Welcome to Gaia! ::

Her partner seemed unaware that others were supposed to go before the two, and the demoness had to remind the aquatic one that it was not their time yet. Lola seemed as impatient as she was, but not exactly in the same way. If she was not mistaken, Dahlia's partner seemed enthused to participate in the current training activity, whereas she simply wanted to get the thing over and done with so that she could go back to doing something useful. Perhaps she could go out to seek out a few fights on her own. Lola had wanted to go outside, perhaps Dahlia could oblige her. She did not know her way around the sprawl of the city they lived in, but with her power that was rarely ever an issue. Perhaps out there was someone doing something that would give Dahlia an excuse to use her sword. It'd been so long since she'd been in a real fight, and she was itching for one as a pet ached for company.

She made her desire for violence known to the Atlantean, and that seemed only to puzzle this one. Her response, however, only served to confuse the demoness ever more. ”To... protect... people...” she repeated, as if moving the words around in her mouth with her tongue to closely examine the taste. She decided this concept was beyond her understanding. Why did they fight to protect people? It made no sense to her. Why would it? Why did people not protect themselves instead? If they were not strong enough to protect themselves, then surely they did not deserve to live. That was simply how it worked, wasn't it? ”Why would it protect people?” she asked Lola. Using neutral terms like “it” or “this one” was simply easier for the demoness; gender among these creatures was so confusing, and she could not be bothered to remember which of these were supposed to be male or female. Their insistence on wearing clothes and hiding any features that would help her identify them as male or female certainly did not help matters. ”What is the purpose of protecting the weak? Only the strong serve any purpose in living. I don't understand.” In her realm, the strong prospered, while the weak was destroyed and eaten. Any other way confused her.

Lola reassured her that this world had plenty of violence to wage, but she was not so sure. All she'd seen so far were walls, soft little humans, and cozy little rooms with beds far too comfortable for her to sleep in. She had yet to taste and real bloodshed here, apart from the pathetic little creatures that summoned her here. She was fairly certain that there were still pieces of them that had yet to be found. She wanted more. She wanted to swing her sword and feel the satisfying sensation of flaying her enemies where they stood, tearing flesh from bone and drinking the blood that sprayed at her. And yet all they had to do this training session was follow some insipid maze with no combat, real or otherwise. This was boring her, and it would not be long before she decided to leave if such continued for too long, seeking out her own action if this team was not willing to oblige her. ”I wish it to be correct. I have long been without a worthy battle.” At the moment, all she wanted was a fight. Every part of her being demanded a fight.

Fortunately for her, before long, an opponent made its presence known. She did not know who or what this little creature was, but she knew almost immediately that it was some kind of threat. That or it just annoyed the moness too much; she could not decide which was more true. In either case, she drew her sword and shield, planning to behead the thing where it stood without an inkling of mercy. Before she could swing her cold steel blade, however, the thing had disappeared. In its place, the room seemed to lock down and start filling up with foamy waters that seemed to have no actual source. Dahlia wasted no time in attempting to flee the trap, but even as she teleported away, she was abruptly brought back to her same spot she'd stood alongside Lola, foamy waters reaching to the calves of her boots. She had no concern for what she wore, so such did not matter to her, but she did fancy the idea of a death by drowning. No, if she was to die, it was in combat as she was meant to. As Lola's attention was called by one of their other team members, she turned to face the man that did so. Lola quickly made her way to the man, but Dahlia lagged behind. Instead, she decided to make her way toward the group that gathered near the door. She wanted to be among the first out the door when the creatures found a way to destroy it.

As she stepped toward the group, she suddenly found herself slipping face forward toward the ground, the slippery substance making it difficult to maneuver. Before her face could meet the watery floor, however, she caught herself with her right forearm. She did her best to keep the sword from being submerged, as she could not exactly do much with a rusted blade, but the pommel and part of the hilt still met water. The brace she wore for armor over her forearm was also obviously submerged, but that did not matter to her as much. She sat up on her knees, growling at the water as if it were a living creature that had just wounded her pride. She decided two legs were not enough for good balance in this situation, but four might do the trick. She sheathed her sword within the sheathe built into the shield, then slid the loops of the shield up her arms so that it rest on her back. She perched herself above the rising water on her hands and feet, almost catlike in her stance. She made her way toward the gathered group of people in four-legged leaps that resembled that of a frog's, or a cat pouncing toward its prey, her uncanny flexibility and dexterity quite obvious to anyone who looked at her.

She only slipped a few times, but it was never enough to make her fall completely to the ground. Though the higher the water got, the more difficult it was to move as such. While she was with the group, several of the humans threw out different suggestions as to how they could escape. She had no ideas as to how they would be able to do it, so she remained quiet until she could come up with an idea of her own. Thankfully she would not have to, as the doors soon flew open and water flooded out of the room and onto the hall leading into it. The water came out forcefully enough that it knocked her off her perched stance and onto her chest, sliding across the floor into the hall with another. She grunted, more in anger than in pain, as one of her horns struck against the leg of a table, which stopped her. She quickly stood herself up, eyeing yet two more strangers that joined them in the hall. One was small and slight, with black hair that fell over its shoulders. The other had no face that Dahlia could make, unless it hid it behind some kind of mask. More faces for her to remember; great. It did not matter. What only mattered was that she was now free of the damnable contraption and free to flay the creature that placed them in such a situation. While the others flocked to thank the ones that seemed to have freed them, Dahlia simply stood where she was, dripping water and boiling fury.

