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Avenger Assembled

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  1. "That's a good question," Ashley admitted to Pan, her voice unusually soft, "but never having had a chance to read this one, I don't know what's important about it. I just know the copy is going to be somewhere other books can be found. It likes libraries, like a cuckoo chick nesting with other birds..." With help from Leroy's translation, the heroes learned that the new arrivals were the crew of a ship from Persia - dispatched by command of the Sultan to learn the story of the long-lost nation of America. The men on the ship all looked Persian, or rather, the way Persians might have looked two or three hundred years earlier in their own timeline. There were no women on the ship, (called the Zlotuhb, a word that Ashley was almost certain was not real Persian) and the sight of Ashley and Judy raised quite a stir among the men. Communications turned out to be a little easier than they'd expected when one of the men tentatively tried a halting greeting in heavily accented English - the oddly-named No-fuhl had evidently learned to read, and partially speak, English from ancient texts. While he tried out a few fascinated questions about "ye great fantastics" among the teens, the captain Prince Khan-Li, spoke with Leroy in his own tongue. Meanwhile the crew was wandering around the island, pointing in fascination to the great trees and ruined buildings, and the big ruined green statue that stood on a concrete pedestal over them. "<We have books in our shipboard library, but we had hoped to find more here among these ancient ruins.>" Standing on the shores of the island and making a gesture towards the ruined city beyond, he commented, " "<I have no objection to sharing our discoveries with fellow seekers-after-truth amid these ancient ruins. But how _did_ you find yourself here, Sun Dragon? Does Ethiopia's writ run so far?>" "
  2. Ashley's hands clenched briefly into fists at Elizabeth's sudden arrival, the most visible reaction to the invisible girl showing up within arms reach. "Gonna assume you're not asking if I want to do my sister," she hissed between gritted teeth. She really wasn't that mad but Watchdog probably would be getting defensive at this point, she judged. "This school is full of people who could tear her limb from limb if they really wanted to," she added, a little less heatedly. She made a little gesture with her cup, subtly pointing out various students. "That guy can punch through steel doors, and that girl does freaky magic stuff by twitching her nose. So I can sit in my dorm and wonder when she's gonna come back, or I can be here making sure she's having a good time." She smiled thinly, catching a glimpse of the shy happiness on Judy's face as she and Leroy twirled together on the dance floor. "Looks like she is."
  3. "Hi Micah, hi Danica!" said Judy cheerfully, lighting up at the sight of her two friends. "It's just the four of us today," she went on, "but Ashley said if things go well, maybe we can bring more people next time." "Hrm," said Ashley, looking around for a moment before saying, "This way." Ashley led the group towards what was evidently their ride, an older-looking Cadillac sedan that was nonetheless a striking shade of bright, cherry red. "This car is called the Dawg," said Ashley, heading over to manually unlock it, popping open a truck full of tools for Danica to slide in her Segway - and to quickly help Danica once it was clear how heavy the thing was. Good Samaritan or not, she added in a growl, "She's gotten us through a lot of scraps. This is the first time I've gotten to drive it since-" "since the thing with the Raven," said Judy conspiratorially. "But it's a real nice ride, and not just for urban combat," she said, hesitating a little on the last phrase, popping in the back seat once Ashley had opened the door for her. "It's got a snackbar, and a television, and it's tough enough to keep out any Grue," she went on. "Look how thick the glass is!" And sure enough it was; on closer inspection, windows and windshield alike had to be a couple of inches thick. "Ah thought we should ride to the mall in style."
