Tempest of Emotions
After what seemed like an eternity of Supply counting, organizing, and storage, both Iota and Omega were at their limits in terms of patience. Since the two Protectors could only read certain words, and count to just as many numbers their talents were wasted on the objective Joe had assigned them. Humans were so infuriatingly tedious, they wanted certain things on certain shelves, in lockers, and with a specific amount. James and Mark were too busy organizing ammo in the armory to notice the two Protectors had slipped away some time ago.
"Hey Omega could you hand me some more-" James stopped speaking and sighed when he realized the two Protectors had somehow crept out despite their larger forms and heavy equipment.
"Give it up James, they don't see the importance in this kind of stuff. Hell, they fight Splicers with those giant needles on their arms, they use plasmids WAY stronger than ours, and we've seen them kill with their bare hands. I don't even think they know how to use guns." Mark said clearly impressed with the two curious new teammates they had acquired. Two of the deadliest Predators in Rapture and they couldn't even tell the difference between handgun ammo and shotgun shells". it was actually funny when the young man thought about it.
"Yeah, I guess you're right, they're gonna have a lot to learn before we get to the surface... if we get to the surface that is." James replied.
. . .
Sigma sat in on the stairs overlooking the Lobby of the Hotel while Danny and Joe worked to replace the Turrets that once guarded the entrance to their fortress. After the first floor, they would work their way up until they reached the main hallway to their living quarters. Sigma turned slightly when Iota and Omega passed him, Iota was leading her Partner by the hand as she waved to the Big Daddy giving a screeching chuckle. She seemed like she was in a good mood for someone who hadn't slept in a week and had fought for a month to reach the Hotel. Omega simply let her drag him to wherever it was she was going, anywhere was better than the armory and supply duty. He had to admit he was curious as to why she was in such a pleasant mood. The two Protectors passed Joe and Danny causing them to look up with intrigue.
"Hey, you guys finish organizing the armory already?" Joe asked raising an eyebrow. Iota simply waved him off with a thumbs up as they passed, she wasn't going to let anyone get in the way of her little plan. It was the first time they had some time to themselves since they reached the Hotel and she would not let this opportunity go to waste, this was something she had wanted to do for a while but never had the chance until now. The Female Protector pulled her Partner through the ruined Lobby to a hallway on the far side, they passed two separate bathrooms on the way to the end. Iota opened the double doors with a light kick, as the doors flew open she pulled Omega inside and stood beside him with eager anticipation. Omega gazed around the massive, dark room, looking at the large empty pool in the middle, gigantic marble statues stood in front of the eight evenly placed support beams on both sides of the room. The statues were all posed differently but appeared to be the same Woman, she wore some sort of helmet on her head, flowing robes, and held a spear with a matching shield. Some of the monuments were broken in various places with all of them showing signs of deterioration. Some had arms, heads, or other pieces missing from them and cracks littered their bodies, neither Protector knew who the statues were but if they had to guess they figured it was Athena, after all it was called the "Athena's Glory Hotel". Various poolside lounge chairs sat in front of the statues overlooking the pool, they too had seen better days, while some could be considered passable by Rapture's standards, most were in ruin. Dirt and chunks of marble or concrete lay scattered around the dimly lit room, even a few skeletons dotted the floor here and there, their clothes rotted and torn from years of decay. Iota flicked on the lights to reveal the shadowed parts of the room, huge windows lit up a dark blue as light hit the thick glass and was reflected back. They could see a large portion of the City through the windows and past the glowing choral just outside of them.
Omega looked to his Partner who had balled her fists up and shook from excitement, he tilted his head and issued a low screech, he still wanted to know why she had brought him here. Iota looked over to him and gave a high pitched screech of excitement before jumping in front of him and holding her arms out as if she were saying "Behold!". She then slid back into her fighting stance and growled playfully. Omega's head lifted slightly when she did so, he remembered Tenenbaum telling them not to train in the main hallways of the Hotel for fear of the amount of damage they would cause. So this was her plan, she had been searching for a place to train? Iota pointed her Harvester at him and growled once again, Omega Jumped into his combat stance and imitated the menacing noise emanating from his Partner's helmet. If she wanted to challenge him so be it, he was eager to start sparring with her again, they had been so busy they hadn't done so in weeks. Omega tensed up slightly when Iota let loose an ear splitting screech and charged him. Both Protector's visors stayed a constant green, it was something they only did when they were alone, a symbol of their close Partnership. Their helmet sensors would only change to red if they perceived each other as a threat and planned to use deadly force in the engagement, though they would never cause fatal harm to one another light wounds were acceptable in training, expected even. Protectors prided themselves on their impeccable combat capabilities and thought the only way to get better was to add a sense of danger to their practice, it allowed them to focus on both offense and defense in a controlled scenario. The result of their dangerous training was the creation of the ultimate Guardians, physically and mentally disciplined in combat.
Iota's helmet lights were still green but it was clear that this was not a game, this was a fight. Iota stabbed at her Partner twice with her Harvester missing both times due to Omega's lightning fast reflexes, the Male Protector jumped back as Iota stood there and watched him. Omega looked down at the five inch long gash in his stomach, he put his hand down and pulled it back to look at the blood on his gloved fingers. One of her earlier stabs must have just grazed him, it was clear that this was no longer just a simple sparring match, she wanted to go all out. Iota lunged forward Harvester first and faked another stab catching him off guard when she flipped sideways in mid air hitting him with a heavy kick. The Male Protector crossed his arms in an "X" shape and blocked the blow, the force caused him to slide many feet back leaving a trail through the dust on the white tile floor, specks of blood dotting his path. When he pulled his arms down Iota was already on top of him again with a flurry of punches, stabs, and kicks. Her speed was her greatest strength, but it was also her greatest weakness, she would often go so fast she would make minor mistakes, mistakes he could capitalize on. Omega had seen the Sister fight many times, he knew everything about her fighting style, when she liked to attack, when she liked to evade, everything. It was the same for her as well, with both Protector knowing each other's strategies and weaknesses it ensured a tough training session would ensue
Iota continued her restless onslaught in the hopes of wearing her opponent down, after blocking all of her punches she finally saw an opening in the Brother's seemingly impenetrable defense. As he swatted her fist away she shot her right leg into his ribs with a roundhouse kick rewarding her with a loud thud as her heavy boot connected with the suit and muscles protecting his torso. She gasped when his left arm came down and wrapped tightly around her leg. He had faked an opening to draw her in and she fell for it beautifully, Omega kicked her supporting leg out from under her. Before Iota could reach the hard ground her Partner spun her around by her leg and let her go causing her to slide across the dusty floor on her side. As the Sister stood up she realized the game had now changed, she had made a grave mistake, she had allowed Omega to have breathing room. The Brother darted toward her with lightning speed covering more than fifteen feet of ground in a split second despite his larger size, before she could react he showered her with punches and kicks as she had done to him. His attacks were slower than hers but they were more precise, calculated, and much heavier. Omega chained one attack after the other in a flawless combo that left few, if any openings. Iota blocked the lighter attacks but had to evade the heavier ones, his sheer strength was nothing to scoff at. Just one of his deadly attacks was enough to break even her reinforced bones if he landed it, but what she lacked in strength she more than made up for with her lithe flexibility and speed. The Sister twisted and turned to dodge his punches, she used back cartwheels and flips to avoid his deadly kicks and Harvester. Both Protectors shot various plasmids at one another, Omega shot a massive Electro Bolt charge at her to which she spun dodging what would have been a painful blow, she returned the gesture with a flaming ball of Incinerate, Omega simply swatted it away with his left hand as he shot toward her again to continue his rampage. He stabbed straight toward her with his Harvester, the nimble Protector jumped over him swinging her own bladed weapon at him while in the air. Sparks flew from their weapons as he blocked the attacks coming from above. When Iota landed in a crouching position she attempted to sweep her Partner's legs out from under him, Omega hopped over her leg and landed on his left foot, swinging a roundhouse kick at her vulnerable head. The Female Protector rolled onto her back and over her head pushing herself up with her arms to land back into a standing position.
