Portals Up, Portals Down

[sponsorigami]

[ Dacey Nolan, age 24, walks calmly through the open air shopping center on the Gold Stage. At the window of a designer handbag store, she looks at her reflection in the glass. Tucking some stray brown locks of hair behind her ear, she grins at the people all around her. Saturday's are busy shopping times, and it's getting close to the holiday season. Music is blasting from the shopping center's speakers. Conversations fill the air when music notes aren't loud enough. Surely no one will notice Nolan should she snap her fingers with her right hand, still covered by hair.

Eyes glow blue as three handbags sitting on a shelf fall through a bright blue portal that opens underneath. The portal quickly disappears as her glow does. Nolan starts to walk away, knowing those handbags have fallen through a second portal back at her house, an orange portal created with a snap of her left hand. She starts to hum a Blue Rose song as she continues with her window shopping. What a pleasant day it is. Even the weather is nice.

What Nolan doesn't know is that her string of crimes hasn't gone completely unnoticed. Over-confidence is her vice. Security cameras have identified her as a person of interest. Her face has been present at many of the reported thefts, and it has long been thought a NEXT could be involved, though they don't know the power used.

As with many crimes involving NEXTs, the heroes have been called to action. Each hero is at a different gate to the shopping center. Origami Cyclone waits at Gate 3, around the corner of a large sporting goods store. All he's waiting for is the word from Agnes to start. ]

Comments

I just know

[sugoooi]

Th...then I really am....?! [ UOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHH ]

[sponsorigami]

Yeah, I think so. Um, let me just...

[ He lets go of Sam's hand and waits. He feels his power return. Then he lightly taps Sam on the shoulder, holding a finger there. Ivan's power vanishes again. ]

I think you have the power to block NEXT powers.

[sugoooi]

But...I didn't feel anything. Did I glow? I can't tell! [ Surely he'd feel something if his power was activated right?? ]

[sponsorigami]

You didn't glow... but I don't glow when I'm copying things, so maybe you can do something else and glow...

[ Don't ask him how powers work! Do you have any idea how long it took Ivan to figure out how to use his power in a remotely practical way? ]

[sugoooi]

[ Instead of a completely sexy one? :D ]

Huh... Does that mean that my power does something other than stop you from transforming?? How do I make it go? [ Sam holds his hands palm-up in front of him, closing and unclosing them as if that will somehow make them turn on and stuff. ]

[sponsorigami]

[ BOOT TO THE HEAD! ]

Well... I mean, you stopped that woman from using her power, so it's possible. But NEXT powers are so varied...

[ What works for one person might not work for the other. But how could he help Sam figure out his power? ]

Nothing feels different at all?

[sugoooi]

Well...it tingles a little. My hand. [ But that's mostly nerves and excitement because SECOND TIME TOUCHING A REAL LIVE HERO. All of him is fidgety and excited. ]

[sponsorigami]

[ Ivan can see that, and it makes him nervous. ]

That's something at least.

[ But it doesn't give them a whole lot of answers. ]

[sugoooi]

How long does it last? Can you change right now??

[sponsorigami]

[ He changes back into the woman with the long black hair again, but he doesn't test if he can then revert back. Ivan stays as the woman. ]

It looks like I can, but you weren't touching the criminal that long, but she couldn't use her portals. And I couldn't shapeshift.

[ Ivan's using his own voice, not the woman's. ]

1/2

[sugoooi]

[ That is so bizarre. ]

2/2

[sugoooi]

O-oh, yeah... So. Um...maybe it's only when I touch someone? Or something like that...

[sponsorigami]

[ Sorry to continuously crush your dreams, Sam. ]

Let's try something else...

[ Ivan moves a small distance away, still shapeshifted. ]

Try to block my power. I'll change back into myself if it works.

[ There's probably going to be a lot of... no results, but it might get Sam thinking. ]

[sugoooi]

[ One day he will hold hands with a hottie :c ]

Oh...like, projecting it? Roger!

[ This would be the part where he holds both hands out in front of him like he's going to shoot laser beams from them. And maybe wiggles his fingers a little. ]

Feel anything?

Let me know when Ivan should get his power blocked

[sponsorigami]

[ Sorry, Ivan is not a heartthrob =(

He continues to stand their patiently, with his hands folded before him in his lap. ]

Um... not yet. Maybe think about what you were feeling back then?

o7!

[sugoooi]

[ He's trying!! But all he can think back to is being afraid for his life and totally useless... ]

Are you sure?

[sponsorigami]

It might tap into something.

[ It sounds a little more guided than just thinking randomly. ... Why is he doing this again? He's hardly fit to teach anyone their NEXT powers. ]

[sugoooi]

[ CONFIDENCE, IVAN. ]

Okay... [ He doesn't sound entirely convinced, but who is he to scorn the help of a Hero?? Sam takes a deep breath and purses his lips, brow scrunching up into a frown as he tries to will something, anything to happen.........and gets a whole load of nothing. If anything he kind of needs to go to the bathroom now. ]

Anything??

[sponsorigami]

[ He doesn't want to lie to Sam, but he doesn't to discourage him either. ]

... No... but you, um, you just learned that you're a NEXT, so if you don't get it right away... it makes sense.

[ Compromise? No, Ivan thinks it sucks as soon as the words leave his mouth, shoulders hunching some and hands falling to his sides. ]

[sugoooi]

[ It's alright. Sam slumps at about the same time, heaving a sigh and letting his arms drop, hanging down in front of him. ]

I thought it'd be easy if I knew what I was doing... [ Weh ] What was it like for you Origami Cyclone?

[sponsorigami]

Not easy at all... I would randomly shapeshift, and a lot of times I couldn't figure out how to change back.

[ Ivan reverts to his own form with the fox mask still secure on his face. ]

[sugoooi]

Whoa...really?? But you're so good at it! I can't picture you having trouble at all!

[sponsorigami]

I didn't even figure out how to use my power for heroics until a few years ago.

[ Oops. That probably gave away too much information about how much of a corporate gimmick Origami Cyclone was... Hero TV isn't all about saving the day. ]

[sugoooi]

[ It makes him more relatable though! And that gives Sam hope that maybe he will too. ]

Do you think I could use mine for something like that??

[sponsorigami]

You could be a pro at handling NEXT criminals. If they can't use their powers, that will give you an edge.

[ And let's face it, when NEXT criminals are involved, the heroes are called because of the dangers and ratings. ]