The Last Daughter of Krypton - IC

[camerindrake]

Damian

Damian went short line. Long line was mystery meat again and he didn't like the looks of it. Gave him images of some intergalactic starfish if that made any since. So he ended up with pizza and limp french-fries. as he walked up to the table he sat. He opened roughly half a dozen ketchup packets and squeezed them out onto his foam tray.

He heard a few words about the coach and responded, "You mean meteor infected weird or just plain weird."

He then dabbed his fries into the ketchup and lifted the over-fried sticks of processed potatoes looking at them commenting, "I dont ever think i will get used to cafeteria food." He then placed them in his mouth and began chewing.

After swallowing he continues his train of thought, "If he is meteor infected however, you know it will be a risk of insanity. And his 200th win coming up obsession could end up as a trigger." he thought for a moment and continued, "And I just took out his star tailback this morning. My recommendation is we all keep an eye on him. I could bug his office, audio and video if you agree with it."

 

[Lunaramblings]

Merick had had a lousy day. First he was late, then he broke the ceiling and all that entailed. Now he had had the worst gym class ever. Not like he particularly enjoyed gym class on any day. But this was ridiculous. Wrestling. Why did it have to be wrestling. And that nimrod jock he was teamed with... Merick tripped and stumbled as he left the band closet. Arms laden with food. Merick made his way to the lunch area. Saw everyone waiting.

"Hey guys. Merick plopped the two large bags on the table. "Hope you guys didn't eat yet. I grabbed Moroccan. And Israeli. And, well okay, I am not really sure where the hell that last place was, but the desserts looked even better than the sufganiyot I picked up in Israel."

Merick had already extracted a bowl of beef tagine and began to dig in.

"Hey babe. How you doin'" Merick smiled and looked at Chloe with longing eyes."You know, gym class is like torture. Is it even legal to force us to do wrestling? I mean, I could totally have taken that asshat, but Gramps said to keep my training on the down low, the better to be inconspicuous. Jerk was really taking it too serious, and the coach was egging the jerk on." Merick continued to devour his tagine as he ripped open the bag of sufganiyot. Merick stopped abruptly and got to his feet and kissed Chloe softly on her lips.

 

[TearsoftheWorld]

Kara was thankful that her mother had packed a lunch for her to bring to school, as the food dished out by the cafeteria made her stomach do cartwheels. She felt bad for Rose who looked at her tray with great... distaste. The young Kryptonian hadn't been introduced to the dreadful 'Cafeteria Meatloaf' for long, but after one sampling she decided that she would never... ever... try it again.

Not when she could run home, fix up her own meal and be back in no time at all.

Chloe, Rose and Kara were the first to sit down at the table, followed shortly thereafter by Pete who was not trailed by his girlfriend.

"Is there something special occurring in Florida that faster-than-light travel should be involved?"

"Nothing special. Just a thought," Kara said with a smile as J'onn continued walking. Their 'teacher' moved to sit at an empty table off a wee bit from where the Outsiders were sitting. He was joined, not long afterwards, by Rose's father and then another professor.

"Oh, frell yes. You remember when Merick brought us all Cuban food from Miami? That was the best Columbus Day ever."

Kara reached into her bag and pulled out a green apple.

"Which, I dunno about your homeboy, Rosy Mac, he brings us Mexican from Texas, Cuban from Florida..."

"He respects that our palettes are thoroughly Americanised and would find the real thing less appetising."

"Speaking of Mer'," Chloe peered around, "has anyone heard from him since his scrape with The Tardy Police this morning? And I know Kyle technically doesn't need to eat, but he seemed like he wanted to talk to me about something?"

"Probably Doc Hamilton dumped him in The Phantom Zone or some guano," Pete nodded. "I told you it was only a matter of time 'fore he hacked The Cave's console."

Rose smiled faintly. "And, no, I haven't seen Kyle. Not all day."

"I had class with him earlier. Haven't seen him since," Kara noted after she had taken a bite into her granny smith apple. Her eyes suddenly caught sight of Kyle as he approached the table... and she kept her mouth closed until he had surprised Rose with a kiss to her cheek.

"Hey gang. Anything new happen while I was dodging the coach again?"

"He's bugging you again? What do you have to do, get Pete's mom to file a restraining order or something?"

"Yeah, I remember that sorta thing from my bros going to school here, that guy's tantrums were legendary. You watch out for that guy, he knows how to coach a damn team but that sorta respect has its limits. You want me to talk to The Honourable Judge Mama Ross, you just say the word."

"Betcha he's getting desperate, with second-stringer Mike 'Iron Arm' Gradlow benched with bad grades, surprise surprise, and All-American Hero Whitney Fordman getting chatted up by every recruiter in the tri-state area short of my own Uncle Sam, and Roy, ugh, Roy, Coach Arnold's running low on q-bees. Too bad he's too chauvinistic to ask a softball player on board, eh, Kara?"

"Like I'd join that team even if he did ask me," Kara said before she traded in her apple for a tuna sandwich.

"Also, he has weird thermal emissions. Kind of like a convection thingy? It might just be his blood pressure, but I dunno. Weird."

"'Weird?'"

"'Weird.' Not that there's anything wrong with that."

"And I just took out his star tailback this morning. My recommendation is we all keep an eye on him. I could bug his office, audio and video if you agree with it."

"Yeah I heard about that. You're lucky you didn't kill him. You might want to take it easy and lay low for a little while," Kara said sternly. She wasn't particularly thrilled by what Damian had done earlier, and he had certainly dodged the bullet as far as consequences were concerned, but as there was little she could do she decided to focus her attention elsewhere. Merick soon joined the table, and she smiled when he rose from the table to kiss Chloe on the lips.

"So um... when are we getting together to pick out dresses for the dance on Friday? Or... has that train left already?"

 

[LuckyVic]

Barry Allen, The Flash

Jamie held this out to Barry. "Jelly Baby? Try the purple, blackcurrant, they're brilliant. Although, I'd advise not dunking 'em in hot potassium chlorate unless you're ready to duck."

"Well of course not, the results would be... explosive." Barry replied as he took the jelly baby. "I've always wanted to try one of these. Since I was a kid watching Tom Baker offering them out to his companions.

J'onn had already motioned for Jamie to sit, giving a handshake and nodding welcomely. He had stuffed his mouth with Oreo cookie when Barry Allen approached, so the only thing he could do at the moment was offer another handshake and nod some more.

"Please," he said, "John is fine."

He then eyed the plate of food Barry was carrying. His right eyebrow quirked almost imperceptively, and he turned a quiet eye to Jamie.

