The next four days Para proceeded to subject his trainees to intensely frustrating and grueling exercises. Each one a twist on the old regimens, or something completely out of left field. But strangely, not without a little merit twisted into them.

The first day, once the dust was all settled, was the one ton block push turned into the half ton block carry. With added glassware to encourage stability. Every broken piece was a hundred extra push ups tacked on to the end of the session. Seth, to add insult to injury, had to carry Para through a four course luncheon complete with waiting service. ‘Where the hell did he even get the waiter from?’ The trainees also had to sweep the arena floor by hand afterward to get all the broken glass out of the sand, and there was a lot of it.

The next day featured the obstacle course, redone completely out of sand. Maya was contracted out to make it, to her unimaginable frustration. She did amazing work on it though. But fucking hell was it unstable. If any amount of serious pressure was put on the course it almost immediately collapsed, adding seconds on to the runners time as a penalty. Every second over the fifteen requirement was a lap around the arena. Not so bad right, WRONG!! The lap had to be done at a certain measure speed dictated by Para, and any deviation above or below meant the lap was restarted. The trainees had to reach the speed before the lap was even counted unless they had no acceleration delay. Seth was forced to restart five times. In no small part due to the radar gun Para was using, bouncing off the suit and giving false readings.

To actually succeed at the obstacle course, in the end, required the trainees to hone their momentum usage. Preventing their inertia and weight from being transferred into the unstable sand sculptures. No one succeeded, but it was actually an interesting lesson idea.

The third day, funnily enough, featured a sculpting lesson… using iron scrap. The trainees were graded like art students for their composition and detail. The critique, thankfully, the only punishment. Several trainees succeeded in making rather excellent sculptures. Razor was able to carve out a perfect rendition of the Ark, complete with scarring. Kabar heat formed a fully realized toaster. Somewhat as a joke, somewhat as a buzzkill of his nickname. It didn’t help him, but it scored high. Seth was already accomplished in metal forming, but since he couldn’t fully show off his powers, he had to slyly use his gauntlets as cover. He ended up creating a model of the first fully enclosed exoskeleton ever produced. Para was unhappy under the surface, but kept up the art critic act and gave him an okay score. The rest of the day was a simple exercise day, but every action had to be matched up with everyone else’s. Full team workout or every exercise was rendered indefinite. The trainees barely made it to dinner.

The fourth day consisted of more coordination drills, in the shape of dodgeball sports. First up was team dodgeball with no real additions beyond power assisted throws. But still, getting hit with a water jet propelled dodgeball can get painful. Though really this was just practice and a bit of fun. Because next up was almost expected of Para, dodgeball obstacle course, but with three pounder medicine balls. The exercise became less a lesson on coordination and more a lesson on how to dodge under pressure. Seth didn’t fare too well, he could avoid plenty but his suit was counted as part of him so he was knocked out too much. And knocked around a lot.

The final round, though, was a tournament for the trainees who had achieved the best times in the obstacle course, or knocked the most people off of it. The sport. Handball, aggressive and power assisted handball. With the same medicine balls. The objective was simple, knock your opponent out of their circle. Every miss resulted in your own circle getting shrunk, and grabbing the ball resulted in disqualification. So the resulting back and forth hitting of the ball rendered it dangerously fast. Seth didn’t qualify of course, but he had plenty of company. It afforded him a chance to see what the rest of his classmates were capable of at least.

Ohm of course had the top spot, but faced Tabby, Marco, and Maya in the tournament. First up came Marco and Ohm, air fist vs electrical fist. Para served the ball to Marco to start, who made minimal contact as an air jab rippled the heavy ball at Ohm, who in turn was prepared and charged up to bash the ball back at a downward angle. It bounced off the hard sand and threatened Marco from what should have been an unfavorable angle, but he surprised everyone by twisting hard with his arms covered in distorting air. He was able to direct an air current around himself, strong enough to catch the rubber laden ball and carry it aloft. It made sense that someone who could punch with air could in turn control it also, but this was a bit more considerable.

