alderwitch

"Oh, that sounds nifty. Don't you think that sounds nifty?" Alex jogged Mike's elbow with one hand and beamed at the king of Dakana with a sunny smile. "Thank you so much for this invitation, sir, it's such an honor. I promise, we won't be any trouble at all and we really, really appreciate the opportunity to see more of your country. I've read so many books..." She trailed off before she could go into full on geek mode and tell him about his own country. Alex recovered quickly however, bouncing on her sneakered toes, "How are we getting there? Is there an itinerary?"

"Erin..." Taylor said, and then bit back the urge to jump down the girl's throat. She sighed. "Of course I'm going to try to be here for the holidays and all of that. I really don't like being gone so much. I just haven't had much of a choice, unfortunately. If there was any way I could make time, I would. It isn't easy, but sometimes we don't get to do what we want to do. Not even with all the power we have, sometimes there are responsibilities you just can't get away from." Taylor shrugged and bounced her knee again to soothe the baby who was starting to crane his neck to stare at the tense tone coming from his mother. She forced her voice calm again, "I'm sure you know that. You must feel the strain of being a teenage super hero."

"Anti-Earth? Where evil is good and vice versa? Once or twice. I try and avoid the near earth dimensions where I can. It's disconcerting when you see the faces of people you know and they're nothing like the people of your world. I find it especially strange since I don't really have doppelgangers. Taylor Faretti does, but not Phantom. If any other iterations of me have powers, it is not from being the Chosen of Heshem. It's a little disconcerting." Taylor admitted, she had glanced up at the mention of Rick Lucas but only seemed to make a mental note before she looked back down at the baby, "It's disconcerting for everyone, though."

"Too long. Too blasted long. I am no one's toy." Taylor agreed with him as she moved her hands up and directed the bolt of searing light at the Eye until the metal glowed white hot and started a low chant in the language of long lost Atlantis, something that was half prayer and half invocation and burned the air with pure power. Reality itself gave way under the onslaught, tearing a jagged rip in the fabric of the dimension and leaving a gaping hole in the sky that wept light. "WHO DARES..." It was a terrible and glorious voice, one never meant to be heard by mortal ears and even Taylor winced and turned her face away as if it would mute the sound. "Chosen, why have you summoned ME?"

"Mmmhmmm..." Taylor agreed looking thoughtful for a moment. She wiggled the leg under the baby to bounce him a few times, her fingers held by his chubby hands. "It is partially my fault for being absent from Prime but there has been a lot of dimensional fluxing lately although I haven't seen much cause for it, just an increase in anomalities. It's strange."

"Oh," Taylor said as she watched the babysitter pull the twig away and blinked at the exchange. "Working on more than just fangs. It was bound to happen eventually." Taylor slipped her hand in her pocket and rummaged until she managed to find something that was safe to chew on and nothing even JJ's teeth could tear apart. She pulled out the thin, cool disc with symbols etched on it and provided for the baby to wave and chomp on. "Picked that up for him when I was out. A month ago. I think." She shook her head and determinedly turned the topic back to Erin, "What sort of dimensional stuff? There's been a lot going on lately it seems and I can't be everywhere. Even when I'm trying."

Time and space rippled above them before spitting out one very ruffled looking dimensional guardian, "What...? What the...? Who's been reading from Forbidden Tomes?!" She looked over at Archeville and then frowned at his limp form, "Oh. Well, then." Phantom glanced down at the writhing mass of madness. "Would you like to deal with that and I'll see what I can do about the good Doctor?

Taylor looked at him, finally looked over at him. "All that time. All those emergencies, they were fake. They were frauds. Just the tiniest hint of Atlantean godhead tainting all of those incidents that kept calling me away over and over again. I've been a dimensional guardian alright, protecting the multiverse from the meddling of the same goddess that commanded me to protect it." Her hands reached towards the amulet, her fingers curling in her gloves as she began to focus bright beams of power in the palms of her hands. White light so bright it burned to look at it. "She's been stealing my life away for busy work. And I want to know why."

Taylor took her son into her arms and cuddled him close enough that he squirmed a little. She laughed at that and then relaxed her grip to help him sit on her lap, turning her face up to the cloudy sky. "Long. Too long. And oddly pointless. It's fine. The more he gets used to the sunlight, the better really. It's too easy for him to have bad habits develop early. Getting him on a daytime schedule is a constant effort... which you probably already know." Taylor smiled and looked down at his fuzzy head. "How was your summer, Erin? I didn't get the chance to ask earlier. And it's already over. Time really does fly." Especially when one wasn't even on Earth.

