Savage Masks: Hite Academy Hijinks, IC

[Bagel Bard]

Why apologize? Especially to me of all people... If anything I should be the one to say sorry." Andre lets his words hang in the air for a few moments before continuing. "You were the real deal out there. You learned about the attack in advance, even tried to warn us ahead of time. I could've-" should've "listened back then and maybe things would've played out differently. And up on the rooftop you created the opening I needed to finish off that bug eyed piece of scrap metal. Honestly if it wasn't for the trap on that rifle you probably would've been able to handle that bot on your own. So yeah, I'd say you belong here. Not that it means anything coming from me..."

Marcy smiled, and her brows furrowed slightly as she reacted to Andre's words with a mixture of surprise, confusion, and gratitude. She hadn't expected such a genuine answer, much less an apology. She mentally chided herself for making assumptions. She was surprised at how grateful she was for the validation.

"That, uh... that actually means a lot. I work really hard at this and... well, thanks for saying that." She gave him a wry grin. "And, if we're both apologizing to and thanking each other, maybe we can just call it even? Let's start over." She extended her hand to shake his. "Hi, nice to meet you, I'm Marcy Walker, AKA Madame Mechanis." She gave a small flourish.

She kept an eye on the scene down below. She was definitely worried about Zhou -- the fact that he'd still not reappeared was eating at her -- but she didn't want to draw the attention of Agent Hill. Hopefully he'd show back up, and she'd probably have to admonish him for being too eager to jump into a fight against Zeitgeist. She wasn't sure how Song played into all this, or what happened to her. Questions for later. We're not out of the situation yet.

Spoiler: Mechanics

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Andre gains Influence over me! Hooray for validation!

If we on the catwalk need to worry about Hill's influence, Marcy would accept it & shift Danger down and Freak up . She doesn't want to completely comply -- they'll probably know she was there but the longer she can delay getting "into trouble" the better.

[big teej]

Warehouse:

Spoiler: Joule's Capes, Cowls, & Masks:

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Hexile is definitly a name you've come across. He's the favorite whipping boy of some of your teachers, the poster child, in their opinion, of everything wrong with the current system.

Hexile, Summoner and Mischief-Maker for Hire, is a villain in every sense of the word, except the one that matters: Legally. He's a registered Mercenary, and will put his magic and conjured servants to work with anyone willing to meet his price. He's from time to time even done work, either consulting or getting his own hands dirty, on behalf of some of the greyer hero organizations and federal agencies, but he spends most of his time ruining people's lives for money, or offering spectral security to various illegal activities, his licenses and the courts back him.

One of his servants, Selene the Succubus, is nearly always in personal attendance.
His most physically robust and powerful servant is believed to be The Troll god of Eat, Ghomb. (pronounced like "nom" but with a lotta phlegm and gravel to it.)

The suit who'd fled after noticing Grayson's injuries reappears, soaked to the bone, a large hard-case in one hand, and on his heels is a skeletal, lupine, mechanical something or other that skitters around on six caliper legs, despite it's canid like motion. sprouting from it's back is a stalk that looks like a desk lamp. It rotates and scans the room, a faint light emitting from where the light-bulb would be.

The suit skids to a stop and opens the latches on the hard case, opening it and revealing a variety of chrome implements and various vials of fluid. He points at Grayson and says to the machine. "Priority 1, Meta-Contact, Field Agent Wall, authorize Eight-Eight-Six." The machine perks up at this series of instructions and retrieves two vials and some sort of attachment for it's foremost calipers from the case and scuttles over to Grayson and Joule. "Stand. Aside. Make. Clear." An angry digitized voice barks from a grille set in the dorsal surface, just behind the machine's 'head'.

It shoos Joule away from Grayson and reaches for the boy with three of it's Calipers. They work together to push Grayson over onto the ground, lying on his back, despite his protests. "Do. Not. Move. During. Procedure." The voice barks again, its' calipers moving in a blur to remove the shredded remains of his shirt. It jabs him with a needle and scuttles about until it rests over him, curled up like a scarab, more arms and tools emerge from the machine's undercarriage, which also begins to emit a thick white cloud that soon obscures most of the machine and Grayson's chest.

"Scan local environs, triage all life forms in this warehouse." The largest agent barks at the machine.

The stalk-lamp-thing stretches forth and rotates, a beam of light projecting a golden wedge all the way to the wall and stretching from the floor to the ceiling. The stalk completes a full circuit, sweeping the beam of light around the entire warehouse. The Stalk retracts to it's original length and the machine crackles and sputters before a warm, but clinical, female voice announces, "Triage Complete. Tier Override: Subject under Treatment. Tier 1: Subject, Female, Eight Meters above unit, evidence of recent electrical Trauma. Tier 2: Unidentified Xenomorph, Uninjured, Examination Required per A.E.G.I.S. Policy #7767. Tier 3: All other subjects accounted for, injuries nominal, provide standard after action medical follow up. Followed by what sounds like an old school Dial-up Tone.

The three suits, who Andre had succeeded in fooling until outed by the stupid mechanical spider-dog, turn and look up into the rafters, flashlight beams following their gaze. "I don't see anything..." One calls out. "What about you and that trick eye of yours, Crane?" The other asks. The third, the big one, grunts and rubs underneath his right eye with his thumb. From up in the catwalks, Andre and Marcy can see his eye shine, turning a sky blue. "Yeah. Cute." He says.

While all this is happening...

Kid Caduceus makes a little space for Dizz, but holds onto Ythra's hand. "See? Here she is, didn't take long at all. I told you we'd find her, and she'd be fine." He does a double take at Dizz and her bloodstained clothing and his forked tongue licks out, tasting the air. "None of that's yours, right? It doesn't smell like it." he asks Dizz.

