nextgenerationmarvel | Water logged

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Water logged

Erin had been on a day trip with a history class she was taken when something went very wrong. She didn't know what the cause was but two very large ferry's crashed right into each other. People were getting thrown over board and both ships were taking on water fast.

"Oh no." Some little kids from an elementary school got knocked over board by accident and she could see other people in similar trouble. People weren't moving fast enough.

Her parents are going to kill her.

"Hold on," she shouts and focuses her mind on the water having a big water construct of an octopus pick up and put people back up on the boat where they would be safe.

This was getting worse and it was all she could do to keep people in the boats where they wouldn't like, drown or something.

And people are starting to notice it's get and she feels sick to her stomach because pictures might get taken. But the boats are both still in danger right now she'll focus on that later.

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Bruce had come down this general way to set up with his sketch pad and watch the ferries, when the trouble had started. Not good. Definitely not good.

He concentrated for a second, putting his art supplies inside a light bubble, before transforming his clothing into his uniform. Leaving a sparkling trail behind, he leaped into the air.

And then... someone was... manipulating the water? "What the heck...?"

Sarah had seen the scene on the news. She quickly called out to any Avengers who might want to go down the docks with her, before sprinting off to where Erin and Bruce were.

She raised an eyebrow when she got there and noticed someone manipulating the water, nearly dropping her shield.

"....Okay. That's something you don't see everyday." She turned to Bruce, once she spotted him. "Marching orders?"

The water construct is keeping people from falling out on the boats even as both ferry's seem to be taking on water. Erin is trying to split her focus to pull water out of the boat but it's very hard because people are yelling and it's a great deal of water to move around. Then she gets the idea to turn the octopus into more of a water shell so she's moving less water at once.

It works.

But this is a huge mess.

Bruce thought quickly, putting what Uncle Steve had taught him about assessing situations to use.

"We need to evacuate the boats. It's already way to hold. I'm gonna do what I can on the boats themselves."

He headed toward one of the boats and put himself in the air between them. Pointing a hand at each, he extended a photonic force field under both of them.

Vincent flies in from above. "Don't try to move them too far, just keep them above water!"

He brings himself into a stable hover over the water where the two boats meet, and starts casting. One by one, runes appear in the air, and then link, forming a portal to shore. "Get able people up first to help others get through!" He holds his position, needing to keep the gate stabilized.

Sarah leaped into action, going about getting people off of the boats. She started helping them through the portal, women and small children first.

Erin tries to stick to the back. So people won't notice her manipulating the water. And so she can try leaving last to be sure she's helped as much as she possibly could.

But the girl helping move people made it hard.

It wasn't too much effort to maintain the photonic fields; Bruce had a pretty solid solar charge going.

"I've got this," he told the others. "Keep them moving. We wanna make this as orderly as possible."

Vincent remains hovering in the air, although he wavers slightly. The portal is a demanding spell to keep going. He's slowly descending towards the water.

"C'mon let's keep going here people, nice and orderly!" Sarah continued ushering people through the portal, while keeping an eye on Vincent at the same time.

And that's when the ships both groan and start to buckle. There are a few startled yells from people because if it weren't for Bruce the ships would be sinking.

And Erin sees Vincent start to sink. The water shell octopus construct moves and holds up an arm as if offering Vincent a place to stand on. Erin is starting to make her way off the ship careful to not show her powers off too much. It's all about using her mind.

"Hurry it up, guys! They aren't gonna hold together much longer!"

Vincent's brow furrows as he feels something solidify beneath his feet, but he's not going to question it. He settles for looking around as he tries to make the portal a bit wider, letting more through at once.

Who is doing this?

Sarah made about ushering people off the boats as fast as she could.

"Do we know who's controlling the water?" She asked. "'Cause I'm pretty sure it's not doing it on it's own."

Yeah no now they're talking about her. This s like really bad.

And then the worst thing possible for her could happen. The little kids that she had rescued from the water start pointing.

"Hey! She saved us! With the big water octopus!"

Oh god.

"Umm.... You guys should go. With your teacher. To where it's safe." Oh God. Cat is officially out of the bag!

