groovygamers.com

The Janush family live in a modest home, for the disgustingly weathly.  Rumor has it that grandpapa Janush hated the idea of having neighbors, so he bought the entire block.  The majority of the property is taken up by what is basically the back yard.  The house has a loop driveway, huge swimming pool, guest cottages (2 of them) and a pretty good amount of space to cram 100 or so of the families friends.

The housekeeper is there to let people in the front door and reassure parents that the children will be supervised.  Of course, since you can't hear the racket from the back at the front door, that makes most people very happy.  Of course, most parents don't even worry that much.

The gardener is out back, to make sure that no one drinks too much, and they have a lifeguard on duty to keep people from drowning in the pool.  The fact that there isn't a single person here old enough to drink, doesn't seem to enter into it.

The food spread it party-like with pizza in all the colors of the rainbow and junk food enough to keep Lays in business.  Soda, bottled water, and more types of juice then ou can shake a stick at make up the spread.  There is a keg in one of the guest houses, and it's flow is strictly controlled.  When your dad is a lawyer you're carful, especially when you break the law!

Elrod (Who insists everyone call him El) makes a point of finding everyone that is supposed to be in the bad.  He even happily recruits Samantha's friends if they think they can play the kind of stuff the band will play. 

Lisa is constantly pressing the flesh and being the good hostess.  She even seems to accept the people she thinks shouldn't be here, figuring they're friends of her brother.  She practically beams and squeals when Megan arrives, and seems genuinely happy with Kel and Sylvia as well.

The entire football team is present, as well as the pep squad and what looks to be the basketball team also.  Added to this is a mix of slackers and music students, some stoners and even a few of the purely popular.

Seth is greeted by the two guys that recruited him, and eventually all the band folks make their way to the gazeebo where they're setting up.

The party started at 8PM, officially, with the band planning to start up at 8:30.

Megan excitedly returns Lisa’s hug as she is greeted by the older girl upon her arrival at the party.  Being the daughter of a very successful lawyer and now mayor of the town, Megan had a fair amount of experience in social functions, and possessed a fair number of dresses for a wide range of occasions.  Tonight she was wearing a cocktail dress she had gotten over the summer for a few events she had gone to with her parents.  It was a white chocolate Mandalay dress, with a V-neck and was sequined with clear crystals and faux pearls with lace embroidery and a slightly sheer center down the front.  It went down to about midway on her smooth and shapely thighs.  Matching heels completed the look.

She had been to the Janush home before after joining the squad over the summer for some meetings and other gatherings, so she easily followed after Lisa up to the older girl’s room, where all the cheerleaders were storing their things, which in Megan’s case included a bikini to perhaps go swimming later and some more causal jeans and cami top to likely change into after swimming. 

After dropping off her bag, she quickly followed Lisa to the backyard to be introduced to some of the people there she hadn’t met yet and begin to mingle.

(Megan’s dress :  http://www.shopdress.com/Detail.bok?no=978) 

Sylvia shows up at Donnie's house earlier in the evening.  Mitzi hasn't dressed her funny, exactly, but Sylvia seems a little too dressed up in her handkerchief-hemmed, spaghetti-strap dress with its yards of paisley georgette.  At least there's no patchwork and only a little embroidery.

Carolyn, possibly the scariest woman Donnie has yet met, brings Sylvia to the door and gives Donnie the hearty greeting he might have expected of Sylvia's father.  Translation:  no hanky-panky with my daughter, kid.  Sylvia seems oblivious to the subtext.

She's all set for the party, and raring to home in on Rob and root out his secret.

Donnie is a bit overwhelmed by Carolyn, but invited them both in to meet his mother.  Mary Douglas looks like a typical Country-Club member, with an excellent physique (in contrast to her soft and slightly overweight son), fake tan, and perfect make-up in the evening. Donnie is wearing a rich blue collared shirt and pressed khakis, his brown loafers waitign by the door.

The Douglas house is located in a upper middle class neighborhood, and shows signs of being a recent build; there were still numerous empty plots still available for purchase in the neighborhood. The house seems a bit cold in regards to decoration. It may be that they moved in under a year ago, but more likely because it was the Douglas belief that everything should look clean and professional.

There a few pictures on the wall, but numerous professional framed and matted photographs, mostly of landscapes. There is one professional photo of the entire family, probably taken about 3 years ago, with a solomn looking Donnie, a beaming mother, and serious father on a generic blue background. It seems to be the only family-type photo.

The kitchen is white and black, with stainless steel appliances. The furniture is expensive and mostly leather. One wonders if people actually use it, considering it's pristine condition. A large flat-screen HD tv dominates the family room, with a glass table and an artfully arranged bouquet of flowers in the center providing one of the few sources of color in the room.

She makes small talk and offers drinks to her guests but seems unconcerned if Carolyn refuses. Donnie's father is working late, as usual.

After pleasentries are exchanged and Caroline leaves, Mary receives a cell phone call and leaves the room, chattering loudly about stock prices, buyng and selling shares.

Donnie shrugs, seeming a bit embarrassses by it all. "Welcome to my home. You look incredible." he says, smiling self-consciously.

Several of the other girls on the squad make it clear they are jealous of Megan's awesome dress.  Before leaving Lisa's room several girls 'stake claim' to a variety of boys, just to avoid possible confusion later on in the evening.

Sylvia stares around.  The sterile opulence is impressive in and of itself, but what gets her is that it's not what she expected of Donnie.  She thought he'd have a fat, cookie-baking mother and a couple of screaming siblings and a shaggy dog.  But now that she knows, she gets him a little better.  "Thanks," she says, then figures he wants to avoid his mother.  "Where are the dragons?"

((OOC: Did a little editing, Cass. May want to check it out))

Donnie's smile broadens. "If I show you my room will your mom kick my ass? I promise to keep the door open.."

That Donnie.  What a kidder.  Sylvia shrugs, feeling unthreatened with or without her hovering mother.  "I trust you.  You're not the guy with the Cupid's-arrow ray gun, are you?"

"Nope." He walks upstairs, indicating for her to follow. From the kitchen his mothr can be heard arguing with the broker, and the clink of glass as she makes herself a drink. "This is my parents' home, but this is where I live."
He opens the door to his large bedroom, and Sylvia is struck by the riot of color and art. Every wall has brilliant posters, prints amd small paintings on it. Most are, of course, dragons. His bed is made, and a pile of folded laundry sits on it, awaiting to be put away. There is a large computer desk, with a large volume of electronic equipment scattered haphazardly about, with stacks of cd-roms, gaming books, and empty cans of coke. A 3 foot refrigerator hums next to the desk, with an unopened case of pop atop it.

Bookshelves fill the majority of one of the walls, and it is overflowing with books of all shapes and sizes. There is a curio cabinet in one corner, filled with minatures painted with varying degrees of success. There is a small drawing desk on one side, with scattered paper and numerous reference books of animals laying open. Next to it is a battered childs writing desk, with papers on it.

There is a double door which presumably is a closet and another door, open, which leads to a bathroom. The window shade is open near the drawing desk, and it looks out onto the lot next door, which was currentlu unoccupied and has one of the few stands of trees left in the neighborhood, which was likely once mostly farmland.

"My retreat from the empty house downstairs."Donnie looks proudly around the room, hands in his pockets. "Dave should be here within the next 20 minutes or so. He is chronically late, so i told him to be here the same time as you in hopes he would get here within the next half hour."

“Well, if we are doing that, Cal Stewart.”  Megan adds to the indications made by the other girls as they all leave Lisa’s room.

Sylvia strolls around the room, admiring the posters and the miniatures.  She has stuff in her room, sure, but not like this.  "How many people is Dave picking up?  Are we all going to fit?"  But forget that.  Unimportant.  She smiles and leans in to examine a picture or two.  "Is this Pip?  With the curvy horns?"

"My drawings aren't so great, but I have had some semi-professional guys do sketches for me when I met them at gaming conventions. This one is the most recently done." he days, pointing to a black and white sketch.

(http://img172.imageshack.us/img172/6735/scangd5.jpg) (http://imageshack.us)

[Cool!]

Sylvia lets her imagination color the sketch with its jade green scales and whitened belly.  She imagines Pip resting on his belly on the windowsill in front of the sprawl of farmland, wings stretched out in a lopsided, casual pose as he gnaws on a cricket.  Or a jellybean.  She's not sure which.

"That's really neat.  But I thought you said you drew, too?"

"I do, but they aren't very good." [color] He waves vaguely over towards the drawing desk, where piles of paper and books can be seen. "Oh and Dave's vehicle is a craptastic van named VanGo, but it can comfortably seat eight people. We should be golden."

A shift in the light of the room draws Sylvia and Donnie's attention to the window sill.  There, in a cat like pose is the tiny dragon from the drawing.  It nibbles on something, then looks up when the two teens look at it.  "Wow."  is the sound, it came from the little dragin, but it was Sylvia's voice.  Her eyes widen and the dragon looks at her, then shimmers out of existance like a mirage.

Kel strolls into the party at some point or another, he has made no attempt to look good or anything of that sort, the only difference to his usual attire than there has been up till now is the pink streak in his hair as well as a few others matching the school colors, and a Huskie patch along the left side of his jacket beneath his arm.  Kel pretty much makes a beeline for the beer, and after he's gotten a lovely red plastic cup full, he meanders around looking for someone who he either knows and doesn't believe to be a jerk.  After about ten or fifteen minutes of this, he makes his way off toward the gazebo thinking that at least the music should be good.

Donnie stares, stunned. "Did you-did you just see that?"

Sylvia nods, the motion short and jerky like she can't quite shake out the paralysis of shock.  She points and tries to put together words.  "Dragon.  You.  Dragon."  Hysteria tweaks her voice a couple of octaves.  "What was that?"

"It spoke with your voice!"

"That wasn't my voice."  Like a lot of people, she doesn't recognize the sound of it.  "It was your dragon!"  She looks uneasy and begins to ease backward out of the room.  "It was eating something.  What was it eating?"

T.J hops out of his mum's car, since his dad was still busy at work, and walks down the street to the party. He whistles in amazement as he sees the huge house and his eyes grow even wider as he walks inside. He looks around and sees a bottle of Fanta, smiling to himself he pours himself a glassful and sees Kel heading to the gazebo. He catches up to him and sips his drink. "Hey Kel! What do you think of this place? It's a bit extravagant for one family."

Cal, being from a relatively middle-class area is astounded simply at the size and extravagence of the place "Well hoo-ee! this sure is a mighty fine house they got here" he says, almost to  himself, but really for anyone that wants to listen. He immediately gravitates towards his palls on the football team, and hangs around with them. He spots John Moxxon and moves over to him specifically "Hey there John, I saw you out there on the field, man you wre somethin', the other schools are gonna have a hellova time tryin to beat us right?" He says jovially, ending his sentence with one of his trademark wide smiles.

