Location: the Library Grimoire: Byeeeeeeee Skills: N/A Wild Magic Build Up: triggers on a 1, 2, 3, or 4
Jake gasped, tears welling up in his eyes as he was given his second ever gift. "Really?? Thank you!! Oh my gosh, I don't know where I'm going to put my new things!!" he squealed. "First Nicholas gave me a present, and now you??" If he had known what a birthday was, he would have compared this to it - of course, being completely unaware that his birthday had in fact been yesterday. He bounced up and down for joy, smothering his urge to wrap Connie up in a big hug to show how much it meant to him. He wasn't allowed to show affection like that, though. Some people wouldn't like it. He didn't want to get in trouble.
He didn't really understand what Connie meant about the data, though - it seemed silly. If Connie hadn't used her magic on the statue, how would it get in there? The idea of a passive proximity drain didn't occur to him, as he scrunched up his face, his tongue poking out slightly between his teeth as he tried to figure out what Connie had meant. Maybe if he turned himself completely upside down, he'd think better? He was about to see if he could stand on his head when Barty had an amazing idea - a new vantage point!
"Ooo, oo, oo, I can do it!!" Could he? He didn't know how, but as he looked up to the rafters of the room, it didn't seem too hard. "Byeeeeeee," he called out, as the magic swirled around him and he... reappeared exactly where he'd be standing. Huh. "Was that what was supposed to happen? That was so cool!!! I wanna disappear for a second again!!!"
Evening - Thr. December 16th, 2038 - New Orleans, Louisiana
“I could eat,” Gideon agreed, as Andy leaned up against her. She leaned in, nibbling lightly on her ear. “But I think the food here will have to do, then,” she added with a chuckle, before getting up and heading over to one of the waiters, and placing an order for more food than the two of them could possibly eat together. Then, she went to where a buffet table of sorts had been set-up, grabbing plates of appetizers and bringing them back to Andy. “Dig in, princess,” she added with a wink.
“You know that kid?” Eli asked, as Danni was twirled back to him on the dance floor. He’d taken advantage of the partner swap to dance with Cassie for a moment, before sending her back into Kate’s arms. He hadn’t recognized the boy Danni danced with, but he couldn’t help but feel a bit sorry for him. He’d shown up here, ended up covered in food, and there was a haunted look to him that he couldn’t quite shake. There were kids like that on campus - kids who had suffered more than they should. He seemed like the sort who needed a friend. “It’s good on you, dancing with him. He probably needs it.”
And then, his jaw tightened slightly as he noticed the shadows pooling. He definitely needed a friend. Eli made a mental note to keep an eye on this kid, maybe reach out to him when they were back on campus - but with the Mother, he didn’t even know if that would happen. Everything was so up in the air.
America was laughing, giggling with glee as she danced with a veritable pop princess. “You’re so talented - you go, girl!!!” she squealed. She’d never done swing dance very much before, but she was quickly falling in love with it - with the music, the rhythm, the beat. Maybe she’d learn to play saxophone next semester! Or the trombone! The trombone seemed fun - she could imagine sticking a knife or a glove on the end of it, letting it double as a weapon. “How do you think we know if we’ve won, btw?” she then asked. She didn’t know if swing dancing came with a point system.
M I S C E L L A N E O U S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ►Character Info Full Name: Nicknames: Birth Place: Age: Nameday: Gender: Pronouns: Sexuality: Build: Eyes: Body Modifications: Education: Habits: Hobbies:
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April’s chest fluttered with excitement for a moment. Danni and Dorian had told Millie Broadway about her? She knew how much her brothers loved her, but every now and then a reminder of it took her breath away for a moment, as she felt that love for a moment. She returned Millie’s hug tightly, giggling with the building feelings of ecstasy. They had gone through so much bullshit, so much drama and suffering this year - and now, now they just got to be happy, they got to celebrate and enjoy life, with no existential dread crushing them, no pressure of performing on a global stage on the horizon. “Oh, absolutely, I’d love to show you around!!” she squealed, already thinking what Millie would want to see the most on campus. April had never really spent a lot of time in the performing arts center, but she knew that it was supposed to be gorgeous - she bet Millie would want to see it. She’d want to see everything. Maybe she could give her the full tour.
“Okay, have fun!!” she waved a bit, as Millie was whisked away by America Chavez to the dance floor - or the dance air space? Everyone was leaving gravity behind now, whether they were aided by their powers or by Vicky’s gravitational lift.
She was about to head to join in when the music went silent for a moment, as Vision arrived and gave a speech, praising each and every one of them individually. She didn’t remember the last time an adult had praised her - didn’t remember the last time an authority figure had told her that she did well. Her parents certainly hadn’t. Nothing had ever been enough for them, when excellence was held as the baseline, the standard. So as Vision paid her a compliment for her efforts in the contest, April couldn’t hold back the tears - they weren’t sad, however. They were tears of pride, of happiness. That same giddiness latched onto the drinks in the courtyard, not freezing them but violently sloshing them about, spilling them over onto the tables.
