Underwyrmed(IC)

[RobRX]

"W-what, me? No, no you got it all wrong!" In a rare moment of clarity, Cho felt the whole thing seemed rather fishy. That is, to tell a random stranger this. It occured to her that maybe, just maybe they had somehow heard of her but that was unlikely as she didn't really have much a reputation. Perhaps they had been watching her for some time now? However, quickly those ideas died down on the basis that it was, simply put, just outright too paranoid of her.

 

"I don't have the experience for that. You're making a mistake." said the teenager while trying to not brush off the magmin immediately. "I mean, I can help but that? No, you probably got the wrong person. You're probably thinking Thoughtspeed, he has more experience than me, I think."

Edited September 6, 2014 by RobRX

[Ari]

GM

The same feeling of half-heard static, the sensation of tuning into a barely-there broadcast, accompanied Brainclay's telepathic response.

-~I comprehend. Speed and accuracy at the expense of range and power. I lack your agility and supplemental abilities, so that is closed to me.~- the white-haired psychic punctuated that with a slightly more emphasized step of a small foot. Tilting their head a little, Brainclay's eyes swiveled off in another direction as the 'voice' went on -~For me, it is less like choosing a target than picking a thread. I feel the minds of everyone around me, and the unconscious flow of thought and feeling. sometimes I reach out without meaning to.~-

A harsh buzzing cut across the mental communique, followed shortly by a terse, savage growl of ~Clay? If you don't disconnect me right now Racer will have to grow you a new- ~

The dark red eyes slid back to meet Thoughtspeed's -~Oh look. There goes one now. It usually only happens when other psychics are within one metre or I touch someone by accident. Mostly. Every psychic has some 'tell' in their telepathy or telekinesis. That indicates the psi-frequency their Gift operates at. I estimate yours to be...~- the eyes narrowed, like Brainclay was trying to pierce through Will's head through sheer concentration, before relaxing with a faint smile -~...phi-upsilon. Necessary, I suppose, for the impulses to work properly at such speeds. Would you introduce me to your teacher?~-

The mere prospect seemed enough to brighten the psychic's narrow, soft-featured face.

"None of us did when we joined." Magmatic gently reminded the human girl, her inner color fluctuations taking on a more somber hue "even Saboteur screwed up at first, and he'd been trained for years by his secret paragents. We're all new at this. And Thoughtspeed's in a family business, growing up to become an American superhero. We want somebody who knows what it's like to be an outsider.

The crystalline magmin's serious look suddenly cleared "If it doesn't work out, that's fine. None of us are the chosen one, Choie. But it'd be great if you could give us a chance. Besides Bestia, we're not all dumb meatheads.

Edited September 7, 2014 by Arichamus

[RobRX]

"Well, I'd have to see about it. I'd really rather talk with the others first." Cho then says, reluctantly. She still had her doubts about the whole thing but they (unfortunately) were quickly being forgotten. Still, they remained ever so slightly, lingering.

 

Then the magmin HAD to call her an outsider, as if Cho had ever considered herself an outsider in some shape or form. "And hey! I-I'm not an outsider! Where do you get that?! I used to be someone perfectly normal, thank you very much! Don't go around thinking I was rejected by my family just because I'm a mutant or something! What kind of crappy parents would even do that anyway?!"

Edited September 7, 2014 by RobRX

[Ari]

GM

Magmatic blinked at Cho in surprise.

"Really? But...wow, I'm sorry, I just...assumed."

Wincing, the magmin waved her glittering hands vigorously "I shouldn't have done that, that was gross. See, when I was newly hatched, I looked like other grmmmghkkklrtrrrrk-" pausing the middle of a deep-throated rumbling like an avalanche in a cave, Magmatic pressed on earnestly "-I mean, other magmin. I had rocky skin, bathed in lava, all that stuff. Then, one day, everything changed. My skin sloughed off and *this* she gestured at the gem-like facets and glassy sheen making up her body was underneath. Nothing else...well, besides being able to make rocks move, nothing else was different, but I wasn't like them any more. The rest started thinking I was cursed, and I had to run away before they went from being afraid and angry to wanting to kill me. And I'd never done anything but be different. That's how I assumed it might kinda be like for you, other humans being scared 'cause you're not quite like them."

