People who know Jer and Ames will understand this better, but it is still something that fits here.
For the last couple days Jericho had gotten the feeling something was off between he and Amelia. Not real wrong, but kind of wrong. It was little things. She didn't say hi to him with same enthusiasm as she did even a few days ago. She seemed fidgety around him, almost restless, but less talkative too. Lots of little things that added up. He wondered what was going on.
He finally decided to ask her what was wrong. He had to know. His chance came while he was in the D. Jessie had been in some kind of altercation with a woman who was harassing her, and Jericho had come over to support Jessie. Ames came running through just as it got over and ran off upstairs. He ran after her after making his apologies to Jessie. Jessie, being and empath, had been able to read him like a book, his emotions flowing out of him left little for her to guess about.
He caught up to Ames upstairs, and almost from the beginning it seemed the universe was conspiring against him talking to her. Just as he asked her what was wrong, Ames Dad walked up out of nowhere with news about her brother, and wanting to talk about some theories he was working on to use magic to cure cancer in various ways. Then Sarah showed up, and started talking with them as well. Jericho didn't normally mind talking to everyone, but her really wanted to talk to Ames right then, without an audience.
Ames gave him his chance. She said she needed air and ran out of the club. Her sudden departure startled all three of them. Seeing his own chance, Jer excused himself and ran after her.
Why did she have to run faster than him? He couldn't catch up top her. As he ran out into the street in Talos, he yelled out her name. "AMES!"
Down the street Ames stopped. Jericho ran and caught up to her.
Again he asked Ames what was wrong. As she tried tell him, again it seemed like they wouldnt be able to talk. People kept jostling them on the street, not even saying Pardon. It was aggravating. Jericho looked around and led Ames down an alley out onto a grassy hillock.
There they sat and finally were able to talk out what the problem was. Ames was unsettled by what she felt was her being led around. Was what she felt because she really felt it, or was Jericho manipulating her feelings by cheating?
Jericho thought for a minute. Do you remember what I showed you in Founders Falls?
Ames nodded.
You saw many possibilities, right? but all of them were determined by your choices. I can see possibilities, but I cannot make them happen. Youve even seen some of them not come out like I thought
Ames answered. I know...it's just...I don't know. I kind of feel, er, herded, I guess.
If you like me, it's because you like me. I can only do things that might let you like me. I'm not sure they will. He thought for a moment. Ames, when we went out on our date, what prompted me to ask you out?
She head canted and looked at him funny. "Er, you wanted to?"
Well, yeah, I did. But I asked you because I heard that Crey say to take you out, and it sounded like a good idea. I wasnt cheating. I really just asked you out, not knowing if you wanted to go out with me. I know that isnt what he meant by "Take her out", but I didn't care. I wanted to ask you out. And it seemed like a good way to do it. She nodded and Jericho continued. And you said yes. I'll kind of tell you, I was nervous you might say no.
Ames blinked at that. I told you I like you, and I hang out with you all the time, and you didn't know if I'd say yes?
Jericho reddened and quietly spoke "Ive never asked anyone out on a date before....."
Ames smiled and reminded him, "That one time at the Greek place was kind of like a date."
His face brightened. "It was, wasnt it. And I didnt cheat then either. I just wanted to show it to you.
Yeah...that was fun.
Jericho took a deep breath. "I guess what I'm saying is, yes, I cheat sometimes, to give me a chance to be around you and near you, but Ames, I cannot make you do anything you dont want to. If you are down, I might cheat to help you feel better. Like when I was your behinder, he added with a wink.
She laughed. He loved hearing her laugh. "You were cheating?"
He shrugged. A little. I didnt want to make a joke that you were going to end up hating. You had enough problems without me telling bad jokes.
Sheesh...a bad joke wouldn't have wrecked everything. Then she smiled and added, Er...they were already pretty bad. But bad in a funny way.
He snorted, Well, yeah, but enough bad jokes likely would. And you were already annoyed at being allowed to only go to two places. He took a deep breath. But lately, it's been me. I don't cheat about us really. I don't know what will happen. I just know I want to be with you as things come. He looked down at the ground as he finished.
Ames blushed slightly. I, er, want to be with you too.
Jericho Stone looks up slowly and reached out to take Ames hands. I know Ive said it, but I just want the chance to make you happy. Me, not my magic, not me visions, me. Can I still have that chance?
Ames nodded.
Jericho smiled, got on his knees and hugged Ames. She returned it.
He squeezed her, loosened his hold, looked at her and kissed her forehead. "We'll face it all together." She blushed, then spoke And I'll try not to get beaten up too much.
Jericho grinned and added, and I'll try not to tell you to go to bed.
Ames grinned. "Deal."
He squeezed Ames again, Deal"
Jericho stood up, lifting Ames with him. When she let out a squeak, he realized what hed done and set her down gently. Um sorry, I got a little carried away
Ames laughed. "It's okay."
As they walked back to the street, heading home, Jericho had something to add. um, can I say, one thing though....your dad's ideas creep me out a little
Ames nodded, "Er, yeah. He's like that sometimes...Actually, I think all of the time.
They joked about it all the way home.
The woman across the table was a nun. A freaking nun. And she was meeting her in one of the most notorious bars in the multiverse -- Pocket D.
Themari, you idiot.
In Rose's experience, every time someone from the church was desperate enough to hire a professional thief, it meant two things: One, whatever they wanted was more trouble that it was worth; and two, when she had completed the job, there would be a sudden shortage of funds.
So she couldn't help viewing the woman across from her with skepticism.
"I fear I'm rather a novice at this sort of thing, but...quite frankly I've run out of options and they say that you're one of the best at...recovery." The nun's sincere blue eyes seemed to betray a bit of shame as she spoke.
Rose smiled. "I've been know to... 'recover' an item or two."
"To be quite honest, it isn't so much a 'what' as a 'who'. I do hope that falls within your particular...idiom?"
Rose held her hands up. If this was going where she thought it was... "I'm not an assassin."
The nun looked either shocked or offended -- or perhaps both. "Oh no!" she protested, "No, no...nothing of the sort!"
"So, you just want someone 'delivered' to you?" Something didn't quite seem right.
The shame on the nun's face was clear now as she replied, "...yes."
This was getting complicated, but the nun was ready to lay aside all self-respect for whatever this was. Rose couldn't find it in herself to deny the woman.
"I can do that. And what you do with the person in question then is up to you. I'll only be responsible for delivery." She looked straight into the nun's eyes to drive her point home.
The nun nodded.
"I do have two stipulations," Rose continued. "One: No children. Two: It can't be some innocent person who's just minding their own business. If you don't have your reasons -- and I don't want to know them -- for wanting this person, other than some sick desire... Well then I'm not your gal."
"I can understand your concerns. I suppose this is a rather...shady method of accomplishing things," the nun said, then surrendered what was left of her pride, saying, "But, as I said, I have no place else to turn."
"Shady" was a term Rose had no love for either. "Then let's not call it shady. Let's call it neccessary."
The nun nodded ashamedly. "I feel I should defend my purpose for calling upon you, though. This person, you see....he *is*innocent. He's become like the son I could never have on my own. I raised him from the time he was a little boy...but...well, he's fallen in with the wrong sorts of people and will not listen to reason... I fear for his well-being."
"I don't do 'deprogramming' if it's a cult he's in..." Against her better judgement, Rose was sure she was going to take the job, she just had to be clear as to exactly what she was supposed to do.
"Oh, I wouldn't dream of asking you to. No, no, all I need is someone of your talents to find him and bring him back to me -- unharmed, of course."
"Well... it seems like a pretty clean job." She wondered how difficult it could possibly be to abduct some teenager from his unruly friends. "How old is he?"
Relief moved over the nun's face like he sun breaking through the clouds. "He should be about thirty, I believe."
Not a kid. Complicated. She looked at the nun. An attractive face. Probably a fine figure under the habit. She began to wonder exactly what kind of relationship she really had with the man she wanted so badly.
"I'll do it, but it will cost you."
"Oh, of course! Just name your price."
Rose regarded the nun closely. Her robes weren't moth-eaten, but neither were they fine silk. They were simple, like a nun's habit should be. "You don't look rich," she said.
"I fear i am not, but the money has been raised, nevertheless."
"Good. In need details..."
"Of course."
"Some jobs are more complicated than others."
"Whatever aid I can provide."
"I'll take a look at the job, then I'll name you a price."
"I suppose that sounds fair."
"But be prepared to pay. I can take him back to wherever I find him, you know."
"I assure you, you will be compensated apporpriately."
"And I'll want half up front, the rest on satisfactory delivery."
"Fair enough."
So the deal was set.
"Now, do you have a dossier on him? A file? Anything?"
"I have a recent photograph here." The nun reached into the interior of her robes, pulled out the photo and handed it to Rose to look at.
In doing so, their hands touched.
Suddenly, Rose felt woozy, dizzy, hazy. She grabbed her head and swooned then looked down at her rum and cola accusingly.
"Child, are you all right?" The nun asked.
"Must have been the rum. It's letting up now. It might have helped if I'd had something to eat today before I came here."
"Rum," the nun lectured, "I fear such things can have that affect on people."
"Don't preach to m..." Rose began, but then the photo grabbed her attention. For the first time she took a good look at it. "This? This is... Nick?"
"Yes, thats his name. Do you know him? The tone of the nuns voice had changed slightly.
Rose couldnt believe it. He's my... Er... he's an aquaintance.
Is he now? How fortuitous. You should have little problem locating him then.
Roses mind raced. Who was this woman? She had to have known about her relationship with Nick all along. She wanted to damn him for all of his secrets. But she had kept some of her own. Still...
I... I cant, she said flatly. No.
Why not?
I cant. I know this guy. It would be... unprofessional.
The nun smiled and said, But Im prepared to reward you handsomely.
Pocket D was a place where only the most normal-looking, most average-acting, most median-intelligence person would stand out. That there was a large man in a business suit loitering near Isaacs bar normally would garner at least some attention. The fact that he stood still as a statue and held a moderately sized suitcase made him just unusual enough to blend in here.
The nun made a subtle motion to the man and he moved with deliberation to the table where they sat. He set the case on the table, opened it, and then stepped back and stood like a statue again.
Rose couldnt stop staring wide-eyed into the case. Inside it was money. A lot of it. She estimated it to be at least a half-million dollars.
Oh, god...
She ran her fingers through her hair. Her stomach was suddenly full of feathers and her chest tightened so that it was hard for her to breathe. She looked up at the nun, who smiled at her in triumph.
Five hundred thousand now. Five hundred more upon delivery, Ms. McAden.
Oh god.
No strings. Her lips mouthed the words.
You can count it if you like.
Rose shook her head. She was afraid to touch it. Once she touched that case, she knew there would be no turning back.
The nun shrugged and closed the lid. She was still smiling as she slid the case to Rose.
Still not interested?
Her mouth was dry and the remains of her rum and cola offered her little comfort. "He'll be all right?"
The nuns smile grew wider so that her teeth showed in a predatory grin. She did not reply.
I mean... I know him... pretty well. I dont want him hurt.
The nuns smile didnt fade a bit as she said, He'll come to no harm. I promise you. I just want to take him home.
Home?
He doesn't belong here.
No strings.
Do we have an accord, Ms. McAden?
Rose ran a hand over the top of the case. Then she nodded.
