ic The Pirate Cove (IC)

[Thevshi]

Midtown
Freedom City, New Jersey
Friday January 10, 2025. 7:30 PM

 

Lynn Conners guided the grey BMW iX electric SUV she was driving through the somewhat busy Friday night traffic of Midtown. The blonde teen was thankful that the snow that had fallen earlier in the week was gone from the streets, even as traces of it could be seen around the city. Inside the vehicle with her were Jack Davydov, Owen Akerlund and Kadene Estime, the four teens out on a double date for the evening.

 

"This would have been so much quicker if we had a flying car." Lynn stated with a hint of a smile. "Could have avoided all this traffic and been there already." 

 

Even as the teenage speedster spoke, she pulled into the parking garage located a couple of blocks from the seafood restaurant where the four teens had a reservation for dinner. With the night air still a bit below freezing, Lynn was dressed for the weather, wearing a pair of dark, form fitting jeans, a soft red sweater and a pair of warm boots. She had a winter jacket as well, but it was folded up on the console beside her for the moment, as the inside of the SUV was a comfortable temperature.

 

Overall, the blonde teen had seemed in a generally better mood so far this evening that was normal. After the Freedom League’s Holiday Party, Claremont's winter break had begun. While Lynn's adopted parents and brother had gone to England for the holidays, Lynn had gone with her maternal grandparents from this timeline on a ski trip to the Italian Alps and then down to Venice to spend some time with them. With classes having started back up earlier this week, this was her and Jack's first outing after they decided to start dating (as opposed to having just gone on some dates back in the fall), so there was certainly amount of excitement and nervous energy behind the blonde’s outwardly collected demeanor.
 

[Lone_Star]

Prime Mover

 

"Definitely agree with you there, but sometimes it's okay to just pretend we aren't superheroes for a bit." Owen said with a small smile. He was sitting in the back next to Kadene, and glanced over at her for the tenth time since he got in the car. He was on top of the world. A double date with two of his good friends from school, including his best bro, Jack. Not to mention his beautiful date - Owen gently squeezed her hand as if to check if it was a dream. After working up the courage to ask her out at the Christmas party, their impending date had been a source of both dread and excitement for a few weeks now, but everything felt very relaxed now that he was here. He blushed a little thinking about her quick kiss: his first ever. 

 

Owen was dressed in pleated grey slacks, a long-sleeve blue buttoned shirt, and a dark grey sweater over that. He also wore his favorite pair of fleece-lined boots, which were slightly worn, but broken in very comfortably. "Do you all eat a lot of seafood? We got some up in Badger's Bluff, but my town was pretty well land-locked. Although we did get some fresh perch and walleye from Lake Winsatek...made for a good fish fry. I just went back to see my folks last week, actually." He paused for a moment, looking out the window. It wasn't easy to go back home, not after he had been gone for several months. Everyone was happy to see him, and he caught up with some friends from his old school, but the journey home was bittersweet at best. Having made such close ties with his community, it felt harder to come back to Freedom City after his winter break than it felt leaving in the first place. But there were new adventures to be had here, and he was okay with that.

[EternalPhoenix]

Stormchild

 

"My winds could have carried it. Does that count?" Kadene was uncharacteristically snappish. She didn't like automobiles of any variety, and it had taken Owen promising to help her tear the "wretched mechanical beast" apart if it misbehaved (he knew that it wouldn't, obviously, not being alive) to get her inside of it. Everyone in the car knew of her discomfort from that minor scene, and hopefully wouldn't hold her frayed temperament against her.

 

She had not been sharing Owen's dread and excitement about the date. Part of that was that she'd been gone all winter break, at sea. The Luckstorm Pirates had sailed south for their break in search of warmer weather, and returned (characteristically enough) at the last possible minute. So yes, about a week after agreeing to date him, she disappeared for two more. But of course, he too had gone away. So it evened out. He took her hand. She remembered his promise, and decided to be a little nicer. "Owen, I'm from a port town on an island in what you call the Caribbean. And I spent a year sailing under pirate colors. I guarantee I've eaten more seafood than the three of you combined." This last was said with a smile and that familiar teasing lilt to her vision. A challenge to prove her wrong. 

[Jack]

Jack shifted his massive frame in the passenger seat, feeling like a bear trying to squeeze into a shoebox despite the SUV's generous proportions. His knees nearly touched the dashboard even with the seat pushed all the way back. The cold outside didn't bother him - his connection to the polar bear spirit kept him naturally warm - but he wore a sleeveless hoodie anyway over his bare chest and shorts for appearances.

 

He twisted sideways, attempting to find a more comfortable position. His hand brushed against Lynn's thigh as he adjusted, sending a slight chill through the fabric of her jeans from his naturally cold touch. He let his fingers linger a second longer then proper for an accident before letting his hand rest on the center console between them, close enough to feel her warmth.

