"Miss Eovyn?" Ben said.
The lady of the fae turned to see her student stepping out of the portal from America.
"Ye're here early, darlin'," she said. "Er... are ye a'right? Ye look troubled."
"I um... I have a question."
"Ye always do, luv. What is it ye're needin'?"
"Well... I um... I found Jack, but... it's like he's... he's not strong like he should be. It's like... I dunno... he's not himself."
"An' where is th' big fella at th' moment?"
"I dunno. He... it's like he comes and goes. Like maybe something's blocking him from coming all the way back."
Eovyn sighed as she saw the tears welling in Ben's eyes. He had been through so much, so many changes. The one thing that had kept him going -- that had given him a purpose was finding Jack. Now that he had found him, there appeared to be another problem. She would look into it, but for now the boy was her main concern.
"I'll do what I kin fer ye, lad."
Ben nodded. She had to find something to put some life back into him.
"I'll tell ye what, Bennie, since ye're here anyway, we might 's well put in some lesson time."
"Okay." His voice was flat and his burdens still weighed too heavily for him to smile.
Eovyn thought for a moment. He was learning well, but much of it was repetitive, and she suspected he was ready to move on to a new challenge.
"Tell me, lad, when ye're fightin' th' Skulls 'r th' Circ o' Thorns, how d'ye think they see ya?"
His expresssion changed and inflection returned to his voice. "Like a little kid! It's not like when I would charge up at 'em with those big robot hands and they knew they were in for it. Now they see me and sometimes they ignore me 'til I start casting illusions on 'em!"
"Aye, an' usu'ly that works in yer faver. Howsomever, it seems t' me tha' other times it'd work in yer faver if ye could maybe intimidate 'em a wee bit... say if ye looked a li'l bigger an' a li'l older..."
"You mean like Ascendant or something?"
"Kinda, yeah."
"That'd be neat!"
"Then, Bennie, me lad, that's what we're goin' t' werk on -- a illusion fer yerself!"
Tommy Pachowski woke up to hear the sound of energy cannons firing outside his window, various shouts of surprise and alarm, and a sickening crash through glass.
Then came the unmistakable sound of a car alarm.
Unfortunately, he recognized it as the car alarm for his customized 1949 Mercury sedan.
"Oh, no," Tommy said as he grabbed a pair of sweatpants and leapt out of his fifth-floor window. A lone figure in power armor was busy shooting Skulls that had surrounded his car. One of the Skulls was laying on the hood of his car, trying to extricate himself from the broken glass of the Mercury's windshield.
"Oh, no... no no no..." Tommy repeated as he landed next to his damaged car. He looked around at the Skulls who were still surrounding his pride and joy, then looked at the smaller hero in the silver armor.
"Ya wrecked my car," Tommy yelled, "an' a buncha yas are gonna pay up!"
The Skulls stepped back. Tommy grabbed the Skull from the hood of his car. He could see the grin underneath the gang member's mask.
"Totally worth it, cape," the Skull said.
Tommy tore the Skull's mask off of his face and slapped his hand on the ganger's face. "Pay up."
"Or what, cape?" the Skull asked.
Tommy fired up the cryoprojector on his hand, freezing the Skull's skin to his hand. "Shoulda apologized, chump, but now ya know how that kid in A Christmas Story felt." he pulled his hand away, and the Skull fell over clutching his torn skin and screaming. "Somebody's payin' up fer bustin' up my car!"
The Skulls started searching their pockets, gathering their change, the rolls of bills from their successful drug deals, even various pieces of jewelry, weapons, and assorted other items. A Bone Daddy gathered it all up in his jacket.
"Uh, please accept our apologies, Back Yard Boom. We told Cut not to try wrecking your car, and the armored person there told him what would happen, but he didn't believe--" he squinted at the armor "--uh, her, I guess."
Tommy looked at the Bone Daddy. "Please leave now before ya wind up like yer boy here."
The Skulls disappeared, leaving Tommy alone with the armored hero. The armored hero walked up and slapped Tommy across the face. "That was just mean, Tommy!" the girl said in a familiar voice.
Tommy's eyes widened. "Saya? Whatcha doin' here in the States? Yer supposed ta be drawin'-- an' the armor that's Bullet Chaser armor what's with that-- an'-- gah, why aren't ya back in Shizuoka where ya said ya were when ya emailed me today?"
The armored figure stepped back. "Uhm, teleporter error?" She unfastened the oxygen mask and removed her helmet, showing off her haphazardly-styled dyed-green hair. "We're mad at each other aren't we? I'm mad at you for being mean, and you're mad at me for--" she was stopped in mid-sentence as Tommy hugged her and lifted her off her feet.
"Come on," he said as he scooped his normally long-distance girlfriend up off her feet and leapt up to his apartment window. "The car can wait until morning. We got catchin' up ta do, you got my folks ta meet, an' ye gonna explain ta me why ya decided ta use armor from a gang'a bank robbers ta become a hero."
Suddenly, the girl known to Paragon Police Department liaisons as Bullet Chaser Saya realized just how much trouble she was in, even if most of that trouble came from her boyfriend. She sighed and climbed in through the window.
Back Yard Boom - Emo Catgirl - Cobalt Claymore - Hephaestus 1
Avatar by Scarf_Girl!
Rose and Rose.
