alderwitch

Ray held the door open for Stesha, before following her into the warmth of the cab with a soft sigh of relief. He wasn't overly fond of the cold, but - really - he suffered more than he needed to in not wanting to vary his wardrobe too much. Part of that was practical since he required access to the ink covered skin in case of emergency, but a good dose of it was pure stubborn dislike of changing up something he found comfortable. Ray leaned forward to give brief directions to the driver, before settling back against the seat. "It has a bit of a hipster vibe," Ray admitted, "Different than the hole-in-a-wall that I learned at decades back, in London." At her question, he glanced down at the sphere she was holding. "Oh, same as everything else I pull out of my tattoos, a bit of holy energy, a dash of creation. Light and warmth is easy to pull, even for someone in my bracket of the hierarchy. Well..." Ray paused and then amended, "I'm not really supposed to tap into any of it while I'm on a sabbatical but it is useful. Its harmless, barring demonic possession or an undead trying to lick it. Would not recommend."

"It depends on who you ask," was Ray's wry response to that question. Shifting a little, he bounced the spark between his hands once more, gathering light from the tattoos along his skin until it was more the size of a golf ball, and producing more heat for its increased size before Ray held it out for her to take with exactly zero reverence for the holy energy that he was treating as a handwarmer. "Here, cup your hands around this and I'll see if I can flag down a cab." Raising one long arm up, Ray took advantage of his height to signal for one of the taxis pulling in. "I work as a tattoo artist; I have a little shop across town. It pays the bills, and in a town like Freedom City, you get a certain stable clientele when you have a reputation for dealing with quirks like impervious skin or scales, or what-have-you." He paused before adding, "I was just heading back there. If you have some time to kill, you're welcome to come with me. There's a cafe that's right down the block, or I can put on some tea, or coffee. I don't have any clients slotted in as I never know if its going to be a 'five minutes' sort of consult or a 'whoops, now we're fighting the angel of death and there goes your afternoon', with you people." Ray added that last with what was clearly amusement.

"That's debatable but I don't think you're looking for philosophical debates standing on the street in this weather," Ray countered with a sidelong smile, "If I've learned one thing over the years, its that humanity is nothing if not surprising in defying any sort of imposed order, or reason. Did you need a cab?" He turned towards the street a little, in case she was in a hurry, but the slight grimace on his features was clear in profile, "Oh, nothing important. There was a question about one of the heavens, some minor thing, but apparently my name is on a roster now. I am starting to suspect that Heyzel has me down as his emergency contact. I don't think I provided any information that wasn't already known. Really, they have the metaphysics down probably better than I do. Unless the question is, 'Is that an original Rembrant, or is it a knock off', I'm really probably not too much use to the League."

Ray squinted a little as her silhouette seemed familiar but not immediately recognizable. When her magic touched the plants, though, it clicked into place. Shifting the ball of dancing light to his palm, where his fingers could curl around the warmth, he straightened away from the entrance to take a few long strides in order to catch up. "Fighting against the inevitable?" Ray asked, his tone somewhere along the spectrum of bemused as he caught up to Stesha's side. Gesturing with his empty hand towards his chest, he offered his name, "I'm not sure if you remember me? I'm Ray. Heyzel's... ah, cousin." Ray settled on, having never been fond of the 'brother-uncle' descriptor that the younger angel preferred. ("Mercy's sake, it sounds like we're from back-woods Alabama when you say it that way.")

At first glance, the tall man leaning against the exterior of the imposing Freedom League headquarters, looked like he might be smoking far too close to the building's entrance. A closer look, however, would reveal that the ember dancing along his tattooed knuckles wasn't connected to anything at all, and certainly not a cigarette. Bowing to the winter weather, Ray wore his leather jacket over the tank top and BDU's that he worked in. Immortality did not, sadly, provide an immunity to cold and while the spark of light in his hands kept his fingertips warm, he'd have to summon something far larger and far more eye catching to heat anything more than his fingertips. Technically, he was finished offering his 'consultation', although Ray didn't think that he'd provided anything unknown to the magic-users attached to the Freedom League, but Ray was trying to be a bit more environmentally conscious and take advantage of the city's public transportation system. His good intentions, however, were going straight out the window if the damn bus took another ten minutes.

