nextgen_misc:

Once the imprisoned Zodiac members were free, they didn't wait long to make a move. Mikel Fury directed the members to attack Leo and his Triads in San Francisco. Violence erupted in the streets in the more seedier parts of the city and the civilians stayed inside out of the way.

shield_maiden:

Svalin woke to find herself lying on the ground. She blinked. What had happened? The last thing she remembered was being attacked. She didn't see the attacker, but the world went black and she woke up here. Where was here?

Svalin pulled herself to her feet and looked around.

The world was desolate and had been destroyed at some point. Where in Hel was she and what had happened?

nextgen_misc:

Jarvis and his staff made sure the conference room was ready for a meeting. A table with pastries, cookies, and some healthy snacks had been prepared along with one that held various drinks. It wasn't frequent where the Avengers assembled for meetings that had been planned.

treadlightly:

So, Anya talked him into hosting this year... so Avengers Mansion is all set up for a proper party in the main lounge. Extra couches set around the giant screen, plenty of food - ranging from the chips and soda to the pretzels and beer.

The front doors are left watched, but open, and invitations have been sent out to the guys on all the teams the Avengers are in contact with... so... potentially a lot of people.

junoslace:

 She had slept alright the night before and the bed was more comfortable then her own. Now she was freshened up and ready to face the day in her favorite beige pants, purple button up top, black shoes and winning Stark grin. This was how her Tony taught her to take on new situations. She wanted to make a good first impression on what might be a team of people that she would be working with plus it was the Avengers, all her father ever talked about and her dream team.   She headed down to the rec room and hoped she wasn’t late.

shield_maiden:

Svalin just looked around. One second they were in the lab at the Defenders' Compound and the next they were standing in the middle of the desert. Griffen had come back to the compound to visit his mother and the Defenders and to grab a few things from his lab. Svalin had agreed to watch a demostration of a new device that would transport them short distances. Instead it transported them into the middle of the desert.

There was a road that ran from east to west. There wasn't a car in sight.

"Well friend Griffen, what shouldst we do now?"

strangeson:

"Ok now THIS really beats the dark dimension. Big place" Walking into the mansion the legendary mansion of the Avengers. It looked easy to get lost but hey that's only HALF the fun! He kept shuffling a pack of card in one hand with his bags in another. He was hoping to see more action at some point today. Maybe even make some new friends.

nextgen_baddie:

It wasn't fair! He had spent so much time and money making himself invulnerable, to prepare himself to survive the inevitable nuclear holocaust. He had built an empire, amassing great wealth wealth and power. He had been opposed by the so-called superheroes and the idiots that represented the law. He had attempted vengeance but in the end such efforts had been unproductive. In the end, he had decided to take what was left of his empire, and retire to live out the rest of his life in peace, away from self-righteous fools that dogged him. He had purchased ownership of an unmarked island, and had lived there in decadent luxury. But now...

Now he was dying from a disease adapted to his body. None of his doctors could cure it. His invulnerable body worked against him as his unique immune system prevented any treatments from heading the illness off. He tried to contract underworld doctors into aiding him, but none could do it. Damon Dran was still a wanted man, but..he would need help from the so-called "legitimate" medical community. There was a doctor, Ian Lennox, who had invented a new kind of vaccine. Dran needed him. He gave the order for his people to kidnap the doctor.

He knew this would attract the hated "heroes" so he put in a call to Calvin Hammer, the Mastermind of the Secret Empire. He would need help, the cost seemed negligible at this point.

nextgen_vampire:

Earlier in the day the owner of the farm, Henry Collins, was working on his farm. He was clearing some land to build a new barn for his cows. His old one wasn't big enough any longer and he had decided to build a new one instead of expanding the old one. Bulldozers and other heavy equipment had been brought in to even out the land he had selected as the site. During the day one of the pieces of heavy equipment unknowingly unearthed something that had been lying in the ground. The wooden stake that had been driven into the cow was knocked out.

When darkness settled over the Collins Farm that evening, the cow that had been unearthed rose from the ground seemingly alive. Bessie, as the cow was known, was free once more and free to hunt down the being that was responsible for her condition. First she needed to feed and make an army to help her in her quest to defeat the Lord of the Vampires.

