Teen Titans: Heroes of the North [CLOSED]

[Saiba Aisu]

To view the OoC Planning Thread for this RP, please click [url="http://forum.yugiohcardmaker.net/topic/283162-teen-titans-heroes-of-the-north-ooc-started-not-accepting/#entry5940964"]here[/url].

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[center][img]http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv219/GXCyber_Ice/Heroes%20of%20the%20North/teen_titans_communicator_logo_by_phaeton99-d389ryu-1.jpg[/img][/center]

[center][b]GM Post: Titans' Tower[/b][/center]

[spoiler=GM Post: Titan's Tower]A dazzling dawn rose slowly over the shining landscape of Aurora City, its brilliance scattered across the technological marvels and structures that lay below. Despite the earliness of the hour, however, urban life within the northern metropolis was already in full swing as seedy pedestrians flooded the streets and hovercars thronged the skies. Yet even as the sun rose into the sky, transforming the skyscrapers and streets of richer districts into incandescent pillars and golden rivers, another picture of the city began to emerge from the south. Pockmarked and battered, the abandoned districts of the south were somehow menacing in their motionlessness—uneven, soot-stained memorials of a tragic past and the violence of gang wars.

As the sun reached its zenith in the sky above the city, its rays shone golden against the waters of the sea, curving gently to meet the land in a crescent-shaped fashion. Known as Crescent-Moon Bay, the tranquil waters were dominated by a medium-sized island, crowned with an imposing metallic tower fashioned to resemble the letter "T." The recently finished structure—or rather, the individuals with whom it was associated—represented an endless source of fascination for the people of Aurora City. While some looked to their coming with hope and anticipation, others merely shrugged or raised their eyebrows in skepticism. Indeed, there were also those who looked upon their imminent arrival with fear and hatred, for even at the height of the year 2085, to be different could still be deadly. In any case, it was no secret that the tower would serve as the residence and operational base for the city's newest protectors—the division of superheroes known as the Teen Titans North.

===

There was a slight pneumatic hiss as the doors slid apart and a figure stepped into the area at the heart of Titans' Tower. In the splendor of sunlight falling through the windows, it was revealed to be a woman with short dark hair in a pixie cut, clad in a form-fitting black jumpsuit with hints of emerald. There was something ethereal and vital about her elvish cheekbones and eyes, which were the color of sunlight shining through leaves. Short, shapely, and confident, she strode into the complex, nodding in satisfaction as motion-activated lights came on overhead one by one.

"Computer," she commanded in a firm tone, "initiate procedure. Keyword: MOVE-IN."

There was a series of computerized beeps from unseen speakers as the Tower's automated system sprang into effect, unlocking doors, raising stairs, and increasing the permeability of windows to the sunlight streaming from outside. The woman, Evergreen, crossed her arms and continued to watch the sunrise, her sense of anticipation slowly rising, in spite of herself.

"I wonder what kind of kids they'll be?" she wondered aloud, tapping one finger against her lips in a pensive manner. She had already read the profile reports sent to her by Justice League Headquarters, detailing the main characteristics of Kresnick, Milani, Hikaru, Luxa, and Kowen, and had overseen the delivery of their furniture and clothing... Nevertheless, there was always the possibility that the arriving team members would be completely different than what she was expecting.

A roguish smile appeared on Evergreen's features as she continued to gaze upon the vista of Aurora City, only too well aware of the danger and corruption that lurked beneath its external beauty.

"Well whoever they are," she added with the hint of a laugh, "they're certainly going to have their work cut out for them."[/spoiler]

===

[spoiler=OoC. Please read!]Alright everyone, here is the first GM Post for this RP. As you can see, I have done my best to provide a brief sense of the atmosphere of Aurora City, as well as Titans' Tower. The Justice League member, Evergreen, has been assigned to oversee the move-in and orientation process for the new members of Teen Titans North. For now, she has currently activated the Tower's standardized move-in procedure, allowing you to enter the building. Your character should be making their way to the area where Evergreen is stationed, which is roughly in the center of the Tower's top floor—an expansive complex which not only serves as the kitchen, leisure area, but also an important center of operations which includes a state-of-the-art interface system, as well as a common area which connects the residential hallways (boys on the left, girls on the right). For now, be sure to present your character in an introductory fashion—you can have them interact with Evergreen or the other heroes or proceed directly to their room, which should be decorated in a manner that is reflective of your character's personality. The next GM Post will be made once everyone is done introducing themselves; in the meantime, you are encouraged to interact realistically with one another, although fighting is strictly prohibited.[/spoiler]

[Ren✧]

[left]Kowen stood at the base of the immense 'T' shaped tower. The glass of the multiple windows it hand made the tower glitter like an oddly shaped Christmas tree. Feeling slightly nervous, Kowen took in a deep breath. Stalling, Kowen looked out across the water that surrounded the Teen Titan's North Headquarters. "I bet there's no waves here," Kowen muttered to himself, a touch of sadness entering his voice.[/left]

[left]Shaking his head, Kowen tried to calm the butterflies that seemed to be playing football in his stomach. Taking in another breath, Kowen stepped forward. The automatic doors opened with a hiss and Kowen found himself inside the tower. Knowing that the meeting would take place near the top of the tower, Kowen didn't take much time to look around this lower floor. Quickly finding the elevator, Kowen made his way over and pushed the 'up' arrow. After waiting a few seconds he heard the ding signaling the elevator was there. Stepping inside, Kowen tried to calm his nerves.[/left]

[left]"I feel naked without my surfboard," Kowen said. He had sent all his belongings ahead, as instructed, and therefore had also sent his surfboard. Now that he didn't have it and the fact he was entering a completely alien situation, his normal air of confidence was completely shattered. All too soon, he heard the ding signaling he had reached his destination. The mechanical doors opened and Kowen caught his first real glance of the interior of the tower. Standing right outside the elevator, Kowen's mouth hung open. The view was spectacular, he could see the gentle churning of the bay below and the sunlight glinting off the bustling hovercars in the distance. Of course, the massive kitchen, big screen TV monitor, and the countless other cool looking gizmos. "Gnarly..." Kowen whispered, using the classic surfer dialect that couldn't be forgotten even in the technologically advanced society he loved in.[/left]

[left]It was then he noticed the stunningly beautiful woman. She wore a tightfitting jumpsuit that showed off the shape of her body. She had a strange look about her though, not strange in a bad way, but strange in a completely foreign way. "Um...hi. My name is Kowen," Kowen announced, swiping some of his unruly hair out of the way of his eyes.[/left]

[Hotaru987]

Outside of the large ‘T’ shaped building stood a wide eye’d teen, who’s mouth was open in sheer awe. She had never in a million years believe she would be standing here at this moment. When she was recruited she almost thought it was a dream, and up until now she was sure that she would wake up at any moment. As if to reassure herself this was reality she gave a rather hard pinch to her side, “OUCHH!!” Ok, so she was defiantly awake. The cool breeze swept by, blowing her short, bob-cut styled hair to the side gently tickling her face, before realigning itself once the wind stopped. The two oddly placed red and green dyed locks of hair; on the right and left side of her hair respectively. Traveling down from her hair, you then came to meet a single dazzling green eye which seemed to be filled with unbridled courage and determination into her everyday life. The other eye was effectively hidden behind a dark eye patch.
She wore a white spaghetti tank top, and an orange sports bra over it – which often got her more than a few looks. Why would anyone wear a sports bra on the outside of their clothing? Though it was a rather odd style of fashion she thought it made her look different-which it did since most thought it was stupid and unethical. On her back was a 5 foot, titanium made staff, held firmly in place by a plain black strap. Denim jeans, black hoodie, police force armband, and dark military style boots completed her attire and made up the person formally known as Milani Krovski.

