[IC] The Next Avengers

[Jones Sparrow]

Rain fell heavily in the New York countryside. Thunder shook the ground, and lightning illuminated the gray sky as a car drove up to a gated fence, a stone pillar had a steel plaque that read "Ravencroft Estate." Ravencroft was known to hold the world's most dangerous and insane criminals.

"You know, you don't have to go with me."

"I... I know. But I want to."

The car pulled up to the front of the estate, a tall, strong man climbed out. His beard and side burns were thick and matched his neatly done brown hair. His soft brown eyes looked over to his son, full of concern. "You're sure about this?"

The younger man was tall, strong, and gave off a sense of honor, he stood up straight, his dark brown hair matched his father's, but it was held in a messy fashion. He had a handsome face, with a strong jaw and noble look about him, his dark blue eyes looked over at his father and nodded with a smile of assurance. A woman dressed in white walked out of the estate. "Hello, How can I help you two?"

"Hello. My name is Thomas Howlett. I made an appointment to see Margaret Rogers."

The two made their through the dark corridors. Laughter and voices echoed through the halls. "Remember, James... She's not who you remember." The father said quietly, his hand on his shoulders. They reached a steel door, and James stared at it, trying his best not to shake from fear. He had to stay strong... It had been so long since he's seen her or heard her voice.

The door opened to a white room, and in the corner sat a woman with unkept blonde hair in a gown, holding her knees up to her chin, staring out the window. The room was dead silent. James took the first step into the room, but the woman didn't notice. James slowly stepped towards the woman, an emotion of sickness, anger, and sadness moving through his whole body. "Mom." James whispered, holding out his hand he tried to touch his mother's shoulder.

Just before he made contact his mother turned towards him, the sight met him freeze in fear. Her face was deformed, and gave an evil grin. "You're next, boy!" a equally disturbing voice whispered, and out of her mouth a red shape with a demonic face rushed towards James.

James Rogers woke with a start, completely drenched in sweat. His entire body was flexed, and he was sitting up breathing heavily. His instincts kicked in and he was in defense mode. It was just a dream. His arms lowered a bit, and he gave out a large sigh.

He was back in his Academy Dorm. He had been since two days ago, but that dream has been haunting him forever. He always wanted to of see his mother again. But he was too scared, and ashamed of what happened. James looked over at his alarm clock. It was 5:30 in the morning, but he knew he wouldn't be able to get back to sleep again. He climbed out of bed, and turned on the lights, preparing for the day. Every dorm room in the Academy was personally designed for each student, and even though he was now in Los Angeles, his dorm looked like his apartment room in New York.

Movie posters, sports trophies from little league, photos of him and his family, and an old Brooklyn Dodgers pennant decorated the wall. His desk had a single lamp and wrappers and papers scattered all over it, he had a punching bag in the corner of the room, and next to the door was a baseball bat, and his shield he carried everywhere. The room also came with a personal bathroom and closet, and a TV. He put on a pair of dark blue sweatpants and a training shirt with the iconic "A" on the upper shoulder. After that he walked through the empty campus, and started his morning jog.

--

James arrived back on campus by the time the sun was up, and the first batch of students had finally arrived for the new "semester."

The campus was huge, and had pretty much anything. There was a large lake, a forest, and the desert surrounding the campus that was full with slick and stylish buildings. There were buildings for classes, dorms, arenas that changed environment for simulations, a multi-level gym, and in the center of it all was the Hall of Heroes that resembled Stark Tower in New York. The upper levels were where the Advanced Classes took place.

James walked across campus, and students of all ages were swarming around, talking and laughing, students who could flew overhead, speedsters zoomed by causing a student to drop all of their books.

It had been two years since he was placed into the "Next Avengers" program, and so far he was one of the top students in the Academy. People have come and gone, and there will be new and old faces that he will see up in the tower. He moved out of the way of a guy chasing down a suitcase that was walking on its own, and waved at a couple of people he recognized from the previous years.

He still had to take a shower and get everything ready for the day...Hopefully James' sixth year being at this academy will be a good one.

[SuddenSardines]

Mark groaned in annoyance as he heard his alarm going off. He had never been a morning person, and swore he never would be. People who liked mornings were probably the same as people who gave out raisins on Halloween and tried to pass it off as candy. Groggily thinking to himself, he wondered if he could maybe ignore the alarm for another 5 minutes. He buried his head between his pillows, trying to ignore the feeling of his arm sliding off his bed and moving to press the......wait.

"Euclid, no!" Mark exclaimed as he suddenly shot up from bed. He glared at his now metallic left hand, which had been positioned over the alarm button. "Last time you did that you crushed it. I don't need to buy another alarm clock, thank you." Mark felt an odd scratching at the back of his mind that he had come to recognize as annoyance from his symbiote. Still, the metal around his arm turned to liquid, and rejoined the small metal plate at the top of his spine.

Finally awake, Mark took a moment to reflect. It had been four years since his symbiote, whom he named Euclid, bonded with him and changed his life. Since then, he had learned to communicate with it at a basic level. To no one's surprise, it turned out Euclid thought very much like a computer, though it had its own little quirks. It didn't like it when Mark slept in, for instance.

