[Fiction] Calm Relaxation

[Long]

Long nods to Sakurako. "There are certain aspects you aren't aware of about this form my dear, hence my use of the other one. If you prefer this, then I'll remain as such."

He looks down to Origami and nods. "You will, I think. It's not like we don't have all the time we could need. Besides I've no intention of letting the best tutor for my children go, unless that's what you want to do." He smiles. "Your cooking is getting much better you know."

[Sakurako Hino]

"Well... only if it served my safety, otherwise... go to town. You won't hear me complain." She says the last few words of that sentence lustfully. Long's musclature in his state tells quite a story. Then again, in her mind, Long's too much Nova for a girl to handle, unless said girl was as flexible and pliable as she is.

[Origami]

Origami steps back from the grill for a second. "You really think I'm getting good? That's a relief. Then again, you guys don't get food poisoning, so I wouldn't know. You guys probably eat bacteria for breakfast and ebola for dinner."

"And Long, I'll adapt. I'm the chicken here. It took me a year just to get enough guts to come out to the community as a whole. I'll get used to everything eventually. Don't worry about it."

[Long]

Long doesn't miss Sakurako's tone and smiles, his large sharp teeth gleaming in the sunlight. She was seven month pregnant, and here she was teasing him in front of guests. His eyes had a mischievous gleam as he sat back down and loaded on another helping of barbecue. "Indeed."

He nods to Origami. "We should all go out sometime. I remember the first time I met Sakurako, it was a little Karaoke with Wakinyan, Singularity, Samhra, Amped, Conduit, Typhoon, and several others. It was a real blast."

He chuckles as scenes from the second party in Vegas passed through his mind. That had been a total disaster. "The second one didn't go quite as well though. I believe you all remember the footage from Vegas."

[Sakurako Hino]

Sakurako just turns from Long in embarassment. That's one year... she'd like to forget. "Long, I really would not like to go there, if you don't mind. I made alot of mistakes that year, and I don't wanna replay them."

[Origami]

Origami was about to enquire about the Vegas incident, but seeing Sakurako's response makes Origami follow the lead and take a different subject. "A get together would be nice, but I doubt Sakurako has much time left before she gives birth. I can see she's flexible, but after a bit, I bet that big belly of hers starts to get in the way."

[Sakurako Hino]

Sakurako laughs. "Yeah... I have no control over this bulge unfortunately. Untill I get these two newborns into the world. I think I'd like to take it easy outside of any obligations untill after I give birth."

For a second, Origami quirks an eyebrow, she knows Origami was joking but her choice of words was... off.

[Long]

Long nods. The conversation was getting alot more adult than it eeded too very quickly. Long smiled at Sakurako. "Believe me, I don't think anyone would subject you to any undue stress right now. He opens his hands and clexes his fingers, long, scythe-like ebony claws emerging from the tips of fingers. Just as quickly he closes his hand and the claws recede. "Not if they're wise and enjoy being alive."

The chilren's eyes watch the display. The unsheathing of his claws something they'd never seen so close up. They could hear the sound of the musculature flexing and then relaxing. "Cool." was their only response.

Long looks to the others and smiles. It was a good day so far. Good food, Friends, and family. He caught Endeavor's eyes and his smile and the way his ears were standing up broached the unasked question Are you enjoying this? even as his tail flicked about behind him.

[Kultra]

Polymath could hear the breaking and streaching of sinew and Long shape shifted, but he was used to it from Maria's little stunts. It didn't faze him at all. Listening to the conversation between Long, Origami and Endevor? That was a whole different business.

"So Long, tell me. Why were you away for so many months? Training trip or holiday?"

[Long]

"More of the first one, well in a sense at least. I'm sure you've heard of Teras, and the method through which members of the Teragen control the effects of taint and the changes it brings about in us, Chrysalis."

He pauses a moment and continues. "Before I left, the form you saw earlier was my sole refuge beyond dorming where I had a clear mind. I suffered from an imbalance that made me prone to outbursts of rage. Any of you that saw the tail End of Ibiza remembers how bad that gets. Now, I am in total control of myself.. Of course this also has wrought its own changes. I used to have the standard coloration a Bengal tiger, not the stark white I now have. Changing my form used to not hurt either, but now, It's one of a handful of things that causes me to show outward signs of pain."

He nods to each of them. "For each Terat the experience is different, for me, It involved admitting certain things, facing them and defeating them. Only then could I move on and come back."

"I was most worried that like the last two Chrysalis I saw, I would come out a monster, or with a total disregard for things that had previously been important. I'll take the pain over both of those."

