Welcome to Gaia! ::

Bailey nodded and started running towards the direction of Retribution with so many people following behind her she lost count. She knew her father would be thrilled to see that she had brought back so many new members, but it would be overwhelming for the people currently living there. She had no idea if she could trust these people and that was the main part of a Forager's job, to trust.

When they reached the city that was still in tact, she headed over to a man hole and using her abilities, she lifted the lid off and set it carefully on the road.

"We'll have to travel in the sewers from here on out. Dragonboy, you'll have to transform back into your human form in order to fit. We have to place the lid on once everyone is in and we have to move quickly."

A snort left the morphs' nostrils, wisps of what appeared to be smoke rising from them. And he craned his head around to examine his passenger on their arrival. The boy looked very pale in his opinion. "My name is Sammuel. Call me Sam, or Shadow, not dragonboy." He growled, not even the least bit winded from their running to their destination. Carefully Sam shifted the boy on his back before he started to change back into his human form. When he was fully changed he was carrying the boy piggy-back. It was a good thing the kid wasn't heavy, in Sam's opinion, and that made his job easier. "Looks like we have company." He chuckled after watching Bailey remove the lid and he heard someone call out to them. Tilting his head in their direction a brow rose from behind his blind-fold; Seems like our company is hostile. He smirked as he glanced at this new-comers 'toy'.

Ava looked over the newest arival. Green hair, she thought. What country do you have to come from to get that kind of technicolor? I'm Ava. Ava Morretti. And if you ever again want to think i'm one of those teste della merda from the institute, Ava produces a jade green flame from the palm of her hand,Then we'll be having sausage for dinner. Before Vlase could reply, Ava jumped down the hole.

Strohm was in his personal lab, which happened to be in the basement of a building just outside the Institute owned property. There, he had been trying his hand at chemistry, every now and then, combining random oder-filled liquids to see if he could some strange reaction. This latest bit he had made was being looked at through a microscope, not long after Strohm had decided to try sprinkling some dirt on it. He didn't do this for the Institute, science, or fame, just for entertainment, so he usually paid little attention to which chemicals he mixed.
Apparently, there had been an egg sack of some sort in that clump of dirt he had crumbled up, and now he was watching it dissolve in the small dish. Perhaps he had created a new acid? He was interrupted from his thoughts as a nearby phone rang. Without looking, Strohm stabbed one of the buttons of the machine with his metallic finger. "Yeah?"
"It's that time again."
"New mission?"
"Put your suit on and come on over."
"...Fine..."
Strohm sighed as he pushed himself away from his chemistry table. He'd have to check on it later. For now, he did as he told and put on his armored suit and gathered up his weapons. After putting on his helmet, Strohm left his small, four-room home, locked the door behind him, and began a quick march across the couple blocks that actually separated him from the Institute.

Bailey walked in silence for a few minutes, but it felt like a long time. After many turns and twists in the sewer system, the group came to a large metal door and Bailey knocked three times, paused, and then knocked twice. A long silence lasted a good minute before the door opened and revealed an Altered guard standing in their way. His eyes scanned the room and at last came to Bailey and he smiled.

"Miss Hall, your father was starting to wonder where you went off to."

Bailey gestured towards the kid on Sam's back and spoke quickly. "This boy here needs immediate medical attention." She didn't wait for the guard to respond and she headed into Retribtuion, motioning for the others to follow. The guard nodded once and removed what looked like a walkie talkie out and informed medical bay. Bailey didn't wait for the others, she lead what she hoped was everyone towards the nursing stations only a minute walk away.

As the strange assortment of people entered Retribution, Ras watched curiously from the sidelines. Distrust flickered through the back of her mind as she took notice of the new comers. Albiet, Bailey was with them, and although Ras has scarcely made conversation with her, time here had taught her Bailey was hardly a fool. Nonetheless, a general dislike towards strangers of all shapes and sizes made her wary.

Judging by one of the boy's injuries, they were probably headed to the infirmary-- or that seemed a safe assumption. At this point in Ras now found herself torn between walking away, and investigating the situation.

Curiosity killed the cat, dear That's what her mother would have said.

But satisfaction brought it back-- that's what I would have said.

Considering either point of view, former and latter, a sigh fluttered over her lips. No matter how often she tried to believe Mother had never given her any useful advice, little doubt reamained she had-- or at least nothing notable, besides: "Brush your teeth, darling, or you might get cavities." No. Obviously the woman who could not even assure her own children's safety or freedom, could not be counted upon. Ironically, (although she might not have realized), Ras' mother had left her with something greater than she may not have realized. That is, the knowledge to avoid doing the things she did.

Soon, the others might notice a light and rapid pad, pad, padd-ing of footsteps coming up the hallway behind them. Assuming they had not turned around before Ras finally came to meet with them, they would notice as her as she slowed and fell into step beside Bailey. They would certainly hear her, when her windchime voice would ask:

"Who are the newbies?"

Is that her real name? Unless she's simply that open...

Inwardly, Ras raised her eyebrows, in the face of the others' willingness to share everyone's names. However, outwardly a slight grin twitched into existence across her face.

"Ras." Since she had been apart of Retribution, Ras had only a told a select few her full name, Erasmus. Even then she had lied about her last name, Catherwood. The mere thought of anyone tracing back her past to the Institution, and her connections there was both mortifying and terrifying. Most importantly, Ras feared they may not trust her. "Ras Hart."

She spoke pleasently."Yes, Bailey can assure you, she is at least an aquaintince of mine. I guess I'm pleased to meet you?" Here she laughed. "It's so hard to say, it's not as if I know you." All at once Ras' expression went from light to a comparativly dead-pan, serious look with the tone to match. "If you don't mind my asking, Ava, what happened to Mr. Trent, and why are the three of you here?"

Although the answer as to why they were there seemed obvious, Ras always liked to ask. You never knew.



At the Institute, Indigo had been wandering down the same hallway Brodan's office resided in, having just come back from a lecture his father had been giving him. Indigo's brow furrowed at the thought, remembering Ingram's stern voice as he told him to spend some time looking for other altered's besides his sister. It had made the adolscent feel incompetent, as if he had done something wrong. His father wanted that filthy traitor back just as much as he did.

As he was passing by Brodan's door, Parris' and the elder man's conversations interrupted his brooding and piqued his interest. Pressing himself to the wall, the boy waited patiently for Parris to exit. Depending upon which way he turned, Parris would either be seized jokingly from behind, or end up with Indigo right in his face.