Junior Armada

First topic message reminder :

Silver City; a towering symbol of human determination and a testament to the human imagination. The city is protected day and night by the most powerful knights the world has ever seen. They are the Hero Armada. Dozens of heroes united under one roof with a common goal. They protect the innocent, not matter the cost. They are led by the beauty of the battlefield, Warrior Woman, the man who can't be stopped, Mr. Amazo, and the strongest man alive, Omniman. Together from the top floor of Hero Tower they watch over the city and the world, monitoring to make certain all is well. And when something isn't such, they mobilize. But today all would fail to be well from under their own roof as a Latin American young woman in a red and blue tight outfit and brown coat walks into the building through the front door.

Ricochet. Tis true what they say. Hath no fury like a woman scorned. When this woman took up the mantle of the last to bear her title she did so half out of spite. She'd been instrumental in the cretin's defeat. Now she inherited his power and many of the burdens that came with his membership. The Hero Armada was watching her. She had been a valuable member so far but she was being difficult as of late. Soon this would be a problem.

Madam Control looks up from her desk as Ricochet marches through the room to the elevator. When the doors close, she picks up the phone. "She's on her way up and she doesn't look like she's here to sit around the campfire and sing kumbaya."

"All right," Warrior Woman says in response. "Thank you for the heads up."


Some time later the conversation between Ricochet and her superiors enters a heated argumentative stage as the rising heroine slams her hands down, forcefully, on chair's round table and sneers. "You've got to be kidding me! Can't spare the people? Zephyr and Ladybug haven't had a mission in weeks! Lion Heart is pounding on local street thugs and you have me on patrol duty! You're honestly going to sit there and tell me that we can't spare a couple of people for a small strike team?"

"Adrienne, listen," Warrior Woman says.

"In this building it's Ricochet. Mask or no mask,"Adrienne says before a brief pause then doubling back. "Ma'am," she says respectfully.

"Ricochet, Ladybug and Zephyr are both Level 7 Metahumans and have access to a number of missions that we can't give you details on," Owl says.

Ricochet turns to her respected darker superior and stands upright with a sigh. "So because I'm barely a level 4 meta..."

"It's not that. The Deadwave invasion last year...and then what happened with Richard," Omniman begins, "It's an overwhelming burden and we have to make sure we're dividing our resources well. This team is an excellent idea. If we had the people to spare, I'd be more than willing to sign off on it. Be we have the remainder of our heroes on the moon base right now."

"If we had a couple more heads in this building, we'd hand 'em over to ya for your team in a heartbeat, kid, but we don't," Mr. Amazo adds.

Ricochet thinks to herself for a moment then looks away through the window. She could see a few heroes flying about outside. It wasn't an uncommon sight around here. Each of them was on a mission though. She wasn't new to that. She'd had this conversation with the Armada's leaders before. Back then they worried about her mental condition. They were entirely honest and she knew in her heart that they were right then. But now?


Following that conversation, she leaves Hero Tower and decides to go for a freerun along the skyline. She enjoyed it really. Richard was an idiot to turn on the Armada the way he did. He had it made. Everyone loved him and he was in a position to actually receive compensation for his heroic deeds. Whether he liked working with them or not, he chose the losing battle. Of course that wasn't why she became the new Ricochet. She didn't get anything out of the relationship with the Armada like he did. No, she did it for the single purpose of spiting him...and she was entirely okay with that at first. But now? Now she stayed not to make him look bad, but because...it just felt right. She lands on a low rooftop in the city and looks around for a bit. Nothing happening here. She could rest for a bit.

[ATTN: Around the Cage]

Valkyrie let out a small yell as the demon appeared from nowhere, grabbing hold of her and sending them both tumbling from the sky towards the ground.

The demon grasped its claws around her arms, immobilizing her, but a short burst of energy startled it into loosening it's grip. It pulled away one singed claw and Valkyrie lashed out in a backfist, striking it hard enough across the face to flip them both around.