Good.
The nun handed her a piece of paper with an address written on it. Bring him to this address. My men will take care of the rest.
Rose looked at the nun who was gazing at her with a look that made Rose feel dirty. And maybe the nun was right.
You... I didnt get your name... Rose stammered.
How rude of me. You can call me Sister Grace.
The name made Rose want to laugh. Instead she just nodded and felt a spark that had been growing inside her die.
I do hope your...personal feelings won't interfere with your ability to complete your task?
No. No strings.
I beg your pardon?
Rose shook her head and said, No. They wont interfere. A pause, then, Im a professional.
Glad to hear that. I'm a firm believer in trust, Ms. McAden.
I'll bring him to you. Just have the twin sister of this case ready.
Forty-eight hours.
Rose nodded, looked at her watch, and nodded again.
Any more, and I'm afraid I'll have no choice but to believe I've been double-crossed. And we wouldn't want that.
For the first time in several minutes, Rose looked the nun in the eye. No. We wouldn't, would we?
Sister Grace smiled sweetly, I've been known to do worse things than, say...nail someone's legs to the floorboards.
Wha--? How did she...? Who are you really?
I told you. A mother concerned for her son.
If you're lying to me about any of this. I'll burn you on a pyre of this money.
Burn a nun? Why not. She was already going to hell.
The sun never set in this place.
Jessie floated, far from anything that could be called stable land; the kaledioscopic swirl of rose, crimson, orange, and blood-red hues that marked the sky of the Shadow Shard tumbled about her, the various floating landmasses slipping in and out of visual perception. The condensation that always misted off of her cybernetic form radiated out in a thin, translucent fog about her, as she watched the rotating arm of the shield around the Portal Corp installation.
Ever since Jessie had discovered that her condition went into a dormant state while out here, she had spent most of her time in the alternate dimension. General Hammond had expressed his surprise when she had requested quarters, but he had not turned her away; few enough of the registered heroes from Paragon City stayed in the Shard, much less volunteered to live there.
At the moment, she was simply relaxing; there was not an enemy in this sector that could even hope to touch her, so she felt confident in simply floating on her thermal jets.
Bringing up one metallic hand, the young Hero of the City slipped off her visor; beneath, realistic-looking aquamarine eyes surveyed her surroundings. She found a suitable spot; a tiny landmass, no bigger than a large SUV, and floated over to it, sitting down on its rocky surface.
Tucking her knees up to her chin, Jessie folded the visor neatly and placed it into the pocket of her leather jacket. Her arms came up and moved between her chin and knees, as she forlornly looked over the sky.
She missed him.
It had been well over a month now since she had spoken with Alex; he had gone through the portal to his own dimension and not returned, and without knowing which parallel universe he inhabited, she could spend several lifetimes searching and not find him.
Jessie sighed then, a brief smile lighting her face as she thought back to the events of the past week. Defeating the Kronos with her friends, and then going before Positron while Valkyrie granted her the badge that went along with her new security rating.
It had been good to see so many old, but familiar faces, along wtih new ones that she had only heard of before, but never been able to associated with until that night.
It was those memories that helped to steady her from the growing sadness in her heart; absently, the fingers of her right hand slipped up to her throat, gently pulling out the necklace that hung around her neck. At the bottom of the golden loop were two items; a crystal with several tiny glowing, moving lights inside, and a gold engagement ring.
She carefully ran her fingers over both as she stared out into the depths of the Shard, looking for answers in the colorful miasma of that alien sky.
((another shameless bounce))
((I thought I had posted this next bit on this thread already. But I just realized I hadn't.
To catch you up with the story: Rose does indeed arrange to turn Nick over to the Prioress, but has a change of heart at the last minute. When Ireland Love arrives on the scene, Rose decides to face the Prioress herself.
Nick and Maggie search for her, and find her at the Prioress' "church" where a battle ensues. Ireland Love rescues Rose while Nick takes on the evil nun and her followers.
Shamed, Rose decides to return to the Rogue Isles...))
Weeks ago...
"Alexander, please, I need to get back to the Isles."
The Warrior leader looked at her and said, "Rose, what you need is doctor."
Rose reached her hand to her face and touched her nose. It still hurt. She had never thought of herself as really beautiful. Now she doubted she would qualify for "pretty" even. She wore a scarf to cover the terrible rope burn around her neck. Every breath came with an effort, catching in her broken ribs and burning in her crushed throat.
She shook her head and said, "Not here, when I get back home."
"Why dont you use the Blue Door? You fooled the city into registering you as a hero.
That that nun destroyed my I.D. She said... she called me a liar... and other things.
He looked at her with pity in his eyes. That both hurt and angered her, but she said nothing. She had no pride left. If he refused, she wasnt above begging him.
Finally he said, "All right Rose. I'll see what I can do, but this is a foul business, and I worry for your welfare."
Days later...
The captain snored and smelled of soured hair oil and sweat. The fat of his cheeks and chins blended with the fat of his neck and flattened against his pillow, forming a roll at his ears. His mouth was open, gaping as he gasped for breath, looking for all the world like a fish dying on a pier. Rose almost laughed.
Almost laughed, but didn't. She was too busy crying.
There were no sobs, no sniffling; only tears that flowed and fell in drops like liquid diamonds on her pillow. She shut her eyes and pretended that when she opened them, her handsome, fair-haired Nick would be beside her.
But then, he wasn't her Nick, was he? He never had been. She had seen it. She had known of his feelings for Margaret Love. No strings her rule, not his. She hadn't meant to fall...
But fall she had. Low. She was exactly what the Prioress had said she was: A liar, a thief and a harlot.
Now, she was a harlot without a home, a prisoner on a freighter bound for who-knows-where, sleeping with a corpulent captain who spoke a language she couldn't understand. She was in pain, both from the beating she received at the hands of the Prioress' acolytes and the abuse she withstood from the captain.
How much had Alexander paid this man? When the ship approached Port Oakes, everything seemed fine. No one had bothered her, nor even spoken to her, but had left her to herself. Only when the captain approached her, smelling of liquor, with a lascivious sneer on his face did she suspect she wouldn't be disembarking. Now, how many days she had endured the company of this foul-smelling monster, she did not know.
She slowly sat up and looked around the room. On the other side of the narrow bed, on the captain's desk laid the book she had gotten from the shelves at the Rock. Nick had told her of the magic in that place; from rooms that seemed to appear out of nowhere when someone new came to live there; to doors that would slam shut, trapping intruders in dark rooms where the shadows were alive; to other things he could not talk about. And he had mentioned the magic books and the warded bookshelves.
She had only wanted to show him that she could get past all of Maggie "Ireland" Love's magics. She had snuck the white oak stick in just to knock one book from the shelf and into her hand. All good thieves know that white oak bypasses many magical protections. She was a good thief. She had only wanted Nick to know that she was a good thief.
She was going to give it back.
How was she to know that Hell would descend on her in the form of a nun and she would wind up spending her last days in slavery on a rusty ship. Would they throw her overboard, she wondered, if she died? Or would they throw her into the bowels of the ship to let the rats feast on her remains?
Stop it! she thought, You're going to survive this.
Her eyes swept around the small cabin. There was a gun locker, but it was secured and opening it might wake him. She looked at her book again, and then her eyes wandered over the rest of the desk. Forms and charts and papers and...
There. An ink pen.
How many jobs had she turned down because they involved an assassination? Sure, she had caused grievous bodily damage -- even severe bleeding and permanent loss of limb. But she had never, in her whole life, killed another human being. How much more money could she make if she would give up that scruple.
But could she do it?
Only one way to find out. She had the knowledge. She had the opportunity. And if he laid another clammy hand on her, she would likely kill herself.
Pushing back the pain, moving with the speed and grace of the cat burglar she once was, Rose straddled the captains voluminous belly, reached to the desk, and grabbed the ink pen.
The captain awoke and stupidly smiled when he saw the once-pretty blonde sitting on his stomach. She smiled back.
Then the hand with the pen moved. It moved with power and precision and pierced the man's bloated neck, right into the jugular. She drove the pen further so that it punctured into his throat. The smile turned to horror as he tried to call for help, but found himself choking in his own blood.
Rose leaned forward so that her face was only inches from his. "I don't know the words in your language for what I feel right now, so this is going to have to do..."
Then she spit in his face and watched him die.
((Just a reminder: This isn't a thread for just me and those who have already posted something here. If you have a tale of your hero's homelife, worklife, or just a story about one of your characters that you just want to tell somewhere, then here's the place.
And comments (at least in my case) are welcome. 
))
Benjamin Roy Kirby Sr. stood atop the war wall and looked through its haze of energy to the outside world. The world beyond Paragon City. The real world.
A passenger jet was ascending into the sky, flying away from him. He watched it until it became a dot. Two of the people he loved most in the world, Ireland Love and Ben Kirby Jr., were on that plane. He wasn't a praying man, wasn't a believer, but he still whispered a prayer that the plane would reach its destination safely.
So much had changed in their lives since that bachelor/bachelorette auction so many months ago. He had bid everything he'd had at the time just for a date with her. Roy was still trapped in robot form at that time, and caught more than a few odd looks as hed called out his bid. When Ascendant put in a bid so large no one else could top it, Roy -- then called Ben, and a virtual unknown among most of the superhero community -- had sulked out. He'd made a fool of himself. But Maggie hadn't made him feel like a fool. She had never made him feel like a fool.
She had been so touched that he would give everything for a date that she contacted him and demanded a date with him. They spent their date on a small island near Talos. He played Van Morrison on his CD drive (geez, did he really used to have a CD drive?) and she promised to do what she could to make him human again. She kept her promise, giving up a piece of her soul to him to accomplish it.
Then she had taken in his son, Ben, when he himself couldn't cope with parenthood. That's why Ben was on that plane with her now. The boy would be back in a few weeks, and then Roy would make up for lost time. He'd only recently found out how much the boy meant to him, but he couldn't deny the child his mother, or Maggie her boy.
He didn't blame Maggie for taking her baby, Rhiannon, and leaving. If he had any sense, he would take Peggy and go to Georgia to let their baby be born and raised in a normal place. A place where he didn't need to have a body guard follow his wife to work and back just to keep her from getting mugged by Hellions.
But he couldn't leave. Not yet. His life was here. What he had become -- what Maggie had help him become -- wouldn't let him quit. In his heart, he knew she hadn't quit either. She was only moving the good work to another continent.
The stars were out before he realized he had stood there for hours. The plane would be far out over the Atlantic by now.
Peggy was probably starting to look for him to come home.
He turned away from the outside world, the real world, and looked down at the city lights below. Was it his imagination, or did they seem less bright than before?
He let out a sigh, leapt off of the war wall, and headed home to the woman he loved.
The air was a bit colder than last week, signaling summer's rapid descent into autumn. The leaves were still green and not quite ready to turn, and songbirds still flew around the city competing with the pigeons and squirrels for feeding spots. One of the commuter ferries to the other side of the bay chugged by slowly, leaving a ripple water behind it.
Back Yard Boom really wished he was anywhere but school right now. The third week of his senior year was about to start at St. Ignatius Prep and he was already wishing he was back working at Lou's Garage.
"Mister Pachowski, please pay attention! This subject is relevant to your extra-curricular activities," Father Ray said in a louder than normal voice. "Heroic Studies classes are not something you can blow off simply because you have a Hero License.
