Welcome to the Terminus, Captain!
Who: Kitty Pryde, Bizarro, Captain Marvel (as alter-ego Billy Batson)
Where: The Terminus of Gates
What: Stepping out into the Hub for the first time as humble Billy Batson, Captain Marvel meets a girl, her dragon, and his rival's mirror image all in one night!
When: 13 June 2006
Watch For: Backwards Talk! The Wisdom of Solomon! The Hitchiker's Guide Entry on Bizarro!
The Hub - Terminus
The Terminus is a great, immense facility that is at once a mixture of an alien ruin and a supermodern airport. The superstructure consists of towering blue vines, sometimes as thick as tree trunks, that wind and stretch about, forming great pillars and archways as they curl together. The same material forms the floor, instead of steel or stone. Ramps lead to stacked concentric circles, where the cables form archways leading into the numerous Gates taking people to the rest of the cosmos - and then some.
However, mixed in with this is a variety of architecture - both modern, sleek units and alien technology ranging from organic to stone monoliths - that houses a series of overpriced shops and restaurants. Hotels and the like can even be found mixed in, allowing every amenity one might imagine.
On the southern end of this immense room is a great archway, which leads into the Hub itself. It is large enough for small spaceships, while containing ramps and catwalks for vehicles and men on foot alike to cross at their own pace.
Captain Marvel
An average 16 year old kid, Billy is a little on the skinny side, at around 5 and a half feet tall. He has black hair and usually wears a red t-shirt and blue jeans.
Kitty Pryde
At eighteen years of age, and fresh out of school, Kitty is a mature young teenager - though she is still prone to the occasional bout of immature silliness. Friendly and quick-witted, the young mutant is overall pleasant to be around, with long chestnut hair often twisted back into a ponytail. When left loose, its full length reaches past her shoulders. Her true eye color is hazel, though depending on what she wears, her eyes can look green or dark blue. Her slender face is set in a wide, dimpled smile for everyone she meets, and her five foot six build is slender and well-toned, as one might expect from an Olympic gymnast or a professional dancer.
Today her attire consists of a pair of blue denim cutoffs with frayed edges, and a dark green T-shirt that makes her hazel eyes appear a darker shade of green. A necklace with the star of David on it is worn around her neck, the only accessory that she appears to be wearing this morning. Wrapping up her attire she wears a pair of black sneakers.
Gates gates, as far as the eye can see! But Kitty is not passing through any of them today, for a change. Instead, she's sitting on the ground against a pillar, a laptop on her lap, her figure hunched over the device thoughtfully. It's not her computer, but someone else's - she hires herself out as a computer repair technician when she was bored. "Aha! I found you, you nasty little bugger." She mutters to the computer, triumphant.
Curled up at her side is a little purple shape on top of a blue pillow. Leave it to the dragon to get a cozy bed, as opposed to the 'owner' getting a nice little pillow.
Coming out of one of those Gates is a kid. A young one -- well, a teenager. Okay, so he's on the other side of being a teenager, but a kid nonthless. Grinning, Billy Batson takes a look around all of the various gates.. and the Terminus itself, and the young man gives a low whistle. "..whoowey. This.. this is really. Wow. Cool." he murmurs to himself. Sure, he's been here as Captain Marvel, but he still feels that sense of wonderment as he soaks in all the sights.
So filled with wunderlust as he looks around, the radio reporter/Earth's Mightiest Mortal doesn't even notice that he's starting to come up on a small purple lump on a blue pillow next to a pillar he's about to pass around.
Kitty Pryde has been watching people come and go in the hub - perhaps she's waiting for someone in particular? It would certainly explain why she was content to just sit there, calmly working on someone's computer in the downtime. Or maybe she's just not used to a day that isn't wrought with life-endangering peril, and she wants to make the most of it. By doing work. Yeah.
Unfortunately, she's so engrossed with what she's doing, she doesn't notice Billy approaching from the side and behind - and Lockheed is so content with being curled up on the pillow, he doesn't even look up at the approach. Careful you don't step on or accidentally kick the little dragon's pillow, Billy! Granted, if either happens, Kitty will notice right away (and so will Lockheed). And if neither happens, well, Kitty will notice purely by virtue of Billy being right -there- and all.
Billy lifts his foot to step, and suddenly, something in the back of his head snaps, 'HEY! PAY ATTENTION!' As he looks down, he gives a panicked yelp, trying to adjust and ends up starting to fall over. "Err, watch out!" he calls out as he starts to tumble.
Hopefully he won't fall on Lockheed or Kitty as he starts to tumble, hand reaching out to try to grab a hold of the pillar to support himself and stop his fall.
Fear not! It would seem that Billy's luck is with him this day - Lockheed looks up in surprise at the sound of the cry and the sight of a body tumbling forward. Kitty reacts without thinking, a hand snapping out to rest against Lockheed's body, going out of phase as Billy starts to fall, and just barely catches himself. What might seem stranger is that spot where he caught himself on the pillar with his hand? That spot right there? Is dead center between Kitty's eyes.
... it's kind of awkward.
Meanwhile the computer that had been on Kitty's lap reacts negatively with her powers - an electric surge rips through the computer, and a small wisp of smoke starts to trail up from the keyboard. D'oh!
Now, Billy Batson. He's dealt with superheroes before. Usually as the big red cheese. He stares as he realizes his hand is stuck in Kitty's head. Okay, now that power he's never dealt with before. With a small yelp of panic, Billy rolls away, just now noticing the smoke rising from the computer.
"I.. golly gee willikers, I'm sorry!" he offers, running a hand against the back of his head in complete confusion and shock. "..I didn't mean to do that!"
Kitty Pryde has dealt with superheros before too, but cheese was never part of it. Occasionally the color red was, as part of a uniform, though. Once Billy backs off, Kitty blinks, setting the computer to the side with a small sigh, regaining her solidity now that there wasn't a hand in her head. First things first! "It's okay, really!" Kitty lifts a hand and waves it placatingly, "You didn't do anything wrong. Computers and I don't mix when I'm using my power." Kitty grins weakly - normally she's not so up front about her ability, but A) He saw it firsthand, and B) with the assorted types of people around so far, her being a mutant isn't so strange or unusual. "......."
Wait a second. "... did you say 'Golly gee willikers..'?"
Lockheed meanwhile, is a little huffy, but not huffy enough to give up his pillow. The dragon only yawns hugely and fixes Billy with a careful stare. STARE.
"Yeah, I sure did!" Billy says with a grin. That honest downhome, small town USA grin that is just so early 1960s. "Oh, I'm Billy, by the way. Billy Batson, reporter for WHIZ radio. And you are? And don't worry, I won't tell anyone what I saw."
