The Pool
Nurse Hello glanced back up at Libitnia, chewing another wad of gum as she sized her up. She nearly sent her away, but something stayed her hand.
"Libitina, right?" She'd nearly forgotten, but she knew most of the students were from the files. And this girl wasn't too different from her. Training was a plus, but if she could perform a fraction of what she was capable of, then...
"...i don't see why not. Just make sure you don't strain yourself. What you can do isn't too different from what I can do, but in this job, it's easy to wear yourself. If you have questions or start feeling drained, don't be afraid to ask, you dig?"
As the Nurse explained things to Libitnia, she was so busy that she didn't notice a small book slipping out of her pocket. It was a pocket version of Les Miserables, the sort of book most people wouldn't expect such a vapid bimbo to carry around. If she had, she would've tucked it back in, if only to keep them guessing.
AKA Nixer
Lucy Livingston
“...O-Okay. You take a break...” Lucy smiled softly, relieved that Khulan seemed more euphoric from the experience than disturbed. Which in and of itself was a little freaky, but Lucy wasn't exactly in the position to judge. Khulan was nice, quite possibly one of the nicest girls Lucy had ever met, and so she for once took someone's assurances a given without further questioning.
Even Wraith was silenced momentarily. Not a single bad thought popped into her mind. Deciding to scout throughout her classmates, she carefully weaved through them all in apparent concern. Yes, the nurse was tending to them. But she was looking for signs of lingering stress, fright, or anxiety. They'd just been through mortal peril, after all, and they were only kids. She wanted to make sure everyone was okay.
I'm a kid too.
Doesn't mean I can't look out for 'em.
Doesn't mean I should at all.
But it'll be nice.
It might be. Until I screw up.
We'll see. Now shush.
Edited by Enirboreh on Jan 24th 2022 at 4:13:56 PM
bork
Theo groaned and slowly opened his eyes, letting them adjust to the light as he climbed to his feet. The boy remained silent as he tried to take in everything that had just happened, the events playing back in his mind as he looked around at the damaged pool and severed kraken tentacles before turning towards his classmates and walking over to them.
"Is...is everyone OK?" He asked, his natural voice much softer than the pseudo-new-yorkian 'tough guy' voice he put on normally, "No casualties?" he turned back towards the kraken tentacles before turning back towards his classmates, a forced smile on his face, "Did we uh...did we eat this one too and I missed it?" he forced a small chuckle before his seemingly casual demeanor gave way to a look of genuine concern, folding his hands together and taking a deep breath as he tried to keep himself together, "W...We didn't lose anyone, did we?" he asked shakily.
Pool
"Yes, ma'am. Thank you." The girl replied, bowing her head in thanks before moving on. As she did so, she took notice of the book in her pocket, and gave the nurse a brief nod of approval before marching off to the sidelines.
Proud member of the AGOG community.
Fwomph
Bea :> Interrupted
Bea sighed and stopped in her tracks.
"Perhaps I will need to talk to someone. But later, I need to calm myself and get out of this impractical regalia... Maybe I'll talk with you after evening meal or with a properly-assigned staff member tomorrow. We'll see."
And with that she departed for her dorm room.
It's clearly a case of backroom political albumizing.
Abandoned Warehouse
A few blocks away from Saint Academy sat an abandoned warehouse. On the surface, it wasn't much. A rusty doorknob here, a broken window there, and a horde of cobwebs littered every-which-where. It was worn down and dilapidated, a broken-down heap on the verge of collapse. The sort of place no-one in their right mind would approach it in a million years.
But it was arguable if its current occupant had a mind at all.
He stood in the darkest, furthest corner, standing as still a stone-cold statue. It was almost impossible to see him in the dark, his tailored garments blending in seamlessly with the shadows. A large pair of glass filaments shone through the darkness, almost akin to a pair of binoculars, but they were the exception to the rule. That and the gold insignia that sat above his head, as though emblazoned onto a large officer's cap. But the rest of him was wreathed him in darkness.
