[Fiction] Warmin' up the House

[z-Carver]

Carver glances nervously around the dining room, trying to see if she's forgotten anything. "The mustard," one of the fish speaks up, "you forgot the mustard."

Carver tries not to think about the fact that he sounded like he was speaking underwater as she goes to the fridge and pulls out the condiment. But makes a certain amount of sense, she muses as she puts the mustard next to the other condiments and gives it one last look-over.

The dining room table is piled high with finger foods and snack items - nothing too fancy, but all well displayed and filling. It looks like she's gotten enough food for a hundred people, but she expects that most of it will be eaten tonight.

Amped zips into the kitchen with the dust mop and puts it in the pantry. He zings up to her side in the dining room and says, "I gave all the hardwood another going over. Floors are warm now, too."

Carver grins at him. Friction jokes were too easy around Amped. "Just not too warm, I hope," she laughs. Her amusement fades as she looks at the table. "Does it all look ok?"

"It looks great," Amped assures her as Mythic comes in nodding as well.

"Perfect," the XWF fighter shyly adds.

"Good," Carver sighs as her Eufiber shifts from her 'work clothes' into a casual silver taffeta blouse and black pants. "Now to finish getting me ready."

"You look f...fine," Mythic says as he blushes and Amped hides his amusement. It's so obvious; the poor guy ought to just stamp his feelings on his forehead.

"Need to put on my face," Carver winks as she leaves the room. She pops back in to ask, "You'll get the door..."

She stops at the look on Amped's face and apologizes. "I'm sorry, I'm just nervous. I know you'll get the door, Amped. Sorry." She disappears up the hallway.

[Amped]

Amped rolls his eyes a bit and looks to Mythic. "She's getting too worked up over all of this. So you're in the XWF, how'd that happen, what's it like, you win any matches..." Questions are being shot off and he has to be careful not go into his own little version of warp speed.

His eufiber shifts from his pajamas as well, and turns into a casual black pants, blue polo type shirt. "I wonder if a suit would be too much since I'll be playing butler for a little while."

Amped hops on the couch and pops in a DVD, turning the thing on 8x play with sound, as he watches an old Star Trek movie in about 15 minutes while he waits for the guests to start showing up.

[Harold 'Mythic' Anderson]

Whoa, that was fast... most people would have missed all of that. Harold silently listens to Amped's verbal assault and watches almost dumbfounded as the blue nova plops down on the couch to watch movies before Harold can even respond, "I, uh, sorta fell into it... and I won my match last night." He's not paying attention now; a movie being played that fast probably needs all of his attention... hey, he's watching Wrath of Khan too...

Harold looks at his feet, lost at what to do now, and finally starts for the kitchen. It's just a party, no big deal, there'll be plenty of people here so he won't be on the spot... oh man, lots of novas... he'd better clear his head. Snatching a pencil out of a cup full of various utensils found in almost every kitchen and a flyer for takeout, Harold sits down at the table and flips over the flyer so the blank side is up. Drawing helps, it always helps... The scratching sounds of a pencil being put to paper quietly fills the kitchen as Harold works, leaving that ambient smell that's found in artists' workshops and near the sharpeners found in elementary school classrooms.

[Amped]

Amped finishes his DVD and walks back into the kitchen. "Congrats on your fight then. I need to warn you just in case Carver didn't...I live life fast forward. It takes me a good deal of concentration to talk to somebody, and it kills my already short attention span."

He sits in the chair across from Harold. "Drawing, that's cool. I'm a musician, or I try to be, I don't actually have my own instrument, I don't know why, I'll probably go pick on up soon, but I can play both the piano and the violin. I guess to each their own as far as art goes, but we have plenty in this house. You want an apple, or orange or anything, I can run down to the store real quick, since I think everything here is for dinner."

[Harold 'Mythic' Anderson]

He finished the whole movie? Wow, that's incredible... must be strange living like that. Harold shrugs at Amped as the pencil scratches away, "S'okay, I understand how life can be a little weird at times." It must be nice for him, he'd have all the time in the world to figure out the right thing to say to people instead of blurting out the worst possible words imaginable...

