ThatDeercat

Worlds Collide: A Merged Universe Superhero Roleplay

It wasn’t long after the news of heroes in Metropolis saving Christmas broke before images of the invitation hit just about every billboard and ad spot in every city boasting a resident hero. Therapeutix was well known in medical circles for their cutting-edge research into genetics and gene therapies. Tickets were prohibitively expensive, so a guest invitation to their annual charity gala was prized. Special guests were always the draw for the event, if not the philanthropic aspect. Most years, the it was a chance to mingle with some of the top minds in genetics, but this year Therapeutix had a different plan in mind - an open invitation to all active heroes. It was a gamble; there was no way to send invitations directly or collect RSVPs, so there was no way to actually guarantee a single hero would show up. They placed their bets and cast the dice anyway.

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The event planning team had the gala down to a science. It was always hosted in the same beautiful, historic building - now a natural history museum that boasted a stunning ballroom event space - with the same table setup. The only thing that changed year-over-year were the floral centrepieces and the caterer to keep it fresh.

Venue, catering, and event team staff were scurrying around madly ensuring everything was it its place. This night had to be perfect, because if the bet on their open invitation to heroes didn’t play out, they couldn’t risk anything else going wrong or it could be their worst year of fundraising since the last recession.

By the mid-afternoon, everything was in place. The tables were laid beautifully with ivory and gold from the floral arrangements to the dinnerware. The ballroom itself evoked the opulent elegance of the Rococo period. It was something of a running joke that the building - once a stately mansion - was built over a century too late for the period they were trying to emulate. It was hard to imagine finding a better space to host the gala - every corner and detail was rich with decorative appeal. The almost sea-foam green paint and gold accents complimented the ivory and gold gala decorations beautifully. If nothing else, everyone would walk away commenting on the aesthetics of the gala. With the finishing touches ready, all of the staff scattered to either get ready to attend the party themselves or take a well-deserved break before the real work began.

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The ballroom was stunning in the daytime, but it seemed to glow with some kind of divine light at night. Softly dimmed incandescents cast the perfect golden hue to make what had seemed like such a bright and generous space during the day turn into something more intimate by night. Event staff stood at the entrance confirming invitations before letting gusts through. The only ones who got through without one were heroes who arrived masked and dressed to the nines (or their costumes, as some preferred).

The guests were already beginning to fill the ballroom and hors d’oeuvres were being circulated on trays, waitstaff deftly manoeuvring through the space. The room was filled with the hum of conversation and swish of silk evening gowns. Excitement thrummed with each new guest that walked in. Each time, all eyes turned, hoping to catch a glimpse of a hero arriving.

Project Hail Mary Roleplay

I’d be interested! I’m a fan of Discord servers, as well. I think I’m @thatdeercat on Discord too.

Worlds Collide: A Merged Universe Superhero Roleplay

C H R I S T M A S F I N A L E
C H R I S T M A S F I N A L E

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Jason woke up surrounded by soft warmth. In his grogginess, he burrowed deeper into his cocoon of blankets and groaned. He didn’t want to wake up…it felt like heaven.

And maybe it was. Gears started churning in his brain, slowly pulling aside the curtain of sleepiness as rapid-fire thoughts started shooting off: the streets were cold, his mother’s current drug den was cold, and he’d run away from the last foster family they’d put him with so why was he so warm? If he was dead, he probably wouldn’t be thinking at all (Jason had long since cast aside any sort of religious notions).

He cracked open his eyes and slid the blankets down his face just enough to look around the dim room. The curtains blocked most of the morning light, but just enough bled through to allow him a decent look at the stone walls and ornate furniture. Then he remembered - Christmas Eve night he’d broken into the Batmobile and earned himself a one-night stay at Wayne Manor. Jason’s heartbeat raced in his chest as he recalled the night before.

”Oh my god I really did that,” he stifled a laugh of disbelief, ”And I got away with it?!”

Sitting bolt upright in bed, he threw off the blankets. He was in Wayne Manor! On Christmas morning! Batman- Thomas hadn’t seemed too thrilled with his entrance last night, and it’s not like he was expecting the man to run out and buy a pile of gifts for a stray like him, but he was willing to bet there’d be some gorgeous decorations to spectate and perhaps he could swipe a little food from the kitchen before he got kicked to the curb. Jason honestly couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a full meal without having to dumpster dive for it.

Sliding down from the bed, he quickly peered into the bathroom mirror and tried to coax his hair into something that looked less like he’d just been electrocuted. It sort of worked, but he gave up before he could make any real progress. His hair was clean, and frankly that’s all he actually cared about at the moment.

Jason opened the bedroom door just far enough to peek out. The stone corridors of the house carried sound well, and he could already hear that there were others awake. Not wanting to be left out, he padded his way downstairs following the warm glow of Christmas lights strung throughout until he found the den where a Christmas tree stood tall and proud and glittering with a treasure trove of sparkly ornaments, and a fire roared with warmth filling the room.

Jason was stunned, his voice barely more than a whisper as he took in both the extravagance of the room and of the decorations, ”Whoa. This is insane!”

Dick turned to Jason as he entered the den and announced his presence. He beamed him a smile. He was glad that he was able to express such glee this morning. It was Christmas after all, but to his knowledge this was probably Jason's first one in a while.

Dick rose early and rushed downstairs immediately after brushing his teeth. He wanted to scope out the presents before they began opening them. He didn't want to wake Jason up because he wanted him to be able to sleep in as much as he needed to and he didn't want to rub his presents in his face. When Dick arrived in the den he saw an array of presents and quite a few of them had Jason's name on it. Thomas was wealthy but he doubted he forced stores to open up late or early to get him presents. Then he remembered the fact that Santa was actually real. He must have been saved and continued in his duties to save Christmas. He certainly saved this one. Next year he was definitely going to stay up and thank him.

“Merry Christmas!” Dick exclaimed. “Dude. You got presents!”

Jason’s eyes went wide, a mix of excitement and confusion on his face, ”Wait- How?!”

He approached the pile of wrapped boxes all shiny and topped with bows, picking at a few of the tags to inspect them. Right there in ink was his name: Jason. He stared at the presents for several moments, too stunned to speak. When was the last time he’d received presents? Neither his birthday or Christmas were staunchly observed by street rats. Sometimes they tried - someone would score something good like fresh cookies because the bakeries closed early for the holiday or the soup kitchen would get a massive toy donation for Christmas. Sometimes the best was just getting a new coat or fresh gloves from a winter coat drive. That was as much of a Christmas as he’d had in some time. Once, when he was still pretty young and hadn’t started running away from foster homes yet, he got a real birthday cake with icing and candles, but that was years ago.

”I can’t believe this is real! These are really mine? I get to open them?”

Thomas came into the room holding a coffee mug. He watched the excitement on the boys’ faces as they realized that Jason also had presents under the tree. Thomas was up late keeping an eye on the Santa situation and was awake when the real one made his appearance at Wayne Manor. He really was only able to catch a glimpse of him as he was leaving, but it was enough.

