Greywind

Re: Fantasy Hero Companion: Heavy Fighters At the simplest it denoted the type of armor worn. Nothing else.

Re: Public vs. Secret Identity ...and Bob should have known better.

Re: Business Unfinished Transitions Warren and Leah - Tuesday 12:32 P.M. New York Raindrops formed rivulets running across the car's window as she looked out. Too many times, too many turning points in her life were punctuated by gray clouds and rain. Will the sun ever shine for me again? She wondered. "Warren?" "Yeah?" Nervous, not quite sure she wanted the answers to the questions, but needing them. "How is he?" He glanced at her, her face still turned towards the door. "I don't know. We haven't talked lately. Honestly, Leah, the only one he talks with much is Theresa. You know how the situation with her started. I don't think she'd tell anyone about what they talk about. She doesn't offer. I guess we don't ask, either." "Will he be there? When we get there, I mean." "Don't know. I hope so. We told him when. Every time we sent a message we got a reply through Theresa or Mentor. Same response. 'No.' Ash decided she'd give it one last try," he said, chuckling lightly. Leah turned to look at him with a smile. "You laugh a lot more now." "What are you talking about? I always laughed before." Leah laughed with him. “No, you didn't. You always made sure everyone else laughed. You and Jason always quoting 'relevant' lines from movies! Or irrelevant ones!" "Hey! They were always relevant to us. It wasn't our fault nobody else got it.” Glancing out his door window, raindrops seeming to fall in slow motion to his eyes, noticing... "Oh, crap." Startled, Leah looked. "What?" "Convenience store. Armed robbery. Young male. Looked like a .38." "Do you want me...?” Warren cut her off. "Take the wheel for a few seconds. Thirsty?" A navy blue streak launched from the car. The driver's door slammed shut from the onrushing wind. Leah placed her hand on the steering wheel. ...Responsibility... Raindrops suspended between moments. Warren moved. Three seconds passed before he made it to the door of the store. Gently. The door swung open, not slamming, the glass not shattering. The cashier, Jimmy by the name tag on his vest, was holding a paper bag over the counter towards the perpetrator. Four seconds. The perpetrator, blond, unshaven, details, black hooded sweatshirt, red baseball cap turned backwards, was taking hold of the bag. Five seconds. Smoke spewed from the barrel of the gun. The bullet moved little faster than the raindrops to Warren. Gently. A blow sent the kid sprawling. Reaching out, Warren grabbed the casing spinning through the air and the bullet in one golden-gloved hand, too swift for Jimmy to see. Six seconds. Warren moved towards the culprit and stopped his slide. A zip tie bound the boy's wrists behind his back. Seven seconds. Warren opened one of the cooler doors and extracted two soda bottles. Cola. More glass unbroken. Eight seconds. Warren picked up the paper bag and slowed enough for Jimmy to get a look at him. Blue cowl covered the upper part of his face. A blue bodysuit with golden lightning trim covered his torso. The paper bag, revolver, and two cola bottles appeared on the counter between them. Nine seconds. Warren reached over the counter for a paper bag, dropping in the gun and the two soda bottles. A five-dollar bill appeared on the counter. Ten seconds. The door opened. No glass shattered in his wake as he raced back to the car. Jimmy picked up the bag of money and the five-dollar bill. Beneath the bill lay a small navy blue card. A golden lightning bolt, lightly glowing, bisected the card from corner to corner. Setting the bag of money back on the counter, Jimmy rang up the sale of two sodas and waited for the police. "Wow. Twenty seconds. Slowing down, Farm Boy.” Leah smiled at him as he passed her a bottle and resumed control of the car. "I dropped the gun with the patrol car heading to the scene. Leah, what happened to your ring?" She looked to her hand and back to Warren somewhat abashed. "It broke." "Have the stone reset. What's the big deal?" Her voice caught as she spoke. "It was the stone that broke." Shock registered on his face. "Leah, those stones don't break!" "I know,” she whispered, her tears falling like the rain. Ashleigh and Marlene - Tuesday 10:04 A.M. California A light knock upon her office door broke Marlene from her musings as she stared out over the Scott Enterprises Silicon Valley campus. Sunlight reflected brightly off glass and chrome. She turned away from the view to the darkened interior of her well-appointed office. Bookshelves stood empty, waiting for her to place her things upon them. For her to finally lay full claim to the office that was her predecessor's. She sat, allowing the chair to accept her weight, and turned her attention to the computer monitor in her desk. The flip of a switch near to hand brought the lights up. The touch of another released the office door, allowing Ash to enter. Marlene turned her full attention to her guest. Ashleigh’s long blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail. Small, plain gold hoop earrings pierced each ear. Smiling at her friend, Ash opened, "So, he let you have the big office and the chair to go with it.” Ash sat in the chair that Marlene used to use so often when working with her employer. The light from the ceiling reflected in the lenses of the sunglasses resting on her head. "Yeah, Ash, and all the headaches, paperwork, and b.s. that goes with them.” She smiled back. "It feels different sitting on this side of the desk." Looking around at the bare paneled walls and noting the empty shelves, she asked, "When do you finish moving in?" "I'm in. There's a portrait of Charles and Stacy that will go up there." She pointed at the empty space on the wall across from her desk. "Doesn't seem right, not having the old man keeping an eye on me all the time. There's some things sitting in a box from my old desk, but I've got so much more room now. I don't have all of Charles's technical manuals, since the science end of things wasn't part of my job description, but I'll find something to put on the shelves" "I think he'd approve you sitting in his chair, Marlene. If it hadn't been for you and your more-than-able assistance, he'd have been where you are and he wouldn't have had as much time, if any, to spend with his playmates over in R&D." "He did like his time over there. The board..." Ashleigh raised her hand and cut Marlene off. "The board wants a Scott sitting in the big chair. There has always been a Scott at the helm since the company was founded. Times change." "Jason is the last of his family," Marlene said, quietly. "No, Marlene. Charles may have been the last blood relation that Jason had on this planet, but he's got a family. This brings me to why I’m here. How long has he been like that?" "What? Dark. Brooding.” Lost... "I've known him longer than you, Ash. I can't say that I know him better. I don't have the same type of bond you and the others have with him." "Have you ever seen him like this before?' "A couple of times. I met his mother at a party he gave in high school. That's about how long I've known him. Stacy, she insisted we call her 'Stacy', instead of 'Mrs. Scott.’ Stacy was a warm, lovely woman so full of life. She had a rich, warm laugh. Always willing to listen. Never judgmental. She always had good advice. Two months after I met her she was killed in a car accident. He became moody, depressive. I think the only thing that saved him then was Sandy." "Sandy Wilson?" "Yes. Ancient history for you?' "I know about Sandy. I know what happened. That was the year before we all got together." Marlene took a deep breath, "Sandy never gave up. Never let him give up. His grades slipped and she pushed him. All the time they were together, they never fought. Oh, they'd have arguments, differences of opinion, but they never fought. "Spoiled rich boy going to public school. The rumors that flew around the school about that. This teacher or that teacher that supposedly seduced him, trying to get close to the family fortune. The snobby girls that thought they were so much better than the rest of us made plays for him. He never laughed at any of them. He never mocked them. He just walked away from them. We had the hardest time trying to understand him. I think Sandy understood him first. He wanted to be accepted for what he was, instead of for what he had. "There were a lot of surprised kids. Sandy was shy. Her family wasn't well off. Her dad had lost his job. Her mom worked as a waitress, trying to make ends meet. They met when Jason was having problems with advanced math and accounting classes. Sandy agreed to tutor him. Hard to point to when the 'tutoring' stopped and the dating started." Marlene rocked back in her chair, her gaze directed to a place in another time. "There was a summer party we'd been invited to. Looking back, you'd really have to wonder how some of these people ever became friends together. Somewhere, somehow, during the party Jason and Sandy were separated. From what I understand, he'd gotten involved in a game of pool in the basement. She was talking with some friends. I don't know how it happened; don't think any of us are really sure what happened. "Have you ever seen Jason angry?” Marlene asked. When Ashleigh nodded she continued, "My father used to get angry. He'd bellow and storm and rage until his anger gave out. I've seen kids get so angry that they have to hit something. Jason being angry scares me. People that become calmer and more focused the angrier they get? I'm not really sure how to deal with it." Ash showed Marlene a wry grin. "Sharon's training. With the things that he's capable of, self-control is necessary. She trained him so that he wouldn't kill someone accidentally." "At the party, Sandy ended up upstairs in one of the bedrooms with a guy, Arthur Rocco, and his gang. Jason ran up out of the basement and upstairs. Nobody had any idea what was going on upstairs, but somehow Jason knew that Sandy was in trouble. I remember hearing a door slam. There was yelling from upstairs, the crash of glass and what