ic Old Flames

[alderwitch]

Leilani sat crosslegged in the passenger's seat, somewhat impatient with all the traffic clogging the streets of Freedom City. "How does anyone get anywhere in this?" She protested, waving her hands towards what seemed like an endless sea of cars in front of them. Although her frustration was palpable and she wiggled one knee until they could finally park, the temperature didn't even tick up a notch. Despite her self doubt, she really was mastering her strange abilities.

 

Still, as soon as they had come to something that could be called a stop, Leilani was out of the car and onto the sidewalk in front of the DuTemps building. She tipped her head back to stare up and up - completely unabashed in her moment of tourism.

 

"Is that a real castle?" She asked Dimitri, even though with all the ambient noise, she'd probably not be able to hear him until he was much closer. "Why is there a castle?"

[Avenger Assembled]

"It was brought to Freedom City by Eve Martel, heir to ancient French dynasty of nobility. Many of whom actually deserve title, so good for them, I say." Dimitri stood behind her, putting out his cigarette on the sidewalk. "Is pretty nice castle," he admitted. "Helps give young millennial Americans some feeling of heestory." Dimitri actually had rather mixed feelings about the castle itself - he'd always found the noble ancestry of the Crimson Fox to be the least interesting thing about a very interesting woman, feelings that were about the same in his relationship with the Blue Fox. But he would never say a word against a place that meant more young people would know the names of those who had striven so hard for the freedom of Europe and the world only to be cut down in their prime. 

 

He stayed close to Leilani, but didn't touch, as they headed inside, just in case the lobby crowd proved too much for her nerves. "You will like Kimber," he commented as they made their way towards a private elevator. "Fine young woman, very Canadian in the best sense of word."

[alderwitch]

Leilani hunched in on herself when there were yet more people inside the building, tucking her hands in the pockets of her cut off jeans. "So its a weird thing still to put a castle on the building, then," Leilani commented with some relief that was partly due to having reached the elevator and partly due to not having to learn yet another new fad. "I've never met anyone from Canada. I guess she's used to the cold then though."

 

Her smile kicked up at one corner, clearly poking a little bit of fun at her erstwhile companion and as soon as the elevators dinged open, Leilani dodged inward to repeatedly press the 'door closed' button until they shut. She'd much rather be rude than risk cooking some poor business person in the private elevator if they happened to need to see someone in the castle. Although, to be entirely honest, it was also partially due to the fact that she was not by nature a patient sort of person. When the doors opened once more, Leilani was in just as big a hurry to leave them as she had been to get inside in the first place. 

[Gizmo]

The elevator's ascent was whisper quiet and only a slight lurch as they began upward and the rapid change in the number displayed on the glossy screen above the buttons suggested they were moving at all. There was a pause half a heartbeat long between reaching the top floor and the doors opening. Though Dimitri didn't spot anything definitive the Freedom League suspected that the building had been equipped with security measures from off-world, probably Furion in origin. Renarde Bleue had been characteristically tight lipped on the subject.

 

Less reticent was the beaming brunette who greeted them as the doors opened. "Uncle!" The sleeves of the black peasant blouse tucked into her high waisted jeans billowed in a breeze that wasn't really there as she raised both arms into the air. Kimber turned to the new face with an even larger smile, skipping forward a step. "You must be Leilani! Come on in!" The entranceway behind her was all stone walls and stately tile floors but she waved them forward as though she were inviting them into a cosy foyer. "Was the drive alright? He didn't make you ride in one of those awful things from the motorpool, did he?"

[Avenger Assembled]

"It was pleasant drive, really! We listened to surf music on cassette tape, which was all fun and games until tape finished and we were still stuck in car." Dimitri hung close to Leilani as they both entered, having caught her cue earlier about proximity as they stepped out of the car together. He seemed very pleased with himself - which of course was no unusual thing. "Hello, Kimber!" He gave her air kisses in his usual Continental style, then made introductions. "Leilani Keli'i, this is Kimber Storm, finest Canadian ghost I have ever met, and one of many guardians of this place. I have been fortunate enough to give her some guidance. Primarily in fashion, which she ignores as a sensible young woman would. Kimber, Leilani is a mistress of the volcanic arts - and quite the champion surfer! She comes all the way from Hawaii. I have had good fortune to work with her for some time." 

