alderwitch

Bombshell Initiative: 1d20+7=27 For if we are rolling initiative!

The leader is unconscious now! (1d20+10=13) Go ahead with your IC posts

Reflex Save for Bounty Hunter Leader: (1d20+10)=13 He is duly snared! Woodsman is up after your IC post, the Concealment effect will fade on the Bounty Hunters turn and the Leader is snared. InitiativeFrostbyte: 24Woodsman: 20Bounty Hunters (2): 18Ouroboros: 17Bounty Hunter Leader: 14 SNAREDReagent: 10Merlin: 10Sparkler: 9

"Caldwell took a few major hits in the last big disaster, unfortunately, so it would take some serious work to get it up and running these days. If we need a place other than Trevor's family home, though AEON's equipped to do everything the old manor did and more and you're all welcome to make use of it. I even moved the teleporters over from Caldwell to AEON that we used to use. Since we deal with metahumans needing help with their powersets, we have everything from simulator rooms to nullification chambers along with more traditional amenities like apartments, the gym and the pool. You're all welcome to it. Mark and Mike already have access badges waiting down at the front desk and I can have my personal assistant set up cards for Joe, Trevor and Nina tomorrow." Alex volunteered cheerfully as she reached up to give Mike's arm a gentle pat. Her amused gaze cut back to Mark then as she added, "Although Nina may be disappointed at the lack of personal army. The rest is very nice, though."

"All work and no play," Talya sighed with great regret. When Erik shifted, she dutifully unhooked her legs from his waist, landing lightly on her booted feet. Talya bent over to retrieve her mask from where it hand landed on the ground, tucking it into her coat's pocket before she began stripping off the tight leather gloves. Those also went tucked into a coat pocket. Once her hands were bare, she reached up to pull her hair out of the way and reach for the zipper on her catsuit herself to wiggle it down to where it wouldn't show below the neckline of her outfit, leaving her pale shoulders bare before she shrugged into her tailored coat once more. With her coat on, she reached up to put her hair to rights with quick flicks of her fingertips, adjusting the part to the one she wore in the dojo. Talya restored herself into order with a frightening amount of efficiency, really. She was about to offer more teasing commentary when she caught sight of his shiver. Stepping forward, Talya reached out and slipped her arms around his waist, under his jacket to share her body warmth. She hadn't spent the fight half naked, after all, "Now's when you could use the hot cider, I imagine. Perhaps a warm shower before any further antics, hm?"

Robin's smile was a little shy but she laughed when he leaned around to check out the back side. "I'm glad you like 'em. It was this or a pillowcase with eye-holes cut out. Hey, Jimmy, nice to meetcha," Robin said as she turned slightly and offered one hand to the smaller kid. Her grip was firm but not overly-so. Robin had a prize-fighter's hands - with the knuckles ridged with scar tissue and flattened from numerous breaks. With how she was dressed today, it was a lot more incongruous than it normally was. "Nice Centurion costume!" Leaning back against Riley's arm, she glanced over towards him. She was about Riley's height, especially with the additional volume from her hair so it was easy to look him in the eye, "So has our host shown himself yet or are we the first ones here? I thought I was going to be late - never know what sort of weirdness is going to happen on the buses this time of year."

Robin had a ways to walk. The bus system was limited in North Bay but she was used to walking. She'd not swapped her footwear for something to better match the costume but at least then it was no harder to walk up the road to the overgrown gate that seemed to be the place in question. Robin had no money for costumes or such frivolities - hell, she didn't usually have money for necessities - but at least she was getting a second use out of the clubbing outfit that Raina had purchased using her money. The skintight leather pants weren't much barrier from the autumn chill but she'd thrown the same worn leather jacket that she was never far from and had her ubiquitous backpack slung over one shoulder. No one had yet broken Robin of the habit of keeping all she valued on her. Under the leather jacket, the shimmery halter top caught the light from the street lamps with each step and for once, her curls weren't stuffed up under a hat or handkerchief. No, Robin had spent the painstaking time to fix her hair up for once. It was an odd, almost distracting sensation to have the corkscrew curls loose around her face and shoulders but she had promised something special for the night and was really the extent of what she could do. When Riley appeared out of the shadows, she gave a little gesture with her hands, "Uhm, this is all I've got. So. S'okay?" Robin wanted to know and then grinned at his outfit. "You look good. Nice hat."