Milani took in a deep breath, puffing out her chest in the process, “Well here goes nothing!” She entered the building, the doors giving a loud screech as they opened. Her single eye took in everything that she could as she walked into the building. “Hello,” She called, “Anyone in here?” She mumbled something unintelligible to herself before looking for the elevator or something that would take her to the upper floors. She was supposed to go to the center top floor. Finally she found the elevator and stepped onto it, pushing the top button then waiting.

When she stepped out she was in complete awe. It was more amazing inside of the building then outside. “This is so cool!” She exclaimed having completely over looked the two people already in the room. It was an entire living area, complete with a kitchen and even a lounge. “Wow…” Her instant thought was, 'Where are the rooms?'. She couldn't wait to see it! Her own room! In the Titan tower no less! Just thinking about it had her insides jumping for joy. [size=2]There was already another person in the room, but Milani got the feeling she wasn’t one of the new recruits. She could tell she had experience behind her simply by the aura that she could feel from her. There was also another guy in there as well, who looked around her age more or less. “Sup guys. I'm Milani Krovski nice to meet you guys.” She was dying to see how her room looked but figured it would be rude not to greet the [/size]two.

[Yang Xiao-Long]

Hikaru walked up to the rather imposing "T" figure of the building that stood in front of him. "So...this is the Titans North tower?" He thought aloud to himself in his baritone-suffused voice. "This seems like a rather grand introduction to the symphony that is this city." He unconsciously brushed his stereotypically anime-styled hair out of his eyes, just as the breeze from the bay swept by. "And now for the transition," he said simply as he walked inside.

He took a good look around the first floor of the building, and was slightly taken aback at the utter expanse of the building's interior. Struck by a sudden thought, he reached for his cello...only to realize that he had sent it ahead of him with the rest of his belongings due to its cumbersome size; it may have been lightweight, but it was a cello. And a cello was not small in regards to height. It was merely out of second nature that he had reached for his cello; to not have it with him was still a bit unnerving to him. He reached into his vest pocket for his harmonica, one of his two back-up instruments, and played a few improvisatory notes. Hearing some echo, he left himself a mental note: Bottom floor does not possess the best acoustics, but can still serve as a great practice area.

After a few seconds of searching, he found the elevator. He pressed the button for the top floor, and upon hearing the rhythmic pulse of the ascending elevator, he closed his eyes, put his harmonica to his mouth, and began to play. Hikaru found himself playing some improvised jailhouse blues, and it was only after the elevator reached the top and the doors open did he realize that he arrived at his destination. He did a quick glance around the room, saw two female figures and one male, and upon stepping out, assumed he had been heard playing music. "Um...sorry about that," he said, rubbing the back of his head with his free hand. "I guess I got a little carried away with my music." He quickly blew air through his harmonica to get rid of loose spittle still in the instrument, and quietly tucked it away into his vest pocket. Stepping over to the side and away from the elevator, he introduced himself. "My name's Hikaru Kazuki Otonashi; it's a pleasure to meet all of you," he said with a small, yet kind, smile.

[Saiba Aisu]

An ominous wind rose briefly as a slender young woman made her way towards the massive T-shaped tower, lifting her pigtails of wavy, pale blonde hair with invisible tendrils in its wake. Despite the fact that her upper torso was bare except for her form-fitting black corset, she gave no sign of discomfort at the unexpected breeze. Like the other new members, Luxa also stopped for a moment in front of Titan's Tower—however, her pause was not in appreciation or hesitation. She blinked, a flurry of dark lashes, and directed her brilliant silver-blue gaze towards the top of the structure, a small smile appearing on her rosebud lips as she did so. After all, it was merely another building, and like all such structures, it was the beings who were inside that were truly important. With her thoughts arranged along these lines, the French girl proceeded down the hallway and into the elevator, leaning against the wall with an unruffled, insolent grace as it hurtled towards one of the upper floors.

With a mechanized ringing sound, the elevator came to a complete halt, its doors sliding open to provide access to the central complex. As she strode forward, Luxa tossed her hair carelessly to one side with an elegant gesture, her manicured nails shining faintly in the light from overhead. Her heeled boots clicked softly against the metallic floor as she came to a halt before the group. She was aware of the presence of the other teenagers, but decided to ignore them for the time being, dedicating her full attention to the elfish woman clad in the black- and green-colored bodysuit.

"Phantom Rose," she said in her usual tones of velvet, addressing the woman and cutting across the animated dialogues of the other three, "reporting for duty."

People had been told to go and kill themselves with greater courtesy and human warmth.

[Hydra of Ages]

Kresnik scowled at the dawn and all the fetid rat-holes its light touched. This town was as corrupt as the sun was bright, even with a watchtower visible from space sitting in their back yard. It wasn't their job to handle the small crime -that was, of course, what police are for. But when the police failed, did it fall to them to pick up their mess? Could they be expected to ignore the soot on their front porch from the top of that gigantic letter?

She sighed and fixed her hat a little bit, allowing the shadow of the lip fall across her face. The tower had great big windows and stood at the edge of an ocean- it wasn't particularly likely she'd be able to avoid the light very well. Well. Hopefully they had good air conditioning. Or at least some sort of UV protection. For all her power, Kresnik still lacked the ability to produce melanin- and even with regeneration, sunburn was unpleasant. The raven-haired woman turned and, with a sigh, started towards the iconic tower that would be her home for the foreseeable future. It was a bit less...subtle... than she was typically comfortable working with, but she supposed it came with the territory. To bait the biggest fish, you need to light the largest lure.

She entered without fanfare, flicking her eyes quickly to take in the details of the bottommost floor. Open, mostly unadorned. Possibly a result of the building being unfurnished, but more likely intended to be an open entryway in either case. At least three exits, one of which relied on electrical power to open and another that would sound the fire alarm; a number of shallow, nigh-unperceptible footprints already scattered across the ground. Some of which belonged to construction boots, but at least five sets of indeterminate origin; she was likely one of the last to make her entrance. She made a note of such- her allies were punctual. That was, of course, good. It is impossible to complete an operation without a certain measure of trust in one's men, and trust could only be born from reliability. Perhaps this venture would indeed be a fruitful one- she admitted that she had her reservations about joining a team of specially abled young persons, but perhaps they were baseless.

