Marvel Exiles - eXiles IC

[Re'ozul]

Where did all this fog come from. Where am I? Whats that thing with the glowing eyes in the fog? All viable questions that you ask yourselves at your sudden change of scenery.

You are definitely not where you were just moments before. The ground is all mushy for one. The entire scenery looks like a stereotypic spooky marsh from an old B-movie, complete with a large pond right next to where you are.

And then theres the afforementioned thing with glowy eyes, at least you think thats what it is in the first moments as you take in the environment. Once you look closer though, it appears to be a VW Bus.

Then there are the people around you. Some you think you remember from somwhere, maybe. The feeling is tenuous at best and does nothing to alleviate the strangeness of the situation.

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

@ Iron-Girl
Assume you are in the bus right now.

[tbergman92]

Alex took in the situation, her normal calm detachment enough to keep her from being really confused by her surroundings. Well. Whatever this is has to be better than that party. It was really getting boring. She shrugged, and pushed her hair back behind her shoulder.

Looking around, She paid closer attention to the figures around her, taking in their features to catalog--she might have a use for their faces later, after all.
There was a fairly large man, a girl with a darker vibe in her fashion, and another girl in the bus. She took a few steps closer to get a better look, and stopped once she got saw her--the girl in the bus was very attractive to a part of her. She's worth the trip, in more ways than one, even if nothing else exciting happens. She thought to herself

Alex smiled and waved at the girl in the bus, and said aloud, "Hey, there! Any of you guys know where we are, or how we got here?"


Current Appearance. (http://nataliaciobanu.deviantart.com/art/Olesea-347882843)

[Green Bean]

Mary's sudden change in scenery provoked a predictable reaction; in an instant she had a knife in her hand. After a few tense moments, it became clear there wasn't any immediate threat here, wherever 'here' was. She tried to centre herself with some exercises from the hospital. Deep breathing, micromeditation, self-diagnosis. It was possible she was having some kind of delusional breakdown. Her hand went to the pocket where she kept her meds. They were still there, and as far as she could remember she'd been taking them as scheduled. Her thoughts were a little too ordered and self-aware, too. This was reality, or a reasonable facsimile thereof. Now she just had to take it one step at a time.

She put away the knife, and looked around the surrounding area. People, and a Volkswagen for some reason? She approached the two in the van. "I was honestly hoping you could answer that."

[HopeHubris]

No... Everyone...
Butterball slumps to the ground as he arrives, not even noticing the marsh beneath him, he stays like that for a moment before he realises he isn't at Avengers Academy, isn't being held helpless by Hybrid as it kills his friends.
Finally realising he is kneeling in a swamp, he activates his boots and floats up, hovering just above the ground and heads towards the lights, thinking that maybe they could tell him where he is, and how he can get back to the Academy, or at least to some heroes that may be able to stop the beast there.

"I was wondering the same thing, I need to get back, my friends are getting slaughtered."


Current Appearance: https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQqduD8KaWIoIU3MfLRLFjyTV0aYcerB fWAfeJNZPubanwHrchq

Like that, but an inch taller and 20 pounds lighter, also with Rocket Boots.

[Theprettiestorc]

Oh ****. As the warp-drive powers down, Dana rolls the window down, coughing. And...well, rolls all the windows down, and opens the back doors. Letting the steam roll away. "Aw, jeebs...daddy's gonna be cheesed if I ended up in some cheesy cartoon flick..." She looks around, jumping back in the driver's seat. Pulling off her coat, leaving her in a black tank-top, and cargo pants, along with some (formerly) white sneakers. The tank-top is thick, though, and padded - ballistic armor. "Alright...systems, nominal...cripes, didn't check oxygen levels, could've choked and died..." Muttering to herself. "Dark atmosphere...aha!" She flicks on the headlights. "There we go! Doesn't look like anyone's around." Dana goes under the wheel, checking wires. "Didn't fry anything...we're good to drive! WoohACK" *wham!* She slams her head on the steering wheel. Rubbing furiously, as she sits back in the seat. "Son of a biscuit-mangling..."

Woah! Yikes! People! She stares, until one of them addresses her. Two girls...and a big guy. Holy...he'd break the bus if she ran into him. She waggles her fingers sheepishly, putting her head out the window. "Oh! Hi! I may or may not have been screwing with dimensional boundaries. Any and all side effects of being ripped from your home dimensions are not accountable under company policy, or general all-around shenanigans on my part. If it helps, though, I'm really really sorry." Ahem. "Dana Stark, genius inventor and all-around awesome gal. Nice to meetcha!" The reactor in her chest is shining on her chest, above her shirtline, so if there was any doubt to who she's related to...not to mention the red gauntlets she's wearing.

[tbergman92]

"Alex Darkholme. Pleased to meet you as well, Dana." Alex's expression didn't reveal anything, though her eyes had an interested gleam as she walked by Dana, and began to circle around behind the bus.

This dress really isn't appropriate for the occasion...I'll have to do something about that. As Alex made her way behind the bus, and entered the cloud of steam exiting the rear of the vehicle, her clothing and skin seemed to ripple, changing from a cream colored dress into a pair of tight-fitting jeans and a white v-neck shirt. She paused for a moment, looked down at her outfit, and decided that it was more acceptable.

Making her way back to the front of the bus, Alex asked Dana, "So, did you make this?"

[Green Bean]

Mary sticks her hands in her pockets and gave Dana a rather pointed look. "You're the reason we're here? Well, fix it."

[Theprettiestorc]

Dana's V-Dubya is the old model, refinished with a gleaming coat in silver and red. She rubs her neck sheepishly, opening the door and stepping out. "I restored it, yeah. And dimension-hopping isn't an exact science, y'know! There's physics involved, and energy, and all kinds of stuff." Eheheh. "We'd physically have to keep jumping until we found the right universe. And I wouldn't even know the classification of each - since this is relatively new technology." Shrug. "Sooooo...I dunno. I've got snacks if anyone's hungry. I can try to get the generator up and running, but it's gotta cool for a while."

[Re'ozul]

@ Darkholme
Your eyes being able to easily pierce through the fog as if it was not even there, you notice a figure, clad in a brown and shoddily made hooded robe approaching through the bog. It moves at a moderate pace, though you can not see the typical wobble one would attribute to walking on foot.
Almost reflexively, your sense for what may come attempts to gauge the figure by its probable actions ... but fails. While you can clearly see it, there is literally nothing to your precognition.

[tbergman92]

That's interesting... Alex thought as she saw the figure coming towards them, No precog, and it's not really walking. Perhaps I should inform the others.

Alex walked a little closer to the others, careful to keep an eye on the approaching figure, and spoke softly to them. "Hey, guys, there's someone else coming this way." She indicated with her eyes where the person was coming from, and then stepped back again, waiting for the figure to get closer.

[Theprettiestorc]

Dana turns to look, but...doesn't see anything. "I will be right back." She hops back into the V-Dubya, climbing into the back. Alright. Snacks, no...drinks, no...here we go. She pulls out a box, taking the latches and twisting. Unfolding it, and applying it to her chest. The machinery does its thing, expanding across her form and coating her in armor plating. Her suit. She kicks off her shoes before it gets that far, letting the boots form around her feet. The whole thing has a protective, symbiotic inner-coating, disregarding the need for a separate suit - a miracle of medical technology.

And one that enhances her own implants well.

[HopeHubris]

Butterball looks around
"I don't see anyone, have you got some sort of sight powers or something?"

Just in case something does come out of the heavy fog, he gets ready to do a flying charge in its general direction.

[tbergman92]

'You know, it's impolite to ask a lady what her powers are." Alex said coyly. More seriously, she continued. "In answer to your question, though, I do have improved vision of a sort, anyway."

[Re'ozul]

The mist thins as the being advances. Soon it comes into everyone's sight. Whatever it is appears humanoid, at least that is what the cloak implies. Due to the hood and long sleeves nothing specific can be glimpsed. The cloak itself reaches beneath the water's surface as the being glides forward seemingly unimpeded.

The otherwordliness of the situation and his ingrained sense for the protection of others, causes Butterball to take the offense as a means of protection. Gaining speed, he executes a flying open-palm thrust against what might be the sternum of the being.
The attack is far more graceful than one would expect. An efficient usage of speed, power and mass. And it is utterly ineffective.

Butterbal simply flies through the being, but with enough sense to to a swift roll while still in midair and planting his feet about six inches deep into the mud upon contact with it.

Meanwhile the being first slows then stops, turning around halway, its hooded head directed at the indestructible hero.

@ Iron Girl
Your Suit analyses the movements of the cloaked figure. Its conclusion is that there is nothing beneath the cloak that causes the movement, but rather that it is the cloak itself that moves.
Its tracking system on the other hand seems to be on the fritz. It detects effectively nothing aside the being's current position. No waves in the water from its movements, not even air displacement.
Changing to Infrared you can make it out easily though. It is a mess of rapidly changing diffuse hot and cold spots. The diffuse nature most likely due to muting by the cloak's material.

@ Mary
This is nuts. Your attunement to the powers of the mind is going crazy. You get both the feeling of utter nothingness and overwhelming pressure. But for the brief moment that Butterball intersected the being's space it was like basking in the warm glow of a hundred suns.

@ Butterball
Well, this didn't work. At least your training rescued you from belly-flopping into the bog. Now what to try n -OUCH-
Instinctively you had clenched your hand, only to feel a sudden burn. Opening it you can see a small bead of blue light barely half an inch across. You bring it closer to your eyes and only your training and general experience with weird stuff stops your jaws from falling open. Right there in your hand is a tiny blue sun, with tiny solar flares erupting and falling back into it.
A chuckle fills your mind, but it is not yours. Looking up you can see the being 'looking' directly at you.
'A valiant effort, well intentioned, but unnecessary.'

The being's 'head' swivels around to the others. And you can finally hear it speak.

"Welcome, future saviors of the Multiverse."

[HopeHubris]

"It... It hurt me... How in the world did you do that? Nothing can hurt me"
Confused and worried about his apparent vulnerability, it takes a moment for the insubstantial man's words to sink in.

"Wait, what? I couldn't even save my friends, how am I meant to save the Multiverse?"

[Theprettiestorc]

Coming back out of the vehicle, now in her armor, she appraises the being. Watching the hit by Butterball. "...well, groovy." Her voice comes out tinny, from the suit. "What I want to know is who you, specifically, are. You're definitely some form of spacial entity - I'm pretty sure there's a galaxy under that cloak. Multiple. Changing constantly." Something tugs at her mind. "...but the only entity of that scale I know of is Galactus."

[tbergman92]

Savior of the multiverse, huh? Alex mulled it over in her head I like the way that sounds.

Aloud, she asked the cloaked being, "I second that question. Who are you? And just as importantly, where are we, and how did we get here?"

[Green Bean]

When Butterball charged, Mary drew a half-dozen knives from inside her jacket. They hung in the air, floating around her head like a slightly blasphemous old-school halo. But from the way her abilities were screeching warnings at her, and what the inventor girl said, sharp edges would not make a difference. So she just said, in reply to the figure but mostly to herself, "This is going to end badly."

[Re'ozul]

"Nothing quite so brutish, I assure you."

You could swear there is some chuckle buried in that sentence.

"Merely a representation within a construct, embedded in fractal space. Though I have to admit, I like this form. It has a certain flair."

The figure then looks around for a moment.

"Still, this is no place for this meeting. Allow me."

Space flows for a moment as the bog is replaced with a large circular marble area. It is circled by marble pillars but is otherwise featurelss. Beyond the pillars you can still see the fog and it is likely that the bog lies there as well.

"I had intended for you to arrive here, but had underestimated the sofistication of a certain someone's dimensional technology."

[Theprettiestorc]

"It's not that sophisticated. I just calibrated an old portable Arc-Generator to account for a number of particles about, wired it into the Party-Bus..." She stops herself there. "...fractal space. Not sub-space, normal space, or phase-space...we're in a gap." Presumably one where this...thingerbobber controls. Or makes. Or whatnot.

