Dok & Thrude & Jack & Willow [IC]

[N/A]

[bg=#000080]_"Grimalkin, Lord Archeville tells me that you hail from the land of the Celts. My travels have rarely taken me as far as Brittannia, and never very deep inside. But my people have long enjoyed an alliance with the Vanir, whom I believe to be cousins of your tribe. They have acquitted themselves well in battle time and time again. Their princess, Freyja, leads the Choosers of The Slain, a sisterhood in which I once counted myself a member. Often have I fought and bled by her side, and a more skilled or ferocious killer you will not find any of the Nine Worlds."_[/bg]

[Gizmo]

It took Jack a moment to regain his balance as the spirited goddess shook his arm, but he managed to return the gesture with a bemused grin. "Well, I like her," he told Doktor Archeville with a loud laugh, "She's obviously got an good eye for talent!" Extricating his forearm from Thrude's grip, he looked to the massive weapon slung over her shoulder with a low whistle. "Yow. My weapon? Oh, ha, well I tend to cut out the middleman," the energy manipulator explained, raising his right hand. As he did, the electrical surges the Daughter of Storms had released into the air swirled on a downward funnel to his outstretched finger, sparks linking into delicate lines of lightning and twining together until he held a razor thin rapier of crackling electricity solidified in his grasp, arcs of power folding over his knuckles into an ornate handguard. "I do my own forging."

[quotemyname]

It took Jack a moment to regain his balance as the spirited goddess shook his arm, but he managed to return the gesture with a bemused grin. "Well, I like her," he told Doktor Archeville with a loud laugh, "She's obviously got an good eye for talent!"

"Course y'd like'er." Colt commented with a smile, "Reckon she shares yer penchant fer hittin' things wit'a sharp object. Ain't nothin' wrong wit't o'course. I jus' prefer'a more elegant solution s'all." Colt gave the pistol strapped to his hip an appreciative pat.

"Now, 'bout what'cha said, 'bout makin' yer intraductions more gently..." Colt glanced at Willow, briefly, "Quit worryin' yer head, Jack. Any friend'a yers's a friend'a ours. Reckon ya should'a known that already." Colt gave Jack a reassuring smile.

"Naw Doc, what do we owe th'visit ta? Ya ain't exactly in th'habbit'a bringin' all'a yer new friends home, so'ta speak." He turned his gaze on Thrude, addressing her directly, "Unless'a course when ya said, y'all were gon' 'join our fight', ya weren't just talkin' bout bein'a hero'a Freedom City." Soft and slow spoken as he was, Colt was still as sharp as a tack.

[Dariusprime]

Mona stepped to the side. The team needed all the space they could get in the already crowded C&C. She watched Thrude interact with the team and smiled. Between those moments questioning glances were thrown to Viktor. Seemed she enjoyed Thrude's enthusiasm as well.

"Glad to have you, Thrude. We'll need every axe we can get if he pokes his head up again," she replied in an open moment.

Before saying more, her eyes drifted to Willow. She offered an over-sized handshake to the dryad and said warmly, "Good to meet you as well, Willow."

"What then," she addressed both Thrude and Willow, "What brings you to our humble abode?"

While Willow's question was obviously rhetorical, the same could not be said for Thrude. What would a goddess be doing in Freedom City? As for Jack, Mona just had to rib him a little, if only to congratulate him on his new relationship in her own way.

[April]

"Guardian Willow," the amber eyed woman corrected as she accepted the handshake, giving the paragon a measuring look. Apparently she liked what she saw for her faint smile widened and she surreptitiously glanced at Jack; when she turned her gaze back to Fulcrum her eyebrow rose meaningfully.

"It is a pleasure to meet you all, fellow protectors and friends of Jack of all Blades." the ancient plant controller glanced at Thrude and added, "and you as well, Aesir."

[Dr Archeville]

Archevile threw glances back at Mona, looks which mostly said "I'm not entirely comfortable with this, but I'm rolling with it!"

"Please, Thrude, it is Doktor Archeville," he reminded her once more, "not Lord Archeville. My distant -- distant -- ancestors may have included some nobility, but if I am to be labeled, I prefer it to be by my own accomplishments, not those of my forefathers."

