Emergence 2.8

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

HAPPY HARBOR, RHODE ISLAND

August 1, 2010

12:58 EDT

“Ready for training, everyone?”

That had been the start of it all, Black Canary asking that simple question moments after making her way into the Cave with Martian Manhunter at her side. Canary strode over to the Team, coming to a stop in between the seven teenagers as the tiles beneath her feet began to turn white, forming a ring with her at the center.

“Black Canary?” Miss Martian was the first to react to the sudden appearance of both heroes, voice filled with both confusion and then excitement as she caught sight of the larger, greener figure standing at the border of the newly-formed ring. “Uncle J’onn!”

With only those two syllables as warning, M'gann rushed up to her uncle, arms wrapping themselves around the older Martian in a hug that would likely leave most people gasping for air, at the least.

Zeke found himself unable to look away as the two aliens shared an embrace, a look of distinct unease on his face. For all that M’gann looked slightly inhuman with her green skin and all, Martian Manhunter looked a great deal more so. Looking at the two of them together was… odd, likely for the varying differences in humanity on display.

That, or Martian Manhunter just looked really creepy.

Probably the second, if I’m being honest.

The teen frowned at that second thought. Oh crap, was that racist? His eyes suddenly widened at that, mouth narrowing into a small ‘o’. Double crap, did they hear me think that? He glanced over at both Martians and, to his relief, noted no red-eyed glares aimed his way. Okay, I’m good.

“... not to mention, my own bruises.”

Ezekiel turned his attention back to Canary as the blonde let out a slightly pained grunt. The League member carefully began to pry her jacket loose from her shoulders, exposing a large set of bandages wrapped firmly around her arm and informing Zeke exactly what that sound had been about.

Although, it did leave him with another question.

“What happened?” Thankfully, M’gann was there to ask what he didn’t feel sure about about voicing, a worried tone to her voice as she spoke up.

Canary quirked an eyebrow at the sole girl on the team, the woman remaining silent for a second as if deciding what to say. “The job,” she finally answered, voice bearing a note of finality to it as she tossed her denim jacket over her shoulder.

Don’t ask about the arm. Zeke nodded, getting the message loud and clear. Got it.

“Now,” Black Canary began again, “combat is about controlling conflict. Putting the battle on your terms. You should always be acting, never reacting. So...” The combat instructor paused, a small smile playing at her lips as she looked out over the gathered teenagers. “…which one of you wants to be my sparring partner?”

It was a simple question, one that both Robin and Wally had smirked at, the Boy Wonder looking eager while Wally looked… eager.

“Right here. Yeah!” Kid Flash called out, half cheering as he answered Black Canary’s request. Before anyone could stop him – and Aqualad actually made an attempt – the speedster had already met Canary in the center of the glowing ring. Patting his chest with one hand, Wally shot a shameless wink at the heroine across from him, following the action up with a smirk that was positively dripping in overconfidence. “After this, how about I show you my moves?”

Oh my God. Zeke shook his head, barely suppressing a laugh of his own as he watched Robin preemptively cover his mouth with one gloved hand. This is going to be amazing.

And boy, was it.

Literal seconds later, Kid Flash lay flat on the ground, the young speedster staring up at the ceiling of the cave with what could only be described as a pained expression as he let out a low groan. “Oh… hurts so good.”

As Wally picked himself off the ground and shuffled back out of the ring, Canary gave the Team a detailed lesson on exactly what the ginger had done wrong; starting from the way he approached the fight all the way down to his careless fighting stance. By the end of it, Wally was mimicking Superboy’s stance – arms folded defiantly – but with an expression that looked more pouty than sullen.

[Basic Martial Arts] Lvl Up!

16 → 17

Huh. Zeke glanced up at the pop-up with a curious expression, dropping his gaze back down to Black Canary as he suddenly found himself realizing that he understood what she meant about Wally’s stance. It was… weird.

Almost like remembering something that I never forgot.

Pushing that odd realization to the back of his mind with a shake of his head, Zeke tuned back into Black Canary as she began to shift gears. “Now,” Canary began once more, both fists on her hips as she spoke, “who wants to see what they can do better?”

“Better than Wally?” Robin snarked, brushing the side of his nose with his hand. “Pretty sure that’s all of us.”

“Dude!”

Ignoring Wally’s outburst, Black Canary turned towards the rest of the team with a searching expression, gaze flicking over each one of them knowingly before locking gazes with a glowering Superboy.

Oh… Zeke’s own eyes widened as he realized what was about to happen. Oh no.

“Superboy!” Black Canary’s smirk shifted slightly into an inviting smile, the leotard-wearing fighter putting up both her fists as the name left her mouth.

Oh no.

“How about a spar?”

