Heritage

Lynn shrugged. "I'll be honest, it's my first time having her die on me, but I don't think it takes very long; under an hour, I think?" The changeling worked over the details of whatever war this Peregrine described; definitely sounded like another World War of some kind, but with the various participants in different alignments than on Prime. She really hoped this world didn't have a Shoah of its own to endure. "So we just camp out here for a bit? Works for me. I think she said we had some hot coffee tucked away somewhere; let's see if see can find it. We just need to save Naomi a cup or two for when she wakes up." She began to reach out to the various floating packages and drag them towards the raft. "So how long have you been a pilot, Peri?"

So there was a good chance this was a trap, because...well, come on, just look at it! Maybe they knew she was a hero and maybe they didn't; at the very least, she had to show up. A rush of wind blew through her closet, and soon she had a number of possible dresses in a garment bag draped over her bed. Then she looked up the address and particulars of start times; Casey considered punctuality one of her strong suits, and always strove to arrive at least 15 minutes early for anything. For better or worse, I'll figure out what all this is about; and hey, maybe I'll leave with a tiara!

Casey smiled grimly and nodded. "Yes he is; thanks! That's why this whole thing pisses me off so much!" She looked the armored agent over and then sighed. "Okay, I think we need to do this jetpack style; I'm going to come up behind you and loop my arms under your shoulders, and then...'whoosh', okay?" Miracle Girl did as she said, essentially laying on top of Argonaut and looping her arms around her; the power you could feel in those youthful limbs! "Alright, I've got you now; I'll build up speed gradually so you won't black out!" And then she began to accelerate; the former Omegadrone's armor creaked a little as the g-force strained against its structure, but Casey was an experienced flier and she knew not to push it. The ground rushed past at dizzying speed as the odd-looking duo winged their way to Maryland.

As more newbies showed up, Casey got more and more excited; so many people to get to know and practice with in the Wreck Room! Also, the guy with the teeth was super cute, but she doubted Daddy would approve...which actually kind of made him even more attractive, darn it! There were enough fresh faces that she felt another introduction was in order. "Hi, I'm Casey from Colorado; my powers are kind of boring, just flying really fast and hitting stuff. Oh, wait a sec, I can do somthing else!" She hunched forward slightly, cleared her throat, and then produced a surprisingly loud (though nowhere near the actual volume) imitation of a fighter jet passing overhead! "That was an F-16! I can make just about any sound; precise vocal control. So, anybody want to do the tour?"

Tagged!

Last year when I brought Grim back, i made a point of saying Lynn was going back to school part-time, but I never really did anything with it. So maybe we can set this on a school night, and Gretchen decides to investigate the crimes on her own while Lynn's in class, or at least working on homework?

So they each go independent of each other, meet on the scene, and decide to work together? That could work for me!

Yeah, I'd be up for another thread attempt; what's our starting premise?

The pixie landed in the raft by Naomi and returned to normal size, wearing a flight suit in black and midnight blue in a nod to her identity as Grimalkin; with a bit of effort, she hauled the...corpse(?) into the boat and rested her comfortably propped up so she would flop overboard. Then she traced a circle in the air, about two feet wide on its side so she could poke her head into her little pocket of Faerie and check on her guest; looked like she was awake and unhurt - yay! "You okay in there, miss?" She offered a hopeful smile, then pulled her head back out and peered over at the burning mass of the ship. "I take it you're based on the carrier? Looks like you guys could really use some help; I don't have much naval experience, but I've helped put out a fire or two in my time. I can give you a lift back and offer my services."

Gretchen was seriously icked out by Huang's wink; her face crumpled a bit as she drew her hands back to her chest. The young dhampir caught a glimpse of a simple silver ring on her left index finger, which bore a large ruby that pulsed with a hidden fire... Lynn scowled at the boy for several seconds; he reminded her of Jon-Jon more every minute! It was a good thing she'd be able to keep an eye on him. But she was all smiles, too, when she addressed Taylor again. "Absolutely! It's a date!" She was so happy to reconnect with her old teammate; perhaps she could actually have a social life again!

The 'crunchy' blonde gave Robin a sympathetic look and nodded. "Ah, you're not too used to people with gadgets or powers; got it." She laid a firm hand on the new girl's shoulder and smiled. "Don't worry, we'll look out for you. Claremont's a lot like any other high school, in most ways; lots of boring classes, nerds and jocks, cafeteria food with mysterious origins..." Then she mimed spinning a knob. "It's just all turned up to 11, right?" She gave Robin a few quick pats on the arm; judging from the feeling of restrained strength, Casey could probably juggle cars. "You'll be fine; trust us! Now, does anyone want a totally normal, ground level tour of the school?"

