Word Play Manipulation

Supernova:

1. The explosion of a star in which the star may reach a maximum intrinsic luminosity one billion times that of the sun

2. One that explodes into prominence or popularity

Ever since 2006, when the Sentry Protocol was initiated, the Linguistic Ability Research and Control Society (L.A.R.C.S) has been consistently filled with new agents, many of them aiming to climb the ranks and stand out as heroes.

Over the years, this desire among agents has only grown, with the addition of popularity rankings and the possibility of merchandise fueling their ambitions further. Because of this, many believe that the Bi-Monthly Annual Ranking (B.M.A.R) isn't enough; its relative safety and ease compared to riskier methods of promotion comes at the cost of fame and fortune.

Thanks to this, a new event was devised through worldwide consensus: the Hero Trials. Lasting from June 2nd to June 30th, it'll function as an international competition designed to test and rank the skills and abilities of agents from around the world. Each week, new groups of agents will arrive in Tokyo, Japan to compete in three events.

The first event, occurring each Monday, is the Speed Trial. It'll test the movement speed, reaction speed, stamina, and endurance of agents through the use of a long-distance obstacle course. While this is meant to test how quickly they can travel from one location to another, it will also display how well they can improvise in high speed situations.

The second event, scheduled for each Wednesday, is the Rescue Trial. This will test the coordination and decision making skills of agents. In the B.M.A.R, this is usually done via simulations, but due to the larger group of contestants, it'll take place in a larger area. Many actors and paid volunteers will play the role of victims and give testimonies of their rescuers after the event, contributing to the scores of each agent.

The third event, taking place each Friday, is the Combat Trial. This will test the combat capabilities, strategic skills, and endurance of agents against a group playing the role of criminals. Near the end of the trial, an S Rank Agent hailing from Japan will appear as a final test, with those who perform well against them gaining a bonus.

While the Hero Trials are a first for the L.A.R.C.S, it's planned that 2024 won't be the last year for them, though how often they'll occur hasn't been decided yet, though an annual or biannual schedule is in consideration.

With all these details being published as of May, one of many questions is now being asked in some form around the world.

Who will rise to the top?

The Plan

2:00PM, September 23rd, 2022 in Washington, D.C.

A woman with several equine traits walks down a hallway after putting her phone away, occasionally waving to people in their offices nearby.

She reaches the end of the hall, walking up to a door with the name Noel Gallagher on it. After knocking three times, she opens the door and walks in to see her best friend and boss sitting across the room with his eyes closed.

The woman sighs before snapping her fingers, causing him to wake up immediately.

Noel speaks in a tone that sounds joking yet slightly annoyed.

"I wasn't asleep, Erin."

Erin smiles and responds.

"Sure you weren't. You were 'resting your eyes', weren't you?"

While stretching, Noel responds.

"Yep. This office is nice, but there was nothing in here worth looking at 'til you walked in. Pretty sure you're here to do more than judge my habits, aren't you?"

Erin nods and sits across from Noel.

"Yeah. Came here to tell you about the plan, since I figured you wouldn't answer your phone."

"Alright. Go ahead and explain the situation then."

After nodding in response, Erin grabs a nearby projector off of Noel's desk and sets it on the floor. She then takes out her phone and connects it to the projector.

"I got in touch with each S Rank over the last few days, and each of them agreed to this."

"The first one to respond was Lexis Bishop, AKA Redline."

The projector shows an image of the woman in question.

"I got a response from her within 5 minutes."

With a surprised and slightly concerned expression, Noel responds.

"That quickly...was it one of her interns or a relative of hers?"

Erin shakes her head and explains.

"Nope. Asked for clarification and got a picture of her giving a thumbs up as proof."

"Weird, but...that sounds exactly like something she'd do."

Noel responds, starting to think out loud.

"Guess it doesn't matter what the situation is. Whether it's a wildfire, high level threats, or signing autographs at the B.M.A.R, she always shows up fast."

"Yeah. Knowing her, that kind of commitment goes beyond the job."

Erin replies before continuing.

"A day later, I got a reply from Alicia Montgomery, AKA Fiend."

The projector switches to showing a different image.

"She agreed to the plan too, on two conditions. The first is that nobody gets partnered with her for an investigation, since she doesn't want anyone getting in the way. The second is that the group we're taking spends less time with her than the other two S Ranks."

"Sounds manageable."

Noel responds.

