KnightDisciple

Description time! First, he used his Drain Toughness that has the Affects Objects only extra. SCIENCE!: The attack seems to use tightly focused sound waves that strike the surface of the target and cause shallow structural damage, rendering armor weaker without totally destroying the inside. It spreads mainly across the surface of the target, rather than penetrating. The effect propagates around the target via a response remarkably similar to sympathetic resonance. It's possible he could perform a similar feat against biological organisms, in a way that would temporarily weaken the body's ability to resist damage, without permanently crippling them. Then, he used his Blast. SCIENCE!: This one is much simpler and more direct. Sound waves of both high and low frequency are emitted in a steady stream, having sufficient energy that they act almost like a physical blow as they strike the target.

Gabriel waited patiently for Miss A to finish her instructions, and for the dummy to halt at the appointed location. He studied it for a few moments, before giving a confident nod of his head. He looked towards the glass wall for a moment, a smirk on his face. "Hope you have more than one dummy." With that, he held his left arm up, pointing his flattened palm directly at the dummy. There was a barely-detectable hum in the air, and if Miss A's eyes (or the rooms cameras) were sharp enough, they might see the line of distorted air going from his hand to the dummy. Strangely, it didn't seem to be affecting the target, at least not at first. But then she might notice the cracks spreading across its surface. Suddenly, Gabriel whipped his left arm down, shifted his stance, and brought his right arm up in a similar pose. The sound was more noticeable, a loud, deep thunder that raced across the room; the air distorted more noticeably. At that point, the dummy was blown into several large pieces. Gabriel turned and gave the booth a thumbs-up. "There you go my star-spangled friend! One demonstration, served up fresh. Though, we'll need another for me to finish showing my tricks."

"I didn't mean to imply anything bad about your workers. I guess I'm just nervous still. The fact that you haven't taken my name helps. A lot." He smirked. "I suppose superhero women would have plenty of motivation to develop anti-wedgie technology. We men thank you for it." He glanced around as he was led to the room, taking in the sites. Once there, he patiently listened as Miss A explained how things would work. "Sounds like a plan. I'll go ahead and loosen up a bit, in case you have me fire on the go." Without waiting for an answer, Gabriel went through a series of quick, simple stretches, focusing on loosening his arms, shoulders, and upper torso, but spending at least a short amount of time stretching every major group.

Corbin had a huge grin on his face, the sheet about even with his armpits. He extended one arm and pulled Quo-Dis closer, his intention (for the moment) simple physical closeness. "Darling, I don't think "enjoy" or "remarkable" sufficiently express what that was like. "Incredibly astoundingly awesome" and "wouldn't trade it for the world" come closer, though they feel more awkward. Will you take "wowza"?" He turned to face her, his grin having gone a bit cheeky. His free hand reached up to stroke her hair a bit. "Seriously. I have no regrets. That was something I know was worth waiting for. I'm glad we have this." Perhaps it would be about now that Quo-Dis might notice the faint blue glow in the whites of his eyes. Corbin himself seemed oblivious.

"That's why I said "my treat"; it means I'll pay for your food. Consider it a peace offering. As for the food...Hm. Sounds like we should hit someplace that serves a big variety. Good thing it's a bit outside standard dinner hours." He thinks for a minute, before nodding. "I know just the place. Plenty of variety and volume, and I won't need a loan to pay for it. Fly for a bit, and I'll signal when to land." With that, he floats into the air, waiting for Jeni to grow wings again to follow him. At that point, he'd lead her for a while until they neared a Golden Corral. It looked to have some patrons, but wasn't completely crowded. "It's not classy, but we should be able to get a corner without a whole lot of trouble. More privacy that way."

Gabriel blushed further. "I think one of the worst parts is that even though it's just the suit itself-" That's right ladies, he's going commando! "It's actually kind of comfortable. Probably because it's meant to be worn during tests like this. And yeah, it's better than electrodes taped to me while I wear my underwear and nothing else. Though it's only a couple steps above it, modesty wise." He tries to turn his torso around to look at his back half. "I'm amazed I don't have a wedgie. Anyways. Hope your tech's a discrete person." At first she might think it's because of the suit, but then it might occur to her that he's still not wearing his mask. "Let's get this show on the road. As it were."

"No, I over-reacted. It's not the best term, but I suppose from your perspective it's somewhat understandable. I find that "humans" works fine." He shakes his head, his mood lightening a bit more as the conversation calms. "But far be it for me to stop you from speaking as your brain works." He smiles just a bit. "Do you have any food preferences, allergies, or the like? I know several places, so just tell me what you'd like. My treat."

