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04:46, 29th March 2024 (GMT+0)

IC Scene #1: Open Campus Day.

Posted by The WatcherFor group 0
Max
player, 57 posts
Age: 16
The Delinquent
Fri 21 May 2021
at 17:31
  • msg #116

Re: IC Scene #1: Open Campus Day

"Oh, there's always a way," Max said as his mind wandered back to how Jean Grey had held him hostage in his own mind while giving him the ultimatum that lead him here.

"Besides, I don't need everyone I see thinking I'm a freak." He shrugged, "Anyways, what is it you do? Obviously being here, there must be something special you can do, right?"
Gateway
player, 41 posts
age: 14
Fri 21 May 2021
at 18:50
  • msg #117

Re: IC Scene #1: Open Campus Day

In reply to Resonance (msg # 110):

" the same but at least I think I've found the school I want to join" Rendal replied with a smile

" now its your turn which one shall we visit next?"
Jubilee
player, 27 posts
Fri 21 May 2021
at 19:10
  • msg #118

Re: IC Scene #1: Open Campus Day

"She's not that pretty" Jubilee grumbled. She turned to doctor Octopus. "Sure, doc. We work for peace between humans and mutants, and a bunch of adventures. What did ya wanna know?"
Counterforce
player, 68 posts
Svetlana Kragova, 15
The Brain
Fri 21 May 2021
at 19:54
  • msg #119

Re: IC Scene #1: Open Campus Day

Ah, there it is. The question I was afraid of... Svetlana mused to herself resignedly, then looked around again, perhaps more for effect than out of any real expectation of finding an A.I.M. spy. Well, there was that eavesdropper kid, but she had lost track of him by now.

The ballroom was so big, so full of people... most of whom seemed much more peculiar than she was. One would think that it would be a relief, that she would appear normal by comparison. If nothing else, it is stupid to expect anyone will have much luck spotting me in this crowd.

“I am an inventor,” Svetlana replied after a slight pause. Her voice was a bit mechanical, as she suppressed her doubts and tried to sound ‘cool’. “What I do is tinker, mostly. I made a device that can...” How to put it? “Control energy. Any kind of energy, at least in theory, and I am still working on different ways to use it. I can show you later. If you like,” she looked at Max directly, gauging his reaction and feeling unsure as to what she wanted it to be.
Max
player, 58 posts
Age: 16
The Delinquent
Fri 21 May 2021
at 20:40
  • msg #120

IC Scene #1: Open Campus Day

Max looked at Svetlana for a moment, his demeanor towards her changing ever so slightly. "An inventor? You mean like Mister Fantastic? That's cool." He paused again, "Ah, that explains wanting to go with the Future Force, they're connected to the Fantastic Four right?"

He turned to start walking towards the Roxxon booth, but waited to make sure she was coming with him. "I don't think I've ever met someone who actually made something...and you're my age, that's crazy. But yeah, that'd be cool to see your energy control gizmo later, if you want."
Counterforce
player, 69 posts
Svetlana Kragova, 15
The Brain
Fri 21 May 2021
at 21:26
  • msg #121

IC Scene #1: Open Campus Day

Reading people’s faces - and arguably understanding people in general - was not one of the Siberian’s many intellectual talents. Was he humouring her, or genuinely impressed? At any rate, he did not seem to be ostracising her for not being one of the chosen few. Not just yet. “I am almost sixteen,” she clarified, just in case. People often thought she was a little older, though for her own part she was not sure how old Max actually was.

“Anyway,” Svetlana caught up to the local boy again, “they do make the most sense for me. But I might as well look at some of the other options first.” There is no harm in that. So what if I feel dirty just walking towards them? To get her mind off that as much as for any other reason, she turned her attention to the Roxxon booth’s holographic displays.
Ricochet
player, 86 posts
Sasha Struck, age 16
The Bull
Sat 22 May 2021
at 19:47
  • msg #122

Re: IC Scene #1: Open Campus Day

Leviathan:
Abigail looked at her friend, followed her glances, and then looked at her friend again.

