Episode 5: When the Knights Go Marching In

[AllHailDago]

iiNPC Card:

--Name--

Malcolm T. Nelson​

--Power--

Hair Manipulation​

Malcolm looked out over the water where a group was currently taking the final exam. It looked to be very interesting from what he could see. Testing physical, logical, and team based effectiveness in seemingly equal parts while making it look like some sort of over the top obstacle course. Malcolm passively stroked a long lock of hair as he wondered how he and his own team would do. He'd already spotted a few places where his power could be helpful. People so thoroughly underestimated what manipulating your own hair could do after all. He allowed himself a small smirk of amusement while thinking about several surprised he'd cause at Facility 106 over the years.

Speaking of 106. Malcolm looked down at the vest he had on, pursing his lips at the misfortune of having to wear so much blue. It wasn't his color at all after all, he was far more of an orange person. Glancing up at the man several feet away with a clipboard in hand and several other gathered vests and helmets, Malcolm wondered where he had volunteered from. Tall, dark, and serious wasn't from the 106 volunteer group if Malcolm remembered correctly. The man had been talking with the last group to start the exam when Malcolm had found his way over here, so he'd clearly been here a while. Perhaps he was a 108 volunteer then, someone's parent perhaps. Malcolm eyed his stance before he turned back to the water while waiting on his teammates. "Hopefully he's not as stern a father as he looks"

iiNPC Card:

--Name--

Jeremy Stone​

--Power--

Truth Telling Aura​

Jeremy stone had left his home early that morning having told Melody he would be at work today. He wanted to surprise her with a welcome face when she had to, unfortunately, participate in the final exam on her first day. Though that was the initial reason behind his volunteering he had found it to be fulfilling work already. Having collected his volunteer supplies, as well as a clipboard with the varying teams on it, he had taken up a spot near the course itself. The organizers of this whole event had found an excellent use for him thanks to his ability. After confirming that the proper team was gathered to begin the course, he would deliver several questions to affirm the students would be testing in good faith.

Jeremy allowed himself secret amusement at the surprise on a few students faces as they attempted to lie about such and found themselves unable. Those Jeremy noted and passed on word to the proper staff. He was unsure what exactly they did, but so far it just seemed as if they kept a closer eye on those individuals. Either way, it was work he was glad to do and happy to find his ability was effective at. He may not be a super powerful lightning manipulator, or be able to fly, or what have you. But you'd be surprised to find how helpful people being unable to lie to or around you is in every day life. Especially given his choice of profession.

Eyeing the long, red haired young man who'd most recently arrived to claim his vest and helmet, Jeremy looked down at his list. Malcolm Nelson was the first yet to arrive from Team Celestial Body, the team which Melody was to be a part of. He'd spoken little to Jeremy other than to thank him for his gear and ask if any other team members had arrived yet. Unfortunately he was the only one to this point, but surely they'd arrive soon. Jeremy cast a furtive glance into the crowd while he pondered. 'Was it the teenagers themselves that came up with the name, or an inspired staff member?'

The J Necessity4Fun yoikes

 

[Giyari]

Mood: Serious
Location: 108's Pier
Company: Red
@'s: Zahzi
Other:

Director Swan The walk through the grounds of 108 didn't take long, thankfully Swan had been able to dodge most of the crowd preparing for the upcoming exam, but he couldn't avoid it forever, what kind of director would he be if he was absent for the final exams of the facility. For now though he had some time, time to organise a little favour.

As he approached the edge of the water, Jason noted the single dark figure standing at the end of the long pier, the outline of Red breaking the line between the water and the sky. His message had been received. Each step crunched slightly on the worn concrete, breaking the gentle slush of the waves against the harbour and the now quiet voices chattering and shouting on the main grounds.

"Hey." Jason said quietly as he came to a stop next to ward, keeping his eyes on the bridge Ward was looking over. A few moments passed before Jason reached into his pocket and fished out a packet of cigarettes, taking on between his lips, and lighting it before offering the pack to Ward.

"Thanks for sticking through this. It's been a shitty year... And to cut to the chase, that's what I wanted to talk to you about..." he said in between draws. Jason wasn't sure how this would go down with Hunter. They were friends, but they were also once enemies on opposite sides of a bloody conflict. Still, there weren't many people swan held any respect for, and Hunter could count himself among them.

 

[Bag o Fruit]

Chris Kravitz Necessity4Fun Teh Frixz D. Rex ManicMuse The Suspicious Eye
As Chris found himself forty dollars richer, he also found himself once again swept up in the chaos of the moment. "Oh wow. Oh! Wow. Uh. Thanks gu- hey wait up! Ah, shit..." Chris strode over to the counter "Uh, two coffees, two creams two sugars." He threw down a twenty. Maybe if the coffee was poured fast enough he could go after Kendrick and Tabby and accompany them to the test, and maybe hitch a ride...

It became very quickly apparent that the coffee was not going to be poured fast enough. Fuck. Chris did his best to tamp down the adrenaline of being late, which he'd probably worked up a clinical tolerance to by now. However, as he did, his senses came back into a fuller power... and he realized people were stealing glances at him. At first he was confused as to why, but his imagination filled in the details. He'd just gotten loaned forty dollars from people who were, as far as any of these customers were aware, total strangers. He was a charity case. Of course people were going to stare. Chris kept his eyes to the floor, but his hoodie with one or two little holes at the abdomen now seemed to him like a tattered rag, his shoes, which he'd owned for almost four years, seemed to actively decompose. The maw of his pocket consumed him, sucked his life and confidence away with its void. At least when he felt like a freakshow for being a super, he had something to show off.

Chris burst out of the front entrance as soon as the coffees were ready, holding one in each hand. Quickly assessing his game plan, he backed up against the brick exterior of a neighboring building, which was next to the edge of the curb, and leapt up on top of a car with a roof rack, just starting to accelerate at a green light. He kept himself in the driver's blind spot and used a light-footed technique upon landing, so as only to make a subtle thump. As he came to rest, however, the coffee in the cups came out of freefall and leaked over the sides, spilling some onto his hand.

"ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow" Chris fixed his feet in the roof racks for balance and gingerly placed the offending coffee cup onto a flat part of the roof, proceeding to stretch his hoodie over his hand and pick it up again with an ersatz glove. He managed to nearly finish one cup before his ride began to veer off course for 108. He took one final swig and raised himself up a little off the roof of the car, just in time to realize he didn't have a good plan for getting off. Fortunately, in a manner of speaking, he heard a few telltale blasts of a siren a few blocks behind him, and the car began to pull over in accordance with police protocol.

