Back home, new developments [Company Members,][NR]

Edge City. The smell of smog and car exhaust fumes. The seemingly endless jungle of buildings and city streets. Alec was raised here and once the boss of this metropolis.

The occupants of the RVs all stared in fascination, but Alec was all too familiar with the city his father built with his bare hands. The familiar silhouette of Darkman Tower was in the distance, as it was easily able to be seen from anywhere in the city. It had to be what most of the survivors were staring at.

After quickly situating all of the survivors with housing and apartments, Alec promised that he would help them all get jobs. If he couldn't, he'd ask Jr to hire them on as Company members. All of the survivors spent at least a half hour thanking Alec, Amaranth and Vigilante for rescuing them from that nightmare. Alec only grinned and said that it was no problem. In the end, he engaged his wings and blasted off, accelerating into the horizon to leave behind a crowd of amazed onlookers.

Alec opened the window and stepped into the office to take off his dufflebag and slide it next to the desk. He stretched, giving off the sounds of joints popping.

"Suuup! So did you miss me?"

Niala hadn't really bothered to leave the office for much at all since Alec, Vigilante, and Amaranth had disappeared off to that zombie infested city. Instead, she had kept her eyes glued to the screen and had kept the updates rolling to anyone not doing the same. She had noticed small things that she hadn't bothered to mention much of, including how there was at least one person not with them - the guy who had been saved by the smart zombie that was now coming to Edge City with them.

However, she was sure, seeing that Alec, V, and Amaranth along with all of the people they saved arrived safely in edge, that she would get answers soon enough. So, she turned her chair with an amused expression as Alec came through the window, figuring that the other two were likely going to follow. "That... was certainly something else to watch...", was what Niala settled on saying before going quiet. She was sure everyone else was likely going to have something to say about all of this.

Cala had torn her time between watching the video feeds of what was going on, and helping Devon with some new invention that she was working on; Cala wasn't completely technology savvy but she was a good person to throw ideas off and could bounce back honest opinions that she hoped had helped her sister.

She had been updated by Niala moments ago that they were all nearing the bridge and so she had come upstairs in time to witness a battle between Alec and the most ugliest thing she had ever seen. Then she had watched as the three of them, and everyone else had made it across the bridge and back to Edge. She had kept herself in the office, curious as to what all had happened, plus she wanted to see that everyone was okay with her own eyes. She still didn't know where things would stand between her and V after everything that had happened, but she still cared and wanted to know him and everyone else was okay.

So, she remained where she had been when watching the video feeds, which was sprawled on one of the couches. "Welcome back."

"DADDY! YOU'RE HOME!", Artemis exclaimed excitedly before she dived across the room and straight at her father, arms wide as she expected to be caught and hugged as soon as possible, and a huge grin on her face as her halo seemed to light up and glow brighter in her excitement.

"I do believe at last count you owe her three hundred and eighty six hugs, or so she figures.", Avery spoke up from her place across the room where her and Artemis had been seated on a couch together playing the card game Go Fish before Artemis had decided to tackle hug her father in her excitement to see him home.

Avery and everyone had kept Artemis as happy as possible; she knew her father had been off helping people but hadn't been allowed to know the full extent of the danger - she didn't need to worry about such things at her young age. Avery herself had gone through many different moods; fear of Alec and everyone else being harmed, then anger for Alec putting himself in that sort of dangerous position, and then finally resolve: this was just the sort of life he led, the sort of person he was, she had learned that when he had 'kidnapped' her, killed people and cut them up, attacked Hokages, taken over a village with her, and started the Dark which was completely considered a criminal organization over in that other world. When that resolve had come her anger had disappeared, and her fear had changed to the worry anyone would have over a loved one. Alec and everyone else handled themselves well enough over there from what she had seen and watched, and weren't careless, and so she had simply started to sit back and wait for him to return while whiling away the time helping Artemis and hanging around.

Avery stood up and walked over to Alec at a slower pace then Artemis had moved and grinned before giving him a kiss and a hug.

Amaranth had just grinned, blushed, and waved off the thank-yous as quickly as possible. She followed her grandfather's lead and blasted off too towards the tower. It felt awkward to her to have all of these powers, but she wasn't going to think about it yet. She just simply wanted to check in with everyone else really quick before heading home - that was if her father and mother weren't in Darkman Tower waiting as it was.

She entered in through the window after her grandfather and gave everyone a quick wave before ensuring she was out of the way of the tackle-hugging child as Artemis launched herself towards Alec for hugs. Amaranth remained quiet and out of the way for the moment.

