Framing A Moose

The Gifted - Concluded

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Location: The Crumbling Tunnels of the Sewers
Skills:

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Waverley's entire body trembled from the strain, as if it was what had taken the burden of holding the ceiling up along with her mind. She gritted her teeth, her body slumping forward a bit as she tried to keep her mind focused on the waves above them. She could feel the tension spread throughout every inch of her, getting worse and worse until she couldn't handle it anymore. With a pained grunt, the upper half of her body went limp, and she only just barely managed to keep her feet solid on the ground. She watched with wide eyes as more rubble began to fall from above, one that would've hit Spark Plug right in the head were it not for Veil.

"Shit, sorry! It was too much!" Waverley exclaimed, taking a step towards Callie. As soon as she did, though, Callie called out for the crew to file back through the portal, to which Waverley responded with a nod. She stumbled backwards, slipping through the portal, and back into the Underground. Practically as soon as her feet found solid ground, her legs, having barely been holding her up for the past minute, crumbled under her, sending her onto her rear next to James. She leaned her head back for a moment, before limply forcing it forward as she began to count the members of the Underground filing through. She furrowed her eyebrows together in confusion.

"We're...we're one short..." then as soon as Callie spoke, she realized just who was gone. Her eyes went wide, and she pushed herself up off the ground. Her legs still weren't working as they should've been, so she immediately fell forward, catching herself on the wall. She slid across the wall, using it for support, shuffling as close to the portal before calling out to Veil, "Is Glimpse still in there?! We need to get her out!"

Ω Heroes of Olympus: The Next Age of Heroes Ω

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Location: The Labyrinth -> Argo III Infirmary
Skills: Perception, Musical Mystiokinesis, Guitar, Singing

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Waverley's song was interrupted with a soft twang of her guitar strings as the flaming giant struck her, the flames she'd covered him with decorating her arms with an array of bright red burns. She let out a hiss, patting out the flames that had begun to spread across her jacket sleeves, before reaching her hands down to play again. Before she could, though, she was silenced by the screams of young Sean. Her eyes went wide, and she could feel the blood drain from her face. She hadn't ever seen someone burn to death. The agonizing screams filled her ears, and the smell of burning hair filled her nostrils.

It was only when she felt Em's hand wrap around her seared arm that she was pulled back to reality, letting out a soft hiss of pain. She scrambled behind her friend as she pulled the both of them through the Labyrinth exit that'd been opened for them by Ariadne. She ran through the carnage left over by the battle, running towards some sort of massive airship. The scene of Sean kept replaying in her head, burned into her memory. It was the first death she'd seen since joining the Legion. It was far more violent than any deaths she'd seen in her travels. And to such a young boy. It made her nauseous. But as they climbed aboard the ship, Waves caught sight of the vast array of injured soldiers being loaded onto the ship, seemingly outnumbering those who were helping them board. She forced the recent memory back into the depths of her mind, and turned to look at Em, slipping her arm out of the girl's grasp.

"It's...it's fine. J-just some burns. I'm gonna go help with the injured, you keep an eye out for Marco. I'll come find you later," Waverley quickly said, giving Emily's hand a tender squeeze, before slipping past away past Niah and towards the line of injured folks being lead into the ship. She joined the line, grabbing hold of the first soldier in need of aid that she could find and wordlessly following the other medic-types towards the infirmary. Upon entering, she couldn't help but flinch a little. It was filled to the brim with folks who seemed to have one foot in the grave. Some familiar Romans, some not. Her eyes, though, quickly fell on a familiar face that wasn't a Roman.

"Shit, maze guy!" Waverley exclaimed quickly stepping up beside Demi, who seemed to be accompanied by a young ginger woman. Waverley didn't seem to pay any attention to her, her eyes immediately darting down to see if the boy was in danger of death. That likely would've been more than she could handle. Luckily, she saw no fatal injuries. "You're-you're gonna be fine...do you mind if I-" she didn't finish her question, instead simply plopping down at the end of his bed. She sighed, her shoulders relaxing as she leaned back, closing her eyes. She was quiet for a short while, letting herself breathe. She'd, of course, come to the infirmary with the intention of doing some healing. All the way, she'd been thinking about what grandiose post-battle hymn she could sing to heal her people, what would be appropriate, but as she shifted her guitar to rest in her lap, she found none of them wanted to be sung. Instead, it was something simpler, lighter, more hopeful that found itself pooling into her fingertips and wetting her tongue.