Longbow Agent Bannock looked from one to the other of the two women, and except for their costumes, he would not have been able to tell them apart. Twenty-nine? Thirty? Thirty-five? He couldnt determine their ages from looking at them. And they both had old eyes. That was the only way he could think to put it.
Rose number one had brought Rose number two in after arresting her on a whole stack of outstanding warrants. Rose number one had come in with an unconscious Rose number two. Number ones body armor was melted in places and her blond hair was scorched and burned into an uneven rat nest of a hairdo.
She had stridden right into Freedom Corps HQ, shown her hero I.D., and demanded a secure interrogation room. She wanted complete privacy, but with the recent rash of excessive force lawsuits against the Corps, that was not going to happen.
So Bannock stood here at the door, observing, but trying not to listen.
Rose and Rose.
Rose number two had awakened as soon as the heavy door clicked shut. Number One had laid her on the big folding table that dominated the room, and at the sound she had bolted upright and clicked the buttons that were on the gloves of her costume. When she showed surprise that the action produced no effect, Number One had held up a large yellow-green jewel that was the same size as the empty metal ring on Number Twos chest.
When Number Two caught Bannock looking at the empty ring too intently, she shot him a look that made him look at the floor, the ceiling anything for several minutes. But he couldnt help but turn his attention back to them.
Rose and Rose.
Except for their costumes, he would not have been able to tell them apart.
The meeting of the two Roses started in Pocket D.
The registered hero, Rose McAden had staked out the bar, waiting for a familiar face to pop in. When Marshall Brass showed up for happy hour, she had her chance. In her body armor and mask that covered her face, he wouldnt recognizer her right away, but he would notice her figure. And he liked blondes.
A consummate mercenary leader, Brass was always looking for new talent for Arachnos. If that talent happened to be female, so much the better. That was how she had met him, in the Rogue Isles, before the split. She was never sure if he courted her for her looks, or because of the powers the Zapsuit had granted her (and still granted her
what? Other? Double? She needed to figure that out, and soon). Whichever it was, his dynamic personality finally drew her into a brief actually a weekend relationship with him. And though the romance (if it could be called that since it consisted of squelching a Goldbrickers plot, then sex) was brief, they had remained on friendly terms since, and for some reason he always seemed willing to go out of his way if she needed him.
Except that wasnt really her, was it?
So sitting there at the bar, it was like looking at a stranger.
As soon as Brass situated himself on a barstool, Rose said, Bartender, pour the man a Seagrams.
Brass smiled and turned to her. He paused long enough to check out her figure, and then said, And who is the lovely lady to whom I owe the pleasure?
Lovely? But you cant see my face?
And yet, I am sure that behind that mask is a face that makes men weak.
I find that most men are weak enough without a womans help.
Touché, he said as the bartender set his drink in front of him. Now, a lady doesnt usually buy a strange man a drink unless theres something he can do for her.
Well, she replied as she slowly pulled her mask down, I want you to help me find my
sister.
Her gambit with Brass paid off. He responded to Roses twin sister as amenably as he always had before the split. (How in the hell were they going to work around the name-thing?) He set up a meeting between the sisters to take place a week later in the Tiki Room at Pocket D.
So for a second time she sat in Pocket D waiting for an even more familiar face her own to show up, this time sipping a glass of chardonnay. The meeting had to be in the D because she wasnt sure how -- Rose? -- would respond to her. DJ Zero had ways to nullify the Zapsuit, but on the streets of Paragon City, or in the Rogue Isles, her own little bow and arrows wouldnt stand a chance against it.
This time, she wasnt wearing body armor. This time she was in a pink top and a pair of grey slacks. She wanted to present herself in as unthreatening way as possible. She really, really needed to speak with this person she was quickly coming to look at as her twin sister.
So
Are you a real female?
The question was inane, and when she turned and saw the source she wished that Zero didnt have a no fighting policy. It was Peter Themari who had taken the stool beside her.
Themari had an eye for the ladies like Brass did, but he had none of Brass roguish charm. Themari, at least by reputation, was at best a misogynistic weasel, at worst, something far darker. Either way she had no desire to let him check her anatomy to prove her gender.
You look different today, Rosie, he said with leer and a smirk, softer maybe?
And you look just as repulsive as ever you leech.
You know, you should watch what you say to me. Im connected in ways you can only imagine.
If you dont leave me alone, Ill disconnect you in ways you can only imagine.
Ouch. Good to see you really havent gone soft, Rosie. Youre just as much a bi
Rose hooked her foot around the leg of Themaris stool, and gave it a good yank, flipping it and him to the floor.
He reached and grabbed the edge of the bar to pull himself up. A piece of the edge broke off in his hand, and back to the floor he went.
Youll pay for this, he said. Youll never work in the Isles again.
I dont work in the Isles now, you pug-ugly, Rose replied as she took a sip of wine from her glass.
Who the hell are you? Themari asked after he climbed to his feet.
Before Rose could work up a snappy reply, another voice spoke up.
Thats what I want to know.
Rose saw Themaris jaw drop and followed his gaze.
The newcomer was tall and blonde and could have been a fashion model instead of a career criminal.
R-Rosie? Themari stuttered.
Yeah. And me and
Rose? We need to talk.
Claire hummed to herself as she flew home that night, gently cradling a slightly irregularly-shaped box to her chest, protecting it as if it had the solution to all the problems in the world.
