Log:Good Friends

2014/04/16 	 Jennifer Silver Spider Regan

1

Bridgend by Steel's Gym
Jennifer comes across the Bridge from Sandy Bottom Island. She's got a different look, dressed in a fae outfit that has a distinct hint of a martial arts Gi.

Silver Spider is sitting quietly on a lamppost, reading the newspaper. "Blah blah blah, blah blah blah, Silver Spider needs to find someone in life and settle down, blah blah blah, how old is she, blah blah blah, change her hairstyle under that facemask, blah blah blah! Who the hell wrote a fashion article about me? I'm a superhero, not a Vogue cover!"

Jennifer smiles on seeing Silver Spider and heads that way. She laughs when she hears what is being muttered by Silver. "You look good in spandex." she calls up to you.

Silver Spider chuckles. "That's what my fans say, anyway." She lowers herself down on a webline. "Where have you been? Doctor Destroyer's called me to some sort of crazy meeting. It is really stupid to go to this meeting, though. He's Doctor Destroyer. He destroys things."

Jennifer looks surprised, "He has?" She thinks for a moment, "Silver, get his promise of safe passage. I've never known him to break his word. He's like the Baron in that regard. But he's not going to be wanting to meet you to chat about his latest home brew beer recipe. If you go be careful what you get involved in."

Silver Spider nods. "That's why I don't want to go. There's too many ways that can be twisted. And the Baron is going to be there, too. That's two on one. I might be able to beat the Baron. There's no way I can beat Doctor Destroyer. He's a living legend. He flattens whole superhero teams. If it goes south, Destroyer flies faster, hits harder, and absorbs more punishment than most galactic starships."

Jennifer smiles, "I think you and Sable and a couple of others could take him with smart tactics, Silver. He's not how he was. You grabbing the power boost module from me at the museum in Berlin really cut him down quite a lot."

Silver Spider nods. "That doesn't matter. You fail to understand what a hundred years of tactical experience and fighting the best in the business does. He won't make any mistakes, Jennifer. And he's smarter than me."

Jennifer says, "I do understand, Silver. Remember who I used to be. Us third generation are faster and stronger than the second, and a lot faster and stronger than the Royal caste. But they were as good as us because of their longer training for a while. We've suppassed them now. You're not exactly a beginner yourself, are you?"

The doors of the gym glide open to admit Regan out onto the pavement where her attention quickly settles on Gemini and Spider. Smiling brightly she makes her way over. "So is this conversation only for super-mega-heroes or can anyone join in?" She folds her hands in front of her.

Silver Spider nods. "That really doesn't compete with a guy who is smart enough to rig every battlefield fifty years in the past and trigger it at will. The problem is that he's not just super-powerful. He's also super-smart." She turns to Regan. "Hey! We're just talking about Doctor Destroyer. Nothing serious. So you think I should go to the meeting and find out what he's up to?"

Jennifer grins and turns to Regan. She opens her arms inviting a hug. "Even if it was only for super-mega-heroes you'd fit right in, Regan."

Regan smiles and tilts her head before wrapping Jennifer in a warm hug. "Nice of you to say so Gemini, but I don't think anyone got beaten up quite as often as I did in that Mister Impossible tourney thing." Looking to Chandrika she answers. "Imagine if you will a situation in which Doctor Destroyer really wants to find you. How do you imagine he might go about it? I would prefer to give him the things we can that don't endanger civilians." She shrugs. "But maybe that's just me."

Silver Spider shrugs. "Destroyer can find us any time he wants. We're just not capable threats to him."

Jennifer says, "So let's not talk about him any longer. Silver, you asked where I've been. This is classified stuff but I know you'll respect that. And I don't much care to keep secrets from my friends. I've been off dimension for the last year and a half, fighting in a war against Shield."

Regan nods. "He can find us when he wants and he compel our attendance at locations of his choosing with threats of sufficient magnitude and skilful execution." She gestures with an open palm. "So it seems better to accept his invitation and begin things amicably. He can't talk to us without us learning something about what it is he wants and I prefer to do that while he isn't throwing mountain-shattering laser blasts."

