'Rose' at Play Version 2.0 (Copycat)

[Gemini]

For days after her encounter with Ravager, Gemini had been carefully tracking the metahuman ninja, learning more about the organisation she worked for. N.O.W.H.E.R.E was an organisation that she had heard of before, connected with abductions of metahumans and other activities which Gemini wished the Society was involved in itself. What was so concerning about NOWHERE was that its aims were unknown and her encounter with Ravager had given her the perfect means to spy find out more about the organisations activities.

Following Ravager back to her base had been easy; all she needed to do was keep well out of sight and the wafer thin piece of herself that she had attached to one of Rose Wilson’s swords would tell her exactly where the NOWHERE operative was for most of the time (she had chosen the swords because they seemed like the objects Ravager would be least likely to be away from for long). Infiltrating the NOWHERE base had been easy; none of the guards suspected a pigeon flying over the perimeter fence was a security risk and from there she had simply landed onto the roof and flowed into one of the ventilation ducts. From there she had separated into five parts, moved deeper into the building and spent time eavesdropping on briefings and conversations, observing agents train and prisoners get interrogated. But she had learnt everything she could from listening in, and besides Gemini didn’t have forever; there were other projects which needed her attention, people who needed eliminating and things which needed stealing, what she needed before her time here ended was to access the NOWHERE mainframe and she knew just the person who was going to help her do it.

Slithering through the air ducts the five pieces of Gemini reached a junction and re-merged, before spiralling down several levels to the floor where the main barracks was situated. At this time of night the little NOWHERE minions should all be safely curled up in bed, save for a few men watching the security cameras, exactly the right time for some breaking and entering. A tendril of darkened rubber slowly oozed out of a small hole in an air vent, checking for any onlookers or cameras. After a moment to check the coast was clear, a small stream of dark liquid dribbled out of the vent, blending in with the shadows on the floor and slowly slithering along the space at the bottom of the dull concrete walls until it reached a very particular door. The gap at the bottom was less than a millimetre but easily enough for the black liquid to pour through, pooling silently in the dark room beyond.

For several long seconds Gemini remained perfectly still, listening carefully to the sounds the occupant was making. Satisfied that she was asleep, a thin tendril slithered upwards from the puddle and into the lock, turning it with a soft click. That done the puddle reared up, expanding in size and coalescing into a human figure with a soft rubbery squish. Taking a step forward, a sword gleamed in her hand, a white lock of hair falling into a patch of light as she placed the 'blade' at the neck of the woman in the bed. “Rise and shine Gem” she spoke clearly into the ear of the sleeping girl, stolen voice full of amusement. The real Ravager and her swords were currently many miles away and moving, which meant that the ninja girl could be impersonated without any risk of her turning up to ruin things and Gemini had made sure she had a good knowledge of Rose Wilson’s mannerisms and habits: At times she had given the piece of herself on Rose’s swords enough of her concentration to actively spy on the girl, her impersonation should be good enough to fool this ‘Copycat’.

“It’s time for another surprise training session” she grinned, one of Rose’s facial expressions but one which Gemini quite enjoyed for its predatory nature: she was going to enjoy playing the Ravager.

[Copycat]

Gem had been through yet another exciting and action-packed day; Early morning training with Rose, breakfast, heading out on an operation to retrieve some more hapless idiots for NOWHERE, lunch, and then more of the same. To her delight, she'd actively played team leader this time around, which meant that Rose's advice was actually getting her somewhere. Gem was being what she wanted to be and paying it little mind, which Ravager seemed to approve of, in her own way. And she was learning how to fend for herself, too; One of the squad members she'd been sent out with had seen fit to challenge her authority, despite her being appointed to leadership of the team by the NOWHERE higher-ups. Had said things similar to what usually came out of Rose's mouth - that she was short, didn't look the part, and was as flat as a board, and that if he was going to be led by a girl, he at least wanted one who looked like a real woman.

