Marvel, Rebirth:

[Snelly]

IC: Abigail

 

"Oh you mean Jenna? She's somewhere around this burning dump of a city?" Abigail put her hand above her eyes and looked around as if searching. "Any idea where she might be?"

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

"I spent high school at Westchester," he explained, running his free hand through his hair and tightening a fist around his bangs. "Mom, Dad and I thought I'd be better off using my power to help people than I would be using it to skip Ms. Malone's pre-Algebra class every day."

 

His eyes widened imperceptibly at the needle, but he had survived sexual assault, Weapon-X assaults, giant killer robots, and half his friends. He could survive some morphine.

 

"All things considered? They were kinda right." He beamed as much as he could. "I suck at pre-Algebra."

 

IC:

 

"HE'S NOT CHUGGING, SAPHINE!" Lacey inclined her head in savage, alpha female greeting at Romulus' bodyguards before turning her expecting stare back onto the once-Emperor of the known world. That stare only loomed closer as Kyle tilted her forward, closer and closer to Romulus' face. Her normally cheerful face was not smiling; she looked much more like the woman who had torn all the fingers off a drone's gauntlets and then challenged it to a fistfight. 

 

"When I got hired, Ric told me that you were one of the most charismatic leaders the world's ever seen. One of the keenest tacticians to ever walk a battlefield. One of the greatest killers alive." Big brown eyes narrowed in challenge. "It's going to kill him when I tell him to add goddamn milk drinker to your dossier."

 

-Tyler

[Havelock Vetinari]

IC (Alecto)

 

"Help people? Kid...they sent ya to the wrong place for that. X-Men don't really help anyone. Never did...." Alecto paused a moment. "If this sort of thing is common for you, I've gotta say, there's better jobs out there. I can put in a good word." Alecto shrugged helplessly as he held up the needle. "Whenever you're ready...." Alecto paused. "And I'll drive you home, wherever that is. I'm not gonna let someone hopped up on morphine out into the streets. And something tells me your twin over there is a bit distracted."

 

Poor kid. Probably got "forgotten" alot. The nice ones always were. You had to make a fuss and raise a bit of fire to get anything in this world. He hoped the kid learned that before it was too late.

 

IC (Romulus)

 

"I do believe you're drunk." Romulus smiled, taking in the festivities. "No shame in that. Such a glorious victory must be celebrated." He pointedly ignored the other commentary the drunken secretary turned warrior woman had offered up. He turned to one of his men. "Mr. Reynolds, if you don't mind...I'd like to fetch me some wine. The good vintage if you will."

Edited June 26, 2015 by Havelock Vetinari

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

"It's alright. If he told me he's driving I'd beg him to chance his mind." Dallas rolled his shoulders around on the makeshift table. "So...what happened between you and the X-Men?"

 

He noted the winged mercenary's face and smiled sheepishly.

 

"I'm an empath. I can feel everything inside the people around me...and I know you feel sorry for me. Don't." He made the Herculean effort to sit up and look Alecto in the face. "I chose this. And I chose to stay. Whatever you think of the institution...the team members...we're all just kids. We're all just kids with big hearts. Used to think we were child soldiers, and maybe, like...yeah. But I was there in Philadelphia. I was there in Washington. I watched Las Vegas on television, and I hated myself for it, because I knew there was someone there I could have helped. I was there in Canada, though, and I met people I helped. I was the first one inside when we destroyed a concentration camp and saved dozens of mutant kids just like us who got the short end of the stick. Some of them were my classmates. I ended up dating one of them.

 

"Don't you pity me," he said, and for a second there was a hint of Showstopper's fire in his bright blue eyes and voice. "There are others who've had it worse. I've seen them, and I've hugged them, and I've cried with 'em. And if I did right by them, then the in between s'worth it."

 

-Tyler

[Havelock Vetinari]

IC (Leon)

 

Leon shrugged. "Sorry to say I don't. Last I saw she and her....friend...were doing...things...near an apartment complex. Near Times Square in fact. I thought, since I didn't see her dancing merrily in the chaos, she might have left the area."

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

"If you sniff it before you-" and here Lacey wavered on the mercenary's shoulders slightly "-w-woah...if you sniff it before you drink, I swear to God I'm gonna...gonna...MORE BEER!"

 

-Tyler

[Snelly]

IC: Abigail

 

Abigail sighed, it wasn't much to go on really. Finding Jenna would be difficult, more likely than not she probably wasn't even in Time Square anymore. Still, it was their only lead it seemed. She put her hand to her chin and rubbed it, looking thoughtful, her ridiculously pink skirt blowing in the wind. 

 

"Well, it looks like we have no choice but to look around Time Square...wait does she have a cell phone of some kind?" And if she does why don't I have her number!? Abigail decided to check her own phone, before letting out a sound of displeasure, of course she didn't have any bars! With all the chaos though that really wasn't surprising. "Nevermind, service seems to be out anyway...I guess will have to ask around Time Square...it will be like an investigation!" She beamed excitedly at that, she'd always wanted to try being an investigator...along with being a DJ...or a Phlebotomist.