She managed to put ten feet of distance between them before both Protectors stopped for a moment to breath, they stayed in their fighting stances and their eyes stayed locked on each other watching for any sign of movement.
She could hear Omega panting heavily just like her, Iota's muscles were beginning to burn, and her suit had become extremely stuffy from the amount of heat her body was giving off, even with the temperature adjusting gel inside the suit. Sweat trickled it's way down her face and neck, this wasn't good. They had been fighting for nearly forty five minutes and besides a few light cuts or bruises they had only become tired. As the Sister tried to catch her breath she kept her sight on Omega, she HAD to find a way to beat him or at the very least end the battle with a draw, but they never ended that way. Omega would either beat her outright or they would be interrupted by attacking Splicers hungry for tired enemies. This time was different from their other matches though, this time she would definitely beat him, she wouldn't fail, couldn't fail. Not this time, she had already decided that this would be the match to prove to him that she would be a worthy Mate, worthy of standing by his side forever, no matter what. He had already proven himself in her eyes, everything he did was calculated, deadly, brilliant. He was the perfect blend of Hunter-Protector, and she would make him see her as the same. She would throw everything she had into this match and win, or die trying.
Out of nowhere Omega shot toward her again with near untraceable speed, before reaching her though he vanished in a cloud of red and black smoke, Iota dove forward and rolled as soon as she lost sight of him, when she looked back she could see his outstretched fist where her head was moments before. Iota activated her teleport plasmid as well and the duo continued their dual in various locations around the room. Flashes of red smoke sparked in and out of view all over the room with both Protectors jumping from the physical plain to the non-physical, each time they appeared sparks would flare as their harvesters made contact with each other, dinging and echoing loudly throughout the whole room. A flurry of punches, kicks, stabs from their needles, and all manner of plasmids were used. All in an attempt to both bring her Partner down, and grow closer to him. He probably wouldn't understand her actions at first, but she had come up with a way to explain her actions after the fight. She wouldn't let simple miscommunication spoil this important event for her.
Iota started moving as fast as she could, throwing everything she had at her tired opponent, he would block a punch and the second would hit his helmet or other part of his body. It was working, she had finally turned the fight to her advantage. Iota's combo of both light and heavy attacks were starting to hit Omega more and more, she could hear him growling and knew he was almost at his limit, he would surely submit soon. With each landed hit Omega's growl got even louder, angrier as he staggered backwards against her unrelenting volley of attacks. Iota smiled underneath her helm, it was time to finish it, time to prove to him that she was just as strong as he was. She was sure it was the only way he would accept her as his mate, to make him see her as his equal.
Iota shot her right leg up and hit the chin of Omega's helmet causing his head to snap back sharply with a bang, she could hear the sound his teeth made as they smashed together with a pop. The Sister jumped backwards landing on the wall behind her feet first, she kicked off the wall and shot toward her Partner with her Harvester raised, ready to end the battle.
Omega roared a low, howling screech of anger, he had grown tired of her game. Iota's eyes shot wide open when he side stepped her attack with renewed stamina, his hand bolted forward and grabbed her by the throat catching her before she could hit him. His helmet sensor changed to red as he screeched again before slamming her back into the ground. Iota felt the air leave her as her back shattered the hard tiles beneath her, Omega's visor instantly switched back to green, he immediately let go of her after he had realized what he had done. The Brother pulled her up into a sitting position and began checking her for injuries, Iota slapped his hand away before shoving him back with a weak screech from her loss of air. She had also come to a realization, she hadn't been wearing him down during the fight, he thought they were sparring and held himself back. Omega was extremely dangerous because he was so unpredictable in combat, since she made him think it was training he wasn't even going all out, everything she had done was pointless.
Had she known how close she had really come to beating him she would have thought differently.
Omega dropped to his knees beside her and watched his Partner try to regain the air she had lost, she wouldn't even look at him, she simply pulled her knees to her chest. That's when Omega heard it, soft whimpers from under her helmet, she wasn't trying to catch her breath... she was crying. He didn't think his stomach could sink further than when he had slammed her into the ground and yet it did, was she hurt?
Both Protectors heard a piece of marble slide on the tile floor at the entrance, when they looked toward the double doors they could see almost every one of their Human teammates starring with pure shock, their eyes were practically the size of dinner plates, they must have heard the sound of the battle and come running. This infuriated Iota, this was meant to be a private event between her and her Partner, not only had she failed to prove herself to him, but they had all seen it. Iota stood up and balled her fists, her helmet lights turned a deep crimson as she let out a sharp enraged screech causing everyone to fall to their knees while protecting their ears. Through blurry vision Omega tried to grab her wrist but the Sister vanished in a plume of red smoke before he could reach her. When everyone regained their vision they could see Omega still kneeling there, lost in thought and confusion. Their Human Companions immediately knew they had messed up by watching and decided it would be best to let them be alone for a while and quickly left to continue whatever they had been doing, everyone except for Mark and Seline. The two of them looked to each other before taking a deep breath and walking around the large pool to stand beside Omega.
"What was all of that about big guy? Seemed like more than harmless sparring to us... you alright?" Mark asked as he knelt down beside the larger Protector. Omega scoffed under his helmet as he gritted his teeth, he was now fully annoyed by his Partner's confusing actions, and what could mere Humans hope to understand about Protectors and their way of doing things.
"Sorry Omega, we don't know much about you Protectors... that's why We watched the fight, it was amazing, but it looked like Iota didn't want an audience. Is that some kind of Protector thing you guys do?" Seline asked with a worried look on her face, she had never seen two Protectors train before, and that looked like a real fight to her. Omega gave a heavy sigh as he nodded in confirmation, Protectors often sparred together in solitude, away from prying eyes. When two Protectors trained together it served many purposes. It sharpened and honed their already deadly skills to the absolute pinnacle of efficiency, it also allowed Protectors to grow closer as a team, as a Family. That's why Omega was so confused with Iota, she often made him spar with her but things had never been this serious before. It was like she was trying to actually beat him, but why? Omega looked over to where Iota had teleported from to see a small piece of folded paper laying on the dusty floor, Mark and Seline watched as the Brother picked up the paper and began unfolding it. Soon the small square of paper unraveled into a larger piece of paper, on it was a painting of a man and a woman in front of a large tree with lights wrapped around it and a star on top. The duo on the paper had their lips pressed together and their eyes closed, Omega tilted his head and turned the painting from side to side trying to understand what it meant. The Male Protector stood up when he remembered where he had seen it before, Iota had collected it from Dionysus Park, he remembered her cutting a piece of paper off a painting, folding it up and putting it in her belt. He put his hand on the front of his helmet when he realized the gravity of the situation, Iota wasn't training with him... she was trying to prove herself to him as an equal. Did she not know that he never thought of her as anything else? He had always thought of her as an equal, superior in some aspects even. The Brother sighed as he tried to think of some way to tell her that, some way to tell her that she was only a hair away from actually winning their fight. He held his hand out and watched it shake from the amount of adrenaline pumping through his body, he had become used to it at this point but he rarely ever got that rush in actual combat. Most enemies were nothing more than flies to him, he only got this kind of rush when he was close to death, and she was the only one capable of making him feel that way without being seriously injured or close to the grave. Omega balled his hand into a fist, their fight was brutal, dangerous, painful but also... fun? He gave some thought to the meaning of the word, yes. He always enjoyed their sparring matches, being together, playfully teasing one another in combat, and simply enjoying each other's company after a match when they would both be tired. He questioned the pain in his chest as it mixed with a feeling of... sorrow, he had to make this right, he had to fix this but how?
"Hey! That's my painting from the contest!" Seline said excitedly snapping Omega out of his daze, she hadn't seen the painting in years and thought it was destroyed long ago.
"Contest, what contest?" Mark asked as both he and Omega looked to the smiling young woman.
"My Parents made me enter an art contest when I was young, I thought the Painting was pretty good but one look at the Christmas theme in the painting and the Judges instantly disqualified me." She said smiling at the old weathered parchment in Omega's hands.
"See look right there, you can see my signature at the bottom right of the paper on the sidewalk." Seline said excitedly as she pointed to her name.
