NEW GUARDIANS : ACT ONE
Time: 9.03am, Monday 9th October, 2017
Time: 9.03am, Monday 9th October, 2017
The morning of Monday the 9th dawns bright and chilly, one of the colder days despite the time of year. Many might glance at the sky with a disgruntled frown, asking why the weather gods had decided to bring a winter breeze a month early. It could have been worse though, for it was only the wind that stirred leaves and sent the odd chill down pedestrians' backs. When out of the wind and in the sun, the weather seemed warmer, closer to the summer passed than the winter to come.
The city itself seems quiet, more peaceful than an large, thriving metropolis has a right to be. Yet, anyone knows that beneath that tranquil peace is sure to be the rumblings of crime, a common undercurrent found in any big city. Well, perhaps New York's crime stats were a bit lower than your average city. It did lay claim to a few prominent members of The Wardens, and was the secret home to The Warden's newest venture: The New Guardians, a group of younger heroes being trained to save the world.
A year has passed since the group was first formed, and since then their number has doubled as new recruits have been invited to join by the veteran Wardens. Within the last month, almost every member of the young heroes' group has received a scholarship (or invitation for those wealthy enough not to worry about money) to attend the prestigious Ascot Academy, a private school offering high school courses as well as college classes.
For those in the high school, a mandatory uniform sees all the students wearing a sea of white and navy. Thankfully, the university students are free to wear what they wish, provided it isn't too ostentatious. As the new day begins, school calls to our heroes, where they might temporarily put aside weapons and masks for pens and calculators... well, at least as long as trouble doesn't come calling.
The city itself seems quiet, more peaceful than an large, thriving metropolis has a right to be. Yet, anyone knows that beneath that tranquil peace is sure to be the rumblings of crime, a common undercurrent found in any big city. Well, perhaps New York's crime stats were a bit lower than your average city. It did lay claim to a few prominent members of The Wardens, and was the secret home to The Warden's newest venture: The New Guardians, a group of younger heroes being trained to save the world.
A year has passed since the group was first formed, and since then their number has doubled as new recruits have been invited to join by the veteran Wardens. Within the last month, almost every member of the young heroes' group has received a scholarship (or invitation for those wealthy enough not to worry about money) to attend the prestigious Ascot Academy, a private school offering high school courses as well as college classes.
For those in the high school, a mandatory uniform sees all the students wearing a sea of white and navy. Thankfully, the university students are free to wear what they wish, provided it isn't too ostentatious. As the new day begins, school calls to our heroes, where they might temporarily put aside weapons and masks for pens and calculators... well, at least as long as trouble doesn't come calling.
The girl hit the ground with a dull thud, a grunt of suppressed pain squeezed from her lips as the wind was knocked from her lungs. Her shins stung, her hands were prickling from the slap of the mat, and various bruises were already sprouting across her dark skin, and yet she was pushing herself up with barely a frown.
"Isn't this child abuse or something?" Beatrice Barlow chirped up at her mentor, rolling her wrists slightly before crouching back into an anticipatory position, fists raised above her face. Rather than mimic her pose or respond to her teasing, Francis Leeds merely threw a towel at the teenager. His own towel was clutched in his other hand, wiping a thin layer of sweat off his face.
"Come on old man, one more round." Bea attempts to coerce her mentor, even though she knows better than anyone how frustratingly stubborn he can be.
"You have school starting soon" He replies, nodding towards the digital clock projected onto the wall of the manor's fitness centre. "I don't pay for you not to go."
Bea snorted and placed her hand over her heart, faking a regretful tone as she teases, "If only I've got one of those special scholarships, then you wouldn't have to pay a dime."
Francis Leeds merely raises an eyebrow at the girl's teasing, his lips quirking up in what might almost be considered a smirk. Someone who didn't know the man well might assume that his expression was unchanged, still that mask of blankness that The Shadow maintained at all times. Bea, however, could tell that this was Leeds' version of a smile, the equivalent of a normal person physically clutching their stomach in laughter. It was a victory, and she was sure as hell going to tell Dot about it when she did get to school.