Edited July 1, 2015 by Lara Croft

[Blair the Cat]

IC:

 

"Whatever we want...I-" Sierra fell silent abruptly. She sighed and looked directly at Ashley. "You'll have to give some ideas." She started delicately tracing her finger along the edge of the collar thoughtlessly.

 

"I've never really, you know, been able to do that kind of thing." Suddenly, her hand dropped to her side and she took on a panicked expression. "I'm sorry! That was a complaint, wasn't it? I forgot, that's all. I swear I wasn't disrespecting you..."

[Krayzikk]

IC:

 

"I look quite terrible." 

 

In a smooth motion that belied the caution behind it, Rebekah pushed herself into a standing position. Her muscles complained, fatigue and exertion taking their toll; she had been pushing too hard lately, and she knew it. A shootout in a Dunkin Donuts and a major battle against Hydra over the course of two days, with heavy use of her powers for both. Shunting items between dimensions, using her muscle augmentations, it all added up. Her breathing was under control, and her heart was finally within a tolerable range, even if it was still higher than she wanted it to be. 

 

But she would be fine. Another battle that failed to kill her, though not for lack of effort. She knew there was a tear in her vest at the small of her back where a soldier's bullet had been a few centimeters of kevlar from her spine, a scratch on her bicep where another had grazed her. Coupled with the various bruises associated with a fistfight with a knockoff Iron Man suit and the force exerted by dual wielding rocket launchers just before unloading a minigun, she was tired and sore across every inch of her body.

 

And she was quiet certain she looked like a mess. Long hair and a firefight did not mix visa vis maintaining a decent appearance, there were bloodstains on her person (none of them her), gravel in her hair and clothes, dirt on her face, and the smell of gun smoke clung to her like a perfume. And, as a quick examination confirmed, there was a shell casing caught in her vest. It clanged against the ground when she fished it out and tossed it aside.

 

Despite all of it, however, she was alive. And she'd managed to pull the idiotic Ultimate-in-a-pullover through with her with barely a scratch on him, despite the sheer insanity of how he walked onto a battlefield. That was probably an accomplishment.

 

"Better than many, however."

 

IC:

 

"Not dying's good." I commented, leaning against the wall behind me. "So, you seen any of the other lately?"

 

IC:

 

"... Good." The former Weapon seemed more awake at that, blinking most of the sleep out of her eyes. As if sensing the undercurrent running through the air she hugged Brooklyn tightly, drawing her into an almost protective cocoon of embrace and blankets. "That makes for one less psychopath in the world."

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

"Yep. Now we just gotta vote the rest of 'em outta office." Effortlessly, with a move that was clearly practiced, Brooklyn uncoiled her long legs and slipped underneath the comfortably heavy layers covers and more effectively into her girlfriend's hug. She tried to fake an exasperated moan. "You frickin' dork. You're gonna let the coffee get--mmph"

 

They kissed for several seconds, and Brooklyn huffed, resting her head on Rebekah's slowly-tanning shoulder.

 

"--cold," she sighed, content.

 

IC:

 

Dallas pushed frenetic black hair out of his eyes and gave Bekah his best tired smile.

 

"You gotta stop putting that cute on the line to save me one of these days," he said, before he slipped down onto the rock that she'd just stood from.

 

-Tyler

[Eyru]

IC (Rene LeBeau)

 

"Hey, sis. Wake up."

 

Rene patted his sister's cheek. They were in a hotel lobby that had somehow escaped the carnage unscathed. Shiloh was draped over a black leather couch, snoring softly. She'd been out for a couple hours; Rene had occupied himself with Snapchat and scrolling mindlessly through news reports. The widespread destruction felt curiously remote, even though they were only a couple blocks from Red Skull's last stand. The whole building had been evacuated when the battle began. Soft jazz played through unseen speakers. It was an oasis of calm in the midst of a storm.

 

Rene wouldn't have minded staying there forever, but he knew in the back of his mind that this peace wouldn't last long. They'd saved the city, but someone would find a way to pin it on "his kind." Anyone involved would probably be taken in for questioning. Or the Institute would find a way to suck him back in. 

 

No thanks.

[Snelly]

IC: Ashley

 

Ashley gave Sierra a weird look. "Don't worry so much you dork! If you worry about everything it's just gonna bring you down, it's very stressful!" Ashley said nodding. "We're gonna hang out and it's gonna be fun! We aren't making any plans either, whatever we do has to be completely spontaneous and random! That's an order!" She beamed. 

 

IC: Shiloh

 

Shiloh groaned, her hand lazily reaching up and trying to smack Rene's hand away. "Five more minutes..." She grumbled. 

Edited July 8, 2015 by Lara Croft

[Eyru]

IC (Rene LeBeau)

 

Rene rolled his eyes, but couldn't suppress the relieved smirk that followed. He had been worried that Shi might've hurt herself controlling all those machines, but she seemed okay.

 

"You can have five more hours, but not now. C'mon, Shi. Up and at 'em."