"Alec! it's so nice to see you made it back! I'm glad to see you!" Hi No Seishin said this while grinning widely at Alec while appearing to be blushing.

Jr was aleep in the leather recliner. Leaned back, he silently snored in the leathery comfort. Someone spoke in the office, stirring him out of his slumber. He'd only planned on resting his eyes for a few moments but it seemed after staying up several days that he wasn't able to resist sleeping any longer.

The nap he got was nice. Through blurred eyes he thought he saw his father standing next to him. Jr was sure he was dreaming, but he was still there when he awoke further and rubbed his eyes. "You... You made it back then, huh?"

But then the anger set in, and the frown appeared on his young face. "Just what were you thinking, huh? Why would you go and do something so stupid?? You really think i'm ready to take over where you left off while you go wander around like grand dad? I swear, sometimes you two act even younger than I am! I thought I was supposed to be the one out there doing stupid shit!"

Big V got thanked by the survivors after Alec put them all up in housing. He didn't really mind, even though he barely did anything. it was another fun adventure, and the first with his former boss Alec. It seemed like the guy lived up to all of the rumors. V hoped there'd be more adventures like this somewhere in the future. He was still pretty mad about not being able to use his new "Super Mode," but hanging around the Kanes would probably bring about an opportunity to do so.

Alec blasted off, and V did next. V wasn't even half as fast as that angel, ore even his grand daughter, but she still got back to Darkman Tower quite fast, entering the office through the window sometime after Alec and Amaranth did. V slid to a stop on the floor.

Most of Alec's family was in the room. Cala was in the room too. V didn't know what to say. While Jr was pretty angry like a worried son would be, who had to be Alec's new daughter did a flying tackle hug at him, and the gorgeous chick who had to be Alec's new woman came to hug and kiss him next, The Vigilante remained silent.

"Hey, hey, hey. Wandering around doing stupid shit? Is that any way to be speaking about your dear old grandpa?"

A deep voice could be heard as the door to the office opened. In walked a tall man of 7 feet dressed in black, donning a black trench coat. He was so tall that even Alec - who was pretty tall himself - had to look up at him. He would honestly looked like some sort of mercenary to those who'd never seen him before. Covering his eyes were a pair of sunglasses that, rumor had it, he'd never taken off.

"I was pretty sure there'd be a family reunion today, glad I didn't miss it," said Darkman. He looked around the room at the many occupants before glancing down at Alec while adjusting his trademark sunglasses. "Found yourself in another crazy adventure, did you? And right after you just get back from the ninja dimension. Pacific City, huh?... Happen to run into Randall again? How's that eye?"

Alec looked confused at the flaming woman who was smiling and blushing at him. He was confused mostly because she knew his name, yet he had no idea who she was.

"Who are yo---GAAH!"

He was tackled and knocked onto his ass by Artemis. It honestly hurt more than any damage inflicted upon him by Randall, but these pains he could deal with. On the floor he noticed that Artemis had wings and a halo, and also her hair was longer, but she hadn't grown any. he was quickly able to conclude that perhaps Jr had done one of his time tricks to..."Jumpstart" his sister, so to speak. He didn't mind.

"386, huh? Looks like I have a job ahead of me, then..."

Alec was back up on his feet to receive the hug and kiss from Avery. he would too hug the beauty, missing the feel of his arms around her waist, the smell of her in his nostrils. Then came the complaints from Jr, who still seemed to be mad.

"You know, I coulda died over there, but the important thing is i'm back now. So relax, will you? You make it sound like I went over there myself, I don't know how I ended up over there. Chill out, yeah?"

Then in walked his father. The last time he'd seen his father was when he first got back from the ninja world. He wondered what he'd been up to since then; possibly wandering between bars and strip clubs like usual.

"Nice. Just the man I was looking for. I got a favor I need to ask from you..."

Niala leaned back comfortably in her desk chair as she watched Alec get tackled on his ass by little Artemis and Amaranth and Vigilante arrive as well. Niala couldn't help but grin: Artemis had indeed been increasing the count for hugs needed over the smallest of things, and it had been very adorable to watch. Niala kept quiet as she watched Junior wake up, realize his father was back, and his anger over what he'd done kick in.

Then her focus shifted to the door as another individual arrived: a man wearing sunglasses who, after the comment he made, she quickly realized was Darkman himself. She had never officially met the man, despite how many years she'd been working in the Company, and had simply shrugged off his absence as what everyone liked to tell her: he liked to travel and wander around, but that he was always watching when somewhere in the background.

