Thunder King

Speed-Demon blinked up at the helicopter. "OH, well, I think I can get the people out, but the car looks pretty screwed. Think you can haul it out? They need some help." He was only fairly sure that the helicopter was being piloted instead of, you know, a talking helicopter. Honestly, though, after getting possessed, there were few surprises left in the world. He was worried about what was going on elsewhere, though. He had a feeling that something bad was going on tonight.

Anthony changed into his costume before he got to the car. He took a deep breath and rushed over. He was able to pry the door open without using his hot touch, and rush the people out one at a time. He started with the children, running them out of danger, before getting the adults out of the car. He used his speed to get them to safety before continuing his patrol. Being fast certainly had his advantages.

10,000 because he doesn't need his array for anything else right now

Anthony is going to go exploring the area, seeing what he can do help after putting his costume on. Notice (with Skill Mastery): 23

He's in Inner Weston. 'on his way home' is vague enough for him to be just after a delivery to Inner Weston

tagging

Anthony was on his way home. It was a long day of deliveries, and he had quite a bit in tips coming. Well, except for that one jerk who complained that his pizza was cold. Anthony knew that was a lie, but he let it go. All he wanted to do was get home, feed his cat, and maybe play some guitar. He was saving up for a mic, maybe release some of his music online. He had his hoodie pulled up and his headphones in. He kept his head down. He knew the storm was coming down. All he needed to do was get home before it hit and he'd be cool. It wasn't like he couldn't get out of town if he needed to. Still, memories of Katrina haunted the back of his mind. Then, two blocks away from home, something went wrong. As pounding drums and shrieking guitars filled his ears, he turned his gaze up at the city, gazing out at the darkness. He had his costume in his bag if he needed it. "Well...%^*#"

Edited the descriptors as per Discord

I did some formatting edits as per Discord.