"You're adorable," Talya told the goddess with a small smile, the observation mostly bemused. "Very well. I shall endeavor to behave myself to what slim extent I am able to manage." She tapped Dimitri's shoulder once again as she protested, "You can't go off to another dimension, besides. Who will keep me company? I'm still put out with Ace and the rest of our generation that are bearable are almost all dead now. Well, deceased and non-ambulatory. Who will come play my date for the evening the next time I have to go to a Russian mobster's wedding? Who will be my partner at bridge night? Everyone presumes you still don't understand the game and last time we walked away with just about a clean sweep. I'm still hoping to trounce the Clock Queen the next time she's up this way. The woman cheats!" That was said with more enthusiasm then condemnation. She smiled at Set, then, her eyes crinkling at the corners. It was clear she was aware there was a certain amount of question dodging going on, "You know, not every piece of advice Dimitri gives is terrible. Most of it, but every now and again, there's a kernel of wisdom in there. Personally, I think its largely to ensure that you can't simply always do the opposite of what he suggests and trust that's the way to go about things."

"Well, you can't say that you weren't aware of my nature before all of this," Talya pointed out when he pulled back to grin at her. The corner of her lips kicked up in a bemused smile and she dropped her chin just a little to eye him, letting her blond hair drop back down to obscure that side of her face in a tousled version of her familiar look. Her gloved fingertips slid down his collarbone to rest against the hard muscles of his chest with her gaze dropping to follow her hands. "You have to admit, the risk of being caught does make it all the more enticing.... Oh, alright." Her agreement was a soft regretful sigh. The temptation to test just how far this resolve went flickered through her clear blue eyes clearly before she gave in. Her lips curved for a moment in a siren's smile, her tone teasing, "But, if you're committed to this particular course of action, the question is am I demonstrating or explaining. Who gets to be the captor? Of course, you'd have to put me down first. Are you really certain you want to do that?"

"Why? Are you cold?" Talya murmured as her head tipped back to allow him better access to the delicate skin of her jaw. Her soft, husky laugh caught in her throat as Erik's stubble rasped against her sensitive flesh. The laughter they got from Talya in these private moments was such a different sort than her public face. The leather mask fluttered from Talya's fingertips, forgotten, to the ground below and she tangled both hands in Erik's short hair. Arching her back so that her shoulder blades pressed against the wooden shed, Talya shifted so that her other leg wrapped around Erik's hips as well; trusting that he'd have no trouble with her slight weight. Her voice dropped to a teasing whisper, "Because, I can help you with that, you know." Honesty. Fidelity. Trust. She was working on all of those things for these people. But that didn't mean she'd hung up the devil on her shoulder entirely. No, sometimes the devil had the best ideas.

Date: Halloween, 2015 Location: Faretti Mansion, North Bay Halloween was a busy time of year for Huang's parents and he'd been able to plan on them being out of the house as soon as the sun went down. Arrangements had been made for his younger self to stay at Sanctuary for an overnight long in advance and JJ would no doubt be having a fabulous Halloween with Ammy and her mother on the verdant world. Huang had been warned no less than three times by his mother as she walked through the manor, putting things in her cloak for an evening of chasing down cultists, monsters and probably making out with his dad (ick!). He'd been told to stay behind the wards as there was no shortage of people who'd like the potent blood of a dhampir to fuel their fell rituals - and not to expect them back before dawn. So, technically, there hadn't been any specific rules about not having people over. Technically. At least nothing beyond the usually secretive bent of his family in general. When his father came downstairs in his Avenger costume, Taylor kissed Huang's cheek with one last reminder to stay safe before his parents vanished. Really, they should have been suspicious at the lack of requests to come along but Huang had his own plans for Halloween. Namely, an illicit holiday party! Earlier in the week, elaborate scrolls had appeared in the rooms of certain classmates of his - those that might be receptive to such endeavors. Without fail, a sealed scroll had popped showily into existence in front of them at some point earlier in the week. In contrast with the fancy appearance, the wording itself was utterly contemporary: You know who's got a mansion and a guarantee of absent parents? This guy! Party at my place on Halloween. Folks will be gone at sunset so party starts after. Oh, bring the scroll or you won't be able to find it. Magic. J.H.F. Also, goes without saying but, no racist costumes welcome, obv. Especially ghosts. They're really sensitive this time of year. For those who followed the very brief instructions, they ended up at an over grown driveway in a ritzy North Bay neighborhood where all the houses seemed to have expansive grounds. Which, of course, left them standing at the bottom of a winding driveway, heavily overgrown and oddly foreboding. There was no mailbox or sign to mark the place but for some discolored brickwork that marked the start of the driveway. Outside it, it didn't even seem like there was a house at the end of the drive but once they crossed the line, the cracked driveway and overgrown trees parted enough to reveal a dark mansion at the top of a hill through the overgrowth. It was spooky and foreboding, with thick cobwebs knotting the branches of the trees that obscured much of their view. Apparently Huang's family went all out for the holiday spirit?

