KnightDisciple

Gabriel shrugged at the praise. The thugs had been under-prepared and under-protected. Their next fight might not be so easy. "Please, just Gabriel. As for the door, by all means. You'll likely get through it quicker than I could." He made sure to stand back several feet, giving the other hero plenty of clearance.

Throughout the shifting conversation, and the occasional stops to eat the wonderful food in front of them, Corbin would occasionally steal a glance at Quo-Dis. While he may have been clear in his desire to wait before taking certain steps in the relationship, neither was he afraid to occasionally admire his companion. The dress suited her well, the length being "just so", and the red contrasting her skin beautifully. He looked thoughtful at Blake's questions about sports. "I haven't given it much thought. I lean towards "not necessarily", just because I'd like to focus on schoolwork, art, an extra study here and there, Quo-Dis here, and probably a bit of business tutoring with my parents." At the mention of the final item, he wasn't displeased, but it lacked the enthusiasm of the other subjects he mentioned. He gave a smirk. "Though that list isn't specifically prioritized or anything." He threw the incredible young lady at his side a wink, even as he sat back a bit as the conversation shifted more to technology. Here, he had only general knowledge, plus a few tidbits from things his parents mentioned occasionally.

Gabriel started to reach for his change, before stopping as Robin asked that fateful question. He slowly met her eyes, his expression inscrutable. For over a minute, he was entirely silent, trying to determine her possible motivations, her reasoning. "Dinner?" He went silent for perhaps half a minute more. "There's the little problem of this outfit being awkward at a social function like that. Or are you proposing dining someplace comparatively casual?" He doesn't seem to have quite committed himself one way or another just yet...

Gabriel frowned as one of the guards rand down the hall before he could act. He then turned his attention to one of the remaining guards. "Sit down and shut up." He's clearly in a less than stellar mood, even as he lifts his right hand and sends a roaring wave of sound rushing towards the guards, hoping to knock them down and out for the count.

Right, so. I'm guessing our base Hero Point count has been "reset". With the addition of Luck 3, that means Gabriel has 4 Hero Points. I'm going to use 1 HP to stunt a Shapeable Damage, Rank 11 off of Gabriel's Sonic Control Array. He's essentially going to make a cone, but he's going to make sure he doesn't hit Powerhouse, but still hits all the guys who haven't run off. I believe that will be a DC 21 Reflex save, and a DC 26 Toughness Save on the damage. :D

Corbin hummed in thought for several moments. "There's no easy answer. I'd say we could point back to the times when we lived in tents made of animal hide, and lived as hunter-gatherers, and the general physical abilities of each gender led to division of labor. I mean, someone really did have to stay and keep an eye on the kids, cook the food, etc. I'd say that was less "oppression" than some might attribute, just because everyone had to contribute. But it likely planted subconscious ideas in the minds of men, and when we started forming things like cities and countries, those ideas came to the forefront. And once they laid the foundation, if you will, cultural momentum meant that things generally stayed as they were." He gestured vaguely as he continued to talk. "There are, of course, exceptions, especially when you hit the era around the rise of Ancient Greece. If not totally equal rites, they didn't treat women as chattel. And even certain Middle Eastern cultures and belief systems weren't as bad as we "progressive modern people" might think. History tends to move in cycles in some ways...At any rate, it's just the last century or two where things have formed a sort of "perfect storm" to move us forward." He shrugged. "I try not to focus too much on feeling superior to the "ignorant barbarians of the past", because history can always surprise you. People constantly discover evidence that pre-conceived notions are incorrect about one thing or another. Certainly, you're bringing two different viewpoints to this than I am; first as a woman, and second as a cultural outsider. But there are probably whole libraries' worth of research, speculation, and history on this sort of thing." He smiled and squeezed her hand a bit. "You're here to learn the differences; that you haven't done so yet is no mark against you, merely a measure of how much there is to learn. History and politics in particular can take years and years to even begin to fully grasp. It's why we rely on the writings of others so much; so that we don't have to re-discover everything every generation. At least, that's the idea."

