Stampede City: A M:ANG Game

[Captain Jak]

Stampede City
July 11th, 2019, 5:47pm MDT
Team Quarters

It's been a few weeks since the wrap of the competition's finale, and the time has been an odd mix of relaxation, getting to know each other better peppered with a series of awkward misunderstandings, and just a little bit of celebrating, here and there.

Given that Stampede City is coming to the end of its week-long Greatest Outdoor Show On Earth, an event that involves rodeos, carnival rides, midway games, concerts, and alcohol and infidelity in nearly equal amounts, there’s been much celebrating to be had.

Approaching dinner time, most of the team is already at Quarters, as it has come to be informally called. A renovated building by the riverfront in the historical neighbourhood of Inglewood, it lies not far from the studio used for filming stage events. There are single bedrooms for everyone (wired for video and audio), with an open concept living room/recreation area/kitchen that is the main focus of the quarters – ie, wired for video and audio as well, but even better.

The lower level is more utilitarian; laundry facilities, a workshop, and a fairly well-equipped gymnasium. The facilities hadn’t been redone with a mech in mind, but a detached two car garage on the property serves with only minor squeezing.

The team has generally been left on its own to form bonds, hang out, cook or order food as they see fit, and generally...be teenagers. With word having come from Production earlier in the day that there would be an informal meeting this evening, however, it seems that the next stage of their show is going to be cycling up soon….

[Razade]

Ezra, The Delinquent
Conditions:
Potential: /5

There's not a lot of things Ezra has been more vocal about than all the cameras still darkening the proverbial doorway of the shared home. His van, a beat up V.W Bus, sits on the curb thanks in part to the giant mech sitting in the garage. The garage is probably likewise wired up, another strong argument for sleeping in a van on the side of the road. Beats down by the river. Not that he's kept to the van entirely since the show wrapped, contracts and friendships are tightly binding at the end of the day.

Ezra is running late to the meeting however, the panels launching to a nearby shopping plaza to show the surly redhead moving through the streets with several plastic bags in hand. A series of action shots frame the teen jumping through crowds and dodging cars as he strives to save his precious cargo, the last showing him moving one of the bags handles to his teeth as he pulls out a cheap and fairly fractured smartphone.

"Running late" is what he tries to punch in, a picture of Nikita with noodles half hanging out of his mouth with a look of shock and embarassment in the corner to reveal who he's sending it to. It doesn't come out that way of course, closer to "Rubboj lete". The phone's autocorrect long since given up trying to parse Ezra's messages, even before the poor thing was subjected to a long sting of falls and other maladies. "G8t fo0", is all the rest he manages to send before he runs headlong over a bush as he tries to pass a particularly slow throng of tourists in to see the Outdoor Show. The panels move accordingly, showing a frame by frame before the panels go "over" the bush with Ezra before cutting to black.

The panels open back as the door to the common house swing open with Ezra framed in the slim box. It's much later, steam practically billowing off the short teen who seems covered in bright red and brown sauces. He's somehow managed to return with several more bags of food, tossing them onto the main table in the common room before finding a seat. He says nothing, the storm behind his eyes in full rage mode. A clock in his last panel shows a
+40 minutes, to indicate just how badly late he is.

[The_Specialist]

Astral Black, The Nova
Conditions:
Potential: 0/5

The first panel shows the outside of Ezra's van, before the next few clip to inside it, no dialogue present as they follow Nikita through the interior of the vehicle turned tiny home while he leisurely waters a number of potted plants strewn throughout. Ezra has very patiently tolerated Nikita building his collection. The herbs he keeps inside the Quarters in the kitchen, as seems most practical. In the last few weeks following the competition's finale, he's been taking advantage of having access to a full kitchen to practice cooking now and then. It's one of the ways he tries to ingratiate himself and make friends with the other team mates, tending to be over eager for approval in general.

Nikita keeps a few smaller plants in the bedroom that is designated as his, as well. The vast majority have ended up here in Ezra's van, however. Perhaps because it gives him an excuse to escape his team mates and camera crew, the one place no one dares enter. Well, the camera crew may dare in absence of Ezra, having likely learned by this point that Nikita lacks any real backbone outside of emergency situations. For now at least though, he's on his own, a small but genuine smile of satisfaction playing across his lips as he finishes and looks down the length of the van at all his freshly watered friends. It's been a good way to wind down after a few days out and about exploring the Outdoor Show with whoever (if anyone) will let him join in with them.

He stands up straight as motion lines denote the phone vibrating in his pocket, and he quickly sets the watering can aside to fish it out instead.
"Rubboj lete" displays on the screen, the sender denoted by a small picture in the corner, of a typical sour-faced Ezra trying to hide behind a hand. A look of thoughtful consideration and vague puzzlement takes over Nikita's features as he attempts to decipher Ezra's message. Noting the time however, Nikita picks up the watering can again and moves towards the door of the van.

The next panel shows the front door of the Quarters swinging open and Nikita stepping inside with the water can in one hand and phone in other, the boy letting out a soft ‘aha!’ of realization as he finally seems to have riddled out a possible meaning behind Ezra’s messages. ”Um… I think Ezra might be a little late for the meeting, but I am not one hundred percent sure! I also think he may be bringing food…?” Nikita announces to whoever is in the main living area, before actually looking up to check if anyone is present. If so, he offers a small wave in greeting, and if not he somewhat sheepishly moves on to the kitchen to check on his herbs.


Lifting his phone again, Nikita types out a quick: "Ok! Thanks! I will hold a seat for you!" in response for Ezra as if there would somehow not always be the perfect amount of seats ready for the team.

[Comissar]

Dynast (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=24051736&postcount=6)
Conditions:
Potential: 0/5
Danger: +1
Freak: +0
Savior: +1
Superior: +2
Mundane: +1
Been reading the files

You've learned about the superhero world through your mentor's resources. When you first encounter an important superpowered phenomenon (your call), roll +Superior. On a hit, tell the team one important detail you've learned from your studies. The GM will tell you what, if anything, seems different from what you remember. On a 10+, ask the GM a follow-up question; they will answer it honestly. On a miss, the situation is well outside your base of knowledge, the GM will tell you why.

Fireside chat

When you seek advice from your mentor, roll + the label they embody. On a hit, they will tell you what to do. On a 10+ mark potential if you follow their advice, and take a +1 forward on going to follow through. On a 7-9, you get +1 forward to see it through if you do it their way. On a miss, they don't have time for you because something big has gone down; Mark a condition, GM's choice.

Be mindful of your surroundings

When you assess the situation before entering into a fight, you may ask one additional question, even on a miss.

From Nikita's viewpoint of the room, the back of Akemi's head is visible poking up over the sofa. The camera pans round to show her stretched out across it, one leg hanging off the side as she focuses intently on her laptop. From the front view, she appears to be intently working, the picture of the constantly innovating engineer that fans of the show might imagine her as. A second panel pans further round, however, revealing her to be hard at work in Blockcraft. Gaming in general wasn't something Widget really approved of, but Akemi had found plenty of studies talking about how downtime could improve productivity to back up her argument that she couldn't be expected to work all the time. Not that it had been a particularly fun discussion, but it was one that she'd won. Or at least gotten begrudging agreement on.

She glances up from her position on the sofa at Nikita's announcement and offers him a smile in return to his sheepish wave, nodding her acknowledgement as she does. "Sounds good! Did he say what he was bringing?"

There's a cut ahead, showing Akemi's perspective of Ezra's dramatic return. Her laptop is put away now and she's sat at the dining table with her chin resting on her hands, a morose expression on her face as she waits for the long-delayed food she'd been promised. Straightening up a bit as Ezra marches toward the table, she can't help but break into a grin at his undignified appearance. Unable to help herself, she chirps, "Thanks Ezra, can't wait to try it~"

[Catastrophic_B]

Spartan
Conditions: none
Potential: 0/5


Danger: 0
Freak: 0
Savior: +2
Superior: +1
Mundane: 0
Soldier: +2


Before we get started: When you have time to closely observe your opposition before a fight, roll + Savior. On a 10+, hold 3. On a 7-9, hold 2. On a miss, hold 1 and mark a condition. During the fight, you can spend your hold to name a character you observed and...:
• ...redirect their attack to another character or nowhere—into a wall or the sky.
• ...cross a distance between them and you.
• ...stun them, close up or from a distance.
• ...ignore all harm from one of their attacks.
• ...escape any bindings or impediments they attempt to place on you.

Mission first: When you secure a valuable resource by defeating a powerful foe, you can shift your Savior up and any other Label down. If you (and your team) managed to avoid causing any collateral damage, clear a condition as well.

The panel moves away and down, showing off the gymnasium in the basement of the base. This late in the afternoon, the gymnasium only had one occupant, who also happened to be it's most frequent visitor. Jayden's parents, through A.E.G.I.S., had given a very specific equipment list they wanted the gym to be fitted with, and in the interest of keeping their new heroes in top shape, the production company had complied. Though a lot of the stuff wasn't hi-tech machines, but some significantly simpler set-ups, though no less functional for it. Which is why Jayden was able to enjoy one of his preferred workouts, the gymnastics rings.

And that's where he is, holding himself upside-down, entire body straight as a board, when an alarm on his watch goes off. In an instant, Jayden's body is swinging down towards the ground and as he releases his grip on the rings, he flips twice in the air before landing, and turning the alarm off.

With the alarm signalling the end of his workout, he runs through a quick set of cooldown stretches before making his way to the showers. By the time he enters the main living area he's dressed in jeans and a loose singlet, with his still slightly damp hair slicked back. When the team first came together he had dressed a lot more formally, regardless of occasion. However he had quickly learned that such actions only set him apart from the team, and had since then learned to be more 'casual' around them.

Taking in the sight of Akemi on the couch and Nikita at the table, he moves towards the table. He isn't surprised by the absence of Ezra and Zuper. Those two tended to do what they want and leave others to play catch-up. If anything, he's a little surprised that Akemi and Nikita were here before him.

Having seen from previous meetings that Ezra will be sitting next to Nikita, and Zuper next to Ezra, Jayden instead pulls out the chair opposite the sorcerer and sits down. "Hey Nikita. Haven't seen you around much today. Get up to anything interesting?"

[The_Specialist]

Astral Black, The Nova
Conditions:
Potential: 0/5

“Oh! Um... no... If he answers, I will ask!” Nikita is relieved to find only Akemi in the main living space. Of all his other team mates, excluding Ezra of course, she is the one he feels most comfortable with. Jayden he is somewhat intimidated by just on merit of him being a strong, confident young man (i.e. things Nikita really is not) and still sort of feels guilty for injuring him, and Szuper of course... well, actually scares him. Beyond that though, Akemi is the first person to not only be not scared of him, but actually seemingly excited about his powers. He’s been meaning to ask her questions about what she said in her Confessional, and considers the fact that he has her here now and some time to kill... but ultimately chickens out. Who knows when the others might suddenly pop in! And... she’s playing a video game, he shouldn’t interrupt her, he decides.

After checking on the rest of his plants, he settles himself quietly at the table instead, idly poking at his phone. He’s somewhat surprised when Jayden sits down at the table with him, but quickly offers a gentle smile in greeting, setting his phone down. “Oh, hello! Ah... nothing exciting today really. Today was a quiet day. Sort of for meditation and things. It helps...” He trails off with a vague hand gesture, his eyes darting away briefly. “W-What about you?”

[Catastrophic_B]

Spartan
Conditions: none
Potential: 0/5


Danger: 0
Freak: 0
Savior: +2
Superior: +1
Mundane: 0
Soldier: +2


Before we get started: When you have time to closely observe your opposition before a fight, roll + Savior. On a 10+, hold 3. On a 7-9, hold 2. On a miss, hold 1 and mark a condition. During the fight, you can spend your hold to name a character you observed and...:
• ...redirect their attack to another character or nowhere—into a wall or the sky.
• ...cross a distance between them and you.
• ...stun them, close up or from a distance.
• ...ignore all harm from one of their attacks.
• ...escape any bindings or impediments they attempt to place on you.

Mission first: When you secure a valuable resource by defeating a powerful foe, you can shift your Savior up and any other Label down. If you (and your team) managed to avoid causing any collateral damage, clear a condition as well.

"It was a slow day for me too," Jayden replies with an easy smile. "Mainly just tending to a bit of routine maintenance on Mjolnir, and keeping up my usual workout routine." Though he makes it sound like no big deal, and Akemi's condescending comments about "only being able to do basic maintenance", add to that impresion, the armor is such a complex piece of mechatronic engineering, that Jayden could probably make a living as an engineer from what he's had to learn to maintain the suit.

"How about you join me for a workout down in the gym sometime? They say a healthy body is a big step towards having a healthy mind, so it might help you get a little more control of the, you know," Jayden uses his hands to act out an explosion. "Plus it can get a little boring going through sets by yourself down there, so you'd be doing me a favor by giving me a bit of company every now and then."

[The_Specialist]

Astral Black, The Nova
Conditions:
Potential: 0/5

“Is that where you came from just now?” Nikita inquires idly. He for one however is quite amazed how easy both Jayden and Akemi make it seem, tending to their various suits of armour. On occasion, when feeling particularly brave, Nikita has even poked his head into the garage or otherwise when either of them are working, offering to bring them drinks or hand them tools, seemingly just curious to watch.

The offer to join Jayden working out catches him slightly by surprise. Nikita definitely looks like he’s never been inside a gym in his life, rather gangly and soft. Reaching up a hand, he scratches gently behind an ear, a typical shy or nervous tick of his. He knows on one hand, Ezra would probably hate the idea of him hanging out with Jayden like that. But on the other hand, it does sound like solid advice! And Nikita is fairly eager to jump on any chance to spend time with his team mates! ...except for Szuper of course.

The mimed explosion causes Nikita to briefly retreat further into fidgeting, rubbing at the back of his neck and glancing away briefly with a slightly embarrassed laugh. When Jayden frames the whole thing as being a favour that Nikita could be doing for him as well, Nikita definitely can’t refuse though!

“Oh! I suppose I could do that... I didn’t know you wanted company!” He starts to smile tentatively. “You just... have to promise not to laugh at me. I have never been to a gym before,” He urges with a bit of humour, though also honest. “It is very nice of you to offer, too. Thank you. Maybe next time I will try with you?”

[Catastrophic_B]

Spartan
Conditions: none
Potential: 0/5

"Everything's better with friends," Jayden answers with a shrug and smile, glad he was able to convince his fellow teammate. "And I'm not the kind of guy that would laugh at someone working to improve themselves. We can start as early as tomorrow if you want. I do a morning and afternoon training, so which would you prefer to join in on?" Jayden offers, knowing some members of the team aren't as keen on early mornings as he is.

Then an idea occurs to him, and he pushes his chair back a bit as he turns to face Akemi. "You want to join in on a workout as well, Akemi? Might be useful to get your fitness up in case something happens to Dynast again, and you have to jump out." He tries to keep his tone measured so his words come out as genuine advice, and not a dig at her, but he's not too sure he succeeded.

While his phrasing could use a bit of work, his intent is genuine. His suit had taken a bit of knock from Nikita during the competition, something that went beyond his ability to repair, and it had been Akemi who had come in and fixed up the damage, saving him from having to forfeit the competition. He still owed her for that, and while mechatronics was her specialty, physical fitness was his, so there was really no better place for him to repay her, than in the gym.

[Razade]

Ezra, The Delinquent
Conditions:
Potential: /5

Ezra takes his seat next to Nikitia, to the surprise of absolutely no one. The cheerful greeting from Dynast does little to quell the rage, a grunt more or less the only acknowledgement as he settles. "Chinese." is the only other one, Ezra being a young man of few words at the best of times. He's already working at portioning things out for Nikita and himself though otherwise remains silent as the others talk about training or whatever it was he stormed into.