The elevator opened with a hiss and pulled itself up. Unconventional design; likely using magnets rather than a usual pull cord. Locking mechanisms in the side to prevent derailment. Highly advanced. Were the power systems to fail, the elevator would simply glide to the next floor down rather than come to a complete stop- less risk of jamming as well. The tower was built with enemy invasions and attacks in mind- though she had noticed a number of defense mechanisms even in the small, relatively barren chamber before it, she knew there were likely another dozen that had been missed by her discerning gaze. An impressive building at least.

She amused herself by building a mental diagram of the tower from her current observations. Intriguing design. Somewhat ostentatious aesthetic, obviously intended to provoke fear in criminals- that, or provide an obvious target for enterprising villains. An interesting tactic, to drive an invading force towards the heroes themselves rather than the city they overlooked, but perhaps ill conceived. She still needed more data to make an accurate summation, unfortunately.

The elevator clicked open after stopping, and Kresnik shuffled inside without fanfare, grimacing as she drew her hat further past her eyes to block out the annoying light from the series of panels encasing the tower. Most of the group, as she could see, was already collected there- she recognized most from their profiles. In particular, the pale woman in the elaborate outfit was Lux -or so her sources had told her- and seemed to have interposed herself in the middle of the room. Sign of arrogance and intentional self-isolation, she profiled mentally as she strolled over to a nearby shadowy area. Possibly self-confidence disorder, as is common in powered individuals. Capable, so far as all reports indicate, but possibly disinclined to work in concert with team mates. Unlikely to be of much help.

Kresnik allowed her pink gaze to shift to an exuberant-looking woman with an eyepatch. By all indication, she seemed to be a civilian -despite the out-of-place looking boots- but Kresnik had been informed of Milani. Martial Arts prodigy, police sympathizer. Possibly immature, but used to government structure and process; likely a fair ally, so far as she could be concerned. A fair choice- Kresnik might have preferred someone with a less... excitable personality, but the background checked out and there were no obvious personality conflicts she could identify.

One for one then. The two males were Hikaru Otonashi -a musician of all things- and Kown Helms -a beast man of some flavor. Neither were likely to have professional discipline, the later most of all. Her reports on the pair were sketchy, unfortunately, but first impressions didn't impress.

Well, she knew she'd be working with civilians when she applied. She adjusted her hat again and leaned slightly against the pillar, considering for a moment the dynamic of the group while enjoying the shade.

[Saiba Aisu]

Luxa gave no indication that she was aware of Kresnick's impromptu entrance, but the pretty smirk on her face deepened ever so slightly, until it almost bordered upon open scorn. Perhaps Evergreen sensed an impending conflict; in any case, she chose that moment to act, raising one hand to silence the teenagers while the same expression of roguish amusement from before displayed upon her features.

"Children, children," she chided in her hoarse, smoky voice, crossing her arms in mock-disapproval. "One at time! And of course, you must remember to play nice with each other."

She paused for a moment so that the youngsters could relax and take a moment to laugh and get some of the nervousness out of their systems. She was relieved to see that most of them chuckled or at least cracked a small grin, as it was a sign that they would be willing to work together. Luxa's pale features, however, remained superbly disinterested, and it was anyone's guess what Kresnick was doing under that damned hat of hers. With a colossal unseen effort, Evergreen repressed a sigh, wishing—not for the first time—that she could do things her way. If it had been up to her, she would have begun the proceedings by slapping the kids around a bit, nothing too serious: just a way to break the tension and help them discard their baseless, unnecessary egos.

[i]Is this what I've been reduced to[/i]? she thought to herself briefly, almost regretting having been such a loose cannon during her last mission; after all, the Justice League Council did not take kindly to rudeness and defiance. [i]Baby sitting[/i]?

"Welcome to Titans' Tower," came a voice, and it took Evergreen a moment to realize that it was her own, falling into the patterns of the introductory speech she had been ordered to memorize. "My name is Evergreen. I'm a full member of the Justice League, and I will be working with you as the Division Supervisor for this region. We won't see each other much, but you will be expected to report to me regularly..."

She plodded along bravely for a bit, enumerating the responsibilities that were expected of them: maturity, cleanliness, honesty, and the like. [i]My God[/i], she thought to herself with disgust, [i]I sound just like The Judicator, going on and on about rules... Screw this[/i].

"Alright kiddos, listen up," she said suddenly, dropping the wise mentor demeanor as easily as if she were changing clothes. A fly buzzed past her ear foolishly, unaware that it was much too close—there was a flash of movement, and a moment later, Evergreen was flicking away the insect, which seemed to have been turned into stone. It hit the floor with a soft, pattering sound and rolled out of sight under the closest counter.

"I'm sure I don't have to remind you of the types of behavior the Justice League is expecting from you. Despite some questionable fashion choices and growth deficiencies, you all look like adults to me, more or less. Anyways, this is a pretty sweet set-up you have here—we basically take care of your food, water, and electricity, as long as your work continues to be satisfactory. We even pay for cable television!"

Evergreen paused for a moment, sufficient only to shoot a withering look in the direction of the television interface screen. "In any case," she continued, "you've been assigned here to protect the citizens of Aurora City and to prevent crime. And [i]I've[/i] been assigned to make sure that's exactly what you do. Are we clear?"

[Hotaru987]

Milani didn't allow her eye to move away from the woman in front of her, but even so she was well aware of everyone that had entered the room. Her skin tingled. Someone was watching her, and from the direction of this sensation it was the woman who entered last. Milani's smile faltered a bit, the girl was practically sizing her up seeing if she would be useful or not. Milani rolled her shoulder, feeling a bit uncomfortable with the amount of people located on her blind side. She assumed that most, if not all of them, had some type of power. Something that she herself lacked, and though it didn't bother her, it did make things difficult. Would she even be good enough to stand next to these people?

The other female, didn't appear to social either, introducing herself as Phantom Rose. Her voice made Milani shiver. [i]'Man, the guys seem to be less tense than the females. Is it some kind of hormone thing or something? They sure could stand to lighten up a bit.' [/i]She looked off to he side pouting slightly. Forget trying to keep up with the super powered people, will they even get along? Evenone was comign from different backgrounds, there's ought to be some clashing personalities. [i]'Guess all I can do is hope for the best.'[/i]

[i]"Children, children. One at time! And of course, you must remember to play nice with each other."[/i]

Milani pouted and thought, [i]'I'm not a child.' [/i]A rather childish thought which was kind of counter productive.

Evergreen then welcomed them, giving them the breakdown of the rules. Milani was instantly excited that everything was finally starting to get under way. So excited that she didn't even catch the dull and bored tone that their host was giving. In fact, as far as she was concerned Evergreen was just excited as she was. Milani was practically rocking on her heals dying to explore the building, a full blown grin on her face. [i]'Man this is soooo cool!!' [/i]As she continued to listen to Evergreen her smile faded to an annoyed frown, [i]'I wish that fly would go somewhere else. It's buzzing is so annoying.' [/i]She stuck a finger in her ear moving it about. The remedy was found when the fly flew too close to Evergreen and she snatched it right from the air.

