In reply to Jack Sharpe (msg # 897):

DD? Dad-Suit exclaims.

It is salt water.  Or salt.  Axoxus smolders when he takes a punch or gives a punch.

Oh.  You think you're cute huh?

He doubles up.  You find yourself on the defensive.  The blows...you guess the word is sting.  You've probably never had the experience of them hurting before.  But they're coming in truckloads.  You're giving as well.  But it's...piling up.  Slightly.

You see Dad Suit out of the corner of your eye.  He's slinked over to the hole in the wall and plastered himself over it.  If you're concerned he's turned on you, the doubt should only last for a moment.  Dad Suit starts to expand out. He's basically turning himself into a salt water balloon.

Axoxus seems to preoccupied with smoking to notice.

“Yeah, DD. Since you never use your name, and I'm tired of referring to you as 'Darja's Dad',” Jack clarifies as he slugs it out with Axoxus. Doing his best to throw as much of the mist at the face of the guy as he can.

When the suit starts to do its thing, he focuses entirely on Axoxus. Trying to keep his attention on him, and making a mental note that if this guy survives, he needs to track him down in a year so he can turn the tables on him and pull his arms off.

“I have all day, and you're surrounded by this stuff. This isn't going to end well for you,” he tells the four armed beast.

In reply to Jack Sharpe (msg # 899):

Axoxus chuckles after taking a punch to his chin.  Here's a life lesson for ya guy.

Nothin' ever ends well.  It just drags on until the inevitable conclusion.

All four of his eyes flash gold of a sudden.

You may do one action right now before he does what he's about to do.
This message was last edited by the GM at 23:34, Tue 03 Aug 2021.

When he somehow senses the flash in the moment before it somehow likely takes effect, Jack takes the moment to full-body shove the four armed man backwards toward the swelling blister of water behind him. Hopefully, dad-suit knows what to do, or isn't too badly injured in the process at least.

In reply to Jack Sharpe (msg # 901):

You go rigid from the flash but not before you pile into him.

Axoxus seems surprised by the force of the blow.  He doesn't seem to be aware of the water balloon...until he hits it.

DD bursts apart.  Axoxus roars.  It's pretty impressive.  The entire ship shakes from it.

The floor under you lurches and you tumble to one side, mostly because you still can't move.  Axoxus is flailing like a poorly clubbed seal.  His legs rip into the ruptured wall.  The ocean goes from pouring in to flooding in.

Not that it's a big thing for you.  But the paralysis is probably pretty annoying.

DD isn't moving.

You watch the water cover the floor.  It's uncomfortable and you still can't move.

You hear splashing and pick up a familiar heartbeat.  HT leans over you, wearing a breather mask of some kind.

"You're not moving," he obsereves.

---

It takes a little over an hour for you to regain complete control.  Thirty minutes in, you could sluggishly move.  Forty seven minutes, you could move like a normal person.  You hit Jack speed sixty seven minutes in.

Axoxus seems to have disappeared.  He may have dissolved in the ocean.  That seemed to be the effect the water was having on him.

You and HT are above the water now.  DD's main body sent a submersible which is how HT picked you up.

He offers you a Fresca.  They seem to be everywhere.

"Well.  For a training run, that didn't go horribly.  What?

"You went toe to toe with a real monster.  At least from what we heard and saw through the suit's feed.  Sorry things went so south.  But you handled it well.  And...this is how the life tends to go.  You still up for it?"

So you've met your one of two "equal" challenges I have planned for your game.  Gotta have someone for you to slug it out with.  We'll get back to the high school angst with the next storyline.  It's Homecoming!  How could that possibly go wrong?
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:56, Thu 05 Aug 2021.

Jack idly lets his mind try to make sense of the effects of the golden flash, so that he can possibly counter it in the future. Some sort of enervation? Is it psychic based? Something to work on. Like seeing through the anti-meta materials and resisting reality altering affects. He feels like he can push himself to develop a resistance, but it’ll take time and focus.