 

Catching Lynn's eye, he gave her a knowing smile, his white hair falling slightly over one eye. The bear spirit inside him rumbled contentedly, picking up on his happiness at being near her. The cramped space seemed less confining with Lynn beside him, her presence making everything feel more right somehow.

 

Jack couldn't help stealing glances at Lynn as she navigated the BMW through traffic. The weeks apart during winter break had felt longer than he'd expected. Sure, phone calls helped, but they weren't the same as being able to catch her scent or feel the warmth of her presence next to him. His bear spirit had grown restless during their separation, pacing in his mind like a caged animal.

 

The time at home with his parents had been... complicated. His mother's careful questions about school always seemed to dance around the topic of his powers. His father's proud smiles felt tinged with something else when Jack accidentally frosted over a glass at dinner. They loved him - he never doubted that - but sometimes their eyes held shadows of the son they'd had before the bear spirit changed him forever. He hadn't mentioned Lynn to them yet. The thought of explaining how he met her, about Claremont, about everything that came with being a superhero... it was easier to keep that part of his life separate.

 

Thank god for Owen and their gym sessions. Between sets of weights that would have broken normal equipment, they'd commiserated about missing their girlfriends. Owen understood what it was like having someone special away at sea, even if Kadene's absence had been for different reasons than Lynn's European trip. There was something comforting about having a best friend who got it - both the superhero stuff and the relationship stuff.

 

The bear spirit rumbled contentedly as Lynn's familiar scent filled the car. Whatever complications existed with his family, right now none of that mattered. He was exactly where he wanted to be.

 

Jack let out a deep chuckle, his broad shoulders shaking slightly. "Is definitely faster than walking, Zaya Moy." He turned his head toward Lynn, his white hair falling across his face again. "And having beautiful girlfriend with nice car makes it even better, da? Could get used to being driven places." He flashes her a playful smile.

 

The bear spirit inside him purred contentedly at Lynn's closeness, making it hard to focus on anything else. But he forced himself to twist around in the cramped passenger seat, shooting Owen an exaggerated look of disbelief. The movement made his knees bump against the dashboard again.

 

"You serious, solnyshko? Asking polar bear if he eats seafood?" Jack's thick Russian accent carried his amusement. "You have not lived until you catch leaping salmon with teeth! Is true test of fishing skill." 

 

The memory of his first successful catch flooded back - the icy spray of the river, the flash of silver scales, the primal satisfaction as his jaws snapped shut. The bear spirit stirred excitedly at the recalled taste. Jack had to consciously dial back the frost starting to form around his fingers where they rested near Lynn's leg.

 

He couldn't help grinning at Owen's expression. "What, you think bears only eat berries? Is good protein! Although..." He wrinkled his nose. "Restaurant probably frowns on catching own fish at table..." he pretends to be very sad at this thought before laughing again.

 

 

[Thevshi]

Slipstream

 

Lynn glanced in the rearview mirror at Kadene when she made her somewhat snappy comment about carrying the SUV with wind. "Well, I suppose it would." The blonde teen replied, feeling a bit sympathetic about the other teen’s unease in the vehicle. "But Owen's right, it can be nice to just be 'normal' for a bit from time to time." She added. 

 

She then felt a chill in her right thigh as Jack's hand brushed against her and she could feel the slight chill through her jeans. She had a slight smile at his touch, even as Jack let it linger longer than just the initial inadvertent contact.

 

As Jack talked about the benefits of having a girlfriend with a nice car, the blonde teen blushed slightly, both from Jack’s compliments and from his use his pet name for her. While it was very endearing, it was also rather new, something he had just started during some of the phone calls while she was in Italy and since school had started back up. "Well, the BMW is pretty much always on campus, though Lawrence sometimes uses it as well." She said, managing a casual shrug.

 

Lynn pulled the vehicle into a parking space in the building as Owen had asked them if they ate a lot of seafood. "Well, growing up in my timeline's version of Freedom City, I had seafood somewhat regularly, as well as on some trips to tropical islands, but I do doubt I have had it anywhere near as often as Kadene." She replied before grinning slightly as Jack started talking about catching salmon with his teeth. "Yeah…I don't think that would go over too well." She responded to his rather rhetorical question.

 

Turning off the SUV, Lynn grabbed her coat as she exited the vehicle and waited for the others to do so as well. She moved over next to Jack as he exited can came around the vehicle, taking one his massive hands as she did.
 

[Lone_Star]

6 hours ago, EternalPhoenix said:

Stormchild

 

"My winds could have carried it. Does that count?" Kadene was uncharacteristically snappish. She didn't like automobiles of any variety, and it had taken Owen promising to help her tear the "wretched mechanical beast" apart if it misbehaved (he knew that it wouldn't, obviously, not being alive) to get her inside of it. Everyone in the car knew of her discomfort from that minor scene, and hopefully wouldn't hold her frayed temperament against her.

