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As both an alumi and fellow educator Mike found himself at the Claremont Academy not infrequently. He had at times advised students before. But this mentorship program was a rare visit not in his mild mannered grade school teacher persona but as Phalanx and while his secret identity was by most reckoning the worst kept secret among heroes he at least attempted to draw a firm line between the two. One he hoped his partner for hte mornings event would abide. Though Geckoman was nowhere to be seen yet, not that running late was entirely out of character, and if truth be told Phalanx had arrived slightly early in his efforts not to be late. He kept a wary ear for the sound of the Pitchoo just in case as he waited cape blowing faintly in the low breeze and head just shy of brushing the rafters of the small pavilion adjacent to the gardens where he was to meet his fellow alumni and any students he might offer some measure of comfort and he hoped wisdom.
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August 2019 The AEON Building Mark and Nina and Ritchie arrived at Alex and Mike's front door - which is to say, a ripple of magical energy in the air like a crackle of distant thunder turned into shifting, warping shapes that resolved themselves into Mark Lucas in his suit and tie, Monsoon in her glistening silver armor, and a very excited toddler. Ritchie liked his father's powers very much. "Boom!" he declared. "Boom!" He darted up quickly to Alex and Mike's door, laughing. Mark and Nina were just a few steps behind him, the former knocking on the door. (He knew not to just teleport into people's houses, even if they were expecting them.)
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GM Location Unknown Lor Time Mark 1898.6 (July 30, 2019 Terran Calendar) A pair of figures walked down a long marble hallway. Great pillars held up a vast, vaulted ceiling as light from some unknown source gleamed off the gilded sections of the ceiling and the smooth marble. One of the figures was tall and thin, dressed in a yellow robe and hood, a golden mask covering its face. The other was short, no more than four feet tall, with a stout body and dark red skin. It had a bald head and wide face. Along the hallway the two figures passed several alcoves, each containing a hologram image sometimes depicting individual beings, other times a small group of beings. "See all the great champions of contests past Kanto?" The tall hooded figure asked as the pair passed some of the alcoves and their holograms. The smaller figured nodded its bald head, a grin on its wide face. "It has been far too long since I have had any truly entertaining contestants for any games." The taller figure continued, a note of disappointment in its voice. The figure came to a halt in front of one of the alcoves. The hologram contained within was of a single muscular human, wearing blue tights over which were a golden breastplate, matching forearm guard and knee-high boots. A long white cape hung from the man's shoulders. "Now here Kanto, here was one of the greatest champions I have ever seen." The tall figure stated as it looked upon the hologram. The shorter figure nodded excitedly, looking up at the tall figure and then back at the hologram. "Centurion of Terra. His noble nature meant he always refused to compete in any contest I put before him." The hooded figure stated. "But, in the end I always found a way to compel him to compete, even if he did not see it that way." It then added, a hint of humor in its tone. "But alas, he is now lost to use, fallen in battle against the great Omega." The hooded figure said as the shorter one looked at the hologram with a sad look on its face. "But…" The hooded figure began before pausing in thought, causing the shorter figure to look back, a quizzical look on its wide face. "Perhaps it is time for another to take up the mantle Kanto." The hooded figure stated, looking down at the shorter for a moment before looking back to the hologram. "Yes, that is the answer Kanto. There needs to be a new Centurion, then I can have hold the greatest contests in the cosmos once again!"
