Morose

X-Men: Cosmic Crusades 👽

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Guin Stark

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Location: X-Mansion -> New Orleans Botanical Gardens
Skills: N/A

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Guin tugged her phone out of her pocket, seeing that her father had sent her a novel, and she quickly put the phone back away. She'd done what she had to do - she'd informed him about the danger, so that way the world could hopefully be saved if they failed, and that was it. She didn't have time to give him a lengthy play by play of everything going on, and she didn't want to talk to him in general. He'd lied to her for her entire life about who her mother was. He'd told her that Maddie Cromwell, one of the most toxic people Guin had ever met, was her mother. And her biological mother was Magneto's ex-girlfriend, something that felt uncomfortably close to incest. So no, Guin was not going to talk to Tony unless it was absolutely necessary.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the garden's security camera swivel to focus on the group.

She flipped it off discretely.

"Nice work, Ed," Guin said, almost somewhat absentmindedly, as he prepared a magic compass to lead them right to Mary. Her anxiety skyrocketed, hitting a peak that it hadn't before. They were so close to finding Mary. So close to what easily could be a fight to the death against the Phoenix. She dug her nails into the back of her thumb as she started following Ed's directions, trying to keep the panic from bursting up against her chest - or from letting anyone see how afraid she was.

Considering Jaclyn's suggestion, Guin tilted her head to the side for a moment. "If you think you can brush really gently, Annie, go for it - if not, then I wouldn't. Mary's telepathic - anything that isn't a soft touch might be enough to startle her, or get rid of what control she has left."

Unfortunately though, she didn't think they'd have a choice on whether now was the right time or not.

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Avery Spellman

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Location: X-Mansion -> Chandrilar
Skills: N/A

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Avery turned bright red as Max slunk an arm around their shoulders, treating them as if they were an equal when it came to magic. They weren't magic - not in the way that Max and Ed were. Whatever innate ability existed within those two to cast spells and perform enchantments, it had always eluded Avery. They used to think it was because of their mutant power, that their X-gene somehow canceled it out - but with more and more spell slinging mutants turning up, Avery wasn't so sure. They could perform actions that didn't need innate magic - they could trace wards, shielding places and people from devils and whatnot. But for the moment, that was where their talents ended.

And yet, no matter how many times they tried to explain that to Max, they found themself tongue tied, stammering and nodding along. So as Max said that he was happy to see he wouldn't be the only caster going to space, Avery could only nod.

The next little while was a blur to Avery - a literal blur for parts of it, the colors of the BiFrost dancing around them as they were transported to Asgard, the home of the gods. It was easy sometimes to forget that Runa was a goddess, with how often she was around with Lance, dressed like any other goth teen. But on Asgard, it was undeniable - the air felt a little hard to breathe, and Avery still hadn't relaxed when they made their way to the Shi'ar homeworld.

"I know," Ben said to Max, his tentacles away now that they were about to see the Shi'ar. It wasn't his first time in space. And not his first time dealing with aliens. "You're stuck with me," he added with a bit of a smirk, crossing his arms.

Runa glanced at the rest of the group, as they were summoned to go see the Majestrix. "Remember, you are a representative not just of Midgard, but a friend of Asgard - your actions here reflect on two peoples. If you take any action that would threaten the Shi'ar's relationship with Asgard or with Midgard, I will not be able to help you. You will stand alone." She hoped that warning sunk in, but there was little time to prep. The Majestrix awaited them.

Avery swallowed nervously, deciding in that moment to just not talk.

Avengers Academy: Junior Year 💥

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@BlueSky44@Nallore@Trainerblue192@Achronum@PatientBean@Forsythe@Blizz@Kirah@Natsu

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??? - Tue. November 23rd, 2038 - Margaret Carter Institute

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Trick or Treat 2023 Records

• Mary Sue - Trick - Her backpack was stolen in the library! She'll have to replace her laptop/books/etc.
• Vicky - Trick - Through a misunderstanding with a teacher (Usagi) Vicky has detention for the entire month of November
• Sabine - Trick - someone hacked Sabine’s socials and put up some disgusting, bigoted content pretending to be her
• Andy - Treat - Magneto sends her a gift, it’s a pair of vambraces that fit her perfectly, they’re made out of an unknown material and can deflect bullets and the like
• Zari - Treat - On Halloween morning, Zari also gets a present from her family. It’s an enchanted tool belt. Whatever tool she needs if she reaches for it, it’s there
• Leah - Trick - After the Monster Mash when Leah returns to her room, there is a postcard on the wall from Oslo. Written on it is her birth name. Nothing else.
• Dorian - Treat - On Halloween day, Dorian’s father sends him a ~spooky~ gift. It’s a mini dinosaur! And by mini I mean like 6 inches tall. But it’s alive!

