The night had played out like any other, a long day of classes a rather drab and boring dinner followed by a few hours of lying back before it was time for bed. It was one of those nights. You know, that night where no matter what do or try there’s just nothing to do. Three hundred movies and not a thing you want to watch. Over one hundred video games and not a thing you want to play. Internet? Sure, but no one’s hanging out in your favorite chat room this evening.

The commons was silent save for the large OLCD television providing the grandest picture of the least amount of interesting television FOX had to offer this evening. Bored out of his mind Kazuo clicked on the remote, one channel after another. Frank sat lazily on the opposite end of the couch, just as bored and losing hope that anything would be found to watch. Ren was talking to Jamie at a small table by the window, which was common for him; he seemed to a guy who always had someone or something needing his attention. Revenant sat over by the wall scrawling something in his journal as was common for him.

Morri however wasn’t there for any particular reason than to spend a few moments ‘people watching’ in an attempt to gain better understanding of people and hopefully her place among them. She really couldn’t have picked a worse night…

An explosion suddenly caught the attention of everyone in the room. All heads suddenly shot over to the direction of the OLCD screen. It appeared Kazuo had found something interesting to watch…

“We are live on the scene,” a pretty news reporter almost yelled into her microphone as she ducked low and pressed an earbud into her ear. “Again, we are live in Times Square where an anti-mutant protest has turned violent with local pro-mutant activists over the recent Dreadnought Initiative announced by President Obama just earlier this morning!”

The camera wavered as another impact shook the ground. A car flew through the air and landed into a small crow of people, crushing and killing several almost instantly. A mammoth of a man, eight feet tall and bulging with muscles laughed as the vehicle skidded to a halt in a shower of bloody sparks. There appeared to be other mutants present, only a few, their features obscured by dust and debris, but they were no less relentless in their abuse of any local citizen who came within reach of their abilities.

“Authorities have been altered but so far gas, live ammunition and negotiations,” every mutant present in the commons room of LHA noticed how ‘negotiations’ came last in her sentence. It was the perfect spin and the media was popular for it. They’d claim that the authorities tried talking down the mutants before killing them, they just failed to mention that they shot first and talked down later. “A stalemate has been reached but thus far the local authorities have been unable to reach national authorities to resolve this issue without further civilian casualties!”

“Oh, God.” Jamie said softly, horrified by the spectacle. The young warper covered her mouth in shock. “They’re going to blame us all for their stupidity.”

Kazuo hated nights like this, nothin' to do, and not a goddamned thing on, except some fuckin' protest rally about something he didn't understand and didn't really care about. Some of the shit they were talking about did sound sorta familiar, like maybe a teacher'd been talking about it in one of his classes or something - one of the really boring ones...

The other kids seemed to know what the hell this was all about though, so he turned to look around at them and asked, "Oy. Whatsa 'Drednot Initiative'? An' why's this dumbass oni-lookin' motherfucker an' all his little friends so pissed off about it?"

"Do you ever fucking read the news, Cyclops?" Ren asked lackadaisically. That earned him a nasty and reproving look from Jamie.

He shrugged defensively back at her, then turned his head slightly to add. "Anti-mutant legislation. And that right there," he pointed at the big screen. "is the kind of bullshit that makes it possible. Fuckwad grows some green skin and thinks he's the hulk and starts tearing shit up, and the rest of us pay for it."

"Ren." Jamie chided.

"What? It's true as hell. You think Conrad Whatshisface and the rest of those goons in suits give a shit if you only cross when the light is green? Fucking ay, Jamie."

"REN. I don't like that language."

"Yeah. Okay. But," Ren stabbed his finger at the TV screen a few more times. "that's why we're all gonna wind up staring out of electrified fences and drinking nettle soup and wishing we'd been as lucky as that freak Mark, living off caterpillars in the fucking woods."

"You're hopeless." Jamie shook her head.

"I'm realistic." He corrected mildly.

"Cuz the news sucks. Anyways, why should I when yer sittin' right there an' can tell me all about it, ya pussy-whipped little shit?" Kazuo's language as he spoke to Ren was pretty harsh, but his expression was disinterested and mild.