Mark looked around his room. He had moved back in yesterday, and appreciated the simple look of his dorm. The walls were lined with a few posters of sci-fi settings. His desk was dominated by his desktop computer, which he mainly used for finalizing blueprints, though he also appreciated the processing power for the occasional computer game he played. He also had a large amount of papers shoved to the side that he used for his sketches.

--

After finally getting himself ready for the morning, Mark gathered up his stuff, and made for the cafeteria. In Mark's opinion, the only good thing about mornings was breakfast. He figured he'd grab something to eat before he made his way to the Hall of Heroes. It would be his second year in the "Next Avengers" program, and he wanted to at least make an alright impression.

[Achronum]

ao rubbed absently at the triangular rune on his forehead as he finished marking the small vials of purple liquids. These were for the allergy affliction, specifically for those who didn't respond well to modern medicines. Nature related powers generally rejected modern medicines so it was good to have some on hand if they ever needed it. He glanced at the brewing schedule. A heavy sigh escaped. The Laevo brewing was a pain. Nao stored away the bottles and waved his hand as the shimmering curtain around him, dismissing it. Although the warding unnecessary here, old habits die hard.

Suddenly noise from outside slammed into Nao. He frowned. It was only two in the morning, who was up at this hou- he froze as he peaked through the blinds. People swarmed the Academy grounds, speedsters zipping between students, a few telekinetics tossing a football between them, and a pair of teleported playing tag. If new arrivals were here... He glanced down at the contraption known as a watch. A gift from one of his professors when they realized he wasn't purposefully late to class, just used a candle to keep a loose track of time. Seems the mistake he made yesterday afternoon took up more time than anticipated. He'd been working for just over twenty four hours. Now that he had a second, his stomach growled loudly and he felt the shaking in his hands. He sighed and picked up his bag before leaving and locking the door behind him. First, a change of clothes and a quick shower then food.

He stuck to some of the lesser traveled pathways of the Academy. It was a new year, people were excited and happy. He disn't need to ruin it with his stoic face and awkward mannerisms. Just over 5'9 and kind of lanky, Nao moved as if he wasn't fully comfortable in his own skin and treaded lightly. It tended to unnerve those not used to him. Really, he just avoided people in generally especially when he hadn't showered in a full day. There was a time he wouldn't even have considered a shower. In the coven, you hopped in the stream. Warm water on demand was such a mercy. Rivers got cold in the winter after all.

Arriving at his dorm, he recited the incantation at the door popped open. Unlike most, Nao specifically requested his door only to be opened by magic. Of course, non magic user administrators could still access the room but someone wandering into his room while he was having a nightmare could be hurt beyond help. It was safer just to deny access to most. The door shut behind him, seamlessly blending with the wall.

He had decorated his dorm room in warm yellows and oranges and red. Fall was his favorite season and he liked to be surrounded by the colors. A few shelves adorned the walls, jars and vials of powders and herbs lined next to books. A small writing desk across from his desk held a stack of neatly organized folders and pens, which he had nearly passed out from delight holding. A miniature quill with ink in it was an amazing sight to behold. At the foot of his bed sat a large trunk covered in wardings. Inside were tomes he stole for the coven after it destroyed itself. The covered everything from sacrificial offering preperations to spells accessing the very depths of another's mind. The Academy nearly confiscated them but a temper flare that resulted in half a building's water pipes exploding convinced them otherwise. Instead they warded the ever lasting hell out of the trunk. Only a few people on the campus knew how to unlock it.

Nao tossed his bag onto the bed before rushing into the shower. He still had trouble figuring out the dials but eventually rinsed away his exhaustion. He looked in the mirror as he brushed his teeth. Dark circles had started moving in again underneath his eyes. Another scolding was coming. Oh well. He jammed himself into a black long sleeve sweater, a pair of kahakis, and slung on his lab coat. Snatching up his bag, Nao bolted. If he hurried, he'd have time for a decent meal.

[TalijaKey]

Vix was watching music videos, while she was being driven to the academy. To her father she appeared as if she was blankly staring ahead of herself. He was used to the behaviour and at times he even could guess what was she doing.

"We are nearly there. Stop chatting." This time he didnt guess right.

"Not chatting, music."

"Ah, still, turn off the internet Vix. " Vix rolled her eyes and did as she was told. Last year in the academy she took all the subject she could pass with little to no effort, accumulating a bunch of credits. Only the training and mediation classes she put some effort in. They helped as in a year she started to trigger her function willingly at a 64% success rate. Thougth when she summed the duration of it usage the results didnt look half as rosy.

Parking spot found she opened the door and left the car. It was already getting dark. Another year she mused to herself and this time she was going to the more intense training program. Next Avengers. She felt two arms wrapping around her and a soft kiss on the top of her hair. "Father." She stated it looking over her shoulder at the culprit of the hug grinning widely at her.

"It will be fine. You are my little girl."

"I am 17, old man."