"Yeah, I don't think our friends are going to be able to think super clearly with their parents in the mix," Robin muttered to Merlin and then held out her arm with clear offer for the monkey to clamber up onto her shoulders. Her voice was rough, almost harsh, but not cold. Robin was well aware just how much she might do to enjoy a hug from her parents again and while she didn't begrudge her friends their emotional reactions, it seemed like she ought to step in to provide some buffer. "Quick way down. Tell Raina what you saw. Maybe she can get her parents and Riley's mom out," she explained, taking a few steps towards the drop and then plummeting at an arc that would bring her close to the portal. Hopefully Merlin would rejoin Raina once they were on the ground as Robin had a bad feeling that she was about to be shot at. A lot. Straightening to her full height in the simple grey and red spandex, "You have to shut down this portal." Robin said firmly to the adults. "It's dangerous. I can't let you do this."

Bombshell 2007 The woman in the mirror looked nothing like Talya, except for the eyes. Those were definitely her blue eyes staring back at her, but the rest of it might as well have been a mask. The wispy white hair pulled back in straggly bun spoke of a woman well into her seventies, at least, although one who was making every effort to age well. The trick in creating a believable illusion was in the details. ‘Rebecca’ had been a vain woman and wouldn’t let a thing like prison or aging ruin her good looks, so her disguise had all the hallmarks of what Bombshell might have looked like, had she ever aged, changed subtly day by day. Smoothing her hand over the prison jumpsuit, she moved away from the dingy mirror with the fragile grace of someone who had been very athletic, once, and towards the cell door to await the next part of the day’s routine. As far as everyone here was concerned, she was Rebecca Danvers, the former flame of the long-deceased Scarab, a famous thief who had taken the name of the World War II hero, Bombshell, to make her own. There were only a handful of people who knew she was also the original Bombshell, and even less than that who knew she was immortal. Decades behind bars was very good for being forgotten. Part of her continued to catalog the slight variations in the prison environment. Dmitri thought she was being dramatic with herself imposed exile. Ace might - might - understand it, if he let himself feel anything long enough to address it. Her release date was steadily approaching so, regardless, Talya could hardly continue this ghost-life. Making her way over towards a table and her bi-weekly card game, her gaze absently skipped across the television. It was only years upon years of training that kept her posture slightly stooped and kept the flash of fury from twisting her features at the red and gold streaking across the screen. How DARE they? Couldn’t they leave the dead well enough alone? For the first time in years, Talya felt glorious purpose sweep through her. She’d let the release date come, make sure this identity was clear and then… then, she’d make sure this pretender was worthy to claim the name. After all, she had nothing but time on her hands. 2017 The woman in the mirror looked nothing like Talya, except for the eyes. Those were definitely her blue eyes staring back at her, but the rest of it might as well have been a mask. Talya eyed the effects critically, only to pause in reaching for a slender tipped brush as one of her offspring tumbled into the room. Leaving her makeup half-done, Talya stood to gather the little girl up. Oh, Mia wasn’t upset, certainly; Erik had the girls learning to tumble almost as soon as they started toddling, but she’d clearly been in a hurry so best to see what that was all about. “Careful, my love,” Talya said as she scooped Mia up, automatically turning her head to see if one of Mia’s siblings was hot on her heels. The hallway was empty, so whatever had brought her dashing into her parents’ rooms was not a fight with one of her sisters. Probably. By the time she glanced back to Mia, the little girl was scowling at Talya directly, “Mummy!” “My goodness,” Talya replied gravely, turning at the waist to deposit Mia on the extra large bed that occupied the center of the room. That bed had been a custom piece and Talya had no intention of actually telling Erik just how much it cost anytime soon. “Such a face. Whatever have I done, Mia?” Even bouncing