<strong>Hero Points:</strong>2 (Rakutsu & Amy), 1 (Everyone Else);<strong>Luck Points:</strong>3/5 Conditions: None<br/><br/><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote"><a href="https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=331796.msg15965271#msg15965271">Quote from: Raku on 27-08-2021, 05:07:58</a></div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">”Too bad. I’m too curious about it now.” Whatever common sense was in Rakutsu was gone this point. Where did this behavior even come from? ”Just pretend their not here, bend over, and let me see that scar.” Why did he assume it’s on his ass? Was it even on there?! ”Wait....is it on your bad or front?”</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><br/>Chris laughed. "Sorry man, but that'd be a lot more convincing coming from a sexy nurse. But since you asked so nicely..."<br/><br/>Chris grabbed the cubicle curtains around his bed and closed them to obscure the field of view from Rakutsu's cousins, although in reading the room their silhouettes could be made out making themselves scarce. Then he pulled his hospital gown up in front, revealing an x-shaped scar down and to the side of his navel. It was small, large enough to be easily seen yet not dominating his stomach. But it wasn't all that was shown. Although not the first time he was naked in Rakutsu's presence, previous moments in the locker room showers were quick and all-business, with many of his classmates deliberately avoiding eye contact with each other. Some due to concerns of appearing gay and thus less "masculine," and others simply out of personal insecurities. The latter of which Chris definitely qualified, given his normally thin and wispy frame.<br/><br/>He then pulled the gown back down suddenly.<br/><br/>"So uh, got any scars of your own to share?" Chris asked with a bit of a nervous laugh.<br/><br/>"Just kidding!" he quickly added.<br/><br/><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">”I see...” He mused over the information Kaitlyn gave out, thankful for her knowledge. ”So the storm acted as the catalyst for your awakening. Or reawakening if we are being technical. How are you feeling? I’m not sure how much of a shock this could be, but I can have an idea.” Learning that you lived dozens of life’s couldn’t be the easiest thing to handle. Maybe after the first few time it got easier? That’s his theory, but he didn’t want to pry too much.</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><br/>"Honestly," Amrita began as she balled up and opened her fists several times, "for the first time I feel like I know who I truly am.”<br/><br/>“Even if I'm wrong, I feel like I should do something with this power."<br/><br/><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">A glare was thrown Leslie’s way for a moment before settling on the other girls. Did she seriously think this was a game? He opened his mouth to tell her off, but the others beat him to the punch. Amy trying to leave added to this. He couldn’t blame her for feeling like overwhelmed. <br/><br/>In the span of a week or so, their entire life style was uprooted and flipped around. The city was now filled with a new way of meta humans that can compete with Freedom City. Anyone would be shaken by it. Same as he was during his training with Grandfather Shuji. <br/><br/>Still, he found himself unable to give any good words of encouragement. His social skills weren’t really that good to find anything good to say. Instead, he allowed the girls to comfort their own before walking over to offer Amy a cookie. Comfort food.</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><br/>"T-thanks," Amy stuttered as she received the hugs and took a bite out of the cookie. "I just need time, okay?"<br/><br/>"Of course," Leslie said. "Let's just chill for now, take it slow."<br/><br/>The first “meeting” was over, although Amy stuck around long enough to eat some of Leslie's pasta. The others did as well; Kaitlyn tried to talk about non-metahuman affairs, although the conversation couldn't help but feel awkward and forced.<br/><br/>"Well, I gotta head home now," Kaitlyn said as her smartphone vibrated.<br/><br/>"Yeah, it’s getting late," Amrita said. "But let's all see each other again."