On the naked rock atop the mountain, kneeling in the naked sun, Nightmare is still. As he focused, and waited, the sun had traveled a full third of its daily path; just as the shivers begin to overcome his will to resist them, he raises his head and stands.
Retrieving and donning his clothes, he descends to the base. After a quick shower, he changes into slacks and a sweater, dons his loafers, and quietly enters the commissary, it's time for a sandwich.
This message was last edited by the player at 21:17, Tue 20 Mar 2012.

   Onyx nodded his neatly trimmed not-quite-an-afro to Martha and the Vandellas, singing along with the tune, "It's like a Heatwave!  Burning in my soul.  Heatwave!"

   "Hmmph, mmm, mm," He said, entering the Rec room from his own where Martha still called loudly, "Now that sangin' loco Poco!  You gotta get with that soul!  That Motown sound!  I'm tellin' ya, it's gonna be big!"

   His slight, skinny-yet-athletic frame bounced to the rhythm as his feet stepped in a pattern that would have made Sam Cooke proud.

   He frowned entering the room and listening to the new sounds.

   Then recognizing the tune, he cracked a wide smile, "Well, alright!  That's what I'm talkin' about!  It ain't Ray Charles, but I can get with that surf stuff, alright, yeah!"

   Bruce began miming what he thought riding a surfboard must be like.

   It was immediately obvious that he had never stood on a surfboard in his life.

As Onyx entered the room, Eddy turned to look at him.  Almost without effort or observation* he reached out and caught the Ping pong ball as it threatened to fly past him.
He smirked at the hot-head, and his love of that 'Motown' music.  Eddy didn't know anyone but black folks that liked that stuff.

'Loco Poco'!   That always made Eddy smile.  Onyx had started calling him that a week or so ago.  Eddy didn't know if Onyx knew what it meant in Spanish ... but it was just a little bit true.

Eddy had to laugh when his friend did him inept imitation of surfing.  The guy was a crack-up.
Of course, Eddy was an avid and very competent surfer.

He tossed the table tennis bat to the hot headed one, and reached for the other. "Prove your worth, little one", he said, turning back to the table tennis table, and pulling it away from the wall.


{* thank'ye Agility 30!}

"Would you MiiIIiiND turning that ruckus down?  Some of us come here for a calm moment, to organize our thoughts."

But the muscle-heads were busy playing ping pong, they ignored Oscillator.
"Never mind." he said.

He glided up to the radio, phased his hand through it.  The stereo stopped making any noise.
"This is a community area, people, not your family's living room."

Oscillator floated back to his journal at the table, and continued taking notes and finishing his sandwich.

In reply to Poco Tehuantl (msg #7):

   Onyx made an offended "pssch" sound with his mouth. "Oh, you gone find out, Poke!  I'm gone hit this ping long ball so hard it's gone travel at the speed of light.  If you think you, gonna beat me, well then you just messed up in the head or sumpin.  It ain't happening!"

   Bruce got down in a squat flexing at the knees, "Bounce the ball, fool, let's volley fa serve." he said with mock contempt and a silent "L."

   When Ocillator turned off the music, Onyx slapped the paddle on the table loudly, "You jive turkey!  Turn dem tunes back up, jack!  What's yo problem?  Music and "recreation" go together like Martha and the Vandellas!  Turn that music back on, sucka, or you gone feel a "heat wave"- burnin' yo booty up!"

   Bruce let out a cackle of good-natured laughter at his own joke.

Eddy was about to say something himself, when Onyx arced up.  He smiled.

"Tha's right, Ozzy.  That's two votes t' yer one.  An' if you is going to use powers to get yer way, then so is we ... and you gotta be wondering if getting yer own way on this insy matter is worth that kind of devastation.

Now, for the love of Tehuantl, fix the tunage before Onyx done explode, yeah? Cos I ain't gunna hold this flaming'  fool back none".

Eddy was willing to give the egg-head this one opportunity to avoid conflict.  He even attempted to be the bigger man by adding a half-hearted "Please" as an after thought.

"Go ahead, turn the stereo back on...  If YOU can."

Oscillator wasn't so foolish as to ignore them.
These were large, dangerous, and sometimes nasty muscle-heads.
BUT, he couldn't turn the stereo back on if he wanted.

Then again, he wasn't sure these two could turn on a light.

