Thunder King

“Boring adult stuff, huh?†Said a voice, who then smiled. “Tarrin Benjawan, nice to meet you.†He gave a polite nod and smiled. Tarrin was a handsome boy, dressed in a dapper suit, with a chiseled face and neat hair. His was not the superficially charming one that Anuman, her cousin had flashed her. This was a polite, warm smile. She liked him already. He looked very familiar, too, much like her father, but it was more than that, something that she couldn't put her finger on. “Mali Benjawan. I think I'm you're cousin...†She said. “Yes, Somchai was my grandfather.†“I, I'm sorry for your loss.†She said. “Thank you. Grandfather spoke well of you, you know. I was away while you were here last, and when we returned he mentioned your family had visited.†She nodded and tried not to cry, though it was clear the man had made an impression on her. “So what's it like in America?†He asked, sitting down. He was clearly very curious, even fascinated with the subject. "Everything and nothing you've ever heard about.†She said with a laugh. “Are Americans as rude as they say?†He asked. “Americans are...different, yes. It seems rude to everyone else, but it's different. I have many American friends. Though I was raised in America, so I really can't compare the two. Sometimes I don't know where the Thai in me ends and the American begins.†She laughed.

Bankok Thailand Somchai Benjawan was dead. The news came to Mali suddenly, and she stared numbly as her father gave her the news. The kindly old man, her great uncle. Last surviving son of the great Black Tiger, was gone. He had passed away in his sleep, apparently from a heart attack. She cried for a few minutes, regretting that she would never get another chance to talk to the wonderful, grandfatherly figure. When her father asked her if she wanted to go to the funeral, her answer was a definite yes. They flew out on a Friday morning, earliest flight they could. The funeral was a somber affair, with only family and close friends, by the end of the day, they were exhausted. They traveled to the home of one Thammaraja Benjawan, one of Somchai's sons. They ate a large dinner, and Mali loved the taste of homemade Thai food. Before long, though, the adults sat down and began having a lengthy conversation, and Mali was left bored with her younger cousins.

"Well, you see...I don't have powers, per se. I was out fighting crime. Summers figured it out and called my dad. I got in a lot of trouble, but they decided to enroll me here instead of say, ground me for life. I don't regret it, but, man it was stupid of me." She chuckled nervously. She remembered how dumb she had been, going out and patrolling like that. It did give her a slight edge, though, having fought crime in the real world for a few months, and it had come in handy in plenty of situations.

"Since March, I mean, well. This is technically still my first year at Claremont. I, er, got caught, back in February of last year..." She said, somewhat awkwardly. It was fairly common knowledge that Crimson Tiger operated in Freedom City before Mali Benjawan started attending at Claremont. The fact that she'd lied about her age and nearly got into a lot of hot water was not common knowledge, but most people figured she'd been brought in to Claremont after something happened. Either way, she wasn't sure how much of what Giang knew.

Mali had to stifle a laugh. She didn't want to mock the poor guy, but it was obvious that he didn't understand meditation. It was fine with her, of course, she was just amused."The Bowman and the Raven. Don't get me wrong, super powers are awesome and all, but I have a lot of respect for people who don't have them. It takes a lot of hard work and courage to become a hero even if you have powers." She said with a smile. "Being a hero means sacrifice, hard work and risk. Anyone who takes it up deserves a lot of honor and respect." She began to breathe deep and let her body relax. Her impression of Subito so far was 'nice guy, sweet tempered, bit awkward', she liked him already.

Beatin' up more robots! 17? insufficient Burning an HP Better, 28

"Eh, my classes aren't all that exciting. I do like superhero history, though. It's really neat finding out what sort of heroes came before, and what legacies are still out there. Ideally, if we were meditating, we wouldn't be talking. I don't mind though, new friends are more interesting anyway." She smiled. "I can always meditate in my room later if I want to. If you'd rather I went quiet and let you meditate, that would be fine, too. We could always chat later." She didn't want to be rude and disrupt Subito's meditation, it wouldn't be fair. Though he seemed more interested in chatting than meditating.