"Huh?" the young man said as he snapped back to reality. The other young men in his class laughed.
Tommy shifted a bit. "Sorry, Father, I was just lookin' fer signs of trouble."
"I don't think the Paragon-Quahog commuter line is under attack today, Tommy, so you'll have to stay here."
"Yeah, so you can protect us from your friends in the Freakshow!" one of the boys called out.
"What was that, Meyer?" Tommy said, balling his blue metal hands into fists. He kept them right on the desk, opening and closing them to try to relieve some stress. The fiber-optic tattoos he had placed into the similarly-shaded began flickering to life, and Tommy had to concentrate to shut them off.
"I said, you have more in common with the Freakshow than you do with us," Meyer said through a smirk. "They're big metallic sociopaths, and you... well, two out of three is close enough isn't it, little guy?"
"I hear yer mom likes things that are big an' metallic, Meyer," Tommy shot back.
The classroom erupted with catcalls and cries of "Oh SNAP!"
Meyer stood up, all six feet, 130 pounds of him. "You take that back, Pachowski!" he yelled, shaking a skinny arm at him as he stomped towards the young hero.
"Make me, ya sissy," Tommy said as he turned his chair around to face his would-be opponent. "Yer gray ta me," he said, using a hero insult for someone non-threatening, "so don't start nothin' ya can't finish!"
Father Ray stepped in. "That's enough, both of you! Mister Meyer, see me after class. Mister Pachowski, go sit outside my office. I'll deal with you after that."
Tommy grabbed his bookbag and jacket and walked to Father Ray's office. The bell rang to send everyone to lunch, and ten minutes later, Father Ray appeared at the office door.
"Wait here, Tommy. I'll be back when I finish lunch."
Tommy sat there, reading the news through his dataglasses. Paragon City's wireless network even reached out to Omega Point, something that he was happy about. He used a subdermal antenna coiled behind his left ear to pick up police band radio signals in case of an emergency. After a half-hour had passed, Father Ray walked back to the office. Tommy followed him through the doorway, shutting the door behind him.
"Tommy, that was very rude of you. What were you thinking?" Father Ray asked.
"You don't wanna know, Father," Tommy replied.
"Then can you tell me why you picked a reference to his mother in order to insult him?"
"It was effective in makin' him feel bad, an' that's what I wanted." Tommy said.
"So you're not going to apologize?"
"He compared me ta a buncha criminals, an' not only that, he compared me ta criminals who I regularly fight. I also took it as an insult the he compared me ta guys who don't even maintain their cybernetics very well. So, yeah, I was ticked."
"And that gave you the right to insult him?"
"No, Father," Tommy said. "I don't like bein' called a criminal by someone who I protect day in an' day out, an' instead'a stayin' calm, I decided ta make him even angrier."
"Will you apologize to him, Tommy?" Father Ray asked.
"No. I won't take those words or sentiments back. I put my neck on the line every day so he can sit there an' do nothin' but badmouth me an' my fellow heroes. I want him ta apologize ta me. An' even then, I won't apolgize ta him. He doesn't deserve it," Tommy said, jabbing his finger back towards the classroom.
"Fine, then, Tommy. You just worked your way into a week's suspension."
"Huh?"
"If you won't ask him to forgive you but demand forgiveness in return, then I haven't got any choice but to suspend you for a week. That will give you plenty of time to change your attitude towards Mister Meyer."
"Don't bet on it," Tommy grumbled.
"What's that?" Father Ray asked.
"I said don't bet on it, Father."
"Excuse me? Tommy, this isn't like you."
"I'm sick of lettin' Meyer run his mouth off. Maybe he oughta try patrollin' Brickstown an' repeatin' what he said about me ta the Freaks. They may leave enough ta bury him ina small paper bag."
"That's it, Tommy. Just go home. Your suspension will run through next Friday. When you come back, I also want you to tell me what happened over the summer that changed your outlook. You were the one who never lost his coolheadedness or his much more gentle sense of humor."
"Yes, Father. Can I go now?"
"Yes."
Tommy grabbed his things and headed towards the student lot where his car was parked. He found Meyer and a few of Meyer's friends from class sitting on the hood of his car or leaning up against the doors.
"I already got a suspension, guys, so if yer tryin' ta get me in trouble, it ain't gonna happen," Tommy said, his arms lighting up with their varied patterns. "Right now, I'm pretty much free ta do what I want."
Meyer and his friends backed away from the car.
"That's what I thought, gray," Tommy growled. "I keep ya from gettin' shook down by everything from Hellions an' Skulls ta the freakin' Rikti, an' all ya do is try an' slam me."
Meyer's friends tried circling Tommy as Meyer spoke again. "I just don't like you Pachowski. I have more money, better friends, and I'm normal. You're just a step away from being a threat to decent people everywhere."
"Ya sound jealous, Meyer. All the money you got is yer daddy's. As fer these guys, they can't hold a candle ta the Young Phalanx. An' normal? NORMAL? You oughta go look in the mirror, ya bony, gap-toothed loser," Tommy said. Now get out of my way before I make ya do that."
The other young men didn't leave.
"Please, guys, don't make me go through ya," Tommy said. "Ya won't like it."
"Make us leave, Pachowski," one of Meyer's friends said.
Tommy sighed and fired up the cryoprojectors, coating their section of the student lot with ice. He then dropped to the ground and used a foot sweep to send the other boys to the ground and sliding away from him. Tommy got back up and walked to his car.
"Next time, Meyer, I'm gonna forget that you're someone I'm supposed ta protect. Don't cross me again, gray."
Tommy walked around the car looking for dents and scratches, got in, and drove off with a heavy bass line coming out of the speakers.
"Can't believe I gotta fight crime to save guys like him," Tommy groused to himself.
Back Yard Boom - Emo Catgirl - Cobalt Claymore - Hephaestus 1
Avatar by Scarf_Girl!
(written for the members of Maggie's Rock, posted here for everyone else. This was written, litterally, by more than 15 people. I just organized it)
Jericho stopped at the corner of the intersecting hallways and counted to 5 before reaching out and catching the child who ran into his arms without looking. He spun her around to bleed off speed before he could stop her. Little Jennie was a speeder, but she didnt always think as fast as her feet could run. If Jericho hadnt caught her, she would have run head first into the large piece of equipment moving up the hallway behind him.
Slow down around the corners Jen, or youre going to get hurt. Jericho warned her, already knowing her answer and knowing it would be pointless to warn her. She wasnt going to slow down and she was going to get hurt.
SorryIllslowdown she blurted out and ran off down the hall slightly slower than before. Jericho just shook his head as he watched go. She wouldnt change since she liked to go fast, just like her mom, who hadnt changed and still ran faster than Jericho could ever hope to.
He motioned for the maintenance crew to follow him. They pushed the large cart forward slowly, not wanting it to topple. The object wasnt particularly heavy, just awkward in its shape and size.
Maxs son Charlie had built it for the school. It was a gadget that would help keep track of strangers and students on the grounds of Maggies Rock. From what Jericho understood of it, it kept track of the bioelectrical signatures of people and store them. As new people came onto the grounds they would be scanned and tracked. New students would have their bio sigs registered in the system. Everyone on the grounds could be tracked and monitored. Any stranger who entered would be almost instantly noticed and checked against the database, resulting in an alert or alarm, depending on the location of the intruder and if they were already in the database.
Jericho mentally shrugged. He didnt mind the device, but he just didnt always trust or understand it. Then he grinned to himself. Hed heard the same about his magic on more than one occasion. He motioned the workers to put it in place. He didnt see any more problems with its installation that he would be needed for, so he climbed out of the basement and started heading home to get ready for tonight.
He could hear a group of the younger children walking down the hall chanting Spikey Doom, Kill Skuls, Spikey Doom, Kill Skuls. Sarah must have been bringing a group in from a field trip. From their chanting, hed say they had gone to Perez Park. When John Stark had left to spend more time with his family, Sarah had taken over leading field trips. Negotiating by way of superior strength was what she called her class.
The thought of John made Jericho frown. He felt sorry for the hand fortune had dealt John Stark. John had found a wife who had made him deliriously happy, and started a family with her. After their first two kids though, things went bad for John. When his wife had been caught in the crossfire between a group of Council soldiers and Nemesis bots John had gone off the deep end. First he had gone on a rampage destroying every Nemesis and Council base he could find. The Paragon Times had run articles on the destruction.
Maggie had tried to help John then, but nothing would stop him. He did give his kids over to Maggie to care for and raise, then he went back on his vengeance spree. Eventually he had fallen into the bottle, and spent his time drinking and picking fights and lashing out at people. Maggie again went to help him, with the aid of Jessie and Tess. No one had ever said what it was they did to help John, but he did drag himself back to sobriety. He never was the same though. He became harder, more driven. He visited his kids at the Rock, but most of the time he spent working on cases no one else would take. To most it looked as if he was trying to find case that would kill him. The last Jericho had heard, he still hadnt.
He heard a shout down the hall. One of the new guards was running to catch up to him. Garret, Jericho recalled his name as he stopped in front of him and saluted. He was young, gung ho, and a bit naive.
Sir? Smudge has locked himself in his room. We cant get in to him, and he wont come out.
Smudge was one of the Dyne babies, third generation. More intelligent, but also tougher. Smudge had lived among some of the last of the Hollows troll tribes before the big fill. He had been sent to Maggies Rock to see if they could help him. First they had to make him understand who was boss. Having lived among the Trolls, and also studying them while getting his degree, Jer knew what approach to use.
Call Kyri. Tell her to make Smudge understand he is not the strongest around. She can smash his door, but dont break the doorjamb. Doors are easy to replace, doorjambs are harder and cost more. Especially the reinforced set up we had to put on his.
Garret had a look of incomprehension on his face. Kyri Sir? The cute girl with the tail? Smudge will tear her apart.
Jericho laughed. Garret, that cute girl is older than you, stronger than me, and is tough enough to take a hit that would break your car in half. Did you think she worked as my secretary or something? Garrets silence answered louder than any word could. Jericho sighed. Kyri is a sister to me. There are few people Id rather have backing me up in a fight. Not to mention, its funny watching her destroy things. No one expects it from her until she does. Smudge will be embarrassed by such a display, which is the idea. He knows Kyri is my second. What he really wants is to take me on. I dont intend to give him the chance. Kyri will wake him up to the fact he is not as tough as he thinks. Then maybe these little displays will stop, and he can begin learning something here
Garret just nodded. Jericho was about to send him to get Kyri when he had a premonition. He told Garret to get Kyri, have her deal with Smudge, and then to take the night off. He was a young handsome man, and it was getting nearer toward Kyris birthday. He had an idea that Kyri was going to teach the young man something, and it wasnt going to be applied magic. Report back tomorrow by 8 am. He thought again, No, make that 9 am, but not a minute later. Garret just nodded and started off to Kyris office, not understanding why his boss had given him the night off. He was going to learn soon though. Jericho shook his head as he watched the young man head back up the hall. He turned and walked off his own direction.
Jericho walked past the Alumni wall. Pictures of everyone who had grown up and left the Rock were posted here. He looked over familiar faces, the people who he considered his family. Jessies picture showed her standing in front of her clinic the day it opened. She had finally gotten her powers under control and now used them to help others in need. Next to it was a picture of Erik and Rowr, in front of his bike shop. It had been rebuilt and expanded several times. Jer had worked there a while during college. It was the only way he could afford to pay for his own bike back then. He still rode it whenever he could.