Their so-called leader then began to give more commands. He split the group in two. She was with Deacon and a few others, saying some overly complicated things that simply boiled down to seeking help. This one that claimed to be team leader seemed to be as daft as it appeared in her eyes. Others quickly questioned the folly of such a request in their own way. She tilted her head to those who spoke. One of them was daft enough to suggest that they speak to the creature. The idea confused the demoness. Another one pointed out why it was a bad idea, offering what little she knew of the creature that trapped them. ”This one can speak to its heart's desire. I, however, will flay the creature where it stands and feast on its flesh. I want its head on my wall.” She brought her shield back where it belonged, drawing the massive blade again. The others focused on first freezing the doorway closed, then actually closing the doors already present to keep the water from spilling out onto the halls anymore than it already had.

Her attention was drawn to one of the strangers as a loud thump sounded near the demoness. She watched with morbid curiosity as the human made these loud noises with her hands, smashing the reinforced glass of the windows. She tilted her head as the glass finally gave way, shattered by the force that seemed to emanate from the human's hand. ”This one has great destructive power. I like it.” She imagined the girl doing the same to the heads of her enemies, and it fascinated her. She turned toward the others then. ”Shall we hunt, then? There is a creature that still has a head that I want.”

I'm not a slave ...







|| OOC: Btw Gabe's an a** hole and while I am one in my own way, his views do not necessarily reflect my personal thoughts so please don't be personally offended by anything rude Gabe has said or may say to your characters. XD If anyone has any issues with my post, please let me know and I'll edit/accommodate to the best of my ability. Sorry, Nightwing was paired with Gabe, I <3 you. XD ||

Upon being informed that his partner for the trust exercise that was never to be would be Nightwing, Gabe merely took a nonchalant last swig of his flask before screwing the cap on and placing it in the back pocket of his jeans for safe keeping (after all, he'd likely need more later). Finally, once the most pressing of matters (obviously his liquor) were tended to, he looked up with very little interest to figure out exactly who his partner was. Nightwing? What sort of codename was that supposed to be? Did it mean he could only fly at night? Seemed rather lame as far as powers went. Then again being able to fly was better than not being able to at all, after all, one always had to consider whether their glass was half full or half empty.

Gabe himself tended to be a half empty kind of guy, after all, how else would he have clawed his way up to the top as he had? Now that he had access to pretty much everything he could have ever imagined, though, life had become a lot duller. Simply put, he had chosen to join the league simply in the hopes that he would find something more interesting outside of celebrity gossip and politics as well as acting. So far he wasn't overly impressed. Trust exercises? Weren't those things little kids did in grade school? Difference being the children were usually grateful for them because they'd likely mean no extra homework. Here, however, trusting and exercising was the homework and Gabe wasn't overly impressed both had been shoved in his face the first day here.

The moment he connected the dots and came to the realization his partner was the man decked out in a full out in a full blown body suit accompanied by a cape, the actor 'pfffed' just before bursting into a fit of laughter. Was this guy serious? Was this really what a real deal bonifide justice league member looked like? Apparently this was supposed to be a serious role and occupation but with how goofy this dude's get up looked, Gabe was finding it difficult to take any part of the man seriously let alone the fact he was supposed to trust such a goofy buffoon. It could all be summed up as one huge joke and so far that was the only thing the Justice League seemed to be as far as the actor could see. And as every person's obligation was when confronted with a hilarious joke: they laughed. And when it came to the obligation of laughing, Gabriel took his duty with utmost seriousness.

After laughing for nearly a solid minute, Gabe wiped a tear away that had started to form during his fit of laughter. While the laughing had concluded, the snickers persisted. "So are you wearing that by choice or did they brainwash you and force you into it at a very early age? Or maybe ... it's an outrageous fashion statement?" The inquiry was immediately followed up by more snickering as he was pretty certain the first possibility he had listed would be the man's response, that was, if he even gave him one at all.

Before the man could respond to the obnoxious a** hole's antics, however, Deacon and whatever chick who was with him for the trust exercise ended up falling out of their harnesses somehow and got themselves electrocuted by the course. In all honesty, Gabe wouldn't have known whether they had actually been incompetent enough to fall on their own or whether they were sabotaged due to paying zero attention to them. Instead, he had occupied himself with scanning the crowd to see if there were any other ridiculously dressed individuals like his partner. From what he could see, though, the weirdest dressed next to his partner was a potentially queer fellow in a top hat.

It was then that the little gnome decided to appear and flaunt his superiority over them by first laughing at them, then manifesting himself from one place to another and then disappearing entirely. Of course, that wasn't before he decided to leave them with an ever-so-thoughtful parting gift. Apparently they needed to clean up their act and the literal b*****d had left them a bubble bath to drown in. Oh so sweet of him.

A midst all the chaos successfully brewed by the leprechaun that decided tricks were, in fact, not just for kids (but rather a group of adults and teens who had a tendency to act like them), Gabe contented himself by doing absolutely nothing at all. Unlike the others who had been compelled to react with efficiency by the 'would be' eventual life threatening situation, the shape shifter seemed perfectly content remaining on the side lines and observing their struggle from afar: essentially melting into the background and removing himself from the situation entirely. Hell, he'd brought the alcohol because he'd figured it would spice things up, but he'd never imagined that liquor wouldn't end up being necessary to fulfill one of the more modest wishes he'd made in life. Funnily enough, the celebrity actor now found himself wishing he'd brought the popcorn along instead of alcohol.

