ic Last Gasp of Summer (IC) (Open)

[olopi]

 Monica followed, trying her best to at least keep it together for the moment. The break helped, but she still felt pretty on-edge about the entire situation and had to distract her brain somehow, all of those thoughts weren’t something she really wanted to deal with. Not now, and preferably not later either.

 

The place that Janus had lead her to was pretty nice. She sat down and just took a few deep breaths for the moment, listening to what Janus had to say. She’d heard some rumours about them but didn’t actually know much. And she didn’t feel like probing, either. Not right now.

 

“Heh, yeah, I can understand that one. It just doesn’t feel right, does it? But ugh, what can we do about it.”

 

Monica leaned forwards, tilting her head and supporting it with her hand. “That’s really nice, thanks. I don’t want to be a nuisance, you organised all of this, you shouldn’t have to worry about me. Same about the others, I don’t want to drag all of them down. Kind of tempted to just head back to the school, I’m still not done with the new Physics stuff. “

 

“Mhm. I dunno, it feels like she’s on a whole different level. Most of them didn’t have to deal with this” she threw her arms into the air, although it wasn’t clear what she was trying to indicate “ constantly getting all that hate, from everybody. And then there’s all the stuff related to my body, ugh. I didn’t want to come at first because I knew this’d happen, there’s no way I wouldn’t feel out of place when most people are wearing just beachwear. I’m really only here because my therapist told me to, apparently facing this head-on could be a positive experience?”

 

“I mean, this right now is, but I’m not so sure about the rest of the evening.” She turned her head to look back towards the direction from which they’d come from, and smiled ever so slightly. “Guess we should head back before they start to wonder what we’re doing here.”

[KnightDisciple]

Astrid took the lead, and Micah didn't object. However, those who thought the shy boy would just stand there and gape had another thing coming. Micah's movements had some slight jerkiness to them; he was clearly getting a feel for moving around on the sand. But his eyes had snapped to the ball in motion, and his face was all serious now. His body moved with remarkable grace.

 

He continued to let Astrid take the lead as the ball was sent back over the net, but he was positioning himself in a space to provide fast, reliable support. His eyes didn't ever stay too long on either the ball or his opponents. The young man clearly had excellent spatial awareness. He observed the other team's maneuver, and after a moment shifted a bit further away from Astrid. Now he could better keep the ball in play and pass it to her; he clearly cared less about scoring points himself than helping his team (all 2 of them) as a whole.

[Thevshi]

Veronica

 

Veronica followed Selena out into the waves on top of her board, keeping pace well enough after the other teenager.  Once they were out, she followed Selena’s directions on where to position herself as she sat up on her board as well, following the other’s lead.

 

Like Selena, Veronica looked back toward the shore, however, her gaze did not linger overly long on any one part of the beach.  Instead, she seemed to scan over each of the guests, as if wanting to make sure they were all enjoying themselves. 

When Selena spoke up about missing Freedom City after graduation, the teenage Danger looked back over to her.  "Planning to move back to Puerto Rico after graduation?"  She asked.  "Or is there somewhere in particular you are thinking about for college?"

[Azuth65]

"Mom wants me to come home, dad wants me to apply to his alma mater in South Korea.  And while I've applied to schools in both places, I've also applied to several in the area.  With my luck I'll get rejected from Freedom City U and only be back here during breaks.  Especially if I can't up my flight speed.  And honestly, I have exactly zero idea what kind of degree I should try for.  Part of me is thinking of something in physics, specifically related to magnetism," she explained.

[Heritage]

Watching the various antics of her classmates while discretely peering over the top of her novel, Lulu certainly wasn't lacking handsome young men to check out. The one thing she bemoaned was that fact that so few of them were, well, normal. Not in the usual sense, of course; no one at Claremont, including Lulu, was remotely normal, but more in terms of personality and demeanor. Pan and Leroy were both exceedingly handsome, but they both spoke like they'd just stepped out of a movie. Kam looked amazing, but radiated the easy confidence and swagger of the very wealthy, which the rumors around campus were eager to confirm. Janus...was confusing, and not just because Lulu wasn't sure about him...her...they. Oh, it made her head hurt! Janus was both approachable and aloof, and judging from bits she'd overheard in class, not always the nicest person. Micah seemed nice, but she barely knew him.