Ythra hugs Dizz back. "Oh thank God. I got caught up in the music and by the time I realized I'd lost track of you in the crowd the robots had attacked and then we couldn't find you and then..." Sarah trails off and takes a deep breath. She glances down at her now blood-stained clothes and looks Dizz up and down again. "You're okay, right?"

Spoiler: Joule's Smarts Roll:

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You hear a voice that isn't yours in your mind. "This is Fate's Fury, Joule." The voice informs you. "I need a sit-rep, what's going on in there? Where's Zeitgeist? Are any other students or civilians in danger?"

You can then hear a faint echo of the mind link your teacher has clearly added you to...
You hear President Maelstrom's voice, clipped, authoritative, issuing orders "Red Comet, I'm putting you through that window in five seconds. Brass, make us an entrance on the roof. Fate's Fury, land near the main entrance and watch the exits. Continue to scan for our students and Zeitgeist. Burn it out if you can.

Spoiler: Andre, Dizz, & Anomaly's Smarts Roll:

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You feel a tapping on your mind, similar to someone politely knocking on your bedroom door, and hear a familiar voice. The echoing call of your highly psychic teacher, Fate's Fury, or as you are sometimes allowed to call her: Ms. Kinfield. You hear faintly her chiding you for blocking her out, and that she needs to add you to the call. This is no time to be coy.

Whatever the A.E.G.I.S. agents were going to do about discovering Andre and Marcy in the rafters is obviated by an explosion of shattered glass and masonry as one of the windows nearer the ceiling is crushed inwards by a massive, ruby red, armored form, curled up into a cannonball. It unfurls as it clears the window, landing with a crashing and screeching along the ground in a spray of sparks and shards of concrete. The armored figure clenches a plasma-bladed hatchet in one fist, it's free hand open and grasping as it turns rapidly from side to side, yelling in rage and fury as it seeks a target.

This is followed by a massive impact on the roof, sending a few loose beams down to the floor below and a cascade of dust and rainwater. There's another smashing impact and part of the roof caves in, revealing another armored figure, wielding a massive bladed polearm. In contrast to the hatchetman, this figure's armor is a shiny and polished brass, and seems bereft of the various technobits and purpose of the red suit, seemingly to be a hugely thick and heavy suit of platemail. The figure recovers from its impromptu entrance, straightening and readying it's glaive.

A black and silver clad figure descends through the hole left by the brass armored intruder, and with them, the roaring winds and driving rains as President Maelstrom slowly descends to the floor. The ceiling is obscured by unnatural storm clouds that rumble and grumble the shared fury of their maker.

You've never seen President Maelstrom 'suit up' before. Only in his trademark power suits and easy smile. He glares around at the assembled and the howling winds die down to a mere whisper, kicking up dust and pebbles at your feet.

Agent Crane marches over, shoulders set. "you're too late, Maelstrom, this is an A.E.G.I.S. Scene now, you and your band of wannabe juvie justices aren't needed."

Above, lightning crackles through the indoor clouds.

Spoiler: OOC/Mechanics/Whatnot

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Andre has successfully resolved the Beacon's Vulnerable Move

Andre misses on Rejecting Agent Hill's Influence. On a Miss, mark a condition (your choice) and then your Labels are shifted anyways

Madam Mechanis accepts Agent Hill's Influence, but her Savior cannot go any higher. Madam Mechanis' labels remain unchanged, but she marks Afraid, as the implications of her actions weigh on her psyche.

[PK-Leon]

"That, uh... that actually means a lot. I work really hard at this and... well, thanks for saying that." She gave him a wry grin. "And, if we're both apologizing to and thanking each other, maybe we can just call it even? Let's start over." She extended her hand to shake his. "Hi, nice to meet you, I'm Marcy Walker, AKA Madame Mechanis." She gave a small flourish.

Andre eyes Marcy's hand for a moment before raising his own to meet hers. "Andre Evans, AKA that guy they keep calling for over the intercom back at school."

His attention is quickly drawn back to the series of events unfolding on ground below.

The three suits, who Andre had succeeded in fooling until outed by the stupid mechanical spider-dog, turn and look up into the rafters, flashlight beams following their gaze. "I don't see anything..." One calls out. "What about you and that trick eye of yours, Crane?" The other asks. The third, the big one, grunts and rubs underneath his right eye with his thumb. From up in the catwalks, Andre and Marcy can see his eye shine, turning a sky blue. "Yeah. Cute." He says.

When the Agent casts his sky blue eye in their direction Andre smirks as he raises a fist and extends a single finger.

You feel a tapping on your mind, similar to someone politely knocking on your bedroom door, and hear a familiar voice. The echoing call of your highly psychic teacher, Fate's Fury, or as you are sometimes allowed to call her: Ms. Kinfield. You hear faintly her chiding you for blocking her out, and that she needs to add you to the call. This is no time to be coy.

The delinquent tilts his head upon feeling the mental knock, quickly becoming annoyed at the mental intrusion. He uses his mind's eye to create a mental image for anyone reading his mind to see. However his thoughts are soon interrupted by the perhaps overly dramatic entrance of several familiar faces.

He sighs. "Here we go, again..."

[InTheMachine]

Alexis moves back from Grayson as the robot does its work. She's a little annoyed when the cloud obscures everything, as she'd been interested in this new piece of tech, but she's glad that it seems to be doing its job to help out her boyfriend.

