[IC] The Big Bang

[DrewVonAwesome]

“Man I mean... I guess I'm in but... you realize this is insane right?”

“Yeah but are you trying to insinuate the situation itself isn't? Two days ago people weren't scared of a flying mutant creatures, people our ages weren't just walking into and out of banks with handfuls of cash as they walked through every wall. We're in the middle of insane right now, practically the epicenter of insanity.”

“Yeah but look at this man, I look... well I mean its not so bad. Really doesn't leave a lot to the imagination though.”

“Well with your powers it needed to be a bit clingy. Besides you look fine, like a regular...”

“Superhero?”

“Yeah.”

“Man I still don't know. I'm not a superhero, I'm an idiot who plays soccer and hits on anything with boobs. You're putting a lot of faith into me knowing what the hell I'm doing.”

“Tyler listen to me, I've seen the way the others on the team look at you. They look up at you so hard it cranes their necks. I know you can do this. Plus with your powers you really think you're going to get hard that badly?”

“Yes.”

“With your powers? Really?”

“Man when I woke up this morning I was all inflated like a balloon, I don't even want to think about what I'm suppose to do like this. Its a miracle I can even control it in the first place.”

“Just relax Tyler. I have a list of some of the others. Lets just get their attention and after school tomorrow we can start really getting going on this.”

“Just give me some assurance you know what you're doing...”

“Oh you don't even know the fifth of it my bouncy friend. If my theories are right, this might go much deeper than anyone thought.”

“Please never call me 'bouncy' again...”

~One week after the big bang~

A guy on 12th street downtown nearly set the entire block engulfed in flames, cackling like an insane person.

Stores have been getting robbed by someone who can simply walk through any wall, safe, or other solid object.

Strange monster like figures have been reported as showing up at night. With people missing on a count of them.

Really, it was all thanks to one hell of a party.

Tyler Smith was one of the unlucky teenagers who was at that party. Sure considering what his seen on the news as what had happened with some of the other people. He got out of it lucky becoming simply some crazy rubber man. Still it complicated what was a lot of sure things in his life. Thankfully soccer season was over already. But what was he going to do about it next year? It was just one of a million thoughts swarming through his head. As he kept his locker door open. Staring inside at the lone science textbook and sacked lunch from a week ago he should be throwing out by now. He quietly just stared as finally a nearby locker getting slammed closed snapped him out of it. With a quick startled leap back Tyler glanced around before closing his own locker.

Sighing to himself Tyler started to chemistry class as he spotted a familiar figure down the hall, giving him a nod before continuing on. He barely knew the guy before all this but now the two have been talking about what was for all basic purposes crazy talk. Still given all the things that the self proclaimed 'Apollo' has done already Tyler knew that even with what was happening, and what was going to happen. He might just be over thinking everything.

Apollo smiled at Tyler's nod, only to quietly glance down at the smart phone he had in his hand. Its message and the people he was sending it too all set up and finished with a simple push on the screen.

For our lives now, for everyone we know and love, its us versus them.

I don't know who exactly is the 'them' of that line, but we have something deeper here.

That explosion, the party itself, there's no coincidence here. We were set up from the start to be exposed to whatever that stuff was.

They've been at it for some time now, slowly picking up some of the other people who were there that night. Some willingly joining them, most probably not though.

They're the others too, the ones who mutated their minds are gone, twisted into some kind of monster beyond all human form. Or using their powers for greed, or just plain chaos.

I made sure you're the only person I want seeing this message, its encrypted, and will be completely wiped from existence as soon as I find out you read it. They might think of you as a menace now, some kind of threat, but I know you have it in you to do something about all this, the right thing to do. As for who I am? Just call me Apollo for now. Trust me, I might be the only 'friend' you have anymore.

As soon as I hear back from you, meet me at the janitor's closet in the west hall after school. Once you're there, we can get this show on the road.

He pulled up another message, this time for Tyler.

Just sent out the message to the others, meet up same place as before. Bring and change into the costume before hand.

Apollo had the massage be attached with the school's records on each of the seven others. A little something he whipped up via less than legal means the night before. There was a brief moment of hesitation in considering if everything was going to work like he had calculated it would. Then again, after this week, no point in second guessing anything anymore.

*Click*

The message was sent to Tyler, now the fun starts.

[WildCobra]

It was the night of Friday the weekend just starting and Blake was on his computer, listening to his online friends playfully argue with each other over petty things, while Blake himself was running around as his orc character killing squirrels with his high level bow, Blake was completely bored out of his mind. He shut down the game and told them he was getting off. After shut off his dual-screen monitors and computer he push open his two-way phone seeing the the time only read 10:02 pm, he let out a groan of absolute boredom.

'This is suppose to be the most amazing year of my life, yet I'm doing the same things I've always done...' he thought.

He swiveled his chair around now facing his bedroom door. He looked around the room taking in the few posters he had hanging or taped to the room walls with a medium sized shelf stacked half with comic books and the rest of the space filled in with cases of various video games. He wanted to try something new, not cooped up in his home playing computer games with his buddies online, not taking time to discover and read up on the studies of mythological lore, he wanted to actually do something different this time, something exciting. Since it was just the pinnacle high of the night sky he contemplated on whether or not he should see should go out to the party that was being talked about so highly of, but the downside to this event, he wasn't invited.