[Captain Jak]

Stampede City
July 11th, 2019, 6:27pm MDT
Team Quarters

The common area fills with the distinctive scent of Chinese food as the largess is divvied out amongst those present. As far as Chinese takeout goes it's actually quite good; the Quarters are located only handful of blocks away from downtown and the Chinatown quarter, allowing for Chinese food that is actually a bit more authentic than one might encounter elsewhere in the city. The ginger beef, of course, is excellent, these being the direct descendants of the immigrant workers who first created the dish in this very city.

It is, of course, just as the serious business of eating is about to be gotten down to when an insert panel shows the security system alerting Akemi that an authorized user has swiped through the front door. Sure enough, with only those few moments' warning up the stairs comes bounding their benefactor and chief tormentor all in one, Adam Worth. This being his first introduction, he gets a page-height panel for a head to toe look, along with a few lines of pertinent details.

ADAM WORTH
CEO OF WYNERT & COMPANY
PRODUCER
PAIN IN THE BACKSIDE

...that last one probably isn't any sort of official title, but it’s not out of line. His endless energy and enthusiasm for this project fairly radiates off the page, and while his heart is clearly in the right place, he's in his forties and has no idea of what actually makes teenagers tick. If there's a villain in this issue, it's got to be him.

"Hey, kiddos, what we eatin'?" he inquires jovially as his ever-present assistant Jenny makes a much less dramatic entrance behind him, tablet already at the ready. "Hope you're ready to have your socks blown off, because have we got some exciting things lined up for you." He grabs one of the island-height stools, actually spins it around and straddles it backwards, folding his arms across the back.

"Oh, go ahead, eat, don't let me stop you," he urges the team, flicking a hand dismissively. "We all here and ready to rock?" You'd think this level of enthusiasm would come off as an affectation, but he just seems so...genuine.

[Razade]

Ezra, The Delinquent
Conditions:
Potential: /5

Ezra is not game for cheery attitudes most of the time. Less so when he's in a bad mood, which is often. The, let's be charitable, charm of Mr. Worth wore thin early in the production of the Reality Show for Ezra. No one is that nice, giving away that much, for no reason. Kindness was suspicious and suspicion was good enough for him to instantly dislike someone regardless of their actual intent. The fact that it's interrupted eating is yet another mark on a very long list of marks for the youth.

He needed no invitation to eat, already digging into a particularly pungent box of fried peppers and noodles, reaching over to make sure Nikita is actually eating as he puts food on his friend's plate. "Can we skip this? Just tell us what you want." he grumbles, pointing at Mr. Worth with a pair of chopsticks in as vaguely a threatening manner as one can with two pieces of wood. He shoots an equally sour look to the rest of the team, slurping noodles loudly all the while.

[Comissar]

Dynast (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=24051736&postcount=6)
Conditions:
Potential: 0/5
Danger: +1
Freak: +0
Savior: +1
Superior: +2
Mundane: +1
Been reading the files

You've learned about the superhero world through your mentor's resources. When you first encounter an important superpowered phenomenon (your call), roll +Superior. On a hit, tell the team one important detail you've learned from your studies. The GM will tell you what, if anything, seems different from what you remember. On a 10+, ask the GM a follow-up question; they will answer it honestly. On a miss, the situation is well outside your base of knowledge, the GM will tell you why.

Fireside chat

When you seek advice from your mentor, roll + the label they embody. On a hit, they will tell you what to do. On a 10+ mark potential if you follow their advice, and take a +1 forward on going to follow through. On a 7-9, you get +1 forward to see it through if you do it their way. On a miss, they don't have time for you because something big has gone down; Mark a condition, GM's choice.

Be mindful of your surroundings

When you assess the situation before entering into a fight, you may ask one additional question, even on a miss.

Akemi pulls a face at the suggestion of extra work-outs. "I think I'm good thanks, I'm already in there more than I think I need to be." She smirks, "All I really need to do is up the armour durability on Dynast and I'll be good."

Ezra's declaration of what the food is brings another smirk as she leans forward to help herself to the meal, "Aww, how'd you know that's what I'd like..? I don't remember telling you it was a favourite."

She's halfway through plating up when Adam Worth makes his grand entrance. She deflates a bit as she realises she wouldn't be getting to savour her meal quite as much as she might otherwise like. Moving the rice about on her plate absent-mindedly, she glances to Ezra as he's first to respond to Worth. When he shoots his sour look, she can't help winking back. Taking a mouthful of rice, she innocently asks, "Were you wanting a bite to eat as well, Mr. Worth?" She pauses briefly, hoping to get a rise out of Ezra, then continues, "Or, I guess, we could just get straight to it..?"

[Catastrophic_B]

Spartan
Conditions: none
Potential: 0/5

The promise of food is more appealing then what he knows would be a drawn out argument with Akemi, so Jayden shelves the discussion of armor improvement vs pilot improvement for another time.

Growing up on a strict diet that he still keeps to 99% of the time, the types of food laid out before the team now are still a new and novel experience for Jayden, and it can be seen in the almost childish excitement he shows as he sets to work getting a piece of everything onto his plate. A quick "Thanks Ezra," thrown out somewhere in that process.

After Adam Worth has made his entrance and Ezra and Akemi have said their respective pieces, Jayden sets his fork aside, and turns his attention away from the small mountain of food he grabbed, and to their producer. "I think what my teammates are trying to say is that we're excited to start doing... something. We've been here for a while, and I think a couple of us have almost started to feel like we're gathering dust. Or something like that."

[Hans Free]

Šuperconductor
Conditions: None, for now...
Potential: 0/5
Freak: +1
Danger: +2
Savior: -1
Superior: +1
Mundane: 0
[X]Thick and thin skinned: Whenever you have Angry marked, take +1 ongoing to unleash your powers.
[X]There when it matters: When you defend someone, on a hit you can hold 1 instead of choosing one from the list. Spend your hold when they are in danger later to arrive on the scene ready to help.
[X]The Bull's Heart: You always have exactly one love and one rival. You can change your love or rival at any time; give the new subject of your affections or disdain Influence over you. Take +1 ongoing to any action that impresses your Love Ezra or frustrates your Rival Nikita.
[X]Enabler: When you provoke your love or rival, roll + Danger if you are trying to provoke them to rash or poorly thought out action.

"Mmm...! Too loud for my hangover... can someone turn the off the TV? And -- oh, it's you, Adam. I was beginning to think you had forgotten about me. Canada's Next Teen Hero. Or... y'know, us or whatever." reads a speech bubble that pops down, its tail reaches off the top of the frame. We pan up to see Šuperconductor, in her bodysuit sans jacket, curled up on the ceiling -- her reddish-pink eyes half-open and full of sleep, the albino teen stretches her way into standing proudly on the ceiling with her arms on her hips. Upside-down, she looks down on Jayden.

"Anyway, speak for yourself, Ro-Boy. If you guys have been collecting dust, it's you who've been lazing about, 'kay? I've feel like I've been punched at enough times this week for two teams." She yawns, referencing the drunken haze of partying and fighting that had been her time at the Stampede City Outdoor Show. She sparks the ceiling with a tap of her index finger, and Szuper floats downward slowly into cross-legged 'sitting' upside down, directly above her rival, Nikita. Her snow-white hair falls down onto his face, forming a blob of white hair between the two. She grins mischievously, spinning to meet his doe-eyes to show them hers, full-of-fire, and so unlike his -- she goes wide-eyed. Grabs at her headphones, making sure they don't fall off into his food. Or just off in-general. 'Cause that would be bad. Literally terrible. And 'literally' terrible.

"Oh, sorry, Nikita! I didn't see you there... hiding behind that grain of rice." She grabs at the last container of food, unopened -- and expertly corrects her positioning in the air so that she can eat her food. Jayden was correct in his assessment that Šuperconductor tended to sit next to Ezra -- but not specific about her exact spacial positioning. Because Szuper does technically sit 'next' to Ezra, just floating several feet above the spot next to him, above the couch and the rest of the team. Exactly where I belong.

"'If you don't eat up, you're never gonna grow up to be as big and strong as me.' That's why Ezra's trying to get you to eat your dinner." The tiny girl starts slurping at her food, a glint of competition in her eyes -- it's ambiguous as to if it this is addressed to Nikita or to herself. Maybe both. Probably both. She perks up, pivoting in the air to face Ezra, her mouth full of food. "Og, Yeh! Thnks Erzo, dis fud... iz rlly goos." She gulps it down and quickly seems to wipe her mouth with her sleeves*, and smiles earnestly at the grumpy boy, ignoring his annoyance/hostility at Adam and any he might potentially float her way for antagonizing Nikita -- not a social queue she's been particularly adept at picking up on since her escape. At least, when she isn't using her telepathic powers; something that was, understandably, a strict non-starter for her teammates. And for her too, because...

--

'Reading people's minds is just ****ing disgusting.' Yep, I've heard it said and thought a thousand times each, literally. Frankly... I agree. It's like being a plumber for the worst sewers in the world. People are gross. No offense, but I'd prefer to stay out. So, no... psychic links, no mind melding, no mental interrogation... I. Hit. People. And things with brains. And I hit them hard. That's what my powers are used for, because that's how I say they should be used, and no one's gonna say otherwise. 'Kay? That was the speech she gave to the other members of the team when they all were put in such close Quarters, and that was something she had stuck by without err, at least, outside of unintended interference. And in spite of her various... eccentricities.

--

"Good morning, Peons! Your fearless leader is finally awake." She scans the room as she (semi)-jokingly says this, her eyes particularly narrowing on Akemi after she winked at and seemingly flirted with Ezra. She finally turns back to the Producer. "And yeah? Finally. So... who do I need to destroy while you guys record dramatic reaction shots of the rest of the team?" She shakes her fork, striking dramatic facial poses of mock-surprise, casually imitating and dismissing her teammates as she continues to tear through her chicken and broccoli.

*In actuality, she's disintegrating the food particles by electrifying the vector fields in the air that contact the skin on her lips and face, trying as she is to avoid getting any debris (food or otherwise) on her bodysuit. Not that she knows that. She just does it on instinct.

[Razade]

Ezra, The Delinquent
Conditions:
Potential: /5


"He's rich, let him buy his own damn food." Ezra takes the bait more or less immediately, fire in his eyes though it's quickly distracted, any further feints from Dynast distracted by Super as she descends from the ceiling. "Hey. Don't make fun of Nikita." While Super's general attitude is a big A+ to Ezra, the assumed rivalry between the psychic and his travel buddy remains at a tense balancing act. He motions to Super in the same threatening manner as Adam, his usual attempts at smoothing over the tension between them obviously at a low considering the rest of the day. "Here Kita, I'll take some off your plate. You eat what you want." he grumbles, taking a few pot stickers off Nikita's hands. Or plate.

[Hans Free]

Šuperconductor
Conditions: None, for now...
Potential: 0/5
Freak: +1
Danger: +2
Savior: -1
Superior: +1
Mundane: 0
[X]Thick and thin skinned: Whenever you have Angry marked, take +1 ongoing to unleash your powers.
[X]There when it matters: When you defend someone, on a hit you can hold 1 instead of choosing one from the list. Spend your hold when they are in danger later to arrive on the scene ready to help.
[X]The Bull's Heart: You always have exactly one love and one rival. You can change your love or rival at any time; give the new subject of your affections or disdain Influence over you. Take +1 ongoing to any action that impresses your Love Ezra or frustrates your Rival Nikita.
[X]Enabler: When you provoke your love or rival, roll + Danger if you are trying to provoke them to rash or poorly thought out action.

When Ezra admonishes Szuper color flushes to her cheeks; she swallows.

"Wow. 'Kay... uh, sorry." Szuperconductor thrusts her hands into her pockets, leaving the container of chicken and brocolli floating in the air -- nary but a small spark or two off it for the observant-eyed to indicate her powers at work here. She puffs up her chin and looks as far away from Ezra as the super-heroine can muster. "It wasn't 'making fun of'. I'm being encouraging! Or... did that not come across? Sigh." Szuper grabs her Chinese out of the air with an exaggerated sigh, repeating herself after having just said the word aloud. She quietly goes through a chain of thoughts, bopping her head in-tune to an unheard track after her semi-rhetorical explanation. The panels split screen her quickly glancing from Adam to Ezra and finally to Akemi; Szuper shoots her a knowing look and breaks out into laughter. She pats her knee and gulps down a bite, keeping the container floating in front of her, confident she can keep it steady.

"Aww... but if we have all these leftovers, it'd be rude not to invite Adam to come down and have some with us; family-style!! He doesn't bite, Ezra. Much. Or... were you going to eat it all?" Szuper bites her lip a little, trying to hide the grin spreading across her face, the fire of mischief in her big eyes as she challenges Ezra to eat; probably not everything, but certainly more than he should. Hyper-focused on him, she absentmindedly goes to twist her fork into her hair before quickly stopping herself.

Roll superior (+1) to provoke Ezra to eat too much Chinese Food. Szuper high stakes first roll for the game, Hans! And... wow, double sixes, for a total of 13. And on my birthday, too. Is that lucky or unlucky?

Anyway, Ezra, that means if you eat too much Chinese food, add a team to the pool. If you don't, mark a condition.

[The_Specialist]

Astral Black, The Nova
Conditions:
Potential: 0/5

RECAP!

Nikita seems reassured by Jayden’s insistence that he isn’t the type to laugh at someone striving to better themselves, nodding in agreement that he could join tomorrow. He manages not to panic as he’s asked to decide between morning or afternoon, his sleep schedule tending to vary.

“Um… Let’s say afternoon, to be safe! If I am ready in the morning, I will come down though!”

He is tentatively hopeful, excited for a chance not to make amends exactly, but make friends perhaps! Deciding to avoid commenting on Jayden and Akemi’s exchange on the shared workout offer, Nikita is still happy to just share the space with his team mates. When Ezra arrives, Nikita’s face brightens slightly with pleasant surprise, the sorcerer sitting up quickly and offering a smile in greeting.

“Welcome back, Ezra!” He offers softy, before processing Ezra’s behaviour and realizing that the sourness of Ezra’s expression seems extra bitter. Nikita’s own expression betrays a touch of worry in response, though he refrains from asking outright if something is the matter in front of the whole team.

“Oh.. Thank you!” Nikita murmurs quietly as his friend begins to portion out a plate for him as well. It’s fairly standard for the two, Ezra being so protective of him, but that doesn’t mean Kita won’t say thanks. It makes him happy hearing the others give thanks as well, knowing that Ezra’s abrasive behaviour is likely to estrange him. Not that Ezra cares. But Nikita does!

Having been content to watch his plate be loaded up in relative silence, Nikita looks up in surprise with slightly widened eyes as their cheerful benefactor comes springing up the stairs. “O.. Oh! H-Hello…” Very curious about what Adam’s presence will bring, Nikita is also immediately anxious (and not just because Mr. Worth has WAY more energy than he’s comfortable with) knowing that his friend has strong feelings about the CEO and is clearly not in the best of moods already.

When Ezra almost predictably grumbles at the man, Nikita gingerly touches the other boy’s arm as if trying to soften him. “Ezra…” He urges very quietly, almost reflexive at this point. A common soundbite, not that it seems to be having its intended effect.

When Akemi and Jayden take over addressing Mr. Worth, Nikita is content to start poking at his food, tending to be a fairly slow eater. It’s something he has learned and trained himself to do, now that there is no danger of grouchy half-brothers trying to knock over his plate or steal it. In the process he’s also learned that he actually… really likes food! Which has lead to him eating even slower, really trying to enjoy flavours and break them down in his head, so that he can perhaps replicate them in the future. He’s far from catching up each time Ezra piles more on, though always gives a soft thanks even if intelligible around a bite of food.

