(no subject)
Time for all of Toxin's students to meet each other. Well most of them, anyway. The second in command is rather picky about who she'll train, as evidenced by her smaller than usual group of trainees. Toxin herself is standing in the center of the courtyard, a duffle bag at her feet. Dressed in her customary black skinsuit, she looks ready to deal with whatever these kids decide to dish out. She keeps glancing towards the recruit dorms, waiting for people to come out. They'd better not be late.
Pyro arrives! Dressed in a t-shirt and shorts. Mostly because he still needs to discuss flame-retardant training gear with someone. The lighter's been slipped into one of the pockets, in case training should require it. But it's more of habit than really forethought preparation. He strides out to the courtyard, with an anticipant "G'day, Toxin."
There is no way that Kalin would be late for this. He's been waiting for this day with a mixture of joy and terror. He comes in from the recruit dorms, hurrying out. Kalin's in his humanoid form, not wanting to make a bad first impression with any of Toxin's other students. Once in the courtyard he moves to where Toxin is. "Hello." He says to her once he is close enough.
One of the recruits is far from late. In fact, she's leaning against a wall outside of the student dorms, arms crossed before her chest. As the other students begin to appear, Umbra steps from her shadowy haven. A slow, even pace places her alongside the others, her expression emotionless, as always. Those around might notice a chill in the air around Amara, although she seems not to be bothered.
Toxin nods as she sees each of her students show up. "Good evening." she says to the group at large, closing an eye at Pyro in what could be a wink. Amara gets a small flash of a smile, and Kalin a nod. But after all, she knows him the least. "I will assume that you all have met, or at least heard of each other." She waves at each recruit in turn as she introduces them. "First, we have John, but you may call him Pyro. His specialty is the manipulation and control of fire. Kalin, you see him here in a humanoid form. He's a shapeshifter, however, although I don't think that quite covers it. Last but certainly not least, Amara, also known as Umbra, who controls shadows."
Well, Kalin's the only one that Pyro's yet to officially meet, so he offers a mock salute to the man and a cheery "Gidday, mates," all around. "Weeelll, to be honest, my /power/ is fire, but... well, won't get into my specialty--seeing as we're here for training and all."
Kalin returns Pyro's nod. "Hello." Just the beginnings of nervousness creeping into his voice. "Shapeshifter?" He says, more to himself then to those around him. "I guess that would work, I've never really thought of it that way. There really isn't that much else, that would cover it pretty well."
A nod is given as Amara is introduced. Her placid eyes scan the others before she looks back to Toxin with a knowing glance. "Pyro is a team member of mine, so you know that I have made a point to speak with him prior to this." As Pyro speaks, she simply looks at him. Just what does that look mean? He'll never know, but Toxin likely does. "And I have met Kalin, as well." She speaks not of her own powers, or talents.
Toxin looks around as everyone introduces themselves. "Fine, introductions made. Now, as for what we're going to do." She sweeps an arm towards what appears to be a temporary building next to the recruit dorms. But it has no roof. She picks up the duffle bag and walks off, expecting them to follow her and not checking to see if they do. Once they get to the opening in the quasi-building, it's a little more obvious what the thing is...a maze.
Pyro shrugs at Amara's LOOK, a short grin there then gone. He's young. Still has many years before he can begin to understand the intracacies of the feminine LOOK. He falls into step behind Toxin, quite ready for the training to begin. Something to do.
Kalin follows Toxin as she walks off. His gaze turns towards the building she points out; studying it carefully. Once inside Kalin reaches the opening he continues his inspections. He stands with his arms folded across his chest. The fingers of his left hand beat a nervous rythm on his bicep as he waits for further instruction.
The Laura Croft look alike follows in step with Toxin, just slightly behind her and to her side. Seems someone thinks she's right at home at Toxin's heels. The others are promptly ignored for the time being, or so it appears. Her eyes fall to the maze, though nothing on her face betrays her thoughts. Time for some fun.
Toxin points to the three entrances. Actually, there's four, but Dove isn't here. "Pyro, the left, Amara, the center, and Kalin, the right. Each maze is complicated to get through, and has obstacles, some of which are designed to combat your powers. I suggest that you do -not- be the last person to finish." With that, she steps back and motions for them to get started. "Go."
Oooh, a maze. Just like Disneyland. Well, except maybe the part where it could KILL YOU! Pyro glances between the three, then steps through the entrance. Now what was that secret to getting through mazes? Oh yeah. He places one hand on the wall to his left, while the right one fishes out his lighter. And that in hand, he sets out at a brisk pace. No last place for this Aussie, not if he can help it.
Kalin positions himself at his entrance. His gaze is kept forward and all his attention focuses at the task at hand. He takes a deep breath before racing into the entrance. Once in he throws himself against a wall and lets go of his shape. He slithers forwards on the wall, a single blue eye formed on the end of a flexible stalk to guide him.
Only a brief glance is offered to Toxin as she speaks. Running through a maze, right. Umbra walks to her entrance, then slinks through. Caution is the name of this game, and so she is one step ahead. Her pace, while slow, remains even. One advantage to being able to see in the dark is that she can see what may be hiding in the shadows.
