On the less super side of things... [Action]

[bemoreflexible]

Helen gave up the super hero life decades ago, back when it was the Alpha Pals who protected the country, and long before the Omegafriends had even been thought of. After all the heroes that were lost after Gamma Jack's "crusade", it became too clear to Helen that the work was just too risky. Today, she was just a normal woman, doing normal errands while her normal husband watched the kids at home. Right?

[A. At Costmart]
Helen just needed to buy a few dozen things for the week. In and out, with as few distractions as possible. It's a shame someone ((probably your character)) had to go and choke on a free sample. And no one around knows the Heimlich maneuver but Helen? Guess everyone is too busy learning to fight death rays and space invaders to bother taking a basic CPR course.

[B. In the Do or Dye Hair Salon waiting area ]
It's been a busy day, apparently, according to the TV in the waiting room. Super villains planting doomsday devices and inciting chaos. Police chiefs complaining about super heroes making it harder for honest cops to do their jobs. Helen would be content to keep her mouth shut about it, but the person next to her is apparently intent on talking about the subject at length.

[C. Anywhere in Venture City]
Seems Helen is all over town today. Perhaps she'll run into something or someone interesting.

Comments

B

[sociallyawkward]

[ Talk about it at length? Heck, Ruby can go on for hours. ]

-but I haven't really seen any more heroes running around, you know? I mean, with that creep on TV, you'd think there'd be more people running around. Not that I think the heroes would listen to the guy at all, because he's clearly a bad guy, but you'd think they'd try to track him down, or be more vigilant for the villains who'd listen to him. I mean, there was a bank robbery - some guy with a giant gold robot crab, did you see that? Wait, was that even on the news? I was there, actually! It was so cool! Not the, uh, being held hostage part not that I was a very good hostage but just HRRRRRNGH you know!?

Oh, and I heard some rumors that the cops are looking for some sort of doomsday device. Have you heard anything about that? That's like super hush-hush but I've got a friend of a friend who knows someone who told them about it. Police are looking for superhero support on it! That's exciting! The police never work with the supers or at least almost never and that's so awesome and it must be a really big deal-

[ FOR THE LOVE OF GOD SOMEBODY STOP HER ]

A!

[omnitrixter]

Clearly, the free samples in Costmart were some sort of plot. The workers obviously some sort of super secret assassins.

At least, that was the only explanation for why the Costmart worker decided to sneak up on Ben while he was popping the sample in his mouth and startling him into choking on it. Ben gasped and wheezed for breath, silently promising any gods listening that he would never touch another Costmart sample again as long as they let him live.

If he was going to die young, he wanted to die being a superhero. Not choking on a free sample.

Re: B

[bemoreflexible]

[Helen decides to politely interrupt her.]

Uhm, sweetie?

Re: A!

[bemoreflexible]

[As some employee dumbly asks Ben if he's okay, Helen sees what's happening from down the aisle and starts to rush over, shouting on the way.]

The kid's choking! Someone help him!

[sociallyawkward]

-and... huh?

Oh, right. Sorry. You prooobably wanted to add something in, right? [ And now there's a fifteen-year-old girl looking over at Helen expectantly. ]

[bemoreflexible]

Uh, not really, just...

[She sighs.]

You seem awfully excited about a lot of very dangerous things.

[sociallyawkward]

Well... yeah. Who doesn't get excited about heroes? They get to save lives and make the world a better place. Not to mention they're super-cool too!

[bemoreflexible]

[For some reason, Ruby's enthusiasm for this subject makes Helen look and sound rather sad.]

And let me guess, in the end, the good guys always win, right?

1/2

[sociallyawkward]

[ Wow. Wow Helen, look at that. You just took all the wind out of Ruby's sails, so to speak. ]

....No. They don't. Sometimes they lose.

[sociallyawkward]

But you know, when the bad guys win, something bad happens. Usually really bad. And if the heroes aren't there to stop them, the bad guys still win.

[bemoreflexible]

[Helen suddenly realizes she has brought this cheerful girl down and regrets it.]

Hey, I didn't mean to, uhm...

[No, that'll just make it worse. Change the subject.]

What's your name?

[sociallyawkward]

My name...? [ Subject change? ] The name's Ruby Rose.

