Zombiedude101

Baybridge™: Era of the Old/New Gods™ [COMPLETED]

For the sake of bringing back a cluple people for nostalgia's sake I think it can slide.

Mass Effect: Borealis

<Snipped quote by Zombiedude101>

Before or after Iosif walks in on her and Drono.

@Rtron

Iosif wouldn't care. "Bang later, shuttle now."

@Zombiedude101

"IT BETTER BE ABLE TO FIELD THE SHUTTLE CANNON!"

@Hellis

"I won't gut the weapons systems just so you can fit some useless decor to my bird!"

Baybridge™: Era of the Old/New Gods™ [COMPLETED]

---

Quentin Taylor

Somewhere in New Raygate

Tony Waller was a metahuman with a history of criminal behaviour. Known primarily for being some dumb muscle who'd had enough competence to run his own little crew, he'd been the first one that Quentin had gone after when he'd learned of a connection to the Founding Families.

"You know what I'm after-"

"The hell I do, who the fuck do you think you are?" He wriggled against Quentin's grasp, but the RAVEN had him held in an arm lock, pressed against a wall in the back office of the autoshop.

"You saw my badge, right?" Quentin tightened his grip, pressing him further against the wall. "Better people than you have got in my way and been put down, one way or the other. I'll ask again, who paid you off?"

"Fuck you. I've got rights, where's your fucking warrant?" He looked ready to try and fight again, so Quentin drove his knee into the back of the man's leg.

"There's your rights. There's your warrant. Don't stall me again or you'll regret it." With these kinds of people, Quentin understood that there was a need for force. Violence and intimidation were the only kind of language that they understood.

"... Bullshit. You're a RAVEN. Even your type have standards, so don't play the bad-cop shit on me."

"That's what you think?"

Quentin twisted his arm just a little further, just to cause s little more discomfort. The guy was built like a tank, but he'd had the element of surprise.

"As far I'm concerned, you're dangerous. That means I can put you down if I need to. Besides, who will they believe?"

The man didn't deign to answer. Both of them knew why. "Good. Now, I'll ask again - your people were paid off. By who?"

"... There's some shit out there you don't want to know. These people kept things really low key. Communicating by proxy, dead drop points and all - we never actuslly saw 'em, man! All we got was an address, orders and whatever tools they gave us to use..."

"And one of those locations?"

"I..." The words seemed to catch in his throat. Quentin heard a noise, then another voice. "Hey, the fuck is this?!"

He'd barely a second to react before one of Tony's boys was close enough to go at him with a tire iron. Shoving the would-be boss across to the side, Quentin ducked low as the guy swung for him with the iron, like a bad golfer, then grasped for his arm before he could strike again, driving a knee into the man's groin and wrenching the iron from his grasp with enough force it made him lose his footing and smash backwards into a filing cabinet.

"Come on, you fucking fed!" Tony's voice flared up again. Shit, was all he had time to think before he was blindsided and pinned to the floor, grasping for his neck.

"What kinda game are you playin', huh?!"

Quentin felt the man's meaty fingers tightening around his throat and scrabbled for something, anything, then the same metallic surface grazed his fingers.

"You fuckin' prick, you think you can just fuck with-"

Tony's voice lurched to a muffled grunt as bloody spittle and a few broken teeth spattered against the floor, the bloodied tire iron still in Quentin's grasp. The next time he slammed it against the would-be mobster's face, it made a sickening crunch.

It took a couple more moments before Quentin regained his composure. Two for the cells, he thought, though there might have been questions as to why they'd turned up in such a state. If HQ knew how far he'd gone, a stern word might have been the least of his concerns.

That said, he'd had his reasons. The Founding Family were out there and any leads he could find, well... if Mei and thd others were out there getting results, he'd be doing the sane. Quentin was a lot of things, but if he'd picked up anything from the old man, it was a stubborn persistence. Grunting, he wasted no time in pulling out the cuffs.

"I'm getting too old for this shit."

Mass Effect: Borealis

Dex pointing to the various models of shuttles, "I want this one and this one. Dump off those pieces of ancient garbage in the hangar now and make room for the new shuttle."

But yeah, Dex will be focused on shuttle perusing. Probably throwing a few suggestions Iosif's way. Not necessarily needing to collab but probably making her stake for what she really wants :>

@DearTrickster

Half of the experience is going to consist of Iosif and Dex arguing over what shuttle would be best for the ship. Can see the Human-Turian rivalry really shining here.

Baybridge™: Era of the Old/New Gods™ [COMPLETED]

Updated the first post, character list, and more! I should get around t writing those NPCs I need to.

_{(Note to self: Annoy @Zombiedude101 to post his characters in separate tabs later.)}

@Mr Allen J

Done you whining fucker.