[Conduit]

Conduit finishes his first serving and as he starts to load up his second he pipes in, "I'm glad that you were able to get gain control of your rage and I hope that you'll soon be without the current pain," he pauses to pick up a piece of steak, "Perfection of body, mind, and spirit and all that." Another pause as he sits back down, "Although the coloration is very...remeniscent of a time I think we'd all like to forget."

[Jager]

Jager smiled just a tiny bit at the foreplay between the expectant Mother and Father. In a way, it was like watching your best friend hit on your sister. Jager had always treasured Endeavor's spirit as a priceless treasure that made the days less dark and the world a tiny bit safer.

If anyone can keep her safe, its Long. - sigh - That won't keep some people from trying though.

Jager knew that about Long. His greatest strength came from Insane Animal Rage. Battle without constraints. While Long chose honor and family, he accepted checks on his power. The price was enemies now willing to consider harming him and his. The pay-off ... well, the pay-off was growing in Endeavor's belly.

"I salute the chef," Jager called out in a robust cheer. "I may be able to chew on toxins for lunch, but that doesn't stop me from knowing fine food when I taste it. To the chef."

[Long]

"My adoptive Fatherdid many things of which I'm not proud of, but he is no longer something any of us need to worry about. I am not him, and nor do I wish to be." he adds in a faint whisper. "I don't have to be."

Long nods in agreement with the salutation to Origami's cooking. "I agree with Jager, just because I can eat anything doesn't mean I don't enjoy good food whenI can get it."

His gaze turns to Polymath. "Your children, are any of them novas?"

[Conduit]

"You have already shown more strength and honor than him. And I'm happy to call you friend."

Conduit joins in the accolades to the chef. "To the chef for the fine food, to my friends new and old, and to the children."

[Sakurako Hino]

Sakurako just nods at the conversation. She knows she is in a unique enclave of Novas here. All she considers friends. Polymath may be new, but for now the whole thing of "friend of a friend" comes into play.

She eats some of her meal, and observes quietly. "Don't mind me guys, I'm gonna enjoy this meal. Kyoko, you should sit down and join us, I think we have enough for us."

[Kultra]

"I see, this Chrysalis you describe, it's the same thing that Procyon was talking about on the N!Prime board, right? It intrigued me, Procyon claims it is the next step to an apotheosis and a metamorphosis, while you refer to it as something equivalent to weeks upon weeks of meditation and training. It is quiet an intriguing process which merits being studied phyisically" Polymath's eyes glaze over sligthly as he gets lost in tought, brought back to it by Long's question.

"Your children, are any of them novas?"

"Not that I have discovered Long, but I know they are all latents. I did the study in secret when as children they had regular medical checkups." Polymath interrupts his talk for a second, to reach for something on the table that he didn't found, and then reaching again for the salsa he had brought. "I took pains to never let my children know they are latents, I don't want them doing crazy stunts trying to erupt. If they will erupt, I will leave it to fate, not to their own hands" Polymath finished the sentence by dripping salsa all over his food, and you can swear that the meat got more cooked wherever it hit.

"Nova level salsa, want to taste it?" Poly offers the bottle to Long.

[Origami]

Origami quirks her eyebrow.

"Nova grade Salsa? What's it made of, hot plasma or something?"

The possibility of a spicy food worthy of a Nova is something she just cannot resist. She's had her share of the best, and this is enough for her to take a seat next to Sakurako.

"Mind if I take a stab at it?"

[Long]

Long nods to Polymath. "I can understand why you'd say that about the children. Sometimes it's best to let the threads of fate urnravel as it will. As for the salsa, How many habaneros did you use?" He takes the bottle carefully mindful of his claws and pours some on a chili dog he'd fixed.

He looks to Origami who seems eager to try the salsa. "Come on, we'll try it together then. If smoke comes out of my ears everyone duck though. Might actualy breathe fire." He scoots the bottle over to her and waits for her before he eats.

[Origami]

"I'll have you know before I erupted I actually tried the hottest normal hot-sauces around. It hurt like hell, yes. But it tasted so good as well."

She puts a portion of the odd salsa on her steak, not too much, but enough to give the necessary bite.

"No regrets?" She says, smiling as if to welcome death before taking a bite of a slice of steak. Within moments... her face is red, but her smile is maniacal.

