ic Let's All Visit Kimber's Corpse

[Fox]

"I would not say anything, no," Indira quietly confirmed as they disembarked - she'd paused a moment to grow a simple, lightweight mid-length jacket in a pleasant shade of darker purple, but otherwise didn't bother pretending the change in temperature bothered her. "If she is as eager to please as you think, it would only encourage unhealthy habits. If she is not, it may take you down a path you are not yet sure you wish to walk, mm?"

She waved to their greeter, well aware that the jumpsuit-clad woman was unlikely to be in such a hurry to meet her, exactly. So, greeting done, she carefully stepped aside and cast her eyes around the area, taking in the sights. "....do you suppose they would allow me to hunt a bear?" she pondered. "I hear they have good bears here."

[Avenger Assembled]

"Bears are troublesome creatures." Tarva, allowing her mistress a moment of privacy, had chosen to discreetly appear behind her companions. She was still in the infamous dress, though now she wore a black cloak behind her and peaked hood above that gave her the appearance of a winged bird of prey. Her hands were folded thoughtfully below her, just over the stomach. "They know the hunt themselves, so they have to be lured into battle. You must madden them first with dogs, then bring them down into a full charge onto the head of your spear. It's dangerous, but they make meat, fur, and trophy all at once...Or so I've heard." She smiled winningly at Wraith. "I'm sure Kinigosi hunts are very different, and even more magnificent." Turning her head, she took in Eve and Becky's reunion, her eyes widening and holding her hands up folded beneath her chin. "Look at them! Isn't that sweet! What a lovely couple. How fortunate they are to have love." 

[April]

Long distance relationships are difficult but that difficulty can be offset with a stupid amount of money.  Obligations, especially those that Eve and Becky took on are more difficult to compensate for but even so they still find some way, and some time, to see each other.  That of course doesn't mean that such meetings have become rote and commonplace; each time they got together was precious and treasured.

The conversation on the plane, and how it seemed to (annoyingly) get away from her, was temporarily forgot when Eve had disembarked.  The young Frenchwoman descended the aircraft stairs in a manner that was nearly dignified but her reserved manner was quickly shed once her feet stepped onto the tarmac.  With a shout, such as Eve makes them, of delight the telepath practically sprinted into the arms of the Candadian superheroine, wrapping her arms around the taller womans neck and pulling her in for a kiss.

[Gizmo]

Becky made a pleased growling sound as she leaned downward, ostensibly to make it easier for Eve to wrap her arms around her neck but quickly quickly scooping the petite Frenchwoman up off of the ground, pulling Eve's knees up to either side of her waist and not incidentally ending up cupping her girlfriend's rear with one hand. "Hey there, foxy," she murmured around the kiss, perfectly happy to ignore the rest of the disembarking party for a few more moments.

The sun had set far enough for Kimber to maintain the illusion of solidity outside of the jet as she retrieved Avro's carrier and opening the door. The manticore kitten, similarly disguised as a mundane tabby, scrambled out as quickly as his paws would carry him, clawing at the tarmac experimentally and giving his mistress an annoyed yowl. "Well maybe if you hadn't torn up the nice leather seats in the jet every time you wouldn't need to ride in the carrier, mister," she reminded him firmly, getting a brassy huff in response. Sniffing the northern air, Avro kept his customary, wary distance from Becky and had nothing but unusually human glares for Tarva. Clucking her tongue, Kimber allowed him to stretch his legs and stifled a wistful sigh as she glanced at the affectionate couple.

[Fox]

"He is merely restless," Indira defended, crouching down to offer Avro a careful scratching. "He does what feels natural to him. I do not blame him - leather is pleasing to claw at. I find it difficult to resist, myself, sometimes."

She smiled, glancing at Eve and Becky with a friend's fondness. "Do you think he would be better if he had something proper to hunt? Or perhaps that would only encourage poor behavior. It could not be like the leather, either way - that is cow, I think? Cows are not good hunting. Avro deserves better prey."

[Gizmo]

Avro leaned into Indira's fingers with a pleased, trumpet-like sound, scooting around to provide better access to the spot behind his ears and to give Kimber an expectant look. He might not have been able to understand the exact words but he obviously recognized the Kinigosi's dotting tone of voice and knew perfectly well which of them was more likely to allow him out to hunt wild game. The phantom sighed and placed her hands on her hips, causing the buttons on the denim jacket she'd created for herself to jangle quietly. "Maybe when we're done -- if Becky says it's okay! -- you two can see if there's something worth hunting in the wood. Maybe!" She did her best to look stern but they all knew the chances of her being able to say no to the two of them combined were abysmal.