You hear a voice that isn't yours in your mind. "This is Fate's Fury, Joule." The voice informs you. "I need a sit-rep, what's going on in there? Where's Zeitgeist? Are any other students or civilians in danger?"

Alex is just about to answer her as Red Comet burst through the glass. She rolls her eyes as Brass busts through the roof after Ivan's appearance. We're fine guys. All the action is over, she thinks at Fate's Fury.

[Bear2pt0]

Spoiler: Smarts roll

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[1d6=6+1d6=4==10] [1d8=1]

The Sound of rain hammered the roof as Shane came to himself. Having been ushered into the rest of the crowed with everyone else, it was only now, after Grayson had begun receiving help from the robot that Shane started having any awareness of what was going on around him. The rush of information shutting down his situational awareness completely.
Beginning to look around the room, he wasn’t quiet sure yet how he felt about missing out on most of the evenings excitement, at the site of his classmates being in mostly one piece however, the emotion of pride subsides. Everyone is ok it seems! He thinks, “They kicked some serious robobutt!” slipping out of his mouth in reference to the various enemy combatants throughout the room in various states of defeat. It was as Shane was seeing the warehouse for the first time since things subsided that the ceiling fell in, the forms of his teachers coming into view. Still slogging through piecing things together Shane responds to there presence with “Was all of this another training exercise put on by the academy because if it’s not we’ve been here before…” before common sense could inform him of a better form of action.

[Mittenss]

Dizz looks at the Pilka as his serpent toung squeezes out his mouth. Slightly squinting her eyes she shakes her head no to both of them. "I'm actually unsure who's blood this is, I mean it could be mine but I'm not hurt any place that I can feel." Tilting her head to the side she feels a odd sensation like a wiggle in her brain. She gently shakes her head attempting to make the feeling go away but has no success. She attempts to focus on what it is before her attention is ripped away to more pilkas descending to from the roff top making more of a commotion. "Wow...it never ends." Mumbling to herself she steps infront of Sarah to protect her from what ever may happen next.

[big teej]

Andre and Madam Mechanis:

Agent Crane stares coolly at the two of you, not reacting to Andre's gesture of friendship. Andre feels a deep sense of disappointment and frustration wash over him, a vicarious reminder of his teacher's ability to enter his mind on a whim. Then the crowding powerful psychic presence recedes entirely.


Joule:

Fate's Fury's voice echoes in your mind again, "Thanks, Joule. I'm glad everyone is safe.... now, where. is. Zeitgeist.?"

Shane:

Spoiler: Smarts Roll

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You feel a tapping on your mind, similar to someone politely knocking on your bedroom door, and hear a familiar voice. The echoing call of your highly psychic teacher, Fate's Fury, or as you are sometimes allowed to call her: Ms. Kinfield. You hear faintly her chiding you for blocking her out, and that she needs to add you to the call. This is no time to be coy.

Nobody responds to your outbursts, most drawn instead to the discussion between President Maelstrom and this Agent Crane person.

Dizz:

Sarah looks you up and down. "Well... That's a little freaky, but... I guess the important thing is you're okay? It's not like you ate anybody or anything... right?" She says, more confused than concerned.

Caduceus then speaks up to your mumbling, "No... it really doesn't. But you do get used to it after awhile... Kinda." He says with a half shrug, putting his arm back around Sarah.

Team:
The Red Comet, one of your classmates, somewhat sheepishly, stands up straight and deactivates his plasma axe and stows the haft away at the small of his back. He marches over towards the group, his heavy boots grinding the carpet of detritus into a finer powder. A harsh, digitized voice speaks from the snubbed grille in the helmet. "It seems we missed all the fun, Da?" The single glowing eye of the helmet darts around in it's visor, bouncing from one person to another before rapidly spinning all the way around the helmet and resting, glaring, at Crane. Brass, plants her glaive on the ground and leans on it, as a workman might a shovel.

President Maelstrom walks to Crane. "These are my students, Crane. However out of bounds they might be. You know just as well as I do that my authority for them takes precedence over any Standard Operating Procedure A.E.G.I.S. might have for an incident like this." He comes to a stop just a few paces short of Crane. Maelstrom asks in a harsh and emphatic whisper. "Are we going to argue about this?"

Crane stares at Maelstrom for several long seconds, arms crossed.

"No. No, we're not. Not today at least, Maelstrom." Crane says. He unfolds his arms and pokes his finger at Maelstrom's chest. "You can't keep throwing your weight around like this and not expect to face... repercussions.

"I'll take any risk, and overcome any obstacle to my mission Crane. I'm sure you recall." Maelstrom says in that same, quiet, harsh tone.

Crane narrows his eyes at Maelstrom and barks for his fellow suits to clear out. "Leave the babies to their sitters." He glares around at all of you one last time, then smartly about faces on one heel and walks out, hands in his pockets. Agent Walls and Agent Hill look at each other, at all of you, and at Maelstrom and then quickly, and with significantly less dignity than Crane, beat feet and follow him out into the rainy night. The robot tucks the case up under itself and scuttles after them, silently aside from the rapid clicking of it's calipers across the floor.

seconds after the A.E.G.I.S. suits depart, Fate's Fury walks in on clacking heels, closing the remains of the door behind her with a gesture and a thought.

Maelstrom turns and looks up at Andre and Marcy and says "Mr. Evans, Ms. Walker, if you'd kindly join the rest of your classmates down here at the stage." He gestures to the rest of the group, and then turns to face them.

He walks over to all of you by the stage, not waiting for Andre and Madam Mechanis to get down there. "Ms. Warren." He says, looking around, resting his eyes on each and every unauthorized student present. "It seems. You have been quiet busy, recruiting new teammates to Team Renegade." He makes a show of pointing at each of you, pantomiming counting off how many of you there are. "The Team is definitely much larger than is conventional. Ms. Warren." He nods to himself, a bleak smile twisting his features.

