perenawska:

Irina opened a portal inside the Champions' Headquarters and she and the Salem's Seven went through it.

anyastark:

Anya had spent Thanksgiving with her team and with her family. Early dinner in Boston and then dinner with the family in New York in the evening. It was great having two Thanksgiving Day dinners. The best part of the holiday after the food was the day after Thanksgiving. It wasn't for the shopping or the deals, but for the time honored tradition of rating the male members of the superhero community.

Anya had the rec room of the Avengers mansion all prepared. Pizza, snacks, drinks of the soft kind and other various items for eating and drinking were laid out. Electronics were all prepared for the event. All that was left was for the guests to arrive.

nextgen_holiday:

All Hallow's Eve, or Halloween as it has been come to be called, is a popular holiday with children and adults alike. It is a holiday that had its roots in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain or Summer's End. Samhain celebrated the end of the "lighter half" of the year and the beginning of the "darker half".

On this evening the barriers between this world and the Otherworld were believed to be thin and the spirits, good and bad, of the dead could pass through. The spirits of the family's ancestors were welcomed in while evil and bad spirits were warded off by the wearing of masks and costumes. The costumes and masks disguised one as a harmful spirit and avoided harm from others.

It was also a harvest celebration and time to take stock of food stores for the winter. Livestock were slaughtered and the meat prepared for storage. It was the final harvest of the year and the crops were then stored for the winter. Celebrations included bonfires and tales of the family's ancestors.

It was a celebration of the dead and of the harvest.

Today we dress up in scary and not so scary costumes and masks and go door to door for candy or attend costume parties. It is a night for revelry, pranks and fun.

nextgen_misc:

It was a quiet autumn day in the city of New Orleans. Tourists wandered the streets and moved about their business. The local superhero team, The Champions, were enjoying the quiet and going about their daily routines.

Of course that was about to change.

It had taken many small jumps to get here, but the Winter Guard, some small subset, did suddenly arrive on the Champions' doorstep.

tabula_rasa:

Continued from here.

"Oh, I'm sure he's met you and you haven't realized it yet. Yankee Clipper makes himself at home in everyone's room. I think even Nick's if only to rub on his boots a little. He wants to make sure he'll still have somebody to feed him if I don't make it home on time."

battle_shield:

 Josh was dressed casually as he sat in the New Orleans bar.  While he looked like just another patron, in truth he was secretly waiting to meet with a member of the Champions in order to discuss any recent significant events in the state. 

perenawska:

It was late and Champions headquarters was quiet. Irina was downstairs in the common area making friends with a bottle of vodka in the dark. It had been a long day and she just needed some time to wind down and relax.

anyastark:

Anya sent Corey two pounds of shade grown chocolate. Along with the chocolate there was a card that said there was a donation of five thousand to the Rainforest Foundation.

perenawska:

Irina looked at Lyta. "I'm so sorry," she said. She really was sorry. She had borrowed a pair of Lyta's shoes and well...they were dead. The heel had broken off of one and the other one, well the leather was torn up. "I'll replace them of course."

quitethecharmer:

Vincent strolled down the streets of New Orleans. It had been years since he'd been in the city. Sure, all the super teams had done their part in helping with recovery efforts, but he'd never seen the city as unspoiled as now. Hm. City. It didn't seem like the right word. It was more like a town that just stretched on and on. It was charming, that way. Food, alcohol, and people. Even without demigod senses anymore the air was rich with smells; it didn't smell badly, just enormously. And there was music. Music just about everywhere. It was a nice place to take it easy.

Of course, he wasn't there to take it easy. He'd picked up the trail of something during one of his meditations, headed from New York towards this city. Nothing so heavy on the mystical scale of things that he felt like he needed to alert Strange or Mistress Jennifer, or sound an alert, but just... something there. He'd grabbed his general gear and followed in pursuit of it. He hadn't been out in the field on his own enough lately, so a tracking expedition was certainly something he could use. Honestly, he was glad for the diversion. He'd been feeling stagnant as of late. Sure, school was progressing nicely, and he was even starting to make peace with his duties as the heir to Latveria, but he'd still been unable to shake the feeling that he was still just following a course someone else had set out for him.

Maybe... maybe it was time for something else.

