Luck of Heroes: Twilight

[Uncle Yuan]

This thread is reserved for posts in the new "Luck of Heroes" play-by-post RPG.  Please do not post here if you are not a player, and players please confine your posts to story posts.  I will retitle the original thread for open player and reader comments.

This game will be a bit different than other play-by-posts.  It is something of an experiment in collaborative writing and story telling.  Posts here will be longer and less frequent, and more evenly balanced between players and GM.  Details and conflict outcomes will be arranged ahead of time via PM with final drafts posted for general consumption.  I ask that any player with game-related questions contact me via PM or in the open thread.

Prolog follows, with first contributions due soon.

[Uncle Yuan]

Prolog:
Deep in the heart of Chinatown, far beyond the brightly neon-lit, tourist clogged main streets, one can find an unassuming storefront wedged between a travel agency and a small grocery.  Peering through the window one can see a huge wall of small drawers and shelves reaching to the ceiling behind a long counter.  The sales floor is crammed with boxes and barrels arranged in tidy rows.  The door is painted a bright green.  Hanging in its window is a rice paper banner, hung vertically in the Chinese style, with the single word "herbs" in elegant calligraphy.

It is twilight.  Out on the streets people bustle through a light rain in a hurry to get home to dinner.  The street is dim, lit more by the storefronts than by street lights.  Traffic on this street is light.

Inside the store are two people.  On the sales floor a slender young man with a broom pulls the crates and barrels one after another out of their tidy rows, carefully sweeps the space, and precisely replaces them.  The young man is dressed like any other teenager in jeans and a t-shirt.

Behind the counter an old man sits upon a stool.  The single over-head lamp reflects off his shiny bald head as he bends over a large ledger writing precise characters with ink and brush.  His brown wool dress slacks and vest were not new when he bought them at the thrift store ten years ago.  A battered canvas shoulder bag hangs on a hook behind the counter next to a knobby walking stick, polished by years of use, leaning against the wall.

Suddenly the old man pauses, looks up and suppresses a shudder.  His face is etched with concern as he stares at a point in space beyond the shop's window.  Quietly he murmurs, "I sense a disturbance in the Force."

"Master?" inquires the young man, pausing in his task.

"Nothing, Steven.  A small joke.  I've been known to make them on occasion.  You may leave for the evening.  I will see you in the morning."

"Um, yes Master," replies Steven.  He casts a quick glance around the store.  His chore is barely half-done, but an early dismissal is not to be questioned.  Ducking though a beaded curtain behind the counter he stows the broom and grabs his coat and a San Francisco Giants baseball cap.  Calling "Goodnight, Master" over his shoulder, he heads out to join the others bustling through the rain.

As the old man slips down off the stool one can see how short he is, his chest even with the counter top.  He hurries over to the door, locking it and drawing its blind.  Back behind the counter he reaches underneath and draws out a shallow porcelain bowl the size of a manhole cover.  He places it on the counter and remounts his stool, peering intently into the empty vessel.

A swirl of vapor forms on the bottom of the bowl and suddenly it is filled with water.  Two brightly colored goldfish swim in lazy circles through the water.  There is a sense of dark depth greater than the curve of the bowl.  In this depth he can make out one, possibly two more fish swimming as if trying to decide whether to surface or dive.

"Good.  Two at least.  Maybe more.  The universe maintains a balance."  The old man slides off of the stool, picks up the empty bowl and replaces it under the counter.  Rummaging around he draws out a sheaf of fine rice paper, an ink pot, brushes and a stand.  These he lines up neatly on the counter and retakes his seat.

Murmuring to himself in an odd croon he begins to write.  "Too hesitant last time were we.  Disaster did we court.  This time no such chances shall we take, hmmm?  Heh."

[kkhohoho]

*Beep! Beep! Beep!*

In less then a second, a hand extended to the alarm clock, and slammed down on a button.  The clock was silenced.  A fat man then sat up in his bed rather quickly, but paused for a moment.  He groaned, then stood up.  He sped over to the counter, and made his daily cup of coffee.  After drinking it, he looked at the cupboard for any possible notes he may have written to himself the night before.  He found one, and read it. "Today after work: Go Over to Wanton's."  Ah yes, Wanton.  His one and only friend.  Wanton called and woke him up at 3:30 AM to tell him that he wanted him to come over soon, so Ed brought himself over to where he kept his paper, wrote himself a note to meet Wanton after work later in the day, and then quickly went back to sleep.  Now it was 6:30 AM, and Ed always made coffee and breakfast at this time.  Since he gained his new abilities, making coffee and breakfast has taken less time to do, and finishing it up takes less time as well.  Ed ate his breakfast and headed out to work.

Minneapolis is the city Ed resides in.  During the morning, he always heads over to Wendy's, and his job is being a cashier.  This is part of Ed's daily routine, and as such, Ed did the same today.  As most of the days before, nothing exciting went on over there.  Ed just did his job.  Once he was done with that, he headed on over to Wanton's in the early afternoon.

Wanton lived in a big house.  Wanton told Ed that he inherited it and his father's fortune.  His father had been a big business man, gaining a lot of money.  Wanton never went that route, before and after he got the inheritance. Ed stepped inside.  Wanton said that before he got the inheritance, the house looked very fancy.  Wanton remodeled after moving in, and now it looked like some sort of secret spy's head quarters, with cameras everywhere.  Ed headed up the long winding staircase, all the way up to the 3rd and last floor.  This was where Wanton slept, ate, and made his daily living, except for watching TV. The TV was on the first floor. In the middle was a large table, with a big computer on top.  Wanton was sitting in front of it.

"Wanton?" said Ed.

"Wanton turned around and stood up.  He was fatter then Ed, and had a thick black beard.  "Glad to see you, Ed.  I wanted to show you something.  Let's go to the second floor."

"If you say so..."

The 2nd floor was what Wanton called 'The Vault'.  It wasn't actually a fault, but there were shelves of DVDS of movies and TV shows.  He also had a small section of his so-called vault that he called "The Classified.  "Over here Ed."  He grabbed out a CD.  "I made a disk that has a lot of info on it.  Movies, TV shows, games, and...your latest profession."

