2595/Citysoul: Vayechi

Citysoul: Vayechi
Date of Scene:	13 July 2020
Location:	Atop the Williamsburg Bridge, NY.
Synopsis:	Infinity Watch is born!
Cast of Characters:	Stephen Strange, Julie Yan, Michael Hannigan, Alexander Aaron, Ariah Olivie, Lara Croft, Nessa Donovan, Amanda Sefton, Siobhan Smythe, Takako Kyozan, Jason Blood, Illyana Rasputina, Colette O'Connail, Sera
Tinyplot:	Citysoul

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Stephen Strange has posed:
The last thing any of the Heroes would remember was the flash of white light overtaking them and passing out of consciousness. They had awoken in the crater that was Bushwick, rain pouring down and pooling in the craters and fissures that were once Mutant Town some time just before dawn.

The Doctor had been waiting, his garb torn, and his features stained with what looked like a mixture of blood and black ichor. His eyes are ringed with that same darkness, and his skin is pale. Despite all that, he conjures a doorway in the air - a passage leading from here to another place some distance away.

On the other side of the door, the Heroes find themselves atop one of the towering spans of the Williamsburg bridge. The distant horizon is already glowing pink and orange with the dawn, and the shadows that once consumed the entire city have receded entirely. The tethers that stretch away into the aethereal glow stronger than ever, and the sense of disquiet and anger is finally gone from the City.

Julie Yan has posed:
    "Uuuuugh, my head..." Clutching at the gnawing headache buzzing at her skull, Julie Yan finds herself in a crater that USED to be Mutant Town. It's unnerving being here, at the seat of a massive tragedy, like being in Pripyat or Hiroshima. Her shirt is torn, revealing a gray sports bra underneath and several injuries that have been patched up either my magic or through bandaging. Focusing, running a hand across herself, Julie starts to slowly treat her injuries, hoping she isn't going to get infected with something after all this.

    "Doc...what happened?" She asks Strange, following him through the doorway, as they end up at Williamsburg.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
To be honest, Mike was already tired when he came across the group in the Bronx. If he had known he'd get pulled into a save the city blitz tonight, the rocker might have gotten more sleep the night before to get some energy in the bank. But he didn't. So tired before, tired in the Bronx, he kind of went to a sleep mode during the meeting to try and get some energy back but that's not the same as a good night's sleep. Heck. If it wasn't for that bandana giving him a SUPER energy boost, he'd probably have been tired during that raft ride too.

But now the bandana's gone and the fatigue from before combined with the fatigue from the double dose of the flask has made it's way back. He was so tired he didn't really pay much attention to the sensations afterwards of falling back or the blinding light. He couldn't. Crap. Did he overdo it again? Damn it. Eyes closing... Tired. Leaning back. It's a shame. Mike might have appreciated the sight.

Considering where he was positioned at the start of the light, Mike's fall would not an ideal one in the least if the ground of Bushwick not appeared to catch his fall. Time passed, and now the musician, slightly recharged from the slight nap is sitting up. "Never getting used to this." He mutters, shaking his head as he pushes himself up, glancing over to see another door with a familiar figure on the other side. "...Again?"

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    Regaining his feet slowly, the young Olympian only has time enough to tilt his head one way and then the other, expression drawn and haggard as he grimaces once awareness fully takes seat on the stretch of the Williamsburg bridge. The city is quiet, the traffic likely almost non-existent, leaving a tableau of some peace upon which to gather oneself.
    At his side he realizes that one of the forms near is that of Amanda and he takes the moment to try and reach over and offer a steadying hand to help her up should she need even as he looks around at the others close by from his own mission.
    Once Amanda might be fully together he'll glance over at Lara and moves to offer what aid he can. "Hey, you alright?" Then he looks over at Mike and half-grins a little.

Ariah Olivie has posed:
    Ariah remembers. She remembers the endless cityscape, rising up in every direction. On the sides, around her, above her. Her stalwart allies. The creature of darkness that had tried to devour them. The massive brain, damaged, dirtied, and pulsing with malice. She remembers the flood of fire and then the tar. The animate blackness rising up from the hot, acrid asphalt. The choice to heal or to destroy. The overwhelming black tide and the seconds ticking as moments before being overwhelmed... nothingness.

    White light and nothingness.

    She awakens, to the rain, to the light sky, to the awareness of so many heartbeats around her. More than her group in the Cityscape. Most familiar. She sits up with a start, covered in mud and black goo, scrabbling in the wet soil and detritus for her staff. Shaky, she drags herself to her feet, looking a mess, like a near-drowned animal. But still she rises, using her staff as a crutch. The beacon of energy she had been, with the glowing energy under her skin, is now just a snuffed candle. Her mystical energy wanes but she can move. And to that portal she starts to move, looking around her for anyone that needs a hand up.

Lara Croft has posed:
Lara, covered in filth and grime, was down on her knees holding the black bag with the crystal skull in it. She raises her hand when she starts to hear noises, and soon comes to put one foot under her following the other until she's standing up to her full height. She releases a soft exhale before her gaze goes to Alexander speaking to her, she nods once to him. "I'm fine." She says, even showing a brief smile on her filth-smudged face, seeing that he appears to be as well. Her eyes then look around to the others gathered about... taking in their conditions as well.