"Wow, I had no idea you could paint." Mark said in surprise.
"yeah, and I think I know what all of this is about. Omega could I borrow that painting please?" Seline asked kindly as she held out her hand. Omega just nodded and handed the wrinkled paper to the girl.
"I'll go talk to Iota, maybe I can help clear some things up." Seline said, Omega jumped to his feet ready to follow her. She put her hands up but before she could say anything Mark chimed in.
"whoa, hold up big guy. You and Iota need to have some time apart... to cool off. let the girls have girl time. You gotta give the Ladies some space every now and then to figure things out, you know?" Mark said looking to Seline with a smile, Seline simply nodded and jogged away.
"Come on Pal, I'll give you a few pointers on how to smooth things over when you guys get into a little spat." Mark said as he turned to leave, Omega didn't know what the young man was talking about but he followed him anyway, maybe he could help him understand what was going on a little better.
. . .
Iota sat on the plush bed of an abandoned apartment suite she had randomly chosen for some peace, she sought to ease her troubled mind. The Protector was staring at her helmet in her hands, tracing the outline of her porthole with the tips of her fingers. She couldn't stop thinking about the fight, and the ending. When she replayed the memory in her mind her chest tightened, she was all too familiar with sadness but this wasn't just normal sorrow she was feeling. It was a mixture of anger, sadness, and embarrassment. She put her hand on her chest, she didn't understand what was happening to her. All of her thoughts were jumbled up in one big mess inside her head. Iota jumped when she heard someone knock lightly on her living room door, it was probably Omega. She didn't bother getting up, she couldn't face him right now, not after failing so miserably. She simply sat her helmet next to her on the bed and tucked her knees to her chest, when she heard the front door slide open anyway she buried her head into her knees. She didn't even want to look at him, hopefully he would just leave her alone if she didn't look at him.
Seline stepped through the front door of the abandoned apartment Iota had occupied, the lights were out but she could see thanks to the large window above the couch in the back of the room. She looked over the living room, two recliners, a large couch and a busted TV set. Red curtains hung next to the window matching both the furniture and the plush carpet underfoot. to her right was a kitchen area complete with two bar stools at the bar, a small dining table for two and various appliances for cooking and storing food. Seline looked to her left at Iota's room it was dark as well, the poor girl hadn't even cared to turn the lights on. Seline sighed as she made her way to the Protector's room, passing the bathroom on her way. A large skylight above Iota's bed showered her dimly lit room in a deep blue color, the only light being from the City outside, a second window was placed on the left side of the room for added effect. The light from both windows seemed to capture the young Protector's mood flawlessly, the dim blue light from both windows bouncing off of the vanity, dresser, and her nightstands.
"Iota?" Seline asked quietly.
Seline saw Iota's head raise up to reveal her glowing eyes filled with confusion and sadness, she was obviously not who the Protector was expecting. Iota quickly wiped her eyes and rushed to put her helmet back on.
"wait!" Seline said loudly, her voice was full of concern. Iota's helmet stopped just above the neck of her suit.
"I just wanted to say thank you... for saving me in the Hospital earlier today." she said quietly as she looked at her old painting. Iota slowly raised her helmet and sat it back on the bed next to her, she continued to stare at the piece of equipment as she listened.
"I... also wanted to give this back to you." Seline said as she walked over to the Protector and held out the piece of parchment in her hands, Iota didn't even look at it, she only stared at her helmet. Seline pulled the painting back to her before and nervously fiddled with one of the corners.
"can I sit down?" she asked, still looking at Iota for any sign of hope that the girl wouldn't shut her out completely. Iota slowly nodded as she wiped her eyes again, Seline sat down on the side of the bed and looked at her old painting. A couple kissing in front of a Christmas tree in a crowded City park was a far cry from their current City.
"I painted this you know... before everything went down hill, It was when I first came to Rapture." she remarked causing Iota's vision to switch to the painting
"I wanted to paint something with meaning, something that would make people happy... but as soon as the contest judges saw the tree and the open air they disqualified me for showing "propaganda" about the surface. She added with a wry smile, she saw Iota's gloved hand appear over the paper before pointing to the kissing couple in the center. Seline looked over at the Protector, she was now sitting on her hands and knees just to Seline's left. Iota tapped the page lightly with her finger as she looked at the artist who had painted it. Seline's eyes widened in surprise when she figured out what the Protector was wanting.
"You want to know what their doing?" Seline asked, Iota shook her head before quickly looking back at the painting, Seline giggled quietly causing Iota some confusion.
"They're a Couple" she said earning only a few blank blinks from Iota.
"You know, Boyfriend and Girlfriend?" she asked, Iota only raised an eyebrow and tilted her head. Seline's eyes widened when she realized Iota had no idea what she meant, she didn't even know why the boy and girl were kissing. Seline decided to take the simplified version of her explanation and tried to word it in a way the oblivious Protector could understand.
"It's called a kiss, it's... well... when two people are very close they put their lips together like that, it's a special sign of affection that Humans do." Seline explained, she watched Iota's expression turn more toward the sad side and quickly worked to pick her mood back up.
"It's not the only sign of affection we do though, we do things for each other we wouldn't do for or with anyone else. Like making sure each other is safe when we go out or holding hands." She saw Iota's face take on a nervous tone and redness to match and knew she was going in the right direction.
"We hug, spend a lot of time together, hold each other when we're sad or scared, we even show our Partners sides of ourselves we wouldn't show anyone else."
Iota's mouth opened slightly, the Human girl had explained her and Omega perfectly within minutes. Iota sighed when she looked back at the painting in Seline's lap, she wanted to get closer to him but she didn't know how. It was true that they had become very close over the coarse of their journey but she wanted something more, Something closer... more intimate. Her chest tightened and her face turned red every time she thought about the subject, she had no idea what these feelings meant or why they were even there. She was one of the deadliest Predators in Rapture, a skilled Soldier created for the soul purpose of war. Her thoughts turned back to her Male Counterpart, they were the same. Maybe that's where her infatuation with him came from? They were both created to bring death to the enemies of the Family, but Mother and the Family had done so many terrible things to so many people, including them. Iota wiped more tears from her stinging eyes as she gave a wry smile, everything that had happened to them was because of the Family.
Seline saw the look on Iota's face and decided to take action, she wouldn't let her friend suffer anymore.
"I know!" Seline's eyes shot open as she pulled her old painting to her chest with a wide smile. Iota was confused at the sudden outburst, she would practically see the stars in the Humans eyes.
"You want to get closer to Omega right?" Seline asked as she placed a hand on the Protectors shoulder, Iota nodded without hesitation.
"I have a plan, after this he won't be able to look at anything BUT you! He's going to be drawn to you like a fly to honey!" Seline shouted excitedly as she grinned at the glowing eyed girl beside her. Iota scrunched her eyebrows at the curious statement, but before she could contemplate it any further, Seline grabbed her wrist and started pulling her out of the Apartment. Iota gave a small screech as she grabbed her helmet on the way to the door.
"Don't worry, this is gonna be fun!" Seline shouted as she practically dragged the larger Protector out of the room. They passed Lizzy and Anna in the hallway, both Sisters looked at the duo in confusion. They didn't know how to address what they were seeing after their older Sister and Brother's fight. Seline stared at them for a moment before smiling and leaning down to whisper in their ears. Iota saw her younger siblings grin from ear to ear as their faces lit up.
"Of course we want to help!" Anna yelled, her glowing eyes locked on Iota.
"This is going to be so much fun!" Lizzy screamed as she shook her small fists with excitement.
. . .
On the way down the main hallway of their base Mark and Omega could see James and Joe talking with Danny about the new defenses they had installed. Danny smiled as he patted one of the electric gun emplacements with his hand.
"With the amount of Supplies we gathered from Fontaine's old place we won't have anything to worry about for a while, some of his tech was so much better than what we had it's like comparing steel and wood!" Danny laughed, when he saw Mark approaching with Omega his laugh died and gave way to nervousness. Joe and James turned to see what he was starring at when they remembered the story Mark had told them, both Brothers busted into fits of laughter.
