Disco Fever [1972]

[Veiled Malice]

Ren was about to nod when he noticed what Lynn had on. His mouth opened and his brow furrowed in thought. "Magician's assistant... Vegas showgirl... there's always plain old magical girl, but she's missing the bows," he muttered to himself, seemingly unaware he was broadcasting his inner monologue.

Finally, he shrugged. "Alright, I give up. Who are you supposed to be?"

[Veiled Malice]

Ren was about to nod when he noticed what Lynn had on. His mouth opened and his brow furrowed in thought. "Magician's assistant... Vegas showgirl... there's always plain old magical girl, but she's missing the bows," he muttered to himself, seemingly unaware he was broadcasting his inner monologue.

Finally, he shrugged. "Alright, I give up. Who are you supposed to be?"

[Heritage]

Ren was about to nod when he noticed what Lynn had on. His mouth opened and his brow furrowed in thought. "Magician's assistant... Vegas showgirl... there's always plain old magical girl, but she's missing the bows," he muttered to himself, seemingly unaware he was broadcasting his inner monologue.

Finally, he shrugged. "Alright, I give up. Who are you supposed to be?"

It takes a second for it to sink in, but then Lynn gets it. "What? Oh, the outfit." She looks down at herself and shrugs. "It was a power demonstration for Gran, uh, for Louis. Y'know, magic bookstore, magic show, that sort of thing. You like it?" She stretches her arms out and does a little 'ta-da' hand wiggling, but then she stops herself.

"Okay, hold on, we have to focus; no time for distractions." She cocks her head back towards the storage room. "C'mon, I might have found something to help us; at the very least, it's cool as hell."

She grins as she beckons him to follow; as she walks, the swirling gray mist returns, leaving her back in her 70s clothing by the time they reach the storage room. Lynn points at the mirror. "Go on, stand in front of it; if I'm right, you should be in for a surprise."

[Heritage]

Ren was about to nod when he noticed what Lynn had on. His mouth opened and his brow furrowed in thought. "Magician's assistant... Vegas showgirl... there's always plain old magical girl, but she's missing the bows," he muttered to himself, seemingly unaware he was broadcasting his inner monologue.

Finally, he shrugged. "Alright, I give up. Who are you supposed to be?"

It takes a second for it to sink in, but then Lynn gets it. "What? Oh, the outfit." She looks down at herself and shrugs. "It was a power demonstration for Gran, uh, for Louis. Y'know, magic bookstore, magic show, that sort of thing. You like it?" She stretches her arms out and does a little 'ta-da' hand wiggling, but then she stops herself.

"Okay, hold on, we have to focus; no time for distractions." She cocks her head back towards the storage room. "C'mon, I might have found something to help us; at the very least, it's cool as hell."

She grins as she beckons him to follow; as she walks, the swirling gray mist returns, leaving her back in her 70s clothing by the time they reach the storage room. Lynn points at the mirror. "Go on, stand in front of it; if I'm right, you should be in for a surprise."

[Heridfel]

Sean looks over Lynn as she comes out. It's a quick scan, nothing more, which turns out to be fortunate for him. Behind him, Lainey is watching the other girl with undisguised disgust. She walks up quietly behind Sean as Lynn pulls Ren along, and speaks right next to his ear.

"Oh. My. Gosh. Do you know her?" she asks. He jumps a little as she surprises him. The way she sounds, Sean knows that he has to tread carefully. "Uh, I think she's the Japanese guy's girlfriend. I never saw her before today," he says.

His answer seems to satisfy her, and she continues on with the one-sided conversation. "She is dressed like such a slut. I can't believe her mother let her go out in public like that," she says. "Especially with such fat thighs."

Sean decides that discretion is the better part of valor there, and just lets Lainey's comment stand. When he doesn't answer, she looks up at him.

"Didn't you think so?" she asks.

Sean knows now that he is being punished, though he doesn't know what for. There is no good answer. Saying "yes" means that she can answer with "So you were looking at them!". Saying "no" is even worse, and Lynn had enough on display that "I didn't notice" won't work either. He glances back to the back room.

"Was that your father calling you there?" he says. "Maybe we should go and you can pretend you didn't hear him."

"But I didn't hear him..." she says. Sean smiles. "Oh, you're good. Come on," he says, leading her by the arm.

[Heridfel]

Sean looks over Lynn as she comes out. It's a quick scan, nothing more, which turns out to be fortunate for him. Behind him, Lainey is watching the other girl with undisguised disgust. She walks up quietly behind Sean as Lynn pulls Ren along, and speaks right next to his ear.

