ic Deck the Halls! [Open]

[Kaede Kimura]

Blue Bolt (Teleporting in with Lawrence and others)

 

Vueriz had to admit this whole 'Christ's Mass' thing was a bit confusing. 'Christ' was apparently a messiah who was born upon this day, but seemed to play second fiddle to a jolly fat man in a black suit named 'Santa'. And a significant proportion of people celebrating believed in neither figure. For all that people talked about being merry and giving the only time she saw humans wear more black was at funerals. Harper, who she had seen departing in a long ground car with some others had even recoloured her skin black!

 

She had donned some slightly fancier attire than her standard out of consideration for her friends. It was pretty different to formal wear back on Zirtimzar, which helped make her feel less awkward about it. A high-necked wisteria dress with no sleeves that ended just above her knees, and some heeled black shoes that she found quite hard to walk in, but was willing to suffer through to be slightly less diminutive. The arrival was suitably dramatic for her cool punk tastes, even as she wobbled slightly between her (still) much taller friends. She waved at Lawrence's introduction. "I wasn't here last year, only arrived on Earth after the party, but it's nice to meet you!" She held back her curiosity at being around so many people with powers, all of whom she wanted to bug about how they worked.

Edited December 3 by Kaede Kimura

[Thevshi]

Velocity (Just outside the front entrance speaking with King Cole III and Harlequin)

 

Megan gave the two Claremont students another warm smile as they continued with the formal manners. The speedster gave a slightly dismissive wave at the title they addressed her with. "Oh, I don't know, 'Lady Velocity' doesn't sound quite right. Now, I do answer to Lady Harrow, when back in England and in the right setting, but neither apply here."

 

"But anyway, please make your way inside, I saw a pair of your classmates arrive just before I came out to greet you." She continued, glancing back inside as she added, "and it looks like my son Lawrence has arrived with a group of friends as well." Turning back towards the drive, she saw the limousine parked a short distance away with a group of Claremont students disembarking, including Lynn. "And there is my daughter with some more of your classmates." She added, not bothering with mentioning the 'adopted' part, to avoid overly long explanations that Lynn might not want all her fellow students to be informed of.

 

"You all certainly seem to have a knack for arriving concurrently it seems." She commented with a slight grin.
 

[Supercape]

Gamma Buzz

 

(Teleporting in with Lawrence et al)

 

As always, Lawrence's teleportation - being such a spatial distortion - sent Baltazar's antennae crazy, and he fought a heroic battle to keep his lunch down. A cockroach-digested lunch, too. Which was just one of his many amazing cockroach powers (as he always said). 

 

"Fast and furious, that teleportation thing, Lawrence. I bet its all quantum and stuff, am I right?"
 

He swivelled his insect red eyes around the Freedom City HQ, and the impressive Christmas Tree. "Wow..."

 

It took quite a lot to deprive Baltazar Botez of words, but lo and behold. 

 

"...its amazing! I mean properly amazing, not just when I say amazing to compensate for my own inade--- I mean, its amazing! Just like all my amazing cockroach powers!"

 

He gave Lawrence a nudge with an elbow. "Do you, like, know anybody here? Can you give me an introduction?"

 

[Poncho]

(King Cole III, Just outside the front entrance speaking with King Cole III and Harlequin)

 

"Very well, Velocity it is, then." She said, smiling. "It was not my intent to overlap so much with my fellow students, but there's nothing wrong with it. Next year I will have to be fashionably late." she said, making a little joke for her captive audience. "But truly you must admit that while out entrance may not have been as flashy, we've certainly got the presence of mind to appear with some style and flair, yes?" She curtsy'd to the elder hero to make her point. "But on the other hand, of course we do, don't you know that students like us travel in packs? We even have colors..though right now we are much more of a smashed rainbow than our specific colors. Not that that's a big deal, I mean, yuletide festivals are for forging new relationships, right? So it's fun to meet new people, yourself included, of course."