Chris leaned to his left, and as his ride slowed to a stop he catapulted himself over the sidewalk and into an adjacent alley, dropping his empty coffee cup into a municipal trash bin midair. With his now free hand, he caught the outer rail of a fire escape (a structure with which he was rapidly becoming the best of friends) and swung around to the inner face, dissipating his forward momentum. He hooked his legs in the rails and pulled his hood over his head with his free hand, then, with only three free limbs, he climbed his hobbling way up the side. By the time he reached the top, he heard a vehicle pull up to the sidewalk at the mouth of the alley and a second of sustained siren, followed by a grating "Hold it right there!"

Chris did not hold it right there. He jumped up to the top of the opposite rooftop and took a second to tie his bandana over his face, just to be sure. Then he ran across, out of view of the street, and with a little maneuvering managed to lose his pursuer. He figured this incident would probably come back to bite him in the ass later, but whatever. He pulled his bandana off and threw back his hood as he dismounted a building nearer to the facility. He came to a section of the chain-link fence he knew had a small gash near the bottom. He found it, peeled it back, and slid his coffee through over the cement underneath. Then he jumped about three quarters of the way up onto the fence, flipping himself over the remaining two or three feet. As he landed, he simultaneously collapsed himself into a crouch to cushion his fall and 'caught' his coffee off the ground.

He finished it by the time he got to the waterfront, where he saw a good amount of people... three of which seemed to be the same person, which after six months at AEGIS he went ahead and accepted at face value. "Okay, I'm here! Joining... Shit. Does anyone know if I'm their team member??"

Seriously just don't read anything underneath this.​

NPC Card:

--Name--

Bruce​

--Power--

Self-replication​

A Bruce copy looked the newcomer up and down. The Alpha spoke offhandedly as he turned away. "Not mine. This list ain't got any Chinaman names on it." He approached Albert. "Did I hear you right you're one o' the Green Gators? Looks like that would make sense..."

 

[Syrenrei]

Luther Rousseau
"Reliquary"
Location: Spa
Nearby: Page ManicMuse , Trent Dano
​

​

Well. That escalated quickly, Luther mused to herself. It had all started with good intentions. She was pretty sure there was a famous saying about hell and pavement and good intentions, but needless to say she didn't heed the warning. Page seemed like she could use some excitement, a little dose of the nightlife, and despite the horror stories that women told each other while clutching their proverbial pools, a one night stand could be gratifying. Men and women who had them weren't monsters that lurked in the shadows. Sure, Luther had a few unpleasant encounters she'd admit to, but that was because she specifically sought out some of the most sleazy men she could find.

In fact, Trent's initial rejection before her offer of money, coupled with Page's earlier commentary, were making her feel a little more judged than she had anticipated. The man was a stranger and so it wasn't world-rending that he found her casual attitude towards the horizontal tango off-putting. Typically she wouldn't give two shits what he thought. It was that Page too had been slightly critical of it less than half an hour earlier that upset her. Luther knew she wasn't living a responsible lifestyle to be certain, but it wasn't all that bad either. Even her therapist had told her there were a lot worse ways to deal with stress than sleeping around. Of course, she also had the hand-t0-hand combat expertise and a literal arsenal inside her to take down any unwanted aggressors.

"I don't know what you were imagining, but I was suggesting that if I took her out on the town and she picked up something from a guy you might be able to cure it," Luther explained as she rose from her basin, the thick mud caking every inch of skin from the neck down. Trent was not who Luther envisioned being able to give Page a good time. There were a few men that came to mind and while they didn't possess the 'perfect physique' as Trent almost admittedly did, they were much more smooth talkers.

After standing there and evaluating the damage left in the wake of Page Luther let out a beleaguered sigh. That redheads naturally had a worse temper than anyone else was a myth but Page was starting to make her believe the stereotype given her literal fiery exit. The other super had been embarrassed by Luther. In retrospect she was too rough in her teasing. Had Page been one of her fellow soldiers they'd all be slapping their knees by now and making vulgar remarks about one another without anyone taking it personally. Being friends with a woman who was more sensible required a finesse that Luther did not yet possess. She suspected there would be a lot of repeated apologies in her future.

"Better get going, eh?" She opened her portal to soak all of the mud through her flesh, leaving her both clean and nude for all of a second before she ejected a pair of boots into her hands. A tailored blouse and slacks rose up from her torso and legs respectively, clothing her, and the undergarments came a second later though Trent was not able to visibly see their arrival. There was no sense in putting on her footwear until she was done navigating past all the spilled mud and in the room. "If I don't cover the bill then she will burn me alive I think!" Luther jested.

Page probably wouldn't incinerate her for causing a mess and then leaving her footing the bill. Probably. Maybe.

After she was out of the ruined mud bath room Luther pulled on her riding boots and saddled up to reception where she told a lovely tale of the basin being damaged. The morally correct thing to do would be to explain how the damage occurred but she did no such thing, only offering to pay after flashing a charming smile, while both alluding to and suggesting that it was not as durable as they might have thought. The manager that was summoned seemed mystified that a customer that didn't accept responsibility for the damage would offer to pay, but Luther kept insisting stating that she felt responsible that something had gone wrong during their treatment, and she wouldn't take no for an answer. There were no actual lies. Luther had not,in fact, used her powers on or touched Page's basin at all.

It was only after she cut a generous check to the spa- which she only somewhat regretted- that she left the building to see if her motorcycle had been left intact or if it had been melted into the parking lot.

 

[Lioness075]

Name: Scarlet Calloway	Rank: A
Attire: Small square black plastic glasses, grey sweater with an anime-style cat on front, cropped light blue jeans, grey Converse sneakers	Location: Launcher, Beginning of Final Exam Course
Tagged: AllHailDago (Melody)

Hearing Melody's mention of bad experiences with crowds, Scarlet shrugged and replied, "Well, hey, at least you're surrounded by mostly supers! I'd be surprised if we got through the whole day without one of them using their powers and starting some incident. Hence why we called in the fire department and an ambulance or two to be on standby."

Nodding at Melody's answer, Scarlet smiled at her and exaggerated her whispering by putting her hand in front of her mouth, "Well, I'll let you in on a secret. While I was never kicked out for it, I did start a fight and definitely got sent to the principal's office for that. Luckily, the other guy looked way worse than me. In fact, so bad that he was in an ambulance while I was in the principal's office. I guess it's not entirely relevant to your situation, unless you've gotten into fights, but it just kinda popped up in my head." Technically, she hadn't started the fight and had been defending herself from a bully, but apparently becoming an alligator and trying to break someone's leg with her jaw was not a good way of handling it. Whoops.

Grinning now, Scarlet resumed her normal stance before adding, "So, why'd you get kicked out? Kick someone's butt or maybe spray paint a wall?" Even after she asked this, Scarlet realized it was likely due to the girl discovering her powers. It'd especially be the case if she'd been attending a normal human school. That would be rough since few there would understand what it was like.

