Owner	Pose
Graydon Creed	One would never expect a U.S. Senator to be in the kind of bar that construction and dock workers frequent which is exactly why he's in this seedy, low class dive. Sometimes a man needs to get away from his life. He's not wearing his fancy thousand dollar suits for a change, instead he's wearing a simple pair of jeans that are snug on his sculpted, athletic body and a red flannel shirt. The hints of his silver, bullet resistant body sleeve can be seen under the clothing but for the most part he looks like any other patron sitting at the bar drinking his cares away. Any other patron wearing clothing and boots that look like they've never seen a day's work in their life. Even when he tries to blend in he makes the mistake of looking like a model that stepped out of a clothing catalogue. Sitting at the bar drinking and staring at the rack of bottles under the mirror behind the bar he's facing the Senator looks... down. He's on his third beer but he's having no fun. He has no friends with him, no security. No one even knows where he is. He's a broken man not sure what his future holds sitting in the middle of life as it passes him by. People around him have fun, play darts, drink and laugh with their friends, but this guy, he's just a vortex of self-pity today.
Ares	it's a bar that has definitely seen better days, but it's local and the population tends to be the sort to glance towards and then away, letting people tend to their woes and worries as they will. In part, for him at least, that's what draws him there. John Aaron emerges through the door, holding it for a time for Bel to follow after him. He takes a moment to consider the room, the tender, the surroundings. A small grunt comes from him then he nods to the woman behind him.     A few more strides and the tall man enters, lifting a hand in wave to the bartender as he starts to move across the room. Graydon Creed chose his garb well, considering how well he fits in. In fact he's wearing almost exactly what the incognito Olympian has on, save that his overshirt of plaid is red and white, though it's open over a black t-shirt.     So he walks down the way, then pulls up a seat at the end, not quite the last at the bar, giving Bel the choice of the very last or the third to last should she so wish.     "Two coronas, lime."
Bel Canto	A much shorter woman follows in after John; she's dressed in a black men's suit jacket and pants, button up shirt, and pale gray tie, along with black dress shoes, and black gloves. She is visibly not human - her entirely white skin and hair, pointed elfin ears and expressive magenta eyes give that away - so her formal clothing being out of place in this establishment could be forgiven. She notes the man that John is waving to, and nods in affirmation, before gingerly making her way up on the too tall barstool near him, third to last.
Graydon Creed	The Senator asks for something stronger, "This isn't cutting it. I'm having a shit day. Whiskey, best you got." he asks as the bartender mixes up the drinks for the others. Gray goes back to looking at his beer bottle. He swirls the dregs around at the bottom of the bottle and takes a deep breath. Looking at the alien in the mirror he gives a sneer and the urge to get up and beat the living crap out of her swells up inside him but that killer instinct that usually drives him is drowning in disappointment today so it flickers out before his anger can get the better of him and instead he just starts to peel the label off his beer bottle.
Ares	There's always a certain level of negative ambiance in such places, especially amongst the inebriated. Depressant and all. But usually it's suppressed. At least that's what John Aaron has found, but then his personal experience with people getting their drink on is a perhaps skewed experience. He looks over towards Graydon and gives the man a small nod of greeting, then takes up his own bottle and slice of lime, pushing one on towards Bel.     "Here, this helps it taste not entirely terrible." His lip quirks slightly towards Bel as he squeezes the lime into the beer then drops it down the neck of the bottle.
Bel Canto	This establishment goes a long way to demonstrating to Bel why she's here at all. This is a den of dischordant emotion and vibration, and there are many such all over the world. She feels resolved that her vision quest was correct. There is now only the problem of finding out how to bring this world into harmony. She raises an eyebrow at the drink, and accepts it, holding it in her hand. "Ah, some of your foodstuffs. I confess, I have been on this world for well over a month and I have yet to ingest anything." Yes, she blends in very well, fellow not-alien human life forms. Humming quietly, she tests the material to see if it's safe to drink. The beer takes on a faint pinkish glow, as if someone dropped an LED into it. Satisfied with its resonance reaction, she goes quiet and the glow ends. She takes a drink.