In a sense, they did--Claire had to admit to herself that life had been painfully awkward ever since her return; arguments, misunderstood feelings, and long tense silence seemed to have become the norm at home. Complaints over trivial things like bringing the proper condiments to the dinner table would balloon into angry scowls and biting words. Days of warmth, of happiness and calm would presage another fight, bitter reminders of how things once were. Claire realized that she'd been a terrible lover these past few months, and that her natural emotional distance wasn't helping the situation at all.
"I don't know how you feel about us!" Tera had exclaimed, upset.
Ridiculous, Claire thought. Shocked, she had replied: "Why do you think I sing happily when I cook for you?"
That line of thought had won Tera over for a while. What she now held would make things all better again. She knew it. It had to.
Tera had always worshipped a hero that went by the name of Ascendant; he had his own cartoon series, and a toy line based off of those cartoon adventure exploits. Some of these toys, naturally, were phenomenally rare, prohibitively expensive, and predictably, impossible to purchase. One in particular was the holy grail of many an action figure collector; one in particular, Tera had wanted for a long time.
An "A-Hole".
It even had an autograph.
Its official name was something more along the lines of the "Ascendant Lair", and while Claire herself didn't really know what the toy did or any of its features, she didn't need to. Tera would no doubt geek out over it, like she did over the cartoon and the hero himself, like a child.
Best. Gift. EVAR, Claire thought. Claire clutched the box as she landed on the balcony, trying to decide whether to wrap it, when to give it, how to give it. For now, she'd hide it.
((Awww...))
"So there I was, blogging like a madwoman, pondering about how the Skulls are a stupid and easily-fooled lot. First I was angry, then I got weepy because I knew of no way to stop them. So I cranked up the Linkin Park to annoy my brother. Suddenly, a catgirl flew threw my open window chasing a... I think it was a ball of yarn. It was totally an omen! I knew then that I must take the image of the catgirl for my very own to strike fear in the hearts of criminals!
I am the defender of Kings Row, I am the meowing terror of the night! Tuna or death, and I'm out of tuna, evildoers!
I!
AM!
EMO CATGIRL!
And that's how I became Emo Catgirl. Please keep my identity a secret."
With that, Claire Pachowski hopped up on the speaker box, and crouched down, as if scanning the city for signs of trouble. She switched on a fan that made her open trenchcoat flap as if in a high wind. The audience at Rex Stardust's Members-Only Coffee Lounge clapped and cheered as she stood and took a bow.
Her brother Tommy looked daggers at his little sister. "Ya just had ta outdo me in this, didn't ya?"
"Oh, come on, big brother, you should be happy you're losing 'Mangle Your Secret Origin' night at the lounge to your little sister. You don't want to lose to Frat Boy and The Pledge, do you?"
Tommy grumbled something. "I guess not."
Back Yard Boom - Emo Catgirl - Cobalt Claymore - Hephaestus 1
Avatar by Scarf_Girl!
In the dark, a man sits. We can hardly see him, his face covered in shadow. It is dark tonight, here in Gemini Park.
It is just after midnight in Paragon City, the thirteenth of December, 2006. Her birthday.
There is a flare of light illuminating his face briefly, the lighter immolating the tip of his unfiltered cigarette. He smokes less these days, never around his daughter. Her daughter. Their daughter. The flame makes his face visible, briefly. For all his protests, he did not show his age on his face, usually. Shed always told him that he wasnt old. But, tonight, he looks every one of his years, and more.
She had always hated that he smoked, giving him no end of grief about it. Despite that, however, she had a special little smile, the ends of her mouth quirking up, just a little, and she would kiss him, softly, and whisper in his ear, like kissin an ashtray, Geny. That was a part of her beauty, her strength, her power, and a part of why he loved her: She could forgive him that.
It had been just over two years. Two wonderful, tumultuous years.
Just over two years ago, he had let himself meet her, not as a friend, but as a woman. Down to earth and full of life, shed agreed to a date. He had approached it as friends, but she had chosen to take it differently
and it had certainly been different.
A dance at the ball. A kiss stolen under the mistletoe
and mistletoe being flown over their heads. A moment of sublime panic, and then relief, when she had chosen him. Only she, with her curly hair and ready smile, could inspire such feelings in him.
It had been all the more precious because it was not all kisses and roses. No
they had fought, often, loudly, passionately. He reached into his pocket, and ran his fingertips over the cool metal of the ring he carried in his pocket, feeling the hard stone set into it. He had even proposed to her during a fight. He smiled grimly. He was not certain who had been more surprised, that day
her, when he had proposed, or him, when she accepted.
Breaking up, coming together, breaking up again
it was a rhythm of life, a clash of two strong wills, a cooling off followed by a renewed commitment. And, every time, she could easily outdrink him.
Even so
it was the little things she did that he thought of now. Sitting on the Rock, an arm around him, her head on his shoulder. Eating ice cream at a little shop. Dancing quietly to the unearthly music of the Chantry. Sitting on the couch, in his old apartment in Kings Row, talking about nothing and everything. Little glances, little notes she left him. A whispered word, and then a laughing rush home.
The birth of their daughter
she had been sweating, her hair tangled, straining, screaming at times
and she had never looked more beautiful.
Even now, when he looked at his daughter, he could see her. Her eyes, her hair, her smile, though with fewer teeth. He spent hours with his daughter, doting on her, talking to her, reading to her. Kissing the mark she had left on the child. It was almost like having a piece of her still with him.
