Hero Academy #2: Whodunit

[sun_tzu]

((Hurray! You used the idea!))

Sekhmet frowns a little at that, hands balling into fist, eyes beginning to turn red for a moment before she calms herself and tries to relax. It was something she'd noticed in her time since her transformation that injustices like this made her angry. Villainy and wrongdoing, yes, they were bad, but injustice was something else. It did more than light the fires of rage within her; it turned them into an inferno.

"Well, as soon as I get out of here, I'll track him down. That pointy-hatted freak won't last long if I ever catch him..." She muttered bitterly. This was why she had become a superhero; not because she had wanted to enforce the law but to fix injustices... Those using their power for evil instead of good; the big picking on the small for no reason beyond their inability to defend themselves; those with power abusing those without it for superficial reasons.

((Could have been any villain, but since that one had been suggested specifically...))

Sarah looks at you. "T-thanks...I guess..."
She looks down at her feet. "...But...you will be walking out of this place. I'm leaving today, sure...in a wheelchair."

[Axelgear]

((Hmmm...))

Sekhmet's face immediately dips. She was right, after all. You couldn't fix an injustice once it had happened, and she could never bring back her friend... The felinoid deity presses her hand to the side of the hospital bed and invokes a little of her flight power, pushing herself sideways and the bed with it until it rolls over next to the other girl.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" She asks, reaching out and placing a hand gently on the girl's, a flash of blue light arcing from her fingertips as she did, causing her to recoil at the sight of it. "Woah! What was that?" She gasped and then muttered, looking at her hand, even as she feels a shivering sensation run down her lower body...

((Sun's eyes only))

Spoiler

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Extra Effort to use Sekhmet's fatiguing healing power. This would leave her fatigued, since you said I get one free use per scene with it. If you don't want to count that, she'd be exhausted then. Either way, Sekhmet's subconscious wants to heal the girl.

Wow, she's using all sorts of powers lately, isn't she?

[Green Bean]

Leshii looks confused. "Academy? What academy?"

[sun_tzu]

((Hmmm...))

Sekhmet's face immediately dips. She was right, after all. You couldn't fix an injustice once it had happened, and she could never bring back her friend... The felinoid deity presses her hand to the side of the hospital bed and invokes a little of her flight power, pushing herself sideways and the bed with it until it rolls over next to the other girl.

"Wait, are you flying?" Sarah seems surprised. Perhaps intrigued. Then...

"Is there anything I can do to help?" She asks, reaching out and placing a hand gently on the girl's, a flash of blue light arcing from her fingertips as she did, causing her to recoil at the sight of it. "Woah! What was that?" She gasped and then muttered, looking at her hand, even as she feels a shivering sensation run down her lower body...

((Sun's eyes only))

Spoiler

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Extra Effort to use Sekhmet's fatiguing healing power. This would leave her fatigued, since you said I get one free use per scene with it. If you don't want to count that, she'd be exhausted then. Either way, Sekhmet's subconscious wants to heal the girl.

Wow, she's using all sorts of powers lately, isn't she?

Spoiler

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No full healing yet...but this is going to have some effect.
Of course, there may be smaller ways to help...

"Whoa!" Sarah's eyes bulge. "What was that?" She looks at Sekhmet. She looks at the spot where the spark hit her. Then, with a quizzical expression, she looks down at her feet...
...and that's when the doctor enters. "Ah, Ms Sekhmet. I'm glad to see you're awake.
You were brought here a few hours ago by the speedster girl...Celerity, I believe. I was told to inform you that your teammates are fine. You, yourself, should probably be more careful with your head...but, that was nothing that we couldn't fix, mostly."
((Medical technology is notably more advanced in the Avatar's World. Medical nanotech sold the world over by Venture Industries is enough to fix broken bones much faster than they would naturally. Nerves are more complicated to repair, though, hence why they can't just heal Sarah.))
"I'm not completely familiar with your physiology, though, so it would probably be for the best if you stayed in bed for a few days. As for you, Miss Thompson..." a nurse brings in a wheelchair; "I believe you are ready to go. Your parents will be coming to bring you home in a few hours."