Off to the right and above was a picture with three people in it. Max and Kevin held up a piece of legislation they had gotten passed. Max as a lobbyist, and Kevin a congressman. Kevin also held his wife, Arai in the picture. They had several kids, all with varying fire abilities. It got pretty hot whenever they came back to visit, and extra extinguishers were kept on hand. Max and Kevin made a fairly effective team now, with Max working in the UN and being able to help bring international attention, and Kevin working from within the Congress, and pushing for changes there. Arai being one of the best looking women in DC didnt hurt Kevins standing with the lawmakers either.
To the left was another multiple person shot. Paw stood in scrubs and lab coat on the last day of her residency, finally a full doctor. Dr Paladin was there as well, behind her, as were Nick and Maggie. It was hard to tell who was the proudest in that picture. She had since gone on to become a rather well known neurosurgeon.
Other pictures caught Jerichos eye, making him pause for a moment more than he really had, but he was lost in memories.
First was Panda. Jericho had liked the large pandanian hero. His picture showed him during the last day he worked in the garden. He had gone back to the monks who had cared for him when he had been discarded by the Rikti as a failed experiment. The second picture was Ben Kirby. It was taken shortly before he went off to become a Star Magus. Everyone but Ben already knew how that ended, and Ben would have close to a hundred years before he would learn.
Eves photo always made Jericho wonder when she would show up. Hed seen her a few times, usually when she came to warn someone. The way their powers worked, they tended to cross paths. Eve usually would be giving some kind of cryptic guidance as Jericho came along to prevent a student from getting in over their head. Her photo showed her standing, her glowing blue eyes bright as she hugged Maggie goodbye. It was the last picture anyone had of her fully corporeal.
He hurried out onto the lawn and headed for his apartment in the school. The only warning he had was the image that flashed in his mind of him getting hit. He dropped to the ground and rolled left as he heard the impact of the first missile hit the wall in line with where his head would have been, the second was lower and would have caught him in the side, had he still been standing. He pushed himself up and jumped, causing the next two projectiles to hit the empty ground.
He turned and caught the next snowball and threw it back in Strains direction. It caught the last one being thrown by Strain in mid air and sent glittering shards of snow and ice skittering all over the grass and cement Strains face split into a wide grin as she gestured at Jericho.
You too Strain. One of these days youll get me. In all the times she had tried, the closest she had gotten was the time she had dragged him onto the dance floor in the pocket D and danced with him. Over the years it had become a game to see if she could surprise him. One day she would. Jer had seen it, but not yet. She still had taken to the challenge of trying and would ambush him with snowballs.
Strain worked for Maggies Rock, officially as an assistant to the directors. Jericho knew she worked more as a house detective, or intelligence gatherer. She was the one sent to find things out for Nick and Maggie when there was a threat to the school. She and Jericho had worked together on a few things, and made a good team. Strain not being able to talk when she used her own abilities, but Jericho knowing what was needed of him before anyone asked most of the time helped them work well together. Many times a threat to Maggie or anyone at Maggies Rock had found they were not as secure as they thought.
She made another series of gestures. Yes, well be there tonight. Id be getting changed now, if someone hadnt tried to brain me with a snowball. He grinned at Strain who returned it and waved as she headed to her own rooms. Jericho turned and stepped quickly to the apartment he shared with his family.
He opened the door to an almost empty house. He could hear noises from the bedroom, but only enough for one person. There was no sound of any kids anywhere. He walked back to the bedroom, and found Ames finishing her hair. She looked just as he had seen her, when he first began to see threads of the future. Beautiful, brown haired, blue eyed and still wearing glasses. His hand twitched to reach out and push them up, but he restrained himself.
He came up and kissed her on the neck as she was finishing getting ready. She wore a long purple gown that hung and clung in all the right ways. It should thought Jer. I paid Serge enough, and put up with listening to him going on about a purple suit to match it. He still hadnt gotten the suit. Even when purple was the in color, he had refused to wear one. He still liked it on Ames though.
Where are the kids? Jericho asked, as he worked his way around the back of her neck.
They are off swimming. Jack is watching all the children tonight, until bedtime. The older ones are in charge of the younger ones. She continued getting ready, trying to ignore his attentions. She finally reached up and pushed him away. You need to get ready too. Well be late if you dont she said, smiling and finally scrunching up her neck and rubbing it against her shoulders.
Jericho reluctantly went and showered to get dressed in a tux. He hated dressing up, but it was a special occasion. He thought about their life together over the years. Jer had known they would marry, just not exactly when. It had taken some time, and a lot of planning. Jers real parents and his background had made him terrified of weddings. Asking Ames was difficult for him. Every time he tried, he got tongue tied and couldnt get the words out. Everyone in the Rock had watched feeling terrible for him, even if only a few fully understood the reason for his fear. Ames had stayed with him, patiently waiting. She understood why, and had never pushed or pressured him about it. Finally others in the Rock had taken matters into their own hands.
Jer had been walking down a hall, when literally his family grabbed him and dragged him into a room. In it was everyone he and Ames had considered friends or family. She stood waiting near the front of the room holding a bouquet, with Sister Colette standing facing the room in her vestments, holding a book. Jericho looked at Ames, who shrugged. Im sorry Jericho. They grabbed me and told me wait here. They werent going to let me go until you showed up.
He had looked around the room and knew that his family was going to make sure he didnt run away. Um, I dont have her ring. He said, lamely.
Half a dozen women pulled off wedding bands, while Lynn caused more to appear out of thin air. Tess understood what he meant, and pulled out the ring Jericho had fashioned out of crystal. Thou didst leave this out on thy desk Jericho. I brought it knowing you wouldst need it this even. Jericho took it and hugged her as he said Thanks Mom. He and Ames were married immediately
Thinking about his wedding made him think about Lynn and Fletchers weddings. Fletcher and Lynn were currently on their honeymoon, again. It was their fourth or fifth one now. This one was the Lynn-being-officially-old-enough-to-marry-Fletcher-wedding, even though they had been married for years. They had had a ceremony, their third, and gone off to the Caribbean this time for their honeymoon. Every postcard they sent back seemed to coincide with a news event of some strange occurrences in that location, and then a hurricane would hit the island.
They had first gotten married when Nick had finally reached a point where the only argument he could come up with was No! Because I said so. He seemed to take the wedding better than most had thought he would. Jericho secretly thought it had, by that point, become more of a game for Nick and Lynn, but he had never bothered asking. As long as Lynn was still around to keep Nicks head from asploding, that was all that really mattered.
When he was done getting ready, he and Ames went out the front door, waving to the security personnel still on duty. Others from the Rock were also getting out at the same time. Various teachers who were able to go were getting into their vehicles and driving off in the direction of Baumton.
Jer looked at Ames in her dress and heels, and realized there was no way she was going to be able to run dressed like she was, so he picked her up and launched himself into the air.
Jericho flew them to the theater, and landed just up the street on the sidewalk. He carefully set Ames down and they straightened their clothes. Many people were walking past that they recognized. Roy Kirby with his wife Peggy holding possessively to his arm. Kris Angeles and his wife Lucy Jones, the photographer, also walked past. In an ironic twist, it was Lucy being shot by the paparazzi now. Lucy held onto Bayanis arm as the flashes went off, ducking her head slightly and blushing, not used to being on this side of the camera. Brian waved to them with Nadia on his arm as he moved toward the large doors into the theater.
They entered and were led to their seats. As they sat, they could see many others of their extended family also there. Students and teachers, past and present were here this night to show their support for Tessarae. Sitting, down in front, were Nick and Maggie. They had married, divorced, remarried, separated, and were reconciled again. Two people with strong wills who needed one another, but found it hard to give way. They almost seemed made for one another, until they butted heads. Also in front, sat Delphine. She and Tess had made a life for themselves together, and now she was here to support Tess again. She literally glowed with pride and love tonight, waiting for her partner to appear on stage.
Eventually the theater filled, and everyone hushed as the lights dimmed. Shakespeares Much Ado About Nothing, starring Tessarae as Beatrice began.
The applause was deafening as the final curtain fell. Considering how strong half the audience was, it was not surprising. Heroid almost knocked the people in front of him flat with his applause. As the actors gave their bows, bouquets were run up to them. Tess was almost buried in the amount of flowers sent to her on stage.
Jericho and Ames left soon after. Everyone was trying to get to Tess, and while Jericho could likely have pushed his way through most of the people, there wasnt any need. They could talk to his moms tomorrow, when they were less distracted and did not have as many people trying to get Tess attention. Tonight was their night, and Tess was the center of attention for once.
Jer and Ames walked with their arms around one another. The night was perfect. Not too cold, not too warm, no clouds, and a bright moon. Jer picked Ames up and flew them home, sneaking a few kisses along the way. He made sure to keep one eye on where he was flying though. Years ago he had gotten a little too distracted while flying and almost crashed them into a cliff side. Ames still teased him about it.
When they finally got home, they went to check on their kids. Jenny was asleep, her blankets tangled up around her legs as she even dreamed of running. Jared lay in his room, closets and drawers locked so that his telepathy wouldnt fling things across the room while he slept. Finally indestructible Leslie, the oldest. She had fallen asleep in the living room, and Jer carried her to her own room. She could have slept anywhere, and not been bothered. As far as anyone could tell, short of nuclear detonation, nothing could hurt her physically. All had been adopted. Both Jericho and Ames were afraid to try and have any children of their own, for different reasons.
After making sure of the kids, they went to their own room. Jer slipped his arm around Amelia and hugged her from behind as he kissed her neck. He felt her shiver. She turned in his arms to face him, and put her hands on both sides of his face, pulling him down to her and kissing him. Jericho was all she said as he reached out and turned off the light.
Jericho
..Jericho. The voice didnt sound right. It wasnt Ames, it sounded more like
Miss Tess! Jers eyes shot open as he spoke the name. The idea she might have seen into his vision or mind just now made him redden. He found himself sitting on the couch in the common room in the Rock, in front of the TV. Ames was leaning against him, asleep with her head on his shoulder. He had fallen asleep with his head against hers. He then remembered he had not put up any wards in his mind before falling asleep. He had ended up following a potential thread of the future, instead of normal dreaming.
The memory of what he had seen and experienced in his vision flashed through his mind. Ames proximity and touch had likely influenced the thread he had followed. He did not have much experience in using his abilities this way, so it was all theory. He wondered if she had shared the vision with him. Their heads were touching, so he figured they had, but he didnt know. Hed have to ask her later.
He slowly raised his head and looked around. The room was dark and someone had shut down the TV and video equipment. Miss Tess stood before him, with a slight but unreadable smile on her face.
I was passing on my way to my own room, and did think it best if I awoke you and Amelia so that you might both retire to your own rooms, but I see that waking you shouldst be enough. If you would lift Amelia and carry her for me to her room,
she let the thought trail off as Jericho nodded.
He picked up Amelia and carried her to her room, setting her gently on her bed. With Miss Tess standing in the doorway, Jericho suppressed the urge to kiss Ames as he pulled the bedspread up to cover her with. He then made his own way to his room, slightly fuzzy headed from the vision, and sleep, now that the shock of Tessarae waking him up having worn off.
