*comment Community College Hero written by Eric Moser, copyright 2015. *comment Using ChoiceScript (copyright 2010 by Dan Fabulich) under the terms of the ChoiceScript license: *comment http://www.choiceofgames.com/LICENSE-1.0 txt *title Community College Hero *author Eric Moser *scene_list startup captureflag $ introclasses $ split $ contrarian $ origami $ climax *comment for achievements, I can put either succeeded or failed *create hname "Unknown" *comment Dan deleted duplicate *create money *comment *create money "" *create melee1 "none" *create melee2 "none" *create melee3 "none" *create ranged1 "none" *create ranged2 "none" *create ranged3 "none" *create defense1 "none" *create defense2 "none" *create defense3 "none" *create movement1 "none" *create movement2 "none" *create movement3 "none" *create stealth1 "none" *create stealth2 "none" *create stealth3 "none" *create awareness1 "none" *create awareness2 "none" *create awareness3 "none" *create gender "" *create firstname "" *create lastname "" *create sexorientation "" *create tress 5 *create stunner 5 *create mob 5 *create crook 5 *create stoic 5 *create dirtygirl 5 *create origami 5 *create combatwombat 5 *create unicornfishgirl 5 *create tolly 5 *create mccormick 5 *create hedonist 5 *create nil 5 *create downfall 5 *create weakness "" *create archetype "" *comment the one above tells you exactly what level you are *create basic_archetype "" *comment the one above just tells you which of the basic four types you are *create persona "" *create uniform "" *create mask "" *create colorscheme "" *create extratouch "" *create charmer 10 *create jokester 10 *create brooder 10 *create traditionalist 10 *create pow 0 *create zap 0 *create thud 0 *create whoosh 0 *create shhh 0 *create hmmm 0 *create yay 10 *create money 0 *create accomplish "" *comment these will just be yes or no *create upgrade1 "" *create upgrade2 "" *comment for statuses, friend will be default, can also be interested or dating or breakingup or onside or ex *create stunner_status "friend" *create tress_status "friend" *create dirtygirl_status "friend" *create mob_status "friend" *create stoic_status "friend" *create crook_status "friend" *create origami_status "friend" *create combatwombat_status "friend" *create unicornfishgirl_status "friend" *create captureflagachievement "" *create in_trouble "" *create first_round "" *comment side can be notready or ready or notsure as it pertains to either investigating contrarian or waiting to get more training in chapter 4. *create side "" *comment hellnotes1 will show up on stats page reflecting the amount of material the character has learned and devoted to memory for the first grade of the semester. *create hellnotes1 "" *comment for second grade *create hellnotes2 "" *comment also for second grade *create hellnotes3 "" *comment this indicates where the MC sits in HELL class and it can be front middle or back. *create hell_sit "" *comment this creates your grade on your first HELL test, there are 5 questions in total. *create helltest1_grade 0 *create helltest2_grade 0 *comment this is the grade for HELL on a number used for my calculations *create hell1_grade 0 *create hell2_grade 0 *comment this is for the grade showing on your report cards *create hell1_lettergrade "" *create hell2_lettergrade "" *create secrets2_lettergrade "" *comment these are the secrets for the students to gather for the secrets class *create uni_secret "" *create combat_secret "" *create crook_secret "" *create dirtygirl_secret "" *create origami_secret "" *create stunner_secret "" *create mob_secret "" *create tress_secret "" *create stoic_secret "" *create yoursecret_known "" *create number_know_secret 0 *comment show the actual secrets *create know_tress_secret "no" *create know_mob_secret "no" *create know_uni_secret "no" *create know_combat_secret "no" *create know_dirtygirl_secret "no" *create know_stunner_secret "no" *create know_crook_secret "no" *create know_stoic_secret "no" *create know_origami_secret "no" *create tress_perv 0 *create insurance_claims 0 *create coffee_table_claim "" *create parking_lot_claim "" *comment this can be okay like or hate yes or no *create captain_powerless "" *comment this is for dirty girls party and it can be hot help friend leave or decline if youre dating tress and answer is hot, youre in trouble the other answers wont be great either *create stay_late "" *comment this is for the mob fight because he holds it against you if you do that, its either yes or no *create mobprivates "" *create stoicask "" *comment this is just an on off switch because some characters will not ask you out if you are dating someone *create dating_someone "" *comment this is just an on off switch to tell if you have someone on the side only dirty girl and crook are options *create onside_someone "" *comment this identifies who you are dating *create dating "" *comment this variable will indicate you are in the process of breaking up with whoever you are dating at the moment *create breaking_up "" *create justdumped_tress "" *create justdumped_mob "" *create justdumped_dirtygirl "" *create justdumped_uni "" *create justfooled_stunner "" *create stunnersex "" *create secretsknown 0 *comment this is the grade for Breaking People on a number used for my calculations *create breaking1_grade 0 *comment this is for the grade showing on your report cards *create breaking1_lettergrade "" *create breaking2_lettergrade "" *create defense2_lettergrade "" *create breaking2_number 0 *create defense2_number 0 *comment this is the grade in Secrets on a number used for my calculations *create secrets1_grade 0 *comment this is for the grade showing on your report cards *create secrets1_lettergrade "" *comment this is the grade in Secrets on a number used for my calculations *create defense1_grade 0 *comment this is for the grade showing on your report cards *create defense1_lettergrade "" *create gpa1 0 *create gpa1_final "" *create gpa2 0 *create gpa2_final "" *create gpa1_reportcard 0 *create gpa2_reportcard 0 *create schoolgear "" *create helltime 0 *create first_message "" *create second_message "" *create third_message "" *create fourth_message "" *create entrance_late "" *create nil_point 0 *create wombat_study "" *create priority_class "" *create secondary_class "" *create football_bet "" *create headshot_wombat "" *create hospital_visit "" *create jacob 0 *comment it will be a number, 1 for each meeting, so 1 for hospital, 1 for second meeting and then 1 for the last one *create hell_seat "" *create crook_kiss 0 *create bail_dg "" *create school_lead "" *create too_silly 0 *create over_promise 0 *create just_right 0 *create uni_date "" *create uni_name "" *create uni_lastname "" *create uniknowsname "" *create school_turnout "" *create see_wig "" *create tress_date 0 *create drugs_dg "" *create prom_get_con "" *create dirtygirl_arrest "" *create mobpig_free "" *create stealth_suit "" *create drinking_bar 1 *create crowd_mad 1 *create have_photos "no" *create tressdate "" *create tress_knows_pics "" *create stunner_knows "" *create crook_knows "" *create jacob_knows "" *create paid_attention "" *create tress_suspects "" *create hell_study_points 0 *create reveal_name_face "no" *create piece_origami "" *create mc_strat "" *create change_name "" *create hedonist_sex "" *create hedonist_bonus "" *create downfall_bonus "" *create mccormick_pet "" *create downfall_pet "" *create nil_pet "" *create hedonist_pet "" *create your_vote_total 0 *create dream_power "" *create zenithlist "none" *create teamleader "no" *create part2_strat "" *create dg_cheat_hedonist "" *achievement readzenithguide visible 10 Reading is Fundamental Read an important guide. Read the Zenith Grade Guide. *achievement lotspouches visible 10 Back to the 90s Make a uniform choice popular in the 1990s. Choose a pouch-centric hero uniform! *achievement checkoutrings visible 50 Super Sleuth Successfully investigate a crime scene. Successfully investigate the Contrarian's attack on Burgerz N' Ringz! *achievement mysterioushello visible 20 Wellll...Hello There Entice a classmate with your greeting. Entice a classmate with your greeting. *achievement playingforkeeps visible 20 Playing for Keeps Take a team-building exercise way too seriously. Injure Origami during Capture the Flag. *achievement capturedflag visible 20 Yay We Won Win a team-building exercise. Win Capture the Flag. *achievement setbadexample visible 10 Potty Mouth Use a curse word in front of a child. Say "Damn" in front of Jacob. *achievement pervrep visible 20 What a Perv Get a reputation as a pervert. Stoic, Tress and Combat Wombat think you are a pervert. *achievement notebookviolence visible 20 Notebook Violence Attack a classmate with school supplies. Hit Stunner with a notebook! *achievement mobviolence visible 20 Mob Violence Win a sparring session against a classmate. Beat Mob in a fight. *achievement captainpowerless visible 20 Captain Powerless Let a classmate talk you into changing your hero name. Let Dirty Girl talk you into changing your hero name. *achievement appletiniholic visible 20 Another