<br/><br/>"Totally, that’s a good idea," Leslie said.<br/><br/><hr/><br/><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">”We really doing this?” He looked at the costumes with a reluctant look before taking them. After a few moments of consideration, he discarded two of them and put on the red scarf one. ”I feel like the horn is on the helmet for no real reason....” But it was his final choice.</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><br/>Leslie clapped. “Ooh, great choice! We got some ideas of our own, but let's see what you got in store first.<br/><br/><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">After putting the costume away, he started suggested the girls practice movement and traversing by racing with him. His parkour allowing him to move the makeshift training course easily. However, he suggested to Scarab to use her telekinesis to move stuff around in their path. For more of a challenge.</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><br/>Amy had to take her shirt off in order to give her wings some space to fly. "Don't...don't get any funny ideas!" she said to Rakutsu. "This is just until I get a better workout suit!"<br/><br/>She proved to be a nimble flyer, capable of turning in mid-air on a dime and hovering in place if need be. She could also stick to walls, allowing her to take some valuable breathing moments before flipping off and flying away again.<br/><br/>"Wow, this is...kinda fun!" she exclaimed.<br/><br/>Kaitlyn couldn't fly, but she could leap really far. At first too much, for she soared right into the warehouse roof before Amrita retrieved her in time.<br/><br/>She later performed several exercise motions in front of a column of created water. “I...maybe we should get some more safety gear or life preservers before we try.”<br/><br/>“Come on Kate, you can do it!” Leslie cheered. “Take some of my extra courage!”<br/><br/>Kaitlyn sighed. “Alright, here goes…”<br/><br/>She swam upwards...as fast as a torpedo. She collided with the warehouse ceiling.<br/><br/>"Ah, I think I'm stuck in the rafters!"<br/><br/>As for Leslie, she bidded the unseen roots and weeds growing between the cracks of urban sprawl to grow out, grasping and entangling themselves around her body. Shooting them out as whip-like tendrils, she quickly rappelled through the obstacle course.<br/><br/>"Hey Rakutsu! How fast did I complete that lap?"<br/><br/><div class="quoteheader"><div class="topslice_quote">Quote</div></div><blockquote class="bbc_standard_quote">”Ok. Line up. Time to enroll yourself in my dojo.” He stripped down to his underwear and got on a white martial arts gi in front of them. ”I don’t give a shit if you girls have superpowers now. You saw me beat the shit out of tentacle man without any, so I’m gonna show you how to fight. Or defend yourself at the very least.” He would put the girls through various drills his grandfather put him in as a child and demo stage the basics. This involved punching or kicking them to the ground a good few times. Pain was a great teacher though.</blockquote><div class="quotefooter"><div class="botslice_quote"></div></div><br/>Some of the girls flinched as Rakutsu began undressing. But his gi quickly dispelled any awkwardness.<br/><br/>“Ah heh,” Amrita stammered. “Oh, I see now.”<br/><br/>Although nothing in the style of his gi, the girls all brought workout clothes which they changed into in order to spar with him. They at first tried to not use their powers, although in a few cases this was easier said than done.<br/><br/>Amy showed promise on her first bout. She also had the proportional strength of an insect, which at one point sent Rakutsu flying a good twenty feet by merely shoving him to the side. Thankfully Amrita caught him with her telekinesis, slowing his ascent to a soft drop.<br/><br/>"Oh shit!" Amy gasped. "Are you okay?!"<br/><br/>Kaitlyn was not as good as Amy. She didn't have super-strength or reflexes, but she was good at leaping out of the way of attacks as appropriate to her froggy complexion. She was good at avoiding Rakutsu's punches, although she wasn't as good in dishing them out and got thrown to the mat more than a few times.