This month had been crazy enough as it was. Existential crises, existential expansions, a bank ‘robbery’. It was becoming kinda overwhelming, and Seth didn’t feel like pushing things anymore. So he’d rather sit around and watch everyone else strain themselves. His suit was nice and threaded up. His own training little more than sitting around and meditating. And graduation just feeling like a shoo-in for him. Though maybe that was the power talking… In the right way not the very very wrong way.

  But in the end he was as ready as he’d ever been. The other trainees as well. What sessions he sat in on telling stories of some serious advancement.

  David took to Depthcharge’s teachings pretty well, and supplanted his regrowing confidence with liquid bulk. He’d learned to compress water and create armor using fluid drag and surface tension to slow down attacks, while having the added bonus of augmenting any close range attacks he pulled off. Once that surface tension was broken, willingly or otherwise, it shot out with force around the break point. David could use this as a set up for water jets to speed up his attacks, or as reactive armor to keep distance between him and his attackers. He just had to be careful not to drown himself if he had to protect his head.

  Zeleny had spent time refining her lasers to their near maximum output, which looked really scary for those who weren’t expecting it. Phazer had been helping her to add more colors to her repertoire and focus her beams, to draw in every bit of light from the visible spectrum all at once. At first it seemed like she would be firing high powered rainbows at her enemies as she swirled colorful beams around. But then she hit an absolute, and suddenly those rainbows disappeared. As did her solid steel target. All in a flash of pure light that narrowly melted through the wall of the arena. She had pushed past visible colors and gone full infrared, her original outputs somehow combining into a single beam that cut through… anything. Even Phazer needed outside help focusing her beams to this kind of level.

  ‘I think she may be a little concerned about this. Zeleny could very well bump her in the rankings.’

  “The more things change…”

  Maya, having already demonstrated she was getting increasingly stronger during the bank assault, was also improving her manipulation. Though she clearly loathed it at first, she learned to sculpt and build to an incredibly refined standard. Strata had taught her to use sand in its base form more, how to add layers to materials to build them stronger. But on her own time Seth caught her manipulating metal to a limited degree. It was a building material after all, but she seemed limited to actual structural metals rather than just raw stuff.

  ‘Powers are weird.’

  The biggest thing she learned though was how to maintain her constructs. They break, get shattered or broken apart, but that doesn’t mean they stop being materials she can manipulate. Before it seemed like she would focus all her will on one large object, holding the stuff it was made of in place. Now she wasn’t being as stiff with her abilities. Using her power constantly to move, alter, or reconstitute her constructs as the need arose. It’s bad enough trying to fight a stone wall, but it’s worse if it keeps avoiding your attacks and reforming when it gets hit.

  ‘Two words, very scary ones. Concrete ameba.’

  “Ugghgh. No thanks, we had magnetic molds on our planet. I don’t need new phobias!”

  Kabar, as spoiled and groomed by the other fire heroes as he was, learned some serious techniques. Making fire tornadoes the same way he made that flame wheel before, super heating specific parts of his whips so they basically explode when used, he even learned to create directed heat blasts using just his hands. His main technique though came in the form of refining his powers on an almost atomic level. Seth only caught it when he’d seen him training alone, but it was hard to ignore. His control over heat was a two way street.

  As much as he warmed something, he could also cool. Basically taking heat away like it was more abstract and not subject to literal thermodynamics. So whenever he heated up parts of his cords, he could also cool them somewhere else the line. And they would expand and contract from all this. It was clearly a taxing method, based on the heaving and the fog that condensed on him if he went too far, but he could use this to great effect. Rudimentary musculature worked on similar principles, so he could make a muscle suit out of his lines. And armor out of suddenly thickened cordage that was designed for this kind of thermal shock. He just had to be careful not to ‘Ohm’ his hands to smithereens when he went for a full on flaming punch.

  Jacob learned to pull moisture from the air to fuel any ice related constructs he needed, so he wouldn’t be wholly reliant on an outside source like David. But like Kabar he learned to use his powers on a finer scale. Ice armor and weapons were simple additions, as was better edge retention on his axes by using said ice. Seth had even overheard him during one dinner, he’d devised a way of supercooling David’s water armor whenever they teamed up. But the real improvement was his support skills. It looked like he was able to dissipate waste heat in the body to stymie over exertion. And on the flip side could to slow his enemy’s bodily functions. Use thermal retraction to lock their muscles down to a degree. This was a better option than needing to outright freeze them, which would usually mean frostbite or death for the normal person.

  Kaz, already very clearly at the level necessary to be a hero, seemed to continue to train with his dad. Seth was sure he was doing this just to keep him level and happy, but it was also clear to him that Kaz was close to overtaking him in terms of skill.

  ‘But damn, they're fast as it is! Half the time I can’t even see their swords.’

  “Spending a life time training a skill will always produce better results than instant gratification.”

  “Ya know we can feel that jealousy right?”

  Tabby took to Paleorus’ teaching exceedingly well. Not only learning to take the form of a smilodon, saber-toothed cat, but also learning to mix and match her forms to suit her needs. Need more strength, tiger arms. Faster speed, cheetah legs. And lungs. And most everything else because speed is a lot of things more than just legs. But still she achieved all this without going through a total transformation and specializing too much. Outside of her powers though, she seemed to continue to retain her ballet under Malerina. Though not training as hard at it, she was able to keep up with her fighting style and keep it adapted to her powers.