Szuper’s voice causes him to immediately tense, and look around carefully in confusion before quickly following her voice up. His stomach does a bit of a flip flop thinking back and realizing she must have been sleeping there the entire time. How unnerving!! The boy does make a valiant effort of trying to put it all from his mind and resume eating while pretending he’s unbothered by Szuper’s presence, though this is quickly unravelled. Nikita’s shoulders begin to hunch tightly as Szuper ends up floating directly above him, close enough that her hair starts to curtain around him.

The sorcerer pulls his plate in closer, one arm hovering over it protectively, instinctively, though the rest of him remains quite rigid, afraid of moving in any way that would cause him to ‘touch’ even a single part of her. His large eyes meet hers with obvious concern, clearly not enjoying himself in her mischief, his discomfort practically tangible. In truth, he’s annoyed as much as he is scared, but too much of a wimp to tell her off or anything of the sort without further pushing. Especially because… well. Ezra is there currently, to protect him.

That said, the coy greeting of sorts does stoke the hidden flames of anger a little more, but it is buried deep still. He’s relieved when she gives him breathing room again, though he’s not much happier with her hovering next to Ezra. It’s always been a point of contention for him. For the most part, he wants people to be nice to Ezra. He wants Ezra to have friends! But Szuper’s seemingly genuine like for Ezra just… drives him up the wall, honestly. He closes his eyes briefly to calm himself.

Just breathe… Think about your breathing… Slow it-

An amber eye peeks open as Szuper insists that he needs to eat up to be big and strong like her, his expression perturbed and growing into a distrustful, sour little pout. Starting to cautiously eat once more, Nikita vows silently to himself to set an alarm so he definitely won’t miss the gym session tomorrow. And he allows himself to feel vaguely vindicated when his travelling buddy tells Szuper off for teasing him and the latter actually seems slightly taken aback. Even though Nikita should probably be embarrassed for not being able to tell her himself, right…? It occurs to him that he didn’t even say anything to her, which might be rude. But… Whatever. It was all too much to deal with. He tries to tune Szuper out as she continues talking to Ezra, keeping his head down as he starts to eat faster, almost defensively.

[Razade]

Ezra, The Delinquent
Conditions:
Potential: /5

Ezra gives a derisive snort, looking back to his food. "Oh it came across." he mutters into a mouthful of noodles which he all but chokes on at the challenge. He glances at Nikita before giving a shrug as he sweeps half the food his way. "I didn't think I was gonna eat all of it, I figured you'd be game to join me. Whaddaya say or are you afraid you can't beat me in an eating contest too?" He wasn't someone who was going to lay down and just take a challenge. The old addage held true. If you're willing to make a challenge you better be ready to prove you were up to it yourself. With the challenge returned, he dug in with vigor with absolutely no care for decorum. Anyone reaching in for seconds best be quick or they might find themselves on menu.

Got a 12. So right back at Super. Either she joins in and adds a Team to the pool or she marks a Condition.

[Hans Free]

Šuperconductor
Conditions: None, for now...
Potential: 0/5
Freak: +1
Danger: +2
Savior: -1
Superior: +1
Mundane: 0
[X]Thick and thin skinned: Whenever you have Angry marked, take +1 ongoing to unleash your powers.
[X]There when it matters: When you defend someone, on a hit you can hold 1 instead of choosing one from the list. Spend your hold when they are in danger later to arrive on the scene ready to help.
[X]The Bull's Heart: You always have exactly one love and one rival. You can change your love or rival at any time; give the new subject of your affections or disdain Influence over you. Take +1 ongoing to any action that impresses your Love Ezra or frustrates your Rival Nikita.
[X]Enabler: When you provoke your love or rival, roll + Danger if you are trying to provoke them to rash or poorly thought out action.

Šuperconductor's eyes light up, literally. The faintest hint of blue electric crackle graces its way across the surface of her eyes; her teeth -- white as her skin -- come out into an aggressive snarl, and it's a little unclear if she is about to explode... until she THRUSTS her hands up into the air and CHEERS, bursting into laughter so hard it floats her down, practically into the empty seat on the couch next to Ezra, who is already guzzling food down. She stays an inch or so up though, sitting cross-legged, boosted above the cushion so as to meet his eyes whenever he does look up from his food. She nudges him a little bit.

"Of course I'd love to have dinner together, Ezra!! And if it's a contest, that's all the better -- that way there can be a winner and a loser!" She blurts out, tipping the container of chicken and brocolli towards herself. Šuperconductor starts to funnel it into her mouth with her fork as she one-handedly floats more containers of food on over for Ezra and her to race through -- and the common area around them starts looking more & more like a solar system of styrofoam takeout and plates, which Szuper helps clear through with shocking force, given her small stature.

To her credit she hasn't eaten anything in approximately... 12-18 hours, accounting for the amount of time she's slept post-bender, so Šuperconductor has an empty leg-up in that regard. On the other hand... the two shortest members of the team have their work cut out for them size-wise due to the exceedingly generous portions of the restaurant; hauling the team's takeout home by foot was itself likely to almost be a training exercise for Ezra in each container's sheer mass.

Team to the pool! Of course Szuper loves the idea of having an eating contest with Ezra!

[Captain Jak]

Stampede City
July 11th, 2019, 6:31pm MDT
Team Quarters
TEAM: 3

Assistant Jenny rolls her eyes expressively at the antics of the team, but Worth’s response makes her seem stoic in comparison.

"Whoah, hey there, save the antics for the show, kiddos!" he exclaims jovially, as if there weren’t cameras catching these events from several angles simultaneously. "Enjoy your food but settle down, we’ve got business to discuss." His tone makes it clear that this is Very Important Business that teenagers should be suitably impressed by.

"All right, let’s get started," Worth says cheerfully, pulling a remote out of his pocket and pointing it. The next panel cuts to the huge flatscreen TV down at the entertainment end of the room, which blips into life.

"Marketing has been hard at work, and the focus groups are showing a clear outlier," he enthuses, clearly at home with his buzzspeak. "You all are the first official team that will be covering Stampede City and the surrounding Kaninaskis area, and we wanted a team name that resonates with not only the mission, but the culture." He nods at Jenny, who taps at her tablet as he continues to speak.

"Ladies. Gentlemen." He doesn’t quite seem condescending as uses those terms, rather than ‘boys and girls’, but it’s not far off. "I present to you, your official team name!" Jenny swipes up on her tablet, and an image is cast to the big screen in bold red and white.


Wynert & Company
Presents
The Stampede City
RANGE RIDERS

Worth looks back and forth between the screen and the team with excited anticipation.

"Eh? Ehh? It incorporates the local western theming not only with the wording but the term itself works! You patrol the land, dealing with varmints and lawbreakers," he goes on dramatically, sweeping a hand slowly across the room as if you could see the frontier horizon that clearly exists somewhere in his mind. He grins, shoving his hands into his pockets for a moment. "Pretty yeet, right?" Jenny winces faintly, but says nothing.

"So! Logo design is in the works," Worth goes on cheerfully. "We know you kids like to express the whole individuality think with costumes, so we’ll just go with an appropriate badge or paint job to show some team unity. Oh, and while we’re on the subject of costumes and heroic identities," he adds, his smile widening as his gaze falls upon the eating contest, "have we got a proposal for you, Ezra!" Should he really look so…gleeful?

"We've been testing out some potential heroic identities on your behalf; we get that dealing with this isn't really your thing," Worth says with a touch of sympathy. "Something that ties together your heroic and [/i]savage[/i] sides." He lifts his chin at 'heroic' and actually holds up hands like claws for 'savage'.

"And what tested through the roof compared to the rest, you may ask?" he goes on...although no one has. "Picture this;" The producer spreads his hands dramatically. "From the deep northern wilds of Canada, bringing his own brand of justice to civilization, it's…The White Wolf!" He makes this pronouncement as if it is some great revelation.

"And before you say anything, we know you're not big on the whole idea of a costume. So we keep it simple, the badging, on a hoodie. We know you kids love your hoodies, right?," A gesture to Jenny has her swiping a new image up onto the big screen for everyone to take in.









https://i.pinimg.com/564x/1e/7c/55/1e7c554d2756b5539c5b1364deb2002c.jpg

[The_Specialist]

Astral Black, The Nova
Conditions:
Potential: 0/5


Nikita watches silently as Ezra and Szuper start to rapidly gorge themselves on the remainder of the takeout, his expression somewhere between concern and mild derision. He turns his attention back to his own single plate, thankful that he was given more than adequate a serving for himself. Given the new atmosphere, he keeps one arm curled close to the edge of his plate almost defensively as he picks at the remainder of his meal.

Peeking up at Mr. Worth and Jenny as it seems something important is about to be revealed, his eyes dart next to the flatscreen TV as it flicks on. He can’t help but to be somewhat intrigued at the mention of a team name! In all honesty he can’t think of something that could fully encapsulate the strange little group they have, but he trusts that the whole team of researchers and marketing can figure something out that suits well enough.

RANGE RIDERS.

Nikita’s brows twitch inwards, almost furrowing for just a moment. It definitely sounds like the name of a TV show or similar, but it doesn’t necessarily strike an immediate chord with him. Though he isn’t a local, so maybe that has something to do with it. He doesn't hate it either, and it's not like he's about to argue anyway, he's still just happy to be along for the ride. The more he thinks about it however, the more he realizes his general fashion trends actually could probably be adapted to ‘Western’ without too much difficulty, just a little more gothic western. He isn’t prepared to start calling villains ‘varmints’ though, that is a step too far.

Nikita eases a bit as Mr. Worth seems to confirm that individuality is acceptable as far as costumes go, willing to compromise on a badge and colour scheme, given that the colour scheme isn’t too garish. That waits to be seen. He was happy to accept the name they gave him, as he had been ill prepared to come up with something himself. 'Astral Black' still sounds too cool for him, in Nikita's mind, but if they think it fits he'll have to own it! However, when attention turns to Ezra, Nikita glances at his friend in surprise. It’s true that Ezra doesn’t have a hero identity, though Nikita isn’t sure the other boy is going to be willing to accept one either, and Nikita is almost afraid to think what Mr. Worth and his people have come up with for his stubborn companion.

Whatever Kita might have imagined, it is nothing in comparison with the real thing. When the fuzzy-eared hoodie pops up on the big screen, Naya’s mouth literally drops open in shock. He’s filled with a rush of anxious excitement, simultaneously overwhelmed with how adorable the garment is, and overly aware that Ezra will absolutely hate it. A selfish part of him wants to insist that Ezra go through with it, if only so that Nikita can steal it later.

“...It’s so cute...” Nikita breathes before he can stop himself, knowing this will be taken by Adam and Jenny as his approval at least and possibly use that against Ezra. Nikita quickly covers his mouth and remembers to close it finally, staring at Ezra in a mixture of horror and anticipation.

[Razade]

Ezra, The Delinquent
Conditions:
Potential: /5

Ezra folds his arms over his chest once the gorging stops, the feeling of being too full hard to work through as everything settles and the want for a nap builds. He doesn't weigh in on the name or the themes shown on the television, both because of his food coma and because he trusts his team to moderate the more inane and aspects of spectacle Mr. Worth seems to enjoy so much. He was thankful that they weren't all as theatric as their "boss".

When his name is called however he has enough energy to throw a scowl at Adam's way, eyes narrowing. It's all so much so fast, a mix of horror and rage and disgust ripple across his features as he struggles to stand to his feet. "You think this is some kind of joke?" he manages to get, teeth clenched. He gives a particularly withering look to Nikita's "cute", not even his traveling companion safe from the mounting storm cloud of fury taking hold. "No way. Get bent."

[Catastrophic_B]

Spartan
Conditions: none
Potential: 0/5

As the eating contest between the two resident hotheads breaks out, Jayden leans over towards Akemi with a smile and says "I put twenty on Zuper winning."

His focus shifts to their Producer as the man starts speaking, but he keeps the contest in his peripherals to see who wins. As the team name is put forward, he can't help but feel a little unimpressed. All things considered, the name makes sense, and the reasons Worth gave were also completely valid, but the name just didn't click with him.

What he does find himself wholeheartedly agreeing to was the idea of introducing a little uniformity to the team, through either paint jobs or a badge on their outfits. They were a team now, so it makes sense that they should make an attempt to look the part.

Then comes the reveal of the suggested name and outfit for Ezra, and Jayden finds himself doubled over in laughter, and barely managing to get a hand up to muffle the sound, while he tries to regain composure. By the time he's stopped laughing, Ezra has already given his scathing response to the suggestion, and Jayden's pretty sure is laughter was answer enough on his part.

"Questionable costume choices aside, I can't help but feel that maybe we should be the ones choosing our team name? I can't help but feel that a name would sync better if it was something we came by organically, you know? Something that is undeniably us. Cause, no offense, the Stampede City Range Riders sound like a sports team, and while I'm normally all about that; I didn't join this team to play football," Jayden says. Never minding the fact that the closest he'd ever come to playing a team sport in his life, was when the show had them participate in team based competitions.

[Comissar]

Dynast (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=24051736&postcount=6)
Conditions:
Potential: 0/5
Danger: +1
Freak: +0
Savior: +1
Superior: +2
Mundane: +1
Been reading the files

You've learned about the superhero world through your mentor's resources. When you first encounter an important superpowered phenomenon (your call), roll +Superior. On a hit, tell the team one important detail you've learned from your studies. The GM will tell you what, if anything, seems different from what you remember. On a 10+, ask the GM a follow-up question; they will answer it honestly. On a miss, the situation is well outside your base of knowledge, the GM will tell you why.

Fireside chat

When you seek advice from your mentor, roll + the label they embody. On a hit, they will tell you what to do. On a 10+ mark potential if you follow their advice, and take a +1 forward on going to follow through. On a 7-9, you get +1 forward to see it through if you do it their way. On a miss, they don't have time for you because something big has gone down; Mark a condition, GM's choice.

Be mindful of your surroundings

When you assess the situation before entering into a fight, you may ask one additional question, even on a miss.

Akemi glances to Jayden, then up at Szuper, then back to Jayden with a smirk of her own. "No bet, that's a fools wager."

She folds her hands ahead of her as Worth goes through his presentation, propping her chin on her hands as she does. She raises an eyebrow at the name reveal, then has to fight back a snicker at Ezra's costume reveal. His reaction to it pulls a full on laugh. As she composes herself and the others say their pieces, she grins at Ezra again, "I don't know, the costume's growing on me. Maybe we should all have one like that, then Ezra wouldn't feel so singled out."

Not waiting for Ezra's inevitable death glare, she turns her attention back to Worth, "But I think Jayden's got a point on the team name. Without wanting to steal your thunder, how set in stone is all this?"

[Hans Free]

Šuperconductor
Conditions: None, for now...
Potential: 0/5
Freak: +1
Danger: +2
Savior: -1
Superior: +1
Mundane: 0
[X]Thick and thin skinned: Whenever you have Angry marked, take +1 ongoing to unleash your powers.
[X]There when it matters: When you defend someone, on a hit you can hold 1 instead of choosing one from the list. Spend your hold when they are in danger later to arrive on the scene ready to help.
[X]The Bull's Heart: You always have exactly one love and one rival. You can change your love or rival at any time; give the new subject of your affections or disdain Influence over you. Take +1 ongoing to any action that impresses your Love Ezra or frustrates your Rival Nikita.
[X]Enabler: When you provoke your love or rival, roll + Danger if you are trying to provoke them to rash or poorly thought out action.

Šuperconductor looks up from particularly menacing crab rangoon to see the furry hoody. She tries to bite her lip as a smile breaks across her face. She can't hold it anymore and actually spits a bunch of food out.

"Pfffttttt--Bwahahahahahahahahahaha!! That's hilarious." She coughs and laughs at the prospect of her teammate wearing such a thing and calling himself 'the White Wolf.' Although seeing how rapidly upset Ezra is becoming, Szuper quickly composes herself -- not an easy task after consuming such an amount of food, so she's "quick" to nudge at Ezra. She gaffaws at Nikita's comment a little bit. It's not cute. I'm cute. And Ezra is cute. The team is cute. But that thing...