Thomas took a sip of his coffee and said, “Yes, they're really yours and you get to open them. Santa dropped them off for you last night. I was able to catch a glimpse of him as he was leaving.” Thomas did wonder how he knew that Jason would be here if someone had been impersonating him when Jason stowed away in the Batmobile. Just what kind of powers did the jolly old man really have?

Jason laughed as Thomas tried to play off the presents like Santa had brought them. ”I’m too old for fairy tales,” Jason announced proudly as if that made him part of the adult world. “Santa’s not real; everybody with half a brain knows that.”

That didn’t stop him from claiming his presents from the pile, gathering them up and stacking then restacking them again until he was satisfied. He pulled the top present of the stack, holding it reverently and turning it over. It was wrapped perfectly and it almost seemed a crime to ruin it, but he was also ten years old and didn’t exactly have the best impulse control. The paper peeled away easily to reveal a boxed set of books - his favourite thing. A trilogy of classics starting with A Wrinkle In Time. He devoured books partly because they were an escape from the worst parts of reality, and partly because there was nothing else to do at the library which was basically the only free place he was allowed to hang out without being told what to do all the time. The structure of school left something to be desired when you were cold, hungry, and homeless (plus teachers were mandated reporters and he’d just end up in another overcrowded foster home or, worse, an orphanage).

”Books! Better yet, books I haven’t read!” he squealed with delight.

Thomas had to admit. It was touching to see Jason so enamored with books and excited to receive new ones. If last night hadn't confirmed that there was something special about him, this surely did. He still wasn't sure that he'd adopt him, but he did know that he wanted to protect the boy and his heart. He'd do his best to protect his innocence and life for as long as he possibly could. Putting Dick in a mask was one thing, but Jason has already suffered and gone through too much to join their war on crime.

Thomas glanced over at Dick who turned away because he knew that Thomas was thinking that he should get this excited about books.

Dick went to open one of his gifts. There was a box under the extravagant wrapping paper and pulled out his pocket knife to open it. Once he did he saw a new Playstation 5 controller with a copy of Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero. He contained the desire to squeal with joy and turned to Jason. “Dude. I finally have someone to play with!” He handed the new controller to Jason. “This is yours.”

Jason didn’t want to admit he’d never actually played a video game. It’s not like the game store was going to welcome a grungy little street rat to hang out and play through all the demos in the store. So he grinned and took the controller, ”This one must be new! So cool!”

He pulled down another present, ripping into the paper and tugging the box open before freezing. For a moment, he just stared into the box before finally pulling out a well-worn but clearly cleaned-and-repaired stuffed rabbit. He’d had it since he was a baby up until he lost it when the police cleared an encampment he’d been sheltering at. When he went back to try and sift through the wreckage, he never found it. Jason thought it was gone forever, so how did Thomas get it? He hugged the stuffed rabbit to his chest, curling inward for a moment. When he uncurled himself again, he wiped tears from his eyes. There was no way Thomas could have possibly gotten his hands on it, and there was the unmistakable heart-shaped patch on its chest with a “J” embroidered over it - a reminder that there was a time when he had a normal family and a normal childhood. Maybe he was too cynical, maybe Thomas was right and Santa was real.

Silently, he picked out one of his last presents. Unwrapping it slowly as if he was scared it would be another emotional bombshell, the paper pulled away to reveal a beautiful leather messenger bag. The kind rich kids and academics had for school made of the kind of real leather that would just look better with age. He looked up at Thomas, puzzled. What good was a book bag to a kid that barely stepped foot on school grounds unless escorted by a truancy officer?

”Okay, the other two I get. I’ll devour any book you put in front of me, and I’ve had Babbit as long as I can remember. What’s this for?” he asked, dumbfounded.

Thomas would've been confused if he hadn't already known that Santa Claus was pulling the strings this Christmas. Returning to Jason his old stuffed rabbit named Babbit was a beautiful gesture. It tugged at his own heart. How many kids were out there experiencing the same life as Jason? How many were suffering and struggling to survive in the streets and losing what was close to them? He needed to do more. The city needed to do more.

He eyed the messenger bag from Gotham Academy. He knew he didn't buy it. “I would've thought someone so enamored with books would be able to answer that themselves. It's for school. You'll be enrolling in Gotham Academy.”

Jason didn’t know what to say. Never in his wildest dreams did he think he’d ever hear that sentence. Sure, in his nerdiest little daydreams he imagined going to a world class prep school where he could take Latin and play some snooty sport like polo or something, but he never thought it would actually happen.

Which meant…

”Wait- How? Seriously?!

He looked from Thomas to Dick, ”He’s not joking, is he?” He looked back at Thomas, ”Cause that would be a sick joke, dude.”

Thomas had a serious expression on his face. “I don't joke.” He simply answered.

Jason believed that without a moment’s hesitation.

Dick went over to grab a present that he and Alfred got together for Thomas and handed it to him. “Speaking of Gotham Academy, Alfred helped me with this.”

Thomas took the gift and unwrapped it. He almost dropped it to the floor in surprise. He kept his grip on it and covered his mouth with his free hand. It was a framed picture of him, Bruce, and Martha on Bruce's first day at Gotham Academy. He had to fight the urge to cry and reached out to grab Dick to pull him in for a hug. “Thank you, son.” He said as he embraced him. “Thank you…”

Jason watched the emotions sweep across his face as Thomas embraced Dick. Whatever the story was there, he decided it was probably better to ask Dick about it later than ruin the mood by asking Thomas.

When the hug ended and they separated again, Jason encouraged Dick, ”Open another one of yours!”

Dick scrambled over to the gifts and couldn't decide on which one to grab. “Wait. I see another one for you, dad.” The word slipped out on instinct, but still felt a little weird. He was so used to calling him Thomas, Batman, or sir. Dick knew that no one could replace his dad, but with this time that he's spent with Thomas he genuinely did feel like another dad to him.

He grabbed the small gift and handed it to Thomas who opened it immediately to see what was inside. It was a document. Adoption papers already filled out for Jason. This clearly was from Santa. He didn't want to show either boy what it was at this moment. He wasn't sure that he'd sign it.

He put it under the picture still in his hand and said, “Go on, Dick. You heard Jason. Open another one of yours.”

Dick decided not to pry into what the gift was as it was clear that Thomas didn't want to share it. He went back to the presents and picked up a small box. He opened it to see a pair of keys with his Robin symbol on it. “What’s this for?” He asked.

Thomas said, “Come and see.” He led the boys to the garage to reveal a brand new motorbike for Dick. He knew that he technically wasn't old enough to drive this, but he wasn't old enough to fight crime either. “This is so you don't have to wait for Alfred or traffic when I need you. It has a function that changes it to fit the theme of Robin and it comes with guns that shoot rubber bullets among other gadgets and accessories.”

