A-NEXT | Marvel Multiverse Role-Playing Game

[Lost Martian]

These past few weeks had been the first time in over fifteen years that someone had actually lived in Avengers Mansion. Once the original home of Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, the Mansion had been abandoned after one too many super villain incursions, left in favor of a more secretive location.

Since then SHIELD has had the rights to the building, using it as a local office for New York City as well as a warehouse for recovered super villain gear. The mansion had mostly been quiet in the years since the final battle with Galactus, as many superhero teams retired, including the Avengers.

But current SHIELD Director Monica Chang, ex-wife of former Director Nick Fury, had always felt that the former headquarters should be used again. But she had been busy with the emerging new generation of heroes. Comprised of both the children of previous heroes and villains, as well as new powered individuals, these youths would be causing quite a bit of trouble around the world.

SHIELD would immediately start working on a solution to the problem, as just arresting any offending youths was clearly not working. It had been Director Chang that had come up with the chosen solution, the A-NEXT Initiative.

Gathering a small group of both active teen superheroes and those who might pose a threat, the A-NEXT program had these young people sent to Avengers Mansion where they might start learning how to use their powers responsibly, as well as receiving a standard education.

The first of them had arrived just under a week ago, and thus got first pick of bedrooms. These young trainees would trickle in over the next few days, the last of them getting there last night. So far they had very little interactions with each other, mostly just getting used to the mansion and all of its amenities.

But that would all change today, as Director Chang herself was coming to the Avengers Mansion. As she approached the building in one of SHIELD’s new Quinjet-X planes, back at the mansion the trainees would get a rude awakening. In every room that housed a person, the blue holographic image of a robot appeared to address them.

“My name is Jocasta, caretaker of Avengers Mansion,” she introduced herself, “This is a wakeup call for all members of the A-NEXT program. SHIELD Director Chang will be arriving in a half hour, and all trainees are required to meet with her in the command center. Please do not be tardy.”

The hologram would then disappear, leaving the trainees to prepare for the Director’s arrival. While they got ready, Chang’s Quinjet-X would enter the airspace of the mansion, the auto-defenses of the base coming online.

“This is Quinjet-X Alpha on code AXM616, requesting to land at Avengers Mansion,” said the craft’s pilot over a comms system.

Jocasta’s voice would then speak over the comms, “Permission granted Quinjet-X Alpha.”

The various anti-air and other assorted weaponry would then disengage, disappearing back into the walls and roofs of the mansion. The SHIELD aircraft would then hover a part of the mansion’s front lawn, before the grass would open up to reveal an underground hangar.

Landing gracefully in the hangar, the ground above the Quinjet-X would close back. Various SHIELD agents and Jocasta would be waiting to greet Director Chang, guiding her out of the hangar and into the mansion proper.

“So how do our trainees seem to look to you?” asked Chang.

“I am unsure, as I have yet to see them in the field,” replied Jocasta, “Though I can mostly say that they are definitely teenagers.”

Director Chang would be unsure of if Jocasta meant that with any humor, given the fact that she was a robot and everything. So she didn’t reply, instead following Jocasta to the elevator that took them to the command center.

Jocasta lacked the emotional understanding to analyze Chang’s expression when they found that none of the trainees were in the command center yet. Instead the Director would take a seat at the head of the table, Jocasta choosing to stand next to her. The pair would then wait for the young, potential heroes to enter the command center.

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

Ayudra had been meditating for the past half an hour. Ever since her godly mother's visit, she has been waking up early, and taking the time to meditate and contemplate. Her inner peace was interrupted by the hologram's announcement, and she made sure the others were awake, so they could walk together to the command room to meet the Director.

She could have rushed ahead, but one needs to keep a cool head on one's shoulders.

I wonder why this sudden turn of events. Why did Sarasvati choose this time to reveal my nature to me? And how come it happened to coincide with this new initiative? These thoughts have been at the back of her mind, but now that things are happening, they came crashing in. It might be time to start to find out the answers.