 

She had not been sharing Owen's dread and excitement about the date. Part of that was that she'd been gone all winter break, at sea. The Luckstorm Pirates had sailed south for their break in search of warmer weather, and returned (characteristically enough) at the last possible minute. So yes, about a week after agreeing to date him, she disappeared for two more. But of course, he too had gone away. So it evened out. He took her hand. She remembered his promise, and decided to be a little nicer. "Owen, I'm from a port town on an island in what you call the Caribbean. And I spent a year sailing under pirate colors. I guarantee I've eaten more seafood than the three of you combined." This last was said with a smile and that familiar teasing lilt to her vision. A challenge to prove her wrong. 

 

Prime Mover

 

Owen knew better than to comfort her when she was upset, her reasons for feeling that way were valid, and she was not the kind of young lady that needed reassurance. This was a new world for her, after all, so he understood her tension being in a strange vehicle. Owen felt very much the same way when her brother took him out to sea with her a few months back. 

 

He smiled when she took his hand, and moved in for a quick peck on the cheek, if she seemed amenable to it. "Hah, hadn't thought about it that way. Bet you really get some fresh seafood out there! And I don't know about you, but I can put away some crab legs," Owen said, patting his stomach. 

 

5 hours ago, Jack said:

"You serious, solnyshko? Asking polar bear if he eats seafood?" Jack's thick Russian accent carried his amusement. "You have not lived until you catch leaping salmon with teeth! Is true test of fishing skill." 

 

The memory of his first successful catch flooded back - the icy spray of the river, the flash of silver scales, the primal satisfaction as his jaws snapped shut. The bear spirit stirred excitedly at the recalled taste. Jack had to consciously dial back the frost starting to form around his fingers where they rested near Lynn's leg.

 

He couldn't help grinning at Owen's expression. "What, you think bears only eat berries? Is good protein! Although..." He wrinkled his nose. "Restaurant probably frowns on catching own fish at table..." he pretends to be very sad at this thought before laughing again.

 

 

 

He felt a little foolish asking the two of them if they ate seafood, but it was a good way to defuse the tension in the car. "That's...a good point. Haven't tried that either, but I'll take yer word for it." Getting to know Jack, he realized that knowing some Russian would be helpful, as the young man peppered his speech with phrases from his home country. Solnyshko...sunshine? Oh! That's nice. 

 

"Well, we can't all be... sil'nyy kak medved, can we?" Owen said haltingly. Privately, he had been saving that phrase for a while now, but his Midwestern tongue couldn't quite get around some of the syllables. Well, he tried. 

 

3 hours ago, Thevshi said:

Slipstream

 

Lynn glanced in the rearview mirror at Kadene when she made her somewhat snappy comment about carrying the SUV with wind. "Well, I suppose it would." The blonde teen replied, feeling a bit sympathetic about the other teen’s unease in the vehicle. "But Owen's right, it can be nice to just be 'normal' for a bit from time to time." She added. 

 

She then felt a chill in her right thigh as Jack's hand brushed against her and she could feel the slight chill through her jeans. She had a slight smile at his touch, even as Jack let it linger longer than just the initial inadvertent contact.

 

As Jack talked about the benefits of having a girlfriend with a nice car, the blonde teen blushed slightly, both from Jack’s compliments and from his use his pet name for her. While it was very endearing, it was also rather new, something he had just started during some of the phone calls while she was in Italy and since school had started back up. "Well, the BMW is pretty much always on campus, though Lawrence sometimes uses it as well." She said, managing a casual shrug.

 

Lynn pulled the vehicle into a parking space in the building as Owen had asked them if they ate a lot of seafood. "Well, growing up in my timeline's version of Freedom City, I had seafood somewhat regularly, as well as on some trips to tropical islands, but I do doubt I have had it anywhere near as often as Kadene." She replied before grinning slightly as Jack started talking about catching salmon with his teeth. "Yeah…I don't think that would go over too well." She responded to his rather rhetorical question.

 

Turning off the SUV, Lynn grabbed her coat as she exited the vehicle and waited for the others to do so as well. She moved over next to Jack as he exited can came around the vehicle, taking one his massive hands as she did.
 

 

"I think it just feels normal to be hanging out with friends again," Owen said candidly in response to Lynn. "You know, I have really had a tough time adjusting to life in Freedom City, but you guys have really helped me feel settled. It's a second home now." 

 

"But I do hope this place has good seafood, I didn't look at any reviews or anything. But it'll be nice to finally have that double date we talked about," Owen said as he stepped out of the car. He looked ahead at Lynn and Jack and saw them clasp hands, and he made eye contact to Kadene and held out his hand for her if she wanted to. This was their first date after all, and he didn't want to push any boundaries or make her feel uncomfortable in any way. Not that he felt like he could, it was more often the other way around! 

