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Post by Countess on Sept 1, 2024 19:28:12 GMT
Barbara smiles at the sentiment, nodding along. "Supes and Diana are both... so kind," she says, giving him a sentiment of her own. "More human that a lot of people I know. Down to earth, even if they can fly. Larger than life, but just... real," she tells him, trying to paint a picture of the two in private. They don't really have that much of a "Persona" when out being a superhero, but they are a bit different when alone. "You're going to get to know them, and others, in a more... intimate way. They are all good people. They are all honestly my friends," she adds. At some point, Johnny will be too, if it hasn't happened already.
Guilt... she knows that expression. Enchantress had been... terrifying. She had still been in a wheelchair, watching it all happen from afar. What she would have given to be there, on the ground, helping her team... but she couldn't. She was still helpful, instrumental like everyone else, it just hit different. It was one of the few ones she thoughts she was going to lose a friend. In a way, she did, after what Fate did... Babs still hasn't spoken to Zatanna since it happened. So much bad blood.
"It is impossible for people like us who have the ability to help... to turn and say no. I get that. The world will be a better place with you protecting it again," Babs says, and her thoughts stray to Bruce, wondering how he is holding up. Putting up the cowl, putting on the tie... It must kill him, sometimes. She knows it killed her, and she physically couldn't say yes.
An eyebrow immediately goes up when he starts to undress, brain about to short circuit- Oh, thank God, he has his suit on under it. She's not all that surprised to feel both relieved and disappointed. Maybe another time. Hard, hard maybe. She moves quick to grab his tossed clothes, brushing them off and folding them over her arm. "Whatever you say, Golden Age," she quips back, but does take those few steps back. She's just a woman.
Barbara watches with no small amount of awe as he just... explodes into flames. Heat rolls off of him like a backdraft in a burning building. She takes off her own jacket then, not wanting to have him see her sweat. Knowing him... he would take it the best possible way for his ego. He looks so... elated.
"You know some of us still have secret identities!" Barbara calls out, laughing as she looks at her... honestly pretty well done "drawing" of her face in flames. "Is this how you get all those dates you were talking about?"
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Post by Beriadan on Sept 1, 2024 20:06:34 GMT
Johnny gave an exaggerated shrug as the face seemed to burn away into nothing. "Hey, it works 90% of the time! I've got a good memory for attractive faces, and I've had a lot of practice. Good, right?"He grinned with cheek and charm. Johnny knew a won-over woman when he saw one... but as much as he hated to admit it, he held her in too high regard to merely deem her as a potential date from her previous accolades alone. It would be like trying to chat up Wonder Woman. Although, he thought with amusement, that wouldn't stop him from a little flirtation. There was no harm in that.
He turned around, putting both of his arms out in front of him. "In this form, I can do pretty much whatever I like with the flames. Watch this!"Johnny released a stream of fire with a whoosh of heat, hitting the ground and beginning to melt through the Earth, creating a bubbling hole of cooking dirt and even beginning to melt the concrete before. There was a sudden moment of panic when flames leapt to a nearby bush, and it seemed like the whole place was going to go up, before Johnny waved a hand and seemed to absorb the fire back into himself. "Whoops. See, most people think Human Torch hasn't got much control over my flames. But, truth is, even if I had turned up the heat in that room, I could have kept it all under control."The flames died out, and as they did so Johnny closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. The temperature dropped, fairly significantly, and the flaming hole in the ground extinguished and cooled. He opened his eyes, eyebrows raised. "See? It's not just having a flaming body. I can put out fires, change the temperature of the air and anything I touch, and much more. Plus my body is more plasma than fire. It just ignites in high oxygen. Reed explained it once... but it's boring to talk about it when I can just show people."Johnny was grinning still. Her comments had definitely made him feel good about himself. He had been so worried about today, anxious that Human Torch wouldn't be