ic Star-Crossed? (IC)

[Thevshi]

Riverside

Freedom City, New Jersey

Wednesday, February 14, 2024, 4:54 PM

 

Seeing that it was Valentine's Day, Sampson’s Sodas had been pretty busy since the local middle school had gotten out. It would continue into the evening with high school students from the area and beyond. Once classes had finished for the day at Claremont, Michael Adon had hurried to start his shift at the store, now nearing the end of the first hour.

Currently, all the seating at the raised tables along the front windows were full, as were most of the booths along the interior walls. But for the moment, there were no pending orders that needed to be filled, so Michael was able to catch his breath.

 

This gave him a chance to go over and talk to one of the few individuals sitting on the barstool seating along the counter that ran towards the back of the store. Seated furthest from the door was one of his fellow Claremont students, Carmen Arrache, who arrived at the store just a short time ago. Carmen had finally decided to take Michael up on his offer of a discount at the soda shop and come out to see him during his shift.

 

Elsewhere in Riverside….

 

Jean Dweomer was currently sitting on a bench at one of the small park areas that were scattered throughout Riverside. Dressed in civilian clothes, the Anthro-fox certainly attracted a few stares, but this was Freedom City, so they were often brief. The small playground in the park was currently empty, with any of the kids that would be interested likely home and having dinner. At least a few couples had walked through or by the park since Jean had sat down on the bench, seemingly on their way to one or more of the restaurants, art stores or other venues in the area.

[Poncho]

Michael felt exceptionally bad because he had been intending to not be spending Valentine's Day alone. Or rather, he had not been intending to spend Valentine's Day at work. He could have been alone, and that would be okay.

 

But it had now been almost two months since he had danced with Carmen at the Christmas party, and a full month since they'd started seeing each other at least once a week as part of their ongoing study group, and he had still not managed to ask her out.

It was not that he had not been trying, he had been trying very hard! But something always came up. He had been about to ask, then Rot destroyed a punching bad. He had been about to ask, then a group of super-powered magical girls had destroyed an aquarium. He had been about to ask, then a train derailed. He had been about to ask, and then he had gotten whisked away by a guy who thought he was an elf and teleported across the entire country- twice!-. And that wasn't even all the times he had been about to ask before something had dragged him away.

 

He had given up on it, because he had wanted to ask her this morning if she wanted to go out, only to get a call from Sandra that some fat guy with a bow an arrow was terrorizing the park. He had dealt with that, but that meant when he got back to school he had to catch up on classes. And then Sandra had called again as he was going to surprise Carmen with flowers, and demanded he come in and work the Valentine's Day shift. And he almost told her he was busy, but then he remembered he still owed her quite a lot, so he'd reluctantly came in. He was just about ready to curse his luck and give up on the whole thing when Carmen walked into the store. At which point he had looked at those flowers under the counter and made his decision.

 

"Taking a break!" he barked over the counter as he grabbed them.

 

And now here he was, looming at full height over where Carmen had sat down, holding a bouquet of flowers behind his back and smiling at the catgirl.

 

"Carmen. Hello! I am going to talk very fast because I get the feeling if I don't do this right now and as fast as possible, a bus is going to crash through the front of the store, so uh...are you ready to listen to what I'm about to say?" He was not the picture of calm and confidence he usually was, but he wasn't exactly 'shaken'. He was just anxious.

[MoonSimply]

To say things were busy in the winter months was anything but an exaggeration for the young heroine known as La Puma Negra, or Carmen to those that knew her personally. She had been attending Claremont for some time now, a school specialized in super powered teens like herself, helped by a grant and support from her home in Puerto Rico. Sure, it was a Catholic orphanage, but it was a home nonetheless, one that she still found to have fond memories of.

 

Life in America and Freedom City itself was different and far more difficult than she had thought, taking to the role of super heroing fairly easy, but not the more rigorous school life that had pervaded her time at Claremont. As, after all, it was a highly esteemed school, even outside its heroic antics. Near every class there was an honors course and she struggled through much of it. Nothing failed, but she sure wasn't an A+ student either.

 

Things had changed however as Carmen entered the Soda Shop that seemed ripped from some 50s or 60s show. A time machine of a fashion she'd only seen in TV and was the only person sitting seemingly alone towards the corner, sitting on a barstool. Plenty of fellow Claremont students worked there or visited there, including other schools, so Carmen's feline looks weren't as unusual. It was understatement but she wasn't the only hero running around the city that looked a bit odd, only her presence as a sort of loner being her detriment. That hadn't been the case since the Christmas party that she had been invited tom spending time with a certain Sophomore student that was also from the school, spending time with him in an almost refreshing way.

