Aberrant: Dead Rising - Chapter 12c: Fallout Baby

[Courier]

James replied, "Almost. You had news, but so did I. Violet..." She still hadn't told him about her name change.

James chose his next statement with the careful precision of someone holding a live grenade, "...how did you know Nashwa needed help? Was that a power thing? And is Jill like Nashwa too?"

[Venus]

For a short moment Venus didn't seem to understand his question. He was acting strange, almost as if he knew something she wasn't aware of. Jill was perfectly healthy but given her diet and the supplements she took she couldn't conceive, not unless she waited a few months. So what was troubling him?

"I didn't know she needed help but I was assuming as much given what the other women told me. All I did was to bless her ovula and thus guarantee you would successfully impregnate her. I could do that with Jill, too but I highly doubt she wants to have children. Aside from that - her lifestyle simply doesn't allow getting pregnant. You should know that.", she squeezed his arm showing her compassion and trying to calm him down.

"Why don't you tell me what is going on? The way you keep dodging the issue gives me only the chance to interpret what you are really trying to find out. Are you doubting my power?", Venus looked up at him trying to show compassion for his situation but she wasn't entirely sure what he was trying to say or what his fear was but she was slowly getting an idea. I think he fears that all women are sterile... if that was the case...

[Courier]

Somewhat relieved, James exhaled. V didn't know. Nashwa had asked for V's help or something, but V didn't know for a fact that all the non-super women were sterile.

James covered Violet's hand with his own and said with a rakish smile, "Jill will change her mind. Not today, not tomorrow, but someday."

Violet could tell James really believed that, but Jill didn't have anything to do with what had been bothering him.

James took V's hand, chastely kissed her knuckles, and said, "I have no doubt of your power. My..."

Information?

News?

Worries?

What do you call the potential extinction of humanity when you absolutely don't want the other supers fighting over Violet just yet?

"...problem should wait till we're alone. It's important, but private, and doesn't have anything to do with this whole moving thing."

Violet could feel the partial lie in James words. 'Private', not in that it was a private matter. 'Private' as in, James was didn't dare say it in public. The last time V had felt anything like this from him was when James had been blinded and had feared it was permanent.

[Venus]

The immediate response to the emotional part of what he was saying made her smile even softer and more compassionate. James honest fear and the careful choice of his words gave Venus the right feeling of the importance of the whole matter. He did know something or maybe he was only assuming as much but it wasn’t less important because the end result would be the same.

She reached up with her hand, gently touching his cheek and holding it for comfort. “I understand, my love. Why don’t you make yourself acquainted with Han while I talk to the Captain. Once we’re at Olympus we can talk about everything“, she leaned closer to him and gave him a gentle kiss on his lips. Her passionate heat that would’ve ignited the entire room was held in check and he could feel her pure love and compassion for him and his concern.

Just as surprising the kiss was she released herself from him and nodded at Han with an admiring smile. As long as he was here everything would be fine, she knew this was as certain as the next sunrise. “Please excuse me, my presence is requested elsewhere – I shall return as fast as I can.“, Venus curtsied gracefully and left for the table where Captain Fox, Jules and Myfwany were already waiting for her.

“I’m sorry for the delay but Ares‘ question seemed rather urgent to me.“, Venus excused herself and took a seat just across Captain Fox. Unable to sit on it like a normal person would due to her exaggerated proportions Venus rather reclined on it like a decadent noble, her long legs exposed up to her pelvis where the skirt just covered her generous hips.

“So what do you wanted to talk about, Captain?“, she asked openly keeping her trademark smile rather reserved and controlled. Her lavender eyes were glowing with an inner fire as she waited for him to ask his questions.

Click to reveal..

Venus is actually trying to be open and polite. She doesn’t want to dominate this conversation with her powers and abilities. She cares for all three of them, who she considers her friends.

[Courier]

James watched Violet leave then he turned back to Han saying, "Where were we?"

[SalmonMax]

"Ares?" Myfwany asked, a ghostly smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "Really? Is he calling himself that, or are you just picking pet names for us now?"

Her tone is light and teasing, though the undercurrent of unease isn't hard to pick out.

[Venus]

Venus looked at Myf somewhat amused, “He’s been channeling Ares from the first day I met him, I think that name suits him far more than anything else. I’m not picking pet names, why should I? I mean aside from ´honey´ or ´sweetheart´... or whatever suits the situation.“

She shifted her position on the chair a little and sighed at Myf her undercurrent feeling not escaping her attention, “Everyone seems so agitated all of the sudden, have I done something? Have I broken any rules? Or is this about Dan?“, Venus arched an eybebrow questiongly not at any one in particular.

[SalmonMax]

"It's probably different things for all of us," Myfwany admitted. "For me, I have an instinctive mistrust of people assigning themselves the names of gods...even if those gods are long dead and gone."

She shook her head then and waved towards Fox. "But this isn't about me. Lets finish the business, then if we're still in the mood we can discuss other things."

[Dylan Harvey]

After spending some time on the generator Dylan had come to the conclusion he wouldn't be able to focus on anything until he had those satellite codes. Finally he decided to just sit outside the trailer and enjoy the fresh air a bit. From what he could gather from people moving around it seemed that everyone had a bit of a busy day. When he saw some of the supers his mind flashed back to the meeting with the general.

