15915/Free Hugs

Free Hugs
Date of Scene:	22 September 2023
Location:	Rock of Eternity
Synopsis:	Billy tests some boundaries, and fails. Irie sleeps through Mr. Sardonicus
Cast of Characters:	Billy Batson, Nettie Crowe, Irie West

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Billy Batson has posed:
Billy Batson is sure the Rock of Eternity had been used for many purposes in 5000 years: conferences, ceremonies, perhaps even revels -after victories. Zeus' birthday, that sort of thing. This had to be a new one for the ancient fortress.

Billy was watching a HD collection of the works of William Castle in no real order. He just finished 'Strait Jacket' and was starting on Mr. Sardonicus, sitting high up on his thrown, in his Shazam guise, eating carrot sticks.

William Castle was tops so far.

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    And that's when Nettie's portal opens. She's gotten decently good at bypassing the Rock's security measures by now -- with the Rock of Eternity's cooperation, of course. She knows most magical locales have their own tastes.

    She comes in on Broom, riding side-saddle wearing long, squishy skirts, a corsetted top, leather pouches along a heavy belt and a cloth satchel, and a twisted, crooked witch's hat, her silver-white hair bound in braids and secured at the back where some of it drifted down, and she's carrying a quartet of smoked turkey legs in one hand and a tankard in the other.

    "AH! BILLY!" she starts, hopping off Broom.

    She then looks up to the movie playing.

    "Am I Interrupting?"

Billy Batson has posed:
Billy Batson hits pause on the recorder with a small touch of lightning. Eugene set that up. Not that the younger brother needed such a switch. He gets up and stretches then looks over Nettie.

Wow, he thinks. Then he opens his mouth and "Wow," comes out. He recovers quickly. "No you aren't interrupting. I texted Irie to come over but never got a response which means she's probably asleep. Uhhhh, did you come from a renaissance Faire or something?" Salem Re-enactments? Oh trying to burn Nettie at the stake would have been hilarious. For Nettie anyway.

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    Nettie would have taken exception to being burned at the stake like some of her ancestors.

    Nettie pauses. She looks at the turkey legs. She looks at the tankard that absolutely had alcohol in it.

    "Rennfaire. Decided to have a spot of fun, saw smoked turkey legs and considered bringing some by. Been a minute since I checked in, yeah?"

Billy Batson has posed:
Billy Batson remembers his manners and gets up then to take the goodies from Nettie, who might have be a little drunk he decides. Not like she's under 21. "Did you have fun then? Would you like a soda or water? Let me heat these up. Thanks, they look delicious. Sorry about the outburst. I never saw you... beskirted this way." Not to mention corseted. Definitely not. There's a small flash and wisper of thunder and the legs are smoking. He plates one for Nettie.

'Maybe I should take Irie to a Red Faire. I took her to Iceland the other night, we watched the auror...ases." She'd probably look cute in a corse... bad Billy! Bad!

Irie West has posed:
    Speak of the devil and she shall appear! Except Irie is no devil. "AH! I'M TOTALLY SORRY I WAS ASLEEP AND I DIDN'T GET YOUR MESSAGE SO I GOT UP AND QUICKLY TOOK A SHOWER WHICH I HAVE TO TAKE SLOW BECUASE OTHERWISE THE WATER DOESN'T GET ON ME AND THEN MADDIE CALLED SO I COULDN'T JUST NOT TALK TO HER AND WE GOT TALKING AND IT TURNS OUT SHE JUST BOUGHT SOME MORE MINIS SO I'M GOING TO GO OVER LATER TONIGHT TO HELP HER PAINT THEM I HOPE YOU WEREN'T PLANNING ANYTHING TONIGHT I COULD TAKE YOU THERE WITH US AND YOU CAN HELP PAINT THEM TOO AND--"

    Finally she notices Nettie. "Oh! Hi! Um. I've seen you before, but I'm sorry, I don't remember your name. I'm Irie! Pleased to meet you.

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    No, Nettie is corsetted, beskirted, Ren-faire garbed and in a crooked witch hat. She looks... almost... adorable. For a 5'2 witch that more often is chaotic goblin gramma acting than person who looks in her twenties and actually has seen the rise and fall of nations and lived through the Tab craze.

    "They're fun. I don't mind going to them, I didn't live through that time period so the glaring anarchronisms don't bother me so *much*. But taking out a Star Trek communicator to mess with the Trekkies is fun." Nettie replies. And she looks at her tankard. She swirls it a moment and then tilts it back and steadily empties it.

