Thursday, December 31, 2009
Grim turned over in bed and saw butterfly wings. “Hey, Sonic, what’re you doing here?”
He next heard a creak of a bowstring being drawn. He focused and saw a young dark-haired man with a laurel crown, dressed in a red toga with a black-tipped arrow pointed right at his eye.
“You’re not Sonic.”
The arrow held steady. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”
Grim slowly sat up, and the arrow tracked him. “You're Cupid?”
“Do I look like a cupid to you?” he stormed.
“You all kind of look the same—“
The bowstring tightened, and he placed it against his cheek, taking aim. “I am Anteros, son of Aphrodite by Ares.” Grim must have looked confused, because he continued, “If you survive, look it up.”
“What did I do?”
“Where is your lover?”
Grim muttered, “Which one?”
“My point.” He aimed the arrow away from Grim’s head and to his chest. “Love is infinite? Of course it is. What did my mother tell you? You can’t lie to your lover, any of them. Not ‘lovers’, and not ‘all of them.’” He advanced. “You can have many lovers, Mik-ael, but one at a time.”
“But Stefan…”
“Loves you like an angel loves his charge. He’s devoted to you and your happiness. He’s full of God’s love for you, and no human can match that.” The bowstring slowly eased. “Of course you love him.”
“Shouldn’t I return it?”
“You’ve scorned it once. I should have shot you then.” He still held the bowstring loosely, and it was still aimed at Grim’s heart. “But, then, you didn’t decide to invoke the gods into your life until recently.”
“God invited himself in,” Grim said.
“They do that,” Anteros said, and suddenly let fly the arrow into Grim’s heart. Grim gasped and fell backwards against the bed.
He looked down at the gold arrow sticking out of his chest. He wasn’t bleeding. He tried to grasp it, but his hand went through it. “What the—“
Anteros slung the bow over his shoulder. “Make a decision. Until you do, you’ll love no others except them.” He turned his back to Grim. “When you do, give him the ring, and you can take out the arrow.”
“But what about—“
Anteros walked out the door, his wings brushing the doorframe. Grim went to the door to follow, but he was gone.
He looked down at the arrow again. He put his hand over the entry point, passing again through the arrow itself. He felt empty.
((RP notes: Only Grim and those attuned to divine vision can see the arrow))
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Michael opened the door from the deck to the dining room to find the family still milling about, this time to get seats at the table. Kevin said, "I'm sorry about the counter. I'll pay to fix it."
"Don't worry about it," said Jason. "We wanted to redo the kitchen anyway."
Thomas took a seat at the corner of the table, avoiding looking at Kevin. Lynne, Brian's wife, moved aside to make room for Michael and Kevin to squeeze in - Michael sat at her right and Kevin sat next to him, with Peter on Kevin's right.
Jason got up, a glass of wine in his hand. "A toast," he said, and everyone raised their wine glasses. "To family. To togetherness."
"Cheers!" everyone chorused, and Michael and Kevin clinked their glasses together. Food was passed around, ham, potatoes, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole...things Michael had remembered from his youth, things he thought he'd never see or have again. He looked at Kevin and so badly wanted to kiss him right there. Instead, he reached over and squeezed his hand. Kevin smiled at him, squeezed Michael's hand back.
"Want any more?" asked Lori, before reaching for his plate.
"No more," he said with a groan. "I'm stuffed."
"There's still dessert."
"Are you kidding?"
She laughed, and Kevin chuckled. "After presents," he said.
They helped clean up. Thomas still kept a long distance away from them, and Michael, out of respect, didn't want to push the issue either. It seemed neither did Kevin, as he gave the man a wide berth by taking up a position behind the bar while the rest of the family piled into the living room.
Jason came into the room dressed as Santa, and the kids went wild. He made his voice go deeper, and asked if they were good little boys and girl. Of course they were, so he gave them presents from his huge knapsack. Michael couldn't help but smile at the scene, and remember his own grandfather doing the same thing. He found himself leaning onto Kevin, his head resting on his shoulders. Jason called out Kevin's name, and he disengaged himself to go get a box.
"And Michael."
Sherry hadn't lied, saying there was something under the tree for him. Michael came around the bar, watching Kevin open his gift, a digital watch. Michael went to Jason and took the box. "You shouldn't have."
"Santa always rewards good boys and girls," he said with a smile and adjusting the beard. Michael smiled and headed back to the bar with his package.
He opened it, and stared at it. Kevin looked over at him, and grinned. "An iPod shuffle."
"Oh, wow..." He looked up at Jason, who was still passing out gifts. Michael leaned against the bar, overcome with emotion. Jason called Kevin again, but he looked at his lover, concerned. Michael waved him away, and regained his control. Then, he thought of something. He squeezed his way out of the room and headed to the bathroom. He went inside, locked the door, and conjured a circle...
Kevin saw Michael in the doorway. He knew he had stepped out, but wasn't sure where he was. He smiled at Michael and mouthed, "You okay?"
Michael nodded. Then suddenly one of the kids yelled, "Snow!"
Everyone's attention turned to the window. They all crowded around the bay window, and falling down gently onto a white layer on the ground, was snow. Kevin looked out the window, then at Michael. "Did you...?"
He smiled.
The three kids ran past Michael and out to the deck. The snow was only wet and cold, while the air itself was the same temperature as it had been before. With bare hands, kids made loose snowballs and pelted them at each other. Parents got cameras out and took pictures.
Jason came to the door and looked outside. "I can't believe it."
"It's only this house," said Peter, and looked at Kevin.
Kevin shook his head. "Wasn't me," but smiled up at Michael.
"It'll be gone in an hour," Michael said. "Enjoy it while it lasts."
Jason looked at Michael. "How did you do that?"
"Just a little something I picked up. Go on, go outside."
Some of the adults stepped outside, gingerly around the layer of snow on the ground. Kevin slipped his arm around Michael's waist. "You just couldn't wait until the mountains."
The End.
"Don't worry about it," said Jason. "We wanted to redo the kitchen anyway."
Thomas took a seat at the corner of the table, avoiding looking at Kevin. Lynne, Brian's wife, moved aside to make room for Michael and Kevin to squeeze in - Michael sat at her right and Kevin sat next to him, with Peter on Kevin's right.
Jason got up, a glass of wine in his hand. "A toast," he said, and everyone raised their wine glasses. "To family. To togetherness."
"Cheers!" everyone chorused, and Michael and Kevin clinked their glasses together. Food was passed around, ham, potatoes, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole...things Michael had remembered from his youth, things he thought he'd never see or have again. He looked at Kevin and so badly wanted to kiss him right there. Instead, he reached over and squeezed his hand. Kevin smiled at him, squeezed Michael's hand back.
"Want any more?" asked Lori, before reaching for his plate.
"No more," he said with a groan. "I'm stuffed."
"There's still dessert."
"Are you kidding?"
She laughed, and Kevin chuckled. "After presents," he said.
They helped clean up. Thomas still kept a long distance away from them, and Michael, out of respect, didn't want to push the issue either. It seemed neither did Kevin, as he gave the man a wide berth by taking up a position behind the bar while the rest of the family piled into the living room.
Jason came into the room dressed as Santa, and the kids went wild. He made his voice go deeper, and asked if they were good little boys and girl. Of course they were, so he gave them presents from his huge knapsack. Michael couldn't help but smile at the scene, and remember his own grandfather doing the same thing. He found himself leaning onto Kevin, his head resting on his shoulders. Jason called out Kevin's name, and he disengaged himself to go get a box.
"And Michael."
Sherry hadn't lied, saying there was something under the tree for him. Michael came around the bar, watching Kevin open his gift, a digital watch. Michael went to Jason and took the box. "You shouldn't have."
"Santa always rewards good boys and girls," he said with a smile and adjusting the beard. Michael smiled and headed back to the bar with his package.
He opened it, and stared at it. Kevin looked over at him, and grinned. "An iPod shuffle."
"Oh, wow..." He looked up at Jason, who was still passing out gifts. Michael leaned against the bar, overcome with emotion. Jason called Kevin again, but he looked at his lover, concerned. Michael waved him away, and regained his control. Then, he thought of something. He squeezed his way out of the room and headed to the bathroom. He went inside, locked the door, and conjured a circle...
Kevin saw Michael in the doorway. He knew he had stepped out, but wasn't sure where he was. He smiled at Michael and mouthed, "You okay?"
Michael nodded. Then suddenly one of the kids yelled, "Snow!"
Everyone's attention turned to the window. They all crowded around the bay window, and falling down gently onto a white layer on the ground, was snow. Kevin looked out the window, then at Michael. "Did you...?"
He smiled.
The three kids ran past Michael and out to the deck. The snow was only wet and cold, while the air itself was the same temperature as it had been before. With bare hands, kids made loose snowballs and pelted them at each other. Parents got cameras out and took pictures.
Jason came to the door and looked outside. "I can't believe it."
"It's only this house," said Peter, and looked at Kevin.
Kevin shook his head. "Wasn't me," but smiled up at Michael.
"It'll be gone in an hour," Michael said. "Enjoy it while it lasts."
Jason looked at Michael. "How did you do that?"
"Just a little something I picked up. Go on, go outside."
Some of the adults stepped outside, gingerly around the layer of snow on the ground. Kevin slipped his arm around Michael's waist. "You just couldn't wait until the mountains."
The End.
Friday, December 25, 2009
((Yes, I know I skipped a part. But we played it in game and it needs to be edited.))
Kevin gave Michael a disapproving look as he stepped out of the teleporter in the bedroom. "You went back to the base, again, didn't you?"
"Just to check and see--"
"We are on vacation."
Michael looked down. "Okay, I'm sorry."
Kevin turned over in bed. Michael climbed into bed next to him. "I won't go back, okay? Not unless they ask me."
"Give me that comm."
Michael took the comm out of his ear and handed it to Kevin.
He tossed it onto the nightstand. "Next time, I'll crush it. Got it?"
Michael nodded.
Kevin reached up and put his arms around Michael, and pulled him down to him. "We're here to enjoy ourselves, to relax. They'll be fine without us."
"I worry..."
"They will be fine without us." Kevin gave him the same steely look that his father gave him. Michael kissed him to try and get him to loosen up. It didn't quite work the way he intended.
Kevin pulled out the case of wine and Michael shut the trunk. Another car was in the driveway, so someone else had arrived at his parents' house. "Whose car is that?" Michael asked.
"Peter's."
Michael opened the screen door to the foyer and then knocked on the door. "Just open it," Kevin said with a smile, and Michael did, allowing Kevin to enter first. They were all crowded in the kitchen/dining room area. Michael saw Peter, talking to his father. Another woman was talking to his mother. If Michael wasn't gay, he would be smitten by her - she had very pretty Mexican looks, with long black hair, a sultry smile, and a stunning hourglass figure. She was nicely dressed, with a short skirt and heels and a soft print blouse that hung gently off her. Michael couldn't help but smile at her.
"Hi," he said, "I'm Michael, Kevin's boyfriend."
She turned to him and gave him that smile. "I'm Jenny."
He shook her hand, and then turned to his mother. "Hi, Tia."
His mother blinked, then laughed. "No, that means 'aunt' in Greek. My name is Lorianne, Lori for short."
Michael blushed. "I'm sorry..."
Lori laughed again and kissed Michael's cheek. "It's all right. I never properly introduced myself, it's my fault." She looked at Jenny. "Want to help me stuff the celery sticks?"
"Okay."
Michael asked, "Where's Sherry?"
"She's in the living room with her toys," she said.
"Okay." Michael left the kitchen and went passed the men milling in the dining room and appreciating the bottles of wine, to the living room with Sherry. She had the TV on and was playing with a set of what looked to him like Barbie dolls.
"Hi there."
She looked up. "Oh, hi, Michael! Look what Santa brought me!" Michael sat on the floor and watched patiently as she took out each toy to show him.
He nodded and made appropriate noises. Then he said, "I have one for you too. I didn't get one for his other nieces and nephews. This'll be our secret, okay?"
She smiled and clapped her hands together. "Okay."
Michael waved his hand and teleported the box from the car into his hand. Her eyes went wide. "Wow!"
He handed it to her. "Go ahead, it's real."
She took the box gingerly and carefully unwrapped it. She pulled out the unicorn. "What does it do?"
Michael tilted his head. "Do?"
"Does it do anything?"
"No, it's a statue."
"Oh." She looked crestfallen. Michael wavered between making it do something or not. He chose the latter. "It's not magic?"
"No, it's real."
"Oh." She looked up at Michael. "It's nice."
"You don't like unicorns?"
"They're okay." She put it back in the box and put it aside.
Michael got up, disappointed as well. "I'll let you play." He went into the other room, just as the back door opened. The men at the table turned to the door, and Jason called, "Hello, Brian."
Brian was bigger than Kevin, with darker hair and more chiseled looks that had been born in a gym. Michael looked from one to the other, and understood why Kevin was beaten up when he was a kid. He smiled to himself, hoping they would have a wrestling match and Kevin would throw his brother across the room.
"Merry Christmas!" he yelled, and set down a box full of wrapped gifts. Michael looked beyond Brian to see a pretty trophy wife standing silently behind him. The two kids already had their coats off and were heading into the living room to the Christmas tree to see what Santa brought. Michael had glanced down at them running past him.
Brian kissed his mother and strode past Michael without even an acknowledgement. Brian shook hands with his brothers. Brian's wife gravitated to the kitchen area. Michael just tucked himself against the stairwell, waiting.
Kevin looked over his shoulder to see Michael standing alone. He beckoned. Michael walked over to him, and Kevin put his arm around his waist. "Brian, meet Michael. Michael, Brian." Michael held his hand out. Brian shook it firmly, as if to show his strength. Michael refused to play that game, but he returned it just as firmly.
