Marvel's Academy Alliance

[Laivindur]

Not wanting to be touched in the face by someone he just met, even if it was a pretty girl, Ben welcomed Susan with a bright grin, saying "Hey!" He chuckled at Raven's reaction to Susan's little prank, even if it was intentional or not. The raven haired trickster appreciated watching someone being surprised after all. When Simon approached, beaming with pride and glee, Ben almost started jumping up and down like a gleeful little school girl. He laughed out loud, and looked at Susan, Simon and Spider man in their uniforms before landing back on Simon, saying "You all look like cartoon figures! Oh, no, I'm just joking! You all look amazing! What extraordinary people you are! Look at you!" Ben gestured for Simon's outfit, and while noting Margaret and her dad's reaction to some of the teens leaving, he continued seemingly unaffected "Show me a super hero pose! You too, Susan! Show me your best move!" While pretending to be fully emerged in the glee and excitement going on between the teens, Ben prepared to blink himself out of there at the first sign of danger. Even if Margaret and Steve could be trusted, it didn't mean their superior could be. Never again would he be locked up, chained, or concealed. It was just how it needed to be. He hadn't done anything wrong. Never.

 

[mr_pibbs]

Character Sheet: Here
Location: The Limo
Mentioned: Dani & Pitor (@Michale CS)
Interactions: Both
Outfit: X-Men Uniform

Anton let out a heavy sigh as he waited outside the X-Mansion, patiently tapping his toes. He and Pitor had been assigned by the Professor to some super-secret superhero team that S.H.I.E.L.D. was putting together. Seeing as how Anton wasn't feeling all that welcome with the X-Men presently due to various circumstances, the Professor thought it would be a good idea for him to experience a different team dynamic; one with people who weren't all mutants. As it turned out, Pitor was the first representative the Professor had sent over to the group, but Anton volunteered based off of what he and the Professor had already talked about. It was time for a change of scenery... However long it took.

Soon though, a limousine pulled up in the driveway and Anton snatched up his bags and let out a soft smile. "Didn' know wear gettin' such a fancy treatment, eh Pitor?" Anton asked, smiling softly at his friend. "S.H.I.E.L.D. must rally like us."

As soon as the vehicle stopped, Anton climbed in, nodding at Pitor as he allowed the brunette to enter first. But as soon as they did, the two were greeted by a blonde woman who introduced herself as Danni. Anton waved politely at her, smiling a little as he slid into his seat, pushing his body out of the way as Pitor climbed into the car. Even in his human form, the Russian was massive and imposing. Thankfully though, the limo had way more room on the inside than most other vehicles Anton had been in with Pitro (an especially bad experience during the first time he got into the Blackbird and had to sit near the back with Colossus on one side and Nightcrawler on the other came to mind), which he was thankful for. However, when their passenger suddenly turned on a playlist, Anton cleared his throat. Ah gawd, anythan but this... he thought, trying to put on a polite face so as to not irritate his new 'friend'. He couldn't stand mid-2000's music; Anton was more of a 'classics' lover (basically anything from the 50's up until the late 90's).

Looking at Danni while trying to push the music out of his mind, Anton spoke. "So, uh, Danni... Ya'll mentioned yer parents owned tha lima. What, uh... What da yer parents dew? Masta cost a pretty panny."

 

[Michale CS]

Collab with @LocalAreaMan and @mr_pibbs

Looking at Danni while trying to push the music out of his mind, Anton spoke. "So, uh, Danni... Ya'll mentioned yer parents owned tha lima. What, uh... What da yer parents dew? Masta cost a pretty panny."

"Rot, mostly. They died in a plane crash I survived. I actually said my parents left me the company. Caretakers run Rand Corporation right now... And Rand, well is into a lot of things, import/ export, manufacturing... Honestly I was eight when the crash happened. I'm a little out of touch." I admitted it freely. No sense in pretending.

