Amidst the rubble of a war not long past, the stars seek to raise a new generation. Blessed with celestial powers that have begun to make their reappearance, the Gifted are individuals whose shoulders the future of the city rests on. Will you overthrow the dysfunctional government or work to keep it in power? Or will you undermine the whole game and play to your own advantage? No matter your motives, Hyperion is yours to shape.
[attr="class","soleiltext"] Shopping was never one of Soleil’s favorite activities. It just felt too pointless for her to work herself to the bone to earn money, and then squander it all on trivial vanities. All too often, her coworkers would point out how she could easily afford a bigger apartment, or a nicer car, or even designer clothing with her salary, but she had always brush their concerns aside without much thought. She lived comfortably with what she had. Therefore, anything more would be simply unnecessary.
But, it was when excess suddenly became a requirement that Soleil was forced to head to District Two’s high scale department buildings. Her boss had recently told her of a large gala the company was planning to hold for their current and potential partners, and, due to her position in the company, it was crucial for her to attend. That was no matter. She had been to similar events before and it was always the same routine — plaster on a fake smile, be cordial and engaging, and make sure guests leave with a positive impression of the company. Easy. For all her experience, however, these events always presented one obstacle she could never get around: the dress code.
Galas were very much so a black tie event. As a result, Soleil was expected to show up dressed to the nines. With how much scrutiny women underwent at such occasions, reusing an outfit was a quite taboo, meaning she had to buy a brand new dress every single time. It was an irritating prerequisite, but a prerequisite nonetheless, and she had grown used to it by now. Navigating the crowded streets with ease, she passed through the entrance of a familiar shopping mall. Slipping past throngs of people packed in its halls, she didn’t spare so much as a glance at any of the stores lining its walls. Fine jewelry? Rolex watches? Designer bags? None of that caught her interest. She already knew where she was headed, and window shopping was a waste of time. Ignoring greeters and workers handing out coupons, Soleil didn’t slow her rapid pace until she was but a few feet away from her destination. With salvation right on the horizon, she felt the chance to relax. Surely, with only a few more steps to take, nothing could interrupt her now.
Wrong.
Just as the bouncer inside began to swing open the door for her, something crashed into her from behind, and would have thrown her to the ground had it not been for her fast reflexes. Stumbling into the doorframe and holding onto it for support, Soleil whipped around and made eye contact with a gaunt, scruffy looking man. He was scrambling to his feet, a Gucci purse looking very out of place in his grubby hands, when a shrill voice called out from behind him.
"Help!” The woman screeched, walking towards them as fast as she could in her stiletto heels. "Thief! He has my purse!”
That was all Soleil needed to hear. Her plans for an uneventful shopping trip took a backseat as she kicked off her work heels and began to sprint after the fleeing robber. Hiking up her pencil skirt to near indecent levels (and being insanely grateful for her practice of wearing spandex shorts), she pursued the criminal, gaining on him rapidly. But, no matter how hard she pushed herself, Soleil knew the man would reach the mall’s exit before her. Once he left the confines of the mall, her chances of catching him would be little to none; there were too many back alleys and stores for her to rifle through. For a moment, her hand flew to the pistol in her thigh holster, but a quick scan of her surroundings was enough to dissuade that idea. There were too many civilians, too many potential casualties, for her to even risk it. There would be even more pedestrians out on the streets. She had to stop him before he headed outside, or she wouldn’t be able to stop him at all.
Micaiah had been moving since the sun had first crested the bay, painting the skyscrapers of the innermost districts a rainbow of reds and golds and pinks and oranges. It was necessary for him to be able to afford the amenities required for his sister and himself to live a comfortable life – first there had been mail delivery in the fifth district and then he had traveled westward to handle the early crowd of a small, but popular, breakfast café in the fourth district.