Breaking off from one more kiss that most definitely crossed the line for how much tongue was quite appropriate in public, Becky inhaled deeply from the crook of her girlfriend's neck before depositing her back to the runway with a pleased rumbling somewhere between a wolf and jungle cat. "Dad's on a business trip but Mom still wants to have brunch tomorrow morning, alright?" she asked quietly, a little more self-conscious now that the initial rush of instincts had been satisfied, brushing the bone white streak in her otherwise deep brown hair away from her face. She looked up to give Indira a smile that was a little too wide and contained a few too many teeth to be completely normal and offered Tarva a more uncertain, weighing look before turning to Kimber. "I picked up all the camping gear liked you asked. Dan said he'd try to swing by while you were in town but not to get your hopes up too high. You know how he gets." She offered a sisterly roll of her eye in commiseration and received a snorting giggle from the disguised ghost in return.

[Avenger Assembled]

Tarva stared uncertainly at Becky for a moment before breaking out into a wide, almost predatory smile of her own. "How delightful! I'm sure we'll have quite the time together." She snapped her fingers and suddenly, from the shadows of the plane, an inky collection of humanoid figures began pulling themselves free. "I'll have the servants carry the bags while we walk and talk," she offered winningly as the umbral humanoids began picking up everyone's luggage, their black, blank faces vaguely recognizable as Tarva's own silhouette. She glided over to Becky and bowed politely even as her army went to work. "I am Tarva, my dear, I am a humble...friend of your friends. It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance." She offered her hand with a confident, toothy smile. "Where shall we go?" she asked the others brightly.

[Fox]

Indira had been smiling at Kimber's rapidly-crumbling resistance to the hunt, but at Tarva's conjuring she froze, and her smile pulled back - or peeled back, more like, corners tearing across the sides of her face and lips sliding back to reveal an awful lot of pointed steel teeth.

Her Cheshire's nightmare of a grin disappeared as quickly as it had formed, leaving her slightly less amused as she gave Avro a final scratch and stood up. "We should get a head start on our trip," she suggested, smoothing her shirt. "In the worst case, we can camp partway there so that those who need it can rest, eat, or sleep."

[April]

"I look forward to it," Eve said, still clinging to her girlfriend's side, her cheeks flushed from the vigor of Becky's greeting.  Outwardly the petite telepath had returned to her more composed demeanor, with the exception of her eyes and the way she kept glancing up at Becky.  Eve's friends had known her long enough to read that look, that half-giddy daydreaming sort of look, and knew it would take her a few moments to settle down.

"We look forward to it, I mean," Eve said after a moment, blushing anew. 

[Gizmo]

Kimber opened her mouth to remind Tarva that half of them were telekinetic and the other half possessed well past human levels of strength but quickly closed it again, second guessing herself. If the shadow witch wanted to be helpful surely there was no harm in letting her? At least she was introducing herself as their friend even if it didn't really sound like she meant it. Baby steps. Instead she focused on Indira's comment and nodded with an upbeat energy that was only a little bit forced. "Right! If we fly and whatever once we get to the woods we oughta be able to make pretty good time! I know where we're going this time, even!" Looking around the group something occurred to her belatedly and she bit her lower lip and looked to Becky. "Um. Did you bring a lantern or flashlight for Eve?" It was sometimes easy to forget that not everyone sound see in the dark quite so easily.

"I figured she could just hold my hand," the taller young woman teased, looking entirely too pleased with her girlfriend's state of distraction. "But yeah, I've got some lights in there along with everything else, no worries. The truck's parked nearby, c'mon." The truck in question turned out to be a candy apple red pickup with an extended cab allowing for three people to squeeze into the backseat, a covered rear compartment stocked with duffel bags of supplies and True North's logo emblazoned on the doors. Becky opened the passenger door for Eve before hopping behind the wheel, leaving the others to work out the backseat's accommodations amongst themselves.

[Avenger Assembled]

Tarva looked at the truck, watching as her shadowy servants first loaded their bags into the back, then disappeared with a faint puff. "Well, that certainly is a tight space, isn't it, aheheh," She smiled at the others, carefully folding her hands together over her stomach. "Luckily we're all good friends here." She climbed into the back of the truck and took a seat in the middle of the backseat, her dress contracting inward to a skintight mesh to give the others a place to sit. She crossed her legs demurely and waved at the others. "Let's all get close, shall we? You know," she went on, "I've never had a chance to test it myself, but I've heard that the energy between true companions can give great power to any spell. I'm sure tonight will be just delightful."  

