Gizmo

"Woo, Wonderbus!" Kimber cheered as the image of the hand-me-down vehicle appeared, pumping her arm enthusiastically. "I can stick around and help pack stuff if you like," she offered, flexing her arms demonstratively, a more comical gesture since she'd floated between Indira and Mali. "I'm getting pretty good at moving heavier stuff around with my teekay! I don't have anything to prepare for myself and I'm wired enough I'd probably just distract Indira while she's getting into 'the zone'." The phantom was indeed bouncing anxiously in the air, doing her best to contain her nervous energy.

"Hmh? Oh, no. Just... really big. Part of a death trap?" The young man shrugged, unable to recall all of the details about that particular stack of souvenirs. The best explanation he could offer was simply, "Theme villains." Flicking a series of switches on the wall brought flood lights toward the back of the cavern to life one at a time, gradually revealing the reason they'd ventured down below. The saucer was massive enough to take up the better part of its corner of the cave, a disc of gleaming silver and burnished bronzes at least as wide at the center as a pair of semi trucks lined up end-to-end. The entire thing was resting at a tilted angle, pointing a translucent dome toward the pair. Modules around the outer edge caught the illumination from the flood lights and reflected it back in a glinting green.

Erik blinked a few times before responding, his ability to quickly respond to the new and unexpected having been overextended for the day. "Min and Mini, huh?" he chuckled tiredly, looking from the dryad to the newborn in turn. "I like it. And you know... there's a lot of 'normal people' stuff we've never really gotten around to. I know we kinda did things out of order but you maybe want to go out some time? Dinner, movie, maybe some dancing..." The fencer couldn't quite keep a straight face as he asked, nose crinkling and smile tilting to one side. Meanwhile, his sister had quietly excused herself once she was sure the infant was stable and made her way to those waiting outside. "They're busy being mortifyingly mushy in there, but it's a healthy baby girl! Sounds like they're calling her Eden."

Grimacing at the unpleasant remains splattered on his forearm and shirt by the crow Temperance had destroyed, Wail grunted in displeasure and drew back the arm holding the final spirit in a choke lock. "Say goodnight, Jim," he advised the decaying creature before slamming it headfirst into a nearby stack of compacted metal and glass. The meaty pop of the carrion bird's explosion was largely overshadowed by the booming clang of the collision, followed by the palpable post-fight lull. "Well, that can't be sanitary," he muttered, wiping his hands on his pants with limited effect. "Good work, kid. You all... healed up there, Doc?" The high school teacher wasn't entirely clear on what kind of recuperation process the living embodiment of a city might require, but Metropolis looked appreciably better than he had when they'd arrived.

"If those creepazoids are messing with the Tronikians' floppy disks right now, can we wait for better gear?" Kimber asked, floating around in a circle behind the gathered group, flitting from projection to projection to see what everyone was looking at in turn. "If we just get them to all shoot at me, we'll be fine! I was thinking I could make myself look like the ghost of Mackenzie King to really freak them out!" She pumped her arm enthusiastically, trying to buoy the spirits of the worried group. The situation was dire enough without everyone psyching themselves out before they'd even arrived. When she didn't get the desired reaction, the poltergeist sighed. "Fine, Roosevelt, maybe. Churchill?"

"Did donate a lot," Trevor explained, offering Erin his hand as support as they traversed an uneven bit of cave floor. She really didn't need the help but there was the gesture's implications to consider. "When my father was young. Cleared out a lot of the safer items. Hard to explain, though." With a sweeping gesture, he encompassed what looked like one half of an outdated Atlantean craft, a stack of playing cards each the side of a barn door and an ornate two-handed axe that was floating under it's own power inside it's glass case. "Not things you find lying around." The young man stepped carefully over to the closest wall and a bank of switches to turn on the lights further into the cavern.