"You are my 5 year old baby girl. I will gift you a pink pony for cristmass. " He ruffled the black locks as his expression turned from playful to a bit more serious." Now remember what I and your mother told you. Try making some friends while you are at it. We both will be proud of you. Sorry she couldnt see you off." Vix didnt mind her mother not seeing her off to school. She understood and it was logical as well. She could connect to a chat room with her mother and grandfather if she wanted. She decided not to diverge their attention, they were busy for a reason.

"Its hard to forget when I have been told the same thing 33 times during the last ten days. Are you aiming for a world record? " She responded taking her coffer out the trunk. She stopped debating with herself the next course of action. After several quick simulations weighing the pros and cons she looked at her father and gave him a hug. He all but melted from the gesture.

"See you." She waved and walked off to the dorms, it was late and tomorrow she had her first class. Her room was the same as she left it. White walls, a grey sofa with a low black table in front of it. The only electronics in the room was a lamp in one corner. The white bed was still pushed against one wall. The room looked like no one lived in it. Mostly because Vix barely used it during last year. She opened her walk in closet and that was a different story. Several aroma candles were still on the floor half burned. Unpacking she opened the secret stash she made the year before. Filling it up once more. Smoking was forbidden in the dorms, but the rule breaking was trilling for her at the same time the act was calming. Plus she wasnt harming anyone doing it in her closet.

Vix had no need for sleep, so in lack of things to do before the official classes started she went to the rooftop. She always preferred heights, and she liked the sensation of flying. Maybe this year she could improve enough that she could fly for more than minutes at time. She wanted to hope, but her own brain calculated the statistic of her improvements and prognosis of her future success. Browsing the internet for kitten videos she waited for the sun to rise. The warmth of the closest star to Earth was refreshing for her body, her eyes refocusing on the people having their early work out. She recognised a few of them. Noting the patterns they used to do their rounds of the school ground.

Soon breakfast came and with it a bunch of students new and old mixing together. It was time to get the tower. Standing up she didnt even try to fly there. She wouldnt make it, with a frown on her face she walked down the stairs and out in the sea of students. She was punctual to a dot when she arrived to the hall of heroes. Her fingers moved and adjusted he bangs over her solar gem hiding it under the black locks, as she scanned around the faces of her classmates.

Vix couldnt help herself as she looked up several topics up. All advocated smiling as a positive first impression. Her frown changed to a neutral and soon to a small smile.

[Orange Juice]

4 Years Ago
Attilan dock

A young green girl sat on the edge of a concrete dock, legs dangling over the abyss of blue as she skimmed stones across the vastness of the sea. In a few hours she'd be on a boat to New York, and from there a plane to Los Angeles. She had never been to either of the places, and both seemed about as strange as mars to her echo chamber of a world view. Whenever she was able to visit the human world it was usually always with a set of royal guards or family members, and if not she was sure to be surrounded by representatives of humanity or dark suited bodyguards taking her around to see all of the boring historical sights. She jumped a bit in her seat as she felt the firm grip of her father clutch her shoulder. It was time to go.

Present Day
Avengers Academy
Brianstorm

Annabelle sat in her room reading an old tatty book she had picked up for less than a dollar at a local bookstore. An almost equally old record player sat on her disc, spinning away as it did almost every day. Currently she was feeling rather punk, and as a result The Sex Pistols blared throughout her room, and subsequently the room of the poor sod who lived next to her. She'd been at the academy a day early due to a mix up at the airport. You'd have thought that the greatest minds in Attilan could have booked a flight properly but it seems all their talents lay in science and philosophy rather than common sense. Her room was rather different from most students, dark and a bit untidy, her father would have gone crazy if he had seen it. Suffice to say she had shed her princess image in her first year, purposely neglecting to mention it now for the sake of hating the stereotypical image of a princess that most people would go on to associate her with if she told them.

She folded the corner of the page and tossed the book onto her desk before rising from her bed and heading into the shower. Half an hour later and she was ready to face the day as it were. She wore an open flannel shirt revealing a T-shirt bearing the logo of 'Theatre of Hate', just to prove to the new students that she was a real hipster. A pair of skinny jeans and converse would do for the lower parts of her clothing and of course as accessories go she was wearing a choker and her hair in it's usual tied-but-long style.

She made her way to the cafeteria, dodging returning students and new ones alike. She didn't like many people at the academy, but she especially disliked those who felt the need to be in such a hurry that they would shove a stranger out of the way. In her four years at the academy she had learned to dodge most students on the first day.

She entered the cafeteria with tired eyes. She stretched quickly before grabbing a tray and joining the queue that was getting ever longer. As per usual the food was sub par. When it was quiet the lunch staff were actually quite good, but having to serve a school of this size was a nightmare, and you could tell that the staff were overworked even at breakfast. She simply grabbed a bowl of cereal, before sitting down at an empty table, browsing her phone and occasionally eating a bit of cereal.

Soon after she dumped her tray and made her way to the hall of heroes, seeing Vix whom she had previously met in a few classes there. She sort of raised her hand in a lazy greeting before standing next to her.
"Hey, Vix, ready for another semester?"

