Heritage

The Rooftop Castle on the DuTemps Building. Friday, July 26th, 2019. 7:04 pm As first dates went for Casey Blankenship, this was the first; sure, she 'dated' Tim Krieger freshman year back in Colorado Springs, but that was mostly holding hands at Summer Bible Camp. She hadn't dated at all at Claremont, and despite the efforts of her sorority sisters, she'd yet to date anyone at FCU. But something about this new website intrigued her; just knowing your date was, well, different, somehow made everything much easier. She scanned the 'Men Looking For Women' listings in a matter of seconds, but only one listing really caught her eye. This Morgan, though... Messages were exchanged, a date was planned, somehow. Casey didn't want her date to feel uncomfortable, and they both flew, so she blurted out the one rooftop she knew in Freedom that combined an amazing view with a garden. A quick phone call to a simply delighted Daphne assured her that it would be 'totally fine' to meet her date on top the DuTemps Castle in time to eat while the sun set. Having no idea how normal people dated, the blonde powerhouse announced she'd bring the food, which thrust her into Martha Stewart mode; by 7pm, she had two folding chairs and a collapsible table set up, with a red and white tablecloth and a big wicker picnic basket. Since her date knew she was a hero, Casey opted to skip her glasses and wear her hair down; she'd picked a dark blue party dress she really liked, and did her best to not check her watch every five seconds, as she sat in a chair with her long legs crossed.

Seeing the poor shapeshifter starting to freak out, Lynn quickly moved to calm him; she reached forward and put one hand on his shoulder and one on the side of his head. She then locked eyes with him, those big brown orbs as deep as time, and began to speak to him in flawless Ukrainian. Her voice was low, soft and steady. <"It's alright, Davydka; it's alright. Take in long, slow breaths, okay? No one is saying you're a Grue; we all know you're human. We have reason to believe some of the DNA you were exposed to may have been Grue in origin, but that doesn't make you any less human. It just means you have access to some other powers, none of which are bad, alright? Keep breathing...keep breathing...">

Lynn sat up and put her hands on her hips. "Well I'm not gonna lie; it helps that I'm over a hundred years old. But! I had mastered most of my powers by the time I was twenty." The shapeshifter sat there on the floor for several seconds and scratched her nose, thinking about the best way to express herself. Then she abruptly did a backwards somersault and leaped to her feet. "It's kind of like...juggling." And suddenly she was holding three juggling pins, and wearing a black and white pierrot costume. With practiced ease, the pins began to rise and fall. As they flew, her eyes never left them. "A good juggler, once they've had some experience under their belt, can juggle and talk to the audience at the same time, like I'm doing now." A fourth pin was added to the mix, then a fifth. "Once you get really good, you can start taking your eyes off the pins for a few seconds." And now, Lynn took the time to give Mia a wink. "Like that. And then when you get really, really good, you can start adding new stuff to the act." The dull grey mist swirled around her, the pins still moving, flying out of the mist and back. When the mist parted, the changeling was identical to Mia, voice, posture, clothes and everything. "And that's what it takes: practice, concentration, and the courage to fail." 'Mia' thrust out her hand, and a top hat appeared; one by one, the juggling pins fell into it and vanished. The awkward teen put the hat on her head, then shrunk back down Lynn's size and shape, now wearing a magician's tux, tails and stockings to match her hat. She snapped out a cane and leaned on it. "And that's it, basically. Start using your powers while your doing small things, like watching TV or eating breakfast. Get comfortable doing that, and then go from there." She kicked her cane up onto her shoulder and nodded. "I fell on my ass all the time when I was just starting out, and I hated it." Lynn shrugged, and her magician's outfit floated away like stardust, leaving her original outfit behind. "But, that's how you learn, kid."

As Corona's friend and employer, Grim is of course available!

You ever have one of those days? When you're invited to Freedom Hall the same day you promised to escort a troop of Girl Scouts visiting from out of town? And then the tour bus is attacked by Pteranodon Men, who lift it into the air and threaten to drop it into Freedom Harbor? And you have to use super-speed to sneak out of the bus, change into your costume and sadve the day? Yeah. A very late Miracle Girl, who hated being late, was rushed into Freedom Hall and unceremoniously plunked onto a teleportation pad and shot up to the Lighthouse. The blonde powerhouse quickly made her way to Terrifica's side, still adjusting her costume and attempting to fix her hair as she muttered under her breath. "Hey. What did I miss?"