He listened as Ren ranted for a couple of seconds, and then turned back to the television set, looking bored. Kazuo was pissed at what he saw on the television set, and in principle at least he agreed with Ren, but he was just as pissed off at the douchebag mutants killing people on national television as he was at whatever this 'Dreadnought' anti-mutant legislation was. And anyway, what the hell was he supposed to do about any of this shit?

Tired of watching people die violently on live television while the news reporter on the scene tried not to look too excited about it, Kazuo started flipping channels again, hoping to find a good movie or something.

"Grass hops better," Morri said suddenly. She'd been having trouble following the conversation, but the talk of sustainable food had caught her brain. As the others blinked at her, she said, "Cata Pills squishy. Grass hops have good taste, strong crunch."

Her eyes turned back to the television, even though Kazuo had flipped away from the news. She thought of herself, in the wilds of Africa, killing and hurting. She thought of the big mutant who had stopped her. He'd taken that some of the blood off of her hands when he'd done so.

"Where way to Times Square? Math room?" They talked about squares in math, surely that was right.

Ren stared at Morri for a long moment, then shook his head and rolled his eyes. "Cyclops, put it back on, man. Maybe you and Special Ed over there can learn something."

Jamie reached discretely under the table give Ren's side a strong pinch.

"Ahh!" Ren abruptly straightened. He locked eyes with Jamie, who looked unflinchingly back at him, then slowly settled back into his slouch.

"Times Square is in New York," Jamie patiently explained.

Morri scowled. She knew that New York was far away from here. She needed a car to get there before things were done. "Need car," she said, as if this were the most normal request in the world. "Need go." She waved in the general direction of the TV.

There could be no mistake - the obvious mutant wanted to drive into the heat of a mutant-caused riot and try to stop other mutants from hurting humans. It was crazy, but then so was the red-eyed girl.

Kazuo ignored the annoying Korean kid and kept right on flipping through the channels, trying to find something cool on. He smirked and chuckled when Jaime pinched Ren though.

Kazuo's smirk turned into a large grin as he listened to Morri's craziness, and when she was done he said, "Ya don't need a car ta get there, Morri."

When she looked at him with a confused look on her face, he grinned mischievously and explained, "Just ask Jaimie, Morrie. She could getcha there right now."

Frank sat farthest away from the television, quiet and unobtrusive. The news was making him sick, and only partly because of the violence and death. Anti-mutant sentiment had never affected him until so recently. He had taken it for granted his whole life that mutants were dangerous, savage freaks that needed to be controlled or put down. He had never known any, nor known anyone who knew any. Mutation just didn't happen in the suburbs.

Then it turns out that Frank is one. Shame, guilt, embarrassment, horror, loathing. His parents still loved him, but were probably traumatized by the guilt and shame that they had spawned a mutie freak. At the same time, he disappointed them, couldn't be the kid they had wanted. He knows it's not really his fault, but the feelings are still there. There is also the feeling of being a victim. We're victims of chance, just as if we were hurt by a natural disaster, but there's no sympathy for us. We deserve sympathy, some compassion. Why was none of this apparent until after becoming?

The mutants on TV, in New York City, were they once normal? Do they remember what it was like, how they felt about mutants? Maybe they do. Maybe that's making them angrier.

Now Frank practically didn't know anyone except mutants, and they're the same as everyone else for the most part, just often with built-in concealed weapons... Was Frank the only kid in the room raised in America? How are mutants treated in other countries? A couple of these kids are Asian. Are mutants treated the same over there? Do these kids remember how they felt about mutants before they found out about themselves?

When Kazuo changed the channel, Frank opened his mouth to ask him to change it back, but closed it again. The scarred boy was intimidating, and Ren started to argue with him anyway.

Trying to go to NYC immediately seemed like a very bad idea, especially conspicuously by teleporting in with glowing eyes while the authorities are so trigger-happy. We do mostly look normal, though. Maybe if Morri wore my hat and sunglasses...but no, that's so risky.

Frank leaned forward in his seat and continued to listen to everyone.

