New Year's Escapade (Part 1) by MaLAguA

Monday, December 26th - 11:24am
Caroline Kythe’s consulting and therapeutics clinic

Caroline checks the results of Vic's condition, he knows it means more physical changes like on his hands and arm.

“According to the scans, it seems the changes are spreading at a relatively slow speed. However, when comparing them to Doctor Gutierrez’ readings, it is apparent that things are picking up.”

So faster than before, but still relatively slow. The spirit is unconscious, but the changes are ongoing so we know she survived.

“The damage you received has been healed, and everything is working as it should, but that leaves you with the parts of the original tissue that are right next to the modified new tissue. And that discrepancy is something that’s probably being considered as damage, so that magical healing you have is now fixing it. Eventually, this will cause the condition to spread. I think I’ve read studies on people that received organ transplants from people with a healing factor that might apply to the case.”

D'oh! I knew it would be something like that, please leave his mind and brain alone. Barely survived the beatdown Vic gave him, dang. Ouch, only a temporary fix to slow down the changes at best, Vic will need his friends now more than ever before.

In the five stages of grief, poor Vic is at the bargaining stage, which is the worst one imo, there is still hope to change things, to not be different. It is never easy accepting change, whether it is something you would want in the first place or not. Ouch, no wonder Vic lashed out and ran away, too much in too short of a time. A kid overhearing that and not hearing his father outright reject it from the start, didn't want his father to have to make a choice, teen acting on emotions and impulse, oh boy.

Ouch, Vic, your father won't care how long it has been or what has happened if he really cares about you. Oof, finally the big question, what kind of job does Vic want to have in the future.

“Think about it. Follow your heart and find what you think will make you happy, no matter what. A job doesn’t need to be something that you won’t take enjoyment out of.”

More kids and teens need to be told this. Hehehe, I like how Caroline contractually modified the scholarship for VIc and Josh.

A 'polite' escape clause, I hope she uses it someday when it is truly needed. Use of TV or computer as long as Sophie isn't using it, good deal. Paperwork is the bane of everyone. Oh, if the Syndicate makes you leave Whateley I wouldn't be surprised if Tanya didn't lead the charge to get you a new scholarship so you can keep attending. Homework, the teacher who created it intended it as punishment for students who acted up in class or slacked off on their regular classwork, not as something to be given to every student. I wish it had never caught on.

Exercise regularly, a good habit to get into while young. A personal gym in one of the basement rooms, now that is something I've got to see.

Monday, December 26th - 5:23pm
Kythe’s residence

Local cozy little restaurants are some of the best places for good food. Hand-washing dishes fast with his powers, nice. Vic, you have to come back for summer break, Sophie will be disappointed if you don't. Crud, her brother's warning about Vic has tainted Sophie's view of him already as she is wary. Darn it, he needs to tell Caroline about this, Dereck is poisoning his little sister's mind with hate already. It would make sense if you knew what Dereck said about you to Sophie, Vic.

Sophie says the basement is off-limits despite what Caroline told Vic, so he goes to use the computer. Sophie stared at him suspiciously, Caroline should talk again with Sophie about Vic before this gets any worse.

Wednesday, December 28th - 3:28pm
Syndicate offices

A developing situation in Japan, a commercial agreement with Animan Island, is something to keep an eye on. Laureate, why do I suspect he was the one behind the testing that was intended to flunk Vic and Root out of the scholarship program?

“There are several avenues that can be profitable. For example, there was buzz about this east coast company called Artemis Co. They were said to have been on the cusp of research on the mutant and genetic therapy treatment only for them to suddenly go quiet. I’d suggest considering allocating resources to spy on them, just to make sure their silence isn’t a ruse.”

No, I'm with him on this one, they might be plotting to give out the 'cure' to mutants whether they want it or not.

BQ, now who could that be? Ugh, already BQ is someone I hate, trophy hunters sicken me. Ooo, Laureate doesn't like his ideas being pushed back to a later date. Lifeward sat in on the meeting and Laureate is a rude little jerk. Madame Butterfly, who chooses a codename after an opera/movie?

The report on the incident at Silent Mountain should get the attention of some in the Syndicate. Laureate, you have just made a dangerous enemy by saying those things about Lifeward. Cole is there and QB is upset she didn't show up in person because of it. Laureate better learn to keep his big mouth shut, at this rate the others might kick him out of the Syndicate.

Thank you for pointing out there was nothing Lightning could have done, everyone needs to know that. Ah, already good words for the kids. The Director is being too harsh towards Lifeward, those of the governing body need to learn to listen to those in charge of specific divisions more to keep things running more smoothly. Laureate, shut up already!

“It looks to me as though these kids have already proved themselves. Being dropped in a hostile environment, facing off against an opposing force within a base, displaying technical know-how, stealth, tactics, combat prowess, improvisation, anything that might be warranted or tested in an actual operative rather than just mere candidates.”

“But-” Laureate tried to speak when Madame chimed in.

“One of these children built a railgun out of mining equipment and a high-powered battery, and you’re not considering him well-versed enough?”

“Of course we do-”

“It would be wasteful to not keep on endorsing them, at least for a year to see how they shape up. And, isn’t this base highly valued? What is a year’s support in comparison?”

“To think that an administrative error in judgment puts everything at risk.” the writhing mass noted. “I’ll agree with the approvals already listed in the file. There is Lifeward, the issuer of the report. Cole, the expert trainer, Lightning, the proctor.”

I see the director being replaced in the near future if this keeps up and Laureate being removed from the Syndicate altogether if he can't keep his emotions and attitude in check.

Chastizing the director, I like the main in the hologram and the others standings up to the director and Laureate. Caroline, you did what you had to do to protect those under your division and charges.