Appletini Please Appear to be intoxicated on a viral online video. Appear to be intoxicated on a viral online video. *achievement lamecomeback visible 10 That was so Lame Make a lame comeback to a football coach. Make a lame comeback to a football coach. *achievement embarrassjacob visible 20 You Totally Love Her Embarrass a young child about his secret crush. Call Jacob out on his crush on Origami. *achievement acehell visible 20 HELL Yes Ace a tough test. Earn an "A" on the HELL midterm exam. *achievement takeafall visible 20 Ouch That Didn't Hurt Take a dive for a classmate. Take a dive for Unicorn Fish Girl on Downfall's midterm exam. *achievement aimfortheface visible 20 Wombat Down Take down a classmate at any cost. Shoot Combat Wombat in the face with your slingshot. *achievement makeastoicsmile visible 20 Say Cheese! Make a stoic classmate smile. Make Stoic smile after giving her a raspberry. *achievement standuptoaprof visible 20 I'm Not Doing That Stand up to a professor. Tell Nil you won't gather secrets from your friends. *achievement flirtfora visible 50 Was it Good for You? Flirt with a professor for an A. Flirt with the Hedonist to earn an A. *achievement failliedetector visible 20 Pants on Fire Get caught lying. Get caught lying by Uni's lie detector. *achievement tattletale visible 10 Tattletale Tell the dean about a classmate's violation of school rules. Tell Dean Tolly about Combat Wombat's failure to guard his identity. *achievement upgrade1 visible 50 Stonger, Faster, Better Earn an equipment upgrade. Earn an equipment upgrade for earning at least a 3.0 GPA. *achievement crowdlikesyou visible 20 They Really Like Me Win over some people protesting your school. Win over some people protesting your school. *achievement swingyourpartner visible 20 Swing Your Partner Pick the right partner for a combat simulation. Pick Stoic as your partner when no one else would. *achievement sneakpeak visible 50 Community College Villain Watch a movie about a goofy villain training school. Watch "Community College Villain," coming in 2017! *achievement sohorny visible 20 You Make Me Horny Use a uniform accessory during a romantic encounter. Enjoy a romantic evening with Uni and her horn. *achievement holdthebacon visible 20 Hold the Bacon Fight for animal rights with a classmate. Encourage Mob to free some pigs. *achievement kisscrook visible 20 This Seems Questionable Kiss a classmate in church. Kiss Crook in church. *achievement bailoutdg visible 20 Jailbird Bail a classmate out of jail. Bail Dirty Girl out of jail. *achievement megacatfun visible 10 Don't Tell Him I Said That Make fun of Mega Cat in front of hundreds of kids. Make fun of Mega Cat during an assembly at Daisydell Elementary School. *achievement swingintoaction visible 20 Swinging Into Action Show off at the press conference. Use your grapple line at the press conference. *achievement ohsoclose visible 20 Rub a Dub Dub Suggest a shower with a classmate. Suggest some shower time fun to Tress. *achievement telljacoball visible 20 So This is My Story... Share your origin story with an admirer. Tell Jacob about your dad. *achievement paintballwin visible 10 A Handful of Paintballs Survive a game of paintball. Win the paintball challenge with your Defense study group. *achievement crookzipper visible 20 Unzipped Reach for a classmate's zipper. Reach for Crook's zipper. *achievement origamisister visible 20 Little Sis Reveal your platonic feelings for a classmate. Tell Origami that she's like a little sister. *achievement tricktownies visible 20 Hey Look Over There Outsmart some rowdy locals in a honkytonk Outsmart some rowdy locals in a honkytonk. *achievement rollinthehay visible 20 Roll in the Hay Have a makeout session in a barn. Make out with Mob in a barn. *achievement justsayno visible 20 Just Say No Stay loyal to your friends. Refuse to share secrets with Captain California. *achievement mccormickpet visible 20 Lawyered Up Earn a reward from Professor McCormick. Professor McCormick tells you she will defend you in future lawsuits. *achievement downfallpet visible 20 Big Apple Brawling Earn a reward from Downfall. Downfall invites you to train with her in New York City. *achievement hedonistpet visible 20 Teacher's Pet Earn a reward from the Hedonist. Hedonist invites you to be his assistant for the spring semster. *achievement nilpet visible 20 Sneaky Sneaky Earn a reward from Nil. Receive a mysterious note from Nil. *achievement longdistancelove visible 20 Long Distance Love Start a long-distance relationship with a classmate. Agree to a long-distance relationship with Stunner. *achievement leaderseven visible 50 Leader of the Pack Win a leadership vote among your classmates. Win a leadership vote among your classmates. *temp discount_ends "Dec 11" *temp time_stamp timestamp("${discount_ends}, 2015") *if not(choice_is_web or choice_is_steam) *temp skip_description *config skip_description false *if skip_description *goto purchased *check_purchase adfree *if choice_purchase_supported and not(choice_purchased_adfree) *image contrariancover.png [i]Featuring Issues 1-4 of a 12-Issue Miniseries[/i] Outwit your professors at superpower school! Ace your exams, date your classmates, and bring down the nation’s most wanted villains to earn your degree. "Community College Hero: Trial by Fire" is a thrilling 168,000-word interactive novel by Eric Moser, where your choices control the story. It's entirely text-based--without graphics or sound effects--and fueled by the vast, unstoppable power of your imagination. You’ve won a scholarship to the nation’s newest college course for heroes! But can you discover your classmates’ secret identities before they learn yours? Choose your costume and your mask (and maybe your date for this weekend) and get ready to fight crime and dazzle the citizenry! Be an acrobat, sharpshooter, detective, or soldier, with all the abilities that come with each. Wield brass knuckles, a slingshot, or even retractable roller skates in your shoes. Will you investigate the big bad, or wait until you’ve had more training? Escape liability for damaging other people’s property as you learn to control your new powers, or pay up what you owe? Will you be a brooder, charmer, traditionalist, or trickster? Step into your new super identity, and claim your place as a Community College Hero! [i]You can play the first two chapters of Issue #1 for free. Purchase the rest of the game below.[/i] *if choice_is_advertising_supported [i]Purchasing the rest of the game will also turn off in-game advertisements.[/i] *purchase_discount adfree 2022-02-09 $4.99 $2.99 purchased *if choice_is_advertising_supported *page_break_advertisement *if not(choice_is_advertising_supported) *page_break Play Now for Free [b]WELCOME TO "COMMUNITY COLLEGE HERO: TRIAL BY FIRE"[/b] *image contrariancover.png [i]Featuring Issues 1-4 of a 12-Issue Miniseries[/i] *page_break *label purchased [b]ISSUE #1: WHERE THERE'S SMOKE[/b] *image BBcover.png *page_break You instinctively duck and twist just as a column of flame streaks over your shoulder. A black lumpy fist the size of a milk jug swings at your chest. You frantically pivot and avoid the brunt of the attack, but are still staggered by the glancing blow. Gritting your teeth, you struggle to stay on your feet. A blurry grey figure prowls to your left. He eases a glistening sword from its sheath on his hip and takes slow steady steps in your direction. You're frozen with indecision. Who is the biggest threat? *fake_choice #The fire slinging sociopath. #The ham-fisted powerhouse. #The ninja preparing to decapitate me. You may be right, but if you ignore the others you'll just die in a different way. Individually, any one of them would present an almost insurmountable challenge. Three of them working together just means your death will be a nightmare. Your eyes dart from left to right as the three villains surround you. What's your strategy? *choice #I need to find some way to escape and regroup. Finding a sliver of space between two of them, you leap forward. You're almost through the gap when you feel fingers wrap like steel bars around your ankle. You're swung upward and jerked downward, your limp body battered against the ground. *goto wrong_person #I'll go down fighting. You dig your heel into the ground, preparing to launch your strongest attack. But she reacts too quickly. With a wave of her hand, a rush of scalding heat threatens to boil your eyes in their sockets. *goto wrong_person #They don't seem that bright. Maybe I can talk my way out of this. Forcing a smile, you start to say, "I tell you what, let's just agree to disagree and we can call it a day!" But it doesn't work. No words escape your moving lips. Then the flat side of a sword bounces off your skull, snapping your head to the side. *goto wrong_person *label wrong_person It's over. You have to realize that. There's just no way out of this. As the vultures circle, you raise your head and stare them down, lacking the strength to rise to your feet but needing to show one last shred of defiance. They move slowly. They aren't in a