Miss Americana's lack of recrimination only seemed to make Ghost Girl feel worse, her body language dejected as she floated after the scientist, or at least as dejected as one could be while bobbing serenely through the air like a snowflake in a light breeze. "So, um," she began hesitantly as they moved down the hallway, willing her voice to be more cheerful and picking up momentum as she went, "do you get to study a lot of monsters? Or super people in general? I think Sharl said something about really high-tech prosthetic limbs but a lot of the time I'm not really sure what he's talking about or, well, I kinda tune in and out a little. Only a little!" The phantom held a finger and thumb less a few centimeters apart to indicate the infrequency of such a tactic.

"Well, it's not like it was a state fair or anything," Carly downplayed, a little less eager to discuss her rustic upbringing outside of a snappy comeback but still pleased by the appropriately impressed reaction. The elevator doors were closing as they rounded the last corner but another costumed student caught the sliding silver panels when he saw them coming. The brown duster the young man wore was a little too long for his stocky frame, but details like the suspenders, empty holster at his hip and pointedly dusty combat boots suggested a lot of work had gone into the outfit. "Hey, another cowperson," Ellie noted as the girls piled into the elevator. "Looking good, Leonard." "Oh, uh, thanks!" he replied in a vaguely surprised tone, removing his hand from the doors once everyone was inside and scratching idly at the patchy beard that matched the shock of red hair atop his head. "It's actually from a TV show. See, it's like a sci-fi thing in the future but a lot of the colonies on other planets are pretty poor so they dress sorta like pioneers? It... it got cancelled pretty fast but you can stream it online now, so..." His enthusiasm was replaced by awkward uncertainly partway through his explanation, leaving him trailing off and studying the descending numbers above the doors intently. After a beat Carly spoke up, saying, "Well, I don't really watch a lot of TV, but I bet lots of people will get it?" She offered Leonard a reassuring smile, restoring some of his good cheer. Clearly he was given to wearing his emotions on his sleeve.

"Wasting your breath," Wail advised, taking his time in moving into a more favourable position while the younger heroes charged into the fray. "With jokers like this, it's not what you say... it's HOW!" The single syllable crashed forth in a palpable tidal wave of force, distorting the air in a wide swath in front of the aging educator, superdense lungs and vocal chords turning vibration into punishing sledgehammers that knocked crazed shark men from their feel like toy soldiers. Their leader took the brunt of it, going down hard.

Responding to the amused apology with a soft snort, Trevor let Erin's hand slide comfortably into his own. "Redbird would object, too." Having still been adjusting to her new imprint the previous October, the autonomic intelligence had been eager to learn more about about the holiday this year and had borrowed one of the spare vehicles in the extensive motor pool above to explore the various events around the city. Although staying reachable in case something came up, she'd projected a humanoid hologram long enough to wink meaningfully and suggest that she would likely be out quite late. Trevor had decided not to ask for any explanation. "This deep is mostly storage," he noted presently, leading the way through a narrower section of tunnel that opened up into another larger cave. "Some parts had to be widened, bridged, reinforced. Convenient, though."

"What? No, boo!" Carly protested, giving both suited young women a sour look as they passed the common room again on the way back to the elevator. "C'mon, you're dressed as singers, even!" "Hey, I'm not asking you to ride the first mechanical bull we run into, am I?" Ellie retorted, giving Mara a subtle but encouraging nudge with her shoulder as the blonde reacted with trepidation. The grin that sprang to the cowgirl's face immediately made her regret that line of argument. "Three time county champ," Carly informed them, holding up the appropriate number of fingers. "...okay, so, bad example. Still," she retorted unconvincingly, adjusting her tie with her free hand.

The Manor's lower, less used spaces had none of the smooth polish of the main headquarters, instead still bearing the rough hewn walls that betrayed their origins as a series of naturally occurring caves. His metahuman eye allowed him to see as easily there as in broad daylight even with the spottily illumination of the flood lights spaced along the corners of the stoney ceiling but there was still an unsettling ambiance. With his muscles reflexively tightening he stood abruptly to his full height at Erin's unexpected touch on the back of his neck before training and careful control won out over nerves a moment later. Forcing his shoulders to relax, he gave the young woman an accusatory glance before answering her question. "Captured during an invasion the Liberty League fought off. Alternate universe Martian empire, turns out. Mostly kept out of the papers."