He doesn’t hear where Axoxus goes, or if he has pulled a Wicked Witch of the West and melted. He doesn’t hear the thing’s heartbeat, so that’s a good thing?

The idle thoughts take a long time to finally come back to reality, only really coming back to HT speed when the instructor speaks.

---

“As long as he didn’t escape and is planning to push an asteroid into Earth as revenge, I’m peachy,” Jack mentions idly as he adjusts his shredding clothing for as much coverage as possible over his private bits. He doesn’t seem too bothered by the event. “I need that training against psychic powers though, and I’d like to see if Darja’s Dad can dig up any information on that golden eye thing that he was doing to me. I don’t like being powerless, it’s a weird feeling.”

In reply to Jack Sharpe (msg # 903):

HT studies you and then barks a laugh.  <blue>"Yeah.  You're all in.

"The paralysis could have been a lot of different things.  When we get back to HQ and debrief, describe everything you remember about it.  We'll cross check with what we have and Daddy Poo has.  See what we can find out.

"As far as your friend comin' back...I'd say count on it.  They never really die in this business."</green>

---

Marlene left a note and a ten spot on the kitchen table.

Sorry.  Forgot to shop.  Stop by somewhere and get yourself breakfast

Saul is out on the stoop when you step out.  He's got a door set up on two sawhorses and he's painting it.  He waves his paint brush in greeting.

"Well look who it is!  The man of the hour!  How ya doin' Jack?  Saw your Mom two days ago.  She spent a half hour tellin' me why God's an outdated concept and then told me to tell you "Hi"."

He waves the paintbrush again.  "Hi."

Saul laughs.  "It's fine.  It's fine.  I'm gonna be headed back up that way next week.  Anything you want me to tell her?"

Jack thinks about it and pulls out his phone, writing out a text with one hand while he talks with Hard Time. The text comprehensively discussing the feeling of the yellow flash, and then following it up with his suspicions about how it might work. The fact that his regeneration hadn’t thrown the effect off makes him think very highly of the idea that it was psychic in nature.

But.. aliens.

“Well, the longer he waits the stronger I get,” he points out with a shrug.

---

The evening before, Jack had spent several hours listening to language lessons while reading articles on AER at high speed. Trying to make sense of the effect on him, in case the people working with the Guardians can’t.

Picking up the note, he takes the ten-spot and throws it in his wallet. He’ll use it at some point, probably not for breakfast today though.

He looks at the door, then turns his head to look in the direction of the apartment, wondering which door this was replacing.

“Hello Saul, ah, yes, thank you for going to see her. Anything to tell her? Are you talking to her as a rabbi, or just as a friendly face?” he asks. The one would make their conversations private.

In reply to Jack Sharpe (msg # 905):

HT looks at the text and smacks his lips dryly.  "Ya know Jacky...you're scarier sometimes than anyone else I've met.  And I've fought demonic slugs inside a fallen angel's digestive tract."

---

Saul laughs.  "Your mom hasn't struck me as someone seeking religion.  I don't hide the fact I'm a rabbi.  But I don't push it down people's throats.  You make more of an impact on people with the things you do and not the things you say."

It's not a door in his apartment.  But you notice one of the doors in a downstairs neighbor's apartment is missing.  It's Miss Abdamalek in 1C.  She's an elderly Hindu woman who's living alone.  Saul's probably doing it to help her out.

"You mind if I ask ya somethin' though?  And if it's not any of my business, I'll apologize up front and never bother you about it again.

"What happened to your Dad?  Your Mom talked about him a little.  It was...kinda odd.  Made him sound like a secret agent or somethin'."

“There are angels?! Does that mean there's a heaven?” Jack asks the older man, suddenly wondering if all of his beliefs are incorrect.

---

Coincidentally...

“Well, in that case, I won't pass along anything to say. I'll write a letter and drop it off tonight,” he mentions amiably.