J'onn offerred Barry an Oreo. "If you should want some more carbohydrates to accompany those that my esteemed colleague offers, feel free to indulge yourself."Interesting.....

"Why thank you John, but I think I have more than enough on my plates here." he said with a smile.
He then grabbed a few quick bites of his food. Waited until he had swallowed it. "So any words of advice for the new guy?"

 

[Abraxas Winterlight]

Kyle

"So um... when are we getting together to pick out dresses for the dance on Friday? Or... has that train left already?"

I swallowed my bite of sandwich and glanced at Rose. She was sorting through the loot Mer had brought, though I did notice her glance back at me.

"Well Double K, between me and Launchpad we could have you girls in the latest Paris fashions by Friday morning. Not sure if your mom would approve though. I think if we spent ten grand on a dress she would have some words with us.

I then looked over at Rose and reached over, cupping her face with my hand. "I know I am late in asking, but I would like to go to the dance, and I would love it if I could be there with you. Will you be my date?"

 

[ChasNicollette]

Jamie. "Don't Hold Back." (The Potbelleez.)

"Well of course not, the results would be... explosive." Barry replied as he took the jelly baby. "I've always wanted to try one of these. Since I was a kid watching Tom Baker offering them out to his companions."

Jamie himself took one of the purple ones, and he nodded quietly, the nod of a man who has just heard some sort of complete nonsense and is trying to understand it even as he is refusing to admit that he cannot understand it.

"Yes," he muttered, "the Companions. In the. Muhammadian sense. Of course. In those days... in those days I preferred the orange ones to purple."

And he sat there for a moment, chewing that blackcurrant Jelly Baby, the paper bag still held up, staring to absolutely nowhere, his eyes somehow darker now than usual, somehow deeper.

J'onn had already motioned for Jamie to sit, giving a handshake and nodding welcomely. He had stuffed his mouth with Oreo cookie when Barry Allen approached, so the only thing he could do at the moment was offer another handshake and nod some more.

"Please," he said, "John is fine."

He then eyed the plate of food Barry was carrying. His right eyebrow quirked almost imperceptively, and he turned a quiet eye to Jamie.

As J'onn, called John, turned a quiet eye to Jamie, he would see the expression of a man who has forgotten something terrible, something amazing, something beautiful and something terrifying, the expression of a man who in aged senility has forgotten his way to the front door of his own house, has forgotten how to make tea, has forgotten the face of his father.

He was. Lost.

His eyes were deep and they were dark and they were unutterably sad.

And somewhere in a pocket of his suit coat, there sat an old-fashioned pocket fob watch with a key on a chain. And perhaps J'onn had heard this before, perhaps he had seen to the heart of it, perhaps he had heard it if it had stirred before, because it spoke with a voice that telepaths could hear. It stirred, then, just for a moment, just for the quiet moment it takes one to hold a breath, it stirred, the sleeping giant hidden in the watch, and it whispered...

'Not yet.'

'Not yet.'

'Live your life.'

'Eternity can wait longer yet.'

'You've earned a rest from all of that.'

'Live your life.'

And then the voice seemed to speak to J'onn, this time in a dialect of Ancient North Martian: <'This one knows me as I know him. But not today. Please. Not today.'>

...it whispered in a voice so very much like James Hamilton's, and yet completely different, and Jamie's eyes refocused and he blinked, and he put the Jelly Babies away and looked at his colleagues as if he were surprised to see them. The watch, again, fell silent, and not the slightest ticking sound escaped it.

J'onn offerred Barry an Oreo. "If you should want some more carbohydrates to accompany those that my esteemed colleague offers, feel free to indulge yourself."

"Why thank you John, but I think I have more than enough on my plates here." he said with a smile.

He then grabbed a few quick bites of his food. Waited until he had swallowed it. "So any words of advice for the new guy?"

Sipping his coffee, Jamie pondered this. "When I graduated from University, my father, he gave me two pieces of advice. He told me--"

Jamie paused. "He told me always--"

Jamie shook his head. "He told me never--"

"'Never follow a man off of a cliff.'"

He blinked, and it seemed as though he still had a few loose connections up there. "No, hang on, that's Due South."

He tugged on his ear and shook his head. "I think they can smell fear. Teenagers. Just be brave. Don't be afraid to be human with them, but don't be afraid to challenge them. They're good eggs, the most of them. They're just waiting to be cracked. They won't always like it, yeah? But some of them, oh, they'll take it and they'll run with it."

Again, he sipped his coffee. "Also. Erm. Expect the unexpected, around here. And sometimes, sometimes you should unexpect the expected? That's all. That's all."

 

[AmenRa]

[I
And then the voice seemed to speak to J'onn, this time in a dialect of Ancient North Martian: <'This one knows me as I know him. But not today. Please. Not today.'>

...it whispered in a voice so very much like James Hamilton's, and yet completely different, and Jamie's eyes refocused and he blinked, and he put the Jelly Babies away and looked at his colleagues as if he were surprised to see them. The watch, again, fell silent, and not the slightest ticking sound escaped it.

J'onn said nothing. His face betrayed no hint of surprise. Actually, the expression on J'onn's human face was more probably one of understanding.

J'onn J'onzz, after all, was a Knower of Things.

And he knew what that voice he heard meant.

He knew what Jamie was. Or, rather, what he would become.

N'freclu'tre somith c'ra kla'tutha shei prhule'rek'natha semu he thought. 'And so this is the coming of things. So it begins.'

To Barry, he advised, "If there is one thing I can tell you to not do, well, don't ever forget to listen to them. That is what they need, what they want: to know you think they are important. No matter how silly or absurd their ideas may be, listen to them."

Dr. Jones was quiet for a minute. Then he said, "And, at the end of the day, if you find yourself alone in your room completely stressed beyond imagining from listening to their endless, senseless ramblings, remember this is the reason the Russians invented vodka!" He laughed.

"Seriously, though, you'll do fine. Just be yourself. And if there is anything I can ever assist you with, please let me know. I'm in my office on Tuesdays, but not Wednesdays. Or it is the other way around? I'm not sure. At any rate, just make sure you call me if you need me."

 

[ChasNicollette]

Rose, Pete, and Chloe. "How Sweet It Is."

I squeezed Rose's hand, then took another bite of my apple.

"Nothing wrong with weird hon. I'll deal with him. If I have to I'll have a word with the principal. Or better yet, have Launchpad drop him off on the east coast somewhere. Speaking of Launchpad, did he get another month of detentions again or something? I got something I want to ask him, and it does involve you Chloe. Maybe finish up that interview you wanted with the Metropolis Ghost Vigilante."