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The Harris Family Farm was not normally the kind of farm to rent out it’s barn and pasture for a wedding. It was a working orchard after all, but for today no crews moved through the trees about the business of the farm. Today, at long last, the youngest scion of the Harris family was finally to be wed and where better than the farm where he and his bride had spent many happy if too brief summers in their youth. The old barn had been emptied of its equipment, fresh hay laid on the floor and rustic tables and chairs brought in and dressed in classic country chic. Strings of looping LED lights coiled the pillars and rafters of the barn and the center was cleared with ahastily buts sturdily constructed plywood floor to serve for dancing in the midst of it all. Under the old oak in the pasture stood an arch of multi hued roses that looked grown in place, it helped to have talented friends after all and one made all sorts of new acquaintances teaching in a school for the ‘gifted’ such as Nicholson. Benches draped with gauzy linen were arrayed for the small group of friends and family in attendance. Mike stood nervously at the altar in a bespoke tuxedo that managed not to constrict his broad shoulders. He pulled his glasses from his face and absently cleaned them just to keep his hands busy as he waited, tucking them in a pocket with some trepidation instead of returning them to the bridge of his nose. He didn’t need them of course and he knew fully from the chiding voice in the back of his mind his young bride wanted to see his eyes today. *** A few weeks earlier Mike sat over his Saturday breakfast while he waited for Alex to come down from the room they shared going over his prepared speech in his head. Doubtless unintentionally echoing it in her own mind despite his intent to do this verbally and face to face. He looked up as she floated down the central column in her brightly colored dressing gown and smiled as he stood and pulled a seat for her. “Ah Alex?” he nervously began, “I’ve been thinking … and uh well…” he broke off losing his train of thought and looking down to the table where he had cleverly tucked his notecards under his plate. He hadn't had a chance to take advantage however before Alex let out a musical laugh, “Oh Mike, I agree of course!” She sprung up wrapping her arms around his neck to nuzzle his jaw catching his thoughts before he’d even had time to form words, “And yes a small ceremony at your Grandparents farm would be perfect. *** The music started up the soft tones swelling as the first groomsman and bridesmaid began their march up the aisle. It wasn’t a large wedding party. Erin was Alex’s maid of honor and Mark was Mike’s best man. That made up the entire wedding party and there were only family and very close friends on the guest list. Alex didn’t wear white and she didn’t wear a veil. Her bright red curls were pinned up with barrettes that sparkled and caught the light, tossing off brilliant rainbows along the barn roof but none of those matched her smile. The sweetheart gown that Alex wore started at the neckline in a blushing pink but the skirts turned from deeper pinks and reds to the midnight of a sunset. It might have been a modern trend of dip-dying the hems into ombre but no one who knew Alex was surprised that she’d found a way to wear all the bright colors for her wedding. Alex beamed at Mike when she handed over her bouquet and slipped her small hands into his much larger ones. The words their officiant said were lovely but really didn’t matter. It was clear that the groom and bride communicated silently through their personal psychic rapport in addition to offering their vows when prompted. Alex’s smile was brilliant as Mike slipped the simple band on her slender finger. It had taken all of Alex’s considerable resources to find a material that was almost as hearty as Mike’s impervious skin but she’d managed with a little bit of help. The band she slipped on Mike’s finger was duller than gold but Alex was reasonably confident that it would survive the majority of Mike’s adventures without having to be replaced. The ceremony was both short and sweet before they were presented as Mr. and Mrs. Albright to their nearest and dearest.
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July 13th, 6ish PM, Riverside. The end of the world’s arrival looked to be on a Friday, Eastern Standard Time. This was in stark contrast to the expectation from many office workers, and comic strip cats, that it would be on a Monday. Though it was in part towing the line of the firm the belief of those who lived in Northeast United States that the world revolved around them. It was only fitting, then, that the apocalypse would start in one of the most important cities there. Self-fulfilling prophecies being what they are. In a parallel with other historical events, this particular phase was set off with the delivery of a message: “Taarvon is here, he is fighting Shivan Steelgrave. At the peninsula of Loneliness” This was news, good or bad it was hard to suss out, or know that what the impact had. But it came from the lips of a Furion, young as they went, battered, bruised, and bloodied. Though, he had succeeded in getting to the some of the Earth heroes, and relaying the information, before he collapsed in a heap. There wasn't many there, but it was a number that wasn't zero, and the three that he had found were some of the luminaries in the dark times that were crashing around them, the city, and humanity itself. But it wasn't just a swarm of Omegadrones, of course. Though the relief on the young Furion's face spoke volumes that they were the ones he had been after. Especially the recognition in his eyes on seeing Gaian Knight, before the rush of words came out before he dropped down. A look to the Eastern horizon showed the sky alight with flames against the dwindling day.
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@alderwitch, @angrydurf, @Tiff, and maybe @Avenger Assembled. Here it goes.
