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Morose Member

✨Krakoan Prince✨

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7 yrs ago
My power grows exponentially each day as we come nearer to Halloween.
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Pronouns: They/he

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In Avengers Academy: X of Swords ⚔️ → 6 mos ago Forum: Casual Roleplay


Dorian sat there, arms around his boyfriend, rubbing his back as he felt his chest rapidly rise and fall with screams, tears, and sobs. He stayed quiet through it all, letting Percy get it all out. He was so used to seeing him bottle everything in, store it into a cancerous aggression that he'd use in a fight or training, that when Percy broke as they entered the Astral it had caught him by surprise. He heard what he'd said, heard the final three words that pained Dorian so. Not because he'd liked another, no Dorian had had plenty of crushes before Percy and he was certain Percy had done the same. No it was the fact that someone he liked had hurt him so deeply, Dorian couldn't imagine that sort of pain.

Percy didn’t know how long he cried into Dorian for - how long his body was wracked with almost primal sobs. Chase’s sudden appearance had pushed him over the edge, yes, but it wasn’t the source of all the pain that filled him - all the pain he couldn’t keep inside any longer. It was Dorian merging into the Entity with Billy, it was all of the cameras and the lights of the contest, it was the interviewers pestering him with questions, it was the hour long photo shoot following their victory, it was his fear that Dorian’s family didn’t approve of him, it was every gentle touch that felt like an attack, it was the want to drink that was rapidly developing into a need, it was their near deaths at the hands of Arcade, it was his loneliness as despite being surrounded by his peers, he couldn’t count any of them as friends. He sobbed for all of that and more, even if he didn’t realize it. But eventually, even as the hurt remained, he ran out of tears to shed.

When the sobs finally softened, turning more into sniffles as energy was spent, Dorian pressed a gently kiss atop Percy's head. ”You wanna talk about what ‘appened back t'ere?” He didn't force him to meet his eyes, made no attempt to alter his face or form, he wanted to let Percy be in which ever state he needed for now.

Percy was effectively curled into a ball up against Dorian’s chest, trusting in his boyfriend to keep him from falling - although he wasn’t quite sure how gravity worked in the astral plane anyway. He had his arms on him in a bit of a death grip, trusting but simultaneously unconsciously fearing that his boyfriend would vanish into air and leave him here alone. His eyes were still closed. “Okay,” he mumbled into Dorian’s chest. He didn’t know what to say - he didn’t even know where to start.

”Oook…we can start wit’ somet'in small, like who was t'at guy? Or if you're up for it…t'e bullyin’ you mentioned…maybe why you vanished at dinner earlier today after t'e press? I know it's been a long day, especially for you, and I really do appreciate t'e effort you made to come out ‘ere for t'e victory party. You deserve as much as t'e next member. You ‘epled so much and kept all of us up and goin’. A true ‘ero.”

He shook his head at that. Percy didn’t feel like a hero. He hadn’t done any of it to be a hero. He’d done it because it was important to Dorian and he hated losing. He wasn’t like the rest of them - he wasn’t at Margaret Carter because he wanted to help people. He was there selfishly. He wanted to be an adventurer, with all the glory that came with that - heroism had never factored into it.

“You don’t need to lie. I’m not a good person,” Percy said quietly. “His name is Chase O’Brien. He was two grades above me at Gates Academy.”

”T'at was t'e school before ‘ere right? Before your powers?” Dorian wasn't going to touch on the first subject, knowing already it would be an uphill battle on a NASCAR track.

Percy nodded. He could answer that much, at least. “I only got my powers in eighth grade. The language came first. Teleporting came in the spring.”

”And Chase was…your boyfriend? Or just a crush?”

“… You’re my first and only boyfriend, Dorian.” He lifted his head up slightly.

Dorian pressed another kiss, this time on Percy's forehead as he looked at him. ”T'en let me in Perce. I can't ‘elp you if I don't know what's ‘appenin’. Why did t'is Chase, who by t'e way looks like a walkin' ad for sleep aids, ‘ave you so startled.”

Percy looked away again, his entire body shuddering as he remembered. He couldn’t talk about what had happened without the images and scenes flashing through his head, of a healthier looking Chase hunting him down in the halls of the school, shoving him and throwing him into any crevice he and the others suspected Percy might fit inside. He clutched Dorian a little tighter, his arms trembling from the extent his muscles were contracting. “He… he… He was physical. I couldn’t hide. He’d always find me. The words, the insults, they hurt. But the bruises hurt more… he made it into a sport, shoving me into lockers and seeing if they would close, tossing me into trash cans like I was a basketball…” his voice was thin, fragile - on the edge of breaking down once more.

Dorian's grip on Percy tightened. One part protective, wanting to hold him closer to make sure he understood he was there to shield him from harm. The other part was darker, hearing how someone treated him, how they could treat anybody, it was just like a Flatscan to target other people and it made Dorian's stomach churn. In the back of his mind he thought of ways to get back at him, to use him the way he used Percy and show him how it felt to be treated as lesser. But those thoughts quickly washed away as he could feel himself think ‘That's not what Heroes do. Everyone deserves a chance to change.’

”Perce I'm so sorry, I…’ad we been t'ere, ‘ad any of us known…I just…why didn't any of your friends ‘elp you?” Concern coated every word, but each syllable was laced with anger and hatred.

“I didn’t have any,” he mumbled.

All the anger that had been ebbing inside of, threatening a tsunami of pain later, dissipated with those four simple words. Dorian's heart broke, a sharp gasp leaving him as his grip on Percy loosened ever so slightly and his body ran cold. He didn't have any friends Dorian held Percy tight, pulling him in deeper as he squeezed him, tears falling onto Percy's head. ”I– I didn't, Perce…” He squeezed him once more, as if trying to make up for every hug, every kiss, every embrace he missed out on back at that horrid school.

