[IC] The Outsiders (DC comics based OC Superhero RP)

[MrDidact]

Juno nodded her head at Fenrir and minutely smirked. She did not care a whit for the teleporter and honestly it would do the team good to get rid of the chaff. He'd ceased to be an asset and he was no longer of use. He could go back to stopping muggers if it appealed to him so much. While Fenrir detailed the excercise, Juno's mind worked overdrive and processed the room in quick succession mapping out likely points of attack to either flag and possible defensive positions. With her power set Twilight could mobilize anywhere on the field and assume a defensive or aggressive posture in scant seconds. When the teams were announced Juno beamed inside. At least their fearless leader had enough sense to realize that she was a real boon to the team. It was just another rung on the ladder to running the team herself. She kept her face neutral and started formulating basic plans for this encounter. Twilight faced her team. Out of all of them, Belle was the only one she liked and she was a nearly uncontrollable bundle of rage. Madcap was insane, Molotov was confrontational, and Quantum was just a prick. But at least they had useful skills and abilities. Hopefully their personalities wouldn't get in the way of the mission. Juno faced the team and said, "Ok this is how we're going to do it. I'll be directing the team from the midpoint between the flags. I'll be support and will provide cover and fire support as necessary and alter our tactics on the fly. Quantum, when the fight starts I want you to alter gravity and pin the opposing team down as well as you can but leave the area near the flag untouched. Molotov will provide support for Quantum and engage anyone he can't pin down. A rain of fireballs should be enough to keep them busy. Madcap will make a run for the flag, hit and run, grab it and haul ass back while the rest of us cover you. Belle will be in reserve and guard our flag, if anyone gets past me I need you to put the screws to them. Any questions?"

[The Patriarch]

Adam was a little surprised that they had lost a member already, it had only been a day since they had become a team and now they were down one member. He wondered if they were going to find a replacement for Litheal and if the replacement was more disciplined. Adam was more curious to finally find out what their training session would be, knowing Fenrir it would probably be kind of very physical exercise. He looked at the flags that Fenrir pointed to and Adam carefully listened to their leader's words when he explained what they were for. After hearing him explain Adam realized that this was almost a like a game of capture the flag. This sort of training would require teamwork and good communication. Adam smiled when he was made captain of the blue while Twilight was captain for the red team. He heard Fenrir say the names of who would be on the two teams and even though he maintained a straight face Adam was slightly annoyed at having Thorn on the same team. Adam hoped that the plant hero would listen to his command. Then the rest of his team consisted of Bloodwalker, Omega and Poltergeist. Adam liked this combination, he had Omega as his main source of muscle and Bloodwalker has speed in his demonic form as well as flight. Poltergeist's telekinesis would be a good counter to a physical as well as projectile opponent. Thorn's powers would be great for ensnaring the other team and could probably get the flag while in combat as well. As for himself, he had his constructs and expert combat training. When Fenrir told them to get ready Adam took his team to their flag and began to think up a strategy. "Alright team we have to work together and stay focused if we want to win this exercise. Omega you fight Belle, you've got the strength so what ever you do don't lose sight of her or let her get past you. Poltergeist you take Quantum, your telekinesis should be able to handle him and hit him as quick as possible to stop him from using his gravity abilities. Thorn you take Madcap, I think your plant abilities should be more than enough to defeat her. Bloodwalker you go after Molotov, use your speed to take him down quickly and keep him from burning us with his fire. I will take on Twilight and try to keep her distracted as much as possible. I will also try to give as much assistance as I can to all of you, and remember to listen to my orders because our plan may have to change in the middle of the fight. Most importantly stay focused and if a teammate needs assistance then try to help them. Also if any of you see a chance to get the flag then go for it" he explained to them. Adam hoped that his strategy would be effective and get them the win, but it wasn't a certainty. "Any questions?" he asked them wanting to her their thoughts on the plan.

[Lord Wraith]