I can only assume was the sound of bodies hitting the floor. Mr. Stevens, it was his house, went upstairs first. They found Jason standing over Rocco and his gang. Sandy was sitting on the bed crying. "So, I guess you can say that I've seen him like he is now before. His mom, when Sandy died, when Leah left, and now.” Marlene, fingers playing with the chain about her neck, took the pendant from her blouse. Looking at a stone set amid the gold, looking so much like a black star sapphire. The star itself seemed to glow red. "Sandy was the first person he ever gave one of these to." Ash leaned forward, elbows on the black denim covering her knees, fingertips pressed together, and spoke, "Sandy was the second. His mom was the first." "Do you have any idea how he makes them?" Ash's pendant fell from the collar of her white polo shirt. "Blood and power. That's all he ever told anyone." Looking to Ashleigh, Marlene asked, "What's going to happen, now? With Jason, I mean." "I don't know, Marlene. You wind a spring too tight and it'll break. With as tight as Jason is wound right now, I feel really sorry for the next person that picks a fight with him." Jason - Tuesday 10:10 A.M. California Jason still stood gazing out the window where Ash had left him. Jessica’s voice came quietly from the intercom. “Sir, you wanted me to remind you of your appointment. Your plane is waiting at the airport.” Pulled from his musings, Jason turned and pressed a button on the intercom. “Thank you, Jessica. I’ll be departing momentarily. Let Miss Palmer know once I’ve gone and inform the pilot that his services won’t be needed. I’ll fly myself. Have someone in New York have my car waiting when I land.” The press of another button silenced the intercom abruptly. Retrieving his suit coat from the back of his chair, Jason noticed the imprint of the door in the plaster of the wall behind it and shook his head. Ash… His suit coat settled on his broad shoulders, he reached for the doorknob and found the door jammed. Ash... A sharp tug brought the knob loose in his hand. “Sir,” Jessica’s voice was muffled by the door, “are you all right?” “I’m fine, Jessica. The door is a little jammed. Don’t stand too close to it. I’ll have it opened in a moment.” Jason’s fingers slipped into the hole around the inner workings and he pulled. The door creaked and the bolt snapped under the pressure exerted on it. Finally, the door hung open, somewhat askew from the bent hinges. “I’ll have the door repaired, sir. First thing.” “Also tell maintenance that there’s a bit of plaster work behind the door, Jessica. Once you’re done with all that go ahead and take the rest of the week off. With pay. I don’t expect to be back before Monday and I don’t expect my personal assistant sitting here behind her desk not doing anything constructive with her time.” He gathered up his briefcase and started to turn away. “Enjoy your weekend, Jessica.” Looking a bit like a deer in the headlights, Jessica responded, “Yes, sir. Thank you, sir. Ah, sir? The New York office said that Mr. Asher came into town unexpectedly and signed out the Lamborghini. Everything was per your standing orders.” “Thank you, Jessica. I’ll take care of the car situation.” Lost in thought, Jason turned away and headed for the elevator. Once in the elevator, he pressed the button for the roof and the helicopter pad. On the roof, Jason traversed the distance to the idling Bell 230. "Mr. Scott! Your plane is ready and waiting. Roan called in and bitched. Something about being pulled out of the seat. She's hot, sir. Just thought you'd like to know." Charlie Walker, a former Army pilot, retired, was the chief executive pilot for Scott Enterprises. "Thanks, Charlie. Is there a woman in my life that isn't angry right now?" Jason and Charlie climbed aboard the 230. "I don't know about that, sir, but Roan has been looking forward to actually being able to fly the priority bird. She just about threw a party when her number came up for this flight. To be honest with you, sir, I wouldn't exactly be happy in that situation, either." The rotor slowly built up to speed and Jason and Charlie put on headsets and keyed into the helicopter's systems. "She's a good pilot, sir, and I think you pulling her ticket on this flight might be bad for employee morale, if you catch my meaning." "Charlie," Jason began, "were you always this circumspect with my father?" "No, sir, sir. With your father, I'd just tell him he made a **** decision and call him on it." "Thanks, Charlie. I really appreciate your candor." Jason keyed into the external communication system. "Scott Air, this is SE-Alpha-1." "SE-Alpha-1, this is Scott Air. What can I do for you, sir?" "Air, you've got Priority One ready and waiting without pilot. Give Ms. Shepperly her flight status for P-1. Tell her it was a miscommunication." "Yes, sir. Anything further, sir?" "That'll be all, Air. Thank you." Jason keyed back to internal communications and spoke, somewhat exasperated, “You ever been a passenger in someone else's bird, Charlie?" "Yes, sir. That's some boring ****, sir."