One in particular....

He did a double-take at Willow.

An elf? One of Jack of all Blades' fans, fresh from a fantasy convention? No, no, she must be something special if he has brought her down here. I am sure he will tell us, though at the moment everyone seems focused on my guest. So, exposition!

"So," he clapped his hands sharply, "Thrude here, who appears to be related to a group of otherdimensional beings who may have made contact with ancient Norsemen and were worshiped as gods by those glorified sea-bikers," he said quickly, "has decided to stay here after being released from some pocket dimension prison, and has vowed to atone for the evils her people have done, or the evils done in the name of her people by those monsters who turned my homeland into a veritable Hell." He cleared his throat, forced himself to slow, "and as she has nowhere else to go, and since this team's mandate has shifted to provide a support network for metahumans and superheroes in similar situations-"

Homeless and with PR issues. But the rest of the team has made quite the positive name for itself over the past several months, and I am sure they can help her!

"I thought this would be a good place for her, at least for the short term. Presuming, of course," he spread his arms to the others, "that you all are okay with it!"

[Heritage]

[bg=#000080]_"Grimalkin, Lord Archeville tells me that you hail from the land of the Celts. My travels have rarely taken me as far as Brittannia, and never very deep inside. But my people have long enjoyed an alliance with the Vanir, whom I believe to be cousins of your tribe. They have acquitted themselves well in battle time and time again. Their princess, Freyja, leads the Choosers of The Slain, a sisterhood in which I once counted myself a member. Often have I fought and bled by her side, and a more skilled or ferocious killer you will not find any of the Nine Worlds."_[/bg]

Grim was more than a little bowled but the intense spirit of the young (or more correctly, ageless?) Viking warrior; she scratched her head as she tried to recall bits of Norse folklore she'd encountered in her researches into magic and the supernatural.

"Uh, yeah, hail thee and well met, I guess. Actually my people come from Judea, by way of Russia, Poland and Germany, but this body, the one you seeing now, does indeed come from Avalon, which you might call the land of the elves."

Turning from the blonde valkyrie to her rascal of a teammate and what looked like his 'special new friend', she cocked an eyebrow. "And speaking of the pointy-eared folk, what have we here? A lovely sylvan creature wearing Jack's clothes." She nodded enthusiastically. "Can I just say it's about frickin' time? Jeez Louise! Nice to meet you, Guardian Willow."

"I thought this would be a good place for her, at least for the short term. Presuming, of course," he spread his arms to the others, "that you all are okay with it!"

At the mention of this statement, Lynn looked a little flustered as her eyes flickered over to her fiance. "I don't have a problem with that at all, but my opinion might not have as much weight anymore, because, well-" And here she sidled over to Colt and entwined her fingers with those of his left hand. "Colt...Billy and I have been talking and, uh, we're thinking we might..withdraw from active duty after the wedding." She looked up into his eyes with a mixture of excitement, hope and uncertainty. "Indefinitely."

[quotemyname]

Colt smiled as he looked down into his Fey companions eyes. He gave her a reassuring nod before looking back up at Dr. Archeville and the rest. His smile stayed, but it was a somber one. "Well, I reckon'a never like bein' th'bearer'a bad news, but Grim's got th'right'a it, y'all."

Colt squeezed Grim's hand before he continued. Grim knew this was difficult for him. Colt had already had to leave one family behind when he entered this world in the first place. Now he was about to do it again as he moved to the next stage of his life. "I reckon I ain't able't say't better'n Doc jus' did. This here team's changed from what't was't th'start. Frankly, I like't. We still go'n git th'bad guys! But when we're off duty, like Doc says, we provide support fer heroes that're down'n their luck'n got no other place't go." He looked down into Grim's eyes as he continued and she could see his own glisten slightly, "Well, I don't know 'bout th'rest'a y'all, but I'd sure's hell say't I've found my place'n this world. An'I reckon it's with Gr...It's with Lynn. Y'all'll agree, team's only got so many spots't go round. It's done all't can fer Lynn'n I, and we're very thankful fer't. It's high time we moved on'n let't do th'same fer someone else."