[i]'Wo~ah..' [/i]Her eyes wide in awe. The fly fell to the floor with a resonating [i]Thunk[/i], well to Milani it sounded that way. After more talking, Evergreen was finally wrapping her speech up. [i]"In an case you've been assigned here to protect the citizens of Aurora City and to prevent crime. And [i]I've[/i] been assigned to make sure that's exactly what you do. Are we clear?"[/i]

"Crystal clear!!" Milani exclaimed throwing her hand in the air, her eye closed and smiling happily. This was going to be an amazing journey from now on.

[Saiba Aisu]

"Very well, Division Supervisor Evergreen," Luxa replied, her sweet tones dripping with sarcasm. "I understand." With great difficulty, she refrained from rolling her eyes at the naïveté of the others[size=3]—[/size]just because Evergreen had been assigned to oversee their progress didn't mean that she was entitled to respect, at least not from her. In fact, it almost suggested the opposite, since there was no doubt that dealing with the antics of five teenaged superheroes was almost certainly more trouble than it was worth.

[i]I wonder what she did to be saddled with this kind of responsibility[/i]? Luxa wondered to herself, the same faint smile from before curling her rosebud lips. Despite the interesting possibilities it offered, that was a question for another time.

"Is that all, then?" she asked aloud, tossing her hair again and crossing her arms, the very image of sultry adolescent boredom. Clearly, the French girl had intimated that she wanted this pointless audience to come to an end.

"Not just yet," Evergreen said, still looking amused despite Luxa's obvious rudeness. It seemed as if veiled criticism and sarcasm were useless against her, for the moment. The elfish woman turned to the table closest to her and began to enter a series of complicated codes into a medium-sized cybernetic safebox that lay upon its surface. A moment later, its lid swung open noiselessly, revealing a jumble of circular golden devices stacked upon a massive, thick manual.

"These," Evergreen said, taking the devices and tossing one to each of the Teen Titans, "are your Titan Communicators. They possess a variety of useful functions, ranging from real-time satellite tracking, secure communication frequencies, cameras, infrared scanning capacities, and of course, texting, although you are limited to 1000 messages per month. You know, regular cellphone stuff."

Evergreen swallowed the urge to laugh as most of the youngsters regarded the communicators with awe, turning them over and gazing at them from a variety of angles. Some professionalism would have been nice, she supposed, but she almost always preferred enthusiasm[size=3]; [/size]unfortunately, the two seemed to be somehow negatively correlated.

"There are three extra Titan Communicators in that box, in the event that you happen to lose one. Be very careful: in the wrong hands, those devices could potentially cripple some of the security of Titans' Tower." Evergreen took a moment to shoot each of the Titans a serious glance, as if to assure herself that such a disaster would never take place. "And speaking of which," she continued, "the instructions for the security system are inside that manual, it should make for some light bedtime reading, if any of you are interested. For the time being, however, I have programmed the Tower to operate on its usual security settings."

"Alright, thank you," Luxa said, carelessly dropping her Titan Communicator into an unseen pocket of her gauzy miniskirt without looking at it. "If that's all," she continued, "I think I'll go spend some time in my room."

And without another word, the French girl turned on her heel and sauntered off towards the residential hall on the right, her pale blonde pigtails swaying fitfully after her. Within a few moments, she had turned the corner and disappeared from sight.

Evergreen whistled, whether it was in appreciation or insult was impossible to say. "Well she's certainly got a temper," she said to the other Titans, jerking her head in Luxa's direction. "But she did remind me of one last thing[size=3].[/size] You boys will be staying in the rooms to the left, while the girls' rooms are to the right. You're free to socialize as you please, of course, but..."

The elfish woman's expression suddenly darkened, and for a moment, she seemed to tower over the group. "Let it be clear that this is your job, like any other, and serious infractions will not be tolerated. You're here to fight crime, [i]not[/i] to make a romantic connection with your teammates!"

[Hydra of Ages]

Kresnik nodded and walked over to the table, picking up a communicator without fanfare. She rolled the device over in her palm for a few seconds, feeling the weight of the device and memorizing its dimensions; for all intents and purposes, this would be her badge from now on. She had to resist the urge to roll her eyes at the spares offered- was it really expected that some of them would be so unprofessional as to drop a key element of the tower's security systems?

She pinned the device to her left chest, where it blended in among the rest of the badges and medals that she wore.

She had to smile at Evergreen's last comment.

"Indeed. For the record, I intend to report any instance of fornication. It is quite clear that the level of discipline here is low; however, I will not allow that to jeopardize any of our missions," she said curtly, before turning towards the girl's corridors.

"The sun is beginning to hurt my eyes, so I will turn to my chambers for the moment. Do not hesitate to call upon me when needed," she said while following Lux's path, without turning around.

[Ren✧]

Kowen was slightly taken aback by the welcoming some of his teammates brought. Of course being who he was, he hadn't read the short bios that the League had sent him, but he couldn't believe they could be so...cold. "Thank you, Evergreen. Can I call you Evergreen?" Kowen said, adding on the last part realizing that he hadn't used her official title. After two of the girls had sauntered, Kowen reached for one of the badges. Sticking it in his pocket, Kowen looked around. Remaining in the room was Evergreen, a girl around his own age, Milani as she had introduced herself, and a guy a few years older than himself.

Milani had a bob styled haircut with two interesting colored streaks, one red and one green. He hadn't caught the guy's name yet, but it was quite obvious he was a musician. Kowen had already heard a small piece of his work. Kowen knew he would need friends here. He had lost all his old [acronym='Short for brother, but actually meaning close friend.']Brahs[/acronym] When he had left California. Offering a friendly smile to each, he moved a little closer to them. "Hey guys. My name's Kowen. Looks like we are teammates now." Kowen was tempted to ask them each what their power was, but then thought better of it. He would learn in time.

[Yang Xiao-Long]

Hikaru couldn't help but shudder a bit at the slightly too professional and cold tones the two females had when they arrived after him. Sure, he was a professional musician, but the "professional" part came in only on stage and for parts of practice; this was more like backstage, or even the audience, where etiquette demanded utter attention to the one truly on stage at the moment: The woman in front of them, Evergreen.
He was, however, surprised at the enthusiastic nature of the third member, Milani. [i]Any more enthusiasm and it might just be contagious, [/i]he jokingly thought to himself, not betraying his thoughts by keeping a straight face.

