More Meteor Showers Bring Even Stranger Powers. (O/A)

[BeaMichelle]

Theresa rubbed her nose and started to speak before she looked down at Theonis. "I feel a little better. But...why are you sitting on the floor? Oh, I'm grown up again!"

Her expression and hopes sank as she sighed, "I guess I'm done being little. They wont let a grown up go to school."  

[Rikki Tikki Travi]

Leonard scratched his head and replied, "I said medals, medals, med-...met-als." He felt and looked frustrated. He had to think harder about what he was trying to say and how to say it.

Clara rubbed her husbands shoulder first and then stood by Theresa. "It's alright, Theresa. If you could be small before then you can be small again. You just have to practice. Although, if going between a toddler and a grownup is a thing you do now, we should probably see about getting you clothes that can adapt to that."

She cautiously, and with care, adjusted a few articles of clothing on Theresa that had not quite settled correctly when she grew.

"Theonis, surely there is some sort of wardrobe for people who can alter their size? That is a power, right? People who become big or small?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Heather inhaled through her teeth and replied, "Yeeeeah, but this guy also kinda has it in for me. He didn't like my dad, and he says I'm too young to be a majority shareholder and CEO. I think he recognized me in your latest upload."

She unmuted the phone and put it back to her ear. "What do you want? Absolute-...fine."

She put the phone on speaker and held it up. "There, you're on speaker now. Talk."

The voice on the other side sounded sophisticated, if a little condescending. "Hello, Helia Blaze. My name is Roland Galstian, but you probably know me better as 'Rollin' Indo.' I've been following you for quite some time, and I have always wanted a chance to speak with you in a more...intimate setting. Now, I realize that you are seeing our fiery CEO, Miss Ray."

"Reynolds." Heather corrected tersely.

"Yes, of course. Do excuse me. You and Miss Reynolds are a couple, and I do not wish to encroach on that. I would, however, like to ask you to dinner. Just an evening of dinner and conversation. Nothing more."

The ambient temperature around Heather began to increase steadily.  

[Nova Blancke]

Before she put him on speaker, Liv had an idea. Pulling out her own phone and pressed record before answering the man. The name did seem very familiar. A long time supporter of hers.

"Ahh...yes. Yes I know that one. Thank you so much for supporting me for this long." She responded with happier tone." But...you're not the only one who wants that. I've had many offers by fans to take me out and promise me a good time. I am not sure if it is such a smart thing to do. Especially concerning my privacy." She responded a bit more professional.

The temperature got warmer and she knew it was her girlfriend. She gave her a wink and a quick kiss.

Her sigh and defeated words sort of stung. She just wanted to be a kid.

"Yeah we can still do that. Gotta learn to control that. As for the clothes...yeah we've got those. Not the most stylish but we do have em." Getting up he adjusted his own clothes.

"Tess, if you want to go to school, we can arrange that. I will talk to Fenris about it okay?"  

[Nova Blancke]

Meanwhile Liam left the shower. It was something he enjoyed down. Take a shower, taking a bath. Perhaps it was the warmth that he craved or perhaps it was the simple sensations of having water run down his body. He was still unsure. His thoughts kept on going back to the night before. It was fun but he seemed to play one scene on a loop in his mind. If she had responded differently to his touch on her cheek would they have...kissed? Thinking about that triggered a..response in his body. Interesting.

He noticed that she occupied his thoughts more often after that night. Liam really did seem to be in love. As he was drying himself with a towel but used Anne's power to remove the water from his hair. With a towel around his waist he entered his living room and started searching the internet for a good Ham based meal for the two.  

[Rikki Tikki Travi]

"I see. Well, that is certainly disappointing." Roland responded.

"And you'll stay disappointed." Heather growled. "How did you even figure out that was me?"

Heather could almost hear his stupid grin. "It was your teeth. You flashed them at me during your first shareholder meeting. That and you have your father's smile. It's hard to forget the combination of the two, even if you are wearing a mask that covers half of your face."

"Now, Helia, I can certainly understand why you would want to maintain your privacy. After all, you never know what kind of unsavory individuals are subscribed to your profile. Oh well, my offer will remain open. Should you change your mind feel free to D.M. me, or you can get my number from Miss Reynolds. Enjoy your Saturday, ladies."

