[hr][hr][center][img]https://i.postimg.cc/SR52k84p/54b4e63d635603b22d80f72a4ba2be54.png[/img][hr][img]https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/019c02b1-4686-759e-93a8-ec58d0ea6ae8.webp[/img][hr][@Achronum][@Blizz][@Forsythe][@Kirah][@PatientBean][@Trainerblue192][hr][h3][color=AC3EFF][b]Morning - Sat. January 15th, 2039 - Los Angeles, California[/b][/color][/h3][/center][hr]

[@Forsythe]: While there had been sword fighting at the fall carnival, there wasn’t any to be found at the winter festival. In its place, a small battlefield had been filled with snow, a hundred footprints pressed into the snow disturbing what otherwise would have been pristine layers. Combatants in this brawl had moved and shaped the snow, creating barriers and fortifications - and above all else, [i]ammo[/i]. A series of targets had been set up by the school staff and largely abandoned, as the war became ever more complicated, with betrayals and injustices and history developing in real time. 

As for the familiar faces - currently, the snowball brawl was a war between two groups of heroes: [url=https://www.roleplayerguild.com/posts/5482577]the Unity Squad and the Mighty Marvels[/url]. Two of the teams Vicky and her friends had defeated on their road to New Orleans. Abby Smith made eye contact with the android for a moment, offering her a wave. “Hey, man!” they shouted out. “You gonna pick a side or what?”

Arsène lobbed a snowball, hitting Abby square in the face. “Never let your guard down,” he tsk’d. He then looked over at Vicky. “You tell Dorian that he did good, okay? Nice to know the folks who knocked us out of the fight are the ones who won it all - almost like the Mighty Marvels came in second place, instead of the Young Hasbeens.” 

[@PatientBean]: [color=E610B8]"Don't worry about that, I looked at the plans and bathrooms are at the hall's end so you two don't need to worry about sharing one. At least, I hope they aren't co-ed too."[/color] Harry was looking over the paperwork that was handed to him by the staff members of the school. Checking the layout as well as what all the Festival had to offer. Luna seemed to be going to perform tonight, it was a shame he may have to miss it. He'd send her a basket later with an apology note. 

Harry put on a practiced smile as he was introduced to one of his nephews’ friends and teammates. Making a bit of sparkle in the air with his powers to pull some attention away from his twin sister. His phone rang and he pulled it out to look and answer it, holding his hand to the receiver after greeting the person on the other line and mouthing [i]"I’m Sorry"[/i] to the pair before he walked a bit off. Barry splitting off of him and now standing in his place. [color=E610B8]"Work calls as usual. Already been away from V.E.I.L. for a bit too long, but you two seem to have things handled? Especially if the rest of Excelsior is to join you."[/color]

Eva was holding her wife’s hand. Nervous for her, but she was looking around with interest. Eva had never gone to a normal high school. She had been home schooled while living on the road for tours. This was perfect. She thought it would be good for Millie to get some socialization with kids her own age. Something Eva had missed out greatly. 

[color=0ea3a5]”I’m surprised they do co-ed floors even. Very progressive. Hopefully he is a neat and clean roommate.”[/color] 

Val did not enjoy being here at all. A school for students with superpowers set her teeth on edge. It wasn’t only for mutants, but it reminded her so much of Xavier’s Institute - and all the other gathering places that had come afterwards, all of which had ended in death and destruction. It was a disaster just waiting to happen, a trap that her niece was strolling into without a care… As her brother was looking over schedules, her wife admiring the scenery, and her brother-in-law reading over Harry’s shoulder, she was looking for escape routes, exit strategies - monitoring for potential threats, attempting to identify a crisis before it ever began. 

But Millie had chosen to come here. It wasn’t her choice to make. And like it or not, Millicent was a mutant. The world would not leave her innocent forever. She needed to learn how to use her powers, how to control them - so that way when the day came that she needed them, she’d be ready. 

“If he’s not, just let me know,” David offered with a crooked grin, a pair of earbuds in. They helped to muffle out the telepathic din. He could do it himself, yes, but it was sometimes nice to just relax and not have to filter out all the background noise. “I’ll give him a good scare.” 

[color=935DB8]“We are not terrorizing children,”[/color] Val admonished, before adding, [color=935DB8]“without cause, at least.”[/color] She then took a deep breath, grounding herself with the grip her wife had on her hand, as she struggled to keep her form from flickering in and out of view. [color=935DB8]“Call at the slightest sign of trouble or danger, okay? Even if it’s just a hunch. Your intuition is your most powerful tool,”[/color] Val instructed her niece. [color=935DB8]“You’re going to do great. Now, go, have fun with your friends.”[/color]

“But not without a hug from your Uncle Davie first!” David insisted, before hugging his favorite niece goodbye. He then looked back at Barry. “Do you want your partner or is it cool if I keep hanging out?” 