 

However, nothing had come of it so far, only time and time again having to deal with some sort of situation or another. Heck, she was half expecting on this Valentine's Day that something worse would happen then a ruined Aquarium trip as she turned to face him, just as nervous as he was, sitting down on the bar stool. He seemed far more nervous than she was, the scent of some sort of flower in the air, making her partially tremble herself, eyeing something hidden behind his back shortly before meeting his eyes again.

 

"A bus?"

 

 

[Poncho]

"I mean, a Bus. A supervillain. The Earth might explode. I'm really just suspicious of everything, frankly." he said. He actually did look around this time. No soda fountains exploding, no one upending their drinks. Great. Everything was proceeding exactly as he had planned less than 5 minutes ago when he got the chance. He took a deep breath.

 

"So I know we danced at that party and then some other stuff happened. And frankly, I think you are pretty neat. And I meant to ask several times but things kept coming up...which honestly may be the case fairly often even if you say yes, I think you know that I'm always busy doing something. But if you can deal with that, do you want to go to the movies tonight. And possibly continue to go out together for the foreseeable future including being a couple during that vacation that Lawrence has planned in a few days?" He asked, pulling the bouquet out from behind his back and offering it to her. There are times when even Michael can't keep a calm and easy expression, and asking out someone for the first time is apparently one of those times. "I tried to give these to you this morning. And then during lunch. And then after class...so I'm only like 8 hours late."

[MoonSimply]

Carmen was there near stunned as Michael got out what he wanted to say to her. It had been so long in the waiting for him that she could feel the sudden releasement as it was now her that the pressure was properly on. It showed too, her face turning a shade of red, even though her dark fur on her face obscured it, nervous and internally now panicking. Whatever she had to say, she had to say it fast as Michael was waiting for a response. Carmen could only think to the flowers in front of her and then to the time dancing together with him.

 

"I umm.... well.... I...." now her words were clustered and futtered together, even falling back briefly into Spanish, muttering it under her breath as she tried to find a correct response to him. It was so sudden that she found the flowers in her hands, holding on to the bouquet.

 

"Yes... let's do it," Carmen says finally letting it out. He had his answer, "Let's go out, together."

[Poncho]

"Great! That's cool. I am glad that you said yes." he didn't really know what to do with his hands right now, so he gave her a thumbs up. "That has brightened my day significantly to hear from you." he said semi-stiffly. He looked around again. "Great. This is a good thing that has happened." he pulled at his collar. "Man, of course, I would be wearing a green shirt when I did this. I don't like green. It's my least favorite color. I don't actually tell people that, because I feel like people would look at me weird if they learned I have a least favorite color. But I just don't like it." he looked around and at the flowers and at her and then shrugged. "Whatever."

 

Then he hugged her tightly because he was definitely out of things to say now.

[Spacefurry]

Predator

 

The sky was mostly clear and there was only the mildest of chill to the breeze as the steam rose from Jean’s coffee. The sun was slowly creeping down towards the horizon as she sat as comfortably on the bench as she could. She watched a handful of people enjoying the park still, a few couples, old and young, walking hand in hand. 
 

Her friend had given her an ultimatum to ‘Get out and enjoy the city’ under threat of being dragged out of her lab by force. Jean smiled to herself. Ashley was a little rough sometimes, but she meant well and sometimes Jean needed to be strong armed into taking breaks.

She sipped her coffee and enjoyed the warmth of it as someone jogged by with a service animal. Occasionally she still got the odd look, but now it was more the ‘she’s here?’ and less ‘What is it?’. It’s funny how much a year or so could do to acclimate a people to something new. The corner of her muzzle quirked into the hint of a smile.

 

Back home she had had enjoyed a higher level of anonymity, but honestly she didn’t care about it. Especially now, she had no family or loved ones to protect here.

Her smile faltered.

She had briefly forgotten the holiday the calendar marked as today. A day she hadn’t celebrated in far longer than a mere year.

Jean sipped her coffee again in silence.

Edited January 28 by Spacefurry

[Thevshi]

GM

 

Sampson's Sodas

 

It was just after Michael managed to finally ask Carmen the question that has been somehow eluding him for nearly two months (and she had said yes) that the moment was interrupted as a faint *BOOM* echoed outside, rattling the windows of the soda shop. All of the conversations that had been going on suddenly came to a stop, as the other teens in the shop looked toward the windows, trying to see what might be going on outside.

 

Through the windows could be seen several people on the sidewalk seemed to be looking towards the left with concern and in some cases outright fear. With her more sensitive hearing, Carmen could hear the faint sound of car alarms in the distance and what sounded like people screaming in panic….