Ed put a slight smile. "You mean where I put on the same pair of clothes every night and go out fighting as Bob Wilson?"

Wanton chuckled a bit. "Yes, that one.  I have info on a lot of stuff, and I figured that even I can forget, so I put it all on this disk."

"But, only you know how to use it, so why-?"

"Well, I figured I'd just let you know that if you're ever stuck and can contact me, you should do so."

"But you could have just told me that in person."

"Well, I also wanted to watch some Doctor Who with you."

"Oh, yes, I'd love to.  I haven't watched any since I started my nightly stroll.  I guess I was thinking a lot about my new 'job'."

"That's why I wanted you over.  To relieve your stress by both reassuring you that I'll be there if you ever need my technological expertise, and having you watch a good show with a good and trusted friend, with popcorn."

"Thanks Wanton.  You're the only friend I have."

"I know.  Now let's go down to the TV, shall we?"
_________________________________________________________________

After watching "Army of Ghosts," "Doosmday", "Genesis of the Daleks," and "The Three Doctors", it was around 8.30.  Ed took off the white sweater he had on, revealing a green T-shirt.  He already had his blue jeans on.  Saying goodbye to Wanton for the night, he sped out the door and began his nightly stroll.  He was racing past cars, and past fitter people who were running.  He was running much faster then them.  Turning his head to the side, he noticed something peculiar. Backtracking, he noticed a large man hitting a woman with a club in a park.  Ed saw this as wrong.  He raced closer and stretched out his limbs.  Combined with his speed, they whipped the man pretty quickly.  He went over to the woman.  "Next time, be careful where you're walking."  The next thing to happen was a bit strange at first.  The woman smiled.  "Sorry, but you're quite wrong about what's going on here."

"But...you were being attacked.  The club-"

"Was hollow," said the man.  He got up, and said "Body's armor a wonderful thing, isn't it?  And so is having female partners who had acting lessons.  LADIES AND GENTS', BUT MOSTLY GENTS'!  I THINK IT'S TIME WE TAUGHT THIS HERE MAN A LESSON!  COME ON OUT!"  9 men and 3 women by the looks of things climbed out of the numerous trees and bushes in the park.  Ed was surrounded.  "You back up now, Lisabeth.  Now, mister...Wilson, was it?  Before we send you to the other side, like other intruders, I think it's best you know why you're so disliked by my fellow men and women, as you can plainly see."  All of the thugs had either a knife or a gun, and so did the woman who portrayed a helpless lady.  The leader began walking around Edward.  "You see, why me and my lady friend set you up is because you are interfering in our daily affairs.  Recently, every night you've been assaulting us.  And why is that?"

"Because attacking, maiming, killing, stealing, and everything else like that is wrong," said Bob."

"We don't think it to be wrong, do we?" Each of the thugs said something that meant yes, such as "Yeah boss," or "That's right,". "It's just our way of business.  But now, we're going to have to kill you to get back our freedom to do as we please, which you took way from us when you came in one night, and started taking away our rights!"

"You lose some of your rights when you break the law-"

"AND WHAT GIVES YOU THE RIGHT TO ASSAULT US?!"

"THIS-" a blur hit the leader in the chin, and he promptly fell to the ground, "-gives me the right."  It happened so fast.  Bob started flailing out his arms and spinning all over the place.  All of the bullets missed, and some of the shots hit fellow thugs.  It was over within a minute.  Ed took a moment to look at all of his KO'ed victims, then picked up his cell phone.  "Is this the police?...Yeah, look, I have a situation.  There's all of these people knocked out over here, all carrying knives or guns except for one man.  I don't know what hit them.  Better get over here quickly."  For one or two thugs, Bob wouldn't call the police, but for a crowd like this, Ed decided to call them for cleanup. Seeing how he didn't want to meet the police, he headed back home.

When Ed got back, there was a rice paper scroll bound with a green ribbon sitting on the counter.  Ed unrolled it.  It read "Dear Champion,

I have recently become aware of your activities and wish to offer my heartfelt encouragement to you and the steps you have already taken to help your fellow man.

I feel your recent emergence is something of providence as I have also recently become aware of a grave threat to our planet.  I can not reveal at this stage what this threat is.  This is not an effort on my part to appear mysterious and aloof as I simply can not ascertain the nature of the threat at this stage.  Still, I deem it prudent to begin to lay the ground work for a group of individuals who can stand ready to act once the threat becomes clear.

To this end I invite you to attend a meeting to discuss the coordination of your activities.  Please arrive at the nearest Wendy's 7:00 pm next Sunday.

Pardon the mysterious nature of this correspondence, but for the time being I deem it prudent to remain behind the scenes.  (Although in all honesty there is an element of appearing mysterious and aloof in this decision).

Sincerely yours,

A friend"

I don't like this. Thought Ed.  Grave threat to our planet my arse.  Still, I have no plans Sunday.  I might as well go so that I'll have something to do, but I'll be cautious. 'Only trust Wanton' is currently my number one rule.

[Lord Elcorion]

Danny's day began much like any other, waking up at 5:14 am, showering, shaveing and prepareing for work. He offered a short prayer to the gods and goddesses for guidance and protection before leaveing his small apartment to head to work. He offered another prayer for the continued functioning of his ancient van, letting out a tightly held breath when the engine finnally growled to life, procedeing then to work at the Third Eye Open occult bookstore. Entering the shop, he noticed Lady Dragonfly, his boss, busilly arranging the new shipment of books on the shelves.

"Danny, good to see you. I set aside a copy of Dancing with Dragons for you out of the new shipment. It's behind the counter."

"Thanks Aunt D. I'll grab it when I take lunch," he said with a smile, moving to the boxes of herbs, filling the jars. Danny puased as his friend and co-worker Rachel then entered the store, smileing to him and Lady Dragonfly.

"Hi mom, hi Danny. How's that new suit of armor coming along?" she asked, genuinly interested as she looked to Danny, her bright blue eyes setting his heart on fire and melting his brain to mush.

"Oh, I just got the rest of the rivets I need, just need to pound them into place. yanno, umm... I'd uh... really like it if you... umm, yanno, came out to fighter practice when I get it done... umm, watch me test it? Then after we could... uh, get sandwiches, or something?" Danny bit his lip, trying not to blush. it was the closest he had come to asking her out on a date, and he felt that he had blown it big time.