 

[Nellancholy]

Millie Tsang remained where she was, flopped on her back in the bed that had served as her place of rest for the past week. Being all by herself between preliminary lessons, in a room that used to be spick and span up until very recently, took some getting used to.

Her gaze flicked over the wall, where a Luna Snow poster hung with several darts embedded in it ("I'm actually indifferent to her. It's an avant-garde art piece juxtaposing the forces of apathy and impulse and highlighting how neither can truly stifle the other."). The meandering gaze then moved down to the desk, where a small ant farm exhibit sat, having fallen entirely still since it was moved here. And next to it was...

The belt. That darn belt. The one that held Dr. Albright's little experiment and had caused Millie's life to take such a sharp turn. She really should have given the Doc a call to keep him updated.

But simply thinking of the Doc and his experiment stirred it up. The part of it that was left inside her. The part that she might never be rid of.

"Now, Mil-lie. You've been neglecting your exercise, haven't you? Moving to a new place is no excuse for you to let our body lie fallow..."

Millie grumbled. Before she could formulate a response to the voice, Jocasta appeared from a projector in the room, delivering her announcement.

Wait, they could see into each room? But that meant...

Rolling out of the bed, Millie practically jumped into a pair of cargo pants before pulling her Crocs on. "Hear that, Grandma? We'll be getting that workout after all."

With that, she blasted out of the door, trusting it to close itself as she barreled past Ayudra, easily kicking into a lateral flip over a stool someone left in the corridor and landing in a roll as she hurried to the command center.

 

[TaleekDF]

Marc was lazily floating a foot above his bed, a subtle golden aura surrounding him as he flipped through the hundreds of channels on the television mounted on his wall. Three days at Avengers Mansion, and he still couldn't believe they got every streaming service and premium channel imaginable. He paused on a cooking competition show where a contestant was attempting to make a soufflé shaped like Captain America's shield, complete with red, white, and blue layers.

"IT'S *BLEEP* RAW! RAW!" the celebrity chef was bellowing, his face turning nearly as red as the collapsing soufflé. "You call that Captain America's shield, you *BLEEP* DOUGHNUT? It's BLOODY DISGRACEFUL! I've seen better patriotism from a—" The blue holographic form of Jocasta materialized in Marc's room, causing him to lose focus and drop onto his mattress with a soft thud.

"Seriously? It's Saturday," Marc groaned as the AI disappeared. He reluctantly rolled off his bed and shut off the TV, missing the rest of the chef's screaming.

He took a quick shower, letting the hot water wake him up properly. As he got dressed, he caught glimpses of golden energy flickering across his skin in the bathroom mirror—it always happened when he first woke up or when his emotions ran high. He closed his eyes, took three deep breaths, and felt the power recede beneath his skin. Just like he was taught.

Marc pulled on his favorite worn hoodie and a pair of jeans, grabbed his phone, and headed for the door. In the hallway, he just caught a glimpse of Millie Tsang racing past like a hurricane, somehow managing a perfect flip over a randomly placed stool.

"Who put that there...?" he muttered, shaking his head with a slight smile. It was nice to see that some of the folks he was staying with were more enthusiastic than himself.

He nodded at Ayurda as she approached. The bald girl with the moon tattoo always seemed impossibly composed for someone their age—like she was somehow years older than the rest of them... he never did ask her age... would that be rude?

"Morning," he said, falling into step beside her. "This is some kind of test for sure," he added, stifling a yawn. "SHIELD loves their surprise evaluations. Probably watching through hidden cameras or something."

As they walked, Marc's hands occasionally glowed with a subtle golden energy. He quickly stuffed them into his hoodie pockets. He was still getting used to the idea of not having to hide his abilities around the other trainees.

Inside the command center, he spotted Director Chang at the head of the table with Jocasta standing robotically beside her. Millie was already there, likely vibrating with energy after that flip.

