[center][h1]Living the Suite Life[/h1][/center]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/FWMorlL.png[/img][/center]
[center][img]http://i.imgur.com/3R5vYYi.png?2[/img][/center][hr][center][color=00a99d]𝕋𝕙: 𝕊𝕖𝕡𝕥. 𝟙𝟟, 𝟚𝟘𝟚𝟘   / /   𝕎𝕒𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕥𝕠𝕟, 𝔻.ℂ.   / /   ℍ𝕪𝕒𝕥𝕥 ℝ𝕖𝕘𝕖𝕟𝕔𝕪 ℍ𝕠𝕥𝕖𝕝[/color][/center][hr]

[hider=Ernie, Brent, and Marcus: Splattered! Across the Penthouse]
[center]
[img]https://i.imgur.com/FWMorlL.png[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/jw3F1O9.png[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/jzzw4on.jpg[/img] 

[h2][color 00a99d]Ernest[/color] | [color B0C4DE]Brent[/color] | [color 33ec06]Marcus[/color][/h2]
[img]http:// i.imgur.com/3R5vYYi.png?2[/img] 
[hr][color=silver]𝕋𝕙: 𝕊𝕖𝕡𝕥. 𝟙𝟟, 𝟚𝟘𝟚𝟘   / /   𝕎𝕒𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕥𝕠𝕟, 𝔻.ℂ.   / /   ℍ𝕪𝕒𝕥𝕥 ℝ𝕖𝕘𝕖𝕟𝕔𝕪 ℍ𝕠𝕥𝕖𝕝   / /  𝟙𝟜𝟘𝟘[/color][hr]
[sub]Collab with [@ERode] and [@Chasers115][/sub][/center]

Man, it was about time he got some decent grub. Fast food was nice and all, but probably a nightmare on his sodium levels. Ernie relaxed in solitude as the elevator glided silently up the East Tower's floors, relishing the memory of gourmet tastes and the full-but-not-too-full feeling in his stomach. He could get used to living like this.

A [i]ding[/i] chimed through the chamber as the doors opened to transport another guest and Ernie mentally prepared himself with a small grimace. His X-mark was on full display, hopefully whoever it was would just turn and run when they saw it.

Polished, golden bars caging a neat stack of luggage greeted Ernie as the elevator opened and he was suddenly taken back. A fond memory of a morning children's sitcom set in a hotel. Michievous adventures as two brothers sped through a lobby on a golden cart. And though the bellhop noticed the Aberration and fearfully wheeled the luggage trolley to another elevator in a hurry, the idea had taken hold of the boy hard and fast. Ernie furiously slammed the Close Door button in his fervor, unable to stifle the giddy grin on his face until he reached the Penthouse. There was someone he needed.

[color=00a99d]"Brent. Brent! Are you here? I need you for something!"[/color]

Ah, it was nice to finally have some clothes that weren't full of holes. Though Brent had more or less managed in Wisford due to the fact that he didn't bother all that much with going outside, now that he was in the capital, in a ritzy hotel that he didn't even know existed, the arbiter definitely felt the pressure to make himself presentable.

Or, at least, not look like he just walked out of a warzone.

Dressed in a white, collared shirt and denim jeans, Brent headed out just as Ernie called out for him from the hallway. Blinking in mild surprise at how excited the x-marked youth looked even when surrounded by anti-subnatural activists, the arbiter waved, quirking an eyebrow. [color=B0C4DE]"Yo, what's up?"[/color]

Ernie's chest heaved with childlike excitement. [color=00a99d]"Did you ever watch Suite Life? That show about the hotel?"[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]"A rerun or two, why?"[/color]

[color=00a99d]"This place has luggage trolleys. Big ones. Come ride with me, I wanna see what your powers can do with it! Maybe it'll get like jet engines or something!"[/color]

A part of him wanted to point out the fact that putting jet engines onto a trolley with no brakes would just end up smashing multiple holes into the hotel wall, but that part of him was a bore. Tossing Boring!Brent into the wastebin, Brent grinned, raising a fist.

[color=B0C4DE]"Dude, I'm hella down. Where we gonna get these things?"[/color]

Really, what were the hotel staff expecting, putting almost 20 subnaturals into the penthouse floor? A tranquil, civilized stay?

Ernie tapped his fist against Brent's, barely keeping himself from jumping with glee.

[color=00a99d]"In the lobby, by the driveway. Aw man, this is gonna be awesome!"[/color]

The boys made their way down to the ground floor, locating the aforementioned driveway after a quick search. A crowd of reporters had begun accumulating outside the hotel's grand entrance, though so far all of them were held at bay by multiple soldiers. The loop of Marcus' interview ran uninterrupted in the lobby's lounge area. But Ernie couldn't care less about these details. With a trolley and a fellow troublemaker at his side, he was living the dream.

[color=00a99d]"You wanna find a hallway somewhere or do you want those cameras getting another peek at your skills, Proteus?"[/color] Ernie smirked, using the new moniker. It was a joke but he still thought the name was pretty badass.

[color=B0C4DE]"Naw man,"[/color] Brent waved off that suggestion, [color=B0C4DE]"Greek gods like myself don't show off just for the sake of cameras. I'd rather keep the speculation going for a while, you know? Makes for good laughs."[/color]

Still, it was a small blessing that he didn't get stuck with the Gearhead name, if nothing else. Sucked to be Marcus, really, living more or less forever with Time Scar now. Grabbing a trolley as well, just in case the first one suffered an unfortunate accident, Brent led Ernie back to the glass elevator. [color=B0C4DE]"Think we have plenty of space in the Penthouse myself. It'd be pretty bad if we ran over some oil baron from a foreign country, after all."[/color]

Of course, going up there meant running over his fellow classmates, but at least his classmates wouldn't nuke the entire Unit due to that, right?