 

Which left Adam, who was far from a consolation prize; true, the scars were a bit offputting, but growing up in rural Alabama, she'd seen hot guys covered in tats, tat removal scars and even genuine scars. Scars told stories, and she had a feeling Adam's scars told a lot about him. Had he been abused? His shyness offered hints about it. But he was willing to come to the beach today, knowing full well his scars would be visible to all; that suggested courage, or at least a desire to become brave, and the redhead admired that.

 

At length, she couldn't help herself, and she sent a little bubble of thought Adam's way, terrified it might upset or frighten him, but unable to resist the urge to reach out to him.

 

-Hi-

Edited October 28, 2018 by Heritage

[Ari]

Leroy was not idle for a moment, keeping up a running commentary and critique of Kameron and Corinne's play even as he paced agitatedly on his selected spot on the slope. As Nicole wasn't easily able to move from her vantage point, the boy practically vibrating to another plane of existence remained at roughly the same point as well. Not that he was happy about it, more than once he glanced longingly at the spots where he could catch a more detailed or tactical view of the playing field. As it was, in his haste and excitement he had denied himself either a properly 2 or 3 dimensional perspective of the game.

 

Despite that, as the ball went back in forth he at least provided useful advice.

 

"Micah is unsure of himself! Press him at every turn!"

 

"Corinne! Your balance shifts! Compact thy stance!"

 

"Asta-...Asto-...Astl-...Thursday leads and aims with her right foot! Watch the tell and anticipate her every move!"

 

"Kameron do not catch balls with your face!"

 

"Now! NOW! Let the treacherous hollow trample'd by warring feet seal our victory!"  

 

That was really the only downside, Leroy apparently didn't want to leave any words in the thesaurus out in the cold, which more than once rendered his advice either late or difficult to decipher in the heated struggle.

 

Meanwhile, in the water near Selena and Veronica, Dio's illusory form emerged up to the shoulders. The false body stood vertical in the water, regarding the women as his arms and legs swung. They generated waves and backwash distinctly larger than human limbs usually could, and if you squinted, even without magical sight something about the churning water around the legs looked very wrong.

 

"I know what you mean, Selena," the dragon's human guise looked weary and resigned "I'm the chosen of my god and have just as little idea what to do with my life. But I would be happy to help with yours. It would take but a few rare components, and I could conjure a spirit to grant you, forever, knowledge in any subject you so desire. In fact, I could arrange for this likelihood of rejection to totally disappear. Cost you nothing, into the bargain." 

 

To Selena the encouraging, confident grin was friendly and inviting, but Veronica could still see the giant reptile rearing over them, the bone plating of its jaws exposed by thin, armored lips.

[RocketLord]

It was an interesting game. At first, Pan hadn't been quite sure what the rules were, if any. Two teams, on either side of the net. Most games with balls and nets he knew involved the ball getting into the net to score points, but it didn't seem to be the case here. The teams could touch the ball with their hands, but not hold it. They could pass it along to their teammate, so multiple touches allowed on each side. And they seemed to get a point whenever the ball touched down on the opposing team's field. So, keep the ball in the air, or get it on the opponent's field. Interesting! 

 

He was completely absorbed in the game. He had almost forgotten everything else that was going on around them, while he ocassionally shouted more encouragements for Astrid and Micah.

[Thevshi]

Veronica

 

Veronica listened quietly as Selena explained her potential college plans, but also her uncertainty about what she might study.  "Well, I believe a large percentage of people going into college do not know what they want to study, while a good number of others change their mind after they start."

 

When Dio reared up next to them, Veronica started ever so slightly, her magical vision seeing through the illusion he had put up around himself.  But she settled down quickly as she considered the offer he had made to Selena.  "I have rarely heard of gifts such as that not coming with at least some sort of price."

[Azuth65]

Dio's sudden appearance nearly made Selena turn so quickly she almost fell off her board.  "...Somebody really needs to put a bell on you."

 

As Dio and Veronica commented on Selena's discussion of the future, the three of them bobbing in the surf, the young magnetokinetic smiled, "Thanks guys and I'll have to take some time to consider your offer Dio.  Aside from the ethical issues and risks of having knowledge suddenly jammed into my head, because you never see that working out well, decisions still need to be made.  And I assume some of the previously mentioned rare ingredients would change depending on what I sought mastery of."