    "Water --" she burps, and gives an 'excuse me' "makes me rust. I'll have a soda-pop."

    Her crow rolls its eyes.

    And she turns to Irie with a smile, and just sits on her still floating broom.

    "Hullo Irie. you're one of the Flashes, aye? I'm Nettie."

Billy Batson has posed:
Billy Batson says the word and is Billy inside and outside. things are a little bigger. Irie is just right, whoever he happens to be. "It's okay. Shhh. You'll get unstuck in time or turn old or something. You don't leave me waiting nearly as long as you think you do." He gives her a big hug and a kiss. "Nettie brought food, I have scary movies. It's a party, though we might have to do a little to catch up with Nettie. Come grab a seat, Nettie. Let Broom go chase Steve around. He's been moping." He gets Irie a plate with a turkey leg. No need to ask.Nettie gets her pop. SOrry, Mary's the only one can buy beer. He sits on the central seat and moves all the way over to the side to make room for Irie. He hopes. Well she respected the Move the other night. Then again she might not have known what that was. Then again the Titans seemed to be bringing her up to speed. Hah!

Irie West has posed:
    "Yes!" Irie says brightly. "The Flash is my father. Well. One of The Flashes. There's, like, three. The one named Wally West is my dad, so I'm Irie West. Well, technically Iris West, but nobody ever calls me Iris. I'm Kid Flash!" she says, putting her fists on her hips and striking a superhero pose. "Fastest girl alive!"

    Then she's distracted by a hug and a kiss, and she gets a little blush and giggles. "So which movie are we watching today?" she asks, grabbing the turkey leg and starting to nomf down on it. She takes Billy's hint and settles in next to him. That throne is definitely big enough for the two teens to sit side by side.

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "Bah! Less canoodling, more turkey legging!" Nettie states playfully, and she hops off Broom, and looks down tot he worn besom. "Aye, go an' have some fun." she states to the broom, and the broom speeds off.

    "Bah, you'd have to do a lot to catch up with me. I've been partying since before your grandfather was born. Either of yours. An' further more, as your 'wizard pro tempore'," Nettie states, looking to Billy. "Nyeeh." she sticks her tongue out playfully, but does accept a turkey leg back and a soda pop.

    "It's all right, Batson." the crow speaks, coming over to fly and land experimentaially on one of the thrones.

    "She's three sheets to the wind as it is. Luckily Broom knows its way home."

Billy Batson has posed:
Billy Batson settles in next to the petite ginger and gestures at the tv screen and, nothing happens. Oops, left the lightning in his other suit. He grabs the remote and switches the tv on. "Come sit down before you fall on your bustle, Nettie. Also it's mt fortress. I'll canoodle all Irie wants." Important distinction when your girlfriend is the little princess of three super teams. Shazam is good, but not that good.

What he intends to impress on all those fine folks is far from worrying about Billy, Irie now had six Shazams to help her out of a jam and one of those might even run D&D for her.

"How is Mads?"

Irie West has posed:
    "Well, that's not hard to do," Irie says. "My grandpa is, like, 50 in this point of time. He was older when I was born." Because that makes sense. "Gimme another turkey leg." How does a girl that small eat that much?

    "Mads is doing good! She's finished High School and is looking at college. Also maybe joining the West Coast Avengers, but they just don't believe that she's a Jedi." She shakes her head in wonderment. "I mean, look at what she can do! It's just not the same like it is with the Titans."

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "I'm not wearing a bustle, those wouldn't be around for hundreds of years, Sparky." NEttie states, flouncing in her skirts a bit before she comes and usurps a different throne, legs crossing up on the seat as she gnaws on a turkey leg, working her way around the tendons.

    "Recall to yourself lad I come from an era where my social class flirted with fans, gloves, love letters and tablecloths were made in case young men saw the legs of a table and were overcome."

    Nettie sups her pop.

    "But weirdly everyone was fascinated with body piercing."

Billy Batson has posed:
Billy Batson might feel a tremble from Irie at body piercings. It might be him. "Awfully sexy furniture you had. Make you wonder what being a furniture maker entailed back then." On Irie's demand, he sighs, gets up as slowly possible and procures the drumstick with exaggerated slowness for her. "Here you go. Tell me did an old wizard whisper 'thinner' in your ear?" He's pretty sure most girls seeing the way Irie ate would instantly hate her. He gets comfortable again. That he does quick. Then on a thought, "A lot of people declare Jedi as their religion. She might be able to sue them on discrimination."