The demon grasped hold of her again, her claws tearing into her back.

I'm sorry Arens.

Her eyes shifted from gold to blinding white, and energy erupted from her body, so hot the demon squealed in pain and let her go. Broad, illusionary black wings appeared from her back, and she leveled her palm down at the demon, letting loose a blast of energy as it hurtled towards the ground below. It was enough to get free, and the creature plummeted down, trying to right itself to pursue.

Valkyrie stopped her fall, starting to fly back up, her body glowing like a torch, energy trailing off behind her, siphoned away from her body.

She shot back up to the top of the tower, coming to a sudden stop at the top. The new girl was engaged with some huge demon, while the druidess tried to attack the cage - only to fail.

Livia was long gone by now, her mind buried deep as Valkyrie stood in complete control. "I don't care about your names," she started. "But you ought to know mine. I was called Adrasteia, the Inescapable, and even as I am now you will not elude me."

She raised her hands, and the energy around her condensed around her hands, firing in a concentrated blast at the witches. She darted after, more energy seeping out to encase her, sending off several rapid fire blasts at the witches. But no matter how quickly she fired, more energy was there to take it's place, hiding Livia's slowly reddening skin beneath it's glow...

(ATTN: Around the cage)
"Euuee-" Came Seance's surprised cry and she was sent flying backwards from the force exerted on her staff. She managed to come to a stop after a while, feeling a bit sick from all the spinning.
"Alright- I've just about had it with you ho-ly sh*t..." Her anger quickly turned to awe in lieu of Valkyrie's sudden surge in power. But she quickly snapped out of it. With the blonde girl and Valkyrie distracting them, it provided an excellent opportunity for her to free their caged rescue-ee.
"Alright, Mr....Well I have no idea what your name is- but I'm getting you out." She charged up more energy in her staff. "Then maybe we can find out a way to stop the wicked witch's of the north, south and west." She took another swing at the cage, hoping this time the rest of the group would prove an adequate distraction.

[Attn: Witches]

Atta-Girl looks to the witches as they attack. Her eyes narrow and her fists clench between the chains. They had unleashed pure evil into this city, her new home. She would not stand by and allow this to pass. "You will not terrorize this place any more!" She shouts as she rockets forth in a beeline toward the red haired witch, winding back and laying a punch that would topple a rhino.


Alakazam sits in his cage with his eyes closed. He can barely hear what is happening around him. He doesn't need to. Even then, he smiles and only winces every so often through the pain of being leeched for every ounce of his nigh unlimited magical potential. A thought had occurred to him and he opens his eyes to watch. Now he played the waiting game.

[Attn: All]

Atta-Girl pries herself out from the brick wall that'd caught her. Luckily she'd only crashed through office buildings and no high tower apartments. Hitting residencies at that speed could have ended terribly. Flying back at top speed, she managed to make her way back to Hero Tower in a matter of seconds. "If it is the punishment of those above you which you seek, evil ones, then let them make their judgment!"

In that, Atta-Girl had uncoiled the chain from around her arms and added to its length. Then, spinning it over her head, she swings down, across, and diagonal, using the chain to lash at the witches three.

(ATTN: Cage)
"What the f.." Seance drags on that last syllable, staring at the lights in confusion. She reared back her staff again for another hit, letting it swing forth and colliding with the cage once again.

[ATTN: All]

Energy continued to roll off Valkyrie, spent in blasts as quickly as it returned. The more she fought, the more excited she seemed, and her eyes lit up with an enthusiastic glow. All thoughts of caution seemed thrown to the wind, as she tackled one of the new demons head on, channeling her energy into a kick that sent it flying.

She fired off several more blasts of energy at the witches, unaware of anything now save for the fight.

[Attn: Witches, All]

It would take nothing less than the wrath of gods to draw the young warrioress's blood on this day. Fueled by an unyielding contempt of the malevolent, Atta-Girl bears down on the witches with her Goliath strength and hallowed chain. What blows they struck against her, she would respond to in kind. The city would see a bright, happy, worry free day again soon. Perhaps sooner than even Atta-Girl anticipates.