It's not that he didn't have any friends to talk or to hang out with while he grew up, it's just that he either wasn't invited to social gatherings or he never really paid them any attention, Blake was more of the kind of guy who was awkward but still cool kind of person. Whenever he did go to any events, other than that of live role playing, he would just stand around looking at everyone chatting with each other or dancing to the music around him. Blake wanted to change that, to be more, to live out the lifestyle of a stereotypical high school kid for one night as seen in movies and TV shows, Blake was going out and was going to party!

~An hour later~

He managed to get past his parents by telling them he was out to stay the night at a friends place. He walked a few blocks down his neighborhood then managed to call in a cab using his phone and after a seemingly lengthy trip, he arrived at the place were it would happen, and boy was the place going. The bass of the music could be heard before he even saw the building, there were people outside the place dancing like the music was controlling them as they were jumping and flailing about. in a rhythmic style. As he started to step out the driver halted him, wanting his cab fair of $20.00, but he had forgotten his wallet, lost in his mindset of doing something other then his usual days. He stared stammering with his words, while trying to explain himself as to why he couldn't pay the fair. The driver threatened to call the police, but Blake was suddenly grabbed by someone, yanking him out of the cab then rushed towards the warehouse.

He was basically dragged by the person wearing a white bucket hat with a neon pink glow stick necklace. The hat had kept their hair hidden, so he couldn't tell if they were a boy or a girl from the back especially since the lights in the warehouse were flashing on and off in different hues of color. When he couldn't hear the yelling of the cab driver, drowned out by the music playing, they stopped among the hugely crowded place to witness the huge wave of people moving to the beat of the music and now that he was actually inside the place, he moved up closer behind the person that brought him inside. "Can I have my arm back now?!" he had to half shout. The person let go of his arm and then walked into the crowd without even looking back towards him. "Hey, wait!" Blake shouted as he tried to reach for them, but his voice was drowned out and they had meshed in with massive crowd. Now Blake standing still as everyone partied on, but he knew that if he didn't join in as well he'd be left behind in the dust, so he just started doing what everyone else was doing as well, he started to party as if it were his first and last party ever. As Blake himself danced with himself and with some of the girls for a good while, his phone vibrated inside his pocket. He stopped to check and see who it was, and it was a text from his mother.

Hope you made it there alright and having a good time with your friend, just wanted to check-in and say goodnight. - Mom

Blake was never really one to lie to his mother, since he never got into a whole bunch of trouble, but this was a huge one to make and one he was willing to risk for one night of fun.


Don't worry, I'm having the time of my life! - Blake

He before closing his phone, he checked the time, it was 12:15 am, he still had time until he had to leave to actually go to his friend's house he just hoped that he was still up when he got over to the place. As he closed his phone the power inside the place suddenly died out, the music stopped and everyone was booing and moaning. Then everything hit the fan, this happened a little over a week ago...

"Please don't see me, please don't see me!" Blake was running late for his history class, the first one of the day. He tried to sneak in through the window while his teacher had their back turned focused on writing the lesson on the board, it would've worked if it wasn't for his pant leg getting caught up in the window seal resulting in him tripping inside and hitting a desk on the way down in. Everyone was trying to keep their laughs held in as he landed on the floor. He didn't even bother moving, he knew it was inevitable that he was caught, but just a small sliver of hope was still in him. Hope that he woul-

"Mr. Blake Smith, I believe that is a week worth of after school detention with me, don't you think??" his teacher Mrs. Johnson said without even having to turn around or stop writing the lesson on the white board.

"Damn It!" He said aloud, but then he realized what he just said himself, but more so where he was. He remained on the ground as the high heel clicks on the floor came closer until the were standing just a few feet away from him. "You can add an extra hour to each day for that as well."

'I wish that things were back to normal. . .' he thought to himself as he stood up and walked over to his seat in the back row and slunked his head down onto his desk, feeling completely flushed and humiliated.

"Alright everyone, get out your notes and we'll continue from where we started, which would be... Europe: Russian history and culture." Mrs. Johnson said to her class.

As much as Blake, liked history and was a wiz at it, he didn't feel like wanting to have anything to do with it, he wanted to discover more of his new fond powers he obtained after he got bit too excited when he was at another event. He started to reminisce on the memory of what took place a few days a go when he was suppose to fight off the opposing army of 150 people to his small army of 40, he managed to take down 126 of them alone. He was able to see their movements as if they were in slow motion, but he moved quicker then any of them, and people were taken aback but his sudden yet speedy take downs on each opponent.

"Blake!" He snapped back into reality and looked at his teacher who shouted his name and was now staring at him like a hawk. "Who was the leader of the Soviet Union until his death in 1953?" Blake didn't need to look at his notes to answer a child's play question.

"Joseph Stalin."

She sighed, "Yes, but you need to stop drooling back there and pay attention." She turned back to the white board, going back to teaching the class. He started to pay attention himself, not wanting to get into anymore trouble, but then his phone vibrated. He looked towards his teacher to make sure that she was still turned around and pulled out his phone to see that he had a text message, but it wasn't from anyone he knew.


'Probably just more spam for car insurance' he thought to himself, but once he opened the message it wasn't at all what he was expecting.


For our lives now, for everyone we know and love, its us versus them.

I don't know who exactly is the 'them' of that line, but we have something deeper here.

That explosion, the party itself, there's no coincidence here. We were set up from the start to be exposed to whatever that stuff was.

They've been at it for some time now, slowly picking up some of the other people who were there that night. Some willingly joining them, most probably not though.

They're the others too, the ones who mutated their minds are gone, twisted into some kind of monster beyond all human form. Or using their powers for greed, or just plain chaos.