The ball flowed and rolled around him as he moved along with it, ending just off his side and right in line for a flying kick back at Ohm. He was surprised with everyone else, but not off guard. Yet an open palm slap was all he could muster up to not get beaned in the face, resulting in the ball digging itself into the sand as a miss for him. Meaning his circle shrink and the ball had to be served again. This time to Ohm though, who had charged up a lot more power for his next punch with few people noticing. The resulting impact shot the ball with enough force to cause a small sonic boom. ‘Ohm doesn’t seem to like being rebuked.’ Marco only had a split second to react but at least was able to throw up a guard. This didn’t stop him from getting launched off his feet and thrown several yards. Meaning Ohm took round one.

Tabby and Maya were next, Tabby preparing beforehand by taking the form of a tiger. Maya inversely prepared a strong defense, no rule said you were out on a hit, so Maya cemented down her feet and covered her arms in concrete. The ensuing ‘fight’ took a lot longer than expected. Maya was immovable, her circle shrinking down around her immobile feet with every hit, but not ruling her out. Likewise Tabby was batting and dodging without fail, until her claws popped the ball… a few times.

Para had seen enough and ordered a sudden death. No powers, just raw strength, but no stepping outside of where their feet were. Maya squared up, taking a heavy stable stance. Tabby instead took up a more normal stance, but her loose body language said she was prepped for something. Para served the ball to Maya who slammed it straight and hard. Out of nowhere though, Tabby reacted with a swift and trained ballerina-like spin in place, kicking the ball with a devastating spin added to it. Maya’s stable stance prevented her from turning sharp enough as it carened almost perpendicular at her, causing her foot to slide out of position. She caught the ball, it rumbling to a stop in her hands as she cursed. Victory for Tabby, she even plied off her turn.

Last round, Ohm vs Tabby. Normal rules, but Para added a wrinkle. He replaced the weighted and tough medicine ball with a standard rubber kickball. And popping the ball would result in a loss. Both combatants had to control their strikes, and claws in Tabby’s case, or they would knock themselves out. Seth eyed the kickball a little, something seemed off about it. Either it was overinflated or just really light. The stage set, Ohm hid a charged up strike much like before, but Tabby took on a different form. It looked like a stocky house cat with a short tail, greyish tan fur with black stripes and bands. It was cute but Seth didn’t understand the reason.

Para served to Ohm first, seeming aware of his charged up attack from the looks of things. From a resting position he sprang a quick jab at the ball as it passed in front of him, not using all the energy he had stored up. The ball gave off the nostalgic hollow sound Seth expected, but it seemed oddly pitched up. It screeched toward Tabby at what can only be said to be a little too fast for a kickball. But Tabby seemed to be prepared with near equal speed, jumping up and meeting the ball with a kick upward. The rules never said anything about a double hit, so she was launching the ball upward to kill its excessive momentum. Off her inertia, she began twirling in place like a ballerina again, arms held in line and one leg held high. It was pretty clear she’d taken classes. A locked in spin kick met the ball on its way down. The ball spun wide, but looped back over in a helical path that grew narrower and narrower as it reached its target. A master class in curveballs.

The ball closing in fast, Ohm shifted stances, strangely. He pulled his arms into his suit sleeves, scrunching up into it at the last minute. As the ball was reaching him he ducked out of the padded shirt, pulling it off with his arms still inside and pivoted out of the way, putting his arms out and stretching it out like a net. But instead of stopping the ball, he pivoted again and spun around with the ball in this makeshift catch. As he completed a revolution he popped the suit tight, forcing the ball out like a playground catapult. Thankfully he put his shirt back on as the ball relatively lazily flew back to Tabby. She chuffed at the over the top rebuttal and prepped to jab the ball back, but a glint caught her eye from the ball’s facing surface. She flinched and caught the ball instead, stopping it just short of hitting her chest, and depressing the sewing needle pressed into it.

“What the hell!?! You put a needle in the-”

But Ohm was shifted, a finger gun pointing right at Tabby… and the needle.

“Bang!”

An almost imperceptible flash and the ball exploded in a brief fireball in her hands and knocked her back and out of her circle. Somehow he had snuck one of Kabar’s sewing needles into the ball as he caught it, putting it in just enough to maintain integrity and allow access to the contents inside. The contents being hydrogen gas he ignited with his electric finger gun. The round looked over, and Para was… unperturbed? He stepped out onto the field and called both combatants in before Tabby could try and maul Ohm to death. Instead turning them toward the rest of the trainees, Tabby still smoking and growling at Ohm smugly smiling back.

“Welp… looks like no victors today.”

Ohm pushed off of him.

“WHAT!?! But I knocked her out, not to mention she caught the ball first.”