The stocky, crystalline girl's head swirled with blue inner fire "That's...I need to not assume like that, just guessing there but it's probably a bad plan, right? Not like you're sequestered away from the world or being chased by crazy anti-Terminate robots."

[RobRX]

"Hey! J-just don't presume you know about others and how bad their lives supposedly are!" Cho shouted at the Magmin, angered.

 

"R-right, a-anyway..." It took her a moment to speak up again. In part, it was because she didn't really know much about magmins. Even after months active as a superhero and Claremont student, it was still a strange and alien world out there, full of strange beings. She knew they existed but as previously one of the mass of 'bystanders', that strange and wonderful world remained unknown to her beyond knowing of it's existence.

 

"So, what, you're a mutant too?" Asked the girl. "Wait, did your skin really just 'peel off'? Like that?!"

[KnightDisciple]

GM

The same feeling of half-heard static, the sensation of tuning into a barely-there broadcast, accompanied Brainclay's telepathic response.

-~I comprehend. Speed and accuracy at the expense of range and power. I lack your agility and supplemental abilities, so that is closed to me.~- the white-haired psychic punctuated that with a slightly more emphasized step of a small foot. Tilting their head a little, Brainclay's eyes swiveled off in another direction as the 'voice' went on -~For me, it is less like choosing a target than picking a thread. I feel the minds of everyone around me, and the unconscious flow of thought and feeling. sometimes I reach out without meaning to.~-

A harsh buzzing cut across the mental communique, followed shortly by a terse, savage growl of ~Clay? If you don't disconnect me right now Racer will have to grow you a new- ~

The dark red eyes slid back to meet Thoughtspeed's -~Oh look. There goes one now. It usually only happens when other psychics are within one metre or I touch someone by accident. Mostly. Every psychic has some 'tell' in their telepathy or telekinesis. That indicates the psi-frequency their Gift operates at. I estimate yours to be...~- the eyes narrowed, like Brainclay was trying to pierce through Will's head through sheer concentration, before relaxing with a faint smile -~...phi-upsilon. Necessary, I suppose, for the impulses to work properly at such speeds. Would you introduce me to your teacher?~-

The mere prospect seemed enough to brighten the psychic's narrow, soft-featured face.

 

Thoughtspeed shrugged when Brainclay mentioned his lack of speed.

 

"You've got a more potent psi-gift, though, Brainclay. It's give and take."

 

He smirked a bit at catching the irritated message from Brainclay's teammate.

 

"I think all of us...visualize...things differently. All depends on the nature and potency of our gifts, really. I suppose I might get to the point I can fully sense minds around me, but right now the closest I have is more of a...I guess a "spatial sense" might be the best description."

 

He raised an eyebrow as Brainclay worked to classify his "psi-frequency". 

 

"Phi-upsilon? I'll try to remember that."

 

He was quiet for several moments when Brainclay asked about meeting his teacher.

 

"That...will have to wait. I don't think I can just...arrange that. I will have to discuss it with them and see what they think."

 

He clearly hadn't heard Magmatic casually speak a detail that he tried to keep secret, or close to secret, to Cho. Or he'd be much more paranoid about this group.

[Ari]

GM

 

"I hope it is soon." Brainclay's lofty white hair curled and wafted over the psychic's smiling bloodless face, their red eyes bright "Our kind is still very rare, I have only met Eyespy AEGIS agents thus far and Horu-Miles says they are not really representative of your race."

 

Meanwhile, the extremely credible and plausible sotto voce conversation between Magmatic and Cho was reaching new heights of believability. 

 

"I know I know, sorry!" Brushing the glasslike hair away, the oddball Magmim weighed Cho's question carefully before speaking again.