Re: In The Cards ...and Marvel has Tarot that uses tarot cards to the same effect.

Re: OIHID or Why Doesn't Billy Batson not Change Back? Yes, but Colossus turns off when he gets KO'd.

Beginnings Warren - Tuesday 10:53 A.M. New York He stood, looking out the window towards the runway, waiting for the flight from Miami. He checked the time on his wristwatch, again. Not late. Never late. Maybe a bit too early, even for him. He put his hand back into the pocket of his navy blue windbreaker, his fingers wrapped around the comfortable weight of his cell phone. Remembering... "Leah is coming in. She wants you to meet her," Kate said. "Why me?” He smiled, looking deep into his wife's blue eyes and feeling the sense of wonder again. Why me? Feeling lost and yet finally, totally complete, in the love reflected in her eyes. "Why you? Because you fell mindlessly, helplessly, totally in love with her best friend.” She moved closer to him, taking his hand in her own. She reached up and she brushed a lock of brown hair back. Standing up on her toes, she kissed him. "And because I told her you would.” She looked down at the roundness of her stomach as she settled back on her feet and laughed lightly. "You know, I never really felt short, but I swear, Warren, the bigger this baby gets the harder it seems I have to try to kiss you." "I love you, Kate," he whispered, bending forward to kiss her again. "What about Kris?" she asked as old fears reared their head. Mom warned me about this. "Kris is a friend, Kate. Yours as well as mine. She's a friend. A sister. Anything more I wanted or hoped for with her ended when I found you. I love you." "But I'm fat!" Laughing, he picked her up gently in his arms. "You aren't fat! You're pregnant and we're going to be parents." She held tightly to him. "You need to go. Her plane is due to land in about 3 hours. You should change." He carried her from the kitchen, and set her gently in the recliner. "Mom said she'd come sit with you, if you'd like. Give a call up to the house.” He kissed her again and stood. "See you soon." ...now... "Warren!" He turned toward the sound of his name. Gray eyes searched through the people coming down the causeway. He saw her hand waving over the crowd. His eyes took in her full brown hair hanging down her back to her waist. Leah laughed as she threw herself into him, hugging him. "Well, Farm Boy, you look like you're keeping in shape! How's my sister? I mean besides knocked up. You look like you've been spending time out in the fields. Or is that windburn?" Sisters... "I do keep in shape. Your sister keeps me running. What was I thinking? A poor farm boy like me marrying a spoiled city girl. She's fine. Doc says the baby is coming along just fine.” Breaking away, he checked her out. "You look... white." White pumps added three inches to her height. She wore white slacks, with a white jacket over a pale blue silk blouse. The sleeves pulled up to her elbows. A loose silver and black bracelet adorned her right wrist. "White is cooler in the tropical sun." "Tan lines?" he asked, playfully leering at her, falling into old patterns of their friendship like slipping into a comfortable pair of shoes. "Wouldn't you like to know?” Leah laughed at the joke. "No," he responded seriously, "not really.” Noting the lack of even a simple carry on, Warren frowned. "No luggage?" he asked. "I had to leave in a hurry. Just me." Jason, Ashleigh and Marlene - Tuesday 9:24 A.M. California "...So the meeting with the board went about as well as expected. They aren't exactly happy, but with my knowledge of the inner workings, since your father depended on me so much and with your endorsement, they'll come around. Hopefully before too much damage is done. They just aren't happy with a ‘jumped up secretary’ being put in a position of real authority. Are you sure this is the best way?" Her high heels thumped on the floor. Marlene stretched her legs onto the coffee table and crossed her ankles. Her black skirt showed off her well-toned calves. She reached up and took the glass her companion offered, ice clinking in the amber fluid. Her green silk blouse contrasted her strawberry blonde hair. "For the company, Marlene? I don't know. For me? I was never comfortable..." Cutting him off, she raised her voice above his. "You are never comfortable. Not here. Not doing whatever it is you do when you aren't here! Not with your friends!” Not with me... Old arguments left unspoken. "Marlene," turning his back to her, he said, "it isn't that simple. Too many things are pulling me in too many different directions. I need..." The office door slammed open with a bang. "...You can't go in there!" Five feet five inches of anger turned on the secretary and silenced her with a glare. The secretary looked to her superior trying to find a way to explain. "It's okay, Jessica. Miss Parks has been kept waiting too long." "You got that right, Jason Scott! Dammit..." Jason waved her to silence. "Jessica, have maintenance check the door after I'm gone.” The sound of the doorknob bouncing off the floor punctuated the statement. "And have the knob replaced, please." "Yes, sir," said Jessica, quietly closing the door. "What do you want, Ash? What answer do you want that you think I can better give you in person that hasn't already been passed though Theresa or Mentor?" A flash of anger smoldered in his eyes. Ashleigh tried to calm herself before she started in. Gently, Ash, Marlene thought to herself. Voice straining to remain calm, she answered. "Jason, we've got a job coming up. It's important. We need you." "Ash, I don't play the game anymore.” With a sigh, Jason sat his glass on his desk. Condensation rolled down the side of it to make a ring around its base. "’Game’? It isn't a game, Jason! People's lives are in danger!” Heat touched her voice. Her sapphire eyes flashed dangerously. Anger at being kept waiting. Anger at having to make the trip. He had to understand! He had to see! Turning away, he looked out the window. Sunlight played through the leaves of the trees. "People's lives are always in danger, Ash. Yesterday. Today. Tomorrow. When does it change?” His head hanging, he looked at her out of the corner of his eye. His palm pressed flat against the coolness of the window. "When do I get to stop worrying about everyone else and get to worry about me?" She crossed the room to stand closer to her friend. "Jason...” Ashleigh started. She reached up, not quite touching him. She was unsure how to cross the gulf between them. "Jason, we need your help. Things are going to be ugly out there when this mess starts. Leah..." "No!” His voice cracked like thunder through the office. Neither of them noticed the opening or the closing of the door.

