Two Years Later...

METTLE
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Two Years Later... Oct 18, 2021 1:51:24 GMT

Post by METTLE on Oct 18, 2021 1:51:24 GMT

"...and so that's when I realize, the guy's Heatwave. Jackal turned him into a fuckin' 200 mile per hour football, and I'm sittin' there like, 'uh, this belong to you?'"

Mettle made a 'breadbasket' gesture like his arms were full. The guys around him laughed. They'd currently bought out a whole section of one of the nicest restaurants in New York City. It was his treat after another successful week. Each of them were dressed to the nines, but their ties were a bit loose around their collars, all save for him, who kept a more or less immaculate appearance that went along with his polished silver skin. Their raucous laughter would've been out of place under ordinary circumstances, but David had thought ahead about that - hence his choice to pay a little extra for plenty of space in the restaurant.

The entourage seemed amused by the anecdote. If they were a hurricane, he was the eye of the storm, always more reserved, more focused. He let them have their fun, but the moment someone stepped out of line - which didn't happen much anymore - he'd let them know about it.

There was Human Flood Jr. - usually just called "Junior" for short - who always got the lobster with filet mignon, cooked as rare as possible, given his sharpened shark teeth. His current party trick was boiling a glass of water with his mind, which he'd tried at the table with mixed results. "Knock it off, June," he said, slapping his shoulder. The glass had been about five seconds from exploding. Junior snorted and sat back in his chair.

Tarantula sat on David's left. He was always fidgeting with something or other, on account of his two extra sets of limbs. His suits cost a lot more money, on account of the extra sleeves, but there were good metahuman tailors in Millennium City, and David was a good boss, so he always made sure Terry was set up with whatever he needed. His power seemed second-rate at first blush, but he was a whiz with just about any weapon you could think of, plus he had superhuman strength and the power to stick to walls. Plus he was just a really cool dude.

Evil Eye, the youngest of the group, usually sat on the end of the table. He got a lot of shit about keeping the Crimson Crown on wherever he went. It seemed slightly too big for his head. Of course, nobody made fun of him after they saw what he could do with it. Being the smallest and squishiest of the group, David tried to keep a close eye on him. He was never given hard jobs. Guy wasn't bulletproof, after all. He also had a tendency to overdo it on alcohol, probably to compensate for bein' little, so that could be a problem if they didn't take care of him.

Where he picked up that red visor, they'd never know, but he was pretty damn attached to it. Who wouldn't be? If he glared hard enough at something, he could reduce it to ash.

It'd been a good night. Brains had news for 'em. He'd cracked his current project and cooked up something really special. This was going to be what took them into the big leagues. The last two years had all been leading up to this, and David had taken them out to celebrate.

Then he saw someone. She looked good. The night just really didn't stop getting better, huh?

"Alright, boys. Get lost for a bit. I'll meet you back at the place. Stay outta fuckin' trouble, Flood," he added with a jab to the shoulder and a smile. They got up from the table and left. David made sure to leave a good tip at the table.

He got up and adjusted his cuffs, not making a show of looking right at her. He checked the time on his watch; that he might have made a show of. It was a really nice watch, after all.

"Alright. What's the sin sense say about my power level this time, Witch Girl?"

Last Edit: Oct 18, 2021 1:52:06 GMT by METTLE

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Kaija
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Two Years Later... Oct 20, 2021 16:09:16 GMT

Post by Kaija on Oct 20, 2021 16:09:16 GMT

She'd been sitting at the bar, alone, that night. A violet skater dress to match the color of her eyes and hair flowing freely over her shoulders. Knife and fork busy dividing her steak into bite-sized morsels before she planned to take even the first bite. A glass of water- just water- beside her plate. The light-blue glow that encapsulated her form only worked to emphasize- advertise- a guarded disposition that, well, wasn't exactly uncommon amongst women who walked into places like this alone.

There was a noticeable pause when she heard his voice. She turned and glanced at him, brow raised, to make sure she wasn't just hearing things. Then, with a chortle and a shake of the head, turned back to her meal to set her knife and fork back into motion.

"It's telling me that you're lucky I'm not a cop."

She sighed. Lee could make whatever he wanted of that answer. Well, maybe he preferred to go by "David" nowadays, but she didn't like using that name as much.

