University of the Damned and Desired

[LitShark]

((Thread is CLOSED for monique_minx, Miss_Vivi and I. Readers welcome!))


Astralis Academy

In a world of advanced technology, where ten percent of the world’s population have been gifted with superhuman abilities that in some cases make them closer peers with gods than men, an organization has been established to catalog and cultivate the abilities of these individuals known simply as “Gifted.”

Separated around puberty from the rest of the population and their parents, Gifted children are educated and raised among their own. Groomed from youth to respect and adhere to the established social order—the most talented Gifted youths graduate to become Heroes who maintain the order and segregation that allows for a crime-free society.

The Extra-Normal Disbursement Foundation maintains records on all Gifted individuals—even those who don’t earn the rank of “Hero.” “No power without purpose,” is the organization’s motto and stance to justify the compulsory registration and segregation of young men and women from their families and society at-large.

Most never question the order that the ENDF preserves and enforces.

The indoctrination to the established order is an important part of Gifted education, and those who distinguish themselves through strength, ingenuity or enthusiasm are selected to join the prestigious airborne academy—the flying campus, Astralis Academy.

Despite their unconventional campus, Astralis is the envy of every military or educational facility known to humankind. 95% of Gifted students who achieve the level of Hero train at AA, and all of the faculty are members of the “Immortals Pantheon,” a sort of Hall of Fame for retired heroes.

But human nature remains—even among super humans, and in a world of the super powered, power determines status and status denotes order.

*-*-*

Fall Excursion 5E 783Y: T+ 24 Days 6 Hours 14 Minutes 54 Seconds. Monday.

"Now, cut the cards..." Vince asked anxiously, holding the deck with trembling fingers.

"Where did you even find a paper deck of Bicycle Playing cards?" Professor Dunbar mused, cutting the cards without his typical flourish--eager for this exchange to be over quickly. As painfully awkward as it was to watch Vince try to resurrect close-up magic in an airborne school of Gifted individuals, it was preferable to answering for where he was heading, "there you go."

"And... another shuffle... shuffle... shuffle-shuffle... Is that your card?" Vince snapped the deck, confidently holding up the Jack of Diamonds.

"No."

Vince's eyes grew wide. He was shocked and mortified, but Dunbar didn't seem surprised at all.

"Wait... no. I mean... is that your card?" Eight of Clubs.

"Still no. I think you need some more practice... I have to get--" Dunbar tried to move past Vince, but he shuffled his feet to block his way.

"Wait... wait... This card?" Deuce of Spades.

"Mister Occluso, this is getting ridiculous. You can show me once you've mastered it, now please..." Dr. D tried again to push past, but Vince was determined. By now he was fanning his way through the deck, face up, searching clumsily for a card he wouldn't know if he saw.

"Here! There it is! There's your card!" Queen of Hearts.

"Ha!" Dr. D clapped his hands and feigned being impressed. A white lie to get him free of this awkwardness, "you got it. Wow. How'd you do that anyway? Don't tell me. Gosh, what a talent."

Professor Dunbar continued singing false praises for Vince as he passed through the open-air atrium to access the staff wing of the Promenade Deck. He was on his way to meet Gwen Prime and didn't want to be seen by any more of his students than necessary. He quickened his step, his frustration and exertion causing his pheromones to escape. Vince thought they smelled like Diesel fuel and clove cigarettes.

It was then that Bobby Brownstone descended through the open roof of the atrium, his muscular arm around his girlfriend's petite waist. He was helping her learn to fly again. As they descended, Bobby kicked the deck out of Vince's hands, scattering the fluttering cards to the wind. They went flipping and tumbling in all directions, enlivened by the high winds at 40,000 meters above the ground.

"Nice and easy, imagine yourself weightless. Think of yourself like a marionette and your telekinesis just needs to provide the strings--it'll help your endurance. Watch where you're going, dweeb!" after kicking him, Bobby rushed back to the ground, nearly abandoning Lyra in midair, "you almost bumped into my girlfriend, loser! She's still learning to control her flying. She could have been hurt! Maybe I should send you flying..."

Bobby picked Victor up off the ground like he weighed nothing, holding all of him aloft by his backpack strap.

"Maybe that's what you need. A little life-or-death struggle... a free-fall with no parachute. Might awaken something in you. What do you say, Giftless Loser? Do you believe you can fly?"