She ambled toward the old barn and the herd of cows inside.

Three days later the cows that Bessie had killed rose from the dead. Bessie now had the first recruits in her vampire cow army. They went off into the night to recruit more members to their cause.

ng_olympian:

Between Marlow and Dawn the Defenders had managed to track the shadow demons who had abducted Svalin to the gates of Hades. Countless shades wandered on the shores of the river Acheron. These were the paupers and the friendless, those who did not possess an obolus to pay Charon.

A small boat floated on the dark waters of the river and the cloaked figure of Charon stood in the boat waiting to ferry souls across the river. A skeletal hand clutched a pole and the other was outstretched waiting to receive a fare for crossing.

On the other side of the river stood a large three headed dog and a large two headed dog. Cerebus and Orthus guarded the entrance into Pluto's realm.

brit_sorcerer:

There had been an invitation for Excalibur to attend a cookout with the Defenders for Independence Day. Quinn was a Brit by birth, but he had spent half of his life in New York. He considered himself a Yankee as well as a Brit.

When it was time he teleported all from Excalibur who wanted to go to the Defenders compound. Quinn was looking forward to a day in the sun, on the beach and watching girls in bikinis with a lot of good food on hand. Not to mention Asgardian mead. It would truly be a wonderful day.

They arrived in a flash right outside the gates to the compound. It was rude to arrive inside the gates and Quinn didn't feel like fighting. He was a lover, not a fighter.

dark_of_winter:

Sigurdur Hogunson returned to the Golden City the moment the messenger found him. The All-Father demanded his presence immediately and Sigurdur's mind raced with the implications. He was not a wise man, and therefore did not know why the Lord of Asgard needed him. Questions arose in his mind during his ride to Odin's hall, but no answers presented themselves.

He hoped that he had not displeased his lord and master.

He arrived at the hall and was admitted without further word. No one spoke to him, but their glances asked the same question that stuck in Sigurdur's mind.

Why? 

When he reached Odin's throne, Sigurdur stopped at a respectable distance and slammed his fist to his heart, taking a knee and kneeling before his liege.

"I, Sigurdur Hogunson, present myself to thee, my King. How may I serve Asgard this day?" he asks in greeting.

im_a_librarian:

Little more than a year had passed since Dawn Roberts has first joined the Defenders, and it was almost impossible to believe that the time had flown by so quickly, or that so much had happened during that time.  Dying, being bonded to the soul of an Asgardian goddess and wielding her form and powers, helping to protect the universe from a variety of threats, almost dying again, being separated from Asleif, being drafted by Asleif to watch over her siblings (complete with a physical and mystical upgrade), being called in and feeling entirely out of her depth with a council of other mystics, being selected to be Doctor Strange's apprentice and possible eventual successor, eventually having to tell her family everything that had happened to her (including also finding out what her cousin David was one of the X-Men!), picking up a boyfriend in the form of Griffen, getting to see an Asgardian wedding (the parameters of which still baffled her modern world mind), and plenty of other odds and ends that she was probably leaving out.

She was not the frightened young woman who had first showed up on the Defenders' doorstep, convinced she was going out of her mind.  Nor was she the nervous would-be hero who was one panic attack away from total collapse on a good moment.  She definitely wasn't always sure of herself, but it was amazing how far she'd progressed.  Once, the thought of being a super-hero, let alone a mystical protector of Earth, would have been so far out of her ideas of how her life was going to go that she would have laughed had anyone suggested them.  Now, though she could quite easily imagine other paths of life (her old job at one of the LA public libraries looked occasionally tempting still), she harbored no true thoughts of getting off the one she was on.

The past, occasionally, has a way of catching up with you.  Like it had when she'd been out today.  She'd held herself together, but right now... she needed something to take her mind off it.

Waiting for the frozen pizza to cook in the oven wasn't really doing it.

sydney_ashcroft:

Grace's birthday was on Thursday and Syd had made sure she they acknowledged the day, but they were saving the big party for Saturday. The Defenders as a team had gone out to dinner at a Brazilian steakhouse. When they returned home anyone who wanted to watch movies camped out in the living room.

Syd had the two chefs, Hugh and Malinda, make Grace's favorite food for dinner and her favorite cake for dinner on Saturday. When dinner was over, Syd and Zoey brought the cake out with the candles lit.