He looked down, a small tablet sitting in his gloved hand. He could see the school, nestled within. And everyone in it. He watched as the scores of frightened children ran helplessly, the horde of sea creatures rising from the deep to exact vengeance. He could see the young heroes springing to action, rushing to save the other as they beat them back. He could see their dear teachers leap in, only to be beaten to the punch. In that way, it was almost amusing.
But not as amusing as their failure to comprehend. Perhaps they would do so later, once the assailants were properly apprehended. But for now, they did not bother to question. Question how the creatures had found their way into this world, or why they did what they did. Didn't think about who had opened the way. Didn't ask if they'd been convinced that attacking now was in their best interests. That perhaps the creatures weren't wholly to blame. Or that whoever was to blame had a motive beyond conquest.
He could see young love begin to blossom, even if they didn't know it themselves. He could new friendships and burgeoning rivalries, perhaps both at once. Some accepted both in stride, but others were less sure. All notions and emotions he had long cleansed. But he couldn't even be mad. Yes, he would have preferred to push them further, and further still. But the tests had been... productive. The demon had caught his interest the most, but all of these young hopefuls would prove valuable additions to his... their collection.
He could hardly wait.
Basement Laboratory — September 6th
The previous day had been... eventful. It wasn't the first time there'd been an attack on school grounds, and it wouldn't be the last. But to come from the school's own pool was nothing short of an embarrassment. After tending to the students, they arrested the remaining creatures, placing them in specially prepared water tanks before they could be moved. They'd already begun questioning the attackers, but about all they could get was a cacophony of angry gurgles. Either they were unable to properly speak or couldn't be bothered to, but it would take at least a few days for them to spill the beans. If they ever did.
But they had a school to run. Both pools were cordoned off, but the rest of the school was as busy as ever, and Class 1 was no exception. After eating breakfast and washing up, it was time for science! Mad science, to be exact. Transistors and drones were nothing compared to laser beams or teleportation belts, or any number of strange contraptions that everyday science couldn't comprehend. Only by ignoring the rules of quantum physics and relatively were true miracles achieved, and the use of such wonderous contraptions was what separated heroes from zeroes.
But to obtain this sacred knowledge, the students had to brave the depths of... the basement. Victor and Kirby had already ventured down the other day, but now the rest of the class had joined them. The lights were already turned on, illuminating what had previously been a formless void. Small desks were loosely scattered across the lab, but it was clear they were a last-minute addition.
Countless contraptions and spare parts were strewn across the room. Rusty old megabombs, stripped-down phasers on rickety tables, even spherical plasma converters were sitting pretty against the chalkboard. It was vast, the 'classroom' only a small part of it. It had been drawn with chalk, a haphazard outline separating it from a second-rate Tomorrow Land. The teacher was nowhere to be seen, but chances were they'd been buried deep in the mechanical junkheap.
Sue
Sue had scampered along to the lab, but she wasn't in the best mood. She should have been thrilled to mess around with all sorts of crazy weird science stuff and shoot rayguns and make some flubber and eat it, but she was hungry and restless and the cool sword lady wasn't talking to her and she was hungry. Like, it wasn't like they weren't talking, but they weren't talking talking. Or maybe she wasn't listening? Maybe a little of Column A and B? But all she wanted was to be besty-buddy-roomies! Was that too much to ask?
But the sight of so much stuff was enough to draw her attention. "OOO!" She grabbed an old raygun sitting on the teacher's desk, hoisting it up as she lived out her wildest space cowboy fantasies.
"REACH FOR THE SKIES, PARDNER! THIS IS A... a... wait, how's someone supposed to reach the sky? Maybe you can reach for it, but how're you supposed to reach it?"
Edited by kkhohoho on Jan 27th 2022 at 11:45:31 AM
AKA Nixer
Lucy Livingston
The prior night had been... tense. Sort of. Her talk with Martin had helped her sleep, but the sheer novelty of the situation still hadn't fully settled in her mind. It lingered even to that morning, where she got up early to quietly get washed up and dressed before they could even face that awkward scenario. But she realised that she was just being silly about it.
She took her suit with her, just in case. With her bag slung on her shoulder, she walked into the classroom and idly noted that it looked like how her brother preferred to decorate his room. Namely with random junk and potentially world-shattering (literally and figuratively) inventions. She carefully stood to the side, not wanting to touch anything on accident. It all looked... expensive.
