A Friendly Luncheon [IC]

[Electra]

Stesha pursed her lips and blushed at the insinuation, but couldn't think of any good response to make. She ate a couple more bites of her lunch instead. "I don't know, I think that anyone who isn't good to Moira might be incapable of treating anyone right. But you're right that anything more than a warning and moving on isn't really called for." She rolled her shoulders as though trying to shake off the tension the subject caused, then smiled at him. "I'd hate to ruin a really nice lunch with nothing but talk about Jack, anyway. Are you really planning on throwing a party soon?"

[angrydurf]

"The Yacht Club is holding its summer reggata soon, I'm on the victory celebration design commitee." He said with a shrug. "I figured I'd forward on the table numbers et cetera and leave it to your excelent taste as far as design goes, general decor will be patriotic american most likely."

He made a dismisive gesture, "It'll have to be better than last years debacle with the Wainwrights niece." Ace shuddered slightly at the disaster of nepotism.

"I kid you are very talented and really I doubt I'd have much of use to say, but feel free to take the afternoon off for a hot bath and say I'm nitpicky and all that." He said with a grin.

[Electra]

Stesha laughed at that idea, even as inside she did a little dance for joy. A regatta at the yacht club, oh boy! Not only would her boss be more than pleased with her, it would be a great opportunity to make some really great splashy late-summer arrangements. It was enough to chase away some of the worry, at least for a moment. "The bath is a tempting opportunity," she told him, "but when you hold out an opportunity like that, it makes me start wanting to draw up ideas right away. Sometimes work is better than anything for taking your mind off things, especially when the things you're worried about are things you can only wait for."

"While I'm waiting though," she asked, "is there anything I can do to help? I don't know much about mythology, but I know my way around a library, if you need someone to do research assistant work or anything like that."

[angrydurf]

"Well your choice, theres plenty of time." Ace shrugged as he spoke.

Considering her question for a moment he shook his head, "Unless you know the name Moiras parents know her by I doubt it unfortunately." He said finally. The sticking point on contacting Moira directly so far seemed to be knowing how to call her as an olympian as neither of the names Ace knew her by were going to work.

"My friend is looking into the atter and may be able to find the name. If not she thinks that there may be others amongst the pantheon that might be willing to interfere on our behalf when the time comes." He explained.

[Electra]

"I don't know," Stesha confessed. "I didn't even know she had another identity until yesterday. The only one I can think of who might know would be Angel Marks, and I don't know how to get in touch with her. I hardly know her, but I know that she and Moira were very good friends. That would be all I can think of. If you want, I could try looking around her house for papers, see if there's anything that might give us a hint. I'm sure Moira wouldn't mind, if it helped us bring her back." She paused a moment. "What do you mean, intervene on our behalf?"

[angrydurf]

"I wouldn't worry about it then, its entirely possible she didn't even know it. From what I've gathered her parents were not the most forthcoming with information about her heritage." Ace said with a shrug

At her question he looked up guaging her concern quietly, "Well the olympians are a fractous lot to start with. They have grudges dating to pre-history that still are going strong." He explained.

Pausing he tried to come up with a good analogy for the rest of what he had learned, "Also there is a limited pool of power that they all have, if she is imbued with full deific status and given some kind of dominion its coming right out of another gods pocket, and possibly cutting in line for such favor as well. Suffice to say some of the gods may be able to offer some indirect aid to our cause for thier own reasons."

[Electra]

Stesha nodded thoughtfully. "So even if her parents want her there, not everyone will. We just have to try and find some that want her gone, but don't want to hurt her, and get them to help us..." She let out a long breath, then smiled ruefully. "No problem, right? Sometimes I forget how surreal all this superpowered heroism can be, and then we start talking about enlisting gods to help us retrieve someone who's been snatched out of this dimension by forces beyond our comprehension. It's a lot more complicated than making plants grow because you want them to. But I think you've got to be right, there's got to be a way to get them on our side without putting her at risk."

[angrydurf]

Ace laughed, "Indeed it is a bit beyond the norm even for me I must admit but thats part of what keeps things from getting dull right?" He asked.

Taking a slightly more somber tone he further explained his current plan, "The way I see it once we discover how she was first allowed to be here we just hav eot reinvoke that privlage or whatever."

Ace paused to take a sip off of his wine before continueing, "To gods death isn't really an option, its not a way to vanquish foes when your foes are fellow immortals. Now seeing them cast out ont he otherhand is a time honored tradition particualarly amongst that pantheon." Not that Ace was all that positive of this but his reading of the myths and legends seemed to lead in that direction at least.