  Razor continued to train under Blade Tone, getting a complete sword fighting course and improving his technique. But on his own he was able to improve his powers to a more considerable level. He’d retained some amount of metal produced to create his blades before, but now he was outright keeping the metal, building it up to create built-in weapons and armor for himself. Arm guards mostly, but a few shin guards cropped up. Seth still wasn’t totally certain, but it still looked an awful lot like Razor had retained Needle to a degree. Or at least learned something from her whether he wanted to or not. Still he had an edge he very sorely needed.

  “Boooo.”

  ‘Oh like any other joke works on you guys?”

  Alex seemed to already have things down, especially after snatching that grenade without anyone in front of her even fucking noticing, let alone who she was behind. She could copy anyone with enough study, sneak around like literal ninja, and surprise enemies with their own powers. But for some reason she was distant a lot of the time. Preferring to be alone or outright avoiding looking at Seth when he watched the training session from the stands. He didn’t understand her powers enough to really say with certainty, but that modicum of fear crept back into the back of his mind.

  ‘Did she try to actually copy me?’

  “And what results did it field?”

  Whatever had happened, she was ready for graduation regardless, her abilities filled a rare niche in the League’s power base. She was assured to get in even if she failed somehow.

  Marco was also looking ready for graduation, Master Da Feng adding greatly to his advancement. He had mastered wind-based flight, fine current control was obvious from the steam screen, and even subconscious focus of his powers was advancing well. He was able to start attacks faster, create passive defense currents for redirections, and could hover in place without needing to focus on staying up. If the lack of strain on his face was any indicator. But outside of training with his teacher, he didn’t really seem to iterate on himself, only master what was taught.

  “Is that so bad?”

  ‘He’s not experimenting. I mean if fucking Razor can, he should be able to.”

  “All work and no play makes jack a dull boy.”

  “Why do your people have so many sayings?”

  Cleo mastered her teachings as well. She more passive creation of straps, much like Marco, though obviously more physical in nature. She also learned drastic enhancements to her own abilities. Extreme lengths, leather walls, a leather based muscle suit that she just barely had a handle on. Passive summoning was one thing, willfully moving both yourself and a second skin was another. Though saying she had control of it was strained even more, as Seth learned something truly horrifying. Something utterly monumentally disturbing had been found out after all this training. She wasn’t actually creating those leather straps from thin air, she was just defining their shape.

  And letting them out.

  Seth had only overheard a few details when he’d bothered to take a slot on the floor, but it was enough. She had control over some kind of pocket dimension, a space all her own that was nothing… NOTHING but leather. A mental construct, some magic bullshit, it didn’t matter! She opened portals to, and drew things out of, this place of literal leather bound hell. Meaning she could end up using those portals herself. Either as transportation if she learned the distances. Or damnation if she just felt like dropping you in.

  Seth was once again scared of Cleo.

  Ohm, on the other less horrifying hand, was losing his excessive edge. Thankfully. His training under his father finally seemed to bear fruit, in that he was actually learning something other than how to not be an insufferable asshole. Killing the links on the bomb vests at least proved he was learning better control, but his father actually got through to him. Kinda.

  They were practicing empathetic reading, arguably the one thing he was really in need of. He could see and interpret the signals given off by the brain and the nervous system. He couldn’t read minds directly, but he could read movements, judge intentions, and react on other people’s stimuli. Admittedly Seth could only do half of that. His nervous system had been altered so much he couldn’t use his own physiology as a basis to interpret someone else’s intentions with that kind of detail. Though he could see it clearly on their faces at least. And in the way they looked at him. Ohm was sure to benefit from this, finally having an enhanced sense of empathy was a real improvement compared to what he was like before. Though no one was holding their breath.

  It was a little disheartening that Seth didn’t get to learn more of what his dad was capable of. But it was probably for the best. They may have similar elements, but their abilities were drastically different.

  But regardless of Seth’s qualms, the trainees were looking set. Trained to their fullest and given the green light. It was about time to challenge what they learned and see if they were worthy of being official. Going beyond what a few months could achieve and being recognized as real heroes at last.

  The last Friday of the month was also their last official day, and no news had been distributed about graduation. At least to the trainees. This wasn’t much of a surprise, things being what they were.

  ‘Expect the unexpected, yadda yadda. Really getting tired of this.’

  Everyone was called up after regular morning exercises, which by now didn’t even need Para berating them to get through. Routines are powerful. But still, it was one last line up.

  Para was center stage again, but Aegis was gone again also. Seth took the liberty of check in on the dispatch room, trolling a little for some communication logs. It seemed like the Elite were preparing for an operation, but no one was saying anything else. Just that they were going to be busy. Guess the League expects spies to be everywhere.

  ‘Oh well. Can only really hope that they grace us with their presence at graduation. Whenever that is.’

  Despite the freedom her absence gave him, Para didn’t look as hardassed today. Was probably thankful that training was almost over for good. Though Seth couldn’t help feel a tinge of knowing smugness bite into that fear he tried to keep down as he scanned down the line.

  “Okay recruits, today was your final day. I hope you’ve squeezed out every bit of potential you can from your bodies, because your time is up. There will be no more training, no more drills, no more courses. What level you’re at now is what will be tested at tomorrow at your graduation ceremony.”

  A resounding grumble met the news.

  “What, were you not expecting-”

  “Oh fuck off already!”

  Kabar was voicing what everybody was feeling at this point.

  “We understand how to adapt to the situation, but a fucking formal event shouldn’t be a surprise that gets dropped in our laps like it was made up on the spot! You may not think it, but we at least want to look good when we finally get accepted!”

  The tailor in Kabar wasn’t as mild-mannered as it seemed. Though he did have a point.

  “Why do you think your training ended now?”

  And Para was clearly one step ahead.

  “You have the rest of today and till 6:00PM tomorrow to prep yourselves for the ceremony. The League’s armorers are open to you if you need revisions to your suits. Just don’t expect to get anything as flashy as Tinman.”

