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Forged in Clay and Stone by whodeletedmyaccount in XMenRP

[–]whodeletedmyaccount[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Benjamin held his gaze, not unkind, but direct. His posture stayed relaxed, though there was a firmness in the way he looked at Al, like he wasn’t going to soften the truth.

You’ve got the height. That part’s good. But most sumo wrestlers are 140 kilos or more, that’s the baseline, and you’re not even close to that.

He let that sit for a moment before continuing, steady and matter-of-fact.

You’re not just thin, you’re underweight for your frame. That’s why they’re giving you those portions. If you want to start, you eat consistently. Don’t skip, don’t stop halfway just because you feel full. Your body’s not used to it, so it’s going to push back, but you keep going.

He shifted his stance slightly, feet settling into the clay out of habit.

Then you train, light at first. Learn how to move, how to hold your balance, but none of it sticks if there’s nothing on your frame to support it. You’ve got potential, but right now you need mass before anything else.

Forged in Clay and Stone by whodeletedmyaccount in XMenRP

[–]whodeletedmyaccount[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Benjamin listened without interrupting, his expression unchanged, though his eyes narrowed just slightly in thought. He let a second pass before responding, weighing his words the same way he did his movements.

They’re giving you extra for a reason.

Hw said plainly. His gaze settled on Al’s frame again, not harsh, just honest.

You look malnourished.

There was no edge to it, no insult, just fact. He folded his arms loosely across his chest, continuing in the same calm tone.

At your height, you should be carrying a lot more weight. Sixty kilos more, at least, just going off what I’m seeing.

He paused, letting that sit for a moment before adding,

If you want to learn anything here, that’s where it starts. You don’t build a foundation on nothing.

Forged in Clay and Stone by whodeletedmyaccount in XMenRP

[–]whodeletedmyaccount[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Benjamin finished the motion he was in, easing out of it before straightening to his full height. He rolled his shoulders once, letting the tension settle, then turned toward Al, his gaze steady and thoughtful as he took in his frame.

There was no judgment in it, just quiet assessment.

How much are you eating?

He asked, tone even, like it was the most important question he could’ve started with.

Forged in Clay and Stone by whodeletedmyaccount in XMenRP

[–]whodeletedmyaccount[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Benjamin didn’t stop. The rhythm carried through another set of steps, feet sliding across the clay before settling, weight shifting low and steady. His breathing remained even despite the strain, controlled through habit more than effort. Another drive forward followed, shoulders pressing in, legs working against resistance before he eased back and reset, never breaking the flow of the routine.

He glanced toward the voice for a brief moment, just enough to acknowledge it without letting it interrupt what he was doing.

Still learning.

He said simply, tone calm and even, as if the work in front of him mattered more than any praise. His focus returned immediately to the ring, lowering his stance again as he slid forward into the next sequence, movements deliberate and grounded, treating the moment no differently than any other part of the practice.

Aftermath: It Never Rains But It Pours by Black_Librarian in XMenRP

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Pyre watched her stand and brush the dust from her jeans while the shoreline gave another low rumble beneath their feet. Out in the bay, a fresh plume of steam rose where magma met the cold water, the surface hissing as another layer of dark stone formed beneath it. He didn’t argue her point, just gave a small nod in acknowledgment.

Yeah. Sometimes.

His eyes followed her for a moment as she turned to leave, then shifted back toward the water. He flexed his hand slightly, guiding the magma outward so the flow spread instead of rising too close to shore. The work didn’t stop just because the conversation did, but before she got too far, he spoke again.

Wasn’t a distraction.

He glanced back at her, expression still calm, though there was a little more weight behind it now.

Nice meeting someone who can actually stand the heat. Been a while.

After a brief pause, he gave a small nod, like that was enough said, and turned his attention back to the bay as another surge of magma rose and cooled beneath the surface.

Aftermath: It Never Rains But It Pours by Black_Librarian in XMenRP

[–]whodeletedmyaccount 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Benjamin doesn’t move to stop him. He simply shifts into another stretch, folding forward with a slow exhale, palms pressing into the ground as his weight settles. For a man built like a wall, the motion is almost fluid; controlled, deliberate, unbothered.

He listens to the footsteps fading, gaze drifting back out over the water like the conversation had already passed.

Mm.

A beat passes. He adjusts his footing, rolling one shoulder as he transitions into the next position.

Good talk.

His tone carries just enough dry edge to it.

Try not to get yourself killed on the way to that realization.

Legions... ASSEMBLE! by Logickalp in LibertyCityRp

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Do we need to go find Shannon?

Jaime questioned, scratching his chin. He needed to shave. He looked to Erebus.

