SweetThang

Sweet! Now I can make my Burt Reynolds/Deliverance Bow Blaster and run around Croatoa pretending all the Tuatha de Dannan are inbred banjo players!!!

Diva lifted her head, the look of sorrow was gone. She took what her dear friend said to heart. "I would never think of leaving The Sisters, or you. You have become my family." Diva exclaimed. A smile broke upon her face, complete with pointed canines. "Now, I have heard that there are a few Sisters coming this evening. What is the occasion?" she said, just as several Sisters and Guards came in the restaurant.

((OOC-I'm glad that everyone is coming back too! Glad to have you back Sib. /em wave Hey Ada!!! )))

Trollkin Diva didn't think twice about returning the hug. She was in need of a hug badly. It was a bit unusual to hear the initiate speak with Angela's voice, but Diva had learned long ago...nothing is too unusual for the twins.She embraced the girl in a heartfelt hug.

"Sibling, I am troubled". The look of fierce determination usually found upon Diva's face now replaced by a forlorn one. "I miss Ekanga very much. I never thought I would ever find one who meant so much to me. I never considered the possibility that someone would care for me either. I've been here in your world for over a year, and had resigned myself to a single life for all of my days. The thought of meeting another of my kind again was virtually non-existant. Then we went through the portal and happened to end up in my home dimension."

Diva was almost in tears at this point. Never had she acted this way in front of her friend.

"I have recently gained access to take on harder missions for Portal Corp." she said, drying her eyes. "The prospect of maybe returning to my home world, or Dimension Theta A-01 as Portal Corp. refers to it, gives me hope. Even if it's only for a short time...it's time enough."

She made a gesture, whispered an incantation and a small image of two trolls holding each other tightly materialized in mid air. "I don't want this to simply be an illusion Sibling...I want it to be real." The image fades and she looks into the initiates eyes, knowing it's her friend staring back.

A tall figure glanced up at the wooden sign. Ladies by the Lake, a beautiful name that spoke volumes to her soul. She needed to come here. She needed to be with her friend.

She didn't need to duck to get through the doorway, a small detail that was no doubt Gal's addition. Not many places in the city had remodeled to accomodate the larger size heroes.
The foyer was empty. She hoped there would not be a problem with her early arrival. She had not called ahead for reservations. Her mind had been wandering lately. Thoughts of a handsome face kept coming back to her. This would be good for her...to get her mind off of him.

She stepped up to the podium in the foyer, waiting for the wait staff to seat her. She had worn her best outfit for this evening. An elegant establishment required appropriately elegant attire. Her white silk leggings and white leather top were glowing softly. White seemed to compliment her green skin tone very well. She wore her white leather boots that Bubbles had bought for her. They came with matching white gloves. Her hair was brilliant white, thanks to a simple illusion spell. A delicate white lace veil completed her ensemble.

She felt her friend Sibling very close. They had grown close over the last few months. She had not spoken to her since they came back from the Portal Corp. mission. She needed to talk...rather someone to listen, and Sibling was the best listener she knew.

Technology induced toxic DE-like heroes! Yeah!! Like The Toxic Avenger!!! Mop in hand...cleaning up crime, with a toxic sludge filled hand of justice!

The environment has taken it's revenge upon the very technology that defiled it. The Blood of the Black Stream flows through these beings. Using the toxins that created them, they seek to punish the evil corporations that pollute the environment.

Animus - Altered animals - Offense Primary/ Defense Secondary
Vegalians - Altered vegetation - Defense Primary / Offense Secondary


Ok...so I'm dreaming.

Thank you for making me laugh.

I heart Bo!

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((OOC: LOL, my garbage?!? ))

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((Semi-OOC: Dark Vegas is a master of security and surveillance. Do you realize your garbage is a great source of information about you? Dumpster Diving is common among good detectives. Manion needs to lay off those Hero-O's. 6 boxes in a week!!! You need more veggies....oh, and b the way...your subscription to Inside Kung-Fu is about up...you might want to renew it. ))

Very cool! Like a super-blog. Nicely done! Look forward to reading more.

Papa Houngan had been intently studying the wood of the bar and chewing his bread when the waitress asked him about his guest's order. "Oh no madame. I dine alone this evening. Thank you." He didn't want to startle this young woman with talk of spirits and offerings in such a place as this. He normally said it was some food he set aside for a friend and left it at that.