Fixed

Speed Demon Power Level: 12 (built as PL10) (180/181 PP) Unspent Power Points: 1 Trade-Offs: -5 Tou/+5 Def In Brief: Speedster possessed by a spirit of chaos and flame Catchphrase: Theme: Alternate Identity: Anthony Jones Birthplace: New Orleans, LA Residence: Vibora Bay Base of Operations: Weston Occupation: Courier Affiliations: Family: A sister he never speaks to Description: Age: 25 (DoB: August 16th, 1994 Gender: Male Ethnicity: African American/Caucasian Mix Height: 5'9" Weight: 16” Eyes: Black (Sometimes red) Hair: Black Anthony is a young man with mocha skin and dark eyes. His hair grows in thick, loose dreadlocks that hang to his chin if he lets them hang. He usually has at least a five oclock shadow, though he does try to keep it shaved. His body is composed of compact, lean muscle. He has numerous tattoos on his upper body, usually concealed, including his dad's name on one shoulder. He has pierced ears and a pierced eyebrow. He has a huge collection of cheap t-shirts, usually rock and metal bands. He prides himself on never wearing a shirt for a band he hasn't listened to. He prefers loose, comfortable clothing and doesn't bother with the latest fashions. He moves with assurance and confidence, and in the right mood, a little bit of swagger. He has a quick and easy smile. His costume consists of a short sleeved bodysuit in light gray and orange, with a general flame theme and a flame symbol on his chest. He has a simple domino mask that covers his eyes. While using his powers, however, his appearance changes significantly. The whites of his eyes turn pitch black and his irises look like burning embers. His hair looks like smoldering ashes, pale gray with streaks of glowing coal. History: Anthony spent his early years in New Orleans, a late born younger brother of a ten years older sister. His dad worked construction, his mom worked at a restaurant, and everything was fine. That was, at least, until Katrina hit. They moved when he was almost thirteen years old, to Vibora Bay. His dad had a job waiting, and they were soon in a new apartment. His sister had gotten married and moved out on her own, and the three of them lived comfortably in an apartment. His mom got another job, and his dad got good construction gigs. Things were fine for a while. They weren't wealthy, but they were comfortable enough to make ends meet. A big part of his life was music. His dad taught him the guitar like his dad had taught him, and much of Anthony's time was spent perfecting it. Then the news came one rainy night. His dad had died in a car accident. It was instantaneous, and he distinctly remembered his mom calling his sister to tell her. When the funeral came, his sister was nowhere to be found. Anthony's mother never recovered from the loss, and passed away two years later. Anthony was eighteen, with his parents' life insurance money as his sole source of money. His mom had barely spent what she'd gotten from his dad. He knew that if he blew the cash on nonsense, he'd be destitute in less than a year. If he had been less clever, less charismatic, it would have been over there. As his mother's condition deteriorated, Anthony took over a lot of the duties in the household. She managed to keep up at work enough to keep her job, but she stopped functioning as soon as she got home. He invested the life insurance money, and turned it into a tidy nest egg that he leveraged into a modest apartment, keeping him going a lot longer than the two bedroom apartment his family had rented since they moved to Vibora Bay. However, that was a meager income, and it wouldn't last too long. So he invested it in other things. His biggest supply of money was as a courier. People would pay him to take things from one place to another, and he was reliable. He was fast on his feet and faster on a bike, and whatever needed dropping off would get there. He also got delivery jobs through various delivery services. He learned three rules. Keep your nose clean, never ask what was in the packages, and never stick your neck out for anyone. Then, one day, he broke the latter two. He stumbled across a strange sacrificial ritual. He moved to save the sacrificial victim and brandished the knife he kept for protection. When he gave a warning slash, blood dripped on the floor and he was consumed in flame. The flames didn't hurt him or anyone else, but he suddenly felt a presence in his mind. It was telling him to destroy, to ravage, to rampage. The victim and the cultists fled from him. The flames faded instantly, and he found that his flesh was glowing with heat. Things got chaotic. The house burned down and everyone inside died. He and the victim both managed to get out of the house, and he ran, a blazing trail out of the city. He woke up outside the city, curled into a ball and clutching the book, which was unharmed by the heat. He soon discovered that his was not the only presence in his mind. Now he had a being that called itself a spirit of Chaos and Flame. It gave no name, but it expressed delight at Anthony's actions. The destruction of the house in particular amused it. Anthony studied the book, and learned that there were benefits to hosting the spirit. He would be supernaturally fast and gain power over heat and flame. So he struck a bargain with it. He would take on the evils of the city, and with that slake the spirit's thirst for chaos. Personality & Motivation: Anthony is