It Takes All Types (IC)

[KnightDisciple]

4:45pm, Jon Carter Dormitory, Claremont Academy

At the moment, Corbin Hughes was sitting in the main lounge of his dorm, attempting to draw one of his latest ideas before the creative spark left him. This time around, he was sketching one of the ancient castles he'd seen in Israel, attempting to capture the worn majesty of the structure. Those with enough knowledge of the area would recognize it as Masada.

He also had the rest of the world largely tuned out, an iPod pumping classic rock into his headphones, though not at eardrum-bursting levels. He nodded slightly in turn with the music, whiling away the afternoon. He'd gotten much of his homework done already, and the rest was a couple of history worksheets. Piece of cake for later.

[Lone Star]

Blake walked down the stairs, his headphones pumping AC/DC. As his foot hit the last stair, he looked up. There was a kid already on his couch, drawing! However, he was always glad to meet another artist. He removed his headphones, and waved at the fellow artist. "S'up?"

[KnightDisciple]

Corbin took a moment to notice the new entry to the room, but when he did, he stopped drawing and popped one earphone out. Blake might just pick up the sounds of Pink Floyd coming out of it. Corbin smiled and waved back.

"Hey. Name's Corbin, kind of the "new guy" around here. Just killing some time drawing. Don't think we've met before."

[Lone Star]

Blake plopped next to him on the couch. "My name's Blake. Nice to meetcha, Corbin." Blake looked down at his sketch pad. "Oh wow, that's a really nice sketch. Looks Israelian, if I'm not mistaken. And if I may say as well, you have fine taste in music." Blake said as he grinned from ear to ear. An artist and a fellow Floyd fan? He liked this guy already.

[KnightDisciple]

Corbin smiles as someone actually recognizes the drawing, and the music to boot.

"I like most all music, but yeah, it's good stuff. And yeah, it's from Israel. Specifically, this is Masada. I suppose having been there helps me draw more accurately. Doubt I'll ever forget that place..."

His smile turns into a sardonic grin at the thought.

[Lone Star]

"Visit Israel a lot? I've never been out of the 'States myself. Except for Canada. Nice and cold there. So how long have you been at Claremont, Corbin? Got a roommate and everything?" Blake asked inquisitively.

[KnightDisciple]

"It was my first and only visit. Never actually been to Canada, though my family's gone to Europe a couple of times. Only been here around a month. No roommate, though. I guess coming in as a junior helped. Then again, maybe my parents arranged it."

To this, he gave an indifferent shrug.

"Reason I'll never forget Masada is because it's the reason I'm here. It's where I got this sucker."

His right hand was held up, prominently displaying the ring upon it. From the ring flowed blue energy, forming, for a moment, a simple wrench in midair. The wrench and the glow quickly faded.

"I'm here to get a handle on this thing, and test its limits, you know?"

[Lone Star]

"That's pretty badass. But check this out." Blake said as he got up from the couch. He stood before Corbin, and struck a heroic stance. "Cthulhu f'thagn!" And with a flash of otherworldly fire, transformed into Kid Cthulhu! He lit his hand ablaze with mystic energy, and formed a two-foot diameter Elder Sign in front of his with the eldritch fire. "Cool, huh?"

[KnightDisciple]

Corbin blinks, then smiles and shakes his head.

"Not bad at all."

He sets aside his drawing pad and iPod before standing himself.

"But this ring doesn't just make wrenches."

With a flash, blue fire washes over the boy, starting at the ring, but quickly seeming to consume his whole body. After a couple seconds of burning, he stands before Kid Cthulu, clad in noble plate armor, a semi-transparent cape flapping behind him in a non-existent breeze.

"Not too shabby, eh?"

[Lone Star]

"It's okay, I guess. But check this out!" KC flexes his back, and it cracks loudly. Two nightmarish wings emerge from it, green and scaly. He stretches them out, and they occupy most of the tiny room. "Bet your ring can't do that!"

[KnightDisciple]

Corbin gave Blake a Chesire Cat grin.

"I suppose it could, but it doesn't really need to."

With that, he simply hovers into the air. A moment later, his cape shifts into tattered ethereal wings, before shifting back.

"So, Cthulu, huh?"

The young man in armor crosses his arms over his chest, the wide grin still gracing his face.

[Lone Star]

"Yep. Kid Cthulhu, at your service. You're....Blue...Knight? Something like that? Because you're blue...and wearing armor. Am I right?" KC said, crossing his arms as well. He would never let Corbin know, but he had run out of one-ups.

[KnightDisciple]

Corbin landed and dismissed his costume in a quick flash of blue flame.

"I go by Cobalt Templar when I'm out doing the hero thing. It's a bit more sophisticated than "Blue Knight", and I didn't want people associating me with that whacko KKK guy."

He frowns at the somewhat oblique mention of White Knight.

[Lone Star]

"Good point. Yeah, White Knight's a total bastard. I actually beat him up once!" KC neglected to mention that he had a little help, but he did throw the last punch. "So have you fought any villains since you've been in Freedom City?"

[KnightDisciple]

The new hero on campus shakes his head.

"I've stopped a couple small-time crooks, but no supervillains yet."

He shrugs as he sits back on the coach, retrieving his pad and player.

"I'm sure it'll happen soon enough. Assuming there isn't a sudden brawl on campus here. I don't know a lot of people that well yet, but I have picked up not everyone's quite as...well, as heroic as some of the other students."

