ic Deck the Halls! [Open]

[Tiffany Korta]

The Traveller

With the other Praetorians

<"Look a lot like the old Imperial Palace back..."> Sitara caught herself, this might be the wrong Continent but Earth was home she'd not visited in a very long time <"... Though I feel a little underdressed! Though I guess the happy couple will do all the schmoozing, whilst the rest of us spread the joy on this Winter Festival!">

 

After a few planets, you got to see how one winter festival was much like another. Not that there wasn't a chance to have a good time, it was generally a chance to let your hair down and have a good time. Especially places that allowed some form of alcohol.

 

 

"Do you want me to say hello first or can I hit the bar?" she switch flawlessly from Galsandard to English "I'm guessing the alcohol has changed a lot since the fermented grains of the last time I was here!"

[Tiffany Korta]

Zhenshchina-voin

At the food tables.

Being around so many teens made Klara nostalgic about when she was raising her own daughters, none of her granddaughters were quite old enough to count and bought their own chaotic energies.

 

"It's no Amber Room, but I'll admit that these Americans really know how to put on a show! I'll have a word with Calliope and arrange something, should have done it years ago!"

 

Any further musing were lost with the arrival of Shadowbourne.

 

"Little Shadow! It has been far too long since you last visited! And it's Klara among friends, I'm too old and jaded to worry about secret identities anymore!" she paused and thought for a second before adding "Though for you young heroes a secret identity is a very important thing to have! Always keep some time for yourselves and your family away from the superhero life!"

[Thevshi]

Paradigm (in the main lobby with Star Khan, Traveller, Justicar Vor’an, Artificer and Seresk, as Tiamat excuses herself)

 

Kinarr gave a slight laugh as Tiamat's comment about not starting a fight. "Fear not friend Tiamat, I have not come tonight to seek a fight. And I certainly do not wish to invoke your wrath." He said with a small smile.

 

Amara gave a small nod. "We will be sure to keep him out of trouble."

 

At Sitara’s question, the Naram looked back at her teammate and friend. "Now that we have arrived, you can consider yourself 'off duty.' Besides, in my experience, you tend to do your best 'shmoozing' after you have had a few drinks."

 

"Well, let's see about continuing to build good relations with the Terrans." Kinarr replied. "I believe things went relatively well last time we were here."

 

"Aside from having a Boran warlord follow after you with a battle cruiser and attack part of the city looking to kill you." Vor'an commented in heavily accented English.

 

Kinarr gave a slight shrug. "There was that, but we prevailed and captured Dovox."

 

[Thunder King]

Crimson Tiger

(With Michael)

 

Mali grinned warmly at Michael. "Hey, no problem. I got a lot of help coming up, it's only fair. The more you do the better you get, and the more stories and scars you get. You holding up okay?"

 

She could tell that the kid put a lot of pressure on himself just by looking at him. It wasn't much different from her. She had powered classmates to keep up with, after all.

 

She pulled out a card. "Untraceable number, burner phone. Feel free to text me if you need advice. Except for like....girl trouble." She shrugged. "I've never had any luck in the romance department." Before she made her way into the room, she turned back.

 

"Also if any of the new crop wanna learn how to throw a punch better, lemme know." With that, she strolled into the rest of the area.

[Lone_Star]

On 12/11/2024 at 3:28 AM, Spacefurry said:

Paper (entrance with Young Guardians and Velocity)

 

Leon smiled at Velocity as the hero greeted the group.

“Nailed it in one.”

He nodded.

“They were great kids. Neko’s already up stairs, and I’ll be heading up there myself once we’ve sufficiently awed the masses.”

He gave her a quick wink and a grin.

“The Young Guardians are a name to remember.”

 

Ghule

 

"Damn right," Vik said under her breath in a quiet voice so only Leon would hear, and subtly held out her hand for a high-five. Leon gets it. 

 

On 12/13/2024 at 12:57 PM, RocketLord said:

The STORMCROW (by Velocity with the Young Guardians)

 

"Thank you, it's great to hear that even the League has been hearing about us," Charlie responds to Velocity, after making sure to wait and let the others have a chance to respond. They're a team, and he don't want anyone to think that he's speaking on their behalf. 

 

He's smiling broadly. But there's still that feeling. Someone looking at him, and not just in the sense of being impressed by their appearance. He glances around briefly, and, there... Is that Miracle Girl? They'd worked together briefly, meeting her alongside Terrifica. He nods at her once. Maybe there'll be a chance to talk later.

 

"We should let Velocity do her thing, everyone! Thank you for having us, Megan. C'mon, let's go have some fun!" 

 

It feels weird to call one of his heroes by her name, but he has gotten used to it with Alek, so why not?