"Oh, aahh..." Anton replied, suddenly gritting his teeth nervously, "Ahm... Ahm sorry 'ta hear that, Danni..." Anton cleared his throat again, not having expected such a blunt response from Danni. However, what made things a bit more interesting was when she mentioned her last name; Rand. So, she was the infamous Danielle Rand. Anton didn't know too much about her parents or the company, but he knew one thing; she was rich. As in, Yosemite Sam gun-shootin' rootin-tootin' rich. She likely had more money just sitting around in her kitchen drawer then Anton would ever see in his entire life.

"Well, uh... So... Danni... Abveoslee that's a sore tapic... But, uh... What's yer specialty? Like, why is S.H.I.E.L.D so intarested in yew?"

"I was found by monks and taken to the mystical land of Kun L'un. I trained with them, and became the latest Immortal Iron Fist." I replied, fully aware of how insane it sounded.

"I'd show you the tattoo but we're not even dating" I pulled one small corner of my top away to reveal the top of the tattoo across my chest.

Anton puffed out his cheeks, looking at Danni with absolute shock. "Huh. The Immartal Eye-ron Fist... Sounds, uh... Camplicated." Anton stated, turning a cautious eye towards Pitor. "Ah can take the pawas of anythin' ah touch, an' my friend here can turn all shiny an' metal-like. Ain't that right, Pitor?"

"I saw that when he bottomed out the limo when he got in. My power is chi-based and a product of training. Be interesting to see... With... Proper supervision, if you get anything from me at all."

Piotr had looked away quickly when Danni moved her top away. That was... Not right to look at a woman that way. "Da."

Anton hadn't paid much attention to Danni pulling away her top; nothing he hadn't seen before. In Mississippi, there was an abundance of dirty magazines laying around in the woods for anyone to find. Though Anton wasn't one to just outright take one, he had seen a few friends on the playground checking out the latest edition back when he was a kid in middle school.

But in response to her words, Anton shrugged and cast her another nervous smile. "Yeah... Well, ah don't know 'bout that. Ahm not too fand a' the idea of bein' exparimented ahn... Kanda had a bad experiance..."

"I'm just guessing that someone in the program will want to test it out. I don't care much either way myself." I replied.

"Yeah... Unfartunately Ah don't think it'll werk the way they may want it ta. Ahm a little like a vampiya... Ah-Ah can kinda drain paeple... Until they, uh... They die. If ahm nawt carefall, that is..."

I let that sink in. "I have a lot more life energy to spare, but I think I'll pass, regardless."

The music changed again, and seemed appropriate somehow...

As the song was winding down, we arrived at the base.

Piotr knew Anton's taste in music and knew these songs were probably just 'раздражающий шум' annoying noise, to him.

As the music changed, Anton let out a brief sigh. Wasn't a song he would choose himself, but it was at least something new. But thankfully, they arrived at the base fairly quickly after.

"Well... Let's git ta impressin', shall we?"

"Sure." I got out of the limo and strode over to wherever we were supposed to check in, before asking my most important question; "Where can I work out and not worry about breaking everything with my abilities?" And I, and by extension, Anton and Piotr, were shown the way.

As Margaret flipped through the paperwork from SHIELD about the change in personnel, she looked tired, frustrated, and yet not surprised all at once. It has felt like for every step forward this damn thing has had two steps taken away from it. Still the three new recruits all had something intriguing to them.

Danni Rand was someone she had heard about from random chatter at SHIELD. The once thought long dead heir to the Rand Corporation throne. Turns out she had been existing in another plane of existence with monks and gaining mystical training and powers. Not unlike so many other plane crash victims right?

The other two were from the X-Men, so in a lot of ways that news alone was a comforting one. The X-Men were a loose cooperation with SHIELD. With mutants popping up around the world keeping their existence has become increasingly difficult. Thus Nick Fury turned to Charles Xavier for assistance. The group operate out of shadows, conducting secretive work that help mutants trying to lead quiet lives. While also taking out and putting away the more hostile or power hungry ones. So needless to say, even the few they're getting are not going to need much training to get into the swing of things.

Especially someone like Piotr Rasputin, she had only seen him in person from a distance. But it was impossible to ignore him even then. The guy is a freak of genetic nature, able to turn into steel and can take more than enough punishment while dishing it out times three. Hilariously the story is Piotr is coming to the academy through the art program. She immediately had a mental image of him with a giant bushy afro, painting happy little trees with a tiny in comparison brush. She had to stifle the chuckle bubbling up her throat quickly.