Gabriel's eyes widened at the sheer fury Fusion displayed. The raw anger, the buried hurt...it was all there. His face became concerned as he slowly stepped forward, ending up opposite Fleur as he faced Fusion, his back to the helpless Otaku. "Fusion. Look at me. You may think that you want to do this right now. You're angry. You're disgusted. Otaku's pushing all the right buttons to make you angrier. He's speaking empty words, trying to cause you pain. Don't let him, Fusion. Don't let him get this victory. You're better than this. You're a hero. And what you're doing right now? It's not what a hero does. As much as we may think it feels good to hurt him like this, it's not right. It's not what we're about." He stepped closer, dropping his voice so only Fusion could hear it. "You know, I was going to be coming here anyways, to stop this pathetic little man. But then, some guy called me. He was really, really worried about you. Said he wanted me to make sure you didn't do something you'll regret later. You're about to do something you'll regret; please, don't." He hesitated, then switched over to his unique ventriloquism, where only Fusion herself could hear him. Even reading his lips would be essentially impossible. >"Joan. Please. I know you have a family. I remember that fracas out at the base, out on Lonely Point. You have a little girl...Lois? Stop and think. Do you want her to think back on this day, and remember her mother as a woman who killed a helpless man, all because he was a pervert? Or do you want her to think of you as a hero? Please. Make the right decision."< A pleading expression was shining through on what face could be seen by Joan through his mask. His hands were hanging at his sides, and he just stood there, a voice of reason calling out to be heard...

"It's not something broadly advertised to the laity. I'm not completely shocked it exists or existed, it's just not something I've had exposure to on any level before. But you could say that recent events are driving a desire to learn more." He flashes Robin a winning smile as she stops her lecture. "I was the one who asked for an explanation, remember? I'm not on some sort of tight time table here. Don't worry about it. Maybe you can save the full lecture for later, and I can come prepared to take notes." He gave her a wink before settling his gaze on the prices. He seemed to consider things for several moments before looking up at her. "Hrm. I could pay for the charm now, and one of the two books now. I'll go with this one." He hefted the book in his hand. "I should be good for the Malificarum in a week or so. Maybe two. Well, that one, plus maybe one or two more. I've been meaning to grow my library a bit. I don't think the priest will mind me researching things like this." He gave her a conspiratorial wink as he dug into one of the pockets on that great white coat of his, pulling out a simple wallet, from which he counted out the proper amount of cash. "I prefer using cash when I can, for obvious reasons."

Cobalt Templar looks at Push with...not a glare, but he clearly wasn't "inspired", or even amused, by the other hero's words. He held up the hand with his ring on it. "Don't you get it, Push? I did nothing in this fight. You know why? Because I lost my powers when I let the fear take hold. Do you know what that felt like? Not only did I have a horrible demon cry out and bring up a bad memory, not only did the same demon come flying at me trying to kill me, but I couldn't even fight back! This has never happened before. So sorry, but I'm not exactly feeling heroic or inspired right now. The others are right, this isn't a time for comedy." He turns to look at Dragonfly, smiling a bit. "Thanks for the save there, Dragonfly. Not sure how that would have gone down if you hadn't stepped in." He turned to face Dead Head, a thoughtful frown on his face. "Not much on arcane studies or the like, but I agree. That thing's not done for. Just delayed. As for the ring..." Finally, the shaking in his hands and voice had stopped. The boy's confidence seemed to have returned as he stood, holding out the ring. In a flash, he was clothed in that shining blue armor, the ethereal red cape flapping behind him. "I found it in the Middle East. For various reasons, I wont' be more specific. I'm trying to figure out who made it, where it originated from, and even what it's fully capable of. Unfortunately, I haven't cracked the code yet. It's rather potent, though. Let's me do a lot of things, just with a thought." He then reached into a suddenly-manifested pocket, and pulled out a cell phone. "I'll make the call." Walking away from the others a bit, CT dialed the local police number, then gave his name and a short summary of the events, asking for officers to come by and pick up the cultists.

