Kill A Man (IC)

[Electra]

Erin looked vaguely disappointed that she wouldn't get to stand on her head or something like that, but she gamely leaned back and looked at the group. Either Alex was getting drunker, or Erin's own relaxed inhibitions were allowing the mental link to become stronger. Either way, she was feeling more relaxed than she maybe ever had. "Um, two nice things, huh? Well, one for all of you is that you guys are my best friends in the world, and James too except he's not here. Things would really suck if I didn't have all of you." She looked around and began focusing in for the second round. "And Mark, you always know something nice to say, even if it doesn't make any sense. And Alex, you are the nicest person in the world and I'm glad you're my roommate and put up with me. And Mike, you are awesome at fighting and I totally wish I could fly like you. And Trevor, you are a really good kisser, and I think I might be in love with you."

Barreling right onward, she launched into the truth portion. "I don't really know what I want to do with my birthday. I haven't even celebrated since I was fourteen, and then I had a slumber party and we watched movies with kissing to talk about their technique and did up our faces with makeup and stuff. I don't think that's the kind of party I'd go for anymore. Something fun, something to celebrate growing up. Alex, truth or dare?" she added without so much as pausing for breath.

[Gizmo]

Trevor was still for a moment, his eyebrows receding into his bangs as he gaped broadly enough to knock his chin out of his palm, forcing him to right himself to avoid toppling into the bubbling water. His hair seemed to be moving of its own accord until it became clear that thing streams of pitch black midnight mist was wafting up from the top of his head. "...'scuse us a sec," he instructed the others before the mist abruptly thickened, expanding into an obscuring cloud, although it remained a fraction of his full capable output, only covering one side of the hot tub.

In the sudden darkness, he slid toward Erin, her body heat glowing a soft red in his metahuman vision. As he placed a hand on her cheek and drew closer, she could feel a slight quiver running through his arm. "Feeling's mutual," he breathed in a whisper, "on both counts." He leaned in closer and kissed her gently, a new undercurrent of intensity and urgency present in the gesture.

[Electra]

Erin blinked as the world suddenly went dark, but she wasn't concerned. She could hear everyone around her, and feel Trevor as he slid closer to her, so even without vision, she was perfectly oriented in the world. She let her eyes drift closed as he kissed her, sliding her hands up his arms and onto his shoulders. "Oh," she murmured, her breath warm against his lips. "That's good to know." Her lips curved even as she kissed him back, and she decided that maybe telling the truth was a pretty good bet, overall.

[Avenger Assembled]

A voice arose from the darkness. "Hey, Midnight Jacuzzi! I bet there's one of those in the Midnight Cave..." And then, a few moments later, "Oooh, I bet you guys are kissing in here! That's awesome!" And it was! Trevor and Erin, of all of Mark's friends, were definitely the people who he thought needed kissing the most, and the fact that they'd found each other just made things more convenient and happy for everyone. He sat his drink down, very carefully in the dark, and applauded. "Yay! Okay, Alex, like Erin said!"

[angrydurf]

Mike grinned broadly quite pleased with the results of his truth and dare. And more pleased that the attention was on the other couple in the tub for the time being. As the mist enveloped them and they became more intimate he studiously looked away with a slight blush, "Uhm yea ..." he murmured at marks comment, "So uh Alex then right?" he tried to move things along before seeing more of their private time than he intended.

[alderwitch]

"Dare!" Alex announced with an air of satisfaction. "And half of us can still percieve you two. All of us know what's going on though. We're not playing seven minutes in heaven, guys."

Alex laughed and set her empty glass on the rim, looking flushed and listing slightly in her movements.

[Electra]

"You're just jealous because my boyfriend takes the initiative," Erin maintained a bit crossly. She waved aside the mist anyway to continue the game, her other hand tucked in Trevor's. "Okay, dare, hmm. Has to be a good dare... Oh, I know!" She grinned so broadly it was practically a leer. "I dare you to go get one of Mike's outfits and have Mark help you make it new and more awesome."

[Gizmo]

"Be polite not to look," Trevor pointed out with something approximating a muted, pleased grin pulling at one side of his face as the remains of the small cloud of midnight mist dissipated. Giving Erin's hand a brief squeeze under the bubbling water, he relaxed visibly, his free arm resting on the the edge of the tub. The new dare elicited a few baritone chuckles from the stoic youth. "Heh. Sparkle pants..."

