Silver Carrot

Titans of Gotham

While listening intently to Zen talk, Natalie noticed that Bolt had left less than a minute after the fact, and stood up before anybody else could add to what Zen was saying. They still didn't have a plan of attack once they actually came face to face with PK but none of that mattered.

"Bolt just left!" she suddenly shouted, panic clear in her voice. "While we were talking, he...what is he thinking?!"

The moment the others noticed, Tia must have panicked too and had a change of heart. Teleporting them could have caused one of them to get hurt before but now not teleporting them will definutely condemn Bolt to death. And she must have dug deep because they all got teleported no matter where they were in the room. Natalie saw Tia collapse in Zen's arms but thought that she must have passed out from over-exertion. It didn't matter. She had done more than enough. She stepped up in the moment when it counted to show them all what a real damn Hero was. Natalie was not afraid to admit she was terrified, but she was equally as fired up.

Then she heard the gunshots. No doubt aimed at Bolt. Whether they had actually hit him or not, it didn't matter. He was in danger. Natalie turned her attention back to the building and gritted her teeth. Monolith spoke up, thinking on the fly to storm in and tank all the traps so the rest of them could enter safely. Natalie merely nodded at his statement, then watched him go as he broke doen the door and the explosions started. His last sentence stuck out to her, and his emphasis on the word 'distracted'. So, he had been listening to her after all. The little remnants of some sembelance of a brainsrtormed plan were all they had, even having to give up their element of surprise to stop Bolt from dying. But maybe, just maybe, it will be enough. She'd have preferred a less intense first field mission but now was the time to prove to everyone, and herself, that she belonged in this team.

"Screw waiting. Never been very good at it," Wireframe spoke out loud, before heading into the building herself and following Monolith's trail of destruction. She could still hear the explosions and sounds of traps being set off ahead of her, and smoke was making it hard to see and harder to get good breaths of clean air, slowing her down slightly. As she walked, she turned her pinkie into wire and wrapped it around her right hand, creating a makeshift knuckleduster. Natalie wasn't a trained fighter. If it came to blows, she would need every edge she could get.

Harold's Academy for the Magically Inclined

Lisa Goldheart

&

Lhoren Ashdale

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Day 1 ◈ Time: Evening ◈ Weather: Light Rain ◈Location: Main Ballroom ◈ Participants: Lisa Goldheart @Frettzo, Lhoren Ashdale @Silver Carrot

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Lisas’s eyes, glazed over, half-lidded purely out of the sinking feeling in her gut and chest, suddenly brightened up. She blinked and rubbed her eyes before looking back at the guy in front of her. He was wearing a hand-me-down suit, probably his grandfather’s considering the length of the coat. What had caught her attention so suddenly though, was that he was no longer blabbering about six-packs or crushed watermelons, and had finally shut his mouth.

The pale, skinny, freckled guy smiled nervously at her, perhaps feeling a sudden wave of confidence at what to him no doubt looked like Lisa’s approval of his barely-rehearsed pick-up lines.

That smile vanished nearly as quickly as it appeared.

“Got it out of your system? Good.” Lisa said and pointed at his group of friends with her eyes.

“S-So… Wanna hang out with me sometime?”

Lisa raised an eyebrow and leaned as close as she could towards the guy’s face before he started to inch away. “And do what?”

The guy stuttered, face flushed, and he quickly began to nervously twiddle his thumbs, “... Homework?” He asked hopefully.

“No.” Lisa rolled her eyes, crossed her arms and leaned back. “I don’t get it. You saw the other six guys get shot down. You can see I’m pissed off. I even told you to go away with my eyes. Why would you still approach me with a ridiculous pick-up line involving my thighs and a watermelon farmer’s nightmare? Go back to your boyfriends, don’t talk to me unless you got something real to say.”

The guy practically shook in his badly-maintained leather shoes, ran his hands through his hair, and then quickly walked out of the ballroom. Lisa cringed and rubbed her temples. She’d snapped a bit, she realised, but could she really be blamed? Before she could finish her thought however, yet another guy began to approach her.

Is this hell? She thought to herself, was she being punished for something she did in a past life? As the guy walked closer and closer, she realised with dread that this one hadn’t even had a shower in probably the last five days. Why did she have to go through this kinda crap? Everyone else seemed to be enjoying themselves, talking to friends and getting ready for a long night of partying, everyone but her, because her best friend had ditched her to go hook up with some random girl.

”Hey, Lisa! Been looking for you!” Lhoren cheerfully exclaimed, seemingly having come out from nowhere but now suddenly by Lisa’s side. While she was talking, she sent a secondary message telepathically. ”You look like you needed a save.”

Lhoren had been mingling so far and had been heading for the catering table when she had read the thoughts of embarrassment and resentment from all the boys Lisa shot down, and her own weariness at having to deal with them. The moment she picked up there was another one who seemed convinced he was going to have better luck, Lhoren had decided to step in before she even knew which direction the boy was in.

Lhoren was currently wearing a white ballgown and violet butterfly mask, and had preemptively shot down several attempts at lame pick up lines herself before a single word had even managed to have been uttered. The moment she heard them think the line as they approached her, she transmitted her own…constructive feedback into their heads before they had finished their approach. Most of them had taken the chance to play it off and pretend that they weren’t trying to approach Lhoren at all.

