Little Big Trouble (IC)

[Azuth65]

"Indeed it can be," Vicky said, letting the topic go with that. She really, really didn't feel like going into the details of her parents old jobs for the CIA and KGB.

"Credit where credit is due, the forty-five seconds he took on Dooku by himself and seemed to be almost holding his own was pretty good. Of course after that, calling him 'stumpy' would be totally justified if we're looking to mock him to death."

"Actually, in '99, I was five. And living in Chicago," she said with a slight smile, "The news wasn't a big part of my life back then."

"Two years ago, if you told me I'd be sitting in Jersey, watching a woman bend a hunk of metal into a sculpture of Toto and discussing cartoons and movie villains jumping off the screen, I'd have called the men with little white coats. Where did my life make that sharp left into weirdness?" she said with mock seriousness before giving a slight laugh, "Of course, I wouldn't change a second of it."

[Dariusprime]

"Man had more Mommy issues than Norman Bates," added Fulcrum with a chuckle.

"'Stumpy' would be a good start. He'd probably fly off into his little hissy rampages and we'd have to headlock him." She held up a fist for emphasis.

As for Vicky's age in '99, Mona just shook her head. "I was 19. I feel so old," she said with a mock sigh.

"That's the spirit!" Giving Vicky a thumbs up, she continued, "Weirdness is the new normal for super heroes. I wouldn't change it for the world either. The oddness is one of the reasons I put on the cape every day. You never know what you'll see for better or worse."

"Besides, if we're being completely honest here, the metal sculpting and villains are just the icing on the cake of meeting another geek girl." She smiled warmly.

[Azuth65]

"Pretty sure you just put your hand on the top of his head and shove him into the ground, a plus of making Andre the Giant seem vertically challenged eh?"

"Actually, one of my classmates actually made something comparable to a lightsaber," Vicky commented as she stretched, "Cole never got the power supply working right so we never put the toy through it's paces. For all either of us know, all it does is emit a harmless purple beam of light."

"True enough," she smiled just as warmly. "It may have counted as trespassing but before being 'grounded' I used to like teleporting up to the highest roof I could get up to downtown and sketch."

[Dariusprime]

Fulcrum laughed and replied, "If absolutely necessary, I would indeed pile drive him into the floor before he hurt someone. What I'm more worried about is meeting my own Dread Pirate Roberts. Jack-of-All-Blades doesn't count. Sometimes the height does have advantages. You're right."

"Hey, a purple flashlight alone could be amusing. How did he construct it? A large laser I assume? I remember watching a show that speculated you'd need a magnetic plasma chamber." Fulcrum mused as she continuing working.

"Well, you didn't hear it from me, but I'd say don't let the grounding dampen that activity too much. Sketching up there is like being on top of the world. Plus considering how good that one there looks, you do have quite an eye."

Glancing around in mock paranoia, she whispered, "I recommend Champion's or Sentry Statue. They're not the highest by any means, but they both have spectacular views."

[Azuth65]

"What about the Dread Pirate Westley?" Vicky asked, a small smirk playing across her lips.

"It could be fun, true. I tried to pay attention when Cole explained how exactly he did it but after the first fifteen seconds it started sounding like Ancient Etruskan, a full minute in and my eyes started crossing. Super-science just isn't my field. I'll take my B- average in normal science and be happy about it."

"Yes it is, it'd help getting to the really good places if I could go more than a few hundred yards at a time but that's still something I'm working on. I'll have to try out those statues sometime. Maybe next time I get permission from Mr. Summers to run an errand. If I sneak out, I'd rather not think about what further punishments await. Likely more training with Archer..."

[Dariusprime]

Fulcrum gave Vicky a sideways glance and smirked back. "Oh, I wouldn't mind that too much."

"You and me both. Viktor talks up his latest development, and so help me, I have trouble keeping up even with processing much faster than normal," said Mona to the talk of Super Science. "I wonder if Arthur C. Clarke was more right than he imagined. 'Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic' does seem to apply in paradoxical reverse in terms of Super Science. Think about it: if some of those inventions were based on as-yet unknown principles, objective principles, then they should still function in some form without the inventor or operator. Yet in the case of some Super Science devices, they cease functioning, and never seemed to be physically possible in function, unless the operator is concentrating on its use. Which, ironically, from the people I've met, is just a bit too similar to how magic functions to be of coincidence."

Shrugging, she presented her Toto for review. "Don't worry. I ask that question to a lot of people I meet. We both have an advantage, in a way. Neither of us 'use' science or magic in the conscious sense, so we aren't burdened with that weird magic-technology dichotomy."

"I'm honestly not sure if I could stand attending Claremont. From what little I've heard, the place feels more like a boot camp than a school."