onto the plush comforter couldn’t break Mia’s scowl, nor did the teasing penetrate as the little girl’s features took on a decidedly mulish cast that Talya, personally, thought she got from her father. Stubborn ran strong in the Espadas gene; even Terry had his own brand - though he hid it better than his sisters. “Mummy,” Mia repeated, scoldingly, “You have your OTHER face on. I don’t like it.” Oh, of course it was Mia who took exception to the masquerade. Eden was thoughtful, and Terry and Emily were young enough that it probably hadn’t registered. Mia, though, she’d begun to recognize the disguises and, clearly, she decided that she didn’t care for them. “Baby,” Talya said, softly, her tone gentling as she came down to sit next to Mia on the bed. Gathering the little girl up against her side. She knew what Mia saw, it was the red-lips and sharp lines that she’d worn for decades upon decades. “You know we all wear masks sometimes when we work… This is just another mask.” Mia frowned, reaching up to touch Talya’s cheeks and the artfully styled blonde curls. Her little mouth twisted downward unhappily, “But you don’t look like you. You don’t look like Mummy.” Talya’s mouth curved in a small, sweet smile; the smile that didn’t go at all with the red lips and cat eye liner that defined Bombshell. Leaning into Mia, like she was sharing a secret, Talya’s brow touched her daughter’s, “But it’s still me, dearest. It doesn’t matter what mask I’m wearing, I’ll always be your mum, and that’s all that really matters.” 2027 The girl in the mirror looked nothing like Mia, except for the eyes. Those were definitely her daughter’s eyes turned up for approval but she could probably fool her own father walking by him in the street. Talya hoped so, they were going to test that later and she did so enjoy being right. “Mum, is it right?” Mia wanted to know, standing up impatiently to give Talya the full effect. Talya looked over her as critically as she ever had practicing in the dojo. “It’s good… very good, though you’ll have to watch mussing up the hair. Your mother’s ears are a little harder than most features to disguise,” Talya said with a fond smile as she reached out to tweak Mia’s hairstyle to better hide the delicate points that all the children’s ears swept up into. Most parents probably didn’t have disguise and subterfuge high on their lists of valued pre-teen skills. Honestly, most of Mia’s classmates probably didn’t have open access to make-up but Talya had only one rule when it came to cosmetics for any of the children, including Terry. Any child could wear makeup but it meant that Talya would be teaching them how to apply it. “It’s very good, you’ve shifted the entire tone of your skin away and the the contouring is judiciously done, not too much. You’ve gone very ‘evening eye’ for a thirteen year old, though. Natural is better for a disguise, dearest, even if sparkles are more fun,” The door banged open as Talya finished her advice alongside smoothing out Mia’s braid over her ears. Mia’s ire was immediately drawn as whatever raucous game of tag that had been going on in the rest of the house poured into and around Talya’s bedroom. “Oh my god, you guys are the worst!” Mia scolded, clearly copying Eden’s tone. With Eden away at Claremont for her first year, there was certainly a void to be filled and there was definite dissension among the ‘ranks’ as to who should be in charge in her absence. Sliding through the chaos, Talya recognized the notable absence of her son which meant either Terry was utilizing the distraction, or he was planning on striking from the shadows when someone’s guard was down. She made a mental note to corral him downstairs towards the dojo and the endless chores that a family business always created. “Emily, Maisie, I know that you both have homework to be working on. To your rooms, please.” Talya said as she finally stepped into the fray, turning those two girls neatly towards their rooms before anyone could careen across the bed like it was a trampoline. Catching the youngest Espadas, she shooed her towards the patio, “Tempest, your mother is in her gardens. Why don’t you go see if she can put your energy to good use, hm?” Nodding for Mia to head towards the stairs and see if she could fool her father by joining a class of other tweens in the dojo. “I’ll be down in a bit. Wouldn’t want to ruin your disguise by making it too obvious, hmm?” It might be chaos, certainly, but she was never, ever bored.

