She quickly made her way downtown, where there was no mistaking the trouble-- a pair of minor supervillains (Shocker and Mr. Fahrenheit) were fighting it out, tossing around energy blasts that occasionally destroyed cars or damaged buildings when the target dodged.

"Guys, guys, what is this?" Diana asked as she took out a couple of throwing cresants.

They weren't listening, but Artemis saw another superbeing-- Jackie Frost, a cold-controller who was watching the two of them and laughing, occasionally calling out suggestions to one or the other.

Artemis headed over to her.

"What is going on here?"

"The boys are fighting over me," she said.  "It's hilarious.  Why?  You come here looking for a date, too?"

She was now standing, of course, and looked ready to fight.  She knew who Artemis was...

"No, looking to deal with some troublemakers. I guess you'll be first," Diana said.

Jackie laughed.

"What do you think you can do?" she asked.

"Really? You don't know who I am? I've dealt with worse than you," Diana said.

"As if you'd dare attack me," she said, taunting.  She got up, leaving a pattern of frost where she'd been sitting.  "Bring it, little girl."

"Sure thing," Diana said, charging her.

(OOC: Initiative - Artemis rolled 21 using 1d20+9)

Go

Diana leapt up and came down with a punch.

(OOC: attack roll - Artemis rolled 13 using 1d20+12)

Jackie laughed as she stepped out of the way of the punch, then reached out a hand to touch Artemis...

But I'm sure a 15 misses.

Diana attacked again.

(OOC: Attack roll - Artemis rolled 27 using 1d20+12)

The blow struck Jackie hard, sending her reeling-- but now the other two had noticed the fight.

"She hurt Jackie!" said Shocker, outraged.

"...ready to pay for that?" Mr. Fahrenheit asked Artemis, and it suddenly grew much, much hotter.

Diana attacked Jackie again, she needed to put one down quick.

(OOCL Attack roll - Artemis rolled 31 using 1d20+12)

Jackie went down from the kick.  Unfortunately, the entire area where Artemis was standing suddenly exploded in coruscating energy!

You're caught in two different Damage 10 Area effects, so two DC 20 Dodge saves and then Toughness saves.

(OOC: Dodge rolls - Artemis rolled 15,22 using d20+12,d20+12. Toughness saves - Artemis rolled 11,22 using d20+8,d20+8. Gonna reroll the first. Artemis rolled 19 using 1d20+8. Fail by 6)

Yep, both of them had dropped their quarrel to attack her, and that clearly wasn't a good situation.

...something dark and fast-moving was scooting along the ground nearby, hiding behind cars and other cover, moving in much closer, but she couldn't tell what it was-- it was both fast and appeared to be changing shape to match available cover as it moved.

Diana hurled one of her throwing crescents at Shocker.

(OOC: Ranged attack - Artemis rolled 25 using 1d20+12. 8 Damage.)

It struck Shocker without much effect, and he laughed.  Mr. F, however, was lining up a shot that looked dangerous and--

--something amorphous and black shot up from the ground and engulfed him!

That was certainly a distraction as Diana went in close for an attack on Shocker.

(OOC: Attack roll - Artemis rolled 31 using 1d20+12. Same damage)

That worked much better-- he was staggered by the blow.

It looked as if Mr. F was in a desperate struggle to burn the thing grabbing him-- which looked like it might work-- before it choked him unconscious, which, given the grip it had on him, was ALSO likely.

But first Shocker was retaliating...

If a 24 hits, Damage 10

(OOC: Toughness roll - Artemis rolled 9 using 1d20+7. Reroll - Artemis rolled 26 using 1d20+7)

Artemis shrugged it off and was ready to counterattack...

Diana attacked Mr. F.

(OOC: Attack roll - Artemis rolled 16 using 1d20+12. Reroll - Artemis rolled 25 using 1d20+12)

Mr. Fahrenheit was in bad shape, especially since he was still being choked by the... amorphous blob.  But that gave Shocker another chance to blast Artemis!

Attack 24, damage 10

(OOC: Toughness roll - Artemis rolled 10 using 1d20+8)

Hurt badly but you can still act

Diana backed away to get some space before hurling another throwing crescent at Shocker.

(OOC: All-Out Power Ranged Attack roll - Artemis rolled 20 using 1d20+12. 13 Damage)

He was hurt, but not down... but Mr. Fahrenheit collapsed.

