Tag: Alex

Ramona

Ramona

30th of January, 2024 – Tuesday 9:57pm

Hey there, could you please help me settle a bet?

Garrick looks up and smiles, this was his first time in his heroic form and showing up to the Giving Tree. He was wearing new jeans and a nice button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up. The apron had Mallic Robotics embroidered on the front, so he didn’t feel bad about not wearing the company shirt. He’d been trying really hard to just act like nothing had changed. No one had really said anything to him other than, “Wow, the gym has done well for you, great job!” Nathaniel had just gone out to bring more of the food to the families and children in the cafeteria. Now, he was looking at one of the workers he’d seen here before. Panicking he did not remember her name his face broke into a hint of worry, “I’m not really into sports, but I’ll try my best.”

Well then since its not about sports you could say I just saved you, but that means you owe me, right?” Her accent and light, mocha tan skin belied her Cuban heritage. Why was she talking to him? What the hell was her name? This felt like a scam he’d seen in prison but he shoved that thought out of his head because he’d seen her here for over a year. Everyone he’d met here personally was incredibly nice to him. He knew why Patsy spoke to him despite being way out of his league. He knew why Katherine tolerated him despite being interested in Nathaniel. Why was was this rather attractive woman talking to him at all?

Hello, earth to …?

“Look, that’s my fault I started taking an art class and you took my breath away the same way when I saw some of Alicia Leal’s paintings.” When her eyebrows raised he realized she was at least familiar with the Cuban artist from the turn of the century. He had been studying her work that day in an overview of artistic styles chapter. Garrick was super pleased he had avoided looking stupid, “So, yes, what was the bet again?”

Two of the other girls and I saw you have a VERY diverse group of friends, but everyone seems to call you something different. What’s your name?

Someone was fucking trolling him, no way an attractive woman walks up out of the blue and asks for his name, “So, which one did you bet on?”

Well, the director said they’ve called you Garrick, but one of my girlfriends who went to the last Mallic Robotics BBQ said Gary because everyone at your company calls you that, my other girlfriend said that the former graduate and your centaur pal call you Griff or Griffon. So I asked the director how they came by Garrick and they said it was on your driver’s license. So I am going with Garrick.

“You win, quite the detective, so you’re attractive and smart care to take pity on your cook and dishwasher with your name?”

Ramona De La Cova

“Garrick Faulkner, Miss De La Cova”

Please, Ramona…
…Wait, Faulkner? As in William Faulkner, the author?” she seemed surprised, and Garrick was mortified she might know Adeline.

“Yes, direct descendant.”

OMG! I have read all of his stuff!” She went on about every title, even his screenplays and soon Garrick relaxed. Finally believing she to was just being friendly like everyone else. He decided to talk to her to get better at dealing with women.

“Oh really,” he looked at her with mocked sarcasm, “well if you’re the kind of person that wants to suck the marrow of life then you should know this work of my great, great, great grandfather…

…So it is: sleep comes not on my eyelids.
Nor in my eyes, with shaken hair and white
Aloof pale hands, and lips and breasts of iron,
So she beholds me.

And yet though sleep comes not to me, there comes
A vision from the full smooth brow of sleep,
The white Aphrodite moving unbounded
By her own hair.

Ramona looked him washings dishes and reciting the poem clearly committed to memory. He wasn’t the only one who could play such a game and Garrick nearly stumbled when a matching voice joined his,

In the purple beaks of the doves that draw her,
Beaks straight without desire, necks bent backward
Toward Lesbos and the flying feet of Loves
Weeping behind her.

She looks not back, she looks not back to where
The nine crowned muses about Apollo
Stand like nine Corinthian columns singing
In clear evening.

She sees not the Lesbians kissing mouth
To mouth across lute strings, drunken with singing,
Nor the white feet of the Oceanides
Shining and unsandalled.

Garrick stopped and turned to face her with each of them looking into each other’s eyes as they finished the final stanza alternating each line,

Before her go cryings and lamentations
Of barren women, a thunder of wings,
While ghosts of outcast Lethean women, lamenting,
Stiffen the twilight.

A good two feet is all that stood between them before the sound and fury of the Giving Tree’s community cut their moment short like the shears of an angry fate.

