Log:Sugar and Spice, Scene 7

Sugar and Spice 2006/06/01 	 Rebound|Alex Blue Streak Da Bomb Dance Craze Exodus Lorelei|Stephie Midnight Photon|Tara Teen Spirit 7

Midnight is keeping an eye on Stephie, using phasing and teleportation to augment his natural sneakiness... hopefully...

The scene: the multistory parking garage. The gray concrete structure is five stories tall, with parking available on the rooftop. It's late at night and the garage is mostly empty and deserted except for cars belonging to hospital staff. It's quiet and a little creepy. This is the location where the note specified to meet.

Stephie approaches the merting place, being overtly cautious: it's only to be expected. If she doesn't look nervous people will know something's up....

Caleb descends from the MagLev station.

Midnight takes the escalator into the MagLev Station.

Midnight sighs quietly. Goofy Exodus guy wasn't kidding when he said he couldn't sneak. Why he's trying to is anybody's guess... hopefully he won't spook whoever Stephie is supposed to meet.

Stephie thinks. o O (Darn - now what do I do?)

Stephie attempts to walk past the meeting site then try to lose the tail and double back.

Exodus pulls up short..o O (If this is to be a clandestine meeting, I shall give her the room to work..) Exodus tries to be sneakylike and stands behind a wall..he can't see her now, but I guess she can't see him either.

Stephie heads into the hospital.

Midnight follows Stephie to the meeting site, then sighs in his head as she walks past it. . o O (Need to have a few words with schizoid-boy about "sneaky".) He continues to tail Stephie.

Exodus hopes he hasn't given himself away...things were a bit easier in the old days.

On the street outside, Exodus can see a plain white van roll down the street. It pulls into the paraking garage slowly.

Tara wonders if this van is related to the pharm-drug deal she's there to see. On the other hand white vans are kind of common. She keep an eye on it anyway.

Stephie proceeds cautiously, keeping to shadows as much as she can.

Midnight follows Stephie out to the garage, sneakily.

Exodus turns the corner slowly trying to be unseen, but his glowing red eyes and distinctive looks are not so stealthy helpful.

The shadows around Stephie recede as the Van turns a corner in the parking lot and it's headlight's fall upon her. The light falls around the trailing Midnight as well.

Stephie tries to duck behind a pillar.

Midnight hides...

Exodus looks for Stephie but doesn't see her..he starts into the hospital asking people if they've seen a very pretty young woman wearing (whatever she was wearing)

The driver of the van gives the engine a little bit of gas. It lurches forward, then slides to a halt beside Stephie. The side panel door slides open revealing the team of bandits inside. They are all similarly attired in white body suits and motorcycle helmets. Six of them are inside the car, two in the front seat and four in the open bay in the rear. One of them holds out a hand for Stephie, saying, "Get in! Get in!"

Tara thinks. o O (That's Stephie from school. Is she involved in the drugs? And who's that behind her?) Tara thinks. o O (Wow, she in with those bandits)

Stephie gets in, trying to do so before being spotted!

Tara lifts her camera and snaps off several shots of Stephie and the Mall robbers.

Midnight watches Stephie get into the van, and ports to a spot near the parking garage exit, hoping to tail the van as it leaves. He fails to notice Tara.

"Put this on." A different bandit says. She offers Stephie a stack of clothes. It's a white body suit, with other equipment stacked on top. Some kind of fancy energy pistol, and a heavy looking belt with energy packs on it.

Stephie acts slightly confused - "But -!" - but does as instructed.

The van starts to roll off, turning to leave the parking structure.

Midnight continues to keep the van in sight, porting from rooftop to rooftop as necessary, staying hidden.

Tara races off to get her hoverbike, wanting to trail the van without being seen.

Exodus goes back outside, apparently he's lost her...

A third bandit explains to Stephie. "Consider this an audition. We think you could make a good addition to our team -- if you can pull your weight..."

The van pulls out of the parking garage and then eases into traffic. Exodus comes out just in time to see the van rolling down the street.

Stephie says, "What sort of audition? What's going on?"

Exodus looks around..