Some supers were hostile. What was worse was Dylan considered the speed freaks they had met. No one here could do a thing to stop them from just coming in and placing an explosive and leaving again. The one who had dropped the zombie on them could have been as strong as Jaimes which meant they would need a rocket launcher if the man decided to just leap over the walls and do the same thing here.

Dylan knew he needed to come up with some plan. A defense strategy against supers, which would require a great deal of knowledge of the abilities that potential hostile supers could possess. He needed to talk to Fox about it in the next couple days. Which brought him back to the satellites.

Sighing he stood up and started to ask around if anyone had seen Fox. Finally a couple people said they saw him heading in to Violet's. Dylan made his way there and walked inside. When he saw the group standing around talking he just stood back and out of the way. No need to interrupt if it was something important. Dylan didn't expect Fox to open a portal right there he was just wanting to get a ETA.

[Dawn OOC]

Han smiled at James. "I'm not sure. Perhaps you have some questions for me?" His smile was friendly enough, but as an alpha male, James could feel the arrogance from the man. It was very similar to his own attitudes - Han believed that he was top dog.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Jules had opened her mouth at Venus’ question but Myfwanny beat her to it. The woman fell silent, her exotic features set in a hard line. Still looking at ease, Fox was about to start when Dylan entered. “Dylan, yes?” Fox asked, rising and walking toward him.

“I need the codes before I can do anything else,” the young man said. His eyes flicked around the room, yet he didn’t seem to catch the tensions in the room.

“We’ll go once I’m satisfied that the complex is secured,” Fox assured him. “Just an hour or two, alright?”

“Sure, that’s what I needed to know,” Dylan said, nodding. Still obvious, he let Fox guide him to the door. “Come find me at my trailer, ok?”

“I will,” Fox agreed.

Once Dylan was happy, Fox returned to the group at the table. “I’m sorry to see you go, Violet,” Fox said sincerely. “We’ll miss having you around.”

“I’ll come back to visit,” Venus assured him with a gorgeous smile.

“Good,” Fox replied. “I look forward to that. There are just a couple of things. I’d like to come back to your new home with you, so that we can establish continual relations. And I’d like to know if you’ll be transporting the building over or giving it to someone here. I’m sure that Draygo could help you with moving it, or even if you have to dismantle it. If that’s impossible – well, we can still work something out.”

[Venus]

Originally Posted By: SalmonMax

She shook her head then and waved towards Fox. "But this isn't about me. Lets finish the business, then if we're still in the mood we can discuss other things."

Venus ignored the first part of Myfwany’s answer but nodded in agreement about the latter. “I gladly discuss other things, I’ve got news about my children and I’d like you to verify what I sensed.“, a hand was gently caressing her womb as she spoke but unlike Kristin Venus wasn’t showing any signs of being pregnant. Her tummy was as flat as ever and her insane Bust-Waist-Hip ratio seemed entirely unaffected by the pregnancy even though she should be showing far more than Kristin in the late first trimester – especially with quintuplets. The only obvious change was Venus height which easily measured 3 to 4 inches more than she used to be.

The tall bombshell settled her purple glowing eyes on Captain Fox smiling at him as he came back from his little chat with Dylan. She listened carefully to his words expecting him to accuse her of something she may or may not have done. Even though his words were sincere and she had no reason to doubt him she couldn’t suppress a smirk about his comment about missing her. Who would actually miss her with the exception of Myfwany maybe, who surely relied on her presence at the hospital to relief her from the daily duties.

When Captain Fox suggested that Draygo could help transport the building over to Olympus she had to laugh openly and heartily. The imagination of the half-dragon-man carrying the building like Atlas on his shoulders was too much for her.

“Seriously?“, she asked still giggling and forced herself to calm down. She had really expected some talk about her misbehaviour, certainly not concern for her personal ´belongings´.

“I’m sorry, Captain – it’s only, this is nothing I was expecting from this conversation. I already talked to Kristin and offered her to ´take over´ the building. You know I wanted to open it to the public and make it more accessible, provide some shelter with nice beds and warm water for those who really need it, like young parents and their children or those who can’t stay at the hospital anymore but still need some kind of care. Honestly, I don’t claim any ´rights´ concerning this building. I had some amazing sex here but beyond that almost everything I tried to do turned into a complete disaster. I’m sure Kristin and her Cousin will turn this place into something wonderful, all I want to keep is my room for the occasional visit at the Refuge.“, her joyful mood was wearing off as she ended her sentence and she looked down briefly taking a deep breath before she continued with a more somber voice.

“I thank you for your kind words, Captain but I don’t think my absence will be much mourned here. You should have less trouble internally without me and I’m tired of staying most of the day locked up because walking around freely could cause a riot. There are other things I disagree with but I don’t want to turn this nice conversation into an argument about staying or leaving. My mind is set and I believe it benefits all of us.“, she paused briefly and the way she spoke was unexpected sober and precise, no emotional drama or anything that hinted at the former Violet.

“Concerning your request to visit Olympus – You have to ask Han.“, she didn’t add what she thought and simply smiled at him while she waved one hand lazily to where Han and James were standing.

