Aberrant: Children of Quantum Fire - Modeling Shoots [5.4]

[Quantum Fire]

With matters involving the children of nova's being dealt with, there was another matter that a few of the newly apostrophized nova's had to deal with, that of a the modeling contracts, for which they had gained the information they had regarding Proteus, the directorate and the backers of the various mother hunter programs. It was true that they could back out now, but that would be a breach of trust, and would certainly make another enemy when they couldn't afford more enemies at the moment.

So, Cora, Marina, and Maia all showed up at the next shoot, though a warp.. looking like goddesses, more beautiful then ever, several times more gorgeous then they had been last time, and left the various photographer's in awe, a few of them even fainted, so overwhelmed were they by the beauty of the three girls.

Cora and Marian could somewhat subdue the more overt affects of their superhuman beauty, but there was no subduing Maia's beauty, it was powerful and direct as she was, her beauty was too closely tied to her physicality there was no way to subdue it.. in fact, the other two, who were stunning beyond belief, were almost overshadowed by their overly powerful sister.

Still, between superhuman beauty, grace and poise, the girls suddenly found themselves with a score of fans, and adoring admirers, among those who were to be involved in the photo shoot. Today, was devoted to swimware, and it was clear that it was going to be an interesting day for the girls along those lines.

Anna DeVris did have a nova on sight, a young male model by the name of Allen who had his breath taken away a moment, but had the grace, poise and wits to gather himself together, though he was handsome, all three of the girls overshadowed him.. which was just as well, sense they were supposed to be the focus of these shoots.

[Toby Lupin]

Darrik incidentally was on site as well, but had chosen to do his best to keep his visage- manageable as it could be- out of the proceedings. So much for the better. Granted, he was certainly attracted to his sisters in the same way that it pulled on the many present, but he had long learned to shunt them away to the accepted, but not really acted upon category for his considerations. They were family after all. Gwen and Agatha could more than easily outshine them in his head though, even if Maia put even Gwen to shame.

So he lounged in a chair and watched from afar. If trouble started, he could help handle it...

[Karren Gaunt]

Coraline did not like these modeling shoots, stressful affairs that left her feeling acutely overexposed and her sixth sense pinging on and off so quickly at times when she had to be paying attention to what she was doing that she didn't have time to see which ping was caused by what. Apothesis and the sheer competancy her family had put on display the day before in the successful rescue attempt had made the feeling both better and worse. She had faith that nothing dangerous would probably happen that she, her sisters, and Darrik in his lurking station couldn't handle or at least fend off long enough for reinforcements to back them up and get them out of there. She was also sure, however, that whenever the pictures taken here and in all future sessions hit the opnet, magazines, billboards, and whatever other mediums they were intended for, all sorts of interested eyes would turn their way.

The naked adoration of the people surrounding the young metamorph made her feel more than a little flustered inside, too, wishing that she could turn her good looks down, or rather 'off', right now and leave. But she couldn't, so Coraline endured the press in as much outward good humor as she could muster, eyes looking about for the person, Baseline or Slave, who was in charge and would call this affair to order, set the demanding pace of the shoot. There was always one of those at each of these events...

[Courier]

Floating on a warp board invisibly off against a wall, Warren was there... sort of.

He'd been of two minds. Pip was having a rough time, his first priority was staying with her. He also wanted to see this "modeling" thing, less to watch his sisters parade around, but because Maia was a public second gen nova. Public second gen nova, public location planned ahead of time, if you were Project Pro or someone like them, how you could NOT try to do something? So he'd have to send a 'red shirt'.

As usual, his first thought after creation was Shoot, I'm the clone!?! Dozens of times and that was still a 'like new' shock. He remembered the thoughts which lead to his creation, he even remembered his creation, but it was always a shock to look at the real Warren and realize he wasn't him. He was the red shirt, the other guy was the captain... not that he could give orders.

They hadn't talked because they both knew everything the other did and they agreed on everything. Comic books had the "master" giving the "clone slaves" orders, but that was one of these "baselines don't understand" things. Clone or not, he WAS Warren, not his slave, not his servant, not his twin brother. The only time the "real" Warren gave orders was when there were multiple clones around and someone needed to be a tie breaker.