"I think I'd like that. I always thought you looked hot in armor. but then again, it's no surprise, considering the last three times i've watched you fight, it's been almost 98 degrees out. how do you boys handle it?" Rachel laughed, and Danny laughed to, albeit somewhat less enthusiasticlly. Rachel had gotten his hopes up for a brief moment, only to deflate his ego scant senconds later with the joke. Danny knew she ment well, but he wished he could tell her how he really felt.

The rest of the day was uneventful, and after helping clean up and close shop, Danny drove his van to the park. Las Vegas was a hard city to find a quiet spot in, but Sunset Park in the south part of town was a decent enough spot, aside from it's close proximity to Mccarren Airport. As he parked the van and started to get out, he heard a cry for help from the bushes nearby. Reaching behind the seat to get his fighting stick and his dragon mask, he quickly moved to where he had heard the sound.

In the bushes, he found a big man holding down a woman, his fist raised to strike her. She already had a couple of bruises, and as he went to swing at her, Danny rushed him, knocking the man down as the woman scrambled away. Danny looked to make sure she got away alright, but his momentary lapse of attention allowed the man to recovor and kick his feet out from under him. Landing in the dirt, he heard the man laugh harshly.

"So you're the so called "thunder wizard" huh? what do you call yourself, Dragor, Draco, something like that? You're the one who's chased all the gangs out of Sunrise Manor? Not so tough now, are you, wizard man? I was hopeing you'd come by here. My boys and I are gonna make sure you can never mess with us again. You've hurt our operations long enough, and now we're gonna make you pay. Ain't that right, boys?"

At this, several other men stepped from the bushes, holding bats and chains and other items. Danny looked around, and clasped his pentacle, quickly reciting the Ritual of Protection, just as the first thug swung at him with a bat. The weapon was deflected just before impact, and Danny lept to his feet, swinging his stick at the man's gut.

Two others circled around with chains, and one lept forward to try and snare his arm. Danny invoked his Elemental Hex, and an electric shock passed through the chain to the man holding it, causeing him to leap away and drop the weapon. The other man's chain almost caught him in the head, but the Protection spell deflected it as well, but not completly.

Slightly dazed, Danny was almost tackled by a third man, but was able to bring his stick around and smash it into the man's forhead. Invoking the Elemental Hex again, Danny was able to sandblast a few of the other men, keeping them at bay as he retreated towards his van. Getting in, he slammed the door on one man's arm before getting it closed, turning the key in the ignition franticlly. The engine roared to life almost immediatly, much to Danny's surprise, and he slammed it into gear, punching the gas.

The van was old and somewhat broken down, but it was big and intimidating, the engine was still an eight cylinder powerhouse and the big offroad tires never lost traction except in the muddiest of war sites. Here on the dry dirt of the back parking lot, it lept forward like an angry beast, engine roaring like an unchained demon, scattering the remaining men as they lept out of the way of the monsterous vehicle, and Danny sped away, heading for the main road.

Once Danny was well away from the park, he calmed himself down, and turned towards home, dialing the police to report the gang activity at the park. Once he was finished, he pulled up to his apartment, moving inside, stopping as he glanced around. Something wasn't right, the door had been locked, but there was something different about the house. Then danny spotted it, laying on his altar in the cornor, laid neatly beside the incence burner, a stick of incense burning in it, filling the room with the scent of Dragonsblood. Danny picked up the rice paper scroll, looking at it before undoing the green ribbon that bound it, unrolling it slowly. Written in the scroll, in a tight, spidery script, Danny read the following.

Dear Champion,

I have recently become aware of your activities and wish to offer my heartfelt encouragement to you and the steps you have already taken to help your fellow man.

I feel your recent emergence is something of providence as I have also recently become aware of a grave threat to our planet.  I can not reveal at this stage what this threat is.  This is not an effort on my part to appear mysterious and aloof as I simply can not ascertain the nature of the threat at this stage.  Still, I deem it prudent to begin to lay the ground work for a group of individuals who can stand ready to act once the threat becomes clear.

To this end I invite you to attend a meeting to discuss the coordination of your activities.  Please arrive at the Dollar Cinema on Tropicana Ave. at 7:00 pm next Sunday evening.

Pardon the mysterious nature of this correspondence, but for the time being I deem it prudent to remain behind the scenes.  (Although in all honesty there is an element of appearing mysterious and aloof in this decision).

Sincerely yours,

A friend

Danny blinked as he read the scroll. Champion? Grave threat to the planet? What was going on here? Sunday was three days from now. Danny reflected that the dollar cinema would be a good place for a myterious and aloof person, intended or not, to have a meeting. The place got barely any buisness, and a dark theater would keep identities somewhat concealed. He checked the schedule for seven, and saw what was going to be playing then.

"Huh. I guess my "not so mysterious and aloof" friend here likes imported Kung-fu flicks"

[bredon7777]

David was having the dream again; and in the dream everything was all right.  It was a summer day and he had blown off his chores to go exploring.  He was climbing the hills around his village and he heard the voices calling him.

"Don't go!', he thought frantically to himself.  "Don't go and this time everything will be different."

But it was like he was watching a movie, and no matter how much he screamed at himself, there was nothing he could do to make things go any other way.  Trapped within his own mind, there was nothing he could do but watch as he once again climbed the grassy hill (that was forbidden whispered another voice in the back of his mind); and entered the darkened cave (that was haunted, whispered the same voice).

And there they were. The Gods.  Sitting on their thrones, majestic and terrifying in their splendor.  And they were talking to him, explaining to him that they had chosen him to be their champion; that they would make him smarter, stronger, faster, better  then other men.  That he would live forever.  All he had to do was say "yes".

So that was what he said.  And then the gods came down off their thrones and surrounded him, glowing faces peering into his and -Their eyes, my God, so big and black what's wrong with their eyes.  And he opened his mouth –

--And David woke with a scream, which as he lay there in the dark, covered in sweat, transformed itself into a smile.  He remembered.  Oh, he could feel the memories leaking away again, but each time he helped, he had the dream, and each time he had the dream, the memory blocks weakened and he remembered more and more.
 