The bandit in the front passenger's seat says, "It's time to choose, chica. Are you in or are you out."

Stephie says, "I'm in."

Exodus begins to follow the van..a little farther behind this time..

Stephie thinks. o O (Right. That's one confirmed....)

Tara opens up the manhole and climbs down some rusty rungs. Tara crawls out of the manhole.

Midnight notes Tara (and possibly Exodus) following the van. . o O (Yeesh. Amateurs! Well... maybe the folks in the van are too busy to notice 'em.)

The van stops at red light. Stephie can put names to the bandits, since she's seen them before. The one who just spoke is 'Bomb'. Dance Craze is in the back with Stephie. Teen Spirit is driving, and in the back, with stephie, and in the back with Stephie, and in the back with Stephie.

Teen Spirit explans, "We're thieves. Not ordinary thieves. We want to be the best. Now: are you in or not?" Teen Spirit, the one driving, says. "We've got company."

Stephie nods. "Being the best.... I want that too! Stephie thinks . o O (Sounds lame, but maybe they'll buy it.)

Dance Craze is peering out through the rear tinted window at traffic.

Stephie peers back too.

Another Teen Spirit continues: "Focus Stephie. We know that you have powers. We all do. We'll take your raw abilities and help you focus them. We're a close tight-knit squad, we're ambitious and we want to be the most kick-ass squad that ever existed. If you're in, put the uniform on."

Trailing teh van, Stephie can see Tara on a hoverbike, and Exodus a bit further away.

Stephie nods, and continues to put the uniform on. And focuses on the question of who Teen Spirit is, and whether it's really one person or four - the way they disappeared, hm....

Tara thinks. o O (Are they on the way to another robbery. I hope so. That would give me some great shots)

The light turns green and the van starts moving again. Inside the van, Da Bomb asks the driver. "You want me to blast him?" Teen Spirit says, "Not yet. We'll wait until Stephie is ready. She may just get a chance to prove herself tonight!"

Exodus continues to follow the van, thinking he's unnoticed and doing very well.

The van takes a right turn. Dance Craze asks, "Hey, it's the jeweler's that way?" Teen Spirit says, "That's right. But I think we'll take or friend for a little ride."

Exodus continues to follow, speeds up a little bit to do so.

Teen Spirit in the back of the van offers Stephie the final piece of her outfit - a motorcycle helmet. She explains. "The belt pack is a portable force field generator. It only has abotu 40 seconds of juice though. The pistol is an experimental particle beam, enough power to take down a normal man, without hurting him too much."

Stephie nods. "Impressive gear."

Izzy enters from N. StarDancer Blvd..

Exodus starts to tire from the long chase.

The driver leads Exodus on a slow meandering route through the city. The final destination is a nearby Maglev terminal. During the ride, Teen Sprit explains the plan.

Tara thinks. o O (They're lost! Stop and ask somebody. I haven't got all day to follow you. Stop driving in cicles and go and rob somewhere.)

Exodus sees the van stop at a maglev and his earthwave rolls to a stop as he rests recovering his strength.

Inside the van: 'The plan is to take down Exodus, who's following. DAnce Craze with start by trying to get him to dance. Teen Spirit will freelance. Da Bomb will plant time bombs on the Maglev support. If the heroes are winning, Da Bomb will threaten to blow up the maglev platform. Teen Spirit will cover the escape as usual.'.

Midnight notices the meandering route and sighs. So much for stealth... apparently they aren't stupid enough to miss such obvious tails. Whatever their original plan was, they're gonna change it now.

Inside the van, Teen Spirit say, "Everybody got the plan? Stephie your codename will be Knockout."

Stephie nods. "OK..."

Teen Spirit says to Stephie, "I want you to dumb down Exodus and watch out for other heroes they come in packs. Watch the blaster pistol -- it's flaky sometimes."

Izzy is sitting alone beneath the Shimmering Golden Satellites of Space Burger, sipping on a long empty soda, gazing forlornly at the university.

Exodus has rested and resumes his watch of the said Van.

