KnightDisciple

Corbin mock-rubs the spot Quo-Dis had punched, a grin on his face. "My my, so rough, darling?" He lifts her hand to his mouth and delivers a gentle kiss. "You are, as is nearly always the case, so very right. But fear not! Your brave knight shall not wander far!" With an exaggerated flourish, he spun in place and started walking over to the gathering of his friends. A smile was beaming on his face. His voice nearly boomed across the area as he greeted them. "Hey guys! Erin! Trevor! Mark! Congratulations! Eve, nice to see you again. And, uh...I don't believe we've met, sir. I'm Corbin. Corbin Alphonse Hughes. I've had the pleasure of being classmates with your grandson and the rest of this motley crew." He thought at Eve as he spoke. ~Is he "in the know"? Don't wanna bust the secret out, even if it's a stupid question whether he is or not.~ Externally, he continued to speak, his volume at a normal level by this point. "Oh! Don't let me forget, I kind of have some graduation gifts. And, uh, Eve, I made one for you, too. Actually, I made it for you four, and Alex and Mike as well. Something to remember the good times by, I hope."

Hm. Sense Motive, no problem. Bluff's a bit harder, but Jack of All Trades helps. 18 Sense Motive; not incredible, but not terrible. 13 Bluff, ew. Wish I could sub Diplomacy in. :?

"Tea, hm? Suppose that's not shocking. Don't suppose you have any cider, red lemonade, or some such around, do you? Not that I don't appreciate the offer of tea. But it's worth asking, way I see it." While waiting for his answer, Gabriel walked around the lab space, glancing at monitors and gauges without really understanding what was what. "Hm. Don't suppose you have any requests? Nothing too raunchy, mind you. Bit of an image to keep up, after all. Especially with the kids. So, do you head back over to England much, or does your work keep you here, despite the teleporting?"

Magnus only fell behind a step or two before catching back up with Miss Americana. His expression was...haunted, but he clearly had given the matter at least some thought. "I...I have a couple of doctors standing by. She will be put into a medical coma a couple of hours before the procedure. After it...whatever of Eira is left in her original body will simply sleep to the end. A combination of extra morphine and removal of all life support. We will, of course, do this out of the sight of Bernhard and Magda. Hopefully they will be preoccupied with her new state." He was visibly forcing himself to stay as analytical as possible about the matter. "I will simply trust the doctors to take care of the matter. I do not believe I could refrain from breaking down as I watched the last vestiges of the old Eira pass away, even as she is reborn anew." He closed his eyes for a moment as they walk. "I am not a praying man most days, Miss Americana. I have little love for the things of the metaphysical. But on this day...I do not know. Some tiny part of me prays, I think. I cannot bear to make it stop. I know one of our hospital's chaplains has been with her parents often during these months. One of their few comforts, I suppose."

Fenris glanced over at the table, one eyebrow quirked up, though the expression was mostly hidden. He shrugged and made his way over to the table. He took the seat that Mr. Penbrook had just vacated. "Thank you for the invitation, Mister...I don't believe we've been introduced. My name is Baron Vilhelm. Seems like you have quite the game going on here. It's been a bit of time since I played, but I recall everything important. I am afraid I've left my money secured in my compartment, but fear not. I can take care of whatever obligations come out of the game. Assuming I'm the one paying, after all." The others at the table caught a hint of the grin on his face, before he loosened the scarf more, exposing his mouth. "Had a touch of a scratchy throat earlier, was trying to keep the airways protected. Seems to be doing better, though. So. Any rules I should know about before I dive right in?" He exuded calm composure mixed with some excitement. His posture, his pronunciation, his overall bearing; all of them exuded the idea of "someone important", "someone who matters", or in other words "someone of noble blood".

Gabriel blinked a bit at that revelation, then shrugged as he lowered himself onto one of the examination beds. "I suppose if something's amiss, the machines will make all sorts of important-sounding beeps, won't they. Good to know you can provide expertise on at least some potential consequences. Let's hope that it was just normal fog though, hm?" He laughed at Supercape's comments regarding recreating an orchestra. "While the powers I was blessed with are incredible, I can't recreate an orchestra. I have found an increased talent for certain instruments, but I have to actually play them like anyone else. I tend to prefer the arts that rely solely on the voice. How long is this going to take, though?"