[angrydurf]

Largely ignoring Leroys direction in favor of watching the ball as it bounded back and forth over the net Kam focused on the back court dashing swiftly from position to position to knock the ball back up to Corinne allowing the tall dancer to take the lead on the more aggressive plays.  His athleticism likely would have allowed a more aggressive slant though he was only passing familiar with the rules and thought the game friendly despite his roomates wager.  Was he throwing the match?  Not precisely, though it might be up to interpretation for those observing.  It could just as easily boil down to avoiding use of his as yet unrevealed powers as well.

 

Diving to the sand to catch a near scor at Astrids furious return he quickly regained his feet, "I thought you had that one for a moment."

[Thunder King]

Adam was lounging when he heard the message. He wasn't angry or frightened, merely confused. He looked around before spotting Lulu. He was confused, and curious. He motioned to her, hoping she'd see. Maybe she wanted to ask him a question? He was at the very least confused.

 

So he stood up and walked over to her.

 

"Um, hi?"

[Cubismo]

Seeing Kam catch her return at the last second Astrid couldn't help but be a impressed even as she cursed under her breath. He was good. All of them were actually. Her teammate behind her having been especially surprising. The guy was definitely a team player and made sure that Astrid could be her typical aggressive self in the front while he played one Hel of a back blocker and supporter. Astrid made a mental note to give Micah a fist bump and maybe sneak him a drink after the game was over if he was willing to partake in the latter. The age limit was higher in the US then it was in Norway but wasn't as if ever stopped her before. 

 

Kam's return volley snapped her out of musing and got her body went back into ready mode as pushed herself back into the air and returned the ball to the other side of the net with a slam of her palm. 

[April]

The young mage had oriented her sketchbook sideways and had started to mark out a panoramic scene that included the game on the beach and the kids in the water.  She had started in on adding some detail, being careful with her shading since she forgot her conte crayon back at the dorms.

 

She sighed though when the boy Lulu had been making eyes at strolled up and blocked some of her light, not to mention her view.  Good time to stop I guess, she thought to herself setting her charcoals and sketchbook aside as she vacated her seat.  Leaving Lulu and Adam behind Abigail wandered over to the cooler and fished out a bottle of water.

[TheAbsurdist]

Corinne was on her feet immediately after her pass to Kam.  "I did, no consecutive touches."  She didn't elaborate, though, as it was the middle of the match, and she only had so much time and air.  She saw Astrid's move, and was up in the air, and relying on her size, stretching her arms up to stuff attempt to score, and boop it back at Micah.

She was not as athletic as either of the two.  Graceful, and agile, but she was not the beasts Kam and Astrid were, when it came to physical prowess.  However, she was familiar with the game, though not playing as hard as the Asgardian seemed to be.  Bet she likes some Black Metal bands, she thought to herself, as her lower jaw thrust out, setting into an expression of determination as her expressive eyebrows knitted together after a successful landing back in the sand.

[KnightDisciple]

Micah had gone about playing with workmanlike effort and focus. He'd never be a star or Olympian, but for this game, he did a good job. He had missed a couple of the serves, but then again, he and Astrid had scored a few points as well. It was give and take, really; nothing unusual for friendly competition. He had smiled as Pan started up his cheering, just a touch more confidence coming out as he played. Having someone openly cheer him and believe in him really did boost his playing, even if just a bit. 

 

Now the ball was headed toward him once again. He narrowed his eyes and concentrated, keeping a lid on his powers. Instead, he took two hopping steps and reached one arm out. His hand smacked dead-center on the bottom of the ball. It didn't rise straight up; momentum kept it arcing. But its path had been changed, and it was, for the moment, gaining altitude. It ought to arc directly over to where Astrid could send it back over the net. Which was good, as Micah plowed shoulder-first into the sand, kicking up twin trails for a moment. He was on his feet a couple of seconds later, but time was precious in a game like this. Hopefully it wouldn't cost them another point. 