Graydon Creed	As the hard drinker nods back to Ares the God of war probably gets a creepy vibe off of him. He is a bad, bad, man with enough anger inside him to start a world war. There is genocide in his heart, frustration, and fury. Creed's hand trembles making the ice cause soft tinkling sounds as he lifts the glass and brings it to his lips. Not out of drunkenness but out of his inner emotional conflict. He wants to just start murdering people until everyone will listen to him. The world is going to end, he could stop it if they would just listen to him but no one listens to him... no one ever listens to him... he has that thought that a lot of good men have just before they do horrible things... In a time of unreasonable men, maybe violence is the only answer?
Ares	It is a flavor to the senses that no one else has supped, that tinge of the genocidal, the tang of a dictator. It's an experience that John knows and knows alone. So his eyes are on Graydon's reflection in the bar mirror, contemplative, considering. He takes a sip of his drink, then seems drawn back to the here and now by Bel's light words and gentle tone. A glance to the side is given to her and he murmurs, "My apologies for making this your first taste of humanity's cuisine." At that his smirk flickers to life a moment, then he looks back.     And his voice lifts, that deep baritone as he addresses Graydon with a casual tone to his words, but the pattern in them is strong... almost ritualistic in some ways.     "Dark thoughts brood ill on a grim man's brow." He awaits perhaps a glimmer of recognition from the other drinker, then he adds. "What weighs so heavy on your mind, friend?" The tall man tilts his head to the side curiously.
Graydon Creed	Maybe, just maybe he doesn't need to set the world on fire. Maybe there is hope... but.. Hope without the power to change things is futility. Creed was about to take that first step down the road to self-destruction when Ares speaks up. Someone showing human concern for another person? That's novel these days, "Honestly, if I tried to explain it you would think I'm crazy." Creed says then looks down at his drink wondering if he is, wondering if he should just leave it alone. "One man can't change the tide of history. It's pointless to try." he says as the war within him swings from rage at the injustice of it all to depression.
Ares	There's a small glance to the side at the alien drinking a Corona and lime next to him, and then John Aaron looks back towards Creed and quirks an eyebrow, as if asking the man silently, 'Really? Would I really find it insane?' But his lip curves slightly and he lifts his chin, "I'd disagree, there have been several examples of some doing such."     The bottle is tilted back, a few swallows of beer taken then the glass comes down with a faint clink. He looks away from Graydon's reflection to the man himself, considering the man. "For good and ill it's happened. Alexander, Marius, Sulla, Caesar." A small gesture to the side, "Perhaps inventors of certain key devices as well. Leaders politicians, what have you?" He gives a small shrug, "Though the tide of history is difficult resist. But not entirely impossible."
Graydon Creed	Ok, Ares talks him into it. He'll tell the crazy story. Standing up and walking over to where the alien and the construction worker are sitting at the end of the bar, Creed joins them, "Well, if you're going to listen to me ramble on about my crazy ideas, at least let me cover your drinks." he says then motions to the bartender, "Put these two on my tab." he says then he looks back at Ares, "But I warn you, it's going to sound like I'm off my rocker. I have proof of course, not that anyone ever reads it or listens to me." the man grouces as he gets comfortable, "First I gotta say if you are a mutant. I want to apologize but this theory is about mutants." he explains, "It's not anything against you as a person but mutants as a species are being manipulated to end humanity and I have proof." he says taking out his phone and pulling up some files on it. "Proof that no one will listen too of course because even the evidence seems so far fetched as to be impossible." he offers the device to Ares. It's got a directory of files with one file pulled up. It's a timeline with a graph showing the rise and fall of the mutant population throughout history. Most of the time the population is very low but there are historic spikes. Ares of all people might recognize the times, they were just before the biggest wars. The spikes are precursors to the largest conflicts in human history. The larger the conflict, the larger the population spike proceeding it and right now, the population spike is easily ten times larger than it's ever been. "So let me tell you a story, about the secret history of the world and how it's going to end." Creed starts.
Ares	For his part, John has no qualms about reading it, considering the data. He gives a small nod and if allowed will thumb through some of the displays. He leans to the side considering each moment of time, perhaps offering a small 'hmm' of sound as he considers then he looks up towards Graydon.     "I could see this, and I would argue that it may perhaps not just be mutants, but exceptional individuals. For strong personalities of exceptional people do tend to draw supporters, to advance their cause." He hmms and looks back down, "Would make sense that such individuals would spur conflict."     But then he leans back, "Though the premise might be flawed. For the world would likely continue, just perhaps not in any recognizable form that we are familiar with."