likable, charismatic and good at talking his way out of trouble. Yet Anthony is already deeply cynical at 25 years old. His history has given him little hope or faith in people. Yet, even during his less savory moments, he kept his head above water. He detests bullies and anyone who uses power to hurt or exploit others. The spirit of chaos and flame feeds on this sense of injustice and pushes him to fight. His sense of justice usually outweighs his cynicism. Anthony's real passion is music, though. He's spent years in front of his amplifier with his guitar, honing his craft, listening to music and copying what he hears. It's the biggest thing that connects him with the legacy of his father. He knows he's good enough to leverage his skills into a music career, but that's not why he plays. Powers & Tactics: Anthony was never all that great in a fight before he got his powers, and his powers haven't encouraged him to stand and trade blows. He has, however, started training and has improved significantly. His first course of action is to look for people who need to get out of trouble, then to try to talk his way out of trouble, and if that fails, go in swinging. Even then, he'll pelt his opponents from a distance with flame or close distance and pummel them. He takes full advantage of his speed and never takes a hit if he can dodge one instead. One thing he does not do is use his heat touch on living targets. If pressed, he might do so if his target is too durable for other methods of attack, but that is a last ditch effort. Power Descriptions: Anthony's flames are mundane colors, mostly reds, yellows and oranges. While using his heat touch, the flesh on his body glows, he can generally decide where it manifests. He mostly just does this to his arms, but he can do it elsewhere if needed. If he uses extra effort to boost his powers, the glow grows more intense, and can even look like his flesh is turning into coals and embers. Complications: Fight Fire With Fire: Anthony is decidedly not immune to fire other than damage. He could conceivably convince someone that he is, but if he's ever caught out by an enemy, that could be trouble. Master of Puppets: The spirit of chaos and flame wants him to fight, and it's always trying to convince him otherwise. Youth Gone Wild: Anthony spent much of his teenage years running with the wrong crowds, this could cause problems for him. Am I Evil?: Speed Demon's powers may register as dark magic to those who are sensitive to it. While a lot of heroes have dark powers, this could be problematic. Cry Out for a Hero: Anthony is not just new to being a superhero, but to having heroic ideals. He wants to do the right thing, he just doesn't know what that means at all times. Abilities: 4 + 8 + 6 + 4 + 2 + 8 = 32PP Strength 14 (+2) Dexterity 18 (+4) Constitution 16 (+3) Intelligence 14 (+2) Wisdom 12 (+1) Charisma 18 (+4) Combat: 12 + 12 =24PP Initiative: +20/+8 Attack: +6 Base, +10 Melee, +10 Fire Control Defense: +15/+10 (+6 Base, +4 Dodge Focus, +5 Enhanced Dodge Focus), +3 Flat-Footed Grapple: +12 Knockback: -2 Saves: 2 + 6 + 5 = 13PP Toughness: +5 (+3 Con, +2 Protection) Fortitude: +5 (+3 Con, +2) Reflex: +15/+10 (+4 Dex, +6, +5 Enhanced Reflex) Will: +6 (+1 Wis, +5) Skills: 68R=17PP Bluff 8 (+12) Climb 3 (+5) Diplomacy 12 (+16) Skill Mastery Notice 12 (+13) Skill Mastery Perform 6 (Stringed instruments) (+10) Search 3 (+5) Sense Motive 12 (+16) Skill Mastery Stealth 12 (+16) Skill Mastery Feats: 21PP All Out Attack Attack Focus (Melee) 4 Attack Specialization (Fire Control) 2 Dodge Focus 4 Evasion 2 Improved Initiative Instant Up Move-By Action Power Attack Skill Mastery (Diplomacy, Notice, Sense Motive, Stealth) Takedown Attack 2 Uncanny Dodge (Auditory) Powers: 8 + 5 + 2 + 6 + 6 + 15 + 24 + 5 + 3= 74PP Descriptors: all Magic. The fire control array except autofire are all Fire. The rest are all Prowess Enhanced Feats 8 (Dodge Focus 5, Improved Initiative 3) [8PP] Enhanced Save 5 (to Reflex +15) [5PP] Protection 2 [2PP] Quickness 6 (x100) [6PP] Speed 6 (500 MPH, 5000' per move) [6PP] Speed Array 6 (12PP, Feats: Alternate Powers 3) [15PP] BE: Enhanced Quickness 6 (to Quickness 12 [x10,000]) + Enhanced Speed 6 (to Speed 12 [50,000 MPH, 500,000' per move) {6 + 6 = 12/12}BE AP: Affects Others 6 (on Quickness) + Affects Others 6 (on Speed) {6 + 6 = 12/12} AP: Damage 6 (Extra: Area [Targeted, Shapeable; 5' cubes x6], Flaw: Action [Full]) {12/12} AP: Environmental Control 6 (Extreme heat), 25ft) (6/6) Fire Control Array (20PP) Feats: Alternate Powers 4 [24PP] BE: Damage 10 (Extra: Autofire) (20/20) "Rapidfire Fisticuffs" AP: Corrosion 6 [18/18] AP: Damage 10 (Extra: Ranged, 100ft increment) (20/20) "Fire Blast" AP: Damage 10 (Extra: Area [trail], 100ft) (20/20) "Fire Trail" AP: Damage 10 (Extra: Area [Burst], 50ft radius) (20/20) "Fire Burst" Immunity 5 Fire Damage [5PP] Super-Movement 3 (Wall-Crawling 2, Water-Walking, Flaw: Limited [While Moving]) [3PP] Drawbacks: (-0) + (-0) = -0PP) DC Block ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unpowered Melee 17 TOU Damage Area Damage 6 cubes 21 TOU Damage Corrosion Melee 21 FORT/TOU Damage/Fort save drain Autofire Punches Melee 25 TOU Damage Fire Blast 100ft 25 TOU Fire Damage Fire Trail 250ft 25 TOU Fire Damage Fire Burst 50ft rad 25 TOU Fire Damage Totals: Abilities (32) + Combat (24) + Saving Throws (13) + Skills (17) + Feats (21) + Powers (74) - Drawbacks (0) = 180/180 Power Points

