[Fiction] From The Ashes

[Singularity]

“Hold still.”

Silver liquid latex succumbed easily to Samhra’s powers, twisting and separating to form a greatly detailed filigree pattern. “I am holding still,” Singularity smiled at his kneeling partner, watching her put the final details on the lone and incredibly scant covering on his body.

She stopped shaping the latex for a moment and looked up at him with an arched eyebrow and coy voice, “Are you sure about that?”

The smile turned into a grin and he arched an eyebrow of his own, “Remember where you’re working, love. And that it’s you after all.”

Hiding a smile, Samhra shook her head and turned back to the latex and made one more alteration, “There, finished, and not too soon it seems.” She stood back up in front of Singularity, gold liquid latex forming a matching (and almost equally sparse) filigree pattern on her own body, leaving them no more covered than classic images of Adam and Eve. “Now,” she smiled in an almost feline way, “Promise to keep both of our filigrees unaltered until we’re at least there?”

“Only if you do too,” Singularity chuckled, “Being able to change them at will doesn’t mean you get to taunt me unanswered.”

“C’mon,” she took his hand in his, feline eyes staying on his even as she turned to a prepared book, “You’re going to make us late and this was your idea too.” The familiar feeling of her incorporating him into her quantum signature rushed through Singularity’s body before it was joined by the equally familiar feeling of their bodies deconstructing into letters only to be reconstructed on the other side of the Atlantic.

*****

Dusk was just starting to fall on Ibiza, signaling the beginning of the intense night scene found on the island for baselines and novas alike. Broad and powerful lights clearly marked the new Phoenix Room, built on the broken skeleton of the old Amp Room and already prepared for another night of quantum revelry.

Foregoing the semi-private entrance at the roof of the club, Samhra and Singularity dipped out of the sky and down towards the much more public and baseline-accessible ground entrance to the Room. It wasn’t important to him which door they used, but making a bold entrance for the entire public was important to her. Sure enough, cameras snapped and questions were shouted as the two novas touched down on the other side of the velvet ropes separating the onlookers from the entrance.

“Regan,” Andy Vance beamed as he walked from the doorway and towards the newcomers, “I don’t know about those whiskers, but you look absolutely wonderful and nice work with the outfit; you’re a walking goddess in the flesh.”

“Thank you, Andy” Samhra smiled proudly, “I thought this would highlight both of our assets.”

The bouncer/owner gave a reviewing look of Singularity, “Alden. You’ve certainly changed; I almost didn’t believe it was you when you were here for that little meeting months ago. Are you still not going to cause Jake and me any headaches?”

“Of course not,” the ex-elite bowed his head slightly, the omnipresent serenity only making his voice sound smoother, “I’m here to enjoy a wonderful evening with an even more wonderful woman, not to cause any problems.”

With a laugh, Vance turned back to Samhra, “Oh, honey, you have got to tell me how you did that to him so I can use it on Jake and troublemakers in the Room.”

"Take him to Tibet, apply some snow to certain parts of the body, and slap him over the head a few times until he gets the point,” she grinned back in that feline way.

“I’ll remember that,” Vance laughed, turning as the couple started to walk toward the thumping music inside, “You love birds go inside and have some fun. And thanks for the heads up on the possible crowd, Regan, you don’t have to worry about a thing.”

[Long]

Everything was in order as Long donned the black Eufiber Jacket and shorts that would serve as his clothing for the evening. The children and Saito were in the den watching television, and the house defense system was fully armed. He didn't want to go, but, appearances had to be maintained. Besides he said he'd be there when an old friend had asked him. His fur was immaculately clean and his eyes were all that betrayed his somewhat foul mood. "A good night to drink, I've got reason enough."

He looked in on the children one last time and then vanished in a flash of light. He appeared roughly a kilometer from the club and smiled. Blue flame wreathed him as he took to the sky and made his way to the Phoenix Room. He descended to the street Entrance amidst a reaction of fear and awe. His paws widened out as they touched the concrete and the wreath of blue flames die down. Long walks over to Andy and smiles extending his hand.

"Andy it's been too long. I hear some truly great things, I decided to come and see for myself."

"Ryu, welcome." Vance took Long's hand in an impressive firm shake. Their eyes met, and volumes were spoken. Long was welcome, so long as he left all violence at the door, and so long as he caused no problems. Everyone had seen his wife kill Excavator. It wasn't a topic he wished to discuss. "Enjoy your stay Ryu."

"I always do Andy, I always do." With that Long made his way inside and began searching for the organizer of this little social.

[Mithril]

At the curb, a small packet of formerly empty air was suddenly filled with two female novas holding hands. They flickered in and out of complete invisibility in sync with each other. Parting, the shorter one stopped flickering, and she could plainly be seen to be Meghan "Girl Made of Titanium" Cutter. By her CSU volleyball hoodie, jeans, and bulging bookbag, Nova "Flicker" Madigan was easily recognized as well.

Taking no notice of the crowd of baselines who had come to nova-watch, they hugged and exchanged a few affectionate words. The slow and steady strobing of camera flashes suddenly hastened into a brilliant flurry as they embraced and kissed passionately. Breaking the kiss, Flicker looked over Meghan's shoulder to the assembled crowd and smiled mischievously for their benefit, then vanished, leaving Meghan holding onto thin air.

Flashing a broad smile which revealed even titanium teeth, Meghan turned and waved to the gawkers, enjoying her moment of celebrity. She walked toward the main entrance, strolling close to the velvet rope which separated the evolved from the hopeful.

"Gee-mot! Gee-mot! Gee-mot!" shouted one particular knot of novaphiles, waving cameras and pens as they strained at the divider.

"Heya peoples!" Meghan said amiably as she approached her fan club, speaking loudly to be heard over the din. She stopped in front of them, as if to speak conversationally.

"Meghan! It's you, right? Can you sign this pleeeease?" asked a hyperactive young woman. She appeared to be about Flicker's age, Meghan guessed, and her smile broadened as she amused by the notion of a young adult acting so fannish.

Meghan plucked the marker and the scrapbook from her fan's hands, noticing that several others had also been thrust her way.

Maybe the rest of you get autographs, maybe you don't, Meghan thought tartly, but she maintained her pleasant demeanor. She looked into her fan's eyes and tilted her head questioningly. "What's your name, hon?" Meghan asked.

"Sarah," Sarah replied.

"Warmest regards from Meghan Cutter," Meghan said softly, reciting her inscription as she scribbled hastily in the scrapbook, "to Sarah, from the Girl Made of Titanium." Meghan turned the book around and handed it back to Sarah so that she could see the inscription. Instantly, more autograph books were thrust her way.

Meghan turned a little to Sarah's right and took a half step along the divider. An adorable teenaged redhead wearing a floppy hat blushed at Meghan's approach.

Meghan chuckled. "What's your name, hon?" she asked. The cutie replied in a language that Meghan couldn't understand.

Hah. Okay. . . Meghan thought, how awkward. Meghan reached for the cutie's pen, and then thought better of it, leaning across the divider and kissing the cutie on the lips. The girl's eyes widened momentarily in shock, but then she caught her bearings and returned the kiss with a passion that startled Meghan. Letting the moment carry her away, Meghan wrapped her arms around the girl and made the kiss a memorable one. With regrets, Meghan broke the embrace and smiled at her new friend.

"No autograph for you," Meghan giggled, and then she danced away on her tiptoes, covering the remaining distance to the club's entrance.

That'll give the tabloids something to write about! she thought as she strolled into the Phoenix Room.

[Magnum Opus]

Two Days Ago

"I have died and gone to heaven."

One of the clerks at the local Zellers elbowed his friend, who snapped out of a state of groggy half-awareness. "Wha?"

"Killer hottie at three o'clock, dude." He nodded towards the underwear department.

His friend rubbed sleep out of his eyes and stared - and blinked. "Ho-lee shit."

"My God. One hour with her. Just one, God."

"She - where have I seen her before? You think she's famous?"

"Body like that, maybe she's a nova."

There was a short, tired laugh. "C'mon. A nova? Here in Zellers? Shopping for underwear with their mom?"

"Mom?" The clerk peered, and then sagged slightly. "Shit, she's with this old lady. Bet she is her mom. Great."

"You were gonna go hit on her, wern't you?"

"'Course I was! Wouldn't you?"