  Seth canted the mild annoyance that Para was still sticking to his old narrative, but he was honestly over it by now. Para went back to disregarding him, returning to the hardassed trainer he was before.

  “What happens tomorrow will depend completely upon you. No one will bail you out if you fail, no one will support you if you fall, and success will rely on all that you have learned. You will be tested to your absolute. And if it’s not good enough, then you never deserved to be a hero in the first place.”

  Seth flinched at that word again, but held back the internalized demand to punch this fuck head in the face till his jaw broke off.

  “But despite that… Good luck. And may you prove me wrong yet again.”

  The trainees all blinked at the sudden glimpse of sentimentality, taking the rare encouragement with silent acceptance. No sense ruining the moment by-

  “*sniff* I knew you cared about us sir.”

  “Waterboy I swear to god if you try and hug me again, I will throw you back into Berta!”

  And there it is. The trainees all filed out before it boiled back over, most diverting to the logistical levels of the Hill. Toward the armories, and probably Kabar’s parents. The surplus suits could manage on their own most times, but real heroes needed to be kitted out in full. Or at least dressed in something better than cargo pants and holsters. ‘Razor!’

  Seth went back to his room, there wasn’t much he needed to do, and he didn’t need the armorer's help doing it. The suit, threaded and layered to its own absolute, standing against the far wall wasn’t lacking. The matte silver of the outward metal had its charm, but he was sure it needed something. Needed a more refined look. Putting a hand to it, he felt through the electron fibers, the hum they gave off, the materials they held together.

  ‘If I’m able to alter myself at some point… Then the suit should be even easier to change, right?’

  “Certainly less likely to die horribly doing it.”

  Threat watched on as Seth focused, felt through the alloy that made up the outer layers. He wasn’t going to need much, just enough material to change the outer surface to something more than grey. The tungsten wouldn’t be too bad, it already made up a good amount of the alloy, but it was a weird color in this mix. And a muted green was definitely not his color. The bit of gold… No. Not enough and would look gaudy as hell.

  ‘Don’t need people thinking I’m as rich as Ohm.’

  The silver maybe, but it wasn't much either. Plus both of those were needed together anyway.

  “And you don’t even want to know how rich Speaker was.”

  Seth snickered as he felt Speaker’s mild ire behind Threat, then returned to the suit. Maybe the aluminum? It can be shiny enough, and it was in abundant supply.

  ‘Eh why not. Wait, even better.’

  Seth popped the suit open, the matte black of the inner Ark metal layer sucking away the light that was shown over it. He reached a hand in, feeling about for a spot. There was always going to be some kind of bunches, some unevenness in the coating he applied, he wasn’t perfect after all. And he found it in the helmet, stuck in a corner like he’d forgotten to smooth it out. Well he was there to fix it now. He pulled the gel layer back and scooped at the excess. The heavy metal becoming dust under his complete control. It wasn’t too much, but it would add something interesting.

  Seth closed the suit up and put his undusted hand over the outside again. Like an infinitesimal circulatory system, he felt the threading run inside. Felt the different metals all fused and melded together. The sea of electrons between them, scrunched to near immobility, given new purpose by resonating hum. Given stability, given structure in covalent unity, given purpose in the arrangement that resonated through it, given no uncertain refusal to stay broken. But in exchange made permeable, malleable, and under a better master than nature. Atoms of aluminum were strung and grabbed hold of, felt for their number and part in the alloy. A layer brought together at the surface, not enough to break the balance made, just a colorful layer coating.

  Though this new standard grey a little too samey to be used alone. So Seth put his other hand on, pressing the Ark metal dust into the mix with arcing infusion and grasping thread. Applying it about plate by plate. Pulling and spreading it across, the grey becoming darker by will and focus. With a final run through, a final buffing pass, the suit’s matte was changed to a dark silver sheen. Like impossibly polished wrought iron.

  Seth took a step back to look it over, and to get the final touch.

  He looked over at his bedside, the box he’d cared for, the contents he’d brought all the way from Frigateville. He opened it up, the red of his mother’s scarf still as bright as ever. The smell of motor oil and cinnamon trying to become real, become more than just memories.

  Scooping it up gingerly, he unfurled and allowed it freedom at last. It reached down to his waist, edges tastefully frayed in a knotted pattern on one end and a pennant pattern on the other. He walked it solemnly over, tied the knotted end over the neck, making sure it was tight enough. The other end draped over the shoulder. Not quite a cape, but it was something. Sentimental and distinctive. A little bit of his mom to carry him through whatever they threw at him. He just had to be sure to remove it before his fight. It was all he had left of his old life. But that was more than enough.

  Because it was time.

  Saturday passed with trainees running back and forth, getting materials and equipment for their own suits and costumes. Para didn’t mention it, but the armorers weren’t going to do all the work for them. Seth passed his time by scoping out the Hill’s registrar, just to see who was attending. Apparently friends, family, and the public were informed of graduation a month ago.

  ‘They really take this disparity of information thing too damn seriously sometimes. Or maybe… I swear to god if he- Ughhh!’

  “There is a reason he teaches this course.”

  ‘But you can’t just expect people trying to be heroes to… Why is there a coupon for a cookie on this list?’

  “Well… at least if you don’t use it, he won’t know you can do this.”

  ‘I hate this asshole so much.’

  Everyone Seth noticed at the monologues was set to attend, as well as a few he could only guess at. Alex’s family possibly, maybe Zeleny’s, but also some that read like cover names. VIPs? Maybe HQ was sending observers, or the Elite liked their secrecy as well. He had combed every inch of the Hill’s systems and archives by now but never found any information on what League Headquarters was actually like, so it stands to reason they keep most of it heavily secret. Or they still use paper files. Casually skimming a local computer net was one thing, actively sneaking into heavily restricted file storage was another.