Percy shook his head slightly, his chin wobbling as a fresh wave of tears hit him. He couldn’t see his boyfriend crying, but he had felt it, and it was enough to push him back over the edge again. “Not your fault,” he choked out. “I’m - I’m not - I’m not likable.” The pressure was helping, but it wasn’t enough at the same time. He wanted to be held so tightly he wouldn’t be able to breathe - that the thin barrier between where he ended and Dorian began would melt away. “That’s why… He… I-it’s why I can’t handle touch from people. I-I used to be able to… used to be able t-to h-h-hug my moms… b-but now it feels like I’m being electrocuted.”

Dorian pulled back as Percy said he wasn't likeable, holding him within his hands on his biceps and staring straight at him. ”Percy Novikov, you are extremely likeable! A bit abrasive at times sure but you're still likeable. T'ere's a whole room of people back t'ere t'at like you.” It was then the other words struck Dorian's mind, his hands letting go slightly as they hovered just outside of touch from Percy's arms, barely able to feel the fuzz off the fibers of his shirt. ”I…oh, Should I stop t'en? I t'ought you were fine wit' me touchin’ you but if you want me to stop… Perce I don't want tl ‘urt you”

The anguish shot back up within him as Dorian pulled away. Percy shook his head quickly, as he practically dove back into clinging to his boyfriend. “Doesn’t hurt when it’s you. Please don’t stop…” he bit his lip. Dorian had asked for him to let him in. “C-can you be as strong and tight as you can? F-firm touch is best.”

Dorian smiled. ”Typically t'ose are called bear ‘ugs. But I can give it my best shot as a twink” He joked before pulling Percy in to the tightest possible hug he could manage. One usually reserved for when he saw Danni or his parents after coming home from a long stint at Xaviers. ”Where do we go from ‘ere? We can't ‘ide away from t'e party forever. But I don't want to make you go back if you don't want to…t'ough it may be good for you if you did. We ‘ave a whole room of t'e mightiest Champions AA ‘as ever seen, t'e four strongest mutants in New Orleans, a whole Underground of Mutants support, and if t'ats not enough an endless buffet of seafood boil you could toss at ‘im.”

He sniffled, but his breathing gradually steadied out again as he was trapped in Dorian’s grip. He nodded a bit as Dorian walked him through all the safeguards with Chase. He forced his eyes back open, already red and puffy - or at least, they were for his astral self. And then he swallowed, the nerves spiking again. “C-could you do the thing where your telekinesis wraps around me, when we go back?” he asked softly.

But Chase hadn’t been the only thing Dorian had asked him about here - not the only thing that had driven him to cry. His body tensed up again, as Percy forced the words out. “I-I don’t do well w-with having my picture taken - o-or with blinding lights or l-loud sounds… Th-that’s why I hid away earlier, that a-and… I was jealous of you and Billy.”

”Well we may ‘ave to do more photos for my family and Danni. No avoidin’ t'at. But as long as we pose well and quickly it'll be over soon. But, why on eart’ were you jealous of me and Billy? ‘E's wit’ Teddy.”

Percy’s face flushed, and he hid again in Dorian’s chest. “I-I know you really liked him a-and… you two merged on a fundamental level. We’ve never been that close,” he mumbled. “It’s dumb. I’m sorry.”

”We merged because I was about to lose and as a stupid ‘ail Mary i decided to try and possess ‘im. Turns out, possessin' someone's Astral Self while your yourself are also Astral can ‘ave some weird consequences. Probably didn't ‘elp t'at t'ere was some…ot'er force t'at was a part of ‘im. Yeah, I crushed on Billy Maximoff, but ‘e's got not'in’ on you chère.”

He lifted his head off of Dorian’s chest again. “Vraiment?”

”Oui mon cœur, toi et moi contre le monde.”

He sniffled again. “Je t’aime toujours.”

”Et moi toi. Now, let's ‘eat back to t'e party and get ourselves some beignets. I t'ink we've earned at least 100.”

Percy nodded slightly. He was starving. But not entirely just for beignets. He moved his hands from Dorian’s back, instead placing them on his chest, and he pressed his lips to his, initiating a tender kiss that grew a little greedier with each passing second.

As the couple kissed, Dorian pulled them back down, moving from the Astral Plane into their own and then finally in their bodies. Dorian was sat next to Percy, but his legs were over Percy's lap, his arm around his waist, and the other behind Percy's head as he continued to kiss him for what felt like the first time today.

Percy wanted Dorian closer - no, he needed Dorian closer. He was so wrapped up in the kiss he hadn’t noticed them return to their bodies, hadn’t seen the change in scenery. He pulled on Dorian’s waist, repositioning his boyfriend so that he was straddling him - and with each kiss, his tongue grew a little more forceful, his teeth grazing Dorian’s lip before even that wasn’t quite enough, and he started to suck on it, and…

Ben cleared his throat awkwardly. “Boys.”

Dorian jumped. The table pushed back, the silverware chattered atop it, and for a moment he'd gone astral again. Phasing through the table and onto the floor to the other side of it, looking towards Percy, and Appa sat right there. ”Hehe…Uh, did you save me any beignets?” He asked his father with a smile.

In Strange Academy: Journey into Mystery → 6 mos ago Forum: Casual Roleplay
Location: the Library
Grimoire: N/A
Skills: N/A
Wild Magic Build Up: triggers on a 1, 2, or 3


Jake scrunched up his face. Barty’s words were really confusing - the sentence was really long and his attention span wasn’t that long. He mumbled the words again to himself, sounding them out one by one as he slowly put together the question that was asked of him. And then, a big smile grew on his face as he understood - or at least, as he thought he understood. “Yeah, I’m in the tank with the fish!!!” He was so happy that his explanation had worked. It was the proudest he’d ever been of himself in his life. And he had been alive for at least one night, so he had a lot of moments to choose from!!! The other top tier moment was when he had been so helpful in the greenhouse, he loved being helpful!! He loved it almost as much as he loved protecting people!

And now Connie was asking for his help too!! He was suddenly filled with energy, an all consuming need to run or jump or something physical filling him all at once. He took the samples of her magic from her - “these are so pretty, you’re so talented!!” - and he stared at them for a moment. He held them up to his ear but didn’t hear anything. He then sniffed them, and when that didn’t feel like quite enough either, he licked them. Ah. There it was! Senses were so silly, he never really knew which one to use, but it seemed like his tongue was really effective! He’d have to try licking more things!!

