H.E.A.R.T. [IC] Issure Two: Enter: The Silver Storm

[flynnarrel]

Sprocket

Lily let's herself be set onto the desk. She'd long gotten over the indignity of being handled like a favered pet. When your pace at a dead run might equal a todler's single stride you made allowances.

"I should make wings." She said to no one in particular.

She barely glanced at the crumbs of pastry, her appetite robbed by worry for their team leader.

Mostly she justsat cross-legged on the desk.

[Coyotzin]

Hardwired (Sandra Collidge)
HP: 3 Condition: Ravenous

Sandra remained quiet during the flight, and said nothing as the medics carried Janice away. She only grunted in acknowledgment to Carlos' message before she disappeared.

Her customized uniform went back into the locker, and she barely bothered to button her uniform as she ran off to her room.

She paced as she tossed the uniform garments about and threw herself on the bed. She didn't want to admit to herself that she was worried about Janice, much less let the others see it. She just imagined the tongue-lashing the new government minder would give them, and her hyper-brain already came up with a handful of colorful retorts.

She looked at the clock by her bedside. 45 seconds had passed. Enough time for ruminations. She forced herself to get dressed at normal speed before she went out towards the briefing room.

Ripped black jeans, thick boots, ripped tanktop under a long-sleeved fishnet shirt. She walked heavily, her attitude daring anyone to confront her. She ignored the looks of other students as she passed them, or the whisperings in her wake.

When she arrived, her internal systems were quick to inform her that her total nanite count was low after that battle, and making more would require energy and biomass.

Translation: she was hungry.

She stuffed her mouth with some of the smaller pastries and moaned audibly as she chewed and swallowed. She repeated this twice before nodding at Sprocket. The formerly pristine desk was now a mess of crumbs and discarded waxed paper wraps. Only after her third mouthful she poured herself a cup of tea and drank it in a single gulp, ignoring the scalding of her mouth, which quickly went away as the remaining nanites set to work.

And she finally breathed loudly.

"Crap, I could still use a big, juicy, fat steak right now." She said, her voice throaty. She grabbed a big handful of pastries and filled her teacup again, and then sat down, trailing more crumbs on the floor.

[McGuffin]

Brawl
HP: 3 CND: -2 Toughness

Bobbie paced back and forth in the office like a tiger in it's cage. She hadn't even glanced at the tea and pastries set out since entering the room. Where the hell is Danielson?! It's not like she wasn't worried for Janice, quite the opposite really, which was why she'd wish the Headmaster would show up already and get whatever this was over with already. But the truth was that there was nothing she could do for Janice and she'd probably go stir-crazy just waiting around. Bobbie came to a sudden and complete stop, hands clenching into fists. There was nothing she could do to help her, so she should be out there, trying to help him.

Insight (1d20+5=24) as requested.

[EPIC]

Luminesce

Alicia was quiet the whole way back. Everyone seemed like they weren't up to talking, and she didn't want to upset anyone. Instead she just sat quietly next to Janice so she would notice immediately if her condition worsened. Fortunately, it did not.

Back at the academy, the normally sunny girl remained subdued in light of the present situation and switched back into her normal uniform, putting on a forced smile, a damn convincing one at that, for the other students. It wouldn't do for them to ask questions about why one of the cheeriest students in the school was frowning. Hell it would send some students into a frenzy to find out what upset the girl. So she smiled... mainly because the first people the frenzied girls, who were only wanting to protect Alicia, would go after, would be the obvious and usual suspects, Sandra and Bobbie. That would be bad all around.

In the office, she sits quietly, Light manifesting and standing next to her, one paw-like hand on Alicia's shoulder, the pale luminescent glow given off by the symbiote tinting the light in the room with soft pastel colors. Looking over as Bobbie paces, the thought on her mind is clear in her face. "Mrs. Danielson is probably finding out all she can about Janice's condition, she'll probably be here soon."

Light brings Alicia a pastry and cup of tea. "Thanks Light." She looks back to Bobbie. Janice is tough, well...maybe not as tough as you or Sandra, but she's still tough. She'll recover.." though it sounds as much like she's trying to convince herself as the others.

[TheH0ARD]

GM POST

Five minutes. Minutes that seemed like hours. The ticking clock, the chirping birds outside even the stillness in the air felt slow and forced.

The opening of the door breaks the monotony.

"I don't care what the excuses are. Fights on school grounds are strictly forbidden. Increased curfew for both of them. Now if you excuse me, I have some business to attend to."

In walks Ms Danialson, also dressed differently from earlier. Her oriental robe drapping her body in such a simple way that, if compared to Sandra, would make her look like a puritan.



Her eyelids are closed as she close and lock the doors, making the reading of her eyes and face difficult as she walks past the girls stoicly. She pours herself some tea and then turn to look out the window as she sipped the tea from her cup. She is silent for a few minutes and it almost as if she anticipates the impatience before finally speaking.