"And I definitely appreciate it, Miss A. I'm just trying to make sure I understand as much as possible. It's why I'm really here, after all. I'm fine with going through a bunch of scans and stuff." Gabriel raised one eyebrow as he took the suit and held it out in front of him. Suddenly, he blushed a bit and looked generally towards Miss A. "Um...Can I keep my underwear on when I put this on?" If he can, he'll do so as he goes to change. If not, he'll blush deeper and still go change. Once he's finished, he'll walk out and give himself a once over. "I look like a character from Tron. Which...okay, there are worse looks. Just feels weird to wear skintight clothes." He turns back and forth, trying to get a look at all of himself, before shrugging a bit, as if trying to move the cloth around. "Man. This thing's tight."

Gabriel took a step back, heaving a sigh of his own as he ran a hand over his mask-covered face. His expression went from "furious" to merely "annoyed", along with "regretful", with perhaps a bit of "sympathetic". "Before I say anything else, I want to say that I'm sorry for yelling at you. It was wrong of me, unbecoming of me, and not something you deserved. At all. I could heap all sorts of excuses from here to the moon, but they'd mean nothing. I chose to over-react. Again, I apologize." He gave her a serious look. "My offer of help was, as I said, all I felt I could do. I cannot restore your people. I wish I could, but I can't. I can only offer to give you whatever help you may need or desire. If you don't want the help, that's fine. I cannot not make the offer." He frowned in slight confusion at her final question. "Biologically speaking, perhaps. But all the other apes, monkeys, simians, whatever on the planet? Generally, they're not actually sentient. They live in the jungle, eating fruit, scratching their behind, and basically just surviving. Maybe humanity isn't as advanced as some, but we have more than just survival. We have painting. Philosophy. Music. And of course, Theater. So while correct on a technical, biological level, it's a gross generalization that does a disservice to humans everywhere. At least, all but a small handful, I suppose."

Cobalt Templar tapped his chin in thought. "So, this guy might have both ghosts or spirits, and zombies and the like? I don't know how well I could help with the ghosts, but zombies wouldn't be a problem. Maybe we try a kind of one-two punch thing? You guys charge in first, taking out the ghosties, then I bust in and smack this necromancer punk upside the head? Somehow I doubt he's so hard to touch, which means I shouldn't have too much trouble laying down the hurt."

Gabriel listened with enthusiastic attention, frowning once or twice when he didn't fully understand her meaning. "So, my voice hasn't really changed, but it basically helps me do everything else? What about when I don't talk, but still fly or whatnot?" His tone makes it clear he's just trying to understand, not challenge. He shakes his head with a rueful smile, sliding off the examination bed. "Floor's warmer. And firing range sounds good. You'll have to lead the way, though."

Stuff only Miss A would catch! Depending on the sensitivity of the equipment, she may pick up that underneath the obvious sounds of his voice, Gabriel was putting out rather potent ultrahigh and ultralow frequency soundwaves. These wave might serve the purpose of actually relaxing people, at least generally speaking. One way or another, they seem to be a subconscious aid to his interactions with people, and don't even totally require them to be able to hear; their nature is such that they're felt more than heard. If the equipment's really good, it might catch the fact that he's putting out some form of those waves even when he's not speaking or singing.

Gabriel takes the microphone, holding it to one side for the moment. "Uh, sure. Just let me warm up a bit." With that, he goes through a series of vocal warm-ups, gradually preparing himself to stretch his voice. After about 5 minutes, he stopped to drink a glass of water, before nodding to Miss A and placing the microphone near his mouth. "Right then, let's start." With that, he began following the tuner, smoothly moving his voice pitch up and down as much as he could. Gabriel's vocal range was surprisingly narrow; he was a talented baritone, able to explore the upper and lower reaches, but wasn't quite able to hit tenor or bass at any point. His singing voice was deep and clear, giving a sense of passion even with the fairly simple toner follow-along. Finally, he finished, a smile on his face. "That was pretty fun. But that's pretty much my limit; I can add another accent or two on, but I can't easily go higher or lower with singing."

