Another Road

[shazam]

The woman who had spoken up before muscled her way to the front of the pack. She had wavy brown hair, worn down to her shoulders. Her outfit, Captain Wonder noticed, was fairly conservative for the times. A maroon jacket with a small metallic tulip covered her top, while a barely above the knee skirt handled the bottom. The most striking part of her, though, was her eyes. She had almost inhumanly crystal blue eyes, the type that drew attention to her whether one wanted to or not.

"Can we get out of here?" she asked Captain Wonder, her no-nonsense manner coming through immediately.

Given Wonder's generation, flying away with a friendly reporter seems like a completely logical thing to do. He's responded to the questions as best he could; confirming that he was the original Captain Wonder, and that he had permanently settled in Freedom City. But when he has the opportunity to leave, he's not one to turn it down. His new friend obviously doesn't need his help with the crowd, after all. "I'll be in the sky, Emissary. Remember, find that man!"

With that he bends down, scoops up the lady in the most gentlemanly Centurion-carrying-Laurie Leeds manner he can, and takes off into the sky with a woosh. The magical nature of his flight makes it easy on flier and passenger both as he levels off at around a thousand feet, heading off across the city below. "I don't know your name," he admits, "I don't watch enough television."

[Veiled Malice]

The woman, for her part, reacted rather well to being lifted up and flown away. Although Captain Wonder could tell that she was trying very hard not to cry out, either in childish glee or momentary fear. Her face stayed more or less unchanged as they flew along, high above the treetops. To make herself more comfortable, or perhaps just to get more of a grip on the situation, she threw one arm over the good Captain's broad shoulders and sank into his grasp a bit more.

"Charlotte Chase," she said, her professionalism showing through even in the current situation. "I'm with channel 5, but I'm not surprised you haven't seen me before. I'm just starting out." She took a look around her, awe finally bleeding through to her expression. "I... sorry, this is just new for me. Could you set us down on a building so I can actually ask some questions and have a prayer of writing them down without my hands shaking?" Oddly enough, it was now obvious that she was not in fact scared, but excited.

[Veiled Malice]

The woman, for her part, reacted rather well to being lifted up and flown away. Although Captain Wonder could tell that she was trying very hard not to cry out, either in childish glee or momentary fear. Her face stayed more or less unchanged as they flew along, high above the treetops. To make herself more comfortable, or perhaps just to get more of a grip on the situation, she threw one arm over the good Captain's broad shoulders and sank into his grasp a bit more.

"Charlotte Chase," she said, her professionalism showing through even in the current situation. "I'm with channel 5, but I'm not surprised you haven't seen me before. I'm just starting out." She took a look around her, awe finally bleeding through to her expression. "I... sorry, this is just new for me. Could you set us down on a building so I can actually ask some questions and have a prayer of writing them down without my hands shaking?" Oddly enough, it was now obvious that she was not in fact scared, but excited.

[shazam]

Oddly enough, it was now obvious that she was not in fact scared, but excited.

"Your wish is my command," says Wonder reassuringly, dipping down to land on a low, flat roof sheltered from the wind. They're over what he vaguely recognizes as Ditko Street, not far from Adrian Eldritch's house. He pauses for a moment as he gently sets her down, looking around them at the city below. "It's changed so much..." He shakes his head, shaking off the memories, before he turns back to her.

"Captain Wonder. But I think you already knew that." He reaches down and shakes her hand, the gold on his costume glinting in the sunlight. They're still not far from the water, enough that he can hear the faint sound of gulls. "I think we'll get a little more privacy up here."

[shazam]

Oddly enough, it was now obvious that she was not in fact scared, but excited.

"Your wish is my command," says Wonder reassuringly, dipping down to land on a low, flat roof sheltered from the wind. They're over what he vaguely recognizes as Ditko Street, not far from Adrian Eldritch's house. He pauses for a moment as he gently sets her down, looking around them at the city below. "It's changed so much..." He shakes his head, shaking off the memories, before he turns back to her.

"Captain Wonder. But I think you already knew that." He reaches down and shakes her hand, the gold on his costume glinting in the sunlight. They're still not far from the water, enough that he can hear the faint sound of gulls. "I think we'll get a little more privacy up here."

[Veiled Malice]

"Thank you," she said, smoothing out her skirt. The height of the building nor the wind seemed to bother her. In fact, she seemed right at home. She went over to the side of the building and peered down, shaking her head.

"God, I hope I didn't give everyone on the way over a free show," she muttered to herself.

Charlotte drew herself up straight again and walked over to Captain Wonder. Her crystal blues flashed with awe at being so close to the man. "I... well, that is... I'm a big fan, let's just get that out of the way first. When you disappeared, I was still a little girl, but..." She smiled up at him. "Let's just say the world lot a little bit of wonder for me."

"Anyway," she continued, shaking her head. "I'd like to interview you. On record. Find out where you've been, what you've been doing, why you came back now, things like that." She waved her hands in front of her, trying to placate any worries he might have. "You don't have to if you don't want to, but others are going to want to know, and I can tell you my... colleagues are pretty insistent when they smell a good story."