"Happy birthday to you...." they sang as they brought the cake to the table.

Syd ignored her own birthday.

shield_maiden:

For Svalin getting two new weapons at the same time was like a kid getting toys at Christmas and not knowing which one to play with first. Vigfrior was one of the most perfect weapons Svalin had ever picked up. The sword was...well perfect. The grip fit her hand with perfections, the balance was unlike she had ever seen and it the ability to change into different weapons. Svalin no longer had to worry about carrying a small arsenal with her.

Then there was the Bat'leth. Her brother had done excellent work and she truly didn't deserve such a gift. Svalin had been practicing almost non-stop with the two weapons when she wasn't doing other chores around the compound. At first the Bat'leth felt clumsy and awkward, but Svalin was a warrior and she practiced religiously and took to weapons like no other. Now her movements were fluid, almost graceful and she knew she could now use the weapon in combat.

Maybe soon she would get her chance to use both weapons in combat.

She thought about Vernique as she went through her afternoon training routine. She had left a message with her inviting her out to visit for a few days. Svalin may have said something about wanting some new Migard clothes. If anything brought Vernique out, it would be the promise of shopping and the chance to dress Svalin up.

She hadn't heard back from Vernique, but she had used Sydney's phone because she didn't have one of her own. Though she knew Syndey would tell her if Vernique had called. That she was sure of.

She continued to go through her forms and Zoey mirrored her movements. She could tell the child had been practicing while she was away and had improved. After practice they would see to their horses and then Svalin promised Zoey she would take her swimming.

nextgen_misc:

The Seven Heaves Casino and Resort was the newest casino in Vegas and business was booming. Tourists and locals alike came to the new casino to check it out and to see if they could hit a jackpot. Some came out winners while others came out losers. Some came out completely changed and had a new outlook on life after finding religion. It was an unusual place to find religion, but then again the owners were very unusual themselves.

nextgen_media:

Rome, Italy – The Vatican is addressing the recent rash of robberies at a few churches and monasteries throughout the world. Two churches and two monasteries were broken into during the night and ransacked. Many valuable religious artifacts were destroyed and some are reported missing. The Vatican is not saying what artifacts were stolen, but it will only confirm that some objects are missing. Authorities are investigating, but so far there are no leads. CONT PAGE 2A


Almeda, TX – Miracles continue to happen in the small town of Almeda, Texas. People are being miraculously healed by Maria Sefanos. No matter the injury or sickness, it seems like Ms.Stefanos is able to heal or cure them. She has decline every interview request, but there is word that she is able to do this miraculously healing by the power of the goddess. People will not say which goddess it is, but people have started to convert to the worship of this unnamed goddess. A small cult is forming and local officials have not taken any actions. CONT PAGE 3A


New York, NY – Hell's Kitchen is seeing a surge in it's goth population. Goths have flocked to this area of New York and appear to be forming some sort of cult. They gather each night in one of the small community parks and hold some sort of rites for the 'Dark Goddess' as they call her. They will not name this Dark Goddess, but the air has a cult like feel to it. Authorities have yet to take action. CONT PAGE 4A


Los Angeles, CA – It seems like people have found the Fountain of Youth in Los Angeles outside of plastic surgery. A new treatment at a new clinic has rejuvenated the stars. This new treatment is provided by New Beginnings Clinic. A trip to the clinic has the customers coming out with ten to twenty years off of their appearances. Details on the procedure are unknown and so far the owner, Ms. Abigail Pederson, has been unavailable for comment.



San Fran, CA – The new drug Nirvana is becoming more and more popular in the streets of San Francisco. The people using the drug have claimed to have seen “the Goddess” and have started worshiping her. The name of this goddess is unknown and these so called worshipers will not release the name. Police are trying to stop the spread of this drug, but so far their efforts have been unsuccessful.

son_of_genius:

Franklin had talked about the prospect of moving in with the Defenders with his parents.  They reacted as he thought they would, but they eventually saw his side of the issue.  He figured it was, in part, because both of his parents realized that there was nothing they could do to stop him from doing what he felt was best.