Irie West has posed:
    Irie blinks slowly at Nettie. "How do you become overcome by the legs of a table? And how do you flirt with a glove?" Her head tilts curiously as she tries to imagine the answers to these questions, but can't really come up with anything that doesn't come off as silly.

    She shakes her head at Billy. "Naw. It's just speedster metabolism. We burn so many calories that we have to be basically constantly eating to make sure we can just function." She lets out a little giggle. "Believe me. You wouldn't want to see me //ravenous//. I could go through two whole pizzas!"

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "The idea is that men were so ravenously starved from the modesty of the era that even a table would force them into uncontrollable /urges/. And it's quite simple, really, with the gloves." NEttie looks over to the two, and she holds up her own gloved hands.

    "The actions ou show with your gloves politely translate to signals like 'walk with me' or 'go away', kind of how you youths use emojis to translate emphasis to your words or to make inferrances using certain vegetable emojis." Nettie replies thoughtfully.

    "Really, if you want to see some scandalous furnishings, Catherine the Great had some utterly graphic items in her household."

Billy Batson has posed:
Billy Batson frowns. "You're missing the part where William Castle explains about the punishment poll. It's a neat idea, breaking the fourth wall like that. Now that would be a great power... I mean not for a real life hero. Not like we're in a work of fiction. He shouldn't smoke though. Look at the size of that stogie!"

"You know the fam and I are all really good eaters. Especially Freddy. Maybe it's from calling all that lightning?"

Irie West has posed:
    "So kinda like a sign language," Irie muses thoughtfully. "I. Um. Don't think I want to see graphic furniture." She blushes heavily at the thought. That and the other thought is that Cait would kill her for looking at that sort of thing.

    "The punishment poll?" Irie asks uncertainly. "Why would... wait. This is one of those fifties horror things where they have some kind of gimmick to get you into the theater, right?" She shakes her head, "Like 'The Shocker' put electrical currents in the seats and zapped everybody."

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "An' Thirteen Ghosts marketed with special SPector-Specs." Nettie replies, "I remember seein' that in the Cinema when it first released. I was the only one laughing." Nettie remarks offhand, though she quiets down to continue with Irie.

    "Quite right, it's a voiceless language. Gloves, fans, flowers, each having meaning to ever motion. I would imagine it's a small miracle my older sister got pregnant at all during Victoria's reign." Nettie cracks a small smile.

    "Aye, breaking the fourth wall and talking to the fates, the scribes of our lives and to ask them politely 'madam, what in the Nine Hells?'"

    

Billy Batson has posed:
Billy Batson decides he is in a pretty good place regarding Irie, Nettie, free food and a good cheesy movie. His player would be safe for once, unless the subject of those fights with Juggenaut was brought up. "How do you know all this? Are you a film fan? Into horror movies?" Speaking of the hands and the language of love, he takes Irie's hand as they watch, and sits a little closer. Cuddliest girl alive,

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    Irie has fallen asleep, and the movie has ended. Nettie had taken up Broom again, and was up and above the Rock of Eternity, taking in the sighs, Corvax sitting on her shoulder, breezes unseen ruffling through her skirts. She seems pensive.

Billy Batson has posed:
Billy Batson gets up carefully arranging pillows around the sleeping Flash to assure she doesn't fall off or bonk her head. He looks up at Nettie, careful not to look at London or France and silently gestures for her to come down to the ground. Because if he says the word, he'll wake up the cutest girl ever. He motions for her to come down, insistently as credits roll. He smiles. Shazam would be better for this... maybe not.

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    Nettie's skirts (and also Victorian bloomers) would have prevented any upskirting much to the disappointment of a few lads at the faire), but she does come down, still sitting on Broom.

    "My apologies. Chatterbox and chatterbox equals not a good cinema experience." she gives a small, and gives an upnod to Irie. "Out like a light, mm?"

Billy Batson has posed:
Billy Batson looks at Irie. "My ex... would never be so vulnerable around me. But what I wanted to say is this... you're like another mom to me, a hot naughty mom and just..." He grabs the witch in a hug. He shudders for a moment, then relaxes into the hug. "I... listen to the voices of the Seven Deadly enemies when I'm here alone. I refused the Eye of Evil. I guard humanity from bad magic and demons, no matter who I am! their lies mean nothing. NOTHING. You need a hug. And gods as my witness I will find a way to lift this curse!" He looks back at Irie, afraid he woke her.