[tbergman92]

Alex stood there, obviously waiting for the being to continue.

[Green Bean]

Mary kept silent as well, but casually tried to get a more detailed read on her surroundings. If they were going to get jumped around like that, it was important that she kept her bearings.

[HopeHubris]

Butterball waits in silence, partially because he is interested in what the man has to say, but mostly trying to figure out if he still has his powers, so he pinches himself a few times.

[Re'ozul]

"Not a gap. More of a malleable-"

In the middle of the sentence, the being stops. As silence starts spanning entire seconds, tension rises, only to come to a breaking point as the being seemingly comes to one as well.

Its cloak breaks in the same manner that glass would, You are about to ask what is happening, as the ground starts shifting its structure. From the edge of the circular area, marble becomes gold and you can see the distant crippled trees in the fog disappear as the area suddenly appears far better illuminated.

A quick look up reveals the reason to be a giant red nova hanging in the sky. Rapidly becoming smaller as it approaches, but not fast enough. In the blink of an eye you are engulfed, but there is no pain that you can feel, or damage done to the surroundings that you can determine.

But a moment later, the light recedes into the direction that the being had stood before this event. Looking towards it, two newcomers are clearly visible as outlines, somewhat hard to make out due to the light emitted by the being. No longer clad in a raggy cloak, the light consolidates into a magnificent set of golden halfplate armor. The last bit of light becoming a fixed sun in the 'forehead' of what you all can now clearly see is a humanoid being appearing to be made of a darkness that holds hundreds of tiny stars and miniature galaxies.

The two new arrivals look around, seeingly confused as the newly reworked entity speaks.

"This is unexpected."

[tbergman92]

Alex took in the spectacle, reacting only as the three figures were clearly in view again. Ah, this could be useful...

So thinking, Alex quickly stored their appearances in her memory--just in case, of course. She lingered for some time, studying the appearance of the being that had brought them here--though unsure if she could properly recreate it, she wanted to have a good image of it, just in case.

"As far as I'm concerned, this whole day is unexpected. she cracked, smiling slightly. "Who are these two, and what happened?"

[Re'ozul]

"I'll leave their introductions to themselves." the now gold-clad figure pronounces.

"As for what has happened. It would appear that another me experienced a critical reality failure."

[Man on Fire]

One of the unexpected guests raised up, trying to clear her suit from any dirt she might have get on it during the fall.
She was tall, and had quite muscular, but still very attractive physique. It was body of a fighter, and so were the ways she stood and moved.
"Unexpected?" She says, looking around, examining everybody. "My day started with some old superhero blowing up the planet, then me meeting brat claiming to be Loki and Thanos him-f***ing-self, then everything blowing up again and me appearing here. Unexpected? That's goddamn Avengers business right here."
She speaks in angry and very cold tone, but quickly calms down. "Okay, lets try this again. Molly Hayes, mayor of Los Angeles. Looking for somebody to explain where I am, how did I got there and how I'll get back home." She then looks at other person who arrived with her, with a clear dissaproval. "And this one claims to be Loki."

[HopeHubris]

"Wait... I've met a Molly Hayes, she was only about 10, and that wasn't very long ago and I could have sworn Loki was a bit older, and a man, what is going on here?"

More confused than ever, Butterball lands on top of the van and sits down while he tries to figure out what is going on

[Re'ozul]

"The answer to your question is simple yet complex. You were all taken from your own worlds at times when you would have left them anyway within seconds, wether that would have been by death or travel, by yourself or by force."

The figure sweeps its hands in an encompassing motion towards you.

"You were to be brought together in order to ascertain your willingness to help the very nature of existence, mostly in relation to humanity due to morphic advantages."

[Theprettiestorc]

Ooo! Dana raises her hand. "...wait a second! Does that mean I'm the only one who actually left willingly? I mean, that's some serious cred right there." She looks back at the VW. "I'm all up for having some fun, really. And there should be enough room for everyone."

[Re'ozul]

"Hence the initial displacement. Your already activated drive caused a deviation within the given system of equations. The same may have happened to me as well, only we were not able to compensate , causing the current last-ditch effort of confluence before complete reality dispersal."

[Raynn]

Loki

Loki Laufeyson glares sideways at 'Mayor' Molly Hayes "This 'BRAT' is indeed Loki! Goddess of Mischief! Oh . . . and yeah I used to . . . have a . . . thing.

Oh and before this little Mayor here casts herself in a super angelic light she insulted me, threatened me and attacked me, UNPROVOKED.

I'm ready to help if people need to be helped, but if everyone is going to be all like 'teenagers are stupid,' 'I could kill you easily,' or 'I'm going to attack you for disagreeing with me' then I'm going to grab the first bus back to Asgard."

Loki raises her nose in Molly's direction.

She notices the VW van and clicks her fingers, with a poof of colored smoke her Asgardian clothing changes to that of gold, black and green hippy garb.

She turns on the balls of her feet from Molly back to the others and smiles again "ANYWAY. Nice to meet you all. I am a girl, and I'm not evil. Who are you guys by the way? This Mayor keeps mentioning the Avengers? Is this actually an Avengers thing? An X-Men thing? Though since that whole Pheonix crisis thing the distinction is hard to pick out really.

Sorry rambling."

She outstretches her hand to anyone who'll take it

"ANYWAY. Loki. Please to meet you."

:smallsmile:

[HopeHubris]

"I'm not an Avenger, but I was at Avenger's Academy before I was pulled here, wherever here is"

Stranger things have happened than a non-evil Loki
Butterball thinks as he shakes Loki's hand
"I'm Butterball, nice to meet you too"

[Theprettiestorc]

"...well. Guess we're going to have to do some Team-Building. That clothing thing is neat, by the way." Dana just waggles metal fingers for now. "Dana Stark, inventor by trade. Where I'm from, Daddy runs the biggest medical and tech-development company in the world. I...guess, thankfully, my world is still standing."

[Raynn]

Loki

Loki blinks, smiles and returns the handshake.

Someone's actually presuming I'm not evil . . . nice change of pace . . .

Taking back her hand gingerly Loki speaks up again with a smirk "Butterball, aye? Where exactly did a codename like that come from?"

Once Dana joins in Loki turns to her "Thanks, I also do parties!

Wait Dana STARK? There's a world where TONY STARK settled down. Will wonders never cease, no offence Dana. I've met your dad at some of my brother's parties, he helped rebuild Asgard, and the designed the Stark Phone and . . .

he really didn't seem to like me. I think old me stepped on his neck once . . . and blew up his place in Malibu . . . there was some other stuff with a porpoise . . .

ANYWAY. That van yours? I presume it's not a normal van?"

[Theprettiestorc]

"Well, yeah...never met my Mom, but he really loved her." Efk. Anyway. She adjusts, and then pulls off her helmet. Showing her face. "Restored it myself, actually. It has a good engine, and there's the warp-drive in the back. There's plenty of room for improvements, though."

[Raynn]

Loki

She blinks again, more stunned than anything else "Your Volkswagen van has . . warp engines?

O_O

"Awesome."

:smallbiggrin:

[HopeHubris]

"Huh, Iron Man's kid? I think he made my boots, or at least they're based on his designs."
Butterball dangles his feet over the edge of the van, showing them off.
"I think I can guess what you do, and I think the Loki in my world used magic. I'm invincible, that's what I do, though somehow this thing that brought us here managed to hurt me still not sure how he did that, and I have rocket boots"
He finishes, giving his boots a brief flare up

[Raynn]

Loki

Loki nods "Magic is indeed my deal. Wow invincible? Are you like super strong and stuff? Like Luke Cage?"

[tbergman92]

"Now, you know a lady never reveals her secrets," Alex said, before laughing as if she'd made a very funny joke. "But I think I could make an exception, just this once. Basically, I use my mind in interesting ways. I got something from my mother--you may know a version of her, Destiny is what she went by in my home universe, or Irene Adler, as those close to her knew her: I can see the future." Alex blushed, "Sometimes, anyway. As you might imagine, it isn't the most consistent power."

Regaining her composure, she continued, "From my other mother, Raven Darkholme--Mystique, for the uninitiated--I gained a very strong, psychic control over the cellular structure of my body. Thus, improved vision, some protection from physical violence, and, shall we say, her more theatrical tendencies." Suddenly, Alex disappeared.

A few moments later, a husky masculine voice spoke from a short distance away, where a man could now be seen walking towards the group. "Then there's me. Where my oh-so-modest sister can use her mental abilities to instantly assimilate any language, I've made use of my extra mental capacity to learn various fighting techniques, to increase my ability to protect us from those who would do us harm." As he approached the group, he walked up to Loki, smiling at her while holding out his hand, apparently to shake hers.

Current Appearance. (http://www.sandtonista.co.za/files/sandtoncity/sandtonista/milan.jpg)
And, I guess a Deception roll may(?) be necessary, since I'm attempting to misdirect to keep them from immediately discovering that the Alex's are the same person.

[Man on Fire]

"If something managed to hurt you, then you aren't invincible." Molly says to Butterball, approaching the rest of this wacky crew. "And I remember you too, seen you at the funeral, with rest of Academy. Dunno if you actually got to that point in your universe." She then turns to Loki. "Hey, brat. Since when trying to drop an anvil on my head like we're in Bugs Bunny cartoon doesn't count as provocation?"
She pauses, then gives eveybody critical look. "You're telling me you all, with one exception died?" She waits for the answer, then looks at being who bought them here with frustration. "Seems not only my world is so full of s**t. So what do you want from us?"

[Raynn]

Loki

Loki begins to reply to Alex when she's cut off "That's actually really inter-"

Once Molly finally finishes Loki groans "Ignoring the fact that an anvil, almost by definition is a joke, you had already insulted and dismissed me at that point, AND I DIDN'T try to drop an anvil on you, I made one, an illusion at that, and held it immobile in the air. I never tried to actually hit you with one. I never dropped one on you. You on the other hand grabbed me by the throat and told me the only reason you hadn't killed me was on a whim!

And I'm pretty sure I didn't get offed before coming here . . . at least I don't remember that . . .

Anyway, he said 'to help the very nature of existence' so in your terms 'Avengers stuff.'

Also stop calling me Brat you preternaturally rude crone."

[Green Bean]

The old Mary Walker always had trouble in social situations. According to her shrink, that was part of the reason Typhoid Mary existed, to use the powerful, cavalier persona as a crutch and shield. The new, unified Mary Walker was still a little shy, but it was part of her outpatient treatment to try a little self-administered exposure therapy. Though come to think of it, she probably wasn't going to make this week's appointment. Sorry, Doctor Steinberg.

She waited for a lull in the conversation, and broke in. Confidence, confidence was the key. "Hey, I'm Mary Walker. I'm a mutant, and for the record, if you've got a problem with that, I can't change it and also you're human garbage. I'm psychic, though less telepathy, more Firestarter. As for getting here, I honestly don't know if I died or not. There was an alien teleportal, and psionics all over the place, anything could've happened."

She'd looked closely at the others, and hadn't recognized any of them, but a name or two rings a bell. "I don't know any of you from my universe, which I guess at least means I can't prejudge you. I sort of remember a Loki, but it was a long time ago. He tricked the Hulk into fighting Thor and a bunch of other heroes, then he got locked up. I do know Tony Stark, but I don't think he has any biological children in my universe. His husband probably wouldn't appreciate it."

[Man on Fire]

"You'll do great in politics. You sound like one of the old bastards from Washinghton already." Molly tells Loki. After Mary's introduction, she turns towards woman. "Don'tworry, I'm a mutant myself. Just tell me you're not from X-Men, I have...bad experiences with that crowd."

Turning back to the being she repeats her question. "What exactly do we have to do?"