I made sure you're the only person I want seeing this message, its encrypted, and will be completely wiped from existence as soon as I find out you read it. They might think of you as a menace now, some kind of threat, but I know you have it in you to do something about all this, the right thing to do. As for who I am? Just call me Apollo for now. Trust me, I might be the only 'friend' you have anymore.

As soon as I hear back from you, meet me at the janitor's closet in the west hall after school. Once you're there, we can get this show on the road.

"What the fuc-"

"Mr. Blake... Why don't you come on up here and teach the class?"

'... I just can't catch a break' he said to himself.

"Yes Mrs. Johnson." he said as he reluctantly stood up and made his way to the board.

'This damn "Apollo" dude better be worth my time, otherwise we are going to have a problem.' he thought again to himself, determined on finding out who just landed him his teacher's job for the rest of the class period.

[Asuna Yuuki]

Friday Evening, 10pm, One Week Ago

Elissa shouted a goodbye over her shoulder to her parents as she exited the house. She had told them that she was going to a friends house. She smiled as she got into the taxi waiting for her, and they began to drive towards the warehouse her friend had given her the address of. Elissa had been told that this was to be the party of the year, and she was definitely excited to have been invited. Arriving at the location, she could already feel the bass through the leather seats of the car. The driver turned to smile at her. "Big party, huh? You sure don't seem the partying type." Elissa merely smiled; she got that comment way too often to be offended by it. "I'm more than fine." She handed the driver a twenty, telling him to keep the change, and stepped out of the taxi.

As it drove away, she walked into the warehouse. Almost instantly she was surrounded by dancing people and loud music. She loved the anonymosity of parties like this, all you needed to do was dance. There was no way to sit at the sidelines, no matter who you were during the daytime, everyone was included. Her thoughts were broken as the lights and the music turned off. People cried out and groaned, and Elissa could hear someone fumbling with the power switches. She sighed. This didn't usually happen, but when it did, it usually took a while for the half drunk DJ to fix it up.

However, the lights turned back on and the music started up almost instantly, and she laughed, glad to not have her night ruined by a simple electricity muck up. She continued to dance, not realising that her and everyone elses lives had just changed completely...

Thursday, 9am, Present Day

Elissa took a drink from her water bottle, careful not to accidentally make the water float into the air like last time. Her powers had been out of control for a few days, and even now she occasionally slipped up and did something weird. Just the other day she barbecued the sausages... before she had put them on the griller. It took a lot of explaining about why the sausages were already cooked when she brought them out to her dad. She sighed and walked into class, sitting down.

Emily passed her a note. Sick party on Friday? Wish I could have gone. :( Elissa smiled at her friend. Trust me, you’re lucky you didn’t. Emily looked at her quizzically. She mouthed, ‘Power Outage’. Em nodded, pulling a face. “That sucks,” she whispered. Elissa sighed. If only she knew how much it did suck.

About halfway through the class, once the work had been set and the teacher was dozing at her desk, Elissa took out her phone, planning to text another friend from a different class. She noticed she had a new message from someone she didn't know.

For our lives now, for everyone we know and love, its us versus them.

I don't know who exactly is the 'them' of that line, but we have something deeper here.

That explosion, the party itself, there's no coincidence here. We were set up from the start to be exposed to whatever that stuff was.

They've been at it for some time now, slowly picking up some of the other people who were there that night. Some willingly joining them, most probably not though.

They're the others too, the ones who mutated their minds are gone, twisted into some kind of monster beyond all human form. Or using their powers for greed, or just plain chaos.

I made sure you're the only person I want seeing this message, its encrypted, and will be completely wiped from existence as soon as I find out you read it. They might think of you as a menace now, some kind of threat, but I know you have it in you to do something about all this, the right thing to do. As for who I am? Just call me Apollo for now. Trust me, I might be the only 'friend' you have anymore.

As soon as I hear back from you, meet me at the janitor's closet in the west hall after school. Once you're there, we can get this show on the road.

How did they know? Elissa thought, confused. And who the hell is this 'Apollo?' She pondered over the message, wondering what it could mean, and whether she should follow the instructions. I will. This guy obviously knows something about the weird powers I have. Maybe he can help me out. She smiled, then frowned as her phone started to try to fly into the air.

[Gooblefly]

For the fourth time in the space of twenty minutes, Alice's phone began to jingle from within her pocket. Once again, the caller ID read 'Witheld' and when she swiped to read the message she was met with the same cryptic bullshit that she had read the last four times.

For our lives now, for everyone we know and love, its us versus them.

I don't know who exactly is the 'them' of that line, but we have something deeper here.

That explosion, the party itself, there's no coincidence here. We were set up from the start to be exposed to whatever that stuff was.

They've been at it for some time now, slowly picking up some of the other people who were there that night. Some willingly joining them, most probably not though.

They're the others too, the ones who mutated their minds are gone, twisted into some kind of monster beyond all human form. Or using their powers for greed, or just plain chaos.

I made sure you're the only person I want seeing this message, its encrypted, and will be completely wiped from existence as soon as I find out you read it. They might think of you as a menace now, some kind of threat, but I know you have it in you to do something about all this, the right thing to do. As for who I am? Just call me Apollo for now. Trust me, I might be the only 'friend' you have anymore.

As soon as I hear back from you, meet me at the janitor's closet in the west hall after school. Once you're there, we can get this show on the road.

