Defenders of New York (Super Hero's)

[The GrandMage]

Ryan

Ryan had crumbled. He didn't really care what other people thought of him, he stood his ground. But now Elliot and Veronica were gone. Outside. Ike was losing it, and Ryan had no control. He said his piece to the widow, and let his mind blank as he went to get punch.

Ryan couldn't say much for other people, but he spent a lot of time like this when things were rough. Just not thinking, talking in things from his senses and letting experiences run over him like water, not trying to sort things out or comprehend them. The little voice in his head he recognized as thought was silent.

And suddenly someone else was talking there. Ryan swatted both hands to the sides of his head, and hunkered down, screaming with all his might. Ryan knew who he was. He spent a lot of time either contemplating his own thought, or what his blanked mind was like, with a certain 'low-level' though forsaking most of his higher intelligence for just following through on motions he'd trained into himself.

He knew his mind. And this was not his mind.
But it was in his head.

The closest thing Ryan could attribute this feeling to was one of mental rape. Something that was not him was in his head, HIS head. His quiet place had just been rudely broken into by someone who acted like they had every right to break in his house and make themselves a sandwich.

Ryan focused every iota of anger he had in himself, which had been getting quite loose in the recent arguements, and wrapped himself in it, almost waiting for the thing to come back, to attack it. He didn't wknow where it had come from, perhaps he had just gone as mad as Elliot, but he knew he would not take to this sort of treatment.

 

[Screech]

"Do I think it's a dry run, you mean? Well, could be. But, y'know what? I'm thinking things have gotten a bit too intense for it just to be a dry run thing" Robert looked toward the door that Ellit had run out of, leaving the place in an uproar. Alex asked him another question. "Hum? Power? Oh, I dunno. Fly, I suppose. I mean, i'd get to move around without obstruction, and look at all the people"

Robert chuckled to himself, picturing in his mind flying past all the righ-rise buildings of NYC.

He held out his hand to Alex. "C'mon, let's go hand these over to Elliot and then split, properly catch up on old times. Whaddaya say?"

 

[Private_Label]

IKE: The reaction runs it's course

Trina sent quieting thoughts Ike’s way.
Oddly enough, that spot on Ike’s back began to grow warm....

Like the coming of a spring breeze, calm and clarity were gently restored as a single thought seemed to penetrate Ike’s brain, a foreign voice that said, “This isn’t the way it was supposed to be…”

One last scream from a man behind Ike and for a moment all was still. Like an exothermic reaction that had run it's course and reached a point of stability. the tightness in her chest broke.

Robert stood up and held out a hand to Alex... Alexander? Ike shook her head.

Ike looked at Catrina, and smiled wanly, "I know. It's like a chemical reaction gone out of control." Ike licked her lips and looked around. "We seem to have a hellatious half life... I thought most reunions lasted a lot longer before someone decided it was time to go home."

Ike knew Elliot had changed her. Oh he hadn't given her any strange new power, but he had already changed her by changing the boundaries. Changing what was possible.

Ike took a deep breath. She smiled again at Catrina. "I'd like a chace to talk to you about Matt, but I think ther eis something I have to do first. If you will excuse me..." Ike stood up and nodded pleasantly to the woman seated a few seats away as she passed.

There was one thing Ike had taken away from reading Ryan's stories. He liked having boundaries. He may not have even realized it about himself.

Ike walked barefoot down the aisle to the buffet table where Ryan crouched. She stood in front of him and crouched down so she could look him in the eye.

"Ryan..." Ike said softly. "Ryan, come on. We need to go check on Greg. If he got himself up shits creek, he's going to need someone to help him figure out all his options." Ike paused for a moment, then gave Ryan something to grab and hang on to, "You were always the best one at seeing all the options. You were good at seeing all the possible routes. You are good at that. Greg needs that." She paused again to see if she had his attention, "I need that."

She held both hands out to Ryan, palms up. "Roni needs that too. Come on Ryan, the least you can do is help Roni after what she did for you. Even if she talks like a bitch."