"That thing is uglier than sin itself. Clearly it's a joke, Ezra; don't get so worked up. Y'know, just 'cause he wins that way, 'kay?" She looks up to Adam Worth. "Anyway, Adam, I don't really care what we're called -- though I'm pretty sure I've already got dibs on 'The Szuper Friends'. And besides..." She stands up, puts her hands on her side.

"Nobody tells me what to do. Or what to wear. Or what to call myself. We're on reality TV. So what's the point in pretending we're something we're not? Won't that just make people think we're fake and not like us anymore and lose you ratings? And what's the point in forcing Ezra to take on a stupid identity? Isn't it, like, a lot more dramatic if anyone can just find him on the street and like... punch him right in the face?" She sighs, suddenly thinking of fonder times, of hitting challengers and criminals. Of the night before.

"I'm just saying we're all here for a reason, and that's because we were better than every other person who entered the competition. It wasn't because you chose us, kay? So, maybe you should settle down, and not get a big head about names, or costume designs or picking identities, because we're Canada's team, and Calgary loves us just the way we are and... and... Oh, god. Why did I eat so much?" She shakes her head.

"Nope... Nope... Why did I drink so much!? I--" She clutching her mouth, turning greenish and confirming Akemi's suspicions. As Chinese containers start falling from orbit, Šuperconductor sprints off to the bathroom, panic in her eyes.

[Captain Jak]

Stampede City
July 11th, 2019, 6:38pm MDT
Team Quarters
TEAM: 3

Bolting into the bathroom, Šuper’s panel loses some of its colour saturation as she goes off-camera and the subsequent panels refocus on the rest of the team.

Even the less than enthusiastic responses from the team seem insufficient to blunt the, well, frankly tiring enthusiasm from Worth.

"All right, all right, I can see the whole White Wolf thing isn’t a hit for the most part," he adds with a quick grin flashed at Nikita. Who shouldn’t be worried so much about Worth’s impression of his words as he should be about the various cameras and microphones that had recorded it, frankly. "Not to worry, it was just a suggestion that was trending well, but if you're that opposed to it," he adds wryly, his tone suggesting that someone was perhaps being a little overdramatic.

"And it's not about a secret identity to keep anyone safe, we know none of you require anything like that," Worth goes on dismissively. "It's more about branding, an identity, a...a theme, if you will. Something that looks good for the merchandising!" he adds brightly, getting down to his true motivation, most likely. "Don't worry, White Wolf – gone. We'll work up something that plays to your strengths," he tells Ezra cheerfully.

"Range Riders, though...I'm afraid you guys are kind of stuck with that," he goes on apologetically, sounding very sorry/not sorry. "Look, I understand you kids want to put your stamp on things, and you are, you will! This show is all about you, and the crazy antics you get up to, but that doesn't mean we're going to run it like a YouTube channel you guys are streaming iut of someone's basement." He seems to be in full-blown Adult Mode now.

"It tests well, it ties in to the local culture – heck, it's even alliterative," Worth enthuses. "And yes, it does sound a bit like a sports franchise – but, frankly, you guys sort of are one, in a way. Trust, this will all be good." He flashes his capped white smile about the table covered with the remains of dinner.

"Look, serious talk time. You're right, you guys are the best – you're amazing, you're superheroes, you don't have to worry about the little stuff. You get to show people you're special, you're stars, and they get to look up to you!" He grins. "Stick with me, kiddos, and you won’t even recognize the nobodies you used to be."

Snapping his fingers, he turns and spears a finger straight at Nikita. "Speaking of, next run on the ladder to fame. Astral Black has an exclusive interview with Ted and Leah on Breakfast Television, filming the day after tomorrow," he beams, naming a highly watched local morning talk show. "You get half the episode, so get your witty quips ready!"



Adam Worth is exerting his Influence over everyone in the room, telling you you are no longer ordinary but are special and unusual! If you accept his telling of how the world works, shift Freak up and Mundane down. If you don't agree, roll to reject his Influence.

[The_Specialist]

Astral Black, The Nova
Conditions:
Potential: 0/5


Nikita crumples beneath the withering glare of Ezra, his face growing hot and pink with embarrassment and guilt for his traitorous feelings. Damn his lack of composure!! The feelings are only intensified when Szuper laughs at him and declares the thing ‘uglier than sin itself’, trying to comfort Ezra as well. The sorcerer begins to sink discreetly as if trying to meld with his chair or become invisible somehow. Too bad he hasn’t figured out how to do either of those kinds of spells yet...! And trying to teleport out of the room isn’t worth the risk, or furthered embarrassment of outright fleeing.

He tries to tune out Szuper’s voice, because the more she defends Ezra, the angrier it makes him, and he can’t explain why. It really doesn’t make sense! He’s just managed to slip into a haze of his own thoughts and imagination when Adam Worth points a finger directly at him.

Appearing much like a deer in headlights, Nikita freezes at first, and then awkwardly and quickly shuffles himself back up to sit straight again so he doesn’t look like an utter goblin. Of course, this movement is quick lived as the next words out of Mr. Worth’s mouth cause him to freeze again in newfound terror. Interview? Exclusive? As in... just him?? He can already feel his heartrate rapidly picking up speed.

“U-U-Um.... j-just me?” He asks all the same, having a full understanding of the word ‘exclusive’. Oh no, he’s gone full stammer mode just thinking about it. There is no way this interview won’t be a disaster. “R.. Really? They didn’t.. d-didn’t want someone else...?” His voice has gone rather quiet.

They really aren’t just like any other kids, are they? While he’s never felt normal, it’s been hard to really wrap his head around the idea of being famous! Is this what it’s like, being a superhero? Maybe he’d just got comfortable with the crew he knew, over time, and forgotten how scary it had been in the beginning. Maybe some part of him really expected to lose in the competition, and then it’d be over. But it’s not, is it. He’s going to have to get used to talking to strangers, famous strangers, in solo interviews, with lots of cameras. And he’s going to have to get used to people talking about him on the internet. And caring about what he thinks! And listening to what he has to say! Will his words have weight? He's never said anything worthwhile in his entire life, has he??

Oh lord what have I done??

It’s lucky Nikita is naturally so pale, or people might worry about how ghostly his complexion is becoming as the previous blush drains away entirely. Witty quips be damned, they’ll all be lucky if Nikita doesn’t just lock up entirely!

Accepting Adam's Influence... Nikita is realizing things will never be 'normal' again! Shifting labels!

[Comissar]

Dynast (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=24051736&postcount=6)
Conditions:
Potential: 0/5
Danger: +1
Freak: +0
Savior: +1
Superior: +2
Mundane: +1
Been reading the files

You've learned about the superhero world through your mentor's resources. When you first encounter an important superpowered phenomenon (your call), roll +Superior. On a hit, tell the team one important detail you've learned from your studies. The GM will tell you what, if anything, seems different from what you remember. On a 10+, ask the GM a follow-up question; they will answer it honestly. On a miss, the situation is well outside your base of knowledge, the GM will tell you why.

Fireside chat

When you seek advice from your mentor, roll + the label they embody. On a hit, they will tell you what to do. On a 10+ mark potential if you follow their advice, and take a +1 forward on going to follow through. On a 7-9, you get +1 forward to see it through if you do it their way. On a miss, they don't have time for you because something big has gone down; Mark a condition, GM's choice.

Be mindful of your surroundings

When you assess the situation before entering into a fight, you may ask one additional question, even on a miss.

Akemi shrugs as Worth insists on the name, leaning back in her chair, "I mean... I guess there are worse names. We can roll with it for a while, I'm sure." She looks to the others around the table, "Even if we change it later, it's not like we'd be the first team to do so."

She looks a bit surprised at the mention of Nikita being put on to a show on his own. Leaning forward again, she gave him a concerned look, then back to Worth. "... Is he going to be in the studio on his own, too..? I think Ezra ought to go with him, even if he doesn't go on set."

[Razade]

Ezra, The Delinquent
Conditions:
Potential: /5

Ezra snorts loudly at the mention of them being "stars" though the reveal of Nikita's TV appearance and Dynast's suggestion derails any further rant. For the moment at least. He points to Dynast, giving a nod. "Yeah, gotta say I agree someone should go with her. I'd normally volunteer but I think maybe it'd be best of Dynast was the one. She's smarter than any of the rest of us and when Nikita and I get into situations with talking...it generally becomes a situation with explosions and fighting." He glances over to Nikita, offering a shrug. No doubt he'd be welcome by Nikita at least but PR disasters were the last thing they all needed.

"Besides" he continues, the aforementioned rant slowly rolling into gear. "Being a hero means not being a star. Doing the right thing shouldn't need a reward. All the lights've made you lose sight of that Mr. Worth. The other reason I don't think I should go...is I think you should be there to help. This is your baby after all. With the two of you, I feel confident enough not being there for moral support."

Rolled to reject in the channel, got a hit. Going to clear Adam's Influence on me and take +1 forward

[Catastrophic_B]

Spartan
Conditions: none
Potential: 0/5

Jayden grumples a little as Akemi refuses the bet, but quickly goes back to listening attentively to Mr Worth.

He's a little disappointed that they're stuck with the name, but he understands Worth's reasoning. And the man was right; they were special, and he was giving them an example to show the world that truth. For that they should be thankful.

Then comes the mention of Nikita going on breakfast television. Jayden looks over at Nikita with concern. Concern that only grows when he hears the boy's nervously stammered response. Akemi recommended Ezra going along with Nikita, and Jayden was just about to voice how much of a bad idea he thought that was, when Ezra himself beat him to it.

Jayden is honestly surprised as Ezra turns down the suggestion, noting his own volatility, and recommends Akemi in his place. Perhaps the guy had more mature than he'd given him credit for.

"Mr Worth. If I may..." Jayden says as he stands up to address the producer. "By the time we're done here, I'm sure all of us will have been on talk shows a dozen times. So maybe it would be alright to let Nikita sit this one out and let someone else break the ice in his place? Someone like..."

Jayden looks around the table at his other team members. Not Nikita, that's who he was trying to save from this situation in the first place. Not Ezra, the guy had straight up admitted to how talking things out wasn't his style. He looks in the direction Superconductor ran off, and no. Just no. That only left two options: himself and Akemi.

"Someone like Akemi! You want witty quips? Well she's easily the smartest one here, plus she knows how to talk in front of a camera. If we want to put out best foot forward with this thing, then Akemi should be the one doing the interview," Jayden insists.

"And once she's shown us all how it's done, and that it's nothing to worried about, I'm sure Nikita will be just fine taking the stage," Jayden adds as a last second thought.

Accepting influence. Shifting Freak up and Mundane down.

[Captain Jak]

Stampede City
July 11th, 2019, 6:41pm MDT
Team Quarters
TEAM: 3

With Nikita going pale and the rest of the team that was present immediately leaping to his defense, it’s pretty clear that the team is starting to come together as unit...at least in situations of ‘us against them’.

Adam holds up his hands defensively as everyone jumps down his throat, a look of surprise on his face.

"Whoah, hey there kiddos, settle down," he protests. "Geeze, it's just an interview, it's not like he's addressing the UN or something. Look, this was the morning show's request, they wanted face time with Astral Black." The producer grins. "You should consider it a compliment, right? And hey, sure, if somebody wants to go along and be there for moral support, I'm sure--"

Worth breaks off suddenly as an ear-splitting siren goes off, a modulated warble that is impossible to ignore and unlikely to be able to get used to. Every screen and light in the house begins to flash, alternating between bright white and a lurid red.

If this had happened in the middle of the night....

After a few seconds the siren cuts out, the lights continuing to flash while the screens instead all display the same message; a half-page panel focuses on the main common room screen.


METAHUMAN EVENT!
RANGE RIDERS, AWAY!

Worth is positively beaming as he turns back to face the team. "Brilliant!" he exclaims. "Time to earn your keep, kiddos! The camera team will be en route – go go go, get ready!" he urges. Turning to Jenny, he begins speaking urgently with her, gesturing emphatically as she nods and taps away at her tablet.




The Range Riders have been called to deal with a superhero-level issue. Get your game faces on!.

[The_Specialist]

Astral Black, The Nova
Conditions:
Potential: 0/5


While Nikita’s complexion had become blanched, a healthy pink hue begins to return and then build to entirely conspicuous levels as the rest of the team jump in with various protective and/or helpful suggestions for him. He chews on the inside of his lip when Dynast suggests Ezra go with him, and that suggestion is immediately shot down by Ezra himself. He tries not to latch onto the idea that Ezra doesn’t want to go with him because he’s angry over the ‘cute’ comment, and listen instead to the logic that the other boy is spouting in actual reasoning, but Niki’s always been bad at ignoring his own anxiety’s poisonous whispers. It doesn’t help the ruby blush of shame he’s wearing on his face now, regardless.

He wouldn’t actually mind Akemi coming with him! He's been looking for a chance to get to know her better and chat bout some things, even. But now he’s too embarrassed to say anything at all, letting the rest of the team offer their suggestions to Mr. Worth.

While he knows Jayden is trying to help him, he does feel a pang of furthered embarrassment realizing that by this point now every member of the team (currently present) has offered their assistance in one way or another. And while he certainly doesn’t disagree with Jayden’s assessment of a better candidate, and doesn’t even want to do the interview in the first place, Nikita is almost mortified in the end that the team agrees he shouldn’t be doing it.

Nikita almost falls out of his chair when the siren goes off, instead falling through it as the momentary panic causes him to teleport without a clear destination in mind. He awkwardly crawls out from beneath the chair and scrambles to his feet less than gracefully. Brushing himself off rapidly, he holds a hand over his heart afterwards as if trying to steady his pulse, glancing around with wide eyes as all the screens in the room flash brightly between red and white. It’s like having all the fun of a panic attack, without- ...no, while still very likely about to have one!

Staring perplexedly at the screens for a moment as the text pops up, Mr. Worth’s voice brings him back to reality. Oh gods! This is really happening!

Nikita’s gaze flickers around the group, needing to gauge their reactions and responses for how to proceed, and naturally ends up fixating on Ezra who he’s keen to follow in most any situation. Hoping the boy doesn’t hate him too much currently, he edges towards him with clear intent of buddying up.

[Razade]

Ezra, The Delinquent
Conditions:
Potential: /5

There was a lot more Ezra wanted to say, angrily and loudly. Maybe it was all the food weighing him down, or the sudden siren that erupted but any further rage ebbed and his gameface was on. He motions to Nikita before motioning outside. Half the team could either fly or had awesome power suits, Ezra had a van. It was as good a transport as any. Maybe they all could pool their money for a slick helicopter or something. Maybe the show should spring for it, they were on the company dime anyway.

The car ride is silent as Ezra seethes, the panels showing tires squealing a few blocks away from the fighting. It wasn't just their van, it was their home. Wouldn't do for it to be crushed by some super powered yahoo. He unloads just as silently, hoofing it the rest of the way to the activity in progress.

[Comissar]

Dynast (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=24051736&postcount=6)
Conditions:
Potential: 0/5
Danger: +1
Freak: +1
Savior: +1
Superior: +2
Mundane: +0
Been reading the files

You've learned about the superhero world through your mentor's resources. When you first encounter an important superpowered phenomenon (your call), roll +Superior. On a hit, tell the team one important detail you've learned from your studies. The GM will tell you what, if anything, seems different from what you remember. On a 10+, ask the GM a follow-up question; they will answer it honestly. On a miss, the situation is well outside your base of knowledge, the GM will tell you why.

Fireside chat

When you seek advice from your mentor, roll + the label they embody. On a hit, they will tell you what to do. On a 10+ mark potential if you follow their advice, and take a +1 forward on going to follow through. On a 7-9, you get +1 forward to see it through if you do it their way. On a miss, they don't have time for you because something big has gone down; Mark a condition, GM's choice.

Be mindful of your surroundings

When you assess the situation before entering into a fight, you may ask one additional question, even on a miss.