The elevator slowed to a stop at the 11th floor, a soft ping announcing the imminent arrival of a new passenger on the elevator. When the doors slid open, there stood Marcus, suddenly pausing at the sight of Ernie and Brent.

He'd been on the floor to explore the computer lounge, see if there was anything interesting about the facility, but the sight that greeted him upon the elevator's stop was one that caused him a slight bit of concern. Ernie and Brent, each with a luggage cart. It was almost enough concern for him to let the elevator keep going and get the next one. [i]Almost[/i].

"[color 33ec06]What the hell are you two doing?[/color]" he asked, stepping aboard.

Ernie's grin hadn't shrunk since he had greeted Brent in the Penthouse. In fact, it only grew wider as Marcus stepped on. Aw yeah, another comrade!

[color=00a99d]"Marc, you gotta ride with us! We're living the Suite Life!"[/color]

Brent smiled at Marcus, shrugging as Ernie rambled on excitedly. [color=B0C4DE]"Who knows, maybe we'll need an escape plan that involves trolleys in the near future. All training."[/color]

Marcus's hesitant look didn't stop, it only grew more hesitant as he started to piece together the plan they had.

"[color 33ec06]Are you telling me that you just stole two luggage carts from a poor hotel worker, and are about to ride around on them like they were golf carts?[/color]" Marcus asked, his voice almost motherly.

He looked back and forth between the two other subnaturals, before his slightly stern look melted into one of bountiful excitement.

"[color 33ec06]That's awesome. Count me in![/color]"

[color=00a99d]"Aw yeah! Team Sesame Street, back in action!"[/color] Ernie whooped.

As soon as the doors opened to the Penthouse, he kicked off the back wall of the elevator, sliding himself out and almost colliding with the couch in the lounge.

Brent followed much more thoughtfully, trying to envision what exactly he needed to do first. He had three overclocks, but only two of them were going to really be of use, unless he wanted to piss off whoever managed this posh little palace. Too much speed with too little weight was dangerous, but he also needed to take into consideration the handling of this 'vehicle', not to mention the fact that trolleys, while meant to carry luggage, weren't designed to carry three youths.

[color=B0C4DE]"Dude, don't ruin them so fast. We need to keep one in top-top shape as a spare,"[/color] Brent said before placing both hands on the back end of it, [color=B0C4DE]"Now get your asses on. We're going drifting."[/color]

"[color 33ec06]You know, I think we should really rethink that team name when this is all said and done. We can probably think of something way cooler. Like Team 'Splattered Across the Penthouse' or something.[/color]" Marcus said, chuckling as he climbed aboard the trolley into a kneeling position.

"[color 33ec06]What exactly is the plan here, anyway?[/color]"

Ernie obliged obediently, pushing his trolley aside for now and hopping on behind Marcus.

[color=00a99d]"That's a bit of a wordy name but I got nothin' better,"[/color] he laughed, [color=00a99d]"The plan? I got nothing there either. Something fast and something furious, hopefully."[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]"I mean, if we abbreviated Splattered Across the Penthouse, we'd be Team SAP, which..."[/color] Brent flailed his hands in the air in search for an answer, [color=B0C4DE]"Isn't that terrible?"[/color]

A pause that heralded a shit-eating grin.

[color=B0C4DE]"Compared to Time Scar, at least. If you were such a charming fellow with reporters, you shoulda taken the bullet instead, Marcus."[/color]

With that, silver circuitry exploded from his arms, flooding the gold-painted material with power before the trolley essentially exploded underneath Marcus and Ernie. For a moment, it was almost as if they were floating in mid-air, before the trolley reconstructed itself, turning into a much hardier, if not still lightweight, material. Railings also emerged, boxing them in, as Brent prepared the next dose.

This time, the black exterior creaked, desert winds blasting them as the wheels underneath improved, the handling and balance of this 'vehicle' improving dramatically, every part of the trolley now lit up with a light blue aura. It was too small to fit in three, but with these changes, it would be safe enough for him to hang on from the back end. Which meant...

[color=B0C4DE]"Alright, I'd tell you to buckle up, but safety comes second here,"[/color] Brent said, before taking in a deep breath, [b][color=B0C4DE]"THERE'S NO BRAKES ON THIS TRAIN, SUCKAS! ARE! YOU! READY?!?!?!"[/color][/b]

"[color 33ec06]Good glad to see we're all on the same page then. No plan, no rules, just hop straight in and see what happens.[/color]" Marcus said, visibly rolling his eyes, the last put of his sentance dropping into a low mutter, mostly to himself.

Any and all questions he had disappeared when the trolley turned silver, sending him and Ernie into an almost weightless state as the faux-vehicle was rebuilt underneath him. He'd seen Brent's power on the screens back at USARILN, but it was [i]far[/i] more impressive up close.

He flinched as Brent yelled, turning around to give him a hesitant thumbs up. "[color 33ec06]Ready as I'll ever be, Cap'n![/color]"

[color=00a99d]"Yeah, yeah, yeah, let's [i]go![/i]"[/color] the Aberration cheered.

His shoulders rolled, and he exhaled deeply. The path before them was clear, and, outside of a glare from one of the soldiers stationed with these massively idiotic teenagers, no one was going to bear witness to whatever else was about to happen.

Like a sprinter, Brent lowered his body, legs coiled, before kicking off. One step. Another. And then he was jogging, momentum building more and more as the trolley accelerated. Soon, he was breaking off into a full on dash, and moments after, the arbiter leapt upwards, feet pressed against the railing as the overclocked trolley sped on.

[color=B0C4DE]"FIRST CORNER!"[/color] He called. [color=B0C4DE]"LEANNNN!!!!"[/color]

"[color 33ec06]AYE CAP'N![/color]" Marcus said, giving a small salute as he threw his wieght to one side, feeling the momentum of the makeshift buggy as they gained speed.