(OOC and lame untill at least 8 of clock, sorry kids)

Seth starts to set up instrament wise, and begins his soundtrack....Nervous jittters throughout his body

The Jitters? I could play this set with my eye close...why the hell am I so nervous?

Mxxon has had a couple of beers and is a little friendlier then usual with Cal, going so far as to drape his arm around him, "Damn right Texas.  State Championships, here we come."  He raises his cup and cheers, the rest of the team joining in.

Cal's wide smile remains at this statement "Heck i'll drink to that" he says, raising his cup with the rest of the team

The honking from downstairs tells Donnie and Sylvia that their ride is there.

It's only about ten minutes to the Janush place from Donnies, and Dave swings by to pick up a couple of other people on the way.  He drops everyone at the back, and helps carry another keg into the guest house.

DAVE: "You look hot Syl, make sure to keep Donnie away from the beer or he'll be all over you."

Megan follows along with the other girls from the team out into the party.  They moved around with Lisa for awhile as she made her way to be sure to welcome those who had arrived while she was upstairs with Megan and the others.  That soon led them over towards the football team members.  “Hey Cal.”  Megan called out as they arrived, moving over towards the large Texan.

Cal turns around when his name is shouted, and what he sees causes his mouth to drop open. It's almost as if time slows down for a moment as she saunters over to him he whispers quietly to himself "Hot Damn...." Cal is almost in a daze as Megan finally reaches him "Well, hi Megan ah.... You look....great!" At this point Cal is  almost completely mentally shellshocked, the poor lad almost doesn't know what to do

Kel nods, "Extravagent is a frikking understatement this place is so ridiculous it's almost disgusting...almost."  He raises his finger to emphasize the word almost like he was pointing.

T.J smiles and adds. "Not to ridiculous for us to have a party here though, eh?” He takes another sip of his drink. He looks around and sees another familiar face. “Hey! There’s Seth! Well at least we know they’ll have one good musician.”

Kel replies, "Yea, it should be pretty interesting, since I have this feeling that a good chunk of the people here won't be into this kind of music, whatever it is."  He notices that there a few wind instruments and then says aloud, "This is going to be interesting."

Despite Dave's joviality, the car ride was uncomfortable for Donnie and Sylvia. Donnie was unusually quiet, confused and wierded out by the soap-bubble apparition of his oldest and dearest imaginary friend, but it looked at Sylvia, said, 'Wow' in her voice.

It was totally her voice.

What had it been eating?

How was any of it possible?

Sylvia was sittign off in the corner of the van, arms wrapped around herself and not speaking.

Goddammit. My first real date, my first high school party. With an absolute stunner of a girl and now she won't even look at me. Why do I have such shite luck?

Donnie smiles weakly at Dave, and glares at him when Sylvia's back is turned. He does offer his arm to her to walk into the party.

Megan couldn’t help but grin at Cal’s reaction.  “Thanks.”  She replied with a wide smile.  “Your looking very rugged, I like it.”  (occ I would assume jeans, cowboy boots and a flannel shirt?  Hehe)  She gave the other football players a little smile as well, particularly the ones that had come with Cal to see her in the hospital. 

The smiles and murmurs from the team tell Megan that she picked a very popular outfit for the party.

Some of the other girls break off like fighter planes heading or indiviual targets, circleing before fireing their missiles and bombs to achieve their particular objective.

Someone, it's hard to know who for sure, bumps into Cal and he suddenly finds himself pressed up against Megan.

Sylvia takes a while to process the fact that every single one of her closest friends at school has now revealed himself to be a paranormal.  Donnie and his dragons, Kel and his ninja mastery, Colin and his electric touch.  It takes her the whole ride to process, but it's oddly comforting that she's surrounded by the bizarre.  And she couldn't ask for a better team in their investigation of Rob, otherwise known as Rohypnol Man.

When Donnie offers his arm, she loops her hand through his elbow, thinking nothing of it, and follows him up the walk.  "Don't worry, Donnie.  Your secret's safe with me."

Samantha doesn't go way out of her way to dress up for this party.  She figures that since she was invited to be part of the entertainment, she should be worrying about the music and not her clothes.  She wears a pair of jeans,  a t- shirt that she bought at Hot Topic (http://www.hottopic.com/store/product.asp?LS=0&ITEM=256803), and her Vans.

She shows up early enough to help the other performers with the set up.



Samantha / the trombone player  comes up behind Seth.  "Are you all right?"

El gathers the various musicians around and they agree on a half dozen somgs they all know.  The instruments that aren't traditionally part of the mix get told to "Float in if you feel it." 

The hum of the amps comes up and the band begins to play their first set.  Most of you have heard Seth and know he can play.  There are a number of kids from the band up there, and it's obvious they know what they're doing as far as the mechanics of making music.  As the first song gets going it's obvious that a couple of El's friends are mucically challenged, but someone else seems bright enough to drop their volume on the mixing board so it's not too bad.  Elrod is playing the guitar, and he and Seth switch off singing, finding the right voice for the songs as they go along.

By the third tune the whole group is getting into a groove and people have started dancing near the gazeebo.  They wont be opening for Audioslave anytime soon, but collectively they can play.

Kel moves through the crowd settling himself somewhere closer to the front so he can take it all in, his head moves neatly in time with the music, and he looks at TJ, "Now this is what I'm talking about."

"Syl, I am still not sure theat I have a secret. I am wondering if it is you who has one." At Sylvia's doubting look, he explains, as he pours a couple cups of punch from the punchbowl as a number of nervous looking freshmen huddle behind it. ( ;))

"Hear me out. All of the others have felt something when their powers activate: heat, disorientation, nausea. They have also been concentrating on something intensely, or been zapped by Colin's touch. I was completely unaffected by Colin when we shook hands. Anyway, when Pip appeared, he spoke in your voice. I am absolutely positive of it, and said the exact same thing you were mouthing. Plus, when he did appear, you were looking intently at the picture of him. Yes, Pip is a him, and in all my stories, imaginings and such Pip never spoke a word. They most he could do was a hiss when annoyed or a squeak when surprised. If he were to appear as I thought of him, he would not have spoken. As far as feeling something happen inside, to be honest I was ah, staring at your butt when he appeared and commenting to myself how nice it was." Donnie flushes guiltily, but honesty was needed here. "I think you summoned him, or at least an image of him, since dragoins don't exist except in collective imagination."  or my heart, he adds silently.

"What were you thinking about when Pip appeared and have you had any other odd moments where you or others around you saw things that did not exist ?"

Greg, camera in hand gets some video of the band doing a few tunes.  During one of the breaks he takes a few shots of the crowd, then bags his camera to give everyone a false sense of security and begins to circulate the crowd.

Dave makes occassional appearances, and runs some drinks up to the band during the breaks.  "You guys are actually pretty good."  he states as he makes sure there is bottled water in a bucket of ice.

ELROD: "Yeah, nice sound.  Maybe after the break, we can try some open jazz.  We have the horns."

All right, forget the dragon.  "You were staring at my butt?"  She's suddenly self-conscious.  "Why?" she begins to ask, but she's not sure she wants to hear the answer to that question.  "No.  I mean, is this just one of those guy things?  Eye-to-butt magnetism?"

If you got the horns, I can play them. I've just been experimenting with some Jazz riffs too, so they are all fresh in my fingers....and in my souuul.  He whispers.... Nerd...He thinks to himself.

Seth begins to move his shoulders and hips to the music now, as his fingers fly over the strings. Sweat is starting to srip down his face, and when he's not singing, he's got a smile plastered across his face a mile wide.

His secret weapons was sitting over in the case...he figured it would be a fun diversion for a song or two, and it had taken the guys a while to warm up to it the other night, but then he had played for them, and they had agreed it would be fun. He wanted to finish this set, go out and mingle...because he was thirsty as hell, and then he would it bring it out...his banjo...And then the party would really get started... Nerd he taunted himself again

Samantha is enjoying herself immensely.  With the music flowing through and around her,  she allows herself to forget for a little while at least that she has super powers, that she is different from everybody else here.  Except maybe for that football player who... no, not thinking about that, not tonight!  She is relaxed and happy.
 
During breaks between sets she doesn't wander too far away from the other musicians, but moves around amongst them, complimenting the ones she's never played with before.  To her own friends, she grins. "See -- they did need clarinets!"  When she's not talking to anyone, she grabs an empty spot along the side of the gazebo and watches the party crowd circulate through the grounds.

Donnie looks uncomfortable, massaging his temples with one hand and reluctant to meet her eyes. "Sylvia, you are, uh, very attractive girl, ok?" *blush* "I am a guy, and I am attracted to you. So yes, eye-to-butt magnetism. But that's not my point here; you maybe having some kind of power is the point."

Megan was a bit surprised to find Cal suddenly pushed up against her.  From the suddenness and apparent surprised look that somewhat replaced his stunned look, she figured that it was accidental, that or he was a very good actor.  Stepping back after a moment, she grinned at him as she spoke, “no need to move that fast Cal.  How about helping a girl get a drink and then maybe some dancing first?”

"Oh i'm....it was...ah.. yeah sure, whadya want? I'll go get  us some" Cal stutters, clearly embarassed at this moment Godamn crowds he thinks to himself


(ooc: don't forget the hat  ;))

"No kidding.  I have the power to turn guys into zombies with the mystic power of my ass.  Put a cape on me and call me Gluteus Maximus."

"Sylvia. You are avoiding the subject and I am not a zombie. You know more about me personally than most of the people I have been gaming with for nearly a year. That's not the point though; stop avoiding my question.  Have you had any other odd moments where you or others around you saw things that did not exist?"

She shakes her head.  "No.  Maybe that guy at the Tasty Dog, but that was totally Kel."

"What guy at the Tasty Dog?"

Sylvia steps in closer to Donnie so they're not overheard.  "Kel and I were . . . well, we were chasing a lead at the Tasty Dog.  Matt said he saw us.  He said he saw the manager come to the back entrance and look at us, and then we turned into the guy we were--the--well, never mind.  The manager acted kind of funny.  He told us to come back in after we'd had our smoke break, and then he went back in without saying anything else.  It was weird."

"How do you know it was Kel? That is twice that people have seen things that were not really there. Both times, there was only one common factor: you. What guy are you talking about? I think we need to talk to Matt about this.."

Sylvia bites her lip and makes faces as she decides how much she can tell Donnie without betraying Kel.  "We were investigating Rory's death.  Kel got a lead that the dishwasher at the Tasty Dog was selling some new kind of drug, something that the guy Rory was fighting with was using.  We went to talk to him."  After jumping him in an alley, of course.  "That was when it happened."