 

"Thank you for the warm welcome. We will try not to overstay it. Did you pick out the music this year?" She asked curiously

[Jack]

Arctus, (in a limousine arriving at Freedom Hall with Slipstream, Arctus, Cerebral, Spore, Seraphim and other Claremont students)

 

Jack sat quietly in the luxurious limousine, surrounded by his chattering classmates. His massive frame took up more space than the seats were designed for, but he made it work. The bear spirit inside him practically purred at being surrounded by so many lovely girls, especially Lynn... Jack pushed those thoughts down, feeling his cheeks warm slightly. He distracted himself with the conversation and smiled at the chatter, letting the buzz of conversation wash over him briefly. 

 

His gaze landed on Lynn again, and his lungs froze momentarily. She looked stunning in her dress, colors that danced like autumn leaves against her pale skin. It was no surprise; she always had impeccable taste, but Jack admired how effortlessly she carried herself, even amidst the swirling storm of emotions he sensed beneath her surface.  

 

He glanced down at his own attire - black cargo shorts, flip-flops, and a t-shirt with a tuxedo print. It had seemed clever when he bought it, but now he felt distinctly underdressed. Still, he maintained his relaxed demeanor, nodding and offering small smiles as the others discussed their excitement about the evening ahead.

 

Jack smiles a little at the thought of food that the other's mention and his mouth waters a little, though he tries to remain calm, but the thought of food makes his stomach rumble and he chuckles and rubs the back of his head embarrassed.

 

Jack's stomach let out a low rumble at the mention of food, causing him to rub the back of his neck sheepishly. The bear spirit inside him perked up too - they shared an appreciation for good meals, especially after the rigorous training sessions at Claremont.

 

"Da, food is alvays good thing," he said softly, his Russian accent thick as he tried to keep his voice down in the confined space of the limo. "At home, mama makes huge feasts. Here, I hear heroes have best chefs in city."

He shifted carefully in his seat, mindful not to bump anyone with his massive frame. The tuxedo-printed t-shirt stretched across his broad chest as he moved. The bear spirit rumbled contentedly at the thought of a feast worthy of heroes, making Jack's stomach growl again.

 

"Sorry," he mumbled with an embarrassed chuckle, patting his belly. "Ve both get excited about food."

 

Jack's ears perked up at Harper's mention of the Aerosmith song. A warm smile spread across his broad face as memories of listening to classic rock with his father flooded back. Those long drives through the Siberian wilderness, music blasting from the old truck's speakers while his papa sang along in broken English.

 

"Da, is vonderful song!" Jack's deep voice carried through the limo. "Papa always play it on long drives. He say Steven Tyler has voice like... how you say... angel who smoke too many cigarettes." He chuckled, the sound rumbling in his chest. "But vas huge hit for them. Made many peoples cry in theater too."

 

The temperature around Jack dropped a few degrees as his excitement grew, frost crystallizing briefly on the window next to him before quickly melting away. He caught himself and took a steadying breath, remembering Lynn's earlier warnings about being careful with his powers in public.

 

His enhanced senses picked up on Lynn's nervous energy beside him. The slight tension in her shoulders, the way her fingers fidgeted with her dress - signs that didn't seem to entirely bypass the others either. Jack wanted to say something reassuring, but words weren't his strong suit. Instead, he focused on projecting calm and stability, hoping his presence might help ground her.

 

Carefully, trying not to draw attention, Jack pulled his ancient flip phone from his cargo pocket. His large fingers carefully picked out a text message: "U look great as always. if it gets crazy i'm good at making exits... :)"

He hit send and watched Lynn from the corner of his eye, hoping to see even a small smile break through her nervousness. She deserved to enjoy tonight without worry, though he understood why these events might be difficult for her.

[Supercape]

Spore

 

"Angel who smokes too many cigarettes?" said Harper. "Yeah, is that kinda voice, huh?"

 

Spore had picked up on Lynn being anxious too, although it was difficult to see why - well, why Lynne was more nervous than the rest of them. Harper was a pretty relaxed person, despite life's challenges. That was therapy, and daily yoga, pilates and meditation for you. Harper took her health very seriously - she got quite anxious about how relaxed she was. 

 

She took one large breath in and out, her attention focussed on her lungs. 

 

"Don't know about you guys, but my nerves are shredded, huh? But... I think its excitement, not fear. I mean, its almost the same, physiologically, right? So that beating heart, that pump in your neck, that sweat on your brow... I try to think of as prep, not anxiety."

