2014.03.08 - I Hate Killer Giant Robots

Training. It's all about training at times.
And in this case...
"Thanks for the help..." is said towards Rachel as one of the Danger Rooms occupants fires a rather /LARGE/ gun (heck, the thing is almost as big as she is!) at a pair of giant white and blue robots!
"Considering some of the... Things that have been going on lately, I needed to blow off some steam!"
Of course, considering that this is Hope, doesn't she always have 'steam' to blow off?
Oh well, as what looks like New York City gets attacked by said robots, and other heroes and villains fight similar robots in the distance, while the city itself slowly gets destroyed due to the fighting, the teenaged redhead frowns.
"All though, I had kind of hoped for some other help too..."
 
Considering the weird turn Rachel's life has taken of late, Danger Room training, even against giant robots, is reassuringly normal.
Of course, it's Danger Room training with giant robots and HOPE, so it's probably not going to end up being as routine as the older redhead probably imagines.
Hope's enormous gun got a look, a grin, and a shake of Rachel's head when she saw it, but that was all. And Rachel can't argue that the thing looks effective, as Hope sends a blast downrange. Rachel herself is hovering a short distance away, her body faintly outlined by the fiery glow of her powers, close enough to support Hope without being so close that the two of them together provide a particularly tempting target. "No problem!" She calls back. "I could do with clearing my head, too." She agrees, a thoughtful look flickering across her face momentarily, only to be chased away when one of those big robots makes a lunge toward her. 
Rachel slides sideways in mid-air to avoid its clutches, and then fires off a TK-blast intended to take the robot's hand off at the wrist. "Don't get grabby." She tells it, then glances over at Hope, her expression quizzical. "Oh? Hold that thought!" She instructs, and the aura around her glows brighter. A moment's concentration, and she thrusts out a hand toward 'her' robot, aiming to blast it away back down the street.
Dropping to her feet beside Hope, Rachel cocks her head to one side. "What can I do for you?"
Okay, so why is the last twelve times Nate tried to use the Danger Room someone was already there? This has been a slow week for him and he needs to... destroy something in a harmless way. Or something.
A pretty basic mind-scan reveals who is using the DR. Waaaait a minute. Doesn't the Academy of Tomorrow have its own training facilities? He steps inside. "Hope what... the hell is that gun? Overcompensating for something?" Of course a robot tries to fry him right there, forcing him to raise a TK shield. "It had to be killer giant robots, I hate killer giant robots."
There's a *KA-CLACK!* as Hope cocks her gun, before firing off a blast at one of the robots. And what comes out of the gun is a huge, long blast that not only takes out the giant robots head, but also it's upper torso too!
Of course then, she turns her head to glance at Rachel, right in time to see the other redheads robot go flying away.
"Dang..." is let out, before the younger Summers says, "Yeah. I probably could use some help with the whole Telekenesis and telepathy stuff. Especially stuff that might not get taught by Miss Frost..."
And then well... Nate enters. And that gun he comments about gets snapped his way for a moment or two, before Hope speaks up.
"Of course. Not all of us are world class telepaths and TKers who can pull off amazing things when ever we want. Some of us are basically powerless ninety nine percent of the time. So I'll take anything I can get. Especially if it's a gun that can do as much as this puppy can."
 