[Snelly]

IC: Shiloh

 

Shiloh responded with another groan, but slowly she pulled herself up into a sitting position, looking at Rene like she wanted to kill him. 

 

"Where are we?" 

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

whooooooo boy. i need me some liquid hydration

 

Lacey needed her some liquid hydration. After another twenty minutes of emptied (and thrown) gauntlets, she found her way to the elevator and left Kyle in charge of the festivities in her stead. The last thing she heard, sitting on the handrail of the elevator and breathing deep through her mouth, was "YA CAN'T SPELL IRISH REPUBLICAN WITHOUT PUB I ######IN CAN! O'GRADYS, DOUBLE TIME! THOSE MICROS AIN'T GONNA BREW EM######INSELVES!" Then the elevator jolted - she nearly fell flat on her ###### with a moan - and she began the long climb of shame to Ric's flat. There was a Muzak Imperial March playing in her ears. Had she taken Borte's private elevator by mistake?

 

Oh.

 

Oh ###### her.

 

like thatll happen

 

bluuuuuuugh

 

Superhuman though she may be, Lacey Marko was not Irish. She had no business being down there as long as she was, she thought bleakly, pulling woozily to her feet and walking out of the elevator into Ric's kitchenette. The Gates of HeII opened up before her, and she blinked a couple times at the sight of a familiar shape sprawled along the couch. Ric had fallen asleep with his favorite, lithe pair of calf boots on; he was shadow to the waist, and in the darkness of the final hour before dawn his pale skin looked almost translucent. His face was bare, too, hair black as shadow and pushed out of his eyes, underneath his head. He had used an awkward mixer of his shirt, jacket, and left wrist for a pillow. Her eyes traced the muscle in that arm down to his chest, watched it rise and fall softly with breath. It made the circular, puckered scar on his chest breathe, too - the only physical reminder of the first time her favorite person on the planet had been murdered.

 

He'd never told her what happened.

 

She debated leaving him to sleep and sidling off the extra three feet to the loveseat, but his recorded episode of True Detective was only halfway through, meaning he'd been awake at least half an hour ago. Biting the corner of her lip, she hissed a quiet psst sound. His mouth stirred.

 

"Hey," she whispered, beaming drunkenly; when she saw his eyes flitter, she knew it was safe to talk. "Hey, big guy. How was vacation?"

 

"HeIIish," he joked, though it was in a sleepy grumble. Ric Carlisle slipped his wrist out from behind his head and pushed his elbow against the armrest of the leather sofa, sitting up. She could see fine, lean muscle twitch underneath his skin, waking up with the effort. His hair fell, too, thicker and darker even than the black of the room around them, and Lacey bit down on telling him he needed another haircut. His thin mouth cut in a bemused smile. It was a long time since the grad student had seen something half so lovely. "Saphine texted me. Said you and Romulus spent the night out."

 

"We painted the town red," she quipped, with a teasing grin of her own. Ric laid back along the couch and Lacey ignominiously sprawled across her boss. He felt cool underneath her cheek, and his heartbeat was sluggish even to an untrained ear. Alaric's ring still twirled, mocking, on his ring finger. Never had she hated something so necessary quite so fiercely.

 

"What got you exiled to the doghouse in your own flat?" she quizzed him with a yawn, amplified by booze. "I thought you'd be in bed."

 

"...Eh? Oh...you mean Tali. My ex-girlfriend. I'm letting her get back on her feet here for a few weeks until everyone knows she's okay."

 

"Tali, Tali...ohhh!" Lacey put her strong chin on Ric's sternum, and her eyes narrowed protectively. "The winged ######."

 

"She's dead, Lace."

 

"...Heh." Lacey's face grew sheepish for a split second, and then grew fierce again. "The ######'s sister. One who killed you in Vegas?"

 

"That's Tara. She's...also probably dead."

 

"...She's the Weapon-X one, then, right?"

 

"Nooo, Bekah's been with my sister for...three years next month."

 

...

 

"Who the ###### has luck with women this rough?"

 

"Shut up. Tali and I dated a couple times in high school and college. She's a sweet girl. She just needs time to get over not being a prisoner in a pocket dimension of heII." Ric yawned and put his head back on his makeshift pillow, now sans wrist; he trailed his fingers through Lacey's hair with a yawn and cupped her head in a hug. 

 

"It's good to see you."

 

"Good to see you too, sir."

 

"Three days in heII doesn't mean you get to call me sir."

 

"You're lucky it doesn't mean I get to shatter your jaw."

 

"I couldn't tell Accounting to give you a raise if you shattered my jaw."

 

"...Stone cold ######."

 

Ric faked a snore, and Lacey opened her mouth to call him on it before his earlier yawn became contagious and escaped her mouth like a bellow. She was going to regret drinking with the O'Gradys in the morning. She just knew it. Alaric seemed to read her thoughts.

 

"Whatever you do," he suggested, "don't ask Kyle about mule juice."

 

"What the heII is mule juice?" Lacey wanted to ask, but instead it came out as a "Wha-huh-huuuuuuuuh" yawn, and she closed her eyes before it had even left her mouth.