 

At the park

 

Jean was enjoying the late afternoon when the peace and quite was broken by a loud *BOOM* which echoed from somewhere else in the area. The few others in the park or on a nearby sidewalk had all stopped, looking around with concern, trying to determine where the sound had come from.

Glancing around, Jean was able to spot what she was pretty sure was the source. Off to the right, looking to be about six or seven blocks away, was a rising column of black smoke…..

[Poncho]

"I knew it." Michael whispered into the hug. "I knew it. I knew it I knew it I knew it." he chanted like a mantra. "I knew that something was going to happen if I didn't just shut up and ask it. But I did it this time." he looked around at the people in the shop. "Let's go in the back, that's where the Lab is set up, we can change without issue and go out through the side door. It'll be our uh...first date." he whispered to her. The man minding the counter didn't even look at them as Michael headed that way; he was in on it and knew what Michael was doing.

[MoonSimply]

Carmen was alerted to the explosion a split second before it rattled the windows, echoing down the street from the shockwave. It was loud, real loud, listening to Michael as he repeated the same line again and again as they hugged each other, bouquet between the both of them. Carmen seemed concerned for him, hoping he was alright. She didn't typically do that for people, but Michael was an exception seemingly to her rule.

 

"It'll be alright, don't worry about it. It's all part of what we do now," she says in a calming tone, following in back without a second to the manner and taking off her clothes. Underneath, her heroic attire from Claremont was on, getting used to wearing the sort of specialized clothing whenever she was out and about around the city or visiting somewhere else where she might have to leap into action. One simply got used to such a thing, "Well, let's make this one count."

[Spacefurry]

Predator

 

Jean’s ears twitched a fraction of a second before the echoing boom cut through the calm. She was on her feet instantly, like everyone else she was scanning the horizon for the source. She spots the smoke rising to her right and starts running towards it.

 

“Cynthia.”

She calls over her comms as she drops her coffee into a trash bin mid stride.

“Online.”

The even tone of Jean’s A.I. responds even as the air shimmers around her.

“Contact emergency services.”

The A.I. connects to local 911 as between one step and the next the Predator armor solidifies around her.

“This is Jean Dweomer, Predator, there’s been explosion in Riverside, I do not have the exact address yet. I am currently enroute, will confirm address upon arrival.”

[Poncho]

Michael was quite quickly able to change into his costume in the changing room, since his costume didn't really work with the short sleeves he usually wore. Still, he was practiced at getting into and out of that suit as fast as he needed to, and before even a few moments had passed, he was ready for action. For right now, he didn't start glowing; he wanted to hold that back a little bit still. It might have been a foolish move, but it was the one he was making.

 

"Agreed. We'll make it count and do it well." Superheroing? Superheroing he could do. He might be awkward around a cute girl or guy sometimes, but he could Superhero. So with that, he led her out the back entrance, away from prying eyes, and made off to the source of the disturbance.

[MoonSimply]

Carmen was ready, now having discarded her clothing in favor of the particular Claremont style of uniform specially made for her style and agility, undoing the casual jeans, varsity jacket, and tan blouse that she wore. Worn tennis shoes were kicked off as now she was ready, easily discarded. Carmen would soon follow him out the back door right into the direction of danger, for she was no longer Carmen but the young heroine La Puma Negra, moving alongside her new, first, and only boyfriend she has ever had in her life so far. It was time to go to work.

 

Puma would use quickly her super senses, her sense of smell and hearing, trying to discern the direction of whatever the chaos was, "First date, let just not make it our last."

[Thevshi]

GM

 

Once Golden Star and La Puma Negra had completed changing and made their way outside, it was immediately obvious where the source of the explosion was, as a thick plum of black smoke rose into the air. Quickly heading in that direction, the two teenage heroes turned the corner several blocks ahead just as Predator was approaching the scene from the opposite direction.

Between them was a five-story building, with shops on the lower floor and apartments above. Portions of the second and third floor were ablaze, flames flickering out the blasted-out windows, sending the thick smoke up into the air.

 

La Puma Negra was the first to spot a figure flying toward the building from her left, glancing up in to the evening sky to see a figure flying towards the building. Golden Start spotted the figure a few moments later, as it steaked in a smashed through a window on the upper floor. A moment later, the figure reemerged, flying back out and down to the street below to set down a woman and her ten-year-old daughter.

 

Standing back upright after setting the two down, the figure stood nearly six and a half feet tall, dressed in teal armor with a black under suit visible at the joints. On the shoulder pauldrons was a black circle with a yellow eight-pointed starburst, a similar, much larger white starburst was on the chest plate. The figure wearing the armor had grey-blue skin, high cheekbones and a flowing mane of white hair and tapered ears.