"Wow..." Kitty .. has never -ever- EVER heard ANYONE say 'Golly gee willickers'. *EVER* Where is this kid /from/? Her 'Nice to meet you' die in her throat when she finds out Billy is a reporter, a thready little 'aagh' taking the place of actual words. Okay, THAT might be a problem -- but oh wait, he won't tell anyone? That's.. unusual. "I thought reporters were always looking for a 'scoop' for the local papers." Or at least some way to cast a mutant in negative light - not that she was assuming he would do such a thing. Anyone that said Golly Gee Willickers probably wasn't even capable of thinking things like that. "Thanks. I'm K," she coughs, "Kate, And this is Lockheed." She indicates the dragon, who sits up as he's introduced, and creels politely. Hullo!
"Hello, Kate! And Lockheed." Then Billy gets a better look at the little creature. Wait, that wasn't a little purple dog. That was. "Oh, goodness! That's a dragon. Gee! That's totally cool! Like, slick." he stares at Lockheed for a moment, then offers his hand, as if he was offering it to a puppy to sniff.
"Oh, no Kate, I'm not one of them type of reporters. I cover things like bake sales and PTA meetings, and news like that. There's too many people out there that are willing to dig into the dirt to find a story, while ignoring everything good that goes on around them. I believe that one good story can turn the tide of a dozen bad ones." Billy offers with a smile. "Gosh, a real dragon. Who would have guessed?"
Lockheed just sort of eyes the hand, and puts on his most offended expression he can muster. Kitty giggles, "Lockheed, be nice." She glances back to Billy, blinking. "..... bake sales and PTA meetings..?" That sounds so horribly boring. Kitty would go mad if she were in that position. "Uh - that sounds really wholesome," she answers after a moment's thought. "Yeah," she chuckles at his comment about the dragon, "I would never have guessed either - I just got .. lucky I guess." Though she wouldn't call it that at the time. Brr. "So where are you from, Billy?"
Heck no, that stuff isn't boring. Fighting crime? Now that can get boring. I mean, someone can ONLY ROB A BANK some many ways. But guessing what Paula Polestar's mother was going to bring to the Tee-Ball Fundraiser? Now that's been a treat since the year she confused her famous chcolate chip cake with her equally infamous whiskey cake.
"Oh, I'm from Fawcett City. It's about 500 miles outside of Metropolis, in that zone that Superman and others come from. And you?" he asks, grinning at Kate!Kitty as he pulls himself into a sitting position. "Where are you from?" he looks back towards the dragon. "Oh, I'm sorry, Lockheed, I didn't mean to upset you. I have a jawbreaker in my pocket.. but I don't think you'd like that.."
Are you kidding? Oh sure, there's only so many ways one can rob a bank, but wait till you go up against the /really/ big fish with things like heat vision and death touches and the whole kitten kaboodle! We're talking supervillains that can make you dance a jig in a tutu while they strut out with the money. "Me? Oh, Deerfield, Illinois." Kitty answers, oblivious to the potential fiasco mistaking whiskey cake for chocolate chip cake was sure to have brought. "But if you mean which gate.." She glances around, pointing, "I think it was that one."
There's a -Mreep!- noise from the dragon, and she looks down, "Huh? Oh! Sorry, that one." she corrects her aim, pointing at a different Gate. Lockheed peers at Billy at the mention of jawbreakers, and Kitty laughs, "Are you kidding? He loves those things. He doesn't suck on them, but he does like chewing on them - but then again, he likes chewing on rocks too. So what do I know?" This last is mostly in jest, from the way the girl grins.
"Well, if it would help me make amends for what I did and all, stumbling in on your break like that.." Fishing the wrapped up piece of candy out of his pocket, Billy offers it to Lockheed. "Here you are." he says with an apologetic grin. "And I'm really sorry about your laptop. I can get some money together to help replace it."
Wait. Okay, he says 'golly gee willickers' and 'gosh', but he knows what a laptop is. There's an explanation around here somewhere, promise!
Amazing. Kitty must have just broken the record for the longest blink known to man. But far be it for her to say, 'You know what a laptop is?'. That would be RUDE. As she's trying to figure out the conundrum between his speech pattern and his knowledge of computers, Lockheed nimbly reaches out and snaps up the jawbreaker - he may have strong teeth, but it'll still take him a while to gnaw that thing down to a good size. And it tastes yummy besides.
"Um! No no," Kitty shakes her head, "It's not your fault, really. And I can fix it." She tilts the computer up, "I just have to replace a few parts, and I think I have some spares in my room." She glances up again with a grin, "So really, don't trouble yourself." She should have known better, going in phase with the computer on her lap like that.
"Well, it sort of is, since I tripped over where you were. So, I really must insist on helping some way. Maybe I can help with the parts or something?" he suggests. Grinning at the little dragon as he works on the jawbreaker, Billy idly plucks a piece of grass from the ground. "You wouldn't have done that disappearing thing if I hadn't.. are you a ghost?" he asks curiously, looking at Kitty. "I mean.. you are real, right?"
Kitty Pryde taps her finger against her chin, "... well, okay," she nods once, "I'll check the laptop over later to see how extensive the damage is, but it's probably just that I burned out a lot of the pieces." Oops. At the question, Kitty bursts into laughter abruptly, slapping a hand over her mouth minute she starts giggling. "I-i-I'm sorry, really I am," she stammers in between fits of laughter, "Yes, I'm real." Ahem. "I'm a mutant - that whole 'ghost' thing you're talking about is my power." ... heehee.
Bizarro emerges from a Terminus Gate.
Bizarro has arrived.
"Oh.. like a metahuman." Billy says, putting the pieces togther. "They're all around where I'm from. Like Superman, and Batman, and Captain Marvel, Wonder Woman, Supergirl.. Power Girl.." he blushes as he looks back towards Kitty. "Gosh, that's a pretty laugh." And it should be. She is a pretty girl. But, that's the closest he's going to come to flirting at the moment. "But they're called mutants where you're from?"
"Superman am Meeta Human! Superman no am alien! Supergirl no alien to!" There's a loud thump on the ground nearby as the thing known as Bizarro lands, feet-first, into the soft earth. He pauses a moment to pull himself out of the ground, his boots no covered in dirt and the ground now sporting two large holes. "Batman am not normal man with lot of powers. Wonder Woman no am dredel... she no made of clay." He grins, showing off his cracked, yellowing, peg-like teeth. "Me known how me know that but me don't!"
