Take Me Out to the Ball Game

[Electra]

Erin waited till everyone else was filing out of the ship before she rose and got out too. She was a little tall to hide in the back of the group, but at least it meant putting a little bit of psychological distance between herself and Summers. As she stepped out onto the asphalt, she looked around, mentally rehearsing the exit strategies she'd meticulously worked out over the past months. Logically, it didn't make any sense to cut and run, not when there wasn't anywhere to go and no pressing present danger, but it made her feel a little better to know she was prepared.

[alderwitch]

Mr. Summers stared at them, his gaze sweeping from one side to the other lingering on each of their faces in turn.

"Hmmm," he finally vocalized, before he turned, "My office."

Summers led the small group there without ever turning around to look back and see if they were following. Once they reached the door, he opened it for them, "I can asume you'll be first Mark. The rest of you can wait out here."

He escorted Mark into his office and shut the door with a quiet click, leaving the rest of them to cool their heels and talk amongst themselves while they waited.

"Mark, why don't you tell me what happened."

[angrydurf]

Mike followed in grim silence with his fellows and slumpped heavily in one of the chairs outside the headmasters office while Mark went in. He looked to his fellow students and made a strained smile. "Hey it can't be too bad its not like we're repeat offenders or anything." His gaze traveled down the line of teens and flicked over chris where he added "Well not most of us."

"So have you ever been called in for your extracuriculars?" He asked Chris hoping the older boy mihgt have some hint what they had in store for them.

[Avenger Assembled]

"Mr. Summers, it went like this." Under the watchful gaze of Mr. Summers, Mark began to talk, telling him the story of Young Freedom and their battle in the stadium. "We arrived late thanks to heavy traffic. Just our luck, as it meant we missed whatever knockout field those hoodlums were using on the spectators." He did his best to tell the story as he remembered it, being both honest and positive at the same time. "After a brief conference to assess the situation, and when I was confident we had the support of our faculty advisor, I deployed the team in the manner that seemed the most advantageous. We destroyed the robots, banished the demons, and stopped the bad guys from hurting any innocent people. We made some mistakes, but those were just because of our inexperience. I'm proud of what everyone accomplished on the field."

[alderwitch]

Summers asked a few questions occasionally to clarify a point here or there, drawing out more details of a few different points of the fight although to no obviously discernable purpose. He never raised his voice when he did speak, nor did his features betray his thoughts of the entire matter.

"Thank you, Mark. You can go sit outside with your friends until I call you back inside. Please send in the next student."

[Avenger Assembled]

When Edge left Mr. Summers' office, he looked relaxed and confident, if a bit drained. He made his decision fast, looking over his assembled friends. "All right, got that taken care of. Mike, he wants to see you next." He clapped the other boy on the shoulder, looking him in the eye. "Good luck, man." When Mike got up, Mark took his seat next to Alex, wiping his forehead.

"Whew. Mr. Summers' got an eye, doesn't he?"

[angrydurf]

Mike shruged and let out a sigh as he stood. He looked back at the others and stepped into Summers office with a grim countenance. Once inside he settled into the chair oposite Summers and eyed the headmaster warily. Mike didn't even really know why they had been called in but he was fairly certain it was not for the congradulatory talk Mark had been expecting. His mind was racing as to what would happen but he tried to let as little of that show on his face as he could. Once settled he waited for the Headmaster to speak.

[alderwitch]

"Why don't you tell me what happened today, Mike?" Headmaster Summers said quietly from behind his expansive desk. He steepled his fingers and fixed Mike with his steady gaze as he waited for the boy to explain the events.

[angrydurf]

Mike shifted uncomfortably for a moment under the piercing gaz of the Headmaster then spoke up, "We were late to the game, once we got there the whole weird field thing had already gone off and kocked evryone out or whatever." He glanced to the side then coninued "They were making all kinds of threats so we stopped em. I figure you already have seen most everything there was to see." Mike really didn't want to go into the details of the fight he was already rather unconfortable with what had happened.

[quotemyname]

"So how was it?" Eddie leaned in close to Edge "We gonna get fifty years of detention, fearless leader?" Eddie smiled and playfully slugged Mark on the shoulder. "See! I told you it wasn't going to be that bad!"

I hope it's not going to be that bad...

