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11 yrs ago
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Location: Interview chaos -> K-G household -> Two Sisters
Skills: Enhanced Reflexes (Passive)





After the fight was over things got really crazy. For a minute there she had more people talking to her at once than she had had during the whole school year. At least that was how it felt. She was getting overwhelmed and upset. But she could glance to her side and see the others. They were also under the same pressure. She gave them a reassuring smile. And if she could a little shoulder bump (except for Percy). Andy wanted them to know she was there and felt the pressure too. She didn’t know how to deal with it, but if they could win the contest together they could deal with all the aftermath together too.

“Andy, how did it feel to break America Chavez’s leg like that?”

”Gross.” If she was fully honest she hadn’t meant to. She had been trying to hold back, but reflex was a powerful thing. It had taken over and she had slammed her hand into the leg at just the wrong angle with just enough power. Andy was honestly surprised she had. Maybe she had spent too much time with Leah who was almost impervious to her punches normally.

“Andy, is it true you were there when Genosha fell?”

”Yes. I was there. I defended it.” She was clenching her fists. She didn’t want to be in the room. Andy thought of Veil and her ability to disappear and wished that had been her power.

“Andy, did you enroll in superhero school because you were ashamed you couldn’t save Genosha?”

Andy regretted having mentioned during the fight that she had been there. It was already becoming an issue. She didn’t want to talk about Genosha. Yeah she felt guilty about her failure, but she also knew that they had saved as much as they could have.

”That isn’t why I joined Margret Carter. I came to the future and joined the school because I was following my friend to this time. This was the first time I could go to school without fear. This has been the first time I’ve been able to learn in a proper environment.” Her anger was rising and she bit off more that she could have said. Leah covered most of her feelings with the question that had been lobbed her way.

The interviews and chaos continued until they were finally whisked away. At the K-G household she went into her room and sat in the quiet for almost thirty minutes before looking for Gideon. The group had two invites. Andy wanted to go to meet up with the Young Avengers. She didn’t really care about the Hex Girls’ invite. She hoped that Gideon wanted to meet with the YA group. She also wanted to talk to her about the making out they had done. Did Gideon want a relationship or was it just making out? Andy would be fine with either. Though she was a little worried about diving immediately into a relationship. She had known others back in her foster homes days who would serial date and it was always weird to her.

”Hey,” Andy said once she found Gideon. ”I was thinking of going to the Court of the Two sisters to meet up with the Young Avengers group. Want to go with me?”

Gideon had been outside of the Kingston-Gray property, leaning up against the fence as she smoked. The entire housing situation had been a little weird and up in the air, but her friends had won the contest! Of course she was going to come by and be here, as tempting as taking advantage of a free, unoccupied hotel room in New Orleans was. Not that she was as interested in anyone who existed in her phone as she was the incredible goth boxer royalty in front of her. She grinned like mad at Andy approached, and stomped out her cigarette. “Hell yeah I do!! Congrats, btw! That was fucking killer what you did - you really said to the floor and went with it! Hot as shit.”

”Thanks. I didn’t want to fight Patriot, he looked like he was about to drop, so I was glad he didn’t stay in the fight long.” She gave a bit of a shrug and smile.

”Thankfully America was ready to roll. She is really into fighting. I asked if she wanted to spar again sometime. It was fun.” Andy shifted from side-to-side then leaned up against the fence next to Gideon.

”That kiss was nice.”

Gideon turned, so that way rather than having her body pressed up against the fence, she was practically pressed up against Andy. “Oh yeah?” she smirked. Behind the shades, her eyes were positively sparkling. “I could show you something a little more interesting than nice - if you’re up for it,” she offered innocently, placing one hand gently on Andy’s arm. She slowly started to trace patterns, swirls and spirals with the tip of her fingers. Her index and middle fingernails were trimmed short. “Something a little more like sparring. I don’t break easy.” She licked her lips.

Andy looked up, she swallowed, suddenly very nervous. She was very inexperienced. Her only serious relationship had just ended. Before that she hadn’t even kissed anyone. Her heart pounded. Then she made her decision. ”Yeah. My room.” She grabbed Gideon’s hand and pulled her behind her for a couple of steps. Andy paused and looked between the two houses. Going to Magneto’s felt...weird. She had just reconnected with him and she doubted the room would be...sound proof. She looked at the K-G household. There was like an 80% chance that Max had set up some anti-sex charm, but she doubted it since Casper lived there. She decided to risk their house, and continued walking back into their house and to her room.

