Pandaemonium
Posts 343
Power Level 30
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Post by Blue Jay on Apr 14, 2016 15:57:07 GMT -7
It was a quiet evening in the city. Quiet as in nothing had yet to blow up - the street below the building on which Blue Jay sat was alive with activity. The rush hour had passed and the sun had begun to depart with it, but the bustle of people continued enough to rival the orange and pink the setting sun threw into the darkening sky. Large trucks rumbled over loose street covers. Occasionally a blaring siren would pass by, temporarily halting everything else. Someone ran into a woman on the sidewalk, knocking her bags from her hands. Another kind civilian stopped to help her gather her things, returning the woman’s wallet even though she could’ve easily slid it into her pocket. This was the kind of evening that would either give the hero a nice break, or give a super the opportunity to gift the city with a rude surprise.
Blue Jay sat with his legs hanging off the rooftop of what was a clothing store from floors one to three and apartments from there up. The light breeze that circled above the buildings was cool. The coke he’d bought from a vending machine sat beside him, half drank. It was kind of lonely, on that empty roof there. He felt distant from the people below. Space-wise, obviously, but on a more fundamental level as well. Life was a little less lonely since he had joined the Bulwark, but he still hadn’t made much in terms of friends. Nor had he any real rivals or enemies, the next closest thing. His civilian life hadn’t yielded more than one-class acquaintances, as he hardly spent any time on campus. It hadn't been like this before his move to the city; in high school he'd been far from popular, but he had made a couple of friends. He found himself missing the comfort of company.
The hero stretched. Nights that begun quietly hardly ever remained so. Someone would be stealing or breaking or bothering something, and someone more would be on the lookout to stop them. There were so many supers - far more than he had expected - jammed into this city, and unlike most of the populous, they actually looked up.
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Post by Crash on Apr 15, 2016 13:14:08 GMT -7
Boring. That was the only word Crash could think of to describe nights like this. She didn't need half the city to explode or anything, though an explosion or two would certainly liven things up; but, even a purse snatching or some other trivial crime would be enough to keep her entertained for at least a little while. Everyone she saw seemed to be on their best behavior so far, though. Sure, there was probably some crime being committed somewhere in the city. Alicia had been around enough to know that urban centers were never quite as peaceful as they seemed. Until those criminals emerged from the shadows, however, there wasn't much she could do about it. The majority of the population was having a calm evening out of harms way, but, while that was obviously a great thing, it didn't make her night any less dull.
So, Crash found herself plummeting aimlessly through the darkening sky above the city, hoping to catch a glimpse of something interesting in the dying light. She wasn't certain how long she had been falling before she noticed a lone figure perched on the roof of one of the buildings below. Immediately, she allowed gravity to take it's normal hold once again, sending herself hurdling downward. As she drew closer to the roof, the figures took on much more recognizable features. It would be a lie to say she wasn't disappointed to find another Bulwark hero rather than a super villain, but having a conversation might help fight off her boredom. While she recognized Blue Jay, they hadn't spoken very much in the past. So, at least it would be something kinda new.
She hit the roof behind him, lightening the weight of her landing just enough to avoid structural damage to the building. "Yo, Blue," she announced as she walked forward, plopping down next to her fellow hero with her feet dangling off the edge. "Slow night, huh?"
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Pandaemonium
Posts 343
Power Level 30
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Post by Blue Jay on Apr 15, 2016 22:40:17 GMT -7
Blue Jay felt the building shake. Those two floors down probably wouldn’t notice, but those on the top floor would wonder why their upstairs neighbors had to throw such noisy parties. His first thought was he was about to get his monkey paw of a wish of asking for a fight, but when the new arrival spoke, he recognized the voice. He looked over his shoulder, confirming the familiar face and relaxing his own. Crash wasn’t more than an acquaintance of his, but he was glad for her appearance. "You’d almost be tricked into thinking the place was peaceful, like in the vacation commercials.” He chuckled.