Rose squeezed back, and her cheeks took on a redness usually reserved for some breeds of apple. She just sort of grinned. Giddy, goofy, all nonsensical Wonderland. The heart was a strange oul' landscape indeed.

"We haven't heard," Rose shook her head, "from Mer'. But Pete thinks... Phantom Zone?"

Pete grinned at this, and made a cross-my-heart gesture. "M'sure of it. This time."

Chloe nodded serenely, as though processing the notion of journalistic triumph had restored some of her expended energy. "Yeah. I was wondering when we'd get back to that old chestnut. Although I'm not sure Principal Kwan'll ever let me publish it... maybe I should self-publish on The Web somewhere, or submit it to one of the wire services. Either way, I'll cross that bridge when we come to it, I'm looking forward to asking some penetrating follow-up questions."

Pete glanced up at Damian as he approached, and kind of reflexively twitched a little, his hand towards his pocket. Damian had a straight right no-one could ever see coming, and Pete was in no hurry to get his jaw broke.

He heard a few words about the coach and responded, "You mean meteor infected weird or just plain weird."

"The first one," Rose clarified. "Well, maybe both?"

He then dabbed his fries into the ketchup and lifted the over-fried sticks of processed potatoes looking at them commenting, "I dont ever think i will get used to cafeteria food." He then placed them in his mouth and began chewing.

"You an' the whole rest of the schoolgoin' public," Pete agreed, a moment of solidarity.

After swallowing he continues his train of thought, "If he is meteor infected however, you know it will be a risk of insanity. And his 200th win coming up obsession could end up as a trigger." he thought for a moment and continued, "And I just took out his star tailback this morning. My recommendation is we all keep an eye on him. I could bug his office, audio and video if you agree with it."

"Yeah I heard about that. You're lucky you didn't kill him. You might want to take it easy and lay low for a little while," Kara said sternly.

"Yeah, no kidding," Pete nodded quickly. "Sparring in private is one thing, but you're fixing to get us posted on YouTube, you keep tilting at ogre-ish windmills like that. Double-K speaks wisdom, m'man."

Chloe licked her lips, and a shadow crossed her eyes as she regarded Damian's casual mention of her worst, greatest fear. "There's quite a few people at this table who are 'meteor-infected,' D.C. Are you expecting the lot of us to just drop everything and suddenly be crazy-go-nuts? I'm not going insane. I'm really not. (Ever.) Just because someone's meteor-influenced... I think the meteors can induce powers in people that don't have a metagene, I think that's the difference there. And if you have a metagene, like Rose--"

Rose waved, sheepishly. "Hello!"

"--et al, then you turn out okay, your body's made for that sort of bio-conversion of energy, that's Metabiology 101," Chloe continued. "But if you don't have a metagene, that's when it starts causing problems. Your mind gets gradually unglued because your body's not designed to be altered in such a fashion. In any case. D.C.? We are not, repeat not, going to start going all Komitet gosudarstvennoy bezopasnosti on people altered by meteors. If we see them using their powers in an unorthodox fashion, using them to hurt people, then we're there with the takedown, but by God are we going to respect their civil rights until and unless they step out of line. Hm?"

Pete bit the inside of his cheek and shoved something deeper into his pocket.

Merick made his way to the lunch area. Saw everyone waiting.

Rose elbowed Chloe as Merick approached, and the stormcloud that had been haunting her dispersed somewhat.

"Hey guys. Merick plopped the two large bags on the table. "Hope you guys didn't eat yet. I grabbed Moroccan. And Israeli. And, well okay, I am not really sure where the hell that last place was, but the desserts looked even better than the sufganiyot I picked up in Israel."

Pete grinned, his own mood brightening as he delved into the spread. "Dude, I take back everything I said. You are my superhero, man. God bless."

Merick had already extracted a bowl of beef tagine and began to dig in.

Chloe arched an eyebrow. And waited patiently. She had promised Merick that she would work on... micromanaging things. But Lord, she wanted to sit him down and wag her finger in his face and oh how she'd fretted and she was trying not to be a bitch so she stayed quiet.

"Hey babe. How you doin'" Merick smiled and looked at Chloe with longing eyes.

And there it was, and she grinned back at him like the sun was rising, it really was like flipping a switch, he was a sight for sore eyes. And she nodded. "M'okay. Now. How 'bout you?"

"You know, gym class is like torture. Is it even legal to force us to do wrestling? I mean, I could totally have taken that asshat, but Gramps said to keep my training on the down low, the better to be inconspicuous. Jerk was really taking it too serious, and the coach was egging the jerk on."

"Technically," Pete mused, "it should be against the rules for superpeople to do sporting things. I bet you a million bucks if this metagene crap goes mass market you guys won't be able to do The Olympics or nothin' with your 'advantages.' But technically, if it ain't against a rule that's on the books--" he added, deferring to Kara's softball playing and justified vehement disapproval of the football team "--we still gotta do our thing. 'Great power and great responsibility,' right?"

Merick continued to devour his tagine as he ripped open the bag of sufganiyot.

Examining the Israeli dessert, Chloe reached for one of these with consumption aforethought...

Merick stopped abruptly and got to his feet and kissed Chloe softly on her lips.

Chloe dropped the sufganiyot, and blinked at him. And grinned. "Yeah. You're good at those, surprise kisses. (I needed that.) But sit down before some tattletale pulls the PDA alarm."

Sympathetically, Rose gave Kyle's hand a harder squeeze, as she herself took a mouthful of the beef tagine, that stuff was amazing. Kisses in the lunchroom... good memories. Good times.

"So um... when are we getting together to pick out dresses for the dance on Friday? Or... has that train left already?"

Rose's eyes widened at that, and she coughed a little bit, and swallowed hard, and she hurriedly wiped her mouth with a napkin. She looked everywhere but at Kyle, and she tried not to seem, well, as nervy as a schoolgirl, and she went back to sorting through the loot that Mer' had brought, although, she couldn't stop herself, she glanced at Kyle, and oh, she was caught, he was looking back at her...

"Well Double K, between me and Launchpad we could have you girls in the latest Paris fashions by Friday morning. Not sure if your mom would approve though. I think if we spent ten grand on a dress she would have some words with us."

Rose paled. Ten grand? Paris? Oh, man, I'm gonna look like I'm dressed in burlap. That is, if I'm even go--

But then he was holding her face and her train of thought stopped dead in its tracks.

"I know I am late in asking, but I would like to go to the dance, and I would love it if I could be there with you. Will you be my date?"

