During the first decades that abilities came into existence, there was little formal research regarding how they worked and what they could do. Law enforcement for ability-related crimes was also lacking, leading to many preventable issues.
This problem reached its peak during and between the two World Wars, which saw abilities being used in increasingly destructive ways. In the early 1950s, a solution to both problems was created: the Linguistic Ability Research and Control Society, or L.A.R.C.S for short.
Formed with help from the UN and various countries around the world, this international group is dedicated to furthering the understanding of abilities and their potential, as well as training people to handle exceptionally dangerous threats.
Known as L.A.R.C.S Agents, these individuals are given training and equipment to make the most of their abilities, as well as ranks that summarize their overall power and skill. The higher the rank, the more dangerous the threats they'll be called to handle, and the more they're rewarded for it.
The Ranks
C Rank: The lowest rank, common for rookies and street level agents. While agents of this rank aren't usually called for threats individually, they often assist those in higher ranks. People in this rank can also focus more on utility rather than combat, such as information gathering or search and rescue.
B Rank: The second lowest rank, considered to be the peak for street level agents. At this point, agents may be called for more dangerous threats, or to assist those in higher ranks. Utility focused agents are also common here, but few of them lack any combat experience.
A Rank: The second highest rank, often relied on for high level threats and disasters. At this point, agents are capable of defending entire cities on their own. How much they travel around the areas they focus on can vary, as those in metropolitan areas often stay in or near the city of their choice.
S Rank: The highest rank, reserved for the most powerful and skilled agents. At this rank, agents are expected to be capable of crossing entire states to handle extreme threats, and need to have the power and skill to handle everything short of an international crisis. Because of this, S Ranks are often the most famous agents, and are often viewed as celebrities or superheroes.
Promotions
Due to the benefits that come with reaching higher ranks, it's common for agents to seek promotions. To achieve this, there are two main methods.
Achievement: The simplest method of promotion and the oldest one to be used. If an agent consistently proves themself capable of going beyond the standards of their rank, or can handle an exceptional threat, it's possible for them to earn a promotion. While it's incredibly dangerous to try and earn a one this way, it's known that recommendations from higher ranking agents can make the process easier.
B.M.A.R: Standing for Bi-Monthly Annual Ranking, this is considered to be the safest and most popular method of promotion. Consisting of various physical and psychological tests, this event was created in the mid 1960s to prevent the deaths of agents seeking a promotion, as well as providing a safe means for people to both join the L.A.R.C.S and test their skills. Depending on their performance, new agents can even be ranked above C, though few ever start at anything higher than B Rank. Over the years, various innovations and laws came into existence to make the event safer and more accessible, with the Sentry Protocol being the most well known change in most of the world.
Threat Levels
To determine the overall danger of a criminal or disaster, Threat Levels were created. These allow agents and governments to assess a situation and decide who's assigned to it; the worse the threat, the higher the ranks chosen and the more agents necessary.
Level 3: The lowest threat level, mainly occupied by average criminals. C and B Rank agents are the ones that handle these, alongside any law enforcement already tracking the individual.
Level 2: The second lowest threat level, typically reserved for more dangerous criminals and for various accidents. B Rank agents are the ones sent for these, but those in lower or higher ranks can join in depending on the circumstances.
Level 1: The second highest threat level, mainly used for disasters. Few criminals are dangerous enough to warrant this rank, and the ones that do become the targets of A and S Rank agents.
Level 0: The highest and most rare threat level, only ever used for international threats. Even disasters and industrial accidents rarely become this dangerous, let alone any individuals. At this point, multiple S Ranks are sent to handle the situation, including assistance from other countries.
