Someone new walked in. Wait, how many Wards were there supposed to be? It wasn't a question he'd really considered...He hoped not too many more; he wasn't sure he could handle the pressure if the group was too large! At any rate, his almost moon-like eye tracked the newcomer as they made their way into the room proper. He watched as they, too, passively scanned the gathered masses of the Meeting Room, and simply...Took a seat, without a single word uttered. Either there was someone more stressed out here than him (doubtful), or the more likely answer...Whoever that girl was, she was extremely composed, especially, at least from his perspective, given the situation. That was frightful in its own right, and meant that his stare didn't linger much longer than that...Well, beyond taking in their choice of costume. At least there wasn't a cloak! Still, her choice of attire would've probably ended up popping more if the group wasn't so full of dull, lifeless colors...Part of which was his own fault, not that he could control the color of this form.
Landon didn't get much time to weigh group aesthetics, though, as another new face came in. He could feel another spike in his anxiety as more and more Wards emerged, his plumage and fluft growing ever denser in response. Still, what actually caught him off-guard was just how she looked. Er, not to say she looked bad or anything! No, no! In fact, honestly, he found her costume design to be the most appealing thus far, and it definitely stood out against the dull and dreary tones most of the rest were packing. No, it was just...Past the Capes stuff, the newcomer reminded him a bit of Claire...At least, on sheer face value. This girl was taller, certainly, but they both had thin builds, pale complexions, and blonde hair, though...Yeah, the new girl's hair was a few shades brighter, for certain. Claire's could almost come off as ghostly white in certain lighting.
Suddenly realizing that he was just peering out at the newcomer this whole time, Landon abruptly broke eye contact. God, if she saw that, she'd totally think he was some creep or something! How would he even begin to explain that?! "Oh, I'm sorry, you look just like my one and only friend in the whole world!" Stupid! He tucked himself deeper, as if trying to collapse in on himself like a black hole, but something wouldn't let him do that. Footsteps. Not just any footsteps...They were approaching. What?! Why?! In a panic, he freed one of his silvery eyes from his self-made prison once more, quivering with tension as he realized the girl from before was the one making her approach. Oh, nononono....She'd totally seen it! He was going to get chewed out, or blackmailed, or...
Landon had been completely lost in his own headspace by the point that Faith had actually touched down to his location, seated comfortably next to him. Her words were much nicer than he'd been bracing for. That got him out of his shell again, meekly peering out from the darkness of his wings that engulfed his form. He was quietly thankful for his ever-present wings now; they did an excellent job at hiding the worst of his form, and even more importantly, the trembling of his arms and legs. You could hardly tell he was nervous, if not for his giant, lightly quivering eyes. When she spoke, however, something odd happened...Yet something familiar, because he'd felt something like this before. Even earlier today, as a matter of fact.
She'd touched his mind.
For that moment, the anxiety and terror plaguing him was replaced with a mild confusion, even evident as his eyes blinked a few times, any hint of his prior concern temporarily masked...Not entirely by his own volition, but probably much more than the girl next to him fully grasped. The experience was familiar, yes, but distinct; with Claire, it was like being lulled into a sleep, and feeling your sensibilities numb out, but for this stranger? It felt more like his mind being shoved in a direction it never asked to be. Or, well...Perhaps that was a bit harsh. More accurate to the sensation he felt, it was like a gentle nudge, one that was barely noticeable for him, not just due to the gargantuan task that would be him actually not worrying for once in his miserable life, but from a gained tolerance to these forms of influence. Still, though, what a bizarre coincidence! As if she hadn't seemed similar enough to Claire before...He almost wanted to laugh, but he couldn't muster up such a response in this situation.
When Landon watched her practically recoil at the incidental use of her ability, it seemed to gain the opposite reaction she would probably anticipate; slowly, his wings unfurled to his side, freeing his full height as he now sat up straight, towering awkwardly over her as he couldn't help but tilt his head in confusion, his strangely fox-like ears perking up with the motion. Was it really so concerning? She hadn't meant any harm with it, clearly, and it was an accident. Surely she couldn't blame herself for that? He looked on sadly to her for that brief moment, but she bounced back, granting him a name and requesting his in kind. But...Crap! Was Faith her Cape name, or her real one?! It could be either! Sure, it'd be a strange name for a Cape, but aren't they all kind of strange? Oh God, how was he supposed to respond?! If he gave the wrong one, he'd look like a moron! Hidden underneath the gathering of fur and feather, his breathing picked up in pace, his body silently heaving as his anxiety mounted. Eventually he blurted something out. "Muninn! Or Landon! Oh, uh, Muninn's the name when I'm like this, but my real name's Landon!"
Vomiting all of that onto her, he gave a groan of disgust at himself before he recoiled yet again, revealing his green, scaly arms as his taloned hands clasped the sides of his head in embarrassed agony. Could he have mucked that up any more royally?! Already, his wings were starting to instinctively close in around him once more, as if forming a much-needed sanctuary from his failings. That was, until someone smashed straight into the room.
"AHH!"
His natural instinct was panic at the abrupt, jarringly loud noise, changing how he held his head from a position of shame to one of defensiveness, his hands clasped tightly over his sensitive ears as the explosion of nerves caused a scattering of his jet-black feathers to shoot off from him like someone smashing open a pillow filled with down, which he'll certainly have time to be embarrassed about after he emerges from his seclusion, as yet again his wings formed up around him, turning Landon back into a ball of pitch-black nothing.
"This is too sudden! It was one thing to join, but we're being told to all meet together! For the first time! Oh, God, I think I'm gonna be sick..."
"Landon, you need to breathe. Also, you're molting."
"I am?! Oh, nonono! Stop! Stop it!"
The scene playing out in the elegant and well-kept bedroom of one Claire Rafferty would've been humorous if the sheer, honest panic of one of its residents wasn't so absolutely palpable, that being Landon Mandel, who was busy trying to keep the sprouting feathers across his arms from going any further than that, as the jet-black feathers were hastily shaken off his arm, cast against the once-pristine floor the pair of them stood on. "You know panicking further doesn't help it. Just take a deep breath. Relax." Claire was the voice of reason that brought him back down, bringing his shaky and labored breathing back down to something manageable, as any signs of his transformation slowly sank back down. "...Thanks. I-I'm sorry about the feathers, I'll-" Before he could finish his thought, Claire merely held a hand up to stop him. To most, her blank stare was exactly that; completely emotionless, almost terrifyingly so, but Landon had spent enough time around her to recognize that ever-so-faint spark of concern with them. "I can handle it. You have better things to be doing."
Taking a cautious few steps forward, Claire tentatively put a hand on Landon's shoulders, a slight smile across her face as the window behind them cast morning light upon her, illuminating her pale form and cascading through her golden hair. "I know you're scared, and you have every right to be. But you promised the both of us that you would do this, and I don't think a simple meeting is enough to stop you. Right, Landon?" While clearly hesitant to answer it, he eventually gave a curt nod of his head. Her smile grew just a bit larger. "Good. Now, you don't have much time, so you should get going. Show them your good side, Landon."
"...I have a good side?"
"...Don't ruin the moment. And I'm serious, you should go. It's already eight forty."
That got him to shake his proverbial (and eventually literal) tail-feathers. "I-It's already that late?! I have to go! Oh God, if I'm late to this..." Thankfully for him, his freshly flared-up anxiety over such a possibility was pushing his ability back into work, as fur and feathers alike began to coagulate across his form. Rushing to the bedroom window, he gave one last look to his only friend in the world. "...I'll try my best to show that good side you can see." With a nervous smile, he was pushed over the edge by that small, terrifying pledge he made, as his form twisted and flexed into its new shape. Talons found purchase as the window was pushed up, and in spite of his new size, he slid out into the morning sky with ease. Time to get to work.
Protectorate Headquarters, 8:44 AM June 19th, 2021
You know, it was something Landon had long since taken for granted in his old life, but now, it was a fact that seemed all too obvious to him now. People rarely looked above themselves. That much was obvious as he sailed through the morning skies, moving too fast for his cast shadow onto the streets to stir any potential attention, and his silent wingbeats carrying him through the winds in broad daylight, the many civilians below oblivious to the avian creature in flight above them. Thank goodness for that! He was already stressed enough, running short on time and with all the pressures both self-applied and not weighing him down. The last thing Landon wanted was to cause a public stir by becoming some kind of cryptid sighting. So it was with this thought lingering on his mind that he made record time in his flight through the city airways.
As he made his mute landing beyond the whish of air to the first checkpoint, Landon could already feel all eyes on him as the guards seemed to almost size him up. Not that it was a surprising occurrence, but it still didn't hurt any less each time this sort of thing happened. Sure, he was a 12-foot bird-monster, but he was a 12-foot bird-monster with feelings still! It felt awful being put under such scrutiny, so he was quick to present the proper credentials to get him moving. If this was how the average guard would view him, he was even more concerned as to how his fellow Wards might perceive him. In response to this mounting fear, he could feel feathers and fur grow out across his form just that bit more, making him all the more upset.
Landon passed his way down the stainless-steel hallway, and perhaps his curiosity getting the better of him, he ran one of his razor-sharp talons across it. Beyond making an awful noise that made him almost instantly flinch away, there wasn't even a mark on it. Well, that shouldn't surprise him much; this place was made with Capes in mind, so of course its defenses would be state-of-the-art. Not exactly the same as clawing his way into a vending machine. And so he kept walking, his wings flexing and fidgeting awkwardly behind him, as if they had a mind of their own. He was used to this sort of feeling; even if this place was more spacious that most, being inside anywhere caused his new form to tense up a bit. He definitely preferred somewhere more open, where he could feel the air against his wings. Anywhere else nowadays felt at least mildly claustrophobic. Still, he couldn't let that hold him back...Even if, admittedly, the closer and closer he neared his destination, the more he felt his body lag and hesitate. He could feel his stomach churn as his approach neared its end. In here, he'd be meeting everyone who would be his teammates, as well as the professional Capes leading and teaching them...How on Earth could he ever measure up to all of this? Maybe he would be better off if he...
Shaking away his feelings of self-doubt, Landon recalled his promise. He had to try. And so, he stepped forward.
Protectorate HQ, 8:46 AM June 19th, 2021
'Wow, this is really spacious.' Was mercifully the first thing that passed his mind as he stepped into meeting room proper. In fact, he had enough space to properly shift his wings a bit, as they folded out several feet to flex out some of their tension, before compacting themselves back to not be so obstructive. The place seemed awfully comfy, with even a TV and some gaming consoles off to the side...Not that he'd ever played such a thing, but he knew of them, at least. However, he knew he couldn't distract himself forever, and looked to the actual inhabitants of the room, his large silvery domes that were the eyes of this form passing across all the new faces, his body tensing up with each one he visually passed.
There were the Protectorate members in the room, of course. Grandmaster was the first one he noticed, and the one who definitely brought the most tension to him. He was stoic and composed, with a look that, at least for Landon, always made him feel as if he was being looked through, instead of at. Next, though, was a more comforting sight (at least for him; he could imagine most people might not agree), but Mr. Nightstalker made his eyes turn up like crescent moons, pleased to see him here. For one, it simply made Landon feel better to not be the only one with an...Abnormal appearance, putting it politely, but it also helped that they were just a genuinely nice person, from what little he'd interacted with them. Last but certainly not least was Axiom, their resident Tinker. He didn't know her as well (probably due to the fact that she'd interacted with the other Wards on their costume situation, from what he'd heard, which...Well, he didn't exactly get involved in, to put it simply), but at the very least, she didn't come off as imposing as Grandmaster. He'd take it.
Okay, deep breath now; had to greet them properly. They were their effective bosses, after all. Choking down his fear, Muninn gave a bow to their three seniors (which looked rather awkward given his height), before standing back straight and looking them...Well, he couldn't muster the strength to meet Grandmaster eye-to-eye, so he settled for the vague area around them. "I-It's an honor to be here! I hope I can be of some service!" Alright, he said his piece! Almost immediately, with surprising agility, he lunged for the nearest couch, curling into a near imperceivable ball of darkness upon it once he'd tucked in his arms and legs and wrapped his larger wingset around his form, as if sheltering him from the gaze of everyone present. The real surprise was how little space he seemed to take up on the couch in spite of his height. He had managed to be quite compact...
Slowly recovering from his performance anxiety, one of his bright-white orbs peered out again, glancing over the other would-be Wards. He didn't know any of them, of course, and nothing about them looks-wise really set anything off. Not surprising; that meant he was the weirdest one of them. He'd kinda hoped there'd be at least one like him, but as it was, it seemed he would be isolated in his monsterhood amongst his teammates. Still, their choices for costuming were interesting to parse. One of them was wearing a get-up you'd expect a wastelander from some post-apocalyptic setting to wear, which caught him off-guard. It didn't seem very hero-like. Honestly, it didn't seem like...Anything? Too confused to really grasp the idea behind it, his luminous eye darted to the next one. Now THAT one stood out! It was techy as all get-out, and made him think of Ms. Axiom's design. Perhaps they'd been inspired? Regardless, it was eye-catching, and without even knowing its full purpose, simply looked impressive on its own.