She smiled a trembly smile, and she shook her head. "Oh, Ray Charles, I'd love to. I'm actually sort of-- I'm relieved, 'coz, I know we're a thing, and I shouldn't have been nervous, we're a package deal, but there's... assuming, it makes an ass out of you and Ming, and-- I got a dress already. So. Yes. I'd love to. I mean, I'd go if all I had to wear were sackcloth and ashes, but I have a dress and now I'm glad I have a chance to wear it someplace nice."

"So, uh. 'Yes.' In case you missed it."

She grinned a wobbly grin. "But that's not to say. Uhm. Kara. That I wouldn't love to go shopping with you guys. Like Harry, MacGyver's grandfather, he said: 'you don't fish for fish, you fish for fishing!' ...I may not buy a thing, but that won't make the shopping any less fun."

Chloe grinned. "Spoken like a true x-chromosome, Rosy Mac."

Rose grinned back. "Thaaaaankyew."

But then Chloe swung her gaze back around to Merick, and, she was working on it, but sometimes time grew short and she had to, she just had to micromanage a little. "So, uh, Launchpad. Our friend here makes an interesting point. About, uh... 'assuming.' Don't you... don't you think?"

Merick began to choke on the large hunk of sufganiyot he had just stuffed in his mouth. Diligently he chewed.

"Stupid. Why the hell did I listen to Gar? What the hell does that flea bitten goof know about relationships... Chloe, I uh, well Gar told me not to ask, that I should "play it cool" and... nevermind. I would be most honored if you would accompany me to the dance. I kinda already made some arrangements. Gramps is sending a limo, and well I have to be in Japan after school. But that I guess all depends if you will be my date? Otherwise, I think I might have to commit ritual suicide in the school auditorium to the sounds of Duran Duran." Merick grinned foolishly.

Merick awaited Chloe's response. Almost lost in his waiting. Merick had not been paying particular attention, for obvious reasons, but this he heard.

Chloe stared at Merick like she wasn't sure what to make of him.

And she squinted at him. "'Japan.' 'Limo?'"

She touched her forehead. "Yeah, so. No, sepukku not required, and Duran Duran definitely not required, especially not 'Come Undone.'"

Chloe grinned, lopsided, wonky. "Yeah, Launchpad. I'll go to The Winter Formal with you. You fracking nutcase. Just don't. Kill anyone, okay? Especially not you. (And maybe don't take relationship advice from a guy who grooms himself with his own tongue while sitting on the coffee table?)"

 

[TearsoftheWorld]

"Well Double K, between me and Launchpad we could have you girls in the latest Paris fashions by Friday morning. Not sure if your mom would approve though. I think if we spent ten grand on a dress she would have some words with us."

“She might have a few reservations,” Kara said, but in her mind she was already picturing what a ten thousand dollar dress would look like, and then she pictured herself wearing it… and she sighed happily.

"So, uh. 'Yes.' In case you missed it. But that's not to say. Uhm. Kara. That I wouldn't love to go shopping with you guys. Like Harry, MacGyver's grandfather, he said: 'you don't fish for fish, you fish for fishing!' ...I may not buy a thing, but that won't make the shopping any less fun."

"Spoken like a true x-chromosome, Rosy Mac."

"Thaaaaankyew."

"Aww so that train did leave already," Kara frowned as she polished off the rest of her apple, then turned and lobbed the core straight into a trash can about twenty feet off in the distance. She picked up a napkin and wiped her mouth clean.

“No biggie. I'll have Eric give me a lift to the mall and we can all meet up. I'm sure he's got nothing better to do," Kara added with a smile as she finished her lunch.

"And who's Harry MacGyver?"

 

[ChasNicollette]

Pete, Chloe, and Rose. "Theme from MacGyver."

"Aww so that train did leave already," Kara frowned as she polished off the rest of her apple, then turned and lobbed the core straight into a trash can about twenty feet off in the distance. She picked up a napkin and wiped her mouth clean.

Pete whistled and delivered a golf-clap. "And the crowd goes bananas!"

Chloe grinned. "(And so very demure, somebody's been brought up right.)"

“No biggie. I'll have Eric give me a lift to the mall and we can all meet up. I'm sure he's got nothing better to do," Kara added with a smile as she finished her lunch.

"Oh," Rose blinked, suddenly feeling guilty, "that doesn't-- that doesn't mean you can't-- I'm sure if they keep the franc bodycount low, you guys can still go hit the boutiques? I'd love to come with, don't deprive yourself on my account."

"And who's Harry MacGyver?"

Rose paused, again sheepish. "Oh. Right. He's a little-- yeah, sorry, before our time. Retro-pop-culture, sort of my, uh, my thing. (Mine and Launchpad's, we bonded over it?) Technically, he's Harry Jackson, he was the grandfather of Angus MacGyver, this guy from TV in the 80's or something. Action star who used his head, put together random crap on the spur of the moment so he could save the day. Hated guns, loved recycling, made hockey-hair look good. ('MacGruber' makes fun of him, on SNL?) Anyway, his grandpa was a cool old man. Joined in the adventures a couple times. I liked him."

Rose trailed off for a minute, and looked uncomfortable and a little bit sad: "I always felt really... I didn't like it when he passed away. I didn't like that the cool old man hadda die."

"MacGyver was awesome. Course, when I was a little kid, I was really confused because I couldn't figure out how The Guyver and Angus were related. Dad had to explain they weren't. Kinda embarrassing."

Rose nodded rapidly. "See, I had the opposite problem, I was ticked at this guy for ripping off Mac's name! I was this close to buying bus tickets to Mark Hamill's house and giving him a piece of my mind. The only thing that saved him was that he threw that random 'u' in there and spelled the name different."

Rose reflected on this. "I was kind of an unusual kid."

 

[Abraxas Winterlight]

Kyle

"Oh I can still make Paris happen KK. I don't think I mentioned it but Bekka loosened the grip on my trust fund a bit. Paris shopping trip is easilt budgetable, and probably worth the screaming when she sees the bill. Heck, she hasn't yelled at me in a month at least, probably getting twitchy."

I pulled the last item out of my bag and put the little Hershy's kiss down in front of Rose. "Sweetheart, even in a sackcloth and ashes you would still make my knees weak and my heart race. But I would like to take you and your mom shopping someday. Someplace nice. If she will let me."

I took another bite of my sandwich. "Chloe, do you think if you got a picture with the interview the Planet would publish it?Might get you that internship you want there."

 

[ChasNicollette]

Rose and Chloe. "Icons of Self-Indulgence."

I pulled the last item out of my bag and put the little Hershy's kiss down in front of Rose. "Sweetheart, even in a sackcloth and ashes you would still make my knees weak and my heart race. But I would like to take you and your mom shopping someday. Someplace nice. If she will let me."

