Gizmo

Trevor returned Alex's greeting with a deep, courteous nod, then shook his head slightly. "No, don't want to distract her in the middle. I'll head down in a bit." There was an increasingly uncomfortable silence, at least on his part, as the lanky youth continued to, by virtue of his significant height and serious demeanor, loom in the dorm room's doorway. Have been trying to be more social, he reminded himself, and there were few students at the academy more sociable than the diminutive redhead. "So," he began finally, "we haven't really gotten a chance to talk yet." The statement had an awkward inflection to it, common for Trevor when he tried to imitate his more verbose peers.

Are we still in combat?

Outwardly, Trevor Hunter appeared to the very model of self-assured composure. With hid thumbs hooked into pockets of his deep blue jeans and a faded ochre t-shirt fitted to his lanky frame, the tall young man walked smoothly though the Claremont dorms with a his ever present fedora tipped low over his forehead and radiating a calm confidence. Inwardly, however, a kernel of mixed excitement and nervousness he couldn't quite squash rolled about in his stomach as stopped to knock on one of the hallway's many doors, adjusting his collar absently as he waited.

Ha, well, he had to try. Head is up. Incidentally, can Trevor get an HP for either his Frightening or Legacy complications?

Midnight rolled with the abrupt punch, disappearing into the cloud of midnight mist behind him. Almost instantaneously he was behind the undead creature's left side, bringing his escrima sticks crashing across its spine in punishing, parallel strikes. Despite putting his whole body into the attack, it seemed to have little effect on his foe. The young man's red lenses narrowed as his mind churned, searching his memories for pertinent training. Dark magics; powerful, but there's always a trade-off. Weakness. His grandfather had fought more than occasional eldritch horror in his day, and had ensured that his successor was well prepared for such an opponent. Blessed silver. But who is it talking to?

Toughness Save vs. DC 22. (1d20+9=28) Nice! Midnight II Move Action: Hide in Plain Sight, DC 29 Stealth w/ Skill Mastery Standard Action: Escrima Sticks Power Attack 5. (1d20+10=20) With Sneak Attack that should be DC 27, and just enough to beat 'Head's Impervious. Also, for the sake of argument: Knowledge (Arcane Lore) Check. (1d20+2=22) Ha! Well, guess he probably knows some stuff. That enough to know about the weakness to silver?

Auto-20 on the same check basically just lets Trevor know that 'Head's gonna be a tough nut to crack, what with the regenerating.

Jack stomach turned as he caught the faint traces of necromantic magics. "Hnn, too late..." he grumbled to himself, teeth grinding as he clenched his jaw. "This look familiar to anyone else?" he drawled into his comlink. "It's just like the last lab, torn up by a batch of not-so-satisfied customers." The swordsman flipped his lighter across the knuckles of one hand irritably. "Did they just loose control, or are the zombies actually targeting the drug makers?"

Jill hopped on one foot a few steps to the side as she hastily regained her balance as she and Stesha popped out of the bushes. "Yee-hee-hee, whoo, wow! That was so..." The teenager trailed off for a moment as she searched for the correct words, before giving up and excaliming, "So green!" Jogging forward to fall in beside the older woman with the verdant locks, Jill looked over to her brother at the grill. "That's what he keeps telling me, anyway," she confirmed.

Trevor's costume and goggles protected him from the wailing winds but did little to improve his vision in the whiteout. The lanky youth did, however, make careful note of which of his classmates were able to function without normal sight. He didn't have any intention of entering into a genuine fight with any of his peers, but forewarned was, after all, forearmed. "Don't think he had many visitors," he noted tonelessly in response to both Erin and James. "Protecting everyone in the world... you'd need a place for privacy sometimes."

There were several beats of silence as Jack struggled to process everything that was being said to him, and the manner in which it was being said. Finally, the athletic young man broke out in easy laughter, rubbing the back of his head ruefully. "Ha, well, you pretty much just blew my mind, and it didn't even take any brain powers." He gave both women an amiable grin. "I was serious about keeping today about Lynn, but if you want to put a pin in all that... you know where to find me now, amirite?" Jack congratulated himself inwardly. Smooth. Now, go say hello to someone else before you accidentally set yourself up on a blind date with La Calavera Catrina or something. The fencer made a sloppy salute to the newest arrival. "Hey, Doc, how goes?"

"I am darkness," Midnight corrected chillingly. Only his narrowed red eyes glowing against the black field of mist indicated that he was tilting his head slightly to one side. "You're not with them," the lean figure intoned without any hint of question. "Smarter than you're pretending, too." The sound of gloves flexing over escrima sticks in the inky cloud was all that could be heard as he let the accusation hang in the still night air.