[alderwitch]

"It's alright, Mike," his voice was quiet from behind the large desk. "I'd rather hear your experiences than watch a tape. You're welcome to take as long as you need to, however."

[alderwitch]

Alex scooted closer to Erin on the bench outside, and gave Mark an encouraging smile when he came out. "Are you okay?"

[angrydurf]

This was defiantely not what he had expected when they had been called into the headmasters office for the days activities. A lecture, detention, even expulsion, but this inquery just left him feeling somehow exposed under the Headmasters firm gaze.

"Well, we noticed the staff was missing and snuck a peek at the field." Mike sighed and shrugged "Thats when we saw what those jerks were up too." Mike wasn't one to blame anyone else for his mistakes so he had left out his suggestions that they leave the matter to the cops. He had gone along with Marks plan for good or ill and wasn't about to shirk the blame for his actions.

"So Mark had a plan to keep the crowd safe and take the guys down, I dunno it sounded better than what I could come up with." Mike was easing into his explanation a little more comfortably now. "So we went in and took down a bunch of these little gremlin looking things and some robots that were up by the crowd."

Mike didn't really want to go into detail about the fight itself so skirted the issue "Alex figured out how to disable their big hypno field thing." He glanced to the side for a second clearly uncomfortable with the next bit. When he spoke it was quiet and kind of sad, "They were using the Freedom-Tron for it some how so I knocked it down over by the parking garage where I figured there wouldn't be any people."

Mike glanced up at the Headmaster apologetically "It seemed like the only way to stop the thing at the time." Mike shrugged "Anyway then we all took on the guys who started the whole mess and broke their machine." He left out the details of the fight still uncomfortable with that aspect.

"The older one had this," He rolled the lightsaber across the desk before continueing "I was just gonna break it but I didn't know if it woudl explode or be radioactive or something."

[Cyroa]

James followed the others along, though he hung back. He had his phone out and was talking quickly but quietly, mostly ignoring the scenery and what was going on. Finally he hung it up as Mark came out of the office and sat down.

"Ok. I took care of the legal stuff; everything about the group name of Young Freedom and all that. Licensing, copyrighting and all that. Not sure if I like the name, but as least we'll 'own' it." He shrugged. "It's a bureaucracy thing. We might not even need it. But I'd rather plan for it anyway, just in case. That way someone doesn't end up with control over it." It might have been an odd thought, but living in the Family and having superheroes and such running around, he tended to try and think outside the box at times.

He looked around. "So why is everyone so tense? It's just school guys. I can't see us being in trouble for anything, but even if we are, so what? The punishments are just school. It isn't that big a deal. 'Sides, we had some fun. It was cool and we kicked serious ass. We should be feelin good and riding high. Celebrating, not worrying."

[alderwitch]

The headmaster flipped one hand down to catch the lightsaber without looking away from Mike's face, "Was it the right thing to do, Mike?"

He lifted the lightsaber and examined it breifly before putting it in his desk drawer with a clank. Most headmasters had cellphones and video games in their desk drawer. Heaven only knew what all Headmaster Summers kept in there.

"When you've answered my question, you can go sit outside with the others and send in the next student. I'd like you to wait out there until I call you back in."

[Avenger Assembled]

"I'm great," said Mark with a ready smile for Alex. "That really wasn't all that bad, guys," he said to her, and the others reassuringly. "He's not mad at us, he just wants us to explain what happened. It'll be all right. Today's going to be the start of something great for all of us, I can tell." He beamed at James. "And thanks, James! It was just a spur of the moment thing, but if it works for you guys, we can go with it. We should probably avoid doing a lot of licensing though...well, I dunno, that's not really my thing."

[quotemyname]

"Ok. I took care of the legal stuff; everything about the group name of Young Freedom and all that. Licensing, copyrighting and all that. Not sure if I like the name, but as least we'll 'own' it." He shrugged. "It's a bureaucracy thing. We might not even need it. But I'd rather plan for it anyway, just in case. That way someone doesn't end up with control over it." It might have been an odd thought, but living in the Family and having superheroes and such running around, he tended to try and think outside the box at times."

"Ha! Awesome! I'll admit that I wasn't too fond of the name to start with, but it's growing on me." Eddies smiled and leaned back on the bench in the hallway. "Who's tense? I'm having a great time! You're right. This isn't going to be a problem. 'Quick to praise slow to punish' Isn't that the saying?"