Jamie, who'd been comfortably snuggled against Ren, scowled at Kazuo and closed her eyes. "We're not the Super Friends," she mumbled. "I'm not 'porting anybody into something like that. It'd be suicide." And maybe if everyone stopped talking about it she could get to work in pretending it wasn't happening at all.

Morri frowned, her eyes narrowing at the semi-somnolent girl. Moving quietly, she stood and stopped in front of Jamie. "Not friends. Not super." Her hands knotted up into fists as she struggled to explain why Jamie had to take her.

"I once butcher," she said, her red eyes intense and not-at-all blank. "Monster stopped me, rescue me from me. Now, I must be monster, to stop them butchers. Take me to Clock-"

"Times," Kazuo interjected, trying not to laugh.

"Times Square," Morri insisted. "If you not take, find another who will. You only waste time then. Only waste life." She stared at the warper, willing her with all the passion she couldn't clearly express to do what was necessary.

Jamie's eyes flickered open. "Are. You. Serious." She stared at Morri in blank disbelief. "If you want to take your life into your own hands, fine, whatever. But I'm not helping you." She sat up, crossing her arms obstinately, and glared back into Morri's red eyes with all she was worth.

"Far better it is to dare mighty things," Warren's journal shut with the 'thump' as he stood up. Morri's words, broken as they may have been reminded him of something he'd read while in the Facility. "To win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory or defeat. Theodore Roosevelt"

"Morri is right." He approached Jamie and noticed how Ren tensed up a bit, wondering if the though guy was going to cause problems for the couple. "They're hurting innocent people, Jamie. You can just turn your back on that? Look guys, I'm all for a fight every now and then, but I'm not going to go start rolling over first graders just because I have a wild hair up my ass one day. That's what those guys are doing there right now, those people are powerless to stop them and they're hurting them just because they can."

"So, Jamie, save Morri and me the trip, open us a portal and we'll get back on our own." His gaze was calm but determined. "Sure, we might get our asses kicked, or worse, but at least we can say we saw a means of fixing a problem and we took it," he looked to the couch. "Not sat on our asses and watched TV because we were to chicken shit to get into a little scrap and save a lot of kids from waking up tomorrow with no mothers or fathers."

He looked to Morri and half grinned. "Good call, Red."

"Name Morri," she informed him, wondering how he could forget her name within seconds of addressing her with it. She still gave him a comrade's nod as another monster joined the growing battle. She turned to look at Jamie, her expression expectant. It was her choice to go and fight, to die or live, to win or lose. She'd had no choice in being a butcher, but now, she would choose monster every time.

"Idea bad." Ren told Morri with a quirk of his lips that might have been a smile. "Good not." He put a hand on Jamie's shoulder and turned to elaborate for Revenant.

"Listen, Columbine, what exactly do you think is gonna happen if Jamie here pops a portal and you all go tumbling into the middle of mutie massacre? Hmm? I mean, nice speach and all, but do you think the SWAT team's gonna care that you and Special Ed are battling the bad guys?" Ren's incrutable expression gave way to a silly face. "Hey, cool more mutants to shoot at...that's what's gonna happen. And I dunno about you and Maurie or whatever, but I'm sure as shit not bullet proof."

Ren turned toward Jamie with mock seriousness. "Jamie, are you bullet-proof?"

Warren held up a finger. "First, you call me Columbine one more time, I break your nose."

He held up a second finger. "Second, then stay here. I'll open one for us." He looked to Jamie. "Look, I'm not asking you to fight with us or even take responsibility for me walking through, you ain't a fighter and hey, that's cool. I'm not asking for heroism from you, just a one way door. We'll do the rest." He motioned between himself and Morri.

Gently he placed his hand on her shoulder. "Jamie, people are getting hurt, and we have a means of stopping that. We'll level the playing field, they can't defend themselves, we can."

"First, touch her again and I'll rip your fucking nuts off and make you eat them." Ren held up a finger, his middle finger.

"Second," Ren held up his other middle finger, "you're only gonna make things worse, because you're a fucking punk kid who thinks he's fucking Batman. So fuck off and let the dumb psycho muties get themselves killed."