hurry. For a moment, you wonder if they view this as "just business" or if they take some kind of perverse glee in toying with you. From what you know of the Diabolical Dozen, they seem to have mastered the art of mixing business with pleasure. In some twisted way of thinking, you're responsible for this. After all, it didn't have to turn out this way. You could have made different decisions, smarter decisions. But you didn't. Now you'll pay the ultimate price. *page_break Two years ago... Today's the day. The start of your new life. You've fantasized about this day since you were eight years old, diving off the living room sofa with reckless abandon. Eliciting a satisfying hiss from your furry nemesis, you smirked as Kittyfuzz retreated to your father's recliner. Back then, you didn't realize it could actually happen. It was just a fantasy. After all, what kid doesn't dream about being a hero with fantastic powers? What kid didn't want to be a Z-Person? As a kid, what power did you dream of having? *choice #The strength to lift a bus! Oh how much you wanted to lift that sofa up over your head and give it a mighty toss! *set dream_power "incredible strength" *goto real_heroes #Invisibility of course! Sure, diving off the sofa was fun, but you preferred lurking behind it and scaring your mom while she was carrying the laundry. *set dream_power "invisibility" *goto real_heroes #The power of flight! You leapt from that sofa seemingly thousands of times but you could never snag that darn ceiling fan! *set dream_power "flight" *goto real_heroes #The ability to shoot lasers from my eyeballs! Hours upon hours staring and squinting into the bathroom mirror were wasted. Even making "pew pew pew" noises didn't help. *set dream_power "laser beams" *goto real_heroes #Telepathy! No matter how many telepathic messages you sent to your mom, you never convinced her to serve ice cream for dinner. *set dream_power "telepathy" *goto real_heroes #Force fields for the win! But those darn force fields never materialized in time to save you from Aunt Margie's kisses. *set dream_power "force fields" *goto real_heroes *label real_heroes Even though you didn't have any powers, your idols did. Kids in previous generations had to find their heroes in comic books or cartoons, but your generation was the first to have the real thing! Of course, there's a reason for this... *page_break The tension between the Soviet Union and the United States had reached a climax in the late 1960s in a Cold War stalemate under the Nixon Administration. Each side possessed nuclear weapons capable of devastating the enemy, and the reality of mutually assured destruction forced the U.S. to focus on new shielding technologies that might be able to protect at least some American cities from nuclear war. In 1977, the federal government created the first so-called "Zenith Shields" over Washington, D.C. and New York City. Over the next 18 months, Zenith Shields popped up over Miami, Chicago, Dallas, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Approximately twenty percent of the population was purportedly protected from nuclear strikes. But the costs were high. Riots broke out in unprotected cities and the economy stalled for over a decade. In addition, those living in shielded cities were physically unable to leave. Z-Cities were arguably safe from nuclear attacks, but they were prisons. *page_break An entire generation was born in the Z-Cities. They grew up never travelling outside their hometowns. But people adapt to change very quickly, and within a few years, most citizens had grown accustomed to their new situation. According to leading scientists, their bodies also adapted to the energies of the Zenith Shields that bombarded them twenty-four hours a day. Based on later studies, it appears that children absorbed higher concentrations of these energies than did adults. In any case, the Cold War ended in 1996 and the shields came down. Soon after, the heroes emerged. Although some scientists still point to ozone layer depletion or even food additives as possible causes, most leading authorities agree that the energies from the Zenith Shields created the first generation of young people with unique abilities that emerged in 1997. These are the heroes you grew up idolizing. The media initially dubbed these heroes "Zenith People," which the general public quickly shortened to "Zeniths" or "Z-People" or even just "Z"s. For the past decade, you've dedicated a somewhat unhealthy percentage of your waking hours towards accomplishing your goal of fighting crime just like the Zeniths. You know how most people have three or four hobbies? Well, you have one. You've devoted all your spare time into making your crime fighting dream become reality. As it turns out, those long years of conditioning, training, and researching may have finally paid off. *page_break You've been accepted to the brand new "Heroes Among Us" program at Speck Community College (SCC), in Speck, Nebraska. According to the aggressively friendly admissions people, you'll be trained by some of the "biggest names in the heroing community," although no specific heroes are identified as faculty members. You'll be able to pursue the Associate in Arts (four semesters), and those who excel at SCC may be allowed to transfer to one of the nation's two traditional four-year hero degree programs: Prestige University for Heroes in New York or Savior School in San Francisco. Prestige University for Heroes, founded in 1997 in New York City by the iconic hero Mega Cat (one of the first self-proclaimed "Z-People") in conjunction with federal and state agencies, has dominated the hero education industry for most of its existence. Prestige University's programs are devoted entirely to hero training and education. No other programs are offered. Since its founding, Prestige has worked with the government to test Zeniths and objectively measure their power levels. In 1999, an official power "Grade Scale" was adopted; it still serves at the authoritative reference on Zenith power levels. Do you want to look at the guide that explains Zenith power Grades? *choice #Sure *goto zenith_guide #No *goto prestige_admit *label zenith_guide [b]ZENITH POWER GRADES[/b] *line_break (Each Grade represents a power level roughly double that of the previous Grade. For example, a Grade-2 Zenith is roughly twice as powerful as a Grade-1 Zenith) *line_break *line_break Grade-1 presumed capable of defeating five standard humans; minimum Grade needed for admission at Speck Community College *line_break *line_break Grade-2 presumed capable of defeating 10 standard humans *line_break *line_break Grade-3 presumed capable of defeating 20 standard humans; minimum Grade needed for admission at Savior School *line_break *line_break Grade-4 presumed capable of defeating 40 standard humans; representative of advanced student at Savior School *line_break *line_break Grade-5 presumed capable of defeating 80 standard humans; minimum Grade needed for admission into Prestige University *line_break *line_break Grade-6 presumed capable of defeating 160 standard humans; representative of advanced student at Prestige University *line_break *line_break Grade-7 presumed capable of defeating 320 standard humans; minimum Grade needed to serve on faculty of Savior or Prestige *line_break *line_break Grade-8 presumed capable of defeating 640 standard humans; rumored to be minimum Grade needed to apply for membership in the Diabolical Dozen; examples include the Hedonist, Captain California, Flok, Low Life; constitutes a regional threat *line_break *line_break Grade-9 presumed capable of defeating 1,280 standard humans; examples include Streetsmart, Booksmart, Downfall, Monstrosity X, Shizukani; constitutes a national threat *line_break *line_break Grade-10 presumed capable of defeating at least 2,560 standard humans; examples include Mega Cat, Lady Ash; constitutes a global threat *achieve readzenithguide *goto prestige_admit *label prestige_admit *page_break Admissions requirements for Prestige are rigid; the University ("Pee-yew!" to its detractors) accepts only aspiring heroes with Grade-5 or higher abilities. The school aggressively pursues those possessing "classic" powers like heightened strength or invulnerability, speed, flight, energy projection, or matter manipulation. Prestige graduates enjoy special hero status recognized by the federal government and most state and local governments. What do you think of Prestige University? *fake_choice #It's the best of the best. Maybe someday I'll get there! #Prestige is awesome but it's way out of my league. #Prestige just caters to the lucky few Z-People with extraordinary abilities. It's sort of elitist if you think about it. *page_break For the past two decades, Prestige faculty and graduates alike have battled against the Diabolical Dozen, the world's premier group of villains based somewhere in southern Florida. Each member of the Dozen is capable of engaging an entire battalion of highly trained soldiers with little chance of defeat. As a group, the Diabolical Dozen can swat down an