And so Pyro is the first one to run into a break in the maze. One path goes left, the other right. The right one he'll have to slosh through water, and to the left there appears to be a lamp lighting the way. Amara's is still straight, but far in front of her it appears to get brighter, and the walls of hers are some kind of reflective material. For Kalin, a few yards down he's going to run into 4 foot spines all along the path that he must weave his way through.
Meh. What kind of choice is that? Pyro holds at the intersection, weighing his options. If only he knew Toxin a bit better, it might be easier to anticipate what she had planned. Still, she did say designed to combat their powers, so with a sigh, he chooses the left, stepping into the water, grimmacing as he holds his lighter above the mess. Let's see where this leads us.
Kalin pushes himself off the wall once he sees the spikes. His body begin to lenghten and thin almost gaining a worm-like appearance . He threads his way through the spikes, slithering, almost snake-like, between them. His eyes move back to the front of his body and extend above him on stalks evey couple of moments to give him a view of what is ahead.
Brightness. Check. The heavily tinted sunglasses that Amara has converted into makeshift goggles are removed from her belt and strapped firmly to her face. No chances, after all. Umbra's pace quickens in effort to pass this obsticle, as even though she can see, it still slightly bothers her. Mentally, at least. Good thing this girlscout comes prepared, she thinks to herself. The trick, you see, is not knowing Toxin well enough to try and figure out what is planned. Will the enemy be so well known?
Next up...more obstacles! For Pyro, it's behind door number three. A wall of....fire! Not a very big one, only about three feet high, but to get through it, he's going to have to get control of at least some of it. Amara's little speck of brightness develops into a sunlamp, covering both branches of her maze. Right or left? Once Kalin is through the spines, he may notice something odd about the floor a few feet ahead. It's electrified. Not highly, and the walls aren't electric.
Pyro finally makes his way through the channel, his shoes now quite soaked and squishing with each step. He eyes the wall of flame. Too easy. He steps up to it, eyeing it a moment before he attempts to capture the fire. Okay, not so easy. Lighter, campfire, bonfire, even. These he can do. Jets of fire, though, at least in this quantity, all being forced with the flame instantly replenishing itself. He's not going to be able to turn it off, and trying to step right isn't going to be easy either. Then a small smirk forms on his face, as he reaches toward the center of the wall and pushes it away from him, forming a fiery tunnel that he steps under, allowing himself just a moment longer than necessary to admire his handywork. And to dry off all but the soles of his trainers. Then the control is dismissed and the wall reforms and he continues on.
Kalin stops once he gets to the electric floor. He is able sense the current running through the floor and the lack of it in the walls. He hesitates, unsure if the walls are truely safe. The answer is just a little too obvious and that worries him. A few more moments pass before, with no other option, he springs onto the left walls and continues onward.
Good thing for a bit of a tan, Amara. The girl continues to comment mentally as she steps towards the maze, her progress slowed by the sudden heat. The width of the light makes for no shadow, therefore she cannot use her powers to cool herself. The burn suffered days ago from exposure to the sun aids her, as she finds the stamina to guide herself to the right. Padraig's going to have to feed her much ice cream tonight.
Admiring your handiwork could get you killed, Pyro. Learn that lesson. Everyone's maze has a series of twists and turns, and several cutoffs, in alternating bright light and total darkness. Last on Pyro's list of obstacles is a spiny maze. Upon experimentation, some of them will melt under heat, but some will not. And the ones that don't...well, they really hurt if you touch them. Not to mention they're mildly poisoned.
And after enduring heat, Amara has to endure some more. Last up is what looks like tile, like what one would put in a bathroom or kitchen. Black and white tiles. But they're not alternating. In fact, there are far more white than black. Some might be hard to reach. However, when stepped on, the white ones will cause incredibly hot air to be expelled from the walls, and the black very frigid.
Last but not least, Kalin has an obstacle course. Wavy pipes and planks, no space large enough for him to step through as a person. Some are hot, some are cold, and one or two have electric currents running through them.
Poisoned spines. I don't think we're in Disneyland anymore, Toto. Those look pretty bothersome. He stares at the obstacle a moment. "Why didn't I take the /left/ path?" he mutters, glancing around the hall for any sort of tool. Nope, nada. And the thought of trying to climb through them, well getting wedged between or stabbed by those things doesn't sound like much fun. So, fire. He fingers the lighter, a moment, puzzling over what to do. A bridge would be nice, but his control of the density's not /that/ refined. So, what does one do with sharp pointy teeth, er, stakes? BURN THEM! He throws a jet of fire through the hall, holding it hot and steady as he tries to peer through the flames to see if its having any results. A scowl turns up as it seems to have no result at first, and he throws himself into it more, letting the fire built up, sending thick black scorchmarks on the floor, on the walls, and finally the spikes begin to smolder then puddle. He's near hopping between one foot and the other as he lets the fire rage, reluctantly extinguishing it as the last of the meltable spikes disappears. He slides between the remaining pikes, a broad smile on his face. And, of course, breathing in all those poisonous vapors from the melted poison. Someone's gonna need a checkup after this.
