A grit in the air, overly clean yet suffocating. A pile of ash and char rubbing against skin. Against the side of his face. Irking away fatigue and ache trying to stay a consciousness cast inward. Freshly collapsed and dry eyed.

Seth was awake, but he almost didn't want to be. Almost wanted to stay half buried in this pit, letting the darkness swallow him up and take him away for good. But he was refused quite vehemently by a burning light he knew wouldn't allow it. Because it meant the world was still turning despite the come due pain.

The sun shining through shattered windows proving too powerful to ignore. Like his mom had been training him to never sleep in again in his life. Though, it was less like he slept and more like he cried himself into unconsciousness. A threating precedent already pulling him back as he thought of her, of his dad, of everyone else. Even as… as they blurred into little more than names. But despite the dried up tears trying to return, despite the fading of… of what was gone, things felt better. As better as his situation could allow them to be. As better as the ache of living could be fought by… He didn't know why he felt better. Just that he knew it was.

He started up, pushing up to kneel in the burnt scar he made of his kitchen. And rubbed that grit from the side of his face. It was quiet again, peacefully quiet, save for the-

*THUNK*

D-disintegrating hole in the ceiling. Seth rubbed his head with muted grumbling, hurriedly getting up to avoid further head trauma. But still, it was quiet enough that-

"You are finally awake. Good."

That the voice returned but… different. More polite, professional, yet really dismissive.

"Your little outburst… forced my hand… so I will be taking over being our liaison. Not that ~Threat~ was not doing his best. But you cannot take the soft approach with this much power at the disposal of a mere whelp."

The voice seemed to talk through him, caring little for what he felt, but…

"I know all too well what you are feeling. All of us know it. But right now we need to keep you from losing control again. And keep you alive. I did not agree to this divulgence… But still, he was right. We are part of you now, your fate is ours."

The voice paused, something deeper than Seth could feel forcing him down.

"...And I fear our fate may yet be yours as well. But that is not a concern at this moment, as I believe someone is still quite hungry."

Seth snapped to realization at the oppressive growling of his stomach, and the dry bloat of his tongue.

"Maybe if you had not turned your kitchen into a smoking crater you would have actually tasted those… waffles?"

Seth looked around at the charred and stirred results of yesterday. All the wood and plastics were scorched to black and white. The cabinets were blown in then out, squashed into their walls and violently disassembled. What appliances even looked like appliances were covered in molten slag. But at least the fridge still looked intact-

*thump* …*CLANG*

The door fell away from the burned refrigerator revealing its fourth degreed contents. Bleeding a sigh out of him as he shuffled away, toward the pantry that was thankfully sequestered away down a short hall beside the laundry room. The door was ajar, but most of the jars and boxes were at least still on the shelves. Rather annoyingly as the stuff in his reach was unappetizing or just… healthy.

"You do not get to pick and choose what you survive on."

The voice interjecting at his thoughts and reprimanding his childishness only added to the disappointment. All the while they seemed to ignore that he was still ten… eleven?

"What matters right now is what can be prepared! What can be saved and rationed so you can survive the longest. Though at the moment sustenance is necessary to make up for your lost meals. So maybe something dense is called for."

Seth eyed the cookie packets on the upper shelf, just out of reach.

"No!"

He sank down further into his dour then looked lower. Most of the jars and cans were ingredients, so not very appetizing.

"Almost, but too singular."

His eyes focused, looking at every can individually before-

"There, that one should suffice."

…It was a can of refried beans.

"I believe what records we have captured say that such a paste should be quite dense and filling, while still being nutritious enough to warrant it as a full meal."

Seth glowered at the idea of eating an entire can of refried beans for breakfast. But… wasn't fully against it. He eyed up again to the high shelf, looking for chips.

"No, luxuries can wait. You need food that is… HEY!!"

He'd stopped listening and realized there was a step ladder in the laundry room next door. Utterly defeating his height disadvantage while still at least accepting some of this new voice's demands. Leaving behind the sweets for another day yet crinkling away their calls to be heeded. Though, now with beans and chips to dip in them, Seth realized… he didn't know how to cook. Also the stove top had melted down. And the microwave was scattered across the Maltsburgers' side yard.

