Dog just watched in silence as she perused the choices. Her request for a mask wasn't too surprising; a lot of mutants with an appearance anything other than standard human had difficulty adjusting to an environment where they weren't immediately branded as freaks. Dog had always found his own menacing appearance to be a boon to his type of work, and there was definitely something he liked about seeing fear in the eyes of others, and smelling it waft off of them. To each their own, though; as long a Venatoria got the job done, Dog really didn't care if she wore a ball gown or ran around stark naked.
"Vibranium?" Dog paused. "Yer gonna have to ask one of the eggheads in R&D if ya want the science behind it, but bottom line is that it's a metal that soaks up hits like ya wouldn't believe. Even a layer as thin as a wet tissue'll stop a bullet. We got more'n anybody else, but even we ain't got a lot, so we gotta use it sparingly."
@alpha_dog: She paused, taking in the new information pretty quickly. Not something she'd heard about in Rome, nor Madrid. Finally she shrugged -- while she traditionally didn't need protection outside of her own skeleton and ability to heal, she wouldn't refuse it. "Bueno. And I bring my own weapons." She reached down to the twin sais held by her wrappings to her outer thighs, clenching the handles but not drawing them.
Dog nodded. This he understood completely; everyone had a favored weapon. It just so happened that his were attached. "We'll get the duds ya liked done up fer ya. Ya got some downtime before dinner; let's get ya to yer room." Leading her to a more conventional elevator, he took her to the third floor, and opened the door to room 317. Like all rooms, it was spartanly furnished: a bed, small desk and chair, dresser, closet, and a private bathroom with a shower, sink and toilet. "Don't get too comfy," Dog said with his trademark wolfish grin, "we got people to kill."
@alpha_dog: "I look forward to it." Venatoria purred contently, walking into the room and beginning to unravel the bandages wound around her, her target obviously the shower. Living in the sewers for most of her life had left her with an intense, frequently unslaked, desire to be clean. Before she reached the door she paused, glancing back over her bare shoulder, a pose that made her seem deceptively beautiful in that her hellish jaws were out of view. "I will be ready, Perro."
Dog leaned against the doorway, making no effort to hide the fact that he was appreciating the view she offered. "Yeah, I know ya will be, Chica." With that, he turned, shutting the door behind him.
Dog was already pulling the doors open and stepping to the ground as the chopper touched down, stepping out and stretching his large frame. A lifetime of riding in the blasted things didn't make them any more comfortable, especially for someone of his size. They got the job done though, and at the end of the day, that was all the militaristic mutant cared about. Speaking of which...
He turned, once again offering a clawed hand to the Doghouse's newest resident. "This is it," he said without ceremony, giving the complex a wave with his other hand. "Not much above ground: barracks, mess hall, and the buildin' where the bean-counters shuffle paperwork all day. Got a meditation garden too, if yer into that sorta thing. Ya need some downtime, or ya ready fer the full tour?"
Gray clasped his hand, slowly jumping down from the machine. Her eyes glanced from left to right, reviewing her surroundings with moon white eyes. Not too impressive so far, but she wouldn't come to conclusions until the tour was over. There was a humming in the restless air and she couldn't help but to feel like she, too were vibrating.
She couldn't tell how long they had travelled but understood her body as it screamed to be unwound. Her body was tight, but she knew how restless she was. The only time she could remain still was when she was painting, but now wasn't the time. This new home called to her, for her to see it all before finally resting. "Show it all to me, Dog."
Dog nodded with a grin. Her tension was not lost on him; the combination of a wholly new environment after so many hours in flight would put any warrior's teeth on edge. He had just the cure for that, but first things first.
"There's a couple o' elevators to the lower levels," he explained, as he led her towards the barracks. "Soon as the eggheads get ya into the system, you'll be able to head down there whenever you feel the need to break a sweat." Using his own fingerprint, retinal scan, and voice match, he gained them both access to the elevator, and punched the key for the gymnasium level. "While we're here, ya got any special needs fer yer room?"