"Morning, Director... OH, and you as well, Jocasta," he said with a small nod, dropping into a seat and immediately slouching a bit. "Are those hologram wake-up calls going to be a regular thing? Cause a simple alarm would work too." Despite his casual posture and comment, his eyes kept darting to Chang's face, searching for any reaction to his presence. Every SHIELD official he'd met seemed to know something about him that he didn't, and he couldn't help wondering if she'd spent last night reviewing his file.

He drummed his fingers lightly on the table, waiting for whatever was about to happen, the faintest golden glow pulsing beneath his skin when he wasn't paying attention.

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

Ayudra sighed inwardly as Millie came running down the hallway. That girl seemed to be in too much of a rush to get things done. As Millie was flipping over the stool, Ayurda summoned her power to gently cause a stream of water to appear, to make the landing more gentle, and withdrew the stain of water from Millie's cargo pants before making the water disappear.

She greeted Marc "Morning. I do not know if it's a test or not, but whatever it is, we'll soon find out. At least, we'll know as much as they're willing to tell us."

 

[phibglib]

Amelia had been exercising in her own room when the announcement came. And when it did, she simply stood still, listening carefully. She quickly collected all of her gear, put it in her satchel, and went out into the hallway, her steps swift but purposeful.

She came upon Ayudra and Marc having a conversation and smiled. "Yep, one thing seems certain enough: We'll know what we'll know. Which... hmm, almost seems like it doesn't give us any information at all, does it?" She laughed.

 

[Lost Martian]

Director Chang and Jocasta would be quietly discussing their plans for the A-NEXT recruits, only for Millie to burst into the command center. The Director would give Millie a quick glance, noting her amount of energy even this early in the morning, a rare thing among teenagers.

As the energetic teen took a seat, the other three current trainees would enter the command center, apparently making small talk with one another, cautiously worrying about just why SHIELD had gathered them today. There was a nervous tension in the air as they all sat down across from Chang and Jocasta.

“Thank you for arriving promptly,” said Jocasta, “I will now hand things over to Director Chang.”

The aging Asian woman would then clear her throat as she stood up, her gaze locked on the four youths. It was almost as if she could see through them, knowing all their secrets.

“As you all know the A-NEXT Initiative is a new creation of SHIELD, a way to prepare the world for a new generation of supers,” stated Chang, “As members of this new generation, you have all decided to participate in this experiment, a sort of test group before we expand the roster of the initiative.”

The Director would then tap a button, bringing up a holo display of footage of various crimes, “The world is changing. Once more the planet needs defenders, and I believe that it could possibly be you. I intend to prepare you for this role, to make you actual superheroes. As such you need to start acting like heroes. While your time so far at this mansion has been pleasant, we are now going to push you, to make you better.”

Tapping another button, Chang would bring up a map of Manhattan, “One of the key actions of a superhero is to not just wait for crime to happen, but to actively seek it out and stop it before it can do much damage. A fine way of doing that is by patrolling the city. We have prepared suits for each of you to operate as superheroes, which you will be using to patrol the neighborhood today. A sort of test to see if you have the basic skills of a hero.”

Jocasta would then jump in, “And I shall provide the actual details of this test. Thank you Director Chang for visiting us here.”

“You’re welcome,” Chang would reply before turning to the teens, “I expect great things from you.”

With that, the Director of SHIELD would leave, exiting out of the command center. Being the head of a major intelligence and defense agency meant that she was swamped with things to do, her visit to the mansion naturally kept short.

“I shall give you all an hour to prepare for your patrol,” stated Jocasta, “If you have any questions, please ask now. And remember you will be representing all of SHIELD on this mission, so I expect you to behave.”

Jocasta would then remain motionless, which was a little eerie, waiting for any questions before going about her other duties.