"…I'm going to have to teach you how to light a fire aren't I?"

The voice sounded exactly as if it had its palm in its face, it professionalism cracking. Seth looked around at the charred kitchen he'd made, the devastation that his emotions had caused. Remembering it too clearly to not be forced down by the weight, but still defiantly shook away those thoughts. And instead found a rise out of it, to pull him up. Something almost approaching pride in being able to do this. To… to have an actual superpower. He had a superpower! He could-

'I-I could be a hero!'

Like… ugh… he'd never really paid much attention to the electric heroes. But they did cool stuff like this all the time.

So then, looking at the plasma scorched pit he had made, a hope and bright fighting of that dour rose. And he thought slightly of-

"Ugh! To use the power for something as trivial as cooking is… Oh, sorry *hhsshish* I forgot you were with us. Well if you had ever made a *shhshH* that tasted like anything but ozone and char, maybe I would have- *HHsshhss* Huuggh…"

The voice seemed to growl slightly at its situation, a decent number of other voices outside Seth's focus denying this one's sensibilities. Like they were some kind of noble stuck in a refugee camp.

"Very well, if you wish to use my words against me."

Seth felt a familiar prickle run down every part of his body. Not quite across his skin but throughout it, as if his nerves were just booted up for the first time. Quickly it focused to just his hands, pins and needles becoming a slight warmth radiating against the cold air drafting through to him.

"We are locking your control of the power until we can be sure further 'incidents' will not arise. But we can release some of it to facilitate… trivial matters I suppose. Sooner or later we will see about teaching you proper discipline."

Seth looked down at himself, down at his hands. It was like a cross between a static tingle and when he felt flustered. Not automatic, but like his blood was rushing to them. Except it wasn't his blood. It was 'power'. Electricity. He could feel electricity silently arc between his fingers. This was real, this was him. He had powers, actual superpowers. He could feel it flex with his fingers. He really was a super, he could be just like all the heroes he'd seen on TV. The dour was well and truly broken and a smile was actually pulling at his face. But the voice cleared its throat with deliberate force, snapping Seth from this awestruck upward spiral.

"Take the container in your hands. Hold it tight, but focus your attention on where you make contact with the metal."

He readily did as he was asked, putting his chip bag down and taking the can in his hands. An unstoppable force of giddiness driving him onward. But stopping short as he realized that if he was about to heat a can with his bare hands.

"Oh, your people are not very heat tolerant, are they? Having no scales will certainly not help your predicament. But do not worry, if your focus is correct you will not burn your skin. We can heal you if you accidently do at least. Think of it as a learning experience. Besides, we will need to teach you to heal yourself at some point as well."

Seth furrowed his brow, but continued on. Gripping the can in both hands, trying to make sure he was actually touching metal around the label. His pinkies hooking the uncovered bottom, his thumps pressing down from the top. A little awkward, but it felt right. And as he focused, the warmth in his hands increase little by little.

"Now think of the contents of the container, as if you are looking through it. As if you were forcing your fingers through it until they touch. But without-"

*POP*

The can's lid exploded open, narrowly missing Seth's thumbs as it bulged out preemptively. So, instead it shot hot steam and bean paste out at an angle. Thankfully away from his face.

"Huh, he was right. You are taking to it easily. That or your people's metals are just as accepting as ours."

'...Or it was just a pull tab.'

Seth was starting to get use to thinking rather than speaking to his new 'friends'. A thought passing his mind rather pleasantly as he scooped a bit of paste up in a chip. Though coming about out of place just as quickly as it came.

'Why… do I see you as friends, I barely even know who you are?'

The voice waited until he had finished crunching a laden and salty chip to even try and speak.

"We can discuss who, what, where, and why later, your survival takes precedent…"

Though they paused for a solemn moment.

"But we do owe you that much. And… it will be the first debt paid."

Seth resigned the weird though, but still asked.