[Krysti-Lynn Magnussen]

Kristin barely had time to give Han a surprised look - she remember him from when he and Gabrielle had tried to teach her to fly and she hadn't expected to see him here - before she was rushing up the stairs, taking the flight in two bounding steps. Still dealing with the new, emotional link with Violet - Venus now - Kristin's instinctive wariness missed the considering glance from the other big, blond man in the room.

Being desired, loved even, was a scary thing, especially when she could feel what the other was feeling. Kristin was still unsure if she deserved it. Even her family had left her, all of them except for Ashley. But maybe knowing that someone loved her, she could begin loving herself.

Kristin found Ashley sitting at the top of the stairs, sitting on the ground with her back against the wall, obviously eavesdropping despite the bland expression on her face.

"Kristy, what's wrong?" Ashley asked with concern as she stood up and followed her cousin to their room.

"Noth - Nothing," Kristin protested. "Why'd you say that, Ash? And what were you doing at the top of the stairs?"

"Just resting. I don't have arms like yours," she replied smoothly, rapping her knuckles on Kristin's steely bicep. "It was hard organizing the shed myself."

Kristin picked up the pair of wood-axes she had found in Vegas, then reclined on her bed, alternating bouncing the back of the axe-heads off her knees. Cautiously, she let the Link open a big further, feeling Venus' vivid passions begin to swell once more. She glanced over at Ashley and snorted. "Liar."

Ashley arched a brow, then shrugged, not denying it as she began to but away a load of freshly cleaned laundry. "I was listening in on what was happening downstairs while staying out of the way. Several new supers that nobody's seen before walking around the place like they own... There's people living here and they're worried that they might be told to leave."

"Violet - she's calling herself Venus, now - Venus is the one leaving. I think the others are just helping her move. And I've seen one of those supers before - Han, the one with the dark glasses." Kristin looked up at the ceiling, lips turning down with wistful sadness. "He and Gabby tried to teach me to fly."

Ashley just stared at her cousin, mouthing the word, 'Venus,' then shook her head, a hand waving away Kristin's revelation about wanting to fly for another day. "Where is 'Venus' going then?"

"Olympus."

"Olympus. Olympus?"

"That's what she said."

"Olympus," Ashley muttered under her breath. "Of course that's where Venus would go." Ashley turned back to her cousin, hands on her hips. "Did Viol-Venus-Whatever say what she's doing with this place."

"Uh..." Kristin looked away, flipping the axes in her hands, voice growing sheepish. "I sorta offered that you and me would look after the place..."

Ashley gave a sharp nod. "Fine."

"Really?"

"Really," Ashley affirmed, firmly. "I'll admit, Venus is generous with what she has, but she didn't worry about all the small details of having a number of people living here. Jill did more of that, but she's been distracted lately, so I've been doing most of it. So, I'll be fine running this place... as long as you help out too."

"Oh, well... good. And I will, but I'll be busy for a while, looking for a place for the field and seeing if I can find anything out about your friend. Mr. Morgan said it was a good idea, and that we could use Refuge resources, if we share what we grow, if anything."

"Excellent. I have a list of what else we need if we do start growing anything." Ashley fell silent, crossing her arms as she stared at her muscular cousin with all the mature weight of her extra few months of life. Kristin chewed her lip under that steady regard. "Well, tell me, Kristy. I know there's something. What is it?"

Kristin shook her head, not meeting her cousin's eye, a blush suffusing her cheeks. "No, Ash, there's noth-"

"Please."

"Oh, alright! Violet-"

"Venus."

"Venus formed... formed a Link with me. I can tell what she's feeling, and..." As Kristin tried to explain a link she herself didn't really understand and what Venus had promised, her face going redder and redder, Ashley listened in attentive silence, save for a few sharp questions, hiding her rising concern.

"Oh, Kristy, are you sure about this? Do you remember what happened before?"

"It's not the same, Ash!" Kristin insisted. "She's not making me feel anything, she's just letting me know what she's feeling. And she feels a lot. It... It's taking a bit to get used to."

"I bet," Ashley muttered with more snark then she intended. She sighed, placing a hand on Kristin's broad shoulder. "Okay, Kristy. I did say you had to do this yourself. If you think this will help... But promise, if it starts getting to be too much, you break the Link. Promise me. It was hard for me too, seeing how you were... before."

Kristin gave her cousin's hand a slight squeeze, and nodded fiercely before popping back to her feet. She pulled on a loose, rugged jersey over her shirt and began filling a pack with what she would need for a day out of the Refuge. "I will, I swear."

"Good. Since we'll be taking care of the place, this will be our place. We'll use what we can from our supplies, and while you're out, I'll write up another list of what we can use to make this place better for group living. And you should see if you can get anyone to go with you..."

Kristin began feeling better, enough to let the Link slip open a bit further. Stuff was getting better, some at least. She had Ashley in her corner, and Venus too, even if she was going to be far away.

One day, Paradise behind her, far behind her.

[Courier]

Originally Posted By: Dawn, OOC

Han smiled at James. "I'm not sure. Perhaps you have some questions for me?" His smile was friendly enough, but as an alpha male, James could feel the arrogance from the man. It was very similar to his own attitudes - Han believed that he was top dog.

James grinned back. He had the feeling he'd either love or hate this guy. He didn't mind the idea of another top dog around... provided he actually deserved to be at the top.

