Sep

Vanguard: Calder City

I'm interested seeing the two young women, Joanie and Dani, interact. They have very different, but traditional 'Superhero' powers but come from entirely different walks of life and I figure it would make for a cool dynamic.

I took wish our Lord Maxx still be with us for selfish reasons, but equally seeing Solomon with Bret would be interesting.

With how connected Ace, Dani and Rock are to the world of capes, and how much they know about that world. It would be interesting to see any of them interact with Archie and see something that contradicts their entire belief system.

Vanguard: Calder City

I've been enjoying everything.

It's nice to be part of an RP that is this active, and showing little signs of slowing down.

With Vanguard, the world feels genuinely lived in and it has it's own vibe, something which @Lord Wraith remarked on -- that it doesn't feel like Gotham-lite or a Metropolis, but like it's own place and I think that's much to do with the stories everyone is weaving and the lore we're building up together. Everyone also feels respectful of what everyone else is building too, which is huge.

I genuinely don't have a favourite character, if I'm honest. I lean more to having favourite moments and the opening scene for Archie was one of those -- the introduction of his world felt so realistic and all of the side characters have a lot of colour and distinct characters. I also thoroughly enjoyed the Wretched Rat reveal, it really got under my skin when I read it and it's made me want to go back and find other breadcrumbs.

I am also a fan of watching characters react to other PC after meetings, so the moment in the van with Qing and Bo Wen after they were at Eve's tickled me a lot, and their relationship and dynamic is one I'm thoroughly enjoying. @Hound55

@DocTachyon writing Rock in his fight with the count was just a phenomenal moment and “You're looking at him.” gave me CHILLS in real time.

Equally, I'm enjoying the Bret and Sienna story @Melissa and @BrutalBx which feels like it's is own thing but actually it links in to a lot of what is going on. The chemistry between the two of them is simmering and delicious to read and I enjoyed collabing with Mel, and seeing Sienna even in that post reflect on Bret.

What I would love to see is more collabs for these interactions that I enjoy and make my brain tick. I'm always down to jump in with others as well for collabs, a lot of the fun for me is just having Eve bounce off other characters and see which version of her is going to come out. Collabs I find are challenging in a good way and might force me to pivot a bit on paths I thought I was sold on for the character which is what happened when I collabed with @Sep. Shout out to him for crafting out a big plot like he is with the missing Greys too, leaving toys and such in the sandbox so to speak for us all to play with and find ways to make connects with characters.

@Stormyx

Keeping knocking it out the park Queen.

Vanguard: Calder City

Dominic rubbed his hand over his weary face as he walked through the halls of the old warehouse he called home. It had been a long, well. He wanted to say 48 hours but it had really been a busy couple of weeks. Between tackling the missing greys, and trying to find a connection between them and the death of the Mountain he had been busy enough. Add on all the small cases that kept the lights on, Rock returning to the city for information before running away and (near) midnight rendezvous with the daughter of a notorious monster. It was a busy time to be a detective.

Looking up towards his door, he froze for a second. A silhouette moved behind the illuminated door. Lowering his hand to his holster he withdrew the revolver and held his thumb loosely on the hammer, ready to draw it back. Very slowly he approached the door, he could hear talking now. Great. Talking meant that there was more than one, and Dominic was already tired and really couldn't be bothered with this. Momentarily he considered just turning around and leaving, he didn't have anything of real value in the office/apartment. Except his files. Sighing to himself he approached the door slowly, drawing the shadows around himself like a cloak. Ready to cast them out below the door-

♫Rode down the highway
Nah nah naaaah, nah nah town
Went through to Texas, yeah, Texas, and we had some fun♫

He could head the music now, AC/DCs Thunderstruck and it's half sung half forgotten lyrics and, if even possible, he sighed and even deeper heavier sigh. Holstering the pistol he released the shadows back to their natural state and opened the door to the bright interior.

