[center][u][b]10:09AM, March 29th Kasimir Castle, Gotham City[/b][/u] [color=IndianRed]"No Nicole, I don't need you to fill it out, just email me the paperwork. Yes, I'm sure. Nicole I know I'm not the brightest bulb in the box but I can figure out how to fill in a piece of pa- [i]son of a bitch[/i]!"[/color] The loud curse rang out in the cavernous room, followed by a foot stamping on the ground and a clattering. Zoey hissed as she shook her hand, the tip of the thick work gloves having a thin but obvious cut in the middle finger; obvious considering it was stained slightly red. "God, fuck - hold on Nicole-" The redhead pulled the glove off her hand to stick the injured digit in her mouth, which honestly wasn't the most sanitary option in the world but she currently didn't care. Scooping up the cellphone she had dropped - really, this case paid for itself, not a scratch on it - Zoey once more balanced the phone between her shoulder and ear before turning back to her work table. [color=IndianRed]"I'm fine, just had a moment. No, I don't need an ambulance. Yes, I'm very clumsy. Nicole... Nicole, are you listening to me? Great. Email me the paperwork. Thank you Nicole."[/color] Zoey sighed loudly as soon as she thumbed the end call button, eyeing the screen with contempt. She almost missed the bulky flip phones from years ago - there was something satisfying about being able to hang up on someone just by snapping your phone shut. Ah, but Nicole didn't deserve it. She was decent as far as personal assistants went, just not the same as Jaina. It was really a shame Zoey couldn't just keep her best friend on as a butler all her life - it would've made things [i]so[/i] much easier. She could've even got her to learn engineering so she didn't have to deal with this crap. Setting the phone down on the edge of her work table Zoey grabbed onto the bottle that was next to it and a stack of virtually untouched waffles, taking a swig only to grimace. This 'budweiser' was indeed a cheap alcohol. She had gotten one of the servants to pick up a case during the weekly shopping trip and had instantly regretted it when she opened the first bottle. Still, she was committed to finishing this experience. Unlike the waffles, which were likely to be fed to one of the guard dogs. Seriously, her chef must think she was starving for every meal... Holding the bottle loosely Zoey turned her gaze back to the bulky object sitting on her work table, taking up almost all the space. It was the size of a large backpack, and about the shape of one as well - except for the metal wings extended from each side. One of the sharp edges of the wings was what had cut her glove open, trying to manhandle it into bending with the rest of them when it was in 'standby' mode. Usually she wouldn't go for something so flashy, but in the last month alone it became obvious hiding in the shadows wasn't going to work anymore. So it was that this was stretched out on her work table, and on the racks above it a plethora of new gadgets in various phases, each one more destructive or flashy than the last. She was exhausted from the work. Honestly, she was getting too old for this. --- [u][b]10:15 AM, March 29th Gotham City[/b][/u] Karen Hernandez was a Wizard. Not just any Wizard, but [i]the[/i] Wizard. The Master of all Magic, Lord of the Rock of Eternity. It would even be fair to say that she was the living embodiment of magic itself. So why then didn't she know hardly any spells? It was something she complained about a lot, but was never able to do much about. Samantha had always told her that she needed to work on mastering her physical abilities before learning about the intricacies of spellweaving. A few nights ago she kindly reminded the black Bombay cat that she had just facepalmed enough drug fiends to besiege Helm's Deep without killing any of them. With that, Sam had relented enough to teach her the one spell she most definitely needed: the ability to change her clothes in Lady Arcana form! It had been incredibly frustrating doing anything low key where she nevertheless needed her powers, as finding clothes that would actually [i]fit[/i] her Arcana form was just stupidly difficult. They were either too tight in the bust and hips, or too loose in the waist. It wasn't as if she could get anything custom tailored for her, either, given her vigilante status. Thankfully, once Samantha had taught her the spell, she was able to use it pretty easily. That was the benefit to learning magic in her transformed state: she could gain proficiency in a spell that would otherwise take weeks, months or maybe even years to gain a solid grasp of. At least, that's how Sam explained it to her. She did kind of get that it would be distracting, though, from mastering her strength, speed and flying. There were [i]so many[/i] spells that it made her head spin.And this was admittedly a fairly simple one, so many the more complicated ones would be a lot more difficult? Regardless, now she stood on the streets of Gotham, her cellphone in hand. Naturally, she had flown here from Hub City as Lady Arcana, uniform and all. She'd tried to be discreet, of course, descending into an alleyway before she tried out her new spell. She'd chosen a [url=https://i.imgur.com/tth6KiQ.jpg]cute outfit[/url] from google image search, and visualized it in her mind. With just a basic understanding of how to channel arcane energy, her admittedly outlandish uniform became a stylish modern red skirt and brown spring jacket! The heels weren't half-bad either. Like her uniform, they were still an extention of her divinely empowered body, she could tell...so these spikes could effortlessly crush concrete if she wasn't careful! [color=purple]"Now, let's see here..."