The fake smile dissolves into a deep frown. "More important than your unconventional recruitment strategy. I thought we had a much better understanding about unlicensed. He glances at Andre and Marcy, checking on their progress. "and unauthorized. Heroics." He clasps his hands behind his back and begins pacing in front of the stage, staring down at his feet. tiny dust devils accompany his steps, scattering the grit and dust and pulverized debris aside until he walks a clear line back and forth. "I wonder... if perhaps... some of these Renegades might be... a little, too true, to their namesake."

Maelstrom comes to a stop, pursing his lips and nodding, reaching a decision of some sort. "I think... maybe some of these Renegades are occupying a seat at Hite that might be better occupied by another prospective Hero."

A new voice interjects, and a black clad figure with an oddly shaped helmet emerges from the floor. "It was my Op, Maelstrom. And there's no need to hide that Shifter." Black Gecko glances around, the sensory pods on either side of his helmet swirl about before focusing on Maelstrom and Fate's Fury as he finishes extricating himself from the floor.

Spoiler: Roll Notice at +1

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Anyone paying attention to Maelstrom sees his expression go from carefully controlled rage and disappointment to intense relief almost instantly. He also, just as quickly, hides this behind his normal, easy, confident smile.

[InTheMachine]

"I don't know," Alex thinks back at Fate's Fury. "I never saw the Zeitgeist aspect. I was busy being attacked by a couple of killer robots."

She quietly meets Mealstroms gaze as he speaks to her, and chooses not to say anything.

Spoiler: OOC

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Notice: 5

[Bagel Bard]

"Here we go, again..."

Again...? Marcy didn't have the chance to respond to find out what exactly Andre meant by that. The AEGIS guy was one thing, but a cold pit of dread knotted her stomach as Maelstrom and her other teachers arrived.

"Come on... we'd better get down there before things get any worse for us." She stood and offered her hand to Andre to help him up before heading to the floor.

Maelstrom comes to a stop, pursing his lips and nodding, reaching a decision of some sort. "I think... maybe some of these Renegades are occupying a seat at Hite that might be better occupied by another prospective Hero."

The pit of anxiety blossomed to an icy wave of fear. Her emotions had been all over the place the whole night, but this fear was the most intense of them all. The thought of getting kicked out of Hite was unbearable. She couldn't stand to even think about it. The rapidly shifting demeanor of Maelstrom didn't escape her, and only made her more nervous. On top of that, she still didn't see Zhou. That couldn't be good. She couldn't imagine how Alex withstood the full pressure of Maelstrom's direct disapproval. Marcy's own mind was already trying to mitigate. She was about to stammer out some sort of excuse or explanation when...

"It was my Op, Maelstrom. And there's no need to hide that Shifter." Black Gecko glances around, the sensory pods on either side of his helmet swirl about before focusing on Maelstrom and Fate's Fury as he finishes extricating himself from the floor.

She debated asking Grayson and Alex what had happened to Zhou, but Maelstrom's attention was right on them. Of course, that meant the only people who were in the ring with Zhou and Zeitgeist were Lars and Ythra. They were standing next to a very small girl with a long tail. She looked approachable enough to offset Marcy's trepidation. She limped over to the group and spoke.

"Hey, uh. You guys were in the fighting pit, right? Do you know what happened to Zhou? You know, the new guy? He was in the thick of it when I busted through the window and I haven't seen him since." She spoke quietly, but wasn't whispering. She wasn't trying to be secretive, but didn't want to disrupt or draw attention to herself until she needed to. She tried to sound casual, but her voice shook and she was fidgeting nervously with her hands.

[PK-Leon]

Andre sits in silence as he watches the exchange between Crane and Maelstrom below. Looks like Maelstrom's no stranger to throwing his weight around. Must be how he was able to get a hold of us last time.

Maelstrom turns and looks up at Andre and Marcy and says "Mr. Evans, Ms. Walker, if you'd kindly join the rest of your classmates down here at the stage." He gestures to the rest of the group, and then turns to face them.

"I don't see what difference it makes but sure..." He mutters. Not like we have a choice.

"Come on... we'd better get down there before things get any worse for us." She stood and offered her hand to Andre to help him up before heading to the floor.

Andre takes her hand and gets to his feet before going up and over the railing of the catwalk. He floats down towards the stage and takes a seat on a massive overturned speaker. A scowl beginning to form across his face as Maelstrom continues.

A new voice interjects, and a black clad figure with an oddly shaped helmet emerges from the floor. "It was my Op, Maelstrom. And there's no need to hide that Shifter." Black Gecko glances around, the sensory pods on either side of his helmet swirl about before focusing on Maelstrom and Fate's Fury as he finishes extricating himself from the floor.

Okay... who the @#$% is this guy?

Spoiler: Notice

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10

[ImperialTM]

Axel watches the exchanges nervously. Looking around he remembers what he's heard about his classmates and not really believing it. But now he's here with them. But with the situation out of his control he waits.

Notice roll - 5

[Bear2pt0]

Shane took in the exchange between the man in the suit and Maelstrom, waiting. Seeing the principle who up until now had just been the overseer of the school and eyes looking down on him and his friends, watching him fight for his place as head of them was interesting. ‘What is Maelstroms mission anyway’ he thinks to himself.
Once Agent Crane leaves with his crew, Shane presents himself as in a casual attention, preparing himself for the repercussions of doing his job. He had learned a lot at the academy, but in his mind, at the end of the day, his position under Gecko came first.
On top of that, they’ve done more good as a group of students moving independently than sitting in four walls taking notes.
As he was mulling over all of this, not factoring in anyone who would be listening in to his thoughts, it was around this time that his mentor came through the floor.
Upon seeing him speak up and call him by name, Shane allowed his mask to weave back into his necklace; walking forward to be in front of the group, head held high.