"The device should resume functioning in approximately 30 minutes.
And I plan to return to the laboratory by then, friends.
So, if you don't mind, I'll return to my writing...?"

Eddy looked to Onyx with a mischevious grin, then quickly stepped over and snatched* up The Oscillator's Journal.
"Nyah uh, Ozzy.  If we can't enjoy our music for half an hour, then you are not writing in your Journal for half an hour" he said, tossing backwards over his shoulder to Onyx.


* or, we can make rolls and stuff to see if Eddy is successful.  I am happy for narrative for this: but Ozzy might like feel I am meta-g'ing the scene. If you do want to make it a mechanical test, Ozz, I am happy to do so.  Eddy may well not succeed

@ Poco <-- no need to roll this stuff in our 'in-character' playtime thread, unless we need to.  This is just character development, plus I figure you guys would do something like that.  HA

Oscillator stands up.  "No!  You must be careful with that!  Those are irreplaceable records of my newest theories -- I apologize for dis-vibulat-ing your stereo!  I apologize!  Please, may I have my research back?"

Without moving in a threatening manner, Oscillator attempts to reclaim his journal.  A casual glance at the journal would denote a messy looking journal full of notes and scribblings, but anyone who were to examine the journal more closely they'd see page after page of very elaborate physics and geometric equations.

"Poco Tehuantl and Onyx, I may have started our interaction on the wrong trajectory.  Shall we re-align our position vectoring for enhanced synchronized transpersonal harmony?  Doubtless we share similar propensities as heroes imbued with our transmeta super-normative abilities."

Oscillator stiffly offers a handshake.

"You may know of me as Oscillators, but my incognito identity is Professor Jonas Oslow -- perhaps you've heard of my work?"

"Well it's ...", Eddy glanced at the ruined radio, "nice ? to meet you, Professor. I'm Eddy. Eddy Romerez.
And no, I haven't heard of you.  Have you been on the tube?

Don't worry, Onyx'll take good care of your little notebook.   But you don't get it back until we hear music again" he said, then glanced at Onyx with that mischevious smirk again, "Unlesss ..." he continued, and spun the table tennis bat in his hand, "you can beat me in a game of Tennis".
The smile on his face was one of those 'shit-eating' types.

His sandwich consumed, with milk, Lamar made his way to the recreation area. Entering the room, he nods at the others by way of greeting before claiming an ashtray and a copy of Wilkerson's The Cross and the Switchblade. Making his way to a chair, he sits and lights a Chesterfield as he begins to read.

It should be noted that the surgeon general's report came out in 1964.

A blast of wind flew into the rec room, then, coming from the doorway as if someone had left a window open during a storm. A blurred figure whizzed to the counter.  In a torrent of ultra-fast motion, something was assembled on the counter in a hurricane of clinking and clattering.

When the seeming-tornado subsided, Vosper stood before her creation, the slight slip of a blond Brit holding a mammoth foot-long sandwich in hand, a plate balanced in the other beneath, to catch any falling crumbs.

"Never a bloody dull moment with you Yanks," she commented wryly. "Gettin' so a girl can't even eat in peace.  Well let's have no bloodshed this early in the day, shall we?  If music's the problem, I can fetch a bleedin' radio from the gym and be back in a blink."

"Or you lot can play table tennis," she added, taking a mammoth bite out of the large sandwich.  "am sord id oud fr'm dere," she continued as she chewed.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:23, Tue 20 Mar 2012.

Without looking up from his book, Lamar opines, "If you just want music, I've been thinking of taking up the harmonica. Perhaps we could locate one and you could help me practice by making faces at my miserable failure to sound like Sonny Boy Williamson."

"Vosper, perfect -- if you wouldn't mind championing my cause with Poco Tehuantil and Onyx?  Either a game of table tennis in my 'stead, or another radio," or quietly he says,  "or even if you might re-acquire my journal? -- but that latter proposition could be dangerous."

Oscillator looked at Nightmare smoking.  "In 30 years, it will be common knowledge to the public the dangers of cigarettes: they are a leading cause of lung cancer, lung disease, heart disease, emphysema, brain aneurisms, strokes, enlarged prostate, shaking disease, kidney wasting, liver atrophy, sterility, loss of smell perception, heightened blood pressure, and ..."

Oscillator looks about.  Nightmare doesn't seem interested, and the others seem fairly unsure of what Oscillator's talking about.