[Oliver]

Will Fleeter

A decrepit, ugly grey station wagon pulled up several yards away from the entrance to the massive campus. As soon as its young passenger climbed out, the driver slammed the door at took off, leaving the small boy abandoned and staring up in awe at his new school. The boy's big brown eyes took in every inch of the gargantuan buildings and strange, futuristic architectural design. It was rather intimidating, actually. He'd never been here before, and had never imagined it would be this large. Were superhuman abilities so common they needed all this space to house the students? Impossible.

He hesitantly picked up his old leather suitcase that was so ancient it looked like an antique, and walked into the campus. The Israeli boy had a strange way of walking. He sort of glided a bit, as if his shoes had no friction. He walked quickly, stiffly and with apprehension. He entered the main building, hoping someone could direct him to the dorms. A security guard showed him up to his room, a tiny little space that he was certain was a repurposed closet. It was comfortable enough, with its blue bed and carpet, old couch and small television. He put down his suitcase, and locked the door to the room, wanting to do some exploring before he got to unpacking.

Even though he wasn't hungry (on the contrary, he felt rather sick to his stomach), he made his way down to the cafeteria. That was where most of the other students were, and where he was probably supposed to be. He looked around shyly, seeing that there were no empty tables. He'd have to ask someone if he could sit with them. Og, crud... he thought, losing his nerve and deciding to skip breakfast and leave the cafeteria. It was around then he realized exactly how long the drive up had been, and that he really needed to find a bathroom. All the more reason to leave now.

[Jones Sparrow]

James stepped out of his dorm room nice and clean, wearing a pair of worn jeans, some training shoes, a gray t-shirt with a dark blue canvas jacket, and on his back was his triangular shield given to him by his grandpa Rogers. For six years James has been trying to do the best he possibly could. He loved his family, and loved that he came from a line of heroes, but that isn't why he was here. He wanted to help people, it was in his blood. He could never turn away from a fight, especially if people needed help somewhere. It proved to be challenging at times though, here at school. People either feared or respected him because of who his grandparents were, and who his mom was...

James was quick to anger whenever someone used his family to try and insult him, and that usually ended in the other students going to the Academy's nurse/emergency room. He wasn't perfect, but he like he said, he was trying.

James made it to the cafeteria to see it already packed. Scanning the room he had to smile a bit. His grandparents would tell James about how humans and superhumans never fully got along until recently. There were many kids at this school who had no true powers, but they had a lot give.

He saw familiar faces, he gave smiles and nods to those who called over at him, and he was about to go grab some breakfast until he heard a lard crash and a "LOOK OUT!" James turned to see what seemed to be a little "project-gone-wrong" flying through the cafeteria. Screams and shrieks filled the room as the rocket-like object soared with incredible speed, right at a very young looking kid. James without hesitation ran and vaulted over a table, taking the shield off his back. James stood in front of the kid, shield drawn and as soon as the rocket came at him, he swatted it away with a metallic "Ting!".

"Hey!! Heads up!" James yelled as the rocket flew away from the crowd upwards. He knew someone in this cafeteria had the power to fully stop the thing.

[SuddenSardines]

Mark was wearing a t-shirt and jeans, as well as a plain leather jacket as he waited in line for food. He kept the collar in the back a bit higher then normal to hide the plate that was his inactive symbiote. He didn't like to stand out. Gathering a good helping of eggs and bacon, he made his way to his usual quiet table in the corner. There were a few people he recognized and waved to, but Mark still preferred his solitude. He didn't do to well in social situations. It was one of the reasons why few people knew he was in the Next Avengers program to begin with. Hell, not many people had seen his symbiote in action, honestly.

Mark was about halfway through his breakfast when he heard the crash. Suddenly looking up from his food, he saw an odd rocket looking device come barraling through the cafeteria. He cringed as it looked about to hit one of the younger students, but breathed a sigh of relief when James Rogers came out of no where and batted it out of nowhere. Mark had certainly heard of James Rogers. After all, who hadn't at the academy? Still, it was another thing to actually see him in action. He shook himself from his surprise, noticing that no one had actually solved the rocket problem.

"Dammit. So much for blending in," Mark muttered under his breath. If no one else was stepping in, than he would have to. "Euclid, I need suit, jets, and whips." As he ran forward, the liquid metal from his plate shot around his body like a sort of cocoon, before skin and metal molded together into his suit. Getting to a clear space in the cafeteria, away from the panicking crowds, Mark began to grow two small thrusters from his back, and long, thin metal strands shot out of his wrists. Kicking off the ground, Mark flew above the center of the cafeteria, and threw his whips at the rocket. As they wrapped around, Mark made a movement with his wrists, causing small blades to pop out and latch onto the rocket. Pulling back as hard as he could, he managed to keep the rocket from hitting another group of students near one of the tables. But even though he was holding it in place, this was hardly a permanent solution. "I've got it.....I think," he said loudly over the roar of the rocket. "Some help would be nice though. Please?"

[Oliver]

Will was just on his way out of the cafeteria when a scream ran through the room, and the next thing he knew someone bolted in front of him protectively and smacked a rocket like object away from the two of them. Will was shocked, not really knowing what had just happened. He stuttered a bit, but said nothing, backing away slowly as if cornered by predatory animals. It was clear that these kids had much, much more powerful and dangerous abilities than his. His little gravity-defying tricks were cool and all, but some kid over there just summoned a suit out of nothing. He was way out of his league, and now he knew it.

