Still Not Safe [M&M 2nd ed]

[Matar]

Todd rolls the glass like bit of the SE around in the palm of his hand before tossing it in the air. With a might shout he release his armor.

"Green Wizard, sleep!"

The armor creaks and groans as it's seemingly sucked back into the amplifier. Todd catches the crystal he tossed in the air before it hits the ground and shoves it in his pocket. He sees Frank and laughs, running up to meet him.

"Yo, old man! Glad to see you survived, heh."

Todd pats Franks armored chest a couple times with a grin on his face. It's obvious that he'd tired, even wearing the armor is enough to wear a body out. However, his weariness doesn't stop him from standing tall or proud.

"Let's just hope that armor holds up though, because with the sheer dedication and passion I saw I have the feeling that the armor will rust far before your will to fight starts to!"

[Drascin]

Andy is incredibly relieved to hear that there's nobody seriously wounded. He begins to feel quite the tinge of euphoria himself - they'd done it. And they'd done it right! Nobody died, both the monsters were stopped, and the...

"Oh come on man!"

Todd pokes Andy in the side a couple, seemingly annoyed by his simple response.

"Put some more power into it! Fill your voice with passion! What would the great hero Kamina say if he heard such a simple answer as to why you fight?!"

Todd gives your head a friendly thump.

"I need to help you work on that man, like, badly."

"He'd probably want to recruit me. After all, that's exactly why most of the Gurren brigade fought - they had the chance to do something good for everyone, and took it. Andrés says simply. His confidence is obvious, and contagious.

"Besides, rather than Kamina, I always tried to be more like Simon - you know, speak softly, and kick nine shades of ass" he jokes.

"That said" he goes serious again, "gotta say I'm quite annoyed. I should have felt the second one coming. The ground is supposed to be my territory" He sighs. "Oh well. No good'll come of obsessing over it - I just have to get better. Let's focus on more interesting things". He dismisses his armor and approaches the rest of the goup "So, it seems we're now a full-fledged squad, if I understood the boss right, with our own headquarters and living quarters and everything. Well, I hope I don't get too much on y'all's nerves" he winks.

Well, well. Things could certainly be going worse. They did good on their first outing, and for the next time they'll actually be prepared. And his unit looks full of great people - and a couple cute girls, that's always a plus. Yeah, it might be the after-victory euphoria, but right now Andy feels good.

[kamikasei]

Cat, appropriately, is frozen. Aside from the movement of her torso as she breathes heavily, she's still tensed in the pose she attained after attempting to freeze 01A in place - leaning forward, arms to her sides and reaching back, fists clenched. She has the look of a child who screamed "go away!" in a tantrum, then opened her eyes to find the other party had obediently vanished.

Slowly she forces her muscles to relax and straightens up, her focus relaxing and the chatter on the radio sounding like words again. The SE - both SEs - are down, no one has been killed...

With a deep breath and a long exhalation, Cat closes her eyes again and concentrates for a moment, releasing the effect she had placed on the area. Temperatures rapidly begin to return to normal.

"Anticlimax, hell!" she replies to James as she begins walking back to the group - although still in armour, it seems strange to her to use her powers with no enemy present. "We won, didn't we? And without losing anyone, thanks to you," she nods gratefully at Laura. While she looks around at the rest of the group, beaming, she seems to pass over Emi.

[Cubey]

Frank looks puzzled by your discussion - maybe he didn't hear about TTGL. Or maybe he likes Viral more than Kamina or Simon.
"I'll see you in the headquarters." He walks away, waving good-bye with his suit's large arm.

"I... didn't lose my touch yet..." Letting off a sigh of relief, Laura dismisses her suit of armor. And as soon as she does that, she falls unconscious to the ground.

[kamikasei]

"Whoa!" Cat, looking embarrassed that she had forgotten to do it sooner, releases her armour and hurries to Laura's side. "...Miss Ericks has collapsed, can we get someone over here?" she speak in to her amplifier, unsure whether they should try to do anything themselves. Armour gone, her clothes appear quite dry, but strangely although there's still a chill about her as she passes you there's no sign the cold is bothering her.

[Tengu_temp]

Emi touches her amplifier and deactivates her armor - its disappearance is much simpler than summoning, as it just shimmers and fades away. So does the giant hand she created.
"Well, at least both the SEs got defeated and nobody died - that's what really matters, right? I guess I shouldn't complain - it's just that all this looks different from what I expected..." If Emi wanted to elaborate further on this point, then Laura collapsing interrupted her. She looks at the scene with concern, but doesn't stand up - too tired, and Cat seems to be handling it well enough.