"Far be it from me to instruct you in the disease causation of biophysiology.  Nicoteine is a causative factor, a disease vector, a carcinogen which enhances geometrically other toxins ... "

"Anyway, Onyx if you please, I would like my book.  It is most invaluable to me -- and it's valuable SMITE classified property as well."

One last pleading look from the doctor.  "Please?"

Far from disinterested, Nightmare closes his book and hears out the doctor. As the doctor begins to describe the role of nicoteine in the product, Nightmare is stubbing out his cigarette and nodding. "I had heard that, before, but wasn't sure what to believe."
Standing from the chair, he walks to the ping pong table as he speaks, "I don't believe you need to worry about your notebook, doctor. The youth of the day may seem highly spirited, but it would be unlikely that these two would be here if they  were not also responsible and upright. I'm sure they wouldn't wish to hinder the search for truth."
"It's probably a good thing the radio isn't playing. Building relationships with those around you is much more satisfying than listening to music, anyway."
This message was last edited by the player at 21:03, Wed 21 Mar 2012.

  "Here you go, man," Onyx said, tossing the notebook at Oscillator's chest, "Just don't mess with my tunes no more!"

   Bruce looked at the Nightmare with his face twisted in a crazy questioning way, "Whatchu talkin' bout, man?!  You sound crazy with all that mumbo-jumbo, jack!  Talk regalar, man- don't nobody want to hear all dat gobbley-gook!" Onyx said, assuming (quite possibly incorrectly) that no one else wanted to hear any "gobbly-gook."  Whatever that was.

   Looking at the strange man up and dow, he added, "But can you get down on the table, jack?  We can play teams!"

   The speed with which the man could shift from unintentional, culturally appropriate slight into friendly, familiar banter was astonishing.

Lamar replies to Onyx, "Sadly, I've no idea what you mean."
As he walks around the ping pong table, approaching Eddy and extending a hand, he goes on, "You know, I haven't played ping pong since summer camp. I doubt I would be very good at it."
As he introduces himself, he approaches each of the men in turn and offers his hand. "I could probably manage an introduction, though. I'm Lamar Cragson, though some of the papers have recently dubbed me 'Nightmare'. From what I understand, we are to be working together. I am certainly looking forward to it."
Finally arriving at the young lady, he gives her a nod and greets her as well, then stops as he is turning away and speaks over his shoulder, "Miss."
"Did you happen to see where they've put the coffee pot?"

   "Nice to meet you, jack!  Nightmare, huh?  Spooky name.  I like it!  I'm Onyx, but you can call me Bruce if ya want.  You gotta learn how to talk that jive talk, jack!  I'm tryin' ta make sure this team is swingin'!  You know, boppin'!"

   Looking appreciately at the female speedster, Onyx remarked, "Hey girl!  You a stone fox!  This team just got a lot better lookin', ya dig?"

   Bruce shot an open hand out in Poco's direction, apparently looking for "five."

This was the trap all outsiders and newcomers are placed into, Vosper thought sardonically, working on her monster sandwich.  Choose sides.  Pick me, pick me!

"I'd rather not take sides," she smiled and shrugged apologetically.  "But if you need a trannie to replace the one you bolluxed up, that I can fetch."

"In a sec." 

With that, she devoured her entire sandwich in an eighth of the time it would take a normal person.  The thing just began to disappear in a blur of motion and then, in a few seconds, it was completely gone.  No muss, no fuss.

"I was completely famished, sorry," she added with a charming smile.  It seemed inconceivable that a 5'4" slender girl could have eaten that entire sandwich, much less done so in 30 seconds.

Nightmare was talking, and the trio of men bantered.  Onyx handed back the book.  All seemed settled, radio forgotten, in only the time it had taken her for lunch.  Well, mission accomplished, then, she thought.

"Coffee's right here, mate," she replied to Cragston, and in a blur, she had the pot in one hand and set it down, handle out, on the counter before him.  "Callsign's 'Vosper'," she added with a smile.  "But if we're to be livin' an' workin' together, you lot can call me Ellie.  Eloise Sutton."

She smiled at Onyx's compliments and replied, "Cheers, mate, you're a pretty rightous bab yourself," and lifted a mug of coffee she'd gotten for herself.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:26, Thu 22 Mar 2012.

