IC: Liz Merrick, The Schwarm restaurant
Location: New York City

Liz paused, pressing a finger to her earpiece for a few moments, an expression of listening, crossing her face.

She eventually relaxed, looking across the table at her boss, with a resigned expression.

"That was Bryan. He points out that I did not answer your question.

You asked what we can do for Mary, whilst I seemed more focussed on SHIELD and Nicole herself. But that did not answer your question." She narrowed her gaze at her boss. "The best way to help Agent Formal, is to place her daughter in a childcare environment alongside other kids, or young people. Creche, school, college. She hasn't got any powers, so it shouldn't be that difficult to find a temporary spot somewhere. I mean, what do we do with the children of incoming SHIELD personnel? Hang on." Her spoon went up again, as her expression turned thoughtful. "If all the supers' are missing, has anybody done a welfare check on their kids, make sure that they are not home alone? With Xaviers shut, what is happening with their pupils? Actually, best of both worlds, if Mary and Nikki both agree, does the NYPD have a 21 Jump Street-type programme, where young law enforcement are inserted into a school setting. Mary will appreciate her child being in that kind of environment, and if there is anything going on, Nikki can keep her ear to the ground."

Liz face clouded. "Not my jurisdiction, as it isn't Section 23 business, so I haven't said anything, Boss....but I get bad vibes from the Essex House.... If they are fine, everybody is a winner. If they are not, I have little doubt that Nicole's Mummy will take them down hard."

And she wouldn't be alone. Although not by blood, Nicole Gravely was a child of Section 23. The full force of the unit would be railed against any who would harm her.

Tag: @greyjedi125

 

IC: Zephyr Vaillancourt

Sanctum Sanctorum/ Brownstone


Sleep was yet to make its presence felt, for the mood was easy and pleasant, comfortable blankets and mindless TV_ two friends winding down from a long day, True Friends.

Friends that have gone into life threatening situations together, constantly, willingly, knowing that they may have to sacrifice themselves for one another and to this day they continue to do so, bound by purpose, True Friends.

How did one define this bond, perhaps as love for one another or the Greater Good?

Duty, guilt, fantasy? It was certainly very real and very potent, and it defined every day of their lives.

"Do you think Blue is right...That I shouldn't be out in the field." Casey’s question was simple and candid.

"I saw the look in his eyes as he turned to talk to you. And... well I can sense his fear every time I mention coming with him. He's not wrong to fear...I fear myself, but you always seem to want me out there, want me to participate."

The moment had arrived, the moment he couldn’t see past, where he’d share of himself and his hopes, seeking to help a dear friend in need. But the unpredictability of their present existence, being metahumans in a world that could turn those gifts into a curse, made any serious discussion quite volatile at best.

Zephyr took a few seconds to gather his thoughts before answering.

His silver eyes regarded Casey’s entire person before meeting her gaze, his concern for a friend plainly etched on his face as well as his belief for the best outcome.

“Blue is acting out of caution and concern, he really does care about our safety…”
He said with a smile.

“I don’t think he is afraid per se, but rather seeking to prevent a situation that’s beyond our abilities to control, and this overabundance of caution highlights exactly what we are presently lacking…and that is training and a deeper knowledge of ‘our’ abilities.”

“We fear what we do not know and this is natural, but living without knowing is a choice that keeps us, all of us, from making better choices, wiser more informed decisions.”

Getting closer to Casey but not invading her personal space he would continue.

“I know what it’s like to live in fear… to live in terror and shame of your own powers, to doubt your existence as a person that’s capable to do any good, or someone deserving of happiness…I lived in that darkness for a while…”

Zephyr’s silver eyes would momentarily lose focus as the vault of painful memories brought to surface past failings and lessons learned the hard way.

“You see…I couldn’t always control this…” He would look at his hands, a quizzical look forming on his face quickly replaced by one of determination.

He recounts of that day: The weather was fair that day at the compound, mixed sunshine and clouds with pleasant breezes. Young Zephyr was having a good week and got to run around the garden free of electrodes and monitoring devices.

As a reward one of the caretakers (scientists) had brought in a puppy, a cute and playful cocker spaniel named Goldie.

Oh the excitement of having a real live puppy to play with, it was much better than seeing one on video or in the distance, something that only others could have.

Playtime was going well, running and sharing toys, and life was fun again for a 6 year old who spent most of his days isolated as a patient (test subject), unable to have a normal life. But puppies being puppies, they do as all puppies do when excited.

This was the first time that young Zephyr had felt the brief pain of being bitten, and as most first time experiences, the intensity catches everyone off guard.

At such, the young metahuman reacted reflexively and his power manifested as it would, “naturally to him”.

Young Zephyr stood frozen in silent shock, his emotions suspended in disbelief as he beheld the critically injured Goldie who lay broken and unconscious at the other end of the garden.

There was a scramble of scientists, some running to Goldie and some running towards him, and right before he could process his feelings or vent his frustration and confusion, the syringe to his arm went completely unnoticed as the impartial darkness of unconsciousness was forced upon him…this WAS his life.


“Goldie recovered, but it required many prosthetic replacements…this I learned a year or two after the incident. I didn’t understand what happened at the time. It was only the continued love and support of my parents and a few of my caregivers, including my mentor, which prevented me from spiraling and becoming a darker person. I wouldn’t be here without that kind of support.”

There were more memories surfacing, waiting to be shared, but a deep breath quelled the impulse and Zephyr paused for a few beats, giving Casey a moment to digest his words.

With a reassuring smile he continued.

“And just like you…Dr.Banner had to start somewhere, and he’s an Avenger!”

“As you know, the Hulk was deemed a menace, but Dr.Banner had many who stood by him through thick and thin, who believed in him and supported him. Betty Ross and Rick Jones to name a few.”

Slowly and tenderly, Zephyr would extend his hand and rest it on Casey’s hand, a gesture and a promise of togetherness and fidelity.

“Right now, you have me and Blue, we each believe in you in our own way.”

“I think you can turn your fear into courage, that with practice and guidance you can develop a determination, a willpower to utilize your gift in a manner that you decide, no matter how it is triggered. I believe that you can choose NOT to give into fear, you can choose NOT to allow your rage to overtake you, that you can purpose yourself to permit Casey and Aegis to become the protector and a shield as your codename depicts.” His silver eyes would search Casey’s countenance, mindful not to push too hard, looking to see if he was making sense to her.

“It will take practice, and we will make mistakes, but I believe it is the only way forward.” A tone of definitive confidence would accompany his words.

“We’ve worked together and risked our lives for over a year and a half, we need to know more about ourselves as a group, as individuals as part of a community. Especially if we are going to DO more, and do it well, we can’t get lucky forever.”

“This is something that we all have to agree on, at least on the basics, like agreeing to get guidance, and training. I don’t think Blue is afraid of you at all, but rather afraid for others, or fallout.
I do think that he would much prefer it if there was more certainty to our outings, more precision. We can have that, but we will need to work for it. I think we should try…”

The giant flat-screen the only source of light, flashing a fight scene in the Wuxia style with awesome Quigon techniques, the sound almost inaudible, a low muffle at best, all just a forgotten background to this pivotal moment.

With a small squeeze of his hand for emphasis, Zephyr would say tenderly…

“Please think about it…”


TAG: @greyjedi125 , @galactic-vagabond422

 

Casey
Sanctum Santorum

Casey was silent, a little shaken. The story that Zephyr told her bore similarities to hers, the first time she felt her powers. The tears she shed watching her mother, her first victim, on the floor came back to her eyes. She shifted her hand to hold onto his, a warm connection between two friends. Her shoulders slumped, head hanging low, it sounded like it was going to take a while, that they were starting at square one. She just wanted to be done with this fear, to have this burden lifted from her.

She was looking for an easy answer, one that wasn't there.

More tears fell, part of her wanted to run away, to go find someone that could take these powers away from her. So she could just go back to being normal...go back to being the girl she used to be.

Though deep in her heart, deeper than where the monster lay there was a feeling of hope, of redemption. A feeling of peace…

She brought her eyes up red and full of sorrow. There was still that urge, that need to just run away to shut down, to find a quicker option, but her soul that tiny spark of hope inside her kept her there. Her grip on Zephyr's hand tightened letting the warmth of his spirit flow into her, to maybe, maybe sustain that spark to keep her hope.