[Mittenss]

Dizz smirks tapping her belly "If I did eat someone then surely they didnt fill me up." She smiles trying to make light of the conversation with the two befor her eyes shift, and her smile dropping when a nervous looking Pilka trys to inquire about someone or something while approaching them. Looking her up an down Dizz somewhat recognize her an takes notice of her frail state then turns her attention back to what appears to be a lecture. Unsure of her question and what it regards assuming it has nothing to do with her she looks around before resting her gaze on the two speaking in front of them.

[big teej]

Team:

The newly arrived Black Gecko stands up straight and brushes himself off. "I instructed Shifter to gather his team, and whatever auxiliary support he deemed necessary, to follow up on a lead."

Black Gecko pauses, looking at the group, pantomiming counting the number of you present, just as Maelstrom had a moment before. He turns back to Maelstrom, one of the sensor pods still leering at you. "I confess... I did not anticipate him recruiting so.... broadly. I thought the team was smaller. Hm. Interesting. I also did not anticipate this assignment resulting in such.... collateral damage."

Maelstrom closes on Black Gecko, eyes narrowing. "Your op? with my students?" Maelstrom does a double take at the group of you, camped on the stage. He considers you more slowly the second time, rubbing his chin with one hand.

"I would like to take temporary custody of Team Renegade, so that they can debrief me on what happened here." Black Gecko offers.

Maelstrom glances at Gecko then at Grayson. "And I'll receive a full report of your findings?"

Black Gecko nods. "Of Course."

"This is acceptable." Maelstrom says. He opens his mouth to continue when your classmates erupt in protest, each disavvowing membership of Team Renegade and their willingness to go along with this blackclad stranger.

Maelstrom frowns, he holds up a hand to silence the outburst and then points at your classmates one by one. They cite a mixture of prior commitments and a general aversion to being on an established and recognized team. Grayson attempts to squirm out from beneath school policy by saying "I'm not on the team" He points at Axel "my roommate is, and I just found out about it and kinda... made him bring me along, so I could watch out for Joule." As each classmate makes their excuses, they move to stand away from the stage, forming two distinct groups.

Maelstrom grins and shrugs at 'the Unaffiliated' before returning to Black Gecko "I guess you can go ahead and take the six of them to The Lounge. When you're done, I'll make sure Ricochet's office is open for you."

He walks towards the unaffiliated, rubbing his hands together with a grin on his face. "Well. This seemed like a nice warm-up. Since you're already out here... I think it's time for some extra curricular studies. Is everyone ready to go on patrol with a couple of old pros?"

Black Gecko makes his way over to the stage. "you six are coming with me, it seems." The sensor pods swirl about, seemingly at random. "Strange... for some reason, I thought there were more of you..." He throws a quick glance at Maelstrom and the RAs and the rest of your classmates. "Funny how things work out, is it not?"

[Zero Prime]

Tsu Yang Zhou, aka, Phoenix Fist CHARISMA: +0 | PACE: 16 | TOUGHNESS: 6 | PARRY: 9 WOUNDS: 0 | FATIGUE: 0 | BENNIES: 3 Doom Track: X X X X O Active Effects: None. Conditions: Guilty As Black Gecko took the stage, turned to perform a head count on the Renegades, a shimmer appeared in the air behind him. It wavered like the summer heat over the asphalt, and was accompanied by a thickening of the air and the smell of ozone, similar to the conditions after a violent storm had passed. A rift appeared in the air, and Zhou stumbled through, awkwardly landing on the stage behind Gecko, his left cheek had been torn open, dried blood caked there, the eye above the cut was swollen shut, a black ichor ran from his nose and ears, his right side was already green and yellow as a massive bruise sat over his ribs, and his left arm hung limply from it's socket. Wrapped around his chest was a length of chain, from the end dangled the Zeitgeist's kunai. He surveyed the assembled students with his one good eye. He scowled as he noted the other group seemingly preparing to leave with some of his companions, some of his classmates in both the first & second groups. Unable to process anything further, he collapsed to the stage floor, coughing black ichor from his lungs, "It's done," he gasped as he struggled to lift himself to a standing position.

[Bear2pt0]

Shane smiled as the other members of the school walked away with Maelstrom. They were more than likely going to have a rough evening but it sounded like it would be actual street work, which was always exciting right? Once they moved on Shane turned to his mentor and grinned! “Why did you send me here?” Shane asked, before moving briskly to catch up to Black Gecko, falling in behind him. “Outside of keeping the peace, are any of these robots important to your other… Experiments?” Shane draws out the word other, miming gears turning and pistons jabbing back and forth. "Also," turning his head to the rest of the group, still maintaining a steady pace behind Black Gecko "With Grayson being the only one the robot worked on, does that mean everyone made it out ok?"

[PK-Leon]

Black Gecko makes his way over to the stage. "you six are coming with me, it seems." The sensor pods swirl about, seemingly at random. "Strange... for some reason, I thought there were more of you..." He throws a quick glance at Maelstrom and the RAs and the rest of your classmates. "Funny how things work out, is it not?"

