Starting Over (Orion/Open)

Orion was prepared. He had a map in his pocket. He had a backpack filled with stuff. Said stuff included, but was not limited to, boxes of latex gloves, boxes of surgical masks, various handheld gardening tools, and books on different plants. In his right hand, he had a hoe, because he figured it might be necessary (actually he already brained some dumbshit who tried to mug him before he got here), and dragging behind him in his left hand was a wagon. He remembered back before, when a horde of snakes damn near killed him. If he wasn't outright immune to poisons at the time, he would have died at least 20 times over. Venom and poisons were game changers, something extremely useful in this day and age, and after some cursory research (he just wikied some info on snake venom and then wandered around wikipedia looking at different information for related topics such as toxic chemical mixtures and poisonous plants, then went to the local bookstore and bought (read: nicked when people weren't looking because he wears a big ass coat) possible useful reference materials) he decided to adventure into the forest on the island. Unfortunately...

He still had no idea where he was, relative to the map, and he had no fucking clue what the hell he was doing.

"Yeah, might help next time if I bug a staff member or someone who knows about this crap..." He muttered under his breath as he walked around a tree into a meadow filled with pretty flowers. And a path leading into it, which was probably marked on the map. Huffing, he dragged his cart out and plopped on it, slipping the map out of his pocket just before he did. Unfurling it, he looked it over.

"Where the hell am I now...? Note to self: find someone that actually knows about this and have them teach me stuff, because otherwise I'm probably going to wander this damn forest looking for resources for like hours and not know what I'm doing."

Orion hunched over the map, not even paying attention to his map, or how loud his voice was. It was the forest, very few people wandered around here.

"But where in this delinquent hellhole am I going to find someone who knows about plants?"

((OOC: Boy? Orion is 5 years older and 70 pounds heavier than little Ms. Rose))

A loud sound caught Orion's attention, and his head snapped up to look at the source. A small red-headed young woman stood at the source of the path, a cart just behind her, more than likely the source of the loud noise. His eyes narrowed as they flicked across her body, ending to look her in the eye. While she was small, she certainly wasn't weak. The confidence in her posture despite her size told him as much. The young lady introduced herself as one Melanie Rose, a floral shop owner (so she says) that is also a student from 552, judging by the "we" in her statement, who viewed herself as a botanical expert. Well, Orion had just asked for help, and as of right now anyone with even an average grasp of the subject was an expert compared to him. Orion would stand up from his cart and take her hand, shaking it firmly.

"With a name like Rose, how could I go wrong under your tutelage?" Orion (fake) smiled warmly at the girl who had just appeared at the perfect time to help him with his dilemma. "My name is Orion Smith, student at UoF studying to become a teacher of mathematics. And hopefully a soon to be amateur botanist." Orion finished with a self-demeaning laugh, before pausing and shifting off his backpack, rummaging in it before producing a pair of soda bottles, Pepsi this time. He would offer one to Melanie while opening one for himself.

"I am glad you showed up Miss Rose." Orion admitted freely. "I've been wandering this damn forest for a bit over 2 hours, still no sign of anything I'm looking for, though I'm not too sure what exactly I'm looking for. I would be extremely grateful for your help and knowledge you care to impart."

((Fake warm smile, as Orion is far too apathetic to actually openly display emotions without a damn good reason. Still, Melanie is being polite, so he will at least make the effort, especially as she is possibly useful.))

"Little Rose?" Orion asked, analyzing her briefly. "I'll just call you Rose, then." Because taking cracks at someone's height is both childish and, in this world of people who are a hell of a lot stronger than they look, ill-advised. Orion dug around some more in his backpack, pulling out a pair of gardening gloves as well and donning them.

"Suppose I'll help you what you're doing first, as you actually know what you're looking for. If that's alright with you?" Orion asked the young girl. He was mainly stalling to rack his brains for the plants he were looking for... And come up with an excuse for why exactly he wanted a bunch of poisonous plants that would sound alright to what seems like a nice person who would probably be a little upset with the casual poisoning and testing of said poisons on the common folk for the sake of developing functional toxins that could be used against his future students when he finally becomes a teacher.

Yeah, Orion needs to brainstorm. Helping with menial work was always a good way to stall.

"... I also will probably need supervision with the whole 'helping you' thing, come to think of it..."

Orion listened carefully as Melanie detailed a few plants to him. He could notice a few differences between the plants she pointed out... Enough so that he more than likely wouldn't hurt himself gathering one instead of the other. Orion sheepishly scratched the back of his neck as she finished up her little mini-lesson of plant knowledge.

"Aaah.. Well see, I'm not looking for any specific plants in the manner of color or any other aesthetics. I'm actually looking for nonlethal poisonous plants to help with studying toxicology, and also possibly pranks. Though generally just for study." Orion chuckled nervously.

