nextgenerationmarvel | A Whole Lot of Catching Up (Pre-Soiree)

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A Whole Lot of Catching Up (Pre-Soiree)

With the success of her new gallery, the new apartment, and all the voulenteer work she had been doing, Alisa felt like a completely different person. Despite all the hard work getting done, it never felt like it was enough. Never enough to change things, or make up for all the wrongs that she had done. While all of that weighed on her, something weighed on her even more. Ryan.

She had never told him what she was, what she used to do. How could she enter a relationship with someone without telling them the complete truth? It hurt her heart more than when she lost her leg. It took every ounce of strength just to give him a call and invite him over to the new apartment.

In truth, she worried that telling him the truth might lead to the end of their relationship. But she owed it to Ryan to let him know the truth of who she was, and who she is now. Maybe, he would understand.

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Ryan arrived exactly on time, of course, with wine and a small bamboo plant on hand. Bamboo was supposed to bring good luck when brought as a gift. That's what his mother had always told him, and so he figured he couldn't wrong with that as a housewarming gift.

Alisa had sounded very serious when she'd invited him over. Unsure over something. He wasn't sure what, but he was concerned. After all, Ryan himself had been out of town for a couple of weeks, either being a superhero or auditioning for a commercial. It was tragic that his superheroic career was doing better than his other one, but that's what it was for now, he supposed. Had something happened, though, while he'd been gone?

Uncertain, he gently knocked on the door to Alisa's apartment.

Alisa opened the door. She was dressed in a black polka dot dress, one that appeared to have come out of the 1950's, as it had white cufs on the leaves and a red belt around her waist. She smiled at him, moving aside to let him in.

"Hey, Space Boy, it's been awhile. Please, come in. Make yourself at home." Okay, she was really happy to see him. It had been so long! Already, he could see soemthing different about her. One, she changed her style of clothing, two... part of one of her legs was missing and she wore a "blade" prosthetic.

Ryan blinked, taking all of Alisa's changes in.

Okay.

Maybe he ought to have texted more when he was out of town. Possibly sent a snapchat or two.

Still, he reached in for a hug, warm and lingering, and a quick, chaste peck on Alisa's cheek. "I've missed some stuff, clearly," he said, setting down his housewarming gift. "What's going on, Alisa? Are you okay?"

"I'm much better now den I was awhile back." She smiled at the chaste kiss to her cheek. She returned it, only placing her kiss on his lips. "I just... I need to talk to you about t'ings. It's sumt'ing dat's been weighin' on me."

Alisa took Ryan's hand and lead him to take a seat with her on the couch. The new apartment was a bit more... art decco than the last one. The colors were not as dark, and it just gave off a friendlier, happier feel.

"I wasn' jus' some business woman when you first met me. I was a t'ug for some ancient order." Her lips remained a thin line as she told him. "My sole purpose, since I was a teenager was to go out, beat the crap out o' people who owe'ed money to this ancient order or offened de order. Once I gained more rank an' influence, I was allowed to take my own "contracts", work as a guardian or protector for people. So, I started to work for Alistaire Shaw."

"I protected him, fought for him, an' lost part o' my leg for him. I was so busy tryin' to keep his butt alive, I failed to realize people were plottin' against me. People wanted me forced into an arranged marriage or dead for years. I was made to look bad infornt o' a powerful business man, an' by de time I figured it out..."

She paled a little, rubbing her arm. "I was nearly killed an' violated in de old apartment. De businessman who I was made to look bad infornt o' was comin' to my place to chew me out when he walked in on de attack. He saved my ass, den insulted me for bein' so pathetic. An' he was right, I was. Dat life, it was a horrible one, an' I wanted... no, I deserved more. So I left de anicent order after showin' de corruption in dere ranks, an' here I am. I'm still workin' to authenticate artwork, but now I got my own art gallery displayin' my own works. I even voulenteer at de shelter for mutants in de city, doin' whatever I can to 'elp."

"I know what I was... I was a terrible person, an' I feel so terrible I never told you. I like you a lot, an' I want to stay wit' you, Ryan. So..." She finally went silent, allowing himt o say something.