Warren rolled his eyes. It was cute the way Ren was trying to play bad ass, but his mind was on other matters. "I don't have time for this." He muttered softly.

Jamie felt the slightest shock between her and him as Warren removed his hand. His flesh cracked and popped and tendons and ligaments reshaped themselves. His hair became matted and oily and dark rings appeared below his eyes like he hadn't slept in days. His body collapsed inward as his skin was pulled tight over his bones and within seconds, to Jamie's horror and all those present, Revenant was a bleak ,dark, vile looking reflection of Jamie herself.

"Thank you." He said with a grin, his voice sounded like her but there was a shrill echo underneath it. "So it's Morri and me? Anyone else want in on this?"

"That's fuckin' gross, dude", said Kazuo in disgust as he watched Warren twist and change into a darkly-reflected Jaimie.

Personally, Kazuo'd been more than ready to just forget about the whole mess and find something else to watch on TV. But that didn't seem destined to be. Kazuo made one mistake and asked what the hell 'Dreadnought' was, and 'Kim Duk Dong' over by the window uses it as an excuse to show everyone how (*cough*opinionated*cough*) well-educated he is, talking about how stupid the mutants on the news actually were. Which - seriously - thanks for that little bit of enlightenment, Kid-Buddha. Where would the world be without your wisdom?

Then Morri gets a hair up her ass to go fight with the chuckle-heads causing the ruckus on the news. Big surprise there. Whereas a lot of girls will drown their problems in chocolate and ice cream, Morri would just hit them - repeatedly. It hadn't happened yet, but Kazuo kept expecting to find the bathroom mirror shattered some morning because Morri got into a fight with her own reflection after her hair refused to be cooperative. He figured it was just a matter of time.

And finally 'Spaghetti-Bomber' Warren pipes up with quotations from dead presidents and other melodramatic bullshit, all designed to convince them that they should want to rush headlong into that mess in Times Square and save the day, or to feel guilty about the fact that most of them didn't. Kazuo found this annoying because he already knew all that shit, and he just didn't care. Kazuo let people treat him like the scary-but-stupid tough guy all the time because it suited his purposes, but he was more than capable of putting two and two together and he knew what the score was in New York. He just didn't give a shit.

So to sum up: Kazuo knew exactly what was happening in New York and wasn't letting it bother him any more than any other pack of idiots fighting with each other for no apparent reason in some part of the world where Kazuo wasn't; Morri had no idea what was going on, aside from the fact that people were getting hurt and she wanted to stop it - which Kazuo had to admit was sorta cool; Warren knew exactly what was going on and he still wanted to go there and stop it - Kazuo wasn't sure what to think about that; and Ren and Jaimie were both saying that they cared about what was happening but that it was stupid to go and try to stop it. Which was total hypocritical bullshit. What they were really saying was, 'it sucks that those people are getting hurt and all, but if we step into the middle of all that we'll probably just get hurt ourselves, and maybe even killed, and no way are we risking are necks for any of them'. Or to paraphrase, 'better them than us'.

And frankly, that was an opinion that Kazuo could've respected, and maybe even agreed with - if they'd just come right out and said as much. The fact that they were trying to disguise it by acting 'mature' and 'responsible' (not to mention condescending) annoyed Kazuo more and more as the argument went on.

Maybe it was his annoyance with Ren and Jaimie that made Kazuo change his mind, and maybe it was just because he was really stinkin' bored, but when Warren asked who else was coming he found himself getting up from the couch and tossing the remote onto the cushions and saying, "I'll come. The way you two fight, yer gonna need someone to watch yer backs."

With a wry grin he added, "'Sides, there's nothin' good on the tube anyway."

Getting the one-eyed kid to watch your back... Ren couldn't help snickering...once he'd finished swallowing back the vomit in his mouth that Revenant's transformation had occasioned. That was pretty indicative of the genius planning behind 'Operation Self-Righteous Douchebag' as he liked to think of it.