[Mick_the_Rogue]

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Just posting to say I'm still here, that's all...damn finals

[Axelgear]

Sekhmet frowns slightly as her bed drifts back, squeaking as it stops. "As much as I'd like to stay, I don't really have the option." She explained. "I have to get back to school. I'm training to be a superhero and I can't exactly spend my time laying about here. When's the soonest I can leave?" She asks, attempting to sit up again and finding it a little easier each time she moved. Eventually, she sits up and examines herself, hoping to find something more modest than a hospital gown. Although the thin band and golden uraeus that formed the crown on her head and the bands on her upper-arms were static unless she wished otherwise, the cloth portion of the Nemes she wore was not so tightly fixed in its station, nor was the rest of her gear.

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For the record, Sekhmet was last wearing her hero outfit, which is the Egyptian top and long skirt, and the aforementioned variant on the Nemes crown. Sekhmet's crown is just the golden ring around the front of her head from just beyond her ears across her forehead with the golden viper emblem, with the red cloth curving over her head and hiding her hair, in the traditional fashion with which a Nemes is worn. The cloth on hers, however, does not go beyond shoulder length and does not hang over her shoulders. It's a more modern and practical look to the Egyptian flourish. The rest I think you might remember, I'm just clarifying.

Also, sorry for the delay.

[sun_tzu]

Sekhmet frowns slightly as her bed drifts back, squeaking as it stops. "As much as I'd like to stay, I don't really have the option." She explained. "I have to get back to school. I'm training to be a superhero and I can't exactly spend my time laying about here. When's the soonest I can leave?" She asks, attempting to sit up again and finding it a little easier each time she moved. Eventually, she sits up and examines herself, hoping to find something more modest than a hospital gown. Although the thin band and golden uraeus that formed the crown on her head and the bands on her upper-arms were static unless she wished otherwise, the cloth portion of the Nemes she wore was not so tightly fixed in its station, nor was the rest of her gear.

Spoiler

Show

For the record, Sekhmet was last wearing her hero outfit, which is the Egyptian top and long skirt, and the aforementioned variant on the Nemes crown. Sekhmet's crown is just the golden ring around the front of her head from just beyond her ears across her forehead with the golden viper emblem, with the red cloth curving over her head and hiding her hair, in the traditional fashion with which a Nemes is worn. The cloth on hers, however, does not go beyond shoulder length and does not hang over her shoulders. It's a more modern and practical look to the Egyptian flourish. The rest I think you might remember, I'm just clarifying.

Also, sorry for the delay.

The doctor sighs. "Like I said, it's hard to be certain with your physiology, but I suppose you could leave right now if you so chose." Turning toward your "roommate", he says: "Given that your parents are coming later this evening, I'll understand if you choose to skip hospital dinner." He then leaves the room.
Sarah looks at you. "You can fly." she says, tonelessly.
She looks back at her feet.

[Axelgear]

Sekhmet's ears droop a bit at the toneless words. "Yeah, I can." She replies and shrugs softly. "Why? Does that matter?" She asks, not really seeing what has the girl so serious. Superheroes fly all the time, after all. After the mention of parents for the latest time in the last few minutes, Sekhmet asks the doctor "Hey, just something I should ask... Should I talk to someone about paying for this?" Sekhmet is clearly nervous broaching the topic. She wasn't carrying any ID at the time, so unless they had access to the superhero database, it was doubtful they'd have known who to call. If her own parents found out what'd happened to her, they'd do worse things than any of the New Predators could...

[sun_tzu]

Sekhmet's ears droop a bit at the toneless words. "Yeah, I can." She replies and shrugs softly. "Why? Does that matter?" She asks, not really seeing what has the girl so serious. Superheroes fly all the time, after all.

"Nothing, just...right now, I really envy you."

After the mention of parents for the latest time in the last few minutes, Sekhmet asks the doctor "Hey, just something I should ask... Should I talk to someone about paying for this?" Sekhmet is clearly nervous broaching the topic. She wasn't carrying any ID at the time, so unless they had access to the superhero database, it was doubtful they'd have known who to call. If her own parents found out what'd happened to her, they'd do worse things than any of the New Predators could...

((He was supposed to have walked out of the room, but we'll ignore that. )
"As a superheroine, your medical bill was sent to the FBSA." the doctor says matter-of-factly. "Society can't afford to have its superheroes go broke every time their bones get broken, if you see what I mean."