"Definitely. Search and rescue, investigations, both things we wouldn't want rookies interrupting. Last but not least, I got a response from Atlas a few hours ago."

The projector changes again.

"A few hours ago? Didn't you send the email an hour after that meeting ended?"

Erin nods and explains.

"When he responded, I got a decent explanation. He agreed, apologized, and told me that the reason it took so long to reply is that he was busy."

Noel sighs, feeling sympathy and pity for Atlas.

"Probably patrolling the entire East Coast or keeping an eye on NYC. You'd think that someone that fast would have a better work-life balance."

"Guess he's just a workaholic. Probably got more personal reasons too, but who knows. The only personal info we've got on him is his age. Name, birthplace, family, background...all of it's practically non-existent."

After using her phone to turn off the projector, Erin leans back.

"Even his ability's got some details we don't fully know of. Far as I can tell, he's just that dedicated to the job. Kinda concerning honestly."

"True, but how he lives is pretty much up to him. Besides, we've got other things to worry about. Like scheduling for example."

A paper calendar flies from Noel's desk to his right hand.

"So far, I've only got one idea for how to plan all this stuff out."

"Knowing you, it's probably the only one we'll need."

With a smirk, Noel responds.

"It helps to think ahead. Besides, it's a relatively simple schedule. We'll aim for one week, give or take a few days to compensate for jet lag or sightseeing. Sound good?"

Erin nods in response.

"Great. Email the other executives for me. Now then..."

Noel stands up and begins to walk out.

"I'm gonna go buy some lunch for both of us."

Erin's ears lean forward a bit and she raises one hand seemingly to ask a question, which Noel responds to without needing to hear it.

"Don't worry, I'll be going to that deli you recommended."

She smiles a bit and lowers her hand before starting to raise it again. Noel then cuts her off.

"No, I'm not gonna bring back some grass. Go outside and eat some, weirdo."

He walks out with a smile as Erin begins drafting an email on her phone.

Succession

12:00PM, September 20th, 2022 in Washington, D.C.

A large boardroom with the acronym L.A.R.C.S engraved on the wall near the door, with a holographic projector in the middle of the table. Over the course of a few minutes, several people walk into the room in similar formal clothes. After their initial greetings, the meeting begins.

"As you all know, this meeting is due to the current situation in regards to the S Ranks of this organization."

The man at the end of the table speaks, with his voice and body language being the only expressions he can make due to his ability.

"The people in that rank are some of the most powerful and well known Agents within the L.A.R.C.S of America. Just the possibility that one of them could arrive is enough to prevent all kinds of crimes and other threats."

The invisible man explains.

"Unfortunately however, three years ago one of them disappeared after facing a Level 1 Threat near Lake Michigan."

The projector in the table's center activates, showing an image of the S Rank Agent being referred to.

"Oman Jones, aka Attrition, was the youngest S Rank before his disappearance, and was the only Agent within that rank to focus on the Midwest. With him gone, people in that region have less reassurance when large scale threats occur, especially given how popular Oman was."

The invisible man sighs out of exhaustion and nostalgia before the image disappears.

"The purpose of this meeting is to find a method of assigning a successor to his position. Of course, doing that will be easier said than done given the standards that come with that rank, but it's not impossible."

A debate sparks among the executives, as the question of whether or not Oman could or should be replaced is brought up. Various ideas are also mentioned, such as simply promoting the best A Rank in the Midwest or calling for an S Rank in Canada to help fill in the gap. Roughly fifteen minutes pass before a conclusion is reached.

"The idea of promoting the next best agents in the Midwest is good, but not quite enough."

The invisible man speaks again, preparing to state his idea.

"I propose an apprenticeship of sorts. We could gather various agents in the region, send them to learn from and train with the other S Ranks, and then see how the experience has helped them improve."

While everyone listens, several executives seem ready to object to the idea. The invisible man picks up on this and elaborates.

"Even if the Midwest doesn't get another S Rank Agent for several more years, it'd at least give the general populace an idea as to what it takes to make it that far, as well as giving people the chance to meet some of the most influential people in America."

Another debate starts, though this one ends much sooner. One of the executives then asks an extremely important question.

"While this idea could work, I have one question. This group of agents would need someone to help guide them. Sure they'd be getting training and information from the best agents in America, but they'd need someone to point them in the right direction in between...a tour guide of sorts. It'd need to be someone with experience in the field."

The invisible man smiles in response, though nobody but him is aware of his facial expression. Instead, the pleasure in his tone expresses his feelings.