It would be mondo-awkward to run out to borrow money and run back in. Do I need to make any rolls to say "I left my money pouch in the other room, but I promise I'm good for it, and someone can even make sure I pay up"? That line's probably a bit hokey, but still.

"Hm. That sounds like a good plan for the room arrangement. We'll get cracking on that, especially once the equipment rolls in." He turned to face Dragonfly. "Tell me how much power you'll need, your theoretical maximum. I'll make sure you have twice that, with the most precise flow regulation you can get. And the wiring itself is cutting-edge, just like everything else. I'll get you some building plans as well. And Sharl, I'll have then start hooking up local items as well. Tell me what you think we'll need, and you'll have it." Once requests are made by the team, the Baron turns and barks orders in Swedish at nearby staff, who all but run to complete his orders. The one that might confuse them the most is an order made for "two complete units, yes, two, the A-7 models with the flow regulators". After orders were handed out, he turned back to the group, another tired smile showing through. "Yes, we can go see Eira now if you'd like."

Gabriel The Last Picture Show: 2 IC Posts Unstuck in Time: 4 IC Posts Making a Splash: 17 IC Posts Manic Pixie Dream Girls: 13 IC Posts Total IC Posts: 36 Cobalt Templar Auto Shop Blues: 2 IC Posts New Kid in Town: 1 IC Post Strange Visitors: 8 IC Posts The Measure of a Hero: 3 IC Posts Nightmare on West End: 6 IC Posts Graduation Day: Noise of Thunder: 6 IC Posts Fun in the Sun: 10 IC Posts Graduation Day: Worn-Out Places: 2 IC Posts Total IC Posts: 38 Fenris A Perfect Storm: 7 IC Posts Checking Out the Territory: 4 IC Posts Murder on the Victorian Express: 6 IC Posts One Out of All Things: 11 IC Posts GM Posts: 1 GM Post Total IC Posts: 28 (Note: Links edited to go to my first post for the month in that particular thread)

Gabriel, his white clothes almost shining brighter with all the light reflected from the snow all around them, stepped up to stand next to Grimalkin. He had an easy-going smile on his face, and his whole being radiated a sense of "this guy is a decent fellow". It would be hard not to like one such as he! "Good sirs. You clearly have a keen sense for your own duty. To expand a bit upon my lovely companion's words, we approach the Queen with intent to speak with her about matters of redress, which may in time also affect matters of court. Our business is somewhat urgent, but we of course understand surprise visits present difficulty. If at all possible, we'd like to meet with her when she is able." He gave a slight bow, trying to play himself off as a courtier of Grimalkin. Internally, he was on high alert; he trusted no one here but the heroes he entered this realm with.

Oh, we be doing the talky-talky thing? Heh. Gabriel's gonna step in on this. But while I could use Skill Mastery to get an auto-34...where's the fun in that? So instead, I roll, with a bonus of 24. Hm. Only a 30. Well, that's what I get. Still, ought not to be too bad. Now I just need to figure out what to say....

CT frowned, clearly upset. But not at the girls. He spoke, sounding a bit contrite, even as he sat in his swim trunks and mask on his easy chair of sand (he'd ditched the "costume" somewhere in the midst of the conversation). "I...wow. Um. Sorry. I didn't mean to make it sound like it was a bad thing, not at all. There's nothing wrong with how you talk, Dragonfly. Is it "different from the norm"? Sure. But what does "the norm" mean, really? How much does it matter. You get your points across, that's the important part. And, uh..." He coughed and blushed a bit. "It's kinda cute but don't tell my girlfriend I said that and I'm not trying to steal her please don't give me super-chicken-pox Jill!" He took in a deep breath and spoke at a more normal pace. "So, yeah. It's all cool, Dragonfly. And as for your brother, Jill...I think I remember catching the highlights of that on the news. Don't really watch hockey, myself. More of a football guy myself." Said the teen who could all but play NFL with his current build.