Niala shifted in her chair into a more comfortable position, imagining up another one of her favorite frozen hot chocolates which she began to sip at slowly - not wanting to face the wicked brain freeze that happened when she went over-board. Absently she adjusted the fingerless gloves that kept her hands covered, and which kept her ability to relive the past present and future of everyone she touched at bay.

While normally someone being knocked on their ass by someone several times smaller than them would have been funny to the Malkavian, she found herself unamused at the moment as she glanced over to Vigilante. He hadn't spoken when he arrived, and she felt that that perhaps could partially be because of her presence. She knew that Alec and V hadn't been here when Junior had pulled her out of that pocket between dimensions she had been trapped between, and she felt she had a lot of explaining to do but this wasn't the place.

So, she remained where she was, sprawled out on the couch and simply went to staring at the ceiling, though her miss-matched gaze did dart towards the door as Darkman entered, taking in his appearance in complete curiosity.

Artemis hugged her father tightly, giggling softly because she had knocked him over. She was still getting used to her strength, though she was more than comfortable with her speed now. "I'll bump a couple off 'cause I made you fall down.", she said with another giggle before her focus suddenly shifted to the door. In walked a man taller than her father, who after a few moments of thinking over Junior's words and Darkman's response, she realized was her grandfather.

With her thumb in her mouth she wandered over to him slowly, and stood about three feet away, looking up at him curiously.

Avery glanced over to her daughter, and giggled softly at her reaction: Artemis always responded in the most interesting ways to new people. Avery then turned her focus over to Alec, wondering what favor he wanted from his father.

Amaranth laughed softly at Artemis's reaction to Alec's sudden arrival home. She glanced over to Cala and Niala and Avery and gave them both a nod in greeting before looking over to Junior as his anger became apparent over Alec's disappearance over to Pacific City. She poked Junior as she walked past him and then leaned herself comfortably against a wall. Since her mother and father weren't here she figured they likely might be back home, and planned on heading back there as soon as this little family reunion was over.

She watched as Darkman entered, head tilting to the side in curiousity, as she listened to Alec say he needed a favor from him.

.oO(Sorry for the short post, people arguing in the background)

"Why, it's me, Hi No Seishin! Don't I look gorgeous?" She took a pose and moved her dress somewhat.

It looked as if steam was coming off the top of his head. Jr decided not to argue, since he was right in just ending up over there somehow, and also because his grandfather came into the office. He sat back into the recliner and let out a sigh, letting the frown on his face disappear some. "...Fine. You're right, you're here. I just hope you don't go running off to find some other crazy adventure to get into just yet. Hi No took a human form since we're back home now, that's why you don't recognize her."

Jr sensed a little tension in the room. His red gaze went to Vigilante, then to Cala, who looked at him, then to the ceiling. The last he knew, the two of them were pretty close before they all went to the ninja world. So what was up with them now? It looked like Cala was ignoring him. It wasn't much his business, so he wasn't going to mettle, but it still made him wonder.

Jr looked at his grandfather. "Grandpa. Long time no see. Get tired of the seedy bars and strip clubs yet? You should start coming around more often."

"So this must be the infamous Darkman i've heard so much about, huh? The person this building is named after? I didn't expect him to be so big and scary looking..."

...Or maybe she was mad at him.

What did he do? The last he knew, he was faithful to her. He never cheated on her, she was all he needed. What had he done wrong? She looked at him, then she looked at the ceiling as if he wasn't even there. He tried so hard to think of what he'd done to upset her that he gave himself a migraine.

Then suddenly he didn't want to be there anymore. He started to feel like he didn't belong here. V just wanted to go home and hide in the basement for the next week or so. What was he thinking, was she really going to come running back into his arms so that they could ride off into the sunset and live happily ever after? That sorta shit never happened to him...

Vigilante turned towards the window and started walking. "I...have to go... I gotta check on the grand parents, among other things..."

He opened the window and jumped out, using his jets to blast away from the tower, picking up speed as he went.

[Thread Exit]

"Already asking for something so soon after you just got back? And you totally ignored what I asked you. I don't even get a hi, a hug, or anything anymore, just gimmie gimmie gimmie. You're still pretty rude, Alec."

There were some strange characters in his former office. The girl on the couch, she felt and smelled like a vampire. The guy with the funny costume and cape, who just left. The girl behind the desk with Jr, he didn't really know what she was, but she had to be something special if she could conjure up beverages out of thin air. A girl who looked to be on fire was next to Jr. A gorgeous blonde female was hugged up with Alec, and he thought that perhaps she was one of the people who'd come back from that other world with him.

"You wound me with your words, ma'am. I're really actually a sweetie when you get to know me..." Darkman said in response to Hi No Seishin, adjusting his sunglasses again while wiggling his eyebrows.