 

-Tyler

Edited July 8, 2015 by Aikuro Mikisugi

[Blair the Cat]

IC:

 

Sierra sighed in relief. Something she was used to, finally. "Right. Got it." She felt strange. It was sort of like how she felt right before going out to hunt, but lighter somehow. "So I guess I'll see you soon then." She paused for a moment, checking to make sure her next statement didn't give away anything.

 

"Thank you again. You can probably tell, but I don't really have any...friends."

[Eyru]

IC (Rene)

 

"Still in New York. I just thought you could use the rest. But we gotta go now."

[Snelly]

IC: Ashley

 

"Alright see ya!" Ashley gave her a wave, before adding. "And sure you have friends, you have me!" 

 

IC: Shiloh

 

Shiloh rubbed her eyes, all she wanted to do was sleep quite frankly, but considering where they were...that wasn't the best idea. "Alright...let's go." She got up on her feet, her body was screaming at her to go back to sleep, but she fought it off. 

[Eyru]

IC (Rene)

 

Rene opened the lobby doors and looked out into the street. Apart from the rubble and debris of an epic battle, it really wasn't too bad. Not too busy, anyway. Most of the emergency efforts were closer to the epicentre of the battle; there wasn't much going on out here on the outskirts. He nodded once, then pushed the door open and walked outside, Shiloh following behind him.

 

The peace of the hotel lobby shattered. The air was dusty, and he could hear faint sirens in all directions. The smell of smoke hung over the street. Rene wrinkled his nose, then beckoned to his sister and started walking.

[Blair the Cat]

IC:

 

"I guess you're right." Sierra's thin face pulled into a rare and tired smile. Giving a small wave she turned and headed down the hall, her usual disposition settling over her like a dark fog as soon as she was away from Ashley's positive attitude.

 

...

 

She had been aware of this since she had turned back, but nothing could have prepared her for the sight of it. She stared into the mirror with a look of horror on her face, one hand lifting the hair that she had let cover her left eye temporarily. Or where it had been.

Edited August 4, 2015 by Blair the Cat

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

Dallas only needed about five seconds to catch his breath after the (third-)longest night of his life. Then he was on his feet in front of Rebekah again as if nothing had happened. Given the way she'd regarded him when he got here, that was probably familiar.

 

"Just gimme a sec. Gonna call Tali and make sure she knows our cadavers ain't on ice in the Blackbird's cargo hold." Eyes glinting mischievously, he whipped out his phone and hit one of only two contacts with a proper face beside her name. He held the phone between his jawline and shoulder. "Hayyy, Tali. Guess who has two thumbs, an angel's face, and made it out of Red Skull's final Saturday morning cartoon master plan alive?"

 

The chronokinetic cackled and let the phone slide down his arm and into his hand, which he pressed up against his cheek.

 

"If you guessed Bekah, you're a winner! And she dragged my kicking and pouting off the road to . Again."

 

Tali inhaled deeply, closing her eyes as she listened to her boyfriend's cackle of laughter through her cell. She'd seen the news, but she was so far away... And supervillains seldom came to Nebraska. She sank in what had been her counterpart's bed, doing her best to ignore all the pictures of her with Dante. 

 

She let the air out of her lungs, looking up at the ceiling as her head fell into her pillow. "I'll have to find some way to thank her..."

 

"She'll appreciate that." Dallas' laughter, exhilarated, finally died off the line. Then it started back up again when he added, ", Tal, you should see it out here. I'm being hit on left and right. Some of them were even girls!"

 

Tali smiled slightly, though Dallas couldn't see it. "Attractive ones?"

 

"I'll never tell!"

 

"That's as good as a yes, Dal."

 

"Blame Red Skull. His idea to ring in the New World Order at the same time all the co-eds decided they, like, wanted to see Broadwayyyyy! Not mine."

 

"Do I need to come back? Stake out my territory or anything?"

 

"What, like, on me? No thanks."

 

"Not what I meant, Dal. Without me around some of those 'like, co eds' might get ideas..."

 

"I can't stop being gorgeous. They're gonna get ideas anyway, Tali. There's no cure for world thirst." Dallas laughed again; he was laughing often, probably feeling lucky to be alive. "Speaking of thirst, how's the Corn Belt? You should have agreed to vacation further west. I might've come."

 

"Normal."

 

Her eyes went up to a picture of the other Tali and her brother on the wall. "Like Nebraska always is. Hey, maybe you'd like to jazz up the place."

 

"I dunno. I think the world might have had enough of my jazz for a little while. I am the Sinatra of our time."

 

"Nebraska is still Nebraska."

 

"Well, when you put it that way." Dallas glanced over his shoulder to his Ultimate guardian angel and beamed. "Nah, I can't. My next vacation's probably going to be to the gates of . Bekah's sending me there all-expenses when she finds out I said she had an angel's face. I should get packing. Just wanted you to know that I live to troll another day. Get back soon, Tali. Bye."

 

He hung up the phone and turned back to Bekah. 