Gideon’s eyes widened slightly, realizing where Andy was taking them - she’d had the hotel in mind, but a wizard’s mystic mansion? How could she pass up the opportunity? It’d be memorable if nothing else - and the thought that the wizard might not want them to do this in the house sent an added thrill down her spine. Maybe there would be some sort of wards telling them to not do it. She swallowed. Yeah. This was going to be good. Although, it would have been good no matter where it happened - a few days again she hadn’t dared to do more than imagine that she could be with Andy, and now? Now it was really happening. And she couldn’t wait to worship her like the goddess she was. “Yes ma’am.”

Andy navigated the house as quickly as she could, finding her door and stepping into her room. It still looked exactly like the one at Magento’s house. She didn’t mind. Though it was a time capsule and she suddenly felt a little exposed. Between the old 2020’s style, and the poster from her boxing days she was showing Gideon a little piece of herself. Even though she hadn’t decorated the room, it was exactly what she wanted. She squeezed her free hand a couple of times.

”I’m...new to this.” She gestured between them. ”You okay with...teaching me?”

“Sweetheart, I’m a service top. I’m more than okay with doing anything you’d like me to do,” Gideon agreed. She then paused for a moment, as she shut off the lights in the room. And then, with them dimmed, she removed her shades - revealing a pair of soft golden eyes. “I have a light sensitivity thing,” she explained. “Shall we?”

Andy grinned.




The pair of them, sometime later, arrived at The Court of Two Sisters. Andy was still smiling. She hadn’t noticed that her hair was mussed, as was her make up. Andy felt great. Between winning the contest and...making out with Gideon she was on cloud nine. She looked around the gathered group. All of the YA group was there, and her team was filtering in. Andy bee lined for America. Leah and Sabine were there too and she gave them both a smile and nod. Everything after the contest ended was basically a blur and she hoped the two of them were doing okay. She did not blame them at all for stepping down. She was proud of them both.

”Hey, America. First, you’re a great fighter. I one-hundred percent would love to fight you again. Second, I am sorry for breaking the shit out of your leg, did it get healed okay?”

“Andy!!!” America squealed, jumping up out of her seat. She didn’t bother to ask for permission, as she wrapped her rival into a hug, and flew them up into the air. “Do you wanna arm wrestle?” she then immediately asked, flying them back down and depositing Andy gently. “And yeah, let’s fucking go!!! I haven’t had a spar that good in ages!!!”

Andy laughed. For those that knew Andy well this was probably a bit of a shock. Andy had been wound up tight the whole time they had known her. She never really let go. A few of her friends had seen her cry and yeah laugh, but not like this. Not this light hearted.

She hugged America back tightly. Not from fear but from joy. Sure, she had been stressed as hell dealing with the media storm, but for right now, she was free from that. A small part of her, a currently very quiet part, screamed that this would all end in fire. That everything would be destroyed. That this moment of happiness was a lie that would be gone in moments. She ignored it. She pushed it away. She reached out and found Gideon’s hand, squeezing it. Then Andy pulled up a chair and put her elbow down on the table, hand up, ready for America to arm wrestle her.

”I absolutely want to arm wrestle. I won’t even shock you.”

“I call winner!” Gideon chimed in, her sunglasses securely on her face again. She spun her chair around, and sat on it, her legs spread as to hang over either side.

“Bet!” America laughed, taking a seat as well, and holding out her arm. “Don’t go easy on me, Andy! I’ll know if you do!!!”

”Don’t worry. I won’t.” Andy grinned, she winked at Gideon.

Andy did not hold back. She put her effort into it, but so did America. It was quickly obvious they were fairly evenly matched. She was tempted to do something silly like try to tickle America to distract her. Rather than go for something like that Andy decided to stick her tongue out.

America stared at the tongue.

Stared at the nice, unprotected, innocent tongue.

And leaned forward.

And bit it gently.