[alderwitch]

"Aloha," Leilani replied with a friendly smile of her own.  "I'd ignore his fashion advice too, I think. You do you, yeah?" She gave a little wave as she turned around to take in the surroundings, pausing only to snort at Dimitiri's introduction, "I dunno if mistress is the right terms. Okay with the rock half of that equation and I fall outta the sky less often now but mastery is still on the horizon but hey, gotta have goals."

 

She stopped her staring to turn her attention back on Kimber. "Champion surfer, though, I am that. I earned that title. The car wouldn't be so bad if not for all the other cars. I don't know how anyone gets anywhere in this place. So nice to meet you."

[Gizmo]

"He probably just wanted to use the word 'mistress'," Kimber theorized, turning around as she walked to give Dimitri an amused if pointed look. She continued to coast forward as she turned and it became clear that she wasn't really walking so much as floating slightly above the castle floor and gradually rising. "And don't listen to him about the fashion thing, either! It was much more about tearing asunder the laws of gods and nature to bring forth an implement of soul-rending blasphemy," the poltergeist laughed brightly, lacing her fingers behind her head.

 

The colour had begun to leech from her face and before long her entire form, clothes and all, was rendered in varied shades of icy blue and faintly translucent at that. "It's so nice to have guests. The kitchen is this way, I've been baking! I made a pineapple upside-down cake! I think. I couldn't actually taste to test it. I made waffles and cookies, too, in case it's terrible." She was more horizontal than vertical by then, reclining as she floated backwards to simultaneously face them and lead the way. "The oven's still hot, Uncle, you can have that. So tell me about surfing! That sounds super fun!"

[alderwitch]

Leilani took in the ghost's alteration and gliding with more equanimity that she would have displayed a few months ago, or years if you were measuring by the actual calendar.  "As you do," Leilani replied to the comment about blasphemy and nature. She trailed along in Kimber's wake, pausing to shed her flip flips by what Leilani deemed the entrance to the house. 

 

"I'm sure its fine. Smells good," Leilani reassured the ghost, her hands in the back pockets of her cut offs. "Can show you how sometime if you'd like. Learning's not so hard. Mastery - that can take a life time - but anyone can dabble if they're interested. Actually, that's maybe the one good thing from my weird gifts. I can surf anywhere now. Well," Leilani paused to glance towards Frost then, "Anywhere that I'm not gonna melt things pretty much. But I surf longboard they call it now. Whoo-ee, went to get a new board and they have all kinds of fancy gimmick they got going on."

 

The soft rolling of her words thickened with enthusiasm. "I got something like my ol' board but its way lighter. You should try it. There's no feeling like taking the drop."

[Avenger Assembled]

"She is magnificent on the board," said Dimitri warmly, "Is a shame metahumans are barred from competition in this country. Kimber, you should at least watch, bring your friends. Is great assortment of young ladies here, Leilani, fine bunch of women! And genderless aliens who prefer feminine forms," he told Kimber with a wink. "Ah, such a place this is!" He did indeed stay close to the oven as Kimber served, watching both women with great affection. "I may be forever a spectator on the beach in these parts, but Leilani makes the show well worth it." Doing his best to be reassuring, he told Leilani, "and you have hardly melted a thing in ages!" It was generous - but not inaccurate, depending on how you defined ages. "You should have seen me when I was your age, freezing air solid when I sat too long, killing cold everywhere, was terrible. You will do fine." 

[Gizmo]

Plates and cutlery floated through the air above the dining table seemingly of their own accord, cutting out a generous slice of the upside-down cake and depositing it in front of Leilani. "Listen to you, Uncle," Kimber teased Dimitri, raising one eyebrow while she folded on leg over the other as if there were a chair beneath her. "'Magnificent', eh? How could I say no to that! Indira loves anything that takes a lot of skill like that and I could see if Aquaria wants to bring Jessie along; any excuse to get near the water!" A few boxes of tea and a canister of coffee drifted from the shelves along with a pitcher of milk and another of orange juice from the fridge, the assortment hovering expectantly near the surfer, waiting for her selection.