Sydney, the den mother, had been informed before Franklin arrived.  He had been given her e-mail address prior to leaving, in order to contact her about when he was going to arrive.  Of course, it wasn't guaranteed that he was moving in with them.  The visit was just to see how he vibed with the Defenders.  If they had problems with him being there, it wasn't going to happen. 

That being said, Franklin doubled-checked himself before knocking on the door to the main building.

next_avenger:

With Charlie gone and as a male member of the Avengers, in addition to being the leader, it was up to James to uphold a few traditions that didn't have to deal with battling bad guys. Though he had to admit that he would rather be fighting bad guys than doing this. It just wasn't his thing.

He wasn't as industrious as Anya, but James had managed to collect the necessary photos. It hadn't been easy and a part of him felt like he was cheating on Val.

Invitations were sent to the Avengers, Thunderbolts, Fantastic Four, Champions, Excalibur the X-Men and the Defenders guys.

With the help of Jarvis food and drink was laid in. James made sure they had a wide variety of pizza, chips, pretzels and drinks.

He loaded the photos in and took care of the security systems. The girls were not allowed to watch. Now all that was left was people showing up.

sydney_ashcroft:

Syd made sure she kept track of all the Defenders' birthdays. Even if she didn't, Sarah would have made sure to remind her that it was Griffen's birthday. Syd helped with decorating the cake that Sarah had baked. Zoey had helped pick out Griffen's gift from the two of them. This year they had gotten him a new top of the line laptop. Zoey had helped wrapped it and made Griffen a card.

madscienceman:

He got up early. Then as he sipped his coffee in his space in the cottage in his boxers. Then he noticed the date of the day and had flash backs to last year. That did not fill him with fond feelings even if it had led to him eventually losing his virginity the following month from one of the many lovely ladies he had met. He was more confident than he was last year.

He still choose to hide out in the basement lab. He had something to show the group. His thesis. He would be in a few weeks Doctor Griffen O'Niell. He had finally finished all his hard work. But then he decided that no one would really want to know. In that way his confidence was not that high.

He wasn't that good. He shrugged then went up stairs to have lunch. If anyone actually had any plans, he would be surprised.

nextgen_misc:

You are cordially invited to attend the 27th annual Maria Stark Foundation's Winter Charity event.

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

Saturday December 18th
Seven O'clock pm - Midnight

Formal dress required.

Please bring a donation for Toys for Tots.

sydney_ashcroft:

Last night hadn't gone exactly to plan, but it had been a wonderful night. The exhibit had been wonderful, dinner excellent and afterwards...Syd blushed at the thought. She had woke up this morning snuggled up next to a warm body and with a smile on her face.

She would have stayed in bed if she could, but an eight am meeting on the East Coast meant a five am meeting on the West Coast. Syd rolled out of bed at 4:30 and got dressed and caffeinated before her video conference with Mr. Stark. After the meeting she started a batch of blueberry muffins and scrambled up some eggs. Pancake batter was made and ready to be cooked when people filtered into the kitchen.

The residents and their guest would be waking up soon and it was best to be armed with food. She smiled at the thought of two dogs, a tiger and a kid jumping into bed with Avery.

ng_independent:

The Empress was NOT happy. So far all of her plans have failed. The plan to grab female champions from Earth failed. The plan to grab guys and turn them into girls to use as her champions failed. The Empress had to come up with another plan. She had thought long and hard on it and eventually came up with something.

"Set A corSE to EARth!" she commanded. She would not be stopped this time. The plan was fail proof.

The Empress selected candidates as the ship made its way toward Earth. By the time they arrived, she had a list. One by one the names on the list were collected and put in the proper chambers.

When they wake up they will see a recording of the Empress addressing them.

"Greetings! Welcome to the service of...ME. Each of you will be expected to do your duty and proCREATE with the feMALE in the ROOM with you."

ng_offenders:

The New Man known as the Killer Kobra flicked his tongue out, tasting the damp, underground air of the caverns of the Trolls.  As good a spot to battle as any.  Though the High Evolutionary had considered the gods of Asgard something to be worshiped or admired, he did not.  The only true god to him was the Man-Beast, he who embraced the predatory instincts the New Men were meant to.

He was accompanied by Ms. Hyde, the one Offender he could stand, the only one with the same terribly cruelty and predatory instincts he too possessed.  He did not know he was embracing, in some small way, a tradition, nor did he particularly care.

