Aberrant: Children of Quantum Fire - Rainbow Room II: Matching Vectors

[Karren Gaunt]

Time: One rather exciting week after the last visit to the Rainbow Room, a few days after Mountain Assault

A warp opened outside the Rainbow Room, mirror opague and revealing nothing of the other side. A ripple and it disgorged one Coraline Boehm, the young metamorph's inherited affliction having worked her around into being a caucian red head by this evening. She had put a little effort into her apperance this evening, hair up in a ponytail, eufiber molded into a dress that left one shoulder bared and went down to her knees in a figure-flattering pattern of tropical green and red cloth. She wanted this evening to go well. It would go well. She would do her best and Norman liked her and she trusted him and this would... Work out. Yes.

She ignored the fluster of attention her arrival sparked, the warp's closing, and walked into the Rainbow Room, sending over the link to her waiting family, 'Thanks for allowing me the head start, guys. Feel free to follow anytime while I see if I can find Norman first for once.'

The sheer design perfection of the club's metahuman-designed lobby hit her like a soothing blanket on all five of her senses, instantly making her smile and relax some more. She... No, not trusted, never that in the outside world, not yet... Enjoyed this space and what it represented. Even the crowd was better. Looking twice at her entrance, yes, but knowing her raw power was somewhat masked from causual glimpses made it okay since that's all they were doing. She expanded her senses, looking for the young man who was surprising her in so many pleasant ways so far.

[Quantum Fire]

Norman was wearing a lovely suit as he simply appeared beside her, then bowed, taking her hand and lifting it to his lips for a soft kiss on the back of her hand in a charming and graceful manner. "Greetings, most lovely of Ladies, thank you for gracing us with your delightful presence, you bring joy to our day." He then paused a moment, and smiled, then winked at her, to show that part of his words, though they were true in a way, he was also gently teasing her, even as he took her arm in his. "Would the Lady care to join me in for a meal, a dance, or even a game or two? I've reserved the Crystal Room for the entire day, if you would care to join me."

[Karren Gaunt]

"Nothing would make me happier, Norman. You have no idea how busy my last week has been," she replied brightly and honestly, getting the joke and something in her enjoying very much his polished manner but maintaining a healthy stream of independent assessment behind her black-scaleraed eyes.

Her manner was simple shifting into slightly mischevious as she added in the wait before he led her the room he had aparently claimed entirely for his and her date, "I got my sisters to show me a little bit about dancing between it all somehow, so I'm not completely relying on my node later tonight. I enjoy being able to take some credit for the things I can I do that I enjoy doing."

[Quantum Fire]

As they came to the door of the crystal room, he glanced at the sandals she was wearing and then paused a moment. "It would be best to walk in this room barefoot, I think you will enjoy the effect." She glanced at him curiously, then gave a teasing smile, and the sandal's dissolved into black eufiber, then curled around her legs, sliding up to join the fabric of her dress, drawing the eye up her lovely legs and then to her knees as it rejoined her dress, leaving her barefoot as he suggested.

"Tease." He responded with a smile, a bit of a teasing tone in his own voice, as he had clearly watched every moment of that, and with a gentle shrug, he was barefoot as well, and he lead her into the reserved Crystal room, and she quickly found out why he had suggested she be barefoot, the entire room had been made of some sort of sonic multicolored crystal, every step caused a different chime as she walked, and sent a different shiver though the floor beneath her, which seemed to shift slightly with each step.. whatever this was, it wasn't something you found normally.

The room itself was large enough to be a small dance hall, or a very large dinning room, right now the color was rose, and as she moved though the room, the crystals seemed to react to every movement she and Norman made. "Do you like it? it is a very specially designed crystal, nothing like it exists, anywhere but here."

[Karren Gaunt]

"Oh?" the young metamorph responded interestedly, testing that with a slow, graceful series of movements that was part kata and part dance, ending in a circular heel drag that sent vibrations up her leg and spine that made her exhale in sheer delight through her nostrils, losing herself a little as she *felt* the room for what it was and what it could do. She came to a halt facing Norman, blue-on-black eyes impressed, the last echoes of the long note dying around them.

"Amazing," she answered in her highest praise, head tilting to one side as she considered something, considered him, "I think I'm going to have to get used to the outside world proving so much bigger and impressive than I thought it was."

"But, if you don't mind," she apoligized, "You mentioned food and there's very little I'd rather do than find out more about you over a meal and return the favor. Learn more what Norman the wonderful dancer and helpful stranger is like without any of the politics and horror that bothers our generation getting in the way as long as we can. This is a date after all, I think."

