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Post by aquarius on Feb 27, 2024 12:52:48 GMT -7
Jeanne simply shrugged at this. They were essentially talking about semantics and equally meaningless trivialities, after all. "You know my name, that much was clear. Anyone able to overhear us will also know my name. Whether you say it or not, nothing changes. My mindset is one others have called 'Cold logic', though in truth I simply do not allow emotional responses to dictate my actions."
The shift of focus in the conversation to Robbie was predictable, albeit mildly inconvenient since she would have to remain careful about what she said to preserve his anonymity. Whilst it seemed very likely the Avengers knew who he was already, she was not going to hand his identity over through carelessness. She'd deduced it with great ease and there were a few intellects in the Avengers she believed capable of doing the same, but unless they asked her directly, they'd have to work it out for themselves.
"I am separated from most others my age by my 'different' mentality. I do not understand emotions in the way that almost any normal person does, even though I comprehend the principles of psychology as well as a qualified professional. My friend is... similarly distanced from those who would commonly be considered their peers. We have different circumstances, but a similar consequence of them. We are both outsiders, and whilst we are no closer to each other than anyone else, we can at least understand a little more how the other feels about it."
Hopefully Robbie's sense of self worth would improve enough that he'd accept the invitation to the Avengers Academy she was sure she'd be able to secure him, but whatever it was that seemed to be holding him back in that respect Jeanne still hadn't figured out, let alone overcome. Why it mattered to her so much, she still didn't fully understand. She'd need a lot more time around him before that enigma of a social connection began to make any sense to her.
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Post by aquarius on Feb 1, 2024 14:50:22 GMT -7
Cute was a concept that Jeanne was aware of, indeed able to intellectually evaluate, but not something she particularly registered automatically. True, she liked 'cute' things, but did not think of them as cute until she gave it deliberate thought. As such, she shrugged when she replied to Robbie. "Perhaps, but they also have significant claws and powerful teeth. A great many people get injured in both zoos and the wild when they forget the 'bear' part. Nobody ever tries to cuddle a Grizzly."
The reflection on whether the name 'Panda Girl' would be a viable identity for anyone in the super powered world didn't take long, as there were enough animal themed individuals out there with non threatening identities that 'Panda' seemed a better choice than many.
Ghost Rider, though? Perhaps he didn't like all the baggage that came with it, but that was simple to resolve. She smiled a brief grin as she responded "Then why not 'Ghost Driver' or something similar? Clear evocation of the same imagery, but since you prefer a car over the motorbike favoured by the majority of your peers it seems more accurate and has the advantage of distinguishing you from them. Alternative synonyms would fine tune the concept to your preferred identity."
The reaction to her casual declaration of effortless learning was little different to most people their age finding out just how capable she was in that respect, and she found herself repeating that which had been said a great many times before. "Not just physical, perfect recall of any information or experiences. Cooking would not be as easily learned as you seem to think, since it depends on external factors such as variations in the ingredients, minor fluctuations in the heat transfer during the cooking, and so on. It would be faster for me, but not effortless.
I would remember the recipes perfectly after reading them once, just as easily as I remember passing you and Gabe at the Santa Monica Place mall four years ago on a Saturday in May. He was reading a Ninja Wolf comic whilst you were pushing him in his wheelchair and talking to him. I can remember each word you said, and each 'Hmm' he responded with for the brief period you were both within earshot of me."
This was the true strength of her abilities. Not being able to break someone's neck with a thrown toothpick from across the street, but to remember everything, without exception. This gave her more potential for learning, but also for knowing about people, their habits, likes, dislikes, and so many other little things that most would not even think significant until it was too late. The fact that nobody had yet shown any fear of what she was capable of indicated none understood it...
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Post by aquarius on Jan 27, 2024 14:16:05 GMT -7
There seemed to be a lot to the 'code name' thing. A bad one could ruin any image regardless of how capable or powerful a person was. She knew of The Trapster and how he'd been 'Paste Pot Pete' for a long time before realising how ridiculous it was. Maybe Stilt Man would similarly change his name eventually...