He carried her marks, too, and always would. Her name, indelibly inscribed over his heart. The ring she had taken, had returned
the cross her father had worn.
Two years, of love, of heartbreak. She left him, and he thought she would never come back to him. When she had
joy had blossomed in his heart.
And now
now she was gone.
He had promised not to spend this day alone. There were some who worried about what he would do. And he would spend the day remembering
But now, just after midnight
he allowed himself to remember alone. To drop his defenses, to take himself away from the others who tried to keep him from dwelling on what he had lost. They did not know that he would never have traded it for anything.
And there, in the dark, he allowed himself to weep for her, for her memory.
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! ((Lovely. *sniffle*))
Cracklin Rosie was a minor player in the Rogue Isles. It wasnt a name that inspired terror, or fear, or awe. Usually when adversaries encountered her, they dismissed her as a blond bimbo in a power suit. Rosie didnt care. She was a survivor. First impressions were less important than last-one-standing.
Her rather low-key career played in her favor in other ways also: Dustlight could send her on extremely important, sensitive missions, and no one would give her a second thought. In. Out. Mission accomplished. Next.
Brass, on the other hand, offered her only small potatoes lately. She suspected he had found out about her relationship with Dust. Not that Brass had tried to tie her down what they had shared had been purely for funsies but men, being the beasts they are, tended change their behavior depending on the odds they had of bedding you.
So when Brass gave her the message to meet her sister at Pocket D on a particular day, at a particular time, she thought it was some sort of setup. Her first thought when she saw Themari at the bar was that she had been set up on some sick idea of a blind date.
Then she noticed the "other". She had heard about this woman who was her double. She had been told some ridiculous things about some curse or spell or something that split her in half and that this other "Rose" was the result of that. She didn't buy that. It sounded ludicrous.
R-Rosie? Themari stuttered.
Yeah. And me and
whoever this is... we need to talk.
She didn't finish saying, "...but not here," but instead grabbed the other Rose by the arm and activated the emergency teleport that took them to the headquarters of the Lion Brigade.
Themari's jaw was still dropped as he faded out and the familiar surroundings of her own quarters suddenly surrounded them. Her mirror-image looked startled at first, then a look came over her face that Rosie recognized: the look a professional thief casing her surroundings.
"Look, whoever you are," Rosie said, wary of any movement her double made, "you're not me."
"I know that. You're you. I'm me."
Rosie looked the other woman up and down. Same build. Same eyes. Same everything.
Finally she said, "I know what you are. You're some sort of... animated... something or other... made out of magic clay or something like that."
"What?"
"You're something Nick had made up to keep him warm at night after that Irish witch ditched him."
"No. I'm not. And Maggie Love is dead, so speak of her respectfully."
Rosie smiled as she said, "Live witch. Dead witch. You tell me which one is better."
"Why you..."
The other woman took a swing at Rosie, which was exactly what she had hoped for. If there was one way to disprove that this woman was really her duplicate it was by testing their reflexes and fighting techniques. Rosie ducked the punch and drove her own fist into the woman's solar plexus. The woman went down to the floor.
So much for the test.
"You're me? I didn't even have to power up to take you down."
Rosie kicked the woman in the stomach which caused her to curl into a fetal position. Then she knelt beside her and, with surprising tenderness, brushed her hair out of her face.
"Poor you, whoever you are. I'm sorry I hurt you."
(( Cat fight! Cat fight! Cat-
...
Aww. That was too short. 
))
Rose was in pain from the blow and the kick had made it that much worse. She couldn't stand up right now if she tried. Her eyes were welling with tears, and though she kept her sobs quiet, she couldn't keep her shoulders from heaving. If only she hadn't tried to pull her punch, then she might have connected and their situations would be reversed.
Through her teary eyes she saw Rosie kneel down beside her. A gentle hand brushed her hair out of her face.
"Poor you, whoever you are. I'm sorry I hurt you."
The words made Rose cry all the more. She didn't know why she was crying. Neither did she know why she was in such pain.
"Please," Rose said between sobs and waves of pain, "Talk to me."
Rosie stood and looked down at her with her own familiar, caring eyes and said, "Okay. We'll talk..."
Rose sighed in relief. No more hitting.
Then, Rosie's fist came down hard on her cheek.
"Liar! I don't know what you are but you shouldn't even be!"
Rose heard the familiar sound of the Zapsuit powering up. She knew she was about to be fried if she didn't do something.
Despite her pain, she reached out and grabbed Rosie's ankle. The electricity grabbed her and shook her like an angry Hydra, but still, she did what she set out to do: she pulled Rosie's foot out from under her and down she went with a bang and her head -- the only thing not protected by the Zapsuit -- hit a table as she fell.
Rosie didn't move after that. Rose struggled to her feet and felt her double's neck for a pulse. She was alive, merely unconscious.
Rose didn't know where to go, but she couldn't stay here. If Dust or Blaze came in and found her...
A stab of pain from her abdomen made her knees buckle and she almost went down again. She had to leave, even if it meant being stranded on the streets of Cap Au Diable.
She made her way to the Lion Brigade's teleporters, hoping against hope that Dust had set them up to teleport to the mainland. No such luck, at least as far as she could tell. She had to choose a location in the Rogue Isles and hope she could survive until she found a way to contact Nick.