Graydon Creed	The man at the bar really does sound a little crazy because of the vastness of the story but again, Ares was there to see it himself so he knows it's true, it's just so few people have ever put it together. "Oh, it will continue. It just won't belong to us any more. You see, we have found genetic evidence of tampering with human DNA. The thing commonly called the X-Gene that makes mutants into mutants. It's not a naturally occurring gene. Someone, a very, very long time ago, spliced it into humanity. Someone who has returned throughout human history to mess with it." and in the files there are case studies, samples, documents, showing mutants and metahumans throughout history. Someone has put a lot of trouble into examining DNA from samples as far back as the precursors to humans, it's been a multi-billion dollar project. "The evidence clearly shows a race of aliens tampered with humanities genes. They created Mutants for a purpose, as weapons." he says. "But it wasn't just one species tampering with us. There is a chart in there called Met-1 showing a similar timeline of the Meta-human gene. This is a different kind of mutation. Where are mutants gain very specific powers in narrow power sets, metas are more general purpose. They'll get invulnerability, flight, and a sonic blast for example whereas a mutant will just get the power to create fire and control it. Mutants are specific tools for specific jobs whereas metas are general purpose. This shows us interference from two separate alien species with two very different tactics in war and methods of genetic manipulation."
Ares	A nod is given as John doesn't seem disinclined to consider the man's words, curiously accepting of it all as if in part he's... not truly part of that equation. He looks sidelong at the other man and murmurs, "That could well be possible, but hm." He leans to the side and lifts a hand as if to stay the man's thoughts for a moment. "It would bring the question to mind as to the why, and even if so this has been done, should it be something to fight. For there are any number of scenarios where a weaponized species of man would be considered a benefit not only for external manipulation but for humanity's betterment as a whole."     He looks back at the display, then back up to Graydon, "Though I have also considered in the past that humanity as a whole has been given life to become a weapon of sorts. An overriding purpose that mutation and the like is a positive movement in that direction."
Graydon Creed	Creed is right about the tampering but wrong about the number of species doing it. The Kree, the Skrull, the Celestials, the Timeless Ones, even good old Mr. Sinister have been messing with the gene pool. But it's easy to see why he would think it was just two large groups rather than lots of smaller groups. It is a lot of tampering spread over all of history. It lends itself to conspiracy. "I agree, humanity was given life to be a weapon. The evidence is pretty clear about that. The question should be, are we willing to be that weapon? Should we give them what they want? Should we be the tools of these other species? They are just waiting for the human population to become useful enough to harvest then they will return to enslave us. Is it not in the best interest of our species to deny that to them? So seek our own destiny and purpose? Should we not fight for our humanity?" and he really wants to know because the people in power just seem to want to let it happen. No one believes what he is saying could be possible in spite of all the evidence. It's just too big.
Ares	The counter to that, as is rather pointedly a God of War's opinion is for John to reply, "Power is power." He cocks an eyebrow, "Would be an ideal scenario to seize it and then rebel if matters go against the wishes of humanity as a whole." He leans to the side and takes another sip of his beer, eyes distancing as he considers the matter, then looking back. "Empowered and of use would grant a better scenario to operate from, than crippled and oppressed in early rebellion."
Graydon Creed	Smiling and raising his drink in salute the conspiracy theorist says, "And therein is the real problem. Not only will the people in power not help me cure the tampering because it's too problematic for them, they won't stand up to the aliens we have now and demand that they share their technology with us. If we could get our hands on their technology, we could build an armada, we could have soldiers with all the power of super-man in ironman style armor, we could even build an army of self-replicating war machines to send to their home world once we locate it and wipe out their species. Technology has always been our greatest strength but we are far behind many species and those we have living among us are choosing not to share." he says with a frustrated sigh. "So we are doomed to slavery by the unwillingness of cowards to act. One way or the other."
Ares	"Mmm," John doesn't agree and it's clear on his features. "A leap in technology would signal war most likely, if not with those external, then those internal. It would most likely spur matters to an end game that humanity would not find itself at an advantage."     But he gives a small shrug as he takes a small sip of his beer, but then approaches the matter of Graydon Creed himself, as opposed to the possible political implications of mankind and alien relations. "Yet you somehow seem to feel compelled to take such matters on your shoulders."