She leafed through the glossy pamphlet, until she found what she was looking for. Completely at odds with her previous shyness, marched straight up to the Captain.

"Please can you sign your picture for me?" She tried the puppy eyes trick.

"To Ricochet." And pouted a little.


Rico was curious about Abigail's behavior. Once she realized what the girl was doing, the interest turned into a wide-eyed look of shock. As soon as she could think again, Ricochet buried her face in the pamphlet she still had, hiding her blushed cheeks.
Octopus
player, 15 posts
Otto Octavius, age 15
The Brain
Sat 22 May 2021
at 19:51
  • msg #123

Re: IC Scene #1: Open Campus Day

In reply to Jubilee (msg # 118):

"As an experienced hero at a school such as the ones we're here to be wooed by, perhaps you could tell us something of what to expect, and a bit about your adventures, ja?" Otto still hadn't fully recovered from the threat V had delivered, but was regaining his composure as he spoke.
Stone Cold
player, 22 posts
Paul (Publo) Tuvalok
The Transformed Age 16
Sat 22 May 2021
at 22:38
  • msg #124

Re: IC Scene #1: Open Campus Day

Citizen V:
Giving Stone Cold the once-over V consented: "No, you are definitely not cuddly. But I bet a nice Lederhosen and a Sepplhut could fix that. They would also do much to improve that dreadful outfit." Patting him on the arm she added: "There you are. No thanks needed, the first piece of fashion advice is always free."


Paul bit his lip, swallowing the bitter retort he wanted to shout at her.  If he looked up arrogant in the dictionary, he was willing to believe her picture would be smirking up at him from the page.  He balled his fists, and would have left right then and there, afraid he might lose his temper if he stayed, but then something incredible happened...

The other kids were standing up for him!  Calling Citizen V out on her crap and supporting him and the others she had hurt.  It was impressive to see, and it eased Paul's anger.  Eventually Citizen V left and he didn't bother to watch her go, he was just glad she was gone.  It was true, what his mother had told him once: some people spread happiness wherever they go; and some spread happiness whenever they go.

Looking around at everyone who had spoken up for him he quietly said:

"Thanks everyone.  She made me want to hit something; I'm glad she's gone.  Whatever sponsor she chooses I'm going to make sure I choose someone else."
This message was last edited by the player at 22:39, Sat 22 May 2021.
Jubilee
player, 28 posts
Mon 24 May 2021
at 20:42
  • msg #125

Re: IC Scene #1: Open Campus Day

"Yeah, of course" Jubilee said, glossing over that most of the time she'd been operating on instinct rather that experience. "Let's see... well, first they'll teach you more about how to control your powers, and work on that with you. I guess that isn't an issue with you, Octopus. You're supposed to earn your way on the the team but I kinda got in because I was helping out Wolverine before that. I only met the rest when we showed up to help save some kids from those Genoshan jerks. Then we went in to space to help the professor, only it turned out it wasn't the professor but a shapeshifter. And I had to wear the team uniform, robbing the world of my great fashion sense." she says, speaking very quickly. "It's mostly like that. There's classes, and training, and in between we battle the bad guys and save people"
Max
player, 60 posts
Age: 16
The Delinquent
Mon 24 May 2021
at 22:10
  • msg #126

IC Scene #1: Open Campus Day

Max shrugged, "I'm 16, so close enough." As they walked towards the booth he asked, "So, uh, did you come all the way from Russia by yourself, or did your family come with you? I mean, it looks like a lot kids came here with their parents." He obviously hadn't come with his parents, considering he didn't even know who his father was, and his mother could be dead for all he knew.

"So you said you've heard of these Roxxon guys before? What exactly do they do? I mean, I can't imagine they'd let somebody too bad set up a booth here, right?"
Counterforce
player, 73 posts
Svetlana Kragova, 15
The Brain
Wed 26 May 2021
at 00:04
  • msg #127

IC Scene #1: Open Campus Day

“I came here on my own,” Svetlana admitted with some pride, tearing her eyes away from the holograms. The tinkerer considered asking about Max’s family – if his parents were here, they must have been keeping well back – but something made her decide against it. Maybe it was the suspicion that he didn’t consider himself one of those ‘kids’ for a reason, or perhaps she just did not wish to get into the topic of her own family.