Anton Marie was someone she wasn't nearly as familiar with, even casually speaking. Though everything suggested he was a more recent recruit. It was his powers that were the most interesting thing about him, interesting in terms of the sheer power and danger associated with them. She hoped he could slip into a more casual, not as welcoming to his powers situation that the academy is going to bring.

Before she could dwell on the group any further, Steve got her attention as of all things a limo had arrived. She wanted to pout and complain about how they didn't get a sweet entrance, but then again it was Danni Rand so… maybe if they can get the budget for this project to increase next fiscal year.

Steve and Margaret came up as the driver had stepped out of the driver's seat, going to the side door the driver politely opened the door revealing the three inside. Looking comfortable even with the 6 foot 6 Piotr stuffed inside with them. "Hello!" Steve began with a hearty wave and smile. "Good to see the three of you made it alright. I'm Steve Rogers, academy dean and head of the operations for the program."

Steve gestured over to Margaret, who despite putting on the warm smile still had a faint air of being miffed to her. "This is Margaret, my daughter and field commander."

"Zdrastvoydze, Kaptain, zevodchka." Colossus said respectfully with a deep bow of his head. "It is good to be here"

"Yeah, whatever he said. This program must be a big deal to have you in charge of it. They say you've mastered dozens of martial arts styles. I'd love to spar sometime." Danni stepped right up to them, expertly weaving past both Piotr and Anton as she slid out of the limo.

Piotr took a bit longer to unfold himself and get out of the vehicle, but looked very relieved to be able to stand and stretch.

As Anton followed closely behind Pitor, he watched carefully as Steve Rogers approached and greeted the arriving group, introducing both himself and his daughter, Margaret. She was pretty, Anton thought. But then again; Rogers was a handsome man and despite Anton being as straight as a ninety-degree angle, he would have been lying to himself if he didn't acknowledge the beefcake in the room. Apart from Pitor, that was.
"Howdy, Cap. Ahm Antawn, but yew can just call me Rogue... Or don't... Doedn't really matter ta me." Anton said, offering the two a nod. "Ah'd shake yer hand, but, uh..." he continued, "Well, uh... Yew've read ma file. Bet Charles told yew 'bout mah little dilemma already."

Taking a step back and awkwardly grasping his right bicep with his left hand, Anton's eyes quickly flashed towards the floor. "Ah may nawt be able to touch somethin' without things goin' awry, but Ah hope that doesn't make yew think Ahm a freak. Ahm jus' tryin' to dew the right thing, same as ya'll..."

Piotr made a gruff sound of disapproval and set a hand on Anton's shoulder. "What did we discuss about this, dorogoi droog? There are no freaks, da? Everyone is different. I am not allowing you to... How you say?... Have a pity party. You are chosen for illustrious program! Be proud!"

Anton gently shrugged his shoulder, brushing Pitor's hand off of him. "Appreciate it, Pitor; but ya'll might not wanna dew tha. Ah don't want tew accidentally dew somethin' tew ya." he said, casting a nervous smile at his long-time friend.

<<"Greetings to you as well Piotr.">> Steve Rogers said to Piotr, giving the giant Russian a firm handshake even as the larger man had a grip of semi-metaphorical iron. <<"I will warn you I don't think anyone in the group speaks fluent Russian very well. My daughter does…">>

<<"It's not good however.">> Margaret added in Russian herself, but it was clear to a trained ear the pronunciations weren't quite right.

"Still, Xavier said a lot of great things about you, hopefully you can back it all up." Steve added, slipping almost unnaturally casually back into English.

Steve turned to Danni, holding up his hands defensively yet playfully. "Hey I might be the old Captain America, but I haven't seen much action in the last 40 or so years." He gently patted Margaret on the back who approached the young woman. "Now Margaret on the other hand is a natural. Trained by the best in SHIELD."

Margaret smirked, he recalled the details about Danni's very impressive fighting credentials. Apparently when SHIELD asked for a demonstration of her fighting abilities. Danni excelled in a way that left even the very well trained hand-to-hand fighters second guessing wanting to challenge her. For Margaret though she looked a good fisticuff, helped take out the stress in her life. So to have someone in Danni Rand who can not only take it, but dish it out possibly better? Margaret silently salivated at the thought.