 

"Alright, we've got that obligated settled. I'm feeling crepes. Crepes with strawberries and enough whipped cream to drown the waitress...mmm, goddamn, I'm getting hungrier just talking. Which, knowing me, is problematic. We rollin out?"

He wrapped his arm around Bekah's elbow and grinned, sticking the tip of his tongue out at the deadpan ex-Weapon.

 

-Tyler
 

[Snelly]

IC: Shiloh

 

Shiloh followed Rene down the street, the city looked a lot different than she was used to, the usually busy streets you'd expect in New York were surprisingly...empty. All that remained was the dust in the air and the rubble that was scattered throughout. As her she became more alert and her mind started to work properly once more, she knew they had to get back to the rest of the Brotherhood...back to Dominik. She pulled out her cell, which greeted her in Siri's voice as usual, but with much more intelligence than Siri should of had. 

 

As luck would have it, she still had service. She went into her speed dial and pressed the one that said 'Domino', a little pet name she hadn't dared to say outloud. With any luck he'd answer, if he'd gotten himself turned into a martyr somewhere she'd never forgive him. 

Edited July 13, 2015 by Lara Croft

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

"This man's really 'bout to turn me to a martyr for a right on red," Dominik grumbled as the cop sidled back to his car to write up a ticket. As news of Red Skull's invasion started to swarm over more and more hip-hop stations (something he thought Remus might have been almost grateful for, given her 'I see.' reaction to his forty-minute crash course in Jay-Z) When the news of his death erupted over the airwaves, Dominik's fluid, refined driving had become notably...carefree. They'd been twelve blocks from Times Square when he found himself pulled. Theirs were the only two cars intact on this stretch of road; it was one of two things that sobered him. Barely. "Yecch. Do I miss the days I could go ignorant on a mother######er or do I mis--"

 

Hey. Yo phone ringin.

Hey! Yo phone ringin. 

HEY! Yo phone ringin!

HEY! YO PHON--

 

Shiloh LeBeau

 

Well, might as well.

 

Dominik picked up with a clear shrug and leaned forward, resting one elbow on the steering wheel and sharing a conspiratorial glance with Remus. He tilted his head backwards; one lock of wheat-colored hair poked out and over his forehead. Remus shook her head.

 

He was gonna have to own this one.

 

"This is Dominik. Hey, Shi." He looked out the driver's side window, where the cop was buried up to his waist in his car window. Calling him in? He'd showed no signs of recognizing him, but he got ready to teleport anyway. "Got myself pulled over trying to get to you guys. Now that Red Skull's dead, NYPD's moving through the city trying to restore the natural order of things. White women and children, you can leave ya bunkers now. Black men, you had ya fun, back to the traffic courts with ya."

 

-Tyler

Edited July 15, 2015 by Aikuro Mikisugi

[Snelly]

IC: Shiloh

 

Shiloh found herself sighing in relief when she heard Dominik's voice, knowing that he was alive and apparently chipper as ever gave her a reason to smile. 

 

"Glad to hear you still have your wits about you, I've got a killer migraine right now..." She rubbed her temples out of instinct. "Me and Rene are a bit aways from ground zero...trying to make our way out of here before the NYPD recognizes my fabulous, pink hat. I think they're jelly." Shiloh was tired, grumpy, and she hadn't mentioned it to her brother, but her head was really killing her. But somehow talking with Dominik over the phone was making it easier. 

 

"The boys in blue aren't giving you any sass are they? Just say the word and I'll give them a talking to." 

Edited July 15, 2015 by Lara Croft

[Krayzikk]

IC:

 

"That's fine. We make ten grand a month each. We can afford to waste coffee occasionally." The dark-haired woman replied, drawing her girlfriend even closer. And more importantly, further under the covers a lot like a mole burrowing deeper and deeper into the earth where it was dark and comfortable. 

 

"Comfort and you are more important."

 

IC:

 

"I am apathetic as to where we go, it simply needs to be somewhere with food that contains a high caloric content."

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

"Hnnngh." Brooklyn poked her nose upwards and bopped the tip of Rebekah's with it, resting her face alongside her girlfriend's while the covers packed them tighter and tighter together like sardines in a can...a thousand dollar per night can with the softest blankets Brook had ever felt on her back in her life. She might have to have Bekah pack them away in hammerspace before they checked out. "You are so cute when you're being escapist."

 

mwah

 

"Obsessive. But so cute."

 

IC:

 

"Well, this at least explains the mystery of how the skin-and-bones girl I used to hug once in a blue moon in 2013 grew hips for the New Year."

 

Dallas smirked and chattered on for a few minutes, slowing down long enough to check his phone and, crestfallen, report that the IHOP was over a dozen blocks away from them, far to the west of Times Square. Unless there was a werewolf around who looked like he was eye######ing Dallas, the chronokinetic sighed, crepes were off the menu. They ended up settling for some local deli that boasted sandwiches with enough cold cuts, bacon, oil and vinegar to give any girl a body. The deli's owner, an almost painfully-stereotyped jovial Italian man, protested that the shop didn't open for another two hours.