  4. "Oh Leroy, are you going to take me out for the first dance? That's so sweet!" Beaming, she let herself be taken out onto the dancefloor. It was a slow start to the evening's festivities, which surely would have club music thumping along later, but that was just how she liked it. As she danced with Leroy, Judy lost herself in what she knew had to be just a pleasant fantasy of telling him the truth, bringing him to Jesus...and then what? she seemed to hear Ashley's voice in her head. Was she going to introduce Leroy's dragon to her father? Have him talk about the gods of his homeworld to her mother? When she thought about it she almost stumbled in her good shoes - but she was an expert at pushing these things out of her mind. "Ah almost thought Dio was going to show up with a dragon gal," she said to Leroy, her voice a little breathy. It would have been the height of unprofessionalism for Ashley to be contemplating how to shoot Leroy and get away with it, but she did entertain a few thoughts about the proper security protocols as she watched from the edge of the dance floor, angrily sipping her punch. If he pulls her into some kind of dragon crisis or secret invasion, it's my ass on the line! Plus what if they actually do fall in love? That would be really stupid...but they are teenagers. Dammit!
  5. "Oh, you're just working with machines because you like it?" Judy blinked, then suddenly broke out in a huge smile. "That's so cool! Ah mean, it's great that people are building, um, death rays and powersuits and such, but it's so nice somebody's just...doing things the usual way!" She didn't quite leave the puzzle behind, but she did start paying a lot of attention to what Micah was working on. "Ah always wanted to get an ATV, but we couldn't on account of, um, all the trouble, but when Ah was little I had one of their owner's manuals." "Better nurse than mechanic," grunted her sister politely. "Should see you with a medical kit." Judy blushed. "Well, Ah mean, that's just from all the practice Ah did! Ah had a lot of time on my hands lately," she said, brushing her hair back behind her ears.
  6. There were at least a few advantages to being Watchdog. No one would think anything of Ashley going stag in a suit, albeit the tacky sort that high school boys were likely to wear to prom oh jesus I sounded fifty years old there. It wasn't that she had any objection to wearing dresses; several rather flattering numbers were hanging up in long-term storage in DC. But it was easier to hide weapons in suits, and from her experience with Claremont dances Ashley knew damn well she was going to go loaded for bear for this one. Especially since her protectee had a date tonight - a date that was going to require a whole lot of explaining back in DC if things escalated beyond tonight. Across the room, said ward was just finishing up with brushing her hair. Judy's dress was modest, but didn't deny she was feminine either - in light blue with a faux crop top made of lace, she did look cute, especially with the new gold necklace she'd purchased for her cross and shoes that gave her just the right amount of extra height. Walking was going to be a challenge, but she'd handled herself plenty in shoes like this before. She considered the evening carefully - what if Leroy tried something with her? Well she certainly wouldn't mind him trying to kiss her, if he was real romantic about it, she supposed; other than that, well, if he wasn't a gentleman he wouldn't have asked her out as sweetly as he did. When Ashley looked her way again, Judy was praying in front of her mirror - an opportunity Ashley took to make sure her gun was in its holster, her utility gear was in her suit jacket, and otherwise she was ready for the evening. She tried not to think about the dances of a decade ago, where Copycat had hung around the corners, watching without mingling, as students descended into superpowered fist fights and worse, and pushed those thoughts out of her head. Recapturing her high school glory days was a stupid idea - she'd never had any. When Judy was ready, they headed out together, having made plans to meet up with Leroy just outside the dance.
  7. "Could you make other stuff, like, Ah dunno, a jetpack?" asked Judy curiously. "No he could not," said Ashley firmly, her eyes widening at her sister's words. "You told me you hate flying," she added, clearing her throat. "Well, yes..." admitted Judy, "but if Micah could make super-tech stuff for other kids here, he could probably make a lot of money. And maybe get a job doing that after he graduates. What do you think, Micah?"