[Azuth65]

"Personally, I think I'd rather see Robin of Loxley and Rabbi Tuckman show up, if only because Patrick Stewart as King Richard would be bound to show up."

"To which, I'm so glad I don't need to know how to add dylithium crystals into the flux capacitor to cause the matter/anti-matter reaction needed to induce teleportation, I just sort of do it," the younger girl said, trying to rattle off as much science fiction technobabble from pop-culture as she could recall. "Still, I do need to take some time and get some extra computer lessons in, if nothing else so that I can take of my own anti-virus needs."

"It definitely has it's more boot camp moments. The minute I see the guy from Full Metal Jacket here though, I'm moving back to Chi-Town," she said with a grin. "Still, I've made some good friends here. Wouldn't trade it for the world."

[Dariusprime]

"Oh, I know the feeling about anti-virus needs," replied Fulcrum, pulling out her iPhone. Instead of a protective case, the phone was cradled in a titanium-colored metal case. "Apple is full of themselves as far as security goes. Remember those phone hackers at the News of the World? Someone tried hacking my phone a while back. One of the problems of having a listed number."

"I'm glad you enjoy Claremont. It seems like a really good place for metas. Wish more schools like that one existed. Hell, for all I know, they do exist. I didn't realize it until Summers approached me about mentoring Wander." Checking her messages, she pocketed the phone, "and I grew up in Freedom City."

"Speaking of boot camp, maybe we should try actually lifting a few of these things. You know, like we originally intended." She chuckled and stood up with a stretch.

[Azuth65]

"I've considered the public identity route post-high school, the eyes and hair are pretty distinctive and make for a difficult secret identity. Though if did, I should see if Cole can rig up some sort of hologram projector," Vicky mused. Shaking her head she sighed, shaking her head as she rose to her feet, taking care not to knock over Mona's hand-sculpted Toto.

"It is, mostly. The non-standard class list is a major help. I saw forensic sketching on the list, might not be a bad idea to sign up. Might be handy for the team to have a sketch artist, just in case."

Looking around Wisp spotted a trio of baseball sized spheres each marked with a post-it noting the weight, one thousand pounds each. "You have a point," she said as she started juggling the balls.

[Dariusprime]

Fulcrum joined Wisp in juggling. Her three weights were roughly the same size. Although Fulcrum wasn't anywhere near the juggler. She barely kept them aloft, and had to concentrate at that.

Between near screw ups, she said, "Honestly, avoid it. Makes book keeping simpler, yes, but you're always just a little more anxious about someone attacking people you know. I counter that by cultivating a sense of impending doom among anyone foolish enough to do that though. Depends on your preferences, and the availability of a hologram projector."

Once they picked up a decent rhythm, she tossed Vicky one of the weights. "That could come in really handy. A lot of magical villains and more savvy tech ones will have devices that delete magnetic tapes or destroy cameras and electronics. That class could be the difference between a conviction and a nemesis."

"Picking up some civics coursework or legal procedures would be really helpful. I'm looking into that myself. Sooner or later we'll all probably receive a subpoena for some superheroic action," she added with a chuckle. "Remember The Incredibles?"

[Azuth65]

"Yeah, my parents can take care of themselves but Crow takes his identity pretty seriously," she commented adding the fourth weight and nearly dropping one of them on her foot.

"I'll be honest, I got the idea from watching far, far too many episodes of Bones over the summer. And you're right, given how much of The Dresden Files I've read I can't believe I didn't even think of that," she admitted, almost wishing she could slap herself in the forehead. "I was just thinking since Freedom's city council thankfully hasn't taken their Orwell multivitamins and chased it down with a big bowl of Big Brother Os, we don't have video cameras everywhere, despite nearly everyone having a camera in their cellphone."

Continuing to juggle she smiled, "Great movie, I think that's part of why our hyper-litigious society hasn't brought many lawsuits against people like us. But yeah, some legal knowledge beyond a few dozen episodes of Law & Order couldn't hurt."

[Dariusprime]

"Oh, just give the council time," Fulcrum replied ominously. "Open, democratic societies are notoriously prone to subversion. Just one high-profile screw up or lawsuit is all it takes."

"I mean, people are so willing to trade off freedoms for security. Shocking really. We will have another Mayor Moore, mark my words. 9/11, two wars...I'm surprised the hysteria didn't trickle down to the local level." Spinning one weight like a basketball on her fingertip, she continued, "I'm more worried about our own government than Overshadow, Omega or Hades. They're obvious threats. Falling into a fascist dictatorship...is easier than we think."

"I remember one time, in the late '80s when Moore was still in office, Space magazine interviewed Centurion. They asked him why he continued crime fighting out of Freedom City when doing so was obviously illegal. To paraphrase his response, he said, 'Being a hero is about doing what is right. What is right is not necessarily legal.'"