He looked down to see the small child. She didn't look afraid, which meant the blood of a Kane ran strong in her. Darkman grinned at his great grand child. "Hi!" he said in a silly tone. "You must be Artemis."

"Yeah... looking good there, Hi no..."

The phoenix spirit made herself a human form? Interesting... he was almost reminded of Sunny while looking at her...

Alec scratched the top of his head. Darkman had called him rude, and accused him of being selfish. He didn't really like being put down in front of the woman and child, but it was to be expected. As frustrating as it was, he had a point. Alec moved to his father, throwing an arm around the old man.

"Hi, dad... it's good to see you. it's been a while..."

Being made to look like a child after having once been the boss of this city, Alec's face was a flush of red.

"If you must know, yes, I did run into Randall in Pacific City, right before he injected himself with some glowing shit that turned him into some sorta super human. He did it all to get back at you, you know. But since I was there he had to settle for me. I offered him a way out, but he thought I was lying. If that formula of his was finished, and if I didn't have these eyes that I stole from ninja land, I think he would have had me..."

Thinking about the whole PC situation, and speaking of that other world of ninjas made Alec want to ask his father for this favor even more. He made adjustments on the protective bracers on both of his forearms.

What was this thing between Vigilante and Cala though? Weren't they close? Alec remembered that he was the one to pair them off in the first place. He started to respond to Vigilante as he went to jump out of the window, but he was gone before he could get the words out. This caused him to look puzzled and glance over towards Cala, before looking back to his father and pushing that matter aside, for the moment, anyway.

"So will you hear me out already, Dad? It's important..."

Niala blinked at the tension between Cala and V, looking between the pair until V left through the window. An eyebrow raised in curiosity before she focused her attention on what else was going on. She kept herself silent and just listened, very curious as to what Alec was going to ask for. She took another sip of her drink and simply leaned back more comfortable.

With her free hand she reached forward and began typing on her computerized desk, pulling up a few screens as she quietly went through different views of different cities as she so often did.

Her gaze moved from the ceiling to the window as she heard V speak. His words and sudden exit made her think that perhaps she had over-thought things in thinking he might have grown distant from her, and made her realize that perhaps in her effort not to crowd him or stare and make him feel uncomfortable that she had given him the wrong impression. In a blur she moved, across the room, around everyone, and right out the window after him, not caring what anyone else but V thought at the moment. She just wanted to make this all right without everyone else around.

"Hey, wait up a sec, I wanted to talk to you. Just didn't want an audience! I'm sorry for disappearing!", she called after Vigilante, hoping she would be able to stop him before he completly left, or at least catch up to him. She had been planning on talking to him, just not in front of everyone because she hadn't wanted to make him feel uncomfortable if the conversation had turned badly. "Please!", she added.

[Thread Exit, unless V stops]

Cala took off after Vigilante who left in a sudden hurry after saying a quick goodbye. She could hear the female calling after him and asking him to wait up, and something about having not wanted to talk in front of an audience: she remembered that Cala had been rescued out of a dimension pocket that she had been stuck in, and wondered what all was going on with those two. Avery listened to Darkman's words towards Alec and frowned somewhat, but focused her attention onto Artemis who was standing before him still and sucking her thumb. Her frown disappear seconds later when Alec put his arm around his dad.

Avery then listened as the two discussed someone, mentioned something about a formula, and explained how if he hadn't had the eyes he had he likely would have been got by the guy. Avery frowned again, and folded her arms across her chest.

Artemis, seeming immune to pretty much everything going on outside of staring at Darkman, nodded to Darkman's comment to her and took her thumb out of her mouth so she could speak. "I am. Can I have a hug?", she asked, raising both of her arms up towards Darkman in the traditional child pose of a child who wanted picked up. There was nothing more Artemis liked than hugs, and she had yet to get a hug from Darkman since she had just met him, so what better reason? "I like hugs!", she added.

Amaranth could still remember how close V and Cala had been, so she was surprised when there hadn't been a lovey-dovey greeting. Especially when Cala had taken to staring at the ceiling. Amaranth would have pried into her mind to see what she was thinking, but had decided against it since such a thing would likely give her a headache - way too many voices in Cala's head for her to want to deal with all of that. V then left suddenly after a quick goodbye of sorts, and Cala shot off after him. Not wanting to pry she attempted to ignore what she could hear Cala calling after V as she attempted to get him to stop.