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Percy hesitated for a moment, as his sister told him to come on out of the room with her. Arcade may have been subdued, a sobbing mess as he seemingly understood the severity of his actions for the first time, but that wasn't guaranteed to last. If Percy turned his back on Arcade and left the space, if Arcade hurt his friends, hurt Dorian... He'd never forgive himself. He'd rather be a martyr than a survivor. "I'm going to stay here - just in case," Percy said, nodding at his sister as Diana left the small room containing the Framework and its miscellaneous equipment.

However, it wasn't necessarily Arcade that was making Percy nervous - or not the only thing. It was pretty clear to him that April was losing it, lost in the midst of a panic attack. For ordinary people, panic attacks were one thing - for those with superpowers, they were an entirely other problem. He looked at the tanks and saw them trembling, the water inside sloshing around like a storm. Spiderweb cracks were forming in the glass, and he tensed his muscles, ready to grab Dorian and teleport them out of the room the second glass started to shatter and fly.

"Maybe more of you should touch her and tell her to calm down," Percy muttered.

Unfortunately, nothing anyone did was getting through to April. Her chest was tight and she kept trying to breathe, but it was more like choking on air. She was distantly of the people in the room with her, who they were - but more aware of the touches on her body, of the faces swimming around her, of the words that hit her brain with the sound of nails dragged against a chalkboard. It was all louder and louder by the moment, the slightest brush of skin felt like electrocution. Her brain was swimming, repeating the words her sister had said over and over again, replaying the images from Nimue's haunted house.

She tried to breathe.

She really did try.

But it was all too much all too much all too fucking much......

And it exploded out of her.

The tanks shattered, glass flying, water coursing towards her - towards everyone around her.

The time traveling Mary Sue would get a gash on the shoulder from a shard of glass, the non-time traveling Mary Sue would have a shard sink into her stomach. Mads would get a nasty gash on her leg, the blood quickly soaking through her clothes. Dorian would be thrown back and away from Arcade, hitting his head against the wall, blood oozing from the impact site. Percy was a second too slow to get to Dorian, only managing to flicker away from a shard of glass that would have gone into his eye - instead, he was just thoroughly soaked with water, as was Danni, Zari, Andy, Arcade, and Sabine.

More and more water was swirling around April, around the entire room really, where she was the eye of the storm.

NOTE: next update, the West Coast Avengers enter this room

Translations

Russian:
Возможно, это будет слишком любезно по отношению к нему. Это дает ему шанс выжить. = That might be too kind to him. It gives him a chance to survive.

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The full (current) roster of the West Coast Avengers was present: (Old Man) Hawkeye, She-Hulk, Shang Chi, Scarlet Witch, Captain Marvel, Ant Man, Mockingjay, and Quartz. While Mockingjay and Quartz stepped aside to talk with Leah, Captain Marvel and Scarlet Witch took to the sky, quickly canvasing the school. The Scarlet Witch was casting spells as she flew, the purpose of which would elude Leah. The rest continued on in, weapons at the ready despite Leah giving the all clear - there was every possibility that Arcade had put more traps in store.

"We got an anonymous tip that there's an active supervillain situation on campus," Quartz said. Her silver hair was held back in braids, and she wore ruby glasses, keeping her gaze a mystery. She gave her kid a hug, before turning her attention to Leah again. "What information can you tell us?" The Avengers all had comms, so anything Leah could say, Quartz and Mockingjay could relay.

"And where is your brother?" she then added, looking at her daughter.

@Forsythe: Vicky will receive a text from Ant Man (Scott Lang) in a group chat with Cassie asking for the girls to get to safety immediately, that the Avengers are on campus with a situation called in by one of the faculty.

X-Men: Cosmic Crusades 👽

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Guin Stark & Avery Spellman

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Location: X-Mansion
Skills: N/A

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Guin was absolutely not going to be checking in with herself emotionally. The more she could keep all of this down, the better. If she took a moment to actually feel everything going on in her life, not even thinking about what was going on with Mary... It would be all too much. It'd feel like a thousand knives stabbing her at once every second that she was sober - every second that she was trapped in her mind, in her body. So even though Guin nodded at Perry's advice, she wouldn't be taking it. She'd have time for feelings later. Or maybe never, if she was being honest. Never sounded good.