When the communicators were presented, he couldn't help but look at them in awe, for he felt he truly was a Titan now, if only a Teen. He picked one up, looked at it, and then strapped it to his formal belt. One of the female members - Luxa, was her name? - had left for her room already, and he was about to go to his own room when Evergreen mentioned not to get involved in any romantic relationships with his teammates due to the Titans' professional nature. [i]Well, when the current gender ratio is 2 girls per 1 boy- [/i]he mentally slapped himself to interrupt his thoughts.
The proverbial gutter was only made worse when Kresnik mentioned she would report any instances of fornication. [i]I thought most of us were 18 or older...? [/i]Yes, he was a professional musician, but he was also a guy, and guys, well...
At least he had a good degree of self-control.
He almost physically punched himself at the thought that belonged in the gutter; he settled for a mental punch instead.
He sighed.

He was about to go find his room when the only other male member introduced himself as Kowen. After a quick glance around and seeing Milani, Kowen, and Evergreen left in the current room, he turned to Kowen and introduced himself. "Nice to meet you, Kowen. My name's Hikaru." He then turned to Milani. "And you must be Milani; it's a pleasure to meet you as well." With a sudden thought, he said, "You can call me Hikaru, or you can call me by the nickname I've gone by since I was young, which is 'Musician.'"

[Hotaru987]

[i]'This is just too awesome. My own Titan communicator! Just wait until I show this to da-'[/i] Milani laughed nervously when she suddenly dropped the communicator just as Evergreen mentioned not losing the device for it would be very bad if the wrong people got a hold of it. [i]'I-i should be a bit more careful.' [/i]Luxa was the first to leave, exiting down one of the hallways. Evergreen then explained that the girl's rooms were on the right and boys on the left. She further warned them about any romantic pursuits as this was serious business. [i]'Huh, I wasn't really thinking about that stuff but...Ok...'[/i] To be honest Milani didn't think about much of the things she did, most of it was simply gut feelings or instincts. [i]'Perhaps that isn't always a good thing.' [/i]She laughed at herself.

Kresnik agreed with Evergreen, and promised to report it if something of that nature was too happen. She too then left. "Someone needs to learn how to live a little." Milani said with a tilt of her head. Though now that Evergreen was finished talking, Milani's desire to finally see her room returned, but sadly it would have to wait since someone made to introduce themselves and it would be rude to just run off. Some guy with a tan introduced himself as Kowen. Milani could smell the scent of saltwater on him, and figured he must like being by the sea, though the swim trunks he wore was kind of a dead give away. He also had this surfer kind of vibe, and a calm feel about him. She could tell he was the kind of 'go with the flow' kind of person.

The next guy to introduce himself was the one who came in playing the harmonica. It was a nice sound to her ears, though at the time she didn't really acknowledge it. Hikaru was his name, and he gave them the option of using a nickname that had followed him since he was a child; Musician. The name seemed to fit him since he looked like he came straight from a concert or something. Milani got a good vibe from him too.

All in all she figured they would get along pretty well. That is if they were able to survive her exuberant personality. She smiled at both of them, making sure to place both of them on the side of her good eye. "Well like Hikaru just said, I'm Milani and it's nice too meet you guys too." She grinned, "Well I don't mean to ditch you guys, but I'm dying-" At this she put a hand over her heart as if she was about to literally die, "-to check out my new room, but we should definitely hang out later to get use to each other." She tossed a thumb over her shoulder towards the girls side, "And we should get those other two to come as well. Lord knows they could use something to lighten themselves up."

"Well see you guys later then!" With a parting laugh she ran off the excitement practically bouncing off of her in waves. Seconds later the sound of something hitting the floor echoed, "Hehe! Sorry Ms. Evergreen! Won't drop it again!" Her voice was heard calling back.

[Ren✧]

Luxa was the first one to leave, he could feel the tension ease in the room slightly. He watched her as she left, and despite her icy attitude he found her extremely attractive. He thought about the best way to approach her on that subject, but the haunting words of Evergreen filled his mind. [i]"Probably best to leave that alone...for now,"[/i] Kowen thought to himself, a sly smile appearing on his lips.

After announcing that she would report 'any instance of fornication', whatever that meant, Kresnik followed Luxa in leaving the central room to inspect her living arrangements. Milani and Hikaru, or Musician as he was nicknamed, greeted Kowen in turn to his own.

"I totally get it, Milani. I am eager to check mine out as well. See ya later then!" Kowen said good-bye to Milani as she raced to her room, dropping her Titan Communicator on her way out. Chuckling slightly to himself, Kowen let out a sigh of relief. It seemed that he wasn't the only that though the other two girls, Luxa and Kresnik, were a bit on the harsh side. "I probably just need to get to know them better," Kowen muttered to himself.

Turning his attention back to his other teammate, Hikaru as he had introduced himself, Kowen thought the nickname he had told them seemed oddly appropriate. "Musician it is then, brah," Kowen said, "I don't know about you, but I am eager to check out my room." Kowen turned to Evergreen, and after hearing Milani call her Ms. Evergreen he found that formal enough, but yet not so formal as to appear to be a kiss-up.

"Thank you, Ms. Evergreen," Kowen said, the tone of admiration and awe extremely apparent in his tone of voice. Upon seeing her turn the fly into stone, Kowen had found her even more awe-inspiring and terrifying than her appearance dictated. Yet, he found he liked her. She wasn't uptight and seemed to respect him for his actions and not his age.

Touching his pocket to make sure the Titan Communicator had not fallen, Kowen made his way to the hallway that would lead to his bedroom and turned left.

[Yang Xiao-Long]

Having practically felt excitement in waves from Milani in an amount equivalent to the number of times a fiddler changes tempo with his improvisation, Hikaru waved at her as she left for her room. He couldn't help but chuckle a bit when Milani apologized for dropping her communicator in the hallway directly outside.

He found Kowen's way of speaking a bit unusual. Being referred to as "Brah" wasn't something he was accustomed to. [i]Brah...? I suppose I'll have to get used to that then. [/i]He inwardly shrugged. He heard Kowen mention something about his room. "Ah. I think I'll check on my room as well. My cello should be here, and I might be able to get some progress on my newest composition." He watched as Kowen left the room, and after a few moments he himself proceeded to the door.

As he arrived at the door, he turned around and grabbed his communicator. Bowing respectfully with the communicator in his hands, and therefore in Evergreen's view, he said, "Arigatou, Evergreen-sama. I'll see you later." He turned towards the door, his communicator now back on his belt, looked over his shoulder, and gave a closed-eye anime-style smile showing he was grateful for everything Evergreen was trying to do with regards to the team. With that, he stepped out the door and headed down the hallway towards his room. He grabbed his harmonica out his vest pocket and began to play; his music traveling through the halls.

[Saiba Aisu]

Luxa maintained her cold demeanor as she walked down the girls' hallway to the furthest room, ignoring the cries and laughs of those she had left behind. Only when the sliding doors of her room had closed firmly behind her did she relax, her expression softening slightly as she ventured forward. She turned her head from side to side, her eyes flashing across the room quickly, observing the manner in which her furniture and personal belongings had been arranged in her absence.