Ernie held to the top of the cart with one arm, resembling a pirate overlooking the sea from the top of his ship's mast. He leaned to the side with his torso hanging over the railing, laughing and saluting along with Marcus.

For two precious seconds, the trolley lifted up on two of its wheels, overclocked handling not being enough to handle three young men riding it. Brent grit his teeth as the wheels squeaked, a black mark left on polished marble as it slid horizontally, but their machine held strong and he dropped off onto ground again, making up for lost speed with extra muscle power.

[color=B0C4DE]"We still in it, boys!"[/color]

Ernie let out a sharp breath as the cart lurched. Holy shit, that was close! The adrenalin coursed through his body as they rounded the corner, the thrill of the ride starting to cramp his cheeks as his overjoyed face remained completely static. Another corner was soon approaching as they sped straight towards a sofa looking out towards the wall-to-ceiling windows. A support column heralded the approach and Ernie suddenly got an idea.

[color=00a99d]"Ooh, lemme try something!"[/color]

Planting his feet firmly onto the floor of the cart, a golden rope shot out from his hand. It wrapped around the column, the intent to conserve speed holding fast as they rounded the second corner.

[color=B0C4DE]"OhshitohshitohSHIT!"[/color]

Brent laughed as the trolley screamed, no longer even rolling on its wheels as Ernie's rope trick forced it on predetermined rails utilizing centrifugal force. Knuckles bone-white it slid in a wide arc, the arbiter had to let go of one hand as the cart got dangerously close to the opposing wall, almost grinding against the wallpaper before zig-zagging dangerously. He kicked off constantly, trying to correct the direction of the cart, but it couldn't align properly, not at these speeds.

Was this what racecar driving felt like? Probably not, but this was hella cooler.

[color=B0C4DE]"Yo, Marcus!"[/color] Brent called as the ride stabilized, [color=B0C4DE]"Show us something fancy!"[/color]

Marcus struggled to keep himself from slamming into the side of the trolley as they rounded the corner, grabbing onto the opposing railing and physically pulling himself towards it. He let out a small sound of displeasure as the g-forces threatened to force his lunch out, but everything settled once they got out of the turn.

"[color 33ec06]Something [i]fancy[/i]?[/color]" Marcus said, turning his head slightly to look at Brent. "[color 33ec06]I can rewind and I can stop; what exactly do you want from me?[/color]" he said, a half chuckle lost in the sound of screeching wheels.

[color=B0C4DE]"Show, don't tell!"[/color] was Brent's response as they neared another corner, a plush sofa at the end of the intersection.

Marcus continued giving Brent a skeptical look, even as they rapidly approached the corner. Finally, he shrugged and deployed the fanciest thing he could do, shouting the name of his move, movie-style:

"[color 33ec06]JAZZ HANDS![/color]"

And that's exactly what he did. He knelt there on the trolley as they flew across the floor, slightly shaking his hands for style points.

...This was gonna end badly.

Ernie, momentarily perplexed and amused by Marcus' display, forgot the impending collision. The sofa loomed closer and closer like some kinda cushy iceberg. ...That's how the Titanic went down, right? No leaning or rope swinging would save them now. Only one thing left to do.

[color=00a99d]"ABANDON SHIP!"[/color] Ernie screeched and swung himself off the side, rope still in hand.

Brent cackled at Marcus's impromptu pose. [color=B0C4DE]"Geez,"[/color] he said, [color=B0C4DE]"What th- OH SHIT!"[/color]

Instead of jumping ship and saving himself, Brent forced another jolt of silver blood into the speeding vehicle, hoping that the braking function that came from it would be enough. The frame creaked, shook, and...

[i]SCREEEEE![/i]

The front wheels halted, momentum flipping the speeding trolley over, as well as its remaining occupants.

Marcus, upon seeing Ernie abandon ship and the imminent collision with the sofa, decided it best to follow suit. The sound of static growing softer behind them was his escape route, and he only stammered out a quick "[color 33ec06]WOOP[/color]" before he disappeared from the trolley.

When he reappeared, it was like something out of a cartoon. He reappeared, hovering in the air still in a kneeling position, gracefully sailing across the floor at the same speed the trolley had just been going.

It was only when reality ensued and he hit the ground that he figured out what had happened. His graceful descent turned into a clumsy roll as he toppled over himself across the smooth marble floor, coming to a stop only a little bit behind the still-spinning wheels of the trolley.

"[color 33ec06]Owwww....[/color]"

[color=00a99d]"Heheh,"[/color] Ernie chuckled, pulling himself up from his own clumsy escape, [color=00a99d]"Almost had that three-point hero landing. Brent, are you okay?"[/color]

Pulling himself out from the sofa that he had Supermanned into, Brent shook his head, trying to make sense of the stars around him, before his hands reached out and smoothed the hair out of his eyes, revealing glittering gems filled with excitement.

[color=B0C4DE]"Holy SHIT!"[/color] he exclaimed, ignoring the fact that the trolley now had more than just a few scratches on it. [color=B0C4DE]"We seriously need to do that again! Like, yo, Ernie, you missed out! That crash was great!"[/color]

He stood up, still disorientated, and fell on his ass again.

"[color 33ec06]Nope. That's fine. Marcus is okay! Nobody worry.[/color]" Marcus said, slowly sitting up and shaking his head to clear the disorientation.

"[color 33ec06]I think I skinned my knee...[/color]" he softly pouted, looking himself over for any injuries. That was at least a lesson learned on his part: momentum and stuff carried over when he rewound. Useful information for the future, perhaps.

[color=00a99d]"Hah, I think I'm good here, buddy!"[/color] Ernie waved to the mildly concussed boy and looked over to Marcus, [color=00a99d]"You want to rewind and save me a bandaid or should I go get my kit?"[/color]

"[color 33ec06]Nope. I think I'm good. I'm pretty sure rewinding is what caused that actually. Convservation of movement or some Newtonian garbage.[/color]" he said, standing to his feet.

