Chapter Two: Speak for the Trees, Part One

“Hello and welcome to the two o’clock news, to be known as the strange hour the station manager thought would really work.” Reporter Sally Sparrow said into the camera as the newscast began and it zoomed into her face.

“And because in our now five hours of continuous newscast, we couldn’t account for nothing happening since twelve; we believe this would be a good place to play multiple character pieces.” Tom Eccleston said as he tried to pass through the first of the newscast before his hour of relaxation. 

…

“The League of Superbeasts and the Environmental Bunch, both sound like they have been named by five year olds playing in their mother’s garden and today we are the garden. The Environmental Bunch, pushes for less greenhouse gases and for less natural materials to be used with in products, because according to them the trees can feel.” Sally Sparrow said over some prerecorded stock footage of the town.

“Besides being an obvious Lorax joke, they too isolate themselves from the city by taking base on Ellis Island, one home to the natural immigration center where millions of ships would pass by the Statue of Liberty. As such they have taken ownership of this building and now a massive eyesore, I mean tree rises from the center of the once great building.”

The stock footage quickly switched to more recent footage recorded for the story, as noted by a jump in quality. Ellis Island was covered in vines, extending around the building and weaving in and out the buildings; one could probably assume they were holding up the building. As Sally was true to her word, a large mass of bark and wood extended out of the collapsed ceiling and expanded into a green explosion of leafs.

“Of course there is another team on our fertile land, the League of Superbeasts. The first superhero them New York had, they started out small before growing into the hundred or so members they have today, as their name would suggest nearly all of the members are strength-enhanced or transformative. Their leader Wildebeast, was the founding member and his ego, I mean legacy lasts till today.”

The news program them switched to fuzzy stock footage of the Superbeasts in action, they attacked their opponents and knocked them down and covered them. Wildebeast was the leader, even to today and lead the charge.

“Here we have footage from the First Superbeast war, in which due to growing tension from the Alpha Pack in one fell swoop the Superbeasts, sent them and their moving castle away from New York and into the Upper Hudson River Valley and they haven’t dared to strike back.” Sally Sparrow said with particular disinterest on her face, it wasn’t as if she had read this a million times.

“The Superbeasts are powerful and have massive numbers does help to, they have been responsible for taking down nearly every supervillain from upper Manhattan and Long Island. There is a reason they call the first war, the six hour war.”

“And we now move on to their base, situated on Roosevelt Island. A centralized point on Manhattan and Long Island, they use a slightly modified version of the pneumatic tubes in order to quickly distribute their members across the state area.” Sally Sparrow said as once again the stock footage switched again.

“With a large play area in the center, some have accused the team of building a glorified pet cage; which they have not denied. However, so long as they stay peaceful to the town and the Environmental Bunch we are fine with that.”

The stock footage was still from a helicopter and as they flew over Roosevelt Island, towards the Goldsboro Bridge, in the center of the modified buildings was a massive field. The Superbeasts were tiny dots inside but as the helicopter flew over they started to wave.        

“And trouble is brewing in New York, as the teabags of death are dipped out. The Superbeasts state that the Environmental Bunch should move somewhere else, like Trenton and allow them to handle the entire city, while others retort that they won’t leave until they stop dumping into the East River.” 

“Both sides have been in a massive mudslinging battle, criticizing the functioning of others and trying to reduce the funding of the other. And it far worse than a comment section you could see, for now the budget is in stalemate until both sides can work out their beef. I’m Sally Sparrow from New York News 6 and we’ll see you after the brake.”

…

“Hello and welcome back from the brake, today it will be said that Outsiders are leading the peace and budget negotiations today at the UN conference, meaning this will be the first time in a year since all three teams met up at the disastrous Monday, Monday, Monday French Toast Brunch, and I still have heard they haven’t cleaned up all the Chinese food from the wall.”

“We have hope in the rouge, teenage lead, privately funded and possibly crazy team of Outsiders, all they need to do is convince the two biggest egos on New York, to settle their beef and work together, will they find out today, if your dead in the morning you’ll know what happens. Ok, yeah, maybe the Outsiders might not get this done, ok were done here roll the next piece.”

…

As Dustin sat down at his table, watching the news story on the school’s automated television. He groaned mentally that even the news didn’t believe that they could solve this budget crisis. If Viewfinder could get there, than perhaps they had a fighting chance, but they were right. It was highly unlikely and if they couldn’t solve it then everyone was probably going to die.  

“You feeling nervous bucko, it’s only my homework and I’m still two levels behind in chemistry.” Dustin mentally cringed as he heard that voice, in the following days the guidance officer had gotten work of his and Ronan’s beef and decided to force the shark into tutoring the wolf.  