Instead, Svetlana turned towards the booth again. The logo, the figures, the quotes... They all seem so bland, like some ordinary massive corporation. Then again, why say ‘like’? They really are one, just... a bit more grandiose and ambitious. The Russian girl bit her lip, unsure of how to explain her apprehensions about the company to Max. For one thing, it was not as though she studied it in depth. Just... there is no way to get this much smoke without fire, is there?

“Maybe they would not let someone like that here,” she pondered aloud, “but if you are rich enough the rules do not apply. If you have lawyers and lobbyists and PR people who can cover up most of what you do.” She was sounding crazy, wasn’t she? Slowing down, she looked at Max. “I know they started as an oil company, but moved on to all sorts of weird schemes to harvest energy. The sorts that led to them fighting with Avengers on several occasions. That does not happen by accident, right?” That came out weaker than she had hoped.
The Watcher
GM, 160 posts
Knows All, Sees All
Thu 27 May 2021
at 07:45
  • msg #128

IC Scene #1: Open Campus Day

And still no one could lift that blasted hammer.  Not even the few green- or- red- gamma-powered individuals.  A simple calculation of probability made it more likely that all of the bulk of 'hulks' were likely creations of a holofilter rather than true green genes.  In any case, some of them seemed angry enough but still the hammer didn't move.

(OOC: Erroneous paragraph removed.)

A few young teens were suddenly doing classic mime routines such as 'walking against the wind' to 'being trapped in a box'.  This was inexplicable even to the teens themselves.  The mystery was solved by the slight smile on the Invisible Woman's face.  The scamps were getting just a little close to some unguarded liquor on a waiter's tray and she applied the slightest invisible pressure to discourage them.  But her grin

 was understanding, she had been young once, long ago.  Across her costume's comm system, she whispered evergreen comments to her family, "Yes, Reed, the other teens comments to Valeria and Franklin were uncharitable and ignorant but a devastating psychological explanation to those teens would be counter-productive.  Of course, they are intimidated.  Who wouldn't be by our scarily-smart children?  Oh, and tell Johnny to cool down in flirting with that SHIELD agent.  She has a job to concentrate on.  And tell Ben too loosen up, crack a smile..."

At the SHIELD booth, one of the agents was taking the form and voice of those that shook their hand.  "You can see," the amorphous agent said, "although the holofilter is making it particularly easy.  Our Life Model Decoys can make having a secret identity easier than you might think."

Manning the X-Men kiosk, the green alien (as in the famous movie) -headed mutant sneezed slightly.  Perhaps it was a cold.  Near him, several individuals with unique anatomies suddenly shifted into perfectly human forms.  Fortunately for some of them, they had visited the Future Foundation's booth and qualified for those UMF outfits.  Thus, their modesty was preserved by the adaptive outfits as they returned to whatever normal might be.

The very attractive (and hired to be so) Roxxon rep was passing out GotRoxx debit cards with a thousand dollars of 'gratitude' for anyone who demonstrated true superhuman potential.  Those with parents were pleading with them to sign the waivers allowing the gratitude.  Teens alone were assumed to be emancipated enough to simply take the cards.

Colossus the X-Man swatted at a mosquito, a perfectly common act on a summer evening.  But the party was inside air-filtered SHIELD base.  No ordinary mosquito should have detected the young man's osmium skin as prey nor be able to pierce it enough for Piotr to actually swat at it.  He stared at the tiny crushed insect, reflected over and again in his chromed palm.  There was a almost infinitesimal marking on the little corpse.  Iron Man's optics could make it out.  "A red diamond?!" Tony Stark was not one to muse quietly.

The clock chimed another hour...

OOC:
<Orange>UPDATE:  Removed Erroneous paragraph


Please don't be discouraged by my seeming to miss or ignore your character's interaction.  There is so much to do and so much to accomplish in the beginning of this game.  I am building the world with a big brush and I can't yet fine tune it for the characters.  I have taken notes of who your characters have mentioned or thought about and I will try and work them all into the game.

