angrydurf

Once I get that info I'm gonna use it, the codename the guy I met used etc and contacts to find the guy. Taking 20 takes 20 minutes with contacts for a 42 Gather Info check to track him down. He can oppose with stealth if he's trying to hide out.

Ace finished prepping the potting bucket and moved to help Stesha manipulate the heavy plant. "I'm sure you will." He replied with a smile as he helped wrest the root ball apart. He glanced over his shoulder, "Well it will give me an excuse to have them all digitized finallly." He said with a spakling laugh, "I'll get them too you in a day or two, give me a chance to see my favorite plant expert again." He added with a sly wink. With Steshas skills they made short work of seperating the root masses and it was a simple method to fill in around the roots to finish the repotting process.

Well informed gather info check (1d20+22=35)

Yea DS is up.

The thought of Mark with kids or a career was somewhat unthinkable to Mike. The seat of his pants, it'll all work out attitude did not seem condusive to stability even if he was usually right and it did. 'I guess that makes sense then, I dunno I don't think we can all be Mark and just count on it working out though.' Mike was particularly concerned about that trait of Marks as some day luck might not be enough and he really didn't seem to have anything else to fall back on. 'I mean I get not growing up too quickly but we also have to at some point you know.' Maybe it was the weighty decisions on his shoulders but that time seemed alot closer to him than it ever had before. 'Then again trying to plan out ten years is a little excesive perhaps.' It was his easy joking manner once more having shoved aside the brief incursion of serious thoughts.

In some ways Mike was glad to have the usual candor return to thier conversation. On the other hand he was completely confused by what Alex was saying. Befor he was really able to stop himself theat confusion manifested over the link as a sort of 'BWaaaaa?!?' thought pattern before he reighned himself in once more. 'Uhmm ten years seems like a long time to plan things out before a date.' Maybe Chris and Eddie were right and these choices were more permanent than he thought.

Ace smiled at her shock, "You've more than earned it, this plant was a gift from a dear old friend." He took a step towards Stesha getting much closer. He was not so close as to be inside her personal space but just close enough that she could see how easy it would be for him to be. He looked at her earnestly and explained, "You saved it, thats well worth it to me." He took a step back then and conineued to prep the bucket as he spoke, "Besides theres a certain graceful symetry to it, I was given the plant by an old friend and now I get to give the next cutting to a new one." He flashed her a quick smile at the comment.

Mike wasn't really sure how to respond. He was glad that Alex was happy, and really despite their very different personalities liked Mark. Even pushing aside the confusion on the matter Eddie and Chris insisted on inserting he was still uncertain about how to feel. He tried with limited success to hold back his thoughts as he replied, 'thats good.' there was a vaguely uncomfortable pause, 'Marks a good guy.' Which was true at least it wasn't like Eddie or Chris he wasn't sure if he'd have to listen to the standard teen conquest stories from Mark but he knew he would had it been one of them.

Mike certainly couldn't argue with that. While he was no more pressed here by his schoolwork than he had been in the Institue he relished the escape from what felt like constant mindgames they played. 'Yea it is a nice change of pace I suppose, though I may need to find a new study budy as I don't see any classes in common comming up.' his mood was the familair friendly jokeing they usually shared once more, He was putting in the effort to hold back his normal dourness in the face of her good mood.

"Its the least I can do considering." Ace replied while fishing for a bucket from under one of the tables. He held up a decent size bucket inqireing, "This'll do? I Figure a bucket ought work till you get it home figure out where you want to put it." He glanced up with a wink, "unless you want to keep it here but with your talents I doubt you'll need all this claptrap he motioned at the assorted enviromental controls." Despite the unlikelyhood the offer seemed genuine as he began placing a starter layer of soil in the bucket.

The youths words reminded Ace of a trick that might just work. Quickly chewing a piece of gum he pulled from his pocket the former boy adventurer extrodinaire rigged up the trip wire with the wrapper and gum with a deft hand. Stepping back to admire his work he whispered, "That'll do, should hold up fine." He glanced towards Phantom and explained, "Unfortunately I don't think it've been any easier to disable from the inside." He carefully clicked the door open with a finger pressed to his lip.

Disable device (1d20 +12=29) So close HP for reroll Disable device HP reroll (1d20+12=22) +10 due to HP Success Woo Hoo

'Not a bad idea actually, he even seems to escape unscathed from flirting with Erin.' Clearly Mike considered such behavior not only near suicidal but mildly rude. 'Of course he's pretty enough to get away with more then me.' Mike didn't really think about his own apearance much but was not so oblivious as to miss the way James got along with the fairer sex. Mike still wasn't really tired, and it seemed Alex might have more on her mind as well. He of course felt it would be rude and possibly awkward to ask about the date, well that was his explanation for his reluctance at least. Finally he tentitively inquired, 'How have you been?'