"Stupid! How could I have been so STUPID?!" Phantom's voice but Taylor's tones as she threw a heavy tome across the room and let it smack into the wall, leaving a dent in the plaster. "I know better! I deal with gods and powers every day and yet she blindsides me! After everything I've done! Everything I've given up! Fine, She wants to play games, but I'm going to change the rules on Her." Taylor wasn't prone to ranting. She was very much the actions speak louder than words, and while there was certainly a great deal of action going on in the library. The upholstery was never going to be the same, that was for certain. But while there was all of that going on, she was certainly ranting. Taylor floated in the center of the maelstrom, hood tossed back and mask pushed down. Rather than the usual white, her eyes were the same light spangled black of the Void but most noticeable was the necklace missing from her throat. Instead it floated in front of her, the chain snapped as she searched for something in the depths of the library. "No more." That was softer but some how more venom filled.

Taylor stepped forward and went to her knees on the blanket, her smile sad but genuine as she watched the baby roll and gurgle, flashing sharp little fangs. "My little boy... He gets bigger every day." Or I'm just missing so much it seems that way. How long has he been rolling? What else am I missing? Taylor repressed the urge to yank her baby away and instead reached out one finger for him to latch onto, flashing identical dimples as she returned Jack Jr.'s smile. "Hey, Erin. Long time no see. How are you doing? Thank you for the note, by the way. It saved me some time." Scrying would have taken at least a few minutes of looking. And how sad would it be to have to scry for your own child?

In which things come to a head! "Dun dun dun!" Jack/Taylor. I'll link to the spin off threads when they start.

Taylor had been stretched to the breaking point and then some. After some terse words exchanged with Jack (and perhaps a chair or two thrown), she'd been forced back onto yet another emergency but something had tickled in the back of her mind. Had been tickling in the back of her mind so this time, after the emergency, she'd waited around and spent some time doing some serious scrying and spell casting to check her suspicions. What she'd found left her more coldly furious than Taylor had ever thought she could be. Normally, her return to the library was soundless as she filtered in from one reality to another but this time, Phantom ripped time and space asunder, leaving bolts of eldritch energy flashing and crackling through the windows and a fell wind knocking over papers and sending them whipping around the room. She seemed unaware or uncaring of the magical storm she was causing in the library as she tore through it, tossing priceless volumes aside in some sort of personal quest.

Okay, so first, I'm back. And secondly, as part of my mea culpa, I'm gonna run some dimensional hijinks that will tie in to Phantom's upcoming rework but not be a direct giant crossover because, well, those run forever. So! Here's the synopsis. Phantom is going to get pushed to quitting her job and smashing the Eye of Heshem. Metaphysically, this is going to result in "Two points touching that should never touch" to blatantly quote Dr. Who. There is going to be a 'mainline' story for a few people: Avenger, Dead Head and Ouroborus for certain. Probably room for one more with first slot going to Wander if she wants it as she has been babysitting Phantom's kid. I do have a plotline that ties into the main story for magic users. Specifically those who would know what it all meant/what was going on etc. As for the rest, here's where my apology comes in. Got a group of people and a world you want to see / elseworlds character you want to interact with? Let me know. I will even run single/duo thread elseworlds highjinks. I will close this at some point since I can't run a billion threads. Well, not my first week back. They theme they will have in common is setting the two worlds that have gotten mushed together right. I missed you all!

Wander/Phantom/Baby... Hijinks!

Phantom dropped into the mansion, feeling more like one of the ghosts in it rather than a flesh and blood woman. She was back to not knowing what day or time it was in Prime. She had to check both the clock and calendar as that last 'quick jaunt' had turned into days and days. "Jack... honey?" She called as she floated through the house, peeling off her mask. The laceration on her face healed as she phased through walls, looking into the rooms her family usually occupied. "JJ...? Hello?" Eventually, she found the note. From the baby sitter. Her shoulders slumped and after looking at herself in the mirror, she gestured, changing her cloak and cowl into a faded sweater and jeans before blipping to the park, where she squinted in the day light like she was the creature of the night. Eventually she spotted Erin and her son out on a picnic blanket and headed over. It took her longer than usual to fade into existence, almost as if she was forgetting how.

There was a soft knock on the conference door before Alexandra Albright let herself into the room. For those that followed the news, the self admitted Terminus baby had been busy with her fledgeling company and their charitable works over the summer. "I am so very sorry to interrupt... Please, excuse me." She appologized as she stepped inside. Alex looked much like any teenager going to their first job interview in a subdued suit and low heels, except of course for the glow of psionic energy around her slender form.

Alex wasn't upset at all to find Mike holding some new girl's hand. She cheerfully fell into step with the tour, her information about the campus rather encyclopedic. At the girl's question, she smiled and shook her head while adding aloud, "No, we don't hide our powers unless there's an unusual need to do so. I mean, if we have visitors on the campus who aren't 'in' on it so to speak. There's some really wicked games of frisbee that get played on the quad. Its really important to the staff of Claremont that this is one place we don't have to hide for those that aren't public with their identities. Pretty much everyone outside of here knows that I have powers and basically what they are but that's really not the norm for most of the kids here."

