[center][h1]Charles Gannon [/h1][img]https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/f7a52924-45f7-4461-9cc1-2da203722ff6.jpg[/img][/center][hr][center][h2]Location: Ashford Institute [/h2][/center][hr][center][h3]Interactions & Mentions:[/h3][/center][hr][hr]

[hider=The Concept of Purpose] 

[center][url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=l5-gja10qkw]Musical Accompaniment[/url][/center]

Three point seven seconds, this was the average time the steel ball bearing Charles had been tossing up took to travel from his hand to apex and back again. He could feel every part of the metal. Iron ore and trace carbons and even some rust molecules despite how thorough he had been shining it up. He even felt residue from the polish. Frustration shown on his face as he contemplated throwing the ball out a window. Three point seven seconds was too long and yet not enough time to affect the metal before it was back in his hand. He needed to be faster. The revelations of last Wednesday had severe implications. He seldom accepted any information from a single source, but could he afford to take chances. He already had a decent level of control over his powers by his estimation. Now though, he meant to weaponize those abilities. He had already tried every direct approach he could come up with. Studying the ball in his hand he concentrated on every part of it that was iron and pulled with his power until he had a solid iron hovering just above the rest still in his hand, which felt hot from the ripping of the bonds. Charles smiled as he let it all fall to the floor in his dorm room. He had been too concerned with safely detaching the bonds. This would do nicely.

It was almost time to check with Professor North. He had given her a copy of his old training program on Thursday and explained the basics hoping she could implement it using the school simulator. She had said it may take some time but she might know someone who could recompile it for the Danger Room system. Professor North had been helpful though if rudimentary in creating similar training for the Aerostatics tests. She even gave the gases differentiating colors if more for her benefit than his.

As he made his way across the quad towards the training facility, Charles observed the other students, wondering to himself. How many knew what was going on? They all seemed to be happily going about their lives in blissful ignorance. Was it his place to tell them? He wanted to scream at them to open their eyes, but would he even have an idea if Aya had not said something? He had no way of verifying what she had said, but something told him she had the right of it. Nothing he could see outwardly supported the fact that something dangerous was going on. He needed more variables. The dilemma of that was if the danger was real merely looking for more information could get him hurt or worse. He needed to be prepared for anything. 

[color=0076a3][i]”Order is what we seek to achieve. To accomplish this however we cannot neglect the fact that most often order is used as an excuse for war and everything made for and of war is only ever achievable through chaos.”[/i][/color] 

Dr. Gourley’s words sounded in Charles' head as if it were a mantra. If the danger was real. Charles needed to be ready for war. Dr Gourley had always hinted that Charles' true purpose was to be a weapon. Whatever goal or reason Dr. Gourley was moot now. Most likely all of Charles' old doctors, professors, or even handlers; as Professor Everose had referred to them, were most likely dead. He would be a weapon but he would choose the purpose and the goals. He chose to protect. He would use the tools of this school to hone his powers and protect others whether they knew they needed help or not.
[/hider]

[hider=The Cost of Theory]

[center][url=https://youtube.com/watch?v=V5M2WZiAy6k]Musical Accompaniment[/url][/center]

Arriving at the training center Charles was still lost in thought as he passed a student just leaving the locker room. Just under six foot the blonde haired blue eyed boy seemed to not want to be bothered. Charles sufficed to step aside and let him pass before heading to the Danger Room.

[color=yellow]”Professor? Are you ready for me?”[/color] Charles called out as he entered.

The now familiar british voice responded over the intercom.[color=hotpink] “One second Charles just loading it now. You should know we weren’t able to reconfigure it exactly so we compiled the active parameters so as to come up with something hopefully suitable to your needs. Right, just about got it. Did you want me to control what happens or just run through a set of randomized variables controlled by the computer?”[/color]

[color=yellow]”Will the computer adjust if I find it too easy?”[/color] Then, as if an afterthought. [color=yellow]”Or too difficult?”[/color]

[color=hotpink]“It should....I don’t think it likes to lose.”[/color] Professor North said in an almost amused tone.[color=hotpink] “Right then random it is...good luck.”[/color]

There was no real change of scenery as the program started. Large tanks filled with various gases; each artificially color coded so that Professor North could see what would not have been apparent otherwise. The color would change as he neutralised whichever gas it was. Large chains mounted to the ceiling bore heavy loads of various rocks and ores as well as steel shafts, all of which were anchored high on the walls. Charles could not affect anything until it had moved off the wall. To do differently would negate the exercise. The system should start him off with something easy, before increasing the difficulty according to analysis of his previous action.