With a sigh, she deleted the message again. Whoever was behind this crap, obviously didn't know what a joke was. It was probably some asshole who figured out that Alice was at the party on Friday and was trying to screw with her mind. Hell, Alice wasn't even at that so-called party for too long, she appeared to drop off something for her younger sister, decided to stay for a singular drink and then all that crap with the gas happened? Luckily her sister had dashed off into the woods to make out with some drunken guy she had just met so she hadn't been caught in all of the drama and even luckily she didn't... Well, get caught in the aftermath.

Alice glanced at her phone and then at her wrists. She was sitting out in the sunshine on a patch of grass around the back of the school, technically she was supposed to be at a meeting with on of the student councilors but she really couldn't be bothered with that today. When she had walked into school this week, one of the teachers noticed the scars on her wrist and assumed that Alice was self harming, told her to book in with the councilor. Alice didn't protest, knowing that a trip to the councilor was really easy to skip and gave her an easy way out of class. There was nothing that a fat man in a suit, peering at her through glasses perched on the end of his sweaty nose, could tell her about herself that she didn't already know, or couldn't figure out herself.
"Apply yourself more Alison." They would say "Stop with all this... This." They would gesture to her hair, the ripped tights she wore, the packet of cigarettes dangling out her bag. They would remind her that she wasn't what they considered a 'success'

Alice's phone jingled for the fifth time in twenty-five minutes.

For our lives now, for everyone we know and love, its us versus them.

She didn't need to read any more, she picked up her phone and replied to the message Fuck off already, I'll be there. Scout's honor. before tossing the phone to the ground huffed to herself. She hated annoying people and if it took her playing along with the prank then she would go along with the stupid prank. In the meantime, she turned to the brick wall behind her and pushed her cigarette up close to it. She let a little smile play on her lips as she held her fingertip close to the wall, lining it up with the cigarette she held between her teeth. She fired a shot from her fingertips, the little bone bullet flicked off the wall, causing enough of a spark to light her cigarette. She grinned manically, as if she had just preformed the singular most spectacular feat ever seen, filling her lungs with smoke as she did so. Today was going to be another awful day, she could feel it. At least she had her bone-thing. That made her feel strong, happy...

[Citali]

Anika glanced at the clock. 2:34 PM. And then listlessly went back to laying in bed and staring at the thin gold bracelet that adorned her wrist. It looked foreign dangling in front of her considering it was her sister's. Sarah loved that bracelet but let Anika borrow it that night, insisting that it went perfectly with her party outfit, and she never seemed to remember to take it off, or perhaps it was more the fact that Anika wanted that visual reminder of the night her life changed in more ways than one- Her sister is probably dead, her parents think she is crazy and the biggest change of all- her new found powers. A knock resounded, breaking her out of her thoughts, and then her mom's voice.

“Anika, the police are here. They want to talk to you.”

The girl rolled over on her bed. “Tell them to go away. I've already talked to them.” There was a pause and then shuffling from outside the door before her mom cleared her throat.

“You know you can't keep moping around like this...It's...It's hard for all of us.” Anika sighed and rolled over on her bed to sit up on the edge of it.

“Mom, I just...you know, what happened last time...my...condition.” Yeah, the last time she talked to the police, they didn't even finish the questioning. It was the day after the party and Anika had seen things that she only thought existed in movies. She was running out of the warehouse along with the crowd but amidst the screams, there were growls and silhouettes of strange creatures. Some people were staring at their hands in disgust, others grasped at their faces, she thought she saw someone running around their entire body made of ice. She told the police what she remembered and in the process of recalling events, one of the detective screamed “Keep it away!” pointing to an empty space on the ground with a trembling hand. Alarmed, Anika, her parents and the other detectives looked around but saw nothing. Still the terrified man kept pointing at the ground. He even went as far as jumping on top of the coffee table and reached for his holstered gun, but his partner grabbed it before he did and had to escort the confused man out of the house. That's when Anika told her parents about her abilities and that's the first time she really saw fear in her parent's eyes. Since then she thought it was best she stayed away from people, including her parents.

Anika looked up at the door separating her and her mother. Judging from the silence, her mother agreed. Anika heard a sigh and then “We'll figure it out, honey. I'm sure the therapist will be able to help...I'll just tell the detectives you're not feeling well.”

“Thanks, mom.”

The girl rolled back into bed listening to the retreated footsteps of her mother and muffled conversation before her phone went off alerting her of a text. She reached for it thinking of another excuse to tell her concerned classmates about why she's missed school for almost a week, but the message made her stop thinking all together The girl frowned and re-read the message again. Mid-way through reading it a fifth time, Anika jumped out of bed almost dropping her phone, but she held onto it and glanced at the time. 2:50 PM. School was almost out, that means she had only a few minutes before finding this Apollo guy and getting some answers. The girl glanced at herself in the mirror, making sure she was somewhat presentable, before grabbing her purse and car keys. Her thoughts raced as she sped out of the house, past her confused mother and surprised police.

“It's us versus them...we have something deeper here..there's no coincidence...I might be the only “friend” you have any more...”

“Friend or not, you better have some damn answers, Apollo,” Anika muttered under her breath as she peeled out of her driveway and drove to school.

[twave]

The last week has been quite a rollercoaster. Caroline was always a busybody anyway but there was no amount of experience that could have prepared her for what had happened to her. Recalling where this all started it was innocent enough. A large amount of the student body had been invited to a party on Friday night. It wasn't one that she or any other of the council had arranged. But it was close enough an she had told her parents that she was going to a party that the students were holding. Her parents being out often she had been able to get a license at 16. Driving herself the location seemed somewhat odd, but without knowing who arranged it it may just be a place that was easy to get.