“You’re good, Ramona, I was required to learn them, but your love for ‘Sapphics’ outshines my burden of lineage,” Garrick smiled continuing with the workload as they conversed until the last of the dishes went into the tray sliding into the commercial dishwasher. Turning to look at her he wondered what she was starring at as he removed his apron and noticing they had been talking for about an hour at 10:52pm, “Goodness, is there something on my face from the dishes?”

Spoken almost to fast as Ramona was jarred out of an apparent reverie, “Hey,doyouwanttogetdinnerandmaybegoseeamovie?”

“Certainly, aside from bumper cars last month with a co-worker, I don’t get out much. I’m a workaholic! I’d love to! Why don’t you get your things and meet me out front. I have to find out why Trip decided to trot all the way down here. We can exchange contact details then.”

Blushing she nodded and walked away Garrick started damage control in his head, ‘It’s not a date. It is a movie, and maybe dinner…

…yeah, its called courting…’

He began walking out front after gathering his things…

‘…How did you get through this conversation…’

‘…simple, assume they were never going to be interested in him…’

He banished his overdriven thought process as he reached everyone to explain a meeting for 6 a.m. the following day. He sent a text to Katherine, but was unsure how to ask her if she had just lied to him. He knew she was not completely honest with him, but she had promised to reveal everything soon. Then she shared a great deal more with the group and lord knew what in meditation with Nathaniel. About that time before his self-deprecation could rev up out of first gear. Ramona walked up and they exchanged business cards. She smiled at him once more, as she left she winked, turning away letting the street lamps be her spotlight till she passed into shadow of the night. Only when Garrick began to put her card away Alex wagged a finger at it and on the back was her personal cell number and a small heart with a smiley face in it.

Alex walks up to Garrick and shakes his empty hand, “Wow! Two at the same time. Wow you really are SUPER!”

Sliding the card in his pocket with an incredulous look on his face, “I don’t know what you’re talking about these are just really nice people.”

Alex winks, “Oh, so that’s the way, huh. I’m going to have to try that.”

Garrick shakes his head and waves good bye to everyone, as he heads for his truck. Before leaving the parking lot he calls Mrs. Falkenberg so she would know about the training. Figuring Trip would find a way to let Richard know he pulled out and headed home. He decided to review the video footage to see if the cameras picked up Miss Amazing at his house when Alex arrived. Everyone was asleep when he got home.

 


Art by: AZ_Artisan

 

What Kind Of Weekend Did You Have?

What Kind Of Weekend Did You Have?

27th of January, 2024 – Saturday 1:45am

The Geist, Miss Amazing, follow Garrick and the eight Shorty clones toward the room in the basement that Garrick described as the “Refugee Room” to the Geist in an email. Coming in through the garage door they pass by his 15 ft. square workbench with a foot wide pole decked out in computer monitors on swing arm mounts. Shorty number 5 mentioned a little to loudly this looked like a poor man’s version of Jake’s lab. The other Shorty’s shot him a look when Miss Amazing glanced back disapprovingly. Garrick seemed to not hear or just ignore the comment as he pointed out that on each floor there were bathrooms they can access, showers, sinks, toilets and urinals. The shorties nodded and saw the showers looked very futuristic compared to the rest to which Garrick reminded them he had gotten a LOT of the set pieces from the Robot Swords trilogy movies and integrated them create his home on his budget.

Arriving downstairs Garrick pointed out the washer and dryer next to the bathroom entrance and they stood out because they looked like commercial grade machines with outer shells to make one think maybe they were robots. “The blue one is the washer and the red one is the dryer. Their twins are on the second floor,” mentioned Garrick. Four MASSIVE hydraulic pylons were holding up the training floor above and Garrick mentioned they could be raised further to the second floor and he does it once a month only as a maintenance check. On the long, futuristic-looking table were three pizzas and Garrick sighed with a happy look on his face, “Boys, grab a bite to eat real quick and then the room.” While they launched at the food he pointed out the utility lockers (medicine, tools, linen closet, etc) behind the much large nearly 10-ft column adorned as well with a total of twelve monitors current playing different tv stations, Netflix, stock channels, YouTube, etc. There was the two computer, climate controlled black storage containers like the one on the first floor.