entire division (over 15,000 soldiers). No member of the Dozen has less than Grade-8 powers. Several of the members, including Lady Ash, are believed to have Grade-10 abilities which constitute a global threat. Despite many high-profile battles between Prestige and the Dozen over the years, including the wildly destructive two-week "Siege on St. Louis" five years ago resulting in the destruction of the Gateway Arch, only two members of the Dozen have ever been captured. Neither revealed any information about their comrades and both were immediately replaced. According to whispers among the criminal underworld, leadership of the Dozen passes to a new member each year, although all members possess voting powers. Ever since the "Siege on St. Louis," the Dozen appears to have toned down their attacks. Things have been relatively quiet in the past five years. Mega Cat credits the tireless efforts of his school in combating the villains and eventually wearing them down. Why do you think things have been quiet for the past five years? *fake_choice #Mega Cat's school probably has worn down the Dozen. They only have twelve villains, and Mega Cat has access to an entire school of Z-People. #The Diabolical Dozen is probably just biding their time for some reason. They're the most powerful villains on the planet and I doubt Prestige has worn them down. #Mega Cat is forgetting about the new hero school in San Francisco. The Dozen struggled against Prestige and now they have a whole new school of Z-People to deal with. *page_break Savior School emerged on the hero training scene in San Francisco seven years ago, purportedly to accommodate and train the growing number of Z-People being denied admission to Prestige. The founders, twins Booksmart and Streetsmart, publicly criticized Prestige for not accepting more students of diverse ethnicities and sexual orientations. Savior School promotes a more inclusive admissions system, accepting students with abilities classified as Grade-3 and up, meaning that young Z-People with low-tier to mid-tier abilities finally had a place to train. Booksmart, widely recognized as one of the smartest people in the world, was recently quoted as saying, "No one, not even Mega Cat, should monopolize the training of the next generation's heroes. This is not a fiefdom, and he is not a lord. The Diabolical Dozen has terrorized our nation for almost twenty years and although Prestige has made progress against the Dozen, logic dictates that if Mega Cat and his colleagues could definitively stop the Dozen, they would do so. We acknowledge Mega Cat's contributions but respectfully suggest that a more collaborative approach is needed." Streetsmart added little to his sister's statement, stating only, "Mega [expletive deleted] is all hiss and no claws. You can quote me on that." *page_break Booksmart and Streetsmart's students possess a wide variety of abilities. Many Savior students can modify their bodies, employ high level technology, harness the power of their minds to do amazing things, or move in unusual ways (teleportation, gliding, etc). According to unconfirmed reports, Savior has loaned one of its professors to Speck as a show of support for the fledgling community college program. What do you think of Savior School? *fake_choice #Savior School just ripped off Mega Cat's idea for hero training and education. They're nothing special. #I like that Savior School has a more inclusive admissions policy. Maybe I can attend classes there someday! #Booksmart is right about Prestige. No one should have a monopoly on training heroes. *page_break Even after Savior arrived on the hero training scene, those with Grade-1 and Grade-2 abilities still had no place to train, at least not until Speck Community College announced its new program for training low-level Z-People. This is the school at which you'll start your heroing career. Realizing that no hero can excel in every area, you've focused on specific skills and physical abilities to create a unique crime fighting style. You would describe yourself as a... *choice #Acrobat. I mix my quickness and agility with decent strength and toughness. I'm equipped with brass knuckles, a leather motorcycle jacket, and retractable roller skates in my shoes. *set archetype "Acrobat Level 1" *set basic_archetype "Acrobat" *set melee1 "Brass Knuckles" *set defense1 "Leather Jacket" *set movement1 "Skates" *set pow 4 *set zap 1 *set thud 4 *set whoosh 6 *set shhh 2 *set hmmm 2 *set yay 10 *goto acrobat_weakness #Sharpshooter. I want to strike from a distance, constantly moving around to keep the villains at bay. I'm fast and pretty sneaky too. I'm equipped with a sport slingshot, retractable roller skates in my shoes, and two stealth versions of my hero uniform. *set archetype "Sharpshooter Level 1" *set basic_archetype "Sharpshooter" *set ranged1 "Slingshot" *set movement1 "Skates" *set stealth1 "Stealth Uniforms" *set pow 1 *set zap 6 *set thud 2 *set whoosh 4 *set shhh 4 *set hmmm 2 *set yay 10 *goto sharpshooter_weakness #Detective. I have a mean right hook, but my most effective weapons are my stealth and my intelligence. I'm equipped with a micro listening device, two stealth versions of my hero uniform, and brass knuckles. *set archetype "Detective Level 1" *set basic_archetype "Detective" *set melee1 "Brass Knuckles" *set stealth1 "Stealth Uniforms" *set awareness1 "Listening Device" *set pow 4 *set zap 2 *set thud 1 *set whoosh 2 *set shhh 4 *set hmmm 6 *set yay 10 *goto detective_weakness #Soldier. With heavy armor, I can charge right into my opponents. I can also attack from a distance. I wear a leather motorcycle jacket worn over my hero uniform, and use a micro listening device and a sport slingshot. *set archetype "Soldier Level 1" *set basic_archetype "Soldier" *set defense1 "Leather Jacket" *set ranged1 "Slingshot" *set awareness1 "Listening Device" *set pow 2 *set zap 4 *set thud 6 *set whoosh 2 *set shhh 1 *set hmmm 4 *set yay 10 *goto soldier_weakness *label acrobat_weakness Swallowing hard, you try to balance your nerves and your excitement. You've trained hard but you've never been able to overcome a glaring weakness that might end up crushing your dreams of being a successful crime fighter. After all, not many heroes are a lousy shot. You're great in a fistfight, but you have always struggled with any game requiring accuracy or precision. Horseshoes. Basketball. Cornhole. Your opponents in snowball fights inevitably emerge victorious with dry clothes and satisfied smirks. You just can't throw or aim to save your life. On the plus side, not everyone at Speck will possess pinpoint accuracy. Surely you'll make some friends with abilities that complement your own. Funds will be really tight with only your $2,500 Speck stipend to pay your daily expenses for the semester. Thankfully, your scholarship covers your tuition and even your off-campus apartment or you couldn't even afford to take this opportunity. *set weakness "lousy shot" *set money 2500 *goto normal *label sharpshooter_weakness Swallowing hard, you try to balance your nerves and your excitement. You've trained hard but you've never been able to overcome a glaring weakness that might end up crushing your dreams of being a successful crime fighter. After all, not many heroes are scrawny. You feel like the proverbial 95-pound weakling but slinging around weights in the gym like some Neanderthal just never seemed appealing. There's more to heroing than just brute strength anyway. Right? Needless to say, if you end up in a fistfight, you're in serious trouble. On the plus side, at least a few of the other students will have less than perfect bodies. Surely you'll make some friends with abilities that complement your own. Funds will be really tight with only your $2,500 Speck stipend to pay your daily expenses for the semester. Thankfully, your scholarship covers your tuition and even your off-campus apartment or you couldn't even afford to take this opportunity. *set weakness "scrawny" *set money 2500 *goto normal *label detective_weakness Swallowing hard, you try to balance your nerves and your excitement. You've trained hard but you've never been able to overcome a glaring weakness that might end up crushing your dreams of being a successful crime fighter. After all, not many heroes have a glass jaw. Getting hurt, well, it hurts! You're embarrassed to admit that you've been knocked out a few times while competing in sports and other physical activities. You just don't deal well with incoming attacks. On the plus side, you're pretty sure that at least a few other Speck students will try to avoid taking a punch as well. Surely you'll make some friends with abilities that complement your own. Funds will be really tight with only your $2,500 Speck stipend to pay your daily expenses for the semester. Thankfully, your scholarship covers your tuition and even your off campus apartment or you couldn't even afford to take this opportunity. *set weakness "glass jaw" *set money 2500 *goto normal *label soldier_weakness Swallowing hard, you try to balance your nerves and your