Goodbyes were exchanged, and the pop stars left without much further attention or shenanigans, leaving Millicent Broadway behind to start her new life at Avengers Academy. 

[hr][hr][center][h3][b][color=ed1c24]Percy Novikov[/color][/b][/h3][img]https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/019b29ec-87e6-745e-afed-c64ed081c458.webp[/img]
[hr][b][color=ed1c24]Location:[/color][/b] Margaret Carter - Winter Festival 
[b][color=ed1c24]Magic Items:[/color][/b] Mystery watch from Agatha Harkness, Dorian sex bracelet
[b][color=ed1c24]First Day Fit:[/color][/b] [url=https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/019c0287-4435-7608-82b5-0b29272f9040.webp]Black Hoodie, Jeans, and Vans[/url] [hr][/center]	Percy still felt a bit numb and dazed as Leah approached him, thankfully not opening with a hug as others in their social circle did. It was probably one of his favorite things about her, besides the shock that she enjoyed reading almost as much as he did. She towered over him, practically twice his height, as he had to crane his neck to look up at her. A month ago, he wouldn’t have known how to even entertain a conversation with Leah. But now, there was a connection between the two of them - as if they’d been cut from the same cloth. 

	[color=ed1c24]“The snow is fake,”[/color] he asserted. He pulled out his phone, opening up the weather app. [color=ed1c24]“We aren’t due for snow. The high today is supposed to be twenty centigrade, with a low of nine. Current temperature in Los Angeles is seventeen. I’d assume the snow is derived magically, given that I don’t see any machinery for its maintenance. Perhaps Nimue’s replacement is maintaining it, wherever they are.”[/color] He hadn’t looked into who had replaced the magic professor - he’d been more interested in Nemo’s replacement, and a bit intrigued to see that his mother’s mentor, Hank Pym, had been selected. 

	He then paused. Leah probably hadn’t actually wanted to talk about snow. She said she had missed them over the break. She’d missed him. He considered it for a moment, before deciding he had missed her, too. 

	[color=ed1c24]“Did you want to go find the others?”[/color] he asked, as he saw a small flurry of texts come in, responding to his crisis. Danni’s were sympathetic and spelled better than Percy had thought him capable of doing. At Dorian’s, however, his face twisted into a scowl. If he texted back using written language, it would be no different than conceding defeat and Dorian would win. If he texted back using emojis, Dorian would continue to claim he could not understand [i]and[/i] Danni may become accustomed to receiving them, both of which represented a loss for Percy. Or should he ask Leah to go with him elsewhere in the festival and give his boyfriend the cold shoulder for a moment? He didn’t want to play this game, but he hated losing, and Dorian had started it. 

	He stared at the phone for a moment, before deciding on his course of action. 

[hider=@Dorian][color=ed1c24]Dear sir or madam, 

I am sorry, I do not have this number saved. Who is this?

Regards, 
Percy[/color][/hider]

	Feeling certain that Dorian would be sufficiently annoyed by that, he then opened up his direct messages with Danni, and offered a further response - 

[hider=@Danni][color=ed1c24]Dear Danni,

I apologize for the shortform communication. My mother does not like it when I text in the car, as she claims it is important to be fully aware at all times in the event of an emergency. The crisis at hand is grave. She is applying to join the PTA. She also has an appointment with Coulson to speak about her concerns with how the school is run. If the opportunity arises today to destroy all the PTA applications, we *must* seize it. 

How are you? I hope you are having a pleasant day back at Margaret Carter. I will see you shortly. Leah is with me. 

Love,
Percy[/color][/hider]

	Percy then put his phone away. He walked with Leah in the direction of the hot chocolate stand, having spotted it not too far away - and missing a certain couple’s happy reunion, thankfully, by a well timed pack of freshmen crossing his field of view. He nodded as he saw Dorian and his siblings crowded around their hot chocolate creations, April’s impressively high - he almost didn’t recognize her at first, with the new hair. A vaguely familiar looking girl was with them as well, standing close to Dorian’s sister. 