Baybridge™: Era of the Old/New Gods™ [COMPLETED]

Rowan Campbell

Basic Information

Name:

Rowan Campbell

Nickname/Alias/Etc:

Gender:

Male

Age:

17

Height:

5'9

Weight:

132lbs

Home District:

Brookacres formerly, now Academy 61's Dorms

Appearance

Hair Color:

Dirty blonde

Eye Color:

Brown

Ethnicity:

Caucasian

Physical Appearance:

]A 5’9 teen of an complexion with scruffy hair, Rowan looks like another one of your small-framed, almost scrawny white trash kid from Brookacre. From a glance it's clear he's not a heavyweight and even if he was a little meatier he wouldn't be too imposing at that height. Unkempt, his hair is a dirty blonde whilst along his jawline is a thin veil of blonde stubble that one day threatens to turn into an equally scruffy beard and he possesses a set of sharp, blue eyes.

Attire:

Anything from sports clothes to hoodies, to jackets - Rowan isn't too picky about what he wears. Given Baybridge's propensity for wet weather, however, Rowan often has a preference for wearing a hoodie - particularly since it means it helps him maintain a sense of anonymity if he's breaking curfew or writing up some art.

Personality

Innate & Outward Personality:

A rough upbringing has left Rowan a textbook example of the kind of social issues that a lot of young people in Modern America face. Stubborn to a fault, he's the kind of person who, if he doesn't particularly like something, will tend to drag his feet or otherwise subvert it if he can't outright stop it. He's the kind of person who's liable to break before bending and it's contributed to his overall mental state of being able to take as much of a beating as possible and still get up - if his mind is set to something, nothing will put him down - again, due to his upbringing.

At the same time he's not an outright rebel, but fresh memories of his old man have left him with a firm dislike for figures who convey themselves as authoritarian, but treating him decently will in turn get him to lower his guard a little - a point that the new DOVE agency has had a fair bit of success with as opposed to NEST or RAVEN's relatively heavy handed methods in the past. Of course, he's almost been picked up a couple of times for breaking curfew.

It can take him a while to come to trust people and for a while he'll half-expect someone to let him down, but deep down Rowan is the kind of person who'll stay loyal to those who treat him in kind. The only trouble is that it can be hard for him to admit when he needs help - again, due to him having had to bring himself up at times.

Hobbies/Interests:

Rowan has quite the fondness for artwork - specifically, graffiti. A self-proclaimed 'writer', he takes pride in his contribution to Baybridge's wide collection of urban murals and signatures that have been painted upon its walls. It's one of the things that have allowed him to distract himself from the shittier parts of his life, and one thing that he always falls back on as a coping mechanism when everything else fails. Also, out of all the sports available to students at the academy, boxing is one that he's developed a fondness for.

Skills/Talents:

Growing up in Brookacres under a broken home has taught Rowan to develop a certain degree of self-sufficiency. He's still a teen, but there's been times where he's had to raise himself when his parents weren't around. It's left him with a bit of street smarts and pragmatism. He's also quite talented at street art and is a natural when a can of paint's in his hand. Also, as elaborated earlier, whilst it's not something he'd boast of, he's the kind of person who can take a hit and keep getting up. One could argue that if he wanted to, he could become a professional boxer just because of this.

Goals/Motivation

At the moment, Rowan's not entirely certain how he wants life to go for him - he's just a teen trying to get by and figure things out.

History/Bio:

Hailing from the impoverished district of Brookacres, Rowan was another textbook case of a kid coming from a broken home, the only difference being that this kid had powers and their family happened to closely tied in with the Pure. To be specific, Rowan’s father had developed very close ties to the group from his time in prison and throughout the upbringing of his son he'd attempted to embed a similar set of bigoted views through years of domineering and abuse. His mother also suffered the same treatment if not worse, leading the two of them to endure years of abuse under the old man’s roof.

It wasn't until after he hit his early teens that it came to a head - Rowan's abilities manifested and soon, it went from keeping his head down to making sure the old man never found out the truth, out of fear for his mom more than anything. But keeping it a secret worked only for so long, and soon it escalated when, one night the old man had come home drunk yet again after another night out with his fellow bigots and had taken a disliking to his demeanour and started hurling abuse at them. When Rowan shot back, this made him angry and he looked ready to throw the bottle at him until his wife intervened, instead becoming the new target of his ire as she took a heavy beating for it.

Then something snapped. Years of abuse and resentment came bubbling to the surface - Rowan practically threw himself against the old man and laid into him blow after blow, until he finally realised that he wasn't actually punching him anymore - he'd practically flung every metallic object in the house against the old man in his anger and accidentally broken his neck.

It didn't take long for the authorities to realise what had happened, especially when he tested positive for the metahuman gene. DOVE quickly took custody of him after the truth of his circumstances was revealed and given the duress he'd been under, it was determined that he'd not intentionally killed the old man and was clearly in need of a stable environment. It took a while, but Rowan was soon enrolled with Academy 61 just in time for the summer and placed as a long-term resident of its dormitories.