"So, what do you say?"

[Veiled Malice]

"Thank you," she said, smoothing out her skirt. The height of the building nor the wind seemed to bother her. In fact, she seemed right at home. She went over to the side of the building and peered down, shaking her head.

"God, I hope I didn't give everyone on the way over a free show," she muttered to herself.

Charlotte drew herself up straight again and walked over to Captain Wonder. Her crystal blues flashed with awe at being so close to the man. "I... well, that is... I'm a big fan, let's just get that out of the way first. When you disappeared, I was still a little girl, but..." She smiled up at him. "Let's just say the world lot a little bit of wonder for me."

"Anyway," she continued, shaking her head. "I'd like to interview you. On record. Find out where you've been, what you've been doing, why you came back now, things like that." She waved her hands in front of her, trying to placate any worries he might have. "You don't have to if you don't want to, but others are going to want to know, and I can tell you my... colleagues are pretty insistent when they smell a good story."

"So, what do you say?"

[shazam]

"So, what do you say?"

Captain Wonder has the Courage of Rameses; the power to face any obstacle without fear. But this is...well, the reporters were intimidating. This is something else. "I can't promise I'll answer everything..." He's standing now on the roof in front of her, a towering figure. Was he ever that tall without his powers? It's hard to remember.

Wonder smiles down at her, noting not for the first time how pretty she is. Maybe she's a little older and conservative than most of her colleagues, but that's all right. So am I! he thinks wryly. "But I never could resist a lady with her head on straight. Ask away."

[shazam]

"So, what do you say?"

Captain Wonder has the Courage of Rameses; the power to face any obstacle without fear. But this is...well, the reporters were intimidating. This is something else. "I can't promise I'll answer everything..." He's standing now on the roof in front of her, a towering figure. Was he ever that tall without his powers? It's hard to remember.

Wonder smiles down at her, noting not for the first time how pretty she is. Maybe she's a little older and conservative than most of her colleagues, but that's all right. So am I! he thinks wryly. "But I never could resist a lady with her head on straight. Ask away."

[Veiled Malice]

"Wonderful!" she said happily. "Though this isn't exactly the right place for it. Would you mind doing it back at the studio? I'm free whenever you are. I can also promise complete privacy up until showtime. We've done this kind of thing before, and we know how important secrecy is to superheroes."

[Veiled Malice]

"Wonderful!" she said happily. "Though this isn't exactly the right place for it. Would you mind doing it back at the studio? I'm free whenever you are. I can also promise complete privacy up until showtime. We've done this kind of thing before, and we know how important secrecy is to superheroes."

[shazam]

"Wonderful!" she said happily. "Though this isn't exactly the right place for it. Would you mind doing it back at the studio? I'm free whenever you are. I can also promise complete privacy up until showtime. We've done this kind of thing before, and we know how important secrecy is to superheroes."

"All right," agreed Wonder. "If you can leave me a phone number, I'll call you when I...when I'm around a phone again." He takes the paper she hands him, pauses a moment, then laughs. "I always meant to put pockets in this thing, I'll just..." He tucks it underneath one of the ties that holds up his cape, after memorizing the number inside. "Shall I offer the lady a ride home? Or at least back to the park."

[shazam]

"Wonderful!" she said happily. "Though this isn't exactly the right place for it. Would you mind doing it back at the studio? I'm free whenever you are. I can also promise complete privacy up until showtime. We've done this kind of thing before, and we know how important secrecy is to superheroes."

"All right," agreed Wonder. "If you can leave me a phone number, I'll call you when I...when I'm around a phone again." He takes the paper she hands him, pauses a moment, then laughs. "I always meant to put pockets in this thing, I'll just..." He tucks it underneath one of the ties that holds up his cape, after memorizing the number inside. "Shall I offer the lady a ride home? Or at least back to the park."

[Veiled Malice]

"That would be fantastic." She happily hops back into his arms and points back towards the park. The ride over is mostly filled by the awed woman looked down at the terrain they were flying over. It's somewhat heartwarming to see a woman who would normally be so conservative in her everyday life find such wonder in flight.

When they touch down outside of the horde of reporters, she gave him a grateful nod. "Thank you very much, Captain. And I'll hope to be hearing from you soon." Captain Wonder flies away before the mob is upon him again, but sees that Charlotte watches him until he flies out of sight.

[Veiled Malice]

"That would be fantastic." She happily hops back into his arms and points back towards the park. The ride over is mostly filled by the awed woman looked down at the terrain they were flying over. It's somewhat heartwarming to see a woman who would normally be so conservative in her everyday life find such wonder in flight.

When they touch down outside of the horde of reporters, she gave him a grateful nod. "Thank you very much, Captain. And I'll hope to be hearing from you soon." Captain Wonder flies away before the mob is upon him again, but sees that Charlotte watches him until he flies out of sight.