Zeke winced as Superboy simply glared back at Black Canary with his mouth turned down in defiant scowl, arms crossed as he did his very best to look like he was anywhere else at the moment. While this wasn’t exactly an unusual state for him, the clone had been a bit more on edge since he had stomped back into the Cave a few hours back, both Zeke and M’Gann confused as to what had happened.

Wisely, Zeke had convinced the Martian girl to give the seething clone some time to himself and space to get over what had very clearly riled him up. Thankfully, that seemed to have worked out for the best as Superboy had gone from seething to sullen, his murderous expression now more moody than anything else.

Still, as much as Zeke had the slight worry that Superboy could hurt Black Canary if his control slipped in a moment of pique, he couldn’t help himself but dread how much angrier Superboy would be if the experienced Canary actually managed to beat the powerful clone. While that was doubtful, Zeke definitely wasn’t going to let himself discount Black Canary’s skill, considering what she had gone up against as a member of the Justice League. And that didn’t even take into account who had trained her…

Oh, man. The boy barely held himself back from gulping out of nervousness. Superboy’s gonna be in a mood for days if he does actually lose. What do I do? What do I do? What do I…

Mission Gained!

Canary Combat

Take on Black Canary’s combat challenge in place of Superboy.

In doing so, push Black Canary into taking you at least somewhat seriously.

Success: + 2 to [Basic Martial Arts], + 1000 XP, Increased reputation with Superboy, Increased reputation with Black Canary

Failure: Avoid Combat

Son of a…

“Actually,” Zeke took a step forward, hand raised like an eager student with a smile that was in no way real plastered across his face. “Miss Canary, could I go first?”

Black Canary shifted her gaze to the smaller figure standing next to Superboy, Zeke wearing a nervous smile as he glanced between her and Superboy. “I mean, you don’t mind, right?”

Canary leaned back slightly, arms dropping to her sides. For a few moments, she said nothing, simply looking at both Zeke and the still-glaring Superboy. Muttering something under her breath, the blonde responded with a simple, “No, not if he doesn’t.”

Zeke glanced back at the taller boy. “Superboy?”

“... sure.” The word came out as more of a grunt than anything else, Superboy lifting his shoulders slightly in what could generously be termed a shrug. Looking down at Zeke, he jerked his chin at Black Canary, gesturing for the smaller boy to go on ahead.

Zeke responded with a thumbs-up. “Thanks, Supey.”

“Whatever.”

“I’ll take that as a ‘good luck.’” The dark-skinned boy jabbed that same thumb into his chest as he stepped into the ring with those words, Black Canary’s curious gaze on him as his smile grew a tad more confident. Jumping from the edge of the ring into the center, both his sneakered feet made contact with the ground at the exact same moment an odd beeping noise seemed to ring throughout the cave.

What the- The thirteen-year old glanced around, quickly noting that Robin, Wally, M'gann and Kaldur seemed to look rather confused by the noise while Black Canary and the observing Martian Manhunter didn’t seem to notice in the slightest.

Superboy… well, Superboy just glared harder.

...Weird, I guess, but whatever. Shaking his head, Zeke fixed his gaze on Black Canary, the blonde looking back at him with a curious expression on her face.

“Well, guess I’m up next then.”

“Looks like it. That is...” Canary simply raised an eyebrow, the woman shifting her stance slightly. “If you think you’re ready.”

The thirteen-year old didn’t respond at first, simply opening and closing his fists as he geared himself up for what would likely be almost as short a fight as Wally’s, if somewhat less humiliating.

“Ready to learn?” he asked as his smile grew into a wide grin. Zeje raised his own fists in the same stance Wildcat and his kids had drilled into him roughly a week ago, wraps still tied around his hands from a recently-finished boxing drill. “Always.”

While the rewards and potential outcome of the mission he had just accepted were a big reason behind actually going up against Black Canary, he couldn’t deny that he also wanted to test himself against someone like her. While the woman was a metahuman, she wasn’t one with a power that actually enhanced her physicals or made her any harder to take on in a fistfight like either of Wildcat’s kids.

When it came to combat, the training – read: beatings – he had gotten from the two Grant siblings last week combined with the simple but effective combat drills their father had instructed him in had become his main focus at least once a day. Every single day he had drilled himself in the basics of ‘the sweet science of bruising’ had left him feeling even more impatient and, frankly, far too eager to gift some unsuspecting baddie with an unexpected lesson. He might also have been just a little bitter, having not seen or heard from the good Captain in over five days.

As annoying as that may have been for him, especially when he could see Kid Flash or Robin with their mentors just by turning on the TV, he could only take solace in the fact that he had it better than Conner; whatever was going on with him and Superman, it didn’t seem to be pretty.

Alternating days of training had managed to keep his attention occupied; one day he’d spend reading, meditating, and focusing his energies and the next Zeke would double back down on training until his bones ached. Six days of training himself with the occasional oversight of Superboy and Miss Martian had been nice, and he certainly knew he had gotten stronger, which was a definite bonus. It was honestly insane how much he’d grown in the last couple of weeks, from being weaker than any kid his size to a good bit stronger than the average person.