"I already have someone in mind to help with that. You're all familiar with Mr. Gallagher, correct?"

The projector activates, seemingly calling the person in question rather than displaying an image of him. Some executives look concerned and surprised, while others seem annoyed or tired.

A moment later, a voice comes from the projector.

"Whoever's calling, get to the point and tell me what you want."

The invisible man speaks, explaining the situation and his proposal to the person on the other end of the call. Afterwards, the invisible man asks a question.

"So, would you be willing to do I and everyone else in this country a favor?"

The person on the other end takes a deep breath before responding in a slightly annoyed yet determined tone.

"Fine. I'll make it happen."

The document below is one of the first to be released by the L.A.R.C.S, and explains an important effect relating to Endogenic Abilities and the human body. The information has been consistently updated and remains in use since its creation in the early 1930s.

L.A.R.C.S Document Number 5: The Charles Atlas Effect

The Charles Atlas Effect is a unique and noteworthy effect of the human body, both in those with Endogenic Abilities and those with average physical traits. To properly explain this effect, it will be split into two categories.

In those with Endogenic Abilities, the Charles Atlas Effect refers to the tendency for their body to have traits that allow them to use their ability more easily. It was first documented in Charles Atlas, a man known widely as "The First Superhuman" who would become one of the L.A.R.C.S of America's first S Rank Members. Charles Atlas himself had a simple Ability known as Power, which granted him a passive increase in physical strength. As he trained himself to increase this naturally high strength, it was noted that this wasn't all that increased. Back then, Abilities were thought to be much simpler, and it was thought that even a basic strength enhancer could do only what the name and description implied. However, Charles Atlas was noted to become more durable and faster through his training, and it was documented that his Ability had secondary effects on his body. Its details were researched until a conclusion was reached; In order to so much as even survive using that much strength without crippling injury, his Ability also granted a passive increase in durability through muscular density, as well as increasing his speed through leg strength. Through fine tuning of his body and understanding of it, Charles Atlas exploited this effect to rise through the ranks and gladly shared the details on it. As a result, everyone with an Endogenic Ability learned that their bodies could do more than just one thing. Someone with a speed enhancement would have naturally greater stamina, endurance, and possibly durability. A person with a size enhancing Ability would gain the strength, durability, and endurance needed to avoid collapsing under their own increased mass. These are just two examples of the effect in Endogenic Abilities, and more continue to be documented to this day.

Without an Endogenic Ability, the Charles Atlas Effect is a special trait that humans developed alongside Abilities thanks to the Tunguska Event. This trait is the body's ability to adapt and grow even further than previously thought. With enough training, a person can be capable of what are often considered "Borderline-Superhuman Feats." These include striking hard enough to damage durable materials, moving fast enough to temporarily disappear from sight, and gaining the durability and endurance needed to survive things that would injure or kill an untrained, unenhanced person. L.A.R.C.S Members who lack an Endogenic Ability are recommended to train until they've reached the Borderline-Superhuman level, both for the sake of survivability and to increase their effectiveness. In order to provide the resources necessary for this training, equipment and instructors are available at L.A.R.C.S Training Sites, as well as each Regional HQ possessing a room for sparring and training sessions.

Countermeasures for the Charles Atlas Effect

It should be noted that the Charles Atlas Effect can be both a blessing and a curse. Those with Endogenic Abilities who become threats can exploit this effect for dangerous results. To deal with such situations, several common countermeasures have been recorded below.

• Suffocation - A person with an increase in durability isn't likely to have an increase in breath capacity, or lack the need to breathe. Unless a person's Ability specifically alters their breathing in some way, suffocating them is a good way to incapacitate and defeat them, both lethally and nonlethally.

• Overwhelming - Regardless of a person's specific Ability and the effects of it, the human body still has limits. If pushed to and beyond them, a person can be defeated regardless of their capabilities.

• Weakness Exploitation - There are various weaknesses most people share throughout the body that could be exploited. These (usually) include the eyes, groin, pressure points, joints, the liver, the back of the head, and various other areas. Not every person is guaranteed to share these weak points, but making use of them can still prove beneficial. In addition, every Ability has weaknesses, limitations, drawbacks, and conditions. Learning these details in combat and exploiting them could be the difference between life and death.

Date: July 18th, 2021

Location: L.A.R.C.S of America, Los Angeles Base

Time: 2:30 PM

Inside the L.A.R.C.S Base, a discussion is going on between several administrators in regards to the upcoming B.M.A.R Test.