"Don't let the looks fool you, I'm down to spar whenever, wherever." Margaret told Danni, cracking her knuckles against her dark brown leather combat gloves. Margaret turned her attention finally to Anton. The Southern gent was looking at the two Rogers in a way that made Margaret wonder if asking why would be a good idea or not.

Regardless she gave Anton an understanding nod. "Don't worry I get it, hopefully when we get you into Manhattan Academy we can find a way to work around that so you won't hurt anyone." She noted to Rogue before folding her arms. "Either way I'm definitely going to be interested in seeing all you can do, your records made it interesting."

By the time Margaret and Steve had their small talk with the trio the remainder of the group came back into the parking lot to greet the threesome. Steve and Margaret quickly realizing that they were all there. "Hey now everyone easy, give them some space." Steve jokingly suggested as he carefully motioned for the group to back up, Margaret included.

"Anyways, Piotr, Anton, Danielle. Allow me to introduce you to the rest of the group…" Steve took a moment to point out each person. "This is Susan Storm, Reed Richards…"

Reed leaned in to Susan as he also gave the other newcomers a friendly wave. "It uh… it looked as bad as I think it did, didn't it?" He asked Susan quietly about the very recent moment of him looking foolish. As he quietly slipped Margaret back her shield. Who put it onto the wrist strap device that held it in place. Only to pause as she realized it had a small weird bit of sliminess on it.

"Simon Williams, Margaret Rogers… my daughter, Ben Baker, Raven, Peter Parker, and Gwen Stacy. Everyone, I'd like for you to meet Piotr Rasputin and Anton Marie, they're from a side group of SHIELD known as the X-Men. I'll explain more about them in a little bit. Also, this is Danielle Rand."

 

[Ms.Ezra]

Collab Post with Laivandur, Gands and LocalAreaMan​

Simon & Susan

Simon is in fact incredibly happy. But he does notice something in the back of Bens expression that makes him curious.
He stops and looks at his roomate for a moment.

Meanwhile, Susan senses a chance to show off a bit. She concentrates for a moment & makes Raven invisible.

"Look at yourself she tells Raven."

Raven Darkholme/Mystique

Raven is looking aside at Simon having a semi-private word with Ben when Susan commences her trick. At the other girl's suggestion, she turns to her and asks "What? Do I have something on my face?" She touches her lips and feels nothing, then looks down to attempt to check the tip of her nose as she reaches for that next. Not seeing her nose, Raven gasps and jumps an inch off the floor and back. "What happened?" The girl tries to look down at the rest of herself and sees nothing. A moment passes as she examines herself. Still solid, so still there in the physical sense. She concludes it has to be she's been rendered invisible.

"Oh ja, so this is your power." Raven giggles and while the invisible cloak is on her, she changes. "Make me visible again, and I will show you mine."

When Susan does as asked, the others don't see the Raven from before. They see her natural form in her school uniform. She smiles at them "I like your outfit by the way. I want to try it on." She then changes to appear to be wearing Susan's suit. Raven looks at herself. "Hmm. Blue on blue is not fashionable. How does this look?" She asks and changes again, this time to her 'normal' appearance in the suit and does a spin.

Ben/Loki

"Yes, everything is perfect, honey. Don't worry about me," Ben teased flirtatiously as Simon once again acted like an overprotective boyfriend. What Ben realized was that Simon possibly carried a large set of intuition to be able to break through Ben's act. That in itself, Ben valued in a friend. The ability to discern whenever and wherever to confront him about it however, he valued even further. Simon would have to pay and learn for each time he outed Ben like he did just now, so the gilded teen grinned and reached up to Simon's cheek to stroke it gently as an addition to his flirtatious tease. Hearing Raven react to being invisible however, made Ben laugh and step back a bit. He stepped back to avoid any retaliation from Simon too, who'd already made it quite clear to Ben he was not interested in the same sex. To flick Simon's worry away with a joke suited Benjamin quite well, and just like that he hoped they could return to being teens having their dreams fulfilled.

