Seventeen (Invite Only)

Chandler was still missing his lightning rod. He kept it on him somewhere, but it must've gotten loose when he crashed into the snow. His eyes would dart around as he considered that he had just lost the gift of the aliens. He caught the female of the group glancing at his leg and he would begin to speak.

"Yeah, I lost my super alien high tech stick of power and I need to grab it and go. You're nice people and all, but the fate of some alien race is at stake and I don't want the burden of a race's death on my shoulders." Chandler would begin to stand after his little spiel, but fall forward and flat on his face in the small room as he hadn't gotten used to his repaired leg.


He'd pop back up, having risen to his full height, supporting his weight on his better leg. "Also, to answer your question of Metahuman or no, I fall in the middle on that." He'd hobble toward the door they'd come in through and begin to grab the handle.

"Thanks for the company and magic leg healing. I'm glad I landed with you guys and not in a government facility!"

Rowan felt out of place among these people, but he had a reason for it. Metahumans despite their power were human, though he was at best only half human and that half he hated as much as one could. A lightning boy, new messiah, half-breed and whatever this girl was in one room. Well that was quite the meeting, though not the strangest thing he’s ever encountered. He could even feel the distrust like a miasma within the air, taking in the vitals of those around him for any manner of spike. Something that would suggest one of them shifting to hostility. Questions stacked up as to who he was, and he didn’t know if he wanted to answer them in full. Not that he had to and unlike the other half of him he was not beholden to the truth, though he found himself speaking it anyway.

”Who I am is of no great import to your world but you can call me Rowan. That’s the name I was given,” He explained, not giving too much about himself but he gave a name. Humans didn’t need to know where he came from or what he truly was, as that would only bring more questions than answers. Questions which could lead them to The Conclave and likely ruin to one of the parties involved. The one now known as Lightning Boy was quite intent on going out and finding the rod that from what he could tell had something magical about it. Even still his body needed to replenish the energy used for healing, which meant he likely wouldn’t be useful in finding it. Something tugged him towards not letting that happen.

He frowned at the one leaving the room, taking a few seconds pause before standing to his full height of only 5’2. ”On that leg you won’t be doing much searching. I can help you with that,” He sighed, seemingly annoyed by the concept by going along with it anyway. ”let’s go see where you last left it. The pigeons usually talk so they might know where it got left,” His tone didn’t broker any argument and he looked to the other two. ”you two can come too if you want, it might make things easier.”

Dante's sightless eyes stared at each of them in turn. He liked them so far. None of them seemed like they were part of the orgnaization, and quite honestly, he'd never had real friends from the outside. Part of the doctrine of the organization. But when one of them asked if Dante would help search for the object, at first; he was a bit hesitant. Call it paranoia from being kidnapped by the only person he thought he could trust, call it brainwashing, call it being realistic in that a blind guy probably wasn't going to be much help in finding whatever it is that they were looking for.

But Dante shifted his shoulders in an uncomfortable manner when Cyrilla asked him if he would help. 'Not much choice left if you want her help', a voice in his head stated. The voice was right, but it was unsettling to hear it. "Yeah. I think we should help." He said, and reached into his pocket for the cellphone he had stolen off one of the cultists. A vision flashed through his head of the correct password. He opened the phone, and looked for the number before giving it to Cyrilla and the rest.

"If we don't find it by midnight, we should have a place to meet up. I have a feeling this place will be closed." Dante said, and slipped his phone back in his pocket.

Chandler would grab his leg as he stopped himself upon exiting through the door. As one of the other teens suggested exchanging phone numbers, Chandler patted around his body. The suit was skin tight, but had some small spaces on the belt that came with it. He'd eventually grab out a device with a green aura.

"I didn't know aliens would hook me up with a new phone plan. I guess this allows me to contact them? I think they upgraded my old phone." After inspecting the device, Chandler would look to the rest of those around him. He's accept and extend his phone number to those around him.