He would go and do what Warren would have done if he'd come... because he had come. He'd play 'watcher' and see what happened. If he was lucky then someone else would have the same idea and he could watch the watcher watch, or something like that.

[Sunstar]

Marina's taken to having her hair in a braid today and wearing her usual pair of sunglasses. The past few days, especially her Apotheosis, have been exciting for her, so she's actually a little underwhelmed when it comes to the shoot. Still it's fun and a good way of spending time with Maia and Cora. And with her new abilities and "upgraded" appearance brought on from Apotheosis, it makes for better pictures, not that she's obsessed with how many fans she has. And the fact it's swimwear today adds icing to the metaphorical cake today.

[Maia]

For Maia, it was still much like it had been before, only moreso. She was easily the most beautiful nova on the set, and moved with unrivaled grace, taking center stage not by storm, but simply seeming to bathe the area with radiant beauty. A part of her loved the adoration and attention, even if it did place a massive target upon her. Better to draw attention her way, than towards any of her siblings.

She noted Allen's presence, and graced him with a perfect smile, acknowledging his presence, and his own awe. There was nothing she could do about the effect she had on others, so she was slowly learning to live with it. She looked to Marina and Cora, smiling. "Well, shall we get to business then today?"

Like Marina, she liked the idea of a swimwear shoot, though a part of her wondered exactly what would happen the first time she actually showed that much skin before those gathered. It would likely prove interesting.

[Quantum Fire]

It took them an hour longer then it should have to get the shoot going, that was because their beauty was such that folks had lost track of time, at least until Anna's manager on site took a hand, she had been distracted by their beauty also, but managed to get herself under a measure of self-control.. Anna didn't hire folks in management positions who were not competent. Sara introduced herself to the girls, and her self-control and poise indicated a rather unusual individual, but even she had been affected, still she began calling folks together, and to get started, they had at least dozen's of swimware to model today, so she was determined to get started, sense they were about set to work..

"Alright ladies and gentlemen, enough let the ladies get to work, which means move to the dressing rooms.." There were about four stalls set up on the side of the beach here, with the various swimwear outfits waiting for them to change and for the photo shoots to begin. "Snap to it people."

Meanwhile, were Warren was watching, another nova appeared while holding onto the wall, and whispered loud enough to for him to hear. "I know you're there, I can feel your node... care to pool information?"

[Courier]

Meanwhile, were Warren was watching, another nova appeared while holding onto the wall, and whispered loud enough to for him to hear. "I know you're there, I can feel your node... care to pool information?"

Warren waited a heartbeat then whispered, "Sure. Anything specific you looking for?"

{OOC: Activate Quantum Attunement (to find and get a feel for the other nova), Lie Detector, and Persuader (to get him to open up)}

[Karren Gaunt]

Coraline took the instruction and the evaporative effect it had on the remainders of her more persistant fans with a sincere smile of relief that had one of the floaters whose job it was to take more 'candid' pictures thanking his lucky stars as he snapped a shot.

The young metamorph herself, steeled against the attention, moved to her changing booth and disapeared within for a swift, sure rustle of movement and changing fabric. She emerged dressed in one of the less... audiaus black-and-green patterned two-piece numbers, her eufiber secreted on her wrist as a small bracelet. Not that did much to abate the spike of interested babble as she was respectfully hastened away into a vortex of flashbulbs and shouted instructions, first on the chopping block of public fashion.

[Maia]

The reaction had been exactly what had been expected, and Maia sighed inwardly. Once the call was made to actually get started she was the first to retreat to her changing room. She wasn't the first to emerge, choosing one of the less daring one-piece suits. It gave a great view of her back, but hid most of her body. It was silver, accented with red highlights, and was a perfect fit for her. This suprised her, since her apothesis had caused her to fill out abit more. She put it down to the material, and exited. The crowd marveled at her, even though she was still clothed, what skin showed was perfect and flawless, and it was as if Venus herself had descended upon the set.