She dried her tears on the back of her sleeve, before beaming at Marlena as she asked if she needed a partner. She wanted to dance with everyone she loved tonight - wanted to dance with her team. The style of dance seemed to be partner swaps, so she could begin with Marlena - and then see about getting Leah, about getting Danni and Dorian and all the others. “Yeah, let’s do it!!” April grabbed Marlena’s hand, and dragged her to the dance floor, where the lack of gravity let them start to drift pleasantly upwards into the sky.
Percy bit back a grimace. He didn’t like dancing. They had assigned dance units at Gates and he had been conveniently ill during every lesson. The touching, the social rules, the noise… it was a perfect symphony of everything that made him want to scream and tear off his skin. But he had already skipped out on a lot of the celebrations that day, sitting in his room in complete silence in the dark rather than joining the others. And then, he had caused Dorian to miss the start of this event too, having a public meltdown worse than any he’d had in a while. He could be uncomfortable for a moment. How long could dancing last for?
He nodded, as Dorian asked if they could dance - enticing him with the idea that it would be like Pride and Prejudice. Percy loved Pride and Prejudice. It had quickly evolved into his comfort movie.
“Very well, Mr. Darcy,” Percy acquiesced, following Dorian’s lead. He did his best to mirror and match his boyfriend’s steps, as they left gravity behind - and despite never having danced before really, he managed to hold his own.
”Enchanté Ms. Swan.” No matter how many times Dorian had watched Pride and Prejudice, he still called Elizabeth Bennet, Kieran Knightley's character, by Elizabeth Swan, another character played by her from the Pirates of the Caribbean series. He led Percy in the dance, knowing full well that his boyfriend never had much of a want to dance, and full happy that he agreed to even do so right now. ”You're a natural Perce.”
Percy blushed, even as he protested Dorian mixing up franchises again. “Her name is Elizabeth Bennet,” he corrected. He had told Dorian this a thousand times before, and he would probably tell him another thousand times, if not more. They weren’t dancing quite like in the movies - Percy didn’t know the name of the dance they were doing, but it was a bit too modern for Bennet and Darcy - or for Elizabeth Swan and Will Turner. Although… he wouldn’t mind if Dorian decided to dress as either Turner or Darcy for a bit.
For now the pair had been establishing a basic dance in swing. A stance Percy was more than likely not used to, as instead of having their feet directly beneath each other, they were almost shoulder length apart, a basic two step march that moved into a rock step. Nothing crazy, nothing too fancy. They stood almost at an angle to each other, making a V shaped pattern with their bodies, and Dorian's hand was on Percy's lower back. A clearly more relaxed stance to take as opposed to the ballroom dancing shown on period dramas.
Dorian wanted to add a bit more flare into it, after all this was swing, he quickly (and without warning) threw Percy out, extending his arms in such a way that was meant to lead into the turn in and back to the basics. Unfortunately Percy had gone too far out too quick, their fingers grazed each other as they slipped away and Dorian quickly extended the telekinetic field around Percy to grip his hand now before pulling him in. Giggling as they rejoined with Percy curled into his arms before he let go and went back into the basics.
Percy yelped as suddenly, he was thrown out - he didn’t know this style of dance, he had a vague idea of small, controlled spins in period pieces but nothing quite like this - he’d panicked, trying to get a better grip onto Dorian’s fingers, only to meet nothing but air. But the next thing he knew, a familiar sensation enveloped him, like a weighted blanket, and he was pulled back in, his back to Dorian as he was pressed against his chest. “Don’t do that!” Percy protested, as he bit back a smile - or at least, attempted to. He couldn’t help himself, a lovesick grin forcing its way to the surface, as he started to giggle. And as they went back into the basic step, he couldn’t stop looking at Dorian with adoration, missing more and more of the movements as they went.
”You can't even ‘ide it! You're ‘avin’ fun.” Dorian continued, watching Percy's feet to try and keep him on step and rhythm. ”Now kick ball change and 1,2,3 and now we do a twirl!” Dorian pulled Percy inwards this time, having him move underneath his arm as he then twirled him out before coiling him back in and throwing him out. His free hand and matching foot extending outwards in the opposite direction to add some flair into the move.
“I am not having fun!” he argued, giggling between each word. He couldn’t help himself, it was like his body had decided to betray him in that moment, years of suppressed laughs and snarky comments just evaporating. He had no idea what a kick ball change was - was he supposed to kick? But the tempo was fast enough that he couldn’t even question it, before he was spun around and thrown out again, his vision swimming a bit as more laughter escaped him.