Akemi looks a little surprised as she's nominated to join Nikita at his interview instead of Ezra, but she smiles and gives a small nod, "I'd be happy to go along."

She's somewhat relieved as Worth confirms he wasn't looking to force Nikita into an uncomfortable position, but further discussion is forestalled by the abrupt alarm. Wincing, she reached up to shield one of her ears as she looked up to the display screen above. She hesitates long enough that Worth offers his encouragements to get out there and do some hero work, then rises from her seat and runs to the garage. As she runs, she fits in her communicator bead, then clambers as swiftly as she can into the waiting shell of her mech.

Within a few seconds of lever flipping and button pressing, there's a soft whine as Dynast rises to her feet. The garage door opens and she lumbers out, following after Ezra's van. Arriving on site, she forges ahead as Ezra parks up somewhere safe, opting to clamber up on top of a building to try and get a better view of what was going on. Though not exactly graceful doing so, she is at least quick to climb as her inbuilt wings skirr behind her. "Ok... What've we got here..."

Assessing the situation! Dynast is gonna try and figure out what needs their attentions here.

[roll0]

Edit - Hit! Per 'Be Mindful of your Surroundings', I get an additional question pre-fight, so Dynast will ask 'What here is the biggest threat?' and 'What here is in the greatest danger?'

[Catastrophic_B]

Spartan
Conditions: none
Potential: 0/5

Jayden was jumping out of his seat the moment the alarms went off, and out the door by the time Worth started speaking. His was an urgency born more from necessity than anything else, as it took him more time than the others to 'suit-up'.

Rushing into his dorm, he threw off his clothes and pulled on his flight suit, a hi-tech and skin-tight creation made using carbon nanotubes, with a series of circular ports located at key points to anchor the Spartan armor to the suit. With that done, it's a mad rush down to the garage, where he arrives just in time to see Dynast go charging out.

Without wasting any time, he heads over to where the Spartan armor is secured in its maintenance rig, and slams a button that has the armor opening up enough for him to get inside. The moment he's in place, and the armor has connected to the ports on his suit, the armor closes around him and there's a brief moment of claustrophobia before all the systems come online.

After a few quick stretches to make sure everything's moving right, Spartan calls up the location of the incident on his Heads-Up-Display, takes a sprinter's stance, and then takes off running out of the garage door. By the time he arrives, he can see Astral and Ezra climbing out of there van, and Dynast disappearing over the top of a building.

Figuring Dynast has the right idea, he uses the fire escape to climb to the roof of the building on the opposite side of the incident to Dynast, hoping to catch anything she doesn't notice from her vantage point.

Taking this opportunity to roll 'Before we get started'. Rolled a 10, so holding 3.

[Captain Jak]

Stampede City
July 11th, 2019, 6:52pm MDT
Downtown!
TEAM: 3

Ezra and Astral Black have very little prep time compared to their more heavily armoured teammates, and as such are ready to be on the move sooner. Which probably turns out for the best; there is a slight delay at the van as the camera crew tries to pile in with them; they are quite shocked to discover that Ezra had indeed not been kidding when he'd said there was no way they were setting foot inside. They were spotted running for their own transportation as the van peels out; not that any of the team are likely concerned if they keep up or not.

And it's not like there won't be any footage to be had; part of the team's show contract involves the wearing of body cameras – or providing a feed from existing suit cameras – during excursions like this, for that genuine first-person-perspective that makes an action-based reality series like this so exciting!

During transit everyone is provided an update with a) where they're going, and b) what they're likely to be facing. Fortunately, the location is right downtown, so only a few minutes away from the Quarters. In fact, it seems to be happening more or less at the base of the Stampede Spire, a tower that – at the time – had been erected to be the tallest structure in the city back in the 80's when it had hosted the Olympics. It has since been surpassed several times by skyscrapers as the city expands, but it is still a slender and majestic sight; especially with the massive flame burning atop the torch-like structure.

As for what, reports have a quite large and quite strong metahuman tearing up the immediate area; any specific goal is not known at this time.

A terse report is one thing; the actual visuals are quite another, once the team arrives on the scene.

Dynast clambers up the side of the parking garage on the south side of the Spire, Spartan scaling the two-story lobby extension of a hotel to the north, giving them a clear view of the street and the hulking figure below. He seems to be the only threat involved at this time, but from the look of him he should be the only one needed. There are police on the scene, but they seem to be concentrating their efforts on holding a perimeter to keep civilians out of harm's way; a number of street-level windows in the immediate area have apparently been shot out, but there are no signs of injury on the man who commands the street.

As Ezra and Astral arrive on the scene, they get to witness the enormous figure scoop up a parked car in one hand with a grunt, and casually hurl it into the face of a second story insurance office just up the street from where they stand. The man is shirtless, brutish-featured and tremendously musclebound, and at least ten feet tall. His gaze falls upon the pair.

"Well well well, it looks like we have a couple of little heroes," he rumbles, his voice shockingly deep for anything that's ostensibly human...and vaguely UK accented. "Come to stop the Jackal, have you? He grins, baring uneven yellowed teeth in what can't even charitably be called an amused look. "I like to play with toys now and again; you two pretty-boys should do nicely." He cracks his knuckles, the sound more like that of snapping ribs than anything so mundane.



The Jackal is clearly the biggest threat, and just opposite the tower is a heavily trafficked hotel and convention centre that can't possibly have been fully evacuated yet by this point. Anything that goes through its many street-facing windows could conceivably kill someone still inside.

[Razade]

Ezra, The Delinquent
Conditions:
Potential: /5

Ezra launches from the van, landing with a huff. The panels shows the dwarfed Ezra, easily half the size of The Jackal in thick and gritty lines. "More than enough for you. Why don't you and me settle this big guy. More than a match for whatever you've got." That...probably wasn't true but he wasn't going to own up to that. He'd made a name for himself being greedy when it came to fights and someone as big and strong as the Jackal was everything he wanted in an opponent. A challenge, first and foremost.

Rolled an 8 in Discord. Pretty clear Ezra is just trying to get the Jackal to focus on him

[The_Specialist]

Astral Black, The Nova
Conditions: Insecure, Afraid, Guilty
Potential: 0/5
Burn: 2/2


While slightly embarrassed as the camera crew are shooed from Ezra’s van, he’s also secretly glad. He’s not sure if he’d be able to concentrate like he needs to, while having them crammed in with him and Ezra, cameras rolling and questions flying. He does his best not to be overly spooked by Ezra’s driving; Nikita knows they need to get there fast, and he knows he can trust the other teen, even if the drive gives him a mild heart attack sometimes.

Doing his best to tune out the journey, he focuses on his breathing, drawing in through his nose and letting out through his mouth. Trying to calm and center himself, so that he can attempt to collect a bit of that energy he can feel just out of reach, as he’d rather have it ready to go than try and call forth a connection at the last second. While his magic definitely seems reactive to danger, he prefers to be the one controlling how that response forms. His amber eyes begin to turn green, taking on a fierce glow that is mirrored over his slender hands.

Unfortunately, the drive isn’t nearly long nor steady enough for him to find any sort of peace. The quiet should have helped, but instead he couldn’t help worrying that Ezra might still be mad at him. Despite his best efforts, Nikita can feel his pulse raising and the previous panic still looming as adrenaline tingles through his veins along with an unstable trickle of Aether. He can’t stop focusing on the fact that this is real, for the first time ever. They’re going to have to work as a team, for the first time ever, and he’s just sure he’s going to muck it up somehow. If they make it through all this, he’s definitely going to try working out with Jayden, and anything else that might help him not panic at the slightest hint of danger.

Stepping shakily out of the van, he’s quick to follow behind Ezra, though freezes, slack-jawed, once they arrive on scene and he catches sight of the Jackal. This guy is huge!!! He stares in disbelief at Ezra as the other boy goes right on ahead taunting the brute, though Nikki really shouldn’t be surprised at this point. The resonating snapping of Jackal’s knuckles makes him feel sick to his stomach, and he’s starting to regret being first on the scene as the lumbering Jackal seems to have focused on them. He begins to back away slightly, not with the intention of fleeing or abandoning Ezra (he’d never!) but simply knowing that their two fighting styles... don’t mesh well together. Mainly in that Nikita doesn’t like to be up close and personal with the enemy. He’ll do better to be out of range of their melee and helping while the brute is distracted, for sure!

Rolled 6 to charge up his powers. Marking 3 conditions and holding 2 burn!

[Comissar]

Dynast (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=24051736&postcount=6)
Conditions:
Potential: 0/5
Danger: +1
Freak: +1
Savior: +1
Superior: +2
Mundane: +0
Been reading the files

You've learned about the superhero world through your mentor's resources. When you first encounter an important superpowered phenomenon (your call), roll +Superior. On a hit, tell the team one important detail you've learned from your studies. The GM will tell you what, if anything, seems different from what you remember. On a 10+, ask the GM a follow-up question; they will answer it honestly. On a miss, the situation is well outside your base of knowledge, the GM will tell you why.

Fireside chat

When you seek advice from your mentor, roll + the label they embody. On a hit, they will tell you what to do. On a 10+ mark potential if you follow their advice, and take a +1 forward on going to follow through. On a 7-9, you get +1 forward to see it through if you do it their way. On a miss, they don't have time for you because something big has gone down; Mark a condition, GM's choice.

Be mindful of your surroundings

When you assess the situation before entering into a fight, you may ask one additional question, even on a miss.

Akemi watches the scene below for a few moments, attention flicking between the pair challenging Jackal and the building off in the distance. The panels shift to show the bug-faced front of her mech, the text box taking on the jagged-edged shape associated with radio transmission. "We need to keep him away from the convention center." There's a cut to her face inside the mech, lit up by the various heads-up-displays that form her view of the world. Her text box returns to normal now that there's no mech between her and the reader, "If you can't draw him away, just keep him focused so that he's not facing the buildings. Get his attention down by his feet."

As she speaks she leaps the gap between two buildings, wings whirring to help achieve the leap. With Nikita and Ezra holding his attention, she felt comfortable playing the role of overwatch for the moment. Better to have some eyes on the overall situation that all zoning in, after all.

Not my best post, but needed to get something out.

No roll here, Akemi's just keeping on watch in case there's another shoe ready to drop that we don't know about.

[Catastrophic_B]

Spartan
Conditions: none
Potential: 0/5

"Dynast's right," Spartan says over the comms as he takes in the situation. "Ezra, I'm pretty sure this guy has some level of physical invulnerability. You're constructs are likely our best bet right now, or at least until Zuper shows up. Plus you got here first so you got dibs."

As he's talking, Spartan walks to the edge of the roof, and grabbing a hold of the railing, jumps over. With his hand still on the railing, and his legs coming up to brace themselves against the wall, Spartan looks like a heavily armored swimmer getting ready to push off the side of a pool. "I'm in position to jump in if things look dicey."

Getting ready to spend 2 hold, 1 to close the distance, and 1 to redirect an attack, if it looks like Ezra's going to take a powerful blow.

[Hans Free]

Šuperconductor
Conditions: None, for now...
Potential: 0/5
Freak: +1
Danger: +2
Savior: -1
Superior: +1
Mundane: 0
[X]Thick and thin skinned: Whenever you have Angry marked, take +1 ongoing to unleash your powers.
[X]There when it matters: When you defend someone, on a hit you can hold 1 instead of choosing one from the list. Spend your hold when they are in danger later to arrive on the scene ready to help.
[X]The Bull's Heart: You always have exactly one love and one rival. You can change your love or rival at any time; give the new subject of your affections or disdain Influence over you. Take +1 ongoing to any action that impresses your Love Ezra or frustrates your Rival Nikita.
[X]Enabler: When you provoke your love or rival, roll + Danger if you are trying to provoke them to rash or poorly thought out action.

We cut to a POV of the camera just outside of the bathroom door, STILL. Presumably the producer's logic being if you weren't smart enough to actually close the door, that would be on you. Superconductor bursts out of the bathroom, all teeth and white hair, ready to rejoin the conversation on what Ezra should or should not be wearing with a fiery passion and a deeply entrenched set of beliefs on what would or would not constitute a sexy outfit on the young man, only to find that...

The conversation is already over...

"I-- Uh! Where is everyone!? WHY DOES THIS KEEP HAPPENING TO ME!?!?" She screams out, fists flailing in the air as she looks up to the sky to curse a metaphorical god; only to see the ALARM flashing -- SILENT to her, as her headphones THUMPS and DROANS it out in a with a thick line of BASS. But Szuperconductor can gather as much as to what the alarm means; a mischievous grin crosses her face.

We cut to her tiny, glassy-blue hand as it yanks an oversized red windbreaker off the coat-hanger in front of the doors of Quarters. One arm after another, the superheroine slides it on overtop of the bodysuit she was already wearing. "Costume Complete!" It's... it's probably the laziest costume transformation sequence of all time. But Szuper does it with an such an enthusiasm that it wouldn't suggest such -- just before she straight-up BLOWS the door, hinges and all off of the Quarters.

She breaks out into a dead sprint, turns sideways like she'll slide through air just off the front porch step -- and it looks like she's about to face plant into the ground when her feet do, in fact, catch the air. She slides into the air, and blue sparks shoot off below and parallel to her hightop soles -- like putting tile to a grindstone as she picks up speed and height.

Suddenly she is is skating fast and high through the air, a mix of different skating and sports techniques at varying times -- all picked up by instinct, or via telepathic sponginess. It was hard for her to be sure sometimes; but it looks cool, regardless, and she was more than happy to focus on that. And as she reaches the part of Stampede City that is experiencing the metahuman attack of the Jackal.

She casually pulls out one INDEX FINGER as she skates sideways -- like she's grinding on and jumping between a series of invisible, airborne rails that only she can see. Off her fingertip, she spins out a golfball-sized orb of electric blue, and tosses it into her other hand; she holds the ball like a compact mirror, seemingly checking herself out until we cut to the other end.

To INSIDE THE VAN.

Where all four Monitor Screens -- once a shot of each teammates camera, lined up to be switched to as needed -- are all replaced with Szuperconductor's face -- slightly fish-eyed by the spherical "camera" she created, as she takes up the entire frame. She looks to Adam Worth. "Actually, its not important where you left the team leader because--" She hangs up, disappearing from screens.

We CUT to the facade of one of the BUILDING above, just before Szuper EXPLODES through it -- her hands crackling, her barrier opened up into a pair of massive electric wings surrounded by sparkles of GLASS DUST -- and she's already landed just past the Jackal, standing with her back to his about 10 feet away. She turns just her head towards him, Ezra and Astra Black.

"Hey Boys, I'm here! Thanks for, y'know, waiting up." She winks at Ezra and Niki, perhaps a little bit confrontationally. Then, she slides off one-headphone cuff and focuses her attention on the Jackal. "Let's find out what makes you afraid. Kay?" Her eyes light up, a slightly twisted smile crosses her face as pure ANGER rings through her mind. Even more so after seeing Ezra and Nikita alone on the battlefield together, making her even more annoyed about being left behind -- sick -- and not being even checked on by the producers; let alone her teammates. "Then we'll just have to figure out how you can best worship at my feet, Peon."

Rolling to Unleash my Powers (Extending Szuper's senses to crack open the Jackal's mind like its a dainty Egg). Got a 7 and I am going to choose to mark ANGRY to keep the effect from being Unstable or Tempor

[Captain Jak]

Stampede City
July 11th, 2019, 6:53pm MDT
Downtown!
TEAM: 3

Despite being in the field with overwhelming numerical superiority...or perhaps because of it...the team cedes the initiative in this encounter to the bad guy.

The Jackal is more than willing to take them up on it.