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GM Simon Gordon's little movement actually started 25 years ago, so he claims. When the then unknown force of the Terminus invaded Earth. Millions died. All because of the Terminus. It was found later on that there were 'sleeper agents' born of the incident. Children of the Terminus. Some used their powers for good, others for evil. But Simon Gordon knew the truth. They were all lying in wait. They would call down the thunder again. It was only a matter of time. Simon found like minded folks. Some with fervent belief. And then his message began to spread. He was a leader. Over the past few months, Humans Against Terminus ERuptionS - a term that Gordon cooked up himself after people called their group 'haters' - grew in size and visibility. The HATERS went national Simon got the ear of media. Suddenly everyone knew a little bit about the Terminus. Enough to know that a scary dark invasion was bound to happen. How the public perceived it was split. Though most saw it as a tinfoil conspiracy theory, others knew such things could happen! March 17, 2018. Noon. Simon was going to educate the masses, personally. He advertised a meeting in Liberty Park. His like-minded would come, but he wanted his detractors to come. He wanted the fence sitters and unknowing to come. He would explain how the HATERS's goals and ideology. There was a small stage with a banner above it reading HATERS. No one was on there, but there was a large group of people swarmed around it. The presentation would be starting in thirty minutes.
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From the album: Alders Portrait Project
Phalanx, Liberty League, 2018 -
Winifred lowered the blouse in her left hand and raised the buttoned dress shirt on its hanger with her right, frowning at her own reflection in the full length mirror on the back of her dormitory room's door. "If I'm meeting her at her apartment rather than her office I shouldn't be too stuffy, yes?" she reasoned, raising the blouse again to look at the pair of tops side by side. "But the apartment is still inside the company's building and it's still a business meeting. I can't look childish so erring on the side of professionalism might be wiser." Despite her limited wardrobe she'd already been debating her outfit for a good half an hour before asking for Raina's assistance. She'd been preparing for her meeting with Ms. Albright of AEON for the past week and while it would have been one thing if she were simply delivering scientific findings proposing a line of alchemical cosmetics necessitated a certain level of panache she wasn't confident she could meet. If any of her friends knew how to dress for success it was the self-assured pyromancer.
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January 20, 2017 Port Regal "It's beautiful," said Mark, peering at the image Nina had found. "I love the lacework on the veil - and you've always looked good in white." Perhaps white wasn't the traditional color under the circumstances - but when he'd mentioned that the other day Nina had not been terribly happy with him. "I'll take you over as soon as we're done talking to everyone." Sitting next to his fiancee on their living room couch, he tried to keep his stomach from lurching with excitement as he remembered the purpose of the planned conversation. He'd kept Nina's secret because he loved her, but it had made January one of the hardest months of his life. "It's fine enough," agreed Nina, tabbing over to the page for her personal notebook.. Looking at the dresses had been Mark's idea - having found a satisfactory one, she'd already moved to the next step. "After I wear it, I can donate it to the Women's Center - Malikah's getting married this summer and she can alter it as she sees fit." The dress would do for their civic service in Freedom City in a month. For the wedding to come in Socotra's Great Mosque, when she would be her father's...overthrower, she would need something much more elaborate than this. Mark gave no sign that he followed Nina's thoughts, instead kissing her on the cheek and rising to his feet. "Okay, it's 10:30...I should start the frittata so it'll be ready when they get here." Only an hour and a half left! Mark and Nina lived in a gated seaside development - just the place for two Freedom City residents who had wanted a house and Mark headed into the kitchen. "Everything will be okay," he said aloud, stepping around the bookcase and firing up the oven. "We'll have them over, we'll feed them, we'll tell them we're getting married in February because we're going to have a baby. It'll be a surprise - but everything will be great."