 

"I...guess so? We almost never develop that way. Most of us can't even speak like me. So I suppose this is a 'mutation'. Not like that would mean much if I went back. And yes, it just fell away in pieces like loose gravel, like my old body was some kind of cocoon. I wonder sometimes if all my kind aren't like me, waiting to come out of their rocky shells."

 

Looking seriously at the entropy-fueled bruiser, Magmatic went on "That's what we need help with. We could be like...like the Newcomers, helping those in need others have forgotten or never knew existed, or what the Freedom League was in your seventieth decade of the nineteenth century, going far and wide saving entire nations. Saboteur thinks that with you, we could find the kind of sense and courage the Black Avenger brought to the old League!"

 

Gripping the taller girl's shoulders, Magmatic whispered, eyes burning like a candle behind glass "Cho, we could be heroes with your help, not just a search-and-rescue team. We'll need your help to do it."

[RobRX]

Cho listened to Magmatic as she stared deep into the Magmin's eyes without blinking, almost briefly loosing herself in the gems, their colors, their pattern and the light refracting off them. Once she stopped staring, she immediately looked away.

 

It's not that Cho was egotistical or craving the fame and attention, far from it in fact as she often aspired to the 'oldschool' style of superhero ethics. However, Magmatic's words certainly had a way to stroke her ego and desire to be 'truly' a superhero. "W-well, when you put it like that it's really hard to say no. It's really hard. O-okay! Sure! I'll do it!"

[horngeek]

Stronghold nodded in response to Saboteur's frustration at borders and permissions.  "Yeah, I get what you mean... I mean, I haven't even tried doing anything outside of America, I'm pretty new to this whole thing after all."

 

The ring-bearer chuckled.  "Still need to get used to... using this.  Stop stuff like what... ah... happened earlier."

 

She rubbed her arm, a frown on her face.  "But... yeah, it must be pretty frustrating.  But if you keep doing good, show the benefits to people, and they'll come around eventually, right?"

 

Haukea chuckled.  "Like my sister keeps telling me, nothing that's important was ever easy."

[KnightDisciple]

GM

 

"I hope it is soon." Brainclay's lofty white hair curled and wafted over the psychic's smiling bloodless face, their red eyes bright "Our kind is still very rare, I have only met Eyespy AEGIS agents thus far and Horu-Miles says they are not really representative of your race."

 

Thoughtspeed shrugged.

 

"Like I said, you'll need to give me some time.

 

As for rarity, I'm guessing you mean people with mental powers? If so, I don't think we're much rarer than anyone who isn't the "standard" powerset. You know, the strong-tough, sometimes fast, sometimes flying powerset. Not, like, a copy of the Centurion or anything, but same vein. Kinda weird that a lot of folks end up with that 'plus some', but I'm sure there's books and books from eggheads about it. Anyways, I think folks with your powerset, or at least something like yours, the pure-mental, is more common than me. Speed plus kinetics plus light plus mental is weird."

 

Here he grinned and struck a pose.

 

"It's part of my charm."

[Ari]

GM

The crystalline Magmin stared at Cho, semi-transparent eyes alight with joy. Suddenly lunging forward she enclosed the taller girl with a volcanic hug that was a shade too warm even for somebody with such resilient skin and toughened nerves.

"Thank you, Cho. You won't regret this, I vow it by the Heart of Fire. Ohhh...this is so great! Just wait a flow, we'll be in touch for all the stuff humans mark when they move from one clan to another. Excuse me, I gotta tell Saboteur something." Reluctantly breaking off the hug, Magmatic headed over to the green-clad young man, who nodded grimly at Stronghold's comment about her sister's saying

Very true. Your sister is certainly not a fool about that. But there's a difference between what we're trying to do and...well, what happened at the bank." Gesturing at the globe with a sharp move of his hand, Miles went on, grimacing with irritation "WYRM wants us to become role models, able to go anywhere and instantly impress fugitive or captive supers with what they could be, but as long as we're stuck with just a few countries we can't really learn how to be that. Every missed signal is a new hopeless mercenary, murdered potential or super-criminal. All preventable. I can deal with hardship and pain" Miles tapped the eyepatch over his his right eye "but waiting for permission to do good...it is disheartening."