 

So, moving on, into the party. Let's see if they can keep from getting into trouble.

 

"So, what do you think everyone? Everything looking alright?"

 

"Wow, that's really crazy that the freakin' League knows about us," Vik said as she walked with her fellow Guardians. "And dude, you know Velocity on a first-name basis! How wild is that?!" Vik said as she looked around the room. The major movers and shakers of the superheroic community all under one roof for one night! If she had a collar, she surely would have popped it. She was ready to schmooze with the best that Freedom City had to offer, and she looked damn good doing it. 

 

"This is really awesome. Thanks for...I dunno. Taking me under your wing, all of you. No pun intended, of course. I'd still be fighting small-time punks if it weren't for you guys."

 

On 12/15/2024 at 2:42 PM, Heritage said:

Miracle Girl

 

A blue gloved hand suddenly rests on Charlie's arm, as sudden as an editing glitch but with just the lightest pressure; it's shocking how fast Casey can move if she really wants to. The athletic young woman who appears next to Stormcrow smiles warmly, and it's a sight to see.

 

"Hi! I'm sorry to interrupt, but I just wanted to say hi before you, y'know, disappeared into the throng. We met through Terrifica a few years back, but I think you might have adopted a new handle since then."

 

She then turned to the rest of the Young Guardians and nodded.

 

"Hi, I'm Miracle Girl. Nice to meet you all." Her accent placed her somewhere out West, a slight lilt that suggested the Great Plains or the Rockies.

 

Vik's expression was very confused for a moment - you could almost read the "?" on her face, but it seemed that Charlie knew who she was. "Hey, Miracle Girl. I'm Ghule. The Zombie Queen as some know me," she said, extending a hand. 

 

"New handle?" she asked Charlie, amused. "So you weren't always Stormcrow? What were you before: The Chickadee? The Sparrow? Oooh, what about The Cardinal? Nice religious theme with that," she quipped, with a s###-eating grin on her face. 

 

11 hours ago, Spacefurry said:

Suddenly there was a girl standing beside Charlie. She seemed to know their fearless leader already, but was polite enough to introduce herself to the rest of them.

Leon smiled and gave Miracle-Girl a nod.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I'm Paper, but you can call me Leon.”

He slapped Charlie on the back.

“You gotta quite keepin all the cuties for yourself. You already have Berni, isn’t that enough?”

 

"Pffft" Vik snorted. She extended a hand behind her back for another high-five. 

 

[Tiffany Korta]

Revenant

Moving towards the fire

There was a time, Lucy mused, when she was little when the sight of a woman in a suit was scandalous, thankfully time had very much changed! She slipped into the Hall without making a fuss, not really standing out among the suited and booted superheroes. Once she was past the press and fans she removed her sunglasses, revealing her solid coal-black eyes which with her pale white skin made her stand out in most situations.

 

She spotted Ghule and flashed the younger zombie (if such a term could apply) a smile, there were so few undead active that everyone knew, of had heard about everyone else. Except the vampires who kept their own very private council.

 

As Ghule was busy with her fellow teammates Lucy decided to go warm herself by the fire. Well, she never felt the cold, or heat, but still, fire seemed to hold a special fascination to her.

 

"We are drawn to the things that hurt us most!" she mused out loud to herself.

[Poncho]

(Golden Star, with Crimson Tiger, then moving to Velocity)

 

1 hour ago, Thunder King said:

Crimson Tiger

(With Michael)

 

Mali grinned warmly at Michael. "Hey, no problem. I got a lot of help coming up, it's only fair. The more you do the better you get, and the more stories and scars you get. You holding up okay?"

 

She could tell that the kid put a lot of pressure on himself just by looking at him. It wasn't much different from her. She had powered classmates to keep up with, after all.

 

She pulled out a card. "Untraceable number, burner phone. Feel free to text me if you need advice. Except for like....girl trouble." She shrugged. "I've never had any luck in the romance department." Before she made her way into the room, she turned back.

 

"Also if any of the new crop wanna learn how to throw a punch better, lemme know." With that, she strolled into the rest of the area.

 

 

"Oh, yeah, sure. I'm holding up good. Well, as well as can be. You know how it is. Feeling responsible for others, trying to be responsible for yourself, being a teenager and a human and a superhero all at once. You know, it's whatever." he clenched his fist a couple of times and opened it. "I'm getting stronger all the time though, and your training's helping a lot. So I'll manage to get strong enough to protect people, everyone. Maybe I'll even match up to you soon. Well, I probably need a lot more training before I'm really there. But I'm gonna work for it." he said as he took the card.