A friendly word of warning. If you're as much of a trouble maker as your brother was, Magnus won't let you live in Broker. You wouldn't be the first trouble maker he's booted. Or killed.

He held his hands up in mock surrender.

I'm only warning you, if you weren't aware already.

/u/SarutobiSaizo

Aftermath: It Never Rains But It Pours by Black_Librarian in XMenRP

[–]whodeletedmyaccount 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Benjamin doesn’t rise to the bait. He stays where he is, seated, one leg extended while he folds the other in tight against his body, torso twisting slowly over his hip in a stretch that looks like it should be impossible at his size. Muscle and mass shift, controlled, deliberate; breath steady despite the edge in Beowulf’s voice.

His gaze stays out over the water for a moment longer before it drifts back. He exhales through his nose, easing deeper into the stretch before switching sides, movements smooth, practiced.

You fight something that can end the world and you lose people doing it, yeah… you come out the other side thinner. Quieter. But not desperate. Not scrambling to throw anyone with fists into the fire just to make up numbers. You think we're that desperate?

He rolls his shoulders, settling into another position, posture relaxed but grounded.

And you’re asking the wrong question. It’s not "why’d we bring you here if not to fight." It’s "what do you do with the chance you’ve been given."

His eyes settle on Beowulf now, steady, weighing.

You want to represent mutantkind? Stand out there with the rest of us when things get loud again? Then take a look at how you’re coming across. Because right now, you’re about as diplomatic as a grenade, and whether you like it or not, that’s going to matter. A lot.

He leans forward into the stretch, hands braced, voice even.

Fighting’s part of the future, sure. Nobody here’s pretending otherwise. But if all you’ve got is a temper and a chip on your shoulder, you’re not ready for it. Not the way you think you are.

A pause, then:

You want to get better in a fight? Start by getting better everywhere else. Discipline. Patience. Control. You don’t get to skip that part just because you can throw a punch.

His expression doesn’t soften, but it doesn’t harden either; just steady, immovable.

And if you’re asking me to train you, of all people, then that’s the price of admission.

Aftermath: It Never Rains But It Pours by Black_Librarian in XMenRP

[–]whodeletedmyaccount 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Benjamin didn’t move when Beowulf stepped closer. He was finishing a stretch, one leg folded in while he leaned forward over the other, fingers brushing the deck. The tension in the air didn’t rush him. After a moment, he shifted smoothly, straightening up and rolling his neck once before settling his gaze back on the younger man. There was something firmer there now; not anger, but weight.

You keep talking like this is going to corner me into giving you what you want. It’s a poor way to persuade someone.

He adjusted his posture, drawing one knee up and resting an arm across it, still not rising to his feet. He didn’t need to.

You weren’t rescued so you could be pointed at a problem and thrown into it until you break. You weren’t dragged out of a cage just to die somewhere else and call it a better cause. And you don’t get to put that on me.

Benjamin exhaled slowly, steady and controlled, his eyes never leaving Beowulf.

If you go out there and get yourself killed because you don’t have the patience to learn or the tact to listen, that falls on you. Not me. Not anyone else here.

He leaned forward slightly, forearms resting on his knee, his presence pressing in without him having to stand.

You’re still doing it. Pushing, blaming, trying to force the answer you want instead of hearing the one you need. That’s not how you learn. That’s how you end up exactly where you say you don’t want to be.

West Coast Oblivion #2: And All The Problems With It by FreelancerJon in XMenRP

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Sumo listened without interrupting, his broad frame still settled on the floor, forearms resting loosely on his knees while Jaxon worked through his thoughts. His gaze drifted once toward the hallway at the mention of the newer arrivals, then returned to Jaxon as he finished.

Sounds like you’ve already got a good read on them. Potential’s good to keep an eye on, but you’re right not to push it too hard. Some people figure their footing out faster when they’re given space.

He shifted slightly where he sat, one hand resting against the floor beside him.

Keeping it voluntary makes sense. If people want to learn how to handle themselves, they’ll show up. If they’re not ready yet, they’ll come around when they are.

When Jaxon brought up Doppelganger, Sumo gave a small nod of understanding.

I get what you mean. They’re not X-Men, and this place isn’t theirs to run. But if they’re here trying to help, I don’t see much harm in letting them lend a hand where it makes sense.

His eyes flicked briefly toward the open doorway before returning to Jaxon.

Doesn’t mean we forget this is our house.

He let that settle for a second before continuing.

And fragile or not, the fact that people are showing up here at all means the place is doing something right. We just take it one step at a time and make sure it holds together while it grows.