James asked, "First, what's the zombie situation. Have you cleared out your local area, do you have walls, are they an active threat, are there any super-zoms around, that sort of thing. Second, what's the food situation? Third, um... what do the non-supers think of all this? Oh, and fourth, how large a group are you?"

Security. Food. Status of his family.

[Dawn OOC]

Han was grinning by the time James had finished talking. “I won’t give you numbers, not here… but we’ll call it comparable to this place.” He tilted his head toward the door leading out into the Refuge. “But we live in caves. They are sealed to the outside, with only a few ventilation shafts out. The only way in or out is via teleportation or warp. Our power comes from our water source, an underground river. We have a good stock of food; it was one of the first things I secured and we use an insulated cave to store perishables. We have no zombies in Olympus and never will.” He grinned wider. “How does that sound to you?”

“I wasn’t going to talk you out of it,” Fox said softly. “You’re an adult, you clearly have made up your mind. That’s one of the things this place is about – a place of safety, for as long as you want it. Clearly, you don’t want it anymore. And that’s fine. This visit is to make sure that there are no loose ends and to say goodbye to a friend.” He smiled and straightened. “So I need to talk to your new boss-man? If you ladies will excuse me, I should go join the gents.” Standing, he left Violet with Myfwanny and Jules.

[Venus]

Venus nodded at Captain Fox and waited until he was out of earshot, then she bend forward over the table smiling at Jules and Myfwany with surprising joy. “You won’t believe this, but I’m expecting quintuplets – can you imagine that?“, she kept her voice low but couldn’t hide the anticipation and happyness she felt about this news. She looked at Myfwany and slowly stood up.

“Would you be so kind and look if you can confirm what I’ve sensed?“, Venus reached with one hand for Myfwany and if she let her placed Myf’s hand over her womb.

“I hope you don’t mind, Jules... I don’t mean to remind you of anything unpleasant but I’m so excited about this, it’s hard to contain my joy.“, she added with a sparkling glow in her eyes only an expecting mother had.

[Courier]

Geology ran in James' family's blood, he'd been in a few big cave with his family over the years. Thinking out-loud he said, "Total invulnerability. Meters and meters of nature's walls, I'll bet they can't even sense you. A big cave system could hold a city. No zombies. No weather. Probably a constant temperature. Ventilation is less of an issue than you'd think, flowing water does a lot. Let's see..."

Still thinking out-loud, James looked for the 'gotcha' problem, "Waste disposal... no. You bag it and warp it somewhere else. People need sun light... also no. You have power, you'll have sun beds or something. Food storage... ah. You warp up North, grab an unlimited amount of ice and dump it in a cave."

James said with respect, "I'm impressed. You're amazingly secure." Maybe secure enough to revisit JoAnna's 'no children unless there are no zombies' issue. James asked, "How long have you been set up? And how close am I on the details?"

[Dawn OOC]

“We are secure,” Han said with a proud smile. “I worked very hard to make it that way. And we haven’t bothered with sunbeds yet; we need to collect food and people are taken out all the time to get some fresh air and sunlight.

“You’re pretty good on the details,” Han continued. “We’ve been there since December. I found a way in and we started setting it up. It wasn’t easy, but it’s been worth it. We’ve been steadily increasing our numbers over time. We’re even expecting our first baby in five months or so.”

Before James could reply, Fox joined them. “I couldn’t help but hear,” the red-headed leader said. “I’d love to see the place. Plus once I’ve been there, we can set up regular visits.”

“That I can’t allow,” Han said. His tone was still polite, but the genial nature of the conversation shifted in an instant. “You’re a warper, correct? It would be a breach of our safety to allow anyone to visit us, to know how to get to us.”

Fox’s green eyes narrowed. “We mean you no ill will,” he said. “We’re just looking to establish relations.”

“I understand that,” Han replied, “and people who have said exactly that have burned us before. So we’ll be exceptionally cautious. We’ll come visit you regularly, have no fear.”

“Right,” Fox said, looking unamused. “I’ll get back to you on setting up visiting hours.”

[SalmonMax]

Myf fought against and defeated the reflexive urge to jerk her hand back when Violet reached for it. She allowed it to be moved to Violet's belly, though she knew there was no way she'd be able to tell by touch. Instead she peered at the complicated skein of Violet's life energy and followed its tapestry down to where the children would be. In curiosity she looked through to the frequency of 'super' energy as well, wondering if anything would show so young...or if she'd be able to see Violet tampering with her own fertility.

"You've never doubted your senses before," Myfwany said lightly as she scanned. "Are you sure you don't just want to show off?" She grinned at Violet to let her know it was a joke. "So tell us about this Olympus enclave then while I get my reading."

[Venus]

"It's not that I'm doubting my senses. It's a complete new sensation, something I discovered on my stay at Olympus. I don't know how to explain it but I'm fairly certain my assessment is right, all I want to know is if you agree with me. You were the one to tell me in the first place and I trust you.", Violet smiled at Myf and slowly let her hand go.

Her voice got lower and more serious although she still sounded joyfully and her good spirit made her almost beam, "You're the best friends I got - you and Jules and you've been nothing but understanding and supportive - I don't want to leave without telling you.", the tall auburn haired bombshell explained.