He scrunched up his face once more, trying to remember if Connie’s magic had been in the statue - for a brief moment he thought about licking Arydon too - and then it came to him. “Nope! Your magic isn’t in there!”

He tilted his head again, though, as Croan told them more about Arydon. He knew there was a reason he liked Arydon so much. He was a protector, too, just like him! He’d saved people from a vampire! Jake didn’t know what a vampire was, but it sounded pretty scary! “He must have been pretty brave and strong to save all those people, right?” Jake was positively beaming. He couldn’t wait to meet Arydon! He was going to ask him so many things - starting with what a vampire was - and he was going to learn so much about how to help keep people safe!
In Avengers Academy: X of Swords ⚔️ → 6 mos ago Forum: Casual Roleplay
April

April was on cloud fucking nine and tunnel visioning on the hot girl in front of her. Her pores were clear, her crops were watered - the world was beautiful and wonderful. They had won the Contest of Champions!! She still couldn’t quite believe it, couldn’t quite believe that this was real and not just a dream, not just a fantasy. Of course she knew her team was destined for greatness but this was proof of it! Who else could manipulate fire like Danni? Throw hands like Andy? Rearrange the earth like Leah? Manipulate memory like Sabine? Blink around the field like Percy? Go ghost like Dorian? No one! She hadn’t felt this good in a long, long time, and she wasn’t going to let anything steal her bliss from her. Her impulse told her to go flirt with the hot girl and right now, she had the confidence to do it. Was it a symptom of a manic episode? Who cares!

She grinned wickedly as Marlena returned her come-on with another. “If I can call you anytime, I’ll need your number, then,” she said smoothly, as she opened up her phone, created a new contact, and handed it over for Marlena to fill out.

April then nodded, rocking back and forth on her feet slightly as Marlena complimented the fight. A line popped into her head and before she could even feel embarrassed about it, it fell from her lips. “I’m glad I could make you come in person!” April winked. “But yeah, I’m Cascade - but please, call me April - and I know! I’m really really lucky. I’ve got the best team in the world,” she puffed out her chest a little bit with pride. “And honestly, the best friends, too. Dori and Danni are basically my brothers, Leah and I have been besties since we started at this school, Sabine and I are broken up but we’re so chill now - and Andy and Percy are both incredible!” she gushed.

She then paused for a moment, and pulled her hair out of the ponytail she’d put it into, letting it down as she shook it over her shoulders slightly. “So you said I’ll be seeing you around in Cali, then. What about in New Orleans?”
In Avengers Academy: X of Swords ⚔️ → 6 mos ago Forum: Casual Roleplay
@Achronum@Blizz@Forsythe@Kirah@PatientBean@Trainerblue192
Evening - Thr. December 16th, 2038 - New Orleans, Louisiana


Over at the adult’s area at the bar, Casper was watching the events the kids had going on with some interest. Everything was messy and dramatic - and he couldn’t help but smile fondly, remembering the shenanigans he and his own friends had gotten up to as kids, and even later in the Underground. He didn’t know who the new kid was who seemed to have upset Percy - and Dorian too, given the Polter-bomb - but James and Max had it handled. Casper’s responsibility was to sit and look pretty - a responsibility he took incredibly seriously! He hadn’t wanted to upstage Danni though, so he toned things down a bit, wearing a Morticia Addams-esque gown that concealed the shibari his husband had so lovingly tied him in.

He watched as the baby trans kid, though, went up to approach one of the other newcomers, a kid Casper was mostly certain they weren't responsible for taking care of - but he couldn’t be sure. Ben sometimes took kids home with him who hadn’t been placed anywhere for foster care yet, she could have been one of his. And then, as the kid delivered an incredibly bold yet terrible pickup line, Casper scream-gasped…

… Only to immediately find James’ hand covering his mouth.

“AwwwJamesyyouknowbetterthantocovermymouth!”

Casper licked his husband’s hand, and held his tongue there against it.

Ben rolled his eyes a bit at Casper’s antics, as he headed over to the bar area. He’d been in the restroom as everything had happened, and he noted the chaos he had left behind. Silverware and dishes were all over the ground near Andy - and a slumped over, unconscious Percy. He did a quick headcount and noticed that his son, Dorian, was nowhere to be seen.

“Where’s Dorian? Everything okay?” He then turned back to look at Andy, his tentacles shooting out of the pit in his stomach as they quickly set to work picking up the debris, stacking them nearly onto an unused table.

Sunshine was present, but was currently in the restroom with her wife, Marrow. Dominika was also going to be present, but was running late - a call with her (soon to be ex) wife had turned explosive in the hotel room. She-Hulk had trapped Magneto in a lengthy conversation about the precedent established that age regression caused a person to no longer be guilty of crimes they’d committed in a UN trial a few decades back - a conversation Magneto desperately wanted to exit. He’d brought a gift for Andy - a set of custom metallic knuckles, constructed from scrap metal he had found at the arena.

As for the newly arrived adults, David was currently flickering between personas to have fronting - he tended to let one of his other personalities out when he was around the Kingston-Grays, and he knew their discomfort with telepaths. Eventually, his others decided on who to have front, as Legion suddenly became super strong and super durable, as Brunhilda took control. “Ah! Arm wrestling! Shall we have a bout?” Brunhilda smirked, eyeing Harry. “Or are you too weak to face me?” she taunted.

Val was quiet for a moment, visibly tensed as she took in their surroundings. Things were simultaneously chaotic and calm. She didn’t like that things had gone flying, that there was clear tension between some of the kids here. She’d grown up at Xavier’s, and she’d managed a cell of the Underground. She knew how quickly things could go wrong when emotions went high and powers were added to the mix. She kept her shields at the ready, prepared to throw them around her friends and loved ones at the slightest provocation. There was a bit of a haunted look in her eye.

At Millie’s question for introductions, it seemed Danni had that handled better than she would - so instead Val preferred to observe and brace.