 

"Look, buddy," Green had said, pinching the thin bridge of his nose with saintlike patience, "we crawled over a hundred dead Nazis to be here, and the sexual tension just between the two of us could dice up a cheesesteak. Do a hero a favor and just sell me a ###### club, alright?"

 

As it turns out, Dallas was sold two. Hey, building blocks for muscle definition were never a bad thing. Maybe BeTali had a thing for muscle beyond abs for days. He'd never thought to ask. The Ultimate's leader (what a frightening prospect) ordered a Dr Pepper - never a bad thing at five in the morning - to go with the meal and took his first sip staring at Bekah over the bottom of the plastic bottle. Even that, he managed to make look like a tease.

 

"Maybe if you're good we can scavenge a Girl Scout stand after this for dessert."

 

-Tyler

Edited July 16, 2015 by Aikuro Mikisugi

[Krayzikk]

IC:

 

"Why thank you. I take both of those as a compliment." The human mole replied, resting her head comfortably on the bed underneath her. "They're both true too, I think."

 

IC:

 

"I am not sure that one is enough." The dark-haired woman took a bite of her sandwich, practically inhaling her food, as she regarded the other Ultimate from across the space between them. After a moment's thought, she took another bite.

 

"Nor do I have any idea what good by your standards would be."

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

"Mmm, you take obsession as a compliment, huh?" Brooklyn teased, using the mole as a pillow and drumming her fingers along Rebekah's collar. "Huh. Interesting."

 

...

 

"Hey, sweetie. Know what we should do this year?"

 

IC:

 

"...Never change, babe." Dallas started to laugh to himself.

 

-Tyler

[Krayzikk]

IC:

 

"What should we do?"

IC:

"What is so amusing, Dallas?" Rebekah asked, cocking her head slightly.

 

Then taking a bite of her sandwich.

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

Brooklyn took a deep breath and tilted her chin up to kiss her girlfriend.

"Get hitched."

 

IC:

 

"You are. The insane appetite. The deadpan quirkiness. The overly serious comebacks. It's endearing."

 

-Tyler
 

[Krayzikk]

IC:

 

...

 

"Yes. Absolutely yes." Rebekah Fell gave a long, enthusiastic noise of joy, somewhere on the register between a squeal and a dog whistle as she wrapped her arms around her girlfriend with all of the strength in her arms, rolling over to lay on her back with Brooklyn constricted close to her chest. 

 

"Nothing would ever make me happier."

 

IC:

 

"My appetite is not insane."

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

Brooklyn had no idea what else she expected, but the fact that it unfolded the way it had regardless made her the happiest girl alive. So, inanely, her first thought was Gonna have to add a name to my tattoo. Because that was what was important right now, pressed up against Bekah's chest while her girlfriend squealed in her ear like she'd just heard the news that every morning was Christmas morning. Hnnngh, that noise. It made all the buildup worth it.

 

But inside Bekah's squee, she sometimes still heard the clattering of hands and knees inside a vent, and a girl coughing up dust. The pale girl beaming from ear to ear was so far removed from the catsuit-wearing mannequin that Shadow had been that Brook had mentioned more than once how surreal it felt that they'd been together so idyllically for so long. Rebekah foisted all the credit on her, of course. She couldn't believe that it was in her all along to be this ###### cute. 

 

But Brook did.

 

Two years, half the world, and thousands of hours spent never leaving the other's side had left the pillars of their lives totally remodeled. Brook's, at least, had halfway been there to begin with. Counting days on a wall, testing somersaults and cartwheels and backflips, loathing the wait to become a full Weapon...the thought of one day meeting the Weapon who fled had sustained her like that gross ###### bourbon her brother liked to shoot into his eyeballs. Even at the moment when a thing named Spectre had pulled a weapon on her and made to fire, Brook Carlisle had put her life in her girl's hands, and her girl had won. And nothing in the world could shake her belief. Least of all the girl herself.

 

Bekah's smile was pearl - no, stars, her smile was stars, little stars arranged behind a laughing mouth and glittering like pearls, and each one shone right into Brook's face. Her eyes looked more like jewels than most amethysts, and black hair matted on their skins in fine pools. She could feel Bekah's heart, quick and jumpy, with her own chest. 

 

She's so beautiful.

 

And then Brooklyn Carlisle was crying.

 

"Didn't really prepare anything," she said, sniffles mingling with a sheepish laugh. "I don't have a ring yet. I didn't make a special meal or anything. If I'd thought this through, I might have picked somewhere with something a little grander than continental waffles. I, uh...I have a cold pot of coffee. And a spork! I have an old spork lying around somewhere. And I have me. Loosely. A claim could probably be made on your behalf. We'll get your people in touch with my people and...we'll...work it out."

 

She trailed off and literally launched her head downwards into a kiss.

 

-Tyler

Edited July 21, 2015 by Aikuro Mikisugi

[Havelock Vetinari]

IC (Alecto)

 

“Don’t see how that’s any of your business kid. I’ve swapped spit with people who never got to know that, and no offense, I don’t think we have that sort of connection.”