Dick's mouth was wide open. “No way! I can't believe you got me this. This is the best present and best Christmas ever!” He ran up to hug Thomas. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!”

Jason was stunned. A bike that could change to match Robin’s costume? And it was clearly a good model, too. He hadn’t actually thought much about the Wayne fortune since arriving; he’d been too awestruck with finding out the identities of Batman and Robin, sleeping safe in a warm bed, and waking up to Christmas presents to even think about it. He hadn’t even considered that other kids might be jealous because honestly he wasn’t. He’d already been given something money couldn’t buy: joy.

”Dude! That’s so cool! Make it change colours!” He cheered as he ran to circle the bike and get a better look.

Dick was going to, but he didn't know how. He looked up at Thomas for the answer.

“Press the R on your key.” He said before turning to the bike to witness it in action.

Dick pressed the R on his key and the bike started to transform and change colors. It looked even better than before.

“Now, I want you to remember. This is not a toy. No taking friends on joy rides. Not even Jason. This is for you to show me how responsible you are. You also need to make sure that no one at school knows you're Robin. Not even your girlfriend.”

Dick couldn't even protest it this time. They weren't official yet, but he and Pom did confess their feelings for each other last month. “You can trust me. I won't let you down.”

Jason calmed down a bit as Thomas spoke seriously. Superheroes had to protect their real identities to protect not just themselves but also those they loved. In some ways, it seemed like a sacrifice to never really be able to take credit for your work, but it made sense.

”It’s really cool, Dick. You’ll have to tell me everything when you do finally get to take it for a spin!”

“You know I will! Come on, let's go back inside to open the rest of your presents!” Dick said before reaching for Jason's hand to drag him back inside.

Jason grinned, happy to be dragged along. On the streets, kids sort of ran in packs - there was safety in numbers - but there was still a level of distance. Unless you were too young or too new to fend for yourself, most of the time it was every man for himself. Dick, however, had warmed to him so quickly and he didn’t get that sense of separation between them. He already felt like he was a part of something.

Back in the den with the last remaining boxes, Jason wondered what could be in them. They were longer and flatter than the others and all pretty uniform. As he pulled them open one at a time, each box was filled with new clothes that were perfectly sized. It was practically a whole wardrobe. And in the final box were his Gotham Academy uniforms. Tears welled in his eyes. Thomas really wasn’t joking. This has to be the best Christmas ever.

He turned to Thomas, scrubbing away the tears, ”I can’t thank you enough even if it’s the only thing I said for the rest of my life… Thank you, Mr. Wayne.”

It warmed Thomas's heart to see Jason filled with such joy and gratitude, but he didn't want to take credit for something he didn't do. “You honestly don't have me to thank for any of this. I planned to get you some things later, but Santa beat me to it. But I'm glad you got to spend Christmas with us and that you're able to feel happy today.”

Dick was also happy that Jason got to enjoy and spend Christmas with them. He was worried that he'd feel left out, but instead he felt right at home. Dick hugged Jason to let him know that this was all real and not a dream before returning to his own presents. He didn't need much and Thomas didn't want him spoiled so the rest of his presents were filled with clothes and a couple of pairs of shoes.

Once the opening of the gifts was finished the three joined Alfred in the kitchen for a family breakfast. There was so much food that it felt like an all you can eat breakfast buffet.

Jason was stunned. ”You guys live like this?!” was the question echoing in his head as he piled a plate with pancakes and scrambled eggs and potatoes and sausage and bacon. He did at least remember to eat like a civilised human being and not just shovel food into his mouth as fast as he could without choking. The dining table at Wayne Manor wasn’t the streets; no one was threatening to swipe food from him if he didn’t eat fast enough.

He hadn’t exactly expected to be taken in like this. Honestly, he didn’t know what he expected but it definitely wasn’t this. It wasn’t a warm bed or hot food or Christmas presents or a sponsorship to Gotham Academy, but as the saying goes fortune favours the bold. Jason was glad he took the risk and decided to break into the Batmobile last night. It might have been the best decision of his life.

Worlds Collide: A Merged Universe Superhero Roleplay

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Metropolis - Ace ‘o’ Clubs
Christmas Eve
_{Tags: @King Kindred @Azure Bubbles @Cyrania}

By the time Zach arrived at the Ace’O’Clubs, the whole night felt like a dream. Evil Santa, Magic, a Thunder God, (or a guy claiming to be a Thunder God) aliens. Somehow through all of this, he had not died! That was definitely worth celebrating.
The place looked like it had seen better days. Christmas lights had been draped around the front windows in a way that was either festive or a fire hazard. Maybe both.

Zach pushed the door open and stepped inside. The whole place smelled like hot chocolate, and cinnamon. Christmas lights were strung lazily around the bar, a little uneven, like someone had decorated quickly and then gotten distracted. There was tinsel draped over framed photos and a little plastic Santa near the register. Music was playing lightly in the background. Mariah Carey, of course.

Zach took it all in. It was the first quiet moment he had all night. “Okay,” he muttered under his breath. “This is either the beginning of a lifelong superhero tradition or the setup for me to have the weirdest panic attack of all time.”

”I would hope that this wouldn’t cause you a panic attack.” Green Guy suddenly appeared behind him, smirking with mirth.

Zach jumped and yelped when he heard the green guy speak. “Well maybe not, but apparently a heart attack is possible!” Zach sighed and pressed a hand to his chest like he needed to confirm his heart was still doing its job. “Do you have to do that?” He added, turning on the stool to face him.

”Not really.” He then sat on the stool next to Zach, still smirking. ”The occasion was merely too perfect to refrain from it.” Then his brow furrowed. ”You are not seriously hurt, are you?”

“No no, I’m good.” He said, waving it off. “I’m just not used to seeing green people materialize out of nowhere. But… I suppose at this point, I should get used to weird things…”

His smile returned. ”There is certainly plenty that is new and strange on your Earth…I have never seen an illusionist that works as you do before. Are you bending the light or are you sending the mental illusions directly into the minds of those that watch?”

“Magic…” Zach replied matter of factly. “I say something backwards and it happens. I don’t know how it works, and I gotta be honest, I didn’t even know I could do that until today.”

”Really…” But J’onn could well feel the truth of that. ”Your work is quite impressive for not having done anything like it before.”

“T-thanks… I’ve just been making this up as I go.” He shifted in his seat, and looked at the Green Guy more closely. “Anyway… what about you? You said ‘your earth’ which raises a lot of questions. Are you an interdimensional traveler? Alien? Some secret third thing?” Zach said, trying to change the subject away from his inexperience.

Now it was J’onn’s turn to shift a little uncomfortably. What was the safest way to answer…? ”I…truly am not a native of this world. I am still seeking to get used to the ways the Earth differs from where I come from. For instance…” His eyes darted about the club, wondering where their other two companions were while also wracking his mind for a good example to use. ”A bar like this…doesn’t exist where I am from. Frankly, this is my first time in one.”