Nessa Donovan has posed:
Perhaps things were a bit of a mess, but Nessa figured it'd turn out alright. When she wakes up, she takes her time sorting out through everything going on. No tar creatures, no diseased brain, and it /looked/ like everyone was in one piece. She starts to get up, then freezes, reaching into her pockets to make sure her gloves are there. Thankfully they haven't strayed, and she pulls the pair on carefully before fully getting to her feet. "Well, that was definitely exciting," she mutters to no one in particular.

Amanda Sefton has posed:
Amanda groans as she awakens, shoving herself awkwardly into a sitting position. She gives Alex a brief smile of thanks as he helps to steady her. Then, she runs a damp hand through her hair, pushing her hood back as she does. Rolling her shoulders, she climbs to her feet and looks toward the open door. "Looks like we won," she says after a moment, glancing to Alex and Lara as she heads for that door.

"Now, there's a view..."

Siobhan Smythe has posed:
"Urrggh..." The girl replies to no one in particular. She's laying there on her back, shaking her head from side to side and just groaning. She finally pushes herself up and then blinks at Ariah before taking the hand and pulling herself up and stating, "Not sure you should be helping anyone...up." She smirks and then Siobhan glances at the others. She spots the portal and steps through it as that seems to be the thing to do and then she blinks at the sight that is offered. She shakes her head slowly and then looks down, "Not sure I was much help to any of dis." She chuckles, "I wasn't even sure what I could do." She then looks around at the others before looking to the city again, "Well, we win either way, I suppose." She nods her head.

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    Pushing a hand through that shock of blond hair, Alexander gives a grin and then lets loose a small laugh as he tilts his head back and opens his mouth, eyes closed as he tastes the rainfall. Not wise in New York to be fair but compared to the ichor and foulness that they had faced it seemed so utterly pure in comparison.
    The rain is nice and steady there on the bridge, and as Amanda starts to head off to the door he shoots a glance in that direction. Then back at the others. "I'm umm, gonna stay here for a bit. If that's cool." A glance to Lara and Mike, then catching sight of Julie he offers a small wave companionable enough.
    Then he turns back, lifting his head back to the sky and taking a deep breath before he shouts!
    "HAH!"
    Exultant and indulgent, but it seems barely able to contain the deity's smile as he looks over his shoulder and murmurs. "Sorry." In case it might have surprised folk.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
The musican reaches over to brush some acquired dirt off of his arm, uncovering the old scar that has long since been a part of him. He walks to the doorway, not hesitating this time as he sees the familiar faces on the other side. Ok. Maybe he'll get used to some of this.

Seeing Alexander give a bit of a grin, he returns the expression. "Hey, thanks for giving me that shot."

He looks over to Lara, tilting his head in inquiry to the tomb raider's condition, not having to voice the question as she's already answering it. So he switches it out with another, "Hell of a trip eh?"

He glimpses over to Amanda. "Thanks for the ride."

Takako Kyozan has posed:
Takako groans finding herself in the much at the bottom of the pit, still in her Jingiin Agent fighting attire. She's pretty beat up. Her left arm in particular, the highly durable fabric of her uniform has been eaten away and the exposed flesh beneath has been partially dissolved and necrotized by some form of highly toxic acidic venom. Thankfully for all involved though she came out the other side of the sudden swath of darkness and blinding bright light at her regular size.

Pushing herself to her feet, left arm hanging a bit limply at her side Takako staggers towards and through the doorway Doctor Strange has opened to join the others. "Did we win?"

Lara Croft has posed:
Lara looks down to the skull in her dirt-caked hands. She starts to slide it away into the black cloth bag and tie it off with the strings that hang from it. She looks up to Alexander and nods once to him. "I'm glad you were with us on this. Surprised, but still glad." She says to her neighbor. When Mike speaks toward her, she looks over at him and shows a grin before she glances down at herself, then back up at him. "At least there was less turbulence then some of my flights across the Atlantic." She jests in a weary-sounding voice. "Did everyone make it?" Lara asks then, starting to try and count heads, faces, though she can't quite recall who all was on this journey.

Nessa Donovan has posed:
Nessa glances over in Siobhan's direction and offers her a smile. "You did fine. And we all managed to do /something/ or we wouldn't have made it here. Combined effort or something. Teamwork and all that." She's still smiling, but she shakes her head. "Not exactly used to the whole 'team' thing so much, but it's nice, I think." She tugs on the cuffs of her gloves. "Have to try that again sometime."

Ariah Olivie has posed:
    Ariah still has strength enough to help Sio up, though one has to wonder if its from her staff offering her that extra leverage, or some semblance of her vampiric ability. Either way, she nods, feeling some of that goop washing off of her slowly. She's going to need to deal with the clothes later. She glances around, seeing others and the states they're in, and joins the march through the portal to stand before the dawn.

    "...I believe we won..." she says quietly. Though anyone can tell that as the sun begins to rise, she sort of... wilts. Her strength starts to finally leave her and she slides down her staff as if it were a fire crew's descending pole and ends up just.. sitting there, slumped.

    The luster leaves her eyes, and they close, but there's a hint of a smile on her face, a ghost of the ends upturning a little.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
"I don't know." Mike answers Lara's question, glancing around, "But being you're here I'm hoping that's a 'yes'."

Mike glances over towards Takako's question and then towards the empty area on the other side of the door that should contain buildings. His smile fades a bit, "I'm not sure on the 'winning' but, I think...we did what we were supposed to do."

Stephen Strange has posed:
"The Threefold God isn't dead," Strange replies, glancing sidelong at Julie for a moment before turning to address the group at large, "Instead something more marvelous has happened. You all chose - independent of one another - to heal the corruption inside the Wound. Rather than die, it became something else. Something better. The Spirits of the City are gone, but it seems they live on in this new god."