As for the kids, Gideon went over and lounged next to Andy. She glanced at Percy’s suspended body with some curiosity. “Think Ghostie would kill me if I drew a mustache on him?” She had absolutely no idea who Millie was, but she noticed Eva immediately. What were the odds?

Tommy was huffing and pouting at the lack of interest in his food eating completion. “What’s the point in stealing my food then man, if you’re worried you’re gonna get puffy?” he sulked. He was too focused on his food to notice the pop stars.

Teddy and Billy had gone off to the open area, where the music had started to play and the two of them danced. They were joined a moment later by Cassie and Kate, the two pairs swaying to the beat.

“Don’t look now… but Harry Simmons, Eva Moore, and Millie Broadway just entered!” Billy whisper shouted to Teddy.

As for Eli and America, they were thrilled to be in the company of their new best friend, Danni. Eli didn’t mind the way Danni crawled into his lap, or the way he felt up his biceps. Billy used to do that all the time. He put his arms securely around Danni to keep him from falling, and as he inhaled, he tilted his head slightly. “What scent is that? It’s nice. I like it.” He listened as Danni rambled, and he wasn’t going to be able to respond to everything as it was a veritable verbal onslaught, but at the question about workouts, his eyes lit up. “You wanna hit the gym with me, bro? I’d love that. I’m in a cross fit era right now - lot of lifting, too, America and I have some friendly bets going on. You’ll have to keep up, though, we go fucking hard.”

“Oo, that sounds like so much fun!!! Idk when we are going to go deal with the Mother, we gotta put the calendars together ‘cause a bunch of us have some vacays we wanna take - and I know Tommy wants to drop out of school like a looooser so we gotta see when works for everyone. But we should def do that!! Also, if you hit the gym with us, I’ll send you a link that helps you figure out when and where you’re supposed to do stuff - the school will even pay for personal trainers, you just don’t ask for permission first and they’ll do it, since it would look bad on them if they don’t. That’s how we do most stuff tbh - just don’t ask.”

Percy



Percy didn’t fight it as his soul was ejected from his body, and his boyfriend took them both into the astral plane. He had been incredibly thankful for Andy’s intervention, and if he hadn’t been reduced to such a mess he would have told her. She hadn’t known his history with Chase - no one did. The only person who knew was his mothers, and even they didn’t know the full story - even they didn’t know how the bullying and the violence had begun. If Andy hadn’t stepped between them, if Dorian hadn’t pulled him to the astral, Percy didn’t know what he would have done besides run - run as fast and as far as he could, teleport without aim or destination, any careless action he could take to increase the distance between him and his shade.

At Dorian’s question, Percy shook his head helplessly. He wasn’t okay at all. And the frustrating thing was, he’d been doing better. He’d spent a few hours in quiet darkness in the Kingston-Gray house, sleeping on and off, and the feelings that had threatened to overwhelm him had begun to dissipate and fade. He’d felt up to going with everyone to dinner - felt up to being around people, even if he hadn’t been keen on being particularly social. He’d felt a little bit like a person again. And one touch from Chase had been all it took. One touch, one reminder of the first boy he’d ever liked, and the first person to ever raise a hand to him, that had been enough to break him - to shatter him along the mended fault lines he called scars.

He buried himself in Dorian’s chest, as loud, agonizing wails ripped out his throat. Even if his eyes had been open, he wouldn’t have been able to see through the thick, heavy stream of tears. He could scarcely breathe through his pain. He curled up as much as he could, trying to be as small as he felt.

“C’est lui, c’est lui, c’est lui,” Percy sobbed. He hadn’t had a meltdown like this in a year. “Ma brute, mon premier béguin.”



In Avengers Academy: X of Swords ⚔️ → 6 mos ago Forum: Casual Roleplay
April



April frowned slightly, her mental hackles raising slightly as she saw the interaction between Percy and Chase - it had been hard to miss it, with the silverware and dishes flying towards the pair. She didn’t know Percy very well, and he’d always been a prickly, somewhat difficult person to get along with… but he was also a freshman, just a smol, spicy guy. Andy had stepped in already, putting herself physically between Chase and Percy. She didn’t think crowding him would be the right thing to do, it would probably only make things worse. She could, however, be ready to step in if anything else happened - she didn’t know who the new kid was, and she had a bad feeling about him.

She did, however, take the opportunity of Danni vacating his seat for Patriot’s lap to go and sit down next to him. “Someone’s comfy,” she teased. Everything else seemed to be going fine - although it looked like Tommy’s efforts at starting a food eating competition were unsuccessful. She didn’t mind that, though. She had just spent the week competing in the contest, and before that, it had been the only thing she’d allowed herself to think about. It was nice to be able to just sit back and relax with her friends. She leaned over, putting her head onto Danni’s shoulder - paying no mind to how awkward that might have felt for poor Eli. “You’re going to dance with me too, right? After Eli?” she pouted, before giving her brother a kiss on the cheek.

It was then that she did another glance around the area, and saw another person she’d never met before. She locked eyes with them - a cool, punkish skater chick. They definitely couldn’t have been a student at their school - April would have remembered someone like that. She knew all of the hot girls in their grade and one above, and she’d never seen her anywhere. She swallowed slightly, still riding out the high of their victory, as she sat back up, and began fixing her hair. “Who is she?” she whispered, nudging Danni. And then, without waiting for a response, April hopped back up to her feet, and walked right up to the new girl - up to Marlena, bubbling with newfound confidence.

“Hi! I’m April - do you have a name? Or should I just call you mine?”
In Avengers Academy: X of Swords ⚔️ → 6 mos ago Forum: Casual Roleplay
@Achronum@Blizz@Forsythe@Kirah@PatientBean@Trainerblue192
Evening - Thr. December 16th, 2038 - New Orleans, Louisiana
Leah approached the Young Avengers first - namely, Cassie, Eli, and America. The apology was short and brief, but followed by flickers of genuine surprise on their faces. In that moment, Leah would realize that she hadn’t been the first person to treat the Young Avengers like that in the fight, and she probably wouldn’t be the last. She was, however, the first one to apologize for it. “No hard feelings,” Eli said. “It’s a lot of pressure - people can get carried away, I get it.”