Soon after the waitress left the table, he noticed a pair of women the large party approach his table. The younger of the two had a rather humbled look on her face.

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"Sir, I am a Sister seeking knowledge, and would ask what you do." She bowed slightly.

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"Bonswa madames." he said, standing up from his chair. "I would be delighted to tell you what it is I am doing. Please, have a seat." he said as he pulled out the two chairs on either side of him.

"I am Jean-Baptiste Abercrombie, but you can call me John or Papa Houngan. I am from Port Salut, Haiti. I am a houngan priest of vodou...what you might know as voodoo." he waits for their reaction before continuing. "Some people imagine zombi and voodoo dolls when they think of the vodou tradition. Not so. It's about having reverence for nature and ones ancestors through prayer and meditation. If a loa, or spirit of one who has passed beyond choses to favor a vodouisant, then he will find his questions answered and boons granted. With great respect and benediction the loa provide power to the vodou houngans and mambos. So, to answer your curiosity, I offer up bread, salt, and spirits to the loa. They of course, cannot eat, but the remember the scent of worldly nourishment."

He smiled at the women. "I am glad you chose to speak with me. Your journey for knowledge has been furthered, I hope?"

The sound of Gal's voice startled Papa Houngan a bit. He turned and looked up at the giant of a woman. He removed his hat and shook her outstretched hand. "Thank you for your hospitality madame. I am hoping my clothing is suitable for such a fine place." he said, looking down at his misfit ensemble.

Beth lead John to his table and gave him a menu, but he was too busy admiring his surroundings to hear the nightly specials. There were many patrons, some of which seemed to be celebrating a special occasion.

The menu was filled with a huge selection, but he had his eye set on the Grilled Salmon. Growing up in Haiti, he was always near the water, so he loved fish. For a drink, he would ask if they had any Mount Gay Extra Old Rum from Barbados.

When the bread came, he cut off a few slices and put it on a plate directly across the table from him. He sung a quiet song as he placed the bread down. He took the salt grinder on the table and added some salt to the plate. When his rum arrived he asked for an empty shot glass. He took a small portion of the rum, and placed the larger glass along side the plate. In the few restaurants he had been in since he arrived in Paragon, this ritual of his caused a few heads to turn. He didn't mind. It was all a part of being connected to the spirit world. The flame from the candle on his table flickered a bit. He proceeded to eat his bread and drink his rum, thinking of the juicy fish he ordered.

The Yellow Line tram was busy so John decided to take the long way to Kings Row. He was tired of eating beef jerky and SPAM® under the Prometheus Park bridge in Atlas. Genevieve Sanders had given him a gift certificate to Ladies by the Lake restaurant. A nice "home style restaurant" is how she described it.

Fighting crime was new to John. He had only been in Paragon for a month so finding a place to live was difficult. His uncle had been his only contact here in the states, and the Circle of Thorns took his life as a blood sacrifice. John wasn't even his real name. Jean-Baptiste Abercrombie was his given name in Haiti....Papa Houngan is the name he took as a superhero. He had not encountered anyone else in the city that practiced voudu, or voodoo, as they call it here. There were plenty of others that used magic and spells, but not as Papa did. The loa, or spirits of his ancestors were sometimes willing to grant him temporary power to solve his problems. He spoke with the spirits this evening on his way to the restaurant but his grumbling stomach was the only one willing to give him a reply.

It was late when he arrived. He hoped they were still serving.
"You'll be late for you're own funeral Jean-Baptiste!" he remembered his granpa always scolding him.

He stepped inside...hoping the black suit coat and top hat would not look too out of place with the rest of his attire. He was told by Ms. Sanders that this was a nice restaurant, so he spent a little money at the Hopewell thrift store on the suit and tall top hat. His religion required that he dress traditional when he spoke with the loa, so he wore simple black leather pants with a painted yellow stripe, a red sash, and green arm wrappings. The colors black, red, yellow, and green were symbolic of his African heritage. Most of the time he wore no shoes, but he bought a pair of black slip on loafers. The jacket was buttoned up, but you could obviously tell he had no shirt on underneath. Mystic symbols in white paint were visible on his chest.