Vein had already settled himself into the barracks, stored his weapons and paraphernalia. Being in a group again was nice. He was an extravert to the core. He loved people. He also loved making them absolutely miserable and killing them. But you know, different strokes. At any rate, it was nice to have a hot shower again. The albino had every intention of making this place as comfortable as home for him. His massive form off with a towel. More like a damned wash cloth. His white hair was still dripping down upon his pale flesh as he made his way through the compound, all 6'9'' of him stark naked. Scars, metal appendages, and all. A fifty-year-old merc gave no f*cks.
@vein: @alpha_dog: She followed Dog like a... well.. dog, making their way over to an elevator that had far too many security tasks. Was this a prison? or is it more for our safe keeping? Dog pushed a button and the elevator sprung to life, bringing the couple down into the base quickly. Being in an elevator alone with this man put Gray on edge, he was so big and... wild looking, it made her feel like maybe she should try to train him. That thought only made her snicker, but she would probably never, ever say it to his face.
The doors swished open after abruptly stopping, revealing a long corridor that looked as if it were all modern and she was taken aback because of how different it was from where they were just mere seconds ago. She was pleasantly surprised to see such a clean and pleasant place after living for so long in abandoned homes and stores. Her father would have such difficulty in finding her now, it would be her turn to surprise him.
She hardly paid any attention as they started to walk down the hall. Her mind was picturing images of her fathers head on the end of her longsword, or better yet, cutting him clean in half with her hair. She was smirking at the ground and went a little off course. "Oof!" She was more shocked than anything when she lifted her head to see an older man standing there in a towel in front of her. She looked from him and back to dog silently and couldn't help but wonder if this was a teammate. She scoffed at Dog and spoke. "You lied to me Dog. You said there was no dress code." She hoped her dry humor would be picked up by at least one of the strangers.
Gray controlled herself with admirable discipline, but Dog noted her discomfort. Even in the most self-controlled person, there were subtle hints in their scent and the sound of their pulse that enhanced senses couldn't miss, especially in such close quarters. Not that he blamed her in the slightest; he wasn't exactly a reassuring figure, and the Doghouse was definitely not designed to be a welcoming place. Add that to the fact that she had someone lurking around in the outside world, seeking to do her harm...
Fortunately, Vein's timely, if unsightly appearance seemed to break the tension, somewhat. You could always count on a sick-minded sociopath. "Heh," he chuckled in response to Gray's comment, giving her a wolfish wink, "well, elite members get a towel to show their status." He turned to the dripping Vein. "Careful Vein, she's got more sharp edges than I do; yer liable to lose somethin' important."
@vein: @traverser: @alpha_dog: "Sharp edges and veins. Like... peanut butter and jelly, verdad?" Venatoria's voice came from seemingly nowhere, its source likely undetected by anyone but the deceptively keen Dog. She appeared a moment later, seeming to lean out of the shadows themselves and taking on a casual posture, slumped against the opposite wall. Her mask remained in place, so as not to frighten either of the recruits that she did not yet know, though the slightly inhuman growl of her voice hinted at the hideous secret that lay beneath it.
Vein's pallid lips curled into a deranged grin as he swung the towel over his fleshy shoulder before bloviating in his rounded South African accent. "Do I look like the sort of motherf**ker to give a sh*t about dress codes?" He was far too pleased with himself despite not getting the original context of the joke.
The albino turned his vermillion eyes toward the source of the mysterious, nearly hissing, Spanish voice before returning his attention to Dog. "As you can see, I'm of a glutton for punishment in that regard. I can't help but inappropriately touch sharp objects." A white finger pointing to all the scars that adorned his body, some of them from women who were none to pleased by his advances. He shot a glance back toward the Spanish assassin. "And I've bled more in my life than most people have in their bodies. If either of you lovely ladies want to tango, how could I resist?"
The Ghost Man leaned in toward dog to whisper, but loud enough the women could hear it. "You sure it's a good idea to have a team full of girls dressed like sluts? Not that I'm complaining, but I'm supposed to call my doctor if I have an erection lasting longer than three hours." He smirked.