The next one, however, nearly caused him to recoil back into his shapeless dark blob he was on the couch. They were full cloak-and-dagger, with terrifying glowing eyes piercing out from the shadows of their hooded figure. Though...Did he really have the right to be scared by that? He kinda had the same thing going on...But when he looked back at it again, he came to his conclusion. Yeah, scary. Was it some kind of intimidation tactic, or did the person underneath all of that really just want to look like a bad guy? And speaking of cloaks, there was another person here with the same setup. Were cloaks really popular in the superhero sphere and he just didn't know? Maybe he could ask for one...Wait, no, that'd mess with his wings. Well, regardless, at least this one's mask was notably less frightful, at least for him. He could only wonder what was going through the minds of his fellow Wards; especially about himself. He was this freaky, lanky bird-monster, and they'd just watched him act like a total teacher's pet. Was that bad? Probably. But he was just used to showing respect, and it was a hard thing to shake off...And honestly, with Grandmaster present, he wasn't sure he had the backbone to try and brush them off in any sense. And so, the squeamish bird-man sat huddled on the couch, fearful of what may come next.
Appearance: Landon has a slight and unathletic build, the slimness of which is only further punctuated by his notable height of 5'11, making his lanky stature blatantly obvious. His skin tone is quite pale, and lacks any discernable features to speak of.
Due to his strict upbringing, Landon seems to have a preference for formalwear, particularly when it is quite covering, as if to shield him from the gaze of others. Similarly, due to his upbringing, he does not wear anything extraneous such as piercings, necklaces, etc., though in his short time of freedom from said upbringing, he has shown an interest in trying these sorts of things.
When it comes to a costume, his Parahuman abilities cause too many complications for it to be practical to design one for him. As such, due to the nature of his abilities, they effectively act as his costume.
Personality: Landon has been, and still is to a degree, a people-pleaser, even before his imposed lifestyle forced that mindset upon him. He is rather timid, and prefers cooperation over conflict in nearly any scenario, though his Trigger event has 'helped' him to be able to have a touch more backbone when it comes to putting himself before others. However, his nature makes him an ideal Ward, since he will typically listen to and obey authority figures unless they give him significant cause for doubt. Fortunately, he himself is also quite easy to please. Landon appreciates when others are willing to hear him out and quite simply interact with him, starved for positive interactions, especially with peers his age.
Beyond that, in no small part due to the nature of his Parahuman abilities, Landon seems to be naturally nervous and more than a touch high-strung, and will commonly seek affirmation in moments of vulnerability (which, at least from his perspective, are quite common). This has been especially true for him joining the Wards, evidently fearful of his own ability to perform alongside his fellow teammates and concerned over the repercussions of potentially not being adequate for the team. In hopes of helping to reaffirm his position as a Ward in spite of his own self-doubts, he has been given weekly sessions with a PRT-mandated therapist.
Additionally, while Landon has (up until recently) had very little personal time to pursue his own passions or hobbies, he always dreamed of being a pilot, and discussion of the topic (or even just flight in general) seems to quickly break him out of his shell; for a time, at least. When he is around people he's comfortable with, which is a sadly short list for the young man, he's still as soft-spoken as ever, but his general meekness turns more into a gentle calmness, and he becomes much more amicable and animated in comparison to his extremely reserved nature. He's also a great listener, which some people certainly appreciate, whereas some just find him annoyingly quiet.
Power Classification: Changer 3/Mover 5/Stranger 3 (Brute, Thinker)
Power Description: Despite what the Power Classification might make you think, Landon's Parahuman ability is deceptively simple. Simply put, with enough focus (or more commonly, a drastic shift in his emotional state or sheer stress), Landon bursts out into a mass of feathers, quickly emerging as a humanoid entity roughly twice his height, with similarly lanky proportions (though still notably more muscle mass underneath his feathery exterior). His arms and legs are covered in tough, leathery green skin and a scattering of scales of the same shade up until his elbows/knees, where fur begins overtaking his form. Instead of fingers and toes, he now possesses sharpened talons akin to a bird of prey. The rest of his body is covered in greyish-black fur, making the only discernable features his white ovular eyes and strange ears that seem more akin to a fox or other canid than what an avian form such as his should possess. Speaking of avian, well...
The most discerning feature of his Changer Power are the two sets of wings his new body possesses; a much larger set that sprouts closer to his shoulder line, with their maximum width nearing twice his own height, and a much smaller set of wings nearing the end of his backside, used to streamline his aerial maneuvers and otherwise serve as support for his main wings. With these, he is capable of exceptional feats of flight, even in areas where his main wingset cannot stretch to full width. Additionally, both his fur and feathers seem to possess a muffling quality about them, making his flight completely silent, much like an owl. The soles of his feet and hands are also lined with this fur, allowing him to move in silence even when not in flight. Much more minor than his other features, he does also seem to possess a more sensitive hearing in this form, as well as a form of night vision.
While the form can look physically imposing, the truth of the matter is this form is only barely able to obtain a Sub-Classification for Brute. Compared to a normal human, he may seem strong, certainly, but most Brutes outmatch his capabilities in terms of raw strength, and almost certainly in durability. To be able to maintain flight in this form, he has hollow bones like a bird, and while still more durable than the average human, is still quite vulnerable to most conventional forms of harm, especially when it involves blunt force trauma.
Strengths:
Patient: A gift all too uncommon amongst many Parahumans (much less people), Landon is a very patient and naturally cautious individual. While this does have its problems, it means that in spite of his shaky mental state (especially on the field in his Changer form), he can be trusted to think things through and not act out rashly, and even more importantly, be willing and able to follow orders. Natural Aptitude: In spite of having Triggered recently, Landon seems to have an astonishingly solid grasp on his Changer powerset, especially the flight aspect. This can in part be attributed to the relative simplicity his ability seems to embody, but it still does little to undermine his shocking level of skill with it in such a short amount of time...As long as he doesn't get in his own head, at least.
Weaknesses:
Anti-Conflict: While becoming a Parahuman has lessened this to a degree, Landon struggles with conflict, especially of the physical sort, and finds it difficult to mount a defense. He much prefers doing work that involves helping indirectly, even when the preferred solution is a direct assault. This extends to social conflicts as well, perhaps even moreso, as he usually does little to defend himself against verbal abuse, much to his own detriment, especially given his... Low Self-Esteem: Even before he Triggered, Landon never had a good opinion of himself, but now, lumped with all the stress and responsibility of being a Ward on top of everything that's happened within the last year for the poor guy, he's a bundle of nerves waiting to go off, and has next to zero faith in himself. His fragile ego makes him especially vulnerable to mental and emotional assault and manipulation. Combat Experience: Even beyond his unwillingness to even be involved in conflict, Landon has little to no experience defending himself or others with his ability, or God forbid, just his normal self. In other words, combat-wise, despite his Power potentially being well-suited to it in the right circumstances, he can likely be dead weight.
History:
Landon is Bridgewater, born and raised, the only child of Elias and Penelope Mandel, and the proprietors of Mandel International, an exceptionally capable shipping company that brought the family into millionaire status. Due to this, growing up, Landon never wanted for anything...At least, in the physical sense. He could practically have anything material he wanted, but yet, that meant little when what the young boy wanted most was connections with others. His parents were always distant to him, more concerned with the company and its profit margins than their own child, and for most of his life, he was homeschooled extensively by the best of the best...Which meant he had unbelievable pressures placed upon him. Landon never had a say in what he wanted to do with himself, it was always what his parents wanted for him. They had him taught to be able to inherit their empire, raised with all the social noblesse they could afford, and had him constantly accompany them to events and celebrations amongst the upper-class, to which he had no choice but to humbly accept. Most of his life was spent surrounded by strangers, who talked about him as if he weren't even there.
Things changed in an unexpected and potentially exciting direction for the young man when his parents told him he would be attending a public high school. Something about making the family seem more 'approachable' or something. He didn't care about their ulterior motives. Finally, for the first time in his life, he'd be among people his age! Maybe he could finally grasp some sense of normality, and do something he wanted to do for a change! However...That was not meant to be. At first, all seemed well. From his stunted perspective, he seemed to be exceptionally popular when he made landfall in high school, but he soon learned what was actually going on. People didn't care about Landon; they cared about his family...And their wealth. Yet again, he was being ignored. No, even worse, this time, it felt as if he was some kind of penalty strapped onto something his fellow students actually wanted. An aggravation and an obstacle; worse than nothing. Once he learned this, well, he at the very least was less willing to simply shower those so-called 'friends' with everything they wanted, but that just meant that everyone turned on him as if he were some kind of monster, forced into the role of the outcast. At the very least, it was a comfortable role. One that held a sense of familiarity; this was how it had always been, with nobody to lean on or call to. Just himself, suffering quietly for those around him.
Eventually, enough was enough. With what little backbone Landon possessed, he was finally going to speak out. If anything, he at the very least wanted to get out of that wretched school, and at most...Maybe, if they could listen to him, he could make them understand his point of view. How he'd never wanted for any of the things they'd shunted onto him, and how he wanted to be someone other than just 'the Mandel boy'. And so, at his earliest convenience, he talked to his parents at the dinner table. Only to be talked over, again, of course, and with news that would crush his tiny little soul even further.
There was going to be an arranged marriage. What? What? Landon barely knew anyone his own age, much less girls! How could this be happening?! It was way too sudden, it- his parents didn't care for his mounting anxiety as they spoke onward, telling of the benefits of the arrangement and that it would be officially settled within the next month or so. Yet again, his voice had been shut out. Expectations even heavier than the last dropped upon his fragile back, crushing him further into the ground, so far away from freedom. Shoved right back into the birdcage that was his life. With a mounting sickness growing in his stomach, he excused himself from the table, rushing to his room. It was there, sweating profusely and convulsing on the ground, that everything landed on him. All this time, he'd let others decide what he was going to be, no matter how draining or ruinous it was for him, like a puppet on their strings, letting their expectations for him outweigh his own self-worth, or his own dreams. It was then he'd realized that the one called 'Landon', who he claimed had ambitions and hopes of his own...Had never even truly been allowed to exist.
He Triggered.
It was a flash of feathers and fur, a blur of pitch-black overtaking his vision as he felt agony pass through his body; his skin felt as if it hardened and ripped apart, over and over. His nails burst forward like knives coming through his fingers. His muscles screamed as they contorted and expanded over and over again, and his bones creaked under the intense warping sensation. But for however horrible it had been, it was over in barely a second as Landon stood up once more, looking over himself...Some part of him was horrified by what had occurred, in abject terror over what he had become...But most of him was numbed over by the wave of emotions taking him over, and perhaps in a surge of adrenaline as he took in his inhuman visage, glancing over his vicious claws, a horrid, wicked thought plagued his newly-addled mind. "If there was no one to marry, then the marriage cannot occur."
It was then something clicked. He actually remembered the lady they were mentioning back at the dinner table; Landon had only met her once, but that may be enough. Lucky for him, all the rich of Bridgewater effectively congregated near the harbor with their high-end homes and the occasional manse, so it would only take so much trial and error for him to find the right house. Under normal circumstances, Landon would've never even humored such an idea, but he was far from thinking straight, and so he reached out for his bedroom window, pulling it up to feel a crisp breeze on the air. And he jumped.
There, flying in the air in the cool night...Landon truly felt free. But sadly, such a revelation wasn't enough to shake him from his delirium as he scouted the surrounding houses for any sense of familiarity, and eventually found it. Wasting no time, he smashed through the young lady's window, talons prepped to rip and tear, and yet...What he saw was not a young lady shaking in fear from a monster come bursting into her room, but a girl whose gaze was detached from the goings-on around her, looking as if she was utterly drained mentally and emotionally, as she looked towards Landon's imposing figure...Or, at least to him, it felt more as if she was looking right through him. It made him hesitate, but only briefly, as he lunged towards her, grasping her arms and hoisting her into the air, as if threatening to smash her into the ground. Still, she barely offered more than a small grunt of resistance. It was then, as they shared a glance, that Landon understood something. That look she had...Underneath all the fur and feathers, something told him it was the same one he was wearing right now.
Landon couldn't begin to tell you why he put her down. Maybe that moment of clarify robbed him of his impromptu aggression. Perhaps Claire (that was her name, as he was reminding himself in the moment) had used her own ability, as he soon would learn of. Regardless, his blind fury at someone as innocent as he was in this situation had ebbed out, and not knowing what else to do, he awkwardly took a seat on her floor, now roughly level to her standing height. What followed next was an...Unusual experience for the both of them. After a near-homicide was committed, the two merely sat down and just...Talked. Something neither of them had much of the luxury to do in their day-to-day lives. They talked to each other about almost everything, not least of which their latest mishaps that had led to their shared changes. Claire admitted to having some kind of ability like Landon, which she only learned about because she had somehow influenced her parents. She didn't know exactly how, or what she'd specifically done to them, but they were...Mellowed out, for lack of better term from either of them. Even when they walked in on their daughter and a giant bird-man, they didn't have much of a reaction beyond the fact that they were apparently going to make some tea and head to bed. From that day on, their lives became...Interesting.
Since then, Landon, far from eager to return home, had effectively started squatting in Claire's room. Luckily, she didn't mind, and honestly appreciated the positive company, of which she'd had little in her own life. They figured out exactly what she was doing; Claire was able to numb out the emotions of others, and eventually, it could even desensitize people's whole brains, which is exactly what she'd accidentally done to her parents. They weren't sure how long it'd last, or if it might cause permanent damage, but it at least made her parents very agreeable people, which according to her, they certainly were not beforehand. Of course, despite how much the pair actually enjoyed each other's company, they understood that their situation wasn't exactly sustainable. However, it was Claire who offered a solution; in her eyes, Landon was a quite wholesome and good man, and so, she suggested that he might look into the new Wards program starting up. He questioned if she would be joining it, too, but she declined, simply stating "Honestly, between the both of us, even with you becoming a giant bird monster...You have the far more agreeable power, as far as the public would see it." Honestly, it mortified him, the idea of doing all this...But it hurt even more to even possibly feel like a burden to the one person he'd become even remotely close to in the past 15 years of his life. So he agreed with her assessment. And who knows? Maybe being a hero was exactly what he needed, and he might even be able to make friends with the other Wards. The possibilities were endless!
