#content syndication lead generation

[thinkermediagroup]

Unleash Your Potential for Lead Generation with Thinker Media Group's Creative Content Syndication Techniques

With Thinker Media Group, learn cutting-edge lead-generating content syndication strategies. With our custom strategies, you can increase the reach and engagement of your brand and produce high-quality leads. To know more - https://thinkermediagroup.com/services/market-research/

[abhibaj]

Content Syndication in B2B Sales and Marketing: A Complete Guide to Driving Leads and Growth

As B2B marketing continues to evolve, Content Syndication has emerged as a crucial tactic for lead generation, extending the reach of valuable content, and ultimately driving growth in sales and marketing. By strategically distributing content across various platforms, businesses can connect with new audiences, build authority, and generate high-quality leads. This guide delves into the role of content syndication in B2B sales and marketing and explains how companies can leverage this strategy for greater impact.

What is Content Syndication in B2B Marketing?

In simple terms, content syndication is the process of distributing or republishing content across multiple third-party platforms to reach a broader audience. Instead of relying solely on organic search or direct website visits, B2B companies use content syndication to extend their reach to potential leads who might not otherwise come across their content.

Get full insights@ https://itechseries.com/blog/content-syndication-in-b2b-sales-and-marketing/

By working with syndication partners who align with your target audience, you can share whitepapers, case studies, blog posts, and other resources to create brand awareness. Syndication provides valuable exposure in relevant spaces and generates leads for your sales and marketing teams.

How Does Content Syndication Support Lead Generation?

For B2B companies, generating leads is often the primary objective of content marketing. Content syndication amplifies lead generation efforts by delivering your content directly to people interested in your industry.

Content syndication networks allow companies to publish their content on established media platforms, industry forums, and other channels where potential leads are already active. The key is to choose syndication platforms that align with your ideal customer profile. As a result, you increase the likelihood of capturing the attention of decision-makers and influencers, turning these content interactions into sales opportunities.

Effective content syndication campaigns require clarity about the target audience, a strong call to action, and quality content that addresses specific pain points. Each touchpoint in this process can build trust, nurture prospects, and drive them further down the sales funnel.

What Types of Content Work Best for Syndication in B2B Marketing?

Content syndication offers flexibility in terms of content types. However, certain formats tend to perform better in generating leads and engagement in the B2B space:

Whitepapers and eBooks: These in-depth resources showcase expertise and provide valuable insights, making them highly effective in engaging decision-makers.

Case Studies: Sharing real-life examples of success with past clients builds credibility and demonstrates your product or service’s impact.

Blog Posts: Shorter, informative pieces help attract a broader audience. Blog posts often serve as entry points for those at the beginning of the customer journey.

Webinars and Videos: Interactive content formats, such as webinars, provide direct value and offer immediate answers to potential leads.

Infographics: Visual content makes complex information digestible, allowing viewers to understand your insights quickly.

The key to successful content syndication is offering content that is both relevant and valuable to your target audience. By aligning the content format with the interests and needs of your prospects, you’ll improve engagement and ultimately drive more conversions.

Get the latest marketing and tech insights@ https://itechseries.com/gtm-library/

How Do You Measure the Success of Content Syndication?

To maximize the effectiveness of content syndication, tracking key performance metrics is essential. Common KPIs include:

Lead Volume: The number of leads generated from each piece of syndicated content.

Conversion Rate: The percentage of leads that convert to sales-qualified leads (SQLs) or customers.

Engagement Metrics: Metrics like time spent on page, click-through rates, and download rates can reveal how effectively your content resonates.

Cost per Lead (CPL): This is critical for measuring ROI. Knowing the cost per lead helps assess the financial efficiency of your content syndication efforts.

By tracking these metrics, B2B marketers can continuously refine their syndication strategy, allocating resources to the best-performing channels and content types. Metrics also help identify potential gaps in the customer journey and offer insights into optimizing content for maximum impact.

What Are Common Challenges in Content Syndication?

While content syndication offers numerous benefits, there are also potential challenges that B2B marketers should be aware of:

Content Duplication: Republishing the same content across multiple platforms may risk duplicate content issues with search engines. To avoid this, use canonical tags and work with syndication partners who understand SEO best practices.

Lead Quality: Not all syndication leads will be high-quality or sales-ready. Content syndication often attracts top-of-funnel leads, so a clear lead-nurturing process is essential.

Channel Selection: Choosing the right syndication channels is crucial. Selecting the wrong platforms may result in low engagement and wasted resources.

By acknowledging and preparing for these challenges, B2B marketers can design a more resilient and effective syndication strategy.

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Conclusion

In the evolving landscape of B2B marketing, content syndication is more than just a method of distributing content—it’s a powerful lead-generation and brand-building tool. For companies looking to expand their reach, improve engagement, and drive qualified leads, content syndication offers a strategic advantage.

[nickmarksblog]

How to Choose the Best B2B Tech Content Syndication Services Provider for Your Business

Where content is king, the ability to spread your brand’s message far and wide can determine your market success. Discover how a top B2B Content Syndication Service Provider can elevate your brand's visibility and drive high-quality leads. Read full blog on: https://www.almohmedia.com/what-to-look-for-in-a-b2b-tech-content-syndication-services-provider/

[kjhuioiooo]

Your Ultimate Guide to Content Syndication

“With 61% of businesses using content syndication claiming they can achieve their goals, compared to 45% of those who do not, it is evident that content syndication has significant potential for B2B marketers in 2024.”

Making an impression in the highly linked digital world of today is a constant struggle for companies. It is the practice of distributing your information strategically across multiple internet channels outside of your website, utilizing pre-existing audiences to increase your reach and draw in new clients.

For More Information: https://sales-demand.com/your-ultimate-guide-to-content-syndication/

Whitepapers, case studies, and your blog are not limited to your website. They’re reaching a larger audience looking for enlightening material since they’re on relevant channels.

This guide will go further into the complexities of B2B content syndication, examining its details, advantages, and workable tactics for optimizing its capacity to provide leads of the highest caliber.

So we’ll help you solve the puzzle of content syndication and gain the skills necessary to become proficient with lead generation.

What is B2B content syndication for lead generation?

B2B content syndication boosts lead generation by strategically distributing educational resources such as blog posts, whitepapers, and infographics across several online platforms other than your website. It casts a wider net across the vast ocean of the internet to look for potential leads.

This implies that your painstakingly created information isn’t limited to the digital space of your website, but is instead placed in strategic ways on a variety of magazines, social media platforms, and industry-relevant platforms.

By adopting content syndication, companies may reach far beyond what organic traffic alone could accomplish by connecting with the audiences that already exist on other websites and magazines in their sector.

Like giving a guest speech at a conference that your target audience attends or having your expertise and insights printed in a respectable business journal, you can reach a larger audience that is actively looking for useful information.