Andy’s plan backfired...sort of? She wasn’t certain, but she certainly wasn’t paying attention to her arm anymore. She was much more focused on the fact that America had...bit her tongue. It didn’t hurt. It was actually very pleasant and stirred a lot of feelings. Her body warmed up. Parts of it tingled, and she was no longer unwise to what that meant.

Oh...boy. There was definitely going to need to be a conversation, but right now Andy didn’t really fucking care. She leaned into it, and kissed America. After a moment, she leaned over and kissed Gideon. Damn...this was really nice. She kissed America again.

”I don’t want to pick.” She announced to them.

“Then don’t,” Gideon said with a shrug.

“My girlfriends won’t mind,” America agreed with a grin. “Right, Kate? Cassie?”

Kate glanced over, and rolled her eyes playfully. “Oh noooo, you’re cheating on me? Right in front of my salad? How will I eeeever recover?”

Andy didn’t blink for a moment. ”People still know that reference?” She asked Kate.





1:45 PM - Friday, July 18th, 2025 - Château de La Lune, France



@PatientBean@TheMaster99@KazAlkemi@Trainerblue192@kittyluna45@KTostada











Ralph




Location: Château de La Lune
Skills: N/A





Richard, being Renee’s father, made some of their interaction the night prior look different. If Renee knew...She was cozying up to him.

”That text, had it been opened prior to you reading it? When was it sent? Did Renee come here knowing that Richard was her father? If so, do you think she confronted him in the early hours of the morning? Or did someone else confront her?”

”Elenore might be guilty for one or both of these deaths. I don’t know. But I don’t think she is the one doing the blackmail. She seemed shocked and upset. Honestly, rather angry,” Ralph said, forgetting that that conversation with Elenore had just been Rhi and himself.

Covering Miguel’s body again didn’t take a long time. The soil had long ago become more mud than dirt. Everyone who had joined in the digging was dirty. Even those who hadn’t joined in the digging had dirty shoes and were wet if they didn’t have some sort of rain protection.

Ralph looked around the group. Could he trust them? He liked Sam. He was being blackmailed, but it wasn’t the sort of blackmail that the cops would get involved in, not again anyway. He thought of that old photo and wondered if he had been forgiven. He hadn’t talked to him since. Ralph closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He was afraid to ask the others what they were being blackmailed about. Afraid that things would be worse and they’d think he was involved. Or that they’d all judge him for his crimes. His biggest shame.

How did someone find out? His situation could have probably been figured out with some basic detective work. Some sleuthing. He thought about the La Lunes. He didn’t know much about any of them. Not really. But he doubted the older members of the family would have figured it out without hiring a private investigator or something. Was it something Elenore did when she got the list of nominees?

”Did everyone get a written note? Maybe we can compare handwriting? Try to see if it matches someone’s writing, like Elenore’s.”



8:15 AM - Friday, June 13th 1980 - Lava Lake trail, BC, Canada




@KazAlkemi@Achronum@kittyluna45@Morose@Trainerblue192



Zeke and Aster, upon opening the nicest cabin, Pine, would find that it needed a good dusting, sweeping, and mopping. There were six bunk beds, all full-size, for a total of twelve beds. They weren’t bolted to the wall, so they could be moved around. There was also a single full bed that seemed to be for the counselor who would stay in the room when the kids came in. All of the beds had a mattress over some heavy-duty wire springs. The bunk beds had a small ladder of about three steps that allowed access to the top bunk.

Since the group was small, they could probably each grab two mattresses and stack them on a bed for more comfort. A single mattress would be unpleasant. The mattresses themselves were about four inches thick but were hard. It was a good thing they were plastic because, looking at them, it was obvious if they had been cloth, they’d be disgusting. They still were disgusting, but at least wiping them down with some powerful chemicals would mean they were clean after.




Emily




Location: Camp Lava Lake Trail
Skills: Hiking





Well, at least they had everyone’s names now. Em resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of her nose. It helped that Marco was cuddling her. She hurried after Dobbs. He was already at the top of the stairs. He had another ring of keys that he was using to unlock the main building.