An elegant, gloomy room came into focus, styled to resemble the glamor and elaborateness of Paris during the early 1800s. A single chandelier hung from the center of the room, casting a strong silvery light upon the walls, which were a deep shade of purple. At the far end of the room was a dressing table of sleek dark wood crowded with beauty products, crowned by a tall oval mirror emblazoned with silver roses. Immediately adjacent to the vanity stand was a towering bookcase crammed full of dusty, ancient books, so massive that it nearly occupied an entire wall. And directly across from the bookcase, tucked safely away against the opposite wall was—

"Bed," Luxa said to herself in relief, slipping out of her heeled boots. She collapsed upon the bed with a soft sigh of pleasure, gazing up at her black-clad legs with momentary scrutiny before relaxing. Rolling over, she reached for her bedside table and withdrew the book she had stored within its topmost drawer. She flipped far into the book, removing the pressed, faded flower she had been using to mark her place. Placing the flower behind her ear for safekeeping, Luxa leaned forward and continued to read, her silver-blue eyes flashing across the tattered pages.

[Yang Xiao-Long]

Walking down the boys' hallway by himself and his musical accompaniment, Hikaru made sure to keep some sense as to where his room would be, so that he hopefully wouldn't walk in to Kowen's room by accident. He walked by a door to a room, thinking it wasn't his...until he heard a distinct "clang" ring from inside. Practically only one thing in his known world made a sound that distinctive, and that...was his cello banging against the wall in the room. He figured his cello wasn't restrained, and by consequence, neither was his bow, so with a sigh he returned his harmonica to his pocket, and stepped up to the door, whereupon it hissed open and allowed him entry.

Hikaru's room was, in a word, musical. That included the lighting, which was fashioned into a sort of concert spotlight that was redesigned to allow its brightness to shine throughout the room. A slider was nearby to adjust the exact brightness of the light. He had demanded to bring his entire collection of musical compositions and various musical repertoire, which he soon found in the far left corner of his room, right across from his bed, covered with sheets possessing a cotton composition of Bach's Cello Suite No.1 - Prelude. His pillow had, of course, the image of a cello on it. He saw his closet open, packed full with his usual formal concert wear, and even a blazer or two (for a proverbial rainy day). Looking to his immediate left, right next to the door, was his computer, where he worked on his compositions through digital means, for some relatively effortless editing. His chair was next to the computer, providing a seat to access the computer as well provide seating for practice. And right above his computer was his cello. It was floating, yes, but it was banging against the ceiling, then against the wall, and against the ceiling again, providing a strange rhythm, and a very irking melody that never seemed to flow properly. He sighed again, and reached for his cello. With a firm grasp on the cello's neck, he pulled down and towards himself carefully, and then searched for his bow, lightweight cello in hand.

It was only after a few exhaustive minutes of searching that Hikaru soon found his bow...floating in the tiny space under his bedframe. After an even more exhaustive effort to retrieve the bow, he fell flat on his back onto his bed. He rested for a few minutes, still wondering why his two most precious belongings were placed in his room so carelessly, and he decided to try and take his mind off those thoughts by practicing his cello.

A few days had passed since he last played his cello; the moving process and the effort to simply get to Titans Tower meant no cello practice for a couple days at least. And so it was with great enthusiasm that Hikaru took his seat on the chair resting by his computer, as he took his cello and bow in hand. He made certain to add a few weights to his cello's unique tailpiece and endpin, so as to prevent it needlessly floating away, and once he had his bow firmly in his right hand and the proper fingerings for his cello on his left hand, he proceeded to play his cello, running the bow across the strings to the beginning of Bach's Cello Suite No.1 - Prelude, soon transitioning into Hikaru's own brand of classical improvisation; one used when his emotions needed a sort of release through expression.

The Musician played with utter passion, his long-bottled emotions flowing in through his bow, processed with full beauty in the cello's body, and out in sound waves that emanated like an aura. He played with fervor; as he moved his bow along the strings, the instrument of his soul responded in kind. From rich and dark low tones, to incredibly beautiful high pitches, Hikaru felt his instrument, and his emotions, come to life like never before. Whether it was absence from the instrument or something else entirely, he didn't know. At a certain point in his playing, though, he felt something click, and suddenly stopped, but not before ending with a dramatic flourish of his bow. Holding both his bow and cello in his left hand, he turned towards his computer, found a blank sheet of music paper, and, taking a nearby pencil, began writing the final part of his most important composition ever: the Memoriam for his father.

[Ren✧]

Kowen walked down the hallway, his flip flops making a clapping sound each time they hit his heel. Coming to a door painted with every shade of blue and white imaginable, Kowen stopped. He stared at the door and after a few seconds saw that if he moved his head it looked as if the door were shifting and sliding, like a pool of water. "Sweet," Kowen said, his voice raising in volume as he finished the one syllable word. With a metallic hiss, the door opened to reveal his room.

The room was illuminated by a single, powerful light in the very center of the ceiling. His room, like the door, was painted to look like the surface of water, but the room was slightly darker making it look more like the shallows in the ocean instead of those of a pool. After living in a car and rundown motels for so long, Kowen was astounded by the sight of his room. He had a huge window, encompassing an entire wall, overlooking the bay and the city. He stared out the window, first gazing into the deeps of the waters below but unconsciously moving his gaze to the city that lay beyond.

Turning away, he returned his attention into inspect his room. A dresser stood against the wall to the left of his window. On top of the dresser sat various seashells, rocks, and other mementos he had found on the beach. The sight of them brought a slight smile to his face but also a feeling of nostalgia for his home. He shook his head, he had to stop thinking of California as home. The Tower was his new home.

Kowen's bed was a loft. It rose about 6 feet into the air, leaving about 3 feet of room from the mattress to the ceiling. Underneath the bed was a small desk with his laptop on it. Not having much more than that, Kowen thought his room seemed pretty empty. Then he realized something was missing. "Where is it?" He asked to no one but himself. He began to panic, but then saw that he mistaken a cleverly painted door as part of the wall. Opening it up, he found his surfboard, along with his staff propped up in the closet. Hanging in the closet was also his combat suit.Taking both the staff and board out of the closet, Kowen leaned his board against his elevated bed so that it was in full view to anyone who entered the room.

Kowen shifted his gaze towards the staff that lay in his hands. "Maybe I should appear just a bit more professional," Kowen said, strapping the weapon to his back. Earlier he had felt that he was the least prepared for this team. Even the energetic Milani seemed more put together than himself.

Kowen walked over to his desk and noticed the one other object in the room he had overlooked. In a frame on his desk was the only picture of his parents that he had. "I miss you so much," He said, taking the picture in his hand and held it close to his chest. Tears welled up in his eyes, but he brushed them away. The time for tears had gone and passed, now was the time to be serious. Putting the picture down, Kowen did his best to smile but couldn't. Instead, he adopted a look of pure indifference. He couldn't let his teammates think he was weak.