Donnie looks at his empty cup.

((OOC: Sense Motive on Sylvia)) 1d20+1=18 (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=625808)

"Syl, if you have secrets with Kel you don't wish to share, that is your business. I just need to know that i am not losing my mind here. I saw something earlier that has been only in my imagination since I was a little kid, and I think it was something you did, probably unconsciously. I only ask that you accept the fact that it might be a possibility. I also think you need to shake Colin's hand, to see if he jumpstarts your powers or something, like he has the others." Donnie waves his empty cup. "I'm out. You need a refill?" At her yes (or no), he turns and walks back to the punchbowl, keeping an eye out for Matt or Colin.

OOC: Does the punch taste normal, or has it been 'kicked up a notch'?

She does seem to be dancing around the truth some, but it's hard to pin down what she's not saying.


The punch is pretty safe.  Donnie sees people adding to their glasses of it from flasks and small bottles, but the bowl is just punch.  Of course, the evening is young.

As Donnie goes to the punch bowl, Sylvia stays where she is and considers the implications.  If it's true, if it was she who hid them from the manager and brought Pip to life from a sketch, that means she's been doing these things without realizing it, without any control.  What else has she been doing?  The thought bothers her, gnaws at her.  What else could she have done?

Rob's arrival at the party is hard to miss.  Three girls squeal and go over to him.  Several of the guys shake his hand as though they were old friends.  He came with a date, Greg is able to peg her as the girl from his math class that he was talking to last week.

It seems that almost everyone he talks to treats him like he's someon they're friendly with.  Not like bending to his will, but friendly.  Charming would be the right way to describe it, very charming.

“I’ll have some punch please.”  Megan replies, giving Cal a smile that lets him know she isn’t bothered by the sudden contact between them.  As he starts off, she remains there talking with some of the other cheerleaders and football players.

Sylvia gravitates toward Rob as well, though not for the same reason, and abandons the spot where Donnie left her.  She wants to get a closer look at the girl from his math class.

A young man rings the bell at the Rollins family's door. He's got straight, neck-long, jet black hair carefully styled to frame his face, and a copper complexion. He's wearing a nice white red-striped shirt, worn outside the pants, tight fitting jeans, suede shoes, and a blue sweater tied around his neck. In his eyes there's a mix of joy and terror.
His mother is looking at him from the passenger seat of a car parked across the street. In her eyes there's a mix of pride and sadness. The boy looks like Colin Crow, but it would be a little hard to recognize him tonight.


Tonight he's wearing no glasses.

Sam overhears El suggesting some jazz.  She makes her way over to him.  Its a bit noisy, so she speaks loudly enough for him to hear her over the crowd.  "Thanks for inviting me tonight -- I'm having a really good time.  You said something to, what's his name again, Dave?  about maybe doing some jazz next? "   She gestures towards the other horns.  "The band horns have been working on some swing numbers lately and I know there are people in that crowd who love to swing dance.  The music won't be too hard for the others to pick up -- we just need the guitars and the drums to give us a nice straight rhythm and we'll be golden.  We can back up a vocalist too if anybody wants to step forward.  Want to try it?"

El looks over at Seth, waving him closer.  "Sammy and her horns are good for some swing.  I know you can sing, what saw you belt out some stuff during the swing and I'll hunt us up a torch singer for some slow stuff afterward."  El motions everyone in close and lays out the plan.  "Take your lead from Seth."  He tells everyone, then looking to Seth, "Remember, don't go too fast for them and keep it light.  I'll find us a girl with a voice and we'll slow it down for later.  Give the guys a chance to hug some girls on the dance floor."  He smiles, then hops off the gazeebo into the crowd.

Kel picks up on Rob's arrival mainly because the girlish squels hit above the music.  Wriggling his way through the crowd he makes his way towards where Rob is, and spotting Sylvia he appears next to her, "He certainly knows how to make an entrance.  Have you seen Colin?"

Sylvia shakes her head.  "I don't know what's keeping him.  He's usually the first one on the scene, camera in hand."

Kel shrugs, "That is weird isn't it?  I don't know, maybe he's enjoying himself tonight instead."  He looks back at the gazebo, "The music's been pretty good so far, and so has the beer."  He gestures with his cup back towards where the keg is.

Sylvia hasn't advanced to beer yet.  She's still a punch girl, or would be if Donnie would come back.  "If Colin doesn't show up, we might have to ask Rob outright, and if he puts up a fight, it's all up to you."

Kel nods grimly then says with a sarcastic tone, "Oh joy."  He then looks back towards where the band is once more setting up, "Well, if and when you need me, I'll be by the band."  He then shimmies off, angling himself through the people, making an almost perfect line for the gazebo.

Donnie finds Sylvia finally, his wrist splashed liberally with punch. "Hi, sorry, couldn't find you on after I got back. Then  your punch got knocked out of my hand so I had to go get another. Was that Kel?"

Sylvia nods and gives Donnie a grateful smile when he returns from the battlefield with his red badge of courage.  "He's headed off to listen to the music, I guess.  Colin's not here yet, which means we should have some fun, I guess.  There's beer," she says with the uncertainty of someone who doesn't drink.  Maybe Donnie does.

"No thanks. Drinking does odd things to people, and considering I think my mom is an alcoholic, I plan on staying away from it if possible. Don't let me stop you though, if you want.."

Sylvia wrinkles her nose and shakes her head again.  "Do you dance?"

Sarah arrives by special second trip grumbling Dave express.  She spends much of the journey lauding his kindness and generosity and extolling the virtues of both driver and vehicle.  He must have been ticked... didn't even notice I was wearing a dress.

Sarah was wearing one of her mother's old dresses.  Now normally a phrase like that might send shivers of revulsion down a teenagers spine but this was no ordinary 'old' dress and her mom didn't always have to buy off the rack.  Back in the late eighties to early nineties Mom and Dad lived very well in Chicago.  Her mom has a closet full of dresses with names that she'd only ever hear mentioned during Emmy night. 

She mutters to herself on the walk to the door, "Only trick now is to not get this dress dirty, sticky, oily, soiled, stained, wrinkled, torn or otherwise harmed in such a fashion that I spend the rest of the year in the gulag known as my room."

She follows a few others into the house and looks around a bit dazed by the crowds.  It's like going to school except the entire student body is crammed into just the auditorium. 

She makes her way in and starts looking around for familiar faces... besides Dave who was still grumbling about spoiled little brats.

"Besides in my room where no one else can see me? No. But I'll give it a try. I hope I don't embarrass you.."

OOC: I'm a little confused. Didn't Sarah notice me standing outside her door here (http://groovygamers.com/forum/index.php?topic=1693.msg44678#msg44678)?
I mean, I'm not that impressive, but at least a little nod? ;)

When Sarah opened the door, Colin found himself unable to breath for at least a minute. Thunderstruck. Here he was, she was really beautiful, and she was going out with him. He vaguely remembers waving goodbye to his mom and Chris (they had to go on their own evening out), shaking hands with her parents, trying to make a good impression, talking briefly about the incident at the labs with her father, about his mom and Chris' jobs with her mother, and about his bike with Mart. But it was all a blur in his mind. She took away most of his higher brain functions.
That's why he was silent for most of the trip to the party, even though he laughed at her attempts to sooth an annoyed Dave.

"It's really my fault we're late, Dave. Well, actually my mother's fault. Chris and I had to wait too."

At the party he knightly opened her the VanGo's door and help her stand. He felt like a show-off.
I mean, she really is here with me! Can you believe it?

He found a chair to leave his sweater on and noticed... Sylvia and Donnie dancing? He pointed them to Sarah too.
"Ehm... do you... feel like dancing?"

"Sure thing"  Cal says, and starts off towards the punch bowl, he makes it through the crowd and grabs two cups of punch, making sure to taste both of them first, he then makes his way over to Megan and the cheerleaders. "Here ya go Megan" he says, handing over her drink, as she takes it, he quickly adds "and don't worry, it ain't been spiked just yet" he says with a smile.

"I can't dance either," Sylvia tells Donnie.  She finds a safe place to leave her punch and leads him out onto the dance floor.

“No?”  Megan replies with feigned disappointment.  She takes a drink before looking back at him with a smile.  “It is good, but maybe it should have something else.”  Glancing over she noticed one of the offensive lineman that had come to the hospital with Cal pouring something from a metal flask into his drink.  “Can I borrow that a sec Steve?”  Megan asked as she took the metal flask.  She carefully poured a little bit into her cup before handing it back to Steve.

Swirling the drink slightly to mix the alcohol in, she then took a sip.  Just as she swallowed she coughed slightly at the strong sensation.  Looking up at Cal she grinned.  “So much for my smooth entry into drinking.”  She took another small sip, realizing she should like go slow with the spiked drink, this time handling it better.  “So Cal, where in Texas are you from?  Has moving here been a big change?”

OOC: This is what comes of me posting when my brain has already shut down for the night.  Very sorry.  Sarah usually doesn't ignore boys until the second date.


Sarah thanks Colin for the doors and smiles when he spots Sylvia and Donnie.  "I've never... ever seen Donnie dancing before.  Doing the evil GM dance after sticking the party in peril doesn't count does it?  And speaking of dancing... if you're brave enough, I'll give it a try." 

Sarah has spent most of her early dancing years slouching on a wall, or more usually skipping dances completely to go play games.  She does the side to side shuffle and attempts to blend. 

Lisa comes over to where Cal and Megan are standing, taking Megan's drink and sipping from it, coughing at the strength of it.  The smile and look she gives Megan is one of suprise.  "Hey, why don't you two try some dancing.  El says they're going to do some swing music."  A moment later someone catches her eye and she waves, "Oh, excuse me."  And she wades off through the crowd and is gone.

"Maybe he found someone who makes him feel brave enough."
Without his thick glasses, Colin's eyes are all the way more intense as he looks at her. Or is it something else? He tries to be a gentleman and only look at her face, but she is so nice in that dress, that sometimes his eyes slip, only to return immediately up in embarassment.

Colin could be made a dancer. He can feel the rhythm, has the daring, and the right degree of attention for his partner. A pity that he lacks any formal training. And a couple inches. But he really wants Sarah to have fun, so he's very gentle, and sometimes tries to guide her into something a little bolder than she would have tried on her own. In the end he's not bad. His hands are really warm and he smells of pine and mint.

When Donnie and Sarah can finally see them, smiles broadly and winks at Donnie. If he happens to notice Megan and Calvin, he nods at them too.