I have an easier hook for Fenris, since he and Sil don't know each other at all. That hook is "holy crud there's a woman in a steampunk car on the road, and what's going on?". I think It's an excellent hook, myself. :D

Corbin didn't notice the glow immediately, as he was setting the picnic basket and blanket on a nearby available counter. He turned to face Quo-Dis as she began to speak, and his mouth fell open in slight shock. He knew, at least in abstract, that she had abilities related to energy, but this was new. His voice whispered out in awe. "Whoa." He felt the touch of her hand, and blinked for a moment, focus returning to his eyes. Focus, and something deeper.He grasped her hand a bit tighter, the faintest of blue glows surrounding his body as he floated into the air as well. "Yes ma'am. It's right this way." With that, he gently flew down the hall, heading towards his room with purpose, but not inhuman speed. He didn't wish to break any furniture, after all. It was perhaps 120 seconds later that they were at the door of one of the second-story rooms; Corbin opened it after releasing Quo-Dis's hand, and gestured for her to head inside. It was a room that was distinctly "Corbin". The walls held a few large photographs of various natural vistas. There was an art desk to one side, and a work desk next to it, complete with cutting-edge computer. AnIndiana Jones post signed by George Lucas and Harrison Ford held a place of honor on one of the walls. It was neat, but not obsessively so. And perhaps inevitably, the bed had dark navy bedding. Once Quo-Dis was fully inside, Corbin gave one last glance up and down the hall before pulling the door closed. He strode with purpose over to the dresser a couple of feet away from the bed, turning to face his lady love. His expression was oddly serious considering the circumstance. "What I do now, I do out of my love and trust for you. Know that this symbolizes my belief that this will not be needed in any way." It was an almost formal declaration that he spoke. Rightfully so, as he pulled off the ring that Quo-Dis had never seen or heard of him removing, and carefully placed it on the dresser. He then turned back to her with a growing smile on his face. "Now then..."

"Lucky, huh?" He gave a wry chuckle. "Anyhow, yeah. I've had a few years to go from "instinctive knowledge" to "practice that shaped instinct", if you see what I'm getting at. It helped that when I told my parents, they were mostly supportive. I mean, hero work is dangerous, so there was kind of the worry there. As for seeing Gavriel again, not in the same way. I've briefly seen him in a dream or two. And on occasion, my rosary glows to give a bit of direction; that's how I came to be in Freedom City. But I'm mostly left on my own; probably to help preserve free will and all. I like to think some of it is because I'm doing a halfway-decent job."

"I'm insulting you. You want to insult me, be my guest, I can take it! But not some blanket statement like that! And I was trying to help you find at least a temporary home! I can't give you what you had back, but I wanted to help you get something new! But no, apparently it's not bloody well good enough! But fine, you don't want to play nice! I'm sorry I didn't like being called a monkey! After I helped you! Gah!" He paced a bit in frustration. "Maybe I am oversensitive! Maybe it's just tonight! I don't know! But damn if I didn't get peeved, okay! So fine! Get mad! Don't be nice! Do whatever you want with your behind! See if that gets people to help you!"

Gabriel whirled on her, stalking back until he was perhaps a foot away. "This isn't about you being mad your planet's gone! No, I haven't seen my planet die in front of me. I can't comprehend that sorrow. But that doesn't give you the right to dismiss my entire people like you did! You want to be mad, be mad at Omega, not us!" He stepped back and swept an arm out over the panorama of the city. "These people you're dismissing as animals? They didn't burn your world. They didn't invade it. Except for a couple of two-bit thugs, they've done nothing negative to you at all. So while you have every right to be mad, that right only extends to the people who did what made you mad! Not people who don't even know what happened!" He threw both his arms into the air in a gesture of frustration. "Why did I bother helping an ungrateful woman like you, anyway? I mean, here I am trying to do whatever I can to help, but oh no, I'm the one that was being spiteful. After you insulted me, my family, my friends, and my whole race! I'm the unwarranted one you crazy bint?"

"Not only are you arrogant, you're blind." Gabriel's voice is calm. Cold, even. His body language shows that he's upset, but his speech is precise, with absolutely no emotion injected into it. "What you say is true...But it is not the whole picture. Our planet is polluted, but we're trying to clean it up. There are endangered species, but we're trying to save them. We fight and kill. But we also help and heal. Humanity is a fallen, prideful, selfish, sinful people. We can display depravity worthy of the most devoted servants of Satan himself, or of the darkest corners of the terminus. But we can also produce men and women who stand against the darkness. Who, through deed and speech and writing have battled tirelessly to help our fellow humans. Throughout the ages, for every criminal there are multiple decent people. For every broken and hurting family, there is one where love abounds. You see evil mixed with the good because we have choice. And we understand that, and accept the consequences of choice. I don't know what your oh-so-wonderful planet's history was. But I'd heavily doubt it was always such a wonderful glorious utopia. Do you mean to tell me you never experienced wars on your planet? That no evil was done by your people against themselves? I find it doubtful. No, you've just had more time. Your people developed time travel; by and large, we're still working on getting out of orbit. So pardon us for not having everything figured out, you arrogant alien wench." Suddenly, anger infused his words, and there was more than a hint of Irish brogue in his speech. "So I'd like ya to keep it in mind that we're bloody well trying our best to do better. I don't appreciate high-and-mighty aliens coming down here and saying how we're all primitive animals, and they do everything so much better, as if the whole world is populated by trash. Well let me tell you something: We aren't trash. We're made in the image of God. Not a single human being is "trash". Oh, some drown themselves in evil, but that's a choice they have to live with. I don't appreciate your bloody arrogant attitude. You're no better than the likes of those villains you talk down about; plenty of them think the world's not right, and that they're the only one who knows how it ought to be. If ya cant' tell, it's not helping them much at all. Not the Grue, not that bloody robot, not the undead, not even the bloody freaking Terminus. None of them can grind us into dust. We refuse. So maybe you should spend mroe than 5 minutes watching the nightly news, or dig a bit deeper into your history books, and maybe shake off that bloody alien arrogance." With that, he turns his back and begins walking away from her across the roof.