[Hotaru987]

[size=3]"Gyyaahhhh!! Alright!!" Milani ran down the corridor, looking excitedly for her room.When she found her door her name was etched onto it. Her eye widened, and she slowly reached out to touch it. "M-m-m-my r-r-roooooom..." With even more enthusiasm she practically threw the room door open. [/size]

[size=3]The room was spacious, and had one bed - guess she wasn't getting a roommate - with light blue sheets. It was parallel to the left wall, laying flush against it. At the foot of the bed was a small, short desk and a tatami mat for her to sit on, which was also where her Kendo equipment was located. A dresser was to her immediate right when entering the room, and on it were a few pictures of her and her father. The walls were decorated with her many trophies and martial arts achievements. On the far wall was an entire space for her different weapons including; a sword, knumchucks, some weighted throwing disks, and an assortment of small daggers all hanging from the wall. In another corner was a small weight set, with an overhead bar that was nailed to the corner wall that was perpendicular intersecting each other; obviously for pull-ups. There was also a wooden bench that didn’t look very comfortable. [/size]

[size=3]On the right wall was decent sized tv on a stand with a few game systems, games and movies all neatly placed, and even ABC organized. In front of it was the only actual chair in the room; a black fuzzy looking bean bag that looked very comfortable to the eye. There was another door on that wall, which she assumed was where her closet was located. Other than that the middle of the room was nothing but complete space, which was how she liked it. Milani didn’t like having too many things in her room, and the way it was now was perfect! She squealed and jumped almost a foot in the air landing on her bed. “This…Is…GREAT!!!” [/size]

[Saiba Aisu]

[center][img]http://i685.photobucket.com/albums/vv219/GXCyber_Ice/Heroes%20of%20the%20North/teen_titans_communicator_logo_by_phaeton99-d389ryu-1.jpg[/img][/center]

[center][b]GM Post: "Cruel Joke"[/b][/center]

[spoiler=GM Post: Titans' Tower]Consumed with their own activities and leisure, the Teen Titans did not emerge from their rooms for the rest of the afternoon; outside, the dazzling golden glaze of the metropolis began to fade as the sun sank over the horizon. Despite her exasperation and boredom, Evergreen waited in the Central Complex as she had been ordered, reclining upon a sofa lazily, yet still ready to address any questions if they arose. When a computerized beeping sounded eight o'clock, however, she rose and stretched luxuriously, her pixie-like features arranged in a massive yawn. She was surprised to realize that she would have liked to say farewell to the new recruits—they had their flaws, but they seemed like good kids, for the most part.

[i]Still[/i], she thought to herself reassuringly, [i]it's not like they'll have to deal with any major crises right away. They should have plenty of time to get to know each other better and learn to work as a team[/i].

Nevertheless, she made sure to double-check the security protocols programmed into the mainframe of Titans' Tower before she left, not willing to take any chances if she could help it. [i]After all[/i], she realized, smiling ironically, [i]if anything were to happen to these kids, most of it would probably be on my head[/i].

"Farewell, Teen Titans!" she said to herself in her smoky voice, raising one hand in a half-mocking, half-serious salute. And then, more softly, "Good luck." Evergreen turned and strode from the room without looking back; within moments, her elfish frame had disappeared from sight, blocked by the sliding doors that closed behind her with a hiss.

===

The thick veil of night fell upon Aurora City, which continued to blaze like a multi-colored jewel, throwing its myriad brilliance into the sky, forming the dazzling curtain of light which had eventually become its namesake. Titans' Tower seemed to have fallen silent for the moment, its inhabitants absorbed in their own pursuits. A sudden wailing siren cut through the night like a knife, accompanied by pulsing red lights that flashed on and off with intense urgency from above. The glass wall that provided a view of the bay and city suddenly turned opaque, transforming into an interface monitor that displayed several lines of information and live-feed updates.

It would appear that the new Teen Titans had their first mission.[/spoiler]

===

[spoiler=OoC. Please read!]Alright guys, I'm sorry for the delay, but as you can see I'm back and ready to kick things off! The siren and flashing red lights are used to notify members of the Teen Titans that a new mission or crime has been registered and assigned to them, either by the police forces of Aurora City or the Justice League Council. Feel free to narrate your character's actions as you wish; however, please make sure to assemble in the Central Complex, where you will participate in an important briefing session regarding your first assignment. In terms of style, I will give each one of these short segments a distinctive name in a tradition similar to episodes or comic book chapters. This post marks the beginning of your first mission—"Cruel Joke."[/spoiler]

[Hotaru987]

After an afternoon of excitement at being inducted into the Teen Titans, and calling her dad to tell him about her first day, she had crashed on the middle of her floor cradling her head with her pillow. Why she didn't bother using the bed was a mystery as the bed must have been more comfortable than the floor. Milani was jarred awake by the siren quickly sitting up rubbing the crust from her eyes and the drool from her mouth. "W-what is going on." She stumbled to her feet and poked her head out the door, looking down both ways. Another few seconds of getting rid of her grogginess she realized with an anxious grin, "Could this be a mission for us? Already!?" Milani was clearly excited. Finally she would be able to show that she would be a good addition to the team. That and she was really looking forward to a good fight and challenge with an opponent. Nothing was better than going up against someone one on one.

She ran down the hall back into the central complex, surprised that she was the first one there. "Guess the others hadn't woken up yet." She looked at the monitors and screens that had appeared in the room. "This is where it all really begins, huh." She punched her right hand into the palm of her left, "I'm ready."

[Ren✧]

Kowen felt the ocean breeze in his hair. The sun shone high overhead and felt good on his bareback as he paddled out to sea. He sat in the open waters, waiting, listening. Then he felt it. The feeling all the best surfers get when a wave is coming. It wasn't just any wave though, it was The Wave. The wave Kowen had been waiting his entire life for, the kind of wave that all surfers would kill to have a chance to shred. Paddling farther out, Kowen saw the waters begin to swell. There on the horizon, was his wave. Preparing himself, the wave arrived quicker than he expected. Taking to his feet, Kowen began to ride the wave.

He could feel his board beneath his feet, it was as if it was an extension of his body. The wave felt alive underneath, like a bucking bull that had yet to be tamed. Kowen was surfing better than he had ever before. Then it all changed. The sun overhead darkened as dark storm clouds covered it. Within a few seconds, rain began to fall. It began to grow in power until it was a torrent. Kowen fought to stay on top of the wave. He couldn't afford to screw up now. Lightning arced through the sky. Fear rose in Kowen's chest, swelling into his brain. Then the sky rumbled, at first Kowen thought it was thunder but began to make out a pattern. It was a voice.[i]"You were wrong to become a Titan. It's your fault they died!" [/i]The voice yelled. With that, Kowen fell. The sea swallowed him up. The last thing he saw was a flash of lightning, but instead of the normal white hot of lightning it was red.

