Cute idea: Phenomaman taking Vhri to his former team and all of them loving the baby. At first, Sweetalker insists to not hold the baby, saying that he might scare Vhri but then Vhri makes grabby hands towards him. Pom Pom still has the video of him trying not to cry with Phenomaman. (I think Phenomaman and Sweetalker would bond over not fitting in due to their appearances)
Oh trust his old team adores Vhri! Sweetalker is so very gentle with her, careful of his sharp claws and rough scales. Pom Pom is so excited, she loves babies and can’t wait to be best friends with the new little girl! Brickhouse is obsessed with the little one and insists they’ll keep her safe and happy no matter what.
Translating the names of Dispatch characters into Tagalog except I was sleep deprived with a bottle of juice and a dream
⏔⏔⏔⏔⏔⏔ ꒰ 𝄞 ꒱ ⏔⏔⏔⏔⏔⏔
Waterboy: tubig na lalake pero pwede din ang tubig ng lalake pero kasi freaky yun kanyang mga fans tapos double meaning pa yun tubig ng lalake, yun isa gatas tas yun isa ihi, Isa mas normal yun isa pang watersports
Herman: kanyang lalaki (eh siyempre sakin nalang po pls 🤤)
Beef: karne ng baka
Chase: habulin
Trackstar: subaybayan ang mga bituin (forgot what I originally said for him last night)
Blonde Blazer: dilaw na blazer
Invisigal: Hindi nakikita na babae
Prism: maliwanag pero kapag pumunta tayo sa episode 5, nakakabulag.
Flambae: umaapoy na gwapo (I really don't know what bae translates into.. 💔)
Shroud: pagtago
Toxic: lason
Armstrong: malakas na braso
Coupé: paghiwa
Punch-up: pataas na suntok
Golem: nilalang
Sonar: tunog
Pompom: yun props sa cheerdance
Brickhouse: bahay na ladrilyo
Brainbook: aklat ng utak
Equilibrium: ekwilibriyo pero pwede din ang isang estado ng pagkakapantay ang supply at demand
Sweettalker: matamis na nagsasalita
Phenomaman: kahanga-hanga na lalake
Mecha man prime: transformer na prime
Mecha man astral: transformer na nasa loob ng katawan ng astral pulse
if there are different clans who use different methods to kill monsters and evil spirits. some of them overlap a bit, such as light and fire, but each one kind of has their own central gimmick for entity and monster-hunting.
some hunters are trained within a clan their whole lives, such as with robert and his family. but some have no prior familial connection or direct association with any clan prior to joining.
IRON: based on the common folkloric belief that iron burns and repels otherworldly creatures. utilization of iron weapons and items to cut them down or leave them incapacitated. one of the most broad clans in terms of what their members specialize in, but it commonly ranges from melee fighters (hand-to-hand combat and melee weaponry like swords) to ranged combat (throwing knives and guns). despite the title, other metals such as silver are utilized as well.
member(s): robert robertson iii, robert “robbie” robertson ii, robert “bobby” robertson, coupé, punch up, royd (non-combatant; specialist), brickhouse
LIGHT: a protective and actively repulsive barrier that keeps the darkness at bay and reveals what hides within it. can also be used to weaken and disrupt negative entities who are strongest in the darkness. can be used to remove and force entities to leave people's bodies or objects that they've possessed. founded from the fire clan before becoming its own official one due to overlapping methods.
member(s): blonde blazer, prism (primary)
FIRE: a purifying and consuming force that cleanses and eradicates entities and their influence and leaves nothing behind that could regenerate (a very reliable way to make sure something stays dead). burning things such as paper and incense can remove lingering energies after exorcisms or other rituals. historically, one of the oldest known clans.
member(s): flambae
SOUND: a spiritual tool used to disorient and weaken evil spirits, create shields and barriers, or empower during rituals and exorcisms. can drive away negative energies and tormenting spirits, or can be utilized with specific items such as bells. this one relies a lot on amount of passion and intention put into it, especially when it comes to singing and usage of music.
member(s): prism (secondary)
POISON: usage of certain toxic plants (such as belladonna) and minerals (such as salt) that are poisonous and lethal to certain monsters. members of this clan tend to have varying methods they use to distribute and utilize the poisons they prepare, with some relying on speed and precision or stealth and surprise attacks to more direct methods such as poison-tipped weapons, or poison vials and throwing potions. or being made entirely of said lethal materials.
