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Anything-goes Super-Hero Tag is not a game for the light of heart. It's serious training, really. High above the city, and the troubles below (Hellmouth? What?), Nova and Lightwave are deeply embroiled in this intense competition. The rules are simple; don't get hit, use whatever you have at your disposal. Don't kill your partner. Nova has the speed advantage, but Lightwave has strength, and solid light constructs to her benefit. In the city, Nova's top speed is somewhat limited, but that just makes it a challenge, right? He's 'It' currently, chasing Lightwave between skyscrapers, his helmet letting him track her movements if he should lose a visual; for the moment, she's been able to keep just out of reach, but the game really has just begun.
*
So, when Nova approached her about doing some training, the last thing LIghtwave was really expecting was basically…a game of tag. But she's enjoying the contest, giggling as he chases after her. "You know," she says as she zips around a corner. "We could always up the ante? Winner gets a kiss?" Lightwave teases Nova a bit, letting him get coser before creating a light ramp behind her to force Nova up and to the right while she ducks down and to the left.
*
Nova's reactions are pretty quick, but at high speeds like this it's difficult to avoid the obstacles and redirections that Lightwave throws up; the ramp sends him off in the wrong direction, and he has to loop back around to get back in the game. He has to push his speed a little faster than he's comfortable in the city amidst the buildings to catch up to her again, but he manages to close the distance again without crashing into anything. "A kiss? If you're gonna make me almost fly through a window, I expect at least a few kisses," Nova shouts ahead to her. He could surge forward and catch up to tag her, if not for the weaving through the buildings. He checks the navigation readout on his helmet's heads-up display, and grins to himself as he sees the height of the buildings ahead leaving some clear air ahead.
*
Lightwave makes sure that she's not re-drecting the Human Rocket into a building. Now. The buildings are giving her an advantage in that Nova can't open up as much within the city; but it also increases the possibility of accidental property damage if they're not careful. So, Lightwave changes direction and leads him south through Manhattan towards the mostly deserted Coney Island. "Okay…looser pays for a dinner and gives the winner a kiss?"
*
Nova frowns as Lightwave changes her course, keeping to the higher buildings as they fly south through the city. He'll have to wait a little longer for an opening. "That's more like it," he shouts to Lightwave, a grin forming on his face. Yep, tempt him with food, that's the way to Nova's heart. "Okay, this is getting stupid," he murmurs to himself, and looks up toward the sky above them; that handy onboard computer can help him plot a path, right? He boosts his speed, shooting straight up into the sky, practically to the clouds. If the buildings are getting in the way, go over them. A moment later, he is dropping back down Lightwave's altitude. Right in front of her, diving at high speed only to rapidly slow to a stop once he reaches her position. If she's not quick, they'll probably collide. Good thing they're both pretty strong and durable.
*
LIghtwave is indeed fast. And rather tricky. As Nova pops up in front of her, she pops a shielding bubble around her so he can't tag her, then swerves around him. "Gotta try harder than that, Nova," she sings back to him merrily.
*
Nova strikes the bubble as it swerves past, and while she managed to avoid getting tagged, the distance between them is now much less. Nova keeps pace with Lightwave as the speed through the city, but he won't try to tag her again until he has the opportunity to catch her by surprise. "Next time I won't give you time to react," he says with a smirk. Not that he gave her much this time, but at least he didn't come down right on top of her. The thought causes the smirk to widen. As they soar southward together, Nova starts to inch closer, little by little. Maybe unintentionally, but maybe (probably) hoping that he can catch her unawares, and give the girl the inimitable 'tag'.
*
So far, Lightwave seems content to keep the bubble up. She actually slows down to fly alongside Nova, smiling and making silly faces at him as she keeps the construct up. "I can keep this up all night, you know," she taunts. "You can keep knocking but you can't come in."
*
"Pretty sure any judge in the land would call this an illegal maneuver," Nova chides. Hey, if he can tag your bubble shield, it's as good as tagging you, right? Even so, he doesn't press it too much. "Let's change it up. We're headed to Coney Island, right? Force me to land, and I'll win you a stuffed unicorn." Probably not tonight, since the park is closed at this hour, but the offer is on the table for the weekend.
*
"Force you to land?" Lightwave asks with a mischevious glint in her bemasked eyes. "YOu really do make it too easy sometimes…" And all of a sudden, Lightwaveswerves off and lands on the beach, taking down her force bubble. She looks back at Nova with a daring smile.
*
Her confidence suddenly makes him regret suggesting this next game. Even so, he remains in the air, floating well above Lightwave and the beach, his eyes cast down as she sets herself down on the ground. "Shouldn't be that easy," he says, trying to sound like he's sure of himself, but there's a little twinge of uncertainty in his voice.
*
"Oh, you want this to be hard?" she asks with an innocent smile. "Okay." And with a twitch of her fingers, there's a solid light bubble surrounding Nova. And Lightwave starts slowly lowering it to the ground. Inch. By. Inch.
*
This is what he expected her to do. As soon as the bubble forms around him, Nova raises his arms and presses his palms against the inside, and flies straight upward against it. Not trying to break through, but his flying ability to prevent it from pushing him down to the ground. Lightwave might be strong, but Nova can fly a few times the speed of sound, which he figures has got to be enough force to overcome the bubble's descent.
*
As Nova starts pushing away, Lightwave clenches her fists and grits her teeth. She's focusing as he increases the force neccessary to push through the light construct, the playful quips replaced with a 'Nnnnnggggggghhhhh…..'. And then, suddenly, the bubble disappears and Lightwave collapses to the beach!
*
Once the bubble disappears, Nova bursts upward at high speed. It takes a few moments for him to decelerate, and begin to return to the ground. He sees Lightwave collapsed, and speeds up, rapidly dropping to the ground, and slowing just enough to make a soft landing next to the girl. He leans down, looking her over, and the helmet gives a quick scan of her vitals; hey, that's a new one. "Lightwa- Chris?" He says to the girl, giving her shoulders a soft shake.
*
Once Nova has landed, Lightwave opens up her eyes, smiling impishly. "Gotcha." Her vitals are…well, normal, one supposes who's never seen a vitals scan before. but the smile on her lips is enough to convince Nova that she is, indeen, just fine. "You owe me a stuffed unicon," she says while looking up at Nova, stll not standing up yet. "And I owe you dinner and a kiss."
*
"Oh thank god," Nova says, relieved that the girl didn't collapse from over-exertion again. After a moment though, his look of relief turns to a frown, and he narrows his eyes. "That was mean. And cheating. I was worried!" After a moment he settles back down again. "Doesn't count anyway. You didn't /force/ me to land. You couldn't pull me down," he says, the smirk returning. "You used your trickery on me."
*
Lightwave smiles all cat-like. "Mmmmm….I did." She leans upwards to kiss Nova, wrapping her arms aroud his neck as she keeps her lips pressed against his. "Better get used to it," she adds. Slowly, she stands up, still keeping her arms around Nova. "So, if you can win me a stuffed unicorn, I'll give you another kiss to reward you. Deal?" She's smiling and batting her eyelashes at him, pouring on the charm.
*
Nova can't help but kiss her back, and pulls her into a hug in the process. "Fine," he says begrudgingly. "You win this time. Next I'll scan first, and ask questions later," he jokes. "You keep looking at me like that though, I'll win you all the stuffed unicorns they've got." Of course, he joke is on her; Sam's never won a carnival game in his life. Still, it should be amusing watching him fail at the ring toss over and over again. "Tomorrow though. Let's get back home," he suggests, and lifts Lightwave up into the air.
*