The space was slightly tidier than he had left it. The desk against the far corner of what should have been the living room was still an organised mess, though the myriad mugs, cups and plates had promptly been removed. Leaving a corner of the desk barren, no doubt awaiting the next mess Dominic had planned for it. The sofa had been tidied up and the pillows and blankets returned to their normal pre-Rock state. The door to the kitchenette revealed a clean kitchen. The three remaining doors remained closed. He walked over and pressed the stop button on the stereo.

"Hey! the indignant voice called from the kitchen, quickly followed by a black haired (clearly dyed with a blue streak) teenage girl. A brief glimpse of her shirt that seemed like a pink cry for help before she pulled an old AC/DC shirt over the top meanwhile her jeans had seemingly lost an arguement with every sharp object in the city. "I was listening to that."

"Your key is meant to be for emergencies.

"It was an emergency! The teen retorted indignantly. Dominic returned the retort with a scowl. "It was! Mum and her new boyfriend were being completely insufferable."

"That isn't an emergency."

"Yes it is."

"No, it most certainly is not.

"It most certainly is."

"Elizabeth," he said flatly. "You cannot check into hospital with a bad case of, my mum and her boyfriend are having awkward middle aged sex-"

"Ew gross!" Dominic dodged the incoming projectile without even looking at it, which drew his attention to his desk that sat with it's back towards the window.

"-furthermore what in the name of all things holy have you done to my desk?" Bypassing Elizabeth entirely he walked to the far side of the room, and began filtering through various files and photographs. Receipts, notes, printed emails and texts. All delicately and purposefully placed and arrayed, turned into several neat and unpredictable piles. It was the kind of desk and accountant might have had, his stomach churned. The thought made him feel more ill than that of any murder scene he had been too.

He rummaged through some, organising it into the correct collections. "I tidied it up, you're welcome."

"It didn't need tidied. It was organised."

"Could have fooled me."

"Clearly I did." pulling the new photographs from his jacket he deposited them on the table then collapsed on the sofa. Kicking his shoes off as he did so, he let out a sigh as the removal of his shoes apparently released all the stress that he had gathered through the course of the last forty-or-so hours. Leaning back he allowed his eyes to close and just rested there for a long moment before he spoke again, Elizabeth shuffling as he did so. By his reckoning she was perched on the edge of the desk. "Did you go to the memorial?"

She sorted derisively. "Why would I honour the man who took my father from me?" Dominic had been covering his eyes with his hands, he splayed his fingers to look at her and when he saw how serious she looked he removed his hands and sat up.

"Liz, the Mountain saved your father." He saw her go to mouth off, argue or offer a witty retort but he cut her off with a raised finger. "It was a different game ten years ago, a lot of the Capes back then wouldn't have went as easy on your father as Saw did. Saw wasn't the first, but he was a massive proponent for imprisonment and rehabilitation-"

"But you-"

"I know what I did to help your father get a reduced sentence. You don't need to remind me, I just mean. If your dad has faced a cape any earlier. Someone like Beacon, Shield, Piper or Goliath well, then the story of the infamous Scotty Sparks might a different ending entitely."

Elizabeth rolled her eyes as she looked down at him, the inclination of a smile toying with the scowl etched upon her face. "You know dad hated that name. Dominic merely shrugged as he laid back on the sofa, kicked his shoes off and put his feet up on the coffee table that Elizabeth had clearly included in her relentless cleaning attack.

"Yes, but street gangs aren't often very original or clever with their aliases." Dominic mused, much as if to himself. "It worked out for him later in life anyway, made for a catchy radio jingle."

"You know he never forgave you for that."

"I know." He sighed heavily, and the two of them sat there for a long minute just basking in the weight of the silence, we the odd stray sound wandered in from the outside world.

"I miss him."

"Me too." They sat for a while longer, until finally Elizabeth cleared her throat and clapped her hands together, walking back to the desk and ruffling through the collection of new files Dominic had brought back from his foray to Paloma's apartment. He could hear her, but he sat with his head back and eyes closed. Not asleep, but perhaps not fully awake.

