City pulls me in closer than I've ever been | July Catchall

[lasergrenades]

Characters: Pepper Potts, Devin Parker, and you!
Date: Throughout July
Location: Around Keeliai
Situation: Pepper is getting settled after several busy and unpleasant months, and Devin is making dumb decisions.
Warnings/Rating: Violence, possibly blood.


A. [Pepper] KPD | Throughout July | Open

Things have at least started to settle down some in the city, so while Pepper is busy she's no longer stretched to the limit. Her schedule is more regular, and she's taking fewer night shifts this month to try and catch up on sleep. All in all, she's in a much better mood when she's at work, helped in no small part by mending fences with Valdis. The ship is righting itself, finally, but that makes her no less vigilant.

B. [Pepper] Sky Sector | Throughout July | Open

The heat and lack of rain aren't uncomfortable for Pepper - New York could get positively sweltering in the summer - and it's decent weather for practicing summoning in the backyard. She does usually wait until early evening, when the temperatures cool down just a little.

When it does rain, though, Pepper pretty much drops everything and races out into the downpour. She's missed thunderstorms and the torrential rain they bring. Pepper will spin around with her arms out, head tilted back and mouth open to catch the drops, completely unconcerned by getting drenched from head to toe.

C. [Devin] Outside Water Sector | Early July | Kratos

At the gathering to decide the leadership of the Foreigners Guild, Devin and Kratos had decided to spar. More specifically, they had agreed to duel at dawn with swords. The events in the city had made it somewhat inappropriate to engage in fun activities like that as early as they had intended. After things had settled some, they'd reestablished the day and time. The additional time had meant Devin could acquire himself a beater sword - functional and sharp, though not particularly pretty - and shave off some of the rust that had been building over the years. The sun was just starting to come up when he reached the appointed location, carrying not one sword but two.

D. [Devin] Wood Sector | Throughout July | Open

Most of the time, Devin does his best to stay away from the Hotel. It's not hard, and he's still working on his mental map of the city. June was all about Metal Sector, and this month he's largely wandering through Wood Sector when he isn't working or sleeping. From time to time, he'll pause and find somewhere to sit, all the while taking notes in some kind of shorthand.


OOC note: Let me know if you want a specific starter or write your own adventure!

Comments

B. OUTSIDE WATER SECTOR

[simulsimul]

[Kratos has already been there for an hour or two, running through some mana patterns. He's getting more than enough practice with lightning lately, and wind is something of a side-effect; so he's working with fire, for the heat.

[It looks like a martial pattern, save that he's not carrying a sword and his hands glow with soft red light -- when it isn't moving around him in a manner suggestive, but not quite manifesting, flames. He doesn't turn right away, when Devin approaches, instead drawing mana to an adequate finish and loosing it as a billow of warm air around him before turning.

[His head tips at the sight of the weapons.]

I already have a sword.

[... Although that may be the difficulty.]

[annihilist]

[Devin isn't sure what to make of the magic Kratos is using when he arrives. It's the first he's really seen of Kratos' abilities period, aside from that brief glimpse of wings.

The vampire's mouth curls into a wry smile.]

Yes, and I've heard it's magical. The only other one I know of in the city, I have no interest in handling. Call it evening the odds.

[He tosses one of the sheathed beater swords towards Kratos.]

Catch.

[simulsimul]

[Kratos catches it easily, eyebrows lifting faintly with amusement.]

Magical.

[Well, Devin's not wrong. He unsheathes the blade enough to examine it, and the downturn of his mouth shows what he thinks of the quality of the sword.]

I suspect you're under a misapprehension of Flamberge's capabilities. This isn't going to survive the bout.

[He slides it back into the sheath and considers Devin's sword.]

But yours doesn't look much better.

[annihilist]

Blame the Lady Valdis for the description. It was either these, or bringing Revelations.

[He's fairly certain neither of them would want that. The vampire scoffs.]

They're stronger than they look, but I'll tell the metalsmith you doubted his ability to create serviceable weapons for this particular task. At least this way, we're both handling something a bit less familiar.

[simulsimul]

I doubted whether the metalsmith forged the swords knowing they were going to be used for a bout between an angel and a vampire.

[But it's a fair enough request, even if it's founded on the perception that Flamberge is more special than it is to anyone but himself; so Kratos ties the sheath to his belt.]

Terms remain as they were?

[annihilist]

A vampire, at least. I did make a public announcement, you may recall.

[He circles a few paces away, tying his own weapon as he walks.]

No magic, swords only, to the point of disarming or a suitable attempt. And if you succeed in significantly damaging me without making me drop my blade, mercenary, don't stop dueling until I say so, or I will be dreadfully disappointed in you.

[simulsimul]

Very well.

[An interesting request. Kratos hesitates for a moment. He's talked more about the seal here than anywhere. It's not the sort of thing he still wants to talk about; and he's still vaguely nettled by Raine's dismissal of it. If it matters not at all, is there a point in saying anything?

[Probably not.]

Only if you don't still have your sword raised against me.

[It's something of a warning. Kratos draws his blade in one smooth motion, and holds it before him, hilt down, tip up. He doesn't move. It's his style to wait for his opponent to come to him.]

[annihilist]

[Good. Kratos doesn't intend to go easy on him. Devin, not beating the crap out of you isn't the same as going easy. It goes without saying that Kratos doesn't need the same assurance; he's the better swordsman by far.]

May the best non-human win.

[He considers saying something juvenile, but abandons it in favor of motion, advancing with blade drawn. The vampire is fast, though he's not pressing his speed to the utmost yet - no point in giving away the extent of his abilities this early on - and swings low towards one of Kratos' knees. Speed aside, Devin's outward appearance is very relaxed. The smirk hasn't vanished yet.]

