Dariusprime

Happy Birthday! :parrot:

"That is wonderful to hear," replied Afareen with a smile. Once again, one that reminded Viktor of Mona. "Mona has always been tough as nails. That picture there, the third from the top?" she asked, pointing to the wall. The picture was obviously several years old. Afareen looked visibly younger, Fatima was a little girl, and Mona was normal height. Well, normal height in that she towered over her mother and stepfather. In a way, not so much different in portion that her current build. "Did you know she was an amateur boxer, Dr. Archeville?" Afareen asked, laughing lightly. "I just about had a coronary when I discovered she was spending her afternoons at the local boxing gym. My sweet little girl, punching and being punched!" Shaking her head, she continued, "I accepted it as her nature in time. She has the soul of an artist and the attitude of a brawler." "Mom...," said Mona, cocking her head. "I know, I know," replied Afareen, laughing off the topic, "Anyway, Dr. Archeville, other than being a science hero, what do you actually do for a living? Run that massive company of yours? Or do you still focus on personal research?"

"Nice, Lou. That's good to hear. Well, you're always welcome with the Interceptors," replied Fulcrum. "We operate out of the West End, but really we're a core team with a loose association of heroes and friends that help out each other as need. If you need anything: training, a buddy, back up, whatever, ask for Jack-of-All-Blades or myself." She offered him a business card with the Interceptors' numbers. Still flipping through Vicky's sketches, she added, "The Interceptors is Jack's baby now. We can run together some time if you want." "Working with anyone interesting?" Archimedes looked up at Lou with that self-satisfied 'yes, it is I' face cats do. Seeing no attention from Carrie, the mercurial cat moseyed over to Lou and enjoyed his affections instead. Somehow looking ever more smug at Vicky's offers, he sat down and leaned into Lou's pets. Then, all of a sudden, with a SWOOSH, he was sitting on Lou's shoulder in the blink of an eye. He meowed and rubbed against his cheek. Fulcrum was busying listening to Vicky. She nodded, "Nice, very nice. Roughly how many hours of research have you put in so far?" "What's the idea?" Mona asked in curiosity. She tried not to ask that to an artist with a fresh idea, but she wanted to see how Vicky would react as much as learn of the idea.

Fulcrum: 32 A New Day (6) Artistic License (9) Little Big Trouble (3) Meet the Irregulars (7) There's No Equation for This (6) Under Cape and Banner (1)

Fulcrum followed, still politely taking in the layout and listening to her hosts. As the list of routines scrolled, she committed them to memory and considered which ones would work. Wander's name at the top of the training difficulty drew her attention as well, but the giantess didn't seem much surprised by the rank. Or for that matter, Morgan's interest in that coveted position. She just about patted him on the shoulder and said something when he spun around. A smile crept over her face and she replied, "You have an amazing repertoire I must say." "Well then, I'll make myself comfortable," she added, looking around the control room, which though roomy enough, seemed a touch cramped to her, "and enjoy the show. Thank you again for letting me sit in this morning."

She looked back and forth between the two, blinking in uncomprehendingly at the multitude of adventures she missed. "Yes, obviously we do have many things to discuss. Two days? Years?" "If you'll excuse me a moment please," she announced, taking a deep breath. Tensing momentarily, her form blurred for a split second. She refocused wearing her new costume, the tarp rolled neatly underarm. "Ah, much better. Thank you again, Carrie." She looked to them again, this time her voice catching a bit. "I...never wanted this to happen to either of you. I did what I had to do for both of you. All of you. But...thank you both so much." Her eyes welled up, but instead of bear hugging them again, she let them their space and wiped her face. "You never know your true friends until the going gets tough." ~fin~

"I'd certainly hope not!" snapped Afareen a little more forcefully than she intended. Turning to them, she cleared her throat, "Excuse me, Dr. Archeville. I didn't intend to sound that way. I'm just...very protective of my girls. Momentarily, Fatima emerged from her room with a deadpan look on her face. Viktor could be mistaken for hearing her mumble something about the 'stupid weaksauce signal'. Her face did perk up once she heard her mother, and she plopped down on a chair and smirked, "You don't have to worry, Mom! Mona would pound him if he did anything that stupid!" Stirring a pot on the stove, Afareen didn't look back, "Be nice, Fatima." "Ah, you know it's true. Nothing on this planet could stop Mona!" Afareen, satisfied with her cooking, sat on one of the barstools. "I wondered why Mona took to wearing jewelry. She never was much of an accessorizer until recently. Makes perfect sense now. I do hope you are well now?" she directed to Mona. "I'm great, Mom. Really. Thank you," Mona replied with a smile.