Just then, as Mile was folding his arms to pace around and glare at the globe like he hated it personally, Racer Khonchu was pouring out tea on the main table while looking even more morose and subdued than before, and Bestia started nonchalantly heading for the team's living quarters, something jolted through them, stopping all of them in their tracks for a second except for Magmatic and Brainclay, who looked idly at the two mutant girls, then shrugged and turned back to Will.

"It is a considerable charm, I agree." As ever, the young psychic looked all eagerness while the voice remained neutral "And that is a cogent point. The specialists are rarer than the generalists. But when I was a child, it seemed like all the universe had powers like mine." Brainclay sighed wistfully, before giving Will another sideways glance "And that impulse was a joke I overheard on the floors below. I'm afraid the context would make it impossible for a visitor to appreciate."

Magmatic, on finishing whispering something in Miles' ear and answering his sharp look with a vigorous nod, was busily setting up the delicate cups and saucers for the tea Racer was serving out, along with a plate heaping with small pastries from tarts to mini-turnovers. Everything had the look of being made 'at home'.

"Please, have a little something before you go. That battle was very hard on you all." Racer said to the Claremonters, zipping around the room to gently maneuver everyone around the table. Even Bestia was deftly moved into an open chair despite her sulkiness on arrival and sullen refusal to get her feet off the table once she'd swung them onto it.

Magmatic was seated next to Saboteur, and while the serious young man was busy passing the fixings around, the molten heroine eagerly whispered in his ear. Besides a glance and polite smile at Cho during the small repast, he gave no other sign about the obvious news. Though she did receive a very quiet psychic message.

~Cho. Miles here. Wait until the others go. We'll make it official then. Make sure this is best for you. Thank you for this trust. And excuse Aby'Sal's emotionality, I was hoping to make a more rational case. But all's well that ends well, let's see what the future holds.~

Edited September 23, 2014 by Arichamus

[horngeek]

Stronghold nodded.  "Um... I'm not sure what to say, really.  Like I said, I haven't even done anything outside of Freedom City.  You guys go a lot further out than we do."

 

She shrugged, as they all sat down at the table.  Haukea nodded in thanks at Magmatic (with a slight, almost unnoticeable blush), before almost absent-mindedly picking a pastry up off the plate and starting to nibble on it...

 

Before pausing.  'Oooooh, this is really good!  Um.  Might do with a little more sugar, but not too much more."

 

Home-baked pastries were always better than store-baked ones, so that might have something to do with it.  They must have had this set up beforehand somehow, though- pastries weren't quick to make, after all.  Or maybe the call had interrupted someone's baking?  No, it had been too long.  Or maybe they had had some pastries ready to go in the oven before the call went out...

 

...she supposed it didn't really matter.  What did was that these were good pastries.  "We'll have to keep in touch.  Maybe team up some more later."

[RobRX]

Cho's reaction to Magmatic's touch was noticeable. However, it wasn't one born of any kind of revulsion to the magmin's touch so much as the fact that it still managed to slightly burn her, giving her something akin to the body-wide version of holding a boiling hot cup of coffee for too long. Her lips and nostrils twitched as she tried to not tip off the magmin that the whole experience had been slightly unpleasant.

 

Then she went to join with the others. "Mmm, yeah it's good. Not that I know much about tea." Of course it didn't take long for her to start eating whatever was in her reach.

[KnightDisciple]

Oblivious to the news that Cho was apparently getting a team of her own to lead, Thoughtspeed continued to converse with Brainclay. He gave the other psychic a slight smile as they continued to speak.

