Disclaimer: Don't own
:}
"Meredith? Trina?" Beck asked. "I mean, how long…"
"Blue Generation, so all my life?" The friendly girl admitted. "Though I recently went through a radiation accident… Sorry, that's the term, even if it doesn't involve any radiation. I gained a few new abilities, including my moms lifespan, only more so, and you wouldn't understand, so... Short version, I have a healing factor, enhanced physical abilities, the works. Perfect for a borderline street hero who can face serious threats. Not quite the combatant Warpath is, god she's amazing, but I bet I'm the single most trained fighter here. My mom was the original Velvet Phantom…"
"Heroin, active in the sixties and early seventies." Beck provided. "What? I like those old comics, and the heroes who inspired them. Velvet Phantom, wasn't much in terms of offense, but woman had staying power. Fought her share of baddies, and seemed to recover from the worst injuries in a matter of weeks…"
"Mom aged at one fourth normal." Meri explained. "Now, thanks to my enhancement, I age at one sixteenth normal, so gonna live a long, long time. Still, it just gives me a few centuries to fulfill moms wish, and have one of us freaks be a hero…"
"And Trina?" He asked, absorbing the new. Warpath, the name all of them had heard, despite her being basically a reservist hero, turned out to be Trina Vega.
"Kinda obvious, but not so much." Trina said. "I'm nearing human max in my normal form, at least for my build, but as Warpath, I push that up a touch. Bigger, stronger, faster, more resistant, more resilient, and just more. So, I wound up in this group, cause where else was I gonna learn how to use Warpaths powers?"
"I have Pandions Heroes Crown, that lets me shift forms." Robbie announced, drawing eyes to him. "Oh, yea, Robbie here. Dahlia also got me Cadabra's amulet, and buffed it up to give me a few useful elemental powers. I can glide, which makes tagging along with Steel Copper real fun. I can turn to stone, or stone like, or to mist, or mist like, and I can adapt to underwater environments. Heck, my weakest element is fire, and I can become highly resistant, almost immune. Even breath smoke…"
"One thing at a time, but still…." Jade filled in. "Plus, he's becoming a decent fighter. Yea, I'm Jade, the person who dragged some of you into this, one way or another." She looked through the ground. "I was desperate, studied just enough magic to know to do something both desperate and stupid, and I was desperate enough to succeed. I read from the Codex Infinitous, somehow survived, and now, I'm learning from Mister Abra how to use my magics. Plus, well… Not my story."
"By now, you have to have guessed." Wildcard said as she removed her mask. "I manipulate probability. Luck. Staying in reserve, but adding to our ranks as my powers reach out and find opportunities. Just saying, we should probably keep an eye on Andre, cause…"
"Yea, guess…" Beck removed his helmet, showing the gang who he was. "I tried out for The Heroes Crown, but this was a better fit. Loads of weapons, one of the stronger combatants. Not physically the strongest, warpath, and now Bastion, are stronger. But my weapons..."
"HIIIII ALLL" Cat called out. "I'm Cat, and I'm not a freak any more. I mean, I am, but then again everyone, except Andre, seemed to be one of us…." She stopped. "So, Tori, how do we get Andre to play with us? I mean I feel so wrong, leaving him out like that…."
"Guys, we've all told one another who we are, so I think, those of us from Blue Generation should go over the rules…." Meredith started.
"Wait!" Beck cut them off. "Tori, you're mom, she knows about you, right?"
"That's part of the reason Treen and me have powers." Tori started.
"Mom made sure she married someone with a high probability of producing meta children." Trina finished. "For the first ten years or so, we were, and are, the entirety of the Blue Generation project. Tori's powers being only revealed recently…"
"They didn't need to know that." Meri cut her off. "Point is, we're the most experienced of this team of young heroes, and we're willing to help. Also, and this is important, we're very good at keeping secrets. So, question becomes, why were we so quick to tell everyone?" The agreeable girl paused only a moment. "Simple, we already knew who each and every one of you was, and felt we should just be open, let you know who we are, so we can have the trust needed to act as peer mentors to you."
"For the most part, we've been there, done that, and can help you manage your new, dual life." Trina finished.
"Or did you really believe Trina here wasn't able to keep a man?" Meredith asked.
"Rude." The older girl snapped.
"Not doing any better." The short, agreeable girl admitted. "Hell, in my push to avoid reading my dates, I became this doormat, so desperate to have the good guy I willingly tried to just be whatever I thought he wanted. Hell, Beck thought I was just agreeable, trying to be whatever he wanted, and I admit, I was. I thought, being kinda cute, and having great cupcakes, and I know what people were saying, but I thought I could win me a man, but always, my powers, my history, it got in the way. And don't get me started about dating in the meta pool. Not only is it hard finding Meta's our age to date, but in case you haven't noticed, Blue Generation, three girls…."