True to Rose's statement that Gem was a 'little psycho', the guy had a broken arm, several broken ribs, and five missing teeth when she was through, on top of the good handful of cuts and bruises. She might not be willing to change much about her image - she definitely wasn't going to get those implants she was certain Rose had been joking about - but that didn't mean she wasn't going to defend herself. She wasn't going to take any crap from some jarhead NOWHERE had recruited because he was too much of a mess for the military or whatever, and whilst she couldn't stand up for herself in the face of say, Rose, she could easily mind-jack some average squaddie enough to distract him whilst she battered him. And that was how Gem had made an example of him - she had made it perfectly clear that she could do the job for them by controlling them, or they could follow her orders, and it was either one of the other.

As it was, not many of them wanted to come back and talk about their experiences being mind-jacked by some eighteen year old over a cold one.

But it had been an exhausting day; Gem was getting physically fitter all the time, but she was still tiny and could never hope to be on Rose's level. And still, when it came to hitting the hay, Gem had still been learning lessons from her white-haired superior; For starters? Door locks, yo. She figured if Rose was intent on getting in here, she could still get in, but at least she could still put across the fact that she was learning. And she really was. She was taking in so much from the older girl, really. But when it came to catching her Z's, Gem was mostly still out like a light; She hadn't quite gotten past that adolescent state of pretty much being able to lie down and just pass out immediately, and then struggling to wake up in the mornings - although she did a better job than some at hauling herself out of bed and maintaining a schedule.

Hell, you try having Rose Wilson ready and waiting for a training session at six in the morning and try not getting up for it; You'd end up in worse shape than the poor schlub Gem had put in the infirmary today. Speaking of which; Gem's knuckles hurt.

Whilst she'd stolen the guy's baton in the end and battered him with that, she had knocked several of his teeth out with her bare fist; Turns out that actually hurt, which was something Rose had never told her. Turns out Gem's knuckles had bled. And now they were scabbed over, and itching. And Gem? Gem was totally a little kid who just had to scratch it. She was still asleep, for sure, but it was relatively light, given she was dragging her nails across the scarred knuckles like someone had put itching powder on Gem's hand. She was distinctly unaware of the blade at her neck until Rose rattled off a really rather familiar line; With more precision than usual, Gem's eyes opened, and she smacked away the blade at her throat, before groggily shifting into a crouched position on the bed.

"Someone's slipping," Gem taunted lightly, grinning; "Not only would you have usually managed to cut my throat before I moved, but it's totally unlike you to do the same thing twice," she stated, same grin still in place; "How'd you get through the door?"

[Gemini]

It seemed like someone had been working on her awareness and Gemini raised an approving white eyebrow as her blade was knocked away from Copycat's throat, returning the girl's grin with a smirk of her own. "I could have, but I thought I'd give you some warning this time, next time I expect you to wake up before I'm through the door, or you will be dead."

It was indeed unlike Rose to do the same thing twice, so instead of answering any further Gemini deflected Copycat's attention by wrapping on the girl's bleeding knuckles with the flat of her 'sword'.

"Looks like someone's into self harm, how did you get this anyway, some geriatric give you a harder fight than usual in training?" Expression twisted in amusement, Gemini took a step back, returning the sword to it's sheath on her back.

"Simple really: I used something called a spare key. It's amazing what the barracks officer will give me when I ask 'nicely'." She ran a hand over the grip of one of her swords, knowing Copycat would understand the implication. Rose was a girl much after Gemini's own heart; she understood violence and how to use it for enjoyment and control, it was a pity Rose wasted her abilities working for fools like NOWHERE.

But there was no point in thinking about that now, she had to remain focussed in character so that this girl wouldn't suspect anything. Stepping back a further few paces, she folded her arms, blue eye meeting Copycat's challengingly.

"Now, hurry up and get dressed. We've a training session and base command has decided to make this one more interesting than usual."