"Metahuman?" Kitty looks thoughtful, "Yeah, I guess you could say that." She thinks she likes that name better than 'mutant' since mutant is often paired with 'freak'. "Well, Homo superior actually, since we're considered the evolved form of humans, but.. to be honest, I don't really care for that term. It makes it sound like we think we're so much better than people without powers, and that's not true at all." She flicks a finger at the laptop, closing the lid, startling at the.. did he just flirt? "O-oh, thanks." She grins sheepishly, mildly embarassed. She still can't get over the fact that he said 'Golly gee willickers'. Mark her words, she'll wake up in the middle of the night, STILL giggling over it.
And then Bizarre lands on the ground of them and is all.. bizarre at them. Kitty jumps a bit at his arrival, but whether she's more stupidified by the entrance than his dialogue... oh who are we kidding. It's the dialogue, TOTALLY. "Y..e... uh?" o O ( What the F-1-1..? )
[OOC] In the Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Multiverse, there are countless entries dealing with the super-beings of various worlds. For example, Captain Carrot of Earth-C is noted for his ability to leap higher then most rabbit's should while Wolverine of Marvel Earth simply has the word SNKKT written beneath his picture (he co-incidentally also appears as the pictorial definition of the word Overused). The entry for Bizarro can be summed up in two words. "Mostly Harmless" though how those two words apply to a being who can bend steel, change the course of mighty rivers and deflect bullets with his teeth is a mystery best left to the guide's editors. A future edition of the guide has the following addendum "Bizarro: Mostly Harmless Unless You Let Him Talk to you in which case you will need a copy of the Da Vinci Code and a good psychiatrist to make sense of him" This ends this pointless OOC interlude.
Billy was maybe about to ask Kitty if she wanted to get a milkshake and a burger, when the ground near him nearly explodes. As the boy stares at the indention, Billy gapes. OH NO!
"...B-Bizarro!" he squeaks, staring up at the Not!Superman. Part of his considers excusing himself to yell a quick Shazam! and come back as the Big Red Cheese, but he doesn't, the Wisdom of Solomon creeping in.
"This.. This is Bizarro, Kate.." he murmurs. "..he speaks in opposites.. like this.." And with that, Billy picks up his voice. "Goodbye, Bizarro! Me and Kate were not sitting here and were not talking. Why are you leaving here? I don't think you're not in trouble, are you?"
Bizarro cocks his head to the side and listens to Billy talk to him. His grin only seems to grow larger. "Goodbye Billy Batson! Me never watch your radio show. It am worst there be!" He takes a few steps closer, waving to the pair. "Your ugly friend no be Kate? Goodbye Kate, me no am Bizarro!" He stretches out a hand to the young mutant, a gigantic, chalky hand with huge fingers like sausages made of stone and black, cracked and peeling fingernails. "Me hope we all be worst enemies!"
This is bizarre? No crap Captain, it is bizarr-- oh wait, BizzarO. Yes, that makes much more sense. And .. then ...Billy starts talking weird the way Bizzaro had, which makes Kitty wonder if the speech pattern was contagious, and if so, whether she should flee. Well let's not be rash, Kitty!
Speaks in opposites huh? That's... going to be a challenge. But Kitty was always up for a challenge if nothing else! ... did he just call her ugly?
"Urr.. Goodbye Bizzaro, it's awful to not meet you." OH SWEET MOTHER OF GOD he's .. he's... coming CLOSER. And he has fingers the size of SAUSAGES. Kitty eyes the hand briefly, before she mentally 'icccks, the dude needs a /serious/ manicure', and holds her hands out for him in turn, "Yes, - er, no, I don't believe that at all, or.. wait.." .. no seriously, wait, what the heck did she just say? Did she say it right? Arr, people and the weird talking pattern!
Billy gives Kitty an encouraging smile. She's doing great. "I am .." think, Billy. Aha! "..sad that you hate my show, Bizarro. I am angry that you will not listen to my newest stories on Gates and the election of Mister Nobody, who lost the election for President and that Superman is not in charge of the IPA." Billy manages, looking down for a moment as he collects his thoughts. See, Kitty, you're not alone.
"Kate is ugly, yes, but we have been friends for a long time."
"This is not Lockheed. He is a friendly dragon, please pet him." Billy thinks to add in a cautious warning, looking to Lockheed.
Bizarro takes Kitty's hand in his own and shakes it with a suprisingly gentle touch. He does so for a few seconds, then pulls away, not wanting to make Kitty any more uncomfortable. He knows the effect he has on people, especially pretty people, especially pretty girl people. He manages a little, awkward bow to her before listening intently to Billy.
"Superman no in charge of IPA! That am worst news Bizarro never hear! Me not help Mr. No Body lose! Him not Bizarro's number 1 worst enemy now! Bizarro no Dada Sister! It no am bad organization for Bizarro to hurt!"
Turning to look at the dragon with Kitty, Bizarro waves to the dragon. "Him no remind me of Krypto! Krypto no love Bizarro! We never play when I not home."
Well in spite of his odd appearance, he was certainly nice enough. Really, it was kind of funny - after all, she's hung around with the Morlocks before, Bizzarro wasn't really -that- different, right? Once again, Kitty is miffed when she hears her name and 'ugly' in the same sentence - but this is the whole backwards talk, so it's okay. . . .sort of.
Watching Billy out of the corner of her eye, she inwardly sighs - good, she's not the only one who has trouble figuring out how to communicate with Bizzarro. "Lockheed be nice. Er.. mean. I mean --" Kitty has successfully confused her dragon to the point where he's looking at -HER- weird. She coughs, looking towards Bizzaro instead, "Krypto? I've heard of Krypto!" ... which is to say she hasn't so.. "Is he ..not here?" A small blink, "Krypto isn't a dragon also?" God this goes against everything she's learned about the english language! Her inner grammar teacher is screaming obscenities at her and threatening her with knives.
Trust me, if his English Teacher was here, Billy would be getting an F with so many minuses, he could circle the world -- or at least Metropolis -- with it. "I see the resemblance. Krypto is not a dog. Lockheed is not a dragon." Billy lets out a breath, trying to gather his thoughts. "You are not just here visiting?"
Turning his head to look at Billy, Bizarro's smile slips just a bit. "Me was not flying below head when me no hear you call Superman, Supergirl and Wonder Woman Meeta Humans. They am Meeta Humans. Meeta Humans no am people without special thing in body but them still not humans! Superman am human! He no am Alien from saved planet Krypton. Supergirl no am from same place! They am human so they be meeta human! You not understand?" For some reason, he seems to understand Metahumans and the difference between them and other super-powered beings. Must be some of Superman's badly xeroxed brain cells floating around in the primordial sludge of his mind.