"So why were you out so late? Working a case? Dusk nodded and grunted an affirmative. "Bit late for that isn't it?"

"I do my best work at night."

"There was nothing in the calendar, that you make me fill in, for you to never follow it."

"Perks of being boss."

He could hear him get to the envelope containing the photos, shuffling through them one by one. "How did you manage to get these, drone?"

"Trade secret."

"They say Paloma on the back." She scrumpled up a bit of paper and tossed it at him.

"Darn."

"Wasn't she-"

Dominic nodded, while keeping his head as horizontal as possible. "The gray who worked as a 'bike' messenger," he lifted his hands to do the air quotes. His arms resisted him and made the whole effort half assed. "Yeah she turned up dead last night. Her body was dumped just a few blocks away from the Harborlight. She must have been doing her own adjacent investigation."

"Do you think she died because-?" Because of us, because of the investigation. The possibile conclusion to the question had numerous possibilities and he wasn't entirely sure he liked any of them.

"No. The way she was dumped doesn't match any of the others, but in it's own way that seems to fit the pattern of our mysterious person or persons. Everything else lines up. Both the body and clothes cleaned and sanitiser, hair removed. Blood removed, and internal organs and muscle structure indicating a high level of physical stress." A heavy breath he didn't know he was holding escaped him as he went to continue. "I did think there was a mafia connection but, I've kind of run around there-"

"Wha-"

"The important thing is now we have a lead, or rather. I have a solid lead. Which is one more solid lead than what I had yesterday."

"You didn't have any yesterday."

"Yes and last time I checked, one is more than none. What do they even teach you at school?" He looked up at her as she shrugged, and his eyes promptly betrayed him and returned to their close state and he allowed his head to fall back.

"So what's our next course of action?" Dusk opened an eye again and found her eying him suspiciously.

"I'm going to trace those vans to their origin, and then go for a nice little chat but more importantly," Elizabeth stood a little taller, attentive. Ready, eager. "We're going to get some much needed sleep." He jabbed his thumb to point at the door behind him. "There's clean sheets on the bed, I changed them for you this morning."

"But how did you-?"

Dominic Dusk smirked as he allowed himself to fall back into a prone position on the sofa. "I'm a detective Liz. I detect things."

Vanguard: Calder City

It had been what many would define as a long day. For Dominic Dusk, also known as Albert Lichtenstein it had been pretty average. He had grown up in a superhero household, and underwent his own training. Gained his own powers, had his own life fall apart. It's part of what drove him in this life. He allowed his mind to wander as he walked the streets, as Evening gave way to Dusk.

He knew the way to Paloma's apartment, when she first went missing he had staked the place out. First in the hope that she had found her wayward lover, and had just spent the time catching up and forgot to tell him. Then as the weeks turned to months in the hopes that there would be some indication on what had happened to her. The letter arriving at his office with the two envelopes within it granting him power of attorney and asking him to settle her affairs should the worse happen wasn't the most positive sign, but he had still held out hope. That's why he started this job, well. After what happened in the police between him and-

"Shit."

Walking with the flow of pedestrian traffic he turned his attention to his jacket, going from one pocket to the next. Personal cell, keys, Palomas keys, pad, pencil... He pulled his work cell from his pocket and nearly winced at the number of notifications he had. Missed calls, voicemails, emails, texts. Emails were easy, payment notifications, payment missed notifications, deals, spam, the occasional threat from a spouse who he had caught cheating. Texts, there weren't really that many. Mainly missed call notifications.

Dominic put his phone up to his ear as he went through his voicemail, his feet followed an unmarked path through the other people walking the streets. They had thinned out for a while as he walked the streets, Palomas apartment was far enough away that he should really have used some form of transport. That said he did his best thinking while he was on his feet, walking the streets. Guided as if by instinct, he flicked through the messages. Only one today was someone demanding payment, which was a nice surprise. Everything else was the usual. Jaded lovers, what definitely wasn't an attempt to get blackmail material on the mayor, trade secrets. Amongst these jobs, there was always something. Always one request that reminded him why he did what he did, and as if on cue the very last message loaded in:

"Hi. Um… hi. This is Joanie. Joanie Porter. I… I’m not sure if you remember me. You came by the St. Dymphna’s a while back. The group home. You gave me your card when you left.