Let me say how impressed I have been by all of the writing I have seen.  You haven't needed my nanny self for pages now.  And (thank goodness) y'all know how to do character conflict without it spilling over into player conflict.  I can read this thread almost like a movie.  I am one very lucky GM.

There are tiny mosquitos that seem more intelligent and piercing that such bugs should be.  Your characters, if they take any real precautions, can be written as not bitten (or to have crushed the mosquito before it can escape).  Or, if you wish, they can be bitten and/or the little biting escape.  The choice is yours, both paths lead to adventure in their own meandering way.

There will be one more freeform flashback reply from me after this.  It should end in a cliffhanger...

</Orange>

This message was last edited by the GM at 00:46, Tue 01 June 2021.
Ghost-Spider
player, 32 posts
Gwen Stacy
Thu 27 May 2021
at 13:16
  • msg #129

IC Scene #1: Open Campus Day

"Most important is finding the food."  Gwen says. She sends a web up to the ceiling to get a better look around the room.  Because her current costume is holographic, strands of pink hair fall through the hood when she shifts upside-down.  A wig that can handle being inverted is a must.

She swats the little red bug - she's had enough weird insect bites and her Spider-sense lets her detect it now.  Then she spots where the waiters are coming from and grabs a tray of miniature burgers.  She brings it back to where Jubilee, Octopus, Steel Ninja, and Stone Cold were, still hanging upside-down from a webline.
Octopus
player, 16 posts
Otto Octavius, age 15
The Brain
Fri 28 May 2021
at 04:28
  • msg #130

Re: IC Scene #1: Open Campus Day

Stone Cold:
Looking around at everyone who had spoken up for him he quietly said:

"Thanks everyone.  She made me want to hit something; I'm glad she's gone.  Whatever sponsor she chooses I'm going to make sure I choose someone else."


Octopus shot a glance in V's direction again.

"Yes, well. She's clearly on the road to supervillainess, so we'll definitely have to keep an eye on her, but it would seem she wants as little to do with us as we with her. That seems best, ja? Yes?"

Jubilee:
"Yeah, of course" Jubilee said, glossing over that most of the time she'd been operating on instinct rather that experience. "Let's see... well, first they'll teach you more about how to control your powers, and work on that with you. I guess that isn't an issue with you, Octopus. You're supposed to earn your way on the the team but I kinda got in because I was helping out Wolverine before that. I only met the rest when we showed up to help save some kids from those Genoshan jerks. Then we went in to space to help the professor, only it turned out it wasn't the professor but a shapeshifter. And I had to wear the team uniform, robbing the world of my great fashion sense." she says, speaking very quickly. "It's mostly like that. There's classes, and training, and in between we battle the bad guys and save people"


He turned his full attention, including all of his arms' eyes, back to the group as a whole, and smiled to Jubilee's answer.

"You've certainly had quite the thrilling time among them! I hope being put elsewhere doesn't become a disappointment, as any of these sponsors would be lucky to have you there to help your peers. And not just with your fine choice of outfit, I mean."

Ghost-Spider:
"Most important is finding the food."  Gwen says. She sends a web up to the ceiling to get a better look around the room.

...

Then she spots where the waiters are coming from and grabs a tray of miniature burgers.  She brings it back to where Jubilee, Octopus, Steel Ninja, and Stone Cold were, still hanging upside-down from a webline.


By the time Gwen had returned from her culinary espionage, another little bug had already made off with a mildly radioactive tissue sample.