[HopeHubris]

"It's the first time I've felt anything, let alone pain since I got my powers, my body is... I think they called it 'immutable', nothing can affect me at all, 'cept mental stuff, that must have been what he did, I can take hits better than anyone else, even Luke Cage, but I don't have his strength, or any strength really, I'm pretty much exactly the same as I was when I got my powers, and I wasn't exactly in the best shape"
Butterball fumbles over the explanation of his powers

[Theprettiestorc]

"Playboy for both sides..." Dana's watching everyone arguing. Or...well, getting on each other's asses. "So we've got a Mayor who can literally beat opponents out of the race, twins who can adapt to the situation, a destructive psychic, a magical teenager, an indestructible man who's still picked last for a soccer game..." Huh. "...that's pretty much an Avengers team right there, I have to admit. Complete with the constant bickering."

[Re'ozul]

Turning towards Molly, the being speaks.

"A simple agreement is all that is needed. You will be sent to worlds and realities at the edge of great changes. To places that will soon in their timelines face a choice or development that could devastate them. You will be my instrument to insure that these developments do not come to pass."

[tbergman92]

Slightly annoyed that the *mayor* had ruined his plan to kiss Loki's hand, Alex was about to speak his mind to her when he decided that it might be better to ignore her, as opposed to further provoking her. In that vein, he gracefully dropped his hand, and took a step back to better see the entire group, smiling ruefully at Loki--seemingly apologizing that their introduction had been cut short.

Turning to Mary, Alex began, "Hey, I'm a mutant as well. Albeit, one that inherited most of his mutations from his mothers."

Smiling at her, attempting to placate some of the apparently sensitive feelings of the group, Alex continued, betraying his philosophical side somewhat. "I don't think it matters where you got your powers from, so much as what you do with them. But that's a discussion for another time."

Trying to come up with a way to calm down the rest of the group's fractured interactions, Alex stopped as he heard the newly armored being speak. Concerned, he spoke up. "A simple agreement? What exactly are we agreeing to?" He'd had too many people try to sell him things to buy into what this guy was saying without making sure there weren't any loopholes. "And what's the catch?"

[Man on Fire]

"And what is in it for us?" Molly asks. "Or it's jsut a "you serve me, you get to live" type of a deal?"

[Raynn]

Loki

Loki grins back at Alex, happy that the others seemed a lot more amiable than the Mayor. Then Molly spoke and said something to cliched and apathetic that it almost made Loki flinch

"What is in it for us? You can't be serious? You don't like the Avengers, X-Men or anyone who 'appears' below the arbitrary 21st century American standard of adulthood, and now you compound it by seemingly caring more about what you get out of saving WHOLE WORLDS of innocent people than actually getting to save BILLIONS OF LIVES!

I get not believing this guy. That I get. If Jafar taught us anything it is that great cosmic power does not a nice guy make, even if it comes with inadequate living space, but effectively asking for payment as the first thing out of your mouth does not a hero make.

Hell, this guy seems to think your one of the six best hopes for whole worlds in the multiverse so I'm sure Iron girl here, or Asgard's treasury for that matter, would be more than happy to cover your 'appearance fee'. I mean it. I will pay you to just try and be helpful if necessary.

Whatever this guy's deal, he brought us all here from disparate universes, which means he could have left us all in empty space or Hell just as easily as here. There's a very limited of spectrum of things that could be the catch here that he couldn't have done to us already or couldn't do without our consent.

I say we give this a try.

I say we go be Heroes."

Loki paused and inhale after her little speech, with an embarrassed smile, worrying about whether she had just sounded like a crazy person in front of Alex and the others.

[Theprettiestorc]

Dana blinks, after all that. And after...kinda pats a buttplate. Hang on. There's a mechanical whir, and a slot opens near her neck. She pulls out an electronic card - looks like a credit card, although it's relatively Stark in design. "For as much good as it'll do in another universe, I tend to keep accounts on hand tied directly to the company itself. I don't suppose your boobs work as a card-reader, Molly? Could pay you right now if they did." She's made up her mind pretty quickly. She likes Loki. And can already tell who the eternal optimist of the group will be.

[tbergman92]

Alex's opinion of the Asgardian girl rose with every word, and as she and Dana finished, he also stepped up to agree with Loki, pausing only briefly to wonder What is she--Oh, okay. as the girl searched for her card to further respond to the mayor's comment.

"I'll admit--I find it hard to just buy into things. But I'm willing to give this a shot." He paused to smile reassuringly at Loki. "You make sense. And anyway, I've never really tried the hero thing before. It's certainly worth a try--especially if it's with you guys. What's the worst that can happen?" He grinned, as if he were making fun of himself.

Alex was always a bit uncomfortable with moments of sincerity, or seriousness--he always had to deflect, with a joke, some cynicism, or even an insult. He did have a bit of a reputation to uphold--or rather, create, considering none of these people knew him very well. I wonder how all this will end? I mean, assuming everyone agrees, this team is going to have an...interesting dynamic, to say the least.

[Raynn]

Loki

They like me! They really like me! Well can stand me for sure . . .

Loki grins as the others support her opinion, she is almost bursting with glee when she finally backs Alex' rhetorical question

"See! What's the worst that could happen?!"

No doubt Molly would immediately reply about how they could all be murdered, or how that is what her dead team mates said but Loki was in a genuinely good mood, Heroes from her own world were often much meaner to her than even Molly, so it wasn't going to burst her bubble.

[Man on Fire]

"Heroes." Molly frowned. "I tell you something about heroes." She looked at Loki, Alex and Dana. "They are self-centered egomaniacs, who care only about themselves. But you idolize them, because you grow up seeing them on tv and reading comics and whateve. And you want to be like them, you dream of it, that one day youre going to be an Avenger, and fight alongside Captain America. And so comes day unlike any others, when you get an offer and you join the team. And Thanos attacks, but you dont care, because you're fighting alongside Captain America and he makes one of those fancy little speeches of his about couage and heroism." She pauses for a moment. "So you gon on a mission. And Thanos kills you. You die saving Captain America's life. And on the funeral, you know who's there? Little girls to whom you were like older brother. And last peer left from you original team. And guy who treated you like a grandson.But not Captain America. He's on a date, didn't even feeling like coming and thans you took the bullet for him." She pauses again, letting it sink in. "I watched it happen all the time. Kids on X-Men school getting slaughtered and gown ups too busy fighting between themselves to give a damn. Wolverine didn't even had decency to show sober on the funeral of his own daughter. At least he came, Hulk's daughter didn't got even that." Another pause. "I dedicated my life to making it stop, trying to turn world into a place where children won't be killed and the very people who made them fighting and die don't give two inches of dead dog's ****. And when I think I'm getting close, that I might have give at leat some superbrats some safe heaven, goddam Henry Pym blows up entire planet. And now I'm supposed to help other world like these? Other Earhs full of these a**holes?" Thi pause is longer. "I couldn't care less about money. I want something to help innocent kids, whom these people let t otheir deaths. I just....I'm tired of seeing children die for Captain America."

[Raynn]

Loki

Loki pauses, not because she thinks Molly is anymore in the right as before, she's still clearly blinded by personal experience, but out of pity. In the end she speaks up, but in a more sympathetic tone than before "If it matters at all, from the sound of things Heroes in your world are a lot worse than those from mine," or Molly is cherry picking moments from her past that fit her world view but Loki is letting that can of worms be for now "on my world I don't think Captain America has ever skipped out on a funeral, and Wolverine started a school so kids didn't need to fight bad guys if they just wanted to go to a mutant school, and he means it. I know. I tried to lie my way in to it more than once.

So maybe you got the bad end of the stick world wise, or maybe my bunch were nicer than the average, or perhaps were both looking at our worlds through tinted glasses. It's not what matters. Being popular, fighting bad guys, wearing tights don't make you a hero, and that's not why I want to be a Hero in the first place. Maybe it's different where you come from but I'm Loki. My past self, and when it comes to Gods that makes little difference, is the reason why Sif is dead, why so many people died at the Siege of Asgard, I unleashed the Sentry, one of the most powerful and insane Avengers there ever was, on my own people. That means no matter what I do I'll never be the heroine whose is adored, I'll always be Loki. I'll always be Loki Laufeyson.

But that doesn't mean I can't be a Hero. It doesn't mean I can't help people. So no. I don't idolize the kind of hero you hate, the small 'h' hero, and I'll never get to really be one. And yes, I care about the danger this life puts me in, hell I care about the danger joining us puts you in, or anyone here but I acknowledge that risking my life is worth it if it means I can save people. I'm not more important than lives of the thousands, or more, we might save. so no I'm not a self-centered ego maniac. If that cosmic guy over there told me I'd die on the first world we saved I'd still go, even if I knew no one would ever hear about me doing it, or if no one ever knew we were there, because we would have saved a world, because some things are worth fighting for. Somethings are worth dying for."

Loki glances to the other, realizing she'd just made 'one of those speeches about courage and heroism'. Hopefully they wouldn't hold it against her. Especially since she meant it, every word.

[Man on Fire]

"You're a good person, ki...Loki." Molly admits, Looking at the kid with what could be kindness. "But I'm not a hero." She turns to the cosmic being. "When we're done with our mission, or if I die on it, will you pull me out like you did and send to another place, where I can start all over, this time maybe helping some children for good? If so, I'm in."

[Green Bean]

Mary quirks her eyebrow at Loki's earnest acquiescence. "Gotta say, I was expecting a little more distrust from a trickster god. I mean, this cosmos stuff is complex and crap. Maybe saving a couple worlds from destruction lets comic-dude here take over the multiverse somehow. I couldn't ever begin to know."

She paused. "I mean, don't get me wrong; I'm in. But then, I have a history of making terrible life choices."

[Theprettiestorc]

"...you could always come back to my world." Dana realizes what she's saying, and continues. "Stark Industries...well, at least where I'm from...started off with my great great grandfather, working to make America's medical corps into something better, after the things he'd seen in the first World War. By the time the second rolled in, every medical team in the military had supplies from Stark Pharmaceuticals. My great grandfather, at the time, was helping with the project that created the first superhuman soldier, and twenty others. Captain America and the Howling Commandos. They took down Hydra, and the war ended with many casualties, but less than might have been. And the world was mortified when two atomic bombs were dropped on Japan." She works on recalling the rest of the history lesson. "My grandfather first experimented with alternative forms of energy, conceptualizing multiple elements. And changed the name of the company to Stark Industries, with a hand in many technological projects, and even the Space Race. It wasn't until my dad became interested in Arc Energy that we moved on to replacing weaponry. After he implanted one of the Arc Reactors in his chest, saving his life and keeping his heart functional after an assassination attempt, he started investing into every avenue of it. Propulsion, medical...it's renewable energy, charges easily...heck, with it, we even cured Bruce Banner."

She shrugs a bit. "So...my world's become relatively peaceful, at least. But there's still work to do, if you want to settle there after all of this."

[Raynn]

Loki

Loki grins and floating through the air turns to cosmic dude "It seems we're in Charlie. Ready when you are."

[Re'ozul]

While it has no facial features, you get the impression that the being smiles as it speaks.

"Very good. In this case we can forego the usual meaningless bargaining and go to the root of the matter."

It seems to become serious.

"There are realities out there that have the potential to become a threat to other Realities or become unstable in themselves. Such instances need to be contained or diverted before they happen. We are the ones that are tasked with this. However, I cannot work directly as an intrusion of fractal space into three dimensional space can have dire consequences. As such I am forced to rely on proxies to help me. You were chosen due to the circumstances of your worlds just prior to your requisition."

Suddenly a small bead of light start coalescing in front of you, growing to about six inches in diameter before disappearing. In its place is a small blue box with a strange gear on it as well as a small silver cylinder at one end.
The devices slowly moves towards you, the stops in the air, hovering in front of the group.

"This will allow you to communicate with me. It has an original name, but I have learned that such things are easily forgotten, so you may as well make up your own for it."

It spreads its arms.

"For those that wish for recompense nonetheless, there is little that I can offer. Simply the hope that on your travels you may find a world close but better than your own, or perhaps even your original one.
So choose for one of yourselves to take the responsibility and the device."

