alderwitch

Savannah beamed at him, turning into his smile with a bubbly, "Sure!" She tugged the bracelet off her hand and slipped it into his palm, pointing at the markings on the beads. As it came in contact with his skin, Jack could feel the pressure of the bracelet on his senses but it was no match for his supernatural nature. "Its a really unusual piece. I just found myself drawn to its vibes." Taylor glanced from the bracelet to Jack and then to her brother. It didn't take a genius to see that her brother was aggravated and knowing what the bracelet did, it was probably best to distract him while Jack worked... whatever magic he was going to work. No one could say that Taylor was slow on the uptake at least. She turned to her oldest brother and with a smile did the one thing that was sure to get his attention. She started asking for advice on her life. "So, I'm trying to decide what I should minor in. What do you think of Pre and Early Modern Lit?" Taylor said with a curious look, as if she didn't know what her brother would think of that idea. He was voting for biology, which he did so. Loudly. She slanted a glance at Jack, then supplied, "Art History?" Taylor was pretty sure that she could keep him distracted for days this way.

Those squiggles look wrong. That is not a normal bracelet.

She continued to pat his arm even as she looked up at him with a sunny smile, "It's a curio shop. Lots of little odds and ends. Like this bracelet!" Savannah jingled it at him. It had several large beads with odd looking writing on them. They appeared to be made of glass or ceramic, it was hard to say. Unfortunately, it brought her husband's attention to the hand on Jack's arm. He glanced at Jack, taking in his appeareance and began to glower at him. Taylor walked back into the room and slid in next to Jack with a murmered apology for everyone. It had taken a few seconds for her eyes to stop glowing but she was fairly certain what she was looking for if not where the object was. She tilted her face up to him, trying to figure out how to work in what was going on. What she would have given for Scarab's telepathy at this particular moment, "I'm sorry about that."

Taylor replied after a moment's hesitation, unsure how to comunicate 'there is some sort of magical thing happening. I have to lock myself in the bathroom so I can cast a scrying spell', so she went with, "Fine." Clearly they were going to have to come up with some sort of hand signal of some kind. Or maybe, Jack was right and she should find some way to tell them what she really did with the bulk of her time. First, though, to the bathroom. As Taylor locked the door on the restroom, she had the urge to laugh hysterically. As a child she thought this would be a much more exciting, much less filled with hiding in the bathrooms, career choice. Stifling down the emotion, she gestured to search for the object or person causing the mystic signature. ---------------------- Out in the dining room, there was small talk. "Oh, I've been busy with the business," Savannah, the sister-in-law bubbled at him, putting a casual hand on his arm and leaning in, "Inport-export. Now that the boys are old enough, I'm focusing on my career!" She got an odd look from Taylor's father, who was starting to pick up on the overly effusive attitude of his daughter in law, but clearly she was already known as the flakey one. "Everything's been fine. We've been worried about Taylor. I keep telling her to get a cell phone so its easier to get a hold of her, but... Well, dating Taylor, you're probably aware of the whole money thing. Always has to pay her way. Stubborn. She gets it from her mother." The last he added in a conspiritorial tone with an affectionate glance at his wife. Meanwhile Savannah was starting to distractedly pat Jack's arm.

It just appears to be the oldest brother and his wife that are exhibiting the worst of it, with their sons not quite so bad off. The rest of the Chuns are normal but haven't picked up on anything too out of the ordinary as it's a bit chaotic in the dining room. Based on your vampire experience, Avenger would have seen a similar effect from the vampires that specialize in controlling emotions. In white wolf terms, they've been passioned up by some outside force.

Gratzi! In addition to the light from the amulet, Jack will notice the emotional tone of the conversation down by the sister-in-law and her family is off. He may not know the Chun's well but it's a little like watching a conversation where there's been too much alchohol, although no one's drinking. Everyone's emotional responses are just a little more intense.

"We've been doing morning coffee since then, although nothing quite so exciting as the first time," Taylor interjected with a dry humor to the words. Nothing too exciting, indeed. Stopping an interdimensional assault here, fighting of a tyraniccal overlord there. Taylor paused taking a sip of her water and started to choke slightly at the familiar tingle in the back of her brain. 'Not now, not here! The water in the cup sloshed slightly, spilling a few drops on her hand and the floor as her other hand flew to her neck and closed around the amulet at her throat. Only Jack was close enough to see the light that gleamed briefly through her fingertips. "Excuse me," she murmered, blotting the water with her napkin.