Simon & Susan

Simon grew a concerned look as Ben teased him, caressing his face. He resisted grabbing his friend and just let it go. But quite clearly to Raven and Sue, his expression slowly changed to a more thoughtful, but still concerned look.

Susan was having fun for a change with her powers. She of course turned it off when Raven asked and laughed & clapped as the other girl changed forms. She is astute enough to catch Ben's teasing and Simon's odd expression.

Susan promised herself, her mothering instincts engaged, to talk to the boys later.

Ben/Loki

"That's-! How are you doing that? That's almost like me!" Ben said to Raven, glancing between the girls in a comical looking expression of awe. To further push Simon's untimely worry away, he put a hand on his shoulder and said friendly to the group of four "I never believed I could meet people like-...You know...Like you!" Ben was certain he'd seem super innocent saying stuff like that. Ben was, in a way, as innocent as he sounded, however not quite.

Raven Darkholme/Mystique

"Danke, danke." Raven says to each of them smiling wider as she basks in their praise, small as it may be. All this time she's been afraid people would scream, run to see her change. Yet these people...no her peers even...they loved it. Hearing Ben say she was like him was the perfect lead-in to her next set of changes.

"Why yes, I can be like you." Raven changes into his mirror image, right down to the pose and expression. She puts on a flirtatious smile and copies his voice to say "Hello, handsome." Then she turns to Susan, and Simon, turning into each of them as she does in two blinks of the eye. "Or you, or you."

She changes back to herself in the school uniform and shrugs, smiles "As for how? Well...I was born like this. Made my parents.." Raven stops herself from revealing a bit too much of what it was actually like being this way. "....not sure who was coming to dinner to say the least."

Simon & Susan

Susan is feeling pretty good now. What Raven could do was nearly magical. . Her own powers, while they needed a bit of polish and practice were going to be very useful. She wasn't entirely sure what Ben could do yet. Nor, was she sure certain about Simon either. The brief interaction
between the boys still had a bit of her attention. What was clear, Ben was teasing Simon with the feminine touching & Simon didn't care for it.

Simon took a moment to gather himself. Ben's teasing was neither expected nor understood. At least at first. The pieces were finally starting to be put together in his head. The style of touching, the tone of his voice. Ben likes other boys....

The fact hit him hard and quick. A few minutes of remembering some of that previous several weeks of social training moved back to the front of his head.. It was okay to be Ben's friend and roommate, as long ss Simon's own preferences were clear. Now, while his mind wrestled with this.. Raven continued to change shapes. Pretty incredible really. He managed a smile and clapping.

Ben/Loki

Benjamin appreciated Simon letting the matter go, and gawked excitedly at his own image, made by someone other than him. It also freaked him out a little, but for now, he chose not to reveal that part. He would simply take it into consideration for later. The picture of Raven being able to fool her parents with her powers made Ben laugh merrily. Grinning he said "That's great! You could do that in front of your parents? I'd love to do that!" Shrugging and lifting his hands in a jester like way Ben explained wryly "I couldn't, cause I'd never know what they'd think of me." Lowering his hands and looking at Raven with warm acceptance, Ben said "But I'm glad you could live freely like that." Unaware of how Raven's upbringing truly was however, Benjamin continued, asking Susan "How about you?"

Susan

" I'd like to think my parents would be proud Ben. I live with my maternal Aunt Marygay. She's a nice lady and all, but really doesn't do much parenting of us. My brother and I. My powers came to me after my parents were out of the picture " She has something of a haunted expression, just for a moment, then her smile returns.

Reed Richards

As everyone's gazes, even for just a second, all turn towards the young genius. They all get to watch on as part of Reed's tongue gently licked a small part of the shield. "...wat?" Reed asked aloud, glancing back before finally letting his tongue off the artifact. "Just... science isn't always pretty you know..." He noted to them with a nod of the head.

Raven Darkholme/Mystique

The girl manages to keep herself from reacting emotionally to the blissful idea of being able to do this in front of her parents without the usual consequences. She only replies "They rather I not change in front of them." And leaves it at that. All throughout their interaction she has caught on to the way Ben has touched and teased Simon, which only served to reinforce her thought from earlier that Ben was not exactly 'straight' at the least. But she is thankful to have captured his attention with her tricks.