OOC: Perform (Dance) check (1d20+1=10) (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=627846) courtesy of the Jack of All Trades feat. I really love that feat right now. :)

Lisa had arrived before Cal could reply to Megan’s questions and suggested what Megan had been planning to do at some point anyway.  Taking the opportunity presented, she takes Cal’s hand and starts towards the area people were dancing.  “You can answer while we dance.”  She says.  Once out there she faces Cal and quickly finds the rhythm of the music. 

(ooc Megan will take 10 for her dance check, so 14)

For Sylvia's part, she started out on the dance floor a little keyed-up.  She'd come to the dance with the intention of cornering Rob and twisting his story out of him if need be, but all her friends are here, the music is good, and here's Donnie, who isn't so into the dancing that he can't talk about the books he's read or the games he plays.  She's not a great dancer, but perhaps that's because she's trying to keep herself facing Donnie at all times--the better to keep her butt hindmost in his thoughts.

When there's a break, she nods over at Colin.  "I hate to bug him--he looks like he's having a good time--but do you think I should ask him to go over to Rob sometime?"

*huff* "Yeah, before the evening gets to *huff* long. Boy, I need to get into better shape to *huff* keep up with you."

Donnie likes dancing now. Girls dancing makes things bounce nicely.. >:D

Don't step on anyone's feet.  Don't step on anyone's feet.  Don't step on anyone's feet.  OW!  Including my own.

Sarah smiles at Colin and looks around at the party slowly whirling around her.  Was that Rob... with girls... cooing over him?  And there's Megan, looking fabulous... with Cal.  Score.  Go Donnie!  What the heck is this music anyway?  No wonder I can't dance if I'm not even listening to the music.  Thank god Colin knows what he's doing.  He can tow me around all night or at least until I wear him down.

"You're a good dancer Colin!  Did your parents teach you?" 

Sylvia grins at him.  "Let's get some punch.  I'll see if I can slip in there and talk to Colin for a moment."

She takes a fresh cup of punch and waits until she can inobtrusively approach Sarah and Colin.  When she deems they're not too deeply engaged with one another, she comes up and offers Sarah the punch.  "Hey, mind if I dance with Colin for a couple of minutes?"

Colin doesn't speak a lot as they dance. He just keeps watching at Sarah, trying to convey his feelings with his eyes and the hands that guide her. That's why he beams when she says he's good. Which, glasses or not glasses, always makes him look like a happy child.

"No, not really. I mean, it's been a long time. After daddy died, mom was rarely in the mood for dancing, but it happened. I... I just like dancing I guess. You really think I'm good?"

----

At the end of a song, Colin takes a deep breath. He would go on forever, but he realizes he's getting a bit short of breath. And he doesn't want to sweat too much. That's when Sylvia approaches them. He looks at Sarah interrogatively, then at Donnie and sees him catching his breath too.
"Why don't we all get something to drink?"

Sylvia shrugs and seems willing to go along with that.  "You saw that Rob's here?" she asks Colin.

"Uh, now that you tell me, sure. So... the plan. I go there and see what happens. Where's Kel?"

"By the gazebo, I think."

Cal simply goes along with Megan, sporting a slightly bemused/amused look on his face. He looks moderately uncomfortable dancing, but he seems to roll with it. "Well, i'm originally from Dallas, and it's pretty different over here in Oak, but i'm gettin used to it I suppose" he smiles slightly "There are things I miss sure, like goin' to Cowboys games with my Dad, and visitin' my Granpa's ranch, but there are....benefits of bein' here, if ya know what I mean?"

((OOC: Taking 10 seems like a good idea, so 11 would be my score)

Seth takes his cues from the boss, and the band takes their cues from Seth

"A 1, A 2, A 1 2 3 4...." It's swing baby...And it's hard not to want to dance.  "Listen Kat's and Kittens. We're gonna break this thing down nah...I wanna hear you wail, and then i wanna see you jump and jive...Ready...Now lighten up on that drumline........Break!

Everywhere, now-a-days,
They got that question-asking craze;
Dad says to Mother,
Ask me another;
Now, I got some questions, too;
I'd like to ask you just a few,
I know the answers; so do you!

Who's got the cutest eyes?
Who's got what satisfies?
Who-oo? You-oo, that's who!

Who would I love to pet?
Who is so hard to get?
Who-oo? You-oo, that's who!

Who's positively just as sweet as can be?
Who's absolutely made to order for me? Gee!

Who have I got to win?
Who simply must give in?
Who-oo? You-oo, that's who!

Who is my favorite sheik?
Whose kisses make me weak?
Who-oo? You-oo, that's who!

And who's got plenty of that thing they call "it"?
And who can pet and love like Babe Ruth can hit?
Who?

Who takes the sheikin' prize?
Who plays like Lindbergh flies?
Who-oo? You-oo, that's who!

Who's got the cutest eyes? You got!
Who's got what satisfies?
Who-oo? You-oo, that's who!

Who would I love to pet? Guess!
Who is so hard to get?

Who-oo? You-oo, that's who!

Who's positively just as sweet as can be?
Who's absolutely made to order for me? Gee!

Who have I got to win?
Who simply must give in?
Who-oo? You-oo, that's who! "

OOC: Yes that would be a good idea, but according to rules as written, you can't even roll Dance if you haven't ranks in it. :)

"Ok, you get Kel and I get Rob."

Colin takes a glass of punch and walks to Rob and his entourage. He tries to act nonchalantly, but can't help feeling tense. He tries to clear and open his mind, to be perceptive. Would it be that simple.

"Hey Rob! Long time no see! How's life? I see you've got new friends. Wonderful party, ain't it?" he offers his hand in the way that is considered 'hip' at the moment.

Sylvia goes to notify Kel that the sting is going down.

((OOC: NOOOOOOOO! Looks like Cal's screwed! ))

OOC: Nah, only that you don't dance to impress. You can be good anyway, but you're no professional.

[But given that hardly anyone bought ranks in Dance, I'd say Cal's looking normal amid the spazzes on the front lawn.]

Megan listens to Cal as best as she can as they dance, catching some glimpses of other people she knows as they do.  She spots Sarah in a really classic dress that the blond teen was sure was done by a big name designer, not something she was used to seeing her old friend wearing.  She thought that the boy Sarah was with was Colin, but wasn’t sure, she only caught a brief glimpse and he seemed a bit different.  Pushing the thoughts from her mind, she focused back on Cal.  “Well, at least you are used to being near a big city.”  Megan replied.  “But I mean you can always go see a Bear game.”  She adds with a smile that indicates she realizes it is likely little comparison.  “I’m sure Dallas comes to play here once and awhile.” 

"Hey Colin, " Rob smiles and takes Colin's hand.

OOC: Colin, make a Fortitude Save DC 14 and a Will Save DC 14

OOC: Fortitude save (1d20+1=17) (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=628122)
Will save (1d20+3=8) (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=628124)

Colin mentally crosses his fingers: he doesn't want to fall in love with Rob.

When Rob and Colin clasp hands there is a moment when the world stops.  Colin can see the blackbird atop the gazeebo, it's head cocked to see him.  It flutters it's wings and flies away.  The world starts to move again, in unpleasant ways.

There is a crack, like thunder, and a shockwave that knocks everyone within thirty feet flat.  The wave of falling bodies pushes a half dozen people into the pool.  The figure of smoke and light that uncoils itself from Rob is not something that Colin is alone in witnessing, because of the screams of panic from the crowd.

The creature is probably 15 feet long, with the torso of a man and a body that tapers off resembling a snake.  It's arms end in large hands with claw-like fingers.  The head is humanoid, with large eyes and a bald head.  It's pointed ears match it's pointed teeth, and accent it's angular face.  As it uncoils it rises up in the air, looking over the crowd, Rob lapses into unconsciousness.

"FRRREEEEEEE."  The creature screams, it's hollow eyes come to rest on Colin, "And I owe that freedom to you."  It starts to move towards Colin slowly, a grin splitting it's face.

Oh, hell.  Sylvia picks herself up off the ground and stares at the thing looming over Colin.  Where's Superman when you need him?  "Ke-e-e-e-e-el!"

Cal's response was cut short by the arrival of....this thing! He just manages to stay on his feet after the blast and shouts over the noise "What in the Sam Hill is THAT!"

Megan was caught slightly off balance by the sudden shockwave, but managed to grab onto Cal’s steady arm to keep herself from falling and quickly righted herself.  Hopefully, given the sudden appearance of the massive thing, neither Cal nor anyone else noticed just how quickly she grabbed Cal’s arm. 

Turning to look over at the creature, she felt a slight bit of panic, both from the thing’s appearance, but also the fact that she again seemed to be in a situation where she might have to use her powers. 

(Reflex save: http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=628192 = 21)

Colin struggles back to his feet. He feels a huge wave of panic rising up from his depths, and a huge load of guilt falling down to crush him. As they fight for the right to destroy his mind, he finds himself strangely lucid. He steps back slowly, trying to lure the beast away from people.

"So you were trapped into his body? Who put you there?" he tries to make it talk.

Sarah drops her punch cup and gapes...

"Oh $&*%!!!  Run Colin!"  And Sarah runs towards Colin and Rob, in her stupid dress with stupid shoes!  Perfect time to play dress-up!

Kel who had been happily leaning against the gazebo taking in the swing.  It wasn't really his sort of music, but it was at least entertaining in a way.  Then all of a sudden everything took a sharp turn in the wrong direction.  Kel is pushed hard against the gazebo as he stares off at whatever the hell was hovering above Colin.  He swears someone is calling his name, but it's a bit hard to hear what with all the screaming and people splashing into the pool, let alone process what was occurring.
Still his instincts followed by his heroism kicked in.  First he got up, and almost turned to run off, but then stopped himself in mid stride, turning on heel and bursting out at a full run charging through the crowd without a care.

((I highly doubt I'll make it there in a round))

"Sarah?! Sarah, stay back!"

For a moment it looks like fear may win the battle, but immediately guilt retaliates. Being there, in front of a demon or whatever it is, feels so absurd he nearly breaks out laughing.

"Sarah, you know the drill. Tell my mom that I love her and that she should marry Chris. And Sarah? I think I love you!" he shouts to her behind the demon.

He keeps backing away slowly...

The creature's voice, like the sound of wind trhough trees, comes out of it's mouth without disturbing it's lurid smile.  "How tender, young love.  Killing you however is not what I want, I just want your life energy."  It reaches for Colin.

"Why don't they ever give them any real weapons."  The voice in Sarah's head is solid, and she can almost feel a presence behind her.  "The Kamikazie is on his way, but he needs some time.  You feel up to being the diversion?"

T.J stands next to Kel in the gazebo and claps his hands at the end of Seth's song. "Nice one, Seth." He shouts to the guitar player before the world exploded. A large splash reached his ears after a crack of thunder and was followed by screams. T.J turns to find Kel already running towards the sound.

