The Power Hungry Pixie

    an ending. right. lukas isn’t wrong in assuming that one side has no intention of letting the conflict die, but presuming he can put an end to it himself is laughable at best. outright delusional, in his own opinion. “you think you can take down both of them by yourself?” the idea actually makes him chuckle aloud. ending the mavericks is the considerably easier feat, and even that would be nearly impossible without real militant forces. wiping out PRIME is a pipe dream that even a government couldn’t dream of. “sorry if i don’t take your word for it, kid. lived here too long to humor that kind of crazy.”

    delusional almost feels too… simplified for how this stranger is coming off, now—although he certainly seems out of touch with reality. jack knows full well he can’t really get away with pointing fingers when he’s a little unhinged himself, but that doesn’t stop him from making the judgement. “i’m guessing we have different ideas of entertainment. none of that sounds appealing to me.” his own chases aren’t for funsies, after all—they’re necessary for his survival. no other use is needed.

“Not by myself, and not right now,” Lukas said with a chuckle. “But there are a few people who were already committed before I even arrived into town.” Lukas said with a shrug of his shoulders. “Olympus, some people are calling it apparently.”  Lukas said with a shrug of his shoulders. “Hey, it’s all good. I’m not trying to change your mind or ask you to join.” Lukas said with a chuckle and a shake of his head. 

“I suppose we do,” Lukas had been raised by his parents simply to kill...For the longest time that was all that he basically knew how to do. So it would make sense that some part of him is still loves the chase...Even if another part of him hates that it was all that his parents thought that he could be. Especially when his darling brother was treated like a prince. “To each their own. What do you like to do?” 

Dick measuring contest! James laughed. It was completely true on a basic level, much like all wars boiled down to it. “Well, don’t go looking for it, it will find you.” James said easily, enjoying this…peace in him. He had just opened up about his power - a power that still made him uncomfortable - to a stranger. Dillon really was changing him. He took a breath, steeling himself for the reaction to come from the young fae.

“Say ‘Call me Tinkerbell.” James commanded softly, feeling the surge in his throat as he summoned his ability of control.

Lukas rose an eyebrow when the other said that he shouldn’t go looking for it, it will find him. “Ah, so my fastest route is to just do nothing huh?” Lukas joked with a boyish grin as he looked at the other man. Lukas rose an eyebrow as he noticed the other seeming to prepare himself for something, before hearing the other mutter the most ridicules think he’s heard. He was about to tell him such, when he found himself complying. “Call me Tinkerbell.” Lukas repeated before his eyes widened. “Holy fuck! That was you, wasn’t it?!”

    jack pauses, curious. “why would you want to do that? what would you even offer?” the two warring organizations don’t have much they need, other than victory—and even that is debatable. PRIME has no reason to end a fight that benefits them, after all. it’s helpful to have something else to blame mishaps on. accidents happen. with him, more often than not. at least he refers to them as accidents on paperwork.

    “see, war isn’t like gang fights—or anything like that. it’s a league all its own.“ years ago, it might have surprised him to hear someone so scrawny was picking fights, but working with PRIME has dissolved that. conduits have more than physical strength on their side, after all. “a good chase, huh?” jack bites back a smirk. that’s what he was doing, before finding him here. chasing someone. now he’s just waiting for the right moment to strike. “is that why you’re here, then? chasing after something?”

“A solution. An ending. From what I hear, this war has been going on for quite awhile. And while I understand biding your time to strike, it seems almost as if certain people don’t want it to end.” Lukas said with a snort and a shake of his head before smirking. “Well I would be more than happy to make it end. To finally rid the city of these two organizations that talk about what’s best for the people, yet don’t do any actions for the people they speak of.” Lukas said with a roll of his eyes. “From what I’ve gleamed, anyways.”

“Of course. But that doesn’t mean one can’t obtain skills in area that could help them in another.” Lukas pointed out with a shrug of his shoulders and chuckled when the other repeated his words back with a smirk. “Of course. Whether I’m the cat or mouse, it’s almost always entertaining. Although it tends to end quickly.” Lukas said with a cocky smirk. “Chasing after something while trying to run away from something at the same time.” He admitted with a chuckle.

    “no, i suppose not.” to someone like himself, who makes a point not to reveal his abilities, the casual way that lukas does is almost… confusing. especially when he claims to know enough about the city to hear about the current turf war going on. although conduits aren’t targeted in and of themselves… it’s all too common for them to become some sort of collateral, especially when it comes to PRIME. especially when it comes to himself. he can almost reach out and touch the stranger’s wings, now… and it takes effort to hold himself back. he can’t… yet. “connections, huh? sounds like you’re here for more than the view.”

    a breath of laughter escapes him. “yeah, well… that’s not surprising from someone i’m assuming didn’t serve. war isn’t what i would call interesting.” necessary? maybe. but interesting? far from it… it’s the more predictable thing in the world. “even wrestling has more entertainment value, and everyone knows it’s all fake.”