Will usually hated to show negative emotions like fear, but this time he'd been caught by surprise and his little act was slipping. His tanned skin had gone pale, and he was shivering and clearly hyperventilating a bit. He now stood a few feet away from the boy who'd protected him, trying to regain his composure. As much as he hated to admit it, Will was a bit jumpy and easy to startle.

Some kid asked for help controlling the rocket, and the 10 year old knew he'd be unable to assist. His powers worked great for things like self defense, but when it came to attacks and protecting others, they were virtually useless. Besides, he'd only had his powers for about six months. He was still getting the hang of using them. Maybe they'd be more useful when he was older, like these kids were.

[Achronum]

Nao rushed into the cafeteria, out of breath, glancing at his watch. Fifteen minutes before math class. Geometry they called it. Having been outside the education system for years, he had been taking mostly remedial class for the duration of his stay here. Oh how he loathed these classes. How normal students struggled through years of this, he'd never know. Why would he ever need to know the different angles inside an octogon, he'd never know, He grumbled as he wove between students and tables, mouth watering as he approached food. Lots of people grumbled about the subpar quality of food but after eating gruel, bread, and a few vegetables for years, this was amazing.

Then the screaming started. People churned and jostled others around as a small metal projectile zipped around the room. What was it called. Vaguely remember it from Earth Space science last year... He snapped his fingers. A rocket! That thing that carries things past the planet's edge into space. But this one was small and... hurtling towards a child? That's not the proper use of those as far as he is aware. This was going to be messy. He glanced down and started loading a plate with food while everyone was diverted. He'd help take the kid to the infirmary afterwards.

"Hey!! Heads up!" An older boy swatted the thing out of the way. He seemed familiar. The shield made something click. James Rogers, grandson of Steve Rogers though better known as Captain America, was a bit of a local celebrity. Nao didn't know much about the grandfather outside of the litany of reading materials on the man in history class. He knew even less than that on his grandson, outside of what some nasty rumors circulated and that apparently he had some anger issues. Although he didn't interact directly with the poor students, he couldn't help overhearing while he did inventory or restocked. Though he was the last person to judge anyone.

Then another student turned into an iron man like creature. This was new. He didn't recall this particular piece of technology being covered in class. Must be advanced class stuff. It looked like a demon was taking over a body really. Can't be comfortable. Nao continued to munch on eggs as the now metal covered boy launched himself into the air and snatched at the rocket with thin metal strands. Definitely better but not something that would be perminate as it stayed in flight.

"Some help would be nice though. Please?" Oh yep, not an actual solution. Um, could he help? He wasn't particularly good with tech- He stumbled forwards as some punk screaming his head off bolted for the door. His food hit the floor, the plate rattled. His eyes turned completely black.

"This nonsense has gone on long enough!" He snarled and held out a hand towards the rocket. A long incantation cause a black and red magic circle to whirl into existance at his fingertips and five thin black shafts hurled at the rocket before piercing it. He held the magic circle for a while, waiting to launch more if it moved. Blood started dripping from his finger tips.

[Psyga315]

Six months into the Next Avengers program and already, Ben Poole had high expectations to succeed. It helped that his mentor had the mantle of Spiderman, at least on a technicality. Ben was web slinging across campus, something that could definitely annoy both the janitors and even Miles considering the web-fluid can dirty the cleaned windows and how just slinging from place to place in a small academy was a waste of fluid.

Still, Ben wanted to get adjusted to his attained powers. Who knows when he'll one day come across his mother's killer. The fact that he wore an outfit with a similar, yet inverted, color scheme and design unnerved him. But he's not complaining. He can't exactly fix the suit considering all the fancy gadgets it had.

BBBBZZZZZ

Such as a built in Spider Sense. In reality, it was just a 360 degree camera built into the mask that, when tied to its very limited AI, sent tiny signals to a device that would vibrate softly into the scalp. It got a bit bothersome at first, but Ben adjusted to it as well.

Seemed a rocket was sent out in the cafeteria.

"Mmmh, this could be fun." Ben said as he slung over to the cafeteria and watched the chaos unfold, hanging upside down from a single web thread attached to the ceiling of the cafetiere. Seemed some students have already went to work on containing the threat, but Ben readied his web shooters just in case.

[pyroman]

Like any other day, Charlotte's day began before the day actually began. It was five fifteen when her alarm had woken her up with her pre-loaded playlist of songs to wake her up and get her pumping in the mornings. She needed to get her morning workout, get ready for the day, and, of course, go to school.

As with every morning, it began with Bon Jovi's "You Give Love a Bad Name". There was no rise or fall in the playlist. It was all rise, all the time. No slowing this train down for anything! She woke up with a rise, ready for the day. Those in the dorms next to her probably have wanted her long dead by now for always waking up so early, but this may be the last year that they might have to put up with her.