"What's the matter Danny, Protector got your tongue?" Joe said as he held his wounds while he laughed.
"That is not fun-"
"must be hard to stomach!" James said as both Brothers started gasping for air. The Scientist simply scoffed as he straightened his glasses, clearly embarrassed at their joking nature. He glared at Mark causing the young Man to chuckle.
"What brings you two here?" Danny sighed as he waited for the laughing to die down.
"Actually I was wondering if I could borrow James and Joe for a few minutes" Mark replied. Danny looked over at the two Men still laughing.
"I'm surprised the Splicers didn't die from laughter!" James said to his Brother still on the topic of Danny's horrible experience, Joe coughed as his booming laugh echoed through the hallway.
"by all means, please, I have work to do." Danny said unamused. The Scientist turned and continued tuning the targeting system on his new Turret. James and Joe wiped their eyes and turned to Mark.
"What's up Mark?" James asked between chuckles.
"The big guy here is having some Lady trouble, and I need some... help, both understanding, and explaining a few things." Mark said as he scratched the back of his head.
"Well Tenenbaum and Grace are almost done so we better hurry." Joe said as Mark put his hands up with a surprised face.
"shhhh! You'll ruin the surprise!" James said as he slapped his Brother's shoulder.
"Anyway, we'd be glad to help! lead the way!" James stated with a nervous grin. Omega tilted his head, the Humans were acting strange. What surprise was Joe referring to?
"Follow me Fellas, we have some work to do." Mark said as he waved for the two Men and Omega to follow him.
All four Men entered Marks room and sat their weapons down in various locations for ease of access, all except Omega because his weapon of choice was attached to his right arm and he would most certainly not be taking it off. James, Mark, and joe all turned to face the Brother.
"Alright Omega, lets get that helmet off and get to work." Mark said as the three Men stared at him. The Brother tilted his head unsure of what they were trying to do.
"Oh come on you big chicken, do you want us to help you or not?" Joe asked as he smiled from behind his beard. Omega sighed, he didn't necessarily need their help but he was curious as to what they were planning. The Male Protector started unlatching his helmet, pulling it off with a hiss of air.
"Damn, we better hurry." James said as he covered his nose and looked to his two other cohorts, they did the same as the three Men nodded to each other.
After several minutes of, pleading, promising, and taunting the three Men finally convinced Omega to take a shower. The three other teammates waited outside the bathroom for him to finish his task.
"Don't forget to use the soap!" Mark yelled through the door trying to be loud enough to hear over the sound of running water.
"And shampoo! don't forget the shampoo!" James added.
"And for God's sake wash your ass! No telling how bad that must be from being in that suit all the time!" Joe yelled causing the other two Men to look at him and shake their heads. Joe laughed as he made his way back to the couch to rest, his wounds were still healing and every small movement inconvenienced him. As the large bearded Man eased himself onto the couch he sighed before looking to the two younger Men in the room.
"So... What's this all really about Mark?" Joe asked taking a more serious tone. James looked to his raven haired friend wondering the exact same thing. Mark sighed as he looked back at the bathroom door then to his bearded friend.
"Iota and Omega had some sort of fight, you saw it, but I don't think it was an ordinary fight. They've haven't shown any signs of hostility towards one another that we've seen, but that fight looked like they were actually trying to kill each other." Mark paused as he thought for a moment.
"But I think there's a deeper meaning behind it, since they can't communicate through words they have to do it with their actions, but we don't even know what their actions mean." Mark explained causing both Brothers to nod in agreement.
"They're from a whole other world" James added.
"It's like the Doc said, they've been treated as weapons their entire lives, but they're learning, seeing things through new eyes for the first time. If we can help them, teach them more about Humans and our ways, then they'll understand what it means to be Human. They'll understand that there's more to life than just fighting and death." Mark said looking to his two close friends.
"Not to mention it'll make transition to the Surface much easier." James added looking to his older Brother. Joe sighed and thought for a moment as he ran his fingers through his thick beard.
"Let's hope Brigid's plan works, I know she feels responsible for them but if she can't bring out their Humanity... we'll have to leave them here." Joe said darkly, neither Mark or James replied, they only thought about the trials ahead of them. How do they bring out the Humanity in something that views itself as a Monster? How do you light that small spark in a City that only seems like it wants to snuff it out?
"I think the key lies with them." Joe said causing James and Mark to look towards him.
"They're gonna do things their way whether we like it or not, but at least we can guide them to the best of our abilities, they'll either learn or they won't, it's as simple as that." Joe finished as he shook his head.
. . .
Warm water and fragrant soap, how long had it been since she last bathed? Sure she would undo her suit and quickly wash off at the Protector's barracks in Mother's base, but when was the last time she actually sat in a bathtub and thoroughly washed herself? She couldn't even remember, nor could she remember the last time she had someone bathe with her.
Iota put her hands up as white bubbles flew towards her face, some landing in her black hair as Lizzy splashed and played in the water with Anna, some of it spilling over the edge of the large marble tub they were in. Iota simply watched her two younger Sisters play happily with the white bubbles, it almost seemed surreal. Iota took a hand full of the white bubbles that covered the large bathtub and brought them to her for a better view. She blew the bubbles through the air before laying her head back on the tub to relax, though her Sisters were being loud it hardly bothered her. When it came to their Siblings, Protectors had a tremendous amount of patience. Iota looked at the tiles on the ceiling as she closed her eyes for some peace.
"AAAAAAHHHH!" Iota's eyes shot open and she jumped up out of the water when she heard Lizzy scream. The oldest Sister scrunched her eyebrows when she figured out why her youngest Sibling had screamed sharply. Anna was standing over her with an empty cup of water smiling from ear to ear.
"That's cold Anna, stop it!" Lizzy screamed angrily as she splashed back into the water.
"Come on Liz, it's not that bad!" Anna laughed as she gathered more cold water from the faucet.
"AAAAAHH! Big Sister! make her stop!" The young girl screamed as she hid behind her larger Sister's leg. Just before Anna could drop another cup of water on her younger Sister she was hit with a frigid gust of air causing her to drop the cup and immediately start shivering. She looked to Iota who had her hand outstretched with ice covering it. The two Sisters thought they were in trouble until they saw the smile grow on Iota's lips. All three of them started laughing as Anna sat back down in the water to warm up.
Seline continued on one of her unfinished paintings as she blocked out the loud noises coming from her bathroom, it sounded like they were having fun so she would let the noise slide this time. She gently swayed her brush back and forth leaving trails of paint across the canvas, blending colors and patterns to try and capture the image she had in her mind. It was her favorite hobby and one she used to pass time. The young Woman smiled slyly as she looked over to her wooden dresser and vanity mirror.
After washing their faces and bodies, all three Sisters lined up in the large bathtub sitting in a row from largest to smallest with Iota in the very back followed by Anna and then Lizzy. Iota gently scrubbed Anna's head with shampoo as Anna did the same for Lizzy. The Big Sister smiled at the shampoo's scent, it smelled like strawberries and tickled her nose with every inhale. Once they had rinsed their hair both Anna and Lizzy teamed up to clean Iota's raven locks, they tediously picked the built up blood and dirt out making various "eeewww" sounds as they laughed. After rinsing her hair the three Sisters drained the greyish water out of the tub and began to dry off when they heard a knock.
"Come in." Anna said as they wrapped the towels around themselves, when the door opened both Anna and Lizzy grew large smiles, Seline was standing in the doorway with various beauty products in hand.
"I found this stuff in an old hair dresser's room on the second floor, I've been waiting for the chance to use them!" she said excitedly as Iota tilted her head and raised an eyebrow. Anna and Lizzy pulled their oldest sister over to sit down in front of the large mirror above the bathroom counter, she sat on a stool in between the two porcelain sinks on either end.
. . .
Omega stared at himself in the mirror, he was so... clean. It was almost like he was seeing a stranger in his reflection. He moved the strands of black hair out of his eyes with one hands so he could see his forehead.
"Don't worry big guy, we'll get to that in a minute, but first I need you to roll this under your armpits." Mark said handing Omega a stick of deodorant, the Protector smelled it and looked back at Mark in confusion.