Yet also cheap, simultaneously.
It was weird.
bork
"Ey, Sue, careful with that 'fore ya shoot someone's eye out!" Theo said with a laugh as he walked into the room and slumped into a seat towards the front. He was desperately trying to not give off the impression that he was barely awake- rooming with a person made of rats when you're deathly afraid of rats tends to lead to a lack of sleep- though it was debatable how much he was succeeding at that. He reached into the pocket of the leather jacket he was wearing and pulled out a few snickers bars, "You guys want one?" he asked as he handed one to Sue and offered one to Lucy.
Edited by bestmand902 on Jan 27th 2022 at 3:09:00 PM
Enter Joseph Hauken
The man who came to the school the next day carried with him a large pair of luggage boxes with him, wheeled along - all containing his relevant equipment, research material, and case studies. Joseph Hauken was one of the top 5 detectives in the world, though he hardly worked as much these days as he did in his twenties. Back then, he'd been known as Ghostlight, and he'd worked for the Protectors.
As of now though, the man with bushy black hair, eyebags under his icy blue eyes, pale skin and a gaunt frame stuffed into a heavy trench coat...he looked worn down. Damaged. His white dress shirt under the coat was wrinkled, his pants heavy, torn, and haphazardly sewn back together.
His career had been one of accolades, full of triumphs and tribulations. Work done, lives saved, and he could go home feeling like a hero - knowing he'd made a difference.
At least, until things got too real. Too close to home. One day, he came home to see his front door unlocked and swaying in the wind. His detective instincts in overdrive, he looked at the scene until he saw what happened. His young son was sat, bawling his eyes out, at the scene of the horrific crime.
All of eight years old, and the boy had seen something no child should have to see.
His wife was still in that damned hospital. Sure, they found Destaine - the culprit - in no time flat. He hadn't exactly been subtle. But the fact was, somehow, he'd found out who Joseph was. He'd found out more than that. Where he lived. Where he worked. Where his family was.
He'd been taken off the case due to how personal it was. Honestly, he didn't blame them. Adding personal issues in an investigation was an invitation to making it a travesty. All he knew was that Destaine bragged he'd beaten Ghostlight's wife into a coma - and that he could and would put others in the hospital - leave them vegetative barely living husks.
A lot of "No Killing" Codes were strained that day. Tested, but not violated.
That was enough for Hauken. He quit the Ghostlight identity, and largely worked in the background from then on. And even then, his work hadn't been nearly as eventful. People gave him space. But now...now he was needed again. And Joseph didn't know how to feel about that.
As he walked into the office, he said, "So...you need me to look at some...what, sick dead dinosaurs? Figure out what their deal is...? And they come from somewhere you don't know."
By the time the beaten unconscious Krae awoke in custody, he was not much help with the issue of what led to his invasion. He was a militarist, one of the lead generals of the junta regime in charge of his world - and indeed, he tried to leverage that status as a head of state to demand his release.
As time went on, he seemed to come unglued.
He finally started saying something about what brought on his activities. But the issue was, what he said did not make much sense. Even beyond his status as a Deep One.
"The Death Boy..." He'd ranted, "He lied to me! Lied to me!! That worthless scoundrel, dwelling so far but so near. All he did was lie to me! He spoke promises and prophecies and glory, and all he gave me was this debasing captivity!!"
The Night
That night, Liam dreamed.
He found himself on an island in those far reaching lands within the endless waves of the Outer Void. The waters crashing and flowing around him, licking at the beachfront...it was calming. Soothing. After a harsh and surprisingly eventful first day, Liam found himself enjoying his time on the beach. He stood in his shorts - the air even without the presence of the sun was crisp and cool but not unpleasantly cold.
Liam rested on his back for an instant, content to just enjoy the sights and sounds...
And then he heard the same voice from his last dreaming, "Enjoying your time here, bro? Nice job saving the babes at the pool! You're gonna be a big shot hero for sure."