Rose grinned, and swooped up the chocolate drop with nimble fingers. She pulled the little paper strip out with her teeth, quick and hard like she was pulling the pin on a grenade, and then peeled the chocolate free. "Sweet-talker. But you know how Mum is. She's all First Timothy 6:10, and desire is the root of all suffering, and all that. She thinks that the paycheque Bekka gives Dad for working in a place that isn't built yet and you're only now just about to break ground on is charity enough? And I guess she's kind of right. But still. It might... it might be nice."

She popped the Kiss into her mouth and chewed thoughtfully.

I took another bite of my sandwich. "Chloe, do you think if you got a picture with the interview the Planet would publish it? Might get you that internship you want there."

Chloe retrieved that sufganiyot, and gave Kyle a sidelong gaze. "From worst possible fear to greatest lifelong dream in two shakes of a Wraith's tale. It'd have to be the best possible picture ever, film camera, clean lines and composition, perfectly lit, zero possibility of fakery. It'd have to be absolutely unimpeachable or Pauline 'Genghis' Kahn'd never let me in the vintage revolving front door."

Chloe shook her head. "Oh, wouldn't that just be a many-splendoured thing?"

 

[Abraxas Winterlight]

"I'm not scared of my identity being revealed, so I figure we get Launchpad up there with a good camera with a clean SD card, they can test it all they want and it will be good. Confidentiality laws will apply to you, since you are published, so no worries there. You get an interview you can release now, unlike the one you got of my background, and hopefully it is some good PR for me so people don't freak as much when I am around. From my end this looks win-win, but I want you guys to talk it over and see if I missed anything."

 

[Wyldfire]

Diana, back to school.

Two weeks ago.

The two girls running side by side kept a steady pace with one another, one with a smile on her face the other with a scowl. The red head broke the silence, "Why do you want to go back out into Man's world Diana? After what you went through?

Diana's smile faded. Artemis had nagged and nagged her ever since the healers had deemed her fit. Di was beginning to believe her mother had formed an alliance with Arti. Her mother had been less heavy handed with her and she knew why that was. Uncle Ted was being a good influence on her temper. He'd been the one that had smoothed things over on getting Diana back to the Trevor farm and back to Smallville.

"Art, honestly, you're treating me like I'm made of glass. I've trained just as long as you to be a warrior. I'm not going to be broken," she stopped running and lowered her head then looked up with a flush to her cheeks. "And you're not going to lose me to anyone."

Artemis had stopped as Di had and flushed herself at Di's comment, but Di's words brought a smile to her lips. "You know just what to say to distract me don't you? I do worry, especially as much as you talk about your new friends there. Are you really sure about this?" She went to Di and put her arms around her. "Just be careful?"

Di looked up into Arti's eyes and as she lifted her lips to meet Arti's she said "I promise." And that put an end to the conversation.

Today.

Late, late, late. Damned flight had to be delayed, didn't it. Now Di was going to miss half of her first day back in school. If she hurried she'd be able to get lunch in. She sped the bike up past eighty until she got to the town limits at which time she slowed to the fastest she could get away with.

She parked the bike and bolted for the cafeteria. She got to the line just before it closed up. The lunch lady was very happy to see someone with an appetite, so Di left the line with a tray heaped with lunch. As she left the line she began looking about for somewhere to sit, not sure where she'd be welcome.

 

[ChasNicollette]

Chloe, Pete, and Rose. "The Gang's All Here."

"I'm not scared of my identity being revealed, so I figure we get Launchpad up there with a good camera with a clean SD card, they can test it all they want and it will be good. Confidentiality laws will apply to you, since you are published, so no worries there. You get an interview you can release now, unlike the one you got of my background, and hopefully it is some good PR for me so people don't freak as much when I am around. From my end this looks win-win, but I want you guys to talk it over and see if I missed anything."

Chloe pursed her lips as she considered this. "I think it's worth a try. If nothing else, I can at least sell it to The Inquisitor or maybe get Daniel Weaver from The Observer to verify its authenticity based on his reporting these last few months. But there's the thing. Even if we do get the most pristine possible digital image, they'll claim we photoshopped that sucker. So I think? I think we take it with conventional film, and if they give us a line of crap about it, we offer them a look at the negatives. Even if we can't sell it at The Planet, oh, be still my kryptonite-encrusted heart, we'll get this out there."

She paused, then, and smiled softly. "Thank you, Kyle. Thank you for this."

"Gramps has a bunch of fancy stake out gear. Bet he has a really nice film camera in there. Bet we could either borrow or liberate it with little difficulty."

Chloe grinned. "I'm going to err on the side of 'borrow?' Because while it may be easier to ask forgiveness than permission, permission's less likely to get you killed with an 15th-Century vintage blade he keeps in his basement."

Pete was devouring a bowl of that beef tagine, and, little bit of an ADD moment, he glanced up to find that a number of the males in the room were glancing collectively in one direction. And, following their gaze, he could see why, oh, wow, who was that, she was gorgeous...

Quickly, quickly he corrected himself, he was a spoken-for man, now, that's not gallant behaviour, Peter Carlos Ross you should be ashamed of yourself -- oh hay wait a minute, that's--

He mumbled for a moment. "--Diana?"

Rose's ears were sharp, and she glanced over at Pete, and she followed his gaze, and then her blue blue eyes locked on The Amazon and they went wide.

In an instant she was standing on her seat and she was waving with both hands: "DIANA! Over here! OMG! Diana!"

Rose dropped into a crouch on her seat and grinned at Kara, who of the lot of them had been closest to Diana before Diana's impromptu "exile" home. "Well, how d'you like that?"

...and then started waving again, completely unselfconscious, little caring regards the mockery of others.

Chloe blinked, and chuckled goodnaturedly. "Oh, man. There are gonna be so many more jocks with their arms broke..."

"Great. Well, at least Gym class will be easier."

Pete shook his head, incredulous. "Yeah. Except when it's guys versus girls..."

 

[camerindrake]

Damian

Damian bit the inside of his cheek at what Chloe would have thought of his bugging a whole city. He had good reason with Gotham as it was in his universe. They had killed Dr. William Magnus the creator of the Metal Men for Kami's sake.

He mumbled, "Sometimes by then its to late." Tal remembers holding the broken body of the member of the bat-family who gave him a chance beside his father.

Damian then pushes his lunch away and says, "I lost my appetite." He looks over to Diana and gives her a curt nod. "I'm going for a walk. I have to deal with some personal issues. You can have my seat."

He gives his collogues a small smile, "I don't want to be a downer on such a happy occasion for you guys." He then picks up his tray and throws it away. The young knight then walks towards the football field to meditate.

 

[ChasNicollette]

Chloe and Pete. "How Far Do You Wanna Go?"