[alderwitch]

"Oh, no. Mike can't pull off sparkles. He'd look silly," Alex informed them solemnly, reaching out to pat Mike's bare chest like it was a very tragic thing for him that he couldn't have pulled off a bedazzled shirt and jeans. "Mark... something like this."

She focused, screwing up her face for a few minutes to create a wavery image of Mike that wasn't very clear. Which was good, because he was stark nude in Alex's projection. Then, like she was playing holographic dress up, she created a very punk-eighties-goes-futuristic look that would have fit in with Captain Eo. It was ripped jeans that were probably uncomfortably tight, ruffled up hair with the tips all the shades of his blue and gold costume, a t shirt (also tight) and a leather jacket that had several extra loops and buckles, all in different very primary colors. Alex beamed, "Just like that!"

[angrydurf]

Mikes blush deepened as the blury image of his nakedness shimmered above the bubbling waters, "Hey that's not ..." he went silent looking nervously between his friends fairly certain that if they had their way he'd end up in the ridiculous outfit by flights end.

He stole another glance towards the finished product with a raised brow, "That looks awful, uhm, constricting." he offered in weak complaint.

[Avenger Assembled]

"That's one idea," said Mark, hmming. "But let me show you something that's a little more classic." He waved his fingers in the air and with a somewhat blurry production of black bubbles produced an outfit in Mike's blue and gold (aka the Claremont colors), but with many exciting changes! He walked his friends through all of them, the outfit spinning in the air as he did so. "Look, see, instead of a bland cape, it's got racing stripes!" And sure enough it did, big flames shooting up the side of the cape like a Hot Wheels car. "Like fire, because he flies so fast! And on the chest, insignia!" It was a giant P. "See, it's a P! For Phalanx! And with the tight muscle shirt over the chest, and the shorts on the outside, so he's like a bodybuilder or circus strongman! You really have to build the codpiece area, you know, for the ladies!"

Sensing a lack of support for his idea, Mark sighed and constructed from whole cloth an outfit matching Alex's description and plan...well, that, and with the cape with flames on it and the giant P on the chest. And the very tight shorts on the outside. "OK, there's a merger of both our ideas. What do you think?"

[angrydurf]

Mike looked at the outfit incredulously and set it aside with care having no intention of putting it on though he did inquire quizically, "Is that supposed to be a new costume or like a normal outfit?" he shook his head as he considered it further, "Never mind I'm not sure I want to know."

He smiled over to Alex, "So its your turn now right?" he asked hopefully glancing around the group for support he was unlikely to find given the general dissatisfaction they all seemed to hold with his performance int he game thus far.

[Electra]

"Put it on!" Erin encouraged with a laugh. "I want to see what it looks like! Mark's additions have a lot of... panache." That had been a vocabulary word last month, and it seemed to fit the situation perfectly. She laid her head on Trevor's shoulder and this time kept it there, relaxing in the warm water and the company of friends. Being able to tease her friends was just an added bonus.

[Gizmo]

Trevor sputtered as though he'd swallowed something poorly as he regarded the materialized outfit with a mix of horror and amusement. It certainly put Erin's pink shoes in stark perspective. Recovering, he gave Mike a serious look. "The flames will make you go faster. That's science," he deadpanned with a sage nod. "And you can't argue with science, Mike. You just can't."

[alderwitch]

"You have to put it on! We made it for you!" Alex protested laughingly. She folded up her arms and looked stubbornly mutinous. "I'm not asking anyone anything until you put it on. And then, then I will ask Mark. But not until you try it on. Otherwise its wasteful. Besides, that way its not hanging over you with every round of truth or dare."

[angrydurf]

Mike sighed heavily and stood stepping out of the jacuzzi. "Alright fine fine." he grumbled still eyeing the outlandish outfit with concern. He quickly toweled off and despite being able to change int he blink of an eye stepped into the other room to get changed. Moments later he emerged cape and all and shook his head, "Uh great effort and all but its like, uh really uhm tight in the uhm... yea." he complained as he made a slow turn to show off all the angles while trying not to reveal anything from the overtight codpiece region Mark had felt it was so important to emphasize.

[Avenger Assembled]

Mark applauded enthusiastically. "Woo! Go, Mike!" He looked quite pleased with himself, and raised his hand for Alex. "Slap me five! Down low! Yeah, we should totally open our own superhero design studio. Or, hmm..." He rubbed his chin. "Even better, we start out by redecorating everyone else's costumes! It'll be...not so much? Okay." He suddenly pulled himself out of the water, revealing that indeed he was wearing the bright red Speedo, or one just like it, that he usually favored in the water. "I need more drinky drinky," he said a little awkwardly. "And Alex, I also take truthy dare! I'm never too good to copy my friends when they're being cool!"