  8. October 2018 Outside Claremont Academy Her long dark hair safely tucked away beneath a Freedom City Heroes hoodie, her face hidden by a dark pair of aviator sunglasses, Judy Smith waited by her sister's side for the arrival of their friends. "This is gonna be so fun," she told Ashley with a smile. "Ah can't believe we're gonna go shopping in a mall! It's gonna be the best day ever!" It had been a long, long time since she'd been able to go shopping by herself - and this didn't remotely count as by herself, but it was still a lot closer than she'd have been able to come under normal circumstances. Ah'm gonna find some jewelry for the dance, and maybe get a present for Leroy while I'm there - it's gonna be great! Secure in leather jacket and jeans, eyes hidden by her own dark glasses, Ashley thought about the vetting that the Secret Service had done before selecting the Patriot Shopping Center as the best 'mall' choice for Judy and her friends from Claremont to visit, the quiet checking she'd done herself into Danica and Micah's backgrounds, the advance scouting her team had done of the site, the advance driving she'd done to plot out the drive to Lantern Hill, the hope and the prayer that Lantern Jack wouldn't show up - and Watchdog grunted. "Hrm." It was going to be an interesting day, at any rate. Now where were Danica and Micah, the two friends Judy had invited along for a "crazy, secret trip to the mall!"
  9. "It does not matter," said Frost frankly. "Laws do not exist to bind the lawless, but to provide a code for the lawful. If she signs the Codus then there is a way to deal with her, if there is not then we must leave her to be policed by those less capable of dealing with her. And my friends, she is a potent foe." He thoughtfully placed his hand over his heart for a moment then said, "As for Sin, you may take for granted that he has, what do you say, a plan leading to a plan leading to a trap. But what does it gain him?" He waved his hand, and made a little gesture with his now-frozen glass. "He has what, century of life? More? And still he plays same game of chess, just with new pieces every time. Sad."
  10. "Corinne's very nice," said Judy with a smile, "she just, um, likes to keep to herself sometimes." She studied Zenith for a moment, idly fidgeting with the cross around her neck, then went back to work. She knew that when her powers were active, Corinne wasn't the same person she usually was. "Empowerment alters the personality," grunted Ashley as she slid Gaian Knight's sword into place, saving Judy from having to continue a conversation she knew Judy found awkward. Judy didn't like to speak ill , especially of people who were right there in the room. "Happens sometimes." At least I don't have to give a damn, this time. "Hey, some people with powers aren't so bad," said Judy with a tolerant smile at her sister.
  11. "Okay." Watchdog closed her eyes behind her armor. Seventy-two hours before her mortality rate starts going up. And in a week, she'd be dead. "Here's what we need to do. Somewhere near here is a copy of the book. We need to find it and burn it. It's the only way to break the spell." And never mind how Watchdog knew how the book worked; she'd come up with something to explain before she let Judy's life be threatened. Team. You're part of a team. "If Pan and Dio take the statue, the rest of us can cover the land." She considered how to explain the situation to Leroy in particular, not wanting him to waste time with something she knew from personal experience wouldn't work. "Old book, old...everything." She made a little gesture all around, then to illustrate her point took off her helmet. Her face was set in a grimace that looked more serious than her usual dour look, her pink-tipped hair seeming wildly out of place. "That thing looked a hundred years old, maybe more. If it wasn't invented when the author wrote it, it's not going to work here. My gear is mostly junk." Nearby, the vessel drew up alongside the beach where the heroes were conferring - while the crew made busy furling sail and dropping anchor, a bearded man in a long purple robe (perhaps the captain?) shouted something towards the heroes in a language that (as it happened) only Leroy understood - Persian! "Greetings! From what land do you hail from?"
  12. Judy hummed Bon Jovi as Micah approached, then shook her head. She shot a tentative look at Ashley, who made a single cutting gesture with her hand - and with a nod, went back to work. "Ah must have overheard your name somewhere," she said to Astrid with a faint smile. "Hey, can Ah have that? I think it's the end of Fleur de Joie's hair...does she really have this much hair?" "Feels with it," grunted Ashley. "Doesn't like it cut." She'd taken in the new arrivals at a glance, weighing in the threat posted by a Zenith-active Corinne and an Oklahoma-connected Micah, then dismissed them. The surest way to be caught covering something was to be too quick to reach for a shovel. "Oh, my good Lord, really?" Judy's eyes widened as she tangled her fingers in her long brown hair obviously considering the strengths and weaknesses of such a power. "Well bless her heart. That poor woman." She glanced over at Micah and asked curiously, "What part is that?"