CONTINUED

[wintershepherd]

((from this here because June was awful))

"Part of you?" Both of Jack's eyebrows raised high at that one, his gaze going back and forth between the two.

He knew some people on the turtle had learned magic not from their own worlds... indeed, some had learned it when their worlds didn't have magic at all. "Yeah? That's cool. No pun intended. What sort of magic can you do?"

other B.

[denyamenti]

Bakura just shakes his head in amusement as Pepper darts out into the downpour, her excitement contagious as thunder rumbles overhead. "You really have been waiting for that."

[lasergrenades]

Pepper laughed quietly. "It's called Shadow magic. Bakura's been teaching me. Someone turned it into a card game without really realizing what it was, which is actually kind of useful for me since I use the cards as anchor points," she explained, and handed him a card to look at.

"Basically, I can summon creatures or use different kinds of spells and traps that come from the Shadow Realm, but I need the cards to do it. There's a bunch of rules you have to follow, especially if you're dueling, but the strategy part is half the fun of it. Vee and I were just brainstorming some new ideas of how to use my deck."

[lasergrenades]

"It's totally the best way to beat summer heat," Pepper calls back, throwing her arms out wide and laughing. "Most of the time there's not enough rain to get soaked but when there is it's like the whole city is a waterpark. Are you coming out here or not?"

[denyamenti]

"Is that right? Here I thought the preferred method was swimming," he replied, giving the sky a glance before stepping out from the overhang. The temperature of the air made the precipitation tepid, and hardly uncomfortable.

[lasergrenades]

"Not when your options are an indoor, chlorinated pool or the Hudson River. Yuck." She shuddered at the idea of it. "We didn't really have a beach like here. But okay, sure, if there's a nice place to swim, that's a good option when there's no downpour," Pepper allowed. "Either way, you end up wet."

Beat. "You know, I don't actually own a swimsuit here. I should get one, then we can go swimming and you can try and argue how it's better than the rain with a practical demonstration."

[simulsimul]

[Kratos doesn't move at first, tracking Devin's motion. Fast, but not alarmingly so -- though Kratos can tell it's testing, rather than intended to get anywhere.

[Even when the blow comes, Kratos uses the minimal amount of effort needed to block it, then shifts to retaliate in a series of blow, his movements likewise fluid but easy. Testing, not trying.]

[denyamenti]

"The Nile was not exactly a pinnacle of cleanliness," he pointed out. "There are plenty of good places at the shell's edge for swimming."

Emily-Helen had liked them, and his mind flashed back to the beach day with Solomon and both their hatchlings.

Resolutely he shoved the thoughts away, and turned instead back to Pepper, mischief glinting in his eyes. "You could always go without, that worked for thousands of years before."

[wintershepherd]

"Because that's a name that doesn't sound ominous or anything," Jack quipped, although the concern behind it was real. He accepted the card to look it over.

"Huh, yeah... this could be from almost any trading card game in my world too," he answered. "I wouldn't want to be the guy who realized the 'oops' when that came to light."

He sat down cross-legged across from Pepper, giving Vee another nod, a more proper greeting this time. "Hey, I'm Jack. Nice to meet you, Vee."

[lasergrenades]

"Probably still cleaner than the Hudson," Pepper argued.

Despite the heavy rainfall, the blush on her cheeks that arose at the latter comment was obvious. There was, however, a smile to go along with it.

"I guess I don't train this much to not show off," she replied almost evenly. "Tell you what: you come out here, and if we can find someplace on the shell with a little privacy, I'll consider giving up a perfectly good opportunity to buy a cute swim suit."

[denyamenti]

"Possibly," he agreed. He'd have to take her word for it... it wasn't as though he could see it for himself and compare.

Her proposed bargain earned a grin, knowing and amused, and he stepped out from the remaining shelter of the overhang, directly into the rain. "Biahbenat, I'd almost think that's a wager you wanted me to take."

[lasergrenades]

It is a very gross river.

"I think this is one of those win-win situations, so yeah. I can think of way worse bets to make," she said, smiling more broadly as she started to spin around a few times to bleed off some nervous energy. "Better for preventing tan lines anyway," Pepper added when she stopped.

[denyamenti]

Bakura might not be dancing and spinning, but he's definitely getting just as soaked as she is, and sodden strands of white hair are starting to mat to his face and neck. "Well, since you're determined to get as wet as possible..." he began--

--and promptly upended her into the nearest puddle.

[lasergrenades]

Pepper yelped as she splashed into the puddle, laughing a moment later. This had not been part of the game plan. Her clothing was stuck to her skin, and now she was not only drenched but a little muddy.

She may as well make good use of that fact. The mischievous look was the only warning she gave. Since Bakura had seen fit to topple her, Pepper returned the favor, getting up quickly and launching herself at him to tackle him to the ground and into another puddle.

[denyamenti]

He really should have expected that. Or more accurately, he really should have expected the speed at which she accomplished it... look at who has been training her sometimes, after all.

Now they're both wet and muddy, and one good turn does deserve yet another.

Cue wrestling match.

[lasergrenades]

Pepper did not even care how muddy she was getting, still laughing as Bakura started to grapple with her. He was wiry but strong, and they knew how the other tended to fight. This was far from an artful spar.

She scrambled to pin his shoulders and stay on top, grinning from ear to ear. "I guess we found something else rain is good for."

[lasergrenades]

"Yeah, it sounds a lot more nefarious than it is," Pepper agreed with a light shrug. "It's just a name - the magic can be used for good things or bad things, depending on whose hands it's in." It was the same for most kinds of power, whether magical or mundane. Her suit could be a weapon, but she used it to help people, not hurt them. "The guy who made the game didn't quite know what he was getting into, no."

The ka didn't respond immediately, head tilted as she studied the new arrival. You are not human, she observed bluntly.