ic Let's Fall in Like

[Avenger Assembled]

Oh thank God, she's taking the piss! Watchdog's assigned role here was probably to say something dismissive about girly-girl stuff and roll her eyes, Ashley mused, but she wasn't one of the men who had brainstormed the character's typical dialogue - and besides, she had to admit she was enjoying the interaction; even if she couldn't admit it. And the kid did look nice in that dress! "Hmph. Nice trick if you can manage it," she commented seriously. "Lacking the ability to make my own army, I've had to learn to _be_ my own army." she added with that same cool assurance. 

 

-

 

"Ah don't know, Leroy..." said Judy, goosebumps rising on her skin at the thought of flying on Dio's back, but she wasn't ready to say no either. It certainly was an exciting prospect, anyway. She looked at the technology around them, the lights of the stars playing on her skin, and smiled in its glow. When the rock music started, she shook her head slightly and said, "Why don't we go sit down somewhere? If you can go get me some punch, that'd be real lovely," she said warmly as they headed back to one of the tables. 

 

-

 

When Judy shot her a thumbs-up, Ashley did sigh softly. "I don't suppose you have to worry about one of you deciding to run off and leave the other holding the bag?" she asked Elizabeth, her voice softening just a little. 

[Tiffany Korta]

White Lioness
Àjàṣorò was glad she had turned up in time to see her roommate make a spectacular entrance, the girl really knew how to work it like she was born to it. It had taken some work, and Àjàṣorò had learned some new words that hadn't turned up in her research.

 

She also wore the sparkly dress much better than Àjàṣorò could have, she was glad she'd insisted on getting it for her. Her frame showed it off much better than she ever could.

 

Still standing there she wondered what she could do now, she wasn't tired and she really didn't fancy hanging out in a mostly empty dorm.

[Thevshi]

Veronica

 

As Veronica was talking with Lulu she saw Pan wave to her from across the room.  Smiling, the teenage Danger returned the wave.  It was then that the door to the auditorium slammed open, causing Veronica to tense slightly to see it was Monica, a fellow member of Green Team.  Still, I wish people would stop slamming the doors open.  At this rate, they will have to replace half the doors in the school before the start of next semester. she thought to herself as she turned back to Lulu.

 

But before her conversation with Lulu could get very far, Adam came striding over to compliment the Southern teen, all but ignoring Veronica's presence. Recognizing what seemed to be going on, Veronica took the opportunity to excuse herself and moved away from the pair, making her way further into the room. 

[Fox]

The Elizabeths shot each other a look, all their joviality drained out of them for just an instant before they picked it back up with a slightly pained grin. "We're not going to answer that one honestly," the one on the left admitted. "It'd be really depressing," confirmed the other. "Mostly we just have to--"

 

One of them spied Àjàṣorò, and the other cocked her head that way too; they looked at each other again, some silent communication running between them until one (had it been the first one?) tapped her fist into her hand. Whatever the rules were, they both knew them well: in the space of a breath one had thrown two fingers, the other threw three, and the left-most Elizabeth shrugged good-naturedly and turned to amble toward their fellow red-teamer.

 

"Mostly we just have to settle things, you know. Civilly! It's all about figuring out your own rules, I guess; I don't know, I'm new to this. Oh!" She turned again, cupping her hands around her mouth to shout at her retreating counterpart. "Come back with drinks!"

 

---

 

Elizabeth wandered up to Àjàṣorò, waving. "Hey! Does your roommate always open doors like that?" she was grinning, leaning her head over conspiratorially even as she stood a couple feet away and spoke at normal volume. "The door to your room must be a mess."

[KnightDisciple]

Micah ducked his head at the thought of playing in front of everyone, but after a moment he raised it, his face thoughtful instead of just bashful.

 

"Maybe...I guess like a little bit less formal thing? I dunno. I don't know a lot of stuff that's good for, like, fancy dances. But I could keep a rhythm going, I guess."

 

At the question of plans, he shrugged.

 

"I dunno...kind of waiting for a number that's got more my style before I try making a fool of myself out on the floor. The music's good, but...I can't really keep with it. Plus, the grub's good."

 

He took a bite to emphasize. His plate seemed to favor starches and meat, but had at least a few more colorful/vegetable-y items. He stopped chewing for a moment, looked again between Pan and Veronica, and swallowed. He furrowed his brow a bit.

 

"Or did you mean was there someone I wanted to ask to dance?"

 

He seemed genuinely unsure. Then he got distracted by Monica walking over. He gave her a friendly smile as she walked up.