It was her fourth and final year at the Avengers Academy, and possibly the final year with the Next Avengers Program. She couldn't really tell if this would segway her into a job as an actual avenger, or if she needed to do more afterwards. Either way, she earned her spot fair and square like the others, and nobody was going to take that truth away from her.

The sun was just at the horizon by the time she was done with her morning rituals. She had dressed herself in a plain white t-shirt and her imfamous open bomber jacket, as well as a pair a plain blue jeans with a strangely excessive belt buckle to go with it. The jacket wouldn't exactly fit well in the suit, but it always had a way of coming back to her when she needed it.

Like or unlike many students- Charlotte did not know because she didn't particularly focus on them- Charlotte had spent a week living in her dorm before classes started. It was to help herself get reacquainted with school life, and life away from living with her parents over the summer. In any case, she was here now, and that's what mattered.

As for her suit, on the other hand, it was stored elsewhere. It was much too heavy to simply stand around in her dorm room, and too dangerous to have in living quarters. Instead, it was elsewhere, nearby and ready for her to call for it.

She took three steps out of her door before pausing. She had almost forgotten the final part of her morning routine, the part to help boost her for the day. She stood still, legs shoulder width apart, hands proud on her hips, and her body taking in as much air as it could hold. Holding a power pose helped her out quite a bit, but it wouldn't be her own if it didn't have her own spin on it. Her hands glided over the top of her pants, hitting the belt buckle as the crossed paths. Her mouth moved to say something, but it was only quiet and breathy when it left. It was still too early for other people, so she did have to keep it down.

Arriving on the campus grounds, she looked around happily and confidently. Nothing was wrong just yet, but it didn't help to get a head start on food. Some say that she ate a little too much, but Charlotte believed that it was nonsense. Anyone who worked out as often as she did would understand that she needed all that food to look as healthy as she did.

When she arrived at the scene of the cafeteria, something was already in motion. Well, many things were already in motion. Her suit would take too long to get here for her to help out up in front, but that didn't stop her body trying anyways.

"COR, what's the ETA for just arms?" She tapped a button on that big belt buckle that she had and waited for a response.

"Thirteen seconds. Fifteen if you don't want a mess." The voice coming from the buckle sounded just like her grandfather back in the old days, or so she was told by the man himself.

"I'm gonna need them." She stated, and the buckle said no more. Everyone was doing their best to handle the situation, and she was going to help too. She began counting with short puffs of air, running up at the stalled missile and jumping as hish as she could.

On the least destructive course, the arms of her peacewalker suit, from her fingertips to her shoulders, swooped into the cafeteria and wrapped themselves around her arms. She made it a point to grab onto the rocket, no matter how crazy it seemed.

"Steer it out!" She called out. "It blowing up out there is much less dangerous than it blowing up in here! At least the air is mostly clear out there!"

[TalijaKey]

[Location: Hall of Heroes]

Vix turned her head towards the female voice she recognized.

"Hey, Vix, ready for another semester?"

Annabelle Boltagon her memory informed her, as well as pulling the information of the several classes they shared last year. Her own relationship with the inhuman was mostly neutral. Vix maintained her smile, if there were to share the classes in Next avengers program it would do to increase their closeness.

"All preparation needed have been completed. How about you? Excited about the new year?" Vix asked her, her hands crossing over her chest as she leaned against the wall. She was dressed in a strap black tank top and fitting black pants. She wore those clothing articles most of the time, even during winter, but in the rainy and snowy days she would put on a jacket if only she would not pull too much attention on her. SHe could say she preferred them as they were practical. Plus she favorite the look it gave to her.

In the background of Vix mind a algoritam binged. Something of interest was happening in the cafeteria. If the several tweets and the footage a brave or stupid soul was streaming while hiding behind a table. She knew she would be with Roger in class this year, and seeing Annabelle being her classmate as well Vix decided it was a perfect bonding opportunity.

"Hey Annabelle." Vix eyes became whiter as she turned her head towards a wall. "James Roger is being a hero, wanna see?" The projection started, the angle wasnt the best but they could see the famous student with his shield out. And two other student holding in place something that looked like a rocket. Beside the footage a several tweets scrolled down commenting with various hashtags.

#JRSavesday #NormalSchoolDay #RocketBreakfast

Vix was trying to put names to all the faces, but she lacked files and didnt felt like hacking to obtain the information. Instead she saw a girl jump a armor assembling around her as she rode the rocket.

"I think that girl, is confusing the situations with bull riding. What do you think? The magic user looks cute." Vix commented idly, wondering if Roger would solve the situation or if more people would jump into the mess with no coordination or plan whatsoever.

@Orange Juice

[Jones Sparrow]

James watched the rocket fly upwards in the air, and then back down towards a group of people. He was about to run after it until a student in a suit caught it with some wires, holding on to the rocket as it tried its best to shake free. He knew who the kid was. Mark had been in the Advanced Training Program with him last year, and although he was a quiet, he was passionate on his projects and helping people. Then a new anchor appeared almost out of nowhere, with a large voice of annoyance. James shifted his gaze towards Nao. Nao was a mystery to James still. He knew that Mr. Stark wouldn't bring anyone with ill intentions to the academy, but the style of magic Nao used made James uneasy, and hard to fully trust.