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

Ayurda's mind was racing when the older woman was introduced as the Shield Director. The Director busied herself to come here for a few minutes, only to tell us to patrol a NY neighborhood? That doesn't make much sense... but she kept silent on that.

When Jocasta said they can ask questions, she raised her hand
"I have a few questions:
1. Are we supposed to try and stop any crime? both petty and big?
2. Do we apprehend the crooks and bring them to police? Bring them to a jail? Leave them cold out till police arrives?
3. What are the procedures when lethal force is used against us?" She subtly looks towards Millie when asking that.

 

[Nellancholy]

Millie sat crosslegged in one of the chairs, attentively listening to both Director Chang and Jocasta as they gave an overview of their plans for the group,and presumably the students at large. Her energy was cultivated, not uncontrollable, and she was hardly the kind to have much trouble in school anyway,let alone this kind of situation. Of course,they weren't just here to be in some kind of boarding school. It was time for action. As she understood,the X-Men tended to operate in much the same way. But the Avengers...

With that said...there was something that did pique her, which she wisely waited for Director Chang's departure before bringing up to Jocasta.

"Suits? Director Chang must've not read my file. I can bring my own suit just fine." She put her hands on her hips,feigning sass. "I think we all can,right? Marc,Amelia,back me up on this. They better not be mandatory. Or at least,not tacky."

As for Ayurda's questions...

"I did have an actual question,too. Are we maybe going to drop from a Quinjet? Or maybe we'll have to walk?" She chuckled smugly. "Because I make pretty good pace on foot,I'm fine with that."

 

[TaleekDF]

Marc had been quietly observing the exchange, his fingers drumming lightly on the tabletop. The golden energy beneath his skin pulsed a bit more noticeably when Director Chang mentioned suits prepared for them.

When Millie brought up the suit issue, Marc straightened in his chair. "Yeah, about that," he added, nodding in agreement with Millie. "Some of us have... unique requirements." He held up his hand, letting a controlled flicker of golden energy dance between his fingers before closing his fist around it. "Standard issue might not hold up so well if things get rough. And just to be clear - no capes. They're impractical and honestly a little cheesy."

He glanced between the others, then back to Jocasta with a hint of a smirk. "And to add to Ayurda's questions - are we working as a team, or are you splitting us up to cover more ground?" He leaned forward slightly. "Because I can cover a lot of territory from the air. Pretty quickly too."

"Also," he added, his tone more confident now, "just how visible do you want us to be? I mean, are we trying to attract attention as a new team, or keeping a lower profile until we're... more established?" He met Jocasta's gaze directly. "Because if you want us to make an impression, I can definitely help with that." A subtle golden aura briefly outlined his silhouette as he said this, not entirely intentional but not entirely accidental either.

He slouched back in his chair but kept his eyes on Jocasta. "One more thing - what about school? Are we going to be homeschooled here at the mansion, or are we still expected to show up at public school every day? Because the whole 'secret identity' thing gets a lot harder if I have to keep explaining why I'm missing class to stop bank robberies."

While projecting more confidence than he actually felt, Marc was genuinely curious about how SHIELD planned to handle their education. The Thompsons had always been adamant about his schooling, even with all the SHIELD monitoring and tests. He wasn't sure if he was relieved or disappointed at the prospect of not having to navigate the social minefield of public high school anymore.

 

[phibglib]

As the director began to speak, Amelia sat down in one of the chairs, her posture upright. She was evidently very excited, though she only had a hint of a smile on her face so as to seem professional.

And when some of the others began to speak up, she hummed a bit, her expression now more impassive. "Mmm. Myself, I'd be fine either way. That is, with using my own suit or one of these new ones. Though I can see why others may be a tad upset. Perhaps you should give them some consideration. But yeah, I think my comrades have covered all the questions I'd have thought of." She looked toward some of them. "Good on you for being quite thorough."