Speed Demon Power Level: 12 (built as PL10) (180/180 PP) Unspent Power Points: Trade-Offs: -5 Tou/+5 Def In Brief: Speedster possessed by a spirit of chaos and flame Catchphrase: Theme: Alternate Identity: Anthony Jones Birthplace: New Orleans, LA Residence: Vibora Bay Base of Operations: Weston Occupation: Courier Affiliations: Family: A sister he never speaks to Description: Age: 25 (DoB: August 16th, 1994 Gender: Male Ethnicity: African American/Caucasian Mix Height: 5'9" Weight: 16” Eyes: Black (Sometimes red) Hair: Black Anthony is a young man with mocha skin and dark eyes. His hair grows in thick, loose dreadlocks that hang to his chin if he lets them hang. He usually has at least a five oclock shadow, though he does try to keep it shaved. His body is composed of compact, lean muscle. He has numerous tattoos on his upper body, usually concealed, including his dad's name on one shoulder. He has pierced ears and a pierced eyebrow. He has a huge collection of cheap t-shirts, usually rock and metal bands. He prides himself on never wearing a shirt for a band he hasn't listened to. He prefers loose, comfortable clothing and doesn't bother with the latest fashions. He moves with assurance and confidence, and in the right mood, a little bit of swagger. He has a quick and easy smile. His costume consists of a short sleeved bodysuit in light gray and orange, with a general flame theme and a flame symbol on his chest. He has a simple domino mask that covers his eyes. While using his powers, however, his appearance changes significantly. The whites of his eyes turn pitch black and his irises look like burning embers. His hair looks like smoldering ashes, pale gray with streaks of glowing coal. History: Anthony spent his early years in New Orleans, a late born younger brother of a ten years older sister. His dad worked construction, his mom worked at a restaurant, and everything was fine. That was, at least, until Katrina hit. They moved when he was almost thirteen years old, to Vibora Bay. His dad had a job waiting, and they were soon in a new apartment. His sister had gotten married and moved out on her own, and the three of them lived comfortably in an apartment. His mom got another job, and his dad got good construction gigs. Things were fine for a while. They weren't wealthy, but they were comfortable enough to make ends meet. A big part of his life was music. His dad taught him the guitar like his dad had taught him, and much of Anthony's time was spent perfecting it. Then the news came one rainy night. His dad had died in a car accident. It was instantaneous, and he distinctly remembered his mom calling his sister to tell her. When the funeral came, his sister was nowhere to be found. Anthony's mother never recovered from the loss, and passed away two years later. Anthony was eighteen, with his parents' life insurance money as his sole source of money. His mom had barely spent what she'd gotten from his dad. He knew that if he blew the cash on nonsense, he'd be destitute in less than a year. If he had been less clever, less charismatic, it would have been over there. As his mother's condition deteriorated, Anthony took over a lot of the duties in the household. She managed to keep up at work enough to keep her job, but she stopped functioning as soon as she got home. He invested the life insurance money, and turned it into a tidy nest egg that he leveraged into a modest apartment, keeping him going a lot longer than the two bedroom apartment his family had rented since they moved to Vibora Bay. However, that was a meager income, and it wouldn't last too long. So he invested it in other things. His biggest supply of money was as a courier. People would pay him to take things from one place to another, and he was reliable. He was fast on his feet and faster on a bike, and whatever needed dropping off would get there. He also got delivery jobs through various delivery services. He learned three rules. Keep your nose clean, never ask what was in the packages, and never stick your neck out for anyone. Then, one day, he broke the latter two. He stumbled across a strange sacrificial ritual. He moved to save the sacrificial victim and brandished the knife he kept for protection. When he gave a warning slash, blood dripped on the floor and he was consumed in flame. The flames didn't hurt him or anyone else, but he suddenly felt a presence in his mind. It was telling him to destroy, to ravage, to rampage. The victim and the cultists fled from him. The flames faded instantly, and he found that his flesh was glowing with heat. Things got chaotic. The house burned down and everyone inside died. He and the victim both managed to get out of the house, and he ran, a blazing trail out of the city. He woke up outside the city, curled into a ball and clutching the book, which was unharmed by the heat. He soon discovered that his was not the only presence in his mind. Now he had a being that called itself a spirit of Chaos and Flame. It gave no name, but it expressed delight at Anthony's actions. The destruction of the house in particular amused it. Anthony studied the book, and learned that there were benefits to hosting the spirit. He would be supernaturally fast and gain power over heat and flame. So he struck a bargain with it. He would