enough to rub shoulders with the heroes who had proved themselves already. Barbara didn't seem like someone who would say nice things if she didn't genuinely mean them. "If I get the chance to be close to you and the team, then you can bet your ass I'm going to be giving it my everything. Vintage or not, I'm still running hot. It, uh... it means a lot, what you said."Johnny's confidence dropped for a second, and a bashful gaze came across his face. He looked away with genuine embarrassment. "Thanks, Ms. Gordon. I'm, uh, looking forward to being your friend too."He could hear Valeria's voice in his head. Uncle Johnny, that was pretty cringe. But he didn't care. It was the truth. Johnny felt a spark that he hadn't felt since the Fantastic Four. Kinship and friendship, comrades in arms fighting the good fight. He looked towards Barbara again, a genuine blush on his face, and laughed. "Guess that's pretty cringe, right?" |
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Post by Countess on Sept 1, 2024 20:32:57 GMT
The guy is like a kid in a candy store. Babs finds a tree to lean against, arms folded over her chest and their clothes folded over her arms. Watching him is a trip, an exhilarating one. She pulls up that screen from before, tracking him, his temperature, the relative oxygen around him... As she thought, he would not be able to operate in space. Villains that could control Oxygen would not be a good match up for him. Nor water, perhaps. That might be a good question-
"How are you with water?" she asks, not bothering to take notes. She will remember this perfectly.
Barbara can feel a bit of that instinctual fear when he starts to get a little more... flashy with his powers. Playing with fire, indeed, she needs to be careful. She's been in shittier situations with people she trusts less, so she doesn't let the unease show. Instead, she feels a bead of sweat go down her face. He really is turning up the heat. She wipes it away, thankful she already had removed her jacket.
"That is.... honestly really fascinating. Do you think Dr. Reed would share his notes if I reached out?" she asks, figuring he would know better than her, even if she has collaborated with him in the past. Granted- that was as Oracle. "I definitely can't do anything like that," she says, laughing a little at the thought of her turning into.... fire. Her dad would have flipped. He is already so on the edge of his fourth heart attack.
"Keep this up, and there will be more where that came from. Just you wait, Diana is... ridiculous with the compliments. Always finds a way to soothe some childhood trauma you didn't know you had," Barbara says, deflecting entirely.
"It wasn't cringe until you said it was," Barbara says, chuckling. The guy is... a himbo, oh god... After men like Dick, Thor, and Captain America, she knows her weakness when it is staring her in the face. Remains to be seen if he is really the most important aspect: respectful to women. "My name is Barbara, but you can call me Babs. All my friends do."
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Post by Beriadan on Sept 2, 2024 11:36:13 GMT
Johnny tapped a finger to his chin, pondering the question. He hadn't fully tested the capabilities of his powers. Johnny preferred to stay in his comfort zone when it came to that sort of thing. After all, flinging himself into space or diving into the ocean wouldn't be that fun if he couldn't survive. Fire was a powerful element to control, and had plenty of things that could go wrong.
"We-ell, I wouldn't be able to produce fire. My plasma reacts with oxygen, but enough water can stop me from igniting entirely. To be honest I've never really hung around to find out. I mean, when we fought Namor, Sue and the others were there to make sure I wasn't totally submerged all the time."
He paused at her mention of getting in touch with Reed. Oracle might have the ability to, but Johnny hadn't heard from him in years. Not since he chose Sue. He gave a little one-shouldered shrug, staring off into the distance.
"You can try. Reed doesn't really speak to me anymore. Doesn't really speak to any of us. He's been wrapped up in his projects for so long, I wonder if he even remembers we exist."
Johnny snapped back as Ms. Gordon finished her sentence. He grinned, genuinely pleased.
"Barbara. Babs. You know, that really suits you, actually. Better than Ms. Gordon, anyway!"
Johnny took back his shirt and jacket, shrugging them back on over his suit. He cocked his head as he started buttoning up.
"So... is that it? Am I officially a member now? Or do I have to... I dunno, fight a legion of gorillas hell-bent on world domination first before I prove myself?"
