Issue #1 - Desires Within

"The same you do your thing, with my mind." He, or rather she, because right now he looked like Keira Knightley, touched his/her forehead with a finger, smiling. "Don't you worry, I've made sure no one sees... hm, kind of uncomfortable, how can she move with boobs like that?" He/she laughed, again changing form into his own this time - or was it even his true form? "I've come here as quickly as I could, but it still in the middle of the fight, right after you passed out... or rather manifested your power. Invisibility is just one of my assets. Like I told you, reality is what I make of it." He smiled again, running a hand through his red hair. "Any more questions?"

Jake stared at the woman who turned back into a man. Jake definitely preferred the man, by far.

"I.. uhh.. wow. That's crazy how you can change," Jake said, then a question came to mind, "Do you really change? Or is it all in like.. in our minds? That's just nuts."

This was all a lot to try to understand.

"So.. its all true then? All the stuff I saw and everything that happened? And you can do.. I don't know.. stuff too? Are there others then?"

"You're smart," He complimented Jake as he patted him on back, "yes, I don't truly change, it's a mind-trick. I create phantasms. It's like projecting an image or a video right into someone's mind, only better." He grinned, "There are many of others. Each year more and more of us are born. This phenomenon - being born with powers which manifest when you hit puberty - is called 'mutation'. We, mutants, are the next step of human evolution. We're more than normal humans, we're not simply homo sapiens, we're homo sapiens superior. I don't understand why there are so many of us right now, but it seems that our numbers are raising with every day. More and more are born, and even more manifest right now." He sighed, "I know it's... hard to take it all in, but understand that you're not alone. I came here to seek you out, because my informant - she's a mutant too - told me that you were going to manifest soon. She's a powerful clairvoyant, you know, stuff like knowing future or seeing distant places. That kind of stuff."

Jake listed as the man spoke. Mutants? That was a word he knew from school, science.. biology? and homo sapiens superior? Like they were.. better? It was a lot to try to take in.

"So we're.. mutants? Like.. are we going to grow a third leg or arm or something then? Or gills or something? And that lady.. she can see things? That's.. weird. How? I mean.. why us? Why me?"

He looked around a little, frowning, "What's going to happen now? And what's your name?"

"I'm sorry, I forgot my manners. Jason," he reached out with a hand to offer Jake as he introduced himself, "though many call me Illusive Man. You can guess why, I bet." He grinned, "Well, mutants are extremely varied. There are various types of mutant powers, one may see the future, second read minds, third create illusions like me, fourth be super-strength, while the other can look like a human/lizard hybrid. It's all very random, the gene X is responsible for the mutations. They can't be controlled, nor triggered. It's the same with every other genetic quality. Some have blue eyes like you, others green like me and yet others hazel or brown. Or hair - blond, red, black, brown, fair or dark, there are thousands of combinations... and mutations are like that." He explained, "My informant, her name's Omen, never learnt her real one, as an information broker she has to keep things hidden a lot, can sense mutants, also those aho are going to manifest soon, as well as find them with her mind. Kind of creepy, when you think of it. You know, being watched in your bathroom when you shower or something pervy like that," he laughed. "Well... I came here, because I can offer to help you understand your mutation, I can integrate you with others like you, but I'm not charity. I do require help... and I believe you are capable of helping me."

Jake reached out and shook Jason's hand, "Illusive Man? I guess because of like.. the illusions? That makes sense. But people really call you that? I mean, I thought those kind of names were only for the movies."

So the mutations were all random. "But.. I mean, will other things change? Like they're mutations right? So do we keep mutating or are we like.. done?"

He frowned a little as Jason talked about needing help. "I.. what do you mean? What could I have that you would want?"

Jason smiled, "In this job real names are very risky, you know, so you keep things hidden and you reveal secrets only to the closest friends. Most often even your family doesn't know about your being a mutant, because it may endanger you or them, or both. There are organizations which recruit mutants, sort of like me right now, to help government in keeping peace, or even to act as terrorists. There are also those who know of our existance and are so afraid of us that they want to eradicate us simply because we're different. It's like being any other minority, like being gay, for example, there are people who would want you dead just because they are misguided and can't understand that it's not like anyone ever gave you a choice. You understand?" He stopped for a moment, "Well, when you manifest most of your powers hit in, but when you train you can become more adept at using them or even find new possible ways to use them. Like me, when I started all I could was create some small illusory thing and now... well, a whole new world." Cocky grin, "There are also cases that some of your mutations - we call them secondary, tertiary etc. - are still hidden and it is possible for a mutant to manifest it later in time of great stress." He sighed, "It's not easy, asking you for help, but my dearest friend is in trouble. It's... complicated. I don't think we should discuss details here. Let's just say that thanks to your help I may be able to get him out of them and probably save his life."