"HEARTS..." She waves at the 'other' visitor, "...Light."

She takes another sip. "I didn't get the chance to check on Janice. Two of your peers decided to make today the day to have a sparring match during Afternoon classes. I still have a school to run, even when a mission goes... unexpectedly."

She speaks this in a short, measured pace, neither showing emotion or betraying intent or tone. She is very hard to read. She places the cup down onto a table near the window and loosens her robe. As the robe falls to the floor, two wings unfold and stretches out behind her. The white feathers seems to brighten the room reflecting it in soothing white. A slight breath is heard from Ms. Danialson, as it appears that her wings were rather cramped. The right wing doesn't stretch as far as the left.

EDIT: She has on a uniform almost similar to your own uniforms, the difference being that the back is cut off to allow her wings access.

"I want to hear it from your perspective. What happened out there?" She turns as she hesitates mid-sentence her eyes flickering between Lily and Sandra, as if considering something. "Leave out nothing."

[McGuffin]

Brawl
HP: 3 CND: -2 Toughness

Bobbie forced herself to calm down with visible effort, unclenching her fists with her arms straight by her sides. "We went in, took out the goon squad. Sandra went ahead to do recon but was thrown back into the room by this big, green... thing." It was at this point that Bobbie's hands curled back into fists again, trembling slightly. "We threw everything we had at it and when we were done everyone but Alicia went ahead to check out the situation. While Lily, Sandra and Janice tried to figure out how not to get us blown up, I went back to have a talk with one of the Cobra goons."

Bobbie looked up, straight at the Headmaster. "According to what I found out from the guy, this wasn't a real attack. This was them poking at us to see what we'd do. Anyway, after Lily and Sandra figured out what the problem was, Alicia flew down that tunnel and saved all our butts." She gave a slight smirk, before her expression grew more serious again. "After that Janice went down and we hauled ass back to the school."

"That's it, that's everything I can think of. Now can I please go make a phone call?" There was almost a pleading look in Bobbie's eyes. "It's very important."

[Coyotzin]

Hardwired (Sandra Collidge)
HP: 3 Condition: Merely peckish

"Basically that." Sandra said and shrugged as she tossed a cookie inside her mouth; she wasn't quite done chewing when she spoke. "From what we could tell, the goons threw some Dr. Suresh into the reactor, and he turned into Doczilla; so they were as surprised to see it as we were."

"And those guys were either crazy or stupid." She added after a gulp of tea. "There was no extraction means visible outside; whomever sent them was quite ready to lose them to the "see what we'd do", or to a nuclear meltdown, and they were happy to do it."

She was eyeing Bobbie for her entire exposition, a slight frown of doubt and curiosity at the other girl's behavior.

[flynnarrel]

Sprocket

"I... compiled a report on all my findings detailing what occurred." Lily offers.

"I could e-mail it to you."

[TheH0ARD]

GM POST

Ms. Danialson falls deep in thought, snapped out briefly by...

"That's it, that's everything I can think of. Now can I please go make a phone call?" There was almost a pleading look in Bobbie's eyes. "It's very important."

Ms. Danialson seems taken aback by this. Her eyes linked with Bobbie's briefly. "I think you all need some time off, actually. Go ahead Bobbie, but use the private phone in the office. Don't want any of the eager first years to pester you till after you had time to relax."

She turns back into a stoic mask.

"And those guys were either crazy or stupid." She added after a gulp of tea. "There was no extraction means visible outside; whomever sent them was quite ready to lose them to the "see what we'd do", or to a nuclear meltdown, and they were happy to do it."

"I... compiled a report on all my findings detailing what occurred." Lily offers.

"I could e-mail it to you."

"Sandra Coolidge, are you seriously going to disrespect me by dirtying my office with your bad manners? Show some respect." She look back out the window. "As for them being crazy or stupid, Loyalty goes a long way. People have been known to walk on hot coals barefoot for those they believe in. Those soldiers were either extremely loyal, or extremely confident that their capture was worth it."

Hesitation. "...there were other attacks. Other power plants, some military bases, even a cvilian base. All across the country. It was an organized assault and once that was realized, Ms. McNamera left. Based on what you two just told me, it's safe to assume that they did, indeed, try to test our defenses. This is an opening move to something bigger, I just know it."

She turned to Lily. "Give the report to Carlos and go over your findings. Maybe find something that you missed. And unless there is anything else you wish to add, you can go there now. Check on Bobbie on the way there."

She waits for Lily to head out. Apparently, she still have business with Sandra and Alicia.

[flynnarrel]

Sprocket

Lily gulped at her dismissal. It wasn't like she could just walk out of the room easily. Still, she was a HEART. She got to her feet and went to the edge of the desk. She backed up a few inches to give herself a running start.

"Door?" she said by means of request.