Scarlet paused when Melody asked about her name. Had she really forgotten to introduce herself? Well, better late than never!
"Sorry about that, I sometimes forget who knows me and who doesn't know me yet. I usually assume all students know me, but you're new! Anyways, my name's Scarlet Calloway."

 

[Lioness075]

Name: Samantha 'Sam' Casan	Rank: B
Attire: Black tank top, torn jean shorts, barefoot	Location: Final Exam Event Area
Tagged: @Necessity4Fun (Kendrick), Gus (Manami)

As they made their way to the aqua launcher, Sam peered over at Manami and smirked when she randomly threw up her arms and continued humming. Such an oddball. Sam doubted she'd ever understand why she was like that, but it was greatly amusing to simply watch Manami be Manami.

Hearing Kendrick question her new nickname for him, Sam rolled her eyes and said, "I'll let you think it over, big boy. I believe you can figure it out on your own...unless you're missing some brain cells, which wouldn't surprise me."

Rolling her eyes at Manami's excitement, Sam added, "Don't forget to keep an eye out for Marianne. She was supposed to be on our team. If she ever bothers to show up."

Grinning at Kendrick's reaction, Sam practically pounced on him.
"Don't worry, Kendrick. You can go first and show us how it's done."

Raising an eyebrow at the mention of a problem, Sam crossed her arms over her chest and asked, "What is it now?"

When Kendrick mentioned he couldn't swim, Sam laughed for a moment before realizing she was in the same boat. Crap.

Pondering for a moment, Sam said, "Well, I can probably run fast enough to cross the water surface." There was no way in hell she was going to admit that she couldn't swim either.

Looking at Manami now, Sam figured she'd probably enjoy the launcher the most out of the whole group anyways.
"Manami, why don't you handle the launcher for us? I think only one of us has to do each obstacle. I think."

Sighing, Sam continued, "They really didn't organize this all too well. We don't even have clear directions to follow here."

 

[Syrenrei]

Imogen Jarsdel
"Evermore"
Location: Near the First Obstacle of the AEGIS Final Exam Course
Nearby: Too many to name, except Ernest Rousseau D. Rex
On Earpiece: Penny Teh Frixz
​

Imogen was not a fan of the final exam's concept. That was not to say there was anything objectively wrong with it, of course, but something about her brief 'encounter' with drowning was chilling even to the immortal. Other types of damage healed so rapidly that while the pain was profound it was also brief. Gulping in water while her lungs screamed for breath had been uniquely horrifying. Gen had believed at the time she was truly dying. How could she not? Back then her body was as ignorant of the extent of her powers as her mind was for they simply had not been tested. When she blacked out it felt like death's siren song had finally captured her to ferry her across the proverbial river to the afterlife (if you had faith in such a thing). Fortunately she was revived. As soon as her fellow super expelled the water from Gen's lungs she was relatively fine.

Gen had confronted her fears less than a month later. While she knew how to swim she had taken 'refresher courses' and become quite adept. She had gotten lifeguard certification though she never used it. She learned everything there was to know about water safety as it pertained to large bodies of water: about tides, undercurrents, dangers of lakes, etc. It had seemed the most prudent and sensible reaction to what had transpired. Never could she have anticipated she would be recruited to AEGIS Facility 108 to fix their non-existent compliance with OSHA standards and revise safety procedures and that she'd be called upon to monitor a final exam that took place over water.

Of course it was. If there was any risk to take then AEGIS Facility 108 would take it; in fact, she was rather convinced in the absence of any risks they would create one. Having an exam on land might be too easy for the students, but at least she wouldn't be anxious over the endless possibilities for this setting to jeopardize the health of the participants.

Donning a bright yellow vest she stood several feet back from the edge of the water near the first obstacle. Given Facility 108's track record she thoroughly expected something to go wrong and thus she stood close enough to intervene but not so close she was uncomfortable with the proximity. In her right ear was a snugly fit state-of-the-art earpiece that connected her none other than Penny. She had volunteered to have active communication with her friend. Penny might make witty jabs at her, and she might act as if she was not that bothered being in isolation, but Gen didn't believe her. She wanted to help even if it was scorned. She had also outfitted herself with sunglasses that were linked to Penny's connection and would allow her to see what Gen saw. If nothing else perhaps she'd have entertaining commentary about the successes and failures of the exam. If commentators could be more vulgar and derisive then Penny would have been exceptional for TV broadcast.

Sighing, Imogen pulled out her tablet and made some notes to herself in an effort to look moderately busy. It wasn't that she wanted to avoid engaging with fellow volunteers or AEGIS students, but that she heard reporters were present and she desperately wanted to avoid them. Depending on their personalities (usually aggressive) and their habits of asking pointed questions, she could be easily distracted, lose her focus on the event, and be drawn into the politics of the current anti-super atmosphere that pervaded society. There were other supers that were more well-suited for impromptu interviews than herself.

 

[yoikes]

Sato Tomoko
Location: Training Facility 108
Mood: (≧ڡ≦*)

AllHailDago Necessity4Fun The J
for convenience this will be written in Tomoko's POV

"Hi there, you're Tomoko, right?" The tall Asian girl with glasses asked, as she entered the tent to took cover from the dazzling sun. Tomoko answered with a cheerful 'Yup!', and the girl grins. "How's the ice cream?"
"... This is mine," Tomoko puffed her cheek, suspecting that the girl- who she now recognize as Mitch Castle- wanted to grab a bite of the ice cream Erica just bought her.
Mitch laughs seeing her reaction and shook her head. "If it's that tasty i'll drop by the food truck to get one from myself, then. Maybe during the breaks, if not after the exam."

"Exam?" Tomoko lifted her head up. "Are you going to join?"
"Yep!" The older girl grins again at her. "I'm in team Celestial Body. Cheer for us, okay?"
"Maybe," Tomoko scooped her ice with a small wooden spoon, and took a bite. "Can you pass?"
"I will pass," Mitch then shrugged. "I mean, i don't know what will happen but i'll do my best to pass."

She looked like she's about to say something else, when something caught her attention.
"I see them!" Mitch said, "See you later, Tomoko. Gotta find my teammates!"

And then she dashed into the crowd, leaving Tomoko with her ice cream that starts to melt.
"Have fun." She mumbled, as she scooped again.

 

[Gus]

Aaron Mallory
​

Location: Just past the main group of tents, not far from the launcher
Nearby: Team gator, less two, plus two
Mood: Mixed.
@s: ManicMuse D. Rex The Suspicious Eye B Bag o Fruit

Aaron turned at the sound of Chris's voice, his face lit up with a broad grin to see his favorite hero in training had made it after all. Then he frowned at the newcomer, or rather newcomers, puzzled by who they could be, and alarmed by their trollish behavior. Aaron had been a card carrying 'liberal snowflake' in his youth, and he is still fiercely proud of the reclaimed epithet. He is not about to let some band of neo nazis youths waltz in here and...