Furthermore, content syndication involves more than just disseminating your work widely; it also entails carefully choosing the platforms and journals that best suit the tastes and interests of your target audience. By doing this, you can make sure that the proper individuals see your material when they need it, which raises the possibility that they will become qualified leads who are interested in your goods or services.

What is the purpose of content syndication?

The main goal of content syndication is to increase lead generation for your company. You can boost your chances of drawing in clients who are interested in your goods or services by posting your material on sites where your target audience already hangs out. Syndication also promotes brand awareness, establishes thought leadership, and increases backlinks to your website.

Visit Us: https://sales-demand.com/

Content Syndication Strategies

Careful preparation and execution are necessary for the successful implementation of a content syndication strategy. To attain your lead-generating objectives and optimize your outcomes, contemplate integrating the subsequent strategies into your methodology:

1# Determine Relevant Platforms

Do your homework to find the social media accounts, trade journals, and online forums where your target market is most active. This is identifying the platforms that your potential clients use by studying their demographics, interests, and activities.

Platforms such as LinkedIn, industry-specific forums, and credible periodicals are good sources of syndicated material for B2B audiences. You can make sure that the right people see your syndicated material at the right moment by concentrating your efforts on platforms where your audience is already active.

Read More Blog: https://sales-demand.com/best-practices-for-securely-managing-intent-data-in-b2b-marketing/

2# Produce High-Quality Content

The foundation of every effective syndication strategy is content. Provide informative, interesting, and engaging information for your intended audience. These might be interesting movies, in-depth case studies, thorough e-books, or educational blog entries.

Make sure you speak to your audience’s interests, problems, and pain points by offering them unique, practical insights and answers. In addition to attracting attention, quality content establishes your organization as an authority in your sector, increasing your chances of generating leads.

3# Optimize for Each site

Tailor your content to each site you syndicate to, taking into account its structure and tone. It’s critical to adjust your content for the distinct features and audience preferences of each platform.

To comply with the platform’s specifications and user expectations, this may need making changes to the headlines, formatting, or the addition of particular call-to-actions. You may improve your content’s exposure, interaction, and ability to generate leads back to your website by making it platform-specifically optimized.

4# Form Partnerships

Reaching out to new audiences and growing your syndication network require cooperation. To increase the reach and impact of your content, collaborate with thought leaders, bloggers, industry influencers, and relevant businesses.

You can reach new audience segments and expand your reach beyond your channels by utilizing the credibility and established networks of your partners. Collaborate on content projects, offer guest blogging opportunities, or launch joint promotional campaigns to diversify syndication efforts and foster relationships.

Benefits of Content Syndication

1# Enhanced Reach

The capacity of content syndication to greatly expand your reach outside of your current networks is one of its main advantages. Through content distribution across several web platforms, magazines, and social media channels, you can reach new consumers who might not have otherwise come across your brand.

The possibility of drawing in prospective leads who are actively looking for pertinent information or solutions in your sector is increased by this wider reach.

Read More Blogs: Best Practices for Securely Managing Intent Data in B2B Marketing

2# Increased Brand Visibility

When you publish your content on reliable sites, your brand becomes more well-known and credible in your sector. Your content gains credibility and establishes you as an authority in your industry when it is published with content from other reliable sources and thought leaders.

Increased visibility draws attention, fostering trust and confidence among your target audience. This openness encourages receptivity to your messages and products.

Top of Form

3# Enhanced SEO

Your search engine optimization (SEO) efforts can benefit from content syndication as well. In addition to generating referral traffic, syndicated content that has backlinks pointing to your website tells search engines that your website is reliable and current.

Your search engine rankings may rise as a result, eventually resulting in more visibility and organic traffic. Moreover, syndicated material that encourages shares and interaction can strengthen social signals, which will support your SEO efforts even more.

4# Cost-Effective Lead Generation

Content syndication is a more affordable option for generating leads and acquiring consumers than traditional advertising methods. It enables you to take advantage of pre-existing content assets and distribution channels to generate leads at a fraction of the cost of paid advertising, which frequently demands a substantial commitment with unpredictable results.

You can more effectively produce quality leads and increase conversions by strategically syndicating valuable content that appeals to your target audience.

Read the Article: Top 10 B2B Lead Generation Tools for 2024

[b2b-marketing-agency]

10 Key Strategies for Successful B2B Advertising Campaigns

10 Key Strategies for Successful B2B Advertising Campaigns Audience Segmentation: Identify and segment your target audience based on factors such as industry, job title, company size, and location. Tailor your messaging to each segment’s specific needs and pain points. Data-Driven Insights: Utilize data analytics tools to gather insights about your audience’s behavior and preferences. This…

[martech-news-blogs]

B2B Content Syndication Benefits for Startups

[ventesb2b]

Unlocking Growth: The Impact of B2B Content Syndication

Introduction

In the ever-evolving landscape of B2B marketing, staying ahead of the curve requires a dynamic approach to content distribution. B2B content syndication emerges as a strategic solution to amplify your reach and impact, connecting your brand with a broader and more targeted audience. In this blog, we delve into the world of B2B content syndication, uncovering its benefits, best practices, and how it can reshape your marketing strategy for the better.

 Understanding B2B Content Syndication

B2B content syndication involves sharing your carefully crafted content, such as whitepapers, case studies, and industry insights, on external platforms beyond your own. This strategic distribution exposes your content to a wider audience, often through partnerships with publishers, industry portals, and content distribution networks. The goal is to attract decision-makers, professionals, and potential clients who are actively seeking valuable insights within your industry.

 Benefits of B2B Content Syndication

 1. Expanded Audience Reach

In the B2B arena, reaching the right audience is paramount. B2B content syndication widens your reach by placing your content on platforms frequented by your target audience. This exposure allows you to tap into new markets, engage potential clients who may not have discovered your brand otherwise, and create a ripple effect of content discovery.

 2. Enhanced Brand Visibility

Gaining recognition and establishing your brand as an industry authority requires strategic visibility. B2B content syndication places your content on reputable platforms, positioning you as a thought leader. As your content garners more views and engagement, your brand gains credibility and trust, making your offerings more appealing to potential clients.

 3. Lead Generation

B2B content syndication isn't just about exposure; it's about fostering meaningful connections. When your content resonates with readers, they are more likely to provide their contact information in exchange for additional resources. This turns your syndicated content into a lead generation powerhouse, allowing you to nurture these leads further down the sales funnel.

 4. SEO Optimization

Quality backlinks play a crucial role in SEO, and B2B content syndication provides an avenue for generating these backlinks. Syndicating your content on reputable platforms often includes links back to your original content, boosting your website's authority and improving search engine rankings.

 5. Authority Building

In the B2B landscape, trust and authority are essential. Syndicated content showcases your expertise to a wider audience, allowing you to position yourself as an industry authority. Decision-makers are more likely to engage with brands they perceive as knowledgeable and credible.

 6. Time and Cost Efficiency

Creating high-quality B2B content demands time and resources. B2B content syndication offers a cost-effective solution by repurposing your existing content. Instead of reinventing the wheel, you can leverage your proven content assets to engage new audiences and save time on content creation.