Belle appeared to be distracted by the training at hand as Thorn turned away, reabsorbing the hybrid fruit into his body. Inwardly groaning at the team selection, Thorn couldn't help but wonder why Fenrir had put him on the team with those he was most distant from. Especially considering the ever present friction with Adam and himself. Though to be fair, Adam had friction with almost the whole team so Thorn supposed someone had to end up with him. The bigger question had to be why he was put in a team leader position, perhaps the stern wolfman had a sense of humor after all. Were Quantum not such a drunk, he might have actually made a decent opposition to Twilight. But alas these were the cards that Thorn had been dealt and he was prepared to gamble. Grunting in compliance with Adam's orders, Thorn eyed up Madcap. He saw no point in voicing his opinion or suggestion plans, everyone knew how cocky Adam was with his 'high brow' reading and 'expert' background. Though if Adam was such an asset to the military, one had to wonder why he was on a team that worked in the shadows out of the eyes of both the public and the government. In some ways the Outsiders were only slightly better than the rumored Task Force X and that was due to having better morals. Task Force X was comprised of captured rogues who had battled with the likes of the Justice League. Turning to Bloodwalker, Thorn spoke. "Keep Molotov off of me especially." His voice rustled as he spoke, straining to keep the annoyance out of his voice. Setting himself up around the team's flag, Thorn expanded thick thorny branches from his body, encasing the flag in a cocoon of strong branches and vines. Large flowers blossomed from the vines, spores of pollen spilling into the air slightly as the petals flopped open. Madcap was unpredictable, the best course of action for Thorn was to stay with the flag rather than outwardly engaging the opposing team. Their 'brilliant' leader had after all left his flag completely undefended, treating this training exercise as a straight offense when it required a dedicated defense. Hopefully Twilight would make the same mistake granting the team an opening. That said against Twilight's abilities and Quantum's, Warpath's team was rather outgunned.

[Hillan]

Marcus had spent the early hours of the night drinking, as always. He watched the Lethal Weapon movies while downing the bottle of 3 month old whiskey, once he was sufficiently drunk again, he would head to bed, walking into his quarters he dropped his jacket on the floor and laid down on the bed. He fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. Marcus woke up at five, an entire hour before 'training' would begin, his eyes shot up and he reached for the gun he kept under his pillow, sitting up, he aimed at the door. Marcus was sweating and panting. "Damn." He mumbled to himself, seeing there were no one there, it was simply just a dream. He put the handgun back under the pillow and got out of bed. He got undressed and put on a tank top and his jogging pants. Using the bar he had installed in his room to do pull-ups. Using his powers to make the training heavier and thus more effective. For him it was a great way to exercise as it strengthened his body as well as his abilities. He showered and got dressed, grabbing a bottle of Gin from his minibar he opened it up as he sat down at the kitchen table, cleaning his Colt 1911 while swigging from the bottle at even intervals. He assembled the gun and put it in his shoulder holster, grabbing a blueberry yogurt from the fridge and a spoon he took off the lid from the yogurt and put some gin in the cup, mixing the yogurt and the alcohol. As the time would come for the exercise the team was assembled. Marcus had emptied the gin bottle and currently eating his yogurt while listening to Fenrir. A classic game of capture the flag? That should be interesting. Marcus had read what files he could get on his teammates, so he had a basic understanding of what all of them were capable off. He knew who to look out for. Omega was a powerhouse, Warpath was a poor man's Green Lantern, Poltergeist had powers similar to Manchester Black's, a man who had given Superman a run for his money. Thorn could cause great problems for the enemy team as he could affect large areas, similarly to Marcus himself. Bloodwalker was some form of a vampire, Marcus wasn't too sure. Regardless, his focus would have to be on Omega and Warpath, as Warpath would support his teammates, and Omega could tear through Quantum's entire team if he wasn't stopped. Marcus couldn't say he loved the plan Twilight provided. It was a defensive strategy, sure. But putting the little girl with anger management issues at their flag wasn't brilliant. It was just a matter of time before she could lose control and turn into more of a foe than a friend. While Marcus was capable of thinking up strategies that could be more effective than Twilight's, he was trained to always respect the chain of command. He was a soldier for all intents and purposes, and he would follow orders, trust that his leader knew what they were doing. He threw his empty yogurt cup in the trash as he moved onto the red team half, digging into his pocket and getting out his pack of camel cigarettes, as well as his zippo lighter, engraved "Beloved". He only thing his father ever gave him, except a black eye and bruised ribs. He lit the cigarette and inhaled the smoke. The nicotine soothing his mind, allowing him to focus.

[An Outsider]

Fenrir turned and strolled away from the teams as they mobilized at their flags so casually he might have looked uninterested. That wasn't the case though, as his powerful sense of hearing allowed him to listen into both team leaders outline their plans with near crystal clarity. Admittedly it was tricky to eavesdrop on two separate conversations at once, but over the last few years he had developed a knack for picking out only the important information and ignoring all else. Both Twilight and Warpath seemed pleased with their elevation in rank for the training exercise, both outlining their plans with barely contained glee in their voices. Again he was reminded of their similarities, in character if not in method. Juno seemed to prefer a defensive strategy, while Adam wanted to close with his enemy and beat them into submission. Adam's method of a full frontal charge appealed to Fenrir's sensibilities more. If you're not attacking then you're winning! That was another pearl of Carter Hall's wisdom, one that Magnus had adopted for himself. It seemed Warpath shared it as well, but perhaps something could be said for Twilight's more reserved strategy. Time would tell. Though he had intimated that the objective of this exercise was to capture the opposing teams flag it also had another purpose. As he hadn't had a chance to see the Outsider's in a fight yet - he had been indisposed, in some form or another, during the debacle at Luthor's office - this would provide him the perfect opportunity to see them in action. To see their strengths and weaknesses, to see who attacked fearlessly and who would refuse to give an inch in battle. Who attacked with unbridled rage and who planned each move in advance. It was all well and good reading about their capabilities on a file, but that could never compare to actually seeing them in action. The real reason for this exercise was for the team to fight, not to capture a flag. Truthfully the flag was completely arbitrary. Their five minutes prep was drawing to a close, Fenrir turning to the team. He took a deep breath before bellowing.