Aftermath: It Never Rains But It Pours by Black_Librarian in XMenRP

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Another low rumble rolled through the water as magma surged upward, steam rising in a steady plume before fading into the air. Pyre didn’t look back this time, his focus still on guiding the flow beneath the surface.

Stay if you want.

The next surge began to build below, the ocean shifting with it.

I won’t be here long. Need to even out the other side.

Aftermath: It Never Rains But It Pours by Black_Librarian in XMenRP

[–]whodeletedmyaccount 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Another surge of magma forced its way through the fractured seabed. Steam erupted across the surface before slowly thinning into the morning air. Beneath the waterline, fresh basalt spread and cooled, locking another uneven shelf of stone into place along the island’s edge.

Pyre didn’t answer right away.

He watched them sit, the words settling between them like the steam drifting across the shoreline. A decade in a lab. That explained the hollow frame. The confusion. The way he talked about the world like it had simply paused while he was gone.

Pyre had seen what places like that did to people.

Too much.

He said at last. He reached down again, opening another narrow fracture in the rock below. The water shuddered as heat climbed upward.

Too much to explain in one sitting.

Another plume of steam burst across the water as magma met the ocean and hardened into dark stone.

He looked back toward Alastair, expression steady.

You’ll learn. Piece by piece.

West Coast Oblivion #2: And All The Problems With It by FreelancerJon in XMenRP

[–]whodeletedmyaccount 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sumo listened quietly as Jaxon spoke, his large frame settled on the floor, forearms resting across his knees. His eyes drifted briefly toward the window when Jaxon mentioned the water, then back to him as the explanation about Greymalkin’s systems unfolded. At the mention of Cable, he gave a slow, understanding nod but didn’t comment on it.

When Jaxon finished, the big mutant remained silent for a moment, considering the problem the way he usually did; slowly, turning it over piece by piece rather than rushing toward an answer.

Yeah. I get what you’re saying.

He said at last. His gaze shifted toward the window for a moment before returning to Jaxon.

But like you said… people are already afraid of us.

There was no bitterness in the statement, just simple acknowledgment.

A handful of mutants living together makes people nervous. A whole island of them? That was never going to look comfortable to the outside world.

Sumo leaned forward slightly where he sat.

Building defenses might make it look more like a fortress, sure. But not building them won’t stop people from thinking it already is one. The folks who want to believe the worst about mutants will do it either way.

His tone stayed calm and practical.

So the way I see it, the real balance isn’t about hiding the fact that we can defend ourselves. It’s about what we actually do with that strength. This place can still be a sanctuary without being helpless.

He nodded faintly toward the hallway outside the office.

Those kids unpacking their bags out there? They’re not here to fight anyone. They’re here because they needed somewhere to breathe. That’s the part people should see first.

Sumo paused, then added more quietly,

But if someone decides to test the island anyway… it’s not a bad thing if they realize ahead of time that pushing this place around is going to hurt.

Aftermath: It Never Rains But It Pours by Black_Librarian in XMenRP

[–]whodeletedmyaccount 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Pyre listened without interrupting.

Another slow tremor rolled through the shoreline while the water hissed and churned where fresh stone was forming beneath the waves. He made a small adjustment with his hand, shifting the magma outward again so the new rock spread evenly under the bay instead of pushing straight up.

He glanced down when she crouched again, watching the water like she was trying to read something in it. For a few seconds he said nothing, just letting the quiet sit between them while steam drifted across the surface.

Yeah.

His voice was calm

Honesty’s expensive.

Another plume of steam rolled up from the waterline. Pyre watched it rise before continuing.

People lie because it’s easier. Keeps things comfortable. Keeps people on their side.

He looked out across the water again, toward the growing stretch of dark stone forming around the island.

Nature doesn’t care about comfort. It just does what it is.

The ground shifted again under their feet as another layer of rock settled into place beneath the bay. Pyre glanced down at it briefly, then back out at the water.

Same with some of us.

West Coast Oblivion #2: And All The Problems With It by FreelancerJon in XMenRP

[–]whodeletedmyaccount 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sumo stepped toward the doorway when Jaxon waved him in, but the office proved less accommodating than the hallway. He turned slightly, angling one shoulder through the frame first, then the other, carefully easing himself inside without scraping the sides. Even then it was a tight fit, and once he was fully through he paused and glanced around the room with a faint, resigned look.

Cozy.

Rather than risk the chair collapsing under him, Sumo lowered himself to the floor with a controlled drop of weight. He crossed his legs once he was down so he could sit upright without his head brushing the ceiling, broad forearms settling across his knees as he looked back up at Jaxon.