The letter, written later, will talk about his plans for homecoming and his “dream” where he interacted with an alien that flashed a yellow light and made him freeze. Oddly enough, for a boy discussing a dream, he posits a question for her to consider. “I wonder if anything like that could exist, and how it might work so that a guy wouldn't be affected again in the future..”

Listening to the questions about his dad, he shrugs and says, “He left us when I was young. I don't know what he's doing now, and mom knows him better than me. He very well could be working for some three-letter agency, to be honest, but I doubt it.”

In reply to Jack Sharpe (msg # 907):

HT smiles a little ruefully.  "If there is, I haven't been there.

"There's beings who call themselves angels.  And yeah.  They're some who call themselves demons and devils.  Some people say they're just extradimensional beings.  Some say nope.  They're the real deal."

HT shrugs.  "I know what I believe.  You'd have to make up your own mind.  But I do know this.  There is good and there is evil and there's a whole big mess in between 'em.  And things are seldom what you think they are."

---

Saul nods.  "Sorry to pry.  She talked about your dad and it sounded...well.  Your mom has been through a lot.  She asked me to get her a sugar skull for dia de la muerte. They sell 'em at the Mexican grocery store on 5th.  You want me to pick one up and carry it out for her?  Or you wanna drop it off yourself?"

“Oh. Oh! I mean, that makes sense, there are people featured in stories we might call myths who were clearly just early metas. It must be a case of dimensional or alien metas who call themselves that,” Jack follows the thought all of the way through and realizes that he doesn't need to readjust his feelings on religion. No need for a total reconsideration of everything and every action.

Just follow the golden rule.

---

“I can bring it when I bring the letter,” Jack replies.

An odd choice of an item however. Sugar.

Does she need it for something? Panning through his memories of her, he searches for a time she might have used sugar in an unconventional way—he also checks all the other times she might have done something on that day.

“Thanks for helping her Saul, I don't think she can express herself the same way with me, she's too worried about me and my feelings to let herself sort through everything she needs to sort through.”

In reply to Jack Sharpe (msg # 909):

HT chuckles.  "Well as long as you're keeping an open mind..."

Before you can respond, his comm goes off.  He rolls his eyes and nods.  "Head home.  Darj is gonna say bye to her Pop.  I'll catch a lift."

---

Saul opens his mouth to say something and then shrugs.  "It's not a problem Jack.  Anything I can do to help.  Kinda my job.  Anyway get to school.  Lemme know if I can do anything."

---

Lydia texts you.  Can we meet up after school?

“See you later!” Jack gives a thumbs up to the old man before he jogs off to make up for the time he’d spent socializing.

---

As he heads toward school, Jack checks both of his phones, plugging the battery into the Monkey-phone, he sends a text to the tailed man: Hey. Any updates? How ya doing?

And then seeing the text from Lydia he replies, Of course.

In reply to Jack Sharpe (msg # 911):

Sorry.  Had to catch a late plane in last night and am still playing catch up with everything.  What was Monkey looking up for you again?

---

Lydia sends you back a winky smiley emoji. Can we meet up at the library on 7th?  I need to check out some books.  We can stop at K-Backs after.  My treat.

Darja is out today.  She texts you that she and her Dad are going to Disney land.  He says he always wanted to take me here.  She sends you a photo of Dad-Ship in mouse ears.

The big news is Whitefalls is out.  She was in a car accident over the weekend.  No big harm, but she's in the hospital for a few days.

Colby seems distracted.  You notice him staring at the door all during class and can hear him taking whiffs all throughout class.

Will let you react to any of that before I move us to your meeting with Lydia.  Thanks

Monkey was just on top of a few investigations: The BE gun thing and the Sandman.

---

Jack sends back a kiss emoji. See you there.

To Darja, he suggests: Disney has that new Star Wars section, make sure you check it out. Your dad will surely be impressed by our version of space ships.

Short of stalking Whitefalls, Jack is just a bit perplexed. The whole thing reeks of contrived circumstances and bizarre coincidences, but he isn't sure what else to make of it.

