UPPER, UP, UP, AND AWAY

"Just point the way and I can help push." Kit added, smiling now as her tail curled mischievously behind her. "I don't want to be too indebted to our rescuer, after all."

Accelerating into a white blur against the water as she made herself into a propeller, the ship being forced into forward motion.

"We were just, uh, testing out our new flying machine!" Kaboodle hopelessly tried to reason, even as Kit looked like even she was sure their cover wasn't really going to be maintained in this world whatsoever with Blaze already staring at them.

"Well, 'near here' is somewhat relative, but I can assist you in getting your craft to Eventide. It is close enough." She answers, finally landing atop the 'flying machine' herself... standing much shorter than the cyber-cat now that she wasn't flying. "Do you simply need a guide, or does your vessel need physical assistance getting there?"

There's another emerald smear across the already ruined street as the speedster rushes at the caped outsider, assuming that the speed advantage remains firmly his. Bounding up in a spin dash, Scourge uncurls in mid-air with fingers interlocking as he tries to bring a double-hammer fist down on his guest's crown, trying to keep the superboy grounded.

Hoping to deal with this insult quickly.

"Being good is too hard, don't you just want to be bad sometimes?"

❝ How was I supposed to know that this thing was so important to you? ❞ ❝ Anyone else would have waited to offend their client until after they were paid, you know. ❞ ❝ I’m not just anyone else. I’m one of a kind, baby! ❞ ❝ What trouble have you steered us into now !? ❞ ❝ Anything is better than that racket you call “music”… ❞ ❝ I was gonna say “let’s look for survivors”, but sure, treasure’s good too. ❞ ❝ You certainly wasn’t who I was expecting, but I’ll be happy to kill you anyway. ❞ ❝ Your stupidity may have doomed the universe! ❞ ❝ You’ve proven far more useful than I could have imagined. ❞ ❝ Your pathetic attacks cannot harm me. ❞ ❝ I have felt death. This…is slightly less pleasant. ❞ ❝ There’s nothing like a good old fashioned brawl to make me feel at home. ❞ ❝ Not that I’m complaining, but shouldn’t this place have guards? ❞ ❝ You have the honour of being my first victim. ❞ ❝ Something’s not right… I can feel it in the air. ❞ ❝ I was starting to think I’d have to clean this mess up by myself! ❞ ❝ When this is over, remind me to never hang out with you again. ❞ ❝ When I get out of here, you’re gonna get it! Just gimme a few minutes to recover, okay? ❞ ❝ It’s not my fault you don’t appreciate real showmanship! ❞ ❝ If you let me out of here, I promise I won’t hit you anymore! ❞ ❝ You will rue the day you thought yourself fit to challenge me. ❞ ❝ Schools out, punk, and you just failed. ❞ ❝ This is what I get for leaving a pawn like you to do the work of a king. ❞ ❝ You’re better off by my side than behind bars. ❞ ❝ I’d like to say this isn’t your fight, but you’d know I’d be lying. ❞ ❝ You know me… I just love this superhero stuff… ❞ ❝ Gotta keep the mystery in our relationship somehow, babe. ❞ ❝ You’re welcome to follow me… just watch your step. ❞ ❝ Stopping cosmic annihilation is a bit outside my comfort zone… ❞ ❝ We are no longer safe in our own home. ❞ ❝ This is a private party. No crashers allowed! ❞ ❝ How come people always launch attacks on my day off? ❞ ❝ Our goals are aligned, even if our methods are not. ❞ ❝ Could you do me a favour and die already? I’ve got a reputation to maintain! ❞ ❝ When ____ is done with you, you’re gonna wish you let me put you out of your misery. ❞ ❝ The only currency your kind seems to understand is power. ❞ ❝ When has following you ever done me any good? ❞   ❝ I did not come here for a fight, just to claim the power that is rightfully mine. ❞ ❝ I will watch as all you hold dear crumbles to the ground around you. ❞ ❝ Someone’s about to get a kick square in their chimichangas! ❞ ❝ A new era is dawning. It’s such a pity that you will not get to see it. ❞ ❝ I will have what is mine, even if I have to pry it from your dead hands. ❞ ❝ For once, I’m not the ugliest guy in battle. ❞ ❝ I’m starting to think I wasn’t clear enough about the gravity of your situation. ❞ ❝ These monsters aren’t going to hunt themselves. ❞ ❝ I’ve waited so long to make you mine… ❞ ❝ You might think you’ve won, but I shall return stronger than ever before. ❞ ❝ Why have you opened the doors to the chaos I fought so hard to leave behind? ❞ ❝ I should have known you were behind this. Only you would dare betray our people. ❞ ❝ If you believe in the goddess, now would be the time to start praying. ❞ ❝ I’m afraid I can’t let you go any further. ❞ ❝ I’m just a liability…A weapon our enemies can use against you. ❞ ❝ Stick to science. Fighting isn’t your strong suit. ❞ ❝ No man is fit to wield this kind of power. Not even a king. ❞ ❝ I’d be lying if I was saying that this wasn’t taking a toll on me. ❞ ❝ I’ve only come to claim what’s mine, but if you resist, I’ll take your life as well. ❞ ❝ I can read your every move before you even make it. ❞ ❝ With such power at my command, you are little more than a flea to me. ❞ ❝ Death by my hands is not an honour you have earned. ❞ ❝ The living do not belong in this wretched place. ❞ ❝ If you let me out, I promise I’ll behave. ❞ ❝ What kind of master plan ends with you locked away in a dungeon? ❞ ❝ Despite appearances, I really am on your side. Give me a chance to prove it. ❞ ❝ One day of heroics should atone for centuries of evil, right? ❞ ❝ You should have learned by now that your kind of evil never wins. ❞ ❝ Everyone has a weakness. It’s just a matter of finding it… ❞ ❝ With a few words, I could twist your fragile mind to obey my every whim. ❞ ❝ You truly believe you can win, don’t you? Fool. ❞ ❝ You’ve come a long way just to die. ❞ ❝ Of all the days to finally become a hero, this one perhaps was not the wisest of choices. ❞ ❝ Perhaps…we are not that different after all, you and I. ❞ ❝ If I know anything about ____, it’s that he always finds a way to return, even from beyond the grave. ❞