"EXERCISE IS NOW IN SESSION!"

An abrupt start, yes, but this way he could see who in the team was fastest off the mark. Now the fun could begin.

[Dragonbud]

Belle had remained silent as the two teams were created. She was pleased to see Juno was on her team, but she still felt unsure about having to go against her fellow friends and team mates, even though Belle wasn't sure if she was really a part of the Outsiders team. She shifted, uneasy on her feet. She nodded to Juno, not having any questions. Her role was easy, guard the flag. But it also made her horribly nervous. She didn't want to hurt anyone, and she didn't want to get hurt herself. She took a deep breath as she walked within the range of her teams flag. Maybe the other team members wouldn't be able to get passed Juno. She could only hope. Belle took another deep breath, trying to keep her nerves in check. She planned on allowing herself to slip a little. Just enough to get wedged between her beast and her human form. That way she would still be a force to be reckoned with but also retain her judgement. She hoped. And then suddenly the game had begun, and as Fenrir bellowed out to launch the game into full gear she couldn't help but wince. A shiver of fear ran up and down her spine, but there was also something else there. Excitement? That's odd. It seemed like already her Beast form was showing through, taking pride and excitement in the thoughts of defending their flag. Belle glanced over at Fenrir, her eyes already glowing yellow, before turning back to the challenge ahead of her.

[The Patriarch]

Adam thought of possible back ups in case the initial plan failed, it wasn't going to be an easy training session. Out of all of their opponents' team Adam felt that Quantum was the most toughest obstacle thanks to his gravity powers. Everyone else were powerful in their own way, but could be matched and he hoped that Poltergeist would be able to keep the gravity-manipulator from being very effective. When Adam heard Thorn tell Bloodwalker to keep Molotov off of him he nodded in agreement and hoped that the demonic hero would be able to hold off Molotov. He then realized that he didn't leave much for a defense of their flag and inwardly shook his head at his mistake. He was glad that Thorn was able to provide some defense for the flag by growing branches and vines around it. "Thanks for providing a defense for the flag" he said with a slight smile. Their prep time was soon over and they had to get into position. Looking at the other team, his sight was focused on Quantum and Twilight. He then heard Fenrir give the command to begin and Adam almost instantly went into action. He created two energy handguns in his hands and took aim at Twilight and Quantum. The energy that charged up in the weapons was electricity and it was at a level for purpose of stunning his opponents so that he didn't maim them in a bad way. He then fired off a shot from each gun, one headed for quantum while another headed for Twilight.

[MrDidact]

Twilight keyed up for a fight, maintaining steady breathing while her barrier rose and carried her into the air over her assumed position on the field. From this point she could cover the most ground and command the best view. She hovered ten feet over the field and waited for the match to start. Nervous excitement coursed through her mind but the disciplined hero didn't let it adversely affect her. She did not allow a shred of doubt as to the outcome of this match. Juno would beat Adam and hopefully knock him down a peg. The match started and Juno let Adam have the first move. She preferred to let the other side act first and make the first mistakes. She saw Adam charge up an attack aimed at herself and Quantum. Twilight immediately erected two transparent hardlight shields in front of herself and Quantum. They wouldn't stop his attack so much as repulse them, the barrier was designed to deflect the attack back at the enemy team instead of blocking it entirely. Meanwhile, with a gesture, Twilight fired a barrage of hard light spheres from her position down at the enemy side. It was a veritable hailstorm of the light balls. They would detonate on contact in a blast of heat, hard light pieces, and concussive force. They were designed to stun, bruise, and lightly burn but would leave no serious injuries. As such they were not much effort to create and fire and would hopefully provide a window for her team to act.

[The Patriarch]

Adam smiled when he saw the hailstorm of light balls head towards them and he quickly got in front of his team and focused his energy construct creation to craft a massive weapon. He created a giant mounted heavy machine-gun with a large gun-shield. The gun-shield was big enough to cover the entire team from the front and the spheres of light bounced off of the shield. The shield was almost totally transparent to allow his teammates to still see what was happening on the other side of the weapon. Adam had crafted the weapon so that it had a normal-sized handle and trigger.

