The Young Avengers Initiative

[Wightraven]

Winner: Improvement: Just Lucky, I Guess - Enemies are less likely to hit Vilina.
Number of voters: 9

Theoretically the weekend should give you enough time to recover... but it doesn't. There's too much nervouscitement over Monday that sleep refuses to come easy or stay for long on Sunday night. Classes begin, and you begin to take them, as bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as you can be. It's a different vibe from high school, but you're committed to adjust and have taken a few prep courses just for that. You take copious notes, you keep your focus on the professors no matter how tired you actually are. Combat training is the hardest part of the day; Ms. Morse starts out with a small warm-up that only reminds you how exhausted you are, and then personally tests everyone's strength and reaction time to gauge how to best train the class. You suck. You never thought you were going to be amazing, but you know you could've done better and it eats at you a little bit as classes continue through the day. Finally, evening comes. You work on papers and reading, research and tending to sore muscles... and it's time to do it all over again the next day.

You feel like you barely have time to see your roommates, though only Kitty seems as stressed as you do. Robbie is about as tired, but looks like he's handling his courses with relative ease. They're in the elective courses you took together, but even those take a toll on you, just adding in general to the pile of work you have to do. But you can do it. This is a completely manageable work load. It is just now also your whole life. The first weekend comes and it's a wall of relief. You finish up the assignments you have ASAP and finally have a little time to relax. Nothing about you wants to go out. Quentin seems to sense your tension and leaves you alone beyond politely checking in with you. Late Saturday Kitty manages to convince you to go with her to see Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again. The two of you have a really good time. The movie is stupid, but fun, and the songs are (as could be expected) amazing. Eventually the weekend concludes and the new week begins, and around Wednesday of the week that follows you realize that this is just your life now. As much as your first week felt so full of social interaction and adjustment, college hits you hard enough that you adjust to its schedule immediately because it doesn't give you much choice. The course load is heavy, and you don't have a lot of free time, but you never expected to have much free time at all pursuing medicine. This, you remind yourself, is light compared to actual medical school or anything that follows.

But there is that shining beacon on the horizon... the siren song of your other potential career choice. And almost before you know it; it's here. Your squad's first patrol. You're standing on a rooftop with your team in full gear, though honestly Kid Omega and Bling aren't dressed any differently than they were a few hours ago. Rage has really only added what looks like a luchador mask to his ensemble. Shadowcat, however, is wearing protective black leathers with a small domino mask. You would feel ostentatious in your similar ensemble in gold and white, with a deep hood... if it weren't for Speedball's gear that looks a little like pop art come to life; predominately blue with colored portions matching the spectrum of his bubbles. The lot of you are staring down over the city, where you were told to meet, having idle conversation catching up and discussing what you're supposed to do when there's a sudden noise behind you; a soft thump. Everyone turns, and rising from a crouch... there's Spider-man.

"Uh... hey! Friendly neighborhood Spider-man, but uh... you prob'ly already knew that. Right? ... am I famous?"

"We know about you all the way in Oregon, so... yeah. Pretty famous."

"Cool. Cool. Uh... then I guess I don't need to go into introductions. Mr. Stark sent me some files on you guys, you look just like your pictures-- nice costumes, by the way. So, uh... let's get to patrol! Yeah?" Spider-man, yes, actual freaking Spider-man walks forward to the edge of the roof and crouches in that Spider-man crouch, pointing around as he talks. "Okay, so, I'm gonna keep overhead. Completely cool, I'm just sorta like... an instructional guide and safety net. You can pretend like I'm not here. It's not a big deal. I'm just backup in case things... y'know. Go horribly wrong, or whatever. But they shouldn't! Cuz..." he sighs. "Well, anyhow, if the six of you go rolling through the street together... make a big scene or whatever, there's not gonna be any crimes to stop. Also, people might wanna take your picture. And that's cool, makes you feel good and stuff, but it also isn't why we're here. Y'know? I mean, there's somethin' to be said for creating a presence on the street, right? To... like, discourage crime. But, like, you wanna set it up so people feel like you're always watching, even when you have homework or a hot date, y'know? You want every crook out there to feel like you might just pop outta the shadows at any second to stop 'em. Make 'em think twice about doin' somethin' in the first place, whether you're actually out there on patrol or not." He stops to see if everyone is following along, and you all nod out of sync. He nods back. "Right, so... I figure if you each split up into teams of two, you can cover more ground. We wanna try to stick to Jacskon Heights area, but if someone bolts on you... y'know, let us know and chase 'em down. You guys got communication, right? The telepath?"

"That's me," Kid Omega raises his hand.

"Cool. If you could get me in on that, uh... network or whatever, so we can all keep in touch, that'd be awesome."

"Consider it done. You'll hear a slight buzzing, and I can't dig too deep, but keep your thoughts quiet and nobody will know your secrets."

"Uh, shit. OK. I'm gonna mess that up. I'm always thinkin' out loud and it's not much better up here," he points to his head, "so, hey, lemme be honest with you guys so I don't embarrass myself later. You're really pretty, you're really pretty and I freakin' love your hood! Wish I had a hood, I bet that'd look sweet. I like your circles but I don't know what they are. You look awesome as hell, you... you're HUGE, man! I'm both impressed and a little intimidated over here! And you kinda scare me because you remind me of the cool kids back in school who smoked in the bathroom between classes." He nods. "OK, awesome. I think I've destroyed any mystique I had bein' Spider-man just now, but that's fine. Might as well get it outta the way. You guys decide how you're dividing up, and just try to stick to the shadows. Watch and react, y'know? I'm gonna go ahead and swing away now." And so he does, zipping off into the night sky as webbing flies forth from his wrist and he pulls toward a taller building.

Who Would You Like to Patrol With?
[ ] Shadowcat
[ ] Bling!
[ ] Kid Omega
[ ] Rage
[ ] Speedball

 

[Wightraven]

Winner: Bling!
Number of voters: 7

"Bling! Why don't you and I patrol together? I think our abilities would pair well with each other."

"Sure, darlin'. But only because you said my name right!" She smiles warmly and stands by your side.

"Well, someone needs to watch scrawny, here," announces Rage. "I'll stick with Kid Omega."

"I'd like to announce I'm officially for plan 'protect the squishy'," responds Quentin.

