IC:
i gotta testify
come up in the spot looking extra fly
before the day i die
imma touch the sky
gotta testify
come up in the spot looking extra fly
before the day i die
imma touch the sky
back when they thought pink polos--
Brow furrowed, Dallas looked down from the godless wasteland of puns that had become of the table to the right pocket of his jeans. Reaching down for his phone, he gave the number on the iPhone's screen two cursory reads. The second time, his lips read the number soundlessly. He didn't recognize it offhand, and it didn't come with a contact attached, by the number said New York, NY. If it was someone relatively local, he couldn't take the risk that it was just someone canvassing him for the election this year.
--a hip hop legend
i think i died in the accident cause this must be heaven--
The ringtone died as Dallas picked the phone up and held it to his ear with his left hand. Mouthing a request to be excused from the table, Dallas walked up and out towards the door of the cafeteria. More likely than not he'd just have to walk right back, but he didn't want to interrupt the flow of conversation with him trying to understand some robocaller.
"Hey, g'morning, you reached Dal. Who's this?"
-Tyler
IC (Alecto Kava)
The bat-bewinged mercenary briefly considered just hanging up. This was dumb idea. A real dumb idea. It'd just give the kid some more stupid ideas about how man cared about his fellow man on some deep abstract level, and that'd just lead to him getting his arm broke again, ###### maybe someone would break his legs next time, complete the picture.
He should just hang up. Alecto's brow furrowed, as how much of a mistake this was sank in.
"Uh. Hello. I'm the guy who fixed your arm. Kava. You know. The one who owes you victory vodka. I just...."
Yeah. This was going to be a disaster, no reason not to hang up.It wasn't too late to end this parade of mistakes right here. Instead Alecto grimaced...or attempted to at least, his lips curved slightly upwards in an expression that looked downright alien on the cynical merc's face.
"Just calling to check up on it. Make sure someone didn't do something stupid and break it even more then it already was."
...He was an idiot.
IC:
"He hasn't failed me yet...kinda."
IC:
"Hey Alistair, do you like scary stuff?"
i can m a k e h i m hold me
IC:
"Oh. Alecto. Hey, Alecto." Dallas looked down at his arm and gave it a small test movement. "I'm doing alright. It started improving once people stopped hanging off it and jumping on it and stuff. I'm working on being able to work out with it again in a little while, but in the meantime, I'm just avoiding the weights and stuff, you know. Easier to use an elliptical bike one handed than deadlift one handed.
"I hope this isn't about you putting any more thought into the nurse position here. I went digging for the old uniforms and it turns out they were all custom fitted for Ash. Implants," Dallas added in a hushed tone. "God rest her soul."
IC:
A roll of the eyes was Dallas' only answer.
IC:
"I don't mind it. Well, except when the movie is terrible. But I like the genre." The Brit indicated the phone next to her with a touch of amusement, then did the same to Jesika's. "Should I make a group text to be able to understand the messages going over my head?"
IC:
you don't need to know how much i want your young
"Nah, we're just chatting."
IC:
"You've always been good at pretending you're exasperated."
-Tyler
IC:
"Sometimes I am exasperated."
IC:
"Fair enough. I suppose chatting and is a little hard when I'm between you. Would it help if I moved to one side or the other? Let you have the middle?"
IC (Alecto Kava)
"They JUMPED on i-"
IC:
"Only sometimes, though! That's an improvement!"
IC:
Particularly large anacondas may even consume large prey such as tapirs, deer, capybaras, and caimans, but such large meals are not regularly consumed. Many local stories and legends report the anaconda as a man-eater, but little evidence supports any such activity. They employ constriction to subdue their prey. Cannibalism among green anacondas is also known, most recorded cases involving a larger female consuming a smaller male. While the exact reason for this is not understood, scientists cite several possibilities, including the dramatic sexual dimorphism in the species, and the possibility that a female anaconda requires additional food intake after breeding to sustain the long period of gestation. The nearby male simply provides the opportunistic female a ready source of nutrition.
"Nah, you good."
IC:
Wherever she was at the moment, Tera Laurent's phone buzzed twice, signaling two incoming texts.
In Murmansk, human beings often awaken to cold nip of wind on Russian bones. Threatening life of all we hold dear with frigid embrace. Is harsh battle at every dawn. Here in America, a simple coffee will suffice. I enjoy this. Would enjoy more with you at Starbucks in 15 minutes. Do not leave me to frigid embrace please and thank you.
And then:
<3
-Tyler
IC:
An eye roll.
IC:
"We both know you speak better English than that. And 'Starbucks' is hardly a specific location."
IC:
Artifacts are most often left in fortified areas. The people of the past did not make it easy for an enemy to obtain their treasures. Spike traps. Pit falls. Labyrinths. Sometimes the environment itself is the greatest obstacle. Jungles teeming with poisonous plants and deadly predators makes for dangerous work. Deserts with heat and rattlesnakes. In South America, the green anaconda is the largest snake in the world by weight. Science rarely categorizes a specimen exceeding six meters in length. Local legends, and those of European explorers, speak of anacondas exceeding thirty five meters in length. Such specimens would be more than large enough to consume a man. Science does not document their existence, but they are well known to the artifact hunting community. Similar dangers exist all around the world.