Gray couldn't help but notice the many who had appeared in front of her, the place seemed empty at first but was now bustling with life. Another woman appeared from the shadows with some cloth covering her mouth, Gray was assuming the woman was hiding something for other peoples sake, and for now she was thankful. She wasn't used to being around so many people, and all of these strangers were so odd.
And then the man she had bumped into became very, very nude and she was very, very jealous. She thought she would have been kicked out or something if she were to walk around naked, but there he was, just hanging out. He commented to Dog, not so quietly, stating that all the women were dressed scantily and she couldn't help but speak up. "Oh hold on, I'm sure I have a parka somewhere. Oh.... shoot. Never mind I ripped that to shreds." She smiled and couldn't help but check out the nude man. He was attractive but very cocky.
Vein looked down at the silver haired woman, chuckling. His brow cocked. Did she just... the albino grinned, eyeing her up and down. "Can't say I'm disappointed, meisie." He winked, internally imagining stripping her not just of her outer garments but also of that beautiful skin. And that hair... it looked sharp. Don't touch the hair with the non-metal hand. Damn. How was he going to get anything done with all these thoughts? The carnage better be distractingly gory on their missions. Get him back into a more acceptable homicidal state of mind.
The Shogun stood in the center of the vast room. Her voice echoed off the flat grey walls.
"Generate hostiles. Epsilon grade, high-low mix."
Hard-light figures materialized around her. Ten in all; five blade wielding figures dressed in the garb of the League of Shadows assassin, three outfitted like Maverick cyborgs and two towering hulks of muscle and metal armor.
Armored fingers tightened on the grip of her bow. Ivana's mutant powers were useless here; the hardlight holograms didn't have nervous systems to read.
"Activate."
The figures sprang into motion. A massive fist swept toward her skull and a flurry of throwing knives flew from the hands of the assassins.
Ivana ducked the fist, as knives clattered off her vibranium chestplate. Diving to the side she rolled between the feet of the other behemoth, rising into a backflip over a simulated soldier.
Her hands flew as she flipped, arrows flying. Two drove into the spine of the behemoth, a third driving straight down impaling the skull of the soldier and sticking out from under his chin as the Strigidae grandmaster passed overhead.
"Hit. Vertebrae T3 and T9. Target incapacitated." The arena's machine voice called out as the behemoth flickered and vanished, followed by the soldier "Hit. Brain. Target killed."
Plasma bloomed from the rifles of the remaining soldiers as her feet touched the metal floor. Red cape flowing she twisted and undulated around the glowing orbs, serpentine in her preternatural grace. Black arrows answered with the 'thum-WHACK' of bowshots and the soldiers fell, feathered shafts protruding from their throats.
"Hit. Trancha and vertebrae C4. Hit Trancha and vertebrae C-"
The assassins were upon her in the whisper of cloth and the flurry of martial mastery. Her first kick caught the lead assassin on the jaw, whipping his head back with a crack like a wet branch breaking and the hardlight figure disintigrated. The rest of her motions were too fast to follow.
"----Hit. Brain trauma-Hit. Precordial thump. Hit-hit-hit-Hiiiiiiii-" The computerized voice locked into a squealing beep, the fatalities coming too fast.
A fist the size of a beach ball slammed into her shoulder and flipped her into the air like a child's toy. She twisted mid-air, righting herself like a cat. Landing in a three point crouch nine yards away she looked up and grinned. The computer generated giant fell with a thud, black arrows sticking out of both his eyeballs.
"Hit. Hit. Orbital cavity. Frontal lobe. Target killed."
Ivana pressed her thumb into a stud on the side of her bow. It collapsed with a click and she snapped in onto the hardpoint at the back of her utility belt. It fit snugly into the small of her back just under the tip of her quiver.
"End session."
And that, kids, is how it's done. Hope ya took notes.
Dog watched the exchange with undisguised amusement, thick arms folded across his massive chest. "Well, ain't this sweet. Much as I hate to break up the slumber party, this is a trainin' facility. The hell ya all just standing around fer?" He stalked out to the center of an unoccupied sparring mat, shrugging off and tossing aside his coat as he went. Underneath, he form a form-fitting suit that seemed to have an almost metallic shimmer, when the light hit it just right. Metal gauntlets of a similar hue adorned his forearms and the backs of his hands.