One of the Shorty’s noticed a card on the table in a folded tent style with something written in red ink. Before they could read it Miss Amazing picked it up and just said, “Patsy, huh.” She folded it up and tucked it away as Garrick was showing the locker space for 12 people (6 top lockers and 6 bottom ones) by the door to the room. The Geist looked over at the 15-ft wide luxury tv built into a curved setup and Garrick shook his head, “I didn’t have a better space for it, I believe they used it as the main viewing screen on one of the ships during the space battle in Robot Swords 2: Wrath of the Mecha Lords.” Then the Shorties began screaming in excitement when they heard a robotic voice come from the table.

Future Bed“Greetings Shorty, I am Optimus, and what number is your designation?”

“Number 6”

“Thank you Shorty-6, I am expecting numbers 2 through 9. Are they here?”

“YES, yes, Yes!!! Mr. Gryphon,” they say in near unison, “You didn’t mention your house could talk?”

Garrick smiles when they realize that the table is one giant tablet screen and asks Optimus to introduce them to where they are staying, “Would all of you go through the opening door to your living quarters. I am accessible via any part of the house.”

Miss Amazing watches as she is promptly ignored and the Geist and Garrick step aside to avoid the stampede when the blue lit door whooshes open! The floor looked like chrome steel plates and the two work stations have transparent monitors that are almost 3 feet wide! Blue tinted lighting nearly 15+ feet up bathes the room in a soft glow, not to mention each bed had lighting in their canopy cover panels. Two trash cans in opposite corners also look like transformed robots! There is a very futuristic foot-locker in front of each bed with digital read outs and keypads! Then they see the five identical beds! Garrick makes a mental note that he owes Patsy for making the beds. He pointed out that the mattresses are memory foam, but also have a built in cooling gel to prevent over heating that the foam is known for. Garrick mentions every bed in his house looks like this just these were the small ones. Miss Amazing looks at him and says, “That’s 7-ft by 10-ft at least! What are the big ones?!”

“12.5 by 15 feet,” he mentions in passing as he shows the Shorties how the drawers come out from the sides, and the slide down screen and projector tv option! “Okay everyone, I need you in bed now, we have a wake up call at 5:30am for breakfast. If you go to sleep now then I see chocolate chip pancakes with your breakfast! If you need me just ask Optimus to reach me. Now I have to get groceries don’t make yourself a nuisance to Patsy, whom made the pizzas, okay?”

Eight kids nodded, hopping under covers and the three adults left the room and headed back to the 1st floor. Once there he asked the Geist and Miss Amazing to wait five minutes he would be right back. They nodded and he raced upstairs and changed into jeans, shoes and the purple and silver ‘Robot Swords’ hoodie. Patsy had a noted clipped to her door, “Tell me in the morning, be happy because you’re doing good and charitable things!” Coming back down the two saw standing there and he finally saw how tired he was and trying to hide it. Miss Amazing puts her hand on his shoulder as she looks up at him, “Hey, how can I help you, partner? We can do anything together.”

Garrick looks a little worried, “I have to ask you to watch downstairs while I go shopping at one of the 24 hour stores in Javarta near the university.”

She gives a glare to Garrick that he’s too tired to notice. “Alright. Into the lion’s den it is,” she resignedly heads downstairs, “You owe me! Oh, and I will collect.” She turns and her skirt bounces as she hits each step. Garrick conceptualizes a redesign of her outfit as she goes downstairs once more.

Geist and Garrick decide to leave about 10 minutes apart to avoid any issues. Garrick promises he can delete any footage off the cameras on his side of the building. Garrick returns about two hours later and finds Miss Amazing sitting down stairs at the long tablet table. She closes down her session on the computer system as she hears him coming downstairs. The Shorty’s are all in their beds for some reason. “Oh, it’s you,” she says unenthusiastically. “Now that you’re back I thought I might finally meet this house guest of yours.” Garrick mentions she had been in her room after putting the pizzas down here. She probably fell asleep shortly thereafter. Miss Amazing nods and gets up to leave. Garrick goes back inside after seeing her leap off from his front door. Once more he was privy to another glimpse as she was bounding away and his face flushed, “Boy, that moon is pretty tonight!”