"Ah, Ghost-Spider, you save us yet again!"
Ricochet
player, 92 posts
Sasha Struck, age 16
The Bull
Fri 28 May 2021
at 04:32
  • msg #131

Re: IC Scene #1: Open Campus Day

Sasha had been so consumed by her combination of embarrassment and excitement, she hadn't even noticed the red bug attempting to take a bite. Even so, it found the job impossible; without her deliberately holding back, the girl's powers were always on. For every bit of force the bug applied to her skin, Sasha reactively applied that same force right back, forever keeping an equilibrium of energy. That was how she got her super name.
Counterforce
player, 77 posts
Svetlana Kragova, 15
The Brain
Fri 28 May 2021
at 18:18
  • msg #132

Re: IC Scene #1: Open Campus Day

Svetlana’s paranoia finally paid off. It also helped that she was starting to get bored standing in line, and that she felt too awkward to look at people directly. She kept her distance, looked around - and promptly spotted the suspicious little insect. Et in Arcadia ego was her first thought. Mosquitoes were ubiquitous in Siberia during summer... but thinking about it, she didn’t see any in this room before.

Even as she pondered this, her left hand moved towards her right wrist. A few quick taps that were already becoming a second instinct, and the bug was repelled by an unseen force. It really did not take up much of her reserve power to create such a very narrowly localised force field, and it was much more economical than waving her hands around trying to hit it...

Only this mosquito did not then leave to seek out some other target. It came at her again. Feeling suspicious, Svetlana tapped a few more camouflaged buttons in an attempt to catch it. Such a maneuver was considerably more tricky than a strict repulsion... but she had some practice with it already. The creature was caught in an invisible orb, which then closed in around it to keep it in place. Studying it with more curiosity, and momentarily forgetting about the others in the room, the young scientist detected a tiny red spot. It was too small even for her perfect eyesight to make it out better, but it still seemed conspicuous and irregular, combined with her tiny harasser’s persistent behaviour. Huh.

OOC: Third option? :P
Leviathan
player, 34 posts
Fri 28 May 2021
at 22:34
  • msg #133

Re: IC Scene #1: Open Campus Day

Abi stood in front of the Captain and shorten from foot to foot.

Perhaps cute isn't going to work..

The moment stretched.

He's not going to sign...

Then someone coughed, and the expression of I really don't have time for this on the Captain's face suddenly relaxed.  He picked up a nearby pen and signed next to his picture.

She felt a sudden sting, and whirled around. The pain was much worse on the basis that pain had recently become a stranger to her. Her mother had bought a Japanese sushi knife recently, and banned Abi from touching it because she had almost blunted it doing the washing up.

Whatever had caused it, she couldn't see it.

"Here you are." A gravels and cream voice brought her back from her futility.
 A silvery steel arm handed her her Avengers brochure and the Captain's deathly gaze bored into her eyes.

"Thank you sir"

Don't scamper away don't scamper away she smiled, and scampered back to Ricochet.
"He's terrifying. Here let's swap." And thrust the signed brochure at her friend.
This message was last edited by the player at 06:52, Sun 30 May 2021.
Ricochet
player, 97 posts
Sasha Struck, age 16
The Bull
Sun 30 May 2021
at 05:17
  • msg #134

Re: IC Scene #1: Open Campus Day

On Abi's return, Sasha shifted her wide-eyed glances between the younger girl and the Star-Spangled Avenger, eventually giving little nods and holding out her own brochure to her new friend.

"Oh wow. You didn't have to, I mean thank you so much. That was awesome, you just... wow, thank you!" Even movie stars got like that when they were on the other end of the autograph pen.

"Um, so yeah, I'm not sure if the Avengers is gonna be so much for us, but maybe the X-Men would fit the whole 'laying low' thing better, yeah? If you wanna know a secret, I'm actually a mutant, myself."
Jubilee
player, 30 posts
Sun 30 May 2021
at 07:17
  • msg #135

Re: IC Scene #1: Open Campus Day

"You're sweet." Jubilee said, smiling. "It's been a real trip, I'll say that. It's great fun when it isn't scaring the beejezus out of me."
"The professor won't put me elsewhere." she said with what she hoped didn't sound as much like fake bravado to the others as it sounded like to her. Actually, almost exactly that had happened to Kitty before. "Wolverine may be impossible to kill but he still needs someone to watch his back. He doesn't keep me around just to light his cigars.
But I'll be happy to share my wisdom"


"Oww!" she said as one of the bugs bit her. "I ought to paf you in to next week, bug. Get outta here."

