White Wedding [IC]

[Geez3r]

Atlas felt like he stuck out like a sore thumb, which was very much the case. He was pretty much the only one in the room, besides Ace, who's heroic nature was known to everyone. It wasn't exactly easy to hide in his case. He was making small talk with a bunch of the other guests, but it never lasted all too long. He was far more comfortable talking to all the blue collar folk, which were very much in short supply here. And even when he hung out around Jack and Taylor, he was sure there was lots of hidden subtext in the conversations, but he didn't gather their meaning. He knew they were part of an old team, but he didn't know all the heroes who were in that team, let alone who their real identities were. It was like commenting on a woman's pregnancy; you don't say a single word unless you know.

The site of Colt and Grim was therefore a site for sore eyes. He knew they were heroes, so rubbing elbows with them wouldn't seem odd to onlookers. And more importantly, they were down to earth. "Boo." he said behind them if they had managed to miss the barn-in-a-tux making its way through the crowd towards them. "So who are you vith, bride or groom?"

[Electra]

Stesha stepped aside to let other people offer congratulations to the bride, just in time to catch Derrick coming up. She stepped aside to intercept him, her heels letting her kiss him without standing on tiptoe for once. "You look great," she told him warmly, giving his tie a quick adjustment and brushing the shoulders of his suitcoat into place. "I was worried you weren't going to be able to make it. Doesn't Taylor look wonderful?" She took his arm and rejoined the queue around the happy couple.

[Cyroa]

Hellion

James grinned. "I'm not quite up to your standards, yet, true enough. But I'm getting there. I'll hold the 'fort' for you long enough for you to really enjoy a real honeymoon." He didn't want to say too much considering that would be outing her. But he meant it. Besides, given the recent never-happened Invasion from Hell, it was likely the dimensional boundardies would be quiet for a little while. Relatively speaking anyway.

He stepped back and to the side, partly to avoid getting crushed by Atlas as well to let other well-wishers have their turn to greet the newlyweds. He'd see them often enough at some point anyway. He looked around witha dazzling smile. Time to do a little sociallizing.

[Cyroa]

Dark Star

He smiled and happily accepted the kiss, standing still while she worked on his tie. "I got hung up. A...scuffle among some ships. But I wouldn't miss this of course. And I'm only a little late after all," he said with a wry smile. "You look fabulous as always. And yes, Taylor does look dazzling. As she should; it is her day of course. Though she's still not as lovely as a certain green-haired beauty," he said, watching the newly married couple through the small crowd they'd gathered. He'd have to congratulate them soon enough. He idly noted most of the well wishers were heroes of one variety or another. How Taylor was going to explain Atlas to her family, he had no idea. The rest, sure, they could pass. But the giant red guy...well, he was a giant red guy. He gave a mental shrug as continued watching the happy couple, holding Stesha lightly. It was a good day, he thought, smiling happily.

[quotemyname]

"Well, I'm here wit' her," Colt joked, motioned to the lovely Lynn who was on his arm. "But really, it's Taylor we're here to see." Colt broke off from the group of people around the bride and groom to talk to Atlas, whom he knew better.

He found himself feeling quite like Atlas, odd man out as it were. Though he did know Lynn, that was about all he knew of the gathering.

[Geez3r]

Atlas followed Colt a bit off to the side. "Ah, so you don't know anyone else here eizer?" asked Atlas chuckling. "Vell, in my case its like I am expected to know every one but I really don't. It's mostly because everyone wants to know vat I'm doing here, not zat I blame zem. Vhen I valk into a vedding reception I don't expect to see zis big red guy zere. Vell, obviously I expect to see a red guy but - I'm going to stop talking now."

[Moira Morley]

Moira took in the scene with grace and poise, being Ace's arm candy for a while. She made mental notes on everyone.

Taylor and Jack looked happy. And she was glad they were happy. After that little incident a month ago, she didn't want anything but the best for them. Taylor especially. Moira knew words could cut like a knife. Using that allegory, she basically shivved the poor girl then. Jack was looking quite dapper, in appearance and spirits. Why not? It was his wedding day.

Lynn found a boyfriend. Moira would have to catch up with her sometime. Yes... Already in her head there was a plan for an outing. Maybe Friday. As for the boyfriend, he looked like he stepped out of a western and had a southern drawl. Lynn knew how to pick them. Yes she did.

There was a giant red man. He looked like something from that boxing flick from the 80s, well if that guy was ten foot tall and the color of a brick. Deep Russian accent? And then it clicked. That was Atlas. Moira would have to meet with him later once he got unbusy.

James Prophet? Moira began to wonder how the guest list got this prestigious.

Derrick and Stesha were still together. Moira was glad she did something right there. They deserved each other. Such sweet loving people who would do no wrong. She would protect them for all eternity if she could. True love is forever and she would see it that they stood the ravages of time itself. She sighed mentally and hoped for the best for them.