"See how tall she is? You can't see it that well under that sweater she's got on but she looks built, too. She'd throw you through the roof, buddy. I hear novas who're super-strong can't even have sex anymore 'cause they tend to tear things off without trying."

"Hmmm." The first clerk crossed his legs unconsciously. "That's what you heard?"

"That's what I heard."

"... well, you know. Don't gooutside your weight division, you know? Yeah. Plenty of other fish in the sea."

"Yep. Plenty of other fish."

"Be a hell of a way to go, though."

"Yep. Be a hell of a way to go."

* * *

"And that ought to be enough." Danielle's mother handed her one last package. "I like this brand - they don't pinch. The clasps are hard to get - dear, are you listening?"

"Sorry, Mom." Danielle blew a lock of hair out of her face. "Just - I can hear those two guys over at the customer service desk."

"You can? What're they talking about?"

"Nothing. It's just distracting."

Mrs. Waters looked up at her son-turned-daughter disapprovingly. "You're holding something back, dear. Out with it."

"I think they're interested in me... I mean, you know, interested in me."

Mrs. Water's face darkened. "Those pigs. Wait here, I'm going to go - "

"Mom, don't. Please." Danielle's shoulders sagged. "It's okay."

"It's not okay! No one talks about my daughter that way. I've half a mind to - "

"Please don't. Really. It's far from the worst I've heard." Christ, I can see the headline now. Mother of nova kills two in bizarre shopping incident, super-strong nova fails to contain mother's wrath. "They're just guys, right? That's what guys do."

Mrs. Waters calmed down. "If you say so, dear. Now, was this all or did you have something a little..." She arched an eyebrow. "Lacy, in mind...?"

"Mom!" Danielle turned beat red.

"Well, I'm just asking..."

"No. Nothing like that. Listen, I don't even really need this. I can get all the support I need out of the eufiber - "

"You can't wear that ball of snot all the time, dear. Has to go in the wash or it'll stink. And you said you wanted to save it for your big day tomorrow in Eye-biz-uh..."

Danielle got a distant look on her face. Her mother sighed. "I'm sorry, dear. I know ths has been trying on you. It's been trying on all of us. Your father blames himself - he thinks he failed somewhere. But I guess this is something you're born with, and... it just surprised us. We love you, but it surprised us... Danielle Waters, are you listening to me?"

"Hmm? Yeah. Born a nova. Yeah."

"No, born a tra - " She frowned, following her daughter's gaze, which seemed to be fixated on a point on the shelving wall.

She peered around the corner and gasped, as a young attractive woman held up a dress to herself and looked in the mirror, swishing this way and that.

"Danielle...!"

"Wha?" Danielle's gaze didn't break.

"Are you looking at that woman with your whatchamacallit, your see-through vision?"

"What? No! Okay, yes - "

It took every ounce of superhuman reflexes in Danielle's body to dodge her mother's purse.

* * *

Earlier Today

MegaFlex: Awesome, dude. You saw, like, everything?

The text message floated on the HUD, positioned over her left eyeball, slaved to a small device clasped to the outside of her arm, which in turn was hooked up to a sattellite OpNet connection. All were encased in a small film of the suit's eufiber, which saved it from the sheer force of travelling six hundred and twenty-five miles an hour.

Knockout had reconfigured her eufiber into her favorite shape - a blue stripe down the chest, abdomen and inseam, down to the boots, with a black stripe going up her calves, hips, sides and shoulders. Her gloves, belt, shoulder pads and cape were a soft glowing white. She figured it would make a dashing entrance at the Phoenix Room.

She spoke, voice recognition turning her words into text.

Kayo: I saw it all, MF. I saw it all.

MegaFlex: I would give anything to be you right now, dude.

Kayo: Even your penis?

MegaFlex: ESPECIALLY my penis. I don't need it. Damn thing doesn't do what it's told.

Kayo: Be careful what you wish for.

MegaFlex: You telling me you miss yours?

Kayo: .... this is gonna sound fucked, but... no.

MegaFlex: I woulda thought you would.

Kayo: So did I, but... look, let's change the subject.

MegaFlex: Done. You got lots of space on the camera on your little toy?

Kayo: Lots and lots.

MegaFlex: And you're gonna snap me all the little pictures you can?

Kayo: I'm sure gonna try. I dunno how subtle I can be though.

MegaFlex: Dude, even one would be cool. I hear that the Phoenix Room is a league apart from the old Amp Room. I would kill to get a peek inside.

Kayo: I'll do my best.

MegaFlex: And leave it on video record if you wind up in a hot threeway between Copykat and the Ragnarockette, okay?

Kayo: I'm logging off now.

Knockout concentrated slightly and forced the tissue-thin eufiber to switch the device off. Then she moved it, like a bubble under a plastic sheet, back into her 'belt.' The sensation of it crawling out of her ear and down her body gave her a slight shiver.

She flew closer to the ocean, sending the sea spraying in her wake, grinning widely. Her landings were getting better - she could slow down enough to land on something as long as it wasn't fragile, and they said the Phoenix Room's landing pad was pretty firm. So all that was left to worry about was knowing where the heck she was going, and she'd been getting good at long-range plotting of a flight course.

For a moment she looked down at the sea and wondered: should I?

A second later she swooped up, and she let gravity take control again, letting only momentum carry her upward. Then she began to fall, and as she fell, she tucked her legs close to her chest.

Although there was no one to hear, she shouted it anyways.

"Cannonball!!"

She hit the water with an ear-popping sploosh! After a moment she swam to the surface and laughed, floating back out of the water. "Okay," she said to no one. "Now, that was cool - "

She was cut off as a sea bass fell out of the sky and smacked her in the face.

* * *

Coming up in the distance was the Phoenix Room, and Knockout slowed her breathing. Okay. I can do this. Okay.

She mentally calculated distances, from two thousand feet to a thousand to five hundred, and she slowed her speed appropriately. Already she could hear the throes of people down below, and see camera flashes that were like stardust. Her stomach tightened at the thought of people throwing themselves at her and asking to sign body parts...

Well... some body parts, anyways. Of course, there was an alternative entrance on the roof, and that was where she was headed.

She shifted her eufiber to match the night sky, and slowly floated down onto the roof - maybe too slowly, since the bouncer up top checked his watch. She landed, and laughed, doing a small jig. "Woo! Did it! I didn't destroy the Phoenix Room!"

"How nice for you. Now, are you a nova?"

Knockout blinked. "Am I...?" She looked up at the night sky. "Uh, didn't you just see me fly in?"

"Couple of kids tried sneaking in with micro-inpellers in their jackets a few weeks ago. One of them tried an Amp Well and shat out his heart. The other wound up being violated by eufiber."

"Oh."

"Yeah. So I'll need proof. Rashoud grades are good - I.D. or an invite'll be fine too."

"Well, I don't have Rashoud grades..."

"Why's that?"

'Cause it's not my fault that the chief paraphysician had a heart attack when I took my shirt off. "I just don't. Uh, they sterlize people there."

"Come on, that story's horseshit. Who'd believe in such a dumb conspiracy?"

"You got me. Uh, crap. Uh, I can do this - " She shifted her eufiber into a tank top and short shorts.

"Memory cloth. Someone else tried that too."

"What happened to him?"

"The music got to him and he only speaks Yiddish now."

"Christ... I have to admit, this is not what I expected."

"Well, no one wants a lawsuit."

"I thought the guy who owned this place didn't believe in baseline law?"

"Let's just say that baseline law believes in him, and all the money in his legally insured bank account. Don't tell him I said that."

"Look, just let me in."

The bouncer smirked. "Tell you what. You take that tank top off and put a shoe on your head and I'll consider it."

"A shoe on my head?" Knockout stared.

"Yeah. It's kinda my thing. I get hot for shoes on heads."

Knockout frowned. She could take him - she knew it. He didn't look like a nova at all. One love tap to the face, or maybe a pulsating blast of knockout-rays from her eyes, and then...

And then she'd be in trouble.

Her gaze narrowed, and she examined his pockets, trying desperately to steer her gaze away from his crotch. It was like trying to not think of a pink elephant, and she suppressed a shudder as she examined his car keys.

"Come on, it's just for a second - "

"Hang on, I'll be right back."

She flew off the roof, blending back into the night sky as she re-shifted her eufiber.

The man shrugged. "Fuckin' posers - "

She returned, hoisting a Mercede-Benz over her head. "This good enough for you?"

"Shit nipple Sunday! That's my car! Put it down!"