[/color] Arcana glanced at the google map app on her phone, her destination none other than "Castle Kasimir". Pretentious much? Oh well, rich folk liked putting their name on stuff. She'd made certain to land in the nearest alleyway to the castle that she could find, but that still meant it was pretty far away. Still, walking long distances was something she was starting to get used to. Gotham City reminded her a lot of her own hometown. The same gloomsy atmosphere, that feeling of constant danger...but the architecture was a lot more beautiful, albeit in a gothic way. After about a thirty minute walk from where she landed, she stood before the front gates. Frowning slightly at the sheer size of the castle in the distance, it was difficult to imagine why anyone would need a house this big..Then again, she probably kept a jet in there. There seemed to be an intercom system, so she tepidly reached out to press the button. [color=purple]"Erm, hello?"[/color] --- An alert sounded through the cavern this time, Zoey looking up from where she had half her arm jammed into what was virtually her jetpack trying to reach something. The computer screen taking up most of one wall swapped in the center to show the front door, and the young woman standing in front of it. Odd. She wasn't expecting anyone, and she already bought out the local girl scouts' thin mints. Maybe it was one of David's friends. Withdrawing her hand Zoey quickly moved to the computer, hitting the button to respond - and just in time, the staff knew to give her thirty seconds to pick up if she was in the home considering her paranoia. [color=IndianRed]"Kasimir Castle, business?"[/color] A feminine voice emerged from the speaker. Was it Grim's? A servant? [color=purple]"Uh, hi! I'm..."[/color] she leaned in close, [color=purple]"Karen. I was wondering if I could have a word with Miss Kasimir? She'll know who I am...probably..."[/color] Zoey's face drained of color. In what she was pretty sure had become a full fledged tick, her eyebrow twitched. She had been expecting this to be honest, but was hoping it wouldn't be so soon. The fingers on her left hand tapped against the metal of the computer base. She hadn't prepared enough for this - how does one prepare against what is functionally a [i]God[/i]? Ah, she hadn't responded yet. Well, it's not like the gate was going to hold her back if she wanted in. A quick tap had the gate out front buzz before swinging open automatically. [color=IndianRed]"Come to the front, please."[/color] [color=purple]"Sauce,"[/color] Karen chirped, stepping past the gate when it opened. The pathway to the front door did not disappoint those expecting to be treated to all the pretentiousness that embodied the top one percent. It was deliberately designed to take you around a large fountain, just to hammer in how awesome their money made them. Karen couldn't help but grumble a little, but the walk had thankfully allowed her to shake off her irritation by the time she actually reached the door. Extending her hand, she rapped her knuckles gently against the door... Despite knowing she had a minute until Karen even made it up the driveway - at least as long as she kept to normal walking speed - Zoey had made it up from her labs in record time. Grabbing a white button up along the way to pull over the white shirt that had gotten a smear of grease on it while she was working Zoey quickly ran a hand through her hair, using the mirror in the entrance hall to groom. Her father, for all his faults, had instilled in her how important appearances were. First impressions especially. Not a hair out of place, no sign of being stressed. Her butler watched in puzzlement but she just waved him off. When the knock came the billionaire took a deep breath before finally turning and opening the grand double doors, offering the younger woman a self-assured little smile even as she subtly ran her eyes along her to take in the more casual appearance of Lady Arcana. [color=IndianRed]"Karen. A pleasure to make your acquintance."[/color] When the double doors - because [i]of course[/i] they were - swung open, Karen was greeted with the visage of Zoey Kasimir. She had been expecting that...and yet actually seeing her in person put the pictures she'd seen on google to shame. Even if many were taken five or more years earlier, it seemed like she'd only grown more beautiful with time. [color=purple]"Wo-err, hi, yes! Great to meet you, Miss Kasimir!"[/color] Karen returned her smile, though quickly lowered her head, just in case she might've possibly blushed. Could she blush in this form? Did she even have blood? [color=purple]"Sorry to, um, show up unexpectedly."