"When I reached Olympus it felt like... home. I instantly knew I belonged there. You know how different I am from the other Exalted of this enclave and I never really fit in. Olympus is different. I can be who I am, without regret, without restraint.", the sincerity and conviction of her words were nigh overwhelming. Venus truly believed in every single word she said and this conviction seemed to grant her power never seen before.

Click to reveal..

I'm assuming you can sense/see the life signs in Venus' womb. They should be more distinct now and what you assumed to be 3 children looks closer to 5 now. I'm not sure how to answer the thing about Venus tampering with her own fertility. She did obviously and something is definitely happening there. Something that is far "stronger" than a "normal" pregancy would be like. Dawn please correct me if I'm wrong or add/delete as you see fit.

[SalmonMax]

Myfwany frowned a little at what she was seeing, and hearing. What was happening in Violet's body, to her children, was...weird, to put it mildly. It did look like five children now. What she wasn't sure of was where the other two had come from. The triplets Vi had had before should have been too old for the kind of splitting needed to make sets of twins...and it simply wasn't possible that further fertilization had taken place. There were no more eggs in there to fertilize.

So what in God's name were those two extra babies?

All she could think of was that, perhaps due to Violet's powers, two of the triplets must have split into twins. Two sets of twins and a fifth one out. But then again, ALL of them would be genetic duplicates, since they had all been triplets to begin with.

She looked uneasily from Violet's body to her eyes. "What does that mean?" Myf asked. "Can you be more specific? How is being who you are, without restraint or regret, different from being here? Don't get me wrong, I'm not arguing with you...I'm just trying to understand. What do they do differently over there?"

[Venus]

Venus smiled warmly at Myfwany watching her curiously as she examined her, “It would be far easier to show you if you could walk in my shoes for one day, I’ll try to explain to my best ability. I have to be very careful were I go and what I wear else I gather a crowd of lecherous men and even some women to follow me. I can go to tent city only in company of the guards or one of the exalted or else they’ll try to drag me into their tents and probably try to fuck me. So I restrain myself, I only leave house to go to the hospital or the HQ-Building. I almost always wait for Dan to pick me up. It’s like living in a gilded cage and... and I’m not happy with this situation. The people of Olympus treat me differently. They are kind like you and they respect me, even worship me. I don’t have to hide who I am, I don’t have to hold back. I never thought it could be so simple but Han opened my eyes.“

There was true admiration for Han in her voice. She surely loved him but this seemed to go even beyond love. She looked over to him as she spoke about Olympus her eyes glimmering with amethyst fire gaining intensity each time she said Olympus or Han.

Looking down at the smaller woman she noticed Myf’s brief uneasyness, “Is there anything wrong?“, her voice was carefully intoned trying not to sound too worried. She felt fine and her new sense of body awareness confirmed her feelings but Myfwany was a doctor and she possessed powers Venus was relying on. She had no doubt to question Myf’s diagnosis but maybe she was only surprised to see that she was truly carrying quintuplets and not triplets.

[SalmonMax]

"Nothing's wrong exactly," Myfwany replied. "I guess it's just a little weird seeing powers operating on unborn fetuses. It shouldn't surprise me, but it still feels to me like...those are things that shouldn't be tampered with." She sighed and smiled tiredly. "Old-fashioned of me, I suppose."

"As for Olympus, I'm..." she paused for a second to organize her thoughts and words. "What happened here was unfortunate, but was to some extent a side effect of your power's manifestations and how they affect people. This isn't a camp of rapists. Your power gives you unnatural sexual appeal that sometimes overwhelms people. My question is...why is that different in Olympus? It seems to me that anywhere you went, your power would cause that kind of problem unless you turned it off when you didn't need it."

[Venus]

Venus relaxed visibly as Myf explained that she was only surprised but not really worried. She knew that something was special about her unborn and didn’t worry too much about it unless she felt an unexpected change.

“Olympus‘ People rever and honor us exalted, they’d never dare laying hands on me unless I wanted it. I can move around freely, as I like without worry or concern because Han’s people know their place in his order. In return they are protected and provided for – it is a peaceful co-existence without internal struggle or deceit.“, Venus conviction was unchallenged even though she had only spent one day in Olympus the little information she got from Han was enough for her to know how the general order was.

Han had awoken her and for that she would be ever grateful but how could she possibly explain to Myf or Jules how it felt like and what this meant to her?

“Please trust me, Myfwany – I’m still your friend and I will help whenever I can but my place isn’t here anymore. I changed too much to go back... I realized the truth in Han’s words and I’ve seen his vision of Olympus. I want to be part of it. The dichotomy of Fox’s Refuge... it makes me mad. People called me a whore and spat at the idea of me building a clubhouse but they openly welcomed the Red-Tent.“, she sighed making her mighty bosom heave ominously.

“I know Captain Fox‘s idealism and sense of duty is very strong but that Prison-raid brought more problems than it solved and you know we were already dealing with quiet a few situations. I don’t want my children to grow up here – that’s the ultimate reason for me leaving.“, Venus smile was still warm but she also showed how determined she was. Everything she said reflected how confident and convicted she was of her decision – nothing but short of a miracle would make her change her mind.

[SalmonMax]

Revere and honor. Know their place.

They were the magic words Myf had been digging for, but she wasn't glad to hear them. But she knew there was no going back for Violet. Not now. Not via debate or argument. If she turned her back on Olympus, it would be because of what she experienced there.