"The heck...?" Casey turned the brochure over a few times as she sat cross-legged on her bed, genuinely baffled. She held it close to her face and scrutinized it intensely; no, there was no question: it was NOT her. She'd never posed for a picture in front of THAT wall with THAT hair; she'd have remembered that hairstyle, it looked super-cute! Chewing her lower lip, she set the brochure aside, powered up her laptop and did a quick Google search for 'Young Women of America'; there would be a lot of links to go through, but luckily, she was a pretty fast typist...

A tall, pretty blonde came flying across the campus, wearing a Sierra Club T-shirt, khaki shorts and a pair of Timberland light hiking boots; she wore her hair up and a pair of glasses with black plastic frames. The outdoorsy girl gently alighted next to her pink haired roomie, her face full of concern. "Saku, are you okay? I saw your chute when I left the cafeteria!" Noticing the unfamiliar faces for the first time, she smiled warmly and waved. "Oh, hey, new people! Welcome to Claremont! Casey Blankenship, of Colorado Springs." She put her hands on her hips and indicated the sky with a nod. "I conduct aerial tours of the campus; next one leaves in ten minutes." She smiled and winked, then turned to look at Endeavor's balloon, which prompted a moan of dismay. "Oh no, your balloon! Did you at least get any data before it crashed?"

As Casey was in the air, she scanned radio chatter by turning her head this way and that, trying to get any updates on the situation in Maryland; as always, her amazing eyes watched the path ahead for planes and other dangers. She managed to pick out a familiar figure. Is that Argonaut? I think Dad mentioned her a few times; she must be headed to the same place I am! Dropping her speed, she matched her pace to the armored heroine as she shouted across the intervening space. "Hi, you must be Argonaut! I'm Miracle Girl!" A brief pause. "Vigilant is my dad!" She looked over at the other woman's suit and cleared her throat. "Uh, do you need a lift? I can break the sound barrier if I push it!"

Lynn looked uncertainly towards her assistant. "Uh...as intriguing as 'trade' might be, I think we have to stick with currency for the time being; Gretchen, can you ring him up?" The young barista rolled her eyes. "Actually I imagine his mom will be paying for the disturbing tome of eldrich wizardry. Can you follow me, please?" As the group headed to the front of the store, the changeling pondered Taylor's question. "I haven't brought any high schoolers onboard yet; to be honest, I didn't want to do it after the nastiness last year. Worried about liability, mostly." Then she paused to look back over her shoulder at the boy "But I guess...? I'm sure Huang can take care of himself." Gretchen stepped behind the counter and rang out the purchase, her face fairly neutral as always. "Here you go." She forced a smile as she handed the bag to the guardian of the compact. "Thank you for shopping at blah blah blah." Then she gave her boss a meaningful look. "As much as I normally despise teenagers on general principle, I could really use him to catalog that stuff; it would be good to know what we've got, and if any of it needs to be sent somewhere safer. Like under the Nevada desert." Lynn frowned as she leaned up against the counter. "Hey, I actually do possess a healthy knowledge of the occult, y'know." Her sidekick smiled with a hint of actual warmth. "Yes, but you have the organizational skills of a hamster on meth; you make these crazy little piles everywhere." "Hey, that's...that's actually fair." Lynn clapped her hands together. "So, I need to read up on New Jersey child labor laws, but I think we can work something out; a few hours a week after school, as long as it doesn't interfere with your homework sound okay?"

I love Halloween, as do all my characters; well, not Gretchen so much, but likes to drink and DJ.

Yay!

In a flash, there was a sudden in-rush of air, and Lynn Epstein was gone, leaving her empty flight harness and vest danging from her chute; however, Grimalkin's pixie form was very much in evidence! She darted towards the struggling pilot, and quickly judged her speed and direction of descent; zipping ahead of her, she traced a large circle in the air, forming a portal into her faerie vault. Then she flew back up, flicked out her tiny, razor-sharp claws, and slashed the strap that was twisted around her neck. Hopefully the thick bed of pine needles lining her burrow would cushion the impact of her telepathic advocate. "Bombs away!"

