Fandom High School

"I had a review planned for today, but I think we've actually got a better topic for discussion: this weekend."

Max slipped his sunglasses off and dropped them on his desk. "Did anything you learned in this class come into play? And if so, elaborate. Was it something you hadn't expected to be useful? You're smart. You know the kind of stuff I'm looking for."

"You're also free to ask questions since next week you're having your exam."

“Glad you could all make it for yet another day in my continual quest to make you all better people, or at least better at handling yourselves well in a fight that involves people using powers.” Apparently Max was feeling amusing today.

“When we discussed high-speed movement, you’ll remember that I suggested working in tight, constrained spaces where there’s less room to maneuver. That works because while it restricts your movement just as much as theirs, they rely on it more than you do. Today we’re going to talk about a situation where you want to do the opposite.”

“The thing about most powers is that they provide advantages by changing the degree to which certain things hinder or help you. If you’re. say, magically resistant to fire, then fighting in a burning building isn’t a problem for you. Well, beyond the way it’s liable to collapse while you’re in it, at least. So the trick to fighting with powers is to get yourself into situations where your special advantages are maximized, and whoever your fighting has theirs minimized. It’s pretty much like a regular fight that way, but with a lot more advantages and disadvantages to think about.”

“Anyway, when we talked about speed we were dealing with people with a movement advantage, so it made sense to try to reduce that advantage by offering fewer places to move. This week we’re going to talk about something that’s sometimes called ‘phasing’. The ability to move through solid objects. It’s also a power that provides a movement advantage, but the way to counter it is the opposite of how you counter speed.”

Max grinned, eyes sweeping across his students thoughtfully as he looked for signs that any of them might jump ahead to why that might be.

“Because phasing means you can move through objects, it basically means that obstacles like walls, or doors, or whatever aren’t actually obstacles for everyone involved in the fight. Only for people who don’t have phasing abilities. So while fighting someone with super-speed usually means that every obstacle effects them more than it does you, when you’re fighting someone with phasing the opposite is true. This means that the best way to fight a phaser,” which was totally a word and Max hadn’t just made it up on the spot, “is to be in the middle of a wide open space where they can’t really use their abilities to their advantage.”

He paused thoughtfully. “Actually, there’s another reason to fight out in the open: your instincts. For most people you’ve spent much of your life with the knowledge that if there’s a wall to your back, no one is going to come up behind you without knocking down that wall. You feel safe, and you don’t check behind you. That means that someone who can phase right through that wall has your instincts working for them rather than for you. If you stand out in the open, though, you automatically know that someone could come from any direction.”

A slow grin spread back across Max’s face as he rolled his shoulders back in a slight stretch. “Now that I’ve said all that, prepare yourselves for todays activity, which is designed to drive home how important it is to fight phasers in the open. By making you fight them in enclosed spaces.” The Danger Shop shifted, and suddenly they were all standing on the roof of the dorms. “Everyone has five minutes to get to their rooms. Wait there until the exercise begins,” don’t worry, they’d know when that was. “And then your goal is to get out of the building. Class is over as soon as you manage it, so if you’re fast enough you can take some time for coffee or something.”

"I hope you all enjoyed your Spring Break. Relaxed, recharged, and ready for class again." Max grinned. Everyone was probably reassured!

"Today we're going to try something different. And that difference is: no powers." He held up a hand. "Now, I know this class is specifically about fighting with powers, and that hasn't changed. But one of the quickest ways to become aware of the advantages that powers offer you is to do without them."

"Once you've spend this period sparring with each other using just your muscles and wits, you'll all come to appreciate what you can do a little more, I think." Then he smirked. "Some of you, of course, always fight without powers. So consider this a day for you to take it easy."

Or something.

Today the Danger Shop was a giant square room. It was a very boring room. The only thing worth noting about it was that one wall had a single door in it, while the wall across from that door had a dozen doors of its own. As to what the doors were for, well... Max wasn't telling at the moment.

"Sometimes powers help you in a fight directly. That's the case with projectiles, and often true for flight. But there are a number of powers that help you in more subtle or complex ways. Today we'll be discussing some of those powers."

"The ability to manipulate what other people see is quite broad, and equally useful. There are all sorts of powers that fall into this category: everything from invisibility to certain types of shape-shifting. While the details of each ability differ, for the purposes of this class we'll be looking at ways to consider them as similar. Ultimately, in a fight, these abilities are about misleading your opponent with the ultimate goal of surprising them. One of the most obvious ways to do that is to maintain full invisibility and hit them before they even know you're there."

( But it's rarely that easy... )

"So, divide yourselves up and get to work. I'll let you know when five minutes are up and then you can get started."

The Danger Shop was set up like a dojo today. Big, open, with mats down on the floor. Max's usual smirk was absent as he looked over his students. The weekend had convinced him more than ever that they needed more training. So they'd be ready. "Now that you have all had a couple of weeks to get used to the idea behind this class, we're going to really get down to business. Beginning today, we're going to begin taking each week to focus on a specific power, or class of powers."

Max smiled easily. "It's highly unlikely that any single one of you will have every power that we'll cover, but that's fine. You'll manage to learn something anyway." And some people would have no powers, which was still fine.

( There were a few seconds of silence as Max surveyed his students )

"I'll be watching, so don't be surprised if I stop by go offer a few tips." Or if he yells at you for taking this too lightly. Or if he yells at you just to make sure you're paying attention. Or if he just yells at you.

"Now pair off and get to it."

Max intended for today to be the only day they met in an actual classroom rather than the Danger Shop, so he figured he'd make the most of it. He showed up to class early and pushed all the desks and chairs up against one wall. Now everyone could stand for the duration of the class. Wasn't that great?

Then he went to go sit at his own desk, which he'd left untouched, to wait for the students to arrive. This class promised to be interesting, after all.

( Once his students arrived... )

Just before class ended, Max spoke up again. "Oh, and if any of you are interested in a position as a TA, come see me after class and we'll discuss your qualifications."