Thevshi Posted Monday at 09:59 PM Posted Monday at 09:59 PM Liberty Park Freedom City, New Jersey Friday February 21, 2025. 5:30 PM During the recent long weekend trip to Fiji with their friends and classmates, Lynn had told Jack that her adopted parents (in particular her adopted mom) had wanted to have him over for dinner. Apparently, it was part of Megan Howell-Harrow's desire to get to know the significant others of her children (adopted or otherwise) a bit better. Lynn had tried to assure Jack it was not because of the number of times their dates, or just other time spent together, had ended up in some sort of super battle (again emphasizing how her adopted mother was well aware of how frequently that could occur). The blonde teen had also insisted it was not because her adopted mother questioned Jack's intentions with her sixteen-year-old adopted daughter (though Lynn had reluctantly admitted it might be a small part of it). Lynn had even noted that her parents were doing the same thing with Lawrence's girlfriend. Of course, it was hardly uncommon for teenage boys to be somewhat worried about spending time with their girlfriend's parents. The fact that Lynn's adopted mother was the world-famous superheroine Velocity and member of the Freedom League, likely did not make things any easier. So, to try to help with the anticipation, the couple had planned to have a little date before going to dinner. A little after classes ended for the week, Lynn had driven them over near Liberty Park, parking the BMW SUV in a parking structure near Millennium Mall. They had stopped briefly at the Liberty Perk coffee shop across the street from the east side of Liberty Park to get some coffee and then continued over to the park. They had briefly stopped outside the park, near the Southern entrance next to the grand lawn, to have a kiss at the spot they had first met eight months earlier. They then continued into the park, taking their time to follow the paved roads that wound through the park to eventually reach the northwest corner of the park, where the botanical gardens were located. The gardens were located among a series of smaller paths that radiated out from a central area like spokes, the rows of plants and trees set out between the many paths, although most of the plants were currently dormant for the winter. At the center of the gardens, next to the large greenhouse building for more exotic plants, was a large circular reflecting pool. With the cold winter weather, the shallow reflecting pool had been frozen over and was being used as an open-air ice-skating rink, which was operated by the City to help provide some of the funding for the gardens’ operation. The setting did feel rather special, being out the cold night air. To the east, across the north end of the park, could be seen the skyline of downtown Freedom City. To the west were several tall, high-end condominium buildings. To the north was the south edge of Freedom City University's campus, most prominent being the large stadium for the university's football team and other outdoor sports teams. Lynn skated out onto the large frozen reflecting pool with graceful ease, her superhuman agility and balance making her movements seem effortless. The blonde teen casually turned so she was skating backwards as she looked back with a small smile. "Come on Jack." She said as she continued to skate backwards. Tonight, she was wearing a pair of dark navy jeans, a white puffy winter jacket, along with a red scarf and gloves.
Jack Posted Monday at 11:31 PM Posted Monday at 11:31 PM (edited) Jack watched Lynn glide across the ice with effortless grace, his heart swelling at the sight even as his stomach churned with anxiety. The dinner with her parents loomed over him like a storm cloud, threatening to spoil their peaceful evening. He pulled several bills from his pocket and put them in the jar for both of them, to help support the park. He was wearing his usual sleeveless hoodie and cargo shorts, garnering many strange looks from the other skaters, all bundled up. He stepped onto the ice barefoot, his connection to winter making him perfectly stable despite his massive frame. The cold didn't bother him - it never did - but the thought of sitting across from Velocity, one of the most famous heroes in Freedom City, made his palms sweat. "Da, coming milaya," he called out, following Lynn's path. Back in Fiji, he'd managed to stay calm when she'd mentioned the dinner invitation….but that night when was alone, he didn't sleep. It had taken hours just to calm the bear spirit's agitation. Jack ran a hand through his white hair. What if her mom decided he wasn't good enough for Lynn? He was just a simple guy from Siberia who happened to turn into a giant ice bear. The thought of losing Lynn made his chest ache. She'd become such an important part of his life, bringing light and warmth to his usually solitary