Hmm, this drawing ought to turn out nice... could even be a good housewarming gift... once it was framed, though. While still drawing, Harold shakes his head in response to Amped's offer, "Ah, no, but thank you. Carver made me a lot of food last night and the sleep really helped." The page turns ninety degrees under his off hand and he continues to add detail to the page, "I never did instruments... I mean, my parents really wanted me to do some kind of orchestra thing when I was younger but I just couldn't get the rhythm down... though I think that's changed since I erupted." Like dancing with Carver, even when he was normal it seemed to be a lot easier... Harold pushes down the blush over his memory, "Did your eruption help your music? I know my drawing got a lot better."

[Madison 'Vali' West]

Vali walks up the street and up to the house. For a moment, he rethinks this. He doesn't know these people. He wasn't invited. He was invited by someone else, dammit.

Still, this is a chance to meet other novas. A chance to start reaching out into the world and stop being such an observer.

"Time to grow up," he mutters and rings the doorbell.

[Amped]

"Yeah it really did, but it could be that I can think a page worth's of music ahead of where I am playing, or that I can essentially hit 20 keys on the piano at once with my toes at the same time and still not miss a note. I'm not really too sure how it's effected me artistically, but I did have a random jam session, that I wouldn't have been able to enjoy had I not erupted." At this point the doorbell rings. "Excuse me for a moment."

Amped zips to the door and opens it up. A smile crosses his face as he sticks his hand out awaiting a handshake. "Hi I'm Amped, and you are?"

[Madison 'Vali' West]

Vali is a stunning beautiful teenage male. He has thick black hair, piercing grey eyes, and a medium complexion. His face has a perfect symemtry that is almost hypnotizing.

He gives the proffered hand a firm shake.

"Hi, I'm Vali. I am Jager's guest. I know I am early, but I finished some of my certifications early and was nearby and at loose ends."

[Amped]

"Certifications?" There was a bit of puzzlement in his voice, but he didn't let it linger. "Just make yourself at home, Carver is still upstairs 'putting on her face' but she should be down shortly. Other than that, look around, watch TV...you need anything?"

[z-Carver]

Carver blotted her lipstick nervously. She was using some of Diane's recommendations, as many as she had dared anyway. "How do I look?" she asked the wooden frame of the mirror.

The door frame answered her. "Indecisive." When Carver growls a curse and starts to reach for the cleaning cottons, the copper fixtures on the sink say, “You don’t have time for that. Your first guest is here.”

“Crap!” Carver mutters and hurries out of the bathroom. She rushes up the hall but slows to a stately walk at the top of the stairs. As she glides down, she listens but doesn’t recognize the voice. In the hallway, a gorgeous teenaged boy talks to Amped in the foyer. Why do they always have to be so pretty?

At the bottom of the stairs, Carver extends her hand with a smile. “Hi, I’m Carver. Welcome.” She ignores the way her body constricts at the touch of his hand. “Make yourself at home.”

[Jager]

Jager watches the last of the days business pass by his HUD and signs off.

"Time to go to a party", he murmurs.

"Bandwidth, Jager signing out for now. You know were I'll be if something comes up."

Jager leeps off the top of the building and warps his clothes into something casual as he falls. As he hits the ground, he ignores time and begins the long, quiet walk across town.

[Madison 'Vali' West]

"Thanks," Vali replies. He goes over and takes a few condiments and scans into the living room.

"You are from this area, aren't you?"

Before Amped can reply, he catches Vali looking up the stairs as Carver descends. After she speaks, the boy gets a slight smirk on his face.

"Yeah. I know. I'm Vali ... that's Madison West of the Windy City Knights. We've met. You were with Jager and I was with my mother. You had somewhere to be in a big hurry at that time, so I can understand you not remembering."

The smile he gives is dazzling, and perhaps unintentional. He shakes her hand and his eyes narrow slightly as in reaction to her bodies constriction.

[Ghostwriter]

Samhra knocks on the door. She is balancing a large bowl of cocktail frankfurts in one hand and has the tomato sauce tucked under the same arm.

*Do I look okay?* she asks Franklin telepathically, referring to her casual jeans and a t-shirt with strappy sandals - no need to dress up sexy or smart and freak out the poor kids.