James looked back at the young boy who he had protected earlier. "You alright?" James asked him sincerely, noticing his shaking and paleness. He had never seen this person before, but something told him that although he was young, he had a lot to show everyone. "Everything's alright. We got this under control--"

A blur ran by the two, and it only took a second to realize that Charlotte Rhodes ran through the crowd and attached herself to the rocket. James frowned when she said that it was going to blow. He wasn't much of a mechanical guy, but he would take her word for it. "Charlotte! Find its circuit board or whatever controls it, and aim it towards the door! Mark, Nao, when I say, let go, and she'll do her best to control it outside! Once outside, rip the circuits out, and let go! Anyone willing and able, once the thing explodes make sure no debris hits anyone!"

James rushed through the crowd that was now either evacuating or trying to help. He once again raised his shield, but at the end of it a dark red energy force came to life. Not only was the shield made of a vibranium-steel alloy, this one had the ability to slice through almost anything like butter... And it split in two

He didn't know what was in this rocket, if it really could explode, or if it was just something a kid made for a prank, but he wasn't going to find any of that stuff out the hard way. He split his shield in two, swinging the blade towards the door frame that held the two doors together, and then with one big kick, sent the piece of metal flying. Putting the two pieces back together, James stood in a defensive position just outside the now large opening.

"Alright... Go!" as soon as the two let go the rocket and Charlotte came hurdling towards the door. Aiming his shield yet again, the rocket made contact with his shield with a Ting! and shooting it more upwards. He prayed that Charlotte had time to do what she had to, and soon enough she let go of the rocket.

James didn't know if the parts that were coming towards Charlotte would allow flight just yet, but he had his hopes, but she was too close to the thing to get out of there safely! "Catch!" James yelled to her, throwing his shield as a disk towards her.

The explosions wasn't the biggest thing, but it was impressive as hundreds of metal scraps erupted everywhere. The rocket was small enough to only produce debris as large as tennis balls, but they would still injure and hurt a lot.

A piece of metal made contact with Jame's cheek, and he gasped in pain and shock as he turned and crouched with his back away from the explosion. Once he thought it was safe he stood and looked around. He could feel the large amounts of cuts and scrapes that made contact with his back, and cheek, but he knew that they were already healing...

A crowd was already here to start with cleanup, and the Academy security burst into action, scanning the area for any serious injuries. Hopefully there wouldn't be.

What a way to start the semester.

[Oliver]

Will nodded, still not really sure what was going on. It all happened so fast, and he hadn't really processed it. It was clear that he had a long way to go to being one of the Next Avengers. Actually, he had no idea why they put a kid like him in the program. Sure, he had superhuman powers, but he couldn't be a hero... or at least he thought he couldn't.

"Uh... I'm okay, thanks." He said, hiding his uncertainty behind a convincing forced smile. He took a step back, his hands in the pockets of his gray jacket. He bit into the inside of his cheek, trying to keep himself from asking the questions he wanted to ask, like what the hell just happened?

He squirmed slightly in discomfort, realizing he still had to find a bathroom quick. Problem was, he didn't know his way around the campus at all. And there was no way in hell he was going to ask for help. "Well, thanks for saving me." He said, turning on his heel and starting to wlak out of the cafeteria.

[pyroman]

Charlotte may have exaggerated about the rocket being explosive, but there was no way to tell without opening it up. She didn't exactly have the time to piece it apart and see what kind of hardware it was packing, but she was going to assume the worst of it and refused to take chances on the people here.

"COR, get the rest of the suit!" She commanded rather loudly. The repulsors on her hands were already primed and ready, the elbow thrusters and shoulder thrusters were keeping her steady. However, the rocket had launched forward, with the star spangled spartan taking charge and initiative.

She knew the plan, and she hoped to god that the rest of her suit would be arriving before her body met the pavement in a pretty serious way. It took all of her strength to hold onto the rocket to guide it, but somehow they were able to pull it off. Still, her suit wasn't here, but Charlotte was keeping count and taking breaths.

Both she and the rocket were taken outside, almost hitting so many walls as they went around, but Charlotte was being super extra careful to not make it explode. Once outside, she aimed the thruster down to the ground, shooting both herself and the rocket up. She could hear the rest of her armor flying in, and once she was sure it was going straight up, she let go of the rocket and let herself fall to the ground.

Her armor swallowed her whole, right in the middle of the air. Before she had much time to register much else, there James was again, calling out to her.

"Catch!"

Part of his shield had flown up into her arms. She caught it with a bit of force, and swung it around to protect herself from the falling debris of the rocket, not that her armor wasn't protecting her anyway. One arm held onto the shield, the other, repulsor ready, had moved up and started to fire at as much debris as she could. The suit itself locked onto as many falling pieces as it could, and helped Charlotte fire away, hopefully keeping people from getting hit.

She hovered down soon after, hitting the ground as softly as a suit of armor could. She had to admit, though. Her rifle in one hand, a shield in another, it wasn't a bad tactic that she could suggest to James later on. If he could split his shield like that more often, they could all get to working off of one another and keeping sharp.

