Ezekiel

Absolute Comics Presents - What If? [A DC & Marvel One Universe RP]

T H E F A N T A S T I C F O U R
T H E F A N T A S T I C F O U R

^{"I worry about whose legacy I should be aspiring to follow... in these very dark and trouble times. Or whose I should be running far away from."}

M I S S F A N T A S T I C M I S S F A N T A S T I C _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ T E A M S U M M A R Y T E A M S U M M A R Y _________________________________________________________ Valeria Cynthia Mary Richards, Miss Fantastic, The Smartest Woman Alive, Daughter of Doom Jason Rusch and Ronnie Raymond, Firestorm Benjamin Jacob "Ben" Grimm, The Thing Jaime Reyes, The Blue Beetle _________________________________________________________ The Fantastic Four _________________________________________________________ Multiverse 668 - Prime | Open C H A R A C T E R N O T E S C H A R A C T E R N O T E S _________________________________________________________ [+] - M E M B E R S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ► Miss Fantastic Valeria Richards was never truly born. Conceived in the Negative Zone, the unborn girl began to endanger both her mother and those around her through bursts of cosmic radiation similar to those that had empowered the Fantastic Four years before. Due to the disruptive effects of such radiation, it was impossible to observe the impact on the child herself and so there was hope, despite this, that Susan Storm would be able to carry her to term. This became a dim hope when the manifestations of such power began to destabilize the physical world, eventually pulling both mother and unborn daughter back into the Negative Zone with no trace of where they may have disappeared. Alone, Sue gave birth to what appeared to be a stillborn Valeria, but help would come from the most unexpected of places. While Reed Richards and the other heroes who were able to aid him could not locate his wife, there was one who could. Victor Von Doom, nemesis of Reed and ruler of Latveria, called upon magic rather than science to locate Susan Storm and transport her back to the reality of Earth. Alive but distraught with the loss of her daughter, Susan was willing to accept the aid of Doom with the combined ability of both the supernatural and scientific means Victor had amassed. Doom was successful, able to restore life to the child and limit the energies of both the cosmic force and negative zone that she exuded. Had such power not been consumed in essentially resurrecting her, Valeria may likely have developed a gift akin to that shown by the original four. Instead, it was her mind that was altered, destined to develop early, and to ascend to heights that would outstrip even her father's genius intellect. Victor's actions were far from altruistic, while certainly largely motivated by competitive desire with Reed, during the process Victor saw a new avenue for him to gain an advantage over The Fantastic Four. The child had been flooded with the mystical power of Doom's magic and so was a perfect candidate to become a familiar, allowing Doom to spy on the family through the eyes of Valeria. This advantage, however, would never have a chance to be realised. Only a few years passed before the events of the Baxter Catastrophe would take place. The exact circumstances of the disaster are unknown, simply that in a cascade of power, the Baxter Building, along with much of the surrounding city, simply ceased to be, a detonation that carved a crater into the face of New York City. At the time there were no known survivors, but there were two exceptions. The dormant form of Ben Grimm, The Thing, trapped within the rubble of the city, would remain undiscovered for decades. More pressingly, the arcane connection to Doom saved Valeria, pulling her to Latveria at the moment the small child would have been consumed. At first at a loss with what use the child might be, Victor Von Doom shortly announced to the nation of Latveria that he had adopted a child, bringing her into the royal household. Valeria Von Doom. While Victor did not hide from the child that he was not her biological father, he never made any effort to explain her true parentage. The young girl worked it out on her own by the age of seven, her intellect already well above most adults. Valeria was well educated under the tutelage of Victor, blending the fields of science and magic as only the head of the Von Doom Household seemed capable. She had fine tutors from across the world, although rarely left Latveria. What caused Valeria to leave Latveria to seek her formal doctorate in the United States is not widely known, and it might be safe to presume she discovered the insidious nature of Doom's enchantments upon her, but the truth is simpler. Valeria and Victor had simply grown from mentor and mentee to rivals, and Valeria knows well that Doom accepts no rivals, even from family. Valeria's first act upon returning to the USA, a country she only had passing memories of due to the prematurely developed nature of her mind, was to begin legal proceedings to 'restore' ownership of the land that had been the Baxter building to herself. A complicated combination of legal difficult and navigating the tempestuous public sentiment of New York followed. Feelings on the original Fantastic Four was mixed, generally depending on whether one considered them the cause or simply the most prominent victims of the Baxter Disaster. In the end, Valeria was able to reclaim a portion of the building's foundations which hadn't yet been set aside for redevelopment. After a short period of excavation, Valeria donated the land back to the city for use in the construction of a memorial. Having mostly grown up in the relative wilderness of rural Latveria, Valeria preferred to head out into New York State to break ground on the construction of her home in the USA, the isolated 'Baxter Estate' which now houses the new Fantastic Four. ► The Thing As with the rest of the Fantastic Four and their families, Ben was present at the scene of disaster many years prior. Whatever miscalculation, hostile force or simple cosmic bad luck lead to the disappearance or death of the other occupants instead buried Ben deep underground, knocked into a form of stasis. He was buried beneath the early attempts of property development and memorialization, shut off from the world. If Valeria Richards knew of this before she returned to New York and reclaimed the land, or it was coincidental, is not widely known. But shortly after taking possession of what remained of the Baxter foundations, she began an excavation which would shortly uncover the dormant remains of ‘The Thing.’ The first project at her newly founded Baxter Estate in rural New York State was to awaken Ben, a task she was successful in. Ben appears to have no memories of the fateful day in question, but otherwise seems whole and conscious, a man out of time by a spattering of decades. He finds it a great tragedy that Valeria has spent most of her life in Latveria as a Von Doom, but it determined to do what he can to connect her with the past of her parents, and the life they would have wanted her to lead. Valeria herself has enough fleeing memories of ‘Uncle Ben the Rockman’ and so cherishes the connection, even if the colder part of her mind dismisses his sense of care and pity. Together they have begun to reform the Fantastic Four, and both share a keen interest in uncovering the truth of the Baxter disaster. ► Firestorm Jason Rusch was an average high school student and worked for the school newspaper. During a terrorist attack on his school led by a mercenary named Cliff Carmichael, attacks the school looking for the Firestorm Protocol, Jason met with Ronnie and produced a vial, given to him by the deceased Professor Stein, which contained the "God Particle" which was one of several "Firestorm" Protocols. The God Particle transformed both Jason and Ronnie into Firestorm. The pair of very different individuals ‘merged’ under terrible conditions, an attack on their school and an unwitting use of the God Particle, Valeria and Ben recruited Firestorm as much to prevent the worst of what such errant power could do, as opposed to needing new teammates. The pair now live in the growing campus of the Baxter Estate, assisting Valeria with research through their metamorphic abilities, as well as enabling her to monitor the properties of their fusion. Both seem fairly happy with this setup, if not always each other’s company. Now they have attained some amount of stability, they assist in the wider duties of the new Fantastic Four. ► Blue Beetle Jaime is not the first known Blue Beetle, although the ancient artifact had been presumed destroyed, instead, The Blue Beetle Scarab came down in El Paso, blasted afield via unknown means. Jaime discovered the Scarab on the way home from school. He took it home, curious as to what it might be. That night, the Scarab came alive, and grafted itself to the base of Jaime's spine, inducing strange dreams in Jaime. Since then, Jaime has had consistent run-ins with groups of nefarious means seeking to either recruit him, or simply harvest the scarab. Unlike Firestorm, Blue Beetle actively sought out the help of Ben and Valeria at the Baxter Estate, following rumors they were assisting Firestorm with understanding and controlling an unusual power. Having merged with a sentient weapon, they presumed this would qualify them for similar air. This was certainly true, and while the Beetle may not quite provide as much support in scientific experimentation as the use of Firestorm, the weapon’s capabilities are certainly of interest to Valeria, and Ben wouldn’t be one to turn down a ‘kid in trouble’ They enjoy their time at the Estate, admittedly spending more time with Ben than Valeria and Firestorm who have their college educations to attend to, but it’s certainly so far a better life than attempting to decipher the nature of the beetle on their own. - P O S T C A T A L O G P O S T C A T A L O G _________________________________________________________ [+] - P O S T C A T A L O G ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ -

W H A T I F...? W H A T I F...? ________________________________________________________________________________________ What if the original Fantastic Four had been heroes a generation before, but disappeared in a cataclysm that left deep scars on New York City? The young woman who has spent most of her life in exile, Valeria Richards has returned to the land of her birth, reclaiming the rubble that was the Baxter Building and uncovering the abandoned and shattered form of her father's closest friend, Ben Grimm, has steadily reformed one of the world's first public superhero teams. They are joined by those who have looked for help from the world's smartest woman in controlling gifts forced on them by fate. The hybrid form of Firestorm, consisting of Jason Rusch and Ronnie Raymond arrived at the new Baxter estate with little explanation known to them about the God Particle that had forged them together. Jaime Reyes' induction into the Fantastic Four was more proactive, with Valeria tracking down and offering the young man assistance in learning to control the power of the Scarab following rumor and hearsay. The both of the newer additions to the team there is a chance to do good with the fate thrust upon them, and to Valeria and Ben they in turn could provide the means to finally discover what happened on the fateful day that robbed the world of the previous Fantastic Four and many innocent lives beside. Few seem able to trust that Valeria is entirely altruistic, however. At best, she has a domineering and ambitious streak that makes the line her father often walked seem the height of humble virtue, at worst, she is considered a Latverian spy at the heart of both the United States and the wider network of Earth's heroes. Valeria has been seen with Doom on multiple occasions since moving to the United States, and the Latverian state itself has made little effort to suggest she should no longer be considered the heir apparent to the nation and household. Indeed, in Latverian State broadcasts she is still known by the name she has born most of her life, Valeria Von Doom. P L O T ( S ) & G O A L ( S ) P L O T ( S ) & G O A L ( S ) ________________________________________________________________________________________ ► Investigate the Baxter Disaster I've left the actual cause of the disaster vague to hopefully fit in with events that may occur through other characters and their arcs. In general the most pressing goal, particularly for Ben, is to discover what happened all those decades prior and to prove if the Richards, as well as Ben's wife Alicia Masters, are truly gone or where they might now be. ► Caged Potential While Valeria may have an intelligence far outstripping the norm and a penchant for magic and science, what she could be, or could have been, is far more than this. The cosmic radiation that caused her parents to develop metahuman powers had originally worked its effects on her, creating what would have been a being of great psionic power (similar to Franklin Richards in canon). Doom's work in saving Sue and Valeria at birth prevented this, locking away Valeria's potential as well as the cosmic radiation she was emitting. This is a gift and a curse that might be revealed, especially as Valeria spends more time away from Doom. ► Lets Be Heroes The Fantastic Four were some of the first true heroes and all four members of the current team have a desire to reclaim this heritage, for a wide variety of reasons. While Valeria, Jason, Ronnie and Jaime are all very new to this, they have Ben to guide them. Perhaps some time soon, their claim to the name of the first family may be tested.

---

Absolute Comics Presents - What If? [A DC & Marvel One Universe RP]

The Fantastic Four

T H E F A N T A S T I C F O U R
T H E F A N T A S T I C F O U R

^{"I worry about whose legacy I should be aspiring to follow... in these very dark and trouble times. Or whose I should be running far away from."}