Her plan to talk to her "sister" had just taken a deadly turn.
Rosie woke up with a knot on her head and a headache. The witch got lucky. There was no way she'd let her take her down again. As soon as she caught up with her...
The clock on the wall said four o'clock. She had been unconscious for about twenty minutes. A sweep of the base turned up no sign of the double. Rosie was sure the woman was gone, probably by way of the teleporters. She had no way to tell where in the Isles the double was.
So she sat down at her computer, looked up a nice picture of St. Thomas, photoshopped in some text, and printed it up on glossy paper, writing a message on the back of it. Then she flew down to the Golden Giza where one of the patrons was an expert on forging postmarks. Finally, she dropped it into the "Out of Town" mail box.
In a few days, Nick would be getting a nice postcard that said:
Having a great time getting to know each other. Wish you were here!
Love, Rose and Rose
That should buy her some time to hunt this fake down.
[This one is a little older and I thought I'd put it in here already. Guess not.]
Simple Pleasures-A Gamer's Widow Story
Food Fight
All good frat houses have refrigerators. You have to have someplace to keep the beer and the ranch chip dip. Every good clubhouse, workplace, and home has a refrigerator. Otherwise the parties are very short. However, the Eternal's Rest, a home/club/office of extreme proportions seems to be missing this vital appliance. And it's all my fault.
When I first met Mechacatbot in Gemini Park and was brought back to the Rest as a stray, there was a very nice fridge in the kitchen. Sturdy and sort of yellow, it was an older model that had seen lots of strange foods pass through. It was blown up with the rest of the Rest, but I didn't have anything to do with that.
When PsychWard had the new Rest constructed he made sure to purchase a large stainless steel fridge. The Eternals had just recently gained several new recruits and the consensus was that we needed more space for food and food-like items. Iron City's beer and .Simian's ice cream alone took up more room then any regular fridge could handle. Perce, of course, had a proper wine cellar with a lock, but many of the newer heroes still relied on the regular kitchen for their food.
When I saw the big double doors of the new fridge I couldn't wait to start filling it. All my life I've wanted a home to take care of. This new Rest was just the place for me to try out all the fancy recipes and colorful decorations I'd seen in those magazines back home. Since most of my fellow heroes couldn't tell a ruffle from a frill anyway, I figured nobody would mind too much if I fixed things up a bit. I pulled out the cookbooks and started to experiment. When I ran out of ingredients I sent Juvion down to the corner store. Still, I didn't want to tell people what I was doing. I mean, some people don't appreciate a home-cooked meal and I didn't want to be laughed at for all my work.
Soon, I'd filled the new fridge so full the doors were straining to close. The poached salmon spinach salad was sitting on top of the baked tomatoes. The fresh cranberry-apple pie was tucked in next to the pheasant en crème. A giant tub of banana pudding with nilla wafers took up the bottom shelf. A whole barbecued ham was struggling for space with a creamed celery-cucumber soup, which threatened to jump out of the fridge and douse the next passer-by. I was ready to feed an army and that's just what I needed to do.
As I went to go set the long table with the fresh flowers and brightly colored dishes I had bought, I could hear the rest of the Eternals coming in. We had all been working so hard during the past few days and I knew a little food and rest would be just what we needed. I frowned and counted the placemats again. I was one short.
Dinner is almost ready!" I yelled down the hallway I'll be right back!" and I flew out the door towards the local Up-n-Away Mart.
Part of Sister Flame's Clickey-Clack Posse
The English language is an intricate high-speed precision tool.Stop using it to bang open coconuts. ~Tokamak
Dark_Respite's Video page
The store on the corner didn't have right color so I had to go all the way to Founder's Falls for my placemat. When I go back to the Rest there was a strange silence and an ominous dripping noise coming from the kitchen.
As I came around the corner, I stopped and gasped in shock. Food was everywhere! Bones and dishes littered the floor and the dripping noise was from the banana pudding. It was pattering down from the ceiling and puddling on the tile. It looked as if somebody had played tug-of-war with the tub and then let go suddenly. I noticed all of the 'nilla wafers had been stacked neatly on the counter top. Rinds, cores, and scales littered the table, but none of the fancy plates had been touched. There were a neat set of paw prints that tracked from the spilled soup to the salmon salad dish and then under the sink. I knew I'd found part of the trouble.
I sneaked up on the sink and flung the doors open, hoping to catch the villain in the act. There he lay, fat and sassy, sleeping the sleep of the happily stuffed. There was only the faintest hint of salmon on his breath but the closed-eye purr gave him away.
"Mecha, you rotten cat!" I yelled and tried to smack him with a broom. Mecha doged automatically and then opened his eyes to see what the fuss was all about.
"I was helping clean up," he pointed out "No point in leaving the fish on the floor." And he shot out the door and down the hall before I could catch him.
Back at the scene of the crime I noticed that the doors on the new fridge were hanging crookedly on their hinges and that the mess was starting to smell. Mecha had a good point. Somebody had to clean up this mess and fast.
Right now, it didn't really matter who had caused it, it just had to go away
Feel the Burn
I ran into the hall looking for some help to clean up the mess. Flying J was sauntering past, clearly doing nothing important. J:!" I grabbed his arm How'd you like to earn a free home-cooked meal? Anything you want to eat."
"Huh? Oh sure babe. What'cha need?"