He snaps his fingers with a sound like a gunshot.

“Bruce! Facility 107. I swear, my mind is not what it used to be.”

Annoyed that he isn't going to get to be the heavy and eject the little racist prick from the vicinity, he puts on his 'professional' demeanor and makes the best of a bad situation.

“You guys are almost all set to follow Izzy's lead. All you need is Victoria, who as I said is probably getting special headgear and will likely take a boat out and meet you by the first obstacle. Chris, Bruce. Bruce, Chris. This big guy there is Albert, and that's Bianca. Izzy is over there already. If you hurry, you can be the first team through! My advice is leave Vicky to me to find, and get yourselves down to the launcher.”

He paused and leaned in close to Alpha Bruce, identifying him by stance and attitude of casual command, and for just a moment lays a heavy hand on his shoulder. In a low voice he says casually, “Let me give you some friendly advice son: Keep a civil tongue in your head. Because any one of your team-mates here is more than capable of tearing it out for you if you don't....”

He steps back, once again all smiles.

“Have fun kids!”

 

[Gus]

Katheryn Barrett
​

Mood: Awww, in't he precious?!
Nearby: Piper and Richard
@s: ManicMuse Lioness075

Kate looked away from Piper for a moment, studying Richard Chase. His eyes flicked down toward her left hand. Subtle, but also clearly habitual; very nearly reflexive. That plus the hesitancy in his voice over Ms. vs. Miss pegged him as straight, and on the hunt, but old fashioned. Not just looking for a quick release, but also not very good at long term. Habits like those came from being on the hunt for quite a while with no luck. Nothing about him bespoke low confidence however, and that combined with the old fashioned ideals led to a deduction: looking for a mom to Isabelle, not just a lover. How sweet. Sure enough, he fails utterly to notice her inviting smile, being too caught up in sudden worry for his daughter. As he starts toward the launcher, she shoots a knowing look to Piper with the barest hint of an eyeroll, flicking her forehead toward his retreating back as if to say, 'awwww, isn't he cute?'

Silently she mouths “I'll take two!”

A noise makes her look up, and she calls out to Richard, “Mr. Chase! I think I found your daughter! Would you like to share a boat to keep an eye on her?”

Beckoning to Piper she says, “C'mon!” and starts off after him.

 

[Gus]

Miia Makela
​

@s: ManicMuse Lioness075 Necessity4Fun ViAdvena

It didn't take too much convincing to cut the people waiting their turn for the launcher after what had happened to pussy-girl. Miia half listened to their instructions. Fold arms, tuck head, yadda yadda yadda. What she wanted was a boost of speed to work with. Speed, and height.

Moments later she got her wish and she was airborne!

Just after she crossed the apex of her arc, she engaged her powers. She dove steeply down, gaining even more speed, then jerked to the left, jinked to the right, fell a bit to go even faster and then zipped straight back up into the air in a wobbly line. Energy spent, her path heeled over toward the water again, and she fell. Faster and faster she went, heading straight for a passing boat. It was well out of the line of fire, but they hadn't counted on Miia, had they! At the last second, her trajectory bounced, as if off of an invisible shield and she zoomed over the heads of the volunteers whooping her head off. Just before the obstacle, she shot straight up, then dropped into the water next to the stairs. Pulling herself out just behind pussy-girl, she called out, “No GGs here, puss! Team Snowglobe is in the hizzy, calm your tizzy!” She shouldered past, mounting the stairs two at a time until she got to the top and then turned back to wave and hollar to her team mates.



“First on, slowpokes! Let's go!”

 

[Gus]

Manami Hamasaki
​

Location: First obstacle
Nearby: Izzy, Miia, Gavin, and various other volunteers
Mood: Sheepish
@s: Lioness075 Necessity4Fun ManicMuse


Manami watched the new girls launch with all the awe of a six year old witnessing their first firework. She'd seen other supers fly of course, Lara and Ms. Barrett and Bianca... but the way this girl flew! She was like... like a... a butterfly! Flicking this way and that with no cares and no plan? It was like watching the lure of a deep sea angler fish, jerking this way and that, drawing the attention hypnotically. When the girl got to the top of the obstacle stairs, Manami realized she'd been holding her breath the whole time. With a gasp she blurted to Manami and Kendrick

“I WANT TO GO TO THERE!”

Held back for just a moment by a message from her subconscious about the fear in her friend Kendrick's face she said quickly, “You don't have to launcher. There is also boat.” Then she turned and bounded off through the crowd, bowling over several volunteers in her haste, and calling over her shoulder, “Gomen, Sorry, Shitsure, Sumanai, Excuse me, I am so rude!”



Moments later, she described a perfect arc through the air, and broke water with barely a splash. For a long moment, there is no sign of her, until she erupts out of the water on the far side of the obstacle, sailing over it in a beautiful backward triple summersault, landing in a crouch on the stairs between Miia and Izzy. The wet rubber is slicker than she had anticipated however, and she slides all the way down to the bottom, barely avoiding Isabelle. Lying on her back at the foot of the stairs she grins up at them.


“Hello! I slipped!”

 

[Gus]

Anthony Costanzo
​

Location: Water's edge
Nearby: Imogen
Mood: Speculative
@s Syrenrei



The kids responses were only a few seconds delayed, but then, that was a looooonng time for Tony. Anyway, these kids didn't need a middle man to sort them out; they'd be fine. Slow maybe, but fine. He wandered off just in time. Julianna (Light manipulation, absorption, solid burst attacks) had arrived. Testing her had almost killed him, until he cut his headset cord. Slipping away into the crowd without meeting her eye, he headed toward the docks to get a better view of the first few launches. Skirting the docks, he circled back toward the water's edge above the docks, with a good view of the first obstacle. A woman was standing there, a bit apart from the crowds with her back to him, fiddling with a tablet. (Stance recognition, no match. Mannerism recognition no match. Unknown quantity! Intriguing. Observations: Yellow vest. Staff. But not on file yet. Also standoffish. Conclusion: new hire. Staff has had no new openings the last month except for the new position. Therefore safety inspector. Commonwealth paperwork behind again, or he'd have know that. Nervous around water, trying not to be. Interesting. Water vulnerability? Possibly psychological. Suggestive of regenerative powers; fear of drowning is common... Regenerative, safety, Baltimore, cross reference. No way! Has to be though, brilliant!If anybody can pull 108 out of its safety tailspin, it would be her.)

He steps up behind the woman, clears his throat.

“Imogen Jarsdel I presume? Keeping safe I hope?”