"Then me no see you with very ugly Kate," he turns his smile on the young mutant and her dragon, "Without her dog Boeing. Me not want to come up and not talk with you and him."
"Bizarro is incorrect. I was not explaining the similarities of our worlds." Billy offers quietly, as he considers how to word this. Chewing over his words for a moment, he continues, "Kate's world has no super powers, too." he manages. "But it always unpleaseant to talk to you, Bizarro."
Looking over to Kitty, he leans over for a moment to whisper to her. "..you're doing horrible, Kate. I was wondering if you would not like to go out for ice cream or something sometime." Yes, he knows Bizarro may be able to hear them, which is why he uses the speech, but he can't help but to giggle.
Let's do an experiment! Let's take Bizarro and an English teacher, and put them both in the same room. .. or maybe that would be considered cruel and unusual.
Kitty glances at Billy, bewildered - how can he /stand/ talking like this? But then Bizarro probably thinks they speak pretty weirdly too huh? Hrm. Idly Kitty wonders how their language sounds to -him-. Bizarro's explanation then .. leaves Kitty at a loss for words as she feeds that into her mental translator, which has a brief seizure. "Guh.." she whispers to herself.
Beep Beep Beep. Processed! *Ping!* "I don't think I understand." Kitty answers slowly. Scarily, he had a point. If Superman was an alien, that would make him different from the metahumans. "I think the minority of the ..humans with powers back home would st.. would not see it the way you do. Don't." Augh. He did it again! Ugly Kate! That dirty low down piece of --
Oh, Oh right. Nevermind. When Lockheed is referred to as 'Boeing', Kitty bites her lower lip HARD to keep from giggling. "I'm g - unhappy that you decided not to say goodbye, Bizarro." Kitty grins, tilting her head to catch the whisper from Billy. Augh, more backwards speak! Urge to giggle, rising. "That's a terrible idea, and i would hate to." She answers instead, actively chewing on her lip. Must.. not.. laugh.
Bizarro listens, hard not to with his X-Ray hearing and all. "You two no be bad for each other. You two ugliest couple Bizarro no see all day!" He looks into the sky, then back down to the pair. "You no invitie Bizarro to the divorce!" With that, he braces himself on the ground, shoves his hands skyward and leaps into the heavens while shouting. "Down, Down and Toward!"
"Hello, Bizarro!" Billy calls after Bizarro as he flies off into the.. moonrise? As soon as he's sure he's gone, the young man breaks into a fit of laughter. "Oh, wow, I forgot how tough that was!"
....What. Couple? ....What. Marriage? .. what? Kitty is still in a sort of stunned shock when Bizarro makes is dashing retreat, at which point she blinks. Oops! She didn't say bye! "Go--" No, wait, "Hello Bizarro! I don't hope we never meet again!" Moonrise. Yeah, that'll work. She glances at Billy, who's laughter is so infectious, she can't help but start laughing herself. "Oh god," she doubles over in her giggles, "That was .. that was really tricky! I kept wanting to correct myself! ANd poor lockheed.. I mean 'Boeing'," Kitty bursts into giggles again.
Lockheed, meanwhile, EYES Kitty balefully, and turns his head towards her, spitting out the jawbreaker so it *pings* off her forehead. Hmf!
"Ouch!" Geez. Dragon slobber.
Billy snickers even more, not entirely oblivious to the whole thing with couples and marriage. But, this is Bizarro, so he treats it like he usually does -- sorting out the information he needs. They just met, after all! "Also, I'm glad you said no.. well.. yes." he offers with a chuckle, blinking as Lockheed spits out the jawbreaker. "Oh, geeze. You okay, Kate?"
Yeah, and Kitty just got out of a pretty rough relationship herself. "Come on Lockheed, don't get all jealous on me; it's just ice cream!" Kitty raises a hand to rub away dragon saliva and glances at Billy, nodding, "Oh sure, I'm just peachy -" Er.. she glances at her dragon again, who's doing his best to ignore her while making sure she KNEW he was ignoring him. "Look, I'll even share!" She glances at Billy, "Don't mind him - he gets a little territorial." It was kind of embarassing, but cute at the same time.
Oh good, Billy won't be alone in that. The whole thing with Stargirl was still heavy on his mind at times. "..what if we brought you back some ice cream?" Billy offers Lockheed. Yes, he's negotiating with the jealous little dragon. "...I'll even let Kate get your favorite, okay?"
What's this 'bring him back' stuff? Lockheed swings his head around to -peer- at Billy, as if telling him in no uncertain terms that he will be going along with Kitty on this ice cream outing. That's right. You're going to have a dragon for a chaperone! The dragon grumbles a bit - he has no complaints about Kitty getting his favorite, though Kitty eyes the dragon, "No I will NOT get you rum raisin. The last time I did you were hiccuping fireballs for an entire day!" Kitty chuckles faintly, uttering a soft sigh before she glances at Billy again, "So! When did you want to go for the ice cream?" A jealous dragon would not stand between her and ice cream if he knew what was good for him. Fortunately, Lockheed did.
Right, they're all going. Billy can live with that.
WISDOM OF SOLOMON SAYS: Do not argue with even small dragons, for you can be made crispy and are tasty with ketchup.
"Well, I should be getting back home for the evening, but soon, okay? It was really nice meeting you, Kate. And I can't wait to see you again." the young man stands up, dusting himself off, and grins at Kitty.
The Wisdom of Solomonn is indeed wise.. which .. is.. the point of it, really. Kitty grins, scooping Lockheed up so he can take his place on her shoulder, "Sure thing Billy - I should be getting back myself so I can check the laptop over." As he gets up, she follows suit, gathering pillow and laptop into her arms, "I'll see you later then." She'd .. offer a hand but both are kind of occupied, so she instead shuffles a little to keep her balance.
Billy recognizes that Kitty's hands are full, so he doesn't try to for anything. "Well, have a safe walk home. And I will see you later, then!" he grins, and with that, heads towards the gate to his world, feeling like he could walk on air.
Kitty Pryde /can/ walk on air! .. but she doesn't, because that is unnecessary and showing off. So she walks off the old fashioned way, back to her room where she places everything down... and then starts laughing again, "Gee willickers. God that cracks me up." X.x Yeah, she'll be like that for the rest of the night. But hey, better to get it out now than for her to randomly start laughing in Billy's face later, right?
Edit: Well, gosh! It seems like Kitty Pryde and Captain Marvel don't have tags yet. Could some nice mod do the Good Samaritan thing and add us! It would be really cool!