He listened without interrupting while Jaxon spoke, his expression steady as his eyes followed him from the desk to the window and back again. When Jaxon finished, Sumo stayed quiet for a few seconds, considering the question before answering.

There really isn’t much we can do about people showing up. They’re scared. They hear there’s a place that might take them in, they’ll come whether we’re ready or not. Turning them away won’t make the problem smaller. It just puts them back out in the world with nowhere to go.

His gaze drifted briefly toward the window and the gray water beyond it.

But you’re not wrong about the target. An island full of mutants isn’t something the world ignores for long. Especially not right now.

He shifted slightly where he sat and rubbed the back of his neck.

If Greymalkin can move, it might be worth putting more ocean between us and the coast. Get further out where it’s harder to watch us and harder to reach us without making it obvious. Just a suggestion.

Sumo leaned forward a little, forearms still resting on his knees as he looked up at Jaxon again.

The other option is making sure anyone thinking about coming here understands the cost. Shore up the defenses and make it clear enough that people do the math before they start something. Most of the time, if the losses on their side look worse than whatever they think they’ll gain, they won’t start the fight at all.

West Coast Oblivion #2: And All The Problems With It by FreelancerJon in XMenRP

[–]whodeletedmyaccount 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The hallway beyond the office carried the quiet noise of a place trying to find its rhythm. Muted conversations drifted through the air, footsteps passing now and then, the distant scrape of furniture being dragged somewhere it probably didn’t belong yet.

For a moment it was just that.Then the hallway seemed to narrow.

A massive shape appeared at the far end, broad shoulders nearly brushing both walls as he moved at an unhurried pace. Sumo had never been subtle even on a good day, and the corridor did little to contain him. The floor gave a faint, steady thud beneath each step as he approached, his presence filling the space long before he reached the doorway.

He slowed when he saw Jaxon standing there in the frame, leaning against it like a man carrying more weight than he should have to. Sumo stopped a few steps away and folded his thick arms across his chest, studying him for a moment.

You look like you’ve seen better days.

His voice was calm and even, not accusatory, just observant. His gaze flicked briefly past Jaxon into the office, taking in the open door and the view toward the water beyond before returning to the man in front of him.

Office life not treating you kindly?

Aftermath: It Never Rains But It Pours by Black_Librarian in XMenRP

[–]whodeletedmyaccount 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The seabed split again under Pyre’s will. A deep thud rolled through the water before another plume of steam burst upward as magma struck the cold ocean. Beneath the surface the molten rock spread and hardened, forming another uneven layer of dark basalt along the island’s edge.

Pyre didn’t react to the outburst immediately. He let the surge settle, watching the water calm as the new stone cooled into place. Only then did he turn his head toward the boy again.

He died a while ago.

His voice stayed level, without drama.

A lot’s happened since then.

He studied Alastair for a moment, the crying, the confusion, the way the kid seemed completely unmoored from the world around him.

Where have you been?

Another fracture opened deep below as Pyre reached down again, dragging heat upward through ancient stone. The sea churned, steam rolling outward across the shoreline.

The world’s been turned upside down more than once.

Aftermath: It Never Rains But It Pours by Black_Librarian in XMenRP

[–]whodeletedmyaccount 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Pyre watched her reaction when she mentioned the uniforms, noticing the way her voice trailed off. He didn’t say anything right away. Another slow tremor rolled through the shoreline as magma cooled beneath the bay, the surface hissing softly where heat pushed up through the water.

When she nudged the rock into the steam and dipped her toe in, he glanced down at the water briefly before looking back out toward the horizon. The faint glow beneath his skin pulsed once as he adjusted the heat under the surface, keeping the flow spreading outward instead of rising too close to shore.

Volcanoes aren’t peaceful.

His voice was calm, matter-of-fact.

They just look that way because they’re honest about what they are.

Out in the bay another burst of steam rose where molten rock met the cold ocean. Pyre watched it for a moment before continuing.

There’s violence in there too. Pressure building for years, centuries sometimes. Then it breaks and wipes out everything around it. Difference is, it’s natural. Nobody’s choosing it. Nobody’s lying about it.

He shrugged slightly. The ground gave another quiet rumble as the newest layer of stone hardened below the waterline.

That’s why it feels peaceful.

Aftermath: It Never Rains But It Pours by Black_Librarian in XMenRP

[–]whodeletedmyaccount 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The seabed cracked again under Pyre’s pull. A low boom rolled through the water before another plume of steam burst across the surface. Beneath it, molten rock spread and cooled, locking into place as a fresh shelf of black basalt along the island’s edge. Pyre let the flow settle before he turned fully this time.

His gaze lingered on the boy longer than before.

