tells him. Theodore smiles.

“They should be very proud,” Theodore tells him. If only they really were.

“Thank you, you must be proud of William,” James replies with a smile.

“James, I have an offer for you,” Theodore tells him, “I know this doesn’t seem the type and place, but I really want to meet you. The man who impresses Clarkson and your project Benefits of Future Medicine. I was impressed myself.”

“You read my paper?” James ask, isn’t that a violation of his privacy. Is Mr. Clarkson even allowed to distribute his paper out in that way?

“Please don’t blame Neil, I was curious when I saw the paper on his table,” Theodore tells him, “I am currently for a few talented people to process at my business. You have heard of Virtue Medics, haven’t you?”

He’s an idiot. Theodore Muris, the leading CEO of Virtue Medics. Who has lead future funding and research on regenerative medicines and long term pharmaceuticals. He had been so caught up in his family drama that it flew over his head who he was.

“Yes, I am sorry, I am - I didn’t mean to treat you like an ordinary person, I did a paper on Virtue Medics and why I saw faith in your work,” James replies gobsmacked the CEO of a business of such caliber would talk to him.

Theodore chuckles, “No need for the ass kissing right now. I am trying to ask you James if you’d like to come take an apprenticeship in Virtue Medics. I want to process a few young people straight out of college to see if they would be a good fit for our newest facility. Would you accept this deal? Of course we’d setup a better time for an appointment all the paperwork. But, I think you’d make a brilliant key to our team.”

And his father told him it would be a dead end. Here he was being asked by a man he admired, by a company he admired to be a part of their team. Well actually he was being asked for a trial run at their company, but why wouldn’t he accept it?

“Of course, we could set up a time and appointment,” James replies.

“Very good, very good, I could use minds like yours,” Theodore tells him, tapping him on the shoulder, “When you do find your family tell them the good news.”

James nods. This has to be a dream. The CEO of Virtue Medics, spoke to him. Spoke to him in public, and offered him a position. He had to find his father and tell him.

Sterile Welcome

Sitting in the passenger seat of his father’s black sedan, he looks over at the aging man, his hair going graying, behind the wheel. He offered to take him for some reason, what twenty-three year old man gets dropped at his first day at work by his father? Though he was taught in his life to never shame others, nor to judge them. He tried to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. Like he tried to give Emi the benefit of the doubt when she didn’t go to college straight after high school. Of course they couldn’t be the same person, and of course some people want to explore and experience the world wasn’t that education in itself? But when a year became two, became, three he questioned her decision to continue to live a flightless life. Questioned. He wasn’t ashamed of her, just wanted more for her. He hoped whatever she was learning now was worth her not spending the time as he did in school as he did. But he’s also worried with her being seen with Gyle a month after he graduated as a sign of that not being quite the case. His father was in shock naturally when he told him he was giving a temporary position. Virtue Medics calls it Apprenticeship. Theodore Muris explained it as a kind of temporary phase where young graduates were processed by the team and taught, while being inspected, to see if they would fit the companies ideals. More shocking to him was his father calling him last night and asking him to take him. Staring now outside the window towards a sleek building, with a blue font Virtue Medics, a swirling line underneath the blue font. Glossy windows. Shiny. Shimmering. Reflecting the shiny shimmering city it lie in the center of. Reflecting his father’s car.

“Thank you,” James mutters quietly.

“James,” his father uses his name in a serious tone, so James is naturally conditioned to look back at his father to hear what he has to say.

“Yes,” James replies.

His father looks at the building and then at him. He looks sadly at him. Places a hand on his shoulder.

“If it doesn’t workout there is a spot in my clinic always,” he tells him, but there’s more, “I’m worried about you leaping into this so suddenly. You’ve always been the child who went for what he wanted and that I admire for. Just as I admire Emilia’s free spirit, both children couldn’t have been so eager to learn or grab at opportunities in their life. I just.” his father pauses, “Worry about you. Especially you the most.”

He’s got a job, at a company that provides future funding and research for medicine. What’s with this haunting speech that fills James with a sense of dread? Why does it sound like his father is going to drive off and commit suicide right now? James looks at his father with a bit of worry.

“Is this like a final goodbye?” James ask him.

His father looks perplexed at first, and shakes his head, “James. You are smart. You have always been smarter than the kids in your classes and your mother and I did everything we could to slow down your progress because we didn’t want you to believe you superior. We never wanted you to get an ego in those gate programs or programs for geniuses. We - all we ever wanted was to keep you grounded. You are the child who sees the sky and begins to climb towards it without ever considering you might need a tether to keep you to the ground.”

Now he’s a bit angry.

“So, what you’re saying is that if I take this apprenticeship with this company instead of working at your firm, I am going to become too big for you?” James huffs and unbuckles his seatbelt. Grabbing the handle of the car. Why does he have to, what does he mean by the things he has to say them and why does he have to say them now? There is no guarantee that this apprenticeship will go through. Six months down the line he could be asked to leave those doors.