Though nearly every fiber of her being was screaming at her to walk away to seek answers elsewhere, that single thread that connected her to Zephyr held fast, kept her on that couch looking into his steely eyes.

"O….Ok." she said, her voice weak, shaking with uncertainty and fear that seemed constant in her life. "I'll...I'll try."

TAG: @Ameteth @greyjedi125

 

SGC
Mystic Masters Sanctum


SGC had been ready to head out and retrieve the wayward winged-man, but his Master seemed to have taken the situation as a sign. Tenzin spared a solemn glance towards the door.

“Perhaps our paths will cross again, fates willing. But first, we must eat.”

SGC was going to argue the point or put forward his going out, but from the rough night or his need to eat a little more than most, well the mention of eating set aside those thoughts. He bowed his head and set about proceeding to decimate the plate of food, and then after all since the wing-man was not going to be returning it seemed in time to eat his food whilst warm, SGC helped himself to those plates as well. Waste was a terrible thing after all.

Tag: @greyjedi125

 

Shelly VanKasser
Tony’s House, Alhambra Arizona

’She’s a natural’, Tony thought, as his camera focused on Shelly, who easily fell into the action scene. Her movements were smooth and graceful, her dives and rolls expertly executed, as if she’d done this all her life. Spinning about, Shelly made a few throwing gestures at unseen targets.

The camera followed her still and captured the moment she flipped and came to stand with Black Widow and Kit Kat. The three females struck a quick pose as Tony called out.

“CUT!! That was perfect you guys!!”

Everyone cheered and applauded and gave each other high-fives in celebration.

“I got some really good footage.” Tony declared triumphantly before turning to face the newcomer.

“Oh, Shelly…” Tony learned her name after Marla had called after her. “ Don’t forget to send me your info so I can give you credit for it, and subscribe to my channel so you’ll know when the vid is up. Marla can give you the deets.”

Tony offered Shelly a friendly smile before he looked over his shoulder and saw that others were eagerly approaching him. “….aaaaand I gotta go edit. See ya’ll laters.”

With that, the would-be director quickly made his way through the crowd and disappeared.

“There he goes…” Power Man declared with a hearty chuckle, then looked to Shelly and flashed her a winning smile and a thumbs up.

“Someone’s got moves.” Marla appraised in compliment, flashing her own smile.

“So, is that dance training or gymnastic, hmm?” Kit Kat joined in, trying to guess the secret to Shelly’s movements.

“Alright, come an get it.” Someone close declared, as a tray of beverages and appetizers was placed on a nearby table for those who participated in the CosPlay movie. It didn’t take long before said table became the latest focus of attention, not unlike the office water cooler at lunch time.

The costumed girls were interested in conversing with Shelly, while Power Man waved her over to get a drink and some treats. But that wasn’t all….

It didn’t happen as much now that she had greater control of her power, but sometimes, Shelly's power would do subtle things on its own, like now.

Shelly could hear voices, somewhere near; of course, she could not exactly pinpoint the place of origin, at least not while she was in an unfamiliar location. When her power first manifested, it had taken some time to realize that she could listen to any conversation in a dark place, as long as it was within a certain range.

1st Voice: “I need more info. If we can figure out exactly when he took the Cube, I could go back and…”

2nd Voice: “It’s too dangerous. He’d just kill you and you know it.”

1st Voice: “I have to try….”

2nd Voice: “You can’t even make it past a day, can you….?”

1st Voice: “………..”

2nd Voice: “Shhh. Tell me later. Someone’s coming. Let’s go.”

“Hey, Shelly, you Okay?”

Marla asked with some concern.


Tag: @Ktala

---

Blue, Casey & Zephyr
Sanctum Sanctorum


The night brought a well deserved rest to our trio, who quite honestly had earned it.

It was also fortunate that Zephyr’s place was a good distance away from midtown, where they could enjoy a modicum of peace, despite being in such a big city. Midtown was currently busy dealing with the aftermath of the previous evening’s events. Thankfully, Blue, Casey and Zephyr could enjoy a quiet morning.

As per normal, the HQ computer would conduct searches while they slept of possible and probable incidents and leads they could follow, which would be discussed after breakfast. Silently, the HQ computer continued to tally and compile data, creating a report for their morning perusal whenever they were ready.That is, if the group didn’t choose to compare notes on the previous night’s outing, or had alternate plans for their day.

A brand new day meant new possibilities.


Tag: @Ameteth, @galactic-vagabond422

OOC: 'Report' soon to follow

---

SGC & Tenzin
Mystic Masters Sanctum

It was common for the mentor and his student to break their fast in silence, as they did on most mornings. But this morning was different due to their departed guest. Tenzin did notice how SGC seemed tentative regarding the winged-man.

The monk was pleased that his pupil decided to eat his breakfast and recover his strength, but also guessed that SGC would worry about the winged-man, who lacked enough self-discipline to stave-off his nicotine addiction, therefore unwittingly barring himself from returning to the sanctum as a consequence.

After the morning meal was finished, there were the usual lessons to teach, but Tenzin understood the opportunity that was before him.

“What’s on your mind?” He asked his pupil simply and honestly.


Tag: @Mitth_Fisto

---

Larry Stone
Lower Manhattan


The smell and taste of the cigarette was more satisfying than he’d anticipated; perhaps it was because of the dream he had. A recurring dream he’d much rather not focus on at the moment.

The morning air was cool and the sky was surprisingly clear. Absently, Larry would notice passersby looking at him curiously as they went by.

The events of the past nights were also in the back of his mind, at least for a spell or two. He still had to get his bike - a change of clothes would be great, and something to eat would definitely hit the spot. A man couldn’t do much on an empty stomach after all.

Should Larry look behind him, he would notice that the door he'd just walked out from, was no longer there. Instead, he would find a passageway between buildings, one which housed a large garbage container at the very end of it.

Wait...what?

Such a thing should not be possible, but it was…or was it?

The world was becoming stranger by the day. Stranger still, was probably seeing his face suddenly appear on the TV screen inside a shop across the street.

Making the news almost always brought along its own brand of....intrigue.

This would be no different.


Tag: @Master Vo'Un'Var

OOC: Welcome Back

---

Daisy Johnson & Cameron Giles
SHIELD Director’s office, Triskelion

“Eritrea….”

Shaking her head lightly, Daisy leaned back as memories suddenly came rushing back. “Now that was a right mess….” She stated, her countenance tinged with a modicum of remembered regret. “If you hadn’t been there….”

That small country was still in the grips of a totalitarian dictatorship, its human rights record still among the worst in the world. Eritrea had the unflattering distinction of being a worst place than Latveria. Yet still, it was a member of the U.N.

No. It was best to leave those memories behind and focus on what was ahead of them. Daisy allowed herself a long exhale as she rose from the couch and spared her watch a quick glance.

“We'll have to set time aside to do some official catching up.” Daisy intoned a bit more seriously now as she walked back to her desk.

“Thanks to Nick, I’m the one in the hot seat, so I guess I’d better not disappoint, don't you think?”

A wan smile creased the director's lips as she sat down.

[ Incoming holo-call from Agent Edith Dubois] The male A.I. suddenly announced.

“I’m going to need you back in the suit.” Daisy informed Deputy Director Giles as plainly as it was possible, holding his gaze for a heartbeat.

“Thank you Jarvis, put her through.”

Across from Cameron, a bluish light shimmered as the Field Agent’s projection began to materialize.


Tag: @Darth_Elu

---

Liz Merrick & Dr. Redstone
The Schwarm restaurant, NYC

Dr. Redstone took the opportunity to try-out his meal as he listened to Agent Merrick, easily taking a bite from the wrap.

No, Liz. He mentally chided himself, as he’d made a point to be less formal in his interpersonal dealings in order to increase team efficiency, while still remaining professional. On paper it all seemed simple enough. Not so in actuality.

As he continued to listen, he absently considered his meal to be slightly above ‘good’, which meant he would leave a decent tip.

That aside, Sebastian produced his SHIELD hand-held datapad and entered pertinent information while Liz continued speaking. The name Nicole Gravely didn’t ring any bells right away and he needed to know more about this child. Suddenly, Dr. Redstone found himself coughing involuntarily after cross-referencing what information he had available.