...The recruitment process was quite awkward, however, given that he had to explain his whole absurdly drastic situation while attempting to dodge any mention of Claire herself being a Parahuman, not wishing to endanger her in any way. Still, though, eventually the PRT accepted his angle of the story (at least, as far as he was aware), and Landon was accepted into the Wards, desperately hoping that this would also serve as an effective smokescreen from his family for at least a while longer.
Appearance: Landon has a slight and unathletic build, the slimness of which is only further punctuated by his notable height of 5'11, making his lanky stature blatantly obvious. His skin tone is quite pale, and lacks any discernable features to speak of.
Due to his strict upbringing, Landon seems to have a preference for formalwear, particularly when it is quite covering, as if to shield him from the gaze of others. Similarly, due to his upbringing, he does not wear anything extraneous such as piercings, necklaces, etc., though in his short time of freedom from said upbringing, he has shown an interest in trying these sorts of things.
When it comes to a costume, his Parahuman abilities cause too many complications for it to be practical to design one for him. As such, due to the nature of his abilities, they effectively act as his costume.
Personality: Landon has been, and still is to a degree, a people-pleaser, even before his imposed lifestyle forced that mindset upon him. He is rather timid, and prefers cooperation over conflict in nearly any scenario, though his Trigger event has 'helped' him to be able to have a touch more backbone when it comes to putting himself before others. However, his nature makes him an ideal Ward, since he will typically listen to and obey authority figures unless they give him significant cause for doubt. Fortunately, he himself is also quite easy to please. Landon appreciates when others are willing to hear him out and quite simply interact with him, starved for positive interactions, especially with peers his age.
Beyond that, in no small part due to the nature of his Parahuman abilities, Landon seems to be naturally nervous and more than a touch high-strung, and will commonly seek affirmation in moments of vulnerability (which, at least from his perspective, are quite common). This has been especially true for him joining the Wards, evidently fearful of his own ability to perform alongside his fellow teammates and concerned over the repercussions of potentially not being adequate for the team. In hopes of helping to reaffirm his position as a Ward in spite of his own self-doubts, he has been given weekly sessions with a PRT-mandated therapist.
Additionally, while Landon has (up until recently) had very little personal time to pursue his own passions or hobbies, he always dreamed of being a pilot, and discussion of the topic (or even just flight in general) seems to quickly break him out of his shell; for a time, at least. When he is around people he's comfortable with, which is a sadly short list for the young man, he's still as soft-spoken as ever, but his general meekness turns more into a gentle calmness, and he becomes much more amicable and animated in comparison to his extremely reserved nature. He's also a great listener, which some people certainly appreciate, whereas some just find him annoyingly quiet.
Power Classification: Changer 3/Mover 5/Stranger 3 (Brute, Thinker)
Power Description: Despite what the Power Classification might make you think, Landon's Parahuman ability is deceptively simple. Simply put, with enough focus (or more commonly, a drastic shift in his emotional state or sheer stress), Landon bursts out into a mass of feathers, quickly emerging as a humanoid entity roughly twice his height, with similarly lanky proportions (though still notably more muscle mass underneath his feathery exterior). His arms and legs are covered in tough, leathery green skin and a scattering of scales of the same shade up until his elbows/knees, where fur begins overtaking his form. Instead of fingers and toes, he now possesses sharpened talons akin to a bird of prey. The rest of his body is covered in greyish-black fur, making the only discernable features his white ovular eyes and strange ears that seem more akin to a fox or other canid than what an avian form such as his should possess. Speaking of avian, well...
The most discerning feature of his Changer Power are the two sets of wings his new body possesses; a much larger set that sprouts closer to his shoulder line, with their maximum width nearing twice his own height, and a much smaller set of wings nearing the end of his backside, used to streamline his aerial maneuvers and otherwise serve as support for his main wings. With these, he is capable of exceptional feats of flight, even in areas where his main wingset cannot stretch to full width. Additionally, both his fur and feathers seem to possess a muffling quality about them, making his flight completely silent, much like an owl. The soles of his feet and hands are also lined with this fur, allowing him to move in silence even when not in flight. Much more minor than his other features, he does also seem to possess a more sensitive hearing in this form, as well as a form of night vision.
While the form can look physically imposing, the truth of the matter is this form is only barely able to obtain a Sub-Classification for Brute. Compared to a normal human, he may seem strong, certainly, but most Brutes outmatch his capabilities in terms of raw strength, and almost certainly in durability. To be able to maintain flight in this form, he has hollow bones like a bird, and while still more durable than the average human, is still quite vulnerable to most conventional forms of harm, especially when it involves blunt force trauma.
Strengths:
Patient: A gift all too uncommon amongst many Parahumans (much less people), Landon is a very patient and naturally cautious individual. While this does have its problems, it means that in spite of his shaky mental state (especially on the field in his Changer form), he can be trusted to think things through and not act out rashly, and even more importantly, be willing and able to follow orders. Natural Aptitude: In spite of having Triggered recently, Landon seems to have an astonishingly solid grasp on his Changer powerset, especially the flight aspect. This can in part be attributed to the relative simplicity his ability seems to embody, but it still does little to undermine his shocking level of skill with it in such a short amount of time...As long as he doesn't get in his own head, at least.
Weaknesses:
Anti-Conflict: While becoming a Parahuman has lessened this to a degree, Landon struggles with conflict, especially of the physical sort, and finds it difficult to mount a defense. He much prefers doing work that involves helping indirectly, even when the preferred solution is a direct assault. This extends to social conflicts as well, perhaps even moreso, as he usually does little to defend himself against verbal abuse, much to his own detriment, especially given his... Low Self-Esteem: Even before he Triggered, Landon never had a good opinion of himself, but now, lumped with all the stress and responsibility of being a Ward on top of everything that's happened within the last year for the poor guy, he's a bundle of nerves waiting to go off, and has next to zero faith in himself. His fragile ego makes him especially vulnerable to mental and emotional assault and manipulation. Combat Experience: Even beyond his unwillingness to even be involved in conflict, Landon has little to no experience defending himself or others with his ability, or God forbid, just his normal self. In other words, combat-wise, despite his Power potentially being well-suited to it in the right circumstances, he can likely be dead weight.
History:
Landon is Bridgewater, born and raised, the only child of Elias and Penelope Mandel, and the proprietors of Mandel International, an exceptionally capable shipping company that brought the family into millionaire status. Due to this, growing up, Landon never wanted for anything...At least, in the physical sense. He could practically have anything material he wanted, but yet, that meant little when what the young boy wanted most was connections with others. His parents were always distant to him, more concerned with the company and its profit margins than their own child, and for most of his life, he was homeschooled extensively by the best of the best...Which meant he had unbelievable pressures placed upon him. Landon never had a say in what he wanted to do with himself, it was always what his parents wanted for him. They had him taught to be able to inherit their empire, raised with all the social noblesse they could afford, and had him constantly accompany them to events and celebrations amongst the upper-class, to which he had no choice but to humbly accept. Most of his life was spent surrounded by strangers, who talked about him as if he weren't even there.
Things changed in an unexpected and potentially exciting direction for the young man when his parents told him he would be attending a public high school. Something about making the family seem more 'approachable' or something. He didn't care about their ulterior motives. Finally, for the first time in his life, he'd be among people his age! Maybe he could finally grasp some sense of normality, and do something he wanted to do for a change! However...That was not meant to be. At first, all seemed well. From his stunted perspective, he seemed to be exceptionally popular when he made landfall in high school, but he soon learned what was actually going on. People didn't care about Landon; they cared about his family...And their wealth. Yet again, he was being ignored. No, even worse, this time, it felt as if he was some kind of penalty strapped onto something his fellow students actually wanted. An aggravation and an obstacle; worse than nothing. Once he learned this, well, he at the very least was less willing to simply shower those so-called 'friends' with everything they wanted, but that just meant that everyone turned on him as if he were some kind of monster, forced into the role of the outcast. At the very least, it was a comfortable role. One that held a sense of familiarity; this was how it had always been, with nobody to lean on or call to. Just himself, suffering quietly for those around him.
Eventually, enough was enough. With what little backbone Landon possessed, he was finally going to speak out. If anything, he at the very least wanted to get out of that wretched school, and at most...Maybe, if they could listen to him, he could make them understand his point of view. How he'd never wanted for any of the things they'd shunted onto him, and how he wanted to be someone other than just 'the Mandel boy'. And so, at his earliest convenience, he talked to his parents at the dinner table. Only to be talked over, again, of course, and with news that would crush his tiny little soul even further.
There was going to be an arranged marriage. What? What? Landon barely knew anyone his own age, much less girls! How could this be happening?! It was way too sudden, it- his parents didn't care for his mounting anxiety as they spoke onward, telling of the benefits of the arrangement and that it would be officially settled within the next month or so. Yet again, his voice had been shut out. Expectations even heavier than the last dropped upon his fragile back, crushing him further into the ground, so far away from freedom. Shoved right back into the birdcage that was his life. With a mounting sickness growing in his stomach, he excused himself from the table, rushing to his room. It was there, sweating profusely and convulsing on the ground, that everything landed on him. All this time, he'd let others decide what he was going to be, no matter how draining or ruinous it was for him, like a puppet on their strings, letting their expectations for him outweigh his own self-worth, or his own dreams. It was then he'd realized that the one called 'Landon', who he claimed had ambitions and hopes of his own...Had never even truly been allowed to exist.
He Triggered.
It was a flash of feathers and fur, a blur of pitch-black overtaking his vision as he felt agony pass through his body; his skin felt as if it hardened and ripped apart, over and over. His nails burst forward like knives coming through his fingers. His muscles screamed as they contorted and expanded over and over again, and his bones creaked under the intense warping sensation. But for however horrible it had been, it was over in barely a second as Landon stood up once more, looking over himself...Some part of him was horrified by what had occurred, in abject terror over what he had become...But most of him was numbed over by the wave of emotions taking him over, and perhaps in a surge of adrenaline as he took in his inhuman visage, glancing over his vicious claws, a horrid, wicked thought plagued his newly-addled mind. "If there was no one to marry, then the marriage cannot occur."
It was then something clicked. He actually remembered the lady they were mentioning back at the dinner table; Landon had only met her once, but that may be enough. Lucky for him, all the rich of Bridgewater effectively congregated near the harbor with their high-end homes and the occasional manse, so it would only take so much trial and error for him to find the right house. Under normal circumstances, Landon would've never even humored such an idea, but he was far from thinking straight, and so he reached out for his bedroom window, pulling it up to feel a crisp breeze on the air. And he jumped.
There, flying in the air in the cool night...Landon truly felt free. But sadly, such a revelation wasn't enough to shake him from his delirium as he scouted the surrounding houses for any sense of familiarity, and eventually found it. Wasting no time, he smashed through the young lady's window, talons prepped to rip and tear, and yet...What he saw was not a young lady shaking in fear from a monster come bursting into her room, but a girl whose gaze was detached from the goings-on around her, looking as if she was utterly drained mentally and emotionally, as she looked towards Landon's imposing figure...Or, at least to him, it felt more as if she was looking right through him. It made him hesitate, but only briefly, as he lunged towards her, grasping her arms and hoisting her into the air, as if threatening to smash her into the ground. Still, she barely offered more than a small grunt of resistance. It was then, as they shared a glance, that Landon understood something. That look she had...Underneath all the fur and feathers, something told him it was the same one he was wearing right now.
Landon couldn't begin to tell you why he put her down. Maybe that moment of clarify robbed him of his impromptu aggression. Perhaps Claire (that was her name, as he was reminding himself in the moment) had used her own ability, as he soon would learn of. Regardless, his blind fury at someone as innocent as he was in this situation had ebbed out, and not knowing what else to do, he awkwardly took a seat on her floor, now roughly level to her standing height. What followed next was an...Unusual experience for the both of them. After a near-homicide was committed, the two merely sat down and just...Talked. Something neither of them had much of the luxury to do in their day-to-day lives. They talked to each other about almost everything, not least of which their latest mishaps that had led to their shared changes. Claire admitted to having some kind of ability like Landon, which she only learned about because she had somehow influenced her parents. She didn't know exactly how, or what she'd specifically done to them, but they were...Mellowed out, for lack of better term from either of them. Even when they walked in on their daughter and a giant bird-man, they didn't have much of a reaction beyond the fact that they were apparently going to make some tea and head to bed. From that day on, their lives became...Interesting.
Since then, Landon, far from eager to return home, had effectively started squatting in Claire's room. Luckily, she didn't mind, and honestly appreciated the positive company, of which she'd had little in her own life. They figured out exactly what she was doing; Claire was able to numb out the emotions of others, and eventually, it could even desensitize people's whole brains, which is exactly what she'd accidentally done to her parents. They weren't sure how long it'd last, or if it might cause permanent damage, but it at least made her parents very agreeable people, which according to her, they certainly were not beforehand. Of course, despite how much the pair actually enjoyed each other's company, they understood that their situation wasn't exactly sustainable. However, it was Claire who offered a solution; in her eyes, Landon was a quite wholesome and good man, and so, she suggested that he might look into the new Wards program starting up. He questioned if she would be joining it, too, but she declined, simply stating "Honestly, between the both of us, even with you becoming a giant bird monster...You have the far more agreeable power, as far as the public would see it." Honestly, it mortified him, the idea of doing all this...But it hurt even more to even possibly feel like a burden to the one person he'd become even remotely close to in the past 15 years of his life. So he agreed with her assessment. And who knows? Maybe being a hero was exactly what he needed, and he might even be able to make friends with the other Wards. The possibilities were endless!