"[color 33ec06]You gonna survive Brent? Feel tired at all? Everything spinning? Feel like you're gonna fall over and die?[/color]"

Brent finally fell backwards, eyes glazing over, death coming for him. Clutching at a hand that only he could see, the arbiter choked out with his final breath, [color=B0C4DE]"I-I leave the rest to you."[/color]

And with that, he slumped, amethyst eyes losing their shine for a brief moment, before he leapt back onto his feet.

[color=B0C4DE]"Naw, I'm pretty fine. But seriously, we should like, do some sort of launching thing, you know? Actually flight hijinks and all."[/color]

[color=00a99d]"Ah shit, there he goes,"[/color] Ernie threw his hand up in a melancholy salute before returning to his usual manic smile, [color=00a99d]"Oh, you think we should go for another ride? I think the indoor pool here has a slide we could use."[/color]

"[color 33ec06]Yep. Super dead. Toss him over the edge, let the city scavengers pick his bones clean.[/color]" Marcus said, crossing his arms and shaking his head.

"[color 33ec06]If you guys are going to try that on a pool slide, I'll stand by and try to be ready with medical attention; I have a feeling you're going to need it.[/color]"

[color=B0C4DE]"Can't exactly overclock a pool slide though,"[/color] Brent said, dusting off his back, [color=B0C4DE]"And I think the guards are going to be liable to blow our brains out if we bring a trolley over to the same pool that houses oil barons and weapons tech magnates."[/color]

He scratched the back of his head, contemplative once more. The adrenaline was wearing off now, and there was a distinct pain from his neck whenever he turned it slightly.

[color=B0C4DE]"What about...oh man, do you think the emergency stairwell will have anyone walking up and down in there?[/color]

[color=00a99d]"Only hotel staff and vomiting drunks, probably. But it's nowhere near Happy Hour yet so the coast should be clear for that last one,"[/color] Ernie hopped eagerly.

"[color 33ec06]Let me just throw in my two cents here, fellas...[/color]" Marcus said, putting his hands up as if trying to calm down the situation. "[color 33ec06]...you'll die. You'll quite literally die. You will kill yourselves flying down a hotel staircase, and we'll all call you 'The idiot pair who died falling down a flight of stairs'.[/color]"

"[color 33ec06]Just so we're all on the same page, here.[/color]"

[color=B0C4DE]"Not the idiot trio? So cold, Marcus, so cold."[/color]

Ernie pouted. He could probably deal with a stairfall, though he couldn't say the same for Brent without investing in bike helmets. Another day, another time, perhaps.

[color=00a99d]"Mmhmm, guess we should avoid giving Time Scar another time scar,"[/color] he nodded seriously, dealing with the decision in his own way.

"[color 33ec06]Oh no, by all means, go ahead. I'll be the first one to laugh at you two. Don't let me ruin all your fun![/color]" he said, giving Ernie a light glare and sticking his tongue out at him.

[color=B0C4DE]"Mm, wanna head down and check out the arcade instead them?"[/color] Brent suggested. [color=B0C4DE]"We can probably screw around there, unless there's some snotty rich bitch camping out down there."[/color]

[color=00a99d]"Eh, nothing the three of us can't shoo away. Arcade sounds good,"[/color] Ernie agreed, flashing a wicked grin at Marcus' glare, [color=00a99d]"Let's Zip Zip down for a short bit."[/color]

"[color 33ec06]You're gonna be surprised when I shove you down the stairs, aren't you?[/color]" Marcus said, getting unsettling close to Ernie as they walked.

[color=00a99d]"I-I'm more of an elevator guy, myself,"[/color] the Aberration laughed nervously.

[color=B0C4DE]"Just jump down the elevator shaft?"[/color] Brent added, having a little fun at Ernie's expense.

[color=00a99d]"I could probably take that. Three storeys is the most I've done so far. Not sure how I'd go with the suppression on though,"[/color] Ernie replied, shuddering, [color=00a99d]"At least with a shaft everything would get cracked open in one go and not painfully and gradually."[/color]

"[color 33ec06]If you're unlucky, you might survive and slowly get crushed by the elevator![/color]" Marcus said, his tone unusual chipper despite the subject matter. All for the sake of making Ernie regret bringing up Zip Zip Boi again, obviously.

Almost immediately, the doors slid open to reveal the wonder of the arcade. Just as fancy and over the top as the rest of the hotel, the soft silence of the elevator music was quickly drowned out by the ruckus of the floor.

Flashing lights, and a hundred machines all spouting off various noises and themes seemed to give the floor an almost war-zone like appearance, as if they'd never stepped off the battlefield in Wisford, and also the robots were trying to ear their dollars instead of their faces.

There was the occasional glance from the few people around the room, presumably businessmen trying to find a way to relax, or kids whos daddies owned too much money and were too busy to give them actual attention.

"[color 33ec06]You know, I think I could get used to this place![/color]"

[color=00a99d]"Oh totally!"[/color] Ernie whistled as he took it all in. Though everything was incredibly eye-catching and bright, he supposed the polite thing to do was to ask which machine his friends prefered. It wasn't like he would mind too much, [color=00a99d]"Which one should we go to first?"[/color]

Wow, this was nostalgic. Letting out a low whistle that was totally drowned out by all the explosions and hyperactive electronic music and faux-announcers, Brent stepped into a psychdelic arcade room filled with vibrant colors. From rows of machines that featured the latest arcade fighters to classic pinball machines trying to ride on a franchise from 30 years ago, it just so...