"Oh. My. Gosh. Do you know her?" she asks. He jumps a little as she surprises him. The way she sounds, Sean knows that he has to tread carefully. "Uh, I think she's the Japanese guy's girlfriend. I never saw her before today," he says.

His answer seems to satisfy her, and she continues on with the one-sided conversation. "She is dressed like such a slut. I can't believe her mother let her go out in public like that," she says. "Especially with such fat thighs."

Sean decides that discretion is the better part of valor there, and just lets Lainey's comment stand. When he doesn't answer, she looks up at him.

"Didn't you think so?" she asks.

Sean knows now that he is being punished, though he doesn't know what for. There is no good answer. Saying "yes" means that she can answer with "So you were looking at them!". Saying "no" is even worse, and Lynn had enough on display that "I didn't notice" won't work either. He glances back to the back room.

"Was that your father calling you there?" he says. "Maybe we should go and you can pretend you didn't hear him."

"But I didn't hear him..." she says. Sean smiles. "Oh, you're good. Come on," he says, leading her by the arm.

[Heridfel]

The flight continues in silence for a couple of blocks. Icarus... even after nearly 20 years as a villain with him around, he still can't find anything bad about the Centurion. He managed to be a true paragon of humanity without falling over into a caricature of good (like the way Captain Thunder often seems to). Even the villains who went up against him seemed to hold him in grudging respect, at least, the ones who weren't completely insane. Megalomania seems to strike evil scientists on a regular basis.

He shakes his head and glances to the side. The Centurion looks back to him.

"It looks like they based the design off something that Daedalus made. Do they have a name for your suit?" he asks. "Some acronym which spells out something sort of threatening?"

Icarus chuckles, despite himself, "No, it has no name. You've got it wrong. This wasn't made by anyone at ASTRO Labs. It was made by a man in the West End, and remade twice after that. I have to see them about something else." He lets that comment hang for a moment until Centurion asks the obvious question.

"Why do you need to go there then?" he asks.

"I'm a long way from home, and I hope they can get me back there," Icarus says. "I've probably been here too long as it is." He's silent for a moment, then speaks again. "I can get there the rest of the way myself," he says as he starts to pull away, then stops. Centurion stops along with him, hovering in mid-air. Icarus looks back at him, and something makes him speak.

"Omega isn't done with this world. He returns in 1994. You should prepare this time, so that history doesn't repeat itself," he says. "Word to the wise from a traveler." As he speaks, he opens a portal behind himself. Floating back gently, he teleports himself inside ASTRO Labs, leaving Centurion on that cryptic note.

[Heridfel]

The flight continues in silence for a couple of blocks. Icarus... even after nearly 20 years as a villain with him around, he still can't find anything bad about the Centurion. He managed to be a true paragon of humanity without falling over into a caricature of good (like the way Captain Thunder often seems to). Even the villains who went up against him seemed to hold him in grudging respect, at least, the ones who weren't completely insane. Megalomania seems to strike evil scientists on a regular basis.

He shakes his head and glances to the side. The Centurion looks back to him.

"It looks like they based the design off something that Daedalus made. Do they have a name for your suit?" he asks. "Some acronym which spells out something sort of threatening?"

Icarus chuckles, despite himself, "No, it has no name. You've got it wrong. This wasn't made by anyone at ASTRO Labs. It was made by a man in the West End, and remade twice after that. I have to see them about something else." He lets that comment hang for a moment until Centurion asks the obvious question.

"Why do you need to go there then?" he asks.

"I'm a long way from home, and I hope they can get me back there," Icarus says. "I've probably been here too long as it is." He's silent for a moment, then speaks again. "I can get there the rest of the way myself," he says as he starts to pull away, then stops. Centurion stops along with him, hovering in mid-air. Icarus looks back at him, and something makes him speak.

"Omega isn't done with this world. He returns in 1994. You should prepare this time, so that history doesn't repeat itself," he says. "Word to the wise from a traveler." As he speaks, he opens a portal behind himself. Floating back gently, he teleports himself inside ASTRO Labs, leaving Centurion on that cryptic note.

[Veiled Malice]

It takes a second for it to sink in, but then Lynn gets it. "What? Oh, the outfit." She looks down at herself and shrugs. "It was a power demonstration for Gran, uh, for Louis. Y'know, magic bookstore, magic show, that sort of thing. You like it?" She stretches her arms out and does a little 'ta-da' hand wiggling, but then she stops herself.

"It's nice," Ren said, an atomic-level blush starting to work it's way onto his face. If she only knew how hot she looked to him right then...

She grins as she beckons him to follow; as she walks, the swirling gray mist returns, leaving her back in her 70s clothing by the time they reach the storage room. Lynn points at the mirror. "Go on, stand in front of it; if I'm right, you should be in for a surprise."