Nighthawk 2008 Robin’s features were screwed up in concentration, bouncing lightly on her toes as her grey-eyed gaze fixed on the high-low bars. A gentle hand came down on top of her braids, “Remember, baby, the important thing is to do your best. No one can ask more than that.” Her smile was quick and bright for the words from her gentle father. The pride radiating off of him was palatable. “But my best is pretty good, right, Daddy?” In her spangly leotard, Robin couldn’t help but feel very grown up and fancy as she waited her turn for try outs. Even at eight she knew that catching the trainer’s eye would make the difference in advancing to a whole new level of gymnastics training; way beyond what the Y could offer. She wished both parents could be there to watch her attempts but it was hard enough for just one of them to make the time off of work. Robin had some concept that her family was poor, although at eight, she wasn’t yet aware of the strain even an afternoon off would cause for their meager finances. Fens children grew up quickly, but her parents tried so hard to buffer her from the harsher edges of reality as much as they could. Two years from now, that world would come crashing inward but in this moment, in 2008, all Robin had to fret over was the impending tryouts and whether her mother would get to see them. “You’ll record my performance for Mom, right?” Robin asked for the fifth time. “Yes, honey, of course. Now go on out there.” With pride shining in the same grey eyes that his daughter had inherited, Robin’s father stood at the sidelines as she sailed through her routine with absolute joy. His daughter was a wonder, and no one would ever be able to tell him differently. After flipping and twisting through the air like she belonged among the birds, Robin stuck her landing for just long enough before dashing back over to the sidelines. “Did you get it? Did you? Did I do good?” The questions burst from her, bouncing with barely concealed energy as she tried to look at his worn phone to make sure that her performance had been captured. Even years later, Robin would vividly remember the way that his laughter boomed and he swept her up for a hug before taking her out for ice cream. It had been a good day. 2017 It was an absolutely terrible day. Chasing after a mugger had split the seam in the last ‘good’ pair of jeans that Robin owned, and the usual bus that she hopped onto to get back to Claremont was MIA, which left her leaping from rooftop to rooftop and hoping that her antics wouldn’t destroy the jeans past patching by the time she got back to the dorm. “What am I even doing here?” Robin muttered to herself as she dropped through the window into the room that she and Fred shared. “It’s been two years, zero progress.” Which wasn’t entirely fair, and Robin knew that even though she felt it keenly at the moment. She’d come here with the hope that Claremont’s training would help her find out what happened to her parents. Instead, she only had more questions. Stripping out of the ruined jeans, she tossed them into her ‘to be mended or turned into rags’ box at the end of her bed. More of her clothes seemed to end up there than not lately. Crossing to the dresser that held her meager belongings, Robin reached out for the worn picture of her parents in the frame that Fred had purchased. Dr. Martinez had been so pleased with the ‘growth’ of leaving her belongings in the dorm rather than lugging them about in a tattered backpack everywhere she went. Robin was self-aware enough to recognize that it did mean that she’d accepted the dorm room as ‘home’ but it was all changing again. This was her senior year. Fred had made it very clear that she was not going to accept Robin’s return to the streets but the idea of taking charity even from her friends chafed. “And its home. The Fens might be run down, but it's my home. It was our home,” Robin murmured, aware she was talking to her parents faded images. She liked to think they were still listening, but she was pragmatic enough to recognize that the chance was slim. “So… what do I do then? I’m not going to stay on someone’s couch, if I’m going back to the Fens, I need to find a way to put a roof over my head and food in my stomach... Something where I can make my own hours.” She reached out and gently set the frame back on the dresser. “Something where I can help people,” Robin added finally, a promise to the ghosts of her parents, “I can keep chasing the past, but it isn’t going to ever make right, what happened to us. I can’t fix that.” Her gaze slid up only, finding her features in the mirror; her father’s grey eyes and the stubborn chin that she shared with her mother, “But I’ll keep it from happening to other families. I promise.” 2028 Robin cursed under her breath as the stenciled glass of ‘Chevalier Investigations: Private Investigation and Detective for Hire’ exploded into her shabby office, shattered by a thrown brick. Yes, Fred told her that she should shell out for the bulletproof glass but that stuff was expensive and Robin wasn’t all that worried about getting hit by a bullet, or a brick in this case. But it would have been nice to not have to replace the window. Again. Standing up, she crunched her way across the carpet to pick up the brick with her prosthetic. The metal scraped against the stone. Eschewing the door, Robin stepped through the now gaping storefront and onto the street, looking perturbed but undaunted. No doubt the perpetrator had already booked it, and it could be related to any of a half dozen cases that Robin had open. (Sadly, half of those were not paid in cold, hard cash but more for favors. Robin was a perpetual soft touch, certainly, but living on the streets had taught her the value of bartering and early on in the agency’s formation, she’d realized that keeping a steady stream of favors owed made it much easier to farm information in the Fens.) Letting out a shrill whistle, Robin cocked her head at an alley where a half dozen urchins loitered about, “Hey, Sammy, you and your friends see anything? Save me some time and there’s a twenty in it for you.” The ring leader sidled closer, his gaze darting towards the side, “Fifty.” Robin rolled her eyes, “You’re killing me here. I already got to pay for that window replacement.” Gesturing with her good hand towards the window in question, she eyed the kids and their too rangy forms. “Tell you what, I’ll give you twenty bucks, and a pizza to split.” “....Two pizzas. And soda.” “Deal,” Robin huffed out a sigh, managing to look put upon and pleased at the same time. Pulling a bill from her pocket, she made the trade and ordered the pizza, exchanging the goods for a lead on the latest vandalism. One of the petty drug rings she was working, but that was almost good news. It meant she was getting close. She might even have that particular crew shut down by the end of the week, and Fred would have the bullet proof glass she wanted. All around, it was a good day.