Jake did understand, especially about the being gay part and how people might not like it. It could cause problems. This seemed even worse if people knew. The government would want to use htem for sure.

"Yeah, I understand," he said.

He liked Jason's cocky grin, and it made him smile a little, it helped him calm down.

"And your friend.. I.. guess if you need my help for that, I mean, I couldn't say no, really. But what use could I be? how would I help?"

"I'm no telepath, so I can't say for sure, but it seems you can... kind of... go into people's minds and it would certainly help to wake him up. We suspect his mind was... turned off by a powerful mutant and by no means can we counter it. Even though both me and my other colleague have psionic powers, powers which we can control mentally, not physical in nature, none of us can link with other minds. And you, from what I have seen and from what I have heard, can." He smiled at him and patted him on the back, "Of course, it'll mean that... you'll have to leave your family behind. I mean, we'll have you transfered to a small institute for gifted youngsters we are setting up. This is a most-often used cover for mutant camps, so to speak." He grinned, "It's a good cover, it doesn't tend to isolate you from your peers, but gives us, adults who want to help you, a possibility to do so. And it makes sure your families are safe and not at risk."

"Wait!" Jake said, "I'll have to leave? But what about my family? My brother? my friends?" Jake didn't want to leave them.

Yet he still found himself getting excited about everything. Going some place new, a place for special people. Apparently he was special. And a chance to save someone. That was a big opportunity.

"I.. guess.. I mean, yes, I'd like to go. But when do we have to leave?"

"When you're ready. You know, you can talk to your friends, to your parents. We'll send them an official request to have you transfered because of your decent academic record and of course unusual talents that not every person has." He grinned in his typical cocky manner, "And it's not like you won't be able to visit your parents, friends, girlfriend." he said with a smile, "Hm... you said you had a brother? Is he younger perhaps?"

Jake nodded a little, glad that they wouldn't have to leave immediately.

"I uhh don't have a girlfriend, and no he isn't younger, he's older than me. Why?"

He was still a bit excited. He wondered where they'd be going and what other kind of people there would be there. What would they do? What would he learn? What else could he do with his powers? He wanted to ask everything now but knew there'd be more information soon.

"No? Strange." He commented with a smile, "Well, because if one sibling is a mutant, there's a bigger chance of the others being too. But since he's older, then he's probably not a mutant. Mutants usually manifest around puberty, some in their early teenage years, some in their later, like you." Cocky grin! "But you know, if you have any questions, we can talk on the way to your house. But first we should make sure your friend's okay and get him to his place, right? Come, we should carry him. I'll make sure no one sees us."

Jake nodded. He was sure his brother was a mutant, he wouldn't have hidden it from him, Jake was sure of it.

He lifted James with Jason's help and started to carry him towards home, looking towards Jason to see if he'd be able to keep them all hidden.

"Thanks for the help, I don't know how I'd have gotten him home."

How was he going to explain this to James? and what was he going to say to Andrew?

"No problem, Jake. I can call you that, right?" He asked unsure, as they carried James right to his house. It was Jake's turn to think of something... oh, or maybe not! It seemed that James was waking up. "Okay, you have any idea for a cover story? Any illusion which might help you?" With that words Jason disappeared in thin air, turning invisible and leaving carrying to Jake. Fortunately they were just outside his house, so it wouldn't be a problem. James' head probably hurt and his world was a blurry, so there stil was a possibility of telling Jason if he had any idea.

Jake shrugged a little as he tried to think of a cover story.

"Not really, I mean, I don't know how to explain it. Can you make maybe just keep us all invisible until we him to his room? We can let him sleep it off on my bed or something."

Jake tried to think, "Or maybe we could just make him look half awake and we can carry him in and say he just overdid it at practice? Maybe I could make his parents believe it..."

"As you wish, " Jason said, creating an illusion of James looking half-awake, conscious, but dog-tired, so much that he needed Jake's help to get home. He wasn't sure if the redhead was coming with them, as he ringed the bell. There was rush on the other side of the door, some screams and squeeks, but no one opened... till he rang one more time. The girl who opened the door looked familiar, it was Jade, James' one year older sister. "Yes, what do... Ohhh! What's happened to him? Geeez, I always tell him not to practice so much, but he's, like, noooh, it's not like I can overdo it or something, and now, hello, here it comes, eh." She blinked and looked at Jake. "Uh, you're his friend Jack or something? Take him to his room, will ya?"