[Quantum Fire]

The only thing that kept Maia from being kissed and propositioned on the spot from everyone in the crowd, male and female, was the gentle rebuffs she answered with, and the fact she said she already had someone, something that rang true even to her sisters, Maia wasn't lying about that, but it also had been something she hadn't even shared with them. It had gotten a measure of jealous reactions and some attempts to persuade her otherwise that failed. The few persistent folks who had tried to kiss her had been rebuffed more firmly, a hand with the toughness of steel and the strength that put a superheavy crane to shame had pushed them back, gently, but the hint of greater power was there... on one man had required more direct action, Maia had tossed him up and then suspended him in the air, though she let him to fall into the ocean about 20 feet out when she went to change.

Of course, Coraline and Marina has their share of propositions, including a few that were actually quite direct, and one or two attempts along the same lines Maia was dealing with, if a bit more subdued, the warning Maia had provided indicated that no was no, not a chance to try and change it to yes. It was odd to have to deal with that at this level, but it was a sense that was there.

While it was true that some of the swimwear was somewhat less daring, but there were others that were downright... adventurous, including such things as string bikini's even, which were quite revealing.. but at the moment, Sara took control over the situation still. "Alright, three photographers to a model folks, move, move, move.. we've more then 150 suits to model before nightfall and another 100 to model in the the first half of the night.. get to it." At which point the photographers began to take pictures and ask the girls to take different poses against one part of the ocean or beach backdrop.

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***

Meanwhile, over with Warren, the nova investigator spoke up "I'm supposed to find out more about these girls for my employee's, other then Maia they didn't know they even existed before this week. What do you know?"

[Maia]

There was a flurry of activity, as Maia cycled through suits, posing this way and that, making sure that each photo snapped would present her beauty regardless of the medium used, and flashing a radiant smile. The persistent advances stopped after she tossed the guy, but everyone adored her.

One of her suits was a halterneck, with a single strap above her waist, leaving a full view of her from the sides, covering only a thin portion of her back and most of her front. Another was a slingshot Thong bikini that might as well have been dental floss, which caused two sets of photographers to faint.

Another more reserved one was black and green, covering her almost completely. Another was a true one piece, pinned at her breasts, but leaving a large long diamond shaped view of her perfect stomach open. The Tiger print made her seem exotic and almost predatory. They were going to need a truck to carry away all the media recording pictures of her.

[Courier]

Warren whispered in reply, "Sure." Warren considered and decided to stick to the truth, a nova PI might be able to tell the difference.

Warren continued, "They're presenting this air of how close friends they are, but I don't think that's right." Actually they're sisters.

"I hear everything. I heard them correct each other on how their names are pronounced." Although that was years ago.

"I think they met in a DeVries office, I think Anna herself was there." They did, and she was, he'd opened the Warp for them.

"I was in their dressing room earlier, they all look even better naked." Two unrelated but true facts. He'd grown up with them, of course he'd been in their dressing room more than a few times and yes, they looked great naked, Maia especially.

"It'd be great to watch them go down on each other but so far no go. Hey, wait, you get paid for this?"

[Karren Gaunt]

Coraline had a habit of pinging for strange novas at these shoots between outfits, part of her now slightly-defunct role of making sure no one got killed on one of these outings. Unfortunately for the inquisitive nova, she managed to ping him near Warren, focusing on the conversation over the background noise even as she changed into yet another swimsuit.

Warren could feel the frown over the link, 'Warren. What's going on with that strange Nova?'

She emerged from her dressing room in yet another two-piece that drew a babble of interested attention enroute to the backdrops, not wanting to extend this trial anymore than she had to. She might get used to the attention. And then she might expect this kind of attention. And then where would she be if the baselines turned on her like the threat to their status quo she and her family very well could be?

[Courier]

Warren sent back with a mental smile, Likely Proteus agent but he probably thinks he's a PI for N! He's scoping you out. I just let him know all three of you are fairly unobservant and will never notice him.