Still struggling to fit in, time passed by and events occurred in the city around them. During this, Rowan met Wendy Lucker, a fellow student who shared his appreciation for art and in some ways was an outcast, traits which quickly forged a close friendship between them. This was cemented when Rowan, having been introduced to a few of Wendy's other friends, helped to save the group by shielding them during a terrorist attack.

Relationships

Family:

Family

Jim Campbell (Deceased) - Father

For lack of better words, Jim Campbell was a piece of shit. Jim did a couple of stints in prison before and after his son's birth and developed close ties with a local cell of the Pure operating in Brookacres. A man with a history of violence, he routinely lashed out against both of his family members, particularly his wife whenever she said or did anything that he didn't like. His son, he was hard on in order to 'toughen him up', yet it would ultimately bring about his demise.

Patricia Campbell - Mother

Trapped in a marriage marred by years of physical and mental abuse, Patricia found herself easily under her husband's thumb and suffered greatly due to his domineering nature. She's one of the few people that Rowan cares about dearly, despite standing by her husband through all the years of abuse.

Dynamics:

| Cindy Gabrielle Keagan |

| Neutral | Case Worker | "She's alright, for a DOVE." |

Rowan is one of the many cases that Cindy's come across, and a somewhat difficult one at that. So far, things have been amicable between them - she's made more progress with Rowan than any of the other DOVEs have managed so far.

| Lihua Zhao |

| Mixed | Academy Teacher | "She's supposed to be some kind of hardass, I guess." |

As one of the tutors at the academy, Rowan's relationship with the former NEST agent is a mixed bag at best. He doesn't particularly dislike her, but his overall disdain for authority is an obstacle to developing a good student-teacher relationship. There's potential here, though.

| Wendy Lucker |

| Good | Friend | "She's cool, likes the kind of art that I do." |

First meeting when she prevented a fight from breaking out between Rowan and another student, Wendy has shown herself to be a valued friend of Rowan's, particularly due to her appreciation of his art and because she hasn't yet come across as judgemental towards him, despite his background. She's probably one of the only people he could call a friend.

Abilities

Power Class:

Elemental - Energy

Powers:

Electromagnetic Manipulation

First and foremost, Rowan is able to generate and manipulate a powerful electromagnetic field that is capable of exherting his will upon and controlling ferromagnetic materials, in addition to holding an effect over other materials or energies that are influenced by magnetism (such as electricity or lead). Rowan's ability manifests through body movements, which can range from something as subtle as clenching his palm into fists to swiping his arm in a particular direction. Generally, the stronger the force he wants to exhert, the more sudden and direct his movements should be.

Theoreticaly, the scale of his ability could range from the scale of grain-sized materials (allowing him reshape or easily move such objects) to those the size of a building (allowing him to twist or alter larger structures, possibly even pull them down one day), though how refined his control is has yet to reach its full potential as he lacks the training and experience of one with a complete understanding of their abilities.

And, as a side effect, his ability allows him to detect other magnetic influences which consequentially gives him a permanent sense of direction (like a compass) due to being able to subconsciously sense and interact with the earth's magnetosphere.

With some training and experience, Rowan's ability could eventually turn out to be very powerful, on par with those of NEST and RAVEN's greatest agents.

Limits:

Rowan's ability can at most be extended past ten-fifteen metres and generally has a weaker pull the further from it his target materials are. Objects that move too fast are incredibly difficult for him to focus on, often forcing him to rely on indirectly influencing them instead (Like this). Likewise, reshaping large or dense materials can be rather difficult and taxing to perform and, again, size is a big deal - the bigger the object, the larger the field he must generate and the harder it is to manipulate as such.

Weaknesses/Drawbacks:

Let's face it, Rowan's still a teen, barely approaching adulthood and at the moment he's still coming to grips with his ability. Due to this, he hasn't yet gained the finesse that an experienced user would. A side effect of being able to pick up on electromagnetic fields is that he's sensitive to strong electrical currents, which can be disorienting if he doesn't tune them out. Also, being placed in a faraday cage will definitely hinder the effectiveness of his abilities.

Overexhertion of his powers can cause him anything from migraines to losing consciousness, particularly when pushed to the limits of his ability - and staying nourished is an important note here.

And on a slightly funnier note, CCTV cameras do not particularly like being around him due to his propensity for unintentionally (well, maybe just a little on occasion) causing interference with the footage, a point which was among one of the many reasons why the academy utilises specialised equipment on its campus. That, and he also seems to give quite a few people static shock when making contact with them.

Other:

• It's not a major concern just yet, but Rowan's had a growing reliance on painkillers to alleviate the migraines he suffers as a result of the stubborn overexertion of his powers. Just something to be noted for future reference.