take on the evils of the city, and with that slake the spirit's thirst for chaos. Personality & Motivation: Anthony is likable, charismatic and good at talking his way out of trouble. Yet Anthony is already deeply cynical at 25 years old. His history has given him little hope or faith in people. Yet, even during his less savory moments, he kept his head above water. He detests bullies and anyone who uses power to hurt or exploit others. The spirit of chaos and flame feeds on this sense of injustice and pushes him to fight. His sense of justice usually outweighs his cynicism. Anthony's real passion is music, though. He's spent years in front of his amplifier with his guitar, honing his craft, listening to music and copying what he hears. It's the biggest thing that connects him with the legacy of his father. He knows he's good enough to leverage his skills into a music career, but that's not why he plays. Powers & Tactics: Anthony was never all that great in a fight before he got his powers, and his powers haven't encouraged him to stand and trade blows. He has, however, started training and has improved significantly. His first course of action is to look for people who need to get out of trouble, then to try to talk his way out of trouble, and if that fails, go in swinging. Even then, he'll pelt his opponents from a distance with flame or close distance and pummel them. He takes full advantage of his speed and never takes a hit if he can dodge one instead. One thing he does not do is use his heat touch on living targets. If pressed, he might do so if his target is too durable for other methods of attack, but that is a last ditch effort. Power Descriptions: Anthony's flames are mundane colors, mostly reds, yellows and oranges. While using his heat touch, the flesh on his body glows, he can generally decide where it manifests. He mostly just does this to his arms, but he can do it elsewhere if needed. If he uses extra effort to boost his powers, the glow grows more intense, and can even look like his flesh is turning into coals and embers. Complications: Fight Fire With Fire: Anthony is decidedly not immune to fire other than his own. He could conceivably convince someone that he is, but if he's ever caught out by an enemy, that could be trouble. Master of Puppets: The spirit of chaos and flame wants him to fight, and it's always trying to convince him otherwise. Youth Gone Wild: Anthony spent much of his teenage years running with the wrong crowds, this could cause problems for him. Am I Evil?: Speed Demon's powers may register as dark magic to those who are sensitive to it. While a lot of heroes have dark powers, this could be problematic. Cry Out for a Hero: Anthony is not just new to being a superhero, but to having heroic ideals. He wants to do the right thing, he just doesn't know what that means at all times. Abilities: 4 + 8 + 6 + 4 + 2 + 8 = 32PP Strength 14 (+2) Dexterity 18 (+4) Constitution 16 (+3) Intelligence 14 (+2) Wisdom 12 (+1) Charisma 18 (+4) Combat: 12 + 12 =24PP Initiative: +24/+12 Attack: +6 Base, +10 Melee, +10 Fire Control Defense: +15/+10 (+6 Base, +4 Dodge Focus, +5 Enhanced Dodge Focus), +3 Flat-Footed Grapple: +12 Knockback: -2 Saves: 2 + 6 + 5 = 13PP Toughness: +5 (+3 Con, +2 Protection) Fortitude: +5 (+3 Con, +2) Reflex: +15/+10 (+4 Dex, +6, +5 Enhanced Reflex) Will: +6 (+1 Wis, +5) Skills: 68R=17PP Bluff 8 (+12) Climb 3 (+5) Diplomacy 12 (+16) Skill Mastery Notice 12 (+13) Skill Mastery Perform 6 (+10) Search 3 (+4) Sense Motive 12 (+16) Skill Mastery Stealth 12 (+16) Skill Mastery Feats: 21PP All Out Attack Attack Focus (Melee) 4 Attack Specialization (Fire Control) 2 Dodge Focus 4 Evasion 2 Improved Initiative Instant Up Move-By Action Power Attack Takedown Attack 2 Skill Mastery (Disable Device, Notice, Sense Motive, Stealth) Uncanny Dodge (Auditory) Powers: 8 + 5 + 2 + 6 + 6 + 15 + 24 + 5 + 3= 74PP Descriptors: all magic, fire control array is also fire, except the autofire attack, which is only magic. Enhanced Feats 8 (Dodge Focus 5, Improved Initiative 3) [8PP] Enhanced Save 5 (to Reflex +15) [5PP] Protection 2 [2PP] Quickness 6 (x100) [6PP] Speed 6 (500 MPH, 5000' per move) [6PP] Speed Array 6 (12PP, Feats: Alternate Powers 3) [15PP] BE: Enhanced Quickness 6 (to Quickness 12 [x10,000]) + Enhanced Speed 6 (to Speed 12 [50,000 MPH, 500,000' per move) {6 + 6 = 12/12}BE AP: Affects Others 6 (on Quickness) + Affects Others 6 (on Speed) {6 + 6 = 12/12} AP: Damage 6 (Extra: Area [Targeted, Shapeable; 5' cubes x6], Flaw: Action [Full]) {12/12} Fire Control Array (20PP) Feats: Alternate Powers 3 [23PP] BE: Corrosion 10 [20PP] AP: Damage 10 (Extra: Autofire) (20/20) AP: Damage 10 (Extra: Ranged, 100 ft) (20/20) AP: Damage 10 (Extra: Area [trail], 250ft) (20/20) AP: Damage 10 (Extra: Area [Burst], 50ft radius) (20/20) Immunity 5 Fire Damage [5PP] Super-Movement 3 (Wall-Crawling 2, Water-Walking, Flaw: Limited [While Moving]) [3PP] Drawbacks: (-0) + (-0) = -0PP) DC Block ATTACK RANGE SAVE EFFECT Unarmed w/o Powers Touch DC 17 Toughness Damage [Physical] Unarmed (autofire) Touch DC 25 Toughness Damage [Physical] Unarmed (area) Area DC 25 Toughness Damage [Physical] Totals: Abilities (32) + Combat (24) + Saving Throws (13) + Skills (17) + Feats (21) + Powers (74) - Drawbacks (0) = 180/180 Power Points