Ryan was silent for a long moment. Maybe one that was too long? Even if it wasn't, it probably would have felt as though it was. Gently, he kicked his boots off and repositioned himself so that he was facing Alisa. He reached out took her hand in his, running his thumb over the back of her hand in reassurance. There were bad people who did good things and good people who did bad things. Ryan had seen enough of the world to know that.

"I'm sorry you went through that, and I'm sorry that I wasn't closer by to help," he said. "Because I would've flown here faster than the Human Torch could flame on. Well, metaphorically speaking anyway," he shrugged sheepishly. "We're still getting to know each other, Alisa, and I'm all kinds of glad that you felt comfortable enough to open up with me. I kind of already figured that there was something shady about you, but I was willing to let it pass. Everyone has their pasts, everyone has their secrets." Did that mean that Ryan did, too? "Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere just yet."

"Really? I was dat obvious when you met me?" She chuckled. he knew how to make her feel better, in some strange way. The fact he kicked off his boots and said he was not going anywhere just yet made her happy, too. "I did try callin' you... but for some reason none o' my calls got t'rough."

He was holding her hand, still. She missed simple, silly things like this between her and Ryan. Even if he had a secret, she would wait for him to tell her. Alisa was not going to pry him for more information, when he should feel ready to come out and reveal what he needs to when he's comfortable.

"I know you you've been workin' really hard on your career. I'm proud o' you for dat." She continued to smile, her fingers lacing with his at times. "You've got a nice dream an' you are followin' it. All while makin' de world a better place! I'm a tad bit jealous!"

"I'm not always as dumb as I usually am," Ryan grinned. "Probably during a quick jaunt to space. There was a problem with a Xantarian that needed fixing." He shifted his weight again, leaning back, pulling her into his arms so that they were laying together. He did it gingerly enough, still unsure of how strong her one leg was. "It's a family legacy. That's not the sort of thing you turn away from," he whispered. "Well. Unless you absolutely have to."

Alisa could not suppress the giggle that escaped her as he laid her on top of him. She was being careful of her leg, not wanting to hurt him with it.

"Blood is blood, Ryan. I understand." She spoke softly, her voice nearly a whisper. "I wouldn' want you to drop t'ings to come save my ass when your family, no... de world needs you more."

"Been t'inkin' o' becomin' a super hero, myself. Jus' don' know where to start." Alisa looked into Ryan's eyes. "An' if you call yourself dumb again, I swear I will punch you. You ain' dumb."

"So what's the story with the leg?" Ryan asked. "I mean, I assume it ties into what you said earlier, but is it like a bionic leg with weapons capabilities or something, or are we going all classic and traditional for this one?"

"It's jus' a "blade", you know know... de kind amputee runners wear." She adjusted herself so that her back was pressed up against his chest. She lifted her leg up to show what the prosthetic looked like. It was black, yet sleek looking. "Not on Vogue's fashion trends o' de year, but I manage."

"As for 'ow I got it... I was helpin' Alistaire wit' a "task", an' we weren' expectin' a suicide bomber in de mission. De blast woulda killed him, but not me. So I shielded him wit' my body jus' as de bomb exploded. Turns out, I expended all o' de rage dat fueled my powers, an' my leg was blown off right below de kneecap. Dr. McCoy did everyt'ing he could to save it... but it was a lost cause."

She smiled a little at him. "I was offered a better leg, sumt'ing bionic. But... I messed up t'ings an' never felt right takin' it. Don' know where I should find one, now... or if I should get one. Do we really need me wit' a bionic leg wit' weapons in it?"

"Not really?" Ryan replied. "I was just thinking of Misty Knight. She had a bionic arm, so I was wondering if you got the same deal, or if you went for something with less bells and whistles. I mean, it's a fun toy to have, but I imagine that one of those would also make traveling hell."

"I didn' t'ink about dat. A heavy arm is one t'ing, a leg dat weighs a ton is anoder." She sighed, tilted her head back to look at Ryan. "Getting about dese days is exhausting. I mean, my leg feels heavier den what it used to. Gives me quite de work out, t'ough!"