Over by the buffet table, a broad grin spread across Jack of all Blades' masked face and he flicked his wrist absently in time with the music. "Hot damn I love those kids," he confided in the spacey dirty blonde with the high tech accoutrements. "Spoiled as hell and oddly touchy but they do consistently bring it." As Zoe finished her song and Jack broke out into enthusiastic, genuine applause, a glimmer of an idea began to form in his mind. Didn't look that hard, he mused, glancing sidelong at an electrical outlet on the wall of Doctor de Havilland's apartment's wall. Screw it, why not? A slight tug of his will brought a shock of lightning leaping from the outlet to his outstretched hand, instantly solidifying into a crackling rapier blade between he thumb and forefinger. A rolling motion brought his wrist around as a second razor thing pillar of energy appeared, then a third, forth and fifth, fanned between his knuckles like playing cards. Grasping the far ends in his free hand, the swashbuckler frowned slightly in concentration as he refined their form until a quintet of parallel lighting bolts rested in his grip. Looking up at the rest of the loft's occupants he grinned. "Heh, electric guitar." He turned to Estelle. "Well, I'm not exactly one of the kid prodigies, Doc, but if it's for a good cause and all..." Indicating a simple beat to Kurt with a rhythmic nodding of his head, he strummed the scintillating strings experimentally. The manipulated lightning provided a raw, booming sound, and a predatory smirk pulled at the corners of Jack's mouth as he began slamming out power chords. He lacked all of the technical skill of the young speedster, but it was hard to fault his enthusiasm as he rocked his entire lithe frame into the movement. [groove]21914381[/groove] Moving to the mic, he scanned the room, giving Talya a cocky wink and Ace a nod of acknowledgment. "When you saw her, across the club, "You're one lucky sonovagun! "Every boy in the room wanted her numb~er~er~er!" The the tails of the fencer's bandanna mask flew wildly back and forth as he punctuated the lyrics with exaggerated body language. The voice itself was perhaps shouldn't have been surprising; Jack always spoke with a clear confidence that seemed to cut through the noise of a battlefield. Now, though, the young man was pushing himself past his usual wry baritone into a veritable wave of innate magnetism. A sudden slide brought him off the stage to land neatly between Moira and their hostess with a raised eyebrow. "No wasted time, with a girl that fine, "Do what you need to do to get lovin'! "Just keep your cool, tell yourself it's nothi~i~i~in'!" An abrupt flip brought him sailing through the air back to the stage, greatcoat spreading out behind him as he launched back into the song without missing a beat. This time he cast a look toward Eddie. "She is easy on the eyes, take your time, "Bet it all, and let it ride! "I know for sure that it's cool when it's two active volcanoes!" Sparing Zoe a quick look, Jack crouched slightly, building up momentum on his bizarre instrument. "Everybody knows love means nothin', "But when it clicks sometimes volcanoes get erruptin'... "She is easy on the eyes, take your time, "Bet it all, and let it ride! "I know for sure that it's cool when it's two active volcanoes!" Turning back to the room at large, Jack kicked one leg out as the chord progression changed. The true musicians in the audience realized that he was barely playing the electric strings at all, but was somehow willing them to create the sound he wanted as unconsciously as he was changing the pitch of his voice. "So it's comin' down tonight. "If you freeze you'll die of fright. "Don't forget she's probably thinking the same thi~i~i~ing! "Just lean in, do what you know! "You got this so keep your cool! Take it slow! "Don't! Want! Her believin' you get nothi~i~i~in'! "She is easy on the eyes, take your time, "Bet it all, and let it ride! "I know for sure that it's cool when it's two active volcanoes!" The acrobat shifted into an instrumental solo, eying the crowd with a light-hearted glee tinged with a hint of challenge. Atop the stage he was a blur of royal blue, deep crimson and flashing light. "I know for sure that it's cool when it's two active volcanoes! "Two active volcanoes! "Blowin' all day and blowin' all night, "The pressure's to high to contain!" With a final dramatic chord, Jack brought the performance to a close, beads of sweat apparent on his grinning face. Oh, yeah. Needed that.

Jack spends a HP to stunt a literally electric guitar. Puns! He then spends a second HP to get 5 temporary ranks of Performance (Stringed Instruments) via Beginner's Luck and Jack-of-all-Trades. Performance (Stringed Instruments) Check. (1d20+11=12) Wut. Performance (Stringed Instruments) reroll. (1d20.minroll(11) +11=24) Six seconds later it's technically a new round, so he sends a forth HP to get 5 temporary ranks of Performance (Singing)! Because he can do that. Performance (Singing) Check. (1d20 +11=18) Go for broke! Performance (Singing) reroll. (1d20.minroll(11) +11=28) He'll use Extra Effort to get +2 on that, pushing up to 30. When all is said and done, he's spent all 5 HP and is now fatigued, but he pulls of a great guitar performance and a masterful signing performance.

