nextgen_russia:

The people of Russia were in a festive mood and they had reason to be. Their tsar, Tsar Mikhail Petrovich Romanov, was getting married to Duchess Tatyana Sergeyeva. The past few months had been spent planning and getting ready for this day. They were happy to see their tsar get married and would be even happier when the tsar and the tsarina had an heir. The newly restored Imperial family needed stability and the marriage today was the first step in providing that stability.

The wedding ceremony lasted over an hour in the Assumption Cathedral. Immediately after Mikhail and Tatyana were pronounced man and wife, Tatyana was crowned empress. The procession left the cathedral and the newly wed couple and newly crowned empress greeted the people from the Red Porch.

The royal family was given time to change and refresh themselves before heading to the Grand Kremlin Palace for the wedding banquet. Dinner was an elaborate affair and lasted for two hours.

After dinner the royal family and guests made their way to the grand ballroom for the ball. The royal family was introduced and then the tsar and tsarina entered. They danced the first dance together and then the royal family was invited to dance with their partners. The guests would be invited to dance in the next song.

exiledbrother:

Two months ago he would not have been able to do this. He had been broken by being tossed to this other world. This world that was not his. He had been reduced to nothing. Less than nothing really. He had no papers to get himself set up at first. It had not taken him too long to change things around. He had ended up using an alias to get things started.

Taliesin Morgan was a useful name to use. But it would not last forever. The world would soon know the name of Taliesin von Doom.

So when does this happen and how? It is a Saturday. The skies are clear and people are out and about doing whatever it is they want to. Then in a flash of yellow and blue light that looks almost pretty buses stop. Cabs stop. Police officers on horses in the city parks or on bicycles stop.

Not because they are frozen in time. But they are confused. They are no longer human but dogs, cats, and birds.

Not all of them are like that though. About a half dozen police officers who weren't caught in the strange light are at the City hall. One of them notices just how the wacko is dressed and dives behind a pillar as his friends are tossed by magic and something else aside. The cop manages to get a message through to the Fantastic Four that someone dressed like Doom has just attacked City hall, could they please help?

temperence:

Alisa did not really tell a whole lot of people when her Birthday was, there was no need to, really. It was just a day she was born, no big deal. Though she did manage to tell Corey and Argo about it, since they were close friends. Nick, well... he knew about her Birthday since it was on her work file. But those were the only people who ever knew besides herself, and her twin brother.

Twenty one years. How the time flies. Ennie was away, missing their birthday this year. Well, physically at least. Alisa took every dime she earned from working with Nick and had his new Harley sent to him, with a big red bow on it and a Birthday card. It was the very least she could do for the brother who gave up everything to protect her. Now, she realized there would be no cupcake this year, no present, no Ennie.

A bit down, Alisa decided to throw her own party... even if she was the only guest. On the roof of the Motorcycle shop, she set up an old boom box she found and fixed up on a table. She tuned the radio on the boom box to a rock station that played her favorite bands
, and then walked over to the side of the roof, looking at all of New Orleans, in all it's glory.

"Well... it ain' like Corey's Birthday, but it's a Birthday, neh?" She spoke to herself. "Well, might as well do sumt'ing..." Alisa took out a spy glass she managed to make herself, and began watching all the cars pass by, using a notepad to mark down each kind of car or bike she say, and what color. "Red one.... blue one... anoder red one..."