Letter Bee

Academy of Noble Arms

@banjoanjo, So...Pablo's going to face Nishka alone?

Academy of Noble Arms

Had to edit my post to resolve contradictions with Mega's.

Academy of Noble Arms

Pablo analyzed the situation; he was not going to go after Takumi, King, and Gloria; too strong. But, he wasn't going after those that were too 'weak', either; he might get accused of fighting too dirty. So, he was going after the middle tier, and that meant Nishka and her group; this task was made easier by the fact that said group abandoned the Russian-American, meaning that he, Reinhard, and Luis can safely go after her.

So he ran for the former street urchin, but not so fast that he would outpace Reinhard and Luis to the point of breaking the team's cohesion. Taking quick gazes to ensure that his former team members were by his side (Turns out Reinhard chose to go his own way), Pablo positioned himself to Luis' side, presuming that Luis followed his non-verbal cues and went after Nishka as well.

Luis would at least dislike me for this, which is a shame, as I want to be his friend. After a split-second of that thought, he would put it out of his mind for now, and keep going after Nishka, his eyes alert for any tricks and feints. If she went to her left left, he would gesture at Luis (who might still be entertaining thoughts of dislike) to catch her, if she went to her right, well, he himself would go on the offensive, and try and catch her, while being ready to roll away in case her teammates had a change of heart...

@TheHangedMan@Eklispe@banjoanjo

Power Corrupts

((Collab Post between three remaining players))

Several hours later at McDonalds, 8PM:

Kyle sat down at the table with his bigmac meal. "I contacted a local guy on the website that claims to be a super. He said he could meet us here if we want. He just got off of work and only lives a few blocks away."

"That's great!" Alexander said, while at the same time looking around the restaurant, looking to see if anyone was eavesdropping. Then, suddenly, everyone, including the staff, turned on their phones, as though starting a videochat; a few seconds later, everyone made to leave in an orderly fashion, just like in an evacuation. The 18-year old boy briefly wondered why that is so, before he drew these conclusions: 1.) The place was being evacuated, 2.) this place was going to be attacked, and 3.) the attacker did care about civilian lives...but not theirs'. Looking at the others, Alex gauged their preparedness; did anyone come to the same conclusions as he did?

Vin approached the McDonalds distractedly, thinking about how much her life had changed recently, and how it might be looking up. She was also aware she was risking a lot by getting involved, but before she could think too hard about it she noticed a large amount of people leaving the building. It was a bit odd, but she just thought it was a coincidence and entered the building as the last of them passed. "Some rush," she muttered. "That your cousin?" She asked Derrin, gesturing to the only people sitting down. She didn't even look at the counter, and didn't realize all the staff had left.

"Yeah, that's him" he said, looking around, then he looked at Kyle. "I thought that they might have recognized you from earlier and be fleeing from the Supers, but every other person has left, including the staff. That's not just a group of racists trying to avoid us. It wasn't a fire alarm, so what's going on?"

"We're about to be attacked," spoke Alexander, "by other Supers. Or at least, that's the best explanation." And with that, once the people have moved far away...it happened.

Out of nowhere, a gang of three appeared on the front parking lot, the first one conjuring up balls of plasma that he tossed at the window the group's table was near - Alexander countered by hardening said window, but all that did was stop the projectiles in their tracks...and cause the windowpane to melt anyway, creating an opening for the second Super to rush at the melting window at supersonic speeds!

Derrin grabbed his cousin's drink as the guy jumped through the window and threw it onto the floor, preventing the guy from getting traction. He then roundhouse kicked a trashcan at the fallen man. "Ok, we need to get out of here so we don't get cornered and won't be able to run."

Vin was surprised at first, but then she hardened her heart. It was to be expected, they were seen fighting one of their own, it was probably on TV by now. Regardless of if the guy was attacking people, it could still be viewed as a betrayal. Or maybe they were just the guy's friends, but she couldn't think of any other reason anyone would attack them. She was a bit slow to react, retreating a few steps so the boys were between her and them. She needed to figure out how to handle this, but luckily Derrin was a sensible sort and proposed they get out of there.

Fire suddenly leapt from her hands, but she was too hasty and hadn't managed to create the fire far enough from her skin. Palms seered, she hissed in pain, but ignored it and lobbed the ball of fire through the melted window at the other attackers and then another at the speedster. Hopefully fire was a good distraction. She retreated a few more steps in the direction of the other entrance, but didn't turn her back to them.

The Speedster slipped, but the Plasma-throwing Super and the third man were there now, the former using another power, the ability to throw globs of Sticky Foam, while the third man, who was, like the rest of the gang, clad in black leather clothing, stood in place and began to sing in a deep tenor voice, a voice that, when it reached people's ears, brought about a feeling of enervating terror.