Zach nodded. “Well, if it makes you feel better, it’s my first time in a bar too… For uh… different reasons, obviously.” He glanced around the room again. “Honestly, not what I was expecting. I was expecting something cooler, but I suppose the festive atmosphere is nice.”

”Indeed. Though with such a celebration as Christmas, I see little reason to not partake of the atmosphere, whatever sort of establishment it is.”

When Koriand’r entered the bar third, she was glad to see she wasn’t the first. She’d fallen prey to the classic anxiety after the excitement of the night died down and had to swing back by her apartment to make sure she’d turned off the oven in her haste to get out into the field.

As she looked around at the festive decorations and took in the smell of what had to be the drinks of the season - no doubt spiked since it was a bar - she visibly relaxed. Kori had tried a couple of times to engage in the social scene of alcohol consumption, but the results had been less than ideal. Getting hit on wasn’t exactly the most comfortable encounter and she had yet to develop a taste for Earth’s alcoholic beverages. Still, she wasn’t going to turn down the social opportunity with her comrades. The place was a dive bar in every sense of the phrase, but her friends were there and that made it seem much more inviting.

Zach and the Green Man were clearly making their acquaintances as she walked up to join them, ”I am glad it seems I haven’t missed much yet, though it seems like you two have had plenty of time to start getting to know each other.” She paused to look around, realising it was still just the three of them, “Thor must have had to go a long way to find Santa.”

”Undoubtably, Miss, Starfire, correct?” The Green Man turned towards her, offering his hand. ”It is a delight to make your acquaintance.”

”Just Starfire,” she smiled warmly, taking the proffered hand to shake, ”I have been told that heroes do not share their real names often. Are you truly sure ‘Green Man’ is an acceptable name to call you?”

He swallowed somewhat abashedly. ”’Green Man’ is acceptable for now. I, had not considered what I would be called in this form before now…” Mostly because he’d never intended to publicly reveal himself like this at all while on Earth, but that ship had long since sailed. ”Perhaps you two and Thor could aid me in discovering what I should be called as a, hero.”

Zach looked between the two of them as if they had just assigned him homework. “Oh wow, naming a superhero. No pressure or anything.” He leaned back in his stool and studied. “Green Man sounds like an environmental superhero trying to save the rainforest. It doesn’t give what you’re giving… Uh… What about Martian Man? Or is that deeply offensive?”

”It…wouldn’t be offensive, but that is not quite the name for me…Should we try to get drinks?

Kori had to stifle a laugh at Zach's suggestions not because they weren’t funny, but because she noticed the Green Man seemed somewhat uncomfortable with the suggestion. If not offensive, perhaps there was something else associated with the name that made it unsuitable. The quick subject change to drinks was clearly an attempt at avoiding further suggestions (or questioning him further).

”Yes, let’s!” Kori agreed, perfectly happy to steer the conversation away from the Green Man if that was his preference. ”Admittedly I still have not quite gained an appreciation for Earth’s alcoholic beverages, so perhaps something festive but tame for me. I thought I smelled chocolate when I walked in, and I do have a taste for that.”

“Yes, drinks. A topic I am much more qualified for.” Zach turned back toward the bar and lifted a hand to flag down whoever was working. “Hi! Yes, uh can we get 3 hot chocolates?” He looked back at Starfire and the Green Man. “Thor did say this place had the best hot chocolate in the city, and I am choosing to take his word for it.”

A large man wearing a Thor hoodie and a sailor flat cap approached the trio. He carried three spiked hot chocolates on a small platter and placed a cup in front of each of them. “These ‘re on the house. I recognize the lass from the news. Any friend o’ Thor's is a friend of mine. Where's the young lad? Out saving Christmas from the imposter, I bet.”

Kori smiled sheepishly as she took her drink. She was easily recognisable, but so far that hadn’t proved to be too much of an issue.

”Indeed.” J’onn took one of the mugs and took a sip. ”He should be joining us as soon as he is finished though.” He took another sip, savoring it. ”Your hot chocolate is delicious!”

Zach reached for his mug, and was about to take a sip. He smelled chocolate, cinnamon, and… something stronger under it. He looked at the mug, then at the man who served it, then back at the mug. “Is… this spiked? Um… I should probably mention, I’m eighteen… After everything I’ve been through, I don’t need to add underage drinker to my résumé…” He offered a sheepish smile, and set the mug back down. “If I could get the exact same thing without the alcohol, that would be great.” He then added with a tired laugh, “Also, yes. Thor is in fact out returning Santa’s reindeer. Which is a sentence I never thought I’d say.

Bibbo brought his hand to the tip of his hat and tilted it at J'onn to acknowledge how delicious his drinks were. He then turned to Zach and was surprised by his response. He almost fought him back on it, but his mind was clearly already made up his mind to get a virgin hot chocolate. He always found America's laws strange. The rest of the world allowed drinking at eighteen and some even younger, but America allowed eighteen year olds to smoke and sign up for war, but not drink. It was backwards.

He sighed and went to get another hot chocolate before bringing it back to Zach. He placed it down next to the spiked one and picked the latter up and started drinking it himself. “Yer missin’ out, but I don't pressure ‘nyone. And that sounds like Thor alright. I met him here three years ago stopping some punks from trashin’ the place. Kid's got a heart of gold. He's been comin’ here ever since.”

Nodding at Bibbo’s explanation of their past, Kori took another sip from her drink. Seemed it was always the same story with Thor and his big heart. ”My story is much the same,” she recalled, the images of the news broadcasts replaying her arrival for days after still fresh in her mind. ”Thor was my first call when I heard the news about Toyman posing as Santa. These two got unceremoniously roped into the battle, but I can’t say I wasn’t glad for the help.”

“Unceremoniously pulled in is right. I was streaming, discovered I had magic, saw the whole Santa situation on TV, and stepped in… He took a sip of hot chocolate. “Which sounds suspiciously like a superhero origin story… But, that’s just how my life is now apparently. Glad it happened though. Otherwise I’d be sitting in my room freaking out wondering what is going on.” He lifted his mug slightly in a toast. “So, here’s to being introduced to heroism I guess.”

J’onn raised his own mug. ”May your future heroic endeavors be as successful as this one.” Then he took another sip. It really was good. He’d never allowed himself any human alcohol before, but this was a night for firsts. So far, it didn’t seem to be killing him, so that was a good sign. ”Both of you have skills and powers that are quite formidable.”

Koriand’r raised her mug, mirroring the others and gave Zach a firm hand on his shoulder, ”If tonight is any indicator, you have the makings of greatness.” She glanced toward the door, sorry that Thor was missing this moment of camaraderie between new allies. Shrugging it off, she turned back to the Green Man, ”I believe you have earned your own toast, Green Man. For your heroism tonight and to whatever your future endeavours may be, be they heroic or not.” Kori raised her mug again and nodded toward him. ”At the very least, you helped save Christmas.”

J’onn lowered his head. ”...Thank you.” Then took another sip.