"Both ideas could work actually," said Fulcrum, tapping her coffee cup, "A paw print or something for the main logo, and a little superhero cat for the mascot. With the paw on its chest perhaps?" Mona flipped through the steampunk panels, looking impressed, "I particularly like this one. The story sounds interesting, and something really zings with your sketches. Did you deliberately change up your style a bit for this one?" "Speaking of Lord Pyre and costumes," added Mona, "Not to presume too much, but have you considered actually being a superhero, Lou? I mean, I'm guessing you have all of Pyre's abilities. Could be really therapeutic too. Minus the demonic pauldrons of course." As if to punctuate the conversation, a scruffy, one-eyed gray moseyed out of a back room and surveyed the gathered. Despite Lou's size, and maybe Vicky's eyes, he looked nonplussed. He simply meowed and began rubbing against Carrie.

Mona squeezed his hand back and added, "I wouldn't say it was love-at-first-sight, but we definitely had an attraction." "That is very sweet," replied Afareen, standing at the bar divider. "Mona told us about some problems with her powers. I had a feeling her abilities could be traced back to that nasty Terminus Invasion. I didn't realize she sought professional help though. Snagged a boyfriend in a process," she added with a smile. As her mother turned away a moment, Mona nudged Viktor and motioned toward Fatima's bedroom. "Go ahead. She is on the thing too much," whispered the giantess. "Chocolate is the food of the gods. Horseradish is...bleh...," she shuddered. "If Mahmoud is chatting up his clients again, I'll skin him alive," mumbled her Mom as she looked out the window. The delicious smells only concentrated and sizzling could be heard from the oven. "I'll admit I'm more than a little leery of Mona dating you, Dr. Archeville," finally said Afareen, still looking out the window. "Your reputation as a playboy and eccentric does proceed you."

"And he is an adorable cat and could make a great mascot," she replied with a shrug. "Actually that is a good point. We need a mascot, be it furry or not. Ah hell, we need a symbol too. We have a lot of work to do!" Still looking through Vicky's portfolio, she glanced at Carrie, "I've heard of stranger heroes," she replied in a humorous tone. "I have a source for shoes. Ever met Benny Jenson? He made custom shoes for years. Semi-retired now but still does some work for heroes. All dig up his number." Nodding to the new story description, Mona thought a moment and replied, "I wonder if we should hire a couple of full-time writers. Not that any of us can't knock out a good story, but a couple of professional brainstormers and script writers could speed things up. Especially in the beginning." "I wish I could wear skirt suits," she joked while flipping through the files.

One arm wrapped around him, she returned the kiss. Holding him tight, she eventually relented and said, "Yes, it is me." As her vision cleared, she noticed his condition, and for that matter, Carrie's condition as well. Viktor obviously was the worse for wear, but the time away had not been gentle on either of them. Her face fell into a concerned frown. "What happened to you?" she asked Viktor softly, before turning her attention to Carrie, "What...happened to both of you?" Still holding the tarp against herself, she sat Viktor down and cupped one hand against his face. A pained expression came over her face, "I'm well, Viktor, but you aren't." She looked to say more, but Carrie coughed and drew her attention. Her smile returned when her new costume was revealed. "It's...beautiful, Carrie. Thank you!" At which point Carrie too was pulled into an one-handed hug.

