[indent]An alert rang through the building and on every smartphone with the Stadium App that the sparring chambers had just been activated for a televised match. This happened from time to time, but more commonly during the end of a semester when students aimed for top spots. Students could duel in a specialized training room designed both for safety and entertainment, called [b]The Stadium[/b]. It featured specialized suits meant, weapons of all sorts and an interactive environment that, for the most part, minimized actual harm while still allowing students to inflict all forms of pain; additionally, as some students were skilled with arms, the weapons were designed to cause suits to inflict pain to their wearer based on the weapon hits without actually hurting them. Ever since implemented in the late 90's, the Stadium was used primarily in two ways: as a type of extracurricular boxing ring for students to vent aggression safely and to create a roster of the best 'Gladiator' in the institute. A match this early in the year was rare and most likely merit at least some attention from the classes or those in the cafeteria.[/indent]

[center][b]STADIUM MATCH [14A]0001[/b]

Match Type: 1 vs. 1 Arena
Time Limit: N/A
Contestant A: Phoebe Cuckoo, rank #4 Gladiator, rank #1 telepath
Contestant B: Neu, unranked

Match will begin in... 3... 2... 1...[/center]

[indent]Before this match even began, it was to be a spectacle for the institute for two reasons. First, it came as a complete surprise. Secondly, its contestants. Phoebe Cuckoo was a long-time student at the institute, one of the telepathic pets of Charles Xavier and considered the strongest student telepath in the institute. She as the last of a set of clones of Emma Frost originally called the Five-In-One and designed to be an anti-mutant weapon [i](Weapon XIV, to be specific)[/i] by housing the Phoenix, Phoebe was the only of the three remaining sisters to stay at the institute under the guidance of Charles Xavier. With her prime genetic material and experience, she easily dominated the Stadium and was even ranked fourth as an overall gladiator. The other student, Neu, was yet another pet of Xavier, but a new one. No one knew anything about him, except that Phoebe was apparently about to duel him for some reason. Not only that, Pheobe at this point was 22 versus Neu who appeared no older than 18 and in fact was only 16.[/indent]

As the countdown began, Phoebe smirked. It wasn't until the wall that divided them was lifted that she lost the general glamour of arrogance that settled on her face. It was partly from her genetic sourcemother, but she also had aggressive tendencies in the past. Most of the school knew not to mess with her; especially the telepaths. She had a large ego when it came to being the 'strongest telepath of her generation'. Regardless, the match started out... dull. Phoebe glamoured at Nue while he nonchalantly walked to a weapon rack containing the specialized firearms. Although the atmosphere seemed dull, the reality was setting in. Phoebe, for all of her telepathic abilities - even those unseen - was doing absolutely nothing to Nue. She couldn't read his mind or assault him psionically. The televised event didn't broadcast her inability to even hurt him nor the sheer amounts of telepathic ferocity she was debuting in the arena, and it might as well have been that way since it wouldn't affect Neu.

[i]"WHAT THE HELL? EVEN THE PROFESSOR WOULD HAVE TO DEFEND AGAINST THAT!"[/i] she began yelling at Nue as he picked up one of the handguns and looked at it, toying with it really. Nue was ecstatic about the little handgun. It was so much different from what he had in The World. These were real. Real weapons in his hands, even if they were designed to work with the suits. All he had ever held before this were digital replicas, and even if they were perfect, it wasn't the same. 

[i]"I'm sure he would. But, even the Professor can't hurt me. He can't even read my mind. You have no hope,"[/i] Nue replied to her as he finally looked at her. He smiled lightly as he aimed the gun at her, and he somehow didn't sound cocky. In fact, Neu sounded slightly autistic, as if he had no pride in the matter. He was factual. He was even a little off. He had never developed social skills prior to this, and it was pretty obvious even through a television or phone screen.

[i]"You can't hurt me. Not with that. I'm not hopele-"[/i]

Phoebe turned her skin to diamond, which normally would have stopped the blast, but in this case her skin reverted immediately before Nue shot. It all happened before she could even finish her sentence, and she was left rolling on the ground, writhing in pain. It was, or would have been, a killshot.

[center][b]STADIUM RESULTS[/b]

Winner: Nue
Match length: 27 seconds
Ranked Results: Undetermined[/center]

It was, in fact, a shocker. The match was incredibly short-lived and far from what was expected. Granted, no one knew what to expect from Nue as very few people aside from the Professor and Logan actually knew what he could do, and in such cases most likely expected these results. It didn't matter how powerful Phoebe was if he could make her powerless. It didn't matter how tough her skin was if he could make it soft again. Most of the student body, however, most likely enjoyed the results. It wasn't often a snob like Phoebe, whom basically had her powers handed to her and was always afforded special treatment, get knocked down a peg. On the other hand, some students might equally be a little intimidated by the fact Nue did it so easily. Either way, it was far from the expected.

[indent]The effects of the gun wore off quickly and Phoebe got up sweating. Storming over to Nue, she screamed, [i]"WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?"[/i] Phoebe was making a scene, and it was still being televised.

Nue put the gun back on the rack and looked at her calmly while she stormed over to him. He replied, [i]"My ability is to suppress the X-Gene. It doesn't matter how great you are, miss."[/i]

Phoebe stopped, still looking pretty pissed, as she got close to him and said, [i]"And the Professor just let you do this to me? I wasn't even told...[/i]

Nue chuckled lightly before he replied, [i]"You were told you couldn't beat me, but you insisted. I don't really think you need to follow through with that bet, tho..."[/i]

Phoebe stood quiet for a moment and pondered. She then stepped closer to Nue and smirked, this time using an entirely different mind game. She put her hand on his shoulder, which immediately made his face light up, and replied, [i]"Oh no, Nue... I said if you won, I'd let you take me out on a date... and now the whole school knows you're dating me."[/i]

Nue was speechless. He attempted to reply, but only stammered. He may have been calm and cool in the midst of combat, but put in this situation he was all but useless. As Phoebe slid her hand up his shoulder and neck, the transmission cut out, leaving the end of the scene she caused an even bigger treat for the Institute.[/indent]