”A match? You ain’t even a spark, kid,” the enormous man booms. Šuper gently peels open the brute’s mind even as he charges at Ezra, revealing the image of a screen showing the head and shoulders of...someone, the image masked by shadows and lighting. The image doesn’t seem to be particularly large or powerful, but the impression from the Jackal’s mind is that of a titan who would tower scores of feet into the air. This figure...this is what scares him, and drives him forward now.

And drive forward he does. The power involved is unsurprising considering his mass and physique, but the panel’s speed lines about the Jackal in the immediate foreground and the almost identical surprised expressions on Ezra and Astral’s faces in the background indicate that the approach has a great deal more quickness involved than had been expected.

Almost lost in mid-panel is Šuper, ignored as the thunderous passage comes within arm’s reach of her on his way to plant an enormous fist into Ezra’s face.

Fortunately, this tactic is telegraphed obviously enough that it can be seen coming 1.6 kilometers away. Two feet shy of Ezra’s beginnings of a dodge – which looked to be too late to make a difference – two more feet belonging to Spartan crash down in the middle of the muscled forearm, driving the Jackal’s punch down to impact with the street rather than with Ezra’s pretty face. The asphalt craters under the impact, stress fractures radiating out from misshapen divot in a manner that suggests it would have hurt, just a bit, should the blow have landed.

The Jackal roars, enraged, and is within both easy swinging distance of Spartan and Ezra, but only a long stride away from Šuper as well.

The cameras are definitely catching the exchange; not only the team’s body cameras, but Dynast spots at least two drones in the air that likely are sending their feeds to the media van parked a safe-ish distance away.


Two Hold expended by Spartan to keep Ezra’s pretty face from being messed up. The Jackal seems mildly put out.

[Razade]

Ezra, The Delinquent
Conditions:
Potential: /5

Even as Spartan steps in to push the blow into the ground, Ezra lunges above the armored hero with a snarl. "Don't tell me what to do!" he shouts, black working up his arms as he channels his powers before bringing a furious flurry of punches down on The Jackal. It wasn't enough to hurt the guy, physical limitations none-withstanding, he had to send a message. "You wanna underestimate me, that's fine. I'm gonna show you why we name storms after people."

He landed softly, expanding his senses. The man was fast, faster than anything that big had a right to be. He wasn't ready the first time, Spartan saved him a few bruises to be sure, but he'd be set this time, ready to spring away.

Rolled a 9 on Directly Engage, boosted to 10 with team. Impressing/Scaring/Etc and avoiding blows.

[Catastrophic_B]

Spartan
Conditions: none
Potential: 1/5

As Jackal's arm crashed into the street, Spartan kicked off the insanely large forearm and into a handspring, as the asphalt cracked under the force of the blow.

"Keep the pressure on!" Spartan called out, as he ignited the thrusters in one leg to power up a roundhouse kick aimed at Jackal's leg.

Rolled to Directly engage a threat. Got a 3. Marking potential.

[Hans Free]

Šuperconductor
Conditions: None, for now...
Potential: 0/5
Freak: +1
Danger: +2
Savior: -1
Superior: +1
Mundane: 0
[X]Thick and thin skinned: Whenever you have Angry marked, take +1 ongoing to unleash your powers.
[X]There when it matters: When you defend someone, on a hit you can hold 1 instead of choosing one from the list. Spend your hold when they are in danger later to arrive on the scene ready to help.
[X]The Bull's Heart: You always have exactly one love and one rival. You can change your love or rival at any time; give the new subject of your affections or disdain Influence over you. Take +1 ongoing to any action that impresses your Love Ezra or frustrates your Rival Nikita.
[X]Enabler: When you provoke your love or rival, roll + Danger if you are trying to provoke them to rash or poorly thought out action.

Slight white buck teeth graze pink lips over cool skin; Szuper's grin increasing as Ezra yells at Spartan not to give him orders, her fury abating for a second as he compares himself to a storm. You can almost see electricity in her eyes as her gaze lingers on the boy, breathless. Šuperconductor releases an unwrapped hand from her windbreaker. Ever-so-gently, her clear fingers meet. SNAP.

HEY.

Sparks fly as the air thins around each of Ezra's hands. His Ryou-filled fists cut ever-so-slightly quicker through the air into Jackal's meaty visage; making the red-head look like the very storm he claimed to be. Each mighty blow in the flurry sparks a chain reaction through the Jackal's synaptic nerve axels, lighting up the parts of his brain, adding the briefest flashes of the fear of the Silhouetted Man into the villain's mind.

LOOK.

A headphone off, she feels the faintest tingle telepathic empathy for the Jackal; for his fear. She looks down at her hand, frankly shocked at what she's accidentally let herself do. She's used her powers to make someone else stronger -- even if just by a fraction -- without meaning to... probably for the first time since she left the cult. And it felt so... good. It makes her sick to her stomach. Her brows furrow as Jayden swings his leg into the Jackal -- the villain still not paying attention to her; just like the rest of them. Her lips unmoving, she projects another wyrd into his head.

LIŠTEN.

But she's not satisfied to take the chance, so she quickly cups her hands together in front of her mouth and shouts.

"Hey, didn't you hear me, you big lummox!? I~know~what~you're~scared~of!" She taunts the Jackal in a sing-song voice. Szuper points to her head with one finger and taps.

"Just because you look ugly doesn't mean you're tough. 'Specially not up here, Sunshine. You shouldn't be so focused on the weaklings when you've got a whole army's worth of badasses here; Me." She smiles satisfied as she points up at her face and strikes a cutesie pose; waving her hands above her head and leaving behind an into an illusion of big bold bubble letters that crackle before bursting into nothing: ŠUPERCONDUCTOR!

Spent a team to boost Ezra's roll! Rolling to Provoke Jackal to focus on her instead of Jayden. Got a 6. Per Bull's heart, if it frustrates Niki or impresses Ezra -- it gets boosted to a 7, otherwise, I need a team/mark potential.

EDIT: Per Discord, Astral Black is frustrated by Szuper's antics. Roll upgraded to 7!!

[Comissar]

Dynast (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=24051736&postcount=6)
Conditions:
Potential: 0/5
Danger: +1
Freak: +1
Savior: +1
Superior: +2
Mundane: +0
Been reading the files

You've learned about the superhero world through your mentor's resources. When you first encounter an important superpowered phenomenon (your call), roll +Superior. On a hit, tell the team one important detail you've learned from your studies. The GM will tell you what, if anything, seems different from what you remember. On a 10+, ask the GM a follow-up question; they will answer it honestly. On a miss, the situation is well outside your base of knowledge, the GM will tell you why.

Fireside chat

When you seek advice from your mentor, roll + the label they embody. On a hit, they will tell you what to do. On a 10+ mark potential if you follow their advice, and take a +1 forward on going to follow through. On a 7-9, you get +1 forward to see it through if you do it their way. On a miss, they don't have time for you because something big has gone down; Mark a condition, GM's choice.

Be mindful of your surroundings

When you assess the situation before entering into a fight, you may ask one additional question, even on a miss.

With Jackal's attention pretty thoroughly taken up by her fellow heroes, Akemi keys up her comms suite, opening simultaneous comms to the hotel and convention center.

"Attention. This is Dynast of the Range Riders." There's the briefest moment of hesitation as she speaks their team name, an inside cut on her face showing her pulling a slight face, "My team are keeping Jackal occupied. I'm yet to see any secondary threats. Can I offer my assistance in evacuation?"

[The_Specialist]

Astral Black, The Nova
Conditions: Insecure, Afraid, Guilty
Potential: 0/5
Burn: 1/2


Nikita is already only a few steps from a panic attack, he would have thought Szuper’s appearance would only make that a step closer. The aggravation is almost a distraction however; it takes a lot to make Nikki angry given his trend to become a wet blanket in the face of interpersonal conflict, but Szuper is one of the few people who can push his buttons. The greeting and challenging wink from the other pale haired hero causes him to instinctively bristle, where being face to face with an actual villain only made him nervous. He should be glad she’s there to help Ezra as the redhead dives straight into raining fury upon Jackal, but seeing the Szuper-blue sparks flying from the other boy’s fists just makes him... uncomfortable.

He lets out a yelp when the brute appears to nearly crash a fist into Ezra, only to be stopped by Jayden crashing down on Jackal’s arm. The massive fellow moves surprisingly fast for his size, proved again as it looks like he’s about to retaliate for Jayden’s interference. Letting out another squeak of dismay, this time Nikita manages to do more than gawk. He'll have time to feel guilty that he didn't move quick enough to defend his bestie later.

Holding out a hand, his amber eyes flash green for a moment, the energy seeming to radiate away from his face and disperse rapidly into smoke the same verdant hue. It flickers at his outstretched fingertips, but nothing appears directly in front of them. Instead, a slab of jade crystal materializes with a loud cracking sound, slamming into the ground directly between Jayden and The Jackal to take the blow instead. From where Jayden stands, he will be able to see that on his side of the small ‘wall’, there’s also a pair of ribbons protruding, the alien material flowing fluidly as if caught in an invisible wind and unbound by gravity, though they curl inwards, the loose ends reconnecting to the flat surface to form loops. While the same colour as the crystalline slab, they are strangely malleable in contrast to the shield despite appearing to be made of the same stuff. The pair of straps are clearly placed and shaped so that he could stick an arm through, and turn the slab into a tower shield. Jayden can easily lift the shield out of the ground again and use it for any purpose, if he wishes.

Just as Niki’s feeling tentatively pleased with himself for managing something even vaguely useful, Szuper is quick to steal the spotlight and try and distract Jackal from the ‘weaklings’. He tries not to let her get to him, but being called a ‘weakling’ does sting, perhaps because he is so self-conscious of that concept, amongst others. Outside of his ‘Mount Morozov’ moments, he’s well aware he comes off as one of the weaker contenders, at least to some. At least in his own head, he must. Not that Naya wants the spotlight either, no. But something about the outrageous pageantry that Szuper approaches everything with just drives him up the wall. Never mind the fact that this is television and over-the-top displays are most likely encouraged.

It’s still something that Nikita hasn’t got used to, and Szuper’s blatant flexing of her ego can only be met with disdain. He tries to ignore it in most cases, especially considering there are cameras on them at almost all times and he doesn’t want to make a name for himself being confrontational. This time however, a visible scowl takes over as the big balloon letters appear in to the air along with her declaration: ŠUPERCONDUCTOR!

“Oh my god, please shut up...” Nikita pleads in an exasperated whine. He immediately blushes, having the grace to feel embarrassed at himself, though he can't say he doesn't still feel the sentiment.

Spending 1 Burn to make a Construct and protect Jayden!

[Captain Jak]

Stampede City
July 11th, 2019, 6:54pm MDT
Downtown!
TEAM: 2

There's no reply to Dynast's communication attempt for a long moment as the action continues to unfold below, until a response comes in on a frequency that likely belongs to a handheld shortwave radio; front desk to bellhop, perhaps.

Dynast? The superhero kid?" Perhaps the confusion stems from the public's lack of awareness of the team's spiffy new name as of yet. "We're evacuating people out the back to 8th Street; it's just going to take time. Just...keep him from bringing the place down on our heads!"

Down below, the Jackal...well, he doesn't respond very well to Ezra's blows. While not grievously damaging, by design, they're quite painful, and this is apparently something the big man hasn't expected to encounter. Stumbling back from the swift assault, unable to lay a hand on his small but energetic opponent, he reaches one long arm and grabs a delivery truck abandoned at the curb, overturning it between himself and Ezra.

Spartan's attempt at engaging with him only seems to spur the ugly brute on, one huge fist coming crashing down at the armoured hero – only to be blocked by the materialization of the smoky green crystal slab, which is driven a few inches deeper into the street by the blow.

The Jackal's irritated snarl is cut short by Šuper's taunting words, and his eyes widen.

"No! You can't! Stay out of my head, you'll ruin everything! he bellows, sounding more fearful than angry. Ripping the mage-conjured slab of stone out of the ground, he hurls it with deadly force at the hovering heroine! If it wasn't for her wings' ability to bleed momentum out of an object she likely would have several times as many bones in her body as she is supposed to...assuming you count broken ones as individual pieces. As it is, the slab is perhaps two inches from her nose before it halts, falling away to boom into the street with ponderous impact.


The Jackal marks a condition and is scared of Ezra being able to injure him so easily. Spartan's attack is unsuccessful, and the Jackal's return blow is only foiled by Astral's intervention. Šuper successfully focuses their foe's attention upon her...something she might regret quickly. He overreacts out of proportion to the situation; Šuper gains influence over the Jackal.

[Razade]

Ezra, The Delinquent
Conditions: Angry,
Potential: /5

Ezra squares up, ready to take a truck to the face at any second only for silence...or at least mostly silence to greet him. Super was messing with his head it seemed but all he could really dwell on is how everyone was dog piling on his kill. This was his thing, cocky meatheads that thought they were invincible. He'd made it through the whole show on the back of that premise, dealing with people who thought they could take him down. Didn't they have other things to worry about, like the civilians? Now the brute was getting cautious. Going on the defensive. Hunkering down. That made him more dangerous and all that really did was make Ezra angry.

It was an emotion he was familiar with, perhaps to a point of fondness. He was usually angry. He woke up angry, he went to bed angry. It was a bonfire that raged in his chest at almost every hour of ever day since he'd left home. It was all the little things that made good kindling. The gnawing worry he wasn't good enough. That he was letting everyone down. That he was leading Nikita on some fool's errand coming all the way up to this frigid hellhole for some minor shot at glory. That he wasn't as smart or talented as the rest of the team. All that anxiety just went into anger, because it was easier to just be angry than to deal with your emotions like a responsible adult. Speaking of Nikita.

His eyes flicked to the green wall that slid up to protect the Boyscout. He'd done him a solid, stopping that very large fist from smearing him across the concrete...but there was more for him to be angry about. Ever since the team had been picked, Nikita had gotten in with the rest. Well. Most of the rest. Super and he certainly weren't getting on well and that made him angry too. If all those little anxieties fed into the roaring fury within, the dread of losing his only real friend to these...these people...it was like gasoline.

"Hey!" he snapped as he also snapped back to the fight ongoing. "Hey you! Tough guy!" All that rage bubbling up in him, he could feel it. He didn't have the best control of The King's Will but that never stopped him before. The ground trembled, dust swirled about him and then like a bubble popping the air grew heavy as he exerted his fury and will about himself like a club. "You forgot to put your toys away." he bellowed, focusing all of it onto The Jackal, to crush him, to wring all that fear within him until he was nothing. If others around him felt the pressure...that wouldn't be a first either. He liked being messy.

[Comissar]

Dynast (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=24051736&postcount=6)
Conditions:
Potential: 0/5
Danger: +1
Freak: +1
Savior: +1
Superior: +2
Mundane: +0
Been reading the files

You've learned about the superhero world through your mentor's resources. When you first encounter an important superpowered phenomenon (your call), roll +Superior. On a hit, tell the team one important detail you've learned from your studies. The GM will tell you what, if anything, seems different from what you remember. On a 10+, ask the GM a follow-up question; they will answer it honestly. On a miss, the situation is well outside your base of knowledge, the GM will tell you why.

Fireside chat

When you seek advice from your mentor, roll + the label they embody. On a hit, they will tell you what to do. On a 10+ mark potential if you follow their advice, and take a +1 forward on going to follow through. On a 7-9, you get +1 forward to see it through if you do it their way. On a miss, they don't have time for you because something big has gone down; Mark a condition, GM's choice.

Be mindful of your surroundings

When you assess the situation before entering into a fight, you may ask one additional question, even on a miss.

"Duly noted, Dynast out."

Akemi cancels the comm-link and shifts her attention back to the ongoing fight below. After a few moments consideration she hits a few keys on her mech's control pad, the wing-cases flaring open with a soft hiss as nearly imperceptible plates slid back along the surface of the casings. The words 'flares ready to fire' pop up on one of her heads up screens. With a nod, she hits another button. The panel focused on her shows her sliding out, leaving just the empty cockpit behind. A wideshot shows her exiting her beetle-like mech, adjusting her top as she walks across the roof away from the dramatically posed suit. From the high angle, the skirmish between her team and Jackal occupying a very busy corner of the panel.