 

[Lost Martian]

After Director Chang left to head back to her Quinjet-X, Jocasta would be bombarded with questions from the four assembled teens. If Jocasta was human, she might be excited by all their interest in this test, but she was a robot and thus remained motionless as the questions were asked.

Ayurda would speak first, Jocasta replying with, “We are intending for you to fight any crime you come across on patrol. If you do indeed capture any criminals, you will not need to personally deliver them to the police as SHIELD will be monitoring you and will have agents ready to deal with any captured criminals. And finally, there will be no use of lethal force. You most certainly don’t have a license to kill.”

Millie would then bring up the fact that she had her own suit, Jocasta definitely knowing about her symbiote. Marc would also mention his particular needs, while also dissing capes. In response to the questions, Jocasta would bring up something on the holo display. An image of a forming fitting blue suit would appear.

“These are standard issue SHIELD under armor,” stated Jocasta, “All agents of SHIELD wear it into the field. It is made of a special nano-weave, as well as possessing Chameleon tech to blend in with whatever you are wearing over it. So this will be an under layer while you wear the superhero costumes you arrived in. Or in Millie’s case live on her.”

Millie’s next question would quickly be answered, “No you will not be using a Quinjet. We intend for you to just walk out of the mansion and go off on your own, much like the Avengers did when they used to live here.”

Jocasta would then answer Marc, “Whether you work as a team is entirely up to you. This test is meant to judge how you operate as superheroes, so like other superheroes it would be up to you about team ups. As far as generating attention, Director Chang made it extremely clear to me that she wants the general public to know that superheroes are back. Something about a deterrent to crime.”

Jocasta would then answer the final question, “As far as education goes, lessons from past young heroes has shown that being a superhero and going to regular school does not work. As such, the ones of you who haven’t graduated yet, shall attend a special SHIELD private school here in Manhattan. No one will question if you have to skip math class to deal with a crisis.”

Jocasta would then turn off the holo display before saying, “If that is all questions than I shall depart. Remember that you are required to be ready in an hour’s time. You can find your costumes in your personal locker that can be found adjacent to the gymnasium on the main floor.”

With that the robotic former Avengers departed the command center leaving the trainees alone. It seemed that at least for now that Jocasta had faith in them, giving them an actual chance to stretch their wings as superheroes.

 

[TaleekDF]

Marc raised an eyebrow as the image of the SHIELD under armor appeared on the holo display. He listened to Jocasta's explanation, nodding with mild approval at the mention of the nano-weave and Chameleon tech. Tech that could adapt to his energy would actually be useful.

When Jocasta finished answering their questions and departed, Marc's golden aura briefly intensified before it dwindled again. He remained seated, drumming his fingers on the table as he processed all the information they'd just received.

"So... an hour to prep, and then we're officially superheroes," he said to the others, a mix of excitement and nerves in his voice. "I guess SHIELD isn't wasting any time. No pressure, huh?"

He glanced around at his teammates, taking a moment to really look at them now that they were alone. A symbiote host, a goddess, a telekinetic mutant, and whatever he was. They made quite the unusual team.

"Anyone ever patrolled before? Or is this everyone's first rodeo?" he asked, curious about their prior experience. "I've stopped a few small things here and there, but nothing official."

He leaned back in his chair, a thoughtful expression crossing his face. "That private school thing is... interesting. I mean, I guess it makes sense. Can't exactly tell your calculus teacher you missed the test because you were stopping a crash-landing plane." He offered a slight smile. "What do you all think? Trading regular high school for SHIELD Academy or whatever they'll call it?"

The thought brought mixed feelings. Part of him felt relieved—no more struggling to explain frequent absences or sudden disappearances when his powers acted up. No more hiding golden energy flares in the boys' locker room. But another part of him felt a pang of something like loss. He'd spent years learning to blend in, to seem normal despite everything that made him different.