'Mali is Thai, yes, though I was born and raised in Freedom City." She said with a nod. "Muay Thai is what I was raised on, though I've picked up a bit here and there, I prefer to stay pure to my original style as much as I can. Your tattoos are very cool. I recognized the trigram, but the rest is kind of alien to me. I understand what you're saying about them though.: She glanced at the equipment around them and chuckled. "I love the facilities here. They've got a lot of cool stuff. Really helps me keep up the routine I started at home." She was curious if Giang had powers, and what kind, but she felt it inappropriate to simply ask. If Giang wanted to share that information, she would.

Crimson Tiger Getting Knocked Down 1 post Stonewalled 2 posts War of the Worlds 6 posts Peace Among the Stones 3 posts Paint the Town 4 posts Solar Sentinel A Sentinel Never Falters Voltage Vanguard Gathers 4 posts Date with Destruction 20 posts Scratch Team 4 posts

Mali grinned. "I appreciate the point of say, Tai Chi, but brute force is more my thing. A good fight is a challenge, forces me to push myself. To be better and stronger. Every fight is a lesson." She had noticed the tattoos, and smiled. "Giang, that's Vietnamese, right? Nice tattoos, they're really cool. That's the I Ching trigram, right? Not sure what the parts are..." Her first impression of Giang was one of serenity. Giang seemed calm, relaxed, poised. Nothing like the excitable, energetic Mali. Mali almost felt jealous of Giang for these traits, but that passed. The world was a place of variety, and the differences made the world a better place. She put her towel around the back of her neck.

Mali returned the bow, albeit a bit awkwardly. "Nice to meet you, too..." She said, smiling. "Working the balance beam?" She had, apparently, noticed the other girl dismount and approach her. Mali reached down into her bag and pulled out a bottle. "Water? It's nice and cold." She held it up, having pulled it out of an insulated bag in her gym back. She knew how tiring a good workout could be, and how thirsty it can make you. That, and it was always a good idea to meet new friends with offerings of friendship.

January 13th Mali Benjawan delivered a few more kicks and punches to the heavy bag before her arms dropped to her sides. It had been a good workout, heart rate had been up and she'd no doubt burned a bit of the ice cream she'd had last night off. She grabbed her water bottle and took a swig before sitting down on one of the benches. She was breathing a bit hard, having pushed herself just a little longer than normal. She was actively working on pushing herself beyond her previous limits, always going forward, always working harder. She wore her usual workout clothes; loose fitting long sleeved shirt and sweatpants. Even in a school full of superhumans, she felt self-conscious about her physique, and hid it beneath baggy clothing. She leaned back, her breathing evening out. She wiped her forehead off with a towel and took the ear buds out of her ears.