[Avenger Assembled]

Jack greeted everybody, shaking hands and giving friendly hellos, before deciding it was high time for the festivities to begin. At a nod from him, the DJ cleared the dance floor for the bride and groom, letting him sweep her off her feet to dance. They hadn't been dating long enough to have a song, really, so instead they'd gone with the DJ's suggestion of Leonard Cohen's "Dance Me To The End of Love." The music was pretty and Taylor liked it, and that was all Jack worried about.

Truthfully, Jack wasn't listening to the music, not when he was looking down at Taylor with adoration in his eyes, the grim truth of his nature swept away by the sheer romance of the moment. "You are so beautiful," he murmured to her with a smile as he looked down at her. "And I love you so much. I'm so proud to be with you."

[alderwitch]

"Oh, Jack, I love you too," Taylor replied softly, tipping her chin up to look at him. The bright smile she'd been responding to their guests softened to something quietly radiant and infinately more vulnerable as Jack swept her around the dance floor. For once, Taylor's reserved facade slipped away and there was little doubt that the love shining in her dark eyes was utterly genuine.

Taylor's fingertips brushed against the stiff collar of his suit as she curled her hand over his shoulder, the other tucked safely in his. The shiny-new gold of the wedding band that had been slipped on her finger just that afternoon was still a startling sight to her when she caught sight of it. The steps weren't overly fancy, as Taylor was hardly an accomplished dancer nor had there been much time to practice but they flowed accross the dance floor to the throaty crooning. After Jack spun her one last time, Taylor returned to his arms, "It's been everything I could have hoped for."

[angrydurf]

Ace quietly returned the assorted greetings from associates new and old, laughing softly to himself at Colts unneccisary subtlety, and smileing wide across the room to Elena as her mental voice filtered into his head, 'I would do nothing less.' his thoughts replied some how manageing to carry sarcasm even across the mental connection.

He watched as Taylor and Jack glided across the dance floor with a slight smile, if nothing else they were happy right now and in the end he knew better than most that the present was to be savored, the future would come in its own time. Ace understood better than anyone exceptign perhaps Elena what these two were in for in the future but no matter what they were indeed deeply in love at the moment, or as close as Jack could manage at least.

He moved to greet Elena more properly with Moira still on his arm as the couples first dance came to an end, "Ms. Guerrero, This is Moira Morley, Moira, this is Elena Guerrero, One of the hardest working young ladies I've met in a long time." He added with a nod to her sudden departure and return.

[quotemyname]

"Hahaha!" Colt broke out into a good-natured laugh. "Reckon I c'n agree wit' that." He finally offered.

"Yer right, Atlas, the life'a th' hero is tough living!" Colt polished his knuckles on the front of his tuxedo in a largely self-appreciating fashion, pausing to inspect them afterward. "But I'll tell ya one thang it can't do without. A good drink." Colt motioned towards the bar. Indicating that Atlas should lead the way.

[Geez3r]

Atlas lead the way all right. He was pretty much a human snow plow. He had gotten used to walking through the crowds by this point, and made a mental note on where all the rug rats were at all times. He made a little small talk with Colt on the way. "So besides ze whole hero zing, vhat do you do for a living? I vork for a construction company on some odd jobs vhen zey need ze extra muscle."

[quotemyname]

"Actually," Colt kept up with the banter, "An' I reckon y'all gonna wanna hit me fer this. Bein' a hero IS my day job. I'm gettin' paid fer it now."

When the arrived at the bar, Colt ordered a whiskey on the rocks from the bartender. "Reckon I ain't seen nothin' finer than an open bar at a weddin'."

[Geez3r]

Atlas chuckled shaking his head. As the bartender quizzically looked up (and up and up) at Atlas, he ordered "Four of vhatever comes in ze biggest glass." offhandedly. Quickly downing two of them as if they were shots he turns to Colt "Not going to lie, I am imagining you as a pretzel right now." Atlas takes a sip of his next drink, holding the glass delicately between his thumb and pointer finger. "Now, as for seeing nozing finer zan zis open bar..." Atlas turned around putting his back against the bar "...I say you need your eyes fixed." as he pointed out a few of the gorgeous women who were in attendance, one of which Colt had walked in with.

[Ecalsneerg]

John had already been at the bar when Atlas and Colt arrived. Social siuations made him uneasy. He'd already asked for a large glass of whisky, and had been quite antsy when his request for "No ice. Ever." was ignored. He smiled as the two guys beside him pointed out the women.

"Doesn't tradition dictate you wait half an hour or so to let the best man, whoever that was, take his shot?"

[Electra]

Once the first dances were over and Jack and Taylor had relinquished the floor to the audience, Stesha nudged Derrick out onto the parquet dance floor with the other couples. "We'll say hello in a minute," she promised, "but if something does crop up for either of us, I don't want to miss the chance to dance with you." Neither of them were very good dancers, but it hardly mattered when they were just one more couple having a good time at a wedding. "I've never tried to get a reception together in two weeks before, but it was worth it. Look how happy everyone is." She sighed, her romantic heart pleased, even if she still wasn't at all sure about half the reason for the whole party. "I love weddings."