"And where are we going exactly? Appreciate the help but we've known you for maybe two minutes at best and we're just supposed to play-"

As Black Gecko took the stage, turned to perform a head count on the Renegades, a shimmer appeared in the air behind him. It wavered like the summer heat over the asphalt, and was accompanied by a thickening of the air and the smell of ozone, similar to the conditions after a violent storm had passed. A rift appeared in the air, and Zhou stumbled through, awkwardly landing on the stage behind Gecko, his left cheek had been torn open, dried blood caked there, the eye above the cut was swollen shut, a black ichor ran from his nose and ears, his right side was already green and yellow as a massive bruise sat over his ribs, and his left arm hung limply from it's socket. Wrapped around his chest was a length of chain, from the end dangled the Zeitgeist's kunai.

His words are cut short by the otherworldy spectacle unfolding behind Black Gecko. He's unable to process his thoughts for a few seconds until a question forms in his mind and escapes his lips.

"Can someone please what the @#$% is going on and where these people keep coming from?!" Andre makes a sweeping gesture with a free hand towards both of the new arrivals.

[big teej]

Team:
There's a brief moment of silence following Zhou's reappearance, broken by Andre's incredulous outburst. On his heels, Maelstrom knife hands at Zhou and yells, bewildered, "What the hell is wrong with you people!? No one felt the need to mention one of your classmates had teleported out and had the hell beaten out of them!?"

Spoiler: SELF IMAGE TIME!

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Maelstrom is attempting to alter your self image, he is accusing you of being bad at being a hero, and insufficiently concerned with others' safety, and you should be more like a normal person and primarily concerned with it.

President Maelstrom is attempting to shift your Savior down and your Mundane up.

If you think this is probably accurate of how this played out, accept his Influence.
If you think Maelstrom is full of it (either in general, or this time), roll to reject his Influence.

"Gecko, go, there's a door in that pit you can use to get to the lounge. Dizz, Anomaly, take Zhou, carefully and get him into The Lounge. Gecko, Tinker and Tincture can fix him up, and that's the fastest way to get help. move people.

As you gather up your injured comrade and follow this new stranger who seems to know Shifter, you hear Maelstrom shouting for Red Comet to 'get the door behind them'.

Black Gecko falls through the chain link dome, grabbing hold of it and ripping it open and using it to gently alight down in the pit, where he jogs over to one of the hatches Anomaly had used to access the cage-fight earlier. Black Gecko lays a hand on the hatch and produces an antique looking blue key that emits a faint violet hue, like a black light. He presses the end of the key into the door and it slips in, as if there was a keyhole it fit, instead of a 3 inch slab of iron.

"Ah. There we are." He says, turning the key and pulling the hatch open. Beyond is a corridor lined with dark blue and black curtains and lit with a faint blue glow. A dozen feet or so within, you see, lit by a yellowed swinging bulb, a trim and neat wooden door with a brass handle. Black Gecko beckons you in "Come along then. Come along, straight through, I'll vouch for you." He says, tugging the key free and disappearing it into a belt pouch.

He leads you to the door and opens it...

Inside is a room far too nice to actually belong to the rave warehouse.

A dimly lit lounge stretches out from the door, nearly half the floor space of the warehouse behind you. You can see a row of doors to private rooms down the wall to your left, enclosed booths run down the wall on either side of you, and there's an open space to your right with a billiards table, a stage with an empty mic, and offset, a chrome and brass pole bolted to the floor and disappearing into the darkness of the ceiling. The wall opposite you is dominated by a massive bar stretching nearly the whole length of the room. A scattering of dining tables and card tables occupy the middle of the floor.

The Lounge is empty except for the bartenders and a group of four mismatched men and women crowded around a table. One is covered with spikes, like porcupine quills, another sits near an antique ink-pot and a quill pen, another reclines back in his chair, a sword with an elaborate cross-guard and scabbard draped over the back.

The bartenders are two men who might once have been identical twins, but each is twisted and disfigured with chrome and brass fixtures and implements and bulging veins and muscles, they appear.... ancient, their heads covered by only faint wisps of white hair, and their skin stretched tightly across old bones. One rests against the bar, hands braced against it, glowering at you, the other stands turned partly away, cleaning a glass. They both are dressed in somewhat frilly looking old-style shirts under black and purple vests and wear dress slacks.

"Black Gecko, and a number of guests!" Your impromptu escort cries shoving his way into the room. "One for medical, and a private room for uh... eight." He quickly follows up.

The one cleaning a glass sets it down behind the bar and gestures with a brass made of cogs and gears and pistons rather than flesh and bone and a wheelchair materializes near you. "Put him there." He growls in a voice tinged with creaking metal.

The other marches from around the bar and say in a voice made gravelly from a lifetime of hard liquor "Please, this way. Room Fourteen has been prepared for your needs." he gestures with one hand, guiding you to the appropriate door, which is not labeled or discernible from the others in any way.

[Bagel Bard]

Marcy's relief at seeing Zhou appear was eclipsed by her horror at his condition. She rushed to help up up. "Oh. My. God. You got him?? Jesus, how did you even... wait. Don't answer that. We'll talk later. Also -- I would ask if you're okay but you're OBVIOUSLY not. Also-also -- " she looked defiantly at Maelstrom -- "I was getting to that. I just didn't want to interrupt you figuring out who is actually in charge of us. Maybe if you asked us instead of whatever new adult shows up out of the blue, you'd have a better idea of what happened. Some of us just came here to have a good time. And you'll notice that no civilians are here. That was MY first priority."

After making sure someone was helping Zhou, she approached Andre, trying to assuage his frustration. "Despite what I just said, I do trust Maelstrom. If he says we go with this guy, he must trust him." She cocked an eyebrow at him. "Plus, you have to admit "The Lounge" sounds cool as hell."

