Practical Applications

[Carlos Vasquez]

"Well, how good were you BEFORE your mutation manifested?"

[Chase Delacroix]

Shit. I walked right into that.

After a slight pause, he said, "I started with martial arts at pretty much the same time."

[Carlos Vasquez]

"Ah. Pity."

[Chase Delacroix]

"I'm sure I'm nowhere close to your skill level, even with my mutation as a shortcut," he said, though he wasn't entirely sure he believed he'd lose that fight.

[Onyx]

Onyx crossed into the foyer, still dressed in her workout clothes and drying her hair with a towel.

She briefly glanced at Chase, a neutral expression on her face, before looking at Carlos.

"Hello, sir," Onyx says, bowing her head the appropriate amount for acknowledging another team leader.

[Chase Delacroix]

Chase returned the neutral expression but he was incredibly nervous on the inside and any skilled observer of body language would see it. She was the only other student that knew what he'd been, and then there was the whole trying to kill her thing.

[Carlos Vasquez]

"Onyx! Good to see you. What's going on?"

[Onyx]

"Nothing in particular, sir," Onyx says. "I just finished my workout and was heading back to my room. Is everything alright?"

Onyx glances at Chase.

[Carlos Vasquez]

"Yes, everything's fine. I was just talking to Chase here."

Carlos caught Onyx's glance, and subtly shifted his weight into a more active stance.

[Chase Delacroix]

Chase was trained to notice such things and on instinct did the same without realizing it.

"Just doing the 'meeting new people' thing."

[Onyx]

"I can see that. I would suggest that you do not try to kill any of them, sir," Onyx says. "Not everyone is as dedicated to non-lethal force as I am."

[Chase Delacroix]

"I... what?"

He hadn't expected her to actually blurt out his transgressions like that and didn't know how to react. His terrified, hurt, guilty, and even slightly angry expression would have to say everything.

[Carlos Vasquez]

"Onyx?" Carlos asked, confused.

[Onyx]

"They did not inform you?" Onyx asks, sounding genuinely surprised. "He is an assassin. He attempted to kill me, sir."

[Carlos Vasquez]

"...What." Carlos said, his eyes darting back to Chase.

[Chase Delacroix]

"I didn't... have a choice..." he said with sadness and guilt, knowing how weak that sounded.

[Onyx]

"I am sure that would have been a great comfort to my corpse if you had succeeded," Onyx says.

[Carlos Vasquez]

"I'm sorry, I'm going to go with 'what.' again."

[Chase Delacroix]

He's a team leader, he might... need to know.

"It's true," he admitted, raising his chin to look at Carlos, "I was... a monster... and even though I was brainwashed, my hands... my soul is still stained. That's why I said what I said about wanting to help people... to save people."

He looked Onyx in the eyes, his own blazing with sincere determination, "I'd do anything to make things right... with you and with everyone I can. I don't expect forgiveness. I only ask that I be given the opportunity to earn the second chance this school has given me."

[Onyx]

"And what have you done to earn a second chance?" Onyx asks. "Just because you snivel, cry, and play the victim? You hide your crimes from the people around you because you are afraid of being punished. You want a second chance, but do not want to face the consequences for what you have done. You only wish to 'save people' so you can continue to indulge in violence without facing reprisal for your actions."

"You have not changed. You are a sad, pathetic weak-minded coward that hurts others and hides behind authority to explain his actions."

[Chase Delacroix]

"You're wrong..." he said, voice tinged with deep pain at what he'd been made to do.

[Onyx]

"Maybe," Onyx says.

And then she steps quickly towards Chase, throwing a powerful punch towards his stomach.

[Chase Delacroix]

Chase quickly turned and took a half-step back to let the blow pass.

"I'm not going to fight you."

[Onyx]

"Oh? Why not? No one has ordered you to kill me this time?" Onyx says, taking a step forward and aiming another blow at his neck.

[Chase Delacroix]

He raised an arm, but only to block as he attempted to smoothly dodge the strike.

"Because I'm not just a weapon of murder. Not anymore."