Oh, and from the back door, two more people appeared; one of them held a Fallout-Style Tesla Gun, the other, meanwhile, had transformed into a lycanthrope in Army Surplus Body Armor that had been re-sized to fit his larger bulk.

Alexander pointed at the singing man, then spoke:

"Revelation; you are using a powerful mind-based ability in which you can influence others through music, with the weakness that should the person know that they're being influenced, said influence is cut by half. It also doesn't affect people who can detect powers." A smug smile, before Alexander drew his guns.

Of course, that still didn't change the fact that the group was outnumbered and surrounded.

Kyle shook his head after hearing Alex explain the situation and started calming down. Now able to at least will himself to fight, he lifted a handfull of ketchup packets with his telekinsis and tried to shove them into the singer's mouth to keep them from singing. Derrin also snapped out of it a bit and ran at the werewolf, screaming and tackling him into a wall to buy them room to escape.

The thing about scared people, they do stupid stuff, and right then, under the influence of unnatural levels of terror, Vin was a scared person about to do something stupid. Her voice took on a shrill, banshee-like quality, and a scream ripped itself painfully across the minds near her- and then it would be noticed that she wasn't actually using her voice to scream, but rather the psychic portion of her powers. Electricity zapped across her skin, shocking her though she didn't notice, and rapidly the sparks gathered into balls of electric light that launched themselves across the room in all directions.

She'd put so much distance between herself and the others that she hadn't heard Alex explain the power over the noise of her blood rushing in her ears. And then she was running for the only exit available to her- through the melted window and the first few who had attacked them, her skin still electrified if they tried to grab her.

In the absence of a miracle, Vin would be caught by a stream of sticky foam that covered her body; momentum would continue to swing her form through the window, but she would then roll across the floor, trapped in a cocoon that would keep her paralyzed. Before the other three can take advantage of it, Alexander would shoot at the Plasma-thrower and Singer's knees, bringing them down only to be blindisded by the Speedster, who would catch his hardened T-Shirt dead center and send him flying at the wall.

Derrin, meanwhile, would fare the best, as the Gadget-using Super and the Lycanthrope turned out to be weaker than he was, although he would find that the latter's claws would be proof against his invulnerability up to a point, as shallow cuts were inflicted on his skin; they would be deeper if not for his powers. Now Kyle was the only variable left...

Derrin just channeled the lightning from the gun into the lycanthrope and added some of his own lightning. He then pulled the gun from the tech guy's hand and threw the man across the room, javelin style at his buddies. He then tossed the gun to Kyle. "Hey Kyle, quit starring into space and fight." Sure, Kyle had silenced the singer for now, but that wouldn't take them out for long. At least now, if they tried to rush him, he could defend himself with something other than ketchup packets.

The tech guy's body would hit the Plasma-slinger and the Singer, while the Speedster would wheel around to attack Kyle from the back. Alexander was still unconcious, but merely bruised, while the Gadget-user, seeing his Lycanthrope friend knocked out, would draw a smaller gun and shoot a memory-alloy metal net at Derrin!

Kyle tried to turn around to shoot the speedster with the lightning gun, but he got knocked down instead. He fired quickly in the man's direction, knowing that at least he wouldn't hit Alex.

Meanwhile Derrin jumped sideways when the guy fired at him, but found his legs tangled in a net when he hit the ground.

Power Corrupts

((Collab Post between three remaining players))

Vin smirked, but she inwardly forced herself not to frown in concern. She hoped Derrin wouldn't ask too many questons, or dig around in her stuff. She didn't have anything that would give away her real identity, but the boy's clothes and various sizes would no doubt draw suspsicion. She'd also have to put off returning to a male form for a while, until she worked up the courage to confide her full ability to him.

She'd have to do that soon, considering he was willing to trust her in his home. "Too bad for him, he's missing out. Lucky me though." She said cheerfully. "Are you finished?" She asked, "We can go to your place now if you're ready. Just need to pick up my stuff. I left it under the fire escape on that cornerstore down the street from where the pyro went nuts." It was a small bag, but it served her purposes.

"Sure." Derring said, running his card for their food. "Let's go." He got up and started walking back the scene of the crime.

Vin was quick to follow, plucking another handful of fries from a vacated table on her way out. "Do you think the police are going to kill him? The guy I mean, the pyro?" She was worried about the government's reaction to supers.

"He'll go to trial, I'm sure. Whether he actually killed anyone or not during that outburst, I don't know. If he didn't they'll probably lock him up in a cell with a sprinkler system or fire supressing foam or something for the next decade. He definately attempted to murder some people."

Vin wasn't concerned about the man, but more for herself, and others with powers. "It's just... if they start getting used to fighting violent people like us, what happens when they come up on someone whose not doing anything wrong? Will they care? Or will they shoot first and ask questions later?" She sighed, shaking her head, "Sorry, not the best conversation topic there is." She apologized, then scooped his hand into hers and pulled him along as she picked up the pace. "Come on, I wanna see you're place before dark!"