"Someday in the future not too very far away
I know that things will change
No one ever thinks it will occur
By the time they do it's already okay

There will be many kinds of trees
There will be plenty of bees
All of the movies will be free to watch
We'll sit with the bunnies
in our gardens drinking honeysuckle lavender butterscotch

And we'll be out there somewhere out where we can see the sky
I'll fall on my back in the snow
And that's how you'll know
It's not just behind my eyes
Anymore
Anymore"

As she melodically promised futures to the wounded soldiers, she could feel her magic dripping from the strings of her guitar, branching through the air and finding purchase on those closest to crossing into the Underworld, dripping onto their injuries and weaving the pierced skin and damaged organs back together, just enough to insure that those touched by her magic wouldn't perish. She managed to get a decent number away from the brink of death as she plucked her strings and sang to them.

Ω Heroes of Olympus: The Next Age of Heroes Ω

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Location: The Labyrinth
Skills: Battle Mystiokinesis, Guitar, Singing

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"Heh, one probatio more like. Being left for dead by your boss is as good as being fired, right? If I get out of this, I'm pretty sure there's a desertion in my future, doesn't take a kid of Apollo to see that. Once everyone's safe, of course," Waverley admitted, though there wasn't any anger or malice in her voice. In fact, there was a bit of...relief? She was quiet for a moment, before giving Emily a bit of a nudge and a smirk. "I love you, Em, you, Marco, Mads, even Nance when she treats me like a friend rather than a recruit. But all the power dynamics and military ranks and being anchored down, it just is not for me. Besides, the open road's singing it's song to me, has been for a while now. Can only ignore it for so long." she plucked at her strings in a short melody, though it was rather simplistic with only one hand to work with. It was cut off by the sudden vision of Marco, which made her jump in surprise. She let her arm slip off Em, her smirk slipping off her lips as Marco gave them the cryptic news and Em repeated it.

"Right, but lets do it quick. There's probably still survivors up there, and I doubt all of them are in a condition to escape on their own," as she spoke, she quickened her pace, quickly following closer behind the goddess. She slowed when the figures became clear in the distance. She gritted her teeth, her mind going somewhat frantic as Ariadne voiced her single command. "Like, a campfire or-" but it was too late, the goddess had sped off into combat with the giant. Luckily her speeding thoughts seemed to go still with focus as the only song for the occasion came to mind. They needed a burning pile? She could do that. Her fingers set into motion before she even willed them to, descending down onto the strings as she began to play, her words rhythmically tumbling from her mouth just as instinctively.

"All my money been a long time spent
On my drugs, on my rent
On my saving philosophy
It goes, one in the bank, and the rest for me"

She could feel the magic pour from within her into her guitar, like a musical magical yeast, only capable of reaching its potential after being put into a song. It drifted away from her, before intensifying, forming into a ball of fire in the air. She could feel it burning up, and she knew it wouldn't be able to last on its own like she'd been intending it to, so rather than letting it burn itself out, she continued singing.

"It goes, all my troubles on a burning pile
All lit up and I start to smile
If I, catch fire then I change my aim
Throw my troubles at the pearly gates"

As soon as she begun on the chorus, the fireball launched forward, clashing into the hulking giant, covering him in bright burning fire flickering across his skin. As she continued, she willed a spark coming off of him to grow, separating from the fire that was roasting him and growing into a small fire of its own on the ground of the labyrinth between Ariadne and the giant and the romans.