Situational awareness is key. Knowledge of when one is in the lion's den.
"Alright."
IC:
Depends. Where are you rn?
IC:
"Jesika, I don't know if Alistair trusts his angels."
-Tyler
IC:
"Apartment."
IC:
"I wouldn't go that far. But you two've been awfully secretive about your conversations."
IC:
Christ. Which is where
IC:
"We're fawning."
-Tyler
IC:
"New York." A pause, then a second message. "Don't know address. Just moved. Don't feel like waking up to check."
IC:
"Fawning?"
IC:
Alright. Another time.
IC:
"Positively doting. Has anyone ever told you that your voice could massage a heart back to life?"
-Tyler
IC:
"Don't be pouty. Give me a second. Is this another 'Tera come fix my broken everything'? It had better not be."
IC:
"Nooo," The British scholar drew the word out, carefully processing this newest information. "I can't say it's come up."
IC:
I left Westchester. Living in Brooklyn
IC:
"Huh."
Brooklyn's teeth slid along the center of her lip as she examined her prize in depth.
-Tyler
IC:
"That's new."
IC:
"Something amiss?"
IC:
Yup.
IC:
"Nope."
-Tyler
IC:
"M'in Queens. Address to follow."
What followed, a moment later, was a picture of the mailing address on what was probably a bill.
IC:
"Alright, then."
IC:
Ashley cringed when she overheard the word 'bouncing' when Dallas had been on the phone. "I'm sorry." >_<
IC:
"Don't sweat it. It's mending, isn't it?" Dallas asked, reclaiming his seat at the table. "Look guys, maybe what we need to do is just...focus on something besides moping. Team building stuff. Right? The X-Men came back and we did a good job, but...we can't call it a one-and-done if people think they can start counting on us again. Right?"
IC:
"C'mon, c'mere. I wanna watch Netflix with you."
IC:
he needs indoctrination
"When we get back to the hotel, I'll see if I have any cherries left in my minibar. I can tie you a knot with the stem, I think."
that'll do pig
IC:
Want me to drop by with coffee? Apartment doesn't have HBO. Trade you latte for movie.
-Tyler
IC:
"Depends. What do you want to watch?"
IC:
"Deal. Only if you also bring me a cinnamon roll."
IC:
"I've never understood how people do that, honestly. It seems like it takes a ludicrous amount of coordination."
IC:
"Anything that gets you over here. Even the retarded cartoons with the subtitles."
IC:
"I got a tongue so quick you could booby trap a temple with it."
i got a tong--
Oh wait. I said that out loud already.
Oh.
IC:
Tera's apartment was farther away than he had anticipated (holy ######, Queens?) so it took Aleks twenty five minutes to roll the Camaro around and find parking near her building. He found his way inside and rang up the elevator to her floor.
I should text her. Say I'm coming up.
But this would be way more fun. When's the last time he'd even seen Tera?
Maybe I'll hug her.
The elevator opened with a ding, allowing him to step out and walk slowly down to her apartment door.
knock
knock
He tapped on the door twice with his foot and stood to the side of the door frame, leaning against the wall with his shoulder.
-Tyler
IC: Ohen shrugged, leaning against a wall. "Well sorry, I guess seeing the tower of a legend being besieged set something off. I was just trying to help."
IC:
"Mhm," she supported emphatically, giving a small nod.
Jesika glanced up from where she had been rhythmically tapping the little camera button on her phone repeatedly while Brook provided a sufficient distraction. She had, of course, taken the precaution long ago of muting the thing. She gave a lazy bink, grin slightly obscured by the hand supporting her head.
IC:
"Not stupid." The ex Weapon replied, with the faintest hint of what might have been reproach, while she sat down on the couch.
IC:
"It's unlocked!"
IC:
"I suppose I'll have to take your word for it. But," Alistair gestured at Jesika with a little amusement. "Ms. Snow's support helps your case."
IC:
Dallas watched the budding growth of (the rare) (the dreaded) (the heartrending) Poutis bekahboois as she plopped down on the couch. After two seconds, when her voice had trailed off, the Terminator's BFFWB had sat bolt upright and wrapped both arms around her neck, putting his chin on her left shoulder.
"Fine, fine, sorry. Not stupid," he conceded. "We'll watch some if you want."
IC:
Aleksandr looked down at his full hands and then to the door with a look bordering on amused insolence. His eyes bored into the door for a second; visibly, it grew spongy to the touch and began to compound upon itself, losing height until it was about knee level. Casually, the Russian thief stepped over what had been a solid door moments before. When he was past the threshold, the door sprung to life again and filled the frame with a light slam. He knocked on the inside twice - partially to prove the entrance's fidelity, and partially to be cheeky.
