QuietThinker

Academy 218 - Superhuman School (Always open)

I'm just waiting for someone to enter the damn base. Marks going to feel like an idiot for being so tense if nothing ends up happening XD

The League - First Blood (Persistent World Superhero Sci Fi and Fantasy, Always Open)

Or you could make it only talk when it has something of incredible important to say..

Academy 218 - Superhuman School (Always open)

Theres at least one bug still alive on Mark's shoulder!

Of course, Nikki is probably too groggy to realise this, but its there for a later post :D

The League - First Blood (Persistent World Superhero Sci Fi and Fantasy, Always Open)

Wire

Listening intently to the conversation going on to his side, he unclipped the chin from his mask, and with minimal noise devoured his breakfast.

It would appear as though we're going to be filling the role of a bodyguard.
Thats a stressful role.
Maybe, but all the best roles were. We're going to be up close and personal with all the un-powered crime bosses in America, and they are going to welcome us.
That might not be a good thing.
Hey, delayed hostility is better than immediate hostility.
True. In fact, I don't know why I'm arguing against this, as I don't have a choice. I'll need a gun though.
Obviously.
Anything else?
... No I think thats about it.
Good good.

He continued refueling his stomach as his new buddy shot him a quick glance. His face betrayed a subtle anxiety.

"Right, boss, just a couple question. One, where's this meetin' going to take place? Even if'n it's on neutral ground, might not hurt to suss out the joint, yeah? Two, who exactly are we meeting with and what groups do they represent? If there's gonna be blood spilled, fine, just wanna know what to expect. Yardies ain't like Yakuza, they use different weapons and tactics. I may not be a boy scout, but I do like to always be prepared."

Before he would reply to his anxieties, Wire slowly turned to look at him and held his gaze for a full 3 seconds. Although his mouth was now visible, his voice was still going through a filter.

"What you should expect are a large number of armed men waiting to be impressed and hate having their time wasted. And correct me if I'm wrong, but Marconi and Music are going there to persuade them to part with their valuable Metas so they can better fight off Legion. There are going to be bosses there happy to watch the competition burn, and there are going to be people there who don't want to give away their most valuable assets. The former are short sighted idiots, and the latter are cautious and probably hoping the League will finish them off first. One of them are dangerous, and the other puts their hope in what is doomed to fail."

He took another mouthful of cereal, swallowed and continued.

"So really, if we're going to be dealing with anything it'll be an upstart who wants to take out the competition before anyone else can. If thats the case, they'll be outnumbered by the bosses that don't want to bow down to Legion, but they'll have us outgunned. If they're going to try a takeover, they're going to have some kind of trump card that they think will turn the tables. It'll quite likely be a Meta."

Wire pointed his spoon at the two he realised he was talking at instead of to.

"But I wouldn't be too worried. They'll be forgetting that they're not the only one with access to superpowers. And as to where we're going to have the meet? It wouldn't hurt to arrive early."

Wire was content to give his insight to the situation. Perhaps he'd given a good impression. Either way, something was bugging him. Why would a man like Ross be showing some anxiety? And what was that about Yakuza? He assumed that he'd spent time in Japan, and that the anxiety came from facing an unknown foe. But that couldn't be right.. Although it would make sense if he was an import: he'd never heard of him before.

He paused for a second to clear out his head and everything around him stopped. He was going to think this one through.

..So, Ross appeared on the American map moderately recently. He's uneasy at the prospect of the meet. He's the friendly type, but now I know he isn't volatile. If he were, then he'd be a cocky prick; he wouldn't be so calculating. If we piece that together, then we have an apparently good guy who came out of nowhere. Innocent enough. Until we start to dissect why he's nervous. It could easily be because he doesn't want to enter a killing floor. But then why would he mention the fact that the folks he'll possibly be fighting aren't what he's used to? Thats a deflection. It has to be a deflection. And I don't buy that he'd be shaken up no matter how minutely by a change of opponent.
...
Maybe there is someone he wants to avoid? He asked who was going to be there, as if there were people he didn't want to see. In that case, I really doubt that he'd just recently shown up. He had some history here. He was used to fighting American gangsters contrary to his claim.
...
There are too many possibilities here to deal with. I should watch him closely; he's bound to slip up eventually.

