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[maveth]

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INHUMAN RECRUITMENT.

[maveth]

[He doesn't particularly wine or dine his fellow inhumans even if that is their right as rightful lords of the earth. Still the woman they found in the cocoon and brought to him reminds him of his own transition.

It was - difficult.

This is not something human beings will ever understand. He folds Grant ward and the rest of the humans he's inhabited away and watches her peel off the rest of the cocoon waiting to see where she'll go. What she will...become.

This is the first of his people he's personally supervised coming out of the cocoon. It's bigger then HYDRA's pathetic ideals. The moment he's free he leans forward and speaks, mind to mind, doing his best to send as much positive emotion to her.]

You're safe.

Whatever happens to you now you are safe and I -

[your king]

Am here.

RUNNING FROM VIOLENCE.

[directorofhydra]

[He's not about to coddle the woman after what he's seen her do. It takes a lifetime of training to move like that, he should know because she kept up with him. There's blood smeared across his face and his knuckles and he's dragging her through the alleyway.]

We don't run now you're dead you get me?

We don't run now, SHIELD takes you.

[watcherjunior]

[ She doesn't know where she is. That alone would send her into a mild panic, because she doesn't remember leaving her apartment and she doesn't recognize anything here and god, she got kidnapped again.

The last thing she remembers is taking the vitamins the doctor insisted she have. Perfectly healthy girl, and still the doctor pushed. And now she's here, brushing and peeling off the last of whatever this is and--

Her train of thought derails when his voice fills her head. There's still eerie... good vibe from it, but her inborn stubbornness and distrust pushes back.

She's just going to take a few giant steps backward, away from this guy. ]

Y-Yeah, someone's done the whole "take me away for my own safety" thing. A friend of mine, actually. He got tazed.

[watcherjunior]

[ She's no stranger to fighting her way out of things. Usually with more backup. Usually backup has superpowers.

Instead it's just her, and then it's just her and this man from out of nowhere. And he's good, yes, but even together there's still too much. He's got a hand on her arm, tight, and it's instinct that she resists. That she tries to pull away from him.

He helped, but she still doesn't know him, and they're still not safe. ]

Run where? They're coming out of the woodwork and what the hell is SHIELD?

[maveth]

[Take me away for my own safety.

He won't pry. No feeding off his own kind but he folds his hands in his lap and shrugs.]

You're free to leave when you wish but it might before the best if you stay for the moment.

...Are you hungry?

[she should be. Terragenesis eats up a lot of bodily calories. But he's watching her too intently. No physical mutations yet.

Interesting.]

Thirsty?

[directorofhydra]

[Ward fires at an agent and smirks. Then he looks back to her.] Ever hear of the CIA?

They're worse.

And they fuck with powered people. Like that stunt back there.

[putting a guy through a door. Still, that Dog of Hell might have had it coming]

[watcherjunior]

[ The way he stares, it makes her shift uncomfortably. She's seen a look like that before, on the face of someone she had trusted. But this time she doesn't have that attachment. His look makes her acutely aware of the fact that she's still in her pajamas. She crosses her arms in a lame attempt to cover herself.

She wasn't hungry or thirsty until he asked. There's a whine in her stomach, and her throat is dry. Still... ] How do I know I can trust it? [ It's a yes, but it's a wary I-might-throw-it-back-in-your-face yes. ] All you've told me is that you're here. Great. But where's here and who are you?

[watcherjunior]

But the CIA are supposed to be good guys.

[ Dawn never paid a whole lot of attention in civics. What she knows comes from cursory glances and personal experience. Now, if he had said US Army, then it might have clicked better. ]

I-I'm not powered. [ Maybe. She's not sure. This morning is all a blur. ] I don't know what's going on.

[maveth]

[At that he smiles, and he snaps his fingers. Guiyera rolls in a tray of meats, vegetables, water, and wine. He nods and Guiyera tastes each dish in turn as Hive shrugs his shoulders.]

I can bring in someone else to taste it if you'd like but Guiyera is one of us, one of our kind, an important distinction.

[He shrugs then stands and - clearly with difficulty - extends his hand.]

You can call me Grant.

[directorofhydra]

Yeah okay. And you're used to punching people through walls?

[It could be a natural adrenaline reaction. Still.]

...Eat any fish late- Aw shit.

[He shoots, gesturing her for her to get down]

[watcherjunior]

[ Her stomach whines even louder at the sight and smell of food. But still, she holds back, watching Guiyera keenly. No ill affects, nothing immediate at least.