"I'm leading the Earth group," Guin said, glancing at the message on her phone. "Mare's at the Botanical Gardens. Let's go." She paused for a moment, before quickly shooting off another text - not to Rogue or any member of the X-Men, but to her father.

@TobyStank

Shit might be about to go down in New Orleans. Track my location. If you don't get a text from me in 30 min, show up with the Avengers in force. It's the Phoenix.

She wasn't strictly speaking with her father at the moment, but this could be the end of the world. And if things went horribly bad and the X-Men weren't able to stop Mary, then Guin owed it to everyone alive on this planet right now to alert the other people who might stand a chance of stopping her - permanently, if they had to.

"I'll - I'll go with the Shi'ar," Avery said. "I mean, with the group that is going to see them." Their face burned with embarrassment. It was a bit silly and maybe even immature of them, especially as they had just confessed their feelings to Carolina, but they still had feelings for Max - feelings for this ancient wizard. And here there was this new person, who clearly seemed to be involved with Max... He was cute, with serious eyes and tension in his shoulders - athletic and lean too. Avery could see why Max liked him. And they couldn't help but compare themself to him, to look at Ben and try to see what the ancient mage saw in him - and what Max couldn't see in them.

They tried to refocus their attention to the information that the Asgardians were giving them on the Shi'ar, or even just to focus more on Carolina. The jealous tendrils uncurling inside of them weren't healthy.

"I'm with Max," Ben said simply, his tentacles withdrawing into the portal inside his body - for the moment. He didn't leave any room for anyone to question it.

Runa addressed Max's question: "The Shi'ar Majestrix is advised by a high council, so our appeals should be made with both the Majestrix and their advisors in mind. We will need to approach them with extreme caution. The Shi'ar have many weapons that are deemed unforgivable on Asgard - such as the erasure of entire lineages, your bloodline coming to a swift and permanent end."

She then paused. "I'll summon the Bifrost. Whoever is coming with me, please follow." She then turned and made her way out of the mansion, heading out onto the lawn. There, she raised her staff to the sky. "Heimdall, if you please."

Ω Heroes of Olympus: The Next Age of Heroes Ω

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🌈👻 Leda Storm 👻🌈

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Location: Tartarus
Skills: N/A

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More harpies fell by Mads' hand, the rest of them electing to flee, and Leda allowed herself a smile. Sure, the scenery had changed, but this part of her (after)life hadn't. She was still a demigod, and these were still monsters. Even in Tartarus, they died the same. And it wasn't even the first time that her ally was someone who could ostensibly be considered a monster themself - she'd worked with cyclopses before, a werewolf wasn't really that different. Both of them had a reputation for eating demigods, after all. "Bloody cowards," she said, shaking her head

But even from this distance, Leda could see that the harpies weren't just running - they were getting back up. More harpies were on the horizon, a giant hoard rushing to meet the stragglers. "Yeah, can't say I love that," she grimaced. She knew what happened when monsters died in Tartarus. She had no idea what would happen to a demigod's ghost. And Leda didn't intend to find out. "C'mon then, hop on." She muttered a silent prayer to Iris under her breath.

Roll Request

Leda is going to run Mads and herself out of there.

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☀️ Nancy Parker ☀️

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Location: Camp Half-blood
Skills: N/A

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Nancy only took her eyes off of Leandra for a split second, her brown eyes smoldering with barely contained rage. She was so close to being able to finally dispense something that amounted to justice, but a deep paranoia had filled her, motivating her every move. As much as she wanted to sentence Leandra to the most horrible fate she could imagine, she was afraid - afraid that Leandra would find a way to weasel out of it again, that she wouldn't face the consequences of betraying New Rome and all of its inhabitants. If Nancy had to personally escort Leandra to the Underworld in order for her to be held accountable, then she would - gladly. Even at the cost of her own life.

The anger was all consuming, dominating her every thought, and the flames were only smothered for a brief second as she met Zeke's gaze. She ought to have reflected on the distance that had grown between them, about her regrets in pushing him away, the same thing she was doing to Niah. But instead, all Nancy could realize as their eyes met was that Zeke must have the same anger inside of him too - that the rage was the true thing she had inherited from their father.

