ic Only Doing Good When I'm Having Fun

[Electra]

"She has a point, Matt," Raina acknowledged, cocking her head. "You can't just say things like that and not deliver. I mean, we'd probably have to find a different sort of club to go to later, but I think it's doable." She stole another chunk of fruit from Merlin's glass, making him shriek and flag down the waitress to get Raina an actual drink. The fact that the waitress didn't even seem surprised was a testament to the cape-friendliness of the place.

 

"But seriously, what I really want to know," Raina went on, looking around the table, "is if I'm the only one who has ended up getting in like, so much less superpowered-bullshit trouble as soon as we got out of superhero reform school. Cause it seems weird to me." 

[Avenger Assembled]

Anyone else, even many of the people at the party, would have gotten very little from Riley in response to these questions. But he'd always felt a little freer even just with Fred in the room, so after running his hand over his shaved head and looking away for a moment, Riley went on and said, "More of a woman. Few years older than me, but not so it's creepy..." He waved his hand from side to side, and looked relieved when Raina changed the subject. 

 

"Lot less. But I moved. Biggest problem down there is werewolf street gangs and zombie gators.  Mostly worried about methheads and cartels. Recommend it," he added, raising his bottle. 

[Fox]

"That's all sounding a lot like a challenge, but I don't think the clubs have enough drinks in them t'make me walk around in public, in assless chaps."

 

He paused, and then he and Fang said, in unison: "All chaps are assless." Matt sounded a less pleased about it than the dog.

 

"Mostly the same amount of trouble, for me - graduating didn't really make less ghosts happen, yeah?" He shrugged, draining the last of his beer. "A lot less of the carrying-babies-while-shot stuff, though, so that's an improvement."

[Electra]

"You need a better union rep," Raina opined. "I only came with you that one time, but your job sucks large, and you don't even get paid. Come on, Fang," she addressed the dog, "can't you at least get the guy a vacation? You know he needs, like, mental health and stuff if you want him doing this his whole life." She took a sip from her new drink. "And I think you vastly underestimate the amount of alcohol in these places. We'll get you in chaps in two hours or less, no problem." 

[Tiffany Korta]

Frostbyte

Cathy was a little relived that the conversation had moved on, she was proud of her own work but she’d still not gotten over the shyness that she’d always had due to her looks. She knew the others didn’t care, but it didn’t help her feeling so self conscious. Maybe a few drink down the line she’d be a little more relaxed.

 

“That totally sucks.” she added being supportive “When needed I do a little hero work around the islands alongside my normal work, and sometimes a trip or two to the mainland, and its simple exhausting keeping all those balls in the air. And if it helps…” she grinned mischievously “… I for one don’t wish to see you in chaps!”

[Avenger Assembled]

"Better do what the magic girl says, it's her birthday," opined Riley. He considered a moment, then said, "Hey, I think you owe her a favor in the bank, right? Just like I owe Fred for...you know, that thing." He really didn't want to talk about the thing. "Besides, it's that or I tell you more about my girl and I don't think you want to hear that!" 

[Gizmo]

"Catherine," Winifred admonished with mock severity. "That is not the solidarity I was promised." She began ticking off points on her fingers. "Yes to comically sexy trousers. Yes to workers' rights and self-care. We talk a lot about 'self-care' in meetings as well. Yes to awkward gossip from Smith about southern belles or however you refer to them in 'gator country and yes to another one of these." The alchemist slid her now empty glass toward the middle of the table then added as an aside, "I'm working on developing a more positive outlook, you know."

[Fox]

"A contract was made," intoned Fang, briefly more death than dog - but Matt was already nudging her face with his shoe, her grim tidings pushed away from the table. The hound seemed to find that highly amusing.

 

"No, you shush," he admonished. "Don't listen to her, she's angling for more steaks. I appreciate the support from everyone and all, I do, and I really hope everyone's taking care of themselves better'n I am. But now I really wanna know about Riley's belles. If you don't give us more details at this point we're all just going to imagine it, and each one's gonna be worse than the last, man."

[Avenger Assembled]

"It's - it's just one woman. And it's mostly just for work.. Do you know, uh," he looked around the club and said "Black Mask? Her family's been down there a really long time. There are only about half a dozen people down there without any powers and..." His voice trailed off as he rubbed the back of his head. "It's nice. City girl though." 