Rachel's brow furrows slightly as she feels Nate's mind-scan, but it doesn't distract her from dealing with her robot. She doesn't give Hope any advance warning, either, wondering if the young power mimic is copying her powers, and whether she picked it up herself. Her musing on that is interrupted by Hope's question, and Rachel looks surprised for all of half a second before she grins. "I can do that. At long as you show me what you've picked up from your Miss Frost as well..."
As Nate joins them and starts straight in on Hope's choice of ordnance, she can't help but grin. "I wasn't going to say anything." She remarks casually, not at all perturbed about having such a conversation in the middle of a battle simulation. The moment Nate's targeted by that robot, though, Rachel's head swings around, her eyes narrow, and a TK-bolt punches the robot's head right off its shoulders, sending it to glance off a building and then clatter to the street.
"Bit difficult to hide, though." Rachel replies nonchalantly, and nods at Hope's gun. "Come on. Put the cannon away if school's in."
"Oh yeah, like you have been a one percent of the last year without at least a half a dozen alphas within your range," replies Nate. The robot begins punching his shield, making him wince and finally drawing his attention. But Rachel takes its head off before he can as much as glare at him. "Hey, that one was mine," he protests in mock outrage. "And you Hope, are less likely to have a ridiculous oversized gun at hand than a mutant to copy. At least as long as you are in New York."
It's a bit difficult to say what Emma has taught Hope regarding telepathy. But still...
"Fine. But I think we might want to focus on the TK part right now..." is said as that gun is tossed away, right in time for the younger redhead to have to leap to the side to avoid being blasted by a different robot! "Since I don't think telepathy will work on these guys!"
Then though, there's a snicker at Nate.
"No. I'm just likely to be able to grab a pistol from a random gang banger, or be able to steal the gun off of some super powered creep instead!" is said as she starts to reach out mentally and copy a set of powers.
"And as for having that many to choose from, you'd be surprised. Most of the time at The Academy the closest mutants to grab are Emma or The Five in One... Which isn't that helpful unless I want to follow through with my crazy Anti-Darkseid plan."
 
Rachel laughs at Nate's feigned indignation. "Then you should've been quicker!" She tells him, clearly in a good mood, and lifts off the ground again, hovering a couple of feet in the air, her eyes scanning for targets while Hope and Nate banter over her choice in weaponry.
As soon as the gun is put aside, though, and Hope immediately makes some suggestions, Rachel's laughter, and then her voice, can be heard inside both their heads. << You'd think that, but you'd be surprised. >> Rachel pauses, considers that, considers HOPE, and adds, << Maybe. >> There's a definite hint of amusement in that single word. << If no-one minds? >> But Rachel's doing it anyway, reaching out to link their minds together, so that they can share eachother's perceptions. << Three sets of eyes are better than one. >>
Of course, while Rachel's been happily slipping into the unaccustomed role of the instructor, she's not been keeping up with what else Hope's been saying. << Wait, what anti-Darkseid plan? And don't think I didn't see you on YouTube, either. >> There's a ripple of mild annoyance from Rachel's end of the link, and she glows a little brighter as she sweeps down the street, brakes to a halt in mid-air in front of a robot, and ducks beneath it's arms to blast its kneecap out.
Nate allows for the mind-link, certainly. There is a flash of alarm when Hope mentions 'anti-Darkseid' plan he quickly suppresses, directing an evil glare to the younger redhead. << No, just leave that to Superman and friends. That stone-faced idiot is taunting them, but I am sure they will kick his ass. >> And maybe a little worried someone able to trade punches with Superman would squish Hope like a little bug. Being in a mind-like makes harder to keep an indifferent facade.
As Hope copies a set of powers...
As Rachel links their minds together...
The younger redhead lets out a slight 'merf'!
That is before she sort of gets into it. After all, it is /different/ than what she experiences with The Five in One...
<< I know they'll get him Nate. But we could do it more easily. Just drop you, Jean, Rachel, Betsy, Ms. Frost, The Five in One, who ever their /OTHER/ Copycat is...>> Yes, as that 'other' copycat is mentioned, a slight him t of bitterness enters Hope's thoughts, but it's quickly squashed. << Calvin, Xavier, The Martian Manhunter, me, any other telepath, power mimic, or power booster you can think of, right in front of him. I copy /ALL/ the mutant telepaths at once, including The Five in One, and we fry his head with the combined telepathic power. After all, if The Five in One and a Copycat can become an Ominpath, and Xavier can somehow too, and Jean goes all out like she has, how could he stand against us? >>
Then there's a pause, as she grins, lifting to the air as she avoids another robot blast before lashing out with a TK blast that causes the entire robot to shake itself to pieces.
<Of course with that many people working together, odds are we could possibly control everyone on the planet at once too... Which kind of frightens me.>>
<And you saw it? Cool! Glad someone did. And I think that video came out better than the other one I was considering making.>>
 