"I think we're getting off the subject." Tori pushed in, cutting the shorter girl off before she gave any more away..
"Says the girl dating someone." Trina sniped, but the smirk hinted at something warmer then envy.
"I used my powers to find me a good love, and got…" The singers voice faded.
"Can't blame you for that." Cat tried to say under her breath. Realizing she'd said it softly, she quickly added "I said I can't blame Tori for that, cause her past, with guys, makes me wonder if she really has luck powers, or if maybe…" For a second, she tried to find the words. "Whatever. Jade's a good catch, if you can handle the scary, and that's before she was this dark, mystic figure…" A shocked look overcame her elfin features. "Damn, TORI'S GAY! IT'S THE ONLY EXPLANATION!"
"CAT!" Jade shut her down.
"Oh, sorry." The petite girl calmed down. "Meant to say Wildcard is gay…" Her smile was warm, as the girl was sure she'd fixed whatever.
"Okay, so we're all from basically the same social group." Beck clarified. "So, what now?"
"Simple." Trina said. "We spend the time we have agreeing to work together, as part of the police sponsored meta projects, and support one another as we start to deal with the pressures and drama that comes with these powers and the dual lives we've chosen to live."
"And Tori takes Jade's girly purity." Cat added. "What? You were all thinking it."
"We've moved on." Jade urged her oldest friend.
"Maybe we should discuss dating withing the group?" Robbie wondered.
"Wait until after part two." Trina warned. "We have a couple of young meta's who the police know about, sometimes work with, who the mayor wanted as a part of this meeting. Not the original point, as we were supposed to form a support group, outside of Project Redemption. But now, we are gonna have to form a team of some sort, just because…"
"Plus, I'm Blue Steels sidekick, so I have other responsibilities….." Jade added.
"Like learning how to please a girl." Cat added.
"CAT!" Tori snapped.
"Sorry, I meant, how to please a woman." Cat corrected herself. Then, looking at Wildcard, she asked "Better?"
"So, who're we expecting?" Beck asked, desperate to shift subjects.
"Not sure." Meri said. "V doesn't know. As I said, they're affiliated with the police, kinda sorta, but not the projects, so she has no intel. Honestly, not even sure we want them, cause I'm worried that one of Masters proteges might be about, waiting to sabotage our efforts."
"Not so worried about that as some sociopath looking to use their powers to get even with the world, but doing it under the protection of the law." Tori noted.
"Regardless, we have us a problem, cause I'm under the careful watch of the Steel Copper program, while Rob is known to loads of people inside the department." Beck added. "They might not like the idea of us forming a group, or not being included in who the members are. Now, adding outsiders, who's allegiances are unknown…"
"Lets just, I don't know, lets just agree that we're gonna support one another, and that includes in school, away from the eyes of the world." Robbie said. He sighed. "I think, who knows who we are is important, but given the limits, and knowing who is aware of each of us, it just adds to the urgency that we have one another if things go sideways. I know Jade added a protection in one of the enchantments she made to my stuff, making sure I didn't let the power go to my head. Given my history, specifically Robbarazzi, I think it was a good decision. I need the buffer. Jade has Tori, and Tori is a good person. Hell, Trina has Tori. So, we have each other, and all agree that, regardless of what our normal, late teen lives involves, including more hi-jinx, we support each others meta identity's. Also, dating, I feel, and this is just me speaking, but it should be a personal decision, with the sole condition being we have to accept, no mater how good or bad the relationship becomes, we're gonna support each other in our meta ID's."
"Won't be easy." Beck agreed. "But yea, lets do that."
"And Tori, turn that luck thingy you have on Andre, cause it'll be so fun to have the whole gang together. Plus, I'm kinda enjoying being stronger then my friends, even if I have to turn this odd, field thingy on to make it happen…." Cat smiled, happy with her new condition, even if she had to pay off the damage she'd done while under mental attack from parasites.
"So, how long before the second part of the meeting?" Beck asked.
"Maybe another five to ten minutes." Trina guessed. "People, lets all get back in meta identities, and if you need to use the facilities, now's the time. Plus, I think we should do what we can to introduce ourselves to LA Justice…" That lingering thought ended with everyone rushing of to get ready for the second half of the meeting.
As they got ready, steeling themselves for the uncomfortable time they'd have dealing with the other youth heroes who might be attending the meeting, an unassuming young man, white, brown hair, maybe Trina's age, wandered to the door, knocking polity.