The device:
http://simonashtear.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/reboot-glitch.jpg?w=300
And yes, that choice was deliberate.

[Raynn]

Loki

Loki starts to hop up and down gleefully, with her hand raised up into the air, which looks doubly odd as she's doing it while still floating in mid air " Oh! Pick Me! Pick Me! Pick Me!"

She pauses, poking her fingers together in the cliched embarrassed pose "that's if no one has a problem with it . . ."

[Green Bean]

She pauses, poking her fingers together in the cliched embarrassed pose "that's if no one has a problem with it . . ."

Mary raised her hand. "Sorry I gotta be a killjoy here, but you're literally a trickster god. I'm sure you're a great person and all that, but maybe not until we get to know you better?"

"For the record, I also object to Miss Stark because she'd probably try to experiment, Molly because she seems to have some serious anger issues, and myself on account of literal insanity."

[Raynn]

Loki

Loki might have objected but the woman seemed pretty equal opportunity in regards marking people off the list so Loki was okay with the decision. So, no Molly, Mary, Dana or I, that leaves . . . Loki glances over towards Alex, the two pretty twins in one, and Butterball. Finally she fixed her eyes on Alex, with a grin "You make a fine point, in which case I vote for Alex, since it's between him and Butterball, no offence Butterball."

[tbergman92]

Alex, intending to stay back and allowing one of the others to hold on to the communicator, was initially going to back Loki's claim. A bit startled by the sudden turn, he gathered his composure and replied, "I don't mind holding onto it, of course. I don't really see any issue of trust, though I can understand concerns about Dana's curiosity getting the better of her--no offense intended, Dana, curiosity is an admirable trait; or of the mayor's potential to accidentally break it--not that I am implying she would, of course."

He turned to Mary, and smiled as he continued, "And I would not doubt your right to claim insanity, but I have to say you don't seem the least bit crazy to me--not yet, anyway."

[Green Bean]

Mary reached into a pocket and pulled out a small pill bottle with prescription information written on the side. She shook it, and it rattled slightly; it sounded about two-thirds full. "Well, thank the magic of Big Pharma for that. Believe me, you wouldn't like me if I went off them."

[Theprettiestorc]

Dana crosses her arms, with a huff. "If anything, I'm more offended that everyone thinks I experiment on everything. What kind of idiot does an experiment without knowing whether messing with the thing in question would explode and destroy us all?" She jerks her thumb. "I'd say it's safest if we stick it inside Butterball somehow."

[Raynn]

Loki

Loki floats by behind Alex twirling slowly head over heels like someone adrift in zero gravity "Well Butterball is 'immutable' right? Might make using him as a biological safety deposit box difficult. So Alex? Butterball?"

She clicks her fingers as she continues to floats by, a shadow falling over the whole group. When once again the right way up for a moment, she points upwards towards the new object causing the massive shadow, a giant american quarter "Flip a coin?"

[tbergman92]

Alex shrugged. "That's fine with me. I don't really mind either way."

He seemed conflicted about something as he finished speaking, perhaps as if he were about to say something else, but decided against it. The expression that conveyed this emotion was only briefly present, but if someone had been paying attention to him, they might have noticed.

[HopeHubris]

"I tend to get battered around quite a bit, if you could store it inside me somehow it'd be pretty darn safe, but otherwise it might break when I go crashing through a wall or something. Either way, I'm okay with whatever the rest of you decide"

[Raynn]

Loki

Loki nods at Butterball's point as she continues to float around and around "Good point Butterball, Alex is a lot less likely to be in the thick of things, and as such won't get knocked around as much. It seems, logically, Alex is our best bet."

Loki clicks her fingers and the giant coin disappears "That is of course unless someone has some further points to make on the matter?"

[Man on Fire]

"I just waited to point out Butterball is a person, not a safe case." Molly says. She doesn't mind anybody else leading, she udnerstand why they may be recullant to let an adult lead them. She is going to be a leader anyway, but she will win the position. Like she won election. Through this time she'll have to write her own speeches.

[Theprettiestorc]

Dana glances at Alex. Hmm. "...well, yeah, but he's still pretty impervious. It's not a bad idea." In any case. "I guess I should say that we've all got a role to play. The device is pretty much one of our tickets home, in a sense, so holding onto it is pretty important. At the same time, I don't think it guarantees that the user should lead the group, either, since the leader would have to be right in the thick of things. And learn everyone's strength, and weaknesses, so that they can best apply them. We've got the perfect leader here, too." She points. "So I elect Molly for that. She's got the most leadership experience out of all of us, as mayor of L.A. The reason why any team fails is because a bunch of leaders were around, and all want to take the front. I think that being in the government, though, uniquely qualifies you for headaches and group argument. That would make the twins your seconds in command. Communications is also essential, as is the ability to adapt to the situation. Butterball and Mary are very straightforward, it seems...Loki's expertise is magic."

She taps her chin. She's about the only one that didn't... "...oh! I didn't even say what I can do! I mean, I'm probably high-profile with the suit and junk, but...I'm actually a blazing exhibition of Stark technology." Dana takes a moment, and releases a glove, revealing her bare hand. Chewed nails. But the round Arc Impulser is embedded right into her palm. Rather flexible-type mesh thing, too. "Bit of a cyborg, I guess. Don't even need the suit to breathe underwater, or in a vacuum...can run faster, lift more, punch harder...with the suit, I can fly, swim, dig...I can even do a short-range teleport to catch, say...a car. It's kinda experimental, but most velocity is lost in the teleportation process, so if I can improve it, I'd be able to stop lots of falling damage. Rubble and stuff...anywho! Can also deflect projectiles, and since the suit enhances what I can normally do...heal someone." Eheheh. "I mean, I always carry a first aid kit anyway, but in a pinch, I can speed up someone's metabolic rate and take care of a nasty wound." Putting her glove back on...

"So, yeah. I'm probably going to have to fashion everyone some functional commlinks. If we're decided on Alex taking the doohickey, can I ask who knows how to drive reliably-well?" Hmm. Oh! Also. "...I just went off on a tangent. Something bothering you, Alex?" She works on putting her helmet back on, just in case they're sent where they have to hit the ground running.

[Raynn]

Loki

Loki glances towards Dana as she all but elects Molly group leader "We . . . couldn't have a vote? Or something . . . "

Loki wasn't entirely comfortable with someone with Molly's views leading the team, especially since some of the others didn't look much older than Loki appeared, also Molly clearly hadn't been in the field in a long time and Loki didn't think the qualities of a field leader were the same qualities that made a good mayor, and vice verse. Though she wasn't going to argue down the rest of the team if they all backed Molly.

Anyway maybe Molly would warm up to her after a little time in the field, perhaps they just got off on the wrong foot.

"I'm not just a one-trick goddess actually. I'm extremely durable, compared to humans not Butterball, decent with a sword, super smart, and I've got knowledge of Asgardian technology and science. Dana probably tops me in the science field but I can hold my own overall."

It is at that point that a white raven and a black raven appear from behind her and loop around her "Oh. And I have two talking pet Ravens who sometimes tell me what to do."

At that the black raven bit Loki's ear which caused her to emit a slight yelp. The black raven snapped at her "We are no one's pet."

[Theprettiestorc]

"...we could. With ballots and debates and podiums." She watches the ravens fly about. What she doesn't want to say is that Molly probably needs it, really. To restore her faith in heroes. "Who would you pick? I dunno about anyone else, but I'm not voting for a bird, personally."

[Man on Fire]

"As much as I'm flattered by your proposition, Dana, I don't think we have time for all of this." Molly steps foward. "Back home I gathered a group of likely minded people to help me make world better place for children. Sometimes we had to get our hands dirty for it. Teach a lesson some expecially recless superhero and things like that. But that's besides the point. The point is, in the begining we didn't knew each other too well. First time we had to go, we drew straws, the one with the shortest would lead. For the first few missions we would change leaders, from shortest straw to the longest, in order. After that we elected the leader. I don't see a reason why we shouldn't try now. Yes, even you, Loki." She ommits the fact she was the one to win this election. Like she hopes to win this one, i nthe end. he could jsut go with Dana's suggestions, but its better to be elected leader than aoppointed one.

[Theprettiestorc]

"...I've got zip-ties." That's actually not a bad idea. Dana slips into the fan, shuffling through the glove compartment. Where's...aha! She gets her multitool, as well, flicking it open to the knife. Despite being in a full suit of armor, she's thinking and acting like it's not there at all. Snipping bits off. Making seven ties of different lengths, which she exhibits. Before turning, shifting them around, and tucking them into her hand(gauntlet), so only the tops are showing. No way to tell. "I figure we shouldn't count the twins as one person."

[HopeHubris]

"That sounds fair"
Butterball says as he drops off the Volkswagen and grabs a zip-tie, one of the longer ones
"Looks like it isn't me"



[roll0]

[tbergman92]

"Actually, neither my sister nor I are really...cut out for leadership. I don't think either of us desires it either. I'll pass, and unless she comes back out soon and says otherwise, I'm guessing she's saying no as well." Alex smiled ruefully, and continued. "It's a good plan for getting to know the various leadership abilities of the team, though."

[Man on Fire]

Molly draws even longer straw than Dana or Butterball.
"Well, it seems I won't get back i nthe office for some time."

[Green Bean]

Mary drew a straw. Before anyone else saw the length, she frowned at it, and somehow the plastic zip-tie burst into flames like dry tinder. She dropped the melting tie at her feet and ground it out with her heel like a cigarette butt. "Like I said, I shouldn't be in the running."

[Raynn]

Loki

With a smile Loki pulled a Zip-Tie and stared at it. It was neither the longest nor the shortest of the group, falling somewhere near the middle of the two extremes. Typical.

Loki smiled down at the rest of the group looming over them on a puffy, cartoon-esque cloud she had made "So . . . who won?"

Loki seemed unsure as to whether length or shortness was the victor in this human competition . . .

. . . and the Player is unsure whether a high number is long and a small number is small or vice verse . . . :smalltongue:

[Theprettiestorc]

Dana pulls her own, looking between folks. "Looks like Molly's got the longest. Then it's me, Loki, and Butterball, in that order."

[HopeHubris]

"Oh... I have the short straw, I've never lead anything before, maybe we should do biggest to smallest instead"
Butterball says, quite obviously very nervous

[Theprettiestorc]

"We...are. You're last, BB." :smallannoyed:

[Man on Fire]

"So it looks like it's me." Molly looks geniuqely suprised, but then smiles. " We're going to have wonderful times. I promise you I won't sacifice any of you like Captain America would. First of all, I'm appointing Iron Girl my second in command. Alex is third. Butterball, you're keeping the device." She then turns towards the being. "So, what's our first mission. Also, we need some sort of headquaters, can you provide?"

[Re'ozul]

"A rather unorthodox way of deciding something of this magnitude. But we won't question it. As to your questions, your first mission will be given to you once you arrive at the necessary world. The very nature of transitioning from fractal-space to simple 3-dimensional space is rather unpredictable in some respects.

As for a headquarter, there is nothing I could give you, that would not compromise the very structure of any world you bring it on."

Having said that, an orange glyph appears on the ground in front of the being.

"Once you are ready, step onto the transitional anchor and you shall begin your new ... career."

[Man on Fire]

"I was hoping for some place we can jump to between the missions. Some sort of, dunno, bar between dimensions or hotel room or....I wa better at this wild imagination thing when I was younger. You don't want us to pop from dimension to dimension, doing one mission right after another without time to rest, right?"

[Re'ozul]

"I see. Such a thing would be possible. There have been many attempts by three dimesnional cultures to create bubble realities in fractal space, most of which were abandoned later."

A moment passes in which the small device the being gave you chirps and flickers.

"I have included data on the most easily accessible and most stable of such installations in the general vicinity of the the local universe fold. Be aware though that such jump will only be granted once the mission is complete or in a dire emergency as it is not gnerally possible to reenter a reality with precision once you leave it. Furthermore are the structures themselves often in a state of disrepair, but should be possible to bring working again."