He pulled the trigger and began firing off a massive amount of energy bullets. This time the rounds were very hot and would hit with a concussive force. he was going to give Twilight a taste of her own medicine and maybe get rid of her arrogant attitude. He then began to sweep over the opposing team with his weapon's gunfire and thanks to it being lighter than ordinary weapons he was able to move the massive gun, but it took a good amount of effort. Unless they made some incredible evasive action Twilight's team would be hit by a hailstorm of energy bullets.

Adam wasn't expecting to have to go this far with his powers, but he saw no choice, he was in it to win this game of capture the flag. He was hoping that this attack would distract the other team so that it would give his team an opening to hit them hard and fast.

"When Twilight stops her attack I want you all to attack as quickly as possible, I'll hold fire to give you more room to move. Remember to watch each others' back" he ordered his team.

[MrDidact]

Twilight had to smile. Of course the meathead would come up with that contraption. From what she knew of his abilities, his threshold for creating and maintaining constructs was somewhat limited. He would use up quite a bit of his reserves if that monstrosity actually packed the punch of an actual machine gun and they should be non-lethal anyway. As he created the gun, Twilight expanded the two shields already created into a strong but transparent wall that covered the entire team from all frontal fire while allowing them to slide under or go around the sides and move forward. Adam was spraying and praying, and rounds fired on full automatic were notoriously inaccurate. This was suppressing fire. Energy rounds spattered off of her shield and rebounded from her barrier, sending them chaotically in the opposite direction or dissipating completely against her wall.

Juno had no intentions to allow her team to be pinned down however. While she gestured with one hand. The remnants and shards of her hailstorm of light spheres had not fully dissipated yet. With a smile she gathered all their energy together while she protected them team from the barrage. Her shield slowly shrunk as she gathered energy, conserving her power for both her counter-attack and the rest of the fight. Let Adam think his machine gun was wearing her down. The balls of hard light and heat coalesced behind the team as they hid behind Adam. A large bomb formed and rolled forward.

Twilight's shield turned solid white and into a tight dome around her team as she floated back down to the ground. Then, with a gesture, the bomb detonated. It was an explosion of blinding light, burning heat, and pieces of hard light that would sting while a wave of force would blow anyone too close off of their feet and deafen them with the sound. Adam was sensitive to extreme stimulus and the bastard child of a flashbang and a concussive grenade turned up to eleven should do the trick. Meanwhile her shield protected her team from the effects of the blast.

Her dome collapsed and Twilight levitated up, "Quantum, Molotov attack! Madcap go!" Twilight raised her hands and fired several beams of light in the general direction of the enemy team. If they connected they would blast the victim back and stun them for a bit but the barrage would help keep their heads down at least.

[An Outsider]

No surprise that the fight started off with Warpath and Twilight both trying to overwhelm each others defenses. With such similar power-sets they were always going to be well matched, the power and versatility of the two meaning it was always going to end in fireworks. It would be interesting to see who would come out victorious. Either way it would be a humbling experience for the loser. Both could stand to be humbled.

Poltergeist wasted no time in deploying his powers against Quantum. Using his telekinesis he picked up several of the heavy weights that were dotted around the battlefield, simultaneously splitting his concentration to hold the ranger in place, then with a surge of effort he hurled his makeshift projectiles at his opponent. He wasn't left with a moment of peace though as he was then assaulted by the light and fury of Twilight's attacks. He threw up an invisible forcefield of his own, but that could not help him from being temporarily blinded by her efforts

Even Fenrir, on the edges of the battlefield, was a little disoriented by Juno's flashbang attack. He could only imagine how badly it affected Warpath - who also had enhanced senses - and the rest of his team. He was left a little worried by the effect it could have on Belle, but he had made the choice to place her on the battlefield. He would just have to hope she would be able to handle it. So far she seemed to be in control of herself.

Molotov, perhaps not surprisingly, refused to follow Twilight's orders for laying down supporting fire, instead directing all his energies towards his most vulnerable enemy, Thorn. With a growl he began to ignite several fireballs before speeding them towards the tree-man.

The confusion of explosive energy attacks booming and blasting across the battlefield gave Madcap to sprint across the field, making a beeline for the enemy flag. She was obviously hoping that Thorn would be so distracted with his own problems that he would not be able to stop her.

[Lord Wraith]

Thinking quickly Thorn shot forth his arm. Growing various evergreens from the arm, Thorn quickly detached the limb as the fireballs impacted with it, creating a wall of fire between Thorn and Madcap. Expanded his chest, Thorn produced numerous thorns which were then launched through the flaming wall towards the clown. Igniting as they passed through, a rain of burning barbs hailed down on Madcap, each laced with a natural parasitic toxin which would slow her down if not completely imbolize the clown should she be hit by enough of them.

