alderwitch
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Phantom floated down, the mystic bonds that had held the monster in place easily shifting to cradle the boy as he collapsed. "Magic of some sort," Phantom replied to the distressed Deep One as she ghosted down to alight next to the fallen not-monster. The chaos with the Deep Ones might have not been happening for all the attention the chosen of Heshem gave it as she focused her full attention on the child before she knelt down, solidifying as she did so. Her hand glowed with white light as she passed it over the boy's face, and what little of her expression below her deep hood was grim. The boy wasn't all that much older than JJ. Younger than Huang. Phantom frowned, but her gloved hand was steady as she passed her hand over the unconscious boy's body, working the same spell she used to heal the cuts and scrapes of a rambunctious dhampir. "He'll be alright. The blame belongs to whoever would cast their spell on a child." The rumble in Phantom's voice was dark, a banked anger as no one here deserved the brunt of it.
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Talya waited until those muscles had relaxed before she put one slender hand on the center of his back. "Dearest, its a safe that takes me a good minute to crack into - no electronics involved and I won't be sharing the combination with the children." Her teasing tone had fallen away to quiet reassurance. She also had every intention of instilling proper firearm etiquette from the time any child grew old enough and curious enough to need it but that was a conversation for another day. "I thought I'd put it behind a false wall in my closet. The days I need to roll out of bed with a gun in hand are thankfully in the distant past. Movies make the life of a spy far more glamorous than the reality, I assure you." She leaned forward to push open the door for Erik before she added, "But if you'd feel safer with it out of the apartment and down in the place where sharp and pointy things are kept, that's alright as well. I'm not overly particular beyond 'somewhere in the place I'm currently living'."
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"It's alright, the whole staunch, morally upright was the second thing that attracted me, you know," Talya offered the banter easily, complete with sidelong smirk but it didn't entirely chase the shadows from her eyes and she let her hand drop away to twine with Erik's, squeezing his fingers just a little too tightly, "In this particular case, though, I would ease your consciousness with the truth that we are addressing the young Captain's larger concerns through this minor moment of deception. If we find Ace, he'll have no trouble returning the book if that's really where he wants it to be." Her brow creased for a moment, and her tone turned serious, "I don't know how much you know about that particular tale but if Ace willingly gave that book away to someone else, then he didn't stop answering the writings because of some fit of pique. The man can certainly be cavalier about his paramours," she paused and this time exchanged a look with Dimitri before she continued delicately, "But he'd not give away something that belonged to Rahim to a casual fling. I fear wherever Ace is, he's certainly in some genuine trouble this time."
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"Some," was Robin's short reply that brooked no further inquiry into that particular line of questioning. She gave a short, sharp shrug of her shoulders that sent the meager contents of her backpack rustling with the gesture. "Sure, I can't. No one can. But isn't it worth it to try? I mean, I'm no Centurion. I know that. I don't have, like, real powers. But someone's gotta do something. No one should have to watch the door and wonder if the people they love are going to come home tonight." For a brief moment her grey gaze flashed with stubborn intensity before she repressed it once more. "I guess. I mean, you're right. I learn more quickly than I do just out on my own, for sure. And I've made a couple of friends. Real friends."
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Is there any skill that might be appropriate to figure out what caused the transformation before I post or is it a mystery?
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Talya's expressions - her actual expressions, as opposed to the act that she generally hid behind - were never easy to read but there was worry in the slight crease of her brow when Dimitri glanced her way and, for the first time, genuine concern for Ace darkened her blue eyed gaze as Erik confirmed that the writer switched. "He actually gave away Rahim's book to someone else," Talya murmured, genuinely surprised and she held her hands out for the book when Erik was done although, like Dimitri, she didn't stop him from reading through the book if he chose to skim through the sad ending where Rahim married another and then, eventually, died. There were shadows in her gaze when Erik was done skimming, and the touch on the leather was light as she checked to make sure no other secrets were tucked away before handing it over to Dimitri for his use. Folding her arms over her midsection, Talya's expression turned pensive and troubled as she waited for Dimitri to divine their next stop.