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Post by Countess on Sept 2, 2024 13:14:01 GMT
"That is about what I thought," Barbara says, tapping her own chin in thought. "How opposed to stress and limitations testing are you?" she asks, hoping that despite what he said about Reed, she doesn't have to work from the ground up. The man is a scientist, he's bound to have experiment after experiment on Johnny- knowing or no.
Barbara supposes that was always his failing as a hero. His experiments and projects always took priority. She's known other heroes like that- it doesn't make them bad, it just... doesn't make them great.
"I'll be sure to pass the compliment to my dad, seeing as I didn't really choose it," Babs jokes, rolling her eyes at him. She's still smiling, though. He has definitely grown on her. How could he not? He's like a golden retriever, who the hell doesn't love a golden retriever?
Monsters, probably.
"I am afraid there is one more thing, Mr. Storm," Babs says, making sure to drag this out just a liiiiitttle longer. She's really enjoying this torture of him, even if it hasn't been all that torturous. She's also enjoying rubbing in his face his Elder status.
"It is the best part, at least. Always save it for last," she says, getting a little giddy herself. This was her baby. Well- still is. There is always room for growth and additions. Maybe she is a bit more like Reed than she would like...
"How are you with teleportation?" Babs asks, leading him down an entirely new door back into the facility.
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Post by Beriadan on Sept 3, 2024 12:21:07 GMT
"Babs, I'm a stress-free guy. I've got no limitations either! Throw whatever you want at me, I can take it."
Johnny shot her a wink and a solo finger-gun. He was confident as well as cocky. Reed had indeed tested the limits of Human Torch's capabilities. Somewhere, there was a vast database full of research on the Fantastic Four's powers.
Johnny looked at her as if she had asked how he was with dancing. He gave an exaggerated shrug, grinning. One more thing... and he was sure he knew what it was. Johnny had spent hours trying to work out where the Justice League hung out most of the time, and thought he had an idea.
"I worked with Reed Richards. Susan Storm is my sister... I've teleported more times than you've taken hot baths."
Johnny looked visibly excited as he followed her closely.
"Chuck my molecules in a blender and teleport me anywhere, I'm so ready for this!"
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Post by Countess on Sept 4, 2024 1:30:51 GMT
Oh, Babs is going to enjoy breaking him, just from that statement alone. The finger guns and wink sealed his doom, though. No stress? No limitations? It is practically a challenge at this point, he has to hear himself and know who she is, right? She's going to have to get creative, though, test him in ways Reed didn't even think of. That's easily done. Sometimes, it takes a fresh perspective to come up with new ideas. No two scientists approach the same problem the same way.
Once again, she gets the impression of him as a child, a dog, just this excitable creature that isn't exhausting but infectious. "This is my favorite part," she confesses, stopping in the middle of a hallway. There are no doors here, as far as Johnny can see, but that really means so little with their types. Babs turns and places a palm on a part of the wall. While nothing happens for a couple moments, a large enough portion of the wall gives way to a doorway. Babs walks in, making sure that Johnny follows close behind.
The room they have entered is large enough to accommodate a handful of people, and there is a circle etched into the ground. Barbara holds out her hand to Johnny, a bit expectantly. "We need to cross the threshold together for this to work properly. The blood from before is to add you to the... system, so to speak. Right now, you are piggybacking off of me, so... don't let go, yeah?" she says, seeming animated, excited, and a touch anxious, too.
"Think you can handle that?" she asks, both teasing and making sure. Rather not lose him in this. Still, her eyebrow goes up, a challenge of her own. It isn't like this is a terrible experience, just... different. Especially from the tech side of teleportation. Johnny would see that the circle they are about to cross over into has arcane looking sigils throughout it.
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Post by Beriadan on Sept 6, 2024 19:55:36 GMT
Johnny took Barbara hand in a tight grip, not enough to crush her digits but enough for her to feel the heat radiating from his skin. He was grinning, like a boy on Christmas who just opened the latest console, eyes alive with a youthful energy that was incredibly infectious.
"Hell. Yes. I am so ready!"