Realizing that there wasn't much of a chance of him advancing down the field with Molotov laying down cover. Coming up with a solution Thorn dug his roots into the floor of the base, feeding them further and further into the cement floor creating numerous cracks that allowed him to slip through as he tunneled beneath the training room. Erupting from the floor behind the enemy flag, Thorn reached out to grab it before retreating back underground.

[Hillan]

Quantum stood still, smoking his cigarette as Poltergeist levitated the objects towards him, aiming to crush him. He felt how his limbs were held in place by the Telekinetic, either that or he had more gin for breakfast than he realized. But Marcus did not flinch as the objects came towards him. The objects were just a few feet away from him as he felt his body being able to move again, Twilight's attack distracting the telekinetic so much that he could not remain his grasp on Marcus.

He smirked behind the cigarette, as the metal block fell to the ground in front of him. He forced it to the ground with the gravity field he had generated around himself to protect him from attacks. His only worry was Warpath's energy projectiles, but Twilight had been kind enough to protect him from that as well. Quantum saw how Thorn was attacked my Molotov and Madcap, two of the least stable members of the team, which said a lot coming from Marcus.

Thorn dug himself underground and Quantum heard how he broke the ground behind them, incredibly smart, the Ranger had to admit. Some could say that it was because of the times he had gotten beaten in soccer in school by the older kids, or the fact that his superiors kept giving him the shittiest jobs in the army, but Marcus was done with being the underdog. He flicked his cigarette to the ground and took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He focused for a brief moment before his eyes shot open and he rolled to the side, putting himself right in the middle, in front of where their flag had been, and where the opponent's flag was.

Throwing his arms to the side, the changed the gravity field under himself, cementing himself to the ground and then he altered the gravity on the walls changing the gravity pull to be sideways, and made it roughly five hundred times the gravity of the room, forcing enemies and allies alike to lose their balance and fall towards the wall. He could only hold it up for a moment, but it was enough for his plan, as he took his right hand and raised it towards the flag, pulling the enemies flag over to his side of the field.

[MrDidact]

Twilight saw Thorn shoot barbs at Madcap and erected a quick barrier to block the projectiles. She was more than a little miffed that Molotov had refused to follow orders. She would have words with him when this was over. Still it seemed like the team was doing reasonably well. They were countering Adam well enough. Twilight could taste victory. Then, she heard the crack of concrete as Thorn burrowed a limb underneath the ground and made a grab for their flag. She had not considered such a thing and she very well should have. Twilight raised her hand to try and wrestle the flag back.

Then Quantum changed everything. She felt herself be tugged towards the wall and she had to admire his quick thinking. But his teamwork left something to be desired. Twilight cast a slew of bubble shields around herself and the other members of her team, leaving Adam and his team to their own devices. Twilight grunted as she slammed into the wall and she saw Quantum pulling the flag to their side of the field. She raised her hand and a tendril of light shot out from her bubble and wrapped around the flag, adding her strength in pulling the flag home.

[The Patriarch]

Adam knew that Twilight would probably think that he was wasting energy by using such a crazy construct, but Adam been spending the entire night regaining all of his energy. He was now at full power and at his level of energy reserves he could continue to use this weapon for thirty minutes straight before losing most of his energy. It seemed like his rounds weren't doing enough damage to destroy Twilight. He then noticed her release some strange attack that moved towards him and his team. Adam's incredible mind for warfare and instincts instantly reacted when he saw Twilight throw up a shield around herself and her team.

Thinking quickly he crafted a Spartan Shield of great size to cover himself and his team from the direction the soon to detonate bomb was. He also made the shield opaque in case the attack was some type of flash-bang grenade, which made sense given her kind of powers. His suspicions were made correct when the attack exploded in a large amount of force and light. His shield kept his team from being blinded from the blast and some of the loud noise, but Adam got a good amount of the sound of the explosion. His hearing was damage and he shook his head to try and clear it. His enhanced senses were both a blessing and a curse.

He was about to make a counter attack when he felt Quantum's gravity force to fly towards the wall and he watched as the man began to pull their flag towards him. Adam had to do something quickly otherwise they would lose and that was something he did not want to happen. He turned to Poltergeist and Stalwart and quickly shouted an order.

"Poltergeist! Hit him with a telekinetic and make it as powerful as possible! Stelwart use your powers and ram into him head on and step on it! Remember to retrieve the flag!" he commanded them and even though the gravity made him unable to go directly after his opponent, he was still able to craft a weapon. He created a sci-fi style laser cannon and charged up an extremely powerful blast of energy. Adam fired off a beam of concussive force that was powerful enough to blast through solid metal and it aimed at ground around Quantum's feet and when it hit it would create a powerful explosion that would blast apart the ground with an insane amount of force. Adam was using a huge large amount of his reserves and he hoped that this attack would distract the man long enough Poltergeist and Stalwart to make their moves on the hero and the flag.