"Well, I promise to get rid of the pants after the party so you won't be distracted," Ellie replied in a low voice, covering up a teasing look with her own sunglasses before opening the dorm room door to find Carly leaning against the hallway wall and glancing at her watch. "We didn't take that long." Looking up, the cowgirl beamed. "Oh, you guys match, that's adorable! And no, you didn't," she agreed, stepping around them to lock the door again with her keycard then gesture back the way they'd come. "I just want to get there before the queue for the karaoke machine gets too long. Did you pick out a couple of songs yet?" Hooking her arm through Mara's, Ellie started back toward the elevator. "Ugh... I wasn't really planing on singing."

LaMarr smiled at Metropolis' encouragement of Eliza, a little surprised by the city spirit's apparent way with people. On the other hand, he supposed that people were the heart of a city as much as its concrete foundations. The expression he gave the pair of carrion birds with his hands around their throats was considerably more dangerous. With speed granted by superdense musculature, he knocked the crows' skulls together in a powerful clap, not quite hard enough to cause them to disintegrate like the others but more than enough to send them reeling. "That taken the fight out of you fools yet?" The discombobulated but angry squawks he received in reply suggested surrender wasn't on their agenda.

Wail Move Action: Step into a better position for: Standard Action: Sonic Scream. He's trying to catch as many Sharks as he can, which it sound like should be everyone except #2. That's a DC 28 Toughness Save and a DC 19 Fortitude Save vs. Stun, after the DC 23 Reflex Save, of course.

"Oh! Oh, I know this one! 'If someone asks if you're a god...'," Ghost Girl began in response to Dead Head's suppositions, only to quiet down when it became clear how seriously the three more experienced supernatural heroes were taking the threat. "So it's maybe like evil fifty-two pick-up? That seems like it'd take a while to clean up. Would it be faster to find who threw the deck into the air in the first place?" Looking between the others, she suck a little deeper into the hood of her cloak and tapped the ends of her index fingers together pensively. "If... if that makes sense, I mean."

Kimber ducked her head between her shoulder blades, sinking into her tattered reaper's cloak in chagrin. "I can't, I'm sorry! I can't really undo any of the stuff I do," she admitted, finding herself a little embarrassed about that now that she'd had reason to consider it. "Like, if I pass my hands through somebody, they'll start feeling really weak and cold? They get better but it takes a while! If I mess with electronic stuff like radios or computers or those new phones everybody uses now they're pretty much toast permanently." She knew Miss Americana was just gathering information but she suddenly felt like she was doing poorly in an interview or exam.

"Yes, The Frankensteins meet the Space Men. Classic cinema," Trevor asserted in a grave deadpan only enhanced by the carefully applied false stitches and faint green foundation. Following Erin's suggestion, he led the way to the grandfather clock in the adjoining room that hid one of the passages down the Midnight Manor, the subterranean base underneath the mansion. "Down further than we usually have reason to go," he explained regarding the elusive saucer. "Only used twice that I know of. Launch shaft was collapsed in... '58? I think?"

Waiting until Erin and Corbin were looking elsewhere, Trevor caught Quo-Dis' eye and gave a subtle but significant nod of his head, just to make sure the implied but avoided question was cleared up. Private though he may have been by nature, the young heir had been subjected to enough socialite drama to favour offering definitive information over leaving room for speculation. Besides, he felt for the Ultiwoman's unintended awkwardness trying to avoid the pitfalls of an unfamiliar society. "Better a parent who takes an interest, yes?" he offered with a small shrug, sounding more encouraging than bitter.