[Geez3r]

"Vhat do ve know of tradition? Not one of us is from ze same area. Ze fact zat we're all here sounds like ze opening to a joke. 'A Scottsman, a Russian and a Cowboy all valk into a bar..."' Atlas chuckled at his own joke for a moment. "Heh. Just kidding around da? I'm Atlas and this is Colt, nice to meet you Mr...?" said Atlas as he extended his hand to the Scottsman.

[quotemyname]

Colt finished the 'joke' for Atlas, "And the Cowboy says to the scottsman, 'Howdy Partner'!" Colt extended his own hand as well when it came to be his turn to shake.

[Dr Archeville]

Doktor Archeville

Some people on the dance floor felt the hairs on their arms and the backs of their neck stand on end. Others felt just the tiniest bit dizzy as nanogravitational fluctuations played havoc with their inner ears. A pinpoint of electric blue light suddenly winked into existence in the middle of the floor, which grew into an basketball-sized orb of swirling electric blue and eerily dull gray light. The orb then became a large flat disk, then a larger hoop, which slid back and revealed Doktor Archeville, bearing a large wrapped package. Once he was completely through the hoop of energy, it shrank back down and winked out of existence.

Hey! I wanted us to appear in the back room, and not make a scene!

I'm a showman!

"Oops! Need to vork on de targeting system! Sorry, volks!" The super-scientist quickly stepped over to the happy couple, hugged Taylor and patted Jack on the back (as best he could while holding the large gift). "so sorry to be late, vork has had me svamped, but I vas determined to be here, at least for a little bit! Besides, I had to make sure you both got dis!"

[Ecalsneerg]

"Fraser," he answered, accepting Atlas' shake with a firm grip. "John Fraser." He shook Colt's hand as well. "I used to work with Jack, doing... well, you know. Funny thing is, last I saw the two together, she was violently slamming him into a wall with some amount of relish. Now they're married."

[Cyroa]

He smiled as she led him out on the dance floor. He wasn't a great dancer but he could happily sway around the dance floor with Stesha in his arms. "The place looks great. You did a fantastic job." He nodded. "Everyone seems to be getting along well thankfully. It's nice to see that. I'm glad." He watched the crowds as he moved slowly around. "This is the first human one I've been to since I was 17 or 18 I think. Some family friend if I recall correctly. But all wedding are great. They show such caring and love for a fellow person. It's a wonderful thing to be able to express that. Its an amazing thing."

[Cyroa]

James had been doing a little mingling in addition to meeting Taylor's family. He found himself at loose ends for a moment and just watched the crowd. He noted the cowboy leaving his date and heading off to the bar with Atlas and some others. It seemed like a minor insult to the rather attractive woman. He couldn't just let it pass, even if he wasn't trying to seduce the woman.

He walked over to Grimalkin and introduced himself, all charm and warm smiles. "Your companion seems to have left you alone for a moment. A crime to do such a thing to one as lovely as you. Perhaps if you would honor me with dance or two, we can help him see the error of his ways?" He extended his hand to her and gestured to the dance floor with his other.

[Geez3r]

Atlas gave a sideways glance at Colt; he wasn't sure if Colt knew about Jack and Taylor's *ahem* night life, and for that matter he didn't know who this John character was either. He decided it best to steer the conversation away from that. Atlas shrugged at John's comments. "Vierder zings have happened. Especially in zis city. For all you know it could have been her Pirate Ghost Robot from Future Neptune. Zey look happy now and zat is all zat matter da?"

[Heritage]

Lynn had been happy to let Colt and Atlas go for a drink; since they were dating and part of the same team, she and Colt did tend to spend a lot of time together, but she knew even the most devoted man needs some 'guy time' now and again for sanity's sake. She watched Jack and Taylor with a blissful smile on her face, gently swaying in time to the music

"Your companion seems to have left you alone for a moment. A crime to do such a thing to one as lovely as you. Perhaps if you would honor me with dance or two, we can help him see the error of his ways?"

The sharp-looking guy was easy on the eyes, and she'd always been a sucker for a rakish grin; her gaze flicks from his face to the bar and back, and she grins mischivieously and gives him a little nod.

"Sure, okay."

While not a trained dancer, by nature Lynn is exceptionally graceful, and she floats across the dance floor like a flower petal on a pond, seemingly lighter than air though her grip is firm.

"So, Mysterious Young Man Helping To Make My Boyfriend Jealous, do you have a name, or at least an acronym? I'm Lynn, by the way." She inclines her head like a fairy tale princess.

[Cyroa]

James smiled as he led her out on the dance floor. He was actually pretty good dancer. A little practice and training combined with his charm went a long way. And when you have a graceful partner, it made for one hell of a good dance. He kept the dance slow and steady for now. Depending on the this dance, it might be worth it to step it up a few notches, just for the fun of it. "MYMHTMMBJ is rather long for an acronym," he chuckled, easily pronouncing the string of syllables. "I'm James; James Prophet. It's absolute pleasure to meet you Lynn. Your dancing matches the rest of you. Very inspiring I must say," he said with a smile.