That few things were as punishing as the gaze of the sun.

She took her place at the head of the room, and cleared her throat. "This trial is now in session." She then read off the charges levied against Leandra. One of which was the crime of breaking the oath Leandra had sworn to the Legion - the sacramentum. "How do you plead, Leandra?"

X-Men: Cosmic Crusades 👽

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Guin Stark & Avery Spellman

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Location: X-Mansion
Skills: N/A

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Runa saw there her opening to render aid, when Jean Grey mentioned that the Shi'ar had a means to contain the Phoenix - or rather, to remove it from its host. Without their aid, it seemed a likely solution in this case would be the death of the host. Runa couldn't recall any Asgardian technology for removal of the Phoenix - and time was limited, they couldn't afford to venture to Odin's hall only to come out with nothing. "I would like to be of service," Runa said, still standing on the side of the portal that was in York of New. "As princesses of Asgard, we can treat with the Shi'ar and ask for this device. If that is acceptable to you all, then any who wish to come may travel with us by the Bifrost to the Shi'ar throne world where we can make our petition."

Guin nodded, mulling everything over. Max was really raring to go hunt down Mary in New Orleans, trying to find Gambit through some connections with the Thieves Guild. She paused for a moment, taking out her phone and scrolling through the contacts. Most of them were people she'd known as a kid - members of the Avengers that had been programmed in as a safety reason. And then there were a good portion of X-Men, the current team, and a few older members. And under R, after Rhodey, was Rogue. She shot a quick text to Rogue, saying that their scans indicated Mary was still in New Orleans, and asking if Rogue knew where she might be in the city.

"I texted Rogue asking her where in the city Mary might be. I think we should do two teams - one can go with the Asgardians to get the device from the Shi'ar, the other half can locate Mare and try to keep her calm. Maybe if she's up for it, we put her on ice for a while - just until we can get the Phoenix Force out of her. It's stress that brings the other personality out in her, so the calmer we can keep her, the better."

Avery bit their lip, not too sure what to do, what they could say to help. They didn't have a plan to offer beyond the ones that had already been shared. They didn't have any experience or knowledge in this area, they'd never fought the Phoenix before, they'd never even really thought about the Phoenix before. All they could really do was listen to what others had to say and try their best to help to save the world.

It wouldn't be too bad to go to space, they thought quietly - they'd missed out on the last time the X-Men left the Earth, and traveling by the Bifrost would be a once in a lifetime experience... If that idea was pursued, maybe they'd go see the Shi'ar. As much as they hated the idea of alone time with Klara after everything they'd done to her, of course.

Ω Heroes of Olympus: The Next Age of Heroes Ω

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🌈👻 Leda Storm 👻🌈

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Location: Tartarus
Skills: Sword-Fighting, Agility

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Leda nodded in agreement with Mads' plan - it was sound enough. They'd attack, and then run from the scene as fast as they (Leda, really) could. Mads would begin with an assault in wolf form, surprising the pack of Harpies, and then Leda could rush in with Ultraviolet and carve them up, turning them into shreds. She took a breath, watching silently as Mads turned into her wolf form, pouncing on the pack - biting one and killing it, before springing onto another. It was a magnificent act of brutality and savagery, and Leda counted the spaces between heartbeats, before taking up her sword and sprinting to join the fray.

The first swing of her sword was clean, slashing up through the midsection and across the harpie's chest, the monster exploding into sand around her, the angered winds of Tartarus - partially kicked up from Leda's own run - spattering them against her face. But she didn't stop, ducking beneath an attempted attack, before swinging her blade once more, another of the harpies meeting their temporary fate.

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☀️ Nancy Parker ☀️

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Location: Camp Half-blood
Skills: N/A

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Nancy clenched her jaw at Niah's use of the word allegedly. It stung like a snake's bite, a flash of red hot pain followed by a cooling venom. She knew why Niah phrased it like that - that Leandra's trial hadn't happened yet, that she had not been convicted, that she was only accused... But Nancy didn't care. She knew that Leandra was guilty. Niah knew it, too. If it hadn't been for this half-assed immortality Leandra had stumbled her way into, she would be dead by Nancy's hand. And if Nancy had the means to do so, she would have killed her a thousand times more until death finally took.

"There's nothing alleged about the things she's done," Nancy said darkly.