[z-Carver]

"You!" Carver smiles as her memory recovers the event. "I'm sorry, I didn't remember you. I was a little distracted at the time." By lecherous pottery, as I recall, she reminds herself. Seeing his eyes narrow, she extracts her hand. Shit, shit, shit! Please don't read pheromones! Please don't read pheromones!

"Well, any friend of Jager's is a friend of ours," Carver says. “You’ve found the food, and Mythic is…” She glances at Amped. “Where is Harry-Harold?”

The doorbell sounds and Carver says, "Got it!"

[Madison 'Vali' West]

Vali's face hardens ever so slightly, but his eyes radiate death. The smile remains on his face but has lost any warmth.

"Jager's not my friend. He asked me to come here and I've found stories about you and Amped interesting so I came."

"Harold? Mythic ... the wrestler?"

[Amped]

Amped interupts again, getting smirk on his face when Carver chokes on Harold's name. "He's in the kitched, drawing on the back of a fast food menu, looks pretty good, but I couldn't watch, so I left, and now I'm here."

Amped watches at the crowd accumulating at his house, and in a flash he gets a few more chairs and sets them up. He runs past a carving of a dog, and for a second it reminds him that he still has a puppy to get, but the thought passes quickly. There are guests to entertain.

"Figrues I'm the youngest one here...he mumbles."

[Singularity]

*You look great, love,* the barefoot Franklin smiles, *I don't think they've seen you in jeans before.* The two massive kegs slosh slightly, one tucked under his arm and the other easily grasped by a thumb and forefinger. Oddly, his relaxed gray pants and white tank top aren't disturbed a bit. As the door opens, he smiles warmly at the nova waiting on the other side, "We brought some gifts..."

[z-Carver]

Carver grins at the two Novas on her doorstep. "Singularity, Samhra, come in." She waves them in and begins introductions. "Amped, this is Samhra and Singularity; this is Amped, my roommate. And this is Vali - he's a fri- guest of Jager's. And Mythic is in the kitchen."

Carver takes the sauce from Samhra and says, "You guys don't have to bring anything, but thanks. If you'll follow me, we can put this stuff in the kitchen. And you can met Mythic."

[Madison 'Vali' West]

Vali looks over at the new comers and his eyes get wider for a moment. He nods as Carver introduces him. Looking at Singularity, he says,

"Sir, can I help you with one of those?"

[Ghostwriter]

"Honey, you can't have a housewarming without a bowl of cocktail frankfurts; it's an Aussie tradition," Samhra laughs softly as she follows Carver into the kitchen.

She looks over the guests as she heads through. "Hello, nice to meet you all."

Her outfit today is deliberately casual, a pair of denim jeans with artful rips in them and a baby-blue t-shirt with 'I'm an angel, but I lost my halo' on it in white lettering. "How's everything going so far?"

[Singularity]

With a shrug, Singularity hands a keg over to Vali with a calm smile, "Sure, just grab this one. The trick about super strength is it doesn't reduce the bulk, eh?" That strange air of peace stays with him, almost a shield from any of the troubles of the world, and he easily swings the other keg out from under his arm.

Seeing Vali easily hold the other keg, Singularity tips his head, "Be careful; what's in here is a little unique. Can't find it in these parts." The side of his mouth turns to a smile, "Ancient Tibetan secret."

[Amped]

"I've met them before, they were at the club when I had my little freakout on stage and booked it home." Amped takes the other keg from Singularity. "C'mon Vali, we can put these on ice in here. You can say I'm a bit prepared, we got a kegarator in here. Or you could just call it a singles pad."

Amped makes his way into the kitchen and puts the first keg up, and points to the kegerator, you can just put it in there, that will keep it cool.

[Madison 'Vali' West]

Vali seems to instantly warm to Singularity.

"Sure thing, sir. I'll guard it with my life."

He can also be caught eyeing Samhra as she heads to the kitchen and give a slight 'wow'.

[Conduit]

Conduit has made this trip a dozen times. When Carver was in the hospital he came by everyday to get the mail and make sure everything with the house was ok. He wore his usual boring but comfortable clothes. In his hands were two overstuffed grocery bags.