[Cubey]

"Of course. Help is on the way." Your mission control lady doesn't sound very surprised at all. Indeed, a medic arrives only a few seconds later, accompanied by assistants carrying a stretcher.

"All normal." After performing basic diagnosis, the middle-aged man removes his hat to rub the sweat off his brow. "Alright, take her away. The doctor's waiting."
"Thank you for letting us know. Miss Ericks likes to do this." The whole group departs carrying their unconscious patient, leaving any questions you might have for Laura unanswered.

[Fri]

"Chicken... out"

A quick flashes, and the fowl turned back into James. He tidied up his clothing and combs his hair, then he pulls a shades from his pocket (never mind that it's not even dawn right now)

"You're right. For a first mission, it's not that bad."

Then he punches himself in the cheek. "But also very disappointing. I'm weak, really weak. I have no excuse on that. I'm a disgrace for all fowlkinds in the world... I joined this because I thought I won't be helpless anymore."

He then pulled a harmonica from his jacket and start to brood in one corner of the wall, and plays a haunting refrain.

[Tengu_temp]

Oh God - Rooster Boy is disappointed too. I'm in one basket with him. Just one mission and I am losing my sanity already.
Emi snorts and starts to laugh, as if chicken angst was one of the funniest things in the world.

[Fri]

"I guess..." James said in between his emotional harmonica playing, "with this, our elite team is formally formed? And they won't be back into wherever they came from?"

more soulful refrain.

"I only said that because... this team hadn't even got a name. We're called here in a surprise from all over the world, suddenly became a team, kicked a tentacled monstrosity's ass, got our asses kicked by a tentacled monstrosity, before we got enough explanation about our current gig. All were thrilling enough that we don't even get time to think about all of it. But now, after everything is cool again, I need to know. What do you want us to do next? Well, not that I'm worried about myself, but Miss Laura's condition is worrying enough, and...

He nodded toward Cat, eyes still covered in shades.

"... this just isn't the place for her to be in these hours."

[Drascin]

Andy had been startled by Laura's fainting spell, but his worries were eased when they took her away. She did entirely too much, that girl. If he knew anything about people, she seemed the self-martyrizing overworking type. He'd have to grow stronger to get some work off her shoulders.

"I guess..." James said in between his emotional harmonica playing, "with this, our elite team is formally formed? And they won't be back into wherever they came from?"

more soulful refrain.

"I only said that because... this team hadn't even got a name. We're called here in a surprise from all over the world, suddenly became a team, kicked a tentacled monstrosity's ass, got our asses kicked by a tentacled monstrosity, before we got enough explanation about our current gig. All were thrilling enough that we don't even get time to think about all of it. But now, after everything is cool again, I need to know. What do you want us to do next? Well, not that I'm worried about myself, but Miss Laura's condition is worrying enough, and...

"Well, I dunno what the others want to do, but as for me, I want a sofa. I kinda was at ground zero when the Omoikane thingy exploded, what with making it explode myself and all, and my knees are sore something fierce" Andy jokes. "But, now seriously, I guess they'll come get us soon, we get home and get our stuff, and then we meet in a couple days at headquarters. We need to be together and ready to answer for next time, after all" he says, more serious. Then he smiles again "So, if you ask me, I'd leave the team naming for then. You know, give everyone time to get used to the idea and think of something cool and all that".

He nodded toward Cat, eyes still covered in shades.

"... this just isn't the place for her to be in these hours."

Andy looks puzzled at this. "Uh, sorry dude, not following you. Yeah, these ain't hours to be anywhere except comfily sleeping in a bed, but that goes for all of us, I'd say. Well, when we stop being jittery from all the adrenaline, I mean"

[Fri]

"I know.. she's just an example" James smiles.

[Drascin]

"Heh, alright, alright. I was just wondering why you singled Cat" Andy raises his arms in a mock apologetic gesture. "But yeah. We're, as James says, a complete elite unit as of now. Well, I suppose it'll not be official until we're all back at our shiny new headquarters, y'know, formalities" Andy does a dismissive gesture. "But as far as I'm concerned, we're a team now." He looks at everyone, with his contagious, confident smile "So, you know, a pleasure to work with you all. Well, as much pleasure as fighting abominations borne from Loki's indigestion-induced hallucination's can be, I mean" he laughs. Again, while he's not loud and he's not overbearing as Todd is, he seems to have a relaxed certainty and humor that fill more space than he does.

