The Rainbow League!

Dramatis Personae
Skyrocket / Rob: Curly Brown Hair, Brown Eyes, Italian American, Slim and Tall, T.A. Education Major and Surfer. (Telekinetic control of speed and direction and distance, superfast, kinetic energy only, air fields) (Salt)
Polar / Lars: Short, buzzed White Hair, Blue Eyes, Goatee Circle Beard, Nordic, Huge and bear-like, Architect/Construction (Resistant to cold, claws, strength, resilience, senses) (Great Heat)

Sunburn / Jesse: Spikey Blond Hair, Blue Eyes, Farm Boy, Landscape Architect, favors jeans and cotton shirts (Heat rays from hands, radiation vision, fire breath, explosive blasts from torso, flight, fire immunity, radiation immunity) (Full Moon)
Vampyre / Marisol: Long Black Hair, Red Eyes, Puerto-Rican, Short, dresses in suits, Law Student (Life drain, retractable wings, animal rapport, enhance speed and strength, regenerate) (Direct Sunlight)

Idol / Jeannette: Flowing Blond hair, Green Eyes, Sheltered rich girl runaway, artist/sculptor (Stone control, earth control, metal control, healing, merging with minerals) (blood)
Monkeywench / Ayako: Asian, Green streaks in black hair, ponytails, black eyes, mechanic, physicist. (Super genius, inventor, enhanced strength, super agility, prehensile tail, hands on feet, wall climb) (Any drug or alcohol)

Folklore / Loran / Lorraine: Naturally red, brightly-colored wigs, hazel eyes, slim and effeminate, freckled, Female impersonator, literature and mythology fan (Telepathy, Precognition, Postcognition, Skill, Mastery, Probability control) (Her twin)
Ngender / Natalie / Nate: Naturally black and long, brown eyes, (Shapeshifting, empathy, emotion control, enhance or decrease the powers of others) (Unadulterated Hate)

Morgan: Light red hair, blue eyes, fag hag, neopagan, works at a travel agency. Possibly a-sexual (Teleportation, summoning, spirit communication)
Tom: Police officer, detective, former F.B.I. agent. Older, graying hair, distinguished looking, but a bit tired, with circles under his eyes.