His introspection is halted by a string of shrill squeals from a nearby bar with a 'Ladies Night' banner over the door. A bit off the pitch he'd expect for just drunken partying. Harmless but ridiculously bright bolts of green and blue light start hurtling out the windows and swinging front doors. He set his jaw and ran for the door, only to get bowled over by a sudden tide of humanity pouring out from it. He was completely blindsided, and ended up knocked on his rear. He caught site of the people fleeing. Each of them had something changed in their eyes. One green, one blue, devoid of any features. The partiers started going mad up and down the street. Senseless damage, tearing of clothes, and all manner of singing and screaming. Not malicious, but overwhelmingly vast, and spreading.

"...Oh Hel..." He knew what it was now, and he was going to need backup to contain them all.

nextgen_misc:

In England near Glastonbury Tor a portal opened up and a large demonic red creature emerged. The Red Lord emerged from Otherworld and had been unleashed upon the mortal world. Chaos and destruction followed in his path.

treadlightly:

They'd done their scouting. They've put up all the defenses they could, and put themselves in a position to attack. Buck has reviewed what they have on hand, and the situations exploding around them.

"Alright, folks, thank you for your patience. I know its been a tense situation waiting and doing patrol work... but I think we've identified some key points in the enemy strategy. We're still going to have to be careful. We're dealing with major influences here, but...

Alpha Flight... and their current guests, should be obvious. There's every sign that more of the Great Beasts will be awoken... that's a top priority situation.

X-Men... and the Genoshans - in following up the uprisings earlier, we've identified a 'Cult of Apocalypse', who took the whole massive fight before as a sign its time for En Sabbah Nur's awakening. We've located some of their likely strike points, your leadership has marked maps.


Champions and Thunderbolts, we've located a massive danger in the Red Lord. Its been determined that it will likely take both teams to deal with it.

Nightstalkers and Big Hero 6, we have a second target of the same type, Sakhmet. You two are on that.

SHIELD will be picking up on all of the general monitoring, crowd safety and control, and other work we've been doing in the lead up to this.

Finally, Avengers, Defenders and FF - you're with me. We're targeting the masterminds behind this.

Any questions?"

nextgen_misc:

Once the Champions returned to their headquarters and destroyed the Quantum Mirror returning all the heroes to normal. Once that was done they called a meeting of the superhero teams. Irina transported the Champions to the Avengers Mansion and volunteered to provide transportation for the other teams.

nextgen_holiday:


You are cordially invited to attend the 28th annual Maria Stark Foundation's Winter Charity event.

Four Seasons Hotel
57 East 57th Street
New York, NY 10022

Friday 21st of September
Seven O'clock pm - Midnight

Formal dress required.

Please bring a donation for Toys for Tots.


The grand ballroom of the Four Seasons Hotel on 57 East 57th street was festively decorated for the holidays. A series of lit candles on every table gave off warm light and the dulcet tones of a jazz ensemble filled the room.

People, the upper elite of New York society, Hollywood celebrities, musicians, politicians and even superheroes moved around the room. People sat at tables and talked, while some moved gracefully around the large dance floor.

Tables loaded with unwrapped and unopened toys lined one wall and at one end stood a very large decorated Christmas tree. Wrapped presents sat under the tree, but they were just empty boxes wrapped for decoration. Mistletoe hung from the ceiling near the tree and people stopped to kiss.

The air was light and the mood happy and festive.

anyastark:

Traditions were important.

For a lot of people the day after Thanksgiving meant hitting the stores and getting great deals on items that would most likely be Christmas presents. For the female Avengers and others the day after Thanksgiving meant a different tradition. They would gather and rate the hunkiness of the male members of the various teams.

Anya had been up at the crack of dawn and readied the Thunderbolts' headquarters. Normally this would take place in the Avengers Mansion, but the boys would be holding Rate the Babe there and the girls needed their own space. She made travel arrangements for everyone invited. Avengers, X-Men, SHIELD, Future Foundation, Alpha Flight, Champions, and the Defenders.

Anya had the event catered by a local restaurant, not wanting to make the Thunderbolts chef have to feed so many people. She had even made sure that all of the Kelly's guns were unloaded.

Everything was ready for their guests.

nextgen_parent:

K'un-L'un, mystic city inhabited by the H'ylthri, was in a separate dimension and was only reached by magical means. Today Danny Rand, the Iron Fist, was trying to bring K'un-L'un into the real world and he was succeeding. The fabled city was entering the normal world and the ground shook. Shockwaves moved through the ground and spread out over most of Asia.