Ronan wasn’t even failing in chemistry, he just “needed help” with understanding the multitude of concepts. It was obvious that she had no clue to what she was doing and just wanted to do something that she had no control over, while trying to solve a problem that would one day solve itself.

“No it’s this situation, why do the Superbeasts and the Environmental League have to be so stupid; all they need to do is stop arguing over area, does it really matter who defeats who?” Dustin said admitting to himself that even he believed the situation was getting stupider and stupider by the minute. The mudslinging was getting ugly and they were getting deeper into each other’s histories and making big deals out of tiny things.

The Superbeasts had taken out a twenty million dollar campaign on advertisements that claimed the Environmental Bunch were secretly pumping toxic waste into the river in order to clear out the multiple tunnels, when EPA workers decided to check this out, they had to delay the first of the peace agreements.

And they continued to delay that date, using every possible reason; up to and including that they didn’t feel safe with in the hall and so on until it was going to take place in the UN peace conference. They couldn’t go anywhere more private more protected and as if it weren’t enough for the first time in a century or so the city acknowledged the Outsiders and made sure that they were to be in the room and act as a third party, which was great.

“I can’t do this with you for the whole time, need to leave around five, I have to go get a new hoodie, this one’s starting to get a few holes in it.” Dustin said using the many, many, many alibis he had gathered over the years and gave one randomly out. Of course this was because he had to go to this damnable conference.

“Oh don’t worry, you’re just completely putting me out in the dark, no nah I’m kidding you I already had something to do, now I can feel better that your standing me up.” Ronan said laughing a bit, he was acting less like a dick than normal.  “However, I think you should get a jacket. You would look far better in one that this piece of cloth.”

Dustin turned around as he tried to interpret was the wolf was trying to say to him, he was insulting his hoodie.

“Why what’s wrong with a hoodie, they keep my body heat in and in the winter it forms a functional undercoat.” Dustin said retorting as he tried to explain the functionality of his black hoodie, he wouldn’t replace it, and it had his perception filter chip in it so he couldn’t get rid of it.

“Yes but a jacket you can take off and release that heat as well as were it open and let everyone see that rocking shirt you have.” Ronan said, Dustin could tell the wolf was trying to piss him off but even he knew that it was him helping the wolf and he wasn’t going to be disrespected.

“Okay then, first off let’s start with hybridization. Carbon is the easiest to explain, in has to accept four atoms, in order to complete its octet. However, if one were to look at the electron cloud there are 3 p orbits and one’s orbit that can accept four electrons, now in order for methane to be polar it would need all of its hydrogens to be even.” Dustin said starting to ramble off as he tried to explain the concept to Ronan, if he could have kept talking than at least Ronan couldn’t insult him.      

And as if the universe was bored with him, suddenly the entire school felt very static. Electronic waves flew over the floor and a yellow glow came from out of the windows. Standing up Dustin looked concern as he realized that something was happening.

“Stay here and review the concept, I’m going to go check that out.” Dustin said trying to sound calm in front of Ronan, he could tell the wolf was starting to become worried. He wondered if he had become a target, the Outsiders could be easily tracked down to a high school if you knew they were normal ordinary teenagers.

Walking forward he looked out the large windows and there appeared to be something covering it, in the seconds that he walked over almost like shrink-wrap the shield seemed to fit against the window as if to trap them in. It was an electromagnetic shield bit it seemed a bit different.

There was a glow in the shield that he hadn’t seen the last time he encountered an electromagnetic shield, it was some sort of metal. He realized that it was something to interfere with them, presumably to prevent Nightshifter from getting in and Viewfinder from looking in.

Pulling out his cellphone he grabbed it and found that oddly he still had signal, perhaps it was some sort of technoogolgy was built into his phone but whatever it was allowing him to use it. Touching the window he felt a shock of electricity travel down his spine.

“We’re trapped in here.” Dustin said as he realized he couldn’t lead this, he needed to stay back. Whoever activated the shield would be looking for someone to stand up, his natural Outsider inside of him needed him to lead; just as Nightshifter needed to as well, even more so.

Standing back he fell against the wall and decided to freeze up, any teenager who was savvy with the current world would know that being trapped in a school, during a dangerous day that war could break out meant something or someone important was nearby. Looking through the window, he attempted to see who trapped them inside the school.

Looking out he saw a strange man, flying by a jetpack, clothed in white armor with orange shoulder pads. Landing down on the ground, he looked at the strange fighter. If he was looking for a cause, that would more than fit the occasion.