M I S S F A N T A S T I C M I S S F A N T A S T I C _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ T E A M S U M M A R Y T E A M S U M M A R Y _________________________________________________________ Valeria Cynthia Mary Richards, Miss Fantastic, The Smartest Woman Alive, Daughter of Doom Jason Rusch and Ronnie Raymond, Firestorm Benjamin Jacob "Ben" Grimm, The Thing Jaime Reyes, The Blue Beetle _________________________________________________________ The Fantastic Four _________________________________________________________ Multiverse 668 - Prime | Open C H A R A C T E R N O T E S C H A R A C T E R N O T E S _________________________________________________________ [+] - M E M B E R S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ► Miss Fantastic Valeria Richards was never truly born. Conceived in the Negative Zone, the unborn girl began to endanger both her mother and those around her through bursts of cosmic radiation similar to those that had empowered the Fantastic Four years before. Due to the disruptive effects of such radiation, it was impossible to observe the impact on the child herself and so there was hope, despite this, that Susan Storm would be able to carry her to term. This became a dim hope when the manifestations of such power began to destabilize the physical world, eventually pulling both mother and unborn daughter back into the Negative Zone with no trace of where they may have disappeared. Alone, Sue gave birth to what appeared to be a stillborn Valeria, but help would come from the most unexpected of places. While Reed Richards and the other heroes who were able to aid him could not locate his wife, there was one who could. Victor Von Doom, nemesis of Reed and ruler of Latveria, called upon magic rather than science to locate Susan Storm and transport her back to the reality of Earth. Alive but distraught with the loss of her daughter, Susan was willing to accept the aid of Doom with the combined ability of both the supernatural and scientific means Victor had amassed. Doom was successful, able to restore life to the child and limit the energies of both the cosmic force and negative zone that she exuded. Had such power not been consumed in essentially resurrecting her, Valeria may likely have developed a gift akin to that shown by the original four. Instead, it was her mind that was altered, destined to develop early, and to ascend to heights that would outstrip even her father's genius intellect. Victor's actions were far from altruistic, while certainly largely motivated by competitive desire with Reed, during the process Victor saw a new avenue for him to gain an advantage over The Fantastic Four. The child had been flooded with the mystical power of Doom's magic and so was a perfect candidate to become a familiar, allowing Doom to spy on the family through the eyes of Valeria. This advantage, however, would never have a chance to be realised. Only a few years passed before the events of the Baxter Catastrophe would take place. The exact circumstances of the disaster are unknown, simply that in a cascade of power, the Baxter Building, along with much of the surrounding city, simply ceased to be, a detonation that carved a crater into the face of New York City. At the time there were no known survivors, but there were two exceptions. The dormant form of Ben Grimm, The Thing, trapped within the rubble of the city, would remain undiscovered for decades. More pressingly, the arcane connection to Doom saved Valeria, pulling her to Latveria at the moment the small child would have been consumed. At first at a loss with what use the child might be, Victor Von Doom shortly announced to the nation of Latveria that he had adopted a child, bringing her into the royal household. Valeria Von Doom. While Victor did not hide from the child that he was not her biological father, he never made any effort to explain her true parentage. The young girl worked it out on her own by the age of seven, her intellect already well above most adults. Valeria was well educated under the tutelage of Victor, blending the fields of science and magic as only the head of the Von Doom Household seemed capable. She had fine tutors from across the world, although rarely left Latveria. What caused Valeria to leave Latveria to seek her formal doctorate in the United States is not widely known, and it might be safe to presume she discovered the insidious nature of Doom's enchantments upon her, but the truth is simpler. Valeria and Victor had simply grown from mentor and mentee to rivals, and Valeria knows well that Doom accepts no rivals, even from family. Valeria's first act upon returning to the USA, a country she only had passing memories of due to the prematurely developed nature of her mind, was to begin legal proceedings to 'restore' ownership of the land that had been the Baxter building to herself. A complicated combination of legal difficult and navigating the tempestuous public sentiment of New York followed. Feelings on the original Fantastic Four was mixed, generally depending on whether one considered them the cause or simply the most prominent victims of the Baxter Disaster. In the end, Valeria was able to reclaim a portion of the building's foundations which hadn't yet been set aside for redevelopment. After a short period of excavation, Valeria donated the land back to the city for use in the construction of a memorial. Having mostly grown up in the relative wilderness of rural Latveria, Valeria preferred to head out into New York State to break ground on the construction of her home in the USA, the isolated 'Baxter Estate' which now houses the new Fantastic Four. ► The Thing As with the rest of the Fantastic Four and their families, Ben was present at the scene of disaster many years prior. Whatever miscalculation, hostile force or simple cosmic bad luck lead to the disappearance or death of the other occupants instead buried Ben deep underground, knocked into a form of stasis. He was buried beneath the early attempts of property development and memorialization, shut off from the world. If Valeria Richards knew of this before she returned to New York and reclaimed the land, or it was coincidental, is not widely known. But shortly after taking possession of what remained of the Baxter foundations, she began an excavation which would shortly uncover the dormant remains of ‘The Thing.’ The first project at her newly founded Baxter Estate in rural New York State was to awaken Ben, a task she was successful in. Ben appears to have no memories of the fateful day in question, but otherwise seems whole and conscious, a man out of time by a spattering of decades. He finds it a great tragedy that Valeria has spent most of her life in Latveria as a Von Doom, but it determined to do what he can to connect her with the past of her parents, and the life they would have wanted her to lead. Valeria herself has enough fleeing memories of ‘Uncle Ben the Rockman’ and so cherishes the connection, even if the colder part of her mind dismisses his sense of care and pity. Together they have begun to reform the Fantastic Four, and both share a keen interest in uncovering the truth of the Baxter disaster. ► Firestorm Jason Rusch was an average high school student and worked for the school newspaper. During a terrorist attack on his school led by a mercenary named Cliff Carmichael, attacks the school looking for the Firestorm Protocol, Jason met with Ronnie and produced a vial, given to him by the deceased Professor Stein, which contained the "God Particle" which was one of several "Firestorm" Protocols. The God Particle transformed both Jason and Ronnie into Firestorm. The pair of very different individuals ‘merged’ under terrible conditions, an attack on their school and an unwitting use of the God Particle, Valeria and Ben recruited Firestorm as much to prevent the worst of what such errant power could do, as opposed to needing new teammates. The pair now live in the growing campus of the Baxter Estate, assisting Valeria with research through their metamorphic abilities, as well as enabling her to monitor the properties of their fusion. Both seem fairly happy with this setup, if not always each other’s company. Now they have attained some amount of stability, they assist in the wider duties of the new Fantastic Four. ► Blue Beetle Jaime is not the first known Blue Beetle, although the ancient artifact had been presumed destroyed, instead, The Blue Beetle Scarab came down in El Paso, blasted afield via unknown means. Jaime discovered the Scarab on the way home from school. He took it home, curious as to what it might be. That night, the Scarab came alive, and grafted itself to the base of Jaime's spine, inducing strange dreams in Jaime. Since then, Jaime has had consistent run-ins with groups of nefarious means seeking to either recruit him, or simply harvest the scarab. Unlike Firestorm, Blue Beetle actively sought out the help of Ben and Valeria at the Baxter Estate, following rumors they were assisting Firestorm with understanding and controlling an unusual power. Having merged with a sentient weapon, they presumed this would qualify them for similar air. This was certainly true, and while the Beetle may not quite provide as much support in scientific experimentation as the use of Firestorm, the weapon’s capabilities are certainly of interest to Valeria, and Ben wouldn’t be one to turn down a ‘kid in trouble’ They enjoy their time at the Estate, admittedly spending more time with Ben than Valeria and Firestorm who have their college educations to attend to, but it’s certainly so far a better life than attempting to decipher the nature of the beetle on their own. - P O S T C A T A L O G P O S T C A T A L O G _________________________________________________________ [+] - P O S T C A T A L O G ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ -

W H A T I F...? W H A T I F...? ________________________________________________________________________________________ What if the original Fantastic Four had been heroes a generation before, but disappeared in a cataclysm that left deep scars on New York City? The young woman who has spent most of her life in exile, Valeria Richards has returned to the land of her birth, reclaiming the rubble that was the Baxter Building and uncovering the abandoned and shattered form of her father's closest friend, Ben Grimm, has steadily reformed one of the world's first public superhero teams. They are joined by those who have looked for help from the world's smartest woman in controlling gifts forced on them by fate. The hybrid form of Firestorm, consisting of Jason Rusch and Ronnie Raymond arrived at the new Baxter estate with little explanation known to them about the God Particle that had forged them together. Jaime Reyes' induction into the Fantastic Four was more proactive, with Valeria tracking down and offering the young man assistance in learning to control the power of the Scarab following rumor and hearsay. The both of the newer additions to the team there is a chance to do good with the fate thrust upon them, and to Valeria and Ben they in turn could provide the means to finally discover what happened on the fateful day that robbed the world of the previous Fantastic Four and many innocent lives beside. Few seem able to trust that Valeria is entirely altruistic, however. At best, she has a domineering and ambitious streak that makes the line her father often walked seem the height of humble virtue, at worst, she is considered a Latverian spy at the heart of both the United States and the wider network of Earth's heroes. Valeria has been seen with Doom on multiple occasions since moving to the United States, and the Latverian state itself has made little effort to suggest she should no longer be considered the heir apparent to the nation and household. Indeed, in Latverian State broadcasts she is still known by the name she has born most of her life, Valeria Von Doom. P L O T ( S ) & G O A L ( S ) P L O T ( S ) & G O A L ( S ) ________________________________________________________________________________________ ► Investigate the Baxter Disaster I've left the actual cause of the disaster vague to hopefully fit in with events that may occur through other characters and their arcs. In general the most pressing goal, particularly for Ben, is to discover what happened all those decades prior and to prove if the Richards, as well as Ben's wife Alicia Masters, are truly gone or where they might now be. ► Caged Potential While Valeria may have an intelligence far outstripping the norm and a penchant for magic and science, what she could be, or could have been, is far more than this. The cosmic radiation that caused her parents to develop metahuman powers had originally worked its effects on her, creating what would have been a being of great psionic power (similar to Franklin Richards in canon). Doom's work in saving Sue and Valeria at birth prevented this, locking away Valeria's potential as well as the cosmic radiation she was emitting. This is a gift and a curse that might be revealed, especially as Valeria spends more time away from Doom. ► Lets Be Heroes The Fantastic Four were some of the first true heroes and all four members of the current team have a desire to reclaim this heritage, for a wide variety of reasons. While Valeria, Jason, Ronnie and Jaime are all very new to this, they have Ben to guide them. Perhaps some time soon, their claim to the name of the first family may be tested.