[Man on Fire]

"Well, better that than nothing." Molly shrugs, knowing that in negotiatios sometimes you have to tae what they give. For now. "One more question. How can we reffer to you?"

[Theprettiestorc]

Dana rubs the back of her neck, metal takking against metal. Well, that was...eh. Unexpected, but she could do that. "Can I drive the Party Wagon onto that glyph?"

[Raynn]

Loki

Loki restrains an unnerved twitch at the Captain America comment. She was trying her best to give the fairly elected leader a chance.

"Well, as a side-note, I can build a headquarters so long as you give me a space, so if we have some empty dimensional pockets or something we should be good to go. Though if we want any equipment more complicated than lighting fixtures Iron girl or I will have to build them the old fashioned way probably."

Loki floated over to the glyph.

[Green Bean]

"I'm sure they've invented beds in these other dimensions. Y'all may need to toughen up a bit." Mary parks herself on the glyph and waits for some sort of no-doubt spectacular dimensional shift.

[Re'ozul]

"Of course you may move your vehicle onto the anchor. As for my name, that is a matter of greater problems as it is virtually incomprehensible for three dimensional beings and any correct approximation would sound akin to gibberish infused with the workings of heavy machinery.

Others have called us Legion or The Inbetweener before. The name that both we and my newly integrated self have come to acknowledge for myself however is Shift."

[Man on Fire]

"So Shift it is." Molly smiles, looking way more sure of herself than a person in front of beingl like this should "Looking foward working with you." She turns toards others. "Okay crew, everybody aboard magic school bus. Iron Girl, get us going."

[Raynn]

Loki

Loki, for once, does as she's told and gets into the van with a smile and a wave back to Shift "Sayonara Shift."

[tbergman92]

Alex follows Loki to the van, and climbs in to sit beside her, smiling as he gets settled. He was slightly confused at Molly's choice to place him in a command role, but decided that it was unlikely that both Dana and she would be incapacitated--so why worry about it?

[HopeHubris]

Butterball takes the device, albeit reluctantly, and follows the others into the van cradling it in his hands
"What do I do with it if we get into a fight?"

[Theprettiestorc]

"I wouldn't know." Responding to Butterball, after trying to make a couple seats out of an upturned milk crate, a pair of beanbag chairs, and a drink cooler, she climbs into the driver's seat. Backseats? Who has backseats? There are a lot of tools, a few kits, and the warp drive in the back. Starting the vehicle, and letting the engine warm up, she turns her head. "Just hold onto something. Butterball should be able to function as a floatation device." She waits, before driving onto the glyph.

[Man on Fire]

"Keep it in the backpack or something. You don't need to carry it al lthe time." Molly sighed, catching something. "And I preffer us to avoid combat. But if it would come to it, I have one order for you, that you should place above everything else I tell you." She pauses, hoping to get everybody's attention. "Try not to die." She says in deadly serious tone, so they'll know it' not a joke.

[Green Bean]

Mary hops in and pays attention to Molly's speech. "Our glorious leader." Mary was polite enough to abide by the 'election's' results, so she's only being half-sarcastic.

[Re'ozul]

-Okay, assuming the Van has windows-

As soon as you all have sat down inside the van, the outside vanishes. The golden dias surrounded by swamp is replaced by something that cannot be accurately described. Your eyes water as the outside shifts into frayed patterns that twist around each other while both dissolving and coming evermore into focus.

Twice they change into mere split-second second long moments of rigidity. At these times, you can actually see things as your reality bubble intersects those of others as you move through fractal space. The first is a wall of steel, one that you only later realize was slightly curved as if part of a sphere. The second beholds a massive white being on a shadowy throne.

Between those instances, there are minutes of boredom only accompanied by the chaotic patterns outside. Then from one moment to the next, they disappear as the outside now resembles a salt lake in the midday sun.
The small device the being gave you instantly starts glowing, a small progress bar slowly filling up.

[HopeHubris]

Still holding the device in his hands, unsure of where exactly to put it as his suit has no pockets

"Hey, it's glowing, do you think that means we're close?'

Butterball holds out the device, showing it to the others

[Green Bean]

Mary tried to pay attention to the light show outside, but she hated being cooped up like this. The long minutes of boredom passed very slowly. She fidgeted, pulled a knife from somewhere and started cleaning her nails with it before quickly getting bored with that and drumming her fingers on the seat in front of her in hopes that the opportunity to move around would present itself soon.

[Theprettiestorc]

Irongirl, while this is going on, is fumbling with the case beneath her seat. Watching it all in fascination. Where...there we go! She puts the disk in, and pushes play.

~Livin' easy
Lovin' free
Season ticket on a one way ride
Askin' nothin'
Leave me be
Takin' everythin' in my stride
Don't need reason
Don't need rhyme
Ain't nothin' that I'd rather do
Goin' down
Party time
My friends are gonna be there tooooooooo
I'm on the hiiiiiiiiiighway to Hell
On the hiiiiiiiiiighway to Hell
Hiiiiiiiiiighway to Hell
I'm on the hiiiiiiiiiighway to Heeeeeeeell~

[Green Bean]

Mary practically dove out of the van the moment the outside looked any kind of stable, glad to stretch her legs a bit. She shaded her eyes as she stared out over the lake. "Well, this isn't Hell's Kitchen, so we're well past what I know about geography. Anyone know where we are?"

[Raynn]

Loki

Loki shoots out of the Van once it has stopped despite the fact that she had been happily singing along to the radio for an annoyingly long portion of the trip "No idea, I could work up a ritual if we're really rushed or start flying overhead looking for signs of life if we're not."

[Man on Fire]

"Both of you, back in the car, now!" Molly slaps herself in the forehead, seeing Loki and Mary storming out of the van. "We don't know it's safe to leave yet. Loki, Iron Gil, check Butterball's gizmo. If I was a betting woman, I would say it's counting to the moment we may leave, but I'm not, so give me some facts."

[Raynn]

Loki

Loki drifts overhead as she motions for Molly to calm down "Molly, I'm a goddess. I can survive in space and I'm more durable than that van. I'm pretty sure the only effect getting in that van would have for me safety wise is stopping me from moving out of the way of any attack. It's the safety equivalent of asking me to hide in a giant Styrofoam cup.

She zips over to the Van and gives the gizmo a quick once over.

For checking out the gizmo:

Technology: [roll0]
Expertise (Science): [roll1]

[Re'ozul]

The device's progress bar is now at about three quarters finished. Seems whatever it is doing will only take another 15 seconds or so.

@ Loki
It is hard to find anything on the seamless machine, though you can make some inferences. Based on the being's mention that an entrance into a reality is virtually never absolutely accurate, it is likely that the machine is either attempting contact with the being or scanning for something now that you have arrived. Considering that it seems to be a task that is by its very design somewhat lenghty, you guess it is the latter.

[Green Bean]

"'sides, I'm pretty sure Shifty would've warned us if we weren't supposed to get out here. And he speaks English, so his magic digidevice would probably spell it out if we were going somewhere."

Mary surveyed the area for some shade; the fresh air was nice, but the midday sun was getting old. "Do you figure there's any people around here? Empty places give me tension headaches."

[Man on Fire]

"I broke things only gods could break at the age of eleven, but you don't ssee me jumping out into place we know nothing about, that may have threads we don't know or can defend agaisnt. Also, you can teleport." Molly says to Loki.

"Point taken." She nods to Mary. "but I would rather have us in one place until we 're all on the same what to do now." She explains.

"Digidevice. I'm feeling old just for getting that refference." She mutters to herself.

[Re'ozul]

The device finishes and at the same moment a glowing screen appears above it.


Analysis complete

Dimension recognized
Timeline recognized
Date recognized
Probable cause recognized
Threat level estimate at current date: Moderate
Threat acceleration potential: High
Timeframe to Threshold: 3 months
Threshold Definition: Self-guided AK end of the world scenario
Probability of self-correction: 3.1%
Deployment authorized

Mission Information

The last bit keeps blinking.

[Man on Fire]

"What are you waiting for? Open it." Molly says to Butterball. She decided that as long as he's holding the device, she's not going to touch it - it's his honor and responsibility, it would be bad for morale to step in liek this.

[Green Bean]

Mary squinted at the screen. "So, you figure we're here to cause or prevent the end of the world?"

[HopeHubris]

Butterball pokes at the blinking mission information section of the screen, and if that fails he looks for anything that resembles a button and presses at random

"Shift said that we were here to help, so we can't be meant to end the world"

[Re'ozul]

As Butterball presses the holographic words, the screen shifts and a picture appears, soon followed by words.



Steven Thorquist

http://image.guardian.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/gallery/2002/02/01/ruff_head.jpg

To save the world, save one man from himself.
To find one man, searCH the Wind.

[Man on Fire]

"Well, now that's really helpfull." Molly looks angirly at the picture and message. "The Wind is either name or organisation or literally the wind. Iron Girl, hack into local online network, if they have any, and find anythign abotu the former. Loki, do your magic and ask some wind spirits or whatever." She gives few quick orders. "Any suggestions are welcome."

[Raynn]

Loki

Loki glances at the message "CH is explicitly capitalized. Wind referenced. Apparent attire suggests this Midgard is similar to our own.

Chicago. The windy city. It could mean we need to search the windy city?

Iron girl could try looking for a facebook page for Steven Thorquist in Chicago. If it's not private it could give us an address and place of work."

Bow before Loki, Queen of late night Wikipedia binges and social media!

[Green Bean]

"We're out in the middle of nowhere, though. I don't think we'll be able to find a modem. Maybe we can look for a town somewhere around here?"

[Man on Fire]

"Good thinking, Loki." Molly lightly smacks the kid in the back, to show approval. "Go check this lead. I assume this armor or car has modem or something." She says to Iron Girl.

[Theprettiestorc]

"...I have a cell phone." She pulls it from her hip. "It's got GPS." Dana flips up her arm-panel, plugging the cord into the phone. The eyes on her armor flicker for a moment, before she starts processing raw data flowing in. Eyes flicking in her suit, and her head turning side to side. "Finding a local connection...don't think I've paid my trans-dimensional phone bill this month, but I'll see what I can do." Just kinda speaking in front of her. "Anyone else know how to drive an Iron Van?"

[Re'ozul]

@Iron Girl

Using the picture to cross-reference, you do find some bits of information about Steven. But apparently he doesn't have a facebook profile or a presence on any other big social impact site.
You do find a bit about neighborhood initiatives that he helped in (a group shot of the involved people) but thats about it. He seemed to have worked for a low level insurance company some months ago.

Speaking of months ago. It is apparently 2011 here. 13th of August to be precise.

You do find mentions of Tony Stark. Though they don't seem too rosy. He seems to have retreated from public view after some incident in Afghanistan he was rescued from by american forces. Obadiah Stane is leading Stark Industries in his absence.

OoC:
Think what would have happened if the Mark I hadn't been built because Rhody found his location and had a commando team inserted to get him. He and Yinsen got out. He has the Chest reactor. But no big success to push into building more suits.

[Theprettiestorc]

Hmm. "Working for an insurance company...did a few neighborhood initiatives. I suppose those would be the starting places to ask around." She steps out of the van, looking out at the sky. "Not a bad day...I want to check and see if I can pull some resources out of my family name. We'll need all the help we can get, and Da...Anthony...still has a large company, and plenty of resources. As well as good friends. If everything boils down to a war, would be good to have our flies on the inside. Is that alright, Moll?"

[Man on Fire]

"You think you can just convince him you're his daughter from alternate universe? I'm nto exactly sure what yo uwant to do. Nver been good with al lthat parenting ****, probably why I never became a mother. Didn't wanted to be lying to my kids." Molyl paues for a moment, and stands next to Iron Girl in silence. "I trust you. If you think you can get us some advantage withoutt everything blowing in our faces, do it."

