IC Scene #2: New Kids and First Days
Xié Zhèn's calm was catching. The crisis was beginning to resolve itself. Other nearby students began to return to whatever they were up to before like it was just another day. Perhaps it was in this crazy school.
The new girl said, "Greetings, fellow heroes! Most people call me Sally. But you can call me The Bluebird!" The cane, slightly out-of-shape physique and homemade gadgets might have belied the confidence the slightly swaying girl was so desperate to project. "I'm glad my ether eggs were able to save all of y--"
Moving one of the strange ovoids with just a few fingers for display without dropping the others might have been a challenge even for Spider-Man. There was slight crack of the shell and the ether egg detonated, covering 'Bluebird' with a cloud of its sleepy smoke. She crumpled to the ground, consciousness just lasting long enough to hit the ground without injury. The two team mates of the new junior team were now alike in insensate slumber.
Two flying figures landed, a quick response time since the seismograph detected what would be a tussle between She-Hulks. All present recognized the figures. Few wouldn't. Visiting professor Iron Man nodded sadly to his peer Storm of the X-Men. "Perhaps this was too much, too soon for them." He looked at her as if there was something that needed said but it would best if said by another. Storm sighed and removed a tiny choker necklace from a belt pouch. The logo was the circled 'X' of the X-Men. Her finger touched the logo and it glowed with a soft light.
His armored head was bowed slightly in what seemed sadness. Ororo did not move or speak, her face expressionless. But the softest and gloomiest of rains began to fall...
OOC: The threat of Copycat's crazy powers haven't been stopped by a Deus Ex Machina, they have only been introduced by one. As I have introduced Copycat, only one of dozens of characters I hope to, I am not sure if you as players like the character. This tease offers enough of Copycat for me to see player reaction to the character.
If she is unpopular, then her story won't be told for some time if at all. And then I can spend the time introducing other characters. If she is popular, that little power inhibiting broach of hers won't be much of an obstacle and her story will continue. Even if Copycat and the school want her to gain control of herself, a shapeshifter with the power to imitate both thoughts and powers is too much of a prize for nefarious groups to pass up.
I had thought about having Copycat be introducing as seeming to be one of the other PCs (with that player's permission and cooperation) and then be revealed as a friend suddenly changing into a blue imposter. But this game is already too chaotic for such a trick.
And sometimes more story mileage can be gained from the threat of a perfect imposter more than the reality of one. If Copycat is missing, are you sure who you really dated last night?
Finally, should Copycat ever make full character status, she would be an interesting take on the rarely-used Joined Playbook. Anyway, if some players like Copycat, she will return. Otherwise, another odd character will take up her story space.
Regarding this post, both of the young women, Bluebird and the now revealed blue Copycat, are now unconscious. If they come across as unstable and not yet hero material. That is intentional.
Iron Man and Storm are visiting campus today and were able to respond so quickly being some of the quickest fliers. Although I haven't yet had time to get to the details, you can assume that any hero might be at least visiting the campus at some point. Also, soon enough you will get to choose your mentor or sponsor. But for now, Iron Man and Storm are available.
Storm will explain that the X-Men choker necklaces are power inhibitors and very short-range mutant detectors (like a very tiny Cerebro). The only way the X-Men would even tolerate such a device was if the necklace detected a mutant trying to activate it (such as Storm herself in this post) and if the choker was currently able to be removed and/or disabled by the wearer (Copycat, detected as a mutant by the choker's circuitry). For some, to even have to use such a device is a sign of failure, a loss of control. The choker will keep Copycat into her usual blue-skinned, white-haired form for now.
Both girls will be taken to the school infirmary to sleep off the ether gas. The impression will be that perhaps the junior team is a mistake or at least premature and that the first class (you guys) was a rare and lucky fluke.
And that is where we will leave this scene for now. You can post some more if you want but if this was a movie, this would be a perfect time to cut to another scene. Potential and challenge have been revealed and let to ferment in the reader's minds. That is good enough for now.
All those who participated in this thread now have Influence over Bluebird and Copycat for their grace and understanding in helping them both through one of the worst days of their lives. If you like these characters and the idea of the junior team in general, express that in your character's thoughts and actions. Just a throwaway sentence or so will do. I will get the hint.