The tremors and the shaking of the ground disturbed the sleep of two powerful beasts. Fin Fang Foom and Godzilla were now waking.

warbird:

Eric had been staying with the Champions for a while now and was getting pretty used to New Orleans now. Though there was still a lot of the city to explore. At least from ground, he had seen was he was pretty sure was the entirety of the area from the skies flying.

He really did want to get check out more the street level parts of the city especially before college started up for him. But there was still a lot of time left in the day he thought to himself at he made himself a quick lunch in the kitchen.

starry_twilight:

The Starry Twilight concert had started off perfectly and the crowd was loving it and after playing songs for about an hour. It was at this point that they began using their instruments to start a riot with the massive crowd.

It would make for a great distraction while they went out and stole a few things they needed. Plus they would be out of the city before anyone could connect any of this with them.

orderofphoenix:

Moriarty was pleased that his plans were going so well. Then again he knew they would. He was Moriarty after all and all others paled in comparison when it came to brains. His plans were foolproof and in the end he would get what he wanted.

Today the object of his attention was Calabdbolg in the castle of King John in Limerick, Ireland. He was not at the castle, but he was keeping an eye on his team. No way would he put himself in danger or at risk of getting caught.

The team entered the building, but unknown to Moriarty and the team the silent alarm was tripped and had alerted authorities. In Chicago an antique dealer got notified of the robbery in progress and called the Champions of New Orleans.

_tsunami_:

It was Earth Day and it was also one Cornelius Drake's birthday. Cait had been planning on his gifts for some time and had saved up to get them for him. Corey would get some shade grown (of course) chocolate and a donation in his name to Heffer International to purchase a goat for a village. Cait enlisted Irina's help for a trip to Nova Roma on the last part of his gift. He would receive a container of garum in addition to the chocolate.

After Nova Roma Irina gave Cait a lift to New Orleans so she could deliver her gifts.

perenawska:

Irina and Jenny returned to Nova Roma after checking out the shop in New Orleans and then in Chicago. Their trip had been unsuccessful in retrieving the knife, but they did learn a few things. Once they reappeared in Nova Roma they were escorted to Senator Aquilla's residence. There they were given a chance to bathe and given food to eat. After they were escorted to a room where Corey, Nick and Rose were waiting.

nextgen_parent:

Lucius Antonius Aquilla rarely ventured out of the city of Nova Roma deep in the heart of the Amazon Rainforest, but his mission was quite urgent and had brought him New Orleans. His grandson Cornelius lived here with his teammates and Lucius needed their help.

With little difficulty he made his way through the city and eventually came to the headquarters of the Champions. He double checked the address and satisfied that he was at the right place he knocked on the door.

perenawska:

Irina loved New York City and being a teleporter meant she could reach New York any time she wanted. Today she felt like lunch in the Village. Corey had also requested certain items that Irina knew she could find in the city. Two birds, one stone.

She ordered a coffee and drank that while she looked at the menu.

nextgen_holiday:

Christmas. Yule. Saturnalia. Dies Natalis Solis Invicti. Many cultures have celebrated and still celebrate a winter festival. There have been many names for it over the millennia. No matter the name it is a time to come together and celebrate with feasts and gifts with friends and loved ones.

Each culture has a legendary figure who would deliver gifts to children during this time. In Russia and some Slavic cultures he is known as Ded Moroz, Grandfather Frost, and comes not on Christmas but on New Year’s along with his granddaughter Snegurochka, or ‘”Snow Maiden”. In the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe he is known as Father Christmas. In the Netherlands and Belgium he is known as Saint Nicholas or “Sinterklaas” and in France he is known as Père Noël. In the United States we know him as Santa Claus.

No matter the name or who is delivering gifts, it is the season of peace, joy and togetherness. It is the season for thinking about loved ones, friends and those less fortunate. It is a time to witness the goodness and generosity the human race is capable of. It is a time for peace on Earth and goodwill toward man.

nextgen_holiday:

“We’re here outside the Four Seasons Hotel in New York where the who’s who is gathered tonight. Celebrities, royals and superheroes have all turned out for the annual Maria Stark Foundation Winter Charity event benefiting Toys for Tots.