When Jack notices Colby's behavior, he takes a page in his notebook and writes a big question mark on it. He then turns it sideways so that Colby can see it. Sitting near to each other has the advantage that they can communicate without needing to be too furtive.

In reply to Jack Sharpe (msg # 913):

Thanks.  I cannot lay my hands on my notes for your game and that was the one thing I could not recall.

Kevin texts you.  Let's meet for burgers.  Usual place.  Let me know the time.

Darja texts you an emoji that's rolling it's eyes.

Colby gives you a raised eyebrow and then gestures at the clock.  He'll tell you after class.

The two of you meet up in the hallway.  He looks around, making sure no one can overhear, and then leans closer.

"There's a weird stink man.  I mean...there's been a lotta smells lately.  But this one is..."  He shakes his head and rubs the back of his neck.  "It smells like...something dead.  I can't explain it.  It's just really freakin' weird. And it's all over."

You see his nostrils flare.  "It gets stronger and then it kinda fades away.  I dunno.  My nose has never done this before."

Ten.

---

When he meets up with Colby after class, Jack glances around and thinks about it. “I’ll see if we have anyone new in school, it’d be a new problem I think, unless you were smelling it at the beginning of the year too,” he mentions idly and pulls out his phone.

He types with one hand while appearing to still be focused entirely on Colby. Like he does.

His eyes and hand moving fast enough that he can do it between words. He sends a quick text: HT. Can you have the worker bees check to see if there are any new transfers to the school? Might be a new Meta.

He looks to Colby then and mentions, “I’ll keep it vague so nobody knows it’s you who spotted the new person, if it’s a new person,” he idly mentions quietly and pulls his friend aside. “See you this weekend, right? Serving pizzas?” he questions.

In reply to Jack Sharpe (msg # 915):

Colby shakes his head at your first statement.  "No man.  This is the first time I've smelled somethin' like this.

"And yeah.  This weekend for the job.  Thanks Jack."

Kevin sends you a thumbs up.

---

Lydia is frowning at a book entitled Thee Psychick Testimony

She looks up when she sees you, her eyes going all soft and warm like she's just seen a puppy she really likes.

"Ya know how long it's been since I've had to hold an actual book book?" She hefts the Testimony.  "I think the last paper copy of a book I read was Where the Sidewalk Ends back when I was seven.  Ant that was only cos Grandma didn't believe in Kindle."

She leans her head on your arm.  "I'm really glad to see you.  Can you carry my books for me?  Isn't that what the guys do for the girls in the old movies?"

“Huh. If you have a few minutes to spare, walk around campus and see if you can’t narrow it down to being ‘on campus’ after school? Let’s Scooby this one,” Jack proposes. “I have to go meet Lyds, but I can come back if the thing is still here when we’re done.”

---

Jack looks at the book she’s reading and gently takes it from her, turning his back so that he can’t be seen, he flips through it at full-speed and remarks, “I liked it,” but does not at her explanation. “I recently got some folks to hook me up with an online database of all sorts of interesting books, so I can read more stuff,” he mentions pleasantly as he scoops up her books for her.

Walking with her leaned against him toward the desk so that they can check these out.

“So, do we have a plan for the evening? I need to pick up a sugar skull for dia de los Muertos, for my mom,” he mentions pleasantly, not pressuring her, just mentioning it as an item on his to do list in case she has no plans in mind.

In reply to Jack Sharpe (msg # 917):

Colby thinks about it and then shrugs.  "Yeah.  I can do that.  I'll text you if I find any Scooby snacks."

---

Lydia cocks an eyebrow.  "Dia de los Muertos?  Aren't those like masks those wrestlers wear?"

Her eyes suddenly go wide.  Seems like she just had a good idea.

"Oh!  Over in the barrio there's this really awesome taco place!  I haven't been there in a year or so, but I know they're still there!  It's inside a Mexican grocer.  I bet they'd have your skull and we can get great tacos!  Am I a genius or what?"