  But whatever this meant in the long run paled in comparison to the short run. The arena was set to be packed, the public tickets had sold out within a day. People really enjoyed super fights.

  By five o’clock the audience was streaming into the foyer, most of the displays removed so they were safe from accidents. Even the central reception desk and statue were moved out. There was going to be a separate gala after graduation to welcome the new heroes to the League a bit more personally, so the space was needed. And as the time came, everyone was snuck into the central locker room so as to not spoil their grand entrance. Inside, Seth saw what a day and a half of work meant for skilled armorers and tailors.

  Everyone’s suits were beefed up, the colors more toned and balanced, and now had real plating in place of the standard pads.

  Kabar obviously did his own work, his lines acting as his padding. Semi-independent and definitely thickened up sections wrapping around his legs and arms, as well as parts of his torso. Forming a sort of thermal cord exoskeleton that was just a little bit of an irk for Seth.

  ‘Cuz you know, everyone likes to call my suit powered but what’s that make his huh? Just obviously so or does no one care about hypocrisy?’

  His suit still retained its base black, but the flames were removed so they wouldn’t be covered up. And given that those lines lit on fire, they were a little outmoded anyway.

  Zeleny’s suit seemed odd at first. It was the same surplus suit, now with plating, but the original poison dart aesthetic was streamlined into just the accents of the suit. The real issue though was that Seth could still see the original pattern despite its recoloring, as well as a small amount of circuitry spread out under it.

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  ‘An adaptive coloring system. Neat.’

  Now she won’t just pull from the original green. She can match colors with specific situations.

  ‘She’s finally branching out and not making me feel like she has a fetish. Good for you.’

  Razor altered his suit pretty sensibly, normal clothes don’t really stand up to the stresses of hero work. He took up a surplus suit, ignored the plating, colored it base black and dark red, and added on his holsters. But he cut the sleeves short, literally cutting them himself. He was still tearing through them in the locker room because they were made to specifically resist that kind of damage. The suit was a half size too big as well, all this to no doubt accommodate for the metal armor and weapons he’d managed to make. Like the short sword esk razor sword that was slung on his back. Blade Tone definitely having a positive effect on him. Though he did keep his holed gloves, probably out of sentimentality.

  Kaz looked to have completed his set, both shoulders were now armored as well as his arms and legs. His… robe… gi?

  ‘I really should have learned more Japanese culture.’

  Whatever it was, it was fully worn now and covered both shoulders. The real difference was in the pattern and color on the robe, extra floral compared to the standard seagrass green he had before. Orange and yellow in strikingly wide petals seemed to flow across a field of magenta. Seth felt this was a deliberate choice, something even more sentimental, but he didn’t know the significance.

  David seemed to just take the upgrade to his suit, keeping the blue and grey. Though he did add one thing, a small rebreather unit around his neck. So at the very least he won’t be drowning himself.

  ‘Why does it say Dredge Bros on it though?’

  Maya seemed to do the same, no major alterations other than plating. But she did change her coloring though, tank-top changing to beige now like her accents and the surplus pants changed to dark grey asphalt, both in color and texture. It even had stripping.

  Jacob seemed to also retool his suit to a degree, taking the plating upgrade and recoloring the normally beige base of his firefighting attire to soft white. The hazard stripes were also changed to be brighter blue. He even added an extra axe holster and tank to his back, but no breathing apparatus.

  ‘Must be a water tank. Can’t rely on the humidity all the time.’

  Tabby’s alteration seemed the most complete, in that she did away with her old suit and opted for an almost sleeveless armored leotard with a black and white tiger stripe pattern. To add to the alteration of her look she seemed to be permanently changed into a form Seth was sure wasn’t naturally occurring. Its fur matched the leotard, only being broken up by the frilly white accents on the edges. It looked smaller than her original tiger form, but not as small as her other, faster, forms. A middle ground she created all her own, which was obvious once you saw the absurdly bushy features of a Maincoon cat mixed with the more predatory looking head of a tiger.

  ‘Trying to look regal as fuck I guess.’

  Alex didn’t change her suit at all, didn’t even take the plating upgrade. What she did do was copy herself up to look like Para, intent to surprise the audience a little. And succeeding early as half the trainees froze as she walked in as such. Only to do some very non Para jesting as she wheeled about on them.

  ‘If she’s opening with that, I’m scared what she will do once she reveals herself.’

  Marco kept his gi as it was, though he added some charms he received from Master Da Feng. Mostly beaded bracelets and a necklace… and talismans… and sewn in patches. All with Master Da Feng’s training school symbol on it.

  ‘He’s using Marco as advertising isn’t he? Come on man, fight back a little.’

  Cleo opted to keep her suit the same, texture and color wise. Plated up, her suit was only changed to include a more sensible leather jacket instead of belts covering her midriff. But her hair went from twin tails to a more swept back flow, and it glistened with gold dust.

  ‘Damn you Pharaoh Shephten! I will learn your hair care techniques if it’s the last thing I do!!’

  Ohm seemed to improve his style game as well, finally getting his suit personalized instead of just slapping a patch on a fresh surplus. He didn’t go too far, but he took a queue from his father and added gold accents to his suit… Wait no that's actual gold!

  ‘I was joking before! Fucking hell Ohm, don’t prove me right!’

  The base color changed as well, a more cloudy grey rather than a drab one.