"Nice to meet you," Michael said.
"Yeah. You a hero too?"
"I'm a healer."
Brian snorted, and took off his coat. He handed it to his wife, who went upstairs with it. He attacked some flaky pastry appetizers with gusto, talking with his father about work.
The kids returned, "Can we open presents now?"
"We're waiting for Uncle Thomas," said Lori. Kevin introduced Brian's wife as Lynne.
"So what kind of stuff do you do, Uncle Kevin? Daddy said you're a vigilante."
Michael rolled his eyes, and Kevin looked down at the little boy that addressed him. "I save people," he said calmly, though Michael could feel his anger just beneath the surface.
"Don't you kill people?"
Kevin slowly looked up at his brother. "What have you been telling them?"
"Just the truth," he said, eating another pastry.
Kevin advanced two steps, and Michael put a hand on Kevin's arm. Kevin stopped for half a second, and then said coldly, "Let's step outside to discuss this."
Brian grinned. "All right, Kev."
His father cautioned, "Boys--"
But neither of them said anything as they left through the foyer outside. His father went to the door, and Lynne and Michael followed. Kevin's father filled the doorframe, but luckily Michael was taller than he was, so he could see and hear everything.
"I am not a vigilante," Kevin was in the middle of saying.
"You run around killing people who you think are against the law."
"Someone is stealing someone else's purse, what do you expect me to do? Walk away?"
"Everbody else does."
"I'm not everybody else."
"So you kill them instead."
"I don't kill them." Most of the time, Michael filled in.
"Vigilantes kill people."
"I am not. A. Vigilante." Kevin advanced, his hands clenched into fists. Michael put a hand on his father's shoulder and gave him a light push, to try and get past him. His father didn't move.
"What're you gonna do, hit me? You hit like a girl. Always--"
Kevin hauled off and punched Brian right in the face. He fell to the ground, holding his nose. His father yelled, "Kevin!" and finally got out of the doorway. Kevin saw nothing but the man writhing on the ground, and Michael knew his eyes would be blazing red. Michael rushed at Kevin and threw his arms around his shoulders, knowing he couldn't necessarily stop him, but hopefully get him to focus past the red haze that would be clouding his vision.
Kevin easily shrugged Michael off and advanced on Brian. He grabbed him by the front of his shirt and effortlessly lifted him up, holding him a few inches off the ground. "I am not a vigilante," he said clearly and angrily. "I am a hero." Then Kevin unceremoniously dropped him, turned on his heel with military precision, and marched past Michael, his father, and Lynne, to the door. His mother stood there, a look of utter shock on her face, but stepped aside for Kevin to enter.
Michael turned to Brian, who was being ministered to by the trophy wife. Brian pushed her away and struggled up. He thought for a minute to heal him, but then decided against it after that treatment. His father looked at Brian. "You pushed him," he said quietly. "You've been doing it for years."
Brian wiped his bloody nose and stormed into the house. His father then looked at Michael. Michael shrugged, and followed him back into the house.
There was a little bit of commotion when Brian came in looking for a towel. Michael got past everyone and found Kal in the living room, staring at the Christmas tree. Michael walked up to him and put an arm around his shoulders.
"I wanted to kill him," Kevin said quietly.
"But you didn't."
"I'm not going to apologize."
"I don't blame you."
Kevin turned his head and looked at Michael. "You understand."
Michael nodded, and squeezed Kevin's shoulders. Kevin regarded the Christmas tree.
"Kev," said Peter. Michael stepped away, still unsure as to the public displays of affection with the brothers around. Kevin turned around to face Peter. "You used that power you have."
"Yes," Kevin replied.
Peter glared. "You used it to hit your own brother."
Kevin returned the glare. Michael thought to pull the energy out of Kevin like he had done last night, but knew that if he did that, he would be the one rushing at Peter. This was not going well, Michael could see it.
And then, the last straw entered the picture.
"Merry Christmas!" boomed another voice at the door, and Michael groaned. Kevin, already on the edge of flaring into full rage, crossed the line and his aura flared up. Michael didn't know if Peter could see it, but he knew he would be able to feel the tension in the air. Peter glanced back into the other room.
Michael put his hands on Kevin's shoulders. "Breathe, Kevin..."
Kevin took a few deep breaths, as Peter had turned from them and headed into the kitchen. Finally, he advanced slowly to the doorway, Michael following.
Uncle Thomas looked at Brian, still holding a towel to his nose. "What happened to you?"
"Kevin hit me."
Thomas glared at Kevin. Kevin stood with his arms across his chest. "Your faggot boyfriend put you up to it?"
"That's it!" Kevin's aura flared, his eyes flamed red. The entire family stared at him. Michael kept his hands on Kevin's shoulders, trying to leech the anger. It was bottomless this time. Michael kept his eyes closed, knowing if he opened them, they would be on fire, too. He visualized the anger going from him, down into the floor and to the ground.
Kevin then stepped forward, disconnecting himself from Michael. Michael dispersed the last of the energy and opened his eyes. Kevin advanced on his uncle. "Since I've come out, you have always been condescending, and I've had it."
"Kev, don't." Jason stepped in front of him. "Kev, think about it what you're doing."
"I've thought about it, a long time." His eyes blazed and he glared at Thomas. "You insulted me, and insulted my boyfriend. Don't do it again."
"Or what?" snorted Thomas.
Kevin summoned his sword, and stabbed it into the counter top, centimeters away from Thomas' hand. Thomas jumped back, nearly falling over. Kevin then turned to Thomas. No one could see the look Kevin gave him, but it was enough to make him turn white. "Do you understand?"
The sword disappeared at Kevin's touch, though the mark remained in the counter top. He walked past the family, past the table, to the doors to the deck, and then stepped outside. Michael scooted past the chairs and ran outside to him.
Kevin stood against the wooden railing, gripping it so tightly he indented it. "I wanted..."
"I know."
Kevin looked down. Then, suddenly, Michael heard a purr. He turned and saw a silver cat walking across the other side of the railing, heading their way. Michael narrowed his eyes. "Dammit, Raina," he muttered.
"What?" Kevin turned to see the cat. "Raina?"
"That's Raina's cat form," Michael said. He walked over to the cat. "C'mon, Raina, we're doing fine." The cat looked up and mewed. Michael put his hand down and pet the cat. The cat rubbed up against his hand. "Raina..." He fished out his comm from his pocket and put it in his ear. "Jack, are you online?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Jack, where's Raina?"
"In the lab, why?"
"Are you sure?"
Raina's voice came over the comm. "I hear you, what's going on?"
Michael blinked, as the cat purred under his hand. "Uh, nothing. Out." Michael turned to Kevin. Kevin looked at the cat. Michael said, "Can we keep it?"
"Keep it? What're we going to do with it?"
"I need a familiar."
"We'll buy one back home."
"But this one came right up to me."
Kevin shook his head. "If it's still out here when we're done, we can take it home."
"Deal."
Kevin gave Michael a disapproving look as he stepped out of the teleporter in the bedroom. "You went back to the base, again, didn't you?"
"Just to check and see--"
"We are on vacation."
Michael looked down. "Okay, I'm sorry."
Kevin turned over in bed. Michael climbed into bed next to him. "I won't go back, okay? Not unless they ask me."
"Give me that comm."
Michael took the comm out of his ear and handed it to Kevin.
He tossed it onto the nightstand. "Next time, I'll crush it. Got it?"
Michael nodded.
Kevin reached up and put his arms around Michael, and pulled him down to him. "We're here to enjoy ourselves, to relax. They'll be fine without us."
"I worry..."
"They will be fine without us." Kevin gave him the same steely look that his father gave him. Michael kissed him to try and get him to loosen up. It didn't quite work the way he intended.
Kevin pulled out the case of wine and Michael shut the trunk. Another car was in the driveway, so someone else had arrived at his parents' house. "Whose car is that?" Michael asked.
"Peter's."
Michael opened the screen door to the foyer and then knocked on the door. "Just open it," Kevin said with a smile, and Michael did, allowing Kevin to enter first. They were all crowded in the kitchen/dining room area. Michael saw Peter, talking to his father. Another woman was talking to his mother. If Michael wasn't gay, he would be smitten by her - she had very pretty Mexican looks, with long black hair, a sultry smile, and a stunning hourglass figure. She was nicely dressed, with a short skirt and heels and a soft print blouse that hung gently off her. Michael couldn't help but smile at her.
"Hi," he said, "I'm Michael, Kevin's boyfriend."
She turned to him and gave him that smile. "I'm Jenny."
He shook her hand, and then turned to his mother. "Hi, Tia."
His mother blinked, then laughed. "No, that means 'aunt' in Greek. My name is Lorianne, Lori for short."
Michael blushed. "I'm sorry..."
Lori laughed again and kissed Michael's cheek. "It's all right. I never properly introduced myself, it's my fault." She looked at Jenny. "Want to help me stuff the celery sticks?"
"Okay."
Michael asked, "Where's Sherry?"
"She's in the living room with her toys," she said.
"Okay." Michael left the kitchen and went passed the men milling in the dining room and appreciating the bottles of wine, to the living room with Sherry. She had the TV on and was playing with a set of what looked to him like Barbie dolls.
"Hi there."
She looked up. "Oh, hi, Michael! Look what Santa brought me!" Michael sat on the floor and watched patiently as she took out each toy to show him.
He nodded and made appropriate noises. Then he said, "I have one for you too. I didn't get one for his other nieces and nephews. This'll be our secret, okay?"
She smiled and clapped her hands together. "Okay."
Michael waved his hand and teleported the box from the car into his hand. Her eyes went wide. "Wow!"
He handed it to her. "Go ahead, it's real."
She took the box gingerly and carefully unwrapped it. She pulled out the unicorn. "What does it do?"
Michael tilted his head. "Do?"
"Does it do anything?"
"No, it's a statue."
"Oh." She looked crestfallen. Michael wavered between making it do something or not. He chose the latter. "It's not magic?"
"No, it's real."
"Oh." She looked up at Michael. "It's nice."
"You don't like unicorns?"
"They're okay." She put it back in the box and put it aside.
Michael got up, disappointed as well. "I'll let you play." He went into the other room, just as the back door opened. The men at the table turned to the door, and Jason called, "Hello, Brian."
Brian was bigger than Kevin, with darker hair and more chiseled looks that had been born in a gym. Michael looked from one to the other, and understood why Kevin was beaten up when he was a kid. He smiled to himself, hoping they would have a wrestling match and Kevin would throw his brother across the room.
"Merry Christmas!" he yelled, and set down a box full of wrapped gifts. Michael looked beyond Brian to see a pretty trophy wife standing silently behind him. The two kids already had their coats off and were heading into the living room to the Christmas tree to see what Santa brought. Michael had glanced down at them running past him.
Brian kissed his mother and strode past Michael without even an acknowledgement. Brian shook hands with his brothers. Brian's wife gravitated to the kitchen area. Michael just tucked himself against the stairwell, waiting.
Kevin looked over his shoulder to see Michael standing alone. He beckoned. Michael walked over to him, and Kevin put his arm around his waist. "Brian, meet Michael. Michael, Brian." Michael held his hand out. Brian shook it firmly, as if to show his strength. Michael refused to play that game, but he returned it just as firmly.
"Nice to meet you," Michael said.
"Yeah. You a hero too?"
"I'm a healer."
Brian snorted, and took off his coat. He handed it to his wife, who went upstairs with it. He attacked some flaky pastry appetizers with gusto, talking with his father about work.
The kids returned, "Can we open presents now?"
"We're waiting for Uncle Thomas," said Lori. Kevin introduced Brian's wife as Lynne.
"So what kind of stuff do you do, Uncle Kevin? Daddy said you're a vigilante."
Michael rolled his eyes, and Kevin looked down at the little boy that addressed him. "I save people," he said calmly, though Michael could feel his anger just beneath the surface.
"Don't you kill people?"
Kevin slowly looked up at his brother. "What have you been telling them?"
"Just the truth," he said, eating another pastry.
Kevin advanced two steps, and Michael put a hand on Kevin's arm. Kevin stopped for half a second, and then said coldly, "Let's step outside to discuss this."
Brian grinned. "All right, Kev."
His father cautioned, "Boys--"
But neither of them said anything as they left through the foyer outside. His father went to the door, and Lynne and Michael followed. Kevin's father filled the doorframe, but luckily Michael was taller than he was, so he could see and hear everything.
"I am not a vigilante," Kevin was in the middle of saying.
"You run around killing people who you think are against the law."
"Someone is stealing someone else's purse, what do you expect me to do? Walk away?"
"Everbody else does."
"I'm not everybody else."
"So you kill them instead."
"I don't kill them." Most of the time, Michael filled in.
"Vigilantes kill people."
"I am not. A. Vigilante." Kevin advanced, his hands clenched into fists. Michael put a hand on his father's shoulder and gave him a light push, to try and get past him. His father didn't move.
"What're you gonna do, hit me? You hit like a girl. Always--"
Kevin hauled off and punched Brian right in the face. He fell to the ground, holding his nose. His father yelled, "Kevin!" and finally got out of the doorway. Kevin saw nothing but the man writhing on the ground, and Michael knew his eyes would be blazing red. Michael rushed at Kevin and threw his arms around his shoulders, knowing he couldn't necessarily stop him, but hopefully get him to focus past the red haze that would be clouding his vision.
Kevin easily shrugged Michael off and advanced on Brian. He grabbed him by the front of his shirt and effortlessly lifted him up, holding him a few inches off the ground. "I am not a vigilante," he said clearly and angrily. "I am a hero." Then Kevin unceremoniously dropped him, turned on his heel with military precision, and marched past Michael, his father, and Lynne, to the door. His mother stood there, a look of utter shock on her face, but stepped aside for Kevin to enter.