…

“Yes, all schools are trapped. And they cannot be beached, they are enforced with Azbantium. Yes Nightshifter cannot escape through that material, too dense to shift his atoms through. Phone signals will not work, and all I need to do now is wait out for someone to make an escape attempt.”  

“Exactly, the Outsider shall not escape from their school. All I needed is someone who will naturally lead, their instincts tell them to do so and it is that need to lead that shall bring them to their downfall.” The bounty hunter said into his wrist, he looked at the electromagnetic shield that he generated. It should have lasted long enough that the Superbeasts could begin war.

“Yes, Wildebeast. I will keep watch on them, however I doubt any of them will be smart enough to escape.” The Bounty hunter said as he looked out onto the streets, if he was lucky no one would notice the perception filter cloaking the school and him as well. He was as good as being invisible.

“Now than Outsiders, it’s you and me, but at the end of the day you will know the wrath of Django Fett.” The bounty hunter said, his communication line shut off. He looked into the school it was empty and no one seemed to be coming to the front but as soon as they attempted escape they would know how trapped they were.

…

“I think that’s a bounty hunter, there was a program piece on them on channel six.” Ronan said as he looked out the window, holding himself the closest he could before it shocked his eye. Looking back at the TV as the news program came to his mind, he saw the screens were black and fuzzy. Signal had been cut off, he had a lifeline on his phone.

Looking at the bounty hunter, Ronan decided something and turned, walking to the nearby staircase. Staying back, Dustin smiled a bit knowing that Ronan was taking charge. If he was lucky he might get to see the wolf get his stupid ass beaten, he doubted the bounty hunter was dumb enough to kill an innocent, if a bit dickish, student.

“What do you mean, we’re not allow out? And who the hell says that, why don’t you come in here and face me like a man!” Dustin stood up and he heard Ronan screaming out, looking down the stairs it looked like that was attracting other students as well. Some started to stand up, at least if they had enough people they could over power the hunter.

Dustin rushed down the stairs and into the lobby, as he saw Ronan standing before the sealed doors. While Ronan didn’t look like he was going to punch the shield, he had already seen the effects, he looked quite pissed at the bounty hunter.

“Fine then bounty hunter, tell me your name, I will hire someone to find you when I get out of here or I will train and get you. All you need to do is stand still and wait.” Ronan boasted as he took deep breaths, he sounded tired and wared out as if the yelling had just taken away his voice.

“Well Sir, my name you ask. I’ve had many different names, Hellbringer, The Valeyard, The Oncoming Storm and from a particularly nice review, the best damn bounty hunter to ever grace these streets, so if you want to know what to call me, it all depends on what you wish to cry out on your deathbed.” The bounty hunter said to Ronan, boasting far better than the high school could ever.

“What about your real name, your code name, all of you have names, what is yours.” Dustin said picking his voice up and speaking nearly gulping on his own breath as he did so.

“Oh, you’re a smart one aren’t you, well you can call me Django Fett. And if you haven’t realized, I am the bounty hunter. I set up the guild, I gave out names and managed assignments, so if you would be inclined to respect my authority, twerp.” Django said as he stood up and pulled his plasma shotgun.

He pointed it forward and fired, like nothing it passed through the forcefield and into the school. Dustin ducked as the plasma blast shot by him. As the smoke cleared the gathered students, turned and looked at the now burning piece of wall. They slowly started to back up.  

“You two idiots are most definitively not who I am looking for, either way kids peace conference starts in ninety minutes, if you can wait an hour or so after that without making a mutiny, than you can all go free as simple as that. Now try to get out before them, well first this shields pure Azbantium, so even Nightshifter couldn’t get through” Django said as he went back and placed the shotgun away.

Dustin walked forward as Ronan, looked at what happened behind them. His eyes were abased and his mouth hung open. He looked completely shit-faced, if Dustin was lucky maybe this would take a few notches of his ego. Meanwhile outside, Django Fett flew away on his jet pack, he would presumably go check on other schools.

“You okay buddy, you could have done better with interrogating the villain but you can work on that for the future.” Dustin said letting a bit of Riptide speak though him, he felt strange. Not in the sick way, but more of the about to have a mental crisis kind.

Placing Ronan against the wall, he let the wolf skin down to indian position and gather his thoughts. However, as Ronan did that Dustin believed that his thoughts wanted to gather him.

“You need to escape as soon as possible.” Dustin turned to the left, and standing before him he saw the villains saw. He was a shark of the highest caliber, dark blue skin, royal looking hoodie and a cape. Standing before him on the steps was Riptide, king of the sharks.

“You can’t do that, the second we even so much as think of water we will be more than done for. If that bounty hunter or the Superbeasts, I don’t think the environmental bunch would care, but if those two figure out who we are, than this entire school is fucked.” Near to him on the floor was himself, as he appeared now.