Kalin begins to ooze through a set of pipes. A angry hiss follows as portion of Kalin begins to bubble and he jerks away with a start. His body grows smalls set of feet-like projections and makes sure the main mass of Kalin's body is kept away from the pipes and planks as he carefully picks his way through the course. He stays mostly to the cold and electrical pipes, though there are many times when that same hissing noise is heard as he slithers cross the wrong pipe. About halfway through the course a sharp cracking noise fills Kalin's ears as one of his feet, having spent too much time in contact with a cold pipe, freezes solid and breaks off his main body. His passage through the course is now accented by these cracks and hisses as more and more of him is lost to the maze. He does eventually make it through, collapsing into a puddle at the end. Between parts of him freezing off and and melting off because of the heat a good twenty to thirty pounds of Kalin are left in the obstactle course.
Umbra pauses as she notices the change in the floor, thanks to her handy dandy goggles. After much consideration, she leaps into the room, aiming for no real spot in particular. Just anywhere other than where the floor 'begins'. As a blast of hot air hits her, she tries to slide away and steps onto a black square. The frosty breeze is enjoyed as the young woman re-evaluates the room, more able to do so now that her mind isn't being fried like an egg. The next black square is easily hopped onto, although that leaves few left in the room. A few gymnastic flips place her on the next one with little exposure to the heat. Her eyes narrow as she takes the room in once more. The dim lighting from outside provides some shaded corners, now that she's away from the heatlamps. Summoning her powers, she calls the darkness to her, and forms a six foot long bridge in front of her. As she walks, the shadow behind her disappears and the bridge extends. And that brings about the exit. She emerges, even more chilled than when she entered, and removes her glasses.
Toxin is waiting at the end. Everyone will get proper medical treatments, and the parts of Kalin that were left behind will be collected and returned to him. She nods as Amara comes out first, then Pyro, then Kalin. "Well done, all of you. That's all for tonight. Go and get some sleep." She motions Pyro closer and hands him a pill. "Take that and you'll be fine. Kalin..." she pauses at the sight of the puddle. Okay. "You're dismissed." she says to all three of them as she heads into the maze to turn off the pipes, and retrieve the pieces of Kalin.
Dismissed? Pyro fingers the pill a moment before popping it in his mouth and swallowing it. He slips the lighter in his pocket, glancing between the others. Dismissed. So, they should... go then. He watches as Toxin leaves, glancing toward Amara. "That's it, then? Nothing more?"
There is a low rumbling coming from Kalin before speech issues forth from the puddle. "Understood." He slowly reforms himself back into his humanoid form and he is noticeably smaller then when he entered the maze. He watches as Toxin leaves, not sure if there is anything more that will be needed.
Who needs medical treatment? Amara's put herself through worse, that's for sure. Slowly Amara turns to face Pyro as he speaks to her, again giving him a blank look. He's questioning Toxin? How brass. "For the time being," she finally replies. A quick glance to the sky informs her of the time. "Although, as always, you may feel free to further your training. Just, be careful of how late you stay out, in case you are the type that actually sleeps during the night." She turns on her heels and begins to walk away, Padraig's room the clear destination. "Oh," she adds, without turning back to them. "Whatever you do, keep alert. You never know when it will be time for round two." Heh, perhaps that'll keep them from a good night's sleep. Rotten.
Yep, Pyro's getting a -look- from Toxin for questioning her when she comes back from turning the pipes off. "Well, if you'd like to continue with something else, I'm sure that Magneto would enjoy this maze to be taken down tonight." And another look, which might just mean that he's the person Toxin's got in mind for the job. Amara gets a glare that she should know all too well. Be good. Kalin gets a more kindly look, and she asks, "Can you reabsorb those parts of yourself?"
Kalin nods. "Yeah. I can. I'd need to wait for the frozen chunks to thaw first though." It will save Kalin a trip down to the Kitchen to scrounge for discarded containers, something he's a little too tired right now to do. He sheepish grin is sent Pyro ways. "Yeah." Is all he gets, nothing more being needed.
"Children," Amara allows herself to mumble, turning back just in time to catch the glare from Toxin. It's met with an even gaze, but Toxin should know well enough that Umbra's going to speak with her about things later. She isn't doing anything wrong, yet. With that, she disappears into the dorms, and well away from other people.
Yet being the operative word, there. Toxin motions to Kalin to follow her back into the maze, sending another look Pyro's way. "Go to bed." she says firmly, stepping into the maze, hopefully with Kalin close behind.
Pyro nods. Because be just sounds really good. Or maybe a shower then bed. Or food, a shower then bed. At any rate, he nods his agreement, certainly not wanting teardown duty, and with a last "G'night," he heads off.
Kalin follows Toxin back into the maze. His legs melt together as he walks and he ends up with just a thick, widening column below the waist. He doesn't really want to waste the energy keeping limbs he doesn't truely need. Once they get back to the maze the pieces of Kalin that are still thawed will slowly slither back towards him while those that are frozen need to be collected. "Thank you. I know that these could have just as easily been thrown into a furnace somewhere." Once his pieces are collected, he will head back to his dorm where he knows a bucket is waiting for him.