Tessarae watched Jericho walk to his own room. She hadnt lied to him. She had been on her way to her own rooms, and decided to wake the young couple, but only after feeling the intense emotions spilling from them. At first she thought she would be intruding on an embarrassing scene for all, but then realized it was an intense vision, strengthened by the fact two people were experiencing it together. She was quite content with not having had to interrupt or embarrass them.
Several parts of the vision she had caught, before she had to shut out the combined thoughts of the two teens, had intrigued her. She made a mental note to talk to the librarian, Mr. Parker, who was also the Shakespearean teacher. She would like to borrow his copy of Shakespeares plays and discuss them with him one comedy in particular.
((Wow. That was beautiful, Jericho. Thank you for posting that.))
Claire sat there, staring at a blank paper notepad, twirling her blue gel pen around her fingers. Crumpled sheets littered with fragmentary notes lay on her desk, strewn in apologetic constellations. She sighed, and repeated her playlist once again, rubbing her eyes under her glasses. Strains of Etheridge floated from the speakers as the pen kissed paper.
I know I kept ribbing you about saying sorry, because you'd say it for the smallest things. I know I haven't said it much, or ever.
Claire frowned, and lifted her pen, ready to blot her words out. She hesitated, then returned tip to surface.
I'm sorry. For Saturday, when you were out saving the world against Crey, when all I did during that time was snipe at your best friend. I know I overreacted to her-
She stopped herself from writing what she really wanted to write. She wanted to say how she couldn't really stand Penny, how she'd felt besieged by Penny's words, how it was all Penny's fault, not hers.
-comments.
She tossed her pen down, and tore the leaf off the pad. She was sorry, but she wasn't sorry enough to apologize for someone else's rude behavior.
Closing her eyes, she let a moment pass; another; she tilted her hair back, listening to the lyrics of "This Moment", watching the words, the images form on the back of her eyelids, calming her. Claire sighed, and set the sheet down; she retrieved the pen and began again.
I know things have been rough for a while now. Some of it's my fault. No, a lot of it. I've kept you at arms' length, I haven't told you half the things I should.
I'm sorry.
Claire set the pen down, and tapped the mouse button, watching as the screensaver faded into the desktop. Six in the evening; she should have been home by now. Claire didn't want to walk home, though; not yet, anyway.
She flipped through a few rounds of FreeCell; she ran through a few grids of Sudoku. She browsed through a site or two, catching up on the news and her email, finally landing on flowers. She clicked past the numerous bouquets and vases of roses, alighting on an arrangement of Calla lilies, irises, and tulips.
Claire rubbed the bridge of her nose, removing her glasses. Squinting, she filled out the ordering form, requesting early delivery to the restaurant where Tera worked.
It beat heading home.
===
He pulled the lever, parking the truck by the stairs. Picking up the vase from the back, he whistled "Walking on Sunshine" to himself as he bounced down the steps. Walking along Spanky's Boardwalk, he passed the restaurants: Greasy Rich's, Fast Foo's Wok and Roll, and finally opened the door to Mom's Kitchen.
"Delivery for a Tera Summers?" He smiled as he handed the flowers over.
"Thanks..." Tera said.
"Oh, they're gorgeous! Who's it from?" Belle asked.
Tera flipped open the card. "It's Claire," she said, reading the attached note.
I'm really sorry for how I've been acting lately, and I want you to know that's going to change. I don't want to spend our time arguing, or being uncomfortable, or unhappy, or any of that. I just want to be in the moment with you, to let the world fade away...
Tera smiled, and bent to breathe in the flowers, gingerly folding the note to finish later.
Katrina Allen looked at the stack of papers on her desk. She had been reviewing her list of suppliers all morning, looking for those whose names were on the Love Foundations list of companies that violated international child labor laws. So far she had found four. Those suppliers would have to be replaced and promptly. The Kings Row Toy Company had to keep going, rolling forward. A slowdown would mean not only hardship for the workers, but would also stall the industrial revitalization that was beginning in the Row now.
I can help, said a voice inside her head.
Please, thank you.
The voice in her head belonged to Robert Jermyn, a philanthropic businessman with the same socialistic leanings that she had. In April, he had been in the wrong place at the wrong time and was hit by an energy blast during a skirmish between the Council and a Longbow patrol in Founders Falls. He was supposed to have died in his sleep after hosting the No Masks Masquerade charity event in October. The Catbird had been carrying his soul for almost six months.
In that time, Jermyn had taught her about how to direct a business, and how to do so in a socially responsible manner, even in the midst of the unbridled anarchy that was modern capitalism. His voice was always a calm, clear resonance in the middle of the confused cacophony that arose from the others she carried. Moonlighting for Death was a difficult job.
She let Jermyn look through her eyes while she herself stepped back and relaxed. In moments he had suggestions helpful suggestions that would keep the plant productive, the workers employed, and the mayor happy, all without her having to compromise her convictions.
Im going to miss you, Bob.
I will miss you too, June. Perhaps the Powers that Be will allow me to return to visit you.
She smiled inside.
The problem with having sometimes several dozen souls inside of you at once is that you have sometimes several dozen people who know your business. For instance, the souls would instantly find out her personal history. Some of them would feel sorry for her and drive her crazy trying to console her. Others would be judgmental and say cruel things like, I dont blame him for killing you. Or, You left him no choice.
Those voices she pushed back, let them become part of the background noise. And she never felt sorry when she felt them descend instead of ascend when their time was up.
Then there were souls like Robert. It didnt bother her that he knew she was really June Dawson, aka the Catbird, a caped adventurer who had met her own untimely death in 1957. She would allow him to come to the surface at times, to use her senses to interact with the world. He never wrestled her for control, and always receded back to the inside when he was finished with whatever business he was up to.
I hope They will, Bob. Youve been good company over the past few months.
Ive been meaning to talk to you about that.
Katrina pushed her chair away from the desk and leaned back with her feet up on a corner. Talk about what?
You are lonely, June. I would feel much better leaving you if you werent alone.
Im hardly alone, Bob. She let the din of clamoring souls rise to the surface, then forced it back down. See? Plenty of company.
You know what I mean. You need someone to share your life with. A Significant Other.
Ive done that, remember? A mistake I dont intend to repeat. I dont intend to allow another man to use me and betray me.
Then you should find a woman to
I dont think so.
June, is there not a man left in the world that you trust? One who is better than the rest? One who has gained your respect.
Katrina closed her eyes. Her memories might be on open display, but she kept her emotions close to the vest. No.
Then even I am a lowly worm in your eyes?
I didnt say that.
Then there is one.
Katrina bit her lip and nodded.
And he is free?
She nodded again.
And you have feelings for him.
Robert Jermyn, that is enough. She took her feet off of the desk, rolled her chair close to it, and began shuffling papers.
All right June. It is your business.
She paused, sighed, and smiled. Im sorry Bob. I didnt mean to snap at you. Its just that
things are different today. I dont know the first thing about relationships in the 21st Century. I
June, I will be gone soon. I have accomplished much in my time on Earth, but one thing more I would see before I cross over I would see you happy.
All right. Ill give it some thought.
That is all I ask. And June?
Hm?
If this Yegeny is half as decent as you think he is, he is worth the try
Katrina smiled and felt a blush rising to her face. Ill think about it.
((hm. It seems there is more going on than I thought. hehe.))
((One more story for the bunch. Someone I haven't written for lately, but, last night was eventful for her...))
The sun moved slowly overhead, and the golden patch of sunlight shining through the skylight moved slowly across the floor of the common room of KGB Special Section 8.
Tasenka, lost in thought, had started out sitting in the patch of sunlight on the West side of the room, and now that it was on the East side of the room she was still in the light. She wasn't really aware of moving to follow the sunlight. It was just something she did, like breathing.
She also wasn't really aware of the room. People passed her by on their way to doing important things. If they stopped and looked at Tasenka, she didn't notice them. Tasenka had been out hunting earlier. The rabbits she had brought back were in the kitchen, skinned and prepared for cooking. Usually by this point in the early afternoon, the rabbits would be rabbit stew and skins prepared for tanning, but, Tasenka had finally brought her mind back to the events of the night before. So, now she sat in the common room, unconsciously following the sunlight across the room as she studied her hands, and looked in a little hand mirror to study her face...
The mirror had been purchased because it was fascinating. In the village Tasenka had grown up in, there weren't any mirrors. If you wanted to see your own reflection, a bowl or pool of still water was the best that you could do. Tasenka had purchased the mirror when she discovered that she had some money of her own. The money seemed like a fortune to her, although it was actually a very modest stipend. Then again, the Section 8 base still seemed like a palace to her, after growing up in a tiny hut, near a tiny village in the woods, in another time. Running water, heat for cooking without lighting a fire, light at the flip of a switch or the pressing of a button. To Tasenka, these were as amazing as the teleporters, the cars, the radio...or the fact that she could now cause rain to fall, or wind to blow. The world she had woken up in seemed to follow different rules than the one she grew up in, and for the most part, Tasenka dealt with it easily enough. She learned English, and dealt with the many situations and people that she would never have encountered back home in a very even tempered fashion. Except that now, she didn't know what to do.
She was not human. Catbird had examined her hand, and then looked her in the eyes. She had asked Tasenka what she wanted... and had said that Tasenka was human...but then the commander had looked at her, and said something very quietly to Catbird, and Catbird had said then that Tasenka was not mortal in the human sense. Had admitted it. She had said more than that, but Tasenka could not think past the one basic admission. Not human.
She couldn't see it. Tasenka studied her hands, and they seemed to be as they always had been. She looked in the mirror, and could not see anything that was different from the people in her village. Nothing odd, or unusual. Pale skin, like theirs. Dark hair, like theirs. Blue eyes, like her mother's.
Her mother. Her mother had sung her lullabies, and had taught her all she knew of herbs and cooking. Hunting she had learned from her father. It was not a skill most girls would have learned, but, she had been interested in the ways of animals from a very young age, and a good shot with a sling or a bow. Any extra food or furs that she could bring in were not going to be wasted simply because she was female. The cottage wasn't close enough to the town for the couple to feel pressured to raise their daughter more conventionally. They had traveled to the village to go to church and on market days. Otherwise, she had spent her days in the woods, or in the small field near the cottage. Now Tasenka looked back on those days and wondered. Had she always been not human...or was it as the commander had suggested, that her form had altered upon coming to this place, though her soul and memories had not.
The patch of sun moved slowly across the room and up the wall, till Tasenka would have had to climb the wall or fly to stay in it. Tasenka sighed and put down the mirror, and then picked up her bow and quiver and headed outdoors to the open air.
Shae Firewarder
"Hey! Wake up, Todd!"
From under a carpet of empty beer can and bottles, Todd Galahad, known to Paragon City residents as The Cobalt Claymore, sat up in order to go to his morning classes at Dartmouth.
"What the hell is this, Stoney?" Todd said to his roomate Braden "Stoney" Stonegate. "What happened-- geez!" he shouted as he found out someone was next to him, a girl he knew from his Public Speaking course. Todd scooted out of the bed quickly, almost leaping out. The young lady was still sleeping, her breath still strong with a mix of beer, tequila and some flavored vodka.
Stoney looked over at the girl, then at Todd. "Dude! Nice! It's what, six weeks since you got here, and you've already landed a girl on the side? Man, you guys must have been quiet because I never heard either of you come in while we were partying in the room!"