"Guess that leaves you and me, Shadowcat."

Kitty doesn't say anything; just grins. the six of you amble down the building as Quentin establishes his mental connection between the group.

"Testing one, two. Testing one, two. Can everyone hear each other?" You all respond in the affirmative, including Spider-man. "Try to keep the chatter down, like we practiced. Verbal communication when you're close enough, mental when something is important."

You all go your separate ways, with you and Bling starting out by learning how to keep an eye on the street while also staying out of sight. It isn't super easy with your light-colored costume and Bling's tendency to… well, shine like a diamond. But if she stays concealed enough the effect is diminished. She takes on sort of a dull lavender hue in the darkness. As for you, gold and white outfit or not, you're a small woman with a deep hood who's trying to stay out of sight. It's harder determining what is and isn't a threat.

Mr. Stark was right; crime doesn't exactly just run rampant through the streets. Patrols like yours are likely highly unnecessary, at least en masse. But you assume these are smaller building blocks to help lay the foundation for larger conflicts in the future. Easier to learn the ropes against a gang-banger with a knife now than immediately start on a maniac with a death ray in the future. It is quiet, though. A little boring. You and Roxy have set up a route that keeps you out of the way and still gives you a few quick and easy options for traversal. You're mostly looking for people behaving suspiciously… but everyone just seems to be going about their Friday night.

"I kinda expected beating up more punks," she comments out loud with a subtle laugh.

"Yeah," you respond in kind, "I… don't know how much beating up I thought I was going to be doing, realistically anyway, but I did expect to be thrust into more danger. Saving people from emergencies and responding to super-powered threats…"

Roxy shrugs. "I guess your average day in New York is exactly that… police and fire take care of most of it. There isn't exactly a hotline for super-heroes like there are for them."

"There aren't enough of us to go around even if there was. But I get what you mean. I feel… a little antsy. It would be comforting to know what we were steeling ourselves for, what we were supposed to be looking for in specific. So we could hurry up and fix it, y'know?"

"Heh. Yeah. I keep waiting for one of these goons to jump, then--"

Suddenly, Quentin's voice buzzes into your brains. "HaHA! WOW! Rage just bagged us a mugger!"

"YEAH! RIGHT there, FOOL!"

"Oh, I saw that! That was awesome!" Spider-man confirms, "He barely put his hands on that purse and you were just like-- WHOOM! BASHOOM! 'Not today, joker!'"

"He SO did not say 'joker'," corrects Quentin.

"Yeah, but I was raised better'n to say that. OK, stay where you are. I'm gonna get some police down here so he can get… uh… processed and stuff. Make sure the lady doesn't go far, they're gonna want a statement."

There's that vicarious bit of rush running through your body right now, excited for what Quentin and Elvin must've just experienced! The fact that a member of your squad stopped a real crime from happening! … but it abates quickly. You're left a little uncomfortably warm and alone in the alley with Roxy. The two of you share a look of light envy and understanding, and Roxy pushes off from the wall.

"C'mon, Fortune. Let's change spots. Where you wanna go to now?"

Where to Patrol Next… ?
[ ] The Park
[ ] The Subway
[ ] That Thali Restaurant

 

[Wightraven]

Winner: The Park
Number of voters: 8

Travers Park is mostly a concrete lot with various sports lines drawn on it. There's some equipment for kids to climb on in one area, and a nice little grassy portion, but it's dominated by a court. There are some teens and twentysomethings shooting a pickup game of hoops, but otherwise it's late enough that things are kind of quiet. Doesn't even seem like anything drug-related is happening, which is a shame. You remember the old Captain America anti-drug PSAs from when you were in school. Saving a life by calmly pointing out the flaws in someone's decision making was something you and your mom romanced about... although looking back on it that was probably not the most healthy way to frame that specific situation. Your mind wanders to what your allies would do in a similar situation, and almost immediately you think of Rage slapping a comically oversized crack pipe out of someone's hands, shouting "YOU DO CRACK AN' I'LL DO THE SMACKS, FOOL!" The image is clear enough you laugh out loud... and to your minor horror you hear other snickers as well.

"I do not sound like that!" Elvin's chuckling voice sounds off in your head.

"You SO do, dude," Robbie insists, giggling.

"I am SO sorry. My mind was wandering. It's quiet over here and I just--"

"Nah, don't worry about it Fortune; it's all good. I ain't mad. I'ma have to remember that one if I see a crackhead now, tho."

Most of the laughter dies down, but Roxy is still next to you, chuckling out loud and trying to stifle it behind her glittering hand. Mortified, you focus on your surroundings, but there isn't much to see. The basketball players are taking a break to talk trash, some squirrels are fighting over territory in the grass or... oh, no. No, they're mating. OK. You avert your eyes and happen to peer through the trees to see a man loading some boxes into the back of a van. You think your eyes are fooling you, but some of the contents sticking out look sort of like... off-brand StarkTech? You signal for Bling and move a bit closer, sticking to the shadows and trees. The guy definitely seems alone, and the van is rather full of cardboard boxes and totes... and the one with the lid hanging open has something unmistakably similar to one of Mr. Stark's Iron Man arm rigs sticking out of it. Something tumbles out of one of the boxes and he swears, kneeling down to pick it up.

"Spider-man, you're close with Mr. Stark," you begin.

"Oh, yeah. We're super-tight. We're like best friends, y'know?"

"Is he moving some gear tonight? And would he be doing it in a suspicious-looking beater of a black van?"

"Ah... he usually has Happy take care of that. Is there a really sweet-looking guy with a real grumpy face anywhere around? Real short curly hair, wearing a black suit?"

You and Bling both look around. She shakes her head when you look to confirm. "That would be a 'no'."

"Yeah, no, that's probably bad, then. Where are you guys?"

"Travers Park, near the treeline. He's in the parking lot just across the way, to the North."

"Aw, man, I'm all the way down at Kabab King. OK, uh... try to keep him there! I'll be there as soon as I can!"

He's standing back up again, putting whatever was dropped back in the box. He closes the back doors of the van and it looks like he might be getting ready to leave.

What Do You Do To Stop Him?
[ ] Detain him with force.
[ ] Delay him by talking to him.
[ ] Let him go; try to tail him.
[ ] Write-in.