[An Outsider]

Adam's shield may have been opaque, but an energy construct can do little to block out the explosive sound of Twilight's flash-bangs. He was fully discombobulated by the explosions, and would be hearing a ringing in his ears for days.

Twilight's aggressive energy usage was starting to tell on her when the wall she erected to protect Madcap from Thorn's blazing projectiles failed to prove equal to the task. The light-barrier shattered under impact, the barbs continuing on to pepper the mad clown. Madcap's face registered her shock for a moment, before she fell to her knees. The mix of noxious toxins worked their magic, and the clown was sprawled on the floor unconscious before she could say 'milkshake'. She took Thorn for a pushover, because being suckered in by his less aggressive stance and attitude. Like an insect stumbling into a venus fly trap. A mistake here, a potential fatality on the field.

Thorn's next move was very nearly the end of the battle, if not for Quantum’s quick, though overzealous, thinking. The entire team, and everything else not nailed down, were thrown towards the walls. The bizarre nature of Fenrir's Nth metal armour allowed him some sway with his own disagreement with the bizarre new gravitational status quo, though it still took some effort for him to keep his feet. Even as he struggled to keep his balance he couldn't help but feel some admiration for Marcus' power. When he puts aside that chip on his shoulder Quantum is a tremendous asset. If he could learn responsibility he has the potential to become the most powerful member on this team.

Warpath screamed his orders, a frantic edge to his commands. Perhaps he could see his victory slipping out of reach, a galling fact for the arrogant super-soldier, especially in the face of his equally arrogant rival, Twilight.

"Poltergeist! Hit him with a telekinetic attack and make it as powerful as possible! Stalwart use your powers and ram into him head on, and step on it! Remember to retrieve the flag!"

Stalwart got to work immediately, his face contorting in concentration as he attempted to pervert his personal gravity. Poltergeist followed suit, nodding the his team leader before shifting his attention to Quantum. A subtle glow began to suffuse his gaze.

Warpath's energy reserves were lower than he suspected. His blast had hardly half the destructive power he had hoped. The energy attack cannoned into the ground at Quantum's feet, but apart from scorching the floor and shaking the ex-Ranger's footing there was very little achieved by the action. Juno and Adam had both been reckless with their power usage early in the fight, their attempts to dominate each other in the opening moments undermining their performances now. They've both trained their entire lives as leaders and tacticians, yet neither knows the value of keeping a reserve.

Fenrir's attention was grabbed by Stalwart. The big man had failed to break through Quantum's gravitational field, even after lowering his own. No amount of effort on his part made any jot of difference, the towering hero beginning to flail ineffectually.

“No, no, no, no, NO, NOO, NOOOOO!” He wailed. Fenrir turned his nose up in disgust at the the spectacle. He had expected more from Stalwart, but it seemed he was no more than a whiney child when things weren't going his way. That's the thing about having power as great as that, the second its gone the feeling of not having it anymore would be overwhelming. The sensation of being as normal and as frail as anyone else would be alien and terrifying territory.

Poltergeist proved a far more canny operator though. Instead of attempting to lift and throw any more projectiles, which would have also been subject to the bizarre new gravitational pull, he instead opted to charge up a massive force of telekinetic energy. The air immediately in front of Jamyi began to shimmer, as if in a heat haze.

Call it experience. Call it animal intuition. Call it divine providence. Whatever it was, Fenrir got the feeling that what was to come next wouldn't end well. Something in Poltergeist's stance, the hunch in his shoulders or the glint in his eyes.

"Jamyi. STAND DOWN!" He ordered. Whether the telekinetic didn't hear him or just ignored him he couldn't be sure. What he did know was a moment later Poltergeist threw his body forward, arms gesturing madly towards Quantum. There was a slight *foosh* noise, like you would imagine a distant missile making as it takes off, and a great horizontal arc of near imperceptible energy began to crash towards Marcus.

Fenrir took off with a grunt, pushing himself forwards with all his might. His Nth metal armour may have allowed him to still move, but it was a unforgiving trial. Each step was an agony, his bones feeling like they were ready to twist through his flesh, his skin seemingly deciding it was several sizes to small for his body. So this is what it feels like to break the fundemental laws of the universe, and to have those very laws try to break you in return. Hrrrmm. Granny proved more adept at torture.