[Fox]

"I think I would prefer my energy not be used for such spells," Indira observed, frowning. "At least, not without need. Such a power is not one to be mined or...exploited?...for easy gain, perhaps? It seems...against the intent."

She shrugged, pulling herself up into the truck in a way that betrayed her somewhat-greater-than-it-appeared strength...and, with the truck shifting as she did so, her somewhat-greater-than-it-appeared weight. "I may have to ask you to move to the side," she said to Tarva, in a voice filled with genuine apology. "I am...heavier than I appear. This vehicle should have no problem carrying my weight, but it may be less lopsided if I remain toward the center of its mass."

[Avenger Assembled]

Tarva moved over with just a moment's hesitation, taking a seat behind the driver where she could look out at the vastness of the night around them. While the others figured out who sat where, she began singing softly, almost under her breath - it sounded like more a way to pass the time than anything else. 

"Anything you throw at me, I'm gonna throw back, wait and seee-" 

"Oh, I'm sorry," she said as the others joined her in the truck. "It just seemed an occasion for music. Shall we sing?" she asked the others. "I have been practicing your songs. Ô Canada!
Terre de nos aïeux, Ton front est ceint de fleurons glorieux! Car ton bras sait porter l'épée, Il sait porter la croix!-"

She grinned, looking almost disquietingly cheerful in the artificial light of the back of the pickup truck."

Edited May 27, 2015 by Avenger Assembled

[Gizmo]

The truck seemed to accommodate Indira's unexpected weight without too much protest while Kimber sat down in the space behind Eve for the look of things more than anything, her spectral being actually just floating a few millimeters above the black fabric and her elbows occasionally passing through her friend without resistance or notice in the confined space. Avro got himself comfortable on her lap without much convincing but tensed up a bit as the truck started down the uneven roads out of town.

Kimber let Tarva get a few bars into the anthem before clearing her throat and leaning forward to catch the sorceress' eye. "That's not really-- Maybe a different song?" she suggested with a smaller smile than the one Tarva was forcing, not entirely sure where to start with explaining why O Canada might be an odd choice for passing the time. It occurred to her that most music in the Terminus was probably propaganda extolling the glory of Omega and suppressed a shudder. Annoyed by her moving around, Avro dropped down onto the floor mats and began wandering around Indira and Tarva's feet. "I'm, um, not allowed to sing anything from Frozen anymore!" she explained a little too quickly to Becky in the hopes of swinging some of the awkwardness over to herself.

[Fox]

"It is true," Indira confirmed, with a roommate's friendly regret. One of her pant legs melted silver at the shins, extending a little ball on a thin metal tendril; the ball grew legs like an Earth spider, 'crawling' along the floor to tease and distract Avro from punishing their host's seats too badly. "They are fine songs, of course - I rather liked the movie. But when one does not even need to rest for food or sleep, the music becomes...distracting, after a while."

Her 'spider' scuttled up her own leg, waggling its forearms at Kimber's unearthly pet. "I do not know many songs in English, however, so I fear I am of no use either. I am no great singer, anyway: I could never get the self-harmonies right."

[Gizmo]

Avro clawed his way happily up Indira's leg and into her lap in a manner that would have been distinctly uncomfortable if there had been actual skin and muscle there to be punctured. While the manticore kitten batted excitedly at the faux prey Becky glanced over her shoulder briefly. "Well, don't sweat the lyrical stylings too much, gals. Shouldn't actually take us too long to get to where we'll have to head out on foot anyway." Her knowledge of the area was proven correct and a few mildly awkward attempts at small talk later they pulled up to a small lot leading into a hiking trail. Leaving most of the luggage behind in the pickup truck's covered compartment the women divvied up the camping supplies amongst themselves with the tall brunette gently suggesting that, while they were unlikely to run into any civilians in the woods with dusk upon them in earnest, it might still be best if Tarva hold off on summoning her shadowy porters.

Kimber made an effort to keep a low profile herself, telekinetically floating her backpack just behind her so that it would appear as if she were carrying it normally but she couldn't quite manage to keep the straps convincingly in front on her shoulders as she moved about. With stress already seeping between the cracks in her usual good cheer she sighed and did her best not too look too deflated as she took up a position at the head of the procession, leading the way into the trees. "Alright, c'mon, everybody! If we keep up the pace it's only maybe an hour or two to get there! Three, tops!"