Her body felt restless, her fingers tense, buzzing with energy. Her anger was only interrupted by a member of the Senate entering the tent, saying that it was time. Nancy nodded. Her eyes darted towards Leandra, and then followed her gaze to the cup of water in the corner of her cell. Nancy's left eye twitched slightly, and before she had even finished the thought, she walked forward and kicked the cup, spilling the water onto the ground. Just because Leandra was unable to die did not mean she was immune to suffering.

"Bring the guards in - I'll help escort her personally," Nancy then ordered. She wasn't going to allow Leandra a chance to escape.

Avengers Academy: Junior Year 💥

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@BlueSky44@Nallore@Trainerblue192@Achronum@PatientBean@Forsythe@Blizz@Kirah@Natsu

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??? - Tue. November 23rd, 2038 - Margaret Carter Institute

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Trick or Treat 2023 Records

• Mary Sue - Trick - Her backpack was stolen in the library! She'll have to replace her laptop/books/etc.
• Vicky - Trick - Through a misunderstanding with a teacher (Usagi) Vicky has detention for the entire month of November
• Sabine - Trick - someone hacked Sabine’s socials and put up some disgusting, bigoted content pretending to be her
• Andy - Treat - Magneto sends her a gift, it’s a pair of vambraces that fit her perfectly, they’re made out of an unknown material and can deflect bullets and the like
• Zari - Treat - On Halloween morning, Zari also gets a present from her family. It’s an enchanted tool belt. Whatever tool she needs if she reaches for it, it’s there
• Leah - Trick - After the Monster Mash when Leah returns to her room, there is a postcard on the wall from Oslo. Written on it is her birth name. Nothing else.
• Dorian - Treat - On Halloween day, Dorian’s father sends him a ~spooky~ gift. It’s a mini dinosaur! And by mini I mean like 6 inches tall. But it’s alive!

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Percy raised an eyebrow at his sister's suggestion - she didn't need to ask him about that, his own jumps were much more limited in range than hers were. She could easily get Arcade to the mild of a wilderness - it would take Percy a few hours and several hundred jumps before he'd get Arcade anywhere close. His spatial jumps weren't his strength. The temporal ones were. His eyes flickered over to Dorian. The fact that they had a difference of opinion here was obvious to Percy.

Dorian believed in rehabilitation, in the justice system. Percy didn't. "Возможно, это будет слишком любезно по отношению к нему. Это дает ему шанс выжить," he murmured to his sister, speaking in Russian so as to limit who else could hear, who else could understand. His gaze then settled on Arcade, Danni's arm wrapped around him with blazing fire. If Percy was fast enough, he could grab some kind of weapon, make the jump, and end it all. Death was what Arcade deserved.

But then Dorian would see him as a monster - and that stayed his hand. For now.

If Arcade died later, well, what Dorian didn't know couldn't hurt him.

Not that Arcade was in great shape - he was covered in blisters from Leah's fire, his nose broken from Mads' punch to the face, and Danni was actively threatening him with more fire. He hadn't been in this much pain in a long time - pain that he had vowed to never experience again. And it was more than just the physical, he felt as someone groped around in his mind and then... Then something changed. A profound sadness filled him, a mounting horror, a tidal wave of...

... of understanding ...

... of empathy ...

... of remorse.

"What... What have I do?" Arcade - no, Ed - sobbed. "I'm so sorry I - I didn't mean to - I... Please, you have to forgive me!" he begged.

April shifted uncomfortably, a lump in her throat. Leah had run from the room, and April couldn't help but want to follow out after her - and at the same time, she was rooted into place, unable to turn her gaze away. Sabine had done something to Arcade's mind and here he was, crying and remorseful. Just one small moment and suddenly he was changed. But that wasn't what was causing her hands to shake, what made her lungs feel tighter and tighter in her chest, as her body constricted around her like a prison.

No, it was what Zelda said. And the vision from the Monster Mash played out in her mind again, of herself wearing Magneto's helmet, of the heritage in her blood threatening to overtake her - of the fact that villains didn't usually change, that redemption or atonement was a fantasy...

Would that be her one day in that chair, the victim of a psychic lobotomy?

Her ears were ringing, her head swollen like it was filled with cotton - spots danced in her eyes, and no matter what she did, April couldn't quite catch her breath. The anxiety only grew more and more, a perfect storm fueled by trauma and exhaustion, as April grabbed at her chest with shaking hands. "I-I-I...I can't...breathe..." April wheezed.