 

"Don't worry, I don't have any girl trouble. Other than Puma being way stronger and cooler than I am." he said with a slightly lopsided grin- a genuine smile at how much he liked the werecat-. "Compared to her I'm just her glowing gold trophy husband, you know?" he laughed. "So I don't need to worry about any issues in the romance department. But I'll keep you up to date if anyone wants some training; there's a few of them I'm worried about, to be honest...kinda feel like I need to protect them. But I'll make it work." He nodded.

 

"Thank you." he said, waving at her as she left. But that had been his time for there. He had other people to talk to and didn't want to follow Crimson Tiger around like a lost puppy all night. He could talk to Paradigm- he hadn't expected her to show up here, and he was excited for his hopefully upcoming internship-, but he had another thing he'd been practicing for, something he'd been hoping to ask about for awhile. He had told Parker, but he hadn't told anyone else yet, not even Carmen or Sam, and it was pretty important.

 

He decided to go to that first, so he turned his attention onward and waved at Parker as he moved on; he gestured softly towards Velocity, not an invitation, but an acknowledgement to his bash brother that he was about to do it.

 

So he strode up to Velocity with confidence but not arrogance as she was surveying the party, and smiled, trying to remain relaxed even though he felt like his heart was going to burst from his chest.

 

"Velocity. Thank you and the League for throwing a wonderful party again, and inviting us again. We Claremont students don't often get to spend time with the older heroes, and it can mean a lot to us to see the people we look up to up close." he said. He figured she knew that, but he was trying to break the ice a little.

 

"I...I do have something I want to talk to you about though, if you have the time."

[Jack]

Arctus (near food tables with Auntie Klara and Shadowbourne)

 

Jack was stuffing his face contentedly and listening to Klara when a new girl approached them, clearly she was well acquainted with Klara, which immediately put Jack at ease. He was not uncomfortable in social situations, nor was he entirely comfortable either. He swallowed his mouthful and smiled at the newcomer.

 

"Da, am Jack" He said in his thick accent. He extended a large hand in greeting to the one Klara called little Shadow.

[Thevshi]

Velocity (in the main lobby talking with Golden Star)

 

Megan had enjoyed the chance to slow down for a moment, taking a sip of her wine. It was then that one of Lawrence's friends for Claremont (whom she had met at last year’s party) approached. She gave the teenage a warm smile. "Michael, right? Or do you prefer Golden Star?" She asked. 

 

"Oh, you're very welcome, it is always so good to get a chance to meet some of the new heroes as they are staring out on their journey. Of course, right now I clearly have additional reasons to want to get to meet as many of you as I can." She replied, grinning with the last. The speedster had heard about how he had been one of the Claremont students with Lynn when the Nicholson trip to see the youth orchestra had gone sideways. And of course, she knew about the times he had been there with Lawrence and others at the various encounters they had had over the last year.

 

"But you are probably right, even with the connections I have at Claremont right now, I don't get over there often. And it has been a while since I directly helped mentor anyone there." Megan continued, her expression getting a bit more serious.

 

But then a smile came back to her face as Michael mentioned wanting to talk to her about something. "Of course, I have some time for the moment. What can I help you with?"
 

[Heritage]

Miracle Girl

 

Casey shook the offered hands, but her cheeks went a little pink when Leon made his joke about 'cuties'; between her strict conservative upbringing and wholesome superhero image, she never knew how to take compliments or jokes about her attractiveness. 

 

"And you can call me, uh, Casey," she offered the group with a nervous smile.  She then looked a bit more serious as she addressed the team leader directly. "Charlie, when you have a minute, either now or later, could we talk privately?" Then she turned to Multi-Girl, looking slightly bashful. "You could join us, too, Bernie, if you want; it's nothing like that."

[Poncho]

(Golden Star, with Velocity)

 

"You can call me Michael. It's a bit weird maybe, but given how much time I spend with Lawrence I think it's fine. I can call you Velocity or Mrs. Harrow, whichever you'd prefer." He responded.

 

"And don't worry, I'm watching out for Lynn. I know she probably doesn't really need it, she has Lawrence, and you, and neither of you need help, but he's my friend, so I'll keep his little sister safe if she needs it; same way I'd trust him to look out for my little brother if I needed to. So long as it's in my ability to do so, anything that wants to hurt your kids is going to have to go through me first." He said confidently. He was reasonable in observing they probably didn't need it; Lawrence especially was much more likely to protect him then vice-versa, but he was still going to say it.

 

"I know being a hero keeps you busy though, I think that's why my mom has stepped up with the Claremont PTA so much. She sees it as paying back you and all the other hero parents for everything you do by taking care of what 'little' she can. We do appreciate it as students whenever any adult Hero can come by for extra lessons, but we also appreciate you're all very busy." He smiled. 