[Axelgear]

Sekhmet relaxes and lets her breath go, then glancing towards the other girl. "Superpowers have their price. Not like I can exactly go somewhere without turning every head about. Before I'd have thought that was a good thing but not like this..." She laughs softly, trying to make the girl smile. "What if I flew you around the city for a little while?" She offered, tilting her head to see if that evoked a response.

[sun_tzu]

Sekhmet relaxes and lets her breath go, then glancing towards the other girl. "Superpowers have their price. Not like I can exactly go somewhere without turning every head about. Before I'd have thought that was a good thing but not like this..." She laughs softly, trying to make the girl smile. "What if I flew you around the city for a little while?" She offered, tilting her head to see if that evoked a response.

Sarah looks at Sekhmet, and does what you think is an attempt at smiling. "That...that would actually be nice."

[Axelgear]

Sekhmet smiles and nods. "I suppose the responsible thing would be to get your name and number and meet you later..." She said, sitting up and slowly getting out of bed, glad to find she is still in her gear. "But I didn't end up in here by being responsible. Your parents won't be here for a few hours, right?" She asks, making sure the nurse is out of earshot, hovering over and grasping her under the shoulder, lifting her gently from the chair.

[sun_tzu]

Sekhmet smiles and nods. "I suppose the responsible thing would be to get your name and number and meet you later..." She said, sitting up and slowly getting out of bed, glad to find she is still in her gear. "But I didn't end up in here by being responsible. Your parents won't be here for a few hours, right?" She asks, making sure the nurse is out of earshot, hovering over and grasping her under the shoulder, lifting her gently from the chair.

"Yeah. Should be plenty of time." With Sekhmet's strength, lifting the young girl is nearly effortless. There's a window large enough to fly through.

[Axelgear]

((Just curious whether to make this my last post for the chapter, if this is the end of this chapter, and conclude this segment myself or if you have something planned...)

[sun_tzu]

((Just curious whether to make this my last post for the chapter, if this is the end of this chapter, and conclude this segment myself or if you have something planned...)

((Well, I am kinda planning a plot-important debriefing at the Academy, with Techno-Paladin getting back from Japan.
Should I assume the rest of the group has told Bleu-Blanc-Rouge the whole story on the way?))

[Zarthrax]

((Assume away!))

[Axelgear]

((Works for me))

[sun_tzu]

For a couple of hours, Sekhmet flies Sarah above the city. While she doesn't say anything, you do get the feeling that she's enjoying herself - probably for the first time since the incident.
As you bring her back to the hospital, she hesitantly says: "You know, earlier...when there was that spark going from you to me? I...I think I actually got some feeling in my toes back ever since."


Meanwhile, Leshii, Celerity, Powerhouse and FX go to the Academy building with Bleu-Blanc-Rouge, after Leshii has been given a quick explanation of the Academy's nature. Once Bleu-Blanc-Rouge has been given a full report of the day's events, he nods and speaks up: "This is worrying. Power shifts within the Triads and new villain groups rising from the remains of Golden Dawn are one thing; another thing entirely is how Trick seemed to have a trap ready for you. That in itself could be explained in a variety of ways, such as the mystics giving him a heads-up...But the fact that a carefully-crafted false lead had me busy on another continent at the time suggests that there was some long-range preparation. I believe you've had a run-in with the Mafia where they had a suspicious number of metahuman agents ready for you. At this point, one might suspect that there is someone out there observing the Academy and setting up traps for tis students.
That said, I must compliment you on the way you handled your situation. The fact that you survived the trap is, in itself, rather impressive.
Speaking of which, the hospital has informed me that Sekhmet has apparently recovered enough from her wounds that she's already left, ad ought to be on her way here."

[Axelgear]

A dull thud echoes from the front door. Sekhmet swings it open hard, it clanking on the wall and then clanking again as she slams it shut. "Damn. Doors." She snarled, walking in rubbing her nose, clearly having given it a nasty whack on the way in. "Someone needs to fix that door..." She mutters darkly, but then looks about. "Hey all. What'd I miss?" She asks, glancing about.

[Green Bean]

"Basically, someone's spying on you guys, but we did a good job getting out of their trap anyway. Oh, and you're out of the hospital and should be back soon." Leshii sounds somewhat distracted. In truth, she's focusing her attention on some of the injuries she'd received, using her natural malleability to speed up her recovery from the freeze-ray.