"Maybe we should check out those costumes together," he suggested, standing up. "Seems like we should at least know what each of us can do before we get into any real trouble out there. I'd rather not be surprised if one of you suddenly turns into a giant monster or shoots lasers from your eyes." He glanced at Millie with a raised eyebrow, clearly referring to her symbiote.

 

[Nellancholy]

Millie nodded approvingly as Jocasta addressed their concerns, particularly with regards to their attire. "Well, I've worked with worse." She would hardly call herself a fashionista, but she liked to think she had an eye for such things. "It's a pretty good base to add on to, and it won't have any trouble accommodating the Hemostat." It was odd, still, to talk to people who already knew about the Hemostat. The kind of being that it was, the way that it had irrevocably...changed her. It wasn't like either she nor Dr. Albright were particularly tight-lipped about what happened, particularly to the Very Important People that had shown up once they predictably caught wind of the attack and the Hemostat that had provoked it. Speaking of which...

"Uh...I haven't done a lot of fighting, but me and the Hemostat did help to stop the people who wanted to steal it. Or failing that, probably get Dr. Albright to make more of it." She chose her words carefully. She certainly wasn't interested in killing anyone, nor was the Hemostat. But she couldn't speak for the alien being's motivations. "I haven't really fought since then, but the Hemostat insisted I practice with it...I think things like that come naturally to them."

As for the topic of schooling, Millie wasn't surprised. She'd done her research into past superhero teams and similar arrangements and concluded, as Jocasta had explained, that she'd need to attend lessons on site. She'd prepared her acquaintances for the possibility, but...Ray would probably still be rather disappointed that they wouldn't be meeting face to face again for a while. Poor him... Jocasta's remark was dry, and Millie had to wonder. Rumor had it that say...Spider-Man was one of the heroes who tried to juggle their duties with regular school. And wasn't he a lecturer at ESU now? Seemed to have worked out pretty well for him. "That's lucky, not like I have a lot to move anyway."

But more pressing matters were at hand. "Giant monster? Oh, you wound us. Seems like you're the one more likely to be shooting eye lasers, right? Or you, Amelia?" She had yet to be sure what Marc's deal was, exactly. Some kind of Power Cosmic, Captain Marvel business? "You guys can fill me in once we get into the swing of things. We can't go if we don't get changed (apparently), so let's gooooooooo!" Millie wound up, rolled into a cartwheel, and then took off in a sprint again towards...wherever it was they'd be changing into their suits, with a quick detour to actually pick up the Hemostat's vessel.

 

[phibglib]

"Yeah, going to a private school sounds interesting," said Amelia. "Certainly more practical, and I'm happy they're making such accommodations for us. Plus, they say private schools are often higher quality, so that's helpful. Though it may be a challenge for me, because I actually attended a special type of school called a Montessori school for a large part of my life. But I'll adjust, like I always do in challenging situations." She smirked.

When Millie mentioned eye lasers, Amelia laughed. "No, no eye lasers or giant monster transformations here. Telekinesis, actually. Less flashy, but I like it. But now I'm picturing myself at a gala or something, like," - she exaggerated her natural accent for this next part - "'Oh dahling, haven't you heard? Green rage monsters what's chic right now,' and the next second, going out into the street and punching a villain, like, 'AMELIA SMASH!'"

"Oh, one more thing?" she said before everyone went off. "We're all gonna be great, and don't you forget it. That little voice in your head saying you're gonna fail? His name's Bob, he's an arsehole in his late forties with a beer belly and a balding head, and he's just pissed 'cause his wife left him, but he has no idea what he's talking about. But seriously, we all have our own special talents and smarts that we can put to good use, or they wouldn't have recruited us. But also..." She paused as if remembering something. "It's okay to not get everything perfectly right the first time, we're just starting out, so remember that too." She then began walking in the same way as Millie, in a very relaxed style, almost like she owned the place but not as overtly extravagant.

