War Games (or Welcome Back, Kassi.)

[atlanteanhellion]

Her six months of "water time" were up. Now, as she did every year this time, Kassi had to return to the Surface to do her rotation with her mother. The only trouble this time was that the rotation came while Kassi was legitimately busy in Atlantis participating in the annual event known as War Games. As Kassi was technically "of age" in Atlantean society and being groomed for military leadership she was expected to participate during the entire event. That she was half Surface Dweller didn't matter to the public. Still, some fashion of compromise was made--and Kassi wondered just what sort of fit her mother had thrown to make it so--and Kassi returned to the Surface and the Avengers as planned.

...albeit in what was essentially a metal bikini, carrying a trident, and with blood smudged on her face.

"Humans! I'm home."

Comments

[lil_hulk]

Jay was making his way back to his room to log into his KeewaziVR classroom headset. He was dressed in his gray workout clothes but wasn't wearing any shoes. He had a notebook in his hand and was more intently reading his notes than paying attention to where he was going. He pulled up short at the royal proclamation.

He blinked at the wall he almost ran into and turned on a socked heel to the recent arrival. He tilted his head and tried to figure out if there was an aquatic Red Sonja fan fest in town. Or maybe it was a war-like Little Mermaid fest. Neither of which worked because he was looking at a brunette.

"Well, if you've invaded for our sushi, we're out. And you have a bit too much rouge on your face there." He gestured on his own face where the visitor had blood on hers.

[atlanteanhellion]

"All surface sushi is terrible. Why ever would Atlantis want to invade for surface sushi?"

The trident had a bit of blood on it as well.

[lil_hulk]

"I once annoyed an Atlantean by eating all his sushi," Jay noted with some wistfulness. He was trying to ignore the bloody pointy thing. Even if it could take an eye out.

"He moved to Pier 4 to make sure that didn't happen again." He shrugged. "Should we have prepared the pool for your royal arrival? I think I can toss a rubber ducky into it. It may or may not have devil horns on it."

Because who wouldn't want a devilish rubber ducky?

[atlanteanhellion]

"If it was a dude Atlantean eating all his sushi must have made you sick for a week. They eat a lot of sushi," Kassi said earnestly and honestly. Atlantean men ate...a lot. Then again, she ate a lot by dirtwalker standards so...

"I could be down with the pool and the ducky. Blue devil ducky or red one?"

[lil_hulk]

"I'm pretty sure Remi's a male. I was also big and green at the time, so eating all his sushi was not a problem." Growing Hulks tended to eat just about anything that was not moldy in the fridge. Jay shrugged and grinned.

"Red," he answered after a moment's thought. "Should we make sure the pool's not heavily chlorinated or is that not a problem?"

He was curious. Despite the familial ties to the Fantastic Four, the boy from the desert did not know much about Atlanteans. Except for how to annoy princely ones.

[atlanteanhellion]

"If the pool's got a filter I should be okay. Saltwater is better...and frankly saltwater pools are so much easier to maintain, but I can manage with a filter. I'm surprisingly adaptive."

Kassi paused in thought for a moment.

"Y'all got a place I can stash my trident and maybe some pants or something? I've a feeling 'metal bikini' isn't in style this season."

[lil_hulk]

"I hope it has a filter. It's the Avengers' mansion. Who knows what goes on in that pool?" Jay had almost heard stories from his mother. Almost because he clapped hands over his ears and went running from the room when she got that nostalgic. It usually lead to rating the male Avengers' butts.

"Is this a temporary stashing for like a few hours or a room for staying a longer time?" He tilted his head and eyed the newcomer. "There's spare work out clothes you'll probably fit into in the closet by the gym."

[atlanteanhellion]

"I'm guessing no one actually made arrangements for me, huh? Figures. The human parent is all 'she needs her butt back on the surface' so the not-human parent is all 'fine, we ship her back to the Avengers,' and the human parent is all 'fine' and they ship me back here but no one bothered to call. Greeeeeat."

[lil_hulk]

Jay blinked at her. He went still for a moment. He wasn't sure how he was supposed to react to that story.

"Well, I'm sure Jarvis, who hasn't popped up by now-" -to save me- "-is probably getting you a room ready. He's on top of things like that."

[atlanteanhellion]

"I hope so. If not...then this has turned into an unfortunate Atlantean invasion of one." She tilted her head. "You don't appear to be terrified at least."

[lil_hulk]

"Well, I surrender." He put his hands up while trying not to drop his notebook. He could stall until someone rescued him from the invasion.

"The mansion is under your control, O Conqueror. Now, was it non-metal bikini sweats you wanted?"

[atlanteanhellion]

"Yep. And Cheetos if you have 'em."

[lil_hulk]

"We probably do. Sweats first, then we'll raid the kitchen. I think there are Cheetos. This way, your Conqueringness." He kept his hands in the air as he headed toward the gym.

[atlanteanhellion]

"I guess I should be threatening you with the pointy end of this thing, huh?" Kassi half pointed the trident at him as she followed him to the gym.

[lil_hulk]

"It is very pointy," he agreed readily. If she actually poked him with it, he would turn very green. But he wasn't worried about that happening. That would threaten her getting Cheetos.

He lead her to the gym and the closet with the spare sweats in it. He nodded to it because his hands were occupied with the air. "They're in there, O Underwater Menacingness. The ladies locker room is just over there."

He nodded in that direction, too.