"Stoney," Todd said, "help me get this girl woken up and out of the room."
"Heh! Already done with her, huh?"
"'Done with her' nothing! We didn't do anything in the first place!" Todd shouted.
"What?" Stoney said. "Excuse me? T-Dog, come on! It's okay to say you scored yourself a hottie! What happens in Hanover stays in Hanover!"
"T.... Dog? What did you just call me?"
"Uh, the guys have been calling you that since you got here. Man, you need to pay attention to what's going on. The guys on the lacrosse team call us the Dirty Morning Duo bacause 'Stoney and T-Dog' sounds like a morning radio DJ crew!" Stoney said. It's because we're usually the first two actually awake in the morning! You go off to class and I make sure the rest of the gets up to make their second class of the day." Stoney smiled what he thought was a too-cool-for-words smile, but it looked more like an arrogant smirk. "If it wasn't for you and me, the team wouldn't be students for long."
"I was never let in on this. And what the heck is Elly doing in my bed? I didn't even leave the room last night!" Todd was busy trying to find his jeans and a clean shirt that didn't smell of cheap beer and cheaper perfume. "Marie would kill me if she saw this. I gotta get this place cleaned up!" Todd threw on his clothes and grabbed a garbage bag, collecting empty cans and bottles as he went around the room trying to straighten his pictures of his girlfriend, friends and family.
Stoney sat on his bed and watched with amusement as Todd tried to clean the place up. His face then turned quizzical. "Okay, Todd, answer me this: if you never left last night, why didn't I see you?"
"Let's see," Todd said, "I got done with classes at 2, studied at the library until 5, worked out until 7, ate dinner at the Chinese place down the street, came home and was asleep by 9."
"9? As in PM, right? Dude. You were asleep at NINE AT NIGHT? IN COLLEGE?"
Todd glared at Stoney. "I was tired. I was done with everything else, so I went to bed and WILL YOU HELP ME GET THIS FREAKIN' DRUNKASS PRELAW STUDENT OUT OF MY BED?"
"Dude. NOBODY goes to bed at 9 at night in college! Even the foreign students don't do that!"
"Stoney, help me get this girl out of this room and over to her dorm or I will see to it that you take a header through our dorm window." Todd's eyes locked on Stoney's. "I came here to learn, not to party, and if I EVER find this room so screwed up again, I'm going to hold you responsible." He leaned over and whispered something in Stoney's ear. "And that's only the first minute of what will happen when I hold you responsible."
The color in Stoney's face drained. "You're serious, aren't you?"
"Yes, yes I am. Because I will bring all of my friends here. I will bring my girlfriend here. So you know, she uses electricity like most of us breathe. I'll also bring her mother, who's basically a living nuclear reactor. I can also bring a giant blue cyborg who's an ex-Chicago cop. And you know how cops are when they find uncooperative students, right? I'll tell them how you decided to impede my scholarly progress. They won't be happy. Do you want to make my hero friends unhappy?"
"Uhm..." Stoney began.
"Well, do you?"
Stoney looked down. "No."
"Then don't throw parties in the room, and don't allow anyone to crash in my bed, especially when I'm already in it."
"Why do you have to be such a nerd about things, T-Dog?"
"Stop calling me that."
"No, man, seriously. College is as much about getting hammered on a nightly basis as it is showing up for class," Stoney said, trying to defend his position in the room.
"Good for you, Stoney. Somebody's got to be at the bottom of the class, might as well be you."
Shortly thereafter Elly woke up. "Aagh, my head," she muttered. "Where the hell am I?"
Tood looked over at her. "In my room, and I'd like to know what the hell you were doing getting in my bed. I was already asleep when you climbed in, so no, we didn't do anything."
"Oh. OH. Omigod. You're that guy from my Public Speaking class. Omigod. The one with the superhero girlfriend. OmigodI'msosorry!"
"Right. And you've made my life more difficult if this gets out. AND you've made me late for class. AND you really need to get the hell out of my room and never come back!" Todd opened the door and gestured politely for her to exit. "Now, if you please."
Elly walked out, trying to meet his gaze, but being stared down. "You're a jerk, Galahad."
"Yes, but I'm a jerk who's loyal to his girlfriend," Todd said as she strode down the hall. He handed the now-full garbage bag to his roommate. "Stoney, throw this out. I have to get ready to go to my next class." With that, he put his books in his backpack and walked out the door.
"I'm not calling you T-Dog anymore! You don't deserve a nickname!" Stoney shouted out their first floor window as Todd walked past it. Todd flipped him off and kept going towards class.
He dropped a nickname he hated, put a healthy dose of fear into his roommate, and defended himself against any accusations of impropriety that could spell the end of his preferred relationship. All in all, the morning was starting out better than he hoped.
Back Yard Boom - Emo Catgirl - Cobalt Claymore - Hephaestus 1
Avatar by Scarf_Girl!
((Todd has more willpower than ten Green Lanterns!))
[ QUOTE ]
((Todd has more willpower than ten Green Lanterns!))
[/ QUOTE ]
Willpower backed up with a healthy respect of his girlfriend, fear of his SG leader, and respect for the rest of his SG.
Yeah, I'll just chalk it up to willpower.
Back Yard Boom - Emo Catgirl - Cobalt Claymore - Hephaestus 1
Avatar by Scarf_Girl!
"Mike, what is it that you're doing? May I point out that is almost as bad an idea as that assault on that Imperial Combine fuel depot? You almost died then, and at least then you had an idea of what plasma burns would do to your body. You haven't got a clue what this will do to you."
CARRIE, Computer Assisted Reconstruction, Repair and Integrated Electronics, was the voice in my head, my conscience, my guardian angel. She was also a pain in the butt, most of the time.
"Shaddap, Carrie," I told her, as usual. Yes, she was a useful thing to have around. She'd fixed my nanocloak, had helped restore my systems from the marginal ability they had when I arrived here in Paragon City. On the other hand. when you're a soldier, a resistance fighter against impossible odds, you sometimes have to take stupid risks, and the last thing you want is to be lectured about it.
Oh, right, introductions. Name's Mike. I'm the Last Hero, as best I can figure it. Leastwise, that's what shows up on my hero ID card. Around the Base-ment, they just call me 'Mike from the future.'
And, to be fair, I was considering doing something that could be classified as 'really stupid.'
See, I have this problem, relating to my girlfriend. Lots of weird stuff in Paragon City, you know. Most of the weird doesn't bother me, just the stuff that's not kosher.
My girlfriend, Missy, she's a ghost. No problem, right? She was also attached to the boss' wife, Peggy. Still, no problem. It's not like they were sharing a body, just the same piece of the time/space continuum, as I figure it.
Nah, the problem is that she accidently got herself with a spirit thorn. The boss' wife doesn't mind, as it means she no longer has someone sharing the space. But, it means my girlfriend is stuck in this sharp pointy crystal thing.
She's a princess, Missy is. I tell her all the time. Never met anyone quite so perky or full of zest.
Now, I'm not bitter. If I was prone to bitter, I'd be in a lot of trouble. See, the Imperial Combine had wiped out everyone left from the resistance but me, and there were never many of us to begin with. Nanocloaks were in short supply, and without a nanocloak, having a weapons signature meant that you, and everyone within about a quarter mile of you, was going to be reduced to hamburger by the orbital Damocles cannon. And, of course, with just me left, I had to go in and see if I couldn't save humanity from becoming another slave race for the Combine, their free will destroyed by a cybervirus.
See, and since I'm here, and not there, that means I didn't do so good. If I was proned to bitter, I'd be in a lot of trouble.
But, lately, I've been pretty close to bitter. Seems like everyone in Paragon City feels sorry for Peggy, and is happy that Peggy is all better, and doesn't give a rat's behind about the fact that Missy's stuck in some kinda soul prison. It's stuff like that, gets me upset all the time.
So, I've been stonewalled, and I haven't been able to get anyone to help me out. The only leads I've had, clones and stuff, have been dead ends. Did a little reading on my own, and I decided on a course of action, as an intermediary step.
I held the thorn in my hands. Well, you know. My hands are long since gone, one to a thermal grenade that went off too close, and one to voluntary replacement. I'm full pretty much to my back teeth with all kinds of nanotronic gear. Yeah... that was defintely pointy enough for this to work.
I turned the thorn over in my hand, and did what I had to do. No point in dwelling on it too much. I jammed the thorn deep into my thigh.
Yeah, it hurt, but that's not what I was so worried about. A wave of electric fire ran through my nervous system, knocking me down onto my armored rear. I dunno how long I was out, though I'm sure that Carrie was just dying to tell me.
I looked at the bloody thorn in my hand, and then into the mirror.
And then I heard it.
"Mike? Is that you?"
"Yeah. Hope it isn't too crowded in there, princess."
My body felt like it was hugging itself.
"Ohmygod, I'm so glad you got me out of that thing! Yay! But... now I'm in your head. Uh... HowamIevergoingtokissyouandstuffifI'minthesamebody asyou?"
Yeah, that was Missy, all right.
"It's cool, sweetheart. I just had to get you out of that thing, first. We'll worry about the rest, second. I'm glad ta hear your voice."
"Me too!"
"Mike, you do realize that *I'm* still here, too, don't you?"
I sighed. Yeah, this was gonna be fun.
"Yeah. Carrie, Missy, you get to be roommates. Try not to trash the place, okay?"
Comrade Smersh, KGB Special Section 8 50 Inv/Fire, Fire/Rad, BS/WP, SD/SS, AR/EM
Other 50s: Plant/Thorn, Bots/Traps, DB/SR, MA/Regen, Rad/Dark - All on Virtue.
-Don't just rebel, build a better world, comrade! (( ^_^ ))
"Nice work, Agent Catbird."
The Catbird looked down at the black-suited Crey agent. Dark ectoplasm was still steaming off of his body.
"Thank you, Commander. I couldn't let him sneak up on you."
KGB Special Section 8's Commander Smersh finished off the thug in the Crey power suit and said, "Yes, I hate to think what would have happened if you hadn't seen him."
"You could have handled him, comrade."
"Perhaps, but still I am in your debt."
The Catbird bit her lip and wondered if she should say the words that were in her heart. Just as she mustered the courage up, her commander said:
"Agent Catbird, would you return with me to our base? There is something I would speak of with you."
She nodded and followed him to King's Row. When they entered the base, it was quiet and only the security lights were on. No one was at the command center.
"Odd," the Catbird remarked.
"No, Agent Catbird, not at all. I relieved Comrade Kolduna of her monitor duties for the day. We are alone here."
She turned and looked at her commander. He stepped close to her and placed his hands on her shoulders.
"Agent Catb -- May I call you Katrina?"
"Please, call me or June. It was... who I used to be."
"June."
With his Russian accent her plain, simple name sounded exotic.
"Yes... Yegeny?"
"We are both lonely people, in positions of leadership, which makes us feel doubly so. Da?"
"Da."
"Perhaps we can help each other in our loneliness?"
"...da."
He stood straight and said, "Initiate transport protocol Mu Sigma Zeta Zero Zero Six!"
He had issued the command to no person, but rather to the device which teleported his armor on and off of his body. As soon as the words were out of his mouth, there was a small flash and then a glimmer, and after that he stood before her, his bare chest colored blue by the dim light
"Command... Yegeny... I..."