[Butch_Cole]

So much had happened in the past week that Butch was glad for the opportunity to get out into the world again. The past few years with Traveler's wards were great in their own way, but they were also insular years. Much of Butch's childhood was spent in hiding, but when he was on his own, after his dad was killed, Butch managed to survive in the world and experience something of a normal life. Ok, fine, it was a normal ghetto life perhaps, but Butch enjoyed being around others, meeting new people.

'Thanks for allowing me the head start, guys. Feel free to follow anytime while I see if I can find Norman first for once.' came across the link from Cora. Now Butch and the others could get a move on.

He had agreed to allow Cora a head start. Frankly, his last interaction with Norman left something of a bad taste in Butch's mouth, and he definitely wanted to square things with the mysterious, powerful young nova. But he didn't want to interrupt anything Cora and he might be doing. If he saw him later on at the Rainbow Room, he'd apologize.

Butch stood outside of Pip's door, fiddling with the buttons on his black shirt. The shirt was nice, and slightly more classy than his normal black t-shirt and leather jacket. He still wore jeans and boots, but he looked slightly more dressed up this time. He unbuttoned the top two buttons deciding it'd be ok to show a little skin. Butch knocked on the door and said,

"Hey, Pip. You ready to head out? Bust a move and meet some new people?"

He was initially surprised when his normally shy, reticent sister mentioned she'd be interested in meeting new people at the Rainbow Room, but he was thankful she did. If anyone needed to get out and be more social, it was Pip.

[Toby Lupin]

Darrik got dressed, or rather testing his eufiber, working on a proper clubbing outfit with care. True, he was committed to Gwen and Agatha, but no one said teasing was off the list. Also, he was wondering about Cora and Norman. Not much initial contact, which meant he had a prevailing interest in learning more about the blue-skinned nova. Butch, he sent over the link, mind giving me more of an update on what Norman's like? Not much interaction time when I first went, and I can stand to learn more about him.

[Quantum Fire]

"Oh?" the young metamorph responded interestedly, testing that with a slow, graceful series of movements that was part kata and part dance, ending in a circular heel drag that sent vibrations up her leg and spine that made her exhale in sheer delight through her nostrils, losing herself a little as she *felt* the room for what it was and what it could do. She came to a halt facing Norman, blue-on-black eyes impressed, the last echoes of the long note dying around them.

"Amazing," she answered in her highest praise, head tilting to one side as she considered something, considered him, "I think I'm going to have to get used to the outside world proving so much bigger and impressive than I thought it was."

"But, if you don't mind," she apoligized, "You mentioned food and there's very little I'd rather do than find out more about you over a meal and return the favor. Learn more what Norman the wonderful dancer and helpful stranger is like without any of the politics and horror that bothers our generation getting in the way as long as we can. This is a date after all, I think."

"Of course... " he paused a moment. "is there anything in particular you can't, or avoid eating?" He asked as he took her hand and lead her over to the on the crystal tables, which were made with the same stuff that the room was, then pulled a seat out for her, then took the seat across from her on the other side of the table. "Please, order whatever you would like, I will relay it to the cooks downstairs and have it delivered shortly." He looked at her and watched her as he took the seat across from her, she was lovely to look at. "Now, ask what you will of me, my Lady and i will do my best to answer."

[Karren Gaunt]

"And ask, too. Trust goes two ways," she commented with a serious nod beneath the happiness, not wanting to repeat whatever debacual Butch and Maia had inflicted after she left last time. She didn't care about what he was as much as who he was. After all, he had already helped her, so Norman had that much trust.

"Hmmm, an omelete? With onions and cheese and mayo?" she offered as to food before asking her first gentle volley of questions, "What do you like to do in your free time? Do to earn your keep so you can have free time? And, you mentioned you were familar with what happened to me last week, witnessed or experienced it yourself?"

She could have spent a mote of quantum at any point since she had met him tonight to try and cheat out a guess towards that last question by reading his aura, but she hadn't. Because she trusted him and that was worth something to her.

[Quantum Fire]

"Experienced it myself, lovely lady, and then some, my hobby is artwork, I love music and I've learned to play almost every instrument, I'm just getting stared with painting and sculpture though, I want to work with it more.. I'd love to do a series of works involving you as the medium, if you were willing to model for my inept attempts at painting and sculpture. As to earning my keep, I must confess, I have millions, I don't particularly need to earn my keep if I don't want to, but am a qualified engineer and I have done some work on studying different kinds of energy and how to make it work better." He responded to her question, even as he sense the message regarding the food to the kitchen along a radio channel directly. The dishes would eventually arrive on metal cover plates, moving themselves by his will and control over magnetism.