"It sounds like a virtual paradise," Myf said, using the emotionally charged word very intentionally. "I hope things go well for you." She took a breath, steeling herself to go on. There were things Violet needed to know, but they weren't pleasant, and Vi didn't take to unpleasant news well.

"I've learned a few things myself, and if you're leaving then I need to share some of it with you. Things every super needs to know."

"First...I just want to remind you that nothing is known about where these powers come from, or why we have them. They came from nowhere...and they may leave just as fast. We all may wake up tomorrow and be completely ordinary. That goes double for children. I know it's hard to hear, but there's no reason to believe right now that these powers are, in any way, genetic or genetically transferred. You may have five babies, but the odds are strong that they will be normal human beings, just like you used to be."

"Second, and this is by far the most important, I've discovered that the powers 'super zombies' have are based on the same principles as the powers super-humans have. I believe that we are NOT immune to becoming zombies. It just happens differently to us. It's more...incremental, building up over time bit by bit. When I look at superhumans, I see two colors...two 'shades' of power. A bright, rich golden radiance...and a dark black void. Most of us have much more gold than black. Super zombies have nothing but black. I think...when our auras change completely black...we become super zombies. I'm not sure yet what causes auras to change...but I wanted to tell you because..." Myfwany swallowed. This was harder than she'd expected. "Because your aura has more black in it than most. It's still got plenty of gold...but I feel you may be in danger. Closer to the edge than most of us. I promise, as I research this, I will let you know more, all right?"

[Venus]

Venus took these news with relative calm and seemed very collected, very different to her usual behaviour which would’ve surely resulted in some degree of drama. Yet Venus was visibly concerned, less about her children being born normal and not exalted but the revelation that she was turning into a zombie was unsettling.

“How close... how close do you think am I of turning into a Zombie?“, the thought made her slightly sick in the stomach and it was very hard to believe or imagine that she would experience such a change. She was feeling better than ever, liberated and free. Maybe Myf was trying to...? No... she wouldn’t just tell to make me change my mind, it’s not like her...

Myfwany could see that Venus tried to deal with the information without showing panic but it surely felt a lot like telling someone he was terminally ill, beyond means of a cure.

“Thank you for telling me.“, she said quietly with both hands on her womb. There was a distant sadness in her eyes but her aura of confidence and conviction remained strong. She would find a way to deal with this, Han would protect her from any harm.

Even though Venus carried herself much more like a Queen or a Goddess even, there was a display of true humanity and worry. Her thoughts weren’t focussed on what might happen to her, she was worried about her unborn children. They shouldn’t grow up without their mother so she mustn’t turn into a zombie.

“This research you did... it’s still based on assumptions, right? You don’t know for sure, you just think it’ll happen. Does having contact with Zombies, bites for example, make it worse? I’ve never been in any combat with Zombies, except for the day I... became.“, Myf could hear the hope in Venus‘ voice. She wouldn’t give up and accept her fate, that was for sure. Myf was actually a bit surprised, the Violet she knew would’ve certainly broken out in tears or worse – have a nervous breakdown.

[SalmonMax]

"It's like you say, there's still a lot I don't know," Myf explained. "The most important is that I don't know what causes auras to change...and I don't understand the difference between 'gold' and 'black' in real-world terms. All I know for sure is that the super zombies I've had a chance to examine have been solid black."

"Now you...you've got more black than most other superhumans I've looked at, but you still have more gold than black," Myf went on to say. "I don't think you're in immediate danger. I just want to warn you so that you'll be alert to possible signs of change. And researching this is going to be my top priority for awhile. At least until I have some answers. I think this process...this difference in how humans and superhumans change...may be a way to crack the true nature of the Z plague. My advice is to take it easy with your powers...our auras are intimately connected to our abilities, and it may be that using them too much, or in the wrong way, contributes to the darkening effect. I'd also suggest avoiding contact with zombies...especially super-zombies. I noticed that the giant zombie-monster in Paradise "bruised" James' aura where it hit him. It's not quite the same as darkening, but it may be that over time, or repeated hits, it could lead to it."

[Venus]

“Then it is more important than ever that I leave. Olympus is a saver place than the Refuge. I promise to return on a weekly basis at least so you can check on both me and my children.“, Venus bend down and put her hands on Myfwany’s shoulder, then she carefully pulled her closer for an embrace giving Myfwany a good impression of the sheer size of Venus‘ abundant breasts.

“And should I notice something that worries me I’ll come right away. I... I can sense any changes in my body much better now.“, she added thoughtfully.

“How odd to receive these news now that I feel better and stronger even healthier than ever. I thought my powers of fertility would be useful since it does not only affect me but I can also affect others. I can feel how I constantly grow in power, Myfwany... it’s hard to imagine that it is something bad. I will heed your advice although I won’t deny my nature – not anymore. Thank you for everything.“, Venus concluded smiling friendly at Myfwany and letting go of her straightening her dress over her incredible curves.

"So this is not a fare-well, just a good-bye. See you soon.", she winked at her looking briefly to Jules whom she regarded with the same affection.

[SalmonMax]

"Actually, if you want weekly checkups, you might be better off seeing me in Texas," Myfwany said, with a glance at Jules. She hadn't really discussed her plans with many people yet...though it wasn't outside the realm of possibility that Fox had already spoken with Jules about it.