"Don't you hurt my friend!" Ghost Girl shouted at Milliner, her voice taking on a strange, echoing quality as if coming from an enraged chorus at the other end of a long tunnel. Atop Wraith's furthest appendage, the manticore cub stood upright, looking concerned but unsure what to do, mewling brassily. Kimber placed what little form she had between the poacher and the alien, shoving another hand through his warded defenses and draining more of the strength from his limbs. Milliner's arms and legs grew heavy as if from frigid exposure, sapped of warmth and vitality. "She's right, you need to shut your mouth! We gave you a chance to do the right thing but that doesn't mean we won't kick your butt now!"

Ellie offered Mara a pleased smirk but forewent the opportunity to go on further about her own abdominals. Tucking on arm of the proffered pair of sunglasses into the waist of her pants momentarily, she took stock of her costume piece by piece. "One black suit jacket, one pair black suit pants," she recited, tugging the cuffs of the former into place before adjusting her fedora. "One hat, black. One pair of sunglasses." Her smile turned coy as she closed the distance between them with a single smooth step and wrapped an arm around the engineer's waist and leaned down for another kiss, murmuring, "Sign here." Before they could get too distracted, she came up for air and leaned back enough to straighten Mara's tie around the impediment of her choker. "Ready?"

Both corners of Trevor's mouth turned upward at the timing, his equivalent of a face-splitting grin. "Probably," he agreed in a recomposed deadpan, stacking mostly empty bowls on top of each other to carry them inside. "Been social this year," he rationalized to Erin, holding the door open for her, dramatic wig and all. "Embassy visits. Birthday parties. Awkward dinners. Think we're earned a night in." In the mansion's main foyer, he deposited the bowls on a side table and drained the last of the thermos before placing it alongside them. Pausing in thought for a moment, he considered their outlandish attire before suggesting, "...still want to see the flying saucer downstairs?"