Michael turned to Brian, who was being ministered to by the trophy wife. Brian pushed her away and struggled up. He thought for a minute to heal him, but then decided against it after that treatment. His father looked at Brian. "You pushed him," he said quietly. "You've been doing it for years."
Brian wiped his bloody nose and stormed into the house. His father then looked at Michael. Michael shrugged, and followed him back into the house.
There was a little bit of commotion when Brian came in looking for a towel. Michael got past everyone and found Kal in the living room, staring at the Christmas tree. Michael walked up to him and put an arm around his shoulders.
"I wanted to kill him," Kevin said quietly.
"But you didn't."
"I'm not going to apologize."
"I don't blame you."
Kevin turned his head and looked at Michael. "You understand."
Michael nodded, and squeezed Kevin's shoulders. Kevin regarded the Christmas tree.
"Kev," said Peter. Michael stepped away, still unsure as to the public displays of affection with the brothers around. Kevin turned around to face Peter. "You used that power you have."
"Yes," Kevin replied.
Peter glared. "You used it to hit your own brother."
Kevin returned the glare. Michael thought to pull the energy out of Kevin like he had done last night, but knew that if he did that, he would be the one rushing at Peter. This was not going well, Michael could see it.
And then, the last straw entered the picture.
"Merry Christmas!" boomed another voice at the door, and Michael groaned. Kevin, already on the edge of flaring into full rage, crossed the line and his aura flared up. Michael didn't know if Peter could see it, but he knew he would be able to feel the tension in the air. Peter glanced back into the other room.
Michael put his hands on Kevin's shoulders. "Breathe, Kevin..."
Kevin took a few deep breaths, as Peter had turned from them and headed into the kitchen. Finally, he advanced slowly to the doorway, Michael following.
Uncle Thomas looked at Brian, still holding a towel to his nose. "What happened to you?"
"Kevin hit me."
Thomas glared at Kevin. Kevin stood with his arms across his chest. "Your faggot boyfriend put you up to it?"
"That's it!" Kevin's aura flared, his eyes flamed red. The entire family stared at him. Michael kept his hands on Kevin's shoulders, trying to leech the anger. It was bottomless this time. Michael kept his eyes closed, knowing if he opened them, they would be on fire, too. He visualized the anger going from him, down into the floor and to the ground.
Kevin then stepped forward, disconnecting himself from Michael. Michael dispersed the last of the energy and opened his eyes. Kevin advanced on his uncle. "Since I've come out, you have always been condescending, and I've had it."
"Kev, don't." Jason stepped in front of him. "Kev, think about it what you're doing."
"I've thought about it, a long time." His eyes blazed and he glared at Thomas. "You insulted me, and insulted my boyfriend. Don't do it again."
"Or what?" snorted Thomas.
Kevin summoned his sword, and stabbed it into the counter top, centimeters away from Thomas' hand. Thomas jumped back, nearly falling over. Kevin then turned to Thomas. No one could see the look Kevin gave him, but it was enough to make him turn white. "Do you understand?"
The sword disappeared at Kevin's touch, though the mark remained in the counter top. He walked past the family, past the table, to the doors to the deck, and then stepped outside. Michael scooted past the chairs and ran outside to him.
Kevin stood against the wooden railing, gripping it so tightly he indented it. "I wanted..."
"I know."
Kevin looked down. Then, suddenly, Michael heard a purr. He turned and saw a silver cat walking across the other side of the railing, heading their way. Michael narrowed his eyes. "Dammit, Raina," he muttered.
"What?" Kevin turned to see the cat. "Raina?"
"That's Raina's cat form," Michael said. He walked over to the cat. "C'mon, Raina, we're doing fine." The cat looked up and mewed. Michael put his hand down and pet the cat. The cat rubbed up against his hand. "Raina..." He fished out his comm from his pocket and put it in his ear. "Jack, are you online?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Jack, where's Raina?"
"In the lab, why?"
"Are you sure?"
Raina's voice came over the comm. "I hear you, what's going on?"
Michael blinked, as the cat purred under his hand. "Uh, nothing. Out." Michael turned to Kevin. Kevin looked at the cat. Michael said, "Can we keep it?"
"Keep it? What're we going to do with it?"
"I need a familiar."
"We'll buy one back home."
"But this one came right up to me."
Kevin shook his head. "If it's still out here when we're done, we can take it home."
"Deal."
Michael already drew a rune before him, one that would deaden the loud music that was coming from the apartment. He'd be able to hear conversations a lot more clearly.
Michael smiled at Kevin, who had made the decision to tell his friends about his powers. This, Michael thought, would be a very interesting evening.
The door opened and the music would have blared out even louder if Michael hadn't put up the rune. "Kevin!" cried a young man with very long black hair, dressed very casually in a simple button down shirt and jeans. However, the buttons were undone until his mid chest. He hugged Kevin fiercely, and Michael watched him cop a feel on Kevin's ass. Michael raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
The young man bent his head in for a kiss, but Kevin backed away. "Sioux, this is my boyfriend, Michael."
Sioux stopped, but didn't release Kevin's hip. Michael stepped forward and gave him a look that he thought he'd never give anyone else, a look that said, "Get your hand off him or I'll rip out your intestines through your nose". Damn, Ares can be a really jealous type. Sioux finally removed his hand. Michael held his hand out to Sioux. "Nice to meet you."
"Same here," he said, and smiled, a predatory one. Kevin was right, he was going to get hit on all night. "C'mon in." Kevin took Michael's hand and led him into the apartment.
Michael thought for a minute he stepped into an Ambercrombie and Fitch photo shoot. Thin, young, strapping men were everywhere, most of them in shirts baring their chests and pants that barely hung off their hips. There were a few women, who he noticed right off the bat were lesbians. Tanya was tending bar.
A couple of people came up to Kevin, who, right after he said hello to them, immediately introduced Michael as his boyfriend. Michael took it to mean that he was off limits. But, like Kevin had warned him before, it didn't seem to stop the constant mental undressing these young men did of him.
Finally, one of them asked, "Where the hell have you been?"
Michael stepped back for this one. Kevin responded to the young man, whose name was Josef, "I took up the cape."
There was silence for half a second in the small group that had gathered around them. A blond man with his arm protectively around a massively-built dark-haired man, piped up and said, "You're a hero? With superpowers and everything?"
"Yep."
Word went around the party like wildfire at that point. The crowd around Kevin suddenly grew bigger. Michael stepped back, out of the circle. He found his way to the bar, and saw Tanya. "What's going on?" she asked.
"Kevin's going to show off," he said with a smile. "It's okay."
"Something about being a hero..."
"Yes."
"Are you a hero too?"
"Yeah," he said, and sipped something fruity. He inconspicuously drew a rune on it, like he had done with all his other drinks, to remove the alcohol.
Her eyes widened. "You have super powers?"
"No, not really, not like Kevin."
"OW, MOTHER FUCKER!" Michael turned to the crowd and saw a muscle-bound brute come stumbling out of it, holding his hand gingerly. Michael stepped away from the bar, while other people gathered around , watching him helplessly. Michael could see the man was in agony, barely holding back tears.
As Michael approached, Kevin came out. "Grim..."
Michael nodded, and went up to the man. "Let me see that."
The man looked at him with pain-filled eyes and held out his hand to him. Michael could tell just by looking at it that it was shattered. First, Michael drew a rune at the man's forearm, so that he wouldn't feel the pain of the bones reknitting. The man just stared at him, while he bathed his hand and wrist in green light. Even as they watched, his fist unknotted, and healed the bones entirely by feel, and the fractured wrist that the man had as well.
"This is going to hurt, I'm sorry." Michael removed the rune.
The man yelped, looked down at his hand. "What...what did you do?"
"Healed you. Don't punch my boyfriend so hard next time."
"I told you, Jake," Kevin said.
Jake merely glared at Kevin. Michael said, "Go get yourself a drink, Jake."
The crowd dispersed after that, and Michael went over to Kevin. "It's all fun and games until someone gets hurt, eh?"
"He came at me hard. He would have killed me with that punch."
"Got something against you?"
"I didn't think he did." Kevin kissed Michael. "Thanks for doing that."
"No problem. Want a beer?"
"I think I'll need one, yeah."
The crowd around Kevin had reappeared by the time Michael got back, but it was no where as large as it was before. Michael gave Kevin the beer, and Kevin slipped an arm around Michael's waist. "So you're a hero, too?" asked a brown-haired kid that looked no older than 17.
"Yeah, you could say that."
"You have powers?"
"Nope."
"He's a great mage," Kevin corrected, and drank from his beer.
"Just a mage," Michael said. "I'm a healer."
"Oh." Michael knew that wasn't as exciting to the masses as, say, Kevin being able to take a punch from a bear, but Michael knew it was just as important. So did Kevin, who squeezed his waist.
"I'm going to get another drink, love," Michael said, realizing his fruit drink was empty. He went back to the bar, after leaving Kevin with a kiss.
At the bar, he suddenly felt a hand on his ass. Michael's eyes narrowed, and he turned around to see a young man in his early 20's grinning drunkenly at him. Michael looked down at the arm attached to the hand attached to his ass. "Better take that off."
"You got a nice ass," the young man said. He reeked of alcohol. Michael knew Kevin would kill him, drunk or not. The young man squeezed Michael's ass.
"Not interested." Michael took a step forward, but the hand didn't move.
"Problem?" came Kevin's voice, deep and menacing. Michael glanced back at the young man, who was grinning at Kevin. Boy, he's really drunk.
"Your boyfriend has a nice ass."
Michael felt Kevin's aura flare. "Yes, he does. Take your hand off it."
The young man squeezed Michael's butt and started to take it off. He obviously wasn't fast enough, because Kevin punched him in the face.
He howled, stepping back, holding a hand to his bloody nose. Kevin grabbed Michael's hand and pulled him away from the bar. "I think it's time to go."
Michael smiled at Kevin, who had made the decision to tell his friends about his powers. This, Michael thought, would be a very interesting evening.
The door opened and the music would have blared out even louder if Michael hadn't put up the rune. "Kevin!" cried a young man with very long black hair, dressed very casually in a simple button down shirt and jeans. However, the buttons were undone until his mid chest. He hugged Kevin fiercely, and Michael watched him cop a feel on Kevin's ass. Michael raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
The young man bent his head in for a kiss, but Kevin backed away. "Sioux, this is my boyfriend, Michael."
Sioux stopped, but didn't release Kevin's hip. Michael stepped forward and gave him a look that he thought he'd never give anyone else, a look that said, "Get your hand off him or I'll rip out your intestines through your nose". Damn, Ares can be a really jealous type. Sioux finally removed his hand. Michael held his hand out to Sioux. "Nice to meet you."
"Same here," he said, and smiled, a predatory one. Kevin was right, he was going to get hit on all night. "C'mon in." Kevin took Michael's hand and led him into the apartment.
Michael thought for a minute he stepped into an Ambercrombie and Fitch photo shoot. Thin, young, strapping men were everywhere, most of them in shirts baring their chests and pants that barely hung off their hips. There were a few women, who he noticed right off the bat were lesbians. Tanya was tending bar.
A couple of people came up to Kevin, who, right after he said hello to them, immediately introduced Michael as his boyfriend. Michael took it to mean that he was off limits. But, like Kevin had warned him before, it didn't seem to stop the constant mental undressing these young men did of him.
Finally, one of them asked, "Where the hell have you been?"
Michael stepped back for this one. Kevin responded to the young man, whose name was Josef, "I took up the cape."
There was silence for half a second in the small group that had gathered around them. A blond man with his arm protectively around a massively-built dark-haired man, piped up and said, "You're a hero? With superpowers and everything?"
"Yep."
Word went around the party like wildfire at that point. The crowd around Kevin suddenly grew bigger. Michael stepped back, out of the circle. He found his way to the bar, and saw Tanya. "What's going on?" she asked.
"Kevin's going to show off," he said with a smile. "It's okay."
"Something about being a hero..."
"Yes."
"Are you a hero too?"
"Yeah," he said, and sipped something fruity. He inconspicuously drew a rune on it, like he had done with all his other drinks, to remove the alcohol.
Her eyes widened. "You have super powers?"
"No, not really, not like Kevin."
"OW, MOTHER FUCKER!" Michael turned to the crowd and saw a muscle-bound brute come stumbling out of it, holding his hand gingerly. Michael stepped away from the bar, while other people gathered around , watching him helplessly. Michael could see the man was in agony, barely holding back tears.
As Michael approached, Kevin came out. "Grim..."
Michael nodded, and went up to the man. "Let me see that."
The man looked at him with pain-filled eyes and held out his hand to him. Michael could tell just by looking at it that it was shattered. First, Michael drew a rune at the man's forearm, so that he wouldn't feel the pain of the bones reknitting. The man just stared at him, while he bathed his hand and wrist in green light. Even as they watched, his fist unknotted, and healed the bones entirely by feel, and the fractured wrist that the man had as well.
"This is going to hurt, I'm sorry." Michael removed the rune.
The man yelped, looked down at his hand. "What...what did you do?"
"Healed you. Don't punch my boyfriend so hard next time."
"I told you, Jake," Kevin said.
Jake merely glared at Kevin. Michael said, "Go get yourself a drink, Jake."
The crowd dispersed after that, and Michael went over to Kevin. "It's all fun and games until someone gets hurt, eh?"
"He came at me hard. He would have killed me with that punch."
"Got something against you?"
"I didn't think he did." Kevin kissed Michael. "Thanks for doing that."
"No problem. Want a beer?"
"I think I'll need one, yeah."
The crowd around Kevin had reappeared by the time Michael got back, but it was no where as large as it was before. Michael gave Kevin the beer, and Kevin slipped an arm around Michael's waist. "So you're a hero, too?" asked a brown-haired kid that looked no older than 17.