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09/11/2016 12:35 PM Downtown Freedom City When a professional group of vault hunters shows up in your city, the local law enforcement take notice. Granted, it's usually fairly hard to actually track them down, once they go to ground - but you can generally assume a spectacular heist is in the offing. AEGIS was well familiar with this procedure; having long set up protocols in the event of notable criminals popping up on the radar at the Freedom City airport - and they'd released the names and faces to the FCPD and (surreptitiously) to more than a few of their known heroic contacts. That or 'conviniently' left the information on unsecured servers where any (hero-type) person might find them. It was an old game, and one the Midnights and Ravens of old had played very well. The group in particular this month was called the Self-Preservation Society; a band of British movie buffs who'd taken up the mask and black bag years ago. They'd started their careers with blag jobs working armored convoys in the UK, graduating to larger-scale heists across France and Germany once their rep had grown. Four men, each world-class drivers, who'd made their bones on some of the scariest (and fastest) roads on Earth. They'd never pulled a job in the good old U.S. of A., but records were made to be broken - and given piles of these world-class drivers had kept popping up arriving one way or another in Freedom over the last few weeks, then dropping off the radar - something was in the works. That something finally came up when every alarm system Midnight had started screaming red. Three heroes in question were on patrol in the City Centre when the alarms hit - and a quartet of Mini Coopers souped up to frightening levels tore out of the front lobby of the First National. They moved as one in eerie synchronicity through the streets, moving towards an unknown destination - leaving wreckage of hot dog stands, newspaper stalls, and leaping bystanders in their wake!
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Gentlebeings, start your engines!
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April 30, 2016 It had started small - a hemokinetic terrorist attacking Ocean Heights Amusement Park one day, a strange Deep One migration in New England. Then the situation had seemed to grow more serious - a misguided fly monster in Nuevo Laredo who spoke of a day of vengeance and a divine appointment, followed by a diseased specter in the West End bearing horrific diseases where she went. By the time a shambling monster in Sicily had come bringing boils and pain wherever he went, followed by flaming thunderstorms in Washington - the heroes of Earth knew the crisis they faced. By the time locusts blotted out the skies over London, and darkness did the same over Claremont Academy the very next day, they knew who was behind it - August Roman, the once-Emperor of Crime, infused with the powers of the Devil. But where would he strike? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Freedom City Port Regal Fast-Forward was doing magic in the backyard. World-ending threats were one thing to Richard Cline but the idea of something happening, something targeting Freedom City and probably the world, that targeted first-born sons, was his little boy in his arms, spinning him around so fast that they tunneled through the earth was something that he needed to do everything in his power to prevent. The first time Will had tripped and fallen, holding his bloody knees and crying inconsolably. The broken bodies of the victims of the Terminus Invasion, scattered at his feet. Outside in the yard, Richard ran faster and faster, tracing out the patterns of the stars at his feet, trying to find the unholy disturbance in the starry patterns that would mean a fallen angel come to Earth. Across the world, others were watching too, and waiting - ready to defend it.
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September 2016 Lincoln Dancia had spent a week away from the office, covering a story about the new generation of West African nuns who were taking over an isolated Franciscan nunnery down on the Maurice River in southwestern New Jersey. it had been a fascinating story and a chance to meet people she might never have met, but the nunnery's remote location had left her isolated from world events. No sooner had she arrived back at the Ledger that she had a stack of urgent messages - including one from a familiar UNISON agent asking her to arrange a meeting with Triakosia at a remote cliffside lookout spot near Lonely Point. "This is an urgent meeting. Please let me know as soon as you've arranged it - and when we can see her there."
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Okay, here we go. Fast-Forward: 45 Angel of Death: 39
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Mike closed the file he'd been sent as the bus came to a stop at the base of the drive leading up to the prestigious Claremont Academy. He smiled and thanked the bus driver wishing her a good day before stepping off the final step and looking up at the school. When it had come time to get teaching assistant credits his former school seemed a natural choice. Now it seemed full of memories, most good granted but somehow more distant than he'd expected. As he crossed through the gates it was clear to him it was not the same or perhaps it was he who had changed. There were more than years now between him and this place, and given his assigned duty for the day that was probably for the best. After a brief stop by the administrative office to get the visitor badge that so rarely was actually worn by the school's rare visitors Mike awaited his assigned student in the large foyer of the Cooke wing his fingertips brushing the hem of the bronzed statue of Matthias as he had before many tests in his tenure here. Looking toward Marquez's office he sat and awaited the student within to finish her session taking care not to inadvertently listen in. When Robin emerged he rose and waved to the good doctor extending a hand, "You must be Ms. Chevalier." he greeted gently, "I'm Mike, Mike Harris." He glanced to Marquez to double check the counselor had informed her of their impending meeting then back to Robin with a polite smile.