“I don’t care, if this peace conference doesn’t go exactly as planed than Manhattan is in a lot more trouble than this tiny little school, think of the big picture.” Riptide yelled as he walked down the stairs, Dustin’s normal self-looked frightened as he was approached.

“We still have many options to take don’t forget, our phone will work though the Azbantium shield, we could easily call Colin.” Normal Dustin said as he argued, while Dustin himself stood back and only watched the arguments roll. Hopefully both ends could come to a conclusion and he’d have an idea what to do, but right now he could only sigh. 

“Do not call him that, he is Viewfinder, calling him by his normal name puts him and his family in risk; I expect more out of you.” Riptide yelled, his voice was deeper and rougher, he wondered if that was him or the perception filter. Still normal Dustin was managing against a shark with Outsider superpowers.

“Oh please, he’s a blind lizard that can see auras. If the villains wanted to figure out who he was they would have managed that a long time ago.” Normal Dustin said nearly laughing at Riptide’s upstanding attitude, then he still realized it was his own.

“Fine then, what is it that we’re doing, you decide.” The two said to their master, Dustin stood up and looked at his option, easily he could beat Django by bring up what from the sewer but not it seemed that he would have to wait for him to come back.

“I don’t know, Riptide or normal me; it’s too big a question to ask. I guess now, I have to take from two of you.” Dustin said as he made the two disappear from his vision, he didn’t want to have to deal with his ego filled other selves, and then he realized they were himself. He had an idea, one that would work for both of his personalities.

Standing up Dustin looked at Ronan, he looked hurt and slightly depressed, his ego must have taken a big burse. He was probably used to being on top of the food chain, but now he was at the bottom. Dustin tried to ignore him, and he tried to walk away but he could hear the silent tears of his bully in his mind.

“Hey, are you ok?” Dustin said as he turned towards Ronan, the bounty hunter wasn’t around the shark could be a leader. Bending down on his knee and patting Ronan’s head, he saw the wolf look up at him. He was frowning, he looked completely destroyed.

“No, well what did you say to me; you need to act like the leader here. You are the alpha of the pack, act like it.” Dustin said as he looked at Ronan, he either just completely destroyed the wolf or he would manage to give him the confidence to “lead” them. He could at least let Ronan think he was leading and that might give him the confidence he wanted, hopefully it might spare him as well.

“Your right.” Ronan said standing up as he put his hand on Dustin’s shoulder. He bit his lip, and paused for a second “Thank you, friend. Go and find any other leftover students”

Ronan turned and walked towards the front, he raised his arms and looked at the shield.

“Students, gather here; together we shall escape!” Ronan said as he yelled out, he knew what he was saying, no regular person in his situation would say it. He however could use his control over language well, and made their choice sound magnificent.

Walking forward, Dustin saw the few students left in the building made their way towards the front. However, as he did Riptide took over, he pulled out his phone and started to text. Riptide looked around, he knew the door to the basement was around and feeling the water around him he walked right into the door.

Looking around, it appeared that everyone was away from the area. He held his hand up to his face and licked, he activated his perception filter and to most if would have appeared that he looked different than Dustin or Riptide; putting his hand on the doorknob he pushed all the water in his spit into the lock.

He adjusted the water around, leaking it up into the tumblers and freezing it, they all were pushed up and the door unlocked. It was amazing how even still that they couldn’t afford a more secure system. Opening the door, he allowed the water to melt and walked into the room.

Going down the stairs into the dark room, he felt the water flowing through the school. Either the shield extended around the pipes and electricity that entered the building, their might have been a tiny hole to transfer oxygen in a random location.

Still that was a weakness, they should have cut of the water. It was a complete oversight on their part and he pushed the water back in the pipe building up the pressure. He had trapping the water but as he started to freeze it as well, he could feel the pipe about to burst. The water wanted to take the easiest path out and right now bursting through the copper was easiest.

And then as Riptide started to back up, the pipe bursted. He used his power to make sure it wasn’t loud, limiting the flow of water so that only a tiny trickle came through but that would be enough that he wouldn’t have to worry about it, it would slowly breakthrough the rest of it and push it open.

As a layer of water, slowly built up on the floor he could hear the screeching of pipes and slowly more water started to build up. He looked at the walls and none of it seemed to be seeping through, so either two things would happen. In one or two hours they would drown on the top floor, or the water would find the shield generator and short it out.

He backed up smiling as he took out his phone and looked at the response he got, his smile even extended further. Backing up onto the stairs, he kept the water calm and controlled as he pushed some of it back to hold the pressure. He opened the door and as soon as he was out of the basement, he let the water go.