“I do, too. His rather carefree attitude and relaxed grip on the operations is one of the reasons why I opted for this region. It’s how I’ve been able to take over some of the more humanitarian aspects of the organization.”

“Hm. You’re a member of ROSE, you take some responsibilities from the cell within the city, work part time as a doctor and nurse, and you’re also a mother of a family that just gained a new temporary member. How can you manage it all?”

Good grief, she is a superhuman manager and time allocator to do all that even with help. I hope Laureate slips up enough one day to be brought down. Magical enchanter, to put out an order, is she getting something for Vic to help him disguise his changes behind similar to the item Imp has?

Wednesday, December 28th - 5:39pm
Portland Streets

Heat pack in his pocket, a good idea in such a cold place. Sophie! Please, Vic, tell Caroline what Sophie said about the basement already, you don't have to put up with this. Why did Dereck have to ruin the curious and sweet girl like this, turning her suspicious of Vic before she even met him. Please, Vic, take the simpler solution already and save yourself a headache.

Parker looking after Sophie, I wondered how Vic was able to leave Sophie behind. How much money does Vic have on that card now? I bet he would be shocked if he checked. Reflection in a window is another reminder of the changes Vic is going to undergo in the future. All these fears of what the changes will mean, and what he will have to do in the future to adjust.

2016 and this mall has a classic arcade and a pet store, now that is rare to see. Heroes United, why does this sound like a good idea that is going to end badly? No organized team of superheroes in Portland or Oregon, hhm, Vic might be onto something about the Syndicate having a part in that. Gigaton, Dereck's father and Caroline's ex, great, I would avoid that event now if he is anything like his son.

Good, continued sponsorship for all 5 of the kids. Rats, Vic needs to head back so Parker can head into work, a regular trooper trained as a medic.

Thursday, December 29th - 7:32am
Kythe Residence

Caroline deserves a break to spend with Sophie and Vic, she has more than earned it. Vic made pancakes and went all out on the toppings. Oof, no way to hide scales on his cheek at school. Ah, Vic needs to look out for a school job. Some classes Vic will be requested to take, let me guess, one on Avatars and the magic course.

Sophie, you thanked Vic but didn't really mean it. You need to see what Vic is like for yourself and not let Dereck's opinion blind you. Caroline, you need to have a talk with Sophie, please. Thank you for getting Sophie to take that first bite, Caroline, she would have missed out if you hadn't.

Vic has plans for what to do and finally tells Caroline that Sophie said the basement was off-limits. Ah, so Sophie can't go into the basement without Caroline or Vic present, doesn't want her stumbling upon anything that could reveal her secret.

“It’s what dad used to say. That people become monsters by doing bad things. That’s what he meant, right?”

“That’s enough, Sophie Seaver!” Caroline frowned, adopting a stern tone that got the girl reeling back from surprise.

Despite the surprise, Sophie exclaimed, “I’m just trying to protect you!”

Sounds like Sophie and Dereck's father is a bigot towards those with GSD and taught it to his children.

It painted the lines of good and evil, but did so in such a way that it almost felt absolute and subjective under scrutiny with little room for nuance if it came from the wrong lips. If you were a ‘monster’ were you no longer worth consideration? And who defined what counted as ‘bad things’? A simple concept that happened to have mass appeal.

Great, his words are used by anti-mutant hate groups in the most literal way just like Sophie just did. At least Caroline knows where Sophie got this idea about Vic from now. Accused Vic of training to be a villain to his own little sister, Dereck is a piece of work. Not going anywhere today as a small punishment, I hope Sophie changes her mind about Vic before she gets stuck thinking the way her brother has.

It's certainly starting to feel like Vic is going to be short for 'Victoria' at some point in the not so distant future. At least (s)he will have resources that Gwen may not have had during her manifestation (including Gwen, if it comes to that). I can certainly see Vic being a bit floored when meeting the members of the Whateley Transgender Alliance, given that a good portion of M3 are already members.

Kudos to Caroline for pushing Vic to think about what a 'Normal' job is.

I had to jump back to Silent Mountain part 2 to review what Dereck told Sophia about Vic. It certainly explains why Sophia is acting the way she is towards Vic. If something happens to change Sophia's mind regarding Vic, I could see it causing her to reevaluate her view of Dereck. That change would certainly be a bitter harvest for the FSA member, though I could sadly see him interpreting the change as Vic having brainwashed his sister. Unlikely (but not out of the realm of possibility) is the scenario that some of the more chaotic members of the Syndicate try to do something at the Heroes United event. Dereck would never live it down if Vic were to pull his bacon out of the fire during such a scenario. Still don't see it changing his mind, but it might just plant that seed of doubt.

The Syndicate budget meeting certainly provides an interesting look into what has generally been a bit of a black box. Laureate certainly seems to have been the driving force behind the Syndicate side decisions that led to the events of Silent Mountain. I have the feeling he was earmarking the funds that were being saved on the cleanup (and not sponsoring the students) for something, and it'll be interesting to see what that was. The fact that Raffina's father has some connections certainly helped the case.

Vic found his way to the mall. I wonder if he'll bite the proverbial bullet and learn how to use makeup to disguise the future GSD (or at least odd-colored skin). I suppose Laura may be of assistance when he gets back to Whateley.

The interactions between Vic and Caroline are a nice ray of sunshine. I'm curious as to what classes Vic is going to be instructed to take (I'm guessing something like Telepath Fundamentals and Finger Wiggling for Muggles will both be on the agenda). I also wonder what his campus job will end up being (I could see it involving the sewers, or at least the plumbing). Sophia's tantrum regarding Vic on the other hand is a bit of a downer. At least Caroline was quick on the uptake as to what was going on.