Damian rose and departed with a huff, Chloe's chuckle vanished, and her face frowned and paled in the same instant. "Oh, for God's sake, that's not how we--"

Pete was on his feet, and he gestured to Chloe, and Chloe immediately fell silent.

Pete had a look on his face. A seriously intense look. He'd had that look heading into harm's way in Honduras, he'd had that look before winning the race at which he'd sold off that insanely fast car for enough money to pay off his parents' mortgage, turn the feed store into an actual viable business, and buy himself a sweet old fast black fixer-up to replace the sacrificed wheels.

This was Pete's I Got This face.

And, eyes wide, Chloe shut up. Not many people could do that.

He bowed quickly, to Diana, as he darted past her. "Welcome back, m'lady!"

And hurried after Damian.

He didn't catch up to The Son of The Bat until they reached the football field, and he slowed to a halt beside the haunted warrior.

"Hey," he shook his head. "Ain't no thing, dude. She got her moral code, she sticks to it like woah. Plus you mighta hit some nerves with the 'crazy-talk' stuff, right? You know you're m'boy, but Chloe holds herself to a pretty high standard. You got your way of doin' things, we got ours, they ain't always gonna synch up."

He took a deep breath. "Got me thinkin', though, right? Coach Arnold's wore thin, I got a family his'try of SportsCenter fans, you been workin' me hard with our little exercise sessions by the lake, plus--" he patted his pocket "--you hooked me up with th' secret weapon, yeah? What if I go... undercover? I could try out for running back. No 'I Spy' gadgets to get you in trouble with 'Watchtower,' and I might maybe get ta make my old man proud the old-fashioned way."

Pete frowned, though, and watched the wind blow an old Booster Club banner across the end-zone. "But. Off-topic. You okay, dude? You wanna talk?"

He hesitated, reluctant to ask but powering ahead anyway. "You, uh. Need to hit something?"

 

[Lunaramblings]

Chloe swung her gaze back around to Merick, and, she was working on it, but sometimes time grew short and she had to, she just had to micromanage a little. "So, uh, Launchpad. Our friend here makes an interesting point. About, uh... 'assuming.' Don't you... don't you think?"

Merick began to choke on the large hunk of sufganiyot he had just stuffed in his mouth. Diligently he chewed.

"Stupid. Why the hell did I listen to Gar? What the hell does that flea bitten goof know about relationships... Chloe, I uh, well Gar told me not to ask, that I should "play it cool" and... nevermind. I would be most honored if you would accompany me to the dance. I kinda already made some arrangements. Gramps is sending a limo, and well I have to be in Japan after school. But that I guess all depends if you will be my date? Otherwise, I think I might have to commit ritual suicide in the school auditorium to the sounds of Duran Duran." Merick grinned foolishly.

Merick awaited Chloe's response. Almost lost in his waiting. Merick had not been paying particular attention, for obvious reasons, but this he heard.

Chloe stared at Merick like she wasn't sure what to make of him.

And she squinted at him. "'Japan.' 'Limo?'"

She touched her forehead. "Yeah, so. No, sepukku not required, and Duran Duran definitely not required, especially not 'Come Undone.'"

Chloe grinned, lopsided, wonky. "Yeah, Launchpad. I'll go to The Winter Formal with you. You fracking nutcase. Just don't. Kill anyone, okay? Especially not you. (And maybe don't take relationship advice from a guy who grooms himself with his own tongue while sitting on the coffee table?)"

"And who's Harry MacGyver?"

Rose paused, again sheepish. "Oh. Right. He's a little-- yeah, sorry, before our time. Retro-pop-culture, sort of my, uh, my thing. (Mine and Launchpad's, we bonded over it?) Technically, he's Harry Jackson, he was the grandfather of Angus MacGyver, this guy from TV in the 80's or something. Action star who used his head, put together random crap on the spur of the moment so he could save the day. Hated guns, loved recycling, made hockey-hair look good. ('MacGruber' makes fun of him, on SNL?) Anyway, his grandpa was a cool old man. Joined in the adventures a couple times. I liked him."

Rose trailed off for a minute, and looked uncomfortable and a little bit sad: "I always felt really... I didn't like it when he passed away. I didn't like that the cool old man hadda die."

"MacGyver was awesome. Course, when I was a little kid, I was really confused because I couldn't figure out how The Guyver and Angus were related. Dad had to explain they weren't. Kinda embarrassing."

Rose nodded rapidly. "See, I had the opposite problem, I was ticked at this guy for ripping off Mac's name! I was this close to buying bus tickets to Mark Hamill's house and giving him a piece of my mind. The only thing that saved him was that he threw that random 'u' in there and spelled the name different."

Rose reflected on this. "I was kind of an unusual kid."

I pulled the last item out of my bag and put the little Hershy's kiss down in front of Rose. "Sweetheart, even in a sackcloth and ashes you would still make my knees weak and my heart race. But I would like to take you and your mom shopping someday. Someplace nice. If she will let me."

Rose grinned, and swooped up the chocolate drop with nimble fingers. She pulled the little paper strip out with her teeth, quick and hard like she was pulling the pin on a grenade, and then peeled the chocolate free. "Sweet-talker. But you know how Mum is. She's all First Timothy 6:10, and desire is the root of all suffering, and all that. She thinks that the paycheque Bekka gives Dad for working in a place that isn't built yet and you're only now just about to break ground on is charity enough? And I guess she's kind of right. But still. It might... it might be nice."

She popped the Kiss into her mouth and chewed thoughtfully.

I took another bite of my sandwich. "Chloe, do you think if you got a picture with the interview the Planet would publish it? Might get you that internship you want there."

Chloe retrieved that sufganiyot, and gave Kyle a sidelong gaze. "From worst possible fear to greatest lifelong dream in two shakes of a Wraith's tale. It'd have to be the best possible picture ever, film camera, clean lines and composition, perfectly lit, zero possibility of fakery. It'd have to be absolutely unimpeachable or Pauline 'Genghis' Kahn'd never let me in the vintage revolving front door."

Chloe shook her head. "Oh, wouldn't that just be a many-splendoured thing?"

"I'm not scared of my identity being revealed, so I figure we get Launchpad up there with a good camera with a clean SD card, they can test it all they want and it will be good. Confidentiality laws will apply to you, since you are published, so no worries there. You get an interview you can release now, unlike the one you got of my background, and hopefully it is some good PR for me so people don't freak as much when I am around. From my end this looks win-win, but I want you guys to talk it over and see if I missed anything."