”T'en we should ‘not ‘ave fun’ more often.” Dorian was also now in a fit of giggles. He'd never seen Percy this happy, this free. It made his heart melt and his love grow. Sure he'd seen him smile or show his affections in ways only Percy could, but this? Unbridled emotion with no walls to hold them back? Never in a million years did he believe it possible.
“I never have fun with you, ever,” he swore, even as he was starting to struggle to breathe from the joyous laughter. If he hadn’t just cried his eyes out, he probably would’ve been brought to tears. If Dorian hadn’t been holding them up in the air with his powers, his knees might have given out. He spun into Dorian’s chest again, holding himself there for a moment as his body trembled.
Dorian gave Percy a kiss as he held him close, fully enraptured in their dance to notice anyone else that was on the floor. When it came time to spin him out once more, where normally a partner swap out occur, he extended out just as he'd done last time. Flourishing with his free hand and leg out as he turned to face away from Percy, but when he turned back again to grab and pull Percy in, he was in the hands of another.
Chase had taken the partner swap and began to dance swing with Percy. There was nervousness inside him, from what felt like a thousand eyes staring right back at him. As he turned their angle slightly he smiled and waved at Dominika, before turning Percy to see who he was saying hi to. ”Percival…you didn't tell her?” His tone clearly surprised at the news.
Percy had been having a really nice time - he’d been having fun, feeling giddy with happiness and joy. He didn’t know that he had been jinxed - didn’t know that the universe itself was conspiring against him, that even with 1 in 400 odds, he was doomed, doomed to be swung out from Dorian’s grip - and into Chase’s. He was stunned speechless for a moment, falling out of the rhythm of the dance - and stumbling out of Vicky’s anti gravity field, face first, destined for his next kiss to be with the pavement about ten feet below.
Chase watched as Percy immediately lost his grip on the situation. Shadows pooling around Percy's lower back as he caught him in a low dip and pulled him back up with a smile. ”I always told you skipping Dance Lessons wasn't a wise idea. Just, follow my lead?”
Dorian looked towards Percy, asking him if he needed help, if he needed them to get away. He needed no words, a simple look conveying it all.
He swallowed, the only thing keeping him from screaming as Chase touched him being his boyfriend’s telekinetic barrier. He studied Chase’s face as he had a thousand times before. He hadn’t been able to understand their classmates, but he had been able to understand him - or so he’d thought. A tremble went through him as that pain crawled its way back to the surface. He wanted this to be genuine, to be real - wanted this to not be an act to save face, to avoid social embarrassment. He wanted Chase to regret what he’d done and apologize - even if Percy himself didn’t know if it was too late, didn’t know if he could ever forgive him.
And for a moment, he thought he saw in Chase’s eyes what he wanted to see.
He looked at Dorian and shook his head for a moment.
He switched into Spanish, as his gaze hardened. “Y que te hizo pensar que yo le hubiera dicho algo? No voya, si eso es todo lo que estoy es. No se los digo.”
Chase rolled his eyes at Percy. Difficult of course he would be. And why shouldn't he? Chase was a monster, a murderer, and a million other despicable things. ”No pensé por un segundo que tu me ibas a dar el chance para pedir disculpas. No es solamente para ellos. Pero…” Chase got quiet, debating on if he should even say or ask about this. This dance was already so fragile it may break it, but when else would he get the chance? ”Fui un cobarde. Pero tú me dejaste sólito en esa clase del infierno. Me dijiste que me amabas y solamente porque yo no tenía las palabras para responder tu me abandonaste primero.”
There was nothing in Chase’s eyes that he wanted to see - no glimmer of remorse, no regret. His best friend had died a long time ago, and this was just the thing wearing his corpse. Percy stopped dancing, his hands shaking as they folded into fists. He wanted nothing more than to lash out and scream, to punch Chase as hard as he could, to split his lip and watch him bleed - to make him feel just an ounce of what he’d put Percy through. That was what all of this had been about? That was why his life had been made a living hell - because of a class? The tremors in his hands traveled to the rest of his body, and he was livid, seeing red.
Chase hadn’t changed. Couldn’t change, maybe.
And it was only because he knew that beating the lights out of him right now would ruin the party for everyone else that he restrained himself.
“I wasn’t going to tell anyone here. I was going to keep your secret,” Percy spat. “I wasn’t going to tell them how you threw me into every locker I’d fit into, every trash can - that you were my friend and you threw it all away because you were, what - scared? You’re right. You were a coward. And you still are one. You care more about what everyone else here thinks of you than the rot inside your soul. You think you’re Arthur, but you’re Mordred.” You’re the reason I drink. “And if you ever touch me again, it won’t be social suicide you have to worry about.”