"Yeah, you could say that."
"You have powers?"
"Nope."
"He's a great mage," Kevin corrected, and drank from his beer.
"Just a mage," Michael said. "I'm a healer."
"Oh." Michael knew that wasn't as exciting to the masses as, say, Kevin being able to take a punch from a bear, but Michael knew it was just as important. So did Kevin, who squeezed his waist.
"I'm going to get another drink, love," Michael said, realizing his fruit drink was empty. He went back to the bar, after leaving Kevin with a kiss.
At the bar, he suddenly felt a hand on his ass. Michael's eyes narrowed, and he turned around to see a young man in his early 20's grinning drunkenly at him. Michael looked down at the arm attached to the hand attached to his ass. "Better take that off."
"You got a nice ass," the young man said. He reeked of alcohol. Michael knew Kevin would kill him, drunk or not. The young man squeezed Michael's ass.
"Not interested." Michael took a step forward, but the hand didn't move.
"Problem?" came Kevin's voice, deep and menacing. Michael glanced back at the young man, who was grinning at Kevin. Boy, he's really drunk.
"Your boyfriend has a nice ass."
Michael felt Kevin's aura flare. "Yes, he does. Take your hand off it."
The young man squeezed Michael's butt and started to take it off. He obviously wasn't fast enough, because Kevin punched him in the face.
He howled, stepping back, holding a hand to his bloody nose. Kevin grabbed Michael's hand and pulled him away from the bar. "I think it's time to go."
((Played in game))
Grim signed on to hear Mind upset about something. Matthew had turned against the group, and told John where the base was. Grim teleported back to the base to find Jack a wreck. He found out that Jack had mindwiped Matthew "I was THOROUGH" and someone, Shadowscythe, blew Matt's head off. Grim calmed him down some, and then Raina appeared. Raina was also upset, enough to grab the bottle of scotch, and give her a hug also. They talked a little about what to do next.
Meanwhile, Grim told Kalius what was going on. When Grim returns from the base, Kalius is stepping out of the bathroom, bathed in red fire...
Kalius stormed, "Christmas fucking eve, and that bastard traitor, I knew we should never had trusted him."
Grim tried to reassure him: "It's okay, Jack and Raina said they have it covered...Well, the other option is to kick out all the Starkweathers."
"Doesn't sound like such a bad idea to me right now."
"Kal, Jack mindwiped him. He told me "thoroughly". By the time he got shot, he was probably a vegetable."
"Good. Ugh.. I hate this." Kalius kicked the mattress on the bed, grumbled and cursed in Greek. His fire got even more red, almost a dark crimson, the color of blood.
Michael looked at him, and did the only thing he could think of. He knew that if he poured energy into Kalius it would make things worse, so he used his ability to take souls and converted it into taking energy. He opened himself up to him, trying to let the anger and rage flow into him. He knew that he could hold it, and possibly convert it himself.
Kalius looked Grim in the eyes and said very clearly, "I want to kill...It's Christmas eve and all I want to do is go on a bloody rampage of revenge..."
Grim kept holding onto Kalius, leeching the energy from him. His own aura begins to reflect Kalius', turning to crimson.
"Grim, not like this...you shouldn't...it'll burn at you."
"I...got it..."
Kalius let go of Grim's hands, and he opened them. They were flaming red. Grim was merely holding it, not letting him affect him, and he knelt to ground.
Kalius hunched over him, "Fuck...Grim..."
"Got it..." He visualized the energy like a column of red light, heading down through the floors of the hotel and deep into the bowels of the earth itself. If anyone passed through that column of energy, they would suddenly feel pure rage. He hoped nothing passed through.
Kalius put a hand on Grim's shoulder. "I can feel it, you're raging inside. This isn't what I want. I want you to be happy for this." He looked around, frustrated, unsure of what to do. "Fuck...fuck you, Ares..."
Grim kept his head bent, and his hands flat on the floor. "I got it...you'd think Gaia was stronger than Ares..."
"Is that what you're doing? Where you're channeling?" Kalius looked down at Grim. "Let's hope she doesn't get pissed off, we're in earthquake country, remember?"
Grim chuckled to himself. "The earth can take any kind of energy." He finally felt most of it gone, and the little bit that remained, he knew he could take care of himself. He sat back, sweating. "Remind me not to do that too often."
Kalius hugged him. Grim hugged him back with a sigh. "I only want to help you," Grim said.
"I know. I'm sorry...it's part of the deal, I suppose."
Grim took a quick shower and changed, and they headed off to the party, fashionably late...
Grim signed on to hear Mind upset about something. Matthew had turned against the group, and told John where the base was. Grim teleported back to the base to find Jack a wreck. He found out that Jack had mindwiped Matthew "I was THOROUGH" and someone, Shadowscythe, blew Matt's head off. Grim calmed him down some, and then Raina appeared. Raina was also upset, enough to grab the bottle of scotch, and give her a hug also. They talked a little about what to do next.
Meanwhile, Grim told Kalius what was going on. When Grim returns from the base, Kalius is stepping out of the bathroom, bathed in red fire...
Kalius stormed, "Christmas fucking eve, and that bastard traitor, I knew we should never had trusted him."
Grim tried to reassure him: "It's okay, Jack and Raina said they have it covered...Well, the other option is to kick out all the Starkweathers."
"Doesn't sound like such a bad idea to me right now."
"Kal, Jack mindwiped him. He told me "thoroughly". By the time he got shot, he was probably a vegetable."
"Good. Ugh.. I hate this." Kalius kicked the mattress on the bed, grumbled and cursed in Greek. His fire got even more red, almost a dark crimson, the color of blood.
Michael looked at him, and did the only thing he could think of. He knew that if he poured energy into Kalius it would make things worse, so he used his ability to take souls and converted it into taking energy. He opened himself up to him, trying to let the anger and rage flow into him. He knew that he could hold it, and possibly convert it himself.
Kalius looked Grim in the eyes and said very clearly, "I want to kill...It's Christmas eve and all I want to do is go on a bloody rampage of revenge..."
Grim kept holding onto Kalius, leeching the energy from him. His own aura begins to reflect Kalius', turning to crimson.
"Grim, not like this...you shouldn't...it'll burn at you."
"I...got it..."
Kalius let go of Grim's hands, and he opened them. They were flaming red. Grim was merely holding it, not letting him affect him, and he knelt to ground.
Kalius hunched over him, "Fuck...Grim..."
"Got it..." He visualized the energy like a column of red light, heading down through the floors of the hotel and deep into the bowels of the earth itself. If anyone passed through that column of energy, they would suddenly feel pure rage. He hoped nothing passed through.
Kalius put a hand on Grim's shoulder. "I can feel it, you're raging inside. This isn't what I want. I want you to be happy for this." He looked around, frustrated, unsure of what to do. "Fuck...fuck you, Ares..."
Grim kept his head bent, and his hands flat on the floor. "I got it...you'd think Gaia was stronger than Ares..."
"Is that what you're doing? Where you're channeling?" Kalius looked down at Grim. "Let's hope she doesn't get pissed off, we're in earthquake country, remember?"
Grim chuckled to himself. "The earth can take any kind of energy." He finally felt most of it gone, and the little bit that remained, he knew he could take care of himself. He sat back, sweating. "Remind me not to do that too often."
Kalius hugged him. Grim hugged him back with a sigh. "I only want to help you," Grim said.
"I know. I'm sorry...it's part of the deal, I suppose."
Grim took a quick shower and changed, and they headed off to the party, fashionably late...
The next morning, they had a lavish breakfast in the hotel restaurant. Being pampered like this was something Michael had always wanted.
They had discussed the night before what to get his family for Christmas, and Michael was preparing himself mentally for getting jostled in a mall. "Are you up going to Ghirardelli Square?"
"Where's that?"
"It's on the Wharf. There's a lot of nice wine places there."
"Kal, I wouldn't know a bad wine if it hit me in the head."
He chuckled. "But I do. Besides, I haven't gotten you anything for Christmas."
"I already have it." Michael made puppy-dog eyes at Kevin. Kevin laughed. Michael laughed, too - seeing Kevin like this, human and normal, endeared him even more. "We can go."
Kevin drove him through downtown, showing him some of his old stomping grounds, mostly clubs. Michael's head whipped back to see a magic store tucked away in one of the alleys and Kevin promised him he'd go back. At the parking lot, Kevin drove up to an entrance and looked out among the sea of cars. Kevin looked at Michael. "Can you do anything?"
Michael smiled. "Already memorized something." He got out of the car, walked over to another car that was near the entrance to the stores. Michael uttered something and inconspicuously drew a rune on the fender. Then he went back to the car. "Give five minutes."
Sure enough, within three, a woman laden with packages came trundling to the car. She calmly put everything in the trunk and backed out of the parking spot. Kevin grinned and pulled in. "Nice work."
Michael shrugged. "She might have forgotten a few things, but..."
Kevin only chuckled, and put his arm around Michael's waist and kissed him. Michael stared at Kevin, and then realized this was San Francisco. He relaxed under Kevin's arm and let him lead him to the mall.
Michael hadn't gone to a mall in a long time, and found himself gaping like a tourist. Kevin brought him from store to store and showing him different wares. Michael could see other gay couples in the crowd and relaxed visibly. At a small pastry shop, a lithe black woman stopped in front of them. "Kevin?" she asked, peering at him.
"Tanya!" He smiled and hugged her. "How are you?"
"Long time no see," Tanya said with a smile. "You look good."
"Thanks. This is my boyfriend, Michael."
"Nice to meet you," he said, holding out his hand.
"Oh no, honey, we hug," she laughed, and hugged him. She planted a kiss on his cheek for good measure. Michael blushed, grinning.
"Where's Sioux?" Kevin asked. Then he looked up at Michael and laughed. "You got lipstick on you."
Michael blushed even more and pulled a napkin from a holder on a table. Tanya was talking, "Oh, he's working, like he always is. We live in the Loft on 43rd. You should come by tonight!"
"Why, you're having a party?"
"Of course we are! You'll get to see Sioux, and Bobby - remember him? Hotshot artist in Berkeley, now. And Nanette...I'm sure they'd like to see you finally settled down." She grinned up at Michael. Michael gave her a noncommittal shrug. "You'll see all the old crowd from school."
Kevin looked at Michael. Michael remembered him telling that he didn't want to go to the clubs because he wasn't that person anymore. However, these were old friends of his, so what was the harm? To Michael, any old normal friendship was precious to him, and he didn't want Kevin to forget that. Michael said, "Sure, sounds like fun."
Kevin put an arm around Michael's waist. Tanya giggled. "We'll tell you about the time Kevin tried to sleep in the dryer."
Michael guffawed. "A dryer?!"
Kevin mock glared. "I'm not going if all you're going to do is try to chase my boyfriend away with horror stories."
"Oh, no," Tanya laughed, "we'll tell you all about ours, too." She grabbed napkin and fished out a pen from her purse. "Here's the address. Party starts at 7 and goes 'til whenever." She hugged Kevin and Michael again. "See you there!"
Kevin watched her leave, shaking his head and a soft smile on his face. Michael leaned in and whispered, "Should I have said no?"
"No, it's all right. We don't have anything to do tonight anyway."
"A dryer?"
Kevin pulled away and gave him a mock angry glare. "I was drunk."
"I'll say."
They walked around the mall a little more. Michael stopped in front of a small magic store, that looked more outfitted for the touristy crowd than serious magical practitioners. Of course, he was drawn to it anyway. Kevin followed him inside. Among the ugly green fairies and unicorns, creatures in porcelain on toadstools, and pewter statuettes, Michael searched for something, anything of real magic.
"Merry meet, this solstice holiday," said a woman in a costume of black velvet robes with silver stripes through the material.
"Merry meet," Michael replied.
The woman tilted her head. "The gods say I should tell you something." She looked at Kevin just beyond him. "Both of you."
Michael turned to her, and gave her his undivided attention. "Okay." Kevin looked angry.
She reached for his hand and took it, and looked at his palm. She said stiffly,
"Love is infinite
Meant to encompass many.
Though welcoming to all
His is primary."
Then she walked over to Kevin, and took his hand. In the same tone of voice, she said to him,
"You shall achieve success
With the guidance of others.
Bravery and ease are a lion's strike.
Blame not the love or the lover."
She released his hand, and smiled. "I hope it was good."
"It was just as cryptic as a Delphic prophecy." He kept his anger under tight wraps.
Michael responded, "It's a prophecy, it's supposed to be cryptic. Is this your store?"
"Yes, it is," the woman said.
"Then I know not to give you money directly, so I'll buy something." He walked over to a porcelain white and blue unicorn. "Think Sherry will like this?"
"I think so," Kevin said, obviously pondering the woman's words. Michael had memorized his, and had already figured it out. In fact, he fully understood the beginning which was exactly what Stefan had told him when he first manifested himself as an angel. Michael bought the unicorn and had it gift-wrapped. He turned to Kevin, who was already at the door. He looked at Kevin, who finally snarled, "Damn gods, wanting to ruin things."
"You going to show me the wine place?"
Kevin perked up. "You're trying to make me feel better, aren't you?"
"Part of my job."
Kevin took his hand. "Right this way."
They walked into a place that looked like a combination of liquor store and a bar. He went to the bar section, under the large sign that said "Wines". He stopped in front of the clerk there. "I'm looking for a few bottles of wine, red..."
The clerk listened, and brought out a few bottles. The only thing Michael knew about wine was that if the date was old, it was better. Kevin looked through the wines, smiled when he saw one. "I'll take some from this winery." Lolonis
"A sample pack?"
"Sure."
Kevin easily hefted the case of eight bottles of wine. "We're all set."