Cassie nodded in agreement. “The first year we fought - before Tommy and Billy joined the team - we lost in the second round to the Future Foundation team. I was so mad at them, I threw away my Herbie plush I’d gotten as a kid… I still miss it,” she said with a soft sigh. “You’re friends with my sister, though, right? Is she… is she doing okay?” she asked, dropping her voice to a whisper. “I’m kinda worried about her. She’s been really going through it lately.”

America grinned as Sabine offered her a compliment on her punch, kissing her fist. “Hell yeah!! You took it like a champ, too - I am really sorry by the way, I try not to throw punches I don’t think people can take when it’s a friendly match. But damn, I was fucking impressed. You’ve got a secret second power that gives you a chest of steel or something?”

Of course, before America could find out the answer to that question, she was whisked away by lesbian fantasies as Andy entered. She was deep in heaven as they arm wrestled, and the kisses weren’t half bad either.

Kate Bishop snorted as Andy caught her reference. “You didn’t strike me as the type of girl who would get that reference, no offense,” she teased, before taking a sip of her mocktail. Had she been at home, it would have been the real thing. But technically, this was a school event, and she was supposed to be on her best behavior. That wasn’t an option, so second best would have to do. “So, which one of you won?” she then asked, glancing at Andy and America. “Is it a kissing contest now? I’d love to judge that.”

Cassie gagged a little. “Why does everything always have to devolve into kissing...” she pouted.

“Why not?” Kate countered.

Tommy was similarly a little put out - not from PDA, but rather from the violation of that which he held most sacred: his food. He consumed over 10,000 calories each day, and that was for a normal day - one where he wasn’t fighting some of the best young heroes around the world. On a day like this, he had to easily triple his intake. Excelsior may not have been much of a threat according to the betting boards, but they’d given him a run for his money (and of course, he had bet against them… so they had taken his money, too).

“You wanna play?” Tommy half growled, as he released Danni from his headlock. He glanced between him and Dorian. “If you’re going to steal my food, you have to prove that you’re worth it. And there’s only one way to do that.” He crackled his knuckles. “FOOD. EATING. CONTEST.”

Eli groaned. America pulled away from a kiss from Andy and screamed excitedly. “Yes!!!!! Let’s fucking go!!!!!” She looked at Andy apologetically. “Wanna do it? We can do teams? Tommy can we do teams? Us versus them in a food eating contest?”

Billy and Teddy looked at each other for a moment. A rapid nonverbal conversation occurred between the pair. And then Billy stood up, cracking his knuckles - mirroring the same motion Tommy had made. “Poltergeist - I believe it’s time for us to have a rematch,” he challenged.

Teddy prepared himself for the arduous process of growing extra mouths. “I guess we’re doing this,” he said, shaking his head. “Hey - one of you mind reffing for us?” Hulkling called out, gesturing towards the adult table - where the friends and loved ones of Excelsior had gathered. The crowd was much the same as had been in attendance at the matches, minus the Canadians. They were conspicuously absent.

Magneto shook his head ruefully. "The youth of our day..."
In Avengers Academy: X of Swords ⚔️ → 6 mos ago Forum: Casual Roleplay
April



They’d done it!!

April could hardly believe it, screaming and hugging the rest of her team excitedly, especially the ones who returned from medical. She made sure to take pictures with people, especially a selfie with her boys. They’d done it!!! They’d won!!! The high propelled her through the photography session, and she was still riding it when they transitioned to doing a group interview with reporters.

No one in her family had messaged to congratulate her or even check in on how she was doing, but she didn’t care. Their stance on her was clear, so she was more than happy to return the feeling in kind. Her real family was here with her, sitting behind microphones at the interview table. She didn’t need anyone else. She didn’t want anyone else. She’d shut her phone off and put it away. No distractions, just living in this moment. And when she got the first question directed at her, she perked up in excitement.

“April, are you sponsored by Mountain Dew? We loved the Baja Blast!”

She grinned and laughed. “Yeah, totally!”

In the back, She-Hulk made eye contact with her and shook her head. The message was clear. No.

“... totally not, I mean!” April recovered quickly. ”But, um, I think it would be super cool if I was so - if Mountain Dew wants to hit me up?” She knew that some brands tended to do sponsorship deals with contest winners, in order to boost their own popularity. She wasn’t really interested in those in general, as she wasn’t particularly excited about fame. But she could make an exception for Mountain Dew, she supposed.

The next question directed towards her was less fun.

“April, is it true that none of your family showed up for your own matches? How does that make you feel?"

She couldn’t help but grimace. She’d thought they were supposed to be largely anonymous - school affiliations, superhero names, first names. But as she looked at the group of reporters, her stomach churned slightly. They weren’t here to give them easy questions. They were here for a story. And the time they’d spent in medical and taking photographs had been enough for them to do some digging, enough to realize April hadn’t had anyone cheering for her in the stands. No one that she was related to by blood, at least.

“Um…” she trailed off, biting her lip. She didn’t know how honest to be here. She hadn’t been prepared for this. Sure, she’d fantasized about winning the contest for ages, but she’d never considered this part of the process - had never studied how to answer these questions. So she tried to keep things vague, to mimic the way her teammates were answering things - to be honest without letting things get too parasocial. “It really sucked, at first. But… now I know where I stand with them. And I know who the people who really care about me actually are. They’re the ones up here with me today.”

The next question was even worse.

“April, why did you go to CAGE before your debut in the Contest? Were you simply looking for attention? Did you fear you may snap during the battle?"

She was speechless for a moment. These people didn’t know her. They didn’t know her and here they were, circling like vultures. Had they cheered when they uncovered that fact about her - had they excitedly told their coworkers about how they were going to get such a good story, interviewing the deranged, crazy member of Excelsior? Did it matter to them that she was a child? Did they care?