BEAST: members who use animals and transformations for combating monsters and tracking both physical and non-physical entities. within this clan, one can expect to see varying types of trained animals that are used as the eyes and hunting companions of the clan members. members who don't utilize animals often have a form of shapeshifting or other form of animal-based power that they use instead. if you want stationed spies, or need some extra eyes or helpers, this is the clan to go to.
member(s): sonar, mr. whiskey
MAGIC: members who use magical abilities to incapacitate, harm, and repel evil entities. some also use their abilities to aid people afflicted by possession or body-snatching (if they are able to get to them in time). magical talismans from this clan are regularly commissioned and used by hunters from other clans to create repelling barriers around places such as their homes or bases of operation.
member(s): malevola (portals and energy transferal; uses an imbued sword), lightningstruck (electricity-based)
MISCELLANEOUS: ones that aren't an official of any exact established clan, but have their own methods that they use to hunt and terminate. or to aid the hunters in their endeavors.
quick list of some entity/monster ideas: body-snatchers, vampires, manifested entities (projections of negative energies), emotion-feeders, fey creatures, nightmare spirits, chaos monsters (primordial entities), black mass (shadow figures)
Something for your dispatch Roleswap au if it's alright to add: I imagine the A-team is a lot more calm than the Z-team since there's less of them but in exchange, they are more dangerous and have really bonded with each other. How I think some of the a-team may be in a Phoenix program setting is like; Equilibrium swaps with Malevola but instead of being considered hot, Equilibrium is terrifying and borderline elderich. Sweetalker never had the chance to be considered more than a scary face so he acts violent and horrifying since he thinks that it's the only way. Brickhouse has little to no care for property damage or injuries so long as the problem gets solved with her fists since to her, the job gets done and the means don't matter.
Hell yeah, let's talk about the A-Team. As I mentioned before, it's not completely one for one, just Brainbook as Flambae and Phenomaman as Invisigal. I'm not sure who's going to be cut yet, so don't ask me that
I agree that they are all very efficient. However, at the beginning of the au, they are not family. They aren't even friends. They all do their own things. If they help each other, it's with the understanding that the debt will be repaid. They do not hang out after work. They do not know each other's real names. They do not care about each other in any meaningful way
Now, to the people:
Brainbook - Crimes include advising villain organizations, framing innocent citizens, creating illegal power enhancement and power dampening drugs. The latter of which she became addicted to for a period of time because she reached an intelligence level where she became nihilistic. Losing her eye to Blonde Blazer showed her that some things do matter because she now misses seeing them with both eyes. She's grateful to Blazer for giving her a new appreciation for life while also hating her for taking half of her sight. She joined the Phoenix Program as a way to see if being a hero could give her more reasons to live
Brickhouse - She is the hired muscle for criminal organizations. They tell her what to destroy or who to pummel, and she does so immediately. She is not an assassin, though. If she's told to destroy something/one, everyone in a mile radius is aware and the police are cleaning up the scene for weeks. She joined the Phoenix Program because she doesn't see it as any different. SDN has hired her to fight criminals, which is technically what she's been doing
Equilibrium - An entity from a higher dimension imperceivable to most humans. They believe wholeheartedly in equality and balance which is why they were the master of enacting other people's revenge. They had no desire for money, only for individuals to tell them how they were wronged so that Equilibrium could deal back the damage. Therefore, they have committed myriad of crimes, but SDN accepted this as Equilibrium being the judge, jury, and executioner. The company, therefore, was able to convince Equilibrium their way of going about their sacred mission was incorrect and that they could help Equilibrium truly balance the scales
Pom Pom - At the peak of human performance, Pom Pom was arrested for petty crimes including breaking and entering, shoplifting, and inciting multiple riots. She genuinely joined the Phoenix Program for a fresh start. She acts pompous because she feels as if she's the weakest member of the A-Team
Sweetalker - Although his eyes have a minor charming effect and he has substantial charisma/emotional intelligence, he was only viewed as a bloodthirsty creature. He didn't want to be a criminal, but he needed to eat and live, so he mainly stole and did a few "scare this person for me" gigs. He joined the Phoenix Program with the hope that he could be more, but he's so traumatized by past experiences that he treats his new team as if they've already decided he's a villain
Phenomaman - As I mentioned in the previous post, when he descended, Robbie convinced him that what he was doing with the Blue Ring was right. After damaging Blonde Blazer's amulet, Phenomaman had a crisis of morality. To resolve it, he turned himself in and went to the Phoenix Program to offer his services
A-Team headcanons, bcs these guys are seriously underrated
Sweetalker
his real name is John
staunch pacifist, firm believer of 'there's always a non-violent way', but will acknowledge that sometimes violence is necessary, even though he's not a fan of it
technically speaking he could fight, he has the physique and is naturally strong but he really doesn't like it. his team respects that and tries to deal with combat-heavy calls without him if it's possible
he has a bit of a compelling voice, but it only really works when whoever he's talking to already trusts him. so his smooth-talking is like 10% his power, 90% his own skill
pansexual, a bit of a romantic, falls in love easily but this often leads to him being more invested in a relationship than his partner.
