Emma paced around the doctor’s office avoiding the examination table in the center. On one wall was the cabinets full of everything needed to examine a patient. Next to that was the various eye charts and informational posters about washing hands. Across from those stood the desk where Dr. Cloud usually worked. Where he sat a slight look of amusement on his face while he drank a cup of coffee and watched her. To say Dr. Franklin Cloud was large is to say a hurricane is a light drizzle. When standing he was almost seven feet tall and looked to be three hundred pounds of pure muscle. He would look more in place wearing a football jersey than the scrubs and lab coat he was wearing.
“This whole thing is bullshit Frank, you know I’m so much better than that. How did every little thing go wrong like that I mean from the very start.” She knocked over the jar of tongue depressors, and turned toward him. He took a large sip and looked at her over his cup.
“Yes, yes I know Emma. Although, I still can’t explain what happened.”
“Did he get powers? Or is there someone in his gang with the ability to manipulate luck? Because that can’t happen by just pure coincidence. I mean everything going wrong like that is just… Damn him!”
She ran her hands through her hair and stomped on the floor for emphasis.
“No new powers have been brought to me in a little bit. And no one I’ve checked has joined him. I can’t explain this without looking into it a bit more. Also, I know I don’t mention this often but you really should watch your mouth. You’ve been getting a bit loose with the vulgarity for such a young woman.”
He raised an eyebrow at her and took another sip.
“Kiss my ass Frank. No, I’m sorry I didn’t mean that. I’m just so freaking frustrated by this whole thing, and to top it all off they have to waste both of our time by sending me here after every fight.”
He sighed, placed the cup down and stood up.
“They want me to check to see if you have gotten any abilities and if you were actually hurt at all in the fights. To be honest I would ask you to come down after every fight regardless.”
She rolled her eyes at this and walked to the far wall acting as if she was completely entranced by the eye chart.
“I don’t have powers, I never had powers. None of my predecessors had powers leading all the way back to the first Arcadia in the freaking 1600s. It’s pretty safe to assume I will never get powers. For that matter I doubt any of the Arcadias that follow me will get powers either. It’s not fair, Heroic action or extreme desire right? So why haven’t I gotten anything? Am I not a good enough hero? Do I not want it enough? I try. Damn it I try!”
She punched the wall. A small web of cracks radiated from her fist, and a small drop of blood fell from her knuckles. Dr. Cloud walked up calmly and pulled her fist away from the wall and looked it over. Her hand was almost completely shattered.
“Yes, you do try. And you try the hardest out of any one of the Guardians. Fate is fickle like this sometimes the ones who deserve power the most must prove they do not need them. Yet the ones whom have no business having all that strength, are granted it.”
His eyes glowed and a small rainbow flame danced from his hand covering hers. Emma winced as the flame grew from her hand over her entire body then retracted. It did not burn. It was warm almost comforting, but her hand was in agonizing pain as her bones and tendons slowly reformed to their proper shape and strength.
“You would know all about Fate wouldn’t you?”
“You would think so considering. But no none of us well, except maybe him know anything about the actual entity. I am sad to report that once again you have been passed up for powers. I did your check up while I had the chance.”
“Of course, well thanks anyway Frank. Are we done here? I need to go home and just lay there for a while.”
“Yeah we are—“
The phone in the office began to ring, “Excuse me Emma,” He walked off to answer it.
Emma watched him walk off and began to walk toward the door but it would not open. She groaned and looked back at him as he was wrapped up in the phone conversation.
He finally hung up and had a slight smile on his face.
“Well, it seem even though you did not seem to get powers today, two others have, and the Novae City GTV have chosen you to be their tour guide,” He said.
“They can go suck it, I’m going home I don’t even know why I’m even a part of this stupid place I should just leave.”
“Careful there Emma, if you leave you can’t ever go after Houndz again you know.”
This quieted her down she bit the inside of her cheek.
“Fine, who are the lucky two today?”
“They said their names were, Ian Brooks, and Samuel Rhodes.”