excitement. You've trained hard but you've never been able to overcome a glaring weakness that might end up crushing your dreams of being a successful crime fighter. After all, not many heroes are clumsy. You're naturally very tough and able to soak up damage, but stealth is not your strong suit. You're the type of person who trips and then looks backward at the ground as if to imply some nonexistent hazard was to blame. Even while moving around familiar places like your apartment, you tend to knock things over. Things really get ugly in public. On the plus side, not everyone at Speck will possess the stealth of a ninja. Surely you'll make some friends with abilities that complement your own. Funds will be really tight with only your $2,500 Speck stipend to pay your daily expenses for the semester. Thankfully, your scholarship covers your tuition and even your off campus apartment or you couldn't even afford to take this opportunity. *set weakness "clumsy" *set money 2500 *goto normal *label normal *page_break But your weakness is hardly your biggest issue. Lacking any special powers, you're the only "normal" student in the entire incoming class. You're not a Z-Person in any sense of the term. Thankfully, in a display of its desire to accommodate all aspiring heroes, Speck's new program has reserved one slot for a student lacking any powers. Still, your natural abilities and low-level equipment barely justify a Grade-1, much less the Grade-3 or Grade-5 necessary for entry into Savior or Prestige, respectively. Your only available route to become a sanctioned hero runs through Speck, Nebraska. *page_break You rode a roller coaster of emotions in the past few months. You applied to Speck in February and fretted daily about your chances of getting in. The application process was anything but straightforward. You were not allowed to use your real name, address or any other identifying information in your application materials. Instead, you were directed to label all of your materials simply with your hero name. Communications involved a maze of P.O. boxes, clandestine meetings with masked messengers in pre-determined locations and a few brief conversations on throwaway phones. Since Prestige and Savior have never allowed non-powered students to apply, you anticipated fierce competition for the sole "non-powered" slot in Speck's program. Thankfully, you were able to impress the admissions office with your essay, focusing on your rather impressive accomplishments. Obviously you included all of your major achievements, but which of your accomplishments is most satisfying to you? *choice *if (basic_archetype = "Detective") #Winning a regional amateur boxing tournament *set accomplish "Winning a regional amateur boxing tournament, a high school district chess tournament, and a regional special effects make-up challenge" *goto acceptance_letter *if (basic_archetype = "Detective") #Winning first prize in a high school district chess tournament *set accomplish "Winning a regional amateur boxing tournament, a high school district chess tournament, and a regional special effects make-up challenge" *goto acceptance_letter *if (basic_archetype = "Detective") #Taking first-place in a regional special effects make-up challenge *set accomplish "Winning a regional amateur boxing tournament, a high school district chess tournament, and a regional special effects make-up challenge" *goto acceptance_letter *if (basic_archetype = "Sharpshooter") #Taking first prize in a state horseshoes competition *set accomplish "Taking first prize in both a state horseshoes competition and a regional special effects make-up challenge, and finishing in the top 10 in two different triathlons" *goto acceptance_letter *if (basic_archetype = "Sharpshooter") #Finishing in the top 10 in two different triathlons *set accomplish "Taking first prize in both a state horseshoes competition and a regional special effects make-up challenge, and finishing in the top 10 in two different triathlons" *goto acceptance_letter *if (basic_archetype = "Sharpshooter") #Taking first-place in a regional special effects make-up challenge *set accomplish "Taking first prize in both a state horseshoes competition and a regional special effects make-up challenge, and finishing in the top 10 in two different triathlons" *goto acceptance_letter *if (basic_archetype = "Soldier") #Winning first prize in a high school district chess tournament *set accomplish "Winning first prize in a high school district chess tournament, a state horseshoes competition and a citywide judo competition" *goto acceptance_letter *if (basic_archetype = "Soldier") #Taking first prize in a state horseshoes competition *set accomplish "Winning first prize in a high school district chess tournament, a state horseshoes competition and a citywide judo competition" *goto acceptance_letter *if (basic_archetype = "Soldier") #Placing first in a citywide judo competition *set accomplish "Winning first prize in a high school district chess tournament, a state horseshoes competition and a citywide judo competition" *goto acceptance_letter *if (basic_archetype = "Acrobat") #Winning a regional amateur boxing tournament *set accomplish "Winning a regional amateur boxing tournament, a citywide judo competition and finishing in the top 10 in two different triathlons" *goto acceptance_letter *if (basic_archetype = "Acrobat") #Placing first in a citywide judo competition *set accomplish "Winning a regional amateur boxing tournament, a citywide judo competition and finishing in the top 10 in two different triathlons" *goto acceptance_letter *if (basic_archetype = "Acrobat") #Finishing in the top 10 in two different triathlons *set accomplish "Winning a regional amateur boxing tournament, a citywide judo competition and finishing in the top 10 in two different triathlons" *goto acceptance_letter *label acceptance_letter In April, you received an acceptance letter. Dear Aspiring Hero: Congratulations! Welcome to the Speck Community College "Heroes Among Us" program. You were selected from over 500 applicants for the sole "non-powered" slot in our program. Our admissions committee was very impressed with your written essay titled "No Powers, No Problem!" and we appreciate the special perspective you will bring to our incoming class. $!{accomplish} are all extremely impressive achievements. You should be very proud of yourself! In consideration of your unique disadvantages, Speck has awarded you a special scholarship to entirely cover your tuition, books, and fees as well as an apartment located close to campus. Your fall stipend of $2,500.00 is designed to cover food and other miscellaneous expenses. Assuming you maintain at least a 3.0 average, you will be eligible to receive upgraded weapons and equipment to help you close the gap with your classmates. Remember that Speck is committed to protecting our students' privacy. Use only your code name on all communications with Speck representatives and in all your dealings with your classmates and faculty. Revealing your identity would risk the safety of our other students and would subject you to immediate expulsion. Be aware Speck offers over 20 other degree programs ranging from medical transcription to paralegal studies. Our other students are aware of your arrival but please give them time to adjust. After all, we have heroes on campus now! Orientation starts on August 18th at 10:00 a.m. in our gymnasium located in the west wing of Heroes Hall (formerly Smuthers Hall). At Orientation, you will receive your class schedule and meet your classmates and professors. Enjoy your summer. We look forward to seeing you on campus in August! Sincerely, Dean Meg Tolly *page_break You fold the letter and tuck it back into its envelope. Looking down at the envelope, you run your fingertips slowly over your hero name. The name you see is... *choice #Urban Ghost *set hname "Urban Ghost" *goto malefemale #Brawl Doll *set hname "Brawl Doll" *goto malefemale #Alley Cat *set hname "Alley Cat" *goto malefemale #Justice Angel *set hname "Justice Angel" *goto malefemale #Mugger Slugger *set hname "Mugger Slugger" *goto malefemale #Dark Dodger *set hname "Dark Dodger" *goto malefemale #None of those. I see... *input_text hname *goto malefemale *label malefemale But in everyday life you're just a... *choice #guy *set gender "male" *goto malenames #girl *set gender "female" *goto femalenames #person who avoids gender labels *set gender "nonbinary" *goto allnames *label malenames named... *choice #Benjamin *set firstname "Benjamin" *goto lastnames #Tyreese *set firstname "Tyreese" *goto lastnames #Bryce *set firstname "Bryce" *goto lastnames #Payton *set firstname "Payton" *goto lastnames #Jose *set firstname "Jose" *goto lastnames #Luke *set firstname "Luke" *goto lastnames #Akihiko *set firstname "Akihiko" *goto lastnames #something else *input_text firstname *goto lastnames *label femalenames named... *choice #Maria *set firstname "Maria" *goto lastnames #Josie *set firstname "Josie" *goto lastnames #Miranda *set firstname "Miranda" *goto lastnames #Waverly *set firstname "Waverly" *goto