[/color] Zoey quirked an eyebrow, amusement touching the smile on her lips seeing how Lady Arcana - Karen - reacted. How mundane for a god. Charming. [color=IndianRed]"Please, call me Zoey. I insist. It's quite alright, I was expecting you to drop by at some point - please, come in."[/color] The redhead stepped back and gestured the other woman inside, only to pause and tilt her head. She could hear sirens in the distance. ... Ah, those were ambulance sirens, not police or fire rescue. Nothing for Grim or Lady Arcana to worry about unless more joined. Karen glanced over her shoulder at the sirens, before returning her full attention to her host. [color=purple]"Thank you, Zoey!"[/color] Stepping through the door, she was greeted to a castle that was every bit as illustrious as the exterior had implied. Honestly, she didn't really care anymore about the whole super-rich person thing after actually seeing Zoey in person. Sometimes, she forgot that people could still have a ton of money and be decent human beings beneath that. [color=purple]"Wow, your home is [i]gorgeous!"[/i][/color] [color=IndianRed]"Thank you,"[/color] Zoey bowed her head slightly with a gracious smile only to turn her gaze away, gesturing for Karen to follow her. [color=IndianRed]"I'll take us somewhere private to chat. Would you like anything? Food, a drink?"[/color] Her feet began to make their way to the wine cellar. Her labs weren't exactly a place to host guests, but for [i]this[/i] particular conversation they were likely to have? No place more secure. [color=purple]"Sure! It was a long, err, flight,"[/color] Karen replied, following Zoey while continuing to take note of her castle home.Now that she thought about it, it was probably the biggest personal residence she'd ever been in by far. While she had mentally snarked to herself on the way here, she had to admit it would be ridiculously awesome to live in an actual effin' castle. [color=IndianRed]"Perfect,"[/color] The billionaire continued through her large home with practiced ease, long fingers pulling her phone out of the back pocket of her slacks. A quick text was sent off before replacing it. It was rather rude to use her phone in front of the other woman, but less rude than having her wait. It took only a minute to bring her to the kitchens Zoey herself rarely frequented. Zoey gestured for Karen to wait a moment, a young man appearing at the door. His eyes flicked to Karen briefly before back to Zoey, balancing a tray on his hands. "Could I help-" [color=IndianRed]"That won't be necessary, thank you,"[/color] Zoey was mildly annoyed seeing how the servant appeared rather worried as she took the tray from him, her civilian persona [i]was[/i] rather... ditzy, for lack of a better word, but it wasn't like she was going to upend a tray. Honestly she was more worried about the servants gossiping, but they were well paid just for that. Balancing it on one hand Zoey turned and gestured Karen further into the home, soon descending a set of stairs into the rather large wine cellars. It took a retinal scanner to open the door to the wine cellar - no wonder people called her an alcoholic, really - and once inside Zoey moved on auto pilot. She pulled a dark burgundy bottle to the left of them out just to the label, letting it rest there. Another bottle further in and to the right was put in the same position, then a third, a fourth, until finally Zoey stopped at one set of wine racks. Setting the fifth and final of the bottles into the correct position there wasn't even a rumble as on well oiled gears pulled the section of wall back, revealing another winding set of stairs. Thankfully, that was the last set, as at the bottom a fingerprint scanner opened up into the cavern containing her labs. [color=IndianRed]"Sorry about that,"[/color] Zoey offered to Karen as she moved inside, setting the tray of coffee, juice, and finger foods on the flat metal platform that acted as the long 'desk' for her computer screens. [color=IndianRed]"Can't be too careful. Can I take your jacket for you?"[/color] Turning to the other woman Zoey held her hand out politely, even as her foot caught the padded chair of her computer to push it towards Karen in offering. Karen should have anticipated that she would have servants living with her. It was, after all, a massive castle. It would probably get pretty lonely here all by herself. For whatever reason the servant boy had appeared nervous, but she'd brushed it off as she was lead to another door. After a retinal scan - now she was seeing some of that high tech shiz - they descended into the wine cellar. That was another thing rich folk had, entire rooms just to get drunk in. Her dad, in contrast, preferred to just drink until he fell wherever in the house and she had to try and move him to his bed. Zoey then began to move bottles around throughout the wine cellar, presumably a way of confounding anyone that could get past her retinal scan. Against herself, something like that was useless as she could remember the sequence perfectly, but then, she would've never gotten past the scan to begin with. Unable to contain a small gasp when the wall slid open, she couldn't help but squirm in excitement at how absolutely [i]cool[/i] this place was, with its scans, secret passageways and bottle-puzzles. You could totally set one of those old point-and-click adventure games in a place like this! As they descended a winding set of stairs beneath the wine cellar, Karen began to half-expect a dusty skeleton to pop up and laugh at her. Instead it was yet another scanner, allow them to presumably arrive at their destination. [color=purple]"Sorry for what? That was [i]awesome!"