Had it really only been a few weeks since this had all started?  Since that disastrous attempt at a waiting job?  He had been walking home, back to the halfway house when he'd heard the scream.  Even now, he couldn't figure out why he'd gone running into the alley.

There was a man with a knife, and a woman who had been at some sort of party. The man had a knife to her throat, and with his free hand was pawing at her.  And on seeing this something inside David had snapped- he had taken off down the alley at a sprint, giving only a fleeting thought as to how he could run so fast, and then snapped a punch that sent the guy flying.  The woman had run off as well, leaving behind only the domino mask she had worn to the party.

That night was the first night he had the dream.  The first night he remembered who he actually was.  And each time he went out, each time he helped, the blocks weakened further, and he remembered more of his history.  He still couldn't remember who had put the blocks in – who had wanted to make him think he was a harmless loon, but he would eventually.  And then, they would pay.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Voices in a dark room:

"I've found him, sir."

"What?"

"My contact in the police gave me a report from a few weeks ago.  A woman claimed a man in a tux rescued her from a mugger.  The description fits our boy.  And since then, a man in a tux and a domino mask has been stopping crime almost every night. "

The first voice becomes something that might convey that the speaker is smiling. "He's back, then?  After nearly 20 years.  Does the government know?"

"I can't imagine that they wouldn't."

"Still, put it on the website. Let them know in no uncertain terms that the jig is up."

The sound of footsteps, and then a low chuckle. "He's back.  Oh, I wouldn't want to be in their shoes."

Voices fade.
__________________________________________________________________________
It was late.  Time to go out and earn more of his memories back.  David put on his tux and the small mask, and headed out into the cold Ohio streets.

He smiled as he heard a scream. "Sometimes, the night is generous."  A friend had told him that once, though at least for now he couldn't remember who.

The scream lead him to the same alley where it all began.  But this time things were different.  The woman was screaming, but there was no one else around.

His eyes narrowed to slits behind his mask- "What's going on?"

The woman smiled, but it didn't touch her eyes. "Ah, the mysterious champion.  You've been interfering in my boss' work far too much these past few weeks. Your interference will no longer be tolerated.  And once you're dead, he can return to his work unimpeded."

David chuckled. "Pardon the cliché, but you and what. . ."  The words died in his throat as he smelled the unmistakable brimstone smell of teleportation and the alley behind the woman filled up with menacing figures.  He turned, but they had teleported behind him as well.

With a roar, the mob closed in.  There was no room for finesse, nowhere to use his speed, no way to leverage his strength.  Punch and kick followed punch and kick as the mob closed in on him.  He could only be grateful that they hadn't brought guns – stories of his uncanny agility had apparently spread and they were unwilling to risk hitting one of their own.

And as the crowd pressed in on him, he was reminded of the days spent in the straightjacket, gagged, unable to move.  Fighting the panic rising in his throat, he scanned the alley. There!

He used the last of his strength to throw off those who had swarmed him.  Then, crouching down, he jumped to a small window ledge on the right side of the street, and quickly, before his momentum could die, back across the alley to a fire escape.  Then it was up the fire escape, lose the mob as he leapt over the rooftops and home.

It seemed odd that they weren't even trying to follow him, but David was too battered and bruised to care.  He reached the window of the halfway house, and stopped.  There, tied to the window he always used when he was playing hero was a small scroll, tied with a green ribbon.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Voices in the ether:

"Report."

"We bruised and bloodied him, but he got away."

"Good."

"What? Boss? You've been going on about how we've needed to kill this clown for weeks now!  Takings were down 15% because of him, you said."

"I know what I said, but the matter's been taken out of my hands.  It seems our friend has powerful enemies. Even more powerful than me. And, for now, they want him alive. And they're willing to pay us for the inconvenience."

"It's always the bottom line with you, boss." Low chuckle.

"Yup.  Besides, they've assured me that if he caused too much trouble they have something prepared for him.  Something worse than death."

"Allright, well, you're the boss."

"That I am. Over and out."

Voices fade.
_____________________________________________________________________________
With shaking hands, David untied the scroll and read it:
"Dear Champion,

I have recently become aware of your activities and wish to offer my heartfelt encouragement to you and the steps you have already taken to help your fellow man.

I feel your recent emergence is something of providence as I have also recently become aware of a grave threat to our planet.  I can not reveal at this stage what this threat is.  This is not an effort on my part to appear mysterious and aloof as I simply can not ascertain the nature of the threat at this stage.  Still, I deem it prudent to begin to lay the ground work for a group of individuals who can stand ready to act once the threat becomes clear.

To this end I invite you to attend a meeting to discuss the coordination of your activities.  Please arrive at The Youngstown Public Library at 7:00 pm next Sunday.

Pardon the mysterious nature of this correspondence, but for the time being I deem it prudent to remain behind the scenes.  (Although in all honesty there is an element of appearing mysterious and aloof in this decision).

Sincerely yours,

A friend"

As he climbed in the window and headed for bed, David thought to himself- "I could use a friend about now.  Would've saved my bacon back there.  Plus, I can't shake the funny feeling that I might not be alone; that the Gods might've chosen others.  I need more help if I'm to recover my memories. And I haven't had a friend in a long, long time."

He fell on his bed, still fully clothed, and as the darkness claimed him, he realized he probably wouldn't have any dreams tonight.

[Uncle Yuan]

It's been a busy Friday night for our heroes.  At three distinct points across the USA a strangely congruent scene plays out for each.  Saturday morning finds each awaking safe in their own beds, nursing a variable degree of injury.  As they make their ways through their weekends, let's briefly turn our attention elsewhere. . .



David Hammond awoke to the sound of fussing and sleepily rolled over.  Blinking sleep from his eyes he looked past the monitor to the alarm clock on the bedside table.  3:23.  Right on time.  Lifting himself upright with his arms he maneuvered himself deftly into the wheelchair parked next to his bed.

Disturbed by the sudden movement, his wife woke.  "Hrurh?  I cn gedder," she mumbled.

"Too late, I'm up anyway," David smiled.  "I'll go change her and bring her in.  You stay put."

"M'kay," Amelia replied, sitting up and pushing her long brown hair from her face.