Silver Spider nods. "He doesn't have laser blasts. He's got some kind of plasma power core, I think. But sure. I'll dash off a note, accept his invitation, and then try to unsterilize the human race. God, this guy's such a jerk."

Jennifer sighs, "If you do meet him, keep two things in mind. First, he has absolutely NO sense of humor. None. Secondly he's as egoistical as they come. Even worse than most of the fae."

Silver Spider nods. "I am well aware. I have my grandmother's notebook. Complete. Total. Basketcase."

Jennifer adds, "... and yeah, he's a real jerk."

Regan nods. "I think that's probably the best way to deal with things, and I seem to recall I was invited too, if not I don't think he would object too strongly to me coming." Nodding again, she smiles. "Which is another way of saying, be polite and admiring and ixnay on the basket-case comments." Returning her attention to Jennifer she asks. "How have your adventures among the fae been going?"

Jennifer smiles, "Terrific. I'm back to doing a job like yours, Regan. Self-defense instructor for fae females. It's so peaceful. And.. now don't rib me.. I'm seeing someone."

Silver Spider raises an eyeslit. "Oh? Who? Tell, tell, tell!" Excitement fills Silver Spider's voice. "I so rarely get to be gossipy." o O (Don't smack me, Reeg. Just don't. Pretty please?)

Regan smiles. "Well I hope your students are less argumentative, it sometimes feels like I'm trying to coordinate a herd of stroppy tom-cats." Glancing to Spider her smile widens. "It's not entirely surprising you had to go to a magical fairy realm to find someone worthy of you."

Silver Spider blinks an eyeslit. o O (Did she just take a shot at me? Was that a shot? Oh, man, that's going to be some silk ropes and spankings later)

Jennifer laughs, "His name is Lothven. Captain of the Palace Guard. I met him when I went over to Undermoon the first time with Lorelei when she was searching for her family. He impressed me. Competent and totally loyal to the King. But I was kind of with Riot at that time. But when I retired, oh did you hear about that. I've hung up the cape. Anyway I went to Undermoon to retire, too many enemies here on Earth, and we started seeing each other."

Silver Spider nods. "I guess it is a little different when you're me and you really can't retire." She shrugs. "It's a living."

"Well our profound loss is Undermoon's very great gain." Regan smiles. "I hope you will be very happy, though not so happy that you won't sneak back to visit, which you're doing now - so around about this level of happiness would be ideal." She grins. "And Lothwen is a very lucky man and if he ever forgets that for even a moment he will be in big trouble - tell him from me."

Jennifer says, "A living is okay, Silver. It was the dying I couldn't take any more. We lost six of us while fighting Shield. Starlight was one of them. Do you remeber her? She was here for a while before I recruited her. And one of my brothers was another. We won but I was burnt out by that time. I couldn't, simply couldn't face the thought of any more conflict."

Silver Spider nods. "You know I live a little differently from most people. My problem is that I love my job."

Regan nods. "That sounds extraordinarily difficult. I'm sorry for your loss Jennifer. I'm also sorry Spider and I weren't able to help you out in that fight. Perhaps the cost would not have been so high if we had contributed."

Silver Spider nods. "You know I'm only a call away if you need me. Why didn't you holler?" She says softly. She idly twists her wrist and pats you on the shoulder. "What are friends for, anyway?"

Jennifer says, "We had all my siblings and metas from a half dozen dimensions, Regan. I... I kept my friends out of it. Do you remember the kids, my younger alter-egos from Jefferson's Amercia? They'll hate me for ever because I kept them out of the fighting. It wasn't like meta fights here. It was kill or be killed. Shield metas... you know how many Shield metas there are in Shield's Colonial Bay City? Six. Six survivors from their internal killing. The six toughest and nastiest metas who got to where they were by climbing over the bodies of every other rival."

Silver Spider shrugs. "If there's only six, they can be beaten. I'd rather fight one of those guys than Doctor Destroyer one on one. Unless they do everything right, patrol in pairs, have the right abilities, guys like that can be picked off."