"Can you do a controlled burn in the kitchen?" It was a wild idea but it should be fast.
:Uh, sure." Jay was confused but willing and I dragged him into the mess.
"Good," I said quickly Could ya clean this all up for me? Thanks!"
The fire tank lit his aura and began to burn the scraps of food and rubbish off the floors and ceiling. When he got to the remains of the sugar-BBQ ham a nasty smell filled the room and I had to leave. Eyes watering from the smoke, I ducked into the hallway to see a stern looking Psych Ward and a slightly amused Sheeva.
I gulped, ducking my head and hunching my shoulders. Then I started to stammer out an explanation. Psych Ward held up a hand, cutting me off in mid-mutter. "Just clean it up when you're done" He said, more in sorrow then anger. Shocked, I stared at him with my mouth hanging open. "It's not the first time this place has been on fire" Then he and Sheeva continued walking towards his office, heads close together on some weighty matter. I thought I heard something about a date, but I was too busy worrying about the mess in the kitchen to notice.
"Ah, babe?" J poked his head out of the kitchen I burned it all up 'k? But like now there's nothing to eat and I got the munchies."
"All? You burned everything?" I pushed past him into kitchen and stopped, amazed. The kitchen was clean, very very clean. The stainless steel cabinets and countertops glowed as though they had been burnished for hours. The long wooden table was gone and so was every scrap of leftover food. The fires had been so hot there wasn't even a layer of ash left. And the plastic shelves and insulation of the half-opened fridge were a blackened melted mess.
"Um.Thanks J." I sighed Can I get ya a rain check on that meal? I think I have to go back to the store."
"Sure babe, see you later 'k?" J walked off humming, glad to have helped.
I waved absently as I started towards the ruined fridge. I had to get another one fast, before the Eternals got hungry. I yanked my phone from its custom designed, shock and zombie-puke resistant, black leather sheath and started making some calls.
Part of Sister Flame's Clickey-Clack Posse
The English language is an intricate high-speed precision tool.Stop using it to bang open coconuts. ~Tokamak
Dark_Respite's Video page
"Hey Dad? Can I watch a movie on your portable DVD player?"
Bryan's words caught Sailor, replacing the kitchen faucet, by surprise. "What portable DVD player? We don't have one of those."
"Sure you do. I found it in the van. Can I watch a movie?"
The van? OH NO! My police radio!!!" "Uh sorry Monkey, but not on that one. The batteries are dead." "That's okay, I'll just plug it in then.", Bryan chimed, "So can I?"
Sailor sighed. Being a Hero was hard enough, but maintaining a secret identity was far harder. "Look Bry, you really shouldn't be rooting around in the van, okay? That's my work van." And you might find my costume. That would never do. "Now, why don't you just go put that back where you got it."
"But I wanted to watch a movie!" Bryan pouted. "Everyone else is hogging the TVs, and I want to watch my movie!" The determined look on his face clearly marked him as Sailor's son. Sailor just looked at him all the harder.
"I said to put it back okay? You know better than to be messing around in the van." "But..." "No buts, just DO!"
"Bryan sulked, "I never get to do ANYTHING around here..." as he slumped his way out the door.
One of these days Bry, I'll tell you why, but not today. Sailor thought sadly, then returned his attention to the sink...
She was nervous, she'd never done this before with someone else, by her self yeah, but this was different. She shifted from one hoof to another not thinking this is good, too big, it not going to fit.
The male voice piped up reassuringly don't worry, just relax, it will be ok.
no, it's too big!
There was a crackle in the speakers Can someone get her a different headset? A sound tech opened the door to the recording booth and handed in a different style, one that looped behind the head. Kelly happily switched, these fitting much easier around the curving horns on either side of her face. Much better, thank you!
outside in the control booth the producer rolled his eyes, looking over at the person that brought the short sheep hybrid to the studio why am I doing this again?
Because you owe me, and I owe her. If it hadn't been from her rescuing me in St Martial I wouldn't be here right now, and you wouldn't have another fat pile of checks to cash
huh, well that's true. So what made you think this up?
The singer smiled she sang while fighting the circle of thorns. I asked her why after she got me out of there and was taking me back to the Golden Giza, she said it was because she didn't like fighting , and it cheered her up.
He grunted, cigar jutting out of one corner of his mouth well we'll see.
Inside the booth Kelly Lamb tried to ignore the musicians and the big microphone in front of her. She wasn't sure why she agreed to this either, but she did like music, it was one of the things that helped to break the control of her back when she was know in the Rogue Isles as Lambchop. whenever your ready said the guitar player. She nodded, taking a deep breath and closing her eyes, easier if she didn't' see all the stuff around her. As the music started, she began to sing.
Was it loneliness that brought you here
Broken and weak
Was it tiredness that made you sleep
Have you lost your will to speak
Was the earth spinning round
Were you falling through the ground, As the world came tumbling down
You prayed to God what have we done
Outside the producer sat their open mouthed, his cigar falling onto the floor, this was definetly not what he expected. The short heroine had a sweet soft voice, that channeled the emotion of the lyrics. With a snerk the singer picked up the cigar before it started a fire Told you she was good.