His minds rushes through events over the previous weeks and he moans. "For fuck's sake Colin! What have we told you about touching people?" He sighs heavily and runs after Kel wondering why the hell he is following since he will be of no use.

I know the drill all right.  "Idiot..." she grumbles under her breath.  For half a moment she considers staying where she is and letting the creature drain Colin.  Telling me he loves me in front of the whole school??  To the voice beside her, "Yeah, at least I'll be ruining my mom's dress for a good cause and not just because somebody spilled their drink."

Sarah tries to get between the creature and Colin.

Partially sheltered by the gazebo, Sammy stared in trepidation at the... thing...which had sprung forth out of some boy's body.  The boy had collapsed to the ground, and the thing looked as if it was about to advance on another boy who had the bad luck to be nearby.

Ever since the day Rory died, Sammy had been rather desparately hoping that nothing "interesting" would happen around her any more.  He got powers, he used them, and he died.  There were always news stories aobut people with powers getting mixed up with something to big for them to handle.  They often wound up in intensive care or quite dead.  Sammy was in no particular hurry to die, but now, surrounded by terrified kids who had no chance at all against whatever the *&^! this was, she felt obligated to put herself between them and it.  At least she had some small chance of survival...

She gently puts down her trombone, and quite casually "borrows" a leather jacket and a motorcycle helmet that had been stuffed in with some instrument cases.  She puts them on, and takes a few steps towards El.

"I wish I could've got to know you better.  I think maybe we could've been friends.  But now... there's something I need to do.  Get as many of these people out of here as you can, okay?  I'm gonna distract him."  And with that, she takes a skipping step and goes airborne.

[ :laugh:  ]

Sylvia sees the horrible, snaky thing bearing down on Colin and feels sudden anguish.  If it gets him, it's her fault--her fault for telling him to mess with Rob, as if whatever was behind Rob's behavior would just pull the rubber mask off its head, shake its fist at them, and say, "And I would have gotten away with it, too, if it hadn't been for these darned kids!"  What seemed like the kind of titillating risk that would keep the evening interesting has become real peril, and she's stunned by the weight of her responsibility for what's happened.

What can she do?  What can she do?  Is Donnie right?  Can she do . . . something?  Anything?

She forces herself to stare at the awful creature that looms over Colin and tries to invoke whatever it was that summoned Pip into Donnie's bedroom.  Colin.  She imagines Colin.  Everywhere.  Colins all over the place.  She doesn't breathe, she doesn't blink.  She just tries to bring her imagination to life.

"JESUS EFFING CHRIST!" yells Donnie, staring at the creature that has just erupted from poor Rob. He was on his ass, like most everyone else, staring in stunned awe of the wierdnes of the horrendous demon-thing. Looks like a #^%#ing Yuan-Ti the gamer geek portion of his mind was thinking.

He looks desperately around for his friends, Sylvia foremost on his mind. But poor Rob was lying unconscious beneath the thing as it slithered towards Colin, who was shouting and backing slowly away. Donnie grits his teeth and, swallowing panic and trying not to hyperventilate, starts to crawl towards the unconscious form of Rob.

Where is a superhero when you need one?

Colin somersaults to the side, in a desperate effort to escape the demon's claws.

"Hey! That's not polite."

All manners of strange things are happening around him, and he tries to keep the monster focused on himself so the others have a chance to do something. Or at least to get the hell away from there.

"You said you free thanks to me. Don't I deserve a little gratitude? Can't we at least talk a bit and get to know each other better, before you take my... life energy? Which, by the way, sounds like something I should want to keep for myself, rather than give to you. Can you at least offer something in exchange? Isn't that what your kind is supposed to do, generally? Propose me a pact or something?"

He keeps stepping back and away from people, only he begins to to it frantically, zigzagging in the park and between trees.

Seth is curious to what all the comotion is, and then he sess it.

bringing the music to a halt...Yelling into the microphone.."Everyone get inside...Everyone get inside now..."

He furrows his brow in the direction of the creature and hits it with a mental projection trying to push it away from Colin... No one would really pay attention to him, and he only needed to stand still for this to work...

(OOC- Hits as perception
Opposed Roll check Chimera Trip (1d20+6=25) (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=628564)

If he rolls low beware of the knockback...)

Cal's mind suddenly undergoes the crisis mode conversion, putting him almost on autopilot Go over there and HELP COLIN!!! His mind screams at him, and it takes him all of two seconds to act. He runs at the creature and uses his entire body weight to barrel into it.


((OOC: Cal is going to use the 'Overrun' action, and this thingie cannot choose to avoid me, I get a Trip attack against him, and I gain a +4 bonus due to my 'Improved Overrun' feat))

"Pacts are for demons, not spirits."  The creature entones.

A second later Sarah is standing in front of Colin, and the creatures attention shifts to her.  A moment later it looks like everyone else vanishes, and the world is filled with Colin Crows.  A hundred of them fill the yard around the creature.  It's head darts about, looking at all the images of Colin, and it lets out a noise that must be the sound of blood freezing.  It spins around, then stops as someone rises into the air.  The motorcycle helmet and leather jacket conceal the form, and it seems to be riding a current of air upward, over the crowd of Colin mirages.

"So, it seems there is a host of life energy here to choose from."   The creature hisses, then seems to get slammed to the ground by some unseen force.

Kel and TJ took off through the crowd, but the bodies in the way became a hindrance, so Kel decided that it would be faster to run along the tops of the crowd.  TJ watches in awe as Kel pulls a Jackie Chan move and uses four people that are in various stages of getting up to get around a pile of people, then the shoulders of a few more to close the distance to the creature.  With a final leap he rolls into a sumersault and plants both feet firmly on the now prone form.

As Kel takes off over the crowd TJ realizes he's in the path of a mob.  In a moment of panic he drops to the ground to avoid being run over, then there is a moment of mild nausea as he realizes his perceptions have changed.  It's almost as though he can see in all directions at once, and he realizes he's moving through the grass in the direction that Kel went.  A moment later he's standing a fet feet from Sarah, Kel, and the monster.

With a surge the creature stands up, throwing Kel high into the air.  It turns it's gaze back to Sarah and howls.  Suddenly Cal crashes into it, knocking the thing to the ground, leaving a dent in the yard.

"Hit it while it's down."  The voice says in Sarah's head.  "Before it has a chance to get back up."

Sarah snaps her staff into existence and strikes downward at the man/snake.  "Want to eat something?  Eat this!"

Ha!  Fear me I am master of the bad fight dialogue!  I should be subtitled.

The howl from the creature is like nails on a chalkboard.  It flops a few times as it struggles to get back up.  the sound doesn't stop, even once it's righted itself.  There is what appears to be light leaking from the creature where Sarah's staff struck it, which also seems to be the source of the sound.

"You will pay dearly for that assault." the creature says as it opens it's mouth and spews forth a wet cone of eire green goo.

((OOC: Reactions?

Sammy can try to catch Kel if she wants to, he got thrown about 30 feet up.

Cal overran, which puts him not too far away.

TJ, Sarah, and Colin appear to be in the AOE of the cone and are thus all possible targets.

Seth starts to move to get a better look, and people are fleeing. Just fleeing.

Then he see's one of his classmates strike the thing on the ground, and it lets off this awful screech....Then he sees that it's ....bleeding?...

He reaches out with his mind and just punches the thing in it's wound....

(OOC Toughness save DC18 for the chimera)

The mysterious figure in the motorcycle helmet and leather jacket swoops beneath Kel and tries to catch him. 

(OOC:  If he's too heavy for Sam, she'll at least try to slow down his fall so that he won't be hurt by hitting the ground.)

Catch Kel (1d20=8) (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=629024)
STR: 8 (-1)  DEX: 12 (+1)

Sarah dives for cover away from the spew.  Oh $%^@!  Oh $%^@!  Oh $%^@!  I don't want to be here anymore!

Colin takes his cue from Sarah, and tries to roll to the side too and join her, hidden behind his images.
If he manages to reach her, he whispers: "What about I distract him and you hit him again?"

Kel had been about to ram his fist into its back when Sarah came up and whacked it with her staff of light, where'd that come from?...  Kel thinks as he gets tossed up into the air begining to fall he screams out, "OOOOOOH F*CK!!!"

Kel is shocked when his fall is arrested.  The flying figure with the motorcycle helmet grabs him up under the arms to keep him from falling back to the Earth.

The creature again appears to be struck by an invisible force, right where Sarah's staff wounded it.  The impact causes it to jerk it's head up, sending most of it's green goo into the air where it dissipates.  What didn't get wasted rains down on the ground where Sarah and Colin were standing.  The grass begins to smoke anywhere the goo touches, and die.  TJ realizes that he was in it's path, yet the goo appears to have missed him completely.

The sound of nails on the chalkboard increases, and more of the light that seems to be it's life's blood can be seen coming from the wound.

"You're his next target, time to move.  Shift to the left, put the juggernaut at the things back, that'll keep him away from the oracle.  You're doing fine, keep it up."  The voice in Sarah's head was insistant, strangely comforting like a familiar friend or favorite uncle.

(oof!) The flyer, voice muffled by the helmet, asks "Need a ride?  Or were you planning on just dropping in wherever?"

Kel smirks at whoever saved him and says, "Thanks...now if you could just drop me on it's head or back.  That'd be great."  Assuming the person does so he comes down foot first with a loud call of, "HOORAH!!"  Big steel capped boot coming hard on its head.

Donnie reaches where Rob lay unconscious, grabbing him by the legs and dragging him back from the wild melee. Part of his brain is registering the actions of his classmates as they battle the creature, the other is concentrating on pulling Rob to safety.

"I'll do what I can."  Sam tries to maneuver so that Kel gets a little bonus velocity when he smacks into the thing's head.  Then she swoops back up to take a look at what's going on below to see if there is anything else she might be able to do.

Sarah shakes her head, "Someone's watching out for you right now Colin," She gestures at the multiple Colins surrounding them.  "Don't waste their effort, but if you can think of something else... don't get hit because I might need your healing touch soon." 

Sarah dodges left and brings her staff around for another strike on the snakeman.  You're a damn pushy figment of my imagination you know that???  Though she offers the thought up with her wry sense of humor rather than any anger for the mystery voices guideance. 

Colin starts to look around frantically. Sarah is right, but he can't accept the idea of staying in the back doing nothing while his friends fight something that he has freed.

He tries to think of the blackbird. He saw it fly away just before the dem- the spirit got free.
Did I do something wrong? Something forbidden? Please come back. I need your help. I need you to guide me. I know, I'm a disappointment, and I am wasting these gifts away, but don't give up on me yet. Tell me if there's something I can do to help my friends, if there's a power, an ability I still don't know about that I can use. At least tell me how we're supposed to fight it, if it has a weak spot, a weakness of some sort. Send me a vision, send me an advice, anything. Help me.