Let’s connect for more insight:  https://ventesb2b.com/contact-2/

 Best Practices for B2B Content Syndication

To make the most of B2B content syndication, consider these best practices:

1. Choose Your Platforms Wisely: Select platforms that align with your target audience and industry niche. Quality matters more than quantity.

2. Maintain Consistency: Ensure that your brand voice, messaging, and design elements remain consistent across all syndicated content.

3. Craft Compelling Titles and Descriptions: Catchy titles and informative descriptions can encourage click-throughs and engagement.

4. Prioritize Value: Your syndicated content should offer real value to the reader. Address pain points, provide insights, and offer actionable takeaways.

5. Optimize for SEO: Include relevant keywords and meta descriptions in your syndicated content to enhance its searchability.

6. Engage with the Audience: Respond to comments and engage with readers to foster discussions and build relationships.

 Conclusion

In the competitive B2B landscape, strategic content distribution is the key to standing out and establishing your brand. B2B content syndication offers a powerful way to reach a wider and more engaged audience, enhance brand visibility, and drive lead generation. By implementing best practices and leveraging the benefits of syndication, B2B businesses can reshape their marketing strategies for a more impactful and effective future.

Aniket Deshpanade

Sr.Digital Marketink Associate

adeshpande185@gmail.com

www.ventesb2b.com/ New York, USA

[exrconsultancy]

We are an independent market research company that specializes in product and service development research, consulting, and strategic planning.

Visit:

[thecrowroad]

An assortment of Crow and Spite headcanons:

Zevran’s working over of House Arainai triggered the succession crisis that claimed Lucanis and Illario’s families. The deaths of six 8th Talons in short order caused a lot of instability within Crow society. That instability opened up a lot of opportunity for advancement for both the smaller Crow Houses and the Talon houses. Which lead to a lot of murder.

As heir of House Dellamorte and the presumptive next First Talon, Lucanis did the full syllabus of Crow training, in exhaustive detail. Including the seduction training. While it’s not his forte, he can turn it on for contracts - but he absolutely shuts down when he uses those techniques on someone he actually cares for. It wasn’t (just) Spite that made him need to clear his head after the almost-kiss, it was nearly using moves he associates with targets on Rook.

The things Lucanis finds normal are a source of perpetual morbid fascination for everyone else who didn’t grow up at the sharp end of a crime syndicate. He was first recorded as assisting on a contract at 5 years old - no one looks twice at a tired parent dealing with a fractious kid, or expects the kid to be tasked with dripping the poison in the right glass. The Crows have never shied away from using children.

Post-game, the first thing Lucanis does, once he’s back in Treviso and the dust has settled is to sit down with Viago and Teia and work out how they’re going to manage one of them taking over as First Talon without Caterina having them all assassinated with extreme prejudice. Because while the Seat of First Talon has been Delamorte for generations and almost his entire family died to make sure it stayed in the family… It’s not important to Lucanis. He can do the job and do it well (Caterina is a lot of things, but a woman who didn’t bend to the death of all her children is not a misty-eyed sentimentalist). He just doesn’t want it, and after what he’s been through, he just wants to retire quietly to a cafe somewhere sunny and take the occasional contract his negotiator has convinced to pay his god-killer rates.

As part of the negotiations, Lucanis and Teia make Viago swear an oath to not freelance his way back into the succession. It’s just not worth it, and Teia has better things to do with her life than queening.

I’m not convinced Spite is actually a demon. He’s a bitchy spirit of Determination. Firstly - he doesn’t actually do anything spiteful. Fucking up Zara’s plans for Lucanis isn’t spiteful, nor is losing his rag at Illario for kill-stealing - that’s determination to survive, and determination thwarted. Secondly - just about everyone who addresses Spite personally calls him a spirit of determination. If a demon is a corrupted spirit, it seems that Spite is as most a little twisted.

On the positive effects of spirit possession, Anders says “I cannot tell you how good it feels for a spirit to fulfill its function. The waiting is over. I am finally seeking justice. And he is exultant. There is no ecstasy humankind can feel to match." And Wynne describes her possession by a spirit of faith as comforting "It is like being held close, cradled...". At the most minor level, possession by a contented Spite when he’s crossing stuff off his personal to-do list has to be a glorious cascade of dopamine rushes. Just imagine what achieving the big goals feels like.

[thinkermediagroup]

The Essential Tools for Effective Account-Based Marketing

Begin with an overview of Account-Based Marketing (ABM), emphasizing its importance in aligning marketing and sales efforts towards the most lucrative accounts. Highlight how ABM differs from traditional marketing approaches by focusing on personalized and targeted strategies.

Understanding ABM Tools

Explain that ABM tools are designed to help in identifying prospects, engaging with them more effectively, and closing deals by nurturing key decision-makers within targeted companies. These tools integrate data analysis, customer relationship management, and marketing automation to deliver personalized marketing campaigns.

Key Features of ABM Tools

Account Identification: Tools that help in identifying and selecting accounts that are likely to convert. Discuss features like predictive analytics and AI capabilities which help in pinpointing high-value targets.

Data and Contact Management: Importance of clean, comprehensive data on target accounts. Tools should provide seamless integration with existing CRM systems to ensure that all account data is up-to-date and accessible.

Targeted Content Delivery: Tools must allow for the creation and management of personalized content tailored to the needs and interests of each account. Mention platforms that support dynamic content which adjusts based on the viewer’s profile.

Engagement Channels: Detail how ABM tools facilitate engagement across multiple channels (email, social media, web, etc.). Discuss how they provide cohesive communication strategies that are consistent and personalized.

Lead and Account Scoring: Importance of scoring leads and accounts based on their interaction with your content and their likelihood to convert. This helps in prioritizing efforts and resources effectively.

Analytics and Reporting: Emphasize tools that provide detailed analytics on campaign performance, account engagement, and ROI. Explain how these insights are crucial for refining strategies and proving the value of ABM.

Essential ABM Tools to Consider

CRM Integration: Salesforce, HubSpot

Marketing Automation Platforms: Marketo, Eloqua

Data and Analytics Tools: Google Analytics, Tableau

Content Personalization: Adobe Experience Manager, Optimizely

Communication Tools: MailChimp, SendGrid, LinkedIn Sales Navigator

Account Identification: Demandbase, InsideView

Implementing ABM Tools

Offer a step-by-step guide on how to implement these tools within a marketing strategy. Discuss the importance of staff training, tool integration, and setting up systems to monitor and analyze results.

Best Practices

Share some best practices for using ABM tools effectively:

Consistency Across Channels: Ensure that messaging and content are consistent across all touchpoints.

Alignment With Sales: Close collaboration with the sales team is essential to ensure that marketing and sales strategies are aligned.

Continuous Improvement: Regularly review the performance and adapt strategies based on what the data shows.