lastnames #Zola *set firstname "Zola" *goto lastnames #Chloe *set firstname "Chloe" *goto lastnames #Akira *set firstname "Akira" *goto lastnames #something else *input_text firstname *goto lastnames *label allnames named... *choice #Benjamin *set firstname "Benjamin" *goto lastnames #Tyreese *set firstname "Tyreese" *goto lastnames #Bryce *set firstname "Bryce" *goto lastnames #Payton *set firstname "Payton" *goto lastnames #Jose *set firstname "Jose" *goto lastnames #Luke *set firstname "Luke" *goto lastnames #Akihiko *set firstname "Akihiko" *goto lastnames #Maria *set firstname "Maria" *goto lastnames #Josie *set firstname "Josie" *goto lastnames #Miranda *set firstname "Miranda" *goto lastnames #Waverly *set firstname "Waverly" *goto lastnames #Zola *set firstname "Zola" *goto lastnames #Chloe *set firstname "Chloee" *goto lastnames #Akira *set firstname "Akira" *goto lastnames #something else *input_text firstname *goto lastnames *label lastnames *choice #Milsap *set lastname "Milsap" *goto walk #Kyle *set lastname "Kyle" *goto walk #White *set lastname "White" *goto walk #Espinoza *set lastname "Espinoza" *goto walk #Cassidy *set lastname "Cassidy" *goto walk #Brentwood *set lastname "Brentwood" *goto walk #Hitchens *set lastname "Hitchens" *goto walk #something else *input_text lastname *goto walk *label walk You agonized over your hero name choice, changing your mind dozens of times. You filled notebook pages with discarded name ideas. Some weren't cool enough. Others were interesting but a bit too common. In the end, you made the right call. You really believe you can make a difference as $!{hname}. But no one can ever know that $!{hname} is really $!{firstname} $!{lastname}. Speck's acceptance letter made it very clear that revealing your identity would result in dismissal from the program. Considering that such a benign disclosure could result in dismissal, you wonder how the admissions committee would have reacted had you shared your secret family history. You may be the only non-powered student in the class, but your uniqueness hardly ends there. *page_break You'd bet a large sum of money that no other incoming student was raised by a former c-list villain. *page_break But you can't dwell on that right now. Right now, you need to focus on the present. Right now, you need to get to Orientation. As you stuff your orientation materials into a yellow folder, a distant boom rattles the walls. You walk to your window and look outside but nothing seems to be amiss. Since orientation starts in about twenty minutes, you need to get going. Do you grab any other school supplies before you leave? *choice #I stuff my folder into my black and gold Mega Cat backpack. The gold trim even glows in the dark! *set schoolgear "Mega Cat backpack" *goto walk2 #I snatch my shockingly expensive "brand new but designed to look vintage" Streetsmart tin lunch box that I purchased in an online auction. It even included the matching Booksmart thermos! (Spent $75.00 of stipend) *set money -75 *set schoolgear "Streetsmart lunch box" *goto walk2 #I don't want to look like a hero worshipping nerd. I'll just stuff my folder in my stylish yet nondescript forest green backpack. *set schoolgear "green backpack" *goto walk2 *label walk2 Luckily, Speck Community College is just a quick ten-minute walk from your apartment. Frankly, you doubt that any two addresses in downtown Speck are more than a 10-minute drive apart, although the city is surrounded by picturesque suburbs and miles and miles of fields and farms. Speck is what you would call a big "little city" of about 40,000 people. Lots of small, independent businesses dot the tree-lined streets. Drivers are more likely to honk in recognition or greeting than in frustration. Farming (soybeans, corn, sorghum) drives the economy, coupled with some meat packing and grain processing plants. You've read every inch of CityofSpeck.gov, and although every municipal web site paints its area in the best possible terms, you've concluded that Speck really is a nice place to live. Crime is relatively low. Only four or five homicides per year, and those usually involve crimes of passion. Random street crime is almost nonexistent. You have to admit that it does seem like an odd spot for a hero college, but Speck Community College apparently wanted the prestige (and extra revenue) the program would bring. Plus, many government officials of a certain political party stressed the need for a Z-People training center in the "normal" part of the country. So what are your first impressions of Speck? *fake_choice #It's a breath of fresh air! Literally. #It will probably be fine for now, but I really have my eye on making it to the big-time schools. #I'm a city kid at heart, so this is going to be tough. And what's sorghum anyway? However, not all the residents are thrilled about the new program. Some seem to fear that a hero program will result in dozens of poorly trained students looking for trouble, inserting themselves into every minor incident, and generally causing more damage than they prevent. They might have a point. The governor worked with federal officials to license this third Z-Person training center, although most of the legwork and vetting was conducted on the state and local levels. Nebraska and Speck city lawmakers entered the fray, passing dozens of new statutes and ordinances that tightly control students' behavior. Violations of these laws can result in criminal prosecution and possible incarceration. As you walk down East Meadow Avenue toward school, a middle-aged man furrows his bushy brow as you walk by. *page_break This is your chance to practice your chosen persona when you're out in public as ${hname}. You recognize that the most successful heroes all exhibit a certain persona that sums up their heroic identity. Of course, no one characteristic can really entirely define a person, but building a hero brand can help you stand out from all the other aspiring crime fighters out there. For example, Mega Cat is a man of few words. Many call him a brooder. Booksmart emphasizes following rules and acting responsibly. She might be called a traditionalist. Other heroes may turn on the charm or crack jokes in their public appearances. So what persona will you try out with the bushy-browed man? *choice #Charmer. I smile and flatter him with a quick, "Lookin' good!" *set charmer %+10 *goto reaction #Jokester. I walk past him and ask, "Is this the way to the investment bankers' convention?" *set jokester %+10 *goto reaction #Brooder. I just brush past him, not bothering to make eye contact. *set brooder %+10 *goto reaction #Traditionalist. I smile and greet him with a warm, "Good morning, citizen!" *set traditionalist %+10 *goto reaction *label reaction He just stares at you, as if incapable of speech. His reaction really isn't surprising considering he's probably never met a costumed hero before. That's right, since you're on your way to Orientation, you're obviously in full uniform. You don't have time to extend the conversation, so you keep on walking. By the way, what sort of uniform did you pick? *choice #a sleek and traditional spandex bodysuit *set uniform "spandex uniform" *goto mask #head to toe leather to intimidate villains *set uniform "leather uniform" *goto mask #a machine washable sweat suit with $!{hname} on the chest *set uniform "sweat suit" *goto mask *selectable_if (defense1 !="Leather Jacket") #a revealing outfit covering just enough to avoid arrest *set uniform "revealing outfit" *goto mask #a martial arts robe *set uniform "robe" *goto mask #a hoodie and jeans, since a traditional uniform seems unnecessary *set uniform "street clothes" *goto mask #a trench coat like the 1940s detectives used to wear *set uniform "trench coat" *goto mask *if ((gender = "none") or (gender = "female")) #a tank top and plaid pleated skirt *set uniform "tank top and skirt" *goto mask *label mask All Speck students are required to wear masks to protect their identities. Some variation is allowed, but since students will be attending classes, studying, eating and socializing while in uniform, certain options like full masks just aren't viable. What does your mask look like? *fake_choice #a basic domino mask similar to those worn at masquerade parties *set mask "domino mask" #a hood paired with a domino mask *set mask "hood" #a full mask covering all but my eyes and mouth *set mask "full mask" #a classic half mask exposing my mouth, jaw, and the bottom of my nose. *set mask "half mask" #a helmet with built-in visor *set mask "helmet" #oversized goggles *set mask "goggles" What color scheme did you choose? *choice #basic black *set colorscheme "black" *goto extratouch #red, white and blue *set colorscheme "red, white and blue" *goto extratouch #red and gold *set colorscheme "red and gold" *goto extratouch #green and purple *set colorscheme "green and purple" *goto extratouch #pink with black trim *set colorscheme "pink and black" *goto extratouch #white and silver *set colorscheme "white and silver" *goto extratouch #orange and yellow *set colorscheme "orange and yellow" *goto extratouch #many shades of grey *set colorscheme "grey" *goto extratouch *label extratouch What extra touch do you add? *choice #cape Okay, it's a lot harder than you anticipated moving in this thing. Or kicking. Or spinning. Or avoiding getting strangled. *set extratouch "cape" *goto police #lots of pouches Nothing says "bad ass" like dozens of pouches. *set extratouch "pouches" *achieve lotspouches *goto police #a cool belt with $!