[Lone Star]

KC nodded. "That's certainly true. We've all got superpowers, but...not all of us are the superheroic type. Well, at least we know we're not evil, right? I hope not, at least. I bet I could totally take you down if you tried something. I'd be all Ka-Pow! Ka-Thwack! And it'd be over." KC grinned widely at him.

[KnightDisciple]

Corbin quirked an eyebrow and gave a lopsided grin.

"That so? Hm. Maybe, maybe not. Besides, I'm not the one modeled after Cthulu. Just which of us should be watching which for villainy?"

He winked and shrugged, indicating it was very much a joke.

"And I don't think anyone here is evil, really. Just...not as nice. It's actually refreshingly normal, though. Helps me adjust to this place a bit easier. Just haven't quite found my niche yet, I suppose."

[Lone Star]

"You'll find your place, buddy. It took me a bit to find my place. With a name and superpowers like mine, you think it was easy? No! I had to carve out my niche with my bare hands!" He emphasized his point by shaking his hands. "Naw. Just screwing with ya. You'll make a lot of friends here. There are a lot of really cool people here. You'll have to meet my roomie, he's quite the rock connoisseur himself. In fact, that's his power. :rock:

[KnightDisciple]

Corbin blinks, then grins.

"Your roommate literally fights with the Power of Rock? That's pretty sweet. Any other folks I ought to be aware of as "cool people"?"

He idly returned to his drawing, seeking to finish it while he continued his conversation with Blake.

[Lone Star]

"I'm the coolest, of course. It's true. All the ladies line up outside my door. It's hard to get any sleep." KC said with a sly wink. "But you know. Everyone else is okay. I guess." He grinned as he plopped down next to Corbin. "If you really wanted, I could maybe teach you how to be as cool as me. If you really really wanted me to. Also, I'll need a thousand dollars for supplies."

[KnightDisciple]

Corbin was giving Blake a solid "You're just making stuff up, now" look. Nonetheless, he didn't directly challenge the other boy's statements.

"Really now. Must be hard to hide that from the RAs and teachers and such. You'd think such a line would be noticeable. What draws them in? The color scheme, the tentacles, or your taste in music?

As for the lessons, can I get a small preview of the course contents? I won't have to try wearing green, will I? I'm not a guy who looks good in green. Or with a bald head. What costs a thousand dollars? Your best-selling novel, bound in hand-crafted leather with pure 24 carat gold filigree?"

[Lone Star]

"Oh please, that should be obvious by now. It's my award-winning charisma. I have won awards, you know. And yes, my book is only sold in 24-karat gold. Hope that won't be a problem. But yes, if you take my lecture course, you're well on your way to coolness. And the course preview is only your mortal soul." Blake said with a grin. "Okay, okay. So I might have exaggerated on some parts of my own self-description. It's not that far from the truth, I assure you."

[KnightDisciple]

Corbin just shakes his head with a grin.

"You know, the fact that you're a student here really is a relief. You're not as...formal...as some of the people here, but feel a bit more down-to-earth than some of the others. It's refreshing. The fact that you enjoy good music helps. Do you play, or just listen?

As for the whole girl thing...Do you have an actual girlfriend? I mean...argh. Sorry. That came out wrong."

He wiped a hand across his face.

"Joking about girls lining up is all well and good, but do you actually have a girl? How does the whole dating thing work out when you're a superhero, even if you're one in training?

As for the girls around here...are there any that aren't taken, that aren't also...um."

He seems to ponder his terminology for a minute.

"Insufferable. Or graduating seniors, I guess. I'm not exactly "shopping" just yet, but it's good to get the "lay of the land". I know I saw one or two really nice gals. Like the one who's almost as tall as me. And nearly as built. Blond hair."

Corbin winked a bit at this description; Blake might be able to infer he was likely referring to Quo-Dis, the Ultiteen.

[Lone Star]

"Ultiteen...hmm. She's a little preppy for me, but her Facebook says she's single. Go for it, man! But yeah, I've got a girlfriend. She's a hero too, her name's Ironclad. She's probably the smartest girl I've ever met. She designed her own suit and weapons, and she's always got a plan." Blake sighed as he thought of her. "She's a real sweetheart. I'll have to introduce you to her. But there are a lot of cuties here too. You'll find someone your...size."

[KnightDisciple]

"Ultiteen...hmm. She's a little preppy for me, but her Facebook says she's single. Go for it, man! But yeah, I've got a girlfriend. She's a hero too, her name's Ironclad. She's probably the smartest girl I've ever met. She designed her own suit and weapons, and she's always got a plan." Blake sighed as he thought of her. "She's a real sweetheart. I'll have to introduce you to her. But there are a lot of cuties here too. You'll find someone your...size."

Corbin rolls the name around in his head, and shrugs.

"Feel like I should recognize the name, but I don't. Still, that's pretty cool. Kind of an "odd-couple" vibe, if you think about it. You seem like a bit of a "seat of your pants" type of guy, which is cool, plus you use magic. Then your girlfriend's a planner who uses technology. Just strikes me as nice kind of...balance, I guess. But yeah, might be fun to meet her. Maybe she can tell me embarrassing stories about you!"

He gently elbows Blake with a wink, then taps his pencil against his drawing pad.

"Huh. Don't really use Facebook every day. And I certainly don't have many people linked on it yet. You think I should go for it?"

He seems genuinely nervous now.

"I've...never really been a "dater", so I'm not sure how to go about it. But you're right, worth a shot, you know? I wonder if her being more, ah, "athletic" scares some guys off. Ultiteen, that is."

Are his cheeks a bit red now, as he's concentrating hard on his pad and pencil?