---

@Ezekiel

Now ready for review!

The New Marvels: An Avengers Academy RP

Banner art image by Krysdecker

---

Location: Queens, New York; Avengers Academy

---

The further discussion on the shared rooms had done something to raise Laura's hackles, an uncomfortable feeling stirring in her gut, but it was one she'd shortly be able to work through in a method she always preferred to conversation. Hitting things.

The lockers were impressive enough, although she didn't have much time to appreciate them. Unlike many of the group she both had established gear to put on and not the intricacies of any mechanical assistance. Thankfully, the modified Forge-credited material that made up her iteration of the Wolverine suit made for a far easier process of putting on than its look and fit might suggest. Still, she remembered to think skinny thoughts as she went through the process of changing. For someone concerned about the accommodation situation, she was very not about the prospect of the locker rooms, snapping right to the process of preparing to 'roll out.'

There was little delay between the call coming through and Laura making it to the quinjet. The vaguely punkish nature of her attired replaced with the bold yellow and black of her distinctive Wolverine attire, of course it had been remade for her, but elements of her gene-father's helm had been worked into her own. It still felt a little alien to put it on, but at the same time, there was a comfort to it. She was Wolverine now, and she'd never let them define her as merely a code ever again.

---

Location: Stark Tower, Manhattan, NYC

---

The chaos of the flight and the scene they arrived into did little to shake Laura (other than physically) she had been in similar enough situations alongside Logan and the other mutants of Xavier's mission. Admittedly, a more concerning aspect was the presence of civilians. She was used to working in the dark and mysterious corners of the world, not doing battle among the livelihoods of normal, breakable people. She pushed the thought from her mind, it wasn't useful, as time passed and the jet was eventually put down.

“You. Come with me, or do as you wish.”

"How's a girl to turn down an invite like that." Laura channeled a little of the bold and brash women who had first trained her among the X-Men in her response, a blend of charm and snark which seemed to work well enough for them, but in truth, Laura already had her target as she rushed forwards. There was a somewhat sickening 'shunk' of noise as her claws extended, both from the knuckles and her feet, skin and suit parting to release the adamantium weapons.

"Hear that, folks? Lady with the spear and the fur jacket is highly dangerous. Take her out from a distance, if you can, as she is extremely competent at close range."

"Thanks for the heads up, but so am I."

Laura replied over coms, an involuntary snarl pulling across her features as already her manipulated physiology began to pump adrenaline through her system. It wasn't quite her dreaded kill switch, not that she advertised that particular modification, but it was still something she struggled to exist. She'd been designed as a weapon and the call to fight was one she had little restraint from. Along with that was the imprint of Logan upon her, her father had fought this one's father, thought little and less of them for all the suffering they had caused and Laura was hardly able to differentiate that from her own feelings, so well designed were her genetic modifications.

She moved low down and fast, a flash of yellow and black among the kaleidoscope of New York in crisis, the twin prongs of her foot claws cutting gouges into the concrete beneath her as she drew close to those arrayed against them. Laura mostly ignored the other members of the eclectic gang, already her senses had honed in and while she might not be familiar with her current teammates, she least presumed they would be acting in some way to engage with others.

Laura bounded up and across a vehicle marked with the Stark Industries logo, launching into the air with enough force to easily carry her augmented form the remaining distance. Let them see that the Wolverine was coming for them.

If only for a moment, before in the next the heirs of two different legacies collided, and the battle of beasts began.

Absolute Comics Presents - What If? [A DC & Marvel One Universe RP]

The Fantastic Four

T H E F A N T A S T I C F O U R
T H E F A N T A S T I C F O U R

^{"I worry about whose legacy I should be aspiring to follow... in these very dark and trouble times. Or whose I should be running far away from."}