Conclusion

Conclude by reinforcing the importance of ABM tools in achieving a successful account based marketing strategies. Emphasize that while the right tools are critical, the key to ABM success lies in a strategic approach and flawless execution.

[edgarbright]

Caleb = Sylus theory

And if that turns out to be incorrect, then renamed as:

My thoughts on Caleb and Sylus!

tl;dr my heart wants Caleb back as a LI and my brain continues to report that Caleb being Sylus makes a lot of sense

General spoiler warning for any game content released up until June 18, 2024. Long post is long and has pictures.

So first things first! I’m going to need everyone to think about Caleb beyond being just our sweet and teasing childhood friend. Because if we viewed the other male leads as plainly as Caleb is often viewed, then Zayne is just a workaholic doctor, Xavier is just a narcoleptic hunter, and Rafayel is just a playful-personality artist.

But we find out Zayne has done work in battle zones as a military medic and we hear how his morals and ethics are held high when organizations like Ever Group try to recruit him. We discover that Xavier is an immortal who has flown across the galaxy in a spaceship and regularly goes toe-to-toe with criminal syndicates and wanderers alike. We learn that Rafayel is a Lemurian, the God of the Sea, and an assassin who carefully and cleverly deals out bloody revenge.

While we don’t have a lot of Caleb content in the first eight chapters and side pieces, there is still a lot of information to work with! Because we know he has been around for years and must be doing something with his time when he’s not talking with MC about coming home.

And one of the clues we’re given is that he is a busy guy. In the character notes, we read that MC doesn’t see Caleb outside of holidays after he became involved with the Aerospace Academy at Skyhaven. He has since become a pilot for the Deepspace Aviation Administration. Then there is their last argument about how they are adults now and they don’t need to keep secrets from each other. But just when Caleb is about to open up, he locks it down. And then he’s gone.

The End? Except I don’t think that’s where his story finishes.

I. Official game descriptions

Caleb: "My childhood friend. Grandma took us in when we were young. Now he works as a fighter pilot for the Deepspace Aviation Administration. Ever since he went to Aerospace Academy in Skyhaven, we don’t often see each other. But we always visit Grandma during the holidays. While he loves teasing me, he’s actually a reliable person whom I trust."

Sylus: "The leader of Onychinus is said to have built his empire on illegal Evol weapons and Protocore deals. He’s the most influential, dominant figure in the N109 Zone. However, he hasn’t been seen for a while."

II. Caleb as a love interest: Brother vs childhood friend

Stating the obvious to get it out of the way: that Papergames had to give Caleb a completely different relationship role with MC in the English-speaking market is akin to a public statement that he is going to be a love interest. They would have saved themselves the trouble by leaving him as brother if he was never going to play a more intimate role with MC.

III. Caleb and MC's lingering connection: the necklace

The “When U come back,” apple-and-dog-tag necklace picked out in a style MC really liked as a present for Caleb before he left for Skyhaven.

The necklace where, in chapter 4.06 ‘Saying Goodbye,’ MC and Caleb share a Kindled moment as we take the necklace from his hand and he leans forward to let us put it on him.

The necklace that Caleb was wearing under the bulk of his jacket when he entered Grandma’s house before the explosion.

The necklace that is nowhere to be seen after the explosion, but suddenly appears on the ground in front of us when MC looks back down. Caleb was wearing that necklace when he entered the house, but here it is now, completely intact. MC’s hands are covered in dirt and ash while the necklace is in clean condition.

Caleb is alive in one way or another. And the necklace, now back in MC’s possession, is a tie that still binds them.

IV. Official Announcement of the Next Male Lead

(Disclaimer: I am only able to go off the English fan translation and google translations so my interpretation is at the mercy of missed nuances from word choice and mis-translations. But we’re just here to be delusional have fun, so play nice!)

During the CBT in 2023, Papergames released this announcement:

Then on February 24, 2024 as part of an apology post to angry Chinese players, Papergames provided a follow-up and official confirmation that hunters will get to meet the next love interest, Qin Che/Sylus, in the next big story update coming this July 2024.

This February announcement does not mention Caleb, but then the original Q&A was clearly only referencing a question regarding a single pre-mentioned person. So between CBT and now, my understanding is that we have only ever been promised one new male lead to top us off at a quartet.

And in that initial announcement in CBT, it continues to strike me as strange that they talk about this mystery man Sylus and then they bring up Caleb. They first talk at length about someone we don’t know at all and then about someone the CBT players were already interested in: our doting brother/childhood friend, someone who clearly likes us, someone whom the MC obviously likes in return, someone with a unique personality from the other LI, and someone we have lost and grieved over and want back.

But the official name of the next male lead is Sylus.

“His identity and your relationship to him,” however, could also suggest that the name “Sylus” may not be his true name. Is there just some guy named Sylus walking around Linkon City or does he become Sylus when associated with Onychinus and when he enters the N109 zone? After all, his identity is a question, it is a mystery, he is mystery, and our relationship to him is a question. Our true relationship to him is in question, because perhaps it is someone we thought we knew but didn’t truly know at all.

V. Sylus: a powerful persona in the N109 zone

As the main story plot progresses and MC sets her sights on entering the N109 zone, she learns that the acquisition of a bold fake identity is a key part to her safety. By the sound of it, even someone like Xavier doesn’t enter as Xavier, but instead as Lumiere as it was Lumiere who was rumored to have caused a mess there recently.

Therefore I’m further encouraged that the name “Sylus” could just be a new identity for someone we already know. Even more so, once ‘Caleb the fighter pilot from the Deepspace Aviation Administration’ has officially been declared dead, the only identity left to him is Sylus.

But strangely enough, after Caleb is gone, even the character description states Sylus hasn’t been seen for a while, either…

VI. Symbols: the jacket and the crow

Caleb is wearing a Deepspace Aviation Administration (DAA) jacket before he begins attending the Airspace Academy at Skyhaven, as seen in the flashback scene. He is still wearing the same jacket on the last day we see him in chapter 4.

Of interest, in chapter 3, we see a crow in the forest watching MC and Xavier after they destroy the developing Aetherwyrm and taking Onychinus's modified Protocore.

Note the diagonal orange bars on the mechanical feature on the crow’s left wing and the design on the jacket on Caleb’s left chest:

The bars mirror one another. The crow seems to have four bars but only three are full whereas the jacket shows four full bars.

Note as well on the jacket's left arm: the crow-like head triangle with the curved wings.

With MC currently entangled in tens of thousands of years of history with three other men, I don’t think this is a game that deals with mere coincidences.

But considering this crow symbol existed on the DAA jacket before Caleb went to the academy teases all types of connections and, most appropriately, spacetime considerations rooted around the Deepspace Tunnel.

VII. The Deepspace Aviation Administration

After completing his training at the Airspace Academy, Caleb rose up to become a pilot in the Deepspace Aviation Administration. His whole job involves flying around and near the Deepspace Tunnel.