A hand is cast through the air, and the rain gently shimmers as it lands against something invisible. Towering over the city, impossibly tall and broad, is a creature of vaguely humanoid form. It reaches with geological slowness to grasp the aethereal tethers, drawing those that are fraying back down to the Earth. Though what it does exactly cannot be discerned, there is something about its actions that suggests healing. Mending.

Just as quickly as it appears, it is gone.

"Perhaps it would make more sense to call it the Fivefold God?"

Amanda Sefton has posed:
Amanda flashes Mike a grin. "Anytime," she says, stepping through the portal, now, to stand atop the bridge. Helluva trip, yeah. That's one way to look at it. She takes a slow breath, looking out at the rising sun. She moves slowly along the expanse, looking out over the city. And for just a moment, she closes her eyes, absorbing the feel of the healed city. "Thank gods that's over."

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    On the bridge now after a few steps, Alexander pauses to spare a thumbs up given to Mike, followed by a crinkle of his nose and a small shrug as he seems enthused but not given to words for the moment. He crosses his arms over his chest, that katana in its scabbard over one shoulder jostling a little bit as he seems entirely comfortable now. At ease.
    But then when Takako draws herself near he'll wave in her direction, same grin there. But it's toward Amanda that he replies, "Indeed, thanks be to me I saved you all." Though he says that with some mock severity his half-smile gives the lie to those words.

Jason Blood has posed:
It's the form of Jason Blood that awakens in the crater, laying in the muck and rain. 'The Demon, Etrigan!' as a rule does not accept to suffer such indignities unto his glorious self, such things reserved for lesser mortal sorts. But Jason qualifies! Lucky him.

With a groan, the man hauls himself up. "Bollocks, what was that-" Yes, in his less jovial moments, he can be somewhat less dignified and thus less distinguishable from another British wizard. But nevermind that. It seems that he's alive. And, looking around, it seems that everyone else is as well. "Well, I suppose it worked, then." His gaze seeks out some of those who were with him in their particular aspect of the tri-part god, just to be sure there are no casualties left behind, noting Nessa, Siobhan, and others, before starting to make his way to the door. "Best we not stand around in the muck then, I suppose."

The spell brings him to the top of the bridge, but this seems no great surprise, compared to the disorientation of awakening in his own body at the bottom of that pit after having /surrendered/ it for so long. And it was a long time, to give Etrigan his sway.

"Chose to heal?" he says, sounding uncertain, and holding a hand up to his temple. "Ah, I suppose /they/ did. The bloody creature will be pleased with himself, no doubt, even if all he did was fail to lift a claw toward the other option." He sighs. "I suppose that's all I could ask for."

Siobhan Smythe has posed:
A look over at Nessa and Siobhan rolls her eyes, "Well, I guess." She frowns at her jacket, "Dat ting burned my jacket dough." She states and nods her head, "Gonna need to get a new one." She then looks over to Ariah with a smile before blinking as she slumps, "Hey...you ok?" She asks of Ariah, looking at her and tilting her head. She then looks ot the sun and back to Ariah, "You aren't going to burn to ashes or somethin, are ye?" She then blinks as the thing appears and she stares up at it for the moment it is there. She then looks to Strange briefly and then shakes her head, "Dat's a huge ting...and hey." She points at Strange, "I am gonna need to have a chat wit' ya at some point." She nods her head.

She then blinks at Jason Blood and stares at him a moment, "And who are you? I don't recall seein' ya about before or during this whole adventure." She then turns and looks at all the others, "Honestly, for dat matter, I'd like to know who all of ye are to be honest. Dis whole mess is really confusin' and I would like some more explanation than some Yogi-esque explanation about the city bein' alive or healin' or hurtin' or whatever."

Lara Croft has posed:
Lara does what comes first to her mind though, in that she reaches for her hpone and tries to get connected with the SHIELD system. She raises the phone up to speak in to it, saying her name and giving a rundown on the situation that they all just went through as she glances over to the others with her and then looks back out to the view of the morning horizon. Once she sends the message, she lowers her phone back down to her side and slips it into a hip pocket. "I believe my employers are going to have a lot of questions about all of this, likely for the Doctor... Wherever he is."

Julie Yan has posed:
Julie stratches her head, "Huh, strange minds think alike." She muses, watching some kind of ethereal figure. "What a view indeed, that was madness." She says, sitting along the edge. The creature disappears mysteriously.

    Siobhan gets an amused look, "He's...I think he's bound to some kind of demon, the wordsmith demon from before." She teases Jason just a bit. "'Gone, gone, form of man! Arise the form of MC Etrigan, yo!'"

Ariah Olivie has posed:
    "We all chose life... fitting..." Ariah says quietly, eyes staying shut. She still smiles, though, a little wider. So many voices. So many hearts beating. She can even feel through the astral that healing of the city, even cracking her eyelids open for that fleeting look at the newborn god setting to work on the tethers they'd all worked so hard to protect.

    Then she lays down, curling up with her staff, exhaling a quiet sigh in response to Sio's concerns. "...so tired..." she answers. "...no ashes... just sleep... hungry..." there's a little mumble. There's no heartbeat, but there might never have been, and she seems to be fine--if exhausted after such a whirlwind night.