 

[The GrandMage]

Ryan

Ryan kept his eyes tightly shut, and his hands pressed over his ears. Someone was talking to him, he knew. But he couldn't, no, not now. Something was in his head! Something was in his head!

He began muttering, mostly to himself. He had to calm down, he knew that. But something was in his head! Well, had been. "No, no, not in there, get out of there, it's mine, you hear? All mine, my little place, mine. No one's supposed to be in here, it's just for me in here. No one's supposed to know what's in here but me, no no, mine all mine."

Ryan tried to firmly ground himself, but was still too shocked and terrified by the sudden intrusion in his mind to do anything. He knew he was over reacting, but what else could he do? There had been a thing, in his head! What if it wasn't gone? What if it was still there, just waiting for him to go back to normal? What if it was gone? How was he supposed to know!?

Ryan finally opened his eyes, and turned to look up. It was Ike. He dropped his hands from his ears, and looked around. He turned back to her, licking his lips nervously. "There was...it was...it wasn't supposed to be there...What was it!?"

 

[Private_Label]

Ryan finally opened his eyes, and turned to look up. It was Ike. He dropped his hands from his ears, and looked around. He turned back to her, licking his lips nervously. "There was...it was...it wasn't supposed to be there...What was it!?"

Ike frowned in thought and blinked a few times. Did she hear that voice earlier out loud or in her head?

"I don't..." Ike began and then turned to look at Catrina...

 

[TumbleUpStairs]

Melissa focused herself on the people seated semi-nearby, trying her best to recall faces. She was partway to recalling two in particular when someone screamed nearby. She jumped a few inches off her seat with a small, startled noise, eyes flying wide open and one arm clutching the other in a unconcious gesture of defense. She let her arm stay as it was when she tried to regain her train of thought once she saw that there wasn't anyone being murdered...at least, she was reasonably sure that no one was. She toyed with the idea briefly of leaving before she was noticed, then decided that if she did her curosity would haunt her, and opted to stay at least a little longer.

 

[The GrandMage]

Ryan

Ryan looked around, and frowned. "I...I should probably go. Lack of rest, that's what this is. Go home, get something decent to eat, go to sleep. That's the answer..."

He looked at Ike, and looked towards the door. Damnit, why did things like this always have to pile on one another. "Look, Ike, why don't we get out of here, hmm? Leave this mess, you and me? I know this great little restaurant..."

 

[Wolfsister]

Wraith

She walked along, lost in her thoughts and finally came to the darkened carpark.

Cocking her head, she heard a faint noise and decided to investigate. She never knew, it could be him. She remembered his eyes, his soft beautiful eyes. And the way his hands moved when he talked, and that time he had touched her in the cafeteria....

Shaking herself slightly she walked over to a car. A man stood infront of it, as if to stop it from pulling away, and another stood on the bonnet. Except he wasn't there, at least he hadn't been there when she first looked. But he was there now. She shook her head, perhaps Elliot had got to him too, made him a freak. She felt a slight sympathy for him, she knew what it was like. To be a freak, to be different.

Despite the strange setting she decided to go over and talk to them. Perhaps they knew where she could find Elliot. Afterall they had to be a part of his 'secret' reunion.

Walking over to the car, the headlights catching her midnight black hair with a spattering of white streaks, her knee length leather boots, her thigh high black skirt topped of with a black singlet covered with a lacy blood red blouse in its luminescent glare, she crossed over to the driver's side. Ignoring the woman in the car, who seemed strangely out of proportion, she turned to the man blocking the front of the car.

Her nervous smile of introduction froze on her lips as she caught sight of who it was. Elliot. A blush rose on her cheeks as reached out a hesitant hand to tap him on the shoulder,
"E..e..eexcuse me, b..bbut are you E..eelliot R...richards?". She stared at him in horrified silence as she cursed her nervous stutter, she hadn't stuttered since she had first met him.

Then, as she thought of her embarrassingly heated cheeks, the hand that was outstretched towards Elliot suddenly caught on fire. "No!" she screamed, flicking her hand attempting to extinguish the flame, "Not now, not here! There wasn't even a flame around!", her horrified eyes reached Elliot's.

