ic Boys’ Move-In (Second Floor) [OPEN]

[Thevshi]

Edward Jon Carter Dormitories, Second Floor

Claremont Academy, Freedom City, New Jersey

Saturday, September 7, 2024

 

The cloudy sky insured that the weather in Bayview Heights this Saturday was rather warm and pleasant. School was set to begin on Monday at Claremont Academy, so the move in for students had begun, the campus filled with students and their families. For the returning students it was a chance to catch up with friends. For the new students and their families, it was trying to find their way around. Thankfully a number of the older students had been asked to assist in directing the new students in the right direction.

 

Lawerence Harrow was one such student, the blond Junior having recently arrived with his adopted half-sister, Lynn. His things already put away in the room he shared with Baz, Lawrence was walking along the halls, both looking for his friends and anyone that might need assistance…

[Jack]

Jack stepped through the heavy wooden door of the dorm, a world of chatter and laughter swirling around him. The air buzzed with excitement as students bustled about, faces flushed with anticipation for the year ahead. He shifted his drawstring dufflebag on his shoulder, its weight a familiar comfort against his tan skin. 

 

He stood just inside the entrance, feeling like a bear caught in a bustling hive of bees. His sleeveless hoodie flapped slightly with each movement, the cargo shorts brushing against his legs as he scanned the scene. A piece of paper crinkled in his hand, the dorm assignment barely legible through the haze of noise and commotion. 

 

“Room 208,” he muttered, the words lost among the chatter. The numbers danced in his mind, merging with the other scribbled details. He glanced at the busy hallway, students darting from one end to the other, laughter echoing against the walls, and felt a wave of uncertainty wash over him. 

 

He took a step forward, the sound of flip-flops slapping against the polished floor nearly swallowed by the cacophony. Brightly colored posters adorned the walls, advertising events and clubs, each vibrant image a stark contrast to his understated appearance. Jack's white hair stood out, not from style but from his own simple existence, and he could sense the curious glances of others as they rushed past him.

 

“Vhich Vay?” he whispered to himself, studying the numbers on the doors. The bustling crowd continued to surge around him, their conversations blending into an unintelligible hum. Jack felt a knot tighten in his stomach. Back home, he had always been comfortable in nature, surrounded by the quiet whispers of trees and the soothing sounds of rivers. Here, among the thrumming energy of students, he felt like an outsider. 

 

He hesitated, taking a moment to gather his thoughts. The weight of his dufflebag reminded him of all he had left behind—the quiet mornings in Siberia, the gentle calls of the wild. He inhaled deeply, attempting to quell the rising tide of anxiety. “Focus,” he told himself. 

 

Jack scanned the paper again, the ink slightly smudged from his grip. The hallway stretched before him, an endless corridor filled with promise and uncertainty. He took a step toward a group of students, hoping to blend in, but their laughter only amplified his feeling of isolation. The world seemed to whirl around him, a vivid blur, while he remained anchored in place, unsure of where to go next.

 

 

Edited September 5 by Jack

[Thevshi]

Timeout

 

As Lawrence scanned the hallway of the floor, he spotted a teenager that towered above the other students and adults alike. The younger teen seemed a bit overwhelmed and uncertain where to go next. Moving down the hallway, slipping between the crowed, the blond teen gave small nods to some students he knew from last year as he came up to Jack.

 

"Welcome to Claremont, you seem a bit uncertain where to go." He said with a warm smile and a very distinct upper-class British accent. There was something familiar about the seventeen-year-old boy's face to Jack, but then his eyes drove home the familiarity, they had a bright, vibrant color (a blue that Jack could not see) and seemed to bust with energy. "Lawrence." The teen said with smile as he extended his hand to Jack.

[Jack]

Jack shook the offered hand, his massive palm engulfing Lawrence's. A grin spread across his face, relief washing over him. "Spasibo," he said, then caught himself. "Ah, thank you. I yam Jack. Is first time here, not sure vhere to go."