The stars and celebrities are out tonight to help a good cause.

Donald Trump arrived with his wife and is one of many other famous faces to arrive. Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, Ryan Reynolds, Julia Roberts, Chris Evans, Patrick Stewart, Selena Gomez, Taylor Swift are just a few celebrities who have made an appearance here tonight.

Miss Anya Stark, the organizer of this event arrived with Mr. James Rogers and both had arms full of gifts. Other public heroes are out in attendance and supporting a good cause. Members of the Avengers, Defenders, Thunderbolts, Fantastic Four and other teams are in attendance.

This party also has royal guests. His Imperial Highness Grand Duke Mikhail Loganovich is in attendance with a lovely lady on each arm. Princess Nimue of Atlantis is here tonight and is being escorted by Mason Jeffries of Alpha Flight. Prince Mackenzie of Atlantis is also in attendance and is escorting Miss Andrea Denker of the Fantastic Four. Vincent Vernard, heir to Latveria, is also in attendance tonight. We even have otherworld royalty in attendance as the children of Thor are here tonight as well.

It is a night to have fun and help a wonderful charity."

anyastark:

For a lot of people the day after Thanksgiving meant hitting the stores and getting great deals on items that would most likely be Christmas presents. For the female Avengers and others the day after Thanksgiving meant a different tradition. They would gather and rate the hunkiness of the male members of the various teams.

Anya had sent out invitations to the females on the other teams well in advanced and made arrangements for food and refreshments.

Once the day arrived she and the Thunderbolts traveled down to New York and gathered at the Avengers Mansion. Anya readied the slide show and waited for everyone to assemble.

nextgen_holiday:

"A thankful heart is not only the greatest virtue, but the parent of all the other virtues." - Cicero

In America today is a day for being thankful for the things in people's lives. Today was a day to celebrate family, friends, prosperity and health with food, family and friends. It is a time to reflect on what is important us and to recognize the gratitude we hold for having those things in our lives.

vicious_cycle:

The couple dates so far with Aine have gone well. There was drinking - lots of drinking - and they're both flirty, outgoing drunks. There was karaoke, there was table dancing. All in all, this worked.
Relations with Irina are, in Nick's mind, perfect. No strings, no fuss. Lots of vodka. Now and then, she shows up naked. It works, and she's right there.

Dating Aine, on the other hand, is kind of a pain - she's on the other coast, and he's not a sappy e-mails kind of guy - and suspects its not her style either. He likes the drive, but it still takes time. And, then there's the fact he knows a teleporter.

He called to set up a meeting at one of Aine's favorite bars, and let her know Irina was coming along - drinks were on him. After all, if she's likely to have a huge problem with the fact that he's sleeping with Irina, at least while they're in casual stages, then dating a demonblood likely isn't the best idea anyway.

perenawska:

Irina wasn't one for celebrating her own birthday. She love celebrating others, but for her own she liked to find a dive bar and drink until she was seeing double or triple. Which is exactly what she was doing today, her thirtieth birthday.

She sat in a corner table, back to the wall, with a bottle of Jose Cuervo and a shot glass. She didn't even bother with the salt and lime.

heroic_dynamo:

He still couldn't believe, eben after five days. The brass had finally promoted him to Crimson, one of three in the whole nation! Yuri said that they were likely hoping he'd get scrapped and they'd have an excuse to can him. Still, the look of pride in the older man was mistakable.His parents had also been proud. His father had even showed up after the promotion to salute him. Sergei wasn't an affectionate man, so those rare moments of parental pride were deeply treasured. He had just returned to Guard headquarters, hoping for a chance to finally put the newest Crimson unit through its paces.

nextgen_misc:

The moon was rising over the city of New Orleans, however, it wasn't the only thing rising in the city tonight. Corpses were rising from their resting places and starting to move through the city. Decaying flesh hung from rotting bones as they shambled through the streets. At first the tourists thought it was a joke or some sort of production, but when the zombies started grabbing tourists and started biting they knew otherwise.

Elsewhere restless spirits moved around and in their anger and anguish stirring up objects and moving them around. Some discarded trashed hit tourists and sent them running. The spirits were encouraged by this and became more and more violent.