A portal opened up in the middle of the bar as the three tapped their mugs. Wind blew throughout the bar and a few startled patrons jumped from their seats so that they could leave before whatever was on the other side abducted them. Thor flew into the bar like a gentle breeze before the portal closed behind him. The frightened patrons slowly returned to their seats and continued drinking.

Thor scanned the room until his eyes landed on his quartet of friends. “Ho, Ho, Ho! Merry Christmas!” He called out in glee before landing on the ground and making his way over. “Hey, Bibbo! Get me one too, will ya?”

“You got it, kid.” Bibbo replied as he went to pour another spiked hot chocolate. “Yer friends just told me about your big adventure. Who'd o’thought Ol’ Nick was real?”

“Definitely the craziest end to a year yet.” Thor answered back as he approached the heroic trio. “I hope I didn't make you all wait long.” He said as he sat down next to Kori.

Thor certainly made an entrance, but his cheerful attitude was a good sign that things had gone well wherever he had ended up in his search to return the sleigh to Santa. Kori raised her mug to him in greetings, ”I take it you were successful and found Santa unharmed?”

Thor nodded as he reached to grab his own mug from Bibbo. He tapped Kori's before taking a sip and answering. “I was. He was locked in a cage made out of some unique metal. Apparently one of them is what Mjolnir is made of. He's back on his route delivering gifts to all the good little boys and girls waiting up to see if Santa is okay.”

“Welcome back, good to know Christmas isn’t ruined.” Zach replied. “Btw, your number one fan over there was right. This hot chocolate is amazing!”

J’onn chuckled. ”I quite agree with the young lad. This is delicious.” Then he tilted his head, looking over Thor up and down carefully. ”It is good to see you hale and hearty, Thor.” Much better than seeing him as a corpse on the ground…

Bibbo smiled as he listened to the praise of his hot chocolate, even the one without alcohol in it. “I'm glad youse guys like it.”

Kori had been trying not to think about how Toyman had been able to drop Thor with a single shot. Weapons that powerful were dangerous in the hands of those who would use them for crime and personal gain. It did raise the question of how Toyman got ahold of such a thing in the first place, but that was a concern for tomorrow. They were busy celebrating; there was no need to bring up darker things.

”Agreed. I am grateful you are unharmed, also,” she gave a relieved sigh. ”I think I speak for all of us when I say you had us worried. Your constitution is stronger than I realised!”

Thor rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment from everyone's concerns about him. He understood but it was also new for him. Well, sort of. He's accepted that some things could prove difficult for him ever since his first fight against Toyman's armor. “I guess when you're a god it comes with the skill set. Though, it is a bit weird adjusting to the idea of me being one. My whole life I thought I was just a suped up mutant. Learning this opens up a whole new world. But it does put some things into perspective.”

J’onn frowned. ”In what ways has it brought perspective?” There were certainly ways that finding out one was, more powerful than they before imagined, would be useful to reflect on. Even in the cheery atmosphere though, it was hard to not reflect on all the sort of things that usefully happened when one thought he was a god…The fingers not holding his mug absently traced over his wrist. The scars had nearly faded now at least, leaving golden etchings in their wake. Still though, his fingers could follow every etching.

“The day I received Mjolnir and my armor. I heard someone calling me son telling me to call upon Mjolnir. I thought I was just imagining things before. Also the armor that Toyman was using to fight me. It was able to hurt me when nothing or no one else did before. That and the metal he made his weapon out of… I think a god has been helping him.” Thor said as he looked at his hot chocolate. He took a sip trying to calm the thoughts trying to race around his mind. Why would a god be sending others to go after him? Maybe it wasn't a god necessarily but still someone connected to Norse mythology. If his memory of the past was anything to go off of it could be Laufey. But why strike now?

J’onn frowned deeply ”Helping Toyman? For what purpose? To slay you? To test your mettle? Or…” J’onn’s eyes widened, then he quickly took another sip of the hot chocolate. Toyman did seem the type to fully focus on what he sought and ignore everything else. But surely he wasn’t meant to capture Thor for whoever his benefactor was. Thor was-No. No one could be seeking to force him into that sort of life!... Right? ”...Have you had, anyone come to you seeking to recruit you?”

Thor shrugged. He couldn't fathom the intention of Toyman's helper. He just knew that Toyman had a personal vendetta against him because he stopped his initial revenge plot. “No. No one tried to recruit me, but this did all start when my dad told me to get a job, but I'm sure that's just a coincidence. But maybe this secret enemy's trying to study me like prey to see how easy or difficult it'd be to kill me.”

Kori turned to the Green Man, puzzled, ”Speak plainly - what is it that concerns you?” Some experience in his past clearly must have felt analogous in some way to what Thor was now going through. If it was unpleasant and avoidable, she would gladly play whatever part required to prevent it.

Zach looked at the whole situation puzzled. “So, just to make sure I’m following. Toyman got his hands on anti-magic metal, used it to kidnap Santa, nearly took out Thor, and now we’re suspecting someone else from Norse Mythology might be involved? Cool, superhero drama. Love that.” He took a sip of hot chocolate, even though the mug was nearly empty by now. “This feels like a lot for my first time with… all of this… I got into magic for the aesthetic, the family history, maybe a cool trick. I was not expecting mythology politics.” He sighed and put his mug down. So, what do we do now? Do we investigate? Do we wait for whoever’s behind this to make the next move? Do we all start carrying around anti-anti-magic backup plans? I feel like there's a guidebook I didn’t get.”

And then Zach’s phone pinged. “Don’t tell me… He pulled his phone out to check the message.

Clearly, no one explained the family business to you. We’re fixing that.
Finish your drink. We’re meeting tonight.
-Z

Unknown Number

“Ok cool… My cousin has decided I’m getting an emergency orientation…”

“Does your cousin have ears everywhere?” Thor asked before answering Zach's other questions and concerns.

“This does sound pretty heavy for your first time, but I don't want to drag any of you into my mess. If Toyman's gun was enough to put me down for even a moment I'd hate to see what it could do to you all.” He hoped that didn't come off as cocky or braggadocious. It was truly out of a place of concern.

Bibbo listened to their conversation intently. The kid being a god made sense. He was already calling himself one, but it was still a crazy revelation. Now he started to wonder what this meant for other religions and gods. The world was starting to feel a whole lot bigger.

J’onn meanwhile swallowed, focused on his own thoughts. Then he sent a message into her mind. ”I can’t talk about it out in the open. It could only be my judgement’s clouded. Just, be on guard for Thor’s sake if anyone seems, too keenly interested in his powers.”

The touch of the Green Man’s mind was unfamiliar but not something she was wholly unaccustomed to. While the universe wasn’t crawling with telepaths, there were those with special abilities and even a few species for whom telepathy was simply another sense. The High Evolutionary himself had several in his employ, and Kori had been trained to both defend her mind and open it.
Her head tilted imperceptibly as she heard his words, but gave no other outward sign of the silent conversation, ”I can empathise with your wariness. Thor is my friend and you have my word I will do anything I can to protect him from whatever nefarious forces conspire against him.”