The Gifted - Concluded

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Location: The Crumbling Tunnels of the Sewers
Skills: Soundwave Manipulation

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"Don't worry, Veil's made of stronger stuff than that. She'll...she'll live," Waverley said into the receiver, though her voice was admittedly distracted. So much of her attention was focused on nullifying the waves that could send the rubble of the crumbling sewers down on them that her attempts to offer emotional refuge for Andy were somewhat inattentive. When Andy explained the situation, though, she found herself with the energy to repeat the words back to her, though that was more to inform the others what was going on than anything else. "Stareyes has been shot and Sapphire's...wigging out? Okay, just, do me a favor and make sure she doesn't hurt anyone, herself included." She let the cellphone fall away from her ear, and made a note to apologize to Ben for revealing his past; she hadn't realized it was something he kept secret. But for the moment, she let the cellphone fall a few inches away from her ear as she kept her mind on canceling out the waves above. She could feel the strain beginning to weigh on her mind, the soft prickling of an oncoming headache beginning to dig into her brain. It wasn't anything she couldn't handle, not for the moment at least.

"Fuck yes!" Waverley exclaimed as the iron arch materialized in front of them. With the chaos of the situation, she didn't have time to process that it was Max, and even if she did, she wouldn't have the wherewithal to care. Those two words would perhaps be the closest thing to a compliment she ever gave him. She then gave a small nod to James when he started dealing out roles for them to play in their excavation of their leader, and she kept at it, dulling the waves that wanted to thrum through the debris. She could feel the weight on her mind getting heavier, and it was visible on her face. Her forehead shined with a thin layer of sweat as a vein bulged on the side of her forehead. But just as the strain was about to become a problem, she felt her mind burden become lighter. It took her a moment to realize the cause: Echo, soundwaves radiating from him that matched her own. It freed up her mind enough to let out a breath that she hadn't had the time or energy to exhale, and she gave him a grateful nod. Then, she watched as a number of her friends dug Veil out of the rocky pile, pulling her to safety as James stitched her back together. Waverley watched with anticipation, waiting for some sign of life. She almost let go of her hold on the vibrations in pure relief when the woman opened her eyes, but luckily she didn't. "Veil's alive and well, mostly! You guys are next!" she exclaimed into the receiver to Andy, before looking back over to James, gesturing over to where she had sensed the others earlier. "What's the plan for the others, James?"

Held Rolls

Waverley's still focusing on nullifying the waves. If she's got any more effort she can expend, she'll do so doing following whatever command James may issue.

Ω Heroes of Olympus: The Next Age of Heroes Ω

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Location: The Labyrinth
Skills:

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As soon as Emily stepped through the crack that opened into the labyrinth, she'd feel a scrawny arm hook around her shoulders and pull her into a tight half hug. It only lasted a second before it loosened, though Waverley's arm continued to rest limply on the girl's shoulder in a more casual manner. A beaming grin was spread across her lips, seemingly already relaxed a little just by Em's presence.

"Ey, look who finally decided to join the party!" Waverley exclaimed, her chipper attitude shining through despite the circumstances. She kept her arm where it was even as she glanced over to Ariadn, hoping it would help bring comfort to not only Emily, but also herself. "Shit, there are god laws? I mean, that makes sense, stop the bad ones from, y'know, tearing shit up, but still...does that mean there are cop gods?" As soon as Waverley said that awful phrase, she shivered with disgust and horror. "Oh God, there better not be cop gods. That sounds like a fucking nightmare." She began to saunter behind Ariadne as the goddess lead the way through the labyrinth, trying her best to ignore the sounds of war going off above them. To help with this, she shot a glance over to the younger probatio. "That's cool, axes are cool...any, like, superpowers? Probably not the technical term for it, but you know what I'm talking about."

The Gifted - Concluded

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Location: The Mutant Underground -> the Crumbling Tunnels of the Sewers
Skills: Radio Wave Manipulation, Soundwave Manipulation, Pop Culture Knowledge

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Waves kept her eyes shut, waiting for Callie's confirmation that she'd give Professor X's phone a ring and the familiar feeling of radio waves emitting from the phone, but instead she felt something else, something...unexpected: a call coming in. Her eyes popped open in surprise, her eyebrows furrowing together as Callie answered it. Waverley practically jumped when Callie briskly walked passed her, handing off the phone like a baton in a relay race of bad news. She stiffened, quickly pulled the phone up to her ear, trying to piece together what was happening with the little bits of context she had. Obviously something was happening with the others, and it didn't sound good.