With a quick grin David turned and wheeled out of the room, his tires virtually silent on the low Berber carpet.  Amelia listened through the baby monitor as daddy plucked his now loudly crying daughter from her crib.  Over her noise she could him clucking softly to the baby and she could picture him maneuvering one handed to the changing table, his daughter over one shoulder.  She loved this "secret eavesdropping" on father and daughter.  Amelia made out the soft squeak as he set her gently on the specially modified low table, the rustle of him rummaging through the drawers for wipes and a clean diaper, all the while Elena Ramiraz-Hammond urging her father to hurry as only a 2 month old could.

David's startled "What the . . . ?" snapped her out of her reverie.  With sudden intensity she listened to what sounded like the crinkle of paper.  So intently was she listening that the sudden crash against the common wall between the two rooms startled her straight out of bed and to her feet.  Simultaneously there was a hissing crackle and a bright orange light streamed through the doorway from down the hall.

Amelia snatched her pistol from where it hung in its holster over the bed post and was out the door in a second.  In the hallway she meet an apparition that was simultaneously comforting and terrifying – a gigantic figure of a man swathed from head to toe in pulsing neon orange light.  And a pair of baggy boxer shorts.

"GoodyoustaywithebabyandshuthedoorI'llberightback!" shouted her husband as he streaked past her.

Without a backwards glance Amelia entered the baby's room and slammed the door behind her.  A quick glance at the shrieking infant on the changing table confirmed that her daughter was at least physically OK.  With almost super human effort she kept from snatching Elena up, opting instead to keep her hands and attention free.  She could her David as he ran through the house at a speed that made his foot steps a deep humming vibration rather than distinct foot falls.  She barely had time to take up a guarding stance in front of the changing table when she heard the front door slam open and saw a brilliant orange light streak past the window.

In the sudden silence the baby's crying seemed suddenly magnified.  Eyes still fixed on the door Amelia reached behind her with her left hand.  Placing it on her daughter's belly she gently rocked the baby as she cooed, "It's OK, baby.  You got a cop for a mommy and a superhero for a daddy and there's nothing in this world that's gonna hurt you.  It's OK.  It's OK"

Comforted by her mother's touch and voice Elena quieted a bit.  As the moments dragged on Amelia spared the rest of the room a quick glance.  David's chair lay in a heap against the far wall, which sported a wheel chair sized hole in the sheet rock.  It was then that she noticed a roll of paper on the floor near her feet.  She puzzled at this for a second, but deigned to pick it up and returned her attention to the door.  Seconds later she heard David return.  An instant later he was in the room with her.

Moving with what she knew was almost excruciating slowness he walked over to his chair and set it upright.  As he turned and sat the nimbus of his energy armor flowed down his body, winking out entirely as it reached a point midway between his hips and his knees, leaving him legless and human once again.

The very fact that he had powered down told her there was no imminent threat.  Clicking the gun's safety on, she reached down and placed it carefully on the floor before turning to pick up the baby.  Shushing and bouncing she turned around to see David roll over and pick up the piece of paper and the dark green silk ribbon next to it that she hadn't noticed earlier.

"Sorry, babe," he grunted.  "Somehow this damn thing appeared in Elena's changing table.  Someone must have broke in and put it there, but there's no sign of a break in and nothing else added or out of place anywhere else."

"What is it?" she asked.

With a shrug he unrolled the scroll and began to read:

"Dear Champion,

I have long followed your activities and wish to offer my heartfelt encouragement to you and the steps you have already taken to help your fellow man.

I have recently become aware of a grave threat to our planet and the near simultaneous emergence of a new group of heroes.  I regard this emergence as something of providence and am convinced that they hold the key to our salvation, much as you and your comrades did two years ago.

I can not reveal at this stage what this threat is.  This is not an effort on my part to appear mysterious and aloof as I simply can not ascertain the nature of the threat at this stage. Still, I deem it prudent to begin to lay the ground work for a group of individuals who can stand ready to act once the threat becomes clear.

Your vast experience and leadership would be a great asset to this group  To this end I invite you to attend a meeting to discuss the coordination of your activities. Please arrive at the north entrance to Northrup Auditorium next Sunday at 7:15 pm.

Pardon the mysterious nature of this correspondence, but for the time being I deem it prudent to remain behind the scenes.  (Although in all honesty there is an element of appearing mysterious and aloof in this decision).  I also apologize to your lovely wife and daughter for the disruption.

Sincerely yours,

A friend"

[kkhohoho]

*Beep! Beep! Beep!*

Once again, a hand quickly slammed down on a button, but this time, the person who was attached to the hand stayed in bed for 5 and a half hours.  That was because today was a Saturday, a day off to be precise.  Besides that, the owner of the hand in question had a rather interesting time the night before.  As a result, he woke up later then he did on a typical Saturday, which would be 9:30.  This particular Saturday, he awoke at 12:00.  While he got some extra sleep, he still required coffee and a decent breakfast to increase his bodily functionality, and general awareness.  After this, he stretched out his arms and spun in place a few times to make sure he was in fine condition.  He then popped "The Seven Samurai" into the DVD player.  After finishing with that, he put a game Wanton gave him a while back called "Soul Caliber III" into the PS2 which Wanton also gave him.  A lot of the things Ed owned were gifts Wanton gave him on Christmases and his birthdays.  Ed's gifts to Wanton were certainly not as stellar, but it was always the thought that counted.  Ed always preferred to make his living on his own though, even though Wanton could probably take care of it all.  Ed just had a personal preference for making his own way, though he did accept gifts of entertainment.  After that, he once more did his nightly stroll, in which he found no trouble.  Odd indeed...

The next morning, Ed slept till 9:30.  This day off was a vacation day.  He engaged in coffee, breakfast, "X-Men 2", and "Tekken 5", and after that, it was 6:30.  Time to go, he thought to himself, I reckon.  I have to remember at all times to not let my guard down while I'm there.

[Lord Elcorion]

Danny awoke to a splitting headache, and covored his eyes to block out the sun streaming into his face from the window.

"Argh... I really need to try and find a way to focus the Protection Ritual better. My head feels like Ed just used me as a pel for an hour, and that's if I was wearing my helmet. Speaking of Ed."