Name: Adam Lanchester Codename: Specimen Year: Junior Current Intramural Team: Blue Team Current Roommate: Unknown yet Reflection: He had excellent grades, got himself a girlfriend and made lots of friends. He wants to improve the mastery of his powers. School Club: He'd love to join a book club, or something. He has no idea.

Searchable Profile 1) A young Thai woman in a tank top, with visible muscles and short, spiked hair. She's pretty, but looks somewhat self conscious and bored. 2) A picture taken from a window frame of Mali benchpressing, a finger in the corner Name: Mali Gender: Female Preferred Era of Pop Culture Now, bu I'm versatile About you: I'm a fitness focused, ambitious 24 year old who loves to travel, cook and explore the world. I work out a lot, and I live with my friends. I do a lot of training and I'm trying to open my own business. I'm more of a cat person than a dog person. Looking For: Men Partner Goals: I haven't done the dating thing a lot, to be honest. I'm looking for a nice, chill guy who can handle my intensity and help balance me out a bit. You don't have to be a workout freak like I am, you just can't be intimidated by my strength. Honestly, if you're a meathead gym guy we probably won't click, no offense. Fun Prompts! My Favorite Thing About The Place I Live Is.... The people! Freedom CIty is a thriving place. Most People Who Know Me Would Say I'm... Reliable, friendly, fun. My Favorite Childhood Memory Is... First real training session with my dad Five Things I Am Not... Lazy, ignorant, temperamental, arrogant Private Letter to ErosUnlimited