"Yeah, I know it's your car - the lock matches the key in your pocket. This impressive enough for you? Or should I do this some more?" She tossed it a few feet out of her grasp.

"That's brand fuckin' new! Put it down!"

"Geez, maybe you're right, this is real heavy - I guess I'm not a nova after all. Oh God, oh God, I think I'm gonna drop it - "

"You can go in! You can go in! You win!"

She disappeared from view, setting the car back down on the ground. She flew back up to the roof and smiled at him as she walked through the rooftop exit. "Awesome. Thanks a million."

[Ptesan-Wi]

Crisp, clean, and well groomed, with her "snowshoe" strapped to her back, Ptesan-Wi took a deep breath and stepped inside the ultimate den of these magnificent beings called novas, hoping against hope that she might find out from Samhra this night just what sort of magnificent being she might be.

Unlike so many other's passing through the fan-ringed portal this night, she was not mobbed by screaming fans. Some of the gathered baselines murmered a bit, and someone actually tentatively called out with a mangled attempt at her name - "Puh-tees-ah-way?" - but for the most part, the strange native American in traditional garb was an unknown. The bouncer, however, was anything but uninformed. "Ptesan-Wi, right? Is your husband planning to be here tonight?" His tone of voice betrayed his thoughts on that topic without the young telepath needing to use her talents, and was obviously relieved when she replied, "No, just me tonight. Wakinyan is staying home." With a guesture, he opened her passage into the club proper.

Walking into the Phoenix Room, the young Lakota woman was almost overwhelmed by the sheer alienness of the denizens of the nova refuge. The level of "evolutions" that were on display ranged from subtle to beautiful to deeply disturbing, and all wore at the edges of Ptesan-Wi's mind. Only by pure iron will did she manage to force her way into the room... and then, the static hit. 'Static' had been a regular part of her life, ever since she had begun living around novas; this, however, made that pale in comparison. Heads turned her way briefly, and Ptesan-Wi knew that they were feeling a small slice of the same thing; quickly enough, however, these alien people returned to their private gatherings. In the Phoenix Room, the exception was the rule, and a bit of mental static from a newcomer was hardly something to raise an eyebrow over for long.

Holding herself together as she tried to acclimate to the environment, Ptesan-Wi looked through the club frantically... and there! A golden wing, barely visible over the other patrons and the decor. Hurring through the crowds, she broke through at last and a beaming smile took over her face. "Samhra! I'm here!" she announced happily as she approached the table of her friend and fellow student.

[Erin 'Stellar' Donovan]

On a rooftop near the club Flicker and Stellar appeared, holding hands. They flickered in and out of sight, in sync with each other for a few moments until they released hands, allowing Stellar to once again become fully visible.

“Thanks a lot.. Flicker? Nova?” Stellar asked a little unsure of which she preferred.

“Either is fine.” Flicker replied with a smile before adding, “Enjoy yourself!” and flickering away, leaving Stellar alone on the rooftop.

Stellar thought for a moment and her Eufiber began to move, spreading and coiling around her as it shifted colors, unequivocally proving it was a living thing. It sheathed her legs in white, tightening and solidifying into a pair of virtually opaque, white latex, boot-cut pants. On her feet it formed a pair of strappy platform sandals, letting the light catch the golden nail polish on her toenails. Her shirt shifted and tightened, forming a white latex corset with golden buckles along the back. The Eufiber slithered down her arm, forming matching fingerless gloves and dressing her in a matching white latex, bolero jacket. Her golden earrings and facial piercings glittered along with her nails and the thin golden bracelets accenting he outfit.

Show time.. She thought to herself as she looked over the edge and down to the spot at the front door she wished to land. Stellar then looked up, making sure the sky was clear, not wishing to make the mistake again and crouched. The muscles in her legs tensed as her node sent quantum energies surging through them, sending her aloft it a tremendous leap. Stellar soared into the night sky, a smile on her face as the wind rushed by until she finally reached the apex of her leap. At the moment her node surged once more, causing her sparkling aura to flare to life. The stares twinkled for a moment and then burst into flame like miniature suns, sheathing her in a flaming, golden aura as gravity assert itself over her skyward form. The ground below came racing up at her as she noted some of the nova watchers outside begin to react.

“Hey look! A shooting star.” One commented to another as they spotted her glowing form plummeting to the earth.

“It’s.. it’s heading right here!” another quickly clarified with more than a hint of fear in his voice.

The crowd stood their ground and stared though, enraptured by the sight as the impact seemed to near. Only as she reached the ground did the miniature suds fade back to a myriad of sparkles, revealing Stellar’s form standing in a scorched black circle of pavement which only helped to bring contrast to her white outfit and glowing form. Without skipping a beat, Stellar threw her hand up, striking her usual entrance pose with a grimaced smile of effort and intensity. In just the scantest few of moments her sparkling aura was joined by the flashing of cameras.

The warm caress of each flashing bulb like a lover’s embrace as Stellar had discovered since her eruption that she truly loved the spotlight and it felt soooo good to be in it once again, especially with her loss to Rush. She looked damn good and she knew it, and she made sure everybody there knew it before breaking the pose and walking over to answer questions and sign autographs, giving respect to those who give her a job and so much support.

“Stellar! Stellar! You look phenooomenal. Is it safe to say you have recovered from your last match with Rush and are ready for the rubber match? And that knockout, it looked pretty bad. Is there any bad blood between you two?”

“I am definitely recovered and I have been training hard. Rush and I are both professionals. He’s a good guy and was just doing his job as I do mine and I am sure we are both looking forward to the rubber match.” Stellar replied as a flurry of more questions and autograph requests came toward her. Showing her usual grace she smiled, answered questions and signed autographs happily. She would not have this job she loved some much without them and she took every chance to show her appreciation to each and every fan.

Once the small assembled crowd seemed appeased she smiled and waved, giving a flash of her sparkling aura before finally turning and heading into the club.

“You have a good night everybody!” she yelled out to the onlookers with a bright smile before vanishing into the lights and sound of the Phoenix Room.

[Hugin]

A curtain of character shaped embers drifts down through the air. More and more until a thick curtain of light comes into being on the Phoenix Room's rooftop entrance. A graceful step brings out a shapely leg clad in clinging fabric shaded a brilliant blue with white pin-stripes. A sultry slide and Hugin steps full into view. His hips sway gently as she walks towards the door. His thick brown hair cascades down her shoulders in gentle ringlets, a stray strand hanging down in front of his glowing eyes. The energy flows out and leaves a trail of dimminishing spots of light behind her.

His long smooth fingers grip the head of a brilliant silver walking stick. With each step it flicks forward and connects the ground with a faint ringing peal. She smiles, full lips parting and revealing perfectly white, perfectly straight and perfectly shaped teeth. His entire face is flawless, beautiful to the point of distraction. Beautiful to the point of being unreal. Inhuman.

She nods to the doorman and enters without a word. Sounds pours over him as she descends the stairs. Joyous energy vibrates the walls and lusty phermones assaults the nose.

Somehow, this seems far more honest than the Amp Room.

He waves hello to a few familiar faces and approaches the bar.

Everyone needs the occasional night off.

[Mithril]

Meghan Cutter strolled around the Phoenix Room, learning the layout of the club and trying not to stare at the mind-warping antics of novas at play.

Remember, you're one of them, she told herself, be cool and just act normally. Don't spaz out or go all fan-girl on anyone. You're a no--

"Hey!" Meghan shouted abruptly, forgetting her inner monologue, "It's Knockout! Holy crap!" Meghan walked quickly to where Knockout was leaning against a partition, doing her best not to break into an excited run, and being careful not to lose sight of her quarry in the thick of the crowd.

"Knockout! Hi hi!" Meghan greeted Knockout, shouting to make herself heard over the din of the throbbing techno. "I'm Meghan Cutter, the Girl Made of Titanium!"

My God, she's hot, Meghan boggled. Try to keep eye contact.

[Magnum Opus]

I wonder if this qualifies as an unethical use of superhuman power, wondered Knockout as she eyed up a woman dancing on the ceiling with a literal penetrating stare. Probably. Uh, transhumanism, emancipation, free to grow as a nova, blah blah blah, ohhhhhh yeah. Saving that one for later.

Knockout shifted her gaze. That one at the bar is - She averted her gaze at the last second. Oh God. Don't save that one for later.