Lynn looked between mother and son, and blinked a few times. "Uh, well, if she's okay with it..." Gretchen frowned. "You may want to draw up some legal paperwork first-" The shop owner waved a hand dismissively. "Nonsense! If Taylor trusts her son, then I trust him, too." Though she did give the boy a look that said 'I'm going out on a limb for you kid, so don't make me regret it'. The changeling gestured for the group to follow her into her office. "Lance, I'm checking on a 'Special Order'; can you-" She didn't even have to finish her thought. "I'll get Kiki to help out on the floor, no worries." "You're a prince among men, Lance." The big blonde barista bowed with a flourish, prompting Gretchen to shake her head and mouth 'suck-up'; Lance just beamed. Lynn's office was relatively modest, roughly nine by fifteen with a ceiling fan, pressed tin ceiling and a transom light over the door. All four walls sported dark wood bookshelves that were crammed full of books and strange odds and ends. The only furniture was a massive old desk, leather swivel desk chair, and two overstuffed leather chairs for guests. The desk had a computer and the usual clutter, including a large candy bowl filled with a wide variety of treats. Lastly above and behind the desk were two unusual firearms, a rifle and a revolver, mounted in a frame; Taylor instantly recognized them as Colt's guns. Once everyone was in the room, Gretchen quietly closed the door and locked it while Lynn stepped behind her desk and faced the back bookshelves. "Help yourself to the candy," she said as she waved a hand at the bookshelf, part of which melted away into vapor to reveal a digital keypad and simple metal handle; in a few moments, she heaved open the heavy reinforced door behind it on smooth hinges. "Upped the security a bit since 'the incident'". Her assistant made a pained expression and reflexively touched her stomach. The room beyond was dry and a tad dusty; several low-energy bulbs popped to life, filling the chamber with a soft white glow. There were many bookshelves in various styles bearing lots of books and unusual objects, some of which looked quite old. There were also old-fashioned steamer trunks, magical props and faded posters for the Amazing Al-Kazar's stage show, all turbans, sabers, tigers and pretty ladies in gauzy veils. To those sensitive to such things, the whole place hummed like an idling engine. Lynn shrugged and waved her hand about. "Well, this is it; I've never had the time to properly inventory all the stuff in my great-grandfather's collection. Guess I'm a little scared about what I might find." "I wished you'd let me do that...", Gretchen muttered as she stood off to one side, hugging herself tightly.

Lynn tested the controls; yeah, this was not good. The telepathic communication startled her, but at least it was non-hostile. "Yeah, okay, hi! Uh, my status? Well, you guys shot my flight instructor; nice job, geniuses! She's dead, but she'll get better. Rudder's trashed and stick's messed up pretty bad, but I think if I pull up and work the throttle, I can get enough altitude to deploy our chutes. Wish me luck!" And with that, the changeling pulled back on the stick and gave her a littke juice, painfully aware of their dwindling fuel supply. As she watched the altimeter climb, she closed her eyes and willed her gear back in storage to melt back into vapor; otherwise If the plane lit up, the feedback would be excruciating. Grabbing the photo of her family, she tucked it back into her interdimensional vault for safe keeping. "Alright, Naomi! I don't know if you can hear me, but If you can...sorry about your pretty plane!" And with that, she reached down between her legs, firmly gripped the yellow handle and yanked.

Gretchen had returned Huang's look with closed eyes and a nod, clearly a veteran of similar pep talks. But when he went all echoey and mystical, her eyes went just a bit wide as she made what could be best described as an 'Excuse me?' face. For her part, Lynn was doing her best to not bust out laughing; it took all of her willpower and considerable control of her glamour to lock her face into one of pleasant surprise. She knew how much boys hated to be laughed at, but she couldn't help it. Because for one moment she saw her little Jon-Jon puffing himself up all badass when he was ten, and coming into his own power as a dark fae; if only things hadn't gone so badly after that... When it was over, the crime-fighting duo nodded in approval and golf clapped together as if on cue; clearly, they were in sync as a team. "Wow, alright, cool! Take after your mom with the dimensional stuff; I like it!" Gretchen made a chopping motion with her hands as she addressed Taylor in her usual deadpan fashion. "Drama camp. Every summer, eight weeks, intensive program. Best money you will ever spend." Her specific meaning was somewhat unclear. When Taylor mentioned reading, Lynn visibly perked up. "Oh, hey, former teammates and Claremont students always save fifteen percent! On top of any other deals." Her assistant scowled and punched her in the arm, pretty darn hard from the look of it. "Everyone you know saves fifteen percent; that's my commission you're giving away!" "Ow! That hurts with the ring!" Rubbing the sore spot on her upper arm, Lynn eagerly looked between mother and son. "So we should get together sometime! Do dinner or a movie, beat up bad guys or something. I need to see the little one, and maybe Jack, sometime...maybe." She flicked her fingers, and two store business cards appeared. "Here, take these; they're mystically linked to me."

