ic How a Young Heart Really Feels

[Electra]

2 minutes ago, Dr Archeville said:

  "Am I supposed to see Danica first, since she sent out the invitations?," he asked the first person to pass by.

 As it turned out, Danica spotted Heroditus first, waving at him enthusiastically until he came over to her group. "Hey, happy almost-Valentine's Day!" she told him brightly. "Look at this, it's a robot!" she added enthusiastically, gesturing to the very large pink metal bug on the edge of her shell. "Ryder built it! Have you met Ryder yet, and Astrid?" she asked, nodding to the people she'd been talking with. "So many people came to the party, I'm totally stoked!" Indeed, the party seemed to be rapidly picking up steam, with students eating, dancing, talking, even singing and playing instruments for entertainment. "You should definitely try the food, it's awesome! My mom made cookies, and I got the caf to put together a big party platter of veggies and dip, and there's itty bitty sandwiches I cut with a heart-shaped cookie cutter!"

[KnightDisciple]

Micah actually laughed at the question about Taylor Swift.

 

"Yeah I think I can keep up."

 

Indeed, Micah was quickly able to match Judy's singing with the minimum amount of assistance. While Swift wasn't his go-to music, she was one of his cousin's favorite artists (not that she'd easily admit such). As he played, his right foot tapped along with the song, though his eyes were half-closed as he visibly concentrated on the music. What attention he did pay beyond playing the guitar was almost entirely focused on Judy as she sang and moved about the room. 

Edited February 17, 2021 by KnightDisciple

[Avenger Assembled]

Judy moved around the room, singing to her friends and with Micah, and seemed to be throwing herself into the song. She didn't stop, didn't pause for breath, she just belted out her feelings and her emotions to her friends through the music of Taylor Swift. "And the players gonna play play play and the haters gonna hate hate hate..." She got a few people to join her on the clapping beats of the song and faltered for a barely perceptible instant when singing about her ex-man and his new girlfriend bur she smiled and pushed harder, singing because she was happy and with the people that she loved, and she didn't have to be afraid anymore. 

 

Eira let Pan chase her for a while, then let him catch her, pressing herself against him as the music finished and giving him a long, warm kiss when they were done. "Maybe country is not so bad, yes?" she admitted with a grin and a soft whisper. "Perhaps you should take the microphone and try next." 

[RocketLord]

Forever Boy

 

Pulling out of the long kiss, his lips brushing against Eira's slightly, Pan smiled. "It has certain advantages, yes." He paused, looking up at Micah and Judy as they moved about, playing and singing. 

 

He looked like he gave it some thought, then his smile went just a bit too wide. 

 

Then he was gone, golden trail behind him, now by Micah and Judy's side. "I think I will borrow that!" He quickly snatched the microphone out of Judy's hand and grinned at Micah. "Keep up, my friend!"

 

No introductions needed, no. He just started singing, starting out slow at first, with no background music...

 

"Sha-la-la-la-la-la, my, oh, my!
Look at the boy too shy!
Ain't gonna kiss the girl!
Sha-la-la-la-la-la, ain't that sad?
Ain't it a shame, too bad!
You're gonna miss the girl!"
 

Music kicked in around them, not just Micah's guitar but all the other instruments that Pan thought was needed, as he continued to sing a somewhat different version of Kiss the Girl.

 

It was time for everyone to start dancing, was it not?

Edited February 17, 2021 by RocketLord

[Lone_Star]

 

14 hours ago, TheAbsurdist said:

Benny was pretty much not bored, like he fidgeted, because he did things. He didn't mind people, even if he punched them in the face a lot. So he had his horse devors and drink, when El came up to him to loom before an awkward meeting. Quickly he finished chewing and gestured for her to wait. "Ya, sorry 'bout dat. Nah, ain't lonely non, ain't much ta tawk 'bout really." He rolled those broad shoulders as he laughed a little, "Don't really hang out with the others here, ya know? I go to class, do my thing, eat, bing bang boom, go ta bed."