 

[Wightraven]

Winner: Delay him by talking to him.
Number of voters: 4 (9)

No time to think; gotta act.

"Please be excusing me, sir!" you blurt out in an even thicker version of your mother's accent, hoping you can buy Spider-man enough time to get here, "I am looking for Captain America. As you can see, I am a being big fan, and I am coming all the way from my home in Bangalore to be meeting him!"

"What the fuck?" He seems genuinely taken aback, dropping his keys as you come streaking at him from out of the trees. "Look, lady, I don't know Captain America. Just... fuck off, please."

"I will not be doing any of the fucking off today, sir! And thank you for your rudeness! This is New York City and I am knowing that this is where all the super-heroes live, you cannot be lying to me, sir!"

"Look, nobody sees Captain America unless shit is seriously going down, lady," he stoops to pick up the keys. The good news is it seems like he's fully buying your act, "I can't help ya. Sorry."

"Can't? Or won't, good sir? I am no stranger to laziness, my husband did not even help me build my amazing costume! You are being just like him, not wanting to help me achieve my dreams of meeting Captain America!"

Frustrated, he tears open the door and starts hauling himself up into the van. "Listen, lady! I don't know how you think this works? But it don't work that way. Buzz off an' leave me alone!"

"Sir! I would also be accepting Spider-man, if you can provide him. I am not a picky woman!"

"You're not picky, you're just nuts!" He turns the engine over and grabs the handle of the door to slam it closed... when webs zip out from your peripheral and snare it, keeping it open despite his efforts!

"Aw, c'mon, guy! What kinda New Yorker doesn't at least try to show a pretty lady like her a good time and a few super-heroes?" Spider-man uses the web to pull himself closer, keeping the door open against the man's increasingly panicked attempts as he approaches.

"Nah, don't do this, web-head! You and your girlfriend here just move along and leave me the hell alone! I ain't done nothin'!"

"Yeah, see, that's where you're not being 100% honest with me. Because if my spider-senses are right, an' they always are, you've got some cargo in the back of that van you shouldn't have."

"Shit..." The man's eyes widen with realization; he stops fighting the door and hangs his head. "All right, Spider-man. If that's the way it's gotta be..." You realize something's off about the way he's talking nanoseconds before you see the smirk on his lips, and only slightly longer before he punches forward with his right hand and a BURST of force rips the door off the van and LAUNCHES Spider-man away! The man steps down out of the van again and lifts up his right arm, an object similar to the Iron Man arm rig encasing it and thrumming with power! "Get up, 'hero'! You asked for this!"

"RRRAAAGGGGHHH!" Before you're fully sure of how to react, Bling comes barrelling in from behind you, landing a jumping punch and sending the man sprawling! He picks himself up as she stands in front of you, gleaming silver and gold in the mix of moon and street light. "You wanna escalate, motherfucker!? BRING IT!"

"FUCK! Since when do you costumed nutbars travel in packs!?" The man rubs his palm across his nose, checking it for blood, then looks genuinely surprised and confused. "What the-- ain't you Daddy Libido's kid!?"

"Wrong thing to say, asshole!" Bling sends a spray of shards at him, but he lashes out at it with his armored right hand and they shatter before him. This still gives her enough of an opening to charge in, but he's better in a fight than you expected and manages to keep his head down and block her punches with his weapon. You've seen Roxy hit things in training; she hits hard. There's got to be some serious tech in that gauntlet... seriously dangerous tech.

"OK, that was a cool trick, but show and tell is over for today. Now it's time to learn about sharing!" Spider-man comes swinging into the scene and sprays webs onto the fist, distracting the man enough for Bling to get another solid hit in! He backs up so hard he trips on his own feet and hits the ground, but scrambles to tear at the webbing on his arm and send another BLAST at Roxy and Spider-man! They're each only caught by the edges of the attack, but are still sent skidding backward.

"Things are getting spicy over here, guys, we could use some backup!" You hear Spider-man's voice in your head, concern bringing his tone down from its usual energy.

"I'm on it!" Rage responds.

"Be there as soon as we can," Speedball adds.

"Well, some of us have to walk so I'll catch up, I guess," Quentin quips, "Still in Travers Park?"

"A little North of it," you answer since Spider-man and Bling are too busy trying to fight the man, "but just keep your eyes open and you can't miss us!"

What Do You Do Next?
[ ] Join the fight!
[ ] Try to distract him.
[ ] Get the gear from his truck.
[ ] Write-In

 

[Wightraven]

Unanimous Winner: Get the gear from his truck.
Number of voters: 13

"You're next, psycho!"

Uh-oh. He's yelling at you, specifically. He charges up his fist as you dash around to the back of his van, causing him to divert his aim downward so he doesn't hit his ride. The blast ROCKETS him upward into the air with a "NO!" and he comes CRASHING down on the hood of a nearby car! Luckily, the rear doors are unlocked, and you fling them open as sounds of fighting continue from the other side of the van. You rummage through the open box first, finding branded pieces of Stark tech alongside similar, more rudimentary items. You tear through more boxes and find modded firearms, ammunition, and more mixed tech. You're startled when a loud CRUNCH shakes you from your task, and you look around the van to see Bling pulling herself out of the shattered windshield.

"Now you ruined my ride! You BITCH!"

"I'm gonna ruin more than that, you dirtbag!"

She charges back off into combat, and the man notices you and his open van doors behind her. He gets a desperate look on his face and charges to meet her, firing his gauntlet down suddenly to give him enough lift to soar right over her head and land into a roll in front of the van. He rounds the side of the van and runs bodily into you, knocking you down before he scrambles to gather specific items into the open box. It's not the most graceful means of attack, and you're a little embarrassed at how easily you go down... but the guy is like, twice your size. You begin picking yourself up off the floor just as Speedball comes soaring in overhead, BARRELLING into the man just as he gets the gauntlet up to defend himself and sending him CRASHING into his own gear! Guns and ammo go spilling out around him, out the back of the van and onto the asphalt. Robbie leans down and offers you a hand up.

"You OK, Fortune?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Is he... out?"

"I hit him full-force. He's lucky he's not dead. I'm lucky he's not dead..." his face darkens as that thought hits him, and the two of you look into the van to hear him groan and shift with a small amount of relief. Speedball turns back to you. "You're OK, though, right?"