He would taste flesh today.

nextgen_asgard:

Once the players had all been gathered, Loki transported himself, along with Ardis and Halbjorn, the spider-god Ohu, the mortals Grace, Griffen, and Dawn, and the mysterious woman called Marlow, to Asgard. It was a desolate, abandoned region, where few would ever traverse. He himself had only been here to make certain that the Norn Stones had still been in place, should he require them for a future plot. He had discovered the Grandmaster only by chance.

The Grandmaster, the being who stood before them now.

"Greetings again to thee, Elder," Loki said, feigning humility and feeling disgust at doing so. The Elders were older even than the Asgardians themselves, possibly the one set of beings in the universe who might yet give them pause. He it galled him to know there were beings truly his superior. "And again, mine thanks for thine leave to gather mine champions. T'will make for a most entertaining game, I doth assure thee."

nextgen_asgard:

He appeared before the Defenders compound without fanfare or signal, without any of the usual lavish displays he attempted when wishing to make a point. Instead, it was simply as though he was not there one moment and there the next. His features--he would never be called handsome, though some might have called them regal--contorted slightly. Why was so much of Midgard so insufferably warm? A proper place was cold enough to freeze the marrow from unworthy bones.

Well, you know what they say. You can take the giant out of Jötunheimr, but you can't take Jötunheimr out of the giant. He resisted the urge to change the climate to something more to his liking.

He was not, technically, supposed to travel to Midgard these days. But when had he ever cared for the rules? Besides, who would deny him the opportunity to see his niece and grandchildren?

Loki, Lord of Lies, God of Mischief, adopted son of Odin, had come to Earth.

team_mascot:

Zoey loved spring! It was her favorite season after summer. Though winter was good because winter had Christmas in it. Christmas was the best and this year she had met Santa Claus! She even drove his sleigh! But now it was spring. Spring meant a lot of good things and one of those things were the Asgardians birthday.

Zoey was a little confused about how they didn't know the actual day they were born and Mom couldn't really explain it either, but they were okay with just spring as their birthday. Birthdays meant parties and Zoey had decided that there HAD to be a party.

A party was her favorite thing right after Christmas. She LOVED parties and this would be the bestest birthday party ever!

She knew she couldn't do it alone so she went seeking help. Mom. Grace. Ohu. Any of them, or all would help her. They HAD to.

ng_independent:

They had arrived at Earth and had orbited for awhile before Empress had selected her targets. It had taken some time. She didn't want just ANYONE. They had to be among the best. She WOULD win the gladiatorial games this time. NOTHING would stop her. Not even a small thing like gender.

Empress didn't care if it was cheating. The only thing that mattered was winning and she would win this time.

The teleporters were activated and the selected targets were beamed directly to the lab. There they underwent a little transformation and were given attitude readjustments and then put into a holding cell.

The men would wake up in the holding cell to find a few changes.

shield_maiden:

Svalin was always a bit disorientated after one of Asleif's teleportation spells. She shook off the nauseous feeling and looked around. This was the realm of the Celtic gods, but more importantly the lair of Manawydan. Somewhere inside one of the buildings up ahead, her sister was being held prisoner.

Svalin hoped they had arrived before the wedding.

She drew her sword and readied her shield.

"For Asgard!" she yelled and held her sword aloft. Talking was not an option at this point.

sydney_ashcroft:

It was a perfect winter day to be out and about in Los Angeles. The sun was bright and the air was a very mild seventy two degrees and more importantly, Zoey was in school for the day. It was perfect for shopping and Syd wasn't going to pass the opportunity up.

With her substantial increase in salary she could afford to treat herself to some new clothes. She asked if anyone wanted to go along and Aridis had taken her up on the offer. Syd also called her sister Bryn because if anyone loved to go clothes shopping it was Bryn. The woman lived for clothes.

Right now they were taking a break and grabbing a bite to eat. It wasn't anywhere fancy, far from it, but Pink's did have the best hot dogs in the entire city. Possibly the United States. Syd worked on a chili cheese dog as they sat outside at one of the tables.

nextgen_deviant:

The brides were clad in white and lined up in front of the altar. A semi-circle of priests stood behind the brides and were chanting. The magic in the air became more powerful as the priests chanted. A small circle appeared in the air before the brides and started to get bigger.

