Moonflower's most excellent American book-signing (Jack and Darren)

Lucifer listened as everyone finished introducing themselves and he found out their names: Darren, Ami, and Jack. They seemed an odd bunch of people, they all had contrasting personalities, but that must have also been the beauty of the group. Lucifer also found out what Darren and Ami wanted on their pizza, Jack was undecided. He wanted to see the menu. As they arrived at the pizza parlor, the group sat down, everyone except for Lucifer that is. He was going to order their pizza, the place smelled like delicious cheese, varying meats, and also other zesty ingredients.

As he awaited for the cashier, he overheard Jack addressing the comment/question made by Ami, it was about superpowers. "Well, a lot of the people in major cities have powers, it's pretty common actually. Not everyone feels the need to protect others though. It varies from person to person of course though." said Lucifer in a matter of fact tone. "By the way, is it okay if I order cheese and sausage, Jack. I know you're undecided, but I'm pretty hungry." said Lucifer as his stomach growled.

As he said that, the cashier came. He was a college kid who was probably the nephew of Mikey and needed to make some money for college, the name on his tag said Dave. He ordered the pizzas and got some bread sticks as well. The pizzas were on their way, so Lucifer to entertain himself by the register. He took 4 plates off of the counter. He took out his phone and went on an internet meme site, he laughed for a couple of minutes, until he heard Dave tap the bell. Lucifer swiped his card and told Dave to tell Mikey that he said hi. He took the plates, pizzas, and bread sticks and walked them over to the table where they were sitting. "Bon appetit!" said Lucifer in a french accent. He gave everyone a plate and took a slice of sausage and then a slice of cheese pizza.

He took a bite into the sausage and his mouth had an orgasm, it was delicious. It might have been the fact that he hadn't eaten all day, but this was some of the best pizza that he had ever eaten.

Darren just kind of sat back listening to everything the thre were saying, he was obviously the youngest one here and didn't feel the need to involve himself in their conversation. That and the fact that he ha already told his name and spoken his choice of toppings for the pizza. Oh, sure he had absolutely no idea who any of these three really were and they could be rapists for all he knew but thu offered pizza and pizza was good. Didn't matter that John and Phoenix told him trusting random people in America was And, it was just as bad in Australia. Only difference he saw was that he could stand up for himself and possibly take out any idiot who tried to harm him in any way. So, instead of talking he continued walking onwards bobbing his head back and forth being the oblivious sixteen year old he was, that was of course until they got to the pizza place. When try enters he grinned and sat down at a table snaggin a chair and leaning back listening to what fire-man said. When the food came he did a quick sign of the cross and bit in. Of course he wasn't really that religious but he had watched the old rocky movies recent and decided he was going to be the Rocky Balboa of sword fighting, except th Australian Stalion instead if italian. "Thanks for the food and stuff fire-guy."
((crappy post is crappy xD))

Kaguya idly chewed on the end of a breadstick. "I suppose you could say I'm traveling the world to find my own individuality. Even so, when I feel like I'm getting used to the outside world I always end up getting another culture shock." She leaned back in her chair, thinking on Jack's question. "Well, there's no comparison between an international star and just the regular kind right?" She used her free hand to strike a quick pose more reflexively than anything. "And of course, a hero can't just protect the people in her backyard can she? The whole world deserves and needs protecting after all, and there always seems to be more villains than guardians."

She scanned her eyes across the strange crowd gathered 'round her table. "Still though, you know what they say about good left undone. Imagine if every sword wielding super in New York drew their blade with a true purpose beyond murdering lowly thugs?" Kaguya was being frank, which was something she had a bad habit of. She almost regretted the words leaving her mouth, but still they were true. "A sword wielded without purpose is always dull. I guess I'm asking, what you're purpose is? Why jump into a random fight or carry weapons on you?"

Lucifer had started to like the nickname that was put on him thanks to Jack. It was different, he liked. Why had no one else in his life called him such a name? Well, it didn't matter at the moment. He finished both of the pizzas, it seemed that they had vanished into a void known as his stomach. He took a bread stick and took a big bite of it, probably the best bread stick in town. He sat back and listened in on Jack and Ami's conversation, it was an interesting conversation on purpose and superpowers. Basically the whole "With great power comes great responsibility." shtick from the Spiderman comics.

He chuckled a little at Ami's ideology, she was the stereotypical "Perfect person". She made it seem as if she wasn't human, that because she had superpowers, she was basically a god who had to protect everyone around her, more of a Superman type person. "Ya know, I agree with Jack for the most part. Not everyone has to make their world about someone, some people are more... self-centered, but so be it." he said with a slight shrug. "By the way, we carry weapons around all the time because in this world you never know what could happen. When you're 'saving lives', are you not involving yourself in random fights? Just about 30 minutes ago, we participated in a random fight. Including yourself."

He made her sound somewhat of a hypocrite, pointing out the flaws in her theory. He finished the bread stick and wiped his face and hands with a napkin. It's one reason why he could never permanently be a hero, too high of expectations. Heroes had to be perfect in the public's eyes. Lucifer fought for the side he felt was the just side, the side that he felt was right.