As she grabbed her water bottle and took a refreshing gulp, Bea shook her head at her mentor, "You gonna drive me? Otherwise I might accidentally miss the bus."
Leeds merely straightened as he picked up his own bottle, flung his towel over his shoulder and proceeded to leave the training room, calling back over his shoulder, "I'll be leaving in fifteen minutes. Don't be late."
Twenty-five minutes later, after a hasty shower, pulling on her school uniform, and grabbing her school books, Bea finds herself seated in the passenger seat of Francis Leeds' favourite sports car as they pull into the entrance of Ascot Academy. The wrought iron gates were pulled wide, bracketed by solid columns of old brick decorated by climbing vines. The school itself has ivy climbing over the old building, the one that looks like it was plucked right out of 18th century Europe and plonked on the outskirts of New York city. The new building, hovering over the old, is new and sleek in comparison, and Beatrice knows from experience holds a hub of expensive tech that her wealthy mentor - among others - helped to fund.
The nine o'clock bell to signal the start of first period has already rung, no doubt the 8.50 bell telling students to get to class had already sounded too. Bea looked forward to the day she would be a college student, and didn't have to abide by the timetable those bells set. At least she didn't have to go to one of the other city schools where they started at some ungodly, even earlier hour.
"Come on, Frank, first period is gym and you know I don't need any help with that!" Bea sighs as the car grinds to a halt, attempting to do the impossible and convince Francis into doing something he's already refused her. "We could go get starbucks and I'd still be back in time for English."
"Out." Was all Leeds answered with as he leaned over and opened her door for her, raising his brows as he waited for the young girl to leave. Bea pulled a face and slid out of the car, petulantly poking her tongue out as Leeds closed the door and drove off with only a "Be good" in farewell.
Bea squared her shoulders and smoothed her skirt, resigning herself to the mind numbing dullness of playing volleyball for an hour. Truthfully, it wouldn't really be that bad. She had a few friends in the class and Bea was always fairly good at sports, but she'd still rather be wagging with Francis. Or Dot, maybe she should text Dot and...
Even as the thought crossed Bea's mind, something beeped. It wasn't the cellphone in her bag however, but the small device she kept in the thin belt hidden beneath her school blouse. Digging it out, Bea felt a grin spread across her face because she knew before she'd looked at the message and plugged in the ear piece what the beeping meant. The New Guardians were being called in on a mission. No school for the day!
"New Guardians, report to home base immediately. This is a priority mission, everyone is required." The Shadow's voice was brusque and business-like, leaving no room for questions. The broadcast no doubt going out to all the members of the young team.
"Yes, sir." Raphael Pavesi responded quietly, head down so as not to draw attention in the small lecture theatre, hand covering his mouth. The Italian, who had risen early for a lecture at Ascot, quickly packed up his items and pulled out of his row, ducking his head further as he slipped from the room. He waved vaguely at the one friend he had in the lecture, reminding himself to text her later to ask for notes.
Then, it was only a short walk to one two teleportation devices within the school. This one took the appearance of a supply closet, yet only the thumb print of one of the heroes would cause the door knob to unlock. To anyone else it would be mysteriously locked. Raf pulled it open now, hooking his bag securely over his shoulder as the door locked behind him and he was able to step up onto the large disc-like indents on the floor. The one beneath his feet glowed, a robotic voice calling out his name as it scanned his body and confirmed his identity,
"Aeolus. Member B-1-1."
Gritting his teeth, Raf watched as yellow light washed over his body, and suddenly he felt as if he were moving at the speed of light without actually moving an inch. Gravity weighed him down, his breath was pushed from his lungs, his finger tips sparked, and then as suddenly as it began he was standing on a similar pad, but in a much larger room. Really, the teleportation pads take less than the blink of an eye, but it always feels longer to Raf, who hates them. Yet, with time of the essence, he figured it would be better than flying to base.