Standing behind the priests was a large group of deviants. They were witnessing the rebirth of their god into the mortal realm. It was an honor and privilege to be witness to this historic moment.

nextgen_holiday:

The beginning of a New Year, a time for new hopes, new experiences to come. A time to reflect on times past, remembering fond memories happily and trying to put less pleasant thoughts and experiences in the past.

It is a time of renewal, a time of rebirth. And for much of the world, it is a time of celebration. This is no less true for the super hero set as anyone else. If anything, they just have that much bigger of things to look forward to.

old_saint_nick:

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy.

Christmas Day is a Christian holiday, it's true, but it also has become increasingly secular. It is an opportunity for love, charity, and goodwill, even in Los Angeles, arguably the most superficial city in the country.

There is some debate within mystical circles if there is indeed such a creature as the embodiment of Christmas Giving known as Santa Claus. But whether or not there is such a being, the spirit of giving itself is very real, be it incarnated in a fat man in a red suit or not.

Throughout this small blue planet of Earth, people have brought trees into their homes, decorated them with lights and ornaments, and placed them in locations of honor. Stockings have been placed on the chimneys. And gifts have been placed under the tree.

Some are looking forward more to the receiving than the giving. But for many, it is the act of giving which warms them, which fills them with the holiday spirit.

Each person, in their own way, becomes a part of this spirit of giving. Each person, in their own way, becomes Santa Claus.

The Defenders Manor has been decked out with lights, as has most of the grounds. Ohu has made hanging lighting a top priority, and every tree on the grounds -- including the palm trees -- is well lit with multi-colored lights. Despite the warm location, Ohu has made sure that there's plenty of snow on the grounds, too, with a bit of magic. As for the gods themselves, and their mortal keepers...

ohu_amane:

It's taken much of the day to prepare. Thankfully, Griffen's been in his lab for the entire time. And now it's time to get him.

The spell keeping too much sound from reaching the lab has held. The webbing on the door to the lab remains sturdy -- he hasn't tried to leave the room yet.

He adjusts his beret, pulls the two tiny triangles of his temporary mustache out to fine points, and tucks the old-style megaphone under his arm.

He dispells the webbing, then opens the door to the lab, ducking his head in with a big smile.

"Friend Griffen!" he calls. "Are you in here?"

team_mascot:

Zoey was sitting on a stool at a counter in the kitchen and was doing the most important thing she could do this year. Christmas was coming and she had to write a letter to Santa. Otherwise she wouldn't get any Christmas presents this year. That would be bad. Very bad.

Mom gave her a pencil, some paper, a glass of milk and some cookies. She was all set.

Taking a deep breath and started her very important task.

nextgen_misc:

In Los Angeles, the stretch of Wilshire Bvld between Fairfax and La Brea Avenues is known as the "Miracle Mile".

In the early 1920s, Wilshire Boulevard west of Western Avenue was an unpaved farm road, extending through dairy farms and bean fields. Developer A.W. Ross saw potential for the area, and developed Wilshire as a commercial district to rival downtown Los Angeles. Ross's insight was that the form and scale of his Wilshire strip should attract and serve automobile traffic rather than pedestrian shoppers.

Wilshire saw a few firsts in American automotive traffic flow; dedicated left-turn lanes, the first timed traffic lights in the United States; he also required merchants to provide automobile parking lots, all to aid traffic flow. Major retailers such as Desmonds, Silverwood's, May Co., Coulter's, Mullen & Bluett, and Seibu eventually spread across Wilshire Boulevard from Fairfax to La Brea.

As wealth and newcomers poured into the fast-growing city, Ross' parcel became one of Los Angeles's most desirable areas. Acclaimed as "America's Champs-Élysées," this stretch of Wilshire near the La Brea Tar Pits was named "Miracle Mile" for its improbable rise to prominence.

Although the preponderance of shopping malls and the development in the 1960s of financial and business districts in downtown and Century City lessened the Miracle Mile's importance as a retail and business center, the area has retained its vitality thanks to the addition of several museums and commercial high-rises. The Petersen Automotive Museum, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, (LACMA) A+D Museum: Los Angeles, and La Brea Tar Pits museums, among others, positioned "Museum Row" on the Miracle Mile.