“Kitchen is that way, right off the dinin’ area.” Dobbs pointed to the right. There was a large open space room with tables on casters pushed up in the middle and lined up. Only one of the half dozen or so tables was not pushed off to one wall. There was a partially open wall that had serving stations for food. It looked like hot water or ice could be placed in sections to keep the food warm or cold, respectively. The other side of that partially open wall was an industrial kitchen. It was on the smaller side, but between the tables and the kitchen, the camp could feed about three hundred people at once.

Dobbs led the rest of them into a small room where the shortwave radio was set up. He pulled a manual down from a small shelf. The room wasn't quite big enough for all of them to be there at once, so it took some time to get everyone through, learning all the buttons and dials.

“Alright, this is the manual for the shortwave. Spend some time with this.” He started walking them through the basics. How to turn it on, change stations, the call sign for the camp (CFW325), and so on.

Em was attentive while he explained everything, asking a couple of clarifying questions. Dobbs was irritated, but he answered the questions and explained how to use the shortwave radio. This was the group’s lifeline, and he understood that. Em had the sense that if Nancy hadn’t mentioned she had seizures sometimes, he probably would have just handed over the manual and left them to their devices.

Once the little training session was done, with a test call that three of them made to the town where Dobbs knew someone who responded. Dobbs stood up from the tiny rolling chair that was there for the radio and picked up his bag.

“I’m going down to the tool shed, the one by the lake. I’ve got a laundry list of things I have to do. I’ll be leaving camp at 8 pm. Make your lists of anything you lot need, within reason, and I’ll bring it tomorrow morning. If you need me while I’m here, just give me a shout. I’ll probably be on the roofs of the cabins. There are a few of them that need some repairs. Thankfully, I should be able to finish them all today. Tomorrow I plan on working on some electrical wires that are not up to snuff. Tell your boyfriend that if he makes enough food for me too, I’ll bring him anything specific he wants that won’t be reported on the receipts.” The last part was directed at Em.






Location: Contest of Champions
Skills: Enhanced Reflexes (Passive); Elecrotrokinsis; MMA/Boxing





Why were these damn fights making her feel like a bully? Andy had fought for her life. She had clawed her way through surviving again and again. She had killed. She had gone through the process of dealing with the fact she had killed. Andy had felt guilt about it when she was younger. A lot of that guilt had been erased over the years and months. But this felt like...taking candy from a baby.

Why?

"This feels dirty." She mumbled. The groups started dropping people like flies. They were down to three each. Dorian having convinced several people to just surrender. Cassie had pushed her aside so she was no longer in punching range of Patriot, which was a little unfortunate since he looked about ready to topple over on his own, especially if he kept punching himself.

Andy didn't need to win. She had joined this because it had been basically required. Andy tightened her fists. She wasn't going to attack but she wasn't going to stand down. She hadn't before and wasn't going to start now. Even if the reason was stupid.

"Hey, look I'm not going to back down. I've fought some nasty pieces of works. I fought the X-cutioner, I fought for Genosha over and over. My team, my friends, have fought and clawed their way to this moment. None of them want the stain of punching you guys out on their hands. I respect that. I don't particularly want it either. But I have been in a real fight. I know who I am when I am back against the wall. When my life is on the line. When the world is on the line. I know what I am willing and capable of doing in moments like that. So I don't need this fight. I came to school to learn my letters and numbers for the first time in safety. I came to school in this time because it was the first time since I was eight that I could do that without fear. I could do that because I fought for mutant rights long before any of you were born. So you guys could have this life. I am not backing down because I haven't backed down once since I decided that I would fight. If you want to keep fighting then I will keep fighting. If you want to surrender I'll respect it. Make your choice."

Andy let some lighting crackle on her gloves, she crouched down in a fighting stance, and waited to see how the Young Avengers would react. There were only three of them left, two were in a fighting state. She'd probably lose if April and Dorian both left her. She wouldn't blame them. But Andy would go down fighting before she ever surrendered.




Location: Primary Artificer Laboratory
Grimoire:
Skills: N/A



Finley frowned. They were not sure how sap would work as blood. They would have to test it first. They were not completely sure they were capable of making a blood talisman. They never had before. It was within their type of fae’s abilities, but Finley had never learned how to do it.