Static electricity. She replayed the moment she had been staring a Elliot over in her mind, then she caught it. There had been a spark.

"Please go away! Not NOW!!" she screamed and tore a last anguished glance at Elliot before she dashed past him, attempting to prevent the tears overflowing.

She had to get away from here.

She had to leave Elliot.

She desperately needed his help.

She had to put the flame out.

 

[IDreamofBunnies]

Veronica sighed, turned the key back turning the engine and lights off. She folded her fingers together and rested her head on her palms. Things were getting insane, she would just wait here until things calmed down or everyone left. She shut her eyes and allowed herself to start drifting into sleep.

 

[Private_Label]

Ryan looked around, and frowned. "I...I should probably go. Lack of rest, that's what this is. Go home, get something decent to eat, go to sleep. That's the answer..."

He looked at Ike, and looked towards the door. ... "Look, Ike, why don't we get out of here, hmm? Leave this mess, you and me? I know this great little restaurant..."

Ike looked into Ryan's face and thought she saw fear. Now was not the time to push against his walls. It had been a bit of a inside joke when they ahad been in school. Some of the meaner students had a "Guess what will set Ryan off next" pool. Thankfully none of those people ran in the same circles that Ryan had. Or that most of the people there had. She had never found out the reason why he sometimes would just suddenly react to a random comment.

Ike brushed Ryan's mussed hair with her fingers. It looked as if she would have to be the one that moved between those who wanted the transformation and those who did not. Either way, it would not do to send Ryan back to his library alone in the state he had worked himself into.

She considered what to do when a phrase from one of John Graham's stories rose unbidden in her mind... she whispered it softly before answering Ryan's question.

"He either fears his fate too much,
Or his deserts are small,
That puts it not unto the touch
To win or lose it all"

"Ok" she answered Ryan softly, "Ok. We'll go." She looked over her shoulder at the few remaining people in the room. "How about them? You don't want to leave them with the left over crappy buffett do you?" she asked him with a nod of her head in the others' direction.

 

[Angelus]

Greg

Greg turned around and looked through the window to see that Roni was going to sleep. He looked at Elliot just to see that he was looking at him and trying to think of something to say then turned, knelt down and knocked on the windscreen of Roni's car to try and wake her up but it was then that he saw the woman running away and saw that her hand was on fire!

Oh my god, she has fully fledged powers like mine. I have to go and try to help her! he thought before he jumped down off the car and ran as fast as he could after her. He wanted to get to her and try to help her, talk to her and see if he could help.

"Please stop, I want to help you. I am the same as you, I only want to help you!"

 

[voilodion]

Amid the deafening chaos in the gym, a noise began overhead. Softly at first, like the distant thunder you're not sure you really heard, but swiftly increasing to a worrisome volume, a persistent thudding was coming from above...

thumpthumpthumpthumpThumpThumpThumpThumpThump!Thump!Thump!Thump!THUMP!THUMP!THUMP!THUMP!THUMP!

Suddenly, the sprinkler system burst into life, and a chilling spray of water fell on all those still in attendance.

[OOC: Sorry, Ravenloft, I just couldn't wait any longer. I've been cooped up in those pipes for days. Some may not care how quickly we get the plot moving, but I personally would like to join the story.]

 

[The GrandMage]

Ryan, now wet.

Ryan sighed, and looked up, he looked back down at Ike, then around at everyone else. He just sighed., and shook his head. He receeded into himself. This had been a mistake, he knew it. Oh so worried about everyone else. Everyone else? And who were they?

He shook his head again, as if trying to clear it. "Nevermind."

He went to a chair, and sat down, leaning back and looking at the sprinklers.
It was obviously not his day.

Nothing left to do but sit it out and watch everything play out.

 

[Private_Label]

Ryan sighed, and looked up, he looked back down at Ike, then around at everyone else. He just sighed., and shook his head. He receeded into himself. This had been a mistake, he knew it. Oh so worried about everyone else. Everyone else? And who were they?