"There is now..." Ren answered Kazuo as he went over to the couch and retrieved the remote. He changed the channel back to the news station covering the attack in the middle of Times Square, leaned his arms over the top of the couch and then looked expectantly at the three would-be heroes, though he avoided eye-contact with the hideous Jamie-like abomination.

"Have fun storming the castle." The voice was not Ren's, though it came from his mouth. The voice was Billy Cristal's. Not an impersonation but the exact same voice of Miracle Max from the Princess Bride.

Frank stayed silent and still, thoughts chasing each other in his head. It's interesting that only the freak-shows in the room wanted to go fight other freak-shows in the city. It's too bad that Morri is one of them. She doesn't seem able to fully predict the consequences of actions. The other two don't have excuses that I know of. Getting in a televised brawl between killers and cops legally endangers the school and would certainly lead to expulsion. That Warren kid is waaay messed up. Seriously disgusting, Jesus Christ. What the fuck kind of mutation is that?

Cold rage ran through Morri's body. It wasn't that Ren was mocking her. Morri didn't mind words; they didn't hurt. Or they hadn't hurt, until today, when they were used to deride what she knew she must do. Why would he be so mean about her doing what she'd said she must do? What right did he have to tell her no?

Then Revenant fixed all that with a simple touch. Morri wasn't sure what he'd done, but was willing to trust that he wanted the same goal that she did. Morri's eyes widened at what Warren had become, but his appearance didn't bother her so much as the transformation itself. She hadn't seen that before, and was surprised by it.

She didn't really expect anyone else to go, so when Kazuo stood up and announced his intentions to go, Morri flashed him a smile. It was the closest thing that any of them at seen to a real smile from her; for her part, if was spontaneous. She'd been really happy that her roommate had offered to come, and it showed - until Ren took it away again.

With a growl that seemed at least half-animal, she glanced at Frank, remembering him from the cafeteria. When he didn't move or join them, her look changed to disdain. "Do nothing, kill people with lazy fear. Now, die guilty," she hissed to those staying behind. Turning, she looked at Revenant, waiting for him to make this happen.

Frank was surprised at Morri's glance and chastisement. His initial reaction was that she was being overly simplistic, overly judgmental and continually unthinking. But, her statement reminded him of Azimov's Three Laws, the first of which was that a robot may not, by action or inaction, allow a human to be harmed. Now, we aren't robots, and that isn't a great analogy to this situation, but there is a relevance in the moral obligation to help other people if you can. No, the analogy is not very good. The risks are high here, and self-preservation was a relatively low priority for robots compared to people. It is okay to not help people if your own life is at risk.

The news was back on, thanks to Ren. So much destruction and killing, but not very sophisticated. Gross assaults by the mutants, authorities shooting towards the obvious threats. News helicopters provided helpful footage of the streets from the air. Some of the more frequent civilian casualties were due to trampling as the mobs try to evacuate. Injured people who can't get away. Helpless victims of other people's drives for self-preservation. That's more like what I'm doing. And I am not such a weak person anymore that my survival could not be assured without neglecting others. I am stronger now than the members of the trampling mobs. There are large sections of streets absent of combat, but still residence to people needing help. There are opportunities for me to do something useful without endangering my life or the school. And I look normal. I think I would be alright. Frank repeated that thought to himself a few more times.

He stood up hesitantly. "I would go, but not to fight, just to help people get to safety." He gestured towards the television, then addressed Warren. "Do you have a plan besides 'Go there and fight'? It would be best to arrive discreetly."

The ghoulish teen looked to Frank and smirked. "Course I got a plan. Those guys are Ragnorok, I recognize the big guy. They're street mutants, like me. I can probably talk em' down. This'll be easy."

With a bit of a strain Warren closed his eyes and focused on their destination. Jamie, although still learning her power, was vastly superior in her skill with it over the soul thief vagrant. She could have already had the portal open where Warren had to call on a bit more focus.

There was a purple crackle of energy a few steps from him and then the space in front of him suddenly yawned open with a deathly shriek that sounded as if he'd opened the gates of Avernus. The opposite side of the portal was blank, no one could see, upon stepping through, where it would take them.

On the television screen, under the massive big screen in Times Square a portal yawned open and the three remaining mutant trouble makers turned to see what was going on.