Liam looked to his left as he stirred, propping himself up on his elbows, in time to see a barechested Tommy-Lee standing there. Silver and blue surfboard in hand. A smile on his boyishly handsome face. "...I was wondering where you ran off to."
"What, you missed me?" Tommy chuckled, and reached down to help Liam up - grasping him by the forearm and tracing up it with his thumb. "You just needed a little mission control from yours truly at first. It won't be long before you can hit the mission without."
Liam steadied his feet as Tommy brought him up, and nodded, blushing a little, "You're...really confident in me. Thanks. You might be the first person to feel that way about me in a while."
"Oh?" Tommy sighed, "That's right. Your folks are kiiiinda douchey."
"Yeah, they are." Liam chuckled, but then his eyes drifted to the surfboard, and an idea came to him. He remembered how much fun Tommy seemed to have in the waves in his last time here. And this might be the only chance he got for this. "...Tommy?"
"Yeah?"
"Can you—-?" Liam started, "Can you teach me to surf?"
The blond beach boy clasped Liam's shoulder, and nodded with a big smile, "Follow me, big guy. By the time you wake up in the morning, you'll at least have a good grasp on surfing. Glad to see you're interested!" One motion from Tommy generated a gold and green surfboard on the strange sand of the beach. "Here ya go. Now, you get on, I'll climb on too, and help your posture."
Anyone watching Liam that night would see him tossing, turning, and hear him murmuring in his sleep.
The Morning
Liam walked to the lab, feeling tight and already like he'd had quite a workout. It seemed like the dreaming he underwent, learning to surf with Tommy...it went on for far longer than a single night's sleep. Maybe time was weird in...whatever realm of the sleeping places that was. He could tell that something was weird about it. Well, Tommy-Lee was easily one of his friends now. A content smile showed on Liam's face as he walked into the lab.
Dressed in his usual, he seemed to beam today. More confident, more outgoing. Less nervous. Less passive.
Edited by NickTheSwing on Jan 27th 2022 at 12:43:40 PM
Sue
"OOO! As soon as Theo offered the Snickers bar, Sue snatched it up, bringing it to her nose and giving it a good whiff. She rattled it next to her ear, trying to figure out what was inside, but she was no closer than when she started.
"Uh, thanks fire guy, but what in the name of Saint Slapping Jerome are you supposed to do with it?" She gave the wrapper a quick lick, but pulled it away in an instant.
"ECH! YUCKY! This thing's as bad as that bush of elderberries! Seriously, what's this stupid thing even for?!"
Breath of the Sun
Mikael
Despite the grievous injuries he'd sustained yesterday, Mikael was entirely fine as he walked into class. One of the scars from where he'd been stabbed was still visible on his forearm, but it was already fading, and would no doubt be gone in a few short days.
He seemed calm, but a small scowl crossed his face as he glanced over the room. He knew who their teacher was, and that put him on edge. His great-grandfather had left Germany before the war, but had returned fighting for the USA. He'd heard stories of the Wehrmacht and their atrocities.
The worst monsters wear the faces of men. His grandfather had said. One such monster now apparently stood on the side of justice. Mikael wasn't sure if he could believe that. So he was slightly apprehensive at the thought of that man being their teacher.
He exhaled and allowed that thought to drift from his mind, focusing instead on his classmates. Sue was currently trying to eat a candy bar without taking of the wrapper. Lucy was Lucy.
Liam...
"Well, someone looks happy." Mikael couldn't help but match Liam's confident smile with one of his own. He casually leaned against the desk next to Liam. "You get laid last night, or what?"
What is so amusing about this? Why do you take lives? How can you forget?
"er...Lemme handle that, yeah?" Theo responded, trying his best not to laugh as he undid the wrapper, "See? It's a chocolate bar, they put em' in those lil' plastic things so they don't make your pockets all sticky when ya carry em' around." He handed it back to her and smiled.
Liam
Liam if anything went from beaming to blushing heavily as it seemed like Mikael took a particular interpretation of his good mood. Could anyone interpret learning to surf...? Oh. Ohh. If anyone heard me in my sleep, what'd I sound like...? "Uhh, no getting laid happened last night. I was out like a light. Just...had some really good dreams last night."