"I love you too," Robin whispered after Riley's vanishing form with the words she'd struggled long over aching in her throat. He might not even know she'd said them and, if it was true and he followed his mother through that portal, Robin might not ever know if he had heard her response. She gave a short, sharp shake of her head as she slipped deeper into the shadows. Hand by hand she paced the cluster of people below her to make sure that when she did drop to the ground, she'd be in position to put herself between the men with the guns and her friends. With her weight mostly supported by her legs and her body shielded in the shadows of the rafters, Robin kept her attention on the little drama playing out below with her grey eyes darting for anything that might disrupt the portal that seemed, at least objectively, the biggest threat tot he Fens.

Robin gave Raina a sharp look at the comment about 'her parents', before blowing out a slow breath meant to steady her nerves. Robin had to assume that the portal linked to Riley's dimension and from everything they'd seen so far, those went bad - quickly. Giving a short, sharp shake of her head, she kept her voice as low as she could. "We need to close that portal." She said with a small nod towards it, the defender of the Fens first and foremost, before she touched the back of Riley's hand where they crouched in the rafters, her voice gone gravely even if she kept it admirably even, "An' you and your mom should decide quickly which side you wanna be on when it gets shut down."

Content Notice: Character Death Date: November 6, 2017 Location: Phantom's Sanctum Sanctorm in North Bay For once, it was a quiet Monday for Taylor. Halloween was always a busy time for her line of work, but the week afterwards, she'd come to expect the lull. Today, that happened to coincide with a day off with her boys' schools. Sprawled on her stomach on the large rug of her library, Taylor's brow furrowed as she tried to stay ahead of JJ in their lego assembly project. The latest addition to the haunted castle line was halfway assembled, but where Taylor wanted to follow the directions to the letter, her youngest had a tendency to... improvise. "I don't think that goes there," she told the seven year old at his efforts to attach the constructed wall to the top of the tower. "It'th better defenceth!" JJ lisped only to scowl as he heard the distortion that his fangs made to the words. With his brows creasing, he enunciated carefully with a seven year old's scorn, "What kinda keep has open access like that. It's just asking to be caught by surprise." "Well-- hrk-" Whatever Taylor had meant to say was lost, her voice falling from human into the otherworldly echo it took on when she released her hold on Prime. JJ's eyes could only widen as his mother froze in place, her body flickering almost frantically, as if she couldn't quite sync in with Prime as all the barriers between Here and Other failed for one awful, terrifying moment. Even at seven, JJ's other senses were established enough to feel the danger even if he didn't know what it was, or what caused it. As he'd been trained to since he was old enough to understand, JJ did exactly two things; "DAAAAAAAAAD!" And then the seven year old dhampir vanished into the Void, exactly as he was supposed to in case of a potential invasion of Prime.

Et In Arcadia Ego IC thread This is a place for folks to react or seek out answers with the death of Adrian Eldritch and the passing of the torch of Master Mage. I can potentially spin this off to multiple threads if needed. Playing it kind of loose as characters would have vastly different sorts of information accessible, some will probably almost immediately know the cause, others not so much.

Content Notice: Character Death, Cursing Date: November 6, 2017 All across the prime dimension, it was a day much like any other. There were dangers, both large and small. The third planet from the sun continued to spin, with all its many denizens busy with their lives. Some might have been recovering from a long weekend, while others might be looking forward to a holiday season. Many of the planet's costumed defenders were busy with the usual threats to the populaces they defended. Time progressed... Until it didn't. Between the tick of a second hand, for just a moment, the prime dimension... hiccuped. It was as if all of creation was a ball spinning wildly in the air, uncertain if it would actually be caught. Those with the sort of mystical senses might feel it in a myriad of ways, pressure in their ears or perhaps a flicker in the corner or their eyes. For those with their eyes truly opened to the vast eternity of the cosmic coil, for one heart stopping microsecond, all the barriers that kept prime safe flickered, with all the myriad possibilities superimposed. It was a moment of utter madness before sanity and order were restored.

