Welcome to Zandeleigh Outfit! (Okami!! and PM to Join)

[Anonymous]

"So tell me Weiland Venaco, why you think the Zandeleigh needs this scientist?" Tenzin Cormac was one of those superiors that reminded Atticus constantly who was superior. As far as Atticus was concerned Cormac had been a hero, but getting older wasn't going well. All that time behind desks, the only fun Cormac could have was bossing him and all the other Hunter Outfits around and damn did he have a ton of fun. He looked over his shoulder for a moment at Vivian who raised an eyebrow at him.

The Tenzin was up on a screen in the Command room of the Zandeleigh base. The Picture flickered every once in awhile the sound catching for a second. The projection had an orange tint to the color and it gave an odd light to the rest of the room. Atticus stood a little ways a way from the control panel. The room was small and circular with lots of buttons lit up everywhere. Normally, Frosh Lee would have been sitting there.

"First off Tenzin," Atticus responded trying to keep his voice even, "...we are lacking in numbers... I know everyone is lacking in numbers." He held up his hands respectfully while he spoke. "However we only have the two of us at the moment..." His voice trailed off, he didn't even want to think about them....his soldiers that had gotten taken down.

They had just lost Frosh Kent, Noyan Sullivan and Lee on a bad mission into The Wastelands. Atticus gritted his teeth. The Kadru had pushed farther out than they normally did, way farther. The three of them had been in the wrong spot at the wrong time. So many Kadru, Atticus was still holding onto that in the back of his mind. The Zandeleigh were out of commission for any large tasks that Cormac might want to send them on. Atticus hated being out of comission.

"We need the reinforcements. We've also never had a Scientist on board with the Zandeleigh team. It could help our progress dramatically. We could also use some new Hunters, I know things are spread thin but we have shown our abilities time and again as excellent Hunters." He grasped his hand behind his back and waited.

Cormac was stroking his chin as he listened to Atticus. He stood up and walked away from his desk for a moment. He knew how to make a soldier sweat. It made Atticus grip his hands behind his back just a little bit tighter. Carmas walked back to his desk after grabbing a wooden pipe and lighting it. Another habit Cormac had taken up in his older age, he never would have done it when he was a Hunter, Atticus thought it made the Tenzin's office smell like vanilla, he could imagine the scent easily.

"Weiland, you've made some good points." Cormac let out a cloud of smoke, sucked in then let out another. "I'll approve the transfer, and I'll keep an eye out for some good lookin' Froshs for Zandeleigh." He nodded at Atticus then Vivian. The two put their legs together and saluted their hand against their chest middle and index finger pointed out. Cormac gave the salute back and fluttered into nothing with a sizzle.

Atticus let out a deep breath turning to look at Vivian who smiled speaking in a gravelly voice.

"That was much better than I anticipated." Atticus nodded in response sitting down in the chair by the control panel maybe they could finally find their way back to becoming the Hunters they were supposed to be.

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About a week later Vivian and Atticus had received word that their scientist was on her way. They couldn't be quite sure what to expect out of a scientist in their midst. They were in the control room of the base and Vivian was sitting at the control panel clicking through some buttons.

"What do you think? Will it change things that much?" Vivian was concerned about their practices, every Hunter Outfit was different in minimal ways. The recruit hadn't been with another Outfit so that would help.

"I think it'll work out well, after all they'll have to fit into our group. We don't have to fit into their experiments." Vivian grinned as Atticus put a hand on her shoulder. He always knew what was bothering her somehow.

"Thank the Gods, I don't want to deal with a nosy scientist trying to keep the mutants alive more than us." Atticus squeezed her shoulder then let go and walked over to another monitor bringing up a camera feed from in front of the house.

"I can promise we won't have one of those, if we do you can feed them to the Grimhorn." He smiled to himself and Vivian laughed clicking through some of the information they had about the Mutants from The Wastelands.

"I'm glad we'll learn more. It'll make things much...well not easier..."

"Productive." Atticus finished her sentence from in front of his control panel. She shut off her own and pushed off the wall over to where he was and peeked at his screen.