[/i][/color] Karen reassured her. When Zoey offered to take her coat, she couldn't help but grin, deciding to show off a little herself for once. [color=purple]"Oh, don't worry, I've got it!"[/color] Closing her eyes for a brief moment, the jacket vanished with a slight twinkle, leaving her in just her shirt. Karen then accepted the offered chair, sitting down. [color=purple]"This place looks really incredibly, Zoey! It's like you've got [i]everything[/i] down here!"[/color] [color=IndianRed]"Impressive,"[/color] Zoey commented lightly, eyebrow quirking once more seeing how the jacket just disappeared. Part of her was mildly annoyed seeing the magic, but at least this time it wasn't being shoved in her face with mystical riot-causing shenanigans or vampires or anything else ridiculous. Just clothing. She caught the edge of the tray to push closer to Karen before moving to her work table and picking up the half drank bottle of Budweiser. The redhead turned to lean against the table, her free hand resting on the surface. [color=IndianRed]"And thank you. It hasn't been easy getting all this, or building in some cases."[/color] She gestured to the half-built glider on her table, taking a drink of her beer. [color=IndianRed]"I mean, I was a cheerleader in high school, and now I'm building advanced tech in my basement."[/color] A slight shrug before she settled her steel-blue gaze on Karen, examining her. [color=IndianRed]"So, what can I do for you, Lady Arcana?"[/color] Karen's face lit up slightly when Zoey claimed she was a cheerleader in high school. In all honesty, it was something she'd always wanted to try herself. It sounds really fun, the poses, the chants, the teamwork. Still, she wouldn't just gush all over her like an idiot, she had, after all, asked her why she was here. [color=purple]"Ah, Karen's fine, down here in the...erm, Grim Cave? Dog house? Eheh,"[/color] she laughed nervously, feeling like she'd just said something really stupid. [color=purple]"Uh, [i]anyhow[/i], I was actually curious if you'd discovered anything about the pill, or the armor we recovered in the sewers for that matter. I remember you saying you could better analyze it all back in your lab."[/color] [color=IndianRed]"Blackstar calls it the Grim Grotto,"[/color] Zoey offered to Karen, tilting her head slightly. She seemed surprisingly nervous. [color=IndianRed]"Those? I have found out something, actually."[/color] Zoey pushed off from the table, holding the bottle in a loose grip as she moved to the lightly glowing stasis field containing said items over the machine analyzing them. The redhead paused, running a hand through her hair before turning to Karen with a serious look. [color=IndianRed]"They're magic,"[/color] She stated, in the best deadpan she could muster. Karen nearly fell at out of her chair at that, sputtering slightly. [color=purple]"O-oh...really?"[/color] Was that a joke? She was probably messing with her, right? She should laugh. She would laugh. "Heheh..." Taking the glass of orange juice from the tray, she drank it with an awkward smile on her face. She felt like she was being a total spaz. Why couldn't she say something cool? Yeah, come on. The subject was magic! She was [i]the[/i] Wizard! What would Gandalf do here? [color=purple]"Ahem,,,"[/color] [color=purple]"Indeed, very...magic, by my estimates. The depth of this magic is...well, it is [i]very[/i] deep in a way that is unquestionably magical."[/color] she sage nodded, drinking her OJ in the most refined manner she possibly could. To Zoey's credit she managed to keep the serious expression on her face all through [i]that[/i] mess of Karen's ... explanation. Finally though the corner of her lips tugged up in a slight grin and she quickly raised a hand to cover her mouth as she laughed. She didn't think she succeeded in making Karen feel more relaxed, but it [i]was[/i] rather funny. The grin on her face remained as she turned back to the machine, raising a hand to press the pads of her fingertips against the screen in front. In the statis field the objects moved around each other, the box that Benjamin as the Electrocutioner had coming to the forefront with the small pill. [color=IndianRed]"So. I [i]have[/i] examined them. Benjamin's box is actually a combination of magic and tech, but that's not what's interesting about it. Both the box and pill have the same magical ... signature, I'd almost say. That is to say the person who had a hand in making them is unmistakably the same, confirming what that ... voice had implied to us."