  All that was left was Seth. His suit was prepped, but his old connector suit wasn’t going to cut it. Taking a few pointers from Weaver, in that he actually learned how to sew with needle and thread, he’d repaired it and improved its aesthetic. He mulched some of the copper from his old layers and dyed a scaled pattern on to the extremities and down his back. He also beefed up the connectors to help them keep up with his new strength by magnetizing them like the security suit’s old servos.

  The trainees, preening or otherwise, all waited anxious for their introduction. But more than ready to fight for their futures. The muffled rumble of packed seating above them gradually dying down to silence as the hour approached. Till everyone was quiet and listening in as Para once again took up his role as the Master of Ceremonies. Unlike last time though, the locker room had an audio feed.

  “Ladies and Gentlemen! Heroes, old and new! I welcome you to our prestigious graduation ceremony! Where mettle will be tested! Strength will be determined! And the honor of being called a hero shall be earned by those worthy of its burdens! Upon this sand, new names shall rise! And within the hearts of those in attendance, new legends will be etched!”

  Mediknight opened the locker room door as everyone was distracted, a larger ready room beyond awaiting them with an opened shutter door to the arena. It was dark, the roof closed and the lights out save for a spotlight drenched podium holding Para up next to the audience.

  “It’s time. And I’m proud of you all.”

  The smiles that met that slat shrouded face probably danced across his mountain lake like a warm wind. But really there was no turning back anyway.

  “Without further ado! I give to you the recruits to be tested! Your future Heroes!!”

  The trainees stood up and the stands erupted in cheer, filling the opened door with the sound of a city that really loves its heroes. Order and procedure were given ahead of time, in that they kept the same order they always had, David out front and Seth keeping up the rear.

  As he stepped out into the dark of the arena floor, new spotlights illuminated David’s steps. Zeleny held back a space so some amount of introduction could be had through the applause, though the set plan was to have the trainees introduce themselves in their own way.

  The arena quieted, the audience waiting for what was bound to be a quite the display. David walking out with his chest puffed a little to hide the very obvious nervousness stiffening him. Before finally stopping, shooting his arms out wide, and starting. With a rounding motion, he condensed a glob of water in each hand and ran it around in a directed flow. A smooth shift expanding them out into a ribbon of water waving around him. Shimmering dazzles in the intense spotlight surrounding. Once performatively sufficient, he shot back stiff and the flowing water suddenly splashed in, wrapped around him into his water armor. Form smoothing into bulk like he was feigning body builder proportions, considerably bulked up his profile but doing little to impede him. He even ran through a series of flexes and stretches to outright show off, till a final hard pose hit and his armor suddenly exploded away in a splashy spray that glistened in the spotlight. Like power manifest… With a face that screamed. Just screamed internally that he was embarrassing himself.

  Done with his display though, he stated scooting away while looking up toward the darkened stands, raising up his hand with a half managed smile as he saw who he was looking for. And before the audience could raise their applause, a deafening call came from that person. Like a cross between a whale call and an over eager soccer mom, so pretty much just his mom. Seth couldn’t see it, but was fairly certain she just deafened several people. Based heavily on the fact that Mediknight sighed, locked the door open, and walked out into the pitch darkness to more than likely repair a few people’s eardrums. David winced his whole body at the very obvious implications and kept power walking toward the protected bench below Para’s stand that was their goal.

  Zeleny walked out as he left the center, the rest of the line clear on the procedure. A new spotlight illuminated her as she walked a ways out before floating up a few feet. While she rose her suit lit up her original green as she pulled her hands together, a barely visible stream of that green flowing in between them from her suit. As it wore thin, the suit changed color in rapid succession. From the left a stream of yellow, orange, and then red. From the right blue, indigo, and violet. Slowly these colors flowed together between her hands, a balled up rainbow roiling faster and faster. Her suit flashed this rainbow across its pattern as she held of her creation tighter and tighter. Till, with a flourish, she released the ball into a halo of colors. An aurora that burned the air and sand below her, lit the arena up in the swath of the visible spectrum.

  The audience cheered as she landed back down in the glassy char, but Seth still felt a hint of sadness from her as she walked on. She must not think her parents showed up again. Or there was something more to it that he didn’t feel right in speculating about. But suddenly a very distinct whistle came from overhead, like some kind of old style hunting call. Zeleny whirled around, feet completely disregarding the ground as her face burned that sadness apart.

  “That’s my little duha!!”

  Zeleny lit up, literally, and-

  “DADDY!!!”

  Rocketed up into the stands above the locker room door. Seth was still out of the loop, but the collective awe and applause from the audience made it plenty clear what just happened. Maya held off her entrance until Zeleny flew back down and continued her walk to the bench, wiping happy tears from her face and just refusing to touch the ground anymore.

  Maya walked out finally into her intro spotlight, cracking her knuckles to add some emphasis. At distance, she pulled her arms into her sides and stomped the ground. Her stomp forced up a step of flash hardened sand, which she immediately stomped on with her other foot causing that step to press and a new higher step to rise ahead. Creating a staircase of sand, held together by will alone and rising several feet in the air. Before the last step she released her arms and pushed her foot into it, causing it to topple like a domino. As it fell she stepped out onto it and rode it to the ground. The hardened sandstone not impacting as, but falling apart like the sand it was. The rest of the stairs followed suit on impact as Maya spread her arms out in a flourish and kept walking under the audience’s mild applause.

  Kabar waited a small moment more for the sand to dissipate, then walked out. At safe distance he ignited his lines, his entire power driven suit, but kept walking without a hint of effort. A trailing flame following his step all the way to the middle of the arena. Where his lines released down to his feet, but only that far. With a massive build up, he whipped his right arm out to the side, launching his line to its farthest reach. He repeated for his left, both lines smoldering and burning the sand beneath them. Till suddenly he twisted around, winding up and whipping his lines in another fiery clothesline.