 

"Yeah, I get what you mean about everyone seeming to have the gift. It was never as strong with me due to the nature of my powers, but for a while it was hard to make myself actually speak only verbally or only mentally; I broadcast both out a lot for a bit. I think we all go through a phase where we have to struggle a bit with the...I guess "context" of our powers. Just part of growing up. Anyways, if you want, I can try to see about sending you some contact information for other psychic-type heroes who are open to public contact or the like, see if any of them would sit down with you, even if it's just for a chat. Heck, I'm sure you could talk to the Freedom League, see if they have anybody."

 

He tilts his head a bit at the "in joke" comment (his eyebrows being covered by the domino mask such that he can't visibly raise one), but then shrugged.

 

"Eh we all have our own in-jokes and OH MY GOSH BEAR CLAW!"

 

Sometimes speedsters have the attention span of a hummingbird, and when you're a hungry, tired, and sore teenage speedster, seeing one of your favorite types of pastries will distract you. In this case, as soon as the kids were told to "help themselves", Will was next to the table, two bites into a hefty-looking pastry clutched in one hand while the other almost daintily dabbed his mouth with a napkin. He gave a sheepish grin after swallowing (his mother's psychic rebukes stinging faintly in a closed-off portion of his mind), speaking up for a moment.

 

"Uh, sorry about that. Guess I was more hungry than I thought."

 

He's not sorry enough to not take another bite though, albeit at normal speed this time.

[Ari]

GM

 

Once the tea was drunk, the pastries were reduced to some lonely crumbs, and the young heroes had chatted their fill, Saboteur led the Claremont students to the elevator leading to the ground level. The rest of WYRM's wards piled in too to see the visitors off, and it was a lucky thing that the elevator had as much space as it did.

 

"Racer is still a little tired, and she does not like using her shadow powers," he explained as the box they were in slid out of the headquarters and began heading down the building, giving them a lovely view of Freedom City's Midtown from behind a one-way window "and none of you have any trouble getting around."

 

Leaning against the railing at hip-height going around the elevator, the young man smiled warmly at the guests "It was a pleasure to meet all of you, hopefully next time will be less...explosive. Let us know if you hear about the Salamanders, we shall attempt to do the same. Good day."

 

With a sharp *ting* the doors opened to reveal a small passageway leading to a sidewalk facing north, the ride smooth and nearly noiseless, the world outside brilliantly lit with the afternoon sun. The teens shook hands, made their goodbyes, and began to leave, though Miles tapped Cho on the shoulder to forestall her for a moment.

 

His one eye fixed on hers. "You are sure? This is what you want?" he asked quietly "You really want to help us?" The others behind him watched their leader and Cho with varying levels of scrutiny, Bestia staring irritatedly at a nearby wall and Brainclay looking at nothing in particular. But all of them were waiting, and just a little hopefully too.

[RobRX]

"Well, if you really want me to." said Cho, turning to face Miles and look him in the...eye. "So, do you want me to or not? Because if you do, then I will! I really will! But, really in the end it's...i-it's your call. I'm still not sure why me, exactly." The teenager said, still somewhat unsure of why they were interested more in her than, say, Thoughtspeed or Stronghold.  They would, in her mind, have likely made a better choice than her given her lack of experience. Especially Thoughtspeed, who perhaps was the most acclimatized to the world of superheroes, as opposed to Cho the relative newcomer. "O-Or is that just a 'power thing' and you need someone to fill in a gap or something?" Maybe they just REALLY badly needed someone strong and tough enough to take the hits and hit back.

Edited September 26, 2014 by RobRX

[Ari]

GM

Miles nodded slowly "I can understand why you would be confused. I and Bestia were too. None of us got it at first, it all seemed so...random. It's not the powers, Cho Lee" the teen gunman tapped his eyepatch again "it's perspective. You and a few others, people you might meet in the field in a few weeks, have one we need."