 

"If it helps I used to have some trouble not freezing the room around me, too," the poltergeist commiserated with an understanding nod. "Ah, though if you think you're feeling a bit melty, I'd appreciate some warning. I'm a bit more flammable than him, you know." That was underselling her phobia a bit but there was no reason to make her guest self-conscious about her powers. "Oh, that reminds me, you spent a few decades in a rock, right? I did the same thing in an abandoned cabin!" She beamed like someone explaining they'd gone to the same alma mater just a few years apart.

[alderwitch]

Leilani was reaching for the cake when Kimber's mild comment about her flammability registered. Her hand stuttered, the flinch visible before she resolutely finished reaching for the slice. Her multicolor gaze was direct as she looked at the ghost, "I won't hurt you," she said, the words a little too firm but directed almost inward. It sounded almost like a vow in the way Leilani phrased it. 

 

Taking the cake, her gaze dropped down to watch her movements as she carefully began to carve into it with the fork as if by focusing on the minute movements, she was grounding her senses. "I did," she agreed. "Well, an inactive lava vent. Gaian Knight took a look round where I got spit outta - There was a person size hole in the solid pahoehoe under the water. Were you, y'know, awake for it or more like sleeping?" Leilani asked as she lifted the bite towards her mouth. "It was like sleeping for me. Close enough to."

 

She paused to chew and swallow, enjoying the tang of the pineapple. "Oh, s'good! As to folks coming along, more the merrier. Can always rent a couple of boards. Got a..." she paused, hesitating over the word choice. It felt weird to call Kimo her 'great nephew' but it was accurate, "Got family in town that can make up some decent waves. Surf's a bit crap otherwise though magnificent might be a bit overstating it," she slanted an amused grin towards Dimitri then, "Maybe we'll go see some actual pros then you can decide where I rate in the rankings."

[Avenger Assembled]

Dimitri put his hand on the small of Leilani's back at the talk of fire, a quickly reassuring presence that just as quickly sought to change the subject.

 

"Ah, we will have full beach party, will be delightful. Music, surfink, porheps those potable beverages that you folk with warm hearts do like." He cocked his head at Leilani and continued. "I think I told you of Aquaria and Jessie, the Deep One and the clone from the other dimension. Interesting party companions, very interesting." Sometimes DImitri's stories of superhero life were hard to believe, but he was quite proud that he had never actually lied to Leilani. "Sleeping is best way to pass years. You miss all the dreadful new fashions, teeedious popular music - all in all, you two are lucky ladies!" He laughed, then cocked his head. "Speaking of ladies, will your delightful podruga be joining us today?" 

[Gizmo]

"Hm, I wouldn't call it 'sleeping' so much as 'subsisting in a state of frenzied madness'," Kimber corrected, placing an index finger to the side of her chin and looking contemplative. She let the momentary slump of the other woman's shoulders pass without comment when she saw Dimitir's reassurances. "They say you can sleep when you're dead but a lot of the time that's just not right at all!" She laughed brightly at that, something suggesting it was a joke she'd told several time before but which continued to amuse her. The poltergeist clapped her hands happily at the positive review of the upside-down cake and the floating carafes poured glasses of milk and orange juice in celebration while a kettle moved itself to the stovetop.

 

Her expression turned to a sigh as she answered Dimirti, "Tarva's supposed to have the day off but she's taking care of some work around the castle. I don't think she wanted you to think she was just laying around having parties, Uncle." There had been some involved explanations of everything the shadow witch had needed to catch up on but no one could accuse Tarva of being an inefficient worker. If she wasn't thrilled at the prospect of a visit from a Freedom League member and wanted to make a good impression with Kimber's avuncular mentor, though, that wasn't so surprising. "On the upside, we get to make up for lost time tonight," she added coyly with a returning smile, wagging a finger in the thermovore's direction. "Which is all the details you're getting, you."