"See, a friend of mine mentioned that his pet snakes discouraged people from attacking him, because the venom would just ruin their day. I've gotten tired of fighting these physical brawls for no damn purpose aside from defending myself from the delinquent thugs that call themselves students, so I've started looking into other ways to subdue opponents." Orion shrugged.

"Chemistry is also a good option that I'll be picking up classes for, and probably some mechanical engineering. I would have looked into acquiring a taser, but with the Lightning Gang running around I'm not too sure how effective that'd be. However, very few people have trained themselves to deal with poisons, especially poisons that aren't intended to kill, so I wanted to see what I could come up with to keep myself safe."

Technically all true. Orion was tired of the fighting and bloodshed garnered from his past life. While he won't shy away if attacked, he is far more comfortable resolving conflict in other manners. Also true was that he had a friend who used snakes to discourage attackers: that said snakes were QI constructs was a bit of a side note. And the fact that they were used on him. And he was looking into the other options as well: he just had more focus on toxicology at the moment.

((OOC: ... Orion is 21. Just... I suppose he kind of looks like a teenager? I guess? *wanders off muttering under breath*))

While Orion had been talking, Melanie had gotten to work with some flowers. At least until he mentioned the lightning gang. Melanie's head had snapped up and if Orion had been anyone else, he probably would have stepped away from the look of rage on her face. He heard her muttered words and raised an eyebrow: apparently, there was a Leon here, and just as powerful, by all indications. Orion stepped close to her and knelt down so as to stare Melanie in the eye.

"That's a lot of anger there, Rose. Now, I don't know about you, but I've always felt a little bit better talking about it. Besides, I think working with delicate objects like plants in your current state of mind might not be the best of ideas, yeah?" Orion gestured to the hand shovel in her hand.

"So, what happened?"

Orion sat down when Melanie did, leaning back on his left hand while his right still held his soda. He listened carefully to her story and carefully ignored her wet eyes. He closed his eyes, contemplating her words for a few moments, letting silence settle over the meadow. Finally he spoke.

"So, why didn't ya kill him when you had the chance?"

Before she could respond to his question, Orion would sit up, holding up his hand.

"And if it's because someone convinced you not to because "oh, it wouldn't bring your brother back" or "your brother wouldn't approve" or even "you're a better person than that", nevermind, because that's a bunch of idealistic horseshit that at the end of the day will screw you over in life."

Orion took a swig from his drink, pausing his speech for a moment, before continuing.

"See... There is no real "good" or "evil" in this world. Someone wrongs you, so long as at least 2 of 3 specific criteria are met, wrong them back. The first, if it benefits you in some way. The second, it benefits those you give a damn about. And the third, it hurts those you'd like to see rot in hell. You get 2 of those 3, or even all 3, then go for it."

Orion chuckled morosely.

"Some assholes hurt a friend of mine, right? Went to the local bar they hung out, listened to them for a bit, all celebrating for putting the hurt on a 'freak'. So I figured, the world would be a little bit better without them. So I cut them down. Glass bottle to the throat, axe to the gut to spill their intestines, make it very clear that what they did will not be tolerate by anyone else. And them, but they were kind of dying, so the message was intended to others more than them."

Orion locked his eyes with Melanie's.

"For me, it's that simple. And while I'm not perfectly happy, I'm at the very least content. Letting someone walk around that hurt ya? Hit him back. I'm not saying, of course, be a complete moron and challenge them to their face. No no, you work with them, or their allies. Gain their trust. Or help them against a common foe. And then, when they're too weary... You eliminate the issue."

Orion shrugged.

"That's how the world is, ya get it? Blood for blood, that's how this world is, and no idealistic bullcrap will declare otherwise, not without covering themselves in even more blood."

Orion watched as Melanie began to chug at her soda, more tears streaming down her face, as she detailed how close she was. He would wait until she was finished drinking before speaking again.

"Sooo... What, you just fucking gave up after one try?"

Orion couldn't believe that someone that revenge driven would just give up. Unless she was just broken at the sight.

"See, failure is a funny thing. You still breathing? You still have mobility? Then there isn't anything stopping you from going again. Some people are admittedly too strong or too well-connected to get on your first try. That happens."

Orion shrugged. He had failed. Difference here, was that he watched the world hit the apocalypse despite his ideals. Until that point, he just shrugged off his failures, and kept going.

"Fine then. So your first attempt didn't work. And from what I understand, Leon is not a man that you really want to take on in a physical confrontation. So don't. Hack his technology. Poison his food. Be that little annoying pest that ruins everything he touches in some manner. If you can't kill him, if you can't hurt him, then hurt him mentally. Hurt him emotionally."

Orion chuckled darkly, a grim smile appearing on his face.

"Everyone can be hurt, somehow. If they can be hurt, they can be killed. You just need to figure out how."

Orion locked his eyes with her again.

"And of course, that applies to everyone that has wronged you. Besides, Rose, you seem like a nice enough girl. I bet you that anyone who's wronged you will have wronged someone else. Enemy of my enemy..."