[Quantum Fire]

"I see.. I really don't need to know how they look naked, I already took a look at that.. they are very hot." he tapped his eyes slightly. "I can see though anything, you know, x-ray vision and all of that, it's really useful for a private eye." He glanced over at the girls again, then back at wherever warren was. "As to their attitude, they act more like sisters then like friends, I think they must have been raised together... the Maia girl is a known figure, though her disappearances and reappearances leave folks wondering where she goes.. I'm beginning to think that they must have been wherever she was going... to much familiarity between them in body language. I can't find out much about the other too though, a genetic scan would be useful."

Sense I don't feel like stating him out exactly, I have a vague idea of where he's at, about quantum 4, high mega-percetion.. but a few other abilities, think spiderman with batman's intelligence and superman's super perception abilities, and the body modifications to do exactly what he's saying..

Meanwhile, Darrik didn't seem to notice anything out of order as he sat there, at least, until he noticed the man with the telescope about a bit of a ways back from the beach on top of a building, who seemed to be checking out the girls from a good ways away.

*****************

And of course, the photo shoots continued, and about mid way though them, the girls fond the director wanted them to wear a bunch of the string bikini's for a series of shoots together...

[Karren Gaunt]

'Well, take care of him. Or I will.' Coraline returned in a quick distracted blurt of thought and irritated anger, finished with her last 'normal' swimsuit and bracing herself for the probable reaction to this next series of pictures. The garment she was holding in her dressing room was like being naked. No, worse than naked. It hid just enough to promise the forbidden, and the artist in her both grudgingly admired the logic and cursed the designer. She decided to stop putting off the enivitable and just change into the thing.

The reaction she got emerging in the garment was almost as... disconcerting as she expected, a handful of baselines fainting or tripping over their own feet. More looking flustered if they weren't in the imediate orbit of Maia. Even the male Nova model gave her a second look away from his own work. The young metamorph mustered her self-control and followed the directions to where she was needed, focused on the task at hand and awaiting the further waves of chaos Maia and Marina's emergence would inflict.

[Courier]

Like taking off a mask, Warren said coldly, flatly, and with a moderate German accent, "I'm getting better at this witty banter, ya? You don't smell of fear at all. Not too smart though. Who sent you?"

The 'not too smart' comment indicated he thought the other nova had missed something obvious. He expected to be recognized. He expected to be feared. Anna DeVries was heavily involved and this was an important big money operation. She'd met the girls personally and he knew that. He could have known that because he'd overheard something, but he could also know because he'd been there too. What kind of high quantum invisible nova would Anna DeVries have in her office?

[Maia]

At least the bikinis provided to Maia had a certain class. They didn't leave too much to the imagination. She chose one of the better ones, and smiled, putting it on, then emerging. The camera flashes, from the photographers that didn't faint at any rate, began immediately.

[Toby Lupin]

Darrik got up, letting the messages across the link inform him that there would be a need for more watching, since the girls were certainly drawing attention. There's another one from across the beach, I'll handle him. Darrik stayed where he was, but shunted his senses through the distance to the watcher, looking closely at him, scrutinizing for any use of powers. In addition, he touched on the nearby shadows and floated formed letters out to place a message right in the way of the telescope. Who told you it was polite to spy?

OOC

Quantum Awareness and Animate technique of Shadow Mastery used.

[Quantum Fire]

The other nova blinked a moment then looked at were Warren was at and shook his head slightly. "I think I'll be going." With that, he began to up the wall fast, then began with a leap away from the area, if Warren didn't do anything to stop him, he'd bounce between between buildings and head deeper into the city, away from the dangerous nova guardian who Anna had set over her models. Of course, that Anna hadn't set it up didn't occur to him at all, she was the smartest woman in the world, if she hadn't done so deliberately, she'd known it would happen, which actually was true.

Meanwhile, the person working the telescope stopped a moment at the words that appeared, then he stood up without saying a word, picked up the telescope and began to put it away inside a briefcase, then closing it and beginning to walk away, apparently this one had no desire to talk, and now that he was seen, had no desire to remain.

At the photo shoot itself, the camera's were flashing as the girls posed with each of the suits, and the shoot went on, leaving them to model dozens of suits of different kinds, and cause all kinds of reactions, before the day was out there were more a then a dozen sprained ankles from trips and falls alone..