'Can I at least know your name? You called the other voice Threat but I don't-'

"Wait. You understood that? Were able to parse some amount of our language in return? No? *hsh shehhsh* Collective meaning? Wait, I believe I understand now. ~Threat~ as a name is known by everyone here so there are no contradicting perspectives. So its meaning is not obfuscated by all of us having our own interpretations of what it meant by it."

Seth rubbed his head with his rest of his chip stuck in his mouth. This kind of neuroscience is way above what should be expected of an eleven year old.

"Sorry. If we all think the same way about something, its meaning might be clearly translated to you, since we are all in agreement about what that thing is. So as more of us learn your language, concepts we know as truths will become understandable to you. But… huh. But we all know quite well who and what Threat is. There is no need to translate that."

Seth could feel a deep seated ire from the voice, but equally felt them keep it in check. Like they something had made them angry, but wanted to leave it in the past.

"At any rate, we will have to wait for everyone to get done learning your language before we can be sure of this hypothesis. And of course before we can even begin to teach you our language in turn. If you are even able to understand it at all. But names should be an easy starting point. The nature of our collective being what it is. Thoughts and meaning melded into being."

The voice felt somber for a moment.

"It may sound awful, but most of us cannot remember our true names anymore. We have been together adrift for so long that we have all but degraded to calling each other by our respective titles due to our… unique state of existence. We failed to give much thought on preserving them, or our collectivism has degraded a portion of individuality. Another thing to add to the list once we are able to reconstitute ourselves. Nothing too far gone yet."

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

An almost collective pang of sorrow and guilt swept over Seth from the voices. He didn't understand what it meant, but it sure sounded like they weren't like this originally. Though it made sense for why they were riding a lightning bolt into his head.

"Do not worry, these are things long in the future. And the existential questions that arise from such talk are not conducive to survival… Though if you wish, you may call me by my title as ~Tlatoani~ …What?"

'Oh! Ugh, there's a… hero that I like. He's Aztec themed and his name means Speaker and… I guess maybe now I'm ob-fu-scating your meanings?'

"…Parsing this mess of a brain is going to be agonizing, I can feel it. Let us at least alleviate this a little bit. You may call me Speaker. I am the elected leader of the group you are now harboring. But, as the name suggests, I am merely meant to represent them at large. A long list of transgressions and calamities though have transitioned my role somewhat, so I have become the de facto leader in a more direct regard."

Seth swallowed the chip he had been munching on and bowed slightly to no one but himself.

'It is a pleasure to meet you Speaker.'

"I do not know whether to feel patronized or happy that you finally found some decorum. Never mind. Survival, focus, now."

Without much more thought, Seth set about following Speaker's instructions after gobbling up half the can of pasted beans steaming in front of him. His lips were salty and felt an oncoming bit of heebee. So water was very much first on the list. Grabbing empty water bottles from a corner cabinet that had survived being scorched the night before, he filled them with water from the bathroom tap. After chugging the first bottle full when Seth realized his thirst was far more than he'd felt. The salt stinging his dried up mouth certainly not helping. Though it was odd he didn't immediately catch the sensation.

Next came storage. He grabbed his school backpack from his room, as well as proper clothes since he'd been still wearing the same blood stained and scorched pajamas since yesterday. A graphic t-shirt with a younger looking General Advance charging through a brick wall and a pair of jeans. Oddly though, he realized he had his mother's scarf on. Somehow how having absentmindedly put it on last night and spared it from the heat and fury there in. The chill of the intruding morning completely invalidated against it, but still he felt like he would be too cold without it.

He stayed just a little while longer holding it, trying to hold on to the memories he had of it. Of his mom. Of her spool it around him as she wrapped it. Smelling a little of motor oil for some reason. But that was all he could get. All he could manage. Her face never in focus, but her love always radiating through. But, with proper clothing and everything else he needed from his room, Seth went about grabbing every usable and storable piece of food left in the pantry. Preparing to…

'Why do we need to stay somewhere else? I like my bed.'

"There is a smoking hole through the roof and the front door is off its hinges. Not to mention you shattered most of the windows and very nearly lit it on fire! It is no longer a sound or insulated structure! Do not worry though, we should not have to go far. Your village has plenty of houses we can use. And appears quiet bereft of… hrmm."