Bombshell Interceptors: Sounds Of Silence = 2 Posts Nighthawk (IC) Pop Quiz: All You Have Is Your Fire = 2 Posts Interceptors: Handclap = 2 Posts Sophia Fast Food = 1 Posts Knock on the Door Job(IC) = 3 Posts Guidepoint to Psyche please.

"Whatever we have to do," Talya said flatly, her expression grim, before her gaze flicked over towards Erik and away from Min's righteous wrath. Her hand squeezed Min's fingertips on her shoulder; gentle despite the tremendous strength she well knew they had. Reaching out, her other hand landed on Erik's. Talya's voice softened then, " And no more than we have to." Finally centered, she nodded at Steve. It was clear that the one time thief understood the question unspoken but clear in those unsettling eyes. "I prefer them caged. There's no way to be sure that dead is actually dead with us. I'd rather know where an enemy is than not," Her smile was brittle and cold as she acknowledged, "It does help knowing how much they loathe the accommodations."

"I'd watch the magic you use then. I mean, you're the expert, but people who use stuff tend to also have warnings for it too," Robin cautioned, nodding her agreement to Riley at the roof. Cupping her hands, she offered the nimble archer a boost towards the roof-line. "You wanna risk the broom or want a lift?" She offered it easily, as scrambling up to the roof access with or without Raina and Merlin's weight wasn't all that different. Robin was certainly confident that she's not let any of them fall. "Don't worry, Raina, we got this."

Robin glanced left and then right, a flick of her grey eyes and the slight tensing of her muscles were the only forewarning. For Riley, they were likely bright telegraphed signs as he'd been behind her shoulders in more than one fight. The security guards, however, had no idea of what they were getting into when one of them got close enough to reach for her wrist. In swift, economical movements, Robin dropped her shoulder and drove the opposite elbow into the nose of the closest guard with an audible pop-crunch. She pivoted, twisting so quickly that her new dress spun out from her legs. A quick right hook and then another elbow on the pull back sent two more men staggering. Out of range from her fists, she continued her pivot, sending one sandal covered foot into the fourth man's throat hard enough to send him and the man behind him into the edge of the stage.