[color=B0C4DE]"Shit,"[/color] Brent breathed, [color=B0C4DE]"Just...wow..."[/color]

Almost too many choices to pick from, really, but what sort of man would he be if he spent all his time dawdling about, trying to figure out what exactly to do? In lieu of a coin to flip or a dice to roll, the arbiter instead pointed out one of those Asian rhythm games, complete with a dance pad that had eight different positions for your feet to step on.

[color=B0C4DE]"Yo, Marcus, this should be your specialty, right?"[/color]

"[color 33ec06]Oh man, I haven't seen one of these things in a while![/color]"  Marcus said, immediately following Brent's pointing to the game. He walked up to it, inspecting it the same way a mechanic would inspect a car.

"[color 33ec06]Max used to play these kind of games with me. Of course, it was no fun once she got mad that I started to beat her all the time![/color]" he sighed gently, waves of nostalgia starting to pour over him.

"[color 33ec06]Either of you two want to have a dance off?[/color]"

Ernie watched in awe at two other teens tapping away. He had to give it a go, how could he refuse?

[color=00a99d]"Man, I hope all those musical movies paid off,"[/color] the Aberration grinned as he stepped onto the second pad, [color=00a99d]"Brent, wanna choose the song and difficulty?"[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]"Oho, so our first round is Ernie versus Marcus, eh?"[/color] Brent mused, before approaching the machine. There was no real way for him to overclock such a large object, so instead, he just brought out his hotel keycard, tapping it against it once, before a ding could be heard.

[color=B0C4DE]"Well, in honor of Marcus becoming a celebrity overnight, let's bring this baby up to highest difficulty, with..."[/color]

Scrolling down through a list of songs, a burst of high pitched sounds caught Brent's attention, before he cackled cruelly. [color=B0C4DE]"Have fun with this cancer, guys!"[/color]

A few moments later, a rapid-pace song sung by a voice synthesizer with a face blared out obnoxiously. It was moments like these that the arbiter wished he had a camera.

"[color 33ec06]Oh god, highest difficulty? Not even any time to stretch? Any time to to warm up?[/color]" he said, a humorous panic rising in his voice as the the screen burst into color.

He missed the first step, not quite ready for the high octane level of directions this thing was throwing at him. He didn't know this song; he'd never listened to this type of music. But even so, things started to fall into a rhythm - the familiar tunnel vision as the arrows forced his feet into moving instinctually.

Oh yeah, he remembered this.

Ernie, on the other hand, took a while to acclimate himself to the machine. The relative spacing between the arrow pads, the amount of pressure needed to register a hit...

And that godawful, overdriving, robotic toned song. People actually listened to this?!

Still, Ernie was a boy raised by the infectious rhythms of Gene Kelly movies. Once he got a sense of the song's beat, it was only a matter of whether or not his agility and reflexes would keep his feet moving. And they did. Pretty soon, both players' screens were lighting up with 'GREAT's and 'PERFECT's. And though the match went to Marcus, it was a far closer margin than Ernie had ever expected.

[color=00a99d]"Good...game..."[/color] Ernie leaned on the back bar and heaved, trying to catch his breath. Despite the exhaustion, his grin remained the same as it had when they were riding the trolley upstairs.

[color=B0C4DE]"How're your legs feeling?"[/color] Brent laughed, thoroughly amazed at how both of them managed to get such a high score. [color=B0C4DE]"Didn't think Team SAP was a dance group!"[/color]

"[color 33ec06]God, I forgot how much cardio these damn things are.[/color]" Marcus said, leaning back and wiping the sweat off his brow. He'd never done a song that labor-intensive back when he and Max had played, only because it seemed like a nightmare to play.

His ears still ringing with the high pitched shrills of a song he hadn't even heard, he grinned at Brent. "[color 33ec06]Dance group? Don't tell me you can play this stupid game too?[/color]"

[color=00a99d]"Let's just hope he's not planning on having us start a boy band with this sick dance skills. A name like 'Team SAP' probably won't get us many fans,"[/color] Ernie laughed tiredly, hopping off for Brent to have a turn, [color=00a99d]"Show us your moves, B."[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]"Who knows? With a weird abbreviation like SAP, we can keep our hordes of fangirls speculating on what exactly it means!"[/color] The arbiter commented lightly, before walking up onto the stage. Ernie looked like he had natural skill, and Marcus had a ton of experience, but if nothing else...

Brent had raw stats.

[color=B0C4DE]"Give me something to cry about, guys."[/color]

"[color 33ec06]You want to do the honor, Erns?[/color]" Marcus said, taking the opportunity to catch his breath a little bit longer.

[color=00a99d]"Fine by me,"[/color] the Aberration replied, taking a second to absorb the songlist. He didn't recognise a single one so he simply chose a fast-sounding title and hoped for the best.

[color=00a99d]"Max difficulty, of course. Only the finest for the muscle of our crew,"[/color] Ernie snickered and started the song with a flourish of the hand.

[color=B0C4DE]"You piece of shit,"[/color] Brent laughed, before all that amusement vaporized as the music started, a flurry of directions appearing almost immediately. Stabilizing himself against the back bar, the intensity of his gaze was fully revealed as his eyes danced across the screen, trying to capture each individual key while also reading the entire pattern laid out.

There was no finesse nor technique, and even as the song reached a comfortable beat, he still couldn't fully hear it, the blood rushing to his head instead. His feet hammered like a sewing needle against the eight different keys, Brent brute forcing his way through the encounter. A few symbols were mysteries that took a few MISSes to figure out, while the irregular movement of the keys themselves cost him another few points, but there was no point where the tryhard arbiter lost an extended string of points.

There was also no point where he actually looked like he had fun. Instead, the expression he wore was almost angry, concentrating so hard that his eyes were still looking for more direction keys when the song ended.

A deep breath, as the results screen loaded up, before his own score popped up.