”Hey, there’s something over here you’ve got to see!” Lhoren added, gesturing discreetly with a head tilt to the other end of the food table and away from the thirsty pack of boys. Lhoren’s face never betrayed a thing.

“Oh! I see it, c’mon let’s go!” Lisa grabbed a hold of Lhoren’s hand and guided her as far away from the crowd as she could, not even trying to hide the relief on her face. When the two had finally escaped from the second circle of hell, Lisa turned around and gave Lhoren a quick hug. “Lhoren! Thank you so much, you have no idea how long I would’ve been standing there if not for you. You’re more reliable than some other people I know, for sure.”

Lhoren paused, then returned the hug. It took her by surprise that she could feel Lisa’s muscles through her dress, and she let go before Lisa did. Lhoren had purely platonic feelings for Lisa now, after getting to know her the past year. However, Lisa in gym wear played no small part in Lhoren realising she wasn’t entirely straight, back before they knew each other properly.

Lisa took a deep breath and released all the tension in her body when she exhaled, then disengaged the hug and rested her hands on Lhoren’s shoulders. “You really saved me there. I might’ve actually had to hide somewhere at the rate things were going. So, how have you been? Overheard anything interesting since we last talked? You look great in that gown and mask, by the way, are you trying to impress someone?”

”Why, thank you! But I can throw that back at you,” Lhoren replied, smirking as she opened her eyes which had a cheeky glint in them. ”I don’t think you were trying to get people to think you look pretty in your dress either. As for overhearing anything interesting, you know I have. But I don’t tell other people’s secrets. Ashdale policy.”

“Fair enough about the secrets. And yeah, I only dress like this ‘cause my parents hate it when I wear trousers to formal events. Say, d’you want to go for some fresh air? Being stuck inside with all these mouldy, damp thoughts must be stifling.” Lisa offered, finally stepping back from Lhoren’s space and clasping her hands in front of her abdomen in what could only be a half-assed attempt at looking like a Lady. “I know a nice place with a ledge, and if we bring something to eat we can probably skip all the small talk bound to happen in events such as these.”

Lhoren paused, looking deep in thought as she considered it, before she smiled again and shook her head. ”Sorry, the night’s still young and I’m still in the mood to socialise. I might take you up on that offer later though, so look out for me!”

Lisa chuckled, “Of course! I’ll be outside for a while, but you can come to me if you need help with anything.” Lisa gave Lhoren a thumbs up and started to make her way towards a side exit before abruptly stopping, loading up a plate with several pieces of food, and continuing walking away while waving at Lhoren. “Thank you again for the save, by the way. I owe you one for sure.”

Lhoren waved back until Lisa was out of sight, then started to walk away before remembering why she had come to the food table in the first place, rolling her eyes at herself, and returning to fill up her own plate.

Titans of Gotham

Natalie had been listening to everybody's words from outside the room, having got tired of moping rather quickly. Stewing in silence was just making everything worse. She needed to get out of her own head, and talk to her team. She walked back into the room and folded her arms.

"I'm not sure if we're ready, and I know going after him is a terrible idea, but I don't feel safe going out there and fighting small fry as long as he's still out there. He killed one of us for doing this, he could attack any of the rest of us, at any time. I'm not going to wait to be picked off. We need to make a plan, and we need to take him out together. We can't just ignore him anymore."

Natlie walked over to the sofas, and cleared some space on the coffee table just in case they needed to use it for planning. Natalie didn't know how planning worked. She didn't know the first thing about how to be part of a Hero team. Still, she spoke as she cleared magazines and dirty dishes. "As strong as he is, I don't think he can power his way out of steel rope. I could restrain him if his hands are kept busy. Let's brainstorm. Between all of us, I know we can beat this guy."

Harold's Academy for the Magically Inclined

<Snipped quote by Silver Carrot>

Who would Lhoren find eye catching? Give us the gossip.

@Ti

Lisa

Harold's Academy for the Magically Inclined

MellexMyrion is just your typical college relationship

Harold's Academy for the Magically Inclined

I was considering making Lhoren Illuminaire but she's 17 and a second year so she'd definitely wait for 3rd or 4th year

Harold's Academy for the Magically Inclined

@Ti

That's not really an offensive strategy. If she's against somebody throwing magic around, she'll get tired before they do. But yeah, she will absolutely read her opponent's attacks before they even start.

Harold's Academy for the Magically Inclined

If there was a tournament I genuinely don't know what Lhoren's offensive options would be against anyone lol

Harold's Academy for the Magically Inclined

@vietmyke

Lhoren gives solid hugs. Very soft and warm, and she squeezes but isn't a very strong person so you're not getting bear-hugged either.

Harold's Academy for the Magically Inclined

@LuckyBlackCat

I could see Sylvia and Lhoren being close. Both second years in House of Ivar. Both late bloomers when it came to manifesting gifts so they're both *old* for second years.

I could see Sylvia trying to prank Lhoren but because she was thinking about the prank, Lhoren susses her out and goes "Hey, you weren't trying to prank me with this, right? You wouldn't do that, would you?"

This is them