Michael nodded. "That was easy." Kevin carried the box with ease toward the car. "Do we have any other kids to buy for?"
"I'm not worried about them. They're a niece and nephew."
"Well, I'll just give this to Sherry tonight and tell her not to tell anybody."
They put the case in the trunk, and Kevin eased out of the parking lot. They went back to the city, and parked in a parking garage. They walked around the city, Kevin pointing out places he'd been, things he'd done. Michael smiled and the more he talked about how normal he'd been, the more he wondered how his life could have been if he hadn't quit school and joined the Circle with his brother. It was enjoyable, relaxing, even.
They found themselves outside the magic store, and Kevin stood outside it. "Go on, I know you want to." Michael grinned and opened the door.
He was immediately assaulted by the smell of incense that he knew of as Queen of Heaven, a mix of rose oil, frankincense and myrrh. He stepped inside, and grinned in happiness - this was an old-fashioned magic store, with stuff everywhere. He could easily spend the day here. A typical grizzled older man stepped out from behind the counter - he looked like a store clerk, with a button down shirt, exposed suspenders and comb-over for hair. He looked over at the two men. "A mage and a warrior. Haven't seen that kind of pairing in a long time."
Kevin immediately went on the defensive. "How do you know?"
"He looks like a kid in a candy store. You keep looking around to see what you can use as a weapon."
Michael chuckled. Kevin glowered.
"Looking for anything in particular?"
"Nothing really."
He looked at Kevin. "Your partner's going to be here for a while. Want a coffee?"
Kevin shrugged. "Sure, why not."
By the time Michael was finished, he only had two books and a pair of gauntlets. Then, he looked down at the display case. The clerk and Kevin came over to see him staring. "See something?" he asked.
In fact, Michael did. Something that literally called out at him, and shined like the brightest diamond. It was a ring, a plain, ordinary silver band, but it wasn't made of silver. The damn thing almost beckoned to him. He put both hands down on the glass case and looked at it.
"What is that?"
"The ring? Oh..." He took it out. "This is from a meteorite. It's very expensive."
Part of him, the part that demanded freedom, the part that always flirted with men, the part that felt unfettered and irresponsible...he knew what that ring meant.
Commitment.
Kevin put a hand on Michael's shoulder. "Are you all right?" Michael realized he was hyperventilating.
"How much?"
"Five thousand," said the clerk.
"I'll take it." He shoved aside the books and pulled out his wallet.
"Five thousand?!" gasped Kevin.
Michael nodded, and put down his debit card. "Put it in a box."
"I'll put it in a gold-encrusted chest." The clerk took the card and the ring and put the card through the machine.
"What're you doing?" asked Kevin. Michael took the box, signed the receipt, and thanked the clerk. Outside, Michael turned around and gave Kevin a deep kiss. Kevin blinked. Michael only smiled at him and they headed back to the car.
They had discussed the night before what to get his family for Christmas, and Michael was preparing himself mentally for getting jostled in a mall. "Are you up going to Ghirardelli Square?"
"Where's that?"
"It's on the Wharf. There's a lot of nice wine places there."
"Kal, I wouldn't know a bad wine if it hit me in the head."
He chuckled. "But I do. Besides, I haven't gotten you anything for Christmas."
"I already have it." Michael made puppy-dog eyes at Kevin. Kevin laughed. Michael laughed, too - seeing Kevin like this, human and normal, endeared him even more. "We can go."
Kevin drove him through downtown, showing him some of his old stomping grounds, mostly clubs. Michael's head whipped back to see a magic store tucked away in one of the alleys and Kevin promised him he'd go back. At the parking lot, Kevin drove up to an entrance and looked out among the sea of cars. Kevin looked at Michael. "Can you do anything?"
Michael smiled. "Already memorized something." He got out of the car, walked over to another car that was near the entrance to the stores. Michael uttered something and inconspicuously drew a rune on the fender. Then he went back to the car. "Give five minutes."
Sure enough, within three, a woman laden with packages came trundling to the car. She calmly put everything in the trunk and backed out of the parking spot. Kevin grinned and pulled in. "Nice work."
Michael shrugged. "She might have forgotten a few things, but..."
Kevin only chuckled, and put his arm around Michael's waist and kissed him. Michael stared at Kevin, and then realized this was San Francisco. He relaxed under Kevin's arm and let him lead him to the mall.
Michael hadn't gone to a mall in a long time, and found himself gaping like a tourist. Kevin brought him from store to store and showing him different wares. Michael could see other gay couples in the crowd and relaxed visibly. At a small pastry shop, a lithe black woman stopped in front of them. "Kevin?" she asked, peering at him.
"Tanya!" He smiled and hugged her. "How are you?"
"Long time no see," Tanya said with a smile. "You look good."
"Thanks. This is my boyfriend, Michael."
"Nice to meet you," he said, holding out his hand.
"Oh no, honey, we hug," she laughed, and hugged him. She planted a kiss on his cheek for good measure. Michael blushed, grinning.
"Where's Sioux?" Kevin asked. Then he looked up at Michael and laughed. "You got lipstick on you."
Michael blushed even more and pulled a napkin from a holder on a table. Tanya was talking, "Oh, he's working, like he always is. We live in the Loft on 43rd. You should come by tonight!"
"Why, you're having a party?"
"Of course we are! You'll get to see Sioux, and Bobby - remember him? Hotshot artist in Berkeley, now. And Nanette...I'm sure they'd like to see you finally settled down." She grinned up at Michael. Michael gave her a noncommittal shrug. "You'll see all the old crowd from school."
Kevin looked at Michael. Michael remembered him telling that he didn't want to go to the clubs because he wasn't that person anymore. However, these were old friends of his, so what was the harm? To Michael, any old normal friendship was precious to him, and he didn't want Kevin to forget that. Michael said, "Sure, sounds like fun."
Kevin put an arm around Michael's waist. Tanya giggled. "We'll tell you about the time Kevin tried to sleep in the dryer."
Michael guffawed. "A dryer?!"
Kevin mock glared. "I'm not going if all you're going to do is try to chase my boyfriend away with horror stories."
"Oh, no," Tanya laughed, "we'll tell you all about ours, too." She grabbed napkin and fished out a pen from her purse. "Here's the address. Party starts at 7 and goes 'til whenever." She hugged Kevin and Michael again. "See you there!"
Kevin watched her leave, shaking his head and a soft smile on his face. Michael leaned in and whispered, "Should I have said no?"
"No, it's all right. We don't have anything to do tonight anyway."
"A dryer?"
Kevin pulled away and gave him a mock angry glare. "I was drunk."
"I'll say."
They walked around the mall a little more. Michael stopped in front of a small magic store, that looked more outfitted for the touristy crowd than serious magical practitioners. Of course, he was drawn to it anyway. Kevin followed him inside. Among the ugly green fairies and unicorns, creatures in porcelain on toadstools, and pewter statuettes, Michael searched for something, anything of real magic.
"Merry meet, this solstice holiday," said a woman in a costume of black velvet robes with silver stripes through the material.
"Merry meet," Michael replied.
The woman tilted her head. "The gods say I should tell you something." She looked at Kevin just beyond him. "Both of you."
Michael turned to her, and gave her his undivided attention. "Okay." Kevin looked angry.
She reached for his hand and took it, and looked at his palm. She said stiffly,
"Love is infinite
Meant to encompass many.
Though welcoming to all
His is primary."
Then she walked over to Kevin, and took his hand. In the same tone of voice, she said to him,
"You shall achieve success
With the guidance of others.
Bravery and ease are a lion's strike.
Blame not the love or the lover."
She released his hand, and smiled. "I hope it was good."
"It was just as cryptic as a Delphic prophecy." He kept his anger under tight wraps.
Michael responded, "It's a prophecy, it's supposed to be cryptic. Is this your store?"
"Yes, it is," the woman said.
"Then I know not to give you money directly, so I'll buy something." He walked over to a porcelain white and blue unicorn. "Think Sherry will like this?"
"I think so," Kevin said, obviously pondering the woman's words. Michael had memorized his, and had already figured it out. In fact, he fully understood the beginning which was exactly what Stefan had told him when he first manifested himself as an angel. Michael bought the unicorn and had it gift-wrapped. He turned to Kevin, who was already at the door. He looked at Kevin, who finally snarled, "Damn gods, wanting to ruin things."
"You going to show me the wine place?"
Kevin perked up. "You're trying to make me feel better, aren't you?"
"Part of my job."
Kevin took his hand. "Right this way."
They walked into a place that looked like a combination of liquor store and a bar. He went to the bar section, under the large sign that said "Wines". He stopped in front of the clerk there. "I'm looking for a few bottles of wine, red..."
The clerk listened, and brought out a few bottles. The only thing Michael knew about wine was that if the date was old, it was better. Kevin looked through the wines, smiled when he saw one. "I'll take some from this winery." Lolonis
"A sample pack?"
"Sure."
Kevin easily hefted the case of eight bottles of wine. "We're all set."
Michael nodded. "That was easy." Kevin carried the box with ease toward the car. "Do we have any other kids to buy for?"
"I'm not worried about them. They're a niece and nephew."
"Well, I'll just give this to Sherry tonight and tell her not to tell anybody."
They put the case in the trunk, and Kevin eased out of the parking lot. They went back to the city, and parked in a parking garage. They walked around the city, Kevin pointing out places he'd been, things he'd done. Michael smiled and the more he talked about how normal he'd been, the more he wondered how his life could have been if he hadn't quit school and joined the Circle with his brother. It was enjoyable, relaxing, even.
They found themselves outside the magic store, and Kevin stood outside it. "Go on, I know you want to." Michael grinned and opened the door.
He was immediately assaulted by the smell of incense that he knew of as Queen of Heaven, a mix of rose oil, frankincense and myrrh. He stepped inside, and grinned in happiness - this was an old-fashioned magic store, with stuff everywhere. He could easily spend the day here. A typical grizzled older man stepped out from behind the counter - he looked like a store clerk, with a button down shirt, exposed suspenders and comb-over for hair. He looked over at the two men. "A mage and a warrior. Haven't seen that kind of pairing in a long time."
Kevin immediately went on the defensive. "How do you know?"
"He looks like a kid in a candy store. You keep looking around to see what you can use as a weapon."
Michael chuckled. Kevin glowered.
"Looking for anything in particular?"
"Nothing really."
He looked at Kevin. "Your partner's going to be here for a while. Want a coffee?"
Kevin shrugged. "Sure, why not."
By the time Michael was finished, he only had two books and a pair of gauntlets. Then, he looked down at the display case. The clerk and Kevin came over to see him staring. "See something?" he asked.
In fact, Michael did. Something that literally called out at him, and shined like the brightest diamond. It was a ring, a plain, ordinary silver band, but it wasn't made of silver. The damn thing almost beckoned to him. He put both hands down on the glass case and looked at it.
"What is that?"
"The ring? Oh..." He took it out. "This is from a meteorite. It's very expensive."
Part of him, the part that demanded freedom, the part that always flirted with men, the part that felt unfettered and irresponsible...he knew what that ring meant.
Commitment.
Kevin put a hand on Michael's shoulder. "Are you all right?" Michael realized he was hyperventilating.
"How much?"
"Five thousand," said the clerk.
"I'll take it." He shoved aside the books and pulled out his wallet.
"Five thousand?!" gasped Kevin.
Michael nodded, and put down his debit card. "Put it in a box."
"I'll put it in a gold-encrusted chest." The clerk took the card and the ring and put the card through the machine.
"What're you doing?" asked Kevin. Michael took the box, signed the receipt, and thanked the clerk. Outside, Michael turned around and gave Kevin a deep kiss. Kevin blinked. Michael only smiled at him and they headed back to the car.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Sherry smiled at Michael. "I saw a present under the tree for you," she said.
"For me?" He looked right at Sherry. "But Santa didn't come yet." Michael also realized that he had nothing to give them, and he had one day to go shopping - something he hated - on the worst shopping day of the year.
"Santa doesn't come for adults," she informed him seriously.
Meanwhile, Jason had come around Peter and approached Kevin's mother. He gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek and asked, "What's for dinner?"
"I made Kev's favorite," she said with a smile. "Roast beef and rosemary potatoes."
"With broccoli with cheese?" Kevin asked.
"Of course."
Kevin looked at Michael and smiled. "You'll love it."
"Yeah, well," Peter put his hand on the door. "I have to go. See you on Christmas."
"Bye," Michael called, but the door had already shut. He looked at Jason and his wife. Jason gave the smallest of shrugs, and then turned to Kevin. "So what have you been up to?"
"Oh, heroing," Kevin said.
"Like what?" Michael watched him, and he looked genuinely interested, not fishing for something to throw back at them later. Kevin also got that, because he started into an adventure. They moved to the kitchen table, and father and son were talking away. Michael and Sherry stayed in the kitchen, overhearing the story. It was about one of the many fights in Paragon against demons, in the bowels of Oranbega. Kevin could weave a good story, probably after centuries of doing this kind of thing over open campfires on campaign. Kevin slipped with his name a few times, but his father didn't call him on it, wrapped up as he was in the story. Michael quietly helped in the kitchen, getting things ready. Michael made paper flowers with the napkins to Sherry's glee.
Kevin had gone into a second story, while Michael and Sherry set the table. Kevin looked at the flower and smiled, pausing for a moment in his story. Michael smiled back, and started getting the food out on the table. They all sat down, and Kevin's mom poured wine. Michael put his hand over his glass. "Sorry, I'm a teetotaler."
"Can I get you anything else?"
Sherry piped up, "You drink tea?"
Michael smiled at her. "Yes, I do, but teetotaling means I don't drink alcohol." Michael looked up at Kevin's mother. "Some more of that lemonade would be great."