Exactly how strong, though, he wasn’t quite sure.

He had nothing to compare himself to still as using [Observe] on his teammates still didn’t give him any tangible information he could use to measure himself, all of them still entirely blank to him. Despite all that though, Zeke was definitely eager to find out just how much stronger he had gotten; eager and more than a little impatient.

So, when an opportunity presented itself, how could he not take it? Observe.

Dinah Lance (Black Canary) Lv ??

Gotham City Siren

???

???

???

Of course. The young teen felt his mood fall at the sight of the question-mark filled screen. Why do I even bother with this stupid skill?

Considering that much like every member on his team, Black Canary was still entirely out of his range of detection, Zeke didn’t even have it in his mind to try and beat the League member. No, winning definitely isn't possible. Not against someone like her, he thought to himself, Not in a fight like this. He didn't even bother to hide the grimace on his face as he realized how out of his depth he still was. Both Tommy and Sonia were more than double my level and I could see their details with Observe. What does that say about the rest of my team and Black Canary?

The boy in blue shok his head as if to fight off the nerves he could already feel creeping up on him. No, I can’t win but if I don’t rush in like an idiot… If I stick to the plan... He brought up his fists again, this time in a defensive position as he stared back at a curious Canary, If I stick to the plan, I can last longer than Wally.

“You ready?”

Zeke raised his fists in front of his face, dropping into a well-practiced stance. Handwraps still tight around his fists from his training just minutes earlier, he threw out a few practice jabs before letting out a breath, possible strategies to avoid a five-second knockout still running through his mind. “Ready, ma’am.”

Basic Training [Grant Family Handwraps]

Grants a 5% increase in fist-based hand-to-hand skills when worn.

Tough Knuckles [Grant Family Handwraps]

Mitigates 25% of [Blunt Force] damage taken when striking surfaces.

“Let’s see what you’ve got, then.” The words left Canary’s mouth barely a single moment before she dropped into an entirely different stance, hands open and out in front of her as if preparing to grapple the boy in front of her.

Although, Zeke mused to himself, considering what she did to Wally, that’s probably exactly what she wants to do. He allowed himself a moment to smirk at the thought of how laughably quick the speedster was taken down.

Only to immediately regret it.

-30

-25

Two sudden and unexpected bursts of pain sent error messages through Zeke’s entire body, black spots filling his vision as his legs nearly gave out under him. The teen reeled back in shock as he took several ungainly steps in an attempt to catch his balance. That was much harder than it sounded, Zeke quickly realized, the world seeming to shake around him as he refocused his gaze on the tall blonde woman standing across from him with one fist stretched out.

Righting himself with a sudden lurch, he could only get out a single word as he cradled his aching forehead. “Wha....”

Part of a word, at least.

“You let your guard down,” she replied, not all answering his mostly-unasked question as she let a smirk grow across her face. “More specifically, you didn’t keep your eyes on me. Always keep your eyes on your opponent.” Her smirk grew into a smile, not quite mocking but not exactly innocent either. “Lesson learned?”

Zeke shook his head to center himself again and did his very best to ignore the sounds of laughter coming from at least two members of his team, one redhead in particular. Narrowing his eyes, he stared back at Black Canary, relaxing and clenching his fists as he settled on a new plan of attack against the experienced Leaguer. So, that’s how you wanna play it, huh? Loosening up for another attempt, he drew his hands up in front of himself again, both elbows tucked inward for a slightly more defensive approach. I’ll show you a lesson.

“Lesson learned.”

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

“Lesson learned.”

Canary had to fight off a laugh as the words left the kid’s mouth, his expression looking far more petulant than it did determined as he threw out a few jabs into the air. She pursed her lips as tightly as she could manage, doing her best not to lose it at the sight in front of her. Laughing would make her look like she was mocking him – mocking them – and she couldn’t afford that. She was here to be more than their combat instructor, after all. A slip-up like that would only make them shrink back.

Still, her job would be so much easier if some of them weren’t so hilarious. She could deal with irritable muscle-heads like Superboy all day – she had trained with the Wildcat, after all – but characters like Kid Flash and the newest one – Genesis – were almost too much for her. Genesis, in particular, was a character. He barely had to do anything and she could feel the laughter building inside of her.

Just looking at him – Ezekiel, she reminded herself – was enough. Dinah could tell from the way he seemed to almost vibrate with nervous energy, the young sidekick switching his weight from leg to leg, that he had never actually thrown a real punch at anyone before, not a punch actually worth being described as such.

Of course, she knew very well that he had spent an afternoon with both of Ted’s kids the week before, but she had faced those two little monsters a while back and even then, she had to struggle to get a solid hit on either one of them, given how they were both superhumanly flexible and acrobatic in their own way. That in mind, she was sure this one hadn’t even managed to graze one of their hairs. If he did, Ted would definitely have given me a heads-up.