“Like hell that would win you anything.”

Tabby stuck her still cat tongue out at him across Para.

“You put a needle in the ball, that’s tampering if I’ve ever heard of it.”

“SHUT IT THE BOTH OF YOU!!!”

Both combatants recoiled as Para reaserted his role a little too loudly.

“Ohm, tampering and distance power usage equal cheating. But it was inventive I’ll give you that. Tabby, it’s your job to be prepared for anything and everything, even cheating. You still caught the ball, which was against the rules, but that was still good form despite the loss. Wasn’t expecting black-footed cat, but it’s understandable given the required reaction speeds. You both did well, you just fucked it up at the end and lost it for the both of you.”

The fight was well and truly over, and no one was really happy, but getting that small amount of praise from Para seemed uplifting at least. The only real question left was where did the-

“aaaAAAGGHHH!!!”

Everyone turned to Razor, scrunched in pain holding his leg, a sewing needle sticking straight up out of his foot. Ohm shrugged as he moved over to him and pulled the needle out.

“AAaagh!!”

“Sorry, never know where it’s going to land till it does.”

He flipped the needle around in his hand as he handed it back to Kabar.

“I think you dropped this?”

Kabar was beet red as he snatched it away, franticly pocketing it and threatening to burn a hole through Ohm’s head. But that was it for their last day… except.

The final day of the week turned out to be one of the most grueling and horrifying tests these trainees would ever face. To think that Para would stoop so low as to torture the recruits under his care in such a way.

“That he would even imagine this would be acceptable is beyond my understanding. How could he…”

“What the hell are you doing Aegis?”

The trainees were lined up as usual, Aegis for her part was looking over a written up lesson plan and very obviously hamming up her reaction. And Para had walked up behind her without her noticing.

“N-nothing. J-just… readying the trainees. Heh.”

Para walked past her with clear not buying it face.

“Okay recruits today is a special day. Instead of having off this weekend we will be testing you on your mental fortitude, through the long lost art of monologuing.”

*thunderclap*

Para turned slowly to Aegis, holding her phone up as a sound board. Several beets passed before Para smiled… sinisterly.

“If it’s such a terrifying subject Aegis, why don’t you join them in the fun?”

“N-no no no, I’m goo…”

Para grabbed her by the shoulder with malicious intent.

“I insist!”

He pushed her into line as she slumped in defeat.

“Ugh, come on. There’s a reason it’s a dead art Para. No one monologues any more, even the villains have kept their speeches short. No one cares.”

“All the more reason to learn. Besides, strength of character is still strength is it not. No better way to truly test their will than through public speaking.”

Several of the trainees mirrored Aegis in her slump of defeat, groans and grumbles abounded while David raised his hand shakily.

“Do we have to perform it here?”

Para eyed him like an unforgiving theater instructor.

“Yes, where else would you perform?”

David looked around the arena at the smattering of heroes gathered watching.

“But in front of so many people?”

Para’s sinister smile took on a new level of villainous.

“Oh no, there’s going to be much more coming. We sell tickets to these kinds of things.”

The collective gasp and shock was monumental, even Seth’s suit looked shocked.

“WHAT THE HELL PARA!?! We don’t hold concerts!! And we sure as hell don’t sell tickets!!”

Aegis practically charged him like he just smacked her with a baseball.

“Hey, don’t look at me. HQ sent me the proposal, and said it would be a worthy test.”

“HQ…? Oh don’t you fucking dare tell me that-”

“Yup, this was your father’s idea.”

“fffffffffffffFFFUUUUUUUUUUUuuuuugggghhh”

Aegis slumped nearly all the way to the ground, her defeat so total and heinous that it was felt by everyone. It seemed pretty clear that she had no way out of this, so she returned to the lineup in surrender.

“Okay… You have 1 hour. Your personal terminals have been sent all the reference materials you could ever need. You will each choose a famous, or infamous, monologue to recite. Make a list, its first come first serve. If you truly can’t choose you may create your own from scratch. But your target will be me. So be prepared to face the consequences. Tell me your choice here. After an hour you’re getting your monologue chosen for you. The performance starts at 7:00 PM. You have the rest of the day to write or prepare. Don’t expect that kind of luxury again. Your time starts… NOW!!”