[Theprettiestorc]

"As things go, I think I know exactly what I can do to help him. I'm pretty sure that both of us having Arc Reactors in our chests would at least give him pause - if nothing else, I know how his technology works, so he can't ignore me." Mmm. "Maybe it's that I want a chance to know what Tony was like before he was my dad. At least, in some form..." She sighs. "I figure I'll take someone with me too, just in case. If anyone's volunteering?"

[tbergman92]

Alex finished rolling the kinks out of his neck, and spoke up. "I can go with you. I'm assuming you'd rather not deal with security and whatnot to get to him? I can always impersonate someone and walk you through--between my mind-reading and shapeshifting, it's usually fairly difficult to tell that I'm not who I say I am."

[Man on Fire]

"I would actually like to come with you, there is someting I would like to talk to him about. But on the other hand I'm kind of afraid of leaving rest of this wacky company alone." Molly looks at others, especially at Loki. "Do you have any sheet of paper? I would write you something, a short letter." She asks Iron Girl.

[Green Bean]

"Loki, Butterball, and I can track this guy down if you wanna talk to Stark. I'm a persuasive lady, and I'll bet Loki can smell BS from a mile a way, so we can handle a bit of door-knocking on our own." Mary put her hands on Loki's and Butterball's shoulders like they were old friends. "I'll swipe a cellphone on the way, so if we find the guy or run into anything we can't handle, we'll call you up and Miz Stark here'll fly you in no sweat. Easy."

[Raynn]

Loki

Loki seemed more than a little annoyed at the continued hints of condescension in Molly's attitude but perks up at Mary's statement "Yeah, Butterball and I can go help Mary here find the guy!"

[Man on Fire]

"Sounds like a plan. Besides, you aren't children and I shouldn't trat you as such. I trust you know how to stay out of trouble." She said, putting a lot of emphasis on word "trust" in that last sentence.
"Okay you lot, lets go." Molly says to Iron Girl and Alex.

[tbergman92]

"Cool. Let's go. Dana, can you find someone as we head that way who would have high enough security access to let us walk in? All I need is to see them for a little while, and then I'll be able imitate them and sift through their mind for their security codes and some personality quirks to sell it."

[Green Bean]

"Well, now that we have a plan, we should probably figure out how we actually get there." Mary looked expectantly at the Iron Van. "Don't suppose you have turbo boosters or something in there? I don't know much about geography, but this place doesn't feel very Great Lakes to me."

[Theprettiestorc]

"I can do my best." She climbs back into the van, looking at them. "As for getting anywhere in a hurry, that's not going to happen even if there was the capability for it. Trying to avoid drawing attention, right?" Tensing... "...I'm still hesitant to meet him. I could help him, or hurt him further. But maybe he needs that push."

[Green Bean]

Mary followed her reluctantly to the van, pausing at the entrance without getting in. It was going to be a long trip if they were taking the highway. She didn't do well in confined spaces, and roughly a quarter of her body weight was concealed knives, so this wasn't going to be a pleasant experience for anyone. "The magic scanner thing said we've only got a couple months until the end of the world. Maybe we should go a little faster so things don't have time to get out of control?"

[Theprettiestorc]

"And what if it just happens all of a sudden? Perhaps our mission is to prepare for two months to stop it."

[Man on Fire]

"If we're saving this world, I don't see the reason why we shouldn't try to make it one worth saving." Molly says to Iron Girl.

[Raynn]

Loki

Loki clicks her fingers and mutters something in ancient Atlantean under her breath, tearing open a hole in space-time to Chicago "One way tunnel to Chicago, one day only. We going Mary? Butterball?"

Loki goes to walk through the portal to their intended destination.

Power stunt off Magic Array - Teleport 6: Portal, Extended, Accurate, Extended Only, Distracting

Should have the range to open a portal to where we need to go.

[HopeHubris]

Butterball

"Sure, I guess you're in charge of our little group"
Butterball says, following Loki into the portal

[Green Bean]

Mary didn't even bother to hide her relief at avoiding a cramped and lengthy road trip. "Oh thank god!" She walked through the portal quickly, as though wanting to get through before the universe noticed that start and finish weren't supposed to be quite so adjacent.

[Raynn]

Loki

Loki zips through the portal and pops it close once Butterball and Mary are through.

[tbergman92]

Alex hops into the back of the van, and stretches out across the seat. "You guys ready to go?"

[Re'ozul]

Garfield Park is realitvely empty at this time of day. The only one on their way through seem to be two joggers and a mother with a stroller. A few teenagers are sitting on and around a bench, eating hot dogs, likely from the vendor about 40 feet down the path.

It is to this picture that a rippling hole in spacetime opens on the grass and between the trees and one by one three people emerge. The general silence of this makes sure that one jogger doesn't even notice, neither does the hot dog vendor as his back is towards to phenomenon.

The rest however, stare in silence at the effect as well as the people that emerge from it, their brains incapable of fully grasping what has happened and not able to come to a conclusion whether as to better flee or look on.

[Raynn]

Loki

Loki floats out of the portal, waves gleefully to the teenagers, and drifts over to the hotdog with a grin "A footlong with relish please!"

She glances back over her shoulder to Butterball and Mary "Hey! Butterball! Mary! Do you want hotdogs?"

[Re'ozul]

Not having seen you arrive, the vendore merely raises his eybrow at your apparel, shrugs, then starts building your hot dog.

"Four bucks, maam."

[Raynn]

Does the Hotdog notice that Loki is currently floating? Like she almost always is? (Walking and obeying the law of gravity is for plebs) :smalltongue:

[Re'ozul]

Looking back up, ready to give you your hot dog and recieve his money, the man realizes you are floating and recoils sharply in surprise. The hotdog nearly falls down as he fumbles to get it back into his hands, a good bit of relish landing on his sleeves, though he finally manages.

"GOD DAMMIT" he exhales loudly, the continues in a moderately pissed of tone "This is why people don't like you effin mutants. Either you're all secretive or you shove your abilities into everyone's face. You nearly gave me a heart attack." he seems to calm down a bit "Now, here's your hotdog, if you have my four bucks."

[Man on Fire]

"Yeah, lets go." Molly gets into the van.

[Green Bean]

Mary stole up behind Loki, grabbed her leg, and gently tried to guide her down to earth. "Hey, you wanna cool it with the powers in public? I'm sure things're pretty different in whatever cloud palace you lived in, but here on earth you gotta keep the powers on the DL."

Mary stared back at the teenagers, deadpan, until they were forced to look away. "I mean, don't get me wrong, maybe you wanna cut your way through a lynch mob to talk to this Steve guy, but I've got priors, and I think Butterball might object, right?."

[Theprettiestorc]

Dana nods. "Just let me get out of all of...this." She starts up the van, climbing into the back of it. "One of you take wheel for now? Gotta make a call, too."

OOC: Going to actually make a call to Stark Industries first. Try to talk to Stane.

[Re'ozul]

OOC: Going to actually make a call to Stark Industries first. Try to talk to Stane.

Oh thats gonna be fun.

[Man on Fire]

"That's gonna be your job, Alex." Says Molly, pointing the the driver's seat. "The only thime I cause more destruction than when I'm fighting is when I'm driving."

[Raynn]

Loki

Loki puts down some money from her midgard down on the hotdog stand as Mary pulls her down "I'm not a mutant, I just lied and said I was for a while so I could hang out in Wolverine's school. Oh . . ." Loki finishes looking around "Sorry. I'm a nordic goddess who doesn't get out much beyond rock concerts and emergency zones sometimes I forget what freaks out close minded people."

You expect that last part was sarcastic or meant as an insult, but it wasn't, just Loki being Loki.

[Green Bean]

"Believe me, the government tries to kill your entire species every couple of years, you learn real quick to keep your head down." Mary led Loki and Butterball along the path, in no particular direction, passing by the jogger who was still staring. When they'd put a reasonable distance behind them from their 'landing site', she reached into her pocket, pulled out the jogger's slim smartphone and tossed it to Loki. "Here, this is one of those internet cellular phones, can you use it to figure out where we're going?"

Sleight of Hand, it'd be a DC 29 Perception check to catch her stealing the phone with a routine check. I assumed it'd succeed, but if we're under observation I can roll it if you want.

[Re'ozul]

While he accepts your money, you can clearly see the vendor is still somewhat weary of you. As Loki goes on about being a nordic goddess you can virtually see his mind switching to "Don't care" as his face takes on a definite "sure you are" expression. As it becomes clear no one else seems to want hot dogs right now, he starts cleaning the splattered relish off his sleeves.

@ Mary
While they were eventually forced to look away by the intensity of your stare, you did notice some of the teenagers having smartphones in their hands, their cameras pointed towards you.

The Jogger: No trouble there. The teenagers scrammed, and the vendor is busy cleaning his sleeves

[HopeHubris]

"I'm not even sure I need to eat any more"
Butterball says before the group moves on

_____________________________________

"Ooh, good idea, I should have brought a phone with me as well, but do we need it to find him? Can't Loki just magic his location somehow?"


Sorry for taking so long to post, also, 616 Loki is always 'sarcastic or meant as an insult' :smalltongue:

Butterball is not aware that you stole the phone, in case it wasn't obvious

[Green Bean]

"I dunno, but Google's probably faster." Mary glanced back behind her for a moment. "Don't go too far, 'kay? I just need to tidy up a loose end."

She jogged back where they came and approached the group of teenagers who'd been recording them. "Hey. Mind if we talk a sec?" Mary was smiling, sort of, and had her weapons all nice and tucked away out of sight. Certainly, a much friendlier approach than she was used to for 'tidying up loose ends'.

[tbergman92]

Alex sighed. "I mean, I can give it a shot. I have to admit though--I've never been much of a driver myself. I'm used to just teleporting in stages. It's generally faster, obviously, so I've never really had much reason to drive."

Alex thought about it for a moment, and then grinned broadly. "Actually, now that I think about it--this might be fun.". Leaning forward out of the back seat in between the front seats, he appeared to flow into the driver's seat, his body adjusting so he stabilized in the seated position. As he did so, he thought, You know, morphing is just fun.

As he finished making small adjustments to his body to keep from moving Dana's mirrors and seat, he turned to the others. "Ready to go! Just point me in the right direction."

[Re'ozul]

Chicago Group:

The teenagers look very guarded, their phones now either behind their backs or in their pockets again. One of them seems to be somewhat braver than the others and steps forward.

"Yeah, kinda do. What do you want?"

[Green Bean]

"I'm here for my friend, actually. You know, the floating one? She's what you'd call the religious type." It was technically true, if a bit misleading. Mary maintained her non-threatening stance and expression. "She doesn't really like pictures or videos of herself floating around. I was hoping you'd delete them, for her sake."

She smiled, a bit brittlely. In the old days, by now she'd have a knife out or someone would be on fire, so things seemed to be going well.

[Theprettiestorc]

Halfway through pulling her torso armor off, Dana finishes dialing. Humming as the waiting tone comes on...

(Upon an answer:) "Hello! Could I get ahold of Mr. Stahne please? This is Danielle Stark, and I was wondering if he knew how to find my cousin Anthony."

Deception: [roll0]

[Raynn]

Loki

Loki starts to do as she was told as she talks to Butterball "Well yeah this is probably faster than preparing a magic ritual. Also wouldn't want to use magic to solve all my problems. My girlfriend loaned me a animated midgard documentary called Madoka Magica that showed what happens to teenage girls who over use magic.

By the way Butterball, I never thought of it since you seemed so cool with all this, did you leave anyone back home?"

Technology: [roll0] for doing the phone thing.

[Re'ozul]

@ Mary
At first it seems that the brave one wants to press the issue, but then one of the others grabs his arm and shakes his head and goes "Okay. Sure."
For a moment the others look at him incredulously, then they sigh and take out their phones starting to tap on them.

@ Loki
It takes you a moment but between what you already know and the map app you figure its going to take you 20-30 minutes on foot to get to Thorquist's neighborhood.