"We ain't gon' be strangers though." Colt looked back up at the rest of the team, "Y'all c'n be sure I'll still be here fer poker night'n all them barbeques I love cookin' at. This here's been some'a th'best years'a m'life. I sure's hell ain't look'n't burn any bridges. It's jsut't... Well... Y'all know... It's time."

[N/A]

"Naw Doc, what do we owe th'visit ta? Ya ain't exactly in th'habbit'a bringin' all'a yer new friends home, so'ta speak." He turned his gaze on Thrude, addressing her directly, "Unless'a course when ya said, y'all were gon' 'join our fight', ya weren't just talkin' bout bein'a hero'a Freedom City."

The goddess nodded to Colt. [bg=#000080]_"On behalf of whoever your mysterious patron is who lays claim to this fiefdom, yes, Lord Archeville kindly offered me hospitality here, in exchange for my service in the defense of this city and this realm. Starvation, exposure to the elements, these are petty mortal concerns which could never lay low such divine might as my own! But they can still cause me...discomfort. I enjoy a bed of feathers as much as any man of Midgard, and a steady supply of meat and mead will save me the trouble of hunting and brewing it myself, affording me more time and energy to crush the forces of Evil wherever they appear!"_[/bg] Thrude's fist shot into the air again. No bolts of lightning appeared, but another series of thunderclaps rumbled from outside and the temperature in the room dropped another 5-10 degrees inside of a second. Even below ground, the Interceptors could hear raindrops tapping against the exterior of the Brownstone as a fierce wind rattled the windows.

[N/A]

The electrical surges the Daughter of Storms had released into the air swirled on a downward funnel to his outstretched finger, sparks linking into delicate lines of lightning and twining together until he held a razor thin rapier of crackling electricity solidified in his grasp, arcs of power folding over his knuckles into an ornate handguard. "I do my own forging."

Thrude gazed open-mouthed at the lightning-sword for a moment. Then her head snapped backward and she raised an eyebrow at Jack. [bg=#000080]_"Remarkable...but I don't understand. Why make the sword so...small?"_[/bg]

[willow]"It is a pleasure to meet you all, fellow protectors and friends of Jack of all Blades." the ancient plant controller glanced at Thrude and added, "and you as well, Aesir."

[bg=#000080]_"Another elf! Well-met, Sister-Comrade. One I'm afraid I don't recognize. Are you descended from the Faerie Courts of Avalon as well? Or a Vanir, born since my imprisonment at the hands of The Traitor?"_[/bg] At her own mention of his name, Thrude's face contorted into a grimace of rage. Her pale skin went flush, and her one remaining good eye visibly twitched.

[N/A]

"Please, Thrude, it is Doktor Archeville," he reminded her once more, "not Lord Archeville. My distant -- distant -- ancestors may have included some nobility, but if I am to be labeled, I prefer it to be by my own accomplishments, not those of my forefathers."

Thrude turned back to Viktor and raised an open hand, signaling him to stop. [bg=#000080]_"Hold. You possess all of that land, all those servants and soldiers, yet the local chieften grants you no title? No fealty? Is 'ArcheTech' just a very successful mercenary company then?"_[/bg]

"So," he clapped his hands sharply, "Thrude here, who appears to be related to a group of otherdimensional beings who may have made contact with ancient Norsemen and were worshiped as gods by those glorified sea-bikers," he said quickly...

Thrude muttered to no one in particular, her eyes glazing over at Archeville's speech. [bg=#000080]_"I didn't quite understand all that, but it seemed like a very long-winded way of telling them I'm a goddess. Some new formal lexicon to go with this modern dialect, I suppose."_[/bg]

[Gizmo]

"Ha! What can I say, some of us don't feel the need to compensate," Jack laughed in his rich, melodic baritone as he let the electricity dissipate harmlessly into the air once Thrude had had a chance to get a good look at it. "I'm a precision fighter. I get in very, very close, make a thorough examination and hit the right spot over and over." He exchanged an innocent look with Willow while she was speaking with Fulcrum, his beatific expression only breaking into a broad grin when Grim raised an eyebrow in his direction. "Well hey, I-- what d'you mean it's about time?" he balked, crossing his arms across his chest.