 

"Maybe you know vhere Room 208 is?" Jack asked, holding out his wrinkled assignment paper. "Or if there is something special I must do first? Never been to American school before."

 

He glanced down at the crumpled paper in his hand, then back up at Lawrence. The boy's eyes sparkled with an energy Jack found familiar. It reminded him of Lynn, a connection he couldn't quite place but felt instinctively.

 

"You have... same look as Lynn," Jack said, gesturing to his own eyes. Despite his colorblindness, he could sense the vibrant energy radiating from Lawrence. "Are you her brat…uh, brother?"

 

Jack shifted his dufflebag, feeling more at ease but still uncertain. The hallway continued to bustle around them, but Lawrence's presence provided an anchor in the chaos. He hoped this friendly face might guide him through the unfamiliar territory of Claremont Academy.

[RocketLord]

Spaceman

 

"Hey Lawrence" A voice speaks up behind Jack and Lawrence, a blonde seventeen years old man that Lawrence would quickly recognize as Parker, even if he has started to add some stubble to his look from before the summer. He is dressed in a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt that sits just right on his somewhat muscular body, but the amount of luggage that he is currently carrying would probably draw more focus than him at the moment. Four suit cases, several smaller bags, a duffel bag... 

 

Behind him, a group of students that all appear to be new are starting to gather around. "This should be good, right? You can all find your rooms?" As they affirm the questions in various ways, he starts handing them back their luggage, before turning back to Lawrence and the big guy.

 

He nods politely to his friend, then looks up at the broad and tall guy with the white hair. Parker isn't exactly the tallest student here, but it's still rare for him to look up at something. "Hi, I'm Parker. I'm guessing you're new here? Find everything alright?"

[Thevshi]

Timeout

Lawrence noted Jack's massive size and the slight aura of cold that seemed to hang around him as they shook hands. At the large teen’s question about Lynn, the blond teen’s eyes narrowed just slightly. "Ah, that Jack." He responded, a slight grin forming. "Yes, and no. It is a bit complicated, but basically, we have the same mother, just from different timelines."

 

He then glanced over as Parker called out from where he was helping other new students with their luggage. "Cheers Parker." The seventeen-year-old then focused back on Jack and his question about where his room was.

"208, sure, that is just halfway down the hall on the right." He replied, pointing down the partially filled hallway beyond. When Parker came over to join them, Lawrence gestured towards Jack. "Parker, this is Jack."

[Supercape]

Gamma Buzz

 

With an elegant cockroach flip, courtesy of amazing cockroach agility, Baltazar Botez detatched himself from  the ceiling (along which he had been crawling for no reason other than it was cool to do so) and landed by Lawrence. 

 

The acid test! How would Jack respond to the Cockroach kid?

 

"And I am Baltazar Botez, also known as Gamma Buzz! Also known as the Cockroach Kid!"

 

He held out his armoured green hand to Jack. Although even with Cockroach strength, it looked like Jack could crush it. 

 

"Roomie of Lawrence, who gets top marks in everything at school. But thats only because he cheats by being intelligent and hard working. Pffft!"

 

He gave Lawrence a wink. Lawrence had helped Baz settle in, and Baz would never forget that kindness. Not many people understood the pain inside the armoured green exoskeleton, but Lawrence did. 

[Jack]

His colossal figure pivoted, as Jack angled himself to confront the latest arrival, Parker. A warm smile spread across his rugged features, softening the harsh lines etched by his Siberian heritage. He offered a welcoming nod, his white hair catching the light as he moved. "Good meet yous, Parker. And Da, Lawrence is helping me find room," he explained, his thick Russian accent coloring his words and making them roll off his tongue like a gentle avalanche. Jack felt a twinge of self-consciousness about his broken English, but pushed it aside, focusing instead on the friendly atmosphere. He hoped his size wouldn't intimidate Parker; Jack was used to towering over others, even adults, and sometimes forgot how imposing he could appear..