"Please, excuse me.” he said, a bit flushed at the sudden ( and embarrassing ) interruption. Nothing a glass of water couldn’t fix.

After Liz had concluded her tale, Sebastian remained silent for a moment collecting his thoughts. From the records he could access, he could see that both E-Branch Agents had passed their psych evaluations.

“Well….” He started, pensively at first.

“I don’t foresee any problem in regards to housing the two women in an apartment all their own.” He consented. “However….”

“Ms. Gravely is legally a grown adult and does not qualify for ‘childcare’ services.”

Redstone allowed that to hang in the air between them for a few beats.

“That being said, we could arrange to hire Ms. Gravely as a Field Agent, or grant her an internship after an interview, of course. Most SHIELD agents do not have powers, but are adept at wielding whatever specialized equipment might be available at their level of clearance. Still, I’d say we could find her a desk job if that is what needs to be done.”

Smoothly, Sebastian leaned in and lowered his voice.

“Is there anything else I need to know here?” He asked cautiously.


Tag: @Sith-I-5

---

Daken & The Five
SHIELD Vault, New Jersey


It was quite incredible to see, Stain moving so fast, that he seemed a literal blur to the naked eye. Not-Rogers was pretty sure that’s not what a normal tech was supposed to look like once they entered a terminal; then again, a normal tech would not be attempting what they were attempting. Fortunately, Daken was successfully securing their position, as planned.

Within moments, The Five began to simultaneously receive Stain’s encoded messages on the secure channel they shared.

[ Target located on Sub Level 9, section 3. Codename: Compound 99. Unable to alter pre-set work roster without raising suspicion. Able to add auxiliary assistance. Must find replacements for current assignments. Working.]

One by one, each SHIELD com-device would receive an ‘updated’ assignment.

[Reaper/ Papalardo: Auxiliary loader, report to Sub Level 9.]

“Yes.” Reaper exclaimed in hushed triumph, finally showing a different emotion, no doubt in anticipation for what was to come.

[Moonstone/ Timoczech: 2nd Assistant Advisor, report to Sub Level 9.]

“Well, I can honestly say I’m pleased with this.” The blonde commented as she glanced at their leader, then back to their young hacker.

[Taskmaster/ Pilot Lars: Material Transport, Washington D.C. LZ-7B]

“Excuse me?”

[Daken/ Ozunu: Prisoner Transfer, Detention Block D4, Sub Level 6]

“Stain?” Not-Rogers asked, with no hint of amusement in his voice. The fist he was making was causing his leather glove to protest audibly.

[ Sorry, sir.Holliday doesn’t have sufficient clearance or enough resources to adjust critical personnel. I’ll need more time to make the proper adjustments. Please report to your assignments, or we risk a breach of security.]

The brief pause that followed was telling. Taskmaster was not very pleased at all, but the team knew something like this might happen from the onset. There was a lot riding on the success of this job, that much was clear. No risk, no reward.

“Don’t screw this up.” The Boss finally said before giving the go sign.

Tag: @darthbernael

---

Monin Bellascort
Rehearsal space, Upper West side, NYC

The answer to any question always depended on who you asked. Technically speaking, Monin spied Chuck before his friend physically saw him, however, Chuck was tracking the Uber’s progress via his phone app, so there was that too.

“Mo!!” Chuck exclaimed with a big welcoming smile as he stepped to the Uber and opened the door.

“Mo money, Mo Money!” He said playfully as he greeted his friend with a quick and firm half-hug. At that moment, he almost looked surprised as he saw who else was in the vehicle with his friend.

“Well, well, the Queeneth has arriveth as well. Good to see you ‘Liza.” Chuck offered a dramatic bow to Monin’s figurative ’right hand’. “I should've guessed you might come, not that I’m complaining.” He added with a chuckle.

Chuck gave a sheepish smile to Monin then shrugged. He knew better than to make ‘inappropriate’ jokes in the presence of ‘Queen Elizabeth’. Not that he'd ever called her that to her face.

“Well, then. What say you we get on with the show.”

A hand gesture, requesting for the two to follow. Chuck turned and entered the building's foyer and headed to the elevator. There was enough time between the main floor and the rehearsal room for a quick Q&A, should Monin need one.



Tag: @The Jedi in the Pumas

---

OOC: Wow. 2020 has been relentless. I hope everyone is keeping healthy and safe during these times.

 

Blueline & Casey
Sanctum Santorum

Blue woke up early before Casey and Zephyr as he did most of the time. Pulling the bandana that was tied around his wrist, he wrapped it around his head. As he exited his room there was a nagging thought in his head.

He should call Ernesto, make sure everything was alright, check on Lourdes. The thought was quickly pushed back down, the memories of last night still fresh in his mind. Though he couldn't deny the genuine want deep in his heart to do so. However his life was never about his wants, his needs, it was about everyone else's. Padding around the kitchen he found a bowl and some cereal, how he started every day, or afternoon if his evening before was particularly long. It was a concerted effort for him to eat his breakfast and keep his mask on. Couldn't he trust his house mates? Or was it just so ingrained in him that he just couldn't bring himself to take it off out of the safety of his room? Maybe it was because if he took the mask off, he might feel obligated to tell them his real name, a name that died on a night 3 years ago, a name that killed a man.

As he calmly ate his cereal Casey entered the space giving him a curious look.

"What do you want for breakfast?" She asked tying her own bandana around her forehead to cover her hair.

"I'm good."

She couldn't help her eye roll. It was every morning like this. It was very hard to be nice to someone when they always rejected your kindness. It wasn't like she was going to respect his request. She always made food for him and he always ate, it would just be nice if he told her something or gave her an answer. She'd known him a year and a half now and she had no idea what his favorite food was, or what he liked to watch on television. It was like all he thought about was being a hero.

With a shake of her head she set to work making some food...pancakes this morning. It always felt nice to start the day with something easy, something she had complete control over. She could dictate the temperature of the stove, perfectly portion the milk, flour, and baking soda. A slight smile came to her face recalling the conversation she had with Zephyr last night. Though there was still that fear in her heart, she felt comforted by his words.

And with a night to think about it, and the calm of the morning it made sense. She didn't get making pancakes right the first time she tried, it took practice and watching others, most of all it took time. Though if she messed up making pancakes the only thing that happened was a burned flapjack, which Blue would eat without question. As she flipped the first morning morsel in a flashy fan flick, again something she practiced, she thought of telling Blue Zephyr's plan. Quickly she thought better of that knowing Blue propensity for 'an overabundance of caution'. She chose to wait for Zephyr to arrive, it would be easier to explain if all three of them were present.

"You sleep well?" Casey asked pouring out another measure of batter.

Blue who was already taking his bowl to the sink nodded his head with an affirmative gunt before actually answering.

"Yeah."

Casey gave a wan smile. Sometimes Blue's stoic demeanor wore thin on her. But she knew it wasn't out of malice, he was just not used to this, he told them as much. It didn't mean it didn't hurt or annoy when he'd give just one word answers.

She continued cooking awaiting the arrival of Zephyr though it was just as likely he was already waiting at the table, or making his way to the kitchen...

TAG: @Ameteth @greyjedi125

 

Monin Bellascort
Rehearsal space, Upper West side, NYC

With raised eyebrows and forced wide grin, Monin greeted Chuck. Eliza only gave him a thin lipped smile. Of course, Monin thought amused.

"Okay, Chuck. Anything I should know about these ladies before we start?"

There it was again... something like he was forgetting. He couldn't shake it. Maybe he should call his parents sooner than later. Though, in the back of his mind, he was starting to think it had something to do with the dreams he was having lately. Monin had dreams of the Starbrand. It felt heavier than usual lately. Was he having some sort of crisis of conscience? Was it because he felt like he could be doing more than partying and his everyday job? Definitely, but that still felt like that wasn't it.

He noticed Chuck was speaking, but he was paying minimal attention to what was being said as they walked through the building. Eliza picked up on it and nudged him subtly which snapped him back from his own thoughts. "I'm good." He lied. He did need to focus, however. Because Monin did take his job seriously as there were people like Eliza that depended on getting opportunities that came from getting the attention of producers like Monin and directors like Chuck. For better or for worse, so the minimum he could demand of himself being in a position like this is to give the people auditioning his utmost attention.