 

"Hey Monica. You look nice. Real shiny!"

 

Bless his heart that was an honest compliment through and through, and everyone could tell. 

[Avenger Assembled]

Wait a minute - which one of them is the loser? thought Ashley, a minute before she thought Me if I act like I give a damn. She reminded herself that the social affairs of teenagers weren't actually her business when they didn't touch on one particular teenager in particular. Conversation about tonight's going to be hard enough. She took a moment to imagine her forthcoming Christmas leave, when Judy would be 'going to a refugee retreat' for the holidays. I'm going to wear dresses, and go somewhere where there's alcohol, and hell yes there'll be men. "Mmf." She took a moment to get herself back in the moment, moving closer to where Judy and Leroy had taken seats without actually abandoning her excellent strategic position. "Blood's hard. Even if it's yours." 

[RocketLord]

Pan would get Micah to share his music with others, he was sure of that. His roommate might not be fully comfortable with the idea yet, but Pan was confident that he would be able to convince him at some point. No reason to push it too far. And looking at the food Micah was holding, it seemed like he had a point about it being good. Pan would have to get something sometime soon. 

 

Before he had a chance to answer Micah's question, Monica appeared, and she was absolutely sparkling in her dress. "Don't you look absolutely brilliant!" Golden, shiny and seemed to fit Monica just right. Yes, she did look brilliant indeed. He grinned at her, his hands in his pockets. He leaned a bit to the side, obviously admiring the dress. Things like that were worn by kings and queens in Neverworld. Yet another difference that he didn't even realize until now.

 

"At risk of repeating myself, you look absolutely beautiful tonight, Miss Gutiérrez." Ah, he had something else to say, but he'd forgotten for the moment.

[Tiffany Korta]

 

White Lioness

With her advanced senses, she was aware a fraction before Elisabeth made herself aware of her presence, it was a strange sensation to experience her suddenly being there. Àjàṣorò was more embarrassed that she'd been caught so underdressed compared to everyone else, but tried to act as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

 

"We've been working on the walk for what seems like weeks, the light show was all her own idea." she crossed her arms and skuffed her shoe a little self consciously

 

"The dress looks as good as I imagined! She's got the legs to carry it off well!"

[TheAbsurdist]

Tick.

 

Oh, c'mon...

 

Corinne moved to the door, even as everything screamed in protest, her hand rising and touching it, as her power seeped out in a shimmer for moment as the pattern was restored.  Then she let it drop, and made her way towards drinks, as she was working hand against her hips, tapping and slapping in a pattern, roughly matching the rhythm of the song playing.  Anyone familiar might recognize the motions as tabla playing.

A sigh and she got herself a drink, not sure why she was here, other than to eliminate some wagging tongues, given that Zenith had gotten out to play a few times recently, and she was sure she was getting occasional awkward looks, as she was busy enough she couldn't say she was making any friends.  That and her own outbursts...

[Fox]

"Mmm," said Elizabeth, keeping lockstep with Ashley in an effort to remain in her social space that was getting less subtly-meddling by the moment. "Maybe? I think it was probably the easiest part, myself, but I'm not really keen on finding out again and I did say it was depressing. It's a party!"

 

That last bit was apparently an admonishment, picking her cheer back up and daring to wag a finger at the fearsome Watchdog herself. "You have to do something fun, you can't just lurk around staring at your sister all the time. That's terrible. What do you do that's any fun at all?"

 

---

 

Elizabeth laughed, nodding at her teammate's wisdom. "She does, and I'm kind of jealous," she admitted, sticking out one leg and mock-frowning at it. Well, mostly mock-frowning. There was a reason it was a midi dress and not anything more daring. Even this may have been too much. "I don't know if I have what it takes to spend that much time in the gym, though, you know? The entrance was great, though. I'm going to have to get you to teach me how to do that! Just, um. Maybe easier on the hinges. I can always fake the noise."

[Avenger Assembled]

"Fun went out of the picture when my father died," said Ashley, taking a moment to suddenly miss her dad. She was pretty sure he'd approve of using his memory to further an undercover op - but the guilt put an edge in her voice all the same. "All I care about now is keeping Judy safe." She regretted oddly that she couldn't talk to the teen about Vietnamese pop music, or Louisiana cooking, or drinking, or the actual things she did for fun - but none of them really fit Watchdog's character. "She's the one who deserves to have a normal life," she whispered, and that she could whisper with perfect sincerity. "What about you?" she asked lightly. "You got your own gymnastics team or something?"