PROLOGUE
-Today, Times Square, New York City –
“LOOK OUT, SKYROCKET!”
Rob Rossi, dressed in his blue and purple body suit, domino mask and cape as his alter-ego, Skyrocket, spun in midair at the cry from his teammate, feeling himself speed up to an impossible velocity and narrowly avoiding the shower of gunfire hurtling at him. He wryly thought to himself that his practice with his relatively newfound abilities was paying off far more than his gym membership ever had, since instead of being last to finish every game, he was now moving faster than speeding bullets… though it’d only been the shout of his teammates in the Rainbow League that had enabled him to notice the attack in the first place. Watching the bullets blur by, he focused his will on them, keeping from doing any extraneous movements like dramatically waving his hands, and caused them to slow to a halt, before dropping harmlessly to the ground. Skyrocket was on “collateral damage prevention” duty this battle since his superfast reflexes, flight, and ability to control the direction and speed of any moving object telekinetically made him particularly capable, while his teammates focused on handling the gun-toting “minions” and locating “the bad guy.” Though they had only been doing this for a few months, when they had all developed powers and been brought together by the extraordinary events of the past season, there was something strangely formulaic about the whole thing. Hear about a distaster/crime/supervillain attack, get dressed up in costumes that were fashionably garish, get to the scene, and divide and conquer. The really strange thing was how it all seemed to work out that way. Rob wasn’t THAT naïve… he knew that combat didn’t work that way, though for some reason, not only had they been absurdly lucky, but instead of feeling completely scared or out of control, he mostly felt a rush of excitement and adventure. It would have been troubling, had there not been so many other things to worry about instead. First of all, even speed that made seconds seem to stretch far longer would not allow him to ponder the unsolved mysteries of his life, and and it certainly would not keep his friends safe, so he turned his attention back to “collateral damage prevention.”
Directly beneath him, sparring with a couple of hefty-looking thugs, was Idol, his first partner in crimefighting; a beautiful young woman currently formed of living concrete, her normally golden bodysuit shielded by an exoskeleton of stone. Idol, or Jeanette, could merge with and control most forms of solid minerals, from stone to metal, crystal to clay, healing herself (and anyone she chose to assist) as she did. However, each power came with its individual limitations, including a built-in vulnerability the removed most traces of power for a brief period of time, and another of the thugs was unknowingly going to activate Idol’s by swinging a punch at her with his bloodied knuckles. “Can’t have that, now can we,” murmured Skyrocket as he reversed the punch and sent the thug hurtling away from his teammate, whose powers would fade at the merest touch of human blood. She raised her hand to him and nodded thanks, before moving on to the next guys, leaving him to do the same.
Sunburn, Skyrocket’s not-so-secret blond and blue-eyed crush, was nearby, having a blast. With searing beams of radiation burning from his eyes, breath of flames that danced at his will rushing from his lips, and rays of melting heat rippling from his hands, the former farmboy was quite a threat to their foes, but his solar-based powers also protected him from heat and flame and let him generate an explosion that took out several of the thugs around him while lifting him into the air so that he could fire from above, before drifting gently down to the (slightly scorched) ground. In addition to being incredibly powerful and versatile, Jesse also came from a family whose members had developed powers, and so he had built up some impressive control (though Rob enjoyed teasing the handsome blond that his blasting through the air had landed him in some awkward situations, unlike Skyrocket’s own levitating flight). Jesse’s powers faded on nights of the full moon, however, and the League had yet to find a way to prevent that effect. He did, however, look really good in red and orange spandex, with a flame motif accented by his own blazing energies.
Folklore, dressed in what appeared to be a shimmering violet evening gown and hood that matched the color of her elaborate wig, somehow completed a series of perfect punches, jabs, and kicks with the skill of a martial artist and the style that most action movie stars attributed to computer generated special effects. However, while most people would have stumbled and or tripped even walking in her boots, “Lorraine” could pull all of these moves off, thanks to her impressive psychic powers, which enabled her to not only sense the past, the future, and when and where to be at any given moment, but what her opponents’ thoughts were and how best to turn their maneuvers against them. She also picked up new skills and movements with an incredible ease and speed, and sometimes it seemed like impossible luck was one of her powers, along with impossible (if campy) style. Her vulnerability was the presence of her twin brother, which always caused her to become just another “ordinary mortal.” Thankfully, he was safely several states away, and Folklore had another man at her side.
Towering above all but a few of the largest thugs, Polar was a big bear of a man, with prematurely white hair, glacial blue eyes, rippling muscles, and arms that currently ended in white-furred razor-sharp bear claws. He was fully eight feet tall when he didn’t hunch over, and his body was almost entirely muscle, wrapped in carefully-constructed body armor in white and silver. Though he lost his powers in the presence of the most stifling heat, he was otherwise immensely strong and utterly immune to cold or hypothermia, and his senses were as sharp as his claws. He picked two of the thugs up by the scruffs of their necks and sent them both flying, while Folklore knocked her latest opponent away with a roundhouse kick.
Winging past them was Vampyre, whose retractable leathery wings made her almost as maneuverable as Skyrocket, and whose ability to psychically sap the strength and lifeforce of others from a distance, making her increasingly stronger, faster, and healthier was a great aid to the League, for their foes would soon lose the energy and will to put up a fight. Her long black hair fell behind her as she flew, and her black outfit (with fishnet sleeves) came with several concealed pockets where she stashed handy supplies. Her powers could also draw animals to her, and get them to obey her, and a number of stray dogs were gathering to growl and snap at the thugs. The weather was overcast and gray, which was a great help, since her powers vanished in direct sunlight.