"Come on Man don't look at me like that, before you had a shower you smelled like someone lit a dumpster on fire!" Mark explained causing Omega to growl menacingly, causing the Human to put his hands in front of him.
"Whoa calm down, I'm trying to help remember? I guess Iota will just have to think you stink." Mark shrugged as he closed his eyes and peaked to see if his ploy had worked. Omega sighed loudly and held out his hand, Mark smiled and handed him the deodorant with a sly smile.
"Trust us Omega this stuff is irresistible to the Ladies! She's gonna be putty in your hands after we get through with you!" James shouted excitedly as he grabbed a pair of scissors. Omega growled as he grabbed James' wrist and held him off the ground so he couldn't attack him with the scissors.
"Ow ow ow! For fuck sake can you put me down! I'm not trying anything!" James yelled at the Protector. Mark put his hands up to reason with him as well.
"Whoa there big Guy! He's just going to cut your hair for you... to make you look better for Iota!" Mark yelled frantically, Omega thought for a second before lowering James back to the ground.
"Damn Dude calm down! I think we both know if I wanted to hurt you I'd need a lot more than fucking scissors!" James yelled angrily causing Omega to chuckle slightly and Mark to release a sigh of relief. He hoped Seline was doing better than they were.
"I'll let you two finish up here, I'm gonna go rest before the-" Joe caught himself.
"I'm gonna go change my bandages..." he corrected himself, before leaving he nodded to both Mark and James as he quietly picked up Omega's suit and helmet before exiting, leaving the Brother with nothing other than the large towel wrapped around his waist. The Protector was too busy watching the sharp object that was close to his head to notice. James stood behind Omega and clipped his black locks. The Brother's eyes followed the scissors in the mirror for any signs of hostility, even if James did want to harm him though, he would need a much better weapon. Mark stepped out of the bathroom to find Omega some clothes, the only problem would be finding something that would fit him. after a few minutes James became bored with the silence and decided to try and converse with the Protector, to the best of his abilities anyway.
"Sooo, what the Hell do you eat to be built like a shit brick house?" James asked jokingly referring to Omega's muscular physique, the Brother only shrugged unamused at the Man's joke. James sighed and decided to try again as he clipped yet more hair from Omega's head.
"What do Protectors do for fun anyway?" He asked, this time Omega looked him in the eyes through the mirror, the Brother showed him his sharp K9's as he clenched his fist.
"I know you guys like to kill things but there has to be something else you do for fun." James said after staring at the fierce Protector in front of him. Omega thought for a moment before looking back into the mirror at James and smashing his fist into his palm.
"uuugh, besides fighting each other too. Come on there has to be something you guys do for fun?" He asked still trying to pursue an acceptable answer. Omega thought for a moment before he figured out his answer. The Brother moved his two fingers like they were walking on the ground, he then put his hand horizontally above his eyes as he looked around.
"Okay now we're getting somewhere! You guys like to walk around and look for-" James was cut off when Omega smashed his fist back into his palm.
"...fights... you like to walk around and look for fights..." James sighed in defeat.
"Time to change the subject. have you kissed her yet?" James asked catching Omega off guard. The Protector just stared blankly at the brown headed Man behind him before raising an eyebrow.
"I won't tell anybody, so have... Oh my God... I'm an Idiot!" James said as he figured out that Omega had no idea what he was talking about, he slapped his forehead with his hand and sighed again causing Omega to tilt his head in confusion.
"You know, a kiss? When you put your lips to hers... to show affection!?" James yelled his question at Omega who was becoming increasingly annoyed. Omega remembered the two people from the painting Iota had dropped earlier, they were doing the "kiss" thing. Was that what Iota had been after before?
"What's going on James, why are you yelling?" Mark asked as he layed a bundle of clothes on the bathroom counter to Omega's right. James slowly turned his head to face Mark with a blank expression, he didn't even blink.
"You're creeping me out Man what is it?" Mark asked, James only continued to stare in silence.
"He doesn't know what a kiss is..." James whispered.
"Fuuuuck..." Mark sighed out as he rubbed the bridge of his nose.
"We don't have much time, and we have a lot to talk about. We'll have to explain as he gets dressed." Mark said as James brushed the hair off of Omega's broad shoulders.
"I don't have a blow dryer so the little leftover hairs might itch for a while." James explained, Omega looked at his shoulders before holding his hand up to his freshly cut hair and sending a blast of air through it with his telekinesis knocking all of the smaller hair clippings out. He then lit his hands in blue flames causing both James and Mark to take a few steps back. He rubbed his shoulders, arms, and neck to incinerate any remaining pieces of hair, being uncomfortable in his suit was the last thing he wanted. Speaking of his suit, it was about time he put it back on. The Protector looked around for his black body suit and armor attachments but they were nowhere to be found, he stood up quickly and began searching around the bathroom for them before slowly turning to Mark and James. They had the look of nervousness and guilt on their faces, Omega began growling loudly as he clenched his fists.
"Maaaaybe we should have told him about his suit after all..." Mark said quietly, Omega issued a loud howling screech as the two Men ran out of the bathroom locking the heavy steel door behind them. They both braced the door as they exited, afraid Omega would just rip it out of the wall. Heavy bangs came from the door as Mark and James held it with their shoulders.
"Do you think he's mad?" James asked with a laugh, a large dent formed in between the two as he said that.
"This door's five inches thick, what do you think!?" Mark yelled, Omega's hand shot through the previous dent and tried to grab anything it could.
"Calm down Omega, we're just having your suit cleaned! We'll give it back when it's done!" James yelled through the door. Omega's hand pulled back out of the door, both Men sighed now that the danger had passed.
"see, they're not as unreasonable as we thou-" James was cut off when Omega's large hand shot through the hole and grabbed his shirt collar, James' eyes went wide as his face smashed into the heavy door three times before the arm released him. The young man fell to the floor and propped himself against the wall as he held his head.
"you were saying?" Mark asked sarcastically as he laughed at his Friend.
"Oh Fuck yo-" James was cut off again when they heard the sound of metal being bent. Mark looked to his right, Omega now had both hands inside the hole slowly making it bigger as he pulled it apart. Mark and James gulped when they heard that he was still growling.
"Maybe we can use this, I just hope Tenenbaum is ready." Mark said as he ran over to his dresser and grabbed a clear bottle. He ran back over to the bathroom door and sprayed the small bottle through the hole, he heard Omega cough and screech angrily.
"Please tell me whatever you just sprayed could tranquilize an elephant!" James yelled, Mark looked at him with a serious expression.
"It's cologne... run." He said as the sound of bending metal got louder, the hole in the door was now big enough for Mark to fit his head through. James stood up and darted towards the front door of Mark's Apartment.
"I'll tell them to hurry, you find a way to get him to follow you!" James shouted back at his Friend. Omega's arm shot back through the hole almost grabbing Mark as he screamed.
"Shouldn't be a problem!" He replied as James ran out the door.
"Now Omega... I understand you're angry... but you can't kill us with nothing but a towel on!... I mean you could... but please don't! I'm pretty sure if that thing comes off none of your Sisters will want anything to do with you! I put a stack of clothes on the counter, put those on and then you can kill us!" Mark yelled through the door, he watched Omega's arm disappear inside, a few moments of silence past until he heard another massive bang. The bathroom door now had a dent in the middle, Mark could see light shinning through the cracks of the door and it looked like it was about to come down. Mark ran in the opposite direction, when he reached his front door he felt the ground shake with a thunderous bang, he turned to see Omega wearing the clothes he had given him, with the steel door at his feet. Omega panted and growled as he waited for Mark to react, as soon as the young Man turned to run he picked up the heavily dented door.