"Yeah," you smile gratefully at his concern, "everything moved so fast... I barely had time to think!"

Unfortunately you hear that high-pitched whirring again that signals the powering-up of his tech, and you and Speedball both are THROWN into the trees! You SLAM into one, HARD, the impact knocking the wind out of you and causing your vision to go blurry. You hear Robbie crash through a few branches and fly well past where you are. It's hard to focus, but you see the man emerge from his van, plant his feet, and then use two gauntlets to shoot himself into the air, out of your fading line of sight. "He's gone," you tell yourself, and you switch your focus to staying conscious. There's a faint buzzing that keeps shifting into a keening whine, and you just want to drown in it. Just release yourself and fall into the dark oblivion it provides... shut it off and sleep... sleep will make you feel better... sleep will clear up the numbness in your shoulders and the soreness of your back... your eyelids flutter... were they closed before? Are they now? You see something bathed in the moonlight above you... someone... it looks like Quentin, but he looks different.

"Come on, Vilina, no sleeping on the job."

You attempt a smile at his joke and manage a loose nod that probably looks more like your head lolling. Fighting the tingling in your shoulders you push yourself up onto your hands and knees, reaching out blindly for his hand to support you while you get to your feet. The world spins a bit and you lean against the tree to help stay semi-vertical. It's comfortable, and provides something firm to stretch your back against. You don't think you're that injured; sore, certainly, but everything that should hurt hurts and not bad enough to inhibit movement very much. You're a bit more concerned about your head. You crane your neck back and roll it from side to side to see if there's any pain, then chance opening your eyes. Staring upward you see exactly how much worse things could've gone for you, as only a foot up from where bark and twigs are blasted off from your collision with the tree is a short, sturdy, sharp broken branch. You take a deep breath to steel yourself, swallow, pull your hood back up and push away from the tree. The world does not spin. That's a good start. You're not sure where Quentin went... maybe to check on Robbie? Why didn't he say anything? You look around to see Speedball strolling up. He looks relieved to see you standing.

"The... first couple branches built up momentum so when I finally hit the ground back there I just sorta bounced off... you OK? You look a little..." he moves his hand in an unsure wobble.

"I'm fine," you nod, "I... might have a concussion. But otherwise I think I'm OK. Where's Quentin?"

Speedball looks around, then ahead, and points to the van. "There he is. Talking to Spider-man."

Weird that he'd just walk off like that without saying anything... or did he and you were too dazed to hear it? The pair of you stride out of the treeline and into the parking lot.

"Oh, good!" Spider-man manages to convey relief even through his mask, "Kid Omega said you guys were OK, but when the connection went down I started to get antsy." He still seems a bit antsy, and suddenly unsure of what to do with his hands? He settles for folding his arms across his chest.

"Sorry about that," confesses Quentin, "I had to do some mental damage control to make sure your panic didn't spread across the whole team. It's... a lot more difficult to keep intense emotions and thoughts like that while I'm maintaining the network. Something to work on, I guess."

"I'm just glad everyone's all right." Kitty's arms are folded around herself, too, but less like Spider-man and more like she's too cold. It's a decently balmy night, so you don't imagine that's actually the case. "I told R-- Speedball to put me down so he could get here faster. And then when I got here, you guys were gone..."

"I'm pissed that jackass got away," grumbles Roxy.

"Yeah, well, it's not scot-free. There's a lot of stuff in this truck that'll give us a good reason to try an' track him down."

"Tonight?" asks Elvin, pounding his fist into his open palm.

"Nah, not tonight," Spider-man shakes his head. "I need to talk to Mr. Stark and the police... and this guy's too jumpy. I'm worried if we pursue right now he'll do somethin' desperate and get people hurt. We'll let him cool his heels and see what information we can get from... all this," he gestures to the load of guns and tech practically spilling out of the destroyed boxes in the back of the van. "Cops're gonna want statements, but after that I think we should wrap for the night. That cool with you?"

Everyone agrees without hesitation, even Rage and Bling. You have no idea how much pain she, Speedball, or Spider-man are in, but you know you have concerns about yourself. The rush of stopping this guy from... whatever he was doing with all these weapons and Stark tech was one hell of a high, and you're sure your actions tonight kept a lot of people safe, but when the adrenaline died down and you had to fight to keep yourself from passing out after being thrown into a tree... well, both a medical career and being a super-hero have their obvious ups and downs. Your mind stays pretty lucid while speaking with the police and on the trip home in the back of a cop car... something you almost don't have the presence of mind to enjoy for its novelty. Almost. Before you let yourself sleep you stop in with the Phillip J. Coulson Memorial Academy's medical staff, who are waiting for you when you arrive. They give you some painkillers and suggest you stay away from bright screens for the weekend, but if you have a concussion it's fortunately very minor.

About eight hours of sleep and a few pain pills later, it's Saturday and you're ready to try and enjoy the rest of your weekend. There are messages in your phone from an unknown number who turns out to be Spider-man!

Spider-man
Hey! It's... uh... the guy from last night.

Spider-man
The one in the costume, not the one with the shockwave thing.

Spider-man
Can't say too much over text, obvs, but talked to police and Mr. Stark. We're figuring out how to follow up on everything.

Spider-man
If your squad is down, we'd like to bring you guys in on it 'cuz you did so well out there.

Spider-man
Might be a few weeks, dunno yet. I'll text everyone else to get a consensus. HMU!

You're a bit too groggy from sleep and pain to be very coherent, but you respond in the affirmative and set about your day. After a light breakfast you take stock of your surroundings. It's early afternoon. A lot of stuff happened last night. Your schoolwork is done. You have the rest of today and tomorrow to yourself before it's back to the grind.

What Do You Do?
[ ] Talk to Bling!
[ ] Talk to Rage.
[ ] Talk to Kid Omega.
[ ] Talk to Shadowcat.
[ ] Talk to Speedball.
[ ] ... talk to Spider-man?
[ ] Explore the campus.
[ ] Meet with Gwen about exercise regimen.

OOC: If you guys have any specific things you want to talk about or questions you want to ask a character, please mention it along with your votes. I will try to take them all into account when/if you next talk to that character, even if it isn't the winner of the current vote.