Most of the trainees scrambled back out, a few meandered in thought or asuradness respectively. Seth walked back in thought, he knew a few good monologues but just felt they were pretty stupid. He wouldn’t be able to get into character for them, let alone give them the gravitas they required. Before he left the arena floor he stopped.

“*sigh* Yeah, no real option.”

He turned around and saw Aegis, Kabar, and Cleo still on the line in front of Para. He walked back, clear as to his choice, or lack thereof.

“So Tinman, you’ve gotten over your indecisiveness. Speak, what’s your choice?”

Seth smirked and shrugged off his hostility.

“Honestly I don’t have any other choice than to write my own. I couldn’t get away with anything else.”

“You’re joining Toaster then. You’d better get your facts straight, I don’t intimidate easily. Aegis, you picked one yet?”

Aegis was still holding her head in begrudging thought.

“Do I have a choice either? My dad always retold his Longest Day speech at every social event he could. It doesn’t help that I was there when he made it.”

“I’ll make sure to have it recorded so Rampart can feel proud of you.”

“I’m going to fucking kill you.”

“Not if you die on stage first… Princess what’s your, more than likely, disturbing choice?”

Cleo was swaying back and forth with her hands behind her back, only adding to the apprehension over what she’s chosen.

“Iiii… choose Miss Malfeasance’s Address to the World speech circa 1989.”

Everyone snapped over to her with surprise. That speech was made as a last ditch attempt to sway the world from cruelty and sorrow as Miss Malfeasance lay dying from her own abstract power. It was the last time the Gods’ Chosen ever deployed because of the guilt felt by Athena’s Counter for killing her. I was a masterpiece.

“That’s… a good choice Princess. Please don’t try to explain it to us, you’d only ruin it.”

Para’s uncomfortable look only cemented as Cleo smiled back.

“Okay!”

The rest of the trainees came back piecemeal over the hour, some giving fairly okay choices. General Advance speaking at Major Nugyen’s funeral, Gold Breaker’s condemnation of the Terror Matrix, Burning Eagle’s League founding speech to the UN. A lot of great choices, and thankfully no Para’s choice. ‘I do not even want to think of what he’d have chosen if given the chance.’ Everyone set, the class was dismissed to prepare for what is likely to be the most stressful event of their lives.

Seth prepared a short speech, more of a physical performance piece incorporating his suit into certain moments for added effect. As he took a break from writing to get food he could hear the other trainees practicing in their rooms. A few even sequestered themselves in the stands of the arena to get a better understanding of their audio. He passed the front desk on the way to the canteen, catching sight of the placard for tonight’s event. A twenty five dollar entry fee and full billing of everyone’s choices. From the feel of things it seemed this was planned well ahead of time.

‘Guess Aegis really got left in the dark as well.’

By six o’clock the audience was streaming in. Seth had completed his speech, but could only really hope things went well. But something else felt off as he hauled his suit to the ready room. The audience was too big, plenty of the trainees probably had family coming, but some of these people looked nothing like oratory fans. Other heroes obviously, but normal civilians too. He overheard a few conversations as he passed the hall. They sounded like they had seen something like this before, like they were expecting something more than just reciting. ‘Expect the unexpected, Para’s prepared to make things harder.’

Seven o’clock. The trainees were waiting in one of the side ready rooms. No outside contact except Mediknight guarding the door. They could just barely hear Para playing up his role as master of ceremonies through the arena walls. The echoes and cheers of the playbill line up juxtaposed with a few rowdy whistles and hollers. But slowly the noise died down and the faint sound of Aegis’ performance started up. Seth had never done much research on the Longest Day, but he couldn’t really avoid a speech like this. They had let… ‘er… were forced to let' Rampart do a TV special rendition. It was highly influential, but… *rumble* not immediately violent. The trainees all looked toward the door as the arena rumbled with heavy powered hits. They could just barely hear Aegis bellowing rather reminiscently. ‘Rampart will at least be proud of her some more, but what the hell is going on in there?’

Mediknight leaned into his ear as the rumbling died down and the last grand overture filled the arena.

“David, you’re up first.”

He stood up, putting the speech he had printed out down on his chair, shaking the whole time as Para’s MC act returned under a raucous applause for the performance. As he left he turned back, terrified eyes looking to the rest of the group. But his terror abated as he got a thumbs up and silent encouragement from Jacob and Maya. ‘Someone made some friends.’ The door closed and a hushed tone took over yet again.