[ChronicLunacy]

Ben Brooks

When the aura of despair began to let up, Ben struggled to his feet, though he was still hunched over. Finally it disappeared and Ben straightened up at the waist with a growl, the aura of flames around him exploding outward in concert with his anger. He clenched his fists as he saw that the earth-based SE had already been defeated and the air around him for a mile in every direction got much hotter until it seemed like those gathered were standing in the middle of a blacktop parking lot on a sunny day at high noon. One couldn't see his expression for the mask, but his entire body was rigid and trembling slightly as those flames swirled around him. His head turned to regard Devon as she slowly walked away from them.

Then he was off into the air like a shot, almost leaving those flames behind him as they struggled to keep up. He hit the ground in front of Devon before she could leave, with the aura returning after a second's delay, blossoming out onto the ground as it hit and then reforming around him. Fists still clenched, he pointed one finger directly in Devon's face as he stood in her path. "Where the hell do you get off, girl?" he demanded. "What the hell are you doing here, huh? Just showing up after all this time, after abandoning your teammate and SECT. You think you're some big damn hero? We didn't need your help!" he growled. "Everyone else might be too scared to say it, to let you just walk off into the sunset like the goddamn lone ranger, but this is bullsh*t!" he yelled at her.

Spoiler

Show

Damn you people and your wonky time zones!

[Tengu_temp]

Emi didn't laugh for long before calming down.
"Sorry... When you're tired, you laugh from the weirdest things sometimes."
With a bit of effort she manages to get up again, and yawns, covering her mouth with her hand.
"I wonder how will school look like at the new place..."

[Cubey]

Although the Black Cloud has no visor, no facemask and no other features on the face, Ben feels that Devon gazes at him studiously.
"Hero? I am only myself, and I do what I want to. I want to save my race, and these beings won't stop until humans are all wiped out. You would have killed that one... eventually. It was hesitating and thus weak. But it didn't abandon its goal." Her voice is unchanging in its neutrality. It's almost like if she was giving a philosophical speech to an academic audience, rather than answering a very angry fire-controlling Shifter.
"And the combination of an unattainable goal and weakness is what made it die." She rises into the air, trying to float above you.

[ChronicLunacy]

Ben Brooks

"That's not what I asked you, Devon!" Ben said as he jumped upward and landed on the air, staying in front of her and not letting her past. "Why are you here? After just walking away from SECT, what makes you think you have a right to even show your face?! You're just getting in our way! In my way! You listen and you listen good. I'm not going to just stand aside and let you do whatever you want. You're a loose cannon, and if you're not part of the team you're part of the problem. If you don't want to be a part of SECT anymore, fine, but you park your butt on the sidelines. If you show up and try to pull that crap again, I'm going to treat you the same as the enemy. Am I understood?" The t-visor flashed crimson again as the air around them went from hot day to edge of a volcano hot, rising with his temper.

[Haven]

I can't believe it...

After the battle ends, Lorne does a quick reconnaissance, circling the immediate area to make sure nothing else is about to pop up on them. He then Shifts, and goes as far under the Earth as he can in that form, keeping his bearings with his electroreceptive sensors as he searches for any sign of where the terrestrial SE came from. Thanks to Stork's Nest, we may be on the verge of a major breaktrhough about the origin of the space-based SEs...I may be able to make the same for the terrestrial ones.

Devon? He radios in as he searches. If you don't mind, ah, could you tell me about how you tracked the creature, and where you picked up the trail? His voice is a bit nervous--Devon is something of a legend to him.

[kamikasei]

The look on Cat's face during James' and Andy's exchange is no doubt a little odd. In fact, this is because she's trying hard not to succumb to stress and join Emi in the release of highly inappropriate laughter. It also seems as though her body is slowly noticing that, hey, it's pretty tired, and it doesn't need to keep her standing, any more, does it?

"Yeah - I think the getting-to-know-you stuff would work better after we've all cleaned off and gotten a good night's sleep. But I'm looking forward to it. We did some good today." She looks around. "But where's Ben gone, and Lorne?"

[Cubey]

Lorne doesn't notice anything unusual... weird. But then, he cannot travel deep down, it becomes impossible after less than 6 feet. You cannot contact Devon, as you don't know her amplifier-radio's frequency... or if she has any radio inside hers, for that matter.