"You know, when I first walked in here, I thought I'd be sitting in a booth opposite this tall, handsome masseuse I met last week. So, I spend hours gettin' all fancy for our date, and you know what happens? Ten, maybe fifteen minutes after I get here, he calls and tells me that I'm a little 'too intense' for him'. Now, those were the words he used, but all I could hear in his voice was 'scary'. And now I'm sitting here wondering," she glanced over at him, smile drawn across her lips, "What on Earth could've made him say a thing like that about little ol' me? At least he apologized for making me waste my time before I hung up on him. Still..."

She turned back to her food, slowly lifted her arm and, with a gentle motion of her hand, the chair next to her came sliding out from under the countertop as though a ghost had moved it.

"If I'm gonna get all gussied up like this, it'd be nice to have someone around to appreciate it." she took the first bite of her steak, waiting in those few moments to see whether or not he'd take the seat. And, when she could speak freely again, she added, "You know, there was a time when I would've laughed if someone told me that you'd be walking around in pinstripe suits one day."

Last Edit: Oct 20, 2021 16:14:17 GMT by Kaija

Kore Smith

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Two Years Later... Oct 21, 2021 0:43:47 GMT

Post by METTLE on Oct 21, 2021 0:43:47 GMT

Lee smirked and took the seat as it was pushed out by a phantom hand. This wasn't one of those "I'm trying to win back my girl" moments, but he wouldn't deny a chance to chat. Just to hang out again was nice, and the fact that it was a coincidence, too, was welcome.

He took his seat and tilted his head to the side.

"Sorry to hear about your date flaking out on you. I swear on my mother that I had nothing to do with it. You can check if I'm lying," he added, raising a finger. The fact that he just happened to be here waiting to take the man's place might've seemed suspicious. He made a joke out of it instead, but he was serious about her checking, if she wanted to.

While she continued, the Mettle boy raised a hand and caught the attention of one of the waiters. He made a little 'v' with his index and middle fingers then gestured at the table while she spoke.

"Well, I used to get into a lot of fights. Fights that tore up my clothes, y'know? So now I can afford to dress nice. Remember when that guy, uh...Momodo ruined my favorite shirt?"

It wasn't coincidence he was bringing that night up. It'd be one she'd have remembered.

"Well, now every shirt is my favorite shirt. It's a good feeling."

The overhead light suddenly sparked. Lee glared up at it.

"When I said get lost, I meant you too, Wally."

The lamp crackled. Tendrils of blue electricity coursed up through it for a fraction of a second and every light in the room flickered. Then he was gone.

"That was Shockman," he explained, looking back to Kore with a shrug. "Bodyguard. Anyway..."

He leaned back in the chair a little, rubbing the underside of his chin with his hand.

"Whatever happened to Momodo anyway? You ever meet him again?"

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Kaija
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Two Years Later... Oct 26, 2021 16:26:13 GMT

Post by Kaija on Oct 26, 2021 16:26:13 GMT

"I believe you."

It wasn't like she had the choice not to, now was there? Then he called off his bodyguard, which immediately explained why the light in the center of the room has a soul. Strange as that was, it wasn't the kind of thing that got a rise out of her, anymore. The weird has quickly become normal, especially in her line of work.

"A few times. Apparently, one show of mercy wasn't enough to fully change his mind. I think might've removed his head another four or five times since then. But, eventually, my words started to sink in. One night, he goes back to whatever shadow lair he usually comes from and beats his master to death," she nodded in recollection, "Then he comes to me and tells me all about what he's done. How he plans to live a life worth living. And he's so proud. Then he does that thing where he 'grapples' away. Haven't seen him since. Which I'm gonna take as a sign that he isn't causing trouble anymore."

She laughed to herself.

"For his sake, I hope it has been a life worth living, you know?"

She turned to Lee, brow raised.

"Did I ever tell you why I never had to worry much about my dad or my place when I was out and about fighting supervillains? Back before I moved out of Duskburg and got my shit together, there was a gang that worked to maintain a positive image despite being, very clearly, criminals. Cuz, while they were bad, there was always something worse out there that they protected the people from. And so, they did," Kore had no doubt that that sounded familiar to Lee, "One day I come home and my door's knocked down. First thing that shoots through my mind is 'Where's dad? Oh god, where's dad!' Well, he's in the back taking a drink, but he's fine. As is most of my place. Then one of them comes out and tells me that, if they hadn't intervened... I probably wouldn't have a father today. And, that I wouldn't have to worry about not having a secret identity so long I left them alone. Now, I never respected them or even liked them, but I can promise you that we never had beef again after that."