 

Alecto, flicked the tip of the needle again, and gave another satisfied hum. Then, without further ado, injected the morphine, as gently as was possible. “Alright. You’ll be lucy in the sky with diamonds real soon kid. Say hi to Sinatra for me.” Quickly, efficiently, Alecto started to set up a splint. “And you know what, here’s some advice. Free of charge. Starry-eyed idiot like you needs all the help they can get. First? "Don't give me that ###### brave face kid. It's weaker than your arm is right now."

 

"Second, Kid. You talk a good game, a real ###### good game. About how you're all kids with big hearts and yadda yadda yadda. Well. Lemme ask you this, you ever gotten screwed over? Like, real screwed over? And maybe ya try to talk to one of the other 'kids with real ###### big hearts' about it right? Just a stab in the dark, but I'm gonna guess they laughed in your face right? Because I know your type. You're nice. You're sweet. You care. And you're idiots. Because you think everyone's like that. And don’t turn around and say I’m helpin’ you or some ###### like that to try an’ prove me wrong. There’s a burning city outside that begs to ###### differ.”

 

Alecto reached into his medical kit and pulled out another set of pads, then continued his work. “Now, not gonna tell ya to stop helping people. I know that’s a hopeless cause, because even tall, red and gruesome didn’t have enough power behind his bunch to beat common sense into ya. So….You wanna help people? Great. ###### great. Give all of yourself away to everyone else, till you've got nothin' left. I'm not gonna stop you from climbing up on some cross and just poundin' the ###### nails in. But there are better things to crucify yourself over. The. X-Men. Don't. Help. Anyone. Get that through your skull kid, because you're gonna have to if you want to do something worth a ######. 

 

Every time you're in the news, everytime you flash a smile for the camera..do ya think you're making things better for kids like you? Ya think the bigots are just gonna magically see they're giant shitheels? Here's a hint. They won't and they don't. Every person ya save, I promise you, at least four are beaten to inch of their lives because, guess who just threw a ###### stone into the hornet's nest?" He was speaking from experience now. Some part of Alecto was vaguely aware this had gotten just a tad bit more real then he’d intended. But the rest of him didn’t care. The rest of him was a bit too focused on the torture that growing up mutant-and gay on top of that-had been. And how much worse the beatings in the school hallway, the bathroom…..and any place where there wasn’t a set of adult eyes around 24/7 got when those spandex-clad idiots had been on TV lately.

 

Alecto paused to take a breathe.

 

“But hey.” Alecto put the finishing touch on the splint, then started to look it over for flaws, just in case. “I’m just a goddamn merc. You’ve got no reason to listen to me. "So yeah. I guess you could stay in the X-Men. For that nice fluffy feelin' you get when you help someone, but unless you're a goddamn coward, you'd ###### better realize you're hurting people too. You'll probably never see 'em. Probably never have to deal with feeling their mother######ing pain. Maybe ya can live that. Maybe not. I don't know." Alecto paused. "And for the record? That dose of pain, rage and whatever-the-###### you just got from me? Standards of my day, I was one of the goddamn lucky ones. I had parents who gave a ######. Not all mutants do. So chew on that.”

 

Alecto stood up. “Your arm should be good for awhile. I’d still get it checked out by whatever hack passes for a doctor down at child-soldiers-r-us.”

Edited July 21, 2015 by Havelock Vetinari

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

Our doctor is dead. We've been using WebMD for almost two years now. You don't know u--

 

No.

 

He was hurt, too.

 

Dallas stood up wordlessly and walked to the door, holding his arm gingerly to his side and testing the splint. Walking came easier to him when his arm didn't bounce against his ribs every two seconds, and his legs felt sturdier then they had been a minute ago. Maybe it was Alecto's emotion, giving concrete to his bones. Maybe it was just Dallas. 

 

He turned around in the door frame.

 

"You're right. But here's never been anyone who's able to save everyone. Believe me, if anyone tried it was us. We can't save everyone," he admitted quietly, "but I'm sorry we couldn't save you. It was nice meeting you, Alecto. Thank you for the first aid. Mine probably would have been ###### outta ten."

 

He half-smiled.

 

"I broke this arm playing baseball once in fourth grade, y'know. Alameda Little League. I was a frickin g, dude, the shortstop was like my little frickin fiefdom. Terry Brewer was on third base, and my friend Jack was the catcher, and I got a little too cocky trying to score the run. We ended up in a pickle for about a minute and a half, just running back and forth while the ground got smaller on both sides of me." The feeling had gotten pretty familiar to Dallas Green as the years went on. "Finally I said, y'know, ###### it, right? Leaped right over Jack's head while Terry was tossing him the ball and landed bad on my arm. Still got the run by a hair, but Mom had to take me to the hospital and get my arm checked before the game even ended. I think this splint is even better than the one I got there."

 

Alecto was just...staring at him.