The same Deepspace Tunnel that the Linkon broadcaster speaks of so frequently regarding possible Wanderer appearances.

The same Deepspace Tunnel that appeared at the time of the catastrophe.

The same Deepspace Tunnel that Xavier and the Backtrackers took to travel from Philos to Earth.

Just as MC is learning new and weird things about the world while working as a hunter, surely Caleb has come across some new and weird things, too.

MC states that the DAA is secretive but Caleb takes it a step further: it’s not just secretive, it’s spooky! It’s creepy! It’s mysterious! It’s shadowy!

Whatever the DAA is dealing with isn’t, necessarily, normal!

Because while the DAA is of course focused on the Deepspace Tunnel, we have also heard that some of their interests lie in the Lemurian ruins…

So we shouldn’t take the Deepspace Aviation Administration at face value. Honestly, nothing in this game appears to be as good and pure as it seems! It’s suspicious that MC works as a hunter in the Unicorns division when Unicorn was also the code name for her as an experiment. The public face of Ever Group has them seeming to work medical miracles and conducting revolutionary science, but we know they conducted cruel experiments on MC, we have clues they experimented on Lemurians, and it’s revealed they have dark dealings with the Backtrackers.

Note that while Sylus is the leader of Onychinus and built it up as an empire, that doesn’t necessarily mean he is the founder. The Deepspace Aviation Administration could easily have criminal ties of their own or be a cover for a front for their true reason to exist.

But whatever is going on with the DAA, Caleb has been involved in it for many years and has kept it secret from MC this whole time.

VIII. Male Lead Introductions

It feels too strange to think that Sylus will be an entirely new face because not only would that put him at a disadvantage, it would neglect a lot of clues and game features laid out for his association and arrival.

For starters, Xavier, Rafayel, and Zayne are all introduced to MC in the very first chapter. They get faces and little encounters to go along with them.

Meanwhile Caleb is faceless. He is just a voice in chapter 1. But to the MC, it’s the familiar voice of someone she obviously knows and loves and is excited to see again. She has history and memories and a developed relationship with this person.

But even through the teasing affection shared between MC and Caleb over the phone, his face and expressions are left in the dark. He is a mystery to us.

Except… maybe we do see a face of Caleb? In the face of the all-seeing-eye of Onychinus that appears a moment after MC gets off the phone with him.

So, going back to that CBT announcement, Papergames asks if the players found any clues regarding Sylus in the main story… right before they bring Caleb into the conversation, who for all intents and purposes is dead? Whether they were making a hint or not right there it’s too suspicious.

IX. Lore: The Eye in the Sky Watching Over MC

We spot the red eye watching MC on at least three occasions:

[Top left image] At the end of chapter 1: After MC has completed her first day as a hunter and Caleb bids her goodnight after their phone call, she sees the eye for a moment outside her window as the weather begins to turn bad.

[Bottom left image] In chapter 3: MC recalls a reoccurring nightmare when her 7-year-old self was running blindly in pain and fear during the Chronorift Catastrophe. While she initially thinks it is the moon, when she wakes up she realizes it was actually the same eye she saw in chapter 1. Of interest, notice how her description of the eye’s arrival is portrayed rather positively:

Rusty-red rain falls from the sky and seeps into every nook and cranny of the city. I step over the puddles, running away. I sense a powerful force. It's about to burst from my heart. Then the moon appears. Magnificent, it descends before me. It flickers. It seems to be blinking at me.

[Right image] At the Nest in chapter 8: the eye is in a robotic contraption watching events unfold on Hunting Day and when MC is captured.

So it seems this eye has been with her since she was seven years old and it found her before even Xavier did. As an observation vessel, however, it was not able to help her. All it can do is watch. So the question is who has been watching her from the other end? Ever Group? Onychinus? The Backtrackers? Caleb in some form?

X. Caleb is never doing what MC expects

On the phone call in chapter 1, MC thought he would still be in-flight, but he brushes it off by saying they finished early. He uses this surprise “free time” to call her right when she returns home and asks how her first day as a hunter went.

When MC arrives to Grandma’s house in chapter 4, she thought he wouldn’t arrive until the next day at the earliest, but he was already home. He uses this surprise “free time” to cook and have dinner ready for her right when she arrives.

He just always seems to be a step ahead of the MC… for the sake of doting on MC!

But it’s still rather odd that lower-level military personnel would get early clock-outs so conveniently when activity in the Deepspace Tunnel and appearance of Wanderers are on the rise…

And what is he doing that is making him so sleep-deprived?

XI. FM News vs Caleb: Deepspace Tunnel Activity

For the record, all of chapter 1 takes place over a single day. MC starts her morning by receiving her badge; spends the day hunting Wanderers, meeting Xavier, and getting her placement in alpha team; spends the evening with Tara before she meets Rafayel; rushes to her 6pm check-up appointment with Zayne; has a nighttime phone call with Caleb; and spots the eye outside her window before bed.

And from morning to night, the news report and Caleb’s report are complete opposites.

“Hello, Linkon City. DPSC FM here to greet you on this early morning. Did you sleep well last night? Weather's nice today with winds at 5 km/hr. Certain areas have a higher Metaflux index due to the Deepspace Tunnel. Expect Wanderers to appear more often. We would like to thank the hunters in the city for allowing us to live a normal, peaceful life. Next, a detailed report for each district. Areas that are at a "high risk" of being attacked by Wanderers-- All medical personnel, today is going to be another busy day.”

Compared to

MC: "Did you guys encounter any Wanderers in the Deepspace Tunnel? Was it dangerous?" ... Caleb: "All right. It's been peaceful. The field within the tunnel is as stable as it can be. Very few Wanderers. Don't worry." MC: "Really? Every time you tell me not to worry..." Caleb: "Everything else is top secret. My lips are sealed."

Now, it’s entirely possible that he’s lying about the danger in order to make MC feel better, but if he was lying and the situation was more severe, he wouldn’t have gotten off work early and been able to call her.

Which also brings up the question: is he even at Skyhaven or with the Deepspace Aviation Administration at this time...?

XII. Theory Speed Bump: the Exploding House

During the phone call in chapter 1, Caleb sounds very relaxed about MC having become a hunter on her first day. He asks her how it went and when she starts talking about having had some trouble, he teases her to stop--because he knows she did well! They go on to tease each other about when he’s going to next visit and he says a very sweet good night. He doesn’t sound worried for her safety or anxious or anything of the like.

The visit at Grandma’s house in chapter 4 is a little different. He seems more worried.

Caleb shows up a day early—and if he is Sylus, leader of Onychinus who are wildly in-the-know, obviously his connections would have alerted him to the moving activity posing a danger toward MC and Grandma. But considering how well Xavier stays off most radars, the other Backtrackers are quite good at moving in secret, too. Knowing there is danger isn’t the same as knowing where or when exactly it will hit.