 

[Wightraven]

Winner: Meet with Gwen about exercise regimen.
Number of voters: 10

First things first, you make your way to the second floor, room H. The foyer door opens and dutifully closes behind you, leaving you to knock somewhat nervously on the dorm door. It zips open and a woman is standing before you, much taller than you and wearing long, curly hair. She's dressed in a halter top bearing Captain America's logo.

"Can I help you?" She doesn't sound upset, but perhaps unimpressed? Her eyes are heavy-lidded and bored. The expression on her ruby-red lips is bordering on a sneer.

"Uh... sorry, I'm looking for Gwen?"

She rolls her eyes. "Which one?"

"Uh..." you never did catch her last name... "... the blonde one?"

Her mouth becomes a line and she exhales a sigh. "Pink or no pink?"

"W-uhh...." You blink a few times, stammering. This woman is... stern. She has a presence that just seems to radiate intimidation without any effort. You can't imagine many people like her. "... no pink?"

She nods and turns her head back toward the dorm, shouting over her shoulder. "Stacy! Some nervous chica is here to see you!" You want to argue with her, but the way she doesn't take her eyes off of you and stays in that A-shaped, powerful pose makes you decide not to bother for now. Your friend Gwen shows up in the doorway rather quickly, either way.

"Vilina!"

"Gwen!"

"Thanks, Mac." Gwen's gratitude seems to make the intimidating woman leave, which gives you all the reason you need to breathe easy again. She steps through the dorm door and it closes behind her, allowing her to lean against it as she smiles at you. "It's good to see you! What's up?"

"Ah... well, I was hoping we could talk about setting up that exercise regimen you mentioned?"

"Sure! I went to the gym hours ago already, today, but we can set something up. You ready to start tomorrow?"

"Uhm... actually, can we start Monday? My squad went out on patrol last night and I got my ass kicked a little it. Doctors said I should take it easy for a day or so."

"Smart!" she nods, "I'm very much down. When's your earliest classes start?"

"8 AM."

"Can you be up by 6:30? We can work out for an hour and it should give you time to shower off before you have to get to class... unless you want a little more padding just in case?"

"No, 6:30 is fine! It's not much earlier than I'm usually up. I'll just be... running instead of lazily eating breakfast."

"Good stuff. Since you're just starting out let's make it... Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday? Gives you some time to rest and doesn't overwhelm you on patrol days or whatever else you're doing on the weekend."

"I like that! Thank you, Gwen. You're sure it's not too much trouble?"

"Nah, it'll be great to have someone to chat with in the mornings! Everyone's usually so dour in the morning--"

You're suddenly interrupted by the door behind you opening and a well-cut man with short, dark hair and piercing green eyes is standing on the other side. He's wearing a light, white windbreaker with blue stripes, a grey athletic T-shirt, and blue track pants with white strips. He looks mildly startled to see the two of you in the tiny foyer, but it warms into a smile.

"Terribly sorry, I... didn't expect to be interrupting anything."

"Nah, it's cool, Felix," she turns back to you, "I actually should get back inside. I've got some schoolwork I need to finish up. Monday morning, 6:30, right?"

"Right!" you nod, smiling back as she opens the door and disappears inside. It shuts behind you and the young man sighs, producing his keycard to open it again. He stops short, however, and turns to offer you his hand.

"Felix Park. Codename Fate. It's good to meet you!"

"Vilina Laghari. Fortune," you respond and accept his handshake. "It's nice to meet you, as well."

"Fortune and Fate, hm? I suppose I'll be seeing you around here fairly often... if you're a friend of Gwen's?"

You nod. "I suppose so."

"Excellent!" He smirks, and finally slides his keycard. "Nice meeting you, Ms. Laghari."

"N-nice meeting you, too."

What an odd, but charming man.

What Do You Do?
[ ] Talk to Bling!
[ ] Talk to Rage.
[ ] Talk to Kid Omega.
[ ] Talk to Shadowcat.
[ ] Talk to Speedball.
[ ] ... talk to Spider-man?
[ ] Explore the campus.

OOC: If you guys have any specific things you want to talk about or questions you want to ask a character, please mention it along with your votes. I will try to take them all into account when/if you next talk to that character, even if it isn't the winner of the current vote.

 

[Wightraven]

Winner: Talk to Shadowcat.
Number of voters: 5

You head back to the dorm, hoping Kitty is right where you left her, still furiously writing in that little fluffy pink journal she keeps. She's in the same place in the dorm, but the journal is closed, the pen is down, and there's a cup of tea in her hands as she's curled up and staring out the faux window.

"What's up, Kitty? You look... contemplative."

"Huh!?" she turns with surprise as though she didn't even hear you come in. "Oh! Uh... hi V. Yeah, uh... I guess I am. Got a lot on my mind."

"Classes, still? Or is this about last night?"

"Uh... last night," she pushes some of her curls away from her face as she looks down into her huge mug of tea.

"It got kinda heavy, right?" You sit across from her on the sectional, trying to give her space but also trying to make the conversation a bit more intimate. Talking is always easier when both parties are in the same position. Plus, your head is starting to feel sort of swimmy.

"Yeah, that guy with the shockwave fists or whatever, he was scary. I didn't think we'd be fighting... like, super-villains so soon. Muggers, drug dealers... guys with guns, even. But people on our level? I dunno, I wanted more practice."

"Yeah, me too. I didn't... freeze up, but it was so hard to act as fast as I wanted to. To keep a step ahead of everything that was happening. I didn't even feel like I had time to think!"

Kitty nods and sips at her tea, "I just felt so... worthless. I know my powers can do good things, but I couldn't get there in time, and I was just slowing Robbie down... maybe I should get some heelies or something."

It's said as something of a joke, so you laugh. "Or a noble steed. Shadowcat and Wonder-Horse!" Kitty laughs in spite of herself, and you can tell it's making her less wound-up about last night. "I think the situation last night was unique. Most of the time we're supposed to act as a full team. I don't think even Spider-man knew what was going to happen."

"Yeah, true." That seems to bring her some peace; if a 'real' hero like Spider-man was caught unaware and couldn't act as well because of it, it's not a big deal she was in the same position. She nods for a minute, then smiles, then actually looks at you. "Plus, it wasn't all bad. I got to hang out with Robbie, and he gave me a piggy-back ride for a while, there!"