❝ you’re awful calm about it. ❞ ❝ don’t pretend you do this because you care. ❞ ❝ you take bullets like a champ and don’t whine about it. ❞ ❝ don’t beat yourself up. i would’ve done the same thing. ❞ ❝ i wanna do what you do. i wanna be just like you. ❞ ❝ listen to what i’m saying. you know in your heart i’m right. ❞ ❝ you stared down your demons, and you…you conquered them. ❞ ❝ you’re incredible, and you make me want to be a better person. ❞ ❝ i’m strong enough, and i can do this! ❞ ❝ i should have prepared you better. your life has been soft and painless. ❞ ❝ that’s the tricky part of the job, balancing what you wanna do, with what you need to do. ❞ ❝ i’m still working on my one-liners, but that one is really bad. ❞ ❝ do you want to talk about yesterday?     you look like you need to talk about yesterday. ❞ ❝ i didn’t…i didn’t mean to hit you so hard. i’m sorry. ❞ ❝ hey, don’t walk away from me. ❞ ❝ no, i don’t trust you. not anymore. you broke that. ❞ ❝ it’s natural to doubt yourself, but if you can push through that, and do what needs to be done, you’ll do just fine. ❞ ❝ what the hell has gotten into you? ❞ ❝ what’s dumb is how long i’ve been putting up with your bullshit. ❞ ❝ i’m actually getting used to this a little. ❞ ❝ okay. i guess that still counts as a landing. ❞ ❝ don’t try to change the subject. ❞ ❝ everyone else is fine. concerned about you, but fine. ❞ ❝ i feel gross. i’m taking a shower. ❞ ❝ don’t try to talk. you’re going to be okay. you’re safe now. ❞ ❝ if you don’t have anything else to say, you need to leave. ❞ ❝ you think you might have bitten off more than you can chew? ❞ ❝ this is the beginning of a long journey for you and me. ❞ ❝ i don’t think you’re ready. ❞ ❝ i thought it might have been a dream…i wish it were. ❞ ❝ i wouldn’t be able to live with myself if i didn’t make things as right as they can be. ❞ ❝ look, if this is too much, just say so. ❞ ❝ i can’t begin to explain the devastation, the pain…the loss. ❞ ❝ this is what i want. you and me, here. together. ❞ ❝ you don’t still have a concussion or something you haven’t told me about, do you? ❞ ❝ pathetic. this battle is beneath me. there is no honor in killing insects. ❞ ❝ you’re just gonna keep prying if i’m evasive at all, so, um…i’m scared. ❞ ❝ does that make you feel strong?     to know i can’t physically make you do something? ❞ ❝ honey, it’s the middle of the night. ❞ ❝ sometimes, i forget how beautiful this planet can be. ❞ ❝ my apologies. didn’t mean to scare. ❞ ❝ how could someone who promised to keep us safe, to protect us against any threat, become that threat? ❞ ❝ a little trust goes a long way. actions go further. ❞ ❝ can we do that again? start over? ❞ ❝ i haven’t figured out anything. i don’t know who i am, who i’m supposed to be… ❞ ❝ i didn’t want to do it…but it had to be done. ❞ ❝ i love you, man, but i need someone else to talk to. ❞ ❝ i came out here because i needed to start over, but that doesn’t mean ignoring the world when it needs me. ❞ ❝ it’s like i’m hollow inside. nothing seems real. ❞ ❝ i know you’re not okay, but do you want to talk about it? ❞ ❝ okay, stop. enough with the sulking, you big baby. ❞ ❝ i got everything i ever wanted, and i messed it all up. ❞ ❝ you have no idea how much i needed to hear you say that. ❞ ❝ you still feel something’s wrong. don’t you? ❞ ❝ from the sounds of it, i’m the one who should be apologizing. ❞ ❝ who do you think they’re gonna believe? me or you? ❞ ❝ demons know evil when they see it. ❞ ❝ you’re ruining my childhood, and that’s hard because it already sucked. ❞ ❝ if we can die and any time, we can drink at any time. ❞ ❝ can we…talk about something else? ❞ ❝ fly away, or take the stairs. i really don’t give a shit. ❞ ❝ i’ve been an asshole, and i’m sorry i didn’t realize that sooner, but that all stops today. ❞ ❝ huh. that is a strangely non-specific story. ❞ ❝ mistakes were made, but everything’s back on track. ❞ ❝ i feel like i’m standing on the edge of a cliff, and i’m the only one of us who can’t fly. ❞ ❝ you’ve been talking about home. you never talk about home. ❞ ❝ i don’t know if i could do that. leave everything behind. ❞ ❝ and what if the greatest me isn’t enough? ❞ ❝ you’re hiding something from me, and it hurts. ❞ ❝ i’ve heard so much about