The festivities, however, were cut short by the unexpected and rather convenient appearance of yet another attractive feminine presence (Bella). It seemed it wouldn't only be her looks to celebrate over, however, as the woman single-handedly spared them from the bubble bath of doom. How she knew where the controls for the door had been or how to work them was beyond him, especially since she had just arrived. That being said, if she had wanted them then he imagined she probably would haven't have been as quick to help them as she had.

All in all Gabe wasn't particularly concerned about questioning the arrival of someone as pretty as she was. If he was going to interrogate her over it, it would definitely be on his off time so the two of them could get to know one another a little better. Thinking too hard over things that didn't really matter wasn't really his style. That wasn't to say he didn't notice or question things: he merely just didn't fret or lose sleep over them, after all, stress could cause the gray hairs to set in faster that way. At the very least, there were plenty of lookers to go around: none of them seemed to be too hard on the eyes here so another addition to the steadily growing collection wasn't something he was going to oppose.

Once the bubble bath crisis was averted, Deacon decided to list them off into two separate groups. Gabe couldn't lie, he was definitely glad to hear that the majority of the cuties were going to be on his team. Perhaps he'd get some of that alone time in the end, after all.

Groups now established and Gabe still bored out of his mind (considering all they were going to be doing was wandering through the dark to try and ask for help because apparently gnomes could thwart them), the idiosyncratic actor decided to find a target. There were plenty to choose from but the one that had seemed to draw the most attention by far had been their newest arrival (Bella). He smirked deviously to himself as he formulated a plan of his own in his head, a rather simplistic one but one that usually worked nonetheless, after all, what normal person could resist the charm of an adorable puppy wanting nothing other than to be snuggled? He couldn't help but chuckle at the idea of the silly single men envying him once he was scooped up, safe in her arms while they could only wish they were there.

Plan premeditated, Gabriel began his first trial to see if the newest addition (Bella) would fall for a shapeshifter's oldest trick in the book. Still in the background, unnoticed and ignored, just as he had been during his drinking fiasco, Gabe was himself one moment and that of an adorable Dalmatian puppy the next. Immediately he made his way over to Bella, tail wagging all the while and once close enough, he let out a small yip as he awaited to draw her attention toward him in order to reach his end goal: being scooped up and resting smugly in her arms, getting carried through the darkness by a beauty certain to be coveted by many. But he would be the sole one to get the star treatment: after all, he was one now and Gabriel always got what he wanted eventually, one way or another.

Sylvia.

It was a lovely name but she was pretty certain it wasn’t her name. It was just a name that she felt strangely drawn to and since, for whatever reason, she couldn’t remember her own name, she decided to borrow this one until she figured things out.

Sylvia had no memories of her life and no answers for even the simplest questions. Where was she from? She didn’t know. How old was she? Who were her parents? Where did she live? She had no answers for any of those questions. And trying to search her brain for pieces of the puzzle was akin to searching for clues in an empty room. There was nothing there. What happened that led her to wake up on the dusty Maple floor of some stranger’s bedroom was a mystery (and how she knew the wooden boards were Maple was also a mystery). It seemed as though someone dove inside her head and erased everything prior to that incident. She had no idea who she was and it was utterly frustrating.

That night she also met a man in that terrifyingly strange house. His appearance brought an intense wave of déjà vu and as she struggled to remember why he looked so familiar, her brain screamed a name in response. Alexander. Who was this Alexander and why she felt the sudden urge to jump into this man’s arms was beyond her. He could be dangerous! But her brain, at that moment, was lost in a sea of irrationality. Something about his raven hair, pale skin, and blue eyes gave her the feeling that he was someone she knew. In fact, she had a feeling that she was actually supposed to be looking for this Alexander. But for what reason? She had no answers to that question.

In a moment of desperation, she told him about her situation and hoped with every fibre of her being that he would somehow be able to help her. She couldn’t imagine why he would or how he would even manage to help her retrieve her lost memory. But she needed something. Anything. A name, a place, even a direction would help. Having no knowledge of one’s identity was frightening.

She was filled with sadness when she couldn’t find him the next morning. Had she scared him away with her strange condition and her plea for help? She was about to lose hope when she found a note on the table. On it was a short message and… an address!

The trek to Metropolis wasn’t an easy one and it didn’t take long for her to feel unwelcomed in this land. The people here were so quick to judge. They made comments about her wispy dress, her lack of shoes, and they stared at her as if she had a second head growing out from the side of her neck. Obviously, it didn’t occur to her that the main reason why they stared was likely due to the set of purple translucent wings fluttering behind her back. Their curious eyes made her feel like a grotesque statue on display and the judgment behind those eyes made her feel overexposed. She longed for the forest and to sleep on a bed of moss surrounded by the accepting arms of nature. But why, she couldn’t say.

Her feet ached from walking around on the weird gray colored ground and she was finally starting to understand why everyone in this strange land wore shoes. This place was dangerous. She had no idea what this substance was that she was walking on but it did not agree with the soles of her feet. The people here were very cold and intimidating. She was too afraid of them to even ask for help. Then there were these fast moving horse-less carriages that sped down the streets. What was this place?

She just wanted to go home. But how could she when she couldn’t even remember where home was?

By some miracle, she found a kind man who welcomed her into his strange carriage and agreed to take her to the address on the note. Although she was hesitant to put her life in the hands of a stranger, she was desperate to go to the location on the note so she could find the raven-haired man in the house… the man whom she believed to be Alexander.