And then there was a pause as realization dawned on his face, "Ah, sorry, I don't know youse name, and I don't think we been introduced... Benjamin, but everyone calls me Benny, and youse is?" In that thick Joisey accent.

 

"I can understand that, better than you know," she said as she nodded at what Benny was saying. I hope Astrid doesn't feel I left her out, but...I just couldn't leave someone on the sidelines. Wouldn't want someone to do that to me. She smiled back at Astrid, and gave her a thumbs-up, which she had just learned is a sign that everything is 'a-okay'. "I'm Elena. You can call me El. I'm new here, so just trying to meet everyone as quickly as possible. If, that's not too weird?" She spoke in a very stilted manner, as she tried out what she assumed was a normal tone of voice. Okay, think I've got this 'partying' thing down. Just take it easy, El.

 

14 hours ago, EternalPhoenix said:

Chronia

 

Then in a flash of blue light she was next to Elena and Benny. “Hiya Benny!” She greeted him with a mouthful of chocolate chocolate chip. “Hiya Really Tall Person! I’m Kendra! Nice to meet you!” My, she was high energy tonight. Well, parties were fun. The huge grin on her face was a dead giveaway.

 

"Waah!" El shrieked a little in surprise and dropped her punch. Luckily, it landed on the floor, and she quickly went back to the table to retrieve some napkins. Okay, now that will take some getting used to! "Hi Kendra, I'm Elena. You may call me El if you wish. Nice to meet you too! Sorry, I'm a bit clumsy." She looked down and saw some punch had splashed on her shoes. She removed them both, and went to work on them with a napkin. These are good shoes. Best not to let them get stained.

[TheAbsurdist]

Benny snorted at her comment, waving to Hero when he got there, but Danica intercepted him like the bundle of happy she was, "Naw, I mean yeah, but everyone here is weird, c'mon-" And then there was the flash of blue light and Kendra was there. His ability to take things in stride was because he was the oldest teenager here, on a technicality. Or just because he was way better adapted than he ought to be.

"See whaddai mean?" He laughed and gestures towards Kendra, "Hey there Kendra." That big grin on his loutish face opened it up like clouds parting for the sun.  "Youse ladies, and Hero, want any food? Or somethin'" He shifted his bulk nimbly as he moved to the table, and look at the rest.

[KnightDisciple]

Micah blinked at the rapid change in music, and at Pan's directions, but he was adaptable. Music was one of his great passions, and one of the ways he felt he expressed himself. So he was not perturbed having to keep up with a new song. Still, the change was rapid enough he strummed a slightly sour note from sheer shock. With a shake of his head, he adjusted his grip on the guitar. 

 

"Bit more warning next time..."

 

The rest of the guitar's transition was smooth. Micah soon lost himself in the notes once again, bobbing his head as he played with vigor. 

[Nerdzul]

21 hours ago, Kaede Kimura said:

Muirne chuckled at Luke's confused expression. "Maybe I will, but to be honest it wouldn't really be helpful for talking to anyone but me."

 

 

"Yeah... I know." Luke nodded, smirking.

 

"You have some sick moves." He chuckled again, as he tried his best to keep up as they both danced to the notes of Taylor Swift. Hopefully he was not going to make too much of a fool of himself. To be honest though, he didn't really mind. He just let the music flow, basking in the moment, trading teases with Muirne every time their dance brought them near enough to each other. 

 

When Pan got the microphone and he started singing, Luke just shook his head, a mischievous grin on his lips as his gaze went back to lock with the one of the Celtic redhead who had stolen his heart.

 

The rhythm of the dance was slower now, enough in fact, to let him close what little distance was between them and gently take Muirne in his arms.

 

"Hey... You are awesome, you know?"  His voice was soft and his young heart racing like crazy again. He leaned even closer to her, enough for their lips to meet into a kiss, if only she wanted to...

