Ordinary Time (IC, Solo)

[KnightDisciple]

September 30, 2011

Southside, Freedom City USA

It had been 3 days since the Gorgon left the Sol System. In that time, Freedom City, and the rest of the world, were slowly moving back to a state that somewhat resembled normalcy. Or at least the new normal; there had been fear, death, and destruction spread across the globe, and things would likely never be quite the same again. And while Southside hadn't been hit too badly by the attacks of the Gorgon, or the natural disasters caused by the being's presence, it had felt the consequences of frightened and opportunistic human beings.

So it was that the hero Gabriel was on patrol today, his civilian job still having a day off as everyone recovered from thinking the world was ending. The major crime had died off, many of the fearful rioters going home as soon as the Gorgon disappeared. At this point, he figured there were one or two stray looters/robbers, and a couple of the local gangs that had swollen their ranks a bit and were feeling brave.

'Oh look, there's a group of numbskulls now.'

He was perhaps more irritable than he ought to be for his work, but frankly it was wearing on him, dealing with these folks. He'd barely gotten any sleep since the incident with the demon-led mob. And that was...3 days ago. He shook his head and blurred through the air to land in front of the gang. His coat gently flapped in the breeze, his armor gleamed, and the light shone off his spear just so. When he spoke, it was a calm, almost friendly voice.

"How about you kids run home and think about other ways to spend your time."

"Screw you!"

One of the gang members pulled a pistol and fired right at Gabriel's center mass. The projectile *spanged* harmlessly off of the heavenly metal. The hero himself frowned.

"Hm. Hard way it is, then."

He took a deep breath, then gave a guttural roar that blasted the whole gang off their feet and into unconsciousness. As soon as he was done, he sagged a bit, the spear helping keep him upright. He watched the young men, but they were all so out of it there was no danger. A few moments later, the owner of the shop behind him jogged out.

"I've already called the police, Gabriel. Are you-"

"I'm fine, I just need to-"

"Rest for a bit. I'll make sure he gets on his way. UNISON help and all that."

Lieutenant Sonya Sokalova of UNISON strode up, a bag of medical supplies over one shoulder. The shopkeeper gave her a slightly odd look, but nodded and moved to stand next to the unconscious gang members as he talked with the authorities over the phone. Gabriel just raised an eyebrow at her appearance out of nowhere.

"I've been helping with various minor wounds around here, from the unrest and so forth. At least you kept your not-Yankee self from getting hurt this time. That said, perhaps we could move elsewhere to speak for a moment?"

Almost before she was done speaking, they were on a nearby rooftop, and Gabriel was sitting down on a convenient piece of stonework near the middle. His spear simply vanished before he pushed his hood back and pulled off his helmet. The mask covering everything but his eyes and mouth stayed, though. He gave a wry grin to the woman.

"We keep running into each other."

"I looked for you this time, oh shiny one. I figured you'd be in this condition. I can't do a whole lot, but I can at least clear your head. You're not the only hero down here in Southside, but you're certainly one of the most well-known and obviously powerful ones. It seems like a good idea to make sure you don't work yourself to death."

"What, are you my nursemaid now?"

'No, bad Carson! No images of nurse outfits! Bad boy!'

"I'm a medic from UNISION, Gabriel. It's my job to make sure heroes like you stay alive. So as a licensed medic, and a doctor to boot, I'm ordering you to go home, wherever that is, and rest."

"Hn. I actually was about done with things anyway. Glad to get a doctor's advice though. Hey, that's cold!"

Sonya had laid her left hand on top of Gabriel's head and channeled a bit of energy into it; at his response, she just smiled.

"I'm easing your symptoms of fatigue. Like I said, take it easy for a day or two. Doctor's orders."

"Uh...Yes, ma'am. I'll drop you off back at the College where your outpost still is."

And in the blink of an eye, she was standing on the lawn there, and Gabriel was out of sight. But perhaps not totally out of mind...