 

Then came the big moment. He rubbed the wrists of his suit momentarily, took a steadying breath. He was using his speed to do it, but Velocity was so much faster that didn't mean much. Even Michael Adon got nervous, after all.

 

"Velocity. After I graduate Claremont, I want to apply to join the Freedom League, directly out of High school." He said, looking her in the eyes. They were resolute and determined, refusing to back down, and his voice didn't waver, no matter if his actions had displayed there was a nervousness to him.

[Heritage]

Grimalkin 

 

"Have a wonderful time tonight, Lynn," Grim said with a warm smile."Enjoy yourself." As the transdimensional refugee wandered off to find her friends, the changeling sighed and then clapped her hands together. "Okay, I've got a boyfriend to find!"

 

- - - -

 

There is a cliche, often seen in romantic comedies and sitcoms, of the nosy girlfriend popping up next to her boyfriend at the worst possible time, usually when he's talking to an attractive woman. Said boyfriend proceeds to stammer and possibly trip over some furniture in a hasty attempt to explain 'it's not what it seems!"

 

One might think that having a girlfriend like Lynn Epstein, a beautiful shapeshifter who's can turn invisible and move as quiet as a shadow, would make her relationship with Casper Church this cliche on steroids, but thankfully it was not, for two important reasons. One, Lynn was (for better or worse) supremely self-confident in her ability to keep a man, and was therefore not the jealous type. But more importantly, she knew Casper's heart; this was a man who loved deeply, and would never act in a way that would disappoint his daughter, the light of his life.

 

All of which is to say that when Grimalkin suddenly appeared next to Ghost while he was chatting with Gauss, he didn't jump or start in alarm; he was actually getting used to it. And Grim in turn did not act catty or sarcastic when speaking with the young magnetokinetic in the ugly Christmas sweater.

 

"Aha, I found you! Hi, hon!" She leaned in to give him a playful peck on the cheek before turning and offering a firm handshake to the new arrival. "Hi, I'm Grimalkin, Mistress of Mystery; nice to meet you!" Noticing the two bottles Ghost was holding, she turned to Gauss and smiled with delight. "Ooh, did you bring fun booze?"

Edited Tuesday at 06:02 AM by Heritage

[Thevshi]

Slipstream (by the food with Bounce, Arctus, Seraphim, Prime Mover, Zhenshchina-voin, Shadowborne, Stormchild , La Puma Negra, Cerebral and Cerebellum and others)

 

A sense of peace had settled over Lynn made her way over to where the food was. Meeting the Lynn Epstein of this timeline had gone well, even if it had been a bit emotional, she was everything sixteen-year-old had ever heard, and more. The blonde teen was easily able to spot Jack over the crowd, as well as Zhenshchina-voin whom he was still speaking with. She had wiped away the tears after her conversation with Grimalkin, only a slight bit of redness on her checks any indication of them. As she moved through the crowd, she found that the group around her friends to have grown, with a redheaded young woman over near Klara and Jack and Kadene sitting near Sarah.

 

"Looks like you all were successful in finding food." Lynn stated as she moved over near Mattie and Owen.

 

As he was speaking with Klara and Shadowborne, Jack heard a familiar young voice call out over the general noise of the crowd. "There's Jack!"

 

Turning toward the sound, Jack spotted Madison and Mary moving quickly over toward him through the crowd. The ten-year-old twins were wearing mirror Christmas themed dresses, one in a green dress with red Christmas decorations, the other a red dress with green decorations. Reaching the tall Claremont student, the two girls wrapped their arms around his waist to hug him. "Happy holidays Jack!" They said in unison.

 

The two girls then looked over to spot Lynn and Sarah nearby, their faces lighting up as they saw pair. "Lynn!" "Sarah!" They cried out, running over to hug each of the two girls in turn, wishing them happy holidays as well. 

 

Lynn did not seem particularly surprised by the presence of the two girls, but she did seem slightly uneasy, although she returned their hugs with a faint smile.

 

As the girls finished greeting Lynn and Sarah they looked at some of the other Claremont students nearby, wide smiles on their faces. "Hi, I'm Mary." "I'm Madison." They said in greeting. "Are you Jack, Lynn and Sarah's friends?" "Do you go to Claremont too?"

 

"Girls, what have I told you about just running off like that." Stated a new figure that approached the group from the crowd. It was a woman, about five foot eight inches tall, wearing a dark blue dress with a red jacket. She had black hair, although several streaks of grey were visible. Her age was not easy to immediately determine, she appeared to be in her late forties, or perhaps her early to mid-fifties. But looking at her brown eyes, she seemed possibly older, and there was something about her that seemed almost familiar to several of the gathered teens.