 

She gazed out of the window, hand on the wine bottle. Never before had she felt the urge to take a sip for dutch courage. But right now...? 

 

"I mean, what could go wrong, right?"

[Thevshi]

Slipstream (exiting the limo with Bounce, Arctus, Cerebral, Spore, Seraphim, Prime Mover and other Claremont students)

 

While the novelty of riding in a limousine had long been lost on Lynn, the blonde teen did enjoy seeing Mattie, Owen and some of the others being excited about the experience. 

 

When Mattie reached over (further than she should physically have been able to) to give her hand a squeeze, Lynn managed a small smile in return. "Thanks, your right, it should be fine." However, the teen did not feel quite as confident about that being the case as Mattie was.

 

Still, she had to at least make the effort, and perhaps Mattie would turn out to be right. She then felt a vibration from her phone and glanced down at the screen, seeing the text from Jack. The blonde teen glanced up briefly, managing a small smile before she quickly (perhaps a bit too quickly) typed a response:

Quote

Thx, sh'd b OK 

 

When she heard Iris' voice in her mind, Lynn's bright blue eyes glanced out at the older girl as she climbed out of the back of the limo and the group began to reassemble to make their way inside. You are probably right. Lynn thought back, expecting the telepath to be able to hear the surface thoughts. There is just….a lot associated with being here and.. She paused before continuing the thought, and other things that are weighing on me.

 

The teenage speedster then turned her gaze toward Owen as she briefly considered how to answer his question about being at Freedom Hall before. Deciding on a more straightforward answer for now, she gave a small nod. "Yeah, Velocity is my mother, so…I have been here several times. When Mattie came out to visit the month before school started, my mom arranged for a tour for her as well."
 

[MoonSimply]

La Puma Negra

 

It was strange being this pampered as it was in her life but the first time ever, she didn't really mind it that much. In fact, there was actually rather some joy since she had started being with Micheal for the past while, finding herself breaking out of her shell to an extent that she was rather at ease with herself instead of all riled up or secretive. Even in such a crowded space among so many heroes that it was a who's who of the city and invitees. Carmen was just a Senior student at Claremont, and not the most academically gifted at that, and yet with Michael, who seemed to rain down enough confidence that it soaked like a sponge upon her. Just enough of a proper boost that it ended up working out in the end with her wearing a dress that her mother had help not only fit but purchase, seeing that money was a somewhat tight commodity for Carmen. A green sequin dress that glowed against his own radiance, going down just a bit below the knees and hugging the body in a way that helped accent her figure. Far better than what she wore last year that was mostly just her Sunday best with the varsity jacket for Claremont that she tended to wear.

 

As her feet touched the ground, the had paid enough for a specialized matching shoes that were comfortable for her to ear and resistant to her own abilities that she couldn't always rather control. So, as they now safely landed, Carmen would take up his offer and proceed forward, taking up his arm as she kept close to him. Surely it was a strange pairing, one of opposites, but stranger things had happened at the school from what could tell, "Let's go then," she'd speak in a soft then, reassuring herself with a smile. 

 

Flying sure beat any limo it felt. It seemed to draw eyes too as Carmen graciously accepted the greeting from Ghost but remained somewhat silent, "Thank you for the party."

Edited December 2 by MoonSimply

[Dracostern]

Cerebral

 

Iris nodded to Lyn's thoughts, tipping the other off that she was indeed reading her surface thoughts. "If you ever need someone to talk to err...think to, I'm here for you."  The telepath then smiled a little at the other's antics and glanced up at the Freedom Hall she was amazed by it's sheer size and was regretting not coming with Daniel now, hopefully he was alright. Iris was deep in thought before remembering that she heard Jack's stomch growling eariler and turned to the others that were with her. 

 

"Well, why don't we find some food hm? That's where I'm going at least. I wish you all a Merry Christmas." They were then flashed with the extremely rare big Iris smile. In truth beneath all her emotions, she was secretly extremely excited. This was the first time she or her twin had ever celebrated Christmas proper. Gone were the lonely days of watching Christmas speicals on TVs in store windows, and shivering while sleeping under boxes during the session. This was far, far more exciting then those Emerald City streets! 