She shut the window after Cala and then turned her attention onto Alec. She was curious to hear about exactly what had happened when it came to him fighting the mutating idiot. "I was wondering what happened between you and him.", she commented. Hoping for some sort of explanation about the fight she wandered, at a slower speed than Cala had just used, over to the couch that Cala had just vacated. She slipped her book bag off of her shoulder and placed it on the floor before sitting down. She rubbed the spot where the strap had been on her shoulder, as if attempting to massage away the fact that it still felt like she had the bag on - minus the additional weight.

"What did that formula of his do exactly? I mean, I sort of expected something a little more impressive then that smart zombie, Michonne..."

Amaranth then focused her attention onto Artemis who was reaching up towards Darkman for a hug, the action made Amaranth grin. Artemis seemed completly oblivious to what was going on around her, and that in a way was a good thing. No point in someone as little and young as her being privy to drama or fear. "If you don't hug her she might tackle you like she did him.", she nodded towards her grandfather as a grin spread across her face.

Jr grinned some to see his father being disciplined by his grandfather. He reached forward and typed some on the computerized desk, bringing up a screen that had a recording of his father's fight with the super Randall. Hi No Seishin seemed ecstatic after being complimented by his father and flirted with by his grandfather.

Vigilante turned to leave. Jr couldn't really tell how he looked because of that mask, but he sounded defeated, like he'd just had his heart ripped out of his chest and stomped on. Jr knew how that felt, and the grin melted off of his face. Cala rushed out after him, but if Vigilante was anything like himself, he wasn't going to stop. Jr started to think that perhaps the two of them weren't made for each other after all. He couldn't help but to feel bad for V...

Jr would have to compensate Vigilante accordingly whenever he decided to come back to the tower...

Darkman reached down to pick up his great grandchild, being careful not to hurt the child. She didn't look like Alec much; she got most of her looks from her mother. Staring at the child long enough though, one could see the Alec in her. She already had the trademark angelic halo and wings, which lead Darkman to believe that someone, possibly Junior, had had a hand in with her development.

The vampire girl ran to jump out of the window after the costumed individual. From the bits of conversation he managed to hear, perhaps the two of them were once more than friends. "Ah. To be young and in love," was all Darkman had to say about those 2. it would all sort itself out in the end.

He listened to Alec tell him about Randall, then looked to the screen to see the fight that took place before their escape. Randall put up a good fight, and probably would have won, if not for his burning through an incomplete formula. "I told him there would be consequences to his actions. I guess he had to find out the hard way. It's too bad that so many had to die."

Finally there was this matter that Alec probably wouldn't leave him alone about until he heard his request. "Alright, alright. Talk to me, what do you need, son?"

"After spending all that time in the ninja world, and then coming back home to end up in Pacific City... I think i've gotten used to relying on my own strength and wits to get me out of a hairy situation. I used to make up all kinds of crazy powers and abilities all of those years I fought those kingdom clowns, but they're gone now... and I really have no use for all of these god-like powers. I'm tired of playing god to put it frankly... I was wondering if you had some sort of artifact or charm or something that seals them away, unless I really truly need them again one day. I don't mean to sound cocky or anything but I don't see that day coming any time soon."

It was the truth. Relying on himself, as well as a few ninja tricks, he'd gotten used to it. Being able to warp reality and space, or trapping someone else in his own personal dimension, it was fun once, but now it just seemed cheap. Alec wanted to challenge himself. it was too easy to immediately kill people by, for example, merely looking in someone's direction; nowadays Alec wanted to live and survive as he'd done when he was younger. Alec had even toned down the Dead Zone when he'd arrived back in Edge for the sake of challenging himself.

Niala's mind was beginning to wander a bit as she continued to flick through random screens. The speed at which she was doing so spoke of how she wasn't really attempting to find anything, and was simply looking. She liked to keep an eye on things, after all, and this was easier than seeing things for herself.

However, when Alec spoke of not wanting to be god-like anymore, not wanting to use all of these super powers he had, Niala focused her attention onto him. She personally couldn't even fathom giving up the powers she had, but then again she was used to using them. She knew that if her powers got into the wrong hands some major trouble could arise, but then again that was why she kept mostly to the office. Niala squirmed uncomfortable at the topic of conversation and flicked her red colored gaze between Alec and the screens she was looking through.

"I couldn't imagine going without my powers... and my unlimited supply of frozen hot chocolates.", she muttered more to herself than anyone in particular. But, she could understand where Alec was coming from, even if she couldn't fathom doing so herself. She took another sip of her frozen hot chocolate, glancing down at it to see it was already halfway gone - she really was addicted to the stuff. One day she need Hot Chocolate Annoymous or something... if such a thing existed.