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@Bluesky44@Natsu@Kirah: Zari would remember, from one of her time travel study courses, that when dealing with duplicates and changes to recent events in time, it's important to close the loop. If she doesn't send a Zari, Mary Sue, and Andy back in time, the entire timeline thread risks unraveling before it can be tightly bound into place.

While the duplicate Zari and Andy are downstairs in the basement, the duplicate Mary Sue is present. Both of these Mary Sues will begin to feel incredibly sick and nauseous, and a bit gassy as well.

@Forsythe: It's late at night and right before a holiday break, so the school guidance counselor isn't on campus at all - most of the staff don't live at the academy, instead commuting during the day. However, from outside the glass windows, she'll see a quinjet rapidly descending outside of the school's gym - with the Avengers logo on the front.

@Blizz: Leah will also be able to see this quinjet land from her vantage point as she leaves the Framework room.

Translations

Russian:
Возможно, это будет слишком любезно по отношению к нему. Это дает ему шанс выжить. = That might be too kind to him. It gives him a chance to survive.

X-Men: Cosmic Crusades 👽

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Guin Stark

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Location: X-Mansion
Skills: N/A
~Fit Check~

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Guin hadn't realized she'd been quiet for a moment, until the sound of a portal opened before her - one that went to an old yet timeless home in New Orleans. Her mind had been buzzing with information, her thoughts moving so fast that even she couldn't fully understand them, more flashes than coherent ideas. Thoughts of Mary - of how she had used to be, how she now was, and how she might become. Thoughts of the Phoenix - and the destruction that it could wreak upon the universe, not just Earth. She had her father's itch in that moment, the urge to put a suit of armor around everything and everyone - anything to protect life against something unknowable, unstoppable, unreasonable.

She rewound the conversations around her in her brain - Pietro had asked her how she was - I'm fine, she answered, aware that Jean Grey could hear her too. They had a destination - New Orleans - but no plan of action. The Phoenix was a force of nature, a being of fire and life - how could she fight that? She couldn't just build a gun to kill it - and anything she did to hurt the Phoenix, it would hurt Mary too. It was one thing to think about the fact that she might have to hurt her friend... another thing to actually take the steps to do it.

"Jean, you're the expert with the Phoenix. Is there any other way?" Guin asked bluntly. Is there any other way than killing her? she finished, knowing Jean would hear her thoughts.

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Avery Spellman

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Location: X-Mansion
Skills: N/A
~Fit Check~

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Avery had similarly fallen silent, although their thoughts weren't organized the same way as Guin's. There was a deep elation bubbling within them, an earnest joy - Carolina and them had kissed. She wanted to be with them. Fears and concerns aside, they couldn't help but be excited, couldn't help but want to hold her hand, to confess to her every time she had brightened up their world when she stepped into a room, every moment they had almost confessed their crush but had been too afraid to do so.

But this joy was mixed with horror - that the Phoenix was returning, the Dark Phoenix was returning. That wasn't something small - wasn't some villain that they could show up as a team and pummel into submission. The Phoenix was a cosmic power, as terrifying as it was great. It was a god in ways that Asgardians could never be. And the only thing that quelled Avery's panic was the knowledge that Max was there - and that the Phoenix was in Max's home town, giving him an advantage. Surely he had to have some sort of anti-Phoenix spell in his tower?

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Runa, meanwhile, frowned as she considered all of this information. She knew of the Phoenix - not in the ways that the X-Men knew it. Her connection was more intimate. The cosmic force had inhabited her grandmother, from her mother's family, when her grandmother became pregnant. Traces of the eternal flame still flowed through her blood. She tried to recall what she knew of legend - what could be done to avert this tragedy.

But all that came to mind was that sometimes, fire was needed to raze a forest in order for new growth to begin.

Ω Heroes of Olympus: The Next Age of Heroes Ω

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🌈👻 Leda Storm 👻🌈

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Location: Tartarus
Skills: N/A

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Before they could get off at a run, Mads stopped the two of them - everything in this place smelled about the same degree of awful to Leda, but Mads' had a keen sense of smell. So when Mads said to stop, Leda let the girl slide off of her back, and got herself ready, bracing for anything. Most likely a fight, though. A fight or an escape. Those were the only two options that they really had in Tartarus - fight or flight. It was constant survival mode, one where they could expect no allies, no aid.