[April]

Grabbing a few things from one of her bags Eve then disappeared into the truck only to reemerge a few moments later having changed out of the outfit she wore to greet Becky at the airport to one more sensible for hiking in the woods.  Taking up her pack she rejoined the others as they set off felling in step next to her girlfriend.

"You're certain you want to do this Kimber?" Eve asked while she was tying her hair back, a note of concern in the Frenchwoman's voice.  Sometimes Eve had difficulty remembering that Kimber's physical existence ended decades ago, her ghostly friend and teammate was so full of life that such lapses could be forgiven.

But knowing what they're looking for, that wasn't something Eve felt anyone should ever have to face.  Doubly so their own remains (which, perhaps thankfully, isn't a common occurrence.)

[Avenger Assembled]

Tarva stared at the trail for a long moment, her eyes blackening at the sight of the woods around them. "There is a freedom in looking at one's own grave." she finally said with a voice with the rising power of a growing forest wind. "With the knowledge that one has stepped beyond the power of Death, a caster learns in her soul that her own power can be made great!" She smiled at Kimber, long black hair blowing in a breeze that seemed to be entirely local to her. "After that, even the shadows themselves are yours to command." She reached out suddenly and took Kimber's hand, her touch shockingly warm against Ghost Girl's as her shadowy dress reshaped itself into something that clung tight and slick to every curve - it was hard to see how she'd exert herself in such an outfit, but at least it wasn't going to catch on any branches. Her shoes shrank until they were more on the level of flats. "What shall we do next, Kimber?"

[Fox]

"You are extremely morbid, Tarva," Indira observed - or, rather, Indira's silver, three-eyed head observed, having descended down from above on an impossible neck. She'd managed to hold out all of a minute once they'd hit the trail before shedding her humanity, legs becoming more like arms and arms carrying her up into the trees where she could climb and leap and stretch - physically and metaphorically. "And that is coming from someone who owns a religious totem made from a bear's skull."

She bobbed, making an odd humming noise as she pulled her head back up and moved to another tree to keep pace. "Still. Remember that we are all here for you, Kimber. We are your friends, and will offer any support we can. You may always turn back if you choose, and we would support that as well, though I do not think you would choose that. You are...stronger, in many ways, than all of us."

[Gizmo]

Kimber looked down at Tarva's hand over her own with wide eyes, catching a good look at the shadow-clad woman the hand was attached to before snapping her head forward to focus mutely on the faint trail along which they were trekking. Toward the back of the group, Becky gave Eve a quizzical look, one eyebrow raised. It was tough not to notice that the Canadian superhero had grown a few centimeters in height since they entered the woods, the white streak in her hair covering more of her chocolate brown hair while the shape of her face changed subtly to accommodate a mouth that had itself widened to accommodate extra teeth. Avro had taken his cue from Indira and shaken off his own glamour like rainwater from his fur, resuming his natural appearance as a manticore cub, scorpion-like tail swishing back and forth as he pounced from one bit of underbrush to the next.

After just enough time that her silence had become painfully conspicuous Kimber managed to speak up, "W-well, I don't know about that, Indira! I guess this is a little weird but it'll be worth it once I've got everything I need together!" The poltergeist turned her head bonelessly upward to give her friend a cheerful smile that was ever so slightly shakier than normal, the colour bleeding out of her face and then the rest of her body now that it was clear that there was precious little point in trying to appear normal. Her long, blue hair floated just as inexplicably as Tarva's curtain of black, the tips stretching in the sorceress' direction. "I really appreciate everyone coming with me for this, by the way!" she added, reflexively squeezing Tarva's hand lightly before realizing what she'd done and focusing again on the forest floor. "Kinda wish I'd been buried somewhere a little easier to get to, though, eh? Haha... heh..."

[April]

Eve looked up at Becky and smiled before taking the tall brunette's hand into her own, giving it a gentle squeeze.  Whether she was curious or concerned about her girlfriends subtle transformation didn't show in Eve's outward disposition.  With a pack on her back, hand in Becky's hand, the Martel heiress effortlessly and silently strode through the increasingly wild growth of the forest floor.  Just Eve being Eve.

--I have no idea,-- Eve thought to Becky, responding to her silent inquiry.  --It's been strangely tense between them for over a year now, but recently it's become like, well, like that.  Kimber is confused and Tarva.. I don't have an accurate read on her just yet.  Social cues are different.--

Eve shrugged.