Reflecting on the meeting turned impromptu mission. The team had its first encounter with ‘Super Villains‘ and one of them had died by his hand. He had then gone face to face with an alien cloning factory that the ‘Old Jake’ had wiped from his current clone body’s memory which suggested to Gryphon that if Jake he knew now did not know about this, then there was at least two cloning factories. One for Shorty and one for Jake! He was able (or at least he hopes) he was able to down play his panic attack and meditation. While in what he can only describe as a metaphysical meditative state he was further reassured by Ashmadiel that he had been fighting evil and sometimes death is unavoidable in battle.

Upon waking up he had been informed by Black Phantom and Ethel that Jake had been given 72 hours to come and collect anything he wanted. Ethel was going to reach out and deliver the news. Jake had left via his Portal Gun leaving the Volvo in Ethel’s care. Trip had tried to download Gryphon’s ‘Worlds Online’ client software to one of the alien computer terminals so he could join the raid they were missing. Anyone could tell the way they high-fived each other over nerding out about computer gaming on alien tech that personality of Carl and him knew each other for some time. It was Black Phantom that had seen Covenant leave earlier mentioning he needed more bullets. It was then that Ethel pegged him for a place the Shorties could go. He had mentioned once before about a house guest in passing and despite what she says her mind was a steel trap. Soon the Shorties were hearing about having a real bed and so excited to go stay with Garrick!

27th of January, 2024 – Saturday 5:30am

He had breakfast ready by 5:25am, with the aforementioned special pancakes and every Shorty got to have some. He opened the gate to his portion of the property and left it open so everyone arriving would be able to get in without figuring out how they’d get over a barbwire fence. As he was finishing up in the kitchen he was getting ready to bring breakfast style, Cuban street tacos down when he called out to Patsy. About half a minute later her door slid open and she poked her head out, “Good Morning! You need something?”

“The chocolate chip pancakes, eggs, and well everything for the boys in on those trays. Can you go get them and have them file up here to eat at the table and send them down to me when they finish?”

“That is also something I can absolutely do,” she said in reply.

Garrick began to grin when she smiled at him, “Thank you so much I am sorry I’m pulling you away from research.”

She pulled a shirt over her head and while still keeping nearly everything else behind the door frame she grips the door and tries to look serious but at best her scornful look is playful mockery, “Stop it, you saved my life, you feed me, you clothe me, you gave me a home, you ask so little of me, and fund my research, it’s the least I could do. Also, once I send them down I’ll stay up here to keep out of your way.”

Garrick nods and Patsy can see him get a little flush when she compliments him before he continues along. Garrick begins mentally running numbers and figures the $400 a month he gives her should still be doable. Worst case is he might have to make it $300 but he could work on that later. So while he set everything up for breakfast at 5:30am sharp his door bell buzzes and he almost thought he was at work so few times does he ever get visitors. Nathaniel was the first to arrive and the next was an in costume Miss Amazing, whom let herself in using the access code Garrick had sent to her. She walked up to Garrick with 6-X Power Blended Espresso Latte from the Vault Coffee Shop. Noticing she had one of her own he thanked her, pointed out the food and everyone heard the Geist from on top of his storage unit by the guest bedroom door, “Excellent, I am a bit peckish.” Garrick watched him jump down and exclaimed he had an access code. The Geist looked at him and smirked, “Check your logs, I used it in the same minute as Miss Amazing.”

By 5:56am everyone else had arrived but Carl, the Covenant, and Cavalry. Almost to the second at 6am did Carl show up in the tour company’s aircar. Garrick smiles when he said he was there to give a Mr. Gryphon a ride. Being invited in he recognized Ethel and Shorty, which causes him to begin freaking out! Neither the Geist or Garrick could calm him down. Thanks to the bad timing of Cavalry showing up talking about a police investigation into the missing reporter. Nathaniel catches him as Carl tries to run thinking he’s next to die. However, that wasn’t the extraordinary part, it was seeing him transform into a 10 year old Japanese girl! Alice, it turns out is the third personality of Carl’s broken mind.

When she spoke everyone kept saying it was Japanese, or Chinese in Ethel’s case. However, Garrick kept hearing English the entire time! A whisper in the back of his mind let him know this is how all foreign languages would sound to him, and he could speak any language he wished by thinking it and just talking normally! Garrick looked over at Cavalry and said, “Yeah that story you had, just pause or hold that thought.”