He stood in the foyer and hoped to the loa they would not turn him away for looking like a homeless tramp. He held out the voucher and spoke nervously to the maitre d'. "Bonswa...err...Good evening. Madame...Ms. Sanders has given me this coupon for dinner?" he said with a thick Creole accent. "Mwen ta vle manje...I would like to eat."

((OOC: Hope it's ok to get a meal this late Sib. ))

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by Isis
Jus' tell me a place an' time an' I'll be there. Though, I don' know what you'd have me talk about."

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"Just be yourself. These kids need to know that people care about the community where they live. Yeah, they see heroes in the news and even on their own block sometimes. Some of them want to grow up to be a hero, others think they shouldn't do anything to help because there are enough heroes around. That leads to a why-should-I-help attitude. They need to know that everyone needs to do what they can. I try to teach them the best I can. That don't mean I'm makin' lil' vigilantes." he chuckled. "I just wanna show 'em that we do care about more than just the next mob of bad guys."

"Well Isis, I have had a great time meeting with you. Here's they number for King's Gym. Tell Leo who you are and he'll find a time that fits your schedule. I'm down there as often as I can be." he says, offering his hand and the card to Miss Jones. "Thank you again! I hope to be hearin' from you soon."

((OOC: He's not trying to rush off, but it's getting late at the bar and he does have a Mrs. Thang and lil' Thangs at home.))

((OOC: To Sib. Thank you. It's the very least I could do. I'm wondering if Steve would know it? If so, Is maith an scéalaí an aimsir. To those who are curious, PM me for the translation...or Google it. ))

Vegas saw Gal coming from the kitchen, and waited for her. Vegas wanted to go check the surveillance cams again. This was Gal's place, but protecting it was job that Dark Vegas took very seriously. Gal patted her on the arm. "Night's almost done Gal. You look like you could use a week at Diva's Spa." Vegas said, giving her an exaggerated up & down glance. "I need to go check the cams one more time tonight. I got an edgy feeling I just can't shake tonight. It's probably nothing, but I want to make sure." she said to Gal, making her way back to the security room.

There were 12 cameras installed around Gal's Place. She had personally helped position each of them. She made sure they all overlapped the coverage when possible. No blind spots at all. The outdoor cams were fitted with NightHawk night vision capability. They were also concealed well, with dummy cameras mounted to throw off suspicions. If a perp were to try and avoid the dummy cam, they'd be in the real ones line of sight. Paranoia sometimes paid off for Dark Vegas. She was paid to be paranoid though.

She examined all the video screens. Nothing out of the ordinary. She turned to leave and something caught her eye on camera 8. That was the back alley cam. She found a kids sticker featuring The BackAlley Brawler at the dollar store and put it above camera 8's monitor. Having a sense of humor sometimes helped. On the back steps of the restaurant, near the small loading dock was an item covered with a cloth tarp. That wasn't supposed to be there. She made sure nothing, absolutely nothing would block a quick exit from the establishment. She went to the front to tell Gal and Gypsy she was going out back a second, then made her way to the back door.

She slowly pushed the bar on the door, and swung it wide with her right foot before stepping out. She was met with only the cool night air and the hum of A/C units on the rooftops. She stepped out onto the loading dock towards the curiosity. She used her Maglite® to prod the cloth. The item was about 5 ft by 4 ft. It was leaning against the rail. It was solid and flat. She flipped the tarp cover back to reveal brown shipping paper wrapped with twine. She tested it's weight and guessed 80 or so lbs. It was way too late for deliveries, and no one rang the recieving buzzer. She stepped inside and got a handtruck to bring it inside. Tipping it carefully upright, a small card fell out. "Shipping manifest?" she said outloud, but it wasn't. Written in black script was this, "Ni dhiolann dearmad fiacha." Vegas had no idea what it meant let alone what language it was in. She brought both inside the bar for Gal and the others to see.

"Well, go ahead an open it. Won't no one sleep til we know the contents." Gal says as she reads the strange card. Vegas cut the twine and peeled the paper back. It was a silver gray wooden sign. "Did you order this Gal?" Vegas asks, thoroughly surprised.

"I didn't mean any disrespect, I was just sayin' that you were always outnumbered but still managed to put a beatdown on the thugs you fought." he said to Isis apologetically.