"So those most opposed to her elevation, woudl want exactly what we want, for moira to be sent back here for all time." Ace shrugged as he spoke, "As for details the myths of the greek gods indicate a strong fondness for contests, and a surprisingly high failure rate on the parts of the gods, so I imagine when it comes down to it that will be the best way to get her family to release her." It was simple really accept challenges from the gods and then beat them at thier own game how hard could it be?

[Electra]

"I seem to recall some proverb or other that warns against daring the gods," Stesha pointed out, her eyes still a little wide. "What sorts of thing could we challenge them in and even hope to win? I don't know about you, but I'm not very good at chess. And I don't think Moira would want us to do anything that might get us all killed, even for the hope of rescuing her. I feel iffy about how worried Taylor is, but I'm sure she'll be able to justify helping us if we can justify getting Moira released. I just don't know if it's worth potentially costing our lives. I wish there were another way to get in touch with her. Maybe the oracle thing she was talking about will let her talk to me eventually," she mused. "Then at least we'd know."

[angrydurf]

Ace shrugged non-commitally, "I haven't worked out the specifics yet but you can count on their hubris if the stories are to be believed at least." he explained.

He smiled over at Stesha, "I don't plan on costing any of our lives, or serious injury even." He patted her hand gently and continued, "Taylor has said she'll concern herself with her oaths, I trust her to do so. If she can't help then we find another way, but I'm fairly certain that won't be an issue in the end."

Stesha seemed to be doing a bit better but there was a secondary reason he had selected this establishment, he motioned the waiter to bring the desert tray. Moira had told him about her mysterious cheesecake benefactor it had been fairly easy to find out the details, a little something to remember her friend by certainly couldn't hurt.

[Electra]

Stesha was about ready to pass up the dessert tray for once, after a bigger lunch than she was used to, but the cheesecake caught her eye immediately. The distinctive crust and swirled strawberry topping were unmistakeable, and for a moment her throat closed. She merely pointed to it for the waiter's benefit, then took a sip of water. "I don't think Moira ever mentioned where she got her great desserts from," she told Ace when her voice was clear again. "We always ate cheesecake in her kitchen, practically every time I visited. It was nice of you to think of that." Even knowing Ace only a little bit, she didn't suspect for a moment that it was a coincidence.

[angrydurf]

"Well if theres one thing I've learned about girl talk its that it always goes better with cheesecake." He said with a kind smile, "It just took a couple calls to track down who Moiras secret admirer was, well worth it I think." He selected a delicate citrus mousse for himself thanking the waiter as he presented their deserts.

[Electra]

The cheesecake was excellent, as always, and despite the end of her lunch hour pressing close, Stesha took the time to enjoy it. It was technically a meeting with a customer, after all. "If we go," she asked, tracing the edge of her spoon through a chocolate swirl, "to Mount Olympus I mean, do you think we should use our secret identities? I mean, will it make a difference? I don't want them knowing my family if I can help it, but I don't know how much good a domino mask is against the power of gods."

[angrydurf]

Ace shrugged non-commitally, "Probably not much use, for beings of such vast power they really are quite powerless to do anything to your family. Most likely we would even add such a caveat to any deal we strike with them." He explained succinctly, Ace felt the whole secret Identity thing was taken far to seriously by todays heroes as it was, the effort of actually hiding thier true selves from gods seemed even more ludicris.

"Honestly if we do this right we won't have to go there at all, merely comunicate with them." Ace siad offering the beleaguered young woman some measure of hope.

[Electra]

"That's probably just as well," Stesha agreed with a smile, "since my costume is pretty much just a sweatshirt and leggings and hood. I don't think it would really fool much of anyone, much less a god. I picked it more because it's sturdy and no one would notice me." She ate the last bite of her cheesecake and wiped her fingers with the napkin in her lap. "And I'd be thrilled not to have to go out of this dimension or world or whatever to try and get Moira back. It seems a lot safer to stay here and be penpals. I'm kind of risk-averse, for a superhero," she told him with a chuckle.

[angrydurf]

A flicker fo shock breifly passed over Aces face as Stesha described her costume, though given who she was talking to there was no telling if it was true shock or feigned for effect.

"Well I'm sure we can do better than that." He said with slight amusement, "The best way to avoid notice is to have a stark departure from your civilian identity actually, thats a big reason for the flashy costumes it detracts from taking note of features."