<br/><br/>Amrita assumed a stance, placing her body at an angle to make it harder to hit. She was also looking at Rakutsu's chest rather than his face unlike the other girls, more focused on where he and his limbs were going to move than where he was looking at the moment. Thanks to this already-learned lesson she was able to see several of his attacks coming.<br/><br/>"I'm not mind-reading," she said during the first few dodges. "I've done this before."<br/><br/>But when it came time to counter, Rakutsu proved her superior and she ended up face-down on the mat.<br/><br/>"Aaaaand I've felt that before. A lot."<br/><br/>Leslie was much like Kaitlyn; she was fast but not very strong, although unlike Kaitlyn she could take a few blows.<br/><br/>"Hah," she coughed. "That hardly hurt!"<br/><br/>Things changed once they got to the point where they were comfortable enough to make use of their powers. They sparred with each other as well as Rakutsu. Kaitlyn and Amrita had the advantage of long-range attacks, and Leslie could shoot out puffs of pollen that could exhaust her opponent. There was one moment where the match was nearly called off when Amy began making chittering sounds while sparring with Leslie.<br/><br/>Ah dang, I’m sorry!” Amy shouted as a colony of sea lice swarmed over a shrieking Leslie. “I didn’t think they’d be that gross!”<br/><br/>“It’s fine!” Amrita exclaimed. “Real supervillains will be a lot less nice with their attacks, just don’t break any bones, yeah?”<br/><br/><hr/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: impact;"><strong>Break Time!</strong></span></span><br/><br/>(https://i.imgur.com/Mxy9xQX.jpeg)</div><br/>After a few hours of practice, everyone sat down to rest and rehydrate in the break room.<br/><br/>Leslie wiped her forehead with a towel. "Phew, I feel like a new woman! But we need to discuss something important besides training.”<br/><br/>“Hopefully not as exhausting!” Kaitlyn sighed, half-slumped in a folding chair in a rather uncomfortable position.<br/><br/>“So I was thinking about it, and I want to show how serious I am,” Leslie said, looking over to Amy. “We need codenames, a chain of command, and costumes.”<br/><br/>Amrita blinked. “Well now, it sounds like you came prepared.”<br/><br/>“Yeah, I was reading and watching some old Freedom League documentaries last night. Figured they’d have some good ideas.”<br/><br/>“Well, put me at the bottom,” Amy said as she dumped a bottle of water over a washcloth she applied to her face. “I’m not a psychic like you or skilled like Rakutsu. I’m just...a bug-girl.”<br/><br/>“I study a lot, but I’m not as good with people,” Kaitlyn added. “So put me by Amy.”<br/><br/>“I think that Rakutsu should be our leader,” Leslie said. “Rita, you can be the second in command. So I suppose that makes me the middle girl, the Oreo filling, heh.”<br/><br/>“I’m fine with that,” Amrita said. “If you are too, Rakutsu. Otherwise I can be. Or we could be a democracy, put things to a vote if we can’t agree on something. There’s five of us, so there’s always a tiebreaker.”<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Chain of Command</div><div class="spoiler_body">In the event that the team leader is taken out or the group is separated, someone else will assume control. Here’s the suggested hierarchy:<br/><br/>Sleeping Wyvern<br/>Scarab<br/>Chlorophyll<br/>H2GO!<br/>Hornet<br/><br/>Alternatively there can be no hierarchy, and decisions are made by group consensus.</div></div><br/>After the group hierarchy was settled, up came the next two questions. Fortunately Leslie’s wardrobe had enough suits for them all and then some. The girls looked over the options while discussing various codenames, dressing up one by one inside a nearby break room with the blinds drawn.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Leslie: "Gotta go green for this one! Meet Codename Chlorophyll!"</div><div class="spoiler_body">(https://i.imgur.com/8YmMmxJ.jpg)</div></div><br/>Kaitlyn, Amy, and Amrita nodded in appreciation.<br/><br/>“Really like the plant swirls around the hair!” Kaitlyn replied.<br/><br/>“I dress to impress!” Leslie said with a hand on her hip. “Alright Amy, you’re next!”<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Leslie: "Hmm, a bit cliche, but works...wait, where'd you get that sword?"