  The flames on the lines amplified, but couldn’t catch up to the speed, creating a lingering disk of flame as they completed their circle. Then, at the ends of their spin, Kabar shot his arms up, pulling the lines up in a skyward whip. The flame disk getting dragged upward, a short lived cloth like arch. But as the lines reached their zenith their tips glowed hotter than the rest of the line. Superheated. They crashed against each other, releasing all that stored heat in a spectacular, but hollow, explosion. The flames extinguished by the blast wave and Kabar left in darkness, his spotlight out done by his flames in everyone’s eyes. It returned as the audience hollered and applauded their approval.

  Jacob waited, knowing full well Kabar was going to go big. Finally stepping out though, he didn’t need a serious amount of space. As he walked he held his hands out, breath condensing and humidity becoming visible around him. Slowly ice sculptures began rising up along his path, clear ice panes in linear step that began to enclose him. At the center of the arena he formed a wall ahead of him, crystal clear ice on three sides refracting and dancing light about the glassy sand. Suddenly he produced his hand axes from his back and stanced up. With swift motions he cut into the ice, seemingly at random. Ice shaved off and glistened in the spotlight as he expertly twirled about. Edges dancing in his hands and reflecting just as much.

  Once done, he returned his hand axes and pulled his arms in front of him. He flung them out, pushing the ice walls over all at once, letting them fall to the ground to dance no more. They didn’t shatter, but revealed what he had created. Carved out stylized fire shields with the number 55 on them. It was the patch from his family’s firehouse, made upside down and only shown to the audience right side up on the ground. As the audience started applauding a collective holler came from a group to his right. A woman in the middle, who wore the same firefighter suit Jacob did, stood over them and yelled with a commanding tone that put Para near to shame.

  “Show them whose boss around here Jacob!!!”

  Guess that’s his firehouse… And his mom.

  ‘Yup, those really are some big shoes.’

  Kaz stepped up next as the ice was melted and shattered away, though Seth felt he was a little bereft of a display. Comparatively. He also worried about his own entrance, nothing to show but suit and strength. And no real offer of a compromise beforehand. But a small amount of confidence returned as figures appeared and followed Kaz from the shadowed arena, hardlight training dummies. He stopped in the center, hand around the scabbard of his blade and surrounded on six sides as they walked into the light. The robots all mirrored in their movements and standing more for intimidation than threat. But not even a beat passed before they rushed forward, intent on slamming into him. Yet before they could make contact, Kaz suddenly flashed forward, quick as every slash he’d thrown at Seth in their training. Blade drawn and turning back into the collapsing dummy singularity.

  To the casual observer it was all a dazzling glare, but Seth pulled power this time to see it true. See him leap through them, blade reflecting the spotlight to all around. Crossing the spotlight’s range in a single step and turning before his momentum could even be ascertained. Bouncing from edge to edge of the pool of light like he was confined to it. Five flashes and Kaz was back behind the jumbled group of targets. With a final rush, he slashed through the group and stopped back at the opposite edge of the light. Like a damn cliché. Sword out before him with the light reflecting off, as he calmly brought it back and sheathed it with an agonizing delay. Just to snap the hilt to the end. To coincided with the realization of that first, and then every subsequent cut. The dummies slicing finer and finer with every already made strike, before finally being decimated by the last cut, shattering into sparking parts. And derezing out of sight into the darkness. The audience applauded heavily as Kaz continued on to the bench.

  ‘Big names get big recognition after all. But really man? Even I know that’s just ham. I know you’re smiling wider inside!’

  Tabby now walked on to the arena floor, but rather quickly changed her steps, as a simple melody started up. She had created a ballet routine that incorporated her cat-like physique. And had more forethought than Seth had. Her bounds becoming monumental, the spotlight only just keeping up with her. Her plies were considerably more pronounced and moved into full body horizontal twirls. Those twirls flashing claws in the light as she slowly splayed for it. Slicing deep to cut the sand into patterns wherever she landed. Till she finished it all off with a massive leap, mixing gymnastics with ballet by flipping front ways and sideways, landing into a slight slide off her momentum cutting glittering lines out beside her. Ending in a bow low on one knee with her arms out wide and low. The audience clapped respectfully as the music stopped and she stood up again, a considerable distance closer to the bench than before.

  Razor walked out next as a series of small spotlights lit up around the arena. Most on the floor, but a few lit the ceiling, a couple even above the stands. Each spotlight though soon tracking over a target that was hidden in the dark, scored sections and all.

  ‘Okay what the fuck? How is he this prepped!?’

  Though as he made it to the center, he took a deep shaky breath. He was still nervous, and reasonably so. As he released though, that nervousness disappeared in a flash of metal reflection. A razor knife flying from an outstretched hand at the nearest target, sticking in edgewise. One by one the floor targets each received a knife, not quite in their centers, but close enough. A sudden shift up and a knife struck the targets above him. And as if on cue, a target fell from the ceiling, a rope holding it aloft as it swung passed him. A knife stuck into it without a second thought. Three more swinging targets and three more wooden thunks of hits. A final flourish brought both hands over his large razor sword, ready to catapult it over his head. He took a massive step to get as much momentum into his throw as he could and loosed it... At the audience. It flew through the air, a spotlight keeping it lit as it tumbled and reflected, straight for the target over the stands.

  With not so hidden trepidation, Razor watched it sail over several people’s heads, most ducking out of fear. He closed his eyes as the impacting thud of metal echo in the arena. He finally looked up to see the sword stuck dead in the target…’s hanger. It falling free and sliding behind one of the audience members to their surprise. The arena falling silent for a second before-

  “WOOOOOOO!!!”