"Indeed. It conveys what I want it to, and I am glad it was chosen for me as it shows my instructors knew me well, even so early on. And as for yourself? Ghost Rider is a sort of inherited title, for want of a better expression, but it comes with a big boost to your reputation which I'm sure is useful for intimidating those who know what a Ghost Rider is. Few names would suit the mystic form and retain any sense of the immense power. 'Hot Head' is a well known expression, but about as intimidating as 'Panda Girl', which Spider-Man once suggested as an alternative for me, based on the black and white of my costume. Though Pandas are actually very dangerous despite their appearance. Which is true about myself as well, so maybe he was a lot more perceptive than anyone gives him credit for."
It was rare for her to talk so extensively with someone in a purely social situation, but she felt far more relaxed and at ease with Robbie than she'd experienced before, particularly so quickly after getting to know them. His continual looking around, even upwards, signalled his desire for the kind of excitement which was nearly unique to New York, and a part of both of their lives. His question though? This was where she found out if he was likely to like her for herself. "Yesterday I learned Swedish and how to play the clarinet. I do little except learn new things, which is a part of why I feel little connection to the others at the Academy."
In the distance down the street she could already make out the entrance to the mall, greatly assisted by both her excellent vision and the knowledge of what she was looking for. More thought was given to what they'd actually do once there though, since he seemed to be indicating his preference for her to take the lead on this excursion.
"My current plan is to explore the mall at a steady place, and either get something to eat or get the first aid kit materials, whichever opportunity presents itself first. Once those two are dealt with continue exploring until something catches our attention. Though 'no battle plan survives contact with the enemy'. We can adapt to the unexpected when it happens."
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Post by aquarius on Jan 27, 2024 13:34:42 GMT -7
The concept of a power dynamic was one that Jeanne was of course familiar with. She almost certainly knew the theory of psychology better than this doctor did. It was only lack of experience that prevented her from being better at it. Well, that and an almost total lack of natural empathy. If she stopped to think she could anticipate emotional reactions with at least some accuracy, even if it was still woefully short of that of an ordinary person. Sometimes superpowers could be over-rated.
"You knew my family name, it would be incredibly unlikely that you did not already know my given name also. The Avengers will have checked your background exceedingly thoroughly before retaining your services for this meeting, especially so given the very few qualified individuals in your field with any experience of superhumans. As you have observed, secret identities are generally a closely guarded secret."
The opening question was a good one, of course. She'd expect nothing less from anyone in this sort of situation. Clearly it was designed to get her to open up on her own terms. Jeanne knew enough psychology to likely obfuscate any real insights from her answers, but then her instructors knew this, which meant that this 'Leyla' presumably did too, and would likely be able to make deductions accordingly, and would likely be far better at unravelling any emotional aspects than Jeanne. So... best to simply be honest, even if she wasn't sure if she was ready to share everything just yet. Not least because she wasn't even sure what she thought about it all.
"I am learning a lot. I'm sure you've read my file, you know how important that is to me. But I'm also... enjoying the occasional field work, mostly unplanned, that I've been involved in. I confess I would not have anticipated such a pleasure derived from what most call heroics. I am... even experimenting with an ongoing social association with an individual I met during one such outing. More than once my instructors have encouraged me to interact more with others on a social basis, but most times have felt largely tedious and wastes of time, as I have little in common with most of my peers. Neither does my new... friend."
She was being vague of course, to avoid revealing any details about who it was she was talking about. It was probably possible that the Avengers would be able to work it out if they really wanted to, but she was certainly not going to hand over someone else's secret identity without an exceptionally good reason.
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Post by aquarius on Jan 21, 2024 3:26:14 GMT -7
The description of her by her classmates was one that she'd always understood simply because her knowledge and recall skills meant that to an average person she might as well be all knowing - she considered herself lucky they'd decided on librarian, a profession she respected, and not something her peers were more familiar with of 'the internet'. The 'ninja' part was one that could be applied to a great many of the heroes - trainee and otherwise - they knew. Overall it could have been a lot less tolerable a nickname.