[Karren Gaunt]

Cora chuckled and leaned forward to rest her chin in one hand as he spoke, in particular grinning at his gushing about the visual arts before reverting to interested attention when he spoke of his engineering effforts. She chastized herself a little inside for sounding so out of touch. If the checks she had started receiving for their modeling shoots were any indication, money wasn't something a mainline Nova had to worry about, not really. Have to ask one of the braintrust do something about that.

"I'd be glad to help, Norman, if you don't have a problem with me returning the favor and maybe offering a little constructive critism from time to time. Sculpture is a favorite of medium of mine when I can find a rock and a subject that sparks my muse," she responded warmly, semi-teasingly, "And you'll have to forgive a little for prying when it's your turn to ask me questions, but that 'and then some' sounded like an interesting story if you don't mind telling it or I'm not reading too much into it."

[Quantum Fire]

"I was trying to avoid going into the philosophy of Teras, actually, I have mixed feelings about Micheal and the others, but when your father is Rauol Orzaiz and your Mother is Charlotte Holden, and Bene is the one who made them fertile for long enough to get a child, you have ties with teragen and aberrant nova factions, like them or not. " He responded to her question, and if he saw her slight hint in reaction he would smile sadly. "and that is why I tend to keep such matters close to my chest, especially when people maintain telepathic conversations in front of me while asking me directly who my parents are."

"Gah, the baggage that comes with it, the assumptions and counter assumptions people make, like I support everyone and everything within the teragen, that agree with what many members of the faction do, that I must think Micheal is the most glorious being in existence and can never be wrong." when she looked him questioningly. "Micheal is better known as Divis Mal, and there are times when I question even his motives, his intentions I have no doubt good, but as I learned from talking with my mother's people, intentions, good or bad, can have horrible results."

He glanced at her. "Please, keep that to yourself, lovely lady, I hate to bring down the same scrutiny upon my mother that is on my father, it's bad enough that she's his wife, the fact she doesn't move in the same circles keeps her out of the line of fire often enough. In any case, you were asking me about the then some aspect, I have passed though chrysalis once already, it's very similar to apotheosis in a way."

[Karren Gaunt]

"They won't hear anything from me, Norman, as long as you don't want it known and don't threaten my family," Coraline eventually answers after a long pause for serious thought, taking the time to digest the revelation, piece by weighty piece, sounding impressed by an honesty she wasn't sure could have matched, "And... Thank you."

She sucked in a breath, chorus steady as she continued, "I've never thought the Teragen were *evil*, just a little reckless with taint at times, like someone who intentionally pulled a muscle just to show that they could walk it off. And they stood up to the people who pretended to want to save the world even as those people hounded my parents and I from one corner of the world to the other for ten years before they suceeded in killing my parents and I was given a safe place to learn and grow, a new family to love and be loved by, a home that I didn't have to be afraid in even if the entire world wanted to kill me for being born when I hadn't even done anything to them yet that I could see."

"And that was before meeting you and Apothesis and being persuaded for my own good to start seeing what the world was actually like and actually helping other 2nd Gens against Mother Hunters who *weren't* all completely-invulnerable monsters who murdered children laughing just because they could and, and... Just a lot of seeing how wrong some of my assumptions are," she continued, venting some heavy emotion that she didn't trust to share even with Butch on their talks, "And no group is a monolith I've be discovering. I disagree with a lot of the things my siblings do and there's only eight of us plus our teachers. I'm sorry they were rude to you after you decided to help me. I think Butch wanted to apoligize for last week, though."

[Quantum Fire]

"Ah.. an apology of sorts would be appreciated." He leaned forward and took Cora's hand in his own, and smiled at her, in honest gratitude her willingness to take him at face value, and he squeezed her hand softly. "Thank you for taking the matter seriously and your honest reply, I will make certain not to threaten your family myself, please, in the future, should you have problems with others among teragen, don't assume that I'm with them, or agree with them... with some of them, I will even help you against them, regardless of what my father or Micheal might say. I feel more of a connection to others o f my generation then to the elders of teragen anyway." He then released her hand as the meal began to arrive, the metal plate's being delivered by his own power directly to the table and sliding in front of the two of them. "Shall we eat?"

[Karren Gaunt]

Coraline nodded agreement, happy and digesting what she'd heard, deciding to not to press the issue too much. Pressing was for Novas she couldn't trust and Baselines. She was mildly surprised when Norman's order matched her own, "Did you purposely order what I..?"