 

 

 

Edited February 18, 2021 by Nerdzul

[Dr Archeville]

Artificer

 

Heroditus made his way over to Danica, still somewhat agog at the surroundings.  "Thank you.  This seems to be quite a popular event you have organized.  Are most Valentine's Day parties this... big?"  He glanced around again, "my understanding was that this holiday was centered on, ah, romantic love, and so the celebrations would be more... intimate?  And- oh!"  His attention was suddenly drawn to the tiny orchid mantis on Danica's shell, "ah, yes, I have heard of Ryder, and his arthropod automata, seen him a few times in passing, but not yet had the chance to speak with him."  He leaned forward a bit, squinting at Magenta, "my, my, you are well-constructed."  Danica's comments on food went largely unheard.

[Gizmo]

"Ah, cool! My dad runs the Smoothie Shack in Riverside," Ryder supplied, nodding in understanding and apparently willing and unbothered to take Astrid at her word without further inquiries. "My roommate and I saw a metal show the other day! Well, it was less a show and more we fought a sort of giraffe-rhino-centaur rage demon made out of energy that roared power chords and its outline sort of vibrated like a sound wave? Pretty rad except for how it almost trampled people." He picked up one of the cookies Danica kept mentioning from the table, using it to absently gesture to illustrate his story.

 

Magenta bobbed her head in agreement with the new arrival's assessment of her overall excellence. "Oh hey, thanks!" Ryder responded as well, taking a bit of the cookie. "Ooh, cinnamon-y! I don't know if I 'keep up' with Eira so much as she mostly tolerates my presence in the same lab but I do okay, haha! I'm definitely an armour guy; Magenta and her siblings help out with that."

[Avenger Assembled]

Eira watched Pan sing, her lips pulled back in a smile, and looked enormously pleased with herself and her boyfriend as she headed over to join the small party by the cookie tray. "Ryder's work is more than acceptable," she said cooly. "He may be the most intelligent boy at the school." She blinked a few times, then zeroed her gaze in on Ryder. "Wait, you fought what? Why have I not heard of this before today?" She sounded more scandalized than angry, but it was sometimes hard to say. 

 

Nearby, Judy was watching Micah play, a soft smile on her face for a long time, before she turned back to her friends and declared under the sound of the music, "Isn't he just the best? Ah can't believe he never missed a note while he was playing for me!" 

 

 

[Lone_Star]

El finished cleaning up her shoes. There. These would never have gone to waste in my time. It was at this moment she realized she left Astrid "hanging", so to speak. Oh no! That cannot be done.

 

Slipping her flats back on, she walked back over to where Astrid was standing at the snack table. "Umm. I am sorry, just...tend to get distracted. Lots of people, big party. You were talking about your powers? Also, I really like your clothes. They remind me much of my home. We wore what we could find in the wasteland." Her eyes popped open as she realized what she said. "That is, not to say that they look scavenged. Was just saying...I would have dressed more like you if given the choice. Sorry." May as well quit while you're ahead, El. You've already committed a major error.

[EternalPhoenix]

Chronia

 

The punch did not splatter on Kendra at all. “Ah. Sorry.” She meant it, but it was probably the most casual apology of all time. The blue clockwork of her magic spun around her wrists and rapidly she wiped up anything that Elena missed with napkins that appeared as if by magic. (This was true, kind of. Super speed via time magic.) “I have other shoes if you need them.” But Elena had walked away. Just a minute then. She was still visibly chewing but her plate had emptied over the last several seconds. Mysterious. She handed it to Benny. “More cookies, please!” She laughed. “Oh, I know where we could go to. The cookies are” She made the chef’s kiss motion and sound. “Any one of Eliza’s places will do.” The other two were highly likely to be unaware that she was referring to Eliza Seymour Lee. Oh, Kendra. Anyway, she dashed over to Elena and Astrid. No magic, thank god. Unfortunately, her shoes betrayed her again. Instead of half walking, half running up to them, she tripped, fell, and rolled instead. The Regency dress she was wearing helped, alas. “Ow, ow, ow. Oh, hi up there!” Because both girls were very tall, and Kendra’s viewpoint was currently the floor. “Luke said you might need my help with something, and he didn’t say what it was, and now he’s dancing with Muirne so I can’t ask him and I should get up.” This proved to be an effort filled endeavor. But she got up. “There. You’re still up there, huh?” She laughed again.