"You looked ready to cause more than a bit of mayhem - I saw your expression. But I'm fine. There's not a mark on me," Talya assured him with a soft smile, a little breathless from the kiss. Her hand, still in the soft leather glove, came up to mirror his; warm through the thin leather as she touched his cheek. "Though, to be frank, if I hadn't gotten a good breath in I might not have been able to get my shoulder up to break the hold. Those rubbery-sorts are a lot more of a pain to shake off than a pair of steel bracelets." It was an admission she'd never have made before everything had changed. Talya had always taken 'never let them see you sweat' to a different sort of level but Erik deserved more than the utter confidence she projected at the world. After her honest admission, Talya leaned in to steal a kiss of her own, the gesture no less urgent than Erik's as she held him tight. Her gloved hand slipped down when she broke away, dropping to his shoulders as she ran light fingertips over the lines of his shoulders and arms. Talya's hands traced over the bare skin, as much caress as it was silent inventory. "You?" She wanted to know as the leg in his hand tensed against his hip to keep him close. "It didn't look like they were able to get a hand on you."

Robin gave the angel a dubious look as he went to make his exit. Her father had always been fairly devout but... let's just say faith wasn't something that Robin had in high supply anymore. Stuffing her hands into her pockets a little deeper, her attention shifted back to Riley and the very attractive new girl as he went to show her the hatchet. A faint frown flickered across Robin's features for a brief moment before she shook it off quickly. "It takes a little bit to get used to the rhythm of things around here but kids come from all sorts of backgrounds so..." Robin gave a slight shrug of her shoulders, "I'm sure you'll have loads of friends in no time. We'll introduce you around once Ms. Summers has got you settled if you'd like. I'm sure Fred and Riley don't mind pausing their argument on what the fastest way to blow us all up is." The last was added with a sidelong grin for Robin's roommate.

Alex was floating, literally and figuratively, her lips warm and welcoming under his and her toes well off the ground to make that work. She beamed at him, her hazel eyes bright, "I am going to burn the pancakes if you keep that up. Even I have my multitasking limits," Alex pointed out as she reluctantly disengaged to finish making them both breakfast. Still, she was all but radiant as she turned back to the stove and the remaining batter. They both really knew that once Mike moved in, that would be that, but for Alex it was like having the last piece of a long unfinished puzzle. "If you want, we can eat outside. You can put those big muscles to use setting the table for us both." She paused and then glanced over her shoulder at him, adding softly, "I love you, Mike. I'm glad you're home."

"I never stay to fill out paperwork as a general rule. Besides, I can only presume that any case is strengthened by not having my name attached," Bombshell agreed with a wicked grin, as she leaned into the hand on her waist. Pausing, she gave Grab's grumbled comments a jaunty wave. "Do give my fan club my fond regards." Catching Jack's hand, she turned to lead the way through the overturned stalls, in the vague direction that they'd left coats, clothing and groceries but mostly away from the crowds. She had a knack for it, shifting between groups of people like it was all a rather large dance and towards emptier environments. When they slipped between building and an upended booth, Talya paused to reach up and peel off Bombshell's mask with gloved fingertips. "I swear, whenever I put this on in a hurry it ends up pinching like the devil," she commented absently, the cadence of her voice softening around the edges as she turned towards the fencer. Reaching out, she reached up to twine her arms around his shoulders, her mask still held loosely in one hand, "Would you believe me if I said I hadn't the faintest idea where we left your pants?"

"First smart move all day," was Bombshell's comment as she watched for a moment to make sure it wasn't a trick. Spinning the baton in her hand, she pressed it slightly against her hip so the weapon retracted back down to something that could once more be slipped away. It would be hard to mistake her as with these individuals but enough bad experiences had her moving away from the approaching police officers and towards Jack. It was really less concern over potential arrest and far more a desire to not be associated with these particular criminals. Bombshell had no patience for collateral damage. Her gaze skipped over the ruined market stalls and lingered on the people still being helped to their feet before turning back towards her partner. "I wholeheartedly approve of the new costume but it seems like it might not be the most all-weather of ensembles. Not that I can throw stones, really. I used to wear a miniskirt and go-go boots after all." The light patter of Bombshell's flirtation was the same sort of banter that he'd always been treated to, and the sort that her alter-ego was well known for. The smile she offered, however, was real and mutely reassuring under her mask, "And the coat has such style. Didn't I owe you some swooning?"

Alex leaned back into the embrace, pausing in her flipping of pancakes to enjoy Mike's easy affection. Letting go of the spatula as it continued to do its work, Alex turned around in his embrace to slide her arms around Mike's bare waist in return, her cheek against his chest. "I am always full of good ideas," Alex pointed out with laughter in her voice. Her cheek was warm against his skin and Mike felt the tell-tale light pressure in his thoughts as she gauged his words against his mood and intentions, "I really would like you here. I mean, you're never more than a thought away but its not the same as watching movies and eating dinner together and all of those little things. I'm not sorry you had the time away - I think it was good for you - but I like having you here better. If it doesn't work, you could always move back out again. But you'll be missing out on pancakes!"