-----------------------------------------------------------

Back at his apartment, Carson sighed and stowed his costume, before heading into his bedroom to take a quick, cold shower. He was still bone-deep tired, and needed some rest.

"Women."

He couldn't fight the slight smile on his face, though...

[KnightDisciple]

October 7, 2011

Freedom College, Southside, Freedom City USA

It had been a rather trying week for the staff at Freedom College. While classes had been cancelled for 4 of the 5 days of the previous week, this week had been "business as usual". Or at least, that's what the administration was trying to do. Considering the still-agitated nature of the student body, Carson Keefe wasn't totally sure it was working. Every day he'd do his level best to keep his students in line without resorting to the higher levels of his supernatural people skills (out of a sense of professional ethics). And every day he'd been tempted to pull out his hair, shout his students deaf, then sweet-talk them all into model citizens after their ears were healed by the local UNISON outpost. The one that was just now packing up. That was a good bit of news for the college, as it meant things could (hopefully) go back to being totally normal. there.

It was bad news for a suddenly shy theater professor trying to figure out a way to talk to a beautiful UNISON medic that he'd only met in his costumed identity.

'Why is she sticking in my mind like this? Something about her...it's almost like that idea of a "kindred spirit"...'

Ironically, for a man who could casually fly at enormous speeds, and sometimes hear for miles around him, he didn't see the collision that was about to happen. Instead, he ran directly into the back of one Lieutenant Sonya Sokalova, UNISON Medic. She had been standing on the sidewalk, distractedly looking around the campus as if lost, when Carson walked into her, eyes still looking up at the sky (for just a moment, he'd thought!). The two barely caught their balance, though Carson cheated just a tiny bit. After a moment of recovering themselves, Carson spoke first. Some back part of his brain made sure his Irish accent was easily noticeable.

"I'm so sorry about that, miss! I should have watched where I was going! Again, I'm sorry Miss...Sokolova?"

He feigned glancing at her nametag. She gave him a tired smile as she spoke, stronger hints of her Russian accent peaking through.

"Yes. Lieutentan Sonya Sokolova, UNISON. We're actually leaving, but I was trying to find a good coffee shop first. I saw a few outside the campus proper, but somehow I've gotten turned around. Must be the trees. And you are...?"

Gabriel flushed, then gave a grin. He took a step back and gave a dramatic bow.

"Miss Sokolova, I am Carson Finbar Keefe. Irishman and master of theater, teacher and molder of young minds, and occasionally pretty handy with a flute, trumpet, or bit of song."

Sonya laughed as he straightened out of the bow.

"I am off duty, so please call me Sonya."

"Only if you call me Carson. I'll seal the deal by showing you the best coffeehouse nearby, but only if you promise to allow me to share a table!"

"Why Carson, I think I shall agree to that."

The two began walking, Carson taking the lead just a bit so they reached their destination without too much wandering.

'Well. There it is. Thank you, Lord...'

He couldn't help but smile as they chatted and walked, a few of the students who knew him in passing stopping to raise an eyebrow at their theater teacher apparently about to go on a date with a woman from UNISON.

"So tell me, what's it like being a theater teacher here?"

"There is an American saying I've found to be a good analogy. "Herding cats". That's not to say it isn't rewarding, mind you..."

And so a single step was taken in a journey.

[KnightDisciple]

October 14, 2011

Cafe, Southside, Freedom City

Sonya was shaking her head and fighting a laugh as she sipped at her drink, the plate in front of her mostly empty.

"I can hardly believe you convinced me to help grade those students! Some were good, but others...how do you deal with it?"

"Well, yeah, some of them weren't trying, sure. But some of the "bad" ones actually are; they're doing better than just a couple weeks ago. They just have a long way to go still."

"Still. To deal with such things as this, you must have the patience of a saint!"