Warren stepped through the portal and appeared on the other side, his form wavered and shifted and he returned to his normal self...

"That is the opposite of discreet," Frank muttered as he watched Warren appear on the television. Frank only hesitated a second, though, trying to hold on to the momentum of his decision to help out. He didn't want to chicken out all of a sudden. His skin blackened, and his body diffused a little, like fresh ink on wet paper. He jumped through the portal after Warren.

Darkness silently exploded from behind Warren, as if there were such a thing as the opposite of a flash grenade. Everything was obscured within an area that reached halfway towards the NASDAQ, Europa Cafe, and recruitment center. Particularly keen observers might have noticed a dark figure diving under a car on Broadway before the darkness dissipated.

"Shit", muttered Kazuo as he watched Warren appear on the news and realized that was going to be him in a few seconds. Yeah, this was a fantastic way to stay hidden from the Genyosha; appear on national freakin' television. Someone probably should've suggested to Warren that opening the portal right into the middle of all that mess was maybe not the best idea ever, but then again, that someone probably should've been him.

Kazuo sucked on his teeth pensively as Frank stepped through the portal ahead of him as if reconsidering his decision, but then he just shrugged, stuffed his hands into his jacket, and carefully stepped through the freaky-looking portal. Once on the other side he spent a moment rubbing his eyes and assuring himself that Frank's "explosion" of darkness hadn't actually blinded him, and then - once reassured - he took his place casually enough next to Warren.

Morri followed her roommate, wondering what that word he'd said meant. It seemed like a reminder of what they stood for, like his native word for 'courage' or 'bravery'. It had a nice sound to it, and was short enough to be said easily. As Morri entered the eerie portal, she mouthed the word. It helped her to overcome her instincts, which were screaming at her that the hole in the air was dangerous. But the others had done it, even if she didn't connect their presence on the TV with their disappearance and she wasn't going to abandon them.

Once on the other side, she saw Kazuo take his spot, and she did the same on the other side of Warren. Facing the other mutants made her blood rush through her veins with anxiety. But she took her place without hesitation, a warning growl rumbling in her chest.

It was pure anarchy on the opposite end of the portal. The police went abuzz on their radios as everyone thought more mutants had come to join the chaos in Times Square. The intersection was lit up like the day at noon between the lights from the big scree, the choppers, and the vehicle spotlights. In the very wide perimeter around the scene the officers were hunched behind their squad cars, fire arms pointed to fire at a moments notice. The crowd should have been evacuated in the scenario like this one but there were just too many people for the police force to keep away and the national guard sure as hell was taking it's time.

There were three left, the officers had managed to subdue or kill the rest of the mutants who were taking part in the riot but those that remained appeared to be the alphas.

Sumnyr hovered several feet off the ground. His eyes glowed an eerie green and his face was twisted into a visage of malice directed at all the humans around him. He was handsome and well dressed, or was at one point this night before the events had dirtied his immaculate khakis and pressed polo. His short, slightly spiked hair, manicured fingernails and perfectly plucked eyebrows told Kazuo one thing... 'metrosexual'. "Ahh, new comers to our little protest." He chuckled arrogantly. His voice sounded as high-class and expensive as his Italian leather shoes. "Pick a portion of the crowd and begin Brothers! The fools just stand there, their mouths agape in awe at the Gods who've come to replace them as masters of this world!"

The second, Ox, was a face and name that everyone knew rather well, he was the mutants responsible for the death of Director Drumm's wife and daughter a few years ago. Anyone who'd been at the school longer than a week had heard the tale by now. He was nearly eight feet tall of pure muscle. We looked like a Hulk, minus the green. He appeared to be of mixed black/white heritage, had a large platinum chain that had to of cost hundreds of thousands of dollars because the massive medalion that declared him as 'OX' was diamond encrusted. Apparently his days as a rapper hadn't kicked off yet, but at least he had the gear. "Lookidat shit. Makin doors n' all kinds of fancy entrances." He chuckled slightly. "Grab a car toss, they just stand there like idiots!" He picked up a car and proceeded to crush it, grind, bend it and collapse it in on itself with little to know effort at all into a large ball of steel and parts.