"Are you sure another one's necessary this soon? We already had one earlier this month."

"Why not? Plenty of people are always looking to join or get a promotion."

"Those people can just earn their recommendations, can't they?"

"Are you really willing to make them put their lives at an unnecessary risk?"

"No, but given the processes needed to even set up for another B.M.A.R...and considering the situation that occurred last week..."

The shortest administrator in the room speaks up, after raising his hand to get the attention of the others.

"So you're saying you're just lazy, is that it? You wanna make people fight and die for recommendations, all because you're too lazy to set up another test?"

"You're misunderstanding my sentiment, I-"

"I'm not misunderstanding anything. I know damn well what it takes to make it up the ranks. All the blood, sweat, and tears in the world won't mean anything if you die for the sake of validation. At least the B.M.A.R would guarantee a safe way to see what people can do. Besides, I can fund the test myself."

One of the administrators sighs out of exasperation while staring at the man.

"You just want to see if you can find another protégé to train, don't you..."

The man shrugs and responds.

"Maybe I do. Always nice to train a promising rookie. Even then, my point still stands. This test is happening again, like it or not. Besides, I'm not the only one interested in seeing some new faces."

He stands up and starts walking out of the room while speaking again.

"I'll have the test ready by the 22nd, and I'll keep it going til the 25th. If any of you lazy idiots have a problem with that, feel free to keep it to yourselves."

This post might be the last before I make any teasers or a sign-up, since I don't have much more information to make posts for. Anyways, this one's on the ranking system within L.A.R.C.S and its details. Since there's a lot of information here and more than one ranking system, I'll put it all into one post.

• There are two ranking systems within the L.A.R.C.S. The first is for ranking the power and skill of its members, while the second is for ranking the level of danger a threat poses.

• Out of the L.A.R.C.S members, there are five ranks: D,C,B,A, and S.

• D Rank is the most populated one, as it allows the average person to contribute to L.A.R.C.S activities while getting a decent paycheck. The only thing D Rank Members are responsible for is reporting a situation to the authorities, which will quickly get in contact with the organization to mobilize higher ranking agents. This simply allows the group to become aware of threats faster. Most people get into this rank for the sake of the money, as being a D Rank offers a weekly paycheck without the need to actually do anything in an emergency.

• C Rank is the second most populated, and is mainly full of part-time vigilantes. While this rank used to be ridiculed for being “wannabe heroes in homemade costumes”, they’ve gained slightly more respect over the years. The only part of their reputation that’s changed though is the costumes, as most members can buy custom made outfits if they save up enough to commission one or get a recommendation from a higher ranking member. This rank is where most rookies end up, as the average person isn’t likely to jump high up the ranks from D Rank, and are usually recommended to start small in this rank anyways. As a result, most people here are ambitious rookies hoping to do more.

• B Rank is mainly full of people that can be thought of as street level heroes. They’re more powerful and skilled than C Rank members, but aren’t capable of protecting people on a scale larger than the town or city they live in. B Rank and C Rank Members are most likely to show up first when something happens, regardless of the level of power and skill they possess. Because of this, B Rank can be considered the perfect middle ground in terms of rank, which works greatly for less ambitious people.

• A Rank is where the more powerful and skilled people tend to be. Because of the level of power and skill they have, they’re usually recommended to travel around a specific region and consider that their area, as just staying in one city would likely deprive anyone in lower ranks of having something to do. This rank is the highest most people can go without having some special factor that lets them get into S Rank, such as exceptional performance during an emergency or an Ability that's powerful enough to let them rise in the ranks one more time.

• S Rank is the highest and most exceptional rank. People in this rank are powerful enough to handle things on a national level, and may be called in for assistance outside the country if a situation is dire enough to require it. Because of their level of power and skill, members in this rank are often perceived in a similar vein as Celebrities and Super Heroes, and many of those within S Rank tend to base their thoughts, actions, and other aspects of themselves on one or both of these.

• There are also various Non-Ranked Positions within L.A.R.C.S, such as engineers, managers, pilots, dispatchers, and administrators. This last position is the one that organizes various things, from assembling emergency teams to collaborating with members of other countries.

• In order to go up a rank, members must prove themselves in power and skill. There are three ways to do this: the Achievement Method, Recommendation, and success in the Bi-Monthly Active Ranking, or B.M.A.R.