Monkeywench and Ngender, the two remaining members of the League, moved along the edges of the fight, guarding each other and using their own powers to hamper the minions. Ngender was an empathic shapeshifter, who could take on any human form, even mimicking clothes and personal traits, and who was nearly as good a martial artist as Folklore, whose appearance changed almost as much as the metamorph’s. Ngender, however, had a special talent for manipulating the emotions of others, letting her… him… WHATEVER!... influence their self-control and reactions, and if they had powers, weakening or strengthening them via emotional stimulation. Currently, N appeared as an opalescent humanoid figure that shifted and rippled with every movement, though every so often that shape would be replaced with that of one of the thugs, sowing confusion in their ranks. That fluid form also made it very hard for enemies to land a successful blow, since any bones or vital organs could melt away, or shift to Ngender’s feet, or turn into another arm with which (s)he could block or strike back. Monkeywench, on the other hand, possessed simian strength, agility, climbing skills, feet that doubled as hands, and a prehensile tail, as well as a highly advanced mind and a knack for building all kinds of useful gadgets, tools, and weapons. Her black, ponytailed hair was streaked with neon green, and she wore matching green cargo pants full of gadgets, with a brown leather jacket for even more pockets. While Ngender distracted the thugs and played with their senses and emotions, Monkeywench launched herself at them, using her strength and trusty high-tech wrench (currently clutched and swung by her tail) to disarm and bludgeon them, and then zapping them away with her gleaming energy gauntlets. Her brilliant mind and inhuman abilities would vanish if she had any sort of drug or alcohol, while Ngender would be stuck in his/her current form if (s)he was ever near anyone consumed by raw hatred, but they complimented each other’s talents very well.
Over the communicators hidden in the masks of each member of the League came the voices of the two unofficial members of the team, former F.B.I. Agent and current detective Tom Hitching and the team’s ally, Morgan O’Reiley. Tom helped get the information and government clearance for the League, while directing the team in how best to combat different foes, while Morgan used her personal connections and deep research in the paranormal and supernatural to make up for those areas that were unfamiliar to the practical detective.
“Any sign of the Malcontent?,” queried Tom with an edge of frustration seeping into his voice.
“None yet,” replied Skyrocket as he moved higher up in the air to get a better view, only to spot a minion pull a gun on Polar. Flinging his arm in the thug’s direction to stir the air, Rob caused the breeze created by the motion to gain the strength and speed of a hurricane wind, knocking the man to the floor, while using precision to leave Polar feeling only a gentle breeze. There were limits to his telekinetic powers as well, the first of which was that they were unable to affect anything whose energies were predominately potential, instead of kinetic. While the ability to only be able to move moving objects with his mind had seemed like a sick joke a few months ago, he had now gotten the hang of them, and found a number of intriguing possibilities each time he used his powers. More problematic, however, was his vulnerability to something as common as salt, which immediately stripped him of his speed and telekinetic gifts. It made surfing back home on the West Coast a lot riskier, for one thing, and it was ridiculously easy for anyone to get their hands on some salt, so he tried not to even think about what would happen if his weak spot ever became common knowledge. It seemed like each vulnerability was fitted to some concept of the power in question (with sunlight being anathema to vampires, the moon reflecting the sun’s radiance, and polar bears being unsuited to live in hot climates), though the only way that salt made sense had to be its use as a preservative, when Rob’s powers were anything but static.
Morgan’s voice piped up from the transmitter at that point, bringing Skyrocket out of his musings.
“According to the information on the Malcontent that’s available from the newspapers and internet databases, he’s got some sort of emotion-based powers, which let him gain strength from the support of like-minded others, while subtly encouraging a moblike mentality in his allies. With powers like that, he could be extremely dangerous in a big city like New York… just think of all the people he could call on, and all the frustrations and grumpiness and depression and general malaise he could call on! ‘Lore, N, are you guys sensing anything like that?”
From below, Skyrocket could hear Folklore say “Nah, sorry honey. My powers tell me a lot, but it’s usually either really immediate stuff or insanely far removed… like the winning lottery numbers in France a century from now. I’ve not been able to manage much in the way of conscious control over my powers yet, I’m afraid.”
Tom’s voice responded, resigned but comforting. “Don’t worry, ‘Lore… it’s a problem, but you’ve been doing amazingly well today. Don’t put yourself down, especially when it could be a distraction. Ngender? What have you got for us?”
“Hard to tell, except these guys are his work… I’d say that most of them were just minding their own business before he sunk his hooks into them, and there might be a way for me to undo it, but I’d need for them to stay still for a few moments before I could even try.”
“I can help with that,” replied Idol, as she finished up with her latest opponent and knelt on the ground, reaching her hand down to the stone and sliding it into the solid rock, making it ripple. At that, the thugs all started to sink into the blacktop and sidewalk, which solidified around them when they were up to their knees. Impressively, no one else was affected.
“Oooh, someone’s been practicing! Very nice, ‘Nette!,” cheered Morgan over their connection.
“Very nice, indeed,” agreed Ngender, as her powers took effect and the thugs all seemed to calm down, retreating as soon as Idol released them from their stony shackles. “The good news is I was able to get a lock on our pal, here. The bad news is…”
The shapeshifter was interrupted, however, because a thundering noise began reverberating from down the street, where a massive, towering and obviously furious figure of hulk-like muscles and sinew lumbered towards the group of superheroes, leaving Ngender to finish his statement. “… he’s very, very big.”