“Umm, yeah I don’t think I am going to top this,” he replied. Nathaniel lets the “girl” down as the clothing begins to fall off. Thank goodness the shirt became longer and covered anything inappropriate. One of the Shorty’s exclaimed, “WAIT! HE’S A GIRL NOW?

BAKA!” screamed Alice

Ethel turned and wagged her finger, “Don’t get any ideas you know what used to be there! Besides she’s out of your league, she’s Chinese.”

Nigh incomprehensible swearing began to pour out of Alice in Japanese, Garrick understood every single word and seemed taken back in the same way a hardened sailor would blush at her mouth and the filthy descriptors coming out! Ethel, looked as though someone gave her a Valentine’s Day card, “Oh, that’s adorable sweetie but you’re going to have to learn… oh, I am sorry I am going to fast, YOU… NEED… TO… LEARN… ENGLISH…

Nathaniel points out the cultural differences and Ethel further complicates things when she mentions that Asians all look the same to her. The Geist tries to re-direct by coming up to introduce himself to Alice, “おはようございます (Ohayōgozaimasu)”

“Ohayō,” replies the Geist, while Ethel remarks that they are in Florida, not Ohio. Turning to Garrick the Geist asks about clothing. “I’ll be right back I can get you something,” exclaimed the Swordsman. As he ran up the stairs he saw Miss Amazing and gave her a wink. She had been wandering the ground floor and looking into the guest room she had been given access to. There was a quizzical look upon her face and Garrick made a mental note to address why he had stuck two beds in that room. Perhaps she would like the spare one for her home? Banishing those thoughts for later as he came to the second floor. Where the olive skinned, Arabic, house guest was researching at the table with data column just inside her room. She moved some of the monitors out of the way when asked about acquiring the sweats for the little girl/Carl/mutant to Patsy and asked for the Copernicus sweat pants and top. They were the only thing he could think of that would fit. She found them and asked about the person Garrick knew as Jake. He told her that he wasn’t here, but his sister was and if nothing else would work on setting up a dinner for all of them to go to this coming week.

Coming back down he provided Alice the clothing and fended off jabs from Ethel about having clothing for young girls on hand. There seemed to be some renewed tension between Miss Amazing and Ethel as Granny 2 Good was shooting eye daggers her way.

Alice looked as though she could be a main character in an anime called Assassin Dolls and whats more is that the only other person who seemed to react to this was Zeau, of all those present this was a surprise! Cavalry was looking at Zeau and saying, “Man, I thought my yesterday was weird.” Nathaniel, had Cavalary explain his weird day yesterday. Then Nathaniel began to explain the purpose of the group to Alice alongside the Geist.

Afterwards, they began training with Nathaniel and each of the characters began to spar and the other Shorties were all brought in at this point.

  • Alice can use other senses to “locate” opponents, almost like a form of radar.
  • BP can anticipate danger and is deft at moving out of the way
  • All the Shorties were allowed to mob fight, and #5 actually managed to hit Nathaniel once!
  • Geist fought defensively and seemed to be holding back for everyone to see someone seasoned fighting
  • Cavalry is a more projectile but his physical hits carry great kinetic force as well.
  • Ethel is faster on land than Gryphon in the air, so watch out for the cane!
  • Gryphon has great brawler skills that suggest he is much more violent in a fight. However, it’s pointed out that leads to bad group control.
  • Zeau makes Nathaniel move to parry tactics to counter his powers.
  • Miss Amazing matches Nathaniel’s / Black Phantom’s style pretty damn close. To Garrick it almost looked like a dance from a silent play. He watched them staring at each other and started thinking, “Oh, I’m not her type! He’s much more confident and controlled, yeah I can ship it.”

Garrick broke away from the group when he got a text from Patsy and Alice checked Carl’s phone regarding the super hero message boards regarding Alpha Prime. Everyone gathered starts to point out why they wouldn’t have snitched while Alice continues to laugh at the conspiracy theories surrounding the message boards and common social media sites. During this Garrick and then joined by Ethel began to calm down the Shorties. Whom tried to make some commitment humor when Garrick offered adoption as a means of protecting them.

Concerned the Geist issues a query, “Ethel, is it normal for your brother to not answer like this?”