Someone, possibly Light opened it about half a foot. She sailed through the air, unholstering her grappling guns. The first latched to the door's top edge and she swung over open space on a course through the room, arching her body to give herself a circlular momentum, the line tracing a downward cone as she sailed out the opening. "Thank you." she said to the room in general.

She shook the rope free and was in free-fall once again as the spring operated retractor busily spun the hook and line up again. If she had to wait for it she'd splat against the floor, but that's why she had two. The other was expertly launched at a potted plant and once again, her downward plummet became an arcing vector. She alighted, with a tumbling flourish on a nearby shelf, waiting respectfully for Bobbie's call to finish before going and addressing the nearly indestructible girl.


EDIT: Insight (1d20+4=16)

[TheH0ARD]

GM POST

Silence again. Ms. Danialson turned around and sat in her chair, her wings folding around her body. She signalled the two to get comfortable. "Life can be quite cold, you know. I'm quite sure that Janice will pull through whatever is hampering her. But as you grow into women, you'll realize that in order to survive in this world... you need to plan for the worst. In this case, the chance that Janice is on the shelf indefinitely."

She fingered her tea cup with long, delicate fingers. "I'm going to be straight and brief. Effective immediately, Sandra, you're field leader. Alicia, you're number two."

Ms. Danialson pour more tea into her cup, then took a long sip. A pause that was enough for either or both of the women to respond.

[McGuffin]

Brawl
HP: 3 CND: -2 Toughness

Bobbie could feel everyone's eyes on her as she nodded and exited the room wordlessly. She stuffed the worry to the back of her mind as she dialed her brother's number. "Come on Mark, pick up the phone. Where the hell are you?"

[Coyotzin]

Hardwired (Sandra Collidge)
HP: 3 Condition: Merely peckish

Sandra rolled her eyes at being lectured about her manners. Ms. Danielson could do with a little mess. Nevertheless she was still careful to eat the remaining pastries on top of the saucer.

"I'm going to be straight and brief. Effective immediately, Sandra, you're field leader. Alicia, you're number two."

"Sh-yeah, right." Sandra snorted and shook her head, smirking, but as the angelic principal went about her business in all seriousness, the smirk faded at the same rate that her eyes bulged. "You're serious."

"Did you finally snap?" Sandra blinked. "I couldn't lead a dog into a deli!"

[EPIC]

Luminesce

"Congrats Sandra you'll b-... w-wait.. what?!" Alicia's eyes go wide as saucers. "M-me?! But I've got the worse scores in training out of everyone! In everything!"

[TheH0ARD]

GM POST

@Brawl

...One ring.

...Two rings.

...Three rings.

...Four rings.

...Five rings...

BRAWL HP +1 (carried over to next issue): "I'm sorry, I can't answer the phone. Drop a message and I'll hit you back later." Hesitation. "If this is dad or the rest of you guys... I'm sorry."

@Hardwired and Luminesce

"Sh-yeah, right." Sandra snorted and shook her head, smirking, but as the angelic principal went about her business in all seriousness, the smirk faded at the same rate that her eyes bulged. "You're serious."

"Did you finally snap?" Sandra blinked. "I couldn't lead a dog into a deli!"

In an seemingly imposible feat, Ms. Danialson's eyes turned even more stoic as she lowered her tea cup onto the desk infront of her, a slight frown slowly spreading across her features. "Ms. Coolidge, I will NOT have my sanity questioned by a person who base jumped off of buildings on a dare."

She closes her eyes, takes a breath, the returns to sipping her tea. "...I'm sorry, just tense. Sandra, you're the oldest, you've experienced more then anyone has the right to, your brain can keep up with Sprocket and you're innovative. It's true you lack... social skills. That is one of the reasons Alicia is your second."

"Congrats Sandra you'll b-... w-wait.. what?!" Alicia's eyes go wide as saucers. "M-me?! But I've got the worse scores in training out of everyone! In everything!"

"I'm not asking you to 'lead' Alicia. I'm asking you to help Sandra in certain things she lacks. Tact. Subtleness..." Ms. Danialson give Sandra a look over. "...among other more obvious details. Alicia, you care greatly for people around you. I'm merely placing you in a position where you can utilize your greatest muscle... your heart."

Sip.

"But I understand this is rather sudden to the both of you. For now, this is temporary. In case of emergency, your positions will be acknowledge. But I'll also give you 72 hours, yes that's friday and the weekend, to think on this. I've already granted the team Friday off and a pass to be off campus. Take the girls out, Sandra. Enjoy yourselves. Get to know them. You too, Alicia. I'll flip the bill, as long as you don't go to overboard."

Ms. Danialson stood and replaced her robe, sighing as her wings are refolded on her back. She must've enjoyed unfurling them. "If you two don't feel up to the task, I'll make arrngements, but I prefer to keep team cohesion in tact."

She now turned to face the two. "Anything more, ladies?"