Lastly was Nereid, a mutant who seemed to had caught the negative side of the genetic lottery. All of her mutations were obvious for the entire world to see; tiny scales covered her body so fine that they were nearly invisible unless one rubbed their hand across them in the wrong direction. This gave her 'skin' a steel blue hue like that of some marine life. Her eyes were solid black orbs, her hair was long and deep green. A legless and sleeveless black wetsuit preserved her modesty and permitted the spines folded down along her calves and fore arms to not get unnecessarily snagged. She said nothing, her attractive features simply looked upon the arrivals with neutral suspicion.

"Party's over asshats." Revenant started negotiations rather well. "You've had your fun, now blow."

The three alphas turned their attention fully on the new comers now. A battle was in the air and they could all smell it. "And if we want to stay?" Asked Sumnyr, softly and with a measure of confidence.

Revenant grinned. "Then we kick your collective asses."

Sumnyr opened a fist at his side and a green anima shown briefly before Revenant was thrown backward and slammed into a parked squad car. It slid sideways leaving a pair of black skids in the pavement and the door was crushed and folded by the impact. Revenant staggered out from the niche he just created for himself... "Hope Oneca doesn't watch the news. That was embarassin'..."

A nimbus of energy grew around Warren's own hands now as the students each took a more aggressive posture. The alphas were not going to come quietly and the students had no way back home except through them and the angry mob... if there was one thing Warren excelled at, it was getting people into loads of trouble.

Kazuo blinked and belatedly turned to watch as Warren was sent hurtling into a car. As the shaken teen hauled himself out of the Warren-shaped dent in the car's door Kazuo glanced back at the 'Ragnarockettes' and then turned back to Revenant.

"Yeah, hey, I don't think 'talking them down' is working, dude", said Kazuo with dripping sarcasm. Then, very matter-of-factly, he added, "I think I'm gonna try punchin' the big guy's face in. See if that does the trick. Ok?"

With that Kazuo turned and launched himself at Ox in a high, arcing leap that seemed to take him through the air much faster than it should have. The leap carried him pretty much right into Ox's face, whereupon the scarred Nipponese teen laid into the hulking mutant like a Tasmanian Devil high on Speed and adrenaline.

"It pains me to destroy my fellow brothers and sisters," Sumnyr cried out into the Manhattan night. He swooped up, his body spiraling like a cork screw several times until he halted several stories up in the air. The air around him rippled and began to glow greenish. His powers seemed to 'charge' the molecules in the areas around him and then his body body drew it in close to him, collecting it. The more he collected, the brighter and larger his anima became. "But these humans bore me and I will do what I must to anyone who who stands in my way. Nothing personal!"

From his vantage point more and more green energy collected into his body...

On the ground Ox found himself temporarily overwhelmed by the swift onslaught from Kazuo. He staggered as he tried to dodge the blows but everywhere the Goliath went Kazuo's fist or foot was there to meet him. The almost fell with the sweep attack, doing a rather embarrassing little dance in an attempt to keep his balance and in the end was left with both feet planted firmly on the ground but not before dropping the balled up with a loud crunching 'thump' onto the pavement.

"Hey!" Ox bellowed. "Knock that shit off! Ya wanna bounce about with all that chop-suey crap? I'll bounce ya off the walls... c'mere!" With a grunt he lumbered back into the fray, eyes set on Kazuo.

Morri saw Nereid preparing to move and the young mutant lept into motion. No one would know that she was terrified as she threw herself into battle with a hair-raising shriek. As she did so, blood ran in rivets down arms, gather into the now-familiar "knives" everyone had seen - some more closely than others.

Three steps and Morri gave a small leap to close the distance, adding the force of her momentum to her blood-weapons. A human would likely have quailed before such a sight; mutants were made of hardier stuff and Nereid merely prepared herself for the attack.

As with her fight with Kazuo, her combat style lacked anything resembling style. She threw herself forward in a flurry of claws and dripping blood and tried to hit her fishy opponent.