Nearing the edge of the building on the opposite corner to her mech, Akemi drops into a crouch, resting one hand just ahead of herself to stay stable. She frowns as she looks down for a moment. Something about all of this still felt strange. Reaching up to her ear, she tapped a button on her comm-link. As she speaks, her voice echoes from and is amplified from her stationary mech. "Jackal! Give yourself up! You're surrounded and outgunned, be realistic! How do you think this will end?"

Akemi's gonna try and pierce the mask, hopefully appealing to reason here :smalltongue:.

Pierce - [roll0]

Edit - She'll want to know 'How can I get your character to surrender without further fighting?'

[Catastrophic_B]

Spartan
Conditions: none
Potential: 1/5

Jayden knew this Jackal guys was going to be a tough customer, but he's caught off guard by just how tough he is, when his kick has basically no effect. A flare of panic surges through Jayden as he sees Jackal's fist sailing towards him, only to be replaced by a wave of relief as a jade shield materialises in front of him and takes the blow for him. "Thanks Astral!" Spartan calls out across the battlefield, as he made a mental note that he owed Nikita for saving him there.

He's about to reach for the cool new shield, when Jackal grabs it for himself and hurles it towards Superconductor. Fortunately the girls natural defences stopped it before it could do any real damage.

Not willing to give up on the shiny new toy Astral had given him, Jayden runs over and scoops up the shield, before firing back into the fray. With his boosters firing, he goes low and charges directly at Jackal, swing the shield up the moment he's under the big man's guard, and aiming for the chin. While he lacked Ezra's skill and experience in fighting, Jayden's particular upbringing had taught him some biology facts; like how a hard hit to the chin can causes the lower jaw to slaw into the skull, and as the force and momentum of the hit passes from the jaw to the rest of the head, the brain can get pushed against the skull briefly, and this in turn can leave someone stunned, or in some cases unconscious.

Spending my last hold to stun Jackal as per the 'Before We Get Started' Soldier move.

[Hans Free]

Šuperconductor
Conditions: ANGER.
Potential: 0/5
Freak: +1
Danger: +2
Savior: -1
Superior: +1
Mundane: 0
[X]Thick and thin skinned: Whenever you have Angry marked, take +1 ongoing to unleash your powers.
[X]There when it matters: When you defend someone, on a hit you can hold 1 instead of choosing one from the list. Spend your hold when they are in danger later to arrive on the scene ready to help.
[X]The Bull's Heart: You always have exactly one love and one rival. You can change your love or rival at any time; give the new subject of your affections or disdain Influence over you. Take +1 ongoing to any action that impresses your Love Ezra or frustrates your Rival Nikita.
[X]Enabler: When you provoke your love or rival, roll + Danger if you are trying to provoke them to rash or poorly thought out action.

"Nik--KITA!!" Szuper screams at the boy, her eye twitching while the distinctly ensorcelled shield grinds into the "wings" in front of her face for a second, before bouncing off of her and into the street. "Stop arming the Bad Guy, you... you... Nitwit!"

She almost gasps as SPARTAN trucks across the battlefield like a tank given a linebacker's legs in front of her in order to throw the shield back at Jackal. Nikita's shield. Doesn't ask if she's okay. Her eye twitches again. We get a camera close-up on her distinctly unhead-phoned ear as she "overhears" Ezra. I- dog-piling on his kill? There's only one enemy, you ***hat! And she wasn't even invited to be here, unlike everyone else. Did the producers really think so little of her? And so highly of Nikita and Ezra? A pit develops in her Chinese food and alcohol-filled gut as her glassy blue fists clench, the spark of electric on them and her eyes as she steps forward up to the stunned Jackal. Extreme close up on her face, an eerily tranquil fury.

TRACE. She points out a blueish finger gun, leveraging her index finger up against the Jackal's blemished forehead.

"'Kay... now you've done it, Jackal... Making me feel bad? Making me use my powers for something other than putting you into a temporary coma!? Bad mother-****ing move. Because now I'm gonna totally -- like -- tear you apart electron by electron, until I find what I'm looking for." A spark crosses between the two, as she sends a flash of fear into him to trigger the familiar synaptic response of the Silhouetted Man. As it catches, she starts rapidly burning through the network of arrays in his mind to try and trace the location of the mystery man back to his source. It wasn't entirely different from how she got to the battle -- but far, far more brutal; tracing into his memory far enough to pick up the enough of the residual EM fields of the electronics in the location Jackal to create a ping out of it for her to pursue. To get to him before everyone else, to mark her territory.

"Good luck with 'your' kill, boys. You can handle the paperwork. I've got a big bad guy to curbstomp out until he's teethless." She snorts and laughs, waving dismissively before sparks start to catch at her feet -- getting ready to fly.

Rolling at +2 to extend Szuper's sense (Freak +1 & Thick and thin-skinned for an additional +1) in order to track the original location of the mystery villain and Jackal's meeting, with the hopes that she'll be able to track him down.

Got a 7! The true power of Anger; it turns all your failures into successes. Gonna choose to make it temporary/unstable.

[The_Specialist]

Astral Black, The Nova
Conditions: Insecure, Afraid, Guilty
Potential: 0/5
Burn: 1/2

"N.. No problem!" Naya chirps when Jayden calls out a thanks, still sounding pleasantly surprised with himself.

Nikita blinks in far less pleasant shock when the Jackal rips the shield out of the ground and flings it away. Aww. That sentiment is short lived, transforming into a flash of guilty terror as he realizes it’s headed straight for Szuper! He may be annoyed with her, that doesn’t mean he wants to see her to get creamed, and by his own creation! He only wants to see that in his head! Not reality! Thankfully, it doesn’t come to pass.

Szuper’s scream though does cause him to flinch and grimace like a jumpy little dog.

“I... it wasn’t meant for him!!” He shouts back, doing his best not to immediately apologize. Not to her! It wasn’t his fault! Was it? He hadn’t even considered that the Jackal could use the creation as a weapon when he’d summoned it. “Sorry!!” Ugh. He can’t quite hold the apology back, even if it’s for Szuper.

Thankfully, Spartan recovers the shield for himself and puts it to work against the massive brute. Nikita lifts his hands, giving his own face a series of little slaps to get his head back on track, as much as he can. How else can he make himself useful? And hopefully not injure anyone in the process?

The other two boy seem to be laying on the hurt pretty well, so maybe he can make it easier for them. Nikita’s eyes begin to glow with emerald light once more, the same energy flickering and crackling around his fingertips. Green liquid begins to seep and bubble out of the ground beneath and behind the Jackal, rapidly taking shape into more solid tendrils of magic that crack through the asphalt. The further they build and extend from the ground, the more refined they become, forming the shape of chains as they lash out and coil hastily around the Jackal’s limbs to try and keep him pinned down, or at least unable to utilize his full speed and mobility.

Rolled 12 to Unleash Nikita's powers to keep the Jackal tied up.

[Captain Jak]

Stampede City
July 11th, 2019, 6:55pm MDT
Downtown!
TEAM: 2

A half-page panel shows the extent of the battlefield, with combatants in close, medium, and long range with their brutish opponent. A dramatic tableau, a group of small individuals acting in concert to defeat a more powerful, savage force.

Well. Mostly in concert.

The pace of the next few panels begins to accelerate, things happening almost at once.

”Hah! I ain’t never gonna stop until the other guy comes out, and I’m not letting that happen any time soon! the Jackal crows at Dynast, who looks somehow fragile outside her mech.

He might have more to say on the subject, but that’s when Spartan whirls in and slams a heavy slab of solid stone into the underside of the Jackal’s jaw, clearly rattling his cage for a moment and giving Šuper the opening to step in and invade the man’s mind in earnest.

*flash*

The trail runs south and west, not far in truth, to a building on 19th Ave.

*flash*

An old home, converted to a business as many are in this desirable area of urban real estate. A sign out front, glimpsed briefly; R.L. Stevenson, MD

*flash*

Šuper is barely aware of tarry black chains ripping themselves out of the asphalt around her to bind the Jackal into place, as she delves further; through the front door, down the hall to an office, and finally to a black mirror—

No, not a black mirror, but a powered-down computer monitor.

A growing sense of unease that originates from Ezra abruptly swells into full fury as he unleashes The King’s Will. Everyone in the immediate area feels thrills of fear of varying intensities as they catch the edges of the assault, but the full, horrifying, nigh-paralyzing effect is reserved for the Jackal.

And the mind playing piggy-back on his at that moment too, of course, the fear coming sizzling back up the somewhat unstable mental linkage Šuper has forged with the villain.


The Jackal is stunned, restrained, and mostly paralyzed with fear. Everyone else is feeling nervous and/or uneasy as the catch the edges of Ezra’s psychic assault – except for Šuper, who marks Afraid.

[Hans Free]

Šuperconductor
Conditions: Angry (-2 to Comfort, Pierce), Afraid (-2 to directly engage)
Potential: 0/5
Freak: +1
Danger: +2
Savior: -1
Superior: +1
Mundane: 0
[X]Thick and thin skinned: Whenever you have Angry marked, take +1 ongoing to unleash your powers.
[X]There when it matters: When you defend someone, on a hit you can hold 1 instead of choosing one from the list. Spend your hold when they are in danger later to arrive on the scene ready to help.
[X]The Bull's Heart: You always have exactly one love and one rival. You can change your love or rival at any time; give the new subject of your affections or disdain Influence over you. Take +1 ongoing to any action that impresses your Love Ezra or frustrates your Rival Nikita.
[X]Enabler: When you provoke your love or rival, roll + Danger if you are trying to provoke them to rash or poorly thought out action.

We enter on what looks like white marble reflected in a black mirror. But it's the reflection of Šuperconductor's face as it comes into FOCUS. We flip the camera, as disoriented as the Jackal, to see Šuper; her eyes wide and frozen in a mix of terror and ecstasy as she peels the skin from her eyelids down, digging her fingernails through her face. But when the camera spins back around her she is completely normal.

She had felt the King's Will before, but the intensity of her fear was turned up like a dial, all the way up to eleven this time; multiplied as it was by her mental link with the Jackal and her divided existence. Was it because she was inside the Jackal's mind? Or... was it... was it because she was the Jackal? No, she shook her head. Absolutely not. She had always suspected that she and Ezra weren't unlike oil and water with their powers. Or oil and fire? She wasn't really quite sure what the saying was, but it sure seemed to apply here.

And suddenly the obvious fear crosses her mind as the construct of the Jackal's mind rumbles and starts to fall apart around her. What if she can't get out of the Jackal's mind now? Because if Šuperconductor doesn't get going, there's all but a certainty that she will get herself stuck and--

"I-- What the hey? Is that... Are you.... talking about me?" A dialogue balloon shoots out of a panel as it floats by; Šuper upside down in it, her brow furrowed. A refraction of a damaged mind. She looks up to see the very wall of text you've just read floating above her head. She glares up at it and puts her arms together.

"Screw you! You don't define me! I'm gonna... I'm gonna tear him apart from the inside out until I bust my way out of here if I have to. So don't you dare look down on me, don't any of you!! I'm not a prisoner. I'm a weapon. Okay? Okay!?" And a jet of blue light erupts around the super-heroine, her psychic wings unfurling and unwrap themselves completely, revealing a massively oversized pair of angelic imitations as glassy-electric blue as her hands. And suddenly the world of shadows and memories is small and smaller until it can fit into Šuper's hands, contained by her until she it's as small as a pill. Her pink eyes look seriously sinister as she pops the whole of the Jackal's mental world, crushed under her hands, into her mouth and swallows.

"Maybe I'll show you some of my memories down in there as I shred through your Broca's. That's the language center of your brain, if you didn't know..." The panel fractures into a million pieces as another Szuper comes down from the ceiling with no mouth, her eyes screaming in terror for her. "Promise you'll love every broken little bit of my mind just as much much as I do!" She licks her lips and laughs, subconsciously imitating her torturer.


~~


In the corporeal world, Šuper still stands above the Jackal, her face twisted into barely contained disgust, rage and fear. At him. At herself. She turns her back to him; ***** her clear thumb back like the hammer of a gun. Pulls the trigger. Rays of blue electric pour out of the back of his head like an arc of a spray of lightning.

"Shut up until I command you to speak." She pauses for a minute to observe her handiwork, a look of pity in her eyes. No. She shakes it off. "Now spill the ******* beans, kay? Thanks, goodbye." She turns her back; shifts like she's going to leave but hesitates, leaving an un-headphoned ear his way, still wanting to hear what he might reveal.

Rolling at 0 to directly engage the Jackal in the mind link. Mind fight!

Got a 10! Gonna choose to take something from him (his control over his ability to speak/keep secrets) and Resist or Avoid his Blows.

[Razade]

Ezra, The Delinquent
Conditions: Angry,
Potential: /5

"So. Much. Talking." Ein used his hand to mimic someone's mouth moving in Super's general direction, throwing a challenging look her way even as the air settled around him. If there was anyone to blame for his especially eager streak of competition today it had to be her right? Not the nagging worry over Nikita and Spartan doing whatever it was they were planning. Not the ever present dread that he would in short order lose his only friend if he showed any small sign of weakness.

"I'm bored with him anyway." he huffed, throwing his arms into the air. "Whose left to fight? Are we done here?" He turns to the cameras, motioning about them. "Well? He's not going anywhere, everyone's safe. Can we go?"

[Captain Jak]

Stampede City
July 11th, 2019, 6:57pm MDT
Downtown!
TEAM: 2

One of the camera drones obligingly gives Ezra a speaking platform, hovering in front of the angry teen as he expresses his disgust at the situation.

Whether or not the situation is, in fact, under control and everyone safe is a matter that can be debated—for a few moments longer.

The Jackal’s psyche seems to...crumble under Šuper’s touch, and his physical form follows suit as he seems to collapse in upon himself, leaving a large tarry cage surrounding a now much smaller man, balding and very pale, dressed in torn and stretched-out pants.

“Oh no please, he’s gone, please don’t hurt me, please please he’s gone now!” the man babbles, scurrying back on his backside until his back fetches up against the side of the impromptu asphalt cage.

...okay, so that can probably be conclusively called under control.


We’ll call that definitively defeated.

[Comissar]

Dynast (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=24051736&postcount=6)
Conditions:
Potential: 0/5
Danger: +1
Freak: +1
Savior: +1
Superior: +2
Mundane: +0
Been reading the files

You've learned about the superhero world through your mentor's resources. When you first encounter an important superpowered phenomenon (your call), roll +Superior. On a hit, tell the team one important detail you've learned from your studies. The GM will tell you what, if anything, seems different from what you remember. On a 10+, ask the GM a follow-up question; they will answer it honestly. On a miss, the situation is well outside your base of knowledge, the GM will tell you why.

Fireside chat

When you seek advice from your mentor, roll + the label they embody. On a hit, they will tell you what to do. On a 10+ mark potential if you follow their advice, and take a +1 forward on going to follow through. On a 7-9, you get +1 forward to see it through if you do it their way. On a miss, they don't have time for you because something big has gone down; Mark a condition, GM's choice.

Be mindful of your surroundings

When you assess the situation before entering into a fight, you may ask one additional question, even on a miss.

Dynast recoils slightly in the face of the psychic backlash from Ezra's assault on the Jackal, her chance to try and decipher the meaning of his words snatched from her as she tries to recover her mental footing. Her wits return to her in time to see Šuper moving in to deliver the final blow, and her eyes narrow at the resultant withering of the Jackal's form. As his form reduces, she rises to her feet and hops off the edge of the building she was perched on. A series of vertical panels show her jumping, then her belt flaring a bright blue, and her descent slowing to allow her to gently touch to the ground. Once on solid pavement, she jogs over to the man that once was the Jackal.