The underground base has a simple layout. One main room in the centre is where most activities, training exercises, and mission hand-outs occur. Around the circular room are a few niches - one of which holds the teleportation pads, enough to transport the whole team in one go anywhere in the world. Directly across are automatic doors which lead to more training rooms, areas such as the gym and a small swimming pool, rooms for training powers, and more. Between that door and the teleportation pads are, on one side, doors leading to the large garage, while directly across from them are the doors leading to the communal living areas and bedrooms.
Raf heads towards the bedrooms now, rushing through the doors into a large living room with an extensive kitchen attached, and then through into a short corridor with bedrooms branching off. Some of the rooms are empty, as not every member chooses to live at base. Raf's room is the third on the right, a tidy, personal space which he rarely invites others into. He likes to hole up on his chair most nights to read a book. Today, however, he dumps his back, quickly pulls on his outfit and then heads back out to the main atrium.
His gloves activate with a through, inscribed, golden skin crawling over his hands. He flexes them as he comes to stand in front of The Shadow, nodding his greeting to the older hero while waiting for the rest of the team to join them.
It isn't long before the teleportation pads illuminate again, and as the robotic voice calls, "Dusk. Member B-0-1." , with a wide grin on her face steps the identified hero. She's in her uniform and grinning, holding back her energy as she comes over to The Shadow.
"Should'a just gone to starbucks." She teases her mentor, and Raf isn't sure, but he thinks... he thinks he just saw the Shadow almost smile.
"Isn't this child abuse or something?" Beatrice Barlow chirped up at her mentor, rolling her wrists slightly before crouching back into an anticipatory position, fists raised above her face. Rather than mimic her pose or respond to her teasing, Francis Leeds merely threw a towel at the teenager. His own towel was clutched in his other hand, wiping a thin layer of sweat off his face.
"Come on old man, one more round." Bea attempts to coerce her mentor, even though she knows better than anyone how frustratingly stubborn he can be.
"You have school starting soon" He replies, nodding towards the digital clock projected onto the wall of the manor's fitness centre. "I don't pay for you not to go."
Bea snorted and placed her hand over her heart, faking a regretful tone as she teases, "If only I've got one of those special scholarships, then you wouldn't have to pay a dime."
Francis Leeds merely raises an eyebrow at the girl's teasing, his lips quirking up in what might almost be considered a smirk. Someone who didn't know the man well might assume that his expression was unchanged, still that mask of blankness that The Shadow maintained at all times. Bea, however, could tell that this was Leeds' version of a smile, the equivalent of a normal person physically clutching their stomach in laughter. It was a victory, and she was sure as hell going to tell Dot about it when she did get to school.
As she grabbed her water bottle and took a refreshing gulp, Bea shook her head at her mentor, "You gonna drive me? Otherwise I might accidentally miss the bus."
Leeds merely straightened as he picked up his own bottle, flung his towel over his shoulder and proceeded to leave the training room, calling back over his shoulder, "I'll be leaving in fifteen minutes. Don't be late."
Twenty-five minutes later, after a hasty shower, pulling on her school uniform, and grabbing her school books, Bea finds herself seated in the passenger seat of Francis Leeds' favourite sports car as they pull into the entrance of Ascot Academy. The wrought iron gates were pulled wide, bracketed by solid columns of old brick decorated by climbing vines. The school itself has ivy climbing over the old building, the one that looks like it was plucked right out of 18th century Europe and plonked on the outskirts of New York city. The new building, hovering over the old, is new and sleek in comparison, and Beatrice knows from experience holds a hub of expensive tech that her wealthy mentor - among others - helped to fund.
The nine o'clock bell to signal the start of first period has already rung, no doubt the 8.50 bell telling students to get to class had already sounded too. Bea looked forward to the day she would be a college student, and didn't have to abide by the timetable those bells set. At least she didn't have to go to one of the other city schools where they started at some ungodly, even earlier hour.