[Jack]

Jack's deep laugh echoed through the parking garage at Owen's attempt at Russian. The words came out a bit mangled, but the effort warmed Jack's heart. Few of his American friends had tried learning any Russian phrases beyond "da" and "nyet."

 

"Not bad, not bad at all!" Jack's massive shoulders shook with mirth. "Though maybe need little practice on pronunciation, da? But is good point - why we never skip arm day at gym!" 

 

He flexed his free arm playfully, careful not to let his excitement trigger any frost. The bear spirit rumbled contentedly inside him, pleased by both the companionship and the mention of training. Working out with Owen had become one of his favorite parts of the school week - it was nice having a lifting partner who could handle the specially reinforced weights without breaking them.

 

"Though maybe ve get strong enough soon, will need find new gym!" He shot Owen a conspiratorial grin, remembering the last bench press they'd accidentally warped. The school's maintenance staff had not been especially happy that day.

 

Jack felt Lynn's delicate fingers slip into his massive palm, her hand practically disappearing in his grip. He gave her fingers a gentle squeeze, careful as always to control his strength. The bear spirit inside him purred contentedly as he slid his arm around her shoulders, drawing her against his side. Even through his sleeveless hoodie, he could feel her warmth contrasting with his naturally cool temperature.

 

"Is nice having normal date, da?" He grinned down at Lynn tucked under his arm. "Maybe if ve stop fighting monsters every time ve try to eat, you not dump me!" His deep laugh echoed through the parking garage, though a tiny voice in the back of his mind whispered that he wouldn't blame her if she did. Being with him wasn't exactly peaceful.

 

Before anyone could respond, his stomach let out a thunderous growl that seemed to shake the concrete pillars around them. Jack's cheeks flushed slightly pink against his tan skin. "Bear spirit very hungry," he said with a sheepish smile, patting his flat stomach with his free hand. "Maybe ve talk more over food?"

 

The spirit rumbled in agreement, sending a pleasant warmth through Jack's chest. These moments - just being a normal teenager with his girlfriend and friends - meant more to him than any superhero battle. Though he'd never admit it out loud, he treasured every peaceful minute he got to spend with Lynn.

 

 

[EternalPhoenix]

Stormchild

 

Kadene had bolted out of the SUV like it was on fire. And everyone was finally able to get a good look at her. While she was dressed as femininely piratical as usual (with some furs and leather as a concession to the cold), something was different. It was the material. Not old, well worn fabric. This was virtually new or otherwise very well preserved. She stretched gracefully while eyeing the vehicle. Her "normal" was not even close to the same as theirs. And she wasn't her smooth tongued brother. 

 

"Normal? Is this what this is for the three of you?" The implication being that it very much wasn't for her. It was said only questioningly. She was suddenly very homesick, and felt very out of place. Fortunately, with her back to all three her emotions were quite hidden. "Being on land by itself isn't...wasn't...normal for us. Several weeks at sea, mebbe wan dock'd." She twitched, ceasing her idly reminiscing. She'd lapsed into an interesting patois for a second there. "There was this floating restaurant by the coast of what you call France." She looked back at the three, recomposed. "Great food, and whenever someone couldn't pay, a free show as the Fighting Cooks beat them senseless and threw them out. The Head Chef used to be a pirate."

[Thevshi]

Slipstream

 

It was not exactly surprising that Kadene had been one of first (and certainly the quickest) to get out of the SUV once it stopped. Lynn could sympathize with the other teen at least on some level, both were from different timelines/dimensions, but at least Lynn’s was very close to Prime, where Kadene's was very different in a number of ways. Of course, the similarity with Lynn’s timeline often brought painful reminders or other memories along with familiarity.

 

The blonde teen was relaxed as Jack put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer, looking back to Owen thanked them for helping him feel more at home in Freedom City. "I am glad it has helped Owen." She replied. "I know the connections I have been making since the start of the school year, and before," she gently squeezed Jack's hand that was resting on her shoulder, "have helped me a lot as well."

 

Lynn then looked back up to Jack as he joked hoping to have a normal evening so she would not dump him. The sixteen-year-old gave her boyfriend a small grin. "Or maybe I won't be dumping you for the very reason that we can go and fight monsters or supervillains and then just get back to a date, without having to make excuses. My mom used to tell me stories about how having a secret identity played havoc on her romantic life." Even as she spoke, the blonde speedster felt a cold emptiness inside, but tried to focus past it, focusing on Jack’s presence to help distract her.

 

As the three made their way out of the parking garage and out onto the street, Lynn looked back to Kadene as she asked about whether this was considered 'normal.' "Well, it is what most teenagers would consider normal in many parts of the world." She replied.