Danny turned and lifted his phone, dialing his combat mentor up. "Yo, Danny, how's it all goin?"

"Not bad, Ed. Just figureing to let you know I'll be over in about an hour to finish my armor up for tommorow."

"No problem man, we'll see ya then."

Danny got up and dressed quickly, grabbed a hot pocket, and headed out the door. His van, for all that it had started up just fine last night, was back to it's old, surly, tempermental self this morning, and after 10 minutes, Danny had finally coaxed it to start up, driving over to Ed's place. They spent the next few hours finishing Danny's new suit of brigandine, and the rest of the afternoon shooting the breeze, tradeing "war" stories about old SCA events, before Danny left that evening to go home. He made a point to drive by Sunset Park and through Sunrise Manor before he got home, but saw no sign of the gangers that had attacked him the night before.

The next morning, Danny left to head over to sunday fighter practice at Lorenzi park, and was overjoyed to see Rachel there, chatting with a few of the other folks. Danny waved to her and started strapping on his new armor, as she came over. "Hey Danny. The armor looks wonderful."

"Thanks Rachel. I'm just glad it's done. Next step is getting it approved and then on to combat testing." Danny buckled the last of the straps down, and Rachel handed him his helmet, before he went over to the Marshal and got the verbal ok. Combat testing went well, and Danny was pleased with how well the armor worked. Several of the other fighters complimented him and he finished practice in a high mood.

"Hey Danny, how about those sandwiches you promised me?" Rachel smiled to him, helping him pull the armor off.

"Huh? Oh, uh, sure! Yeah, uh, how's Quizno's sound?"

"Sounds great! I love their philly cheesesteak sub!"

The two climbed into Danny's van, and spent a couple hours eating and talking. The conversation mostly revolved around work and the SCA, subjects that Danny could talk to Rachel about with more ease, but he tried once or twice to bring up how he felt about Rachel, only to fumble his words, and quickly trial off before he could really get anything out. then, about 6:30 PM, his watch alarm started beeping, just as he was about to try and get out his feelings in one quick shot. "Rachel... i have something to say.. I.. uh.. I.. *beepbeepbeepbeep* have to get going.. I have to go meet a friend."

Danny mentally dropkicked himself, and as quickly and politly as he could, excused himself from the table. Rachel gave him a smile and promised to see him at work the next day, but as Danny left, her smile faded, and she thought sadly to herself "I thought he was going to say he loved me. But I wonder if he really does?"

Danny had no idea what Rachel was thinking, but he knew that he felt like an idiot for not being able to tell her what he felt. "Ah, what's it matter, anyway? She probably thinks I'm some kinda goober, probably wouldn't go out with me anyway." He pushed those thoughts aside as the dollar cinema came into view, and he got out, buying a ticket for the movie, something like "Monkey's Paw of the Furious Flying Feet" or some such, moving into the theatre to await his new "friend," for now putting his thoughts and feelings on Rachel aside.

[bredon7777]

Saturday:

Sleep. Pain. Food. Pain. Sleep.

Sunday:

David woke up, and then immediately wished he hadn't.

"Ow.  Good Lord, I feel like one big bruise.  Thats what I get for being overconfident."

Slowly, painfully, wincing with every movement, he dragged himself down the hall to the communal shower.  The hot water washed most of the aches and pains away, and a few painkillers took care of the rest.

He was looking into the mirror, when something occurred to him, and he began to chuckle.  "They tried to kill me.  I must be doing something right."

Feeling better, he returned to his room and got dressed.  Putting his costume in his backpack, he was headed out the door when he thought better of it, returned, and tossed the mysterious scroll in there as well.

He spent most of his weekend at the library, anyway, reading up on the bits and pieces of the history he remembered.  So he doubted it would cause much comment if he showed up there early and made some preparations.

Meeting a possible friend was one thing. Walking into a possible trap was another.

[Uncle Yuan]

Bob:
Dusk in Minneapolis brings a bit of a chill, and the people walking down the street pause to zip up their jackets or push their hands deeper into their pockets.   The neighborhood may have seen better days, but it's still a solid working class area.  A largish man lurches down the street – walking with unusual rapidity the slowing suddenly as if catching himself hurrying for a dentist appointment.  His jacket collar is pulled up to his ears and he casts frequent glances over his shoulder.  He pauses in front of a Wendy's restaurant and looks inside.  If one could see his eyes they would be peering intently into the restaurant.

But there is nothing unusual about it.  The dinner rush is winding down and the dining room is about half full.  As he stares a car drives slowly past and into the drive through lane.  Behind the counter he can see the employees moving to and fro as they use the break in the business flow to clean up.

The man chews on his lower lip as if trying to reach a difficult decision.  With a sigh he continues his path towards the door.  Reaching the door he stops once again, hand poised over the handle.  With a shake of his head he grasps the handle, pulls open the door and walks into the vestibule.  Quickly he takes the next step to the inner door and pulls it open.

And he stops.  Instead of the dining room in front of him he finds an octagonal room.  The walls are painted a tranquil grayish green.  On several of the adjacent walls he can see additional door – four in all on alternating sides.  Between each door hangs a long rice paper banner with Chinese characters in broad brush strokes.  The center of the room is dominated by a large octagonal table of dark gleaming wood.  In the center of which is a tray the size of a wagon wheel with a horse-head sized piece of jade carved into a mountain scene.  Also on the tray is a steaming porcelain tea pot and four cups.  Suddenly there is an odd shimmer in the air and two of the doors open to reveal a man.


Dracor:
The slender young man shoves the large duffel bag over his shoulder farther around his back with one elbow while digging out his wallet with the same hand.  Pulling out a single dollar bill he pushes it through the space at the bottom of the ticket window.  Inside a heavy-set Asian teen glances up from her People magazine, grabs the bill and tears a pink ticket from the roll on the counter.  By the time she has pushed it through to the man her eyes have returned to the magazine.  If she notices the slender young man looking quizzically at her she does not respond.