[alderwitch]

"I don't know, there's a lot of shoulder pads that I missed," was Leilani's commentary, having worked her way up to the television and movies of the eighties by now. She'd mostly been working on the slice of cake and listening to the conversation. "And they seem to no longer be popular. I suppose, though, I am glad that I missed big hair as a thing."

 

Crossing her ankles, she relaxed at the light touch on her back as Leilani took that as assurance that any slip up on her part wouldn't hurt the ghost. "Spending some time on the beach sounds fun, though, it's a very different sort of beach with the Atlantic than we enjoy at Hilo. The water is so murky." She gave a little shrug of her shoulders before turning her head towards Dimitri, "Did I mention that Kimo say he might be able to get me a job there? Lifeguarding - they need a few folks."

[Avenger Assembled]

Dimitri blinked as he processed the mental image, his accent fading as he said, "You would be very popular, I am sure. The people of Freedom love their heroes more than any other place - and one they see every day will be even more loved. And you see," he teased her, "you worry if you are a hero but already you are planning to save lives. Magnificent, see, I told you!" he said to Kimber, grinning. He was long since used to the sight of other people eating, so instead he said, "This is great-nephew," to Kimber, "big strapping fellow, built for the ocean." He hmmed. "As for New Jersey vs. Hawaii, well, we would be in Honolulu now if I had my druthers, but heroes of America have preferred to settle in Garden State. What can I say?" he shrugged. "And do not talk up Canada to me, Kimber," he added with a smile, "It lacks the tropical ambiance. Even if they did invent that Hawaiian pizza." 

[Gizmo]

Kimber didn't do a very good job of hiding the eyebrow she arched at Dimitri well up into the waves of her bangs but she did make some attempt to cover the look by replying, "Not everywhere needs to rely on good weather to be nice!" She folded her arms and closed her eyes in a theatrical pout but let one eye peek open to glance between her guests. "And big hair was great, I don't know what you're talking about!"

 

Floating down close to the floor the phantom snapped her fingers. "Oh, that reminds me, though. There was something I wanted to consult you on, Uncle." She turned to Leilani apologetically. "Can I steal him for a minute? Bluebird could show you around in the meantime, if you like! She basically is the castle so she gives outrageous tours!"

[alderwitch]

"Oh, of course," Leilani agreed as she stood up, lifting her plate as she crossed to the sink to rinse it off. Leilani assumed that there were heroic matters to discuss and despite Dimitri's encouragement, she was well aware that she'd not yet crossed the threshold into hero. "Take whatever time you need. I'd be happy to get the nickel tour. Never been in a castle before, let alone one way up in the sky. 

 

She patted Dimitri's arm in reassurance as she turned towards the door and presumptive tour. As Leilani didn't feel the chill, the casual contact was natural. "Don't rush on my account," she suggested, adding, "I'm in no rush to hop back into traffic after all."

[Avenger Assembled]

Bluebird appeared to Leilani and the others in a form that the cybernetic intelligence must have assumed would make their visitor more comfortable - as a towering projection over six feet in height, wearing a one-piece bathing suit adorned with brightly colored flowers on the spandex, long black hair streaming down her back, and holographic feet bare against the carpet. 

 

"Greetings, fair visitor, and welcome to the Castle DuTemps!" declared the Furion machine intelligence grandly. "Come, let me show you our history and great purpose." Hair streaming behind her in an invisible breeze, Bluebird led the way out of the 'living room' and down the corridor. "What would you see? The battlements, the museum? All but the most secret places are open to one who comes as companion to Kimber's teacher."

-

In the kitchen, Dimitri watched them go, then coughed slightly, a deliberate affectation given that he was after all a frozen corpse. "Well! I am sure Bluebird will give her tour she will not soon forget. What did you need of me, Kimber?" 