Character Name: Canadian Shield Power Level: 13 (215PP) Trade-Offs: -3 Attack / +3 Damage, -5 Defense / +5 Toughness Alternate Identity: Elizabeth Combs Identity: Public Birthplace: Petawawa, Ontario Occupation: Federally Funded Superhero Affiliations: True North, Canadian Government, Igneous Royal Family Family: Corporal Jake Combs [Father], Lady Felsi of House Rhyolite [Mother] Description: Age: 32 Gender: Female Ethnicity: Igneous/Human Height: 6'11" Weight: 325 lbs Eyes: Nickel Hair: Copper Elizabeth Combs is the daughter of an RCD Corporal and a minor Igneous noble, of the subterranean civilization dwelling beneath much of the area surrounding Hudson Bay. Taking more after her human father, Liz is still easily recognizable, being nearly seven feet of somewhat ashen skin tone and subtle, scale-like mineral deposits that run across her cheeks and down her spine. Luckily her rugged good looks and confident charm made her an ideal poster woman for the government funded Canadian super team when her geokinetic powers, present from birth, began to develop in earnest. Favouring creating rocky armor and weapons to enhance her already considerable toughness and strength, Canadian Shield is also a decisive leader on and off the battlefield. She's a canny political player, but always stops short of compromising her high ideals, something that has earned her the respect of even her more difficult teammates. Abilities: 10 + 0 + 10 + 4 + 4 + 10 = 38PP Strength: 30/20 (+10/+5) Dexterity: 10 (+0) Constitution: 30/20 (+10/+5) Intelligence: 14 (+2) Wisdom: 14 (+2) Charisma: 20 (+5) Combat: 10 + 8 = 18PP Initiative: +8 Attack: +5/+10 Melee Grapple: +24 Defense: +8 (+4 Base, +4 Dodge Focus), +2 Flat-Footed Knockback: -8/-11 Saving Throws: 5 + 5 + 10 = 20PP Toughness: +18 (+10 Con, +8 Protection; Impervious 0/5) Fortitude: +15 (+10 Con, +5) Reflex: +5 (+0 Dex, +5) Will: +12 (+2 Wis, +10) Skills: 52R = 13PP Bluff 5 (+10) Diplomacy 10 (+15) Gather Information 5 (+10) Intimidate 5 (+10) Knowledge (Civics) 8 (+10) Knowledge (Current Events) 3 (+5) Knowledge (Earth Sciences) 3 (+5) Knowledge (Tactics) 3 (+5) Language 2 (English [Native], French, Igneous) Notice 8 (+10) Feats: 24PP Attack Focus (Melee) 5 Benefit (Security Clearance) Connected Dodge Focus 4 Improved Initiative 2 Inspire 5 Interpose Leadership Power Attack Set-Up Uncanny Dodge (Tactile) Well-Informed Powers: 46 + 11 + 46 = 103PP Half-Igneous Physiology 9 (45PP Container [Passive, Permanent]; Power Feats: Innate) [46PP] Enhanced Strength 10 [10PP]Enhanced Constitution 10 [10PP] Immunity 2 (Heat, High Pressure) [2PP] Protection 8 [8PP] Super-Senses 5 (Darkvision, Depth-Sense, Tremorsense) [5PP] Super-Strength 5 [10PP] Flowing Stone Array 5 (10PP; Power Feats: Alternate Power 1) [11PP] Base: Flight 5 (Extras: Affects Others, Flaws: Platform) [10PP] (stone surfing)AP: Impervious Toughness 5 (Extras: Linked [immunity]) [5PP] + Immunity 10 (Electrical Effects, Extras: Linked [impervious], Flaws: Limited [Half]) [5PP] (grounded armor) Geokinetic Array 20.5 (41PP; Power Feats: Alternate Power 5) [46PP] Base Effect: Burrowing 10 (Extras: Affects Others [+1], Area [General, Burst], Penetrating, Power Feats: Subtle) [41PP]AP: Create Object 12 (Extras: Duration [Continuous], Power Feats: Precise, Progression 3 [50’ Cubes], Stationary) [41PP] (stone shaping) AP: Damage 6 (Extras: Autofire 1 [16], Penetrating 16, Power Feats: Improved Critical, Mighty, Variable Descriptor 1) [41PP] (stone weapons) AP: Damage 13 (Extras: Area [General, Shapeable], Ranged, Power Feats: Indirect 2) [41PP] (cataclysm) AP: Move Object 13 (Extras: Damaging, Range [Perception], Flaws: Limited Material [Earth], Power Feats: Subtle) [40PP] (earthmoving) AP: Snare 13 (Extras: Area [General, Shapeable], Power Feats: Reversible, Tether) [41PP] (stone prisons) DC Block ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed Touch DC 25 Toughness Damage [Physical] Stone Weapons Touch DC 31 Toughness [Autofire] Damage [Physical] Cataclysm Ranged [Area] DC 23 Reflex, DC 28 Toughness Damage [Physical] Stone Prisons Ranged [Area] DC 23 Reflex Entangled Abilities (38) + Combat (18) + Saving Throws (20) + Skills (13) + Feats (23) + Powers (103) = 215 Power Points

"Yeeeaaah, who goes around at night with an exposed stomach, right?" Ellie drawled as she adjusted her tie in the full length mirror on the back of the dorm room's door before casting about for the costume's socks and shoes. "Crazy people, I bet. Or people with abs that will not quit?!" She punctuated with supposition with an imperiously raised hand, striking a suitably bombastic pose. After holding it for a moment she cleared her throat daintily and finished tying the laces of the black dress shoes. "Sunglasses?"

Reigning in on the permeating cold again with some effort, Ghost Girl considered for a moment. "Hmm. Oh! I can do this!" Rising up in the air slightly and pulling back, she widened her mouth until the ectoplasm of her face contorted again as if she'd dislocated her jaw and stretched her skin. From the gaping maw erupted a blast of icy wind as if a door had been thrown open to a terrible blizzard. The roar of the gale was almost deafening and where frost had been forming gradually before now the area in front of the apparition was coated in ice several centimeters thick. When she stopped moments later, her face pulling back into place as she worked her jaw back and forth, a sizable swath of equipment had been encased in a spiky, miniature glacier, horizontal icicles pointing away from her. "...um. Probably should have given you some warning on that, huh?"