"Finesse was a name chosen by my instructors. I feel it suits me for now, if that changes I would consider changing to something else. It would depend on what I had become at that point, of course."
As Robbie said they could go now, she rose once more from her seat and began fastening her jacket's buttons before placing her empty cup on the end of the counter for the staff to clear away - Jeanne knew that being considerate to people in service roles was simple, cost her nothing, and ensured a good impression resulting in a good chance of better service next time she visited.
"Let's go, then. I don't get to see 'normal life' much, I am sure we will both enjoy this."
With that she moved towards the door of the coffee shop and once outside reached a hand out for Robbie's as they walked side by side.
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Post by aquarius on Jan 14, 2024 15:16:30 GMT -7
Your Login Name: Aquarius Your Display Name: Aquarius Your Name on Discord (if you have one): Aqua Contact Preference: Discord Canon characters:JubileeThor - BYE ExcaliburSquirrel GirlFinesseGambitVerity WillisNico MinoruDoctor Octopus - Bye Doctor DoomSupport and OCs I wish to keep:Revolution Glitter Myriad Justin Hammer CHARACTERS I WISH TO DROP:Morph. Struggling to post these days, and he's quite often the one I find most difficult to fit in, ironically for a shapeshifter. Maybe in a few months I'll pick him up again...
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Post by aquarius on Jan 14, 2024 15:06:57 GMT -7
It was a pleasant day, if a little busy. Nico had been looking to get some shopping done, but whilst it was relatively cold the weather was pleasant enough to take some time walking through Central Park, enjoying relative peace and quiet, plus being in natural surroundings rather than the rather stark walls of their current hideout. She'd done what she could to brighten them up of course, but it took a lot more than mere furniture and decoration to make it a home. Even then, there was no replacement for grass and trees every so often.
Grateful for the warmth of her coat, she paused for a few minutes at one of the larger ponds, watching the ducks swimming around and a few children playing before moving onwards. Eventually she settled on a bench to enjoy the sights of some flower beds, a deep breath and a relaxed sigh at the sheer pleasure of the peace and quiet.
Not even the arrival of another person sitting on the same bench disturbed her, she simply continued to absorb the positive effects of the scenery for a little longer, only noticing the man had gone again after watching some squirrels had resulted in turning her head to follow their movements. That was when she noticed he'd left his phone on the bench.
Doing the right thing was sometimes a little frustrating, but Nico knew she had to do something. Fortunately she wasn't all that far from the little police station that served the park, where she could hand it in as lost property. They'd be able to take it from there, and she could avoid any of the fuss or hard work, as well as the unwanted attention of taking the credit for the good deed.
A few minutes later and Nico had handed it over to the person behind the desk and gone on her way before too many questions were asked, such as 'what is your name'.
Not all that much longer after that the police had identified the phone as recently reported stolen, and after all the usual tests and checks had been done upon it, someone had been sent to return it to its owner, one 'Verity Willis', who lived nearby. Gambit had of course been watching Nico from the park bench to the police station, smiling to himself that even this one little loose end had been cleared up. He still wished he'd found a way to avoid putting her through what must have been an alarming incident like that, but with her powers there had been no other reliable way of getting what he needed. He still felt like he owed her something, but ultimately there was little he could do without completely ruining his secrecy. Until the Skrulls had been rooted out he would have to think of ways to make it up to her. For a start he was going to keep an eye on her, make sure her home was safe. If he needed to justify doing so, then the fact that others might have had the idea to use her powers might be useful intelligence. And by the time Gambit was back at their Secret Avengers hideout, he'd already convinced himself that that was his real reason and it was definitely not because his usual regret combined with his weakness for a pretty face had had their usual effect on him.
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Post by aquarius on Jan 14, 2024 14:24:11 GMT -7
Excalibur's duties with the Avengers were still fairly light in terms of most of their operatives, at least in terms of fighting villains. That was at least partly because she was still relatively inexperienced in combat and doing what she could to learn more ways to fight beyond parrying with her sword and hoping someone else arrived to bail her out. Pacifism was difficult at times...