The blue nova nodded, and she chuckled instead of finishing the now-answered question, genuinely touched by the small gesture, showing it with a soft trusting smile, "Okay. You can order the drinks for us then. If you want to."

The young metamorph started in on her omelete which came in a typically large Nova portion, savoring the scent and then the taste of her first bite. Oh, that was tasty, made even better by the soft, backgroundesque music made by the table at which they were eating with each touch and tap. "You might want to keep an eye out for my picture on the Opnet in the coming weeks. We traded three six month modeling contracts for some very interesting information, and since I volunteered to be one of the models when we started, my Apothesis made our last shoot very... Interesting."

[Quantum Fire]

"Drinks are in the cabinet over there, at least, drinks that will affect nova metabolisms.. and not the normal ways either... we could pick one at random, but the effects on nova' physiology are all indicated on the bottles, there are more normal drinks there too. As to modeling.. " He winked at her. "As long as your modeling then perhaps the idea of modeling for some work of mine would be fun and interesting, it would at the least, be without photographers or onlookers." He chose a wine that worked with the omelet nothing fancy or that would actually affect a nova, it was just for the taste. He wouldn't add anything from the cabinet unless she actually was interested in seeing the effects of something that could actually affect a nova.

[Karren Gaunt]

Cora was rather too interested sharing an evening with Norman in a room that promised to be very interesting once they got out on the dance floor to consider the issue of intoxicating drugs as more than yet another interesting footnote to process.

"I already said 'yes' to that offer, Norman, much as the prospect of a baseline-free afternoon or three makes the offer even sweeter than your own company and the chance of returning the favor," she reminded him with a grin between bites, holding up out a palm for his inspection as her chromatophores 'painted' up a small, simple portrait of the terat that captured something of the clever kindness she saw in him, "The modeling's something to do until I figure out what I want to do with my life and my powers besides 'make Mother Hunting stop happening forever.' I really don't know at this point."

[Butch_Cole]

While he waited for Pip's response, Butch answered Darrik's mental questions regarding Norman:

First off, Darrik, Norman's powerful. He convinced a whole room of novas to forget or just not talk about seeing Cora's apotheosis. He's slick and/or he's a hypnotist or telepath. Second, he's got things to hide. Now, we could say that about any of us, but he's definitely evasive about certain things. I know that his parents are both most likely alive and he's not gonna spill much about them to us because he said there was a lot of baggage to go with those names. So, they're most likely famous or infamous or both. He's also had to do plenty to survive against people who were after him, but he had help, so he knows people, people who are strong and or influential. Third, he's interested in Cora and she's interested in him. She trusts him and wants us to give Norman a bit of a break. We haven't heard anything in the news about Cora's little incident on the dancefloor, so we can probably trust him to keep his mouth shut.

I'd say avoid interrogating Norman and just play nice for now. If anything changes, well, Norman better hope nothing changes for the worse.

[Quantum Fire]

He chuckled softly at Coraline's response. "I'm sorry, your beauty is distracting me, I seem to be repeating myself a bit." he poured the wine for both of them, then set it down and joined her in eating the meal. "So, now that I've told you the deep dark secret of my parentage that your siblings were so eager to know, then departed so abruptly when I wouldn't indulge them, while carrying on telepathic conversations with each other and others when also talking to me." There was a hint that he had thought all of that was rather rude, as he continued. "Are there any deep dark secrets about you I should know, lovely maiden?" he winked at her. "It is ok if I call you that, right?"

[Karren Gaunt]

The young metamorph frowned at finding out exactly what her siblings had exactly gotten up to after she left. She'd have... words with them later on. Even she knew that was rude.

"If you want," Coraline allowed with another blush after a swallow of the, very good, wine, "Although you can call me Cora, too. I never met her, but I was named after my great aunt. Aparently a good woman before she passed away."

"As for 'deep, dark secrets'..," she concluded, sounding like she thought his 'deep dark secret' was far more fascinating than dark and cutting up another bite of omelete, "Well, I told you a little bit about my family and upbringing and what I've done this week... What do *you* want to know more about me? I'd feel bad if this entire meal was me asking you things."

[Quantum Fire]

"Hmm.. what hobbies do you have, other then dance and art? What are your interests, dreams and goals in life? You are obviously of the same kind of 2nd generation as Harmonic, is that why you feel almost completely bare of any hint of taint? I haven't turned up the charm with you, but many folks react to me in certain ways even when I don't, how do you remain so stable and yourself around me?" There was measure of pride in his voice at the last. "Would you mind if I gave a full scan at all levels possible, I havn't wanted to do that without your permission? We're on a date now, of course, but would you be interested in a persistent relationship between us, as in would you be my girl?"