...The recruitment process was quite awkward, however, given that he had to explain his whole absurdly drastic situation while attempting to dodge any mention of Claire herself being a Parahuman, not wishing to endanger her in any way. Still, though, eventually the PRT accepted his angle of the story (at least, as far as he was aware), and Landon was accepted into the Wards, desperately hoping that this would also serve as an effective smokescreen from his family for at least a while longer.
Location: Queens, New York; Avengers Academy Interactions: Everyone
The Professor was hardly surprised by the reactions; they might have been expecting more, or at the very least, personal lodging. However, it would serve a definitive purpose...Well, that, and in all honesty, they had to pay a small fortune in and of itself just to make the Danger Room present in the academy, not to even begin mentioning all the other amenities. Even the massive coffers of Stark Industries could reach their limits, and the academy wasn't far off from such a feat. The most pressing question to respond to would be... But before Hulk got his chance, it was Rhodey who responded to young Crimson Angel. "They'll be co-ed. If we can't trust you kids to even sit in a room together without something happening, then you'll never manage to work as a cohesive unit." Not exactly how the Headmaster would have liked to put things, but...It was apt. "Yes, that is the...General idea. Regardless of any societal factors, we're hoping you all can find common ground and stand together as a team, eventually. So...That's why we've set things up the way we have. And speaking of, we could start showing everyone to your assigned dorms! Let's see..." As Hulk pulled out an old-fashioned clipboard to view the listing, the most astute members amongst the student body could notice a shift in War Machine's posturing, as if he was hearing something nobody else could. Whatever it was, it didn't take long for it to end, either, and Rhodey wheeled onto the Headmaster. "We got a situation. Or, actually...Two of 'em. One's a pretty high-profile one, but..." Before he finished that thought, War Machine turned to view the children before him once again, as if appraising them. Hulk immediately stepped in with a fierce glare. "They just got here, James. We can't just..."
"Why not? Our line of work, it's always 'out of the frying pan, into the fire'. No villain's gonna wait for them to stop being green, and besides, the suspects seem to be pretty new faces."
Hulk gritted his teeth. How did something like this always happen to them? Eventually, though, he relented when Happy spoke up, instead. "Hey, if doing this means that both problems get solved faster, that has to be better for everybody, right? And can we afford to stand around here debating about it all, or is one of these things serious?" With a groan, Hulk nodded. "...Fine, we'll make it work. Happy, you can take them to the locker room. You'll need to be their chauffeur, too." "Not a problem, Headmaster. Everyone? If you'll follow me..." Some time later...
The locker room had definitely ended up sounding more humble than it actually was. While in a general sense it was exactly that, the technology involved was far more impressive. The lockers themselves were solid titanium, only accessible through an Avengers card; which all the children had been handed (honorary ones, technically; treating them as if they were probational members of the team) for that exact purpose. According to Hogan, they had even more uses though, such as being how you were meant to access your dorm rooms, and even serving as a communicator between other Avengers cards. It even had full internet access through STARK Satellites, granting them a range of further options, but most notably being an extensive GPS system and even high-quality recording software. To top it all off, it even had a 'stealth mode' of sorts, where you could set it in public to cause it to change its appearance, looking like any kind of card might best disguise itself into your lifestyle for when you were off the clock. Of course, though, the locker room was mostly important because it held suits for those who needed them, as well as spaces to change if need be. They also had two separate cleaning areas for the genders, serving as both a simple shower room and something much more. That much was obvious by the fact that each of them possessed a sort of 'detox chamber' to be put into should you be suffering adverse effects from any number of poisons or some such. Hell, they went above and beyond for Alcides' locker in particular; it seemed to be hooked up to something back in the Workshop, and at the swipe of his card, called his suit to the location in its compacted, almost gel-like state to flow into him and set itself up however necessary. They spared nothing with this program, that much was certain.
Still, it wasn't long until they were pushed up to the rooftop by Mr. Hogan, guiding them all to a magnificent-looking Quinjet. Not many people had the luxury to ride in one of these bad boys, and now, all of the student body would. Hell, this would be far from the last time. It wasn't long before everyone was seated inside the spacious craft, with Happy taking up the wheel. Before they knew it, they were tearing across the airspace of New York, gliding through the air at impressive speeds. Though they were hardly the top speeds of the Quinjet; he couldn't quite afford to do that when flying so close to a civilian area. While he drove however, Happy shouted back to the students, doing his best to fill them in on their situation as far as his knowledge would go of it. "Okay, kids, from what I know, we've headed to STARK Tower. Sure some of you have seen it; one of Tony's classic monuments to hubris." He couldn't help but chuckle to himself a bit at the snark he gave out. That place sure had a rollercoaster of memories attached to it..."According to what our systems picked up just now, there'd been a break-in with a suspicious grace period before all the fun bits and bobs of the tower tried kicking in. Dunno how someone infiltrated it so easily, but that's that...Beyond that, we know that Mrs. Stark was under attack, and we don't know her current status..." Happy couldn't help but trail off at the thought of Pepper in danger. She was a close friend of his, and he swore to Tony that he'd do everything he could to look after his family while he recovered. If something happened to her, then...
Hogan shook his head out of it. No, these kids didn't need doubt right now; they needed facts. "That means at least one perpetrator, but if the readings we got are accurate, it seems whoever attacked Mrs. Stark was only a part of a larger scheme. There's also been some trace elements of nuclear radiation, which is...Off. You'll all need to stay on your toes, okay? We're closing in." It was true; the massive tower was already visible in the distance, and it'd only be a short time before they were within range to drop off. However...Something distracted Hogan, which would prove costly. While it was hard to judge at first, he saw her tumbling through the air like a doll tossed from a window; it was Rescue, or rather..."PEPPER!" That moment of alarming emotion was what left the Quinjet vulnerable, as a sickly green ray tore straight through one of their wings, sending the vessel plummeting at an alarming pace. "Shit! Everyone, hold on!" Happy was no expert pilot, but it wouldn't stop him from doing his best; with a monumental amount of effort, the students could feel as the hull of the ship skidded harshly against the streets below them, eventually grinding to an unsteady stop. The trip back was going to be...Awkward. Huffing and puffing from the exertion, he turned to the students. Looked like what Rhodey said was more true than they'd even thought..."...You kids may have your work cut out for you. I'll stay here and support you however I can, but you guys need to hit the ground now. Alright?" With that, he flicked a switch, as the landing slope extended from the back of the Quinjet, offering for the students to go to solid ground. It was go time.
Sorry for taking so long to get back to y'all (especially you bara), but here we go!
Yeah, the main issue with sleep magic is that, at least on things it properly works on, it can quite literally turn a threat off; it makes for a very annoying ability to work around. I'd be willing to let it slide if it required a notable amount of concentration and set-up to work, but overall I think it'd be best if it simply weren't a thing he did.
As for you, Panda, my biggest issue with Taron comes with his speed. Being 'just under the speed of sound' still makes him crazy fast, and even if he doesn't have much directional control when moving at these speeds, it's still more than enough to speed-blitz people, especially when you pair it up with his other superhuman features of strength and durability, effectively making him like some kind of grounded Superman. Overall, I'd prefer if he lost one or the other (strength or speed), because both together means he's insanely strong when compared to the rest of the cast.
Appearance: Landon has a slight and unathletic build, the slimness of which is only further punctuated by his notable height of 5'11, making his lanky stature blatantly obvious. His skin tone is quite pale, and lacks any discernable features to speak of.
Due to his strict upbringing, Landon seems to have a preference for formalwear, particularly when it is quite covering, as if to shield him from the gaze of others. Similarly, due to his upbringing, he does not wear anything extraneous such as piercings, necklaces, etc., though in his short time of freedom from said upbringing, he has shown an interest in trying these sorts of things.
When it comes to a costume, his Parahuman abilities cause too many complications for it to be practical to design one for him. As such, due to the nature of his abilities, they effectively act as his costume.
Personality: Landon has been, and still is to a degree, a people-pleaser, even before his imposed lifestyle forced that mindset upon him. He is rather timid, and prefers cooperation over conflict in nearly any scenario, though his Trigger event has 'helped' him to be able to have a touch more backbone when it comes to putting himself before others. However, his nature makes him an ideal Ward, since he will typically listen to and obey authority figures unless they give him significant cause for doubt. Fortunately, he himself is also quite easy to please. Landon appreciates when others are willing to hear him out and quite simply interact with him, starved for positive interactions, especially with peers his age.
Beyond that, in no small part due to the nature of his Parahuman abilities, Landon seems to be naturally nervous and more than a touch high-strung, and will commonly seek affirmation in moments of vulnerability (which, at least from his perspective, are quite common). This has been especially true for him joining the Wards, evidently fearful of his own ability to perform alongside his fellow teammates and concerned over the repercussions of potentially not being adequate for the team. In hopes of helping to reaffirm his position as a Ward in spite of his own self-doubts, he has been given weekly sessions with a PRT-mandated therapist.
Additionally, while Landon has (up until recently) had very little personal time to pursue his own passions or hobbies, he always dreamed of being a pilot, and discussion of the topic (or even just flight in general) seems to quickly break him out of his shell; for a time, at least. When he is around people he's comfortable with, which is a sadly short list for the young man, he's still as soft-spoken as ever, but his general meekness turns more into a gentle calmness, and he becomes much more amicable and animated in comparison to his extremely reserved nature. He's also a great listener, which some people certainly appreciate, whereas some just find him annoyingly quiet.
Power Classification: Changer 3/Mover 5/Stranger 3 (Brute, Thinker)
Power Description: Despite what the Power Classification might make you think, Landon's Parahuman ability is deceptively simple. Simply put, with enough focus (or more commonly, a drastic shift in his emotional state or sheer stress), Landon bursts out into a mass of feathers, quickly emerging as a humanoid entity roughly twice his height, with similarly lanky proportions (though still notably more muscle mass underneath his feathery exterior). His arms and legs are covered in tough, leathery green skin and a scattering of scales of the same shade up until his elbows/knees, where fur begins overtaking his form. Instead of fingers and toes, he now possesses sharpened talons akin to a bird of prey. The rest of his body is covered in greyish-black fur, making the only discernable features his white ovular eyes and strange ears that seem more akin to a fox or other canid than what an avian form such as his should possess. Speaking of avian, well...
The most discerning feature of his Changer Power are the two sets of wings his new body possesses; a much larger set that sprouts closer to his shoulder line, with their maximum width nearing twice his own height, and a much smaller set of wings nearing the end of his backside, used to streamline his aerial maneuvers and otherwise serve as support for his main wings. With these, he is capable of exceptional feats of flight, even in areas where his main wingset cannot stretch to full width. Additionally, both his fur and feathers seem to possess a muffling quality about them, making his flight completely silent, much like an owl. The soles of his feet and hands are also lined with this fur, allowing him to move in silence even when not in flight. Much more minor than his other features, he does also seem to possess a more sensitive hearing in this form, as well as a form of night vision.
While the form can look physically imposing, the truth of the matter is this form is only barely able to obtain a Sub-Classification for Brute. Compared to a normal human, he may seem strong, certainly, but most Brutes outmatch his capabilities in terms of raw strength, and almost certainly in durability. To be able to maintain flight in this form, he has hollow bones like a bird, and while still more durable than the average human, is still quite vulnerable to most conventional forms of harm, especially when it involves blunt force trauma.
Strengths:
Patient: A gift all too uncommon amongst many Parahumans (much less people), Landon is a very patient and naturally cautious individual. While this does have its problems, it means that in spite of his shaky mental state (especially on the field in his Changer form), he can be trusted to think things through and not act out rashly, and even more importantly, be willing and able to follow orders. Natural Aptitude: In spite of having Triggered recently, Landon seems to have an astonishingly solid grasp on his Changer powerset, especially the flight aspect. This can in part be attributed to the relative simplicity his ability seems to embody, but it still does little to undermine his shocking level of skill with it in such a short amount of time...As long as he doesn't get in his own head, at least.
Weaknesses:
Anti-Conflict: While becoming a Parahuman has lessened this to a degree, Landon struggles with conflict, especially of the physical sort, and finds it difficult to mount a defense. He much prefers doing work that involves helping indirectly, even when the preferred solution is a direct assault. This extends to social conflicts as well, perhaps even moreso, as he usually does little to defend himself against verbal abuse, much to his own detriment, especially given his... Low Self-Esteem: Even before he Triggered, Landon never had a good opinion of himself, but now, lumped with all the stress and responsibility of being a Ward on top of everything that's happened within the last year for the poor guy, he's a bundle of nerves waiting to go off, and has next to zero faith in himself. His fragile ego makes him especially vulnerable to mental and emotional assault and manipulation. Combat Experience: Even beyond his unwillingness to even be involved in conflict, Landon has little to no experience defending himself or others with his ability, or God forbid, just his normal self. In other words, combat-wise, despite his Power potentially being well-suited to it in the right circumstances, he can likely be dead weight.