@ Dana
You can virtually hear the Secretary's train of thought derail. Shee seemed to have a prepared answer ready, but now isn't sure.
"Umm one second, please."
More than a second passes as you are subjected to a delightful medley of the Top 10 of inane elevator jingles, before ahe comes back.
"I'll connect you."
In the very next moment a rather gruff voice comes up.
"This is Obadiah Stane, and you are playing a rather tasteless prank, young girl. Tony doesn't have a Cousin named Dana, but I applaud your effort. My Secretary isn't easy to fool."
But you can hear just a bit of apprehension in his voice.

OOC: Since he trusts his Secretary, the fact that you managed to give her pause, does the same for him. You get a definite +2 to further deception checks to keep up the cousin angle.

[Green Bean]

Mary waited until she was sure the pictures and videos were all gone before thanking them sincerely (giving the brave one a friendly pat on the shoulder) and heading back to Loki and Butterball.

"Hey, sorry about that, had to deal with some teenagers. They were pretty reasonable, actually, for teens. May have to rethink my opinion on the spoiled little buggers."

[Raynn]

Loki

Loki looks up from the phone as Mary approaches "Hey I look like, and share biological processes with, one of those 'spoiled little buggers'! Don't pull a Molly now Mary. Heh."

[Green Bean]

Mary chuckled. "Hey, nothing personal, just one of those irrational things. Didn't have much of a childhood, so it's basically jealousy on my part."

[HopeHubris]

"I don't really have anyone left, the entire Academy had just been killed when I was pulled away from my world, and there was nothing I could do to save them..."
Butterball trails off a bit, before continuing
"But that doesn't matter right now, we have an entire world to save and there's nothing I can do for my old friends now, they might still be alive on this Earth and I'll do whatever I can to try and keep them that way"

[Green Bean]

Mary gave Butterball a sympathetic pat on the back. "Well, that's enough dwelling for now, I think. You found our target?"

[Theprettiestorc]

"Well, Dana's for short, but...anywho! Never told you about his Uncle Edward? Maybe? I've got an older brother, too, but he's always off in different places. Morgan." She's not sure how he applies to the universe, so mentioning him could very well be a hit or miss. "I've been waiting to meet Anthony for a long time, but finally just got the nerve...scared he might not be around at all, after that whole terrorist thing." She slides an extra-large bag of Cheetos up to the front while she finishes getting her armor off, balancing the phone between her ear and her shoulder.

Deception: [roll0]

[Re'ozul]

@ Dana
The line is quiet for a moment, the Stane's voice is back.

"Due to certain recent troubles, I can not fully ascertain the validity of your claim. But I do recognize some of that. Though must caution you again in case this should be a rather tasteless attempt to get an interview with Tony.
For now you will leave your number with my secretary and Tony's attendant will get into contact with you regarding vetting and necessary information."

And with that the line clicks stutters for a moment and the secretary greets you again.
-----------------------
No need to play out leaving your number, unless you want to try and mine the secretary for information.

[Theprettiestorc]

Dana blinks. And...ah ****. Well, alright. She leaves her number with the secretary, along with a short message. Finishing the call. Looking to the others in the front seat, as she gets herself back down to boots and gauntlets, she shrugs. "Well...now we just wait. Suppose you could get to the highway, at least."

[Man on Fire]

"Auming he wil lget the message at all, of course. Bet the guy gets phone calls from "family" member every day." Molly leaned back in her chair. "So, how do we pass time? Anybody willing to share any fun story? That whole team interaction thing people always do? Damn, I feel like a real superhero now."

[Theprettiestorc]

Dana crosses her arms. "None that should know about that bastard Morgan, at least." Eh. Anyway. "Not sure what to share, really. You're pretty cynical about everything, huh?"

[Man on Fire]

"Me? I'm idealist to the core. I belive world is full of @#$%s, wost o which joined A or X clubs of mutual adoration, and children who love them die, because they're too busy stroking each other's egos to do something about it, but if you'll work very hard and make a lot of sacrifices, you're gonna nip them to the mud and make someting good of this world." Molly put her hands behind her head. "You think I'm not idealist? Try dating son of Hulk for half a year. Only the most naive optimist would think for so long they have the best of Arnold Schwarzenegger's Conan and Jason Mamoa's Khal Drogo and not just Mamoa's Conan."

[Theprettiestorc]

Listens to the while...wait, what? "Mam...who?" Shaking her head. And rubbing her neck a bit. "Okay, okay. I get the picture. Supes in your world either didn't care, or always weren't around. Could it hurt to have any sort of faith, though?" Something in the back of her mind starts laughing. "I mean, yeaaaaah...world's gonna be destroyed here, but I'm pretty sure that you just got a bad end of the universe stick."

[Man on Fire]

"My world was destroyed, you know?" Molly looked at Dana kinda amused. "Ironically, one of the Avengers blew it up. Maybe you even heard of him. Henry Pym, does that ring any bells?"

[Re'ozul]

@ Chicago group
You arrive at Thorquist's neighborhood. It is remarkably plain looking, even rowhouses. Sure, the houses are all well painted, no brickwork looking through, but overall the rows and rows of similar entrances and color schemes make you think more middle class accountant than potential end of the world scenario. Though you do notice some people looking at you from behind curtains.


@ Van group
Are you going to go anywhere else or do you have something else planned until Tony's attendant calls you?

[tbergman92]

Alex sat and listened to the two others in the van argue as he drove toward the highway. This is going to be an interesting drive... He chuckled to himself, and began to amuse himself by rerouting the various neural pathways in his brain in an attempt to literally hard-wire his brain to a state that was ideal for driving safely but quickly, without actually having to focus on it. It was an old trick he'd used before to help him pass the time.

[Green Bean]

Mary blew a distracting bang out of her eyeline. Middle class was definitely out of her wheelhouse, and she still wasn't sure what exactly they were supposed to do when they met this Thorquist man.

She straightened. Then again, no one really ever knew what they were supposed to do. All she could do is trust her instincts - the somewhat rational ones, anyway - and push forward. "So, do we have an address?"

Can I get a read on the nosy neighbors? Is it just garden variety curiosity or something deeper?
Insight 1d20+14
Perception 1d20+15

[Re'ozul]

@ Mary
Indeed you have an adress (but I am still looking at the map of chicago to find a good one for what I have in mind).
Oh look its the house on the other side of the street 5 entrances down. :smallbiggrin:

From what you can get by surreptitiously looking at the people looking at you from their windows it seems to be a combination or "Those guys are not from here" "Those guys dress funny" and sense of you maybe being dangerous, but aside from one specific onlooker theose feelings of danger don't seem to be ascribed to you directly, just generally, as if there were other people that were dangerous that came here.

[Green Bean]

"Oh, right, nevermind. Silly me. Let's just do it." Mary marched up to the door and knocked firmly.

[Theprettiestorc]

Just waiting on a call.

"A brilliant scientist who helped further shape the way we take care of patients? With his microbiotic technology, we kicked diseases and viruses thought to be uncurable down more than a few pegs. AIDs actually has a chance of being completely shut down in more advanced stages. Cancer survival rates have skyrocketed, and things like the flu can't adapt because it's not even medicine." She shakes her head. "One factor, or one hundred - something is different with each incarnation of the world. I don't think mourning one, or placing one above another, is going to help us at all, Mayor. I'm sure you have a lot of reasons why yours is still your home, and I have quite a few reasons to take a nice break from mine. One of us doesn't make a difference. But six of us? Might just work." Dana shrugs. "If you're better-served by me being a belligerent drunk who makes a suit for every day of the week, and then some, though, I'll happily do so just for you."

[Man on Fire]

"But isn't it our experience in each world that shapes us? Shift could pick up any other superstrong girl from any reality. He could grab Hulk's daughter before she died, God knows she was terryfing with her kung-fu. He could pick up Thor or Hulk. or Captain Marvel. man, it was a shame when she died, by the way. He picked me, so I assume he had a reason. nd the only thing that comes to mind is my experience, what shaped me to be the person I am." She stops or a moment. "Sure, there is probably a reality in which all my friends are alive and Avengers aren't a**holes. word in which I never lost that happy optimist, who liked wear different silly hat each day and build a fort to fight aliens. But that's not me and what I got through won't dissaper the moment I would meet her. Why should I throw out who I am because somebody somewhere had a better life?"

[Re'ozul]

Van Group:

About 30 minutes after your call to Stane ended, your phone rings. Upon recieving the call, you can hear a female voice.
"This is Virginia Potts, personal attendant to Tony Stark. Am I talking to one Danielle Stark?"

[Theprettiestorc]

"Just saying a bit of faith wouldn't hurt." She rubs her neck. "Then again...a bit of cynicism on my end couldn't hurt either..." Dana just shrugs, and pops the top off of some Pringles.

---------------------------------------Timeskip---------------------------------------

"That'd be me! Heard there'd been some trouble, so I figured I'd take the chance to have a small family reunion. I mean, I'm nearly twenty now, and I don't think he's heard of me or Morgan! Crazy, huh?"

Deception: [roll0]

[Re'ozul]

Van Group:

"Mr. Stark is not generally very concerned with keeping up with family, sadly. However, with recent developments, increased familiar contact may very well be greatly fortunate for the improval of his state of mind. Of course previous to any such meeting I would like to meet with you myself and discuss general guidelines for the eventual family reunion. Your statements imply that you are already on your way to Los Angeles?"

Chicago Group:

After waiting for a short while, you knock again, but still no one opens.

I am so sorry. I did NOT notice Mary's post about going there and knocking.

[Theprettiestorc]

"On a road trip, yeah! Had to borrow my friend Alex's van, and our friend Molly wanted to tag along, too. I think we passed Salt Lake City about...an hour ago or so? Not so good with directions. Did you wanna meet us halfway?" She cups her hand over the receiver, and tells the others: Los Angeles.

[Man on Fire]

Molly search her pockets to see if she still has pen and notebook. if she does, she starts scripting a note. A very special note for Mr. Stark, since they're really gonna meet him.

It's the date and place on which Molly's original team, Runaways, meet Captain America, who separated them, back when she was eleven. Under that there are words "take care of me."

[Raynn]

Loki

Loki waits with the others, standing for once after Mary's warning, having approached not far behind Mary.

When no one comes after a brief while she points at the door with a smile "I'll go see what's keeping him."

With that she disappears in a cartoon like puff of colored smoke.

Loki will teleport inside, just beyond the front door.

[Re'ozul]

Van Group:

"That is not possible at the moment I am afraid. I suggest an informal meeting at the Corral Sate Beach in Malibu. It should suffice for distance and availability. Do you have a projected arrival time in Los Angeles?"


Loki:
You find yourself in a standard slightly above middle class hallway. Everything seems to be in its place as far as you can tell.

[Raynn]

Loki

Loki tries to open the front door from the inside.

[Re'ozul]

@ Loki
The door is locked.

[Raynn]

Loki

Loki waves her hand over the door handle whispering something in Low-Celestial, before trying to open the front door again a moment later.

Transform 5 effect to remove the locking mechanism holding the door closed, then trying to open the door again.

[Theprettiestorc]

"In the Iron Van? Well, from here to Malibu would be..." There's a pause. "...ten hours, give or take, since we're using the I-15. And without breaks in between, or picking up swimsuits on the way. That's accounting for a bit of traffic, though."

[Re'ozul]

Van Group:

"Very well, in this case I assume a tentatively set time of 12 hours from now would be acceptable?"

[Theprettiestorc]

"Twelve hours...sounds about good! I'll call again when we're in the area, Miss Potts!" She ends the call, stretching a bit. Looking to the others. "...well, we're halfway to meeting the big man himself. And if I still know Pepper, we just need a good, honest case. Best way to work with her."

[tbergman92]

Alex sighed inwardly. Honesty wasn't really his strong suit.