He paused a moment then smiled at her charmingly. "And that isn't that too many questions is it?"

***** ***** ***** ***** ****

Meanwhile, the the other members of Coraline's family were preparing to enter the Rainbow room themselves, everyone waiting until they were all ready to enter the nova only club together.

[Karren Gaunt]

Coraline laughed, his spurt of questions tickling her funnybone in a way that nearly made her choke on a bite of omelete. She needed a moment to recover, blue-on-black eyes narrowed in amused consideration, face briefly as red as her hair. When she had though, she rested forward on her elbows, chin her hands, "Only if you promise not to tell what you see if your eyes are anywhere near as good as mine. A Nova's kind of vision can make 'naked' seem like concealing robes in comparison. And I'd honestly like a peek at why your chrysalis did to your aura, too. If it's anything like what Apothesis did to my sibling's..."

She waited for Norman's nod before starting to mock-count off his questions on her fingers to keep the-oh-so many of them in order.

"As to the rest... I like to move, doesn't matter how long so I can move as fast as I can as long as I can, although flying is my favorite, especially now that I can do so up there safely again," Cora grinned ireepressably, remembering her morning flights playing tag with satelites and just letting herself go to pure speed almost nothing else in the wide wonderful sky could match.

"I don't know what I want to do long term besides help give other 2nd Generation Novas and their families a better world than I got growing up. Not sure how to do that yet. My teacher is putting me through my paces learning T'ai Chi Ch'uan in preparation for something bigger later on, and I'm finding that pretty interesting. It's a form of movement and understanding how nothing really ever stops moving. Not really."

"My teacher called my siblings and I 'Trues' growing up and I've never had a problem with taint even the few times I pushed my node too hard, so... I guess so?" She added with a shrug, not really sure herself before turning to the topic or her stability, "I've always known who I was inside with a little help from my family, since my outside is never the same the twice, and my node just... helped me to reinforce that certainty after an accident with my sister turned me into... well, a witless flunky. She was the one who I was mad at the night we met, by the way. Apothesized in my face and fried me until she learned how to turn it down. It's like a little almost voice in my ear helping me to see what I'm really seeing."

She paused a touch shyly as she wound down, looking down and cutting her omelete, "I'd love to see how far we want to take this, Norman. I really would."

[Quantum Fire]

She really had no idea how much she was giving him by saying yes, if she had considered the various possibilities as her sister Alexandra could have, she might have held back a bit, asking him just to scan her quantum signature or something less total then what he was about to do. Of course, Norman was a lot smarter, though not as quick as she was, he knew she might not know exactly how much permission she was giving him, but here was a moment he was willing to take advantage of, she had given her permission, so he'd scan her on as deep a level as possible. "Feel free to take your own look then, lovely Cora."

His gaze pierced her right down to her bones, if she caught his gaze, it was almost as though she was more then naked before him, that every part of her was exposed to him down to the slightest detail, which wasn't far off. "How lovely, you are quite remarkable my dear, superhuman quickness, toughness, and beauty beyond mortal dreams, a goddess of speed and combat to rival swift Mercury or outshine Apollo himself with your brightness should you become all that you can be, you can even outrun the light of the sun. Little escapes your gaze, and you form alters as you need it to.. "

He leaned forward and touched his lips to her's across the table, if she let him. "You look beautiful right down to the heart of you, loyal and true, you move with the grace of the wind, and have the beauty of the most glorious sunset or sunrise, you are like woman like no other.. lovely does not begin to describe what I see in you." he paused a moment, and sat back in his seat almost in awe.

Ah how the beauty of the lady shows

Like the rainbow shining above

My lady is the loveliest rose

I'm find in her much to like and love.

To you, my lady of shining light

Glorious as the most splendid day

I beg of you a smile so bright

That you might light way"

He paused. "A bit corny perhaps, but then I did make it up on the spot"

He's activating all of his Mega-Perception enhancments

Perception + Awareness Estimation Roll, last 7 Megas: Krul *rolls* 19d10: 9+10+6+7+8+2+8+6+9+7+1+1+2+7+3+9+5+4+9

13 - 8 (Cora's Blank) 5 successes Total

Intelligence + Medicine Quantum Attunement roll, last 3 Megas: Krul *rolls* 12d10: 1+9+9+5+1+4+9+3+4+8+8+7: 68

9 - 8 (Cora's Blank) 1 Successes Total

Electromagnetic Vision Active + 3 Success to Vision Rolls

High End Electromagnetic Scan Active (can look at Coraline right down to her bones)

Hyper-Enhanced Hearing (And listen to the blood flowing in her veins)

Bloodhound (And her scent)

Note: It's literally as though her entire character sheet is open to him...