Raven's own attention is diverted by the door opening as three more people enter the room. Before her eyes fall on them however, they fall on Reed as he….licks the shield Margaret had been holding? Raven is silent a moment, then starts giggling. Just a little at first, then louder until she was fully laughing and holding her sides. It subsides rather quickly as the girl composes herself and walks over to the group of new arrivals, still giggling a bit.

"Hallo, willkommen bei ... wie auch immer das heißt. Oh! Es tut uns leid!" She giggles and starts over. "I apologize, I forget to speak English here sometimes. Hello, welcome, I am Raven."

 

[Gands]

Simon Williams

Simon turned to look at the new group as they arrived, watching social expert Raven quickly go over there.
He noticed too Susan's slightly emotional reply to Ben. Seems like he isn't the only one with issues with life.

He slowly makes his way to the new group of three, one athletic looking girl, one large dark haired guy and a second slightly smaller brown haired guy. He doesn't quickly introduce himself because they seem busy, but will do so when things clear up a little. He wonders to himself if he can continue rooming with Ben, how that will work.

 

[Laivindur]

By the dip of tone in Raven's voice Benjamin guessed that his first impression of her family probably wasn't correct. His grin slowly diminished when looking at Susan as he took in the fact that others were off worse than he was- At least Ben still had his parents. Perhaps Benjamin and Raven had more in common than what he thought at first, and Susan didn't even get to tell her parents she had powers. Poor girl, the raven haired trickster thought. In Ben's eyes, the blonde, invisible-girl by the pure name of Susan seemed like a delicate damsel, trapped by the loneliness of responsibility and chivalry of taking care of her little brother, and distant aunt. Susan was probably in need of care and love, from someone else than her family, whom she obviously wouldn't let in to see how alone she truly felt. Perhaps that was why she chose to read a book in the bus rather than socializing with her new team- She felt lonely. Or...she could simply be an arrogant bitch. Benjamin could only fantasize, and time could only tell. Anyway, Benjamin was tactical enough to offer the two girls a compassionate look before the new arrivals got their attention, and he shared in the laughter caused by Reed's oddities. What a pup!
Three teens entered the room of pods; a huge, friendly looking one. A tall, sexy looking one, and a tough looking girl with a righteous look in her eyes, which Ben had seen sometime, somewhere before. It gave him the chills, but all in good time. Ben lingered so he could join Simon's side, and speak with him privately while the girls greeted the newcomers. It didn't seem like zombie-boy had been humored by Ben's innocent joke, and Ben didn't want Simon to think he was being mean to him. As Raven stepped over to the newcomers with a charming and eccentric introduction, Ben however, realized she was making herself look stupid, on purpose! He recognized her tactic as one of his own, and after swallowing a smile, Ben could finally address Simon with his point. Benjamin played along with Raven's act, and made her an example to what he wanted to teach Simon- what not to do, and what to do. Ben gestured discreetly towards Raven, and said suddenly quiet and serious to his friend "See that...?" He patted Simon's shoulder friendly and explained with pointed eyes on his "Time and place, zombie boy." German was not a language to greet someone with on American soil. Nobody forgets to speak English in an English speaking country...Or American...Whatever. Whether Simon understood Ben or not, Ben didn't care, for it was only that long a couple of friends could share secret words until someone noticed. Obviously expecting Simon to either understand, or think about that for a moment, now or later, Ben straightened up and started towards the group of gathering people. Should Simon insist however, and stop to demand elaboration, Ben would incline. If something bothered Simon that much, he would stop to talk for a moment. After all, two friends talking demanded less attention than a dumbfounded teen standing still in the middle of the room looking after his friend, currently abandoning him. Now that calls for drama.

 

[Michale CS]

"Sie sind auch willkommen, Frau." I managed, in a very bad accent. Kurt had taught me a few words of German, and I a few to Kurt of Russian. That is about where my comprehension ended until she switched to English, of which I have a greater command.