"I think this is yours?" Though it wasn't seen, Charlotte smiled at James, tossing his shield back to him. She wondered who had started the rocket in the first place. The academy was no stranger to strangeness, but this was a little much to secure everyone's first day jitters.

[Orange Juice]

@TalijaKey

Annabelle scratched her forearm, looking up at the marvelous architecture of the hall of heroes as Vix responded. Even if you didn't like the decor, you'd have to admit it was soundly built. It had to be what with the academy being such a hotspot for villain attacks. Annabelle always wondered how the academy would fare against an infiltration, after all with the dozens of applicants each year how would the academy be able to spot every villain masquerading as a hero just to get in to the academy?

"Excited is an overstatement. I can't wait to get in on the real action, stuff gets boring around here quick." To the new student or outsider the academy would seem to be a dream school, with excitement every day and some of the best teachers on the face of the earth. But after 4 years of seeing events like the current rocket one she began to get bored with them. What she wanted most of all was to make a name for herself as a hero, and actually start helping people. Before she could get lost in her thoughts Vix began projecting the situation at the cafeteria in front of them.

"Hm? Oh, Roger is such a boyscout" She sighed "As unhero-like as it is I prefer bad boys. Or girls for that matter." She said, staring into the hologram as if it was as normal as going to the cinema. "I dunno, this all seems kind of high octane for the first day. I just want to get classes over and done with for the day, settle in a little bit you know?"

[TalijaKey]

@Orange Juice

[Location: Hall of Heroes]

Vix was watching as the boy scout, how Annabelle nicknamed him, was giving out orders on how to handle the situation. She studied how the other people followed his lead. The rocket soon flying out the room and with that out the picture of who ever was streaming it. She listened to the inhuman words, adding a few new observation to the file about her. She wanted action, to be a hero.
Vix wasnt sure if she wanted action. She came here to fix herself. Once fixed she could be a hero... Does she want that? Even if she was build for it, she was build to be a daughter as well... if she was not efficient enough if she couldnt get fixed. Couldnt learn to control her powers...Than what? Not be a hero? She didnt share any of her thinking process. Instead she pushed it far away behind the more logical parts of herself.

"I get what you mean." Vix commented about the settle in part. In truth that was one of the phrases that she didnt understood. It was simpler to confirm then question it. It was simple strange, and it reminded her of bird behaviour of making nest. A fresh clip played from how the rocket exploded outside. It didnt look like anyone got anything more serious.

She blinked and the projection stopped, her eyes returning to their normal brown color. It was hard to pick the next sentence for Vix.
"Having a preference is a good assistance to find the one. For the record, bad guys/girl and rule breakers in general are known to have a specific appeal. I myself have not decided what are mine preferences yet." Vix stretched her arms, shifting her position slightly.
"But for today I am more interested in who will be our teachers."

[SuddenSardines]

Mark continued pulling back as hard as he could. Until someone else gave him a hand, he was the only thing keeping this thing from slamming into someone. Suddenly, he saw black tendrils shoot out of another student's fingers. "Thank you!" He called out. Now that he had help, he didn't have to pull back as hard, and could start to work out a plan. But before he could get much of an idea, a sudden thud into the rocket jerked him around for a moment. When he looked back at it, he saw Charlotte suddenly riding the rocket with about half of her armor on. If his eyes hadn't been replaced with the red optic sensor in the center of his "helmet", Mark would have blinked a few times in surprise.

When James started calling out a strategy, Mark was surprised. Not that James was taking charge, but that he actually knew his name. Still at least somebody had a plan. He slowly positioned himself with Nao so that the rocket would go flying out the door towards James. Mark looked at Charlotte, and simply said, "Good luck. Don't let go." With that, he released his whips, allowing the rocket to take off. The moment the doorway was clear, he flew out through it. As he flew, he felt a strange scratching sensation at his wrists, as his whips retracted.

Mark arrived outside just in time to see the shrapnel start to rain. "Euclid, give me targeting solutions," he called out. As he saw little reticles focus around the larger debris, his right arm shifted into his pulse canon. The liquid metal twisted his arm into a cylindrical looking gun with glowing energy contained in little orbs. He managed to take out about 5 larger metal shards before they began to impact the ground. Euclid's armor naturally protected him against those that did hit him.

Mark softly landed, and Euclid drained away from his body, returning to its inactive state. "Everyone alright? That wasn't really day one material. Where did that even come from?"

[Psyga315]

As James disposed of the rocket, Ben simply let go of the web. He shot off a glob of web towards one of the shrapnel, clinging it tightly to the wall right near a security officer. Ben knew of James Rogers, though just in the sense that he's a top ranking student.

Thankfully, Ben was wearing the mask. He seemed a lot more confident with it on. Perhaps he could pass himself off as some sort of super hero. Well, he was, but towards his fellow classmates... Well, he can be better than just Ben. He went over to Mark to answer his question.

"Hmm... Probably some prankster who thought it'd be funny to launch a rocket into class." He went over to one of the debris made and picked it up. "Low grade rockets, as the damage can show us. If this was some sort of legit attack, it'd be bigger, dontcha think?"