"How come?" asked Sherry, tearing into her roast beef.
Jason said, "Sherry, you don't need to ask. If he doesn't drink, he doesn't drink."
"Daddy says it relaxes you."
Michael said, "I can think of other ways to relax." He paused, and immediately realized he needed some examples other than the ones that he and Kevin were probably thinking. "Like meditating."
Sherry looked up at him. "Oh, you sit Indian style and float in the air?"
"Not quite." He took the offered lemonade and they settled down to their dinner.
"So what do you do?" Jason asked, looking at Michael.
"Support," Michael said.
Kevin added, "He's our healer and creates wards to protect us."
"Oh, really?" Jason turned to Michael. "That's good."
His mother said, concernedly, "Does Kevin get hurt a lot?"
"I take care of him," Michael said with a smile, and took Kevin's hand. "Don't worry."
Kevin got up and helped clean the plates, leaving Michael with Jason. "What are wards?"
"Protection spells."
"Spells?!" Sherry yelled from the kitchen. "You do magic?"
"I don't pull rabbits out of hats."
Jason chuckled. "Protection and healing, that's important."
"Show me a magic trick!" Sherry came out of the kitchen with her hands wrapped up in a towel.
Jason said, "Honey, it's not that kind of magic."
"I don't mind. What's your favorite color, Sherry?"
"Purple!"
Michael smiled, "Mine too." He made his hand into a fist, and opened it - there was a small ball of purple light in his palm. Sherry squealed. "Let me see your hand."
Sherry slowly offered her hand, and he placed the light in her palm. She stared at it, her eyes as wide as saucers. "Wow!" She went to touch it with her other hand, and it disappeared. "Awww..."
"It was a glamour, an illusion," Michael said. "Once you tried to touch it, it disappeared."
"Do it again!"
Jason shook his head and guided Sherry back to the kitchen. "Another time, honey. Go help Tia."
Sherry went back to the kitchen. Jason regarded Michael for a minute. "How dangerous is it, Michael?"
Michael went to sip his lemonade but it was empty. "We put our lives on the line every day," he said, "I won't sugar-coat it. But Kal - Kevin - he's one of the best and strongest fighters I've ever seen."
"Kal?"
"Kalius. That's his superhero name."
"What's yours?"
"Grimaulkin. Grim for short."
Jason sipped his wine and nodded. "There's stories in my family, distant uncles and cousins, way back, that were career soldiers. I heard stories of one of my distant uncles who lifted an ambulance cart off someone who they later found out was a general in the army. He got decorated for it."
"So you believe Kevin?"
"Believe? Do I have a choice?"
"Sure. You could ignore it."
Jason studied Michael. "I always support my children in everything they do, even if I think their choices are bad at first."
"Do you think his choice is bad?"
"At first I did. But not anymore. It sounds like he has good friends to help him."
"We are a good team, Jason. We help each other."
Kevin came out of the kitchen. "Getting along?"
"Yes, Kevin." Jason tipped his wineglass to Michael. "You've got a smart one, here."
Michael laughed. Kevin came over and put his arm around Michael's shoulders. "We'd better be going back. We haven't even had a chance to unpack."
"Okay." Jason got up. "Coming over tomorrow? We're having the usual suspects over for Christmas Eve dinner."
Kevin said with a look that meant he really didn't want to come over, "That's usually for your friends."
"They haven't seen you in over a year. I'm sure they'd want to see how much you've changed."
"I'll think about it," he said, and got their coats.
Michael peered at Kevin as they got in the car. "What's wrong with coming over tomorrow?"
Kevin turned the key and started it. "It's usually dad's friends from work, people from the neighborhood."
"There's something you're not telling me."
Kevin concentrated on driving. "One of dad's friends had a gay son. I was involved with him for a little while, before I came out."
"Maybe he won't be there."
"He committed suicide three years ago."
Michael looked out the window. "They blame you?"
"No, but I'll probably be a reminder." He took a turn. "Maybe we can take in a movie or something."
"Okay," Michael said, and settled back for the drive to the hotel.
"For me?" He looked right at Sherry. "But Santa didn't come yet." Michael also realized that he had nothing to give them, and he had one day to go shopping - something he hated - on the worst shopping day of the year.
"Santa doesn't come for adults," she informed him seriously.
Meanwhile, Jason had come around Peter and approached Kevin's mother. He gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek and asked, "What's for dinner?"
"I made Kev's favorite," she said with a smile. "Roast beef and rosemary potatoes."
"With broccoli with cheese?" Kevin asked.
"Of course."
Kevin looked at Michael and smiled. "You'll love it."
"Yeah, well," Peter put his hand on the door. "I have to go. See you on Christmas."
"Bye," Michael called, but the door had already shut. He looked at Jason and his wife. Jason gave the smallest of shrugs, and then turned to Kevin. "So what have you been up to?"
"Oh, heroing," Kevin said.
"Like what?" Michael watched him, and he looked genuinely interested, not fishing for something to throw back at them later. Kevin also got that, because he started into an adventure. They moved to the kitchen table, and father and son were talking away. Michael and Sherry stayed in the kitchen, overhearing the story. It was about one of the many fights in Paragon against demons, in the bowels of Oranbega. Kevin could weave a good story, probably after centuries of doing this kind of thing over open campfires on campaign. Kevin slipped with his name a few times, but his father didn't call him on it, wrapped up as he was in the story. Michael quietly helped in the kitchen, getting things ready. Michael made paper flowers with the napkins to Sherry's glee.
Kevin had gone into a second story, while Michael and Sherry set the table. Kevin looked at the flower and smiled, pausing for a moment in his story. Michael smiled back, and started getting the food out on the table. They all sat down, and Kevin's mom poured wine. Michael put his hand over his glass. "Sorry, I'm a teetotaler."
"Can I get you anything else?"
Sherry piped up, "You drink tea?"
Michael smiled at her. "Yes, I do, but teetotaling means I don't drink alcohol." Michael looked up at Kevin's mother. "Some more of that lemonade would be great."
"How come?" asked Sherry, tearing into her roast beef.
Jason said, "Sherry, you don't need to ask. If he doesn't drink, he doesn't drink."
"Daddy says it relaxes you."
Michael said, "I can think of other ways to relax." He paused, and immediately realized he needed some examples other than the ones that he and Kevin were probably thinking. "Like meditating."
Sherry looked up at him. "Oh, you sit Indian style and float in the air?"
"Not quite." He took the offered lemonade and they settled down to their dinner.
"So what do you do?" Jason asked, looking at Michael.
"Support," Michael said.
Kevin added, "He's our healer and creates wards to protect us."
"Oh, really?" Jason turned to Michael. "That's good."
His mother said, concernedly, "Does Kevin get hurt a lot?"
"I take care of him," Michael said with a smile, and took Kevin's hand. "Don't worry."
Kevin got up and helped clean the plates, leaving Michael with Jason. "What are wards?"
"Protection spells."
"Spells?!" Sherry yelled from the kitchen. "You do magic?"
"I don't pull rabbits out of hats."
Jason chuckled. "Protection and healing, that's important."
"Show me a magic trick!" Sherry came out of the kitchen with her hands wrapped up in a towel.
Jason said, "Honey, it's not that kind of magic."
"I don't mind. What's your favorite color, Sherry?"
"Purple!"
Michael smiled, "Mine too." He made his hand into a fist, and opened it - there was a small ball of purple light in his palm. Sherry squealed. "Let me see your hand."
Sherry slowly offered her hand, and he placed the light in her palm. She stared at it, her eyes as wide as saucers. "Wow!" She went to touch it with her other hand, and it disappeared. "Awww..."
"It was a glamour, an illusion," Michael said. "Once you tried to touch it, it disappeared."
"Do it again!"
Jason shook his head and guided Sherry back to the kitchen. "Another time, honey. Go help Tia."
Sherry went back to the kitchen. Jason regarded Michael for a minute. "How dangerous is it, Michael?"
Michael went to sip his lemonade but it was empty. "We put our lives on the line every day," he said, "I won't sugar-coat it. But Kal - Kevin - he's one of the best and strongest fighters I've ever seen."
"Kal?"
"Kalius. That's his superhero name."
"What's yours?"
"Grimaulkin. Grim for short."
Jason sipped his wine and nodded. "There's stories in my family, distant uncles and cousins, way back, that were career soldiers. I heard stories of one of my distant uncles who lifted an ambulance cart off someone who they later found out was a general in the army. He got decorated for it."
"So you believe Kevin?"
"Believe? Do I have a choice?"
"Sure. You could ignore it."
Jason studied Michael. "I always support my children in everything they do, even if I think their choices are bad at first."
"Do you think his choice is bad?"
"At first I did. But not anymore. It sounds like he has good friends to help him."
"We are a good team, Jason. We help each other."
Kevin came out of the kitchen. "Getting along?"
"Yes, Kevin." Jason tipped his wineglass to Michael. "You've got a smart one, here."
Michael laughed. Kevin came over and put his arm around Michael's shoulders. "We'd better be going back. We haven't even had a chance to unpack."
"Okay." Jason got up. "Coming over tomorrow? We're having the usual suspects over for Christmas Eve dinner."
Kevin said with a look that meant he really didn't want to come over, "That's usually for your friends."
"They haven't seen you in over a year. I'm sure they'd want to see how much you've changed."
"I'll think about it," he said, and got their coats.
Michael peered at Kevin as they got in the car. "What's wrong with coming over tomorrow?"
Kevin turned the key and started it. "It's usually dad's friends from work, people from the neighborhood."
"There's something you're not telling me."
Kevin concentrated on driving. "One of dad's friends had a gay son. I was involved with him for a little while, before I came out."
"Maybe he won't be there."
"He committed suicide three years ago."
Michael looked out the window. "They blame you?"
"No, but I'll probably be a reminder." He took a turn. "Maybe we can take in a movie or something."
"Okay," Michael said, and settled back for the drive to the hotel.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Sherry took Kevin’s hand and led him through the hallway. Kevin glanced back to make sure Michael was following. They came down the stairs, and Michael found himself facing a typical redneck, huge, hulking, fat, and hairy. The man’s beady raven-eyes bored into him as soon as he cleared the threshold.
Michael glanced to Kevin, who had raised his head defiantly. “Hello, Uncle. Meet my boyfriend, Michael.”
Michael stood straight, imagining this man as the usual typical homophobe that he enjoyed teasing. He offered his hand. As he expected, the man didn’t take it.
“Boyfriend, eh?” The man glared at him. “Got AIDS?”
“No,” Michael responded, already feeling the edges of Kalius’ aura. The tension was so thick, even Sherry moved back away.
He turned to Kevin’s mother, “And he’s eating with us?” He thumbed at Michael. Kevin took a step forward, but Michael put a hand on his arm. If he could summon his armor right now, he would, he was that angry.
“Yes, sir, I am breaking bread with you, in celebration of this high Christian holiday, where you are to love your neighbor.”
Thomas whirled on Michael, then looked him up and down. “I don’t sit next to faggots.”
“I’ll sit as far away from you as possible,” Michael said.
“So will I,” Kevin said, and put an arm around Michael’s waist. Michael could see the man’s jowls jiggle with repressed anger. His mother looked ready to melt into the woodwork. “At the kid’s table if we have to.”
Thomas turned and left without a backward glance, slamming shut the door. Michael looked at Sherry, who remained behind. Kevin’s mother took a breath. “So, Sherry, want to help me bake cookies?”
“Okay,” Sherry said, and looked up at Michael with an almost sorry face. She went into the small kitchen, while Kevin turned away with a growl, taking a hold of Michael’s hand and dragging him into the TV room. He looked longingly at the tiny bar in the corner, then sat down.
“Military Channel?” Michael asked.
“No.” He flipped through the channels and stopped at the Sci-Fi channel - though both men knew that most of the stuff that happened there could easily happen in Paragon City. Kevin sat back, and put his arm around Michael’s shoulders, pulling him against him on the couch. Michael smiled and sighed contentedly.
A little while later, they heard the back open. "Hi, mom," said a voice, and Michael sat up. Kevin perked up as well, and Michael got up and offered a hand to Kevin. Kevin was already on his feet, and walked past Michael to the doorway to the kitchen. Michael looked beyond Kevin to see a man with brown hair and carrying a few bags of groceries. "Is this all you wanted?"
"Hi, Peter," said Kevin.
Peter looked over, and looked Kevin up and down. "Hey, Kevin, what's up?"
"Nothing much." Kevin approached Peter and gave him a brotherly hug. "Pete, this is Michael."
Michael held out his hand. "Nice to meet you."
"Oh, hi." Peter shook it briefly. "You have powers too?"
"Not like Kevin's," Michael said with a smile, and looking at Kevin.
"What can you do?"
"Support," Michael replied. He looked at Kevin, seeing if he wanted him to do anything. Kevin shook his head a little, and Michael smiled at Peter, then turned away. Sherry had bounded out of the kitchen and hugged her uncle's waist. Pete smiled down at her. "How's my little pumpkin?"
"Okay!" She handed him a chocolate chip cookie, then handed Kevin and Michael one. "Want milk?"
The three men shook their heads, and Pete bit into his. "So you enjoying your powers?"
"Pete, it's not as great as you think it is."
"I still don't see what makes you so special."
"I don't know, either," he said. "Maybe I can handle it better and he doesn't know."
"'He' can hear you just fine, Pete, and it's not something I can take off and give to someone else like a jacket."
The door opened again, and a compact but sturdy man with long brown hair tied back in a pony tail stepped in. "Whose 2010 Nissan is parked out there?" He called with a broad smile to Kevin. He clapped Pete on the back, and held a hand out to Kevin. He took it, and got pulled into a rough bear hug. Michael smiled at the greeting. "How're you doing?"