He turns up the path to the front door. He hears voices coming from the inside. "Good, I'm not the first one here," he says to himself. He jogs up to the door, carefully repositions his bags and rings the door bell.

[Amped]

Amped quickly dashes to the door, knowing that it's Conduit outside, from the residual electric charge.

"Hey bro, logn time no see, and it's on better terms this time. you need help with your bag?"

[Harold 'Mythic' Anderson]

This is turning out nicely... just some more shading and it'll be just right. On the page still slowly being adjusted by Harold is an image of a huge tree; a redwood taken to a fantastic size. However, the gigantic trunk has been meticulously carved and shaped, detailing the image of Hermes running at full speed and being chased by what seems to be a million arcs of lightning. This should be good for both of them, it's got a little bit of her and a little bit of him... Harold just hopes they like it.

Uh oh... there's more people here. Just focus on the work, they won't notice him unless he's ready for it. Damn, the bark isn't looking right, maybe if he just puts the right shading there... The quiet click of sandals is just enough to snag Harold's attention away from the page and he looks up to see a smiling Carver with a bowl followed by... Oh man... it's one of them... and she looks amazing too... His jaw almost drops as he watches both novas enter the kitchen, completely oblivious to Amped's own trafficking of liquor.

[Singularity]

Before Vali carries out the keg, Singularity smiles knowingly at the young nova and nods, "Amazing, isn't she? I must've done something right in a previous life to be with her, I sure wasn't good enough in this one... she even brought me back from the dead. You'd better follow Amped with the keg, he moves at his own pace and tends to lose people."

The silver-haired nova turns to look at the door once Conduit starts to come in, "Good to see you, Conduit. You're over here on much better terms this time, eh?"

[z-Carver]

Carver starts to introduce Mythic, but he's already looking up and gaping at Samhra. That's right, Inner Carver remarks, He is a male creature. Look at him stare at the yellow boobies.

"Mythic, this is Singularity and Samhra, two of my friends," Carver say, not sure if he's listening. "Samhra, Singularity, this is Mythic." Carver is getting a bit warm - there are too many nice bodies in here. She wonders if she can sneak out to the backyard for a moment, then rejects the idea. She's the host.

[Madison 'Vali' West]

Vali looks over at Singularity, but not with any shame, but with understanding.

"I have never actually seen and felt others of my own kind around me until now. I've seen you and your mate in vids, but seeing both of you in person is much more ... well, I imagine you know."

Vali's talk fades as he heads for the kitchen and moves through the door.

[Conduit]

"Thanks man. I managed to carry this stuff this far without spilling anything, it'd be a shame to spill it now," he says, trying to speak quickly so that he doesn't bore Amped.

He walks in and sees many familiar faces and two not so familiar. Answering Amped and Singularity's comment, "Yeah, it's my goal to not have to fight or watch a fight tonight. I've come bearing food and I plan on eating it."

[Ghostwriter]

"Mythic, the XWF wrestler?" Samhra asks with a dazzling smile. "I loved the dragon. Very nice indeed."

She rakes her loose blonde hair from out of her amber eyes and looks over at Conduit. "Hey big guy! Great to see you're in one piece."

As she psychically picks up Carver's thoughts, she chuckles psychically. *Honey, expecting men not to stare at boobies is like expecting them to put the toilet seat down - never gonna happen unless they're gay. And I prefer 'golden' to 'yellow'.*

[Singularity]

"A quiet day is hard to come by, eh," Singularity says to Conduit, "But that food looks good. And I brought some foreign brew with me... that stuff is stronger than Kentucky moonshine so I think everyone should be able to enjoy it." He shakes his head and chuckles at himself, "Well, not all of us."

[z-Carver]

*He's supposed to be my puppet*, Inner Carver growls. *Keep your golden boobies away from him.*

"Samhra!" Carver yelps aloud. "Maybe," she adds softly, "you shouldn't talk to my brain. OK? And I am sorry about that. It's rough."