[Kaede Kimura]

Muirne chuckled quietly at Luke's compliment. She didn't quite think the slang and the dance matched up, given what she knew as 'sick moves' from the movies she'd seen. Muirne beamed up at her dance partner, "You're definitely one of the better dance partners I've had." and she meant it. Luke certainly moved with more grace than many of the boys in her village once he just started going with the music, although it could maybe have been some degree of beginner's luck.

 

Muirne blushed and laughed as Pan started singing, settling into the closer dance with the dragon boy. Her heart pounded as she looked back into his eyes.

 

Her already pounding heart jackhammered further as Luke spoke again, his soft time turning her blush atomic. "H- hwæt?¹" she gaped up at him for a moment before a smile crept over her lips. "Ic magan ne beliefan ic befeallan innan brýdlufe eac þú!²" she said in a teasing tone, before her expression softened. "I could say the same about you, fýrdraca.³"

A thrill of excitement and fear ran through her as Luke leaned in. This was the point where she could either go forward with it, out back out. She knew she liked Luke, hell, she'd just said she loved him to his face, he just didn't know what it meant. But did she want to take the next step? She wrestled with the question for a few moments, before saying stopping. She was overcomplicating it. Besides, if not now then when?

She smiled, whispered "Gewif árra sé beale.⁴" again and leaned into Luke, pressing her lips to his.

 

¹ What?

 

² I can not believe I fell in love with you!

 

³ fire-spewing dragon

 

⁴ Fortune favours the bold

Edited February 22, 2021 by Kaede Kimura

[RocketLord]

Forever Boy

 

"Now's your moment
Floating in a blue lagoon
Boy, you better do it soon
No time will be better
She don't say a word, and she won't say a word"

 

With Micah playing, Pan continued his song, leaning in closer to Micah on the, singing softly into the microphone, before turning around and pointing straight at Muirne and Luke mid kiss. A large glowing pink and red heart exploded up around them, making sure that everyone knew while Pan grinned.

 

"Until you kiss the girl
Ha ha ha!"

[TheAbsurdist]

Benny watched everyone go do their thing, and he frowned a little, but laughing a little bit to himself. He didn't start moving until Kendra skittering away and flopping over herself, as he half expected that to happen, and didn't want to give her cookies she'd have sent sailing everywhere. Humming to himself, he picked up some cookies, keeping one for himself, as he made his way over after her lazily.

Proffering the plate out to her, "Youse cookies madame." He waited for her to grab then, his expression mild, but there was humor in his eyes as he watched the shenanigans.

[Nerdzul]

“Yeah I-” Luke couldn’t believe her words. “Hey thanks.” He replied enthusiastically with a big grin on his lips. Although her comment much likely spoke more of the quality of her previous dance partners than being a praise of his own skills, he definitely could take a win when he saw one. 

 

Luke chuckled, shrugging innocently and joining her in laughter at Pan’s choice of music. I owe you one man.

 

Again a hint of confusion flashed in his eyes when Muirne replied in her own language, his heart skipped a beat… or two… What if… No he was going to stop though. Not now. 

 

Time seemed to stop for the young man when their lips finally met, the party, the music, the crowd of their friends, they were all gone, for a sweet moment, it was just the two of them, nothing else mattered. She was his whole world.

 

When they finally parted ways, there was a wide smile on Luke's lips, the brightest one perhaps, that a teenage boy could have. At first he didn’t say anything, preferring to just bask in the moment as he held her gently in his arms.

 

Before he could talk a massive pink heart exploded around them. 

 

That was something. Luke chuckled, this time, Muirne was definitely not the only one to blush. He could feel his cheeks burning.