Warpath opened the door, full sized, and looked down on the unassuming boy. "Warpath, good to see you. Ready to move on up to the big leagues?" The boy asked.
"Lenard?" Trina's deep voice rumbled. "My god, Lenard, when did you decide to come slumming? And why not in costume?"
"Just didn't seem like it'd be worth the effort." The boy shrugged. "Besides, a reunion like this, I kinda wanted to be there in person. So, here I am. Any chance Meri is in there? I wanted to apologize for the way I treated her, back when we were in the program together."
Trina stepped back, warning the others "Meta identities only. Gonna let the last, rarely mentioned member of the Blue Generation Initiative come in and introduce himself."
"Hi, I'm Lenard." The boy said, waving at the gathered heroes. He focused on Steel Copper. "Cool suit. Never could figure out how to use the amplification systems. Honestly, first time I tried it, I broke my arm. Kinda glad I didn't try turning my head, cause that might have been too much."
"And he's Blue Generation?" Dahlia asked, measuring the boy. At five foot six, he really wasn't that impressive. Decent shape, but not the crime fighter any of the others were. Even Robbie could probably take him in a fight.
"Yea, neither brave nor dumb enough to go out there all on my own." The boy shrugged. "I have a system. Use it to fight crime. That way, I can be a hero from the comfort of my own home, or wherever. Just, hard to get a decent hug when I'm all armored, so I came personally."
"People, THIS is Techfire." Phantom introduced the boy more properly, though her voice hinted at a less then happy relation with the boy. "He has the ability to understand science and tech to a level most don't, and tinkered with gadgets for most of his life."
"I hold a couple of useful patents, so I have money." Lenard added. "Kinda need it if I'm gonna build my drones up, make them worth having. I know, kinda a droid thing, except I control them from home, so they're drones." He shrugged as if that was a full explination. "Whatever they are, they make me the junior member of LA Justice, and as such, I figured I'd sneak in before that Thai bitch comes in and makes fun of my designs. Not everyone can re-purpose junk the way she can."
"He has a problem with Techbanger." Warpath explained. "Kinda rivals."
"But she lacks my brilliance in drone design." Lenard pushed. "Anyways, I'm not here to dis that bitch. I'm here to represent, cause I'm Blue Generation."
"Oh…" Jade said, even as Tori's hand interwove with hers.
"Techfire, this is The Black Dahlia." Tori pulled her girlfriend forward.
"Bro had some good things to say about you." The boy said.
"Street doesn't work for you." Jade sniped. "Um, yea, so you're the most successful of the Blue Generation Insinuative?"
"You could say that." The boy shrugged, again. "My dad, a police officer, while my mom was, well, she was a housewife. They moved here from the south, cause of opportunities. Whatever the reasons, and it had nothing to do with leaving a corrupt police force, and starting over someplace where they didn't label him a rat, but whatever the reason, I grew up here. Only, while young, I was, um, I just…." He shrugged again. "Not natural, I know that for sure. I have the signs of some kind of manipulation, probably genetic. Whatever. I'm a gadgeteer, and I can't figure out how I'm any different then anyone else, except maybe in this room, cause my powers are just I understand tech, and can make it work, kinda sorta. Like I said, put me in a power suit, I break things, on me, that I might have use for. I'll stick with my drones."
"Okay, that was…." Achilles Junior seemed upset that this hero, a member of LA Justice, wasn't as cool and suave as he'd imagined. In fact, the boy was too much the stereotypical nerd, lacking in much in the way of social graces.
"Still, you have power." Steel Copper addressed the hero. "Maybe you built your own, but you have some. You fight crime, make a difference, right?"
"Not as impressive as it sounds." Lenard assured the teen hero. "I often have to find the right drone before I send it off. Like when Bastion here emerged. I wasn't able to find the right drone to send against her, so by the time I got my act together, the whole fight was over. I mean, the one's I have, not that powerful. I could have sent one, watched it get torn apart, then my big secret, from the public at least, would be public. No, as long as everyone assumes my drones are just me in some power armor, I'm gold. When they figure out no one is in the armor, that's when I get some trouble. No one tries to remotely take over powered armor."
"I totally get that." Warpath surprised everyone by standing up for the nerdy boy. "What? He's built this reputation, and that's done more to stop crime then anything he's actually done. Ruin the mystery, and you ruin his effectiveness. Not saying I approve of his approach, but hay, he's out there, making a difference. And like a masked wrestler, he has his anonymity too. He can be the hero on the poster, then he can have dinner, with friends, all okay."