  13. "Hi Astrid," said Judy, smiling broadly at the other girl. She'd taken a while to warm up to the loud jock, but she wasn't so bad once you got to know her - even if she did have a crazy story about where she came from. But that was none of her business; after all, her story about how she'd gotten to Claremont was pretty crazy too - and that was whether or not you believed the lies or not. "Yeah, we've gotten pretty far, but there are still lots of pieces!" Judy had made tentative progress on her part of the puzzle, assembling parts of Fleur de Joie and the flower she'd rode in on. For her part, Ashley was doing a little better, gradually putting together the crowd of civilians watching the League show off their powers. She looked up at Astrid, grunted, and then went back to her work. Judy looked at Astrid, realized that she didn't know if the other girl had seen her embarrassing exit earlier that evening, then decided she didn't need to think about that until she knew she had to.
  14. Judy was crying and mortified by her crying - which of course didn't help the former at all. "I'm scared, I'm scared, I'm scared..." she was repeating, even as Ashley pulled her into a tight embrace. "We'll find a way out of this. We'll find a way out of this. I know you're scared but we have lots of time. We'll find a way out." Ashley helped Judy to her feet, then took something off her belt and turned it up. "Can you hear this?" "N-no," said Judy, her eyes wide. "It must have been broken when we landed," Ashley lied. "We'll get out of here." She took a moment to take stock of the situation, then belatedly turned to the others. "Wasn't your fault," Ashley made herself tell the worried Pan, "that damn book." She couldn't say more, not when it would mean discussing how Copycat had spent an agonizing weekend inside "Lament of A Soldier's Wife" before being rescued by the Raven ten years earlier. Meanwhile, the island, in the middle of a harbor by a ruined city, was rapidly being approached by a small, low-lying sailing ship that looked straight out of the 1001 Nights!
  15. Christ she can't be falling for that- "That sounds wonderful, Leroy," said Judy, blushing as she squeezed the boy's hand. "And Ah'm an excellent dancer," she told him confidently, which actually was true enough from what Ashley remembered. "We'll have a wonderful time." She was already thinking about the sadly contracted contents of her closet here at Claremont; all right, getting access to her fancy clothes from the White House was not going to work even if they had the time, but surely a run through Goodwill or some other place here could get them access to things she'd be caught dead in at an actual social occasion. Ashley didn't roll her eyes as Judy smiled at Leroy, she was too busy quietly cursing. Well all this had snuck up on her awfully fast! Leroy hadn't even been on her hazard list, which was probably why she hadn't minded Judy spending time with him. She'd played his desire for titles carefully, not wanting to support his ambitions but not wanting to alienate someone from Judy's peer group either - instead growling that she wasn't here "to make friends with a bunch of noobs" - but not actually turning down his proposals either. After all, if Leroy, Adam, and the rest were her friends, they'd be more likely to help her keep Judy safe. Momentarily at a loss for words, she just looked.
  16. And so it was that the evening found the three of them working on a big 1000 piece puzzle showing Fleur de Joie and the rest of the Freedom League Aux, right in the middle of the first floor common room. Judy was looking a little tired still from the hasty end to her evening meal (which she was pretty sure everyone had seen, as mortifying as that was to consider) but game for a game. "...ah thought dragons were bad when ah was a kid, but I guess between Leroy and Gaian Knight, there has to be some good ones out there. Ah don't really know much about strange creatures, but Ah guess some are good people." "Some," allowed Ashley, fitting another piece of Fleur's long green hair into place and thinking irrelevantly of being Copycat and watching Fleur from behind her goggles. "You can't be too careful with some people."