J’onn gave a slow nod in response.

“I don’t know about everywhere, but maybe just on me…” Zach laughed nervously. “And unfortunately I got dragged into shenanigans anyway, and am being summoned by my cousin for remedial magic lessons. It's a little late to keep us out of danger now. We’re involved like it or not.”

Tuning back into the conversation Kori pointed out, ”Perhaps a remedial lesson will be fruitful. It took a great toll on you to do what you did in battle. Perhaps your cousin’s guidance will help you grow into this new skill and become a greater hero for it. My powers are not entirely innate; it took years of training to develop the skills I have now. And if you are right that by proximity there may be some danger to Thor’s allies, strength and skill will be your best protection against whatever forces seek to bring him down.”

Thor took another sip of his hot chocolate. “Star's right. If being a friend or ally of mine puts you in danger, you'll definitely need training. I have a feeling that things won't end here. When does your cousin want you to start?”

“She said we’re meeting tonight. Not sometime this week, or whenever you’re free, tonight. He said dryly.

J’onn let out a chuckle. ”That means she’s truly serious in her desire to see you well trained. Perhaps your cousin will give you answers on how your magic actually functions. I can imagine some things would go smoother if you, say, knew whether your illusions were light projections, or if they were only mental projections and so an ordinary security camera would not be fooled by the ruse.”

Koriand’r nodded along with the Green Man’s insight, taking another sip from her mug. While it was likely inconvenient to be literally summoned, the results would be worth the inconvenience. Zach still had so much to learn about his own powers and that put him in danger as a hero, and just in general if he could possibly misfire his own magic. The latter also put those around him in danger, and he had a responsibility to ensure that didn’t happen due to negligence.

“I guess that means we'll have to call it a night early.” Thor said before finishing the last of his hot chocolate. “But let's commemorate the night we saved Christmas. Bibbo, mind taking a picture for us?” Thor was about to pull out his cell phone but Bibbo stopped him and pulled a Polaroid Camera from underneath the bar.

Bibbo waited for everyone to line up for the picture and took five photos, one after the other. Each time one was printed he placed it in front of each hero before the fifth one he took for himself. “This is goin’ on the wall. Not every day heroes come to ya bar after saving Christmas.”

“Oh my god,” Zach said, a laugh escaping before he could stop it. “An actual Polaroid! That is so retro.” He went to line up with the others, and posed differently for all five of them. “It’s a good thing I’ll have proof this really happened. Or I might have written this off as a fever dream.” He grinned as he looked at the photo, and put it in his coat pocket. “Seriously, though. Thanks. For tonight. For not letting me die, for the teamwork, for the cocoa, and for the incredibly dramatic Christmas photo shoot.” Then, he turned towards the exit. “Now, I have to meet up with my cousin for a magical tutoring session. I’ll let you know how it goes.”

While pictures weren’t foreign to Kori, Polaroids were. She didn’t know what exactly made them “retro” but she went with it and put on her brightest smile. They all came out a little different, but as she picked one up for herself she knew she would put it up on her fridge as a reminder of the night and the friends she’d made.

J’onn allowed the others to choose their’s, then choose one for himself. ”Thank you.” Once chosen, he looked down at it, tilting it every which way. Truly a primitive thing compared to the holographic photos of Mars, where innate psychic powers helped imbed the entire memory to the page to be read by someone else. But still, it was a sign that perhaps, he could find a life here after all. One as the Green Man, helping with the more, unusual problems that Earth faced…He couldn’t display this picture anywhere prominently, but there were some safe places he could treasure it.

Downing the last of her hot chocolate, she placed the mug back on the bar, ”Thank you, Bibbo. I’m sure we will meet again.” Then turning to Zach, ”Good luck tonight. And thank you again for your help - you did well for a novice. It would be my honour to fight by your side again.”

J’onn then blinked. They were all leaving so soon. But if felt like they’d all just arrived! He bit his lip though to hold his tongue. Zach had his lesson to head to, Thor and Kori had their own lives to live…, and he had a shift in the morning. Even such a moment could not last forever. Reluctantly, he drank down the last of his hot chocolate and set the mug down. ”Thank you indeed for the wondrous beverage, Mr. Bibbo. May your bar know nought of anything other than mirth and prosperity. And may the moons guide you safely home, Starfire.” Then he turned to Zach. ”Take care to listen and follow your cousin’s instructions, young one. You may even find yourself enjoying the lessons.”

Home Is Where The Starship Is

The party raged on as the music continued to echo through the cavern well into the wee small hours of the morning. X’hondrian parties were like that; they required much less sleep, which meant their parties could functionally last for days. That said, not everyone could party like an X’hondrian, so they decided to wind things down with enough time for the various residents and their new guests to get some sleep before a new day dawned.

Kir and Harrison didn’t even make an effort to sleep in their own rooms despite being offered. The group said their good nights, making loose plans to to start their mission in earnest come sunrise before Zev and Lyris disappeared into their own quarters, and Kir and Harrison eenie-meenie-miny-moed to decided which one they’d sleep in together.

It took a while to actually wind down from the party. The thick stone walls provided ample sound dampening to allow a normal conversation without disturbing their crewmates, and well placed textiles and art helped prevent the sound from echoing within the room. For a while, they just talked, debriefing about their journey so far and Kir shed some light on the dances and traditions on display at the party. Kir felt at peace again. Her body was finally healthy once more, and being able to immerse herself in her people freely had relit the spark in her. She was reminded why she’d taken a path of study focused on the history and culture of X’hondria, and the pre-colonial people they had come from. Eventually, though, the excitement waned and the exhaustion of a hundred years settled over her once more. They decided to call it a night and curled themselves into each other in the bed carved into the wall and lined with so much plush cushioning, you’d never know the bed was stone.

Kir slept like the dead that night. Exhausted and more at peace than she had been in a century, she actually slept restfully. Even with Harrison’s restless turning and eventual exit from the bed altogether, she didn’t stir. Without the extra warmth of his body beside her, she merely burrowed deeper into the blankets until she was fully cocooned in soft warmth.

When the lights did finally rise outside the window to herald the new day, she was slow to rouse. They were already a couple of hours into daylight and the cavernous city was once again alive by the time she blinked into bleary wakefulness and began to put herself together again. She was glad she’d mostly abstained from drinking or she feared she might have had the mother of all headaches to try and work through.

She found a fresh set of clothes - something reminiscent of X’hondria with the sensibilities of the Dvergr’s artful utilitarianism. Wearing blue again felt freeing in itself. Blue being such an important part of X’hondrian cultural iconography, it had been virtually banned from their wardrobes after the invasion. If you can’t kill the people, you kill their spirits, their culture. It felt defiant, a first act of the true rebellion to wear it now.