"Yeah, no, done now," said Shocker.  He arced into the nearby power lines and vanished.

Diana went to check of Fahrenheit.

There was an unpleasant, burned smell that was... alien.  And something amorphous and black was still wrapped around him; it wasn't certain if he'd suffocate from whatever that was.

Diana set about getting him out of it.

Perception and Insight, please

(OOC: Insight & Perception roll - Artemis rolled 18,17 using d20+8,d20+7)

"It" wasn't a thing to get him out of.

...it was one of her students.

That was surprising.

"What are you doing here?" Diana asked.

Dark tendrils flashed something in ASL as Kelly detached herself from Mr. F and shifted to a more humanoid form.

"I'm sorry, I have to brush up on my sign language," Diana said.

The blob looked annoyed, and shifted into her humanoid form, which let Mr. F breathe again.

"Helping you," she said.  "Took on too much.  Needed help.  Obvious."

"Thank you, but does this mean you've been following me?" Diana asked.

"Of course," said Kelly.  "...should practice alertness.  Adult should spot kid, yes?"

"Yes, I suppose I will have to pay closer attention now," Diana said.

"Should, yes," she said.  "Also, burning hurts.  Not adapted to fire.  Like friction-- bad.  Should appreciate.  Burned for you."

"Yes, thank you," Diana said. "A lot, but I'm going to have to insist you don't do it anymore."

"Why?" said Kelly.  "Did other side for a while.  Better, right?"

"You're my student now and I can't risk you getting hurt," Diana said.

"Last teacher didn't care if we got hurt," said Kelly.  "...bad man.  Bad things happened to him, though."

"That's different though, you're a good kid and deserve a chance to just be one," Diana said.

"No," said Kelly.  "Won't.  Can't.  Not buzz buzz click click ground-hugging gravity well human.  Can never be.  But made better choice.  Not be what I could."

"You might not be human, but you're still a kid," Diana said.

Kelly examined her with those huge eyes.

"When did you start?" she asked.

"Officially? A little over five years ago. I'll admit I snuck out when I was younger for some heroing," Diana said. "But you can figure out how foolish things you did when you were younger, once you're an adult."

"Did that, too," said Kelly.  "Was Vicious Kid.  Learned not to."

"But you're still a teenager," Diana said.

"Not only one," she insisted.  "Met several.  Plenty exist."

"Yes, but you are doing this solo," Diana said. "Plenty of things go wrong with that."

"Not solo," said Kelly, firmly.  She stared right at Artemis.

"Okay, but  the rest of the class would expect to come as well," Diana said.

"Couldn't keep up," said Kelly, dismissively.  "Inexperienced.  Haven't fought."

"I know, look, you're a good kid...," Diana said. "I'm just worried about you getting hurt. This should be a time for you to relax and be 'normal'."

"Why?" said Kelly.  "Not like humans.  Normal human is not normal ME.  I am--"

Her fingers waved in a short pattern that was NOT ASL at all; the fact that it involved them forming into a weaving shape of tentacles for an instant was clear.

"Here is not normal.  Will never be normal.  Cannot be normal."

"We'll discuss it more later. Let me buy you a snack and take you home," Diana said.

"...Fine," said Kelly.  At least it looked like her burns were healing quickly.

"I see you can regenerate too, eh?" Diana asked.

"Humans heal slow," said Kelly.  "Too many hard parts.  Soft environment.  Too warm."

"Ah. What do you like to eat?" Diana asked.

"Meat," said Kelly.

"Would hamburgers be okay or do you prefer something else?" Diana asked.

"Burgers okay," said Kelly.  "Better with bones and organs, though."

"You mean like raw unbutchered meat?" Diana asked.

"Best, but makes people stare," said Kelly.  "Can adapt."

"There's a butcher shop not far from here, I can get you some food there, but you'll have to eat it back on campus," Diana said.

"Can do that," said Kelly.  "...Eat fast.  Eat very fast.  Not waste time bite bite bite chew chew chew."

Diana headed to it, intending to get her a rack of ribs and some liver.

They were quickly acquired.  Kelly was vibrating with excitement.

"Let's head back," Diana says, getting in her car.

Kelly followed; they were soon back at school.