[Courier]

Warren didn't move or speak as the PI left. That would have been breaking character. The Dance of Death was known for being patient, observant, focused, and he would have gone back to waiting. Warren wondered if it'd be good for Pip to model like this and sent to Cora, He's gone. He'll report that Totentanz is invisibly here bodyguarding. He was pretty good though, he picked up that you three probably knew each other really well but left before he could follow up on that.

[Toby Lupin]

Darrik remained where he was, but instead of watching the show, he kept his focus on the ex-watcher. For an added twist, he added with more shadow letters, moving them in front of the retreating man. Pick up the pace, please. There's a seriously wanted criminal of similar appearance to you, and the police may have received a tip. Unless you care to speak of the party that sent you? If the man kept going, Darrik would keep his senses on him.

[Quantum Fire]

The man continued to ignore the appeared words, though at their appearance, he did move to the nearest subway entrance and headed underground, trying to get out of range of whoever was doing this as quickly as possible, and ignoring the letters as much as possible, though he did pick up the pace. He also didn't respond to the questions or the words otherwise, and if Darrik let him, he'd vanish completely, leaving the area.

********************

For the girls however, as the sun began to set, this was a minor thing, as the sun began to set the last of the swimwear was pulled out, a few dozen shoots in different poses and different suits as the moon began to rise over the ocean, and that was the end of this particular session, they were however, gifted all of the suits they had worn as a gift, together with what they were getting paid.

[Karren Gaunt]

Coraline managed to bring herself to make apropriate grateful noises for the 'gift' much as she wondered what the hell she was going to do with so many swimsuits when her eufiber could mimic any of the ones she found good enough to be worth wearing. Oh, well. At least it meant the day was over and the comforting, isolated shelter of the Primus only a warp away once Warren made his own way back to their mobile home to open the gate anonymously or however he wanted to manage it today.

Hmmm, hang onto a few as templates to remind her, see if Pip and Alex wanted any, give the rest away to some Baseline charity or the other anymously... That trivia distracted from concern over the attention dropping on them now they moved into their second week, all Apothesized and obviously very special

Eufiber molded into a sleeveless dress that trailed down to her ankles in a smooth wave of blue fabric over curves that had been on too ample display today by far in her opinion, the young metamorph felt much less exposed and stressed now that things were winding down. 'At least that's over,' she sent over the link with an obvious tinge of low-key mental exhaustion and frustration to the message, 'Warren, whenever you're ready. Please.'

[Maia]

Maia thanked everyone in the production team, the site and shoot directors, and was thanked by them, the photographers in particular. once all the suits were boxed up she smiled and hefted them up with ease.

She quickly joined Cora waiting for their ride home. "Well Cora, that certainly could have gone worse. Nobody died or got shot, and I didn't have to hurt anyone to get them to leave me alone." She left off any mention of her "boyfriend."

[Courier]

Eufiber molded into a sleeveless dress that trailed down to her ankles in a smooth wave of blue fabric over curves that had been on too ample display today by far in her opinion, the young metamorph felt much less exposed and stressed now that things were winding down. 'At least that's over,' she sent over the link with an obvious tinge of low-key mental exhaustion and frustration to the message, 'Warren, whenever you're ready. Please.'

The gate opened and it was totally black, not even light was permitted to go from the other side to theirs, any distant observer would only learn that there was a gate. Warren sent through, Gate opening, you're kind of public so it's from you to me only.

Do you think Anna got more than she bargained for, or could she have been expecting this?

[Karren Gaunt]

Maia earned herself a smile with her comment, her younger sister keeping her worries to herself until Warren spoke up.

'If she's smart and well-connected as everyone says she is and knows as much about us as those files tell us, this was exactly what Anna was expecting, I'd guess,' Coraline commented over the link to all the siblings who had been at the shoot as she passed through the warp and into the halls of the Primus where Warren waited, "Maybe we could find out. I'm not sure, but I think I can change other people's bodies with my powers now. And that means curing nova infertility, a few Novas at a time, at least for a little while I feed power into them. Maybe worth the risk getting Mrs. Devries to help see what it means and it's limits. Certainly safer than doing it on our own."