Chase had let go of Percy. He wasn't going to fight him, he wasn't even trying to start an argument. All he'd wanted was to have the chance to apologize. His hands tugged at the cuffs of his sleeves, taking a step back as Percy held up a mirror to who he had become. ”I never said I was Arthur, I've known for a while who my counterpart was. But you're wrong about one thing Percival, I wasn't worried about what everyone else here thought about me, only what you did. I simply wanted to apologize, and I knew you'd never forgive me, but I thought maybe the Percival I knew was still there, clearly it's just Perce now. Don't worry about me seeing you again.” Shadows pooled around Chase as they opened up behind him and he began to slink in.
“The Percival you knew was beaten out of me when you decided being a monster was more important than being my friend,” he snarled. “And I don’t worry about you. That would require thinking about you.”
Y que te hizo pensar que yo le hubiera dicho algo? No voya, si eso es todo lo que estoy es. No se los digo = Why would I tell her? I won’t, if that’s what this is. I won’t tell them.
No pensé por un segundo que tu me ibas a dar el chance para pedir disculpas. No es solamente para ellos, Pero… = I didn’t think for a second that you would give me the chance to apologize. It isn't just for them, but…
Fui un cobarde. Pero tú me dejaste sólito en esa clase del infierno. Me dijiste que me amabas y solamente porque yo no tenía las palabras para responder tu me abandonaste primero. = I was a coward. But you left me alone in that class from hell. You told me you loved me and because I didn't have the words to respond to you you left me first.
Emily found her, and Nancy nodded. She didn't have anything specific that she needed to figure out at the moment - she wanted to get a vibe for the Camp before she started to worry too much about things. Maybe check out the archery range, get a good idea of the condition all the equipment was in. She somehow doubted it would be too impressive - maybe a few bows, the strings about to snap, and arrows missing their fletching. But still, the lack of resources here wasn't her problem. If the kids had to just play games in the archery range instead of real archery, that was fine. She did enjoy camping - but community service was hardly her passion. "Damn, and here all I wanted this summer was to watch some kids suffer," Nancy sighed, shaking her head slightly.
"But yeah, I'm ready to go," she then looked at Demi for a moment. "You take care of him, okay? He overdoes things," she requested, crossing her arms. "Make sure he eats."
"He'll get plenty of breaks, no worries. Snackage is very important to me so I'll make sure he eats a bit to. Don't you worry." Demi salutes Nancy.
M I S C E L L A N E O U S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ►Character Info Full Name: Captain Isabeau Petit Nicknames: Beau Birth Place: Molot Imperii Age: 36 Summers Nameday: Late Winter Gender: Genderfluid Pronouns: She/Her, He/Him, They/Them Sexuality: Pansexual, Arospec Build: Scrappy Eyes: Hazel Body Modifications: Prosthetic left arm Education: Military Habits: Paranoia, long stares, cleaning their weapons Hobbies: Drinking, gaming, subterfuge, fucking
►Fears Betrayal Sky Beasts Exile from the Adventuring Guild
►Likes Control Piloting The Sky Burns Drinking in silence Adventure
►Dislikes Disobedience Management Patience Reports Small talk Emotional intimacy -
P O S T I N G N O T E S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ►Relationship Notes Relationship Notes
►Important Posts Note/Link Note/Link -
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
Rough history notes, will turn into paragraphs later:
Born in Molot Imperii to an extremely poor family, Beau's options to escape poverty were to become a Blood Maid or enlist in the military
Enlisted in the military at 16, worked their way up through the ranks and found natural talent as a Helmsman
Completed their service contract and joined the Adventurers Guild, working on private crews
Attempted mutiny against their captain, left for dead on an island at the edge of the fae wilds. Lost their arm during their time there, managed to return to civilization to find that their captain & the crew had died in an airship accident, allowing Beau to maintain her reputation
Continued flying, eventually making it to Captain himself - but became increasingly paranoid and superstitious, convinced they were cursed for the attempted mutiny. Most recent voyage ended in disaster when a Sky Beast destroyed their ship, killing everyone aboard except for Beau
Accepts the job to Captain the ship going on the expedition due to 1) believing they are cursed, and wanting to go out on their own terms, 2) the insane amount of money it pays, 3) bragging rights if successful in reaching the arctic and coming back with artifacts/info, 4) a genuine love of adventure.
