TheAbsurdist

He blinked a little and looked up for a moment, craning his head back to do so. "They aren't alien." He said it flatly, without inflection, apart from his accent. "The are familiar. Their thoughts, their feelings, they rush in, and I know they aren't mine. But I accept them as mine. I remember them as no different than any other memory and I do not forget. This is not... horrible. This is... I am a blind man who can now see. This is... context I did not have before. It is just overwhelming. A little." This was an admission he had been dreading, because he knew that he was saying that he should be watched, that he had something of a timer to garner further mastery over his power. Or the tidal force of the minds of others might overwhelm him. Of course, revealing that he couldn't forget the thoughts his mind touched... that was a bit trickier, as he had the sanctity of minds impressed upon him before.

He tilted his head, just a little as she stepped onto the pad. "I've never read a magazine." It was an odd statement, but true. His mother had been very selective on what he learned. Though he was voraciously devouring things now. He could find out all he wanted easily. The problem was in doing so, he didn't forget what thoughts he felt in people. That was the worst part, especially with some memories he had touched. So he kept it under check, for learning to refine it on willing subjects, though right now it was hardly precise. Shrugging again as he looked around. "I'm Elias. And, apparently, I need to learn how to defend myself." Which was true, his mother had taught him how to defend himself on a basic level, more avoidance then actual fighting, as he could turn his powers to offense readily.

Hands lowered, slowly, reluctantly almost, but they lowered. He didn't immediately turn towards her, after all he knew she was there, he knew precisely where was. After a moment he turned his head and looked to her then, he sighed softly, and then shrugged. Elias was used to this, Subito kept interjecting himself, so why not this girl. Of he resorted to the first tactic to get someone away from him, "I'm that new telepath." Speaking in that slow, deep voice of his as he looked at her, not standoffish, but he was expecting her to stop trying to be helpful. It didn't work with everyone, and he was being told a lot he should try to interact and engage with others, and this looks as good as any situation. Besides if she knew something... "If that doesn't make you want to leave, sure I guess... not like I know what I am doing."

November 8th, 4 PM Errant avoided people. As much as he could there. He found life a bit easier when he wasn't in direct line of sight of people, though it only diminished the experience he was having. One of the faculty had identified his telekinetic web that he draped around him, and that proved harder to shut out than the thoughts, at least initially, the difficulty there was a lack of analog among the instructors. Though, in dreams, there were times when things bled over. Despite his aloof nature, he got that his awkwardness, while exacerbated by his powers and background, was not completely unique. That was a relief. As his powers were known to most of the other students Now he was in the gym practicing, shadowboxing based on instructional videos he saw, and books he had read. It wasn't too pretty to watch, but this was his first time doing it, and he was trying hard, trying to push his body through the movements he had seen. He liked it, because the focus actually sort of shut down him paying attention to other things.

And times like these Elias would respond in an incongruous fashion, even if it was tangentially related. At least he stopped answering questions that weren't asked, though it was hard to tell sometimes how much Elias was hearing. "I can gut and descale a fish easily." In truth he was moving slowly on the skateboard and frowning a little. He effortlessly dodged to the left as a bicyclist came up behind him, something Subito had seen him do quite a bit. He stopped then, abruptly, kicking up the skateboard, and he picked it up tucked it under his arm. "I still hear them Subito. I can feel that bit of trash fluttering across the street, at 7 o'clock. Feeling these things is not good for keeping a positive view of others, right now I'm trying to get them to be background noise, but it's like standing by the sea." He sighed a little and shook his head. "It is still new. Still... raw."

He was barely cognizant as he was spoken to. At least not the first couple words, and then he realized he was receiving a speech. Prepackaged. Prepped carefully. And before he could spit out an off the cuff rejoinder back at the guy. And then pain. Pain was everything. He couldn't even summon enough to scream. Instead he crumpled to the ground, and he noted that his position was that of the making a prayer. Funny the little things your mind fixates on. Gasping for breath, he rubbed his face against the floor. Again he started to respond, tried to speak, hearing the speech but not listening. Of course he knew he wasn't the intended target. No, this was a mission statement, that he was here was irrelevant, if it wasn't him it would be someone else. Someone who couldn't take it... he had to. He had to endure. And then once more his world was defined in measures of pain. When he came awake he didn't know how long it had been, just that he was still bound, still in that containment cell, and his situation crept back into his conscious mind. Finding himself supplicating again, he croaked out a prayer. Begging for strength, for forgiveness to the man who had him captive, as he doubted that he would be able to feel that. To feel regret for his decision to be a hero as doubt filled his mind along with pain.

OOC thread for here. Starring Errant and Heraldo.