Ah, her mom had gone the Scandanavian AND Chinese route. Every so often she got on this kick. Taylor sighed and internally debated whether or not she could dump the food into her dimensional pocket when no one was looking. She didn't need to eat anymore and, unless it was a social thing, generally abstained. It took far too much focus to eat a normal amount of food with no hunger pangs for guidance. She glanced around Jack at Savannah at her feng shui comment and smiled faintly. She was always on some New Age kick. Her father's question brought her attention back to the table as he asked, "So... how did you two meet?" For a moment, Taylor hesitated in the act of spooning food onto her plate before she finished the motion and looked up, her eyes twinkling, "I ran into Jack during that big explosion in Riverside. We helped a little old lady with her cats."

Alex came up sputtering and laughing as she slicked her hair out of her face. She held on to Mike's neck and grinned at him. "I'll get you next time, Gadget. So are you going to toss me, or what? Go high. No wimpy tosses," she instructed him, her eyes twinkling.

Taylor smiled back, the edge of her mouth kicking up almost ruefully, "Of course, there's always the possibility that I'm afraid that without the mask there isn't a Taylor anymore. Just Phantom." Her words were light but not untruthful and she was about to say more when Jackson interrupted from downstairs. "Hey, lovebirds, dinner." Taylor flushed and ducked under Jack's arm to go thump her brother on the shoulder in silent rebuke before leading the way to the dinner table. It was a crowded affair, despite the large room with nearly a dozen adults and three children under the age of ten. They mostly stuck to English but every now and again a conversation would break out in another language. Jack was seated between Taylor and her brother's wife who looked more out of place at the gathering than he was. Unlike the Chun family of professionals and scientists, she was dressed in a bohemian style and when Jack seated himself next to her, politely asked if the feng shui of his seat was alright or would he rather switch.

"I only just learned how to do this," Alex explained as she settled in. A purple shimmer of power surrounded the smallest cube dutifully moving it. Her fine control was excellent but the act took all of her concetration, "Telepathy is natural for me but this is more like a learned skill. I liken it to how I'm naturally smart but had to learn Spanish." She continued to move and stack boxes up to her own body weight and past, pushing to the utmost of her abilities until she reached her maximum weight. When she had, she volunteered as much and flicked questioning eyes to her new mentor.

"Let's find out, shall we?" That determined voice came from Alex in the back, and she pushed to the front of the group, "I've got control of the empath but I'm going to release it to take a look at her thoughts. We'll see what they've been up to. Phalanx, hold her. As for you. Sleep." Tearing off a strip of her shirt she went to blindfold the green haired girl, before setting her fingertips at her temples.

"This entire area is protected from scrying," Phantom finally said in disgust, "It does mean that the rumors were correct and that they have something in place to block magic."

Taylor tucked her hands behind her back and tilted her face up to him, "I think about it. Often. But I'd rather have them think I'm just a failure than be afraid everytime I don't answer my phone." She turned her body in towards him, her voice soft as she didn't want anyone to overhear the conversation, "If I was a more normal super hero, maybe, but I can't just decide to quit one day. My powers came with a price. I have to guard the veil, for the rest of my eternal existance. I don't even know how I'm going to cover up never getting any older yet." She glanced up at him with a serious expression, "It's not the fear they can't handle it. I know they love me, but what I do is dangerous, and its even more so to them. If a demon, or a cult dedicated to some dark thing, or whatever I face... If any of them knew I had a family. They'd be targets. I can't take the chance."