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

Ayurda was focused on Jocasta's answers, so she didn't respond to them aloud. But it was good that they provided education to those still in school, but she'll have to ask her about a college-level education. She still wanted to learn medicine as a professional.

"Ok, so here's what I'm thinking. We all go and try out these underarmor so we can see how they fit us. And then we can discuss whether we want to go each their own way, to cover more ground, or in small teams, or all together. There's no right and wrong, but she would be best to discuss this." She then turned to Jocasta and said "I assume that we will be getting some method of communication between us, and back to you, just in case we get in over our head."

 

[Lost Martian]

Jocasta would leave the teenage trainees alone, allowing them to really talk for the first time, as they had barely spoken to each other since arriving at the mansion a few days ago. The robotic former Avenger had figured that leaving them to speak would help facilitate the formation of a team, something Director Chang had wanted to come out of this initiative.

In preparation for the first test of A-NEXT, various SHIELD agents would be running about the Avengers Mansion, preparing to monitor the junior heroes as they actually dealt with crime. It was all very exciting, but also very stressful.

Eventually the four youths would exit the command center, having decided on going to check out the uniforms they had been assigned. A quick elevator ride would take them to the main floor of the mansion, the doors opening to reveal the massive gymnasium installed by Tony Stark.

A SHIELD agent would be waiting for them, showing them over to where the personal lockers were located. Just one room away from the gym was a massive room filled with lockers that reached almost to the ceiling.

“You each have a personal locker with your name on it,” explained the agent, “Inside you will find both your standard SHIELD under armor, as well as a unique costume designed to suit your powers and other needs.”

While there were many lockers located in the room, only four of them currently had names listed on them, corresponding to the four trainees. The four lockers would all be next to each other, right in the middle of the main wall.

“There are solo change rooms located to the right of here,” stated the SHIELD agent, “Once you are all ready, meet me in the hallway just outside here.”

The SHIELD agent would then exit the locker room, giving the teens some privacy. It would take several minutes for the trainees to properly get on their costumes, eventually all four of them exiting into the hallway.

“Alright, then. You’re looking good,” said the agent, “But now it is time for you to patrol. Follow this hallway all the way down to the main entrance to the mansion. It has been almost fifteen years since the public last saw superheroes exiting out the Avengers Mansion, so you’ll probably draw some media attention. But apparently Director Chang wants that to happen.”

The doors at the main entrance of Avengers Mansion would then swing open, a slight breeze blowing through the main hallway. The young heroes could see several SHIELD agents waiting outside, which wasn’t unusual as officially the mansion was a SHIELD base. But soon the public would learn that it was more than that, once the trainees actually stepped out.

“Well, you best get going,” said the SHIELD agent.

So now it was up to the four youths to embrace their superhero status. Outside the world was ready to have new heroes, and they might just possibly be the A-NEXT trainees.

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

Ayurda changed into the Shield underarmor, and the costume they provided her. She looked at herself in the mirror, and made mental notes on what adjestments she might need. But she was pretty sure it was a reasonble start.
Once she was fully clothed, she returned to the others "So, how do we want to play this? Do we want to go together? In pairs? Or individually?"

When they go outside, she stands proud, and walks with confidence. She knew she wasn't just representing Shield, and this new team, but she was also representing the Hindu Pantheon, as a fledgling Hindu goddess.

 

[Nellancholy]

Millie let out a phew as she clicked the belt around her waist, having quickly and nonchalantly discarded her outerwear and pulled on the provided suit while taking cover behind her locker door. A tingling arose around her waist, the main mass of the Hemostat itching to unite with the part of it that was left inside her, the alien mass permeating her nervous system.

Frankly, the jovial girl couldn't help feeling self-conscious in a certain way thanks to the combination of the two elements. The suit was cool, in much the same way Nick Fury or Maria Hill was cool. The belt was...fine, but combining it with the uniform created an odd contrast. She felt as if she was dressed as one of the Ghost Blasters from that old cartoon or something like that.