You giggle with her, then pick up on some of the more subtle intonations in what she said. "... oh?"

"It's not quite like that," she waves you off. "He's cute, though. And he seems so... sure of himself. I admire that. I dunno. We'll see what happens, I guess."

"Well, I'm here for you no matter what you decide to do. I'm glad we're friends, Kitty."

"Thanks! I'm glad we're friends, too!"

The pair of you continue to talk for some time about last night, about other people you've met on campus, and of course classes. A few hours pass. You're already starting to get tired again... you imagine this is what the doctor was talking about when they told you to take it easy. But you're not quite ready for bed just yet...

What Do You Do?
[ ] Talk to Bling!
[ ] Talk to Rage.
[ ] Talk to Kid Omega.
[ ] Talk to Speedball.
[ ] ... talk to Spider-man?
[ ] Explore the campus.

OOC: If you guys have any specific things you want to talk about or questions you want to ask a character, please mention it along with your votes. I will try to take them all into account when/if you next talk to that character, even if it isn't the winner of the current vote.

 

[Wightraven]

Tied Winner: ... talk to Spider-man?
Tied Winner: Talk to Bling!
4 Votes Each

Kitty was up earlier than you, so it makes sense when she excuses herself to go to bed. You're sleepy from your injuries of course; a healing body needs more rest than a healthy one, after all, but sleep's siren song can wait a little while more. Especially because you totally have Spider-man's number and the thoughts of texting him have been burning within you all day! You make yourself some cocoa, cozy up on the couch, and bring up his number.

Vilina
So, hey, maybe this isn't cool or something, but I thought maybe we could talk?

No, that sucks and seems too nervous. Even if that nervousness is a completely accurate representation of your feelings. You delete it.

Vilina
So... tell me about yourself!

... no, too forward. And also makes you seem like a spy or something. You delete that one, too.

Vilina
So, you doing anything fun on a Saturday night?

You're trying to think of a good 'or' statement. 'or are we both total losers?' Nah, too self-deprecating and potentially insulting. 'Or are we both doing college stuff?' Eh. Presumptuous. And you're technically not doing any college stuff; you already did your work. Suddenly the dorm door opens, startling you enough that you accidentally hit send. Oh well, it might not be clever, but at least it's direct and not lame. Bling walks in with a gym bag over her shoulder. She's wearing a white tank top and black stripey track pants, and absolutely beams to see you.

"Vilina! I was looking for you! Well, I was working out. But before that I was looking for you."

"Hey, Roxy! What were you looking for me for?" You thought you were the only one who wandered around looking for people all day.

"Just wanted to talk," she shrugs. "I was kinda hype to talk to you last night, but I was so focused on patrol... and then that whole thing with that asshole happened..."

A message pops up on your phone from Spider-man.

Spider-man
Friend of mine and I are sniping fools in Fortnite. It isn't as glamorous as running around doing hero stuff with Mr. Stark all day, but it's a great way to unwind. You?

Vilina
Hanging out with Bling. I never got into Fortnite. I more preferred MOBAs and stuff. Or Civ. I could play Civ for DAYS.

"You know you can always text me, right?" you wave your phone at her.

"Eh..." she slides into place next to you on the sectional, "this was more a conversation I wanted to have face-to-face..."

"Oh!" You check your phone to see if Spider-man has responded... he hasn't. Probably dropped into a game. You set it aside for now. "Sounds important. What's up?"

"Last night, you had first pick of the whole squad. An'... I really expected you to take Quentin or Kitty. I mean, you guys are obviously closer... but you picked me." She pauses, catching eyes with you. There's an... expression on her face. It's a little hard to read, and not just because she's made of crystal. She's... being guarded again. It's something she's very good at. "... why?"

"We complement each other well," you admit, "and if we got into a fight I knew I'd need somebody who could hold their own. I certainly can't. Ask that tree, it kicked my ass." You chuckle. She chuckles. But there's... an impatience to it.

"Sure, but if that was all you could've picked Robbie or Elvin. Was that... the only reason?"

"Wh--" you feel your eyebrows contort in curious confusion... and then it hits you. The look on her face. The way she's being so... careful about her words. The way she's looking at you. You've seen Kitty look at Speedball exactly like that. You remember feeling that look on your face more than once in high school. "Oh... uh..."

Your text tone goes off.

What Do You Do?
[ ] "No, but... I did enjoy spending time with you."
[ ] "No, and you've got the wrong idea about me."
[ ] "No, no other reason."
[ ] Check your phone.

 

[Wightraven]

Winner: "No, no other reason."
Number of voters: 8

OOC: As perhaps an explanation for the concerned discussion, I'm trying to follow some of what I understand to be established character traits for some characters. I'm all for coloring outside the lines, and I will be/have been doing so, but I'd still like these characters to evoke a sense of the source material at the very least. Roxy strikes me as somebody who gets interested quickly, and usually at least once or twice with the "wrong" person. Think of this less as a 'early-presented shipping option' and more part of Roxy's own personal storyline that happens to intersect with our own. We chose the option to let her down gently, and so these paths diverge for now.

"Uh... no, Roxy. There was no other reason."

"Ah. OK." A disappointed look crosses her face and she nods. She starts to get up, but you put a hand on her shoulder. It's warmer than you thought it would be, but still smooth and edged.

"Wait," you don't immediately have words, you just don't want to end the conversation this way. Somehow you feel it will do more harm than good. She turns to look at you, eyebrow raised in polite impatience. "Things like that in general... romance... they're the furthest thing from my mind right now. Between classes and everything involved in being a Young Avenger... I barely know anyone here, even you guys. I'm... not even thinking about what I want. I'm honestly not sure." Roxy watches you talk, tries her best to read your eyes, but you can tell things didn't quite land the way you wanted them to.

"OK," she turns again to leave.

"Roxy, please don't take it personally, I--" She holds up a hand to stop you without turning around.

"You said what you needed to say. Just give me some time to myself, please."

Bling exits the room, and you sink into the sectional. That could've gone better... your text tone goes off again, reminding you about your message from Spider-man. You pull it up to your face and read.

Spider-man
Yeah, Civ is great. Helped out a bit in high school history classes, too.

