[OPEN] Day of judgement, god is calling

[liverletdie]

WHO: The imports and their newly-superpowered counterparts!
WHERE: Import Cities!
WHEN:09/12-09/23
WHAT: Imports take on a wealth of newly superpowered supervillains!! (See here for details) (If you have not responded, please feel free to still come and play!)
WARNINGS: Violence! Probably quite a bit of violence!



[ De Chima. Nonah. Maurtia Falls. Heropa.

Monday, September 12th, midday.

The first day was different. Sudden bursts of speed, someone had a temper tantrum and set a car on fire -- reports of children acting out of school and suddenly breathing fire on the playground. Chaos. Some helped out, as soon as they were able. Teenagers that were lifting their friends to get them out of danger, maybe taking on the bully. Adults rushing to save someone from a car about to hit them, stopping traffic. There were as many feel-good stories as there were bad ones. by evening on the twelth, of course, the worst had come out. After all, give a man superpowers, and leave him to run amok, and of course, what happens, is that they run amok. Storefronts looted, men speeding so fast they can't believe they're moving, running through stores to get their fill -- only speed doesn't come with strength, all of the time. A man's greed can get the better of him, right?

By the second night, groups were forming. People on the street, grouping up. Working together. (Super) strength in numbers.

The third? They'd started wearing the costumes. They were coming out during the day, acting out. After the first or second hit the news on the 14th, more and more followed suit.

After all, if imports could do it, why couldn't they? ]

Comments

[foreshadower]

Well, I was in the middle of a very interesting book, but...

They can last, mortals do not, yes?

[ The surprise should really be that Shade didn't appear on his own, actually. The man was eerie, with how in-tune he was in the shadows, and he looked between them, and everything going on elsewhere, and then back to the two of them.

His grin was wide, and sharp. ] Not causing trouble, are we? Where to?

[catchacold]

Cause that ain't creepy at all.

[It's muttered under his breath and more to Mick than anyone, although he doesn't put that much effort into not being heard by Shade as well. Not as if the man isn't likely to know.]

Just home.

[Mick's the polite and friendly one here, but given he's the one that came close to dying and sort of needs it here.]

...please.

[pyrogue]

[ Mick doesn't respond to Len's mutter, trying very hard to keep a straight face. But Len has a point. Staring at those shadows, he's definitely a bit creeped out right now.

He wonders if they're cold. ]

Trouble sorta found us. Don't mean to rush you, but we should get outta here before it finds us again.

[foreshadower]

Very well, very well...

[ He sighed, and waved a hand, the shadows behind him grew, like a gaping maw, seeping shadows and darkness, like they were the jaws of a great beast, dripping saliva instead of black goo.

Shade always was one for the dramatic. ]

Come on in, boys, let's go.

[ They were cold, actually. And felt like being stuck in the middle of a void. ]

[catchacold]

Fun for all.

[No, he doesn't trust this, but they are short on other options and he really wants to stop standing around half-naked, so Leonard moves forward into the shadows, lowering his voice just for Mick.]

Careful, it's cold.

[pyrogue]

[ Mick nods slightly, bracing himself. He's not sure which is worth bracing for more: the cold or the shadows themselves. Hopefully his costume will take the brunt of it though.

For him, though, he otherwise takes it casually. It's like a creepier version of entering a mirror and that was something he was used to. From Mirror Master to Shade express, the life of a Rogue.

Once in, however, he shivers a little and can't help but cling to Len a little. ]

HO HO HO

[foreshadower]

[ They might not be able to see, but that's just what the shadows are like, for most people.

Shade, of course, can see, but that's always been a theme for him. He grinned at them, his teeth bright, somehow, in the shadows.

He saw that. ]

Now let's see... ah! [ A pause, and then. ]

Three steps forward, gentlemen!

[ And they would find themselves stepping out of the shadows and into the room -- their feet leaving trails of clinging shadow fabric and goo, that dissipated after a few moments. ]

[catchacold]

[It actually doesn't surprise him that Mick's grip tightens and that's what does end up surprising him. Familiarity that keeps being presumed by his mind. But even with that realisation, he doesn't attempt to shrug Mick off, instead just chooses to focus on Shade and follow his instructions.

And yes, there they are, in his room. Len doesn't let anyone in his room usually. Sara has been here, so has Lisa. Mick? No. To his knowledge, not Shade either, although that's questionable. It's a fairly barren room, other than a bookshelf and wardrobe there's just a desk with books and various brochures of museums on it, bed against one wall and said wall showing some scorch marks. At least anything of true interest is hidden more cleverly in the desk drawers, though Len still pushes away from Mick to move further into the room and palm the lighter on the nightstand.]

Thanks.

[Might as well make it official.]

I owe you.

[Said to Shade while he folds his arms in front of his chest. He really wants to stop being half naked in front of people.]

[pyrogue]

[ Mick is very glad to be out of the shadows. Not his favourite form of transportation. And once out it he takes a moment to breathe in deep, as if grateful for air not steeped in darkness. It takes him another moment to figure out where they are, since he never been in Len's room before.

So he sees Len pocket something, but he didn't see what it was before he did. He can't help but glance curiously around, and definitely recognizes scorch marks when he sees them. Seems out of theme.

Probably not the best time. He gives Shade a smile. ] Thanks for the ride.