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
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Sam still felt dumbstruck. A few days ago his life was average at best, working with his dad in contracting and hanging out with his friends on the weekends. Maybe the only real thing that might be special is that in a year he would be able to drink, but one fire changed it and now he stood in front of the GTV headquarters in Novae. He still did not want to believe what the doctor had told him, how in the world could he possibly have powers? Maybe there was a mistake, and they will turn him away once they realize it. Yeah, that would be the case definitely, but still he clutched the paper in his hand, the note from the doctor he visited that confirmed the test said he had some sort of powers and that he was to report to GTV at once. He took a deep breath and finally walked into the tower.
The inside was rather bare for what he was expecting. Looking around the entryway was grand yes, with its massive statues of the greatest Guardians of GTV history. Its many plants and water fountains, even a massive American Flag with its 49 white and its single black star. The thing that bothered him was, there were no people wandering about. Just him and one woman typing at computer at the front counter. He swallowed and walked forward to the counter.
“Excuse me miss?”
Before he could fully ask his question her arm snapped out and pointed at a stack of folders. Walking over he noticed the words ‘Guardian In-processing’. He still could not believe it and did not want to deep inside, he was a contractor not a Guardian. He looked back toward the door wondering if he could make a break for it. Just keep running until he was allowed to live his old life again. That thought was quickly dismissed. No, he would stick to this, this was what his path in life had given to him. He picked up the folder and looked around again for a place to sit and fill it out. As his eyes scanned over the secretary she was pointing at a far door. He turned back to thank her but she was already focused back on her computer. He looked over the black and green screen but could not figure out what she was doing. Giving up on the strange woman he entered the door indicated.
Inside was a small room filled with desks, they all faced a TV that sat on a cart. Looking around there was only one other person in the room with him a tall blond man who perked up as Sam walked in the room. He gave him a small nod of acknowledgment and at in the seat closest to the door. The blond man stood then noticed Sam was about to begin to work on the packet and sat back down almost vibrating as he watched the TV.
Sam scanned over the information that the packet asked for; It was mostly the usual medical information and identity that he might have been expecting for something physically demanding like the military or sports. When he got to the second to last sheet he paused and read the new questions: Type of Powers, Preferred name. He ran his hand through his black hair and slumped back in his seat as he read them. Up until then he probably could have fooled himself on what he was here for. He had no clue what to fill those with, so he left them blank as he worked through the rest of the paperwork.
Sam tossed the pencil on the desk when he was done and leaned back he looked up at the clock and saw that he had been working at it for almost an hour and there was no sign that anyone even knew they were back here. He looked over at the other man who was only half watching the TV and half sneaking peeks over at him. Sam took a deep breath and decided to try to talk to him.
“Oh, uh hey. How long have you been waiting here?”
Like a puppy that had just heard its name called He perked up and cleared all of the desks between them and was right next to Sam.
“Hey! I’ve been here for about three hours you have no idea how boring it was up until now, I mean the idea of having powers and all kept me occupied with all my planning on my seven-year plan to become the Greatest Guardian in history but that can only keep my focus for about one hour forty… Seven minutes, there are so many variables still up in the air right now anyway I am Ian Brooks, Nice to meet you.”
Sam instantly regretted his decision.
“What’s your name? No! What is your power? Mine is something called light manipulation I don’t know what I can really do just yet but I know it will be really awesome If it is mostly just a light show then I can at least become the brains of a good group I mean you can join too of course since we are both staring out at the same time, and we can work together to become famous twice as fast!”
As Ian stopped to take a breath Sam took his chance to speak.
“ I’m Samuel Rhodes, I’m not exactly sure what my powers are yet. I just came here from the doctor’s office, and if---”
“You don’t know yet? Holy crap if I don’t know if i could handle not knowing! When i learned that i had powers I went to go find out what they were immediately but no matter one of the tests here will see what your powers are, Imagine if they were something like reality warping then, Aw man that would be the best thing ever you have no idea how amazing that would be I mean have you seen what Blackout can do? Some of the---”
“Ian Brooks, they are ready for you,” A black haired woman stepped out from the far door near where Ian was sitting before.