M I S S F A N T A S T I C M I S S F A N T A S T I C _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________ T E A M S U M M A R Y T E A M S U M M A R Y _________________________________________________________ Valeria Cynthia Mary Richards, Miss Fantastic, The Smartest Woman Alive, Daughter of Doom Jason Rusch and Ronnie Raymond, Firestorm Benjamin Jacob "Ben" Grimm, The Thing Jaime Reyes, The Blue Beetle _________________________________________________________ The Fantastic Four _________________________________________________________ Multiverse 668 - Prime | Open C H A R A C T E R N O T E S C H A R A C T E R N O T E S _________________________________________________________ [+] - M E M B E R S ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ► Miss Fantastic Valeria Richards was never truly born. Conceived in the Negative Zone, the unborn girl began to endanger both her mother and those around her through bursts of cosmic radiation similar to those that had empowered the Fantastic Four years before. Due to the disruptive effects of such radiation, it was impossible to observe the impact on the child herself and so there was hope, despite this, that Susan Storm would be able to carry her to term. This became a dim hope when the manifestations of such power began to destabilize the physical world, eventually pulling both mother and unborn daughter back into the Negative Zone with no trace of where they may have disappeared. Alone, Sue gave birth to what appeared to be a stillborn Valeria, but help would come from the most unexpected of places. While Reed Richards and the other heroes who were able to aid him could not locate his wife, there was one who could. Victor Von Doom, nemesis of Reed and ruler of Latveria, called upon magic rather than science to locate Susan Storm and transport her back to the reality of Earth. Alive but distraught with the loss of her daughter, Susan was willing to accept the aid of Doom with the combined ability of both the supernatural and scientific means Victor had amassed. Doom was successful, able to restore life to the child and limit the energies of both the cosmic force and negative zone that she exuded. Had such power not been consumed in essentially resurrecting her, Valeria may likely have developed a gift akin to that shown by the original four. Instead, it was her mind that was altered, destined to develop early, and to ascend to heights that would outstrip even her father's genius intellect. Victor's actions were far from altruistic, while certainly largely motivated by competitive desire with Reed, during the process Victor saw a new avenue for him to gain an advantage over The Fantastic Four. The child had been flooded with the mystical power of Doom's magic and so was a perfect candidate to become a familiar, allowing Doom to spy on the family through the eyes of Valeria. This advantage, however, would never have a chance to be realised. Only a few years passed before the events of the Baxter Catastrophe would take place. The exact circumstances of the disaster are unknown, simply that in a cascade of power, the Baxter Building, along with much of the surrounding city, simply ceased to be, a detonation that carved a crater into the face of New York City. At the time there were no known survivors, but there were two exceptions. The dormant form of Ben Grimm, The Thing, trapped within the rubble of the city, would remain undiscovered for decades. More pressingly, the arcane connection to Doom saved Valeria, pulling her to Latveria at the moment the small child would have been consumed. At first at a loss with what use the child might be, Victor Von Doom shortly announced to the nation of Latveria that he had adopted a child, bringing her into the royal household. Valeria Von Doom. While Victor did not hide from the child that he was not her biological father, he never made any effort to explain her true parentage. The young girl worked it out on her own by the age of seven, her intellect already well above most adults. Valeria was well educated under the tutelage of Victor, blending the fields of science and magic as only the head of the Von Doom Household seemed capable. She had fine tutors from across the world, although rarely left Latveria. What caused Valeria to leave Latveria to seek her formal doctorate in the United States is not widely known, and it might be safe to presume she discovered the insidious nature of Doom's enchantments upon her, but the truth is simpler. Valeria and Victor had simply grown from mentor and mentee to rivals, and Valeria knows well that Doom accepts no rivals, even from family. Valeria's first act upon returning to the USA, a country she only had passing memories of due to the prematurely developed nature of her mind, was to begin legal proceedings to 'restore' ownership of the land that had been the Baxter building to herself. A complicated combination of legal difficult and navigating the tempestuous public sentiment of New York followed. Feelings on the original Fantastic Four was mixed, generally depending on whether one considered them the cause or simply the most prominent victims of the Baxter Disaster. In the end, Valeria was able to reclaim a portion of the building's foundations which hadn't yet been set aside for redevelopment. After a short period of excavation, Valeria donated the land back to the city for use in the construction of a memorial. Having mostly grown up in the relative wilderness of rural Latveria, Valeria preferred to head out into New York State to break ground on the construction of her home in the USA, the isolated 'Baxter Estate' which now houses the new Fantastic Four. ► The Thing As with the rest of the Fantastic Four and their families, Ben was present at the scene of disaster many years prior. Whatever miscalculation, hostile force or simple cosmic bad luck lead to the disappearance or death of the other occupants instead buried Ben deep underground, knocked into a form of stasis. He was buried beneath the early attempts of property development and memorialization, shut off from the world. If Valeria Richards knew of this before she returned to New York and reclaimed the land, or it was coincidental, is not widely known. But shortly after taking possession of what remained of the Baxter foundations, she began an excavation which would shortly uncover the dormant remains of ‘The Thing.’ The first project at her newly founded Baxter Estate in rural New York State was to awaken Ben, a task she was successful in. Ben appears to have no memories of the fateful day in question, but otherwise seems whole and conscious, a man out of time by a spattering of decades. He finds it a great tragedy that Valeria has spent most of her life in Latveria as a Von Doom, but it determined to do what he can to connect her with the past of her parents, and the life they would have wanted her to lead. Valeria herself has enough fleeing memories of ‘Uncle Ben the Rockman’ and so cherishes the connection, even if the colder part of her mind dismisses his sense of care and pity. Together they have begun to reform the Fantastic Four, and both share a keen interest in uncovering the truth of the Baxter disaster. ► Firestorm Jason Rusch was an average high school student and worked for the school newspaper. During a terrorist attack on his school led by a mercenary named Cliff Carmichael, attacks the school looking for the Firestorm Protocol, Jason met with Ronnie and produced a vial, given to him by the deceased Professor Stein, which contained the "God Particle" which was one of several "Firestorm" Protocols. The God Particle transformed both Jason and Ronnie into Firestorm. The pair of very different individuals ‘merged’ under terrible conditions, an attack on their school and an unwitting use of the God Particle, Valeria and Ben recruited Firestorm as much to prevent the worst of what such errant power could do, as opposed to needing new teammates. The pair now live in the growing campus of the Baxter Estate, assisting Valeria with research through their metamorphic abilities, as well as enabling her to monitor the properties of their fusion. Both seem fairly happy with this setup, if not always each other’s company. Now they have attained some amount of stability, they assist in the wider duties of the new Fantastic Four. ► Blue Beetle Jaime is not the first known Blue Beetle, although the ancient artifact had been presumed destroyed, instead, The Blue Beetle Scarab came down in El Paso, blasted afield via unknown means. Jaime discovered the Scarab on the way home from school. He took it home, curious as to what it might be. That night, the Scarab came alive, and grafted itself to the base of Jaime's spine, inducing strange dreams in Jaime. Since then, Jaime has had consistent run-ins with groups of nefarious means seeking to either recruit him, or simply harvest the scarab. Unlike Firestorm, Blue Beetle actively sought out the help of Ben and Valeria at the Baxter Estate, following rumors they were assisting Firestorm with understanding and controlling an unusual power. Having merged with a sentient weapon, they presumed this would qualify them for similar air. This was certainly true, and while the Beetle may not quite provide as much support in scientific experimentation as the use of Firestorm, the weapon’s capabilities are certainly of interest to Valeria, and Ben wouldn’t be one to turn down a ‘kid in trouble’ They enjoy their time at the Estate, admittedly spending more time with Ben than Valeria and Firestorm who have their college educations to attend to, but it’s certainly so far a better life than attempting to decipher the nature of the beetle on their own. - P O S T C A T A L O G P O S T C A T A L O G _________________________________________________________ [+] - P O S T C A T A L O G ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔ ◼ -