Pick a number between 1 and 10 please.

Thanks.

Jack smiles and explains, “Day of the dead, you're thinking of luchadores. I have no idea why mom wants it, she definitely isn’t that sort of person, I’ve been puzzling over it all day. Past times on the same day. People who have died. Uses for sugar,” he throws out the list of possibilities he has been puzzling over as they start walking toward the Mexican store.

Gently taking her hand, he walks hand in hand with her.

“Definitely a genius,” he confirms.

As they walk, he starts to recall his events from yesterday.

“.. and then I took the giant thing that looked like a magnet from a Looney Tunes cartoon down into the Marianas Trench, and found this giant space ship that crashed I’d imagine at least a hundred million years ago..”


7
This message was last edited by the player at 21:56, Wed 25 Aug 2021.

In reply to Jack Sharpe (msg # 919):

She's staring at you, wide eyed.  "Thing is...I can't really tell if you're being honest or messing with me.  You went into outer space?  Farthest I've ever been is Lubbock."

Lydia shakes her head.  "I...sorry.  But I can't really wrap my head around it.  I mean...I know metas can do amazing things.  But you...you're like...ultrameta.  Or something."

She laughs.  "Your folks must be really proud of you."

Your cell buzzes.

HT getting back to you.  No new students or staff.  What's the sitch?

Colby buzzes back.  Whatever the stink is, it's on the second floor.  Especially around the math and science labs.  And it's really bad in the caf.  Don't think I'm gonna eat there tomorrow.  Almost made me wretch.

Going home.  Feeling like im gonna hurl  CYA

Lydia points down the street.  "There's the place."

Mercado Central has jazzy latin pop playing out of tinny speakers.  A few people give you sideways looks but don't pay much more attention than that.

There's a little taqueria set up on one side of the entrance.  People are already lining up to order.

Lydia stops a clerk and asks "Vendes calaveras de azúcar?"

He gives her a si and points towards a far aisle.

She nods her head towards where the clerk pointed.  "Sugar skulls are over there. Wanna eat first?"

“I’ll figure out a way to carry you to Europe and Asia sometime,” Jack suggests with a smile, then looking down at her figure, he goes on, “Maybe a beach in Brazil.” So subtle, Jack.

Thinking about her comment about being ‘ultrameta’ he shrugs. It’s not inaccurate, but he just considers it normal for him.

“I think my mom is proud, and my dad is well, whatever,” he answers with a smile and pulls out his phone, reading the text from Colby.

He sends a text along to HT first: There’s something going on on the second floor, near the math and science labs and near the cafeteria. Something bad, probably. You should get some people out with meters and equipment after hours.

To Colby: Take it easy. Let me know if you get worse, try not to sleep, in case it’s something serious. I didn’t realize it was that bad.

Jack doesn’t point out to his girlfriend that he speaks the language, and smiles at her bilingual skills. Following her finger, he takes her along shopping. “Nah, let’s get it first so we can leave when we’re done,” he answers with a smile.

In reply to Jack Sharpe (msg # 921):

Couldn't recall if Jack habla Espanol.  Will provide dialogue as apropo.  Thanks.

The aisle seems to correspond to the "seasonal" section you would find in a major grocery store chain.  There are stacks of candles, most with an image of Mother Mary or a lamb.  Past those there are what could be taken for Halloween decorations.  Crepe paper in multi colors.  Skull like masks and brightly garish decorations.

On a top shelf are several boxes with cellophane window fronts.  Skulls the size of your palm rest inside each box, each decorated with colored sugars and candies. Like snowflakes, each one is different.

As you glance at them, Lydia pulls your sleeve.  She's looking at the other end of the aisle and frowning.  "You know that guy?  He did kind of a double take when he saw you."

There wasn't a man there before, but he could have walked around the end of the aisle as you arrived in front of the skulls and started looking at them.

He's fast. He's turned and headed back the way he must have come as you turn your head.

From the back...he's got the right height and hair color to be Dad.