"Miss Vosper, no need to take sides.  Despite appearances, I trust we are all on the same side.  We are the last defense for the good people against those with evil intent."
"Despite their lack of care for my personal goods, I admit I was rash with the stereo.  My apologies, gentlemen."

Oscillator puts the journal in his white lab jacket's inner pocket.  Clearly the rec room is not a good place for him to journal -- right now.  Anyway, he was hoping to make friends with this new team.

"I'm glad we are all here to have a chat, anyway.  I haven't heard word yet, but my suspicions are that we are to be a team.  Why else would SMITE would have gathered up such a powerful bunch of people as ourselves?"

Oscillator puts his hand out to shake hands with the others - anyone that's willing.

"My heroic pseudonym is Oscillator, which refers to vibration, the locus of my powers.  My actual identity I prefer to keep a secret, although I am well-known in some circles for my research.  I hope you'll forgive me for just using this name?"

The man-beast smiled ... and heartily gave Onyx the high-five he was looking for.
His hot-headed friend wasn't the only one appreciating the lady's appearance.

The egg-head might have talked his book back into his hands, but that was fine.  And the fact that he had apologies went a long way with Eddy.

He flicked his mane of black hair out of his face and shook the mans hand, "No worries, Professor Oslow.  You keep your identity to yourself for the time being.  Bruce," he said, gesturing to his fiery friend, "and I won't be prying.

I'm Eddy, by the way.  I used to be a regular kid, till the essence of Tehuantl decided to make itself at home in my soul ... now I'm constantly running out of razor blades.

Vibrations, eh? We seem to be well endowed with energies here, then.   Vibration, Momentum," he said, looking to the lady, then at Bruce, "Light and Magnetism.
I'm kinda feeling a little left out" he joked, "How about you, Spooky?"

Relaxed now, the little cat-man seemed to a happy enough sort of guy.

Lamar looks at Vosper, apparently taken aback by the delivery of the coffee pot, and says, "Thank you, Miss Sutton. I didn't mean for you to trouble yourself with fetching it. I prefer a little chicory in my coffee, and thought you would be the one most likely to have seen the pot, as you cover more ground, so to speak."
"Spooky? When I was growing up that was the name of my best friend's horse."
"As to what I do, I've been to the mountaintop and learned some things which I use to contend with the evil men do. I'm sorry if that's frustratingly vague; it bothers me, as well."

Vosper gave Oscillator's hand a firm shake - her grip surprisingly strong for her size - and nodded.  "Right, then," she grinned.  "That's what we're all here for, I'm sure.  Doing the right thing and fighting the good fight."

"And I wouldn't feel left out, mate," she smiled to Eddy.  "Not all of us can claim to be the heir of a cat-god.  I'm just fast, that's all there is to it.  No gods involved."

"Suit yourself," she said to Nightmare casually, unoffended at his preference in coffee.  "No trouble at all. Dunno if there's any chicory about; the coffee stuff's in that cabinet there."

It was an interesting collection of members, Poco had that right.

   Onyx looked at Spooky, "Chickory?  You from Nawlins or sumpin?"

   Bruce looked around the room at the others.

   "Well, we some righteous crime fighters!  I like it!  Yeah, ahm Onyx 'cuz I got a way with metal and light," to prove his point he moved his hand from palm down to palm up and revealed a small glowing globe of light.  He abruptly closed his hand and the orb winked out of existence.

   "I'm pleased ta meetcha!" He slapped Oscilators hand on the front side, then the backside, then went in for a complex shake, trying to show the square how to do it properly.

   Stepping back, he said, "Anyway.  I want Vosper on my team fa the table tennis!  We can't lose with speed and the speed of light!  Even if there are cat quick reflexes on the other side of the table!"

   Bruce made a fast motion with both hands as he said "cat quick."

Oscillator attempted to do this, but failed.  (Epic fail!)
Further, he didn't see the point.

"I don't know what you are doing.  Can't we shake hands like gentlemen, like adults?"

He adjusted his tie.  "I'm concerned that our group may be too diverse and lack team-cohesion by each person forcing their personal agenda, their individuality on everyone."

"Can we all agree to respect the 'natural American culture' and lessen these rude counter-cultural maneuverings?  Their intent is to separate and alienate rather than build camaraderie."

OOC: as a 'real-life' alt person, this role as a straight-laced guy is kinda fun!!