"I need to get that thing back before long. I don't want my, uh, benefactors to get angry. Come with if you'd like. I'll find a way to stand on this leg." Chandler would rise to his full height and grab the door handle once more, now making sure not to face plant.

Chandler would soon exit the room, hopefully with some of the others in tow, and exit to where he had crashed. He'd take a knee in the snow and begin searching about. While doing so, he'd begin muttering to himself. "Aliens had to choose me. I have to protect them. Didn't even get any say in this..."

Aliens. Rowan hadn’t actually heard the term before, but he assumed it was some manner of ludicrous claim that no one would ever believe. So, he didn’t really comment on it, considering his own existence was one of those things that humans would laugh off as crazy. ”No, I don’t have one of those.” Rowan stated, seemingly confused by what even a cellphone was, though he assumed it was those things he saw humans talking on. Perhaps it was some kind of communication device. Seeing the others produce their cellphones was enough of an answer for that internal question, which meant he would have to find his own methods to communicate with modern man.

”I saw it when I helped him up. I think I could find it,” Rowan explained, now ignoring his own lack of cellphone. ”if you need to can finish repairing your leg, though it might take a little more time. Time I don’t think you’re willing to wait,” Something told him the guy wanted to find his rod now, rather than letting it be found by someone else. If it were a magical or alien artifact, it might have been too dangerous to let just anyone have. Though that question could have been leveled at this ridiculously tall person as well.

Still he followed, the guy kneeling in the snow and his canine companion following them with tail still wagging. He playfully licked at Rowan’s hand, and looked up to him with curious eyes. “Whatcha lookin for?”

”Some kind of rod or wand. He lost is somewhere around here,” He explained, scratching the dog behind the ear.

“Oh. I saw some human pups pick it up,”

”Human pups? Sounds about right.” To the outside observer it would seem like he was talking to a dog and the dog responded with indecipherable dog noises. ”I think some kids might have picked up your rod thing, though I’m sure he can follow their scent.” The dog looked up and let their tongue lol out the side of his mouth.

Dante breathed in. Alright, he had a few options here. With a little help from his ghostly companions, he was able to walk outside unaided. The air was frigid, but Dante didn’t mind too much. He heard the small yips and barks of the dog, and frowned when he heard the other boy having a conversation with it. He heard giggling, and turned to Nina with a raised eyebrow.

”Dante,you genuinely have no idea how funny this looks! He’s talking to a dog and it’s responding!” Dante ground his teeth, and stifled a reply. She knew damn well why he couldn’t see this situation and even if it wasn’t intentional, she was just taunting him. Dante heard Nina calm down and turned to Rowan. ”I’m gonna go ahead and assume you aren’t crazy, the dog said something about a group of kids then?” Dante asked, just as Cyrilla pointed a group of kids out.

Dante had Nina point him in the right direction, then took a deep breath. He opened himself to influence, and said. ”Nina, I grant you permission to use me. Catch those kids, and then get the hell out of me.”

”Yay! It’s time for some fun!” Dante had only experienced this one other time, and while his voice was confident; he was completely out of his league with possession. As soon as Nina touched him, his body went utterly rigid. Shocks of lightning numbed his limbs, and his pale blind eyes opened revealing bright blue eyes that saw everything. He had enough control that he could stop her if she crossed a line, but it was tenuous at best.

Dante’s throat made a bubbling giggly noise. ”You must be Cyrilla! Dante used to talk about you a lot! You must’ve made an impression on him despite your brief interaction.”

Nina, you need to move. We can’t lose them.Dante’s mouth formed a pout and she nodded. ”Sorry everyone. Dante’s being a party pooper. I’ll be right back. With that, Nina broke off into a dead spring and vaulted her way onto a nearby building and began running alongside the youths. When she got close enough, she started to jump down at them, but hit a patch of ice and went spinning, only managing to fall onto one of them.

Nina was forcibly removed from Dante’s body when she impacted, and Dante sat up dazed, still keeping the younger boy pinned to the ground.