A sculptural bust of Ross stands at 5800 Wilshire, with the inscription, "A. W. Ross, founder and developer of the Miracle Mile. Vision to see, wisdom to know, courage to do."

Today the Miracle Mile saw a different sight. Two very large individuals faced off against each other amidst the stopped LA traffic. It was one of the busiest streets in America and today the traffic was at a standstill. People fled their cars as they sought shelter and safety in the various surrounding buildings.

nextgen_misc:

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.

In Los Angeles and Hollywood it could be said that every day was like Halloween. People were always dressed up and most were costumes. On Halloween just about everyone dressed up, not just the normal ones.

madscienceman:

Griffen had decided he was going to start ordering parts for new computer upgrades. It wasn't his thing but it had to be done. That was when he had noticed someone was already doing his job for him. That was a little surprise.

He smiled a little as he picked up one of the boxes to check out what was being installed. He gave a low whistle of geek approval as he wandered into the computer room. He looked up and had a moment of surprise.

"Miss Stark?" He blinks again then offers her a smile. "It's good to see you again. Is there anything I can do to help you?"

He doesn't seem as shy as he once was but then again the first time they met was in the middle of a crisis and the next time they were around each other was when the Defenders got called in. Griffen notes that they never really got to talk before.

team_mascot:

Summer vacation was about half over and Mom had yet to take her to Disneyland. It was the one big thing they did each year and Zoey wasn’t going to let the summer go by without going to Disneyland. This year it could even be more fun. She knew her new friends had never been there. They hadn’t been anywhere on Earth which was really weird. She also knew that Ohu would love Disneyland. It was the happiest place on Earth after all and Ohu was always happy. He’d fit right in. Maybe Asleif would smile if she went to Disneyland.

A plan began to form in her mind. It was probably even better than her last plan and that one had been awesome. Zoey couldn’t wait to tell her friends at school about the fighting and how Svalin and Aridis beat up the knights. Even the dragon wasn’t scary now. She bet the kids in her class had never seen a real dragon before or a flying horse for that matter.

Thinking of flying horses, Zoey had to remember to grab some carrots and sugar cubes for Tryggvi and take it down to him. The two dogs got treats all the time because they were allowed inside and their treats were kept in the cabinet near the sink in the kitchen. It was Zoey’s job to make sure they had fresh water and to give them a treat every evening at six. She liked the dogs. They were nice and they liked to play and they made her giggle when they licked her face. They licked her face a lot.

Right. Disneyland. Mom had said they would go and Zoey would make sure they did go. She wanted to bring her new friends with them.

Zoey looked up from her book (not having read any of it in the past five minutes) and looked at her mom who was sitting across from her reading a book. Mom always set time aside each day for the two of them to read. Today they were in the library where it was quieter than the rest of the house. Zoey was still amazed she now lived in such a big house. It was A LOT bigger than their last house.

“Mom?”

ngmastersofevil:

The attack on the Young Avengers had been successful. The Stark girl, the Rogers boy and the Rhodes girl were all successfully taken. Temujin would be along shortly to pick up the Starkling. Hadelinde would deal with the Rhodes girl and the Rogers boy would be executed. It had been a good day and was about to get better.

Egghead had set everything up in Times Square while Hadelinde and the others retrieved the three young Avengers.

Hadelinde and the rest arrived right after their successful attack on the Avengers. She dropped the Rogers kid in the middle of the hovering platform and turned toward the crowd in the streets below. Enforcer held the Stark girl. Stark would have a front row seat at her brother's execution. Frenzy held the Rhodes girl. Hadelinde would deal with her after this.

"Attention world," she said, her voice amplified by a small device attached to the neck of her suit. The event was also being transmitted around the world via satellite thanks to Egghead.

"Years ago Captain America killed my father. Today justice will be served as his son pays for his crime."

Hadelinde motioned for Enforcer to ready the Rogers kid. Egghead had constructed a modern guillotine. Hadelinde had always been a fan of be-headings.

sydney_ashcroft:

Zoey had a plan. It was a good plan. No. It was a great plan. No. It wasn't just a plan. It was THE Plan. The plan of all plans. She just had to find a way to get it done.