    "...does it have a name now...?" she asks to nobody and everybody in particular.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
As Strange speaks, Mike looks over to him for an explanation to what happened. The hand gesture causes for him to catch against something. He watches quietly, not quite sure what it is doing, but something about it is just relaxing right now. A source of tension he didn't even know he had just melts away. "Huh..."

Hearing Siobhan complain about things being confusing he looks over to the other musician. "Yeah I can get that. I kind of stumbled into it as well."

Nessa Donovan has posed:
"I've never found magic to be not-confusing in some way," Nessa notes, directed towards Siobhan. She grins, her gaze shifting over towards Lara for a moment. "This is the kind of thing that generates a massive amount of paperwork, I'd bet." She shakes her head, grateful that she's not buried under sheets of paper. She does stretch a bit, looking her own coat over to make sure there aren't any holes. "I gotta say, though, this really is a nice view."

Amanda Sefton has posed:
Amanda arches a brow at all the people willing to claim godhood to recieve thanks. And snikrs. Whatever. Then again, she's never prayed to any of the regular pantheons. She's got her own Way to follow.

She listens to the conversations starting to develop, but doesn't really join in. Instead, she finds a spot near the edge to look out over the city.

Now, if they can just get the missing pieces physically restored, all will truly be well. Maybe she'll speak with Pepper about that.

Later.

Illyana Rasputina has posed:
The way the world breaks and reforms along convex lines eventually brings Illyana back to the group. Bushwick's bloody wreckage requires a bit of silent communion on her part, wrapped in silent thanks and paying the tithe for borrowed grace to achieve the last spell. She doesn't speak much once they cross into Williamsburg, that great bastion of gentrification.

Rain gnaws away at the crumbling facades and empty earth, rivulets that barely stain the leather boots and pants worn by the girl. Her preoccupation with the unseen will take more than a time to recover from, the sort of silence settled around her in the lasting measure. For a time, she stares up at the sky, every indication of the churning clouds and dawn-softened sky reflected in her hollow silver-white eyes. It's probably wisest not to get too close immediately.

"We healed," she murmurs. "Death would have been easier."

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    Smacking his hands together and rubbing them a bit, Alexander smiles cheerfully and looks around. "So. Who's hungry?" He flits his gaze to his current compatriots, but then his eyes extend to the others still upon that bridge span, his expression light and pleased.
    "I wouldn't mind spotting and treating all the members of TEAM ALEX to some pizza, and the rest of you guys can come along but you'll need to designate someone to foot the bill. I have a limited income." Or trust fundness.
    His eyebrows lift as he looks at Lara and grins, "Alright? Alright." Matter settled. He hops down into a seated posture and proceeds dig around in his pockets for his phone. "I'll see about getting us some t-shirts made, 'I saved the city with Team Alex and all I got, etcetera etcetera.'"

Colette O'Connail has posed:
    Accompanying the group somewhere at the rear, mainly as a way to get out of the crater and muttering to herself, Colette is far from convinced that choice independently made was the right one. It would have been easier for her to accept the decision that had been made if it hadn't been so /close/.

    That's the thing. There at the last, when they were pumping magic and positive vibes into the Brain, it had seemed to Colette that things were very finely balanced. The magic woven to cure rather than kill had to be woven tightly, and it seemed like if a single thread had been tugged at the right moment, the entire warp and weft would have been undone.

    What would that have taken? A few good bolts of darkness at the right moment would surely have been sufficient. A small negative to tilt the balance just enough and the nascent godling would probably now be dead.

    Imagine that. Killing a godling! Ending such a ripe and potent life force, that would be a thing, wouldn't it? Something to put on the CV, right?

    On the other hand... well. Maybe it'll be useful some day.

    Colette glances over to Illyana, who had been there at the Brain, and who'd done a lot of the heavy lifting, magic-wise. "It really would have been easier, wouldn't it? Still. What's done is done. Does that make all of us its god parents? Will it get upset if we forget its birthdays?"

Julie Yan has posed:
    Julie groans before perking up at the offer of food, "I am -starving-. If you're offering, I am down for pizza. I just need to get my hoodie at the sanctum." She says, color draining from her face at that realization. "...great. No shirt, no service...fantastic." She mutters, sniffing herself. "I imagine we're all gonna need a shower first, otherwise we might get arrested for pollution at this rate."

Takako Kyozan has posed:
Takako manages a weak smile at Alexander before she glances around and her good hand is brought against her stomach, "Does anyone have any food? I'm really hungry... Oh wait maybe I have some energy bars."

She pats herself down until she finds a pocket in her morphic cloth attire that definitely was not there a second ago. Her hand comes up with a fistful of energy bars, though getting them open with only one hand is proving a challenge and definitely involves her teeth.

As she begins eats them though, slowly over time the keen eyed might notice something out of the ordinary, though likely not too strange in present company, the necrotizing of her wounds seems to slow and they actually begin to slowly heal themselves.

Jason Blood has posed:
For all the towering majesty of the image that appears, Jason's reaction is muted. He looks up at it for a few moments, and nods his satisfaction. It's not a grand celebration, but for a man who has lived as long as him, seen as much as him, it is something. Enough to make him smile, if only a little bit.

"Well, that all seems sorted then," he begins, returning to a more casual and aloof manner, before more abruptly being confronted on several quarters by those more interested in his other half:

"Ah, beg pardon, miss," he answers Siobhan first. "Jason Blood. The creature you encountered... yes, it is as this young lady says," he acknowledges Julie's contribution to the mystery. "Etrigan and I share a bond of a sort, and in that manner, he can be called to... more helpful service than is typical of his ilk. I trust he was not too much trouble to deal with?" However, Julie finds that Blood (strangely?) may be a bit less humorous than his counterpart, with her rhyme drawing a sort of deadpan, "... indeed."