  Razor celebrated for himself, more than likely for not hitting anyone accidently. The audience clapped, but his display didn’t seem to impress everyone, least of all the people that were under threat of a sword to the head.

  In the curmudgeonly applause, Para Alex slipped out of the door, avoiding the spotlight meant for her. The audience sounded puzzled as the spotlight danced about searching for its target. Until finally it stopped in the center, finding the second, redder, Para staring up at the real one. Seth could see clearly that the real one was a little pissed, even though he was left in shadow. Suddenly she spun around and began shaking her… his… their ass?

  ‘He did ask for this but…’

  Before the real Para could sonically stage hook her out of the spotlight, she spun around again, revealing her real form. The audience, still snickering, finally understood what was happening. But Alex wasn’t done. She quickly changed again, this time into a red hued Maya. With a forceful fist downward, an ascending set of sandstone spikes shot up to her left. She returned to the center and shifted again, this time into Jacob. Shooting both hands out to her right she created another ascending set of ice spikes before again returning to the center. She shifted again, this time Kabar. She forced a hand down and scorched the sand beneath her in a circle. Lighting most of it on fire. Next she took David’s form and fountained up a surge of water above her to twinkle in the light and steam over the flames. Till finally she went back to Para’s form, stopping only just to smile up at Para. Before pulling her arms over her body, the air, water, and steam rippling as sound wrapped around her. Before all exploding out in a mimicked sonic desperation blast. Destroying the ice and stone, shooting the water away and putting out what flames still lingered in one massed pressure wave. Letting the whole scene calm in the rumble. Alex stumbling back to her original form, but sauntered out of the center to the audience’s applause.

  ‘Well… she did what he asked for at least. Metaphorically. Metaphorically!’

  Marco stepped out next, though like Zeleny he quickly stopped stepping and started floating. Pulling his arms in and taking a meditative stance, both hands stacked over each other with their palms up. Like the others, he stopped in the center and began his demonstration. From his stance he moved his hands around, pulling air around with them. A visible current flew at his direction, first to his left then around him in increasing speed. Once the current was completely closed around, he increased the speed. The current began picking up sand from the floor, pulling all the air in. He was creating a tornado. But as it formed around him, it seemed to change. The current slowed, but the walls of debris expanded outward. The top was kept low so the audience could see, as he began forming a new current. This time from the right. He was repeating his process, forming a second tornado inside the first but in the opposite direction. Conflicting forces held at bay side by side, both his hands out and managing them. Left controlling the wider tornado, right controlling the inner one. They changed shape and height at his commands, with every move of his arms at their reigns, just so the audience was understanding.

  But then Marco floated higher, above his creations. He began pulling is arms back in, both twisters reacting to this. He leveled his palms at each other across his abdomen, the twisters leveling themselves to each other. They were different speeds, but as he began closing the distance between his palms they gradually closed this difference. The outer grew faster, the inner slower. With a final forceful movement, he slammed his palms together, and the twisters collided their opposing currents in kind. Unlucky sand and debris was shot out in every direction, with the lucky bits stopping dead and falling down like it had not just been tumble drying. Marco floated down through the sparkling falling sand to the applause of the audience and made his way to the bench.

  Next came Cleo, though she stopped dead once the spotlight lit up on her, gold glistening in her drawn out black hair. With a subtle motion, she moved her hand out as if holding a stick up, and in turn producing one of leather build. But not a stick, as she tapped it on nothing at all and yet produced a steady harsh tap. As that stick split and formed into something more substantial. And was moved about as she shifted into what looked like the position to play a violin. As she materialized some odd looking…

  ‘She just fucking made a violin out of leather!’

  Tautly drawn and thinly cut straps made up the strings and bow, hardened bits making up the body hollow. And the sound was-

  *SCREEEE*

  Abominable!

  Cleo winced and smiled innocently as she instantly stopped and tuned her lovecraftian creation. Plucking it a few times she sighed in relief and began again. The sound was softer now, but balanced by the shrill nature of running leather over leather. She played like it was far from her first time as well, starting slow and building complexity. And then adding even more complexity on top in the shape of more leather instruments forming behind her. She began walking forward into the arena as a leather percussion set materialized behind her, a pair of leather straps taking the place of an actual drummer. As she moved, more violins formed, leather straps mirroring her movements and playing the slowly growing disembodied band. A few upright basses, a group of cellos, a team of violas.

  Once this leather string band was complete, another group of straps materialized, except they were definitely not playing anything. A wall of massive straps, like the python she created for the simulations, rose up around like an impromptu orchestra pit, but leaving the front open more like an amphitheater. But they were not intent on sitting idly. As the beat rose in intensity, the pythons pulled inward, releasing outward at every rise of the set. The resulting massive whip shook the arena like a massive bass, like nothing Tchaikovsky could ever muster. Cleo played her heavy concert for a minute and a half, the music building to a final climax where the pythons whipped a sequence and a final massive beat as the band disappeared and Cleo played one finale note into a bow to the audience. She received a standing ovation fitting the fact that she just played a one woman orchestra.

  ‘I truly fear for what she’s going to pull out of goddamn thin air next.’

  Ohm was up next though, juiced up and ready so he didn’t have to waste time in front of the audience. Though he still very much had a smug air about him, despite his new infusion of empathy. He didn’t react when the spotlight fell on him, just kept walking out into the center, more than likely enjoying making the audience wait. Seth only really noticed it now that he was away, but Ohm had his eyes shut. And a lot of power stored up than he realized.

  ‘Oh shit.’