Gabriel gave a thoughtful nod. "So more of a long, gradual process, even if some steps were a bit larger than others. I guess everybody's cut from a different mold. Me, I got my powers from an angel." He flashed a smile at the Brit in blue and white. "Specifically the Archangel Gavriel. Hence the hero name "Gabriel", and the whole "controlling sound" bit. I'd wager if Michael had done it, I'd be zipping around in an outfit more like Freedom Angel's. Not that that's bad, really. But I don't think it would have fit, well, me. It's one of those things where God knew what I needed, and what worked for me. I'd say it's working out pretty well so far." ************** Later, at the Lab Gabriel walked a bit behind Supercape, taking in the sights despite having been there before. When he saw the nurse, he gave her a friendly smile and wave. "Ma'am." He then turned to face Supercape again. "So...how are we doing this?"

We're a bit further along than that, actually. Right now I'm wondering what story this guy is telling, and what, if any, reaction others may have to the Baron walking in.

So, uh...what about Fenris's part in this little investigation?

"I get the gist of what you're saying, even if the specifics elude me. But yeah, I bet that gives you fun vacation options. The most dimension traveling I've done is a few trips to Fleur's planet. And for one of those trips, I was unconscious, bleeding out, and practically disemboweled. So, yeah." He shrugged casually, apparently not wanting to dwell on the matter. "So...you just kind of woke up and had your powers one day? Maybe I'm the only one with a more dramatic method of power acquisition around this place." He lapsed into silence for the moment.

Corbin blushed rather noticeably at the images. "You're an impossible woman sometimes. And I love you all the more for it. But you're right. Today isn't about us. It's about our friends who are taking the next step. The ones who have paved the way." The towering young man coughed, adjusted his shirt a bit, fiddled with his belt a bit, then got back to work, their task nearly done. 'My my. You are a naughty girl. Try to reign it in, Quo-Dis. There are a couple of psychics here at the school.' Then again, he wasn't screaming in complete protest, either.

The Baron gave them all a tired smile; a real, genuine smile, not one he sometimes plastered on for the cameras. "Thank you. All three of you. You're right, it's just...it's hard. But we'll pull through. Eira will live. She's a survivor; all Katastroffs are." He gave a nod that was likely more for his benefit. "There are a couple of courtesy rooms near where Eira is; one of them I've had stocked for myself for some of the longer visits I've made. Her parents have another suite there. I've made sure there's a small suite you'll be able to use to rest in yourselves. I'll show you the primary work area, as well as a couple of secondary areas we'll need." The car drove silently along the road, the Baron having lapsed into thoughtful silence again. ****************************************************************************************************************** [A Few Minutes Later] Finally, the limo made it to visual distance on the hospital, as well as a small cluster of short mountains. And what a hospital it was. Resembling nothing so much as a fantasy adventure castle, the white stone and bright blue rooftops glittered in the clear sky. The castle seemed to flow into the mountain itself, making them seem to be one entity. "It's about 40 years old, now. We've kept adding on, of course. And updating. Some of it sits in the mountain; storage for medicines and other things, some of the more sensitive testing rooms, and room for patients who need carefully controlled environments. The whole thing runs off of a combination of a couple of geothermal taps that run pretty deep, and a generous helping and scattering of my company's latest breakthrough in power generation. We've got solar battery backup, we're technically connected to the local grid, and there are diesel generators for the super-critical systems, if it comes to that. It can treat about 1500 patients short-term, and has long-term care for about 500 more. We've got enough staff that no one is overworked, which reduces worries of mistakes. It has all the most cutting-edge, thoroughly-tested-and-approved pieces of technology. In short, we've worked to make this one of the finest hospitals in, at the very least, Scandinavia, if not Europe or, indeed, the world. And this is, obviously, the parking garage." A tunnel at one side of the hospital led into the mountain, and their path took them towards an elevator. "This will get us to the correct floor; just a short jog to the rooms." Magnus turned to Sharl with a slight frown. "Please keep the phasing to a minimum. Even if it won't adversely affect equipment, the shock won't be good for patients or doctors." He relaxed a bit as the doors opened and he guided them down a hall that was kept utterly clean. They arrived at a very large room that was essentially empty at the moment. "If you think this is too small, we have a couple more that are larger, but further away. Alternatively, there are a couple of smaller rooms in that direction that you could commandeer. About 100 yards down the hall is Eira's room, as well as the suite her parents are in. Right now we're a short ways into the mountain section of the complex. These days...her body's just weak enough they wanted to take no chances." His eyes were haunted for a moment before he refocused. "Any questions before I go power-nap?"

