ic Boat and Sail (IC)

[Avenger Assembled]

"Ashley is my bodyguard," said Judy, glancing back at her for a moment and getting a quick nod. "Ah was..." She licked her lips, then said, "When Ah came here, Ah was scared all the time - Ah had never been in a place where everyone looked so different, and acted so different, and where everybody had superpowers. If she hadn't pretended to be my sister and actually gotten me talking to people and joining clubs and things, Ah don't know if Ah ever would have been brave enough to talk to anybody," she admitted. "And that would have been awful." 

 

"I actually went to Claremont about ten years ago," added Ashley. "Didn't do the costumed hero thing, though," she said with a tight smile. "That made things easier." 

[RocketLord]

"Well, I am glad you did," Pan agreed with Judy's statement. "It is much more fun to be a part of everything instead of locked away, is it not?" He looked over at Ashley. "Still, that explains a lot of things."

 

He seemed to think it over for a moment. "Are you sure that you are actually aging then, Ashley? You seem to have everyone here fooled."

 

And another thought struck him. "Danica already knows. Is there anybody else?"

[Avenger Assembled]

"Everyone here is very nice and very considerate," said Ashley with a small shrug. "People have enough of their own secrets that they don't go digging around into other people's." 

 

"Leroy knew," said Judy sadly, "and so does Mia. Ah was worried when he left, but he's a good boy, he's not going to tell. There were other people Ah've thought of telling..." She looked away, thoughts of Micah and Corinne in her head, then said, "But that's it. There are people here who it just wouldn't be safe to tell. Who just be too careless,  one way or another." She looked at Danica and impulsively hugged the tortoise-girl, her skin as usual fever-hot against Danica's. "That's why Ah'm just so grateful for having really good friends." 

[Electra]

Danica hugged Judy back. "You don't have to worry about us, we're not going to tell anybody. I didn't even tell my parents, and I tell them just about everything!" She grinned over at Pan. "Ashley's like, almost as old as I am in real years, but she has to work hard to make herself look young. But she makes sure Judy doesn't get into any more trouble than anybody else around here gets into, or get into trouble because of who her dad is." 

 

That brought her attention back to Judy. "So you're going to have to go out campaigning and stuff this summer, right?" 

[Avenger Assembled]

Judy gave Danica a pained beauty-queen smile - that faded after a moment to a grimace. "Yes, well...when you're running on protecting family values, it's important to show you protect your family." She shot Ashley a look, getting a slight but encouraging nod from her bodyguard, and said softly, her voice almost a stutter, "not...not much family protection going on if you ask me, Ah mean, it's just Ashley 90% of the time." She bit her lip and looked away. 

 

"I have good genes," said Ashley with a shrug. "It helps that a lot of people have been ruined by all those TV shows where people my age were cast to play teenagers. Even so - people don't look closely at Claremont. Sometimes it's annoying but it's saved our bacon a bunch of times." 

[Electra]

"It's rude to ask people about things that don't make sense in their backstories," Danica agreed complacently. "I feel like that might be setting us up for trouble in our professional lives later, but it does prevent some backbiting and bullying in the metahuman school system. I kind of feel like we should at least get a weekend seminar in senior year about what to do if your boyfriend or new teammate or world leader has a backstory that doesn't make any sense but calling them on it feels awkward. Cause I would definitely not know what to do." 

[RocketLord]

"Please, like having a complicated story would bother me." Pan's smile shifted, like he just had an idea that he just couldn't hide anymore. "So, now the three of us, Leroy and Mia know? Interesting. Not exactly a tight knit group of people to tell." He rubbed his chin for a moment, and looked over at Ashley. The look in his eyes, the curl of his lips, there was something there, a bit of a challenge, perhaps? Mischief, certainly. It was there for just the briefest of seconds, then he seemed thoughtful and like he was thinking all of this in again.

 

"So, is there anyone else you might want to tell? What about Micah? He is trustworthy. He probably would not mind joining you in some of those zoos to keep the weather nice."

[Avenger Assembled]

Judy considered that one, frowning, even as Ashley shot her a look. After a long, noticeable pause, she said, "...If Ah tell Micah, Ah'll tell him after summer. It's too important to be given away offhand." She brightened into a smile, looking at both Pan and Danica. "And besides, we don't need to bring him along to the zoo, or anywhere else for that matter. Danica and Ah don't need a boy around to have a good time - ah, no offense or nothing, Pan." 

 

"Hm," said Ashley by way of response, a faint smirk on her face for just a moment. "And outside of Freedom," she added, "you're much less likely to have some psycho break in to release all the animals or turn the guests into crocodiles, so that's nice." 

[RocketLord]

"None taken." Pan made a slight bow, turning his face slightly up to flash a devilish grin at Judy. "I do not need a boy around to have a good time, either." He winked at her.

 

"Give it some thought, at least." 

 

He wagged his finger at Ashley and grinned at her response. "Nice, sure, but not nearly as fun!"