Henry arrived back in Freedom City less than a second after he left Arlington. The benefits of truly insane flight speed. He landed in an alley near his apartment, and instantly realized that things were very, very wrong. The tension in the air was palpable. He had not been on Earth when the Terminus had attacked, but he'd read and heard enough to know that it was one of the darkest times the Earth had ever known. He could only imagine that the tension in the air then was the kind he felt now. He walked into a nearby bar and stared at the television screen. The reports were scattered, but it was obvious; heroes and villains alike were going berserk. Star Knight, whom he had spoken to once, had gone insane. Some heroes were already on the scene to take her down, and similar reports were coming in from all over the city. His first instinct was to put his costume back on, but he stopped. What good would it do? Add one more combatant to what he was sure was a huge, city-wide battle? Maybe it would help, maybe he'd just create even more damage trying to help. Either way, he had a different way he could make a difference. He ran back out into the alleyway. Azure light sparked around him as he vanished into the air, a blue contrail the only evidence he had ever been there. He landed in an alleyway beside his station and ran in, hoping there were people there who hadn't left yet. “Henry Mason, reporting for duty, Sir.†He said, standing tall. His captain, who was standing there, directing traffic, looked started and turned towards him. “Mason, how the hell did you get here...never mind. We need every hand we can get. Get dressed and hop on the truck that's on it's way out. I'll be joining it.†Henry ran upstairs and changed as fast as he could before grabbing the pole and sliding down. He grabbed the ladder of the truck as it pulled out of the station. Apparently, one of the fights had caused some significant damage to a nearby building. The building was holding up, but probably not for long. They were to go in, grab everyone they could, and get out. He hopped off the back of the truck and waited for orders. The moment he got his orders, he walked into the building, careful to avoid causing any disruption to the integrity of the building. There were, apparently, about ten or twenty people still inside. Two of his fellow firefighters entered the building beside him, with him on point. They all knew their jobs, all knew what to do. Then he heard the sound of soft crying as he turned and spotted a young woman, no older than maybe twenty five, huddled in a corner. He motioned to one of the other guys who then walked over. One of his fellows bent over and tried to gently guide the woman out of her hiding place. Suddenly, Henry heard a crack. Instinctively, his hands reached forward, catching the boards before they landed on the other man's head. “Get the girl, I got the boards†He said. The man turned and gazed at his fellow firefighter, who was obviously straining. He saw the the young woman was uninjured and, working quickly, bodily pulled her out of her hiding hole and began escorting her out of the room. The boards cracked again, and it was clear that no mere human could hold the weight that was now in his hands. He knew the other man could see what he was doing, but none of that mattered. He moved his hands, quickly but carefully, to the wooden beam that was now beginning to give into the stress. He shifted himself under the massive weight and lifted it, using his full strength. The other man stared. “Mason?†He mumbled, staring even as he walked the girl towards the exit. There were more here, Henry knew. More lives that needed saving, more people that needed protection. So he lifted, even as his body began to radiate energy. He pushed, even as the bluish light filled the building. “Mason, get the hell out of there!†He heard across his comm. “The building, Sir, it'll collapse. Everybody will die if it does.†“What the hell are you doing!†“Holding it up, Sir, holding it up.†“H-how...I...how?†“Just get the people out, Sir, and you'll get your answers.†Outside, his commander blinked, and turned towards the men. “We have a rare opportunity, fellas, get your asses in there and get those people out. Seems we got a hero inside, holding it up for us.†Holding up an entire building was taxing for Solar Sentinel, who began to hover in place to avoid letting the weight collapse under him him. He felt another crack, and his knees buckled as the beams began to collapse further. He bent to one knee, but exerted more of his power, forcing himself to his feet. The bluish glow was now manifesting as flame as he pushed himself further. His cosmic powers had limits, and he was already at them. His fellow firefighters could not see him properly because of the glow. None of them apparently knew it was Henry, they didn't even seem able to realize it was a firefighter. His arms began to burn and he could feel his energy dip slightly. He had no idea how much he was holding up, but it was bound to be beyond what he was used to, what his previous known limit had been. None of that was relevant, only holding up that beam until the last of the civilians were free. “You're clear, Mason, get out of there!†Relieved to be free of his burden, Solar Sentinel's aura flared again as he shifted his power from strength to flight. He vanished from beneath the beam and dashed out of the wall, blindly. He burst through the brick and skidded to a halt in an alleyway. He felt two pairs of strong hands lift him up and tug on him, pulling him away from the imminent collapse. He managed to stand on his own and dismissed his worried allies. The flight and exertion had taken a lot out of him, and while he was tired, he was fine. Though his feet were a bit shaky, he still walked towards the captain, who was even now ordering everyone back on the truck. “Sir, I...†“Don't need to hear it, Mason.†The older man said with a curt nod. “You were there when we needed you, that's all that matters, you hear?†Henry nodded. “Yes, but...†“I don't know which of them heroes you are, and I don't really care. Don't matter to me if a man has powers, dresses in tights and fights the Crime League. All that matters is that you were here, and ten people are alive because of that.†Henry nodded even as he grabbed the ladder. “With that said, Mason, do you think you could pull that stunt again?†“As many times as it's needed, Sir.†Henry said, nodding. The truck took off, for another rescue, another group of people to save. Henry felt that while none of his fellow firefighters had powers, they did the exact same thing he did, day in and day out. They did it without the benefit of invulnerability, super strength, and with only relatively fragile equipment to keep them from burning or suffocating to death. He was honored to be counted among them.