From the World Underneath files, Ever Group appears to have lost track of experiment subject “Unicorn,” but they still had tabs on Josephine as one of their former researchers. The files the Backtracker acquired after the explosion that he delivered to the Ever Group’s Raincoat appears to be their confirmation on MC’s identity. Although we’re left listening to the lackey’s discussion, it doesn’t appear that Ever Group intended to do MC harm just yet, but that doesn't mean she couldn't have accidentally been caught up in the explosion, too.

While MC and everyone are at the table eating, the story about the multiple metaflux explosions are shown on the TV.

When MC excuses herself from the table in order to go scout the neighborhood, Caleb, who just voiced concerns for her safety, jumps up and follows her.

Caleb very obviously lies about going shopping (my guy has empty hands when he reappears). He continues to follow her, albeit from a distance as he is not quick enough to get involved in MC’s encounter with the sneaking Backtracker (note how the MC observed that the man sounded much older than he looked).

Although it’s interesting how, after Caleb knows she was attacked and how he stuck by her side as often as he could while they were outside, he enters the house first and leaves her alone outside.

But the only reason he entered the house first and alone was because MC told him to go inside first. He was the one who suggested they return home before Grandma got worried. Whatever danger Caleb was on high alert for, I’m left conflicted if an exploding house was something he considered since it was his idea to return.

His necklace magically appearing in front of MC after the explosion, however, suggests he was involved in the necklace placement in some way.

Also we don't know what his Evol is exactly. Some players have suggested telekinesis or gravity based on how he was able to take the necklace from MC in the flashback. Magnetic force should also be considered, I think, but I won't open that can of worms here. The question is still: how deep does this rabbit hole go? Was Caleb caught in an explosion he was prepared for and escaped or is another force at work here? We know there have been many Rafayels and Zaynes in the timeline. Maybe there are many Calebs, too.

XIII. Grandma's records have no mention of Caleb

Before she took in MC, Josephine states in the World Underneath files that she has never had children before. Meaning Caleb was not in the picture before MC.

In the game character notes, MC says Grandma took both MC and Caleb in when MC was seven years old.

So where did Caleb come from? And what made her take him in, too?

When we are at Grandma’s house, we also see just one picture frame. The only ones in the picture are MC and Grandma.

In all of Grandma’s notes, there is not one mention of Caleb. There is just one instance where it looks like his name ought to be, but the notes trail off instead with an ellipsis.

Did she herself exclude him from her records or was his name purposefully removed?

Nonetheless, I'm sure the leader of Onychinus would value such anonymity, if it were him.

XIV. "A decisive man as always"

At the family meal, MC expresses concern regarding Grandma’s health. Caleb speaks up and shares that he has taken care to see that Grandma is cared for.

When MC, a little peevish-sounding in English, asks him the when and why, all Caleb does is let out a small laugh and goes back to eating.

Grandma notes that she didn’t know about this plan either. "A decisive man as always," she says with a troubled expression.

And thus Grandma has thrown an interesting character trait into the mix as Caleb always seems so laid-back with MC like he’s simply going with the flow of things. Except it’s clear he’s decisive, determined, and taking care of things behind the scenes. And surely that includes taking care of MC.

XV. Sylus's Character

We have two points of concrete information about Sylus.

The first is the game description, which I’ll repeat here: “The leader of Onychinus is said to have built his empire on illegal Evol weapons and Protocore deals. He’s the most influential, dominant figure in the N109 Zone. However, he hasn’t been seen for a while.”

The second is an observation made by Captain Jenna in chapter 3:

"We speculate it’s not about money, given Sylus’s track record," she says.

So Sylus "is said to have built" a whole empire on illegal sales but apparently he’s OK with his sales taking a loss because it’s not about money. We see in several news reports in-game about the amazing medical progress made due to the use of Protocores. Modified Protocores, especially such revolutionary ones made by Onychinus, should easily be worth more than their weight in gold. The one that MC and Xavier take from the forest is even powerful enough to start the revival process of the strongest type of Wanderer.

So we have this mysterious Sylus who has prioritized power and influence over wealth, but what can he possibly do with those if he’s gone AWOL…?

But such a decisive man who has gained authority over the N109 zone likely has everything under control, right?

XVI. Grandma Josephine vs Caleb

In chapter 4 under the title “Secret,” in part due to the mysterious locked box MC receives, we the player (not MC) learn that Grandma had entrusted MC to Zayne if the “worst-case scenario happens.”

But what about Caleb? We know that he is away from home very often so it’s highly unlikely anyone should consider something bad happening to both her and him. The “us” she uses could mean them both, but it seems more likely she meant Zayne’s promise to Grandma and MC (as MC is the beneficiary).

Let’s go back to that family meal conversation and see the follow-up reactions that show some interesting motives:

We have Caleb taking responsibility for family matters, MC and Grandma caught by surprise—then look at what Grandma does: she doesn’t argue with his decision, but instead turns to MC and immediately encourages her to get back in touch with Zayne.

Caleb’s response to that in turn is to suggest that instead of Zayne and MC meeting alone, Zayne should come for a family dinner. Caleb’s reaction feels rather sarcastic with the emphasis on “looong time.” Zayne is given the treatment of, rather than being a family friend, he is more like that kid they used to know back in grade school. Which is true. Zayne has been absent in MC and Caleb's lives for the past 10 years. Zayne hasn’t been in the picture since MC was about eleven years old and it’s been Caleb looking after MC as her childhood friend/brother this whole time.

So it’s no surprise when MC and Caleb are walking back home together that their conversation turns out like this:

"If not me, who could you possibly turn to for…" he begins, then stops. He smiles bitterly, shakes his head, and plays it off.

Is this him choking up on his yearning? Is this him realizing what Grandma tried to do earlier by bringing up Zayne, and realizing there are other people MC can turn to? Is this him realizing MC is right, that he really can’t protect her forever? Is this him realizing he can’t protect her as just Caleb? Or is there something else going on in that head of his?

It seems to me that not only are Grandma and Caleb not working together at this point, despite them both prioritizing MC's safety, Grandma might not consider Caleb outside of being the family cook!

What does Grandma know about Caleb that would make her turn to Zayne instead?

XVII. What Onychinus knows about MC's Aether Core (spoiler: everything)

Summary: This all happened in the immediate aftermath of the Chronorift Catastrophe. Dr. Noah was bought into the picture shortly after Grandma took MC into her home. Around that same time, one of the researchers who experimented on MC joined up with Onychinus. From that point on, all the other researchers started dying or disappearing—except for Grandma Josephine.

Grandma, however, is eventually killed by the Backtrackers hired by Ever Group, who had been looking for details about their missing Unicorn.

MC notes that Grandma didn’t leave any work files at home. Therefore Caleb wouldn’t have learned anything at the home.

But because Onychinus knows everything through that researcher, Sylus also knows everything that happened to MC. He knows what Josephine did. He knows about MC’s condition. He knows about her special heart. He knows about the Aether Core. He knows what dangers might pursue MC.

