Xavier Institute for Higher Learning

[xxsoullessANGELUSxx]

This didn't stop the girls for long.
"What-do-you-mean, professionals? How-are-we-excepted-to-help-out-later-if-we-don't-train-up-"

"We-were-born-into-this,-how-am-I-expected-to-watch-friends-and-family-fight-and-die-when-"

They both stopped when Des spoke.

 

[Oncaro]

Quicker than anyone could have reacted, Apex grabbed Des by the throat, staring into the man's eyes with a gaze filled with pain and loathing.

"I never had a childhood," he hissed. "I never knew my father, and my mother was taken from me when I was five! All of these enhancements I've got? They're worth nothing to me if I can't find her. These enhancements, the training I have, the money I've got-- none of it matters if I can't find her, or if she is dead. I've got nothing to live for, my whole life will be a waste! I kill people for money, and even if I tried to be a so-called 'hero' like you claim to be, it still would mean nothing.

"All my life, I've pushed people away. I have no friends, no loved ones apart from my mother, no one gives a s**t about me! My childhood was a waste of petty anger and self-loathing, and I have nothing good to show for it! I look at children like these girls, or the girl I sparred with in New York, and I see myself when I look at them! I don't want anyone to end up like me, understand? I know about vigilantism-- it is not a game, it is not fun, and it is not for children!"

Apex released Desmond, his eyes full of anger. "If these children try to get into that business and get in over their heads, and then they wind up dead no matter how much training they have-- who's going to be blamed? Will it be them for doing something stupid and reckless because they are kids? Or will it be the adults that encouraged them to harness their powers, and put illusions of grandeur into their minds and made them think they could actually make a difference in the world at such a young age? All of this: the costumes, the powers, the crimefighting-- it looks glamorous, but who in their right mind would try to train kids to use their powers at all at such an age? A lunatic, that's who! No amount of training can keep someone from the harsh reality of life: Mistakes happen, and people can die. Do you really want to be the guy to train these girls, knowing that one day they might get themselves killed?!"  

[Skuld HJG]

When Apex grabbed Des, he imediately went to a full darkforce form to protect himself from the strain on his throat. Nightshade was about to try to flip Apex, when he released his grip. And he was really getting tired of this guy's attittude...

First using a bit of his darkforce to shield the girls just in case, then used Apex's own shadow to wrap itself around it's owner pinning the mercenary to the opposite wall. Des' darkness form approached the pinned merc, a low resonant voice practically growling at Apex, "And now.... You're going to listen to me, Mercenary. If these kids don't receive proper training, they could easily hurt themselves or others. For example, if one of these girl's speed powers suddenly activated. She could hurt herself by running into something unintentionally or another person. What happens to the human body slamming into an object at the speed of sound!?"  

[Oncaro]

"Which is exactly my point, jackass!" Apex said. "They could hurt themselves, or someone else-- and guess what? Even with training, they could still wind up dead! Do you hear what they're saying? They want to be crimefighters, and yet they are children! Do you not see anything wrong with that picture?! Do you?!"

With a large burst of strength, Apex broke free and dropped into a fighting stance.

"Do you really think these girls have what it takes to be heroes at this age? I can understand training to control their abilities-- that's what I did when I got these enhancements. The difference is, I was already an adult and had training through the Marine Corps on how to fight! These girls are school-age! Do you really want to indulge the delusions they've got? Because if you do and they wind up dead while trying to play hero, then you'll have nobody to blame but yourself!"  

[xxsoullessANGELUSxx]

For a moment, both sisters stayed silent as they watched the two. The elder had moved infront of the younger as things progressed, and they both backed up as the mercenary fell into his stance.

"Hey! Just calm down! Who said anything about granduer and glamor? You don't know what we believe or know, sir, and fighting about it right now won't help anything."

Jaquelyn kept back along with Victoria, but she wasn't about to let anyone get hurt here. There was a considerable amount of disbelief in her tone as well.

 

[Oncaro]

Apex snapped his gaze to the two girls, and while angry initially, his eyes softened, and then he relaxed.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I just... seeing children in superhero costumes, when I know how difficult that kind of life is for those who live it..." he continued, before sighing, and looking away.