Also though, her being a fully qualified doctor with healing powers was part of it. But also, those powers worked differently on shapeshifters. Ever since their mission to take down 'The Leader', this had been known to be useful indeed, though the need to keep it secret meant it was not being widely discussed even amongst the people who had been on the mission. Instead, she was just handling a lot of the regular medical checks in person, with various security precautions in place for if she ever found anything alarming.
Today was an entirely dull morning, with no training, no medicals, not even any meetings or briefings on the schedule, merely 'on stand-by' since her powers did offer excellent support to a team who could cover her in a battle situation. Until such an emergency happened though, she was just sitting around reading, answering the occasional phone call and passing time until her shift was done.
Until there was a cough from someone behind her, of course. That was worrying because she was meant to be alone. Whirling around in alarm with her hands glowing, the moment she saw someone other than a known Avenger her powers made sure they were frozen in place and wouldn't be making any hostile moves. This gave her a few moments to slow down and consider things. He'd basically announced his presence, despite having somehow broken in to the Avengers Mansion. He had snuck up on her, but then... stood there looking at his phone rather than doing anything untoward. That she knew of, anyway...
"I know you. Gambit of the X-Men, right? What are you doing here?"
The man grinned, perhaps because his face was all he was able to move whilst in the grip of her powers, as he replied with a question of his own. "Jus' checking on y'all. Are you or any Avengers Skrulls?"
Excalibur blinked in momentary confusion before answering in an indignant voice. "What? No! Of course not! Now what are you really doing?"
She had been about to go into more depth with her questioning, but his eyes had flickered down to his phone as she spoke, and then his phone began glowing in the way that his file had indicated meant his powers were being used, and she turned to dive behind some cover just in time for a bright flash, a loud bang, and... no real force from the otherwise impressive explosion. One of his flash-bangs then.
By the time she got to her feet, he was already gone.
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Gambit was already a long way from the Avengers mansion, his vital data having been remotely uploaded to an untraceable relay before he'd detonated his phone. By now it was in the databanks of both his fellow secret Avengers and unless someone had interfered beyond his expectations also forwarded to Doctor Doom, as agreed. Thanks to the strand of hair from Verity Willis acting as a bridge for the input to his lie detector program, he could be certain that Excalibur and all the Avengers on active duty were not Skrulls. Maybe it wasn't 100% certain, but it was a lot more reliable data on who could be trusted than most other options...
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Post by aquarius on Jan 14, 2024 13:04:08 GMT -7
Verity found work fairly relaxing, for the most part. A lot more than most instances of dealing with peoples' lies anyway. At least it was just written multiple choice answers, and all she had to do was to make a note of what was truth and what was lies. Being able to work from home meant no actual human contact, no having to endure all those lies that normal people used to make life bearable for themselves - and each other. Instead she had some pleasant classical music playing (instrumental only of course - no lyrics as they were invariably more lies) and a glass of orange juice to one side as she tapped away on her work computer.
Right up until the screen went black, and her music fell silent.
A power cut. Great. This wasn't the first time ever, in New York it was known for super powered battles to sever power lines or whatever, even on top of the mundane reasons for a loss of electricity. But she could still hear someone vacuuming in the apartment above hers, so it wasn't the building, just her. This was frustrating, since she had a very strict schedule for her work, and extremely clear rules on what to do when working from home wasn't an option, which was to go into the office in person. Where people were, who would likely try to talk to her...
She briefly considered not going and just staying home, before grudgingly picking up her phone to send a text message to her manager to let him know what was going on and that she was on her way, before grabbing her coat and earbuds, and heading out.
The earbuds were noise cancelling ones to block out as much of the world as possible, and bright orange so that people would notice them more easily and hopefully realise she didn't want to be bothered. They usually did the trick at least. Reaching the street she checked her phone briefly to check the quickest route to get to work, turning left instead of her usual right and going to the much less busy subway station that was slightly further away, since that meant far less crowds bothering her on the way.