[Electra]

Erin looked up from the intensive study she appeared to be doing of her own hands. "What's Young Freedom?" she asked. Everyone seemed to know what James was talking about except her. "Why are you licensing it?"

[angrydurf]

Mike sat sullenly staring at Summers for several long moments. At that exact momment he hated the Headmaster for the question no matter how reasonable.

He broke eye contact looking down to his lap and replied "Probably not, we got lucky and no one got hurt but even Mark can't always count on luck, it could have gone alot worse."

A big part of him wanted to argue that it was the right thing to do, that they had a chance to help so they did but he also knew that they had put people in danger with their antics. He should have known better but he got caught up int he moment and risked far too much.

Mike stood and walked to the door then looked over is shoulder to the headmaster "If you're just gonna tell me to pack my things I'd like to get an earlier start on it." he said to the headmaster but left the office none the less and took a seat at the far end of the foyer. He nodded to Eddie who was next on the bench and glumly motioned to the door.

[alderwitch]

"When the reporter's asked who we were, Mark told them we were 'Young Freedom'. Then we left," Alex explained quietly to Erin as she fiddled with the hem of her shirt, "I guess, Young Freedom is us."

[quotemyname]

"Yep...Ahhhh...Guess thats me!" Eddie stood, and cracked his back and lazed over to the office. He was never in any hurry to get an admonishment.

The door shut behind him *click* and he sat down with a slouch in the chair across the desk from the headmaster.

"So what's up?" Eddie grinned with a wide smile

[alderwitch]

The headmaster raised an eyebrow at Eddie's cheery demeanor and said mildly, "I'd like you to tell me what happened today. From your point of view, if you would."

[quotemyname]

Eddie leaned forward, getting into the story he was about to tell... A dramatic drum roll played as he began.

"Okay so there we were, right? We rolled up to the place just like we were supposed to, except we got caught in traffic, so we were late. Anyway," Eddie made more dramatic hand gestures, "Once we realize that no one was manning the snack booth (a real tragedy I might add. I didn't get my cheesy nachos! I mean cheesy nachos are a must have when you go to a baseball game!) I hoped on the radio..."

"There's the pitch! *KRAK* And its a Homerun!

He shut off the radio again. "And discovered that there was someone 'jacking the field! So Edge...I mean Mark... Got us all together, I slapped on my gear, and we rushed out there and kicked butt! Eddie was all smiles. He was clearly enjoying himself.

"Oh man it was so much fun! It was a real rush. And I mean we were helping people out, so it's all good right? I mean a couple of us took some pretty nasty hits out there from all the lasers and stuff. I would hate to see what would have happened if the cops had to deal with those guys. They would have been buttered toast!"

"But in the end, we saved the day! And no one got seriously hurt. So no big deal right? No harm no foul?"

"DANA NA NA NAA DA DANA!"

"So what'da'ya think, Dunc? You gonna give us detention?" Eddie smiled wide, clearly unaware of all of the horrible mistakes he was making!

[Cyroa]

James shrugged a little at Mark. "I'm not saying we're gonna license anything. But, I don't want anyone else doing it either." He looked over at Erin. "Well, famous things get trademarked. Or just things someone could use to make money by sticking the name on it. I don't really know the details on it myself. But I do know it happens. So, to prevent someone else from taking 'Young Freedom' name and using it without telling us, I took steps to stop it. Those steps being call someone who knows about this stuff to do it for me. So 'we' technically will own the name and those who want to use it to make money or attach to things will have to ask us first." One corner of his mouth quirked up in a wry smile. "The name certainly wouldn't have been my first choice, but as group super hero names go...it could be way worse."

[alderwitch]

The other brow arched to join the first and Duncan Summers gave the boy a considering look, tapping his steepled forefingers together. After a moment of steely consideration, he rested both palms on the surface of his desk.

"First," he said mildly, "I suggest you cease thinking of today's events as a game. What occured was quite real, and your opponents are in the hospital, not jail. One of them has a punctured lung from the rib that was broken. If you are incapable of realizing your actions have consequences, I can assure that any extra curricular activities will be heavily monitored. Indeed, I will give the matter my personal attention."

Summers never raised his voice but he managed to drill the last two words so they hung in the air.

"Second, Mister Summers, or headmaster will be sufficient." He inclined his head at the door, "If you would wait outside with the others. You can send in the next student."