The idea came when she saw her...Mom called them housemates...but they were really her friends.... Very tall and very strong friends. She was the only girl in her class who had a friend who could lift a boulder and throw it very far. Zoey had watched Svalin and Halbjorn do it. It was awesome!

She couldn't wait to go back to school to tell her classmates about her newest friends. None of them had friends like she did. Maybe Asleif would go to school with her one day and show Zoey's classmates real magic. Not the stupid kind that Jessica had at her birthday party. Zoey had totally seen the man hiding things in his hands and sleeves. The man was lame compared to Asleif.

The fireworks on the Fourth of July were just awesome. Totally awesome. She was glad she had the idea to ask Asleif to make fireworks.

Idea. The idea for today and for The Plan came to her while she watched Svalin practicing with a sword. A REAL sword and not some lame fake one. Svalin had one, so did Aridis and Halbjorn. Asleif didn't seem to like them for some reason. Zoey thought they were really cool and Mom had said she was not allowed to touch them. Ever. She wondered what Mom had against swords. Svalin said that she had a sword when she was Zoey's age. She wanted one too.

Right. The idea. Mom had taken her out to dinner to a place with swords and horses once. Middle Times or something like that. Zoey knew it would be a great place to take her new friends. They would love it. They had to.

She ran and asked Mom if they could go. Mom said yes, but Zoey had to ask the others if they wanted to go. Mom went on about how she couldn't talk or speak for others. Zoey only heard the first part of it.

She skipped around the grounds looking for Asleif or any of the others.

madscienceman:

The other two men of the group probably would have noticed how Griffen reacted around them. It wasn't so much in awe as he was more than a little intimidated by them. He would retreat carefully when he thought he could get away with it and often he did since he was a crafty man. But his dog had been begging for attention all day.

The beagle Zelbar had wiggled and squirmed all morning so Griffen had gotten a base ball bat and a bucket of tennis balls. He would toss one up into the air and hit it with as much force as he could. The ball would go flying and Zelbar would chase after it and sometimes he would bring it back sometimes he wouldn't.

The point was this was the most relaxed he had been since the fourth. Sydney somehow had been a soothing presence for him that day and he had been unguarded that day. He liked how professional she could be as well as how she was with Zoey. It was nice. Now he was very relaxed through with his dog around so it was unlikely there would be any carefully planned retreats from the two godling men if they happened to seek him out.

nextgen_misc:

"When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

Across the great nation of the United States of America people everywhere celebrate the freedoms that they enjoy, the history, government, and traditions of the United States with fireworks, parades, barbecues, carnivals, fairs, picnics, concerts, baseball games, political speeches and ceremonies, and various other public and private events.

nextgen_misc:

It had taken a little effort and a lot of talking and explaining, but the Asgardians, Ohu and Griffen O'Niell were moving to California. They were going to act as the Avengers' west coast team and would go by the name of The Defenders. Their headquarters would be at the former West Coast Avengers base Avengers' Compound located at 1800 Palos Verdes Drive just outside of LA.

The 15 acre estate featured one main building, five bungalows, garage, hangar, tennis courts and a private beach. It would be a good base for the Defenders and keep the collateral damage out of city.

Today was moving-in day.

nextgen_misc:

"He didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it." Clarence Budington Kelland

"It is easier for a father to have children than for children to have a real father." - Pope John XXIII

"Fathers, like mothers, are not born. Men grow into fathers and fathering is a very important stage in their development." ~ David Gottesman

madscienceman:

Griffen is often in another world. He can't help it. When he gets to work everything fades into numbers. He was there right now. Lost in his work not even really reacting to anything but the energy that came from work.

He forgot about the burner behind him. And the fact his shirt wasn't tucked in. Oops.

He yelped and quickly got oit off before he actually got hurt and stomped it out. One of the other scientists working at the other end of the lab ran over and stared at the sight. He gave Griffen a small look of amusement.

"You know, Grif. You need to start paying attention more," the other man said.

Griffen rolls his eyes. "Yeah. I get that. I was just trying to work what went wrong with that test run on the new coolant."

He gives a blurry blink. "Why was that on anyways?"

The other man coughs. "Lunch."

Griffen pulls back and stares. Lunch? Seriously? What is wrong with people.