Baybridge™: Era of the Old/New Gods™ [COMPLETED]

Reed Taylor

Basic Information

Name:

Reed Taylor

Nickname/Alias/Etc:

Lazarus (Callsign), Nosferatu

Gender:

Male

Age:

33

Height:

5'10ft

Weight:

180lbs

Home District:

Greencrest Heights

Appearance

Hair Color:

Black

Eye Color:

Brown

Ethnicity:

African-American

Physical Appearance:

Standing at 5’10 and still in good health and fitness as a result of his career choice, Reed is still a man in his prime and arguably not too hard on the eyes. His eyes are a lighter shade of brown whilst his face is relatively smooth and clean-shaven, kept free from stubble whilst his head is cropped fairly short. Along his left forearm is a twisted scar from where it was bitten by one of the Devil's creatures and never fully healed.

Attire:

Whilst Reed is known to wear the standard DOVE uniform when the occasion necessitates it, often he'll go for the less conspicuous plain-clothes approach, wearing a shirt with jeans or cargo pants along with a jacket on occasion and keeping his sidearm in a concealed holster.

Personality

Innate & Outward Personality:

Strong-willed and brimming with determination, Reed was the kind of man with a motivated drive for seeing things through, almost to a fault given how stubborn he could be. However, several years on the force, his experiences and losses in Verthaven and his time with DOVE have only served to dispel the naiveté and replace it with a realistic sense of how the world actually works, along with giving him some good instincts. That doesn't mean he lacks the same drive, rather he just understands there's a way about doing it and whilst he still maintains a relatively calm, professional exterior there's a sense of passion and drive just beneath the surface.

One of the main reasons he first joined up with the force was to follow in the footsteps of his uncle and losing him has only cemented his idea of doing the right thing, hence why he carried on with DOVE to honour his name. Unlike his brother, Reed's probably more the pacifist of the two and is generally inclined towards talking his way through a situation and using those good instincts of his to avoid causing trouble. It helps being a DOVE, but it's also something that comes naturally to him.

Having spent his early childhood and lost a mother to alcohol abuse, he's also sympathetic to the plight of the poorer lower classes and metahumans subjected to abuse and is disgusted at the prospect of the local gangs taking advantage of either, to the point he's willing to go out of his way to put an end to it. Likewise he doesn't take kindly to signs of corruption or misconduct in either DOVE, RAVEN or the BPD, having worked his own ass off to get where he is and still wanting to help dispel the public mistrust of law enforcement and metahuman regulation agencies.

The other thing that's liable to piss him off is bringing up his family or friends and badmouthing any of them - particularly his brother or late uncle.

Hobbies/Interests:

Like his brother and uncle before him, Reed doesn't mind heading out onto the range every once in a while. When he's not busy, good TV and classic films such as The Terminator or Predator are something he can quite gladly appreciate. On another note, he's also kept a lot of his uncle's film memorabilia and, in some ways, has gained a fondness for collecting it albeit not to the same degree as the old man did.

Skills/Talents:

Time on the VPD and with DOVE have done more than their fair share of good for Reed. He's picked up a fair amount of skills in his time both through training and personal experience. For one, he’s quite analytical and decisive when push comes to shove and has been given a degree of wisdom from his time on the beat and with DOVE and he's not a half-bad shot either, and knows his way around most firearms. Practice on the range outside of work has only served to cultivate this. He’s also pretty damned athletic and knows how to take care of himself in a fight- a necessary skill for a man who’s job requires him to be able to apprehend fleeing and potentially dangerous suspects whilst staying by the book, so to speak. He still speaks a little Spanish though, again, his pronunciation is a little off and he's probably rustier than ever by now.

Goals/Motivation

Reed has a vested interest in doing some good for both the Metahuman and Non-Meta communities, it's one of the reasons why he first joined DOVE to begin with (that, and his being out of a job).

History/Bio:

Verthaven

Born towards the end of the ‘80s on Eagle-Rock Row, Reed was the youngest child of two kids born into crime and poverty to a single parent, surrounded by drugs, violence and the social tensions of the time. From early childhood, their mother quickly relied on a string of deadbeat boyfriends, minimum wage jobs and alcohol to pull the three of them through life and it took its toll on her from an early stage, often forcing her elder brother to step in to assist.

Whilst his older brother, Quentin got caught up with the local street gangs working the corners, Reed was left at home with an alcoholic mother who only seemed to be aware of his existence half of the time. Quentin did as best as a kid his age could yet all the same Reed’s early childhood was one devoid of any real parental figures. It was only after his mother’s death from alcohol poisoning that the closest thing to a parental figure he’d ever had showed up: his Uncle Cassius, his mother’s elder brother.

Having been aware of their situation for some time and having already made preparations to step in, Cassius took both of the Taylor brothers in as his own children and ensured that they’d never have to face the lifestyle he’d pulled them out of ever again. Years passed by and Reed grew closer to his uncle, having never had a stable parental figure to follow whilst Quentin, being older, continued to do his own thing in order to, in his own words, “be his own man”. It would, for some time, drive a wedge between the two.