You are very glad you didn't bother checking that before you finished talking to Bling.

Spider-man
So let me live vicariously through you. What kind of cool classes are you taking?

Vilina
Are you not in the same school as me?

Spider-man
Nah, I wish. Between saving New York and paying the bills I don't have time to further my education right now.

Spider-man
I mean, not officially. Mr. Stark helps out a lot, too, and we think we might be able to get me some credits based off some of the stuff I'm doing with him, but it's all sorta up in the air right now.

Vilina
That sucks, but I understand. I'm pre-med so... it's a good thing we get paid to go on patrol, and I've got a place to sleep. I don't know where I'd fit a job into all this...

Spider-man
From what I know about our future doctors, right about where 'sleep' is now. lol

You and Spider-man continue chatting off and on over the next few hours. Eventually you get up off the sectional and mosey to your bedroom, and at some point he doesn't return your text fast enough to keep your attention and you fall asleep. Your alarms kick off at 6 AM, but you snooze your way to a cool 7:40 before finally committing to consciousness. Several texts from Spider-man remain from last night.

Spider-man
There's something about him I just love in everything he's in. Have you seen Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang? Hilarious movie.

Spider-man
OK, so either you really hate Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang or you fell asleep.

Spider-man
I'm hoping for sleep, because, man. Great film.

Spider-man
I'm gonna stop texting you now. Night!

You laugh; he's got a very genuine, awkward charm to him. Somehow he makes it work for him. You imagine he's got a lot of friends, and feel a little special he took the time to text you last night. A lot about the last 48 hours plays in your head as you shower, brush your teeth, and get dressed for the day. Talking to Spider-man, the... uncomfortable conversation last night with Bling, spending the evening with Kitty... and of course, the small dread of getting up earlier to work out with Gwen. It will be worth it, though, not to be thwarted by a tree, especially if you're going after Mr. Boom-Gloves again in the future. You're thinking cafeteria breakfast as you walk out into the common room of the dorm. Elvin and Robbie are playing Injustice 2 together, and Kid Omega is lurking in the barely-lit kitchen with a cup of coffee. He looks... off.

What Do You Do?
[ ] Talk to Quentin
[ ] Join Robbie and Elvin
[ ] Go to the cafeteria for breakfast.

 

[Wightraven]

Tied Winner: Talk to Quentin
Tied Winner: Go to the cafeteria for breakfast.
Number of voters: 5 each.

OOC: I took long enough writing this up that another vote sneaked in there and evened us out. That's fine, though. I kind of wanted to give you guys a longer update; it was recommended of me to do so. This has happened a few times, should I start putting up a post when the vote is closed now? Maybe edit the story response into it? Let me know.

Your stomach growls even as you look over at him, morosely sipping his coffee in the darkened kitchenette... but he's your friend. Out of anyone on the team, he and Kitty are your friends and you can't just leave him looking so troubled. He watches you approach and you both share that silent exchange that results in a familiar buzzing in your head. He says nothing at first, just... dwells in your thoughts. 'Troubled', it turns out, is most likely the right word for his mood. He's upset. He feels guilty, but also frustrated. To get such a firm grasp on another person's emotions over this connection... you understand why he cut ties with the group Friday night when you hit the tree.

"Did you make enough for two?" You inquire innocently, out loud.

"Made a whole pot," he answers in kind, and lifts the beat-up Mr. Coffee from its home to pour you a cup. The Phillip J. Coulson Memorial Academy supplies a Keurig for each dorm, but Quentin insists he drinks enough coffee to warrant a larger model. So far, you haven't found cause to disagree with him. He stirs in a small packet of cocoa and a little milk before handing it to you. You wonder if he knows you wanted it that way because he's in your head, or because he's just picked up on your tastes so quickly. "Because I've just picked up on your tastes. For coffee, anyway." That response was through telepathy, answering a question you hadn't meant to ask mentally, but... here we are.

"Sorry," you blush a little, accepting the mug and taking a sip. It's not the homemade biscuits and gravy they serve in the cafeteria, but it's a damn good start. "You seem upset, Quentin. What's up?"

He sighs. Internally and externally. It creates an odd sort of reverb effect. "Um... a lot. It's... the Morlocks."

"... is everything OK?"

"No. Nobody's hurt, that I know of, but someone broke into their hideout and trashed the place Friday night."

"Oh no! How did they even find it!?"

"I don't know. I... spent more of yesterday answering questions and trying to plead logic and sanity than asking them."

"Do they have any leads?"

He scoffs, and buries his nose in the mug. "No. No real ones anyway... they think you did it."

"Me!? But... we were together! Above-ground! Fighting... Dick Fisto!"

"The Star Wars reference earns you brownie points, and I know. Trust me. I tried to tell them at least a hundred times. I offered to get them copies of the police report, corroboration from Roxy or Kitty... they weren't having it. They're convinced you had something to do with it, even if you weren't directly responsible."

"But... why? Why me and not you?"

Quentin looks at you with mixed sympathy and frustration. "Because you're not a mutant, Vilina."

Wow. What a... weird justification. It's so stupid, it gets more asinine the more you think about it and yet... the blind, ignorant accusation only makes more sense coming from the scared, downtrodden, outcasts literally living in an abandoned New York subway station. Paranoia only breeds more paranoia and if they have nobody else to talk to outside of their little community... soon that paranoia gets galvanized by self-confirmed biases. Rhetoric disguises itself as fact. Before you know it... they've decided on the perpetrator with or without a trial. If they were being more militant about it, you might be the target of a literal witch-hunt. Are they being militant about it?

"Should... I be worried?"

Quentin shakes his head, accepting your empty cup and rinsing both his and yours out in the sink. "Not yet, no... hopefully not ever. Callisto doesn't think you had anything to do with it... based on the fact that you wouldn't drink a beer of all things. ... or maybe that's just her hiding her real reasons. I don't know. I thought I knew a lot of things about them yesterday that they proved were untrue..."

"What about Maggott? I'm surprised he'd be so... fiery about this."