History:
Landon is Bridgewater, born and raised, the only child of Elias and Penelope Mandel, and the proprietors of Mandel International, an exceptionally capable shipping company that brought the family into millionaire status. Due to this, growing up, Landon never wanted for anything...At least, in the physical sense. He could practically have anything material he wanted, but yet, that meant little when what the young boy wanted most was connections with others. His parents were always distant to him, more concerned with the company and its profit margins than their own child, and for most of his life, he was homeschooled extensively by the best of the best...Which meant he had unbelievable pressures placed upon him. Landon never had a say in what he wanted to do with himself, it was always what his parents wanted for him. They had him taught to be able to inherit their empire, raised with all the social noblesse they could afford, and had him constantly accompany them to events and celebrations amongst the upper-class, to which he had no choice but to humbly accept. Most of his life was spent surrounded by strangers, who talked about him as if he weren't even there.
Things changed in an unexpected and potentially exciting direction for the young man when his parents told him he would be attending a public high school. Something about making the family seem more 'approachable' or something. He didn't care about their ulterior motives. Finally, for the first time in his life, he'd be among people his age! Maybe he could finally grasp some sense of normality, and do something he wanted to do for a change! However...That was not meant to be. At first, all seemed well. From his stunted perspective, he seemed to be exceptionally popular when he made landfall in high school, but he soon learned what was actually going on. People didn't care about Landon; they cared about his family...And their wealth. Yet again, he was being ignored. No, even worse, this time, it felt as if he was some kind of penalty strapped onto something his fellow students actually wanted. An aggravation and an obstacle; worse than nothing. Once he learned this, well, he at the very least was less willing to simply shower those so-called 'friends' with everything they wanted, but that just meant that everyone turned on him as if he were some kind of monster, forced into the role of the outcast. At the very least, it was a comfortable role. One that held a sense of familiarity; this was how it had always been, with nobody to lean on or call to. Just himself, suffering quietly for those around him.
Eventually, enough was enough. With what little backbone Landon possessed, he was finally going to speak out. If anything, he at the very least wanted to get out of that wretched school, and at most...Maybe, if they could listen to him, he could make them understand his point of view. How he'd never wanted for any of the things they'd shunted onto him, and how he wanted to be someone other than just 'the Mandel boy'. And so, at his earliest convenience, he talked to his parents at the dinner table. Only to be talked over, again, of course, and with news that would crush his tiny little soul even further.
There was going to be an arranged marriage. What? What? Landon barely knew anyone his own age, much less girls! How could this be happening?! It was way too sudden, it- his parents didn't care for his mounting anxiety as they spoke onward, telling of the benefits of the arrangement and that it would be officially settled within the next month or so. Yet again, his voice had been shut out. Expectations even heavier than the last dropped upon his fragile back, crushing him further into the ground, so far away from freedom. Shoved right back into the birdcage that was his life. With a mounting sickness growing in his stomach, he excused himself from the table, rushing to his room. It was there, sweating profusely and convulsing on the ground, that everything landed on him. All this time, he'd let others decide what he was going to be, no matter how draining or ruinous it was for him, like a puppet on their strings, letting their expectations for him outweigh his own self-worth, or his own dreams. It was then he'd realized that the one called 'Landon', who he claimed had ambitions and hopes of his own...Had never even truly been allowed to exist.
He Triggered.
It was a flash of feathers and fur, a blur of pitch-black overtaking his vision as he felt agony pass through his body; his skin felt as if it hardened and ripped apart, over and over. His nails burst forward like knives coming through his fingers. His muscles screamed as they contorted and expanded over and over again, and his bones creaked under the intense warping sensation. But for however horrible it had been, it was over in barely a second as Landon stood up once more, looking over himself...Some part of him was horrified by what had occurred, in abject terror over what he had become...But most of him was numbed over by the wave of emotions taking him over, and perhaps in a surge of adrenaline as he took in his inhuman visage, glancing over his vicious claws, a horrid, wicked thought plagued his newly-addled mind. "If there was no one to marry, then the marriage cannot occur."
It was then something clicked. He actually remembered the lady they were mentioning back at the dinner table; Landon had only met her once, but that may be enough. Lucky for him, all the rich of Bridgewater effectively congregated near the harbor with their high-end homes and the occasional manse, so it would only take so much trial and error for him to find the right house. Under normal circumstances, Landon would've never even humored such an idea, but he was far from thinking straight, and so he reached out for his bedroom window, pulling it up to feel a crisp breeze on the air. And he jumped.
There, flying in the air in the cool night...Landon truly felt free. But sadly, such a revelation wasn't enough to shake him from his delirium as he scouted the surrounding houses for any sense of familiarity, and eventually found it. Wasting no time, he smashed through the young lady's window, talons prepped to rip and tear, and yet...What he saw was not a young lady shaking in fear from a monster come bursting into her room, but a girl whose gaze was detached from the goings-on around her, looking as if she was utterly drained mentally and emotionally, as she looked towards Landon's imposing figure...Or, at least to him, it felt more as if she was looking right through him. It made him hesitate, but only briefly, as he lunged towards her, grasping her arms and hoisting her into the air, as if threatening to smash her into the ground. Still, she barely offered more than a small grunt of resistance. It was then, as they shared a glance, that Landon understood something. That look she had...Underneath all the fur and feathers, something told him it was the same one he was wearing right now.
Landon couldn't begin to tell you why he put her down. Maybe that moment of clarify robbed him of his impromptu aggression. Perhaps Claire (that was her name, as he was reminding himself in the moment) had used her own ability, as he soon would learn of. Regardless, his blind fury at someone as innocent as he was in this situation had ebbed out, and not knowing what else to do, he awkwardly took a seat on her floor, now roughly level to her standing height. What followed next was an...Unusual experience for the both of them. After a near-homicide was committed, the two merely sat down and just...Talked. Something neither of them had much of the luxury to do in their day-to-day lives. They talked to each other about almost everything, not least of which their latest mishaps that had led to their shared changes. Claire admitted to having some kind of ability like Landon, which she only learned about because she had somehow influenced her parents. She didn't know exactly how, or what she'd specifically done to them, but they were...Mellowed out, for lack of better term from either of them. Even when they walked in on their daughter and a giant bird-man, they didn't have much of a reaction beyond the fact that they were apparently going to make some tea and head to bed. From that day on, their lives became...Interesting.
Since then, Landon, far from eager to return home, had effectively started squatting in Claire's room. Luckily, she didn't mind, and honestly appreciated the positive company, of which she'd had little in her own life. They figured out exactly what she was doing; Claire was able to numb out the emotions of others, and eventually, it could even desensitize people's whole brains, which is exactly what she'd accidentally done to her parents. They weren't sure how long it'd last, or if it might cause permanent damage, but it at least made her parents very agreeable people, which according to her, they certainly were not beforehand. Of course, despite how much the pair actually enjoyed each other's company, they understood that their situation wasn't exactly sustainable. However, it was Claire who offered a solution; in her eyes, Landon was a quite wholesome and good man, and so, she suggested that he might look into the new Wards program starting up. He questioned if she would be joining it, too, but she declined, simply stating "Honestly, between the both of us, even with you becoming a giant bird monster...You have the far more agreeable power, as far as the public would see it." Honestly, it mortified him, the idea of doing all this...But it hurt even more to even possibly feel like a burden to the one person he'd become even remotely close to in the past 15 years of his life. So he agreed with her assessment. And who knows? Maybe being a hero was exactly what he needed, and he might even be able to make friends with the other Wards. The possibilities were endless!
...The recruitment process was quite awkward, however, given that he had to explain his whole absurdly drastic situation while attempting to dodge any mention of Claire herself being a Parahuman, not wishing to endanger her in any way. Still, though, eventually the PRT accepted his angle of the story (at least, as far as he was aware), and Landon was accepted into the Wards, desperately hoping that this would also serve as an effective smokescreen from his family for at least a while longer.
I don't intend on bringing her in right away, but...have another character.
rhylaen
^It's a guardian's job to protect people, and I am a guardian-in-training^
Real Name: rhylaen
Age: ~20
Gender: female
Alias/Nicknames: Rhy
Color Choice: mediumpurple Appearance: Rhylaen is a slight young woman, standing just five feet tall. She is clearly inhuman, her proportions subtly off, her eyes too large and brilliantly violet, and her ears sharply pointed. Dragonfly-like wings sprout from between her shoulder blades, reaching nearly to her ankles when folded down against her back. Her brown hair is cut unevenly, just shy of her shoulders. She favors greens and browns in her everyday dress, and usually her shirts are backless to accomodate her wings. She is never without her shortsword at her side. Personality: Rhylaen is eager-to-please, especially when it comes to people she sees as in a position to teach her something. She is very direct in her manner, and truthful to a fault. She is an idealist at heart, and this can make her seem naive. In truth, she's been exposed to the harshness of at least her own world, but has refused to let this jade her. She believes in the goodness of people's hearts, and that there is always common ground to be found. She is used to life being simple and straightforward, with a clearly defined enemy, and modern Earth is something of a shock to her system. Rhylaen is highly social, and not used to being on her own. Cut off from everything and everyone she knows, Earth is a struggle for her. History: Rhylaen is from the world of Tevran, a world in a different universe from Earth. Her kind, called rhyllae, mostly live in small towns in the forest of Lytharess, near a phenomenon known simply as the Rift. The Rift spawns monsters of many types, the worst of them being wraiths. Because of the threat, many of the rhyllae join a group called the guardians, and fight against the monsters of the rift. Rhylaen was in training to become such a guardian when an incursion resulted in wraiths reaching her town proper. As the oldest of the children, she took it upon herself to protect the others and distract the wraiths. Unfortunately for her, she was hit by the wraiths' most deadly attack -- a powered attack that was known to leave no trace of the target behind.
To her surprise, however, instead of being dead, she found herself in a strange place, surrounded by round-ears. Powerset:
Magic: Rhylaen is able to utilize magic, like most of her kind. Her primary attack is a burst of force, but she can produce a small fireball as well.
Flight: She is able to fly, and quite nimbly.
Darkvision: Like most of her kind, Rhy can see quite well in the dark. She does require some sort of light to make things out, but her vision in dim and dark conditions is far better than a human's.
Telepathy: Rhylaen can sense the presence of those around her. Although she generally cannot speak mind to mind with humans, physical contact allows her to touch the minds of others.
Equipment/Paraphernalia:
Shortsword: Her sword is a prized possession, and she is never without it if she has her way.
Weaknesses:
In Training: While she is nearly an adult, Rhylaen had not finished her training to be a guardian. This means there is still a great deal to learn about what she can do with her powers.
Offensive Telepathy: If her subject is unwilling, telepathic contact becomes more of a fight -- one that is as dangerous as a physical fight, if not more so.
Personal Code: Her kind has a code involving what one should and shouldn't do, telepathically speaking, and violating the minds of the unwilling is a serious breech of this code.
Concentration: Deeper mental contact requires concentration, leaving her vulnerable.
English as a Second Language: Since she comes from a different universe, at least initially Rhylaen does not speak any English. It will take her time to pick up the finer points of the languague.
Stranger in a Strange Land: Rhylaen's word was closer to a medieval level of technology, and a lot of modern conveniences baffle her.
The young rhyllae peeked out the window of the town hall with apprehension. Wraiths, this far from the rift? How had they gotten past the adults?! Rhylaen quickly ducked out of sight, and looked at the other children that clustered in the room. They were all scared and shaking, jewel-tone eyes in every hue looking back at her. She was the oldest in the room, and as a guardian-in-training, she felt responsible for the others' safety. ~Stay quiet,~ she told the others telepathically. ~If we're quiet, they won't find us!~ She didn't add the "I hope" that echoed loudly in her own mind. There was no cause to give the other children more reason to be afraid.
Wraiths were dangerous; everyone knew that. They had an attack that if it hit, it was instant death, leaving no body behind. That was why her village guarded the rift, making sure the wraiths never made it far from their point of origin. To be a guardian was as much an honor as it was a duty, but even the adults that weren't guardians knew how to fight wraiths, in case of a bad incursion.
And this was apparently the worst incursion they'd ever seen. Never before had wraiths made it past the defensive line, and Rhylaen feared what might have happened to the adults. She ventured another peek out the window, and immediately ducked back down. The wraiths were coming towards them! Much closer, and they'd be able to sense the children that hid from them. She had to do something, but what?!
Her thoughts spun. What could she do? An idea occurred to her, one she didn't want to do, but what other choice did she have? She was a guardian-in-training, and the safety of the others was her responsibility. She glanced at the others again, and braced herself. ~Everyone, listen up. I want you to stay quiet, and stay hidden. I...I'm going to go distract the wraiths.~ The others stared at her, but no one dared object.
Rising to her feet in a smooth motion, Rhylaen made her way quietly to the town hall entrance and slipped outside. The wraiths were closing in. She no longer had time to think.
"Hey ugly!" the young rhyllae cried, sending a burst of force at the nearest wraith. "Can't catch me!" And with that she took off at a dead run, the wraiths in hot pursuit. She dashed through the trees, wings aiding her leaps over fallen logs, heedless of branches and brambles grabbing at her hair and clothes. Adrenaline kept her from feeling the worst of the pain, and she'd have time to worry about the scratches later. Nor did she look over her shoulder to see if the wraiths were gaining. The creatures were fast. She didn't have to look to know that.
A surge of magic told her one of the wraiths was preparing its death-dealing attack. Rhylaen dodged around a tree, and then another, but the consistent hum of magic against her senses told her it was waiting for just the right moment to fling it at her.
And she was right. A careless moment was all it took, and the attack hit, magic swirling around her, darkness enveloping her.
At least the others are safe...