existence. "Your mama, she is very..." Jack searched for the right English word, "intimidating? Is normal for boyfriend to be this nervous?" He managed a weak smile as he caught up to Lynn, his massive frame casting a shadow over her smaller form. Lynn had assured him multiple times that her mom was fine with their tendency to attract trouble - apparently it ran in the family - but Jack couldn't shake the feeling that one wrong move at dinner would ruin everything. At the mention of her mom questioning his intentions, Jack had turned bright red. He hadn't even considered that possibility, and now he was wondering what intentions she was thinking he had... Jack glided across the ice, his bare feet finding perfect purchase on the frozen surface. The cold whispered against his skin like an old friend as he circled Lynn, matching her graceful movements with surprising agility for someone his size. Years of tracking through Siberian winters had taught his body how to move with winter itself. His mind drifted back to their kiss just minutes ago, standing in the exact spot where they'd first met. The memory warmed him from within, briefly pushing aside his anxiety about dinner. Lynn had tasted of coffee and winter air, her smaller frame fitting perfectly against his chest. But the sweetness of that moment only highlighted everything he could lose if her mother decided he wasn't suitable. Lynn turned to skate backwards, offering him one of her small, precious smiles. Jack's artist's eye catalogued it automatically - not quite as bright as when she performed with the orchestra, or their first kiss on the balcony, but genuine and warm. He'd started sketching her different smiles in a small notebook he kept hidden in his room, each one unique and telling its own story about her mood and thoughts. This one would need to be added to the collection later. Looking at her now, grace personified on the ice, Jack made a silent vow to himself. Even if the worst happened, even if her mother forbade them from seeing each other, he would find a way to keep Lynn in his life. He had survived Siberian winters, death, and supervillains - surely he could survive meeting her parents. Edited Monday at 11:59 PM by Jack
Thevshi Posted Tuesday at 01:07 AM Author Posted Tuesday at 01:07 AM Slipstream While Jack's attire, and lack of ice skates, did draw looks from many around them, those looks were brief, as most were not unaccustomed to strange sights living in Freedom City. As long as someone was not trying to freeze the entire city, or turn everyone into apes, or something similar, most were quick to just go back to their own business. Lynn's smile remained in place as she watched Jack move across the ice with ease, something that did not overly surprise her given his powers. The blonde teen continued to skate backwards, picking up some speed as she went into a gradual turn to follow the curve of the rink. But as Jack again hinted at his worry about meeting with her adopted mother, Lynn felt a pang of sympathy for her boyfriend. While his question unintentionally stirred memories of her actual mother, lost along with the rest of Lynn’s original timeline, she kept them in the back of her mind. Today was not about her…many anxieties and other emotional issues, it was about enjoying some time with Jack, and trying to help reduce his concerns about spending so much time with her adopted parents. She tried to keep her smile reassuring as she replied, "I suppose she can, but, she is a lot more easy going than you seem to think she is." She replied. "And yes, I think many boyfriends are nervous about meeting their girlfriends' parents. I think many parents would say if the boy was too cocky and unconcerned, that it is likely a red flag." Lynn then started to speed up slightly, before almost immediately sweeping her left leg out to the side as she bent her right, causing her to go into a sharp turn that curved to Jack’s left and carrying her back behind him. Standing back up as she finished the turn, the blonde moved forward again to slip up under Jack's right arm, wrapping her left arm around his lower back as she matched his speed to skate beside him. As the pair curved around the perimeter of the open-air rink, Lynn looked up to Jack, her smile still in place. "But really, don't worry Jack. I am sure they will like you. What is there not to like?" She paused and gave him a reassuring squeeze with the arm around his lower back. "And if somehow they don't…that won't change a thing for us." The blonde speedster hoped that Jack would be able to relax and just enjoy himself for a bit. She was certain he would win over her adopted parents with his honest charm and protective nature. Her adopted mother had certainly been impressed when Lynn had shown her the violin Jack had given her for Valentine's Day, and recounted a bit of how Jack and Owen had earned the valuable antique.