Darren was enjoying his pizza and listening to the conversation of the ‘older’ sword wielders as if not a care in the world. When in truth he really didn’t have a care in the world besides what he was doing at that moment. What he was doing at that moment just happened to be eating another slice of pizza and then a breadstick when fire-guy devoured the last of the pizza. Sighing he leaned back in the booth and put his hands behind his head taking in everything that was said. Sure, he may be the youngest one there but that didn’t mean he didn’t get what they were saying and all that good stuff. He just didn’t feel the need to voice his opinion. Mainly because only being a ‘hero’ for such a short amount of time he didn’t have a true opinion.

But not speaking was something he couldn’t do for long, and being a stowaway on that boat from Australia to America was as much of not talking as he could take for quite some time. So, he threw his own two cents into the conversation even though it seemed to be almost done. “Fun.” Was the only word he spoke waiting for them to all stop and look at him or whatever it was they were going to do when they heard him speak. “What if everyone uses their powers or skills because it’s just what they want to do? Not everything has to have some big reasoning behind it, they could be doing so just because they find it fun.” He said with a shrug then laughed a little at the thought of it all, “that’s why I do what I do, because I like the thrill of it all, running and flipping, making the ‘bad guys’,” here he actually made the quote marks with his hands; “look all stupid in the process.” That was his opinion at least. “I mean, do you have to have a reason to do something you like?” He asked taking a bite out of another bread stick.

Kaguya listened silently to each of her current companions give their own take. Jack spoke from his heart, and showed for the first time bitter vulnerability underneath his childish facade. Lucifer was confrontational, but seeing as it was in response to herself being so she could not find fault for him in it. Darren, as seemingly always, was nonchalant.

She responded to Jack first. "Everyone must be free to choose their own path, and if you choose to live for yourself it isn't necessarily wrong. You are wrong on your account of life though. Life is a struggle, and death is certain for sure. There's more though, there's the things we do with our time here." For some reason Kaguya had dropped her persona somewhat, the priestess she was raised to be showing through. "For some people, it's enough to know they left a piece of the world better than when they came in isn't it?" She spoke with an accent, but her words were still clear. "but if that person suddenly had the power to alter a much larger piece of the world, wouldn't doing less than he was able displease him? If you make another person smile, you have changed their world. That is why I will make everyone smile all over the world when they see me."

She smiled at Lucifer. "How could saving innocents be a random fight, when I have chosen the path of the guardian? Things do not happen for no reason, that care could easily have crashed anywhere else. For that matter, powers like ours are never given without a reason. Whether you want it or not, you may one day wake to find destiny thrust upon you."

Jack kept to himself while the other two men spoke, gorging himself upon his meal as a means of subtle self-distraction. Both seemed to be agreeing with Jack for the most part. During their responses to Ami's lecture, Jack caught himself smiling. A little smile that confided in himself some small sense of relief; even though his motivations and those of the others on this table were most likely worlds apart, knowing that others also struggled against the normative conception of what is just and good in this world.

Lucifer 'Luke' the Morning Star, spoke few words, but managed to convey his message with a certain intensity of conviction. He spoke of self-centeredness neither as sin or virtue, an attitude not unlike Jack's own. The argument on carrying weapons Jack didn't follow much, but his own opinion still stood. Swords were awesome, and it ain't cool to be unprepared for some major martial meltdown when you find yourself in one such situation.

Darren nonchalantly delivered what could very much be construed as an anarchistic line of reasoning. What if everyone did whatever they damn well pleased with their powers, Jack wondered. It was really the first time the thought had come up. Wouldn't such a scenario spell out total chaos? Even Jack, a man of meager intellect, could figure as much as that.
No, no, that couldn't dissuade him from doing things his way. He did things his way because he had no choice, his modus operandi was simultaneously his raison d'etre. Abandoning that because of some stupid logical conclusion just wouldn't fly, no it wouldn't. Jack shook his head a little, but remained silent as before, letting the others speak. Ain't polite to interject in friendly company, specially not when they're probably the closest to kindred souls you can find.

When Ami's turn to speak came up, and Jack was pleased with how orderly this discussion was going, man that was a rare thing these days, he focused his attention on her solely, the intensity of his gaze hidden only by the dark mirrors that covered his eyes, the shield to his sword, and his great wall, holding back foreign invaders.

"I'm not." Jack interjected softly when she addressed his account of life. What did she know? Our time here? Oh, time was a valuable commodity, and if he didn't use it for himself, instead living only for the greater good and helping protecting others' lives, what would be the point of having lived at all? He would have been but a fleeting existence, perhaps remembered for great deeds and heroism, and loved for this. But in time the people would forget him, and dote upon some other idol of superhuman strength. And all that would be left of his memory would be a tombstone carved of broken dreams and self-denial.

"Don't care about smiles. That doesn't matter at all. A better world ain't worth shit when you're not around to enjoy it, so I'll just enjoy myself and be damned whatever others think."