Before he could argue the point, the unlikely couple of technical fae and interdimensional cowboy dropped their news. Jack gaped for a moment, taken legitimately off-guard for the first time that afternoon. "I... what?" He turned to Archeville with a quizzical look. "Did you know about this?"

[Dr Archeville]

If Archeville'd had a drink in hand, he would be doing a spit-take about now. "No, ArcheTech is definitely not a mercenary company. And you have only seen the surface of my holdings," he corrected.

I have not even shown you my castle! Or my super-submarine! Or my satellite!

"But, no, ArcheTech is driven not by a greed for profit, but by the yearning to discover and improve upon the world, using science to uncover how the world works and technology to make it work better. And Doktor is a title," he nodded, "one conferred upon me by a group of learned men and women, earned after years of hard study, not given by some noble, royal, or-"

What, what did Billy and Lynn say?!

For once, Archeville was as surprised as everyone else in the room. "I had no idea!," he replied to Erik, an equally quizzical look on his face, then turned back to Colt & Grim, "are you certain this is what you want to do? Where will you go? What will you do?"

[quotemyname]

Colt nodded slowly in response to Dr. Archeville's question. "Well, I reckon th'nouncement should'a come wit'a bit'an apology too," He said to both Jack and Doc. "We didn't want't go 'round sayin' nothin' 'til we were sure, Doc."

Colt gave the group a wan smile. It was pretty clear that hanging up his guns, so to speak, might not be his first choice of action, but the resolution on his face told them that he wouldn't have made the choice at all if he even suspected it wasn't the right choice. "As fer where we'll go'n stay?" He shook his head, "Not far, that's fer sure. That there book store't Grim's uncle left'er's got some room 'bove't. We're thinkin'a makin'a place outta that. 'Jus runnin' th' book store fer'a spell. Jus' th'two'a us." He looked down at where Grim was standing, and squeezed her hand again. His smile was a peaceful one.

Evry'one's a'ways countin' on me fer things. Ain't wrong't I'd want somethin' I c'n count on fer maself, is't? I reckon a nice quiet life'd do me some good.

[April]

Willow shook her head at Thrude, stepping to the side and lowering her voice so she'd not interrupt the others though she blushed lightly at Jack's words when she caught his glance out of the corner of her eye. "No, Thrude, I am no Elf," the dryad said with a shake of her head. "Nor Vanir. There have existed as many names for us as there are tribes of Man and though the Atlanteans knew us as Guardians, my sisters and I had no name for ourselves. It was the Olympians who subjugated and named us; to them I was a nymph of the woods. A dryad."

[Dariusprime]

"Guardian Willow," she replied to the dryad's correction and filed away her look. Something interesting about that one.

Fulcrum nodded once Viktor's body language registered with her. She nodded slightly and replied to Thrude, "You're more than welcome to join the Interceptors. I certainly do not have a problem. I...," she began. Until hearing Lynn drop the bomb.

Her jaw dropped in stunned shock. In that regard she blended with the other Interceptors beautifully. She stood there agape listening to the two explain their reasoning and future plans. To be honest, two schools of thought kept her conflicted. On the one hand, Lynn and Billy deserved the life they wanted together. On the other hand, losing them felt like losing members of her family, even if they were only moments away!

"I don't know what to say. Congratulations for starters. If that's what you both want to do, then more power to you. The quiet life certainly has its appeal," she replied warmly. "Well, don't be strangers around here that's for sure. I suspect we'll leave your codes on file. I'll have to visit the bookstore too."

She resisted the urge to bear hug Lynn and smiled. "I'm going to miss you two."

Oh, and she stifled a laugh at Thrude's weapon measuring and Jack's response. Patted the swordsman on the back.

[Gizmo]

Jolting a bit as Fulcrum patted him on the back, Jack straightened and rubbed the back of his neck. "Dios. Well, I mean... yeah, okay. I guess if that makes sense for you guys, there you go. If anybody's going to make settling down work..." Shaking his head slowly, the fencer managed a rueful half-smile. "Jeez, last man standing, huh..." Taking his hand from the back of his neck to rub the light stubble along his jawline, he nodded. "I should give mi hermanita a shout, get her over here for this, then."