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Talya's chuckle was husky and bemused, "Well, we're all ready to go so she shan't have to wait over long. Its really not all that much. Just boxes of photos and mementos and the like... plus the clothing and jewelry," Talya added almost as an afterthought even though the latter was by far the bulk of what they had to move. Unsurprisingly, the former jewel thief had amassed quite a collection of shoes and trinkets over the years and while they might have been honestly of less importance to Talya than the photos and journals from the last six decades, they took a great deal more room. She paused and then added delicately, "And my gun safe."
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"My 'thing' with Erik and Min?" Talya asked with a sidelong smile, her eyes crinkling but not in a way that made it seem like she was laughing AT Raina, more that she was bemused with the turn of phrase chosen. "It's alright to ask. I won't feel you're prying, you know, if you ever have questions about relationships - mine or in general. We're good. I've been moving my things over from my safe house in with Min and Erik - which isn't something I've done in any previous relationships, so that's a rather large step. Odd, too. Occasionally fraught as Erik had some very different ideas than I do about the acceptability of owning fire arms." Talya paused, the hesitation almost imperceptible from the generally glib spy, "We're going to have more little Espadas in the not too distant future so really, life revolves around trying to stockpile as much sleep as possible before we're outnumbered by the children."
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"S'okay," Robin gave a bit of a shrug, the muscles that were normally hidden under baggy clothes moving under her uniform with the gesture. She'd spent too many years wearing leotards for gymnastics to feel self conscious in the tight fitted uniform but it did lack the element of surprise as jeans and a jacket made it at least a little less obvious that the young woman hit like a mack truck. Reaching up, she pulled back the twists of her hair to absently knot them in a tie. "I'm more jumpy in this part of the school than the rest of it. Don't like the Doom Room at all." She nodded her head once at the assessment, "I don't mind gangs - that's my usual target in the Fens. Be interesting to see how different the scene in LA is. Good experience. You good with gangs, Woodsman?" She said, turning her head towards the cowled archer and her expression softened into a slight smile for the other teen.
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"Renegade," was the angel's response, his wings flaring out once more in preparation to launch himself again although he paused to nod at Phalanx once as the young man touched down in a streak of blue and white. "At least that's what they call me. It's not the most well known of monikers but I can probably be your red cape." His shrug was more wing movement than actual shoulders but conveyed the same basic emotion as he added dryly, "Infernal things generally aren't overly fond of my kind as a rule." Having volunteered to take point, and well aware from Azrael's warning of the sort of potent foe they faced, Renegade nodded once in acknowledgement of Fast-Foward's directions before leading the way towards the brick building and the source of the miasma.
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I could have sworn I had pop culture on Bombshell. Ah well. Clearly dropped in one of the many rebuilds. I'll burn an HP to get a +5 on her roll for pop culture as she should really recognize that book: 18 Can't make the physical Sciences one I don't think as her bonus would only be +2 there.
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"I'd probably hit everything but you - and its not like it would do any good if I did," Leilani replied to Dimitri with an absentminded smile, before adding, "Thank you, though. Its nice of you to say. You're probably right - can't hide away forever although I still got a lotta tv to get through." Leilani's gaze odd gaze turned back to Klara, with one blue eye and one brown it was certainly the young woman's most noticeable feature although unrelated in fact to her 'gifts'. "Thank you," she replied with a lopsided grin, "I dunno how much it would help - seems like a lotta people with powers tend to have pretty a-typical experiences and..." She trailed off, her hands oddly graceful as they traced shapes in the air while the woman searched for words. "...it mostly helps having something to do."
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"Yeah, people at home need me though," Robin gave a helpless little shrug of her shoulders, settling her backpack over one once more. "Already had a'couple of other folks captured because I was off enjoying a rich kid prep school and wasn't keeping an eye out for 'em." There was recrimination in her tone but aimed inward. It wasn't too hard to see that Robin had already taken on the Fens as her own. She turned her head to follow his gesture and gave him another absent minded shrug, "I don't mind walking. Unless Riley's got his bike, that's pretty much how I get anywhere. Well, that and hitching sometimes."