So Todd should totally be the bad guy, and he got powers too because he's gay but he's also practically the world's biggest homophobe, so he hates himself and makes it his mission in life to eradicate everyone else like him and then when he's finally done take himself out too...

Yeah...I got a bit carried away...sorry about that. ^^;;

It's a great start, I think. The plot sets itself up nicely, and I can't wait to see how Andy and Rob interact in person. What was the point of the first bolt of lightning, though? That didn't make sense...or rather, it didn't seem necessary. He could have just been extremely agitated and experienced the whole 'MOVE' bit without getting hit by lightning the first time. Or was that to point out the fact that he had some control over lightning as well (at least it's movement -- where it struck, and so on)?

All in all -- this is gonna be a fun read. Kudos.

CHAPTER 1
-A few months ago, Santa Monica-
Ring!
Biff!
Bam!
Pow!
"Ugh," groaned Roberto "Rob" Rossi, 25, as he struggled to pick himself up off the floor and the tangle of sheets, books, and items of clothing he'd fallen into while trying to get out of bed to reach the phone. Luckily, he only ended up hurting himself since he was smart enough to keep anything fragile away from the bed and since he had been single since the last semester of college. His brown hair was tangled, his chocolate eyes were blurry, his lips and chin were darkened with stubble, and his nice, but not ripped figure was tanned from the trips to the beach he'd taken before the weather changed. His room, at 7:30 AM, was a bit too cool for his taste, and cluttered with things he'd meant to do but hadn't yet had the time... such as put away the fantasy books and comics he'd picked up from the mall the other day, a pile of papers and research books for a project due next week, and some disks he'd been meaning to install on his computer (though these he stepped carefully around with all the sleepy grace of a messy person who knows where everything is).

Ring!
"Whoever is calling is dead. As soon as my eyes open enough to see him," growled Rob as he slipped on a shoe he'd casually tossed aside before falling exhausted into bed the night before. "And it sooo better not be Andy! He knows I'm never up this early for anything short of a catastrophe. And why on earth hasn't he hung up yet?! He's been ringing for five minutes!"

Ring!
Two stuffed animals, one fallen pillow, an extra sheet he hadn't needed the night before but which would've been useful that morning, one empty box from his new printer/scanner/photocopier, three clothes hangers, and a staff of loose leaf later, Rob managed to pick up his cell phone from its charger, flipped it open, and held it to his ear. "Andy, do you have any idea how early it is for a night owl like me?"
"Yeah, yeah, cry me a river and build me a bridge to get over it, man. Now turn on the news. Don't argue," came the reply as Rob opened his mouth furiously to retort. Something in the command made Rob pause, though. Andy NEVER commanded. Ever. Without another word, Rob stumbled over to the TV, and flicked it on to the scene of two news anchors talking, each being handed a stack of papers.

"... it appears that something remarkable, unprecedented, and frankly scary is happening across the world. It seems that people are developing superpowers seemingly for no reason. We have reports of superstrength, flight, teleportation, weather control, shapeshifting, telepathy, and energy blasts from around the country, and unconfirmed sightings that far outnumber those tentative reports."
"That's right, Diane. But what is particularly noteworthy about these manifestations is that every reported case thus far deals with someone who is openly gay, bisexual, or transgendered. Experts suppose that these powers are due to some strange emotional state that is the result of some sort of alternate sexual orientation that is only enabled once they have "come out of the closet", a theory further supported by the fact that those who have undergone some sort of trauma or life-threatening situation seem to possess more and greater powers. It should be noted, though, that not all of the powers mentioned in the reports are the stuff of heroes. We've got reports of being able to transfer clothes from the person's closet to their body without having to change, and ones about drag performers who are perfect ventriloquists and voice mimics that can produce the sounds of full orchestra from a single throat, and there even seems to be a lesbian in Ohio who can make any broken or worn-out object she touches repair itself and get into perfect condition. There are also instances of super-genius, miraculous healing, and even animal traits. We have had no indication that this is a genetic condition, a mental power, a mystical occurrence, a technological side-effect, or the machinations of any GLBT group or government experiment."
"Still, Dave, I might make myself think about women the next time I'm stuck in traffic in hopes of sprouting wings!"
"Hahaha!"