Midnight has been following the van for a while, but one too many failed attempts at summoning the darkforce on its long, meandering path has drained his teleport too low to keep up. He stops on a roof about half a kilometer back, swearing. Sadly, by the time his abilities recover, he has lost sight of the interesting action.

Teen Spirit says, "Alright Dance Craze, you know what to do." The side panel doors on the van open up, suddenly revealing the team of bandits. The vans radio system cranks up and Dance Craze hops outside. She begins a high-energy dance routine with Exodus as the intended target.

Izzy says, "What in the name of of Dick Clark?!? THIS doesn't look good. I better change and get a better look!" He quickly ducks into the alley to change and charge back. "Who ARE these people ANYWAYS?"

Dance Craze dances as the music's chorus implores: "Everybody dance with me! I got the feeling!" Dance Craze twirls and a grooves. Her moves are so cool, so trendy, it's hard to resist and least tapping a foot along with her

Exodus walks jerkily over to Dance Craze his movements at first uncoordinated..but he starts to dance a weird dance that has some kind of rhythm to it, but is definitely alien.

Exodus thinks. o O (Stop Dancing!..what are you doing??) Matthew's mind rings out, (I do not know Regent, she controls me...I cannot stop))

Blue Streak says, "What in the name of of Dick Clark?!? THIS doesn't look good. I better change and get a better look!" He quickly ducks into the alley to change and charge back. "Who ARE these people ANYWAYS?"

Tara pulls her bike to a halt opnly a few metres from the van. She doesn't bother trying to cenceal her presence but rather looks for the best vantage point to shoot from. Lifting her camera she starts taking photos, calling out to Dance Craze, "Hey, leave me along this time, okay. I'm not a Cape or a cop or anything. I'm just taking photos.

Teen Spirit grumbles, "Where do all of these capes come from? Spirit Squad, stay one your toes, no telling -- Her again?" (of Tara)

Da Bomb snaps her fingers, and a tiny mote of energy leaps from her hand to attack itself to one of the supports of the elevated Maglev platform.

The mote of energy floats through the air and sticks to the concrete and steel support. Nothing more happens at this point.

Four of the bandits move in unison, all running towards Blue Streak. "Knockout, change of plan. Get the blue guy." The four to them raise their guns and point at the speeding hero. They attack.

Blue Streak says, "If they're at 10', there is SOME range, so... MAYBE..."

Blue Streak says, "HEY! watch where yer pointin' those things! Yer music and yer dancin' were bad enough!"

Two of the energy blasts sail wide while the other two make their mark.

Stephie thinks. o O (Damn, now what do I do? How many heroes are there here? Should I side with them now and forget the undercover business? But last time they escaped when we just fought them outright - that was the whole point of this approach! Damn, and now the maglev's at risk - but nothing I can do about that...)

Exodus breaks free of his dance fever..and his eyes blaze.

Dance Craze looks dumbfounded as Exodus stops dancing... "That's never happend before!"

Exodus raises a fist attempting to summon an encasing fist of earth around the dancer. Exodus closes half the gap between he and Dance Craze..

Stephie thinks. o O (It's only two heroes! Perhaps I'd best stick to my original plan.... On the other hand I don't want to weight things against the heroes if I'm wrong....)

The earth rises in a wave about 6 feet from Dance Craze hardening in the air, but completely misses her.

Blue Streak says, "Ya know, I really oughtta just thump ya where ya stand for that... but sometimes, there's just too many ohter things you have to do FIRST!" He speeds past them to check the "globual" on the maglev support and see if he can get it off."

Da Bomb calls over. "Blue boy! I wouldn't touch that if I were you... one snap of my fingers, and it's Adios muchachos!" She makes an explosion sound, to punctuate her point.

Stephie decides, given her power is subtle, to play both sides so she can pretend to have taken action no matter which way it goes!

Blue Streak glances back over his shoulder. "Oh, yeah. I guess I better make sure you don't snap yer fingers then, huh? You know, my Mom always said I should never hit a lady..." He then turns on the speed and heads back for her. "Unfoturnately for YOU, you don't seem to BE one!" Then almost faster than your eyes can follow he delivers a punch.