They rounded the corner to the fire escape she'd hidden her bags under, of which there were only two small black backpacks that held clothes and hygene supplies like shampoo and toothepaste. She threw one over her shoulder and snatched the other one by it's top into her off hand. "Where to?" She asked with a smile.

"Just follow me." he said, then lead her to his car. Once he was there he got in and drove her to his place on the other side of town.

Convention:

Kyle pulled out his cell phone and brought up the forum where he'd been talking to other Supers, or at least people who claimed to be Supers, around the world. It wasn't as if you could test people over the net, and with editing software being so advanced even video wasn't really proof. "Here's the site I use." He held the phone up so that Alex could see the screen.

"I've been there," spoke Alexander, "but I'm suspicious of potential moles; do we have a technopath somewhere, one whose personality can be easily vetted?"

"Unfortunately, no. We could arrange to meet the ones in town personally if you want, and test them. Other than that, I don't know."

"Let's do the former, then, tomorrow," the 18-year old boy continued. "Also, I think that we've stayed in the convention long enough; perhaps it's time to go back home?"

"Yeah, it's getting late. We should go."

Academy of Noble Arms

Pablo, after having changed to his PE Clothes, moved closer to Reinhard once the students had been asked to partner with each other, saying:

"Hey, sorry about what happened two classes ago. Anyway, why don't we work together today? I can fill in several tactical roles, while you have a couple of useful specialties." A wide smile at the German, before the boy began looking for a third partner.

Luis' shield would save him the trouble of taking up defense, but somehow, Pablo couldn't think that the other boy would be willing to fight alongside them, if at all. Which is a shame; he admired the other boy's silent, almost imperceptible, defiance of convention and the system. So, would that mean that he'd have to include Nishka, then? After all, a bag of ever-filling rocks that can interchange with other items...those sound good. But on the other hand, he can see that Luis had...emotional issues that Pablo would like to know about, in a way that wasn't prying. Okay, that decided it, and so, after making his pitch to Reinhard, the Filipino boy walked over to the Puerto Rican.

"Hey," he said, "listen, I know that you don't like fighting, but we have to do it in this class, so why don't we do it with me and Reinhard? I promise, anything that requires harming a person; you won't have to do that." Assuming that what he observed about Luis was right...

@M127@banjoanjo

Scattered Shades: Arcadia Chronicles

Paradise 'Par' Rapids

Par was getting exhausted, but knew that he should and he must get to the Xena Rock Fields. Just a little more, and he can reach the battle that was raging! But, part of him asked, why was there a fight? Were Yvette and the others being attacked? If that was the case, was it treachery from the CMAS? That was probably the case.

He ran on.

Academy of Noble Arms

Pablo, seeing Reinhard's reaction, withdrew the vine, leaving the rose behind. He was glad the teacher hadn't noticed him, but, well, the boy was ashamed of himself for being too blantant. Thankfully, he had English and Small-unit tactics to look forward to, although Math was horrible. Yeah, he'll distract himself from his...physical desires with English and Math. Also, he really should talk more with Reinhard after this; just talk, nothing over-the-top or over-the-line.

Anyway, Ellora Minnie, or Ms. Lora, was clearly a capable woman, one who was able to let minor things slide but eventually regain control of the situation. As for the incident at Guerrero Street, it was obviously an attack by either Hammer or Disablers; those two organizations are two sides of one extreme. Perhaps he should put his time to investigate it, perhaps together with Reinhard?

Yeah, that sounds good. So, Pablo put together his own schedule:

- Classes
- Talking with Reinhard over lunch
- Investigating the terrorist incident with Reinhard

All of those would be without displays of overt affection.

Academy of Noble Arms

Pablo began to walk back to the class, still grinning. That said, though, he had his thoughts on other matters now, or rather, another kid. And by that, his thoughts had now shifted to romancing Reinhard.

Yes, yes, Reinhard wasn't that pretty, and may even be too thin to fit Pablo's exact tastes. But, still, the boy was intelligent and he seemed to be decent. So, Pablo returned back to the class first, or at least, he thought he was first, so focused upon Reinhard that he barely noticed the commotion with Yuri. Going back to his chair, Pablo sat down for a few moments, then took out a seed, a rose seed.

Focusing on said seed, and conjuring up his Noble Arm (he made sure that it was hidden underneath his classroom chair's attached mini-table), he then grew a rose vine, without thorns, in the direction of Reinhard's chair, which, when it reached the other boy's position, crept up and poked him in the hand, before growing a single large red rose. Said red rose was positioned just underneath the seat of Reinhard's chair, so people won't be able to see it much.

@TheHangedMan.

Academy of Noble Arms

@TheHangedMan has accepted the Retcon!