Tattered Man is pretty adaptable to all sorts of sneaky shenanigans

Speed Demon is PL12, but capped at PL10

Speed Demon, a 25 year old African American speedster with fire powers, possessed by a spirit of chaos and flame.

Adam, objectively, knew not to be afraid of the water. Even if he sank like a stone, his prodigious strength and constitution gave him a solid chance of rescuing himself. Nevertheless, he had never been on a boat like this, so he was a little bit nervous. He was also very grateful that he had a good quality wig. "That is...that's a heck of a vessel." Adam said, blinking at the catamaran. He was happy to be sharing this experience with his friends, especially Lulu, whom he spent most of the boat trip watching. Her joy and excitement only made him happier to watch.

John had some spare cash he could give her. A lot, actually, because he was a man of few means and few hobbies. So he subtly passed her some cash. "Just keep that secret, okay? Anyone that sees you will try to steal it, forcefully." He looked around. "Be careful in Bedlam. Trust is in short supply here." He didn't know her, but he knew she needed help. That was all he needed to know.

"It sounds like a wonderful opportunity to learn something, to look into something seldom seen." Adam said, thinking. He wondered how long he could truly hold his breath if he needed to. He imagined, however, that he could probably get back out of the water in an emergency, with anyone that needed assistance. "One of the things I've loved about school is all the fascinating abilities people have. Sometimes I feel positively average compared to some. Which, I suppose, is it's own advantage."

"There are plenty of motels that take money and don't ask questions. I know one in particular that won't even ask about you. I've used it as a safehouse before. Bedlam is, well, it's rough. She's right about the cops, though. I used to be one. I'm not anymore, and there's a good reason for that." He did not, however, admit that he had been shot in the head. That wasn't something he imagined she'd want to hear. He had no reason to trust her, but had no reason to distrust her, either. This particular safehouse wasn't even the one he normally stayed at.

Adam ordered the same ginger beer, along with some rice and beans and jerk chicken. He knew he wasn't being too daring, but he also wanted to make sure he'd like it. He listened to what Davyd might have to say. He rather enjoyed sitting next to Lulu, for a variety of reasons. He never imagined he would get a girlfriend in high school, let alone one as amazing as Lulu. Other than that, though, he kept quiet. Mouth closed, ears open.

Adam felt as light as Lulu. He had paid little attention to the movie, but that was fine with him. He had popcorn and some M&Ms. Mostly, though, he was happy. He had a girlfriend! A pretty girlfriend! A really nice, pretty girlfriend. That was a good thing, a very good thing. On the bus, he could barely stop himself from plucking her up and sitting her in his lap. He knew that would have been too much for the people on the bus. As they got off the bus and got ready to walk back to the school, he gently tugged on her arm, then tugged her closer to him. This was it. He knew she wanted it, too, he knew she was hoping for it. He pulled her close to him, and his lips met hers. They held each other in that embrace for a long time, and not long enough. He was smiling a foolish smile, and felt a kind of happiness he had never felt before. "Didn't want to do it in sight of the school. Wanted to make sure we had some time to ourselves to do it."

"My parents are pretty sure I won't grow too much taller." Adam admitted. "They don't know for sure." He sniffed the air and nodded. "I'd rather have authentic local cuisine anyway. Seafood, though, hmm. I do like seafood. It smells absolutely delicious. As for climbing me, Lulu, well, it would give you a better view for one thing. I could carry you if I needed to." This was turning out to be a great idea, at least so far.

As soon as they faded back into the real world, Adam reached for her. He took her up in his arms and lifted her into the air, effortlessly. He had long ago learned to master his strength, so he was as gentle as a lamb no matter how strong he was. "Agreed. It's incredibly damn cool." He hugged her to him and kissed her lips, then her forehead. It took him several moments to remember to put her down. He was delighted to realize that there was no awkwardness between them, nothing to stop him from being honest and sincere with her. No reason to pretend he was any less interested or into her as he was. It was refreshing, and far simpler than his parents had convinced him that romance would be.