Where: The Terminus of Gates
What: Stepping out into the Hub for the first time as humble Billy Batson, Captain Marvel meets a girl, her dragon, and his rival's mirror image all in one night!
When: 13 June 2006
Watch For: Backwards Talk! The Wisdom of Solomon! The Hitchiker's Guide Entry on Bizarro!
The Hub - Terminus
The Terminus is a great, immense facility that is at once a mixture of an alien ruin and a supermodern airport. The superstructure consists of towering blue vines, sometimes as thick as tree trunks, that wind and stretch about, forming great pillars and archways as they curl together. The same material forms the floor, instead of steel or stone. Ramps lead to stacked concentric circles, where the cables form archways leading into the numerous Gates taking people to the rest of the cosmos - and then some.
However, mixed in with this is a variety of architecture - both modern, sleek units and alien technology ranging from organic to stone monoliths - that houses a series of overpriced shops and restaurants. Hotels and the like can even be found mixed in, allowing every amenity one might imagine.
On the southern end of this immense room is a great archway, which leads into the Hub itself. It is large enough for small spaceships, while containing ramps and catwalks for vehicles and men on foot alike to cross at their own pace.
Captain Marvel
An average 16 year old kid, Billy is a little on the skinny side, at around 5 and a half feet tall. He has black hair and usually wears a red t-shirt and blue jeans.
Kitty Pryde
At eighteen years of age, and fresh out of school, Kitty is a mature young teenager - though she is still prone to the occasional bout of immature silliness. Friendly and quick-witted, the young mutant is overall pleasant to be around, with long chestnut hair often twisted back into a ponytail. When left loose, its full length reaches past her shoulders. Her true eye color is hazel, though depending on what she wears, her eyes can look green or dark blue. Her slender face is set in a wide, dimpled smile for everyone she meets, and her five foot six build is slender and well-toned, as one might expect from an Olympic gymnast or a professional dancer.
Today her attire consists of a pair of blue denim cutoffs with frayed edges, and a dark green T-shirt that makes her hazel eyes appear a darker shade of green. A necklace with the star of David on it is worn around her neck, the only accessory that she appears to be wearing this morning. Wrapping up her attire she wears a pair of black sneakers.
Gates gates, as far as the eye can see! But Kitty is not passing through any of them today, for a change. Instead, she's sitting on the ground against a pillar, a laptop on her lap, her figure hunched over the device thoughtfully. It's not her computer, but someone else's - she hires herself out as a computer repair technician when she was bored. "Aha! I found you, you nasty little bugger." She mutters to the computer, triumphant.
Curled up at her side is a little purple shape on top of a blue pillow. Leave it to the dragon to get a cozy bed, as opposed to the 'owner' getting a nice little pillow.
Coming out of one of those Gates is a kid. A young one -- well, a teenager. Okay, so he's on the other side of being a teenager, but a kid nonthless. Grinning, Billy Batson takes a look around all of the various gates.. and the Terminus itself, and the young man gives a low whistle. "..whoowey. This.. this is really. Wow. Cool." he murmurs to himself. Sure, he's been here as Captain Marvel, but he still feels that sense of wonderment as he soaks in all the sights.
So filled with wunderlust as he looks around, the radio reporter/Earth's Mightiest Mortal doesn't even notice that he's starting to come up on a small purple lump on a blue pillow next to a pillar he's about to pass around.
Kitty Pryde has been watching people come and go in the hub - perhaps she's waiting for someone in particular? It would certainly explain why she was content to just sit there, calmly working on someone's computer in the downtime. Or maybe she's just not used to a day that isn't wrought with life-endangering peril, and she wants to make the most of it. By doing work. Yeah.
Unfortunately, she's so engrossed with what she's doing, she doesn't notice Billy approaching from the side and behind - and Lockheed is so content with being curled up on the pillow, he doesn't even look up at the approach. Careful you don't step on or accidentally kick the little dragon's pillow, Billy! Granted, if either happens, Kitty will notice right away (and so will Lockheed). And if neither happens, well, Kitty will notice purely by virtue of Billy being right -there- and all.
Billy lifts his foot to step, and suddenly, something in the back of his head snaps, 'HEY! PAY ATTENTION!' As he looks down, he gives a panicked yelp, trying to adjust and ends up starting to fall over. "Err, watch out!" he calls out as he starts to tumble.
Hopefully he won't fall on Lockheed or Kitty as he starts to tumble, hand reaching out to try to grab a hold of the pillar to support himself and stop his fall.
Fear not! It would seem that Billy's luck is with him this day - Lockheed looks up in surprise at the sound of the cry and the sight of a body tumbling forward. Kitty reacts without thinking, a hand snapping out to rest against Lockheed's body, going out of phase as Billy starts to fall, and just barely catches himself. What might seem stranger is that spot where he caught himself on the pillar with his hand? That spot right there? Is dead center between Kitty's eyes.
... it's kind of awkward.
Meanwhile the computer that had been on Kitty's lap reacts negatively with her powers - an electric surge rips through the computer, and a small wisp of smoke starts to trail up from the keyboard. D'oh!
Now, Billy Batson. He's dealt with superheroes before. Usually as the big red cheese. He stares as he realizes his hand is stuck in Kitty's head. Okay, now that power he's never dealt with before. With a small yelp of panic, Billy rolls away, just now noticing the smoke rising from the computer.
"I.. golly gee willikers, I'm sorry!" he offers, running a hand against the back of his head in complete confusion and shock. "..I didn't mean to do that!"
Kitty Pryde has dealt with superheros before too, but cheese was never part of it. Occasionally the color red was, as part of a uniform, though. Once Billy backs off, Kitty blinks, setting the computer to the side with a small sigh, regaining her solidity now that there wasn't a hand in her head. First things first! "It's okay, really!" Kitty lifts a hand and waves it placatingly, "You didn't do anything wrong. Computers and I don't mix when I'm using my power." Kitty grins weakly - normally she's not so up front about her ability, but A) He saw it firsthand, and B) with the assorted types of people around so far, her being a mutant isn't so strange or unusual. "......."
Wait a second. "... did you say 'Golly gee willikers..'?"
Lockheed meanwhile, is a little huffy, but not huffy enough to give up his pillow. The dragon only yawns hugely and fixes Billy with a careful stare. STARE.
"Yeah, I sure did!" Billy says with a grin. That honest downhome, small town USA grin that is just so early 1960s. "Oh, I'm Billy, by the way. Billy Batson, reporter for WHIZ radio. And you are? And don't worry, I won't tell anyone what I saw."