"On their way?"

"No, I just like to watch empty video feeds." He smirked at her and she pushed off back to the other side with her boot on his leg.

"Smart ass." Vivian was leaning back in the chair spinning, her one foot propelling her in a circle. The boredom had really gotten to them...really gotten to them. There were examples of it all over the house, way too many games of Tic Tac Toe and the like.

"Why, thank you Fynbo." He sat down in the chair in front of the monitor and put his feet up on the panel. He sighed and took out the gun he always kept at his side and started to unload it and reload it, cleaning it.

Vivian watched him her head still tilted upside down looking at him over the back of the chair. He always looked so damn hot cleaning his gun. She wondered if the scientist would be male or female, and next from that how it would upset the way of life she had with Atticus, they were complicated already.

"The military is never very punctual." She sighed sliding a knife out of her pocket. It had the same principle as a butterfly knife but it was bigger and had two blades. She started to spin it open and closed, still looking at him.

"You'd think we would be. Always got a world to save." He slammed the cartridge into the gun and pointed it switching on the sight which shot a bright green line across the Control Room. He sighed switching it off and holstering the gun. He spun his chair to look at Vivian for a second, he opened his mouth then she sat up straight up and walked over to him and spun him around.

"That's...the scientist?" She was looking at the screen her eyebrow arched. Her chin was on his head. He pushed some of her dreads that hung down out of the way of his eyesight. "She's...short, and has...cool hair." Atticus laughed and poked Vivian's cheek. She lifted her head off his as he started to stand up and she followed him down one of the ramps out of the room and down to the first floor.

Time to welcome the new recruit.

[Anonymous]

Brie dragged the heavy suitcases behind her, one in each hand and at least three bags where strapped across her back. Her butt was nearly to the floor as the tiny blonde pulled the cases down the hallway, her black pants clinging to her quite nicely. A stream of curses was leaving her mouth with every pull.

"Goddamn useless Carmac. Can't even have a luggage-bot for all the fucking equipment." This hallway was impossibly long and Brie was already worn out. When would they make anti-grav suitcases for the tiny person? Perhaps it would be something she would have to cook up while she was here.

She stopped and stood, her hands on her back and rubbed her spine as she continued to gripe at no one. "I'm a tiny brilliant scientist! I deserve some respect here!" She ran her hands through her bleach blonde and blue hair, then over her face, realizing she was a little bit to loud as the sound of her voice echoed off the walls. Brie rolled up the blue sleeves on her shirt to her elbows and cracked her knuckles.
"Okay, we can do this, just a little bit further."

The Noyan squatted down again and began to pull the suitcases once more, she did really want to be here, even if Tenzin Carmac had said they were a bit understaffed.  She didn't realize they were this understaffed.  She began to grumble again the strain on her little spine returning.

"I'll bet this place is run by some old crochety Weiland, that's why no one else wanted to come out here. Probably shoots all the newcomers that he doesn't like, and Cormac just keeps throwin' 'em into the meat grinder. Wonderful."

Brie looked over her shoulder giving a small smile as she approched the door. Thank the Gods. She pushed the call button next to the door, though she was pretty sure they had already either heard her or seen her on the cameras.

When the door did open, her mouth fell open and a bag fell off her shoulder. Well they certianly weren't old, though they could be crochety....
She rushed to salute, using the wrong hand at first as she sputtered out her greeting.
"Noyan Brie Camembert, reporting for duty as ordered..." She swallowed and shook her head. "Um...which...which one of you is Weiland Venaco?"

Oh Gods please dont let the hot guy be in charge.....

[Anonymous]

"That would be me." Atticus gave a small wave back, trying to keep the laughter to a minimum. The two of them hadn't heard everything she was saying because they had been on their way downstairs. Atticus did however recognize that look. The one that said 'I've been mouthing off bad about an officer...and another superior just happened to walk in'. After all, he had made it plenty of times himself. He gave her a warm smile and held out his hand.