</div><div class="spoiler_body">(https://i.imgur.com/IqMzhfv.jpg?1)</div></div><br/>“Ummm, it’s a prop…” Amy answered. “Rita, did you choose yours?”<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Amrita: "Everyone, behold the power of the all-seeing eye! The Scarab is reborn!"</div><div class="spoiler_body">(https://i.imgur.com/oWL7AFv.jpg?1)</div></div><br/>Kaitlyn cocked her head. “So I Googled the last Scarab, and this costume is nothing like ‘em. And you look...older now?”<br/><br/>Amrita nodded. “Yeah, I wanted to go with something different. Besides, this cape has an appropriate symbol.”<br/><br/>She twirled around, revealing the image of a golden scarab on the cape.<br/><br/>"Also...I can give a false image to others, make it harder to connect me and my secret identity," she added. "It can work on cameras too, and on people within close range. I may be able to extend it over time, but...I'll need some practice."<br/><br/>Leslie chuckled. "Of course you're taking a form with bigger boobs..."<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Kaitlyn: "I wanted to be simple, particularly if I end up swimming a lot. Soooooo here I am!"</div><div class="spoiler_body">(https://i.imgur.com/OuaOEOr.jpg)</div></div><br/>Leslie gave a thumbs up. “I like it! So now we have codenames, we need a proper team name...if we’re serious about the superhero stuff.”<br/><br/>“I don’t think we’re that far yet,” Amy said, arms crossed.<br/><br/>“Well, we can brainstorm so we have an idea when the day comes.”<br/><br/>“How about the Menagerie?” Kaitlyn suggested. “Rakutsu’s codename is already an animal, a dragon basically. And Scarab already has a buggy name!”<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Team Name</div><div class="spoiler_body">Rakutsu can throw in some ideas of his own unless you’re fine with the Menagerie.</div></div><br/><hr/><br/><div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;"><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: impact;"><strong>Communication</strong></span></span></div><br/>Amrita gathered the group together in a circle.<br/><br/>“So, don’t freak out, but I can read minds instead of just...sending out my thoughts. But I need to focus to go beyond surface thoughts. But since only other psychics can ‘hear’ it, this can be useful for us as a team.”<br/><br/>Amy and Kaitlyn backed away a bit. Leslie smirked.<br/><br/>“Well, we all know our secret identities, so we all got something on each other anyway.”<br/><br/>“W-we shouldn’t think about that as a team!” Kaitlyn exclaimed. “Besides, not everything we think about reflects what we want to do in real life, right?”<br/><br/>Amrita nodded. “I swear not to abuse this power. We can try making secret hand signals or use ear-pieces to communicate with each other, if that’s more comfortable with you all.”<br/><br/>“I’m game,” Leslie said. “We’ll just use it to send messages between each other, and only read other peoples’ minds if they, you know, kidnapped someone or know where a bomb is.”<br/><br/>Kaitlyn twiddled her thumbs. “I...I trust you, Amrita. But I may not be used to hearing other voices in my head at first.”<br/><br/>“How about you, Amy?”<br/><br/>Amy frowned. “Maybe as a last resort for me. I’m sorry, I’m just not...comfortable with it right now. Let’s do our powers one step at a time, you know?”<br/><br/>That left only Rakutsu’s opinion.<br/><br/><div class="spoiler_container"><div class="spoiler_header" onclick="hideSecond (this);" role="button">Power Point Expenditures</div><div class="spoiler_body">Here is what the Menagerie DMPCs spend their 2 Power Points on. Amy’s gadgets will be covered in a future post<br/><br/>Chlorophyll: Advantage: Favored Environment: Woodlands; Powers: Agile Leaper: Feature 1 (Substitute Agility for Strength for Athletics checks)<br/>H2GO!: Advantages: Inventor, Skill Mastery (Technology)<br/>Hornet: Defenses: Increase Will by 1; Powers: Bug-Themed Gadgets: AE: Buzz Bombers: Damage 8 (Extras: Area 30 foot burst, Ranged, Selective, Subtle 1, Triggered 2)<br/>Scarab: Powers: Mental Disguise: Feature 1 (Others cannot connect character and their secret identity [Extra: Affects Others])</div></div>