The walls were too thick to hear fully, but what could be heard definitely turned into more than a recital. He had chosen General Advance’s speech, his confession of love for his sworn enemy, but Seth was sure that it wasn’t so choppy. Or required so many punches and water splashes. Mediknight returned and stood in front of the entryway. More looks of concern permeated the trainees, but most looked like they expected as much. At least Seth wasn’t the only one. No one said a word as what was absolutely the sounds of a fighting recital turned to a hush, then to applause. Jacob and Maya seemed elated, Seth just smiled. ‘Good for him.’

Each trainee was called up one by one, and as far as anyone could hear they all received applause at the end of their performances, though each still encountered some kind of resistance to their oration. Soon only Kabar and Seth were left waiting as Mediknight came back in from escorting Cleo. The applause she received was particularly thunderous, people really hold Miss Malfeasance in high regard despite the fact she almost sent the world into an artistic and abstract dark age. But Mediknight didn’t lean in this time, he stayed still as the applause died down to silence.

“Okay. It's time.”

He turned around to the entryway without saying who was up. Seth and Kabar shared looks before he turned back.

“It’s both of you, now come on.”

Seth was sure this was going to get bad fast if they had to recite simultaneously. Thankfully Kabar thumbed toward himself as they got up to leave.

“I call first dibs.”

Well that settles that at least.

“No problem just… don’t flub up too much.”

All three walked around the corner to the arena door, walking through into the nearly pitch darkness. The only light a spotlight on the central ring. Both walked in and stood at its center, scanning around the darkness for any sign but finding none. Until another spotlight lit up revealing Para standing a few yards away.

“Last, but very much not least.”

Para’s voice boomed across the arena, unassisted by speakers.

“We have custom recitations performed by our last 2 orators. Toaster and Tinman.”

Kabar and Seth both slumped in disappointment at the disrespect. It was really feeling like he’d forgotten their names at this point.

“Gentlemen, if you would please.”

Kabar made a show of turning to regard Seth to signify he was first, who followed suit and bowed out respectfully. Kabar stanced up, folded his arms in to look tougher, then wound himself up and sprang back pointing at Para in his spotlight.

“If you think intimidation and adversity are all it takes to break us, then you will soon learn that-”

A frantic pivot, and Kabar was dodging away as his speech was outdone by a blast of sound. He quickly pivoted back, but met only empty darkness.

“We are not… so…”

He trailed off slightly as Para was nowhere to be found. He scanned a little, but realized he was stalling.

“So easily BROKEN!!!”

He unfurled his lines, heating them until they glowed brightly. Seth kept back at the edge of the circle, but felt he was about to become collateral damage. But also heard the shift of sand and a presence behind him. He kept his focus low, he shouldn't need his power here, but he knows when someone’s watching him. And those eyes felt more than directed at his back. He immediately rushed forward as Kabar noticed him as well, a massive spin already wound up to set the stage alight. Seth leapt as he released and ignited his lines into a fiery windmill, illuminating their part of the arena for a split second, and succeeding in wrapping one of the lines around Para’s stopping foot.

Seth landed heavy behind Kabar as he pulled at the line.

“My flames, the heat of my courage, will burn away your evil this day!! I hope you brought butter and jam, because you’re the one GETTING TOASTED!!!”

With a swift step forward, he whipped his line hard, flaring it to near white hot levels. The flare rocketed away and nearly reached Para as stood straight up. But all he did was point a palm down at the line tugging at his ankle. A sonic blast shot down right as the flare reached him, extinguishing it instantly and draping him back into the darkness. The line went slack, leaving Kabar with nothing, but he dropped his head and gritted his teeth.

“You make fun of us every chance you get! You belittle us with barely a second thought! You make it seem like you’re doing it with cause, but your justification is SHIT!!”

Kabar’s lines reeled in but burned hotter and hotter.

“You make us out to be novices stumbling in the dark!!”

Seth felt Para again, behind, but different. The sound of metal meeting sand and none of the emotion.

“You tried to turn us away like we weren’t worthy!!”

He was rushing now, completely unlike him, but Seth didn’t turn to face him. He ducked!

“But my flames won’t be extinguished SO EASILY!!!”