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"Well, not rocket science, no. It takes a bit of practice, though - which is why we're driving out to where you can practice rather than doing so inside the city." Talya agreed as she followed at a more sedate pace towards the car. The white volvo easily blended in with the cars on the streets of this part of town, looking neither too nice and new nor too old and beaten up to really stand out. Which, honestly, might have been exactly why Talya owned it. She opened the car and then let herself into the driver's seat before easing it towards the town limits. "So, how's school going?" Talya asked as she maneuvered the car towards the suburbs. "And your social life?"
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"Well, let's be fair - I'd say that most people aren't going to understand a good half to two thirds of what Mara says. She's leagues beyond most people in terms of technological savvy," Talya replied although she turned to smile when Erik let himself in with a bemused smile, "If you have a key, you really don't have to knock, you know." Her tone was teasing as she went to push herself up off of the couch with only a bit of difficulty as she answered Gina's question, "I haven't had any trouble keeping up with technology but I couldn't honestly tell you whether that's because physiologically I fail to age or because my particular sphere of talents has always included staying up to date on trends in security and espionage. I think, though, that the peculiarities of my particular affliction probably help. I generally remain fixed as I was at twenty-two although, clearly, some things do override that." She gave a wry gesture down to her midsection before leaning in to peck Erik on the cheek. "I think unless I've forgotten anything, all the necessities are packed. I showed your mother where the emergency kit was as well."
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"It's not like its just the popular kids," Robin sighed, her mind drifting to Archer and her inevitable failure to measure up but she shook it off rather than vocalizing the issue with staff. "I don't care if I belong or not. I'm just trying to get outta it what I can before I'm on my own again. I mean, I get what kind of a break it is. Getting swept up to a cushy private school is like some kinda sitcom, y'know?" Robin shrugged and bolted to her feet as the bus came to a stop at the park, adding over her shoulder, "But at the end of the school year, I'm back to the Fens and doing what I do. No point in getting too comfortable in the meanwhile."
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[ToV] Short Attention Span Theater (OOC)
alderwitch replied to Avenger Assembled's topic in Archives
We're going with mind control, looks like. It's been a few years since I used this power. Here's the power check for it: 26 -
Nighthawk gave a small sigh, "Don't sneak up on me in the field though. I don't wanna deck you by accident in the middle of things and m'still working on target acquisition," she offered although it was less aggravated at least than she had been at first. Rather than offering invitation or agreement, she turned her attention to the display fully, including them both in her conversation as she began running through the list of potential scenarios, "Freedom City's familiar but I hate fighting in the cold - slows you way, way down. I'll take precarious footing any day over cold. Woodsman and I can both handle low visibility conditions well enough. I vote for wet and rainy Los Angeles." She turned her head slightly towards Woodsman as she added, "Good to learn new terrain when its just practice. Never know when we'll get sucked through some damn portal to wherever again, y'know?" She suggested before tipping her head towards Nevermore, "Works for you?"
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The affection had only started to ease the tension in Nighthawk's shoulders when the voice caught her by surprise. It was a fairly typical teen reaction to leap apart when caught in the act. What was not remotely a normal teen reaction, however, was to leap backwards, kicking the small, metal trashcan up into one hand to be used as either projectile weapon or, perhaps, blunt bludgeoning instrument. Her fist was half-cocked backwards to when Nighthawk's brain caught up to the fact that it was not a threat. Her lips flattened and she dropped the trashcan to clang onto the ground with mute displeasure. "You got a death wish or something? Sneaking up on a body like that." Nighthawk grumped as she folded up her arms over her chest. She did not, however, answer the implicit question in the hand hovering over the scenarios as she jerked her chin at Riley in silent question.