-Click-
Rob turned the TV off, and a million questions resounded through his head, "is this some sort of joke" at the head of the list. However, the channel he'd turned to was a respectable station, and it was neither Gay Pride week or April Fool's day.

"So..." began Rob. "Do you...?"
"Have powers? Hell yeah! You know I've been out since high school, man, so it's not like I have to worry on that score. Anyway, my powers are really cool... I've got... what was it called? Oh, yeah, Remote Viewing, or Astral Projection, or something. I can picture any place I know and see exactly what is going on there. I was thinking about home this morning when I suddenly flashed my mom making breakfast. It was like I was there, but nobody could see me, and everything was sorta black-and-white. And you should see the scene at the Jolie-Pitt place... you won't believe what they wear to bed. Here, watch." There was a pause, and then Andy confidently said, "Man, you need to get some more sleepwear. I mean, really, panda boxers? Also, I found where you left your cell phone holster that you were complaining about... look beneath the pile of clean t-shirts that you haven't gotten around to putting in the drawers. Not sure why, but it just came to me... maybe I can get a job finding things for people for money if the architectural school doesn't work out. Hello, Rob? You there? Rob?"

The phone holster was where Andy had said it was, and Rob was wearing panda boxers. He shook himself out of the sheer impossibility of the situation... and the fact that his friend had seen him at his worst-dressed and replied,"Sorry, Andy, you just shocked me with your... demonstration."
"No problem, man. But hey, that's what I was calling about... what are your powers? You are the fantasy-lover, and you're out to most people, and you're certainly gay, so I figured you'd be one of the really, really powerful ones they mentioned."
"Well, you just woke me up, Andy, but I don't seem more muscular or more green than usual, so I guess you're safe from me 'hulking out'. Heat beams and pyrokinesis seem out of the question, since I didn't set anything on fire when I picked up the phone. I'm certainly not hearing thoughts or seeing images like you. And I don't have scales or wings or gills or transparent skin. Maybe it missed me? That would stink."
"Nah, man, from what I can see... and that's quite a lot, now... all the gay guys and gals I know have popped up with something. I bet it is everyone gay, even if they're not out... Todd, that cute T.A. I was telling you about, just broke three separate coffee mugs just by picking them up in his hands, and he's always claimed to be straight. He's looking a bit panicked now, though, so I think I'm gonna give him a call and really freak him out. Wish me luck, and let me know what your power is when it shows up."

With that, Andy hung up, and Rob was left to figure out himself all over again. Throughout the day, when he went to work at the bookstore, ate lunch, went to grad school classes, and drove back and forth, his mind was going over every possibility for what superpowers he might have. He tried to re-cook his food with a glance. He tried to move pencils and turn pages telekinetically. He tried (cautiously) to walk through walls. He tried to sprout claws, tentacles, anything. He tried to animate park states and maniquins in store windows. He tried to read minds and predict what people were going to do next. He tried to (silently) mentally command people to do things. He wasn't quite desperate enough to try to fly, and he seemed to have no greater strength than before. The weather remained overcast and stormy no matter how much he glared at it, and every trip to a mirror showed that his attempts to change any part of his appearance were fruitless.

Meanwhile, the changes were the talk of everyone he passed and interacted with that day. The bookstore customers were of (predictably) mixed opinions, the other students in his class on teaching writing were concerned with how it would affect their students, and everyone who knew about his sexuality inquired about his powers and offered suggestions when he told them that he hadn't noticed any yet. When he finally headed out to the car to head home he was glad to be away from everyone, though the sound of the door slamming behind him harder than he thought he'd pushed startled him out of his fugue.

It was then that the bolt of lightning blazed out of the heavens and surged through him. It felt like the world somehow stopped and sped up at once, and his vision turned white as he felt his limbs spasm. The white gave way to black as he passed out.