Wears a pin on their lapel whose color indicates the pronouns of the day (pink for she/her, blue for he/him, purple for they/them)
Prosthetic arm is prone to malfunction
Currently writing her memoir, wants to have the final word
M I S C E L L A N E O U S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ►Character Info Full Name: His Grace the Knyaz Caspár Volkovich Mikhalkov of Vodnyy Gorod Nicknames: Casha, Blood Prince / Krovavyy Knyaz, Cashunya (lovers only) Birth Place: Vodnyy Gorod Age: 31 Summers Nameday: edit to between Nov 15 and Dec 13 Gender: Male* Pronouns: He/Him Sexuality: Pansexual, Homoromantic Build: Lean, muscular, fighter Eyes: Sea glass, gemstone Body Modifications: Fangs, scarred chest and back, pierced ears, scabbed/bruised knuckles Education: Private tutors, finishing school Habits: Shuffling a deck of cards, spinning his knuckles, sitting on any available surface, smoking Hobbies: Underground fight rings, sex, fashion
►Fears Abandonment Claustrophobia Draining his lover dry
►Likes Adrenaline and highs Games Death matches Makeup and fashion Flirting Showboating
P O S T I N G N O T E S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ►Relationship Notes Relationship Notes
►Important Posts Note/Link Note/Link -
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
Caspár was not the first born child of the Lord of the Tides, head of the Spire House of Mikhalkov, prince of the city-state of Vodnyy Gorod. He had six elder siblings, none of whom survived more than six winters, succumbing instead to the mischievous whims of fate - to illness, to drowning, or the noble pains of the Blood of Bathory. Had House Mikhalkov taken stock in superstition, the likely conclusion would have been a curse upon their line. It was not uncommon for children to die, but six funerals in as many winters bore a heavy cost, limiting the most critical political resource of the House - its youth, its ability to form new alliances and strengthen the old through marriage pacts.
On his sixth nameday, the young prince was his father's only child and heir - and as the others had, he too fell ill, stricken by a malady that confounded the family's alchemist. He was bedridden for months, held captive by a fever that would never quite break, sapping the energy from his body, and leaving him delirious. His burial rites had already been planned, his grave prepared
Rough history notes, will turn into paragraphs later:
Caspár is 15th in the line of succession for the Imperial Throne, and the current Heir to the Spire House of Mikhalkov at Vodnyy Gorod
He has the Blood of Bathory, and overconsumes blood beyond what is necessary, drinking ~3 cups per week
His mother, the princess of Vodnyy Gorod, died when he was a young child under suspicious circumstances.
He has two half brothers that have survived so far, Ilya and Persey. Both of them are from different mothers.
They have had numerous other siblings, but all perished, mostly due to complications from the Blood of Bathory illness.
Caspár is his house's greatest secret/shame. He is a bastard, sired by his mother's blood maid. The term for this socially is a Blood Mutt. His father recognizes Caspár as trueborn due to the high childhood mortality rate, and the precarious situation of their house politically, as they are under threat of being taken over by a junior branch or another Spire
Caspár was raised with your classic nobles education, focusing on etiquette, social interactions, dancing, fencing, etc etc
Caspár fell in love with one of his blood maids as a teen, Ben (name may change idk). He drank Ben dry and killed him. He has not accepted that his own actions caused this to happen and instead began to lash out at the nobles and the system they upheld. He had his teeth made into fangs to hold up a mirror to the nobles as to what sort of monster they are and started directly biting into his blood maids, drinking from their necks.
He started to not care whether he lived or died, seeking out more and more dangerous experiences, until he fell into underground fighting rings. He entered into a death match figuring at least he'd go out with an adrenaline rush, but ended up falling in love with the sport, winning, and continuing to compete under the title Blood Prince / its translation
He does fuck his blood maids, as he thinks its a fair trade for drinking from them
His family ordered him to go on this expedition to protect their stake in it, but he suspects it's because they want him dead. That since Ilya is a man now and their father is dying, they need Caspar out of the picture. He's cooperating because at least he gets to have one last adventure before he dies - it's better than an assassination at home made to look like an accident.
Evening - Thr. December 16th, 2038 - New Orleans, Louisiana
“Milli-illi-illi-illi-pede - I FUCKING LOVE DANCE BATTLES!!!!” America screamed. She punched up into the air, a brief crack in the universe forming. She didn’t have a destination in mind for the portal, she had just felt a sudden swell of energy and needed to let it out. And with Vicky adding in an anti-gravity effect, a wide grin formed on America’s face, as she reached out and took Milli-illi-illi-illi-pede’s hands. “Are you afraid of heights?” she then asked, and without missing a beat, she flew the pair of them up, just high enough that they could see over the rooftops of the nearby buildings, but not so high so that way they couldn’t hear the music. “We need to crush Kate and Cassie,” she said very seriously. America had decided that obviously, she and Milli-illi-illi-illi-pede were on a team together in this sacred war.
They weren’t the only two electing to defy gravity, either. Billy and Teddy had both let their feet take them where they may, Teddy’s wings and Billy’s innate powers providing the necessary escape. They weren’t so much dancing to the jazz as they were dancing to some rhythm innate to the two of them, spinning and twirling and yet always ending up together once more, curled into each other’s embrace.
“Viiiiiicky you have to come daaaaance if you’re going to do thiiiis!” Cassie screeched. “Don’t make me grab you!” She stuck out her tongue. Would it be stupid to rapidly increase in size here? Yes. Would she do it to bother her sister? Absolutely.
“Please don’t, this is why we’re banned from iHop,” Kate groaned.