W H A T I F...? W H A T I F...? ________________________________________________________________________________________ What if the original Fantastic Four had been heroes a generation before, but disappeared in a cataclysm that left deep scars on New York City? The young woman who has spent most of her life in exile, Valeria Richards has returned to the land of her birth, reclaiming the rubble that was the Baxter Building and uncovering the abandoned and shattered form of her father's closest friend, Ben Grimm, has steadily reformed one of the world's first public superhero teams. They are joined by those who have looked for help from the world's smartest woman in controlling gifts forced on them by fate. The hybrid form of Firestorm, consisting of Jason Rusch and Ronnie Raymond arrived at the new Baxter estate with little explanation known to them about the God Particle that had forged them together. Jaime Reyes' induction into the Fantastic Four was more proactive, with Valeria tracking down and offering the young man assistance in learning to control the power of the Scarab following rumor and hearsay. The both of the newer additions to the team there is a chance to do good with the fate thrust upon them, and to Valeria and Ben they in turn could provide the means to finally discover what happened on the fateful day that robbed the world of the previous Fantastic Four and many innocent lives beside. Few seem able to trust that Valeria is entirely altruistic, however. At best, she has a domineering and ambitious streak that makes the line her father often walked seem the height of humble virtue, at worst, she is considered a Latverian spy at the heart of both the United States and the wider network of Earth's heroes. Valeria has been seen with Doom on multiple occasions since moving to the United States, and the Latverian state itself has made little effort to suggest she should no longer be considered the heir apparent to the nation and household. Indeed, in Latverian State broadcasts she is still known by the name she has born most of her life, Valeria Von Doom. P L O T ( S ) & G O A L ( S ) P L O T ( S ) & G O A L ( S ) ________________________________________________________________________________________ ► Investigate the Baxter Disaster I've left the actual cause of the disaster vague to hopefully fit in with events that may occur through other characters and their arcs. In general the most pressing goal, particularly for Ben, is to discover what happened all those decades prior and to prove if the Richards, as well as Ben's wife Alicia Masters, are truly gone or where they might now be. ► Caged Potential While Valeria may have an intelligence far outstripping the norm and a penchant for magic and science, what she could be, or could have been, is far more than this. The cosmic radiation that caused her parents to develop metahuman powers had originally worked its effects on her, creating what would have been a being of great psionic power (similar to Franklin Richards in canon). Doom's work in saving Sue and Valeria at birth prevented this, locking away Valeria's potential as well as the cosmic radiation she was emitting. This is a gift and a curse that might be revealed, especially as Valeria spends more time away from Doom. ► Lets Be Heroes The Fantastic Four were some of the first true heroes and all four members of the current team have a desire to reclaim this heritage, for a wide variety of reasons. While Valeria, Jason, Ronnie and Jaime are all very new to this, they have Ben to guide them. Perhaps some time soon, their claim to the name of the first family may be tested.

---

Absolute Comics Presents - What If? [A DC & Marvel One Universe RP]

Early thoughts I'm having are circling around the Fantastic Four (with quite a bit of variation) or the Hellfire Club. Probably the former makes more sense with what characters are already set up.

Absolute Comics Presents - What If? [A DC & Marvel One Universe RP]

<Snipped quote by Ezekiel>

Hey, I know you.

@Ruby

Oh really?

I guess you might have seen me around.

Absolute Comics Presents - What If? [A DC & Marvel One Universe RP]

I may try and dabble up a character(s) although rather undecided on who that might be.

A Song Of Ice And Fire : The Swords And Stars

Collab with @Ruby

The Reach

Oldtown

---

---

In the immediate moments it became rather clear to Davos why none of the most romantic moments of the old tales had taken place in the heat of martial combat, where maidens were swept off their feet by conquering heroes. He was not a weak man, but as Vittoria became an increasingly dead weight in his arms, the pace of their movement slowed to an intolerable level considering his fear for her. It was hardly the moment as he had envisioned it, but with a frustrated and angry growl, he lifted her fully, holding herself across his body as they moved. He was able to carry her faster than he could drag her, even if it was still a pace that felt like a crawl compared to what he wished.

He made a mental note to inform the next poet he met of the ludicrous nature of a slender woman disguised as a knight being able to do this.

Davos paused for a moment, turned to regard the maelstrom of violence that was the vengeful actions of Vittoria’s deadliest sworn knights. The call of the storm was in his blood, as his mother would have said, and his whole form seemed to ache with the desire to join them in their bloody vengeance. His blood might have been of the storm, but the heart is beat through was for her, and with only a moment passed he resumed his following of the Redwyne blade.

She stirred, still in his arms, and still trying to countermand the chaotic devestation that was being wrought around her. He hushed her with a noise that was more dismissive than any he had ever replied to her with, instead calling to the knight infront of him.

“She needs a Maester, quickly, there may be poison.” It seemed an obvious thing to say, but what he meant in full was that there was no point in rushing her as far as possible if she was only to die of the foulness in her blood, if his fears were correct. They would have to risk something closer, and pray the attack had been blunted in blood before they could be found. So they diverged, away from the most direct route of escape towards where she might be saved, should the worst be true.

Ryam Redwyne didn’t stop swinging until there was nothing left in front of him. His body pulsated; his mind raw as his eyes blinked at the sudden absence of targets. Even those that had remained before them were running off, scurrying. There was not but confusion in his eyes until his ears found the missing piece in the screams from the street they had left behind:

Dragonfire.

But even that left him with nothing but confusion until Dennet spat, and came up from their rear guard to help Davos with the weight of the High Marshall, “Vaera’s bloody dragon.” Only after Dennet helped Davos steady Vittoria to a shared weight between the two men did his lift her face, and look at her eyes, “…hells, you might be right about that poison.”

Her eyes were empty vessels, with precious little recognition left in them, despite the fact that the blood came from her shoulder, not her chest, or neck. “Thank the Father whoever shot her missed anything important. What about the tavern?”

It was in front of them, but Ryam turned and shook his head, “Too close to the dragonfire if it starts to spread.”

“Wise, Ser,” the calm voice said, but Redwyne’s response to it was to lift his shield and blade again. The tall, thin, figure in grey sighed audibly and lifted the chain from under the robe, “I’m a Maester. We came for her.”

The gray hood was lowered, and it was only then that the older age of the thin man became apparent. Two other robed figures appeared from behind him, shorter but wider bodied, one of them getting very close to Vittoria immediately, enough for Dennet and Davos to hold out hands.

“We’re friends,” the robed figure explained, instead turning his attention to the face of the woman, “Vittoria? It’s Theyin. Where are they, Vittoria?”
The older man gave another supple sigh, and waved his hand, head darting this way and that, acutely aware of the danger they were still in, “Admirable, Theyin, but we do not have time…and she does not seem aware enough for an answer. Lords, follow us.”

The older man brought his hood back over his head and began to lead the way, as the other two Maesters walked behind the three Lords and the Lady. They went through one alley and to another, then another, and up ancient stone steps before through a seemingly empty building, turning left, walking into another alley, then finally up wooden stairs leading to the second floor of another wooden building, where a brown-haired young woman with green eyes and simply made dress awaited, holding the door open, eyes scanning the area around.

Inside was a perfumed and candle lit bedchamber with steel tub behind a screen off in the far corner. “Put here on the bed,” commanded the older Maester. Even though Davos and Dennet did as he bid, Dennet wasn’t done. Instead, the large man splattered in blood squared up to the older man and unleashed a tone that growled its way from his throat.

“What do you want with her?”

The tall man still wasn’t as tall as Dennet, his slender shoulders drooping, as if irritated with something he had no time for. “My name is Millin. At the moment, I am the best person in the Realm to see to Lady Vittoria.”

“He’s the Archmaester of Healing,” the other one who’d spoken directly to Vittoria, Theyin, interjected. In response, Ryam Redwyne, all but covered in blood, stepped uncomfortably close to him, with a quiet tone that sounded sharper than steel.

“Where is what?”