[alderwitch]

"I'm pretty sure that isn't the way this game is supposed to be played but okay." Alex agreed goodnaturedly once she'd finished oggling Mike's display. She winked at him and nodded to show that he could stop demonstrating the fruits of their labor, so to speak. She sank back into the bubbles and steepled her fingers together like she was contemplating world domination. "Okay for truth, let's hear... what your faaavorite super hero collectible is. And dare. Hrm. Recite the Freedom League members, alphabetically not chronologically."

[Gizmo]

"Nhh," Trevor groaned good naturedly, covering half his face with his free hand so that only a silver of his subtle smile was visible. "Why? Why would you do that? We'll be here all night while he decides between that working Omegadrone pike and the complete set of Freedom Eagle themed collectible spoons." The dare component he had fewer concerns about; even inebriated, he suspected Mark could recite the Freedom League roster in reverse alphabetical order while walking a straight line and touching his nose with alternating index fingers.

[Avenger Assembled]

Mark confirmed first that associate and reserve members counted, and they were going by codenames and not secret IDs, then began to talk. He was wobbly and gesturing with the bottle of banana rum in his hand, but he stayed on point as he began to talk. And talk, and talk! "Aarhus the Aardvark, aka Suomi Finnson, he joined in 1976 and retired in '83, Ab-bot, the Robot from Beyond the Moon..." He stood there, gesturing and gesticulating, only occasionally wandering off to tell exciting stories about the various members of what turned out to be a very long list. "And finally, Zzzzyralax, the Man from the Fourth Dimension, who joined back in 1961 and never came to a single meeting after the first one. Aah, cold!" He hurried back into the tub, sliding in, bottle of rum in hand. "Oh man, I let my whole body get cold..." He closed his eyes. "My favorite collectible is my dad's action figure," he confessed suddenly. "It's from the complete Bicentennial League set. It's the only run they ever made of a Rick Lucas figure where he wasn't part of someone else's playset. It's still in the original packaging and everything. With a kung-fu grip!"

[angrydurf]

With the trial done Mike stepped out to quickly change back to his trunks and settle back in next to Alex to listen to the litany of heroes as mark recited. His interest held surprisingly well as marks natural charm made the copious information easier to digest. "I never realized there were so many reservists." he murmured as Mark drew to a close. He grinned, "You should write a kids book 'The Freedom League alphabet' Mark." he suggested seemingly seriously and likely unaware there were probably several of them already.

[Electra]

Erin applauded the feat of recitation, managing to splash herself in the process. "That is a lot of Freedom Leaguers," she marveled. "I kind of thought there were only a couple dozen of them. Did you like have all the action figures and the secret headquarters and stuff when you were a kid?" she asked. "I guess that's one way to learn all those names, if you were having them save the other toys and stuff. Plus, it's your turn again now."

[Avenger Assembled]

"I memorized every Freedom Leaguer when I was six," replied Edge proudly. "My dad was so proud, he made me show it off at parties! I used to know all the Liberty League members too, but there were so many heroes in the Golden Age with so many names in common that it's tough to tell them apart. You know there were _four_ Patriots, and two Patriettes?" Mark coughed. "The toys weren't just when I was a kid...I mean, I've still got them, but they're in my closet. I'm saving them for my kids someday!" he said amiably. "I really like kids, so I hope to have a whole bunch and teach them how awesome it is to be a superhero and have superpowers!" He hmmed, then said, "Okay, Erin! Truth or dare!" He gestured with the bottle in her direction.

[Electra]

"They were very patriotic back in the day," Erin said philosophically, finishing off her nearly-forgotten drink. It was warm, which didn't improve the taste any, but she was tired of holding the cup. She certainly wasn't about to ask for any of what Mark was having, and she was a little nervous about being dared to try some of the banana rum. "Well, truth worked out for me pretty well last time," she boasted. "Let's go with truth."

[Avenger Assembled]

"All right..." Mark hmmed, unscrewing the rum cap with his teeth and taking a swig. "Gag! Agh, that's not good..." He set the banana rum aside, sloshing it a little. "The banana rum, I would not recommend it. Blech. I should have gotten the vodka and the ice cream out..." He studied Erin and pointed with a finger. "All right, Erin, tell me...what's the cutest part of a guy? It doesn't have to be part of Trevor," he added for his friend's benefit, "but if it is, go nuts! Cutest part of a guy."