"What do you mean by honest case? I mean, I hate to be Debbie downer, but I'd be surprised if she bought dimensional-travelers-here-to-save-the-world." He shrugged, and continued. "Granted, I know nothing about her--I'm just still having some trouble swallowing it. I'm a bit new to the whole 'hero' thing, you know."

[Theprettiestorc]

"Half of my DNA belongs to her employer, not to mention I've got a nice hole in my chest exactly where his should be. Hell, even if not, Arc Technology is something that would catch her attention. Pepper used to work for my grandpa, who originally came up with the concept, before he died, and my dad appreciated her helping run the company until he got on his feet. She'll have a level head." Eheh. "Then again...could say I'm from the future, and simplify all of it."

[Green Bean]

Mary leaned semi-casually against the door and called out quietly to the hopefully nearby Loki on the inside. "You okay in there?"

[Re'ozul]

@ Loki
Yes the door is open now.

Chicago Group:

The area below the Doorknob seems to twist and waver chaotically for a moment before reintegrating itself into seamless wood. The lock seems to have simply disappeared.
Barely a moment later, Loki opens the door from the inside, now easily swaying open.


---I really have to stop imagining having answered posts.---

[Raynn]

Loki

Loki swings open the door with a smile "come on in."

[HopeHubris]

"You Asgardians really are amazing!"
Butterball says as he enters

[Green Bean]

Mary breezed inside the door. "Very nice. Let's hurry before the neighbours call the cops."

When everyone was safely inside, she looked around for a moment before cupping her hands to her mouth and calling out. "Mr. Thorquist? Are you in? Your door was unlocked!" It was faster than searching the place.

[Re'ozul]

Chicago Group:

There is no answer to Mary's shout.

[Green Bean]

Mary blew a lock of hair out of her eyes. "Well, guess it couldn't be that easy. What do you say we search the place?" She started to wander through the house, casually looking around. Should nothing unexpected crop up, she'll start ruffling through cabinets, checking family photos, and checking all the hiding places she'd use.

[Man on Fire]

"Don't wanna be a killjoy again, but you're talking about your Pepper Potts." Molly points out, adjusting her seat to longer ride. "But how do we know this one isn't evil, corrupt or incompetent?" she leans back in her chair, prepared to sleep over the ride. "We should be careful, you know?"

[Theprettiestorc]

"...well...yeeaaaah...but..." She just goes quiet at that. That's the other thing she didn't want to think about. Tony would be a lot different here. Kidnapped, even, and rescued by the air force.

Dana doesn't have a response at all.

[Re'ozul]

Chicago Group:

You search whatever you can find. Everything is orderly, normal even. It looks like the house of a thirty something unmarried man. There is nothing that seems to be out of place, nothing strange.
That is until about eight minutes later, when you start hearing police sirens in the distance, closing fast.

[Green Bean]

Mary's ears immediately perked up at the sound of sirens. She'd always tried to avoid the police, even before she'd started killing people, and it was a reflex that all the treatment in the world hadn't been able to cure her of. Though come to think of it, they were currently ransacking a stranger's house, so in this context it was actually pretty apropos. "Considering the nosy neighbour brigade outside, those sirens are probably for us. We should probably leave, unless one of you's got a plan?"

[tbergman92]

"Well, I can always be your ace in the hole, if you will. I see two ways that may help: One, I go in and pick through Pepper's brain, maybe pick up some ideas for someway to make her believe us, someway to convince her to let us see Tony; or, two, I go in invisible, silent, and pick through her brain for someone she'd trust if they told her that you were someone that could get in to see Tony, then teleport outside, morph, and come back in as that person--tell her I'd checked out your story, and you were who you said you were." Alex smiled, and took a breath as he continued focusing part of his attention on the road ahead of him.

Taking a moment to pass a car that was going to slowly for his taste, he continued. "Granted, the first is more likely to hold up over time, but the second might be faster--and honestly, more fun. Also, Dana, if you want to take over driving, I can see if I can pick up any glimpses of out future that relate to this enterprise. I'd do it now, but sometimes the visions are...overwhelming--and I'd rather not crash if I can avoid it." Alex chuckled, though there was a note of pain in his voice when he mentioned the visions being overwhelming.

[Raynn]

Loki

Loki blinks. They used magic to get inside, so no one should have thought to call the cops. It should have look like they had a key.

That means either the man they were looking for had the cops called on him or someone knew they were here somehow and called the cops in an effort to them.

Either way it was unlikely the cops had just been called over their technical breaking and entering alone.

Loki nods to the floor of the ground floor "We'll get out by the trapdoor."

When her team-mates give her a weird look at the mention of a trap door Loki bounds down to the floor whispers something Rowling-esque and a trapdoor appeared in a puff of pink smoke "Now come on! I'll make the tunnel and seal it behind us as we go. Let's move!"

At that Loki drops down into the hole and once Mary and Butterball follow she seals the floor above back up just as it was, leaving no sign of their exit behind.

From their Loki continues to make the tunnel as they, though progress is a little slow and requires her constant concentration.

In a whisper in the total darkness Loki speaks up "Light Mary? Any idea what to do now? We can probably risk coming up in the street by now . . . assuming we don't pop up in someone else's ground floor."

Transform Effect; Rank 5; is what I'm using for this neat little tunnel. Sorry for assuming you guys got in the tunnel, just presumed for speed. :smallredface:

[Theprettiestorc]

"No. Not with this. If we're going to talk to her, we talk to her as we would talk to anyone else. No trickery. No...politics." She moves to take the wheel, leaving her phone in the back. "But doing some research on her wouldn't hurt. Or Anthony. Or that Dusty Rhodes guy. Hell...we've got ten hours. Let's just take it smooth and accumulate whatever we can. Do your future thingy."

[Green Bean]

Mary rummaged around in her pocket until she found some scrap paper; a paystub or something from her home dimension. She rolled it up like a cigarette and concentrated. The top of the paper burst into a tiny flame that illuminated the darkness slightly but nonetheless was consuming the paper rather quickly. "I should mention I don't control fire, I set things on fire. Small but important distinction, so you might want to use that cellphone for light instead. Less likely to spread."

"Anyway, just open a way out and I'll go out first. People don't see me unless they know I'm there, if you catch my drift. If it's hot, I'll duck back down and we can try again."

[tbergman92]

Alex settled himself in the back, and begins to focus on the future surrounding their trip to Malibu to meet with Pepper.

Precognitive sense. Not sure if you want me to roll anything for this.

[Raynn]

Loki

Loki takes out her cellphone with a nod and waves her free hand, then clicking it in a Z-formation. A moment later in her characteristic puff of magic smoke a spiral staircase forms at the end of the tunnel with a manhole cover at the top. Though it would be hard to notice in the half-light of the cellphone and fire-lit tunnel the manhole inexplicably had the names four great artists along its edge.

Loki had a thing for the details.

. . . Also pop culture binges.


"Good luck up there. Remember Grand Moff Molly's battle cry, 'Try Not To Die!'"

Loki was only half joking as she finished with a smile.

I expect Re'ozul to be particularly cruel about our tunnel opening literally 'anywhere'.

'Huh. Why did a manhole cover just appear in the bank vault Jerry?'

[Green Bean]

Mary levered up the manhole cover as carefully and quietly as she could. She was actually a powerful telepath, but she lacked any sort of fine control. She generally shied away from mental contact with others, seeing as she had enough trouble with the voices in her head that actually were her to start bringing strangers in. But she could still press outward, with one-way, brute-force mental commands that people couldn't help but follow. As she quietly clambered up to the surface, she was continuously broadcasting IGNORE ME at top psychic volume.

Activating Concealment, hiding from all senses. It's Resistible, but people only get a save if they're both aware of my presence and actively looking for me.
Also, in case it's needed for the manhole, here's a Stealth Roll: [roll0]

[Re'ozul]

Van Group:

As Alex had predicted, your trip to Malibu is largely uneventful, aside from some really slow passes at toll stations and your GPS somewhat driving you around in circles for a bit due to non-updated roadworks.

As you arrive at the parking lot for the beach, you can already make out what may very well be Ms Potts at a table in the adjacent beach cafee.

Chicago Group:

You are struck with luck as the manhole exits in an otherwise empty alleyway, and right behind a pizza place for some reason if the smell can be believed.

[Raynn]

Loki

Once Mary gives the okay Loki scrambles out of manhole manically, towards the smell of pizza, shouting "I am burdened with glorious purpose! PIZZA PURPOSE!"

While Loki does charge the back exit to the pizza place with a mad pace, someone who realizes that Loki probably shouldn't run *through* the back door and burst into kitchen screaming about Pizza Purpose has more than enough time to simply grab her by the collar.

Loki does not do low key.

[Green Bean]

Mary suppressed the temptation to trip Loki and settled for snagging her by the collar. "Job, then deep dish pizza, alright?" Mary took a quiet look at either end of the alley to make sure they were out of immediate danger.

"So, his home was a bit of a bust. You have a work address, or maybe a family member we could go visit?"

In case it's needed for the lookaround:
Perception: [roll0]

[Raynn]

Loki

Loki goes back to the phone "Let me check."

Well does she? I presume she does, social media etc, but just checking first.

[Man on Fire]

"I'll leave introductions to you." Molly taps Dana's shoulder. "Alex, do that scanning thing you talked about."

[Theprettiestorc]

Dana nods, having donned a jean-jacket to cover up a bit. Going in. There she is! Walking over to the table, and waving - ponytail, shades... "Well, hey there! Meet my friends, Alex and Molly." All happy and smiles, as she sits across from Miss Potts. "I'm Dana - we spoke on the phone?"

[Man on Fire]

"It's a pleasure to make you an auittance." Molly says, reaching her hand to shake Ms. Potts.

[tbergman92]

"I'm delighted to meet you as well, Pepper." Alex flashes his most charming grin, and begins to attempt to read her thoughts.

As he reads her, Alex settles himself at the table and listens to the conversation as it begins.

Mind Reading: DC 19, Cumulative, Effortless; Subtle 2: Undetectable.

[Re'ozul]

Chicago Group:

Your search through social media comes up empty. Apparently he isn't much for things like facebook or twitter. You do find a facebook profile, but the last post was half a year ago and even before that it was rather anemic.
The best lead you have was his old insurance company. A quick search shows them to still be in business with the offices he worked in about twnty minutes from your position by foot.

Van Group:

As you take turns introducing yourself, she shakes your hands. As the turn comes to Alex though, she raises an eyebrow at his introduction.
"For now I would prefer if you would not adress me with that moniker."
She then turns to Dana.
"As you may have already rightfully assumed, this meeting is primarily for determining wether a meeting between you and Mister Stark would be conducive to his state or wether such a meeting could aggravate him unduly. To that extent I would like to discuss some guidelines. I would however be interested in the reason why you want to meet him now, and what precisely it is that you wish to talk to him about as there have been no records of any such attempt at an earlier time."

@ Alex:
As you try to worm your way into her mind, her indignation at your use of her nickname throws your probe off kilter and for now you fail to make a connection.

OoC:
Awww. I wanted to make a big deal out of Alex knowing her nickname when no one you had contact with so far mentioned it, but then I remembered that Tony's one night stand at the start of Iron Man knew the nickname and its probably an at least moderately known fact.

[Theprettiestorc]

Dana takes a moment. And unbuttons her jacket. "I would say that, before I answer anything else, I have to ask you one question." Opening it. And showing, as discretely as she can, the Arc Reactor in her chest. The cut of her top exposing it completely for view. "Have you ever seen one of these?"

[Green Bean]

"Right, looks like we'll go check his work." Mary blew a loose lock of hair out of her eyes. "Don't suppose either of you have cash for a cab? Not really feeling the walking thing, especially if the neighbourhood watch gives the police our descriptions."

[Man on Fire]

Molly sits relaxed, observing as the events unfold. So far Dana's doing good, no need to bugg in.

[tbergman92]

Alex maintains his relaxed posture, assuming that Dana has everything under control. He continues attempting to read Pepper's mind, however.

[SPOILER]Mind reading on Pepper./SPOILER]