"As for my favorite film of yours....that's a tough one. If I had to pick, it'd have to be Ebony Heights. That fight scene with you and Dilemma was one of the best examples of real street fightin' in modern cinema. I heard you and the actress both had broken ribs from that one. They all say how actors these days are going out on a limb doing their own stunts...but back during your day, you had to. I heard the budgets of your films weren't much by todays standards. You'd be a big hit if you tried a comeback film." He kind of slowed when he realized he had mentioned "back in her day". He hoped she wouldn't take offense at it, he meant it well.

"Thank you for sayin' that about my momma. She thought your movies were good...but she hated me watchin' any violence. "Marcus...look around you, there are real people getting kicked in the street for a nickel...and you want to watch that stuff?" she said to me one Saturday afternoon while I was glued to the tv. "Go on...but don't you ever think you can lay a hand on a woman like those thugs in that movie are doing. You hear!?!" he chuckled, remebering her words of wisdom.

"Isis, would you like to come down to the gym one day and talk to the local kids? It would be good for some of the lil' girls and boys to see a strong woman such as yourself doing good for the community. I'd pay ya' for your time, of course."
he asked.

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I cleaned up my home, now I plan on doin the same here. How about you?"

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"You're a true hero Miss Jo...err...Isis. To do right, when you know the odds are against you...that's a hero." he said, still full of awe.

"Isis Jones...asking me about my story." he let out a booming laugh. "Wait til my friends hear about this."

Well, I grew up right here in Kings Row. My mom came up here from Atlanta to find work back in the 70s. The Garment District was prosperous back then. A person could get a decent wage for a hard, but honest days work." he sat back thoughtfully as he spoke. "She was single and met up with a guy who payed attention to her...until he got bored with her simple life. He was a leader in the local chapter of Skulls...a Bone Daddy. People say that the Bone Daddies are the highest level in the Skulls. They are wrong. He got his mojo from someone higher up in the organization. It was some kind of drug induced magic that made him tough. Being a leader meant that someone was always gunnin' for his position. I came along months after he was sent to the Ziggurat. She raised me alone, sometimes working several jobs to make enough so we could get by." he looks upward at the ceiling, and smiles. "She was a good woman, and a great mother.

I was a big kid growin' up, but that didn't stop other kids from teasin' me about my father. I'd endure constant jeers of Bone Daddy, Bone Daddy. They knew he was a thug and sent away for life in Bricks.

When I was 16, I wanted to earn some cash so my momma wouldn't have to work so hard. I entered a local toughman competition. The rules stated you had to be 18 to enter, but shoot...at 16 I was as big as a 28 year old man.

I filled out the forms and went in...not knowing what the heck I had got myself into. The first few matches were easy, I outweighed the men and just had to knock 'em out.

I was on top of the world until they put me up against a monster of a man. He had a military buzzcut and some kind of symbols tattooed on his massive forearms. The fight commenced and he rushed me, I swung wildly and knocked the tattoo man out. Everyone was yelling and clappin' for me. They kept sayin' the only name I gave the show producers. SweetThang! SweetThang! SweetThang! It's a nickname my momma always called me.

Now, the other guys I had fought were mean, but they always came back to shake hands after I had bested 'em...but this man was furious I had knocked him down. Out of the corner of my eye I say him reaching near the edge of the ring. He had a gun! I froze dead in my boots. I had seen guns plenty times in the hood...but not aimed straight at me. He pulled the trigger and time stood still. The bullets bounced off my chest and ricocheted into the air, tearing my shirt all to shreads. I flew across the ring with super speed and landed a punch that sent him arcing up and out of the ring. The crowd went crazy. Someone in the audience threw a shirt up in the ring since mine had been ripped to shreds by the bullets. It was a pink shirt with a purple heart in the middle. It became my gimmick...my trademark in the ring.

The shooting incident was done by a member of the 5th Column. The police had to invesigate everything and when they told my momma she grounded me for a month. The competition people agreed to pay me the prize money, and I was given a contract for an international tour. All I had to do was pass high school and turn 18.

My momma passed away before the Rikti Invasion. She saw the changes that heroes had made in Kings Row...and all of Paragon. She also saw her little boy grow up to make a difference. To make right. On her gravestone it reads.