"It is good to meet you Frau Raven. I hope we can become druz'ya... Friends, Da? I am Piotr Nickolievich Rasputin, but you can call me Piotr. All of you, of course."
I smiled as I greeted her and the others. I am a good judge of people. It comes from listening more than talking, I think.

​

Well this was a wad of awkward, wasn't it?
I tried to make light of all if it, even the guy who I swore was licking that shield. "Is that your way of saying we have to kiss up to S.H.I.E.L.D.?"

I chuckled a bit and closed with them. "Danielle Rand, the Immortal Iron Fist. But you can just call me Danni. So, what I do, kind of obviously, is martial arts. And not just ordinary stuff..."

I fired up my smartphone, starting a song to get me hyped up enough to summon the Iron Fist, which I did. Yeah... I was showing off. But first impressions, right?

 

[Gands]

Simon stood and listened to Ben's whisper. Being clued in to the intricacies of Social interaction by way of Raven's example. This was not something his very basic social training gave him. He began to understand a tiny fraction of how Ben thought. How deep his friend's social perception was compared to his own.

" I have a lot to learn my friend. Remind me later to ask you what a Zombie is. I hope not everyone plays this social game as you and she do ? "

 

[Laivindur]

Ben stopped to turn and look at Simon, who reminded him of the monster Frankenstein created, not knowing it was a monster. Ben stepped one step closer, and said with a compassionate smile, pretty much like a much more compassionate Dr Frankenstein would say to his huge, innocent monster "You'll learn. In time." Ben gave Simon a reassuring look before he finally turned to watch people greet each other, until he would have to present himself, or be presented to, preferably by Margaret or Steve. Or someone else important. Ben smiled intrigued by the Iron fist when seeing that, and looked expectantly at the other two. He was curious about their powers and abilities.

 

[Gands]

Simon

" For the record Ben, Yes, I will learn in time. I'll have to I think. I have quite a bit to catch up on. Just try to remember how inept I can be about the intricate social stuff and try to be patient with me, and I'll be patient with you ! "

Ben could tell Simon felt more at ease now, relaxed compared to just a few minutes ago.

" I am going to introduce myself, do you want me to introduce you too ? Or are you going to wait for the right moment ?"

 

[Ms.Ezra]

"Sie sprechen Deutsch mit russischem Akzent. Das ist lustig!" Raven exclaims, excited to hear Piotr even attempt to speak her language. "I said, 'You speak German with a Russian accent. That is funny!; In good way, not mean, I promise." She assures the larger of the group. At the smaller but very dashing young man next to him, she winks and gives a bashful smile. She might have said something to this boy and broken her own rule, but then Danielle took the center stage not only with her audacious title of 'Immortal Iron Fist', but the demonstration she puts on. Raven bops her head to the beat of the music at first, then she stops and her eyes go wide witnessing her fist light up. This day was just getting more interesting by the minute.

"Woww." Raven claps and rolls up the sleeve of her right arm. "Let me try." She closes her eyes, concentrates, and shifts into a copy of Danielle. Easy enough. The real trick was trying to mimic the glow in her fist. Bioluminesence was harder to do even if Raven knew the process from her studies. Her hand tenses, and after a few moments flickers yellow like a match in the wind. Another couple moments and further concentration, she manages to make her fist light up just like Danielle's. Raven opens her eyes and looks proud of herself. "Already learning new things. I like!"

 

[Brea]

Gwen & Peter

Just as Gwen was zipping up her backpack she heard a hearty cheer echo throughout the room, causing her to look up. She lifted the bag from the floor and pulled it over her shoulders. The place was mostly quiet, and she dismissed the cheer. With one last glance in the mirror, just to admire how truly good she looked in her new suit, Gwen opened her door and exited her personal changing room. Her blue eyes swept over the place, almost immediately landing on Peter from across the way. He was crawling down the wall, and she watched as he gracefully flipped off and landed in a typical 'Super Hero Pose.' It was at this moment that she realized she was smiling. With a sheepish glance around, Gwen pulled the smile from her lips, replacing it with a look of disinterest. She tried to look away from him, go to join the rest of the group. But, Gwen simply couldn't get her feet to move. Why was that? I should confront him before we actually have to do work together, Gwen thought, trying to find a reason why she shouldn't just go join the rest of the team. She was lying to herself. If Gwen took the time to really think things through she would know she was in some sort of denial. Still, she wouldn't even recognize the fact that she was staring at his nicely shaped rear end. His new suit was more form fitting than the old one, she never noticed what an attractive ass he had...