Graydon Creed	Taking a sip of his drink Creed says, "Someone has to. Someone has to be the one to make the hard choices. Someone has to be the monster who drives the chattel forward. Monster is in my blood." he says as he looks down at his drink setting it on the bar again, "I'm just trying to do the right thing with it. Sometimes society just seems so broken I want to just wash it all away and start over. We are weak. We can't afford to be weak. But is it any more just for me to force them into a future of iron and blood to prevent a future of being forced into being a weapon for aliens? Can you justify cruelty to prevent cruelty? I just don't know and if I look for that answer, I'm not sure I'll like the person I'll have to become."
Ares	"Don't you think that that is perhaps... arrogance?" John lifts a hand to the side of his neck, gaze thoughtful as he rubs at the taut muscle there, then scritches a fingertip along the line of his jaw. He looks towards Graydon and uncurls a hand as if offering an idea, "You are ready to embrace these ideas that there are various factions seeking the downfall or enslavement of humanity."     His eyebrows lift, "Would it be too far to imagine that there are already beings and established individuals seeking to act in protection of it as well. Beings and factions that are in essence of humanity who live or die with its rise and fall." He takes another sip of his drink, "What I'm saying is, chances are... you're not alone. Nor need you shoulder such a burden entirely as your own debt to existence."
Graydon Creed	That makes Creed angry, "Who do you suggest I trust to fix it? The cowards in Washington? The Justice League who would rather let people starve to death and children die of thirst every day than share even the most basic of technologies? How can I trust any of them with this? They can't see beyond their next election cycle and let's face it, if the Justice League really cared about stopping crime they could do it in a year. If they give us clean energy tech, share molecular replicator technology, and transporter technology to allow us to move food across the globe, we could eliminate poverty, hunger and war in five years." Scoffing Creed says, "The Justice League doesn't want to -help- us. They want to drag out the conflict for their own glory. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if Superman was an advanced scout for Krypton who was behind the tampering the whole time. He first came to earth saying he was the only one left from his world. Now there's a super-boy, a super-woman, a super-girl, and God only knows how many out there in hiding. His story doesn't hold up. He and his people don't help us, they just like provoking people to escalate violence." Creed says then huffs, "They are wolves in sheeps clothing and no one sees it. "
Ares	"Just because you do not know of them, or may not trust them, does not make it so." He lifts his chin and tilts his head to the side, "I think, if you wish to be entirely serious about this, you should establish intelligence assets as well as exploratory assets. Gain intelligence on the true nature of things, find out what players are there on the board, and then after you have a clear picture, only then should you move."     He scritches his chin again thoughtfully, "Though you had perhaps best establish some form of organization. For assuredly this is a matter that would need to endure beyond the life time of one man."
Bel Canto	Quietly, Bel Canto has been listening to the discussion. She has not yet bothered to taste the drink. What is being said before her is of far greater importance. Gratitude rises up within her chest. The goddess has put her where she needs to be, when she needs to be. It was no mistake to come here. It was no mistake for the future king to hear the struggle in these men's words. "I see now that I was right to come here, to cross half of what is called the Milky Way, to set foot on this small, light world. The vision was true. I am needed here." She looks to Graydon. "I am no 'mutant'. My species has no such concept. I am Bel Canto of the House of High C, heir to the throne of Harmonia. I am honored to make you acquaintance."
Graydon Creed	Looking over at the alien Creed responds like he would to any dignitary, "An honor to meet you. Welcome to earth. Live with peace." but then Creed lowers his voice and says to Ares, "Oh, I have the infrastructure. Trust me. Most of the research on that device is from my people. I'm the only one asking these questions. No one wants to know the truth. I've been inside the government. They want to just stick their heads in the sand and pretend everything is just going to work out. It's not." he says then he looks down at the bar again looking beyond the surface of the wood into what he imagines is the future "I can see how it's going to unfold. War with mutants." he says."Magneto will start it. Nuclear weapons. The human species will be reduced to thirty percent but only because the brave superheroes save some of us for breeding chattle. The experimentation will continue but this time more directly. They'll call it a matter of survival in the wasteland of earth. It will be necessary." he explains. "A mutant will kill Magneto and rise to take his place. Then the real nightmare will begin as the super-human war wages for generation after generation, meta against mutant with the aliens playing both sides creating ever stronger and stronger weapons. Humanity's destiny ends as pawns not as the kings and queens of our own fate."