 

[Lioness075]

Name: Piper Farrar	Rank: E
Attire: White tank top with analog camera on the front, short jean shorts with some tears, white socks and black converse sneakers	Location: Facility 108 Final Exam Area
Tagged: ManicMuse (Richard), Gus (Kate)

It was true that Piper didn't know this woman, but her interest has been piqued alone at the mention of her workplace. Piper was surprised to know an official journalist knew her, though. She had known that her blog and photos had gotten out to the world, but never would've imagined a professional being interested in her work. It was actually quite a compliment and Piper found herself smiling before she'd even realized what she was doing. When the journalist offered to buy some of her photographs, Piper completely misunderstood the reasoning and laughed.
"Oh, no thank you. I actually have plenty of money. It's why I don't bother to go professional with this. It's more of a hobby for me than anything else."

Piper realized too late that her last statement could come across offensively and silently chided herself. Maybe this woman was old enough to not take it the wrong way. It seemed others around her age or younger were more prone to being offended easily.

Hearing Mr. Chase's question, Piper turned around with a look of confusion. Seeing as she wasn't going to find her with her eyes, Piper instead decided to look at her camera and was pleasantly surprised to have an action shot of Izzy literally going airborne from the launcher. Answers that question.

While Ms. Barrett seemed to find the same answer and was more vague about it, Piper grinned as she poked Mr. Chase on the shoulder. When she got his attention, she moved her camera so he could see the picture she'd taken of his daughter.
"I'd say she's well on her way to passing the exam, sir."

After she'd shown him the picture, Piper turned off her camera and let it dangle around her neck once more. The moment she looked up, she saw Ms. Barrett eyeing Mr. Chase and Piper blanched when she saw what was mouthed to her. Gross!

Shaking her head, Piper tagged along when the other two seemed to be making a beeline for the launcher now. At least, this would give Piper an opportunity for more action shots.

 

[Necessity4Fun]

Kendrick Haywood

​

Location: AEGIS Facility 108 - Exam Area
People Around: Sam and Hamasaki Manami -> There goes Manami
Exam Team: Snowglobe

Interactions: Lioness075 , Gus
Additional Team Tags: ViAdvena

Today's Toys: Ted, Spiral, Lieutenant George, Humphrey and Millie.

I strongly refuse to go anywhere near that thing!

"Don't worry, Kendrick. You can go first and show us how it's done."​

"I will do NO such thing!", the teenager had glanced terrified, over his shoulder and at the grinning girl. Was she insane?! That thing looked extremely dangerous!!

As Kendrick tried to work over his embarrassment to say what his big issue with the launcher was, Sam had pressed him making him even more self-concious about the matter. Once he had finally let the cat out of bag, she had laughed at him. LAUGHED! Had this been about any other matter, the girl would have been met with an irritated glance. But when it was over the fact he couldn't swim...

The boy just looked away, expecting her to keep laughing for quite a while...However, Sam soon stopped and started talking about how she probably was fast enough to run on top of the water. Wait a second... He knew this maneuver!

"AHA! The old trick of changing the subject because you fit exactly with the situation mentioned and doesn't want other people to know!", the boy thought to himself in a cartoonish voice. If the girl wanted to hide things from him, she'd better learn better tactics. This one was something he used A LOT already. Huh, he kinda wanted to see where this was going now:

"Or maybe you could show us how it's done and use the launcher.", Kendrick had suggested in his usual tone of voice. He wondered what her reaction would be.

Next, Sam had suggested that Manami went first. Ah, so she decided to combine two strategies into one, huh? The teenager had to admit that was pretty clever. It deviated the attention from the subject in two stances, shifting it to one she'd probably excel at and then put someone else in the spotlight. It was also obvious that Manami would take the suggestion gladly, further distracting them from the initial subject. Well done, kind of a waste since there were only two people here, but still a nice move.
At the mention of how unorganized the event seemed, the boy nodded. Yes, he didn't want to come in the first place, but some clear instructions wouldn't have hurt. There was almost no knowing what was what in the middle of this carnival! Signs people, it's a simple solution. We can all read, so please, use that to your advantage!

“First on, slowpokes! Let's go!”​

The voice that rang, seemingly out of nowhere, caused Kendrick to flinch. His first instinct was to glance at Sam due to a similar use of language, but it didn't take him long to realize it hadn't been her and had come from further away. Oh, maybe that was the 106 student of their team? Before he could ask anything, Manami burst out saying that she wanted to go there. There? Probably alongside the other facility's student. In the watercourse. After the launcher... Ugh, that only brought all of the teenager's worries back up.

“You don't have to launcher. There is also boat.”​

Oh hey! That was great to hear! Now he only had to ask Manami where he was supposed to go for said boat...aaaand there she went inside the crowd...! NO, WAIT! In distress, Kendrick raised his arm in her direction wishing that she would come back and explain things a little more clearer:

"Y-YOU FORGOT TO TELL ME WHERE TO GO FOR THIS 'BOAT'!!"​

No response. She probably hadn't even heard him.
Manami launched herself into the water and swam towards the start of the course. Kendrick sighed in defeat. Welp, there went his lead and now he'd have to figure this out by himself... Or maybe not. He turned at Sam, who based on her reactions, had a high probability of being in the same boat as him. No. Not the actual boat, a metaphorical one:

"Now what?", he asked in the hopes that she had some brilliant idea, as he once more dwelt into a mental rant over signs. Was it so hard to put a sign reading 'If you cannot deal with water, get your boat here' or something of the sort? It would make people's lives so much easier...

 

[Gus]

Aaron Mallory
​

Location: near the launcher
Nearby: most of team gator and about half of team snow globe
Mood: Missing his own glory days
@s B Bag o Fruit ManicMuse The Suspicious Eye Necessity4Fun Lioness075 D. Rex

As he steps back from the Green Gators, he barely has time to avoid a collision with Manami, who is sprinting pell-mell toward the launcher. Luckily her highly doppler shifted apologies gave him just enough warning to step aside, or she'd have stopped her sprint in a painful hurry. He is beginning to consider whether there might be some safer place for him to stand than in the middle of the crowd; Manami is not the first overly enthusiastic young super to go pelting by, and is not likely to be the last either. She is followed pretty closely by Sam and Kendrick, the later of whom is calling plaintively after Manami as to where the boat might be. Aaron chuckles inwardly. So prim little lord Haywood doesn't want to get wet, eh? Who'd have thought?

Manami is now in the process of describing a beautiful arc across the harbor, and then another when she leaps. Turning into a bit of a show off, that girl. At any rate, she'll not likely be answering "Master Kendrick's" forlorn query anytime soon. As he is about to answer, Kendrick turns to Sam and asks "Now what?"

Amazed, not for the first time, how somebody his size goes unnoticed, Aaron leans into Kendrick's field of view and waves.