[Jager]

Jager waves off the Nova-Salsa without comment. After listening to Polymath, he raises a hand (not the one holding his own, second chili dog) and says,

"Don't sell your children short, Polymath. I'm betting they are bright like you, and that they are mostly aware of your skills and abilities. I imagine that they've pieced together that they are most likely latents. After all, had they not been latents, you would have told them, to keep them from any crazy stunts. Their hesitation may be more based on their appreciation of what you've gone through and the belief that you've had reasons for keeping such a low profile.

He takes a bite of his chili dog, chews it a few times and swallows.

"You may not have this fault, but I've found it to be common. Parents remember who their children were, not who the are right then. Its that unconscious desire to protect them and keep them safe."

"I have no children of my own, but I've talked to enough that I've learned that children always know more about their parents than their parents expect. It is ingrained that they must learn from their guardians, and they perceive more than even they often suspect. Such is my warning, anyway."

[Long]

Long actually opened his mouth all the way, something that he rarely did and put the entire chilidog in and closed his mouth as he chewed. His tastebuds were on fire, his heightened sense struggling against the fire burning through him. He craned his neck slightly and gulped down the mass of semi-solid fire and opened his mouth slightly. A long cat-like tongue flicked out and licked the chili from his muzzle and he smiled.

"Wow, that's hot."

Long looks at Jager, thent o Misato and Benkei. "Those two know way more than any eight year olds I ever heard of, alot of it about their own family."

[Origami]

Origami's hubris got the better of her. In moments she dashes from the table, and rushes back into the kitchen to find a gallon of milk. Gulping down what she can to try to kill off the spicyness out of old habit.

Noticing that the reaction only went down to a mild roar, she holds on to the counter for a moment. "Son of a..." She grabs some bread and munches on it, trying to get off as much as she can of the concoction.

She heads back outside, her face still reddened from the pain. "Hot, Long? This redefines it." She clutches the doorframe leading outside. "This has to be well into the SHU range of pure capsaicin! I know my spices, and this is on the level of high-grade pepper spray! Or... worse!"

"I... hope you guys don't mind... if I... sit down and shake this off..."

[Sakurako Hino]

Sakurako quirks an eyebrow. Her mind's gears whirr with exitement. With the ability to floor a Nova like this, there has to be some sort of agent in the salsa that could be extracted for non-lethal deterrants against Novas themselves.

Sakurako loses herself in thought regarding it for a moment, then pipes up. "Polymath, is it?" She asks, turning towards Polymath. "I would like to get a sample of what you used to make that. The applications of such a concoction in crowd control and non-lethal alternatives for dealing with violent situations could be a boon."

"Then again, if it is of your invention, I would be more than happy to explore the avenues I mentioned with your blessing."

[Long]

While the adults talk the twins carefully manage to get the bottle and add a litttle to their chicken. Long watches, as Jager surely does as well. Sometimes first hand experience is the best. He watches them both take a bite, and then they both turn beet red as they swallow. He admires their toughness and determination, but he knows how hard it is.

He nods to them. "There's milk in the fridge, go and drink that, it will help dilute it and stop the burning." They both don't wait and take off for the kitchen. Long turns to the others.

"Can you believe that, two adult novas nearly burn their tongues and they still try it. There are times I really, really love my kids. They're just like Saito and Yumiko were. Utterly fearless, and if Takashi and I did it, they would try too just to pprove their youth wasn't a factor."

[Kultra]

Polymath looks at the spectacle at the taste of his new salsa, they ran to the kitchen for milk and Polymath couldn't help but supress a laughing fit.

"Should have warned you, it's one of my hardier recepies. I originally had it made with Habaneros and Chiltepin peppers, but I found it too mild a conoction, thus I upped the ante and used Red Savina habaneros, and Naga Jolokia. After a couple of years It got mild, so I just add Dihydrocapsaicin to it in small quantities, that probably explains why you feel like the roof of your mouth is coming off Origami, and if you really want to know the SHU of this salsa is somewhere between 10M and 11M, It would be higher, but the Tomato and Onions keep it milder" Polymath kept giggling as he took a big piece of stake and chewed on it, reddening sligthly before sucking in air to swallow the meat. "Good graces, that's one marvelous stake"

After sipping a can of beer Poly had opened up earlier to wash down the salsa with alcohol, he turned to Jager who by now was working on his fifth chillidog. "Well Jager, I understand what you mean and appreciate the sentiment, but my kids are not fools as you said, they indeed have already discovered that they are Latents" tapping his ear sligthly with that comment "But they also know that the reason I didn't told them is because I wanted to protect them from themselves. Yet, they still think too much about it, and hope to erupt one day, I wanted to protect them more from the depression of having never erupted after looking so much into it, than whathever damage they could suffer from an attempt at erupting...and I'm afraid they haven't figured that one out yet" Biting into a chilli dog that he had snekily stolen from Jager's plate pensibly as Sakurako talk to him.