"I'd have to agree," replied Mona dryly, "No offense but some of your traditional cuisine is rather dull." Afareen, who glanced into the living room at Viktor's exclamation, just wagged a wooden spoon at him and gave a mock evil-eye before turning back to the stove. "I selected a recipe anyone could enjoy, dear," she answered chidingly. Whether the reply was addressed to Viktor or Mona was unknown. "Should be ready in a just a few minutes." Fatima peeked her head out of her doorway, still in a bit of awe at having the super scientist right in front of her! Fingers darting over the small keyboard, she disappeared back into her room. "She is probably coordinating with her friends over how best to deal with you and look her best at the same time," whispered Mona, "Quite a team-based player. She is good alone but she is great with the right people. That includes dealing with science hunks." She gave him a gentle squeeze for emphasis. "So Dr. Archeville, how did you happen to meet Mona? I don't imagine her as the type to participate in Oktoberfest."

"Yes, internal consistency is key," said Fulcrum with a nod. "The rumor mill would be a departure from radio messages from the government." Refilling her coffee, she glanced up at the working Carrie, "Want some coffee, Carrie? We have a little of everything." Leaning, gently, against the wall, Mona sipped her coffee and pondered the website's name. After a moment, she nodded, "'Archimediate Entertainment' does have a good ring to it? What do you think?" she asked, addressing Carrie and Lou. "You're both in on this too." "Any time, Lou. I know how difficult life can be after such a dramatic change. The little things matter a whole lot when you're eight, or in your case, what...ten feet tall?" she replied with a grin. Reaching out one long arm, she patted him on the shoulder. Hopping up, she continued, "So! Your portfolio is looking really good, Vicky. What else did you bring for us?"

"John's idea many be the best, time wise. The non-metahuman scenarios would be a good change of pace and fairly fast to boot. You should have plenty of time for a team-based simulation afterword." said Fulcrum, nodding. Beyond that she listened to the group, nodded her understanding as applicable, and generally took in the surroundings. She seemed impressed, both with the digs and the team dynamic. Little did they know she mentally compared the Doom Room set up with the Interceptors...well...as she noted herself, their former Simulator. No need to dwell on that problem. Focusing on the situation at hand, she mentally flipped through the possible scenarios. A bank robbery would be fast and still show off each person's unique skill set. But where and how many? With consideration for the team and time, she came up with an idea. "How about the bank robbery? Do you have a simulation for that? Maybe four robbers, medium-weight weaponry and hostages? Freedom City National Bank has quite a few robberies on record. If you do not have the floor plan, we can search for them quickly enough." Tapping her chin, she looked around at the group. "How does that sound?" "I don't want you to be late for class."

Both options work for me. How about we go with Semi's suggestion and have some Whacky Hijinks thereafter?

The crunching of the crystal continued. At about half mass, the contraction halted and the sound rushed back into the room. The rhythmic thrum thrum of energy beams beat loud enough to rattle their chests. A sudden tingle shot through their bodies. The crystal pulsed once, a shock wave rushing from the mass. Papers, loose items and tarps went flying as the air past. As the objects drifted back to earth, a familiar voice rumbled from all directions, "Viktor? Carrie?" The crystal contracted violently. The silhouette began to stand and straighten. The red facets absorbed themselves into the figure. Within a few seconds, the silhouette stood free, tendrils of red slowly replacing the inky blackness. It reached out, grabbing a loose tarp across itself. Slowly, flesh and skin covered the silhouette, revealing their old friend, Mona. Her face looked neutral. No, not neutral, peaceful, even regale. Confident. And even more powerful than her previous incarnation. Though her eyes glowed red, she smiled warmly. "I knew you would come for me."

Mona shrugged and draped an arm over his shoulders, "He said something about a conference in Amsterdam. Green technology or the like." "Of course you are, sweetie," she added, listening to the sounds coming from the kitchen. "She just doesn't like flattery or insincerity. Not that you are. I just don't want her to take it the wrong way. She's been rough on my other boyfriends." "I hope you like garlic. She uses more garlic than any other cook I know. At least it is good for you." A thought crossed her face, and she whispered, "My grandmother may be here too. She's a quite a character. You'll like her."