"He's... not, really. From what I understand it's mostly Marrow riling people up. Like I said, you're the first non-mutant they've allowed down there... and then a week later this happens. Honestly I don't even know how many of the Morlocks actually think you did it. I think they just want someone to blame. They wanna feel safe... it was their home that was broken into... and since most authorities would consider them trespassing in the first place, they're not going to find a lot of sympathy from the cops about this kind of thing. They have nowhere else to turn... I dunno, maybe subconsciously they feel like if it was you that did it they can steel themselves for next time... feel safe again."

"... but it wasn't me."

"No, it wasn't. And that's why I'm concerned and not just frustrated with them. I'm worried this... false preparation is going to leave them open to whoever broke in in the first place."

"Do... you have any leads?"

"I wouldn't even know where to begin."

Poor guy. You can tell this whole thing has him at odds with himself. He seems a bit less consumed by it since you've been able to share... maybe a change of scenery will help.

"I'm going to the cafeteria for breakfast. You wanna come?"

He glances over to the clock. "Almost brunch now, but sure. I... ... ... haven't slept. Or eaten, basically since yesterday afternoon. That will be lovely."

The two of you leave Robbie and Elvin to their gaming and head out into the campus, making a fair bee-line for the cafeteria. Two orders of biscuits and gravy and two shortstacks of pancakes later, you're feeling much better. The best you've felt since the fight, honestly. Quentin looks less stressed, but the weariness is showing, even through his tinted glasses. You don't really want to press, but... there's a question you need answers to, and you're not sure it can wait. Besides, he's been less closed-off all morning; this might be your best chance to get a straight answer.

"So... about Friday night... after I hit the tree, in the woods... you helped me up."

He takes a deliberate sip of juice. It doesn't quite have the same 'cool-guy' air as when he does it with a cup of coffee, but it still gives him the opportunity to hide his mouth and eye you simultaneously. "... yeah?"

"... was it really you? Like, physically you? You were... different. And it felt like one second you were there, and the next you were gone. Over talking to Spider-man."

"Hm." He pauses for a long time, and for a few moments the buzzing in your head grows softer... but it returns not long after. "How much do you know about mutants? Like, before they became public knowledge?"

"Not a lot," you admit. "I started looking into it a bit leading up to my parents getting me tested, but... well, then I wasn't, and we aren't really sure what I am, so I just moved on to other interests."

Quentin nods. "There's some argument about who first started using it... some say it was the government, or some other private mutant-tracking organization... some say it was mutants themselves... but back in the 80s this term started getting tossed around. 'Omega mutant'. It basically means a mutant whose genetic potential for power is... like... off-the-charts. Their grasp of their powers might start small, but the more they use them the more they find they can do. I'm an Omega mutant. Hence the name," he gestures rather plainly. "So... I told you that to answer the follow-ups you're going to have when I answer your actual question... no, I wasn't physically there. I hadn't even quite caught up yet. Once I broke the connection with everyone else, I had to check on you. Robbie can take care of himself, his powers will take care of him... but you're as fragile as I am--" he hesitates, and that familiar buzz fills your brain again. You switch from the more casual conversation you were having over food to that mental link he establishes so smoothly. "I was terrified for you. I was afraid you were seriously hurt, or worse. So... I tried to reach out to you and I guess I put more English on it than usual... I don't know. I'm not sure how I did it, but as much as I was hurrying toward the parking lot, I was standing in the trees above you. It was dark, and a little hazy... I think... I think maybe I was really only standing in the trees as you could perceive them... and when you took my hand, everything got clearer. You laughed, and I knew you were OK. And then just as easily as it had started... it was gone." He ends his statement with a simple shrug, his mouth a line at a loss. The buzzing fades, and he leans back in his chair, finishing his juice.

"Huh... you were really that worried about me?"

"Of course! You're my friend. Maybe the best one I've got, if I'm being really honest with myself. I'm not clueless to how I come off. I'm... acerbic at the best of times. Combative at the worst. For whatever reason you've gone out on a limb for me several times despite only meeting me a few weeks ago and I... ... I really value that."

There's an earnest honesty to the way he's talking. The kind of naked verity he usually reserves for telepathy. It's comforting... not only because it's a wonderful compliment and a refreshing example of vulnerability from someone so guarded... but it's also lacking that edge of... ambition that Roxy had when she talked to you last night. That Kitty had when she talked about Robbie. Quentin doesn't seem to want anything out of you beyond friendship at this point, and that sort of mutual respect is a vibe you could really get used to.

"Thank you, Quentin. You're my friend, too. I'm honored with how much you trust me." You reach out and put your hand over his in platonic gratitude. He smiles, squeezes back softly, then rises from his seat.

"Well, I always adore chatting with you, Vilina, but I'm beyond exhausted and I'm tired of smelling like a subway car full of stale cigarettes. I should head back to the dorm. See you in class Monday?"

"Of course. Sleep well, Quentin."

He waves to you as he leaves, and you take care of the trash before heading off yourself. You take the opportunity to get a little lost on the campus, which is a bit harder than you'd initially think. Each building just sort of... flows well, loops around, and goes right back to the exit. Underground it's a bit easier to lose your way as the lack of natural light makes exit doors less obvious, but elevator bays are built into slightly different-shaped walls with different molding and decoration so you can spot them from a fair distance away. Fewer students around campus helps, too, because the halls aren't littered with foot traffic. You aren't quite sure exactly where you are when you run into them... but as you're rounding a corner you hear older male voices and are stunned for just a second when you see who they belong to. One of them belongs to an incredibly fit blonde man in a subdued blue tactical uniform with a subtle star motif. You're pretty sure you recognize him. The other looks like he shops at the same 'cool black coat' store Kid Omega does, is bald, and has an eyepatch.

"I'm just having a hard time trusting her as much as I used to, Steve."

"Trusting her isn't your problem right now--"

"No, it is my problem! I'm trying to run this organization and I'm tired of having unpredictable elements underneath me."

"Everything Natasha did, she did for. Us. You said it yourself; she does the stuff I won't, the stuff I can't. I've learned to delegate, to compartmentalize... now, I know that leaves a trail of questions and a lot of those answers don't look like they're on the up-and-up, but you've got to trust me."

"I do trust you. It's her--"

"You trust me, and I vouch for her. Let that be enough for now, Director."

Both of their backs are turned to you...

What Do You Do?
[ ] Eavesdrop.
[ ] Interrupt them.
[ ] Leave.