"Remember Jonathan, who had access to an advanced medical research lab? I'm going to see if I can stay there for awhile. I'll still be checking in on the Refuge, but I won't be living here anymore. If Jon's still interested in collaborating, of course."

In truth, the idea of seeing Jon again made Myfwany very nervous. He hadn't exactly been a picture of mental stability, and his powers had warped his body in nightmarish ways. But she couldn't let her feeling stand in her way anymore. It was an abdication of responsibility to herself, and to the world. She needed that lab. Period.

[Venus]

“Texas?“, Venus was surprised by that. “I understand now – you wanted me to run the hospital in your absence, right? Oh dear I’m so sorry to disappoint you, Myf. You put so much effort in my training and I let you down. I really don’t know what to say. I know I wanted to help you at the hospital and it was one of the very few things people actually respected me for. I will fondly remember that time.“, it sounded as if Venus was saying farewell to another part of her.

“I do remember him – he was fairly fascinated by my ability to pick up emotions and manipulate them. He wanted to see if I changed someone’s bodychemistry or if my powers had a different channel. He was an odd one for sure and it was quiet amusing knowing that he was very hard trying to resist my charms. Are you sure you want to risk your life like that? He seemed... dangerous.“, Myfwany could feel Venus‘ true concern and worry for her well-being. Even more now than before since Myfwany was so far the only person who was working on a solution for a possible problem she might face.

[SalmonMax]

Myf allowed herself a smile.

"He'll only be dangerous if he's lost his sanity. I'm fairly sure I can protect myself from him. And I'll ask Fox if Dan or someone can be with me when I first make my pitch. Just to be sure. I'll be fine."

[Venus]

Venus nodded at her in agreement, "Good and if that doesn't work out, maybe someone from Olympus can help. I'm sure I can help you out. I would even accompany you, if you don't mind. I could help you with the set up and Han would look after us. We intimidate Jon by numbers.", Venus mused giving Myf a playful wink.

"Accept my offer as a means of repayment - for everything you did for me and as a small compensation for not taking care of the hospital in your absence. Does this sound acceptable to you?, Venus mellifluous voice echoed with an uncanny quality. It was just as supernatural as her unearthly beautiful appearance.

[Courier]

James listened to the interplay between Fox and Han with interest and without comment. If he were Fox he'd act like he was, ditto if he were Han.

Instead he commented, "V seems pretty taken with you and your place."

Originally Posted By: Dawn, OOC

“You’re pretty good on the details,” Han continued. “We’ve been there since December. I found a way in and we started setting it up. It wasn’t easy, but it’s been worth it. We’ve been steadily increasing our numbers over time. We’re even expecting our first baby in five months or so.”...

James mentally examined Han's words.

Cure for the sterility? Maybe by shielding with the cave?

Someone like V?

Proof James was over reacting?

...female super?

Any question would say a lot, too much, about what was bothering him... and could easily be answered by just visiting the place. Or maybe V would know.

[z-Jules WhiteElk]

Originally Posted By: Venus

Venus nodded at her in agreement, "Good and if that doesn't work out, maybe someone from Olympus can help. I'm sure I can help you out. I would even accompany you, if you don't mind. I could help you with the set up and Han would look after us. We intimidate Jon by numbers.", Venus mused giving Myf a playful wink.

"Accept my offer as a means of repayment - for everything you did for me and as a small compensation for not taking care of the hospital in your absence. Does this sound acceptable to you?, Venus mellifluous voice echoed with an uncanny quality. It was just as supernatural as her unearthly beautiful appearance.

"I think we have this one," Jules said, choosing that moment to enter the conversation. Her dark eyes were cool as she stared at her friend - or maybe she was becoming a former friend. "You have the babies coming, and between working out visitation rights for Dan and caring for all five, you're going to be busy. Trust me, I went crazy dealing with one at a time - five's going to be rough."

She rose, not wanting to remain seated when everyone else was standing. "The Refuge has the numbers and the resources to help Myf, and we won't have to force anyone to do it, either." She added a grin she didn't feel and tacked on, "Even in jest."

[SalmonMax]

"And as for Jon, I'd rather not storm his place with an army of supers," Myf said with a smile. "I'm reasonably sure I can handle him on my own if need be, but I'll probably take Dan or someone along just in case. Just one other person though. I don't want to send the wrong message. I am grateful for the offer though. Maybe you can make it up to me by giving me a tour when I stop by to visit?"

[Venus]

Venus nodded slowly and looked at both women. Things remained calm and polite but there was an underlying air of uneasyness which was certainly because of Venus‘ obvious and not so obvious changes of her personality.

Venus meant them no harm though, and she reached for their hands squeezing them briefly with all good intention she could muster to portray. “I want you to know that you can count on me if you need help. I have not forgotten what you’ve done for me and how you supported my cause when I needed help. I wished I had realized this sooner, maybe then I could’ve prevented some of the damage I caused.“, she got quiet and very serious as she finished.

“I love you both – thank you for everything.“, Venus smiled and sighed. She didn’t like good-byes but staying wasn’t an option and she was looking forward to her new future. Slowly she turned away from Jules and Myfwany and rejoined the men slinging one arm around Han as she gently leaned against him. Her eyes briefly looked at Fox and then settled on James again whom she gave a more than friendly, almost seductive smile.