Lynn scrunched up her face and shrugged. "Well there's 'normal normal' and there's 'normal blah'; being stuck in traffic will suck hard on any world in any time, but folding laundry on the couch while you watch an old movie on a rainy day? That's kind of awesome; that's the kind of stuff you miss." Gretchen turned slightly towards her boss and grew very serious. "Wait, you miss folding laundry? Why was I not informed of this? I'd have brought my laundry over months ago." The changeling rolled her eyes. "The point is, yeah, traveling to other planets and blowing s### up will always be cool, but as you get older, a lot of the stuff that seemed like such a waste of time turns out to be....well, maybe not the highlight of your day, but a welcome opportunity to just slow down and be in the moment." She laughed. "Old fogey talk, I know, but it's still true." Her assistant shrugged. "Well, you are a grandmother, so I guess we can't legally stop you from offering sage advice and folksy sayings." "Damn skippy! Lynn turned to the teen and looked him up and down, hands on her hips. "So Huang, what's your area of expertise? I take it you're a caster of some sort?"

Lynn chuckled and shrugged. "I gotta admit, I've been a little rusty; back on the other side, it was mostly bounty hunting and freedom fighting. Not crime-fighting and heroics. Plus I got used to having my kids as a support group. Coming back has been like-" She chewed her lower lip as she searched for an analogy. "It's like...going to your fiftieth high school reunion, and finding out that no one's changed; they all look exactly the way you remember them, and because you look pretty much the same, they're all like 'Oh, there you are, great to see you! You remember Phil, right?'" She shook her head again, then smiled and looked off in Gretchen's general directon. "Gretch has been great because she calls me on my bull####; she's got no time for the pity party at all. She's like, 'Yeah, you're old and sad. Now shut up and look at this weird story I found; I think this guy killed her.' Which to be honest is exactly what I need right now; someone to keep me focused on the here and now, and keep my head in the game. She's still got a lot to learn about crimefighting and using the Gifts, but the foundation, the passion to make the world a better place? That was already there." - - - - Towards the back of the store, her assistant was frowning at Huang, her arms still crossed; he was a cocky little s###, but she suspected he was right about not being like their other customers. He also had that air of 'the biz' that many of Lynn's friends had, which probably meant he could fly, eat whole cars or shoot lasers out his nostrils. Ugh; more super people. "If you want the hard stuff, you have to take it up with Boss Lady; she keeps the real McCoy off the sales floor. Ever since I was shot." Slowly pivoting on the heel of her Doc Martens, she strode over to Lynn and Taylor; she stood there for a few seconds, head cocked to one side as she clinically eyed the newcomer in that impassive style of her's. Her employer finally cleared her throat. "Uh, Gretchen, this is Taylor, a former teammate of mine. Taylor, Gretchen." The barista made no move to shake hands, but did manage a nod and smirk. "Hey." Then she looked back over her shoulder. "That kid's gonna be trouble one day; mark my words."

Oops, forgot to include a bit about the radio; will edit that in. It would also probably be a Knowledge vs Craft check, but it's the same check, so it still works.

"Oh s###! Oh s###! Naomi, are you okay?!" Lynn tried to turn around in her harness to check on the much-more experienced pilot, but she couldn't see her; however the cockpit now reeked and hot metal which told her a lot. She frantically tried to work the radio, but it was either damaged or she was too stupid to work the damn thing- Stop. Take a breath. Lock it down. And then just like that, the changeling's brain went into battle mode and the world slowed down, filling her brain with an eerie calm. Naomi was either alive or she was dead; either way, it was now up to Lynn to keep this whole thing together. She imagined Bill by her side, his unshakeable faith in her surging through her like cool fire. Ya got this, hon; ya got it. As she'd once mentioned to the Welsh test pilot, she actually had more experience with ground effect vehicles than proper planes; it meant she was a lot more comfortable flying low than most pilots. True, that was usually over the desert and not open ocean, but still... The fae pilot let the nose drop; if she were lucky, they might think she was actually going down. She let them get within twenty feet of the waves before leveling off, then made a beeline for the burning ship, hoping to be lost in the glare of the blaze. But not too close now; you're losing fuel, kid.