From what the old man had told her, though, Ezekiel was a surprisingly quick learner, considering he managed to pick up the basics in half a day. Looking at him now, Dinah could see what the man meant up close; his form – while incomplete – was well-practiced. So practiced that she would have expected him to have been practicing it for over a month or two rather than a single week. That… that is odd, actually. Something to bring up to Batman, at least. She frowned at that, a sudden realization crossing her mind as she added, As if he isn’t already watching this right now.

Surprising skill or not, Dinah was honestly planning to go easy on the little guy… at least for today’s lesson. She knew very well that he was the youngest and least experienced of the Team, and given everything Batman and Captain Atom had explained to the rest of the League, definitely out of his element and more than a little lost. Given how the little guy hadn’t made a pass at her like Wally or given her attitude like Superboy, she didn’t see any harm in letting this bout drag out a little just to boost his self-esteem.

She nodded at him, crooking two fingers in a beckoning motion that anyone even slightly interested in martial arts would have seen at least a dozen times. Okay, kid, you can get a few shots in. Then, I’ll put you on your back and we call it even.

The two circled each other on the glowing platform, Canary’s smirk growing more prominent as Zeke’s expression seemed to weaken in confidence. After a few more seconds of pointless circling, she quickly realized she would have to demonstrate another lesson if they were ever going to get anywhere. Taking several quick steps forward, Dinah threw a relatively slow jab at him, the movement telegraphed in a way that she could only tolerate during training.

She wasn’t surprised when Genesis quickly ducked out of the way, eyes wild but focused as he threw a vicious barrage of punches aimed at her midsection. Of course, that was mostly because the kid didn’t so much as telegraph his blows as he announced them with a loudspeaker, each punch as easily dodged as the last.

She parried a final punch away, returning her opponent’s flurried strikes in the form of light jabs all over his torso with speed that the kid wouldn’t be able to match without years of dedicated practice. It wasn’t anywhere near her best, but then again…

I’m not exactly at my best right now either, Dinah thought to herself as she suppressed the urge to rub her aching shoulder. Should have taken Zatara’s offer for a h-

Blue eyes widened for a single instant as a glowing blur shot past where Dinah’s face just was. Another golden blur rushed towards her but Canary was ready, eyes meeting Zeke’s as the boy kept on pressing his sudden advantage. I didn’t say anything about powers. The blonde barely held back a pained grunt, having caught a strong hook on her left arm before she could hurl back her attacker. Lesson for next time.

Dinah grit her teeth before another sound of pain could slip out and drew herself into a more defensive stance, quickly dodging most of Ezekiel’s frantic blows and expertly deflecting a few others. Imbalanced pacing, unsteady legs, lack of spatial awareness, she frowned slightly as the thoughts flitted through her mind, but the force to match a few pros on the circuit. And he’s got the stamina to keep it up too. The strikes sped up – not significantly – but enough that Canary actually had to put some effort into tracking each one as she avoided his blows.

I know he’s got more than this in the tank, Black Canary mused to herself, blocking several of Zeke’s blows with casual ease and returning with another jab that hit hard enough to knock the kid back a few paces. I’d say he’s trying to feel me out but he’s the one on the back foot here.

“Is that all you’ve got, kid?” The teasing was slight, just something to probe at his ego, but it seemed to do the job. His blows grew even more hurried and even less composed, less a hail of punches and more a scattered rain. As practiced as his stance was, it didn’t take a trained eye to see that the kid’s form was lacking when it came to actually moving. Overextending himself on every hit, far too much force in what should have been quick jabs, and imbalanced pacing were just the tip of the iceberg when it came to his fighting problems. Not exactly terrible, but far from good.

“Not even close,” he bit the words out through gritted teeth, another crack in his composure showing as he devolved into throwing wild haymakers with golden fists aglow with light.

Another slight frown crossed Canary’s face as she purposely took a hit to her guard, this time from disappointment rather than pain. That’s all it took? Canary lazily dodged a swing to the face, hopping backwards and retaliating with a slow punch to the jaw that Zeke just barely avoided, his eyes wide with shock. “Close enough.”

Sure, the kid definitely hit harder than his frame would imply but that was literally the bare minimum for everyone on this team; Miss Martian, Aqualad and Superboy being the strongest of them all. Worst of all, he didn’t have the raw speed behind his hits to make use of what force he could muster – and that was including those glowing enhancements of his. Honestly, it w-

Dinah forced herself not to jump back, purposely holding back her instinctive reaction as the kid’s body almost seemed to blur in front of her. Instead, she raised her hands and surged forward to catch Zeke’s outstretched arm, preparing to end the match with a simple throw. Sorry kid, playtime’s o-

“[Power Sprint!]”