A hang-up chime beeped, and Heather sat on the bed with a huff. "That son of a b***h. He's going to hang this over my head until he wants something."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Very good, Theonis." Clara approved with a smile. "Why don't you arrange things with Fenris while your father and I go shopping with her. And yes, Richard, you have to come. After all you've put her through, the least you can do is behave like the father she thinks you are."

Richard had, in fact, opened his mouth to protest. He quickly closed it when he realized there was no getting out of the situation.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Okami slinked around the shadows of Liam's apartment. She was very curious about the strange man that had fought Freya before she became her own wolf. He smelled like a good person, and she liked to think she was a good judge of character. She never liked Allines, and in the end she was right.

She wanted to talk to him and make another friend, but she still had some lingering doubts after what happened almost a month ago. She knew he knew she was there, so she decided to just watch him until he said something.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Almost as if on cue, Rydia waltzed back into the training room with a satisfied smile on her face.

Deora looked at the princess and smirked. "Speak of the devil. I'll go fill her in on what we're doing. We'll meet you guys topside."

Alec nodded and waved to Deora as she left. He turned his attention back to Kerana and smiled. "Plus, I'll maybe have a chance to get to know her in a setting that feels less like an interrogation." he said with a chuckle. "Want to ask her while I go get changed? I'd like to look less like a citizen of Zion."  

[BeaMichelle]

Theresa smiled brightly and fought back tears of joy. It was still a strange idea to her; that people can be so happy that they cry. She did not want to cry anymore. She finally had a real family that wanted to do nice things for her, and she would get to go to school.

In the time she had been interacting with the people in Valhalla, she had come to realize that she did not know very many things. She knew how to do complex calculations in her head. Plus, Ako and Gidget had taught her a lot about mechanics. But she did not know how to read, or write, or even how to display her mental calculations in a meaningful way on paper. She felt stupid. The looks she got from people made her stomach hurt. It was the one thing in Valhalla Theresa could say, with absolute certainty, she hated. But she would not have to feel that way for much longer, because her big brother was going to make it so she could learn and make friends outside of their chosen circle.

She threw her arms over her brother's shoulder and around his neck. She did not know why, but she wanted to give him a little kiss on the cheek. So she did. "Thank you, Theonis!"  

[Nova Blancke]

After the call had ended, she sighed with relief and ended the recording on her own phone.

"I so thought he was ready to start blackmailing you.That's why I started recording. Like he could threaten you but if it was known what someone on the board of directors was spending his money on in his free time like that. Well..I am sure there'd be words."

Tossing her phone aside she sat down next to Heather and pulled her into a hug.
Rubbing Heather's head that was burred in her chest

"Don't worry about all of that. He's nothing."

Theo quickly looked to his father who had already lost the battle. He chuckled to himself. There aren't many battles he could remember where his father had won.

Then came Theresa's 'attack'. Luckily after her last growth spurt he was already on alert and managed to off-set the extra weight of her hug. The small kiss was a nice little bonus that he truly thought nothing of. Patting her on the back with on hand, using his other to lean on.

"You're welcome. Just be sure to pay attention in class alright?"

Feeling movements in the shadows, he looked at the direction. It wasn't Freya. She was incapable of doing it. Trinity would have nothing to gain from doing so either. It was more like an animal circling or scouting an area. Okami.

"You can come out Okami. I know you're there."  

[Rikki Tikki Travi]

Heather grumbled and allowed herself to be comforted. The temperature around them dropped as she calmed down. "Mmnf, I wish it was that easy. The board only has one other woman on it, and she's as much of a dragon lady as I am. We constantly butt heads, but I think there's a mutual respect there. At least I hope so. I appreciate any woman who can sit on a board of old men and hold her own."

"Then there're the other four guys. I'm not so sure if they'd give a crap about one of "the boys" being outed as a voyeur. It all sucks so much. I want to change it but they're so set in their ways it's infuriating, and ousting a member of the board requires a 3/4th's majority vote."

Her frustration was audible in more ways that one. Her tone, of course, perfectly conveyed her displeasure. Then her teeth began to grind as a more primal part of her began to make itself known.

"As much as I despised my father, he trusted his legacy to me. It's mine now, and these bastards want to use their profits like they always have. Yachts, off shore accounts, mega mansions. What about the people who make it happen for us? The workers. Those are my people! Those assholes line their ******** pockets while my employees are forced to choose between eating and paying bills!"

Heather sat up and looked directly into Liv's eyes. Her pupils contracted into slits, and she gripped Liv's upper arms.