Ares	"Hm," John looks sidelong towards Graydon and says simply, "I think you're operating from an egocentric position." He takes the last sip of his beer and then pushes the empty to the tender, signalling for another as he gives a nod of thanks once it's brought back to him. Another small slice of lime is also set that he rather promptly makes use of. "So any decision you make stemming from it is inherently flawed."     That having been said he seems to figure that's enough and nods towards the television that is alternately displaying the baseball game... and Keno. "Let us change the topic to sports." And as if that was it... at least for him it is. He's passed judgement.
Bel Canto	"I already live with peace. I am here because your kind cannot," Bel states earnestly. Of course she heard all that; her entire body is honed to sound, but she understand that this man believes he's speaking a great hidden mystery, one that may be considered traitorous. It is a risk that he takes, and she can comprehend it. She herself took such a risk, defying the present king and the mastersinger priests that maintain the order of her homeworld. "It is good that I have met you. I have been looking for you and others like you. Because your world has no center of government, I have had much difficulty in speaking with the leadership of the planet. As such, I must speak to every being of influence that makes this world their home. You are such a person."
Graydon Creed	Creed takes out his wallet and slips out a couple of hundred dollars folding them over and putting them under his empty drink then sliding them to the bartender before looking back at the two of them. "I don't know if I am any more or not. There may just be no place in the grand scheme of things for someone who is only a human." he says as he slides his wallet back into his pants and slips off his barstool to leave.
Ares	Looking back towards Bel, John tells her quietly with a small smile. "I am afraid you may not get what you need out of him at this moment, Bel." But he does look after the man departing, giving a nod and a small wave, "Much obliged, sir." For it was a kindness at the least. "I do hope you reach a place of ease for yourself."     But that having been said he turns back towards Bel and nods, "Have some more beer."
Bel Canto	She frowns a little. Humans are such a flighty, passionate species. How to help them is going to be a puzzle for the ages. Sitting turning back to the beer, she finally takes a drink, and pauses after one sip, staring at the bottle. "... Flavored sea water?" she asks.
Ares	A small smile then he gestures with a nod of his head towards it, clinking his own bottle against hers as he murmurs, "Just drink it, if nothing else it's a sign of camaraderie." But with that having been said he shifts his gaze towards the doorway that had so recently contained the form of Graydon Creed.     Intriguing individual, but still so terribly mortal.
Graydon Creed	Graydon Creed flops on to a futon. "Emma doesn't watch porn. She is."
Graydon Creed	Graydon Creed falls off his couch laughing, "This is both amazing and hillarious. An A.I. figured out how to run on it's own." https://youtu.be/gn4nRCC9TwQ
Graydon Creed	Graydon Creed says, "The humanoid figure fist pumping while it runs is freaking beautiful."
Graydon Creed	Graydon Creed says, "I don't Icly know of the existance of Sinister. If I did I'd be going too him right now to get super-powers so I can save the world my damn self."
Graydon Creed	Graydon Creed says, "Though, I am thinking of retiring. It just isn't working out well ICly. There's just no room for hate groups any more."
Ares	Ares says, "Did you make the deep fried mac and cheese? that was nummy."
Graydon Creed	Graydon Creed says, "I saw a magical creature in a comic book that I kind of want to app just so I can save it in my head canon. It was just sooo sad and no one ever did anything to help it."
Graydon Creed	Graydon Creed says, "There was a race of intelligent unicorns that the light elves used as mounts during the light vs dark elf war. They were thought to be extinct but Thor found one by acident, then just.. kinda left it there, almost dead, to hunt the Godkiller. http://i.imgur.com/GI8eahg.png"
Graydon Creed	Graydon Creed says, "It just looked soooo needy. I wanted him to stop and save it. Who cares if other Gods die. Save the last unicorn!!!"
Graydon Creed	Graydon Creed says, "I kind of want to re-write history and have someone from Asguard come back and save it then send it to earth for safe keeping."
Graydon Creed	Graydon Creed says, "Could I app a character who is a homeless war vet with PTSD that is secretly a unicorn? He could stand on the corner holding up a sign written in elvish on cardboard saying, "They come when you sleep." and eat grass in the park even though he looks human."
Graydon Creed	Graydon Creed says, "Just some crazy homeless guy down on all fours eating grass."
Graydon Creed	Graydon Creed says, "You'll be happy to know I made an OC last night specifically to be a pain in your ass Harry. Well, ok, not specifically but you usually end up collecting all the strays so he'll most likely end up being a pain in your ass."