 

 “Ok…” He shook his head, bursting into laughter. “Well we can’t let them down can’t we?” He teased, a mischievous smirk on his lips.

[Dr Archeville]

Artificer

 

Heroditus tore his gaze away from Magenta and extended a hand to Ryder, "ah, so you are the one I have heard so much about.  An honor to finally meet with you.  I would very much like speak with you about your automata, whenever you are free.  Atlantis had several such creations, before The Sinking, though none so small, and I... I..."

 

He stopped suddenly as he caught sight of the struggling-to-get-up Chronia, or rather the temporal magics that suffused her.  He had become accustomed to seeing a wide variety of magics amongst the students of Claremont, but this was something altogether new to him.

 

Most Atlanteans feared & hated new things, but Heroditus was not like most Altanteans.

 

"Ah," he returned his focus to Ryder, "I am sorry, something had just come up which requires my attention.  I am very interested in continuing this conversation, though.  Until then," he gave a quick bow, then made his way towards Kendra.

[Thevshi]

Veronica Danger

 

Out in the student parking lot…..

 

A blue and white Mini Cooper it turned down an isle and into an empty spot. Prominently displayed on the hood of the vehicle as the Danger International logo, consisting of a globe with the letters DI across it.

 

Turning off the engine, Veronica Danger opened the driver's door and started to climb out, glancing over at her passenger and friend, Lulu Beaumont. "Don't worry about the helmet, after I make an appearance for a bit I am going to take the Mini back to the garage to wash it and can put them away." She stated. Veronica probably would have skipped the Valentines Day event altogether after dropping Lulu off, but her roommate and friend, Danica, had put a lot of work into the party, and the teenage Danger would feel bad if she did not at least make an appearance.

 

The pair had spent the afternoon out at an off road track getting in some time in the Mini as part of preparing for the Dakar Rally later next month. Back at the start of the school year Veroncica had asked Lulu and a few of their other Senior classmates to join her in competing in the rally. The last several months had involved a lot of driving practice as well as work on the Mini and other vehicles for the rally, as they were all converted to high-performance electric power as part of Veronica's idea of trying to show that a green energy vehicle could compete in the grueling off road rally.

Veronica was still wearing her blue and white jumpsuit with the DI logo over the left breast pocket along with her standard well-worn hiking boots. "Ready?" Veronica asked, apparently unfazed at her appearance.

[Heritage]

Lulu climbed out of the passenger door, wearing an identical jumpsuit; however, she was also toting a garment bag over one shoulder.

 

"Well, ah'm goin' to make a quick stop in the ladies' room; ah'm surprisin' Adam, and she'd like to somethin' a little special for him."

 

The telepath sighed and shook her head.

 

"Ah've been so busy lately, ah ain't hardly seen him! Ah'll only take a minute, ah swear!"

[Thevshi]

Veronica Danger

 

Veronica gave Lulu a sympathetic look as the redhead mentioned not seeing much of Adam of late. "I hope the rally project has not been the main reason for that." She offered as the pair made their way over toward the gym. Once inside, Veronica led the way to one of the girls' bathrooms away from the main gym.

 

"Take as much time as you need." The teenage Danger stated as she stood off to one side to wait for her friend.

Edited February 24, 2021 by Thevshi

[Heritage]

Inside one of the stalls, Lulu clucked her tongue as her her jumpsuit was casually draped over door. "It's more about senior year in general, know what ah mean? Everythin's goin' so darn fast, it's hard to keep up! College applications, entrance exams, sendin' out letters. Mah whole is *spinnin'* most of the time."

 

In no time at all, the redhead stepped out in a pink and silver sheath dress that looked like pure magic. She stepped over to the mirror to touch up her hair and makeup, shaking her head and sighing.

 

"Ah just wonder if we can make it work after graduation."

[Kaede Kimura]

The kiss seemed to last forever as Muirne focused purely upon it, despite only taking moments. She looked up at Luke, smiling giddily before jumping in shock as the enormous heart burst around them. She sent a heatless glare towards the grinning Pan, before laughing herself, her blush matching Luke's.