 

"Mom, these are the Claremont students we told you about." Stated Madison. "Jack, Lynn and Sarah." Mary continued, indicating each of the teens. Lynn was looking at the woman with what appeared to be a look of surprise and recognition on her face.

 

"Ah, I have heard so much about each of you." The woman stated with a warm smile, looking at the teens. "It is so good to meet you. I'm Beth. Although, I expect you would know me better by the name I went by when I was still part of the League, Lady Liberty."
 

[The Sailor]

Torpedo Lass (Leaving party and thread)

 

Her phone rings suddenly just as things were about to get going, it was a text message.

 

"Crud... distress call... I'm answering this one."

 

Mizuki starts to head out. "If I get done quick I'll be back later. Otherwise hold that thought."

 

She was pained, obviously, duty or this... she chose duty. She heads off through the crowd out a back way.

[Spacefurry]

Seraphim (table with Owen, Mattie, Kadene, Lynn, Madison and Mary, and Beth(Lady Liberty))

 

Sarah was prepared to sit and watch the others have fun and mingle.

 

Quote

Prime Mover

 

"Hey, Sarah, right? Are you okay?" 

 

Owen’s sudden question surprised her and she sat up a little straighter. She gave Owen a nod and forced a smile.

“Of course I am. Why wouldn’t I be?”

She prompted with what she hoped was confidence, but Kadene’s abrupt appearance on her other side quickly saw that facade rendered useless.

 

Quote

Stormchild

 

She sat next to Sarah all of a sudden. "Not one for parties, are you? I can't say the same. I can say that my brother and I are probably the most homesick people in the room. We don't have Christmas in Aquivan, not the way you all do. So all this?" She gestured at the whole party. "Just a reminder of how we don't belong here. And I can't even get drunk about it, track down the nearest strapping lad, and give us both a night to remember. I'm supposed to be outlaw scum, and here I am working a real job instead of plundering whatever we need."

 

Sarah looked away from the pirate girl and down at her plate. At first to hide her discomfort with just how on point the other girl was, then in an attempt to hide the flush of her cheeks as Kadene casually talks about hooking up with someone just for fun.

“I-, that is-, I couldn’t-.”

Sarah stammers before she drops her fork and covers her face in embarrassment.

 

Quote

She sighed. "My point was," she said like someone who realized she'd gotten off track, "I get how you feel."

 

Sarah finally manages to look up again. Her cheeks are still red as she regards Kadene, she looks back at Owen and Mattie briefly, then back to her plate. Hands in her lap she looks mournful.

“I’m sorry, I thought I could do this. But I’m just ruining the night before it even starts.”

She echoes Kadene’s sigh from a moment ago.

“I suppose I miss my old friends.”

Sarah looks up at the others in a panic.

“Ah, I mean, not that you haven’t been friendly and all. I just- miss them, my old friends. And, sometimes I wonder if I should be here, at Claremont. I don’t know if I can be a hero. I really just hope I can learn to better control these powers.”

She finishes soberly as she wipes her eyes.

 

She doesn’t even notice Lynn rejoining the group at first. And it isn’t until two little voices call out to them that Sarah looks around to spot the twins.

“Girls!”

She manages to smile for the two as she returns their hugs.

“You two look adorable.”

 

10 hours ago, Thevshi said:

Slipstream

 

"Ah, I have heard so much about each of you." The woman stated with a warm smile, looking at the teens. "It is so good to meet you. I'm Beth. Although, I expect you would know me better by the name I went by when I was still part of the League, Lady Liberty."

 

When the older woman approaches, Sarah offers the woman a smile.

“It’s okay, ma’am, they’re no trouble.”

She offers as the twins introduce them to their mother.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you Be-”

Sarah starts as she stands and holds out her hand, until the significance of the woman’s introduction clicks.

“L-lady Liber-..”

She stammers again, eyes wide with shock and cheeks red with embarrassment… again. This was becoming an unfortunate habit.

[EternalPhoenix]

Stormchild (at the table with Sarah, Owen, Mattie, and look there's a lot okay?)

 

Kadene threw an arm over Sarah's shoulders and squeezed reassuringly before releasing her. "Mon ami, go at your own pace. Rule One of Aquivan Piracy. Do as thou wilt. Rule Two? And not what you don't. You miss your old life. So do I. It is permitted. Be a hero, or don't. Decide for yourself who you are and what you will do." For a moment her cheerful mien dropped, and there was steel under there. Sad, homesick steel. But it was only for a moment. "But there is food to eat, new friends to spend time with, and new people to meet." She laughed at Mary and Madison's energetic approach. 