Reed wanted to follow in the footsteps of the only father-figure he’d ever had and eventually wound up in the police academy, wanting to be a cop. Persistent as anyone and hoping he might make a difference in addition to doing right by his uncle, he pushed on through his training and joined up with the VPD.

Wedging his foot in the door for the beginning of a successful career, Reed flourished on the beat and worked his way through things until finally, hoping to follow in his uncle’s footsteps, he earned a promotion to a position in the VPD's detective bureau as an Investigator, which was going well up until a surge in Metahuman activity sweeped across the city.

Things escalated as NEST began its war against the Hands of Science, yet through this there was something good that transpired - a reconciliation between Reed and his elder brother, now a NEST agent. But things would still get worse, culminating in the emergence of the Devil of Verthaven. Reed himself was injured during this occurrence, his arm suffering a nasty bite wound from one of her creatures that would only be mitigated by the efforts of the late Trevor Obott.

A threat greater than anything Reed could have expected as a cop, both he and his uncle were among the remaining VPD cops who joined up with NEST when the city was isolated and fought boldly in the effort to destroy her. It paid off, but that was not the end of the Verthaven Disaster. Not quite yet.

In a surprise attack, the Changelings (whom had previously formed a temporary truce with NEST to fight the Devil) quickly turned on NEST, killing an agent - and then Cass. Reed was not present at the time, but soon learned over the comms - and promptly responded by ramming an armoured VPD truck into one of the Changelings and finishing them off with a shot to the head.

The battle between NEST and the Changelings came to its climax - and the remaining forces of NEST emerged, bloodied and bruised, the city a ruin to be abandoned, but still victorious, for whatever it was worth. Having lost his uncle, who had been more like a father to him than anything else and now out of a job, Reed contemplated his future until Quentin revealed that he'd pulled a few strings and found him a place in the agency that would go on to succeed NEST.

Skeptical, Reed cited his lack of powers - to which Quentin pointed out that he'd already held his own before, then offered him the chance to become a Metahuman if he felt he couldn't keep up. Hesitant, Reed made his decision - taking on and safeguarding the abilities that once belonged to Luis, leader of the Changelings.

Finally they buried their uncle together - before Reed looked towards the future with optimism.

Post-Verthaven

In the immediate aftermath of NEST's dissolution, Reed was one of the first agents to join up with DOVE - one of its two successor agencies that would deal with the social and legal aspects of the metahuman community. Transferred to Baybridge, Reed pushed on through his training and within a few years was an agent out on the streets, carrying out field work.

In many ways, it had been a lot like his days on the beat and as an investigator - except now he was dealing with metahumans and situations which could often be just as complex, if not moreso than those that he'd seen back in Verthaven. But he stuck with it, gained a knack for it and before long came to love and take pride in his work just as much, if not even more than he had during his days as a cop.

Things would always stir up, however, and the emergence of another destructive metahuman in Prague would serve only to kick the hornet's nest that was the malcontents of the Pure, the Allegiance and countless others who'd serve only to cause trouble in Baybridge, which now held the highest concentration of metahumans on the West Coast in the wake of the Verthaven Disaster. Most alarming, Reed found, was the presence of what seemed to be a serial killer in their midst.

Yet there wasn't all bad in this. Word travelled quick that his brother was being reassigned to Baybridge and Reed was more than happy to accomodate a reunion, only things would put them working back to back as riots and extremist sentiment tore the city apart at the seams.

Now, with the last of the Changelings captured and the Founding Family exposed, Reed's work is cut out for him, more than ever.

Relationships

Family:

Hider

Helena Taylor (Deceased) - Mother

Still a teenager when she gave birth to her firstborn, Helena Taylor was a sad tale to speak of. Years of poverty and deadbeat boyfriends (one of which fathered another child with her) led to the alcoholism which would go on to kill her, leaving behind two sons. Whilst his brother regards her fondly, Reed barely remembers her.

Quentin Taylor - Half-brother

One of RAVEN's founding agents, and Reed's elder brother. The history between them is a long and storied one, not entirely pleasant either, but since the loss of their uncle they've been on closer terms than ever before.

Cassius Taylor (Deceased) - Maternal Uncle

A father figure to his nephews, Cass was a detective with the VPD who wound up taking in both of his sister's sons when she died and raising them like his own. Of the two, Reed followed in his uncle's footsteps whilst Quentin went on his own troubled path in life and it was through Cass' example that Reed went on to become a detective himself. Sadly, Cass was murdered in the final hours of the Verthaven disaster by Heartbreaker, one of the Changeling Unit. However, unlike his brother, Reed has found himself able to mourn his death and move on in life.