 

She let out a quiet chuckle at his comment, her face reddening further before she lightly smacked her hand against his chest, whispering, "Þú biaþ angrislic!¹" sounding mildly scandalized before her grin returned. "But I suppose you're right about that."

 

¹You are terrible!

Edited February 23, 2021 by Kaede Kimura

[Gizmo]

"Aw, that is legitimately so nice of you to say, Eira!" Ryder beamed, looking like his entire evening had been made. He gave her a sheepish shrug while still grinning when her questions took a more reprimanding tone. "I guess it just didn't come up! You're usually sort of all business in the lab. But yeah, Utsuwa and I were out getting food and this guy in a suit got into an argument over a parking ticket then there was guitar sounds coming from, like, everywhere? Definitely like places where there wasn't actually a sound system, the acoustics were definitely sus. But then the guy passed out and summoned a big energy construct monster so the music being weird took a backseat. Cyan got some footage of it if you want to see later!"

 

With Elena tripping over her words a bit while back-peddling he added, "It's totally hard to know what's appropriate or whatever for quote-unquote 'events', right? Especially if you don't have a locked and loaded aesthetic like these two!" He pointed finger guns at Astrid and Eira. His sunny disposition made it more endearing than it probably should have been. "Although hey, you should talk to my friend Natalia. She makes a bunch of her own clothes because stuff off the rack isn't up to her standards. If you know the look you're going for she could totally help."

[Cubismo]

  

Astrid’s eyes went wide with recognition as Ryder went on about the concert. “Oh shit! I heard about that mess. You were there? Wow.” She looked Ryder over in a new light. The dude definitely seemed “I actually planned on going to that show with some mates but I got caught up in some stupid family drama and had to head back to Norway. Some ice giants were losing it again.”  She rolled her eyes as if that explained everything before just continuing on ahead in the conversation. “So, a giraffe-rhino-centaur rage demon, eh? I’m not really an expert when it comes to Greek stuff but it might have been a chimera or something. Then again it was made of energy or whatever so who knows. I’ve heard magical skalds out there who can summon monsters with their tunes but never faced one my self.” The Asgardian paused and took a moment to refill her cup with punch as Ryder pet with his robo-bug.

 

While she did, Elena seemed to return to the table and started to chat her up again.

 

On 2/17/2021 at 11:24 PM, Lone_Star said:

El finished cleaning up her shoes. There. These would never have gone to waste in my time. It was at this moment she realized she left Astrid "hanging", so to speak. Oh no! That cannot be done.

 

Slipping her flats back on, she walked back over to where Astrid was standing at the snack table. "Umm. I am sorry, just...tend to get distracted. Lots of people, big party. You were talking about your powers? Also, I really like your clothes. They remind me much of my home. We wore what we could find in the wasteland." Her eyes popped open as she realized what she said. "That is, not to say that they look scavenged. Was just saying...I would have dressed more like you if given the choice. Sorry." May as well quit while you're ahead, El. You've already committed a major error.

 

'Huh. Guess I was right on the money about her not being from around here.'  She gave the obviously uneasy looking Elena an comforting smile. "Dude don't worry about it. These clothes practically were scavenged from a thrift store I found in Riverside. Place was pretty cool pretty for the distinct smell of weed in the air." Not sure if that joke would even land for someone who came from another dimension or timeline, Astrid promptly moved on and started answering her questions about her powers.

 

"Right so powers. Well I'm pretty tough and super strong, but that's like totally boring compared to what I can do with Porrklubba," she explained, actually getting kind of excited to talk about her favorite weapon of choice. "It's a warclub but it honestly just looks like a glammed out baseball bat. Whenever I'm holding it can shooting lightning, manipulate the weather, teleport and just totally wreck fools with it. It's pretty great. But what about you, El?" She asked, honestly interested. "I mean this as a compliment but you look tough as Hel. You a brawler too?"