Canary’s eyes widened.

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

Zeke wasn’t fighting as hard as he could have.

The punches he threw might not have been as fast as they could be, but they certainly had a good deal of force behind each one of them. Even more so when he wordlessly enhanced his fists with the yellow glow of a [Power Strike], evidence of his new mastery of the skill.

Judging by how she reacted to his hits and the way she could easily track him – not to mention her taunts – Black Canary knew that too. What she definitely didn’t know was just how much he was holding back.

He had tested himself just this morning; two hundred meters from the mouth of the cave to a secluded copse in the opposite direction from his usual running path. It took him roughly eleven seconds, not even a full quarter of a minute. It wasn’t enough time or ground to build up to his top speed but it was adequate enough for a short sprint. As far as he could tell, he could manage just a little bit under that when it came to even shorter distances; thirty-five…. Maybe thirty-eight miles an hour if he pushed it.

Thing was, though, he wasn’t.

And like he had hoped for, his sparring partner had gotten used to the speed he allowed himself to display, almost looking bored with what he tried to press her with. In fact, he knew that some of the hits that slipped past her guard were ones that she allowed to hit her. She didn’t consider him a threat in the slightest.

Perfect.

Like the mission screen had told him, he knew that he had no chance of beating Canary. The point was pushing her, making her take him at least somewhat seriously. And what better way of pushing her was there than a sudden and unexpected…

“[Power Sprint!]”

It happened in an instant.

The very same moment he feinted to Canary’s left was the same one in which the three syllables left his lips. Zeke felt the warmth rush through his legs as he kicked off the ground, his body immediately shifting from his twenty-five mile an hour pace into something nearing double that much as he aimed a glowing fist towards the older woman’s midsection.

In hindsight, he should have taken into account exactly why Black Canary had been chosen as their combat instructor. Zeke had remembered just how good she was but just because she was a good fighter didn’t mean she was a perfect one. After all, people could be caught off guard, right?

Right?

He saw it coming from the corner of his eye, her leg completely a blur as it cut through the air like a knife. Wow… Unable to change direction, Zeke could only stare with widened eyes as he flew right towards the oncoming strike. She is good.

Black Canary’s foot smashed into his stomach with more force than he would have thought possible for someone her size, Zeke’s body bending in half around the limb for a fraction of a second. His eyes bulged as the wind left his body with a loud, guttural noise, and just like that, he was sent flying.

The sound of loud gasps hit his ears as the world spun around and around, lights above and below his head blurring into one giant mess. Zeke closed his eyes…

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

Only to open them again as a pained groan spilled out of his mouth with his first breath.

Status Effect: Concussion (Minimal) - 30 Minutes

Status Effect: Rib Contusion (Mild) - 1 Hour

VIT Up!

44 → 45

Mission "Canary Combat" Completed!

+ 2 to [Basic Martial Arts]

+ 1000 XP

+ Increased reputation with Superboy

+ Increased reputation with Black Canary

Bleary eyes blinked away all four notifications, leaving Zeke staring up at the shadowy figures standing above him in a rough semi-circle and the rough artificial light searing his sensitive eyelids. “Did… did I win?”

The joke was met with a snort from at least one of the shadowy figures, said figure suddenly bending down to display Robin’s masked, grinning face. “What do you think, buddy?”

“Yeah…” Zeke sat up slowly, shaking his head as he did so and unintentionally making his growing headache worse. “I figured.” He glanced around with one eye shut, his team stepping back several paces to give him the space to pick himself up. “Where’s Black Canary and ughh…” He smushed a palm into his aching forehead, as if to rub away the pain. “...Martian Manhunter? Please tell me the answer to that question is getting ice.”

Both Kid Flash and Robin let out laughs at that, Wally’s coming off a good bit more mean-spirited than Robin’s; an achievement in it’s own right. It was Aqualad who – after shooting both boys stern looks – chose to answer Zeke’s question. “The two League members have left to prepare for a mission, one which the Team will be sharing with them."

"Also," Miss Martian bent over slightly as well as she spoke up, "Black Canary said you did a very good job for your first session."

"Yeah, but," Kid Flash added, a smirk on his face, "don't forget she also said that he should try not to be so predictable next time."

Robin's laugh at Wally's words only served to make the speedster's smirk grow. That is, until he actually spoke. "Says the combat expert. At least Zeke didn't only last all of three seconds."

"Dude!"

Aqualad let out a slight sigh at the antics of his two younger long-time sidekicks before continuing, directing his words to both Robin and Wally. "Enough talk. We have a mission in less than six hours." Turning back to Zeke, he added, "We were just waiting for you to recover before we began our own preparations.”

Zeke let out a slight snicker at that as he raised himself up to one knee, both chest and head pounding him with waves of pain. “I appreciate it, seriously,” he remarked again, “but I’d also appreciate a nice ice pack right about now.”