[Heritage]

The young Alabaman got a little pink in the cheeks at Veronica's compliment, but was quick to offer one of her own. "Well, ah can assure you that you're twice as lovely as me tonight." She looked around a bit. "Ah'm supposed to meet Adam here tonight; that boy's probably got his nose in a book somewheres..." After the loud crash of Monica's entrance, through psychic was happy to see a familiar form striding over.

 

"Hey there, handsome!" At Adam's approach, Lulu smiled liked the sun and her dark eyes sparkled as she clasped his hands in her own; unlike her companion, she had absolutely no problem checking out her date, taking a step backwards to do so. "Goodness, don't you clean up good! That tux really suits you!"

 

Behind Adam, she happened to see Aja, looking lovely as ever but sadly with nothing to wear. "Oh, that ain't right; it's her first dance here in the States, it should be special!" Shaking her head, Lulu raised her hand as though she was holding an invisible wand. "Lucky for her, she's got a fairy godmother tonight."

 

And with a wave of her hand, the young psychic drew a lovely yellow dress onto Aja, complete with diamond earrings and a matching hair scarf. "There we go; much better!" She blew on her finger like it was pistol, and mimed putting it back in a holster.

Edited November 9, 2018 by Heritage

[Tiffany Korta]

 

White Lioness
Àjàṣorò witty retort was lost to the ages as her clothes suddenly transformed into an admittedly lovely dress. It felt somehow wrong, however, instead of that new clothes smell it just smelt of the clothes she'd been wearing before.

"Something doesn't seem quite right here?" she looked at Elizabeth, her main suspect for this sudden transformation, with a raised eyebrow and a smile, before she let down her hair to flow down onto her shoulders

"There we go much better!"

It was a slight risk but she doubted that anyone here had anything malicious in mind for her tonight.

[Fox]

"Wasn't me!" Elizabeth held up her hands in protest, taking a half-step back in case whatever dress-manifesting magic was at play needed more room. "That really looks great, though! I should learn that trick. I can only do my own clothes, or fake other peoples', but that takes more magic than I've got right now."

 

She grinned, pointing back across the room to...another Elizabeth, currently interrogating Ashley. "All my stuff's tied up in being two of me at once. I don't have a lot of mojo to throw around, you know?"

 

---

 

The other Elizabeth looked sympathetic but not particularly moved by Ashley's argument, frowning at her and trying to choose her words very carefully. "That is very, very sad," she said, with genuine sincerity. "I think all the stories I've ever seen or read would end in something like 'but would he want you to not have fun', but I bet that's nothing you haven't heard before."

 

She took a deep breath, clearing that out. It wasn't her place. She'd...figure something better out later. "No gymnastics teams for me, no! I can only have two of me, so, you know, that's not much of a team. I'm also, um, working on being in better shape. I was sick for a while and still get tired too fast."

[TheAbsurdist]

Corinne was a performer.  And while she didn't want to be here for a myriad of reasons, the show had to go on.

So with that in mind she adopted the expression of serene poise while she approached a group of them.  Settling on Micah, Àjàṣorò, and the rest of that group.  Gliding over smoothly, she put up a small smile, and folded her hands in front of her as she looked at them.  "Hello, I hope I am not intruding, but would someone like to dance?"  Her eyes flicking from each of them in turn, even to someone like Pan, who she really had not talked to much.  She could, keep the show going, and at least lose herself in something for a distraction for a time.  It wasn't like Astrid was going to play anything from Swan Lake, after all.

She reached out to take someone's hand.

 

[Avenger Assembled]

"Well you're young yet," said Ashley cooly. "I hear powers can grow all through your teen years and into your twenties, sort of like a never-ending puberty. Maybe by the time you're out of college, you'll have another two or three of you." Looking Elizabeth over, frank evaluation on her face, she said, "You should try the gym and phys. ed programs here - they've got great physical training. I use it myself." She rather missed the firm discipline that Archer had provided - even if she'd been horrified to hear of his cybernetic brainwashing, which had nearly scuppered a whole lot of plans for a whole lot of people. "I heard that extra credit stuff out at that gym in the West End is good too." 

[RocketLord]

Pan was only happy to accept the invitation and Corinne's hand, his attention quickly shifting.. "I'd be delighted, Miss Conrad!" he winked at Micah and Monica. It would be good for his roommate to spend some time alone with a girl. Might give his confidence a nice boost! And it would be fun to dance, Corinne was one of his fellow students that he had not had the chance to spend much time with, so it would be nice to get to know her. He had heard rumors, but he put little faith in such. 