Kowen woke with a shout. "Must have fallen asleep," He mumbled to himself. Then he noticed the alarms. Something was up. Steeling his nerves, Kowen made sure his staff was strapped to his back. He took one more glance at the picture of his parents and mentally said good-bye. "I am sorry," Kowen whispered. With that, he walked to his door, which opened with another hiss, and walked out into the hallway.

He grabbed the ring that hung around his neck and began to mess with it.[i]'It doesn't matter what has happened. It only matters what you make of it, and what you do after it.'[/i] The words echoed his mind, the words he had been using to reassure himself that there was nothing he could have done to help his parents. Shaking his head to clear such morbid thoughts, Kowen made his way to the Central Complex for that was sure to be where things would begin.

Arriving at the Central Complex, Kowen saw that he wasn't the first to hear the alarms. Milani was already there. "Looks like we are the first to show," Kowen said, a tired smile appearing on his face.

[Yang Xiao-Long]

Hikaru woke with a start.
Gathering his wits, he looked around and saw his cello and bow on the ground. "Ugh...I must have fallen asleep somehow...," he muttered to himself. After a spark of realization, "Oh, that's right! I was working on my composition!" Taking a quick glance at his work, he grew a bit worried. [i]What in the world was that last note? How did I not manage to stay awake for one more note? [/i]He grew a bit agitated at the fact, and picked up his cello and bow from the floor before sitting down and playing a quick piece of emotional output; he needed to cool down, and his music was the only output he ever had available to him.

After he had finished playing and had his cello set down carefully, sirens began to sound, startling him for a second. "This sound...it's so...out of tune...," he said, rubbing his forehead disappointedly. It took a good second for it to sink in that the blaring siren indicated an emergency. Upon this realization, Hikaru calmly but hurriedly grabbed his cello, took off the weight only from the tailpiece, strapped the bow to his cello, and strapped said instrument to his back with an over-the-shoulder sling. In this fashion, the weight of the cello wouldn't be burdensome at all, yet when the need arose he would simply slide his instrument off his back with ease, and the flying capabilities of his cello would be reduced to floating at a fixed elevation, allowing it to be played while he stood.
He quickly gazed around his room, making sure he didn't forget anything, pausing only for a second when he saw his still unfinished musical composition. He decided to leave that composition on his desk for a later date, and left it alone. After deciding that he had everything he needed, he turned the light off in his room, and walked out the door, cello on back, and harmonica and piccolo in pocket. "Will tonight's performance be 5 solos, or an ensemble?" he quietly wondered to himself as he walked down the hallway.

As he arrived at the central room, he noticed Milani and Kowen already present. "Looks like we're about to play in our first performance. Are you ready?" he asked them, his expression calm all the while, not betraying his inner desire to destroy the creator of what was possibly the worst sound he ever heard in his entire musical life.

[Saiba Aisu]

Deep within her most precious sanctuary, Luxa lay sleeping, her graceful frame stretched across the bed, her blonde pigtails splayed to either side. Sleep seemed to have robbed her face of most its cold impassivity, for a gentle smile curved her rosebud lips, almost as if she were dreaming of something pleasant. When the silence was rent by the wailing siren and the flashing red lights, however, her reaction was instantaneous: Luxa sat up in her bed, eyes narrowed as if she were under attack. After a moment's scrutiny of the room, she discarded the book she had been reading—now almost finished—and quickly slipped into her heeled boots.

As Luxa hurried down the hallway to the Central Complex, her features began to fall back into their usual patterns of scorn and disdain; by the time she turned the corner and joined Milani, Kowen, and Hikaru, she seemed as perfectly composed as before. Nevertheless, she was in a foul mood due to having been interrupted during her leisure time.

"You've got to be kidding me," she said, tossing her hair with a haughty gesture and then crossing her arms. Her silver-blue gaze was directed towards the interface screen and the information it was displaying; most specifically, the hour, which was set at almost midnight. "A mission, at this time of the night?"

[Hydra of Ages]

[i]Section 2-263:C - Standard Communicator Use Across Publicly Reserved Channels and Wavelengths. In the circumstance a communicator must hijack a signal reserved by a public-access or privately owned party, documentation must be completed for the length of time such a signal was in use. Form 2:314.B and 1:082 located in the appendix provide the...[/i]

Kresnik shook her head and looked away from the operations manual. As both a legal and technical resource it was surely invaluable, of course, but she had an inkling that nobody actually expected all the members of the team to search through the thick tomb. It smelt to her of a largely legal ploy, a loophole defence that allowed them to argue that the team was following the law even if they weren't, in truth. While there was a shocking amount of paperwork that had to be completed daily (often in triplicate), almost none of it was actually necessary except in the rare case that they got audited (by one of the Justice League's own in-house legal teams, of course) or were forced to appear in court. And that in itself would be a feat, considering the legal immunities and loopholes one would need to jump through to take a superhero to court for their own crimes...

She sighed, sat back in her chair, and balanced the pen in her right hand on her upper lip. Quite fortunately, someone had taken the precaution to provide her room with thick, dark-grey draping that essentially eliminated outside light. Whomever had done the outfitting, they obviously had a good idea of what Kresnik preferred in her personal space- a large spartan room, with blank grey walls and her amenities allocated in an efficient manner. Her bed was a simple futon, comfortable and compact, fitted into a small out-of-place nook in the corner- a thoughtful inclusion, given that Kresnik barely slept and found it difficult to relax on anything much more plush that that.

The west wall was entirely taken up by a library of legal and technical manuals, many of which, Kresnik found to her surprise, she hadn't quite heard of before. There were references on essentially anything she might need, books on criminology she might want to study and what appeared to be an anthology of the latest years' graduates' thesis projects at the country's most prestigious universities. All useful material- Kresnik didn't expect to be bored for quite long, even after she finished the overly bulked communicator manual. She wondered if they had given her so much reading because they knew of her insomnia, or just as a matter of course- it didn't matter particularly, but she still wondered how they got things quite so right. Perhaps that background check they did on her was more thorough than she remembered.

The table she sat at, however, was a familiar inclusion. Modified from a design desk she'd bought years ago, the titanium surface provided a number of tools built into the side and a holographic display to aid in both dismantling and constructing technology- already, she'd taken a good look at the complex inner circuits of her communicator, and was ready to make a number of small improvements as soon as she finished reading all the design notes. She kept only a reading lamp attached to the side of the table on- while her room had number of different lights, varying from typical electrical wiring to low frequency red glow, simple was usually better.

She'd kept the drapes closed before, but opened the window later into the night as the moon had risen. The stars weren't very bright -given their proximity to the city- but they were a welcome sight to the high-strung detective. She walked over to the window and sighed a bit, staring at the sky- relaxing. Maybe she should just-

WRRANG. WRRANG. WRRANG.

The alarm rang out and Kresnik was off in a flash, barging through her door and dashing off to the central room. The interface had changed, now providing information on a new mission; she took to the shadows of one of the corners, only now realizing she had forgotten her hat, and waited for the others to arrive. It didn't take too long before the entire team was present.