Theyin scoffed, “If she did not tell you, I cann—”

The dagger from his belt came out, and the woman who had held open the door for them all closed it, gently, before pleading, “Not here, please.”
“You will,” somehow, Ryam’s voice was quieter than before, yet stronger still, “or your Archmaester will need to tend to you, next.”
The third of the hooded Maesters kept by the door, in case he needed to make an immediate escape.

“Don’t start killing them before they have a chance to save her.” Davos spoke to Ryam, but his apologetic eyes were on woman as the door was closed, eyes that turned many a degree colder by the time they settled back on the room, the intensity of his gaze set on the maesters rather than the knight he had just chastised.
"I would answer his question though, I have no authority here." It was the cool tones of someone who knew very much that there were few places across the realm where this was actually true, an ease of command from those born into it, but in this case he had little hope or desire to control the knight in his duty. The only thing that mattered was that their fragile temporary alliance did not fall apart before Vittoria had been saved.

Millin sighed so deep, it appeared as if the man might collapse where he stood, until his head gave a bitter shake, “Scrolls. Vittoria Tyrell has scrolls from the Valyrian Freehold that should not exist. Presumably taken from the Pirate King she defeated in campaign. Scrolls of ancient, dark, magic that could well end the world of reason and man. That is why the Citadel has had her watched. That is why we cannot allow her to die. If you know where they are, you NEED to tell us.”

Ryam’s body relaxed, confusion as his blue eyes looked at Dennet. Dennet’s dark brown eyes looked as stunned as they could ever look, it was Dennet’s low rumble of a voice that answered for them all, “She hasn’t told us. We haven’t seen anything. Knowing her, they’re in some vault of Highgarden. If you want an answer, it’ll have to be from her.”

Millin nodded, “As expected. Vittoria is no fool, she was always unlikely to leave them with the likes of any of you. Now go, we will do what we can. Theyin, I will send you to the Citadel for various substances.”

“I’ll stay right here.” Ryam Redwyne was her sworn shield, an oath to his cousin he would not break.

Dennet looked to Davos, “Let us see to the men that followed us. We need to find a way out of this city, and I may well need your Baratheon name to secure it.”

Davos nodded, the desperate cries of Vittoria even as she faded crashing back to his memory. Even if he wasn't inclined to act on his own accord, he wouldn't allow her to wake thinking he had done nothing to help prevent further chaos and bloodshed. At least towards those not directly responsible for putting her in this state.

He took a further look around the room, at those assembled. He had faith that they could treat her, but it still seemed a cruel jest of fate that this should happen so soon to the possibility of his happiness. He moved to where they had her, lying across and all but dead to the world. He did not fear the potential of any poison as he lent to kiss her, gently pressing his own lips to her's. Memories that were yet to be flooded his mind, of many more kisses and the potential of their years together. If the gods were not kind and they were not to be, he held the moment dearly, the potential last touch of their lips together, committing the feel of her to the very core of his being, never to be forgotten. He hoped there was still enough of her not wracked by the ravaging course of her injury that she might be aware of him, that they could at least share that.

"Farewell but not forever." He whispered to her, before standing tall again, determination set across his features as he strode from the room.

From Ashes We Rise : The Imperium Is Born

Terran Low Orbit

“I think that bit used to be an ocean, XV-25.” The chirpy tone directed towards the automaton was met only with a series of confirmation beeps, the speaker looking out over the slowly turning visage of Terra. The orbital station wasn’t large, by design, intended once for some sort of communications relay. The great nest of optical and communications relays now repurposed for a new aim, observation and espionage.

Acolyte Verona Zorel Omatah, colloquially known to those who mattered as ‘Oma’ didn’t like to ponder the true role of her post too much, which, she often considered, was probably the main reason she had been assigned to it. Once she had longed to study the intricacies of the Biologus, her father had been a dedicated organist and she had inherited much of his fascination with the study. But then her training had begun, and her talent for datasmirthery had become known to both her and the wider Priesthood. There were few of her generation who had completed their training by now, let alone receive a post in what could be considered a honoured role.

Oma, though, couldn’t’ quite bring herself to despise the technobarbarians of the world below as much as she was supposed to. Of course, academically, she was aware of how substantial a roadblock the factions below had been to the pursuit of knowledge, often attacking the Explorators who had landed on Terra, seeking the secrets of a lost age. She had experience with some explorators though, and she quite understood the desire to shoot them. Her listening post was a key part of any ongoing operations, watching the world below for gaps in the capabilities of the Terran savages. To her, it more felt like listening out for a chance to drop a strike team on some poor people who finally thought they had a moment of peace on the world below. Because of this, no matter how capable she was at the spooling of the data-looms, of the artistry of encryption, she was never tempted to manipulate, she would provided objectivity through ambivalence.

She enjoyed her post though, for reasons many back home would probably find childish, or even vaguely heretical for the true emotion puritans.
“Hurry up, XV-25, it’s starting.” She called back to the automation which began to clank its way across the small lounge space, the smell of freshly fried cooking wafting ahead of it. With a loud clunk the thinking-machine came to rest beside her, handing over the paper bag in its hands. Once she was sure she wouldn’t be kicked off the station for the breach of protocol, she made some alterations to her nutrition station, able to approximate something close to her favourite comfort snack from back home. She bit into the first long stick of fried and sweetened dough with a happy hum, before pointing out across the viewport. It was entirely unnecessary, the automaton only had rudimentary optical sensors and the barest hint of what could be considered intelligence, but that hadn’t stopped her adopting the assistant as a sort of pet.

At the trace of her finger, the spectacle begun. The blazing light of Sol began to crest over the far horizon of Terra. The light streamed through an atmosphere abused by thousands of years of industry ad war, igniting the tortured clouds into a kaleidoscope of light. The light formed a corona across the planetary rim, while the world danced in tendrils of rainbow light. It was a shame only XV-25 ever joined her in watching the Sunrise, her colleagues were far too lost in their tasks to consider such frivolous things.

Despite her capability, she was the least augmented of the small crew. This wasn’t too unusual, considering she was also the youngest member by several decades. It was unusual that someone of her age and junior rank within the Cult should be assigned to the position. Many subsects of the Cult didn’t adhere to the unrestrained augmentation found among her station mates, but they tended not to be members of the Data Logi. She didn’t quite see why, they already had computers, she had no desire to become one. Another deepfried snack passed her lips as she continued to watch the light show of the world below, and she mused that perhaps she could do with being a little less ‘fleshy,’ but that the Cult doctrine probably wasn’t there to shrink a robe size on your hips.

“You are wasting time, Acolyte Omatah.” The droning voice snapped her out of her reprieve in watching the planet below. Magus Hemmar had not approved of her assignment to his posting, nor her ‘eccentric’ qualities, although he had begrudgingly accepted the results she had brought to the team. A suggestion that perhaps by retaining more of her human form than the normal datasmyth she provided a more nuanced ability to manipulate data had once been posed in a report to him by another member of the team, and that had almost caused a station wide schism. Considering their team was made up of only four Acolytes and the Magos, it wouldn’t have been the most impressive of Terra’s civil wars.