Johnny cast his eyes over the magic sigils for a second, but he had seen enough of Doom's abilities to be used to that sort of thing. He was incredibly excited to see where the Justice League held their base of operations. Barbara could feel it in his blood, the heat not uncomfortable, but certainly rising.
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Post by Countess on Sept 7, 2024 0:24:35 GMT
Barbara completely understands his reputation now. He is going to shatter some hearts, and she is going to make sure hers isn't one of them. Guys like him don't go for girls like her, anyways, it is too much of a cliché. The jock and the nerd, day and night. They say opposites attract- they certainly do- but they don't make for something... lasting. She's been burned rather recently, looking for that lasting anyways.
Doesn't mean she can't have a little fun, at least, right? Isn't like he is all that serious with her, either.
Barbara takes his hand, her own grip matching his, perhaps surprisingly so. She grins, meeting his energy, though not his temperature output. It wasn't unpleasant- almost like sitting by a fire in the winter. Well- maybe more the fall. It isn't that cold in here.
Barbara really only needs intention to get this going. She takes a step with him into the circle, careful to time it just right with him. "Okay- it is a little complicated, but every time, you have to say, "Ego sum stultus. Ego Sum credulus," Barbara says with her best poker face. He doesn't know he doesn't need to say that- he also doesn't need to know it is Latin for "I am a fool. I am gullible." To sell it, she says it a few times before the magic kicks in. God, she and whoever else has a lick of Latin will get a kick out of this.
The feeling of teleporting magically is strange. The runes light up, and as they do, it feels like the air around them gets lighter and lighter, the two lifting into the air briefly... before zooming off. "Keep your hands and feet inside the ride at all times!" Barbara calls out to him as they seem to zoom through a magical pneumatic tube system. The hand he has on her is gripped tightly, and she takes her other hand to grab his forearm as well. She is certain he will be fine- but they are going through space now. If either of them fell out... it could be disastrous.The journey does not last long, the window of tragedy short, but once they are through...Johnny is greeted by the blue marble herself. Earth. They are in space, the Watchtower, and Barbara is looking up at him with the same excitement he had before. "Welcome to the Justice League."
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Post by Beriadan on Sept 7, 2024 18:55:25 GMT
"Ego Sum credulus. Ego Sum credulus. Ego Sum credits!"
Johnny was too swept up in it all to question, and besides, who knew Latin aside from a bunch of dead people and wizards? He gripped Barbara's hamd, closed his eyes, and felt the magical energy sweep them up like leaves in a storm. Magic, teleportation, Johnny was no newbie, but he still felt that surge of excitement rushing through his bones as the world, nay the universe, began to blur and shift around them.
Johnny was speechless. Not from the sight of that small blue-green marble from the window; he had seem it countless times during his adventures with his sister and the Fantastic Four. No, he was in awe of the operation itself. "Aw, shit yes! I knew it! It was this, or in the Earth's core, and I knew that was too hot for Batman. Wow, wow, awesome!"He was just taking in the teleportation room itself, as he spun around. Then he stopped, looking at Barbara with even more of a boyish grin stapled to his face. "Are they all here?! Superman, Wonder Woman, all of the Justice League? Oh man, this truly is the best! I can't wait, show me everything, Babs!" |
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Post by Countess on Sept 7, 2024 19:48:43 GMT
Barbara actually... blushes a little. She isn't one to brag, but he makes her want to. This place is so important to her. She had put so much of her blood, sweat, and tears into it. She takes a moment to adjust her hair, biting her lip.
He wouldn't be this charming if he knew who she really was.
The thought sobers her a bit. It is fine and all to be a part of all this... but to lose herself, that's not okay. She takes a breath. "Yeah, Supes and Diana are here somewhere, J'onn too. There might be others, too, but there is a lot going on for the day-to-day. Work life balance is... hard to find. Especially when our jobs are keeping a world that is forever in danger safe," Babs says, knowing that feeling well. Always feels like an uphill battle. Doesn't make it any less worth fighting- just makes it hard.