“We’ve only just reconnected over the last few weeks, and haven’t spoken in the last 40 years.”

The Geist’s brow furrows, “I’m concerned we have not heard anything from Alex,” he dons the cowl again, “I’m going to check on him.” With that he departs as Gryphon continues to notice Miss Amazing staring at Nathaniel, and him back at her with a brief show of emotion is his otherwise stoic demeanor. Garrick thought this could be seen as further evidence that are likely seeing each other. Garrick could not have been happier at that moment because if they could find each other then there was some hope for him! The scientist in him acknowledges his assumption could be off but only time would tell that. Ethel’s question about how he wished to be addressed cut his attention back and he matched the Geist’s method for in costume and out of costume. Afterwards, Garrick clarified the pie note and was relieved the gesture had kind of made it through, even in a clunky way. When Ethel asked him to bend down and she gave him a motherly kiss on the cheek.

Ethel and Nathaniel note Alpha Prime seems to not be acting herself while everyone can see only the tanks carrying fleshy blobs unrecognizable as anyone see media coverage. Alice starts stating supporting arguments citing Nathaniel’s concern and Ethel points out people go missing around her. Garrick excuses himself to go down stairs. In a far corner almost underneath where he parks his car he begins to punch the floor doing enough damage to wreck the surface layer in a 5 foot area and cracks going out another 5 feat! Seeing Alpha Prime brought back a lot of anger at loosing his father he had been ill prepared for.

When he came back up he thought he heard Nathaniel say mind as though it was his own thought. He looked over and saw Alice saying something to him, but couldn’t make out the word(s). As he got closer he realized he might have in fact experienced telepathy given how the conversation was going. When he apologized for his absence Zeau made a sarcastic comment about him leaving and no one noticing. Garrick had dealt with this attitude in jail plenty of times and just chose to brush it off with a reply that he was right it was his home he technically didn’t leave it.

Nathaniel took the opportunity to get some back story on Zeau, whom complied without issue, and mentioned his powers appeared when he was a teenager and while in the past called them psychic abilities acknowledge that the world doesn’t look kindly on mutants. Garrick understood why he would call them psychic powers if that was publicly a more favorable brand name. Nathaniel and Ethel would not let go and soon the it became less about his help but more about his attitude. Garrick remembered that the Geist had mentioned he was good for the team and Zeau had reached out to support him personally at some point. Garrick decided this was a good chance to show the Geist he could be a team player and back his play. Even if he thought Zeau was a bit of a dick when he stated people think he’s an ass because their not smart enough to understand him. When Alice said, “Zeau sama, あなたは馬鹿です (Anata wa bakadesu).” Then Nathaniel pressed the issue as professionally as one can when publicly accusing someone of a short coming. Zeau defended himself by citing his constant support of the team, even over Cavalry. Garrick noticed Cavalry had made some traction with the team because Nathaniel took umbrage at tossing someone under the metaphorical bus to showcase their contributions. Garrick decided to interject and probe a bit more, learning that he was a professor but not tenured. Garrick understood a great deal about his attitude problem given he was likely a professor at his alma mater. Turning to everyone he pointed out that his attitude issues were meaningless, and that uttered two words from Zeau no one had ever heard, “Thank you.” Garrick pointed out he had aligned with criminals in jail for survival. Zeau was a lovely change of pace to such psychopaths. Turning to Zeau he said that he was gruff and we all just need to move on, for he had never been seen doing anything to jeopardize the team. “Thank you, Gryphon.”

This actually lead to a sharing of back stories by everyone present. Ethel found out her husband had been cheating on her for years with his secretary Sharon. Garrick swear to himself he remembers there was a fantasy novel series he’d read recently where Sharon was a horrible priestess/follower of a new death god’s religion. Made a mental note to try and not date anyone named Sharon. The funny thing was being surrounded by various females: Patsy, Miss Amazing, Granny2Good, and Alice. For a myriad of reasons: from another dimension, already dating a more confident guy, well granny, and actually the fractured psyche of a mutant. He was stuck on a raft in this ocean and looking for freshwater at sea. He was fairly certain he was safe from finding anyone interested in him named Sharon.