often has to play mediator because while the A-team isn't nearly at Z-Team level of dysfunctional they do still bicker quite a lot at times
definitely knows there's certain people who would be all over him specifically bcs of the whole lizardman-thing but tends to keep away from those types since he wants a real relationship, not be a lust object
not above flirting to get his way, but will draw the line at seriously leading someone on
tends to negotiate with the higher-ups for the team whenever they need something like new equipment, more days off or a raise
Brainbook
her real name is Emily
extremely socially awkward, not very diplomatic, her bluntness can come across as arrogance or condescension sometimes
a bit of a temper but knows how to keep a lid on it
bad at hand-to-hand combat but knows how handle a laser-gun or taser in emergencies
the team's leader and strategist, her plans have a 90% success rate, she tends to take it badly whenever one fails
her glasses are prescription. the yellow lenses help filter out blue light, which she needs because she spends a lot of time on her tablet or otherwise looking at screens for her job
very sexually active (sex is good for stress relief) but aromantic. casual sex? yes. an actual relationship? no, thanks
she has like ten different phds, no one but her can remember them all
her super-intelligence has her always snacking on something sweet to keep her brain active. will sometimes steal the snacks of other team members for that purpose then act oblivious/insulted when they realize and suspect it was her
Equilibrium
Equilibrium is the only name they've ever had and known. they see no reason to change it. though maybe they will add another one. two names make for a more balanced number than one after all
goes by they/them and it/its pronouns, they're a robot so gender isn't really a thing for it
was created by Brainbook during a staffing shortage as an additional team member when the A-Team was being stretched thin by an enormous influx of calls
due to being created to balance out the team, they're extremely focused on the idea of "balance" in general. they will insert it into their job and daily life constantly
it can change its voice on demand, but prefers the more female-sounding one over the alternatives
their body is transformable, they can form all sorts of origami-esque shapes or fold in on themselves to become smaller
good pals with Royd, he often helps it with it's maintenance
people often assume they're insecure about not being a "real" person. they aren't. they think being a robot fucking rules actually, why would they want to trade this perfectly balanced body for anything else?
nigh indestructible but hates getting dirty because it creates visual disharmony in their appearance.
Pom-Pom
her real name is Chloe
youngest team member, in her early twenties, still goes to college
she's an actual cheerleader, much of her fighting style is inspired by her routines
joined the team after Equilibrium was created, due to her great performance catching Brainbook's attention
has some mildly enhanced strength and durability, but aside from that she's all old-school training
used to be an independent hero, took the SDN job to pay off her student loans, doesn't want to bother her parents with it since her family is already not especially well off
the most popular with teens and kids out of the A-Team, is often sent to schools for career days to explain what an SDN hero does
loves animals, will often try to smuggle some into the SDN building, gets caught and reprimanded every time, will never stop trying regardless
she has a social media account for her superhero persona and also manages the A-Team's collective account. the follower count on both is high and only keeps rising
Brickhouse
her real name is Susan
she often gets mistaken for an alien, but she's actually from a paralell Earth. the distinction is important to her and she's annoyed when people get it wrong (which they do often)
gym rat, posts a lot of workout selfies and videos to the A-Team's social media and keeps a strict diet
Phenomaman was her gym buddy before being hit by The Great Depression and dropped from the downtown branch. she's tried to replace him with any member of the team, but Brainbook and Equilibrium weren't interested, Pom-Pom was too busy and Sweetalker politely but firmly declined
due to being from another dimension, she eats stuff that is perceived as weird in the regular one. girl can and will snack on actual rocks and then wonder why everyone's looking aghast
she marathons the cheesiest romance movies in her free time, cries waterfalls at every single one, the rest of the A-Team has to limit her contribution to movie night because they all know she's going to bring an entire movie series that lasts well into the day if she's not stopped
in her dimension, conflicts were settled in one-on-one brawls and it took her a while to get adjusted to the fact that you can't just deck everyone who disagrees with you/pisses you off here. she thinks it's stupid and overly complicated
really good with kids, but also prone to overindulging them, she's weak for puppydog eyes
she's a horrible liar because back in her home dimension there was simply no need for deception, everyone was very straight-forward (and violent) with each other. she's also terrible at acting
Some other General headcanons:
the A-Team is under a lot of pressure due to being seen as SDN's finest and they all cope with it differently. Phenomaman's breakdown and resulting firing made it worse as now everyone kept side-eyeing them, wondering if SDN's darling cracked and wiped out so easily, how long will it take for the rest to do the same?
while they all liked and got along just fine with Phenomaman, none of them were especially close with him, due to a mix of Katon just sucking at interpersonal relationships and his reputation as a living legend keeping the rest of the team at a respectful distance. they're happy he's found himself with the Z-Team though
Sweetalker and Brickhouse have a 'will they won't they' going. Pom-Pom ships it, Equilibrium is indifferent and Brainbook hasn't noticed yet
Pom-Pom has managed to make Equilibrium and Brickhouse accomplices in her small cute animal smuggling just by showing said animals to them
Brickhouse "That is the cutest thing I have every laid eyes on, I am going to protect it with my life" - Pom-Pom "Sooo, you'll help me-" - Brickhouse "YES!"
Equilibrium "Marvelous! Such perfectly symmetrical features! Those utterly round eyes! I see no reason why such a complete being shouldn't be in here!" - Pom-Pom "Right???"