He shook his head again, as if trying to clear it. "Nevermind."

He went to a chair, and sat down, leaning back and looking at the sprinklers.
It was obviously not his day.

Nothing left to do but sit it out and watch everything play out.


The water tamed Ikes hair down around her head and shoulders. The green dress clung to her body and Ike privately prayed that the dye wouldn't end up running down her legs and onto the floor. She shook her head as Ryan sat down. Some days she had trouble figuring him out. He seemed all passionate at one moment and the next it was as if all the air had been let out. Ike looked at Ryan's profile as he sat in the chair. She remembered the long drawn out debated they would have over practically nothing. She smiled fainly. It had been fun. But after they graduated she had not bothered to call him to keep the debates going. She looked down at the floor and wondered why. She had never paid much attention to the boys as "boys" she had been more interested in having friends, and not a sub set of friends. Now she wondered what she might have missed in not pursuing a boyfriend.

She looked over at Ryan. The only other male in the room was Catrina's translator. Maybe, she thought... maybe we have been given a second chance.

She sat down next to Ryan. "You know," she half laughed, "If it wasn't for the fact that most of the people have left the room, I would have said that Elliot planned for the sprinklers to come on and shower everyone. He nearly did for our graduation ten years ago." She patted Ryan's hand a few times then left her hand on top of his. Without intending to do so, she then gave it a light squeeze.

 

[The GrandMage]

Ryan

Ryan smiled faintly. "It would have been a blessing, to tell you the truth.All I remember is being as uncomfortable as hell. Sitting through those boring-ass speeches about it being the 'prime' of our lives and moving forward into brave new things. But I'd say Elliot already threw out the surprise he wanted to."

Ryan glanced around, his eyes finally falling on the banner Elliot had unveiled. "Herroton Hero's. Yes, we all belong to the mascot..."

He sighed, and shook his head. "You know, I never thought things would be like this when I got the invitation. I don't know what I thought it would be, but this is definitely not it..."

 

[Wolfsister]

She dashed away, the tears threatening to overflow. She didn't want to cry, she knew that ever since that day, whenever she cried it would rain.

She heard distantly the sound of hurried footsteps behind her and a man's voice calling out to her. Maybe it was Elliot! She brightened, her tears momentarily forgotten as she slowed down and turned around.

She started, unable to contain her momentary dissapointment at seeing that the man who ran after her was in fact the one that hadn't been there before. The invisible one.

His words finally reached her ears.."Please stop, I want to help you. I am the same as you, I only want to help you!"
She held out her hand hands, placating him "Please don't come any closer," she looked at her hand "Please, when its like this, it has a tendency to - " she yelped with surprise as a jet of flame emitted from her burning hand towards him, razing the ground infront of his feet "-do that" she ended lamely.

She felt her cheeks heat in embarrassment, "Great, more heat" she muttered to herself. She looked down to her second hand and saw belatedly that it too had now caught on fire. Sighing, she flopped onto the ground, careful to keep her flaming hands away from her clothes. She refused to further her embarrassment by burning her clothes off too.

She guestured absently with her hands, "If you really want to help me, it would be great if you had a bucket of water or something, I have to cool down for this to go away." She ducked her head in apology, "If you wouldn't mind."

She sat there miserably in the middle of the carpark, tonight couldn't get any worse. Then she heard the distant clap of thunder, Oh great she thought to herself, maybe it could.

 

[kamalw1]

Daniel Carter

Daniel looked at the clock on the dashboard of his car. He sighed and put more pressure on the accelerator as he thought about how late he was for the reunion. He had been looking forward to this for a while now, and was eager to get there. Unfortunately, having a young daughter can complicate your life. He felt his wife Janet put her hand on his knee to comfort him. "Don't worry," she said, "Kelise finally calmed down for the sitter and even though we are late, I am sure people won't mind. At least you are showing up." He thought about what she said and how he worked his schedule so that he would be in between projects during this time so that he could be with his family and attend the reunion.