Sera has posed:
This realm, this planet, this country, this city.. they were all alien to her. As she kneels in the rain, looking about at the devastated Bushwick, a sight she has seen from above and from the side lines, she finds herself in contemplation. They helped birth of a god of New York. They were the mystical midwives of something beautiful and new.

"Where ever you've gone, my child, I hope you remember us. Your first entry in to this world - like my own - was with friends," she says and smiles. There is no light in her eyes though, she is merely an angel now, not an angel sorceress, for she is emotionally and mentally spent.

The rain hitting her skin never felt so good. This was her home now, she was connected to it in a way too unique to describe to most and too confusing to explain to Angela. With an 'ooof' she rises up slowly and walks with the rest through the portal to Williamsburg.

Amanda Sefton has posed:
Unlike most of the rest, it seems, Amanda isn't hungry. She's tired, yes. It's been a long night. She glances toward Alex and shakes her head lightly. "I'm good. Thanks." Her eyes then flit across the others and she smiles, just listening, before turning her attention back to the city and the sun rising over it.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Mike looks over to Alexander and smiles, "Tempting as free food might be, The next stop for me should be for home. I need to rest up. I'm not myself when I'm tired and I already had one close call tonight." He pauses, looking to the sky. Not quite morning so therefore- Yep. Tonight.

Nessa Donovan has posed:
Nessa glances over in Jason's direction at the mention of their rhyming friend. "He was very helpful, I think it made a difference." The blonde glances around at the mention of food. "I'd offer to cook, but there are an awful lot of you and my apartment is certainly not ever suitable for guests." It's usually more like a fridge than an apartment, after all. "I don't think the owners would appreciate me just rushing in to the diner with a bunch of people either."

Siobhan Smythe has posed:
Hearing explanations here and there, Siobhan sucks in a breath and then she looks over at Jason, "Dat at least makes some sense." She nods to Jason before looking to the side, "Too much sense." She then looks at Alexander and then blinks, "Team Alex? Well, humble one, aren't ya." She nods her hea dand then looks to Ariah and blinks, "Well, sorry, but I won't be volunteerin' and I'm pretty hungry myself." She nods again and considers, "And da boy with all da humility has a pretty good idea. Pizza sounds pretty good." She nods again before considering the city and nodding her head, "Well, now I have to figure out just where I am and how to get home as well. And...probably get some sleep." She shakes her head.

Illyana Rasputina has posed:
Colette's statement earns a cool, gelid smirk from Illyana that barely changes the contour of her mouth. The faint incline of her head acknowledges the possibility. "Cleaner. Not without consequences, and not to be held over the spirit of the city." Spirit, god, how do they even announce something like that? "It was a traumatic birth. Life is enough.

A memory of food hasn't given much cause for her to look away in search of something flavourful. Better, though, to watch how the others react; Jason and Siobhan's introduction catches her gaze, then Sera reaching up to the heavens in a way. Nourishment is best found in other ways. "Tread lightly in days ahead. The costs to the body and the mind are not always clear until they settle in as a deep ache," she suggests.

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    "Oh you are all so getting t-shirts," Alexander says from his place seated cross-legged on a metal part of the span, casually tick-tick-ticking on his cellphone, keying through a few screens and leaning forward as he places the order. A grimace is given as he tries to shield the screen with his body to keep the rainfall from interfering.
    Over his shoulder he calls, "Show of hands, t-shirts? Preferred size?"
    But then he looks up over at Nessa and grins, "They totally owe me, it's cool." Then his eyes flit toward Siobhan and he crinkles his nose at her, "I am the humblest." He offers about her insight, then flicks the phone off with a swipe of his thumb.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
"She can have mine." Mike gestures over towards Julie, turning down the shirt offer. "Got plenty already."

Colette O'Connail has posed:
    Colette considers Illyana's reply for a few moments before shrugging her shoulders. "The spirit of a city lasts only as long as the buildings," she comments gnomically. "

    She spots Alexander, then shakes her head. Of /course/ there would be one of the students from the school in this crowd. Of /course/ it would be one of the particular trouble makers who inhabit the staff-room gossip. She does the two fingers to eyes I'm-watching-you gesture at him, but really it's not like you give detention to someone for saving a godling, and besides it's out of term time.

    Plus there's paperwork. Can you imagine the report you'd have to file?

    "Pizza is a good idea," she offers. "My credit card can take it. Anyone know a place large enough nearby?"

Sera has posed:
Sera nods to Illyana, her words speak true to her ears. "It will be interesting to see what this does to the city, to the people, in the centuries to come." Though, the mention of t-shirts does sway her eyes to Alex and she lifts up a hand. She can't resist a good t-shirt.

"Not bad for a bunch of strangers with a penchant for the weird and wonderful," she comments to Strange as she looks out at the vista before them. "May be we shouldn't stay strangers, the world could use the L.B.C. from time to time."

She motions to the people in general, "And somehow, some of these non-magically inclined people made it through this mess alright. I'm honestly humbled and impressed by them. I'm going to write a song about it and sing it loudly to the universe. One day they might make it in to a stage play or a movie, who would you want playing you?"