[LydaLynn]

Epiphany heard the knock on the door and her brother's voice. But it wasn't quite right yet. Sighing she changed her eufiber again. No matter how loose she made it or how long she had worn it, Pip still didn't like the crawl of eufiber on her fur. Each time she changed she first pulled the entire mass into a collar about her neck so it flowed down, with the lay of her fur. If she didn't do that, it was uncomfortable all night. And while she didn't want to go to this public place mostly naked, she couldn't find anything she liked and was comfortable in that covered more than her torso.

Each change took a while as she settled the eufiber into a new form then altered the color and texture many times before deciding it didn't work. With a scream of frustration she changed again, and again. Finally she settled on a lose top, neck open and one shoulder partially exposed, a soft flowing skirt that flared out to her knees swished slightly as she turned to look herself over in the mirror. Sighing she altered the color, deep red flowing into oranges and yellows as it moved down her body, a gold thread woven through giving the dress a subtle shimmer. The high heeled pumps made her legs look longer and their soft orange color perfectly matched the color of her fur. Her hair twisted up with a few ringlets falling to frame her face glittered with small eufiber gold and gems. Similar extravagant jewels draped artfully from her wings.

This was not the look she had been going for, but somehow it felt right, like a Grecian farmgirl with the family jewels. Biting a lip and chewing on it slightly she looked at the mirror one last time. She knew Butch had to be getting impatient. As her hand reached out to open the door Epiphany had to fight back a moment of panic. She hadn't ever really seen how novas lived except in the memories of others. To experience it for herself was necessary if she was going to make any real decisions. And she had great and weighty decisions to make. Her eyes still slightly wild, she steeled herself and opened the door. "I'm as ready as I'm going to get and we should probably go before I change my mind for the fiftieth time. . . Oh, you look nice, though two buttons might be a bit . . . no, let's go, I just . . . I'm just nervous."

[Karren Gaunt]

Coraline did accept the kiss and gift Norman with a smile for that bit of poetry, a complicated one for belatedly realizing how much that she had given him in that permission, a taste of her old fear writhing under the happiness she was feeling, but throughly wrapped in her good faith in him and more than a bit of enjoyment in the words themselves. It was... sweet. The way her father had spoken to her mother during the good times after settling down and before the hunters found them again.

"Okay. My turn to look," she smilingly replied, pupils sliding ever so slightly out of focus as she looked with her node as much as her eyes.

envoy] 1:02 am: rolling perception+awareness via quantum attunement... last five mega.

[envoy] 1:02 am: no, no, last seven mega.

envoy *rolls* 20d10: 6+2+1+1+9+9+3+1+2+8+5+7+2+9+1+10+8+3+2+8: 97

[envoy] 1:04 am: 12 successes. I think.

[Butch_Cole]

Butch was about to knock one more time when Pip finally came out. The outfit she had chosen flattered her unique features very well, and Butch was sure she'd make quite an impression on the Rainbow Room.

"Pip, you look amazing," Butch said, smiling. He added, winking, "Warren's a lucky fella. Anyway, I'm glad you decided to make a foray out into the world. Who else is gonna join us tonight?"

Butch sent a quick message across the link: Who all is joining us in the Rainbow Room? Pip and I are ready to boogie, so, anyone else who plans on having a good time tonight should meet up with us so we can make our entrance.

[LydaLynn]

Blushing furiously under her fur, "Oh, ah . . . um . . . thank you. Ah . . . I don't know . . . ah who . . . ah . . . yeah" Ducking her head, Epiphany manages, barely, to not shuffle her feet. She stood, awkwardly, waiting for the responses from the rest of the family. The seconds became an eternity and she rethought going to the rainbow room at least twice during Butch's quick message. Waiting she tried to convince herself she doesn't need to bolt back into her room and hid for the rest of the night.

[Quantum Fire]

Norman smiled at Coraline as he waited for her to take the look that she was trying to see, her perceptions were enough that she would be able to pick out with a fair assessment what his various quantum related abilities were, and for that matter, how sedate and restrained her was being with her. Her training with Shen would also let her pick out how he had warped and then twisted his own quantum signature inside itself, taking what Shen would have called the Yin aspect and twisting it in impossible directions, like a M.C Esher painting , making it stronger but under greater conscious control... having taken this look, she would be able to recognize the feeling in the future in others as well.

"So, see anything interesting, beautiful?" He reached out to take her hand in his and give it a bit of a squeeze, which made a chime when he rested their hands on the crystal table.