If it doesn't work, Colin picks up some rocks and throws the at the spirit while the others attack him, stying behind the cover of the false colins.

Seeing Sarah raise her....glowing light staff thing, Seth decided that he would strike with her...He tried to anticipate when the blow would fall, and when she looked as if she were about to strike, Seth struck too, trying to combine his mental bolt with her attack so as to inflict the most damage....


(OOC-Combo Attack)

Megan was a bit surprised as Cal rushed forward towards the thing that had appeared in the middle of the party.  She had struggling with whether she should do something to try to get Colin out of the way when there were suddenly images of dozens of him around.  It also appeared he had some help, as the creature was suddenly being attacked by a number of apparently superpowered teens, including Sarah. 

Though she sort of felt she should try to help, she wasn’t exactly sure what she could do to help, as running real fast likely wasn’t a big help and there were no ball carts nearby.  This also seemed far bigger than some purse snatcher and even a girl with ice powers.  There was also the fact that she was somewhat worried about what others would think if they knew about her powers.  Part of that was her father, he was the mayor of Oak Park, and she knew he had plans to get one of the state’s Senate seats if he could.  News of his youngest daughter having superpowers might cause problems with those goals, something she couldn’t do to him.

Wishing she had gone shopping at one of those costume stores, she instead moved along with many of the others that were fleeing the scene, though not running in panic like the rest and instead moved over by the pool to try and help people get out that had fallen in.

As the creature spins to keep it's eyes on Sarah, who is moving to put the monster between her and Calvin, Donnie moves in and grabs the unconsciuous Rob to begin pulling him clear of the mayhem.

The figure that caught Kel maneuvers into position and drops him, right towards the creatures head.

As Sarah is moving she strikes the creature again, and some unseen force strikes with her.  More light begins to leak from the creature and the sound of it's bleeding increases in intensity.

Megan moves to the pool and begins to help the people who were knocked into it out of the water and directing them to safety.  As she's helping one of the last people out she sees a dark shape deep in the water, unmoving.  A moment later she's in the water, swimming to them.  It takes some effort, but she manages to get them pulled up to the surface.  As she nears the edge she feels someone helping her pull them from the water, It's Dallas Winston from the pep squad.  He helps Megan get the unconscious boy out of the pool and then gives her a hand out.  After a little effort they get the other boy awake, coughing up water, but awake.

With a crash Kel lands on the creatures head, rolling to one side then back up on it's feet.  The force of the blow knocking the thing to the ground again.

As the creature struggles to get up a small bird flies out of the night and swoops in, pecking at the thing, then flying back up.  This one is followed by another, and an other, and then a dozen more.  Each time the birds leave they take a piece of the thing with them, and more of it's inner light leaks out.  In a moment it's a hundred birds swooping in and snatching away bits of the thing, and it screams.  The sound is earsplitting and it begins to rise in volume.  The sound begins to ossilate, like it's spinning down the drain like so much bath water, then there is a pop.

OOC: Kel, Sarah, Colin, Cal each roll 1d20.  The higher the number the more ectoplasmic goo you have on you.

The quiet of the night returns, expect for the flutter of birds wings as they disappear into the night.

A the sound of the bird wings fades, Rob's eye flutter open.  "Hey, anyone get the number of that truck?"

OOC: Goo! (1d20=16) (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=630239)

"Yes!"
Colin shouts as the birds dive in and attack the monster. Then it explodes, and he is swept away by a wave of sticky goo.
"Thank you." he murmurs to the birds that are flying away in the night, as soon he manages to get up.

"Is everybody ok? Is anyone hurt?" Colin begins to go around frantically checking on his friends.
"Rob, man, I'm so glad to hear you. How do you feel?"

"Sarah, I'm so sorry. Your lovely dress... Let me pay for clean up... And... well" There are so many things he would like to say her, but no one comes easy. He thinks that if she were to slap him in the face right there, or to whack him with her staff up the head, or hate him forever, she would be perfectly right. He can't help but repeat a pathetic "I'm sorry."

Megan misses the end of the spirit creature thanks to her evening swim.  “Yeah, figures you would be around to help me out of the water instead of jumping in so I wouldn’t have to get this eight hundred dollar dress all wet.”  Megan says to Dallas as he is helping her out of the water.  As soon as the boy that they fished out is awake and reviving, she takes a look around to note that whatever the hell that thing was, it is gone now, though some of the people that had been fighting it seemed covered in some sort of goo (gross).

Picking up her heels where she had slipped the off, she looks down at the soaking wet dress, realizing that her hair was a mess as well.  “Just great, I hope this thing can be cleaned, should be in style for at least a few more months.”

OOC: ectoplasm roll (1d20=20) (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=630257)

Sarah stands before the creature just as it explodes, soaking every inch of her in its goo.  She disappears in a sea of slime and a small statue of ick is all that remains of her.  Or so I wish.

The statue of ooze speaks, "Mom is going to kill me.  I'm dead.  Dead!  My first highschool party and I get one dance, one drink and then splatt and that's it for my social life.  I'm never going to be allowed out of my room.  I'm gonna be home schooled!" 

Sarah tries to move with the muck but just plops down on the ground, her shoes sliding in the filth hopelessly.  Sometime during the blast her staff disappeared and she just covers her face with her hands and cries. 

Sylvia, who's stayed well back from the combat, breaks out of her seeming trance and presses the palm of her hand against her forehead.  She has that late-night head-rush feeling she gets from too much caffeine and geometry.  Seeing the slime, she ties up her skirt in a knot on her hip and minces over to Donnie and Rob.  "Are you okay?"  She's asking both of them, but she's looking at Donnie.

Colin takes out his shirt and help Sarah get cleaned as much as he can with it, washing it in the pool every now and then. He have never felt so ashamed in his whole life.

"It's not your fault. I'll tell your mother. It's not you the one that shouldn't be allowed out of his room."

"Ah, like I just had my head in a vise.  I think I'm ok though."  Rob sits up, testing his limbs

Everyone discovers the goo comes off pretty easily, but it's very cold.

Dallas smiles at Megan, "I can't swim."  Is his simple answer as he wraps a long coat around her, "But I am a gentleman."

Sarah gives Colin a look of exasperation, "What are you going to tell my mother?  How are you going to explain this?  I can't explain this without the conversation turning to, 'Oh and by the way I have super powers'.  Wait..." 

She takes a deep steadying breath, the kind she used to take before launching into a routine.  "I'm sorry.  Never mind that.  I'm okay, despite my dress.  Are you okay?" 

She gets up in her soaking wet dress.  "Well guess I should have worn a bathingsuit instead.  Think we could find some towels around somewhere?"

"I'm going to tell her that I have powers of illusion, and this was all a movie in my head gone wrong in which you were the heroine, and that you're perfectly normal.
No. I'm not really OK. I am a dumb kid playing with his father's gun, and it's only by sheer luck I didn't shoot anyone.
I'll see to the towels. Here, take this while I get them."
Colin gaves her his sweater, and Sarah can see he's shivering, half naked and soaked like that, but he doesn't seem to mind.
He looks for towels near the pool, but if he doesn't find any, he'll go to the house. He'll just try not to look anyone in the eyes. He couldn't take their fear now.

Colin is able to find some towels without too much trouble.

People start to make their way out of the house.  Some are heading home, and a few come back outside.  Someone turns the stereo back on, so music fills the air again.  Murmurs from the people milling about are generally a confused jumble.  No one is quite sure what happened.  There is a concensus that someone spiked the punch with something, and that seems to become the rumor of preference.

There is a half hearted attempt at the party, but it seems pretty clear that it's winding down.

Lisa finds Megan, "Oh gosh, let's get you changed.  I'm so sorry about this."

"You did good.  You'll make a fine warrior one day."  The voice in Sarah's head was almost palpable enough to pat her on the back with it's tone.

"Whoever, whatever you are... we gotta talk sometime soon."  Sarah says to that voice. 

She wraps up in towels from Colin and gives him his sweater back.  She gives Colin a quick hug and looks around for Rob.  "Thanks, I...  we'll have to talk alittle later?"  She heads over to Rob, the first time she's gotten to see him in ages. 

"Hey Rob.  Long time no see.  Whatcha been up to?"

Sylvia asks Donnie to help her take Rob into the house, but as they're leaving the yard, it occurs to her to wonder where Rob's date went.  "Hey, where's that girl Rob was with, the one from his math class?"

“Well, I guess that is something.”  Megan replies with a slight smile as Dallas puts his coat on her.  As Lisa comes out of the house the blond teen shrugs.  “No worries Lisa, now that I think about it, it won’t be long before its too cold for a dress like this, and by next Spring this will be out of style anyway.  So it was on its last legs anyway.  Good thing I brought a change of clothes, though I think I am done swimming for now.”  She smiles at the last bit as she follows the older girl into the house as people start emerging from the house once more. 

When she hugs him Colin trembles so much she's afraid he's gonna fall over.
"Sure. I'll be over there." he says with nearly broken voice.

Colin feels a small sparkle of hope burning in his heart, and fights to smother it so it won't hurt too much later. He puts on his sweater, leaving the mess that is his shirt behind, grabs a chair and goes sit by himself, grabbing his head with his hands. No tear falls from his eyes.

"Same old.  You look, fashionable."  Rob says rubbing his head, "Don't suppose tou have any asprin?"

T.J looks around in confusion. He just saw his friends display a few talents that they shouldn't have. He somehow managed to dodge a huge spray of acidic goo and the snake spirit just exploded. He looks at his drink, sniffs it, then throws it away. Better to be safe then sorry, he thinks, now what the hell happened.

He looks over at Kel and moves over to him. "Sooooo. Where the hell did you learnt o do that and what the hell just happened?"

Sarah shakes her head, "Sorry no.  Didn't plan on packing for a nightmare.  Say, I was wondering... been possessed by that thing for long?"  She keeps her tone light but she watches Rob closely. 

Kel gets up dusts himself off, and gives a small beer induced burp, he then says, "Hell if I know.  As for doing it all, eh you pick things up here or there."  He then looks around and notices the party winding down, "Come on, let's get some beer before something happens to the keg, I'll explain as much as I know there."  He then stumbles off, obviously tired towards the cottage the keg was first in.

T.J looks at his glass shrugs and follows Kel to the keg, even though he wasn't planning to drink any of it. "So how come everyone seems to have powers apart from me, Donnie and Matt? But it's strange to have so many, potentially powerful people at one school."