"Nope, never worn any," Robin replied, slinging her worn jacket back on over the top of her clothes although she left it open, thrusting her hands back into her pockets once more. She didn't elaborate more than that but it wasn't perhaps surprising. Anything that strayed close to the topic of Robin's life outside of the school tended to be a non-starter. She shifted the topic, "Can I just get away with some lipstick and call it a day though? I know that if makeup is anything like underclothes there are going to be no actual 'nude' colors that look anything like me and lipstick seems like the easiest thing to not screw up."

"Safe, sure. Sane, that's always more in doubt," Robin said with a good natured grin and slipped her hands in her pockets once more as others offered their hands and greetings. She took in Heyzel with a brief curious look. She was familiar with the Freedom League, after all, she was born and raised in Freedom City but whether she believed was more in question. Still, she was polite as she nodded respectfully to the angelic super hero before turning to Fred with another small smile, "He's a super hero. He's on the League," she explained to Fred. Turning back towards the new student, "Nice to meet you, Phaedra. No, you probably don't need to arm yourself. You get lots of warning when its time for more athletic sorts of training and activities. Riley's actually less armed today. The hatchet is more of a tool, really." Robin offered, the words a little phlegmatic about her boyfriends weaponry, "And for emergencies."

"You'll do fine," Robin told Fred as she fell into step with the other girls. Ms Summers hadn't sent her off and that was close enough to assent to come along and make sure that no mishaps occurred during this particular test. She shoved her hands deeper into her pockets and gave Hannah a friendly smile, "You both will. Don't underestimate yourselves. Raina did well on hers, after all." Of course it had all gone downhill after that but best not to focus in that part. She stepped into the elevator, leaning her shoulder easily against the wall on the way, "Man, how many secret elevators are in this place?" She asked as they stepped into the empty room that comprised the Doom Room. Having seen this before, she gave it all a cursory glance before explaining to Fred, and Hannah, "They use these simulators to form solid holograms that seem totally real. They can make it feel way bigger than it actually is but its all illusions, really. It's wild."

Talya's brow briefly furrowed as she watched the interplay and Min's concerns before her expression eased at the explanation. "Well, everyone has their ups and downs. Some of us a little more cyclical than others," Talya added with a quirk of her lips. It was on the tip of her tongue to deflect with another light rejoinder but it was clearly important to Min that this concern be heard. The fact that it was in front of other people was... inconvenient. The brief internal struggle never touched Talya's expression, her smile remained light and her head tipped to the side as she sifted through responses, discarding half of them before she continued on, her voice a little gentler, "I don't make the mistake of presuming that you're human, with human responses. I know that it isn't the case. I appreciate the forewarning but it'll be fine. I am markedly resilient." She smiled, humor lighting her blue eyes as if the phrase had deeper meaning for her. Reaching out to lightly cover Min's hands with one of her own, the touch brief but affectionate, "That's a fact that you can bank on. We all have our darker moods. Yours just happen to be a bit more predictable than others' might be."

"Sure, I don't think they'd keep you here. They want us to feel like we can trust them," Robin said, the words more astute than most would assume. "I mean, there's enough 'gentle encouraging talks' from advisors that I could just scream. I've heard that tone of voice before," that last was added with clear distaste. Robin's social workers had been well meaning but burdened with an over-encumbered system and limited with their resources. Still, at thirteen, they'd been one of the few targets to fix her impotent upset and anger on and that carried forward to this day. Robin gave a slight restless shake of her shoulders, repressing the emotion quickly enough. "Riley's been wanting to see where I come from too so we can make a trip of it. I wouldn't say it'll be fun. I mean, it's not a nice part of town and we'll just day trip it. I mean, Riley'd probably not be too flapped about sleeping on a rooftop but it takes some getting used to. I almost rolled off more than a few times when I first was figuring it out. Scared me right awake." Robin laughed then, like the memory of almost falling to her death in her sleep was an amusing one.

Robin glanced up as their names were called out in all too familiar tones. The sigh she heaved shifted Riley's arm around her shoulder but didn't displace it. She was of average height and African American descent although her light-grey eyes spoke of some mixed ancestry. Her dark corkscrew curls were pulled back from her face with a faded bandana and the clothing she wore was of similar wear. The shirt and jacket were too large and the jeans she wore were ripped but from use rather than fashion. Robin had gone quiet as her companions debated the various merits of this or that concoction but as Riley turned his attention fully towards his girlfriend, she mistook the reason behind it. Robin gave him one of those small, rare smiles, "I wasn't feeling left out," she promised before turning her attention towards the new student. Robin's smile was friendly and she offered one hand to the new girl. "Hey, I'm Robin. Welcome to crazy-town," the last was added with wry humor. The hand Robin offered had still healing scrapes across the knuckles and fading bruises.