"If we really don't like it, I think most of us can just change the station without touching it." So said the boy with telekinesis, after all. He turned his attention back to Dragonfly and Jill. He gave Dragonfly a waving gesture at her increasingly specific definition of "working with". "You guys both go into the Lab and do work. Even if you don't cooperate on every project, or even draw a salary, it's close enough to count as "working with" in my book." He gave Jill a cheeky grin. "Is she always like that? I can see the appeal, objectively speaking. Sorry I haven't gotten to know the both of you better. Especially you, Jill. Life keeps us busy, eh?" He shrugged slightly, trying not to disturb his throne of sand and towels. "Don't think I've met your brother. He sounds like, ah, a bit of a character."

"Big, massive, whatever term. It's no big deal; each of us are given talents according to our needs and purpose. That's the way things are. Sadly, I don't have any fellow heroes with enough strength on speed-dial. I've networked pretty well since I got here, but I'm not on any teams or anything." He showed mild concern as Supercape pondered the possible consequences of the fog. "Hm. It was obviously blowing a lot of steam out; perhaps we should both get checked out, and then if necessary, we can roll out some sort of treatment for the civilians who were hit. I'll head over to the Lab with you." When they took off, Gabriel struck up idle conversation again. "So, how did you come across your powers? Which seem to be...energy manipulation?"

"Yeah, she was really thorough. She was good with the discretion, as well. I had to have my mask off for a good chunk of the testing, but she assured me it would be a non-issue. And it was. You guys seem to run a good ship over there. Not quite sure what all your projects will end up doing, but I'm not a scientist myself." He glanced down at his hands as he continued to speak. "Hm. The gist of it is, my body in general works kind of like an amplifier for sound waves, or more generally, vibration. Then I've got these nodes scattered all over, but with extra helpings in a few places, to help generate the high-powered sound waves. I can't make walls out of them or anything, but I've got a decent amount of control. My brain seems to find it easier to stick to a certain set of 'tricks', which I work out through practice and field work, as it were. And it's strong enough to do the job. Which is what Gavriel intended, I imagine." It was odd; the name sounded very nearly like the white-clad hero's own, and the way he made that statement sounded like this "Gavriel" was the one he saw as responsible for his powers! "Who knows what the goal was; that fog storm didn't' seem like it was going to turn us all into water. Can you teleport something this big yourself? Or will you just have to have others come out and help haul it away? If so, I can't really help. I'm not much of a power lifter."

Corbin blushed a tiny bit at the kiss, but Quo-Dis could tell it was because they were in a fairly public setting. Thankfully, his maroon shirt helped disguise the blush a bit. "Hn. Well, there's a thought for sure. Only a year left. It's a wonderful, terrible thought, at least for me. I mean, this place has given me so much, not the least being, well, you my dear." Feeling suddenly bold, he leaned over and gave her a kiss on her cheek. "So I'm going to miss the good times here. But I also know there's so much more out there. So many wonderful things to see and do." 'Perhaps, one day, a family to build...' "As for the gifts...well, shucks. I guess I do pretty good work, yeah. My parents tried to raise me so I took pride in any work done with my own efforts, be it my mind or my own two hands. I like to think I do good work with these hands."

Gabriel gave Supercape an odd sidelong look, since he hadn't been shouting a moment ago. "Uh...thanks? I mean, I guess my longer-range communication is sorta like shouting. But I usually save shouting for when I'm fighting demons." He said such a thing casually, as if it was a somewhat common occurrence for him these days. "Hm. I've actually been to the Lab. Went in to have Miss Americana give me a super-physical. As it were. She did the whole nine yards on analyzing my powers." He gives Supercape a grin. "The lucky gal got to see me in spandex, or something close to it. Anyways, in an interesting turn of fate, she found out my powers were actually genetic. I figure it's just another subtle part of the reason I was given them."

Just a flavor note, Supercape: Gabriel wasn't using a sonic shout during the fight. He was firing sonic blasts from his hands, in the style of "generic energy blasts" for the most part.

The Baron gave Supercape another winning smile. He offered his hand for one last handshake before he left. "Yes, I've got general and specific contact information saved. I'll try to drop you all a line now and again. Hopefully future meetings will be nothing but, ah, peaceful." He shifted around a bit, slightly embarrassed. He then turned and began to walk out. "See you gentlemen and ladies later!" And with that, Baron Magnus Katastroff had left the building.