The young metamorph sounded quietly convinced this was something important to explore, just not sure how, the clock ticking against them now that they were starting to draw outside observers.

[Maia]

Maia followed Cora through the gate Sending "Marina hurry up or you're going to miss the gate out" it wasn't like warren couldn't make another, just that Maia wanted to remind Marina they were done and leaving.

"Cora, why are you so hung up on propagating the species? I'd say it's good to help cure nova sterility, but that's going to put even bigger targets on us than we already have, not to mention draw attention from EVERY faction on the planet."

She shook her head. 'It needs to happen, but I'm not sure now is the time. If you do go forward, discretion is extremely vital."

[Quantum Fire]

The man Darrik followed with Quantum Awareness continued on his way while the photo shoots went on, and once he was certain that he wasn't being watched, he kept moving and changed outfits at four different locations, only until Darrik stopped sending him messages, and he thought he was alone, he made a phone call.

"Sir, it is as suspected, they are titan class nova's, why they are doing something as sedate as modeling I don't know, or where they came from.. Also, they are guarded. No, I don't believe I was followed, but I was detected, someone else needs to take up observation from here."

[Courier]

Warren replied to both, I'm not sure... honestly... I'm getting a little scared. I think we need to call a family meeting, as screwed up as the mother hunters are, I'm starting to see their point. We've got other issues that might trump all this shadow hunting stuff.

There was a mental overlay there. Warren still hated the mother hunters, would still cheerfully exile them to some Jurassic Park style hell at every opportunity.

[Sunstar]

Marina waves goodbye to the production crew and then follows the others through the gate.

I have to agree with Maia there Cora. It's all well and good wanting to add another little nova for everyone one they cut down, but not now, not yet Besides, it's a little too soon for you to be planning on that sort of thing.

The water elemental smiles.

[Karren Gaunt]

It had been a long day. Coraline's opinion of run-of-mill-baselines was at a near-record low at the moment. And now, while her sisters spoke words of frustrating caution that had *some* merit, Warren spoke heresy.

"Just because the baselines are afraid of going extinct doesn't give them the right to try and make us extinct just because some of us may threaten their status quo, Warren. It's been a long day, and I'm going to force myself to assume that wasn't what you meant like the caring older brother you are," she exhaled aloud in a fracturing chorus, not trusting herself to the link, "And this issue is important to me and something I think can help with easier now and something I want to *figure out how my power would work on a sterile nova before using it on someone I care about*."

She fell back against one wall, "That's all, all right? I shouldn't have brought it up, and you all know I won't do a thing about it until we decide as a group it's the right time as well as the right idea. I'd never be that selfish."

[Courier]

Warren replied, "I think that power will be amazingly useful and I think we should be using it. Using it, like, soon. There are some steps that need to be taken before then, but I think the status quo fundamentally can't work and it's time we admitted that."

Warren shrugged and said, "You're tired and everyone isn't here, get some rest. I'll bring this up in detail at the next family meeting."

[Maia]

Maia put a hand on Cora's shoulder. "No one was saying you would, and I know it will be something of great value to all novakind."

[Karren Gaunt]

"I hope so," Coraline answered softly, offering a small, grateful smile to her family before focusing on Warren, "Open me a gate to the upper atmosphere, please? A run would really clear my head right now, actually. I'll contact you when I'm ready to not growl at the first person to thwart me."

[Quantum Fire]

Thread Closed: 1 Standard and 2 baseline XP awarded.. (roleplaying is free to continue, but xp for this thread is awarded)

[Courier]

Warren nodded and opened a gate. The other side showed a line of blue sky which melded into black, Cora recognized it as a 'fringes of space' effect.

[Karren Gaunt]

Cora grinned and shifted her eufiber into a blue-and-grey patterned bodyglove, "Please drop my share of those off on my bed, Maia. I'll probably give anyone who wants them pick of the majority, but there were a few I wouldn't mind wearing. So, thank you in advance."

Those words were the last she offered before darting through the gate and into freefall before darting out of sight literally in a burst of light, silent as starfall and even less concerned with the world below her.

[Maia]

Maia shook her head. "Have a good time."