[hr][hr][center][img]https://i.postimg.cc/SR52k84p/54b4e63d635603b22d80f72a4ba2be54.png[/img][hr][img]https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/0198ca19-f2b8-77c0-b44d-bca7878f0337.webp[/img][hr][@Morose][@Achronum][@Blizz][@Forsythe][@Kirah][@PatientBean][@Trainerblue192][hr][h3][color=AC3EFF][b]Afternoon - Wed. December 15th, 2038 - New Orleans, Louisiana[/b][/color][/h3][/center][hr]	Ava was having an extremely bad day. Her entire team had crumbled around her. And these kids, they weren't the Young Avengers - everyone had been gossiping about how their team had been thrown together at the last minute, that they'd never even practiced as a group. And with everything they'd done to make sure that they were ready... It wasn't supposed to be like this. It was just her and Wil, and Wil was possessed, and she was tired and she [i]really really really[/i] didn't want to get set on fire, or hit in the head with a mace by that little bully of a twink, or punched with lightning or punched with earth or [i]any of it[/i]. "I give up!" Ava shouted. "We give up! You guys win!" 

	With Wil incapacitated and Ava voting to surrender, there was no one else on the field from the Hex Girls to fight. A referee's whistle sounded off, followed by canons of confetti erupting at either end of the arena, announcing the end of the match. "WINNER - EXCELSIOR!" the announcer's voice boomed. "THEY ADVANCE TO THE FINALS TO FACE THE REIGNING CHAMPIONS, THE YOUNG AVENGERS, TOMORROW - YOU DON'T WANT TO MISS THIS ONE FOLKS, AS WE PRESENT TO YOU OUR OWN AVENGERS: CIVIL WAR!"

	The marketing team had been prepared for this clearly, as electronic banners around the arena switched to show images of the lineups for tomorrow - of the Young Avengers coming face to face with Excelsior. The crowd's energy was palpable, a sonic wall sending vibrations through each contestant left on the field. Some people thrilled - particularly those who had placed a bet against the Hex Girls - and some dismayed, incredulous at what should have been a slam dunk for Strange Academy. 

	For those on the field still, two doors would suddenly appear in the midst of the field - one that would take them to their team's locker room, the other that would transport them to the medical ward if they wished to go check in on their friends.

	And no sooner had those doors appeared than Vision rushed onto the field, beaming at them with pride. He had sent off messages to Vicky and Sabine, alerting them that Excelsior had emerged victorious, too. "You have done it! Ser Nemo would be incredibly proud of your accomplishment," he told his remaining students. [hr][hr][center][h3][b][color=ed1c24]Percy[/color][/b][/h3][img]https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/0d04ff5a895e75532634abb96f2f204f.jpg[/img]
[hr][hr][/center]	For a moment, Percy let himself enjoy the victory. They had triumphed. It had been the hardest match so far - the one that had truly pushed them to their limits as a team. The Hex Girls had been better foes than even Arcade, a fact that made him chuckle quietly to himself. He hoped Arcade - the one he'd known, not the one he had become - would have hated that, would have hated immediately being upstaged by a coven of witches. But more than just pettiness, he was proud, too - and happy. Happy that his boyfriend was closer to seeing his dream realized. Happy that he had been able to be by Dorian's side as it happened. 

	... [i]Percival[/i] usage aside. 

	But as the Vision took the field, his mood soured on two counts. The first was that they would be facing Vision's handpicked team the next day. They didn't have a coach who could advocate for them, then - not impartially, at least. He doubted that the school had planned for this eventuality. They weren't supposed to have made it this far. 

	The second was Nemo. His stomach curdled at the thought of him. He thought his dislike of the old man would have been easier, now that Casper had revealed he was possibly still alive. It was easier to hate the living than the dead. But if anything, his unease had only compounded. Would Ser Nemo be proud of them? If he was alive, why wasn't he here? What had happened to him? And where was Lady Nimue? The contest seemed silly in respect to those questions - to those tangible problems, set aside and ignored. 

	Instead, Percy cleared his throat slightly and eyed Wil. He wanted to hit the showers. [color=ed1c24]"Dorian?"[/color] he prompted. [hr][hr][center][h3][b][color=42A9FF]April[/color][/b][/h3]
[img]https://media3.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExNmJsb2V2eHc0ZmVqZGwxbmhwY3g0dHpvaW90MDBvMmtmcHo0MzY5cyZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/2URZlHvEIzKjDKY6GJ/giphy.gif[/img]
[hr][hr][/center]	April bit her lip, hearing Sabine's reassurance that she never would have messed with her and Leah's heads. The idea had crossed her mind once or twice - that the reason Sabine had been so cold, so standoffish, after the breakup had been because the relationship hadn't been real. That Sabine had altered April's memories to manipulate her into dating her, and that she had just been a toy, a passing interest - that when it was over, Sabine didn't care because she never had. But... This was Sabine. This was her - her friend? She didn't know what word to use. But she knew that she believed her. That she trusted her. 

	[color=42A9FF]"I think... maybe sometimes you should,"[/color] she began slowly. [color=42A9FF]"Use it to get what you want, I mean. But not - not to get like diamonds or fancy clothes or cars. Because what you want is to help people. And that - I think that's what makes you different from other people with that power. They just want to hurt people or they want things for themselves. And you're not like that."[/color] She stopped for a moment, uncertain if this made any sense. 

	[color=42A9FF]"And I think... some people deserve to have their heads messed with,"[/color] she added, before somewhat nervously running a hand through her hair. [color=42A9FF]"Like some people fucking [i]suck[/i]. Like billionaires who treat people like animals, they deserve to be fucked with. And fascists and Nazis and bigots and other assholes."[/color]

	Sabine's phone would vibrate with a message from Vision - Excelsior had won.