She looks up as she hears her name called, and inadvertently shifts her gaze to Meghan Cutter. She goggles at the nude young nova, as her penetrating vision behaves strangely - the low-yield electromagnetic energy going straight through her, and to Knockout, Meghan Cutter appears as a solid, perfect mass.

She blinks, shutting down her penetrating vision, and looks at her through normal eyes.

"Hi," she says lamely.

Say something witty. Say something witty.

"You're made of titanium."

Fuck me running. I'm a retard.

[Mithril]

"And you're made of awesome," Meghan quickly repled, looking up into Knockout's blue eyes. Without hesitating, Meghan let her body become malleable, and a moment later she'd taken on the exact shape of Knockout, including her cape.

"And now I'm made of titanium and awesome," the shorter titanium Knockout giggled to the taller not-titanium one.

[Magnum Opus]

"Oh wow." She blinks. "That's cool." That's hawt.

"I, uh..." She looks a bit embarassed. "Sorry. Wow. I'm embarassing myself here...! I don't mean to stare, I just never saw a... a girl made of titanium before. Who looks like me. And thinks I'm awesome. Hi. Knockout. Pleased to meet you in the fles - in person." She offers her hand to shake.

"My first time here," she adds with an inadvertently killer grin, earning herself a dot in Stating the Mega-Obvious.

[z-Carver]

A fiery form cut down through the crowds, arcing toward the front doors of the Phoenix Room. The crowd was given an amazing show as a living phoenix settled to the ground. For a moment, the bird blazed in all its glory; then a woman stepped out of the flames, shaking out her vibrant, colorful hair.

A few lone voices shouted out, "Carver!" before the rest of the crowd realized which nova this was. By the time the flames died down into the lean shape of Harold Anderson, fans know who the other nova was and were already screaming his name.

They had agreed to use the public entrance, mostly for XWF management, who had encouraged Mythic to start being more visible. Carver had long come to love watching him interact with his fans, so she had been agreeable. And her own issues for being anxious around the public had faded; she wasn't a brand-new nodeling, afraid of her own power. She was a nova, powerful and beautiful, and she didn't care who saw it.

Mythic reached out and took her hand, then released her to slid his hand under her outfit and pull her close to his side. His blue eyes were firmly on her as they started to walk toward the main doors. "Aren't you going to greet some fans?" she asked.

"Fans?" Mythic asked, his eyes locked on her, his hand stroking her hip. "What?"

Carver gently removed his hand, slightly amused that her outfit was distracting him so much. "Hon, the ones over there; you should sign an autograph or three."

Harry finally saw them; putting his hand back on her hip, he gently steered himself over to the divider. He willingly released her to sign the autographs, and Carver stepped back. Without her in plain sight to distract him, he was able to focus on his fans and make some personal contacts with them. And Carver liked to see that; it was good for them and for him.

She glanced down at her dress, still amazed at the versatility of the eufiber. Long silver strips of satin hung from a silver collar, floating around her body. Skin was visible through the ribbons, but the eufiber never quite moved enough to show everything. Her sides were completely bared to the night air, all the way down to her silver sandals; a few months ago, Carver could have never worn this little. But now, she was fine with it; fine with bare skin and hints of even more indecency.

Of course, I dressed Harry to match, she thought. Well, kinda. He wore a blue see-through shirt, letting the world get a good look at the changes to his frame. The shirt was tucked into black leather pants that showed off the butt that Carver loved to-

*Now who's distracted by clothing?* Harry sent to her, turning his head enough to give her a wry grin - a grin that quickly turned sultry when he saw her again. "Ok guys, thanks for hanging out for a bit, but I have a party to join. Thanks and have a good night," Mythic said, handing back the marker and backing away from the fans. Returning to Carver's side, he slipped an arm around her again. She threaded her own arm around him and put her other hand on his chest, rubbing him gently.

Together, they walked into the fury and lights, and Carver began to look for their hosts. A flash of silver and gold to one side caught her eye, and she turned. The second she saw her hosts, she laughed. "Well, I can start feeling over-dressed now."

[Mithril]

Meghan accepted Knockout's proffered hand. To her surprise, Knockout firmly gripped her slender titanium hand and began to pump it strongly, the way a man would.

That's different, Meghan thought, startled, not resisting the firm handshake but also not reciprocating. Quite a handshake she's got there.

"My, uh, my first time here too," Meghan said.

Knockout abruptly stopped pumping Meghan's hand and looked a bit lost for what to do with it instead. Meghan smiled and slipped her fingers from Knockout's grasp and touched her left elbow in a familiar way.

"So," Meghan asked, looking around at the crowd a bit and noticing a few amused double takes from those standing nearby, "do you know anyone here? I don't, and it's kind of intimidating."

[Magnum Opus]

"Give me a second - "

Knockout kicks her brain into high gear and starts sorting through the crowds, looking for a familiar face - or at least one she's met in person. "Wow, It's like the Æon census," she says, somehow managing to pronounce an Æ. "There's Deadbolt and the Iron Cross and there's a girl with wings standing next to a statue and... wow. Nothing to the imagination there."

Fuck fuck fuck, I screwed up the handshake somehow. How do women shake hands? Do they shake hands? Think think think. Hell, would she care? She has to care. I'm sweaty. What is this, the prom? Suck it up, Danni. No, don't suck it up, don't suck up anything -

She continues to look around and finally spots someone. "Hey, there's Waki's wife, Ptesan-Wi! I met her - okay, sorta - when I met Waki and got my magic ball of quantum snot."

[GDP_ST]

It began as a cloud of sparkling motes in the sky not far overhead, dancing and whirling in indefinable patterns under the gaze of those below. All too quickly, to the accompaniment of gasps and not a few excited screams from the nova-watchers and curious tourists alike, the cloud imploded in a brilliant golden flash that resolved into an incandescent portal of solar fire. Flying out from the tunnel to elsewhere came an unmistakeable bronzed glowing figure carrying the slighter form of a dark haired woman.

Procyon was clearly enjoying himself, winking at Ai as cheers, yells, and more screams rose to greet their arrival, the crowds below easily recognising the controversial Terat and giving voice to their adulation with a primal ferocity that caused the very heavens to ring. He circled overhead twice, letting their anticipation and excitement build. To the Asian woman, the scene resembled nothing so much as a pagan horde welcoming their god, imploring him with savage abandon to join them. By their frenzied mood, plainly a blood sacrifice was not out of the question, and the sensation was disturbingly infectious. She clutched a little tighter at Nan Ho as he brought them in to land not on the rooftop, but on the red carpet leading up to the main entrance!

Procyon's node pulsed strongly, his solar aura flaring brightly as he played the crowd like a master harpist, stoking the fires of their love and worship without letting those fires rage uncontrolled. The roar of the crowd slackened off in volume, awed hush meeting the Sun King and his lovely passenger as his bare feet touched down on the strip of scarlet material that led into the Phoenix Room. As part of the same graceful motion, he set Ai down beside him, one well-muscled arm protectively and reassuringly curled around her slender waist. She was elegance itself, wearing a white silk sleeveless cheongsam dress, embroidered with butterflies and peonies, with light blue cording, and a pair of thin-strapped high heels. She eschewed makeup and jewellery, the golden tint of her skin accentuated by the radiance of her partner and highlighting her natural beauty. Her sole concession to accessorizing was to put her hair up in an artful tumble of ebony, held in place with two silver pins.

By contrast, Procyon cut a much more primordial image. He was clad in nothing but a white silk

skirt in the ancient Egyptian style which left almost all of his bronzed and glowing body on display, and yet such was his inherent dignity he may as well have been clad in kingly robes. Glowing streaks of golden light followed the lines and curves of his musculature from head to foot, and the aura of solar radiance about him seemed to be distilled from the very essence of summer. As he stood there before them he was both flesh and divinity, both spiritual and carnal in his appeal.

He smiled broadly at the expectant throng and inclined his head in acknowledgement, the heavenly azure sparkle of his eyes drawing them all in. Yes. I have noticed your worship, and am well pleased. I thank you. his demeanour said louder than words, and the crowd voiced their excitement once more as the pair turned and walked arm-in-arm along the red carpet towards the entrance. Cameras flashed, journalists spoke passionately into their cameras, and amongst the crowd's atavistic roar of adulation other voices could be heard shouting more coherent messages of support for the Sun King. For his part he acknowledged as many as he saw, meeting each earnest gaze with a smile and a barely-perceptible nod of thanks. Eventually they made it to the doorway, the bouncer there stepping to one side with a respectful nod as Procyon smiled at him. The doorman's place was quickly taken by another figure.