But when had Millie let that kind of apprehension stop her for long? As the others left, she sprinted ahead of them. She leapt forward, landing on her palms and handspringing up onto the mansion's outer wall, next to the gate. "Well, I'm open to anything these days! If we're doing the buddy system, I think I'll pick...Amelia! I wanna get a real good look at your powers. But if you guys wanna stick together and make the first criminals we come across really sorry, I'm on board too! What matters is we don't lose any more time! Let's show 'em we're a team to look out for!" Just like that, she sprang down on the other side of the wall, running into the city.

 

[TaleekDF]

Marc found his locker easily enough, opening it to find the SHIELD under armor and what appeared to be a specially designed costume. He examined it curiously - a predominantly dark gray bodysuit with crimson accents across the shoulders, arms, and legs. The outfit was complemented by a red half-mask that covered his eyes, matching red gloves, boots, and a crimson scarf that draped down his back like a short, stylized cape.

"Not bad," he muttered to himself, fingering the scarf. "At least it's not a full cape."

He took his gear to one of the changing rooms and suited up. The under armor felt strange at first - almost like a second skin - but as he moved around, he appreciated how it didn't restrict his movement at all. The outer costume fit well over it, and when he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror, he paused. With the mask obscuring half his face and the bold red and gray color scheme, he looked nothing like Hyperion - this was entirely his own identity. He adjusted the utility belt around his waist, appreciating the practical touch.

As he rejoined the others, he couldn't help but feel a slight surge of confidence in his new gear. The mask and scarf would help keep his identity secure, while the reinforced materials could handle his energy output without scorching.

"I'm good with whatever formation works," Marc said, adjusting his red gloves. "But for our first time out, maybe sticking together isn't a bad idea? At least until we get a feel for how everyone operates."

When the SHIELD agent mentioned media attention, Marc's expression grew slightly more serious, the red mask accentuating his focused gaze. Public appearances meant questions, but at least his identity was somewhat protected now.

As they approached the main entrance, he took a deep breath, the golden energy within him responding to his heightened emotions. He channeled a small amount of it, letting it create a subtle aura around him that made the red elements of his costume seem to glow slightly.

"Showtime, I guess," he said, just loud enough for the others to hear.

Before he could say anything else, Millie had already sprinted ahead, leaping and handspringing onto the wall with impressive agility. He watched her announce her preferences for patrol partners before disappearing into the city.

"So much for sticking together," he said with a wry smile, glancing at Ayurda. "I guess that settles it - we're pairing off. You want to team up? I can provide some air support while you work the ground level."

Without waiting for an answer, he took a few steps forward and allowed himself to lift slightly off the ground, hovering a few inches up as the golden energy around him intensified, making the red of his costume and scarf stand out dramatically against the gray. "Let's catch up to the others before Millie finds all the trouble in New York by herself."

 

[Red Shadow Claws]

Ayurda smiled a bit as Millie surged past them. Her light blue sari was light, comfortable, and moved elegantly as she walked confidently forward.

"I had a feeling she might not be one for slowing down, but one can still hope." She shrugged.

Watching him lift to the air, she gave a nod of appreciation. "I can't fly, but Mother did mention that I might be able to eventually ride the waves wherever I need to be. Let's go and find some criminals to stop." She added with a mischievous grin.

 

[phibglib]

Amelia put the suits on and came back. "Hmm," she said to the others, "this feels quite nice, actually. I think it'll be quite functional."

And when Millie took off, Amelia looked at the others. "She's a fun one, isn't she?" And then she began running off as well.

Once she caught up to Millie, she smiled and said, "Careful, there, alright?" Then she started scanning the surrounding environment. "Maybe you're making a run for the next Quicksilver, but not everyone can do that. But while we're here, might as well get to know each other, right? At least until we see something. To start, what's your power, fast girl? From what I saw earlier, I'd guess something relating to physical agility?"