Mali couldn't stifle the giggle this time. It sounded light and clear, almost alien from someone who probably came across as focused and tough. "Well, you could but it wouldn't count as meditation. See, meditation is about relaxation, achieving calmness. It's not about doing stuff. Then again, not everyone wants to meditate, and not everyone benefits from it. It's something I only do occasionally. I'm like you, I don't like to just sit and be bored." She smiled gently, as if trying to cover the fact that she basically laughed at him. He seemed nice, no point in trying to mock him.

"Nice to meet you, too. You'll feel completely relaxed. It helps center you, balance you, and in general is good for relieving stress." She smiled. "Good posture helps with breathing, and it's the breathing that helps most. Also, figure out where your body isn't relaxed, and consciously try to relax those parts. That way, you'll be able to relax your entire body.' She moved her legs into the lotus position and began breathing in and out. "Don't have to go into the lotus like this or anything. The important part is to be comfortable, but also have good posture."

He watched her as she left, contemplated Mindfire and Bonebreaker. He wouldn't be surprised if they popped up again. They'd been working for someone, that was obvious. He turned towards the back room and began to get to work, even as his superhuman mind mulled over what they wanted. Then, he stopped and picked up the now cold coffee he'd bought earlier that morning. Ah, well, can't have everything work out all the time.

"Flight isn't necessary. I can teleport us all there instantaneously, unless anyone has any objections." Voltage said. "I can also leave coordinates for anyone who comes here who wants to help us out there." He looked from hero to hero, waiting for confirmation that it was okay to teleport them. Instantaneous transportation was far better than flight. Nobody could see their approach, and every moment was precious. In fact, he decided that he wasn't going to wait for permission, deciding to go ahead and teleport them. He doubted anyone would be upset, time was of the essence. "I apologize if this is rude, but we don't have time to reach consensus." He closed his eyes and silvery current danced from him to the others. Within seconds, they were gone, traveling at the speed of a lightning bolt towards their destination.

He nodded. "I get you. Just come down when we agreed to and your laptop should be done." She was probably very cute, and part of him regretted that he was so distant from things like that. Otherwise, he may have tried to flirt with her. She was certainly a pleasant enough person, either way. He handed her a business card from the shop, hoping to get repeat business. After all, he prided himself on his efficient work, and knew the shop required a reliable customer base. His mind was still on Mindfire and Bonebreaker. What had they wanted? Why did they just go on a rampage? Those thoughts turned in his superhuman mind even as he smiled amiably. He was glad she hadn't gotten hurt. The situation was far too close for comfort to him even then. He was glad he lived and operated in Kingston; after all, there weren't many villain attacks in the neighborhood. At least, most of the time. Of course, he could just make the part with scraps, and intended to. He just thought it was a bit too suspicious for someone to operate the front desk of a computer repair shop, to be able to build computer parts from scratch.

"The lightning guy looked pretty roughed up, but he was fine. I don't think any civilians were hurt. The bad guys got it pretty bad though. I think the woman got blasted through a wall." He walked over towards her and took a deep breath. "Wow, that was crazy. I've never seen a superhero fight up close before. That's insane." He really was trying very hard to not sound like a superhero in front of a civilian. That could be bad if she discovered his secret identity. Not that she'd seen any of the fight, of course. She'd hid, while he had apparently run off into the fight. Who looked like the genius?

With Velocity gone, Voltage teleported away, vanishing to a nearby alley. He knew there were no security cameras watching, that there were no witnesses. Once there, he changed out of his costume and ran back into his store, into the back room. Velocity herself could be practically anywhere in the world by now, based on what he estimated her speed to be. All the better, as his superhero identity was already weakened by fighting right in front of his own store. "Wow..." Thomas said, catching his breath. "There was a superhero fight right outside the store...A big strong guy and some woman up against a super speedster and a guy who shot lightning. The good guys won. I ran back here as soon as I realized the fight was over. I kept my head down, didn't even get to see most of it."