When Mads waved her forward, Leda joined her at the cage exit, peering out - it only took her a second or so to see what Mads had found. Harpies. Leda frowned. There was a pack of them. Running past them wasn't without risk - even at Leda's speeds, monsters could sometimes keep up with her. But engaging them could also just draw more monsters to them. "Mmm. Are you feeling lucky?" Leda murmured.

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☀️ Nancy Parker ☀️

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Location: Camp Half-blood
Skills: N/A

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Maybe it wasn't completely logical, Nancy's hatred of Leandra. But anger had always been her fatal flaw. And so many things were out of her control. This was one small piece of the puzzle that Nancy had absolute control over - one small way that she could get retribution for everything that had happened, from the fall of New Rome to losing Mads. Besides, Leandra was dangerous. Too dangerous to be allowed to go simply into exile. And yet somehow unkillable.

A brief image flashed through Nancy's mind of Leandra, tied to a post as an eagle soared around her, stopping periodically to eat her innards, her body roasting under the glaring light of the sun.

She stared at the prisoner, her tongue still severed. Niah was quiet by her side. Shame prickled within her. Niah didn't have such vicious fantasies - she had control where Nancy did not. "Your trial is soon," Nancy said, breaking the silence. Her eyes narrowed, as she sunk into the comfort of her anger, leaving the shame behind - for the moment, at least. "I want you to know that for everything that is about to happen to you, you'll only have yourself to blame."

Her hands shook.

There was only one person she hated more than Leandra - only one person who carried more blame.

Avengers Academy: Junior Year 💥

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@BlueSky44@Nallore@Trainerblue192@Achronum@PatientBean@Forsythe@Blizz@Kirah@Natsu

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??? - Tue. November 23rd, 2038 - Margaret Carter Institute

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Trick or Treat 2023 Records

• Mary Sue - Trick - Her backpack was stolen in the library! She'll have to replace her laptop/books/etc.
• Vicky - Trick - Through a misunderstanding with a teacher (Usagi) Vicky has detention for the entire month of November
• Sabine - Trick - someone hacked Sabine’s socials and put up some disgusting, bigoted content pretending to be her
• Andy - Treat - Magneto sends her a gift, it’s a pair of vambraces that fit her perfectly, they’re made out of an unknown material and can deflect bullets and the like
• Zari - Treat - On Halloween morning, Zari also gets a present from her family. It’s an enchanted tool belt. Whatever tool she needs if she reaches for it, it’s there
• Leah - Trick - After the Monster Mash when Leah returns to her room, there is a postcard on the wall from Oslo. Written on it is her birth name. Nothing else.
• Dorian - Treat - On Halloween day, Dorian’s father sends him a ~spooky~ gift. It’s a mini dinosaur! And by mini I mean like 6 inches tall. But it’s alive!

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In one timeline, the students of the Margaret Carter Institute died that evening. It was the beginning of Arcade's career as a butcher, the first of a series of spree killings. He would go on to torment the very best teams, even helping Doctor Doom to imprison the X-Men on one occasion, trapping them by luring their loved ones into his sinister games. And while not all of the students had died - some of them were functionally immortal - enough had died to cut a deep wound. Some of their families were alright - others shattered, falling apart in the aftermath, asking themselves why they hadn't been there when their children needed them the most.

Per the Time Variance Authority, the deaths of these children was a fixed point in the universe designated as Earth-666. They would always be massacred. If it wasn't at the hands of Arcade, then it was at the hands of his better - an old, familiar thread hurtling towards them through time and space.

So as Zari, Mary Sue, and Andy flickered back in time, rewinding events by 30 minutes, no TVA agents appeared to stop them. They would be allowed to save the others tonight simply because within the year, they'd be dead anyways. The anomaly would sort itself out - and if not, they had one of their own stationed at the school - retired, yes, but present all the same. Ser Nemo was a particularly skilled assassin. Children would not best him.

Working together, Mary Sue, Andy, and Zari managed to hijack the Framework without drawing Arcade's notice - it was easy when you had a technopath, of course - and everyone would wake up, dropping out of the tanks, freed from the Framework.

And facing an incredibly vulnerable Arcade.

Arcade's eyes widened, seeing that his hostages had escaped. "H-hey guys. Would you believe this entire system went rogue when Usagi went crazy?"

Percy's eye twitched.

April formed water into gloves around her hands, freezing them into ice - ready to beat the shit out of this man.

Gideon put her sunglasses back on, and unsheathed her sword. "So... Are we taking turns or all beating the shit out of him at once?" she asked.