"Oh Fuck!" Mark yelled as he ran out of his front door and into the hallway, as soon as he left the room his bathroom door crashed through his front and into the other side of the hallway sending chunks of drywall, concrete, and wood flying through the air. Mark scrambled to his feet as he sprinted down the hallway. He looked back just in time to see Omega exit his Apartment suite and turn to see him, Mark's eyes widened when he saw the Protector start sprinting after him, and he was gaining ground fast. Mark ran into a room on his left at the end of the hallway with Omega hot on his trail, before the steel door could fully close behind him Omega charged through it knocking it into the floor with a heavy thud. Mark ducked just in time to miss one of the door's corners as he fell onto his back, the heavy steel door lay next to him in shambles. Omega began walking slowly to Mark as the Human back peddled away from him.
"Ah Omega..." He heard a German accent address him, he turned to the voice to see Tenenbaum holding a large steaming pot in her hands with oven mits. She was standing in front of a large dining table with fourteen chairs surrounding it, on the table were various sets of plates and silverware, pots and pans full of fresh food lining the middle of the table. Grace, Vicki, Danny, Craig, Joe, and James were sitting at the table looking at the Protector responsible for destroying the door and wall to the dinning room. Omega panted as he watched the Doctor glare at James and Mark who were also out of breath, Mark was holding his chest for fear of having a heart attack.
"how... nice of you to join us." Tenenbaum said still staring at the young Men who caused the calamity. They knew they would have to fix the doors later, they could practically hear the older Woman nagging them inside her head.
"Well that's certainly one way to make an entrance!" Grace laughed seemingly unpassed from the incident. Omega gave one more look to Mark as he brushed the dust off of his shoulders and out of his newly cut hair.
"AAAAAHHHH!" The gathered patrons heard two sharp screams in unison as Lizzy and Anna entered the Dinning hall, they ran past a confused Omega and hid behind Tenenbaum almost making her drop the hot Pot in her hands, they were carrying a black suit, armor attachments, and a spherical black helmet. Omega turned when he heard the unmistakable screech of his Partner. When she entered the room she stopped immediately and began staring at him. Both Protector's eyes widened when they came face to face, Iota's mouth stayed open slightly in awe at the sight before her. She marveled at Omega's new appearance, his hair was shorter and swept back, his face was now clean, and he was wearing a white button up with black dress pants and no shoes. His sleeves were rolled up above his elbows and showed off his impressive forearms. The shirt was a little tight on him but put emphasis on his muscular physique, the top button of his shirt was undone and revealed a small part of his chest. That's when his scent hit her, and it hit her like a train. She had no words to describe it, he simply smelled... amazing!
On Omega's side he couldn't take his eyes off of her, Iota was now clean as well with her black hair parted at her bangs with a silver clip holding the left half of her bangs behind her ear, her lips were shining due to some sort of gloss that made her glowing eyes seem brighter than usual. She wore a white mini dress with spaghetti straps slung around her shoulders, and she too was barefooted. Apparently neither Protector had time to put shoes on. He all but melted when her scent reached his nose, the scent of strawberries mixed with the pheromones she was giving off was almost enough to drive him mad, and he could tell by her facial expression that he was having the same effect on her. Both of their faces reddened as they slowly stepped toward each other, they immediately forgot about their earlier fight, forgot about their suits being stolen, forgot about everything but each other. They stood in front of each other as Omega leaned down slightly to take in more of her intoxicating aroma as she got closer to his chest. Iota shifted nervously when she heard him breathing heavily through his nose, they were both entranced with one another, the world around them became nothing more than a blur and any sounds that occurred only became dulled background noise. Omega put his hands on her arms causing her to jump at the new feeling, she could feel the warmth of his touch, not just the coldness of his gloves anymore. Omega focused on the warmth of her arms as well before feeling the cold chills that formed on her smooth skin. Iota gently nuzzled her head into his chest to take in more of his scent when she heard his heart pounding in his chest, it was the first time she could hear the thunderous noise so clearly. Their bodies began heating up and they didn't understand what was happening to them but they liked it. They simply stayed in that position and drank in the drug like effects they had on one another. Both Guardians felt like they could fight an army of Splicers, and emerge unscathed.
"Surprise!" Everyone yelled causing the two Protectors to snap out of their daze and face their Human Allies, Omega noticed that Mark had slinked his way to a safe distance at the table. Neither him nor Iota had noticed Seline sneak to her seat though, she must have entered the room sometime after Iota had.
"We've been wanting to do this since you got here, and now that we have the supplies to do it we figured it would be as good a time as any." Joe said grinning through his grey spotted beard.
"A small token of our appreciation for you coming to the rescue, und to welcome our new Allies." Tenenbaum smiled as she sat down at the table beside Joe and Grace. Everyone smiled at the two Protectors, ignoring the earlier awkwardness they had been put through. Both Iota and Omega tilted their heads in confusion as Tenenbaum waved them over to take their seats. Both Protectors began drooling when the smell of the home cooked meal finally reached their noses. Omega sat at the very end of the table with Iota to his right, Anna and LIzzy were seated to his left. They stared at the Food on the table, Iota felt water running down her face, when she wiped her eyes she noticed she had started to cry, but Why? She felt Omega's hand on her shoulder and jumped from the sudden warm touch, it was still unfamiliar to her without his gloves on. She sniffled and wiped her eyes as she looked to him. Omega could tell exactly what she was feeling, this was the first warm meal anyone had ever prepared for them, and it became abundantly clear to their Human Allies as well. They simply sat in silence to let the two of them process the new and confusing situation they were in. They both stared at the hot food in front of them, there were many fish based dishes including fried fish, salmon steaks, grilled tilapia, even massive King Crab legs turned red and reached over the top of the large pot they were in. Potatoes, carrots, beans, and corn lay on numerous plates across the large table. Tenenbaum, Vicki, and Grace had even prepared the preserved steaks they had gathered. Neither Omega nor Iota had ever seen so much food in one place, their meals were usually much smaller and always cold, this new meal was a welcome change indeed. The whole room was alive with conversation, everyone was talking about various topics, Seline talked with Vicki about her paintings and books they had read. Mark, Joe, and James talked about fighting and their preferred alcoholic drinks. Craig sat silently appearing deep in thought until Danny flashed him a smile and started talking to him about the new security he had installed. Grace and Tenenbaum conversed about music and science. Anna and Lizzy were almost yelling about who would win in a fight between their Big Brother and Big Sister. Grace saw the Protector's glowing eyes move from plate to plate examining their contents. Iota sat with her hands in her lap and kept looking to Omega, she was unsure of how to get the food onto her own empty plate, he was sitting back against his chair with his right elbow resting on the arm while he used his knuckles to prop up the side of his chin, he was also thinking about the food before them. No one made mention of it but everyone at the table was thinking the same thing, both Protectors held an air of confidence around them at all times, even when they were unsure of a situation, Like seasoned Warriors unable to adjust to civil affairs.
"Everyone, please quiet down." Tenenbaum said as she tapped the side of her wine glass with her fork causing the ruckus to slowly grow silent. Once everyone was quiet she smiled and looked at Omega on the other end of the table.
"This is a welcome party for the two of you, a sign that we value your help und hard work." The Doctor said smiling softly as everyone looked at the duo adding their nods of approval. Omega shifted uncomfortably in his chair, Iota stared at her plate, neither Protector knew how to handle this situation, they had never experienced this before. The smiling faces, warm food, and carefree conversations that took place were unfamiliar to them. All their lives they had been treated as tools, weapons. They were never shown any sympathy, any cheerfulness, any compassion. It was a strange feeling when no one in the room glared at you in anger, fear, or disgust. So unbelievable that mere Humans would smile at them, welcome them into their home and even feed them, it was almost too much to bare. They felt so out of place among them, If they didn't know any better they would assume it was a trap but... it wasn't. They felt so vulnerable without their suits, like they might be attacked at any moment, but since Sigma was absent from the event it meant he was still guarding the Lobby. Both Omega and Iota gauged the room, looking at everyone's hands for possible weapons. They didn't see any, they knew it was just their "Protector Paranoia" but they had to be certain, at all times.
Noticing their nervousness Grace smiled and stood up, she began hobbling over to the two Protectors with her cane leading the way. When she reached them she propped her cane up on the table next to Iota and grabbed her plate. Iota looked up at the older Woman, Grace smiled and started dumping different types of food onto the white dish with large spoons or tongs.