"Come on, lets see who we can find," Barbara says, finally letting go of his hand. Damn it. Maybe the best thing to do here is rip the band aid off.. with someone else, that she doesn't work with. She starts walking down the halls, going to the main atrium, where most of the action is.
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Post by Bixir on Sept 7, 2024 22:44:43 GMT
The main atrium was quiet. Which would be odd, if it were not a relief. To the contrary, a slow day at the Watchtower meant that the world was (relatively) safe. That there wasn't a crisis that needed responding to. It had been a long time since that had been the case - all the better. Vigilance was good and all, but it didn't amount to much if you couldn't stop to enjoy what you were doing this for. So the thoughts went inside the one person who was up here, idly staring out at that blue marble below. No matter how many times he saw it, he hadn't gotten used to it. He hoped he never did. He had heard their presence even before they had gotten here. Even when they entered the atrium, he did not turn to greet them at first. Everyone's first time was special. Shortly afterward, though, the tall, broad-shouldered man turned around. The man's flowing red cape softly moved with him, hanging proudly on his shoulders. He smiled, and waved.  "Hi there. Are you enjoying the tour?" |
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Post by Beriadan on Sept 8, 2024 6:51:56 GMT
Johnny was visibly excited, but composed himself as best he could. As Superman turned, he had a big stupid smile on his face. Even as long as he had been a member of the Fantastic Four, as long as he had been a Superhero... Johnny was still a fan-boy for the likes of Superman.
"Hi! Mr. Superman, sir... it's a super honour to meet you. Thank you for inviting me to join your team!"
Johnny gave Babs a slightly panicked side-eye. How did you approach Superman for the first time? A manly handshake? A respectful bow? He went for a handshake, offering out his hand, body stiff with trepidation. Superman!
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Post by Countess on Sept 8, 2024 15:09:47 GMT
"Hey, Supes. This is Johnny Storm, the Human Torch. Johnny, this is Superman," Barbara says, far more casual than the fan boy next to her. She shares a look with the caped hero, a knowing one. They've been here before. She wonders if Clark gets weary of this treatment. Diana is so graceful about it, but Clark... he's just a small town boy, and she doesn't think he has ever gotten used to this.
The panicked side eye from Johnny almost makes her laugh. She smothers it- no need to take the wind from his sails, right? "He's just a man," she says quietly to him, though she knows Clark can hear her. "Now you're his teammate. You deserve to be here, too, Johnny," she says, trying to channel her inner Diana. Wise, loving, reassuring... Babs can do it sometimes, but others... it falls flat. Best she can hope for, when compared to Diana, isn't loving mother but caring sister.
"Got a few minutes, Supes? Johnny and I were just taking the first walk about. Know if anyone else is hanging around? Always nice to introduce people."
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Post by Bixir on Sept 16, 2024 6:20:48 GMT
Superman shook Johnny's hand without hesitation. It was a firm grip - if Johnny didn't know who he was, it would have been easy to think he was an ordinary man greeting a stranger hello. He smiled through a chuckle, ever so subtly shaking his head. "Superman will do, Johnny. You wouldn't be here if we didn't think you were ready. If I didn't think you were ready." He gave a wink, particularly to Barbara. Farm boy though he was, the man never tired of this. Especially when he got to have some fun. It didn't matter who among the League had been the one to send a formal invitation to Johnny. Superman was keenly aware of his influence on people. If that idea made Johnny happy, who was he to deny him?... it wasn't untrue, either. He had asked them to give Johnny his due.
"I'm afraid it's just me today, Oracle. I promise not to disappoint." Superman gave another signature smile, lowering himself to half-bow, jokingly. He gestured around him. The atrium was huge, and for good reason. "Whenever there's an alert that goes beyond me or Diana or Carol, this is where we gather members for a briefing. Or a celebration. The atrium doubles as a mess hall, when the need calls for it. The Watchtower isn't just our headquarters. It's also a home away from home."
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