He woke up on the ground by his car when rain pattered on his face, and sat up... only to find himself completely unharmed! His clothes were unharmed, with no burns or melted pieces, and his skin didn't seem to have any marks. His hair wasn't even on end, though it was wet from the rain. Rob brushed himself off and tried to think.

"So that's it? I'm immune to electricity? No, I was out cold for a bit there, that's hardly 'immune'. Maybe I attract electricity? But I walked by any number of carpets, cats, and metal objects today, and I wasn't shocked once. So what could it be?" Shaking his head, he pushed his hands behind him and lifted himself to his feet... and immediately shot a good ten feet into the air! With a shout, he watched as the ground sped towards him... and then began to slow down, as he went from falling at a frightening speed to floating gently to the ground. Shaken, he ran to the car once his feet touched the ground... and everything around him seemed to blur as he arrived at the car door in but a moment.... when he had been only just in sight of the car when he was struck by lightning! Opening the door without incident, he got inside, didn't even bother to turn on the radio as was his usual custom, and started the ignition to drive home... or to the hospital... he wasn't sure which. He pulled out of the parking lot and headed towards the freeway, murmuring to himself, "get home, get home, get home." He didn't even notice the car moving faster than the gas usage would account for, but when he got stuck behind a much slower car driven by an old lady, his frazzled nerves and temper were overwhelmed. He snapped.

"MOVE!" At his shout, the universe seemed to hold still for a second... and then the other car rocketed forward so fast that it seemed to hover off the ground! "STOP," he cried desperately, and watched in shock as the car... well, didn't stop, but resumed its normal speed... until the terrified old lady pulled over and stumbled out of the car to vomit.

After getting out and making sure that the old lady was ok, if bewildered, Rob got back inside and started heading back home, trying not to think about anything but getting safely home. When he arrived at his apartment, he immediately took out another pencil, stared at it, and shouted "MOVE," at it.

Nothing happened.

"Ugh! What is this? I almost killed that old lady and now I can't move a pencil?!" He kicked the table in frustration and then glared at the pencil as it rattled across the tabletop in response. The pencil froze in place. Rob frowned as something clicked in his mind.

"When I hurtled into the air, I had pushed myself up there from the ground... and I slowed my fall as I was moving back down... and I think my car was speeding up as I was driving home... and the old lady's car was already moving, if slowly, when I sped it up, and then it didn't stop moving like I commanded it... it only slowed down. I can control speed and kinetic energy, but not potential energy! So I can't make the pencil move about in the air from a standstill, but if I toss it in the air..."

He took the pencil in hand and threw it underhand up towards the ceiling and watched as it began dancing in mid-air, obeying his every whim by spinning and zooming around, then hovering in place, seeming to be vibrating slightly. Excited, he let it fall, threw on his raincoat and ran outside, waving behind him to telekinetically shut the door, using the rocking motion caused by his sudden exit in reverse. Once outside, he knelt down, tensed his legs, focused all of the energy about him and then jumped into the air, extending the speed and distance of his jump and soaring into the sky! He was flying high above his apartment building, and the storm raged around him... until he thought about it and mentally bent the winds around his body, controlling their motion as well, and making a bubble of calm air around him. He cried out in joy at the sheer incredible feeling of power.... and lightning struck a second time.

This time, however, the world seemed to be actually slowing down as he personally increased his speed, and he watched as the lightning seeped through the air towards him. He extended his hands and mentally tried to control the lightning... only to see it fork into two bolts and coalesce into burning spheres in each of his hands... before rushing through him again. Rob's vision filled with blue, and he descended to earth gently... only to realize that everything was staying blue and slowed down... they looked almost still, and he realized that he was moving fast enough to do major damage to everything around him, into the blueshift, and with that he took off again, soaring just above the trees, before mentally reaching inside himself and drawing all of that energy out, releasing it back into the sky.

Scientists would mark it as the first time their sensors had ever picked up lightning issuing from the Earth into the atmosphere. Rob Rossi, or Skyrocket, as he would be known, marked it as the end of his first day with superpowers. There would be more time to experiment and get a hang of things tomorrow. Now, he needed not to slow down, but to time out and get some rest. Little did he know what big things tomorrow had in store...