[color=yellow]”I am ready when you are Professor.”[/color] Charles said as he reached out to sense the area. It was an odd sensation being aware of every molecule, it was not exactly like being underwater although that was the closest he could relate it too when asked. He could feel everything, identify the properties, and with enough concentration, affect to change those properties. 

The hiss of jets sounded as clouds of color formed dropping from the ceiling level and spreading quickly to fill the room. Charles pushed back with pure oxygen creating a pressurized zone 6 feet from the ground. This bought him time to isolate each gas and neutralize it before it could permeate and either put him to sleep or irritate his eyes or whichever purpose the individual gas was designed for. As the last of the intiatial gases was rendered inert, Charles could hear a clicking sound as the first wave of physical ore came swinging in. Large river rocks came at him and he had to dive out of the way, and let them collide with each other shattering to the ground. Eight point three seconds, That was how long the boulders took. Not much time, but hopefully long enough. He would soon have up to two more chances at this stage before the program advanced. Charles waited for the click then forced oxygen against the boulders to slow their descent. Reaching into the boulders with his power grabbing at random molecules and pulling  downward ripping the bonds. As the boulders burst into clouds of dust, every muscle in Charles’ body seemed to seize at once and he fell to his knees. 

[color=hotpink]”Pause simulation. Charles is everything alright?”[/color] Genuine concern in Professor North’s voice. After a recent scenario she had insured a vocal override for herself in the Danger Room. Her sigh of relief was as much that it had worked as it was watching Charles stand back up.

Muscles relaxing Charles stood stretching. Everything about him hurt but he could not give in to the pain. He did not know how much time he had to be ready. He just had the feeling it was not enough. [color=yellow]”Yes Professor, just a little shaken up. I am ready for it now.”[/color] He crouched in a ready position. [color=yellow]”Thank you for your concern Professor. You may resume at your leisure.”[/color]

[color=hotpink]”Very well.”[/color] She had quickly grown accustomed to the direct nature of how Charles talked. [color=hotpink]”I will give you five minutes to compose yourself then we will move on.”[/color]

Laying on the floor of the Danger Room, Charles released his sense and evaluated what he had done so far. He was already quite accomplished with Aerostatics. Physical changes had always caused some amount of pain. He thought it had something to do with how he seemed connected to everything he sensed as if it were separate but a part of him. He had no idea ripping bounds would cause him so much pain. Five minutes was not enough time to have the pain subside but it would have to do. He stood and took his mark, once again sensing everything.

Click. An iron shaft descended and Charles immediately went into action. He focused on the area around the chain. Pushing carbon into it, making it more and more brittle until it snap off the chain crashing to the ground and bouncing off the Danger Room floor. Charles quickly calculated the large cylinders trajectory. It should clear him easily, though he stepped into the arc just in case. The iron bar finally came to rest less than eight feet behind him. Click. There was little time as the heavy steel bar released. With its weight he could not effectively stop it in time. Reaching out to the iron bar behind him pulling and shaping the iron into a protective shell encapsulating himself just before the steel bar struck. A loud bell like ring permeated the room.

Charles was no longer visible. A computerized voice came over the speaker. [color=c4df9b]”Target incompassitated test terminating. Grade Eighty-four.”[/color]

As the room returned to standby and all the gas tanks and ores vanished. Professor North could see Charles convulsing on the floor.

Pressing the emergency call button.[color=hotpink]”I need the nurse to the Danger Room now!”[/color] Opening all the doors she raced down to check on the student. 
[color=hotpink][i]That voice must have been residual from the original test program.[/i][/color]
[/hider]