"I highly recommend the tilapia, It took me a while to grow the spices but I think you'll be pleasantly surprised." She said softly as she smiled at Iota, she sat the plate down in front of the girl, she then took two large napkins from the table and placed one in the girl's lap, followed by another one around her neck for added protection. Once she had set Iota up she moved on to Omega, grabbing his plate and repeating the process.
"And for you, I know you used to hate vegetables back in the day, I'm guessing that hasn't changed?" She asked him raising an eyebrow, Omega simply stared at the veggies in disgust, he pointed to his sharp K9's hoping she would get the idea. Iota inspected them as well before he looked toward her, she quickly looked back at her plate and continued to stare at it as she nervously felt her own sharp teeth.
"I thought as much, don't be shy, we have plenty for everyone. You Babies eat as much as you want." Grace said happily, she hadn't been able to cook a decent meal in ages and tonight granted her the perfect opportunity. Grace returned to her seat and began eating with everyone else, while they dined Tenenbaum's ever observant eyes watched the Protectors, studying them. Iota, Anna, and Lizzy were completely silent as they watched Omega, he looked the food over before picking up a fork and clumsily stabbed it into a piece of meat. It was clear he hadn't had very much practice with silverware. The Sisters tracked the fork with their eyes as he brought it to his mouth and took a bite, as soon as he did Iota picked up her fork and copied his actions, then Anna, and finally Lizzy. The two Protectors had poor table manners and ate fast, scarfing down large quantities of food, but it was to be expected. The Doctor raised an eyebrow toward their actions when she noticed Omega was staring back at her, even for someone as used to the intense stares of others as she was, she found it hard to hold his illuminated gaze. Tenenbaum smiled at him before quickly turning her attention to her own plate, it was obvious he wasn't fond of people watching him or his charges, especially when he wasn't wearing his suit.
After thirty minutes had passed everyone sat back in their chairs fully satisfied with their meals, everyone except Omega and Iota. The duo had finished their fifth plate of food and were now half way through their sixth, everyone looked at them in amazement. They knew Protectors probably had to eat a lot but they never imagined they could eat that much! Even Joe the largest Human in their team had only eaten three plates himself. Iota had eaten twice as much as him and she was much skinnier than the bearded Man.
"having an accelerated metabolism is impressive is it not?" Tenenbaum said quietly to the others around her as they watched the Protectors eat. Joe burped and rubbed his stomach with a smile.
"I'll say, I feel like I'm gonna pop and I only had three plates!" The bearded Man laughed as he patted his stomach.
"Only three? We finally found someone that can beat Joe in an eating contest." Danny chuckled as he pushed his plate away. Joe smiled and lightly hit his friend in the arm causing him to wince.
"If only we could find someone to beat you in a barfing contest!" Joe laughed in response. Danny grumbled something under his breath as he sighed angrily, it was clear he wasn't going to live that down anytime soon. Everyone had begun conversing again when they heard the clear sound of glass dinging against metal, they looked up expecting to see Tenenbaum again but instead saw Craig standing in place. He had a worried look on his face, you didn't have to be a Protector to know that something was bothering him. He cleared his throat nervously before speaking.
"Uuum, I just wanted to say... I'm sorry for the way I've been acting, I've been a real sonuva bitch..." The ginger Man said as he looked down at the table regretfully. Both Omega and Iota had no interest in the boy's apology, they were still scarfing down their food, quite possibly the best food they had ever eaten and they would make sure none of it went to waste. It would all be turned into energy, energy they would use to destroy their enemies.
"I wanted to apologize for my actions but couldn't find the right time because everyone wasn't in the same place at once. I acted like a fool when the Protectors got here... before that even... and... well... I'm sorry for everything I've done so far. I'm gonna try to be an asset more than a liability from now on, I finally realized that if we don't help each other than none of us will be getting out of here." Craig said as his eyes flashed with determination, everyone stared in silence, they certainly weren't expecting that. Tenenbaum smiled at the boy, she had to hand it to him, at least he had the strength to admit when he was wrong.
"Thank you Craig, und we do not blame you for being scared... we all are, but what we do in the face of fear defines us... we can only crumble under it's weight or rise above it. Tenenbaum said as she locked her fingers on the table.
"Take the Protectors for instance, they may not feel fear for themselves but I'm sure they fear for each other's safety, they still charge into battle... still screech their war cries, and fight as hard as they can. They do it for each other, so they can get out of this Hell alive with their Family... they do it because anything less will get them killed." Mark said nodding toward Omega as he stuffed more food into his mouth.
"If you really want to help then fight with us, not against us. We don't expect you to charge into the Frey weapon first, screaming like a damn banshee... just do your best, that's all anyone can ask of you." Joe said locking his fingers and putting his hands in front of his bearded mouth as he stared at the young Man. Craig looked at him and nodded that he understood.
"Everyone should get some rest, we have to continue repairing our stronghold and prepare for the Journey to Minerva's Den." James said as he stood up from his chair, Vicki looked at him and huffed her cheeks.
"and where do you think you're going?" The blonde girl asked with a huff. James' eyes widened as he scratched the back of his head nervously.
"I still have to get the Turrets put back together with Dan-"
"Oh no you don't, you have to fix the doors the Protectors demolished from leading them here." She said as she crossed her arms and leaned to one side, he had to hand it to her, when she was angry she had no problem letting anyone know it.
"Better just take your licks James, it's not wise to make your Woman mad." Mark whispered from James' right.
"And your going to help him Mark! Don't think I can't see you hiding over there!" She yelled as Mark sat up straight trying to hide behind his friend. Mark then leaned forward and chuckled quietly.
"If I have to help then so do they-" Mark stopped talking when he pointed to Omega and Iota only to notice they had vanished at the first mention of work besides Combat. Mark sighed as he thought about the amount of damage Omega had caused on his way to the Dinning Room. James only looked at his friend and smirked, he wasn't going to weasel his way out of this one.
Tenenbaum stood up and made a plate of food before she began walking toward the door, she noticed everyone staring at her and turned to address everyone with a more serious expression.
"I must check on something, whatever you do, do not come downstairs, I will contact you if there is any real danger. Go about your business und ignore any sounds you hear." The German Doctor said before exiting the room leaving everyone to question what she meant.
Tenenbaum made her way down the long staircase to the Lobby, Sigma was still sitting on the steps watching ever so vigilantly for danger. The Turrets were still guarding the entrance to their base leaving him to merely sit and think. Tenenbaum then made her way down the steps to him and handed him the large plate of food she had made.
"This is a little thank you for all of your help, I know it isn't much but it is always rare to enjoy warm, home cooked food in this dreaded City." She smiled as he took the plate, Sigma looked at the glassware in his hands and groaned appreciatively.
"There is more in the dinning room upstairs, judging from how much Iota und Omega ate I would wager this small plate will not be enough for you... help yourself." She said with another smile.
"By the way, have you seen either Iota or Omega of late?" The older Woman asked curiously, Sigma only pointed to the hallway leading to the Pool room. She thought as much but wanted to make sure just in case. She gave one more courteous nod to Sigma before heading down the long Hallway, she crept up to the doors as quietly as she could before peaking around the corner, careful not to be heard or seen by their impressive senses. In the Pool room she could see Iota and Omega standing very close in front of one another, they stared into each other's eyes for the longest time before inching even closer. She could see their nostrils flare as they took in each other's scent. She watched anxiously trying to speculate as much as possible about the Protector's behavioral habits.
. . .
Omega led Iota through the hallways and down the stairs, she felt her chest tighten as she figured out where he was leading her. He had suddenly taken her hand while the Humans were talking and forced her to sneak out with him, much like she had done to him hours earlier. They left in such a hurry that they didn't even have time to grab their suits, Iota thought it was odd after the amount of damage her Partner had caused in search of his. Omega didn't like being out of his suit, no Protector did, it made them feel vulnerable but this was different. She could smell Omega's pheromones in overdrive and saw the look of sheer determination in his eyes as he led her, he knew they left their suits behind he simply didn't care. Iota gave a few short curious screeches but he had ignored her, she didn't understand what had gotten into him. When he looked into her eyes as they finished eating the very air of the room changed, all of the noises in the room once again reverted to nothing more than background ambiance, like it was the sound of dripping water they had heard their whole lives. The next thing she knew, they had snuck out of the room and were swiftly heading downstairs.
