The Infinite Hostel

Chase came up with the name for the extra-dimensional hideaway Amadeus constructed for housing everyone and hosting the events. He and his friends were the first to accept the invitation as a group, so they staked their claims early. Even with the overall goal of the project. They eventually found themselves living there more often than anywhere else, downright moving in after a month. Only a few others followed that example.

Nico Minoru relaxed in what at first looked like a sunny Pacific beach. The water was deep blue green, the sky clear and she, despite her normally gothic dress attire, appeared to be sunbathing. But that was a lie. Almost like the lie of where she was. The "Infinite Hostel" had so many places in it that several rooms were dedicated to simulating 'vacation spots'. This was one of them.

Her sunbathing was not just a sign of laziness, though. She was sore. Very sore. The Infinite Hostel was many things, but it was restful only occasionally. The only requirement for staying like they did was that they participate in the 'festivities' every now and then—once every two weeks at the minimum. And Nico's few showings rendered her rather popular, which led to Rockslide pestering her constantly to keep at it. He was just so damn persistent that it was difficult to say 'no'. Before she knew it, she had a championship belt. The "Wizard Duelist Champion". It may have been staged victories, relying on as many smoke and mirrors as a stage magician's illusion. But the others could agree with it. She wasn't the most powerful (that would be Billy), nor did she have the most training (that would be Megan). But she had the most practical experience in combat magic, and wasn't afraid to throw in a heel to the chin on top of that.

That belt got her into other fighting circuits—namely, the Skill and Welter Weight divisions. Those were the current source of her soreness. Namely the Skill division. No powers, just fighting ability of any normal human. Even with the staging and the training, it still hurt. Hell, the training hurt too. She could count bruises and strains given to her by Jeanne, Kate, Cassie, Chase, Gert and Jenny all in that division. Being zapped unconscious by Noriko or Victor didn't leave as many lasting bruises at least. Physically, the injuries would be healed quickly thanks to godly healing techniques Amadeus had access to and Josh's mutant healing ability, nothing really lasted. But it was extremely tiring, which is why she was here now. And also some of her new friends surfing. Now that they all could, Alani and Ken brought along Jenny to teach her to surf on the 'Perfect beginner's beach.'

Jenny, or Hazmat, was someone she bonded with rather quickly when they first met at Avengers Academy. Jenny was a smart girl who wouldn't back down and whose lot in life honestly sucked more than hers. Or, at least it did. She had been a big part of changing that, but without Billy and Amadeus helping and guiding, neither Jenny nor her boyfriend Ken could do what they were doing now. Surfing together in the open world. Amadeus sang its praises as their big one up over the adults. It wasn't a cure for their powers, but it was control over them. A "Second Skin" and "Dial It Back". Jenny still emitted low level radiation and people with allergies would sometimes have skin reactions when they touched her, but it wasn't a threat to life and limb. Maybe if a person was in non-stop contact with her for a thousand years, they might get a little ill from the radiation, but that was a remote possibility. The only downside was that anyone with an allergic reaction 'reacted' on contact with her. That was certainly annoying and sometimes dangerous, but a vast improvement.

It took Jenny a while, emotionally, to get used to being able to touch other people again, but once it came back, she honestly couldn't stop. Sometimes, it showed a whole lot.

Nico let out a partially faked, pained scream as Jenny slammed into her chest, knocking her to the ground. A flying cross body press is one of those moves that's hard to fake well, but Nico was a quick study. She rolled with it, but it still winded her. Better than having the back of your head slammed to the ground at any rate. She held onto Jenny so she could go for her pin attempt without bouncing too far off, but was caught off guard when she swiveled about and grabbed both her wrists and went for a full body pin, straddling her stomach.

Jenny stared directly into Nico's eyes and thought to her, 'Ready to stop?' The robo-ref counted one.

Though breathing hard and hurting, she muscled a hand free and popped a shoulder up, breaking the count at two and grinned, 'What do you think?'