One fist raised towards the ceiling as Brent finally allowed himself to relax, smiling again. Sweat dripped from his forehead as he said, still catching his breath, [color=B0C4DE]"Damn, really do need to get my vengeance after this cancer. How do you even do those crossover techs, Marcus?"[/color]

"[color 33ec06]The trick is to just not think about it too hard, Breakfast Club.[/color]" Marcus said, referencing an old movie he'd once seen and giving Brent a small round of applause. 

"[color 33ec06]Although, you know most people do this kind of thing for enjoyment, right? A fun little hobby?[/color]"

Ernie had watched intently, mesmerised and slightly concerned by the look on the Arbiter's face.

[color=00a99d]"Thinking seemed to work,"[/color] he took in the impressive score, [color=00a99d]"Marc's right. Getting a high score feels nice but having fun is pretty...fun too."[/color]

The guy was taking it awfully seriously. Had he always been like that?

[color=B0C4DE]"Hm, I see...more muscle memory than thought,"[/color] Brent said, before tilting his head to the side at Ernie's words. Slightly confused, he said, [color=B0C4DE]"That was fun? Something I'm missing here?"[/color]

Oh, that's what he looked like when he was having fun? The trolley ride seemed to suggest otherwise but Ernie was just going to have to get used to it.

[color=00a99d]"Nah, I think I was just missing something,"[/color] he smiled and clapped Brent's shoulder, [color=00a99d]"Those were some impressive moves. Looks like you keep your place in the boy band after all."[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]"Oh, my dream's finally come true!"[/color] Brent said, eyes glittering joyously, [color=B0C4DE]"Let's make it to the top of the chart by next week, guys! Take the music world by storm!"[/color]

"[color 33ec06]Aw yeah! I can finally put those harmonica lessons to good use![/color]" Marcus said, laughing.[/hider]

[hider=Ernie and Brent: Get Fit or Die Trying]
[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/FWMorlL.png[/img] [img]https://i.imgur.com/jw3F1O9.png[/img] 

[h2][color 00a99d]Ernest[/color] | [color B0C4DE]Brent[/color][/h2]
[img]http:// i.imgur.com/3R5vYYi.png?2[/img] 
[hr][color=silver]𝕋𝕙: 𝕊𝕖𝕡𝕥. 𝟙𝟟, 𝟚𝟘𝟚𝟘   / /   𝕎𝕒𝕤𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕥𝕠𝕟, 𝔻.ℂ.   / /   ℍ𝕪𝕒𝕥𝕥 ℝ𝕖𝕘𝕖𝕟𝕔𝕪 ℍ𝕠𝕥𝕖𝕝   / /  𝟙𝟡𝟘𝟘[/color][hr]
[sub]Collab with [@ERode][/sub][/center]

Another day gone by.

Ernie entered the buffet, face content and muscles relaxed after what was definitely the best bath of his entire life. This change of scenery was almost worth the mental and physical nightmare that had been the Factory mission.

Almost.

It would probably be too much to ask to get baths like these installed at East, huh? Ernie amused himself with thoughts of ritzy facilities as he stacked his plate with his usual buffet thoroughfare: little bit of everything, emphasis on the 'little'. His eating habits always made his dinners resemble Costco sampling trays more than they did an actual meal.

If food was free, and food was good, and food was diverse, there was no way in hell Brent was going to waste this oppurtunity. The Officer, after all, didn't say a thing about when exactly they were leaving, and if it turned out that they were leaving the next morning, he'd never forgive himself for not stockpiling on good food before then.

Ah, if only he had a phone to snap pictures of all this food he'd never eat again. Ignoring the looks he got from others within the buffet room, Brent continued to pile up his own plate, humming a happy little tune.

Partway through the Asian Cuisine section, his eyes lit up at the sight of his trolley-riding buddy.

[color=B0C4DE]"Yo, Ernie, haven't found stuff you liked yet?"[/color]

[color=00a99d]"Huh? Oh, hey man!"[/color] the Aberration greeted his pal with a nod, [color=00a99d]"Just wanted to get a bit of everything. Haven't sat down and tried any of it yet."[/color]

His dish held bite-sized splotches of colour from the different sections, like a painter's palette, though none of them seemed susbtantial enough for a growing teen.

[color=B0C4DE]"Geez, looks so empty though,"[/color] Brent remarked, [color=B0C4DE]"We're in a buffet, man! If you can still see the top of your plate after going for a walk, you're doing it wrong!"[/color]

Getting into the spirit of things, the arbiter said, [color=B0C4DE]"For real though, got any particular type of food you like? Seafood? Fried? Chinese? Italian?"[/color]

[color=00a99d]"I...haven't actually heard that one before. Huh."[/color]

He wondered if his stomach could even handle a plate ladelling the volume that Brent's was. It had always been quicker to just ignore the familiar hunger and wait for the next meal. There was none of this indulgence before West, none that he felt that he wanted to do on a regular basis, anyway.

[color=00a99d]"Italian is good. The sauces are damn satisfying to eat when you cook them right. Making pasta is pretty fun too. Always so filling though."[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]"Italian it is then,"[/color] Brent replied, motioning with his head for Ernie to follow, [color=B0C4DE]"Grabbed a few slices of their baked spaghetti with bacon and chicken. Super tasty. And they had these giant, spicy meatballs as well!"

"Seriously, dude, Wisford was crap. Let's fill up on richboi food before the field trip ends randomly, eh?"[/color]

Ernie looked hesitantly at Brent's plate. The guy had a point. Still, there was a line between filling up and eating so much that he spent the rest of the night with stomach pains or on the can. The boy nodded and got some food from the Italian section, filling his plate to about a quarter of Brent's size. Hopefully that would be enough?