He took a deep breath, allowing for a moment of silence to pass. Blue Jay wasn’t sure what Crash thought she was in for by joining him, but if a fight wasn’t in his books tonight, musing was next in order. “Crash, can I ask you a question? Don’t feel like you have to answer.” Blue Jay swirled his coke, watching the sun’s reflection change in the sludge-colored liquid. “Why did you give up your civilian identity?” It wasn’t with any negative connotation that he asked this question. Mostly, it was genuine curiosity; it was a huge jump just becoming a superhero. One was joining the fight to save people while also being the scorn of them, and at constant threat of harm, both direct in battle and from those who do their work in the shadows. Blue Jay couldn’t imagine leaving behind the rest of what society considered “normal life” and the anonymity that came along with it as well. The fact most supers went by, well, a super identity showed he wasn’t the only one to think so. It would take a strong person, he felt, to be able to weather the fact that their life was constantly unordinary, as well as under fire by villains and politicians alike.
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Post by Crash on Apr 18, 2016 16:05:57 GMT -7
Crash blinked. The buildup to the question had made her almost nervous. Usually, when someone said something like "you don't have to answer" it was followed by the sort of serious personal question that she generally tried to avoid. The actual question was so unexpected that she nearly choked on the breath she had been holding.
"What? Like, you're asking me why I don't wear a mask?" The wording of the question confused her, but she thought she understood what he meant by it. It wasn't something she had thought about all that much, honestly. "I don't know. I guess it was an accident." She chuckled, leaning forward to rest her elbows on her knees. "Just happened to be in the wrong place at the right time, you know? When there's rubble falling on you and a super villain to punch in the face, you don't have time to find a stupid costume." Alicia had never even thought about being a hero until that day. Probably wouldn't even have considered it if one of the Bulwark heroes hadn't suggested it to her.
She shrugged. "I wouldn't say I gave up anything, though. My 'civilian' identity was lame. I'm not sure why so many of you bother with the masks, anyway."
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Pandaemonium
Posts 343
Power Level 30
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Post by Blue Jay on Apr 19, 2016 18:58:57 GMT -7
He pointed to his own mask. “The mask means I get to still go to class, get a dog, and buy an overpriced coffee at Starbucks.” He said lightheartedly. “Besides, it’s kind of fun to have secrets.” Even if he did generally suck at keeping them.
Crash’s story caught Blue Jay a bit by surprise. Of course he’d been aware that supers could lose their secret identity by, as she put it, “being at the wrong place at the right time”, but he hadn’t really considered it when he asked the question. That ideal of proudly announcing who you were and what you could do to the world was, he didn’t know, what he expected? Assumed?
Blue Jay could easily see himself caught in a situation similar to what she described, and if it came down to it, he'd probably do the same. In the heat of things, life-changing decisions are made in and within seconds of each other. Stuff happens.
“At the same time, I wish I didn’t have to keep up the formalities.” He continued. “Every time I see a villain attacking someone it’s like I’ve got to run to wherever I’ve stashed my stuff, throw it on, and run back. And I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve been this close to giving myself away because I left the wrong thing in the wrong bag.” He chuckled. All of it really wasn’t very practical. “It’s kinda weird to fight alongside people, they save your life, you save theirs, all the while you’d got no idea who they are and they wouldn't recognize me if they passed me on the street.”
Life would certainly be more interesting if everyone knew who he was. It was funny how having a little power changed people’s perspective of someone. “Come to think of it, how do you get your groceries? Do people recognize you? Do you get to, like, threaten to punch people if they don’t let you cut in line?” He asked.
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Post by ionica on Apr 21, 2016 7:26:27 GMT -7
Quiet night, not that Ionica minded much. And it really was quiet, since while she liked a crowd, there was no point just shouting from the roof tops for no reason other than to shout and make noise. Sure it sounded like a cool idea, but not really practical. And since it was rush hour on the streets, only the bold or foolish was going to try something with a billion billion people on the streets. Unless they were super villians or something, but she hadn't seen them around. And she needed to get off the street level, all these people were making her eyes itch.
So she looked to the rooftops, and spotted a familiar set of energies up a roof, which was just what she needed in the day of kind not much happening other than scouring the town for a Costa because Starbucks....well, if she was a Villian, they would be her first target. So, she ran up the wall, careful to avoid the side with the fire escapes because while she might go through them, they still hurt, and damaging stuff wouldn't help the Bulwark at all. So, Ionica just, appeared, Next to Blue Jay and Crash, smiling broadly. "Interupting your romantic tête ta tate. Because reasons. Hello!" she exclaimed, waving to the two.