She chuckled, breaking herself out of the serious undercurrent, "Met the guy once, and he was like a father to me."

[Azuth65]

"Fair point, and now I'm more than a little depressed, thanks," she said with a smirk, the weights still moving almost gracelessly through the air.

"But now I have an idea for a new series when I get back to the drawing board. Plucky young heroes fighting against a robo-fascist and... I think I watched too much of that Sonic the Hedgehog cartoon as a kid," she commented, her face screwing up as she realized how derivative it sounded out loud. "Maybe I should stick to the cowboys and zombies."

"From everything I've seen and heard and read about him, Centurion was the pinnacle of heroism and virtue, I really wish I could have met him."

[Dariusprime]

"Sorry," she said with a smile. "If anything just take my ramblings as a warning to stay ever vigilant. 'When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying the cross,' or so Sinclair Lewis supposedly said.†Adding another to her set, the three weights flew just as gracelessly, but, at least, they were practicing.

"Hey, now, I really liked that cartoon for some reason. Not sure exactly why, but it was all sorts of cool when I was little," she continued, trying to juggle two with one hand. Of course that ended badly. The weight thumped to the ground on top of her boot. She continued juggling the remainder, but with two hands. "The comic series isn't really that bad either. Not compared to the crud coming out of the bigger publishing houses. Which is another reason I'm starting my own company."

"I'd say switch it up a little and you'll be fine. Really original concepts are very rare anymore. How you tell the story is generally more important than the ideas behind it. So long as you aren't ripping off other sources wholesale. Maybe make the villain an Eco-Fascist?" followed by a chuckle.

Fulcrum nodded, "He was a cool guy. A lot, and say that without exaggeration, a lot of heroes your age only know him as some Cool Old Guy. Or maybe even just a Stuffy Role Model, but he was just as awesome in person as in uniform. The main reason I see him as awesome is because he had a conviction to the Good. Whether that meant civil disobedience, fighting a losing battle or turning the other cheek, he held to the Good, not just his personal beliefs. In a way he reminded me of Atticus Finch. Remember To Kill A Mockingbird?"

[Azuth65]

"I hate to drop Goodwin's Law here but isn't that more or less how the jerk with the derpy mustache started his rise to power in Germany. Then again, in a weird round about way, I have him to thank for half of my powers," Vicky grumbled.

"Oh, not saying it wasn't a great series. A pro-environmentalism message that was subtle? It was pretty impressive," she winced as the weight crashed onto Mona's foot. "True enough, the constant massive crossovers are getting old. Were the comic world is forever changed, until the store is quietly retconned out two years later."

"I'll give the idea some time to brew, see what I can come up with."

"Actually, To Kill a Mockingbird hasn't come up yet. But I see where you're coming from."

[Dariusprime]

"True. Nothing like a well-liked, democratically elected dictator," added Fulcrum. Slipping her toes under the weight, she kicked it back up into her hand.

"See that is another problem I have with mainstream comics. Not all of them, mind you, but many of them. They're not innovative, they're imitative. They follow behind the bandwagon of whatever is popular, be it crossovers or whatever. Or worse, a new version of the same franchise. Or third, they blatantly rip off other media with such subtlety that even little kids know it is derivative bunk," she said before adding, "Heh, much like we've been talking about."

"You have a point though. Hell, even now, you can watch it and be completely fooled into the old Evil Empire vs Scrappy Rebellion vein." As for Vicky's response about thinking on the idea? Fulcrum just smiled.

"Not a bad book. A bit too cheeky and self-conscious for me, but worth a read other than in class."

Collecting the weights into her arms, she thought a moment and asked, "You mentioned something about this topic earlier, but what do you think your life would be like without powers?"

[Azuth65]

"And the pointless cameos.  Like that one issue where Jay Leno joined one of the spider themed heroes in beating up ninjas.  Or the time one of the publishers put Obama into a suit of power armor disturbingly similar to Ironclad's."

"Well, without powers I'd likely be back in Chi-town, dodging the bitchier segments of my old school's cheerleader squad.  Before my powers emerged I used to be a prime target for the she-bullies of the school, being the fat girl with bad acne didn't help matters." The look on Vicky's hinted at the harrasement she used to suffer.

[Dariusprime]

"I haven't...seen the one with President Obama. That's sad," she replied, shaking her head. "Although the armor similarity is a bit funny. I haven't had the pleasure of meeting Ironclad, although I've heard good things."

Stacking the weights next to her, she picked one up and launched it high into the air. How high? The foot-diameter weight vanished from normal perception. Calmly standing, hands behind her back, she scanned the sky intently, and said, "Now that is hard to believe. You must have grown out of the awkward phase because I see a confident and very pretty young woman before me."