Lukas has always been open about his abilities. He wasn’t going to cower away just to make some stupid people feel better about themselves. If his wings somehow insulted them? Then they could fall off the high horse they were straddling and go fuck themselves. “Hm...Maybe I am...” Lukas said in a sing-song voice with a grin. “Maybe I want to offer people another option...Get in on this ‘turf war’, you know? I am from New York, after all.” Lukas said with a chuckle. 

“I didn’t serve the government,” Lukas admitted. “I did have a profession that was highly combat based, however.” Lukas shrugged, knowing that would likely surprise the other. Most see his twinkish body and expect him to be some weakling. And that was something Lukas refused to be. “And while I do find wrestling to be entertaining, I do find a good chase to be a bit more enthralling.” Lukas smirked.

    “true enough.” faction wars aren’t exactly a common thing in towns, although large cities like chicago certainly had their fair share. back before conduits were common knowledge, gangs were a bigger problem. now that PRIME controlled the law… well, organized crime had more or less died off, replaced with their skirmishing with the mavericks. it’s better that way, jack thinks—he can be a part of it that way. “but i wouldn’t have expected an outsider to know anything about that. who tipped you off?” and does that give him an excuse to silence him? he certainly hopes so.

    jack nods. “veteran, actually. i don’t do a whole lot of fighting, anymore.” that’s not true, but he isn’t about to tell a newcomer anything about PRIME’s shadier side. not without a good reason, anyway… and it seems counterproductive to potentially scare him off when he hasn’t even gotten a taste, yet. “new york, really? yeah, you’ll fit in just fine. the gang fights over there can be worse than the ones here, even.”

Lukas merely grinned and winked at the other when he asked who tipped him off, beginning to lazily fly from side to side. “Can’t reveal to many of my secrets, you know? Gotta save some mystery.” The forced conduit said playfully as he looked at the other man. “But with the right connections and motivation? It’s not that difficult.” Lukas hummed with a shrug of his shoulders.

“Oh really? That’s a shame.” Lukas said bluntly with a smirk when the other said that he didn’t do a whole lot of fighting lately. “I’ve found fighting to be a bit more interesting then others would care for others to admit.” Lukas said with a nod of his head and a grin. Most people think that with his powers he’s more of a passive person...But with his history? That’s not true at all.

James chuckled. He admired this young man’s courage. “Well, where to begin… There was a blackout a few weeks ago, and I hear that, during it, some beasts came out of the shadows to hunt people like us.” Not bothered at outing himself - something else he would have to thank Dillon for - James moved closer to the roof edge. Though he maintained some distance, just in case a sudden wind picked up. “And that is a standalone incident unrelated to PRIME and The Mavericks and their…political differences. Being new to the city, you have a bit of a blank slate; good for you.”

Lukas raised an eyebrow as the other said ‘us’ instead of ‘you’. “Oh? Do you have a gift as well?” Lukas questioned the other man curiously, tilting his head slightly as he gazed at him. “And while I may be new, I’m also not stupid. I did my research before moving in and learned about Prime and Mavericks, and their dick measuring contest.” Lukas said with a snort and a roll of his eyes. “Although I have yet to experiance any of their chaos first hand. I’m sure that’ll be something to look forward to.”

     “maybe on the surface,” he replies, inching ever-so-slightly closer to the other conduit. he doubts very many people at all are living the good life under the increasingly repressive grasp of PRIME, but what does he know? he doesn’t bother to actually talk to anyone, most of the time. not unless he’s forced into it. or trying to distract his prey. 

     he shrugs a shoulder. “guess we’ve got different ideas on company.” he doesn’t like people. never has, never will. but he’s well aware that he’s an outsider when it comes to things like that—he’s spent the vast majority of his life on the outskirts of humanity. “two days? you really are new,” he says, unable to bite back an amused smile. or an attempt at one, anyway. handsome? he doesn’t hear that, much. “i’ve lived here since i got back from combat, so… a few years. not as long as some.” a pause. another step or two closer. “where are you from?”

Lukas couldn’t help but to hum as he heard the other man’s words. “I suppose you could say that about every town,” Lukas conceeded. “But most don’t have a little faction war going on, huh?” Lukas asked with a smirk and a shake of his head as he looked down at the city below them...A city that he planned on ruling someday.

“I am. Still trying to get used to things, you know?” Lukas said before giving off a laugh and a shake of his head. “A fighter are you?” Lukas was one himself...His parents had bred him to be a perfect killing machine, although most would be to distracted by his boyish face to even consider that an option. Which was the whole point. “I’m from New York, New York. So I’m used to faction wars. Just not over the same issues.” Lukas joked with a smirk.