  17. "Judy needs to rest," Ashley started to say, but Judy piped up with, "Ah'll be around before lights out, ah just need to rest and turn on the radio." She smiled at Ashley, then at Danica, a confident smile that didn't quite match the beauty queen grin Danica had seen the girl flash at other people on campus. "Maybe we can, um, build a jigsaw puzzle or something." she said, blushing slightly as she fingered the cross she wore around her neck for a moment. She'd been about to suggest Mario Kart before she remembered people who didn't like jokes about themselves here.
  18. Eeeeeeeee Judy blushed when Leroy kissed her hand, a spontaneous smile appearing across her face. It wasn't like she'd never been kissed by a boy before, but something about this felt so perfect. And it's not like I'm missionary dating, she thought, since we talked about God before he kissed me. She blinked a few times, trying to think of what to say next - and then Ashley was sitting at the table with them. Her arms crossed across her chest, she scowled at Leroy, giving the dragon prince a thoroughly skeptical eye. "Um, well, Ah don't have it so bad," she allowed, "but thank you, Leroy, that means a lot." She took a moment to take a breath. "You'll know that voice when you know it. Not in the fire, not in the earthquake, but that still small voice you hear right here." She pointed to Leroy's chest, not quite touching. Ashley cleared her throat, but not too loudly.
  19. "Wow," said Judy, marveling a little at Danica's tale. "That is the craziest thing Ah've ever heard. You must have so many interesting stories!" Ashley tensed as she suddenly wondered if anyone had told this sweet, sheltered girl (which was clearly what she was, age or no) that Adrian Eldrich was dead and had been so for quite some time. Better ask about that later - and ask other people. "That's good," she said, her tone considerably softer than Ashley usually used with the Claremont students. "But now that she's up and around, I need to get Judy back to our room." They'd talk about the eating habits that had led to this afternoon's unfortunate events later - perhaps that was the running theme for the day. "Oh, Ah'll be fine," said Judy, "but, um, yeah, going back to bed does sound nice. Ah gotta fix my hair, and my makeup first, though," she said, taking advantage of the free space Danica had opened up to tend to herself in the nearby reflection. "You know, Danica, Ah heard there was a girl who graduated from here last year who has a special line of makeup for people with superpowers. Maybe we could order something from her." "We'd have to check it out first," said Ashley, gently but firmly with her sister. "You know the rules." Ashley and Judy bantered a little about how _Danica_ didn't have to follow the rules, so she could order anything she wanted to test it out.
  20. Affects Corporeal is an extra, not a PF - you'd need 6PP of that.
  21. APPROVED
  22. APPROVED Apologies for the delay, @Tarrakhash Once @TheAbsurdist has a chance to look this over, you'll be good to go.
  23. "Oh, okay." Judy took a breath, then another. "Ah'm sorry, Danica, Ah didn't mean to embarrass you just now," she said apologetically, her voice a little shaky, "but all, um, this is just a little new to me. Ah'm still used to thinking about, you know, people who aren't like us." "Not nearly so many supers where we're from," said Ashley, which was true in and of itself. She was glad to see Jaycee up and around, and especially talking to another student. She said 'like us' - not 'like you.' That was good to hear too. "So how much do you remember about all that stuff?" Judy asked Danica, sounding more fascinated than alarmed now. "You're not in slow motion, so you must think as fast as anybody else..." "
  24. Judy stared at Danica, her eyes going wide, and put a hand over her mouth. "What-what do you mean you're thirty-two years old?" Ashley opened the door and for a brief, almost imperceptible moment, considered closing it and walking away, perhaps to ride her motorcycle out of the country or into the sea, before duty reasserted itself. "I got your book," she growled as she made a beeline towards the two girls, "but it looks like you're already on your feet, soldier." She didn't lay Watchdog on too thick around Danica - largely because the tortoise totem was the sort of student she wanted Judy hanging around with. Judy was still looking at Danica, her cheeks flushed.
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