Tera might not admit it, but she liked when he was cheeky.
"Morning love."
He put the lattes, Tera's cinnamon roll, and his fruit salad down on the coffee table and remained standing, arms spread slightly as if anticipating her imminent launch into his embrace.
IC:
"She's a quality wingwoman."
-Tyler
IC:
Said wingwoman snorted into the complimentary glass of water she was was working on in appreciation. Ah yes, wordplay.
"Ain't no one got #### on me."
Meanwhile, her other half's phone once again began to silently explode in a flurry of digital information.
IC:
the lady of the lake is busy rn jesi. please leave a message after she lets arthur have his sword back pls and thank you
-Tyler
IC:
so i mean
a claymore, right?
IC:
"I think not. We need not watch what you find infantile and foolish."
IC:
"Morning, English." The mutant martial artist took a minute to materialize, stepping out of an attached living room to give the Russian a quick, light hug before stepping away again to watch her hands. A quick glance into the living room indicated, most likely, that the furniture had been shifted out of the way for a morning training session. Or Tera Laurent had the strangest sense of interior design in the world.
"How is my least cooperative patient, lately?"
IC:
Alistair chuckled quietly at the pun, choosing to leave them to their furiously rapid digital communications for a few minutes.
IC:
"I think life is infantile and foolish, you don't see me popping aspirin and juggling razor blades, do you?" Dallas asked, furrowing his brow at Bekah grumpily. "C'moooon. I only said it to get under your skin. You know you wanna watch it."
IC:
"Alright." Aleks returned the hug with a faint grin and sat down cross-legged in front of the coffee table. He fished out a latte and used the upside-down lid of his fruit salad as a coaster, taking a small sip of it before she returned. "Did I tell you my mother is in town? She insisted upon seeing me after the latest mess here in New York. I think she likes the city...even without half its monuments."
He rolled a blueberry around with a fork. It would be rude to eat before the actual owner of the apartment sat down, anyway.
"I couldn't let her live in a place like the Institute. So the morning she left Russia, I put all my guns and $75,000 in twenties in the trunk of the Camaro, put a few bags of clothes in the backseat, and moved into the city. Considered getting a real job, but food service is...not my particular skill set. Was considering going smaller-scale again. Harmless jobs. Stealing or conning things too low for Bratva."
IC:
Brooklyn looked at him over her phone for a second and sighed apologetically, slipping the device into her back pocket.
"I'm sorryyy. I know this is rude, leaving you out of the loop like this. Just that, y'know," she added in a stage whisper, "she thinks you have a thing for me. Very heated bet going on."
-Tyler
IC:
"I would not subject you to something so dull."
IC:
"I didn't know that, but it would explain why you left Westchester." The martial artist finished at the sink, dried her hands quickly, and then stepped back out of the kitchen to take a seat at the table. Her coffee was the first priority, once she added some sugar, and she took a long sip. "Thanks for the coffee."
"I'd watch what you say about crime, I'm kind of a SHIELD babysitter now."
IC:
The British scholar gave a brief chuckle, and smiled faintly. "Not that rude. After all, I tagged along on your mission, not vice versa. You two were planning to meet up here."
"Besides, far be it from me to ruin a bet. Not that I'm going to let either of you know who has won."
IC:
"Don't pout. It makes what's left of my heart hurt."
IC:
"Enough to turn me in?" Aleks smiled faintly and rolled his eyes. "Fine. How'd that come to pass?"
-Tyler
IC:
"Pouting is your punishment."
IC:
"Managed to get caught up between some agents and some escaped Hydra experiments. They kind of... Latched onto me, I guess. Good girls, both of them, if a little odd. They listen to me more than they listen to anyone else, so I'm officially listed as a SHIELD contractor until they stop needing me."
IC:
"That's so cruel."
IC:
"Not a bad gig, I suppose. Are they getting you in any trouble? Are you at risk?"
-Tyler
IC:
"Good."
IC:
"I live in New York City. Can't get much closer to danger than that."
IC:
"Bekahboooo. Pleaaase."
IC:
"Don't be facetious. You have spent a quarter of my life dogging me about my recklessness. My turn. HYDRA is serious, Tera. If what's left of them has an interest in these girls..."
-Tyler
IC:
"What?"
IC:
"I won't let them hurt them." The pacifist replied, sipping her coffee with an unusually serious expression. "SHIELD or Hydra. Those two've suffered enough. I don't know if Hydra is going to come back for them. They're in SHIELD custody, now, so they'd have to be pretty stupid to try."
"But if they do, they will be stopped. Even if I have to do it myself."
IC:
"Don't you dare start to weaponize pouting."
IC:
Aleks laid back on the floor, expressionless, and examined Tera's ceiling. His fruit salad was moved to his chest, where he popped a blueberry every few seconds in thought.
"Alright. You know them, not me. Not my place to question your attachment to them."
-Tyler