Bomb ducks out of theway of the streak's attack, using an acrobatic tumble. "That's right... I'm no lady. Tha's because I'm Da Bomb!"

Tara blames the late nights for feeling a little fuzzy headed. However there's photos to take and she can see a great composition. Darting in between Blue Streak and the four Teen Spirits she kneesl and zooms out to frame the four with weapons pointing over her head.

Dance Craze refocuses her attention on Exodus. "Alright then. Let's see how you do against... Ashlee Spears!" Her next set of moves are lifted from the teen diva's latest music video. She moved robotically and smoothing at the same time//MC Kep Dacning!

Exodus does the robot for about 1/2 a second but shakes free of it.."Lass! you do not know who you deal with!" Exodus thinks. o O (At least you and I together can beat off that stupid dancers crap!) Exodus thinks. o O (Aye this is true Regent, this is true.)

"Get him!" Teen Spirit, all of them, rush Blue Streak. "Kiiya!" Two of them attack Blue streak high with jumping kicks, while the over two attack him low with kicks, in a perfectly choreographed attack.

Blue Streak looks a little startled by the coordinated attack, but still manages to avoid the worst of it.

The girls all curse at once, as only one of them lands a solid kick.

Stephie does the same again, but carefully excludes Blue Streak this time - wants to make sure that he's there to stop Da Bomb blowing things up!

The earthwave carries Exodus forward towards Da Bomb away from Dance Craze, it is obvious that for all intents and purposes, She is the real danger..she can not be allowed to destroy the Maglev. Closing the gap he raises a fist again, and the earth erupts.

The Earth erupts around her, but misses her completely..once again useless..the column of earth hardens then collapses as there is no target captured.

Blue Streak scowls. These cheerleaders on crack might be able to hurt him, but it's this Bomb chick who's the most dangerous. "Ya know... there's only ONE THING that bothers me more than some stuck up bimbo with a mouth as big as her attitude..." He punches at her again in mid sentence.

Tara would usually keep herself moving a little slower, not revealing any hints of her meta speed, but she isn't thinking all that clearly for some reason. But photography is almost instinctive for her. The blue guy and the Teen Spirits are moving so fast she isn't sure of not blurring the shot with the shutter speeds the night conditions require. And anyway the really cool attacks are heading towards Da Bomb. Tara heads that way now, her camera shutter clicking constantly.

Blue Streak delivers a nice kidney punch that rocks her, but doesn't knock her down. "And that's when they DON'T SHUT UP when I TELL 'em to!"

Bomb doubles over when she's hit, cursing in Spanish. She's up, but seems a little unsteady on her feet.

Blue Streak TRIES to tak this opportunity to put her down before she hurts someone and takes another swing at her before she has time to recover!

Teen Spirit says, "Dance Craze, Bomb, switch... switch... uhm. Switch opponents!"

[Editor: Blue Streak KO's Da Bomb with an attack]

Exodus watches the speeding blue demon manage to send the dangerous bombing girl reeling from his uncanny speeding hits.

One of the Teen Spirit girls tries to push Da Bomb to safety, but she's too slow to out-react the super speedster.

Blue Streak says, "That's BETTER. NOW..." He teens to face the Spirits. "See? I haven't forgotten about ya!""

The girls seem about to strike at Blue streak again. "One of them says, get him, DC!"

Dance Craze spins an drop into a split. "Time to chance dance partners, speedy!" She rolls forward into a handstand and jumps up onto her feet and starts to dance some more.

One of the Teen Spirit girls calls to Stephie. "Quick! Get Da Bomb so we can evacu... get away."

Stephie nods.

Blue Streak begins to.. well... I GUESS you could call it "dancing".

Stephie thinks. o O (Damn! I still can't tell which way this is going.... But with that blue guy dancing I think it's up....)

Two of the Teen Spirit girls run off, in opposite directions. The last on eyes Exodus and seeem to plot her next move.

Stephie follows instructions and picks up Da Bomb to load into the van. Back to Plan A. She thinks.

One of the Teen Spirit girls runs straight for Tara.

Tara takes the photo on pure reflex.