"Ok..." She raises a hand placatingly as she draws closer, glancing briefly to Ezra and Spartan as she does, "Ok, ok, ok... You can calm down, we're not gonna keep attacking you if you've surrendered." She comes to a stop a couple of meters from the man, dropping into a crouch in front of him, "You're ok, I promise. My name's Akemi, what's your name..?"

Akemi will be attempting a Comfort/Support to try and get the guy to calm down enough that we can talk to him properly.

Comfort/Support - [roll0]

[Captain Jak]

Stampede City
July 11th, 2019, 6:58pm MDT
Downtown!
TEAM: 2

The much-reduced Jackal responds to Akemi’s soothing words, visibly coming down from his panicked reactions.

”R-rob. Uh, Doctor Rob Stevenson,” he stammers, huddling in on himself a little now that he’s coming down from his panicked reactions. A small inset panel flashes back to Šuper’s memory trace, with the sign bearing that very name. ”I’m, well....” he gestures vaguely. ”I normally can keep it under control, but I was in my office, and I got an email with a link attached to it, and then...and then....” He trails off, shaking his head and shivering slightly.

The camera drones buzz around the scene, catching different angles of the now-gathered team and their defeated opponent.

Worth must be thrilled.

Civilians begin to emerge from a few of the nearby buildings that hadn’t managed to be entirely evacuated by the time things had been brought to an end, and their reactions seem...odd. Grateful for the situation being contained, yes; but from the looks being directed the team’s way, a lot of them seem to be uneasy about something. Or someone.


The Doctor opens up to your Comfort & Support, and clears Afraid.

[Razade]

Ezra, The Delinquent
Conditions: Angry,
Potential: /5

It was over! Quickly!

"Why are we still here? The fight's over. Let the cops handle this or something." Ezra watched the cameras, and the crowd, uneasily right back at both of them as he moved closer to Nikita. "You hurt, Kita?" It was something to distract him, always easier to worry about his traveling companion rather than worry about himself and it kept the others from pestering the shy sorcerer to boot, fussing and fretting over Nikita in his usual way.

[Comissar]

Dynast (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=24051736&postcount=6)
Conditions:
Potential: 0/5
Danger: +1
Freak: +1
Savior: +1
Superior: +2
Mundane: +0
Been reading the files

You've learned about the superhero world through your mentor's resources. When you first encounter an important superpowered phenomenon (your call), roll +Superior. On a hit, tell the team one important detail you've learned from your studies. The GM will tell you what, if anything, seems different from what you remember. On a 10+, ask the GM a follow-up question; they will answer it honestly. On a miss, the situation is well outside your base of knowledge, the GM will tell you why.

Fireside chat

When you seek advice from your mentor, roll + the label they embody. On a hit, they will tell you what to do. On a 10+ mark potential if you follow their advice, and take a +1 forward on going to follow through. On a 7-9, you get +1 forward to see it through if you do it their way. On a miss, they don't have time for you because something big has gone down; Mark a condition, GM's choice.

Be mindful of your surroundings

When you assess the situation before entering into a fight, you may ask one additional question, even on a miss.

Pointedly ignoring Ezra's impatience, Akemi kept her focus on the frightened doctor. "Your transformation is involuntary, then." More a statement than a question, her brow furrowed into a frown, "But you were sent something that triggered it... Can you describe what the attachment was..? Or better still, do you remember who sent you the e-mail?"

[Catastrophic_B]

Spartan
Conditions: none
Potential: 2/5

The King's Will left a cold shiver going down Spartan's spine as his HUD alerted him to the fact his heart rate was spiking. As the team wrapped up the fight, with Astral trapping Jackal, Super knocking him out of his super form, and Dynast's kind words calming him and coaxing information out, Spartan focused on his breathing, bringing his heart rate back down to normal levels as he surveyed the area.

It was the team's first official outing, and with the situation contained to the carpark, no civilian casualties, and no members of the team with any apparent injuries, he felt they could call this a great success. However it didn't seem like he would get to bask in the moment as Ezra seemed to insist on constant complaints that ruined the mood.

"If you're looking for something to do Ezra, how about you and Astral bring the paramedics and A.E.G.I.S. agents over here? The sooner they have this guy checked over and secured, the sooner we can leave, and you can go from being grumpy here, to being grumpy back at the base."

Hoping that would be enough to keep the aggressive martial artist busy for a moment, Spartan walked over to Super, leaving Astral's shield by Jackal's tarry cage (where he fully intended to pick it up later, but didn't think it would be a good idea to be holding it while talking to Super).

"You alright?" Spartan asked the pale teen. "You were pretty much at ground-zero for Ezra's brain blast, and I know for a fact that's not a fun place to be." As he finished he recalled some piece of trivia about how physical contact helped establish a sense of trust, and tentatively raised one hand and stiffly placed it on Super's shoulder. The whole action felt unbelievably awkward for Jayden who had spent much of his life dedicated to his training, to the detriment of his social skills. Training with A.E.G.I.S. and then the competition had worked miracles for his ability to hold a conversation, but physical contact, especially initiating it, was still very much uncharted territory for him.

Rolled +Mundane to comfort and support (or is it -mundane when your modifiers a negative?). Rolled a 6. Sorry Super, looks like you're holding onto those conditions. Marking potential

[The_Specialist]

Astral Black, The Nova
Conditions: Insecure, Afraid, Guilty
Potential: 0/5
Burn: 1/2

Nikita shudders visibly as The King’s Will passes through him; already high on anxious energy, he almost lets a whimper slip out, but quickly covers his mouth and turns away for a brief moment. It’s almost familiar by now; having been Ezra’s friend for this long, it’s certainly not the first time he’s been close enough to accidentally get a taste of the fear. At least he’s not standing too close this time, though there is a brief flash of ice down his spine, and his stomach almost turns queasy for just a moment. Somehow, he manages to keep the chains wrapped around the Jackal despite the wavering focus, though when he looks back, the Jackal is.... gone?

No, not gone, but in his place, a man that looks far from imposing, and just as scared if not more than Nikita feels. The chains slip off of his shrunken form, though Nikita watches uncertainly for a moment longer. When Akemi approaches to soothe the frightened man, Nikita also feels comfortable enough to allow the chains to dissolve, the jade goop sinking back into the ground and disappearing with a soft hiss of verdant smoke before no trace is left at all.

Stepping cautiously closer while listening, Nikita is ultimately intercepted by Ezra.

“N-No, I’m not hurt...” He promises quickly, happy to stick close to his friend now, and he does move in quite close, as if expecting he might still have a reason to hide soon or just needing the emotional support. “Are you alright?” He asks quickly a moment later, looking over the other teen rapidly, in between shooting glances towards ‘Dr. Stevenson’ as the others speak with him. When Jayden suggests they go and guide the paramedics and A.E.G.I.S. over, Nikita looks to Ezra for his reaction and response.

[Hans Free]

Šuperconductor
Conditions: ANGRY! AFRAID! (Now) HOPELESS!
Potential: 0/5
Freak: +1
Danger: +2
Savior: -1
Superior: +1
Mundane: 0
[X]Thick and thin skinned: Whenever you have Angry marked, take +1 ongoing to unleash your powers.
[X]There when it matters: When you defend someone, on a hit you can hold 1 instead of choosing one from the list. Spend your hold when they are in danger later to arrive on the scene ready to help.
[X]The Bull's Heart: You always have exactly one love and one rival. You can change your love or rival at any time; give the new subject of your affections or disdain Influence over you. Take +1 ongoing to any action that impresses your Love Ezra or frustrates your Rival Nikita.
[X]Enabler: When you provoke your love or rival, roll + Danger if you are trying to provoke them to rash or poorly thought out action.

"Errr.... I... guess I maybe, might have, may have gone a just a teeny, tiny little bit overboard..." Šuper laughs it off, sighing and relaxing for but a moment as the situation de-escalates (largely unfamiliar territory for her).

And then Akemi bursts into the scene promising not to hurt the Jackal. "Speak for yourself, Dynast!!" She turns to the Jackal, now shriveled up in his weaker form. Trying to feign weakness? No. She shakes her head. Truly defeated. She smirks. "You, you step a toe out of line..." Szuper points a upside-down finger-gun to her temple and a self-made electric pink and blue POW sound effect censors her mouth.

Satisfied with her performance, Šuper winks, and in one, practiced motion slides her headphone back over her ear, tucks it into her pocket and hits play on her jailbroken MP3, playing some aggressive pump-up music. Okay!! I'm gonna go talk to Ezra...! Who... is... now asking Nikita if he is all right. Okay. Awkward. I just need to find this mystery **** and get out some of this pent-up anger and every will be oka--

PAT! She realizes that SPARTAN had been speaking to her.

We stay in the wide, still for a very awkward moment: as the goliath of a young man that is Jayden (especially in his armor) towers over Šuperconductor, his hand firmly planted on her shoulder. Szuper is frozen, like a deer in the headlights, as she processes his words. One of the great things about being an Electrokinetic Telepath, the only Electrokinetic Telepath as long as the members of her old... family stay in their waking sleep is that even when she's headphones-on, the sound waves of normal words just... hang there for her, sitting like distant memories in the electrons of the air waiting to be plucked out and replayed like old strips of film or recent memories.

And after promptly processing his words in said fashion, we cut in as she looks down in horror to realize: his hand is on her shoulder. Touching her. On her body.

Šuper breathes heavy. Her heart rate spikes; her eyes glaze over. She's realized, at least on some level, that her wing-shield hasn't instinctively burst into action. Was... this because of Ezra's blast? had it temporarily shut down her defenses? Her molars ache, her eyes glow as the camera edges STATIC. You'd guess her next move would be to repel SPARTAN back, then...? Attack. Attack. Attack.

But instead the static fizzles as Šuper shrinks under Jayden's light physical contact. She can't even make eye contact with the boy, her gaze is cast firmly at the pavement as she crumbles under the weight of his physical contact. The first real touch she's felt outside of her captors, with limited -- and very personal -- exception. Certainly the first she's not intended to feel.

”I—! I-I’m… Okay... I-I... Please... I— I—! Just... S-stop... T-t-t-touching... M-me..." Šuper buckles, knees hitting the pavement as the last remnants of the alcohol and Chinese food leave her stomach and find a new home on the ground... and SPARTAN's boot. Double awkward. She looks up at him for split-second, teary-eyed, and turns to run before he can say anything.

Sparks already catch at her sneakers as Šuper comes face-to-face with an unsettled crowd of surviving civilians looking fearfully at... her? The team? No, it must be... at Jackal... right? "W-what are you looking at... h-huh!?" She barely gasps out, her words sharp but frail, like the cries of a cornered beast. Her pale brow furrows over her fear-filled eyes as her overgrown, self-cut bangs drift messily over her face. Her glassy hands tense one into a fist, the other around her MP3, each in their respective pockets as she looks past the crowd’s eyes, into their minds.

LIŠTEN.

Rolling at +2 to extend Šuper's sense (Freak +1 & Thick and thin-skinned for an additional +1) to probe the crowd's mind. Because emotions hard, telepathy easy.

Got a 7! Gonna mark hopeless so I don’t, er, explode their minds or whatever. Trauma’s a *****. Also... Sorry about the boot SPARTAN, but you should have thought about that when you failed the roll. /s

[Captain Jak]

Stampede City
July 11th, 2019, 7:00pm MDT
Downtown!
TEAM: 2

Dr. Stevenson shakes his head jerkily in response to Dynast’s questions.

"I’m afraid I can’t tell you anything helpful," he apologises, glancing down at his feet for a moment. "It was, um, some kind of video file, but after I clicked on it...." he trails off and spreads his hands helplessly.

The situation is clearly contained, even if not everyone on the team’s reactions in the aftermath are perhaps quite what they’d wished they were; one of the camera drones is in position to catch Šuper’s ignoble emptying of her stomach, of course.

As police and paramedics start moving into the former battlefield and the slowly building whine of an incoming A.E.G.I.S. containment transport, it should be easy to leave the cleanup in their hands if everyone so wishes; the time for flashy heroics is done, and only the mundane cleanup remains.

Inside Šuper’s head....

Well, never an ideal vacation spot at the best of times, as she extends her senses we get a splash page with a close-up of her anguished face, and overlaying it is a dozen translucent sketches of faces belonging to bystanders, each with their own jagged-edged comments.

...never felt like that before... ...thought my heart would burst... ...things like that... ...they doing to that man?... ...was so scared... ...no, no, not me... ...oh god, I’m going to throw up again... ...goddam kids... ...they do that?... ...surely they couldn’t... ...never again, never... ...why?...

It’s...not overwhelming, but there’s a lot and it’s pretty much all a mix of fear and confusion.

Unless someone wants to follow up on something further here, feel free to head back to Quarters and start the, um, victory celebration?

[Comissar]

Dynast (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showsinglepost.php?p=24051736&postcount=6)
Conditions:
Potential: 0/5
Danger: +1
Freak: +1
Savior: +1
Superior: +2
Mundane: +0
Been reading the files

You've learned about the superhero world through your mentor's resources. When you first encounter an important superpowered phenomenon (your call), roll +Superior. On a hit, tell the team one important detail you've learned from your studies. The GM will tell you what, if anything, seems different from what you remember. On a 10+, ask the GM a follow-up question; they will answer it honestly. On a miss, the situation is well outside your base of knowledge, the GM will tell you why.

Fireside chat

When you seek advice from your mentor, roll + the label they embody. On a hit, they will tell you what to do. On a 10+ mark potential if you follow their advice, and take a +1 forward on going to follow through. On a 7-9, you get +1 forward to see it through if you do it their way. On a miss, they don't have time for you because something big has gone down; Mark a condition, GM's choice.

Be mindful of your surroundings

When you assess the situation before entering into a fight, you may ask one additional question, even on a miss.

Akemi's frown deepens... "... A video..?" Shaking her head, she stands, offering a hand up for the doctor. She glances up after a few moments, waving some of the first responders over. Once they're in ear shot, and ignoring the omni-present cameras, she quickly talks "He was not in control of his own actions, something triggered the transformation in him, and I think he's in shock."

[Captain Jak]

Stampede City
July 11th, 2019, 7:28pm MDT
Quarters
TEAM: 2

Having left cleanup and containment in the hands of the city's emergency services – SCES has the manpower and training for that sort of thing, whereas young heroes can't be expected to know all that procedure after all – the team makes its way back to Quarters, with everyone assembled there about half an hour later. Šuper is the last to arrive; it seems a hot Double Double from Tim Horton's had been calling her name while in transit.

The Quarters are deserted...well, mostly, as it unfortunately turns out. Assistant Jenny is nowhere to be seen, but Worth himself is waiting with a broad smile and almost visible ratings boots shining in his eyes.

"That was perfect! You kids are incredible," he greets them, giving them all a slow clap. "I had them shunt the direct feeds to your screens here, I saw the whole thing." The producer's trademark enthusiasm is well in evidence. "Action, dynamic face-off, dramatic power displays," he nods significantly in Nikita's direction, clearly implying that the teen had carried the day there.

"We'll do some editing on it, throw in a soundtrack and sound effects to punch things up a bit, it'll make a great teaser to the show's opening next week," he goes on, clearly in 'how does this benefit the show' mode rather than showing any sort of concern about the health and safety of his charges. Perhaps he just trusts that they're big, tough heroes who can take care of themselves?

Sure. That's got to be it.

"Anyhow, take a break grab some pizza or something, you guys deserve it," he tells them, fairly bouncing as he heads for the door, apparently forgetting that they had just been eating when the emergency call had come through in the first place. "I'll get out of your hair, let you guys relax and congratulate each other on a job well done." Which, of course, just goes to show how much an adult can be out of touch with the dynamics of a bunch of teenagers who are thrust together to do a job.


Thank Worth for his kind words! Start the victory celebration! Order pizza! Go wild, my children. :P