Dynamics:

Hider

| Quentin Taylor |

| Good | Half-brother | "I know he's got his issues, but he's my brother - only family I've got. Just wish he'd let go." |

Reed's older brother and one who helped raise him with their mother was incapable of doing so, the two grew somewhat distant as they became older - particularly when Reed joined up with the VPD whilst Quentin went down his own troubled path and got hooked up with the wrong kind of crowd. It was only as a consequence of the events leading up to and during the Verthaven Disaster that the two reconciled, a close relationship reformed and cemented by the death of their uncle. They still keep in touch as often as one might expect, though casework between them sometimes acts as a barrier to that.

| Lihua Zhao |

| Respected | Associate | "Sharp woman." |

Whilst they first met in Verthaven and didn't exactly speak much about it at the time, Lihua has since become an oft-visited acquaintance of Reed due to her place as a teacher in Academy 61. More often than not, it's usually about some casework, but more recently they've been speaking about Lihua's young daughter, Lijuan, who's started undergoing development of her metahuman abilities and, in the wake of the overload incident at Oakdell Harbour, was saved from drowning by Reed's actions.

| Cindy Keagan |

| Good | Colleague/Friend | "She's a good agent, one of the few who knows what we went through in Verthaven." |

Like Reed, Cindy was one of the volunteers for for Task Force RAVEN back during the Verthaven Disaster and like Reed, she survived in one piece - if somewhat scarred by her experience. Since then, she's gone on to enlist in DOVE - and the two have had a decent working relationship as a consequence of their shared experience. With recent events forcing them to band together, Cindy is as good a comrade as anyone.

| Meifeng Zhao |

| Good | RAVEN/Friend | "Glad to know she's been taking care of Quent for me, she's a tough one." |

Again, Meifeng is one of the few people that Reed personally knew during the Verthaven Disaster - and one who saved both his, his brother and his uncle's lives on quite a few occasions. This, combined with their shared sense of loss and survival, has left him with a degree of respect, especially as recent times have forced them to band together.

| Shizuka Takashiro |

| Good | RAVEN/Friend | "He's come a long way. Good thing he's with us." |

Both of them having saved one another at one point during the Verthaven Disaster, Reed regards Shizuka as someone who's come a long way from the abrasive kid he was back in Verthaven. They're on good terms, and Reed's glad to have him at his back.

| Haruka Takashiro |

| Good | Friend | "Good guy, come a long way, just like his brother." |

Having known one another since Verthaven, Reed's gained a respect for Haru, though they don't speak often

| Jennifer Caspin |

| Good | Friend | "She's alive... feels like I'm talking to a ghost. Glad to know it wasn't for nothing." |

Having nearly died to protect Jen and witnessed the girl pulled to her 'death' in Verthaven, seeing her again has invoked some strange feelings in Reed, especially with Cass gone. Nonetheless, he's glad to see her back - and to know that someone made it out of Verthaven alive.

Abilities

Power Class:

Super System

Powers:

Hemokinesis.

A power which once belonged to Luis of the Changeling Unit, Reed was given the ability by his brother as a means of safeguarding him, in addition to ensuring that it would remain in trusted hands. Like Luis, Reed is capable of manipulating blood when he comes into physical contact with it, able to move it around, clot it or otherwise absorb it into his body through his skin. In fact, Reed can be empowered by absorbing blood, which bolsters his stamina and strength when he does so as well as speeding up his regenerative process.

Super-Regenerative System.

Much alike the man who once held them, Reed's regenerative abilities allow him to survive wounds that would kill any other man and even recover from them entirely. Broken bones knit back together at an advanced rate, gunshot wounds and lacerations quickly stop bleeding and seal up before any major damage can be done and toxins which would cause havok within a normal person's body are filtered out. Not just that, but it seems that this ability has effectively put the brakes on Reed's aging process as it did for Luis, leaving him with the physical appearance and fitness of a man in his late twenties.

Limits:

Luis possessed the single, strongest regenerative factor among all Metahumans, Reed, unfortunately, only has a fraction of that strength as a consequence of it being transferred to him by his brother. Where the Spaniard could have survived and even functioned when most of his body was subjected to severe trauma, Reed does not have this liberty. Destructive injuries can and will render him unconscious and unlike Luis, who had over two centuries' worth of experience and pain tolerance built up, Reed has had at most under a decade of holding this ability. Expecting him to perform the same feats as the man would be a fool's errand.

Weaknesses/Drawbacks:

Ashing out is one big weakness of this ability, as demonstrated by its original holder. Being subjected to incredible physiological strain and numerous mortal injuries at the same time will put Reed at serious risk of ashing out, especially if he doesn't give himself an opportunity to rest or otherwise replenish himself. Reed is also extra susceptible to poisons, diseases, and chemicals that are transmitted by blood. Taking in a little bit of this toxic blood can definitely stun Reed.

Other:

Baybridge™: Era of the Old/New Gods™ [COMPLETED]

I'm working on a post.

Baybridge™: Era of the Old/New Gods™ [COMPLETED]

---

Jennifer Caspin, & Reed Taylor.

(In collaboration with @Mr Allen J)

---

Greencrest Heights, White Coast.