Chloe pursed her lips as she considered this. "I think it's worth a try. If nothing else, I can at least sell it to The Inquisitor or maybe get Daniel Weaver from The Observer to verify its authenticity based on his reporting these last few months. But there's the thing. Even if we do get the most pristine possible digital image, they'll claim we photoshopped that sucker. So I think? I think we take it with conventional film, and if they give us a line of crap about it, we offer them a look at the negatives. Even if we can't sell it at The Planet, oh, be still my kryptonite-encrusted heart, we'll get this out there."

She paused, then, and smiled softly. "Thank you, Kyle. Thank you for this."

"Gramps has a bunch of fancy stake out gear. Bet he has a really nice film camera in there. Bet we could either borrow or liberate it with little difficulty."

Chloe grinned. "I'm going to err on the side of 'borrow?' Because while it may be easier to ask forgiveness than permission, permission's less likely to get you killed with an 15th-Century vintage blade he keeps in his basement."

Pete was devouring a bowl of that beef tagine, and, little bit of an ADD moment, he glanced up to find that a number of the males in the room were glancing collectively in one direction. And, following their gaze, he could see why, oh, wow, who was that, she was gorgeous...

Quickly, quickly he corrected himself, he was a spoken-for man, now, that's not gallant behaviour, Peter Carlos Ross you should be ashamed of yourself -- oh hay wait a minute, that's--

He mumbled for a moment. "--Diana?"

Rose's ears were sharp, and she glanced over at Pete, and she followed his gaze, and then her blue blue eyes locked on The Amazon and they went wide.

In an instant she was standing on her seat and she was waving with both hands: "DIANA! Over here! OMG! Diana!"

Rose dropped into a crouch on her seat and grinned at Kara, who of the lot of them had been closest to Diana before Diana's impromptu "exile" home. "Well, how d'you like that?"

...and then started waving again, completely unselfconscious, little caring regards the mockery of others.

Chloe blinked, and chuckled goodnaturedly. "Oh, man. There are gonna be so many more jocks with their arms broke..."

"Great. Well, at least Gym class will be easier."

Pete shook his head, incredulous. "Yeah. Except when it's guys versus girls..."

Damian bit the inside of his cheek at what Chloe would have thought of his bugging a whole city. He had good reason with Gotham as it was in his universe. They had killed Dr. William Magnus the creator of the Metal Men for Kami's sake.

He mumbled, "Sometimes by then its to late." Tal remembers holding the broken body of the member of the bat-family who gave him a chance beside his father.

Damian then pushes his lunch away and says, "I lost my appetite." He looks over to Diana and gives her a curt nod. "I'm going for a walk. I have to deal with some personal issues. You can have my seat."

He gives his collogues a small smile, "I don't want to be a downer on such a happy occasion for you guys." He then picks up his tray and throws it away. The young knight then walks towards the football field to meditate.

Chloe's chuckle vanished, and her face frowned and paled in the same instant. "Oh, for God's sake, that's not how we--"

Pete was on his feet, and he gestured to Chloe, and Chloe immediately fell silent.

Pete had a look on his face. A seriously intense look. He'd had that look heading into harm's way in Honduras, he'd had that look before winning the race at which he'd sold off that insanely fast car for enough money to pay off his parents' mortgage, turn the feed store into an actual viable business, and buy himself a sweet old fast black fixer-up to replace the sacrificed wheels.

This was Pete's I Got This face.

And, eyes wide, Chloe shut up. Not many people could do that.

He bowed quickly, to Diana, as he darted past her. "Welcome back, m'lady!"

And hurried after Damian.

"I swear, if I find out which of you has been giving him the Emo-Pills, I will seriously be breaking fingers. I know he means well, but dude is a liability, and I for one am getting really tired of the Robert Pattinson impersonation, damn brooding. Sweet zombie Jesus help us." Merick picked up a small box of Hello Panda cookies and began to pop them into his mouth. "Oh, hey, Welcome back Diana. How was your trip?"

 

[ChasNicollette]

Rose and Chloe. "Brighter Than Sunshine."

"I swear, if I find out which of you has been giving him the Emo-Pills, I will seriously be breaking fingers. I know he means well, but dude is a liability, and I for one am getting really tired of the Robert Pattinson impersonation, damn brooding. Sweet zombie Jesus help us."

Rose slipped back down into her seat, and though seeing Damian and Pete both run off had jarred her mood somewhat, she was still sufficiently jazzed to see Diana back again that she hadn't lost her grin. "Oh, they've distilled that into pill form, now? That's convenient, is that over-the-counter?"

"Take two 'Dashboard Confessional' albums," Chloe mumbled, a little bit taken aback that she'd actually driven someone away with her moralising, "and call me in the morning."

Rose blinked, at that. "They even have the same initials."

Chloe shook her head. "'D.C.?' Lots of things have those initials."

Merick picked up a small box of Hello Panda cookies and began to pop them into his mouth. "Oh, hey, Welcome back Diana. How was your trip?"

Chloe stole one of these right out of his grasp, rolled this over her fingers, considered nomming it, Oriental Market cookies were better than emo-pills for curing what ailed you. "Yeah, hey, welcome back to America, hope your airline food wasn't as gut-wrenching as the lunchroom fare. (Though, you seem grateful to have it, that's commendable.)"

Rose kind of zoned out a little, daydreamy look on her face. "Robert Pattinson is Zombie Jesus."

Chloe didn't take her eyes off of Diana as she threw the cookie at Rose.

 

[camerindrake]

Damian

Damian looked over to Pete, "I didn't leave due to Chloe's comment. I left do to thinking about things from my world."

He sighed before continuing, "In that world there were three men that I absolutely respected. One was my father. One was as best put his father figure. The third was his ward. My father and his ward both died in tragic ways."

The young knight closed his eyes and pinched his brow, "I held the younger man in my arms when he breathed his last breath doing what we have started here."

Tal then looks out to the empty football field, "I will protect all of you in my own way as much as I can. That is also why I push you so hard when we train. I may be training you as an assassin. But I know that you know how to use the techniques I teach you to disable rather than kill.

The knight then gazes to Pete before concluding, "I know I live in the grey area of morality. I am no hero, I'm a silent guardian. I can be things that you or the rest of the rest of them can't be. Especially not Kara. Kara has to be a symbol of hope in this world. I will simply protect from the shadows, that is once I learn what it is to be human and not just a weapon."

He then runs the numbers in his head, "If you think that is the best way to do it. Try out for the football team. Keep an eye out on our hothead coach. He goes kryptoperp you know what my other gift is for." Damian the taps the modified Timex on Pete's wrist. "The call beacon will have me there as fast as this geneticly modified body will get me there."

 

[ChasNicollette]

Ceri. "What would you think if I sang out of tune?"