Jack Posted Tuesday at 05:12 AM Posted Tuesday at 05:12 AM Jack let out a deep chuckle at Lynn's words about red flags. "Vhere I come from, all flags are red anyvay," he said, his Russian accent thick with amusement. "But I hope you are right about easy going. That I can handle." He watched in admiration as Lynn executed her graceful turn around him, her movements fluid like water over ice. When she slipped under his arm and pressed against his side, his large hand naturally found its way over her smaller one at his back. The contact grounded him, pushing away some of his nervousness about the upcoming dinner. The bear spirit inside him rumbled contentedly at Lynn's closeness. It had taken time for the primal force to understand that she wasn't a threat to their territory, and now it saw her as something to protect, just as Jack did. "Da, I can be very likeable," he agreed, flexing his free arm playfully. "Just ask bear spirit - he says I am best human he ever bonded with." The joke felt natural, helping to ease the tension he'd been carrying all day. When Lynn assured him nothing would change between them regardless of her parents' opinion, a mischievous grin spread across his face. The expression transformed his usually stoic features into something more boyish and playful. "Is good to know," he said, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. "Because if they say no, I will just throw little rocks at your window at night like in old movies. We can sneak out, da? I am very sneaky for big guy." Jack felt the last bits of tension began to melt away as the bear spirit settled deeper into contentment. Here was this amazing girl who could run faster than sound, who'd survived losing her entire timeline, and yet she still found joy in her silly Russian bear. He pulled her closer against his side as they glided across the ice, careful to match his longer strides to her graceful movements. The winter night wrapped around them like a familiar blanket, and Jack couldn't help but marvel at how natural this felt - just the two of them skating together, no supervillains or world-ending threats in sight. But beneath his renewed calm, guilt gnawed at his conscience. Here he was, making Lynn deal with his anxiety about meeting her parents when she already carried so much on her shoulders. She never complained about her losses or the weight of adjusting to this new timeline, yet he knew it couldn't be easy. And now she was spending their date reassuring him instead of just enjoying herself. "I am sorry, milaya," he said softly, his accent thickening with emotion. "Should not make you worry about my worrying. Is supposed to be nice date, da? Not me being big baby about one dinner." He looked down at her, taking in how wonderful she looked in the park lighting. "You are too good to me sometimes." The bear spirit stirred in agreement, sending waves of protective affection through their shared bond. It had taken the primal force time to understand human emotions, but it recognized Lynn as pack now - someone to be treasured and defended, not feared or challenged. Jack gathered his courage, letting the familiar confidence of winter flow through him. With fluid grace that belied his massive size, he rotated on the ice to face Lynn, matching her movements as he glided backwards. The bear spirit hummed with approval, lending him perfect balance despite skating barefoot. His large hands found her waist, gentle despite their strength. In one smooth motion, he lifted her skyward, holding her above his head like he'd seen in those skating competitions on TV. The winter air swirled around them as she floated above him, her blonde hair catching the park lights like a halo. He didn't maintain the lift long - his control was perfect, but he didn't want to startle hermore then he likely already had. Carefully, he brought her back down, but instead of setting her completely free, he wrapped his arms around her in a grateful embrace, letting her skates dangle. The bear spirit purred contentedly as Lynn's smaller frame pressed against his chest. "Thank you, zaya moy," he murmured, his accent thick with emotion as he touched his forehead to hers. The gentle contact centered him, grounding his anxious thoughts about dinner. Her warmth seeped through his hoodie, a stark contrast to the winter chill that always surrounded him. "For putting up vith silly vorrying bear." The moment felt perfect - just the two of them surrounded by winter's embrace, no expectations or pressures. Just Jack and Lynn, finding their own rhythm on the ice together.