Janus Danger Power Level: 10/12 (180/180PP) Unspent Power Points: 0 Trade-Offs: +2 Attack / -2 Damage, +2 Defense / -2 Toughness In Brief: Swashbuckling Scion with Something to Prove Catchphrase: Theme: Imagine Dragons - Thunder Alternate Identity: Janus Danger (Public, Prime), Prince Janus of Aruivia (Public, Freedom League Dimension Designation; Earth-O-Eldritch-2 (Allied), Local Designation: Fortuna) Birthplace: Wintershold, Capital of Aruivia. Residence: Claremont during the school year, Danger Manor when not in school or in Fortuna. Base of Operations: Claremont Occupation: Student Affiliations: Claremont, Danger Industries Family: Janus is the middle child of Queen Antigone of Aruivia and John Danger II. The Danger family tree grows more convoluted every year, especially with the predilection towards adventure that seems to run in the family. In Janus's case, it led to her father finding an entirely different dimension that he quickly found himself a destined hero in. Her immediate family remains in Fortuna but they visit the Prime-side relations at least a few times every year so she's reasonably close to her father's sister, Rachel, and the rest of the Danger diaspora. Description: Age: 16 Apparent Age: 16 Gender: biologically female, presents androgynous, uses she/her pronouns Ethnicity: Caucasian Height: 5' 10" Weight: 165 lbs Eyes: Violet Hair: White-blonde to rose-red ombre. Janus is lean and angular; fresh out being all legs and arms. She's definitely on the handsome end of the spectrum, with classic Danger good looks melding with the more exotic lines from her mother. Training and exercise has been part of her daily routine since she was old enough to toddle, so she has more balance and grace than a teenager fresh out of a growth spurt really ought to have and more muscle than might be guessed with her long, lean body. Janus dresses like something out of an early 1980s fantasy movie, a la David Bowie or perhaps like she's waiting to be called in for a Takarazuka Revue performance. It could look ridiculous but she wears it with the sort of casual confidence that kids of this world wear jeans and a cool jacket. Since migrating to Prime for schooling, Janus has pierced her ears several times, wearing silver hoops and studs to match the multitude of rings that she is rarely without. Over her right eye, Janus has a starburst shaped birthmark that has a silver-sheen. It glows along with her weapon when she draws out her soul sword. Janus dresses in high glam but masculine attire and is often wearing low heeled boots that add another couple of inches to her height. She's fond of Earth based cosmetics and often uses those to heighten and accentuate her already sharp cheekbones and striking eyes. History: During the mid 70s, Janus' father took his first trip to Fortuna, originally as a Freedom League affiliated envoy. John was already an experienced veteran of adventures but he found his true calling in helping restore Antigone to the thrown of Aruivia and, in time, they fell in love. Fortuna was significantly dissimilar from Earth. Although the magic of Fortuna fell more into the sword-and-sorcery arena than some of the more high-magic worlds, the dimension itself ran off the power of narratives. Stories have Power in Fortuna, as does belief. As the namesake and grandson of one of Prime's heroes, John brought that power with him to Fortuna, allowing him to form it into mystical weapons and armor. It was that power that he used to help Antigone and together, the two brought peace to the kingdom of Aruivia. Janus is the middle child of the couple. Her elder brother has their father's good looks and commanding presence, while he has their mother's sense of justice and compassion. As the crown prince, he's slated to take over the royal duties one day. Her younger sister embraces all that being a princess entails. Though still a child, she is kind and gracious and gifted with an emerging ability to forsee the future. Janus loves her siblings very much but as the middle, rebellious child, her place in Aruivia's story may take a darker bent as the narrative of the world presses on her to fit into expectations. It was with a heavy heart that her parents sent her to her father's relatives but it became clear that Janus's physical prowess was beginning to eclipse her older brother. They hope that free from the pressure of Fortuna, Janus can take her own path. Whether that will be the actual case, remains to be seen. Personality & Motivation: Janus is brash, bold and daring. She is both genuinely courageous and kind although she's often driven to prove herself. She thinks nothing of engaging in dramatics as its expected by the idiom of her native land. Despite often taking summers or vacations on Prime, she still retains a bit of a 'stranger in a strange land' vibe, especially as she makes little to no effort to change herself to conform. Janus' primary motivation is to be true to herself, and find the Hero within. She wholeheartedly believes that her Soul Sword is a sign of her inner potential and that it is both her responsibility and her gift to bring it to its full potential. Unfortunately, this means that she can be both stubborn and defiant when dealing with any authority trying to push her to act outside her morals. Powers & Tactics: Janus' relies on her physical prowess. Trained to defend herself with sword and fist since she was young, she's skilled at hand to hand combat although she's most comfortable with a sword in her hand. She's a flashy fighter, in part because she has fought side by side most often with her brother who, as the heir to the