"My mother. My hero."

"I'm just another person trying to keep up the good work." he says to Isis. His eyes are misty, but he's not about to go cryin' in Gal's Place.

((OOC: sorry it's a bit long, but it's Sweets origin...complex and simple at the same time.))

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"Marcus Sweet Thang, please meet Isis." Gal introduced them, then "Now, please pardon me, I have to finish this lie or Martin will force that damn corset on me, insisting it is 'proper'."

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He held out his hand and remembered the DVD's he had, and shifted them to the other hand. "Pleased to meet you Ms. Jones. I've watched nearly all of your movies. Some of them are harder to find though." he said, offering his hand for a solid handshake. He had super strength, but knew how to ease up on handshakes.

"I hope you don't mind me asking Ms. Jones, but...could you sign these for me? I hate to act a' fool in front of movie stars, and I hope I'm not coming across as an autograph hound." he opened the poster tube and slid out three old movie posters. He laid them out reverently on the table besides the two DVDs. "I'm having trouble finding a copy of "7th Avenue Angel." Must not have made many of them."

"So...what brings you to Paragon City, Ms. Jones?"

SweetThang got to Gal's Place as fast as his feet could get him there. The asphalt wasn't even cool when he zipped out of Big Al's Vintage Record & Movie Posters store in The Gish. He had helped Al Morelli a few months ago when some Skulls started extorting him for protection money. He picked up the posters and thanked Al. "I think I can dig up a few soundtrack albums from some of these movies Sweet, if yer in'trested." Al said, through his stubby cigar. "That would be great Mr. Morelli...Al. I just might need to find me a record player. Have a good night Al. Thanks again." Sweet said as he left the store at 65mph. ((OOC:Super Speed+Super Jump+Hasten=Mighty Fast!!!))

The restaurant was busy when he arrived. Sweet felt a bit nervous about meeting a former Hollywood actress. Sure, a lot of people didn't remember her...but she was still Tinseltown Royalty. He got to meet a few big stars in his travels, but he still got starstruck when he saw them.

"Ms. Beth, Mr. Martin...I think Gal's expectin' me." he said with a dry throat. "I hope Gal don't mind seatin' me at the bar, as I forgot to wear my jacket. Street clothes are the real me." he chuckled. SweetThang dropped a few DVD's and a cardboard tube, then bent to retrieve them.

((OOC: Thanks Gilidry. Don't leave. It's a place for everyone to share. No judgement in here. You are doing fine. I am enjoying everyone's posts! I want to hear more of Manion's tale.))

((OOC: I am taking a leap here...assuming Gal mentions Isis Jones' name.))

"Are you kidding me!!!! Don't be playin' with me now Gal!!
You're tellin' me you have The Isis Jones sittin' next to you!!! Isis Jones of Harlem Fury!?!?!?! Girl, I've been a fan of hers for years. I dig all of those 70's movies! Some folks think they were exploitation, but I think they had an impact on film and acting for all kinds of people." SweetThang was excited to hear Gal's invitation. "I'll be there as soon as I finish up here at the gym."

((OOC: Hope you don't mind me bringing a lil' graphics into this thread....you know me Sib, can't resist the art. Hope you like it Brainhurt ))

"Hello, King's Gym, Leo speaking. What can I do for you?" the gravel-voiced old man asked over some rather loud rock music.

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"Marcus Sweet, please. Tell him this is Gal, thank you."

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"Sure thing. Sweet....SWEET!! Hey turn that music down will ya! There's a lady on the horn. Says her name is Gal." ((He's not rude, he's just old cranky.))

"Hey there hon!!! Dinner was spectacular last night! The boys and I had a great evenin'. You really know how to make a fella feel right at home! Missus Thang is jealous now. Says I'm in trouble for not takin' her out to the most talked about restaurant in town on their grand openin' night! I smoothed things out though...so we'll be there Saturday night for sure. In the meantime...what can I do for ya hon?" he asked genuinely concerned.

The night was a huge success. Bliss told story after story of his journey to SL-50. Fighting with Krakens in the sewers, avoiding the illusions of the Carnival of Shadows, and more.