Monin wasn't critical during auditions. He expected a good acting base, of course. He was more concerned with if the person auditioning identified with the role and could bring it to life by being in tune with it. Mentally, physically, and spiritually. He was one of those types.

Tag: @greyjedi125

 

Shelly VanKasser
Tony’s House, Alhambra Arizona

Shelly had landed next to KitKat and Marla, and when she heard the word "Cut!" yelled out, she began grinning like crazy. Now she was very happy that she had joined her new friend. And better yet, she didnt miss up the shot. Her grin grew even wider as she heard cheers, and then Tony walked over to them.

“I got some really good footage.” Tony before turning towards Shelly. "Oh, Shelly…” Tony started, but Shelly realized that Marla did yell her out loud. “ Don’t forget to send me your info so I can give you credit for it, and subscribe to my channel so you’ll know when the vid is up. Marla can give you the deets.” Shelly nodded her head like crazy, still overjoyed with the events that had taken place. Tony offered Shelly a friendly smile before he looked over his shoulder, and Shelly followed the look to see that quite a few folks seemed to want to talk to Tony. “….aaaaand I gotta go edit. See ya’ll laters.” Tony said, and then quickly disappeared.

Shelly broke off into laughter as Power Man stated, “There he goes…”

“Someone’s got moves,” Marla stated with a grin. “So, is that dance training or gymnastic, hmm?” Kit Kat joined added. Shelly looked back at the pair of girls, and gave a simple nod. "Well, I did have some tumbling classes when I was a kid.."

“Alright, come an get it.” Someone called out, and she saw Power Man waving her over to get some drinks. Whew. A well-timed diversion Shelly thought to herself. She didnt want to explain too much to her new friends. Not just yet. She threw Power Man a thumbs-up sign and started to head that way when suddenly she felt like she had suddenly stepped into a dream. Suddenly, it was as if everyone had fallen away, and she was alone when she began to hear voices speaking, as if they were right next to her, even if she could not see them. She quickly realized what was happening. She was an unwilling participant in a conversation somewhere nearby.

[1st Voice: “I need more info. If we can figure out exactly when he took the Cube, I could go back and…”

2nd Voice: “It’s too dangerous. He’d just kill you and you know it.”

1st Voice: “I have to try….”

2nd Voice: “You can’t even make it past a day, can you….?”

1st Voice: “………..”

2nd Voice: “Shhh. Tell me later. Someone’s coming. Let’s go.”]

Just as it began, the feeling faded, and the world was back to normal, and she was once more back in Tony's backyard, filled with kids. why now??!

“Hey, Shelly, you Okay?” Shelly looked over to see Marla looking at her, concern in her voice. Marla gave a shrug and a smile. "I'm ok. Just a bit starstruck at all this." she laughed, putting her hands on her hips. "And I could do with a bit of something to drink!". With a soft laugh, she headed over to where the drinks were and hoping that nothing else would break-in. Making it over to the drinks area, she quickly poured herself something to drink and took a sniff. Hopefully, Tony kept things safe. As she decided on whether or not to take a drink, she wondered about the voices, as her eyes scanned the area. Not like she could really take any action. A cube? And the other statements. It didnt quite make sense. It almost sounded like time travel. But thats silly.

Shelly took a tiny sip of her drink.


TAG: @greyjedi125

 

SGC
Mystic Masters Sanctum

Once he was done eating the two meals, and feeling rather full and cramped in his own carapace, SGC felt very unready for the daily lessons. That did not change that they had to be done. Learning was very much an apparent part of normal life, and he had to admit he enjoyed most of the lessons he had to learn. Only instead of diving into the lesson his Master decided to veer off in another direction with a question.

“What’s on your mind?” He asked his pupil simply and honestly.

"That my carapace feels too tight. I want to lay in the warm sun and digest my meal in meditative peace, but I know I must keep up with my lessons. I worry the Winged-man has gotten himself into trouble and is feeling the pangs of lack of food since he followed his chemical addiction." Sighing at that he looked Tenzin with a questioning gaze, "How do you know to be calm about leaving a stranger to his fate? After we rescued him from being filled with holes and gave him peace and safety for a night, how are you calm at the fate of a guest wandering away?"

Tag: @greyjedi125

 

Cameron Giles IC:
~Director’s Office, Triskelion~

Cameron allowed Director Johnson her moment of reflection back on the disaster of Eritrea. Just as she stated. It truly had been a right mess. Though he disagreed with the if he wasn’t there line, it was more apt to say ‘if any of them had not been there…’

But he kept quiet, she was forcing herself to move on from it at the moment and he wouldn’t keep her there. It wasn’t the best of memories by any stretch.

”We’ll have to set time aside to do some official catching up.”

“Definitely,” he replied simply as he watched her move back to the desk. A clear indicator of the time.

[Incoming holo-call from Agent Edit Dubois]

Yes, it was time to get back to business. And that’s when the first proverbial blow came.

”I’m going to need you back in the suit.”

She knew exactly what that meant, as she held his gaze for a brief moment. A pin-drop could have been heard in those few seconds. He returned the look as the urgency of what was about to be discussed already began to be felt.

‘The suit’ was not his normal mission attire. Not the typical Gemini outfit, oh no. This was…the next level.

He closed his eyes briefly and nodded in silent acceptance. Heh. Eritrea was a damn good comparison after all.

”Thank you Jarvis, put her through.”

As the Agent materialized, Cameron put on his Deputy Director face and waited for what was to come. At this point, it was hard to be surprised, but he knew life always had a way when it wanted.

Tag: Daisy Johnson & Edith Dubois @greyjedi125

 

Larry Stone
Lower Manhattan

Larry Stone turned and peered through the gap between the two shabby buildings behind him, the place he had left now being all but gone. Confused, he turned his head again to face the street again, and saw his own face plastered onto a T.V screen in a shop, the channel being the news. He stared momentarily, before walking across the street and reading the headlines, trying to gather as much information as possible.

He couldn't go back to the monks, as the door had disappeared. Food, clothes, and his bike were his main focuses now, then he would find a place to lie low, but he wanted to find out what the news was saying about him first.

@greyjedi125

 

Tenzin & SGC - A combo with the luminous GreyJedi125!
Mystic Masters Sanctum

Tenzin sat back on his chair and regarded his student. A soft smile blossoming on his face as a hand absently rose to scratch his hairless chin.

SGC's question was simple and deep all at once, basic and many-layered. Tenzin could spend hours espousing an explanation, which he felt wasn’t what was needed at the moment. He needed to make his point soundly, briefly, without becoming tedious.

“To put it simply, I trust in a Higher Power, my pupil. The One-Above-All to be more specific, but your lesson on the hierarchy of Cosmic Divinities is not for today. To answer your question, I consult my conscience on any given matter and act accordingly. If your conscience is moving you to act, then act upon it. We must strive to always be true and honest in our motives, our choices and actions.

We healed our guest and offered him shelter. He has gone out by his own free will. I am at peace with his choice, but….If you feel the impulse to go after him and choose to follow it, know that I support you and will go with you.”

Tenzin offered a slow nod and waited for his pupil’s response.

Looking down at the plate which had mere scrapings of food left on it SGC sighed at his Master's answer. "I was raised in the lab that taught merely we make the most of what you have, and strive to understand all within your reach better. By knowing things you can name them, by naming you can database what you know, through interactions cross categorize, and through understanding change them with the other known things. Work your way out from the simplest things you know and expand. The divine was someone else's problem." His back arms twitched up at that, what seemed to his own self study to be his way to imitate a shrug.

"You are right. We offered and if he left we should be happy to have helped at all." Stacking his two plates he tapped the side, listening to the chinking noise his carapace made hitting gently the side of the plates. "I wish to go and check on him, and I wish to stay to learn more and have what I was sent away for in the first place. A normal life. I feel I cannot do both." Looking up he stared intently at Tenzin. "How can I choose to give up what I have fought and killed for on a caring impulse? How do I choose between the feelings when both have so many unknowns?"

Tenzin smiled gently at his student. SGC was such a unique being, young in his living years, yet possessing an inner wisdom that could school even the Elders.

