Welcoming Committee (IC)

[Electra]

Stesha gave Murdock a quick side-arm hug, smiling at him. "It's awfully nice to see you again, Murdock. You're looking well! I hope they're treating you right at Champions." She walked into the room and let the men talk a little bit while she removed the whimpering baby from her fabric sling. Ammy's little face was screwed up in displeasure, her green hair sweaty from the walk and ride in the summer heat.

"Not at all," she assured John, "your time outside of work is your own. You should definitely get out and explore, though it might be good to have a guide the first few times, just to make sure you know how to get around and get back home again." She looked to Murdock, then nodded towards the worn but comfortable-looking couch. "I need to give the peanut here a quick change and feed. Maybe you could give John the grand tour?"

[Avenger Assembled]

"Yes." Murdock showed John around the apartment, a tour which turned out to be extremely short. There was the spartan bedroom with its two solitary single beds, the sparse bathroom, the kitchenette with its spare, mismatched assortment of food items, and the small living room with the couch Fleur was occupying with her baby and the television. "Are there things you will require?" he asked of John. As even sharing these rooms would still make these palatial accomodations by Murdock's standards, he didn't mind a roomate, but he wasn't sure what (if anything) the other man might need. He shot a glance over at Fleur as she changed the fussy baby, then back at John. "If you would like a tour of the area, I can do that."

[Broseidon]

"Things I require," John thought aloud with a smile as he crossed his arms, "Enchanting music. A full wineskin. People having fun." His mind wandered for a second before he snapped back to the quiet reality. "Sorry about that," he chuckled. As the baby fussed, he looked over to Fleur de Joie as he talked to the child, "Don't worry child, your mother is a fine helpful woman. Things will be alright when you're with her." When Murdock asked about another tour, John perked up, "A tour of this village and it's sights? That would be quite enlightening!" He looked over to Fleur de Joie, "Would you like to come?" He looked back to Murdock, "Would you mind if she came too?"

[Avenger Assembled]

Murdock winced, just a little, at the cheer in John's eyes that he himself would never be able to match. "I will not be very helpful for parties," said the former drone apologetically. "Or socialization." He hesitated, considering his words very carefully. "I have impediments that make it difficult for me to participate in things like that. But I will do what I can to show you the area." His hand on the door as Fleur made up her mind, he added, "You are not from an era of industrial civilization, but rather from an agrarian period. I know very little of the era from which you originate. I understand you come from a period of profound magical influence on this plane's history?"

[Electra]

While the men explored the apartment, Stesha expertly divested her daughter of a soiled diaper, redressed her, and settled in on the couch with a demure nursing cover the color of lilacs. She took the time to look around the apartment, most of which she could see from her seat, and considered it heartlessly plain. Murdock had little experience living on his own, and John was from a very different time and place. They could use some help making the apartment more homey, and it definitely seemed like they could use a home-cooked meal or two.

"You two go on," she told them with a smile, indicating her current occupation with a wave of her hand. "We'll still be at this for a few more minutes. When you get back, we can go over any details I missed earlier."

[Broseidon]

John noted the blandness of the apartment himself. The only really strong smell he could smell was Fleur de Joie hypnotizing aroma of floral and milk. He smiled when Murdock said he wasn't good for parties or socialization. "Don't worry, my friend," he said patting him on the back, "There's two ways this can go. Hopefully, I can teach you everything I know. On the other hand, if not, I will respect your privacy." Privacy, something they really didn't have back in his day. Someone was always taking notes on you when you least expected it, whether for good or ill. He took his hand back and crossed his arms when Murdock asked about his past. He nodded his head, "Yes, I am from another time, you might say. Mine was the day of what people now call Ancient Greece. Mount Olympus was my home." He shrugged with his shoulders, "Though I've been informed that mortals had a falling out of sorts with the residents of the mountain. But that's neither here nor there." He urged Murdock to close the door with nod towards it and stepped back, "As for my species, so to speak." Horns grew from his head and he stepped out of his shoes to reveal hooves. He dropped his pants to reveal a coat of goat fur over them and a short goat tail. "I am a Satyr. Born of Pan. Former servant to Dionysus. I've been told to hide my true nature to the normal mortals and all but close friends of the Freedom League." He looked to Fleur de Joir with a nod and smil and then back to Murdock. "Seeing as you shall be my barracks mate, I think it would be something you should know."

[Avenger Assembled]

The former Omegadrone didn't blink at the Satyr's reveal, instead slowly looking him up and down as he sized him up. "I am familiar with beings from dimensional axes like yours," replied Murdock, and it was true though that familiarity was limited to one particular variety of their lives "I have not encountered a satyr before, however." Not to talk to, anyway. Trying to put the smell of burning hair out of his mind, Murdock added, "I would prefer if you continued to cover yourself when you are outside I work to maintain my secret identity very closely. Revealing my nature to civilians is not possible. I am not like you." As they talked, he pulled on a large Freedom City baseball cap to hide his scarred head. "Secrecy is very important," he added.

[Broseidon]

As John pulled his pants back up the goat legs and tails disappeared and his feet grew turned back into human feet. He stepped into his shoes. "I understand, Murdock," John nodded, "No one will ever know who I am if they do not need to. No one will ever find out about you from me either!" He looked to Fleur de Joie with a smile, "Thank you again for your help, Fleur de Joie. Your hospitality rivals that of Hestia." He looked to Murdock with the same smile, "Of course, there are more beautiful sights to see out there," he pointed outward to the outside, "I am sure of it!"

[Avenger Assembled]

Trusting Fleur readily with his apartment, Murdock led the way onto the streets of Lincoln. He'd read the informational brochures for the area before moving in, and had walked the streets at night to familiarize himself with the region. In his mind, as they stood on the streetcorner and watched the cars go by, across the street from the barbershop and down a half a block from the local convience store where Murdock bought most of his food, he tried to put himself in the mind of those writers. A working-class African-American neighborhood; one with a strong tradition of community and family. Though Lincoln's had many problems over the years, it's a good, solid neighborhood that's managed to stay together despite adversity. The cars spewed hydrocarbons in the air, the people had a few thousand calories a day to eat, the streets were often dirty, and there was at least one feral cat in the neighborhood.

For Murdock, it was a lovely place. "This is Lincoln," he finally said after a moment's awkward silence.