 

Glancing back at Lawrence, Jack shook his head in confusion at the mention of different timelines. It made no sense to him, but he figured he'd have to get used to strange things at this school. The concept of alternate realities was foreign to him. "Da, okay," he nodded, accepting the bizarre explanation without fully understanding it. His brows furrowed as he tried to wrap his mind around the idea, but it was like trying to catch smoke with his bare hands. Jack decided it was best to simply go with the flow for now, much like he did when navigating the unpredictable Siberian wilderness. At least here, he mused, the dangers were less likely to try and eat him.

 

"Spasibo for pointing out room," Jack said, adjusting the strap of his shoulder bag. The weight of his few possessions felt comforting amid the unfamiliar surroundings.

 

Suddenly, a figure dropped from the ceiling, landing with catlike grace mere feet from Jack. His muscles tensed instantly, the bear spirit within him surging with primal alertness. Heart pounding like a war drum in his chest, Jack fought the overwhelming urge to shift forms, his fingertips tingling with the desire to sprout claws. The air around him cooled noticeably as his ice magic instinctively responded to the perceived threat. After a moment of tense silence, he forced himself to relax, broad shoulders easing as he recognized this was just another student, likely showing off some impressive acrobatic ability. Still, Jack couldn't help but marvel at the casual display of superhuman agility. He'd seen many strange things in his life, but this school was proving to be a whole new level of bizarre.

 

Jack extended his hand to shake Baltazar's, chuckling softly. "Cockroach, da? I yam bear... not good to sneak up on..." He hoped his attempt at humor masked how startled he'd been. These Americans seemed to have interesting ways of moving around. Jack made a mental note to keep an eye on the ceilings from now on.

 

 

[RocketLord]

Spaceman

 

Noticing Jack's confusion, Parker shakes his head lightly in response. "Time gets confusing around Lawrence, don't worry about it." Plenty of things there to worry about if it came up, but nothing to scare Jack away on his first day. Turning back to Lawrence, he gives him a questioning look. "How is she settling in? I bumped into her at the arcade, but we didn't really get to hang out much." 

 

Something moves around on the ceiling, coming closer to them, but before Parker can turn back to Jack again, Baz drops in, and everything turns colder. Can Jack manipulate the temperature, then? Or do something more?

 

"C'mon Baz, don't sneak up on people like that," Parker says, half playfully. It's just how the cockroach kid like to do things, but even then... 

 

"You're a bear?" he asks Jack, trying to make the situation a bit less sense. "Do you mean in the metaphorical or literal sense?" Honestly, you could never know here. Maybe Jack is just referring to his size, maybe its something else.

[Thevshi]

Timeout

 

Lawrence noted Jack's confusion as he gave a very brief summary of his relationship to Lynn. The blond teen could sympathize with the tall teen's confusion, not everyone grew up with a superpowered parent and learning about the multitude of timelines and alternate dimensions that existed.

 

The blond teen glanced over to Parker as the other teen asked about Lynn. "About as well as could be expected. She has her ups and downs. Spent the later part of the summer showing her new roommate around Freedom City."

 

When Baz dropped down by the group, Lawrence was unfazed as he glanced over to his roommate. "Hey Baz." Thankfully Jack handled the surprise fairly well, the seventeen-year-old noting the drop in temperature in the area as Jack tensed.

[Supercape]

Gamma Buzz

 

Baz took the hand of Jack and squeezed it - not to hard, lest it be squeezed back. 

 

"Hey, you look like a bear too."

 

Handsome, powerful, strong. Bastardo!

 

Although Envy coursed through Baltazar's armoured plates - because Jack would no doubt have all the girls swooning over him - Baltazar couldnt find it in him to fall to spite. Jack didn't jump out of his skin when he saw the Cockroach Kid, so Jack was alright. Better than most. 