"A surprise?" He stood where he was told to and looked into the mirror intently. "What kind of surprise?"

[Veiled Malice]

It takes a second for it to sink in, but then Lynn gets it. "What? Oh, the outfit." She looks down at herself and shrugs. "It was a power demonstration for Gran, uh, for Louis. Y'know, magic bookstore, magic show, that sort of thing. You like it?" She stretches her arms out and does a little 'ta-da' hand wiggling, but then she stops herself.

"It's nice," Ren said, an atomic-level blush starting to work it's way onto his face. If she only knew how hot she looked to him right then...

She grins as she beckons him to follow; as she walks, the swirling gray mist returns, leaving her back in her 70s clothing by the time they reach the storage room. Lynn points at the mirror. "Go on, stand in front of it; if I'm right, you should be in for a surprise."

"A surprise?" He stood where he was told to and looked into the mirror intently. "What kind of surprise?"

[Heridfel]

The mirror doesn't reflect Ren either. Mr. Silberman stands nearby, perplexed. He's still visible on the mirror's surface, and he waves a little to show Ren that it's definitely a mirror and not some sort of painting.

"Well, unless you two are Nosferatu, you should show up there," he says. "Does that come as a surprise to you?"

He starts to open up some of the other chests, most of which are padlocked shut. There's various things in the first one, including a number of the items that Mr. Silberman will give a younger Lynn to investigate in the future. He sets these aside. They probably aren't magical, which would explain why he gave them to her to play with.

[Heridfel]

The mirror doesn't reflect Ren either. Mr. Silberman stands nearby, perplexed. He's still visible on the mirror's surface, and he waves a little to show Ren that it's definitely a mirror and not some sort of painting.

"Well, unless you two are Nosferatu, you should show up there," he says. "Does that come as a surprise to you?"

He starts to open up some of the other chests, most of which are padlocked shut. There's various things in the first one, including a number of the items that Mr. Silberman will give a younger Lynn to investigate in the future. He sets these aside. They probably aren't magical, which would explain why he gave them to her to play with.

[Heritage]

"Well, unless you two are Nosferatu, you should show up there," he says. "Does that come as a surprise to you?"

Lynn strokes her chin thoughtfully as she approaches the mirror and peers at the frame; she can't bring herself to touch the glass just yet.

"I don't know much about magic, but I'm wondering if it's not showing me and Ren because we don't belong here, in this time; it's like-" She stops suddenly as her voice catches in her throat, because Louis Silberman has just carefully set aside Al-Kazar's golden turban, which she used to put on when her Grandpa wasn't looking. She used to pretend she was Princess Jasmine from Aladdin, in disguise and on the run from the evil vizier.

"Um...so yeah. Okay." Her eyes stay on the turban as she nods to herself. "Ok, I'm just going to touch the glass with my little finger, and we'll see what happens." She steps forward and does as she says, cringing with her face turned away from the mirror.

[Heritage]

"Well, unless you two are Nosferatu, you should show up there," he says. "Does that come as a surprise to you?"

Lynn strokes her chin thoughtfully as she approaches the mirror and peers at the frame; she can't bring herself to touch the glass just yet.

"I don't know much about magic, but I'm wondering if it's not showing me and Ren because we don't belong here, in this time; it's like-" She stops suddenly as her voice catches in her throat, because Louis Silberman has just carefully set aside Al-Kazar's golden turban, which she used to put on when her Grandpa wasn't looking. She used to pretend she was Princess Jasmine from Aladdin, in disguise and on the run from the evil vizier.

"Um...so yeah. Okay." Her eyes stay on the turban as she nods to herself. "Ok, I'm just going to touch the glass with my little finger, and we'll see what happens." She steps forward and does as she says, cringing with her face turned away from the mirror.

[Heridfel]

The mirror shimmers, and Lynn and Ren appear on its surface. Simultaneously, Mr. Silberman disappears from where he is standing behind them. If either of them look back, they see that he is still there in reality, but has disappeared from the mirror just as they had been gone.

Lynn had felt some resistance from the mirror when she put her fingers on it. It didn't feel like it was opening a portal that she could walk through.

"What does that mean?" Mr. Silberman asks.

[Heridfel]

The mirror shimmers, and Lynn and Ren appear on its surface. Simultaneously, Mr. Silberman disappears from where he is standing behind them. If either of them look back, they see that he is still there in reality, but has disappeared from the mirror just as they had been gone.

Lynn had felt some resistance from the mirror when she put her fingers on it. It didn't feel like it was opening a portal that she could walk through.

"What does that mean?" Mr. Silberman asks.