She took another bite of her food; no point in letting it get cold over a conversation. And, when she was free to continue, she did.

"And then there's you. I don't know half of what your boys are doing when nobody's looking, do I? Well, you tell me. How am I supposed to feel about 'The Boys'?"

Kore Smith

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Two Years Later... Oct 26, 2021 19:41:07 GMT

Post by METTLE on Oct 26, 2021 19:41:07 GMT

So the Momodo was still around, and he'd gotten revenge on his creator, Frankenstein style.

Who made Mettle the way he was? There wasn't any one man. His father had raised him early on and been locked away in jail. Aurum had taken care of him indirectly in that time - one of his father's job benefits. And now he was on the same career path, except he was going to do it right. Aurum was a selfish hedonist who'd kidnap peoples' families just because he could. He wasn't respectable in any sense of the word. And then there was Total Experience, the man who'd put his father in jail in the first place. The man whose entire life David had studied, all to learn how to make the most of his powers. The man he felt he'd surpassed.

And then there were the countless enemies. They'd wound up being little more than pebbles in his path so far. Everything had just gotten a little larger in scope.

He knew the Varcolacs were in Duskburg. He'd heard rumors about everything, and he kept a close eye on Kore's hometown. He'd never asked her too much about them because she hadn't brought it up. He'd assumed it was something they'd worked out.

"We work in construction, investment, automotive repair, and also do some election work on the side. We like to be in touch with our community."

He shrugged.

"Real answer: We take things into our own hands when we gotta. Did you know the mob fought the Klan in the twenties? And the German American Bund during World War II? I mean, we're not doing it 'cause we care or nothin'. But a similar principle applies when it comes to folks like Mr. Momodo. They're not just bad for business - we make them our business. The cops can't handle threats like him, but we can, and do. And we don't have to deal with the 24-7 celebrity bullshit that the SOS did. The fuckin' pressure that makes heroes go loony and start stabbing each other, or whatever."

Mettle smiled as the drinks he requested were delivered. He sighed.

"Miller - Tarantula - born with six arms. Never stood a chance, until I bought him a fitted suit with enough sleeves to make him look good. Cortez - Human Flood Jr. - son of a supervillain. Totally directionless in life. Would probably have gotten murdered by Terminus or something. Wally Myers - Shockman - had actually died until he latched onto me 'cause of...electromagnetics or something."

He looked back up at her.

"I stopped getting along with my normal friends once I got my powers and left high school. We were just living in different worlds. I mean, you never met any of the guys from before, 'cause I never really brought 'em up. But now I've got these guys. And they're my friends, 'cept Shockman, who's a bit of a...special case."

He palmed the glass that his drink came in, swirling the liquid inside for a second.

"I'm doing what I can to win a great life. For me and them. I have stuff I care about and I want to keep it safe. More than that, I want my people to be happy."

He took a drink.

"What about you? How's your dad? And your other dad? Business good?"

Last Edit: Oct 26, 2021 19:42:09 GMT by METTLE

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Kaija
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Two Years Later... Nov 9, 2021 13:36:07 GMT

Post by Kaija on Nov 9, 2021 13:36:07 GMT

"They're going well," she paused and nodded, "Unbelievably well, in all honesty."

Thinking about it used to make her head spin and raise her paranoia but, after a while, she kinda had to just accept how things were.

"My stepdad's doing better than he ever has. He's safer now than he ever was under the watch of the Varcs, and I can finally afford to support him financially for a change. As for my other father? He's never been particularly happy with anything I've done, and the fiends coming over from the other side are getting stronger and more vicious every day. But, then again, so am I."

She laughed to herself, then turned to Lee.

"You know, I had a plan in mind when I first confessed to the world what I really was. It was supposed to be 'my great journey' or some bullshit like that. I was honestly expecting... everyone to want to see my head roll when they discovered my relation to the demons. I had prepared for it and everything. And I was gonna fight. I was gonna fight every bit of propaganda that got thrown against me with my actions. Kill the monsters. Defeat the villains. Save the people. And flex my strength on any soldier or hero who came my way looking for a fight, over and over, until their delusions, paranoia and doubt were more than dwarfed by the reality of my actions. That was the plan. But, looking back?"