Kel shrugs as he digs around for a cup before pulling one out and getting some beer from the keg.  He takes a long pull, refilling again before he turns to TJ.  "I've really got no clue, I know I can really hit things pretty hard, and have gotten a lot more agile now, it's like everything about me is better.  I don't really know what anyone else does...I've got vague ideas but I mean, beyond that there's nothing.  I can't even begin to figure out where all this is popping up from maybe we're all just lucky?"

Megan finishes changing into her jeans and red cami top having taken of the soaking wet dress.  Pulling her still damp hair into a ponytail, she looks over at Lisa and the other cheerleaders that are gathered in Lisa’s room.  “So what now?  My parents were pretty much expecting that I would be staying here tonight after the party.  Sucks that it seems to have been brought to an end so quickly.”

"Well.  Maybe not."  Lisa says, "My brother isn't good for much, but he can usually breath life intoa party."  She leaves the room to go find El.

Rob looks up at Sarah, "What?  Rob looks around, "What the heck are you talking about, possessed?"

Sylvia takes the opportunity to repeat her question.  "Where's that girl you were with, Rob?  The one from math?"

"Laura?"  Rob looks around, "Ah, over there."  He points to a small crowd of people near the pool drying off.  "someone care to explain to me what the heck this is all about.  One minute we're at a party and everything cool, the next I'm waking up with Donnie over me and I feel like I stuck my tounge in a light socket."

Sylvia looks in the direction Rob indicates, hoping to spot Laura.  Bemused, she says, "Donnie's a better kisser than anyone knew, I guess."

Sammy floats quietly over the scene for a minute or two.  Looks like the party is over.  I should go now, before anybody notices that I'm missing.

She scans the property, looking for an out of the way place where she can land and take off the helmet and jacket.  She thinks there might be a good spot at the back end of the garden where there are some tall bushes and its not so well lit.  When she's fairly certain that the people on the ground seem to be paying attention to what's down there instead of what's up above them, she zips over to the spot she chose and drops to the ground.  She takes off the jacket and hangs it on a fence post.  The helmet follows.

Dang.  My trombone.  Gotta go back for my trombone.

Sarah pats Rob on the shoulder.  "It's okay.  We'll get it all worked out.  Just seems when you blacked out some sort of huge mansnake thing popped out of you in a mystical sort of way like something out of one of Donnie's games.  But it's all good now."

Sylvia looks at Sarah.  She couldn't miss Sarah's staff or the way the creature toppled after a few good whacks from a girl only half its size, if even.  "You're one of them, too?  Like Colin and Kel?"

Elrod's voice from the gazeebo drew the attention of the people still around.  "Hey, everyone.  No one seems to be hurt, and the light show is over.  Let's try to salvage some of the evening.  I know I don't want my Saturday night shot o hell by something I'm not gonna try to explain."

That is about the time Sammy makes it back up to the gazeebo for her trombone.  Elrod puts a hand on her shoulder, "Hey, get your horns going."  He looks up at the other musicians, "Let's jazz it up some."

Elrod grabs up his guitar and starts to play.  Others follow suit and soon there is vibrant music in the air.  the stereo is switched off and the sounds of lively jazz start to echo across the yard.

People begin to make their way out of the house, and conversations begin again.  Talk is diverted from what happened, or what didn't happen.  Some of the football players start to talk about the game, and that conversation becomes infectious.  Soon the party is moving again, with about half as many people as it had before the incident.

Lisa finds Megan, "See, I told you he was good for something."

When the music eventually starts to drift back into his ears he looks at the keg then TJ and says, "You know, I wonder if I could lift this on my own..."  He tries and if he gets it up all alone he goes, "Make it look like your helping and let's bring this to the rest of the party."  He will bring the keg out somewhere near the rest of the drinks outside.

"Ha ha very funny; like you have found out. What Sarah said is totally true, though dude. We all saw it. Wierdest thing I have ever seen." He looks speculatively at Sylvia. "Are you alright? I didn't see you after the yuan-ti snakeman appeared."

"I'm okay.  I was back there," Sylvia says.  Her eyes slide off of his.  She's not sure she wants to discuss her part in this here and now.  Then what he said registers, and she looks confused.  "Wait.  Whose auntie?"

Megan smiles at Lisa as she nods in agreement.  “I guess he is, now I need to find out what my brother is good for someday.”  Though she wished her hair was not so damp, Megan headed back out into the party with Lisa, holding the coat she had borrowed from Dallas, figuring she would find him at some point.  She ends up gravitating over towards where the football players that were still present were gathered, hoping primarily to find Cal, getting a cup of beer as she goes.

"Guess so?  The way this week has been going I'm expecting half the school to start having powers.  So many weird things have been happening."

Sammy plays, but it takes her a little extra time to get back into the music.  She's just a little bit preoccupied.

OOC: 1d20=2 (http://invisiblecastle.com/find.py?id=631128)

Dave begins making the rounds to make sure all the zoo crew are alive and accounted for.  He makes a point of not asking any questions.  When he gets to Sarah he whispers to her, "I have some of your cloths in the van from when we went out to the lake over summer if you want to change."  He gives Rob the asprin from his first aid kit and a cup of water.  "For the headache dude."  Then he continues to check on the others.

[quote author=cassbackward link=topic=1693.msg45346#msg45346 date=1158889164
"I'm okay.  I was back there," Sylvia says.  Her eyes slide off of his.  She's not sure she wants to discuss her part in this here and now.  Then what he said registers, and she looks confused.  "Wait.  Whose auntie?"

"Yuan-Ti, Y-U-A-N-T-I, Snake men from Dungeons & Dragons RPG. Just reminded me of them. This evening has gotten just too wierd.."

Donnie flips back up a nearby bench and sits, running his hands over his face. "OK, so now we have Kel, Colin, Cal, TJ, Seth, Sarah, Rob (or maybe that was just a possession) and possibly you, Syl as peoples with powers. Plus whoever was floating around in the biker helmet and jacket. Isn't it just an amazing and damn near impossible coincidence there are so many powered freshmen? Mind boggling. Oh and maybe even Matt with his ninja-summoning or whatever.""  

"Your the best Dave!"  Sarah gives Dave a hug and gives Rob one more pat before heading over to Colin.

"Hey again.  I have to run out to the van to get some stuff and I don't really want to squish over there alone.  Want to tag along?"

When Dave checks on him Colin snaps out of his brooding. Dave too can see him trembling.
"Uh? What? Sorry, yes, yes, I'm fine. As much as I can be. Dave, you won't have trouble for this, for inviting me, will you? I'm so sorry."

Colin also realizes that there are many people that helped him, that even exposed themselves as paranormals, and the least he could do would be to thank them. He replays the scene in his mind.

Obviously Sarah. But that's gonna be... complicated.
Then there's whoever created all those me's. But I have no idea who could.
There's the flying guy who helped Kel. Or was it a girl? I can't really tell.
Kel. Why can't I be like him? He fears nothing. Bands of bullies, huge monsters, he'll just go and beat them to a pulp.
Calvin. God and Great Spirit, he's crazy. If they find out he's a paranormal, they could throw him out of the team. Way to go, Colin, ruin another life.
Then there were those times where it seemed to be struck by something invisible. Seth, maybe? I'll have to ask him in private.
And Timmy. I only saw glimpses of him, but he seemed to... flow around, like he was made of something liquid...
Donnie was pretty heroic too, sticking out for Rob like that. Maybe he was the one doing the images?

He goes looking for them. He finds Kel and T.J. handling a keg of what he supposes to be beer.
"Uh, guys? I'd like to... thank you. You have been great to stick out like that for me, and in public too. You didn't have to. I'll probably never be able to return the favor.
T.J., are you feeling all right? You learned to control it?"
They both can see him shivering, and he finds something to lean on as they talk.

OOC: Taking a lot to post means the world goes on without you, so:

EDIT:

He has just told them that, when Sarah comes looking for him.
"Ehm... sure. Guys, I'll be back later."

As he walks with Sarah to the parking lot, he remains silent. He doesn't really know what to tell her. He ruined the evening, he ruined her dress, he embarassed her in front of the whole school, and he caused her to use her powers in public. Not bad considering that he had looked forward to this party to enjoy every minute with her. To understand what he feels for her. Now that he thinks he knows, he wouldn't be surprised if she didn't want any of it. He doesn't deserve her.

So he walks beside her, in silence, not even daring to look at her, waiting for the guillotine to fall.

Sylvia remembers how she felt when Colin started talking about his secret society for special people, so she shrugs helplessly and makes an awkward attempt to touch Donnie on the shoulder and maybe take his hand.  Unable to get past the weirdness of that, she asks Rob, "You haven't noticed anything strange about the past week or so?"

T.J helps Kel with the keg, although not much, and brings it back to the main party. When Colin comes over and asks him about his powers he frowns in confusion. "Control it? Control what? I didn't even do anything all I've ever done is explode for a second."

As Colin walks off T.J turn to Kel. “Colin looks a bit off, but you can’t really blame him he was right in front of that thing.” Once they have put the keg down he turns to Kel and asks again. “Why do so many people have powers.” He then lowers his voice. “And I have to say what you displayed is beyond normal human ability, at our age.”

Full of food and yet not full of slime.  Sylvia would stay away from the guacamole if she were Rob.  Oh, wait.  That's clam dip.  Ewww.

She gets up and goes to get an eyeful of Laura and maybe talk to her.

Donnie feels Sylvia's hand on his shoulder and reaches for it, but it is gone before he can connect. He turns towards the girl as she is briskly asking Rob about the past week. Donnie recognizes the determined look on Sylvia's face as she stalks off towards Rob's girlfriend, Laura..

Damn. Almost had a moment there..

To quote Gershwin and Louis Armstrong, "A woman is a sometime thing."

Luara is sitting alone by this point.  She's wrapped in a towel using one edge of it to dry her long hair.  he smiles weekly as Sylvia approaches her, motioning her head towards Rob, "Is he okay?"  she asks.

"I'm sorry about your dress."  Lisa begins, "But that was a really great thing you did dragging that guy out of the pool.  Oh my god, what if he'd drowned?  It's a good thing you were there."

Sylvia nods.  "He seems to be all right."  She almost puts out her hand, but that didn't go too well for Colin, did it?  "I'm Sylvia.  You're Laura, right?"  A pause.  "Have you known Rob a long time?"

Megan looked over at Lisa from the conversation she had been listening too as she shrugged slightly.  “Yeah, it was a nice dress, but now I can go out and find something new.”  She then looks a bit more serious, considering they are both daughters of attorneys and likely have a bit better understanding of some of what could have happened if he had drowned.  “Yeah, that would really have sucked if something bad like that had happened.  So I am really just glad I happened to be there.”