At face value the party was actually well put together. In between dancing and talking with people, much to the contrary of how she was often perceived, she asked around trying to find out who put this together. not really getting anywhere with the search the power went out. Perhaps they tripped a breaker or something with all the equipment. Whatever the problem it was fixed in short order and people picked up where they left off. At least until the gas started to get around the room. Some left while others stuck around until the authorities came to break up the party. It wasn't until later that she heard the excuse, something about structural problems. Knowing what she does now it sounded like a diversion. Digression aside while the mass of high school students were getting herded out things went to hell. Students started mutating, some attacked the others there. The shock of the scene was scared out of the teen when one of the things looked at her. Done with the situation Caroline ran to her car and was gone before talking with anyone.

That could have been the end of it. Brushed under the rug and pretend like it never happened. Fate was not so merciful for the blond was, like many there, exposed to the strange mutagenic gas. By the next morning she passed up going out for breakfast with her folks, feeling under the weather. While they were away Caroline stumbled about trying to her to her phone. Something was very wrong with her but she never made it before feeling like she was being pulled apart. Blurred vision threw her off and when her head cleared she glanced around and saw herself. An attempt to push the double away produced a bright light that the other blocked with a shadow barrier when she winced expecting harm.

Being in two places at once was confusing to be sure. Those first moments they reacted very much the same, practically mirroring each other. It didn't take long for some individuality to set in though. Not wanting to freak anyone else out they decided to keep one of them hidden for now, taking turns being Caroline. For the sake of their sanity they selected Carolyn as the other's name. When school came around one went to do the usual routine while the other stayed at home. That evening they found that their experiences were shared. This revelation was actually quite significant as it meant the mountain of work that needed to be done could be wiped out twice as fast.

Of course they couldn't hide from her parents forever. Odd to think of one's self as a "they." Mom and dad helped a lot when officers showed up to ask questions, keeping her secret. Despite the bizarre circumstances they were surprisingly accepting of the fact that they now had twins. How they managed to deal with that the girls could only chalk up to love. Even though her life had been turned upside down as the week went on the two seemed to find a decent system. How long the ruse could be kept up was hard to say and when they received a text they thought the gig was up already. Now they needed to find out who this Apollo person was and what they knew. Texting back "I'll be there." Carolyn contacted her double to get there early before they got out of class. Staying out of sight Caroline made it to the closet in advance and waited for Apollo.

[knighthawk]

*Beep-boop, Beeb-poop, Beb-epoop B-beep-oop, boop-Beep...*
He had fallen asleep to the monitors out of sync. He had always thought his parents beat in time, but apparently dual-coma resting systolic says otherwise. He had barely managed to pull their beds together using an air hose, something weak enough to snap, and slept under their beds after eating the dinners waiting for them if they woke up.
*Beep-boop, Beeb-poop, Beb-epoop B-beep-oop, boop-Beep...*
Sleep was the wrong word, meditation, he couldn't risk tossing and turning in his sleep. Not after what he did to the RV, sheet metal was like cardboard in his hands now, he could jump over cars like they were toys and survive a fall from at least a warehouse roof but he still felt heat and cold and pain. He couldn't run fast cause of his leg strength, only jump like an animal.
*Beep-boop, Beeb-poop, Beb-epoop B-beep-oop, boop-Beep...*
He used the jumping to keep away from the cops who keep looking for him, probably to lock him up in an foster home. He spent nights between his parents room and the RV, it was paid up for the rest of the month but he took everything of value and locked it up in a bus locker or two so he could pawn it off a bit at a time. One guy tried mugging him for the money, they went through a brick-wall.
*Beep-boop, Beeb-poop, Beb-epoop B-beep-oop, boop-Beep...vvt-vvt-vvt*
His phone went off on vibrate and he was thankful that it was damn indestructible for him to handle it. It could call, chirp and text, that was it, but that was all it had to do to get a message:
For our lives now, for everyone we know and love, its us versus them.I don't know who exactly is the 'them' of that line, but we have something deeper here.That explosion, the party itself, there's no coincidence here. We were set up from the start to be exposed to whatever that stuff was. They've been at it for some time now, slowly picking up some of the other people who were there that night. Some willingly joining them, most probably not though. They're the others too, the ones who mutated their minds are gone, twisted into some kind of monster beyond all human form. Or using their powers for greed, or just plain chaos. I made sure you're the only person I want seeing this message, its encrypted, and will be completely wiped from existence as soon as I find out you read it. They might think of you as a menace now, some kind of threat, but I know you have it in you to do something about all this, the right thing to do. As for who I am? Just call me Apollo for now. Trust me, I might be the only 'friend' you have anymore. As soon as I hear back from you, meet me at the janitor's closet in the west hall after school at the place you go to during the day. Once you're there, we can get this show on the road.
Crappy phone made it all one message, it took some time to separate it all apart using a chopstick to navigate the phone. Looking at the phones clock, he could make it soon enough. Throwing on a ski jacket that hid his features, he made his way to the school in time for the final bell.

[Predacon]

Sammy gripped the scissors tightly. He was having a hard time dealing with his hair. It wasn’t only super long, but now seemed to have super durability since the incident. Sammy was getting frustrated so he threw down the scissors. His powers were out of control. His hair would grow super fast on its own. It would change its colour at random. And it would move around like an appendage, picking up anything, which it was doing right now Sammy noticed. His hair had wrapped around the scissors, gently swinging them around. Sammy grabbed the scissors from his hair and sighed. Not much he could do now, besides cut his wild hair. As he resumed cutting, his phone buzzed. He put down the scissors and picked up his phone. It was a message from a his buddy, Johnny.