The restaurant was a big hit with the patrons as well. There was hardly a table in between guests. Gal and her staff worked non stop. SweetThang would mention hiring additional staff when he saw Sibling next.

SweetThang saw the southern girl slip off her seat. He noticed Dark Vegas go to her aid, and figured he would go invite her to their table. No sense in having a young lady sit all by her lonesome. "Excuse me ma'am. My friends and I were wondering if you'd like to accompany us at our table. We're gonna be here a lil' bit longer, and would love to hear some of your story." he asked her, giving Vegas a quick nod when the girl wasn't looking. Noticing the man at the nearby table was watching the door, he hesitated to ask him to join the party...then decided to ask anyway. "Go ahead on over, they won't bite, I'm going to invite this fellow over here too." he said as he made his way to the door watching man. "You want to join our little celebration? There's plenty of room at the table? We are celebrating Twisted Bliss recieving his SL-50 badge. When your friend gets here, they can join us too." his offer was very sincere. "Come on over if you decide to." he said making way back to his seat.

On the way back to the table, he passed the tattooed woman and the Asian lady he paused for a moment. Not being one to interrupt a tea ceremony he waited until the tattooed one took notice of him standing near. He put his hand out for her to shake and said, "Oensk velkommen til Paragon By. Deres tilstedeværelse lager oss her sterk.*." His was not the best Norwegian, but a good attempt all the same. "I picked up a bit of Norwegian when I was on the international wrestling circuit. You have a beautiful country." SweetThang will wait until she's finished talking then make his way back to his group.

((OOC: He said to Falcon Kitiara "Welcome to Paragon City. Your presence here makes us stronger. I'm going under the assumption that he has met Lady Gemini before through Sibling.))

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"Now, before I have'ta get back to the grill, introduce me around." She was wiping a hand on the towel, ready to meet his friends.

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Well Gal, I think I forgot my manners in all the excitement.

The gentleman with the big shiny Level 50 badge happens to be Jake Westin, he goes by the name Twisted Bliss. One of the best Defenders I know.

That dark brooding fellow in the grey outfit is Keighn, Scrapper extraordinaire. Will pull your butt out of a firefight when it hits the fan. He'll give you the shirt off his back if you ever need it.

The big guy over there is Narleth. He's an Orc. Says he's from another dimension that Portal Corp tapped into recently. Good strong axeman.

The man...err..excuse me, Elf over there calls himself Red Elf. He's also from the same dimension Narleth is from. I'd tell you his real name but I'd probably mangle it horribly.

Astro Creep here thinks he's a Scrapper, but in reality he's one of the best Fire Blaster's in the city. I think he has a thing for hospital food though. He must be on the Platinum Pass at all the medical centers in Paragon.

"So, now that you've met the guys. I have to ask...where is Sib? She gonna be here tonight?"

The door behind Akazi shut and phased out. It was dark and sterile in the room. She closed her eyes and tried to sense anything about the room.

She opened her eyes to daylight. It was early morning at a city park. She was somewhere in Atlas Park. There was a playground with several children laughing and playing. The swingset made a squeak*squeak sound as a child swang alone. He looked sad. The other children were laughing and pointing at him. He looked to be about 6 or 7 years old.

She watched a while as the other children took turns making fun of him. One of them had a small cape and would jump up on the monkey bars and dive off always landing in a slump. He would then pretend to die a horrible and loud death. They would then look to the boy to see his reaction. This went on for a few minutes, until Akazi could not stand to see the boy tormented so.

She was about to go to the other children and demand they stop when a figure stepped into the playground area. He wore a red denim vest and ripped jeans. The red bandanas and mystic symbols on hi svest signified him as a member of the street gang known as The Hellions. He walked straight towards the swinging boy. Her heart jumped. He's going to attack the boy!! She teleported in between the Hellion and the boy.

"STOP!!!" she screamed. "How dare you attack an innocent child!" she let out a Telekinetic Blast that sent the Hellion flying back several feet. She started another psychic attack that would Subdue the ganger, but she felt the boy pulling at her from behind. He was in tears. "No....please don't hurt him." the boy cried as he ran in front of her and towards the fallen man. Akazi was confused. She had just saved the boy, and he was siding with a Hellion?

The boy cradled the man and lifted his head, sobbing uncontrollably. "Dad? Can you hear me dad?" the words sent a chill down her spine and she knew her test was over.