"Still sounds like a win-win situation overall. Cool powers and less need to dodgy bitchy cheerleaders. If it's any consolation, I was bullied too."

The weight remained unsighted.

[Azuth65]

"I've only met her the one time, back in Tian. She was, for lack of a better term, sorted into my weight class. Crow, Myr, and I ended up eating most of our meals with her and Cannonade. The latter, good guy too. I've 'worked' with him a few more times."

Vicky managed, just barely to keep the spheres moving as she watched Fulcrum send hers flying. "Well, the weight melted off once my powers emerged. The confidence took a while longer to cultivate," Vicky said, a slight bit of color raising in her face at the other hero's comment.

"Very much an improvement, still have some stuck up bitches even in Claremont but nothing like my old school."

[Dariusprime]

"I think I've met Cannonade in passing. In fact I'm sure, but I can't remember where exactly," she replied, still watching the sky. "Seemed like a good guy at my memory too."

Turning her gaze to Vicky, she smiled, "It's true. Plus that sort of confidence is hardier to lose anyway. Looks aren't everything, but a make over can really do wonders. Powers too."

"The difference between Claremont and your old school must be pretty striking. After all your school has students whose abilities are charted in equivalencies of nuclear weapons.That would keep the worst of the lot in check. If they were wise."

"What did you say was the maximum range on your teleportation?" Fulcrum asked, glancing back up at the sky.

[Azuth65]

"Knowing if I go back to Chicago I could shove them in their lockers without much trouble is also a bonus," Vicky said with a wicked smirk.

"Seems most of the student body is that wise. What few instances of trouble between students I've come across have been handled fairly well. There's been unpleasant moments but short of the teenage equivalent of a small nuclear exchange, things go pretty well."

Following Fulcrum's gaze she tried looking for the sphere the more experienced hero had thrown, "My personal best is about nine hundred feet. One thousand if I push it and feel like closing down a buffet when I'm done."

[Dariusprime]

"Sometimes just the fantasy of revenge is sweet enough," added Mona. "Still I'm glad things have gone smoothly. That the school runs so smoothly amazes me every time I think about it."

"So your teleportation is based off your own metabolism? How about your energy blasts?" As she spoke, the sphere descended like the cannon ball after which it was modeled. Cupping her hands, Fulcrum caught it, if not lightly, at least without being driven into the ground. "Maybe we should develop a line of Super Energy Bars for you."

"Want some long-range teleportation practice?" she asked. Thinking a moment, she added, "Whatever you want to do. Heck, if you aren't interested in any of this stuff, we can certainly find something else to kill the time. You don't have to be here."

[Azuth65]

"Yeah. The energy and super-strength I'm pretty sure aren't. Or maybe they burn much more effectively, I dunno. Mysteries like this are what happens when two people's markedly different power sets manifest in their kid," the young woman said with a sigh.

Vicky watched the cannon ball drop into Fulcrum's hands and let out a slight wince, "Damn, that looked like it stung."

At the other woman's comment on energy bars she smiled, "I have a hip flask that I keep a little of my special brew in. It's got a mix of Gatoraid, Monster and protean shake. It is without the foulest tasting drink on the planet but it helped keep me going during the Gorgon crisis."

"What did you have in mind for teleporting practice? It isn't that I'm not having fun but I'm curious what you've got in mind."

[Dariusprime]

"Ha! Just imagine how your kids will turn out," replied Fulcrum as she held up the weight with one hand. "Heroes marrying heroes is pretty common."

"But no, it really didn't. No worse than catching a baseball barehanded. We need to toughen you up. Maybe a heavy bag filled with lead pellets?" Mona asked jokingly.

At the cocktail Wisp choked down for energy, she nodded, "At the very least we can make it taste better. I promise you that. I'm not much of a cook, but my mother could bake that into a cookie with frosting to die for. Still I'm glad you've got a reserve. Would be a real pain to run out of gas at a bad time."

"Well, as far as practice, that depends on what areas you favor. I was thinking of tearing this weight up and launching the pieces in different directions. Catching them would train your timing, distance, speed and reflexes all together. Worth a try?"

"For that matter, how high do you think you could throw this weight?"

[Azuth65]

"Waaay too soon to be considering kids," Vicky said with a bit of exaggerated fear in her voice at the prospect. "But I recall hearing about a couple back in Chicago, Ace and Sapphire Spirit, having a small ceremony where most of the hero community was invited. By all reports, it was pretty awesome."

At Fulcrum's comment on making her mixture taste better the teen nearly hugged the giantess. "Oh sweet baby Jesus thank you! You have no idea how horrible this mix is."

"I think it might be worth a try. As for how far I could chuck one of these weights, let's find out!" she replied, giving a quick look into the clear sky before hurling the ball skyward with a speed comparable Rick Vaughn's fastball.