Shh. No words are needed now, only actions.
The Catbird nodded and let free the ectoplasmic fabric that comprised her costume. It evaporated in a dark mist and she was as exposed as he. The room seemed to spin and the lights grew even dimmer as she found the nerve to look him in the eye. Her knees almost buckled as she fell into his muscular arms and he pulled her close.
"June."
Again, her name sounded poetic when spoken by him. She closed her eyes and pressed her cheek against his hard chest.
"Yegeny, I... I l..."
"Don't say it."
"But I..."
"I said, don't say it."
She leaned back and looked up into his face. Then she screamed.
It wasn't Yegeny Korsakov who held her in his arms. Instead it was a young, slender man with pale skin, but dark features. His long hair was as black as a raven's wings.
"Dream!" She pulled out of the embrace, crossed her arms over her chest and turned away. Ebon tendrils began to form on her skin and writhe into place, forming the Catbird costume. She turned back toward the intruder and demanded, "What the hell are you doing here?"
The Bringer of Dreams laughed and said, " This time I'm in the 'catbird's seat'."
With her costume fully formed, the Catbird no longer felt vulnerable. She released a few of the angrier souls she carried inside her and let them buzz the Bringer of Dreams. They swept around him like angry hornets, but if he was afraid of their sting, he did not show it.
"Call them back, Catbird. It is unbecoming of you to attack out of anger."
"Where's Commander Smersh? What did you do with him?"
"Your Yegeny? I did nothing with him. Unlike yourself. You appeared to be getting quite busy with him."
She ignored the remark. "Where is he?"
"June, you are dreaming."
He hardly ever called her by name. Both he and his sister, the Bringer of Death, almost always called her by her costumed identity. His familiarity with her convinced her not to try to pinch herself to test the veracity of his claim. She called the angry souls back into her. Then she sat down on the floor and rested her chin on her hands.
"It... it was a good dream."
"Perhaps. But dreams are dreams and the waking life is the waking life."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"My sister requested that I look into your well-being. That is why I insinuated myself into your fantasy. You need to give up this particular pursuit."
June looked up at this being who could, with a whisper, cast her forever out of the physical realm, leaving her the disembodied spirit she once was.
"It is not for such as us to enter into relationships with mortals, he said.
"But, I am still a woman. I am still human. I still need..."
"Catbird, you are not human. You merely dwell in that borrowed body."
The difference in the way he addressed her did not pass her notice. She buried her face in her hands and fought back tears.
"But I am so alone."
"My sister has been very patient with your endeavors in the World, but be aware she does not consider that to be your first responsibility. You are the Bearer of Souls or you are nothing."
The Catbird raised her face from her hands and looked up into the morning sunlight streaming through the window of her modest bedroom in her modest apartment. She had much she needed to do that day. She stayed home in bed instead.
((Wow, HEROID, you never fail to impress.))
Around noon, Todd Galahad walked past the student union to his next class, Public Speaking. The sky in Hanover was a shade of blue that was about the same as Marie's, and the trees had not completely turned their usual fall colors. He skimmed over a few announcements and flyers at a public bulletin board, committing a few to memory, especially the ones listing missing or stolen items. I might not be a full-time hero in Paragon anymore, Todd thought, but I can do a few things here as an amateur sleuth. Thankfully there shouldn't be any swordplay involved.
He was almost at the door to the lecture hall when he heard what sounded like a horse on cobblestones walking behind him.
"Hey, Galahad! Wait up!" Elly shouted out as she scurried up to meet him. "I want to settle something with you."
"Whoa, there, Elly," Todd said as he spun to meet her, his gray backpack whipping around to almost unbalance him. "There's nothing to settle. And you shouldn't wear those shoes. They're really clunky and make a lot of noise."
"Fine advice from someone who doesn't shop at Hollister or A&F," Elly said. "There is something to settle, though... ooh. Never mind. If you're going to yell at me about my shoes, then I won't even bother."
Todd turned back around. "Good. Now please stop pestering me," he said before he opened the door to the lecture hall. He made sure the door closed before Elly could reach it to add further frustration. "Wake up in my bed without asking again, and you'll be in a serious world of trouble," he grumbled to himself.
At the mid-point of class, Todd felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned to see Elly sitting next to him and a note being slid over to him.
I'M SORRY, it read.
Todd scribbled something back.
YOU SHOULD BE. I COULD HAVE BEEN SOMEONE MUCH WORSE, AND YOU COULD BE JUST ANOTHER STATISTIC. DON'T DRINK SO MUCH NEXT TIME.
Elly read it and scowled. "Who are you, Statesman?" she hissed at him.
Todd held his finger in the air, silently asking for a few moments of explanation. He scribbled down something else, watching the lecturer and looking down again as if writing actual class-related notes.
STATESMAN WOULDN'T EVEN ALLOW YOU A CHANCE TO APOLOGIZE. HE'D JUST THROW YOU IN THE RIVER AND CALL YOU A RIKTI OR SOMETHING. HE'S VERY ARROGANT WHEN HE TALKS TO US NON-HERO TYPES.
Elly looked at him like he was dodging the question, so Todd scribbled something else down.
SERIOUSLY. HE'S A TOOL. I HAD A SUMMER JOB AS AN ARCHIVIST FOR FREEDOM CORPS AND HE WAS ALWAYS REALLY NASTY TO PEOPLE WHO WEREN'T CAPES.
"Really?" she whispered. Todd wrote down some more.
I WOULD HAVE HAD AN INVITATION TO RETURN NEXT SUMMER IF I HADN'T WORN A TOWEL AROUND MY NECK AND CALLED MYSELF "ARABBICUS, DARK ROASTED LORD OF GETTING COFFEE" ON HIS LAST TOUR THROUGH THE ARCHIVES.
Elly smiled, but just a little, trying to stifle a laugh. She was still trying to be mad while imagining her classmate mocking one of Earth's most powerful heroes. Todd wrote some more.
I'M SORRY, TOO. I HAVE A TENDENCY TO BE BLUNT TO THE POINT OF MAKING PEOPLE MAD. I JUST THINK YOU SHOULD BE REALLY CAREFUL WHEN DRINKING AT PARTIES. IT'S SAFER THAT WAY, ESPECIALLY WHEN STONEY IS ANYWHERE NEAR YOU. HE CHASES EVERYTHING HE THINKS MIGHT BE FEMALE.
Elly grinned.
SOMETIMES HE'S WRONG, AND THAT'S HILARIOUS, Todd wrote.
The lecturer left the hall, and the students packed their bags to leave the classroom.
"Seriously," Todd said. "The next time you see Stoney, ask him about his date with someone named Kris."
Elly laughed a bit this time. "Well, Galahad, you're a jerk, but at least you're nice and well-meaning one. See you around," she said with the tone used to imply that she'd be hanging around his room more often.
Too bad that Todd wasn't always able to pick up verbal cues from women. He had no idea what would happen as time passed. The thought didn't pass his mind until in the middle of his Calculus class.
"Oh. Oh, no," he muttered to himself.
Back Yard Boom - Emo Catgirl - Cobalt Claymore - Hephaestus 1
Avatar by Scarf_Girl!
Tommy arrived home, parking his car in its usual spot across the street from his family's High Park apartment. His mother was already out on the stoop, her arms folded across her chest. A pile of Skulls lay at her feet, some of whom were whining about being beaten up by a housewife.
"Hi, Ma," Tommy said as he walked towards the stoop. "Nice work."
"Did anything happen at school today?" she asked in her perkiest voice, projecting her usual domineering-yet-motherly menace.
"Yeah, Ma. I got suspended fer five days. I was arguin' in class with Meyer an' said a couple things about him an' his mother. So, Father Ray told me ta stay home fer a week," Tommy said.
"Well, you know how this will affect you getting into a good school. And you know how your father is working so hard to make sure you have the money to go," Mrs. Pachowski said, notes of false concern and sarcasm in her voice.
One of the Skulls, a Bone Daddy known by the nickname of Heel Spur, started laughing. "Back Yard Boom's MOM is callin' him ou--"
Heel Spur wheezed very loudly as Mrs. Pachowski crushed his ribs with a well-placed stomp.
"No one makes fun of my baby. Anyone who does is going to find himself running through Sebastian Frost's estate wearing only his mask and a sign that says 'Mooks Rule Port Oakes.' Do the rest of you morons understand that?" she hissed.
"Yes, Mrs. Pachowski," a few of the conscious ones replied.
"Good. Now, Tommy, we're going to go inside and discuss why you should stop screwing up so often, why the Young Phalanx is better off with someone other than you in charge, and why you constantly disappoint me with these angry outbursts."
Tommy stopped, causing a Deaths Head to start gasping for air. "Oh, sorry, man. I'll take my foot offa yer man-bits there." Finding a slightly open spot, he stood his ground. "Ma, you an' me, we gotta talk."
"And we will as soon as you stop being stubborn and go upstairs," his mother said.
"No no. We talk here." He looked around at the Skulls. "You guys don't mind, right?"
"Uh, we were just leaving," another Deaths Head said. "Come on, guys, we don't want to get in the middle of this. Remember the time Tommy brought back tuna in oil instead of water?"
As if by some kind of miracle, the Skulls started to get up and shamble away, carrying their more-injured friends. The scene cleared, leaving a Vahzilok Reaper and his latest Embalmed creation meancing an old lady. The Reaper blinked, turned to see Mrs. Pachowski staring a hole through his head, and ran off with his zombie in tow.
"Now, Tommy, you have until I count to three to get upstairs."
"Make me."
"One," his mother said calmly.
Tommy put a mild surge of power through his subdermal armor, realigning the structure on a molecular level to make it stronger than normal. "Don't make me do what I'm mad enough ta do, Ma," Tommy said in reply.
"Two," Mrs. Pachowski said with a note of threat.
Tommy scanned his body readouts. He was ready for a fight, and braced himself for his mother's onslaught. "I ain't leavin' this stoop."
"Three," his mother growled. "Tommy, you've really done it now."
She threw herself at Tommy, firing off a series of vicious roundhouse kicks at her son. Tommy's mother was by no means a licensed hero, but she had more fighting talent than she ever let on. The kicks connected, but Tommy stood there, barely even noticing the impact. His defensive systems and armor absorbed and redirected the kinetic energy around and past him, leaving him unharmed. Tommy shifted a little to his right as his mother threw a vicious nerve strike towards him, missing his neck by centimeters.
"I have had it with your sass, young man! All you ever do is screw up and ruin my life!" Mrs. Pachowski shouted as she punched repeatedly into his solar plexus.
Tommy stood there, not feeling the punches land. "I ruin YOUR life, Ma? Who's the one who always calls me in the middle of my fights against serious criminals an' threats ta the world just ta tell me that somethin' that broke in the house is my fault?"
"I told you to rewire the apartment so I could run everything off of one switchbox!"
"An' I told ya that it'd cause stuff ta break, but did ya listen?" he asked as his mother threw more jab-and-cross combos at him. "No, ya [censored] some more at me an' told me I was stupid fer not doin' it as soon as ya told me to!"
"That's because you can't take direction!"
"No, Ma, I don't take direction from ya because even when I do what ya want, somethin' always happens where I get blamed fer it! Like rewirin' the apartment!" Tommy was getting mad enough that his LCD tattoos and fiber-optic designs in his metal arms started to show. He readied his cryoprojectors.