As the cage cracks, Alakazam senses it and opens his eyes. "Thank you," he says. "Now, mon amis, I highly suggest standin' back a ways." The crack in the cage ruptured the barrier separating him from using his powers. That would be enough for a small trick. He forces himself up in the cage. "Excuse me, ladies," he calls out to the witches. "I can't say I appreciate you interrupting my date. Just a sec."

"Hocus." Suddenly a cloud of thick, black smoke explodes up around the cage.

"Pocus." The smoke suddenly begins to disappear. When at last it is nearly all gone, the sorcerer stands there, the cage gone and the smoke being vacuumed into his hat.

He looks up to the witches three with a smile and puts the hat on. "Alakazam."

Atta-Girl turns and stares in awe as she sees this all transpiring before her. Then Alakazam takes his wand out from within his jacket pocket, as if it were small enough to even fit there. "And, for my next trick, I think I'll make that barrier disappear." With a point of his wand, the barrier goes up in smoke and when that is gone, millions, maybe billions of butterflies comprise the dome before fluttering off. With the dome gone, anyone corrupted was cured of their demonic infection. Now there was much less work to be done.

"Now for those legitimate demons." He removes his hat from his head and sticks his hand into it. Suddenly a giant hand emerges from the portal over the building and begins rounding up the demons all around, drawing them like a magnet and pulling them back up into the portal. When that is done, Alakazam removes his hand from the hat and places it back atop his head before turning to the witches. "So...what shall be my next trick?"

(ATTN: All)
Seance raises an eyebrow, but complies with Alakazam's request, floating back a few feet as he works his, literal, magic.
She is left to stare in awe as the events unfold, now standing on her staff, her arms flat at her sides, bent to the front at the elbows- as if expecting to catch some falling magic.
She blinked dumbly, her jaw slightly slackened, and grateful that her mask now disguised this almost idiotic expression.
"Ho-ly-sh*t-" She said, almost reflexively. " He's gotta teach me how to do that." She breathed as she watched the butterflies disperse.
She looked up, seeing the portal was still there- but not too terribly sure she had enough magic or energy left to close it- a large chunk of it had gone into freeing him. She zoomed upwards, examining it closely.
It was unfortunately, very large- very large- and even without the man as an energy source, it would require some work. She looked down at Aeirrya and the blonde woman, the only other two there who seemed to be in possession of magic. Well, aside from the man- but he seemed to be rather busy.
She tried discreetly gesturing for them without catching the witches attention- then again, with him in the picture, it's not like they'd be able to do much.

[ATTN: All]

Val stopped for a moment as smoke billowed around the cage. Her eyes lit up as the man inside suddenly appeared, out of his cage, and set about disposing of the dome around the city.

It was then that Ae cast a spell on her, and the energy around her surged as her speed shot up. With the witches distracted by Alakazams escape, she turned in the air and shot down, faster than ever, slamming into the green one from behind and sending her slamming onto the rooftop.

She threw a blast of energy back at the other two and concentrated the rest in her hand. Energy rolled back from her body, revealing Livias skin beneath raw and red, welts and burns starting to rise from it, and she hoisted the green one off the ground by the back of her neck. Energy continued to gather along the length of Valkyrie's arm, and she held one hand back at the other two sisters as she tightened her grip on her own.

"They caged you, Druid," she said, her eyes locked on him. "Their lives are yours. But... may I at least have one?"

[Attn: Witches]

"Pardon me, ladies," Alakazam says, removing his hat. The dark magical energy advancing on him and the Valkyrie all funnels directly toward his hat. Again the hat acts as a vacuum, taking it all in. Then, when it is done, Alakazam holds the hat up by the rim and taps on it with his wand. "Anyone ever seen a rabbit pulled out of a hat?" He reaches inside and pauses. "Whoops. Wrong animal. Wanna see anyway?"