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"Eden is well aware that she has to be able to pick a deadbolt before we move onto more complicated thievery," Talya murmured, and she might have been joking but mostly the ex-theif was distracted by glancing around the small living space now that it was bare of decoration. It certainly wasn't the first time that Talya had moved but this safe house had been a constant since the 1950's and it was, if not sad, then a little surreal to see it stripped down to mere furniture. Realizing she'd paused with the box top in hand, Talya shook herself into motion as she leaned forward to secure it with tape, "It's not like we can't come back if there's something I can't live without. That does remind me that I ought see if I can get these photos scanned during the move process. Never know when the latest villain might decide to smash a few vases or rip down something hanging on the wall." Talya tsked, never a fan of collateral damage.
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"I hate this place," Nighthawk grumbled under her breath, her attention on the scenarios. She'd finally taken up Woodsman on his offer of getting the awful blue and gold scheme into something that didn't scream 'here I am, punch me please' so although she was wearing the school bodysuit, it was in a uniform drab grey with her hands taped up in preparation for the inevitable punching. "Which of these do you think is least likely to involve some sort of crappy mind game?" That question was directed to her companion although she didn't lift her gaze from examining the options in front of her, her brow furrowed as if she could discern whatever machination or larger lesson was behind Archer's latest exercise. Under the tight fitted uniform, the muscles in her back and shoulders were taunt and tense - already agitated even before the scenario began.
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"Sure, that sounds good," Leilani agreed with Klara and to her credit, although Leilani tensed a little at the mention of her story, the temperature didn't jump with her this time. "It's not really a very long story, I'm afraid." Taking the drink as something to focus on, she cupped her hands around the glass and turned her gaze downward, watching the ripples in the drink with her bi-colored eyes. "I was out surfing in a storm not too far from Hilo - Hawaii," she added in case Klara was unfamiliar with the town. "I stayed out chasing the ground swell too long and a bomb rag dolled me like whoa." She lifted one hand, gesturing one hand animatedly as she grimaced. "I was pulled down hard - drowning - and I blacked out. Not thing I know, I'm spat out and, you know, this." Leilani gestured towards herself even though she looked fully human at the moment. "An' its been like fifty years. So." She gave a sharp, frustrated gesture, "That's all I know, really. But the League's been helping me out."
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Robin averted her gaze from the clear sympathy, shifting uncomfortably but at least not defensive and guarded, "S'okay. Everyone's got their own problems," she deflected with a shrug of her shoulders under the thin t-shirt. Absently, she plucked the fraying threads on the knee of one jean, her gaze drawn down to the action. Her response was a second shrug to the question. "Probably eventually," Robin admitted with the deceptive casualness of a teenager guarding their emotions against disappointment. "A lotta people don't think I belong there. Maybe I don't."
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"My name's Leilani," the young woman replied, her accent thickening as she gave the syllables of her name the proper lilt. She was quiet as she followed into the bar, focusing perhaps a little too hard on keeping her temperature well within 'normal'. Internally, Leilani was starting to feel that focusing on that strange new ability was a little like focusing on her breathing, or her heartbeat, turning the autonomic responses into something stressed and strained. The faint heat signature actually eased when Dimitri's question caught the young woman's attention and she gave him a baffled look. "Who minds smoking?" Asked the child of the thirties. She gave a little shrug and waved her hand as if to say 'have at' before she offered Klara another small, friendly smile. "I remember. I was pretty young during the war but I remember a bit of the news. We had a lot of chatter about the war in Hilo - not too surprisingly - but I was only eight or nine when it ended, maybe."
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"Or I might just send my mother-in-law to scold some sense into them," Talya responded in an equally dry vein although it was with a small half smile. "Though the students would really be my very last recourse as I have seen far too many children sent to war in my lifetime to do it myself. Children should have time to be children, after all." She went to seat herself gingerly on the couch near where Gina was working so that she might seal up the photos as they returned to work. Talya was never an easy read but in the small, subtle gestures, she seemed lighter. "I could use your thoughts on how to go about having a firearm in a house with small children, speaking of which. I very rarely use firearms but I think - absurd or not - I'll be more comfortable with one in the home. Do you have any advice?" It was a simple question - and a valid one as the former police officer certainly had experience with firearm safety that would no doubt be helpful but, really, it was meant as an olive branch and a subtle invitation for Gina to establish a more firm and familiar relationship.