“Oh! Sorry, Zeke, I’ll get you some ice!” M’gann jumped up at that – literally, in fact, as the Martian girl actually affixed herself in midair – before quickly flying away towards the kitchen.

Zeke stared off at Miss Martian as she darted away, a small smile on his face. “She’s so nice; it’s honestly amazing,” he muttered to himself, slowly shaking his head as he turned back to Aqualad. “You said something about a mission?” he asked, tone far less positive as he began dreading the possibilities of a mission that would require the Justice League to request their help.

“Yeah…” Superboy said with a scoff, speaking up in place of Aqualad. “The League wants us to take out their trash, like that’s all we’re good for… picking up after them.”

“What?” Zeke glanced up at Conner, waiting for clarification. After a moment or two of sullen silence, he realized that wouldn’t be forthcoming and glanced back over at Aqualad. Once again, the Atlantean was interrupted before he could explain.

“Yeah,” Robin interjected, grin still on his face. “Some robot that the League smashed to pieces is still in some massive crater out in Connecticut. The League wants us to guard the trucks on their way to S.T.A.R. Labs.”

Zeke felt his mood rise at Robin’s words. “Oh, that... doesn’t seem that bad, actually. But, wait….” He scrunched up his face as he rose to both feet, head still pounding. “If the robot’s already toast, why does the League need us to guard it?”

Robin’s grin jumped up several notches, looking almost evil as he laughed at Zeke’s question. “The thing was built by Doctor Ivo, this old evil scientist guy with a thing for making badass super-bots, and the robot fought the League for a whole four hours before they took it down. We’re just there to make sure it stays down if it wakes up, I’m guessing.”

…

Zeke blinked.

Then he blinked again.

He opened his mouth, shutting it after another second and turning to stare at Aqualad as if to confirm that what Robin had just said was accurate. When the stoic Atlantean didn’t correct a single thing the Boy Wonder had to say, Zeke let out a low noise of discomfort as he slowly turned to face Robin again.

“Please… please… please tell me you didn’t just say Ivo,” he begged the younger half of the Dynamic Duo, voice literally pleading. “Please.”

“Why?” Kid Flash chimed in. “Something we should know about Ivo?”

Zeke opened his mouth to reply, only for said reply to turn into nothing more than a squeak as another pop-up appeared in his field of vision.

Mission Gained!

Doctor Ivo’s Amazing Android I

Guard the remains of the dismantled A.M.A.Z.O. from those who would seek to steal, rebuild and reactivate the powerful android on it’s path to S.T.A.R. Labs.

Success: 25000 XP, Increased reputation with S.T.A.R. Labs

The thirteen-year old stared silently off into space for several moments. However long it actually was, it was long enough for Robin to notice, at least, as the other boy shook Zeke by the shoulder, expression looking concerned even with his domino mask in the way. “You okay, Z?”

“... define okay.”

– o – o – o – o – o – o – o –

STATUS Ezekiel Patrick Armstrong Title: None Age 13 Job None Level 9 Experience 1500/10000 Health 640/640 Mana 250/250 Willpower 238/238 STR 45 SPD 50 VIT 45 INT 42 WIS 9 CHA 12 Stat Points: 0 Cash: $375

INVENTORY

Amulet of Kobra

[Requirement: Must Join Kobra]

Serpentine jewelry worn by those with a more spiritual bent within the cult, the Amulet of Kobra grants sight beyond standard sight, allowing the wearer to see the world as a snake does.

Grants Trait: Snake Eyes Grants Trait: Thermal Sight

Accessory Fuse

A discarded material that can be utilized as a part of the construction of a great many modern technological devices.

Cowl of the Naga

[Requirement: Must Join Kobra]

An unnatural cloak bestowed upon those of the Cult of Kobra who have made the unholy sacrifice and devoted themselves entirely to the Serpent Queen of Hell, Ran Va Daath. While it is unknown what this cloak actually does even among it's wearers, those that do choose to accept it speak of a renewed closeness to their mistress and a greater sense of purpose. It has a certain ominous odor about it.

Domino Mask (Robin)

Like a true bro, Robin gave you a few spare domino masks to hide your identity.

White lenses hide your eyes completely while the molded plastic changes the shape of your face when caught on camera. Also comes equipped with a com-link to use in place of a traditional earpiece.

Essence of Kobra

[Requirement: Must Join Kobra]

This vial contains the specially treated blood of a priest within the cult. Imbibing the fluid while saying a prayer to the Serpent Queen grants enhanced strength and aspects of a snake's form for a time while taking on some of the creature's mind.

Grants Trait: Animal Instincts (Snake) Grants Trait: Elastic Arms Grants Trait: Loose Limbs Grants Trait: Scaled Up Grants Trait: Sssssnake Tongue Grants Trait: Strength of The Snake (Lesser)

Grant Family Handwraps [Equipped]

As a child, Ted Grant realized he would only hurt his hands if he kept punching trees so he made himself a pair of handwraps out of old rags. Decades of fighting has allowed the old man to perfect exactly what needs to go into a pair of handwraps to allow for the perfect punch.