“I…” she swallowed, trying to keep her composure. She didn’t want to answer this question though. She didn’t want the world to think that she was insane. She was barely comfortable telling her friends about her diagnosis, that she was bipolar, but complete strangers? She shook her head, as her heart started beating faster and faster. Could she just get up and leave? Or would that only make matters worse? Could she…

But her rescue came in the form of Danni - who helpfully interjected, and began to talk loudly about his skincare routine.

Her hands were still trembling, though, by the time she received her final question. It was gentler, at least.

"April, what does it feel like to have such a finite power? Did you panic when the water ran out?"

“Um, it’s fine? Like - I actually would argue it’s not really finite, the majority of the Earth’s surface is covered in water. But even then, you just need to keep an eye on your resources… and the fans in the stadium just so happened to have what I needed.” She then paused for a moment. “Most heroes have to do that, too. Even for something like your stamina, not everyone is Captain America - you have to think about how often you attack and how hard. Mine’s just a little more visible.”

After the interview session, they transitioned to what was supposed to be a small party for them, with snacks and refreshements… but instead seemed to be a networking event, with stressed out, balding folks in suits and heels swarming them at every opportunity. At first, April tried to be polite, but it became clear relatively quickly that these folks wouldn’t just take anything but a firm commitment. She faked receiving a phone call a few times - which was actually easier than she’d thought, as while her family hadn’t messaged her, her phone was vibrating so much from incoming messages from friends and strangers that it mimicked an incoming call vibration pretty well.

And by the time they managed to escape, loaded up with more swag and business cards than they could possibly know what to do with, April was beyond starving and exhausted. Returning to the Kingston-Gray house, where she could lounge on the couch with her friends and eat junk food was all she wanted in the world. And maybe a cuddle pile. And a Shark Girl autograph.



Later that evening, April headed with the rest of her friends to the Court of Two Sisters. She’d never tried it before, and she was pretty excited to have some authentic Cajun food. The bag of Oreos she had scarfed down at the Kingston-Gray house hadn’t been as filling as she had hoped. And with the contest winnings, she didn’t have to worry about money for food - even though she wasn’t entirely sure if this place would even accept money. Danni and Dorian’s descriptions of how things worked in the French Quarter confused her still.

She had opted for comfortable clothes, wearing a branded pair of Margaret Carter sweats, a blue, white, and pink Team Excelsior jacket that had just felt right, and a retro Mountain Dew t-shirt (they had, in fact, had a representative there for her to talk to!). It wasn’t the prettiest outfit she’d ever worn, but strangely enough, she felt more comfortable in it than she ever had in a dress or a skirt.

“Hey guys!!” April waved happily, as she identified the teen zone and headed on over there. She gave a quick hug to everyone who would let her, for both Excelsior and the Young Avengers. “Honestly that fight was intense - it was so close the entire time! But, um, how are you all feeling? I know it got a little rough there at the end and if you need anything or if there’s anything I can do to help, let me know, okay?” She felt a little flustered as she made her offer, worried that it would come across as ingenuine, but she meant it. They were all just kids trying to figure things out.
Percy



Percy did not want to be here.

He hated being photographed. He hated being touched. He hated it when strangers asked him personal questions. And he hated the feeling that he could not leave without disappointing Dorian and the others. He had calmed down since his treatment in medical, managing to breathe a little easier, and the sensation of ants crawling all over his skin had ceased. But after the extended photography session, he was beyond ready to be done.

In short, he was essentially glaring at the reporters as he sat behind the table, a neat little placard in front of him identifying him by his superhero name, Odysseus. This must have been how the real Odysseus felt to return home to Penelope, only to find a swarm of suitors in his home. He wished that he had his axe. He didn’t want to attack anyone - only to scare them enough to leave him alone.

The questions he received were infuriating as well, and tested his already thin patience.

"Percy is it true your jumps are so small they may as well be running leaps?"

“No.”

"Percy, was it intimidating being so small surrounded by such large competitors?"

“No.”

"Percy, how does having the ability to translate languages help you at all?"

“geugeos deogbun-e dangsin-eul ihaehal su issge doeeoss-eoyo. geuleohji anh-assdamyeon jeoneun babocheoleom malhaess-eul tenikkayo.”

"Percy did you ever actually learn to speak and read or is it only a mutation?"

“Yes.”

"Percy how does it feel to know your own boyfriend merged with two other guys but didn't ask you?"

“Horrible, thanks for asking.” If looks could kill, that reporter in particular would have perished long ago. His stomach had started to churn again with a vicious mixture of anger and jealousy. His knuckles were white from how he’d clenched his hands, and it was taking all of his willpower to not teleport out of the room, and leave all of this in his wake. But he wasn’t here for himself. He was here for the others. He didn’t want to ruin their moment. And once this was all over, he would go back to the Kingston-Gray house and lock himself in his room for a few hours. Maybe find something to drink. He wanted to turn his brain off and pretend like the last few hours simply hadn’t happened. The others wouldn’t miss him too much during their celebrations. He hadn’t been meant to be on their team in the first place.

After the interview had concluded, they were whisked away to a corporate mixer. Percy avoided talking to anyone at all costs. Whenever someone got too close, too keen on speaking with him, he redirected them in Danni’s direction. He was soaking up the attention, anyway. The ones who could not be persuaded to leave, he teleported away from, appearing on the other side of the crowded room. At one point, he took refuge in the bathroom, hiding in a stall as long as was acceptable.

He almost jumped for joy when Vision lied for them and ushered them back to the Kingston-Gray house. The synthezoid quickly shot up in his mental rankings of the teachers at Margaret Carter, becoming his newfound favorite. But there was nothing he loved quite more than peace and quiet. Once at the house, he made his excuses, lying that he had a headache, before practically running up the stairs to his room, closing the door behind him and locking it.

Percy was too overstimulated to crawl into the bed, instead slowly sinking to the ground and hugging his knees to his chest. He then fished his phone out of his pocket, and turned it off, before setting it aside.

He vowed to never do something so public again.

He closed his eyes, and after a while, drifted off to sleep, his back against the door. At some point, Dorian had come to check on him; he woke up in the bed, gently tucked in.