Thevshi Posted Tuesday at 02:19 PM Author Posted Tuesday at 02:19 PM Slipstream Lynn let out a little laugh at Jack's joke about his bear spirit and again when he mentioned throwing small rocks at her window so they could sneak out if she was forbidden to see him. "Well…as long as you make sure they actually are small pebbles, as breaking a bunch of windows likely won't help things." She replied, her smile still in place. As the pair continued slowly make their way around the circular rink, the blonde teen just enjoying the steady presence of Jack beside her. When he looked down and apologized to her, Lynn looked back up at him with a slightly amused, but also caring expression. "Says the guy who sleeps with his cellphone just so he won't miss a late-night text from me after I have a bad dream. Who is always ready to be a shoulder for me to cry on when I am having a bad day and otherwise is always trying to help cheer me up. Least I could do to try to do the same." Her arm around his back squeezed with a side hug again as she leaned her head against the side of his chest. And then Jack pulled ahead of her, turning around to skate backwards. As his strong hands found her waist, the blonde teen prepared herself to be lifted into the air, having become somewhat accustomed to Jack’s habit of doing that. But she had not quite been ready for him to lift her over his head like a figure skater, but was able to react to the maneuver quickly, tightening her muscles to keep her body stiff during the lift. As Jack lowered her back down into close embrace, her feet still off the ice, Lynn relaxed again, tucking her elbows in so they rested on his chest, her hands settling on his broad shoulders. The blonde teen felt her pulse quicken at the contact. When he leaned forward so their foreheads met and thanked her, a slight color came to Lynn’s cheeks before she lightly rubbed the tip of her nose against his. "You make it sound like it is a chore." She said softly. But just then, there was a faint *BOOM* of some sort of explosion in the distance. Jack could feel a sigh escape Lynn as she lifted her head back up and turned to look north, as was everyone else in the area. From somewhere on the FCU campus a small column of smoke could be seen starting to rise into the night air. "I guess we were pushing our luck thinking we could get through another date without something happening." Lynn said.
Thevshi Posted 17 hours ago Author Posted 17 hours ago GM Layla Shaw had come to the campus of Freedom City University to interview a professor in the Anthropology department, who recently published book based on several years of field work in Africa, coinciding with the opening of an exhibit at the Hunger Museum of Natural History showcasing some of the professor's finds during that work. It had hardly been the most exciting or interesting interview of Layla's career, but an assignment was an assignment. With the interview over, she was making her way back through camps in the cold early evening air, the sun having set recently. The campus was still busy with activity, students coming from late afternoon classes or on their way to night classes or just traveling through campus toward dorms or other destinations. But the otherwise normal scene was suddenly interrupted by the faint *BOOM* of some sort of explosion that echoed through campus. Needless to say, this drew the attention of those nearby, who all began looking in the general direction the sound seemed to have originated from. To the west, a small column of smoke could be seen rising from somewhere on the campus.
NewsHound Posted 16 hours ago Posted 16 hours ago Layla tapped her papers on the professor's desk as she packed up her belongings, the interview having just ended. While she certainly wished she could be out chasing a harder-hitting story right now, her editor insisted that these softer pieces were good for her. He was always on her about avoiding burnout, like she was some fresh-faced newbie. But she had to admit, it was fun to do a puff piece occasionally. It was always interesting to get these little glimpses into a whole way of life she would never have experienced otherwise. And while she had been sure she would have been dying of boredom by this point... Okay, admittedly the professor was very dry in his delivery, she could still sense his enthusiasm for his work. He provided more than enough material to put together a serviceable article. "Thanks again for your time." She slipped her leather jacket back on over a basic long-sleeved blouse, just enough to keep the cold at bay on her way back home. She swiped away a few wrinkles in her dress jeans and shouldered her messenger bag full of notes. "If all goes well, this should be up on the Ledger website tomorrow morning, then hit print in the Sunday edition. I'll email you a link when it goes up online. Have a good night, and stay warm!" She quickly let herself out and began to fast-walk her way back to the bus stop where she had been dropped off. It'd be quick work to bang out this article, then she had more personal research she needed to attend to. She had managed to get a hold of some new literature on lycanthropy after a bit of digging in an obscure Lantern Hill bookstore. She could probably burn through a fair bit of that before turning in for the night- *BOOM* He train of thought now utterly derailed, she turned toward the source of the explosion, immediately on high alert. She could see smoke rising from somewhere obscured by the other campus buildings. Voices were rising around her as people whispered and clamored about what was happening. But she couldn't stay to gawk or speculate. After taking that brief moment to collect her thoughts, she was off in the direction of the explosion at a full sprint. She fumbled with her phone as she ran, trying to quickly start recording the scene in front of her.