------
She woke with something gritty and hard against her cheek, and noise blaring in her ears. Rhylaen slowly got to her feet, checking herself over. She sported numerous small scratches from her mad dash through the forest, but other than that, she was fine. How am I alive? Did the wraith miss?
She looked around, but her surroundings were strange. Instead of trees, she was surrounded by buildings. Strange structures reached skyward in the distance. And nearby strange animals roamed what seemed to be tar-covered streets in neat lines. As she watched, a yellow beast ate a round-ear! She could see a second round-ear in the thing's stomach, too.
With a cry Rhylaen drew her sword, leaping towards the yellow beast and striking at it! But her blade glanced off its hide as if it had metal skin. Undeterred, she continued her attack, ignoring its deafening cries of anger and seeking a weak point. She stabbed at one of its several eyes, which shattered when her sword hit. People were watching, pointing. But none of them wanted to help. Maybe they were too scared to do anything?
The battle wore on, the yellow beast staying mostly still, with Rhylaen doing her best to incapacitate it to minimal effect. A rising noise, accompanied by blue and red lights, and round-ear in dark blue clothing shouted something she couldn't understand.
"Help me save them!" Rhylaen shot back, still trying to attack the yellow beast.
Then the round-ear pointed a hand at her, and something hit her, sending waves of pain through her body. She fell to the ground, unable to move. Why?! she tried to ask, but she couldn't manage the word. The round-ear was approaching with...manacles? Had she done something wrong? She was only trying to save the round-ears; why didn't he understand that?
Okay, so...There isn't anything inherently wrong with Rhylaen, but me and Kaya both agree that she feels pretty disconnected from, like, anything relating to the Marvel-verse, which makes it stand out like a sore thumb. Just feels off to have an entire race and world and universe separate from our current one with quite literally nothing connecting them beyond these apparent wraiths that sent her here. In essence, we'd prefer something with more ties to the Marvel-verse at large.
Alrighty, hopefully second time's the charm. Hope you like this one better than the last ^u^
"I swear I am not a vampire."
Real Name: Valerian Strange (he forgot his original name so this is the one he chose for himself)
Age: Give or take 618
Gender: Male
Alias/Nicknames: Val, Redeyes, Sleepy Vampire, (Respectfully) Gay Dracula, Coffin Boy
Color Choice: GhostWhite (F8F8FF)
Appearance: Standing at 5'8", Valerian used to dress in long tunics covered in dirt and mud from working in the fields for most of his life back at his original time period. Now that he's in the modern world, he was quite shocked and scandalized by how people these days show off their skin. After sleeping in a coffin for hundred of years, his complexion became as pale as... well, a vampire and his hair became a paler shade of blonde too. Though he is welcome to try the clothes of today, Valerian still tends to wear long-sleeved shirts, loose pants, and sometimes even long casual dresses too. He used to wear cloaks all the time due to the dramatic flair they bring even on a boring outfit, and it can get pretty cold during the winter in his village, but since it might be too weird to wear one out in the streets these days, he thinks scarves are the next best thing. He also wears a pendant with a jewel as red as his eyes given to him by Doctor Strange and a bracelet with a symbol on it. Personality: Valerian is a very curious person. He missed out on a lot of things so now he feels anxious to catch up so he wouldn't get left behind or as he always liked to pessimistically call himself, an old relic of time. It can be quite endearing for some and irritating for the others, but he never really did care much about what other people think of him. Life's too short to think about those trivial stuff after all. He is friendly and outgoing, ready to help his peers in anyway he can. He also loves to be around people all the time as he doesn't enjoy being alone. He loves the summer, the warmth of the sun, and he always finds a way to himself out with nature again. History: Morgan Le Fey was one of the most powerful magic wielders on the planet. Her power knew no bounds and she had become a powerful magica adversary against Doctor Strange and the Avengers. Even when she was imprisoned in Castle Le Fay by Merlin, she was still finding ways to break free from her wretched prison and rule over the world. Amongst her many powers and abilities, Morgan could send her astral projection through time, scouring both the past and the future to find a way to regain freedom. She did not care at all about the 'collateral damage'. To her, they're all just means to an ends.
In her unending quest for freedom and power, she stumbled upon a small rural village somewhere in Europe in the 15th century, the place now being somewhere in modern day Ireland. She would've paid it no mind if she didn't sense something there. Amongst the poor yet seemingly happy and content mortals was a blonde lad with the reddest eyes she had seen, a rare genetic trait. She could also feel something within him. It seemed that the lad came from a lineage of witches and his powers were lying dormant within his soul. Sensing untapped potential within the boy, Morgan set out a plan to use him to her advantage. She used her immense magic to brainwash the entire village and commit a ritual, using the lad as a vessel for Morgan to use to walk amongst the mortal realm again. The brainwashed villagers moved and acted like zombies, blindingly following the sorceress' orders. They bound him to a sacrificial altar as Morgan began using Dark Magic to begin the spell. The lad experienced intense pain from the forbidden magic but as the Sorceress already made it clear, he was merely collateral damage.
Just when the ritual was about to reach its completion and she thought nothing will come in Le Fay's way, the Ancient One at that time period and their allies came to save the village people and stop her diabolical plans. Perhaps they sense a great concentration of Black Magic due to the ritual but whatever the reason may be, they arrived just in time to thwart the Sorceress' plans. A great battle of magic ensued and, using all means necessary, Morgan sacrificed the lives of the villagers and managed to escape into another time period. The only survivor was the boy who was now in deep excruciating pain due to the unfinished dark ritual. No amount of mystic arts could break the horrible curse that befall the boy. Much to the Ancient One's chagrin, he and his allies used wood from a magical tree to create a coffin. They imbued it with spells and made the boy fall into deep sleep, freezing his body clock to preserve his life. As long as he's still within the coffin, the boy will continue to live in perpetual twilight. The Ancient One hoped that the great sorceress of the future held the key to save the boy's life.
Many centuries later and The Snap occurred, instantly wiping out half of the population of living beings in the entire universe. One of those was the boy in the coffin. When he reappeared many years later, the coffin he was in was moved to a different place throughout those years, so he manifested back to the physical world out of it. When he came to, he was at the living room of Doctor Stephen Strange, the current Sorcerer Supreme of the 21st century. Miraculously and in a strange twist of fate, it was the Snap that ended his curse and allowed him to live normally in the modern era, but not without some side effects.
Still, after enrolling him as a student at Kamar-Taj to teach him control of his newfound powers, Dr. Strange thought it was better to enroll him at the Avengers Academy, New York afterwards. He thought the lad deserved to experience life as a teenage boy after it was taken forcefully from him from Morgan Le Fay. Maybe he can even pick a new name for himself since he forgot what his was. He is given a new lease on life, and he should live it to the fullest with other people his age. Well, sort of his age. Powerset:
Rune Magic - By drawing out ancient archaic symbols, Valerian can harness the power these powerful runes wield and use it for a variety of ways. He can draw on any surface and even trace the shapes in the air as long as he's holding the object he's using to draw or he's using any parts of his body to draw it. By having a physical connection to the ground, Valerian can draw power from the Earth itself to conjure these runes instead of using his own magical reserves. The bigger the symbol, the more powerful it is. He can also use different symbols and combine them to create interesting combinations.
Sleep Magic - This is Valerian's unique magical ability that he doesn't need runes to conjure. He can magically make his target go to sleep. The more targets he'll put to sleep, the more of his magical reserves he'll need to spend. He has no control as to how long they sleep although when using the magic lightly, the targets usually wake up after five minutes.
Astral Projection - He may not know it, but Valerian can manifest into the astral plane too. Doctor Strange just thought it was best not to inform him of his secret ability so he won't be located by Morgan Le Fay.
Arcane Knowledge - He has learned a lot under the teachings of Kamar-Taj.
Equipment/Paraphernalia:
Sling Ring: A mystical item that allows the user to open a portal to any location or even a different dimension.
Wooden Staff/Bracelet: A wooden staff made from the material used to create the coffin where Valerian slept for hundreds of years. Many different basic runic symbols are carved into it, allowing him to tap into their magic without the need to draw them. He mostly uses it to draw more complex symbols and for flight. When not in use, Valerian can use a symbol on it to make it transform back into his bracelet.
Red Pendant: A pendant with a jewel as red as their eyes, Doctor Strange gave it to Valerian not just as an accessory but as a means to keep him safe from Morgan. By wearing it, he's magically hidden from the eyes of the Evil Sorceress and it disables his ability to astral project. He cannot dream while wearing it either. It also greatly reduces the development of the Black Magic left within him from the dark ritual.
Rune Stones and Rune Papers: He has a collection of papers and stones with basic runic symbols already drawn and carved into them respectively.
Weaknesses:
Baby Sorcerer: Aside from his time in Kamar-Taj, Valerian still lacks the proper training in using his particular magic. He sometimes forgets to connect to the Earth physically and make himself deplete his magic reserves rather quickly. He just knows the basic spells for know.
Nature of the Runes: Valerian would have to be quick on his feet in order to harness many different kinds of rune spells in quick succession if he wants to. He needs to properly draw them to make the runes work as intended and he always needs to take the time to draw them properly too which might be hard depending on the situation. He can use pre-drawn symbols on pieces of paper or rocks but the objects automatically disappear after one use. Different runes can be combined to create a new complex one but when he doesn't use the right combination, it ends up comically exploding on his face.
Physically Not There: What he makes up for magical stamina he lacks in the physical one. He is so physically weak just a few steps of stairs and he's already catching his breath.
Alone in the Dark: Valerian does not want to be alone and he definitely does not like being in dark places. He'll be reduced to a panic-stricken mess.
Sleepy Boi: Valerian will sometimes end up randomly sleeping anywhere and everywhere due to his body clock still in shambles from sleeping for centuries. He's doing his best to treat it.
Remnants of Black Magic - Valerian still has some remnants of Morgan Le Fay's Dark Magic within him that he doesn't know about either. Whether it is a bitter reminder of the past or a dark foreshadowing of the future, only time will tell.
Issue #0/Testing Post: A golden portal opened in Ireland, and out emerged Valerian wearing the sleepwear provided for the students of Kamar-Taj. He was going to leave for the next day to New York City to attend this other school called Avengers Academy. He still had a bit of difficulty reading and understanding modern English, especially the American type, but thanks to a very expressive crash course by his sorcerer classmates, he basically got the gist of what happened from the time he was in perpetual twilight. His simpleton, farmboy mind still couldn't comprehend the meaning of the term 'universe' nor could he even fully understand what 'sheesh' and 'rizz' meant neither. Still, Valerian was excited to learn more about the world in this new school he'll be attending.
He stood in a vast open field surrounded by wide, majestic mountains. The winds were cool and refreshing, still left unsoiled by the vile hands of modern humanity. He thought that he should visit the place where he was born and raised. He didn't know why he did it either, but it's just something he thought he needed to do.
However, what he saw before him was greatly disheartening. What remained of their houses were just large sticks of wood poking out of the ground. Normally when lost in time, structures built by humans will be overrun by plants and reclaimed by nature yet everything was like bathed in black paint. No plants grew where the black color touched on the ground as if Mother Nature herself won't even dare lay her hands on his hometown which saddened Valerian. It was probably the effects of the black magic Morgan Le Fay used to put his people under her spell.
He clutched his red pendant, slipped his sandals off and picked up a stick. He drew a rune on the ground and plants grew upwards, stretching up to the sky. He willed them towards the blackened area and they gradually turned to dust the closer they got to it. "Curse you, evil sorceress!" He angrily yelled and stopped the plants from growing further. He exhaled and laid down on the green grassy part of the field, looking up at the thick puffy clouds in the sky. He could remember sensations, the grass tickling his feet, the wind rushing on his face, joyful laughter, and sunlight hugging him in a warm embrace, but it's the faces that were blurry. He forgot what his parents looked like and they spoke in muffled tones.
Valerian sat back up quickly, beads of cold sweat dripping down his neck. Alone, it's now registering to him that he's alone. He can't be alone with his thoughts or else they'll suffocate him of the past he couldn't remember. He needed to go back to Kamar-Taj. He hurriedly put his sandals back on and opened a portal with shaky hands, yet he took the time to look back at what was once his village. "Someday... I will be strong... For you..." He solemnly said before going back to Kamar-Taj and closing the portal behind him.
Likin' the look of this one! Only two complaints, one much more minor than the other; firstly, I ask that they not be too proficient with the sling ring, because, well...I want an excuse to get y'all into cool Quinjets that will inevitably crash and burn! Can't do that if we have an instant portal service around lol
The second one is more major, though. The Sleep Magic, as it is written right now, is too strong. Effectively, it says that even with its lightest version, it can incapacitate most human combatants for around 5 minutes. Now, of course, this may interact differently with certain super-powered individuals, but for the most part it's just a button that can instantly end most combat scenarios, which is not a fun thing for me to have to write around. I'm open to hearing about other options or retooling this power! If these issues can be addressed, we'll be more than happy accepting Valerian.
...Oh, also, as a personal request from our dear Co-GM Kaya, please don't use that shade of white for his color. It's very hard to parse from the standard white of the text, so it doesn't do its main purpose of standing out from the non-verbal texts.
Appearance: Standing at 5'8", Caspian looks like he bathes in milk since his birth due to his unnaturally pale skin complexion, making it a stark contrast against the richness of his red eyes. He always keeps his shoulder-length blonde wavy hair up in a ponytail, and dresses in otherwise black dresses or those leaning on the darker tone, with long laced sleeves and black boots for comfort while running and walking along the perpetually wet streets of London, making him look like a widower in the 18th century. His physical frame is more on the leaner, thinner side as well due to him not being that physically active. With a beauty mark under his left eye, many confuse him as a woman but he doesn't care about gender constructs or whatever people might think of him. Most are also baffled with how he always keeps an indifferent expression on his face, making it seem like he's hard to impress or he easily gets bored of someone and something when in reality, he's always curious about a lot of things.