She sat down in the grass with her head in her hands as the playground and children faded. She wept silently.

After a quick stop at Icon to pick up a custom tailored Diego Luna suit from Icon, SweetThang headed towards Gal's Place. Serge could do wonders with fabric, even for people of Gargantuan stature.

He had hoped the trip to Steel Canyon didn't delay him in meeting his dinner guests on time. He invited several of his long time friends to celebrate the grand opening of Ladies by the Lake. Keighn, Twisted Bliss, Astro Creep, Narleth, and Red Elf. There were others he had wanted to invite, but they were tied up in missions in other dimensions. He had met a lot of great heroes in his first year of being a licensed hero. Some had gone on to other worlds. The forces of evil were in need of a beat down no matter where you were...in this universe, or others.

This gathering was a long time coming. I seemed like he never got to take the time and relax with the heroes he fought side by side with. Paragon had plenty of heroes now, so he felt he was justified in taking this night off.

Keighn zipped down the street with a spark trail leading off in the distance behind him. "Kings Row. Oliver Street. This must be the place." he said looking up at the classy sign. "Hope Thang brings a few spare jackets from Icon." a voice said from above. It was Astro Creep crouching on the edge of the roof. He flew down and joined Keighn in waiting for SweetThang and the others.

Narleth the Orc and Red Elf showed up together in a Paragon Taxi. They argued about who was going to pay the fare, but Keighn settled it by paying and tipping the driver a $20.

SweetThang arrived shortly after all his friends had gathered outside. True to his word, he had jackets for his friends who didn't bring theirs. The dinner invite was short notice, so he was glad they could attend. Twisted Bliss arrived just before they went in. Completing the party. "Sup guys!!! We ready to party or what!?!?" Bliss exclaimed, knowing full well they were celebrating his recent Hero of the City award. The Security Level 50 badge prominently displayed on his armored chest. He wore a nice jacket over the armor, but couldn't take it off because of health reasons.

The group made their way inside and SweetThang gave his name to the seating hostess. "Sweet, party of six." he politely told the girl. She was putting on a name badge that read Beth. "Could we possibly get to speak with the chef? Tell her Thang is aksing for her." he smiled as they took their seats.

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"Uh sorry miss, I remember seeing you, but I can't remember tour name. Wait I do remember...it was Miss Migrai...whoops."

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She went to Alan and introduced herself properly. "My name is Akazi bint Kaliz bint Alima. You can call me Akazi." She bowed humbly, keeping her eyes on his own.

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"How you been getting along since the academy closed, Akazi?" asked Tommy.

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I went on an assignment with a Kheldian friend of mine named Eliphion. It was a tough mission for me because I had to deal with The Lost for the first time. I didn't get to explain to any of you my family background. My father was an Aberrent Rector formerly of The Lost. I'll share my story with you.

His name was Kaliz. He held the title of Aberrant Rector,a leader among the Anathema. He broke free from the hatred The Lost had for normal humans. He retained whatever humanity was left and fell in love with a Saudi born interpreter for HeroCorps named Alima. They met at a shelter for special needs homeless people. She saw him for what he was inside. They wed in secrecy and I was born soon after. The doctors said there was a chance the mutagen present in my fathers DNA would manifest iteself later on in my life. My father loved me but could not leave the house to play outside very often. When he did, it was under cover of darkness and we played in the park. On my 12th birthday he took me to the park to play after all the other kids had long gone. A new "hero" saw them playing in the park and mistook her screams of joy while playing with her father for an attack. He blasted my father with some kind of energy beam. I cried out but it was too late. The anguish and horror at what had happened to my father must have triggered the mutation. I unleashed a psionic blast that instantly rendered the hero comatose. He lies in a coma in the Talos Island Phoenix Medical Center to this day. I visit him on my birthday every year. I do not visit him out of remorse for my actions, but only to see if he is awake so I can tell him that my father was a good man.

She had a tear in her eye after she completed her tale. "The headache that I got suddenly back at the Academy was not a headache at all...I was psionically attacked." she added, quickly changing the subject.

I hope our host makes himself known soon. I am growing suspicious of our summons to gather here.


((OOC: I am not impatient...just Akazi. ))