For a moment, she sat in one of the chairs and took a deep breath.

Somehow a spot of bleach had managed to get around her apron and onto her trousers, she was never sure how the bleach did it, but always there was just one drop that circumnavigated her protective gear and ruined her day-to-day stuff.

The floor was a little sticky from hairspray, she'd seriously have to mop later.

She was running low on Polaroid film, but she was pretty sure she could remember any further updos she'd have to design today. She had a good memory for that sort of thing.

But oh, she was tired. Not physically, but emotionally: right in the middle of her corrective colour appointment, three of the girls from the high school had showed up all at once, claiming that their actual appointment times had been in error and she needed to see them now, all three of them now because now was their free period.

And somehow, somehow, she had managed it. It had rather been like working a wedding.

But, on the bright side, she now had a gap to take a breather and--

She glanced at the clock. Oh, right. Tea!

Peeling her way out of her apron, she hung this up, put up the "back in five" sign, threw on her coat and dove out, barely remembering to lock the door behind her.

Scurrying across the alley to Nell's Bouquet, she stuck her head in, instantly getting washed over by warm aromas of various blooms.

"Dinah?" she called, glancing around. "Are yeh 'round? Only I meant to bring tea over to the new lass and I wondered if, since yeh're sharing a roof with The Talon, if I should grab yeh anything?"

 

[ChasNicollette]

Pete. "What do you see when you turn out the light?"

Damian looked over to Pete, "I didn't leave due to Chloe's comment. I left do to thinking about things from my world."

Pete nodded. This was pretty standard for Damian. Every time Pete had thought Damian hurt by external forces, by words like sticks and stones, Damian had managed to find something in his home timeline that had been worse. Which, it seemed like it had been pretty bad there, so.

He sighed before continuing, "In that world there were three men that I absolutely respected. One was my father. One was as best put his father figure. The third was his ward. My father and his ward both died in tragic ways."

Pete glanced down at his shoes. He wasn't sure what to say to that. His parents didn't always like each other much, but he was pretty sure neither wanted the other one dead. And his brothers... his brothers were all good men. He felt guilty for taking it for granted that they'd survived The Second Meteor Shower and moving on so quickly to checking on Chloe. (Which, that ship sailed pretty soon after...)

The young knight closed his eyes and pinched his brow, "I held the younger man in my arms when he breathed his last breath doing what we have started here."

Pete ruefully acknowledged that... that in the real world, or in a world as dark as Damian's, superheroing would have a pretty high turnover rate. He kind of wondered who among their group would be the first to die, and he hated himself for it. Damn morbid son of a bitch.

Tal then looks out to the empty football field, "I will protect all of you in my own way as much as I can. That is also why I push you so hard when we train. I may be training you as an assassin. But I know that you know how to use the techniques I teach you to disable rather than kill.

Pete nodded quickly, quietly. He swore up and down, do no harm, do no harm, he wanted to be a doctor when he grew up, not a killer. But there were plenty of ancient medicines that grew out of martial arts, and plenty of martial arts that had grown out of medicines, if he learned one it would help him with the other. And there was nothing writ that said he had to use this crap to kill.

Nothing anywhere writ.

The knight then gazes to Pete before concluding, "I know I live in the grey area of morality. I am no hero, I'm a silent guardian. I can be things that you or the rest of the rest of them can't be. Especially not Kara. Kara has to be a symbol of hope in this world. I will simply protect from the shadows, that is once I learn what it is to be human and not just a weapon."

Pete smiled faintly. "I just hope I'm as good at bein' human as you are at bein' a weapon. Then maybe we can teach each other."

He then runs the numbers in his head, "If you think that is the best way to do it. Try out for the football team. Keep an eye out on our hothead coach. He goes kryptoperp you know what my other gift is for." Damian the taps the modified Timex on Pete's wrist. "The call beacon will have me there as fast as this geneticly modified body will get me there."

Pete nodded firmly, glancing down at the watch. "'I get by with a little help from my friends.' Who knows, emergency tryouts, I might not even make it on. If I make it on, they'll probably never yank me offa th' bench. But we'll see how it goes. Better to be vigilant now than pantsed later, right?"

Shaking his head, Pete grinned at Damian. "'Kryptoperp.' I like that."

 

[camerindrake]

Dinah

Dinah looks up from her arrangement she had been working on. She smiles, "Yeah, I'm here."

Upon hearing about the tea request she continues, "I got some Earl Grey in the back and if you want it, I have some milk and sugar in the fridge."

The Black Canary looks at the flower arrangement one last time and sighs,"I am not going to be figuring this out any time soon so might as well take a break."

The sonic siren then walks over to Ceri and asks, "Do you think she will mind another dropping in for tea? I can buy the sweets."

 

[camerindrake]

Damian

Damian smirks, "Yeah Pete I think you are. upon hearing Pete's comment about him hoping he is as good of a person as he is a weapon.

He then says, "Get back to your lunch, it will get cold and I think Merrick brought some stuff over from overseas today."

He looks out to the field, "And Pete tell Chloe I didn't leave because of what she said. Just don't tell her why, she will get on a scent that she doesn't need to get on. You know her better than most so you know as soon as she gets one clue she will try to find the next and the next. And who I really am doesn't matter. In this world I am David Cain no more no less."

 

[ChasNicollette]

Pete. "Mmm, gonna try with a little help from my friends."

Damian smirks, "Yeah Pete I think you are. upon hearing Pete's comment about him hoping he is as good of a person as he is a weapon.

Pete shrugged, hands in his pockets. "We both got us long ways to go in our respective schools of thought. (I ain't so good as a human as I'd like.) But s'long as we got a long road ahead, might s'well travel together."

He then says, "Get back to your lunch, it will get cold and I think Merrick brought some stuff over from overseas today."

Pete nodded, and turned to go, again shrugging. "Yeah, actual actual foreign food? Wonders never quit. (That Moroccan stuff ain't bad, hope Rick had it on his menu in Casablanca.) ...I'm gonna stand a chance of getting into Coach Arnold's good graces, maybe I better carbo-load."

He looks out to the field, "And Pete tell Chloe I didn't leave because of what she said. Just don't tell her why, she will get on a scent that she doesn't need to get on. You know her better than most so you know as soon as she gets one clue she will try to find the next and the next. And who I really am doesn't matter. In this world I am David Cain no more no less."

Pete nodded quietly. "Not tellin' her why might make things worse. Nothin' she hates more than an unanswered question. 'Loch Ness Monsters,' an' all that. But I'll, ah... I'll do my best. I'll..."

He grinned, and winked. "I'll run interference."

And then, at a jog, he was off.