[Veiled Malice]

Ren cocked his head to the side and peered deeply into the mirror as Lynn put her fingers into it. He wasn't exactly sure if touching the thing was the best of ideas, but he didn't have any of his own. "I have no idea," he admitted. "I know even less about magic than her, so anything happening here is all new to me."

"But if Lynn's theory about us not belonging here holds true, and we're there now while you aren't..." he left off as he moved past the man and out into the main room. It was a longshot that the mirror had actually dumped them back into the future, yes, but that was a possibility.

[Veiled Malice]

Ren cocked his head to the side and peered deeply into the mirror as Lynn put her fingers into it. He wasn't exactly sure if touching the thing was the best of ideas, but he didn't have any of his own. "I have no idea," he admitted. "I know even less about magic than her, so anything happening here is all new to me."

"But if Lynn's theory about us not belonging here holds true, and we're there now while you aren't..." he left off as he moved past the man and out into the main room. It was a longshot that the mirror had actually dumped them back into the future, yes, but that was a possibility.

[Heridfel]

The room outside is exactly as when Ren left it, from the papers that were on the counter to the sign that says "Open" on the inside so that the outside says "Closed." It isn't certain that they didn't move in time, but it's as close as it could be without going outside to check.

[Heridfel]

The room outside is exactly as when Ren left it, from the papers that were on the counter to the sign that says "Open" on the inside so that the outside says "Closed." It isn't certain that they didn't move in time, but it's as close as it could be without going outside to check.

[Heritage]

"What does that mean?" Mr. Silberman asks.

Lynn shakes her head slowly as she continues to study herself in the mirror. "Beats the heck out of me; aren't mirrors supposed to be like doors, y'know like in Alice in Wonderland? Maybe we have to do or say the right words before we touch it, or some other knick-knack in one of these trunks is the key or something."

Suddenly a thought occurs to her, and Lynn yells over her shoulder. "Hey Ren, come on back here; maybe we have to touch it together." While she waits for her would-be boyfriend to occur, something else springs to mind, and she gestures excitedly. "Oh, oh, Grampa Lou! Maybe we have to do the trick! Do you remember how it goes?"

[Heritage]

"What does that mean?" Mr. Silberman asks.

Lynn shakes her head slowly as she continues to study herself in the mirror. "Beats the heck out of me; aren't mirrors supposed to be like doors, y'know like in Alice in Wonderland? Maybe we have to do or say the right words before we touch it, or some other knick-knack in one of these trunks is the key or something."

Suddenly a thought occurs to her, and Lynn yells over her shoulder. "Hey Ren, come on back here; maybe we have to touch it together." While she waits for her would-be boyfriend to occur, something else springs to mind, and she gestures excitedly. "Oh, oh, Grampa Lou! Maybe we have to do the trick! Do you remember how it goes?"

[Heridfel]

Mr. Silberman turns as Lynn says the name that he will have from her in years to come and chuckles.

"Grampa Lou, eh? That proves you're Lainey's daughter. I told her once that Grampa was an old man's name, and she promised that she'd remember that for when she had kids."

He walks over to the mirror and stares at it a little. He seems to be trying to remember how the trick went.

"First, he ran over the surface of the mirror with his wand, pushing down to prove that it was solid. Then he would walk around it to show that there weren't any hidden mirrors on the side or on the floor. After that, he'd walk through it, and re-appear from offstage," he says, after a moment's recollection.

[Heridfel]

Mr. Silberman turns as Lynn says the name that he will have from her in years to come and chuckles.

"Grampa Lou, eh? That proves you're Lainey's daughter. I told her once that Grampa was an old man's name, and she promised that she'd remember that for when she had kids."

He walks over to the mirror and stares at it a little. He seems to be trying to remember how the trick went.

"First, he ran over the surface of the mirror with his wand, pushing down to prove that it was solid. Then he would walk around it to show that there weren't any hidden mirrors on the side or on the floor. After that, he'd walk through it, and re-appear from offstage," he says, after a moment's recollection.

[Heridfel]

Icarus' sudden appearance with ASTRO Labs draws a fair amount of surprise. Regular working hours have ended, so the only people who remain in thebuilding are those who don't have lives outside of work. Whether that's a good or bad thing, that describes a fair number of people at ASTRO Labs.

He has appeared in the middle of a large workroom. Parts of what appear to be rocket bodies take up most of the floor, and computers that appear positively ancient to anyone who has lived through the '90s (and more than half of the '00s) are stacked against the walls. Icarus looks around at the startled scientists. Now that he's here, he realizes that he has no idea what to say.

"So... any of you working on time travel?" he says, then mentally kicks himself for such an awkward opening. Still, now that he's done it, best to forge ahead. "I'm displaced 30 years, and I'd like to get home."