((using my regeneration to recover from my two Injured conditions. Should take about a minute for each))

[Axelgear]

Sekhmet nods and takes a seat. "Okay, tell me when I'm back." She says with a smirk, looking to Bleu-Blanc-Rouge with a cheerful smile and waiting for what he has to say.

[sun_tzu]

The super-soldier gives Sekhmet an unreadable expression. Come to think of it, he's rarely expressive. "Glad to see you back on your feet. As soon as Techno-Paladin returns..."
"...I'm here." Techno-Paladin enters through the door. "Just teleported back from Japan."
"Techno-Paladin. I hope the situation was handled well?"
"I'll tell you more about it back at the satellite. Right now, I need to talk to them" he points at your group "and you probably need to tie loose ends with Task Force Synapse."
"Correct. Unfortunately, Celerity will need to accompany me for this."
"...All right."
A short moment later, Celerity and Bleu-Blanc-Rouge leave the building and are teleported away. Techno-Paladin addresses the elastic heroine: "Leshii, right? Bleu-Blanc-Rouge sent me the whole report on the way. While you're not a member of this academy, given your participation in today's events, I suppose you have the right to hear the rest of it. And allow me to thank you for helping my, err, students. I kinda would have wished to avoid Dr Knack and the New Predators until the advanced classes, mind you."

[Zarthrax]

FX blows on his just-finished cup of tea. "I thought we did all right. I mean, none of us died, noone was severely hurt in the "How do you want your new cyborg arm to look?' kinda way. Plus, apparently my singing isn't as bad as I thought. Still staying away from 'American Idol', though."

[Green Bean]

"No problem. They did most of the work anyway. Anyway, I'm certainly interested in what exactly just happened to us."

[sun_tzu]

"What happened." Techno-Paladin repeats Leshii's words. "What was supposed to happen was for Bleu-Blanc-Rouge to take the Academy students on a simple patrol across the city. Then he got recalled over an emergency with the Combat Network - which now appears to have been completely fake.
That you guys met and joined Improv's little quest I can accept as a coincidence. But the bait to draw Bleu-Blanc-Rouge away, coupled with the way Knack was ready for you...That stinks of a trap, and of surveillance. Additionally...You weren't there, Leshii, but the last time the Academy was sent on a mission, it was a sting operation against the Mafia...and the latter ended up having way, way more metahumans on site than it would have made sense for them to have.
At this point, it seems obvious that someone with important underworld connection is trying to put the Academy students in highly dangerous, lethal situations."

[Axelgear]

Sekhmet, on hearing FX's comment, points a finger and takes a sneak shot at his backside, trying to singe him. Nothing serious, just something to give him a jab. She then resumes looking totally innocent.

"Who would do that, though? And why? We're just students. None of us has anything special, not more than any other supers, anyway." She asked, tilting her head, rather curious.

[Zarthrax]

FX jerks from being zapped. He turns around, trying not to spill his tea. "Not a They Might Be Giants fan, I take it?"

[sun_tzu]

Sekhmet, on hearing FX's comment, points a finger and takes a sneak shot at his backside, trying to singe him. Nothing serious, just something to give him a jab. She then resumes looking totally innocent.

"Who would do that, though? And why? We're just students. None of us has anything special, not more than any other supers, anyway." She asked, tilting her head, rather curious.

Techno-Paladin sighs. "I don't know. It could be that someone is afraid that the Academy might tip the balance off in heroes' favor, and is trying to sabotage it...But supervillains usually don't think that long-term." He nervously adds, "Except for Cryo. And a couple of others, maybe.
Or, it could be someone's indirect way of messing with me. Or it could...I don't know.
But until we know more, the very existence of the Hero Academy is putting all of its students at risk."

[Zarthrax]

"I hope that doesn't mean you're considering a hiatus or disbanding motion. Because I may enjoy all of my work, but this heroing stuff is a lot more fun then speaking at shareholders meetings."

[Green Bean]

"What sort of surveillance to you figure we're under? It'd definitely be a bad thing if it were electronic. I mean, you're basically the techno-smart good guy, and if they could slip a bug past you..."

((On an related note, sun, your avatar is filling me with the desire to check the Academy's potted plants ))