Daniel parked his Aston Martin across the street from the school and got out. He straightened his suit before walking around and opening the door for his wife, who took his hand and stepped out in her red backless dress. Daniel took a deep breath and, holding Janet's hand, walked towards the school.

As they entered the doors, he saw some people he remembered from his school days and introduced them to his wife. He then walked with her into the gym, where he remembered playing basketball, and could feel a tension in the air. He put on his biggest smile and said, "Hi everybody. How are y'all doing?"

 

[cats]

Alexis Durran

IC: 'Hum? Power? Oh, I dunno. Fly, I suppose. I mean, i'd get to move around without obstruction, and look at all the people' And here I thought he'd want X-ray vision to see women naked, I guess he really loves Elaine.

Robert giggled to himself. Then again maybe he has something more perverted in mind.

He extended his hand out to me, and I took his aid. It's nice to be treated as lady, and it's something I felt I had coming for a long time. 'C'mon, let's go hand these over to Elliot and then split, properly catch up on old times. Whaddaya say?' "Sounds good, but I demand we go to 31 flavors to do our catching up. Your treat" I smiled at him.

He helped me out of my seat and I reached over to the contract, and then water began to pour down. I clutched the paper to my chest in a vain effort to keep it dry. I looked up at the pipes and saw that the sprinklers had in fact gone off. "Your right. This is to random for a dry run."

 

[Angelus]

Greg

Greg jumped back when the flame hit the ground in front of him and looked at the woman with wide eyes. What the fuck does she think she is doing, I am only trying to help her! It was then that he saw her second hand go up in flames and knew that she had no control over what was happening to her, just like him. He wanted to help her but he did not know what to do until he heard her shout out for some water.

He turned and moved quickly away from her so that he would not be burned again and looked around. Where the hell am I going to find water around here? He began to run away from the trees and as he did he felt something grow within him again but he knew that he could not deal with that at the moment and even if he did go invisible there was nothing that he could do about it. He ran across the carpark as fast as he could with only one thought in mind, he had to get water to that woman.

 

[Wolfsister]

She watched as he ran away from her. Her misery grew, he hadn't even stayed to help. What was it with men these days, you go around wearing weird clothes, you have a freaky hairdo and your hands occassionally go up in flames and they run away from you. Sure they come close enough to say that they want to help, but as soon as they learn that they could get burned, they ran away.

She sighed and almost put her head in her hands, but as soon as she felt the heat reflect onto her face, she remembered her predicament. Oh well she thought, the flames did eventually go out, most of the time. All she had to do was call a little rain. That meant that she had to cry. Then suddenly her tears dried up, she was so used to this situation that she had long since given up crying about it.

Shit she thought to herself. "What the fuck do you want from me now? Huh?" she screamed to the sky. Then she giggled, a little giddy from the power flowing through her, "hmm" she murmured, "I do believe that i'm going slightly insane".

 

[Screech]

"Sounds good, but I demand we go to 31 flavors to do our catching up. Your treat" Robert chuckled. "Sure thing. I'll pay."

Alex had reched down for her pamflet when the sprikler system had gone off "Your right. This is to random for a dry run." 'Damn' he thaught 'someone must be playing babecure with some matches. What a great time to start...'

Robert jogged with Alex to the exit and stepped outside into the open air. He spotted Elliot by a car. He didn't know who'se car it was, but they were in it. Walking over with Alex, he put his pamflet on the roof of the car and held out his hand. "Elliot, I'm in. I don't know what ypu're planning, but I'll tag along"

 

[Private_Label]

Daniel walked with his wife into the gym, where he remembered playing basketball, and could feel a tension in the air. He put on his biggest smile and said, "Hi everybody. How are y'all doing?"

Ike looked over at Daniel dressed so dapperly with a lovely woman on his arm. She looked at the wet floor. She looked at Ryan and smiled.

Ike suddenly started laughihng loud and with abandonment. When she could finnaly control herself enough to speak...