you. ❞ ❝ you expect me to worship you because of it. ❞ ❝ you’ve been distant, annoyed at everything, and you’ve been mean. ❞ ❝ along the way, you’re gonna need to do things you don’t want to do, or might not think you can do. ❞ ❝ first thing: stay out of sight unless something goes wrong. ❞ ❝ as much as i’d love to help with your very special crisis, i’ve got my own crap to deal with now. ❞ ❝ look, i screwed up. i know i did, i just…i just, i don’t know why i keep doing this. ❞ ❝ i take back everything i said about you before, and i said a lot. ❞ ❝ or what? are you threatening me? ❞ ❝ we have…responsibilities that normal humans don’t. ❞ ❝ try to hit me. ❞ ❝ after everything they’ve done, how can i possibly live up to all that? ❞ ❝ i’m more like you. i’m nothing special. ❞ ❝ you barely remember anything you don’t see in the mirror every morning. ❞ ❝ if you really wanna do what i do, you have to be prepared for anything. ❞ ❝ don’t look down…stop looking down! ❞ ❝ if you’re up for it, i’ll make some time tomorrow for training. ❞ ❝ i…had a pretty interesting day. ❞ ❝ no, you don’t! i know you think i can’t do this! ❞ ❝ it wasn’t too much, i could take the pain. ❞ ❝ how’s everyone else? or was i the only loser who got the shit kicked out of them? ❞ ❝ i thought you two hated each other with the burning fury of a thousand suns. ❞ ❝ every time i try to be a hero, i just make things worse. ❞ ❝ you said that you wanted to start over. you said that. you promised. ❞ ❝ i know it’s hard to love someone when they don’t seem to love you back. ❞ ❝ make the world you wanna live in. ❞ ❝ i’m not here to help. just here to make sure you don’t get hurt. ❞ ❝ shut it! i feel dirty even talking to you. ❞ ❝ i’ve faced death more times than i can count, but i’ll be damned if that didn’t put my balls in my throat. ❞ ❝ make sure you get a good night’s sleep. ❞ ❝ i’ve never done anything that hard in my life. ❞ ❝ you’ve had it rough, you know, but you’ve really pulled yourself together. ❞ ❝ you got a problem with a demon? i thought you were an atheist. ❞ ❝ don’t make me get the spray bottle. ❞ ❝ the world was fine before i came along. it’ll be fine without my help. ❞ ❝ i wasn’t ready before. now i am. ❞ ❝ i covered for you. told them you got hit by a bus which, by the looks of you, isn’t far off. ❞ ❝ forget this. we did our best, and we won. ❞ ❝ i’m twenty minutes late, but there’s no way you’re gonna be mad at me. ❞ ❝ one nightmare scenario is enough to worry about right now. ❞ ❝ that’s not blood on you, is it? ❞ ❝ do you need a replay on what happened last time, ass? ❞ ❝ i never thought i would have a family, and then you came along, and i love you so much. ❞ ❝ oh, ‘out’. every woman’s favourite destination for a romantic evening. ❞ ❝ hell, last time you sprained your back. ❞ ❝ one day, it seems like you have all the time in the world,     and then the next…it’s gone. ❞ ❝ kill that one and move on! ❞ ❝ i’m happy you’re awake. your recovery was…tenuous at times. ❞ ❝ just got…a lot on my mind, i guess. ❞ ❝ what are you thinking? you look ridiculous. ❞ ❝ i need something to punch. ❞ ❝ iit changed my life. i know it changed yours, too. ❞ ❝ you make me sound like a monster. ❞ ❝ it may not look like much, but you did far more damage there than you needed. ❞ ❝ you are big and strong, aren’t you? ❞ ❝ i know you’re crazy about me. ❞ ❝ i can take it from here. too dangerous for you. ❞ ❝ we’re gonna be fine. we’ll get out of this. ❞ ❝ please, you couldn’t just sit this one out? ❞ ❝ you just take all the time you need. ❞ ❝ i don’t know what just happened, but i think i speak for everyone here when i say i never want it to happen ever again! ❞ ❝ um…thanks for saving my butt back there. ❞ ❝ i’m here for you. whatever you need. you wanna talk, i’ll listen. ❞ ❝ i don’t know who you are, but it’s time to go. ❞ ❝ we’re keeping this all hush-hush for now, but news will break. ❞ ❝ please, don’t waste any more of my time. ❞ ❝ i said, no. you’re still injured. ❞ ❝ trust you? how could i possibly trust you now? ❞ ❝ every date should feel like a first date. ❞ ❝ i understand what it’s like for the world to look at you and see one thing, never knowing the truth of what’s inside. ❞ ❝ look what they need to mimic a fraction of our power. ❞ ❝ this isn’t your