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AEON's lobby was a comfortable place to wait, designed to encourage loitering rather than discourage it with available computer terminals for open use and plush chairs to wait in. Despite the obvious efforts made to make people feel comfortable, the gleaming lobby was clearly expensively designed and furnished with a wide receptionist desk staffed with a small number of receptionists. The individuals on duty noticeably straightened at their posts as a petite red-head stepped off of the elevator, gesturing animatedly to her far taller compatriot. Alex was dressed casually today, wearing blue jeans with be-dazzled patches on her pockets and a bright sweater with alternating bands of hot pink and vivid yellow. Her red curls were drawn up with barrettes. She looked, really, nothing like the CEO of a multi-billion dollar corporation. Truly, Alex looked out of place in her own lobby as she hustled towards the receptionist counter with a spring in her step, talking animatedly the whole way. "So, there's a badge here although the elevator's biometrics have already been calibrated to you but good to have it just in case security gets nervous," Alex said to Mike with an animated smile as she turned towards the counter. "Marcia, hello. How's your son doing, feeling better?" She asked before tipping her chin up towards Mike and explaining, "He got a cold that's been going around his school. Have you met Marcia?" Alex made quick introductions between Mike and the staff currently working the counter. Perfect recall meant never forgetting a name or face which came in handy more often than not.
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Mike was not usually big on the night out sort of dates, generally he was as happy with watching an old movie on netflix and ordering in as with more grand evenings, and he almost never set out to arrange a formal date without there being a milestone to celebrate, even then it usually fell upon Alex to see to details. There were however a few things Mike knew and knew well. One Alex worked too hard and did more than even her prodigious abilities could manage without break for too long, Two She was a fan of the grand old musicals of yesteryear, and Three one of her favorites, The Slipper In The Rose, was touring Freedoms city in a revival performance. It was to his credit that not only did he make the arrangements for dinner and the show himself but was very near to actually managing to surprise her with the night on the town he'd orchestrated. He waited now patiently if nervously for her to finish her preparations for the evening his suit freshly pressed and, thanks to her insistence that he get one tailored, for once a good fit on his towering frame. The fine black suite was accented by a Blue/Black silk paisley tie and a light honey linen shirt he had been alarmed to learn cost nearly as much as his textbooks for the quarter. He sat on one of the stools at the bar adjacent the kitchen then stood to pace slowly as he went over the details in his head to ensure he hadn't missed anything before sitting again determined to appear calm at least when she emerged.
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GM Post Monday November 9th, Midmorning partially cloudy Centennial Station, Monorail By midmorning the usual crush of commuters on the Freedom City Monorail had thinned to mostly tourists and a grab bag of students, shoppers, and others less bound to the rigors of a timeclock. The doors slid open and a handful of people departed onto the platform at Centennial Station while several more slipped into seats in the sleek passenger car. Just before the doors slid closed a young woman dark haired and well dressed in a style that read wealth without ostentation slipped on board. The astute would note a frustrated pounding by a man in a non-descript dark suit as the door slid shut in front of him before the train launched into motion once more. The women quickly made her way to an empty seat away form other passengers and seemed focused on her cell phone as many commuters were. As the monorail came up to speed a conductor made his way down the car checking passes as he went with an easy smile and polite nod to the passengers.
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Hunter Manor was quiet that evening, stately as ever in the waning summer light, with the sort of dignity that belied its crimefighting secret identity. The peace was marred momentarily by a rush of black inkblots appearing from nowhere, swirling into a vortex, and then disappearing, leaving behind three people on the front porch. Erin smoothed her hair as the last dots disappeared, finally used to the weird method of transport after all these years. "Come on," she urged the others. "Not likely anybody's going to notice you here, but why take chances?" She opened the front door wide and walked in, automatically checking to make sure all was well. The doors opened onto a handsome foyer, slightly dusty, with the air of a place that was pretty well cared for, but could use a housekeeper once a week. "Hey Trevor, you home?" she called into the house. "Mark and Mike are here, Mike needs a place to hide out!"