By the time the sun was at an actually respectable height in the sky and the majority of Hyperion was beginning to stir from its slumber and escape into its daily escapades, he was already out the door with the week’s pay in his pocket. A quick jaunt to a nearby credit union had seen it deposited safely, because he was not one to carry sizeable checks on himself – not that a few hundred dollars was considered wealth in the nicest districts, but for a pair of teenagers who received significant financial aid from both the schools they attended and the government itself, that hard-earned money was worth as much as thousands of dollars to a bigshot in District One.
A sense of duty found him outside of his organization’s office afterwards, chewing on his bottom lip with a look of contrition. He knew it was stupid to come to the office when the organization’s leader was absent, and he hadn’t been assigned to patrol, but the chance of a free meal had forced him to take the train and now he stood before the office building, looking out of place and shabby in his work clothes; unlike so many of the people who passed him by, his garments had obviously seen numerous washings, carefully preserved and darned as necessary to stretch out one of the few good sets of clothing he owned.
With a sigh, he dropped his head, then immediately drew it back up. The train that would take him back to his home district wouldn’t be running for another few hours, and the bus would take even longer. So, he decided at last, the best course of action was surely to travel the short distance required to cross over into District Two and see if he could find a place that wouldn’t absolutely obliterate the few bills he carried in his wallet.
And so it was that he found himself approaching a mall sometime later, his stomach growling irritably at him, gnawing at his insides like some half-wild beast. I know, he wanted to grumble back at it. I’ll have food soon.
The lack of nutrition was beginning to make itself known to his body, his mood sharpening much as a whetstone honed a blade. A delicate throbbing pain had begun to bloom in the corner of his temple, directly above his left eye. His senses seemed to have expanded with the desperate need for food, and so as he approached the double set of doors that would lead inside, he flinched as a woman’s shrill shriek rung out from his destination. “Help! Thief! He has my purse!”
“Really,” he spat out, drawing surprised looks from the people that surrounded him before they quickly scuttled away, having no interest in what was transpiring inside the mall.
He was already beginning to push through the doors, his hands clawed like a tiger’s claws when he caught sight of the obvious robber – gaunt, dressed in ratty clothes, and perhaps most important of all, with Soleil – Micaiah’s boss – in pursuit.
Maybe she’ll buy me a meal, was the brief thought he had before he threw his body forward, intent on slamming into the would-be thief and knocking him to the ground. It was a clumsy sort of move, unprofessional and sure to hurt, but he wasn’t professionally trained like Soleil, and the tiger’s power was a distant fantasy in the bright light of day.
didn't know if i could control the thief or not so here ya go lmao
[attr="class","soleiltext"]Just as she was about to lose hope, the split-second intervention was all she needed. Soleil had recognized Micaiah in a heartbeat; she had screened all members of Aegis closely enough that she could put a name to every face, not to mention the teen’s petulance had landed him in quite a bit of trouble his first few days of training. It was surprising to see him here, especially considering his family situation, but Soleil wasn’t about to look a gift horse in the mouth. As he rammed into the robber, throwing the man off balance, she tackled him from behind. Grabbing the criminal’s arm, she used her body weight to slam him into the ground. Following him down, she twisted his arm behind his back until she heard a screech of pain, keeping her knee directly between his shoulder blades to keep the squirming man pinned on the floor. Panting, she unclasped her thigh holster with ease and withdrew her pistol. In the blink of an eye, the weapon was cocked and pressed securely against the man’s skull.
“Resist and I will shoot,” Soleil stated, voice frigid and without any hint of hesitation. Though she knew it would be overkill to end a man’s life for petty theft, it was about more than just him or her now. Aegis needed a perfect track record. It was too young, too fragile, to be allowed any signs of weakness. There was no safety blanket yet. Their history was not long enough for that. Every action now was a testament to their prowess, to their capabilities, and there was no room for doubt. Having a strong leader was what Aegis needed right now, so a strong leader Soleil would be. Sensing her seriousness, the robber froze, a terrified shiver running down his spine.
“P-Please, I’ll re-return the purse-“
“Shut up.”