"Oh my god!" 'Ironskin' Andy Vance exclaimed as he advanced on the couple, a huge smile on his beautiful face.

"Close." Procyon grinned, plainly enjoying the effect he was having. He had never been to the Phoenix Room, and now wondered just what had been so important as to have missed this. Vance just shook his head at the solar nova, tutting in mock disapproval as his eyes travelled up and down Procyon's body.

"I don't think I've ever seen you wearing so little, Procyon. Scandalous!" The flamboyant manager and primary host of the Phoenix Room scolded his guest as though he himself was wearing more than a scrap of eufiber around his hips in the shape of vermillion thong briefs. His long-lashed gaze turned to Ai. "And who is this lovely lady? Shame on you, Procyon, for not letting me know you were attached!" The smiling nova let out a faint dramatic sigh. "Ah, well. At least Jake can relax." He said with obvious humor twinkling in his eyes.

"I don't think Jake ever had anything to worry about." The Sun King smiled charmingly at Ironskin. "This wonderful lady is Li Ai Jun Yen, my partner. Ai this is, of course, Ironskin Andy Vance, the finest nightclub host and manager in the world." He gave Ai a gentle hug with the protective arm he still had around her, aware that his love's natural reserve was making the transition into any sort of limelight difficult, least of all the notorious limelight associated with the Phoenix Room.

"Delighted to meet you, Li Ai Jun Yen." Vance smiled at her winningly. "Welcome to the Phoenix Room, both of you. Even you, you shameless flatterer." He winked at Procyon and ushered them in.

Ai took a deep breath and steadied her nerves as the inner doors swung open and they stepped into the noisy, vibrant atmosphere of the Phoenix Room.

[GateKeeper]

There was no magnificent entrance that astounded the Novaphiles. In fact there was not much of an entrance at all. Benjamin had arrived well before the sun had gone down just as the doors had first opened. Andy had words with him for opening the gate into the building before the Phoenix Room opened for the day.

That was a week ago and he had been coming every night since. He drank and watched the goings on that happened nightly. Drama, sex, violence it was better than the OPnet and it cost him a few drinks, good cheap entertainment. The tab he carried was strong he prepaid with a suitcase full of money and had more piled up at home when he needed them.

The usuals were all here Iron Cross, Corsair. It could have been Cheers and the screams of NORM replaced by Hellion! When the fiery skulled man in a Sharp business suit came up to the bar next to him. The martini hit the countertop before the fiery skull sat down. He scooped it up and drained it. Ben had given up on trying to figure out how a skull of fire could drink something three nights ago. It was just another of the bizarre things that he had given up on trying to figure out.

"So Ben what do we have in here tonight? Anything juicy yet?" The skull turned around to face toward the first level dance floor examining various bodies here and there.

"Seems to be some unusuals in here tonight. Dunno if it is a closed party thing or not. So far they do not seem to be heading back to the green room or the palace." Ben took another sip of his stout ale and pointed toward the girls chatting. "I think I recognize them though and a few others. Bunch of regulars who frequent one of the N! sponsored OPforums."

The skull guzzles his drink which was replaced by another. "OPnet trolls then. A convention in town?" "I dunno if they're trolls Ghostrider." Ben said as he mocked the fellow next to him. "Some of them are pretty hard core. Like that guy over there." He pointed across the floor to the nearly sculpture like form of Singularity. "Heard that guy was an elite before he settled down with the angel beside him. They might be trolls but I read enough on that site to know these guys have plenty of shit happen to them."

"Well then." Hellion said with a certain devious note in his voice. "We might actually get some entertainment in tonights episode of As The Phoenix Burns."

Gatekeeper rolled his eyes and took a long drink.

[Erin 'Stellar' Donovan]

Stellar walked in the Phoenix Room and looks over the myriad of quantum expressions, a smiling creeping across her face as she felts the music, it’s relentless beat infecting her with energy.

“Wow. This is niiiice. It’s kind of like the locker room.. only with alcohol. Okay.. with more alcohol.” She commented aloud to herself as she took in the atmosphere and unconsciously made her way to the dance floor.

’Time to blow off some steam.’ she thought as she held her arms back, as if letting her jacket slide off, but instead it just flowed into her corset, melding with the rest of the Eufiber and leaving no trace of it’s previous existence. Her sparkling aura brightened as she moved into the group of dancing novas, closing her eyes and letting the music take her. She moved with an inhuman grace, as if the dancing was more than second nature. Her natural grace and athleticism only further enhanced by the quantum energies flowing through her.

It was not long before she ended up in a friendly, but fierce, dancing contest with another nova. She didn’t recognize him, but the relaxed smile on his face made his intention clear. Soon they were dancing as only novas can, using every bit of their strength, agility and speed in the novox equivalent of dance with a broad smile on each of their sweat coated faces…

[Machina]

Ibiza's a big town full of little gods. Proto-men and super-women with more power than responsibility and more brass than brains, for whom the end of getting what they want always justifies the most damn, dirty means. A bad place for a mug like me. I'm not even sure why I'm here.

Ibiza. It's been a long time, you beautiful, neon bitch.

The sun is fading over the horizon like the closing eye of a watchful god even as the little gods come out to play, the warden gone to bed for the night. I make my entrance into an alley between a couple of technotronic abominations thanks to my latest toy, a magnetic field generator that transfers all matter in a two-foot radius to a set of predetermined coordinates. It works by- ah, fuck it, you wouldn't understand, anyway. Took me six months and a bunch of dead guinea pigs to work the bugs out of the fucker, but I had plenty of reference material. Seems like half the mutants on the planet can do something like this, now. Almost makes me glad I'm not chasing abominations halfway across the world, anymore. The job gets a lot harder when your mark can slip away right in front of you and end up in Tokyo faster than you can squeeze off a round.

I'd hoped nobody would see me coming in, but tough luck tonight. The cultists are already in full form, drinking and laughing and fucking in dark alleys. Some kid's buried hilt-deep in a pretty young thing not seven feet from where I land, and when he sees me, he stops thrusting into the wall and turns around with a shock.

"Holy shit! Holy shit!" He tucks his brain back in his pants like dad just walked in. The girl clasps her hands over her skirt in mute shock.

I grimace back. The kid is a buck-twenty of glitter and hair dye and uninformed notions. They both look like a fourteen year-old girl spilled a big glass of bad ideas all over them.

"I mean, sorry!" He's stammering, trying to figure out what he wants to do. "C-can I...um...have your autograph?" Fuck's sake.

"Get a job." I jab him in the solar plexus with two outstretched fingers and push past him, leaving him doubled over and coughing. Fuckin' kids these days are such unbelievable little pieces of trash. I hit the end of the alley and light up a butt, spying the Phoenix Room up the lane. A line of people stretch from the entrance like an ant colony at Mardi Gras, but those are the baseline hangers-on and would-be starfuckers waiting to get a piece of some mutant's table scraps. The entryway itself is clear for a fifteen foot radius, cordoned off with Studio 54 velvet rope. I eye the doorman. Aw, great.

I bypass the chimp line, thankful that only a handful of even the other novas can make me. A few people give curious glances to the mug in the camos and boots who can't be bothered to queue up, but nobody says anything. I make it up to the door and push past a few of the peasants before getting up behind some dickhead with a liquid latex crescent moon crawling halfway up his ass and covering a bulge that was half as big as the one that protruded from the latex. Nobody said eruptions came with bigger equipment.

The bouncer gives Mr. Fragile Ego a pat on the ass as he traipses into the musical din blasting out of the front doors before turning over to me. He's already got his sales pitch going before he sees who I am. "And thank you for coming to the Phoenix Room, sir, how can I--" He cuts off as his gaze meets mine and he wipes the smile from his face like he just found out I fucked his boyfriend. "Oh. It's you." The last word comes with enough venom to castrate.

"Vance.", I observe. 'Ironskin' Andy Vance. I don't like the fucker. We've got a history, he and I. Back when I was with the company, he fucked up an Op for us so badly that it took us years to recoup the loss in terms of Intel. It's no secret that Aeon's as dirty as they come, but with Holden's evidence, we might have been able to do something about it. She ended up in the hands of the Teragen, no surprise, there. I would've liked to have run the mincing little faggot in for obstruction of justice, but the brass couldn't have made it stick. Vance's got too many friends.