Exodus knows that if Da Bomb wakes, she is still the big threat, his eyes blaze as he tries to encase Da Bomb in an earthen prison, even if that other girl is carrying her.

Earth erupts again, this time it hardens around a leaping Teen Spirit, unfortunately that's not Da Bomb..but hey, he'll take it...

Blue Streak keeps... well... "dancing". And cursing. And blushing. And...

Tara is taking some great shots of a charging Teen Spirit. That the villainess is charging straight at her doesn't distract Tara.

The Teen Spirit by Tara levels her gun at the photographer. "Alright heroes... nobody moves, or the shutterbug gets it!"

Exodus freezes.."You are a coward, you cannot win so you choose to attack the weak?..You are pathetic!"

Another Teen Spirit grabs a hostage for the crowd, one of the couple of people not birght enough to run at the first sign of supers."

Tara grins. "Hey that's a great pose. But if you step a pace forwards the streetlight will gleam off your helmet just perfectly." She tells the Teen Spirit threatening her.

The cracks in Gaia Exodus's skin seem to glow as do his eyes, he is filled with rage as is Matthew Regent inside of Gaia..

Stephie thinks. o O (Hostages now? Damn! This gets worse and worse.... How did these heroes get onto this and why did they have to interfere?)

Teen Spirit says to Tara, "Yeah. Whatever floats your boat."

Exodus thinks. o O (These goddamn girls are picking on the WEAK!..they are nothing but..but..losers..they deserve the worst!")

Dance Craze keeps up the frenetic pace of her dancing. For Blue Streak, it's exhausting to keep the pace

The remaining free Teen Spirit tries to blast out her teammate.

ZAM! With one blast from the girl's gun, the rocks encasing Teen Spirit crumble to nothing.

Stephie considers trying the same again but decides the hostages willl probably be better off if the villains make their escape....

Tara lowers the camera finally, and looks around. "Hey, you'd got hostages. Huh. I thought you were good villains. I even thought of joining up with you. But you're no better than the rest of the losers that can't win out on their own merits. Let the other hostage go. You've got me. Heroes won't put me at risk. You don't need any others."

Exodus is angry..very angry the air around him ripples with the molten lava that seethes beneath his skin, but he does nothing..he will not endanger the innocents.

Teen Spirit says to Tara. "I don't like hurting innocents, but it's out of my hands now -- it's up to the heroes. We're winners... if you want to win, you've got to use everything at your disposal. I don't think of it as cheats as a kind of time out."

Tara carefully puts her camera down and spread her arms out wide. "It's not out of your hands. It's you holding the weapon. Your finger on the trigger. I could understand you doing robberies for the excitement. But shooting hostages? That's something entirely different." She starts to walk steadily towards the Teen Spirirt. "Well if you are really prepared to shoot a hostage just go ahead. Shoot. Either shoot or lower that weapon, because if you haven' done one or the other before I get to you I'll tear your hair out by the roots."

Exodus watches the brave young woman approach the Teen Spirit.

Blue Streak keeps dancing, not letting on that he's broken the Dancing Queen's control, biding his time (IE: Holding)

Exodus thinks. o O (She is brave Regent, and upright, she does the brave right thing.) Matthew thinks back, (She is brave..) and he starts to think differently about Tara.)

Stephie thinks. o O (Good, camera-girl! I this is why I didn't make her any stupider. I don't want her to make a stupid decision here....)

ZAM! Teen Spirit fires a blast that punches a hole in the asphalt just shy of Tara's feet. "You only get one warning..."

Tara continues to look the Teen Spirit straight in the eyes as she steps over the smoking hole in the tarmac and continues her steady advance.

Exodus thinks. o O (We should act!) Matthew hesitates (We will endanger others!) Exodus thinks (Look at the girl, there is time for action and there is time for prudence..this is a time for Action!")

Blue Streak uses his ventriloquism to try to throw his voice to directly BEHIND the girl still holding the hostage. "YOUNG LADY! Just WHAT do you think you are DOING?!?"

Teen Spirit turns and brings her gun to bear on the phantom voice behind her. She immediately realizes her mistake. "Crap!"