November 5th, 6pm One had to give him credit. He was quiet. Of course as other students had learned he didn't need to say a word to convey things. Fortunately they were used to telepaths. It helped ease the transition, as someone who could pierce into the innermost sanctum of one's thoughts could raise a lot of questions of whether someone was to be trusted. Fortunately that wasn't the cause of his issues in dealing with people, no that stemmed from his lack of having really dealt with a large number of people, and he was having to shield himself to a greater extent than he had previously, and until he adapted to the people around him, he felt his power would suffer. Of course his standoffish nature was noticed by others, including Heraldo, who decided the younger boy needed some time among others. Errant didn't feel like arguing with him, so it was easiest to go along with him, and take the time to practice being around people, as well as practice with his powers... along with this whole skateboarding things. The hood of his sweater was pulled over his head, and he cruised alongside Heraldo, focusing on three things at ones, his web, his telepathy, and the skateboarding. It was tricky, especially when he was trying to listen to him as well.

Amir al Misri lived by one rule: never let them see you sweat. It was as simple as it was all encompassing. He did it in his professional efforts, and carried it over to his work as his superhero, it was why he came off as nonplussed at Jubatus' attitude. And when the response he got was a voice he didn't immediately recognize, he seemed, expectant perhaps? His hand moving to pull his phone out, and dialed a number. "I do not think we can get steak tartar to go. But we can get sushi." Putting the phone to his ear, he hummed a little to himself. "Hello? Thomas? Yes, get me the usual from the Moroccan place, and the usual from the sushi place, and... get the security team whatever they want. Thank you." Hanging up he slipped the phone back into his shirt pocket. "There. As for some of the security, I cannot really excuse or explain it, however I am certainly going to look at the management of my security now." He moved around his desk and opened a drawer and withdrew a manila envelope from it, before carrying it over to Silhouette and offering it up to her. "Here is what you discussed arrangements are made and you can review them."

He blinked a little bit, as his eyes seemed to scrutinize each of them with a worldliness that was surprising. "Those aren't your names." His surprisingly deep voice did it's odd cadence and twisting in the space between them all. His gaze lingered on them for several moments before he turned his head and looked back over that portion of the city. "I don't think they are expecting me. This wasn't planned..." His voice trailed off, it was hard trying to shut out all those minds out there, like the rush of a wave it kept washing over him again and again. That was what his mind felt like, tidal. "I can feel them. There are so many. I am not use to that. Not used all of them..." Closing his eyes again and leaning his head forward a little in thought, he lifted up his hand towards them without feeling them. "Movement is better than stillness now."

He stopped, and looked at her. He blinked a little bit, and then frowned. "I... This was not intentional." He sighed a little bit, and turned a little bit, looking to her. Moving from her he walked to the window and looked out at his surroundings. "I... was nowhere near here. What happened...?" He tone was a little wistful, as he tried to piece together what was happening, and it made him sigh a bit realizing he was needing to educate himself a bit more now. turning back to her, he frowned still. "I am terribly sorry for the intrusion, I..." He started to gesture out of the window, and then he noticed her attire, and there was a pregnant pause before he resumed, "I was flying along and something happened and it seems I owe you a new window."

"Yeah... that has been happening now too." He laughed a little bit, and shook his head, looking down, fidgeting a little. Looking less the smiling and assured man he was normally seen as. "I was like that too, for a long while, but it bites you back eventually." When she came back he lifted his head and smiled a little bit at her and took the cup, nodding a little again. "Thank you." And then without even paying much attention, he knocked back the hot liquid like it was nothing. In truth he had discovered he was largely immune to heat these days, that had gotten stronger since his... vacation. "And I am rambling a little, or a lot. I do not really want to be a guy who just vanishes like that, I have tried to change myself, so even when I was... powerless to prevent that situation from cropping up I still feel guilty that I left you in a lurch."

And he laughed a little bit then, and he winked at her, "A guy has to keep his secrets, I hear that an air of mystery is very enticing." Then he wagged his brows as he chuckled, the shook his head and sighed just a little. "Besides there are at least two paparazzi on me at any given point, I imagine some of them are using those laser microphones. They would publicize every scrap they could find, and suddenly I am the first fatality due getting their information from TMZ. I mean, as it is, they are currently connecting me romantically with Madame Zero." Once more, he glibly slide around the thrust of her question. Couple that with the smile he had, and Mr. al Misri was looking shrewder than the affable twit he played on television.

Slowly Amir al Misri raised an eyebrow as he looked at her, it was an artful expression one he clearly had chance to practice over the years. "You really did not read up on me did you? I keep several assistants, all of them are well recompensed, of the type that my schedule does not perturb them in the slightest." His tone was light, and he seemed almost imperious as he moved to the door, and pulled it open for her, and her friendly. "Fortunately I would imagine the perception of me will help you with this tact."