Dude I heard stuff about that party. Weird stuff. If you want to talk about it I’ll be at the rec centre after school.

Johnny was a cool guy but Sammy wasn’t sure he could confide in him about the aforementioned weird stuff such as his newfound superpower of super unruly hair. So Sammy set down the phone. But before he could get back to cutting his hair his phone buzzed again. This time a message from a private number.

For our lives now, for everyone we know and love, its us versus them.

I don't know who exactly is the 'them' of that line, but we have something deeper here.

That explosion, the party itself, there's no coincidence here. We were set up from the start to be exposed to whatever that stuff was.

They've been at it for some time now, slowly picking up some of the other people who were there that night. Some willingly joining them, most probably not though.

They're the others too, the ones who mutated their minds are gone, twisted into some kind of monster beyond all human form. Or using their powers for greed, or just plain chaos.

I made sure you're the only person I want seeing this message, its encrypted, and will be completely wiped from existence as soon as I find out you read it. They might think of you as a menace now, some kind of threat, but I know you have it in you to do something about all this, the right thing to do. As for who I am? Just call me Apollo for now. Trust me, I might be the only 'friend' you have anymore.

As soon as I hear back from you, meet me at the janitor's closet in the west hall after school. Once you're there, we can get this show on the road.

Sammy was freaked out. This Apollo knew who he was, his number, and his newfound secret. He could expose it. Sammy knew his mother would freak out and think he was demon possessed or something if she found out. But Sammy knew he should play along to find out Apollo’s intent. And maybe, just maybe, he would have answers. Either way Sammy would need to head back to school, his lunch break was almost over now but Sammy could make it in time, his house was a five minute walk from the school.

Sammy quickly finished trimming his hair as well as could be done with little time, figuring he could hide the rest in a hood. He then stared at the mirror. His hair was coloured green and white currently. Figuring now was a good time as any to try and practise with his power, Sammy began to focus. After twenty seconds of focusing hard he began to see his hair change back to his natural dark brown. Once it had changed completely he left the washroom. As he went down the stairs Sammy saw his mother watching some daytime TV. He hoped she wouldn’t turn and notice his slightly longer hair. But luckily for him whatever she was watching had engrossed her. Sammy quietly made his way down to the main floor and then to the door. He quickly said goodbye to his mom, who responded quickly, clearly not wanting to miss her show. As he got onto his house’s front steps, Sammy remembered to reply to Johnny.

Sorry man, I’ve got plans for after school. Maybe we can hang at the mall or somewhere tomorrow?

As he was texting the phone was taken out of his hands by his hair. Sammy sighed again. Hopefully this Apollo guy knew how to control these powers.

[WildCobra]

~RRRIIINNNGGGG!~RRRIIINNNGGGG!~

'Alright then, guess it's time.' The final bell rang throughout the school building. Soon the halls flooded with students eagerly making their way out and to the comfort of their homes, some on their way to after-school jobs. Others, off to procrastinate in other means. While everyone rushed out, Blake stayed behind in his trigonometry class a few more minutes longer, pretending to be stuck on his assigned worksheet. After waiting the patiently for the halls to become near silent he grabbed his already packed bag and was out the door as he slapped his paper on the teachers desk with it being completely finished.

Making his way down from east hall to west hall without the flow of students in it would've been a cinch to get to in less then a minute or two, but there was one problem with that... Mrs. Johnson. She sat there in a desk at the end of the east hall double-doors, most likely waiting for him to come to detention, she stood between him and his exit down east hall.

'Aaannnddd of course she would... He laid against the the sides of a row of lockers. He thought about going around through the other end of east hall, but the door to east hall was usually locked due to certain activities by other students, but it was mainly a spot to where the students could go do and say whatever they please without watchful eyes and ears keeping tabs on them, that or the outside garden, but he didn't need to think about that, his main priority: West Hall, Janitors Closest.

The was one way he was going to get by her quickly... he needed to use his abilities. So with a plan in action, one that he hoped not to use as his main fallback plan, he started to feel a rush waft over him. His eyes soon dilated and his vision began to focus with a wider range as his body felt pumped, getting the feel of adrenaline coursing throughout him. He felt faster and stronger.

'Okay, okay! Let's do this! Lets go!' He got off the side of the locker, then started to bolt down the hall. It took only six seconds for him of get through the hall, past Mr. Johnson and into west hall, but not without a gust of wind blowing past his teacher, riffling her hair as well as letting out a small squeal in surprise by the sudden gust of air. He moved as a near blur through the school halls.

'Yes, yes, yes! Now who's waiting on who! Hahaha-' *BANG!* While fuel pumped with adrenaline, Blake was looking back and gloating on about his small victory over his teacher, this had been a mistake on his side as he didn't pay full attention to where he was going as he ran head-first into a door... The janitor's closet door...

He fell backwards onto the ground, grabbing at his aching head. 'Ah, my damn head!' He sat up cradling his now throbbing head and looked up to what he had ran into. 'Well what do you know, I here.'

[DrewVonAwesome]

Caroline

Caroline walked around the closet and looked around. There wasn't much that was out of the ordinary there. For a moment she wondered if someone was just playing a trick on her. It was then that she noticed a rather nice looking computer. It didn't look like one of the school's. Heaven knows a janitor wouldn't get a nice box like that through the public school system. She tried to see if she could get in but it was password protected. No big surprise there.