 

"Hello, girls." Her grin was fierce with a hint of mischief. "Kadene Estime, First Mate of the Luckstorm Pirates. I'm Sarah's classmate. Unfortunately, she's feeling a bit sad tonight. What do you say we cheer her up, aye?" Kadene was on the shortlist of people here who had no idea who Lady Liberty was, and might well be the only one who wouldn't care if she did. "Mademoiselle Beth, a pleasure to meet you. Are these charming young ladies yours?"

[Spacefurry]

Paper (entering Hall with Young Guardians and Miracle Girl, heading towards food tables)

 

Leon wasn’t one to leave a friend hanging and happily returned Vik’s high-fives.

 

He pats Charlie’s shoulder and smirks.

“Be gentle with him.”

He teases Casey.

“Promise you’ll bring him back before he turns into a pumpkin.”

 

Leon chuckles and glances at Vik.

“Come on, let's hit up the buffet. I wanna grab a bite before I head upstairs.”

He nods towards the food tables and starts towards them.

 

“Can you believe he used to go by the name Nevermore? How emo is that?”

He told Vik to answer her earlier question.

Edited Tuesday at 09:18 PM by Spacefurry

[RocketLord]

The STORMCROW (by Miracle Girl, moving inside with the Young Guardians)

 

"Don't worry, Leon, I'll sure you'll get to pet your kitty later," Charlie shoots back at Leon with a smirk, before returning his attention to Casey.

 

"Sure, I got a moment. I think we're mostly breaking up for now, anyway." Muirne went to talk with some of her old Vanguard teammates, Leon has his thing with Neko... he should be sure to stick around Vik, though. And Bernie, of course.

 

Still, he isn't sure what Miracle Girl actually wants from him. He honestly haven't thought much about her since that team up. It's got him curious, and the others know what that gets him like.

 

"You coming, Bernie? Or do you want to hang out with the others? I can always find you."

[RocketLord]

GHOST (Outside by Gauss and Grimalkin)

 

Casper's almost gotten used to Grim popping up like that, just showing up from out of nowhere.

 

"She sure did," Ghost responds, holding up the two bottles. "I was just about to get them back to the table."

 

At least the flow of newcomers seem to be slowing a bit now, so maybe it's time to actually join the party and be social? Honestly, he wouldn't mind just slipping out of there, but, ugh, responsibilities.

 

"You two want to get inside? Party's probably getting started."

[RocketLord]

BOUNCE! (by the catering tables with Slipstream, Arctus, Seraphim, Prime Mover, Zhenshchina-voin, Shadowborne, Stormchild , La Puma Negra, Cerebral and Cerebellum and others)

 

With Lynn joining them again, Mattie quickly hands her a plate, filled with everything that she's figured to be her favorites. "Hey Lynn! How'd your thing go? Everything alright?"

 

She's distracted before she can ask more with the arrival of the twins, though.

 

"Aw, aren't you two adorable!" Mattie says as the two twin girls. She haven't forgotten about Lynn or Sarah, but Kadene is talking with Sarah, and Lynn seems to be fine and omigosh those girls are just adorable. "We sure do go to Claremont! I'm Mattie, I'm Lynn's roomate! We're the best of friends!" 

 

She turns to the woman as she approaches. She's just about to compliment her on her adorable daughters, when she introduces herself, and Mattie's jaw almost literally drops to the floor. She's not a big hero fangirl or anything, but... that's Lady Liberty. She's always loved Lady Liberty! Stretching an arm over to Owen, she quickly grabs hold on his shoulder and gently pulls him closer. "Owen! I've found out who we should ask for an autograph first!" she tries to whisper, though she fails spectacularly, her voice easily heard by everyone around her, including the former Lady Liberty. 

[Lone_Star]

4 hours ago, Spacefurry said:

Paper (entering Hall with Young Guardians and Miracle Girl, heading towards food tables)

 

Leon wasn’t one to leave a friend hanging and happily returned Vik’s high-fives.

 

He pats Charlie’s shoulder and smirks.

“Be gentle with him.”

He teases Casey.

“Promise you’ll bring him back before he turns into a pumpkin.”

 

Leon chuckles and glances at Vik and Muirne.

“Come on, let's hit up the buffet. I wanna grab a bite before I head upstairs.”

He nods towards the food tables and starts towards them.

 

“Can you believe he used to go by the name Nevermore? How emo is that?”

He told Vik to answer her earlier question.

 

Ghule (moving towards Revenant near the fire)

 

Vik looked towards Revenant, who was standing near the fire. "Hah, well...it's not too bad. Poe is pretty cool stuff." She couldn't give Charlie too hard of a time...

 

"Hey Leon, cool if I catch up with you in a little bit? Save some pork roast for me. I have someone I need to meet first." 