"Well Sakurako, to be honest, the salsa is just a tad bit over U.S. Military grade Pepper Spray before it's diluited in the containers, using a higher grade or in fact Capscin undiluated should be able to stop Novas and might just make baselines rip off their own skin, so I don't see why you couldn't try it, and while yes, I could make a chemical agent to empower it, I wouldn't put it on my food" Polymath just grins at his own joke, since nobody else does usually.

[Jager]

Jager snorts at the joke then reaches for his missing chili dog. He looks around the table suspiciously. He winks to Saito, who chuckles in response ... through watering eyes. Jager gets up and follows the recovering over to Origami.

"Your steak is almost dead," she jokes to him, poking the charred ruin.

"I'll finish it off."

The chef responds by putting the steak on his plate. Jager also takes a baked potato and hot-hands to his plate.

[Sakurako Hino]

Sakurako smirks. "Well, if I ever get in the mood for some spicy sushi, I'm definately going to get your recipie at the least.".

She then heads over to Origami, grabbing a place-mat, and waving it in front of her. "Just get some air, remember to breathe."

She's glad she didn't try it, because she'd probably go into premature labor.

[Long]

Long watches the interplay between Jager and Polymath intetnly. Jager seems at ease, as at ease as Long had seen him in some time to say the least.

The kids returned and pile up more plates full of food. After another hour of eating and small talk about family, the Knights, and a few past altercation stories told for the childrens' benefit Long turns to Polymath.

"You mentioned a desire to examine the children. Is that still your desire?"

[Origami]

Origami sits back, acclimated to the spices, and strangely longing for more. "Ahh. This was a nice cookout." She gobbles the remnants of her last steak. Feeling like her stomach is quite bulged out at this point, she walks over to a nearby cot and lays back to let her food settle.

"Now I know how Sakurako feels when she has a big meal." She says, laughing.

[Sakurako Hino]

Sakurako happily sits at the table, putting the usual, milder fixings on her last plate for the day. Eating for 2 growing Novalings is quite a challenge. She can feel her innards shift and stretch for the extra load, but even knowing she can carry the cargo, she now feels the two kicking. Moving around. It is now out of the back on her mind and into the fore that there are two lives beginning within her. Two new Novas waiting to join the world she lives in.

She pats her belly as she begins her last plate. "Yeah, yeah... your dinner's almost done."

She looks over to Origami and smiles. "You try being as flexible as I am."

[Kultra]

"It would be among my interestes, yes Long. Your adoptive children seem to already posses gifts beyond the powers of Homo Sapiens, but are still beneath the level of normal Eruptees, they are fascinating by what I have been able to gather." Polymath looks at Kimiko as he talks. "They have a healthy development, and they seem to appreciate this place they live in" Polymath lifts his thick glasses, and his eyes light up with a soft purplish light, and his whole view changed.

Extending his senses beyond the normal ones, Polymath was reaching towards the pure Quantum forces surrounding them, vanished where the grass, the tables, the smell of steak and the fresh breeze. Gone was the world and just an infinite void filled with possibilities that could be controlled by will alone.

Focusing on the children, Polymath could see their powerful and ample Signature, the intrincate lines almost like an intrincate web or the partitures to a melody.

"Yes, what I can see from their Quantum Signtures, they are developing nicely Long, have you had a hand on their development? or have you allowed for Fate, Luck and Genes to take their toll on them?"

[Long]

"I have started training them again yes. Mostly in the basics of quantum abilities. Their base traits are far beyond what children their age have. Mostly They want to know how I do many of the things I do. I try to explain it and then we work to make it happen for them. Sadly flight is something they seem eager to learn, but not able to master."

he chuckles slightly. "I like to think all three of the factors you mentioned are at work here too, in positive ways. I mean really, how many families do you know of that boast four blooded novas, with three more on the way? In and of itself I find that remarkable."

[Jager]

Jager listens quietly to Long and Polymath's exchange. He feels a tinge of sadness for what the future holds. Pride yes, but also jealousy and fear. Baselines will learn and fear what they learn. They will know that evolution is not (in this way) for everyone. They will know that a small, but growing number of beings will garner power on a regional, if not continental scale and they will know despair.