"So, Meri…" Lenard started, looking the group over, guessing at which petite girl was the one he knew.
"Phantom." The girl corrected him. "I'm the Velvet Phantom here, and I face my problems head on."
"Just, I'm sorry." He tried. "For assuming, just cause you were my sized, that we'd be a couple. For assuming, given your powers, that you'd want to use them to please me, when you do have your own motivations. Mostly, I wanted to apologize for insisting my approach was better. So, we good, cause I really have trouble finding girls I can hang with, what with Trina threatening to crush my boys if I try anything, and Tori, never could take her hamboning. What is wrong with that girl?"
Jade tightened her grip on Tori's hand, preventing Wildcard from striking the suddenly annoying boy. 'Betting she could win this fight.' The goth thought, before pulling her girlfriend back, least there be violence.
Ultrabro knocked on the door, letting the kids know that the next group had arrived, early, and would be sent back as soon as they were ready. "Yo, little buddy, you hitting on the hot babes again? I swear, let me show you how to mellow, cause you like, totally put them off and chiz. Even my girl don't wanna touch me after she sees you, cause she gets that turned off by you, and she's totally friendly to everyone. Just, you know, not sexy friendly, just a really friendly babe."
'He has a girlfriend, and tried to hit on Warpath?' Jade wondered. However, she decided to let the boy be, as he was a hero, of sorts.
Lenard took that moment to slip out, not wanting to be human in front of the woman who'd been making fun of his brilliant technological achievements. He rushed to his lab, intent on activating one of his drones and continuing to attend the meeting that way.
Shortly after, three kids, all late teens, walked in, each surveying the room with a mix of caution and excitement. Two were known figures, teen crime fighters who'd helped the city, at least once, in high profile ways. The third was new to most, but also easily the single most outgoing of the trio. "Yo, police heroes, I'm Cool, and these are my peers, Techbanger and Terrastar."
'Trevor?' Tori though as she looked at the white clad boy. 'God, it looks like…' She let go of Jade and walked over to The Velvet Phantom. "That boy, the cool one…"
"Is thinking you look familiar." Meredith cut in. "He thinks he knows you, cause you look a lot like the chick who used to date his cousin… You dated a Danial?"
"Trevor." She breathed. Then to the shorter girl, she said "Distract Dahlia, I need to talk to someone…"
Techbanger had already started making the rounds. The Asian American hero, who Techfire had called Thai, was surprisingly well adapted to social situations for a technological hero. Maybe seventeen, she wore a costume with bandoleers full of parts, the things she used to build whatever gadget she might need out in the field. Known to have a few set gadgets, tools she relied upon before swapping out to whatever she built out in the field, everyone expected another scientific expert, like the women from the Big Bang theory. In many ways, this woman was more like a cheerleader, social and friendly, then a tech expert.
Terrastar was a very different person. Dark skin, African American, who's main interviews involved telling people he was Afro-latino. His earth tone costume hinted at his ability to control the earth and use it in various ways to help people. However, outside of a pride in his heritage, the boy seemed to be shy, not wanting to make too much of a wave when he spoke. A bit older then Techbanger, he'd been that odd mix of someone with real power who chose to protect the poorer neighborhoods. In the party, he chose to sit back and let the others come to him. Warpath had already decided to say hi to the attractive boy, while Bastion was cutting Techbanger off from getting to close to the socially awkward Achilles Junior.
"Hiiii, I'm Bastion...Wait…" She checked her name tag, realized she wasn't wearing one, and then checked her notes. The symbiots whispered in her mind that she'd used the right name, while the petite girl wished she could have had a cuter name.
Cool was busy being the point man for his group, talking to Steel Copper and Achilles Junior with the ease of a pickup artist. He'd been eyeing the girls, Dahlia and Phantom, hesitating only around Wildcard. Warpath he gave a healthy distance, not ready to tackle the most famous of the police heroes here.
"Can we talk?" Wildcard asked, her purple and gold costume tight enough to move in, thus showing off her tight curves.
"Sure, babe." The frost based hero said, confident in his approach to win over the allegiance of any girl. They moved over, not out of the room, but away enough to talk discreetly.
"Trevor?" Tori asked quietly, not wanting to give too much away.
"Fuck me…" He replied, and for that moment, the illusion of his confidence blinked, showing just how nervous he felt.
:}
So, not much in the way of action, but now the gang can be each others support. Plus, we have four new people who have let them know they're in the same basic age group, and trying to do whats right with their gifts. So, thoughts on the new kids? Admit it, didn't think I'd have Danny even mentioned in this story, did you. Plus, kinda hard sometimes coming up with names.
Thoughts?