(When Worn)

Grants Buff: Tough Knuckles Grants Buff: Basic Training

Kobra Kultist Kowl x5

A cowl worn by all Kobra initiates.

Nothing real special about it.

Kobra-Venom x5

A chemical compound created by Kobra-affiliated scientists based on a combination of the neo-steroid, Venom, and the CADMUS-made Project Blockbuster formula. The resulting mix is three times stronger than Venom and just as permanent as Blockbuster, with the added result of being much safer for the user. Transforms user into a large, musclebound monster and hardens bodily tissues to provide enhanced durability.

Grants Trait: Supercharged Neo-Steroid Grants Trait: Musclebound Grants Trait: Tempered Hide Grants Trait: Roid Rage Grants Trait: Insensitive

K.O.R.D. ACI Armature x5

A material used in the construction of advanced weaponry and armaments, it's components only truly useful for the function of a dynamo.

Neuro-Electricity Infused Battery Fragments

Atomic Skull's neural electricity has become infused into these damaged battery fragments as a result of overuse and kinetic damage to his helmet. I bet you wish you could say, 'I told you so'.

Kalteen Nutrition Bar

A high-calorie, high-protein nutrition bar designed by Swedish company, Dante Foods, Kalteen was originally designed to assist the diet of starving children in third-world countries. However, it's often a recommended item by many health professionals to anorexics or patients suffering from malnutrition.That means you, dummy. Eat up.

Grants Buff: Minor HP Regen (25)/5 minutes (Non-Stackable) Grants Buff: Minor Will Regen (25)/5 minutes Grants Buff: Minor HP Boost (25)/5 minutes (Non-Stackable) Grants Buff: Minor Will Boost (25)/5 minutes

Lexcorp Targeting Integration Circuit

By predicting the trajectory of targets, this circuit helps to boost the tracking speed and range of projected blasts. This module can be loaded with scripts to increase its effectiveness in certain areas.

Soder Cola Extreme x38

Already a rather addictive substance and the most popular soda brand in the Continental U.S., Soder Cola decided to go a step further and create a variant with even more sugar and a dose of caffeine, focusing on the twin demographics of teenage boys and extreme sport athletes. As a sidekick, you're the perfect customer.

Grants Buff: Minor Mana Boost (25)/5 minutes (Non-Stackable) Grants Buff: Minimal Mana Regen (10)/5 minutes

S.T.A.R. Labs Prototype Power Cell x2

A prototype material used in the creation of advanced technology. This power cell is designed to provide a quick injection of power into the capacitor it is attached to.

S.T.A.R. SmartSuit x3 [Equipped]

Whether you’re sprinting at top speed or simply stretching your legs after a long day, S.T.A.R. Laboratories SmartSuit a general use utility designed to provide total protection against environments and vacuum. Built out of a durable but flexible polymer known as DynaFlex, the suit provides a wide freedom of motion for a variety of body types while also able to withstand severe stress owing to its flexibility.

(While Worn)

Grants Buff: Second Skin (Minimal) Grants Buff: ...Like Wearing Nothing At All

S.T.A.R. Tab

A device that's still somewhat advanced even by the standards of the current universe, your S.T.A.R. Tab is hundreds of dollars worth of advanced technology and communication capability that was essentially part of your payment for allowing S.T.A.R. Labs to run tests on you and your abilities. You wish the actual money would hurry up and get to you but, hey, you're not complaining.

Venom x25

Venom is a potent drug variant based on the secretive Miraclo formula used by the original Hourman. An addictive strength-enhancing neo-steroid used by the super villain, Bane, it instantly transforms the user into a hulking mass of unbridled physical strength. As the drug wears off, the user's body would rapidly return to its original state or sometimes even weaker.

Grants Buff: Venom Boost Grants Buff: Musclebound Grants Trait: Thick-Skinned Grants Debuff: Roid Rage Grants Debuff: Exhausted Physique

WayFarer Sport Shoes [Equipped]

Stay on your feet all day with Wayfarer. These slip-resistant shoes utilize memory foam, shock absorbent technology and modern impact cushioning to keep you up and active for days on end.

(While Worn)

Grants Buff: Faster, Harder, Further... (Minor)

TRAITS

Bright Kid: While you're no genius or some prodigy, you're obviously brighter than most kids. By the time you're an adult, however, no one will care. (Before the age of 18: +75% to INT gain and +25% to speed of learning Mana-based skills/abilities)

PERKS

Hard Hitter

Bare knuckle boxer.

All unarmed strikes deliver 25% more knockback force but no additional damage.

Quick Healer

Don't worry, it won't scar.