And she's really hungry.

There's at least one question answered as he stands and... yeah, there's something not quite right. But it's automatic that she reaches out to briefly take his hand. Years of ingrained manners and politeness. ] Grant. I'm-- [ She considers lying to him for a moment. Maybe they already know her name. Maybe lying to them will make things worse. ] --Dawn.

[ She moves forward to the tray, still eyeing things warily. ] What do you mean, one of us? One of our kind?

[watcherjunior]

What does fish have-- [ As he gestures, she ducks, trying to get out of the way and stay mobile at the same time. It's not as easy as it sounds. ]

He went through the wall?

[ She vaguely remembers that. A man in a uniform in her doorway, pointing a gun at her. She went for his face, swinging hard. She expected it to be distracting, to maybe break his nose. But she just remembers him disappearing and then everything went to hell. ]

[maveth]

Sit and eat.

[He leans back.] There's no need to be afraid. You're among family.

[He gestures.] Which is where it begins. ...Where it begins is...difficult.

[He frowns as Guiyera steps to the wall. Grant shrugs.] Do you believe in aliens?

[directorofhydra]

You want to give it a shot? See for yourself.

[And Ward steps back as a SHIELD agent appears, a man, wearing that same suit and tie combo and wielding a gun. Ward's attention is drawn by the men behind him but the single man-

Come quietly. he growls we don't want to hurt you.

As he advances is all her. He makes a fist and swings.]

[watcherjunior]

[ She takes a seat and downs some water, not stopping until the glass is empty of every last drop. Her throat still feels parched, and she reaches for the glass of wine next.

It's probably a bad decision, but she needs something to sate this. With the wine in hand, she also starts on the vegetables, all the while listening as Grant mentions family. And... aliens? ]

I-- ... I guess? I haven't really given it any thought.

[maveth]

[His tone is sympathetic. Kindly.] Most people don't. Until they've found themselves covered in a cocoon and ...physically changing.

[There's the slightest probe to her mind, gentle, something like a tentacle almost, but it vanishes. He has to look for her ability.

Otherwise this is worthless.]

...I suppose a...practical demonstration is in order. However I must ask you not to be frightened.

[Not that she'd have a choice. He could tangle his tentacles in her mind.]

[watcherjunior]

[ Her eyes fix on the man in the suit. He points a gun at her and claims he doesn't want to hurt her, and then he takes a swings.

She dodges faster than any human could, even anyone she's ever seen. Her heart pounds in her chest as she glances at Ward, then back to the man. See for yourself.

She steps forward, her fist shooting out. The man is lifted off his feet and thrown backwards through the air. When he lands, he doesn't move. ]

[watcherjunior]

[ Physically changing. She keeps her face turned away to hide her surprise, her shock. She doesn't feel changed.

But she does feel that mental touch. That, that does draw her look. ]

I.. can try?

[maveth]

[He withdraws before looking to his comrade who raises his hands - and the table raises three feet before he sets it down gently without disturbing the dishes.

Hive smiles and nods to Dawn.] Something like that.

[watcherjunior]

Magic?

[ She sounds a bit hopeful there. As if this is something that she's encountered before, something that she's experienced before. ]

So you're saying that that [ She tips her head to the side, indicating her emerging from the cocoon. ] causes something like that? I can do that?

[maveth]

I don't know what you can do.

[He tilts his head and gestures] But you should be able to do whatever feels natural. Look deep inside yourself and just...

[He chuckles.] Let it out.

[directorofhydra]

...Super strength. Nice.

[A little envious? Maybe. He draws his gun and shoots at two more before gesturing. But he doesn't try and drag her again] You want to end up their lab experiment again? Come on. Follow me.

[watcherjunior]

[ There's confusion on her face. He doesn't know. She doesn't know. ] Let it out?

[ Like it's just that easy. It's never that easy. She closes her eyes, trying to find something, anything, that seems different. Natural.

Behind her, the air starts to shimmer, like a heat mirage. The blur intensifies, and reality just... splits. The rip spreads, grows big enough that someone could step through it.

And then it just closes back up. ]

[watcherjunior]

[ No, he isn't going to drag her again. This time, she grabs a hold of him, taking care that she doesn't grip too hard. He seems to genuinely want to help her, but there's no telling if he's going to try and ditch her later. ] Let's go.

[directorofhydra]

[point of fact, she's dangerous.

He's not stupid. He follows her only occasionally giving instruction until they end up near a car outside. He points.]

...Steal the car?