'I suppose you are right about that.' He wasn't exactly sure how to take the similarities between Dark Stars speech and Alexs explanations. 'Some advice better than others,' there was actually an edge of mirth to his thoughts, 'Eddie has some interesting ideas on socilizing I don't think they are really me though.' It wasn't really an attempt at deflecting the issue. Mike knew he had to make a descision he just didn't know what decision to make.

Mike chuckled softly this was the birthday events he remembered, "Sure I'll give you a hand." He said. He hadn't gotton back int he pool yet so was still dry though shirtless as the other boys. He followed Alex towards the house, "So long as its not monopoly people get way to vicious over that game." He joked

Mikes mind went blank at her specific mention of the incident. He refused to let his hopes get up over what may or may not have happened. 'I don't even know if that matters. He certainly could have thats the important part.' Mike shook off the memories. 'I've tried to learn from it. I've tried to move past it, I've tried every damn thing every shrink at the Institute told me.' Mike's fury at the institute flowed freely down the link before he calmed himself. 'Its just like everyone thinks that because I can do this thing I should, and they all have this idea of how.' Memories of Erins harsh words about his actions at the game drifted along the link.

Ace dug his spade in according to her directions as he replied, "I dabble. Over the years I've acumulated a few with sentimental value and I have the space." He grinned up at her, "Well I still owe you the tour so you still have a chance after we finish here." He met her eyes to add, "If you're not too busy." Flashing that distracting smile again. The soil was well airated so it was fairly easy to get the rough shape dug out leaving only the need to clean up the root ball in short order.

Mike managed to surpress and afronted grumble but only just. 'I know I'm over sensitive about it, but I can't just ignore what happened or what might.' if one could be snipish in thoughts Mike would be. He took a deep breath, 'Sorry, I know you're just trying to help.' He really did wish he could manage to be less prickly about that stuff. 'Huh, Dark Star seems much less imposing in person somehow or maybe he wasn't in hero mode.' Mike was begining to tangentalize but for once pulled back to the issue at hand himself. 'I think he put it well, and kinda captures why I did do something at the game. He said he couldn't just stand by while he could help. I guess at least then I couldn't either.' It was a rather big step for Mike really to admit even that much. 'But at the same time its terrifying, I mean look what happened with Erin and that kid, its just such a small margin of error.' Mike obviously still had conflicted feelings over the matter of Erin and his fight when last they spoke that leaked through a bit as he thought back.

I think we can lock this one up with that.

Mike was somewhat skeptical in a way. On the one hand she was right it was a progression on the other he had trouble ever imagining Eddie or even Edge and Chris fully grasping the gravity of their actions. Alex was of course right, Mike grew much more comfortable talking about Dark Star than himself. 'He's called Dark Star, he was like ths wierd mass of black stuff but like person shaped.' The physical description was probably unneccisary for anyone who didn't actively avoid coverage of heroes like mike did given Dark Stars rather public acts of daring do. 'I dunno how long he's been doing th hero thing but he seemed to have a pretty good grasp on it. Certainly better than some bunch of kids.' Mike clearly primarily meant himself though he really considered the other boys to be just as bad. 'I mean he knows how bad it can go. Really seems to understand the risk.' Mike was clearly slipping back into something like his usual self loathing regarding powers or at the least viewing the world through that filter at the least.

Mike nervously tamped down on the connection for an instant, 'Sorry' He tried to order his thoughts to make his stream of consciousness less chaotic before loosening up a bit. 'I ran into a guy this morning. Hero, he might start working as a teacher or something.' Mike rolled onto his side just in case he started to let slip his thought verbaly as he occasionally did when they were doing this. 'I dunno why but he came up to talk to me when I was doing some writing out behind the admin building.' Mike still wasn't sure exactly what he felt about the conversation and some of that confusion slipped out of course. 'He explained some stuff about why he does it. The whole hero thing ya know. It was kinda interesting I guess but I'm just can't see how we can be ready for all that ya know?' It was a somewhat rhetorical question of course but he was kind of mentaly trailing off.

Looks like its back YAY

Mike glanced back at Dark Star once more. "Yea maybe, especially if you don't up teaching the advanced students." He said with a small laugh. He shifted uncomfortably for a moment, "Anyway, thanks." he finally said.

Perfect I'll add it to the timeline

August 4th, 2009: Dark Star has a conversation with Phalanx about the nature of heroism in Hero to Hero: Old tune, new players (IC) August 4th, 2009: Mike and Alex have a late night chat via String and Tin Cans of a psychic nature.