Kabar swung around with a flaming punch as Para dove into the spotlight with an opposite, and beaten, punch. Flames haloing off his lines as Kabar’s fist slammed him across the face and threw him back into the darkness. The... fairly monotone face. The audience applauded the finish as Kabar posed up and smiled like he just won a brawl. Seth stood back up, fully aware it wasn’t over yet.

Kabar mimicked Seth’s bow out as he dropped back from the central spot. Seth took his place, loosening the straps on his suit pack and setting it down. He pulled it up out of its fold, setting it up in the center before putting a hand to it. He could feel the Garkah repeating his speech to him, even if he couldn’t fully hear it.

“My life has not been as easy as you may think it has been. I’ve had to survive where most would say you couldn’t. I’ve had to strive for things you would probably say were foolish.”

Seth could hear movement in the darkness,more metal feet, the different Para again, but… multiples of him.

“I’ve had to build more than just suits."

That hand balled into a fist and rang the suit like a gong.

"I’ve had to remake myself from scratch! And not in some… day spa or therapy session or whatever nonsense you think I can just pay for!”

Seth whirled around and stared straight at the closest Para, darkness refuted as a little more focus was poured in.

“I’ve had to claw back from the brink more times than you could ever know! And each time-”

That Para sprang into the light, rearing back to punch Seth out of his monologue. But he ducked again, the Para slamming its fist into the suit with a metal on metal clang, one far lighter than his own. The suit didn’t budge, but Seth was shifting back up, catching the Para with an open palm to the chest on the way up passed it. But instead of pushing hard, he added tension to his arm, and stopped his leg from under the both of them.

“I’ve come back stronger!!”

In one fluid motion he slammed the Para down into the sand, crunching it like a manhandled scarecrow.

He rose back up through dissipating sand.

“You think you’re dissuading me!”

More Paras burst into the light, monotone expressions just like the others. Seth dropped back, the suit opening to accept him. But he only slammed his arms in, pulling the gauntlets off. The two Paras attacked from his flanks, but their punches only met open armored palms.

“You’re just making me FIGHT HARDER!!!”

Seth twisted the Paras’ arms and whipped them together, smacking the two Para’s off each other like metallic plates.

“You think you’re discouraging me!”

More Paras, a whole crowd of them surrounding the spotlight. Kabar had his back to the suit as he realized he was going to have to defend himself. But Seth pulled back again, slamming himself into the suit fully.

“You’re only making me want to succeed MORE!!”

The helmet snapped shut with that hardy resounding clang. The Paras charged, punches raining down and wailing on the suit, sending clangs out like a misattuned chorus. Seth didn’t shift from the assault, but Kabar was about to be overrun by outflanking Paras. So Seth pulled his head up, throwing his voice out despite the chorus and metal blocking it.

“You think I’m weak because I wield this suit!! That I’ll break like all the others!! NO!!!”

A sudden withdrawal inward, hunching down and turtling up, letting the Paras fall over him in a pile. Kabar almost toppled over, but rolled onto his back and clamored up before loading desperately to jump away from what was about to happen.

“It will take more than your BULLSHIT to BREAK ME!!!”

At the same moment Kabar released, Seth reared back with force, sending all of them flying in every direction like he was the epicenter of a full metal explosion, and hurtling Kabar far higher than he expected. But Seth rebounded, pulled back down, balled up his right hard with that meaty resonance carrying over the bodily rain. Without hesitation he brought it back down on a late Para, slamming it in the expressionless face. He continued to spin with the momentum, kicking up at one of the Paras on the ground nearby and sending it into another one running up. His left remained extended out though, with little tactical reason. Except for Kabar to see on his way down.

The intent understood, he flung a line to it, wrapping around it. Seth gripped it tight and took control of Kabar’s momentum, swinging all the way around and grabbing it with both hands, increasing his spin with this new counterweight. Kabar, narrowly missing the ground as a result, ignited the line as what Seth had actually planned became clear. The burning hot line caught the Paras as they tried to stand up, cutting through them like a hot knife. The Paras fell limp into sparking piles of wires and plating, robots. But this was not done yet as Seth roared up as he stamped and cut his inertia short.

“AND MORE IMPORTANTLY!!!”