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It had been over a week since the events that had ended Mikes brief life as a police officer and risked outing him to the world. The press firestorm had died to a bare simmer, the FCPD had promised that they had not begun utilizing empowered officers and that the Officer in question had been relieved of duty. Details of course were sparse. A leak released named hte officer Matthew Bright but the identity was an obvious pseudonym once the press dug into it. Just enough to scrape by a police screening but no life behind it. The mystery of it all was already dying in the hearts and minds of the populace. A few officers grumbled about wishing they had a few more like him, others about the subterfuge to get as far as he had. The official line stood and the mainstream media moved on. Oh there were fringe groups and devoted bloggers still hunting to be sure but widespread interest was fleeting, he was no Centurion dazzling the world with his appearance. Heroes revealed were not the shock they once were. Mike had hid out through the worst of it with Erin and Trevor at the Manor. Between the isolated and unlikely locale and manors defenses it wasn't hard to ensure he was able to retreat from it all. Even in that short time much had changed of course. Decisions had been made, changes, big ones. But there were things left undone, unsaid, if he was honest avoided. He floated weightless amid the quiet of the upper atmosphere somewhere between Low Orbit and the ceiling of winged flight. He'd been a fool for thinking it would end any different than it had, there had been plenty of prodding hints by his friends to that end but he'd be stalwart, stubborn really. The silence was peaceful, below there was the hustle and bustle of the cities and countryside, the noise and light of humanity going about their days. The silence and peace called to him in a way, it was easy here to get lost in that endless stillness. Here it was simple, but simple wasn't really what he sought. He knew that now. Down below there were people that deserved more from him. One in particular. He rolled and descended from his lonely perch a smile creeping to his lips as he broke the sound barrier and shot toward the surface. Freedom city grew bright like a beacon below him as he flew down the noise returned the rushing of wind the squeal of tires the shouts of passion and rage and sirens and cheers. The sounds of home. He alighted on the balcony of one of the high apartments in the Aeon building. One he knew well though always observed from a distance, he'd lied to himself for her safety and comfort. His footfalls were solid though he tried not to startle anyone as he peered through the window, and curtains to ensure she was alone. A small rap on the sliding door was accompanied by a delicate mental request, plaintive and apologetic, Alex?
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The News Thread!
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Phalanx Michael Harris, AKA Phalanx is a child of the Terminus. Born with spectacular powers due to the effects of the Terminus energies unleashed on the world during the 1993 invasion on him while in utero he takes to the skies and streets of Freedom City defending the innocent and stopping those who would exploit and abuse those weaker than themselves. The fel energies of the terminus have granted him amazing resiliency and might as well as speed, the power of flight and enhanced senses. Despite the dark circumstances at the root of his powers Mike is a kind hearted individual with a deep feeling of responsibility to do what he can to improve the world and help others. History Mike Harris was born mere months after the Terminus Invasion of 1993, this makes him one of the oldest of this generation of Terminus Babies. His parents discovered his powers when he floated himself out of his crib to continue playing after they had put him down for a nap he was not yet willing to take. They kept it secret for a time but with their good friends the Albrights in much the same situation they soon revealed his nature to a select circle none the less they tried to keep the super kids secret trust in the government had improved with the fall of the Moore regime but not been restored in its entirety. Alex Albright the young telepath daughter of the albright family and Mike became fast friends and in these early years formed a tight bond via the young psychics powers their minds joined almost as one. The pair attended a regular preschool together, Alex already clever enough to mask her abilities and help Mike do the same, it seemed that keeping it all secret might just work though both pairs of parents wondered if the government might be able to help understand what was happening with their children. The choice was however made for them when Mike was around four and got in a schoolyard scuffle with another boy. It was a minor altercation over a ball and mike shoved the smaller boy, who flew across the schoolyard. Panic erupted, authorities were called, the child made a full recovery and Aegis saw to it the family was well taken care of to keep it quiet. They however did not inform the Harris' of this, it was all couched