Stephen Strange has posed:
"Watchers of the Infinite," Strange muses, eyes wandering off to regard the cityscape as the wind tugs at the strange high-collared cloak he wears. Finally, he turns back to Sera with a slight smile, "That's what the Threefold God, called us? There's something ... I don't know - catchy about it, don't you agree? Watchers of the Infinite. The Infinity Watch."

The Doctor suddenly grows quiet. His grey eyes drift across the gathered mystics and those who have just fallen into this weird and inexplicable way of life. Deep in thought, clearly. He lifts a hand, stroking his chin as he murmurs mostly to himself.

" ... Infinity Watch."

Ariah Olivie has posed:
    Slowly, Ariah rolls onto her back, hugging her staff against her chest, the end of it just below her chin. She slowly opens her eyes, staring up at Strange as the raindrops leave marks on her face in slowly spreading gaps in the blackness. "...we have a name?" she asks quietly.

    Then she closes her eyes again, lifting her shoulders in a little shrug and exhaling a quiet little sigh. "...does the Infinity Watch get breakfast...?"

Julie Yan has posed:
    Julie shrugs, "Honestly at this point I'd be better off changing clothes entirely. We were in the muck and slime out there." She points out. "All of us, probably."

TShe thinks for a moment, "Hmmm, movies...probably Michelle Yeoh, back in her prime she was somethin' else." She grins cheekily. "Then again, there's a good size difference between us."

    Strange gets a thumbs up. "Now -that- is a title I can get behind. Do we get T-shirts and dental?"

Siobhan Smythe has posed:
A look at Alexander again and Siobhan, "I'm so sure." She then looks to Illyana and to Jason before she shakes her head, "Honestly, I tought I'd be da one with the weird way of talkin' here." She laughs, her Irish way weaving through her words tightly. She then looks to Ariah briefly and then to Colette, "Hey now, if'n you're offerin' ta pay, I'm definitely in for some food." She then briefly glances at Strange and stares at him a moment, "Is this normal?" She asks and points at him, "He names us and den goes all toughtful and starin' into the distance."

Siobhan walks over to beside Strange and strokes her chin, "Infinitey Watch..." She stares into the distance, "Yes...I haven't heard dat name in many years...or ever." She states and sighs and looks over at Strange, "I know you're all important and such but come on now. We just had a win apparently. Can't we stop with the whole mysterious mumbo jumbo and such?" She looks at the rest, "Some of us aren't really super special secret magic users, ya know."

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    Indeed, 'tis that Alexander Aaron from Happy Harbor High, one of the ne'er do wells who has been the topic of some discussion in the teacher's lounge assuredly. Though he did graduate last semester, thankfully! But when Colette looks his way that 'I'm eyeballing you, kid!' look isn't enough to damper his mood so he just smiles right back at her.
    "There's Big Salvatore's 24 Hour Pizzeria on 34th, that's not too far and they like me." So here that's an option.
    But then Stephen speaks up, lifting his voice as he looks to them and Alexander watches closely, falling silent. His eyebrows lift at the suggestion of a name and he blinks a few times. Nods.
    Then he glances over towards Amanda and mouths the words softly, silently, but easily discerned from afar. 'Team Alex.'

Stephen Strange has posed:
"Mysterious mumbo jumbo is what I do," Strange tells Siobhan, unable to keep the smile from his face though it appears a little disconcerting given the drying rivulets of blood and black oil that stain his cheeks, "You might as well ask a fish not to swim or Tony Stark not to be president of the Tony Stark fan club."

He lets out a sigh, turning his face up to the rain and letting it wash away the mess for a moment.

"But I suppose I understand. You have questions?"

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Mike blinks at Strange. Wait, what? Are they getting a team name now? But then again, it is better than 'Team Alex' "Ok, yeah if there must be a name... Strange's suggestion sounds good."

Julie Yan has posed:
    Julie wanders toward Ariah, and whispers, "You okay? You're looking pretty wobbly." to the witch.

Jason Blood has posed:
Nessa's reassurance does seem to satisfy Jason, who gives a small nod in kind. "Good. I am glad he was more of use than hindrance. Although his apparent heroism will no doubt make him insufferable the next time we have something to debate. He likes nothing better than holding those accomplishments and 'good deeds' over my head as a bargaining tool." The two sound like they have a real 'odd couple' thing going!

Regardless, for every bit that Etrigan seems the life of the occasionally brutal party, his counterpart seems anything but, and the offers of pizza parties and team t-shirts seem to hold... minimal appeal. Doctor Strange's musing he does pay a little more mind, however: "I am not one for catchy names or colorful costumes, but I am happy to be of service where I may. Generally I reside in Gotham, but the commute is... managable."

Wizard humor, maybe.

Colette O'Connail has posed:
    "Infinity watch?" Colette repeats dubiously as Strange muses. "Sounds like a really useless timepiece, to be honest. I mean think about how many digits it would have. You'd never fit it on your wrist. I lost your camera by the way. Hope you don't mind. It totally sucks though. We have these things now called digital cameras, they're so much better. "

    So much snark.

Nessa Donovan has posed:
"Nothing stopping you from being a super special secret magic user." Nessa chuckles, then nods to Siobhan. "You could put on a robe and stand dramatically like him if you wanted." She shrugs her shoulders. "I've gloves, and I guess my coat's becoming a thing at this rate. We're all our own flavor. Takes all types, I think."