Rachel could point out that Nate's usually the one who wants to go to town on the bad guys at the earliest opportunity. She could. And if they weren't linked, she almost certainly would. But she's a little too good a telepath to miss Nate's alarm, or to misunderstand what it means. So she keeps silent, and lets Hope lay out her plan.
And winces a bit. << Before I point out what setting that up would mean, if we could even pull it off, and that most of the people on your list are non-combatants, could you /actually/ mimic all those powers, at once, without blowing the top of your head off? >> Hopefully that plays a bit better than 'are you CRAZY?' with the teenager, but that's the risk that Rachel has to take. Rachel snorts at Hope's little afterthought. << Yeah. Green hoodie sales would go through the roof. >> She offers, glancing back with a bit of a smirk.
And then glances skyward for a moment. << I think everyone saw it. I'm just glad Darkseid doesn't get YouTube... or isn't petty enough to make an example of you. >> It's time for a bit of concern to leak past Rachel's shields, too, but there's something else there as well. The sense that Rachel appreciated Hope's bravado. << You got your point across, though. >>
Remembering that they're supposed to be doing something constructive, Rachel's eyes run across the ruins of the robot Hope trashed. << Not bad, by the way. But how's your fine control? >> Rachel shoots Hope a challenging look, and points toward the next robot. << See that one? >> There's a streak of red-gold fire, and Rachel's right in front of it. << Watch. >> The older redhead concentrates, and the robot suddenly comes apart, each nut, bolt, screw and rivit separating so that, just for a moment, the robot looks like an exploded diagram, before the separated parts clatter to the ground. << Your turn. >> Rachel tells Hope smugly.
<<Considering the twerking Darkseid video, odds are I'm lower on his list of YouTubers to target.>> is said with a slight bit of amusement.
<<Then again, my original idea was to Rick Roill Darkseid with that 'Twerking Spider-Man' video from a few months back, with picks of other heros mixed in as well.>>
Of course as that's 'said' Hope just watches as Rachel does that trick to the robot, before she blinks and nods.
And she tries it. She sort of looks at another one, and focuses...
And a few nuts and bolts do pop out. Unfortunately others tighten up even tighter, before she sort of goes cross eyed and a little over half of the nuts and bolts suddenly go flying from the bot before it falls over.
<<And... I don't know if I could. But I do know that odds are I wouldn't come out of it like I am now, and would probably destroy The Five in One as well...>>
<<If I survive.>>
 
As Hope gleefully tells her about her original idea, Rachel groans. << I'm not sure I should say this, but I'm glad you just went with insulting him. Good job. >> A horrible thought strikes Rachel. << These other ideas of yours? Don't tell Doug. Just... don't. >> She doesn't give any more details, keeping the horrors she's imagining the linguist could come up with to herself.
Fortunately for Rachel's state of mind, robot dissection requires enough of her attention to drive those images from her mind, and once she's finished with her robot... well, she needs to watch Hope's back while she tries the same trick. Not that she's about to TELL the teenager that she's doing that, of course.
<< Not bad. >> Rachel allows, not mentioning the crossed eyes. << Head hurting yet? >> She asks lightly. << If not, let's try that again. This time, don't go looking for each individual part. Even I can't split my attention that far. Grab the 'bot, find a bolt, let your TK run over it to find the rest. Then twist 'em all at once. >>
Rachel finds she's enjoying this, and her mental tone cheerfully reflects that. It just makes the contrast all the greater when she suddenly sobers at Hope's words. << Only saying this once, Hope. Suicide missions are always a last resort, OK? >>
<<Trust me, you won't have to tell me twice. But it is a good 'all or nothing' idea that probably would work.>> is thought back, even as Hope shakes her head. 
<<Sort of, but not that bad...>> is sort of muttered, while the younger redhead sort of floats there, pushing aside the small mental ache she feels.
This time though, she does reach out as she mentally 'tags' a robot a little farther away, her mind probing, before she tries to *YOINK!* with her borrowed TK. And this time...
Well, most of the nuts, bolts, and screws twist. Many twist in ways that they're almost completely undone, while still others go flying out like bullets as the robot falls down
But in addition, strange enough, some circuit boards come flying out too once wholes are made in the robot.
<<Better?>>
 