"Come on, Frank, first period is gym and you know I don't need any help with that!" Bea sighs as the car grinds to a halt, attempting to do the impossible and convince Francis into doing something he's already refused her. "We could go get starbucks and I'd still be back in time for English."
"Out." Was all Leeds answered with as he leaned over and opened her door for her, raising his brows as he waited for the young girl to leave. Bea pulled a face and slid out of the car, petulantly poking her tongue out as Leeds closed the door and drove off with only a "Be good" in farewell.
Bea squared her shoulders and smoothed her skirt, resigning herself to the mind numbing dullness of playing volleyball for an hour. Truthfully, it wouldn't really be that bad. She had a few friends in the class and Bea was always fairly good at sports, but she'd still rather be wagging with Francis. Or Dot, maybe she should text Dot and...
Even as the thought crossed Bea's mind, something beeped. It wasn't the cellphone in her bag however, but the small device she kept in the thin belt hidden beneath her school blouse. Digging it out, Bea felt a grin spread across her face because she knew before she'd looked at the message and plugged in the ear piece what the beeping meant. The New Guardians were being called in on a mission. No school for the day!
"New Guardians, report to home base immediately. This is a priority mission, everyone is required." The Shadow's voice was brusque and business-like, leaving no room for questions. The broadcast no doubt going out to all the members of the young team.
"Yes, sir." Raphael Pavesi responded quietly, head down so as not to draw attention in the small lecture theatre, hand covering his mouth. The Italian, who had risen early for a lecture at Ascot, quickly packed up his items and pulled out of his row, ducking his head further as he slipped from the room. He waved vaguely at the one friend he had in the lecture, reminding himself to text her later to ask for notes.
Then, it was only a short walk to one two teleportation devices within the school. This one took the appearance of a supply closet, yet only the thumb print of one of the heroes would cause the door knob to unlock. To anyone else it would be mysteriously locked. Raf pulled it open now, hooking his bag securely over his shoulder as the door locked behind him and he was able to step up onto the large disc-like indents on the floor. The one beneath his feet glowed, a robotic voice calling out his name as it scanned his body and confirmed his identity,
"Aeolus. Member B-1-1."
Gritting his teeth, Raf watched as yellow light washed over his body, and suddenly he felt as if he were moving at the speed of light without actually moving an inch. Gravity weighed him down, his breath was pushed from his lungs, his finger tips sparked, and then as suddenly as it began he was standing on a similar pad, but in a much larger room. Really, the teleportation pads take less than the blink of an eye, but it always feels longer to Raf, who hates them. Yet, with time of the essence, he figured it would be better than flying to base.
The underground base has a simple layout. One main room in the centre is where most activities, training exercises, and mission hand-outs occur. Around the circular room are a few niches - one of which holds the teleportation pads, enough to transport the whole team in one go anywhere in the world. Directly across are automatic doors which lead to more training rooms, areas such as the gym and a small swimming pool, rooms for training powers, and more. Between that door and the teleportation pads are, on one side, doors leading to the large garage, while directly across from them are the doors leading to the communal living areas and bedrooms.
Raf heads towards the bedrooms now, rushing through the doors into a large living room with an extensive kitchen attached, and then through into a short corridor with bedrooms branching off. Some of the rooms are empty, as not every member chooses to live at base. Raf's room is the third on the right, a tidy, personal space which he rarely invites others into. He likes to hole up on his chair most nights to read a book. Today, however, he dumps his back, quickly pulls on his outfit and then heads back out to the main atrium.
His gloves activate with a through, inscribed, golden skin crawling over his hands. He flexes them as he comes to stand in front of The Shadow, nodding his greeting to the older hero while waiting for the rest of the team to join them.
It isn't long before the teleportation pads illuminate again, and as the robotic voice calls, "Dusk. Member B-0-1." , with a wide grin on her face steps the identified hero. She's in her uniform and grinning, holding back her energy as she comes over to The Shadow.
"Should'a just gone to starbucks." She teases her mentor, and Raf isn't sure, but he thinks... he thinks he just saw the Shadow almost smile.