[Maia]

"Hold on, I'm coming."

She had plans starting tomorrow, but for tonight, she was going to make another forray back into the fuhouse that was The Rainbow Room. Maia emerged into the hallway, moving at a brisk pace, The flesh of her long tanned legs peaking out from the slits in her green and black striped dress. She'd eschewed the gloves it came with, opting for her standard gold bangles adorning her wrists and ankles. She wore no makeup, most would say she simply didn't need it, and The cut of the dress was more daring than most Butch had ever seen her wear.

"Thanks for waiting. I wasn't sure I'd make it tonight, but I'm glad for the chance to." There was no hiding the utter perfection of her form, but nor did she flaunt it. She managed to look like the epitome of higher class style, with the casual easy-going attitude of a confident young woman out for a good time with her peers.

"Is anyone else coming?"

[Karren Gaunt]

That touch shook her out of her fascination with what he had done to his own signature and how that warped quantum anatomy somehow continued to support his abilities like a furnace under a funhouse made of colored glass. That was... She had seen taint in the novas they had fought in the rescue, the sickly malfunction it seemed to caused, and this was...

"Whoever came up with Chrysalis must of had the most interesting perspective on the world I can imagine a person having while still being able to talk to other people," Cora spoke in sincere fascination, meeting his gaze and processing what she had just seen, "You've made your taint functional when taint *is* disfunction, turning it into fuel for your powers. That's... That's just amazing. Not a cure, but something that makes the problem work for you, enough to fuel a power to effect the movement of the entire planet at once, I think."

She pulled back a little, smiling shyly as she cut up another bite of her much depleted omelete, "Thanks for having such a soft touch with me, too. You could probably make my mind into a sea of pink even right now, let alone the past two times we met, but you didn't. Just like you didn't look before asking. That counts for a lot to me, Norman."

"I'm really glad that I was right in trusting you long enough to feel safe liking you," she finished, letting the sentence linger in the air as she leaned foreward to initate a kiss for once.

[Quantum Fire]

He thought her view on the matter of Chrysalis was interesting and he had thought to respond, when she leaned forward to kiss him, he responded to her kiss, slowly letting it deepen, and shifting her over the table onto his lap as he did, it was something that a baseline human would have found impossible to do gracefully, or without breaking the kiss, but two nova's with their capabilities managed it quite nicely, so she was able to settle in his lap with a smoothness that would have left someone else blinking and trying to figure out how she got across the table, and didn't even set off a chime from anything touching the crystal.

He continued to kiss her for as long as both of them were willing to keep the kiss going, long enough that when it finally ended he drew back and smiled at her. "You are a wonderful kisser, Coraline, as to turning your mind into a sea of pink.." He reached out and kissed her lips again softly, before drawing back. "Tempting, and you'd look lovely in pink, but my lovely maiden, I love your strength of will and independence, so 'ecto gamet' never without your permission." He winked at the end, as he made reference to a certain movie, but he meant every word.

[Karren Gaunt]

That earned him another small, sincere smile even as the young metamorph altered the green folliage pattern on her red dress to purple birds in flight to better match him during the dance their gentle acrobatics had whetted her apettite for so teasingly. She was smiling a lot tonight and didn't mind one bit. It was... She was sure on some level that so many of the problems Baselines had could be made easier with this ability to share so deeply without words that Novas could when trust allowed.

"I believe you were going to say something about my amauter's opinion of Chrysalis and it's effect before we so wonderfully interupted each other?" she questioned from her new perch, taking advantage of the closeness to reaquint herself with the smell and feel of him. Food and drink were nearly forgotten, relegated to back of her mind as their usefulness as conversational props came to a close.

[Courier]

"Is anyone else coming?"

Warren replied, "How can I say no?"

The Rainbow room was a mixed attraction for Warren. On the one hand he loved new places and new experiences, on the other there was the strong possibility of sensory overload followed by a social blunder with other novas who might be agents of Project Pro. He'd never risked it before but post the big "A" he felt up to it. Maybe. Also Pip was going which kind of ended that issue.

[LydaLynn]

A smile tugged at the corners of Epiphany's mouth when she heard Warren's response. She looked forward to having a dance with him. The idea of not going got shoved into the back of her mind and she allowed herself to anticipate the treat instead of worrying over the possible consequences of the trip. Still flushed, her blush deepened ever so slightly and her dress simmered with a few extra golden threads as her thoughts turned to making sure she looked her best for Warren.