The two Protectors passed Sigma on the stairs with Iota only glancing back before turning her head to her Partner, he was pulling her wrist gently with a sense of urgency. When they arrived in the old Pool Room she began to worry, he wanted to fight again, without their suits? Omega stopped in front of the large pool and pulled her in front of him before releasing her arm. He stared at her with his trademark expression of annoyance for a few moments causing her to nervously look to the ground and play with the side of her dress. When he saw this he pulled her closer causing her to give a short surprised squeak, Iota leaned up against her Partner's sturdy chest with eyes wide open. She could hear his heart beat once more, it was beautiful to her, like a drum, rhythmically beating in time as it slowly eased her nerves. Omega leaned down to wrap his arms around her, he could hear her heart pounding in her chest as well. Again they met in solitude, away from prying eyes, this time however, Omega had led them there. Iota thought about it for a moment before realizing something, he wanted her to face him. He wanted to continue what they had started earlier before they were interrupted. Did he know her intentions, did he somehow figure out that all she wanted was to be closer to him, did he feel the same? Her face turned red when she thought of the position they were in, of course he did, why else would they be there? Iota smiled slightly as she relaxed, being so close to each other, feeling each other's warmth, and basking in the pheromones they were releasing due to the other's presence was simply euphoric.
Both Protectors could stay like they were forever, but they had come down here for a reason, one that was not taken lightly by either her or Omega. Iota pushed off of her Partner's chest and pried her way out of the trance she had fallen into, it was like trying to fight mind control. When she managed to break free from the spell she was under her head began spinning, she could tell by the look on Omega's face that he was having a difficult time as well. He was swaying slightly, Iota lightly bit her lower lip and took a sharp breath unconsciously when she realized she was having the same effect on him, her body was reacting in a way she had never felt before, and she loved it. Her illuminated eyes met him and all she could think of was the Human's "Kiss" Seline had told her about, like he could tell what she was thinking Omega leaned in closer to her, their faces merely inches apart. Both Protectors were breathing heavily, just before their lips met Iota put her hands on her Partners chest and leaned back, Omega gave her a confused look as she caught her breath from almost being sucked in completely. The Brother mentally slapped himself for getting lost in the moment, he remembered the reason she had wanted to fight him earlier, she thought she had to prove herself to him, of coarse he would let her but she had no idea he already thought of her as his equal.
Iota took a few deep breaths before turning and walking towards a Phonograph in the corner of the room, it like most of the room donned the figure of Athena holding up the large brass horn above her head. Iota smiled when she found the machine's record was still intact, she flipped the on switch and wound the starting crank. When the black disk started to spin she put the needle arm on it's track and waited anxiously to hear whatever songs were on the disk. She could hear crackling from the horn before a flurry of Piano notes rushed out, Cohen's Masterpiece was a beautiful song and it would be the perfect arrangement to fight to. If you lived in Rapture you knew who Sander Cohen was and his talents, no other musicians or artists could hold a candle to the Man and this just so happened to be one of Iota's favorite records. She would often seek out the old music producing machines when she was looking for Omega. She couldn't remember when she had started the habit but it was one she enjoyed very much. The music calmed her nerves and anxiety, without it she probably would have gone completely and entirely insane. Iota turned to see Omega with a raised eyebrow, he didn't know why she wanted to play music but then again, this was for her so for now she could proceed anyway she wanted, and apparently she wanted music.
Omega watched with intrigue as Iota smiled and began gracefully dancing her way over to him, twisting and spinning along the way, when she reached him she giggled and twirled the white knee length skirt of her outfit. Omega gave her a slightly devious smile before stepping back into his combat stance, she did the same and both Protectors let forth their battle cries as they shot towards each other like two opposing bolts of lightning, they were still entranced with each other to the point of not noticing the spectator peeking through the doors to the pool room. Tenenbaum silently watched the two fight with both amazement and shock, she didn't know how she had managed to convince the two deadliest Creatures in Rapture to side with her yet here they were, perhaps her plan would pay off after all.
She jumped slightly when the two Protectors made contact, the force of their punches and kicks being blocked and deflected sounded like claps of thunder echoing off the large walls of the room. She watched them take turns both defending and attacking but even she could tell something was very different about this fight, the air in the room was different from a regular fight. There was no sense of danger but you could cut the tension with a knife, she was sure the event held great importance to them, importance she was positive she would never fully understand. It held a certain meaning to them that no mere Human could grasp, Tenenbaum smiled, it reminded her more of a dance than a fight. Neither Protector ever took their sight off of the other and a playful smile stayed on each of their faces.
Iota flew at her Partner with such speed it even amazed her, without her suit and armor weighing her down she could reach speeds almost untraceable with the Human eye, but her Partner was more than Human. Omega's eyes darted across his Opponent's body examining her movements, watching for each of the lightning fast attacks she would throw at him. As the Sister's punches reached him he deflected them with his palms, when she threw a roundhouse kick his way he would bring his leg up and block it with his shin. The force of the impact would split both the skin on her leg as well as his causing small trails of blood to trickle down their legs and leave bruises in their wake. Neither Protector felt the pain, they only looked into each other's illuminated eyes as they fought, the pheromones they were releasing had a drug-like effect on each other boosting nearly every aspect of their abilities. When they would receive a small cut on their legs or arms the ADAM Slugs in their stomachs would heal it before the small streams of blood could even dry. As if sensing each other's next course of action both Guardians activated their Electro shock Plasmids causing arcs of bright electricity to bolt up and down their arms and off of their fists. Omega went on the offensive and threw a flurry of fast punches toward his target, as Iota blocked them their enhanced Plasmids clashed causing larger bolts of lightning to spark off of the contact points, the light was bright and flashed throughout the room as sparks flew in every direction. After throwing three quick jabs Omega followed up with a heavy swing, Iota grinned as she ducked under the deadly blow and activated her Incinerate Plasmid. Her arms were immediately engulfed with blue flames as she spun and started her own chain of attacks. When Omega blocked her blazing punch with his forearm his own blue flames flashed from the impact causing a larger flame to flare between them.
Deciding she had seen enough Tenenbaum turned to take her leave, she would let them finish their business in private, the way they wanted. She smiled as she made her long track back to the Hotel's lobby, how very interesting the Protectors were.
Both Protectors began panting and sweating as the fight dragged on, their bodies releasing more and more of their drug-like pheromones for the other's enjoyment. Iota lunged forward and caught Omega off guard with a front kick, he swatted her kick away just in time for her fist to make contact with his mouth. Iota stopped when she realized she had landed the first successful hit in the entire fight, she watched her Partner as he put his fingers on his bottom lip and pulled them away to examine the small amount of blood they wore. Omega licked the small cut and smiled as it healed, Iota began breathing deeply as she threw another weaker, slower punch at him, eagerly anticipating what he might do. She could feel her heart racing, and not from the amount of physical exertion she had been through, when Omega caught her wrist with his hand she took a deep breath. When he looked into her eyes she found that she couldn't look away, Omega pulled her closer as he held her fiery arm above her. When he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers her heart almost stopped, her knees wanted to give out and the flames on her arms died out. Omega released her wrist and she wrapped her arms around him, pulling him closer for her to enjoy.
They both felt so strange when their lips met, like an enormous weight had been lifted, in that one moment they both felt as light as air and the raging tempest of emotions inside of them grew quieter. She had done it... finally, she had proven herself in his eyes. Iota pulled away from the kiss and gently nuzzled his forehead with her own, as amazing as the action felt it left her unbelievably breathless. They simply stood in the dark room in each other's embrace, savoring the feeling that had overtaken them. All of her fears and anxiety washed away, all of her doubt and anger extinguished. Iota only knew of one word that could describe what she felt, a word that had no prior meaning to her until now, it was something even Mother and the Family was unable to offer... Peace.