When they arrived, the driver asked for payment. It took her off guard but it was entirely acceptable. He’d driven her all the way here and he should be adequately compensated for his heroic act. Except… Sylvia had no coins on her. She woke up on the floor of that strange bedroom with nothing but the clothes on her body. She had no luggage, no money, and no other personal belongings. She thought for a moment then proceeded to give him all of her jewelry. A bundle of shiny gemstones filled his hands as pure astonishment filled his eyes. Before he could even thank her, she was out of the vehicle and on her way toward the tall building with the note clutched firmly in her right hand.

The inside was simply glorious. She stared at the beautiful interior for a long moment before asking if there was an Alexander in the building. Her question was directed at no one in particular but before anyone could answer her, someone crashed through the front door and the familiar figure rolled in as if she had just summoned him. Blue eyes stared in disbelief as the raven-haired man stood up with the help of his staff and proceeded to place his hat on his head. Her timing was absolutely amazing.

She approached him from behind and lightly poked him in the back with the rolled up note. “Alexander? Is that you?” She asked timidly. This whole thing felt like one really weird dream. Maybe soon she’d wake up in the comfort of her bed… at home. Wherever home was.

“I… I got your note. And it led me here. I hope I didn’t scare you away. You weren’t there in the morning and I was afraid you’d fled from me. But then I saw the note. Signed by The Eldritch.” She didn’t care to ask why he signed it The Eldritch instead of Alexander. Perhaps Alexander wasn’t really his name. Perhaps she’d been wrong this entire time. But whoever he was… she had a feeling he was able to help.

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current outfit

Karmen fired a warning shot when Aiden chuckled at the mention of her father; she'd been serious when she'd said that he wouldn't have let her go to a camp where boys were present. He'd assured her that she'd have been safe, because the boys would have been more concerned about her being able to be one of the guys, and would have wanted athleticism more than a pretty face. "Call my dad old-fashioned... but some boys grow up faster than others." She shrugged at that, and after a moment's consideration, her piercing blue orbs lit up with a mix of mischief. "Maybe we should get someone to put your brain back on that wave length."

"Though if you smeared mud into my clothes when a washer and dryer wasn't readily available, there would be hell to pay... Ever seen The Parent Trap?" A smirk graced her expression, coquettish and a bit more relaxed than she had been in the gym. "That war would become a reality." A part of her still quaked from their conversation, her thoughts still reeling on the consequences of their exchange. He'd said no expectations, but a girl once scorned could never readily accept a statement as truth without proof.

But, he'd been right... she couldn't continue to deny that there could be something between them. All he wanted was for her to stop shutting him down, to at least allow the friendship he'd extended to her. After everything that had happened... she at least owed him that, even if she knew she might never allow herself to let go of the inhibitions she clutched so tightly to. She had a purpose here that had little to do with making friends - the former police officer would only make that goal all the harder to achieve.

She'd shivered at the mention of frogs - obviously not a girl for anything slimy and gross. He'd told her not to worry about such a prank in the future, but the way he said it gave her little reprieve. Staring at him askance, she decided she didn't trust him or the boyish grin he now sported. "Whatever it is you're thinking, I'd not recommend it." The blond warned, doing her best to portray ice instead of her own fire to discourage any bugs in her hair. He likely wouldn't take her seriously. "I'll get you back tenfold."

Deacon split them up for the exercise, and she was silently grateful, if not still a bit nervous about integrating back onto the team. Her gratitude was not because Aiden's company left her displeased, but because she needed time to adjust her way of thinking, to coax herself to follow through on the promise she should not have made. Snapping retorts to the cryokinetic had been the only way she kept herself grounded when every other part of her wanted to fall.

Mason made her feel less ill at ease about falling back into the ranks; he'd asked where she'd run off to, and it took no time to explain her brother's life threatening injuries. "Normally it's my job to make them worry." She said in response, recalling too well how many frantic phone calls her cell had gotten when she was even two minutes past curfew. The memories that initially came to mind made way for a soft smile, and she kept it there despite the worrisome habits she'd gotten into when she'd been in England.

The ironman's statement about their team lead being aloof caused her to pause, her expression became pensive. "What has he been up to then?" They'd been gone a few weeks, surely he'd done something about the last mission. Wouldn't he?

Mason expressed concern that she'd only answer so many questions about herself and she informed him that she didn't mind questions for the most part. She shrugged when he said he didn't fully believe her. "Well, 'mostly' is true for nearly everyone.. There's not a soul alive that doesn't have secrets." The moment after she said it, she realized that it'd not do to open that can of worms again.

Truthfully, she hated that it took little to no effort to bring about her embarrassment - it was one more thing to be sheepish about. He'd been there for the full experience, but if anyone else told her the situation wasn't her fault again, she might rip a bit of her hair out. She informed him not to get any ideas after he riled a furious blushing session. She most certainly did not want him to make this a hobby; it was already bad enough with Aiden trying for it all the time.

He asked if he could don his iron suit, and she blurted out the question about him not trusting her; Mason became a little dodgy at that and she grinned. "I am a woman, it's practically in my genetic coding to tell men when they need to turn." The blond joked, poking fun at her sex effortlessly. Her partner stated that a little fall wouldn't hurt him in the least and she sighed. "Then maybe I'll help you over the edge to test that theory." She said, deadpan for only a few seconds before her smile cracked the facade.

"Then you're welcome." Karmen beamed. "I'd hate to have you think less of me for something so silly. Or for a rumor to get out that I am handsie."