[Gizmo]

Dimitri turned around to find Kimber with her fingers laced under her chin, smirked and waggling her eyebrows up and down. The contortions of her brow only became more cartoonish as she pointedly looked off in the direction Leilani and Bluebird had gone then back to the Russian. She leaned forward while maintaining the expression, her feet lifting into the air behind her until she looked as if she were lying down on a bed and propping her chin up with her elbows. "Eh?" she noted, smirk splitting into a wide grin. "Ehhhhh?"

[Avenger Assembled]

"It is unsuitable, Kimber," said Dimitri without a trace of levity in his voice - but with emotion there all the same. He was hardly about to deny his feelings when Kimber had been so honest with him about her own romantic life. "She is not a dragon who can smite me if I cross her, Leilani is a young woman in my guardianship, even if she could shake the city to its core if she was so moved." He smiled faintly. "I am a century old, you know, and I have been older than most I know for some time. She is not the first young flame in my care who has lit my old heart for a while." He shrugged slightly, then turned to begin searching through her cabinets for vodka. 

[Gizmo]

Placing the heels of her palms against her mouth the poltergeist made a wet sound of dismissal. "Heartless shadows, Uncle. I was a teenager for twenty years and I even I think that's a teensy bit melodramatic."

 

She floated along behind him as he rummaged through the cabinets, still horizontal at about eye level for the old veterinarian. "Half of the people living here can't drink," she reminded him with a sigh, "and most of the rest are health nuts." After a pause a bottle slipped out of the most out of the way corner and levitated its way over to them along with a clean glass. Kimber rolled her eyes while simultaneously rolling onto her back. "Oh, fine. So maybe I tucked something away just in case. Y'know, you could just... not 'cross her'. We both know you're perfectly capable of being nice when you're not doing the moose and squirrel routine."

[Avenger Assembled]

"And if she doesn't like it, hm? If I am just old pervert with foul notions." He poured himself a shot, smooth as butter, and turned on a burner on the stove to let it warm. "Then I have abused trust of young woman in my care for no cause." He placed his hands on the burner as it warmed, toying with his lighter with his free hand. "The teaching of young people is a sacred trust. She is no child, but she is still in my care. If she made pass at me today, I would have to turn her down. You have worn these shoes." 

[Gizmo]

Kimber pursed her lips. "I want to make a joke about not being caught dead in those shoes but I won't," she promised, flipping around in the air against and drawing on the power contained in her pendent to become just solid enough to lean against the counter. "You're not actually a pervert, Dimitri," she said seriously, one of only a handful of time she'd even called him by his first name. For a moment her voice sounded a touch deeper or perhaps merely older. "As fetishes go 'impeccably toned surfer women with thousand watt smiles' is awfully tame." She waggled her eyebrow once more for effect. The crush in question when the conversation had been the other way around had been less appropriate by a fair margin at the time, by her measure but then it was hardly a competition. "What? I'm dead, not dead. But if you're not going to say anything you need a new plan because she's not stupid and you're not very subtle."

[Avenger Assembled]

"She is very beautiful," admitted Dimitri, "and has a heart to match." He leaned against the stove and filched his lighter from his pocket, snapping it on and off as he spoke, carelessly holding the vodka in the other hand. He fell silent, getting that inward look Kimber knew well. "In a few weeks," he finally said, "when she is no longer in my care, and I am no longer a teacher propositioning their student." He seemed to take that point very seriously - or at least wasn't prepared to argue on it. "But once I do, what do I say? What do you young people like to hear from old ice monster? I may be better diplomat than I let Freedom League believe but making time with fine women is not my area of expertise." 

[Gizmo]

Kimber opened her mouth to say something but closed it with a small frown. "...hm. My personal experience may not be the most universally applicable, eh?" She puffed out one cheek and glanced to the side. "Although 'making a pass' at someone when you're part of the group responsible for their housing and stuff is... pretty bogus, yeah. Maybe make sure that lifeguard job pans out and stuff?" Her attitude turned more chipper again as she suggested, "As for what to say, well jams, Uncle. That 'heart to match' stuff wasn't half bad. Don't overthink it!"