No change in emotion reached his body: it couldn't react fast enough for the small twitches that usually accompanied deep thought. Time snapped back to normal, and he buried his spoon into the bowl. He waited for his vocal opinions to be critiqued.

Academy 218 - Superhuman School (Always open)

Mark

A clang from the second floor gained a high amount of Mark's attention. Something heavy had just slammed into it, and he doubted that it was friendly. He set his gaze on the opening above him, waiting for his opponent to show itself. The flicker of flame danced on the ceiling, along with a great shadow; and then the shout of a beast which curdled his blood that made his neck hair try to escape from his skin. Much more so than that electric shock. The torchlight did little to illuminate the ceiling, but the shadow vanished as more clanging signaled a great creature on the move. The red glow shook about in what he presumed was terror, before disappearing altogether, but that wasn't what held his vision skyward. The sounds came from directly above him, and yet nothing seemed to be there. And then yet another roar reverberated within his soul; this time though, the tone was different. It was as if it had just fought something off, and wanted to make sure it had put the fear of God into it..

With a quick scan of the two entrance ways on the ground floor, he wheeled the business end of his precious electronic up to the ceiling, where it stayed for a fraction of a second. And there it was: absolutely nothing. Nothing but a very slight shadow, which moved with the change in lighting. It was the shape of a great lizard, and upon further scrutiny the subtle pattern of scales discerned themselves to his eyes.

It would appear he did have an ally after all; it was 'Godzilla'.

The fraction of a second over, he returned his beacon to the floor facing position. It would have looked as though he had simply waved his arm in a circle while looking upwards to anyone watching him. To Mark, it meant a lot more.

He gave a curt nod to what he assumed was his teammate, before continuing to periodically survey all the entrances to the damned metal coffin he found himself defending. At the very least, he was happy he wasn't in it alone.

Academy 218 - Superhuman School (Always open)

That turned into a much funner post than it was originally. Thanks Leo :D

And if you call bull on him being able to see electricity move... Here's a lightning bolt at around 1/180 speed. And Mark can see things much slower than that..

Academy 218 - Superhuman School (Always open)

Well crap. I posted an edit (which didn't show up...) asking if literally everything is made of metal. If it is, he will most definitely feel that shock, and will see bugs falling off the walls even inside the base..

Eh, 'll assume it is.

Academy 218 - Superhuman School (Always open)

Leonerdo said
Ciphra and QuietThinker: I would like to add that both of you might want to read my post, considering how it concerns . Nikki's hundreds of insects are falling dead from the ceiling and walls.

He's not outside. I should probably mention what sounded like a thunderclap though.

EDIT: Wait, is literally everything made of metal?

Academy 218 - Superhuman School (Always open)

Mark

His eyes were as adjusted as they would ever be to this gloom. His eyes were taking in what little light was leaking in from outside, whether from his teammates or his enemies. Just enough to keep him from blindness; if he wanted to discern any detail from anything, it was like looking for Waldo from a meter away. It was doable.. it just took time. Lucky for him, his power gave him all the time in the world. And the music had stopped. That was pleasant.

The room he was in was centered around the flag in the middle: it looked like a carbon fiber pole, and it bent ever so slightly when he pushed up against it. Obviously it was designed to be rugged. Good to know. On the lower floor there was an entrance and a set of stairs to it's right that hugged the corner of the room on it's ascent. There was a side entrance to the left and above was the second floor, which was little more than some balconies with steel-mesh railings and a roof. As to where that would lead.. he didn't know. Mark did know that there were balconies on the outside, but he didn't plan to go on defense. He didn't plan for the lights going out either, and it wasn't caused by a member of his team, he knew that for damn sure. That meant that he could be fighting people who could see in the dark. He bit he would have bitten his lip if he still had those subtle reflexes.