Asad Friends in Interesting Places 11 IC posts First Impressions are Important 1 IC Post Another Day in the Big City 12 IC Posts OVERTHROW in Freedom City1 IC post Digital Love 8 IC posts Too Good to be True? Naaaah. 4 IC posts Ventures Interrupted. 3 IC posts A rock big enough. 7 IC posts. Studio Time 5 IC posts. Total 52 IC Posts 11 GM posts Errant A Silence Loud 3 Posts Total 3 GM Ventures Interrupted. 2 GM posts Too Good to be True? Naaaah. 4 GM posts Another Day in the Big City 5 GM posts 11 GM posts all go to Errant

"I have noticed that too." He laughed a little as he dipped into a crouch and set those bricks down, a big grin on his face. "It helps I have not really put out a press release stating my abilities, I have heard some interesting speculation... but trust me there are enough people interested in what I can do..." His eyes went far off for a moment, remembering his extended 'vacation.' "But then, I do not really want any supervillains to be familiar with what I can do either, so it is a bit of a catch 22." Straightening up then and moving towards the pallet again to grab the next armload of bricks, before coming back to set them down as well.

He blinked a little bit, while observant sometimes, he skipped over the height thing, at least initially, instead at her comment he blinked, and seemed genuinely puzzled at her question. "Well, it was rude to go on a date and then to never say anything again, even if I did vanish." He smiled sheepishly, not trying to turn on the charm, it just came naturally. And then he sipped at the coffee, and made a small face as the coffee was now cold. "It was something I thought a lot on as I was imprisoned... Helped me stay more or less sane. Though, I imagine the jury is still out on that one." He laughed softly, and shook his head.

His eyes open, startling bright against his skin and features, he looked at them carefully, as if not trusting what he felt from each. Especially the one who startled the other guy, as she fended off his sweep. He set his jaw mutely for a moment, and glanced to the city, imposing to him, and he hadn't even really seen a lot of it. "I don't think I have a home..." He spoke softly, his accent hard to place, it apparently having a lot more fluidity on the consonants than was normal. A frown on his face, as the gravity of the situation started to hit him when the pain subsided. "I am lost in where I am supposed to be." He slowly knelt down and picked up a bag that he had dropped. "I am to be at Claremont, is it far?"

Hearing her story, he flashed a small smile to her. "Ah, I understand that. A little, but I think I understand where they are coming from. Of course I understand what it is like to be treated a little oddly by this particular community. Certainly different, but despite the money I donate... my public image is not necessarily the best for them to touch, even if I do help... Anyway, I am glad my assessment was wrong." Looking at that pallet that slide closer to him, and he grinned, just a little bit. "Hm, well I cannot readily move all of this quite yet, hope you don't mind if I lift less than what you can." Flashing a small grin, as he picked up an arm load of bricks and carried them over to where they were being set down.

He didn't seem perturbed by the question, after all why would he?. Instead he turned and picked up a folder, and carried it over to Jubatus, holding it out to him. "Standard fare, quarterly salary terms, full benefits and an incentive scale that is built around the projected values of what you do troubleshooting for. These points as negotiable. Also there is some community service requirements beyond just the hero aspect, as well as an option to officially license your likeness and name. I do the same, though the entirety of the profits are donated, I recommend doing the same, both from an altruistic stand point, and from a fiscal stand point. As I said, it is all negotiable, so please review it." Moving away from Jay then, he picked up his drink and took a sip, then frowned noticing something. "Excuse me a moment..." Moving around to his desk he tapped on a button on the touchscreen panel on his desk, a frown creasing his face. "Security? Are you there? I saw a notice on my monitor, is there something wrong?"

They are two tech based villains that operate more in the South, RPM and Collision.

"Quite." He agreed, flashing that winning smile to Lady Winter, and then he leaned down and smirked conspiratorially at the Mercenary. "I do apologize, but that isn't really enough for us to let you go. So it looks like you are going to have to go to jail. Or, my associate here will have to encase you in more ice. Regrettable but that is how it has to be." Slowly standing up then, and frowning a little bit as he looked around then, and then glancing to Lady Winter, "I am going to find the other guy. Hopefully that one is still nearby. I would not be surprised if you knocked him to Pittsburgh." And then he slowly rose up into the air, and flashed her a grin before he turned and headed toward the direction where the other had left.

Waiting on DS's roll. And Asad is: Initiative (1d20+7=14)

GM It would be hard to tell what the attention of the men entailed, they were posing as reporters after all, and if they were fakes they were acting in character. Even as the Jubatus moved to Asad and started talking to him the just took more pictures and made notes. Like everyone else. Then out came the tablet, and whatever urge they had to keep quiet to keep laying low was over and they surged up, outlines of something forming around each and then shimmered into solidity as suits. The larger man's suit was gray and red in color, and clung to his form tighter, whereas the smaller man now loomed over him in a larger suit. This exposure sent the crowd into a slow wave of panic, particularly to the heightened perceptions of Jubatus, as this all was moving to a crawl.

No biggie, like I said he is just sweeping hostile thoughts.