 

Why, after all, did he do the wall crawling act? To hide, to surprise, to try and find evidence that he was a disgusting creature that nobody could tolerate. And if it failed? Well, all the better! Jack was ok. More than ok. 

 

Would he confess to such dark psychology, of which he himself was only dimly aware. 

 

Not a cockroach chance in cockroach hell!

 

"Sorry for the surprise entrance, hombres!" he said, placating Lawrence and the Spaceman. "I am trying to practice my cockroach tactics for the next time we get into some scrape which of course we don't because we dont get into, because we probably neverish break any rules. But if we did, I think cockroach tactics are a thing to practice, right? Me and Lawrence are still trying to work out what a Slowball Slam is. I mean, it sounds great, right? The name is awesome. So there must be some great timebending cockroach tactic there."

 

He felt the chill. Saw it, too, with his infravision. 

 

"You like... a polar bear or something?" he asked. "Because you look totally cool."

[Jack]

 

Jack shrugged his massive shoulders, feeling a wave of relief wash over him at Parker's suggestion to not worry about the time paradoxes and alternate dimensions. It was like a weight had been lifted off his chest. He'd never been one for complex theories or scientific explanations anyway. The wilderness had taught him to focus on what was real and tangible.

 

"Da, is good idea," he agreed, his thick accent coloring the words. "No need hurt brain over such things."

 

As Parker and Baz peppered him with similar questions about his background, Jack felt a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. These Americans were curious, much like the bear cub he'd once encountered in the Siberian wilderness. Their eagerness reminded him of home in an oddly comforting way.

 

"Vell," Jack began, his voice rumbling like distant thunder, "I vas nearly killed by polar bear vhen I vas younger." He stated this as casually as if he were discussing the weather. "But my grandfather, he bind bear spirit to me. Save my life."

 

Jack absently rubbed the scars on his arm, feeling the familiar tingle of magic beneath his skin. Much of the scars were hidden under his hoodie and shorts but everyone would be able to see the deep scars on his biceps and triceps, and some smaller ones on his neck. To him, this was just another part of life, as normal as the changing of seasons or the migration of birds. He didn't realize how extraordinary his story might sound to others.

 

"Now my Shaman magic is ice cold and can turn into bear," he added with a nonchalant shrug. "Is very useful in Siberia. Not so much here, maybe. Too varm." He laughed heartily, feeling a bit more comfortable with these new friends.

 

 

 

Edited September 7 by Jack

[Kaede Kimura]

"<I believe the Avant Guard would disagree with your assessment of your usefulness there, Jack.>" Alden said from behind the much larger teen, voice ringing out in the native tongues of the listeners, fashionably late to the meeting in a fine silk button down shirt with ruffled sleeves and collar with dark green breeches.. His parents had tried to convince him to let them escort him in, but he had managed to weasel his way out of it by leveraging the idea of an increased risk of a Glamour failure. It was good fortune, or perhaps fate that he arrived at such a perfect stage in the interaction to interject. He would not comment on his own lingering under illusory concealment to gain context so that he wouldn't be caught out. Appearing ignorant simply would not do.

 

"<Pardon the interruption, I couldn't allow my friend to deprecate himself so unfairly. I am known as Alden Underwood. It is a pleasure to meet you all.>" Event as he offered a shallow view his eyes lingered a moment on Lawrence, having listened in his resemblance to Lynn was obvious. Between Jack and Lynn's brother he was glad to have escaped the scrutiny that may have been earned if Harlequin had been mentioned. Besides, his father had been positively smothering about his leaving the nest, which would have been embarrassing. Briefly he considered if he should react to the cockroach boy, considering how normal humans might react. Many Fae were much more monstrous, and it might be expected that a super powered individual might be used to such things. He decided against commenting, or even a lingering gaze, instead offering his hand to shake to each. "<I look forward to getting acquainted with you all.>"

Edited September 7 by Kaede Kimura

[Poncho]

(Golden Star)

 

"Hello, Hello! Hello my floor mates, how's the chaos up here?" Michael asked cheerfully as he carried his cooler full of drinks up the stairs on his shoulder. He quickly began passing them out as he made his way to the little pile of people including two new students, Parker, Baz, and Lawrence. "Bottom Floor's having all sorts of fun, I'm afraid. They've got a real life pirate down there. And some sort of Gobbelyn. What do we have up here, besides our incredibly spectacular Baz?"