"Hi Dan... as always, you have not been made dirty by the mess the rest of us seem to get hit with. Come sit down over here and catch up on times while we wait for Elliot and Greg to get back."

Ike squeezed Ryan's hand, "If you still want to go Ryan, we will, but let's say hello to Dan first OK?"

 

[Angelus]

Greg

He ran straight into the gym, not even caring if anyone looked at him right now as all that he cared about was the woman in the trees and trying to get some water for her. He did not know how he was going to get some but when he ran into the gym and saw that the floor was wet he wanted to ask what was going on but he did not want to worry about it at the moment and grabbed the punch bowl then ran out of the room as fast as he could, the punch bowl in his hands.

As soon as he ran into the car park he saw someone moving towards Elliot but continued to move past him and headed to the trees to see that the woman was still there but this time she was looking up at the sky as if she was asking it what she was going to do now and stopped, the punch bowl in his hands. He stood there for a second and looked at the woman, trying to contemplate whether he should throw the punch at her but stopped.

"I am sorry about this," he said a second before he threw the punch at her.

 

[Ravenloft]

Elliot

Standing in front of Roni's car, time seemed to dilate. She gave him a final brush off and proceded to take a nap. A girl came up to him, apparently another he had accidently activated. Closing his eyes and shaking his head as she ran away in panic because of her powers. Elliot was aware that Greg followed after her, but it wasn't until Rob and Alexis came up to him that Elliot came back to reality.

Without a word, Elliot accepted the signed papers, shaking their hands, letting his power do its thing. "Welcome to the team." Elliot said, trying to be as positive as he could, flashing them each a smile. "It may take up to a day before either of you feel any real changes. When you wish to meet with me again, come to this address, it will be the teams base of opperations." Elliot handed them both cards with the address he mentioned. "Now, if you will excuse me, I have to go get Greg. In case you were worried, he's fine now, just got a little panic attack... A reasonable reaction to something so new after all."

Elliot left the two, and walked into the woods. "Greg." He said with a nod, then turned to face the woman. "Miss, are you okay?" He approached her calmly, giving her a look of concern. "Can you tell me when this started?"

He gave her some time to explain then invited the two of them to come back with him, to the gym.

 

[Wolfsister]

Lily gasped as the punch hit her. As soon as she could speak again she raised herself to her feet and promptly shouted at the Invisable Man, as she had decided to call him.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing, you psycho? All i do is ask for a little help. You decide that i'm a regular 'Drew Barrymore firestarter' and run away, then you come back, when i'm perfectly miserable, and throw a bowl of punch at me. Which i need to point out needs some seriously stronger alcohol in it." She jabbed a finger at him, painfully aware that the punch had drenched her blouse. She was also aware that she had chosen not to wear a bra tonight.

Then she blinked. She looked at her finger, connected to the rest of her hand, now fully doused. Then she looked back at the man and the empty punch bowl, then again at her damp hands. Ducking her head, she grinned sheepishly at the man and mumbled "Well, i suppose that punch has at least 15% water in it. And the bowl could be big enough to be a bucket." Then she cleared her throat.

And noticed that Elliot was standing there. While her gaze shifted back and forth between the two men, her mind backtracked a little. Apparently Elliot had called the Invisible man Greg and had asked "Miss, are you okay?" and then a moment later "Can you tell me when this started?" .

She looked at Greg and extended out her hand, "I'm sorry" then she looked at her hand and hastily added, "Don't worry, i won't spontaneously combust. Promise. My name is Lily, Lily Cooper, the 'Freak Patrol' call me Shadow" she guestured to her hair with her free hand.

Then she spoke to Elliot, "It started in highschool, when you knocked me down in the Cafeteria. And no, i'm not alright. I've just had my hands turn into flame balls, had punch thrown at me, and it's going to rain any minute. For the last ten years i have had these strange abilities, i've been mocked, teased, rejected in all aspects of life, and its all your fault" with that she smiled at Greg and waited for him to shake her hand.

She had had enough, she couldn't deal with the crush of her life right now. Her mother had always been right, love could be a bitch.