"Here." He said, holding out a small card. "That's a secure email address. I use network tricks to keep my superhero ID email address untraceable. If you ever need help, or if you hear about these guys again, don't hesitate to email me about it. I'm curious now, what these guys want." He wasn't concerned about his superhero ID getting found out, he'd used the best techniques he could find to hide the email address.

Mali had been sitting there, not too far away, when she heard Subito's sudden admission. She stifled a bit of a giggle. She'd heard about Subito, but really hadn't had a chance to talk to him.. He was a friendly guy from all accounts. Enthusiastic and with a warm personality. She got up and walked over to him, intent on striking up a conversation, specifically about meditation. "It's okay, meditation isn't hard. Just keep your back straight, make sure you're comfortable, and concentrate on your breathing. Let your thoughts drift away so you can better relax. It helps me invigorate myself. Oh, name's Mali." She said, extending a hand. Mali was wearing a loose-fitting long sleeve shirt and exercise pants, perfect for comfort and meditation. Like usual, she kept her toned arms hidden out of insecurity.

Crimson Tiger watched the charging brute with interest before taking off in a run herself. Obviously, as hyped up on drugs as he was, he would not be reasoned with. That was fine with her. Drug dealers like this were the scum of the Earth, preying on people's weaknesses and ruining lives. She was fine with roughing a few of them up, especially if it meant stemming the tide of illegal drugs on the streets, even a little bit. She ran headlong at the drug-fueled bruiser, balling up her right fist and slamming it into him. He stopped moving for a moment. Despite his newly enhanced strength, it was clear that a strong fist to the stomach was just as painful as it would be for anyone else. "You're angry, yeah? Well I'm furious." She said to him, letting it sink in that yes, she was a superhero, and that yes, this would hurt, a lot.

Mali's gonna charge the big guy, 26 attack roll, fully shifted power attack DC26 TOU save

Robots, lots and lots of robots. Crimson Tiger watched Wraith charge in, and decided that was ultimately the best course of action. Despite the scale of what they were dealing with, she still needed to win the fight foe by foe. There were a great number of underhanded, potentially lethal Muay Thai techniques that Mali had learned, but had never intended to use. Devastating, painful, vicious and brutal, they were not things that heroes should ever do. It would take a fully grown tough guy years to properly recover from even one of them. It was time to use them all. Crimson Tiger took off in a full run, eyes focused. She reached into her belt pouch and fetched a trio of chakram, leaping into the air. She brought her knee up and slammed into a nearby drone, shattering it's casing. She landed, rolled through the wreckage, and threw the first, the second, and the third chakram, sending the razor sharp discs through three robotic drones. Then it was really time to get to work. From drone to drone, foe to foe, she danced. A snap kick, a fierce uppercut, a devastating elbow. She punched straight through one robot, grabbed some wires, and pulled them out, then, not letting go of it, she turned and hurled it at a dozen more. She ripped the arm off a drone and beat five of the rest into pieces before hurling it through the head of a sixth. She turned and grabbed the back of the head of another and drove her elbow clear through it, then kicked the remains into another crowd. She turned around and grabbed the leg of a nearby drone, hefting it overhead and swinging it like a club, sending pieces of robot flying this way and that, when the drone was in shambles, she slammed it into another drone, shattering it's torso. She grabbed a drone's arm and shattered it at the shoulder, tearing the robot in half, then turned and kicked a hole in another, before whipping her leg around and kicking the drone off of her and into a crowd of his fellows. She danced more, kicking and punching, elbowing and kneeing, striking at every joint and vulnerable point, making sure the Curator's drones were nothing more than scrap metal. There were hundreds of foes, and Crimson Tiger worked them all with the grim precision of a war time surgeon.