 

[monique_minx]

They'd come up to the atrium and Lyra had been nervous as usual, she never felt like she was completely in control of her powers. Sometimes they were in complete command and it was all she could do to pull everything back inside. Her mother had done her utmost to hide Lyra, as soon as her powers manifested at the age of 13, Lyra's mother had quickly purchased inhibitors on the black market just to conceal her so the ENDF wouldn't take her away. Her mother's love and protection had been fierce but ultimately, not enough. During a panic attack the year before, even the inhibitors had not been enough to suppress Lyra's powers. It caused a catastrophic incident at her 'normie' high school, something Lyra shared with no one. Not even Bobby.

She'd been the new kid for all of five minutes before people just gravitated towards her and pretty soon, most felt they could tell her anything. She was warm and empathetic to nearly everyone and it didn't hurt that she was both exceedingly beautiful and powerful. As soon as Bobby met her, he was swept up in her wake and Lyra found him charming. They started dating and Bobby found Lyra met needs he didn't know he had. As a result, he was fiercely protective although sometimes, a little too much. Sometimes he was just showing off.

Like now.

She'd tipped in mid air and had to all but steady herself as she felt Bobby's rage flair and he left her side. She remained suspended just a few metres off the ground, trying to handle herself without Bobby's aid. He had a great mastery over his power of flight but Lyra was still relatively new to using her telekinesis to lift herself - though she'd lifted many other objects before. This was safe enough though, if she lost control, she'd not even break a bone at this height. Her crimson hair shimmered in the light and her eyes seemed to glow just a little where she hovered. Bobby was yelling at Vince now, it was a little much considering they'd just about collected him. Even if he was a disgusting little weirdo.

Lyra crossed her arms and arched a brow with a dry voice, "Bobby, please don't drop him. If he splatters, the clean up goes on my student record - again. And I'm pretty sure attempted murder wasn't on today's flight syllabus."

She floated down gracefully, her arms unfolding as her hair slowly stopped its eerie shine and her eyes settled to their normal bright blue. Her runners tapping the floor where she landed and her skirt settling around her with the gravity, concealing the edge of her bike shorts again.

She licked her lips and her hands settled on her hips, "Besides, if you wanted to impress me, you'd aim higher than low-orbit threats to freshmen."

 

[Miss_Vivi]

Charlemagne Estes sighed inwardly and listened to the student in front of her. Mimi was exhausting. The biggest gossip she had ever encountered, and that was saying something, as she had once worked with the "Power Six". Six of the most powerful supers that the world had ever seen. They also had the egos to match. Like Mimi, to them, everything was news.

"Professor Estes, you know I saw Bobby and Dr. Rowan fooling around."

"Did you Mimi? Does that mean you were also running around naked?"

The girl in front of her blushed deeply, and tried to say something else, but Char held her hand up to stop her.

"Thank you Mimi. I appreciate your help in this matter. Please return to class. With your clothes." She indicated the pile next to the girl who was wrapped in a blanket. Mimi attempted to look innocent as she gathered her things, but Char caught her self satisfied smirk. Char wanted to throw the girl over her knee and spank the brat out of her, but that wasn't going to happen today.

With Mimi gone, she stared out of her office window watching the clouds flit around her school. Her school. She loved it, the flying campus, the drama of young adults, their passions, their needs, how everything was so present for them. Astralis was hers. The EDNF be damned. They had called her today, talking about "wanting to genetically catalog the supers". What a bunch of absolute hogwash. Another sigh. She needed a distraction. She left her office soundlessly, watching the students turn tail at the sight of her as she walked the campus.



..."you'd aim higher than low orbit threats to freshmen.." she caught the end of Lyra admonishing her boyfriend, Bobby. Lyra was beautiful in that devastatingly terrifying way, like a fire that enticed you at the same time that it burned you. Bobby, however, was a toy. Gorgeous, talented, and dumb as a rock, it made sense that Mimi had caught him with Rowan.



Char marched into the courtyard, heels clicking satisfyingly across the pathway, "Mr. Brownstone, put down Mr. Occluso or we can talk about a visit to the power drain. Your choice." Char eyed the younger man, watching him as he slowly weighed his options. "Professor Dunbar, if you join me momentarily, I believe we have something to discuss." She said over her shoulder to the man who had seemed to be slinking away from the hubbub. Taking a deep breath Char sent out a feeling of calm curiousity to the students and staff around her, which, of course would hit her later. Ugh. She needed a better distraction.