"Wow..." Kitty .. has never -ever- EVER heard ANYONE say 'Golly gee willickers'. *EVER* Where is this kid /from/? Her 'Nice to meet you' die in her throat when she finds out Billy is a reporter, a thready little 'aagh' taking the place of actual words. Okay, THAT might be a problem -- but oh wait, he won't tell anyone? That's.. unusual. "I thought reporters were always looking for a 'scoop' for the local papers." Or at least some way to cast a mutant in negative light - not that she was assuming he would do such a thing. Anyone that said Golly Gee Willickers probably wasn't even capable of thinking things like that. "Thanks. I'm K," she coughs, "Kate, And this is Lockheed." She indicates the dragon, who sits up as he's introduced, and creels politely. Hullo!
"Hello, Kate! And Lockheed." Then Billy gets a better look at the little creature. Wait, that wasn't a little purple dog. That was. "Oh, goodness! That's a dragon. Gee! That's totally cool! Like, slick." he stares at Lockheed for a moment, then offers his hand, as if he was offering it to a puppy to sniff.
"Oh, no Kate, I'm not one of them type of reporters. I cover things like bake sales and PTA meetings, and news like that. There's too many people out there that are willing to dig into the dirt to find a story, while ignoring everything good that goes on around them. I believe that one good story can turn the tide of a dozen bad ones." Billy offers with a smile. "Gosh, a real dragon. Who would have guessed?"
Lockheed just sort of eyes the hand, and puts on his most offended expression he can muster. Kitty giggles, "Lockheed, be nice." She glances back to Billy, blinking. "..... bake sales and PTA meetings..?" That sounds so horribly boring. Kitty would go mad if she were in that position. "Uh - that sounds really wholesome," she answers after a moment's thought. "Yeah," she chuckles at his comment about the dragon, "I would never have guessed either - I just got .. lucky I guess." Though she wouldn't call it that at the time. Brr. "So where are you from, Billy?"
Heck no, that stuff isn't boring. Fighting crime? Now that can get boring. I mean, someone can ONLY ROB A BANK some many ways. But guessing what Paula Polestar's mother was going to bring to the Tee-Ball Fundraiser? Now that's been a treat since the year she confused her famous chcolate chip cake with her equally infamous whiskey cake.
"Oh, I'm from Fawcett City. It's about 500 miles outside of Metropolis, in that zone that Superman and others come from. And you?" he asks, grinning at Kate!Kitty as he pulls himself into a sitting position. "Where are you from?" he looks back towards the dragon. "Oh, I'm sorry, Lockheed, I didn't mean to upset you. I have a jawbreaker in my pocket.. but I don't think you'd like that.."
Are you kidding? Oh sure, there's only so many ways one can rob a bank, but wait till you go up against the /really/ big fish with things like heat vision and death touches and the whole kitten kaboodle! We're talking supervillains that can make you dance a jig in a tutu while they strut out with the money. "Me? Oh, Deerfield, Illinois." Kitty answers, oblivious to the potential fiasco mistaking whiskey cake for chocolate chip cake was sure to have brought. "But if you mean which gate.." She glances around, pointing, "I think it was that one."
There's a -Mreep!- noise from the dragon, and she looks down, "Huh? Oh! Sorry, that one." she corrects her aim, pointing at a different Gate. Lockheed peers at Billy at the mention of jawbreakers, and Kitty laughs, "Are you kidding? He loves those things. He doesn't suck on them, but he does like chewing on them - but then again, he likes chewing on rocks too. So what do I know?" This last is mostly in jest, from the way the girl grins.
"Well, if it would help me make amends for what I did and all, stumbling in on your break like that.." Fishing the wrapped up piece of candy out of his pocket, Billy offers it to Lockheed. "Here you are." he says with an apologetic grin. "And I'm really sorry about your laptop. I can get some money together to help replace it."
Wait. Okay, he says 'golly gee willickers' and 'gosh', but he knows what a laptop is. There's an explanation around here somewhere, promise!
Amazing. Kitty must have just broken the record for the longest blink known to man. But far be it for her to say, 'You know what a laptop is?'. That would be RUDE. As she's trying to figure out the conundrum between his speech pattern and his knowledge of computers, Lockheed nimbly reaches out and snaps up the jawbreaker - he may have strong teeth, but it'll still take him a while to gnaw that thing down to a good size. And it tastes yummy besides.
"Um! No no," Kitty shakes her head, "It's not your fault, really. And I can fix it." She tilts the computer up, "I just have to replace a few parts, and I think I have some spares in my room." She glances up again with a grin, "So really, don't trouble yourself." She should have known better, going in phase with the computer on her lap like that.
"Well, it sort of is, since I tripped over where you were. So, I really must insist on helping some way. Maybe I can help with the parts or something?" he suggests. Grinning at the little dragon as he works on the jawbreaker, Billy idly plucks a piece of grass from the ground. "You wouldn't have done that disappearing thing if I hadn't.. are you a ghost?" he asks curiously, looking at Kitty. "I mean.. you are real, right?"
Kitty Pryde taps her finger against her chin, "... well, okay," she nods once, "I'll check the laptop over later to see how extensive the damage is, but it's probably just that I burned out a lot of the pieces." Oops. At the question, Kitty bursts into laughter abruptly, slapping a hand over her mouth minute she starts giggling. "I-i-I'm sorry, really I am," she stammers in between fits of laughter, "Yes, I'm real." Ahem. "I'm a mutant - that whole 'ghost' thing you're talking about is my power." ... heehee.
Bizarro emerges from a Terminus Gate.
Bizarro has arrived.
"Oh.. like a metahuman." Billy says, putting the pieces togther. "They're all around where I'm from. Like Superman, and Batman, and Captain Marvel, Wonder Woman, Supergirl.. Power Girl.." he blushes as he looks back towards Kitty. "Gosh, that's a pretty laugh." And it should be. She is a pretty girl. But, that's the closest he's going to come to flirting at the moment. "But they're called mutants where you're from?"
"Superman am Meeta Human! Superman no am alien! Supergirl no alien to!" There's a loud thump on the ground nearby as the thing known as Bizarro lands, feet-first, into the soft earth. He pauses a moment to pull himself out of the ground, his boots no covered in dirt and the ground now sporting two large holes. "Batman am not normal man with lot of powers. Wonder Woman no am dredel... she no made of clay." He grins, showing off his cracked, yellowing, peg-like teeth. "Me known how me know that but me don't!"