When he uses magic, the color of his powers manifest in ghostly white as his eyes turn to that color too. Personality: Caspian is a quiet individual who's used to speaking when spoken to. When left alone to his own devices, he can be content with himself while he observes his surroundings. Due to his upbringing and both his parents' neglect to nurture him in the right ways, he was deprived of the chance to learn how to empathize with other people which makes him seem cold-hearted and dead on the inside. He's very goal-oriented and stops at nothing to achieve them even at the expense of hurting other people which is unfortunate since Caspian is naturally good-natured and it's not his intention to indirectly hurt anyone either. Now that he's free from the clutches of his parents, the young warlock can finally have a chance to see the world in his own eyes, his own thoughs, and his own feelings. He is excited to know more than just dark magics and other ways to hurt people, though he only hope his willpower is stronger than his own bloodline. History: Agatha Harkness was one of the most powerful witches of the planet. Not only did she manage to fight toe-to-toe against the Scarlet Witch, she was also the founding mother of Salem which inspired many witches all over the globe to form their own covens too. After her defeat against Wanda Maximoff, she managed to break free from the Scarlet Witch's curse and escape to London, remembering she had unfinished business there. See, in her centuries of living, it was quite impossible for Agatha to not have a fling with mortals here and there. Although she helped sire many children, she eventually left them under the care of their biological fathers and turned her back on them after realizing they didn't inherit the ability to conjure magic. Well, all except for one actually.
Dr. Harry Lionell was a psychologist and professor at a prestigious university, and years ago, he became one of Agatha's test subjects to exploit the human psyche using dark magic. Impressed with the professor's innate thirst for knowledge, she decided to have a child with him. Disappointed that Caspian came out the same as his other siblings, Agatha left London and decided to pursue other ways to gain more power. At that point, something in Agatha's magics corrupted Harry and made him desperately in love with her. When she left, he loathed Caspian as he thought she left because of their baby.
Baby Caspian would've died to neglect if his grandmother, Dr. Lionell's mom, didn't come and take him under her care. He was the happiest he's ever been during his childhood as his grandmother was always there for him no matter what. When she passed away, social security services put him back under the care of his father whose anger towards the kid only grew when he thought his mother died because of him. Harry, in an effort to move on from Agatha, already re-married another woman with a child the same age as Caspian. Needless to say, Caspian wasn't shown a speck of love in that household.
His powers manifested when he finally snapped from his step-brother's bullying and after he broke the doll Cassy's grandma gave to him. Ghostly white magic poured out of Caspian's hands and seeped through the other boy's psyche, breaking his mind beyond repair and leaving him in a vegetative state. He would've been murdered by his 'parents' if it weren't for Agatha cursing them, succumbing them into madness. Despite never seeing Agatha for almost his entire life, Caspian knew in his heart the woman was familiar to him though at that point he didn't care at all, as long as he was away from his abusive 'family.' As the pair walked away and blended into the crowd, the house they turned their back from became engulfed in flames.
He was elated as he finally met his biological mother and thought he will finally feel what it's like to have a family, but it was quickly short-lived. She was no different to Harry; Agatha took Caspian under her wing and taught him everything he needed to know about magic and her teaching methods were ruthless and violent. She made him hurt so many innocent animals, destroy the lives of innocent people, all for the pursuit of power. She twisted his mind, making him think power was the only way for him to protect himself from other people that wanted to hurt him. In reality, Agatha was just planning to siphon his power from him once he reaches the point in his life when his powers were at its peak. She could've taken it all to herself anytime she wanted, but she's the type of person that wants to save the best for last. She lived for hundreds of years, she could spare a few if it meant making herself stronger to be able to get vengeance against those who wronged her.
Just as she was about to teach the lad about dark magic, Doctor Strange busted through their house along with other disciples of Kamar-Taj after collecting intelligence reports of her siphoning off the mental psyche of innocent civilians to empower Caspian. A great battle ensued within the Mirror Realm, with Agatha summoning beasts of darkness to aid in her fight against Strange. The forces of good eventually won and when the battle ended, Strange found Caspian huddled against a corner shaking in so much fear and years of abuse and trauma. Agatha escaped once again from their clutches, but Strange focused on taking Caspian in at Kamar-Taj to help hone his powers, a feat he thought was easier said than done. After talking to Wong and consulting with Professor Hulk, Strange decided the best course of action for Caspian was to enroll him in the Avengers Academy program. He thought that what Caspian needed the most was an environment where he can mingle and be friends with people his age, to finally learn what it's like living without fear, and most importantly, to be able to find out how he wants to live his life under the guidance of nurturing, compassionate adults. Powerset:
Magic - Caspian is a direct descendant of the founding mother of the Salem Coven. As such, the natural ability to harness magic flows through his veins. Under the tutelage of Harkness, he was already able to accomplish feats compared to other witches and warlocks his age which include firing of white energy bolts, levitation, and telekinesis.
Mental Manipulation - His main magical ability, Cassy is able to interact with and control the minds of others. He can run through their memories, know their darkest secrets, trap them in their own minds, manipulate their emotions, and make them relive their trauma. Most of all, he can manipulate other people to do his bidding.
Runes - Runes are archaic symbols a magic user can cast on to a specific location. Depending on the nature of that rune, that specific area will continue to be under the influence of the rune's magic until the caster wills it to end or the caster loses consciousness or focus in any way, whichever comes first.
Arcane Knowledge - He has learned a lot under the teachings of his mother and the mystic arts teachers at Kamar-Taj. Plus, having access to their library meant he could read about anything magical for as much as he wanted.
Light Magic - In an effort to counteract the negativity of the magic his own mother taught to him, Caspian has started to learn how to do Light Magic specifically on healing physical wounds.
Equipment/Paraphernalia:
Sling Ring: A mystical item that allows the user to open a portal to any location or even a different dimension.
Sir Nicholas the Stuffed Rabbit: A stuffed rabbit given to him by his grandmother when he was a kid. A remnant of the memory of the only person he loved and cared for.
Archibald the Ferret: A ferret managed to run through the portal Caspian conjured while he was still practicing how to use the sling ring. While his teachers from Kamar-Taj wanted him to return the animal, it was Wong that gave him permission to keep it as a pet as long as Caspian takes care of it. He named the ferret Archibald and they've been inseparable ever since. He even brought Archibald along with him to Avengers Academy under the pretense of being his emotional support ferret.
Weaknesses:
Trauma: It's no surprise Caspian will develop trauma and stress from the years of abuse, neglect, and mental and psychological manipulation he suffered from his own parents. Sometimes he'd even be scared of using his own magic and experience panic attacks, making his spells erratic and unfocused if he lets himself get overwhelmed by all the negative emotions. It's also made it very hard for him to trust and open himself to other people.
Very Magic Dependent: Take away his magic and Caspian is entirely useless in battle.
Physically Not There: What he makes up for magical stamina he lacks in the physical one. He is so physically weak just a few steps of stairs and he's already catching his breath.
Baby Warlock: Compared to other more skilled magic casters and despite his many magical talents, Caspian still has a very long way to go to becoming a strong sorcerer. Witches and warlocks with far longer and better formal magical training can easily sweep the floor with Caspian.
Non-Confrontational: Due to his experiences living under his father's roof, Caspian became so non-confrontational that he'll run away and hide to prevent himself from getting hurt even at the expense of leaving his teammates behind.
Spell Complexity: The bigger and more complex the spell is, the more Caspian will have to put in the time to concentrate on conjuring it and keeping it activated. This will make him very vulnerable to attacks.
Right or Wrong?: Caspian has a twisted sense of moral compass thanks to his mother's tyrannical teachings and manipulation. He's trying to learn which is good from evil, but he will desperately need someone's help to overcome this.
Issue #0/Testing Post: At a hospital somewhere in London, Harry Lionell had survived the fire that claimed the lives of his wife and her son. He suffered terrible burns all over his body and the doctors even admitted that he might not even have that long to live due to his injuries. He stared at the ceiling of his dimly lit room, ready to accept the fate that befall him. Suddenly, the room was lit up with golden light from a portal forming out of nowhere. Out emerged was Caspian Lionell, dressed in the uniform of the students of Kamar-Taj. He was leaving for New York the next day to attend the Avengers Academy but having learned of the state of his father, something within him compelled him to go and visit him.
"You." Harry said with so much loathing in his voice. "You made A-Agatha hate me, killed my mother, my wife, her kid, and now I'm going to die too. I bet you're happy now, huh? I bet you're fucking happy you managed to destroy my life. Go on, gloat! Laugh all you wa-" His voice was coarse and he coughed heavily, his lungs suffering the worst from inhaling all that smoke.
Caspian only looked down at his coughing father with his bright bloodred eyes and it was hard to know what the lad was thinking at that time. He slowly approached him and stretched out his hand towards Harry, his palm facing him. "I can still feel the remnants of mothe- Agatha's magic on you, f-H-Harry." He stammered, trying so hard to push down the feeling of fear creeping up his voice. "I can try and-"
"Don't ever come near me, you fucking freak!" Harry angrily said, his eyes filled with so much rage towards his own son. "I regret the day you ever came into my life. If you hadn't been born, Agatha wouldn't have left me, and my life wouldn't be in shambles. You're a monster, you good-for-nothing-"
Harry kept on telling Caspian how much he despised him, as if those years of living under his father's roof wasn't enough already as he doubled over into a violent fit of coughing again. He really didn't know what he came here for... Contentment? Justification? Guilt? Satisfaction? The longer he stayed, the more he could remember all those traumatic experiences. His hands shook, his heart skipped a beat multiple times, and he's finding it harder to breathe. He needed to get away from him for good. Forget everything that ever happened in the past and start over.
Caspian turned his back and saw the portal was still open. It led back to his room at Kamar-Taj. All his stuff was already packed in the suitcase and Archibald stared at him in curiosity while clutching at Sir Nicholas. Seeing the rabbit made Caspian remember the warmth of his grandmother's love, and he could feel the fear in his heart gradually fade away.
He turned around to face Harry once again, his burned body covered in bandages, the monitor beeping slower beside him. His eyes were closed and he's finding it harder to breathe. He was very close to dying, Caspian could feel his life force fading away. Knowing what he must do, he approached his father and hovered his hand over his head. He flexed his fingers and white-colored magic seeped out into Harry's mind.
"You are Doctor Harry Lionell." Caspian started to say and tried to manipulate the memories of Harry despite not being used to it. "You have no memory of meeting Agatha Harkness and you will have no memory of having a child with her. Your mother wrote you letters while you continued to make apple pies with her until her death. Years later, you met married a beautiful woman and treated her son as your own. All was well until a gas leak caused an explosion at your house, killing your wife and your kid and burning you. De... Despite that... D-Despite all that... You lived... You lived a fruitful n-normal life." Caspian stammered, tears running down his cheeks as his focus faltered and messed up his spell. He took his hand away and walked back to the portal, but not without taking the time to look back one last time. "Goodbye... Father." He said solemnly before walking back to Kamar-Taj and closing the portal.
"Goodbye..." Harry said as the monitor flatlined and he finally succumbed to his injuries. As the doctors and nurses rush in to save him, the last memory in his mind was holding baby Caspian in his arms. Gone were the feelings of hate and resentment in that memory, and instead he felt the joys and excitement of being a first-time dad. "Son..." A tear ran down his cheek as his heart went finally still.
Okay, a lot to tackle on this one; I'll start with the biggest general stickler and work my way down. His psionic spellcasting abilities are way too strong. The kid has mental manipulation on levels that would make most characters in the Marvel Universe blush. Hell, even the Sorcerer Supreme himself needs the Eye of Agamotto to pull those sorts of feats, completely warping and subjugating minds. So, simply put, this side of his power would need to be either extraordinarily toned down, or removed altogether.
Now, the other thing. This backstory really makes Agatha look rather vile, and even moreso, downright stupid. But one thing at a time; firstly, from what I could glean online, Agatha isn't the one who founded Salem. She merely settled in it (though she did eventually found New Salem, but we'll get to that). Secondly, that 'defeat' against Wanda you're talking about? Well, she wasn't just defeated, but Agatha had been full-blown killed in that conflict, which I believe throws a wrench in the current timeline of things you're setting up...Still, for now, that's a more minor point compared to what comes next.
Third is how you've painted Harkness'...Relationships, putting it nicely. That is not the kind of woman Agatha Harkness ever was. More often than not, she kept to herself, more focused on honing her abilities and protecting the delicate balance of the magical world, and when not doing that, working to safeguard her coven. Even if she did have an inclination for all these flings, she'd likely be too busy with everything she keeps up with. But....Let's assume for a benefit of the doubt she did have all these children. The reasoning offered is convoluted at best. Sure, she could be hoping for that 1-in-a-million that inherits some insane magical gift from her, but more often than not it wouldn't be the case, because magic is primarily something that must be learned and taught. If she were really desiring some kind of prodigy child, she'd make one; she's about the best teacher a would-be sorcerer could ask for, right next to Strange himself. But again, semantics. I'll move forward...