An intruder interrupted their training session, cutting the tight rope as Savanna and Deacon were crossing; they sailed to the floor and did their own rendition of flies in a bug zapper. Almost as soon they got the electric current shut off, the man in the purple hat reappeared and decided the whole team needed a bubble bath. "I've already showered, thanks." She muttered, doing what she could to swallow her panic.

Mason tried to assuage her fears, and for his sake the pyrokinetic tried for a smile that fell short of actual jubilance. "Right." Somehow this guy seemed worse than Amazo. At least then they knew what they'd been up against.

Aiden prepared a plan, along with Nightwing making a few more suggestions. While they deliberated on what to do, Karmen focused on keeping them out of hot water. She tended to radiate heat when she was afraid, and if she wasn't careful would bring the soapy mess to a boil while they were still in it.

The doors swung open in a sudden motion, and the current that followed swept her off her feet. She'd hurriedly brought herself back to standing, but not before several people noticed. Aiden called out to her as she found her footing. How was it he saw everything? "I'm fine." She commented with a wave of her hand, wishing that people didn't look at her like every little scrape would cause her to break as easily as porcelain.

Mason made a joke of it to her, even if he'd sounded irritated with the cryokinetic, and she smiled graciously. "I'll remember that in the future. I just hadn't expected to get pulled down by the tide."

They both turned their focus to the new woman who appeared a bit embarrassed to be seen. Karmen had thanked her for saving them, and she smiled back. Nightwing addressed her, his tones a bit clipped, as though something were wrong with the girl's presence. The blond shared a glance with Mason, making lucid her confusion. "His girlfriend maybe?" She guessed in a whisper.

Everyone regrouped out in the hall, and Deacon decided to split them in half to accomplish two goals. She had been placed on the captain's side, along with new girl and several others she didn't know. Glancing to Isabella, Karmen's azure irises warmed. "Looks like you're with us." She invited, thinking that there was nothing like just throwing her into the mix. The League seemed good at doing that - it'd been exactly what had happened when she and Aiden first arrived at the Watchtower.

Elke asked what they were supposed to do once they got outside, and Karmen remained quiet while others chimed in. The last thing she wanted to do was stand out among the crowd. One of the less familiar faces spoke of reasoning with the guy, but Lily provided a little insight.

"Wait... Lily, this is his idea of a prank?" She asked, unable to stop herself. If this was just a game, she really hoped that they wouldn't get on his bad side. He'd already almost killed them.

The teenager offered to go with Nightwing once Bella shattered the window, and Mason spelled out his exasperation with his lineup. Their new nurse teased him for it, and Karmen smiled at the woman's sense of humor. "She might give you a run for your money, Mason." Karmen warned, halfway wishing he was with their team.

She fell to the back of the crowd shortly after, eyeing the stairs. Slowly, she pulled away from the group and decided that while Nightwing and Lily were working to get to the top from the outside... someone needed to try from within. Just in case that little prankster came back.

Deacon Richards
Location: Outside the Training Center
Thoughts: Hopefully delegation of duties works out…

]A lot of people began to question just who exactly was going to be able to “help” given the circumstances. It wasn’t a bad question, but he was simply just trying to get people out. The truth was, this guy scared him. He managed to take control of the doors, and flood the room with whatever the hell those bubbles were, with a snap of a finger. At this point, he was just hoping this guy lacked the common sense to figure out a way to thaw the ice and flood the entire tower. Part of the reason for why he wanted half the group heading down and out was simple: in the event something happened, he wanted to make sure someone was going to get out. The other League members were on different assignments, at least one or two of them were Earth-bound. If one of them was able to get out, get a signal, anything to contact the other members of the League he’d be thrilled.

To answer Elke’s question he replied first, “This guy was able to somehow slip through our security systems, which can detect foreign entities down to the near subatomic level, and then manipulate the doors without a manual override.” his voice surprisingly calm given the situation, “At this point, I’m hoping whatever influence he has right now, extends specifically to the building itself. If you guys get out, hopefully your comm-link signal can kick in and some kind of assistance from the senior League members can be provided. Other superheroes that aren’t affiliated with the League directly, but maintain connections, do have our frequencies. Should we ever need them, they can and will answer our call.” He thought of Batman and his mentor, and their affiliation with the League. Other heroes seemed to escape his recent memory, but he knew there were plenty of them out there capable of “answering the call” so to speak.

They definitely had allies out in Central and Star City, and well beyond and across the world. Even down in Atlantis, should they ever require their help Orin would certainly lend his assistance.

Turning to Nightwing he realized that he appeared to be familiar with our new guest. This was somewhat problematic. Not that he had anything against the caped entity, but he needed to know exactly two things: how he knew her, and if she could be trusted.

Turning to him, electricity burning him in pain, he asked him very plainly, “How exactly do you know her?” he kept a calm face, letting the pain wash over him in waves. Electricity was always a nightmare for him, messed with his body in ways he wasn’t entirely sure about at this point. The look on his face to Nightwing conveyed another message: work with me here. He hoped that this would be understood, as he’d be willing to work with him. The truth was, he needed Nightwing’s trust, as reluctant to place trust in people as he was. He nodded in approval of his idea to break the window open, try and get up through that avenue. It was an idea, and while he wasn’t too comfortable with Lily going out there, he needed to let that slide.

Looking to their youngest member he was careful not to show any disapproval, “Be careful out there.” he trusted that Nightwing would keep her safe, he saw the protective instincts with Bree kick in earlier. So he wasn’t about to chide him on making sure she was safe.

Part of him figured she was probably safer with him rather than in here with him. After all, Nightwing hadn’t ******** up in the past.