“I’ve already finished the latest data package, it is ready for sacred transference when you have time to evaluate its merits, Honoured Magos.” Oma’s tone was chirpy, but her vision didn’t shift from her view. The twin mechdendrites that linked to the base of her spine motioned towards her nearby work station from her improvised seat infront of the observation window. That, along with the bright blue glow of her eyes, and the metal edging along her temples and cheek bones were the only visible signs of augmentation Oma presented.

A brief burst of noise from XV-25 confirmed to the Magus in simplified binharic that the Acolyte spoke true, the Magus responding in a noise that was part frustration and part impressed surprise. “If you committed fully to your task, Acolyte Omatah, you could have my position within mere decades.” She didn’t dislike Hemmar, despie their disagreements. He was committed enough to his belief in results orientated piety that he was honest in his reports about her capabilities. That, or he knew enough about her ability to understand no transmission from the post would be out of reach for her ability decrypt. Sometimes she did snoop on her colleagues, but only out of boredom.

“I wouldn’t want to take that from you, Honoured Magos, Observation Post Beta-4 wouldn’t be the same without you.” In truth, as much as she enjoyed the Sunrise, Oma didn’t want to consider spending the rest of her days aboard, no matter how divinely blessed the opportunity was.
“I see our assessments about the offensives across Eurasia have been vindicated.” The Magus didn’t speak further on the matter, the mechanical eyelids across his optic enhancements closing as his mind delved into the data package she had prepared for transmission to Mars, his modified memory cores rolling through the data at lightning pace.

“Yes, the ‘Imperium’ continues to press their Eastern front, their assault on the Nordyc bloc seems to be going well, if their own reports are to be trusted. I’ve been able to back that up via orbital imaging, but, sadly, the Sen don’t have much in the way of data-based communication to confirm from their side.” Oma stood and stretched, or at least floated up into a standing position, her mechadentries no longer holding her down to her throne of repurposed boxes. The installation was meant to be gravity locked, but steadily as the ancient systems aged more and more of the post had reverted into near zero-g. As the newest replacement, she’d been assigned one of said chambers as her work station, despite it posing the greatest risk to her functioning given her more human physiology. She didn’t mind for the short term, in fact, it was quite fun.

“Merica is a cascade of transmissions, the fighting must be fierce, but it does not seem as if all of the Vault-Cities have unified.” She continued to muse, correctly estimating where in the report the Magus would have reached. “The Pan-Pacific Invaders are starting to negotiate terms with some of them, it seems many are weighing up the opportunity that vassalage could give them in combating local rivals.” That, in fact, was exactly what the encrypted information passed between the invading force and some of the more central territories of Merica had shown her, timed with the start of the Imperium’s intervention into the territory.

“Very well, Acolyte Omatah, I will begin the sacred rites to-“

Every light in the room suddenly wavered for a moment, before returning to usual brightness. It was a momentary glitch that interrupted the Magus’ thought process, but he made to immediately carry on, were it not for the Acolytes sudden frantic activity. “Acolyte, your heart rate has increased dramatically, explain.”

Oma had her face practically pressed to the glass of the observation window, gazing down at the surface of Terra as a new series of lights joined her treasured Sunrise below. “Magus! That was an electronic disturbance from the surface, a detonation!”

“There is nothing in ongoing datastreams to suggest-“

“I can see it! It’s in Eastern Ursh.” She gestured frantically with both a finger and the right of her two mechadentries, her frantic motion causing the long strands of her blonde mane of hair to cascade around her in the weak gravity.

“Visual assessment is not a part of your duties, Acolyte.”
For once entirely ignoring her superior, Oma’s eyes blazed an even brighter blue as she accessed the Noosphere web of the station, the far more hidden and subtle enhancements to her cortex immediately plunging into the dataweave. There hadn’t been any warning from such sources prior, but now that the attack had commenced, and the territory below recovered from the electronic pulse, evidence blazed before her.

“Then look to the data, Magus, four thermonuclear detonations in Eastern Ursh.” While such devices had been a key factor in the current state of the world below, in the modern day they were vanishingly rare and even harder for the states below to maintain. That was, at least, the official stance of most of the Cult. Accepting that some of the Techno-Barbarians of Terra had become advanced enough to understand and implement the greater technologies of their past was something of a taboo. “It’s on their Eastern border, the Empire has struck them too.” Her voice was barely a whisper as she spoke, pulling together the conclusion from the data almost as fast as it was realised in real time. The gridlock of powers that had held sway over Terra for at least her entire lifetime was beginning to shift, a power grab that would have more consequences for Mars than even the Explorators could have anticipated.

“We may need to modify your report, Acolyte.”

The New Marvels: An Avengers Academy RP

Banner art image by Krysdecker


Location: Queens, New York; Avengers Academy
Interactions: Everyone

---

The group as she had shown up, and those that had arrived since certainly made for an eclectic bunch. There were those clearly arriving with loved ones all the way to those seemingly being delivered under armed guard. Laura had a brief grin to herself that she supposed she counted against both of those. It reminded her of the early days at Xavier's. Mutants had come from a wide variety of different backgrounds and different levels of support. At least, she supposed, for some here, that didn't always come with the caveat of a nation which feared and hated them.

She had her differences with how the X-men had run things and had continued to function, but she couldn't doubt the necessity of the work. A shudder of guilt ran through her. Some days this felt like abandoning her people to side with the oppressor, the 'human.' There were those on both sides of the mutant divide who had often accused Logan of such things, was she simply following in the footsteps of a man who had turned his back on his own people?

The tour provided an opportunity for her to be quiet with her thoughts, perhaps a blessing and a curse. The workshop didn't hold too much of pressing interest to her. Logan had taught her to tinker with engines of various kinds, but that was more from a self-reliance perspective than an upgrade one, and she'd always kept her own bike away from communal areas like this, especially when she doubted this campus would have any mundane security issues. Beyond its own inhabitants, that was. The gymnasium and assorted spaces grabbed her attention more so, despite her distractions. She wasn't sure if it would always have been a part of her personality or a deliberate choice of her 'behavioural programming' but she had a fierce competitive streak and was already evaluating her chances against her fellow students at each of the sports and activities on offer. Apart from swimming, she gave the pool a wide berth.

When the tour reached the cafeteria a few moments passed where the keen eyes of the students may have picked up on Laura's absence, but by the time the tour was moving on she was miraculously back in the fold, an unwrapped and already half-finished snack bar in her hands, no doubt procured from the mostly empty space. She seemed a little more animated, putting aside the troubling thoughts for the moment. She knew Logan would secretly adore the library, at least the portions which didn't entirely relate to magic. Then came the matter of the dorm rooms.

The revelation of shared rooms brought a raised eyebrow to her features before a brief laugh and comment passed her lips.

"All that Stark money couldn't afford a few extra walls?" Her tone was teasing, but ultimately light-hearted.