Focusing for a second through the door, he heard the sound of the pipe bursting farther. Riptide looked around and still it seemed that everyone wasn’t around him, they would be around Ronan. That either in the long run, meant that his plan worked or his plan hadn’t worked, yet.

Walking forward he looked at the students gathered at the front of the building, by now it seemed that they had dissolved into a maddening frenzy of people pushing however, it seemed that Ronan was the first in line and he was trying to push himself through.

Looking around he saw Moe hanging on the back of the crowd, pushing forward on all the people in front of him. Walking over and turning off his perception filter, he looked as Ronan was basically continuously electrocuted. Hopefully he had a strong and healthy heart.

“What are you doing?” Dustin said to Moe as he pulled the human away from the crowd and attempted to get a somewhat better idea of what was happening.

“Oh, well where taking Ronan and pushing him somewhere else; while the energy we need to break through the shield might be infinitely impossible, we believe the energy required to push one Ronan through is exponentially less.” Moe said as he continued pushing through and then suddenly, they were all knocked down by a shockwave and once again the wall was on fire.

“What the hell are you doing, no wonder this county’s education system is so messed up. There is no way that you could pass a human through a shield and possibly have him survive. He’ll be injected with 1.2 megawatts, so back up and hope to god no one does anything stupid.”

Walking forward through the knocked out crowd, Dustin and Moe looked forward as they decided to join Ronan in suffering.

“So do you really think that you could survive that much electricity and then a plasma bolt to the head.” Django Fett said as he pulled out his plasma shotgun and pointed it at Ronan’s head.

“No, but I think a …” Ronan said, Dustin quickly kicked him down as to prevent him from saying anything stupider and getting them killed. Looking at the bounty hunter, he didn’t seem to look angry at them so to say.

“You know when to shut a leader up, I can respect you for that kid.” Django said as Dustin felt for where the water was. It was just about to reach the top of the basement stairs and spill out into the school, if he was lucky he would only need the visual aid.

“Well then let’s put that respect to the test. Now you might not expect a lot from us non-outsider people, but we are smart and we know that this shield will have to hold in water. Know the school’s basement is very easy to access and shutting a few pipes down to build up pressure is quite easy.” Dustin said as he decided to put on a little show for the bounty hunter, twisting his fingers in his pocket, he built up pressure again and could feel the water about to spill over.

“Know then wouldn’t be a shame in say a bounty hunter hired by Wildebeast let about a hundred or so students die while water flooded the building.” Dustin said he let the water go, behind him a large explosion like noise was heard as enough water to push over the pipe let out. A layer of water quickly spread over the school, falling down into their lowered lobby. Students moved out of the way and stood up before they got wet.

“Now then it’s your choice, I have multiple people who know did this and I am sure the news will investigate and crack theory involving you, Django’s choice.” Dustin said, Moe looked shitfaced that he could do this somehow. As the layer of water got to his feet he looked around.

“You really want to test me, you’re just an ordinary school student what could you do?” Django said as he approached the shield raising up his plasma shotgun. Dustin stood calm and confident as he knew that Django would buckle on him, just like the water the pressure he was forcing on him was rising.

“Trust me let this shield go down and return to your beasts.” Dustin said pushing forward against the bounty hunter, he looked as the bounty hunter seemed to consider what to do. With pressure on him, he clicked a button on his wrist and suddenly the shield disappeared.

Running forward suddenly Ronan appeared out of nowhere, he landed on the bounty hunter and knocked him to the ground. The bounty hunter tried to fly away but as he did so, a few other students held him down. Ronan grabbed his wrist and clicked a button.

“There now all your magnetic shields are down, wherever the Outsiders are they are now free. Let’s just hope they can get to the UN peace conference before it goes out of control.” Dustin said as he realized what Ronan did, pulling out his phone he dialed a number in, one that would alert the leaders of the Outsiders and emergency services of where they should go.

Walking forward, Moe seemed to be following him as he tried to shake his human friend off. Turning into an alley, Moe followed him as he disappeared into the darkness. Turning around he looked at his friend as they stood in the alley.

“What do you want?” Dustin said as he tried to get his friend to leave him, he needed to get to the peace conference before it went to shit.     

“I know what you’re doing and I thought that we could go together, Riptide. It wasn’t that hard to figure out, what control that you showed, all I needed to do was connect the dots. Werewolves, Mutants, Celebrities, is it true?” Moe asked as he walked forward, he knew that Riptide wouldn’t deny.

“Yes, it’s true; all of it. Ok, then let’s go.” Riptide said as he clicked his perception filter and activated it, transforming him into the superhero.