[Heritage]

Lynn laughed nervously at the various reactions of her teammates, and to be honest she felt more than a few twinges of guilt; this was her family, wasn't it? Is it wrong to want to forge a path of your own? She twisted her fingers as she spoke.

"Am I one hundred percent certain? Actually, I'd be lying if I said I was; it feels right, in here-" She held both hands to her chest, then rested them against her tummy. "But down here, I'm all in knots. I think...I think it's important to say this is not good-bye, not by a long shot. We're just gonna be a few streets over, at least we will be after a whirlwind tour of the world. I really want to see Jerusalem, and Rome and Paris and London and whole lot of other places, but Freedom will always be my home, and you guys will always be my family."

The waterworks began in earnest now, and as she wiped away the tears her smile struggled a bit, but was never gone.

"I'm going to miss you two."

"Oh, I'm gonna miss you, too, Mo!" The tiny changeling leaped up to give her a ferocious bear hug. "I'm gonna miss seeing you at breakfast every morning, but we can always go out for brunch, right?" Lynn gave her a quick sisterly peck on cheek but still held on, not wanting to let go of her big sis just yet.

"I should give mi hermanita a shout, get her over here for this, then."

The shapeshifter looked over her shoulder at Erik, a wry grin on her tear-streaked face. "Yeah, tell her to get her ass over here, it's important."

[N/A]

Thrude cocked her head to the side, studying Colt and Grimalkin for a moment. "Surely, you jest?" She paused for confirmation, and when there was none offered, she guffawed. "Nay? Hah! I happen to fall into your mysterious benefactor's service just as two of this city's mightiest defenders retire to the birthing-bed?! This was no mere coincidence! 'Twas Fate brought me back to Midgard, at this time, in this place. Clearly, you are a wise seer, Viktor Archeville of Germania! You saw the omens, and you followed them right to the Winter-Wulf!"

[Dr Archeville]

"I- that is, they- when you-" Archeville stammered back at Thrude. Doktor Archeville at a loss for words: this was a rare sight indeed!

Stop, rewind, replay.

This is not completely unforeseen: Billy and Lynn have been growing closer, planning to marry, even, and it is natural that they would want to move on and start a new chapter in their lives, on their own terms, away from the 'family' of the Interceptors.

'Family'... would that make me a pseudo-parental figure? Wowzers!

He cleared his throat, and looked to the two soon-to-be-newlyweds, and patted them both on the shoulder, "well, if you ever need a tour guide for Europe, just give me a ring! Why, give me a ring for anything, in fact!"

'Knots' in her tummy... or a baby? Wait, can she even get pregnant?! Given what I know of her abilities, if she thought she could, she might just could!

Letting go of the two, he glanced over at Willow. "A dryad, eh? I met a Dryad once; got me in quite a bit of trouble. You, though," he extended a hand and flashed a welcoming smile, "seem far, far more pleasant."

[April]

"I was not always such; pleasant that is." Willow said offhandedly and smiled, clasping the Doktor's hand. "My siblings and I were once ... rather harsh judges of humanity." The immortal cast a quick glance at Jack and the smile became softer. "But lately I find myself warming to your kind."

"Speaking of my sisters, I would recognize their work as surely as they would recognize my own. I have not seen or heard from them in quite some time; I have not noticed their hand in this city when the world was invaded from Outside nearly twenty years ago, nor have I seen it since."

[Heritage]

"Surely, you jest?" She paused for confirmation, and when there was none offered, she guffawed. "Nay? Hah! I happen to fall into your mysterious benefactor's service just as two of this city's mightiest defenders retire to the birthing-bed?! This was no mere coincidence! 'Twas Fate brought me back to Midgard, at this time, in this place. Clearly, you are a wise seer, Viktor Archeville of Germania! You saw the omens, and you followed them right to the Winter-Wulf!"

The tips of Lynn's ears went a bit pink as she cleared her throat. "Ah yes, the 'birthing-bed'; we'll have to get back to you on how that all, y'know, works out." Then she shrugs. "And who knows, you might be right about the 'not a coincidence' part; celestial entities work in mysterious ways." She extended her small hand in friendship. "I welcome you to our fellowship, Thrude; I may be an outgoing member with a lot on her plate, what with wedding and all, but anything I can do to help out, let me know." She laughed. "Heck, you can even come to the wedding, if you like; I invited all the Interceptors, so it wouldn't be right to exclude a team member just because you're new."