It also meant a cut through an alley, though. She'd never even heard of any trouble in that neighbourhood before, but it was only when she was half way down it and realised someone was following her - indeed someone with with a scarf pulled up over most of their face, sunglasses and a baseball hat - that she realised that someone always had to be the first in any statistic. The man sped up suddenly and quickly had her pinned against the wall, one hand over her mouth speaking in a hoarse voice, almost whispering in her ear "Ah don't want to hurt you. I just... I need... Ah'm sorry."
This much was true at least, but it made no difference to her as her phone was taken from her hands and as her earbuds were forcibly removed from her ears, his ornate watch caught her eye. She couldn't help but notice it proclaimed itself to be a 'ROLEX', which she knew was A LIE. That hurt more than the few of her hairs that it snagged, pulling them from her head in the process. And within a moment the man was gone, leaving Verity badly shaken up, stumbling towards the street proper again, looking around for the nearest policeman, pay phone... anything.
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A few streets away, Gambit began shedding his disguise. He'd already carefully removed the few hairs from his watch - the real goal of his heist - and was contemplating the best way of making sure the stolen phone could be recovered by the authorities as quickly as possible since he felt bad about having had to scare the woman so badly. But combined with a few of Fury's gadgets and so on? They could form the core of a short lived but theoretically unbeatable lie detector. This might well be the best weapon he had in his mission.
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Post by aquarius on Jan 14, 2024 10:11:42 GMT -7
As he walked out of the Latverian embassy, Gambit found himself once more wondering if he'd made the right decision. On one hand, Doom was an evil tyrant that frequently tangled with just about everyone in the superhero community. On the other hand, he was one of the most talented beings on the planet, with the resources of an entire nation behind him, and for now at least, their motivations were the same. Save the Earth from the invasion. Well, Doom only cared about Latveria, but since that was on Earth, it amounted to the same thing.
And so Gambit had been observing Doom, reading reports about his activities, and finally decided to take the risk in approaching him. He'd left a note behind warning the other Secret Avengers of what he'd been doing and why, so if he didn't return they would know the prime suspect. But now those precautions were unnecessary and he had the intel he needed from Doom, what next? He had a plethora of options, but had focused so much on what he considered the most dangerous single move he'd make in this operation that he'd not given any serious thought to what to do afterwards.
Looking down his list of names, he'd crossed a couple out, circled two, and one more had been added at the 'suggestion' of his new benefactor. Well, he'd been warned of their capabilities, and if he was being honest? It sounded like a fun challenge. A real test of his talents, depending on how he went about it. A few different ways were possible, but even in the face of planetary crisis he couldn't help but go for the one he felt had the most 'style'.
Naturally, that was a matter of perspective. He needed to make an acquisition, and rather than rely on infiltration and stealth, he wanted to actually test his skills properly. So that meant planning carefully. Bits of it were easy, others needed incredible precision and forethought to avoid setting off the metaphorical alarms. This needed to stay under the radar, so to speak. As long as his target didn't suspect they were being targeted because of who they were, as long as it seemed as if they were just in the wrong place at the wrong time, this would surely not register as anything other than a random ordinary crime. There'd be no investigation beyond a cursory police one, which Gambit was simply in a different league to without even trying.
Planning done, he finally began putting things into operation. Tampering with the electricity supply to his target's building, he had in place a remote device so that he could shut it down briefly. Just long enough that his target would have to leave their building to go to their work. And that was when he'd be able to make his move. He just needed to time it for when the streets were right - busy in one area, quiet in another. That was the boring part of his work. The waiting. In New York, that could well be a few days...
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Post by aquarius on Jan 14, 2024 8:46:55 GMT -7
Jeanne smiled faintly at his comments, uncharacteristically lacking the precise control of her emotions that she was widely known for, not least because she was far from familiar with this sort of experience - this kind of attention. New emotions took some time to adjust to. Maybe this was why teenagers were widely considered to be overemotional...