By the time he arrived at the Court of the Two Sisters, Percy had started to feel a bit more like a person again. The time alone had helped. He could have used more of it, though. But he didn’t want to disappoint or worry his friends by not showing up. He knew his mother would be at the dinner, too. He didn’t want to add stress to her, especially with Diana’s situation.

As he entered, he did a quick scan of the people there. The Young Avengers were concentrated in one area, including Andy and Gideon. Speed had put Danni into a headlock, and Dorian had gone to sit with Cassie and Patriot. Sabine and Leah were over there as well. And at the other end of the setup, the adults had gathered - where Vicky was speaking to Max.

Percy was still for a moment.

He knew he ought to go over to where the other teenagers were - that he should be sociable and interact with them all. But after everything that had happened for the contest that day, the thought of talking with a large group made him nauseous. He didn’t want to make a scene, though. He didn’t want to be an embarrassment.

He wished he’d brought a book with him.

He hadn’t for this very reason - to not give himself such an easy path to avoid everyone.

So instead, he made a compromise with himself. He didn’t have to go sit at a table with other people. But he had to go sit at a table near other people. He didn’t have to initiate conversations. But he had to respond if someone talked to him. He had to stay for one hour. He had to try to have fun.

And if anyone touched him, he got to leave immediately.

He could live with these rules. He took a seat near the other teens, but not next to anyone, and began to quietly study the menu. That was one of the rules, too. He had to eat something.


In Camp Lava Lake → 6 mos ago Forum: Casual Roleplay
Location: Camp Lava Lake
Skills: N/A
Nancy wanted to focus just on Dobbs with the radio. She wanted to fully absorb that information - but instead, she found herself throwing glances at Demi, and how he was... writing all of this down. For a fraction of a second, her eyes widened, stunned. It probably was just out of his own self interest, but... Maybe he wasn't looking for an opportunity to get her out of the way and get to her brother. She bit back a slight smile. Maybe he was someone she could trust, if she started to seize. And her brother clearly liked him, and she trusted Zeke, so... She relaxed a little bit, some of the self inflicted tension leaving her body. It was easy for her to be mistrustful and assume the worst, especially when it came to her brother. It had always been the two of them. That had never changed - not in the way Demi's presence threatened to make it.

And yet, she couldn't help but feel a bit hopeful. She was Wiccan, too - any energy she put out would return to her, threefold. Maybe she needed to apply that to her suspicions about her brother's crush. The two of them weren't even dating yet. "Hey, Demi - thanks," she called out, as he started to leave. "That was pretty rad of you." She curled her toes inside her shoes, feeling the immediate discomfort. "And, um, you, too," she added, looking back at Em. "I know I'm not the reason you learned the radio - but I appreciate it all the same."

Bleh. She hated expressing feelings. "Want to go look for the crime scenes?" she then asked, going for a quick change in topic. "They're grody, yeah, but I'm kind of a bit of a sicko for these sort of things."
In Morose's Characters → 6 mos ago Forum: Character Sheets
Percy Novikov
Percy Novikov

“Sing to me of the man, Muse, the man of twists and turns / driven time and again off course, once he had plundered / the hallowed heights of Troy" - Homer's Odyssey
C H A R A C T E R P O R T R A I T
C H A R A C T E R P O R T R A I T
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C H A R A C T E R P E R S O N A L I T Y
C H A R A C T E R P E R S O N A L I T Y
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| Resourceful | Intense |
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| Unrelenting | Sensitive |
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| Romantic | Neurospicy |

C H A R A C T E R N O T E S
C H A R A C T E R N O T E S
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A B I L I T I E S
A B I L I T I E S
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P O S T C A T A L O G
P O S T C A T A L O G
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C H A R A C T E R H I S T O R Y
C H A R A C T E R H I S T O R Y





In Avengers Academy: X of Swords ⚔️ → 6 mos ago Forum: Casual Roleplay
@Morose@Achronum@Blizz@Forsythe@Kirah@PatientBean@Trainerblue192
Evening - Thr. December 16th, 2038 - New Orleans, Louisiana
Sabine Bassard. April. Percy Novikov. Leah Jordan. Danni Kingston. Dorian Gray. Andy Lensherr. Team Excelsior.

And now, the victors of the Contest of Champions, dethroning their rivals, the Young Avengers.

From the start of the year, the odds had been against them. Divided into three separate teams, they had struggled to even qualify, infighting and squabbling dogs at their heels. Desperation to meet the skill gap drove them into Arcade’s path and the arms of Death. They were betrayed by their coach Usagi, betrayed by their teammates Ed and Ardere - betrayed by their feelings and emotions, as their bonds were tested and sometimes frayed. Even when they made it to the contest, the road was not without strife, not without challenge - more of their teammates disqualified or suddenly leaving the competition than remained, their beloved coach dead, and the remaining coach gone with the wind. Three teams became one.

And somehow, they carried on - even in the face of arcane trickery and deception, even as they saw in their sworn enemies a mirror - even as Entities were summoned and arenas were sundered and morals tested and transformed.

Through it all, they persisted. Somehow.

They defied their mortal limits.

And won.

The team who never should have even made it to the arena had won.

The fame, the glory, the accolades, the prize money - all of it was theirs. And no matter what happened, no matter where the road took them next, it could not be changed.

Today, they were victors.

Today, they were champions.


The aftermath was chaos.

Their disgusting victory quickly went viral, clips replayed on stations across the globe and beyond - reaction gifs curated, memes generated, as each of their social media followings ballooned to massive sizes. Fan accounts were created, their email inboxes swarmed with brands reaching out for ambassadorships and endorsements, even rival schools sending offers of admission. A trophy almost as large as Percy and a gigantic check for $1 million USD had been presented to the standing three, as confetti exploded in the arena, the energy matching the vibrant exaltation of the crowd.

Once everyone was healed, the remaining competitors were returned to the arena - photography had to be done, promotional images and documentation created. Shots were dedicated to both individuals and groups, some of whose motivation was not so cleanly hidden. The Contest of Champions committee walked away with plenty of material to post for events such as Pride, Mutant Heritage Month, Asgardian Day of Visibility, and more.