And then he realized what that might as well say and his hand slapped his face as he realized it. Nicely done, Liam - open mouth, insert shoe, start chewing.
"How uh," Liam asked, "How're you, Mikael? I mean, yesterday seemed pretty rough. Did you hear anything about what cause the fishman had for his actions?"
The Lab-Kirby
He walked into the room slowly, dodging around Kid Satan and Whatisname with a frown. The prior time he'd spent in the basement hadn't endeared him to the place. And this place was littered with all kinds of weird equipment. There was a line between eccentric, mad, and just weird, and only one of the three was what he needed here. Kirby rubbed the back of his neck again and shook his head. After he'd finally gotten back to his bed, there had been a weird smell around. Like sushi.
The next day, of course, he heard all about the pool party and the fishmen. It sounded.....pretty exhausting, actually, and he wasn't sorry he'd missed it. What kind of help could he have been, anyway? Then the Saint had shown up and reprimanded people about-something. Very exciting. Well, he was sure he'd hear all about it eventually.
Or just slip into the air ducts and listen in when everyone's in their rooms. Saying what they really think.
Anyway, now it was time for science. Hopefully, he could get the teacher to take a look at his friend. Soup it up and go for a spin!
Edited by Booky on Jan 27th 2022 at 4:45:15 AM
Fwomph
Bea :> Come in at a pretty cool moment
"If that is anything like a ration bar, then you need to shed the exterior casing. Consider it like the rind of a fruit that must be peeled before devouring the actually edible contents."
Well, Bea's looking a little better off today. By which I mean instead of a disheveled military uniform she's dressed in... Well okay she's still got her uniform pants and heavy boots on but she's at least wearing a too-large white t-shirt instead of that roughed-up jacketry. She gives a little shrug before wandering over to a desk to take a seat.
"I am looking forward to making technological improvements to our collective arsenals."
It's clearly a case of backroom political albumizing.
Philip
Fern
Fern looks around before slowly walking away “I think my time to umm go to my room, is now” She says disappearing away, she walks to her new room and opens the door, as she jumps into her bed “Good night… Me” Fern says as she sleeps early.
Fern wakes up and immediately her arm stretches out to grab her backpack unzipping it and putting on a new hoodie putting the old hoodie in just to wear it again sooner or later, Fern then pops out of her bed and made her way back to class.
I can do it. For the sake of my master and seonbae…
Omega Overlord. Or superjwren329. Either or.
Lee, Labs.
After the...encounter and avoiding what was probably an accident waiting to happen in the cafeteria yesterday, Lee seemed to stare at dinner for a while before politely excusing himself and going to bed early. At least from what he was hearing, he'd managed to stay out of trouble.
Of course by the next morning, he was back to his cheerful and energetic self...even if half the night had been spent scribbling and writing down in the diary-map-book...thing the academy had provided, having plenty of curious questions to ask but no real time to ask them, simply jotting down comments during breakfast and as they walked to class, a little bewildered when they got there.
"Huh...? This doesn't look like a classroom, it's more of a mess of metal and stuff."
Hope you weren't expecting anything witty here. Maybe some day.
Tell Me, Have You Seen the Yellow Sign?
Khulan, Basement Laboratory
"It. Is. Alive! Bwahahahahahahaha!" Khulan swung in the doorway doing her best mad scientist laugh. At least it looked like Khulan. But compared to yesterday, she had giant orange goggles covering half her face and her hair had turned into a puffy, orange thing that may have been an attempt at an afro. A labcoat dipped down like a cape, and she'd come with thick gloves that she'd gotten from the cafeteria.
"'Sup, mates! Sup queen! Sup Candyman!" Khulan gave upside down salutes straight ahead and then to Lucy and Theo before dropping on all floors to the ground. And then skittering straight to Theo's desk.
"So..." She clasped her hands together and made her best puppy dog eyes, which she eventually realized, the goggles were probably obscuring. "Have any more snickers?"