“James,” his father grab his wrist, “That’s not, please listen to me. That’s not how it was to come off. I am trying to explain to you-”

He pulls his arm away from his father, opening the car door, “Thank you for the car ride.” he says mildly closing the door. Fighting the lump in his throat or the sting of his eyes. His father looks at him sadly through the window. James turns away to look at the glossy building. Heading toward the revolving door, he looks back the black sedan is still sitting. Perhaps waiting for him to come back. He steps through the door and it slowly begins to peel away from the curb. As he enters a building that reminds him a bit of an office lobby at first. The tiles are white, and the ceiling is decorated with lavishly hipster square light casings around hanging lights. There’s a woman sitting behind a crescent shape desk, looking professional in a red suit, and a headset on her left ear. She’s wearing subtle lipstick. A group of people are going down an elevator. One man looks particularly nervous, he looks at him. They actually catch each other’s gaze from this distance. His pupils are dilated and he swears for a second the man shakes his head No. The elevator doors shut and they presumably descend down. While someone placing their hands around his shoulder. He seizes up and turns his attention to a taller gentleman.

Unkempt ginger hair, a groomed beard, closely shaven, with a chiseled chin. He wouldn’t give the look someone would say of a scientist. Sky blue sweater over a button down shirt and white khakis, with glossy shoes. He’s wearing a nametag; Richard Gierson.

“James right,” Richard greets him, shaking his hand.

“How do you know my name?” James ask.

Richard laughs.

“We were given portfolios of all the applicants for the apprenticeship alongside a picture,” Richard tells him.

“Sorry to have made you wait on me,” James says.

Richard looks at his watch.

“You weren’t late, no harm, no foul,” Richard tells him, “Things look serious and dire back there with the car. Get into a fight with your girlfriend?”

“No, my um...father,” James says more quietly.

“Ah been there,” Richard says leading him up some stylish, stainless steel stairs, “Lot of the parents of the graduates think this is a waste of time. Why spend your career, researching new medicines and new techniques, when you could get a more stable job. But that’s short term thinking and you know all about that, don’t you? We need to research now. We need to get the data out now, so we could better improve the future of medicine. Right?”

James is passing steel railings, peering down white glossy tiles that reflect the lights from above. Upstairs is a short gray carpet, and stylish gray doors with vertical stainless steel handles. Each room is labeled with a number, Conf 1-10. An open hallway extends towards another set of stairs. He catches a glimpse of a presentation happening in another room, through the small rectangular windows. Men in suits, are talking, Richard steers him to Conf 4.

At a rectangular table, five seats are already occupied. Two of the individuals he recognizes taking classes with. William Heidi, grandson of Theodore Muris, but he knew his science. A blonde, with blue eyes, and pale skin. He’s tall and lanky, with messy hair. He looks surprised to see him here and looks away, pink to his cheeks. His cheekbones are high, and his eyes are double lidded. Sidney Cooper. An auburn haired female of their class. He quite frankly remembers her for being remarkably good at pointing out repeating sequences. She was bronze skin, and lightly tan. She smiles at him, her almond shaped eyes giving the impression of someone mixed race. Though he never asked. A black man around their age, though he doesn’t recognize him from their school. A kid with ginger hair, though quite curly, like an afro, with very thick retro glasses, in fact he’s wearing a striped sweater over a blue dress shirt that looks quite 70s. And another young woman. She’s of an Eastern Asian descent, and once again he doesn’t recognize her from their school.

Richard takes the seat the end of the table and James sits down next to William, who has been tapping a pen since he got here.

“Let’s start with introductions, a name, your field of study and what you hope to accomplish with working in Virtue Medics,” Richard smiles and gestures towards William.

“I’m William Heidi, my main field of study is in biology, though my umbrella studies was under experiment sciences, more specifically experimental medicines and alternative medicines,” William clears his throat, “Not alternative medicines in that way. More like, what the polio vaccine was back then to now.”

“Sidney Cooper, my main field of study is in biology, though I did research into less controversial studies,” her eyes flicker to William and himself with a competitive edge as she sits back and smiles, “My umbrella study is with genetics.” she tilts her head to the side and looks at James.

James stares at the desk briefly.

“I too worked in experimental science, though more like fringe science and relative medicine, theoretical medicines, and theoretical biology, my thesis and several papers have been about pseudo evolution, designer science, designer genetism, and so on. I’m James Foster,” he says nervously.

“Wendy Hughes,” the other woman says, “And I also am a Geneticist.” she looks at Sidney with her own competitive glance, “I did work into stem cell research and in utero surgeries less harmful to the mother and child.” next she flashes a look at James, with a raised brow. He hadn’t considered this was going to be so competitive that they from the same fields would be trying to one up one another.

“Thomas Fields,” the other man says, “I worked strictly in the fields of social behavior and social sciences. But I have done research on race and race relations.”

Richard smiles, “Well doesn’t this seem like an impressive group.” he pauses, “I am Professor Richard Gierson and well to be frank, I was a lot like you. Choosing a niche field of study, I was painfully mocked, even laughed at. That my ideas would get me nowhere.” Richard raises his hands as he’s picked up a remote, pressing a button, “But now look at where we are today. The smart. Outside of the box elite. Are manufacturing the world’s leading future medicines. This is our second facility and we have been looking for people like you. The Apprentice program I told Theodore must be filled with the next, bright stars of the future. So we scoured through the colleges, till we came upon you six. You are our future and I want you to feel like Theodore’s children and view me like an older brother in this unique field of study.”

He pauses as a video is beginning to play on a screen that’s descended down.

“Welcome to Virtue Medics,” a robotic, almost autotune simulated woman’s voice begins to play, “The leading facility in research in new medicines that could save the world tomorrow. Before you begin your journey as an outstanding member of our research team, let’s go on a virtual tour to see what working in a Virtue Medics facility is like.”