"Uh, hi, Waves here. We're gonna get to you, don't worry. Just stay on the line little while longer while I figure out where you are," as she spoke, her eyes drifted closed, letting the radio waves take her mind in the direction of Andy's phone. She quickly discovered that the other end of the call was somewhere far away, but also simultaneously...upstairs? "Uh..." as if to answer her unspoken question, James' voice rang out through the underground, shouting out even more bad news. She held onto the feeling of Andy's phone as she quickly ran up the stairs, in case they needed to find them once they were through the portal. She sprinted down the hall to James and Casper's room, where inside she saw a glowing fantastical portal. Without a moments hesitation, she leapt through, stumbling as her feet found purchase upon ground much more uneven than that of the headquarters she was leaving behind. What awaited her there was not what she'd expected: none of Veil's group was there, only James, Cas, Echo, and a glowing blue man with a mass of tentacles erupting from his stomach. Waverley had to do a double take when she saw that. It was Ben, she recognized him from his brief introduction in the van earlier, but with the slimy appendages reaching up and holding the ceiling aloft, she quickly recognized him from elsewhere.

"You're- shit, you were that superhero kid from that one super group! Cas never mentioned that!" Waverley exclaimed, unable to hold back her surprise at the realization. She quickly shook her head, shoving the revelation out of her head as she instead brought her mind back to the matter at hand. The rubble had separated them from the others, a fact made evident by Jack's voice ringing out from past one wall of rubble and by the feeling of Andy's phone just beyond another. Just as she was about to launch into motion, her eyes caught sight of a weeping Echo, a sight that caused her heart to sink. Part of her wanted to comfort him just as he so often did for her, but she stopped herself from doing so. It was more important to make sure everyone was safe. She was sure he'd understand. She quickly pointed her finger northeastward, looking to the others with a serious crease in her brow.

"Andy and the others are that way," she called out, before bringing Callie's phone, which she held onto with pale knuckles, back up to her lips. "We're in the tunnel...southwest from you I think. Ben and I are gonna do our best to minimize any further damage, and I think the others are gonna try to get you out safely," she explained to Andy, letting her mental grasp on the girl's phone lessen as she stepped up next to the apparition of Ben and turned her attention upward. She could feel the rumbling within the crumbling concrete, the waves ringing through them, quickening their destruction. She lifted her hand, gritting her teeth as she used her abilities to dampen those waves.

Ω Heroes of Olympus: The Next Age of Heroes Ω

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Location: The Labyrinth
Skills:

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"Alright, Ariadne it is," Waverley chirped with a small smile, giving a nod of approval at the introduction. Her body seemed much more relaxed, her anxiety likely calmed by the Goddess' soothing demeanor. Her nervous smile gave way to a more at ease smirk as her gaze shifted downward to her guitar, one of her hands plucking at the strings one at a time and the other twisting the knobs on the head accordingly to make sure it was tuned and ready for any fight yet to come. But at the mention of giants, Waverley furrowed her eyebrows and lifted her head back up to look at Ariadne.

"Uh, pardon?" Waverley asked, her head tilted to the side a touch. She wasn't aware of the divinely proclaimed rule of defeating giants, and as such was confused by the Goddess' statement. "I'm not really sure what we can do to help that you can't. Aren't y'all, like, supremely powerful or something?"

The Gifted - Concluded

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Location: The Mutant Underground
Skills:

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Waverley's small, skeptic frown shifted into a soft smile as Echo placed a gentle hand upon her bony shoulder and offered his words of reassurance. She gave a small nod, muttering a quiet, "Thank you," before watching the young man slip away after Max. She turned her attention back toward Sunshine, Zarina, and now Callie just as the youngest among them spat with hostility in her voice at the oldest. Waverley furrowed her brow in concern, watching Zarina storm away, feeling a little sorry for the girl. She shifted her eyes to look at Callie, chewing down on her bottom lip a little in thought.