"Metahuman?" Kitty looks thoughtful, "Yeah, I guess you could say that." She thinks she likes that name better than 'mutant' since mutant is often paired with 'freak'. "Well, Homo superior actually, since we're considered the evolved form of humans, but.. to be honest, I don't really care for that term. It makes it sound like we think we're so much better than people without powers, and that's not true at all." She flicks a finger at the laptop, closing the lid, startling at the.. did he just flirt? "O-oh, thanks." She grins sheepishly, mildly embarassed. She still can't get over the fact that he said 'Golly gee willickers'. Mark her words, she'll wake up in the middle of the night, STILL giggling over it.
And then Bizarre lands on the ground of them and is all.. bizarre at them. Kitty jumps a bit at his arrival, but whether she's more stupidified by the entrance than his dialogue... oh who are we kidding. It's the dialogue, TOTALLY. "Y..e... uh?" o O ( What the F-1-1..? )
[OOC] In the Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Multiverse, there are countless entries dealing with the super-beings of various worlds. For example, Captain Carrot of Earth-C is noted for his ability to leap higher then most rabbit's should while Wolverine of Marvel Earth simply has the word SNKKT written beneath his picture (he co-incidentally also appears as the pictorial definition of the word Overused). The entry for Bizarro can be summed up in two words. "Mostly Harmless" though how those two words apply to a being who can bend steel, change the course of mighty rivers and deflect bullets with his teeth is a mystery best left to the guide's editors. A future edition of the guide has the following addendum "Bizarro: Mostly Harmless Unless You Let Him Talk to you in which case you will need a copy of the Da Vinci Code and a good psychiatrist to make sense of him" This ends this pointless OOC interlude.
Billy was maybe about to ask Kitty if she wanted to get a milkshake and a burger, when the ground near him nearly explodes. As the boy stares at the indention, Billy gapes. OH NO!
"...B-Bizarro!" he squeaks, staring up at the Not!Superman. Part of his considers excusing himself to yell a quick Shazam! and come back as the Big Red Cheese, but he doesn't, the Wisdom of Solomon creeping in.
"This.. This is Bizarro, Kate.." he murmurs. "..he speaks in opposites.. like this.." And with that, Billy picks up his voice. "Goodbye, Bizarro! Me and Kate were not sitting here and were not talking. Why are you leaving here? I don't think you're not in trouble, are you?"
Bizarro cocks his head to the side and listens to Billy talk to him. His grin only seems to grow larger. "Goodbye Billy Batson! Me never watch your radio show. It am worst there be!" He takes a few steps closer, waving to the pair. "Your ugly friend no be Kate? Goodbye Kate, me no am Bizarro!" He stretches out a hand to the young mutant, a gigantic, chalky hand with huge fingers like sausages made of stone and black, cracked and peeling fingernails. "Me hope we all be worst enemies!"
This is bizarre? No crap Captain, it is bizarr-- oh wait, BizzarO. Yes, that makes much more sense. And .. then ...Billy starts talking weird the way Bizzaro had, which makes Kitty wonder if the speech pattern was contagious, and if so, whether she should flee. Well let's not be rash, Kitty!
Speaks in opposites huh? That's... going to be a challenge. But Kitty was always up for a challenge if nothing else! ... did he just call her ugly?
"Urr.. Goodbye Bizzaro, it's awful to not meet you." OH SWEET MOTHER OF GOD he's .. he's... coming CLOSER. And he has fingers the size of SAUSAGES. Kitty eyes the hand briefly, before she mentally 'icccks, the dude needs a /serious/ manicure', and holds her hands out for him in turn, "Yes, - er, no, I don't believe that at all, or.. wait.." .. no seriously, wait, what the heck did she just say? Did she say it right? Arr, people and the weird talking pattern!
Billy gives Kitty an encouraging smile. She's doing great. "I am .." think, Billy. Aha! "..sad that you hate my show, Bizarro. I am angry that you will not listen to my newest stories on Gates and the election of Mister Nobody, who lost the election for President and that Superman is not in charge of the IPA." Billy manages, looking down for a moment as he collects his thoughts. See, Kitty, you're not alone.
"Kate is ugly, yes, but we have been friends for a long time."
"This is not Lockheed. He is a friendly dragon, please pet him." Billy thinks to add in a cautious warning, looking to Lockheed.
Bizarro takes Kitty's hand in his own and shakes it with a suprisingly gentle touch. He does so for a few seconds, then pulls away, not wanting to make Kitty any more uncomfortable. He knows the effect he has on people, especially pretty people, especially pretty girl people. He manages a little, awkward bow to her before listening intently to Billy.
"Superman no in charge of IPA! That am worst news Bizarro never hear! Me not help Mr. No Body lose! Him not Bizarro's number 1 worst enemy now! Bizarro no Dada Sister! It no am bad organization for Bizarro to hurt!"
Turning to look at the dragon with Kitty, Bizarro waves to the dragon. "Him no remind me of Krypto! Krypto no love Bizarro! We never play when I not home."
Well in spite of his odd appearance, he was certainly nice enough. Really, it was kind of funny - after all, she's hung around with the Morlocks before, Bizzarro wasn't really -that- different, right? Once again, Kitty is miffed when she hears her name and 'ugly' in the same sentence - but this is the whole backwards talk, so it's okay. . . .sort of.
Watching Billy out of the corner of her eye, she inwardly sighs - good, she's not the only one who has trouble figuring out how to communicate with Bizzarro. "Lockheed be nice. Er.. mean. I mean --" Kitty has successfully confused her dragon to the point where he's looking at -HER- weird. She coughs, looking towards Bizzaro instead, "Krypto? I've heard of Krypto!" ... which is to say she hasn't so.. "Is he ..not here?" A small blink, "Krypto isn't a dragon also?" God this goes against everything she's learned about the english language! Her inner grammar teacher is screaming obscenities at her and threatening her with knives.
Trust me, if his English Teacher was here, Billy would be getting an F with so many minuses, he could circle the world -- or at least Metropolis -- with it. "I see the resemblance. Krypto is not a dog. Lockheed is not a dragon." Billy lets out a breath, trying to gather his thoughts. "You are not just here visiting?"
Turning his head to look at Billy, Bizarro's smile slips just a bit. "Me was not flying below head when me no hear you call Superman, Supergirl and Wonder Woman Meeta Humans. They am Meeta Humans. Meeta Humans no am people without special thing in body but them still not humans! Superman am human! He no am Alien from saved planet Krypton. Supergirl no am from same place! They am human so they be meeta human! You not understand?" For some reason, he seems to understand Metahumans and the difference between them and other super-powered beings. Must be some of Superman's badly xeroxed brain cells floating around in the primordial sludge of his mind.
