alderwitch
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"That's it, done with the hospital now," Robin said, as if it was as simple as that. Reaching up, she pulled off the oxygen mask with one hand as she pushed herself all the way up to swing her legs to the side of the bed. She shook her head slowly, pulling at the tape first that held her IV into her arm and with a quick jerk, yanked that out. Robin stood slowly as she really had no desire to crash to the ground like a felled tree - that would really hurt, after all - and pressed her hand to the IV site to slow any bleeding while her body healed the minor injury. It wasn't like the hospital gown covered all that much as it flapped behind Robin as she walked slowly over to rumage through what had been brought to pull on jeans and discard the gown for a hoodie she could pull on over her bandages. She did have to pause to catch her breath against the wall but the teenage titan rebounded quickly. She was used to moving through discomfort and, clearly, there were people who needed help to attend to; her friends, in this case. Reaching out, she snagged the vial and tucked it into the pocket of her hoodie. "Riley's a little shook up," she told Raina, her words a little shorter as she was working on less air than was particularly optimal but it wasn't like she had to have an actual fight. At least, Robin sure hoped not. "It was... It was really bad." She said simply, shoving down the still raw memories of the Feral's neck snapping under her hands. Robin paused to lean on the door frame before she went to follow in the wake of whatever direction the other pair had vanished towards.
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Talya gave a short, almost abrupt shake of her head although she quickly softened it with a smile, "I suppose I should be grateful that this pregnancy is ever so efficient," she offered with her characteristically dry humor, blunting the very real knee-jerk reaction that flickered across her features at the thought of doing this again. She shook her head once more and added, "It was a long time ago," about her service, "And I was very much a different creature." Following Gina, she gestured towards the kitchen, "Here, let me show you something while you're here," she suggested. "Just in case." Talya added, although her definition of 'just in case' could be both dire and distressingly broad. As she led the way towards the small kitchen that looked even more sparse with her cookbooks and minimal clutter packed away, "I think this will be the only go around for me. As it is, I try not to think about the next three interminable months. There's the physical discomfort, of course, but I am uniquely ill suited to waiting for people to come home at the end of the day. I remain astounded anew at Min's serenity."
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[ToV] Short Attention Span Theater (OOC)
alderwitch replied to Avenger Assembled's topic in Archives
So we're going for the deeper Mind Reading as per the Freedom League's request which is a standard action for Alex: Power Check to beat: 26 -
"I imagine so," Talya said, taking great care with the organization of the photographs, partially because it was always easier to have something to do and partially because they really were irreplaceable. Most of the people in Talya's older photographs no longer existed. Theirs, after all, was not a career that led to lengthy retirements - especially in Talya's former line of work. The small two bedroom house had been neat when they'd started packing things away and now it was downright spartan. Unlike Talya's more flashy apartments, this was the place she'd had since fleeing Europe for America and although it had been carefully updated to remain contemporary with the surrounding homes - at least enough to not draw suspicion, the interior held only the objects that Talya was not willing to burn to the ground with an identity. So, other than the basic necessities, it was mostly photographs, books, and other assorted odds and ends that one accumulated but didn't wish to discard. Standing up as Gina drew near, Talya levered herself from the couch with grace still, for all that bending at the middle was becoming a more difficult task. Absently she dropped one hand onto the top of her belly to nudge either a fist or foot from digging into her ribs as she bent her head to peer over Gina's shoulder. "Oh, must have been at the back - that's my service photo." Talya said with some surprise as she reached out with careful hands to look at a face that in years, at least, was not all that different from the way she looked now. Arguably, Talya looked younger with her hair pulled back and her cheeks slightly softened from the pregnancy. The young woman in the photo, however, had a reserve that Talya had lost years ago, an uncertainty in the black and white photograph that Talya had discarded. Giving her head a slight shake, Talya pivoted to find room for it in the box, "Thank you, Gina. I really do appreciate your help." Talya offered the words as she went to place the photo face down in the box and carefully tuck it in so that it wouldn't be damaged in the car. She glanced over her shoulder with one of those easy, practiced smiles, filling the silence with polite chit-chat which was as much defense as Gina's efforts at organization, "Though to be entirely honest, it is nice to have something to do. With nothing left to prod at with the construction, I'm a bit at loose ends and there's little I loathe more."