 

"If you ever think you can do a better job of helping people than some of us...maybe you can. Drop by Westchester. Look around the Institute. Talk to some of the people. Every one of them was right out there in the streets this morning fighting HYDRA, and two days ago half of us weren't even on speaking terms. I think you'd fit in there...and we could really use a doctor again."

 

Dallas smiled sadly and turned out of the apartment again, following the trail of blackberry-and-hyacinth scent his Ultimate shadow had left.

 

-Tyler

Edited July 21, 2015 by Aikuro Mikisugi

[Krayzikk]

IC:

 

"Hey. Wake up."

 

Three light slaps on the cheek followed promptly, as Tera crouched next to Mikhail's couch. Aella's collapse had been brought to her attention when Trinity came rushing into the kitchen where she conversed with the owner of the apartment, and the mutant had rushed to the scene. A quick examination proved that the woman's vitals were strong; she'd simply been overwhelmed. So Tera moved her to the living room, and laid her on the couch to rest.

 

With the world outside quieting, however, it was time to try and bring her around.

 

"Aella, it's time to wake up."

 

IC:

 

When they finally parted, Brooklyn was greeted by a wide, bright smile. 

 

"You say that's not much, but it's all I want." Rebekah tugged her back down into a hug, resting her chin on the other girl's shoulder. "Just having you is more than enough. I don't need anything else. I don't need a ring, I don't need money, or a cushy hotel, or my Game of Thrones box set. All I need if you. Having you forever..."

 

"Pretty much a dream come true."

[Snelly]

IC: Aella

 

Aella groaned, slowly coming to at the sound of Tera's voice, her eyes began to slowly open. Then it hit her like a ton of bricks, her memories of what she'd seen before she'd passed out. Her eyes went wide and she sat straight up, looking frantic and very much afraid. 

 

"He was...he was outside...b-big! Way too big! He could eat us!" She was having difficulty speaking as she was breathing so fast, the wind blew through the room, as if it was just as panicked. 

[Krayzikk]

IC:

 

"Sssh, ssh, Aella, calm down." Tera adopted a quiet, soothing tone as she ignored the wind whipping her hair around. She gestured towards the window with one hand. "I don't think you really want to look, but he's dead. Skull's dead. It's not pretty."

 

"He can't get you."

[shadow pridak money gang]

IC:

 

"You're sappy," Brooklyn managed to choke out, blinking out the rest of her tears and laying her head sideways along Rebekah's shoulder, poking her cheek with her sharp nose. Her arms found her way under her fiancee's (!!!) back and locked there tightly. "I love it. I love you. I love the look on your face when that latest hush money check clears and you can go buy another replica Valyrian steel sword online. I love when you pull me to the center of the bed, underneath all the covers, and try to convince me that we're going to be moles for the day. I have loved turning the girl who once thought she was a human weapon, who slept under the window to avoid the snipers, into an adorable, slovenly, sedentary woman who's comfortable in her own skin." Brooklyn's grin grew slightly mischievous. "And I love your own skin."

 

She tilted her head again to kiss Bekah's cheek emphatically.

 

"I love you. Not really a way to make it plainer than that. You're the only thing I've ever wanted, and being your wife is not just your dream come true. Believe me."

 

IC:

 

"I'm not gonna say you eat like a diabetic on fast forward, babe, I'm just saying there's a reason you shouldn't be around food and remote controls at the same time. Ya might choke."

 

-Tyler

Edited July 22, 2015 by Aikuro Mikisugi

[Snelly]

IC: Aella

 

"Dead?" Aella asked, her voice sore and hollow. She had a look of absolute disbelief, how could someone that terrifying be dead? She wouldn't have believed it if anyone else but Tera had told her. She struggled with this thought as she stared straight ahead, her eyes unfocused. "T-They told me...that he could never die...that he was ruler of all things...a god...they beat that into me...didn't matter if I agreed or not...it happened every day..." Her body shuttered. "I-I had to stare at that ####ing red face while they did it...they called him a god." 

 

There was a twitch, followed by the slightest grin, which slowly became laughter as tears fell down her face. "But now their god is dead! I-It's their turn to be beaten, to be afraid, to run as fast as they ####ing can!" Aella was ecstatic, she didn't seem to be completely there, as if her mind was somewhere else entirely. 

Edited July 22, 2015 by Lara Croft

[Krayzikk]

IC:

 

The time after Red Skull's death had been... Chaotic. Almost a week more spent in Mikhail's apartment while SHIELD cleared up the mess Hydra had left and worked on mopping up the remnants of their attacking force. After that, though, the SHIELD agent had been told to bring his charges to the Helicarrier. And inevitably, Tera had been dragged along.

 

Which was how the pacifist found herself, for the eight or ninth day, on the Helicarrier over New York. Comfy accommodations, actually, but the thought of being so far above the ground was a little unnerving. As was being on board SHIELD's flying headquarters. And truth be told, she was starting to get a little stir crazy. Se had access to all the cable she wanted, a comfortable room, even an exercise room, but none of that changed the limited space she had to move about. Keeping an eye on Aella, though, was so far keeping her from getting too bored.

 

It was always interesting.