The Novice And The Veteran

Participants:

harrison_icon.gif melissa3_icon.gif

Scene Title The Novice and the Veteran
Synopsis Melissa and Harrison discuss the evolved, Messiah, and training.
Date June 13, 2010

Howland Hook Facility


In the mood to blow off some steam, Harrison decides to head to the warehouse where it has all come together for him. There is no one in the building at this time. He is currently working out…yet a bit differently then the normal person. His shirt is off clearly revealing his metallic body that seems to glitter against the light now and again. He is carrying on his shoulders a bundle of steel beams. They have been tied together. He is moving them slowly from one end of the warehouse to the other. An grunt escaping his lips now and again.

The warehouse may not mean quite the same thing to Melissa that it does to Harrison, but it's important, nonetheless. It's been several days since the meeting, and thus, several days since she was here, but everything comes back to the beginning at some point, right?

She walks in, hands in the pockets of her black cargo pants, her shirt a black tee-shirt. There's no telling what she came here for, since she's not carrying anything and is alone this time. Or so she thought. She pauses when she sees someone else there already, and her head tilts, watching, studying him for a moment. It takes a minute before she recognizes Harrison from Kendall's party, and then her lips curve a bit. "Guess this answers the question of whether you're evolved or not."

The young man would jump if he did not have 2000 lbs on his shoulders. He swings his torso around to lay his metallic eyes on her. He frowns slightly as he sets down the beams and the ground releases a mushroom of dust around him. As he turns to look at her full, by the time the dust settles his skin has shifted back to being normal flesh. Harrison looks down at his half naked self and begins to blush slightly, "Yes…I am…still getting use to being around so many others." Harrison begins to walk over to where his shirt is laying on the ground.

Melissa can't help but laugh when he blushes, and she shakes her head, leaning up against a wall, hands still in her pockets. "Newly manifested then? Or just come out of the closet? So to speak, of course."

Harrison begins to pull his t-shirt over his muscular torso as he shrugs slightly, "Not that new…no. Yet…I was kind of forced out of the closet you could say due to helping save some people from some bad men in London." He runs a hand through his hair as he begins to shove his hands in his pockets walking towards her slowly.

"Played the hero and it bit you on the ass huh? Yeah, I know all about that," Melissa mutters, pulling a hand free of her pocket and absently rubbing at her left shoulder. Odd how memory makes semi-old wounds throb again. "It sucks to be forced out though. Government jump on your ass for being evolved, I take it? What've they got in London? Registration like here? Or straight to a cell?"

"I…won't…be locked up." the young man says with acid in his voice. He blinks and looks down at the ground and says softly, "I didn't stay in London long enough to find out to be honest. Being an Unregistered evolved might also make things worse. I was hiding in the Brooklyn Library…that is when the White Knight found me…well I mean Magnes and gave me my scarf and I got the text for the meeting. The rest is kind of…well ya know."

Melissa nods knowingly. "I don't blame you. I was in Moab. It's not fun. And you're lucky you're able to be unregistered," she says with a wry smile. "What's the deal with the scarves anyway? I didn't get one."

Harrison shrugs, "Magnes said it represented being cut from the same cloth. A metaphor?" He cocks his head to the side and asks, "You were at the meeting. You seemed rather upset at your…" He pauses cocking his eyebrow slightly, "boyfriend…Peter was it?"

Melissa blinks at Harrison twice, then she slowly starts to grin, then to laugh, until her head falls back against the wall and she has to work to catch her breath. "Oh man, I like you. I really like you. He's not my boyfriend…yet. Not upset with him either. Why would I be?"

As he himself blinks by the reaction, Harrison cocks his head to the side watching her a moment. He remains silent a moment considering her before he answers, "Well you came in the meeting pissed. I only assumed it was at him for something the way you stormed in. Sorry."

Melissa cocks her head, looking a little confused. "Stormed in? Don't think I stormed in. Just sorta…walked. Wasn't pissed either. Just surprised. I'd only just gotten an invite to the shindig."

Harrison nods and runs a hand through his hair, "Sorry maybe I was just confused. So now you know my secret…what can you do?"

"Nothing you wanna see demonstrated, believe me," Melissa says in a dry voice. "I do pain. Just that. Giving it and taking it. Or, well, not taking it. I'm like the world's best pain med."

Harrison nods slowly, "Kind of cool yet…scary at the same time. So…" He shuffles his feet looking rather awkward.

Melissa's brows arch. "Cool? I wouldn't say that. Until I was told that it probably worked both ways I spent my life hurting people. It can be useful, yeah, I won't doubt that, but cool?" She shrugs. "Guess it's a matter of opinion. But you…what, you super strong or something? Doesn't explain the whole metallic skin though."

As he chuckles weakly, "I wouldn't say strong. I have the ability to mimc titanium. It allows my body to take massive hits. I turn into living metal which makes me stronger in the sense I can take more pressure. So I can do things that are…kind of strong. If that makes sense."

The explanation is considered for a moment before Melissa nods. "Yeah, it makes sense. Metal's more durable than flesh and bone. Does that make you bullet proof then? Definitely handy if you're gonna be fighting."

Harrison nods and says, "Yes…I am bullet proof…among other things. Heat…fire…cold…electricity…" He frowns and says, "Magnets though…not so much. Yet I just shift back to normal and they lose their hold on me….or so I have discovered."

"Yikes. So all someone has to do is throw a magnet at you then shoot you. I'd keep that little bit of info to yourself, just to be on the safe side," Melissa advises.

Harrison nods, "Ummm yeah. I didn't think of that." He shakes his head slightly looking down at the ground, "I hope I can help…I won't let anyone hurt me because I am different. Ash is gonna train me some so I can learn how to fight better if I need too." He begins to look embrassed again, "Never really been in a fight before."

Melissa smiles. It's a small smile, but it's genuine. "Good. Because no one should hurt you because you're different. It's funny how everyone is all anti-racism, how there are laws to try to prevent it, and yet, the government is the biggest threat to another race," she says, though her tone shows that she thinks it's bullshit rather than funny.

"It's good you're learning how to fight. You know how to use a gun?" Mel asks. "Not saying you will need to use one, but wouldn't you rather know and not need it, than need it and not know?"

Harrison blinks at the mention of the gun, "No I…Mel I come from Maine. Not Texas…never even seen a gun until that day in London."

Melissa shrugs. "And I come from Georgia. So? The point is…do you want to learn? I may not be the world's expert on guns, but I can teach you to handle one well enough that you won't shoot yourself in the foot or something."

Harrison considers her offer and presses his lips into a fine line. He looks at her and says, "I am willing to learn so I don't hurt anyone on the team. I know I am a kid compared to some of you I saw who has more experience in this kind of stuff. So yeah…I am willing to learn."

Melissa smiles and gives another shrug. "We all started somewhere, Harrison. This is just your starting line. So don't worry too much about it, okay?"

Harrison nods and says, "I…I should get going. I need to get back to the Barracks. I smell…well kind of bad. I should get showered before dinner." He shuffles his feet and says, "Thanks again for letting Ash bring me to your friends party. I hope he liked his gift."

Melissa looks a little lost at the mention of the barracks, but she nods. "Okay, sure. Take it easy, Harrison."


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