 

At which point he reached the group and realized just how big Jack was. He craned his neck up. Then he burst into a big smile.

 

"Alright, do you play football or Hockey, because with a build like that you gotta be one of the best linebackers or defense-men there's ever gonna be." he said cheerfully before offering him a soda. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Michael Adon." He turned to Alden next and grinned.

 

"Finally someone that knows how to dress! So many kids our age just wearing some basic clothes, no idea how to accessorize, or how to use colors! That is an excellent green, did you get it hand tailored? Now I'm wishing I'd showed up a little higher on the fashion myself, but I've been carrying bags and trunks all day, so it'd just look unprofessional, you know what I mean?" he said with a super-powered shrug.

 

"And Baz! And Lawrence! I'd caught up with Parker a little earlier but how are you two doing? Great to get classes starting isn't it? This year, Lawrence, I'm not going to let you leave me in the dust with grades, let me assure you. I'm going to be putting in 100x more effort than I did last year." He said with a grin. "That goes for you too, Parker. I'm not going to just let you two roll over me in grades again, even if Vueriz is going to blow us all out of the water." He was being good-natured about his challenge to try and keep his grades up against the other two, and leaving the implication about other activities as just an implication.

[Supercape]

Gamma Buzz

 

"Hi hi! Yes indeed, I am going to be putting in a...er...different level of effort into my studies this year. Especially maths, where you can be sure I will appropriately modify my level of effort!"

 

He puffed his chest, tweaked his antennae, and made every effort to look like a proud and diligent pupil. He doubted Lawrence or Michael would fall for such swagger, but maybe the new students would - and he was pretty sure he should set a good example for them, and not let them know that being a raspcallion was great fun. Which it was, even if it shouldnt be. 

 

"Anyway I am going to learn about fancy computers and electronics this year. Got to prepare for the real world and my plan to host a secret cockroach radio station did I say that out aloud I hope not its meant to be a secret."

 

 

[RocketLord]

Spaceman

 

Bear... magic? Parker stares at Jack for a moment as he explains what he can do. He can actually become a bear. That is not the strangest thing that he has seen, but it is probably one of the most unique, at least. 

 

"Hi Alden, I'm Parker," he introduces himself, as the teen in green pops out from behind Jack. He seems friendly enough, at least. 

 

Michael comes in, and he is, as ever, a whirlwind, chatting up everyone at once, claiming how he'll outdo them all and everything. When he comes up to him and tells him to keep up, he grins and shakes his head in response. "Not everything has to be a competition, Michael. I'm sure we'll all do fine."

 

Looking around the others, he gestures to Alden and Jack. "From what I saw last year, it's pretty much a tradition to tell what you can do, so how about we help out Jack and Alden, so they know what to expect?" The question is of course directed at Baz, Lawrence and Michael. "I can start, if you want to. I manipulate space." He raises his right hand and closes it. Suddenly one of drinks that Michael had been carrying around is in his hand. "The simple explanation is that I can change distances."

[Supercape]

Gamma Buzz

 

"And I can climb up walls!" said Baz, quickly. 

 

To demonstrate the point, he scuttled up a wall, and then on to the ceiling.

 

"But more importantly, I am Gamma Buzz! Which means I can emit high doses of mainly non lethal radiation!"

 

He glowed, a virulent green shine. And, to keep things relatively non-threatening, quickly killed the radioactive aura. 