Free me from these chains, I need to change my way
Heal these broken wings, I need to fly far away, far away, far away
Kelly was lost in memories as she sang, the last time this song had come up was in her last fight with Aurora, where she was already on the edge of rejecting the orders given to her by Emperor Xanatos and the others. Then this song came up on her iPod. The fight should have been pretty one sided, except she only managed to get a half hearted swing in at the heroine before collapsing on the sand, sobbing at all the things she'd been made to do. The Longbow troops were ready to just put her on a chopper to Paragon City, but Aurora stopped them, saying it had to be a choice she made, not yet another that was made for her. Her hunch paid off, two days later Lambchop showed up at the Siren's Call gate, hand full of bombs that Arachnos had told her to set that she instead disarmed, and turned herself in.
Was it emptiness that made you weep
No more secrets to keep
Was it bitterness that gave you time
To forgive your sins
Was the earth spinning round
Were you falling through the ground
As the world came tumbling down
You prayed to God what have we done
Her trial was short, her lawyer, paid for by Longbow, probably could have gotten her off totally. While she had destroyed much of their equipment and facilities, and caused a few , ok more than a few injuries, no one ever died, she'd always gotten everyone out before setting off the explosives, after all, she was commanded to destroy the base, they didn't say anything about the people inside. She plead guilty though, and was given a suspended sentence, with community service on top of that. Which meant more fighting, but she could live with that, being she was now helping people instead of hurting them.
Free me from these chains I need to change my way
Heal these broken wings I need to fly far away
The producer turned to the recording engineer We're recording this right!? as he nodded he leaned back, cigar back in his mouth you were right, this girl is damn good. Plus, i could probably get 40, maybe 50 percent on top!
She was lost in the music now, not even noticing the band as they played. Her wings were healed, and she had flown far away. Shed' always felt a little on edge ever since defecting from the Rogue Isles, but now, in the studio, for the first time, she felt really free.
Free me from these thoughts long forgotten down below
Take these angel's words give them life to carry on, carry on, carry on
Free me from these chains...
The singer smirked don't let her mannerisms fool you, she's smarter than she looks , just hasn't had any formal schooling. Besides, do you really want to cheat someone who could easily bench press your BMW without breaking a sweat?
er, like I said, standard 10 percent contract!
thats what I thought.
((song is Spinning, by Zero 7. highly nifty band 
more of their stuff at http://www.zero7.co.uk/ ))
((Wow. Really nice bunch of posts, peeps! ))
Peggy Kirby hummed quietly to herself as she walked to work. She hadn't been mugged in months. She knew she was followed everywhere she went. That was Roy's doing. He worried about her and the babies, and so he'd made sure Deep followed her everywhere. The stone man could easily burrow beneath the earth and keep watch.
Of course, she didn't let on that she knew. Her husband often thought himself dumb. Peggy did everything she could to make sure he knew she thought he was the most intelligent man in the world. To her, he was.
This morning, she was humming a Christmas carol. "Away in a Manger", to be precise.
Her the look in her eyes was distant. She was thinking of the White Knights gala they'd been invited to. She hoped Serge could find something for her to wear. Something to cover her ever-expanding belly. Something that wouldn't make her look like a Christmas whale.
A shout brought her out of her reverie.
"Purse! Now!"
So used to being protected, she rarely watched where she walked anymore....and this time, she'd walked right into a group of Skulls.
Fear quickly gripped her, and she clutched her purse to her chest as she waited for the familiar rumble beneath her feet that would tell her Deep was coming up.
The Skulls had her surrounded...and were moving in, reaching for her purse.
Still she waited...
One grabbed her necklace and jerked it from her neck. Another went for her wedding ring, tugging it from her finger.
There was no sound from below. There was no Deep coming to her rescue. Peggy Kirby, the mousey librarian, was alone.
She closed her eyes and suddenly felt...something. Something inside her seemed to...snap.
Around her, she could hear surprised shouts, many thuds, some cracks, and then cries of pain.
When she opened her eyes and looked, the gang was lying on the cement, some unconscious, some writhing in pain.
Stunned, she looked around for a hero. For an explanation. There was no one else there. Peggy was alone on the street.
Terrified of what that meant, Peggy fled home as fast as she could, and hid under the covers, shaking like a leaf.
Hours later, she realized she'd left her wedding ring lying there, in the street.
Oh god, she hurt.
She remembered stepping into the teleporter. She remembered stumbling through the streets, avoiding anyone who looked as if they might be "connected", which in the Rogue Isles was damn near everyone. She remembered the pile of weathered, empty crates wherein she took refuge, and the rat with the steel plate in its skull, and metallic tail which had taken her hero badge while she lay sobbing from the waves of pain that sqeezed her gut and made her wish she could just die. She remembered at least one cycle of day and night. There may have been more, but she couldn't remember.
Now as she awakened, the pain was not as intense, but it was constant. She opened her eyes and felt like she was looking up from the bottom of a swimming pool. She could see that she wasn't under the pile of crates anymore, and that people were moving around her. Then a man bent close to her and she could see him well: an older man, sixtyish, with thinning grey hair and a clerical collar. A priest.
She knew it. She was dying.
Then she heard the sound -- high and wailing -- and knew where she was. Or, rather, she knew what she was in.
Another man bent low over her, younger, also in a collar. "We're almost there. Just hold on."
Her vision cleared a little and she saw a third person in the back of the ambulance. A nun.
The older priest said, "Okay, Sister Lucia, you take point. Brother Jeremy and I will get her inside."