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Post by Crash on Apr 21, 2016 13:08:12 GMT -7
Blue Jay's explanation did nothing to help Alicia understand the appeal of a double life. If anything, it just made the whole thing sound even more tedious. Classes had never seemed very worthwhile, anyway, and she could probably do those other things easy enough. It didn't sound like she was missing out on anything by being a hero full time. Sure, she'd hid her powers around others for a long time, but that was more out of a desire for self preservation than anything else. Being a hero meant she didn't have to worry about that stuff anymore as long as she ditched before the police showed up.
"That sounds like a pain," she said, scrunching up her nose. Then she smiled and playfully elbowed his arm. "You should totally go pro, like me! Then you could just carry that sword of yours around everywhere."
It wasn't meant to be a serious suggestion, not entirely anyway. Crash had learned pretty early on that most heroes had a stubborn attachment to their "civilian identities." It would probably never make sense to her, but she'd grown to just accept things as they were. Not knowing people's faces didn't or real names never really mattered. Friends weren't really something she needed, either.
She found the grocery store comment so funny, she nearly fell off the roof. "Why did I never think of that?" she exclaimed once she had caught her breath again. Wiping a tear from her eye, she sat up strait once again. "But, nah. I usually just mooch off the Bulwark. When I do go into stores, the people who recognize me just kinda stand their with their mouths all hung open, take pictures, that sort of thing. Makes things-"
Her words were cut off by the sudden appearance of a third party on the roof. Crash's initial hope that this meant a fight vanished almost instantly upon recognizing the super. The romance comment went unnoticed as she smiled at the newcomer, offering a small salute. "'Sup, Ionica?"
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Pandaemonium
Posts 343
Power Level 30
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Post by Blue Jay on Apr 21, 2016 20:35:16 GMT -7
Go pro, huh? He’d thought about going all-in before. It’d certainly be easier than trying to get any kind of decent job. Forget filling out applications, all he’d have to do is hit people with his sword a little more often than he did currently. Living simply at the HQ sounded like a great gig, and always having the sword on him would certainly be a plus. Professors didn’t exactly appreciate it when he brought his long black bag to class. Nor did most businesses.
Blue Jay’s daydreaming was interrupted by yet another arrival and yet another moment in which he thought a villain had appeared. Instead, the roof found its Bulwark population increasing by 50% as Ionica joined them, because reasons. Good a reason as any.
The hero didn’t know this hero all that well either. Obviously he knew all of the other Bulwarks by name at least, but he couldn’t say they were more than acquaintances. It was kind of terrible, how many people he worked with but how few he knew. “Hello!” He repeated with a wave, the rest of her comment flying over his head as well. This was turning into a small party, and it wasn't often that three Bulwarks all got together with nothing to do. May as well make something of their time and teamwork, right?
Blue Jay looked back at Crash to finish his thought. “Maybe if I graduate, I’ll come join you in professional superheroing. Busting crime twenty-four seven, sounds like the life.” He said, standing up and stretching. “Speaking of which, you guys want to go find some villains to stop, Team Bulwark style?” He asked cheerily. “Someone somewhere must be having their purse stolen about now.”
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Post by ionica on Apr 22, 2016 7:40:59 GMT -7
Ionica waved at Crash and Blue Jay, as they seemed to just be hanging out, not making saucy roof-top luv. Which was a shame, but hey, maybe that would be a good new thing for her book. "Nothing, and that's the problem. It's irritatingly quiet down there" she announced, whcih was pretty obvious since three superheros had come to reside on the same roof with nothing to do. Not exactly something that happened in a city bristling with activity. "I mean, it's good that it's quiet and all, but you know. Also boring at the same time" she muttered, listening to Blue Jay talk about going full crime fighting Superhero lark, like Iron Man. "Ohh, I could see myself doing that. Only because my powers are kind of hard to hide and one day they are going to get discovered by some guy who goes to blab to the news for some money to stick larger things up his ass with. And, if someone has had their purse stolen, I think anyone who did it would be traumatized for life if all three of us showed up. Paranoid conspiracies that the Heroes are out to get him. It's like, over kill, much?"
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