A Whole Lot of Catching Up (Pre-Soiree)

[alisa_lebeau_v3]

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.

Comments

[alisa_lebeau_v3]

"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?"

[realstarpower]

"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."

[alisa_lebeau_v3]

"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.

[realstarpower]

"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.

[alisa_lebeau_v3]

"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."

[realstarpower]

"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_lebeau_v3]

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.

[realstarpower]

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?"

[alisa_lebeau_v3]

"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."

[realstarpower]

"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."

[alisa_lebeau_v3]

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?"

[realstarpower]

"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."

[alisa_lebeau_v3]

"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?"

[realstarpower]

"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."

[alisa_lebeau_v3]

"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."