"Yeah, Laura Lizzie.  Ah, we met in math class at the begining of the year.  It's not my best subject, so he offerd to help me with it."

Sarah drips over to Dave's car with Colin, the only sound the steady squish from the water and remains of goo in her dress.  She opens up the side door and digs around until she finds an old sack of hers with her spare clothes and a couple of cans of soda.  "Care for one?  Been in here a while but they should still be good."  She pops the top and takes a long drink of the warm soda. 

She smiles at Colin.  "You look like you just got punched... are you okay?  Did the mansnake thing hurt you?  I hope not...  Listen, I wanted to say thanks for your help and trying to protect me.  It's really sweet."

Sarah fiddles with the tab on her soda can,  spinning it round and round and staring at it rather intently.  She looks like a very strange monk dressed in a draping of several towels, contemplating the intangible and the infinite within the depths of her soda can. 

Finally she speaks again, "You said some things back when that monster first appeared.  The first thing... I think you should tell your mom she should marry Chris.  If that's what she wants.  I think she'd be really happy to know that you approve of him."

She takes another drink of soda and sighs, "The next part, I don't know what to tell you.  I can't tell you how to feel but I can tell you how I feel.  I like you Colin, you're great.  But I just met you and I can't say... that... yet.  I'm just not ready for anything that heavy yet.  Especially now that I've got this super power stuff dropped in my lap.  I mean, I've been hanging around with Dave and Greg and Rob for a long time now and I've never even really thought about dating.  I mean Rob's all gung ho for it this year... well maybe he wont be as much after tonight?  But I'm just... "  She shrugs.  "Maybe I can't tell you how I feel either.  It's too complicated." 

She smiles a little though, "I was having fun though until things started happening.  Are you still blaming yourself for this?" 

"Have you noticed anything weird about Rob in the past couple of days?"  Sylvia is almost less interested in the answer than she is in Laura's expression.  Syl's suspicious, she is.  If the snake thing was trapped, someone had to do the trapping, and Laura seems like a good first suspect.

"Well, he did seem to get really confident.  He seemed really shy when I first started talking to him, but last week he seemed to really just break out of his shell, ya'know?"

"Like an egg," Sylvia agrees with a grimace.  Laura seems harmless, and Sylvia's willing to let the coincidence of her appearance and Rob's transformation go for now.  "You don't have to sit here all alone, you know.  You can come hang with us, if you want.  Rob never introduced you, did he?"

"No."  She says, "I'm just gonna head home after I get dried ioff.  Too strange for me tonight."

Sylvia lets her do that and thinks about grilling Colin on exactly what happened when he shook Rob's hand, but Colin seems to be wooing his ladylove, and who is she to get in the way?  Kel, likewise, is wooing his ladylove, the beer keg, so she goes back to Donnie and seats herself next to him.  "Well, Laura's eyes weren't glowing, and she wasn't swinging a sacrificial dagger around.  I guess she's not involved."

Colin hesitates, then he takes one. He hadn't really realized how thirsty he was. He takes a long sip too, staring in front of him, waiting...


Why does she keeps smiling to me?


"No, I'm fine... And I didn't really do much. No need to thank me." Colin seems somewhat confused.

Sweet??! After all I've done to her?!!


Colin is shaking like a leaf. He really can't look at Sarah so he stares at the tip of his stained shoes. When he speaks, he does so with such a feeble voice that Sarah nearly has to lean in.

"I thought I was going to die. I was even more scared than at the labs. And I couldn't really think straight. Mom once said that the thing she regretted the most was that they didn't get to say each other 'I love you' one last time. So I always thought that, if there was ever a chance I couldn't come back, she was to know that I told her 'I love you' one last time. But...
Tonight I was here, for you. I wanted so much for you to really have a good time, and I looked forward to be with you, and dance with you, and see that smile of yours, and... to see you in a dress too. Because you're... important to me, so the time i spend with you is important too, and it has to be good, because there's only so much of that.
And there I was, and I was going to die, and I had so many things that I still wanted to say, and to do, and time was at an end, and I had to tell you, so... I told you. I didn't want it to be like that, not at all, I wanted to have time, and to tell you in a special way when I would have been really sure. But I couldn't die and tell you nothing.
You are right, it's complicated. What I know is that I like you. You are beautiful, not in a cover girl kinda way, but in your own special way. You are smart, and funny, and sarcastic too, which is something that I am not, and you see jokes where I don't. You are kind, and yet you want no credit for it. And you are brave. I think you are the bravest girl I ever met. I think you're braver than me too.
But what I like the most is the way you make me feel. I - how can I say - I like the person that I want to be when I'm around you. I-I'd like to be the kind of man that you would like.
Does that make any sense? Does that mean that I love you? I don't know. But there's no way I could tell you all of this then. I have no idea how I'm telling you now, and there's a chance that tomorrow I'll snap out of this and I'll want to bury myself.
So what happens now? Can we pretend I didn't say that, and live on as we would have If I didn't? As if I had been drunk? I think I do feel drunk."

His voice has gradually gotten better, and he doesn't shiver that much now, but he still can't bring himself to look at her. He's still too scared of what she could do or say. He feels better, as if he had gotten a weight out of his heart, but he's still frozen there, with his soda in his hand, looking at his feet.

"Of course I blame myself for what happened. I did something very stupid. I pretended I knew how my powers work when in fact I have no idea what they really do, and I put you all in danger. There's really no one else to blame. If someone had gotten hurt, I would have never forgiven myself. It won't happen again. Not until I learn. I already decided this, but I'm calling Bobby tomorrow, first thing in the morning."

Kel shrugs as he takes another swig, "It's a mystery man.  I can't even begin to guess, all I know is there are more than a few of us who are like that and well...we seem to draw weird stuff to us almost because of it."  He thinks hard and then says, "Maybe it's like,  weird...stuff...just sort of pulls towards other weird stuff."

Sarah nods, "It's pretty important that we both learn how all this nonsense works, though I've got to say that mine is pretty straight forward right now.  Swing staff and see what happens.  I know you didn't mean for a fight but think of what might have happened if you hadn't shaken hands with Rob tonight.  That thing would have sat inside him for who knows how long, sucking his life force.  Draining him like a big gulp until he drops in the middle of school one day.  Maybe in a week or maybe even tomorrow.  You saved his life as much as anyone did tonight.  Probably more so because we would have never known what was going on and he would have just ...died." 

"You mean, like, the more the improbable happens the more likely it is going to happen?" He ponders it for a minute and pours himself some more fanta. "I haven't heard that theory, but anything could work right now."

Donnie smiles at Sylvia as she sits down next to her, handing her a new cup of punch. As the band starts to play again, he ponders the discussion of the improbable with Kel, TJ, and now Syl. "So, lemmie get this straight: a law of probability is that the more improbable a situation, the greater the chance of it being more probable and extreme the result might be? Sounds like the chaos theory from Jurassic Park. When the unexpected happens, expect it to be an extreme result. Gah. Hard to wrap my head around."  He looks seriously at TJ, wagging his finger. "No gene-splicing frogs with dinosaur DNA, ok?"

"Can you seriously do that, TJ?"  'Cause if he can, he's Sylvia's next suspect in The Case Of The Savage Snake Spirit.

T.J looks at Sylvia with a bemused glance. "Of course not that's impossible. Now if I had a toad...." He chuckles to himself and sips his drink. "If these things keep happening I'm going to have to start trying to invent some gadgets so I can be more useful when they happen."

Dazed, Cal climbs out of the huge pile of goo that seemed to be all over him. "Whoah" he murmurs lazily "What'd I miss?" upon seeing the party almost back in full swing again he groans "Aww man, I landed on my head again didn't I?"

"You really think so? I'd like to think that too, but what if that thing was instead supposed to stay there? What if it wasn't really within Rob, but Rob just acts as a door, and I as a key?
I can't... It's not that easy for me. I cannot shrug it off this way. I don't feel like I saved anyone tonight."

He remains silent for another while, taking long drinks at his soda.

"So... Where are we now? I have no idea how these things are supposed to work. Are we friends, or... I don't know, a little more than that? Would you like me to be as Dave or Greg to you... or can we go to the movies again sometimes (and maybe not get interrupted)? I... I... It's your call. Whatever works for you."

Once Colin and Sarah return to the party, Donnie recommends that we get together to discuss the wierdness of the appearance of the yuan-ti. There were some odd things stated that warrant continued discussion. Perhaps they could snag a table at the Tasy Dog for a round table discussion on Sunday evening. "Tell the parental units it is a study group or something." Rob is in on this discussion, isnce it is central to everything. It will also be an opportunity to see if he retains the 'Charm' he had going.

Donnie tells Sarah aside from the others "We should talk about the whole possession thing. I think if we pool out resources, we can discover something here."

Colin finally gets a chance to thank all the people involved in the fight.

To Calvin, in private:
"Cal, you've been great. It's twice in a row that you are there to help me out of a mess. I... I just wanted to tell you to be careful, OK? I saw you play, and I don't think there was anything... super in the way you play, I mean you are great, but not super in that sense. I'd never want anyone to suspect anything and say that you are good because you have powers, and that you shouldn't play with the others. I'm enough of a freak for everyone."

To Seth, in private:
Seth, about before I... Well, if you had anything to do with anything happened to that thing... just thank you."


Colin approves of Donnie's idea.
"A lot of things have happened to us lately. At least they happened to me. Maybe, just maybe, if we could talk together about it, we could figure out something, or feel somewhat better about it."

Eventually, pretty late, the party officially breaks up.  The band wraps up and the last half hour or so it's the stereo providing the music.  Lisa makes a point of trying to thank everyone that came to the party.  She's cordial, even if she doesn't know you.

It's probably well after midnight before it's all over with.

The girls from the pep squad are all staying the night, and Elrod is spending the night at a friends place so there wont be a problem there.

Dave runs the VanGo Express to get everyone home.  Plans are made to provide rides the next day or the meeting of the minds.  The idea of the Tasty Dog is lacking in privacy, but Greg offers the use of his studio (the family has a bomb shelter in their backyard from the 50's).

Huh? I don't know, I didn't really do anything but tell people to leave. But i couldn't stop watching it. Or everyone else. I've never even seen anything on T.V. like that.

Colin just looks at him, smiles and says nothing. It's a rather bitter smile, with a bit of envy in it.

"No problem buddy, you ever need a hand with someone hittin' stuff you let me know" Cal says extending his hand " And as for people suspecting anything, well I don't really care all that much, I mean, if I am 'super' or whatever, it means I get to help people, which is somethin' more important than fottball any day"

Colin looks at Cal's hand like a drowning man would have looked at a lifebuoy, but doesn't take it.
"Thank you. Very much. You don't know how much. There should be more people like you, Cal."