 

She wouldn't leave yet though, partly because she didn't know her way around this place, and partly because she wanted to see if there were any takers. She also hoped to be able to ease some anxieties that she picked up on the way there, her eyes shifted to Spore briefly. 

[RocketLord]

BOUNCE! (exiting a limousine arriving at Freedom Hall with Slipstream, Arctus, Cerebral, Spore, Seraphim and other Claremont students)

 

Giving Lynn another reassuring smile, Mattie steps out of the limousine along with the others, and stares up at the building.

 

She's been here before, but it's still awesome. And there's Lynn's mom! And a bunch of other heroes! 

 

"I love this place! Just look at how big an' awesome it is!" Mattie holds up her arms, stretching them slightly towards the top of the building, before shifting back into a normal length again. "See, over there's the elevators, they'll take you to the big Freedom League meetin' room! Lynn's mom showed us, they got these real fancy screens an' teleporters an' everythin'!" Her grin is big, but stays normal, at least for now, before she turns to Iris. "You're right! We should grab some food!" She gently pokes Jack in the ribs with an elbow, grinning at him. "We got a bear to feed!"

[RocketLord]

GHOST (Near the entrance by Blackstaff, Lark, Golden Star and La Puma Negra)

 

Ghost turns away from Golden Star and La Puma Negra for a moment to greet the two people that's approaching that's dressed almost as festive as him, and then the girl starts ranting before the man stops her. Casper can't suppress his grin, despite it barely being visible through his mask.

 

"I guess I won't have to introduce myself, but good to meet you guys."

 

He has to admit, he has no idea who they are, but that's part of the charm, isn't it?

 

"There's food and drinks and everything, there'll be dancing later, somebody's probably gonna make some announcements, but now you got me curious: What'd they say on that show? I didn't even know they did one about me."

[Spacefurry]

Blackstaff & Lark (Entrance with Ghost, Golden Star and La Puma)

 

Lark flushed a little.

“Sorry, this is a little intimidating.”

She admitted with a wave of her hand at the Hall.

 

9 hours ago, RocketLord said:

GHOST

 

"There's food and drinks and everything, there'll be dancing later, somebody's probably gonna make some announcements, but now you got me curious: What'd they say on that show? I didn't even know they did one about me."

 

“Oh well, there was a lot of speculation but one of the most popular theories is that you actually are the ghost of a detective killed in the 50’s. At least, that's the one my mother thinks is right.”

Lark chuckled.

“But the boss man here says that’s not true.”

 

Christopher nods.

“I like to think if there was a spirit that powerful running around the city, I’d have heard something after all. Speaking of which, if you ever need my services.”

Christopher produced a business card and handed it to Ghost. He turns and holds two out to Golden Star and La Puma.

“I have offices in Freedom and Emerald City, if you ever find yourself out that way.”

 

Blackstaff Investigations

Wizard for hire

Magical consultations and investigations

(two addresses and a phone number are listed below)

 

Lark nudged Christopher.

“This is a party for fun, not for you to hand out cards.”

 

“I can do both.”

Christopher smirked. He gave Ghost a nod.

“Don’t let us keep you from your duties.”

 

He smiles at the couple again.

“Please enjoy your evening. And of course, Happy Holidays.”

 

[Spacefurry]

Seraphim (near entrance, exiting limo with other Claremont students)

 

Sarah chuckled at Jack’s stomach and actually felt herself relax a little as everyone else seemed so at ease.

 

She stepped out of the limo and found herself in awe of the Hall and its decorations.

“Wow.”

 

She regarded Lynn when she mentions her mother being a hero in the League.

“I had no idea. That must be pretty neat. Do you know a lot of other heroes? Has she ever taken you up to the Lighthouse?”

Sarah had only ever seen long distance photos of the famous watchtower high overhead.

[Thunder King]

Sever

(With the other Claremont students at the limo)

 

Ryan stepped out of the limo. He wore a slate gray button up shirt and a forest green tie. He paired that with a pair of black slacks and a plain black vest. It was the closest to formal wear he had worn in years.  He bought them a few days before in his efforts to dress up for the party. Nobody knew who he was, nobody could connect him to the hero identity of Sever, so he didn't bother with a mask. 