The man in white nods at her initial list. More than he might have thought, but not an altogether surprising list. He showed interest at her mention of mystical orders in the Church. "The Church has had orders of that nature?" Gabriel's interest is piqued, even as he looks confused at a term. "What do you mean by a "theurgist"? I'm not familiar with the term." It wasn't covered by standard Mass, or in his acting and teaching career. When she showed him the Shepherds book, his eyes lit up. A book whose title he could get behind! He started to leaf through it, then stopped and gave Robin a questioning look. "Could I perhaps...borrow this? Or no, you're not a library. Perhaps we could discuss price? And how much would the Malicifarum cost? Just to get some idea, you know. I'm somewhat familiar with that work, but I'd be curious if there are any differences in the copy you could acquire."

Corbin thought for a moment, then smiled. "Let me tell you about a place called Valley Forge, in the winter of 1777, and how perseverance may have changed the world as we know it..." Corbin spent a bit of time talking this snippet of history with Quo-Dis, embellishing things a bit, using hand gestures to emphasize his words, and even materializing a few pictures with his ring. After some time had passed, and the story had finished, Corbin stood to his feet with a smile. "It's been a pleasure, Quo-Dis. I'll see you again soon enough. Have a good day." With that, Corbin took to the air, quickly flying back towards his dorm, searching for the young man who'd spurred him on to this venture. While he flew, he traced acrobatic patterns in the air, leaving a unique trail behind himself.

Corbin blinked and turned to Quo-Dis, his face morphing from slight shock, to a soft smile. "Thank you very much." When the waiter takes orders, Corbin opts for the Tour of Italy. When one can't decide on 1 pasta, go for 3 types! After orders are placed, he turns to regard Blake curiously. "I've got a solo room. I came in a junior, and school policy still allows it, I thought. I don't really mind. Gives me space to store my art stuff, have a bit more of a "thinking area", and just generally have a place I can retreat to if it gets too noisy "out there", you know?"

Gabriel nodded at the mention of mail-ordering. "I suppose that makes some sense. Are they your main base of clients? Or do you get a good mix of them, people like me with specific needs in mind, and...curious seekers?" At her offer of delivery, he shrugged. "I fly so fast this is quicker. Besides. You're a good person, and have been very helpful, but I tend to be pretty private. Nothing against you, necessarily. Just force of habit, I suppose." He smiled again, still walking around the store a bit. "Are your books limited to a specific subset of mystical texts, or do you have some broader selection? Perhaps things like history and/or myth? Or...hm. "Alternative practices" sounds a bit too obtuse, so..." He regards her with a slightly more serious look in his eyes. "Any items that have their origins in the Church?"

Init: 17+6 That's a rare event, right there.

Corbin took a large gulp of water, trying to cool himself down a bit, as well as giving himself time to think His blush having faded somewhat, he turned to face Quo-Dis, gently reaching out his left hand to hold her right hand. "If possible, I'd like to give my thoughts here. First, Quo-Dis: I won't lie and say that a part of me wouldn't mind the...activities...we're speaking of occurring sooner, rather than later. However. That part of me is not what I let steer my life. I listen to it, consider it, but I do not let my hormones drive, if you see what I mean. The greater part of me wants to wait. Not because I don't care about you, or find the idea repellent. Just the opposite. I care about you, and more than that, I respect you, enough to want to wait. I want us to get to know each other more. I want our relationship to be something that lasts more than 4 weeks, and is built entirely around visceral physical pleasure. Zaranna is her own person, and can make her own choices, just like the rest of us. My choice is to wait. I'm not saying we have to, necessarily, go through a marriage ceremony or something. But I don't want to share such a special, intimate bond with anyone but a girl I care about deeply. A girl I love. A girl I want to spend my life with. Now, don't get me wrong, I like you quite a bit. But I'm honest enough to say we're not quite there yet. I need more time. Not decades, not even years, really. But a few more months. I want to be sure, for both our sakes. I want memories together of lots of moments enjoying simple things. Dinner with friends. A great concert. A beautiful sunset. A funny movie. An exciting roller coaster. A flight above the clouds. Those, an a million other moments. All those sorts of things are what make up lasting memories and relationships. Great deeds are well and good for history books, but for the memories we'll cherish one day, "doing nothing" takes on a life of its own." He sat back a bit in his chair and took a sip of water. 'That sounded way better in my head. She probably thinks I'm a stupid, dorky mortal now or something.' He stared down at his right hand, fiddling with his ring, clearly very uncomfortable.