The source of this unrest moved through the streets behind Baron Samedi in the form of a cult. He controlled the zombies and the spirits and they had summoned him. The leader of the cult was quite pleased at the chaos that was now present in the streets of New Orleans.

nextgen_holiday:

Mother love is the fuel that enables a normal human being to do the impossible. ~Marion C. Garretty, quoted in A Little Spoonful of Chicken Soup for the Mother's Soul

perenawska:

Corey's birthday was easy to remember. Fittingly, it was on Earth Day and Irina and Lyta had been /planning/. Corey was like a little brother to them and they were going to make sure that his birthday was celebrated with a big fuss.

Irina left the catering and party supply part to Lyta. Organization was not one of Irina's strong points, it almost wasn't a point at all. Irina took care of the guests. She had delivered invitations to all of Corey's friends in Westchester and his family in Nova Roma last week with a promise to transport them if they wanted to go. She didn't mind playing taxi for events like this.

Corey wasn't hard to get a gift for, but the kid didn't think much about new clothes or shoes for himself, so in addition to an Ark Irina got him some clothes and shoes. She also got him some shade-grown chocolate bars.

When it was time, she went to fetch the invited guests.

perenawska:

Irina had been putting this off for a long time, but she knew she would have to do it. She didn't want to do it, but it wasn't a matter of wanting. It was a matter of family obligation. He was her father and even though she didn't like him, she still had a responsibility toward him.

Irina smiled at the nurse behind the reception desk and identified herself as Nina Smith, daughter of the comatose Alex Smith. The nurse smiled and led "Nina" to a room at the end of a long hall. She smiled and motioned to the door.

"Thank you," Irina said without the slightest trace of an accent.

The nurse smiled and went back to her station.

Irina stood there and stared at the door. She shouldn't be this apprehensive. The man was in a coma and wasn't going to wake up anytime soon. Thank goodness. The world didn't need monsters like Alexi Shoshtakov running around in it.

Irina took a deep breath and opened the door.

"Hello father," she said in Russian as the door closed behind her.

perenawska:

Irina got ready and dressed in a pair of jeans, a blouse and a pair of boots. Knives were hidden all around her body. Just in case. She double checked her appearance and went downstairs. She went into the kitchen and left a note for Corey letting him know she wouldn't be there for dinner. Waste not, want not.

nextgen_holiday:


I arise from dreams of thee
In the first sweet sleep of night,
When the winds are breathing low,
And the stars are shining bright.
I arise from dreams of thee,
And a spirit in my feet
Hath led me -- who knows how?
To thy chamber window, Sweet!

The wandering airs they faint
On the dark, the silent stream--
And the Champak's odours
Like sweet thoughts in a dream;
The nightingale's complaint,
It dies upon her heart,
As I must on thine,
O belovèd as thou art!

O lift me from the grass!
I die! I faint! I fail!
Let thy love in kisses rain
On my lips and eyelids pale.
My cheek is cold and white, alas!
My heart beats loud and fast:
O press it to thine own again,
Where it will break at last!

Percy Bysshe Shelley

nextgen_parent:

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the first annual Maria Stark Foundation Charity Auction. I'm Alison Blaire and your host for tonight's festivities. Prepare yourselves for a night of fun to help a worthy cause. In just a few minutes many very handsome men will be brought out one by one for your chance to win a date with one of them.

Before we begin I would like to bring out Her Imperial Highness Anya Stark. Miss Stark helped arranged tonight's event and will give you a little more information on the charity organization tonight's proceeds will help."

Anya walked out on stage and smiled. "Thank you, Ms. Blaire. All of the proceeds from tonight's event will go directly to Doctors Without Borders or Médecins Sans Frontières. This organization was created in 1971 in France to benefit the citizens of the world. The organization is committed to bringing quality medical care to people caught in crisis regardless of race, religion, or political affiliation all across the globe. MSF operates independently of any political, military, or religious agendas.

I'm happy to announce on behalf of the Maria Stark Foundation, that all money collected here tonight will be matched dollar for dollar by the Maria Stark Foundation."

"Thank you Miss Stark and that is a very generous offer by the Maria Stark Foundation. Now it's time to begin. So open those wallets and let's bring out our first man." Anya left the stage and went to take her seat.

"First we have the son of Captain America Steve Rogers and Natasha Romanoff. James Romanov-Rogers is currently an Avenger and has recently moved to Seattle to lead the West Coast Avengers."