She proceeded to follow Black Gecko. This Lounge was, indeed, cool as hell. Marcy's gaze slid past the unusual bar denizens, though. She just wanted answers, and "who are those guys" was very low on her list of questions.

Spoiler: OOC Mechanics

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Overcoming Mael's Influence + removing a condition (Afraid) by defending my actions as actually heroic

Not having any clue whatsoever who these people are

[ImperialTM]

Grayson attempts to squirm out from beneath school policy by saying "I'm not on the team" He points at Axel "my roommate is, and I just found out about it and kinda... made him bring me along, so I could watch out for Joule."

Axel's voice catches in his throat and he stammers for a bit as people give their excuses.

OOC: Axel accepts President Maelstrom Influence!

"Gecko, go, there's a door in that pit you can use to get to the lounge. Dizz, Anomaly, take Zhou, carefully and get him into The Lounge. Gecko, Tinker and Tincture can fix him up, and that's the fastest way to get help. move people.

Axel moves to the right side of Zhou and carefully moves to support him. While walking Axel glances at Zhou's wounds with a mixture of pity and awe for his classmate.

The bartenders are two men who might once have been identical twins, but each is twisted and disfigured with chrome and brass fixtures and implements and bulging veins and muscles, they appear.... ancient, their heads covered by only faint wisps of white hair, and their skin stretched tightly across old bones. One rests against the bar, hands braced against it, glowering at you, the other stands turned partly away, cleaning a glass. They both are dressed in somewhat frilly looking old-style shirts under black and purple vests and wear dress slacks.
"Black Gecko, and a number of guests!" Your impromptu escort cries shoving his way into the room. "One for medical, and a private room for uh... eight." He quickly follows up.
The one cleaning a glass sets it down behind the bar and gestures with a brass made of cogs and gears and pistons rather than flesh and bone and a wheelchair materializes near you. "Put him there." He growls in a voice tinged with creaking metal.
The other marches from around the bar and say in a voice made gravelly from a lifetime of hard liquor "Please, this way. Room Fourteen has been prepared for your needs." he gestures with one hand, guiding you to the appropriate door, which is not labeled or discernible from the others in any way.

After placing Zhou in the wheelchair Axel looks at the two bartenders "Guess I should consider myself lucky" he thinks guiltily to himself. He turns to Zhou "Goodluck." he says in a low voice before leaving with the rest of the group.

OOC: Axel is Influenced by Zhou!

[InTheMachine]

Alex breathes a sigh of relief as Zhou reappears, but that is soon replaced with a flash of anger as President Maelstrom yells at the group. I had some other things on my mind," she thinks, crossing her arms. My boyfriend got $%^&ing stabbed. I got picked up and carried across the room and slammed into the wall by a giant robot. Sorry if I'm a little shaken up.

She can feel her ire rising at the teachers, especially Maelstrom. How could he be yelling at them, again, for something that wasn't their fault! Alex had just wanted to have a night out, have some fun with her friends and Grayson, and once again they were attacked by killer robots.

Spoiler: Rejecting Maelstrom's Influence

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Rejection!: 7 Alexis chooses to cancel Maelstrom Influence and takes +1 forward

She quietly follows the group into The Lounge, still seething at Maelstrom.

[Zero Prime]

Tsu Yang Zhou, aka, Phoenix Fist CHARISMA: +0 | PACE: 16 | TOUGHNESS: 6 | PARRY: 9 WOUNDS: 0 | FATIGUE: 0 | BENNIES: 3 Doom Track: X X X X X Active Effects: None. Conditions: Guilty As Zhou was wheeled into the Lounge, he took a moment to evaluate his condition. Bruised muscle, dislocated shoulders, cracked ribs, and his eye was swollen shut. He shook his head, despite the outward signs of his confrontation with the Zeitgeist, he was more concerned with the tainted chi he had been forced to call upon to achieve his victory. Thankfully he was able to draw and store some of the earth's chi energy, due to the nexus of geomantic lines present. He was dimly aware of the navy suited agents, further shielded by Maelstrom's assembled companions, most of which Zhou was entirely unfamiliar with. Maelstrom seemed to be in some sort of heated exchange with Axel's mentor, Black Gecko. However, it was resolved, Zhou was assisted into a wheelchair, and moved down through the pit where he had first seen his sister after these several months, to some sort of door. The transition was jarring, when he crossed the threshold he felt the hair stand up on the back of his neck. He wasn't unfamiliar with the concept of astral travel, he had channeled the chi of the geomantic lines into a similar effect to transport himself and his opponent to the Vale. However, it was unnerving when one wasn't familiar with the destination of the effect, still, his injuries numbed his apprehension as he was assisted through the dimensional breach. It was the journey through the pit, that reminded him of how the incident had begun. Once settled into the lounge, Axel visited him, murmured something, Zhou could only nod his appreciation. He struggled to stand, unnerved by the two tavern keeps and their unnatural augmentation, accompanied by their weathered, cadaverous look. He struggled to the floor, focusing what little energy remained, inwards, finding his chakras, slowing and directing his breathing, allowing his chi to pool in each in succession, it would not remove all the damage but it would help.

Spoiler: Out of Character Action

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OOC: Activating my Enhanced Regeneration by rolling Spirit, however, this post has taken a while as it's on my android, so I will link the results after work.

Spirit Check for Accelerated Regeneration @ Lounge: 1d6o6+1d6o6 14, 3

Assuming a difficulty of 4, that's two raises. I'm not sure how much that accelerates the healing.