“Well looks like I’m finally up I’ll see you on the other side Sam! Don’t forget what I said we should definitely team up when we get started!” Ian stood and gave a quick playful salute before heading into the back room with the woman. Sound left the room like a vacuum as the door closed.
Sam deflated and relaxed hoping that he would not have to see much of him. That hope was quickly snuffed knowing how small the pool of actual guardians was he knew they would be meeting again. A lot. He sat enjoying the silence for what seemed like a few minutes before the door burst open again and Ian rushed out into the room with a huge grin on his face. He gave Sam a thumbs up and walked out into the lobby.
“Samuel Rhodes. They are ready for you now.”
Sam stood up and followed into the room. Where four people in suits sat behind a large table, the woman took the packet and handed to them.
“Samuel Rhodes thank you for coming in today, We know how difficult it must have been today of all days on top of all of this to find out your life was about to change for ever.” The man on the left spoke first.
Sam was a little taken aback by what they were implying they knew with the way they were talking.
“Oh, don’t be alarmed. We were contacted by your doctor when you tested positive for powers, and we did a little bit of a background check.” They seemed to be moving from left to right each taking a turn in speaking. Sam was half tempted to walk out but decided to stay he tried to look less freaked out than he was. The next suited figure spoke, this time a woman,
“Would you mind telling us about yourself? In your own words of course, there is a difference in what we can gather in two hours and what you can tell us.”
Sam took a deep breath and actually calmed himself.
“Well… I’m sure you already know this but I’m Sam Rhodes. I work, worked for my dad’s contracting service. I guess I can’t really do that anymore,” He looked them over and their slight head shaking confirmed his fears. His heart sinking a bit more he continued, “I mean with this whole situation now over my head, I’m twenty years old. Haven't done much with my life, was average in high school and never went to college just started working with my dad. I have no Idea why I got these powers.” He had to remind himself to call his family in the chaos he had forgotten.
The final of the figures finished writing on his notepad and nodded, “Well, As far as we understand it, everyone has the potential to develop powers. Although Only those that perform a true act of heroism or display an all consuming desire for the powers will acquire them.”
Sam had to stop and think the image of a fire consuming the apartment building flashed in his mind. “Hey, How long does it take for powers to develop after an event?”
“Usually instantly did you remember the event?” The woman leaned forward with interest.
“I think it must have been on the night of the fire on L Street,” Sam swallowed, “I don’t know if I got powers back then. I never felt anything strange until this morning, well other than my muscles hurting. I assumed that would be a given though.”
The group spoke quickly and quietly amongst them self for a bit then motioned him to continue, “Please tell us what happened that night if you will.”
“I guess I had just finished with work for the day, and I was heading over to my friend, Jack’s place, to see if he wanted to hang out. When I drove up the fire was already raging and the fire department was nowhere in sight. I grabbed my mask I used for drywall. I ran in, the building was already beginning to crumble. I heard people around me, so I reached out to grab something the only thing being the emergency axe they had. I don’t really know what I was expecting since, well,” he raised his arms to show they were rather thin over all he was a lanky build not much muscle to him despite working a type of construction. “Anyway once I had the axe, it… just felt right in my hands like it was part of my arm, I was able to break away enough debris to save some people’s lives but by the time I made it all the way up to my friend’s room… it was… “ He paused for a moment. “Yeah. I don’t know how I was able to break through so much. I think I attributed it to adrenaline,” He looked up at their faces they were all blank and emotionless much like the woman up front.
“We are sorry For your loss, but judging on what you said, Yes that would qualify for you to gain powers. Still, that fire was two weeks ago, and you are only now making it here? That is strange and must be investigated.” They spoke amongst themselves as one stood and left the room.
Sam felt his skin get a bit clammy as he ran his hand through his hair. “So… Is everything alright?” His eyes darted quickly between the remaining suits.
“Everything is fine, in fact thank you for coming in today, we would like to be the first to welcome you to the GTV family,” They clapped in perfect sync as one opened their hand the other closed. “If you would please return to the lobby and wait for your guide to show you around.”
Sam nodded and got the hell out of that room.