"All experience is a lesson, one that moves us forward, that continues to enlighten. Pain, regret, failure, success, achievement. These are all part of the whole. We need not fear them, but merely accept what they have to teach. Normal, my dear apprentice, is the mind-set an attitude we have in any given situation, not the other way around."

With that, Tenzin rose from the table.

"Come, let us see if our Winged-friend is still within our reach."

The monk moved past the table, pausing briefly to spare a glance to see if his pupil followed, even as he opened the front door and stepped out.

Fingers twitching he was slightly annoyed at the answer, mainly because it didn't really make complete sense to him. He understood the accepting and learning, but the last? Normal? It just, it seemed to float there in his mind. He understood the words but they felt terribly just out of reach for understanding. Perhaps that was one of those things he would understand when he was older and and learned from experiences? With the summons and leaving he simply stood and stacked their plates and cups into a nice stack to be easier to clean later before following after Tenzin.

"Is it still Halloween?" he asked as they made their way to leave. Dropping the prior frustrating subjects for something simpler.

TAG: @greyjedi125

 

SGC, Larry & Tenzin
Lower Manhattan

“Is it still Halloween?”

His pupil's words caused him to pause, just at the door's threshold before he’d actually stepped out. It took Tenzin a long time to understand some of his pupil's body language, longer than he'd liked. He had yet to learn the full 'alphabet' of unspoken body signs, but it was all part of the ongoing process. Within himself, he realized that he had not been completely 'aware' of things in his own haste, and was about to commit yet another error.

Today the student was teaching the Mentor. Indeed, one was forever a student, ever learning. There was no shame in that.

"No, it is not." the monk replied, answering the question. "We can both don robes before we go out, as it would ease our movements. It would make things less troublesome. What do you think?"

The world at large was less accepting of what was different. This was true for most humans it seemed. Some individuals, brave or foolish, chose to challenge this on a daily basis, but wisdom suggested that one should pick one's battles.

Tenzin smiled at his pupil’s affirmative nod. In short order, the monk retrieved robes from the adjacent closet space, handed SGC the robe which was designed specifically for him, donned his own robe and brought an extra one just in case.

With that accomplished, both Student and Mentor stepped out and took to the streets.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Across the street from the Sanctum, Larry Stone regarded the flat screen that displayed his image from behind the glass. He was outside the shop, so he could not hear what was being said, but he could read the ticker underneath.

’DANGEROUS METAHUMAN AT LARGE. DO NOT APPROACH- CALL THE NYPD TIP LINE FOR INFORMATION AND REWARD. DO NOT APPROACH.’

It wasn’t a flattering image, the message much less so.

From behind him, Larry would hear someone clear their throat. Once he turned around, he would see two robbed figures, their hoods up. One was taller than the other.

The taller figure would stretch and arm, offering him a robe.

“I think you might needs this.”

Larry would recognize the monk’s voice upon closer inspection. He could probably guess who the shorter one was.


Tag: @Mitth_Fisto, @Master Vo'Un'Var

 

IC: Zephyr Vaillancourt

Sanctum Sanctorum/ Brownstone




Zephyr stared at his computer screen and looked at his list of words and names feeling completely undecided.

‘Sum Triptych, Pro Bono, Pro Mundi, Adjutors, Palladians, Bastion…maybe it’s too early to come up with suggestions for a team name…’ He thought with a small sigh.

Looking at the other open window, he saw that the main computer was still compiling information on The White Star, the group of metahumans that was known to do good and modeled themselves after Captain America, according to all reports.

A smile of satisfaction crossed his face as he noted that it was near completion.

So far the morning was proving to herald a productive day; His early chat with his Mom and Dad had been smooth and devoid of worrisome news. He understood their worry after the news of the disaster and chaos that ensued during the annual Halloween parade had reach them.
This was a downside to superhero work that could not be helped, but all was well with the loved ones.

The mirrored doors to the clothes room reflected a simple yet neat attire; light gray V-neck sweater with modern cut jeans, suede house shoes, nothing too fancy. He noticed that he cut back a lot on the designer labels. It was probably because the work they did emphasized other values, and also because of Blue.
Here was someone who risked his life to save lives almost daily and did not give one whit about luxuries, that kind of humility was admirable.
But the hair always had to look good, that couldn’t be compromised, he thought with a small chuckle.

Zephyr had to admit that he was also in a good mood because his conversation with Casey had gone quite well. The future was looking a bit brighter with the prospect of training and self-improvement, however, there were a few obstacles to overcome and bridges to cross, and the ‘Blue’ wall of caution was the first such hurdle.

“Yumm…I smell Pancakes!” he exclaimed, instantly ending his self-inspection and heading up to the kitchen, tummy grumbling in response to the delicious aroma.

“Good morning Blue, good morning Casey!” His greeting friendly and cheerful since it was kind of his role at this point.

“I hope everyone slept well and got a plenty of rest” noticing that Blue was being austere and only having cereal, Zephyr would bring the container of orange juice and glasses to the table along with some marmalade and syrup for the pancakes.

“Casey, would you like some help? I can scramble some eggs and prepare some veggie-links for all of us if you like…Oh mistress of the Kitchen.”

“We may need the energy for today’s meeting and debriefing…”

Zephyr was sure that Casey got his meaning with his tone and the quick pointed look he gave Blue. He was planning to bring up last night’s topic of more field time for Aegis and training for the entire team in general, but he would defer to her, only if she was up to it or not, because sometimes just having a good breakfast and a bit of quiet was the best way to start ones day.



TAG: @greyjedi125 , @galactic-vagabond422

 

Shelly VanKasser
Alhambra, Arizona

Last night’s events had been both memorable and enjoyable, which was something that Shelly could attest to. She met new people, who could in time become friends, took part in a CosPlay action video, listened to a clandestine conversation, and Tony’s punch was not spiked after all.

Who knew, that Good things could happen.

Today was a good day, which started with a note left early in the morning by Mrs.Wesley. She’d had some early business to take care of, so she left some breakfast on the stove for Shelly. This consisted of scrambled eggs, pancakes, sausages and a large jug of orange juice. There was also a fresh bowl of assorted fruits made ready. Syrup and butter were waiting on the side. For the moment, Shelly had the entire house to herself, with its many bookshelves and picture frames; Indeed, Shelly had earned her moment of peace.

But such serenity was temporary. It wouldn’t be long before her phone buzzed with notifications and invitations. The gag-reel for the Halloween Cosplay Party was up on YouTube, as well as a sneak preview. Marla had sent her several different invites to join various groups on FB, 4Chan, ProBoards, Instagram, Tweeter and several other social platforms. Power Man and Kit Kat had also sent friend requests via the CosPlay group she was invited to, but had yet to accept. Technology these days.

But before all of that could try to overwhelm or hijack her day, Shelly was more than free to take a moment to reflect about life in peace.



Tag: @Ktala

 

Johnson, Giles & DuBois
SHIELD Director’s office, Triskelion



[“Good morning Director, Deputy.”]

Agent Edith Dubois’ voice came in crystal clear, despite the lack of color in her holographic image.

“Good morning Agent.” The SHIELD Director greeted amiably in return, she then half turned toward the Deputy.

“It’s an added security measure, given the delicate nature of her work.” Daisy both explained and answered the question before Cameron could even ask it.

“What do you have for us today?” Daisy asked conversationally.

[“Well….”] The Agent began. Daisy spared a glance toward Cameron, already holding her breath at the agents initial tone.

[“It’s no longer a matter of ‘if’, but ‘when’. Although it hasn’t been made official, there are preparations being made to reactivate the Sentinel Program, especially now that the SRA has been annulled by the U.N. and SHIELD has no global enforcement charters. The Senate is moving closer to a majority vote as the President gains more and more supporters on the matter.

Last night’s incident in New York only helped to increase that likelihood into a certainty. What’s more, both Oscorp and Omnitech are vying to acquire exclusive manufacturing contracts.”]

“Desperate to please their shareholders no doubt.” Daisy put in bitterly.

“Please, go on.”

[“There’s been a 13% rise in MGH related crimes in metropolitan areas. That’s an 8% increase from last year, which is too high for such a highly controlled substance. The silver lining: 79% of those cases relate to cheap derivatives, like Metamin. There’s also talk of writing legislature to nationalize the SRA in conjunction with the Sentinel Program, seeing how one makes the other necessary.”]