Vivian was leaned up against the door frame looking at Brie as Atticus held out his hand. She was far less enthused about a new female at this point. However, she would be their family now and Vivian understood the need. She just wished it had been a brother instead of a sister. Even if she wasn't sure what all the weird tension was between her and Atticus. She did give a slight bow of her head though as she introduced her self.

"And I'm Noyan Fynbo, Vivian." She gave a small smile, no teeth. She preferred to be somewhat intimidating when she first met people. Especially because it was hard for her to trust people right off. She wanted to, she just...couldn't. Atticus glanced over for a moment at Vivian a sort of odd questioning look in his eyes.

"Yeah, you can call me Atticus mostly. Unless I decide you're in trouble." He winked at Brie warmly. It was nice to know he and Vivian wouldn't be the only ones in the base anymore. Maybe it could go back to feeling...like a home instead of a base that was doing squat. It made Brie the deliverer of everything he wanted. Everything he absolutely needed. It was nice to work towards the game again. Very nice. He didn't feel so damned useless suddenly.

[Anonymous]

After the first names had come out, all bets were off. Brie ignored Atticus' hand and moved forward to hug him tightly at the waist. She moved around him and did the same to Vivian.

"Oh my Gods, I'm so glad you guys are nice." She looked up at the Drow with bright blue eyes and smiled widely, forgetting about her things in the hallway for the moment. She moved away from Vivian and shed the bags on her back and streched. "Man! That feels good."  

She stopped and took Vivian's hand in hers, turning it over and inspecting her dark skin. "Wow, I've never met a Drow before..." She moved closer to Vivian's face and twirled her white hair in her fingers. "You're beautiful." Brie smiled widely and hugged Vivian again before she turned back to face Atticus.

She had just now noticed his eyes and tilted her head, a small smile still on her lips. "And I'm not sure what you are but your eyes rock!" She looked between the two and shook her head. "Now I don't feel special at all."

The Noyan pointed her finger at the suitcases outside in the hall behind Atticus. "You wanna grab those for me big  fella? I'm afraid I'm not nearly strong enough to drag them to wherever the lab is. Speaking of which..." She bent over and picked up the bags on the floor. "Wanna show me where I'm gonna be settling in at?"

Excitement was building in Brie's stomach, not only did she get to work out here in the Wastelands with all sorts of kick ass stuff to study, her teamates seemed to be pretty interesting themselves. Not to mention both of them were totally hot.

She held one of the bags out to Vivian and gave a warm smile. "Would you mind carrying this one, Vivian? Dragging those suitcases nearly broke my spine in half?"

[Anonymous]

Despite all his training, how jaded he might be on the field of battle, Atticus actually jumped slightly when Brie hugged him.

Well that was unexpected.

Most of the military kept some sort of distance between each other. It wasn't distrust really, he'd trust Vivian with his life. Entirely and completely. There was just this bubble between soldiers, like they were too scared to entirely know each other. He could guess why. As he started to pat her she pulled away and was gone. She was pretty short compared to him, he had to resist the urge to pat her on the head.

Vivian didn't jump she just looked down at the girl surprise in her eyes and some confusion. What the hell was that? Just because they were living together didn't mean that they could just get all touchy whenever they wanted. The two of them watched her for a moment before Brie took Vivian's hand. Atticus took a step back from the two of them while Vivian just stood there.

She'd been the point of curiousity a few different times before Drows weren't that common obviously. She didn't mind it. In fact, it made Brie more interesting to her that the scientist would notice something like that. Of course she would expect that though, as the girl was a scientist, or at least she should have. After the little display right off she hadn't been sure what to expect. Then her hand was in her hair.

Hello, personal space?

Apparently Brie didn't quite know the meaning of the word.

"Uh...thanks?" Brie was gone again and facing Atticus.

He had been watching two two of them a small smile on his face, amused at Vivian's discomfort. It dropped off quickly when Brie tilted her head at him. He was sort of unsure what was in the girl's head. Then she made the comment about his eyes. He felt a little...exposed maybe was the right word? He shook his head and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Um alright then! Yeah, I'll take some of those..." But Brie was already handing out bag duty. He chuckled to himself as she held one out to Vivian and he moved to pick up some of the others. Vivian took the moment to speak to Brie.