world. it’s theirs. ❞ ❝ you saved him…so much effort, for what? ❞ ❝ there’s a lot of things i thought i knew about you. ❞ ❝ you’re terrified of me, aren’t you? ❞ ❝ this is my home and i won’t let you destroy it. ❞ ❝ we can finally do what we were meant to do. be who we were meant to be. ❞ ❝ this isn’t how i wanted to do this, but i don’t have a choice. ❞ ❝ someone’s controlling you! tell me how to stop them! ❞ ❝ what happens out there, the mistakes, even the victories, you can’t bring it home. ❞ ❝ didn’t mean to offend. nuance of human conversation is difficult for me. ❞ ❝ never get invited. show up anyway. ❞ ❝ it’s a rare, lucky few of us who find someone who understands our path, even rarer if they accept it. ❞ ❝ no matter what threat i faced, i knew i wasn’t facing it alone. ❞ ❝ get out! before i send you back to hell myself. ❞ ❝ you don’t seem to understand. earth isn’t yours to conquer. ❞ ❝ i love you, but, man, sometimes, you’ve got a screw loose. ❞ ❝ i already told you everything i remember. ❞ ❝ this is why i have always hated you. ❞ ❝ everyone you know and love will be gone before you even look 30. ❞ ❝ hold on, i just wanna…i wanna talk! ❞ ❝ sometimes people aren’t who they appear to be. ❞ ❝ this is your life now. this is what you do. ❞ ❝ could you define ‘not that tough’? ❞ ❝ admirable intention, but i am not positive we can handle this. ❞ ❝ it’s okay. it’s okay, i’m here. are you hurt? ❞ ❝ i’d say i’d see you in hell, but there’s a worse place waiting for you. ❞ ❝ we gave people time to escape. that’s what matters. ❞ ❝ your voice is like music. i hang on every word. ❞ ❝ your stubborness against the inevitable killed those people. ❞ ❝ you tread on dangerous ground, my friend. ❞ ❝ did seeing that man lose his life disturb you? ❞ ❝ how does it feel to save the world? ❞ ❝ stop, please. i’m not here to fight. ❞ ❝ you don’t understand the choices i have to make. ❞ ❝ i’m not an idiot. i know when someone’s lying. ❞ ❝ oh…you’re…you’re out for revenge. ❞ ❝ how many more need to die? it’s up to you. ❞ ❝ you can’t do this hero bullshit on your own. ❞ ❝ am i important to you? it really doesn’t feel like it. ❞ ❝ you only see good and evil. black and white. ❞ ❝ ithat was amazing, but also the scariest thing i’ve ever seen. ❞ ❝ it’s kind of like peeing your pants on purpose. ❞ ❝ i did actually help people. not sure how grateful they were, but whatever. ❞ ❝ please don’t lose interest in me while i’m gone. ❞ ❝ when you start a sentence with ‘i think’, you murder 90% of the romance in it. ❞ ❝ it’s all i ever wanted for as long as i remember. ❞ ❝ you wanna be a hero, right? fame, glory, get the pretty gal? ❞ ❝ kids your age think they’re invincible and it holds them back, makes them careless. ❞ ❝ don’t you do enough for the world? ❞ ❝ i can’t imagine what you’re going through. ❞ ❝ it’ll be worth the wait to see me on my best behavior. ❞ ❝ i’m wasting my potential here. i could so so much more. ❞ ❝ you said you wanted to tell me months ago, but you’re still not telling me now. ❞ ❝ oh, i know. you’re confused, but you’re used to that. ❞ ❝ no, no, what about you? ❞ ❝ all human failings are simply engineering challenges crying out to be solved. we’re machines, and the sooner we recognize that, the sooner we’ll reach our true potential. ❞ ❝ once again, it seems you have an opinion to share? ❞ ❝ you can’t save the world. it’s gonna get you killed. ❞ ❝ huh. i thought you’d try and talk me out of it. ❞ ❝ i don’t want to lie to you, but i don’t want to tell you the truth either. ❞ ❝ lots of people are going to tell you how to use your powers, but it’s up to you to make these decisions. ❞ ❝ if i didn’t know better, i’d say you’re trying to get rid of me. ❞ ❝ that…sounds like a commitment to a second date? ❞ ❝ i’m a little jumpy. maybe you can understand that. ❞ ❝ don’t you dare shush me. ❞ ❝ i’m sorry. i must have pinched a nerve. i forget how soft humans are. ❞ ❝ never seen anything like this. ❞ ❝ it’s impressive, but, like, who needs that many rooms? ❞ ❝ when in doubt, throw them into space. ❞ ❝ i want to see fear in your eyes. ❞ ❝ i think you might have skipped a few steps. ❞ ❝ i mean, can a person even have an eight pack? ❞ ❝ you make it sound like i am obsessed or something. ❞ ❝ haven’t you earned a day off? ❞