”I will need a sample of your sap to see if I can manipulate it at all then. If it works, I should be able to use it without any additional issues. However, let me reiterate here, I have never done this type of work before. My skills are illusion magic and borrowing magic from others via their blood. I know in theory this is something that can be done. I have never done it before. I have to do a lot of testing before I can be sure of our safety.”

Finley then smiled brightly, teeth shining in a way that made them seem larger and sharper than normal, at Rohan, and held out their hand. ”Sample, please.”







Location: Room 12
Grimoire:
Skills:



”He isn’t kidding.” Connie warned Jake about Barty. ”What is supposed to protect people?” Sure, the professor had said something about the statue, but Connie wasn’t sure that was what Jake meant. ”Jake, I don’t know how you learn, but one of the things I suggest doing before making proclamations is doing as much research first. I think that your intuition about this situation may be accurate, but before we do anything rash, it is best to know as much as possible. Leaping into danger is a good way to get killed or go insane.” Connie’s voice was calm, but her face, as she looked at Jake, looked worried. She didn’t know how he knew what he was claiming. However, Connie knew that everyone’s magic was different.

”Can you explain how you are feeling this? Is it something you can see? Did you feel that before you touched the statue or only after? Is it only the sphere artifact that is sucking up magic, or is the person taking it in, too? If both, is there a percentage amount that you can determine?” Connie cut herself off, realizing she was asking a lot of questions very quickly, and from what she had gathered about Jake, he would have a hard time answering even the first question. She took a deep breath. ”Don’t worry if you can’t answer the questions. I am just looking to get a sense of how much of this is intuition and how much is reasoning.”

She was still sitting on the floor, cross-legged and straight-backed. Her notes were laid out on one of her knees, where she had written several notes about the ongoing conversation. Connie wrote down what Barty told her, putting in quotation marks with a note about it being ‘unreliable tertiary source.’

”What happened to that person? The one you enchanted?” She asked Barty after she finished writing.






Location: Contest of Champions
Skills: Enhanced Reflexes (Passive); Elecrotrokinsis; MMA/Boxing





Andy remembered being there. Remembered the power. She had eaten an unknown number of souls before they had done the circuit, and she had been powerful before the circuit. During it had been overwhelming, and in a way intoxicating. They could have lost themselves to it. But they had let it go. Chosen to release it and become individuals again. Andy didn't know what the world would be like if they hadn't.

She knew Danni was the shadow giving her the little hug. When the three of them went back to their bodies, she let out a little held breath. Relief went through her. They could focus on the fight again. Somehow, through all of that, no adult thought 'Hey maybe we should step in.' Yet again. Andy wasn't surprised. It was what she expected. She had been helping save the world long enough to know that wasn't all that unusual.

"Hotshot, you okay?" She asked Danni, who looked like he was trying not to puke. Andy did not blame him for that feeling at all. At least he had all of his clothes on. She had lost her piercings and scars after her experience with the circuit. Andy made a mental note to ask Danni and Dorian if they had had any scars that were now gone.

Andy rolled her shoulders and looked at Hulkling near her. "So, are we still doing this, or will you guys quit because our team really just did that?"





1:30 PM - Friday, July 18th, 2025 - Château de La Lune, France



@PatientBean@TheMaster99@KazAlkemi@Trainerblue192@kittyluna45@KTostada











Ralph




Location: Château de La Lune
Skills: N/A





The reveal of Miguel’s face had set Ralph back on his heels. He sort of heard what Millicent told them to do and tried to distract himself. Tried to think of something else. He had seen Renee at the bottom of the stairs. He hadn’t been close to her. Neither physically or really chatted with her. Miguel he had spent time with. Had considered...

He let the thought go. He thought of cotton candy. He thought of that cute raccoon putting it in water to wash it. Damn that was cute. He felt like the cotton candy. Everything slipping away.

The rain seemed to come down harder. The sound of it hitting the tree's leaves was soothing. The air smelled of ozone, not as intensely as it had yesterday, but it still hung in the air. There was wind, but it wasn’t enough to drive the rain sideways. He had seen some intense storms and this wasn’t that bad. He didn’t know what it would be like on the water and wondered if that one La Lune had made it to land. Or if his ship had capsized and they’d all be trapped here. Maybe they were all dead and this was a horrible purgatory. Like some twisted Twilight Zone episode.