Smiling lightly, Saboteur added, his accent a shade stronger "And I do want you on the team, Cho Lee. But if you' are not committed there is no point. Since that's not an issue..." with a lightning-quick move, Miles reached to the back of his belt, drawing a curved short sword and presenting it hilt-first to Cho. Dangling from the pommel, set with a dull red crystal, was a white armband bearing a blue wireframe globe surrounded with a red ouroboros and the letters 'WYRM'.

"Take it, Cho. It's made of morphic molecules, so change it if necessary. And you'll need a code name, people who enslave children aren't picky about how they retaliate." Glancing at the others, he asked casually "Thoughts?"

"Punch-Queen" Bestia replied instantly, looking almost neutral now.

Magmatic waved her hand frantically "Entropy Girl! Terminator!"

"Eel Ohc" Brainclay offered vaguely.

Racer Khonchu tentatively raised her hand "I think she should...um...well, she's strong and tough...so why not something...a word that is about defending?" the gloomy girl smiled hopefully at Cho. Miles stroked his chin and nodded "Could work. Rescuer Cho? Your opinions on this?"

Edited September 28, 2014 by Arichamus

[RobRX]

Cho looked at the dagger, wondering what it was for anyway, since she didn't really need a weapon like that. Plus she already had means to inflict horrible, maiming pain on people; no need to make it even worse by carrying around a sharp blade. However, she noticed the arm band, surely it was what they wanted her to take.

 

Of course there was still the issue of name, something she'd previously struggled with. The thing is, the others were really eager for her to take one right here, right now. "Um, n-no those are terrible." she said both at Bestia and Magmatic's suggestions. "I have no frickin' clue what language that even is or what it means." the girl said to Brainclay.

 

"Right, s-something. Defending. Um..." The teenager reached out for the armband, hesitating briefly before grabbing it and putting it in. Briefly, she closed her eyes, before opening them again. "I'm going to go with Rampart." declared Cho.

Edited September 29, 2014 by RobRX

[Ari]

GM

Gesturing to the others as he sheathed the sword, Miles gathered the other WYRM wards into a rough circle, and following their green-clad leader's example all of them stretched out their right hands to meet and clasp in the middle. With his free hand, Saboteur gently placed Cho's hand on top of the pile of glittering gemstone, black carapace, scarred glove and lily-white skin.

As one, they said "Welcome, Rampart...to the WYRM! With us you shall protect the weak, rescue the prisoner, destroy the evil that corrupts our world and build a new future!"

That done, Rampart's new teammates eagerly shook her by the hand, thanking her for joining them. Even Bestia smiled, though a little ironically, while pumping the young mutant's fist. At last the congratulations were over, and it was time for them to return to the base.

"This is not a secret, of course," Miles explained, the warm-eyed sniper pausing before heading back into the elevator "tell everyone you think ought to know. We meet once a week every Saturday, alert us through the comm in your WYRM symbol if you get into danger or have news. And Rampart? Thank you."

With that he and the rest vanished, heading up into the shining tower that housed them, and the long road back to Claremont ahead of Cho Lee, Freedom's Rampart!

END

A little later...

"She agreed? Doesn't suspect anything?"

Saboteur raised his head, every motion filled with respect for the green-eyed woman in second-hand clothes standing in the Coordination Center. The rest of the team were still bowed.

"Yes, Teacher Reeves, she thinks we are exactly as we appear to be. And with all the fuss we made she only resisted out of low self-esteem. She is perfect for this mission, Teacher."

A hard smile twisted at the corners of the woman's mouth "Very well done, Horus the Avenger," she paused to note the hint of pride in the young man's eye as he heard the name "through you and my other dear disciples, we shall chip away at this city's trust in its lawless, arrogant vigilantes, those liars, killers and friends of prostitutes. They were shaken to the foundation by the Curatordrone betrayal, and now..."

With a spring that threw her hair into disarray, Mikaela Reeves leaped onto the table, curling her fingers around the holographic globe as it shrank to fit her hand, her green eyes alight with triumph "...they shall have their last rotten timbers destroyed by I, the Conqueror Worm!"

Edited October 2, 2014 by Arichamus