 

"Don't worry, it's entirely almost safe. None of my friends has caught cancer. Probably. Unfortunately I don't have X-ray vision so I can't tell. Not for sure anyway."

 

With another elegant flip, he tumbled back to the floor 

 

"Tada! I can confidently assure you I am the most powerful radioactive insect hero on campus!" he said, proudly, puffing out his chest with cockroach-lungs and putting his hands on his hips. 

 

This looks a pretty cool power pose! He thought to himself. 

[Thevshi]

Timeout

 

Lawrence had turned to regard Alden when he spoke up from behind Jack, studying him for a moment before giving him a friendly smile as well. "Nice to meet you as well Alden. I am Lawrence." He replied, shaking the new commers hand.

 

The blond teen smiled as well as Michael arrived in rather typical over excited form. "Sure Michael, I welcome the challenge." He regarded his roommate as Baz spoke a bit about his academic plans and the idea for a radio station. "We will have to be sure to get that started this year Baz."

 

Then Parker mentioned letting the newer students know what they could do, causing Lawrence to chuckle slightly. "And take all the fun and surprise out of things Parker?" He commented before allowing the other blond teen and then Baz to finish their summary of some of their powers before looking at Alden and Jack. "I am the opposite side of the coin from Parker. I can manipulate time."

[Poncho]

(Golden Star)

 

"Heh." Michael grinned at his fellow students as they talked. He did always appreciate the confidence they had. He wished he had Baz's confidence, a lot of the time. "It's not a competition, but I'm still wanting to do the best I can Parker. I want a good transcript for college, after all." Did he need one for Claremont? Maybe not. But he still wanted one. But he was also just in a general good mood.

 

"Yup, Parker and Lawrence have some real power; basically the Aces of the Junior class. There's a bunch of other impressive students too though; Baz's control over his powers is really impressive; he's really precise when he wants to be." He was relentless in talking his friends up, an almost unbearably cheerful presence despite the fact he's definitely been helping people move in for awhile too.

 

"As for me, well. I don't want to act like I'm on their level, but if they're Time and Space, and Baz is Radiation, I guess I'd be Energy? Not that my powers are as broad as theirs, really. But I have a great big battery I can use for a variety of purposes...including making other people stronger." he held out his hands and brought forth a globe of golden light from his chest. "The first time I did it was on Parker, since he was tough enough to take it, but I can do it for anyone now if you need a little boost." Then he let it back into his chest. "...I guess it's hard to explain. I don't actually understand my powers either, really. We're still working on figuring out how they work exactly."

[Kaede Kimura]

Harlequin 

 

Alden had seen Michael when he snuck up to the second floor, although he had not been down there long, missing the most recent events. As such he was not prepared to hear the newcomer proclaim that there was a Goblin on the first floor. 

 

This complicated things. He had planned to simply use his Harlequin identity when acting as a hero, but if one of his parents agents was on the floor below-

 

No, think this through. His parents had been very clear that this was his test and his alone. While he knew they would not be able to resist placing a garrison below the city, they would not go against their own word in such a way. That made this both much more dangerous, and possibly opened an opportunity- One of the vassals was spying on him...

 

He put that thought aside, that was a problem for Eòghann, Alden knew little of Goblins and Ogres. He was a relatively normal human. He chuffed a laugh before considering the drink offered to him. The others seemed to have no issues accepting his gift. Was this a trick to catch them all under the rules of hospitality that the others didn't notice? Unlikely, he knew the others so such overt methods of entrapment would have been tried. Perhaps a ploy as a group? Regardless, it was too dangerous. "<I am afraid I must decline.>"

 

The immediate turn to complementing his clothes (deserved that it might be) put him on alert. The man wanted things, offers of gifts and flattery designed to obligate one to pay the favour back, while setting one at ease. He had seen this before. 

 

It would not work. 