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    Nettie neatly taps against the floor of the Rock, and then, as Billy calls her a 'hot naughty mom' she levels a wet cat expression at the boy, and was about to admonish him that she's not a hot, naughty mom, more of a shenanigans-and-tragedy gin aunt when he throws his arms around her in a hug.

    Her hands go out to the side. She widens her eyes, and she gives a squeak of "Billy. Billy *let go*. You don't know what happens when people touch me --" she whispers in a soft hiss.

    The longer that Billy Batson is in contact with Nettie, the worst the visions and the accompanying feelings get. Radiation poisoning, vomiting blood and teeth and seaweed and foam from possession gone wrong. Lacerated wounds on the inside of the body, stomach acid striking organs as the skin's peeled away. Death by having the live drained out of you by Nettie in a back alley. Skeletal hands with skin thin as parchment wrapping around his throat os he cannot call the Word.

    And finally, Nettie brings her arms in, braces herself, and *SHOVES* Billy away.

    Her hat's been knocked off. Her hair is half undone, and she has a dark glow about her face, even paler, her eyes sunken in, far more corpse-like, and the aquamarine running ice cold in her eyes.

    "Do you think you are the first young buck who has gotten it into their foolish head that I could be cured of this curse? That countless others I've encountered haven't /tried/?" she states, malevolent crackling along her form.

    "My father. My uncle. My mother. All failed. All fallen. This was the price of what I paid."

        The Color of her Hair

            The Color of her Eyes

    "/All magic/ requires /sacrifice/. Not all are fated to be guardians in the light, little boy."

Billy Batson has posed:
Billy Batson staggers back a few steps. He starts to talk, the taste of blood and bile in his mouth ans swallows hard. Then he draws himself to his full height. "Your demons are a bunch of bitches. I said what I said. You sacrifice all the time helping others, Nettie Crowe, against the darkness outside and within. That sacrifice has to count for something. I have the power of gods and heroes. My price is I use it to help people, let alone a good friend. I have the mightiest mystical fortress on Earth, five other champions, Franklin, Audra, Belinda, Irie... Steve. The biggest library of magic ever. I think my chances are fair to middlin', and I'm not a boy. Boys only pick fights that are an easy win. I'm sorry though. The hug was not appropriate." He hears the Eye of Evfil and the Enemies chuckling, their eyes shifting, sensing weakness.

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "There is only one way to release the curse. And none of you, your gods, advisors, or friends are strong enough or willing to make the sacrifice required. But I have seen, Billy Batson. And I KNOW." the vision states, dark magicl pooling against Nettie like ichor, dripping from her fingers before she breathes out. She collects herself. Her hair returns to its normal consistency. Her eyes stop the malevolent glow. She pauses, and straightens herself up, taking a deep breath again with her eyes closed.

    "Billy, /promise/ me you will not do that again. The power you hold may protect you but all things wear down in time." she states, her words echoing in the quiet now.

    Corvax flaps down from where he had been keeping watch over the sleeping Irie.

Billy Batson has posed:
Billy Batson says, "I will not hug you again and experience those visions. I give you my word, I'm sorry I upset you. I should have just let you leave. We had a good day up till now. But... now you should go. Those guys are feeling stroppy and I have to deal with them. As Shazam. I'll go elsewhere to change. I'll bring Irie to a safe place we have, so they don't bother her."

Nettie Crowe has posed:
    "I should go." Nettie confirms, and Broom sweeps up underneath her as she sits. Corvax lands on her shoulder.

    NEttie's face seems impassive, cold.

    "If you and your interested parties want to discuss what needs to be done, organize them and we shall have a meeting. Until then, do not try to do anything about my curse on your own. Am I clearly understood, Billy?"

Billy Batson has posed:
Billy Batson looks up at Nettie. "I won't do anything on my own. You have my word." He watches the witch portal out without undue noise or commotion. Then he stumbles to the slab that functions as his desk. He sits heavily on the edge, glad Nettie left and didn't see this. He waits for his stomach to stop churning as Steve the Stylus hops onto the desk. He looks at the stylus and smiles faintly. "You spoke to Besom?"

//Yes,//

"Did she say anything about trying to break Nettie's curse?"

//DON'T!// the stylus scribbles.