alderwitch

Sorry, I didn't see that Avalon had edited his post.

Alex blushed again, but this time with a cheerful smile. "Thank you!" She beamed at Mark before bouncing off of her chair to find her shoes and wallet, before looking for a jacket. "Do we need to let anyone know where we're going? Probably not since it's summer, hunh?" Alex answered her own question as she pulled on a pair of tennis shoes that had clearly been the victims of a be-dazzler at some point. Tucking her wallet into her back pocket, Alex clutched a light zippered hoodie to her chest as she faced the boys and Erin. "I have pocket money! Actually, my mom sent it in her most recent care-package for some social event like this. She'll be so pleased to hear it went to that rather than more books." Alex's mom had actually sent a card with the cash, reminding her daughter to enjoy sunlight sometime other than to and from the library.

Alex's eyes followed Archeville's movements around the buffet station and she looked relieved to follow him. She wished that the other student from Claremont would have been able to make it. Coming alone was... stressful. She knew she could handle the stress and keep control over her powers but Alex was far more concerned about embarassing Claremont or offending one of the Emissary's guests. So she was careful to observe both the Doctor and Gryphon as she set about picking up a few things at the buffet. "I've heard of him, of course, but I haven't started classes yet. I don't know if we'll be in the same ones or not. I'm certainly not an inventor, or anything, like I've heard Darian is. I'm still in the middle of exams, actually." She spoke about exams with enthusiasm that was rare in a teen. "The others, of course, I haven't had the pleasure of meeting. Have you, Ms. Gryphon?" She tilted her head politely to the winged woman, clearly not wanting to exclude her from the conversation although the temptation to talk and talk was clearly hard to hold back.

"Oh, if you're not comfortable, Erin, I'll stay here with you. I don't mind!" Alex glanced at her roommate, loyalty stoutly outweighing the desire to go see a concert for the first time. "I'm sure we'll have other chances to check out the university and stuff." Alex had already thumped closed the book she was reading but she looked up at Erin, her smile self-depricating. "'Sides, I'll wouldn't even know what to wear."

Alex looked up from her studies with a confused expression. Her hair was pulled back and clipped with a baby-blue sparkly flower. It clashed spectacularly with the watermelon print shirt she was wearing. Who even knows where Alex found a shirt that was red with big black seeds, and the arms stripped in green. One had to wonder if she had custom-made clashing shirts sometimes. She looked at Erin with a question, "Why would he be- OH!" Alex's face was almost a brighter red than her hair as Erin opened the door having worked out WHY Erin was concerned about Mark being dressed. She averted her eyes from his face and squeaked out, "Uh, HI! Oh, a concert? I've never been to a concert." She rebounded quickly, although her cheeks were still bright as she glanced curiously from Mark to Erin.

"Are either you aware of other guests that are also joining us? My teacher was, uhm, close-lipped about who the other attendees might be? I haven't met very many other meta-humans before. Well, except for the others in the program," she cut that sentance off and smiled to cover her discomfort, "And I don't think anyone else I know is coming."

Yay! Phantom doesn't have to have a heart attack! :D

Behind Ray, Phantom floated silently in the air. As her glowing eyes had neither pupil nor cornea, it was hard to say what really made her expression seemed focused elsewhere but her attention was not fixed on anything most eyes could see. Except for her fingertips, which traced small sigils, she remained motionless as Scarab continued to exchange words with Trask. If the psychic was going to ignore her, Phantom would simply track down the situation with what tools she had at her disposal. First, she felt out Trask with her senses, looking for whatever trinket or device allowed him to step between worlds, then she expanded her senses outward to check that none of his compatriots were close by.

I'm going to power stunt the spell I'm buying on Phantom: For reference: Detect Magic: Ranged, (Acute, Analytical, Accurate, Radius, Tracking (3), Extended (5)), Detect Dimensional: Ranged, (Acute, Analytical, Accurate, Radius, Tracking (3), Extended (5)) And knowledge: arcane: 33

Knowledge (Arcane): 31 Any idea on those tears, Doc?

Thanks to the sudden voice in her head, Phantom for once was grateful for the telepathic intrusion. Confident that heroes were dealing with the wounded, she teleported to the closest dimensional anomoly to examine it further. She was concerned for the stability of the zone as Phantom hadn't seen anything quite like the several tears that seemed to be dotting the landscape. Scarab, it's not just radiation. There are tears in the fabric of this world. I'm examining one right now. I'm... not certain how stable this area is. I'll update you when I know more. Phantom extended one ghostly hand to the tear. The most likely dimensional activity would be one of the transient dimensions which was good in a way. Those, Phantom was very familiar with. I may dissapear from your senses if I cross-over. Don't be alarmed.

"Proud, frightened, dissapointed. Unsettled. Take your pick." She said idly, watching the seedy bar for a moment, "Well, my usual tactic of fling them back and forth in the bar until they talk might take a while and is not the most effective way to gather information. I don't usually go after 'normal' crooks." She tilted her head up at him questioningly as she reached up to the Eye once more, her amused expression back to slightly challenging. "I suppose you have an idea or two though?" Going to live up to the rep, Ace Danger?

"Oh. Uhm. Here..." Alex scrunched up her face and did some arm waving to slowly suck the loaned power back into her own field. She bobbed and weaved erratically as her attention was focused on making sure Erin was close enough to the ground before she sucked the power back in and shut it off. Unfortunately, Alex miscalculated in that instead of shutting off Erin's flight, she shut off the field that kept her aloft entirely. Alex had enough time to let out a startled shriek and flail her arms for a moment or two as she plummeted to the ground aimed at Mike's new roommate.