[Poncho]

"...Is that an Elf?" Golden Star asked Puma as the figure came into view. Then he looked at the burning building again.

 

"Time tor that later. You start at the bottom, I'll start at the top, let's make sure everyone is out!" He said to Carmen before flying up towards the top of the building. 

[Spacefurry]

Predator

 

Predator ran towards the smoking building. As she approaches, two figures further down the street ping on her screens. She doesn’t recognize the costumed figures but she hopes they are there to help.

“Cynthia, contact emergency services. Give them the address and request fire, rescue and police for crowd control.”

 

Overhead, one of the upper floor windows explodes outward, raining glass. Something flies into the building and a moment later a new, armored figure appears and lands in the street. Several warnings flash on her screens and Predator instinctively reacts.

 

Predator levels her gauntleted arm on the new arrival, the barrel of the built-in blaster glowing. She doesn’t fire though as she sees him set the mother and child down. She keeps the blaster trained on him as he stands up straight. Images appeared on her screens, already identifying markers between the once stellar ruler and the younger individual standing before her.

 

She spots the other two as they move to check the building. It makes her feel a little as she confronts the armored man.

“Identify yourself, Zultasian.”

Edited February 10 by Spacefurry

[MoonSimply]

La Puma Negra

 

Puma looked up towards the strange being, confused at what they were doing. Tapered ears and long white hair, unsure of what they were but unable to dwell on it for any longer as the two of them were heading right towards a burning building no doubt filled with people in need of help. Golden Star would get the top to the bottom while she worked her way from the bottom to the top. Sure, it was already affecting her senses, smelling the cruel burning smoke of the building, the chemical reactions of the burning material. 

 

"Meet you in the middle, if there is one still!" Puma says to him, giving him a look before dashing in through the nearest opening, "Then we'll deal with the white haired guy."

 

 

[Thevshi]

GM

 

Ignoring the armored figure for the moment, the two teens turned their attention to trying to find any other civilians inside the burning building. La Puma leapt through a smashed out storefront window of one of the shops on the ground floor. The roof of the shop radiated heat from the fire above as she quickly identified the scent of two store employees who were currently lying behind the counter but appeared to be unhurt.

 

Up at the top floor, Golden Star flew up to a window and glancing inside, saw an elderly man inside his living room, appearing a bit shaken up but with no visible injuries.

 

Meanwhile, out in the street

 

The armored figure regarded Predator and the changed blasters, his black eyes narrowing slightly, but he otherwise kept his hands down at his sides. The mother and daughter had moved a short distance away, still somewhat shaken up.

 

"You are no Terran, nor do you appear to be a Star Knight." The figure stated. "I am Kinarr Khan, the new Star Khan and ruler of the Stellar Khanate."

[Poncho]

Michael wasn't really trying to look cool, but he definitely wasn't opposed to it as he floated towards the window, his cape billowing out behind him as he approached the window.

 

"Sir! I am Golden Star. Do you think you can make it to the roof? I can pick you up there and get you off this building. I can also take anyone else in danger. I simply need you to get to a place where we can rendezvous, or to indicate to me where I can do so." He didn't want to risk destabilizing the building any faster than it already was getting destabilized by the fire and smoke already.

"Please just stay calm and get to a place I can reach you in an non-panicked fashion and you will make it out okay. I promise you that."

[MoonSimply]

La Puma Negra

 

The smoke was something that was going to be irritating for her as time went on, trying to keep herself as low to ground as she could to avoid breathing it all in. As she explored the first floor, she could easily find the two behind the counter, sliding over it to the other side and seeing them both on the ground. There were only a few things that she could think of at the moment in how to help them, not knowing too much about first aid outside the basics they teach you in school growing up. Instead, she'd go with the first option she had, grabbing both and putting them on her shoulders, using her super strength to do so as she went through the same busted window once more, carrying both of them. 

 

Once outside, she'd run a distance away, placing the both of them in a safe place away, quickly calling for bystanders to watch them as she runs back in, looking up again at that stranger. It seemed like the white haired being was speaking with someone now, not feeling like it was going pleasantly as she drove back in, continuing her search through the building. There was no time to confront them right now.

[Spacefurry]

Predator

 

Predator regards the armored alien, conscious of the civilians as they move out of the way.

 

On 2/11/2024 at 9:38 AM, Thevshi said:

Meanwhile, out in the street

 

"You are no Terran, nor do you appear to be a Star Knight." The figure stated. "I am Kinarr Khan, the new Star Khan and ruler of the Stellar Khanate."

 

“I am, just not this Terra.”