The voice stopped itself, redirecting Seth out the tossed aside door as it gave off a wary concern. Focusing toward some of the other voices outside Seth's focus to do… something. It didn't matter. They were right, he couldn't stay. So he set off into the emptied town, leaving his house behind like it would be the last time he'd see it. Photos still on the walls as he walked through the doorframe a final time. The faces on them still unknown… but so blurry anymore.

The town proper was in a horrid state, mostly due to how the sky looked with smoke discoloring most of the western horizon an ominous red hue. But the winds were chasing those away little by little, so the other half was at least blue. Though every house Seth passed contributed to this gloom. Shattered glass and scorch marks from that chaining tendril… The same one that.

Seth shook the fate of his parents away, there was nothing for it now. Nothing he could do. Though he was concerned by the fact that more of the broken glass and splintered wood led outside rather than in. That the few cars on the road looked… broken out of. That the few exceptions were banged and dented as if pushed aside. But reaching the downtown area, things were a little better. Because most of the windows were blown in for a different, more knowable reason.

Close to the center of town, at the intersection of Main and 15th, the source of all this destruction stood. Still smoking from the boom that had kicked him awake. From its landfall. It was an almost perfect sphere, at least from what could be seen of it. Chunks of meteoric rock and melted on dirty metal jutting from various areas. Fused on tagalongs from who knows how many asteroid belts given that some was colored very much different to what he had seen get caught by the League before. A surface a matte black sucking away light almost concerningly, but with distinctive lines crossing it almost like circuitry. But what was worse was the heaping dose of ominous guilt coming up from the voices as Seth stared in silence.

"Our ark. The deliverer of our salvation. And the spreader of our sins. It was how we arrived here, how we became what we are. And… It is best that we not linger here, we can talk someplace… safer."

'But…'

"I know… but we need suitable long term shelter before nightfall."

'But there's nobody here?'

"…That is what worries us."

A small tinge of collective apprehension, like they were all looking around as best they could through that peephole in his head, kept Seth company as was continued forward. Like them being actual aliens was the least important thing right now. It seemed cool, but he couldn't make it feel cool. Like he should be looking over his shoulder or keeping an eye out for something as well. For anything. But things stayed quiet. Empty. His pace only slowing down when he set about scrounging around a grocery store. Speaker wanting to make sure it was still viable so Seth didn't have to start dragging carts around full of food before they went bad.

Luckily the shelves were intact and the cold storage was still kinda cold. But a good deal of the front side of it was shattered and bent. Glass all over the floors and a scorch mark marring a side room broken open. So while concerning, it was at least okay for now.

Seth was only truly stopped for good when he came to the outskirts of town, at a small mattress store he remembered getting his bed from. Mostly because it was fun to jump across the rows when his parents were talking to the owner. It still had all of its windows, even if they were covered in sales numbers and logos. It definitely had more than enough beds. And, like he even needed to be coaxed to do it, could be fortified a little… But…

'But from what?'

"With any luck, nothing at all. We are making countermeasures on our end to keep anything away. To feel for anything that may come our way. But for now just keep quiet when doing anything."

'Okay, but-'

Seth was interrupted. Stopped cold by a low thunder rolling in from that red hued west. It was distant, but it was there. And it was unrelenting. He stared off down the road that led out of town, fear coloring the barren road with every roll as that thunder. That sound, like a battle far and away, burying what remained of his small pride.

"Do not worry. With everything still usable around here, we can stay for a long while. We can wait for rescue… And never have to deal with whatever that is."

Seth kept looking, listening to the thunder. Listening… as it died down. Down to nothing. Sending the world back into quiet, dreadful, silence. Leaving him with himself again. Shaking him as went inside. To prepare for a foreseeable future he didn't know if he wanted to see.

Shaking him…

'hrmmm…'

Awake.

"Y-you okay?"