[/color] Zoey's voice had gone back to serious, almost grave, and she gestured to a golden gauntlet that was also in the stasis field covered in runes. [color=IndianRed]"Definitely different from the other artifact I have."[/color] Karen nodded in response to this, having also regained some of her composure as they began discussing the strange voice and its connection to the items in Zoey's possession. [color=purple]"That's not surprising, I guess. He [i]did[/i] claim that he created both of them. I guess we could try and track him through that 'signature', but, well..."[/color] She rubbed her arm, thinking back to the events of New York a few days ago. [color=purple]"Honestly? We already went to his weird drug-slave dimension. We could presumably go [i]back[/i] there if we wanted, but would he still be there? I mean, I'm sure he [i]knows[/i] we can access it any time now."[/color] [color=IndianRed]"He might not be there anymore,"[/color] Zoey admitted. She sighed, raising her hand to rub her long fingers against the bridge of her nose. [color=IndianRed]"I fed a small touch of the pill to a rat - he went into an almost catatonic state but didn't attack. Even came out of it a few hours later. I can only assume that man can go in and out of that dimension at will and control those who's conscience are in it, but even if we camp out in it there's no guarantee he'll even be back now that his 'experiment' is over."[/color] The redhead huffed, glaring rather darkly at the pill. [color=IndianRed]"It almost seems like he's testing people. More accurately, you and me - hell, maybe just you. You're practically invincible after all. He could be looking for a weakness by throwing all these scenarios at you."[/color] A pause, hesitation. [color=IndianRed]"... And you remember what he said, don't you? There'll be more in the coming months. So, I've also been working on something myself. A tracker. A [i]magic[/i] tracker."[/color] A low huff, a touch of anger entering her voice. [color=IndianRed]"But I've never even [i]worked[/i] with magic before this. I can try and get it to cover the country using satellites but to be honest I don't even know if it will work. I'm not a mage."[/color] Karen frowned at her admission of the difficulty they faced. In truth, it wasn't Zoey's fault that she didn't understand magic. In fact, it was entirely reasonable that she wouldn't, given that she wasn't a "Homo Magi" as they were called. Lowering her head, she couldn't hold back a long sigh. [color=purple]"At least you have an excuse, Zoey. I'm supposed to be the successor of [i]the[/i] Wizard, the guardian of the source of all magic..but I barely know anything about it."[/color] [color=purple]"I have the source of all magic in my freaking chest, which [i]should[/i] give me the power to do pretty much [i]anything[/i]...but I'm so useless I can't even track down a maniac who's using the same power to hurt people,"[/color] she stared at her hands, her own ineptitude making her feel smaller than she ever had since gaining her powers. It was honestly disgraceful. She still didn't understand why the Wizard had chosen her. There wasn't anything special about her at all. She didn't feel like she was any nicer or kinder than anyone else who wasn't an outright prick, and she was completely lacking knowledge in her new job. [color=purple]"I had honestly hoped I would be able to help you, but I'm really just a complete amateur."[/color] Zoey went quiet as Karen talked, head turned to look at her. Abruptly though her steel-blue gaze dropped to the younger woman's chest as she spoke, examining with fierce intensity. Though the words still registered in her mind Zoey's thoughts were elsewhere, and abruptly she tore her gaze away and set the bottle of beer on her worktable as she pulled out a large photo copier sized machine, the top having a depression that made it look like a bowl, needing to drag it along the wheeled platform it was resting on. [color=IndianRed]"Maybe you [i]can[/i] help me, Arcana. Tell me, how quickly can you reach the other side of the country?"[/color] Karen noted the other woman's gaze falling down to her chest, and her cheeks - she was certain this time - began glowing a luminous red. I mean, she wasn't the first one to stare down there, far from it. And unlike the other times, she might not have completely, one hundred percent minded it all that much here. [color=purple]"Eheheh...I guess that's where all the mana is stored?"[/color] [color=purple]"Oh!"[/color] She was snapped out of her embarrassment, [color=purple]"erm, well, I've never tried to time myself, but...pretty darn fast! Why?"[/color] [color=IndianRed]"That's magnificent, because I have an idea. You see this? It's a tracker."