--And you know I won't go digging through someone's head just because I'm curious.--

[Avenger Assembled]

Tarva walked alongside Kimber, her eyes cast shyly down at her feet - and to avoid tripping over anything as they went. She still had not yet released the spectre's hand. Whatever her origins, she'd lived in a treeless waste for a time too long for her to define, and so had to watch her step carefully. As they walked, she began singing under her breath in time with their footsteps, her voice gradually rising as they went. "Alouette, gentille alouette; Alouette, je te plumerai," She turned and beamed at the others, seeming to grow in confidence as they headed deeper into the woods. Naturally - the woods were dark and rose high above their heads, and with every shadow she passed through the shadow-witch seemed to grow more defined, her paleness glowing and her darkness blackening as the sun began to set behind the trees.

She continued the song, her voice seeming to deepen as they went, and a smile seemed to fix itself across her face. She cast that darkly dazzling look on Kimber. her eyes sparkling with black fire, and said, "You have such beautiful songs in this land." She seemed to be switching from English to French flawlessly, speaking both of them with an accent that would have made her an excellent newscaster. "Will you sing with me, Kimber?"

 

[Fox]

Indira had disappeared entirely, though signs of her presence could still be heard - the rustling of a branch overhead, a bush to the side of their path moving in a way that couldn't be explained by the wind. Three almond-shaped spots in the darkness that somehow seemed darker than the surrounding shadows.

"Yes, Avro," came a whisper from everywhere and nowhere. "They sing, and while they sing, only you are left to protect them - <show me your hunting spirit!>"

A great silver spider dropped out of the trees right in front of Avro, half the height of a grown human and somewhat cartoonishly fierce - all thick, sharp legs and matte metal body, front limbs raised up in the air in a playful attacking stance.

[Gizmo]

Startled, a wide-eyed Avro wheeled backward and ended up crashing into Eve's ankles, wrapping his tail around the petite telepath's leg nervously before recognizing the scent of the metal monster. After a few inquisitive sniffs the manticore bounded forward with a trumpet-like bleat of challenge, quills sticking outward as he bounced around the underbrush, swatting at the various legs of Indira's spider form. That got a cheerful laugh from Becky, who stepped in as close to Eve as she could without making their continued hike difficult. Over their psychic bond Eve could feel the taller woman relaxing a bit, a fairly rare thing.

Looking into Tarva's eyes Kimber felt a lurch in her chest as a heart that wasn't there did its best to race anyway. Her own eyes were limpid pools of ice water, bright and clear and hiding nothing. Her mouth worked open and closed a few times as her feet floated through roots and branches that would have assuredly tripped her had she been corporeal until she let out a sound that was aiming to be a laugh but came out closer to a whimper. "Mmh-mmhmm...!" Clearing her throat and licking her lips, the poltergeist managed to turn back to the trail in front of them and affect taking a deep breath. "Je te plumerai la tête; Je te plumerai la tête. Et la tête! Et la tête!" Like her eyes, Kimber's voice was clear and sweet, lending itself well to the jaunty melody even if she was a little more breathless than she might have usually been.

[Gizmo]

Singing actually did seem to help pass the time as the group hiked further into the woods, although once they left the trail behind in earnest and ventured into the deep, dark woods those of them with solid limbs needed to spend more of their concentration on where they were stepping than carrying a tune. Becky had included powerful, rugged flashlights and lanterns in their packs and even if most of them didn't really need the light to navigate in the dark if helped to keep some of the oppressive feeling of branches closing in on all sides at bay. Knowing what they did about their destination it was hard not to think about how easy it would be to become lost. Kimber seemed determined not to let that train of thought discourage her but she rather pointedly didn't volunteer to let go of Tarva's hand, either.

Fortunately the phantom's estimate proved to be reasonably accurate and they eventually came to a fair sized clearing in the woods, the ground too rocky there even for the persistent foliage. "Woo! Right where Dan said it would be!" Kimber cheered, turning to the others with an encouraged smile. "So, there's enough room for the tents and probably a, um, campfire. If everybody wants." She obviously wasn't thrilled by that particular idea but just because she enjoyed the chill in the air herself didn't mean she was oblivious to her friends' comfort. Doing her best to make stepping away from the shadow priestess into a non-event, she floated her pack around in front of her and retrieved a pair of collapsible shovels from within, the implements hovering to her side as she set the bag down. "If you all want to get set up here, I'll just, y'know, get what I came for and be back in a jiff!"