With a sigh she took a spot in the back and leaned against the wall to wait. Her eyelids were a bit heavy. Since usually only one of them needed to go to school the other would stay up late and study or do homework. Fun it was not, but it did make crushing those tests that much easier. It would be a bit before people would be let out of class so she figured no one would be showing up for a while. Sliding down to the ground she closed her eyes and dozed off a bit.

Tyler

“Man why did I agree to this?”

Tyler quietly sighed from the question he himself both asked and couldn't answer. Looking around as the bell was just about to ring for the last time today to make sure the coast was clear before slipping into the janitor's closet. He usually had study hall around this period so he'd use it to either catch up on homework or if things worked out well enough just head home early. So he thankfully had the ability to go into the closet early and be ready for this all so important first meeting of fellow big bang victims.

The Big Bang, that's what the event has become known as ever since the faithful night. It got the nickname because a pastor said it was the beginning of the end of the world, as scientists used the term for the beginning of life, he was going to use it for the beginning of the end. The media outlets rolled with it not because they believed him (Well... depends on the outlet really) but it did sound catchy. Either way Tyler hasn't been the same since.

Sure he's tried to keep a straight face, and stay on his usual antics. Its not the same though, his worried now every time he so much as rubs up against someone. Or meeting someone but trying to avoid shaking hands. So many different little things that all add up to him being slightly changed to people who knew him. Much more avoiding, tends to keep to himself too much. Tyler knew he needed to stop all that before people got too suspicious. But at the same time he couldn't help himself. Before this Apollo guy, no one knew about his rubbery-ness except himself.

Sure admittedly he actually likes his new powers. Silly? Sure, but when you can sit in bed and play video games while also scoping the fridge for drinks and snacks. You don't put a price on that kind of goodness. It has helped neither of his parents get home until usually fairly late. Still his been trying to stay away from them like the plague. The morning after was a bit different, finding himself a large noodle mass of limbs, torso, and a head on a long neck. He quickly had to stuff all of it under his bed mattress and using his knowledge of lying was able to get his mom to fall for him being sick. It was a trick he had used in the past to more or less just not go when he didn't feel like it. He was very happy to have it to use that time though... though wither it spoke well about his mom or badly about him he still isn't quite sure.

Quietly Tyler came up to the frankly amazing computer system that Apollo had installed himself in this closet. It was picked because it was just never used. The one for the south hall is so close by the janitors just never use this one. So outside of occasional bad kids sneaking in here for a smoke break, or the mid-school nookie, it barely saw any use.

None of that mattered though, because now came a moment Tyler wasn't really looking forward too. The suit Apollo and his seamstress of a friend had made for him was pretty amazing. Its from some new compound that's as elastic as he us plus durable enough for anything according to Apollo. However wearing it means he can't wear anything underneath it except for a pair of underwear made out of the same material. The suit itself doesn't feel all that bad, doesn't leave a lot of room though for... certain things. Really adding to the problems... well maybe... is that ever since the incident its not just elastic powers and silver hair Tyler has ended up with. Turns out elastic powers means everything on you is elastic.

Everything.

Stripping down Tyler sighed as he had pulled out the costume from his backpack. Placing it gently on a counter before he began stripped down out of his normal clothes. It wasn't the first time he's changed in school, but this was still weird. Finally he just had to break the tension going on in his own head. “I'm too sexy for my shirt, too sexy for my shirt, so sexy it huuuurrrrrtttttssss...” Tyler began muttering to himself as he was out of his shirt and slipping out of his jeans and underwear. Finally stark naked as he was about ready to put on his elastic underwear.

Caroline

Pretty much asleep she missed Tyler's entrance. The high-school boy was none too quiet and the sound roused Caroline. "Damn, fell asleep." She mumbled to herself while checking the time on her watch. The bell would be ringing soon. Another noise alerted her to the presence of a second person being in the room. Scrambling to her feet she peeked around the objects on some shelving. What met her eyes caused her to freeze for a moment. There was Tyler standing there buck naked, fighting with some brightly colored suit. Flushing at first response she turned away and yelled. "Oh my God! Tyler... What the fu..." She covered her face with her hands and tried to get the picture out of her head. This was not what she signed up for.

Tyler

Tyler in a panic flipped around, his upper half completing the turn before his lower half did. "Oh sh... I didn't realize you were here uh... Hey!" Tyler stammered quickly mentqlly assessing the situation.

'Okay you're standing, butt naked no less, in front of the student counsel lady who is pretty hot. This is so bad! Just relax, take a deep breath , and don't say anything stupid...'

Tyler quickly took a deep breath, composing himself as his chest puffed slightly out like a jaybird. Finally he spoke...

"So... like what you see?"

'Son of a bitch really me?'

"Uh no wait I didn't mean that I just man uh here let me just...". Tyler tried now in a desperate hurry to get the underwear on, only to slip balancing on a lone foot and tumbling over to the floor. "Ah!". Bouncing slightly Tyler finally slipped the underwear up and in. "um... wasn't expecting someone to show up so soon..." Tyler noted with an awkward chuckle.

Caroline

The girl didn't even respond to the question. How stupid do you have to be to ask a question like that? What the hell was he even doing here? Could he be Apollo? But the question got lost in the unwanted sight again. He fell down apparently but she wasn't going to look again. "God dammit Tyler. What are you doing here changing into... gah." Putting her arms around herself she shivered a bit. If word ever got out about this little encounter the rumors would never end.