Exodus earthwaves at Tricked Teen spirit he is suddenly in her face having closed the gap instantly, he tries to encase her in earth.

The entrapped Teen Spirit shouts to the disguised Stephie: "Floor it, get out of here!" The earth explodes around Teenspirit she is encased in Earth now as well.

Tara leaps the final couple of feet as distraction occurs and tries to grab hold of Teen Spirit's arms pinning the weapon in a harmless position. She puts all her strength and more into it. Tara leaps, grabs, and misses. . o O(Oops!)

Stephie gets into the driver's sear and starts the engine.

Teen Spirit says cooly to Tara, "I guess today isn't the day for you to be the hero."

Blue Streak turns around and trys to pop the Dance Biotch in the middle of her routine, hoping she's so overconfident since he's "subdued" she'll be easier to hit. If he can take her out, the others should be a "piece of cake"!

Blue Streak grins as her eyes widen. She sees it coming, but doesn't manage to react fast enough to get out of the way of his backhand and does a DIFFERENT kinda dance, skittering across the tarmac.

Tara grins at the Teen Spirit. "Actually you couldn't be more wrong. Thanks to you bunch I've decided to sit on the hero benches. I don't care about rules and regulations. I do care about people. She tries to kick the Teen Spirit hard in the shin and then makes another grab for her arms.

Tara catches the girl's shin and then grabbing is easiler with the Teen Spirit hopping on one leg.

Dance Craze starts to regain her bearings. "Woooaaaugh."

Teen Spirit says, "You're pretty brave... but you should know when you're out matched!" She tries to stomp on Tara foot, then push herself free.

Another Teen Spirit tries to blast the rock the traps her teammate.

Zzzzt! Her blaster pistol seems to short out. An a moment of rage, she throws it to the ground.

Exodus ignores the Teen Spirit that has just lost her pistol and returns near Dance Craze and tries to alleviate Blue Streak of her nuisance behavior.

Stephie starts up the engine and floors the accelator. Whoops! She's in reverse. And the wheel is at such an angle she goes into one of the Teen Spirits.....

A different Teen Spirit shakes her fist at the van. She says, "You stupid ... You'll pay for turning on us!"

Stephie feigns surprise as the van jerks backwards and hits something with a thump. The Teen Spirit goes flying. Stephie shifts to forward again, with a check of her rear-view mirror... Stephie thinks. o O (Damn - she knows it was on purpose. Oh well.....)

Once again the earth follows the command of Gaia, and envelopes Dance Craze whole, leaving only a breathing hole for her, but covering the rest of her body and head, specifically cutting off her gaze, the mind benders of old always needed to see their target...

"It was a set up from the starts," Teen Spirit says, "I knew that this was a bad idea. Alright Stephie, you've beaten us..." Teen Spirits words trail off as she starst to fade away. As do the otehr Teen Spirits.

Once again the earth follows the command of Gaia, and envelopes Dance Craze whole, the earth hardens and the shell is much thicker, encasing her solidly.

Tara falls over onto her face as the Teen Spirit she was struggling with fades from her arms.

Stephie thwaps her. Stephie rips of her helmet before going to confront the heroes outside. "Damn it, she got away, didn't she? I knew this would happen!"

Exodus Earthwaves over to the Maglev support column and looks at the thing that is stuck to it, he thinks he can remove it as long as Da Bomb is out..he puts his hand on it and tries to remove it from the Maglev...he ushers everyone away first.

Tara gets back to her feet and hurries over to check her cmarea wasn't damaged during the flurry of action. Seeing it's okay she starts taking pics again.

Blue Streak frowns and looks at Exodus. "Hey, ummmmm.... Cuddly. There's still a bomb or somethin' overthere, and it's attacked/embedded itself. If you can mold earth, think you can get it off and encase it?"

Exodus nods, "Tis mine efforts Blue Speed Daemon." Exodus frowns.."It will not come off..I lack the strength.."

A tiny voice is talking in Stephie's helmet.

Exodus tries something else..his eyes blaze once more..and earth climbs up the column...

Stephie puts the helmet back on to listen.