Over his vest he wore the same beat up old coat he had been wearing for years. He got it when he was thirteen, as a donation to the orphanage. It was two sizes two large, and now that he was finally growing into it, it was wearing out too much.

He could probably afford a decent coat with his stipend, but the truth was, he wasn't quite ready to let it go. His shoes were uncomfortable. He'd spent a few days wearing them to get used to them, but they were still stiff.

 

Despite his physical discomfort, he was excited. He dyed a streak of red into his hair as a nod to the holiday, alongside his usual black hair. 

 

He chuckled to himself as he got out of the limo. He stretched as he took in the sights. This was going to be interesting.

 

 

[Jack]

16 hours ago, RocketLord said:

BOUNCE! (exiting a limousine arriving at Freedom Hall with Slipstream, Arctus, Cerebral, Spore, Seraphim and other Claremont students)

 

 "You're right! We should grab some food!" She gently pokes Jack in the ribs with an elbow, grinning at him. "We got a bear to feed!"

 

Arctus (exiting a limousine arriving at Freedom Hall with Slipstream, Bounce, Cerebral, Spore, Seraphim and other Claremont students)

 

Jack exited the limo, his massive frame causing the vehicle to shift and rise several inches as his weight left it. The door seemed almost comically small as he maneuvered his broad shoulders through it, careful not to accidentally damage the upholstery. He had to duck his head to avoid hitting the roof, a familiar motion from years of dealing with spaces that weren't quite built for someone his size. 

 

The crisp evening air felt refreshing after being cramped inside, though he'd enjoyed the company. His tuxedo t-shirt stretched as he straightened to his full height, towering over most of his classmates.

 

Mattie's infectious energy brought a smile to his face, making him forget for a moment about how cramped he'd been in the vehicle. Her enthusiasm always seemed to have a good effect on him, like a ray of sunlight breaking through storm clouds. He could already feel his muscles starting to relax from their earlier tension, and when she jabbed him playfully in the stomach, he let out a deep, rumbling chuckle that sounded more bearlike than human. "Hoo hoo!" he mimicked the Pillsbury mascot's laugh, patting his belly.

 

"Da, I vould never turn down food," Jack said with a grin. "Food very important. Bear inside getting hungry vith veather changing." He tapped his stomach. "If ve don't eat soon, might start hibernating right here on steps!" He let out another deep chuckle, his tension eased.

 

As he scanned the gathered students, his gaze fell upon an unfamiliar face - a young man with black hair sporting a festive red streak. Jack had to tilt his head down slightly to make eye contact with most people, being as tall as he was, and this new face was no exception. The red streak reminded him of the way the setting sun would paint vibrant ribbons across the winter snow back home in Siberia, and something about that thought made him feel a bit more at ease with the stranger. The well-worn coat caught Jack's attention as well, reminding him of his own cherished hoodie back in the dorm. Without hesitation, Jack extended one of his massive hands toward the newcomer.

 

"Am Jack," he offered warmly, his thick Russian accent carrying clearly in the evening air. "Like vhat you did vith hair - very festive! And jacket has character, da? Is good to have clothing vith stories."

[Kaede Kimura]

Harlequin (Near front entrance with King Cole III and Velocity)

 

Eòghann smiled with easy cheer as the heroine deflected the honorifics. The invitation to step inside was one he was quite willing to accept, but it seemed Renee had a little more parting banter to exchange. He decided to take the moment to look around at who was arriving, smile growing a bit at the sight of Jack and Lynn. And the confirmation of her parentage that he had thought likely but hadn't wanted to presume.

 

"<It was delightful to meet you, Velocity. We shall not keep you any longer. Besides, it would not do to keep my lady's splendor for ourselves.>" He turned his most charming smile to Renee, gesturing into the hall before them. "<Shall we?>"

[Thevshi]

Velocity (finishing greeting King Cole III and Harlequin and moving to greet the Claremont students from the limo (Slipstream, Bounce, Arctus, Cerebral, Spore, Seraphim, Sever and Prime Mover)

 

Megan gave Renee and Alden a wide smile. "Oh, I certainly agree you two have scored the most points for style and flair." When asked about selecting the music, the speedster gave a small shrug as she replied, "well, mostly. Right now, the system is just randomly selecting tracks from a Holiday playlist I have," as she spoke, a new song began playing over the speakers, Run DMC's Christmas in Hollis, "but in a little bit, we will have some live music from some of the musically inclined crewmembers from some of your dimensional displaced classmates' crew. But later, when it is time to open the dance floor, well I have done more to curate that playlist."