Sorry, I guess I'm kind of a hero fangirl. [ Also future hero. It runs in the family - her sister, Yang, is a hero. Her mother, Summer Rose, was a hero. Yeah, genetics. ]

[bemoreflexible]

[Helen gives her a small smile.]

No need to be sorry, Ruby. It's good to have your heroes.

[sociallyawkward]

My parents would always tell me stories about heroes when I was a kid. [ Firsthand stories, probably. And Ruby, you're still a kid. ] About how they make the world a better place.

C - hope this is okay

[forgottendecade]

It's not exactly the best neighborhood to be in, but it did boast of one of the best ethnic dives in the city. A lot of people came there just for the food and sometimes they also get to see some of the more colorful locals brawl it out a block or two away. Natives find the outsiders amusing in their own, talking rapidly in Japanese behind their hands or glasses.

On such a warm day, the locals were not engaged in brawls, having instead decided to loiter about in what shade was provided by over hanging balconies and a few straggly trees. The Greasy Bowl's roof shimmered in the sun, and it made the smells of spices, hot oil and flour hang low in the air. The three people manning the stall were moving slower than normal, exchanging heated words in between taking orders from their customers. The head chef was leaning close to the man lounging at the corner of the stall's small counter, talking rapidly in broken English, "Kin said it was you. Bam. Tossed him through the door."

"Kin's a drunk," was the reply as the guy took a sip of tea. "You're drunk for believing him. Why would I wreck a door when a window's better?"

The cook shook his head and nods, waving at the chairs lined up around the small dive to approaching customers. "Have a seat, have a seat! Famous Greasy Wang is happy to see new people!"

"You should be seeing to your broth."

The cook yelped and ran into the back of the shack, cursing in his native tongue while the guy laughed and set his empty cup down.

"Old fool." He turns away from the counter and raises and eyebrow. "Are you here for the food?"

A, please!

[terrorwhatflaps]

[Drake loves free samples as much as anyone, he really does. He just wishes they'd actually WARNED him that that hummus was full of flamin' red hot chili peppers.

he may or may not be spitting fire in the middle of the aisle. whoops. it's not a choking hazard, no, but - the poor staff member looks totally unequipped to handle this situation]

C

[getoutofmylab]

Not being a homemaker, Sherri didn't have all day on a Monday to run errands. He had his full-time job, plus super-things, plus those random little extras that come with pretending to be a human - like mandatory psychological evaluations where he pretends not to be a space alien having space alien problems, and maybe... a tiny, accidental social life? And, somewhere in there, he has to squeeze in time for science. It doesn't leave a lot of time for things like picking up a suit at the dry cleaner's. Which is what he is doing now, on his lunch break.

He understandably has a lot on his mind, as he briskly walks down the sidewalk with a vintage suit in tow. So it's perfectly understandable that he's not looking where he's going, and thus bumps directly into some lady.

"O-oh. Ah. I-I'm s-sorry, let me help you with that..."

[bemoreflexible]

I guess they do, but I at least wish they didn't get so many kids involved. Boys and girls should find... healthier outlets.

Re: C

[bemoreflexible]

Helen bounces a bit more on the impact than is normal and hopes the man doesn't notice. Hopefully the groceries he managed to knock all over the ground should prove a sufficient distraction.

"Thanks."

Re: A, please!

[bemoreflexible]

[Wow! That sure if fire coming out of that guys mouth. That is not normal. Must be showing off his super power or something.]

"Woah, jeez guy! You mind?"

Re: A!

[omnitrixter]

[Ben clutches at his chest. His body is in panic mode because he can't breathe and he'll die for going too long without air.]

Re: A!

[bemoreflexible]

Okay, okay! Don't panic!

[She quickly feels for his belly button, and makes a fist right above it, then grabs her wrist with her other arm. She sets he feet in a steady stance, and then does a thrust-squeeze as hard as she can.]

Re: A!

[omnitrixter]

[Ben's eyes widen as what precious air he'd managed to collect is forced out of his lungs but nothing else, not even a cough. He's honestly trying to calm down, but his body won't listen.]

Re: A!

[bemoreflexible]

[She gives him another powerful thrust to his abdomen.]

Come on, kid, breath!

[omnitrixter]

[This time the offending piece of cracker and canned cheese comes free with a harsh cough. Ben takes deep, panicked gulps of air, coughing and shaking in her grip as he does so.]