What he didn't add was that he had studied pretty much every current Justice League member extensively while training under Deathstroke, so that if he had to, he'd kill them in a fight. He hated the idea of seeing young kids trying to act like their older counterparts, not just because he felt they'd be throwing their lives away... but because he might one day have to kill them too.  

[xxsoullessANGELUSxx]

Both girls relaxed as the man did so.

"...for... the record, neither of us have done "field work" or anything of the sort. We've been under the radar ever since everyone in our family vanished. It's too risky to practice slowing up outside without our dad or uncle..."

She took off the red goggles from their place on her forehead and looked at the man with her hazel blue eyes.

"We're not going to do anything remotely dangerous for a very long time, and this place is safer than Central."

From this statement, Jaquelyn was thinking about her sister. If anything happened to her, she didn't know what she would do, and it started with getting the Speed Force under wraps.

 

[Oncaro]

"I sure hope you won't do anything dangerous for a long time," Apex said to them, not looking at the two girls. "This place is safer than Central City? It's partially destroyed and inhabited by a ragtag group of capes; do you plan on making this your homebase or something?" Apex asked with a mirthless chuckle.

"I've spotted at least 17 ways these surroundings could be exploited to kill a man. If you really want a place to work out of, you could do a lot better than here, 'Danger Room' or not."  

[GentleBirb]

Kurt followed and happened to sit out the argument waiting for it to really end. After all was said and done, he stood behind the girls and put a hand on each of their shoulders smiling a with confidence towards the man.

"Despite being a run down school I'm sure it is safe, especially vith zhe X-men. I also vish to train vith these children to better help them in zhe training room. I'll keep them safe here, my promise... and I'm sure Beast Boy vould never send them into the field, seeing he knows zhem much better zhen anyone, and knows if zhey would be ready or not."

He smiled and let go of the kids shoulders and looked towards the entrance of the training room then back at Apex.

"Also, zhose who do not train earlier, have a harder time learning zhere abilities later on in some cases I've seen... and having a gift, one zhat can save lives, maybe not to stop crimes merely but save lives from accidents or natural disasters... isn't always so dangerous."

 

[Crystal Lasill]

((Holly Gee Wilikers! Y'all move too fast. There's nothing for three days and suddenly you have moved almost two pages in a few hours >.< Lolz I guess I can forgive you.))

Kesshou's tail waved as she scarfed down the rest of her food and finished off her milk before prancing after Garth.

"Sure thing." She fluttered her eyes adorably at the green Titan.  

[Skuld HJG]

Nightshade was still steaming, but was trying to remain calm now, "And for the record.... This place is a school, not the Justice League. These kids are trying to learn how to control their powers to protect themselves. And here's another piece of information for you, Apex; coming from the other Earth -- there are people bound and determined to hunt down and kill every mutant, everyone with any powers just because they exist. It doesn't matter if they're young or old, white or black, they just want them dead. We're talking Nazi death camps and the like. You said there are some scary stuff out there, you're right! But it's worse than you think it is! What would you do, if people were hunting you down just because you happen to have special abilities!?"  

[Oncaro]

"Kill them," Apex said to Nightshade immediately and coolly. He did not like the man, at all. "Study them, their habits, and what they can do... hunt them down... and kill them."  

[Skuld HJG]

Nightshade took a step closer to Apex, but kept his arms crossed, "And when those people become martyrs for 'protecting humanity', then what? Where does that plan stop? Mobs? Police? Congress? Where talking about thousands, possibly millions of people wanting our demise. A straight up fight won't work. I could show you hundreds of files on this stuff."  

[Oncaro]

"The plan stops when people stop actually trying to come after me," Apex said coolly. "I don't care about metahumanity's stake in the world-- if someone tries to kill me, they die. Period. And I would do it again and again until people learned to leave me be. I'm trying to find my mother. After that is done... I don't know what I'll do. If she's dead I'll probably just kill myself and end my miserable existence. No good has come out of it anyway."  

[xxsoullessANGELUSxx]

Despite the dark direction this conversation had taken, The elder shook her head with an objecting stance.

"No.... it doesn't have to be like that..."

The world was painted so black and white in this man's eyes. It was hard for her to find something to say.