Jennifer says, "We didn't even try. They may not be Dr Destroyer but they weren't far off him. We drove them off the dimensions they had invaded, mostly having to fight local meta villains who joined up with Shield, with just one or two from Shield there. And then our super-brains blocked travel to and from the Shield dimension. Don't ask me how. Some kind of device but it might as well have been magic for all I understood."

Regan nods, her lips pursing. "It sounds like an extraordinarily difficult situation. And a tough fight, battle hardened and released from scruples I would not want to face the top six metas of this city." Her shoulder lift in a small shrug. "But if you ever do have need of us you have only to ask and you know we will be there for you."

Jennifer smiles, "Thank you Regan, Silver. But I'm hoping for a nice quiet peaceful retirement. Maybe even having a family of my own."

Silver Spider nods. "Well, good luck to you on that." She says. o O (It never ends, Jennifer. Whether you want it to or not. You can't walk away from this life. Someone always gets hurt.)

Regan's smile brightens. "You know how some mothers claim to have eyes in the back of their head?" She shakes her head. "Sadly I don't think your children will get away with much."

Jennifer smiles, "That depends on how many of my traits are genetically dominent. If they inherit my speed and strength, and my original desire for adventure, I suspect they'll be trying to get away with a lot. Especially if they also have the fae gifts.

Regan nods. "Hopefully this Lothwen has talents of his own. Otherwise those kids will steamroll right over him." She shrugs. "And warn him to keep them away from thunderflashes... my hearing has never been the same since running into the junior wolfguard squad."

Silver Spider nods. "That sounds lovely. Anyway, I have to dash off this nonsense for this meeting. I should warn you that I don't feel comfortable about this at all."

Jennifer says, "Then don't do it, Silver."

Silver Spider nods. "Well, I have to do it. Who else is there, Jennifer? I know what he's going to offer me. He's going to offer me clues to a missing member of my family in exchange for something. Which I will have to refuse."

Silver Spider says, "I'm not cutting a deal with this lunatic."

Regan nods and looks to Spider. "Would you mind if I accompanied you? It seems safer to go in pairs and we can each bring a different perspective and skill-set to bear."

Silver Spider nods. "I would love it if you went. It would certainly keep me from saying something stupid." o O (Other than "take your hands off my fiance!" That could get bad.)

Jennifer shakes her head slowly, "I didn't get the impression he's a lunatic, Silver. If anything he seems to be coldly logical. Except for his temper. But if you aren't comfortable, turn him down. Do it politely and he probably won't get angry. If he's serious he ought offer concessions."

Silver Spider nods. "It's not his temper I'm worried about. It's his intelligence. Everything is a trap with this guy."

Regan nods. "But we know that ahead of time. And I'm reliably informed that knowing is half the battle. I'm sure that's Sun Tzu, or Lao Tzu... or maybe it was GI Joe... but definitely one of the masters."

Silver Spider nods. "It was GI Joe." She winks an eyeslit. "No, really."

Jennifer says, "If.. if you go, try to have the Baron there. You said earlier having the Baron there would make it two against one. But that's not the case. The Baron tends to be a restraining influence on Albert."

Silver Spider nods. "Albert? Did you just call him "Albert?"'

Jennifer says, "That's his name, Silver."

Silver Spider thinks. o O (Calling him "Albert" during the meeting. Not a good idea.)

Silver Spider nods. "I'm aware of that. But it's not how he thinks of himself."

Jennifer nods, "No. It isn't. I may have worked on his behalf for a while, to get the fourth generation kids away from Wolfguard, but he wasn't my boss and I never went along with his monomania. I called him Albert." She chuckles, "So did Chen. She soaked him with a bucket of water over a door trap after one row she had with him. While he wasn't wearing his battlesuit."

"And lived to tell the tale..." Regan says softly. "Impressive. But I'm going to suggest we might want to be a little more respectful of his person during our meeting."

Silver Spider nods. "Yeah. I better go dash that letter off. I'll see you guys later. I have to go write this thing and then crash."

Jennifer nods, "You should come over and see me in Undermoon some time soon. Regan, there's a martial arts style called Wraxling on Undermoon. It's an unarmed style and mostly defensive. But I've learned a couple of things from it. You might have a professional interest."