Sera has posed:
Sera smirks at the name. It's not bad, she admits. It has a nice ring to it and she can probably rhyme a lot with it - well, that's something Blood would have to worry about more than her. She makes her way over to Nessa and says, "Not bad hm? for a little random stroll in a cemetery, to turn in to all this." She offers a fist bump to the ice lady, "Ladies Book Club, helped birth a god and found a kinship?"

She pats her armor a bit making sure nothing was damaged in that fight. Those horrible lung birds got nasty at the end there. She covers her mouth as she coughs though, the lungs may have been cleansed, but team lungs got gassed pretty badly near the end there.

Ariah Olivie has posed:
    Another famimliar face, Julie. Ariah blinks up at her, flat where she lay, and makes a motion of exhaling quietly. "...I have not eaten since we last were in the Sanctum... if your evening was anything like the rest of ours..." she slowly lifts an arm from her staff and gestures, floppily, towards the city as a whole.

    "..it was draining.. and the sun.." she purses her lips, finding the correct wording, "...is particularly draining." This close, Julie can see she's quite pale, moreso than normal even. "...but we are soldiers, and we succeeded in our mission. It pleases me to know it was a mission of mercy in the end, non?"

Siobhan Smythe has posed:
A look over at the others and she smirks at Nessa, rolling her eyes before she nods to Alexander, "I'll take any place dat's tasty." She then looks back to Strange, "Well, frankly I have a ton of questions and not da least of which was since when do cities have spirits and gods and what not? I mean, honestly. Humans build dese tings and tear dem down all da time." She then lets out a sigh, "Honestly, I wouldn't mind a bit of one on one time with da man who apparently knows more about dese sorts of tings."

She then shakes her head and shrugs, "I'll take one explanation for now dough." She walks over to Jason and looks him over as she approaches, "Ya have conversations with dat Etrigan ting?" She asks and tilts her head, "How exactly does dat work? I mean, ya share a body and such. Don't look like ya could split up or nothin'?"

Takako Kyozan has posed:
"Infinity Watch?" Takako says the name out loud as if testing the sound of it, with a mouthful of energy bars. Her arm has now regained enough function that it isn't just hanging limply at her side anymore. "I like the sound of that."

She swallows and looks at Sera, "I keep hearing about this Ladies Book Club, how do I sign up? Are there books about Yokai? OH! Does anyone want one?" She asks holding out her fistful of ultra high protein calorie packed super dense energy bars.

Amanda Sefton has posed:
Infinity Watch sounds interesting enough to Amanda. She turns towards Strange, watching, listening. Hey, she's in, if he wants the help. But she's still more content to listen to the others discuss it than add her own opinion. Yet. Maybe once she's heard more.

Illyana Rasputina has posed:
"The idea of the city is the animating force. Buildings shift and fade but what embodies the great cities is another matter," says Illyana after a bit of speculative thumbing through her phone. Of course there might be some interference, but a string of concerned messages need to be answered as the night stretches thina nd transparent as gossamer.

A grand awakening, still, and she shifts her focus to mark Strange when he speaks of a watch. The stretch of the infinite earns her drawing a figure-eight with her fingertips, sparks flashing out behind it. "We have always had a name." To Ariah, the easy lift of her shoulders marks that truth. No more to add though, for hers is an uncanny calm.

Julie Yan has posed:
    Julie just pats Ariah's back, before taking one of the energy bars. "I'll take that, thanks." She smiles to Takako, splitting her bar in half and offering a piece to Ariah as she munches on it.

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Mike shakes his head to Takako's offer before looking towards the direction of the rising sun. Ok. Maybe after the sunrise he'll head home...

Nessa Donovan has posed:
Nessa fistbumps a gloved hand with Sera, grinning a bit with a nod of agreement. "Gotta say, this is some book club. Better than I've ever been in, I'd say, but I think that it's probably not our first adventure. We can move on from biographies, though, maybe tackle something a little more mysterious... not sure exactly how poetry'd turn out. Sky's the limit." She pauses. "Well, not really. That saying's kind of outdated."

Sera has posed:
Sera smirks a moment and glances up in to the rain once more. "There are no limits but our imagination," she comments back, "To the infinity watch.. and beyond." She looks over to Takako, "Oh it's just us.. mystical folk who know each other. Congrats you're in. We don't actually read books, though the friendship is what really matters. I'm sure, forgiveness, growing as people, all that what not might happen too? I don't know, this is my first book club to be honest. LBC for life."

Ariah Olivie has posed:
    Slowly, Ariah sits up, taking the chunk of energy bar tenatively. She nibbles on the end of it and frowns. Frowns deeply, before handing it back up to Julie. "...merci... but non... they do not taste good, and do not offer me sustenance..." she explains quietly, and resumes staring out at the dawn with dull eyes.

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    Hopping up from his seat, Alexander stuffs his robust black phone back into a pocket and looks around. "Alright, I gave Sal's a heads up that there might be a lot of weird people coming by and to get some pies in the oven. Some of the usual things, just to get them ready. Pepperoni, supreme, Hawaiian." The usuals.
    That said he turns around to walk a few paces back toward the edge of their platform and to cast a loooong gaze over the side at the length of suspension cable that runs down the way. He bites his lower lip for a moment, grin wry as those hazel eyes glimmer with amusement.
    "I..." He points at the suspension cable and its long long way down to the bridge proper. "Am going to run down this. Anyone wanna race?" Because that is of /course/ a good idea.