Then he was centered again. His heart no longer pounding so hard he couldn’t even hear the others.

”Our best lead is the blackmail. If we can figure out who is doing that we might figure out everything else.” His voice is low. ”What are we going to do with Miguel? If we take him to the house... or should we leave him here until cops show up?”




Location: Primary Artificer Laboratory
Grimoire:
Skills: N/A



“We still do not understand - why does this happen in a cave? Is there water like the one we explored with our Dewdrop, remember!” Dysphoria asked Finley excitedly. “Is an anchor like us, a way where we all get mixed together? But the Woodling does not like mixing. I do not know about the other two. Do you two like mixing?” Dysphoria asked Frankie and Annika.

"I do not think Franklin enjoys mixing. He is friends with Constance. She definitely does not enjoy mixing.” Fin told Dysphoria. They tapped their chin, thinking.

"Hmm, if this is a way to tie ourselves together as a group, or keep a part of ourselves as a beacon to this world, I do believe there is something I can do with blood magic. Now I have no actual experience with using talismans of such make, but I do know that it is possible. There are items such as a Babylon candle, which require blood to be mixed with the candle.” Finley had never made such items before, but knowing that it was something that existed made the possibility a tangible thing.

"Gold and silver are not a danger to me.” Finley gave Annika an appreciative nod. Then Finley looked around the room, trying to find a station that called to them, that they thought they could make a blood artifact with.

Dysphoria nodded along with Finley's assessment of their classmates and looked around them. “The making of things is strange. It took us some time to understand why everyone did not just use their fluids, but I have been told humans do not have the same flexibility as us. Your objects are strange. Fun, but strange, and so I think Darling, your blood magic might be better as a core. Like a brain in a skull - crunchy and tasty on the outside, but yummy and soft on the inside.”

"Mmm brains.” Finley murmured in agreement. They had been denied such delicacies because it ‘was illegal’ for some reason.

"Ohh yes, good idea. If everyone does part of the design and inside of it, I place the blood of each of us, this would be a strong anchor. One that each of us has worked on. That would be strong.” They looked over at the others. Finley had some knowledge of Rohan’s talents, and sort of knew Franklin’s; Annika had given them some idea.

"We should design a couple of options.” They nodded.







Location: Room 12
Grimoire:
Skills:



Connie gave Croan a slight glare as he said her name wrong. But she was already starting to turn over the question in her mind.

Connie chewed on her lip; she hadn’t noticed that she was shaking her hands. This thing, the curse, needed more magic. It was feeding on ambient magic and on that from those who spent too long in its presence. That’s why the others went mad. She quickly wrote her thoughts down.

"It eats magic. It needs the extra magic for a reason. Most curses, once cast, are self-sustaining enough or burns through whatever magic was used, and then it is over. This has lasted for decades. Others who have spent time around it have gone mad. I had hoped to find observations or notes from previous students who worked on this, but there wasn’t anything in the library.”

She watched Jake as he ignored Croan’s admonitions. He was angry, which was a new emotion from him. Connie tilted her head, watching him. Could she? If this person were still alive, could she bring them back? Could her ability to transmute stone to flesh save him? Or would it just eat her magic and drain her? She wrote her thoughts, her questions, her worries.

In her opinion, Croan wasn’t trustworthy. She wished that she could trust that he had their safety in mind. She didn’t know if he would give her an honest and true answer if she asked him a question. This was the real reason she was upset about being in his cohort. He would consider it interesting if one of them died. That left Barty as the next-most-knowledgeable person in the room. She knew he was educated and doubted he would watch her die for his own interest.

"Barty, you have heard the stories about this. Do you have more history, real history, than I do? What have previous cohorts done, do you know?”



8:00 AM - Friday, June 13th 1980 - Lava Lake trail, BC, Canada




@KazAlkemi@Achronum@kittyluna45@Morose@Trainerblue192



The walk finally produced something. The first sign of a campground came into view. A large two-story building, slightly up on a hill, with an oak tree almost pressed against it, sat at the entrance to camp. It has a long porch that stretches from one end of the cabin to the other. An old wooden sign stretches over the path, declaring it Camp Lava Lake.