Outside, the X’hondrian sanctuary was bustling with life. Everyone seemed busy with their own goings on, but not to busy to stop and greet each other in passing. Not to busy to notice her standing awkwardly in the passage and give her a kind acknowledgement.

La’ana appeared as if summoned, beaming once again, “I take it you are well rested. Kir nodded a sheepish response. “Your friends are already on the surface inspecting a new ship, I believe.”

That sparked a new wave of excitement in Kir, and she immediately lifted off the ground and zipped through the cavern, past the well-worn flights of stairs and up to the surface. The sun was shining; it was a beautiful day, almost as if the whole of creation was blessing their endeavour with good fortune. She smiled, touching down lightly into a perfect stride as she followed the call of Harrison’s mind toward a truly massive ship.

Looking up at it, she was awestruck. It was practically large enough to serve as a colony seed ship. As with everything the Dvergr seemed to make, it was as beautiful as it was functional. Sprawling knot work of dragons and serpents and birds accentuated the lines of the ship. It shone like polished silver in the sunlight. If she didn’t know better, she could have imagined this as the ship for an imperial noble who spent most of their time away from home either on the core imperial planet or going between worlds to conduct business. Either way, it was palatial. She could feel the others were inside, and made her way past the ship they’d come in on and into the main hold of the larger ship. Her head was on a swivel as she picked her way around cargo being loaded up and a few engineers seemingly performing final maintenance checks as if it were about to take off soon. As she finally managed to find the others up on the bridge - a dome-shaped space with 360-degree views - it finally started to sink in. This was about to be their ship.

Zev noticed her first, teasing her with a playful look “There she is! Sleeping in like a little princess.”

“You try getting rest in the turmoil of captivity. I think I deserve to sleep in before we embark on this undertaking” she quipped back, but there was no bite to her words.

“Well, you’re not gonna believe this: we’re getting a new ship,” Zev was almost vibrating with excitement.

“It can’t possibly be this one,” she replied, crossing her arms, “It’s massive! Way more than the four of us need.” Kir looked at Astri curiously, hoping to be caught up to speed on what she’d missed.

Worlds Collide: A Merged Universe Superhero Roleplay

Catching up on the IC and I gotta say these are all fantastic posts, I'm really enjoying reading everyone's stories! I'm gonna pace myself and leave the last 2 pages until tomorrow. If anyone wants to do any crossovers or anything with Otto please let me know I'd love to get involved!

@Half Pint

You know I always down for a collab. If either you or I thinks of a reason to put Asgardian or Starfire together with Otto for something, I'm all for it! :)

Worlds Collide: A Merged Universe Superhero Roleplay

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ᛒ ᛟ ᚲ # 0 0 3

^{_{____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________}}

The nice thing about Washington state was the near-religious dedication to coffee. Oklahoma had churches on every street corner begging you to repent for your sins; Washington, though, just wanted to serve you an overpriced iced late with lavender-vanilla syrup at all house of the day and night. The Custard Crow - a coffee shop and frozen custard bar - provided the perfect place for Vilhelm to light for a few hours while he browsed the press releases and waited for night.

Normally he would have preferred to go through all the proper channels to get rap sheets on the victims, but his gut told him he didn’t have time for an ROI form and waiting period. His forest spirit was likely to strike again tonight if she held to her current pattern. Vilhelm reached into his backpack and produced his laptop, opening it up and connecting to the coffee shop Wi-Fi. He probably should have been more concerned about security, but Antheron had put some VPN security stuff on it for him months ago and promised that was probably enough unless the government started looking into him.

Pulling up their chat, he typed a new line and sent it:
Asg4rd1an >> You on?
Antheron >> Always
Asg4rd1an >> I need a favour
Antheron >> Anything 4 u bro
Asg4rd1an >> Can you pull records on the previous victims? Looking for a link
Antheron >> Gimme a sec

Vilhelm sat back in his chair with an lavender oat milk latte - “distinctly queer” as the barista had commented - and started flipping the pages of the press release. The names and badge numbers of the officers who had worked the case, including Detective Collins, were all listed along with the names of the park rangers who had found the victims. Different ranger each time pretty much nixed any possibility of it being the ranger who did it reporting the find - it was a theory he had come up with after watching an episode of some crime-of-the-week drama with his grandma. That said, it didn’t totally absolve the rangers.

A small ping from his laptop drew his attention back down to the table.

Antheron >> victims.zip

He clicked the file upload, opening it to find three official police records - one for each victim. There was the usual boring stuff at the top, but a little further in and each one had two things in common: drunken disorderliness and DV or assault charges. None of them saw jail time and only one was actually convicted. He just got a few hours of community service and counselling, though. Vilhelm had to guess the logging companies were desperate for labour and didn’t ask too many questions.

Antheron >> Got what u need?
Asg4rd1an >> Three nasty dudes who like to beat on nice girls
Antheron >> So, gonna tell me whatcha thinking yet?
Asg4rd1an >> You know I won’t until I prove it. Gonna finish reading through the press release to see if I find anything else interesting

Photos of the bodies - well, the bodies under sheets - and the area around them showed they were all pretty secluded and it looked like they were dumped away from the trail. That pretty much narrowed down the list of suspects to hunters, expert hikers, and park rangers. People who went off trail without experience didn’t usually make it back, and for this to happen three times guaranteed more than a novice outdoors person.

By the time his coffee cup was empty, the sun was starting to sink past the middle of the sky, and Vilhelm had everything he needed. His best guess was a Huldra was posing as a park ranger to spy on the lumber operations looking for those who didn’t respect the forest (which honestly could have been all of them; maybe it was just coincidence that her victims all had similar pasts). He tidied up his spot, tucking everything back into his bag and putting the ceramic cup into the bus bin in the corner. Slinging his bag over his shoulder, he waved a friendly goodbye to the last remaining barista starting their closing duties.

Forks was, gratefully, not a particularly lively town. The perks of a small town were such that he could simply duck into the quiet alley behind the coffee shop to magically transform into Asgardian’s hero uniform and open a transport portal of the gates of Olympic National Forest.

He dropped himself right outside the front gates in a thick bank of trees and brush that would conceal his entrance. Cars rolled past one after another on their way in and out of the park. Before he stepped out, he thought better of appearing as Asgardian at first, and decided to change his look one more time.

Waving his hand over himself, he spoke in Old Norse, “Eg verð göngumaðr.” A flash of green engulfed him, and when he looked down he was actually properly dressed for the terrain. Illusions and glamour came so easily to him - some of the first magic he displayed - likely because of who his father was. Vilhelm marched out of the brush and up one of the packed earth trails that led further into the part toward the ranger station and the trailheads.

A map outside the ranger station indicated all the nearby trailheads and where they led. The Huldra - assuming he was right about who was doing the killing - had dropped all the bodies in relatively close proximity about a mile or so off a difficult trail. He almost wished he’d commandeered a horse somewhere - horse trails were never as well cleared because horses could just tromp through. A Huldra could move through the forests just as well, but Vilhelm was neither a horse or a Huldra. Demigods were strong, of course, and he was perfectly capable of forcing his way though, it just wouldn’t be fun and it would probably take him hours. It would probably be dusk by the time he made it to the dumping grounds.