throne, is more important. Janus has accompanied her father and brother on ogre hunting missions and the like since she was old enough to engage in live combat. Being as she's from the Danger family, that was definitely on the younger side. She's used to making herself a target to draw attention away; a tactic her sibling is not overly fond of. She has a natural gift for witty banter, one that has only grown since spending more time with her Danger relatives. In addition to being highly skilled, Janus can draw her soul sword from her breast if she deems the threat worthy of it. Eldritch armor covers her arm from shoulder to fingertip and a glowing blade forms in her hand, drawn from her own essence, providing her additional mystical protection and weaponry. Power Descriptions: Janus' world is one of magic; where the rules are proscribed by the power of tales and legends in the minds and hearts of the people. Her soul sword and the armor fluctuates depending on her sense of self, so as long as Janus' heart is pure, the magic glows silver-white and the manifestations are solid and strong. At the moment, her power covers her shoulder down to her fingertips in armor and manifests in a single blade. It is possible that she might make different energy constructs with time and practice. Should she change or falter, the magic will manifest differently. Complications: Oh Fortuna: Janus carries with her the power of her mother's world but that is a world with its own beliefs and structure. Those are rules she has to follow. Self-doubt or despair weakens her mystical abilities and, in moments of true crisis, could render her without them entirely. Fame: Although there are a lot of perks with taking on some of the face of Danger Media, sometimes being a public figure can cause real problems not only for Janus, but for those she calls friends. Responsibilities: Not only does Janus have a title and public duties when she's home, but she's a member of the Danger family. Not only does that mean she inherits some of the considerable enemies that they have made over the years, but it means that in addition to school, she has whatever responsibilities to her family and their businesses that might come up. Abilities: 10 + 10 + 8 + 4 + 4 + 14 = 50PP Strength: 20 (+5) Dexterity: 20 (+5) Constitution: 18 (+4) Intelligence: 14 (+2) Wisdom: 14 (+2) Charisma: 24 (+7) Combat: 20 + 16 = 36PP Initiative: +5 Attack: +12 Melee, +10 Ranged Defense: +12 (+8 Base, +4 Dodge Focus), +4 Flat-Footed Grapple: +0 Knockback: -0 Saving Throws: 6 + 5 + 6 = 17PP Toughness: +8 (+4 Con, +4 [Defensive Roll]) Fortitude: +10 (+4 Con, +6) Reflex: +10 (+5 Dex, +5) Will: +8 (+2 Wis, +6) Skills: 88R = 22PP Acrobatics 5 (+10)Skill Mastery Bluff 13 (+20)Skill Mastery Climb 5 (+10)Skill Mastery Diplomacy 13 (+20)Skill Mastery Disable Device 5 (+7)Skill Mastery Drive 5 (+10)Skill Mastery Escape Artist 5 (+10)Skill Mastery Gather Information 8 (+15)Skill Mastery Intimidate 8 (+15)Skill Mastery Language 4 (Fortuna (native), English, French, Dakanan, Greek) Notice 13 (+15)Skill Mastery Perform(Vocal) 4 (+11)Skill Mastery Survival 8 (+10)Skill Mastery Feats: 37 PP Attack Focus (Melee) x 2 Beginner's Luck Fast Feint Fast Taunt Benefit (Security Clearance: Danger International, Fame, Wealth 2/Rich) [4] Danger Sense Defensive Roll x 2 Dodge Focus x 4 Equipment x 7 Improved Critical (Swords: 18-20) Jack of All Trades Luck x 3 Paralyzing Attack Skill Mastery x 3 Takedown Attack x 2 Taunt Equipment: 7PP = 35EP Sword (Damage 3, Feats: Precise, Mighty) [5EP] Danger-Cycle (Vehicle) [30EP] Size: Medium {0EP} Strength: 20 {2EP} Speed 5 (250 mph) / Flight 5 ( mph) {10EP} Defense: 10 {0EP} Toughness: +10 {5EP} Features: Alarm 2 (25DC), Autopilot, Communications(radio), Disguise, Ejector Seats, Hidden Compartments, Navigation System, Nitro Injectors, Oil Slick, Smoke Screen, Remote Control, Tire Inflators {13EP} Powers: 18 = 18PP Magic 9 (Soul Sword; Container) [18 PP] Damage 3 (The Sword; Extras: Penetrating, Affects Insubstantial; Power Feats: Mighty, Precise) {11 PP} Protection 0 (The Shield; Extras: Impervious 8; Drawback: Noticeable) {7 PP} Drawbacks: (-0) + (-0) = -0PP DC Block ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC 15 Toughness Damage Totals: Abilities (50) + Combat (36) + Saving Throws (17) + Skills (22) + Feats (37) + Powers (18) - Drawbacks (0) = 180/180 Power Points

AD confirmed that they are minions so Robin will take ten to hit the security dudes. She has Takedown 2 so I think she should be able to get both? Her unarmed damage bonus is +10.

I'm up for whatever is decided! happy to toss Talya into things

"Hey, its okay to not have a plan. What are friends for?" Robin asked as she leaned in a bit. One hand briefly came up to touch Raina's shoulder fleetingly before she lifted her backpack up onto her shoulder. As expected, Robin didn't seem upset or nervous about the idea of Blackstone escapees. If anything, it would only make the Fens native more determined as she was well aware that it would be locals who suffered first under any newcomers to the pecking order. She nodded at Riley about joining Raina on the broom and grinned a bit, "Good, it always makes nervous trying to hide the bike in the streets. Just asking to get stolen if we had to leave it. Why don't you lead, Raina, and I'll be right behind you." Once they were outside, Robin pulled the tape out of one pocket and wrapped up her wrists for a bit of protection for the free running to the Fens. The movement would help keep away the cold but her fingertips would get quickly sore without any kind of protection from the chill of any lingering ice.