You heal rather fast, at a rate of a tenth of your VIT every fifteen seconds.

Reactive Reflexes

Gotta be quicker than that.

When attempting to dodge an attack, your reflexes ability is 10% more effective.

Quick Study A mind is a terrible thing to waste. With this skill, an additional 20% bonus is given whenever Exp is earned.

Skills

Mana Burst Lv 24

Pew-pew! Pew-pew-pew!

A hastily-formed burst of energy with an unspecified nature.

Max Damage: 10% of INT x Skill Level

Minimum Cost: 5 Mana

SS: Hadoken

A derivative of Mana Burst created through the forced merging of two bursts.

Explodes on contact with far more force than any singular Mana Burst could manage.

Max Damage: 5x Mana Burst

Cost: 5x Mana Burst

Mana Impact Lv 3

For when you wanna blast something but real close up.

A raw burst of unrestricted blue energy that explodes outwards in a wide cone. Designed to hit enemies with far more force than a Mana Burst but at close range.

Max Damage: 25% of INT x Skill Level

Cost (Base): 5 Mana

Mana Shield Lv 6

Shields at 20% and holding!

A protective construct formed from the desire for protection and made from an energy of an unspecified nature. Drains 1 MP for every point of damage blocked. Shatters if more than 20% of MP is drained by a single blow. Ignores damage up to 6% of INT x VIT.

Minimum Cost: 5 Mana

Observe Lv 11

Kinda like a scouter, but less cool somehow.

Allows you to view the status or qualities of anyone or anything, allowing you to learn information about them.

Cost: 1 MP

Power Leap Lv 10 Jump good. Using your inherent physical energy, jump higher than you ever could before. While active, your jumping height/length increases by 5% per level. (50%) Cost: 10 Will

Power Sprint Lv 16

You'll never be the Flash relying on this alone. Still, we've all gotta start somewhere.

While active, your running speed increases by 5% per level. (80%)

Cost: 1 Will/s

Power Strike Lv MAX

Not exactly a heavy hitter quite yet.

Increases the STR value and knockback of your physical strikes by 10% per level. (100%)

Cost: 5 Will

Abilities

Gamer's Body Lv. MAX

Allows your body to exist in a similar standard to that of a video game character.

Sleeping restores HP, MP, Will and removes most negative status effects. Health, Will, and Mana regenerate at a base of 1 point every 30 seconds. Food and drink items can accelerate recovery.

Gamer's Mind Lv. MAX

Allows your mind to exist in a similar standard to that of a video game character.

Grants immunity to mental status effects, emotional trauma and severely damaging emotional states. Grants immunity to forceful/unwanted mental intrusion.

Acrobatics Lv 6

Basically a flip kick, but without the kick part.

An ability that enables you to pull off backflips, frontflips and any manner of jumping-based ground-movement technique with greater ease.

Awareness: Mana Lv 16

Mana, magic energy, magicka, prana, ether, spirit energy, magatsuhi or even chakra… Call it what you want. It's all the same in the end.

You have gained awareness of Mana, the spiritual energy found within the human mind and soul. Gaining awareness of your magical energy has given you some semblance of control over it.

Awareness: Willpower Lv 5

Willpower, ki, chi, qi, stamina, aura, mantra, physical energy, life energy, od, or even hamon… Call it what you want. It's all the same in the end.

You have gained awareness of your Willpower, the physical energy found within all living organisms. Gaining awareness of your physical energy has given you some semblance of control over it.

Spoiler: Styles

Boxing (Basic)

They say boxing is fighting, backed by technique.

Prove them right.

Basic Martial Arts Lv 4

Heroes prefer fists. Apparently, so do sidekicks.

This ability measures your skill and intuition in bare-handed combat, allowing for rapid growth and adaptation in martial arts.

Breathing Control Lv 7

Batman can breathe in space. Why can't you?

The ability to use oxygen efficiently, enabling you to hold your breath for extended periods of time. Increases by 1 minute every level. (2 minutes)

Meditation Lv 12

When the mind is enlightened, the spirit is freed and the body matters not.

The ability to train your mind in order to achieve a state of oneness with your spiritual essence and life force, as well your mind and body.

Reflexes Lv 6

DODGE!

Decreases innate reaction time and increases innate perception speed by 10% per level. (60%)

Resistance: Blunt Force Lv 21

A little pain never hurt anyone.

Reduce all blunt force damage from attacks less than 100% of your health. Increases 1% by level. (21%)

Resistance: Electricity Lv 5

Harmless Electrocution.

Reduce all electrical damage from attacks less than 100% of your health.

Increases 2% by level. (10%)

Stealth Lv 1

It's so overt, it's covert.

This represents your ability to avoid being seen, allowing you to slip past foes or strike them from an unseen position.

This skill does not cover the art of silent movement. Increases critical chance of stealth attacks by .5% per level.