It was a hand shaking his shoulder lightly. The world still a little dark around the edges as the fair voice came in. Trying to sound deeper than it was. Was probably the slight headache being rubbed at, or because another gulf of time was just washed away. Whatever the cause, the effect was Seth getting roused back to the foyer. No more than maybe a minute of unconsciousness, otherwise there would have been more of a response. Or they just know all too well and don't care. He was hauling quite the load around after all. Was sitting by its feet. Was looking up and smiling at its sentinel like stature. A dose of pride to go along with the wakeup call.

"I'm good… I'm good. Huuoo that was a lot of stairs."

The voice over him patted the shoulder it was holding, an odd mannerism for how dainty it felt. Trying to act tough? He rubbed his eyes to clear the darkness, but he knew the natural progression of this all too well. And it seemed like they weren't sticking around to let him know who actually cared that a guy passed out in their lobby. Because it sure didn't sound like Felicia was helping.

"Yup, you just got to get used to it. Can't just let anyone in, they gotta be tough. Hope you can handle it, because it ain't gonna getting easier!"

They trailed off around the desk still at Seth's back. Heading off into the Hill's main hallway as he put a hand down to pull himself up. A full body shake loose of the lethargy and a breath over full to burn it away. He'd been rendered unconscious way too much in his life. But at least he could see again, and the world really hadn't gotten too far away from him. The half frightened look from the receptionist saying as such.

"You're ugh… good to go ahead to. It's the door on the right with the sign."

"Thanks… And sorry. Seriously that's way too many stairs."

He says, as he reached over and went back to hoisting his near ton worth of armor and metal over one shoulder like it only slightly resembled a bag of bricks! Tiles below him creaking slightly under the undue load put upon them. But he still smiled as he walked off toward door. Toward whatever the League had in store for him. And for quite a few others.

The door was to one of the side locker rooms for the arena, given up so the trainees hoping to get in could prep themselves. Getting dressed in what costumes and armor they had or just psyche themselves up for what was bound to be arduous. It looked like maybe a dozen other applicants had signed up ahead of him, though he didn't really want to try and start counting the second he walked in. By what he saw off hand though, there were only a few heavy hitters in the bunch that he knew of. The kids of high class heroes always wound up in the spotlight, whether they want to or not.

Seth headed off toward a less crowded section and dropped his suit off, no sense leaving it in the middle of everyone's way. But he still had to prep like everyone else. His rucksack was left in an empty locker, only pulling out his connector suit since that was about all he needed. And it seemed like skin tight, or near to it, was the norm as he headed off toward the showers to clean off the hike here. Nice cold water to ease the heat away. And thankfully private stalls to keep the eyes away. Toweling off and zipping up into his suit, he headed back. But could no longer avoid catching sight of his competition. And they him.

There was a guy sat on the immediate bench still prepping, wearing a full leotard that was very professionally hand stitched from the look of it. Like the seams were invisible almost. But alongside that it had oddly thick red threading sewn throughout it. His motif was obviously fiery with flames strewn across his suit, but that threading just kept standing out, especially as it wrapped around his arms exponentially until ending at his wrists with what looked like full cordage made out of it. As for him, his hair wasn't quite red but close to it, but his eyes were definitely red. And glaring at Seth as he passed. Almost causing him to run into another trainee as he looked away quickly.

She was a fairly tall girl in a green and white motif, with emphasis on the green. Like a poison dart frog with a similar pattern. Her suit was old in design though, bulky and fit just enough not to hang loose. Like the one Aegis wore, so probably surplus from the inordinate amount made for the crisis. It had a laser symbol on the shoulder with an even more obnoxious green standing it out from the suit. And with stitching almost abhorrent compared to the other guy's. And her hair was blond but with… green streaks.

'This girl loves green for some reason.'

And her eyes were…

'Oh thank god they're brown.'

She wasn't paying Seth as much attention, seeming to be psyching herself up rather shakily as he rounded her pacing spot.

Halfway to the suit Seth caught sight of one of those major names he knew, and the son of Makani Samurai, Kaze. His motif was nearly a copy of his father's, driftwood armor in a lightly plated samurai format. But his was only half, a single pauldron on the left side and only the shin guards on his legs. His clothes were similar, baggy robes Seth couldn't remember the proper name for that were half open revealing his right shoulder. His hair was cut short and black, and his eyes green like his father's. And he was also minding his own business, meditating or just waiting patiently on a bench just shy of the door leading out.