• The Achievement Method relies on successfully handling a situation, and is the first method that was ever used within L.A.R.C.S, as well as the most dangerous. Members can be promoted if they prove themselves to be more powerful and skilled than their ranking implies, leading them to throw themselves into dangerous and potentially life threatening situations for the sake of promotion.

• Recommendation is generally safer than The Achievement Method, though it can be equally risky. This works exactly as the name implies, as members can send in a recommendation for someone else to be promoted. If enough people recommend this person, or if someone of a sufficiently high rank recommends them, then they may be promoted depending on what rank the largest number of people believe they should be in.

• The B.M.A.R is the safest way to get promoted, and is generally recommended to anyone of any rank. The L.A.R.C.S has various bases throughout each region of each country, and this event is hosted twice a month throughout the regions, though some can choose to do it once every two months if they’re large enough. This event consists of various physical and psychological tests to evaluate the level of power and skill a person has. Depending on the results a person gets, they may be promoted, sometimes even higher than just one rank. This is also where most new members join the L.A.R.C.S, as this allows them to start in a rank higher than D and potentially higher than C, as there has been the occasional new member who starts in B, A, and on rare occasions even S.

• The L.A.R.C.S' second ranking system is the Threat Level System, and goes in order of danger and magnitude from 3 to 0.

• Level 3 situations are minor crimes, usually things that most D Rank and any C Rank member can handle.

• Level 2 is for C and B Rank members. This is for situations such as Ability powered robberies and other larger crimes.

• Level 1 is for B and A Rank members. Within this level, larger occurrences happen, such as natural disasters and other major events.

• Level 0 is the most dangerous type of situation, generally recommended for A and S Rank members, with the latter being most often called for these with the assistance of A Rank. Level 0 is rarely used, and is mainly for various incredibly powerful threats and especially cataclysmic events.

For this post, I'll go into the most interesting part of this: The Power System.

• Abilities have two categories. One determines the general conditions and limitations, while the other determines some of the functions.

• First, there are Generations. This doesn't refer to how many people in a person's family have had an Ability, but rather the conditions and limitations their ability has.

• There's 1st Generation, 2nd Gen, and 3rd Gen. 1st Gen abilities tend to be the most general, and have the least conditions. They tend to be more broad, from simple physical enhancements to generation and manipulation. 2nd Gen abilities are more limited but powerful. They tend to have specific limitations and certain conditions, such as only working from a specific body part or requiring physical contact. 3rd Gen abilities are the rarest, and have the most conditions as well as some notable limitations. These types tend to be even more powerful, but are so conditional that using that power isn't very easy.

• Second is the types of Abilities. There are Exogenic types, Endogenic types, and Esoteric types.

• Exogenic abilities revolve around generating, manipulating, or otherwise altering something in or about the environment. No matter what the specific ability does, if it can't be used through its user's body, then it's probably Exogenic.

• Endogenic abilities revolve around the user's body in some way. These can be surprisingly broad, from absorption of something to transformations. Generally, if the Ability's main function revolves around the user's body, it's almost guaranteed to be Endogenic.

• Esoteric abilities are rare and somewhat odd. Rather than the user's body or environment, these tend to involve affecting other abilities, though that's not always the case. If an Ability doesn't directly do something with the user's environment and doesn't directly affect them, it's probably Esoteric. This type is most commonly seen in 3rd Gens, though occasionally 2nd Gens can have an Ability of this type as well.

• Due to the various ways different abilities can work, some would be highly unlikely to belong in specific Generations.

• While people can have an Ability with the same name, the specific function may vary depending on wordplay, Ability Type, and Generation.

Here are a few examples:

Ability: Power

Classification: 1st Gen, Endogenic

Description: Gives the user a passively higher level of strength and durability. The user can train to enhance themselves even further.

Ability: Rain

Classification: 2nd Gen, Exogenic

Description: Allows the user to create and control rain in a specific area. This rain doesn't have to be in the form of actual precipitation, as a sufficiently large number of falling objects can be thought of as rain too.

Ability: Copy

Classification: 3rd Gen, Esoteric

Description: This ability allows the user to copy any aspect of a specific target. Mass, appearance, and other Abilities are just a few of the things the user can copy. To do this, they must know who and what their target is, make contact with them, and focus on what they want to copy. Copied aspects and Abilities can be saved away for later use, though they can’t use multiple at once and must switch between them. They also must know and remember what they copied and the source of the copied aspect.