"Then me no see you with very ugly Kate," he turns his smile on the young mutant and her dragon, "Without her dog Boeing. Me not want to come up and not talk with you and him."
"Bizarro is incorrect. I was not explaining the similarities of our worlds." Billy offers quietly, as he considers how to word this. Chewing over his words for a moment, he continues, "Kate's world has no super powers, too." he manages. "But it always unpleaseant to talk to you, Bizarro."
Looking over to Kitty, he leans over for a moment to whisper to her. "..you're doing horrible, Kate. I was wondering if you would not like to go out for ice cream or something sometime." Yes, he knows Bizarro may be able to hear them, which is why he uses the speech, but he can't help but to giggle.
Let's do an experiment! Let's take Bizarro and an English teacher, and put them both in the same room. .. or maybe that would be considered cruel and unusual.
Kitty glances at Billy, bewildered - how can he /stand/ talking like this? But then Bizarro probably thinks they speak pretty weirdly too huh? Hrm. Idly Kitty wonders how their language sounds to -him-. Bizarro's explanation then .. leaves Kitty at a loss for words as she feeds that into her mental translator, which has a brief seizure. "Guh.." she whispers to herself.
Beep Beep Beep. Processed! *Ping!* "I don't think I understand." Kitty answers slowly. Scarily, he had a point. If Superman was an alien, that would make him different from the metahumans. "I think the minority of the ..humans with powers back home would st.. would not see it the way you do. Don't." Augh. He did it again! Ugly Kate! That dirty low down piece of --
Oh, Oh right. Nevermind. When Lockheed is referred to as 'Boeing', Kitty bites her lower lip HARD to keep from giggling. "I'm g - unhappy that you decided not to say goodbye, Bizarro." Kitty grins, tilting her head to catch the whisper from Billy. Augh, more backwards speak! Urge to giggle, rising. "That's a terrible idea, and i would hate to." She answers instead, actively chewing on her lip. Must.. not.. laugh.
Bizarro listens, hard not to with his X-Ray hearing and all. "You two no be bad for each other. You two ugliest couple Bizarro no see all day!" He looks into the sky, then back down to the pair. "You no invitie Bizarro to the divorce!" With that, he braces himself on the ground, shoves his hands skyward and leaps into the heavens while shouting. "Down, Down and Toward!"
"Hello, Bizarro!" Billy calls after Bizarro as he flies off into the.. moonrise? As soon as he's sure he's gone, the young man breaks into a fit of laughter. "Oh, wow, I forgot how tough that was!"
....What. Couple? ....What. Marriage? .. what? Kitty is still in a sort of stunned shock when Bizarro makes is dashing retreat, at which point she blinks. Oops! She didn't say bye! "Go--" No, wait, "Hello Bizarro! I don't hope we never meet again!" Moonrise. Yeah, that'll work. She glances at Billy, who's laughter is so infectious, she can't help but start laughing herself. "Oh god," she doubles over in her giggles, "That was .. that was really tricky! I kept wanting to correct myself! ANd poor lockheed.. I mean 'Boeing'," Kitty bursts into giggles again.
Lockheed, meanwhile, EYES Kitty balefully, and turns his head towards her, spitting out the jawbreaker so it *pings* off her forehead. Hmf!
"Ouch!" Geez. Dragon slobber.
Billy snickers even more, not entirely oblivious to the whole thing with couples and marriage. But, this is Bizarro, so he treats it like he usually does -- sorting out the information he needs. They just met, after all! "Also, I'm glad you said no.. well.. yes." he offers with a chuckle, blinking as Lockheed spits out the jawbreaker. "Oh, geeze. You okay, Kate?"
Yeah, and Kitty just got out of a pretty rough relationship herself. "Come on Lockheed, don't get all jealous on me; it's just ice cream!" Kitty raises a hand to rub away dragon saliva and glances at Billy, nodding, "Oh sure, I'm just peachy -" Er.. she glances at her dragon again, who's doing his best to ignore her while making sure she KNEW he was ignoring him. "Look, I'll even share!" She glances at Billy, "Don't mind him - he gets a little territorial." It was kind of embarassing, but cute at the same time.
Oh good, Billy won't be alone in that. The whole thing with Stargirl was still heavy on his mind at times. "..what if we brought you back some ice cream?" Billy offers Lockheed. Yes, he's negotiating with the jealous little dragon. "...I'll even let Kate get your favorite, okay?"
What's this 'bring him back' stuff? Lockheed swings his head around to -peer- at Billy, as if telling him in no uncertain terms that he will be going along with Kitty on this ice cream outing. That's right. You're going to have a dragon for a chaperone! The dragon grumbles a bit - he has no complaints about Kitty getting his favorite, though Kitty eyes the dragon, "No I will NOT get you rum raisin. The last time I did you were hiccuping fireballs for an entire day!" Kitty chuckles faintly, uttering a soft sigh before she glances at Billy again, "So! When did you want to go for the ice cream?" A jealous dragon would not stand between her and ice cream if he knew what was good for him. Fortunately, Lockheed did.
Right, they're all going. Billy can live with that.
WISDOM OF SOLOMON SAYS: Do not argue with even small dragons, for you can be made crispy and are tasty with ketchup.
"Well, I should be getting back home for the evening, but soon, okay? It was really nice meeting you, Kate. And I can't wait to see you again." the young man stands up, dusting himself off, and grins at Kitty.
The Wisdom of Solomonn is indeed wise.. which .. is.. the point of it, really. Kitty grins, scooping Lockheed up so he can take his place on her shoulder, "Sure thing Billy - I should be getting back myself so I can check the laptop over." As he gets up, she follows suit, gathering pillow and laptop into her arms, "I'll see you later then." She'd .. offer a hand but both are kind of occupied, so she instead shuffles a little to keep her balance.
Billy recognizes that Kitty's hands are full, so he doesn't try to for anything. "Well, have a safe walk home. And I will see you later, then!" he grins, and with that, heads towards the gate to his world, feeling like he could walk on air.
Kitty Pryde /can/ walk on air! .. but she doesn't, because that is unnecessary and showing off. So she walks off the old fashioned way, back to her room where she places everything down... and then starts laughing again, "Gee willickers. God that cracks me up." X.x Yeah, she'll be like that for the rest of the night. But hey, better to get it out now than for her to randomly start laughing in Billy's face later, right?
Edit: Well, gosh! It seems like Kitty Pryde and Captain Marvel don't have tags yet. Could some nice mod do the Good Samaritan thing and add us! It would be really cool!