[Dawn OOC]

“I look forward to it,” Han said but it was clear that he knew Fox wasn’t going to be trying that hard.

“Violet doe-”

“Venus,” Han said, cutting Fox off as Venus returned to his side. “Her name is Venus now.”

“Habits,” Fox said, his smile cold. “I always liked her name.”

“And you can keep calling me Violet,” Venus told him with a wink, eager to dissipate the tension she felt between the men. “You’re an old friend, and I don’t mind.”

“You were saying?” Han asked.

“I was saying that Violet does seem entranced by your place,” Fox replied.

“I’m sure you would be, were it safe to have you there,” Han rejoined.

“I don’t know,” Fox said and his green eyes settled on Venus. “Sounds too good to be true to me.” Venus opened her mouth to retort but Fox was turning away. “I have duties to attend to. Violet, be sure to see me when you come visit.”

He swung by the table in the room and collected Jules, then left the building, his expression troubled.

[SalmonMax]

Myfwany watches Violet go, then gives Jules an apologetic look.

"You didn't get to say much there. Sorry about that. I'd better go back to my rounds here. One of the newcomers is supposed to be a doctor. I really want to talk to her before I'm done and make sure."

"As for my future with the Refuge, well...I'm sorry you had to find out this way. I planned on telling you directly once I'd arranged the details with Fox. Just...it won't be so bad. As long as he's around, I'll still be just a portal away. And this research is big, Jules. It's...very promising. I think I have a real chance at this. I have to try."

With reassurance from Jules, Myfwany headed back into the quarantine area and makes a beeline for the group of people with Dan and the new doctor.

[Venus]

Venus watched Fox leave with a thoughtful expression and waited until he was outside of earshot.

“He obviously disapproves but your decision was right, my love.“, she gently squeezed Han’s arm and then kissed him tenderly on his cheek.

Her eyes wandered back to James and her irresistable smile returned, “I can sense that you’re still troubled with something. What is on your mind, Ares? Olympus is safe and prospering but you still carry a weight on your shoulders that seems unbearable. Your question earlier implied that something is wrong – not necessarily with Nashwa but maybe with the other women of the Coven... Do you want to sire more children but find yourself unable to impregnate your women? Are you afraid to ask me of another favor? You shouldn’t be.“, she leaned her head against Han’s shoulder while her other hand held her womb. Venus seemed happy and at peace even though she had just decided to leave everything behind.

[Courier]

Originally Posted By: Dawn, OOC

“Venus,” Han said, cutting Fox off as Venus returned to his side. “Her name is Venus now.”

James lifted an eyebrow in amusement at Han's statement and at his/her body English.

He thought, Venus? So Jennifer wants to call herself that now? Well she definitely isn't channeling a warrior spirit. ...it's a good name for her.

And that's the new boyfriend.

Han you lucky/poor bastard. I envy/pity you.

Originally Posted By: Venus

Her eyes wandered back to James and her irresistable smile returned, “I can sense that you’re still troubled with something. What is on your mind, Ares? Olympus is safe and prospering but you still carry a weight on your shoulders that seems unbearable. Your question earlier implied that something is wrong – not necessarily with Nashwa but maybe with the other women of the Coven... Do you want to sire more children but find yourself unable to impregnate your women? Are you afraid to ask me of another favor? You shouldn’t be.“, she leaned her head against Han’s shoulder while her other hand held her womb. Venus seemed happy and at peace even though she had just decided to leave everything behind.

James opened his mouth with an irritated frown but hesitated. Did she just ask if I'm sterile in front of the new guy she's screwing?

Open mouth, insert foot. You've got a high embarrassment tolerance, keep trying to remember that. Picking a fight with V isn't going to help anyone, especially not you. Han isn't Dan. V isn't yours.

And... effectively, you are sterile with the girls. Maybe. Probably. And that's not even what's bothering you. Wow, the world changed today.

James answered, "Nashwa is great, thank you, and I'm not afraid to ask things of you." Now that's a massive understatement considering what you're going to suggest. "V... you and I really should finish talking to the coven."

[Venus]

"We can do that once we are comfortably settled at Olympus unless you are having second thoughts? I'm leaving today and I was hoping you'd come with us, you and the Coven of course. Do you need more time to think about it? I believe the best argument is to see it with your own eyes.", she smiled at him and slowly released her embrace from Han taking a step towards James.

Her voice had become much more serious now although it retained its magical supernatural harmonious ring, almost like a siren's song, "You're scared and it doesn't suit you, Ares. Look me in the eyes and tell me what is on your mind - you can trust me, you can trust Han.", she had closed the distance to him now breaching his personal comfort zone with ease as she made him very aware of her unearthly presence. Her amazing breasts which were half exposed since the cups of her bodice only managed to cover her just above where her nipples would be brushed softly against his chest while her eyes remained locked with his.

He could feel her true concern for his troubled mind over the link she had established and underlying was that familiar fatal attraction which they shared. Like fire and oil the tiniest spark would suffice to ignite a blazing fire of carnal lust... but Venus kept it under control, as if she was riding the wave and controlling it. He was amazed at her display of confidence and self-control, it made her even more irresistable.