“M-My arm, please, it hurts.”
“Shut. Up.” She pressed the barrel of her gun into his skin. He didn’t try to argue.
Soleil didn’t ease back on the robber until the mall’s security guards reached them shortly before the rest of the crowd. Tall and burly, they happily relieved her of her burden, dragging the disheveled man up between them and off to get him processed at the station. The victim hobbled up in her high heels and reclaimed her purse, honeyed words of praise falling easily from her scarlet lips. Dragging her mouth up into a practiced, kindly smile, Soleil insisted that it was no problem as she replaced her gun and pulled her skirt back down to decent levels. There was no need for a reward, she was just doing her job. What is that job? Well, of course. Slipping swiftly into a short speech about Aegis and its mission, Soleil sold it like she would any business plan, ending to a short round of applause and quite a few promises of support.
“Thank you, thank you,” she said, shaking hands with some of the more amazed people in the audience as everyone slowly dispersed, returning to their own jobs. After finally seeing the last person off, she sighed, sliding on the heels that one of the other shoppers had returned to her, and turned to the one person she had yet to speak a word to. “And thank you,” she mentioned, nodding at Micaiah appreciatively. “If it hadn’t been for you, it’s likely that he would have gotten away.”
With the adrenaline from the pursuit fading away, Soleil found her attention reclaimed by her original goal. No matter how many thefts she thwarted, she still needed a dress. But, she could no longer bring herself to return to the crowds in the center of the mall. There was too much energy buzzing about, too many rumors flying through the air. She knew that, after her stunt, people would be pointing fingers at her everywhere she went. That wasn’t something she wanted to deal with today, especially not when she had to deal with another activity she wasn’t fond of. The gala wasn’t for another two weeks. She could always come back on another day. Besides, she glanced back at Micaiah, in the time she had known him, the boy was never not hungry. He deserved a reward.
“Are you in a rush? If not, would you like to get some coffee?”
The impact of two bodies colliding shook a gasp free of Micaiah’s mouth, his body twisting as he struggled unsuccessfully to remain on his feet. He hung in the air, his eyes catching a flash of silver, and then he dropped, landing on his ass – the hard landing sent a jolt through his body, his teeth clacking together painfully on impact.
For a few moments he sat there, focused on his body – and then a sharp shriek, the sound of a captured animal, drew his eyes away from inspection, a sliver of gold bleeding into existence around his pupils. He looked up to see Soleil pinning the man down, the man’s mouth open in pain. The sight brought the rest of the world back into focus, and he was suddenly aware of the crowd they were gathering, of the soft murmurs that rippled through the gathered spectators much as waves on a disturbed puddle. It was enough to force the pain away, and he scrambled to his feet, readjusting his clothes.
And then he paused, his pupils dilating, as a sudden movement caught his attention. He bit back a hiss as Soleil brandished her weapon, the muzzle brushing against the man’s skull. As she spoke to the captured man in short, tense sentences, Micaiah was suddenly aware of the gauntness that turned the man’s features sharp, the clothing that hung off his frame, the obvious desperation that edged his eyes white. It was suddenly too easy to see himself in the man’s place, and his gaze flickered up, taking in the power that draped Soleil like a king’s mantle.
He stepped away as the security guards came to apprehend the man, allowing Soleil to take center stage. Though a few pictures were snapped of him, most of the attention was focused on his boss – he was glad for it; he had no interest in this glamorous pageantry, in these blue-blooded citizens that stank of green. Sometimes it was easy to forget that Aegis’ influence was contained to the first district and that people like his sister and himself were still out of reach, still vulnerable – but today wasn’t one of those days, and the few pictures that featured him revealed a boy with a pensive look, his violet eyes dark and distant.