1d20+2=6 Master Plan: 1d20+11=25

Alex sent a questioning thought to Mike before she headed into the room. She'd sensed his discomfort and consternation from her dorm room and headed down quickly. Mike didn't need her as a social shield any more but that didn't mean she wouldn't step in when he was uncomfortable. The moment Alex stepped into the room, she glanced around and quickly stepped into the awkward space between Eddie and Mike. "Hello, I'm Alex. Alexandra Albright." She said to the girl before she touched Eddie's shoulder, projecting a soothing sort of serenity into the room like a normal person would adjust the temperature on a thermostat. "Welcome to Claremont."

"Erde," Taylor said the word tightly, and with a gesture popped a portal open to the world they knew, hustling Stesha through with one wary look over her shoulder. She took the time to make sure they weren't traced or followed and then closed the portal with a pop. "Not a pleasant place to live or visit. Shall we try one more time?"

Talya nodded her agreement to Freedom Angel about leaving the celebration, turning to set her martini down only to have her hand captured by Ace. "Give us five minutes, darling, and we'll be ready to go. Ace does love to make a big exit." She glanced down at the jaunty sailor outfit that had replaced her suit and quietly hoped that Ace could make things change back as well. She didn't relish looking like this in the Hindu heaven. It was always aggravating to be under or over dressed. Her shoes clicked as she stepped out to follow Ace and she smiled faintly. He never did do things half way. Talya hoped she remembered all the steps as he spun her to face the group. Her voice was low and husky, the classic lounge singer as she started the opening stanza of the song a Capella, her rich alto filling the room. Plus, it would cue those playing back up exactly which song she was going for. She hoped they liked their showtunes. "Times have changed, And we've often rewound the clock, Since the Puritans got a shock, When they landed on Plymouth Rock. If today, Any shock they should try to stem, 'Stead of landing on Plymouth Rock, Plymouth Rock would land on them." Her tap shoe hit the ground with a sharp noise, bringing attention to the graceful ankle and she inched the skirt up to show stocking, letting it fall again when it rose above one toned knee, still below the line of her garter. It was a family show, after all. "In olden days a glimpse of stocking Was looked on as something shocking, But now, God knows, Anything Goes." She let the skirt fall back to swish around her calves as she let Ace swing her around the room, her smile absolutely genuine as it had been absolute years since they'd done this. This was the reason she'd come, really, because as maddening as this man could be she did love him dearly. Plus, the man had style. Her voice picked up with the tempo of the song. "If driving fast cars you like, If low bars you like, If old hymns you like, If bare limbs you like, If Mae West you like Or me undressed you like, Why, nobody will oppose! When every night, The set that's smart Is intruding in nudist parties in studios, Anything Goes." Talya caught her breath, a husky laugh breaking up the traditional lines of the song as she fell into step with Ace and did her best to keep up with his tap routine. The man had been practicing, drat him. Talya made a mental note to make sure she got in some time to brush up these sorts of skills. Damned if she'd let Ace know she got rusty. She hit the shuffle slap up changes and laughed again as she announced, "Alright, chorus. Now if you know the words, I expect you to bloody join in, yeah?" "The world has gone mad today And good's bad today, And black's white today, And day's night today, When most guys today That women prize today Are just silly gigolos And though I'm not a great romancer I know that I'm bound to answer When you propose, Anything goes " When she finished, she deferred the last bow to Ace and stood for a moment to catch her breath. That actually *had* been fun.

I will spend that HP for ultimate skill in perform: singing for a 52 and my roll on dance is going to be: 1d20+13=31 1HP spent

Taylor seated herself quietly while Lynn spoke, not wanting to interrupt the conversation. In faded jeans and a light tank top, she looked like she hadn't even dressed for the same event that Jack had, as comfortable and casual as could be. She pushed her long hair back over her shoulder and reached up to twist the dark amulet around her throat. Taylor grinned, dimpling both cheeks as Jack Jr won over yet another fan. He was his daddy's boy, that was sure. "Yeah, it does. Fortunately Jack's hardy enough that the baby can just gnaw on him, and I heal fast enough that its not a concern. We have to pay babysitters hazard pay, though." Then Taylor went quiet for the rest of Lynn's speech, one hand coming to rest on Jack's thigh in silent support and she turned her face up to him in question. She smiled and said quietly, "I don't know about Jack but I know that he and the baby are the best parts of my life. Jack's a great husband and a great father. We're just extraordinarily private about that part of our lives so very few people get to see that facet."

And yes, from the count I have, both Kid Cthulhu and Thalia can jump in.