 

"I must confess that I know no dances from Earth, so by all means, take the lead and I shall learn!" He was happy, and he let it show. "Shall we put on a show to amaze them all, then?" 

[TheAbsurdist]

Put on a smile, and just forge ahead.

 

She curtsied, dipping down low in the process, before she took his hand.  "Merci.  We'll keep it simple," she smiled, and then tugged at his his arm as she moved to the dance floor.  "This isn't exactly music you have a set dance to anyway!"  One hand took hold of her skirt, and pulled up it up so she could move at a quicker pace, not wanting to trip over it, before they were in the middle of thing.

With Astrid's band playing more rock stuff, it was easy to move to the beat, it wasn't like she was playing anything with a complicated beat.  Four on the floor, even as a quick pace was an easy thing to move to.  Well, it was easy for her, she didn't have to think much for the dancing, and it was rare to really dance with someone in a more traditional way, so it was a great place to sink into.

[Ari]

Dio

 

Quote

"Fifteen years doesn't sound like much when you're going to be living for like forever, you know."

 

The dragon snorted as he slumped even further onto the roof, steam flaring from his nostrils, "Small comfort, runesmith. Every day is like an eternity when you spend it at someone's beck and call. An eternity that is gone in a moment, hardly a minute I dare spend  to myself lest I lose the dratted boy somewhere and lose my hide into the bargain."

 

One slitted eye swiveled to fix on Nicole "I do not exaggerate, by the by. One of the boy's sisters, the Wolfhound, her dragon turned on her. She tore the wretch's skin and scales clean off with one hand and then crushed her skull with the other. She has threatened me with a similar fate if misfortune should be traced from her brother to myself." 

 

"So, as you might imagine, much of my time is spent thinking up an exit strategy so I don't get roped into working for the Ransomes for the rest of my life. Their matriarch is on the cusp of true immortality, and I have no interest in being there when the rest cross that threshold." 

 

Dio took another mighty chunk out of the branch.

 

Quote

"What's gotten you into such a bad mood tonight? Your Princeship choosing to go on a date with that Southern belle and her tin-foil wearing sister instead of hanging out with you? Trust me, we're on the same boat." She placed a dainty hand on her clavicle and with a mocking smile tried on Judy's accent. "Ah do dare to declare, darlin', you and ah could be the best of friends!"

 

Dio laughed at that. Though, given his mouth was full of wood and leaves,  it came out more like a snigger. His tail thumped on the roof, shaking free a small cloud of dirt. "Pfegh, wish it was that simple, then I could just turn him into a frog."

 

"There's a powerful center of magic somewhere close, and I can't go looking for it on my own. That tonight of all nights leaves me stuck around here, so close yet so far, is driving me mad. Have you found anything?" The dragon's entire head turned to Nicole now, green scales coldly glinting in the light yet casting the rest of the hulking creature into deeper shadow.

[Zeitgeist Blue]

6 hours ago, Ari said:

The dragon snorted as he slumped even further onto the roof, steam flaring from his nostrils, "Small comfort, runesmith. Every day is like an eternity when you spend it at someone's beck and call. An eternity that is gone in a moment, hardly a minute I dare spend  to myself lest I lose the dratted boy somewhere and lose my hide into the bargain."

 

One slitted eye swiveled to fix on Nicole "I do not exaggerate, by the by. One of the boy's sisters, the Wolfhound, her dragon turned on her. She tore the wretch's skin and scales clean off with one hand and then crushed her skull with the other. She has threatened me with a similar fate if misfortune should be traced from her brother to myself." 

 

"So, as you might imagine, much of my time is spent thinking up an exit strategy so I don't get roped into working for the Ransomes for the rest of my life. Their matriarch is on the cusp of true immortality, and I have no interest in being there when the rest cross that threshold." 

 

Dio took another mighty chunk out of the branch

"That sounds rough, man," Nicole said with all the seriousness reserved for listening to someone's break-up story. She scratched at her shoulder absently, suddenly kind of uncomfortable at how petty her hang-up seemed compared to Dio's.

 

"Ever think of just hiding? Or-- or letting your Prince know your head's stuck between a rock and a hard place? You two seem really close, maybe he'd change for you or protect you from his sisters."

 

"You've known each other for how long now?"