"Actually...maybe Sunshine could find it. It sounds kinda farfetched, but it might work. A bomb that releases disease-causing smoke...I mean, disease-causing smoke is kinda Sunshine's whole deal. It's worth a shot, if she's up for it," Waverley suggested giving a little shrug to Sunshine, as if to offer the idea to her to do with it what she will. She then looked back to Callie with a small smile. "I, for one, do not mind being the Underground's glorified phone. Kinda why I joined, actually. I'll see if I can connect to the Professor's phone," she volunteered cheerily, before quickly letting her eyes fall shut.

She allowed her mind to stretch out of her skull, g along the waves that she'd come to recognize as a sort of second language. She did her best to bring to mind the path the waves had taken when they first tried calling him, but having not committed them to memory, she got lost rather quickly. She returned to her starting point and tried a few more times, but it was only a matter of seconds before she lost any traces of it again. She let out a deep sigh, keeping her eyes closed even as she reached out tried to tap Callie, only to find she wasn't where she'd previously been standing.

"Uh, Callie? You still there? If you are, can you call him again? Having some waves to ride'll be easier than just winging it."

Ω Heroes of Olympus: The Next Age of Heroes Ω

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Location: The Labyrinth
Skills:

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"Oh, uh, nifty, that's convenient," Waverley mumbled with a gulp, relaxing a little at the fact that she wasn't about to be eaten by some sort of cave siren. She quickly tensed back up, however, when the woman's gaze pierced through her. Up to that moment, it'd seemed impossible to Waverley for a god to hold a physical form. And while the eyes of this being weren't enough to wipe away all beliefs of some force of greater good that prevailed in her vision of the universe, there was a palpable divinity in them that made Waverley, for the first time since coming to New Rome, believe that perhaps their gods were real, and were gods. At least this one was. It was normal for Waverley to feel things in the form of unwritten songs, and this goddess caused a chorus to ring out inside her. She gulped.

"Uh, nice to meet ya, Ariadne. Should I be more formal? Ms. Ariadne? That feels weird, 'cause that'd be like calling me Ms. Waver- Sorry, I'm rambling," Waverley went on for a couple seconds, before clearing her throat and doing an awkward little curtsy. She quickly straightened up, scratching the back of her head as she let out a nervous chuckle. "Uh, I can't speak for my friends here, but I'd be willing to try. I'm not much of a warrior, mind you, but I can do my best," she gestured towards Em and the other legionnaire who'd stumbled into the labyrinth.

The Gifted - Concluded

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Location: The Mutant Underground
Skills:

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Waverley winced a little bit when Sunshine mentioned Magik. It wasn't a subject she wanted to touch with a ten foot pole. Not because she felt awkward or uncomfortable about it, but because she knew that it was a conversational path that wouldn't lean anywhere good. Waverley would bring Magik back for Sunshine if she could, Erg too. But she knew she couldn't, and, even with the wide array of oddities Waverley had witnessed since stepping into the world of the Mutant Underground, she still wasn't convinced that resurrection was an option.

"Right then, I guess we'll go ahead and leave the paranormal investigation to the Bill Murr-" Waverley began to reply to Sunshine's disinterest in the ghost, before trailing off as she caught sight of a familiar thin figure step into her vision. Her eyes flicked to him: Max. She was usually able to mostly ignore the boy when he lazed about their headquarters, but the way he walked now held...purpose. It sent a chill up her spine and caused her to go stiff. She followed him with her eyes, watching as he approached a mess of rubble that was scattered about the Underground. She watched as he stopped, his hands glowing with arcane energy, her body rigid in preparation to stop him on the off chance this was some nefarious scheme. She was so focused on him that she practically leapt out of her skin when the voice of Echo spoke up beside her.

"Shit dude, you can't sneak up on people like that," Waverley exclaimed despite the fact that Echo had done everything in his power to slip seamlessly into their conversation. She let out a huff and shot one more glance over at Max, finding that the only evil deed he was doing was cleaning. She turned her attention back to Echo, not stepping away from Sunshine and Zarina, but lowering her voice when she spoke in case they wanted to continue talking without her. "Wow, that sounds like...a lot. Um...I could try? That's a lot of space to cover, and it'd be super hard to feel everything the soundwaves bounced against. Especially since I don't even know what the bomb feels like. It'd be like trying to find Waldo without ever being told what Waldo looks like."