"And now one of them wants to take you from me! I don't care what he said! I'll tear his goddamn throat out if he touches you! No one else can have you! You're my treasure! My love! My life! Mine!" she declared with small plumes of fire escaping both sides of her clenched teeth.

It was only then that she realized what she was saying and how it sounded. Her pupils dilated, and her expression changed from intense to shame. She stood up from the bed and put her hands to her mouth with a tearful gasp.

"Oh my God, Liv! I'm so sorry! I don't know what happened!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Okami slinked out of the shadows and carefully approached Liam. "Sorry. Mama says I shouldn't sneak around, but I'm still not sure about you. I know I let you hug me earlier, but you still scare me a little. Freya seems to trust you now, and Mama says you're trying to be a better person. She also says I'm a curious pup. So what I'd like to ask is..."

She sat down on her haunches a few feet away from him and asked, "...are you a bad person who's trying to be good, or are you a good person who's trying to be great?"  

[Nova Blancke]

"I do not consider myself to be either. So I do not think that I can fully answer your question. I've made a mistakes that I feel I've put enough effort into to correct. Mistakes made because of manipulation out of ignorance and arrogance. " Liam responded before turning around to face her.

"I am...just Liam."

Seems like the standard board of directors you see in movies. Liv continued to just stroke her head as she let out her grievances until she noticed a clear shift in tone.

She got out from their embrace and grabbed hold of her upper arms. Gripping them rather tight. She was...intense.

"No no no, it's fine babe. It's fine. One thing though, this treasure can take care of herself just fine."  

[Rikki Tikki Travi]

Okami smiled, nodded, and replied, "And I'm just Okami."

She glanced over at the monitor and said, "Oh, a computer! I always wanted to fiddle with those, but my claws and big fingers made it hard. Heh, Guess I wont be trying again since I don't have even have thumbs anymore."

That's when she actually paid attention to what was displayed and gasped, "You're gonna make ham! I love ham! Freya loves ham! Are you making it for her?! *Gasp* Is this like a date thing?! Do you love her?! That's crazy! Does she love you?! Oh wow! She hasn't loved anyone that way in forever!"

There was a small gasp, a sly look, and then the wolf leaned in closer to Liam and asked quietly yet suggestively, "Are you guys gonna have sexxxxx?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I know. I know!" Heather repeated as she flapped her hands spasmodically. "You're a badass, and I love that! That a*****e trying to woo you triggered something in me. I've felt the dragon's greed before, but never like that! That and the way I was squeezing you! I could've hurt you!"

"You're not my property. You're your own person. A wonderful and vibrant person who literally and figuratively brings light to my life. I shouldn't treat you like some object that can be stolen from me."  

[Nova Blancke]

"I am sure Gidget can make your something for use computers with your mind." Liam responded before turning around in his chair again as it had gotten Okami's attention.

As rapidly as she was asking questions, he answered.

"Yes but also for you."
"No"
"Yes"
"Don't know. Hopefully."

He didn't answer the last question. Sex. It was both known and unknown to him. He knew of it and he had the memories and experiences from others but lacked first hand experience. It was also the natural progression of a relationship. But the thought of doing that with her did do something to him. He felt his own heart rate increase.

"Perhaps...one day. Should she be willing."Liam responded hesitantly.

Liv sighed, crossing her arms under her chest.

"Let's put it like this. Even if you had accidentally hurt me by squeezing me too hard, i would have understood why but I would have definitely let you know."

She got up, standing straight, arms still crossed under her chest.

"Stop being so afraid of that otherside. If the dragon crosses the line, I will kick it's a** back over that line and let her know who is in charge. Alright?"  

[PixelMuse]

Rikki Tikki Travi

[…]
She looked around at the all too familiar surroundings and huffed. "What the Hell, Trinity? Is this anyway to- y'know what, I knew what I said was stupid as it came out of my mouth. I know it's your job, but that doesn't mean I can't still ********! Gidget upgraded these, didn't she? Ugh, fine."

"I dunno. You can get all sorts of tutorials on the internet nowadays. I'd imagine it wouldn't be hard to find a bunch of videos on how to tie knots."

"I mean, I don't even know why I'm here. Since Okami is her own wolf now I can't shadow travel. So I asked her to bring me to you so we could catch up. It just so happened that you were at the scene of something that I found really really funny. My being there at that time was just a coincidence. Honest."

The best lies have truths in them.

Trinity folded her arms and raised an eyebrow as she tried to pull her sensei card with a look that said ‘You know I can’t give you favorable treatment right?’ Freya then corrected herself then smirked when she discovered Gidget’s upgrades.