Jake carried James most of the way home, and he was glad that when he got to James's house that his sister immediately welcomed them in. He nodded to her and quickly took James towards his room, depositing him on his bed. He hoped James would be ok. But he was sure that Jason would tell him if there was something wrong with James that warranted going to the hospital.

As they left, he pushed a small projection of calm into James's sister so she wouldn't get too curious or bug James too much and then he left.

Once gone, he looked for Jason, "So.. now what?"

As Jake went out of Wings' house, he began searching for Jason, but only when he left the nearby area, did his partner materialize. "Well, I believe you should go home, think about what to say to your parents and in the meantime we'll send them every bit of information we need. Sounds ok? And rest, after what happened today you deserve some pleasant dreams." Cocky grin and a wink.

Jake nodded. He still wasn't sure what to tell his parents. He supposed he'd see what kind of information that Jason gave them and go from there, making it up as he went along. Besides with his powers.. couldn't he make them accept it easily? But that would be wrong. Wouldn't it? Jake didn't know.

"Yeah, that sounds good, and so does a rest.. this is a lot to think about."

"Yeah, I know. It's always hard to take everything in at first, it takes time to get accustomed, but after that... it's pure pleasure... well, though in this kind of work you do get a lot of pain too." He grinned.

Jake frowned, "I'm not so sure about the pain part." But then he grinned, "But pleasure sounds fine to me." He started walking towards home with Jason, still trying to think of what he'd say.

"Is there anything else I should know?"

"Not really, I think you should just go in like nothing's happened and wait for them to get all the information. But first, rest. I think it's also time for me to go, after all, someone has to contact Dream that she has to make up some story." He grinned.

Jake nodded, "Alright Jason.. thanks. I guess I should get home then and I'll.. wait to hear from you and the paperwork and stuff for my parents?"

What was Jake going to say? Would they take it well? what about Andrew? All things he'd have to deal with soon.."

"It was nice to meet you, Jake." He shook the brown-haired jock's hand and with his cocky grin on his face disappeared. Now it was the resting time... because there was going to be a storm soon. Dark clouds on the horizon were telling it him... as did his feelings. They were also saying that he didn't want to hurt Andrew. And that on the other side of the door was a person full of worries.

Okay! This is the end of the first Issue! Bravo. It was a very exciting, hot and interesting adventure... but it's only a beginning of the real fun. For going through it all, Jake receives 2pp to spend on his traits. We'll talk about it in greater detail soon. 1pp is normal for every Issue, while the other 1 is for a great sex scene. Ah, hot. Anyway, Jake, as for now, has discovered only a portion of his empathic powers. It seems that he can control emotions without any trouble, he senses strong emotions automatically... and seems to have some kind of 'entering' people's mind power. In gameplay terms these are:

• Empathic Awareness - Super-Senses 3 (Detect Emotions [mental; Ranged, Radius]) - This is his Empathic awareness ability which makes him aware of strong emotions in the area. The stronger the emotion is, the easier to pick up it is. Rules for this are: Jake has another sense. To notice things he has to make Notice checks (in his case: Wis mod) and stronger emotions have lower Difficulty. The farther away the emotion is, the harder it is to pick it up.
  
• Empathy - Emotion Control 6 (Power Feat: Subtle) - His Emotion Control works on one person per round that he can see. It allows a Will save, but with 6 ranks most normal humans will fall to his charm almost immediately. He can create any emotion in his target, for example love to make them more helpful. It has Duration of Sustained, what means that if he can't take a free action (i.e. he's stunned or unconscious), it stops working. Of course he can end this voluntarily.
  
• Bonding - Mind Reading 6 (Extra: Duration [Sustained]; Flaw: Range [Touch]) Linked to Illusion 6 ( all senses; Extra: Duration [Sustained]; Flaws: Limited to One Target, Phantasms, Range [Touch]) - This is his strange mind-entering power. In the game terms this is Mind Reading Linked to Illusion, because when you touch a target, you enter his mind, begin 'mental grapple' with him, can probe his memories for the information you want... and at the same time you can control the Astral plane where you are capable of almost any feat. You can create new sceneries, etc. Whatever you imagine, you can do it while you have your target in your mental grapple. You can also use your Empathy (Emotion Control) power on him to ensure he co-operates. Or if you decide that you want to hurt him, you can deal him automatic damage, as long as he's in your mental grapple, equal your Wis mod (+2).

Take 6 LoEs for the adventure and 4 more for the incredible sex scene!