[/color] Zoey gestured to the machine once more, as large as a photo copier with the depression on top in stone, a screen on the front showing a map of the United States. [color=IndianRed]"You know how people can track energy surges? It's the same thought process, but I built it with magic in mind. I couldn't get it to work, much less if I could get it to track a [i]specific[/i] signature - it could read that there was something in my lab but not much else. But that's because it's all being powered by [i]tech![/i] If we could get it to be powered by magic-"[/color] At this point Zoey leaned over it to grab the power cord in the back, the thing nearly an inch thick with a bulbous plug on the end. With quick motions she had the back opened up and was disconnecting the plug that led to the power source, a rather plain looking black bar inside - aside from the line of gold running right through the middle of it. [color=IndianRed]"Then maybe it can track [i]other[/i] magic as well! And if it can, then we can test it by having you fly to the other side of the country to see if it will track you specifically."[/color] Zoey paused here, peeking over the other side of the machine to look to Karen. [color=IndianRed]"Of course this is all in theory. For all I know the thing will explode."[/color] Karen scratched at the back of her head while doing her best to follow Zoey's explanation. She seemed [i]really[/i] excited about it, though. If she felt that much confidence in her plan, then who was she to argue? Besides, her face was practically [i]glowing[/i] in that moment. The last thing she was going to do was bring her down. [color=purple]"Well, sure then! Let's give it a shot!"[/color] Lifting her OJ, she drank the enitrety of it down in one gulp before finishing her portion of the food on the tray in a similarly short time. It was all quite good, she had to admit. [color=purple]"Alright, ready!"[/color] [color=IndianRed]"Great!"[/color] Zoey dragged the tracker to the center of the room, just to pause and maneuver it so the power source was directed to the computer, figuring Karen would be standing there. If something went wrong she'd really prefer her computer was spared. [color=IndianRed]"Alright, so just try and ... power up this bar here. I've never experimented with magic like this before, but it's meant to contain energy so it should at least not explode."[/color] A pause, and then she threw Karen an almost sheepish grin. [color=IndianRed]"Still, would it be rude to stand behind you just in case?"[/color] Karen returned her grin with one of her own, taking a step forward as if to allow her more space to get behind her. Staring down at the powersource, she pursed her lips. Well, she'd never really done anything quite like [i]this[/i] before, but the world of magic was built on first experiences. Yeah, she just made that up and it might not even be true. Regardless... [color=purple]"It's [i]show time![/i]"[/color] Extending her index finger, she stuck the tip of her fingernail into the socket of the magitech power converter thing-y. The result was almost instantaneous, as Karen threw her head with a gasp of shock as mystical lightning began to surge through her entire body and then into the device. [color=IndianRed]"Karen?"[/color] A hint of alarm entered Zoey's normally smooth voice, and despite her resolve to stand behind the redhead edged around the device. A light soon lit up from the front, and Zoey's eyes flicked to the screen at the front. It had powered down the instant she took apart the plug, but now - now it was back on, showing a few spots here and there along the US map. A wide grin lit up her face, but that wasn't the end of it. Quickly jerking her gaze to Arcana, Zoey stepped forward, cautious and very aware that she wasn't even in her protective suit. [color=IndianRed]"Are you alright? You should be able to disconnect."[/color] [color=purple]"T-there's s-some k-kind of f-f-feedback loop,"[/color] Karen struggled to speak, feeling almost paralyzed in that moment. Maybe sticking her finger into an unfamiliar socket wasn't the best idea. Gritting her teeth,she was finally able to break the loop. Stumbling back into the rolling chair, Karen raised her hand to her face. [color=purple]"Ugh...well [i]that[/i] was unexpected. Probably wasn't the best way to plug in..."[/color] [color=IndianRed]"Probably not,"[/color] With a last glance to the screen of the device, which remained happily lit up and powered for the moment, Zoey turned her attention to Karen. Moving to stand in front of the younger woman the redhead raised her hand, long fingers pressing underneath Karen's chin to tilt her head up. A soft hum, which would normally rumble in the voice modulator escaped her lips as she examined Lady Arcana, checking her eyes and complexion. [color=IndianRed]"Your invincibility seems to have held out once again. Do you want me to grab you a drink before we continue?"[/color] Karen was still a little dazed from the experience. It...hadn't really [i]hurt[/i] per say, but it was definitely jarring. Like everything had gone numb, almost like sleep paralysis. Blinking away her disorientation, she felt Zoey lift her chin, the other woman seeming to examine her. The combination of this and the slight physical contact once again caused her cheeks to redden. Hopefully that would just be taken as a sign of a healthy complexion. [color=purple]"...Sure, a drink. I could use one of those.[/color] she quickly replied, sitting up straight again. [color=IndianRed]"Very well. Sit tight,"[/color] Zoey withdrew her hand and without another word picked up the tray and disappeared with it back up the steps. It only took a minute or two for her to return, handing the other vigilante a tall glass of water. [color=IndianRed]"No side effects? Not feeling weak?"