Ken was somewhat the same way. After not being able to feel for so long, his returned senses (even as dulled as they were) were a godsend. Being trapped in a suit had the same effect. Now free of that, they could not keep their hands of each other. At all. It was pretty cute, even with the over-exposure. The only down side was that they remained effectively locked in their room for two days following the spells.

She looked away from the surfing trio, (well, two were surfing—Jenny was more trying to surf and falling in the water repeatedly). She curled up under the beach umbrella, wrapping her arms around her knees. She helped them truly get together, and it made her feel more alone than ever. Karolina and Julie's "Show" the night before only made it more obvious in her heart.

She knew it was a mistake, one she found herself repeating mostly in times of stress. Reaching for someone, anyone, to give her that extra boost of confidence to keep going. Something gnawed at her gut—this thing, this whole thing, it was too good to last. When it fell apart, she had to be ready. She needed the support.

Another part of herself screamed that such thinking was wrong, a mistake. Another part pointed out that there was nearly a 3 to one ratio of girls to boys in this little club, so the chances of finding a single partner were slim to none. At least, if she looked for guys. And she couldn't look at girls without thinking of Karolina. Did she have feelings for her? She just wasn't sure.

"So are you just gonna sit there and sulk or are you gonna go in the water," Jenny's life might have been easier now, but her voice was just as abrasive as when she first met her. It was reassuring, "because it seems a waste of a perfectly good beach."

Nico shrugged, "Did you get sick of falling of the board?"

Hazmat gave a half smile, but scowled a bit, "Oh, you are just asking for a rematch, aren't you?"

Nico steadied herself on the top turnbuckle as Jenny got back to her feet.

'Man,' Jenny thought, emphasizing her woozy state, 'do ya gotta do it from the top rope?'

'Yes. Yes I do,' Nico thought back.

Nico leapt into the air and drove two feet into Jenny's chest, sending the other girl literally end over end.

'You're a real witch, ya know that,' Jenny though as she finished her tumble face down and splayed out.

Nico too flopped on the ground from the drop kick. Picking herself up and leaning up on her shoulders, she looked at Jenny's still form and thought, 'Do you have to sell it so much?"

'Yes. Yes I do.'

Nico did her best to stop herself from rolling her eyes obviously as she picked herself up, rolled to her hands and knees and scrambled towards Jenny's prone form. She didn't bother hooking the leg; she just draped herself over the girl and let the count reach three.

"Hey," Ken said, walking up to them, "No need for that. I mean, I'd want to rest after the Aya choked you out like three days ago?" Ken then put his hand on Jenny, "And didn't you get knocked out by Maddy on Friday?"

"It's hard to fight someone when they turn into chloroform," Jenny folded her arms up and looked away.

"As long as we're reminiscing," Nico slid to the side of the beach recliner, and sat on it, "How about that Unlimited Class Battle Royal for the belt? Remember that?"

Ken sighed and looked away just before his girlfriend poked him in the ribs, "I remember that one too," she said.

Toro was in bad shape before Mettle smashed him into the ground with a clothesline, but that blow definitely knocked the wind out of him. Grabbing the bull-man by the hornes, Mettle picked him back up and pulled him closer, grabbing his waist, and picked him up. He held the large kid vertically for a good 10 seconds as the locals in the crowd snapped pictures. Then he fell backwards, completing his suplex. The entire ring shook as the two power houses crashed to earth.

Sister Grimm and Hazmat were taken by surprise, wobbling on their feet. Sister Grimm caught herself with the Staff of One, but Hazmat fell to the floor, though not before shooting off another energy pulse towards the witch. The blast of electricity ran up Sister Grimm's leg and brought her to her knees. Hazmat rolled to her feet rather quickly and launched herself at Sister Grimm, reading another energy volley, only to have it cut short by a single thrust of the staff. Twin glowing hands of energy formed on either side of Hazmat and with the command of "Swat," the hands came together, crushing her.

The hands dissipated and Hazmat fell on her back, winded.