"Very well. This is how you declare your actions. The future will see if you can live up to them." Devon lands, apparently giving up the flight seeing that you can stop her in air as well. She continues to try to walk forward though. "But I have advice for you. Do not view me as your enemy. I am a very dangerous person. And do not tell me what should I do."

[ChronicLunacy]

Ben Brooks

"Yeah? Bite me." Ben shot back. "So you're dangerous. Join the club. Now get lost before I lose my temper." he growled. He seemed to jump off of the air and landed on the ground behind her, giving her a clear road to leave on. He kept his back turned as he started his own walk back to where the others were gathered. As he got closer to the gathered tents and people, the temperature around him began to slowly cool so that he wasn't turning the entire area into the surface of the sun anymore. The area that was being affected shrank as well until it was just very close to him where the temperature jumped, though anything that happened to touch his armor still sizzled and burnt away upon contact.

[Tengu_temp]

"I don't know. They probably did what we should as well - return home to rest. It's a good alternative to hanging around here aimlessly, until you drop for exhaustion."
Emi looks around to check if they might be somewhere near after all - she looks tired and not too attentive at the moment, though.
"Although it's weird neither of them said goodbye... Oh. There's Ben."

[Fri]

James stops playing his harmonica and lowers his shades slightly to look at the floating devon above.

"The problem is that she is strong enough to pull all of it." he says, with a shade of envy.

He know that he isn't exactly what you call a team person. But he's not strong enough...

[Drascin]

The look on Cat's face during James' and Andy's exchange is no doubt a little odd. In fact, this is because she's trying hard not to succumb to stress and join Emi in the release of highly inappropriate laughter. It also seems as though her body is slowly noticing that, hey, it's pretty tired, and it doesn't need to keep her standing, any more, does it?

Andy, as the archetypical experienced class bufoon, however, notices Cat's expression - he's seen it altogether too much. Still in his congratiating voice he says "Hey, Cat, you know, it's not nice, here I am trying my best to make you all laugh or at least chuckle a bit to relax after we fought for our lives, and here you are trying not to laugh. C'mon, no fair!"

"But yeah, Emi's right. We should go and find how we're getting back home. I could sleep right here in the pavement, but I want to get my stuff from home. If I'm going to have to go through more military courses, I'm gonna need my handheld"

[Haven]

Lorne's curiosity is doubled by the lack of any evidence. He leaves the earth, and tries to find Devon before she leaves the area completely. If he can, he lands in front of her.

"Devon? Before you leave, I'd just like to thank you for the help. I've been hoping to compare notes with you since I first activated my armor--I understand yours does surveillance too, and that's my suit's speciality! But more immediately, if you don't mind my asking--how did you locate and track that creature? And where did you first pick up the trail? Knowing this would be invaluable."

[Cubey]

"This one emerged in North Africa. I tracked it since then." Devon doesn't seem surprised at all that Lorne catched up to her. "SEs can see Shifters. I can see SEs. There are similarities, between me and them. But they always act in pairs, and are hopeless alone. I work at my best when alone."

At the same time, many SECT members are leaving from the place, although others stay to secure the parking lot and the immediate surroundings. Choppers land and take off, and cars arrive and drive away.
"Transport has been arranged for you - a helicopter will arrive shortly and take you to the nearest airport. Please do not hurry, the time is not limited anymore and we do not want you to mentally exert yourself any further." You receive a message from mission control.

[Tengu_temp]

"That's nice. All that's left to do is wait, then." Emi sits down at the closest bench, or bench surrogate, and tries to relax without completely falling asleep. She's balancing on a very thin line.
"And I really hope we won't have to do any military courses. I didn't sign up to be a soldier."

[Haven]

But they always act in pairs, and are hopeless alone.

"Well, we certainly saw that today," Lorne says. "If you don't mind my asking, how does your tracking system work? How is it that you were able to detect them long before we were?"

As exhausting as this is, I don't think I could bear to lose my armor while talking toDevon of all people...

[Cubey]

"I can feel an SE's presence. There is no consciously activated system involved." A swift answer. Devon does not elaborate further on any details, even if you try pressing her on the topic.

[Haven]

I was hoping for more than that.

"I see...well, I understand the appeal of solitude, so I'll just say: it was brilliant to see you in action today. ...Take care."

He transforms out of his armor--each segment retracts into the previous, until the whole thing has shrunk into the amplifier--and starts walking back towards the main area where everyone else is gathered around.