As he ground to a halt, he yanked the line in towards him, emotionless view slits staring straight into Kabar’s eyes, feeling the real disdain, the real Para’s presence right behind him. Kabar pulled in and prepared a flying kick. The wreath of flaming line belying nothing, as Seth turned and stared Para in the eye as well. He was caught off guard, footsteps silenced and halfway into his attack as Seth ducked, a full force flying kick slamming into a hastily brought up guard. Para was flung back into the darkness, Kabar backflipping off him to the side, and Seth shot back up. His helmet popping open as the flames flared away.

“Negative reinforcement really isn’t going to get you anywhere. You’re more than likely just going to lose out on great heroes because you couldn’t stop being an asshole to them. But hey.”

Seth shrugged and turned around.

“That’s just my opinion.”

He slammed a hand out, meeting Kabar’s as the audience applauded the end of the performance. Kabar recoiled from the full metal high five and dead eyed Seth for using him as a weapon. Only getting a flat smile in return.

“Sorry.”

The lights went out as the audience died down, leaving everything in darkness until a spotlight was shot over a podium along the arena’s edge. Para was already stood at it, seemingly unfazed by the hit he took, fully prepared to continue as master of ceremonies.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I thank you for joining us for the performances today. I hope to see you all again at graduation. It is sure to be one for the history books.”

Seth could see a tinge of anger on his face, he wasn’t expecting the unexpected it seemed. The lights of the arena came back on, blinding people slightly as they cheered the end of the recital, but allowing them to get up and leave unhindered. At the bottom of the podium was a protected bench filled by the other trainees. They all seemed in high spirits, at least at Kabar. It might end up as false hope, but the audience never voiced their distaste. So, public shaming averted in the end at least.

Seth stepped out of his suit and folded it up again, but caught sight of the robots that had attacked him. With the lights on they no longer looked like Para, instead they seemed like the service bots that almost caught on as a competitor to powersuits. Except their chassis were tougher, modifiable, and their servo motors were upgraded too. These were combat bots almost, but the real sticking point was the projected skin. Making holograms wasn’t new, and technology was advancing pretty excessively these days. But… this was physical. These combat bots wouldn’t have been able to stand up to the punishment he and Kabar put out, but the skin held them together somehow. ‘Hardlight technology maybe, but how did that not get publicized?’ Seth took a last look around, focusing out with his still learning sight, but only caught the faintest joule leaving the walls of the arena. They're hiding something it seemed. Whatever reason for it, their presence was an omen for what was to come, Seth was sure of it. Training was about to get a whole lot more intensive.

The trainees funneled out to the foyer behind Mediknight, straight into the waiting arms of most of the audience. Jacob was quickly subsumed by a group of firefighters wearing similar outfits to his, just with more finery on them. Maya’s whole family were there as well, though as standoffish she felt about them, she still seemed happy to see them again. Kabar’s parents seemed… different to what Seth had expected. His mom wore the flame patterned super suit and his dad dressed like a professional tailor. David’s mom picked him up almost immediately, literally picked him up. She was huge, with a super suit in killer whale patterns. Razor slinked off to the side and met an older couple, his grandparents maybe.

Kaz was nowhere to be seen rather quickly, but Seth caught him out of the corner of his eye walking away with his dad. Guess he didn’t want to be crowded by fans. Cleo walked up to a pair of rather normal looking women, that was until they saw her and devolved into squealing and hugging like it had been longer than a month. It was kind of weird seeing her with a normal family. Marco had his dad, he was wearing a similar gi and was a lot more energetic about showing off his son than Marco was about getting shown off. Alex… ‘Wait, where’s Alex?’ Seth saw her go in but she disappeared pretty quickly. Guess she doesn’t want the public eye either. Tabby’s parents were easy to spot, the massive lion couple making things easy. Zeleny floated out over the crowd, but looked disappointed and floated down. Guess her parents didn’t show. Ohm just stood back against the wall, watching everyone socialize. A man with a business suit, similar spiky hair, and a bodyguard walked up to him. Seth couldn’t hear what they said, but it was clear they were related. And a little bad blood ran between them more than likely.

And then there was Seth… alone. He hoisted his suit and went to go back to his room, not quite dejected, but still rather left out. As he passed the crowds he received mixed responses. Most ignored him, others gave halfhearted praise, but a good chunk of heroes leered at him. Guess Para’s attitude was common. He took most of it and continued on back to his room, thankful that at least that was over. And in a strange way, he felt better. The memories of the crisis were back to being memories, the ridiculous training distracting them away. He felt happy, and ready for next week, when he could start showing more of what he was capable of.