Teen Spirit's voice is on the radio. "...least I can get a little satisfaction out of this! Bon apetite!" And just then an electrical charge surges forth from the belt that Teen Spirit gave to Stephie.

Stephie suddenly lets out a very loud cry of pain.

Then van is still playing the thump thump thump of dance music.

Exodus watches the Earth creep up the pillar but it does not remove the Bomblet and now the bomblet is encased in earth as well. Exodus shakes his head..hears the scream by Stephie and earthwaves over..

Stephie gets the belt - and the rest of the costume - off, once she's unstunned.

Blue Streak oogles.

Tara checks the time after hearing Exodus and yelps in horror. "Oh no. I'm grounded. Bye." She dashes for her hoverbike and races off.

[ Editor's Note: Bonus Snippet -- Philippa's Alibi! ]

Alex strolls down the sidewalk, walking hand in hand with Philippa. They seem to be chatting about something or other.

Philippa says, "...Actually, I liked the twist at the end, it was interesting."

Choosing not to use the sidewalk specifically, Xing-Liu is running by rooftop at times. Others she uses the sidewalk when there aren't a lot of people in the way to need to avoid or to scare. Alex she takes notice of, as someone she knows only a little, and she comes to ground level a little behind the two, smiling with a little mischievous amusement as she follows, staying quiet in step.

Alex pulls Philippa a bit closer as he senses someone approaching from behind. He glances backwards over his shoulder. His eyes light up when he realizes who it is. "Fist!"

Philippa turns as well, becoming conscious of the follower at about he same time as Alex.

Xing-Liu offers a wave, smiling when she's noticed quickly by Alex, actually glad for it. To Phillippa she smiles, friendly, offering her clenched fist forth in greeting.

Philippa instinctively offers her hand for a shake and and then is amused at the fact that her and Fists' greetings seem imcompatible. "Hi there."

Xing-Liu demonstrates compatibility when she meets fist to palm, head bobbing with an amused grin at Phillippa's show of humor.

Alex says, "Phil, this is Fist, she's a superhero. She saved me and Caleb from muggers on occasion."

Alex says, "Fist, this is Philippa, my girlfriend... at least until the next time she decides to disavow me." Philippa tsks at Alex. "I was mad and embarrasseed... both rightfully so too. You can't blame me for getting upset." She looks to Fist and then asks, "So why do you call her Fist -- oh, I get it. A code name."

Xing-Liu seems puzzled by what Alex says, and the exchange that follows. She nods at Phillippa's observation, covering her mouth with her fingertips, shaking her head slowly. Then she makes a fist, smiling triumphantly.

Philippa nods to Fist, smiling, and seeming to understand the gestures. "So why is your hair blue? Why is her hair blue, Alex?"

Alex hmms. "You know... I never really asked." He looks to Fist, wondering.

Xing-Liu shrugs slowly, looking as though the answer to that is something she is wholly lacking.

Alex adds, "It's not like we really know each other. We've just run into each other a few times on the street. IT's not the sort of thing that's come up."

Philippa asks Fist, "Were you born with blue hair? Did you have it when you were younger?" Philippa's tone takes on a sugary, slightly condescing tone. Then she tells Alex, "That's the problem with you sometimes, you don't notice things."

Oblivious to the tone's subtler aspects, Xing-Liu seems happy. She nods to Phillippa, complete certainty showing.

"Noticed it, just decided not to say anything." Alex says, "There's a difference, hon. You don't see me meeting blad guys for the first time and asking them, 'Hair's not coming in like it used to, huh?'"

Phil rolls her eyes at Alex. "What-ever. This is different. Bald men don't want to talk about their hair. It's different for us girls. Right, Fist?" She offers a warm smile.

Xing-Liu smiles, nodding non-commitally. She looks interested suddenly, appearing to seek to know more.

"Philippa..." Alex sighs. "I don't think you're getting it... I don't think Fist cares about that girlie stuff. She's kung-fu superhero."

Philippa says, "Nonsense! Every girl wants to look and feel fabulous. From power lunching attorneys to butt-kicking kung-fu superheroes."