She mentioned how she had reconnected with Jake after several decades of not talking, traveling to the other side of the Milky Way galaxy! Wait if even one human has made it beyond our galaxy then Alpha Prime’s argument about the Covenant is null and void. Inside Garrick just tried breathing because loosing his cool earlier was not something he can do again with kids living here now. However, Garrick realized she had TRAVELED ACROSS THE GALAXY! What has she seen? OMG! Where was Trip to geek out with? “Hmmm,” he thought about a new hashtag for Twitter: #WhatDoesAlphaCentauriApplePieTasteLike ??? She mentioned meeting the Beast, and getting saved by the Gryphon / Garrick from a car jacking about a year ago and she still feels he is sweet for doing so. Zeau asked if she felt that she has now learned the scope of her powers and she still feels their may be another one out there she is not grasping just yet.

She is going to work on a costume and Garrick thought he would mock up a design to help her refine her look and stay on the edge of fashion. She had decided on going by Granny2Good with the number “2” in there to be “Hip”. Which caused the Shorties to collectively roll their eyes until she got around to asking them about what they thought of her name. What Ethel had not seen was Garrick holding up his phone behind her with the words: THE RIGHT ANSWER GETS ICE CREAM TONIGHT! There was a sudden unanimous approval and Garrick knew he’d be shopping again tonight.

Nathaniel / Black Phantom and Miss Amazing seemed to have been experimented on by the same top level secret organization with different branches working with each of them. It sounds like Miss Amazing was being turned into a “powered assassin” and the doctor helped to get her out. Garrick was far more certain now that the individual was dead, or they arranged for her escape to facilitate the illusion of freedom for more field testing. “Great,” he thought creeping himself out but realized there could be a hint of truth he needed to be ready for. If Katherine / Miss Amazing was 19 then they experimented on a juvenile which means they’re preying on kids and already Garrick didn’t like them. Finding this out made that viewpoint fairly cemented. Not having many friends he was going to someway, somehow, make sure they could live their lives and relationship free from the shadow world of spooks & spies.

Everyone else agreed they would help have her back. Garrick noticed more of the sidelong glances back and forth between Miss Amazing and Nathaniel. He tried not to stare and thought, well the age difference is pretty out there, but hey he had no right to judge. Besides in jail he saw some very open minded people find comfort where they could. Garrick’s views on acceptable relationships would shock some. For him as long as everyone consents, they’re over 18, then its fair game straight, gay, poly or group relationships. In his mind the one thing humans did equally was the ability to love, and he had no right to judge another’s heart.

Jake wasn’t there however, how much could he have shared as we all knew about his self imposed memory lapse. Alex, we knew had an enchanted gun that empowered bullets and Alex in a similar way to his sword. Perhaps there was something Garrick needed to pursue with the kid when he showed himself once more. Garrick shared a very ‘top-level’ view into his past because he had learned the value of over sharing well from Miss Amazing. No one wants to know how broken he was inside. It would do nothing but breed doubt and uncertainty, and now was not the time for such things. He also explained how he came across the building and the robotics company occupying two-thirds of it.

Cavalry described his powers as redirected kinetic energy and had to focus to prevent contact from objects and how he touched them and people to prevent harming everyone and anything around him. Poor guys is living in constant fear of hurting anyone. The Liberty Bell incident actually now sounded like a real accident. He might as well be a felon because no one will let him live this down. Much less anyone that chooses to associate with him. No wonder he put up with all the jabs, he really had nowhere else to go. Garrick decided he would treat him better than perhaps he had. So he mentioned about the super-power dampening cuffs he heard about in the SBCW or Super Being Containment Wing. He purposed he or Jake could make a medallion he could wear which would allow him to experience having a normal day. This notion really perked him up and Garrick saw a glimmer of hope. When the others asked some clarifying questions Cavalry made a joke about throwing a mean fastball. This got laughs from more than a few people, the group had just become a social circle that may very well accept him for who he is, not what he has done.