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Brave Enough to Burn [IC] (Open to FL Auxiliary Members)
alderwitch replied to alderwitch's topic in Americas
"Hungry? No... no, I'm not hungry. You'd think I would be - fifty years and all." The noise that bubbled up wasn't quite a laugh and wasn't quite a sob but at least was not yet full blown hysteria. She swayed and then folded in on herself, sitting on the ground she'd scorched. Leilani clutched her hands together, twisting the skin until it hurt. With her oddly dual colored eyes focused on her fingers, she missed the first part of Fleur's statement, her gaze cutting up finally, "What would you tell them? What would I tell them?" She gave a slow shake of her head, not ready to open the lid on the box of whether or not she had family that lived. She took a slow steady breath and with it the heat finally began to drop. She plucked at her wetsuit and then offered, "Size nine," she offered, not knowing that even that had shifted over the last several decades. By the time Fleur found a shirt and shorts that Leilani could trade for, she was at least no longer venting ridiculous amounts of heat. She glanced over to Comrade Frost, at least without any of the initial fear she'd first had, before accepting the clothes. It was a small victory that she picked them up with normal hands and took things off to change. "Thank you," Leilani said before adding, "I'm sorry I burned your grass." What to do with an only minimally controlled, time displaced lava-kinetic, that was going to be much more than an early morning's adventure. At least life in the Freedom League was never dull. -
Ray glanced down as the tattoos on his body shifted, flipping his forearms up to watch the message scrawled out against his skin. "Az - ol' buddy -" Ray drawled in response, letting his hands fall to his side once more. The Angel of Death was so far above Araerel as the diminutive was wildly inappropriate. Humans, perhaps, were a bad influence. Or a good one? Ray was still undecided as he snapped his wings wide and enjoyed the sensation of catching the air current on flaming pinions. He took a deep breath in of the crisp air, enjoying the sting of the cold on the mortal skin of his fleshy prison. He was well aware that Azarael meant destroyed in a much more permanent way than just the immolation of this human shell. "Do you really have to ask?" Ray said then, letting his wing snap into his sides as he let himself fall wherever the Angel of Death might toss him. Falling, really, was always so very easy. What people didn't realize was the landing... it was the landing that was hard. Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu, melekh ha`olam...
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Just for ease of everything, Phantom will go at her normal place in the initiative order this round since RL ate me for last round
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No, that'd be great! I would totally be up for more defense as Nighthawk can also shift her attack/defense and hopefully get in the way of things for the others. I really need to add interpose to her sheet.
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Across town, Ray had closed his doors to the tattoo parlor, locking them firmly. He drew no few startled looks from his neighbors as double-checked that the lock was in place. After all, he had old artifacts and other dangerous things hidden away in his apartment. A voice-mail had been left for old acquaintances to see about dismantling the place if he didn't follow up tomorrow. It wasn't so much the closing of the shop, really, Ray had always had odd hours after all. It might have been the fact that all he was wearing was his jeans, his feet bare on the pavement and all the tattoos on display. It could even have been the fact that once he was done, he turned to walk straight into the street, regardless of the traffic that might be wanting to pass through. It could have certainly been any of those things but most likely it was the fact that his tattoos were moving, writhing on his skin like living creatures as the Enochian runes that cracked the seals on his mortal prison were lighting up like roman candles to stand out from the patterns of color that normally masked them. For the first time in a very long time, Ray felt old. He'd seen the plagues in their original inception, after all, horrific terrible things. It was worse, though, when it was the child whose mother worked in the storefront nearby, wailing inconsolably in fear of the dark than it had been all those many long years ago recording the plight of humanity. Araerel was no warrior-angel - sometimes he wasn't quite sure if he was even a 'super hero' - but he knew that this was absolutely not the will of the Almighty. With his neighbors - his friends - looking on, Ray reached through the Enochian runes that lit across his skin for the holy power that was still his to call and wings of flame and light lifted from the shifting patterns of his skin to send him aloft in a wash of power that was entirely deliberate, perhaps even taunting. He might not be a warrior, but by God, he would fight.
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Nighthawk didn't talk but her smile was grim, even if it couldn't easily be seen through the darkness. She sensed more than saw the shape taking form near her and reacted before she could process what the threat was. Her fist swung through the air and slammed full force into the brick behind where the shadow creature's head would have been with a loud crack of the brick shattering under the teenager's blow. "Can't hit em with fists. Going to have to get creative. Think you're going to have to light your arrows up, Woodsman. Burn 'em. Or magic. Whatever you got, stick with what works." Nighthawk's voice cut through the dark, clear and calm as she shook brick flecks from her fist and ran towards where she remembers Woodsman standing. She was going to end up having to play interception again for people. "If you stick close, I'll see what I can do about getting between you and them."