Re: Non-Phase Segments - what is happening then? Movement: you started moving in a non-SPD phase. When you move for your phase is just indicating where you ended up.

Re: How are Takofanes's zombies created please? "Sounds like another Blood Moon." "Yeah. You'd think he'd get tired of trying that."

Re: OIHID or Why Doesn't Billy Batson not Change Back?

Re: Dnpc The Ransom of Red Chick

Re: Dnpc She's also been shown to be a better investigative reporter than he is. She knows (depending on version) different martial arts.

Re: Dnpc Depends on which interpretation of Lois you base on.

Re: Types of Superheroes/Villains Spider-Man's villains are so much "themed" as "totemic". They are representative of the creature, but what they do doesn't have a lot do with what they represent.

Re: Public vs. Secret Identity You say that like the GM isn't allowed expectations, too.

Re: Dnpc When I've played I created the basics for the character: their relationship to the character, what job they might have, etc. I've always left the actual building of the character to the GM. As a GM I would ask what the relationship was, what place the player might see their DNPC having, and then building the character myself.

Re: Dnpc Not really when Jimmy himself was a super. So was Lois if you take Superwoman into account.

Re: Dnpc No, but in comparing Lois and Jimmy to Superman, Hawkeye is pretty much in the same class as them when you compare him to the heavy hitters of the Avengers.

Re: Dnpc I put in mind of Hawkeye against the Collector. The Collector was as concerned about Hawkeye as the rest of the Avengers because Hawkeye was weak. He wasn't as powerful as the rest of the Avengers, so Hawkeye never got collected. When the Collector pointed out his reasons, Hawkeye responded "That's only if you judge by raw power or skill. I may not have much in the way of raw power, but where it comes to raw skill I'm the best there is."

Re: Dnpc "Less powerful" or just have different strengths than Superman?

Re: Flight while sleeping? Clark woke up in the middle of a highway and a in a cave.

Re: Team Black Eagle intro It's there, too, now.

Re: The Good and Bad about Marvel and DC Yeah, they just dig her up and let Normal have his way with the corpse.

Re: Superhero Costume Party Do a Bruce Wayne and show up in tux because they're tired of masks.

Re: Marvel Legacies 1) Captain America 2) That's a lot of history to cover 3) All of them 4) - 5) -

Re: Why Don't The Villains Kill? Well, no, because if you really want to you can just add it on after the fact.