"My classmates have described me as a 'ninja librarian' before, but I simply view myself as practical. As such, might I suggest we go to the nearest mall to wander round it like suggestion number five on my list, where there will certainly be a drug store, and we can put together a decent home first aid kit. I quite often tend to my own scrapes and cuts from training, and of course I have a comprehensive knowledge of the basics of field medicine."
Naturally she had frequent check-ups with medical professionals (including Excalibur) but that simply served to confirm her diagnosis and treatment of any minor problems she had. Finesse was sensible enough to know when something was serious enough to get a second opinion.
She took a large sip from her drink, putting down the now empty cup as she looked across the table to Robbie. "Shall we go now, or did you want to stay here a little longer?"
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Post by aquarius on Jan 11, 2024 10:40:50 GMT -7
A few days? He'd been back that long and nobody had told her?! Were people really that worried about her now she was a vampire that she was that ostracised? There would have to be some serious words with someone senior later on, hopefully the Professor was around and not too busy. This wasn't the kind of thing that was really Cyclops' area of expertise, after all.
'A boy with a mohawk' though? It didn't immediately match any description she knew, other than a tenuous possibility of one or two people that Kurt would surely have known well enough to name. As such, Jubilee waited (im)patiently for the familiar *bamf* and sudden change of scenery. Whilst she didn't recognise the person that Logan was fighting, it wasn't hard to work out they were clearly related. Claws, apparently a healing factor, and more than a passing resemblance to the X-Man. Still, that was something to ask about later, for now Jubilee was going to get straight to work.
Not even pausing to acknowledge Kurt's direction, she instead stepped forwards, both hands raised and channelling a full power stream of energy directly at this guy's chest, just enough of it spilling upwards slightly that it'd still affect his eyesight as well as send him flying backwards if it connected. Probably the same sort of powers as Logan meant the same tactics from sparring with him would probably work as well.
"Back off, creep!"
Naturally, the scent of blood was all over the place and was not the easiest thing to ignore. It probably wouldn't be long before her undead nature would become evident to their eyes as well as their enhanced noses. For now though, she moved forwards past Logan, to block this other guy from being able to reach him again without going through her.
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Post by aquarius on Jan 10, 2024 12:38:02 GMT -7
Doom stared across the table at his unlikely guest. He still hadn't figured out all their motives for their approaching him, but at least the parts he had all conformed with what he'd already learned about the hidden planetary crisis, and it wouldn't take many more revelations for him to learn even more about a few of the more competently secretive players in this grand game of chess.
A few moments passed before Doom reacted finally. "You are correct. I have developed means of detecting... them. You were tested upon entry naturally, and your continued existence may be interpreted as your nature being confirmed as what it is meant to be. You propose to act as a double agent in exchange for access to this technology? This will be permitted, within certain limits. It will not leave Latverian premises, nor will it be operated by any non-Latverian. No demands will be made of you that will compromise your existing loyalties, only that you share all intelligence your little cell gather with myself."
A goblet containing a fine Amarone was brought up to his imposing mask, the smallest portion of the red liquid flowed of its own accord into the gap that aligned with his mouth, whereupon the drinking vessel was lowered to the table once more. The actions of his guest had already been anticipated with reasonable confidence, but on the other hand this individual was known for his unpredictability, and was a competent planner at least in terms of someone who wasn't Doom.
A Doomguard security robot entered the room and placed an ordinary looking seeming cell phone on the table between him and his guest before leaving again wordlessly.
"This is untraceable by any means, Earthly or otherwise. It will serve as your identification to my other agents, and will not function as anything other than an ordinary phone for anyone other than yourself. Naturally it has other functions that I will not tell you about, but you need not worry that this will endanger you - quite the opposite in fact. Their function is to preserve your security whilst you work for me. Revealing the nature of the precautions I have taken on your behalf would render them less effective. And whilst I credit you with the intelligence to not tamper with it, I shall warn you against doing so anyway."