Sister Grimm rolled her Staff back, and it neatly tucked itself on her back as she moved in on the stunned Hazmat until another thud caught her attention.

Toro insensate form slammed into the floor outside the ring, eliminating him. With that there were only three left. Hazmat, Mettle and Sister Grimm. The two Asian girls looked to each other, then to Mettle.

He was an imposing figure. Blood red with a skull like face. His eyes were very expressive and he was honestly the sweetest guy she'd ever met, but Nico was still intimidated by him when he looked like that. That she knew a beating was gonna take place by his hands did not help matters.

"Well, crap," Hazmat rolled her shoulders and charged her hands as she righted herself from Nico's attack, "Might as well go down swinging."

Nico nodded and unloaded her own variant of "magic missile" against Mettle as Hazmat blasted him with energy. He folded his arms over his face and simply walked up to the two Asians, his figure loomed over them as he got close.

Before either of them could utter a word or curse, Mettle put a hand on each of them, and shoved them together violently. The two girls slammed back-to-back, letting out a pained cry as they stumbled back into Mettle's arms. Nico dropped her staff and watched it roll out of the ring as she was turned around to face Hazmat and slammed against her again, chest to chest. Their struggles were mere twitched after he repeated the procedure twice more. Both were rendered apparently insensate and winded by the slams, before Mettle drove them both into the ground with a double power bomb, rattling the ring and the arena. Both girls were left splayed out on their backs, eyes skyward.

"Ow," Nico managed. She could hear people apparently cheering their winner when the crowd's voice picked up in volume. She saw two giant hands throwing Mettle into the air and out of the ring in one fell swoop.

She rolled onto her stomach and took an aside glance—Hazmat remained looking skyward and breathing heavily.

Turning to the ring, she saw Cassie Lang, Stature, 20ft tall and receiving the accolades of the crowd. She'd soon get the Unlimited Class Championship belt too. And all she did was shrink down to ant size and hide out until the right moment presented itself.

The words 'opportunistic bitch' crossed her mind, but she had to admit, it was a clever move.

"Hey, I got tossed farther than anyone else that night!" Ken said.

"Yes, because being power bombed by you is so much better," Jenny said and gave him a shove. Ken, however, wasn't ready and tumbled forward, onto Nico, knocking them both into the sand.

Nico was surprised, but unhurt by the tumble. Honestly, with his body almost totally human now, it made her flush. His skin tone was a little red (as were his teeth to be honest), but he could feel and taste still (though dulled). His surfers build that close to her, smelling of the sea and sweat, did not help her current troubles. Still, she managed to cry out, "Hey! Pins don't count outside the ring!"

Jenny had brought her hands to her face when Ken tumbled, but once he started laughing at Nico's outcry, she couldn't help following in suit.

He got up and offered her a hand. Nico took it and was pulled up easily by the large Hawaiian.

"Listen," Jenny said, "We're about to head up to the hot tube. I know you need it as much as we do. Wanna join us?"

Nico blinked several times in rapid succession. Her mind a whirl with the alternate meanings, "I—I don't—wait."

"Look," Jenny interrupted, "Even I can tell you're all tensed up and outa whack. You need to wind down." Jenny smirked and said, "Hell, I know I gave you some of those aches."

Jenny's challenge allowed Nico to compose herself again, "Not as many as you think."

"Alright, we don't need any more off that. C'mon!" Ken scooped Nico up in his powerful arms; Nico felt the blood rushing to her face and cursed her pale complexion for betraying her. The only saving grace was that he threw her over her shoulder, so she could chalk it up to embarrassment "no arguments. You need to relax."

He stumbled a bit as Jenny jumped up on his back, "Yeah!" She held on tight as he continued to walk towards the hot tub with minimal effort, "Alani's already gone and set everything up. You need this, Nico. Just relax. After we loosen up, we're going for a massage. No buts."

Given the current situation, Nico was reasonably certain that was impossible. All she managed was a feint "I'm sure rushing all the blood to my head isn't helping either."