And what is Onychinus’s main project? Modifying Protocores.

MC learns that the frequency of her heart matches that of the modified Protocore she found in the restricted zone with Xavier. Both her heart and that modified Protocore had been effected by an Aether Core.

The crucial part I’m getting at is that Onychinus already knows about MC before she ever went to the Nest. They have known about her for around 15 years and during all this time Onychinus have never, ever approached or harmed her!

In this Sylus = Caleb scenario, he already has MC (trust me! he pleads), he already has her Aether Core, and he's trying to keep it secret, he's trying to keep her safe.

The other researchers had to die to keep her safe, because the knowledge they held of her would die with them.

"If not for me, who could you turn to for..." Caleb had once started to say, because if not for him, who else could have protected her all this time? Who else would work so tirelessly and decisively to do what needed to be done?

XVIII. Onychinus is not our enemy

One of the reasons I love Love and Deepspace is because the world building and lore are incredibly interesting. But we must use critical thinking because they are also deceptive. So many characters keep treating Onychinus as dangerous, as deadly, but we not only don’t know their true motive, we have no information on what bad things they’ve actually done besides existing outside normal society.

Both Jenna and Xavier tell us that Onychinus's most famous achievement is modifying Protocores. There is no word of Onychinus ever doing direct or indirect harm using these modified Protocores. We don’t even know to whom, exactly, they sell these Protocores—and we know that it’s not about money.

Onychinus is a mystery! What anyone knows about them is all speculation!

Ever Group, meanwhile, has conducted experiments on Lemurians as explored in Raymond's situation and experiments on MC when she was a child. These actions directly resulted in the "death" of MC numerous times and the probable death of at least one Lemurian if not more. In the World Underneath we discover that Ever Group also knows about the Backtrackers and about Philos. Ever Group hired the Backtracker that destroyed MC’s family. They also use Xavier and are plotting to, for lack of a better word, enslave him once they figure out the chemical compound of the medication he and the other Backtrackers use as injections.

It’s not a mistake, however, that Ever Group is praised by the public for their ingenuity and medical advances for the sake of a better society while Onychinus is treated as dangerous renegades.

Then there is also the Deepspace Aviation Administration who are "unraveling the unknown" at the Deepspace Tunnel while fighting Wanderers.

XIX. I promise you’ll see me every day when you wake up ;)

For the longest time I read Caleb's final promise at face value. He was coming back home to visit, so every morning when MC wakes up at Grandma’s house, she’ll see Caleb.

And I know I’m not the only one who shouted OBJECTION after the explosion (All Men Do Is Lie)!

Except waking up doesn’t have to be literal.

In the pre-registration announcement video released November 1, 2023, Zayne says the following line:

“When you and the world wake up, I hope we do not meet again.”

Perhaps MC just needs to wake up to the truth—the truth of what happened to her before she met Caleb and Zayne and Rafayel and Xavier, the truth of what Grandma and the scientists did to her as a child, the truth… of what she might find in the N109 zone, where Onychinus is, where the question to Sylus and her relationship with him will be answered…

When MC learns the truth, when she opens her eyes to the real world, she will see Caleb again.

(She will get to see him every day just like he promised.)

XX. Theoretical consideration: we’re in a time loop with possible time travel

If there are multiple timelines, it’s possible that the Sylus-Caleb we eventually meet isn’t the Caleb who entered that house before the explosion. They could be the same but different. Perhaps Caleb in one timeline died in that house while a Caleb in another timeline did not. Perhaps the necklace we picked up belonged to a different Caleb.

Because let’s be real, everything is a bit of a mess now: Dawnbreaker and Zayne sharing dreams, Xavier as an immortal alien on a completely different planet, and Rafayel has a millennia of emotional baggage to unpack and a lost civilization he has yet to revive.

There are also the rhythms in which the characters are living in their respected timelines. We have Xavier the immortal who has witnessed the many lives of MC living and dying tragically and being reborn again and again. We have Rafayel who is in a matched reincarnation cycle with MC where he seems to meet her in each life, but she has forgotten him while he may or may not have forgotten her. We have Zayne who is in an unmatched reincarnation cycle with MC where he may or may not meet her in each life, but he sacrifices himself for her sake at each end.

Let's not overlook the possibility of an actual time traveler with Sylus. Perhaps even one who has been looking for a timeline where he can keep MC safe. After all, coming late into the game, Sylus will need to have a new spin to his myth and connection with MC if he's going to compete!

Plus Caleb is also represented by the apple, the forbidden fruit: take even the smallest bite and be banished from paradise. But a bite of the apple also wakes one up to the truth, to the sense of shame, to desire, to sin, to love…

"I promise you’ll see me every day when you wake up," he said.

(And I’m a fool who wants to believe him 🍎)

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A Simple Meet-Cute

Summary: A slow night at your job picks up with the presence of a certain woman in red, this meeting also serves as the precedent for your life-course to shift...

Pairing: ???Wanda Maximoff x Hyena!Mutant!Reader

[S.S AU Masterlist]

Warning(s): Dark Themes; there's no smut in this one, but this is an 18+ AU aka MINORS DNI. To start we got depictions of breaking bones (not in depth, but it’s there, suggestion of murder, mention of mutant trafficking (did I really go back there again? Yeah, but this time with a dash of discrimination toward mutants), let’s see… language and general violence, cuz hey, you know what I get up to...kinda-

Note(s): This timeline-wise is way before "The Bigger Picture". I figure after I had my medias res moment, I wanted to go ahead double back to show how Wanda and R met. Were they done around the same time? Yes….And your point? I'll also go ahead and say that they're both a part of the Scarlet Syndicate AU. The masterlist should be up pretty soon, and I hope you enjoy this one :3

Word Count: in the realm of 1.8k

*squints* I give NO ONE permission to repost or translate my work. Make your own shit!

Mutants. The next evolution in human genetics can manifest at any time and take many forms. Some develop their mutations when they're in the throes of puberty or while in adolescence. Others have had their mutation since they were born or haven’t had them appear until they’ve gone into adulthood.

In this world, humans far outnumber mutants in population, and people are more content to ostracize those who are mutants, as man has well been known to fear and even hate what they do not understand...

“Table seven is clear, hon,” You turned to see Miss Monica pointing to the back area. Nodding, you grabbed your rag and made your way to the newly unoccupied table littered with pools of water left by sweating drinks and crumpled napkins.

It was only maybe a quarter past eight, but the bar was already running thin with patrons. The quieter hum of voices compared to the usual clambering of laughter and muddled conversation clued you in to the change easily. As you cleaned, you caught a glimpse of the designated VIP section of The Photon Call. There you saw a small group that had been there for at least two hours now.

The woman at the head of the table was dressed in a form-fitting burgundy suit paired with a glossy black heel, blacked out sunglasses framing her face. A muted fruity smell with a hint of something else followed her stride. She came in with two men and another woman, who were all dressed formally. Monica merely nodded toward the woman when they came in before she had Jimmy lead them to the VIP area.