Vigor Check Regeneration @ Lounge (Rnd 1): 1d8o8+1d6o6 5, 1. That's one hit on Round One.

Vigor Check Regeneration @ Lounge (Rnd 2): 1d8o8+1d6o6 2, 4. So a 2nd hit on Round Two.

Vigor Check Regeneration @ Lounge (Rnd 3): 1d8o8+1d6o6 14, 1. So a 3rd HIT with two raises on Round Three.

[Bear2pt0]

Spoiler: Maelstroms Influence

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I accept the change in image

As he follows his mentor, the emotions of his fellow team mates combined with Maelstroms very prominent outburst grab his attention, turning to see Zhou in a wheel chair for the first time. What did I miss? he thinks. At this point Shane is no longer grinning, the initial joy of seeing Black Gecko and the thought of sharing the connection between him and Shane to the group being flushed out. The much simpler thought that everyone will be walking away from the events of the evening as the victory tonight taking center stage in his mind. There have been those on other nights with Black Gecko who haven't been so lucky Shane keeps these thoughts to himself however, recognizing the unalterable wave of shock from times before. Letting his team mates process, Shane makes himself available when necessary, moving things out of the way of those assisting Zhou, and following the group through the door.

As the group proceeds into the Lounge, Shane can't help but gawk at the metal bartenders and change of scenery. "Is this where winners of the arena come?" Did I miss this when first looking at the warehouse? A hundred questions run through Shane's mind that only grow as he begins thinking where is this place, and who are the people at the counter? Could he come back at a later date? Where were these guys when everything hit the fan? How did.... Shaking his head, Shane moves so that he is out of the way as Zhou is taken to medical. Keeping in step with the direction of the rest of the group.

[Zero Prime]

Tsu Yang Zhou, aka, Phoenix Fist CHARISMA: +0 | PACE: 16 | TOUGHNESS: 6 | PARRY: 9 WOUNDS: 0 | FATIGUE: 0 | BENNIES: 3 Doom Track: O O O O O Active Effects: None. Conditions: Guilty As Zhou submerged, deep, into astral pool of this strange location, it felt to him as if it was a place, between places, it seemed off, somehow, but the energy he was able to attune himself too was powerful, and deep. It flowed through him, repairing the physical trauma he had suffered from his conflict with the Zeitgeist, it renewed him, invigorating his damaged muscles, and weary spirit. He stood, slowly unfolding from the lotus position he had seated himself in. He stepped once, the swelling around his eye fading, his gait, somewhat unsteady. He stepped again, his left arm twitched as it reset in it's socket with a sickening pop, the tightness around his ribs eased as the bones themselves knit back together, strong and pliant. As he moved towards the long brass and oak counter top, he looked to the barman, "Some water, please. But immediate medical attention shouldn't be required." He took a deep breath, testing his ribs, the phantom of pain flickered through as he did so, a fading memory of injuries sustained. "And if you could direct me to Room Fourteen?"

[Mittenss]

Dizz looks over as she sees the Pilka that was previously in the cage with her that she had fired upon reappear near her. Watching the other Pilka from earlier in the cage fight helping him up, she gives a light shrug an walks over to them to help assist. Grabbing the beaten down fighter around his waist and gently moves his left arm around her shoulder she help walks him to the area that the person in charge has gestured to them. Dizz catches a few glances at the other Pilka who was fighting in the cage before. "How does some one like you come to be this way?" thinking to herself she adverts her eyes. Upon entering the area instructed she gently places the wounded one down an follows behind the giant.
"Hey...you!" She picks up her speed to walk next to him. "You did a real number on the other pilkas face back in that cage!" She gives a smile. Lowering her voice as they rejoin everyone else. "You fight like that all the time?"

Spoiler: Influence

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Dizz accepts maelstorms influence

[ImperialTM]

"Hey...you!" She picks up her speed to walk next to him. "You did a real number on the other pilkas face back in that cage!" She gives a smile. Lowering her voice as they rejoin everyone else. "You fight like that all the time?"

Axel stammers, surprised and a little confused by the question. "Wh-what!? No! I- pilka?" He waves his hands resetting the conversation "No. I don't fight like that all the time. I mean I do fight like that, but not in a fighting ring" He sighs letting his head drops "I shouldn't have even been there." he whispers. "How'd you get here? I don't remember you in any of my classes?"

[Mittenss]

Looking up to him she blinks a few times an then looks him over more intensely then meets his eyes "well.. you did amazing in there!" Extending her hand out to him "I've seen this as a gesture of hello, but my name is Dizz." Waiting for him to shake her hand she gently jabs his stomach with her fingers smiling. "Oh, the classes..um I havent attended those. I'm actually new to the school. Oh wait!" Looking around she sees everyone in the area with them. "All of these pilkas are in the school as well?"

[ImperialTM]

"Thanks..." He says letting the word hang in the air for a bit. Tentatively he shakes Dizz's hand "Axel." His body reflexively tucks in when he is jabbed "Yes, at least I share classes with most of them." His eyebrow raises with his next question "So? You're new to the school then?"

[Mittenss]

Dizz squeezes his hand gently then releases it noticing how timid he is. Brushing her hair down from the blood that has tanged it she nods. "Yes, I'm new to the school an to this worl... area." Softy chuckling to herself she she grips her tail. "Well Axel, do you think if we are in the same class you can teach me to fight like you do? I've been told many take a thing called a fighting class aka "gym"." Lifting her arm she flexes her non existing muscles.

[ImperialTM]

Axel looks at Dizz for a moment and can't help but let loose a chuckle of his own. "Maybe. I still have to learn a lot myself."

OOC: Axel is Influenced by Dizz!