Aman suggested talking to the floating magical being of death, to which that was kabashed by people around him. Frankly he didn’t want to remind him about just how this guy’s idea of “fun” started off with nearly drowning them via goddamn bubbles.

Aiden was also on point, bringing up that any further info (aside from the little that Lily was able to provide) might be available in the Archives. To which Deacon smirked, “Luckily, we’re about 10 floors beneath them. Though, I’d say we should make that something we keep in mind. For all we know he could have foresaw that and turned it into a ball pit full of anacondas or something. Definitely something to consider.”

Nightwing had begun speaking to the newest addition about breaking open the window. She seemed apprehensive about it, to which Deacon went over to her, his eyes filled with understanding. She was nervous, something that he could relate to a bit. “I didn’t get a chance to say this before,” his words somewhat tired, but sincere, “but thank you for getting us out of there. Damages are all a part of the job, do what you have to.” he hoped that those words weren’t the primary convincing factor, because Jesus Christ she shattered the ******** window after a few sonic(?) blows to it. Dahlia seemed to enjoy that little show, her desire for blood forcing Deacon to make a simple motion of lowering his hand and saying very bluntly “Your fighting spirit is appreciated, but right now we need to either get assistance or figure out just how to fight him. So, easy on the battle cries. For now.” He had no problem with her wanting to fight, he just didn’t want it to cloud her judgment.

He was chided by The Eldritch about codenames, to which he cursed to himself a bit. He was right, and frankly he was glad to have been called out on it. Certainly is a b***h to have it happen, but better his teammates check him when he’s being bone-headed.

Gabriel vanished, suddenly a little Dalmatian appeared. Yipping at the new girl’s heels. He had his suspicions as to where the dog appeared, but he didn’t voice them at the time. Lola appeared to be quite surprised and scared of the little creature to which he calmly approached her “Avalon, that’s a puppy. A baby dog. For the most part, they’re harmless.” he hoped she understood that this was something that was not to be attacked.

Deacon took note of Bree and Mason’s interaction, remarking to himself that the iron mimic would likely hit on just about anything with a damn pulse. He did get a chuckle out of her response to his inquiry about sponge baths. However, that chuckle soon lead to a bit of pain in his body. That electricity was getting to him, bad. He held his composure, not wanting Bree to worry about him. He couldn’t let them fawn over him, he’d already screwed up enough. So right now he tried to keep himself poised. Kat soon came over, pointing out that she could very well be plan “B”, a distraction.

Deacon’s voice changed to somewhat authoritative, “Don’t ever think of yourself or your team as a distraction. If anything, we could very well be the distraction for you guys. He’s apparently lacking in the good sense to seal the door shut, so perhaps you can get out before we get to the Array.” he didn’t want her thinking of herself as bait, she was the leader of that group. Thinking of anything else other than a route for escape could mean disaster. His nose started to bleed a bit, his finger dabbing the blood off his face. Quickly wiping it away, he stated very simply “No one knows about this.” He needed the people to focus on getting out, not on him and his screw ups and weakness.

Eldritch made his way down, with Kat and her team following. He gave her a nod, hoping to convey that he trusted her with getting them out safely. Kindle began to make her way to the stairs, to which Deacon motioned for the others to start following.

“Let’s move. I’ll get behind Kindle. Dahlia I want you behind me. Avalon I want you behind her, stick with her and our new guest. The pup can join as well. Glacier, I’d like you to stick to the rear, your powers can be useful if we need to block something off from behind.” he continued on his leadership mode,.

Looking to Avalon and Kindle he emphasized the importance, “Kindle, check the first door we encounter. Open slowly. If something comes at you, I’ll try to phase us both to keep us safe.”

And with that they began, his hope that this would work out for the better.

OOC: Lordie it has been a while! Let me know if there’s something up, that I need to add, fix, etc.

NIGHTWING

As Nightwing regained his balance from the deluge of water nearly throwing him to the ground, Lola has asked him if he was okay. "Fine," he muttered before letting go of her and walking out towards the hallway. Honestly, if she hadn't had her enhanced strength, Nightwing probably would have been tumbling out of the doors by now. For that he was quietly thankful, but there was no way he would ever let anyone know that.

While everyone was filing out of the room, Nightwing had spotted Isabella, someone he was definitely not expecting to see in Metropolis. At first, Nightwing felt like this was more baggage he would have to carry around, but he had to remind himself that just because Bella was mute, didn't mean that she wasn't incapable. Then again, he had saved her from peril more times than he was perhaps comfortable with. Her not-so-specific response didn't do much to ease his curiosity, but he knew that it was the only explanation she could give him for now, at least until this was all over and she could write down exactly why she was here.

Aiden and Deacon both asked him questions about her in quick succession, wanting to know whether or not she was a danger to them. "I suppose you could say that," Nightwing said to Aiden, begrudgingly accepting the fact that he had a 'friend'. Head turning, he addressed Deacon, "I found her in Blüdhaven. She's been staying with an accomplice of mine for awhile now. Also, she's mute, so any questions for her you might have will have to wait." He didn't want to go into the nitty-gritty details about how he found her, and namely about how she'd killed a man the first time he ever saw her.

At his request, Bella shattered the large window that led outside, the glass harmlessly falling to the ground below. That would hopefully prove to be a faster route than the staircase, and also get him away from the majority of the group. Although he was expected to be a part of the 'team', he still didn't like crowds. Mostly, if he entered a room filled with people, they were unconscious by the end of it.

