White Scars [plot / open]

Thomas, Christopher, and Erik stood still, eyes wide. None of three had prepared for something this serious. Barry and Ed stood as stoic as ever, however. At the point they were at, nothing phased them anymore. "So what you're saying is that Agrona's been working towards this specific area of the Island? And that we're basically the last lines of defense?" Ed asked critically. "You didn't prepare any of us for this. Some of the students here had just arrived not too long ago. They barely know how to throw a punch. What's the game plan here, Nate? What do you hope for us to accomplish?" Barry added, his tone identical to Ed's.

"We were always the only line of defense," Nathaniel answered, turning on his heel to face the two speakers. "The last few years have been nothing but a race; kill any creatures before she tames them, destroy any research she's ordered, find any gifted friend before they're stolen." For how long had it been that way? When was he betrayed again? Nate brushed his hand over an old, concealed scar.

The game plan? What choices did he have left? [color=firebrick]"We start finally pulling in what allies we can, finally. "We could hole up further, do what we can to prepare. Wait for the next attack," he glanced over the clearing. "Or we could go after them." Nate's knuckles tucked under his chin. "If the manpower were possible. I won't force anyone to fight." Not against all the madness outside Rosebury's small rhelm.

What would've been best?

There was a quiet air to the young father, eyes gazed toward the ground with his jaw clenched. He hadn't said much, rather opting for consideration of the circumstances. Leo loved this place with his entire heart, and when push came to shove--he'd fight for it. That being said, the option to fight was not exactly at the top of his list. Had Leo just had himself to care for...he'd be the first to sign up. Yet his love for his son pulled him back to consider what he would be leaving behind.

A boy whose mother comes and goes, and if he was to be fair, Leo knew that his parents wouldn't live forever. It would be his sister left to watch over Shepard. She was young as it is, and Leo wanted her to live out her teen years as a child--not tasked with the responsibility of looking after a young boy. Most of all, Leo wanted to be part of Shepard's life. This fight did not guarantee he would make it out with his life.

Eyes shifted up to those around him, and soon enough he began to consider the other side of the argument. The only way to ensure not only Shepard and Aleta's safety but also now his parents', was to be there. To fight. If he didn't then they may not have a home to come back to. Then no place would be safe-- if Beata were to fall. More than just his life was on the line.

He squeezed his eyes shut. "I know I can't speak for others, but--" Blue eyes slowly opened to meet Nate's eyes. "if no move is made to push back against these people, then..." the blond trailed off, hair waving as he shook his head. "...then many more people than just the people fighting could die. I don't think holing up is an option any longer. Not when we have so much to lose." Leo shoved his hands into his pockets and let his gaze drop for a short moment.

'I'm sorry, Shepard.'

The moment passed, and his head sharply tilted back up with a set jaw and a stunningly determined gleam to his eyes. "Where do I sign up?"

Evelyn took a deep breath. This was.. something. She had always expected the moment she was asked to put her life on the line to be easy - a simple, dramatic gesture with her hands, like in all the movies, and then she was on the battlefield, ramming through streaks of bad guys like a knife through hot butter. But it was harder, and she felt shame as to how she was ready to let this pass by and accept being a frightful innocent in this war. She had parents, and friends, and all she could want if she decided to make an escape tomorrow. This was madness, this was supposed to be a safe place for gifted, but it was life a fighting pit.

"You're signing up for your own funeral." she mumbled in the direction of the young man who had stepped up to speak. Yeah whatever, he was wise, and by all means he looked strong. She was barely in here for a few months. She could detach a finger and sew it to her foot, how could she help. Shaking her head, she sat back in the shadows at the back of the group.

~~

The cherry-blonde girl watched the headmaster quietly. It seemed as if everything was going wrong since she arrived. Or at least everything had been going wrong from before and now she was introduced to it for the first time. This didn't seem like a joke. The ones he spoke of were dangerous, and they would hunt down every single one of them soon enough. Some were ready to fight, she could see, but her face was pale with worry, she felt so small and useless. No more thought. If they would fight, she would fight, to.

"I can help!" she called, trying hard to not squeal. She needed to sound like a mature person, but she was only twelve. "I can fight. I want to protect this place. Even though I'd probably die in a few minutes in battle, I will fight." she swallowed, looking up at the headmaster.

Leo turned his head to the side, gaze landing on Evelyn's form. There was a narrow to his eyes as he looked out from the corner of them. "Better me than my son." His voice held a hard edge, ever since the incident with the man taking Joanna in the daycare--and the ultimate risk of both her and Shepard not making it out, he couldn't imagine a world without him. Without Shepard. "To be fair, I know you have not been here a while like a few of us, but some people have no other home. We have to fight if we want it to see another day."