Thinking about everyone who'd discovered her secret beforehand and how they'd responded? And the reputation she'd worked to create over the years?

"It feels like I'd just been projecting my own nature onto society as a whole, and expecting the worst from mankind for years when they'd done nothing to deserve it from me. Well, now I make six figures and command more authority than I ever thought I'd have by just... doing the same shit for people that I'd been doing for years. More or less, anyways. I guess, if I wasn't a humanitarian before, I don't have an excuse nowadays, do I?" she paused for a moment, "Though, now I'm curious. This 'gang' of yours? Or, whatever you want to call it."

"What kind of reception were you expecting when you started 'The Boys'? I'm just wondering if I'm the only one prone to paranoia here."

Kore Smith

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Two Years Later... Nov 11, 2021 1:35:17 GMT

Post by METTLE on Nov 11, 2021 1:35:17 GMT

David nodded slowly as she spoke. All good news. He was happy to hear it.

Antichrist. What a word, what a world. Here he was in the middle of the greatest battle between good and evil the world had ever seen, and he'd chosen the side of...what? He'd done a lot of thinking about what she meant by it. Not everyone saw Kore Smith as a great religious revelation that the Christians had it right. To some she was a very powerful alien. To others she was truly of Hell. To him, she was the person he cared about most in the world. She'd earned that title by default after his dad passed away. What did that make him? He'd always been a religious guy, but in a more personal way. Not in a way that the word "antichrist" had any real meaning for.

Going out with her had bought him a lot of street cred, weirdly enough.

And now she was asking about it.

"It's not about the reception." He shook his head. "And it's not about the money, either."

He exhaled softly.

The metal exterior that made up his body slowly receded to reveal ordinary skin. When they'd both first met, it'd usually been accompanied by a flash of heat, smoke trailing from his shoulders as he transformed forcefully from a boy of iron into one of flesh. Now, though, it was like the silver just crept into his skin, like a fluid.

Finally his face was revealed. He definitely looked older - the contours of his features had hardened somewhat in the end of his teenage years. There were noticeable shadows under his eyes, but they were warm, almost soft.

"It's about building something that'll last. That nobody can take away. A place that's safe," he said, reaching out to put his hand over hers. "We could still be together. Nobody could touch us. Not your dad. Not anyone."

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Kaija
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Two Years Later... Nov 13, 2021 22:47:49 GMT

Post by Kaija on Nov 13, 2021 22:47:49 GMT

It was subtle, but there was an immediate reaction to the sensation of his hand resting atop hers. A twitch that the devil fought to control in that moment that most might not have noticed.

"Something that'll last, huh." She let her gaze slip away from him. Let her hand rest there for a moment, hesitant ponderings racing through her mind before she pulled her fingers out from underneath his, "Say, I did, Lee."

A brief pause. A fleeting moment for most, but more than enough time for someone with a mind like David's to think about a great many things. Things that she vehemently wanted both of them to think real hard about before stupid decisions were made here in this bar.

"Say I did leave here with you tonight. Gave myself to you again? Go back to your place, let you strip my clothes off, have your way with me and stay there until the morning sun peaking through your blinds wake me up. Try to start everything back where we left off?" she chortled to herself, "What happens after that? What happens after I fall back in? What happens when I see the people that I know work for you extorting people or vandalizing businesses? Committing crimes? What happens when the people I work with start asking me questions that I can't answer cuz I'm too busy sticking up for you? What happens when people start asking me why I'm with a crime lord? What..."

A sigh.

"...what happens when our ideals start to clash again? And I'll be honest. A part of me is kinda hoping that you've got a great answer that'll change my mind. Really hoping. But..."

Lee wouldn't need a lie detector to tell just how honest she was being in that moment. Still, her body language had become far more closed off in those passing moment as the words slipped through her lips. Twenty was young, right? That ripe young age where you were supposed to be wild and stupid and ignore those thoughts in the back of your mind for the next three years. God, Kore felt old sometimes.

Lucky for the kids who didn't have a chip on their shoulders, huh?

"Don't take it personal if you don't find me holding my breath. I've thought about it too, you know?"