Hm. Notice: 21. Not too bad at all, especially since I'm not in combat.

Corbin had tucked the blanket safely in the back with the basket before sliding into the driver's seat of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class he typically drove to school. He was soon on the road. The blue car's seats were a comfortable cloth that breathed magnificently. Right now they were probably breathing better than the young driver, whose gaze was locked on the road in front of him, his eyes all but watering with their effort to stay forward. "Uh. Um. That's...uh. I guess that's your call. I'll keep the windows up; the glass is tinted enough it won't freak anyone else on the road out." Thankfully, the road was pretty much empty, the weather was clear, and the sun was bright. Which was good, since Corbin was consistently going about 5 over. It was also a good thing it wasn't that far, comparatively speaking, from Claremont to his house. Or maybe it was. All he knew is that he wasn't there yet... * * * * * Thankfully for Corbin's sanity, they arrived at his parent's home within about 20 minutes of driving. He'd managed to relax by about halfway through the drive, and was notably less tense when he pulled into the garage, the door shutting behind him as he walked over to the interior door, punching in the security code, turning on some of the lights, and holding the door for Quo-Dis. "And here we are. I know you haven't been here before, so we'll get a tour in...sometime."

A sympathetic look crossed Gabriel's face at first. "I'm sorry for refreshing such painful thoughts. I'd tried a bit of humor in noting that there have been a few occasions others have returned from death itself." But at her next words, a deep frown settled on his face. "Oh, simians, are we? Savages? Not due any respect? Why, because we don't have time travel yet? And forgive us for not having the same hyper-advanced technology. I was going to offer to help you find shelter for at least a time. Should I bother, or will you throw my primitive offerings back in my face? How long have you been on this planet, that you have judged us filthy simians barely worthy of your attention? What makes you so much better than us?"

Mark had dashed off to dance with Stesha's sister. Lovely looking girl,really, but so it goes sometimes. Carson gave Trevor a respectful nod as he stood from the table, going out and mingling a bit, shaking hands and smiling, until he happened across another lovely young lady looking for a dance. She said her name was Sarah. His smile almost faltered, but he recovered quickly. "Ma'am, you'd honor me if you decided to dance with me." That was pretty much that as the two of them gracefully slid out onto the dance floor. Carson wasn't a dance expert, but his footsteps were sure enough, and he knew well enough his own limits to keep things simple. It was nice, dancing like this on a happy occasion. It let one forget their troubles for just a bit.

Fenris watched Cannonade and Ironclad leap into the fray, occasionally glancing at the bank of diagnostic monitors he had positioned himself near. "Hm. How much close-combat testing did you put them through? They look like they'd do alright against non-powered humans who don't have cutting-edge gear, but powers and high tech are shockingly wide spread." He chuckles at his own words. "Which is ironic coming from me, I suppose, but there you go. What exactly is your...hm. Do you only plan to field them against non-powered individuals, or those who are comparatively "low on the food chain"?"

"Oh my dear, sweet, beautiful Quo-Dis. I'd accuse you of reading my mind if you hadn't just decided not to." He smiled, giving her a quick kiss, then attempting to gently extricate himself. "You see, this little picnic wasn't all I had planned today. I picked today on purpose; my parents are both out of town for a couple of days, the cleaning staff is done for a couple of days, and we're free for the weekend." He smiled wider. "So, I can wait if you want to go change, but we're going to hop in my car and drive there. And in a half-hour or so, we'll have that house. All to ourselves. For something like two days. And I made sure the kitchen is fully stocked." His grin is positively devious.