in secrecy but the implication was hte boy had been badly injured possibly killed. The agent in charge of the newly formed Terminus Energy Mutation Syndrome Task Force hoped to keep the Mikes Father and his ties to the media quiet with the threat of mike being revealed as some kind of monster. And for a time it worked. The Task Force gathered suspected and confirmed T-babies at a special facility at STAR Labs. There the tests for TEMS were perfected and the children's powers and psyches monitored. Some of the best behavioral psychologists available were on hand to see to it the children were raised as normally as possible, the parents visited regularly and schedules were maintained to allow the children the illusion of freedom they lacked, the more precocious students of course were less fooled but most played along at the least. Due to the close quarters in which they were raised most of this generation, at least those born in and around Freedom, are familiar with one another and some cursory knowledge of one another's powers. Over time the threat of the assorted children being outed grew less of a concern and the parents took legal action to have hte kids returned to their homes. for some the adjustment was difficult though not for Mike. From that point until they reached fourteen years of age the children lived at home and could even vacation if they alerted Aegis of their movements. Mike regularly vacationed with his family at his grandparents farm in the countryside, sometimes joined by Alex and her family sometimes on his own. It was a place of peace and relaxation and a place remote enough he could truly test the bounds of his powers without constant worry. When the TEMS children reached high school age the slow wheels of justice turned another small rotation and they were released if not deemed a high risk case to attend the high school of their parents choice. Both Alex and Mike ended up with invitations to the Claremont Academy which they attended happily. The secret school for supers was an excellent match for the young T-Babies others with similar but different experiences to relate to and adults far more prepared to handle super teens than available elsewhere. Of course it was still high school with all the usual ups and downs, and a few not so regular ones. For the first time Mike really connected and made friends outside of Alex and his family, it was slow going and he had a lot of residual guilt about his youthful loss of control among other issues related to his powers and his fear of them. Erin White a dimensional refugee with some of the same issues though far less angst about them became a friend, helped by her rooming with Alex, as well as the always chipper and good natured Mark Lucas, Mikes own roommate. The four of them as well as several fellow students thwarted a mad scheme at a baseball game field trip and formed Young Freedom who had many assorted adventures, once even stopping their teammate hellion from allowing himself to be used as a gate to bring Hell on Earth. They grew close as a team and dealt with many of hte usual teen issues of romance and break-ups and friendships strained and strengthened by the rigors of school and superheroics. Also the not so usual issues of time displaced offspring, and fighting Anihilists over spring break. After graduation Mike grew apart form his friend slowly, he still clung to a dream of a normal life, of the simpler things. While Alex went and built a multibillion dollar institute, Mike pursued Jr. College and the police academy. While his friends went forth to fight all manner of villains he fought with criminal justice exams and not tipping his hand in physical training exercises. He often questioned if it was the right thing, in many ways he could do more as Phalanx than as Mike the Police officer, or Matt as his AEGIS records from his youth followed him requiring a false identity. His former companions and even his fiance did great things and he strived for a normalcy that he ought have known could never be his. His stint as an active duty officer lasted less than a week, He was outed doing what of course he would stepping in front of bullets to save a crowd. It was all over the news and though his identity was kept mostly out of it the gig was up. With his powers he could not serve the FCPD directly, too much risk and liability of breach of civil rights at the least. Now and adult Phalanx steps onto the stage to greater things perhaps, certainly more honest with himself and those around him. Costume and Appearance Currently Phalanx wears a variation on his Claremont Academy uniform like many of the original Young Freedom did in the past. His is the standard blue and gold skin tight suit high necked with a deep V of yellow on the chest. A yellow belt, Boots, Bracers and cape finish off the high contrast look. This look of course may soon change as he emerges as an adult hero and attempts to differentiate himself. Powers The Terminus energies he was exposed to have wrought many changes upon the young hero granting him many stupendous powers. Phalanx is a physical powerhouse in the main. His titanic strength has outstripped most available methods of testing but is well in excess of a freight