"Machina." The light returns to his face, and he's all sunshine and rainbows again. He isn't playing me for a chump, of course, just mugging for the cameras. With a rep like his, you can't afford to let even a jerk like me catch you off your guard. "Delighted to see you again! You are, of course, welcome." He fakes out a laugh, and even I feel a little enchanted there, for a second. "I won't be expecting any trouble from you this evening, will I?" His voice is preening, but the question is all business.

"Not me", I tell him. "I'm just here for a night off, same as everyone else."

"Well, you enjoy yourself, sir. Have a wonderful evening." He offers his hand to shake it. The thing was as masculine as they come, but he held it like a housewife. I shake it and smile.

A tingle runs up Vance's arm, like an electrical current, and he withdraws it with a reflexive jerk. I smile at him genuinely and bang my chest with my knuckles, producing a dull, hard sound. "Thanks, Vance. Think I will." I stride past him and into the strobe of colors and noises. Vance shoots daggers into my back with his eyes, scowling like a spurned date off the cameras before turning to greet the next guy with the same photocopy charm he did the last hundred.

"And thank you for coming to the Phoenix Room, sir, how can..."

The inside was even bigger than the Amp Room, and in its time, I'd never seen a place bigger and more opulent. This was Babylon. No, fuck that. This was Mount fuckin' Olympus.

I scan the crowd, looking for a familiar face. I want to meet some new people tonight, maybe someone I could work from a clean slate with. I remind myself to try and be on my best behavior tonight, but I've already begun to dress down some of the yokels. Who the fuck is he, Scrotumus, the god of Body Waxing? From the entryway, I spot a few familiar faces, some of them I know from the OpNet forum, which was the only real contact I'd had with many mutants lately. I nail down that the pompous fella with the tiger's head is the guy who called himself 'Long'. I got the reference, but it's funny as hell to me, anyway. And what the fuck is he wearing? Are those big shorts or tiny pants? A bright little thing I nail down as the one who calls herself 'Stellar' is dancing out on the floor with some mook, and making a damn fine vision of herself while doing it. Made me wish I was about fifteen years younger. I was looking for Sing and Codex specifically, seeing as how this little party was their idea and I'd be prevailing on their courtesy to be here. Figured I should introduce myself. Hell, we'd only ever spoken over the Op. Nice kids. Probably deliriously happy. I light up another butt and decide to hit the bar first off. I put a fist to the countertop, hard enough that the ginslinger knows I'm there. "Whisky rocks", I say loud enough to be heard over Cheap Thrill's electronic novox nightmare cover of 'Cowboys From Hell'.

The sculpted statue of a woman behind the counter's got fire shooting out of her eyes and not a strip of cloth on. I like a little more left to the imagination, but I gotta admit, this ain't too bad. She serves up the drink and I chuck a wadded twenty to her, which she lets sail past her to the floor below. She gives me a nice shot of the goods as she bends over at the waist to pick it up. My heart beats a little faster, and I throw her a ten-fin before giving her a tough-guy wink and turning back to the bar. I dash out my butt and light another, when I spot a familiar face a few seats down.

Well, a hundred and change familiar faces, if you want to get technical.

I know he knows I'm there, but he lets me get close enough, anyway. I slap him playfully on the shoulder. "Hugin, you son of a bitch! You bitch! How the fuck are you, Mighty Hermaphroditey?"

And I gotta admit it. I check him out.

[Long]

After a bit of nova watching Long makes his way over to Singularity and Samhra. Noting their dress he chuckles lightly. I'm wearing a jacket and shorts and I'm the one who's overdressed here. I swear, our kind has no sense of modesty. The thought only made him smile and chuckle more, he knew he was starting to show his age in his thoughts.

He smiles as he walks up to them and extends a hand to Singularity and then Samhra. "Good evening my friends. It's nice to see you and some of the others again. He turns his head back to the crowd and smiles, then looks back to the silver and golden couple. "It seems that some of our friends are already enjoying themselves. I'm glad you decided to put this little gathering together."

He looks down to Ptesan-wi and smiles. "It's good to see you here. I always thought you needed to get out a bit more. Though I must ask, how'd you get here?"

[Singularity]

Seeing the Lakota woman, Singularity smiles and nods in greeting to Ptesan-Wi as she approaches, "Good evening, I'm glad you could make it. I suspect the Phoenix Room isn't necessarily your first choice of places to visit, but it definitely has its charm, eh?" Although his omnipresent sense of peace outwardly remained with him, it was definitely not as infectious as it normally had been in the past.

"Indeed, I'm quite pleased the night has started well," he smiled while taking Long's offered hand, "And hopefully it will stay enjoyable for the remainder." There was an unspoken matter, about what had recently transpired with absent novas, but there was no need to discuss that now. The night was about enjoying the opportunity to relax and ignore the storm that was beginning to brew throughout the world, not to bring that storm here.

[Ghostwriter]

Samhra looks over the gathering crowd with a mixture of amusement and pleasure in her over-large, cat-pupilled, amber-golden eyes. The Phoenix Room was possibly the only place (apart from the infamous Blackbern Hotel) where she looked almost common place. Her slight body, toned and golden, was overlaid with a filigree of textured liquid latex that was the colour of tarnished gold - and nothing else. But unlike Singularity, she had gone one step further in her decoration - tarnished gold filigree was painted onto her golden-brown wings, matching designs emphasising the alien contours of her face. She was exotic... She was alien... She was Other.

She greets Ptesan-Wi with a broad smile. "Hello," is all she says before gesturing to a place next to her.

"Long! I hope all is well with you and your entire family," she tells the man-tiger quietly.

She greets other people as well, from friends to enemies, with equal warmth and amusement.

[Long]

"My children are well, as is my sister. Timeslip, to my knowledge, is also doing as well as can be expected." There's a hint of pain in his voice, and in his eyes as he speaks, but it passes.

"I must say you two are looking rather well. Painting the designs on your wings must have been something of a pain, but they're quite striking." His smile is genuine. He'd always found Samhra somewhat attractive, and her feline features stirred feelings in him usually reserved for his wife. Luckily he had years of controlling himself on his side. He'd never dream about taking another man's wife especially when said wife was among the best telepaths on the planet.

[Li Ai Jun Yen]

If any place, anywhere, epitomised the decadence associated with novakind, the Phoenix Room did. And for all the sickness and perversion Ai had seen in her long life as a police officer, she really was an innocent when it came to the sheer indulgence inherent in the lives of the rich and famous, especially those with a node. So long as she had a roof over her head, two meals a day and clothing to wear, she was content. Anything else was indulgence. Unnecessary indulgence.

She had considered herself well-off after joining the police with a real apartment in Denpasar's Chinatown. Her clothing had been good-quality, given at discount from a cousin who was only too happy to have the police bully-boys taken off his back. She ate twice a day. What more could she have wanted?

But now she realised, as she looked over the interior of the most infamous nova club in the world (barring the Blackbern), that she had still been living in poverty and even squalor compared to the individuals filling this place. Her dress, chosen because of its understated elegance amongst the racks of clothing in Chicago's Chinatown, appeared little better than chain-store clothing compared to the... creations other novas wore. She had chosen simple jewellery for a simple hairstyle. She was the poor cousin amongst these beings.

What Ai did not realise that some of the over-dressed, over-painted people in the crowd looked at her enviously. She had the beautiful Sun King by her side, arm wrapped around her slender waist. Her simple elegance made the flashiness of others' garments look tawdry and garish.

She did not realise this, and so she remained silent as Procyon drew her through the crowd, remaining his shadow of pastel shades, ivory and black.

[Hugin]

Hugin turns towards the walking field of vulgarity and venom. She smiles and dips her head in the barest of nods, "I do splendidly, thank you everso."

He takes his drink from the bar and glides over an empty table. Sitting with perfect grace she nudges the other chair towards Machina with the barest flick of a toe, "So, what brings you here? Found that denigrating the lovemaking abilities of novas online lacks the visceral punch of saying it to their faces?"

Before Machina can answer Hugin glances towards Long and Co. as they speak, "How nice. The little woman is on the run from Utopia and there he stands, listening to Novox and gazing at semi-nude gods and goddesses. Family values at its finest.

[GDP_ST]

Spotting the towering shape of Long, Procyon's eyes quickly caught sight of Ptesan-Wi, Singularity and Samhra next to the tiger man. He grinned widely at the 'costumes' adorning the latter two and turned to Ai, still smiling.