When she talked about anyone could look up videos to do knots, she had a point but these were typical knots of a ninja. She listened to her as she confirmed her suspicion as to why there wasn’t much of a chase this time. Sounds likely but I can’t trust that. She’s really good at hiding the truth. Trinity really wanted to believe her sensei but she had lied to her face in the past. She texted Xavier,

Text to Xavier

what’s the statement from the victims we rescued from the flagpole?

“Okay, let’s see what the security cameras and the victims have to say? If there’s nothing I’ll take you to the bar myself and we can catch up.” She reviewed the footage on her phone. Then quirked an eyebrow seeing it wasn’t Freya but … Rydia? It’s going to be one of those days, huh? She looked to her phone again wondering if they said anything about Freya.  

[Rikki Tikki Travi]

"Oooooooh. You're gonna have a hard time with her on that. Because of Allines, it takes her a while to open up to anybody. It could be weeks, or even months, before she so much as holds your hand. I hate to sound mean, but the only reason she let you sleep in the same bed as her was because she was really drunk."

Okami fidgeted in place for a little bit as she watched Liam search for the perfect recipe. She was bored, and the friends she knew were all doing things. She wanted to ask Liam something, but she was a bit nervous. She took a deep breath and asked, "Have you ever played with a dog before?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

She did not think it was possible, but Heather felt a new level of love and respect for Liv. For the last few weeks, she'd been afraid of pushing Liv away with the parts of herself that were more animalistic. With two sentences, Heather felt more sure than ever that it would take more than a monster to make her leave; that she could relax when Liv was around.

Heather sniffled and carefully wiped her eyes with the tips of her fingers to keep from smudging her eye makeup. "Yeah, okay. You're right. Sorry I'm such a mess."

She sighed with resignation and admitted, "It has been a while since I've gone full dragon. Not since the island. Maybe it's time I let it out for a bit."

She tapped her fingers together anxiously and blushed as she asked, "Would you...like to come fly with me? I'm sure it'll be a lot more fun than the last time."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Xavier texted back: "They aren't saying anything except that they're really sorry about invading people's privacy with their pics. Turns out these two are the ones that run the Valhalla tabloid pages. The note on them says that they crossed a line today, and their statement confirms it."

There was a one minute delay, and then there was a second text: "The sister just asked me to keep the 'one eye'd cat girl' away from them. There's only one woman that I can think of fitting that description."

Freya picked something from beneath her nails and asked calmly, "So what's the word? Are we getting day drunk or what? After last night I could use some 'hair of the dog.'"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Raina Carter was thrilled at the idea. At first, she felt a little bad about encroaching on Kerana's time with her boyfriend. She even voiced her concern on the matter, but the fact that it was Alec's idea (and Kerana was good with it) set her mind at ease and filled her with joy. She was finally going to go outside after three weeks of keeping herself locked underground. She was very nervous about being seen in public as she was, but with Kerana's enthusiastic encouragement she felt like she could take on the world.

After she got change, and as they made their way to the surface, Raina reflected on how things had changed since she and Kerana were reunited. Kerana had opened up to Raina even more than usual, and she was so happy that Alec was a supportive, considerate, and kind boyfriend. She felt guilty, but the lack of her husband's presence seemed to allow Kerana to shine even brighter than before. She wondered if her daughter would even want to go back home. That would be okay, right? Surely her daughter's happiness trumped any notion of a normal family. Raina still loved her husband dearly, but she worried that his prejudices would destroy the bonds that had been repaired and solidified in the last month.

They made it to the surface. Waiting for them by the shuttle was Alec, a Mexican girl with purple highlights, a dark skinned cat girl with an eyepatch, and a smaller girl that somehow looked excited, terrified, and angry all at once.

Alec smiled and waved enthusiastically to Kerana and her mother. He was dressed a bit more conservatively and more appropriately for the weather, but he still looked like he could be a member of My Chemical Romance during their "Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge" era. His hair was loose and between his back and over both of his shoulders.

"Hey, Misses Carter. You look nice."

Raina chuckled and replied, "Thank you Alec, but wont you be hot with your hair like that?"

Deora laughed and huffed, "That's what I said, but he wont let me fix it."

Alec blushed and scratched his cheek bashfully as he glanced at Kerana. "I haven't quite gotten the hang of it, and there's only one person that I let braid my hair."