"So...how can someone so tiny...need so many bags?" She took the bag into her hand and her tone was sarcastic. She turned and started to walk off as Atticus picked up some of the other bags. He felt his muscles pull. What the fuck was in these? Good lord. He pulled them behind him.

"Yeah Brie we'll show ya where you're heading. I think it's nice. Not really knowing anything about...well your portion of things." Vivian was already a head of them and he followed in behind her pulling the suitcases.

They walked into the living room which had two doors on each side of the room. It also led into the kitchen and a couple other rooms, a study and a family room as they had come to start calling them. The kitchen had a door that went into a garage type place, and out the back of the house. There was a small garden there. Vivian had been growing some plants trying to pick up where Sullivan had left off...it wasn't going that well. She had a tendency to want to shoot the plants.

"The bedrooms and shower are up a floor, plus a room for books and computers. If you like to have yours out of your room." He pointed to the doors as Vivian stepped halfway through one of them. "They're ramps that lead up to the floors. You have your ID badge I take it? You'll need it to get into the Lab and upper floors. The door on the right goes up to the bedrooms. The door on the left goes straight up to the labs. Now..." He stopped looking at the suitcases they were all holding.

"Which of these things go where?"

[Anonymous]

Brie smiled warmly at the two of them, already taking notes about them and her surroundings in her mind.

Vivian wasn't really in for the touching.
Atticus got nervous when attention was brought to him, especially his eyes.
Vivian was more sarcastic, but fun.
Atticus was having trouble carrying the suitcases, which meant that she totally should have gotten a robot.

Brie laughed at Vivan's comment about the bags. "Well two of these are my things, and one is science-y stuff. The suitcases are my equiptment, like my personal computer and my lucky mircoscope." They started walking and Brie followed, smiling.

The bedrooms and shower are up a floor.
She needed her ID badge to get into the lab and upper floors.
The door on the right goes up to the bedrooms.
There are lots of discarded Tic-Tac-Toe games laying about.

Atticus stopped and Brie nearly crashed into him, not really paying attention. "Whoops!" She laughed lightly and thought for a moment. "Well the suitcases and the bag Vivian has go into the lab, the two I have go to my room."

The tiny scientist shrugged the bags on her shoulder and placed a hand on her hip. "If you don't mind I'd like to see the lab first." She rubbed her hands together and smirked. "This mad scientist must see where she will be making with the evil experiments."

It was probably going to be awhile before Vivian and Atticus get used to the way she worked.
It was going to be VERY exciting to work with the two of them and be out here.
Maybe she shouldn't have said anything about evil experiments....

[Anonymous]

Vivian arched a brow when Brie said evil experiments. Vivian locked back a smile and looked towards Atticus who grinned anyway. She could sense her and Brie having some arguments in the future, different personalities and all that. She did however seem to fit in rather well. She'd be a cheery little addition to the darkness they'd been facing. Vivian looked at Atticus once more before heading up the stairs and leaving them behind.

"To the lab first then." He moved in front of Brie had pulled the suitcases. They were heavy but not too terrible. They moved more easily up the ramp to the more military focused part of the house.

"So evil experiments huh? So they send us the mad scientist?" He chuckled and turned to look over his shoulder at her. As they reached the door he pulled his ID card out, it hung on a retractable string attached to his belt, and swiped it through the door. He walked in. This end they were in now was more focused on Vivan and he's side of the work. In other words it had lots of guns.

"This would be the weapons locker." Most of the weapons were locked up in grated containers along the wall. You could see them but you'd need an ID badge, a key, and a thumb scan to get in. They were serious about their security, just in case something happened. "If you need to get into any of these later then I'll explain the process to you." A small laugh came from ahead, Vivian. He smiled to himself.

She was laughing because she was trying to imagine Brie...with any sort of weapon. She already had a sort of feeling that it wouldn't be the best thing to do. Vivian had set down one of the bag on a table in the lab as Atticus and Brie walked in. She gave a small smile, not teeth though had to stay scary, to Brie as she spoke.

"And this is your laboratory mad scientist."