  Ohm suddenly snapped his head up, open his eyes, and bared a wide toothy smile up at the audience. One full of sparks and directed mania. As soon as the audience could have understood what he’d done, he immediately shot down and turned heel to the left, all in the space of half a second. By the end of that second he was across the center circle, streaks of electricity in his wake that propelled him on. By the next half second he was across the circle again and on his way to a different corner. Running a diamond circuit around the circle until the electricity behind him became a solid unbroken line to the audience, or just burned in to their retinas.

  Once the diamond was thoroughly glassed into the sand, Ohm stopped propelling himself, electricity cutting out as he shifted to a point to the west side of the center of the circle. Reenergized his movements and shot around in a pattern Seth couldn’t see from the locker room door. Focusing a little, he found the cameras set up for the event and tied them into his screen just as Ohm came to a stop in the center. Ozone steaming off of him as he struggled a little with his own power withdrawal, a giant plasma burned Omega symbol emblazoned into the center circle.

  ‘I shouldn’t really be surprised, but he’s definitely showing improvement.’

  Though as he finished presenting his display to the audience’s applause Ohm turned back, to Seth still left in the dark of the locker room door. With a smug sneer across his face reading overly loud.

  ‘I swear it’s 1 step forward and 3 steps back with this guy.’

  As the applause died down and Ohm walked on, it was finally Seth’s turn. And he was more than readied to put on a show.

  His first step heavy into the dark, metal on sand may be muffled but the weight in his steps was clear as day to the now silent audience. His halved view screen cutting the darkness but his exposed eye letting it seep and adjust. See and feeling the audience grow in apprehension with every echoing reverb. But despite this entrance the spotlight did not illuminate him. He wasn’t complaining, it was adding to the ambiance, but this was unlike Para to be so helpful. Seth stomped half menacingly into the center and stopped, this pitch darkness not a hindrance. Till finally his spotlight ignited as one final step hit the center, the dark sheen of his alloy coating reflecting the light like a soft metal mirror. Red scarf flowing around him from his steady momentum. Head turned up and posed to the audience, one eye hollow and dark the other reflecting the bright drenching light, arms stretched out to say this was what he had for them. This is who he was. And he would show them his worth.

  But before he could actualize on what was prepared for his display, the rest of the lights of the arena crashed on, illuminating every corner and contour and audience member. Seth deflated as the light flowed free and easy into his helmet. Surprise at the sudden ending of the entrance ceremony atmosphere lowering his arms gradually, as he looked around at the empty arena floor. And at the audience all staring at him. Puzzled, thinking this was a part of the act, others more knowing chuckling at this imposed embarrassment. He disregarded them and looked immediately disappointed at the source of this abrupt ending. At the smug omnipresence bearing down from his audience level podium. Letting Seth soak in the disappointment and ridicule a little longer.

  “There you have it ladies and gentlemen! Your heroes-to-be!!”

  Para looked around at the audience’s reaction, seemingly feeding off of their growing displeasure. Like he was just waiting for Seth to snap at him or something. But this was just getting juvenile now. He disregarded the effects completely and continued trying to stare him to death from both juxtaposed eyes.

  “What? Oh! Sorry for the abruptness folks! This is our last trainee, who has neither power to display nor skill to perform!”

  Seth dropped his gaze completely on Para and clenched his plated fists as the audience seemed to jeer quietly. And grumble in just sheer assholishness.

  “But we can’t deny he has earned his place here today!”

  ‘Walking fine lines jackass.’

  “So instead of giving you a boring opening display, we have decided to begin immediately with the graduation challenges!! What better a way to show off the metal and mettle of our dear Tinman!?”

  Seth and the rest of the trainees collectively cringed at fact that Para was still using his stupid nicknames during an official ceremony. Thankfully the audience seemed to not care for the nickname as well. At least thankful he was getting a chance. Seth took his scarf from his neck. If his fight was up first, he didn’t want it damaged. He opened the chest of his suit, folding the scarf up and placing it inside, leaving it close to his heart.

  “Now then!!”

  The lighting of the arena changed slightly, the audience and side lights dimmed to bring more attention to the arena’s floor.

  “Today we have a truly once in a lifetime event for you all to witness! One that may unsettle you, but is reluctantly the only true test we can put our powersuited recruit through and still say he is worthy! And, given his past experiences, is undoubtedly the most necessary!”

  Seth never let his sight leave Para, but his grip loosened and his demeanor relented with some small worry.

  ‘Don’t you fucking dare send me back to Berta you piece of fucking shit!’

  “Today!!”

  A sudden shift in the floor below him startled Seth down, sand rising as a cap under the floor released.

  “We give you a fighter born only for death!”

  He moved to the side as the cap under the floor seemed to spin in place, a hermetic seal releasing with a gritty hiss.

  “Whose continued existence is an affront to our safe and happy lives, but has indeed been a necessity none the less!”

  The cap began rising, thoroughly in its groove spiral.

  “She has gone by many names, been tried for innumerable crimes laid upon her, and will forever serve her sentence for what she has become!”

  ‘What the fucking hell is this Para!?!’

  A metal cased cylinder rose from under the cap, sand falling away as the lid folded and retreated to the sides.

  “To this day she has wept eternal for her lost people!! For her lost humanity!!”

  Seth dropped back more, possibilities running amuck in his mind at what Para was unleashing.

  “Today, I present to you SORROW!!!”

  The metal casing fell away back into the floor.

  “THE LAST OF THE LACEROIDS!!!”

  The world froze to a standstill as Seth's fears found mortal form. One... that he knew. One covered in greyed scales, armed with tarnished claws, and beholden...

  to crying…

  hazel…

  eyes.