Taking a breath, Daisy steepled her fingers as she leaned forward in her desk, almost as if silently asking for good news.

[“As of this morning, ‘Olympus’ has no active network frequencies relating to Latveria, HYDRA or AIM.”]

Agent DuBois paused for the accepted time before asking:

[“Are there any questions before I move on?”]



Tag: @Darth_Elu

 

Shelly VanKasser
Alhambra, Arizona

Shelly woke up, a huge grin quickly spreading over her face. She had met new people, had a blast at a party, and had one heck of some fun at the party at Tony's.

It was nice to feel like a normal kid. She had all but skipped home, after saying goodbye to the others. She also backtracked herself 3 times before she made her way home. She had grabbed a quick snack, and then had quickly gone to bed, bits of the conversation she had heard, dancing in her mind.

But now, the morning shone brightly through her window, as she woke up the next day. She got her morning routine done, and when she walked into the kitchen, she was in for a treat. Mrs.Wesley, had left early. Shelly was sad she had missed her. But the woman had left a fantastic breakfast ready and waiting for her. Shelly nearly cried with happiness. Having the home to herself was a rare treat, and she was not about to waste it. She carefully cleaned up the plates after eating and then plopped down on the couch to catch up with things.

Shelly opened her phone, and her eyes widened at the sheer volume of messages and texts waiting for her. She scrolled through her phone, her eyes grew in size.

Wow.

The gag-reel for the Halloween Cosplay Party was up on YouTube, as well as a sneak preview. Marla had sent her several different invites to join various groups on FB, 4Chan, ProBoards, Instagram, Tweeter and several other social platforms. Power Man and Kit Kat had also sent friend requests via the CosPlay group she was invited to, but had yet to accept.

Just...wow.

Shelly closed her phone. She would get to her new friends and messages soon. Right now, she simply laid back on the couch, and let her mind wander. This was nice.

Shelly wasnt sure what she would do yet. this could be a fun place to stay. She usually didn't like to stay in one place for too long. But this was the first time, she had made so many new friends. That might be a selfish wish, but it was nice to have such friends and a bit of fun. She sighed deeply. Shelly stretched, wiggling her toes and fingers as she thought about how lucky she was at the moment. She wished she could do something nice for Mrs. Wesley...

She would live it some thought. But for now, she simply enjoyed the moment, patting her tummy stuffed, from all the sweets she had munched during the party.
After thirty minutes, she turned back on her phone and began to respond to all the requests and to especially watch the video shots.


TAG: @greyjedi125

 

IC: Liz Merrick, window booth, The Schwarm restaurant
Location: New York City

Liz watched her boss try the local cuisine, and given her views on the cuisine, was initially not the slightest bit surprised when he sputtered over his SHIELD tablet and made choking sounds.

Then his loudest thought sang in her head, and she realised he must have ran Nicole through his search engine.

Oh yeah, she's 27! She remembered, nodding to herself.

She had spoken to Nicole on the phone, the woman a comparable age to herself, but when you overheard them together, Nikki calling her new Mom over because Auntie Liz was on the phone, or listened to the affection and pride in Agent Formal's voice, it was ever so easy to forget that, as Sebastian was telling her now, that Gravely was a legal adult.

Then again, she had literally told him that SHIELD could offer the girl a role, however, despite her best attempts to convey a two-pronged approach, Redstone's headspace seemed to be jumping from one extreme to another.

"That sounds great, Boss. The sooner they have their own place, the better. It'll be a boon for Bryan and I, of course. And the more stable an environment that Nicole can have, the happier that Mary will be."

“That being said, we could arrange to hire Ms. Gravely as a Field Agent, or grant her an internship after an interview, of course. Most SHIELD agents do not have powers, but are adept at wielding whatever specialized equipment might be available at their level of clearance."

"Whoa." Merrick showed her left palm to signal 'stop'. "Slow down. Mary is going to be evaluating if New York is going to be a suitable and safe place to raise Nikki. And yes, I know that she's an adult. Mary will base herself wherever she feels her 'child'-" She did airquotes with her fingers. "-is going to be safe. So lets not get too invested in mapping out a concrete career path for Nicole, just yet."

"Still, I’d say we could find her a desk job if that is what needs to be done.”

"Desk job, something active, all are great. What is important here, is that whatever we arrange for Nicole needs to be like a secret daytime identity. Like Tony Stark running Stark Industries, then unknown to the world, donning the suit and flying off to global hotspots. Nicole having a job, needs to be behind Mary's back. Mary needs to believe that her kid is in childcare, even if you, me and Bry' know that it isn't real."

Smoothly, Sebastian leaned in and lowered his voice. “Is there anything else I need to know here?” He asked cautiously.

"If we can provide Nikki with a completed finger or potato painting, that at the end of her first day, she can show her mother, that would go a long way towards convincing Agent Formal that the cover is legit." Liz dead-panned till she saw Seb's expression, then smirked. "I'm kidding, although it probably would help. No, just that it needs to be local. From talking to Mary on the phone, she holds great store in Nicole being in bed by 7pm, so she needs to be able to pick her up between 5 and 6."

Tag: @greyjedi125

 

Larry Stone
Lower Manhattan

Larry, his eyes wide in disgust as he stared at the T.V screen, felt sick. Things had taken a downward spiral over the past day, and now it looked as though it were to become much worse. His luck hadn't all but run out, though. He turned his head as he heard a very familiar voice, and saw the two monks he had lost just few minutes ago. One of them was offering him a set of robes. He smiled in relief, taking them and quickly slipping them on, throwing on the hood.

"I tried to get back in but I couldn't find the door..." he tried to explain, but stopped. "It seems you helped me again..."

He turned and looked back at the TV screen. The report was still there, and he had no idea what to do about it.

"I need somewhere to hide."

@greyjedi125 @Mitth_Fisto

 

IC: SGC
Exiting Sanctum into Lower Manhattan

Tenzin smiled at his pupil’s affirmative nod. In short order, the monk retrieved robes from the adjacent closet space, handed SGC the robe which was designed specifically for him, donned his own robe and brought an extra one just in case. It looked like his Master was concerned for the winged-man as well. Donning his robe he made sure it was draping properly before nodding his readiness to leave.

With that accomplished, both Student and Mentor stepped out and took to the streets.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Across the street from the Sanctum is where they found their lost guest. Safe and staring at an image of himself in a display window. As they came close SGC looked past him to read the ticker underneath.

’DANGEROUS METAHUMAN AT LARGE. DO NOT APPROACH- CALL THE NYPD TIP LINE FOR INFORMATION AND REWARD. DO NOT APPROACH.’

So, a man that had done nothing but fly was being labeled a criminal? Considering the video evidence not showing any clear crimes except not appearing to want to stick around trigger happy police who had just shot a costumed kid dressed as a villain. Not the most solid basis to label the man dangerous, his nicotine habit that carelessly scattered small particles and pollutants into the air others had no choice but to breath? Yes. That was an accepted form of bad habit though in this country.

Hearing Tenzin clear his throat. Once he turned around, Tenzin stated “I think you might needs this.”

He smiled in relief, taking them and quickly slipping them on, throwing on the hood.

"I tried to get back in but I couldn't find the door..." he tried to explain, but stopped. "It seems you helped me again..."

He turned and looked back at the TV screen. The report was still there.

"I need somewhere to hide." Winged-man stated the obvious, but it was good in any working theory to make sure everyone was on the same page and that the obvious had not fallen into a blind spot.

"Sadly you missed breakfast, I did not let your food go to waste though." he softly stated. It would of been his worry in that position so better to address it. Looking at his Master he raised a hand palm up, questioning simply with a 'well then?' He knew it was not his place to offer further relief from their home and he had already done a lot of that despite truly being a student and guest himself. He did not want to over state nor extend an offer that was not his to give. Also, perhaps his Master being from this mega-community might know of another place this man with his smoking habits might be better able to find sanctuary?

Sadly in the end, SGC knew to little to truly say much more than that simple comfort that he had eaten the man's food instead of letting it go to waste.