He motioned to Gray. "Feel like showin' us what ya can do with those swords?"
@vein: @traverser: @alpha_dog: A little blink of her slitted eyes at the comment about being dressed like a slut. She took a moment, looking down at her outfit as if wondering whether she needed to make some wardrobe functions, then being distracted almost immediately by Dog's comment. Grinning widely behind her mask, her posture straightened a little and she leaned forward, crossing her arms across her waist. Both hands tightened around the handles of her matching sai, squeezing them firmly but saying nothing.
Dog had made his way to the middle of a combat mat, and stood there waiting for Gray to show off her capabilities. She wasnt one to show off, but if he were going to call her out in the middle of everyone, she wouldn't back down. She smirked, a sigh rising in her throat. "I guess now is best."
She was still tired from her skirmish with her father and the trip here, but she was excited to see the skills of Dog. She grasped her hair and dragged it over her shoulder, ready for a brawl. She didnt know exactly how strong he was, but she could tell he wouldn't be easily beat. Gray slowly stepped onto the mat, keeping her eyes on Dog. She noticed he may be wearing a type of armor, though she had never seen anything like it before. It shimmered in the light and caught her eye. Sliding her fingers over the hilt of her swords, she winked at Dog. "Ill let you go first."
Dog grinned as Gray unhesitatingly stepped onto the mat. "We know my claws can't cut yer skin," he said, noticing her eyes on his armor. "This vibranium-weave suit 'n my healin' factor means yer gonna have a hard time killin' me. Meanin' I ain't gonna hold back, so ya better not." With that, the feral mutant sprung high, as though to launch a downward slash, only to drop low and attempt to knock Gray off balance with a sweeping kick, instead.
@alpha_dog: A giggle left Grays lips as he commented about her having difficulty killing him. "That only makes it more enjoyable, Dog." He moves faster than she expected, feinging a hit from above only to switch quickly, going for her legs. Her instincts kick in, just barely missing his attack with a cart wheel to the right. Her blades still remain in her fists as she lands upright, swinging both her swords toward him, straight for his jugular.
Fast, agile, good reflexes...and she obviously enjoys what she does. He jerked his head backwards just in time as her swords crisscrossed, tearing furrows in the flesh of his neck but not severing that all-important vein, at least this time. Letting the momentum continue to carry him towards the floor, he twisted, landing on his side, and then launching himself feet-first at Gray, seeking to snare her midsection in a Russian Sambo-style scissor takedown. Standing up, her swords gave her the reach advantage, even with his height, so he was going to try and keep things up close and personal, and preferably on the ground.
@alpha_dog: A giggle left Grays lips as he commented about her having difficulty killing him. "That only makes it more enjoyable, Dog." He moves faster than she expected, feinging a hit from above only to switch quickly, going for her legs. Her instincts kick in, just barely missing his attack with a cart wheel to the right. Her blades still remain in her fists as she lands upright, swinging both her swords toward him, straight for his jugular.
As the two began their grapple, Vein sauntered over to his bag to don his usual attire. His red eyes watched the pair with interest as he slid into the white fabric of his tank top. His trousers had plenty of pockets and belt attachments to hold any paraphernalia he might need for the mission. His ceramic plated face mask was pulled over his head, his inactive defense against mental prying. The albino forwent any additional attire for the time being, any excess armour, his metal arm visible. A bit cocky, he didn't think he needed it. And if he did, he didn't want to get all his gear ruined in a grapple.
Vein grinned under his pale mask as Gray snarked. "Damn. I like her." It was in fact the reason he was here. He enjoyed hunting and torturing the unkillable. Dog had been his target before becoming his employer. His vermillion gaze passed over the current party. Hm. No energy-based people he saw. Pity. His abilities always threw them for a loop, getting their own attack thrown back at them. His ability to store and channel various energies, even matter to some degree, was the reason he was called Vein. It was a happy coincidence that he was also a bloody mercenary and serial killer who severed more veins of victims in one way or another than he had in his whole massive body.
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