When he asked or assistance with the Comms Array, the smaller girl who Nightwing remembered from earlier, Lily, had answered, offering her services. He had to admit, she was the perfect size – he would be able to take her up to the top with no problems whatsoever. Despite his reservations about her age, she could be useful. He merely nodded at her in approval.

She proved her usefulness even further when the Middle-Eastern man had asked if they should try and open up communications with the one who was playing deadly games with them. Apparently his name was Mr. Mxyzptlk, and this was his typical modus operandi. Although it wasn't necessarily a wealth of information, it was still helpful nonetheless. This would definitely be a complicated villain to beat, that was for sure, especially since this man appeared to have almost limitless capabilities. If this man liked to play games though, perhaps it was time they try and beat him at his own game, or maybe even change the rules.

As his mind was sorting through various possibilities, the Gotham Police detective Elke spoke up, informing him that she would be coming along with the two of them up to the top. Her hard tone and adamant stance told Nightwing that this woman would not budge on her decision. His mind was already thinking of ulterior motives to the blond wanting to accompany them – one was so that she could keep a closer eye on him, the newer man who wore a mask and was only known by a codename. Another was that she was protective of Lily, as she was the youngest of the group. Perhaps it was both. Either way, Nightwing would be apprehensive around this one – he didn't like that look in her eyes.

Nightwing was just about to gather up Lily and Elke and head towards the now open window, but then one of the League whom he remembered as being one of the ones in the hotel that was yelling for no reason (Aurelio) jumped out of it. Usually one would be frightened at someone jumping at such great height with no obvious signs of safety, but Nightwing wasn't concerned. He figured that the man had some sort of ability that would spare him from death. Soon after, however, the man came hurtling back, seemingly not of his own accord. Nightwing frowned at this – it appeared that his plan would not work after all. Mr. Mxyzptlk was intent on keeping them inside of the building, and Nightwing was not about to risk the life of one of the League's youngest in an attempt to go outside, even if they were meant to go right back in at the Comms Array.

Reluctantly, he turned to Elke. "You said you had your own form of transportation. Care to elaborate?" If it was by supernatural means, then perhaps she could take all three of them up to the top. Now, Nightwing wasn't about to place his entire well-being into the hands of the blond, but he would need to hear what the woman was able to do before he rendered final judgment.

“If I were your father I’d have locked you up too.”, Aiden responded lightly to Karmen, choosing not to disagree with her. It was true that some boys grew up faster than others—but girls like her were easily to blame. Ten minutes into holding hands while playing red rover and it became impossible not to imagine them all grown and wearing white.

“It’s a one way street Agent K…”

“You don’t get to go back; Only forward.”, He chuckled a little after that, knowing that she wouldn’t have asked him to revert to the mentality of a twelve year old if she’d have known him then. She went on to mention what kind of hell he’d end up paying, and also asked if he’d seen the ‘Parent Trap’. His brow creased a little as he tried to remember it, her smirk making him a cross between wary and curious. “It sounds familiar… But I can’t say that I have.”

“Is it newer or older?”

Both his mother and sister were huge fans of watching older movies. He might have passed through when they were watching it on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

His lips twitched upward as she mentioned their imaginary war coming to life. Blue eyes held a confidence that they shouldn’t have, something that clearly stated, ‘Challenge Accepted.’ Aiden didn’t comment further, not willing to reassure her that he wouldn’t sling mud in her hair when she was threatening the fight to end all fights.

The former police officer kept the topic deliberately light. It seemed like he’d already rocked the rickety foundations that the pyrokinetic held together with duct tape and popsicle sticks. Aiden didn’t want to set her on edge any further than she already was. She had trust issues, so he would do his utmost not to push her any further... Karmen knew where he stood, the ball was in her court.

He merely continued to grin at the blonde woman when she warned him against any trickery, giving her a small salute. Words would have ruined the moment and he had little intentions of explaining himself. Her icy stare hadn’t done a thing except leave him with a desire to keep her guessing.

Aiden split off from Karmen, moving from Deacon to Gabriella in short order. The brunette seemed unique, especially when she let the leash go on her accent. “I wouldn’t be shocked if more than two of us picked up on it ma’am… We’re here because we aren’t most people. Secrets, big and small, are hard to keep.”

The cryokinetic looked at the floor, reaching up to rub the back of his neck when Gabriella called him ‘Mr. Fit’. After spending so much time with Karmen, the new girls sass threw him off a little bit. It wasn’t so much that it embarrassed him, moreso that he hadn’t expected it. She asked if his frustration had anything to do with Deacon and he chuckled a little at the moniker she issued the team leader. “Not exactly. That conversation was just a long time coming. Said Time Capsule is just a greenhorn and it shows every now and then.”

Aiden couldn’t care less if Gabriella had overheard anything. Truth be told, he’d tried to be quiet about it out of respect, but he hadn’t said a thing that wasn’t true. With the lackluster response he’d received, his ability to care had dwindled. He’d have liked to help Deacon, especially when he seemed to be drowning in a kiddie pool full of sharks, but the boy simply wasn’t receptive. Not yet, at least.

If he noticed that Gabriella kept turning the conversation back to him, he didn’t let on. The questions she asked didn’t hurt, though talk of leaving the police force didn’t exactly bring a smile to his face.

“Circumstances changed.”, Aiden spoke cryptically, unable to bring himself to utter the absolute drama that had unfolded in his life. People that he’d always thought he could trust had betrayed him in the worst way. The woman he’d loved more than anything had had become something he no longer recognized. He wanted to do something good; Perhaps to block out all the bad. That desire, his record, and his ability had led him to the Tower.