"You could always ask a teacher. Or anybody in a yellow staff jersey, really. We did anticipate there might be questions, you know... Anyway, there's a whole series of small boats docked just the other side of the pier, down by the medical accommodations tent. You'll probably find Victoria over there getting fitted for a special helmet, along with a not inconsiderable number of students who are... uncomfortable... using the aqua launcher. It's not a requirement, just for fun! Remember this day is a celebration as much as a test. And anyway, there are always exceptions. I had to do my water test with scuba gear, since I can't swim and no boat can carry me. Here, I'll walk you down there, as I ought to get out of this crowd before somebody bumps into me and hurts themselves."

 

[Zahzi]

Hunter Red Ward

Location: Facility 108 Dry Docks; Pier
Nearby: Swan ( Giyari )
Disposition: Why didn't I fake being sick today..?

In response to the offered pack, Hunter pulled out his own. Most packs sold around here weren't to his liking. He was still going through a carton that may or may not have been dated to the same time as him. Dangerous? Probably. Better taste from the lack of new regulations? You can bet your ass. At least it wasn't any of that vaping shit. He was glad he was frozen for that trend. Same with the fucking fidget spinners.

"So." Hunter spoke up, looking from the bridge over to Swan, ignoring the commotion nearby with the start of the exams. His part wasn't until much later anyways.
"What is it that needs to be said face to face like this? And it better not be one of those godawful cliches in some woman's shitty gay fantasies. I'll throw you in the lake myself if you do." he warned him, lighting one of his cigarettes while on his tangent.

"Some of us don't swing that way."
​

 

[Syrenrei]

Imogen Jarsdel
"Evermore"
Location: Near the First Obstacle of the AEGIS Final Exam Course
Nearby: Too many to name, including Ernest D. Rex
Conversing with: Anthony Gus
On Earpiece: Penny Teh Frixz
​

Imogen heard the voice before she saw the source. A man had approached her from behind; this was not surprising, but that he knew her name was. Still holding her tablet she turned to see an objectively relatively handsome man her junior addressing her. Neither his face nor voice were familiar. This was definitely not any of the staff she had encountered before nor was he a blue card user that she had been paired with in the past when pursuing criminals of the super variety. If she did not know him how did he know her? Nothing about her was extraordinary except her ability and even that was only noteworthy to those who employed her for safety testing and those who used her as a shield on missions.

"Yes, I am Imogen Jarsdel," she stated simply with a nod of respect. With great reluctance she slipped the cover on her tablet and held it at her side. It would be rude to not give him anything less than her full attention. Though she was not the most proficient conversationalist (she was called dull often) she did care quite about etiquette. "I'm afraid you have me at a loss. I don't believe we've met." Based on his clothing he wasn't a student but neither was he one of the instructors for she had committed them at least to memory. Was he a visitor? Someone from the private sector interested in a super that was participating in the test?

Turning her gaze back towards the water she looked pensive. This would be a difficult day for the young people participating in the exam. If they passed they would embark on a new journey- perhaps as a blue card user or a super trying to have a mundane life when they were anything but- yet it was not those that she was most concerned for. There were always students who failed. They needed more time, more guidance, more practice, more maturity, or one of numerous other skills they had yet to master. The ones who met defeat would be discouraged. Imogen had passed on her first try, both by virtue of being a team player in every sense of the word and having a simple, enduring power, but many of her friends had not. There had been one girl she had befriended and grown moderately close to who had control over water. One might have thought that would have helped her but she had such little control, and got upset so easily, that she had been an unmitigated disaster. It took her two more tries to pass.

"It is as safe as it can be," she mused as she scrutinized the course. "I do not much care for water but you have my assurances that should the need arise I am more than able to intervene to assist a student without causing risk to myself." It was... strange to have anyone express even a passing allusion to a possible interest in safety. Even adults tended to sigh and roll their eyes when you talked about precautionary steps to avoid everyday hazards.

 

[AllHailDago]

Melody Elanna Vance

​

Location: Aegis
Current Mood: Several
Current form: Human

Melody looked out to the ambulance and fire trucks mentioned by Scarlet and blanched somewhat. While being surrounded by mostly supers did kind of make her feel a bit better, she really hoped no one would get severely hurt today. Also that the fire trucks weren't needed, she didn't like seeing things burn one way or another. Melody blinked several times in surprise after listening to Scarlet, a pretty name, talk about not only starting a fine but winning it handily.

She was a little taken aback but it was refreshing to hear an adult talk about bad things they themselves did. Melody touched two fingers together in embarrassment as she relayed her own story. "I.. I was trying to break into someone's locker for... reasons. The girl and a couple members of her gang caught me, and tried stabbing me. Then... then I transformed for the first time. I turned into a king cobra and, well, when I first transform the animals instincts rule first. I tried to bite them... unsuccessfully. But it was easy to expel me when I not only tried breaking in to her locker, but shifted, and tried biting them."

She looked down a bit ashamedly. "Though from how they looked at me I bet regardless they'd have expelled me for being a super. At least that's the feeling I got." After a few moments she looked back up. "It's nice to meet you, Ms. Calloway! Um, what exactly is.. the exam gonna be? I don't exactly have great control of my powers if that's the kind of test.."

Lioness075

 

[Necessity4Fun]

Kendrick Haywood

​

Location: AEGIS Facility 108 - Exam Area
People Around: Sam and Aaron Mallory
Exam Team: Snowglobe

Interactions: Gus
Additional Team Tags: Lioness075 , ViAdvena

Today's Toys: Ted, Spiral, Lieutenant George, Humphrey and Millie.

*feeling a lot calmer*

Before Sam could say anything, Mr. Mallory, as if on cue, had suddenly shown up and provided the answer. Kendrick had instantly looked at him. It was his usual expression, just it felt different, extremely hopeful.

The Collateral Damage teacher, as it was a custom, started by the more obvious matters. Of course he could have called staff or a volunteer about his... issue, and he certainly would have if this had been any other problem. However, not this. Why not? Well, because it would certainly require a justification, and both of his options were terrible!
It was either putting an act over not wanting to be wet, --partially true, but maybe not a good enough reason for others--, or coming clean about the fact he couldn't swim, again. And it had been hard enough the first time! Wasn't this one of the most basic things of modern society? Even kids knew how to swim! It was pathetic that someone like him didn't, worse when you considered the fact that Kendrick was actually terrified of trying the water out and then sinking to his doom... Oh no, the less people that knew it, the better!

"Oh right. I could have done that...", he had replied, pretending to have forgotten that was even an option, "I just expected the norm of getting explanations, since well, it was obvious I wanted to board the boat, so why not give me the location? But, Manami doesn't really follows the norm, does she?", the teenager laughed softly.

Had that been a commentary about anyone else it would have sounded mean, bitter, as if it was supposed to outrightly poke fun at whoever it was about. This time however, the tone of voice was lighter, amused. One could say it even had a note of admiration in it, as he ended the subject, "It was silly of me to think otherwise."