So much for the nice guy routine... Phantom floated after Raven, ready to lock down any attempt to dimensionally flee the scene. "Scarab, I think he's frightened of something on his world. Whatever - whoever - is masterminding this. He said himself that he'd read our history books. This dimension feels nothing like the Terminus." She glanced up at the cameras hoping one of Scarab's teammates might be able to get the crimson super-hero calmed down as clearly Trask had accidentally pushed quite a few buttons and Phantom had a feeling they were barking up the wrong tree. She addressed the rest of the Knights upstairs, as Avenger seemed to be the ringleader of the group, "I have an idea on how we can find out where they're from, but we need to reactivate the cell so I can focus my attention."

Me! Me!

And for Psyche, I'd like to buy: Psychic Super Sense: Ranged Mental Sense (2), Accurate (1), Radius (1), Accute (1), Detect Mood (1) [6 pp] And I'd like to add Telekinesis to her TK Array with the last power pt. Telekinetic: Move Object 3, Flaw: Distracting. PF: Precise Edits done by Geez3r

I've got 4 PP on Phantom and I'd like to spend them on the following: I'd like to spend one to add the following to her Magic Array Detect Magic: Ranged, (Acute, Analytical, Accurate, Radius, Tracking (3), Extended (5)), Detect Dimensional: Ranged, (Acute, Analytical, Accurate, Radius, Tracking (3), Extended (5)) I'd also like to raise her dimensional movement to Dimensional Movement 3 [6pp] to allow all dimensional travel as it makes sense for the character's background I'd like to spend my last PP on the skills: Intimidate 2 and add 2 to my Knowledge Arcane Lore to raise that to 12 Thanks! Edits done by Geez3r

"A real hero should know that it adulation or even thanks aren't neccessary. We protect, we serve, and we are always vigilant. In the end, it doesn't matter who notices, or if anyone does at all. You don't deserve to wear the Raven's mask, on any world, if you don't underatand that." Phantom's voice was quietly passionate, "We are heroes of Freedom City and with, or without your help, it will not fall. Now, answer the question. Why are you here?"

"Not exactly," Phantom said dryly as she slouched back against the bucket seat once more. "When I translated the amulets inscription I inadvertantly made a vow to a very old power. Now I am in the important if unenviable position of enforcing the Pact and maintaining the barriers between our world and others." Phantom glanced up at his profile, curious about the devil may care Danger scion, "Uncle went into archeology and anthropology. He's retired now. My family would have absolute kittens if they knew about my extracurricular activities."

Ace's outburst startled her enough that she dropped the necklace and gave him a wide eyed look before flashing an amused smile that dimpled her cheek, "I came by it because Great-Uncle Huang is too old to ensure its saftey and I promised that I would keep it from falling into anyone's hands." She drew out the name. Shang-hai Hank indeed. "Its called the Eye of Heshem and its very old."

"Have you encountered him before, then?" Phantom asked curiously, tipping her face up to look at him while one hand fiddled with the amulet out of habit. The black faceted gem set in the center was almost as large as her thumb and a light seemed to wink in its depths as she twisted it back and forth. The positively ancient setting had an enscriptian circling the gem itself and Phantom continued to twist the heavy chain idly. She didn't remember mention of the Sky Lord in any of uncle Huang's stories but her uncle had always favored moldy, deadly tomb stories.

Phantom glanced over the Porsche before heading to the car. It took some struggling to get her cloak all inside the sports car before she gave up and touched her amulet. There was a crackle of eldritch energy, before the costume seemed to fold back inside the amulet, leaving Taylor dressed the same as she had been inside the bank. She held the matchbooks out to him and fastened her seatbelt while Ace examined them before leaning back in her seat and adjusting her hat to shade her eyes. It was a little disconcerting that Phantom's voice still rolled out from under the hat brim. A dimpled college student should probably not sound like the mysterious mystic but she did nonetheless, "A seedy pub from the looks of it. I bet I'll get carded."

The irony of the bank manager's personal thanks didn't escape Phantom and her gloved hand almost twitched to pull out her cashier's check and get it cashed but Taylor Chun and Phantom were, and would always have to remain, two separate individuals. No matter the temptation. "I'm only sorry we couldn't get their leader," Phantom responded, her expression remote behind her mask, "The important thing is no lives were lost today. Excuse me." With that she turned and floated towards the front of the bank where she waited for Ace to make his excuses and join her.

Phantom nodded her agreement and joined in to search the unconcious men. Anything of worth dissapeared into her cloak and she straightened, going ephemeral automatically as the riverside cops began to arrive. As she was the obviously costumed super hero, it took her a few moments to explain that she had help but dropping the name 'Ace Danger' and being at her most spooky otherworldly seemed to effectivelly scrape the responsibility of dealing with the police onto Ace.

Phantom's glowing eyes watched him curiously as he gave what sounded like a wonderful series of soundbites. He certainly sounded sincere, "Sadly, all jokes of age aside, most of the active heros around have never worked together on the scale of what you're talking about. I don't doubt their willingness to try but most have never been mentored in that sense. I think the individualism you speak of comes from a generation of heroes that are continuing on as they have had to learn. Alone." She released his hand at the end of their dance with a faint smile and a slight bow that sent her cloak flaring, "I wish you luck with you dream."