Tag: @Master Vo'Un'Var , @greyjedi125

 

Liz Merrick & Dr.Redstone
The Shwarm restaurant, NYC

Taking a deep centering breath, Sebastian leaned back on his chair as he digested what Liz had shared concerning Mary and her ‘daughter’ Nikki.

For a moment, he was felt the impulse to question Liz about her fellow agent’s mental health, but decided against it. Liz was too close and was likely to misunderstand. Without speaking, he once again turned to his hand held device and sent a message to his counterpart in E-Branch.

[Confidential Request: Please forward Agent Mary Formal’s latest psychological evaluation.]

In his mind he could not reconcile the need for the deception, which was something he needed to understand, in the event things got ‘complicated’; for such was a clear and present possibility in their line of work. That Liz was willing to go along with it was one thing, but his responsibility covered a much larger umbrella. Liz was asking that SHIELD go along with something he was going to need to explain to his superiors in no uncertain terms.

In the meantime, the only other recourse was to go along and grant the request, if nothing else, for the sake of continuity.

“Alright. I’m contacting Agent Morales who is the Head Administrator for all non-essential personnel. I’m requesting a secure desk job for Ms. Gravely, who quite likely will be made an intern, and….”

Sebastian looked over to Liz.

“You understand I cannot legally place Ms.Gravely in an actually daycare along children and minors, hence, a ‘Special Class’ and a ’Tutor’ will be ‘assigned’ to her. There will be enrollment paperwork and all such details to properly sell the ‘cover’ to Agent Formal. That way, they can both maintain their schedules intact.”

With that done, the former Monster Hunter now SHIELD agent returned the device to its proper place inside his jacket.

“Since safety is a chief concern, I suggested she work within the Triskelion grounds, but that can change if that seems too much.”

Dr. Redstone casually eyed his meal, but decided he was no longer hungry, though he felt more relaxed now that the issue at hand was taken care of.

“I can appreciate your concern for your fellow Agent. Please be assured that I will do all I can to see them safely situated.” Sebastian intoned as sincerely as he could.


Tag: @Sith-I-5

---

SGC, Larry & Tenzin
Lower Manhattan

“Please return with us.” Tenzin asked of the winged-man as he watched him don the cloak and raise the hood, with good reason. He glanced at the TV screen showing the face of the winged-man in connection to a police notice. The image did not sit well with him and he found himself internally glad that he’d followed on his pupil’s ‘impulse’.

The monk’s gaze then regarded SGC, a slight slime apparent on his face.

“Not to worry, it will be my pleasure to prepare our guest another portion. He need not miss breakfast on our account.”

At that moment, a passerby stopped to look at the newsflash. He turned to speak conversationally, then his expression changed, unexpected surprise clear on his face.

Tenzin immediately weaved a sign with his hand and spoke a word: “Vismarati”

The man looked confused for a moment, as if trying to remember something.

“Let us away.” Tenzin urged gesturing for his two companions to cross the street with him.

Knowing that SGC alone could see what he saw, Tenzin weaved a different sign once again with both hands as he spoke a phrase: “Svasya apta garutmat nara”

Larry would see a shimmering before his eyes as the facade of a building he had not seen before became visible to him.



“Now you’ll be able to come and go at any time.”

As he moved, Tenzin beckoned for Larry and SGC to enter. Once inside he removed his cloak and hung it inside the adjacent closet.

“I apologize for earlier, please, allow me to bring you some sustenance.” Tenzin said, gesturing for their guest to make himself at home.

After offering a short bow, Tenzin made his way to the kitchen, leaving his pupil and the winged-man in each others company for the moment.



Tag: @Mitth_Fisto, @Master Vo'Un'Var

 

Shelly VanKasser
Alhambra, Arizona

To say that Shelly had her hands full answering social media requests would be an understatement. Of course, she would get immediate systems confirmation whenever she joined one of the CosPlay related clubs and such. Plus, it was likely no surprise that Marla sent her the first actual response on IG.

[Yay! So glad you joined. You’re the best! ]

Tony’s Gag Reel was as funny as they came, showcasing CosPlayers falling or tripping over props, or getting caught in other CosPlayers costumes as they made exaggerated battle movements, all accompanied by a laugh track and comical sounds to enhance what otherwise would seem ordinary. It was indeed all in good fun.

The sneak peek of heroic CosPlayer’s taking down doom-bots, super villains and Hacked Sentinels did look quite awesome with up-to-date special effects. The last frame was of the three girls assuming a heroic pose, which included Shelly herself. It was safe to assume Tony had liked that shot.

Two messages came for Shelly one after the other just then. The first was from Marla.

[We’re all going to Zook’s Eatery for Lunch. Come meet us there. I can pick you up if you want. It’s no trouble. ]

The one that followed was from Mrs.Wesley

[Hello Shelly dear, I’m experiencing some delays and won’t be back for a few hours. The kitchen is at your disposal, but if you wish to order-in, that too is an option. So very sorry about this. See you soon.]

It was very likely Mrs. Wesley was in the middle of another rare-book hunt.

A casual glance at a nearby wall, the one with all the picture frames of the various youngsters Mrs Wesley had helped, did catch her eye. Boys and girls captured in one happy moment, during better times. Yet, one picture did garner a small measure of attention. A young man of indigenous descent, sporting long dark hair and a gray headband. Smiling, while wearing a SHIELD uniform. The caption read: In Memory of Eduardo ‘El Coyote’ Vega.

At a glance it probably didn’t mean much, but every picture had a story to tell.

A familiar pinging sound on her phone brought Shelly back to the moment.

[So, will you be joining us? ]



Tag: @Ktala

 

OOC: I sincerely and profusely apologize for the long delay in replying!

Cameron Giles IC:
~Director’s Office, Triskelion~

[“Good morning Director, Deputy.”]

Cameron was hardly surprised at the noir-esque holo-image of Agent Edith Dubois. It fit her to a tee. One look said everything you needed to know. Which, naturally, was that you knew nothing at all.

Well, unless you happened to have access to top secret SHIELD files. Then you might have some idea.

Good morning, Agent…It’s an added security measure, given the delicate nature of her work.”

He gave a small nod, with a faint smile there and gone again as his sign of understanding. It worked quite well in his opinion.

“Agent,” he intoned professionally to show his acknowledgement but otherwise let the Director lead the show for now. She was the ranking official here after all.

”What do you have for us today?”

[“Well….”]

The tone of Edith’s beginning plus the added glance toward him from the new Director, almost nervous, told him everything. Then again so did a few moments previous.

I’m going to need you back in the suit.

He showed nothing on his face, there was nothing to react to really. Not yet. But he knew it was coming.

[“It’s no longer a matter of ‘if’, but ‘when.’ Although it hasn’t been made official, there are preparations being made to reactivate the Sentinel Program, especially now that the SRA has been anulled by the U.N. and SHIELD has no global enforcement charters. The Senate is moving closer to a majority vote as the President gains more and more supporters on the matter.

Last night’s incident in New York only helped to increase that likelihood into a certainty. What’s more, both Oscorp and Omnitech are vying to acquire exclusive manufacturing contracts.”]

Cameron barely held in the frustrated sigh, his eyes closing in concentration to do just that, before opening again to continue listening. The Sentinel Program. How could they even think to reactive that. And yet he found himself wholly unsurprised. And hated the circumstances made that so.

”Desperate to please their shareholders no doubt.”

“Of course, how convenient,” he added quickly.

”Please, go on.”

And so the Agent did, Deputy Giles shifting in his seat noiselessly. His mind was already whirring, but information was still incoming so he did his to hold himself from jumping too far ahead.

[“As of this morning, ‘Olympus’ has no active network frequencies relating to Latvia, HYDRA, or AIM. Are there any questions before I move on?”]

Cameron kept his jaw firmly set for the time being and shook his head on his head. No, it was better to hear this in full first before he gave any true reply.

This briefing had only begun after all. There was sure to be….

More.

Tag: Agent Dubois & Director Johnson @greyjedi125

 

(OOC: A combo post between @Ameteth and myself)

Blueline & Casey & Zephyr
Sanctum Santorum

“Yumm…I smell Pancakes!” Casey turned to the sound of Zephyr entering the kitchen. A smile graced her face. Now they were all together. She flipped another pancake and plated it. “Good morning Blue, good morning Casey!” The dark haired man said with a cheery tone.