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"Yeah, see, I don't think I want people feeling more sorry for me, though," Robin pointed out only to look over as Fred and Riley returned. Although her gaze rested on Riley, heavy with concern for his palpable tension, it shifted quickly to Fred and the vial she held. "Dang, Fred, that's a lotta words," Robin said, blinking once over the top of her plastic mask. She reached up, her movements slower and stiffer than normal but no less determined as she pulled the oxygen mask off and pushed her self forward enough that she wasn't against the bed. The machines beeped a protest as she held one hand out, already complaining as her pulse changed and her oxygen levels began to drop - not too fast but enough that anyone looking at the machines might notice it. "Y'had me at 'decrease recovery time'." Her hand was impressively steady as she held it out for the vial and despite her quip, Robin softened her raspy voice. "Fred, I trust you. I get it. Nothing ever's a sure thing but if you think it'll work, that's all I need to know." And unless someone stopped Robin, she was going to take it and drink it before she could think better of drinking questionable alchemical elixirs.
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Nighthawk will try to hit the thing forming near her: 1d20+10=30 If it hits, that's a critical and is a DC30 TOU save if it lands?
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[ToV] Short Attention Span Theater (OOC)
alderwitch replied to Avenger Assembled's topic in Archives
Wow, actually rolled a 20 for Psyche. That never happens. -
Initiative: 22 Notice: 21 Robin has no super-sense but she does have Blind-fight as a feat
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Psyche kept her touch light, delicate and pulled back when he fled. Reaching for her communicator she fumbled for it and volunteered, "I can get into his thoughts fairly easily, but he's confused and angry. His memories, the recent ones, are fuzzy but normal. A party. I think he might have been drugged. I'd have to go deeper to figure out what's driving him but he's being spurred towards somewhere - he doesn't even understand it himself." Her words were almost unnaturally calm and unruffled despite the chaos although perhaps a little sad. "I think someone - or something - has made him into a weapon. I am reasonably certain I can push back into his thoughts again. What would you like me to do?"
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At the sound of conflict, Robin's entire posture tensed as she heard the angry voices. She watched the conflict, coiled and wary, uncertain if she ought to intervene and thrown off by the way the woman changed from enraged to smiling. It was a lot to take in and certainly not in line with her expectations. Robin blinked once and then stood up to peer around the door way. "That didn't seem to go well," the young woman commented in a quiet voice as she dutifully came around the corner and went to see about removing the doctor from his predicament. She reached out and picked the doctor up with well-contained strength to set him gently back on his feet. "Are you alright? Do you need me to, uh, call someone?" Robin asked as she turned her head around looking for who that might be.
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Punch-punch-jab-block The rhythm of fist hitting bag was soothing in a way that the simulation room never managed to be. After her introduction to the simulator, Robin had never felt fully comfortable down there but the normal gym provided a certain refuge. Her fist snapped out to send the bag swinging once more on its heavy chain as Robin started to squint against the fading light. Turning towards the window, she took in the utterly unnatural darkness with a grim expression. Nothing good ever happened under the cover of darkness. Not in her experience. Snagging a flashlight from the supply closet, she broke into a run towards the quad. She imagined the teachers had scenarios planned and in place for most of the students but there were a whole lot of people in Bayview that wouldn't have that kind of protection. A lot of bad things happened in the dark, after all.