Colette O'Connail has posed:
    "Of course cities have spirits and gods," Colette says to Siobhan. "Think about it. Humans build cities, humans build gods. We put one rock on another, call it an altar, pay it a whole lot of attention, and some accumulation of cosmic energies turns into something that demands sacrifice and adoration. We put a few million rocks on each other, call it a city, pay it far more attention, and the sacrifices and adoration that go into it outwieghs anything any mere altar gets. Belief is a really f-" she stops herself, deciding that she's probably better off not swearing for a minute or two for a change, and concludes the word with just an "-ing weird thing like that."

    Colette eyes Alexander again when he talks about racing. "If you fall off, I was never here. The paperwork alone..." She hates paperwork. "Yeah. Knock yourself out." She pauses thoughtfully, then shrugs her shoulders. "I mean better to knock yourself out than break things, I guess."

Julie Yan has posed:
    Julie raises an eyebrow, but shrugs and thinks little of it. "Oooookay." She finishes her energy bar and dusts herself off. "Alright, let's just...get there." She seems rather uninterested in racing, but the martial artist does leap onto the cable and begins to slide downwards. She needs to get to her apartment, get changed, shower, and -then- find this Sal's place after all.

Jason Blood has posed:
"It is rather complicated," Jason offers as a preface to answering Siobhan. Perhaps a preface meant to discourage her curiousity rather than the opposite, as the whole matter hardly seems to thrill him, his little body-sharing arrangement. But he does answer, in a fashion. "We are always at least... somewhat aware of one another, and able to communicate at a certain level, to compromise on where the line between hero and demon is to be drawn. Although there have been times where we have been able to exist together, to speak face to face." Here, he smiles with a bit of a wicked twist to his lip, "Generally, though, it requires going to Hell."

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Mike turns his head as Alexander announces what he's planning to do next, glancing to the cable. "You know there's a door RIGHT there. Right?"

Alexander Aaron has posed:
    Doesn't take too long before Alexander watches Julie rush on by and his eyebrows rise, "Hey!" As she jumps on ahead. Naturally he follows in her wake, starting to run down that cable as he calls over his shoulder.
    "This is more fun!" And swoosh, suddenly he's partly running...skidding...sliding... but then /falling/ just with style. Yet he somehow manages to keep some measure of control. Albeit not particularly graceful in that execution.

Siobhan Smythe has posed:
"Well, I'd be very interested in learning more." Siobhan nods to Jason and then shrugs as she turns away from him, "I'll try to find ya later or somethin', yeah?" She then looks as Julie and Alexander just seem to leap away or whatever. She shakes her head briefly and glances over at Colette and blinks a few times. She blinks again before shaking her head, "Alright, dat's about enough of dat." She states simply and then shakes her head, "I'm tinkin' the others have da right idea." She nods her head, "And just findin' this Sal's place and looking to get food." She pauses briefly and looks back to Strange, "You mostly at dat one house with da big circular window?"

Nessa Donovan has posed:
"To be honest, I was just trying to be funny with the Ladies Book Club in the cemetary. I figured that was the least likely thing to be there and so I mentioned it and we just... went with it," Nessa grins. "But she's right, we're just magic users who happen to know each other and help each other out. Look out for each other and all. Not as cool as an /Infinity Watch/ though, but certainly less under the radar." She eyes the 'fun' of sliding won the cable, shaking her head. That's not a thing she's touching in the slightest. Scary.

Stephen Strange has posed:
"Mostly," Strange says to Siobhan with that same mysterious smile, stepping aside to let the others leave on their way for pizza, "But I'm sure if you need, you'll be able to find me."

Michael Hannigan has posed:
Mike watches as the pair run down the cables, shaking his head before looking back to the sunr- Well there it is. Dammit. Well, time to head back and get rest. Just, not by flying this time. He turns, looking over to the doctor, "Until later, Strange." He gives a slight smile, the tired look setting back into his eyes, "I got a rather empty train to catch home."

Ariah Olivie has posed:
    "...I need a ride home..." Ariah says quietly, though she glances mainly up at Sio and Strange. "...under normal circumstances I could get down from here but not right now...." she explains quietly. "...the view is wonderul though..." the witch adds, and looks back towards the horizon, still smiling, glad to see everyone has so much energy after so much hard, desperate work the prior night.

Amanda Sefton has posed:
Amanda finally pulls herself to her feet, feeling a little steadier than before. She moves toward Strange, saying to him, "If you want my help with this Infinity Watch thing, you have it." She smiles. "I'm sure you'll be able to get in touch." If not, she doubtlessly can find him. For now, though... she needs to get home, herself. "Happy to help."

With that, she opens a portal and steps through to a hidden area in Central Park, from where she'll walk the rest of the way home.

Julie Yan has posed:
    Julie makes her way to the road, and starts to get herself an Uber. She'll make her way home that way, if only to get changed and freshen up.

    She forgets all about Sal's pizza and just gets something on the way home, EL MEXICANO SUPERNATURAL to be exact. Once she's done with a delicious burrito and soda, the martial artist returns home.

    A short shower later, and she flops face-first into bed, completely KO'd.

Sera has posed:
Sera peers down the cable and nods her head, "That's impressive." She looks down the river, across to the navy yard of Brooklyn. "Ah, I know where I am now. Home is that way," she points and smiles, "May be an hours walk.. in this rain. I think I will enjoy it, when we are done here. I have decided, I am adopting this city. Not just as my home, but as my friend. Congratulations Midgard, you have won over an angel with your charms. As if it would turn out any other way," she says and looks up and to the left as if imagining someone watching from that direction. She winks to this imaginary person, or perhaps less imaginary for her.