Looking at the group now, you noticed their “leader” of sorts had now taken off her sunglasses, moving some of her auburn hair out of her face. Her green eyes were just visible in the lower light. They had an extra person with them who was sitting across from the woman dressed in deep red. This man you remembered from a short time ago. he came in some time after the group he was now seated with. he was a bit of a crude figure, and he’d been rather transparent about his distaste toward you, his nose turned up at your short tail and pronounced ears as you directed him to the VIP area. You’d been privy to a few choice words muttered under his breath as well.

There was a light sheen on his forehead now that there wasn’t before, now that they'd all finished eating. His scent was more pungent as well; he’s nervous now, and a bit fearful. Though his posture is upright, there was a stiffness to his movements when he was speaking. It was a stark contrast to the others sitting at the table who remained confident and relaxed, though you noticed the growing boredom and aggravation from the head lady as she swirled the drink in her glass lazily.

When the gray-haired man finished speaking, the woman across from him simply raised a brow and checked the watch on her wrist. The other woman in the seat next to her, who was also a redhead, shifted in her seat. Her aggravation had been there since he’d started talking.

The leading woman set her glass down lightly, “Your offer has already been considered and denied, Hayward. I have other matters to attend to, so I believe we’re done here.”

The bluntness and brevity of her statement noticeably took the man aback as he floundered for his words. “B-but you have to understand, Wanda! This is for the benefit of the company-”

“What I understand is you can’t take a hint, Tyler. You call me out past my business hours, which should be well known to you, to propose an increase in mutant laborers as a ludicrous idea to increase production rates for my company. You also know my stance on such practices, which is why I’m left confused as to why you thought I would agree to it to begin with. I wonder if you’re having a gargantuan lapse in judgment, or if you’re really at the meeting point where bold meets stupid.”

The woman, Wanda, remained unflinching as the older man, Hayward, abruptly got up from his seat in outrage. Your hand slowed wiping down the booth seats as you noticed a spike in anger and resentment along with a feeling you’ve come to recognize as violent intent. The other redheaded woman shifted forward a bit, probably as a natural response. Hayward’s back was to you, and he garnered a lot of attention all on his own, so no one really noticed you move closer behind him.

“You don’t think you’ll defer to me? With one call my associates and I make motion to flip your company around on you so fast it'd make your head spin. So, I'll tell you what, you little bitch-”

It was when he went to move and touch Wanda that you restrained the man, your rag wrapped around his wrists and his arms behind his back. His right arm was now bent in a weird way, the connected shoulder probably came out of its socket, but that didn’t make you stop. All the while, Wanda and the people with her remained calm, if a bit surprised.

Wanda raised a brow at the actions of this new person restraining one Tyler Hayward. Now, Natasha warned her that her own senses were going off due to Hayward’s visible increase in anger, and she didn’t need to read the man’s mind to confirm it. Had he gotten anywhere close to harming her or was even capable of it, she would have ended him not even with a flick of her wrist.

But now she’s simply watching you effectively take the unsuspecting man to the floor, both of his arms were bent oddly and essentially broken at this point. A twisted growl streamed out of your mouth with sporadic hiccups here and there. Hayward continued to hurl threats at you as you kept your knees on the backs of his thighs, keeping him from moving.

Nothing seems to register as you simply looked up at Wanda and those with her, eyes shifting between each of them to make sure they weren't disturbed. You kept Hayward’s broken arms locked behind his back with one hand, reaching around and forcefully gripping his face with the other; shutting him up for the most part. You hunched over Hayward’s shoulder and turned his head to face you with your eyes meeting his, your eyes now giving off a dull orange glow.

Followed by what might be considered a misplaced giggle passing your lips, Wanda watched as Hayward seemed to fold in on himself. His thrashing to retaliate turned into a struggle to seemingly just get away from your gaze.

"Done yet?" Your voice came out low and close to his ear, and you heard his heart rate pick up further as your hand clenched harder in his hair.

‘Please, please, please! I don’t want to be here! I have to get out, dammit!’

It was odd for all of them to see this sudden change in attitude, no doubt caused by the mutant busboy who still had yet to say a word to them directly.

You looked up to see Wanda and those with her rising from their seats, the two men moving toward your form still holding Hayward to the floor. The old man was basically blubbering at this point, almost incoherent due to his erratic breathing.

“I believe Sam and Bucky can handle things from here. Do you mind?” Wanda’s voice was even as she spoke to you. You moved off of Hayward’s body and out of the way for, who you now know as Sam and Bucky, to heave him off of the ground. “Take him out back boys. We’ll let Monica know on our way out, give her a heads up before we send in the sweepers.” Her gaze settled on you as you stood up from the floor. You felt a spike of curiosity coming from the woman left with her that only persisted when Wanda stepped closer to you.

Wanda eyed you up and down as your eyes shone back at her. “I’d like to thank you for your assistance, regardless of the necessity. I don’t think I’ve seen you work at Monica's bar before,”

You gave a single nod, “I’m new.” Your voice was gravelly and clipped, Wanda noticing that there was noticeable scarring around your throat that would lead one to assume you sustained an injury of some kind.

Looking into your mind was its own venture. Your immediate memories were a mirror of the events that transpired, the people talking in them making unintelligible noises, not unlike the adults in Peanuts cartoons.

The further back Wanda looked, the fuzzier they got, like the hippocampus was affected directly. There were some that were clear as day: The day your father traded you to the prime minister of Niganda for his own freedom. Your first days under a “Dr. Paine” and your short-lived freedom after the lab was taken down. Some of your time in mutant trafficking including a few of the “masters'' who had you. A clear recollection of the man who had your vocal cords clipped for being mouthier than he’d like. The day you escaped, and finally to the day Monica found you wandering Mutant Town before hiring you here about a month ago.

These "core memories" were on a subconscious and grating loop in your mind so that you couldn't forget them. Everything else in between was basically lost as it was like trying to look through frosted glass. There was little direction and purpose other than surviving to the next day.

Equal parts distressing and intriguing to say the least…

As Wanda spent the last minute or so staring you down, your focus shifted to the woman behind Wanda. You didn’t catch her name, but you know she was a mutant based off of the distinct sweet smell complimenting her rainwater and pine trail.

They’re obviously close; she hasn’t stepped away from Wanda’s side once. Not too many humans would willingly put themselves in the company of mutants. Guess you can count this Wanda woman among those in the minority along with a few others like your boss.

When Wanda comes back to the present, she stares at you with a new light in her eyes as they dipped down to your nametag. “I like you, Y/n. I have a feeling we’ll be seeing more of each other.” She rested a hand on your shoulder and suddenly you smelled a change in her scent- no, it became clearer.

Wanda’s scent was a sugar-coated apricot with a spike of cinnamon as it accented the air around her, then it hit you:

Wanda is also a mutant.

And somehow you knew you’d remember her for the long haul.