Even after handing the man his coffee... Jennifer still had trouble with the rest of her day. She was troubled - Haunted even - by the past. Some people could just move on from things like Verthaven like it was nothing... It made Jennifer jealous of their personal strength. Perhaps.... Perhaps if her past is bothering her so much, she should just take off for the day. Even though she's been working here for a few months now, she can afford one day off when her mental problems are especially bothering her.

A sigh escaped her lips as she walked back over to Rexx.

"H-hey, Rexx?" Jennifer said to catch his attention.

"Yeah, Jen?"

"Tell Kenny that I'm taking the rest of the day off... I seriously can't get my head around things." Jennifer said as she leaned up against the wall.

"Alright, alright, take care now." Rexx said, waving Jennifer off.

At that moment, Jennifer looked down at her cafe uniform... she didn't have time to run back to Prince Edfield and change. She quickly went into the back room, and grabbed her snow white hoodie and threw it on as she made it outside. The first thing she noticed was the fresh air... untainted by the coffee of the air.

Who could she talk to now? Cindy was busy, Meifeng's in another country... She's still a little afraid to face Haruka. She doesn't have too many close and personal friends. Maybe... yeah, she's willing to give him a shot. She dug into her pocket, and wrestled out her phone, and searched through her contacts.

Reed Taylor

She pressed call, and put it against her ear.

It rang for a few seconds, then a few more, then finally a voice picked up.

"This is Taylor, who is it?"

Jennifer was oddly silent for a few moments.

"... It's Jennifer." She said. "I've wanted to ask if you had some time to... you know, talk."

"Oh, Jen? Hang on a sec," Reed replied, before she heard some movement in the background. "Yeah, yeah I can talk. Like, on the phone or face to face?"

"In person... you know, face to face." Jennifer said.

"Sure, where are you, exactly?"

"I'm right outside my job...." Jennifer looked over her shoulder and then read the sigh. "You know... the Thanks a Latte Coffee Bar... Awful name, I know"

That prompted an amused snort, from Reed's end "Yeah, but that's how everyone knows the place. Actually, that's right around the corner from my place, fourth building on the left if you give me a couple of minutes."

"Alright... I'll be waiting outside...."

---

Reed opened the door for Jennifer, and she had stepped inside his apartment with her hands in the pockets of her hoodie. This was the first time she'd ever been in here... she just had to give it a look over.

The apartment was about normal by Greencrest's standards, not entirely box-sized but relatively compact. Hell of a difference from Quentin's old condo back in Verthaven. The kitchen and living spaces were in the same room, with a single counter and hardwood floor set in place to establish divide.

It was furnished well enough, nobody could deny that - pressed against the wall closest to the door was the TV, with a reasonably sized couch across from it and a small glass table inbetween. By the looks of the bedsheets on the couch, somebody had been making use of it well enough.

Decorating the walls were a couple of framed film posters, signed by their respective stars, along with statuettes of the Terminator and Predator standing on the shelves. It was an easy guess who these had once belonged to - photos of Reed's few family members were placed around as well, the old man among them.

The place where Jennifer gravitated was the couch. She sat down on it, and crossed her legs. Keeping her hands in her pockets. "Uh... Thank you for letting me in." She awkwardly said.

"Sure, this place only gets two other visitors anyway," Reed nodded, "Sorry about the mess."

"I don't mind." Jennifer said... and realizing that there was a mess in the first place. She shook her head at her lack of observation. Her mind was on her troubles, and getting them off the chest. "I just been having... troubles lately. I just keep thinking about the past... more than usual now."

Pulling up a chair from the kitchen counter, Reed took his seat and looked at her for a moment, before answering, "It happens. I know someone else who has that as well. What's on your mind?"

"I'm... having like these flashes back to Verthaven.... the moment where... you know...." Jennifer looked off to the side, referring to the moment where Luis showed her dead family to her. "I've always been having these thoughts... but, now, it feels so overwhelming."

Reed paused again, reminded of Quentin's own demons. "I did, sometimes. For a little while. Bring here helped me get past it. Put things in the past. Still hurts a little, but it doesn't consume me. I know it's hard, but you've gotta put things in the past or it'll eat you up. I know because I'm seeing it happen to someone else."

"I..." Jennifer trailed off. "... I know... but, it's so hard. What happened... it hurts too much."

"You can't change what happened, Jen. Wasn't your fault, no more than any of ours," Reed countered, "And the people who.. who took things from us are dead. Gone. It hurts, but you can move on."

"You're... right...." Jennifer agreed - even though she has recieved this kind of speech several different times. "I can't ever forget about the past, but the only thing I can do is keep moving forward.... lest I...." She stopped herself there.

"You don't have to forget," Reed tried to console her, "But like I said, you get too focused on it and it'll tear you apart. It's happened to Quent too, still is. He might not show it but... I know."