 

"<My clothes are hand tailored yes. I will pass your compliments to the tailor, she does stellar work. You need not feel underdressed, practical matters befit practical attire. I am called Alden.>"

 

He receded back to observe the continued conversation, noting the gauntlet cast by Michael towards Lawrence and Parker, and the easy admission of this 'Vueriz' as academically superior. So these four competed in their scholarship, a useful way to achieve greater results, but apparently could not compete with this unknown person. That handily created an easy group to approach should he find himself struggling in his own academics.

 

He swiftly corrected the group from four to three as Baz blustered about his academic efforts, although he did note his apparent interest in computers. Given Alden's struggles with the damnable Smart Phone that he had bought Baz may still prove helpful.

 

Then the bulk of the conversation moved to powers, an area Alden was quite interested in. Unfortunately it would seem that he would need much more remedial work than he had thought. He could scarcely follow most of the explanations. He understood controlling time, but how was that the opposite side of the coin from space? What did controlling space mean? And what was radiation?

 

He tabled these matters for now. The were threads better pursued in private. Instead he would match course with his new floor mates. "<I am capable of a variety of magics, like illusions and growing plants. Nothing too great, but I would still consider myself a proficient mage.>"

Edited October 7 by Kaede Kimura

[RocketLord]

Spaceman

 

"Probably still best to ask anyone before you do that, Michael," Parker responds to Michael's explanation of his ability to super charge others. It had been the most powerful he had ever felt, but at the same time, the sheer power that Michael carries would probably have burned Parker out if he had stayed charged for much longer than he had been.

 

"Magic?" he asks Alden. "How did you learn that? It's not really something I know a lot about, but I think there might be a few other students that got some kind of magic of their own."

[Jack]

"Alden ist proper spellcaster." Jack says with pride in his friend. He felt a stab of jealousy, remembering when he was learning different magics. Now all he had was ice...

 

"The Avant Gaurd learned dat de hard vay, right my friend? All I did vas stand around and get poke vith stun sticks." Jack said, modestly. He adjusted the weight of his dufflebag on his shoulder. It sounded like some very amazing people went to this school. Was he in the right place? He just made ice Sculptures and...well he preferred to just think of the ice Sculptures. 

[Poncho]

(Golden Star)

 

"Don't worry Parker. I'm not intending to share suddenly. I know it's...a lot. Wouldn't want to burn anyone out by overcharging them when they aren't ready to get it. Plus we don't even know how it would interact with other people's powers in general. Like say, Aiden's magic." he smiled.

 

"We've had some interactions with magic before ourselves. Not a lot, but there were those Starbrights. tell us more about this Avant Guard; it's not all the time someone's already done some Heroing before they come to Claremont, is it? I know I hadn't done much after getting my powers besides sit in a hospital bed before I got sent here." he frowned a bit at Aiden not wanting to take the soda. Did he offend the younger student? Perhaps he had. Superheroes- or maybe just people with powers- always seemed to have a slightly different etiquette than he was used to. But he wasn't going to push it. 

 

"If you want to anyway. If not, don't worry about it. We could talk about something else instead."

[Jack]

Jack took the offered soda, understanding somewhat that Alden didn't like to accept things. Jack didn't mind accepting for him, especially when it came to food and drinks. "Ve vas minding our own business vhen de people wanting to steal the art paintings for some reason." Jack shrugged, not completely understanding why they wanted to steal paintings. "Oddly enough I stopped two mugging earlier on the valk to the art gallery...fortunately Lynn's painting survived de trip." He took a long sip of the soda.

[Thevshi]

Timeout

 

Lawrence had a small smile as Michael suggested it was somewhat uncommon for students to not have had much experience with superpowered crime fighting (or similar experience). But the blond teen knew that his own experience prior to coming to Claremont was far outside the norm.

 

When Jack went into a bit more detail about his encounter with a super criminal and his henchmen over the summer (alongside Alden and Lynn), Lawrence grinned slightly. "It is an amazing painting." He replied to Jack's comment about Lynn's painting. "You are quite a talented artist Jack."