**********

The police made it really easy to find where to turn off the trail; the whole place was wrapped in a zigzag of bright yellow crime scene tape. Vilhelm looked around, making sure no one was going to see him when he noticed a place where the tape was broken and the brush looked like something had been dragged through it. A moment later he could swear he heard indistinct shouts in the distance. That set off alarm bells in his head and he quickly bounded off trail and into the deeper forest, following the path down further.

Vilhelm lost his footing near the edge of a small clearing, almost tumbling right out into the open before he managed to grab a tree to stop himself. There was his Huldra, her tail flicking angrily as she shook a man larger than herself by his collar, “Where is she?! Where did you take her?!”

Okay, motive unlocked. She was looking for someone and she thought the men she was killing had taken them. That didn’t exactly make sense - he thought Huldra were solitary. Still, he could ask questions later. Right now, he needed to save a man’s life first. The glamour dropped and he once more looked the part of Asgardian as he stepped out of the forest and into the clearing.

”STOP!” Vilhelm commanded with all the authority he could muster.

The Huldra stopped, blinking at him with a mix of anger, grief, and confusion in her eyes. For a moment, she said nothing and they stood with their eyes locked. Finally, she dropped the limp man and opened her mouth, “Who are you to command me,” she paused, looking him up and down to determine his origins by appearance, hissing angrily “…Asgardian?”

”I don’t represent Asgard, though I do go by that moniker,” he explained. ”I’m here to get to the bottom of the murders. There are people hunting for you, and they could hurt you if they discover you’re responsible for the murders.”

The Huldra’s face twisted with fury, “Murders? I give these men what they deserve! They have taken that which does not belong to them.”

”You mean the lumber?”

“Lumber?! You think all of this is for a few trees? They could never truly kill this forest. She lives on despite all.”

”Then tell me what all of this is about?” this time he spoke more gently, holding his ground instead of approaching to give her space and safety.

“They took my daughter!” Her voice broke, and she wrung her clothes in her hands. “They act stupid, but I know they have taken her. She is hidden somewhere I cannot find her.” Angry tears welled in her eyes.

Vilhelm finally understood. This wasn’t about the forest, it was about family, and family could make anyone do things they might normally have considered unfathomable. He reached into a pouch on his belt - his backpack having transformed into something much smaller though it retained its original magically-expanded volume. Fishing around for a moment, he produced a compass that didn’t point north.

“I can help you if you promise this is the last one,” he offered, showing her the compass in his hand. ”What’s your name?”

“Why would you help me?”

”It’s my job. Like I said, I don’t represent Asgard. Not exactly.”

“Alfrun,” she finally offered. “I am Alfrun and my daughter is Eyja.”

”Nice to meet you, Alfrun,” Vilhelm sat on the ground and set the compass in front of him. He beckoned Alfrun to join him and took her hands in his to form a circle. ”Tell me about Eyja.”

“She is small for her age, but full of boundless energy,” Alfrun started to perk up a bit. She couldn’t help a maternal smile as she spoke, “She can name every tree, every rock, every creature in these woods. She is beautiful with hair like spun gold and eyes like the first budding leaves of spring. She is full of love.”

”Good, that’s perfect. Now it’s my turn.” Vilhelm drew in a deep breath, concentrating on the image of a little girl just as Alfrun had described. The words came out deep and heavy with magic, ”ᚠᛁᚾᚨ ᛖᛁ"

The compassed rattled and shook as a green glow emanated from it in sparks. The needle spun around and around, quickly gaining speed until it stopped and pointed East. Vilhelm opened his eyes and grinned. It worked! It was pointing to something - hopefully Eyja.

”It’s getting dark. We should hurry.”

**********

It took them an hour and a half of traipsing through the dense forest, the compass needle occasionally sliding one direction or another as it guided them to their prize. They were losing daylight fast when they came across an old camp that looked like it hadn’t been used in decades. There was a dilapidated cabin, an old lumber road that had seen better days that led up to it. Parked next to the cabin was an old truck that was splattered red with rust.

Iron. Of course.

Every culture had a name for them - fae, fair folk, spirits - but one thing was universally true: they had a weakness to iron. So hiding Alfrun’s daughter in a truck with at least some iron in the body had created a magical blindspot she couldn’t see through. It only worked for Vilhelm because neither humans nor Asgardians had that same weakness.

Walking toward the truck, the compass went from pointing directly at it to spinning wildly. This was the end of their quest. Alfrun must have seen from the look in his eyes that this was the place.

“Eyja!” She cried out frantically, darting for the truck. Vilhelm only just managed to grab her and yank her back away from it before she touched the door. She wrenched in his grasp, “Get off of me!”

”Wait! You’ll hurt yourself,” he insisted, holding her still until she calmed slightly. ”Let me.”

Tucking the compass back into his pouch, he touched pulled at the door handle until he could wrench it free of the rusty hinges and dropped it to the side. Curled up on the disintegrating bench seat was a little girl no more than a toddler. She woke as Vilhelm reached in to get her out, immediately kicking and screeching at the top of her lungs.

Alfrun appeared behind him, “Still, Eyja, still. I’m here. He is a friend.”

For a moment she still kicked before the words penetrated and she looked tearfully up at Vilhelm. He carefully extricated her, tapping the ropes around her wrists and ankled to make them fall away with magic. Her feet were already running before he righted her and set her back on the ground. Eyja buried her face in her mothers legs as Vilhelm stood again.

”Promise me this is the end of it?” He said sternly.

Alfrun nodded fervently, “Yes, yes, I promise.”

Vilhelm sighed and ran his hands through his hair. He couldn’t take her to jail for the murders, but as long as she stayed out of trouble the case would probably go cold and they’d shelve it with the rest of the unsolved murders that happened in the woods of Washington state.

He reached back into the pouch, pulling out a coin, ”Do you know how to use a pay phone?” Alfrun nodded. ”Good. If you put this in, it will call me. If you ever need help, don’t hesitate. It’s what I do.”

“Thank you… You never told me your name,” Alfrun realised.

”You can call me Asgardian.”

Worlds Collide: A Merged Universe Superhero Roleplay

“And that, kids, is the story of how the Justice League was formed.” (Mostly kidding…unless… 😉 )

Worlds Collide: A Merged Universe Superhero Roleplay

For purely selfish reasons, I’m going to say it was a good choice.

@Azure Bubbles

lol one more post and Vilhelm’s and he’s freed up to collab with Zach. I’ll probably post it after Christmas event is done. :)

Worlds Collide: A Merged Universe Superhero Roleplay

I considered picking up Supes, but I really wanted to do something with Jason. Now my 3 slots are full.😕 I’d also consider a character like Captain America to be one of the big names.