"I wish we could say the same," Taylor's mother, Claire said with a consternated look at her daughter before being shushed by her husband who shook Jack's hand with a firm grip and a kind smile, "Zee always has to go her own way on things. It's both one of her most frustrating traits and one of the ones that makes her quite so special. She won't even let me replace that car of hers with something safer." "I don't need a new car, Dad," The last thing Taylor wanted was her dad spending money on something that would sit in the garage gathering dust, "And when I do need a new car, I'll buy it myself. I hope we're doing Scandanavian or Chinese. Not both." She cast dubious looks over the pots simmering on the stove. It was never good when her mom went for culinary fusion. "I'll give Jack the tour while everyone gets wrangled to the table." Her dad's kindly smile didn't hide the paternal 'we'll talk later' look, but as elegant retreats went, it wasn't bad, as Taylor slipped the two of them out of the crowded kitchen and up the back stairs where she immedeately leaned against, letting her head fall back against it with a soft thunk. "Two minutes tops, and then someone will be sent for us. Thanks, again, and sorry about all this.

Jackson chuckled, "Everyone calls me Jackson. Somehow it never got shortened." He slung an arm around Taylor's shoulders hauling her in close as he lowered his voice, "Zee, you know you are on THIN ice, right? Mom just about flipped out when you no call, no showed on dinner. I walked out and 'took a call' from you, but a little warning if I have to cover for you would be nice. You need to get a personal organizer or something." His tone was light but worried eyes searched her face, and Taylor's stomach clenched with guilt. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, it's just-" "Things come up. Yeah, I know." He cut her off with the sigh of someone who'd heard one too many excuses as she squirmed free from under his arm and retreated to Jack's side to slip a hand into his. It worked to guide him through the crowd towards her parents but her fingertips shook slightly. She hated this, absolutely hated this, but she couldn't bear to tell them the truth.

Through the arm accross her shoulder, Jack could feel the small jump she made before she relaxed into the embrace. Her skin goosebumped slightly and Taylor could feel her pulse speed up despite the knowledge of the pretense. She had not expected him to be quite so charming. It was honestly a little eerie. On the bright side, the plan was much more likely to succeed and there was no turning about now. "Watch it, squirt," she said to Neil, the younger boy and managed to seperate the two of them with a look and a firm hand on the older's shoulder, pushing him forward and into his mother's care in the kitchen which was absolutely filled with people. Taylor made rapid introductions. Her mother was a fair haired blonde but with a similar size and build. Jack was easily the tallest man in the room. The only one who came close to him was her youngest and closest brother Jackson who introduced himself with a friendly enough grin and firm handshake, "So how long has Zee been hiding you from the insanity?" Taylor made a face at him.

"We can hope and pray," she said fervently, flashing him a quick laugh as she drove the car quickly to Kingston, "No, both of my parents are doctors, as is my oldest brother. I'm in the 'softest' science in the family." She drove quickly through Freedom, cruising along with the impatience of someone who could teleport from place to place had but she obeyed the laws as she took the quickest shortcuts over there and parked in front of a well-manicured lawn of a nice house. There were several other cars parked out front, all of the nicer than Taylor's and she handed Jack a bottle of wine. "Here." Taylor fished her purse out of the cars backseat, bouncing on one heeled foot to do so through the window before she glanced up at the house. It looked like the troops were out in force. Taylor was sure that everyone had been called in early to present a united front. Sighing she led the way up the small brick walkway to the front door which she opened after knocking once on it. "Go ahead and take your shoes off." She gestured at a rack and pulled her own heels off, using his arm to balance as she did so. The house was full of chattering voices and a small child ran by nearly knocking them both over, an older sibling in pursuit. "Auntie Zee's here!" The older one shouted into the kitchen as he zoomed after the smaller boy.

She rolled her eyes at him, an expression much more effective with pupils, and pulled a face, "No, I came up with this brilliant plan exactly half a minute before I called you. All I've told them is that I missed dinner the other night because I 'met someone'. The hope of having more grandkids alone made my mom stop using the guilt voice. I have no idea what they're going to ask. I've never brought home anyone 'special'." Taylor led them down to the car, providing a brief synopsis of her life for Jack as his lack of knowledge about her would be odd to her family no matter how charming. She was a student of linguistics at the University and spoke half a dozen languages while working in the library, "My family tends to fall into a mix of Cantonese and English at home but they'll try not to exclude you on purpose. Sometimes they forget that not everyone that comes over is bilingual. My brother's wife has only bits and phrases that she speaks so you're not the only one. Unless, of course, you speak it. If you do, I wouldn't let on. They might start planning a wedding." She flashed a smile that revealed dimples in both cheeks. So that was why her mask was cut to cover that portion of her face. Dimples were not exactly high on the intimidation factor. Her voice was filled with affection as well as the long-standing suffering that only comes with family, "I'm the youngest of the family. Jackson, he's the next oldest, will be the most likely to catch on that something's wierd but I'll try and keep him busy by bringing up things I know he doesn't want Mom to know." She led the way to the car, an old and well used car but very well taken care of. The thing was clearly on its last legs and at this point was only used to drive to Kingston once a month and back. "So what about you?"