 

"Well, don't want to keep you stuck out here in the cold all night, so please enjoy the party, hopefully we will have a chance to talk more later." The blonde heroine stated with another wide smile. Then she was gone in a yellow blur and a *WOOSH* of air.

 

Over at the limousine, Lynn gave a small smile at the others' jokes about having a bear to feed before a slight look of uncertainty crossed her face at Sarah's questions about knowing other heroes and if she had visited the Lighthouse. But before she could answer, Velocity arrived over at the group, having not having to go very far from where she had been talking to others.

 

"Good evening everyone, Happy Holidays!" The Freedom League speedster said to the group with a wide smile. While she was in her iconic yellow costume, she was not wearing her mask and goggles. Her resemblance to Lynn was unmistakable, most particularly her bright blue eyes, which seemed almost to burst with energy.

 

Stepping in to Lynn, the older speedster gave the blonde teen a small hug and kiss on the check. "Glad you came dear." She said quietly with a sympathetic look and a smile.

 

"Thanks," Was Lynn's quiet reply as she returned her adopted mother’s hug.

 

Turning to Mattie, Megan's smile widened once more as she stepped over to give her a hug as well. "Great to see you again Mattie."

 

The League member turned to Jack, her smile still in place. "Nice to see you again as well Jack."

 

She then turned to Iris and Ryan, her expression momentarily changing to one of someone trying to place a face before her smile returned. "Iris and Ryan right?" She asked, and upon confirmation gave a small nod. "Have heard a number of things about both of you from Lawrence, Mizuki and Baz."

 

The speedster then turned to the remaining Claremont students, her warm smile still in place. "Let's see, I am guessing Harper, Sarah and Owen, right?" She asked, indicating each of the other teens in turn.
 

[Lone_Star]

On 12/1/2024 at 8:12 PM, Thevshi said:

Slipstream (exiting the limo with Bounce, Arctus, Cerebral, Spore, Seraphim, Prime Mover and other Claremont students)

 

While the novelty of riding in a limousine had long been lost on Lynn, the blonde teen did enjoy seeing Mattie, Owen and some of the others being excited about the experience. 

 

When Mattie reached over (further than she should physically have been able to) to give her hand a squeeze, Lynn managed a small smile in return. "Thanks, your right, it should be fine." However, the teen did not feel quite as confident about that being the case as Mattie was.

 

Still, she had to at least make the effort, and perhaps Mattie would turn out to be right. She then felt a vibration from her phone and glanced down at the screen, seeing the text from Jack. The blonde teen glanced up briefly, managing a small smile before she quickly (perhaps a bit too quickly) typed a response:

 

When she heard Iris' voice in her mind, Lynn's bright blue eyes glanced out at the older girl as she climbed out of the back of the limo and the group began to reassemble to make their way inside. You are probably right. Lynn thought back, expecting the telepath to be able to hear the surface thoughts. There is just….a lot associated with being here and.. She paused before continuing the thought, and other things that are weighing on me.

 

The teenage speedster then turned her gaze toward Owen as she briefly considered how to answer his question about being at Freedom Hall before. Deciding on a more straightforward answer for now, she gave a small nod. "Yeah, Velocity is my mother, so…I have been here several times. When Mattie came out to visit the month before school started, my mom arranged for a tour for her as well."
 

 

Prime Mover

 

(Exiting the limo with all the other Claremonters)

 

The excitement in the air was intoxicating as Owen exited the limo, taking a moment to privately adjust his power vest. He really hoped his volatile powers wouldn't "flare up" tonight, but he just had to remind himself to stay calm. "I didn't know that either, Lynn. That's pretty wild stuff." He decided to drop the subject pretty quickly, as Lynn was probably asked about it all the time. 