He cleared his throat, and looked to the two soon-to-be-newlyweds, and patted them both on the shoulder, "well, if you ever need a tour guide for Europe, just give me a ring! Why, give me a ring for anything, in fact!"

The shapeshifter smiled and gratefully took the good doctor's hand. "Oh, you can count on that, Dok; we'll try to keep the panicky phone calls to a minimum."

"But lately I find myself warming to your kind."

Lynn nodded and sighed. "Oh yeah, humans are definitely worth it." She looked up at Billy and smiled. "Take it from someone else with her feet in two different worlds."

[quotemyname]

Thrude cocked her head to the side, studying Colt and Grimalkin for a moment. "Surely, you jest?" She paused for confirmation, and when there was none offered, she guffawed. "Nay? Hah! I happen to fall into your mysterious benefactor's service just as two of this city's mightiest defenders retire to the birthing-bed?! This was no mere coincidence! 'Twas Fate brought me back to Midgard, at this time, in this place. Clearly, you are a wise seer, Viktor Archeville of Germania! You saw the omens, and you followed them right to the Winter-Wulf!"

"I reckon't weren't t'long ago't I came from'a dif'rent world neither. It's'a strange feelin't first but..." He looked down at Grim and smiled, "Well, y'all're gon' like't here. I sure do."

The shapeshifter smiled and gratefully took the good doctor's hand. "Oh, you can count on that, Dok; we'll try to keep the panicky phone calls to a minimum."

"'An pictures! Y'all c'n be sure't get'a lotta those. They got some great new camera's these days'n well," Colt raised his hands before his face and pantomimed snapping a picture, "Y'all know me. Reckon I gotta be shootin' somethin'."

Lynn nodded and sighed. "Oh yeah, humans are definitely worth it." She looked up at Billy and smiled. "Take it from someone else with her feet in two different worlds."

To this, Colt had no response other than to offer another smile, and squeeze his bride-to-be a little tighter.

[Geez3r]

It was about this time that Dynamo descended the steps of the C&C in full costume, toweling off his rather wet looking hair. He stopped about halfway down the stairs when he realized that not only was he not alone, there were quite a few people there he didn't know, and it looked like they were all in a rather involved conversation. He held up his finger to signify that they should give him a minute. He turned on the speed and made his way over to a console and monitor. He accessed the security camera footage for this main area and rewound it several minutes prior. He then watched it in fast forward judging by the squeaky voices.

"Right." says Dynamo as he claps his hands together. "So in order...." He strode over to Thrude and gave her the same forearm handshake she had demonstrated earlier. "Well met Thrude. I am called Dynamo. For Dr. Archeville to invite you here without first informing us, you must have made an incredible impression on him. And as such, you have impressed me as well. I look forward to joining you on the field of battle!" He finished with a bit of borrowed bombast.

Turning his attention to Willow, he shook her hand in the normal fashion. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance Willow." he said rather straight faced, but he snuck in a very wry smirk when he caught Erik's eye. That was a radical improvement, the old Eli might have gone for a high five.

And then there was Grim and Colt. He eyed them both for a minute before dragging them unceremoniously into a bear hug. "Ok now listen up, Uncle Dynamo's gonna give you some knowledge. Getting married? It changes your perspectives on things. Things are going to change, and you may not always know where you're going, or even if you want to get there, but the journey is the best you're ever going to take. Do what you got to do to be happy. You've earned it. We'll hold down the fort for ya, we promise. And I'm going to have to stop now or I'm going to start crying."

[Gizmo]

Having stepped upstairs for a brief phone call, Jack returned behind Dynamo, watching in bemusement as the speedster got himself caught up on the conversation in record time. He looked considerably more composed having taken a moment, but he seemed to be having a little difficulty looking directly at Grim or Colt. "For context, ladies," the swashbuckler told their guests, "Zip used to be the youngest one here until he spent a few years in the far flung future before popping back right when he left." He gave his much changed friend a broad smirk. "Which makes mature, insightful Dynamo really, really weird to hear."