	He suddenly felt self conscious, as his mind flashed back to the first time he had met these siblings at the carnival last semester, and how disastrously that had gone. [hr][hr][center][h3][b][color=42A9FF]April Kingston-Gray[/color][/b][/h3][img]https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/019b2a42-176d-736d-87cd-e80ef331aa59.webp[/img]
[hr][b][color=42A9FF]Location:[/color][/b] Margaret Carter - Winter Carnival 
[b][color=42A9FF]Magic Items:[/color][/b] Kingston-Gray Bracelet, River Styx Water, Hair Dying Comb
[b][color=42A9FF]First Day Fit:[/color][/b] [url=https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/019c0288-fffb-75e9-a893-c52428fffbb6.webp]Denim jumpsuit and shorts[/url], [url=https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/019c0289-6076-72bb-aa81-e8cae051d70b.webp]pink streaked hair and orange tinted sunglasses[/url][hr][/center]Dorian had assured them both that Percy was fine. Probably. He knew his boyfriend better than either of them - the last time April had talked to Percy, it had been the night they’d won the Contest of Champions. They’d gone downstairs to grab a late night snack, only to bump into Percy in the kitchen, wearing an oversized Boo hoodie that almost reached his knees, and white calf-height socks… and as far as April assumed and thankfully had not been able to verify, not much else. They’d teasingly given him some of Dorian’s snacks, a few bottles of water, and sent him back up on his way. 

Besides, it was his birthday! They’d made an extra gift just for the occasion, even as their fingers had started to ache and cramp from all the yarn works they’d churned out over the break. It was currently tucked into the pocket of their jumpsuit, rolled up so that way it would fit without deforming it. He was going to look absolutely adorable with the cat ears beanie they’d made, they were certain of it. Plus, they knew their brother - he loved a soft boi moment. So it doubled as a gift for Dorian too. 

So having been assured that there wasn’t a crisis on hand, April went about photographing their victory. This was [i]absolutely[/i] going on their (private) socials. They’d need to find the pictures from previous years and attempts too, so that way they could show off the elevation of their technique. Once it was all photographed, they took one of the cookies and used it to spear off a decent portion of the topping, plopping it into their mouth when suddenly, Marlena appeared! They almost choked, struggling to swallow from the sheer surprise, as they threw a hand in front of their mouth to cover it. 

Thankfully, Danni stepped in to the rescue, preening about his masterpiece of a haircut (it [i]was[/i] incredible), gushing about Marlena’s outfit (she [i]was[/i] hot as shit), gabbing about Amelie’s antics (the most adorable dragon April had ever seen) and inviting Marlena on the rescue mission for Percy. They’d talked with their siblings after the surprise video call with Marlena, running a full debrief, and analyzing the text records that had come from before it. It had been both helpful and unhelpful. April was very into her physically - but connection wise… they didn’t know. Not everyone had to agree and get along, differences of opinion were normal and healthy, but the responsibility of a mutant towards their fellow mutants was a [i]big[/i] one. 

The next thing they knew, they were stumbling forward, pushed by their brother to be dead center, right in front of Marlena. They swallowed slightly, their eyes sweeping over Marlena. The fit really was fucking [i]iconic[/i]. Their eyes kept on going back to the chain belt, following the way it fell over her hip - and the grey-green patterned button up, tastefully left open to reveal a black tank top below? [i]Chef’s kiss[/i]. For the last few weeks, their hormones had been raging and Marlena’s appearance here definitely wasn’t helping. 

Their cheeks were flushed red. [color=42A9FF]“Y-yeah, thank you!! Like Danni said, he did the cut and it came out so good, we ended up doing it Christmas morning, little bit of an impromptu thing, but our Papa loved it so much he almost choked to death on a cinnamon roll. And then Pa got me this comb,”[/color] they fished it out of one of their pockets, holding it out to show Marlena. They [i]loved[/i] how many pockets the jumpsuit had, [color=42A9FF]“and it lets you change hair to be the color you want. Andy and I played around with it a little bit over break - she lives next door, which was such a godsend. Being grounded [i]sucks[/i]. Your outfit looks fire, btw. I’m kinda obsessed with it. And you. I mean it. Did you make it? I know you make a lot of your own clothes and stuff - did you finish that top?”[/color]

They took a breath, saved from their hormones by the arrival of their ex-girlfriend and their brother’s tiny boyfriend. [color=42A9FF]“Leah! Have you met Marlena? She’s new, she was at the party we had after the contest,”[/color] April introduced, before adding with a squeal - [color=42A9FF]“oh, and happy birthday, Percy!!! I made you this, I hope you like it!!!”[/color] 

They took the cat ears hat out of their pocket, and presented it to Percy. 

Percy stared at it for a moment, before accepting it and putting it in the pocket of his hoodie. [color=ed1c24]“Erm. Thank you very much.”[/color]