Anyway. We need your help. Look there’s a chance we’re just overreacting but one of kids here has gone missing and we don’t know what else to do. My friends and I have been trying to look for him ourselves but it is getting… I just have a feeling this is more than just a kid running away.

Can you give me a call back when you can? Even if it is just to tell me I am overreacting. I would take that right now.”

It stopped him in his tracks. St Dymphnas wasn't just a home where unwanted or runaway children ended up. It was a home where unwanted or runaway children that were grays ended up. Arguements with his father, and occasionally William, had led him to spend a few nights there over the years. Largely because his best friend Alex had been a resident. In his professional life the occasional lost kid case led him there. Some, with loving parents who actually want them to help, he found. Others, who were escaping abuse or neglect, strangely evaded him.

A missing kid from a home of missing kids, a kid who was probably a gray. Dusks gut churned unhappily, it wasn't unusual for kids to either move on or move home unexpectedly but they usually told someone or left a note somewhere. The fact that his peers were looking for him, at a time where Grays were disappearing with frightening regulatory... He saved the voicemail as he approached Palomas building and made a reminder on his personal cell to phone her back in the morning.

Looking up at the nice high-rise Dusk smiled to himself, he remembered the first time Paloma described her place. Nice building, nice neighbourhood but there was always something about it that upset and plagued her. When he first visited her apartment, while spacious with grand views. It wasn't the top floor.

Vanguard: Calder City

Just curious, but how are people in here doing?

@Theyra

Pretty tired and run down but other than that, good. How about you?

Vanguard: Calder City

I'm alive!

Just busy and since I haven't introduced Jade yet I figured it was okay because I wasn't holding anyone up?

With the fourth I should have a nice long weekend to catch up but let me know if I'm too late!

@Pirouette

No worries. The only one you've held up is @Hillan

No Wraith allowed

Haha you thought

Vanguard: Calder City

<Snipped quote by Taka>

@Sep@Melissa @Hillan

@Taka

We find the rewrites... Acceptable

Vanguard: Calder City

"You look like shit, when was the last time you slept?"

A look of shock and disgust crossed Dusks face, as he tossed the plan paper bag on the desk. A significant grease stain at the bottom of the bag, and as Andrew opened the bag the tell-tale aroma of one of Sandras finest speciality burgers infiltrated and spread out throughout the room. There weren't many people who could eat in autopsy, with a dead body mid-disection at the other side of the room, though Dominic doubted that Andrew even thought about it anymore.

"Probably sometime around, two thousand and fifteen-" He pointed over to the table where Paloma Torres lay disected, like a discarded jigsaw puzzle. "-Does old Buckley know you eat down here with a visitor?"

Andrew waved his hand dismissively and swallowed a mouthful of burger, before placing it back in the bag carefully and folding the top over. "I'm just sampling the merchandise. Just testing the quality of the bribe."

"Is bringing your old friend and colleague lunch considered a bribe?"

"Depends if the one giving the lunch expects information on an active criminal investigation?"

Dusk shrugged as he walked over to the body on the table. A tendril of guilt crept from the shadows and up into his chest. Gripping his heart and squeezing it, subconciously he lifted his hand to his chest and scratched his chest to get rid of the feeling. Surprisingly he felt his chest lighten, but he didn't pay much attention to the sensation or lack thereof. Instead he looked down at the body on the slab, the body that was there because he had failed in his duty. Reaching into his pocket he pulled out two brown envelopes, both sealed with an old wax seal. Engraved with a decorative pair of wings and the initials P.T. One was addressed to him, and the other was a Two whom it may concern.

"What's that you've got?" The uneven footsteps followed him over to the table, Andrews fascination more on the envelope than the body. Dusk filtered between them in his hands and offered him one, Andrew was a whom who often had concern.