Still nursing the last painful elements of her hangover, Grim stared balefully out the window as the four heroes drove through Bedlam. With each passing block, she felt a growing despair in her heart; how did a city become so bleak, so doomed? Surely the work of some ancient curse, so horrible historical calamity. In a moment of morbid humor, she conjured up three empty beer bottles on her fingers, and began to rhythmically clink them together. "Warriors...come out to play-ey-ay!" Goth!Grim's hangover was not looking forward to the brain-pulverizing sound system.

Lynn chuckled as she packed all the veggies in ice, then conjured up a lid. "Several years ago, Gretchen and I were in Sapporo during an earthquake; well, it was actually a supervillan attack, but whatever. Anywho, we were up for hours doing disaster relief, right? And Gretch gets tired, so she sacks out in the Vault for a few winks. Get this." She leaned forward conspiratorially. "I'm so f###ing tired, I head back to the rescue tents and pass out. I leave her in here overnight." She shakes her head and chuckles. "I mean, she was perfectly safe, but still. I didn't hear the end of that for a long time."

"Sounds good to me," Lynn agreed enthusiastically. "Here, let's...over here." She found another secluded space behind two stalls, and the traced a circle in the air, about two feet across, and a hole appeared in the air. On the other side was a sort of cozy bower, apparently under the roots of a large tree. The space was about twenty feet across and about eight feet tall in the middle. A bit of sunlight filtered in-between the roots forming the domed roof, and the floor of the space was a soft blanket of pine needles. The bower was cool and dry, probably around sixty-five degrees Fahrenheit, and looked like a wonderful place to curl up for a nap. "So this is my 'Vault'," Lynn explained matter-of-factly. "I just cleaned it out a few weeks ago; it was starting to get kinda cluttered." She waved her hand, and a heavy wooden chest appeared within arm's reach, and a second wave filled it with ice. "There! We can put everything in here until we're done swimming."

Temporarily forgetting her manners (again!), Casey found herself eating the lion's share of the turnovers, but she couldn't help it; they were super-tasty (especially hot!), and Dancia's story was so compelling that she found herself gobbling them like movie snacks. By the time she caught herself, they were nearly gone, and her cheeks went bright red. "'M sohrry," she offered sheepishly before swallowing her mouthful. "I, uh, have an accelerated metabolism. Always hungry. Those were so good!" Casey cleared her throat and dusted crumbs off her costume. "I don't have a special link with Centurion, other than obviously admiring him. I got my powers from my dad, during a freak accident in a thunderstorm." She paused, and rolled her finger forward to continue the narrative. "My dad's Vigilant, 'America's First Line of Defense'?" She looked between the two women, then shook her head. "You might not of heard of him; he mostly does high altitude surveillance for NORAD and AEGIS."

Lynn waved goodbye to Paolo as she eagerly dug into the truly heavenly gelato. As the three very happy women walked away from his stand, the fae shopkeeper turned to her companions and raised her eyebrows. "So, anymore shopping? Or should we stow away our treasures and hit the beach?"

Lulu poked her head in, had a look 'round, and then crawled inside. Once inside, she dusted herself off and surveyed the room. "Ah like it! Especially the whole 'retro' feel with all the old posters and stuff." But then she started to notice the condition the posters were in. These were not lovingly assembled collectibles; they'd been put up years ago. Turning to the lovable 'turtle girl', Lulu cocked an eyebrow and cleared her throat. "Uh, Danica? How long have you been livin' in here?"

Searchable Profile [A pretty, athletic blonde with green eyes; her hair is up, and she's wearing safety goggles over her glasses. She's wearing shorts and a T-shirt, as well as a tool belt. Other girls that she's leaning on have been cropped out of the picture.] [A picture of the Rocky Mountains.] Name: Casey Gender: Female. Preferred Era of Pop Culture: Current. About you: I'm a Girl Scout and a sorority sister, which probably tells you a lot about me, but I'm not a stereotype! I am very strong and tough, but I still have a soft girly side. I fly (both planes and under my own power), and I love it. I love to eat, and eat a lot! I also love the outdoors and volunteering. I'm traditional, but not old-fashioned. Looking For: Looking for men. Partner Goals: I'm looking for a long-term relationship, but not marriage or anything! I know I'm young and have a lot to learn. Dating another flyer would be great, but is certainly not essential. Similar values would be nice. My Favorite Thing About The Place I Live Is.... Flying over the harbor at night. Most People Who Know Me Would Say I'm... Hardworking and dependable. My Favorite Childhood Memory Is... Visiting my grandfather when he worked for a newspaper; the first time I saw the giant printing presses changed my life! Five Things I Am Not... Lazy, Boring, Weak, Clueless, Grumpy Private Letter to ErosUnlimited