Some talk about a ‘Crossfit, working out‘ schedule was discussed and access codes made for those present. Alice was tracking the super hero message board and other social media sight trying to distinguish credible sources. While Gryphon realizes its nearly 6pm and heads up to make dinner for everyone. After a fashion Granny2Good / Ethel comes up to help Garrick explaining what Alice has found and explained to Zeau while she overheard and explained to Nathaniel some information regarding Alpha Prime. It seems the alien, Alpha Prime, left shortly after giving the interviews and that the factory hasn’t been used in years! Garrick had the chance to finally make the introduction between Ethel and Patsy. Despite the social misunderstanding regarding her age it went fairly well. When she wanted to discuss the news regarding her brother Patsy excused herself upon the suggestion this was to be a private conversation. She then chastised Garrick for having a partner as young as Miss Amazing. She saw the change in Garrick’s face and when he started to try and correct her assumptions about him acting inappropriately. She quickly stated she had gone to far and kept cutting off any attempt he made to clarify his opinion of that statement. When he resigned with a very audible sigh she suggested checking on Jake very soon.

Once a course of action to go check on her brother had been discussed Ethel began to head downstairs checking to make sure Garrick was in tow. Garrick, though, had paused to make sure someone could bring food to the Shorties downstairs. He also promised he was working on a way for her to meet Jake. Patsy mentioned she’d be happy to do so, and Garrick was off to follow Ethel. In the stairwell over hearing the exchange she wondered if she if Garrick understood ‘private conversation’ as a social convention. When they got downstairs Jake’s apparent flaky nature was the current topic of debate. Garrick set the food tray down and mentioned Patsy was bringing the food for the Shorties to the downstairs table. While the Shorties began to file out he hit a button activating the basement Roomba system. Ethel stopped the group to ask about any additional hiding stops her brother had. It was revealed he had a basement laboratory and Shorty #1 may be able to get in there. The other Shorties were not optimistic and wrote off #1 as being dead man walking.

Miss Amazing asked Garrick for the spare outfit she asked him to keep here, and Ethel gives Garrick a withering look. Garrick looks at Ethel after mentioning he’d run up stairs to get it, “Whatever, there’s closet space upstairs and my truck can be broken into.” That makes Nathaniel ask about locker space and Garrick points and mentions he has standard lockers and climate controlled ones. The climate controlled ones are ten feet tall for a five foot gap to the ceiling above. various ones have different depth and length sizes. They all look the same black chrome futuristic design as they were functional set pieces from the trilogy franchise.

As far as Garrick had determined the Super Field Op: “Find Jake” had a few phases planned out: Phase-1 involved Ethel returning Carl’s tour company air car to avoid any rental fees for over night trips. Phase-2 Following Ethel to pick her up and making sure the ladies present had seats in Garrick’s Truck, and any men moved or sat in back. Phase-3 was taking nearly everyone back to their locations so they could acquire their gear. Phase-4 was finally driving out to Jake’s house in the Diego Verde sub-district of Holbrooke. Garrick didn’t want to try and determine Phase-5 because every online #raid in his Worlds Online server taught him that no plan survives contact with the enemy.

After all the stops they make there way to Jake’s House and Garrick tries to park against the curb with the tree line. On the way Ethel asks that we tried to park and let her off so she could make a big deal and thanking us for dropping her off at her brother’s house. Then we park somewhere and sneak back into the neighborhood. It seemed like a really good plan, and then…
…the saw Alpha Prime banging on a force field like dome that stopped or slowed time significantly! Alpha Prime was banging on it yelling, “DAMMIT! WE HAD A DEAL JAKE GET OUT HERE!”

Garrick casually turns the truck around and leaves while inside the truck everyone is in freaking shock! Calls are put out to abort and why!

29th of January, 2024 – Monday 9:30am

Gary,” Brandon Mallic had come into his office, “what kind of weekend did you have?”

Garrick stands up to his heroic form’s height of 6 feet 6 inches tall, one inch taller than his boss, “You’re going to want a seat because things for me are way different now, Mr. Mallic.”

Brandon shuts the door and eventually can be heard exclaiming “if” someone presses their ear to the door, “You joined a powered people support group for non-sponsored power people? All because of this magic sword from a box on the side of the road!”
Later, “To bad we can’t dress you up as Veritas from Robot Swords. Wait the sword can change sizes! How do you feel about cosplay at a convention for market research?”
Later, “I promise to not tell anyone you don’t just please I am not going to lie to Constance.”
Later, “Well, shit, call the comics because we just joined the weird side of Century Station.”

 

 

 


Art by: AZ_Artisan