Eli hadn’t always been a good dancer. He had been rather rigid with it once, stumbling about and crushing the toes of anyone who had dared to go near. But during his first year at Margaret Carter, his workouts were brutal, leaving him sore and prone to injury. The school’s physical therapist had suggested dance as a way to loosen up his limbs and muscles - to listen more to what his body needed, rather than forcing it into submission. He probably would have ended up an asshole if it hadn’t been for that advice - if he hadn’t unironically proclaimed to his friends toxic masculinity is dead, I dance now.
“You got moves, HotShot,” Eli whistled slightly in appreciation. “But so do I,” he added, smirking with bravado, as he joined Danni in the fray. “And of course I know the Lindy Hop!” He felt a little bad that he hadn’t commented on the cuddle piles or the romanticism, but he had the sense that Danni wouldn’t be offended. He talked a lot. It was impossible to follow every tangent.
As the night continued on, the small courtyard of the Court of Two Sisters became somewhat more crowded, with new guests and loved ones of the Margaret Carter teams arriving. Percy’s mother, Dominika, came in alone, looking somewhat frantic - even her signature ruby red shades could not conceal the tired lines marring her face. She glanced around, smiling fondly as she noticed her son, standing with his boyfriend. Things had been so hard for him - and it broke her heart that they were only going to get harder. She and her wife had planned an intervention for him in the morning - and then in the weeks to come, they would inform him of their pending divorce.
As she went to locate where the adults had gathered, so as to not crowd Percy, her eyes widened with astonishment - and delight - as she saw a ghost. Chase O’Brien. He looked like shit, yes, but if he were to be in Percy’s life again… He needed his friends now more than ever. She gave him a somewhat friendly wave, before finally heading onto where the other parents were located - she needed to speak with James some tonight at any rate. She had more questions for him to prepare for what came next.
Not too long after Dominika arrived, so too did Billy’s mortal parents, Jeff and Rebecca Kaplan, the Scarlet Witch and Vision, and Hope Pym and Scott Lang. Wanda was deep in conversation with Jeff and Rebecca, but as they moved through the space her footsteps gravitated towards her fellow sorcerer, Max. Scott was immediately impressed with Cassie’s gravity defying dance - “it’s like Wicked!!” he eagerly told Hope, who could not help but roll her eyes as they too made it towards where the parents had gathered.
That left the Vision, the synthezoid standing in the midst of the celebration and revelry. For a moment, he just let the scene wash over him - let himself look on with fondness as these young heroes… as these young children laughed and danced and played. It was all too easy to forget that they were still kids, as blessed as they all were with extraordinary talent and power, and the crushing weight of responsibility that accompanied it all. He wished that they would never have to use a single thing he taught them - that they could remain like this forever, innocent and free.
He brushed a synthetic tear from his eyes, and signaled to the band. The music stopped at once, as he cleared his throat. “I wish to say a few words, if that is alright.”
“I am in the unusual position of being the coach for both teams… My only regret is that I did not have the opportunity to give both groups the time and attention that you deserve. To my Young Avengers - I am so very proud of you and all that you have achieved, both in the arena and beyond. America, you bring such joy to your fights, celebrating your opponent’s skills as well as your own. Teddy - while your strength is by no means in doubt, your vulnerability and heart is what astounded me today. Kate, I have said as much to you before, and I will say it again. It is a fool who goes to battle with gods and mutants armed with a bow and arrow - it is a legend who does so with your bravery and skill. Cassie, you stood by your teammate’s side until the bitter end, protecting them when it would be easier and strategic to cast them aside. Eli - you have inspired me as well as your team, urging them onwards with love and hope, and never fear and anger. And my dear sons - Tommy, I am so proud of how you use your speed to protect and aid your allies, that you choose their defense over brutal attacks. Billy - you fought a war on two fronts today, between your powers and your opponents - and while you may not have emerged the victor in both, you did so in the one that counted.”
“Now for Excelsior… I realize these words may ring hollow, as I am not the one who trained you. I am not Lady Nimue or the late Ser Nemo. But I am as fiercely proud of you as I would be had I worked with you from the start, and I know that your mentors would be overjoyed to see your triumph today.
“Danni - for a student with no psychic training, you handled the situation with the Entity masterfully, leading with the empathy and compassion of a true hero. Leah, your ability to manipulate the terrain of the battlefield is incredible, complimented by your grace under pressure as you stabilized the arena before others could be seriously hurt. Sabine, you chose to follow your conscience and moral code, even when the entire world was expecting you to continue on - and the bravery you showed in the face of mightier foes was commendable. Dorian, you similarly used words to shape the flow of the battle, changing the hearts and minds of your opponents without landing a single blow. Percy, you may have been the least experienced of your team, but you consistently came to the aid of your allies, shepherding them from harm. April, your joy and conviction as you chose to take a stand was palpable, as was your creativity in using your surroundings when your resources dwindled. Lastly, Andy - the young hero who landed the decisive blow. I have known many who chose to become consumed by their trauma, to give into bitterness and hate. You have chosen compassion and strength, and I see no limit to what you might one day achieve.”