"I don' even know what to call myself if I do become a hero, or where to start. If you got any suggestions... I'm open to dem." She put her leg back down, closing her eyes for a moment as she listened to Ryan's breathing and heart.

"Uh." Ryan blinked. "I'm not really good with the naming of things? I mean, my ideas would be really...inappropriate." Like The Hobbleit or something.

"It might make me laugh." She gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "An' dey say dat laughter is de best medicine... among other t'ings."

"I mean, I was t'inkin' dat maybe I should become de next "Ms. Marvel" or sumt'ing."

"Maybe not that one?" Ryan said. "I mean, I think that name is still in use. And her daughter is around so...you know." He paused in contemplation. "Do you really want to pick up someone else's legacy, though? Why not forge an identity for yourself?"

Alisa looked at her legs for a moment before turning back to look at Ryan.

"Dis dress don' suit me, does it? It's like a skin dat ain' even mine. Like I'm pretendin' to be sumt'ing I'm not." It was hard for her to admit that. "I'm a badass. I don' like to be made weak, I don' like to be scared, an' I don' like bein' told I'm pathetic. I ain' any o' dem t'ings. I'm a powerhouse an' should stop hiddin' de fact I am who I am."

"I want to go back out dere an' kick ass again, Ryan. But dis time, kick de asses o' people who truly deserve it." That old smirk of hers came back on her face.

Edited 2013-12-29 06:02 (UTC)

Ryan smiled at that - the determination, the need and want to live up to one's full potential. That's how Ryan had been, back when he'd first wanted to reform the Fantastic Four with his brother and his cousins.

Somewhere along the way, he'd gotten sidetracked.

"Well, how would you like to start going about kicking ass and taking names?"

"By patrolin' Hell's Kitchen I guess." Alisa gave Ryan a lopsided grin, while her hand reached behind her to toy with his hair. "It's still a bit o' a mess, an' I got knowledge o' what underworld groups dere do what, an' which would be de biggest t'reat."

"I'll start small, move my way up. I mean, I'm used to bein' a tank. Jus' rollin' in an' doin' damage. I gotta learn to do t'ings differently."

"Well, I'm sure that Daredevil and his plucky sidekick Acrobat could use the help," Ryan grinned. "Maybe you should seek out some teachers - someone to help train you get finesse? It can't be easy, going from being a tank to being a...whatever the vehicular opposite of a tank is."

She started to laugh, enough that she actually snorted after awhile. Alisa never looked embarrassed or flustered when she did that. It was just part of her.

"I don' t'ink a tank 'as a vehicular opposite." She tried to keep herself composed, but it was hard to do. "I wonder who could teach me more finesse? You wanna volunteer?"

"A guy who takes in cosmic radiation and releases it as sparkly blasts of energy? Not the most finesse here," he said. "You need to seek out the greats, like Iron Fist."

"An' it's kinda funny, isn't it? You absorb cosmic radiation an' release blasts... I absorb rage an' anger an' release pure strength. We're quite de pair, no." She rolled on to her stomach, so it was now pressed against Ryan's. Her arms folded so she could rest her chin on her forearms as she looked at him.

"T'ink de Iron Fist would even train me?" She raised an eyebrow. "An' where de 'ell would I find'em?"

"Uh. I think he's in some mystical place? Koon Loon or something?" Ryan had heard stories, but the whole Asian mysticism thing had never been his forte. "Not sure how you'd get there, though."

"Well, dat idea is out de window all o' a sudden." She gave a sigh before placing her lips on his for a moment. "Maybe I should jus' seek out Daredevil an' Acrobat?"

Alisa then thought for a moment, before giving Ryan another kiss.

"You know what, I'll jus' contact de Xavier School an' see what dey can do for me. I need to work on my powers, anyway... an' it takes A LOT for me to admit dat. After I attend dis silly Soiree, I'll make a call."

Edited 2013-12-30 02:32 (UTC)

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A Whole Lot of Catching Up (Pre-Soiree)

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