He turns the it so that the opening faces the witches. Two glowing white eyes can be seen in the darkness of the seemingly bottomless hat. Suddenly, all of the magical energy thrown at them is fired back. But it is no mere beam or bolt. It takes form. It takes the form of an enormous Chinese dragon. As it approaches them, it opens its mighty jaws and snaps them shut around the witches three, seeming to devour them. With that, they were emersed in their own mystical backlash, multiplied several times over.

Finally, the dragon dissipates as Alakazam takes a bow and places his hat atop his head. "I was enjoying my date, thank you."

[ATTN: All]

Valkyrie turned, releasing the witch as the other two attacked, only for their magic to be absorbed by the new man. Her eyes lit up - infinitely better than my druidess.

With that thought, she jerked, staring down at her arms and flying back quickly from the fighting. She cursed, and with a swing of her arms she threw her gathered energy out, seeing Livia's skin covered in burns.

She swore in another language, catching Seances eye. "Cover me," she said, lowering to the roof of the building. In an instant, the energy vanished, her wings drawing back in under her skin, as Livia collapsed on the rooftop.

(ATTN: Group)
Seance continued to watch in awe at Alakazams amazing magical feats. How as he doing that? How could he-
Her gaze shifted to Valkyrie- cover her? She didn't have a chance to ponder what this meant as her hosts body dropped to the floor.
Should she focus on the portal first? Or her? She didn't seem to need immediate attention, but the sooner the better- and if the portal stayed open, there was also a chance for more demons to surface, then again he could certainly make quick work of them.
She looked down to Aeirrya, "Could you help me with this- preferably quickly?" She looked back down to Livia. "You know what- give me a second-" She flew down to the roof, stopping and kneeling beside Livia. Dark energy swam around her hand as she attempted to heal her- not much, but still, something. She managed to cover the burns for the most part, but the regrown skin was still pink and sensitive, and any other wounds she sustained that didn't require immediate attention were left. She didn't want to drain herself too much. There was always the hospital, or that huge mansion- which seemed to be outfitted with some high end healing technology.

[Attn: All]

As the witches escape, Alakazam turns back to the kids. "Allow me," he says. With but a snap of his fingers, the portal over the building shrinks and fizzles. It dissipates with the faintest whimper and then a small black spec falls down into Alakazam's hand. Then he tosses it back up and it explodes like a firework over the building in the form of the Armada Insignia.

With that, he turns to the girls with folded arms. "I tip my hat to you, ladies. But if I may ask, Atta-Girl, are these three with you?"

Atta-Girl looks up at Alakazam and shakes her head. "They are not. But I have seen them before. They were at the museum."

"Well, whatever the case may be, thank you, ladies." Then he looks over the side of the building to see those involved in the efforts below, helping people. "I can see the whole 'teen team' idea was a good one."

Atta-Girl looks down at them as well. Then she approaches this Valkyrie girl, Seance, and Aeirrya. "I would...like to thank you as well." Her face lights up with a jovial, welcoming smile and she holds out her hand. "Perhaps invite you to celebrate the victory?"

(ATTN: Group)
Seance turns, slightly surprised, as the two begin speaking to them. She gives Alakazam a nod and a thumbs up, giving another with her other hand at Atta-Girls approach.
"Hey, all we did was free you, you sorta handled that whole fiasco...in about five seconds."
She looks to Atta-Girl, giving a slight shrug, not knowing what to make of her outstretched hand. Was she supposed to shake it, or what? Group high five? She had no idea.
"That'd be great, actually." Especially if it gives me a chance to talk to your mage-friend. "But first," She nods her beak at Livia. "She needs medical attention. I was thinking of bringing her back to a ...friends." And hopefully he won't kill me for it...