 

19 hours ago, Tiffany Korta said:

Revenant

Moving towards the fire

There was a time, Lucy mused, when she was little when the sight of a woman in a suit was scandalous, thankfully time had very much changed! She slipped into the Hall without making a fuss, not really standing out among the suited and booted superheroes. Once she was past the press and fans she removed her sunglasses, revealing her solid coal-black eyes which with her pale white skin made her stand out in most situations.

 

She spotted Ghule and flashed the younger zombie (if such a term could apply) a smile, there were so few undead active that everyone knew, of had heard about everyone else. Except the vampires who kept their own very private council.

 

As Ghule was busy with her fellow teammates Lucy decided to go warm herself by the fire. Well, she never felt the cold, or heat, but still, fire seemed to hold a special fascination to her.

 

"We are drawn to the things that hurt us most!" she mused out loud to herself.

 

"I was wondering when I'd get to meet you," Vik said, sidling up closer to Revenant. "And you're right. But it's the things that hurt us that always bring us back for more." She warmed her hands by the fire. It felt good. Vik was still capable of feeling, tasting, and experiencing things in the same way her living teammates did, but it felt muted, like she was experiencing a simulation of it. 

 

"So. You're the other 'Friend of Romero' in Freedom City? There aren't many of us here." She looked over at Revenant, as if sizing her up. "But it's good to know I'm not alone here. I've heard of you, Revenant. I'm Vik, or Ghule. The Zombie Queen, at times," she said with a grin. 

 

 

[Lone_Star]

6 hours ago, Spacefurry said:

Owen’s sudden question surprised her and she sat up a little straighter. She gave Owen a nod and forced a smile.

“Of course I am. Why wouldn’t I be?”

She prompted with what she hoped was confidence, but Kadene’s abrupt appearance on her other side quickly saw that facade rendered useless.

 

Sarah finally manages to look up again. Her cheeks are still red as she regards Kadene, she looks back at Owen and Mattie briefly, then back to her plate. Hands in her lap she looks mournful.

“I’m sorry, I thought I could do this. But I’m just ruining the night before it even starts.”

She echoes Kadene’s sigh from a moment ago.

“I suppose I miss my old friends.”

Sarah looks up at the others in a panic.

“Ah, I mean, not that you haven’t been friendly and all. I just- miss them, my old friends. And, sometimes I wonder if I should be here, at Claremont. I don’t know if I can be a hero. I really just hope I can learn to better control these powers.”

She finishes soberly as she wipes her eyes.

 

 

Prime Mover

 

"Oh, Sarah, I just...oh, geez. I'm just making things worse, aren't I. You're with the Claremont Academy, and that means that no one gets left behind. I think we're all thinkin' that, one way or another," he said, trying to make sure he didn't embarrass her any more than he already did. Me and my big mouth!

 

"But I definitely get what yer sayin' with controlling your powers. The first time I used my powers, I blew up the family tractor! I sure tipped over the apple cart that day," he said with a big smile. "So don't worry! You're doing just fine."

 

17 hours ago, Thevshi said:

As the girls finished greeting Lynn and Sarah they looked at some of the other Claremont students nearby, wide smiles on their faces. "Hi, I'm Mary." "I'm Madison." They said in greeting. "Are you Jack, Lynn and Sarah's friends?" "Do you go to Claremont too?"

 

"Girls, what have I told you about just running off like that." Stated a new figure that approached the group from the crowd. It was a woman, about five foot eight inches tall, wearing a dark blue dress with a red jacket. She had black hair, although several streaks of grey were visible. Her age was not easy to immediately determine, she appeared to be in her late forties, or perhaps her early to mid-fifties. But looking at her brown eyes, she seemed possibly older, and there was something about her that seemed almost familiar to several of the gathered teens.

 

"Mom, these are the Claremont students we told you about." Stated Madison. "Jack, Lynn and Sarah." Mary continued, indicating each of the teens. Lynn was looking at the woman with what appeared to be a look of surprise and recognition on her face.

 

"Ah, I have heard so much about each of you." The woman stated with a warm smile, looking at the teens. "It is so good to meet you. I'm Beth. Although, I expect you would know me better by the name I went by when I was still part of the League, Lady Liberty."
 

 

Owen smiled as the girls ran around the table, excited to see their friends. "Yep, I'm Owen, also known as Prime Mover." He thought about demonstrating his abilities, but thought better of it. Somehow, he figured that breaking dishes would be somewhat of a faux pas at Freedom Hall. Besides, he just finished talking to Sarah about how he couldn't control his powers either...