"Good, dad," he said. "Dad, this is Michael."
The man turned to Michael and held out his hand. Michael shook it firmly and smiled. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Nomikos."
"Good to meet you too, only heard about you. And call me Jason."
Michael inclined his head. "I appreciate you letting me come celebrate with you and your family."
"You're his boyfriend. It's not any different than Bri and Pete bringing their wives."
He looked up and smiled. "Thank you, sir."
Jason smiled, genuinely welcoming. Michael relaxed. Jason hugged Sherry and said, "I take it you met Uncle Thomas?"
"We did," Kevin said. "We'll be sitting at the kid's table."
"Bullshit. He's going to have to handle it, might as well do it now."
Michael said, "I don't want to cause friction - "
Jason gave him a look that brokered no argument. Kevin could give him that look, too, and he clammed right up.
Michael glanced to Kevin, who had raised his head defiantly. “Hello, Uncle. Meet my boyfriend, Michael.”
Michael stood straight, imagining this man as the usual typical homophobe that he enjoyed teasing. He offered his hand. As he expected, the man didn’t take it.
“Boyfriend, eh?” The man glared at him. “Got AIDS?”
“No,” Michael responded, already feeling the edges of Kalius’ aura. The tension was so thick, even Sherry moved back away.
He turned to Kevin’s mother, “And he’s eating with us?” He thumbed at Michael. Kevin took a step forward, but Michael put a hand on his arm. If he could summon his armor right now, he would, he was that angry.
“Yes, sir, I am breaking bread with you, in celebration of this high Christian holiday, where you are to love your neighbor.”
Thomas whirled on Michael, then looked him up and down. “I don’t sit next to faggots.”
“I’ll sit as far away from you as possible,” Michael said.
“So will I,” Kevin said, and put an arm around Michael’s waist. Michael could see the man’s jowls jiggle with repressed anger. His mother looked ready to melt into the woodwork. “At the kid’s table if we have to.”
Thomas turned and left without a backward glance, slamming shut the door. Michael looked at Sherry, who remained behind. Kevin’s mother took a breath. “So, Sherry, want to help me bake cookies?”
“Okay,” Sherry said, and looked up at Michael with an almost sorry face. She went into the small kitchen, while Kevin turned away with a growl, taking a hold of Michael’s hand and dragging him into the TV room. He looked longingly at the tiny bar in the corner, then sat down.
“Military Channel?” Michael asked.
“No.” He flipped through the channels and stopped at the Sci-Fi channel - though both men knew that most of the stuff that happened there could easily happen in Paragon City. Kevin sat back, and put his arm around Michael’s shoulders, pulling him against him on the couch. Michael smiled and sighed contentedly.
A little while later, they heard the back open. "Hi, mom," said a voice, and Michael sat up. Kevin perked up as well, and Michael got up and offered a hand to Kevin. Kevin was already on his feet, and walked past Michael to the doorway to the kitchen. Michael looked beyond Kevin to see a man with brown hair and carrying a few bags of groceries. "Is this all you wanted?"
"Hi, Peter," said Kevin.
Peter looked over, and looked Kevin up and down. "Hey, Kevin, what's up?"
"Nothing much." Kevin approached Peter and gave him a brotherly hug. "Pete, this is Michael."
Michael held out his hand. "Nice to meet you."
"Oh, hi." Peter shook it briefly. "You have powers too?"
"Not like Kevin's," Michael said with a smile, and looking at Kevin.
"What can you do?"
"Support," Michael replied. He looked at Kevin, seeing if he wanted him to do anything. Kevin shook his head a little, and Michael smiled at Peter, then turned away. Sherry had bounded out of the kitchen and hugged her uncle's waist. Pete smiled down at her. "How's my little pumpkin?"
"Okay!" She handed him a chocolate chip cookie, then handed Kevin and Michael one. "Want milk?"
The three men shook their heads, and Pete bit into his. "So you enjoying your powers?"
"Pete, it's not as great as you think it is."
"I still don't see what makes you so special."
"I don't know, either," he said. "Maybe I can handle it better and he doesn't know."
"'He' can hear you just fine, Pete, and it's not something I can take off and give to someone else like a jacket."
The door opened again, and a compact but sturdy man with long brown hair tied back in a pony tail stepped in. "Whose 2010 Nissan is parked out there?" He called with a broad smile to Kevin. He clapped Pete on the back, and held a hand out to Kevin. He took it, and got pulled into a rough bear hug. Michael smiled at the greeting. "How're you doing?"
"Good, dad," he said. "Dad, this is Michael."
The man turned to Michael and held out his hand. Michael shook it firmly and smiled. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Nomikos."
"Good to meet you too, only heard about you. And call me Jason."
Michael inclined his head. "I appreciate you letting me come celebrate with you and your family."
"You're his boyfriend. It's not any different than Bri and Pete bringing their wives."
He looked up and smiled. "Thank you, sir."
Jason smiled, genuinely welcoming. Michael relaxed. Jason hugged Sherry and said, "I take it you met Uncle Thomas?"
"We did," Kevin said. "We'll be sitting at the kid's table."
"Bullshit. He's going to have to handle it, might as well do it now."
Michael said, "I don't want to cause friction - "
Jason gave him a look that brokered no argument. Kevin could give him that look, too, and he clammed right up.
Grim stepped off the plane following Kalius. He actually had never flown on a plane before, and it was all a new experience for him. Kalius seemed to know his way around the airport, so Grim merely followed him.
They gathered their bags and Kalius got the rental car. Grim had to remember his name, Michael LeBonte. They had discussed his backstory – he was a student at Paragon University (not too far-fetched, as he registered for the winter semester to take an anatomy course). They met in Atlas Park. They started going out after about a week. They moved in together two weeks later. Fast, yes.
Of course, Grim had no answer to the question, “So are you a hero too?” He could easily out-and-out lie. He could hedge. He wasn’t sure how he was going to handle it. Hopefully they wouldn’t ask.
They arrived at a Marriott. Grim - Michael - carried the bags, ignoring the bellboy. Kevin turned to see him carrying them, and chuckled. "He's supposed to carry them," he said.
"I don't mind," Michael said. Kalius - Kevin, dammit - gave him a look, which Michael read as "You're using magic", so he dropped the bags. The bellboy struggled to pick them up. He followed them dutifully to his room and Kevin paid him. Michael gave a disapproving look. "That was stupid."
Kevin only looked at Michael and then kissed him. Michael smiled, and then started walking around the spacious room - with a whirlpool. Michael said, "We should call the base, tell them we're okay."
Kevin nodded, glancing in the bathroom. "Room for two in this tub," he said.
Michael left a message, then joined Kevin in the doorway. "Try it out?" He hugged Kevin around the shoulders.
"Later. Let's go see mom."
Kevin parked the car in front of a ranch-style house, with everything on one floor. Kevin got out of the car, and the two men looked up at the house.
“Ready?” Kevin asked Michael.
Michael nodded, and they headed up the drive. Kevin didn’t go to the front door, but to the side one. They went onto a small glassed-in foyer, and Kevin rang the bell. Michael was on the stairs, holding the screen door open and leaning against it. The door opened.
“Kevin!”
“Hi, mom,” he said, dropping the bags and giving her a hug and a kiss. Michael smiled and watched the scene, studying his mother. She was dressed simply, like she had been in the middle of cooking or cleaning. He could see where Kevin got his bright blue eyes from. Kevin turned and reached a hand to Michael. “Mom, this is Michael.”
“Hi, Mrs. Nomikos,” he said, and held out his hand to her.
She smiled at him and shook it firmly. “Nice to finally meet you, Michael,” she said. “Come in, come in.” She stepped aside to let them in. Michael glanced around the house, very cozy and warm, something he hadn’t seen in a long, long time.
“Can I get you two anything?”
“What do you have?” asked Kevin, dropping his bags at the foot of a set of stairs.
“I have some lemonade…”
“That’s good. Michael?”
He nodded. “That’ll be fine with me.”
They went to the kitchen table and sat down. His mom brought two ice cold glasses of lemonade. Michael could see the Christmas tree in the living room from his vantage point in the kitchen. The whole homey scene made his heart ache a little.
His mom sat down across from them. “So what have you been doing, Kevin?”
“Keeping busy,” he said and sipped from the glass.
“Doing whatever it is that heroes do?”
He nodded. Michael realized she didn’t need to know the details. She turned her attention to Michael. “Are you a hero, too?”
Shit. Michael put the glass down and gazed at her. Kevin answered for him, “Yes.” He sipped again. “He’s support.”
Michael smiled. “I’ll tell you about it sometime.”
“Is Brian coming?” Kevin asked.
“Yes, I believe so…”
Kevin merely nodded. Michael glanced at him, and then back at his mom. “They had words,” she said, and that was all she’d tell him. Michael nodded, sipped his lemonade. Then his mother started going into the family, the cousins and the uncles, the people who would be coming for dinner. He got the hint, listening to her, that this would not be the best place to hang all over his lover like in the warehouse; that the two of them would have to act as friends and not even show any public displays of affection.
Then Kevin suddenly reached over and took Michael’s hand. He was getting the same vibes too, and he wasn’t going to let it stop him from showing his affection for his lover. As far as he was concerned, Kevin – or, more closely, Kalius – was proud of his orientation, and to hell with what other people thought. Michael wasn’t sure if he was going to like being the guinea pig in this experiment.
Finally, Kevin said, “Mom, I don’t care what Uncle Thomas thinks. Michael is my boyfriend.”
“It’s your father’s brother,” she said warningly.
“And I don’t care what anyone thinks.” He held Michael’s hand in both of his. “They don't have to watch.”
Michael looked down. He wanted to be the flamboyantly proud gay man that he normally was, but he also wanted to make a good impression.
“It’s my life, and my choice,” Kevin was continuing. “And if I want to hold my lover’s hand in public, I will.”
“Kevin, honey,” his mother said calmly, “we're just getting used to your being a hero...”
Michael looked at his lover, and said quietly, “Kevin.” He smiled. He patted Kevin’s hand with his other free one. “It’s all right.”
Kevin ground his teeth. Michael finished his lemonade and said, "Why don't you show me your old room?"
Kevin nodded at that, and the Kevin brought him upstairs. There were some innocuous posters on the wall, a computer desk, nothing that would make it seem that this was the room of an immortal Greek soul. It all looked so normal. He looked at Kevin and embraced him.
“Kevin – Kal – I know you’re proud to be out now, but we don’t need to throw it in their faces.”
He stepped back. “This from you? Who walks up to villains in the D and comes onto them?”
“There, I don’t care who’s around and I don’t have anyone to impress. Here, I want to impress your family.”
“You don’t have to impress them, and you don’t have to impress me.” He looked up at Michael. “I want you to be yourself.”
“KEVIN!” came a squealing girl’s voice, and Michael broke away just in time to see a girl come tearing down the hall heading right to Kevin. He smiled, and caught her in his strong arms and lifted her swinging. She laughed and cried, “Ooh, you’re strong!”
“You’ve gotten heavy, Strawberry,” he said, setting her down.
“Sherry!”
“Blueberry!”
“SHERRY!” She poked him in the chest. She looked to be about ten or eleven, from how Michael judged kids, with bouncing dark pig tails and Hannah Montana clothes. She looked at Michael. “Who’s this?”
“It’s my boyfriend, Michael. Michael, meet my cousin, Sherry.”
“Hi,” Michael said.
“You have a boyfriend? I thought only girls had boyfriends.”
“Some men do, too,” Kevin explained patiently.
“You’re a fag?”
Michael winced. Kevin’s eyes grew cold. “I’m gay, yes.”
She looked a little concerned. “Daddy’s not going to like that.”
“I know,” Kevin said. “He’s just going to have to deal with it.” He peered at Sherry. “You still love me, don’t you, Cherry?”
“Sherry!” she cried, laughing. “Of course I do!” She leaned over and whispered something to Kevin, and he grinned. “Yes, I know he’s cute.”
Michael looked down, grinning. Kevin ribbed him and said, “Let’s go see Uncle Thomas.”
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
The water gently lapped along the sides of the canal in Founder's Falls. It was quiet here, before the statue of the angel as he looked out to the southern canal.
Grim knew the exact spot where he had his brother killed. He had sacrificed him to Grimalkin almost ten years ago, leading him directly into a trap. He laughed as he saw his brother's blood spilled out along the pale stones, and the demoness bent to her sacrifice tearing the shade of his soul right out of the body.
He knew the exact spot and stood on top of it, where the body had fallen. He stood and raised his hands - as he did, a shade appeared before him.
Grim knew the arcane language that would control and bind the soul at each word, but that was not why he summoned him. "Louie," he said quietly.
The shade darkened. Grim turned from the shade and picked up the book he had put aside. The shade advanced on him. Grim turned and faced the shade, staring into its glowing blue eyes. He opened the book to its marked page.
"Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto," Grim began in a clear voice, and looked up at the shade and spoke in Latin. "Louis Anthony LeBonte, I release thee from my service, by the power of Jesus Christ, Savior of the World, through his Passion, Death and glorious Resurrection. Introibo ad altare Dei. (Go to the altar of God). Angels heed me, come guide your servant to the right hand of God."
The shade had stopped moving, stopped shimmering. Grim reached out a hand and gently thrust it forward, touching the area where the shade's heart would be. He whispered, "Forgive me, Louie." He pulled away, and looked up, raising his hands above his head and cried out in a loud voice, "Domine, exuadi orationem meam! (Oh Lord, hear my prayer.)"
The shade's dark aura faded, replaced briefly by a white light, and was gone.
Grim felt the passing wings of an angel and smiled.
Grim knew the exact spot where he had his brother killed. He had sacrificed him to Grimalkin almost ten years ago, leading him directly into a trap. He laughed as he saw his brother's blood spilled out along the pale stones, and the demoness bent to her sacrifice tearing the shade of his soul right out of the body.