The last obstacle between Seth and his suit though was a guy flinging a… box cutter? No, more like a long razor blade with a handle. He flicked it up and caught it, absentmindedly staring ahead with a pissed off look on his face. But it had that unmistakable hint of internalized fear to it, like he was in over his head. His suit was ramshackle, baggy dark cargo pants with dark red holsters crowding all over it and a basic black t-shirt. Each of these holsters had another razor knife stuffed into it. He also seemed to have fingerless gloves on, a single large gash on each palm marring what already looked pretty worn out. His hair was brown and slightly long, but cut into a sensible fauxhawk with short sides. His eyes were a dark blue and, once they saw Seth, glared with disdain…

'And fear. You can't hide that buddy.'

Seth paid little mind, he expected this honestly. Can't go around town with a suit of armor like this and not after all. Thankfully mean looks were the only things he was on the receiving end of. It seemed like the fear of getting kicked out for starting a fight was keeping people in line. Or at least quiet. But that made sense when all they got were basic rules. None of them knew anything about what they were walking into. Just that you needed an acceptable uniform, a cool head, and that whatever was ahead was infamous for a concerningly high failure rate. At least given the amount of labor services there were outside to catch them. But no matter what that meant he'd have to do, Seth was ready for it.

He stepped up to his suit, tucked out of the way next to the laundry hampers. Stepping in at last and feeling it conform to him like the dream they'd designed it to be. Snapping connectors marrying purpose, Panels clunking and locking closed, pressing gel layers easing the confines nicely, swiveling joints and servos matching every motion in gliding softness. He closed up tight, but kept the helmet open. Joins disconnected as it folded back behind his head in full salute disassembly.

'Don't want to set some kind of edgy precedent.'

Despite the weight of material, the suit didn't bulk up his profile other than add an inch or two, looking more compact than most would expect. That is, probably expected by the other trainees. Those glare coming in side long doubling as they saw fully what they were set to fight alongside. But that was their misunderstanding to have. He continued to ignore them and instead stretched and made sure every joint and servo had full motion. No doubt adding more unnerve as all that metal refused to whir or clank despite how easy it moved. An actually nice enough silence.

"Careful. Too much showing off and they might feel jealous. Or scared."

"Keep them at a tail's length if you must, but these will be your colleagues soon. The right impression will be paramount. So what awaits you all should be met with them in mind. Better to earn trust early that way."

'Well then we'll just have to hope its team oriented. Because I doubt any one here has-'

The door to the arena broke away the silence. A dark figure stepping, practically clanging, into the room in front of everyone. He was wearing armor, full medieval plate from head to toe, but it was matte navy blue. And holy shit, Seth knew him!

It was Mediknight, he even had the red crosses on his shoulders and helmet. He was the Elite's healer, though he only ever left The Hill in dire circumstances since he headed the medical ward onsite. But…

'Why is he here!?'

"We're ready for you."

The locker room reeled at the sound. His voice echoing out of his armor rather monotonically, like he'd done and seen this before and wasn't expecting much from these trainees. Or he just didn't care in the first place. He was always known for his poor bedside manner, but his healing abilities were second to none. He could radially heal a considerable area just by standing there, repair limbs with nothing but his hands. It wouldn't be surprising if he could bring the recently deceased back to life if he tried hard enough.

He turned back out the door, letting the trainees come to their senses and funnel out into the arena. The light from outside washing out everything beyond. Seth waited until everyone else was out, knowing no one wanted to be in the way of all the inertia it took to move this suit. But also he wanted one last moment of peace. The regrowing quiet enough to let Speaker and Threat say theirs.

"Seth, you have striven for this moment, now it is time you showed why you deserve this power. Go now, and see if we deserve to have our sins forgiven!"

"Yeesh, way to lay everything on top of him. You've got this brother, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. And don't worry. We'll be right here if you need us."

Seth smiled, feeling the pride of his more assured friends radiate up to him. As he stomped out the door into the beaten sands beyond.

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