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[ToV] Short Attention Span Theater (OOC)
alderwitch replied to Avenger Assembled's topic in Archives
Power Check: 20 -
[ToV] Short Attention Span Theater (OOC)
alderwitch replied to Avenger Assembled's topic in Archives
Psyche will go for the mind reading which is a DC21 Will save to avoid I believe! Rank 11 power. -
Brave Enough to Burn [IC] (Open to FL Auxiliary Members)
alderwitch replied to alderwitch's topic in Americas
It might have been a little difficult to tell as rock didn't flinch in the same way that flesh did but Leilani tensed as Comrade Frost approached, afraid that she'd set him alight with powers she had no understanding and less control over. Her posture relaxed when the man failed to burn despite the hands resting on her transformed shoulders. She watched him with eyes that burned like coals in the black stone of her features. As other words caught her attention, Leilani's panic briefly hiccuped as she realized when Elis spoke that she hadn't in fact drawn breath and her shoulders heaved as she tried to make up for that by aping the gesture. It felt strange, drawing her awareness to the lack of anything like lungs or even a heartbeat that really ought to have been pounding in her ears. Finally, at Fleur's suggestion she ducked her head, holding her hands tightly together in front of her. "I'm not a hero, though." The rock plates dropped to the grass with a soft thump, cracking and falling off of Leilani. She was still far, far too hot to the touch as tears sizzled off of her skin. That, at least, answered the question of if she was 'normal' in human form. Leilani held her hands tightly together enough that it hurt, as if she could hold the fire in with force of will. She met Frost's gaze then, directly, "I'm just lost." Leilani dropped her head then, looking down at her linked hands, focusing on the fact that they were at least human for the moment, "What do I do now?" -
Initiative: 3 "I am not fast."
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"They keep trying to," Robin said with a rough chuckle, "But whatever lets me survive the attempt at turning me into a pile of ash seems to be shedding any lingering radiation. I jus' wanna get outta here as soon as possible. Don't really like hospitals." She peered at Raina over her mask and the tired smile was clear even with the oxygen mask over the bottom of her face. "Took some shrapnel through the lung, though, and I don't get to walk until my O-sat stops tanking when I get out of bed. Super-lame. How's'it at school?" She asked, not picking up on whatever Riley and Fred were discussing in the corner. "Wanna come back tomorrow night an' help me sneak outta here?"
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"We'll scale it down when we make a stencil of it. You'll pick the size. Modern technology is so very useful," Ray said from where he sat back. He watched the drawing emerge but from a deliberately casual position. No one drew well with someone breathing down their neck or making them self conscious. Only when she turned for comment did Ray lean over to clearly look over the piece. "I'd add a little shading," he suggested, pointing one tattooed finger to the areas, "Basically, you either go light to dark, so the foreground is lighter and the farthest point is darker - that makes the picture feel kind of heavy. In this case, you'd want to do the reverse, you pack your color in up close and then let it wash away as it goes back to make it have a lighter, dreamy feel. It'll translate well to that style. You know, I think it might be nice if you just put the image there for the window and we let the frame be negative space. So, just a little shading to give the hint of it. Like your skin is the frame for the escape." He leaned over then, erasing his work a bit and roughing in the shading in the manner he was talking about. "Something like that." He suggested and sat back to let her look over it. Ray arched one imperious brow and then offered. "I got space in the back, you wanna come by for some pointers... I have time."
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Brave Enough to Burn [IC] (Open to FL Auxiliary Members)
alderwitch replied to alderwitch's topic in Americas
Leilani turned her head to watch Gaian Knight as his ease and calm words had continued their efforts to convince the young woman that things would be alright. At least until Tiamat shattered the spell abruptly and painfully. Her breath hiccuped in her throat; a sudden, strangled noise as her oddly-colored eyes widened. On some level, Leilani recognized that that gruff words and blunt manner had been delivered with rough kindness but at the moment, all she could focus was the bottom dropping out of her world. "No... no..." Leilani took a step back from them all, her heartbeat hammering. "Fifty years. That's not... that's not possible." There was anguish in that last word, even as the sound twisted by a throat that was no longer human. Where her heart beat within her body, the temperature skyrocketed abruptly spreading outward. It wasn't painful for Leilani - not physically - as her body ignited. The transformation was much swifter this time as the time she spent purely white hot and molten was a fragment of a second before hardening into protective plates of shiny black stone. It wasn't hard to deduce the response as being adrenal related from her obvious distress and although she ignited, Gaian Knight would feel no nascent grasping for the earth from the young woman. Leilani looked down at her once more burning body and made a single, broken noise of distress. -
If I can see him, I can probably affect him. Some people are immune to my abilities, of course, but I'm here to do whatever I can to help. That was the young psychic from AEON from where she floated outside of comfortable shouting range in her new white and blue costume. Still, Psyche was a known member of the Liberty League, even if she spent more time wearing a suit and working within AEON's tower than out in the field. She was there to offer what aid she could but the young woman was deliberately taking a back seat to the Freedom League's chosen tactics. This wasn't her team and she wanted to fit in where she was needed. After working on a superteam since she was a teenager, Alex well understood how critical it was that people worked together once in the field. What do you need from me?