"Burgers!" Jubilee said happily. She stands on her hands so her head is upside down like Ghost-Spider's and she can look Gwen in the eye. "You're a lifesaver, spider girl."
This message was last edited by the player at 22:43, Sun 30 May 2021.
Leviathan
player, 35 posts
Sun 30 May 2021
at 07:24
  • msg #136

Re: IC Scene #1: Open Campus Day

"Really!? I mean umm.. sure let's go check the X-Men.". She almost began to pull Ricochet towards the booth, but suddenly stopped.

She looked back towards the Captain. She was nervous.

Am I doing the right thing?

Then there was the memory of feeling nothing more than a rabbit in front of an oncoming Mach truck.

"Let's go.."

She cast another look back. I think.. I'll be seeing him again.

Abigail stopped tugging again when they neared the X booth.

"So many people.. perhaps we should come back when it's less busy."
Stone Cold
player, 25 posts
Paul (Publo) Tuvalok
The Transformed Age 16
Sun 30 May 2021
at 12:53
  • msg #137

Re: IC Scene #1: Open Campus Day

Octopus:
Octopus shot a glance in V's direction again.

"Yes, well. She's clearly on the road to supervillainess, so we'll definitely have to keep an eye on her, but it would seem she wants as little to do with us as we with her. That seems best, ja? Yes?"


Paul nods to Octopus, slowly unclenching his fists.  The guy seemed okay.  He was a bit quirky, but who in this crowd wasn't?

"Yes, I'll keep an eye out for her, if she ever comes around again that is.  And if she wants nothing more to do with us that's fine with me, the feeling's mutual.  I'm Paul, by the way.  Thank you... for sticking up for me earlier."

He held out a large stony hand to Octopus, then noticed the mosquitos buzzing around them both.  He took a swat at one, but it avoided his attempt and flew around his head before flying away.

"Darn mosquitos!  They are everywhere back home in Nunavut, so I guess I shouldn't be surprised to find them here too.  Watch that one doesn't get you."

Ghost-Spider:
She swats the little red bug - she's had enough weird insect bites and her Spider-sense lets her detect it now.  Then she spots where the waiters are coming from and grabs a tray of miniature burgers.  She brings it back to where Jubilee, Octopus, Steel Ninja, and Stone Cold were, still hanging upside-down from a webline.


Stone Cold's eyes light up when he sees the plate of sliders, then smirked at Ghost-Spider hanging upside down.  Definitely a quirky bunch.

"You read my mind, Spider girl, I could definitely eat, um... if one of those is for me I mean."

Jubilee:
"Burgers!" Jubilee said happily. She stands on her hands so her head is upside down like Ghost-Spider's and she can look Gwen in the eye. "You're a lifesaver, spider girl."


He heard the girl named Jubilee and turned his head, then chuckled seeing her doing a handstand.  'Quirky and a bit ridiculous, but I like it.' he thought to himself.
Ghost-Spider
player, 38 posts
Gwen Stacy
Sun 30 May 2021
at 21:40
  • msg #138

Re: IC Scene #1: Open Campus Day

"Spider-Girl?  Ugh.  The original Spidey was active at my age but nobody ever called him Spider-Boy."  Gwen takes a burger for herself and passes the tray to Stone cold.  When she takes a bite  it goes right through her holographic costume.  She's still not right-side up, but seems to have settled for sitting sideways on a booth display.

"I realize I'm not stacked like Spider-Woman is but Spider-Girl is diminutive."

There's a slight pause as Gwen senses something.

"...and she's right behind me, isn't she?"  Jessica Drew is in fact right behind Gwen when she turns her head, wearing black pants and Avengers jacket with an ID badge clipped to it identifying her as Spider-Woman.

"Hi Jess.  These burgers are for the students so really I was helping when I brought them over."
She-Hulk
player, 5 posts
Mon 31 May 2021
at 02:15
  • msg #139

IC Scene #1: Open Campus Day

"How does this look?"  Jennifer asked the other girl standing across from her, not receiving a response but instead seeming to have her mock her by simulataneously speaking the same words silently.