I can make you a cup of coffee, or get you a drink -- unless you want to get back your book.

[ He glances at Len, who still has a few burns. ] If you gimme a minute.

[foreshadower]

Oh no, I'll take the drink, but...

[ He grinned. Slyly. ]

Why don't you take care of your friend, and I'll get the drinks. I know a rather nice coffee place not far from here.

[ Not only did he know where Len's room was, but he knew precisely where he lived.

And the stores nearby.

Creep. ]

[catchacold]

How about both of you get the hell out of here right now?

[Len's on edge, his fingers digging into his arms. There is nothing he likes about this situation and a lot that he is violently opposed to. The very last thing he needs to make this worse is being alone with Mick in his bedroom, so he can run his hands all over him again. He can live with a few burns.]

There's the door. Stay out of my room. Shadows included.

[pyrogue]

You're so damn stubborn.

[ Can't he just let him help him? Seriously, Mick thought they were good now. Well, comparatively. They've been getting along fine. But now he's getting touchy. First he tells Mick he matters, then he doesn't seem to want him near him.

Was it something he said? Was it Shade? Whatever it was, Cold seemed very firm about it. And Mick is too tired and exhausted to get into a fight right now. Especially with Shade there, having just done them a huge favour. ]

Fine. Your room.

[ He huffs a bit from his nose before he pulls himself together long enough to turn to their guest. ] I'll get those coffees with you, Shade.

[foreshadower]

Very well, very well.

[ he gripped Mick's shoulder, to step into the shadows, and offered a lingering look over his shoulder at Len, who looked... Well, Shade couldn't really say what that look was.

His lips tightened. ]

Perhaps we should talk, regardless.

[pyrogue]

[ Oh great, they're taking the shadows. Mick didn't think that through. He takes a deep breath as he follows Shade in, rubbing his arms.

But he takes it as an excuse to shove Len out of his head and try to focus on something else, calm down a little. ]

Something up?

[foreshadower]

Oh yes, quite.

[ When the stepped to the other side of the shadows, they ended up on the other side, near a very high-end coffee shop. He waved at the barista, who was very happy to see Shade. ]

What would you like? [ He paused. ] And how do you think Len will fare through all of this? He looked bad.

[pyrogue]

[ Shade was a regular, looks like. Mick definitely was not; his tastes were much, much cheaper than Shade's. ]

Do they just have coffee here or do I gotta learn Italian to order? [ He smiles apologetically for himself. ] Just a coffee, please.

[ At the question, Mick taps the counter. He's worried, it's obvious. But Len didn't seem to want Shade to know how bad it was, so Mick bites his tongue. ]

He'll manage, he's a survivor.

[foreshadower]

[ Shade was much more "in theme", ordering a marocchino for himself.

Because he was that pretentious. ]

Is he?

[ He leaned against the bar, and folded his hands against his waist. ]

My friend, he seems... not like himself. Terse, perhaps. [ Len had always been terse, but... ]

[pyrogue]

[ Mick pauses, reaching up and pulling down his cowl and goggles. Probably a good idea now that they're in a coffee shop, even if it is Heropa. ]

Considering he was on fire not too long ago, terse is a blessing. If I hadn't been there…

[ He rubs the side of his neck. If he hadn't been there, Len would've been much worse. But then again, if he hadn't been there, Len almost assuredly wouldn't have gotten involved at all. ]

But I was.

[foreshadower]

Oh no. [ He waved a hand. ]

Not just now. Earlier, too.

Have you two...spoken much? At length?

[ He raised an eyebrow, when they handed him the small cup, and he leaned against the bar, to sip it, not even willing to sit down quite yet. ]

You were rather close, from time to time, yes?

[pyrogue]

[ Mick gets his coffee shortly after, and takes a drink without waiting for it to cool down.

He cradles it in his hands, appreciating the warmth. Shade is trying to get at something, he can tell. ]

Him and his version of me were. Me'n our Cold... [ He waves a hand. ] Bit more difficult.

This one, though. I dunno. [ He looks into his drink frowning. ] I can never seem to get a handle on him.

[foreshadower]

Quite so, he's a touch more restrained, yes?

[ Shade paused, and held his cup in hand, thinking. ] He was rather insulted, by the article I read. The one about the icyhot thefts?

But not because of what it implied -- other than his apparent cheapness. [ HINT. HINT. ]

[pyrogue]

He told me about that. [ He gives Shade an "and I blame you" look. ]

If you're wondering how that turned out –- [ Keeping his coffee in one hand, he uses the other to pull out a certain diamond encrusted lighter. ...That he evidently keeps on his person. ]

Not cheap at all.

[foreshadower]

[ Shade's mouth froze, over the lip of his cup. He peered over his sunglasses at him.

He promptly set his cup aside. ]

And he wanted you out of his room and to not come back?

Really?

[pyrogue]

What?

[ And you can see his face go red as it hits him. Is that why Len didn't want him in his room? ]

Oh hell, I'm such an idiot. [ He covers his mouth with his hand, looking away. ] Didn't even think he would take it that way.

[ Under his breath, not to Shade: ] Maybe Piper was right.

[foreshadower]

In my experience, Piper is quite wise!

[ He says, helpfully. ]

I think you should consider the sort of relationship between two people that involves a diamond-encrusted zippo, as well.

And what that would mean to you, as well. I'd hate for him to be disappointed.