“Now, I know you all do not wish to hear me continue to ramble on, when you have food and dance to return to, so I will conclude here. It is true that your actions in the contest will draw the eye of the Avengers and other groups around the world. But your victory here today is not what makes you heroes. It is your actions in the real world that do. So I ask you this - you have proven that you are strong, capable, and powerful. Go show the world that you are virtuous, compassionate, and good. A true hero fights to protect the innocent, to save lives, and to redeem those who need us most. You all have what it takes to be heroes. The choice to rise to the occasion is up to you.”
“Thank you.” He nodded to the band, and once more, the Court of Two Sisters was filled with the swing of jazz.
Immediately, April shot a text to the number Marlena had saved in her phone - hey, this is April, the cute girl from the party! 😘 and then she slid her phone back into her pocket. She was planning on spending the night with her teammates, continuing to celebrate their win, and ideally fall asleep in the midst of a cuddle pile. Nothing would happen with Marlena this evening, but there was always the future - and the rush of her confidence being rewarded with a cute girl’s number was intoxicating. “Totally!” April grinned. “Wanna come sit with me and my friends? I’ll introduce you!”
She didn’t really wait for Marlena to respond, before motioning for her to follow April on back to the table she’d left Danni behind at. America and Eli were still there, along with a new face - April gasped. Millie Broadway?! She was here? She did a double take, before noting even more celebrities - Harry Simmons and Eva Moore! In all the excitement and drama of the contest, she’d almost forgotten how she’d run into them at the hotel on the first day. And then she looked again, seeing Danni sprawled on the ground with Patriot on top of him - no one seemed worse for wear, at least. Almost like magic.
“You okay, Danni?” April asked. “Also - Millie! Can I call you Millie? So cool to meet you! Are you - are you coming to Margaret Carter? Or just in the neighborhood?” She was beginning to get used to the insane number of connections Danni and Dorian had. They knew almost every mutant on the planet it seemed - and almost every celebrity, too. “I’m April, by the way - or Cascade, if you were watching the contest - but just call me April!” She hesitated for a moment. Did she offer a hug? A handshake? What were you supposed to do with celebrities? “Do you hug?”
Percy
Skills: Perception
Percy’s face was bright red, mortified as they ended up kissing deeply in front of Dorian’s father. Between James potentially catching him with alcohol in his system (nothing seemed to have come of that, thankfully - it must have just been his paranoia getting to him, there was no way he’d noticed anything wrong…) and Ben now having a front row seat to the two of them making out, he had no idea what Dorian’s family must have thought of him. He glanced over at the area where the adults were congregating, and relaxed slightly as he didn’t spot either of his mothers among them. If they had seen his near meltdown, followed by an incredibly public display of affection…
He took a bite of a beignet, suddenly ravenously hungry. If he was lucky, it was the beginning of a growth spurt. It probably wasn’t, though. He hadn’t gotten any taller all semester. He’d checked.
He cleared his throat slightly, before standing up and moving over to Dorian, where he’d fled to the opposite end of the table. There were a few options for where they could sit. They could go sit with the adults - a terrible choice. They could sit with Leah and Sabine… and Chase - out of the question. They could sit alone, which would be Percy’s preference, but he doubted it was Dorian’s. If anything, Percy would be very happy to go back to Dorian’s house and give his boyfriend a victory present or two. So the remaining choice, then, was the table with April, another blonde he didn’t know, America Chavez, and Danni and Patriot sprawled out on the floor…
“Where do you want to sit?” Percy asked Dorian, mostly as a courtesy, as he had already determined Danni’s table would be the least terrible option. He was dreading how popular the dance floor seemed to have become. The music was nice, at the very least. And he wasn’t necessarily against dancing, he just hated the physical touch that seemed to come along with it. His old school had done dancing units in physical education, and Percy had conveniently been sick for each and every one of them.
Evening - Thr. December 16th, 2038 - New Orleans, Louisiana
Gideon watched for a moment as Andy reappeared, deep in conversation with Eva Moore and a brunette she didn’t recognize. Had she seen Valerie with Eva just a few days ago? Yes. Was Gideon a himbo in every sense of the word, including when it came to recent memories? Abso-fucking-lutely. She had her gigantic buster sword strapped to her back, and she unbuckled the sheath from her back, laying it out across her lap. It made things easier for lounging. She usually took the sword off to shower, fuck, and laze around - she even tucked it into bed at night.
“So,” Gideon said to Ben Gray.
“So,” Ben repeated, raising an eyebrow at her.
“What’s it like being dead?” she asked.