Bruce spared a moment of his attention for the girl. He gave a quick nod of thanks, then set his concentration back on keeping the boats as afloat as he could.

"You there!" Vincent calls out. "Are you a magic-user or something else? If you're the former, I'd love to compare notes after I'm done violating the barriers of conventional space." Now that he's on secure footing, the portal is a bit less demanding.

Sarah continued helping the last civilians off of the boats and into the portal. She was curious about the girl, but right now she wanted to make sure that everyone was safe. Once everyone was off, Sarah stepped through the portal on her own and onto dry land.

"That's everyone," she said to Vincent.

Erin waited until Sarah was ready to go through. She wanted to be sure that everyone would be safe. Then she stepped through just after Sarah. The big problem for Erin was all of the sudden a news crew had gotten there.

Oh hell. She ends up turning a little pale. Back with Vincent and Bruce?

Vincent should notice the construct waver just a little as if the girl controlling it is getting nervous.

Bruce let the ships down gently. They could be recovered later, now that everyone was safe.

He dipped down in the air, landing in front of the others.

He put on his best teen idol smile as the news crew arrived. Keep the attention on the costumed heroes, after all. Give the girl her space.

Vincent visibly pales in shock as someone else approaches him.

No... it... she.. here?

"...Sarah?"

Sarah raised an eyebrow, a little confused. "Everything okay, Vincent?"

She just shoots Bruce the most grateful look ever. She obviously doesn't want the attention. It becomes more obvious when the reporter starts asking questions and the camera man gets closer.

Her gut nearly drops right out of her when she realizes that they're getting her face. Her parents are going to see this.

She's in so much trouble.

Bruce handles the reporters with gusto, mentioning that the water effects were "Asgardian sorcery," and going on to add that they were simply in the right place at the right time and that the arriving paramedics and rescue workers were the real heroes.

He was in his element when it came to handling the media.

Vincent shakes off his confusion. He must be in worse shape than he thought. That couldn't be his Sarah.

"Nevermind... it... it's nothing..."

Sarah looked concerned. "Are you sure you're alright?"

Bruce did a great deal right then and there. A few pictures are taken really fast. Then the reporters surge to go talk to other people.

Erin still looks spooked though.

"Damn it. They go my face. My parents are going to see that," she groans.

Bruce moved over to talk to her, while the reporter's attention was elsewhere. "You okay, Miss...?"

"Sterling. Erin Sterling," she offers now that the reports seem to be paying attention to other things.

"I'll be okay. I think. I just need to make some phone calls later to try and smooth things over." She bites her lower lip.

"My parents don't like it if I use my powers in public. They'd prefer if I never used them."

"Well, respectfully, Erin," Bruce said, "they're full of it. You saved lives today."

"Well duh. I couldn't sit by. Kids fell out of the ferry! In this weather they'd freeze to death," she points out in obvious agreement.

"But for them image is everything. Dad is a diplomat.... Mom is.... I guess you'd call her a social climber. Having a mutant daughter kind of.... It messes with them.. They've made it clear they might cut me off if my powers ever mess with the image they need to maintain."

He nodded thoughtfully. "Well, if you're ever interested in doing more, or just learning to use your powers better, come by Avengers Mansion. We've got a vested interest in helping young super-people be all they can."

"Seriously?" She looks pleased by that. Suddenly she has an idea on how to get her parents to lay off.

"That could be..... very helpful. Thank you."

"You're welcome," Bruce said. "Hope things work out okay with your folks."

"Well. It's unlikely anything bad will happen right away.... Just you know. High possibility of lecturing."

And suddenly she sees that she could find a way to get them to stop giving her somewhat serious threats. Of course that means throwing herself into harm's way more or less but she'll figure something out.

"The Avengers are very good at taking care of people." Vincent adds quietly, still ignoring this Sarah's persistence. Her presence makes him exceptionally uncomfortable in his current emotional state.

"Well, like I said, look us up if you'd like," Bruce told her.

He turned back to his team. "Okay guys, let's leave the rest to the professionals."

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Water logged

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