All he had were his dreams. And though these more often than not were little more than a distorted reflection of a lonely childhood spent in television screens and computers. And when his flame of life began to burn brightter than those of all others around him, having been granted great power, he had vowed to make his dreams a reality, before the flame would inevitably be extinguished. After all, the candle that burns twice as fast also burns twice as bright.

Jack shook his head, his arms now crossed over his chest. When Ami spoke of there being reasons behind his and their powers, he partially agreed. But his reason was his own, and didn't involve living for other people's dreams.
"No. I'm not here to make people smile. " Jack spoke with a more relaxed tone now, having stifled the small burst of emotion that had started to well up earlier. Showing himself like that wasn't his thing. It bothered him.
"I do my thing. I live my life fighting, and I usually take out the trash in the process. My selfish fightin' offers a pretty permanent solution to society's many problems. If people don't want to be grateful for that, so be it."

He closed his argument, or rather his short monologue, by gulping down a glass of soda.
"But eh, you do what you think is best. I'm not tryin' to disrespect. It's just-I don't believe in destiny, least not the way you put it."
Whether he would have to take back those words one day was yet to be seen.

(OOC: Apologies. This is long overdue.)

Lucifer took a huge sigh, he found this argument a little pointless. It's not like any of their minds were going to changed, it was near impossible to change someone's mind once they've made up on their own ideals. He really didn't care for the conversation at the moment, he'd rather be on acid right now, but he did have to take Jack's side on this. This argument obviously hit a soft spot for Jack, he could see the passion in his actions and movements. He took a sip of his drink and wiped some of the water from the cup, that had now transferred onto his hands, onto his pants.

He looked at Darren and could tell that he didn't really give a rat's ass about any of this, so it was time for him to interject. He looked everyone and said "So... what do you guys want to do next. This place is closing pretty soon." his blue eyes scanning everyone's faces, waiting for their reactions. He didn't know what to do after this, but this place was closing soon. He didn't want to have the guy dealing with some late night, hungry kids like this group. When he got home, he fall into his bed, not that he was tired, but he knew that it might end up being a long night, you never knew though.

"I don't care what we do either, just as long as we're doing something." Lucifer said while scratching his head. He was starting to get bored, but liked these people, so he wanted to spend more time with them. It was such an interesting group.

(OOC: Writer's block, oops.)

Darren tried, well no actually he didn’t, to listen to what was being said by everyone; it was the polite thing to do or something like that. Yet, sadly with the attention span of a baby squirrel that didn’t last too long, he had given his two cents on the topic and that was all it seemed he needed to do. He was looking out the window as the light of the sun went down and the city lights started to go up. This was always his favorite time of the day, if only because this was always his and his gang’s favorite time to go have some fun back home in Australia and that love carried on over to America. He chuckled at a thought that crossed his odd mind, he had moved away from Australia for a better shot at life and to make a difference in the world but here in America it felt like the only thing that had changed was the name and faces.

He was still homeless, still a kid trying to get by in life, and technically in a gang even though the Talons called themselves a Hero Team they haven’t done much Heroing. He moved his head back and forth as he watched the people pass by them, looking and watching for anything that might amuse his easily amused mind. Finally it rested on counting how many well, sluts walked by the pizza shop. How he determined that was fairly simple, least to him, if they had on shorts or skirts that didn’t reach their knees and breasts practically popping out of their shirts. By the time Fire-Guy spoke up Darren had counted about 57, he lost track once but eventually got it right back up where it needed it to be. “Fifty-Seven.” He said randomly then blinked realizing Lucifer had spoken and shook his head coming out of his zone out as if nothing had ever happened.

He moved his head back and forth blowing some hair out of his eyes as he answered the fire-guy’s question. “Fun? Wait, no Central Park…I’ve never been there before heard it’s really cool and stuff, and maybe we can even beat up some idiot bad guys and stuff!” He said grinning from ear to ear, because well he was a teenager from another country, an illegal immigrant so to speak and a homeless person to boot. Why wouldn’t he want to see Central Park? Plus, he had heard it was a great place to go if you wanted to have some relaxing fun and maybe even get mugged and raped once or twice.

"Hmmm, but it's not about being remembered. Just about what we leave behind. but I suppose it takes more than words to change someone's mind." She gingerly patted her lips with her napkin to make sure her face was clean and photo-ready. "Just remember, Destiny doesn't care if you believe in it."

Kaguya rifled through a wallet she somehow produced from her minimalist costume, and left a few dollars on the table as a tip. She would of course let Lucifer pay for the actual meal, it would be rude not to accept his generous offer after all. She made an odd face as they discussed going to the park. "Ummm, I'm not sure my kind of fun is roaming around the park at night looking to pick fights. Besides, running around a big park at night in costume would probably be the cause of trouble." She made to get out of her chair and carefully scooted it back under the table. "And some of us need our beauty sleep ya know." She said, giggling. "I'll leave you boys to your,er, fun. I have a feeling we'll be meeting again though." She said her goodbyes to the odd group, and began walking out the door of the pizza place. After a night in bookstores and pizza shops, a nice hotel room was starting to sound really nice.

((Kaguya exits))