Rachel watches Hope intently for a moment, then nods briskly as the younger redhead reassures her that suicide is not on the cards, at least right now. << Yeah. And if you lived through it, Nate would kill you. >> Rachel tells her with a grin, and leaves things there.
<< Don't push yourself if your head gets too bad. >> Rachel warns. << I have no idea if the migraine will vanish when you get out of range of my powers. >> And the headaches a telepath gets after straining her powers are not at all pleasant.
Still, Rachel's not going to tell Hope to stop, and watches with interest as she goes to work on another robot. Rachel's grin is quite fierce as she watches her niece at work. These aren't Sentinels, but Rachel's happy to see them go down all the same. << Better! >> Rachel confirms, a mischievous look suddenly coming into her eyes. << How are you with two things at once? Follow me, and shield! >> Rachel dives down, between the buildings, right on the deck, and accelerates. Dodging left and right at intersections seemingly at random. But every time she comes across a robot, it gets a TK blast. Not full power, just enough to wake it up and make sure it's paying attention when the next redheaded mutant comes by.
The safeties ARE on, right?
Two at once?
Who can resist a challenge like that!
Well, Hope takes off after Rachel, trying to keep up, and more importantly, keep in range!
Thus she bobs and weaves as well, , raising a shield that debris bounces off of as the elder woman's blasts send things flying towards her. And well.... It's not as easy as it looks! But she has done this sort of flying before, thanks to Nate, and she has sort of worked on the shields before...
Heck, while she might not get that close to any robots due to Rachel blasting them, she even does try to knock away some of the larger bits of debris via TK blasts!
<<If it gets too bad, I'll stop. But dealing with the after effects is something I've got to learn to deal with too!>>
 
With the mind-link they're sharing, Rachel can easily keep tabs on Hope, and she's impressed at how well she's handling herself. Rachel grins, and pushes harder, faster, blasting down a side-street and blowing the windows out of the buildings on either side with the shockwave of her passing. Banking hard at the end of the street, she TK-blasts the robot that appears right in front of her and flies right /through/ the resulting fireball.
By now Rachel's actively trying to spice things up for Hope. << Everyone likes a glutton for punishment. >> Comes Rachel's voice right back at Hope.
A few more fast turns, though, and Rachel suddenly takes off vertically, coming to a halt hovering above the buildings, looking around at the few undamaged robots still causing havoc. As Hope joins her, Rachel offers a satisfied nod. << You learn fast and you've already picked up more than I realised. Good. But this... >> Rachel waves a hand at the ravaged cityscape and the smouldering wrecks of robots littering the streets. "This was the fun bit." She says, switching back to verbal speech. "If you like, I'll work something up to really test you next time. Right now, though? How about we find somewhere comparatively quiet and find out if you're as good with my telepathy as my telekinesis."
Yes, Hope catches up. Yes, she looks down at the wreck of a city below. But still...
"Considering how many powers I have to learn to use, usually on the fly, I have to learn fast. Or else." the younger redhead says out loud.
And yet, there is a slight nod.
"Sure. Just don't take it the wrong way if I try to do an Askani lockdown on you while we deal with telepathy."
 
"When it comes to brute force, you're a natural." Rachel replies, her tone amused but not really mocking. "But you're around me, and Nate - and other telepaths - enough that you might as well learn some finesse where you can." Rachel's not talking down to Hope - the younger woman's instinctive ability to wield disparate powers is very impressive on its own.
When Hope agrees, Rachel's quick to nod. "OK." Rachel says with a nod, lowering herself toward the exit, and then looking over her shoulder with an inquisitive look. "Askani what?" She shakes her head with a grin. "Never mind. Try it, if it works, you can teach me it. Come on." And she disappears into the corridor outside, while behind her the Danger Room reverts to an empty cube of metal. Ready for its next victims.
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