Jack Posted 16 hours ago Posted 16 hours ago Lynn's laughter rang like music across the ice, making Jack's heart swell with joy. He couldn't help but grin broadly at the sound, showing his teeth in an expression that would have looked fierce if his eyes weren't so soft with affection. When she mentioned his habit of keeping the phone close for her late-night texts, Jack pressed his free hand to his chest in mock offense. "Vhat, you think I only sleep vith phone for bad dreams?" He shook his head solemnly, though his eyes twinkled with mischief. "Is also because maybe you text just to say hello. Or share funny meme about bears. I live in hope, da?" His deep laugh rumbled through his chest as he pulled her closer against his side. The bear spirit stirred contentedly at their closeness, sending waves of protective warmth through their bond. "And these shoulders?" He shrugged, the movement exaggerated to make her smile again. "They are built for crying on. Is like... how you say... ergonomic design? Perfect size for tiny speedster to lean on." The teasing came naturally now, so different from his usual reserved manner. But Lynn had that effect on him - making him feel comfortable enough to show his playful side without fear of judgment. Jack savored the perfect moment as their foreheads touched, breathing in Lynn's familiar scent. The slight color that rose to her cheeks made his heart skip - even after all this time, these small reactions still caught him off guard, still made him feel like the luckiest guy in Freedom City. The distant boom shattered their bubble of peace. He felt Lynn's resigned sigh against his chest, but couldn't help smiling. This was their life after all - stolen moments between saving the world. The bear spirit rumbled in agreement, already alert to potential danger but not yet worried. With careful movements, Jack lowered Lynn back to the ice. His large fingers touched his lips before pressing gently against her forehead in a tender gesture. The bear spirit, usually so focused on protecting territory and showing strength, had learned to appreciate these softer moments too. "Da, maybe ve push luck too far," he chuckled, reaching for his hoodie zipper. "But at least ve get one more nice moment before I must throw tiny rocks at vindow, yes?" He pulled the zipper down with a playful grin, carefully removing the hoodie to keep it presentable for dinner later. The cold air felt refreshing against his skin, though he knew the temperature drop around him would increase without the fabric barrier. Ice began to cover his arms slowly. "I ave been practicing some new tricks…vhy don't ve go have some fun Zaya Moy?"
Thevshi Posted 15 hours ago Author Posted 15 hours ago Silpstream Lynn immediately found her footing as Jack lowered her back to the ice, her smile still in place, although she seemed to have become more serious with the possibility some thread was nearby. "Well, the sooner we figure out what is going on, the sooner we can deal with it." She replied. "We do have somewhere we have to be in not too long." She added before skating over to the closest exit from the makeshift ice rink. The blonde teen quickly got her rented skates off and moved over to return them for her warm designer boots. Most of the crowd was still looking towards campus and the rising smoke, not really paying Lynn or Jack any mind. "Met you at the edge of campus." Lynn said quietly before she vanished in the all too familiar blur of motion and a faint *WOOSH* of air. When Jack left the open air rink to move through the remaining edge of the gardens, reaching the northern end of Liberty Park. Across the street was the edge of the FCU campus, the thin trail of a short ways further in. Just then the familiar black and red blur came zipping over from the east, as Lynn skidded to a halt near him, dressed in her Slipstream costume. "Maybe if we are lucky it is some accident and all we have to do is help deal with a fire and make sure everyone is safe." She said, although she did not sound too confident that would be the case. ------------------------------------- Sprinting in the direction of the smoke, Layla passed groups of students that had started to gather after the sound, looking towards the smoke with some concern. The news reporter was aware that about ten months ago there was an incident on campus involving Maestro of the Crime League that had been stopped by a couple of teenage heroes. As she turned a corner, the reporter saw several camps security up ahead and between her and where the smoke seemed to be coming from. The security officers were busy directing students and other pedestrians to move away from the direction of the smoke.
NewsHound Posted 2 hours ago Posted 2 hours ago Layla worked her way toward the place of interest. She had a bad feeling in her gut about this. She was struggling to recall the specifics of the super-incident that had occurred here last year, but FCU as a whole was no stranger to those. She had been hoping that this would be a mundane emergency that campus security would have under control, but she was keenly aware of the possibility she may have to go wolf mode. The reporter approached the security cordon and eyed things up. People were being rushed away from the emergency site, to be expected. Layla drew herself up to her full height and eyed up the situation. Security seemed to be on high alert, of course, but they surely couldn't have covered every path covered this quickly. She moved around the first point she saw where they were directing people away and searched for somewhere where she wouldn't have to contend with security to get through. Barring that, there was always the classic fallback; Walk with confidence, let herself in, and hope nobody questioned her.
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