It was only when the audience began to disperse that he re-engaged with his surroundings, his fingers reaching up to comb the longest lock of his bangs back in a nervous habit he had never quite managed to break. His eyes roved the people that still stood nearby and then he jerked his head back at Soleil in a clumsy mirror of her acknowledgement. Her appreciation drew a flustered scowl onto his lips, the hand that had been brushing back his hair dropping down to instead dig into the fabric of his shirt’s sleeve.
“Just doing my job, ma’am.”
Soleil’s wandering eyes drew his own gaze away from her, refocusing on the small clumps of people that still surrounded them. He took a half-step closer to her side, his hand dropping down to his side as he straightened to his full height – which was still a few inches shorter than her, but it was the posture he was after, the united front they presented. He took in the lingering spectators in a glance, drawing the same conclusion she reached, though she was the first to voice it.
“No rush, actually. I came here to find some food but,” and here he blanched, his distaste coloring his words, “this place is a bit too rich for my blood. Coffee would be nice.” And he fixed her with that frank, unapologetic look that was standard for him, his self-confidence reasserting itself.
i lost the original post and had to rewrite it grosssss
[attr="class","soleiltext"] “Just doing my job, ma’am.”
Short and blunt, just the answer Soleil had expected from her subordinate. Had he been speaking to any other officer, his sullen demeanor would have certainly raised a few pointed questions. But, Soleil had never been one for flowery formalities. She adopted enough to get by in the corporate world and to satisfy her uptight parents. Beyond that, however, she was much more rugged than she appeared. It would be easier for everyone to state exactly how they feel rather than beat around the bush, and, though his guarded mentality made the boy difficult to approach at times, she admired his honesty. Even though Soleil suspected that Micaiah had more he wanted to say, going by his jaded expression, she chose not to push it. He was a valuable member of Aegis, and, like any member, she trusted him with her life. Allowing herself a bemused smile at his agitated reaction to her compliment, replied, “Well, if it’s food you’re after, I know just the place. Let’s go.”
Taking the lead, she walked through the mall’s doors — thin glass panes sliding open automatically when they sensed her approach — and headed to the curb where she scanned the crowded streets. Narrowing her eyes momentarily, she shot her hand up when she caught sight of her target. A bright yellow taxi was cruising leisurely down the street, and, as the driver caught sight of her, stopped nearby. Parking the car, the man hurried out of his seat to open the door for her, eying the expensive make of her business suit carefully, and hesitantly asked her for her destination. Motioning for Micaiah to enter before her, Soleil crisply named off one of her favorite cafes. The location was on the other side of the city. Had it been any closer, Soleil wouldn’t have been adverse to walking there, if only to be scrupulous with her money. But, it was just a little too far for comfort in her heels, and she figured that Micaiah would’ve preferred to eat as soon as possible. Confirming the destination with the driver one last time before he returned to the front of the car, Soleil slid in beside her subordinate and closed the door behind her. Casually buckling herself in, she rolled down the window slightly to help filter out the harsh scent of freshly cleaned leather seats and glanced over at Micaiah, noting how the stubborn boy was very much back in his own element. It seemed that her commendation hadn’t unsettled him too terribly.
“How is your sister doing?” She asked, partially to end the silence that hung between them, and partially out of genuine interest. The siblings had lived difficult lives, with the consequences of the war a constant weight on their backs as opposed to the faint memory it had become to others. And, while Soleil wouldn’t mention anything directly — in order to avoid playing favorites as well as avoid potentially injuring Micaiah’s pride — if the boy mentioned any hardships she wouldn’t hesitate to try and help solve them.
Created by Graves, Finley, and Dimas with thanks to PHAROAH LEAP of WICKED WONDERLAND for various codes! Mini profile code by TIMELAPSE OF WICKED WONDERLAND. Shoutbox remodel code by Alisha of Adoxography 2.0. Any and all content is copyrighted to STAR★SIGNS. Copying, altering, or stealing any of the site's content is prohibited. All of STAR★SIGNS characters are the original work of their owners may not be replicated or stolen. All images and graphics belong to their rightful owners and STAR★SIGNS does not claim to own any of them.