[color=B0C4DE]"Man, you're missing out on the rabbit cacciatore,"[/color] Brent said, shovelling the herb-infused meat onto his friend's plate, [color=B0C4DE]"And don't forget to try out the fried eggplant too! Oh, have some tortellini. And the marinated eel. Can't forget that ridiculous luxury!"[/color]

Filling Ernie's plate up to match his own, Brent patted him in the back, a reliable smile on his face. [color=B0C4DE]"Been thinking about it for some time, but you really should be chowing down more, Ernie. Just cause you can laugh off a grenade with your power doesn't mean you can just let yourself go skeletal, you know?"[/color]

The buzzcut boy's eyes widened with every spoonful of food his friend heaped onto his dish. That plate's worth was probably more than he had eaten over the entirety of of the last two days. He thought of protesting but quickly filed his doubts away. It wasn't like he could just dump it back into their respective troughs. And he hated wasting food or seeing a half-eaten plate. Those were always the worst to clean. Plus, he'd probably look bad in front of Brent if he couldn't finish all of it. So the only option he really had was to... damn it.

He was going to regret this later.

[color=00a99d]"Heh, I don't know about the grenade stuff. Probably shouldn't test it without a healer on call."[/color]

Hm, testing out his durability, huh? The thought of intentionally hurting himself was...not ideal but the information that would come out of such an exercise would probably be very useful. But D.C. wasn't a good place to sudden whip out guns and heavy artillery

They found a table a distance from the other Regulars, not that it was particularly difficult considering the lengths that the hotel's other occupants were willing to go to avoid the two subnaturals. Ernie liked it better this way anyhow. Digging into one of the meatballs, he nodded to Brent's plate.

[color=00a99d]"Do you eat that much everyday?"[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]"Wish I could,"[/color] Brent replied, [color=B0C4DE]"But I must say that I got a hell lot because well, you know, gotta try lots of everything. Not every day you get to eat like this."[/color]

His hands clenched over his fork, the arbiter feeling the strength that remained. [color=B0C4DE]"And I've been pushing myself a bit harder in the mornings as well. Turns out having a partner really does make you do better than normal. So gotta fuel up and all."[/color]

A voracious decimation of a slice of lasagna later, and he let out a satisfied sigh.

[color=B0C4DE]"And seriously, this food! I could eat it forever! Do you usually just grab scraps of food in USARILN or something?"[/color] 

[color=00a99d]"Ah, that's fair. Need nutrients for that muscle mass and stuff."[/color]

So Brent worked out in the mornings. Sounded like something the reliable Arbiter would do. Ernie couldn't help but recall a joke he'd made with Angel a few days earlier. But it was just a joke... right?

Still, he couldn't help but take some quick glances at his muscled friend's physique. Must've taken a lot of hard work to get to that point. Would it be possible for him to-- no, wait, was he seriously thinking about this? Brent probably had better things to do than to babysit a guy that looked like he could get toppled if the wind blew hard enough. Best to just leave it behind him.

[color=00a99d]"I only really eat what I need, which, as you can probably tell, isn't much. Never had reason to go for more."[/color]

Meals were meant to be only a quick rest stop, otherwise Liam would snap at him for slacking off. His time and energy were better devoted to the kitchen or the janitor's cart.

The mention of a partner gave Ernie pause. Brent didn't mind working out with others? More importantly...

[color=00a99d]"Uh yeah, who's this new partner you got?"[/color] he asked nonchalantly. Or tried to, anyway.

[color=B0C4DE]"Eh, only eating what you need?"[/color] Brent tilted his head to the side, before spearing three slices of steak and jamming it all in. [color=B0C4DE]"Do you not like...enjoy eating? There's only three meals a day, so it's always my philosophy to make those meals count."[/color]

He wrapped some fried chicken in fresh lettuce, preparing for that extra crunch.

[color=B0C4DE]"And it's Angelic. Used to teach me kickboxing, so I thought I'd help her out with getting strong as well."[/color]

It wasn't the greatest of explanations, but the whole story didn't need to be shared.

[color=00a99d]"Oh. Angelique. Wow. That's, uh, yeah, cool that you're getting strong. Together."[/color]

Geez, what was with that reaction? He wasn't jealous, was he? Urgh, that was such an ugly feeling. Ernie gulped down a pensive mouthful of spaghetti. Yeah, he didn't think he was jealous. Maybe he was just really eager to hang out with the two of them after everything, and he was missing out on...something. That last part about getting strong only made Ernie want to pose that question more.

[color=00a99d]"Enjoying... I mean, I guess I always thought of mealtime as another chore. Had a lotta other stuff I wanted to do besides sit at a table and chew,"[/color] Had. Had to do, not wanted. [color=00a99d]"Plus there was no real shortcut to it, short of blending and chugging it."[/color]

A pause.

[color=00a99d]"That doesn't work. Doesn't work at all."[/color]

Halfway through a bundle of spaghetti, Brent chortled in surprise at the deadpan joke, before the food went down the wrong chute and he coughed violently, still laughing at something that probably wasn't even that funny. It took him a bit to recover from that, but eventually, he wiped the tears out of his eyes, and let out a long sigh.

[color=B0C4DE]"Man, wow, don't tell me you seriously tried something like blending solid meat with rice and potatoes,"[/color] he finally sputtered out, wondering if it was still too dangerous for him to chug down a glass of milk.

[color=B0C4DE]"But yeah, Ernie, totally get you there. Still, with food like this, you should try to enjoy it, you know? Eat until you're stuffed and go into a food coma! Then realize that you're gonna turn into a tub of lard and try extra hard in the gym to convert those calories into muscles!"[/color]

Despite his cringing at the memory of his poorly-informed younger self, Ernie cracked up at Brent's sudden spaz.

[color=00a99d]"N-not exactly that,"[/color] he giggled, [color=00a99d]"I like that point though. Got plenty of time to savor the good stuff here. I should be making the most of it, huh."[/color]

His thoughts just kept returning to the subject of exercise though. Ernie suddenly felt the full weight of what he had eaten settle in his stomach. Oh dear. He was only two-thirds of the way through.