 

As the girl's mother walked up to their table, Owen knew who she was before she introduced herself. His jaw fell to the floor as he was now in the presence of a living legend. "L-lady Liberty?!" he blurted out. 

 

2 hours ago, RocketLord said:

BOUNCE! (by the catering tables with Slipstream, Arctus, Seraphim, Prime Mover, Zhenshchina-voin, Shadowborne, Stormchild , La Puma Negra, Cerebral and Cerebellum and others)

 

With Lynn joining them again, Mattie quickly hands her a plate, filled with everything that she's figured to be her favorites. "Hey Lynn! How'd your thing go? Everything alright?"

 

She's distracted before she can ask more with the arrival of the twins, though.

 

"Aw, aren't you two adorable!" Mattie says as the two twin girls. She haven't forgotten about Lynn or Sarah, but Kadene is talking with Sarah, and Lynn seems to be fine and omigosh those girls are just adorable. "We sure do go to Claremont! I'm Mattie, I'm Lynn's roomate! We're the best of friends!" 

 

She turns to the woman as she approaches. She's just about to compliment her on her adorable daughters, when she introduces herself, and Mattie's jaw almost literally drops to the floor. She's not a big hero fangirl or anything, but... that's Lady Liberty. She's always loved Lady Liberty! Stretching an arm over to Owen, she quickly grabs hold on his shoulder and gently pulls him closer. "Owen! I've found out who we should ask for an autograph first!" she tries to whisper, though she fails spectacularly, her voice easily heard by everyone around her, including the former Lady Liberty. 

 

Lynn's buoyant personality brought him back to reality, as well as her stretchy arm. C'mon Owen, pick your jaw up off the ground and say something!

 

"Uhh. Miss Liberty, I mean...Lady Liberty. My friend and I are just honored to be here, in your presence an' all..." he said, trailing off as he ran out of material. "But what we really want to ask is," he sputtered, looking over at Lynn. "Could we have your autograph?!" Owen said too loudly. His life flashed before his eyes as he realized that was probably the most embarrassing thing he had ever done. He knew this would be one of those moments he would look back with regret as he lay on his deathbed, thinking about the regrets of his life. He knew they were just going to eject him from the party, or worse! That Lady Liberty would laugh in his face. 

 

"...oh heck."

 

 

[Thevshi]

Timeout (Departing with Torpedo Lass II)

 

Lawrence had just been about to say something more about the Praetorians when Mizuki got a text message and looked at her phone. He could see that there was a hesitation on her part as she seemed torn between possible decisions, but then she indicated she need to go respond to some distress call.

 

The blond teen only hesitated a moment before her turned back to the others. "Hey, I am going to stay with Mizuki. If you feel you need introduction to the Praetorians, I am sure my mom would be happy to make it. Maybe we will catch back up, otherwise, have a great time." He said before turning a moving after Mizuki.

 

By the time he caught up with her, his suit had disappeared in a temporal blur and he was in the yellow and blue Claremont training uniform. "Hey, wait up." He said, moving up next to his girlfriend. "So….where are we going?" He asked, holding out his hand as he prepared to teleport them to wherever it was Mizuki was needed.
 

[The Sailor]

Torpedo Lass

 

"Devon's Beach, 1 mile south of Lonely point. Good spot for me to change and it's empty. How good are you with GPS coordinates?"

 

She shows Timeout the spot on her phone. "At the very least you can play spotter... I'll fill you in on site."

 

He forms the portal open right to the beach and the open ocean beyond. "Someone needs a Christmas miracle tonight." She said as she steps through, Lawrence behind her.

[Thevshi]

Multi-Girl (Her and a duplicate moving further into the party)

 

Bernadette rolled her eyes slightly as Leon and Vik (well, mainly Leon) continued to rib Charlie. When Casey asked to speak with Charlie alone, the redhead seemed unbothered, even as Casey indicated it was alright if she joined them as well, seemingly a bit uncomfortable at the turn of the conversation. 

 

"No, it's fine Casey, thank you though." The Irish young woman replied with a smile. "Part o' the deal. I learned pretty quick at Claremont that some people just have secrets they want ta kept, an' better not ta pry. Charlie's the nosy one when it comes ta that." She stated, giving her boyfriend a slight nudge with an elbow.

 

Looking over to Charlie, Bernadette added. "We'll take the opportunity ta do some netwokin'." As she spoke, there was suddenly an identical duplicate of the redhead standing next to her, a similar grin on her face. "Nice ta have met you, Casey." Stated the duplicate. "Maybe we will be able ta talk more later."

 

As they started further into the party, one of the Bernadettes called back, "who knows, maybe by the time you catch up, one o' us will be waitin' under a mistletoe."

 

"Maybe both o' us." Add the other.