"Good morning," Casey replied.

"Morning," Blue said with a nod.

“I hope everyone slept well and got a plenty of rest”

"Yeah, once I actually got to sleep." Casey looked to Zephyr with the smile still on her face. It felt nice to have this conversation, it felt normal. Almost normal.

"Yeah," Blue kept his answer short and sweet as usual.

“Casey, would you like some help? I can scramble some eggs and prepare some veggie-links for all of us if you like…Oh mistress of the Kitchen.”

Casey let out a short snort of a laugh, shaking her head.

"I've got this," She replied, "If you want scrambled eggs I can make that."

“We may need the energy for today’s meeting and debriefing…”

Casey swallowed hard looking over her shoulder to Blue. She didn't miss Zephyr's emphasis, she knew what he meant. Keeping her smile she finished the last pancake and chose to sit down with her two friends.

Blue looked at the plate put before him, then to Casey. She looked away as he started to eat. Casey was quiet for a bit, trying to work up the courage. It was going to be hard, and she knew it was going to cause some tension. She looked to Zephyr then to Blue. The azure hero locked eyes with her slightly arching his brow.

"Casey you doing alright?"

"Um…" She looked away, "yeah...Yeah…" Looking down she took a breath. "Blue...um...Zephyr and I were talking...and we think that we should." Her heart was racing, her hands were shaking and she had to physically pull the words from her throat. "That we should practice, um learn how our powers can work together...how I can control my powers…"

Blue was silent, putting his fork down, his eyes flicking between Casey and Zephyr...

There was a space of silence that seemed to stretch quite noticeably as the raven-haired teammate finished his glass of orange juice.

Zephyr gave Blue a quick smile and cleared his throat before speaking. He wasn’t nervous, but knew that he needed to present this idea in a way that made sense and survived scrutiny. It was very likely that this breakfast meeting would determine if the team would move up to the next level.

“First and foremost, I want to thank you, Blue, for being our guide and all around leader on this journey that we have embarked together; the using of our abilities for the greater good of our fellow man.”

“I don’t think we would have lasted this long without you, that’s for sure.”

The words were very sincere, and Zephyr hoped that his first lines didn’t sound rehearsed, even though he had been meaning to thank the ‘Bandana Hero’ for a while now.

In a strange way, thanking Blue made Zephyr feel more comfortable and at ease, this was a circle of friends, of respected teammates, not a stuffy symposium or a board meeting.

Visibly more relaxed, leaned forward a little and continued with an easy candor.

“We’ve been doing good work by any measure, but we’ve been cautious and fortune as been on our side, but you know something, we can do better…”

“How? You may ask…well, simply by training”

“Granted, it’s not as simple as it sounds.” he added quickly in anticipation of a possible objection.

“Take for example our last mission…what if there is a version where we are familiar with our powers. Where my abilities added to yours, Blue, can render you more resilient to environmental dangers, or maybe we discover that your abilities can regenerate wounds other than your own by some means we haven’t explored.”

“Then we have our powerful Aegis…” he would smile and gesture towards Casey more for effect than actual need.

“What if there is a version, where she’s familiar with her enormous strength, where her confidence and will become catalyst to accessing her gift instead of a desperate fear-fueled gamble to help. Where she could defend or rescue someone by saying ‘Oh I got this, don’t worry’ instead of taking a chance and a high risk to self and others regardless of good intentions.”

“Wouldn’t that be preferable, wouldn’t that be a goal worth attaining?”

Zephyr would let the question hang in the air for a few heartbeats, allowing his words to be considered or rebuffed, his silver eyes would look at Blue to gauge if the team leader’s body language or expression leaned either towards interest or objection. He would also take silence as a sign to continue.

He would smile at Casey before taking another drink of his orange juice, giving the other two members of the team, time to chime in or pass the ‘conch’ back to him.

Blue was quiet taking a few breaths looking between Casey and Zephyr. He had his misgivings. It was a lot to take in. He shook his head it was a pie in the sky fantasy to think that Blue could give his power to another. If he could many of his friends would still be here. The sentiment was felt, that they had been learning on the job, so to speak. It was sort of the way Blue learned. It had turned out well for him. Then again his powers weren't altering matter itself and leveling buildings. He looked to Casey seeing her weak smile.

"Blue..." She started, "I don't want to fear my powers any more. I don't want to be a monster."

"You both realize that while the harm would be less, things could still go wrong." He couldn't help his trepidation. "Just because we think we're in control doesn't mean we are. You could still get hurt." His brown eyes locked with Zephyr's steely blue. "You recognize that. You could be injured or worse."

"Blue would you stop looking at the negatives?" Casey said slightly exasperated. She had been around him for a while. The man would give his all to save someone for no recognition would always help anyone no question. Yet his words showed a bleak outlook, why would he help if all he saw was darkness? Was there any hope in him. "This could help us, have us work together to accomplish more than any one of us could alone." She directed her eyes to the table. "You always talk about not being able to be everywhere at once. To help all those that need help." She looked up with a mournful look. "We are wanting to help, we are extending our hands. We're a little rough around the edges, but we can help, we can move a little closer to your dream." Casey reached out gently taking Blue's hand. "Help us so we can help you. Don't smack our hands away."

Blue remained still, his face hard to read under his bandanna.

"I just don't want to see either of you hurt." He looked to both of them, a sincere expression in his eyes. It was likely the most sincere he'd been with them in a while. "And I see where this can go so wrong, and end with both of you getting hurt."

"We'll have each other Blue, we can protect each other. You don't have to be the only one protecting us." She squeezed his hand. "And with training, we can protect more people...isn't that what it's all about, protecting others?"

Blue looked down before bringing his head up to Zephyr.

There was a great deal of respect in Zephyr’s appraisal of Blue, even admiration.

But sometimes it felt that the self-sacrificial heroics coupled with an inexplicable refusal for help bordered on penance or atonement of some sort, like there was something more than just heroics going on inside Blue’s head. This was something that Zephyr could not quite figure out, but that was something for another time, perhaps when the friendship deepened.

His silver eyes glistened a little as Casey’s words hit a chord.

‘I don’t want to be a monster!’ How many times did he break down in tormented despair? Not being able to control his abilities, bringing only pain and destruction to anything and anyone in his vicinity; He understood this fear and anguish oh so well.

But the love of and hope of a few, coupled with discipline had turned that around, and Zephyr was intent in sharing that life-changing gift.

“Blue, you’re absolutely right…” Zephyr said, conceding an incontrovertible truth.

“There will always be trouble, the potential of being hurt will never go away, no matter how skilled we become.”

“However…” he added, with a more optimistic tone.

“We will have better tools, more resources, more effective answers and the ability to make better decisions AND take action…as a team.”

“We can do this, achieve or dreams, or something close to it!” he exclaimed getting up and giving Casey a quick and sympathetic glance.

“My parents dreaded when I went to sleep, because I would blow up the roof if I was having a nightmare, or change things in ‘fanciful’ ways if I was having a good dream, but not anymore. I’m free of my less informed and doubt-ridden self, part of my dream is this here now…us!” he waved his had towards his friends before placing it over his heart.

“We all have dreams that we want to achieve, but like all things worth having, it’s going to take some doing.”

A small sigh escaped Zephyr then as the task bounced around his head.

Sitting back down he continued.

“Of course anonymity is still something we’ll maintain, no one here wants to invite added dangers into our personal lives.”

Zephyr felt a slight pang of guilt crossing his heart and mind; this was yet another activity he’d have to hide from his best friend Zack. But everyone’s safety was the number one priority, and he quickly reassured himself that this was a necessary sacrifice.

“Yes, I’m a dreamer but I haven’t lost all common sense” he said with a chuckle, hoping to insert some levity.

“I’m still working out a plan of action that I hope will meet with your approval and or, your sincere suggestions. Granted, we all have to agree on whatever we do… and…I think I’m ready for some pancakes and scrambled eggs, yes please?”

The hunger beast had struck now that deliberations had been made and it was not about to be denied.

Zephyr chuckled sheepishly at his own ‘humorous’ non sequitur and gave Casey the puppy eyes hoping that she would rescue him from hunger with some delicious breakfast.

TAG: @Ameteth @greyjedi125