Corbin sighed a bit in relief as Quo-Dis turned to the more normal topic of how long she'd been at school, educational differences between their worlds, and so on. Surely the conversation would go to better places now that- Corbin went absolutely bug-eyed, and his face first went even whiter than a few moments ago (something observers would argue hadn't been though possible), and then flared red as a fire truck. A solitary spark rose from his right, but his left hand clamped over it before anyone noticed. The *squeak* from his mouth was definitely higher-pitched than normal, and only iron self-control born from many telekinesis practice sessions kept that sound from going beyond their table. He slowly turned to Quo-Dis, shock still written on his red face as he whispered at her, unfortunately not able to keep his volume low enough to not be heard by Blake and Jessica. "Wait, what? I mean...was this a subject you were possibly going to talk with me about at some point? That is...um." Yeah, she's pretty much broken the poor boy's brain. He's about one step above "total shutdown" right now.

Corbin smiled as Quo-Dis called his studies "recent history". He supposed it was all about context. "I suppose one could say I'm not most teenagers, then." A puzzled look grew on his face as Quo-Dis mentioned...Zarana...after her minutes of intense silence. 'Where is she going with-' he thought, before she suddenly dropped the "i" word. Corbin went stock-still in his chair, his face going white with shock and embarrassment. His expression morphed to a wide-eyed one of shock. His eyes darted between Blake and Jessica, before closing for a moment in what almost looked to be pain. Then Jessica thankfully changed the subject. He hoped. At least the waiter hadn't been there to hear the question!

The boy in blue waved off Jessica's apologies. "That was an unpleasant encounter for all involved. I don't know that any of us gave a good showing that day." Corbin's awkward glance at Quo-Dis showed the two teens had briefly discussed the "name issue" as well. Obviously that minor hurdle had been overcome. When the waiter turned to Corbin, he thought for a moment, then ordered simple water as well. "Glad to know we all looked forward to tonight. As for Claremont..." Corbin sat back a bit, a thoughtful look crossing his face. "I like it more every day. I feel like I'm getting challenged in all the right ways. Workload doesn't feel stupidly large. The career councilor is taking my talk of history and archeology very seriously. Plus..." He smirked as he flashed his blue-gem-ring at the others. "Plenty of time for side jobs, as well. And even some great workout rooms, you know?" He turned to Quo-Dis with a smile, before turning to Blake and giving him a fist held up, prepared for a "brofist". "I've managed to meet some really cool people already. I think I'm going to fit in just fine."

Gabriel blinked for a second, before realization dawned on his face, followed by...well, not disgust, but more like him trying to shake a bad mental picture. "Right. Yeah, that sounds fine. I could probably get a couple of them out of the fight in really short order, too. How long do you want me to wait before going in the front? I'd hate to throw off your timing." He was trying to get the best idea possible of how he could approach the front, and enter it with the greatest speed and least risk. Shouldn't be too difficult, if he kept his head and thought on his feat. All in a day's work for a teacher/actor/mentor/superhero.

Corbin smiled awkwardly at Estelle's words. "Hey, you deserve to have fun dancing, too. It's just been one of those nights, you know? But if you can get us something a bit slower, that'd be good." He watched with mild interest as Estelle navigated her way to Felix, engaging in some sort of negotiation. It gave him time to look around at the crowd. Still a lot of interesting people milling around. Especially that lady that made him look like a shortstop. Her boyfriend seemed happy enough, though. He rolled his eyes at Sleaze's drawl, but sighed in relief as a slow song started to play. 'Now this, I can dance to!' He looked back towards Estelle...and saw Tramp #2...er, that is, Cindy, heading towards him! 'Escape and evade until I reach the objective!' With that, he deftly started to try and outpace Cindy, looping wide on a direct course to meet up with Estelle, one eye staying on the determined bimbo. He barely restrained a shudder. At least Estelle would keep her hands in the right places. Honestly, some of these girls just gave him the creeps.