"It can be trying, yes. But it's worth it whenever I see a student's joy after a performance where they gave it their best. Or when I talk with a student about his classes, problems, life, whatever. Really, to me, it's all helping them. Just sometimes in different ways. Theater helps a lot of people find a constructive outlet for frustrations. My job is to help them keep the outlet constructive, and perhaps gently guide how they express things.

No, the biggest hassle is the university. The dean has to run interference for me a lot, because I give so few grades out, and there's no 'science' to it. Which should be pretty obvious; acting's about style and method, not fact memorization. But boy, colleges love them some standardized testing."

"Truly a formidable battle."

"Are you making fun of me?"

"Why would I ever do that, oh pale Irish actor?"

"Yeah yeah, just because I can't tan worth a darn..."

They both laughed, and their conversations continued for a fair bit still.

Neither consciously noticed when their hands ended up holding each other, but they blushed and apologized when it finally sank in. Not that either of them actually disliked the experience....

[KnightDisciple]

October 21, 2011

Restaurant, Bayview, Freedom City

Carson had taken the slightly bold step of asking Sonya out on a genuine date, one at a decent restaurant at the edges of the Bayview area. They'd dressed up a bit, Carson wearing a nice shirt, sport jacket, and pants, and Sonya wearing colorful blouse and dress pants. It was a nice, fairly low-key Italian place. One-of-a-kind, at least here in the city. The lighting was just right, the food was delicious, and the musicians were spot-on. Plus, he was having a great evening of conversation with a beautiful, intelligent woman.

'Blessed indeed...'

Truth be told, this whole thing still had him nervous. He'd been serious with a woman once before. Serious enough to buy a ring, a ring he still had locked in a safe deposit box back in Ireland. So to be here now, taking this small, tentative step, he still felt very unsure in many ways. Yet for all that, he knew he couldn't let himself be timid...

"Carson? Hello?"

"Sorry, was just thinking over what go me here."

"You're rather cute when you flatter unintentionally. Are you alright, though? You seemed a bit..."

"Nervous? Distracted? I'm really sorry. It's just...well, I'll be honest, it's been a while since I dated. Just kind of the path God set me on."

"Do you regret it?"

"Not really. I mean...I'm here now, aren't I? Seems like regret would be silly now. I'm just trying to make sure I don't bungle things."

"I'll take that as a compliment as well."

They both spent a few moments in silence, working at their food. Finally, Sonya spoke up again.

"I don't think I ever asked you about this. What do you think of superheros?"

'Irony, thy name is Sokolova.'

Mr. Keefe finished chewing his current bite and sat back, his gaze unfocused a bit as he slipped into "philosophy mode" (as Sonya had called it last week).

"Hm. In short, they're good for us.

More eloquently, putting aside the fact that they often prevent untold amounts of death and destruction, they give use examples of the best of our nature. They're not perfect, as at some level they're still human...but they show us we can make a positive difference. I wouldn't say they're necessarily saints, but they do stand out as examples of how to use power responsibly.

Conversely, their counterparts serve to show what power unchecked and irresponsible can do, at least on a large scale.

In either case, my hope would be people could apply such wisdom to the smaller scale. Heroes are as important for inspiration as they are literal crime-fighting."

"Interesting. That's not really different from my perspective, but I felt I had to ask. We are in Freedom City, after all."

"Indeed. The "city of heroes" and all that..."

[KnightDisciple]

October 31, 2011

Pyramid Plaza, Freedom City

In a slight twist of things, Sonya had initiated an invite to Carson (before now, she had been content to let him have some initiative) to come with her to the UNISON staff Halloween party. At first he was unsure, but he'd gotten no word from any source that there was a major event upcoming. Even if there had been, he could always slip out and change as needed. So he accepted the offer; it offered a nice change from just going out to eat and talk (not that either of them hated the idea), and a chance to meet some of Sonya's work friends. She'd already met the harebrained folks he worked with, so it seemed a fair trade. Even better, it was a chance to engage in some ironic costuming on his part, and perhaps see Sonya in a flattering costume as well. He hadn't been disappointed on either count.