Nodding her head, Jennifer silently agreed with what Reed said. However, there was more she wanted to discuss. "Oh, and another thing," Jennifer said, she most certainly had more to discuss. "I've been gone for... too long. Far too long. I want to know about some of the things I missed. I mean... everyone progressed so much it's... frightening."

"Think how we felt when we saw you." Reed remarked. It'd been like staring at a ghost.

"I didn't-" Jennifer stopped herself, before keeping her mouth shut. What she wanted to say was: I didn't make any real changes.

"Sorry, didn't mean anything by it. It's... a lot to take in for the both of us." Reed apologised, not having meant anything by it. "You've barely aged."

"That's regeneration for you." Jennifer said, trying to change the subject.

"Where to start... after Verthaven, I was out of a job. No idea where I'd go, then Quent offered me a job. I was... had reservations about it at first, until he offered to mske me like him. A metahuman. To keep up with him." Reed chuckled a little bit at his own statement.

"He did that...?" Jennifer asked. "What... what power did he give you?"

That promoted a reluctant answer, "Same as yours."

"Oh?" Jennifer quickly put two and two together, and merely shrugged. "What happened from there?"

"I came to Baybridge with Quent and all the others, started training right around the time NEST was being set up for an early grave. It helped being, being a cop and all, but by the time I was out they stuck me in DOVE as an investigator. Cindy joined not too long afterwards."

She heard about the end of NEST - and the rise of both RAVEN and DOVE - and she wondered how that worked. "What's DOVE like...? I haven't had any experience with them... but a little bit with RAVEN...." She looked off to the side.

Reed flexed a couple of his fingers for a moment. "On paper," he began, "DOVE handles the legal and social aspects of the metahuman community. Keeps track of kids, helps the troubled ones, deals with people who might have issues. It's not as heavy handed as NEST used to deal with things. Half of my job is at a desk, the other half is case work and other things. We work with BPD- the police department on any ongoing cases and assist them when we need it."

"That's great... I feel bad I couldn't catch up myself, but everyone's been so busy," Jennifer said. She was trying her best to stay out of everyone's way, honestly. She didn't want to step on anyone's toes just as she did with the Takashiro twins. "What about the others... you know? Like, the people who survived Verthaven, how are they doing?" She was already told about Quentin and Reed, but she wanted to know about everyone else.

That was a long story, but he might as well have said it if nobody else had. "Quentin, as you know, was one of the founding agents of RAVEN. Meifeng went through training and joined up with him the moment she finished things up. I know those two are pretty close, Quent's said nothing but good about her, so take for what you will. Her Mom retired and teaches at the academy just outside town. Cindy joined up with DOVE, she's more a case worker but she gets her hands in it. Got her pilot's license, too."

He continued, after a brief pause. "The Twins, uh... Shizuka joined up with RAVEN. Haruka's spent some time at the academy, I think. Both have come a long way. Funny thing, Shizu actually saved Quent's ass back in Verthaven, so in a way I owe the kid."

Everyone reaching their hopes and dreams... while Jennifer is here, stagnating. She almost hung her head, but kept her mouth shut. "I'm so glad everyone's alright... I'm going to try my best to... get back into the loop... you know, stop being such a stranger."

"Look," Reed could pick up on her self-doubt, "You've been away. That happens. It'll take some time for you to get used to things, but don't beat yourself up over it."

The girl smiled.

"I won't. I'll do my best."

Jennifer felt much better after having this conversation.

"Oh, and I wanted to ask you," Jennifer started off. "Are you... are you going to that fair tonight? he Harvest Festival, I think it's called."

"Eh, probably-" Reed's voice was cut off by a faint mewling sound coming from behind Jen. Before she had a chance to look, a ginger tabby cat jumped onto the couch and made itself a bed in the pile of discarded bedsheets next to her.

Jennifer was surprised by the cat... Thankfully, she had no cat allergy (Or it was negated by her power). "Oh, you have a cat?" She asked. "What's... his name?"

"She's Cassie. Don't mind her, she thinks she owns the place." Reed smiled, leaning forward to get a view of her. "Good company, most of the time. Quent seems to like her."

Jennifer's hand drifted towards the cat slowly, as she stroked the cat's body from neck to the base of her tail. The cat purred in response to her gentle grasp. "She's... nice." Jennifer said.

"Unless she's hungry. Has a thing for chewing on fingers when she's hungry. Good alarm clock, though. Anyway, about the fair? Yeah, I was probably gonna head down."

"I'm going to go...." Jennifer said, she was unsure of whether or not she was going to go, but now that she's certain that somebody she knows is going, she's definite. "Anyways... I hope it's not too much to ask, but can you drop me off at the bus stop? I'm going to head back to Cindy's apartment to change."

"I'll give you a ride to her place, no point screwing around waiting on the bus." Reed offered. "Just let me grab my keys."

Jennifer nodded her head.

Mass Effect: Borealis

All this talk of coming out of the closet aside, how are we gonna post the next mission? Collabs would help a ton.