"Good evening, I'm Jennifer Walters.  I'm honored to meet you," the young woman rehearsed her greeting again with her virtual image speaking for her as she imagined herself standing in front of some of the world's most notable heroes and trying to make a good first impression without being nervous and tripping over her own words.  If her selection was solely based on her academic performance, she would have been more confident.

Although it was tempting to use the technology to explore what it would be like to look glamorous if just for one night like some childhood Cinderella fantasy, her practical nature reminded her that the purpose of these holo-filters were to provide a disguise so as not to draw attention to herself.  She would allow herself the amusement of going blonde, but other than the convenience of hiding some typical teenage acne, she didn't make any other changes that would make herself noteworthy.  I guess some things never change, she told herself.  Maybe once she got there and saw what the others had done with their holo-filters, she could sneak away and modify her look.

+++++


A surprisingly large crowd had already gathered at the SHIELD building by the time that Jen had arrived.  All of these kids have powers? she wondered, never having put much thought that there were other kids that
 may have been having the same problems that she had when you don't normally encounter them.  If there were any teens here from her old school, that was going to make things very awkward.  Even though she would probably never see any of them again, Jen could only imagine what they would be saying about her if this ever got back to them.

She was relieved to see one familiar face.  He was standing at the Avengers display, apparently having a discussion with potential candidates for their school program.  I hope Bruce is on their selection committee too, Jen thought.
The Watcher
GM, 178 posts
Knows All, Sees All
Tue 1 Jun 2021
at 07:33
  • msg #140

IC Scene #1: Open Campus Day

As quietly as they could, the SHIELD staff went onto high alert.  The already filtered air-conditioning system was advanced to an even higher level of security, giving a slightly stale tang to the air.  Iron Man joked, deliberately loud enough for all to hear, that mosquitos were a little more honest than the paparazzi.  And with that, the suspicions of most of the mundane guests were allayed, some partially drowned in alcohol.  The drinks chosen for quality, rather than proof.  But some guests had worked at that limit.

Whether it was SHIELD's now much more aware security or the super powers of scores of guests, enough mosquitos were either squashed or collected alive to learn a little more about them.  They were descended from mundane mosquitos with some interesting genetic upgrades.  They were able to find and penetrate super-skin for the most part.  And they had an agility and sense of targeting that human fighter pilots would envy.  Captured for more than a few moments,  the mosquitos began to evaporate into a fine, harmless mist.  Their secrets dissipating with the vapors.

In the end, SHIELD command and the Avengers guessed that over ninety-nine percent of the weird mosquitos were either prevented from biting any targets, were killed or destroyed themselves before they could escape.  But that was not all of the strange bugs accounted for.  And those few missing mosquitos would cause some sleepless nights for SHIELD agents and mighty heroes for months to come.

Outside of the building, at least one tiny mosquito had gotten free.  Filled with the young blood of its quarry, it turned its tiny wings towards home.  A bolt of energy from above fried it like a divine thunderbolt.

Above the skylight of the SHIELD tower, an armored figure floated on tiny jets.  His voice was carried through all sound systems and comm units (whether that had been the designer's intention or otherwise).

"Doom assumes his invitation to this gathering was simply mislaid."

OOC:
And there we cliffhanger this thread for now.  You can respond but it will be a long time before this particular thread will be referenced again.  Please don't think this was a dirty trick on my part nor a time-waster on yours.   The choices your characters have made will help me guide this game better.  And jumping between time periods is very Masks.  The game doesn't start until you decide on yet-to-be-fully-detailed things your characters have already done.  Plus more than a few Masks playbooks have time-jumping as their very distinction.

Again, please forgive me for not really interacting with your characters directly.  There is so much to do with so many players at the beginning of such a game.   The game will get more personally involved with your characters as time goes on.

Doom's purpose in this party will be revealed in flashback from the game's present (when the next IC scene starts).  And you can decide if one of the mosquitos got away with your blood (or ichor or tech or etc).  It is completely up to you.

This message was last edited by the GM at 07:34, Tue 01 June 2021.
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