With a shrug he walks over to the entrance and into the lobby.  The dark carpet is so worn it almost feels greasy.  The air inside is cooler than the lingering heat of the Las Vegas dusk, but heavy and touched with the scent of mildew.  The concession counter extends perpendicularly into the lobby from the box office.  A few stray cups of popcorn lay in the bottom of the hopper, but there is no warming light on them, and from the stale, slightly rancid smell in the air they could have been their for years.

The man looks around the lobby.  To his right stairs lead to the balcony, while two sets of doors ahead of him lead to the main floor of the theater.  With a smile and a shrug he turns and heads up the stairs to the balcony.  At the top he grasps the heavy wooden door pulls it open and heads into the darkness.

And he stops.  Instead of the theater balcony in front of him he finds an octagonal room.  The walls are painted a tranquil grayish green.  On several of the adjacent walls he can see additional door – four in all on alternating sides.  Between each door hangs a long rice paper banner with Chinese characters in broad brush strokes.  The center of the room is dominated by a large octagonal table of dark gleaming wood.  In the center of which is a tray the size of a wagon wheel with a horse-head sized piece of jade carved into a mountain scene.  Also on the tray is a steaming porcelain tea pot and four cups.  Suddenly there is an odd shimmer in the air and two of the doors open to reveal a man.


Immortal:
Deep in the stacks of the Youngstown library a tall, well build man moves stiffly down the aisle.  He pauses to glance at the piece of paper held in his hand, examines the shelf in front of him, and then moves a few more shelves down the room.  The lighting is fairly dim, but it can not hide a prominent black eye and split lip.

The man again checks the slip of paper before heading down the aisle, eyes scanning the shelves.  Pausing he pulls a book from the shelf and places it on the stack he carries balanced in the crook of his opposite arm.  Once he does so he glances at his watch.  With a deep sigh he retraces his steps back to the table where he left his backpack.

From the backpack he pulls a canvas tote and loads up his books.  Shouldering his pack he heads across the library floor to the rest rooms.  Once inside he enters the handicapped stall and latches the door.  Reaching into the back pack he withdraws a neatly folded black tuxedo and a small black mask.  He changes quickly and dons the mask before folding his street clothes and stowing them in the pack.

As he exits the stall he pauses to glance in the mirror.  He scowls at his reflection, then swears softly as the expression causes his injured lip to reopen and begin oozing blood.  He grabs a paper towel and dabs at his lip as he exits the bathroom.

And he stops.  Instead of the library floor in front of him he finds an octagonal room.  The walls are painted a tranquil grayish green.  On several of the adjacent walls he can see additional door – four in all on alternating sides.  Between each door hangs a long rice paper banner with Chinese characters in broad brush strokes.  The center of the room is dominated by a large octagonal table of dark gleaming wood.  In the center of which is a tray the size of a wagon wheel with a horse-head sized piece of jade carved into a mountain scene.  Also on the tray is a steaming porcelain tea pot and four cups.  Suddenly there is an odd shimmer in the air and two of the doors open to reveal a man.

[kkhohoho]

Ed looked at his surroundings.  Hm....That guy over there looks like an average Joe...and the other one looks like he's ready for a ballroom competition.  And either I'm dreaming, or THIS is what I got for being too trusting.

Bod decided to check his suspicions, and smiled.  "Hello everyone.  I'm Bob.  Now, can you all please say you're figments of my imagination, or is this unfortunately reality?  Last time I saw something even remotely close to this was that one night when I drank too many beers."

[Lord Elcorion]

hmmm.. i believe this to be reality. can i safely presume that we all recieved a similar rice paper scroll inviting us to a meeting? in wich case, that would make the two of you the "other indivduals" mentioned in said scroll? fascinating.. i wonder what sort of magic this took.. teleportation would seem the most obvious answer, but perhaps it's something more along the lines of astral projection? No, no... i've never heard of astral projection being triggered by outside interferance. --glanceing up, seeing the looks of confusion and puzzlement, he stops-- i'm sorry... perhaps we should start with introductions.. my name is Danny.. i go by Dracor in costume.

[kkhohoho]

hmmm.. i believe this to be reality. can i safely presume that we all recieved a similar rice paper scroll inviting us to a meeting? in wich case, that would make the two of you the "other indivduals" mentioned in said scroll? fascinating.. i wonder what sort of magic this took.. teleportation would seem the most obvious answer, but perhaps it's something more along the lines of astral projection? No, no... i've never heard of astral projection being triggered by outside interferance. --glanceing up, seeing the looks of confusion and puzzlement, he stops-- i'm sorry... perhaps we should start with introductions.. my name is Danny.. i go by Dracor in costume.

"So, to sum up all the mumbo jumbo you just said, there's a good chance I'm not dreaming, eh?  Well, as I said, I'm Bob, though that's only my codename.  I don't like giving out my real name to strangers in weird situations like this."  Bob looked towards the man in the tux.  "So, who might you be? What's your take on this?"

[bredon7777]

David looks around, taking in the room; the walls, the doors; looking for exits, or things to use as weapons in the chance of an attack.  His eyes pause for a moment on the banners on the wall.  He translates them without thinking, sparing only a tiny portion of his mind to exult Hey, I know Chinese!, followed immediately by pangs of both anger and sorrow as he is once again forced to confront the enormity of what he has lost.

Having scoped out the room, and gotten no sense of threat from it, he turns his attention to the occupants. He is watching the slender young man and the stocky man have a conversation when his attention is distracted by the stocky man speaking to him; "So, who might you be?  What's your take on this?"

David swallows hard. He'd noticed the "other individuals" phrase in the scroll, but had only half-heartedly believed that there would actually be others there.  He's never been very good in social situations; No ,he steadies himself, that's the memory blocks talking.  He senses nothing but good will and curiosity from the other two men near him.

Nothing ventured, nothing gained, he thinks to himself. And besides, I could use some friends- the word seems odd and difficult even to think, let alone make real. He begins to speak:

"My name is David, though I go by". He pauses microscopically; Crap! What am I going to call myself? Casting about wildly for a name, he recalls stumbling over a website that purported to document his history. What did they call me? He recalls the name they'd given him, and though he rolls his eyes inwardly, he says it out loud as no better options present themselves.

"I go by The Immortal.  And frankly, I've no idea what to make of all this yet.  But I am real. I am!"  And even as he says it,  he has to wonder if his stress on the last two words is only heard by himself.