[/color] Even as she spoke Zoey moved from Karen's side however, crouching in front of the back of the machine. The gold line through the power bar almost glowed - if she guessed, it would hold the charge for half an hour, but that guess was based on tech. She'd have to find a different way to power it, or at least a better way than 'stick your finger in this outlet'. Standing once more Zoey closed the back of the machine for now, moving to the front to start tapping on the screen. Karen drank the glass of water, smiling gratefully afterwards. [color=purple]"I don't think so, no."[/color] Standing from her seat, she stepped to Zoey's side, glancing at the device she had just helped to power. While - not to be repetitive - her knowledge of magic might be lacking, she did know that the electricity that came from her was pretty powerful stuff. She would probably not have to worry about running out of energy for a while now, especially as she had been stuck in that loop for several seconds. [color=purple]"Will that work for what you want to do?"[/color] Karen questioned her. [color=IndianRed]"Everything seems to be working, as far as I can tell. See how the entire thing is lit up? There's a lot of magic in the country now, to the point where some places are just entirely lit up. But if we just do this,"[/color] Zoey darted away, grabbing the pill from the stasis field and returning it. When she set it in the bowl up top it floated up as another, smaller stasis field held it quietly inside. [color=IndianRed]"Now the lights turn off - there we go, and you can see that New York is lit up, since there's probably still a lot of Elysium pills there, as well as a section in Gotham. With some fine turning I might be able to get it to pick apart each instance to an even finer degree. My only concern is the range - obviously it reaches New York, but what about the other side of the country? Though, considering that it lit up with general magic I don't see why the filter wouldn't work."[/color] Throughout her explanation however a grin remained on Zoey's face, and despite her age she nearly bounced when she went to grab the pill. If her high school self could see her she'd be [i]very[/i] concerned. [color=purple]"That's awesome![/color] Karen exclaimed, sharing in Zoey's excitement. Even if it was a little scary for a few seconds there, she was overjoyed that she had actually been able to help. It always felt good when she was useful for something other than violence, and she honestly loved detective and investigative stuff, even if she was pretty bad at it herself. "So with this, we can find out if he appears anywhere else, right? Does it just work for the United States, or can we see other parts of the world?" After all, there was no guarantee that all of that weirdo's targets were going to be in this country. They had to be ready for him to strike just about anywhere...at least, that made sense to her. [color=IndianRed]"Ehh, theoretically considering what I've seen of your powers we should be able to see other parts of the world, especially if the satellite signal for the area is strong. I might need to tinker with it a bit."[/color] Retrieving the pill Zoey hummed lightly as she tapped on the screen, zooming in on Gotham. Honestly it was pretty lit up itself, which was concerning, but if she was honest the threat of the mysterious ... wizard? The one that wasn't Lady Arcana at least, was more pressing right now than tracking down vampires or trolls or - what did Toombs call it? A hob? Didn't matter. Zooming back out she swiped across the screen, showing smatterings of lights in other areas of the world. [color=IndianRed]"See? Not strong enough signal. I'll have to try and get the satellites from those areas that have them."[/color] Replacing the pill in the stone bowl Zoey hummed thoughtfully, tapping her bottom lip with a finger as the problem ran through her mind. Karen cupped her chin in thought while observing the weaker signals throughout the world. So it was a matter of satellite coverage, then? That actually gave her a bit of an idea. [color=purple]"Zoey, what if I took the satellites into orbit for you? I'm pretty sure I could, since I don't need to breathe and all."[/color] Granted, she'd never actually [i]tried[/i] to fly out into space...but she [i]had[/i] been submerged in water more than once without any sort of ill effect, so surely it wouldn't be too different from that! Not to mention the aura that was always around her was practically like a space suit. [color=IndianRed]"I don't... own satellites..."[/color] Zoey trailed off for a moment, glancing to the wall of gadgets and making a thoughtful hum. [color=IndianRed]"But I [i]might[/i] be able to build them. I'll need more space, somewhere secluded, or just make an expansion to the hangar - not to mention I'll need to brush up on how they're made. I work with satellite signals a lot but I haven't actually taken one apart. It's possible, and then we could get the best coverage to track whoever this is."