After the photography session came the interviews - the children placed at an elongated table, with Contest of Champion logos on the fake panels behind them as a backdrop. Reporters shouted questions at them, some easier than others - ranging from ones such as “Andy, how did it feel to break America Chavez’s leg like that?”, “Who is dating who?”, and “Danni, why did you join the gestalt? Did you know you would be able to break it apart?”

The interviews were then followed by a corporate mixer - at least a hundred people in suits and ties, most of whom the children had never met before, swarming them with offers and deals and potential sponsorships. While this event was catered, the kids would barely have a chance to eat with how much they were being pestered and hounded - and offloaded with what must have been thousands of dollars of free swag, so much that Vision looked more like a swaying stack of boxes than their coach and mentor as he attempted to contain it all. He did his very best to keep the nastier, more exploitative elements away from the children, but he was only one synthezoid.

The most he had been able to do was apologize and say the children were needed for photoshoots and interviews conducted by the school staff to be used in marketing material, allowing them an early exit from the corporate mixer - almost five hours after they had emerged victorious in the contest. It was one of his better lies. He managed to get the kids back to the Kingston-Gray estate instead, informing them that he would keep the vultures at bay for the rest of the day - and to rest up and relax and celebrate.

As for celebrations, they had two to choose from: one with the Young Avengers at the Court of Two Sisters, a restaurant here in the French Quarter. And another with the Hex Girls at the Haven, a magical speakeasy loosely connected to Strange Academy.

Tomorrow would be more bureaucracy, more questions and photographs and exploitation. Then once they were ready, a portal provided by Max Gray would transport them back to school, where they would have a few days before they would need to vacate for winter break on Monday December 20th.

But for now, they could just be children - an opportunity too rarely afforded to them.

The Court of Two Sisters

As the sunlight faded away, the French Quarter of New Orleans truly came to life. Tourists and locals alike filled the streets, dodging the occasional mule pulled carriage and slow moving car - and more excitingly, drag performers and costumed pirates and magicians and artists and more. On every corner was a new attraction, a new venue bustling with vibrant life - so palpable that it could easily be mistaken for the soft aura of magic that permeated this place. And while plenty were taking advantage of the ease of access to liquor and other libations, others were taking their fill of the hearty creole comfort food available. One such establishment would be intimately familiar to not just the Young Avengers, as their favorite restaurant in all of Louisiana, but to Andy, too. The Court of Two Sisters was where Brother Voodoo had removed her curse.

Its exterior was relatively simple and unassuming - classic French colonial architecture, black columns between white window panes and vibrant pops of green from the plants dangling up above. And while the restaurant had a lovely and packed dining room, the newfound champions of Avengers Academy would be directed by the restaurant staff to the courtyard, reserved for a private event - a celebration in their own honor, where all of their friends, loved ones, and family could gather.

The courtyard was decorated with tasteful fairy lights and greenery, complete with a water fixture. A cluster of light olive green tables adorned with white cloth were located near the entrance, clearly intended for folks to sit at and dine - the rest of the courtyard had been left as open space, where a Jazz band was beginning to set up. This wasn’t just about food - it was about dancing, too.

Dinner menus had been placed at the tables as well, showcasing the variety of options. Tommy Shephard had already placed a gigantic order, sitting at a table all to himself, as he ate at superhuman speeds, practically inhaling plates of crab cakes and duck breast, turtle soup and gumbo, filets and pecan pies. Sitting one table over, somehow still mesmerized and stunned by how quickly Speed could eat, Hulkling and Wiccan had hardly even touched their foods.

“Damn, Tommy… You’re going to choke like that,” Teddy shook his head slightly. His hand was resting on Billy’s knee underneath the tablecloth - or perhaps a little further north.

“If we’d only be so lucky,” Billy smirked slightly, his tongue sticking out a bit between his teeth.

Tommy paused for a fraction of a second to flip them off, before returning to his deadly onslaught.

At the third table of Young Avengers sat Eli, Cassie, Kate, and America. None of them looked worse for wear - even America’s bones were perfectly intact again, as if the injuries Andy had delivered her so decisively had never happened. Eli was periodically pulling out his phone, checking for a response to a text.



He didn’t know why he felt somewhat jittery and on edge. He didn’t like Danni like that. He didn’t like anyone like that. But he was excited to see him nonetheless, and it was taking all of his self control to not leave the courtyard and wait out on the street, and wave frantically like an idiot.

Kate rolled her eyes. “That’s the tenth time you’ve checked your texts. Someone has a squish~!” she teased.

“I do not!” Eli crossed his arms. “... Is it really that obvious?”

Cassie giggled. “It’s fine, at least you aren’t mooning over him like America is!”

“I have no shame,” America said, holding her head high. “A girl who I can’t break and can break me? That’s hot as shit. She can snap my leg like a toothpick any time.”

The Haven


Of course, the party was not only alive in the French Quarter, but also in a pocket dimension beyond it. Two enterprising students of Strange Academy had created a magical speakeasy of their own, nestled within the safety of the Neverish. This private social club required an invite to access in order to maintain its exclusivity. Its entrance was tucked away within the bowels of Strange Academy, concealed behind the portrait of “El Aquelarre”. And even then, its access was not so simple as casting the portrait aside to reveal a wall - no, instead a smartly dressed young gentleman stood outside as a bouncer of sorts, awaiting proof of invitation. A small queue had formed, composed largely of other competitors from the contest, all dressed up for the occasion - the theme, of course, as Midnight Masquerade. Masks and gowns and capes were aplenty, largely concealing the identity of those who were about to enter with few exceptions.

While the Young Avengers were not invited to this celebration, everyone from Excelsior had been. And of course, Vicky had been instructed to make a particular delivery this evening to her one-time patron, Barty Mccleod. The Hex Girls were almost certainly already within, nursing their wounds with liquor and more illicit substances - perhaps even the very ones they had used to attempt to wrest victory from the jaws of defeat.
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