Corbin smiled at his beautiful date, a part of him still amazed he even managed this. It seemed like only yesterday he was shyly asking her on a date, after stumbling and bumbling his way into explaining that, no, Student Body hadn't sent him to humiliate her. He gently guided her hand around his arm, even as he closed the already-locked car door, hustling them inside. 'Thought I doubt either of us feels the cold too much...' he thought with a smile to himself. He nodded to the waiter with a smile when they arrived inside, and smiled wider when he spotted his already-basically-best-friend and girlfriend. He reached out to shake each of their hands, then nodded to Quo-Dis. "Blake! Good to see you. Jessica, it's a pleasure. Guys, this is Quo-Dis. Quo-Dis, this is Blake Salazar and Jessica Parker." Corbin pulls out Quo's chair, helping her get seated, before settling himself into a chair. "Thanks again for joining us tonight, you two. It's fun just the two of us going out, but sometimes you need a couple friends along as well."

Before they entered the short hallway leading into the room where Doctor Otaku was holed up, Gabriel had stopped speaking. He seemed to close his eyes, concentrate for a moment, then give a nod. When Midnight entered first, he watched the results of the other hero's work carefully. Quickly stepping up beside him, coat billowing in a non-existent breeze, he raised his right hand to point at the desperate villain, even as he took in the state of the hostages in the room with a frown. "You have too many toys." Suddenly, a burst of sound lanced out from his hand. It targeted not the supervillain himself, but the remaining armor on his body. It worked to shake apart the very bonds holding it together, making it easy for his fellows to disable totally. Without missing a beat, his left had rose even as his right hand fell to his side. His index finger jabbed accusingly at the whining man-child. "Solo Takashi: Repent!" No other words were said, but no other words were needed. Some otherworldly force was in the words that Gabriel projected; some force giving them supernatural weight, bearing in on Takashi like some inevitable Judgment. One that had found him so very, very Guilty.

Right then. Per my earlier post, Array is currently on Drain Toughness, Affects Objects Only. With Luck 3 now in effect due to edits, that's 3 HP. This will be important in a moment. Move Action: Step up next to Midnight. The contrast of white and black is so thematic, don't you think? Standard Action: Attack Roll: 17+10=27. That's a Ranged Attack, FYI. So he's got a DC 21 Reflex (since it's for the Object) Save, and it's a Rank 11 power. Surge!: Burn a HP to keep the fatigue away. Free Action: Switch Array to Emotion Control. Standard Action: Emotion Control! DC 21 Will Save from Otaku. The Emotion is Fear. Specifically, Fear of this little group of Heroes.

Cobalt Templar's breathing slows. He's still shaky, but the obvious threat is gone. He hauls himself to a seated position on the closest available crate, taking several deep, semi-calming breaths. AT this point, his armor is entirely gone, and he's in just the cloth suit and his mask. He looks to be a boy in his late teens, perhaps 20 at the outside edge. His hands were still shaking as he lifted his gaze to look at Push. "That...that thing. It knew things, Push. About all of us. It knew this ring. It had been here for less than a minute, and it not only knew this Ring, but it wanted to kill me just for using it. A demon, probably from the deepest pits of Hell, and it targeted me first." He raises his still-shaking right hand and tries to summon his power. A small wisp of flame comes out, but nothing else. "You'll forgive me if it's left me a bit off-balance. It's almost like someone made the floor shake under me."

Gabriel looks to Dead Head with an arched eyebrow. He then looks down at himself. The guy wearing almost all bright white. "Not exactly a master of stealth here. I'm all for busting in and taking them down before they can react. Anything I should know beforehand about what they can do? Anything they're immune to, for instance? Anything they're vulnerable to? You want us both to go in the same entrance, try flanking them, or something else?" Though he keeps a couple feet between them, Gabriel's clearly no longer hostile to Dead Head. He seems genuinely friendly and willing to listen. His distance seems more unconscious. Like being too close makes him physically uncomfortable...