Searchable Profile [A very pretty brunette with large brown eyes and curly brown hair pulled into a ponytail, making a goofy, enthusiastic face on a rock climbing wall.] [The same woman, lying on a couch, with an open book on her chest. She's asleep, as is the cat lying on top of her.] Name: Lynn Gender: Female. Preferred Era of Pop Culture: I'm a 90s kid (Disney Channel/Renaissance, Nickelodeon, etc), but I like both new stuff and classics, too. About you: I guess I'm what you'd call an outgoing introvert; I tend to have a small but intense friend circle, and while I love going out to do things, I need a lot of quiet downtime as well. I love cooking, outdoor activities and movies, plays, museums and live music. I'm very Jewish (Conservative), for better or worse, and I keep kosher, though I don't demand that my partners do. I'm passionate about both crimefighting and giving back to the community. Looking For: Looking for men or women (I identify as bisexual). I have more experience with men, but greatly enjoy the company of women. Partner Goals: Not looking for long-term commitment, but wouldn't say no to the right person. I am sensual, but can enjoy non-physical or platonic relationships as well. My Favorite Thing About The Place I Live Is.... Going for long, rambling walks in the West End or Riverside. Most People Who Know Me Would Say I'm... Friendly and loyal My Favorite Childhood Memory Is... A family road trip to Nashville and Memphis Five Things I Am Not... Shy, Easily Embarrassed, Sedentary, Predictable, Clumsy Private Letter to ErosUnlimited

I love this! I think Casey is going to take the plunge!

Character: Miracle Girl Identity: Secret Interested in Team Membership? Yes! Specialty (if any): Catastrophes and natural disasters, but also has surprising skills in stealth and investigation. Issues with PR: None that she can think of, to be honest. MG gets along with most people, and works well with public servants! In addition, MG has worked well with some of the other applicants in the past.

Lynn nodded and shrugged. "I mean, yeah, at its core, that is my concern. But it sounds like this is the loosest of loose organizations, so...that does address most of my concerns." The changeling leaned back in her chair, hands behind her head, and wordlessly stared up at the ceiling for several seconds, almost a full minute. Clearly, she was deep in thought. At length, she spoke. "Okay. Okay." She leaned back forward, and rested her clasped hands on her desk. "I think there are more compelling reasons to join your loose organization than to not." She shrugged again. "I mean, at the very least, paranoia dictates I should see what you're all up to, am I right?"

Lynn's eyes went wide as Paolo described his recommendation. <"That sounds amazing! I love mixing flavors! Thank you so much, you're too kind!"> From extensive experience, Lynn learned a long time ago that immigrants in the US always enjoyed a chance to talk with someone in their native language; it always brightened up their day, and formed a moment of connection. True, it sometimes got you free stuff (heh heh), but that was never her intention. Not that she would turn down free gelato... The changeling, noting Mia's confusion, just looked at her and winked.

"Once we're done with our shopping, I'll open it up and make an old-school icebox; it's pretty showy, though, so we'll need a bit of privacy first." When they got to the gelato stand, Lynn grinned and began speaking in perfect unaccented Neapolitan, the major Southern Italian dialect. <"Good afternoon! My friend Mia speaks very highly of your wares! What flavor would you suggest?">

"And if you need more general skills-based training, I'm your gal," Lynn said with a touch of pride. "I've been doing this a long time, and I've picked up a lot of knowledge: infiltration, stealth, advanced combat techniques, you name it." And then she turned into a pretty pierrot, and began to juggle three balls in the air. "Also, you can make good money working kid's parties. I'm not even kidding."

Lulu rolled her eyes. "Micah is sort of understatin' things; Ashley is flippin' out and considerin' nuclear options at this point. Maybe Judy could just pop her head out in the interest of world peace?" The smells wafting out of the 'inner shell' were intriguing, and the redhead found herself craning her neck to try to get a peek inside. "You girls doin' your nails in there?"

"I have a burner phone, too," offered Miracle Girl as she held up a nondescript flip phone. She exchanged numbers with any who wanted to call her. She'd accepted Terrifica's suggested plan with no complaint, more than happy to be the cog in a machine. "He probably has a magic way to contact us," she said as she jerked her head in Sandman's direction. But then she frowned. "Probably." Seeing that her temporary partner was also a flyer, she opted to float over toward the staff area at comfortable speed while making conversation with Bee. "So, how long have you been 'heroing'?"