"Let's start the bidding at a hundred dollars."

ng_avatars:

Wrath, being the most feared of the seven, led the ceremony in the abandoned warehouse. The seven demons stood around Harold Jenkins and chanted while their followers stood in a circle around them. Harold was a criminal of the worst sort and had just finished killing a family of four when the demons grabbed him and offered him great power. They chanted along with their demon masters.

Wrath held the Medallion of Power and with it they would being a new Vengeance into the world. This one would serve them and their goals and hopefully distract the Ghost Rider and his companions. The city wasn't big enough for the demons and the Champions and New Orleans was the perfect city for them. Vegas was too showy and over the top for most their tastes.

The voice rose in volume until the ceremony reached it's climax. There was a bright burst of flame around Harold and when it died down Vengeance stood in place.

"Go," Wrath said. "Your job is just beginning. There is a city awaiting you. We have even provided you a motorcycle."

Vengeance nodded and climbed onto the waiting bike. The bike roared to life and Vengeance rode out of the warehouse.

anyastark:

Anya loved birthdays. She loved shopping for people and loved watching their reactions when they opened their gifts. Eliza was always hard to shop for, but Anya had tackled the problem with gusto. Anya had selected a new uniform made of some new fabric developed by Stark Inc. It would withstand knives and bullets.

She had also selected a diamond and ruby tennis bracelet.

She suited up and flew down to New Orleans.

nextgen_holiday:

There's a piece of paper and a pen attached to a bulletin board. Across the top is written:

New Year's Resolutions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
+

Anonymous entries accepted.

nextgen_holiday:

Christmas. Yule. Saturnalia. Dies Natalis Solis Invicti. Many cultures have celebrated and still celebrate a winter festival. There have been many names for it over the millennia. No matter the name it is a time to come together and celebrate with feasts and gifts with friends and loved ones.

Each culture has a legendary figure who would deliver gifts to children during this time. In Russia and some Slavic cultures he is known as Ded Moroz, Grandfather Frost, and comes not on Christmas but on New Year’s along with his granddaughter Snegurochka, or ‘”Snow Maiden”. In the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe he is known as Father Christmas. In the Netherlands and Belgium he is known as Saint Nicholas or “Sinterklaas” and in France he is known as Père Noël. In the United States we know him as Santa Claus.

No matter the name or who is delivering gifts, it is the season of peace, joy and togetherness. It is the season for thinking about loved ones, friends and those less fortunate. It is a time to witness the goodness and generosity the human race is capable of. It is a time for peace on Earth and goodwill toward man.

nextgen_holiday:

“We’re here outside the Four Seasons Hotel in New York where the who’s who is gathered tonight. Celebrities, royals and superheroes have all turned out for the annual Maria Stark Foundation Winter Charity event benefiting Toys for Tots.

It’s truly an all-star gala here tonight.

New York’s own princess, Anya Stark, was seen being escorted by what appears to be her new flame, actor Austin Cain. Her brother and currently second in line to the Russian throne, Mikhail Romanov, was seen entering the party with Lyta Worthington, heiress to Worthington Industries. Tony and Natasha Stark, parents of a new baby, are making their first public appearance since the birth of their son.

Mackenzie Rider, a prince of the underwater kingdom of Atlantis, is escorting Ms. Andrea Denker of the Fantastic Four tonight. Kristoff Vernard, leader of the Fantastic Four, was seen in attendance with his wife Cassandra and their son Scotty. Vincent Amorason, heir to Latveria, arrived alongside his brother and was seen escorting a member of the Defenders, Asleif Thorsdottir. The rest of the Fantastic Four are here too with their dates, though Miss Valeria Richards is not in attendance. Franklin Richards is in attendance and is escorting one Miss Gill.

Los Angeles’ own superhero team, the Defenders are in attendance as well. Arriving with her team is Grace Danvers, daughter of Hollywood hunk Simon Williams and she is being escorted by teammate, Eiltin. The two Asgardian princesses and daughters of Thor, Asleif and Aridis, are also attending the festivities with their team.
Akilah Munore, the crown princess of Wakanda, is here tonight with her steady flame, Daniel Sherwood a member of the Young Avengers. The other Young Avengers are in attendance tonight with their dates, alongside the adult Avengers.