In a way, the jealousy is worse and Long has already been confronted by one face of this with TimeSlip. Origin and destiny are words bandied about by those who seek power and self-realization of their dreams. Novas will turn on him. Novas will know, and hate, and fear, and plot.

Without happiness there is not hope. Nothing gained unless something is risked. He takes a drink from his soda and looks sideways at Sakurako. At this moment, Jager's paranoid nature grates on his nerves. He wishes these fine novas happiness, but he sees only threats, wishing it wasn't so.

[Sakurako Hino]

Endeavor reads Jager's demeanor from his body language. She understands paranoia, or at least a healthy sense of caution when she sees it. She love Jager, not like she loves Long, but she loves him as a Father. A surrogate one, but a Father none the less. She also respects him greatly.

She understands where he comes from. A man with secrets he wishes to keep and she gives him that courtesy freely.

To her, he is an important part of the future. If Long and her wish to construct a better tomorrow without interferance of Utopia, Jager is that lynchpin. That shining example that counters Pax... or if necessary... even Mal.

"Jager... it looks like you have something on your mind. Something bothering you lately?"

[Kultra]

"That IS most remarkable Long, with almost all the first generation Novas being caught in an Onslaught of a sterility plague of almost biblical proportions, it's amazing that you have kept a healthy ability to procreate" Polymath overlooked the kids again "Which reminds me, had you not mentioned that Neil Preston would be coming too? Talking to him is an interest of mine."

[Jager]

"Jager... it looks like you have something on your mind. Something bothering you lately?"

Jager smiles at Endeavor.

"Well, if you develop the capacity to sense storms, you often miss out on the sunlight."

He siddles up to her,

"Or, you could say I'm getting cranky in my old age."

Seeing that she wasn't buying his comic Zen approach, Jager spoke quietly to his friend.

"This keep building toward a critical mass, E. I'm not sure I've done enough to prepare for what's to come. The things that are happening now are ... unsettling. I wish I had more time, or more hands."

[Long]

Long shakes his head. "Who can say? Neil said he'd come, and I believe Flicker would be coming with him as well." The children perk up at the mention of Neil. They remembered how he'd helped their biological father, to say he was thought of kindly by them was an understatement.

"I hoped to see them today as well. You'd like them. They're about as close to a normal couple as I've come across in Novakind."

He turns to Jager and nods. "I'm planning for the worst, but it's my hope that we have some time left. You have the Knights Jager, use them."

[Sakurako Hino]

"Jager, I know that what we're about to enter is uncharted waters. In fact, I have the same dread at times." She places her hand on her stomach. "But... I've casted the die now. The result has been shown and the path I've taken... that I and Long have taken, is not easily reversed. We will have to take it as it comes, and I would be lying saying I was ready. I'm not. you just can't prepare for an unknown variable. But you are right, one should enjoy the sun..."

She leans back a little more, knowing what Jager infers to. She knows she's in danger. Having everyone around right now makes things safer, but there may be times when she will be alone... those times are the most dangerous.

She's going to have to get stronger, and it looks like getting stronger now will have to be the hard way. Having Long around to teach her will be a help, but there is only so far her body will take her.

She'll have to rely on every inch of synapses that she has.

"...and one should always pack a raincoat for the storm."

[Kultra]

Polymath silently chews on the last of his food, listening intently to the conversation Endevor, Jager and Long seem to be having about future problems. They seem to know something I don't about the future, I just wish I knew what it was... .

"Misato, Benkei tell me. What else can you do? I know your uncle Ryu told you to not push yourselves, but show me. I know that Benkei here is fast, and that Misato is very smart. But, is that all you have?" Polymath talked to the two kids, wanting to see for any discrepancies between their physical and mental maturity, and wanting to see how developed as novas the children were.

[Long]

Misato smiled. "I can hear others' thoughts. Though I can't do it with anyone here. There's some kind of interference."

Benkei walks over to one of the large boulders on the ground and with some effor hefts it up into the air. "I'm alot stronger than most adults, but from what I've seen my father do, I have a long way to go to catch up to him." Long chukles. While it waas true that he was immensely more powerful, he knew that if trained properly Benkei could easily match him by the time he was a teenager. Misato could become an accomplished Telepath provided she could learn more control.

Both of these were concernts of Long's, and he'd use every meas he had to help them. For a moment they synched up. "We can also take alot more punishment than normal children and we don't ned to breathe or sleep."

Long snorts. "I'll attest to that. Putting you two to bed is an oxymoron in terms." He looks to Polymath. "Ever had to deal with that one? Children who don't need to sleep and know it?"