 

On 12/2/2024 at 2:39 AM, RocketLord said:

BOUNCE! (exiting a limousine arriving at Freedom Hall with Slipstream, Arctus, Cerebral, Spore, Seraphim and other Claremont students)

 

Giving Lynn another reassuring smile, Mattie steps out of the limousine along with the others, and stares up at the building.

 

She's been here before, but it's still awesome. And there's Lynn's mom! And a bunch of other heroes! 

 

"I love this place! Just look at how big an' awesome it is!" Mattie holds up her arms, stretching them slightly towards the top of the building, before shifting back into a normal length again. "See, over there's the elevators, they'll take you to the big Freedom League meetin' room! Lynn's mom showed us, they got these real fancy screens an' teleporters an' everythin'!" Her grin is big, but stays normal, at least for now, before she turns to Iris. "You're right! We should grab some food!" She gently pokes Jack in the ribs with an elbow, grinning at him. "We got a bear to feed!"

 

Owen's eyes lit up as he saw the Freedom League's headquarters for the first time in person. He couldn't help but stare, watching other superheroes from across Freedom City arrive in all their finery. "My folks won't believe this..." he mused to himself as he took out his phone and snapped a few quick pictures. 

 

He grinned at Mattie's infectious enthusiasm. She was his kind of person, he could tell already. As if on cue, Owen's stomach rumbled. "I definitely agree. I wanna eat so much I'm the one hibernating," he said, gently nudging Jack with his elbow. He hadn't met a lot of the Claremont students that were in the limo, but he hoped tonight would be a better chance to get to know all of them. They were all heroes, and at the very least they had that in common. 

 

Velocity approached the group, and hugged her adopted daughter. Aww. 

 

As she correctly guessed everyone in the group's name, Owen's inner fanboy threatened to show himself. She knows my name! Velocity of the Freedom League knows my name! Owen tried not to freak out.

 

He approached Velocity with as much courage as he could muster, and extended his hand to her. It was hard to make direct eye contact with a member of the Freedom League, but he tried his best. "Thank you for having us," Owen said stiffly, but politely, his nerves betraying him. "It really is an honor to be here." 

 

[Supercape]

Spore

 

Harper gave her bright red hand to Velocity. It was sweating, it was tremulous, and it had clearly taken a life of its own. Harper didn't really feel connected to it. It was plastic, numb, and the as the fingers curled in Velcoties the sense of dissociative unreality only intensified. 

 

"Uh... Hi..." she muttered. "Is this really happening?"

 

She shoved her camera at Owen. "Guh... take a picture Owen, please... Otherwise I won't ever believe this is happened!"
 

She gave a grin and a victory sign as a pose. 

 

Feeling stupid, she thrust the wine bottle into Velocity, as clumsy as one could imagine. "Uh... here... its my families vineyard. Uh... hope you don't mind...."

[Poncho]

(King Cole III; leaving Velocity and wandering inside possibly with Harlequin in tow, to talk to Gaian Knight)

 

"Oh, she does play so lovely! You must be quite proud of her!" The King said with a bow and a flourish as Velocity left. "She is nice." she noted to Harlequin. "It's a good thing she has such speed, with all she seems to do, otherwise she'd be always running out of time. Her whole family always seems to have plenty of it though." She grinned before continuing inside the building, not wanting to stay outside too long, as her dress was not built for the winter cold, it was simply made to look pretty. If her Harlequin wanted to stay behind, that was his perogative, she was cold. The price of fashion, alas.

 

As she entered the lobby, she carefully- but with all the presence and force of a queen, unwilling to be deterred- made her way over to Gaian Knight with a smile.

 

"Ser Knight, a pleasure to meet you. I am the Third King Cole." and if the Harlequin had followed her she let him introduce himself. "Thank you for your stablework. I should have informed you beforehand but that would have ruined the surprise. The horses will return to their ferret form later, but for now it is nice they won't be getting too cold, it is a bit ghastly out there." She said, smiling up at him cheerfully.

[Poncho]

(Golden Star, with Puma, Ghost, Blackstaff and Lark)

 

"We're doing great. Even if that troublemaker on your floor seems to have upstaged our entrance." he said with the slightest tinge of annoyance. He should have thought of a horse drawn carriage. But it's not like he could make it snow. He was forced to admit his star descending from the heavens bit was upstaged by an actual horse drawn carriage. But he was all smiles to Ghost, Blackstaff, and Lark.