6 hours ago, Ari said:

Dio laughed at that. Though, given his mouth was full of wood and leaves,  it came out more like a snigger. His tail thumped on the roof, shaking free a small cloud of dirt. "Pfegh, wish it was that simple, then I could just turn him into a frog."

 

"There's a powerful center of magic somewhere close, and I can't go looking for it on my own. That tonight of all nights leaves me stuck around here, so close yet so far, is driving me mad. Have you found anything?" The dragon's entire head turned to Nicole now, green scales coldly glinting in the light yet casting the rest of the hulking creature into deeper shadow.

"You're, uh, going to have to be more specific than that," Nicole said as she placed her laptop on her lap and opened it. She began typing away and she continued talking. "You should know Prime's the crossroads of the multiverse. Well, Freedom City's the crossroads of the crossroads."

 

She brought the laptop around to face the dragon and in it he saw numerous places highlighted with purple circles, like Nicole put a marker to the city's map. "Just on the side of the river, I've got a dozen known centers of magic for various traditions. You've got fairie ley lines, Egyptian god-blessed burial sites, mana-giving tress for a coven of witches. Phantom's house is around here somewhere."

 

Her finger drew a vague area around the map where several circles lay marked. "So, what kind of center are you looking at? Maybe we should go. What's the worst that could happen in a Fall dance?" Nicole asked with a knowing smirk. She very well knew what was possible.

 

 

Then she cocked her head to the side as the music wafted into the roof. "Huh, what do you know. Astrid actually got to play. She was practicing that in our room."

Edited November 20, 2018 by Zeitgeist Blue

[RocketLord]

Pan was not sure when he had last danced with a partner. Dancing across the sky, sure. Moving to music, following the beat, he was fine with that. Now here he was, trying not to make a fool of himself any more than usual. Corinne led, and he followed, carefully watching her movements. She was right, it seemed. No set dance, just movement to the speed of the music. So different from the more formal dances back home. Pan was a quick learner, soon starting to switch things up as he moved to the rhythm. The music was so unlike back on Neverworld. It was free, it was wild. He quite enjoyed it. His grin was wide, and he was positively beaming as he looked at Corinne. Small amounts of glowing glitter was starting to fall off him as his feet glid smoother across the floor.

[KnightDisciple]

Buried deep in his thoughts, Micah found himself incredibly glad that Pan had elected to take up Corinne's offer. He knew it wasn't fair to the other student, but he struggled to get past some of the less-positive impressions she, but more dramatically her alter ego, had wrought. So when his roommate gamely made the offer, he was relieved.

 

Instead he turned to Monica and offered her a smile and his arm.

 

"I can't promise I'm that great, but would you like to dance?"

[TheAbsurdist]

Now if Corinne noticed the stiffness of Micah, or others, it just sailed over her.  Or, she was adhering to the social contract, either were likely. She was generally pleasant, though she seemed to also point out how much she didn't know, and how much of this world seemed wrong to her, after she was thrust into it, sharply. Violently.

She didn't have to try hard for this, move to the beat.  Though she did lead the dance as well, helping to gloss over his unfamiliarity.  She had done this long enough to just sort of automatically cover the person she was with, where possible.

So she spun him, with a hand on his, and over his head.  

[RocketLord]

Pan followed Corinne's movements, oblivious to the world around them. For once, his concentration was completely focused on just one thing, one action, one person. Even with everything else that was going on around them, he remained focused on just Corinne. He had not noticed Micah's discomfort, and despite what his roommate might think, he had simply taken Corinne up on the offer to try something new, and he was having fun now. 

 

He was all smiles as he Corinne spun him, the hand over his head. This was more like the formal dances back on Neverworld, highly choreographed and planned. He had seen many being spun like that, even if he had never participated. "You're good at this!" He shifted hands, moving back and swinging her slightly out, before bringing Corinne in close for a moment, before letting her lead again. "Ever danced on air?" he asked. He honestly did not know Corinne's powers, and it might be possible that she had. So many here could fly, it was not nearly as unique as back home.

[TheAbsurdist]

She led easily, moving him along somewhere between just a primal, chaotic dance and structured sort of dance that one would include a partner in.  Taller than him, it was easy for her to lead on instinct alone.  Certainly she wasn't primarily a ballroom dancer, but she knew enough to improvise.  Her lips pulled up in a corner in a crooked smile before she grabbed up her skirt, and jumped up into the air, as she snatched his hand with her other one when she stood up on the air itself.

"Kind of, sort of, I guess.  Gonna join me?"  Her smile was crooked, and it challenged him, and goading for more from him in the moment.