Kore Smith

METTLE
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Two Years Later... Nov 14, 2021 6:19:25 GMT

Post by METTLE on Nov 14, 2021 6:19:25 GMT

When her hand pulled away, his instinct was to try to hold onto it. Just that touch, for a moment, had been good. The absence was felt all too keenly, even as his ears reddened slightly at what she said next. She'd always been very casual about that. It was more...private to him. Not something openly discussed. At least, it was that way with her. He'd had other girlfriends. She wasn't the first and she hadn't been the last. But with her, it'd been something special, togetherness.

He didn't have his powers on. There was no ability to control his reactions at a molecular level, no way for him to mentally slow down the world and come up with the perfect response to anything she said. That was intentional.

"In one year, we could be completely legitimate," he said, making a sweeping gesture with the hand that had touched hers. "Once I've settled all the business that needs to be taken care of. Once I know nobody out there is going to try something," he continued, one hand balling into a fist. He held it to his teeth and closed his eyes for a second.

When they opened, they were earnest.

"And there'd be time for us. And a place...somewhere far away from all this."

He took a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair. It'd been a long time since he'd felt his hair.

"We could just be together. Spend our lives together. I'm serious."

He looked back up at her.

"And your dad? We don't know when he's gonna pop up. It could be a hundred years from now. A thousand. But you heal, so you'll probably stop aging. And when I'm metal, I definitely don't get any older. And I would wait for you, no questions asked. I would wait to help you fight him. I don't eat. I don't sleep. When the moment comes, just say the word. I feel like it's what I was made this way for."

He looked to the side and then back at her.

"One year. That's all it would take. I'd find a way. 'Cause I love you."

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Kaija
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Two Years Later... Nov 20, 2021 2:50:50 GMT

Post by Kaija on Nov 20, 2021 2:50:50 GMT

A shake of the head and a sigh were the only replies that he'd get for a time. Kore doubted that Lee understood just what he was asking of her in that moment. The divide that she felt between them... it wasn't just about money. And she took a moment to think it over and try to find something clever or witty to say in that moment, but it just wasn't coming. So, she gave up.

And just let the thoughts turn to words as they came to her.

"I don't know what to say in response to that."

One of many many things that she didn't know. And that included everything that Lee planned to do to get from where he was today to where he wanted to me. And how much both of them might change in that time. Some people say that folks never really change but, one look in the mirror- one look at him- and it was hard to take a claim like that serious. And... a whole year, huh?

"Tell you what? One year from now, one year from October 17th. I'll come back to this bar, sit in this same seat, and order the same steak. And if you show up, I'll hear you out. Maybe make a decision then. Maybe see who you- we- are then. Because, I've got to be honest with you." she brought a hand up to massage her forehead, "Beyond that, beyond just showing up, I don't think I'm ready to make any decisions beyond that."

She turned back to him; a bit of new fatigue in her eyes.

"I'm flattered, and I almost feel guilty for the things running through my mind at the moment. But, our whole lives, Lee? I didn't even know that I was going to see you tonight. It's just... it's a lot to process all of a sudden."

At least, for her it was.

Kore Smith

METTLE
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Posts: 316

Two Years Later... Nov 20, 2021 3:50:18 GMT

Post by METTLE on Nov 20, 2021 3:50:18 GMT

He smiled and nodded. It wasn't unexpected. He felt her curl up inside, pulling away. It was the same feeling that any guy understood when they got a text that said "We need to talk." With a period.

But it wasn't a no. It was honesty, the same honesty he'd always respected. He withdrew his hand.

And smiled.

"That sounds perfect."

This was what they called a long time horizon. Most people had to make their minutes count. But as far as Mettle knew, he might be around for a long, long time. He didn't sleep. He didn't eat. When he did rest, he woke up feeling fresh, at the top of his game, always. And he felt that he could be around indefinitely. It'd begun to change the way he thought about things. There was a time when he was more irritable, easily provoked, impatient - a time when there'd never been enough time. He'd felt that way around his dad, when he'd still been alive. But he wasn't with anybody like that anymore. He could afford to wait. He could afford patience.

After all, he had eternity ahead of him.

He got up from the chair, smoothing out his jacket.

"Call me if you don't want to wait. Or, if your dad shows up. I'll be there no matter what."

He smiled again, turning around.

"I quit smoking, by the way."

He gave her a small salute with his forefinger and middle finger. Then he was off to home, to enjoy the cool night air on his walk home, idly whistling the old Contrail theme song.

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