Phantom followed him out, thinking quietly to herself that this had to be a personal low. Next she'd be pulling rabbits out of a hat but the important thing was that people were getting saved. Even animals were getting saved. "Need me to drop you somewhere?" She tilted her face up automatically to double check that there were no new singularities opening in the sky. "There has to be people that still need rescue in all this. Scarab?"

Phantom... well Taylor actually, opened the door to let him in with a small smile. Except for the Eye of Heshem winking at her throat, she looked entirely different out of costume. Her feet were bare still as she'd slide on heels at the last possible minute so she had to tilt her head back to meet his eyes. She was a small woman although she still had a tendency to carry herself as if she was much larger. At the moment, she was still sliding back into her mundane persona so she'd stopped phasing through objects in her small apartment but hadn't gone entirely out of Phantom's walk. She blinked, as if halfway startled to see him out of costume and her glance swept halfway down him before she stopped herself with a small shake of her head. "Hi, come on in." The voice was always the first thing that fell away out of costume so while her voice was still husky, it no longer boomed imperiously. "I'm running late as usual. I had to dash out to bounce a minor imp, which meant fire, of course. Just got out of my second shower. Thanks for coming." The apartment was small and relatively spartan but not surprisingly so. There were piles of college homework on the much used desk in the corner. Taylor let him in and then swept through the room, still looking for something. She'd already thrown on a sundress with thin straps. It fell to mid-calf and was a surprisingly girly choice. As she searched the room for her keys, she managed to shake the last of Phantom's gliding walk and drop into something with a much shorter step. Her black hair was still damp at the tips but was air drying to soft waves that were pulled back in a clip. Finally she stopped and glanced around the room, looking annoyed, before she remembered that she'd left her keys in the dimensional pocket after the imp incident. Her hand vanished for a moment as she pulled them out triumphantly and turned to face him, "I always do that. Would you like me to drive?" She stopped and pulled her shoes on at the door, slipping into low wedge sandals that she bent down to fasten quickly.

"My place. How about 5PM then we'll head over to Kingston." She gave him the address, the relief in her tone was palpable even across the connection. "It's casual. Four siblings plus families. Its a monthly thing my family does. It gets harder and harder to pass." As normal. As human. As Taylor Chun, not Phantom. "And, Avenger..." She hesitated as if she was going to add some sort of admonishment or warning then simply said, quietly, "Thank you." Then Phantom disconnected the line.

Will do, sir! I'm actually gonna go thru all my posts tomorrow and make sure they're all over at the timeline. Tonight I was figuring out what all I was in for the thread of doom!

Phantom A Desperate Affair Massive Explosion Vaster than Empires and More Slow Getting the Goods Trickster's Game Manic Mondays Assault on Precinct 13 When its Time to Party Psyche Growing Up Claremont Take Me Out to the Ballgame Great Minds Think Alike Sweet Sixteen Out Tonight Braniacs of Freedom Making Friends Other Stuff Threads Ran The One, The Only Questionare Psyche Phantom NPC's Approved Bombshell I think that's it.

"It's not that kind of favor. Unfortunately." Phantom sounded unusually harried on the other end of the line. In fact she was pacing back and forth in her room with solid thumps that was probably upsetting her downstairs neighbor, "Its a secret identity sort of problem. I thought I was only gone a day but sometimes other dimensions move faster or slower. It's actually very difficult to tell just how fast time is progressing on Earth Prime." She was babbling. Must stop babbling. Breathe. "Anyway. I've lost about four days. Missed dinner with my family. It's a Big Deal. Can you join us for dinner tonight?" She paused, closing her eyes. "Please? I'll owe you one."