Rose's eyes moved slowly to the nun. She saw her nod at the old priest, then from somewhere Sister Lucia produced a large automatic rifle which she held before her as she kicked the vehicle's doors open. The old priest and Brother Jeremy hustled Rose out of the ambulance and through the heavy steel door of a graffiti-covered building while the nun fired off a few warning rounds.
Rose closed her eyes and wondered what kind of hell she was in.
------------------------------------------------------
Roy Kirby stood at the pinball machine in Pocket D and swore quietly under his breath. Up and straight down, between the flippers so that neither side could knock the shiny ball back into play. Damn.
It wasnt 8-Ball, but the Grab-n-Go in Kings Row had gotten rid of that classic (though the manager of the store had called it something more akin to a space-wasting relic), so the D was the nearest pinball action that Roy could find. But this machine
the third ball, always up and straight down, between the flippers
CRACK!
Roy looked up at the digital score screen. A match. Free game after setting the machine record, a free game was the goal of every pinball player, and whether it came by meeting the required score, or by matching the last two digits, it didnt matter.
Free game.
CRACK!
That wasnt the pinball machine that time. There seemed to be a commotion at the blue-side door. Roy went to see.
This exits for heroes only, Chuck the bouncer said. Villains exit on the red side.
At first Roy didnt see who Chuck was talking to, but then he looked down near the bouncers feet. Roy almost laughed out loud. It was a rat.
It wasnt just your average, run-of-the-wheel rat. No, no. This one had a shining steel plate on its little skull and a shining, segmented metal tail. The rest of the rat appeared to be normal.
But I am a hero, the rat said. (Oh, yeah. It appeared to be normal except for that too.)
Look, rat, Chuck said, Ive seen this gal before, and believe it or not, Ive seen you before too. the Stainless-Steel Rodent is famous.
The rat suddenly raised up and stood on its hindquarters. Really? it said with its squeaky voice. I mean
really?
Yeah, the bouncer said. We take bets on whether itll be Moggie, Mwrwk, or Rowr thats gonna make a meal outta your scrawny carcass.
Roy laughed and walked back to his machine. He almost pushed play when he heard more:
You listen to me, you dolt! I have a hero badge! I demand passage!
Listen, Rat, chuck said, Ive seen the owner of this badge before, and believe me, you are no Rose McAden.
For the second time Roy left his free game and went to where the rat and bouncer were fighting.
Roy picked the rat up by the tail and said, Yer gonna tell me where ya got that hero badge, an yer gonna tell me now, r so help me God I will take ya through that door, but itll be a one-way trip fer ya.
Then he lifted one foot from the floor and held the rat against its sole. As large as the rat was, Roys foot dwarfed it.
I figger one quick stompll take care of you.
The rat started talking.
Squished rat isn't so nice unless you have crackers too.
I'm just saying...
{Still reading!}
Part of Sister Flame's Clickey-Clack Posse
The English language is an intricate high-speed precision tool.Stop using it to bang open coconuts. ~Tokamak
Dark_Respite's Video page
Roy kissed Peggy goodbye and boarded the Longbow helicopter. It wasn't fair, what with the Christmas ball coming up and whatever had happened to her on the way to work that morning. When he had told her he wouldn't be escorting her to the ball -- and that he had asked Yegeny Korsakov to take her in his place -- he could see the letdown in her eyes.
He had already tried to tell her the morning after he'd found the Stainless Steel Rat with Rose's ID, but as usual, he found difficult things to say... well... difficult to say. So he had only hinted, saying things like, "Them dances ain't so much, ya know," and, "I dunno... uh... ya never know what might happen if all th' heroes in town stop doin' their jobs an' go ta a dance."
But he had to be up front with her. She deserved that.
So he finally told her, and he told her why he wouldn't be able to go.
"I gotta go get Rosie," he said, "An' don't tell Nick. He'd go in there hackin' heads off an' askin' questions later."
Peggy understood. And Yegs was the best pal a guy could have for standing in his place like that.
The Longbow flier took off and he watched Peggy shrink to a dot.
(Harry Harrison for the win.)
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!
Gemini Park was quiet today. That was all right with Ben. What he had to do, he had to do alone.
The rock on which his mother used to sit was usually empty now. Sometimes he would find Uncle Brian, or Uncle Dayn, or Papa Smersh, or one of his adoptive siblings sitting there. Sometimes Miss Tess would come and sit there with him and not ask him to say anything, but just let him sit quietly.
Today, he had it to himself.
He sat there for a little while looking at his clover, trying to decide how best to go about this, and preparing himself just in case he was wrong about this. The clover was still alive for a reason. He had been wrong about the frog. He just hoped he wasn't wrong this time.
One more look around to make sure he was alone, then he scampered down off of the rock and knelt beside it. There was a small patch of clover here on the riverbank. He stuck his finger into the soft earth in the middle of the patch, planted the four-leaf clover with the tiny tendril of a root in it, then scooped up a handful of water from the river and dripped it gently on the clover.
There. Once again a piece of Ireland had planted its roots in Paragon City.
Ben stood and waited. After a while, he climbed back upon the rock and sat. The shadows were getting longer and he was losing heart when he said:
"Please, Mommy, if you can hear me, let him come."
The air shimmered above the clover patch, and a barely discernable shape moved like a man-shaped vapor. He could barely see it, but it was there. He was there.
"Hrerro, Bnn," Jack said.