The Wolfman proved faster than Poltergeist's attack, if only by the slimmest of margins. Without pausing he bore Quantum to the floor, the telekinetic wave passing overhead. For a moment there was a sensation of great weight above them, like standing in an underpass as a train rumbles overhead, but it was over in a heartbeat. The wave continued on unopposed, crashing through the scaffolding rig. The bars and poles crumbled under the energy, some seeming to explode into fragments. Finally the wave seemed to slow, before dissipating enitrely. It was obvious the damage that sort of power would have inflicted upon the human body would have been fatal.

Fenrir's expression was thunderous as he pushed himself back to his feet. Almost casually he grabbed the flag that Twilight was still trying to pull towards herself, breaking her tendril of power as if it was an aging rubber band.

"Quantum. Drop the gravity field," He hissed through clenched teeth. As soon as the ex-ranger complied Fenrir commanded Poltergeist and Stalwart Defender to report to the meeting room, to await him there. Both made their way out of the training room.

"Training session is now terminated." He announced while crossing towards Madcap. And it wasn't nearly as fun as I had hoped. Another live and learn moment for the feral meta. "There are no winners today." He bundled Madcap up in his arms before making for the exit himself.

"Thorn, please accompany me to the medbay. Need a cure for Madcap's condition. The rest of you have the day off. Twilight, Warpath, we'll speak about this later." His tone indicated that it would not be a warm discussion.

[Lord Wraith]

Emerging from his tunnel, destroyed flag in tow, Thorn reformed his malleable body as he listened to Fenrir's breakdown of the game. Nodding as he followed Fenrir from the training room, Thorn began to create an anti-toxin in order to revive Madcap. Even if he hadn't been able to do so, his toxin would have wore off with time, Thorn didn't aim to kill especially against teammates. He had verified none of the team members had allergies of any kind. It was something he especially needed to know if he created the wrong pollen, or grew a fruit, vegetable or nut that could be harmful to an ally's health. Madcap would be right as rain in no time.

"We hope that wasn't as pointless as it felt." Thorn said to Fenrir as he walked. Though it seemed out of turn to say and no doubt Fenrir was already enraged, Thorn still felt he needed to express his frustration. "We must admit we are disappointed with both team leaders, that said the use of the term team here is liberal. We are not acting as a team. What there is out there is every showboating man for themselves. Twilight and Warpath both were only focussed on one upping the other. Quantum merely wished to prove he was no pushover and everyone else seemed like they forgot to show up this morning." He paused, slightly hesitating before continuing. "We are no doubt out of term to suggest this but perhaps the team requires some culling. Remove the wheat from the chaff so to speak. If we are ever to get a drop on those who seek to harm the world then you as a leader need a team you can rely on. Not one that's constantly torn apart by petty squabbling. We do not like, nor even trust Warpath but we embraced him as a leader for the exercise despite his lack of vision. The team requires others who can put their own wants aside and embrace and support you instead of plotting to undermine you." As the pair reached the medical bay, Thorn extending a sharp protrusion dripping with the antidote as he turned to Fenrir.

"Here is the antidote for Madcap. She should wake within a couple hours of administration."

[Dragonbud]

Belle was in a complete and utter shock. She had heard Fenrir call off the game of capture the flag, and had heard and felt the attacks before that. And yet she was sitting, behind the pedestal her teams flag once stood. She had watched Thorn grab the flag, and she even had had an opportunity to strike back and get the flag back from him. But she hadn't. She had jumped to her feet, ready to lash out at him. Her friend. She felt the overwhelming urge to hurt him, and had looked down at her hands to see fur and claws sprouting. And she had to stop herself.

She silently wondered if she had cost her team the game.

Well that hardly mattered now, Fenrir seemed mad, and Madcap was hurt. Thorn and him were going to the infirmary and a few of the team members seemed to be getting scolded by Fenrir. Belle wished she had paid more attention.

Belle stood up, deciding to follow Thorn and Fenrir to the infirmary instead of staying behind in the training room. The air felt tense. She walked quietly behind the two older members, figuring that she needed some parietal figure and plant figure time. After both the game of capture the flag and what had happened yesterday on the mission. She listened to Thorn as he spoke about leadership, and the problems that the team was encountering.

Once the group arrived at the infirmary, Belle stopped. She didn't really want to see Madcap all hurt and stuff, so she sat outside the door.

[An Outsider]

As they walked Thorn raised his concerns with what just happened, all of them valid. Fenrir was coming to the realization that Thorn was going to become the voice of reason on the Outsiders. Good thing too, after Poltergeist has failed so utterly to step into the role as I hoped. Strange, perhaps, that a former gang-banger should become a creature possessed of such an abundance in common sense, but should Fenrir be surprised that Valentine's unique experiences had changed him? Fenrir's certainly had.