She corrects using the extraterrestrial name for Earth some aliens used.

“But you are correct, I am not a Star Knight.”

 

Inside her suit, the side by side points out enough differences for her to lend credit to his not being the former Star Khan.

“Kinarr Khan? I assume you are related to the former Star Khan on record, Kinan Khan.”

 

As she watched the self proclaimed Star Khan, Cynthia tracked one of the young heroes, a girl with cat-like features safely extricating more civilians before venturing back in. Predator mentally wished she could help with the evacuation.

 

But if the man was indeed related to the one tyrant she could not take the chance. Though his actions had not gone unnoticed. Rescuing the civilians and not acting hostile despite being targeted by her.

 

An old memory of someone she knew back in her world came to unbidden to mind. She decided to deescalate. The glow of the blaster dimmed out and Predator lowered her arm.  She hoped to not regret to choice.

“You may address me as Predator.”

Edited February 12 by Spacefurry

[Thevshi]

GM

 

Inside the building

 

Golden Star sees the man nod his head and start towards the door to try to make his way to the roof. Flying around the upper windows, the teen spots a couple more residents that he also directs to the rooftop.

 

Down on the first floor, La Puma Negra quickly went through the other two shops on the ground floor, but found them empty. She then headed up towards the second floor, fining a set of stairs. There was heavy smoke up ahead, and as she reached the upper level, she found the hallway was filled with smoke.

 

Out on the street

 

Kinarr Khan gave a small nod of his head as Predator corrected him as to her place of origin and introduced herself. "My apologizes, Predator from an alternate Terra. As to your question, I am indeed related to Kinan Khan, he was my father, and with his recent passing, I have assumed rulership of the Stellar Khanate. Despite what I expect you know of my father, I am not here with any ill intent, quite the opposite in fact." He stated calmly, his arms still down by his side.

 

"Hey heroes, catch this!" A voice suddenly called out, catching Predator and Star Khan by surprise, as a figure dressed in black coat, orange pants and orange mask stepped out of a nearby alleyway and threw something glowing orange in Predator’s general direction. "Remember the day you faced Explodo the Great!"

 

The object, which she realized as a glowing orange lunch box, it the pavement and exploded, the explosion slamming into her.

 

Star Khan moved over and placed himself between the mother and daughter, his back to the explosion, which slammed into him but seemed to result in no ill effect.

[Thevshi]

GM

 

Standing back up once again after shielding the woman and her child from the blast, Star Khan turned back towards where the orange and black dressed man was standing near the mouth of an alleyway, his black eyes narrowing as he looked at the man. The armored figured flew up into the air as he raised one of his armored gauntlets.

"Coward!" The Khanate ruler called out as he fired a blast of energy at the villain, who managed to nimbly dodge to one side, a crater blasting in the sidewalk as the energy beam missed the intended target. Star Khan hovered in the air, waiting to see what Explodo did next.

[Poncho]

"Everyone! Please continue to head up the building!" Michael called loudly as he circled the building, slowly moving up it. When he did all his checks, he landed on the roof and went to open the door and make sure that everyone could get to him; he could probably carry quite a few people; the concern would be making sure he had a good grip on everyone more than actually lifting them, so depending on how many people showed up, he was going to have to quickly master some advanced theoretical gymnastic physics to sort this out.

 

Then something exploded down below, then a second explosion also happened. It was enough to make Michael look down from up high at the two fighting people; the Elf and uh...some random guy in orange.

 

"Stop blowing things up!" he yelled fruitlessly down at the pair before returning to his attempted evacuation.

[Spacefurry]

Predator

 

Predator nodded, already starting a new file for Kinarr Khan. She more questions, but before she ask any they were interrupted.

 

She started to turn towards the man calling out to them when something skidded to a stop in front of her. The glowing lunchbox confused her sensors for a moment but Predator reacted quickly.

Just not quick enough, as the incendiary went off it caught her mid-hopping away. The force of the explosion kicked her back and the armored figure tumbled several feet before coming back up in a three-point stance.

 

The helmet tilted to look for the mother and daughter. She spotted the new Star Khan shielding them before going on the offensive. The visitor missed and she took the opportunity to move.

Like her namesake, Predator took several quick steps and leapt at the orange clad man calling himself Explodo. Small, narrow thrusters on her armor easily carried her the distance to the attacker. Even as she lands, a metal gauntleted arm strikes out at the man.

The blow catches Explodo what should have been squarely, but at the last moment he somehow roll with it and absorbed the impact without seeming to take any damage.

An audible growl escaped the hidden speakers set with in the helmet.

“You did this.”

It wasn’t even a question of the circumstantial evidence, her instincts told her so.