"I appreciate the help, Sir", he gave the teacher a polite nod, "It is actually, quite fortunate. I was also wondering where I could store my backpack while I did the exam. My ability is definitely not going to be useful in this kind of track. If anything, that would only add more team members we would have to watch over during the activity... Not a very good strategy, if you ask me."

 

[Gus]

Anthony Costanzo
​

Location: Just north of the pier, down near the water's edge
Nearby: Various passersby, but mainly Imogen Jarsdel
Mood: Conflicted
@s Syrenrei

Tony paused a moment, enjoying the momentary rush of power; knowing something extra always left him with a heady feeling, like a light touch of intoxication. Especially an 'A' ranked super, never mind her being a woman as pretty as “Evermore” was... Knowledge was power, and having power over someone who laughed at death...

He squelched the thought.

Lisa's words sprang unbidden to his mind:
“Power isn't everything Anthony. Your obsession with it is unhealthy and you ought to look to that. You want to keep your mental edge, you can't dull it with petty bullshit like that. Supers aren't powers, they're people. Your job only shows you one side of them. Believe me, I see way, way more of them than you, and they've never once intimidated me. Grow a pair, would you? Act like a proper man.”

He shook his head fractionally, chastened as freshly as if she were still raking him over the coals for his darker fantasies, rather than a memory of the morning after their first date 797 days ago. He smiled ruefully at Imogen and resolved, again, to be better.

“I do apologize, Ms. Jarsdel if I spooked you. Anthony Costanzo, I work for commonwealth, in testing. I'm here for follow up observations to double check rank assignments. As for how I knew you, it was just an educated guess. Lisa Ramsey is a... friend... of mine, and a colleague of Dr. Santos. I've heard of your work in safety consulting through lunchtime conversations in the commonwealth canteen. You're something of a hero of mine; I'd love to see you do for AEGIS what you've done for the transportation industry! Not to mention the public safety sector! AEGIS is... not what it ought to be. As for how I knew it was you, I heard 108 had a new hire for safety consulting, and I just put two and two together. You might say it was more of a hope than a guess... Welcome to the best worst overseen super education facility on the east coast! You've certainly got your work cut out for you!”

 

[Syrenrei]

Imogen Jarsdel
"Evermore"
Location: Near the First Obstacle of the AEGIS Final Exam Course
Nearby: Too many to name, including Ernest D. Rex
Conversing with: Anthony Gus
On Earpiece: Penny Teh Frixz
​

The pause after her question and his emphatic shaking of his head made Imogen question what sort of individual she was willfully engaging in conversation with. She wouldn't walk away, of course- she had tolerated much more bizarre behavior from Penny alone- but she considered that no one at AEGIS 108 was even socially sane. What was twice as baffling was that it was the least odd-looking men and women that were undoubtedly the more strange. A super with green skin typically had more charm because they had to have it in order to get by. With a world that didn't trust or appreciate them, and their status so apparent, they worked twice as hard for acceptance. Those were the people that felt 'normal.' Someone who looked objectively normal like Anthony or Penny? Experience out to have told her they'd be odd.

It was telling that the best first impression she had of anyone yet was a robot named LARRY.

"A hero?" Gen was mild, passive, and reserved. Even her facial expressions were much more subtle as a result of her demeanor; however, she was absolutely shocked at the label that Anthony so casually referenced. When was the last time she had been called a hero if ever? Certainly not an adult for such adoration was normal for children that weren't as put off by freakish regeneration. For a very long moment she just reeled from the veritable bomb dropped on her. Given the extraordinary acts of other blue card holders, and given the age of Anthony, that he still called her a hero with such stiff competition was mind-boggling. He did not appear to be brown-nosing either. There was no inspection today, he was not running a company she was threatening to shut down, and he wasn't trying to re-negotiate her fees for a consultation.

"I don't think of myself as a hero but thank you," she finally said awkwardly and humbly as her lips figured out how to move again. "I was unaware that I was a topic of conversation for anyone," Gen added dryly but with neither annoyance or excitement. Those must be boring lunches indeed if a safety consultant was how they got their thrills by proxy. Just last week she had met a newly-minted blue card that could create mind spikes that impaled people both physically and mentally.

"There is a lot of work to be done," she admitted thoughtfully as she glanced back over her shoulder at the building that the majority of the AEGIS classes were held in (when Max and Luther didn't want Physical Discipline to take place outside). "With older construction it's easy to not be aware of the upgrades necessary to meet modern safety regulations. I hope to make Facility 108 more compliant with the most rigorous of standards and, to assure it can withstand the unique stress of supers on the structure, I have started reaching out to certain contacts I know who are on the cutting edge of technology. Strides are being made, especially with the insurance industry, to mitigate the damage of certain subtypes of superpowers on our homes and workplaces. It's expensive but there is no better way to sell a product than to show its success under the most intense conditions. I spoke with a flooring vendor two days ago." If all went well she'd approach Director Swan about it. Even if he didn't want to admit it, Facility 108 was a perfect place to test some of the things she suggested. These manufacturers could advertise their products stood up in a school of supers not in controls of their powers- and meanwhile be exposed to scenarios that were hard to replicate in a lab. Hopefully it was a win-win scenario as Facility 108 was not by any stretch of the imagination modern or safe.

As boring as she might be otherwise, Gen came alive when she was talking about safety. Her words rose and fall naturally, her features were more animated, she made eye contact, and was almost the perfect salesperson to convince you of its importance. Gen was sincerely passionate. This was evidenced further by how many friends and allies she had made in her many years of doing consultations. They knew she was good because of how invested she was; that was what made her one of the best.

 

[Giyari]

Mood: Serious
Location: 108's pier
Company: Red
@'s: Zahzi
Other:

Director Swan"Come on, don't start that shit with me." Jason laughed, as further down the waters edge, the old docks sprung to life. It looked like the exam had kicked off, which meant he was late.. But the exam could wait, the students were in good hands. Jason was only there to observe anyway.

Looking towards the old docks as the noise continued, Swan took another drag from his cigarette, letting the smoke billow from his mouth before reaching towards his watch... his limiter. A few button presses later and the world fell silent, the exam bustle disappeared, the gentle sloshing of the waves vanished. All that was left was their voices.

"It's about your past, Rapture... It needs to come back." Jason started, confident that any surveillance bugs from Commonwealth that may or may not be constantly near or on Red were now unable to function.

"The Knights of Raguel are becoming a problem, a problem Commonwealth is not dealing with. Whether it's because they can't deal with the knights, or won't deal with them is another conversation, but either way it's the same problem... And I believe it's a problem that you can help me with." he continued, dropping the butt of his smoke and silently twisting it out with the toe of his shoe.