[Lord Elcorion]

allright. ummm.. i guess the next part is powers. i can cast spells, use magic. what about you guys? --shifting my weight to allow me to set down my duffel bag, the weight of the armor making my shoulder sore--

[kkhohoho]

allright. ummm.. i guess the next part is powers. i can cast spells, use magic. what about you guys? --shifting my weight to allow me to set down my duffel bag, the weight of the armor making my shoulder sore--

"I can go really fast, and stretch out my arms."  Bob stretched out his arms, then spun around in place, to prove he was telling the truth.  "And you, Mr.Immortal?"

[bredon7777]

David relaxes a bit. Powers. That was familiar ground.

"I seem to be much faster, stronger, and more agile then most.  I also have the accumulated knowledge of a very long lifetime to draw upon."

He hated the lie of omission, given that those with him didn't seem to be hostile.  But given that he couldn't recall who was responsible for the memory blocks, caution seemed to be in order.

[kkhohoho]

After hearing these two guys...Dracor seems to be alright.  Besides his apparent knowledge of something I thought didn't exist until I wound up in what looked like a drug influenced situation, he seems like just a good, regular guy.  I don't know about the other one though.  Something about him doesn't feel right.  But, if I  poke and prod now, it'll just lead to a argument...which could lead to a fight.  I'll just ask some simple questions, and leave it at that.

"So, Immortal, have you lived out this very long lifetime of yours?  Is it somewhere between one-hundred to one-hundred-fifty years?  You probably couldn't live much longer then that."

Yes, he probably couldn't, unless he is what his codecame implies.

[bredon7777]

David senses a hesitancy in the stocky one. So, he wants information?  I'll give him more information than he can handle.  Adopting a confidence he doesn't really feel, he looks directly at this "Bob" and answers the question thusly:

"I was born 2500 years ago in what came to be known as Greece, actually.  When I was as you see me now, the Gods granted me strength, speed, skill, and a long life.  I have traveled the world many, many times over; I have been present at every significant event in human history, recorded or secret. And I have chosen to use this knowledge, these skills as a champion of those who have been wronged.  I have done so in secret up till now, when I sensed the time was right for me to reveal myself."

[kkhohoho]

David senses a hesitancy in the stocky one. So, he wants information?  I'll give him more information than he can handle.  Adopting a confidence he doesn't really feel, he looks directly at this "Bob" and answers the question thusly:

"I was born 2500 years ago in what came to be known as Greece, actually.  When I was as you see me now, the Gods granted me strength, speed, skill, and a long life.  I have traveled the world many, many times over; I have been present at every significant event in human history, recorded or secret. And I have chosen to use this knowledge, these skills as a champion of those who have been wronged.  I have done so in secret up till now, when I sensed the time was right for me to reveal myself."

I thought there was something about him, if he's telling the truth.

"I see.  You know, a normal person would probably say bull to your story, but I've been through enough to not disregard these types of stories.  That doesn't mean I'll believe it 100%, but that doesn't mean it can't happen.  Just look at where we are now.  If this is possible, then there's a good chance your story is possible too.  Now, since you kindly gave me information, I'll say that I inhaled some strange powder and...well, you've seen the results."

[bredon7777]

He's backing down. Good. David slowly lets out the breath he hadn't realized he was holding.

He attempts to cover by turning it into a small chuckle. "Not Iocane powder, I hope."

[kkhohoho]

He's backing down. Good. David slowly lets out the breath he hadn't realized he was holding.

He attempts to cover by turning it into a small chuckle. "Not Iocane powder, I hope."

Bob smiled.  "If it were, then everything afterwards would be heaven or hell."  Bob turned towards Dracor.  "All right.  The two of us have given our bios.  Care to explain how you know so much about this hocus-pocus?

[Lord Elcorion]

well, uh.. i happen to work at a metaphysical shop.. i read about this stuff all the time.. i just never really knew it could work at such a high level.. subtle influence, sure, effecting change over a long period of time, yeah.. not anything like this --gestureing around at the room-- at least, not until just recently.

[kkhohoho]

well, uh.. i happen to work at a metaphysical shop.. i read about this stuff all the time.. i just never really knew it could work at such a high level.. subtle influence, sure, effecting change over a long period of time, yeah.. not anything like this --gestureing around at the room-- at least, not until just recently.

"Okay.  However, now that we've all introduced ourselves, time to decide what to do.  Do you guys think we should wait here, or try to find a way out?"

[Lord Elcorion]

i think we should wait.. we were brought here for a purpose.. i'd like to find out as much about that purpose as i can.

[kkhohoho]

i think we should wait.. we were brought here for a purpose.. i'd like to find out as much about that purpose as i can.

"I suppose."  He pauses for a second.  "Can you conjure up a deck of cards, a table, and some poker chips?"

[Lord Elcorion]

'fraid not.. my powers are still new, and what i can do is based more on effects.. i can't actually create objects from nothing.. given time, i could conceivably change one object to another, but i have no idea how i'd do it.. in any case, i don't believe our host intends to keep us waiting long. most likely thus far has merely been to allow us to introduce ourselves and learn of each other.. if we are intended to become a team, it would make sence to learn firstly if we'd be able to work together. once that is determined, we'll probably be told more of the reasons why we were brought together.

[bredon7777]

"I've been around for 2500 years. I'm fairly comfortable with being patient."  With that, David sits down on the floor, cross-legged.  If any of the others know yoga, they may recognize a meditation posture; though David will still involve himself in the conversation.

[Lord Elcorion]

Danny notes the position, being familiar with several forms of medatative practices, but for the moment he occupies his time examining the jade statue on the table. "the craftsmanship of this piece is remarkable, i've never seen just detail in a stone carving.. i wonder if it's signifigant to our current situation.."

[kkhohoho]

Danny notes the position, being familiar with several forms of medatative practices, but for the moment he occupies his time examining the jade statue on the table. "the craftsmanship of this piece is remarkable, i've never seen just detail in a stone carving.. i wonder if it's signifigant to our current situation.."

Bob looked at the the jade on the table. "Maby there's some sort of big...jade thing involved in this deal.  If there isn't, then perhaps the statue represents something."