 

"Ghost, I know you were around last year but I don't think we talked much. I suppose it'd be a bit too obvious to say thank you for the times you've saved my family while I was growing up, but still, thank you for doing so; and thank you for welcoming us. Don't worry, I'd never try to sneak a drink at a Freedom League party..." he looked at Carmen and then back at Ghost and smiled. "Not the least of which because I think The Patriot would arrest me herself for breaking the law and never let me see Puma again." he took the elder's hand with a firm grip before looking to Blackstaff and Lark.

 

"Blackstaff! I haven't seen you since that whole issue with the swamp and the cursed treasure. I see you've managed to reassert your coorrect gender presentation." he said cheerfully. "How long were you trapped as a woman exactly after that spell exploded in your face?" he asked. "I don't know if you know, but it just so happens right after that, a Nintendo 64 I picked up from that cave sucked me and a couple of other students into it. I got blown up by by a tank, it was quite a rude awakening about messing with forces outside of my control." he shrugged.

 

"And this is La Puma Negra. She keeps me on track, so to speak."

[Tiffany Korta]

Zhenshchina-voin

Just coming around the Limo

 

"Малыши-супергерои! And what a cute little bunch we have this year!" the voice shifted from Moskov Russian to almost as incomprehensible Yorkshire

 

The owner of the voice was an athletic woman who towered over most at seven feet. She was dressed appropriately in a sparkly dress and had her hair done up in an elaborate manner.

 

"I am Zhenshchina-voin, though Klara will do. I'm not as famous as some here..." she gave a wave and smile at Velocity "...but some of you might have learned of my exploits long ago! Or the team that no one ever remembers, such is my lot in life!" she gave a little mock swoon, enjoying the attention of the teens. Even though it was a long time ago, she remembered just what it was like to be a teen.

 

"Now does anyone want to show a very old lady the way to the food tables? You can all regale me with tales of your exploits this year!"

[Fox]

Gaian Knight

lobby

 

The Gaian Knight chuckled, glancing back out toward the front doors. "We would have appreciated the heads-up, surprise or no, but if we couldn't handle a surprise or two we wouldn't last long here. After yours and Valkyrja's I just hope we don't get too many more - we'll run out of lawn space eventually!" He chuckled again at that but only seemed to be half-joking when adding, "I suppose I could put another level or two on it, but then their building might get nicer than ours...."

 

He shrugged. "All the same - it's a pleasure to meet you, King Cole, surprise horses and all! We hope you enjoy the party."

[Dracostern]

Cerebral

 

Iris froze as soon as she saw Velocity make her way over. The young psychic was nervous, this was the first time she had ever properly interacted with a member of the Freedom League after all! She would take a deep breath and try to calm down before turning to the Speedster and nodding her head politely. "Greetings Ms Velocity. My name is indeed Iris, it's a pleasure to meet you and happy holidays!" Nailed it! Before she could move or say anything else, she hard another sound from behind her and turned to spot a giant seven foot tall lady in a fancy dress.

"Happy Holidays Ms er..." She could not pronouce that made at all. "...Vion? I hope this season is a blessing to you." 

[Spacefurry]

Seraphim (near entrance with Claremont students & Velocity)

 

Sarah bit back a noise of surprise at Velocity’s sudden appearance, although she couldn’t hide the nearly jumping from it as well.

 

She watched as the well known speedster greeted her daughter and Mattie. Sarah was more than a little star struck. And when Velocity addressed the rest of them, by name no less, poor Sarah’s cheeks could hardly get much redder.

When she opened her mouth to reply only a little squeak came out, leading to her slapping her hands over her mouth in embarrassment and just nodded an affirmative.

 

Good lord she was acting like a complete idiot she thought to herself and wished she had shrinking powers right now. Everyone else seemed to be able to find their voice, why couldn’t she. If she couldn’t handle even one real hero, what would she do in a whole building full of them.

 

Maybe it wasn’t too late to go back to the school. If she asked nicely maybe she could get a ride in the limo? Or maybe she should just fly back alone.