James chuckled, stepping forward as he took in the reality of this boy and his pixie-like wings holding him aloft against gravity. Even after everything Dillon had shown him, it was still wondrous to see such a sight with his own two eyes. “No, I guess you’re not.” He smiled, stepping closer to the edge and casting a glance down at the little part of the city he could spy from Blaze’s roof. “Is it safe to bare those so freely given recent events?”

Conduit criminality, beasts in the dark, Maverick etcetera. The papers did paint dramatic pictures when they wanted revenue.

“I’m new to the city,” Lukas admitted before tilting his head curiously. “Care to tell me what these ‘recent events’ that you speak are?” Lukas has done his research, of course. But it never hurts to hear of things from people actually in the city. If Lukas wanted to destroy both Maverick and Prime? He would need to know everything that he could.

“It’s a bit hard and uncomfortable hiding these wings. It’s not like I can snap my fingers and make them disappear.” Lukas admitted with a chuckle before shrugging his shoulders. “Besides, I’m proud of who I am. And if someone wants to step up? I may be young and sassy, but I’m also hell of stubborn. So they better be prepared.” Lukas grinned.

    “i know the feeling.” sleep is hard to come by for him, and in the few hours he tends to get, more often than not he finds them unpleasant. besides, there are more important ways to spend his time, and hunting at night is much easier, much safer, than during the day. there’s always been something more comfortable about using the cover of darkness, anyway. and the people he happens across are more likely to be… less noticed, if they don’t return to their homes. maybe this one fits in that category.

    his eyes can’t help but linger on the man’s wings. wonders how quickly they would wither and die if he stole their source away. “no need to get up and leave on my account,” he says at last, shrugging a shoulder. “you know what they say—it’s three that’s a crowd.” and now he’s more interested in keeping him around… new to the city is promising information. “how new are you, anyway? just flown in?”

Lukas couldn’t help but to mentally grin as he heard te other man’s words. He got the feeling that there was more to the man’s statement then just that. But he didn’t see any value in pushing the other man right now. “Glad to know I’m not the only one. It seems like a lot of people in this city are living the dream.” Lukas said with a small pout on his lips.

Lukas couldn’t help but to let the grin slide onto his face when the other said that three’s a crowd. “I don’t know if I’d follow that logic. I’ve never minded three before.” Lukas joked with a cheeky grin. “Just got done unpacking today. Moved in probably about two days ago.” Lukas admitted with a chuckle. “And what about you handsome? Living in this city for awhile?”

     well… this is awkward. jack had come up here to get a better vantage point on his target, but someone unfamiliar has beat him up here. that’s the annoying thing about big cities like this. hardly any place to yourself. at least the man in question is able to catch his interest—or rather, the large insect wings on his back do. maybe he’ll make a better replacement than the pitiful little human he’s been stalking after.

     “hiding spot? no, i wouldn’t say that,” he replies, letting the door to the roof shut behind him. “i just came up here for some fresh air. figured i wouldn’t meet anyone else this late in the evening… guess i was wrong.” 

Lukas snorted and shook ihs head when he heard the other man’s words. “What can I say? I’m practically nocturnal.” He joked with a smirk. Lukas let out a hum as he turned towards the other. Lukas had been bored and had come to the roof top to try to think of something to starve away the boredom...But so far? Nada. 

Perhaps this man could help? “Would you rather I leave?” Lukas asked curiously, wings beginning to flap so he would hover lightly over the edge, the toes of his shoes almost touching the ground as he did so. “I was bored and was just trying to think of something to do. New to the city, you know?” Lukas said with a grin.

One good thing about owning a converted firestation-cum-Nightclub, there was still roof access. Sometimes, there was no therapy like lying under the stars and breathing the night air. With the weather getting brighter and warmer, James took his tie and jacket off and made his way to the roof of his Nightclub, Blaze.

Dillon made being around another conduit rather everyday. That being said, a strange - young - boy with a pair of wings right out of Midsummer Night’s Dream was still surreal. Beautiful and wondrous, but still carried that feeling of blindside.

“More like my personal relaxing spot.” James replied, stepping out onto the roof from the roof access, curious.

“My apologies,” Lukas said with a smile, before promptly hoping off. Instead of falling, however, his wings began quickly flapping...Seamlessly keeping him afloat in the air as he looked at the other man curious. Lukas couldn’t help but to wonder if the other man was a normal human, or someone like himself. He knew that Chicago seemed to be a hotspot for all types of powered people, wether forced conduits like himself, regular ones, or sequences. 

The youthful looking boy hummed gently and maneuvered himself so he was floating above the roof with a playful smile on his face. “There we go! Now I’m not on your roof!” Lukas joked with a big grin on his face as he looked at the other man.

“I figured most people wouldn’t come to the roof. Is this your hiding spot?” Lukas asked with a amused look, peeking at the other over his shoulder.