"I'm always in to help. I wouldn't be a guardian otherwise," Richard responded behind Leo. "Especially now that I'm actually useful again." In truth, the thought of fighting people who were trying to destroy them all sounded way too daunting, but he wasn't going to back down now. Unconsciously stretching out the arm that was recently in a cast and loosening himself up, the guardian stepped to Leo's side.

---

Declan could only stand there dumbfounded by all of this news. There were people trying to get rid of them and take this island? More-so take their lives? What kind of sick, twisted minds would do that? He had never come across someone who would be so willing to do that kind of thing, but now that he knew that there was someone out there who wanted him dead just because of his powers sent chills down the spring's spine. He was not going to let that happen! At least, that was lie he told himself as fear overpowered the anger the burned in his chest. As badly as Declan wanted to speak up, he couldn't bring himself to do it.

However, the longer he stood there, the more passionate he began to feel about this situation. Beata was the first place where he felt like he could be himself. Of course, he was already great, but there were people who couldn't give a shit about where he came from or what he did and actually paid attention to him as a person. All of their complaining was true, but it was about him. He could barely get that at home, much less any kind of attention. Hell, his mom sent him here in the first place because she couldn't bother teaching him about his power in the first place.

"You know, I... I guess I'll help out too. This place isn't half bad. I could stand to see it stay a little longer," he finally said while trying to shove all of his nerves down as he cross his arms in front of him.

Man, he was fucking clueless.

Kayla had already been through this song and dance. He'd called her into his office, all stoic and ominous, and promised her the actual honest to God truth, and in the end she only felt that tug of agitation in her chest, trying to piece together something clear and solid she could grasp from the cloud of questions and half-answers cycling around in her head. This was the same thing. One half-step closer to the big 'why' and 'what' of it all and then three steps in a whole other direction.

That was the only explanation. He was fucking clueless, or he still knew things they didn't. The island... What about this place though? Why this place though? Who is she and what did she want and why did her army of freaks and misfits fight for her and why did she still feel so in the dark even now?

She felt her fingers twitch, electricity arcing between her nails. As the students and guardians began throwing their voices forward, she stayed silent. There wasn't any need to say anything, with just that one glassy look toward Headmaster Wright.

He already knew she was on board.

He'd kept everything from them for so long. After everything they'd been through, and everything that he'd let happen to them, the fact that there were those at all that were willing to speak up and fight for the school; it was beyond astounding to him. Nathaniel wasn't stupid nor arrogant enough to believe that any person held any sort of love for them, but to know that there was still some sort of hope for their home, the paradise he'd fought for so long to create... It was overwhelming.

"Thank you," The headmaster muttered, glancing towards Leo, knowing far too well what the younger father must have been feeling in that moment. "The power held on this island is unearthly and ancient, far too dangerous. Know for certain, if those out there get their hands on this land, it's the end of all of us." He took one last glance at the small bottle, held by the Croft girl now.

"That will be all. I'll set up arrangements to set out to Sofia soon as possible. Anyone who wishes to see me may do so at anytime."

or if they wanna stick around for questions here ebu don't care

Trey shifted in place, it was only a few months a go when he arrived at Beata and it was finally starting to feel like a home. He was always welcome in Canada with his parents, but it was the atmosphere here he could never give up. A shrunken steel jo staff was strapped to his belt loop and he had balls of various metals attached to the staff, obvious shifts in tone where he added the odd metals. Trey clenched his fists as he remembered the day Connor gave him the weapons, Connor returned from a mission crippled and broken, mentally unable to go on. It was going to be here where Trey would prove that all of his training was put to good use and he could protect the one place where the gifted would feel normal. "I'm here to fight too. I may not be the strongest, but I know how to wield my power. Whatever I can do to help I will."

---

Riley was never one to speak up, nor did he have a real reason to want to keep Beata safe. It could crumble to the earth for all he cared. The only thing that mattered was how he was going to survive, not anyone else. The familiar leather squeaked as he balled up his fist; a fight meant something more than risk to lives. It meant he could unleash everything he's built up without receiving unbearable consequences. He felt his core heat up and the surge of energy race through his arms pouncing against his finger tips; this would mean pain would be tolerated. The dark student lowered his head slightly, a small shadow concealing his grin. Riley was most definitely staying for the battle.

ooc;dont mind my last minute posting. look past my sad hiatus <3