train his impervious flesh can accept anti tank fire with out a scratch and even more potent weapons are unlikely to cause him significant harm. He is as well incredibly fast on land or when taking flight able to circumnavigate the globe in under an hour and move at interstellar speeds in vacuum. His senses are enhanced well beyond human norms able to see and hear vast distances and sight that can penetrate even solid surfaces of low enough density. Focusing the energies empowering him allows him as well to project powerful beams of light from his eyes with startling accuracy. Allies Phalanx has been close friends since childhood with Psyche, Alexandra Albright, She has as long as he can remember been a constant presence in his life and his mind and they are now engaged. He also maintains friendships with several of his friends from the Claremont Academy, particularly, Edge, Wander, and Midnight. He has been invited to potentially join them on the revived Liberty League though it has yet to be formalized. Mike has recently undertook a somewhat disastrous career in Law Enforcement with the FCPD and though due to his powers and the legal issues that would spring from them he no longer is an officer he maintains friendships with fellow cadets from the academy and veterans he served with if briefly though the upper echelons are less warm he may be able to call upon his police contacts upon occasion. (Sidekick, HQ, Etc) Phalanx does not maintain such a location on his own though he does have some access to his fiances resources through AEON and is currently if temporarily staying with Trevor and Erin at the Midnight Manor. Playlist Come With Me Now - Kongos - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gz2GVlQkn4Q Shake it out - Florence and the Machine - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WbN0nX61rIs I Won't Back Down - Johnny Cash - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8i5NLyXZdc Shut up and Dance - Walk the Moon - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6JCLY0Rlx6Q (For Mike and Alex) Timeline Placement Tests - Phalanx Arrives at Claremont Academy and his abilities are tested. Take Me Out To The Ballgame - Young Freedoms Inaugural Adventure after which the Team forms! String and Tin Cans - Alex helps Mike through a rough patch with how to be a hero and not be afraid. Some Girls - Mike is manipulated by Daisy Gibbons to believe hte worst about Mark and Alex My Best Friends Girl - Mike and Mark work out most of their differences after Some Girls. Invasion! - Riverside: Gate - Young Freedom Faces one of its greatest challenges yet when one of their own is used to open a Gate to Hell Itself! It's a Jungle Out There - Young Freedom face down the sinister Shadivaan Steelgrave and stop Omegas plans... For Now. Save Tonight - Alex throws a Prom for her friends and classmates and perhaps discovers why Summers does not have an official one... It's Five O'clock Somewhere - Mike recovers from his disastrous try at the simple life with a little help from his friends
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*The TV screen in the small midtown bar flashes the same footage of a brave FCPD officer diving in front of a fusillade of automatic weapons fire as the well equiped would be bank robbers opened fire on the crowd of bystanders. The reporter can be heard screaming in terror until it becomes clear the bullets are pancaking against the muscular chest of the officer in question at which point her voice rings out, "Tell me you are getting this Earl?!" as the footage freezes and snaps to the uper right corner and the anchor weighs in. "We're still waiting on official word from the FCPD on the identity of the individual from this exclusive footage." she explains as they slide a comparison picture of the officer cropped from a recent Acadamy graduation, "However our sources tell us this is rookie officer Mathew Bright, now we go to our panel." and the screen fills with the usual round table of talking heads when new heroes emerge.* Mike sits quietly at the bar knocking back shots with a sure and steady rythm wincing with the burn of each potent liqour bomb sliding down his throat. Around the bar the other patrons glance from him to the screen giving him a wide berth just in case. One wild haired panelist is insisting the officer must be the secret identity of the long unseen hero Phalanx only to be laughed off the screen as Phalanx unlike the officer in question clearly did not wear glasses. Mike had changed out of the tattered uniform that he had put on for the first time just earlier that week, but the simple if slightly too tight blue polo and jeans he wore now was not exactly a far cry from the explosize footage being replayed all over town. "Another." he requests flatly taping the bar lightly with one finger the bartender looking at him somewhat incredulously and pulling down a fresh bottle to get the man another shot. "Thank you." the big man politely intones as he knocks back another with a wince of distaste but without a tremor in his speech or tightly controlled movement despite the prodigious amount of high octane liquor he'd been downing for the last hour.
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