[/color] It'd be a big project, that's for sure. It would take away time from her gadget building, but considering the amount of life lost in the New York Riots and with promises of more violence... [color=IndianRed]"I can't guarantee I can do it, but there's nothing to lose in trying and everything to gain."[/color] Briefly she thought of trying to contact Marvin considering her own admittance of his intelligence, only to scowl at the thought. No, she [i]could[/i] do this on her own. Well, except the lifting it to space part. Couldn't do that. Maybe she'd build a rocket someday if aliens ever attacked. [color=IndianRed]"Hell, maybe I'll just buy out a cellphone company so I have an excuse to just commission them."[/color] [color=IndianRed]"In anycase, I'll connect the tracker to the main computer so that if anything new shows up with this mystery man I'll be alerted. Do you feel comfortable giving me your cellphone number?"[/color] Karen was glad to hear that Zoey could potentially build satellites to help strengthen the range of their detetion abilities. That made her feel a bit less nervous about the coming conflict, knowing they would at least have a heads up whenever they began. She had to find out about New York on the news, after all, and by that point it had already been going on for a while. They needed to be able to get there before too many poeople could be hurt, and this seemed like the perfect rapid response system! [color=purple]"I could always just steal one of the Arab Federation's sattelites,"[/color] she mused. [color=purple]"You could reprogram it or something."[/color] When Zoey asked her for her cellphone number, she quickly nodded in agreement. She had brought it with her in the hopes she would ask that. Well, in truth, it wasn't Karen Hernandez's usual cellphone, but rather a burner she had gotten a few weeks ago. She'd already given it's number to The Question and Harris, in case either of them needed to get in touch with her.. [color=purple]"Sure, here!"[/color] She pulled her number up on the phone and showed it to Zoey. [color=IndianRed]"Thank you,"[/color] Removing a seperate phone from the one she pulled out earlier Zoey quickly programmed the new number in, though amusingly the one she pulled out had a silver engraving of Grim's doghead symbol on the back. Okay, [i]some[/i] of her things had branding. Even more amusing was that she didn't custom order this - the design was already on offer starting a few years ago at a local Gotham engraver. Ah, too bad she couldn't sue them for using the icon without permission. [color=IndianRed]"As for the Arab Federation satellites, I don't think I want ours to fire lasers, as neat as it would be."[/color] She sent a quick text off to the new number in her phone so Arcana would have her work phone number. [color=IndianRed]"Alright, I'll send you word if anything pops up or if it needs a recharge. It seems to have stayed on the entire time we've been talking so who knows how long it will stay?"[/color] Zoey clapped her hands together, focusing her steel-blue gaze back on Karen. [color=IndianRed]"So, Miss Arcana, it seems I owe you for more than just covering for me in that other dimension now. If you ever need anything..."[/color] [color=purple]"D-dinner?"[/color] Karen blurted out without thinking. What...the...eff?! Oh God, what the hell is [i]wrong[/i] with her? She felt like running away as fast as she could. No, scratch that. She wanted to run around the Earth and punch herself in the back of the freaking head before she could say [i]that![/i] [color=purple]"Eheheheh!"[/color] She laughed like a total moron. [color=purple]"I'm [i]so[/i] sorry, I was just electrocuted."[/color] A heartbeat past, then two. Zoey blinked at Karen, the intense look on her face having dropped off to surprise. Her lips parted slightly before closing, and finally she laughed lightly at Karen's backtracking. The redhead's fingers rose up, running through her hair as she felt heat blooming across the bridge of her nose. Odd, she hadn't blushed in what felt like years. [color=IndianRed]"Dinner, hm? I think I would owe you another favor then, if I got to spend an evening with a lovely young woman like yourself."[/color] It [i]was[/i] rather flattering, being asked to dinner by a literal Goddess. [color=IndianRed]"But it's a bit early. Could I interest you in lunch instead? My treat,"[/color] The last part was said with a bit of a playful smirk, a quirk of her eyebrow. What the fuck are you doing, Karen? You just asked Zoey Kasimir out on a date, [i]and she accepted!![/i] No! Stop feeling awesome! This is really messed up! You've got to break it off [i]right now[/i] before this gets [i]way[/i] out of hand! [color=purple]"Lunch sounds great!"[/color] She smiled to her, her cheeks rose-tinted as can be. You are a fucking retard! You are literally a flying sack of [i]stupid![/i] You should use your superspeed to slap yourself ten thousand times until you stop thinking this sounds like a good idea! [color=purple]"And y'know, you [i]are[/i] the famous Zoey Kasimir, so don't sell yourself too short, eheh."[/color] [color=IndianRed]"I am rather impressive, but even so I don't think I can hold a candle to you." [/color][/center]