[Attn: All]

"Oh, you will not need to do that," Atta-Girl says. She takes the Armada com from her belt and holds her thumb over the button. "Ms. Ricochet? It is safe to come into the city now. Would you please send Detox to the top of Hero Tower?"

Adrienne sighs in relief and sits back in her seat at the main monitor of the J-Armada HQ. "All right, everyone, let's get out there. We're on clean-up detail."

In a short while, the Junir Armada has mobilized on clean-up in the city. Detox arrives with Ricochet in the Cruiser and gets to work healing Lyvia up. "Don't worry, Miss, this doesn't generally hurt...unless you move around alot. And it doesn't look, to me, like you're going to be too fidgety right now." That said, he holds his hands over her and begins revitalizing her.

(ATTN: Group)
"Oh...well that's handy dandy." She mutters as Detox begins healing the unconscious Livia. She looks back to Atta-Girl. "Not sure if she'll be mad about this..." She shrugged. "So maybe when she regains consciousness we'll be able to take you up on the celebration thing. Not sure it'd be fair if we left her out, especially considering she was a large part of us winning."

[ATTN: Group]

Livia was only vaguely aware of the pain at first. It felt dulled, like hearing a conversation through a brick wall, and her hand twitched as she forced her eyes open.

A man was hovering above her, hands over her, and she was vaguely aware of conversation around her. Val? What happened?

She got no response.

She blinked, realizing something as she reached up towards her face, her arm aching. Crap. Not even a bandanna to cover her face, she'd been on a walk, not expecting a fight, and she went pale. She'd changed right in front of her mother. I am... so grounded.

Not to mention these people standing around her. "...Who are you?" she asked the man who seemed to be healing her, and she held her hand in front of her face to study it, her limbs aching with pain. The burns on it were starting to heal over, but it still hurt.

[Attn: Rooftop Party]

"I...must respectfully decline," Aeirrya replied to the invitation. "Thank you for the kind offer, however."

She looked to Livia. "Greetings," she said to her. "I am Aeirrya and when you have free time there is much I would discuss with you."

[Attn:All]

Atta-Girl nods at Seance's suggestion to invite Lyvia as well. When the girl awakes, Detox throws up his hands and steps back. "She's fine," he says. "I would be the kid who brought you back to consciousness. But, if that answer won't suffice, it's Detox. Detox of the Junior Armada."

"And you helped greatly in our bout with the evil ones!" Atta-Girl chimes in. "Innumerable thanks for your aid. If not for you, we may not have been able to overcome that threat."

"At least not until the rest of the Armada showed up back on Earth," Ricochet says under her breath to Alakazam who only laughs inwardly.

"Now that we have claimed victory over a most mighty foe, would you like to attend a celebration of their defeat?"

"Actually," says a metallic voice is preceded by the roar of rockets. Everyone looks up to find the Avatar drone hovering above. The drone lands and walks to the center of the rooftop with Ricochet and Alakazam. "Everyone's going. And so that isn't misunderstood as an offer, that would be an order."

Alakazam notes the friendly tone in her voice and deduces her reasoning all too easily before looking to Ricochet who simply shrugs in response. "Well, I guess that settles that."

Atta-Girl notes the frown upon Aeirrya's face but says nothing.


Later on, the festivities take place in the penthouse level of Hero Tower. A few Hero Armada members were in attendance as well as the entire roster of Junior Armada members, Twista's assembled bundle of allies, and the girl also know as "The Valkyrie".

Atta-Girl floats through the party, overhearing a could of the Hero Armada members talking about the heroics displayed by the kids in the junior division. It disheartened her to hear that the others weren't getting as much credit as they were due, but then it was probably assumed that they were also a part of the team. Then her mind cycles back to Aeirrya. As she floats about, she scans the room for their little alien ally.

Alakazam stood at a table with a glass of wine in one hand as Madam Control sat down, listening to him go on about the kids. She hadn't been able to watch thanks to the interference from the mystical energy at the time. She hated feeling so blind and useless, honestly. It was pleasing to hear these events told to her.