[RocketLord]

Pan continued to watch the game, as the ball flew back and forth between the two teams. As Micah took a hard fall, Pan winced. Sure, he was up in a moment, but that still had to hurt his shoulder. And he got the ball at least! So, that was probably considered a win, right? "Nice save!" he shouted from the sidelines, before getting to his feet. The game was exciting, but Pan was getting thirsty. 

 

Drifting across the sand, he reached the cooler shortly after Abigal. He remembered her from his first day at the campus, even if he hadn't run into her much since then. "Hello, Abigail. Enjoying the party?" He reached into the cooler and pulled out a can of what he had learned was called soda or pop. Really, it had a lot of different names, and there were so many kinds. They almost all tasted sweeter than any drink that Pan had tried before coming to Freedom City. He loved them, obviously.

[Heritage]

For some reason, the one reaction to telepathic contact Lulu hadn't anticipated was Adam just walking over to her; for some reason, this really embarrassed her, so the pale-skinned Southerner sank into her seat, attempting to hide behind her book and wide-brimmed hat. However, she quickly realized this was doomed to failure, so she grinned like an idiot and tried to play it off as a joke as she squinted up at him, shielding her eyes with one hand.

 

"Hey there, stranger! Did you get my text?"

Edited October 28, 2018 by Heritage

[April]

"It's fine," Abigail said, glancing across the way to the game and brushing a strand of hair away from her face.  And it was fine even if she was nervous being around so many folks; too many people she didn't know yet, unsure of who to trust.

 

The bottle of water frosted in her hand and she forced a smile at Pan.  "Tell me about where you're from."

[RocketLord]

"Oh, nice trick." Pan commented on the bottle of water that frosted over, while he opened the can with a satisfying pop and fizz. He took a quick sip from the Cola, before turning to Abigail again, still smiling brightly.

 

She was not the first to ask about Neverworld, and he believed he had told her some on their first day here, but he was happy to do as asked. "Well, what do you want to know? It was just home to me, and quite different from here. Well, in some ways, at least." He found himself smiling up at the sky. "It always seemed like there was an adventure right around the corner, so that's pretty much like here."

[TheAbsurdist]

Warning: Language.

Of the four, Corinne was the least physically gifted, making up for it with an immense amount of practice and skill.  And being aggressive.

She didn't flag, yet, but the sand was clinging to the perspiration on her skin.  Her shoulders moving with the breathing that was growing steadily labored.  Though her demeanor didn't change, playing with good humor.  Then came a spike from Astrid, and she was instinctively up in the air, to stuff it with a block, only for her to mistime, or simply be tired enough that her leap had her catching the ball square in the face, perhaps with more force intended.  But that didn't really matter.

 

As her nose flattened, and a blossom of blood shot downward, across her mouth, jaw, and chin.  This spoiled her landing, landing heavily on the edge of her left foot, rolling it and making her twist on that leg.  It happening in slow motion, and she swore she heard a pop, as her leg buckled, and she dropped to the sand, rolling immediately.

 

It wasn't the pain.  It was the shock, the shock of what just happened, followed swiftly by anger and fear.  That's what tipped her over.  She  didn't have time to yell, or make much more than a grunt before her power surged up with the dam holding it back just breaking.  Light pouring out of her eyes and mouth, as she changed, her form flickering, glitching, like digital artifacting was happening in real life, before the eruption careened upward, the sand around her shooting upwards, curling around her, like thorned crystalline spines, meant for everyone to back off.

 

In the middle of that she managed a low, growling, obscenity.  "Fuck!"

[Cubismo]

"Åh faen!"

 

She knew it. She bloody well knew it that she had put in too much force into that spike. Astrid had never been great when it came to keeping her strength in check, especially when she was engaged in some kind of competitive activity, and she watching someone pay for her lack of control. 

 

Astrid's first instinct was to rush in and try to break Connie out of those crystal spikes as a way of making amends for what she just did, but brain decided to do her a kindness and reminded her that her warrior instincts were exactly why this mess was happening in the first place.  So she stayed where she was and used her head before she leaped into a possibly stupid action. 

 

She'd didn't how Connie's powers worked and for all she knew it would just take one hit from those crystal thorns to send her to straight to Hel. She decided that before she did anything to them that she'd better confirm that Connie was actually in danger from her own powers over even needed someone's help.

 

"Connie are you alright?! I think I heard a pop. Is your leg ok?" the words all came out in a rush