At that, he fell silent. No indication was given that their meeting was over, but the Enforced Monarch of Latveria found that his silence when it wasn't immediately following a question from himself was typically interpreted clearly enough, and revealed when someone was less insightful than had been expected. But as he watched them rise, collect their new device and after a moment's hesitation head for the door, pausing only to give a somewhat informal salute as they departed.
Doom watched him on the security monitors as he departed, various measurements being taken beyond mere visible light - far to each side of the electromagnetic spectrum, plus Kirlian-spirit cameras recording their aura, and a few gadgets that combined science and sorcery to do things that barely a handful of people in the known universe would be capable of understanding the function of, carrying out their inscrutable means. This had been an unusual morning, but it seemed the tide in this war was beginning to turn.
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Post by aquarius on Jan 7, 2024 14:12:53 GMT -7
Gabe was already able to run around? That was faster progress than Jeanne had expected. It seemed that Excalibur's powers were more extensive than what her file had implied, though that was perhaps due to not much testing their limits yet. Regardless, it was good to hear that Robbie's younger brother was starting to approach a normal life, after so long reliant on mechanical aids for even basic mobility. For someone with Jeanne's levels of athletic prowess, a life in a wheelchair seemed a dreadful prospect, especially as he didn't have her equally advanced cognition to offer alternatives to physical activities.
"I am glad to hear he is doing well. No doubt he will soon start taking the usual risks of a child his age though, so it may be worth reviewing your home medical supplies, if you haven't already. Scraped knees and small cuts can acquire nasty infections, especially in less affluent neighbourhoods."
It was perhaps as much a curse as a blessing, having her ever practical mindset. Sometimes it would be pleasant to simply make small talk with someone, but her brain was 'always on', and so she never knew what it was to 'just chill' as her fellow Avengers Academy students had put it.
Even when Robbie complimented her, her mind continued its analysis of every tiny detail that might pass by a normal person's notice. Slight change in the pattern of his eye movements, faint tensing of jaw muscles briefly, the slightest shift in his body language, it all spoke of something thoroughly unpleasant on his mind distracting him, though it seemed his response to it was to focus on her. She'd have to read up on all the Avengers knew on the 'Sprit Of Vengeance' which was the source of a Ghost Rider's power, since there were several different theories that had been proposed in the lowest level clearance files she'd had access to when she'd started her training, and she hadn't returned to the subject since her most recent clearance level upgrade.
"Thank you. And no, I wasn't. You arrived within two minutes of when we had agreed to meet, so I was actually waiting for slightly less time than I'd anticipated. Though I still have little idea what to actually do on our date. Research on the internet has proven... of limited use. A great many suggestions, most of which may not interest you in the slightest. Walking in the park, going to see a movie, assorted sporting activities..."
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"Reality is a reference point, not a limitation."
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Post by aquarius on Jan 7, 2024 12:17:33 GMT -7
Jubilee's role at the mansion had changed quite significantly in the past few months. No longer able to be active in the day in any significant or reliable manner, she'd fallen back on helping out with a lot of the day-to-day admin of keeping the mansion running. It wasn't much, typically checking emails, replying to some, forwarding others on to the senior figures of the teams. Most of the time, she was just left aimless with no real work to keep herself busy with.
That left her forced to focus on the unpleasant absence of two of the people that meant the most to her. She wasn't very good at meditation, but Jubilee had been doing her best to keep her mind off both missing friends, and the endless thirst that had become part of her existence.
With her concentration disrupted by a familiar sound, she opened one eye to see Kurt appearing along with another familiar 'paf'. She said nothing at first, but once he had spoken she bounded up from her lotus position to her feet in one swift motion.
"He's back?! When? Where? Who's he fighting? Get me there, NOW!"
A swift motion and her familiar yellow longcoat had been scooped up and donned near instantly. If she was going to finally reunite with Logan then it'd be wearing what had become basically her official uniform. Doubly so if he needed help in a fight. That made it a matter of pride for the X-Men, and she wouldn't let her family down...
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