He knew the exact spot and stood on top of it, where the body had fallen. He stood and raised his hands - as he did, a shade appeared before him.
Grim knew the arcane language that would control and bind the soul at each word, but that was not why he summoned him. "Louie," he said quietly.
The shade darkened. Grim turned from the shade and picked up the book he had put aside. The shade advanced on him. Grim turned and faced the shade, staring into its glowing blue eyes. He opened the book to its marked page.
"Gloria Patri, et Filio, et Spiritui Sancto," Grim began in a clear voice, and looked up at the shade and spoke in Latin. "Louis Anthony LeBonte, I release thee from my service, by the power of Jesus Christ, Savior of the World, through his Passion, Death and glorious Resurrection. Introibo ad altare Dei. (Go to the altar of God). Angels heed me, come guide your servant to the right hand of God."
The shade had stopped moving, stopped shimmering. Grim reached out a hand and gently thrust it forward, touching the area where the shade's heart would be. He whispered, "Forgive me, Louie." He pulled away, and looked up, raising his hands above his head and cried out in a loud voice, "Domine, exuadi orationem meam! (Oh Lord, hear my prayer.)"
The shade's dark aura faded, replaced briefly by a white light, and was gone.
Grim felt the passing wings of an angel and smiled.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Grim and Trip heard a humming behind them and turned to see Rusty from Emerald Flight appear out of no where to stand in the middle of the two warehouse buildings. He stood amid four black metal boxes.
“Hey, Trip, long time, no see.”
“Hi, Rusty,” she said with a little blush. Rusty smiled at her, then looked to Grim. “Is everyone out?”
“Everyone alive,” Grim said.
Rusty nodded. “I already set the beacons up at the resolution point.” He pried open the box and took out something that looked like a small missile. He hit a button and a tripod popped out of the bottom.
“Where are we going?” asked Trip.
“Dimension JL-87. An alternate Aspen, Colorado, to be specific.”
“Aspen?”
Rusty was unloading the crate as he spoke. “I hear it’s beautiful there in the winter.”
“What’s the dimension like?”
“Well, there was a biological war in the 1920’s during the Great War between the US and the Soviets. People built domes around certain cities that they felt were important to keep, and the rest of the cities were abandoned. There is very tight population control, and nobody ventures out of the cities – at least they won’t until 2350, when the world starts to get resettled. The nearest city to here is Las Vegas.”
He finished unloading the box, there were ten tri-podded missiles on the ground. “I’ll start setting these up.”
Rusty walked around the perimeter of the area. Grim watched silently, still depressed over the events last night. Trip put a hand on his arm and looked at him, concerned. He gave her a small smile, put his hand on top of hers. They said nothing.
In about half an hour, Rusty had set up all the beacons that were in the boxes. He removed a small round ball from one of the boxes, and pressed a button. The tips of all the beacons glowed green. He went around to make sure they were all glowing green.
“Okay, come over here.” He beckoned them to the other side of the wall. They could still see the upper half of the warehouses. Rusty waited until they were settled, then pressed a button with his thumb. They all heard a very loud hum that only grew in intensity and volume. Trip and Grim put their hands over their ears, while Rusty remained impassive. They all watched as the top of the buildings shimmered in their view, and then popped out of existence.
The humming lessened, and Trip and Grim slowly let down their hands from their ears. Rusty closed the box, and said, “Stay right there. I’ll check and see if it’s safe.”
They all nodded, and Rusty jumped over the wall. After a short time, he called, “Okay, all set.”
Trip and Grim vaulted over the wall, and looked at the empty lot that the warehouse had stood. Rusty was picking up the relays around them.
Trip hugged herself. “This is creepy.”
Grim only ndded.
“So how do we get there?”
“You know the portals they have all over the city? You can get there through that. Your keycard is keyed to the new dimension. However, it’ll only work once.”
“That’s no help.”
“I’ve left a couple of hypos and three thousand implants in your base. You need to put the implant on the top of your head.”
“How big is this implant?”
“About the size of a pinhead.” Rusty looked at Trip. “If you want a bigger one, I can make the automatic communication implant.”
“We’ll see,” Trip said.
“It’s undetectable by this time period’s technology. It’s only a direction finder, not a teleporter. I can make one of those, too.”
“No, it’s okay,” Grim said, already feeling queasy over the thought of implants. “What about Rusty?”
“As long as you put it on his head, he’ll be okay. Sarter it to him if you have to.”
Trip looked at Grim. “Want to go see our new home?”
Grim nodded. Rusty held up a hand. “Give me a minute.” He finished packing the boxes, and pressed a button. They shimmered and disappeared. “Okay, I’ll join you there.” He pressed a button on his belt, also shimmered and disappeared.
Grim and Trip went to the portal located on the Police Station’s roof. They both took out their keycard and stepped into the portal.
They were dropped off right inside the foyer of the warehouse, Rusty stood at the desk, punching things into the computer. “You have internet and satellite TV. A lot of the shows are pretty much the same, but there are some that are different. There are no shows like Survivor, for instance.”
Trip went to the door and pulled it open. Brisk fall air breezed into the foyer. She looked outside. “Oh, my God…”
“What?” Grim went to the door and also looked outside. He gasped.
The view encompassed snow-capped mountains, and a gentle running stream just a few yards away. They went outside to get a better look. All around them were mountains; they seemed located in the center of a treeless valley. A lush green forest was just beyond the stream.
“This is…”
Rusty stood in the doorway, looking a little concerned.
“This is beautiful,” she gasped.
Rusty smiled.
“What are we going to do for a power source?” Grim asked. “The power in the base won’t last forever.”
“I’ll leave that.” He pointed to a box that looked like an air conditioning unit. “It’s an oxygen generator – takes in oxygen, puts out carbon dioxide, and creates power.”
Trip kneeled next to it. “Wow…”
Grim asked, “What if it breaks?”
“Grim,” Rusty said calmly, “it’s warranteed for two hundred years.”
“Oh…”
“By then, we’ll all be bones.” Rusty started walking around the perimeter again, gathering up the receiving relays. Trip and Grim also wandered around, taking in the crisp clean air and the beautiful natural views. They had plenty of area for a garden, a training area, expansion…
“Don’t forget the implant,” said Rusty.
“What about people who are part of a temporary team?”
“They can’t come in, sorry.”
Trip frowned.
“Unless you provide them with a keycard. Then it’s a one-shot deal.”
“We can still carry the keycards around, right?”
Rusty shook his head. “They can only be used once. Go ahead and try to come back right now. It won’t work.”
Grim asked, “Do the teleporters still work?”
“Of course they do. I’ll go test them myself after I show you where the hypos are.” They all went back in the base. In medbay, they found the hypos that looked similar to Epi-pens. Rusty held one up. “Who’s going first?”
Trip stepped forward. Rusty held the hypo and parted her hair. He pressed it onto her head, and pressed the top. “That’s it.”
Trip rubbed the top of her head. “That didn’t even hurt.”
“It’s not supposed to go very deep. There’s a hundred in each cartridge.” He took it apart to show them how to replace the cartridge and showed them where the cartridges were. “It’ll flash red when empty.” He handed it to Trip. “Go take care of Grim, I’m going to check your teleporters.”
Trip advanced on Grim. He gulped, and bowed his head. Trip parted his hair and pressed the flat end on his head. She pressed the top: he heard a click, and only felt a small pain, like someone poked him in the head. He looked up. “That’s it?”
“That’s it.”
“I hope everybody doesn’t mind it.”
Grim looked at the hypo. “I’ll put a text on the comm to have them stop in first thing. I’ll take care of it.”
“Hey, Trip, long time, no see.”
“Hi, Rusty,” she said with a little blush. Rusty smiled at her, then looked to Grim. “Is everyone out?”
“Everyone alive,” Grim said.
Rusty nodded. “I already set the beacons up at the resolution point.” He pried open the box and took out something that looked like a small missile. He hit a button and a tripod popped out of the bottom.
“Where are we going?” asked Trip.
“Dimension JL-87. An alternate Aspen, Colorado, to be specific.”
“Aspen?”
Rusty was unloading the crate as he spoke. “I hear it’s beautiful there in the winter.”
“What’s the dimension like?”
“Well, there was a biological war in the 1920’s during the Great War between the US and the Soviets. People built domes around certain cities that they felt were important to keep, and the rest of the cities were abandoned. There is very tight population control, and nobody ventures out of the cities – at least they won’t until 2350, when the world starts to get resettled. The nearest city to here is Las Vegas.”
He finished unloading the box, there were ten tri-podded missiles on the ground. “I’ll start setting these up.”
Rusty walked around the perimeter of the area. Grim watched silently, still depressed over the events last night. Trip put a hand on his arm and looked at him, concerned. He gave her a small smile, put his hand on top of hers. They said nothing.
In about half an hour, Rusty had set up all the beacons that were in the boxes. He removed a small round ball from one of the boxes, and pressed a button. The tips of all the beacons glowed green. He went around to make sure they were all glowing green.
“Okay, come over here.” He beckoned them to the other side of the wall. They could still see the upper half of the warehouses. Rusty waited until they were settled, then pressed a button with his thumb. They all heard a very loud hum that only grew in intensity and volume. Trip and Grim put their hands over their ears, while Rusty remained impassive. They all watched as the top of the buildings shimmered in their view, and then popped out of existence.
The humming lessened, and Trip and Grim slowly let down their hands from their ears. Rusty closed the box, and said, “Stay right there. I’ll check and see if it’s safe.”
They all nodded, and Rusty jumped over the wall. After a short time, he called, “Okay, all set.”
Trip and Grim vaulted over the wall, and looked at the empty lot that the warehouse had stood. Rusty was picking up the relays around them.
Trip hugged herself. “This is creepy.”
Grim only ndded.
“So how do we get there?”
“You know the portals they have all over the city? You can get there through that. Your keycard is keyed to the new dimension. However, it’ll only work once.”
“That’s no help.”
“I’ve left a couple of hypos and three thousand implants in your base. You need to put the implant on the top of your head.”
“How big is this implant?”
“About the size of a pinhead.” Rusty looked at Trip. “If you want a bigger one, I can make the automatic communication implant.”
“We’ll see,” Trip said.
“It’s undetectable by this time period’s technology. It’s only a direction finder, not a teleporter. I can make one of those, too.”
“No, it’s okay,” Grim said, already feeling queasy over the thought of implants. “What about Rusty?”
“As long as you put it on his head, he’ll be okay. Sarter it to him if you have to.”
Trip looked at Grim. “Want to go see our new home?”
Grim nodded. Rusty held up a hand. “Give me a minute.” He finished packing the boxes, and pressed a button. They shimmered and disappeared. “Okay, I’ll join you there.” He pressed a button on his belt, also shimmered and disappeared.
Grim and Trip went to the portal located on the Police Station’s roof. They both took out their keycard and stepped into the portal.
They were dropped off right inside the foyer of the warehouse, Rusty stood at the desk, punching things into the computer. “You have internet and satellite TV. A lot of the shows are pretty much the same, but there are some that are different. There are no shows like Survivor, for instance.”
Trip went to the door and pulled it open. Brisk fall air breezed into the foyer. She looked outside. “Oh, my God…”
“What?” Grim went to the door and also looked outside. He gasped.
The view encompassed snow-capped mountains, and a gentle running stream just a few yards away. They went outside to get a better look. All around them were mountains; they seemed located in the center of a treeless valley. A lush green forest was just beyond the stream.
“This is…”
Rusty stood in the doorway, looking a little concerned.
“This is beautiful,” she gasped.
Rusty smiled.
“What are we going to do for a power source?” Grim asked. “The power in the base won’t last forever.”
“I’ll leave that.” He pointed to a box that looked like an air conditioning unit. “It’s an oxygen generator – takes in oxygen, puts out carbon dioxide, and creates power.”
Trip kneeled next to it. “Wow…”
Grim asked, “What if it breaks?”
“Grim,” Rusty said calmly, “it’s warranteed for two hundred years.”
“Oh…”
“By then, we’ll all be bones.” Rusty started walking around the perimeter again, gathering up the receiving relays. Trip and Grim also wandered around, taking in the crisp clean air and the beautiful natural views. They had plenty of area for a garden, a training area, expansion…
“Don’t forget the implant,” said Rusty.
“What about people who are part of a temporary team?”
“They can’t come in, sorry.”
Trip frowned.
“Unless you provide them with a keycard. Then it’s a one-shot deal.”
“We can still carry the keycards around, right?”
Rusty shook his head. “They can only be used once. Go ahead and try to come back right now. It won’t work.”
Grim asked, “Do the teleporters still work?”
“Of course they do. I’ll go test them myself after I show you where the hypos are.” They all went back in the base. In medbay, they found the hypos that looked similar to Epi-pens. Rusty held one up. “Who’s going first?”
Trip stepped forward. Rusty held the hypo and parted her hair. He pressed it onto her head, and pressed the top. “That’s it.”
Trip rubbed the top of her head. “That didn’t even hurt.”
“It’s not supposed to go very deep. There’s a hundred in each cartridge.” He took it apart to show them how to replace the cartridge and showed them where the cartridges were. “It’ll flash red when empty.” He handed it to Trip. “Go take care of Grim, I’m going to check your teleporters.”
Trip advanced on Grim. He gulped, and bowed his head. Trip parted his hair and pressed the flat end on his head. She pressed the top: he heard a click, and only felt a small pain, like someone poked him in the head. He looked up. “That’s it?”
“That’s it.”
“I hope everybody doesn’t mind it.”
Grim looked at the hypo. “I’ll put a text on the comm to have them stop in first thing. I’ll take care of it.”