He sighed slightly. This didn’t happen very often, not as much as it used to, but it still did from time to time. Gossip in the superhero community tended to be cyclical - today’s news would be buried tomorrow, only to be later unearthed and reexamined once nothing else interesting was going on. He tensed his jaw slightly at the realization that his kids - that all of these kids here - were about to learn that lesson the hard way. Their real names weren’t publicized for the contest, but the reporters had already figured out who each of them was earlier during the interviews. He didn’t want to think about what the trolls and sycophants online would be saying about his boys - public opinion was a battlefield he couldn’t protect them from as easily.
“Why do you want to know?”
Gideon shrugged. “Curious. I can’t die. So.”
Ben tilted his head slightly. “Hmm.” He normally didn’t answer this question. It tended to just freak people out - knowing what happens after they die, or at least, what had happened to him. He hadn’t moved on, hadn’t gone fully to the other side, instead lingering on this world like a shade. “It’s like if you’re spectating a really dumb friend in a hero shooter game,” he explained. “And no matter what you do, they won’t let you help them. All you can do is watch.”
She nodded slightly, and picked at her fingernails with her teeth. “Sounds kinda lame.”
“Yeah,” Ben agreed. “It is kinda lame.”
And then, moments later, his son reappeared, sucking face with Percy. Both of them were clearly feeling better. At Dorian’s request for beignets, Ben blinked for a bit, before a tentacle snaked out and snatched one of the nearby plates, bringing it on over. “I’m… going to go over there, you two let me know if you need anything,” Ben said awkwardly. He stood up, ruffled Dorian’s hair, and walked back over to the adult’s area.
✮ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩
In the midst of the courtyard, equidistant to all the various groups assembled, Valerie shook her head. “You don’t have to apologize - I’m not upset about it,” Val reassured her. “If anyone would be upset about it, it’s my lovable oaf of a brother,” she motioned with her thumb over towards Harry, rolling her eyes slightly. “He always hated it. Like Echo’s any better.”
She then chuckled slightly. Time travel was one of the things she had yet to experience - and she was perfectly happy to keep it that way. She had too many regrets, too many what ifs that she knew she would chase down. She’d go back to Genosha if she could, save them all - go back to the Mutant Underground, save Cayden and the others - go back and go back and go back… but she would never move forward. She’d never live. “I think we’re all better off without time travel.”
✮ ⋆ ˚｡𖦹 ⋆｡°✩
America and Eli looked at each other for a second, with the practiced nonverbal communication of a long friendship. They shrugged at one another, before America spoke up, “what is a She-Ra?” she asked. “It’s a show? What kind?” The shows they had in this world were really different from the ones back in the Utopian Parallel - she was still trying to catch up, and having ADHD meant that it was incredibly difficult for her to get through the absolutely massive backlog. As for Eli, while he hadn’t grown up in an alien dimension, he hadn’t had streaming services growing up. His family hadn’t been able to afford it. Most of the cartoons he’d watched growing up were from local cable stations, ones they’d manage to steal when they aligned the antenna just so.
Of course, Eli didn’t mind that Danni was sitting in his lap. He didn’t mind at all. Again, Billy had done this all the time before - and then Tommy had started to do it to mock his twin - and then Cassie had started doing it in earnest - and Kate did it to mock Cassie - and America did it because everyone else was doing it and she didn’t want to be left out. Teddy was the only one who didn’t crawl all over him like a cat. But as Danni was shifting and squirming around, and threw himself backwards trusting in Eli to keep him steady… Eli hadn’t been paying close enough attention.
So rather than Danni and Eli staying firmly seated in the chair, the chair lurched backwards, Eli tried to hook his leg onto the table to keep them secure - his foot pressed up against the bottom of the table, he had to make a game time decision on whether to continue to hold Danni with his arms or flail to try to regain balance - he let go of Danni, but it was too late to stop the fall, to stop the momentum. The chair fully tipped over, spilling them onto the ground - and Eli’s foot shot upwards, kicking the table and flipping it - and the food on it slid to the ground, plates shattering, drinks splashing… onto everyone except for Danni.
Danni, who currently had Eli pinned to the ground in a classic meet-cute pose.
America gasped. “You just spilled on me! And Milli-illi-illi-illi-pede the famous popstar!! And yourself!!” she shrieked. She then took out her phone and started immediately taking photos. “This is going straight to SuperLink!!”
Eli groaned a little. “‘Merica, please.”
“Nope!” America giggled. “Milli-illi-illi-illi-pede, wanna dance? I bet you got some sick moves! I can teach you some too if you want - I spent a few months in this one universe where everyone communicated through dance and song, it was so so so cool. You’d probably have loved it - or gotten immediately very tired of it. Kinda a polarizing place.”
Over on the dance floor, Cassie spotted her sister and squealed. “Vicky!!! Come dance with us!!! Kate, my sis is so good at the Robot, you have no idea.”
Kate raised an eyebrow. "That feels kinda offensive, Cass."
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