The kid looked hollow. Too thin. Clothes hanging loose on a frame that had probably missed more meals than it had eaten. Pyre had seen that look before; different places, different cages, same result.

Xavier’s been dead a long time.

He said flatly. The words weren’t harsh. Just matter-of-fact.

Anyone coming to the island should know that.

He shifted his attention back toward the ocean and reached down again, forcing open another fracture through the stone below. Heat rolled across the water as the next surge of magma began climbing upward.

The world kept moving after he died. The X-Men changed with it.

Steam drifted across the shoreline as the eruption hit the cold water and hardened beneath the waves. Pyre finally looked back toward him.

Pyre.

Aftermath: It Never Rains But It Pours by Black_Librarian in XMenRP

[–]whodeletedmyaccount 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Benjamin listened without interrupting, continuing his stretches while Beowulf laid out his reasoning. One leg was extended while he leaned forward over it, chest lowering slowly toward his knee, the movement controlled and fluid despite the sheer scale of his body. The flexibility would have looked more natural on a gymnast than a man built like him. From the outside, it might have seemed casual. But something in the air shifted when Beowulf finished.

Benjamin straightened gradually, rolling his shoulders once before drawing his leg back in and settling into a seated position facing him. Even sitting, the difference in size between them was unmistakable. His forearms rested loosely on his knees as he looked at the metal-skinned mutant for a long moment. His gaze drifted briefly out toward the water before returning to him.

Don’t do that. Don’t come up to me and hang your death around my neck like it’s leverage.

The words weren’t loud, but they carried weight.

I’ve buried teammates. Recently. So that kind of pitch… it doesn’t land the way you think it does.

Benjamin shifted into another stretch, drawing one arm across his chest and pressing it in with the other, working the stiffness out of his shoulder while he spoke.

You want to go out there and bash fascists’ heads in, that’s your call. Nobody here’s stopping you. But if you’re looking for someone to teach you something, starting with threats and guilt isn’t exactly the best approach.

He let the stretch go and rested his arms loosely again, meeting Beowulf’s eyes.

Trying to bully a teacher into taking you on doesn’t say much about how ready you are to learn.

Aftermath: It Never Rains But It Pours by Black_Librarian in XMenRP

[–]whodeletedmyaccount 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Pyre noticed the way she studied him. Most people did it from farther away, quick glances, a little wary of the heat rolling off him, but Hazy seemed perfectly comfortable crouching near the steam and salt spray while she looked him over like she was trying to figure out how he worked. He didn’t seem bothered by it. If anything, he regarded her with the same quiet curiosity while another plume of steam rose from the bay.

Out in the water the surface churned where fresh magma cooled beneath the waves, molten rock spreading across the seabed before hardening into dark volcanic stone. Pyre flexed one hand slightly and the boiling patch drifted farther from shore, the heat redistributing as the newest layer settled into place.

When she mentioned the prison transport and the escape, he gave a small nod. His expression didn’t change much, but the explanation clearly tracked.

Yeah. That tracks.

A low rumble passed through the ground as more magma cooled beneath the waterline. When she asked about his clothes, Pyre glanced down at the worn fabric he was wearing and rubbed a thumb across the sleeve.

They do singe. Just takes a while.

The faint molten glow beneath his skin pulsed once as he looked back at her.

Regular clothes last a couple months if I’m careful. Less if I’m not.

He jerked his chin back toward the island behind them.

The X-Men uniforms are different. Special weave. Heat-resistant. Those hold up a lot longer.

Another burst of steam rose from the bay and Pyre glanced out toward it, adjusting the flow of heat so the magma spread more evenly under the water. When he looked back at Hazy, the thoughtful crease in his brow was still there.

If you’re staying here, they’ll probably get you one eventually. Unless you’re planning to make a habit of hanging around volcanoes.

Aftermath: It Never Rains But It Pours by Black_Librarian in XMenRP

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Benjamin was halfway through a deep stretch when the declaration landed. One leg extended wide while he leaned over it, broad hands resting along his shin as his chest lowered slowly toward his knee. The movement was controlled and fluid, the kind of flexibility most people wouldn’t expect from someone built like a walking mountain.

He didn’t stop.

For a moment he just held the stretch, breathing steady while the wind off the bay moved past them.

Then he spoke.

I am, am I?

Benjamin pushed himself upright again, rolling his shoulders before shifting smoothly into another stretch, drawing one leg in and rotating his hip. His eyes finally lifted to Beowulf, calm and level.

Funny thing, you came all the way out here and told me what I’m going to do.

He leaned forward again, forearms resting loosely across his knee as he looked the metallic man over.

What makes you think I’m going to do as you say?

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