{hname} on the buckle It even has some storage compartments. *set extratouch "belt" *goto police #a wig You don't like your natural hair color anyway. *set extratouch "wig" *goto police #oversized shoulder pads A favorite of both linebackers and 1980s cover girls. *set extratouch "shoulder pads" *goto police *selectable_if(movement1 !="Skates") #leather thigh high boots with three inch heels They aren't very practical but they look fabulous! *set extratouch "high heels" *goto police *label police Blaring sirens and flashing lights interrupt your daydreaming. Two squad cars with SPD's finest fly around the corner toward your apartment. They slow at the intersection, chirping their sirens again as they roll through and then accelerate down East Meadow Avenue. You arrived in Speck almost three weeks ago and this is the first time you've witnessed police actually responding to something. What do you do? *choice #Orientation starts in just a few minutes! I don't have time to take a detour. *goto school_entrance #Isn't this why I want to be a hero? I need to try to catch up with the police. *goto chase_start *label chase_start You accelerate as the patrol cars keep accelerating. Beads of sweat roll down your forehead, stinging your eyes. This is going to be tough. What's your strategy? *choice #I'll just follow the patrol cars until they stop. *goto runfast #I'll try to determine the patrol cars' destination and take a short cut. *goto shortcut *label runfast *if whoosh > 3 Your skates allow you to keep the police in sight for six blocks. Other drivers move to the sides of the busy roadway, deferring to the officers' blaring sirens and pulsing lights. *goto chase_win *else *goto winded *label winded You try your best, but your body gives out. The pavement smacks your face as you collapse on the street. You were never going to catch those patrol cars. People only do that in the movies, right? You take some deep breaths, resting your hands on your knees and ignoring the odd looks from passersby. Slowly you realize something that makes your heart drop. The only non-powered student in your entire school is going to be a late, sweaty mess for orientation. *page_break *goto school_entrancelate *label shortcut *if hmmm > 3 Thankfully you've studied maps of downtown Speck, familiarizing yourself with the area around your apartment. You work smarter, not harder, ducking through alleys and crossing parking lots until you reach the scene. *goto chase_win *else *goto lost *label lost You try your best, but you aren't familiar with your new city. You get hopelessly turned around after just a few blocks. The patrol cars are nowhere to be seen. You scan the area for street signs to help you work your way back to your apartment. Slowly you realize something that makes your heart drop. The only non-powered student in your entire school is going to be a late, sweaty mess for orientation. *page_break *goto school_entrancelate *label chase_win The cruisers screech to a halt outside Burgerz N' Ringz, a favorite local hamburger joint featuring white painted brickwork, a two lane drive-through, and a huge onion ring statue out front. The two officers exit their cars simultaneously and draw their weapons as they rush to the entrance. Anarchy reigns in the parking lot. You see a heavyset woman in purple shorts holding her face with both hands. Something red trails down her neck. A mother smooths the blonde head of her toddler, clamping her hug ferociously around him. Dozens of other customers populate the parking lot. There's howling. Wailing. Sobbing. Sounds you've never heard other people make before. A woman in a short-sleeved white dress shirt holds up her hands and speaks frantically to the officers. The police holster their weapons as the manager points to the back of the building. You look in her indicated direction and notice a thick trail of smoke dancing skyward. The officers follow her around the corner, out of your line of sight. Do you creep closer to get a better look? *choice #Yes *if shhh > 1 And you're successful. *goto investigate *else Your clumsiness thwarts your efforts, as you trip over your own feet while trying to sneak closer. One of the officers turns his head in your direction. You freeze but you're kneeling in the middle of the parking lot with no cover. The officer cocks a brow and taps his partner on the elbow. You quickly pivot and bolt away, praying that the police don't pursue you. *goto school_entrancelate #No, I can't afford to spend another second here. Orientation is starting in ten minutes! *goto school_entrancelate *label investigate You creep to the corner of the restaurant. A fast food parking lot in broad daylight offers you little cover, but the presence of so many customers, coupled with the over-sized pick-up trucks favored by the locals allow you to move closer. The back windows of the restaurant are shattered. Glass shards blanket the asphalt. A message is crudely spray painted on the white bricks. The black letters are easy to read against the white brick background. [i]You are what you eat![/i] *line_break [i]But you can't see your feet![/i] *line_break [i]So stop eating meat![/i] *line_break [i]Instead choose a beet![/i] Under the message are two other words: "The Contrarian" You glance to your right and notice something brown and furry on the asphalt about thirty feet away. Cocking your head, you notice the object doesn't move. You squint and determine it's definitely not an animal. Wait...is it hair? A wig maybe? One of the officers examines the message and then turns to her partner, spotting you in the process. Not yet having dealt with the police, you conclude this wouldn't be the best time to start. As you start to pivot, you hear a soft whooshing sound to your right. Jerking your head to follow the sound, you immediately notice the brown thing on the ground has disappeared. Bolting away, you ponder what just happened and pray you won't miss too much of the orientation. *set see_wig "yes" *achieve checkoutrings *page_break *goto school_entrancereallylate *label school_entrance Wow. Just wow. Your eyes widen as you reach SCC's campus. At least two dozen costumed students are hanging out at the school's entrance. You see patriotic, red white and blue outfits. At least two or three of those. Others wear scowls, paired with black uniforms and calculated for maximum intimidation. Your head swivels to soak it all in. The group is much quieter than one would expect. A few seem to know each other, giving hugs or high fives, but most keep to themselves. Some warily size up their classmates. Although they may all look different, you know one common characteristic unites them: they all have special abilities or equipment that separate them from normal people like you. You stand there, frozen, as students slowly work their way inside the main entrance. Unfolding your acceptance letter, you confirm, for the second time this morning, that orientation takes place in the gym. You inhale slowly and convince your feet to move. It's time to meet your classmates. *set entrance_late "no" *page_break *goto orientation *label school_entrancelate Huffing and puffing, you stagger onto the campus. Only a few costumed students remain outside but at least you're not the last person to arrive. You squeeze past a few plodding walkers, including a girl dressed as either a unicorn or a narwhal, and open the entrance door. Hearing the buzz of conversation down the hall, you race towards the noise and open the gym door. It's time to meet your classmates. *set entrance_late "no" *page_break *goto orientation *label school_entrancereallylate When you finally reach campus your worst fears are confirmed. Only two rather unimposing Speck security guards remain outside the main building. One smokes while the other watches a squirrel with the intense interest typically reserved for those on safari. Your fingers reach for your school assigned dumbphone. There's no data plan but the clock works just fine. The display confirms you are five minutes late on your first day. Not a great start. You briskly walk past the guards and open the entrance door. Hearing the buzz of conversation down the hall, you race towards the noise and open the gym door. It's time to meet your classmates. *set entrance_late "yes" *page_break *goto orientation *label orientation The gym features traditional wooden bleachers on the near side. Four rows have been extended out onto the floor, providing at least ten times the seating actually needed to accommodate the twenty-five or thirty students in attendance. By invisible agreement, most students sit five or ten feet from one another, providing