"When is your next day off? I'll make an appointment for you with a proffesional." He asked earnestly.

[Electra]

"Well, it's this weekend, but Derrick and I have plans," Stesha said, a little uncomfortably. "So I guess next Saturday, but I'm not sure I should. I mean, I really appreciate the offer, don't get me wrong. I've been wondering where everybody gets those awesome costumes. But it seems like it's safer to go out in civilian clothes, don't you think?" She spread her hands. "If I go out at night in a costume, maybe somebody will try and pick a fight with me who would just ignore me otherwise. On the other hand," she answered herself before Ace could interject, "last time I really did have to fight a villain, I did it wearing a plastic bag and goggles. That was really stupid. Maybe I could go and just look?" she decided hopefully.

[angrydurf]

"Well enjoy the weekend getaway then." Ace said with a knowing smile. It was good to know there was something more to the ephemeral hero Stesha seemed a good match and Ace could feel moiras hand in that particular relationship, she was after all her mothers daughter regardless of plane of residence.

"Next Saturday woudl be excelent I'll make arangements." He said happily, "The costume can serve many purposes I assure you that your new one will serve your needs better than a sweatshirt and mask." He added with a wink.

[Electra]

"I don't actually have a mask, either," Stesha admitted with a sheepish grin. "I was going to get one, but I was sort of waiting until Halloween, when they go on sale. It's a pretty poor excuse for a costume, really." She wondered how much an actual real hero costume cost, and if she was going to be able to afford it without maxing out her credit card. Still, there was no harm in just looking, as long as someone didn't try to wedge her into a spandex sausage casing. "Next Saturday sounds good."

[angrydurf]

Ace laughed softly, "We all have to start somewhere Stesha." He said kindly. "We'll get you well kitted out, you'll be the proverbial belle of the ball when next that bee obsessed freak shows up." He added with a wink. Clearly he had done some homework on her escapades to have found out about her limmited engagements with the Bee Keeper, but it was Aces way he liked to know what he was getting into when he started working with people. It wasn't unlikely that the others involved in Moiras planned rescue would soon face similare scrutiny. He made a mento note to have a nice mask delivered in the next few days, a hint of things to come.

[Electra]

"I hope that's not going to be for a long time," Stesha said fervently. "They're surely not going to put him back into an institution, now that he's escaped once. Maybe by the time he gets out of jail he'll be back on his medications or whatever. " The thing with the Beekeeper hadn't make much of a splash in the newspapers, but she supposed someone who knew her secret identity would need to do no more than a Google search. "Trouble is, he probably knows where I live now, even if he hasn't put the two together. If he gets out, I think I'm going to have to move." She shook her head. "But having a costume would be nice anyway. And shopping with friends is fun."

[angrydurf]

"I couldn't agree more." Said Ace with a sly smile, "Though its more of a consultation and commision then shopping persay, She will have some examples of her work available."

He finished off his own food and beckoned the staff to clear away the plates, "It should be fun though, You can try out a few looks, get you a morphic molecule suit if you like good for the fast change."

Ace wasn't much of one for the fancy costumes himself but did like his companions to look good.

[Electra]

"Anything that's been manipulated on the molecular level is probably a little bit out of my price range for the moment," Stesha admitted with a smile. The mention of consultations and custom work had already made her adjust the likely cost of these outfits sharply upwards in her head, but she supposed it really wasn't easy to get hero costumes off the rack when it wasn't Halloween. "But it'll be something to keep in mind for when I'm a rich and famous florist. Simple and durable is more my style."

[angrydurf]

Ace smirked and waved his hand dismisivly, "You can pay me back when you're rich and famous if you like but cutting corners on costumes leads to rediculous outfits like that Avenger fellow." He smiled lightly at his own jest, "I mean seriously a hockey mask and half-cap?"

He guaged Steshas reaction carefully, "You have just started out thats one thing but to be active that long and not bother with an upgrade is just not even trying." Ace was even less fond of the nocturnal hero's unorthodox techniques but that was a discussion for another time.

[Electra]

"If a tacky costume were the worst of his sins, I could forgive him that," Stesha replied wryly. "It's all the rest of it. But hey, in the past, right? It does make a potent argument for getting a better costume than that," she admitted. "And I think I'd just look silly in a hockey mask, frankly. Do you wear a costume when you're working. I mean, you always had that same outfit in the cartoon show, but that's how all cartoons work. Not that you wouldn't look good in pretty much any costume, but I can't see you really wearing the spandex and cape getup."