Edited by CenturyEye on Jan 27th 2022 at 4:18:19 AM
Look with century eyes... With our backs to the arch And the wreck of our kind We will stare straight ahead For the rest of our lives
AKA Nixer
Lucy Livingston
“Y-You should see my brother's room. This is nothing...” Lucy muttered in response to Lee, before the offer of a chocolate bar startled her and she hesitantly reached out to take it. “O-Oh...! Um... th-thank you, Theo...”
HOW DID HE KNOW
She bemusedly watched Sue lick the packet and declare it repulsive, while she herself quietly peeled the wrapping off hers and proceeded to nibble on it silently. It was almost comical seeing the bar slowly shrink and disappear beneath the darkness of her raised hood. She soon scrunched it up and stuffed it in her pocket, before reconsidering and flinging it into a random trashcan using her ink.
Score!
WHOOO
“I-I can't remember whose class this is...” she admitted, glancing around curiously as if trying to figure out the identity of their teacher through their surroundings alone. Mikael seemed a little frowny, which was a concern. “I-I hope they're as nice as...”
Interceptor.
Saint.
“Sainterceptor.”
...
...
...the fu—
Lucy hoped nobody had heard that.
“.. Q-Queen...?” she mouthed in response to Khulan, cheeks reddening into a prominent blush as she tried to shuffle back further into her hoodie. “D-Did she just call me queen...?”
Edited by Enirboreh on Jan 27th 2022 at 12:17:28 PM
bork
Surrounded by weirdoes
Sam had managed to at least sleep a bit. Even if he had to sneak out to just jam any stress away when no one was seeing, at least he didn't piss people off. A sore arm aside, he felt more relaxed in the morning. He hopes.
Still, he walked into the classroom with what amounts to a dance step, with earphones on, as he took on the room.
"Was there a brawl around here?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.
Wake me up at your own risk.
Breath of the Sun
Mikael
If Mikael was amused by Liam's phrasing, he didn't show it. Mikael just kept smiling slyly at him. At least until Krae was mentioned.
At that, Mikael sighed. "Nah, nothing. Though if he really is part of some enemy nation's military, I don't think they'd tell us anything anyway. Government secrets, and all that."
He rubbed the scar on his arm. "I'm healing up fine, at least. Pretty much at 100% again. Just need another day or two for the scars to fade." He smiled again. "Thank God it was me who got hit instead of someone who couldn't regenerate. Small miracles, I guess."
What is so amusing about this? Why do you take lives? How can you forget?
Sue
"Wait, really? So it's like a big sticky banana that gets all mushy in your pocket like a real banana and that doesn't make any sense cuz I don't got pockets so how would I know and..."
At some point in her rambling, her hunger took hold. she bit into the Snickers bar, indulging in a mouthful of peanut-buttery chocolate goodness.
"...and I think I've got some chocolate in my mouth and it's getting stuck in my teeth and damn this is good!" She took another bite, and another and another and another. Before she knew it, it was all gone and she wanted more. "HOT DARN!" She lept over to Theo, giving him a quick hug before leaning towards his pockets.
"Thanks, chocolate flame guy! Got any more of those things? Cuz if you do I can smell it and you don't want me smelling it even if I already did so show em if you got em, ya hear?"
Philip
Fern
Fern walks into the classroom and looks around the classmates "So that first day" she says to the group "Let's see if this gets better"
I can do it. For the sake of my master and seonbae…
Theo blinked in surprise as he saw Khulan skitter towards him before clearing his throat to respond, “Hell yeah I do!” He said with a nod, “By the way, love the outfit spider girl, I dig the aesthetic—WOAH!” Before Theo could before he could finish his response, Sue had leapt towards him and hugged him before leaning towards his pockets. He reached in and pulled out a handful of snickers bars and placing then on his desk, handing one to Khulan and another to Sue.
“Dang, who knew this’d be the thing that makes me popular?” He thought out loud with a shrug and a smile. He looked around the classroom and waved to others arriving or already in the classroom, “Ayo, anyone who wants a snickers come get one!”
Pool
"I have medical training and aspirations to be a doctor myself. If you're looking for extra help, I would be honored to assist you." Libitina replied, even as she wondered just how much of this was an act on the nurse's part and how much of it was the real her.
Proud member of the AGOG community.