His usual crooked smile returned when his partner changed the subject and began speaking about her own career decisions. She mentioned that she would have him carry out all of her patients as needed and he nodded his head. Honestly, she wasn’t wrong. He was used to helping his father in the vineyard and keeping a rigid training schedule. Aiden was no stranger to heavy lifting, or an honest day’s work. “At your service, ma’am.”

The cryokinetic accepted Gabriella’s response about being twice his age with slight nod, a short chuckle sitting in his chest. Women. He hadn’t met a single one that didn’t love clinging to their secrets, no matter how futile the effort was. “I always did like older women…”, he commented off handedly, mostly without thinking. It would soon become clear that teasing jokes came naturally to him, almost as easily as one breathed.

He smirked when she mentioned that her test subjects weren’t up for the challenge, his head shaking again. Deacon sure knew how to pick ‘em…This one was a spitfire for sure. “Maybe you just don’t know how to pick test subjects. You should try expanding your parameters…”

The room filled with liquid, and as Gabriella made her way over to Deacon and Savanna he scowled a little at her carefree attitude. He really didn’t need another pretty little thing to look after…Karmen left his head spinning more often than not. Gabriella, most definitely, wouldn’t help that condition. Neither woman had a damn lick of sense.

Aiden blinked at Mason when he seemed to pop his top, a little curious as to what made him turn into a bonafide spaz. His comment that he was ‘on it’ caused the Californian born officer to scoff, hands shoving deep into his pockets. He didn’t want Karmen to see the fists they’d turned into as he coolly fired back. “Not from where I’m standing.”

What was it about this place that seemed to make him feel exceedingly violent? He’d apprehended criminals and felt less like putting them in the hospital.

Karmen affirmed that she was fine, and he exhaled slowly, pushing the frost that emanated from his person back down. Mason, whatever he was, wasn’t the enemy at the moment. So long as Karmen was taken care of he could focus on the issue at hand, and not worry quite as much. He knew she hated to be fawned over… But it was going to happen until she stopped giving him those big blue eyes that screamed ‘Protect me’.

Given the current situation, he hoped she understood.

His concerns turned from Karmen and the troll towards their apparent ‘savior’. If it was the devil, he’d chosen one hell of a disguise. Aiden had half a mind to tell Karmen to get away from her. They didn’t know this girl from a hill of beans, and she suddenly shows up right when some little freak is trying to kill them? It would have been a mistake to place blind trust in someone that even Deacon couldn’t vouch for. The fact that she seemed to know Nightwing mollified him a little, but not enough to stop him from keeping an eye on her. He held her in a similar view as Dahlia… “She’s not dangerous?”

Mason seemed just as interested in the new chick, but so was everyone else. He watched a little curiously as one by one the men in the room seemed to line up at her feet. Aiden almost felt bad for her, despite his distrust. If she really was just a new recruit, all the attention must have been seriously overwhelming. Deacon finally seemed to take the initiative and asked Nightwing about their new guest, something that he couldn’t help but pay attention to. She was mute? That explained why she’d not said a word the entire time… But that didn’t change the fact that she seemed too innocent and shy to be real. Especially when she knocked a window out of the Tower like a one woman demolition crew. He supposed that answered his question about her being dangerous….

From there on out he fell into a quiet mode, focusing on the orders they were given, and listening to the others. Especially those that were more knowledgeable than himself in this setting. He’d never felt like a hammer before, but he was suddenly waiting for a nail to appear, just for something productive to do. Nightwing’s plan seemed to fall through, with or without everyone’s hesitance to let Lily assist him. Everyone seemed to forget that they weren’t placing her in danger. Danger had come to them—And it seemed like it was going to keep coming. As much as he didn’t like the idea, the sooner she got her feet wet, the sooner she’d learn to swim. He felt the same way about Karmen, in varying degrees.

Aurelio, when he was done hitting on the disabled girl, offered up a valuable piece of information. He hadn’t known that using their names was taboo when dealing with a magical enemy. Live and learn, he supposed.

Though as the sorcerer hopped out of the window, he felt bad for Savanna. She was going to have her hands full with that crew.

All of the discussion and speculation that they were rolling around with turned out to be pointless. They were still going with the initial plan… Splitting into groups, one going north, one going south. “Heard.”, he responded to Deacon when he gave their field positions. Aiden didn’t like the idea of being in the back of the group…He was used to taking point in settings like this with commanding eyes in the sky—But the reasoning was sound.

He couldn’t help but shake his head a little when he heard Mason throwing a fit about what team he was on. It amused him that the metal man would rather deal with him for god knew how long than sacrifice time with his women of choice. Glancing towards Karmen as he fell towards the back of the group, he nodded his head…Hoping she accepted the little bit of encouragement.

She could do this, no matter what she thought. The pyrokinetic had an entire team of super-powered beings at her back. One of which, he was pretty sure could bench press a car.

Besides…fire in the front, ice in the back….That sounded like a party if there ever was one. It definitely could have been worse. Aiden paused when Gabriella decided split off from the group. Her intentions were sound, but she was in just as much danger as anyone else…Especially alone. Cold eyes turned back to Deacon, waiting for him to send someone with her—Even just to escort her to where she planned to go. She was right, the rest of the staff in the tower needed to be looked after, but not at the expense of anyone else’s safety. There were times where risks and sacrifice were necessary, but this wasn’t one of them.

Not yet.