Donald Trump arrived with his wife and is one of many other famous faces to arrive. Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Hugh Jackman, Jack Nicholson, Miley Cyrus, Taylor Swift are just a few celebrities who have made an appearance here tonight.

It’s truly a party of the who’s who and it’s all for a great cause.”

perenawska:

Irina had gotten to know Lyta pretty well in the past eleven months the Champions had been together, including finding out when her birthday was. The day had finally rolled around. Irina had gone with a pair of Prada Motorcycle Boots for if and when her boyfriend took her for a ride. She also gave her a card that promised transportation to anywhere in the world, a trip to the spa and a night of drinking.

She coordinated with Corey for the food for the celebration. Corey was cooking dinner and Irina had taken the responsibility of getting the cake. Finding Lyta's favorite kind of cake had been a little difficult to find out, but she had managed to do it. She and Corey got everything ready, assembled the Champions and called Lyta downstairs.

nextgen_holiday:

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." JFK

In America today is a day for being thankful for the things in people's lives. Today was a day to celebrate family, friends, prosperity and health with food, family and friends. It is a time to reflect on what is important us and to recognize the gratitude we hold for having those things in our lives.

nextgen_holiday:

All Hallow's Eve, or Halloween as it has been come to be called, is a popular holiday with children and adults alike. It is a holiday that had its roots in the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain or Summer's End. Samhain celebrated the end of the "lighter half" of the year and the beginning of the "darker half".

On this evening the barriers between this world and the Otherworld were believed to be thin and the spirits, good and bad, of the dead could pass through. The spirits of the family's ancestors were welcomed in while evil and bad spirits were warded off by the wearing of masks and costumes. The costumes and masks disguised one as a harmful spirit and avoided harm from others.

It was also a harvest celebration and time to take stock of food stores for the winter. Livestock were slaughtered and the meat prepared for storage. It was the final harvest of the year and the crops were then stored for the winter. Celebrations included bonfires and tales of the family's ancestors.

It was a celebration of the dead and of the harvest.

Today we dress up in scary and not so scary costumes and masks and go door to door for candy or attend costume parties. It is a night for revelry, pranks and fun.

perenawska:

Irina and Lyta returned to the Champions headquarters and informed the other members about running into the visitor from the other dimension and that the bad Avengers were here and on the loose. It took a little bit of time to explain it all, but by the time they were finished their guests had arrived.

They were shown in and they all gathered in what was once the main room of the nightclub.

perenawska:

Their first planned shopping trip had been a disaster. Not the end of the world type of disaster, but enough of one to qualify as a disaster. Now that they had been home for a short while, Irina grabbed Lyta for another shopping trip. This one, however, would be in New Orleans. No teleporting or portals involved what so ever.

Shopping was an active sport and it required drinks and food. There was a pause from the day's activity to grab some food and a few drinks in the French Quarter. Irina let Lyta pick the place and within no time they were seated and cooling off with some potent drinks.

"The best part about shopping," Irina said with a grin before she downed her shot of vodka.

lytaworthington:

A portal opened in front of Champions headquarters, and Lyta and Irina stepped out.

"Home sweet home," Lyta said, grinning at Irina. "I'm taking a shower and then asking Corey if he wouldn't mind cooking dinner a little early." She had no idea what time it was, though she was guessing mid-afternoon, early evening. You lose track of time when you're locked up in another dimension.

Lyta made her way inside with Irina.

lytaworthington:

Lyta had had a couple of busy couple of days. And the perfect cure to busy days- retail therapy. She'd talked to Irina the other night, and the two of them had made plans to go Paris for some well deserved shopping.

Lyta put her wings in her harness and got dressed, in a red blouse and a pair of jeans. She put on her sunglasses and grabbed her purse, credit cards ready to go. She went to Irina's room and knocked on the door.

nextgen_holiday:

New Orleans was all about great food and Labor Day was a great excuse to indulge in great food. The Champions, like the other teams and people across the United States, were celebrating Labor Day. Their celebration was on the rooftop of their headquarters instead of on a beach or a lawn.

Having a teleporter on the team meant that they didn't stick to normal cookout fare. Food from all around the world was bought and brought back. Fruits, vegetables and all different kind of meats were prepared for the celebration. A table and chairs was carried up to the rood in addition to a large grill.