[Electra]

Raina narrowed her eyes at Matt, looking like she wasn't at all interested in giving up the subject, but she did know something about subjects you didn't want to discuss in front of all your friends. There'd be time later to return to the topic, so she let the conversation shift. "Don't think I've heard of her," she told Riley. "By 'City Girl,' I'm assuming you mean stuff like 'demands indoor plumbing' and 'only moderately friendly with alligators,' so that's got to be tough." 

 

She picked up Fred's empty glass and waved it to request a refill. Merlin had already given the bar staff a generous tip while opening their tab, so service was excellent aside from the whole insisting on carding thing. "So is she nice?" she demanded of Riley. "She treating you good?" 

[Avenger Assembled]

"Yeah," said Riley, more nervous than if Raina had thrown a fireball at him. "She was a little surprised when she saw me with the mask off, but she's twenty-seven, I'm twenty, it's not that weird. Tall blonde girl, though, so probably up to something." He smirked as he looked down at Raina, then admitted. "Still haven't shown her my place." 

[Tiffany Korta]

Frostbyte

Cathy had been momentary distracted by the thought of Phae in chaps, something she’d have to discuss when she got back, but her alcohol addled brain still picked up on Riley talking about a girlfriend.

 

“Oh do you have a pictures of her? Obviously purely out of interest, I’m obviously already spoken for!”

 

She really was interested in seeing her friends find happiness, whatever and whoever that ended up being.

[Avenger Assembled]

"Ah, no," said Riley, shifting where he stood "I mean, that wouldn't be safe. She's got a big secret ID thing, and I wouldn't want her family getting outed if something happened. But she looks like..." His eyes flicked to Raina for a moment, he seemed to think better of whatever he was about to say, "but she's about six feet tall, natural blonde, and hot damn she is athletic. She swears she is not a meta, but...hot damn." He grinned real big and realized he'd finished his root beer. "Scuse me, I'm gonna get some more of this..." 

[Gizmo]

Winifred followed Riley's eyes in Raina's direction then back to their gruff friend, narrowing her own eyes slightly as she tried to picture the woman he was describing. When he got up to head over the the bar she held out her glass for him to take with him. "Perhaps I should consider taking up residence in some sort of wetland as well," she mused aloud in her dry deadpan, shaking her head slowly in amused chagrin. "I think I could do well as some sort of bog witch, brewing potions and wearing jewelry fashioned from small animal bones. One can hardly argue with the quantifiable results."

[Fox]

"27," pondered Matt, watching Riley leave over the top of his glass. "Nice." He seemed to mean it.

 

But that felt like a topic that would get him evil eyes, or whatever, so he moved on. "Bog's only good if you want to smell like bog. I guess I've only been to the one, though. Two?" He leaned over, glancing at Fang. "Was the other one a bog?"

 

"A marsh," said Fang.

 

"So just the one. But it didn't smell great, and the humidity was awful. My recommendation: be a city witch, do all the brewing and jewelry from the comfort of somewhere with AC and indoor plumbing."

 

"And parks," said Fang.

 

"And parks."

[Electra]

Raina looked briefly startled at Riley's description, then like she wasn't sure whether to be pleased or affronted, and then glanced at Fred and apparently swallowed whatever she'd been going to say. It was a whole face journey in the face of a few seconds, after which she swallowed the rest of her drink. "I have not had nearly enough to drink to start dissecting the love life of anyone here," she decided, "and I'd rather not get alcohol poisoning on my birthday before I even have a chance to go dancing. Except," she turned her attention to Cathy, "what's Phae up to these days? I sent her an invite but didn't hear back." 

[Tiffany Korta]

Frostbyte

“Aye well it a little complicate, but I guess now is a good a time as any to tell you all.” she downed another drink for some Dutch courage

 

“We’re getting married! Well not till the winter, seems appropriate really, and obviously you’re all invited.” she paused to allow her friends to take it all in

 

“My parents are happy about it all, they’re just happy I’m getting married in the church back in Unst. Apparently it more complicated for Phae’s family she had to go do some kind of ritual or something, we figured best to do it now so it doesn’t get in the way of all the planning. The two sadly clashed, she really wanted to be here, and if the ritual goes quick we might be lucky!”

[Avenger Assembled]

Having returned just in time to get the big news, Riley wound up being the first to say "Well, making an honest demon of her! That's fine." The thought of getting married at their age was slightly appalling to the young man but he wasn't going to crap all over Cathy's big announcement. Especially since she and Phae had always been mushy over each other. "Better give my ticket to your favorite snow elf," he added as he leaned against the wall again, "I never did bother to get a passport."