When the new couple (after their third date, they'd agreed it was an "official relationship", as corny as it may have sounded to some) walked into the room, heads turned.

Some were looking at Sonya, wearing the classic Lady Liberty costume that had been seen in the days of World War 2. She wore it well, and while there was a bit of a blush on her face, she didn't feel like it was too immodest. She'd had to wear a big coat, though; it had been a bit breezy the last few days. Nevertheless, she walked with the sheer confidence befitting the Spirit of Liberty, smiling and waving at some of her friends and the companions they'd brought.

But perhaps more heads turned, and a few people actually stepped back, as Carson strode confidently into the room. Considering his costume, "stalked" may have been a better word. He'd managed to acquire a very authentic-looking Midnight I costume, looking as it if was straight from the photos from the War. The hat was perched just so, the cape swirled just a bit about him, and his posture was that of a watchful vigilante. The eyes of the mask even had specially treated lenses that looked red, but didn't really dim his vision any. The full-face mask hid the grin that was stretching across his face even as he spoke in a fair approximation of the rough voice many had testified to Midnight having.

"Evening, folks."

He cleared his throat and spoke normally, offering his arm to Sonya.

"Shall we, madam?"

With that, they started mingling in the crowd. Sonya of course wanted to introduce Carson to friends and coworkers, and he obliged, making sure to take a bit for friendly small talk as they "made the rounds". Eventually they got to the food and drink table, and loaded up plates and cups, before hunting down a table. Carson's mask was actually in two pieces, and he simply slid the lower portion down and tucked it in a bit before starting.

"You seem to be enjoying yourself; thank you again for coming. At least now they'll stop bugging me about what you look like and such."

"It's a pleasure, Sonya. You work with good people, too. And this party doesn't seem like it's going to get quite as...insane...as some around town will. Which I like."

Of course, it wasn't long before someone broke out the karaoke machine. Goaded on by his girlfriend's words and elbows, he took the stage right after someone crooned out a love ballad (to a mix of cheers and boos). The tape cued up, and the acting teacher started belting out a rather convincing rendition of "Monster Mash", complete with fake Transylvanian accent. Quite a few people cracked up seeing what should be the stoic Midnight singing a comedy song. When he left the stage, he took a mock bow to a small round of applause before joining Sonya.

"You actually sing quite well."

"Some of it's from hymns in church, some's from performing a few musicals. I like to think I've got pretty good voice control in general."

He gave her a cheeky grin before starting to move his mask back up. The Russian medic stopped him, a smile on her face at his confusion. She leaned in for a moment to give him a quick kiss on the cheek. A smile was on her face (and the face of a couple of her friends who had seen the gesture) as she spoke.

"Now you can put it back, Mr. Not-A-Yankee."

Carson fumbled as he fastened the lower mask back on, trying (and failing) to disguise the blush on his cheeks. He recovered in time to make a formal offering of his hand as slower music began to play.

"Well, Miss UNISON Medic, may I have the pleasure of this dance?"

A nod and a smile, and they were on the floor, keeping time with the music, at least partly thanks to Carson's excellent sense of timing and footwork.

'Usually this helps me avoid getting shot. It's nice to have a more relaxed use for my reflexes...Definitely more pleasant in every way.'

Even the mask couldn't fully hide the huge grin on his face, and his dance partner noticed.

"Is it a joke you are smiling at?"

"No, not a joke. Just...enjoying the moment. Enjoying the blessings in my life."

"You do know how to speak to a woman, Carson."

"I like to think I'm decent with communication. I hope you don't think I'm a joke?"

"Far from it, Mr. Keefe, far from it."

He tensed a bit as she moved a bit closer in the dance, but relaxed after a moment. The two of them had found a good rhythm for the dance, and they wanted to enjoy it. In lives like theirs, peace came all too rarely.