"Come. I see some friends of mine that I would love for you to meet." He drew the slender woman with him through the crowd, nodding and smiling to novas, of various shapes and sizes, as they let he and his partner pass through the throng with casually respectful nods of their own. Whilst not an Phoenix Room regular, Procyon was a name and face well known, and many sets of eyes followed him and Ai as they moved over to Samhra's party.

For his part, the Sun King's mind was busy cataloguing possible troublemakers. There were Terats here tonight, many of them. While most were Pandaimonion, and therefore hardly likely to be interested in trifling with him, appearances could be very deceptive, especially amongst Terats. He smiled faintly as he spotted Stellar (it could only be her) ruling the dancefloor, but passed by without disturbing her as he closed in on his objective.

"Ladies, gentlemen." His tone was formal as he nodded with reserved politeness to the group, a facade that cracked as he grinned ear to ear.

"Samhra, Ptesan-Wi," He smiled at the two women. "You both look beautiful, ladies." He took and kissed their hands with exaggerated chivalry, his blue eyes twinkling mischievously before he turned to the two men.

"Long." Procyon smiled and clasped the tiger-man's hand firmly as he made a simple greeting. "And Singularity. A pleasure to finally meet you under social circumstances." He shook hands warmly with the ex-elite before drawing Ai forward a little more.

"I would like you all to meet Ai, my good friend and partner. Ai, you probably know all of these notables through reputation, but to make it formal, this is Long, husband of Timeslip; Ptesan-Wi, White Buffalo Woman of the Lakota tribe and Wakinyan's wife; Samhra, Mistress of Symbols and Knowledge; and Singularity, the calmest nova in existence apart from possibly Scripture, and the lucky object of Samhra's affections." Procyon smiled with warm good humour as he made the introductions with aplomb.

[Ptesan-Wi]

Ptesan-Wi had barely taken her seat beside the winged Samhra when a very familiar sun god walked up to the table. With obvious excitement, her face lit up, as if reflecting his glow. "Procyon! I didn't know you were going to be here; good to see you again!" The sheer alienness of the people here was still verging on overwhelming, but somehow, between Samhra and Singularity and Procyon, the world was starting to settle back out for the young woman.

At Procyon's introduction of his companion, Ptesan-Wi turned her smile to the Asian nova and said, "It's nice to meet you, Ai."

[Long]

Long smiled and greeted Procyon and Ai as they joined the growing cluster of novas. "You're looking Well Procyon, the children asked about you before I left. The asked me to tell you that they enjoyed meeting you."

He looks down to Ai and smiles pearly white fangs and pointed teeth gleaming in the light. "It is a pleasure to meet the woman who is the envy of nearly every female here." He bows slightly and returns to his seat. "This is shaping up to be a nice little gathering."

[Mithril]

"I haven't seen Ptesan-Wi in forever," Meghan replied to Knockout. "I even managed to miss her at the Pow-Wow somehow. Wanna go say hi to her?"

As Meghan had asked this, at least a half-dozen other novas had congregated around Ptesan-Wi.

"Damn, that didn't take long," Meghan mused.

[Magnum Opus]

Knockout looks between the various novas congregating around Ptesan-Wi, looking a bit nervous.

I'm still thinking about Waki. What if it happens around another one of them...? Does this body think on its own? I don't want to wake up tomorrow sandwiched between a tiger dude with a big fuzzy wang and a girl who's all... metallic...

Don't think that about her. She's very nice. And maybe you're just inventing excuses so you can stand here by your pillar and be bored, like you did in high school and every time you went out drinking with pals. C'mon, Danni. Live a little. Worst thing that can happen is...

You know what, don't think about the worst thing that could happen. Think about the best.

"Yeah. Let's go say hi." She psyches herself up and joins the congregation, waving to Ptesan-Wi. "Hi Ptesan! I finally get to meet you in the flesh!"

And what flesh it is, she mentally comments.

Wait, can she read my thoughts? Oh fuck me. No, no, don't fuck me. Sorry Ptesan-Wi. I didn't mean to offend. You there? I'm talking to myself. I'm thinking to myself. I am five goddamn years old.

[Mithril]

Meghan followed Knockout to the knot of familiar novas, and only snuck one or two glances at her keister on the way there.

"Peoples!" Meghan said cheerfully, addressing everyone at once. The odd looks she got in return reminded her that she still looked like a metal version of Knockout.

I'll wait until someone mentions it, she decided. Totally act like it's no big deal or anything.

[GDP_ST]

Procyon smiled at the newcomers, trying not to chuckle at Meghan's imitation of the busty and beautiful young woman who accompanied her.

"Hello, Meghan Made of Titanium." Procyon stepped forward and gave her a gentle hug, his smile warmly genuine. "That's a good look for you." He teases as he turns to Ai, taking her hand in his and introducing her to the metallic nova girl. "This is Ai, my partner. Ai, this is Meghan, better known as Girl Made of Titanium."

He grinned, turning to the 'original model' and extending a hand.

"I'm Procyon. A pleasure to meet you, young lady."

[Magnum Opus]

Knockout looks at the hand for a moment.

Okay. Clearly I screwed it up before. How do women do this? Christ almighty, it's a handshake! I can juggle chainsaws and lift a car. I can shake a guy's hand.

Knockout takes Procyon's hand and half-shakes it, half-pumps it, not quite in synch with however Procyon wants to shake hands. It gets worse over long moments as Knockout continues to shake his hand...

What's the etiquette here? When is a good cut off point for shaking the hand? Do I let go? Does he let go? Is it mutual? Stop staring at him. Say something fast. And smart.

"You're bright."

Bright? Bright. Yes. He is. No one's gonna call you bright, though...

[Machina]

James - well, fuck it, I guess he's calling himself 'Hugin' now, and he doesn't look like the timid little guy I used to know - Hugin, he grabs his drink, some nova-age cocktail with a cute name that sounds like a stripper, and saunters over to one of the precious few empty tables left near the bar and parks his ass in a seat like his rump was insured by Lloyd's of London. I'd never show it, but this is all a little unsettling. James did his little disappearing act about the same time I did mine. I came back with a couplea bullet wounds more than I had before, a few more lines around the eyes and a red clearance from the Oversight Commission. He came back with a tan and a vagina.

I couldn't help but feel a little gypped.

Still, the voice, the movements, it was Prodigy, alright. He wasn't one man among several, anymore, it was as though all the voices in his head shut up and decided to play nice, for a change. He looked composed, even arrogant. I tell ya, if I didn't know better I'd say the slick bastard was sizing me up.

A feminine toe beckons me near like a lighthouse by way of pushing a chair out to meet my beltline. Not too proud to share a drink with an old friend and make myself look damn liberal in the process, I take it and kick my feet up to the tabletop, my glass getting dangerously close to empty. Measly portions. The dame at the bar with the fire in her eye musta' wanted me back. Maybe I'll oblige her.

"So, what brings you here? Found that denigrating the lovemaking abilities of novas online lacks the visceral punch of saying it to their faces?" Oh, he's a charmer, alright. If a buddy'd said it with a shit-eatin' grin and a slap on the shoulder, it would've been like back in the service. Those wonderful motherfuckers never let up. But Hugin wasn't pulling any "how-ya-doin'-old-chum" on me. Coming from him, I could help but feel like someone was tryin' to get me between the sheet, or at least get me at attention for a flag salute. I wasn't biting.

I wanted to ask about Barnes. He did the little douchebag pretty dirty, and I wanted to know why. We all did, those of us who were still playing. I found out about the incident several months before Prodigy tapped out. The others had mutually agreed to declare hands off after the affair and the threats that followed. I didn't. You can go AWOL, but you're still in the service, and nobody gets to just tap out after breaking the rules. B'sides, I didn't figure the man'd respect me if I just layed off because he said so. That ain't the way I operate. No man bosses me around, least of all some ex-man X-man with a ponytail.

Still, I couldn't complain. Since his interests had taken the long nap, Japan was faltering slightly, and my stake had risen more than the price of a pack of smokes. There wasn't a whole lot of competiton now that Barnes was out, too, but hey, I'm not heartbroken. Other tin gods will come, and maybe one or two of them'll provide something of a challenge.

Anyway, I knew he was just busting my rocks, so I wasn't going to bother replying. He knew the score.