"What did you do to yourself, young man?" his mother shrieked. "Where did you get that done?"
"Got 'em done during my business trip ta Japan, Ma. Remember the trip where I was supposed ta stay in a hotel, but YOU decided ta cancel my reservation outta what I can only guess is sheer spite?"
"You needed a family to look after you! And look how you repay them!"
"You forced me on the family of the girl I had been wantin' ta go out with ever since I met her, Ma. Ya got any idea how embarrassin' that was fer me?"
"See? Even when you have supervision, you still mess up!"
"What supervision? They were busy workin'! Mind you, that gave me an' Saya plenty'a time ta get ta know each other," Tommy said with a grin. "An' ya know how much she an' I like each other. Guess what happens when a guy an' a girl who really like each other get put in the same room night after night by their families?"
Tommy's mother stopped. "You didn't."
"I did. Quite a few times, in fact."
Tommy actually felt that punch get through his defenses as his mother fired off a stream of profanity directed at him. he winced, seeing his body's structural integrity drop by 30 percent. He stepped back, nearly tumbling down the steps of the stoop. Tommy managed to regain his balance, and stood his ground again.
"No matter what ya say, Ma, ya got no real power over me. I got money fer college an' my car's paid for thanks ta my job an' the licensing deals that got worked out fer the Young Phalanx overseas. Yer gray ta me, Ma." With that, he fired one blast of supercooled air at her feet to try and encase her feet in ice. Tommy's mother sidestepped it, only to go directly into the path of the blast of supercooled air that encased her almost completely in ice instead.
For once in her life, Tommy's mother had to try catching her breath as she shivered.
"I told ya, Ma. You got no power over me that I don't let ya have. Ya know why Dad's always at the office doin' his arson investigations? Because of how ya treat yer family. He HATES comin' home to ya. An' Claire," he said, referring to his little sister, "I ain't seen her come outta her room except ta eat! I'm the only one who even talks to ya, an' all ya ever do is heap verbal abuse on me! I am sick an' tired'a that!"
Tommy's mother couldn't say anything as she shivered constantly.
"Lemme guess. Who puts a roof over my head? Dad. Not you. Who makes sure I get ta school on time? Me. Who makes sure I get ta work on time? Me. Who makes sure Claire gets ta school on time? Me or Dad. You make sure the bills're paid, that the apartment's clean an' dinner's on the table. I respect ya fer that, Ma. Those jobs ain't fun, an' the rewards ain't always equal ta the work. But you," he said as he stuck as finger in his mother's face, "you always have ta make sure that I get a earful or two'a abuse every day when I get home from school. You always gotta tell me how much I stink at one thing or another, especially school. I bring my GPA up to 3.88 outta 4.0 an' all you have ta say 'bout it is how I can't compete academically. My entrance exams say otherwise. I hadda turn down a bunch'a colleges because of my hero gig. Ya know what it's like tellin' MIT thanks but no thanks? No, ya don't."
"G-get u-u-upstairs now," Mrs. Pachowski said. "You're i-in real tr-r-rouble now."
"I ain't done yet, Ma," Tommy said. "I don't know what's wrong with ya, if yer jealous, if ya drink when we ain't around, or what. I don't care anymore, either. Yer just abuse in human form. All ya ever done is tell me how worthless I am. I started believin' ya when I lost my arms. I started thinkin' ya might'a been right. Look at me now, Ma. I get respect because I took somethin' bad an' figured out how ta make somethin' good outta it. I think that's pretty smart."
His mother stared a hole through his head. "Get me out of this ice now, mister."
"No. Because I said I ain't done. An' yer gonna shut the hell up an' listen. I'm a hero, ma. I put up with a lotta crap that ya never hear about on the news. I fought things you'd never dream of ta save the world. Even the Freedom Phalanx recognized that when they made me part'a their Reserve force. An' no matter what, I gotta smile an' nod even when yer yellin' at me 'bout somethin' that's yer fault ta begin with, or when I got some jerk at school callin' me a freak or his buddies callin' me out fer a ten-on-one fight. Yeah, after a bad day, all you can do is make things worse. I love ya, Ma, but that don't mean I gotta take yer crap every day. I'm goin' upstairs now. I'm gonna leave ya here ta think about how yer gonna start treatin' me, Dad, an' Claire with respect an' not act like a psychopath around us. I hope I never hafta talk to ya like this again, because I hate it. I want ya ta be the mother ya used ta be when I was little."
With that, Tommy went upstairs, trying to figure out what to do with his suspension.
Mrs. Pachowski stood there encased in slowly-melting ice, fuming. One of her neighbors, an old widow everyone knew as Mrs. Klein walked past.
"It's about time he did that, you shrieking harridan," she sniffed as she went by. "And I do mean shrieking. You could wake the dead most nights."
She walked away, leaving the housewife stuck in her block of ice.
"I'm going to get out of this ice, grab a drink, and give my son a talking-to he'll never forget," Mrs. Pachowski growled.
For now, though, she'd wait until the ice melted.
Back Yard Boom - Emo Catgirl - Cobalt Claymore - Hephaestus 1
Avatar by Scarf_Girl!
Roy was still a bit uncomfortable in his role as head of the security team at Maggie's Rock. The kids weren't a problem and his crew were all good and competent people. Maybe it was the feeling that in a building with so many magical wards and super-powered students and faculty, a security crew seemed a little redundant. Maybe it was the idea of working for Nick in Maggie's absence.
At any rate when the earth elemental, Deep Schist, emerged from the brick wall beside the desk in Roy's small office with a message for Roy to come down to the sub-basement, Roy was elated. Finally, something to do.
Roy hustled down the hallway to the big door that opened up to the basement stairs. He took these four at a time. Then he ran around the odd furniture and strange equipment that was stored in the back section, and went to a section of brick that was a slightly different color from the wall around it. He started at the top center brick in the section, counted down five, then four to the left, and pushed that brick. The wall opened in front of him revealing another stairway that descended into the dark. He bounded down these as he had done the others.
At the bottom of the stairs he was greeted by an excited mass of grey stone that was roughly in the shape of a very large man.
Deep Schist indicated for Roy to follow and said, "Here, Mr. Roy. Deep find something."
Roy followed Deep across the sub-basement until they came to a massive boulder.
"Deep move pile of little brothers..."
Roy looked at the pile of rubble that Deep pointed to.
"... and Deep find this."
Roy looked at the boulder. It was irregularly shaped and approximately six feet broad at its widest point and five feet high at its peak. Protruding just downslope from the highpoint was a sword.
"What is, Mr. Roy?"
"I dunno, Deep."
"Is strange much."
"Yeah, Deep. Strange much."
"What we do, Mr. Roy?"
Roy thought for a moment. He had seen a cartoon once when he was younger about a young boy who pulled such a sword from such a stone and was proclaimed king of... What was it? Carmelite? Canselum? Candlerot? Something like that. He couldn't remember. He only remembered the name of the wizard who had put the sword in the stone to begin with -- Merlin.
"Well, what we do, Mr. Roy?"
Deep Schist was, in his own way, incredibly smart. Maybe even smarter than Roy. But right now Roy didn't feel like explaining the situation to his rocky friend, so he decided to sidetrack him onto something else.
"Ain't it time fer Peggy ta head ta work?"
It wasn't a lie. In a few minutes Roy's pregnant wife would begin her trek to her job at the library and Deep was assigned -- as he was every day -- to follow her and protect her from any dangers she might face along the way.
"Oh! Deep go do morning round now. Be back later!"
"Yeah, pal. Do a good job now. An' don't let 'er see ya."
"Deep never let Missus Roy see." And with that the earth elemental sank into the stone floor and went to see about his duties.
Roy stood and looked at the stone. Its surface was grey and worn mostly smooth, as if it had been in a river or a stream, and without the dark flecks of mica that would indicate it to be granite. The surface appearance told him nothing else. But just from the massiveness of it, and the fact that it had no visible cracks -- not even where the sword pierced it -- it had to be something along the lines of basalt or quartzite. Probably quartzite, he decided.
He thought about the cartoon again, and knew what he had to do.
"Here goes nothin'."
He wrapped his big hands around the sword's hilt, and pulled with all his superhuman strength...
"So... this is a LAN Party," Hephaestus 1 said as he and Back Yard Boom and the Cobalt Claymore sat down in the midst of dozens of computer gamers. The three heroes were surrounded by a group of gamers so intent on playing and listening to everything in their headphones that they barely noticed the giant cyborg's presence.
"What's this game you're always talking about, Boom? High School Rumble or something?" Heph asked.
"Yeah," Boom whispered. "We gotta be quiet, though. Sometimes their headphone microphones'll pick up our talkin' an' then the more OCD players'll start freakin' out."
The Cobalt Claymore looked around, sat his computer and monitor down and started plugging everything in. "Boom, this better be good. I'm supposed to spend time with Marie on weekends since I don't see her that often. But no, I managed to convince myself that I should broaden my horizons and try this game out."
One of the gamers looked over at the Cobalt Claymore. "SHH! You're ruining my attack chain and I can't play right if-- uhm..."
The Cobalt Claymore was standing right next to him. He leaned over to the gamer's ear, removed the headset from his head and said very quietly "Look, if I hear you shush me again, I will tear out your hamstrings and use them to make you dance like a marionette."
The gamer looked at the computer, looked down, and looked again at the computer. "Uhm, may I have my headset back, please?" he asked without making any more eye contact. The Cobalt Claymore put the headset back around the young man's ears. CC then walked back to the computer where he finished connecting it.
Heph looked at CC. "What was that all about? It looks like the kid almost wet himself over that."
"I just explained to him the rules of the politeness game in a not-so-polite manner is all."
Boom looked up from his computer for a second. "Eh, he's always like that. So, who's up for runnin' on Server 3?"
Heph looked over at Boom. "What's the difference?"
"Server 3 is less crowded, the fights are more fun because the players there got some great tactics, an' because I told Saya that's where I'd meet her."
"Oh," CC said. "So we're here to meet your girlfriend, more or less."
"Yeah," Boom said with a grin. "She wants ta know some other American heroes outside'a the Young Phalanx, so I said I'd get you guys online."
Heph sat down and drew a patch cable from an armored port on the side of his chest. "It's nice being your own gaming rig."
The three sat down and Boom began walking them through the character creation process.
Twenty minutes later, three CG students arrived at their homeroom, where the online teacher sent them through a full-combat tutorial.
"We're not supposed to die in this are we?" Heph asked.
"Nah, this is easy," Boom said.
"I still want to know why you made a girl, Heph," CC said.
"Who wants to look at a guy's butt all day?"
CC and Boom stopped for a second to ponder that.
"The old metal one is wise, truly wise," Boom said.
"Indeed," CC added. "though he's going to have to watch out for guys who keep walking past him."
Heph leaned over to Boom. "Why is someone asking me if I want to be a hot cyborg?"
Boom looked at his big blue neighbor. "I'll tell ya when yer older."
With that, the three heroes sent their characters out of homeroom and into the weird and violent fictional world of high school.
Back Yard Boom - Emo Catgirl - Cobalt Claymore - Hephaestus 1
Avatar by Scarf_Girl!
I haven't done this in the longest time, but;
*swoons*