This next bit ties into the whole 'don't understand why she'd bother with all this' issue, but we'll push beyond that for now. The fact that Agatha is apparently practicing dark magic on innocent civilians to warp their minds is EXTREMELY off for her. Not just because it's needlessly cruel, but because she (perhaps more than anyone) is aware of how dangerous dark magic can be, and would be averse to using it at all, much less for experimentation. Not to mention, of course, that if she's been doing this to many people, it just leaves a trail of evidence that will eventually attach back to her and cause a whole cavalcade of issues that she sure as Hell would not want to deal with. So, another point towards 'why the Hell did she even do this'.
But again, we'll push past this and get to the next glaring issue. Caspian is born, but she...Somehow can't tell that he's gifted in magic? How? She is, next to the Sorcerer Supreme and others of his skill, the greatest spellcaster to live, and she can't tell this child has the gift? That just seems completely unbelievable. Which brings me to a point that would certainly shift the entire dynamic of this history, but (in my opinion, at least) for the better; if she did recognize his gift (which she certainly would have), she would've likely just taken the boy back to New Salem, whether to raise for herself or have others in the mystical community look after them. She would have nothing to gain and plenty to lose by letting a child like Caspian be raised among people who don't possess, and more importantly, would fear his gift. As became evident later in this bio.
To cut a long story short, ideally, most of the rest of this bio wouldn't have happened if 1: Agatha was acting more in-line with how she is supposed to be (which is not exactly pure of heart or anything of the sort, but not some wicked witch like the bio currently paints her), and 2: She recognized the gifts present in Caspian and, naturally, took the baby with her. Now, I understand this would be a dramatic shift in the storyline you're pushing here, so I'll try and offer up some amenities.
How about him just not being related to Agatha, but rather being led to believe he is? Perhaps he was just a boy with a particular gift for magic, and a more black-hearted sorcerer sought to take advantage of this through lies and manipulation. This could even culminate in Agatha still being involved in their life, where she may take the place of Stephen rescuing them from their horrid situation after learning about someone misusing her good name, and even more prudently, abusing and manipulating a promising sorcerer. That would be my recommendation, because it still keeps her around in your storyline, keeps her more in-line with her character, and still allows you to keep most of the story beats you were shooting for here.
...Alright, ranted long enough. This is what I got, because as-is, I can't accept this bio due to how it seems to completely assassinate Agatha's character in exchange for making her into a blatant villain. I'm willing to listen to any feedback though, and I want to be clear that this is not me denying you from the RP; I'd just like to see this concept tinkered with some before we set it to stone.
Location: Queens, New York; Avengers Academy Interactions: Everyone
The first students had made their way to the academy; the siblings, Izkry and Belasý. Professor Hulk had not heard their full story from the sergeant, but he heard enough. It hurt that it was a story he had grown all the more accustomed to over his years as a hero, where those with gifts were abused, betrayed, and manipulated. Whether it was Mutantkind, the Inhumans, or anything in-between, it was always something. Still, he hardly let such dismal thoughts show on his face as he politely took the eager young man's handshake. "It's a pleasure to meet you both properly, and on behalf of everyone working here, we're just as thankful you chose to be here. I'm sure it wasn't an easy decision, but I'll do my best to show it was the right one." It was hard not to believe him; perhaps it was just his size that easily dwarfed the two, but he seemed larger-than-life, and his confidence in his words was backed up by a smile that seemed to hold no concerns for what the future may bring.
Shortly afterwards, the next arrival made their landing, though it was far more dramatic than the siblings...If you were willing to ignore the several minutes it took the young man to make it through the entire school after the Quinjet landed safely upon the rooftop of the school, where Happy was able to secure their transportation. It would look a bit off to just have a jet sitting atop the academy, so luckily, they thought ahead. They had reached out to Doctor Pym beforehand, and the use of Pym Particles allowed them to keep a small collection of Quinjets shrunk down to more manageable sizes, ready to be deployed straight from the rooftop whenever the moments called. Past that, the newcomer had arrived. Young Sigurd, the child of the legendary Asgardian Heimdall, who once watched over the Bifrost, the gate between realms. The Professor had no doubt such a thing was a heavy burden for the young man to carry, especially with recent news claiming he'd managed to manifest some form of the presumed-destroyed rainbow bridge. Alleviating that kind of pressure would be important...Though he had a feeling a certain someone's teaching would make that far more difficult. Hulk also noticed Hogan alongside the Asgardian, clearly a bit winded from having traveled through the school. His days of fitness from being Tony Stark's bodyguard (however unnecessary that was) were behind him, sadly. The Professor was happy to exchange both bows and handshakes with Sigurd. With all his interactions with Asgardians, he had grown used to some manner of pomp and circumstance. "I certainly hope it will be. It's good to have you, Sigurd." Punctuating the statement, Hulk briefly clasped the Asgardian boy's shoulders with a bit of extra force before the young man stepped patiently to the side, like an inside joke between people who could tear through a car the same way someone could tear through a tissue.
Hulk barely had time to relax before the next arrival had darted in front of him, her small and lithe frame belying her impressive capabilities. He had heard from Spider-Man that she seemed to possess quite the potential, though he also certainly didn't hide his concern in the potential origins of the young lady's gifts. From what the Professor knew, the wall-crawler was looking into things, but he hadn't heard back from him just yet. Snapping back to attention to the energetic youth in front of him, Banner gave a slightly awkward laugh, not fully prepared for someone so clearly ecstatic to be here. Yet it also brought a smile to his face. "Well, I'm more than happy to meet you as well, Mia." He granted her a firm handshake. He had (sadly) fought Peter more than enough times to know how tough he could be, and Ms. Thompson before him was no different.
As the Professor continued interacting with his current entourage, he could see a new figure out of the corner of his eye; Hazel. There were plenty of ways for him to tell who this was, but the floating motorcycle gave it away. Oh, and the compact wrist computer as well. And, well...While it was rude to think, her general body language saying that she most certainly didn't care to be here was another factor that made him certain as to who they were. As they strode into the grounds of the Academy, the first thing out of their mouth was a complaint. Professor Hulk merely sighed, the smile he had been carrying now dropped. "I understand your discontent with them, but SHIELD is a government body, at the end of the day. If they had asked to confiscate or replicate your work, it'd be one thing, but they just wanted it to have secure passage as you made it to the academy. Though, I hadn't heard anything about dismantling..." The Professor muttered that last bit to himself, likely only audible to Mia due to her held proximity to the Professor. Shaking his head though, Hulk spoke once more to the silently irate inventor. "Still, I'm glad you made it here, and more importantly, that you chose to come here. I'm sure Rhodey will be pleased, too." Banner got back his smile, though when he made the comment on War Machine, he glanced cautiously up to the second story of the prodigious building. No gunfire yet, so it seemed there wasn't a fight. Yet. He silently hoped Rhodey would be able to talk the merc out of school grounds, but, well...He wasn't called 'War Machine' for his diplomacy skills.
The next arrival was one Professor Hulk had been personally quite excited for. One Mazie Murdock, otherwise known by Crimson Angel. Amongst all their prospective candidates, what she may lack in proper field experience, she made up for in spades with years of training from some of the most prolific martial masters Earth could muster. That sort of thing could not be undervalued, as he had learned in his years as an Avenger. Sure, he was 'The Incredible Hulk', but dozens of times in those years did he find the day saved by members whose extraordinary gifts were not born by circumstances or birth, but by harrowing years of training and improvement. She would be a more than welcome addition. It also helped that she was polite. He took her handshake in kind, careful to gauge his strength. For however skilled she was, she was also still human. He could break her a thousand times over if he just put in a little too much force...Those kinds of thoughts always lingered in the back of his head, even when he was simply The Hulk. Ironically enough, he found his concerns wiped away by the calculating look behind her bright blue eyes, clearly prying for weakness. He couldn't help but smirk; even if he didn't interact with her much, he knew enough to safely say this girl was her mother's daughter. "The honor is all mine, Crimson Angel. And I'm pleased to see you managed to wrangle one of our staff members into actually arriving today." The jolly green giant gave a joking chuckle as he glanced off to the gates of Avengers Academy, watching as Daniel conversed with the Murdocks.
Absorbed in his interaction with Mazie, the Professor had nearly missed the latest student to reach the school grounds, being one Cassius Munroe. He had one similarity with the young lady before him; he, too, could be considered something of a 'legacy' child, though that was where the comparisons ended. Truth be told, he was surprised the young man had taken up at the academy. Ignoring the fact he had a perfectly valid option through Xavier's Institute for Higher Learning, from what little he had known of Cassius beforehand would've told him that he would not wish to be involved with something such as this, but...Those five years after what the Mad Titan did changed much. Too much. The glance he shared with the young Mutant held a hidden kernel of shame. What had happened to him was at no small fault to Hulk, either. He could've done more...He should have. He was shaken from these dire thoughts as Cassius actually spoke up, and Professor Hulk couldn't help but give a bemused smile. Yes, it certainly was a nice place. "Just make sure not to loiter too far off, Thunderbolt." It was a name that only meant something to the both of them, in all likelihood. The title the young man held when he fought for the people of New York, back before the Snap was reversed. Despite all of his posturing, there was one thing the Profess knew for certain. That course of action took bravery; it took heroism. He'd do just fine here.
The next student to make their appearance was not seen first, but heard, by none other than Matthew Murdock, his head perking up as he tilted his gaze skyward. It was a fruitless endeavor for him, of course, but it was more to make the point. Something was coming. "I don't suppose...?" The lawyer had barely turned his head towards Iron Fist, but he was quick to respond in kind. "Yes. You may want to brace yourselves..." And with that, it wasn't long before Alcides made his dramatic entrance, landing bodily onto the paved sidewalk, easily noticeable cracks and fractures forming across his impromptu landing pad. Though, admittedly, there had been plenty worse property damage caused by the actual Avengers. Matt shook his head as if disapprovingly, but a small smile played on the man's lips, while Elektra held a cold glare in her eyes. For his part in all of this, the one known as Iron Fist remained perfectly stoic. With the weak apology offered up, it was Mr. Murdock who spoke up. "Personally, I'd save the apologies for Mrs. Stark. She's the one paying for all this, after all." With that bit of tongue-in-cheek banter out of the way, the three adults let the metal-suited youth head his way into the Academy grounds proper. Jason's interaction with the Headmaster was polite and brief. Well, there had been worse first impressions made today, that much was certain. "That will be fine, Jason. We'll have plenty of time to drop your armor off soon enough." And that was true; he was planning a tour of the grounds once today's student body was properly gathered up, and that'd offer the perfect opportunity for the young man to store his suit. And perhaps Miss Jackson's work, too, if he could convince her it would be secure in the Academy. They could hardly have the thing parked out here all the time.
The roar of engines signaled the arrival of a pair Hulk had been perfectly prepared for to be fashionably late. The Wolverines. It was no surprise to him that the moment Logan stepped off his ride, he stalked off to avoiding confronting a gaggle of confusing new youths right off the bat. For a man who'd been a teacher as long as he had, he always seemed strangely bad with kids. Laura, on the other hand, was a little more proactive; whether out of an actual want to be included or simply wishing to bite the bullet, Hulk couldn't say. Still, he couldn't help but give a chuckle at her introductions. "And hello to you too, Laura. I'm glad you made it. Or would it be more accurate to say 'I'm glad Logan dragged you here'?" In spite of the accusatory nature of the words, the Professor's tone made it sound anything but, combined with a joking smirk across his face.
As if to punctuate the method of transportation chosen by the two latest Mutant arrivals, the rev of another engine could be heard as another new individual made their way into the Academy grounds. This was the one the Hulk knew solely off visuals; not because he'd met the young man beforehand, but because it could prove vital for him to be able to identify him right off the bat. That young man, Elias...Was a Ghost Rider. That was never something to be taken lightly. He could end up endangering others, if poor circumstances allowed it. Hulk knew the Spirit of Vengeance was hardly picky about the fights it took, so long as it saw purpose in them. Still, he would do his best to treat him as equally as any of the other students, and shared that nod with the young man as he quietly walked into the courtyard. Well, that was all of them. Clearing his voice, Professor Hulk put on a lightly commanding tone, preparing to wrangle the attention of his myriad students.
"Attention, every-"
The Headmaster was unceremoniously cut off as a red spandex-wearing individual was hurled bodily out of a second story window (even more concerningly, not the one that was broken beforehand), sailing ungracefully through the air before he collided into one of the two pillars supporting the school gates...Crotch first. "Ooogh...Right in the Kiddypool...." Were the only words the individual could utter before he slid down, cracking his face into the pavement on the other side of the gate, which was hastily closed remotely. Flying out from the new opening was War Machine, who landed next to the Professor and shouted out to the mercenary. "And keep your ass out, Deadpool, if you know what's good for you!" Off to the side, the show at least got a short, harsh laugh out of Logan, who was all too happy to watch Wade get some comeuppance. It was only then that James realized he'd interrupted the entire student body alongside the Professor. Before the awkward silence could grow deeper, he spoke up once more. "The kids are here. Good. We doing the tour?". Hulk, for his part, stared blankly at War Machine. Talk about ruining the occasion...Still, the gamma giant jumped back to the topic at hand. "Yes, that was the intent. If I have everyone's attention?" Giving a few patient moments to ensure everyone had their focus towards him, the Headmaster spoke once again. "If you all will follow me, I'll give you a tour of the Academy grounds alongside War Machine and Mr. Hogan here." As if stifled by the formality of the situation, Hogan pulled at his necktie a bit, adjusting it as he addressed the crowd, just a normal man alongside two legends. "You all can just call me Happy. For the record."
rexgn
Baphomini
Crimson Flame
JewelSerket
Qia
shylarah
Randomness
Izurich
soren
Guardian Angel Haruki