"Like it or not, Rapture and the Knights have a common structure and mode of operation, sure the ideals differ, but both of them are for lack of a better term highly armed guerrilla terrorist groups. You know how these groups operate, which means you should know their weaknesses..." Jason paused, looking back towards the students making their way through the obstacles over the water. Each one filled with potential, each one both a potential hero and a potential danger to wider society.

"I want you to make up a list of people who could be useful against the Knights, and I want you to do this under the radar, quietly... Which means talking to people... This isn't about combat strength, this is about personality, utility, experience, and the ability to follow orders and keep their cool." Looking Ward dead in the eyes, Jason let his words sink in for a moment, he let what he was asking truly come to light, that he was disobeying the commands of his superiors, that he was probably breaking every vigilante law there was, that he was finally sick with the red tape.

"As much as I'd like to, I can't do this alone. You're one of the only other people who know what happened in the past, what happens when these groups aren't taken seriously. I trust you." he added, nudging Ward on the shoulder with his fist "Now, we've got an exam to chaperone and results to tally up... because we're teachers. Fuck how did I end up in this job." he added, with a sigh that could put every disappointed parents sighs to shame.

 

[Transparent]

Lucas Marsolet
View attachment 332713​

Transparent

Some part of Lucas recognizes the placating body language of his host as the standard response to a potentially dangerous crazy person, and he hangs his head in shame. “I am so sorry.” He draws his knees up against his forehead, and raises his hands above his head to try and seem less threatening. “I don't mean any harm. I just need... a little help... to get home.”

He paused, focusing on his breathing, trying hard not to allow himself to be overwhelmed again. He closed his eyes, trying to remember something, anything that might give this concerned stranger any kind of clue who he might be. This feeling of being burdensome is intolerable! There must be something! Eyes closed, forehead on knees and fingers laced together over-top, he focused on each breath, and tried to remember.

He has a flash of a long gray leg snapping toward him, talons connecting hard, knocking the wind out of him. He gasps and flinches, but keeps his eyes closed, letting the vision wash over him. The world pinwheels crazily around him. He catches glimpses of a parking lot, many cars crushed by a huge humanoid form draped in black cloth. The cloth is dripping, like oil, or paint. He hits the pavement of the parking lot flat on his back, and the pain is terrific, seeming to knock the wind out of him directly through his shattered ribcage rather than out through his mouth.

Lucas whimpered and opened his eyes, looked up at the earnest young man watching him.

“I remember an ostrich kicked me. And I landed by some cars, in a parking lot, you know? And there was someone else lying there too, but huge? Like a hundred feet long. They had crushed some cars. I know this sounds like a dream but I don't think so. I don't understand it. I think it really happened...”

He peeled off his shirt, revealing an ugly jagged scar from the middle of his abdomen up to his collar bone. He looked down at it as if startled to find it was really there, then back up to his host, eyes pleading for some kind of explanation.

“Does that help at all? Do you know any giants or wild ostriches? I wish I knew more but that is all I have. That and a sense that 'home' is nearby. Please. Can you help me?”

Raymond eyed the man once more, taking note of his disheveled appearance and confusion as he lowered his arms back to his side. As Raymond relaxed "I'll be honest with you," Raymond started, "I don't know what any of that really meant, didn't ring any bells to me. But, I know enough about this place now to know that your best bet to find help would be the local Aegis facility, 108. Here, give me a quick moment to get dressed and I'll drive you right over."

With that Raymond turned and began moving throughout his apartment, gathering specific items from the chaos without even searching it seemed. five minutes or so passed before Raymond stood ready, keys in hand. "Alright, ready to go?"

 

[Bag o Fruit]

Chris Kravitz Gus D. Rex ManicMuse It took Chris a second to process what the triplicate stranger had said, after which he raised his arms in protest, but the Alpha Bruce had already made off with the last word, and the closer copy had lowered the list of Green Gators and begun to stare blankly ahead, as if his complex mental processes had been switched off. Chris mentally commented that this had long been true of the alpha as well, and felt very clever despite having said nothing aloud. Hey... the Green Gators list had been lowered far enough for Chris to be able to peer over and read it. He surreptitiously craned his neck to read upside-down from a few meters away, as wondered which of his poor classmates had been stuck with the bald... "Fffffuck."

Offenses of the day: Asian people, British people, overweight people, Jewish people, and Asian people again.​

NPC Card:

--Name--

Bruce​

--Power--

Self-replication​

“Let me give you some friendly advice son: Keep a civil tongue in your head. Because any one of your teammates here is more than capable of tearing it out for you if you don't....”

Alpha Bruce, for the first time that day, blustered as Aaron spoke. He attempted to brush the hand on his shoulder aside, failing utterly to budge it at all. Aaron was kind enough to move it for him, after it became obvious that Bruce was powerless against his strength, which only added to his impotent disgruntlement. Then, as Aaron smiled and stepped back, Bruce snarled and stepped forward.

“Have fun kids!”

"What kinda bullshit is that, man?" Aaron was, at first, unable to respond, caught up addressing Team Snowglobe, but Bruce came after him, arms stretched in a 'come at me, bro'. "Hey! Talkin' to you! Real American student here, not a whacko mer-chink or Captain Teatime over there! You just threatened me, fatso! And since I'd reckon you're a teacher, that don't look to me like a real good idea! I'm a citizen of the US, and I got the rights to say what I wanna say. How d'you reckon that stands against you tellin' me I should get my face ripped off? Think you're stronger than the First Amendment? Cause I'm a red-blooded American, and I don't."

Chris Kravitz Oh my god he's gonna die. Mallory is gonna kill a student. Man, I like Mallory...

Chris jogged over to the confrontation, saying as he approached "Hey! Hey, wait, I'm Chris. Chris Kravitz. We're ugh on a team, the Green Gators. So is Izzy and Vicky, Bianca and, uhh..."

iiNPC Card:

--Name--

Albert​

--Power--

Green Vine Growing Giant​

Albert waded through people back to where Chris and Bruce were standing, a tight orange life preserver hugging his chest and contrasting terribly with his skin tone. "Hey guys, Vic-" he began, but stopped short of explaining his teammates' absence when he saw Bruce and Aaron. "oh boy."

... Albert. Hi Albert. C'mon guys, let's get in the water, yeah? We all want Blue Cards." Chris continued.

"Pssh, you're Chris Kravitz?" Bruce looked Chris up and down again. "Hunh. I guess they can snip it no matter how small it is." He blew off the conversation and made his way to a changing area with his copies in tow, saying "Whatever. Lemme get my shit."

Once again, Chris only figured out what Bruce was talking about after he was out of response range, and fumed for lack of a better option. "I'm getting in the water." he said quietly and slowly turned to walk towards the dock, throwing his hoodie and shirt aside.

"Right behind you, dude." Albert responded, hitching up his lifejacket and following suit. As he began preparations on the aqua launcher, Chris simply slid into the water and almost beat Albert to the first obstacle with the butterfly stroke.