[Harold 'Mythic' Anderson]

That's... that's... one of those walking gods! Take it easy, she's just like the rest of them, but with glowing skin... oh boy. Harold's blue eyes dart back and forth between silver gray and cat-like yellow as his heart pounds in his chest before he finally finds his voice, "I... uh... hi, er, thanks." He's been with other novas before with the league but they seem so... lowbrow compared to the few he can see now.

The picture! Damnit, don't forget the picture! Harold quickly looks down at the table and brushes aside a few wood and graphite shavings from his crude pencil sharpening. The picture is for them, Amped and Carver, so it's not like he's giving her some creepy gift... just give it to her to buy some time to get used to Samhra. Twisting the picture around so the two ladies can see it, Harold eyes latch onto Carver's like a lifeline, "We left so fast I, uh... I mean, I made this for you and Amped. You know, a house warming gift... sorry I had to do it so quickly..."

[Ghostwriter]

Samhra laughs softly - and sympathetically - again. "It's okay, honey; just tell your evil twin that you can keep him because I've got one of my own," she murmurs quietly.

[z-Carver]

Samhra's words flow right over Carver's head as she stares at the drawing that Mythic has done. She's aware that there are some pretty, pretty people in the room - Sing - but for a moment, she only has eyes for Mythic.

"Harri-old. This is great," she grins. "Thank you." Oh, yeah, I could totally own him, Inner Carver muses as she watches Mythic desperately watching for her response.

Carver glances up at him and says, "And now, you have to mingle. People want to meet the famous XWF fighter." She boasts to Samhra, "He just won his last fight - it was only his second bout, too."

[Conduit]

"It's good to see you too Samhra. Last time I checked I was whole. It's this crazy new philosophy I have, 'keep all my parts'."

"Ok, I searched this city up and down for some good Mexican. I found a couple places that were pretty good, but not quite perfect. So in the bag that Amped has there are burritos and tamales. In my bag I have some meat, spices, and chiles. I assumed you had a grill so I thought I would make some carne asada."

Looking to Singularity he says jokingly, "Special brew? So you get one keg and I get the other?"

[Amped]

Amped makes it back into the living room. "Okay, one keg is in the pantry, the other is in my kegerator." He sees the older Novas give the 16 year old an odd look. "Yeah...my kegerator. It's not like most stuff will get me drunk anyway." He replies in a very, I-know-it-all manner. Kind of like a younger brother would when challenged by his sister. "You never know when you need one of those things anyway."

[Wakinyan]

He growls softly at the night sky and it relents to him. The thunderheads forming begin to lumber to greener pastures rather than face his wrath.

Wakinyan gave his passenger a treat by gliding in a loop between the sky scrappers of Chicago before moving further out toward the party.

"I'm a little nervous." Thoughtwave spoke in little more than a whisper still he could easily hear it. "No need to be, everyone there will be friendly. I think Alchemist is going to attend even so there will be at least someone you know."

She grips him a bit tighter as he descends toward the yard. He watched it carefully, recalling in detail the last time he had been there. Dropping her off and falling flat on his face. He wondered if he should have even been here at all. Still his gift would have been wasted and it was well spent the best the Ebay could buy.

He touched down and glanced at the house and the flowers that had obviously been worked on recently. "Tell your master I am here." He declared in the direction of the small Gnome knowing full well what it meant for him to do so.

"Shouldn't we ring the doorbell?" Renee asked as he set her on the sidewalk leading to the door. "No need, her minions will do the work for us no doubt." He settled back on his haunches and readjusted the wrapped package he carried under his other arm.

[Harold 'Mythic' Anderson]

Mingle? Oh no... if Samhra's here then he's here, and that means even more novas waaay out of his league are gonna be here too... Heart still pounding away, Harold gets out of the chair and stands meekly, "Uh, maybe... um, I might just get something to drink." His hands wriggle together for a moment and he quietly addresses Carver, "You can call me Harry, really, it's okay."

Wait, dragon... damnit! He's being so rude and they're so nice... oh, he's gonna embarrass Carver. Harold's head shifts to look hesitantly look at Samhra, "Uh... thanks, er, again... I haven't done the dragon in a fight yet... I don't know if I'll end up melting the ring..." Oh great, doesn't he sound like an arrogant ass, Samhra was on Team Tomorrow! Oh God, now how else can he screw it up...