lots of buffer zones. You quickly pick a spot on the edge of the second row and sit a few feet from a skinny guy wearing glasses over his half mask. His hair seems to shoot in six different directions at the same time: left, right, up, down, back and forward. He gives you a polite nod as you sit. You crane your neck, looking around at some of the students in your area. Are you more interested in checking out the girls or the guys? *choice #The girls *set sexorientation "likeswomen" *goto likeswomen #The guys *set sexorientation "likesmen" *goto likesmen #I'm checking out everyone. When it comes to attraction, it's more about the person than the gender. *set sexorientation "likesboth" *goto likesboth #Neither. I'm not interested in pursuing any sort of romance at Speck. *goto you_sure *label you_sure Are you absolutely sure you won't pursue any romances while at Speck? *choice #Yep. I have no interest in that sort of thing. *set sexorientation "none" *goto combatwombatintro2 #No, I changed my mind. I'm checking out the girls. *set sexorientation "likeswomen" *goto likeswomen #No, I changed my mind. I'm checking out the guys. *set sexorientation "likesmen" *goto likesmen #No, I changed my mind. I'm checking out everyone, regardless of gender. *set sexorientation "likesboth" *goto likesboth *label likeswomen There are certainly some cute aspiring heroines at Speck. You wonder if you'll get the chance to date any of them. *goto combatwombatintro2 *label likesmen There are certainly some cute aspiring heroes at Speck. You wonder if you'll get the chance to date any of them. *goto combatwombatintro2 *label likesboth There are certainly some cute aspiring heroes and heroines at Speck. You wonder if you'll get the chance to date any of them. *goto combatwombatintro2 *label combatwombatintro2 A student in an obscenely bulky armored suit sits in front of you on the front row. The back of the armor resembles a huge brown turtle shell over 4 feet wide. Every time the student makes the slightest move, the bleacher creaks in protest. Tapping your limited knowledge of weights and measures, you estimate the armor to weigh at least 1,000 pounds. Feeling bold, you tap the student's shoulder. Surprisingly, he somehow feels your tapping because he quickly turns around. You smile and greet him. "Hey what's up? I'm $!{hname}. Cool armor." "Oh hey. I'm the Combat Wombat." His face is friendly with a small nose and round cheeks. He wears mechanical looking goggles to conceal his identity. "I like your ${schoolgear}!" Combat Wombat? Did you hear that right? How do you follow up on that? This also might be another good chance to practice your persona with a classmate. *choice #Maybe I'll charm him. "I had no idea wombats were so impressive looking! Care to tell me more about them? *set charmer %+10 *goto nods #This just begs for a joke. "Wait, so you're named after a wombat? Did you lose a bet or something?" Wombat chuckles good-naturedly, "Oh ${hname}, you're such a character! I can tell we'll get along famously!" *set combatwombat +2 *set jokester %+10 *goto nods #It's time for brooding. I just repeat the words "Combat Wombat...Hmmm" while stroking my chin and acting as if I have him all figured out already. *set brooder %+10 *goto nods #I'll just play this straight. "I don't know much about wombats. Care to educate me?" *set traditionalist %+10 *goto nods *label nods He nods and launches into a diatribe about his namesake. "You see, the wombat - " His explanation is interrupted as the bleacher violently groans beneath his crushing weight. Wombat excuses himself and rises to stand beside the bleachers. *goto turn_attention *label turn_attention You turn your attention back to the gym floor. A few people you assume are professors sit in simple metal fold-out chairs. A man with skin the color of marble is rocking an immaculate navy single breasted suit. He leans in and whispers to the woman sitting beside him. The woman, wearing glasses three sizes too large for her long narrow face, smiles broadly and raises a hand to cover her mouth. *if (entrance_late = "yes") She then looks up to scan the students restlessly inhabiting the bleachers. She gives you a stern look, pursing her thin lips. You thought you had managed to slip in relatively unnoticed, but apparently she noticed you arriving late. Not the best first impression! *set mccormick -1 *goto severe *label severe A severe woman in a futuristic battlesuit sits on the other side of the marble-skinned man. Based on her scowl, you anticipate she will bludgeon him to death with her steel chair if the program does not start soon. An odd figure in a purple cloak glides in seemingly random circles around the chairs. You can't determine the person's gender or age. No facial features escape the hood's shadow. A plump woman in her early fifties bursts out from the equipment room and waves both her hands at the audience. Two basketballs and a volleyball roll out before she can close the door. She trots up to the podium (which for some reason is marked "North Speck High") and adjusts the microphone downward. "It's always best to start with a joke." *page_break She smooths her coral jacket and grins, as if already amused by the punchline. "So I asked the Dean of Prestige School for Heroes, Mega Cat, to fly out here to lovely Speck, Nebraska to say a few words." The mere mention of Mega Cat's name causes a buzz to ripple through the small crowd of hero students. The woman blinks. "Oh no...no he's not coming. It's just a joke. Where was I? Okay, so I asked Mega Cat to fly out to say a few words. And he asked me, where's Speck? So I said Nebraska. And he's like, where's Nebraska?" She smirks before continuing. "So I asked him, well where's New York?" Awkward silence follows. One of the basketballs continues to roll across the gym floor. One student in the back yells, "New York in the house!" The others glance sideways at one another. The woman clears her throat. *page_break "Anyhoooo, I'm Dean Meg Tolly, and it is my distinct pleasure to welcome you to Speck Community College's brand spankin' new "Heroes Among Us" Program." Those words elicit an energetic response from the audience. A high-pitched "Woo Hoo!" assaults your left ear. A girl sitting beside you dressed as a pink-fairy-meets-masked-swordsman tries unsuccessfully to start a "Let's Go Speck!" cheer. Many just clap loudly. How do you respond? *choice #I stand and cheer, gyrating my hips in a rather risque manner. *set charmer %+10 *goto intros #I turn to the pink-fairy-meets-masked-swordsman girl beside me and ask, "This is the orientation for the paralegal studies program, right?" *set jokester %+10 *goto intros #I stand and clap politely. *set traditionalist %+10 *goto intros #I cross my arms over my chest, looking totally disinterested. *set brooder %+10 *goto intros *label intros Dean Tolly introduces the faculty. The lady with the big glasses is Sandy McCormick, a local attorney. The marble skinned man is the Hedonist, a professor "on loan" from Savior School. The severe woman is DownFall. You think you've heard of her before. She's a New York hero although you're not sure if she attended Prestige. Finally, the cloaked figure is introduced only as Nil. Which professor do you think is the most interesting? *fake_choice #Professor McCormick. I want to know why we need an attorney on the faculty. Plus, I like that we have a regular person as a professor. #Professor Hedonist. He seems quite charming, even from afar. And if he teaches at Savior, he must know what he's talking about. #Professor Downfall. I wonder how many villains she's jailed over the years? I wouldn't want to meet her in a dark alley. Or a well-lit one. #Professor Nil. Heck, I still don't even know if Nil is human, and what's up with the cloak? *label ruleslist After the professors are introduced, Dean Tolly pulls out a wadded up piece of notebook paper from her jacket pocket. "First on today's itinerary is a special little...fieeeld triiip!" The Dean sings the last two words. "But it's a surprise. We've broken you randomly into eight teams of four students each. Come down to the table," she says, pointing to a small folding table on the gym floor, "to get your name tag and team assignment." "The teams are labelled A through H. Take a left out of the gym doors," she motions again, "head all the way down the hallway, and take the rear exit to the faculty parking lot. Find the van marked with your team letter. I'll see you in a bit!" You stand and step down to the next bleacher level, patiently waiting your turn as everyone crowds the table. A girl with big blue eyes and wavy blonde hair, dressed as either a narwhal or a unicorn, sticks her name tag on her horn and skips down the hall. You wonder whether her tag will actually stay attached. Grabbing your $!{hname} name tag, you search with your index finger on multiple lists until you find your name included under Team B. You scramble down the hallway, stopping only to pick up Narwhal Girl's name tag and return it to her. It's time to meet the B-Teamers. *page_break *goto_scene captureflag