A wave of embarrassment seemed to wash over him as he remembered the phone in his pocket. He switched it on and checked the battery: 74%. Perfect. He closed one eye and switched on it's flashlight function, holding it facing the ground. The room immediately illuminated itself. He let a small grin slide across his face for a brief second as he contemplated his own forgetfulness. Nikki's (or he assumed they were Nikki's) bugs were scurrying around, now illuminated beyond a blob of moving shadow. One crawled up his leg, infatuated by the glow coming from his hand, but Mark gave it little attention: he was on high alert. Flag in hand, torch in the other, awaiting an assault from people with powers greater than his own and with no allies in sight. A rock fell to the pit of his stomach as visions of permanent damage echoed through his psyche.

From nowhere, a wave of electricity flowed through the bunker. He watched it travel with chaotic beauty across the walls and flooring with a brilliant blue glow as the rest of the world stood still. He stared as sparks flew from the insects it overtook. It crossed his mind that something similar may happen to him when it finally came to his feet, but it was far too late for him to jump out of the way of something this fast. He knew what would happen to his phone if it connected to it, and he figured that his suit would have more resistance than Nikki's (he assumed) bugs. His body on the other hand..

As the oncoming tide of lightning crept closer, Mark tried desperately to drop his phone; to break physical contact and minimize chance of it getting hit. He felt the tendons in his fingers and palm scream at him the impossibility of the effort, but he was running on fear. Fear of what could come for him in the dark in this school of monsters. Some damage to his hand was worth the risk of being left in the dark. He fought for what felt like a good 10 minutes against a foe that could not be stopped.

And with that resolve, and his supreme surprise; his hand opened. The pain was gone, but he felt like he'd just done a full day's work in front of a computer screen: he was felt mentally drained. The phone stayed still in the air, and his fingers were no longer in contact.. the skin on the sides of his fingers felt raw. But he had done it in time: although he couldn't move his head to see it reach his feet, the blue incandescence only just reached his feet. He let time flow quicker to dull the shock that coursed through his body, and then it was gone.

His hair was slightly on end, but he didn't have time to admire that: he spun his vision round and caught his falling phone before it hit the presumably steel floor. It still worked fine. As he had hoped, his body had enough resistance to stop the electricity from arcing over to his phone: if he still had contact however, then it would assuredly have done some level of damage to such intricate circuitry. Or at least, he imagined it would. He wondered whether his physics was right, or he had imagined the entire peril that the unexpected attack would be to his phone.

The bug from before, now happily on his shoulder, seemed indifferent to his fretting. A hard one-eyed stare did nothing to convince it of the importance of physics. With a sigh, Mark went back to listening for intruders, and watching for movement.

He did not even consider that his power had begun its development.

accepting all challengers

Wire

To his surprise, the dead man fell back on the floor immediately after getting back up. Wire wondered whether he had succumbed to the gaping hole in his chest, before the sound of gunfire was quickly brought to his attention.

He jumped up into the tree he had his back to to get a better vantage point. He discovered that shining glare in his peripheral vision from earlier was an assault rifle wielding warrior who now seemed to be fighting a man who had electric powers. Once again, he did not know what to make of this. But what he did know was that his little steel gloves would not be up to the task of taking down the Spartan Space Marine and Cole MacGrath.

...

He really didn't want to have to do this.

Gingerly, he left the tree and approached the dead dead man. He reached down to his hand, still clutching that sword, and wrenched it from his fingers in one fluid motion. No ill effects or voodoo curses yet. The sword seemed to want to be put down, as if it had a mind of it's own, but it didn't appear to have any power other than inducing a moderate guilt trip for stealing a dead dead man's sword. It wasn't very effective.

It was a ridiculously heavy thing. Wire knew that he would never be able to properly wield that mass of metal properly; all he could do was drag the blade against the ground. But if he needed to, he knew he could give it a good swing. It would hurt like hell to push his muscles that far, but he knew that he could. And with this knowledge he pulled it along with him through the undergrowth, away from gunfire. Wire would think of a good way to use his new toy.