"Updated last will and testemant, all signed and sealed. It also includes the wishes for her body. She wants to be a tree."

"A tree?"

Dusk shrugged as he looked down at the body. "Apparently that's a thing you can do now," he slipped the other envelope back into his inside pocket. "She was always a bit on the weird side. I mean who even uses wax seals anymore?"

"I think its whimsical."

"You would." Dusk retorted sardonically.

"I'm sorry, which one of us is a walking cliché?

The two stood there for what felt like hours in silence, it was Dusk that broke it first. Clearing his throat and turning back to Andrew. "So what can you tell me?" Andrew rolled his eyes, and walked back to his chair, spinning around and grabbing the burger before spinning back to face Dusk. Mouthful of burger he started.

"Same as all the others. She's been cleaned, exceptionally well. There is not a spot of dirt on here anywhere-"

"Anywhere?"

"Did I stutter? Andrew raised his hand, lifting a finger as he went. Counting off to prove a point. "Under the fingernails, toe nails, ears, mouth, nose and well," he cleared his throat awkwardly. "Let us just say, no stone was left unturned and whoever is behind this is very thorough."

"That's never a good thing. Especially as she phoned me before she went missing, she said she had a -"

The door opened with a hiss, and Dusk winced to himself as he recognised the gait coming into the room. Her voice raised, filled with contempt.

"Just what the hell do you think you're doing?"

Dusk pointed to himself, then to Andrew innocently. A look of a child whose hand was caught in the cookie jar upon his face. Lucy crossed her arms as she stared him down, whatever she had been doing before she came here, it didn't have her in a good mood.

"Lunch delivery service?"

"Funny." Lucy pointed to Andrew, and then a thumb to the door. "You, out."

Dusk and Andrew looked at eachother, before they both spoke and made a bee-line for the door. "Yeah we should get going"

Lucy held up her hand infront of Dominic as he attempted for the door, and he had to conciously stop himself from flinching or wincing. "I'll see you later Dom," he walked out the door, nodding politely at Lucy on his way out, and she returned the polite nod. Her pale blue eyes were ice cold as they bore down into his skull. She stood there staring at him for a very uncomfortable minute, as if he was just going to come out and spill all his secrets unprompted and unwarranted. There was a period of time when he would have withered under it, crumbled fell and broke. Not anymore.

"Just what do you think you're doing butting into my investigation?"

"I think you'll find that I was actually involved in it first, she was my client afterall."

"Then perhaps you can tell me why? That could be pertinent to my investigation."

"Check your records, there was a report made. Assuming the desk clerk even bothered, he wasn't too interested when she stopped by before." Dusk tried to move passed her again, but when she moved to block him he spun on his heel and walked backwards to try and create some distance between the two of them.

"You realise there was a time when you actually trusted me to run an investigation," She spoke softly, but he didn't turn to bring back eye contact. Instead he just looked down upon Paloma. Peaceful, yet tortured. Her hair had been a variety in colours in the time that he had known her, she was never one to settle down and take things easy. He should have known this would happen, a bird was never happy when it was caged. "You need to trust me."

Dusk still didn't look up from the closed eyes. "You'll need to earn it." He looked up at her, his face blank and expressionless. "She came to me because her fiancé was missing, back when the greys started going missing. Your desk clerk told her he likely just got cold feet and he would show up in a week or two. He didn't." He walked straight passed Lucy in the doorway, she didn't move to stop him. "Thats all you're getting from me." As he waited for the elevator he was expecting her to come after him, to chase. Some small part of him wanted her too, he squashed that part back down. As the doors opened he stepped in, pulling the envelope back out from his pocket. Dusk broke the seal, and tipping the open envelope into his hand he looked down at the small appartment door key and he nodded.

Paloma wasn't done just yet, she had found something and Dominic Dusk wasn't going to let that be in vain.

Vanguard: Calder City

I wouldn't never say not to call him Dusky, cause if it bothered me and I said that I know one thing for sure 😂