And then the bell rang. Soon the halls would be filled with kids and whoever was supposed to meet her would be arriving. This was such a bad idea. "Get yourself dressed before we're found in here. I'm not going to be pinned as another of your girls." And then he mentioned someone showing up. Turning back around she was relieved to see that he was at least wearing something. Tyler wasn't a bad looking guy, quite the opposite but the whole... nope not going there. "What do you mean show up? Are you Apollo?"

Tyler

Tyler was about to ask what was so wrong about being 'one of his girls' only thankfully stopped himself from saying something else completely stupid. His conquests are pretty well known, heck he was a naughty kid who used this very closet for non-smoking related matters a time or two. Still Tyler got back to finishing putting on the costume. Pulling and stretching the costume as his body twisted, stretched, and contorted fitting into it. "No trust me I am not Apollo, already met the guy and no trust me, I'm not him..."

Finally besides the part that covered part of his head and eyes he was all dressed. "Alright show's over you can look now..." Tyler joked albeit it clearly as embarrassed about what happened as she was. It was then he realized something. "Wait wait, you were at that party last week? Don't get me wrong it was great up until... Things." Tyler paused suddenly remembering the horrifying ending to it. "You don't strike me as the party type though."

Suddenly a very loud thud hit the door snapping Tyler's attention away from Angelia and towards the entrance. His head spinning 180 degrees on his shoulders before the rest of him caught up. "Well if anyone asks, you came in after I changed.". Tyler remarked back to his seeming new cohort in this messed up story as the door opened to some guy he barely recognized. "Sup?". Tyler asked trying to look as normal as a superhero costumed guy in a janitor's closet can look.

Caroline

Concern crossed her face as she saw him twist and stretch in impossible ways. It then crossed her mind that Tyler was like her, exposed to whatever it was at the party and gaining some weird ability. Assuring Caroline that he wasn't Apollo. Then he mentioned the party and she sighed a bit. "Yes I was there. And why does everyone think I don't go to parties. I like to have fun too you know." Slightly poor choice of words given just a minute ago. Like she would talk to anyone about what she saw. Tension was broken when a loud thud came from the door and Tyler welcomed the newcomer.

[WildCobra]

As he stood back up and opened the door, he was greeted by some other student he has seen around the school before, but when his eyes glanced towards what he had on, Blake couldn't help but force his hand over his mouth to keep his stifling in. Oh. My. God. "You... Your... Pppfffftt, Hahahaha!" Blake went into a histairical fit of laughter. Standing right in front of him was a guy dressed up in some tight suit that looked rather funny to Blake.

"Please, haha, please don't tell me your, Apollo?! I mean, really," he motioned his hand up and down at him gesturing at his 'costume' he presumed "I mean dude, no offense, but if this is some kinda trolling prank, I'm gonna post... this, all over the 'WoW' forums. I promise you they'll eat this up for a month."

Blake wiped away tear of laughter away from his eye "Seriously though, are you Apollo?" Blake said as serious as he could trying to keep his laughter inside of him not even noticing that there was another person in the janitors closet as well.

[DrewVonAwesome]

While this kid was certainly yucking it up at the suit Tyler was wearing. The man who was the target of said laughter was not amused. Folding his arms and suddenly feeling kind of ridiculous in his current get up. Tyler sighed irritated as he pinched at the bridge of his nose. Shaking his head slowly finally Tyler decided he was done taking this guy's chuckles.

Holding up his left arm he reared it back a bit and with a sudden snap launched his hand and arm out, having it slam straight into Blake's groin like a whip not going too fast but enough for it to hurt. "yeah why don't you go tell your wow forum about that... Whatever wow is.". Tyler snapped back at Blake before getting his shirt and pants, putting them back on over the suit. He glanced back at Caroline, giving a shrug. "Seriously is everyone going to assume I'm Apollo?". He asked still sounding irritated at Blake's joy at his expense.

[twave]

Caroline

The encounter at least managed to amuse Caroline until The crotch shot. As to the question she sighed. "Well we are supposed to meet him here so until he shows up you're the only person that fits the bill at the moment. Maybe you should ask what's taking him so long." Smiling slightly she glanced past Blake, no sign of Carolyn yet. But that wasn't too much a surprise. Knowing the position there was always a little something to get taken care of at the end of school.

Carolyn

Speaking of she had her hands full trying to get everything swapped up. Projects demanded a brief council meeting to make sure things were on track. It seemed to take forever, for sure she would be the last to get there. Hopefully her sister was there like they planned.

[WildCobra]

"Yeah why don't you go tell your wow forum about that... Whatever wow is."

Right now Blake wasn't a happy camper, the guy's arm flung out right at him, and hitting him dead on to were no male should ever be hit, but at the same time he was asking for it. Still though Blake was glad that one thing was for sure, someone else had unique abilities like him, but he didn't expect them to be used on him... especially for a purpose like that.
Still... worth it though... Uhhh, this isn't gonna feel good for the rest of the day... The pain! he thought as he groveled in pain for a few moments.

"Still though, maybe using you words would do better," he spoke as if his throat had been dehydrated in the heat for too long. He picked himself off the ground, again, standing up on one knee he slowly rose up back up and took in some deep breaths. Ok... Maybe that wasn't worth it so much.

As he stood back up he noticed that besides him and Tyler in the closet, he aw that there was a girl in the back who looked pretty nice. As he noticed there were now three people in the closest he opened his mouth to crack another joke, given the current situation, but he decied to let it go rather then risk another person targeting the family jewels. Yeah, let's keep it friendly.

"So... I'm Blake... and you guys might be?"