Fulcrum grinned and sipped her coffee, "I swear you're a ninja, Carrie. Come up with a theme and you'd be a great hero." "Vicky is right. Horns or not you've always been a great dad." "Sorry, well, to spring Carrie on you both. I figured I should hook up Lou with Freedom City's version of Edna Mode," she said, waving her arms wide and imitating the character's voice, "You will look fabulous, daling!" Leaning over the portfolio, Fulcrum asked, "So the poor guy just wandered into the mess huh? Ouch. What caused the infection anyway? The hardcore zombie fans will want to know." "Actually, I do have a few webcomic artists interested," she said in reply to Vicky while flipping through a notepad, "Jenny Turon is interested in a print run of Fuzzy Logic as well as hosting. Three Rocks, The House at the End of the Lane, and Evil Stick Figure are all in negotiations for hosting. I just need a good name for the hosting site. Ideas?"

Notice vs Carrie's DC 30 Stealth (1d20+10=25) Close but no cigar!

Fulcrum kept her mouth shut and simply observed the various replies to her question and their interactions. All of the Irregulars were wonderful in their own ways, and every moment she was more-and-more pleased about the visit. Like any group of young people (was she really that old?), their interests and performance in school varied considerably. Which made them very endearing. She smiled. After all, she processed this information far, far faster than most people. "Graduating? Do you have any plans?" she asked Etain as they walked along. When Brian and Morgan hit the doors together, she giggled quietly, slowed down and looked into the Doom Room. "What routine will be running after all?" "Please don't mind me. Run whatever simulation you want. Sparring, the new routine, team exercises. I'll just be an observer." Interesting...

Fatima rolled her eyes and disappeared toward her room. While she really didn't want to leave the charismatic scientist alone, she knew well enough that her Mom was now in charge of the situation. Judging by her intent typing, all of her friends would soon know that Dr. freakin' Archeville was at her house! Afareen waved a hand dismissively, "Nonsense. You are my daughter's love. I simply must get to know you! But that can wait for dinner." Adjusting her apron, she turned heel back toward the kitchen, talking as she went, "No, no. Please relax. This recipe is quite simple really. Thank you for the offer however." Fulcrum sat down, or hovered over really, the couch and patted the seat next to her. "Relax, Viktor. This isn't a diplomatic conference. She doesn't bite. Hard." "I heard that!" came the joking reply from the kitchen. Lowering her voice, Fulcrum said, "Actually you could help her out. She loves this old '50s stove of hers but it has an electronic problem. The repair guys couldn't figure out what exactly. Go ask her about it. It's right up your alley." She winked to him. "Dad should be home any minute. He said you two met once," she continued in a normal tone.

"One straight, black coffee coming up," replied Fulcrum. A strong breeze wafted through the main room, at which point Fulcrum offered Vicky a large mug. "The finest in free-trade coffee combined with the lovely Keurig system. Actually just normal free-trade coffee made properly." "Bringing in mugs is an excellent idea! We should start that. Like a lot of things, and I'm not really joking, you can tell a lot about a person by the coffee cup they use. What do you think, Lou?" she asked while sipping her own coffee. "Yes, I was mesmerized by her drawing style. My style isn't what you'd call realism, but I think Vicky here could do both equally well." She smiled over her coffee cup at the young heroine. At the mention of webcomics, Mona nodded and added, "That's one of the groups I'd like to tap. Self publishing is nice and all, I've done it before myself, but having a professional prepare, produce and distribute your work allows for a much wider audience. Plus as I was telling Lou, I'm going to be 'dangerous' by forming this company as an artist cooperative: owned, operated and driven by the people that actually own the characters." "Who is that scruffy-looking nerf herder?" She pointed to the protagonist in the duster.

Sorry for not posting!

"Money and politics make the world go round," replied Fulcrum, now wearily watching the clouds above. She patted Vicky on the shoulder, "Well, you may not be able to take the actions back, but that you do feel bad about what happened says a tremendous amount about your character." "As you mentioned yourself, if not for your powers and early problems, you wouldn't have come to Claremont," she added, trying to point out the silver lining. She nodded at the question of supersenses, "That's too bad. With your power set, the right exotic or enhanced senses would make you even more effective. Maybe someday. I didn't develop enhanced senses until about five years after my other powers developed. Very different sources but just about anything is possible." "I think you may have cleared the Earth's gravitational field."

I will be away the rest of today (Wednesday) through Sunday. I may have some internet availability but probably not much posting time.