Fenrir felt the need to explain himself to Thorn, to have the plant man understand why he thought today's exercise would be a good idea. He couldn't quite put his finger onto why, but he wanted Valentine to respect him, not just because Fenrir was his leader but as a person. Perhaps it was because Magnus respected Thorn so much.

"There was a point to it Thorn. I've never seen the team in action before. I missed all of last nights action, but the outcome of that made me realize I need to understand my team better before I can more effectively lead them."

"I am a creature of passion and movement. Reading a persons accomplishments on paper doesn't compare to seeing them in action. I now know that while Warpath and Twilight both see themselves as my natural successors, imagine their training trumps my savagery, they both have a ways to go before they are ready for the role. I now know that Quantum's chip on his shoulder goes beyond a reckless attitude and a taste for cheap alcohol, that he flat out refuses to be beaten. I've seen who has a future here, and who doesn't."

"I agree. It is time to remove the weak links, leaving the pack with nothing but the strong. And this morning has revealed the weak."

They had reached the medbay now, Fenrir setting Madcap down upon one of the cots before accepting the antidote from Thorn and applying it to the clown.

"I don't know how cut out I am for this." Fenrir spoke quietly, almost as if he was talking to himself. His gaze was steady on Madcap, though his eyes were cloudy and far away. Whatever he was looking at, it was far in his past and not in this room. " I can lead a team on the battlefield. I can fight. If need be I can kill. This though? This is different, this welding of so many extreme personalities into one cohesive unit. The man in me doesn't know what to do next. The beast in me is certain of the steps I must take, but those steps seem so savage. Yesterday I almost tore Adam's throat out when he challenged me. He challenged my authority, and my first response was to shred him. A real leader would never have considered that."

"Perhaps you shouldn't support me." He stopped then, almost suddenly, as if he had just realized what he had said. He glanced up a Thorn to guage the plant-mans reaction to his words, before making a sound that sounded like a cross between a snort and a snarl. Better to just ignore I said anything. Thorn is discretion-ate enough not to mention anything.

"Well. I have some chaff to separate." He finally said before walking out of the med-bay. He nearly tripped over Belle on his way out. Fenrir hadn't spoken to the girl since yesterday. He had thought to give her space after the incident with the cruiser. That was a mistake, he realized now, as he seen how despondent she looked. He knelt by her side. The chaff could wait.

"What bothers you, cub?"

[An Outsider]

Several Weeks After The Training Scenario

The League of Shadow's. Few in the world today new the name. Those that did had learnt to fear it. An army of killers for hire. A collection of the greatest martial artists on the globe. An ancient society dedicated to saving the world from economical collapse. The fangs that protect the Demon's Head. The League was all these things and more, worthy of the fear they had garnered. Even the Justice League refused to face the League of Shadow's head on, knowing that even if they did destroy ninety percent of the LOS then the ten percent left behind would visit unchecked ruin upon the free world.

So it may have been some surprise for the Outsiders that Fenrir had summoned them to the Cruiser, just to inform them that they were to assault the home of the League of Shadow's, Nanda Parbat itself. When quizzed on why them and why now he had merely brushed the questions aside, telling them times had changed. The Shadows had gone on unopposed for long enough, he said, though it was obvious that there was more to this mission than he was letting on.

The team was changed since the training mission. Poltergeist had been let go, his obvious reliance on lethal force curtailing his future with the team. The Outsiders may have been formed to make the hard choices that other heroes couldn't, but it was never with the intention that fatal force always be their first option. Jaymi had refused to realize that. Bloodwalker had been kicked for a similar reason. Stalwart Defender was the last member to be forcibly removed. His childish showing during the training mission had seen to that.

Molotov and Madcap had both left of their own accords. Molotov's personality had been difficult to reconcile with the teams dynamic and had decided to make his own way in the world. Madcap had simply dissapeared one night, leaving a room with scribbled on walls as the only sign of her passing. Fenrir was still keeping an eye out for her, but doubted he would ever find her, not if she didn't want found.

They had replaced their losses with three new heroes. Domini, Moxy and Veracruz. Domini was a parasitic alien/human hybrid. Veracruz a powerful telekinetic with some ties to Cruz international. Moxy a bruiser from Gotham with something of a chip on her shoulder. All three had been untried in the field, and it was almost definitely a tactical mistake for Fenrir to be taking both new members out to face a foe as deadly as the League of Shadows. Just what he was thinking was hard to tell though.

Fenrir was behind the controls of the cruiser. His usual distaste for the role wasn't as apparent on this trip. His eyes and upper head where hidden by his Nth metal wolf-helm, though his mouth was drawn in a taut grim line. They had been flying for some time now, the Atlantic ocean long past. Nanda Parbat couldn't be far now.

If any member wanted to ask any last questions now was the time.