[Quantum Fire]

That earned him another small, sincere smile even as the young metamorph altered the green folliage pattern on her red dress to purple birds in flight to better match him during the dance their gentle acrobatics had whetted her apettite for so teasingly. She was smiling a lot tonight and didn't mind one bit. It was... She was sure on some level that so many of the problems Baselines had could be made easier with this ability to share so deeply without words that Novas could when trust allowed.

"I believe you were going to say something about my amauter's opinion of Chrysalis and it's effect before we so wonderfully interupted each other?" she questioned from her new perch, taking advantage of the closeness to reaquint herself with the smell and feel of him. Food and drink were nearly forgotten, relegated to back of her mind as their usefulness as conversational props came to a close.

"I was going to say that your insight is an interesting one, functional dysfunction would be a way of describing the nature of just what Chyrsalis is, though the elders might call it controlled evolution, I like your description." He settled her in his lap with his arms around her, and enjoyed the closeness a moment, as he slide his arms around her and held her a moment. "On another note, if you would drop the mental link you have up, and open you mind, I could connect with your mind and we could share what we see in each other... that is, if your interested in sharing that way, I am fine if your not. Alternatively, we could try a see what kind of music we can make together, and enjoy a dance.."

[Karren Gaunt]

Coraline enjoyed being right as much as anyone when it came to good news and Norman's agreement had her chuckling inside, tucking the observation away for her next training session with Uncle Shen and what it could mean for her Qi Meng training down the line.

"I can't. It's not just my link to break, and if I did so, my family would worry about me and I'd worry about them. It's a safety measure in an unsafe world," Coraline demurred, not out of distrust towards him, at least not mostly, but out of familal duty greater than her own desires, "But I'd definitely not say no to a dance when you went to all the trouble reserve this wonderous space for our use. It promises to be fascinating."

She concluded her agreement by spiraling a free fingertip across the surface of the table and making a rising note that hummed of aural happiness at the end.

[Courier]

Warren walked up to Pip and said warmly, "You look great."

It wasn't lost on him that well... he didn't. All his brothers and sisters looked the part of god and goddess, he still... Warren hushed that part of himself and configured his eufiber into a black 'John Travolta' style suit. He was going to have fun.

[Quantum Fire]

"I see, well, I can't say I don't wish it was otherwise, I can certainly understand that kind of safety measure, perhaps some other time when everyone is safe some day. So, dance we shall, as much as I enjoy having the lovely lady on my lap, it's time to stand." He did exactly that, with perfect grace setting her down on her feet beside him, she was even more graceful then he by far, and there was a soft chime as both of them stood to their feet, he held out his hand and when she took it he lead her out onto the floor, with chimes sounding with each step, then gave her a smile. "Is there any particular dance you would like to try, or shall we try them all?" Even as he spoke, he shifted his outfit to something more more suitable for dancing.

***** ***** ***** ***** ****** ***** ***** *****

Meanwhile, when the others gathered to step though into the rainbow room, they would be greeted by the usual sights and sounds of the Nova only club, the one place on the planet that was built for, by and designed for novas, not a baseline hand in any of it. It was beautiful, but somewhat usual, with sights and sounds beyond the ordinary, but all working together into one single whole.

[LydaLynn]

Epiphany's face warmed with a genuine smile as Warren came into view. Her hand reached out to his and her internal heat raised a notch. "You too." Her voice slightly husky, caught in an emotion she wasn't accustomed to feeling. That her words were honest was clear. She had never thought of him as anything but Warren, physical appearance was of no concern to her. He was there and it was great to see him, to hold his hand. That was more than enough for Pip.

[Karren Gaunt]

"I see, well, I can't say I don't wish it was otherwise, I can certainly understand that kind of safety measure, perhaps some other time when everyone is safe some day. So, dance we shall, as much as I enjoy having the lovely lady on my lap, it's time to stand." He did exactly that, with perfect grace setting her down on her feet beside him, she was even more graceful then he by far, and there was a soft chime as both of them stood to their feet, he held out his hand and when she took it he lead her out onto the floor, with chimes sounding with each step, then gave her a smile. "Is there any particular dance you would like to try, or shall we try them all?" Even as he spoke, he shifted his outfit to something more more suitable for dancing.

Coraline gave a soft little nod at his hope, a large part of her hoping for an outside world where she could feel comfortable for both herself and her family if they were truly on her own. She just didn't see how that could happen yet, though. And the braintrust wasn't being particularly encouraging on that front yet.

Norman's second question made her much happier though, indulging in a little poetic allegory herself as she offered him her hand to start them off, "A little bit of everything, maybe, but let's begin slow and simple and build up from there. The best songs and stories in life start that way."