[color=00a99d]"Hm. Do you think I should get muscles? Angelique said the same thing and..."[/color]

Wait, why was he talking about her?

[color=00a99d]"...and, well, I was thinking it too. Didn't make a really stellar performance at Wisford so I thought that it would help, even a little."[/color]

He remembered the weight of Christmas' limp body in his arms. He remembered the roaring strain in his legs as he pathetically tried to outrun a Collector. He didn't like it. Ernie's hand tightened around the fork unconsciously.

Angelic?

Oho...

[color=B0C4DE]"Well, I do reckon that Angelic prefers more substance and all,"[/color] he began, nodding, [color=B0C4DE]"And everything we've done in combat training so far WAS to improve our physical condition."[/color]

Another nod. Emma's own inability came into mind.

[color=B0C4DE]"And really, if there's ever a point where your powers can't solve anything, having a fit body definitely helps."[/color]

A third nod.

[color=B0C4DE]"And hey, you're working your way pretty well through this plate, so I bet you'll be able to make some good gains afterwards. You an early riser, Ernie?"[/color]

More like a lousy sleeper.

[color=00a99d]"Yeah, I'm good at waking on command,"[/color] he gulped another mouthful. Almost done. A small tinge of excitement coloured his words, [color=00a99d]"What are you thinking?"[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]"Angelic and I wake up at 5AM and do intense exercise till 7AM,"[/color] he explained, [color=B0C4DE]"If you want to join, well, the more the merrier, eh? Don't worry about keeping up with us. I'll be sure to teach you how to use some of the machines as well, yeah?"[/color]

He tilted his head, before saying, [color=B0C4DE]"Are you training for endurance? Or bursts of strength?"[/color]

[color=00a99d]"What, for real? Thanks man, I won't let you down,"[/color] Ernie's eyes shone with gratitude. He mulled the questions over briefly. He needed arm power to use his rope effectively, [color=00a99d]"Strength, ideally. But endurance would be really handy too."[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]"It's not me you should be worried about letting down,"[/color] Brent replied, [color=B0C4DE]"It's yourself."[/color]

Did that sound cool? Yeah, damn, he was cool.

[color=B0C4DE]"We'll work on...arm strength then? Stock up on chicken whenever you can then. We can start with curls and just try to build up that. Oh, yeah, don't forget to bring a bottle of water. Time spent at the fountain is time wasted. And, hm...did you ever experiment with how your enhanced durability affected muscle damage, Ernie? Like, have you ever recalled pulling a muscle while your power was active?"[/color]

[color=00a99d]"Yeah, letting myself down is something I'd like to avoid,"[/color] Ernie nodded. There were plenty of things he wanted to avoid, but this was definitely near the top of the list, [color=00a99d]"Uh, nah, my muscles don't really hurt in Rope Mode. Ever, really. It doesn't last that long though, so I hope you're not planning anything major."[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]"Naw, it was more of a curiosity thing than anything else. Not like I'm going to start throwing 'nades at you for practice."[/color]

[color=00a99d]"That's...good to hear...?"[/color] Ernie narrowed his eyes skeptically.

It was finally happening, huh? The Aberration couldn't help but smile in relief. His muscles would be burning for a few days but hopefully he would be fine after a routine was established. This would be the first step towards change. Towards becoming [i]better[/i] even if it was just a little bit. If he couldn't be strong mentally, emotionally or power-wise, he wanted, no, needed this at least. Ernie's smile faded as he remembered something.

[color=00a99d]"I'm gonna owe you bigtime, man. What can I do in exchange? Laundry? Desserts? Just say the word."[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]"Dude, seriously, stop,"[/color] Brent laughed, [color=B0C4DE]"We already went over this in Wisford. Just be a food tester for me or something, cause once we get back to USARILN, I'm going to be busting my ass over turning junk food into gourmet food."[/color]

A knowing smile emerged. [color=B0C4DE]"And it'll be a good chance for you to test out Angelic's cooking as well, Ernie."[/color]

A chance to taste Angelique's cooking? He'd read about her legendary culinary skills in interviews. Ernie's grin went giddy at the thought.

[color=00a99d]"You want me to be the judge for a cook-off? Sounds good but I'll warn ya, I'm a man of practiced taste."[/color]

A sly smirk replaced the innocent grin. Ah, home cooks. How adorable.

[color=00a99d]"If it is a cook-off, it's a good thing I'm just a judge. I'd blow you both out of the water otherwise."[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]"Oh, wait, you can cook! Yo, you definitely can help out then!"[/color] Brent exclaimed. [color=B0C4DE]"I'll just grab someone else as a taste tester then. Really, it's more...recipe creation than anything else. As I said, junk food into gourmet food. I want to turn corndogs into some real fancy."[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]"For real though, didn't know you could cook, Ernie. What were you, a butler for the Queen?"[/color]

Recipe creation? Man, that was some daring stuff. As expected of a guy like Brent.

[color=00a99d]"Gourmet corndogs, huh? That's a noble cause, soldier,"[/color] Ernie said with a mock salute, though he cringed slightly at the last part. Not a Queen, a Senator. Many of them, [color=00a99d]"Nah, just worked in a kitchen for a while. I bet butlering the Queen would be a badass job, though. The suit is a nice perk, that's for sure."[/color]

[color=B0C4DE]"Yeah, don't forget the monocle as well, or just that smooth, sexy British accent,"[/color] Brent said. [color=B0C4DE]"Though I guess if you fuck up, it's gonna be off with your head."[/color]

The Aberration laughed heartily. Getting trained by this guy was gonna be fun as hell. He couldn't wait. His stomach probably could, though. Man, looked like he was gonna spend a lot of time on that fancy toilet after this.

[color=00a99d]"Guess I should stick to janitor-ing then."[/color]
[/hider]