“That’s the main recreation building. It has a kitchen, cafeteria area, a radio, and offices. Including a nurses' station. I have made sure that there is a fresh stock of basics. As long as you don’t need stitches or a defibrillator, you should be able to find what you need there. I don’t know what you’d need for seizures, but if there is something specific I can get at the drug store for you, let me know. I’ll walk anyone who wants to learn how to use the radio through it. Ideally, there should be at least two of you who learn.”

Past the sign and main building were several smaller buildings arrayed in a horseshoe shape around a large clearing. Most seemed in some stage of disrepair, and the roofs on several looked new. One looked to be in good condition; it looked like the most work had been done, taking it from falling apart to solid. The others at least didn’t seem like they were going to collapse.

“That cabin there, nearest to us, is the one that I’d say is fully stocked and ready for habitation. Again, if you want to split up into different cabins, feel free, but you’ll have to move furniture to do it.”

Dobbs rubbed at his temple as the group discussed sleeping arrangements. Beyond the cabins was the lake; it sparkled in the early morning light. Next to it was a building with a few canoes stacked. Dobbs pointed at it.

“That building next to the lake needs some work. It is the tool shed and has some swimming and boating supplies. Whoever takes that responsibility needs to test the boats to see which need repair, which can be used for parts, and which are a total loss. I don’t really care how you lot divide the labor. Figure it out, do your jobs, and let me do mine.”

He started walking up to the main cabin, pulled off his own backpack, and was digging into it. “Oh, last thing, here.” He tossed a ring of keys to Zeke. “You’ll need to unlock the doors. Congrats, you’re the one in charge of the keys. Do not lose them. Those of you going to the kitchen or learning the radio follow me.”




Emily




Location: Camp Lava Lake Trail
Skills: Hiking





Emily was still glaring at Dobbs, but had settled back, her hackles were no longer as raised at least, and Marco could tell that she wasn’t about to punch him. Mostly because she knew if she did, she probably would be sent home right then and there.

”What doesn’t cause wrinkles at this point?” She sighed. ”And really, I’m fine with however we want to set up the sleeping arrangements. If you want your own cabin for your special self, go for it, Aster.” She didn’t totally blame him, and sort of wanted a cabin just for Marco and her. It’d be really nice to get some alone time. She howeve,r did the mental math about the group and could guess that Nancy would be alone if that happened. She didn’t think that was a good idea since she had just said she had epilepsy.

”You can totally call me Em. I prefer it. Nice to meet you, Nancy.” Em offers a hand for her to shake. ”I’ll learn the radio too.” Em notices a slight hesitation, but doesn’t take it personally.

She squeezed Marco’s hand. ”I’ll swing by the kitchen after to see if you need any help. I’m hungry.” She wanted to learn the other guys names, but didn’t want to get left behind by Dobbs, who was already more than halfway to the main cabin. There were rough steps built into the hill that he was going up. She looked at the scene before her. The tree seemed like it wanted to swallow the building; it was an oak with gnarled branches that gave the impression of unnatural arms with too many joints. It gave her pause.

”Oh, I suppose we should talk about division of labor. One thing I want to do is hike any trails around here and clear or mark any dangerous areas, so when the kids hike, it’ll be safe for them.” She’d wait for the others before heading up to the main building, get their names and what sort of things they wanted or could do around the campgrounds. She was actually a little excited to get started.






Location: Contest of Champions
Skills: Enhanced Reflexes (Passive); Elecrotrokinsis; MMA/Boxing





A surge of panic went through Andy. She had already started figuring out what had happened, but Leah sealed it. A circuit. She had been in one once. They had saved the world. The world knew it had happened, but it felt distant and like a story here. She had lived it. Leah's fixing the field helped a lot, but Andy knew they didn't stand a chance against this thing. They needed to convince Dorian and Billy to separate.

How had they done this? How could they reverse it? She remembered wanting to be herself, wanting to be an individual. So they'd have to convince the pair of them to separate.

"Hotshot, if you accept, you have to convince them to separate. I don't know if we can from out here. I doubt we can force them to separate." The term god that the entity had used was not entirely inaccurate. When Andy had done this, they had imprisoned Selene and brought back the dead.
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