S'alright if I get an IC post of Jack asking Grim to airlift him to the hospital?

Actually, can Trevor get a Sense Motive check to realize that 'Head is playing up the dumb, shambling undead vibe?

Jack staggered abruptly to his feet, coughing profusely. "Neurotoxin? Dios, Doc! That's not... uh, I... actually, that's a lot better." The swordsman flexed his extremities experimentally. "Thanks, I think." Still moving a little stiffly, the swordsman stepped in beside Arrowhawk, quickly reacquainting himself with the situation. "Aw, that ain't gonna work, 'Hawk," he shouted into the room. "Everybody knows Lucretia McEvil there wets himself anytime he hears there's metas around. Hell, he's probably just using the cyborgs to keep us busy while he runs away to hide."

Well, nuts, shoulda Taunted before the Trick, obviously. Move Action Taunt. (1d20+18=26) Pah. Normally I'd spend that last HP to make the reroll, but since quote's made it clear he's trying to burn through them, I'm inclined to play more conservatively. That'll do it for Jack, then.

Jack of all Blades Free Action: Instant Up Standard Action: Bluff Check to Trick. (1d20+23=33) Boy, glad I didn't just Skill Mastery that. Sheesh. As far as his move action for the round goes, can he verbally Feint Knievel or Malice without them being immediately present? Or should he just try a Taunt at -5?

Jack found himself pushing himself to his limits to keep up with Bombshell's acrobatics, making leaps and split second course corrections he normally would have hesitated to attempt. Moreover, he had a nagging suspicion that the blonde was holding back. Or else she just makes it look that easy. He was able to leverage his greater upper body strength to heave himself up onto the balcony a slit second before she did, placing himself between the ex-thief and the race's goal, flashing a toothy grin as he waited for her next move.

"Woo, go team," Jack responded, too tired to make the effort of mental communication. Jeez, she messed Statos up. Kinda thought the Scarab was a Dark Star type; not so much, apparently. The swordsman nodded to the booth high above the rink. "Don't forget about Shooty McGunGun up there; not sure long he'll stay out for."

Right, should mention that M2 is tying up 1 point of his Gadgets in Immunity 1 (cold). 9 left!

The shadowy energy wreathing the new player were just as obvious to Jack's metamagi senses as looking at the figure unconcealed, and he ducked away from the high priest lizardman as his teammate called out in warning. "I got him, Girm; switch!" The swordsman swept his blade out behind him as he charged the thief's position. Shadows, huh? Jack's eyes narrowed behind his mask as he willed the crackling electrical rapier to glow white hot in his palm before bringing it forward and across in a devastating diagonal slash. To Jack's surprise, his new target went flying with the force on the blow, crashing through the very wall of the museum and continuing his arc into the open air. "Huh," the swashbuckler observed, nonplussed. "Okay, never mind. Make with the pixie and grab that guy, I'll go for round two with the Great Gazoo."

Trevor studied the Helm of Hades intently as he pulled his featureless mask over his face and fastened it behind his ears. It boggled the mind that artifacts of such power were being displayed so cavalierly next to personal keepsakes. He wasn't sure if he respected Rick's ability to balance the aspects of his life or if this was simply further conformation that the elder Lucas had long ago given up his grip on reality. The black ushanka soon followed the mask, covering his dark hair and effectively sealing the lanky teen in his heated costume. "Why stop for food if time is a factor?" he asked absently.

Jill bounced upward on the balls of her feet, stopping just short of clapping her hands. "Seriously?" The broad, lopsided grin that spread over the teenager's face evidently ran in the family as well. She shot a quick glance over to her brother, but seeing him in conversation with several attractive women simply rolled er eyes before returning her attention to Stesha. "So much yes." As the conversation turned into a series of dramatic reveals, Jack's eyebrow's raised in incremental notches. "You... and you're... and... haaa..." the fencer let out a long breath as he kept his nonchalant smile fixed to his face. Well, I was waiting for that other shoe to drop, he thought glumly. Alright Espadas, you're the other woman to the most powerful telepath in the world. What do you do? Taking Talya's proffered hand, his smile reflexively matched the blonde's tone as he bowed low. "I find myself chagrined twice over, then," he told them. "Masks or no, I pride myself on never forgetting a beautiful woman, let alone two." As Colt handed his spatula off to Ace, Jack resisted urge to smack himself. What? No! What'd we just get finished talking about with the redhead? Hitting on both of them is the opposite of a good plan! It's an antiplan. You fail at plans forever.