Passing a sidelong glance off to a group behind me, he squints a little, doing that calculating bitch thing women do when they're about to talk shit about someone who isn't around. "How nice. The little woman is on the run from Utopia and there he stands, listening to Novox and gazing at semi-nude gods and goddesses. Family values at its finest."

I crane my head around to the mook he's mentioning. I gather that the one he's referring to is the furrie I spotted on the way in, 'Long'. 'Timeslip's old man. Can't say I much cared about what happened there, one way or the other. I guess they figure it's a tragedy because one of the tin gods fell down. Fuck it. Like we used to say in the 75th, "Better you than me." Surprises me the way some of these fuckers'll kill a score of zips without batting an eyelid and turn around to act like a coal miner's widow when one of their own snuffs it. Guess the only life they hold sacred is their own mistake of a species. I couldn't decide whether I wanted to believe they were short-sighed, selfish, stupid, or just rat fuckin' bastards.

I spot a few others I'm pretty sure I know. That one's got to be Procyon, the Golden Boy, though I don't know who the pretty little slant clinging to his waist like the Quantas bear is. There's some Indian dame (feather, not dot) who looks pretty out of her element, some busty little thing who looks uncomfortable in her own skin being followed around by a clone or somethin', and a couple who I immediately pin down as Sing and Codex. I've got to admit, the girl looks good, but I liked her better, before. Those thighs look like they could kill me in my sleep, but the eyes send a shiver up my spine. And look at Sing. Man, I like the guy well enough, but talk about fuckin' narcissism. I bet he likes jerking off better than sex.

I turn back to Hugin, having evaluated the crowd, take a strong gulp from my drink and put it down on the tabletop with a gesture that would tell any Australians in the room I was looking for a fight and any American that I needed another goddamn drink. I lounge my arm across the top of the chair's backrest and snort. "Ease up, Martha. Everyone deserves the ocassional night off." I smirk at him. "Anyway, this seems to be a little out of character for a bunch of us." Before he can respond, I snatch a glass off the next table, some neon blue piss that wasn't receiving enough attention from the joker in front of it, who presently seemed to be enjoying what looked like champion head administered by a throbbing field of pink electricity in the vague form of an eight year-old. I raised the drink high above my head and declared, "A toast! To Barnes!", and gunned the shot in a pulse. I gagged and coughed up something I hadn't noticed that had been sitting at the bottom of the cup.

Shit. Honestly, who the fuck smokes menthols, anymore?

[z-Carver]

Together, Carver and Mythic started to join Singularity and Samhra, but before they'd gotten far, they were stopped by a group of novas who were every bit as fan-boyish as the baselines they'd left outside. They were a lot more subtle and casual about it, but they still had that fan eagerness to meet their heroes.

By the time they had untangled themselves politely from that, a small group had gathered around the silver and gold couple. Some were familiar; most were not. And those who are familiar, know my secret. Well, except for Procyon, Carver tried not to think. She had long resigned herself to living with Ghost, and this was just one of those times that specter could haunt her.

Still, she was smiling as she joined the circle of novas. "Hi, guys!" Carver grinned with enthusiasm, her eyes flicking over each person carefully, noting little things here and there. She tried to stop, but her training was second-nature to her, even less voluntary than breathing now. And through it all, her expression of open friendliness never faltered.

And none of her thoughts marched across her face either, including the sudden realization that the silver-colored woman was the Girl Made of Titanium. *So that's the shapeshifting tart who wrapped herself around you,* she thought.

*Honey,* Harry thought, tightening his hand on her hip.

*No worries,* Carver sent back to him, amusement and hostility all rolled into her tone. *If I really had a problem with it, she'd be bleeding by now.*

"It's good to see you all again," she said to the people she knew, and to the new faces, she gave a quick introduction. "I'm Jael Willa Carver; call me Carver. And this is Harold "Mythic" Anderson, my boyfriend." She gives him a look meant to just be warm, but everyone else can see the goofy expression of someone who is totally, completely, in love.

[GDP_ST]

With a slight grin, Procyon (somehow) manages to extricate his hand from Knockout's with enough grace to save both of them from an awkward moment. He blinks at the stunning blonde's comment, a flustered look falling over his face.

"You noticed?" He affects a surprised and slightly abashed tone, but then impish laughter is clearly present in his sky-blue gaze for a few seconds before a small smile graces his lips. "I was trying to be inconspicuous too..." he adds in a mock-mournful tone as Carver and her beau join the gathering. Winking good-naturedly at Knockout, he greets the newly-arrived pair.

"Carver, Mythic. Nice to meet you both in person." He grinned humourously at Carver before offering his hand to Mythic, polite interest in his gaze as he regarded the soft-spoken young XWF-er.

[Long]

Long smiles as Gmot and Knockout approach and greets them warmly. "It's a pleasure to see you both. I hope you're both enjoying yourselves." His voice is is deep and clear, evening seated Long is easily as tall as some of the standing novas.

When Carver and Mythic arrive he rises and greets them was well. "Mythic, Carver, my friends, it's a pleasure to see you here." He extends his hand to each of them, mindful of the black talons barely hidden in their sheathes at the end of his fingertips. "How have you both been?"

[Ptesan-Wi]

Despite the static, despite a raging case of the creeps that was hard to keep down, Ptesan-Wi felt great. Procyon was standing before her (in a loin cloth, no less), Samhra was by her side, Meghan was there camping it up as the "twin" to Knockout, Singularity radiated cheerful calm, even Long was adding his own form of banter to the gathering. In a way, they shielded her from the raging storm of alien novaness that filled the room, despite being a part of it. Even with Wakinyan being half-way around the world, Ptesan-Wi was safe in the company of friends, and the joy in her smile couldn't be hidded even if she had tried.

[Singularity]

The virtual but gregarious assault of novas doesn't seem to unbalance the placid Singularity. Instead, he turns to greet each in turn with relaxed grace, "Indeed, Procyon, it's much better to meet under these circumstances.

"A pleasure," he smiled warmly to Ai, "Procyon has spoken highly of you and I'm quite pleased to see things have worked out for the two of you.

"Good evening and thank you for coming," he dipped his head slightly to Knockout and Meghan with a hint of humor in his voice, "It's interesting to see the mixture of flesh and metal from an outside perspective.

"And, again, it's good to see the two of you under pleasant circumstances," he smiled at Carver and Mythic, "As well as to see the two of you to have a chance to get out of the New York." If this kept up, the club would be populated solely with friends and acquaintances.

And with such a large gathering of patrons, it wasn't long before a waiter stopped by the small group, "Does anyone want anything to drink?"

"Just a ginger-ale for me, please," Ptesan-Wi spoke up immediately from her quiet spot within the collection of novas.

The waiter nodded and Singularity spoke up after the order was recorded, "A glass of water when you can." Although he was not that thirsty, there was no reason to slow down the service for others.

Two orders taken, the waiter smiled politely at the other novas, "Who else would like something to drink?"

[Magnum Opus]

Knockout lets Procyon extract his hand and feels her heart flutter as he winks.

Oh, my goodness. Is every nova going to provoke this in me? Even the ones with guy parts?

She lets the question hang in her brain as she listens to the others talk. It's been unusual to not be the center of attention these last few months, and this marks a nice change of pace for her.

You know... for a girl made of titanium, she's...

She's made of titanium.

Her gaze wanders slightly and she notices several other novas carting around drinks with smoke curling out of the top. Hmmm. Drinks. They say they make something here that can get a nova drunk...

How bad do I want to get drunk, though? What happens if I fly home drunk? I'll have to find a place to crash around here. I only really know Ptesan-Wi... what if hotels need me to show some I.D? Or they only speak Spanish? Or...

At that moment, Singularity flags down a waiter.

... stop coming up with reasons to say 'no,' Danni.

"I'll take one of those, whatchamacallits, those Amp Wells." She extracts her wallet from her belt with a shlurp! noise, opens it up and winces. "And can anyone loan me however much these things'll cost, if they cost more than twenty bucks?"

(OOC Info: A sharp and/or nosy viewer might notice that Knockout's drivers license is in plain view and reads "Daniel Waters," and features a photograph that looks exceedingly male.)

[Long]

Long nods in response to the waiter's question. "The strongest Sake you have, I didn't get to try it last time."

Looking over to the young nova he'd heard called Knockout he nodded. "I'll cover it. I take it it will be the first time you ever had one."

He nods to the waiter. "Add whatever she wants to my bill for tonight."