There may not be a better time to talk to him... Gwen lifted her hand and shot some of her organic webbing at the ceiling above her. As she used it to throw herself upward she appreciated how much her aim had improved with the aid of the gadgets installed on the wrists of her suit. They were small and subtle, but already Gwen could see they would be a lot of help. Once on the ceiling, Gwen crawled across it until she was directly above Peter. She then shot some webbing between her feet and onto the ceiling, creating a nice strong base before flipping upside down and lowering herself on a single string. She noted that her webbing seemed stronger, and it came out much smoother too. Gwen stopped about two feet above Spider-Man, when she noticed her hair in the mirror. She now realized she should have put it up instead of allowing it to follow the flow of gravity. "Hello Peter," She said simply, looking down at him. It wasn't anything witty or clever, but she hoped she was at least sneaky enough to startle the teenage boy.

Peter let out a deep sigh as he further examined himself in the mirror, letting out various 'oohs' and 'aahs' while studying the new design of his suit. He also reverted to a few different poses, standing quite proudly with his legs extended and arms at the waist. "Fear not, citizen; your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man has arrived." he stated, deepening his voice slightly as if to sound more masculine. He waved his right hand in the air as if replying to someone, his eyes closed tightly. "No, there's no need to thank me. It's a hero's duty to help." It seemed that as of right now, Peter was all too caught up in his little repertoire to notice the white and black clad woman approaching him from behind. But as Gwen approached, she would have witnessed him place a hand on the back of his head and declare "Well I don't know much about the sport, but I'd be more than happy to serve you fine ladies as a guest judge at the beach-wear contest." As it seemed; his Spider-Sense had once again failed to pick up on the supposed threats he would face, though he imagined it was due in part to the fact he could literately feel Gwen's presence at all times.

"Hello Peter."

"GAH!" Peter exclaimed, suddenly jumping from his position. He loudly cleared his throat and placed his hands at his hips, turning around to face Gwen. "A-Ah, Gwen. I mean Spider-Lady-- WOMAN! Spi... Spider-Woman... *Ahem* What, uh... What's up? What'cha coming over for..."

Though he nervously sputtered out words as if he were a sprinkler system desperately trying to quell a raging fire, Peter was grateful for the mask; it hid the redder hue and embarrassed expression strewn across his face. He had thought many of the other students were too busy examining themselves to approach him, but Gwen seemed too keen on it. Perhaps she came over to rag on him a little more, to insult him and belittle Spider-Man in front of their new team. He sincerely hoped she didn't, but in case she did, he had a repertoire prepared. But, as he waited for her response, Peter's eyes roamed across Gwen's new duds. Much like his own suit, he had to imagine that Gwen's was self-adjusting since it seemed to fit more... Intimately, than her normal attire. Perhaps it was because he made a conscious effort not to pay attention to her, but Peter had to admit that Gwen looked good in that suit. Really good. "Uh... Nice, uh... Nice suit."

An amused smile spread on Gwen's face as Peter reacted to her sudden presence. So much for Spider-Sense, huh? As he stumbled over which name to call her she disconnected from her string of webbing, flipped over and landed on her feet, now standing before him. "Spider Girl," She corrected him, something she was very used to doing. "At least, that's what they've dubbed me in the papers."

Gwen allowed her eyes to wander over his suit once more, now that she was closer she could get a really good look at it. Has Peter always had abs? She wondered, allowing her gaze to linger there longer than she maybe should have. She now couldn't decide whether he looked better in the front or in the back. Suddenly realizing where her mind was going Gwen shook her head, What the hell? This is PETER PARKER you're thinking about! She quickly banished the dirty thoughts from her mind and pulled her gaze upward. What was wrong with her? As Peter complimented her own suit Gwen squinted her eyes at him. What was his angle? She wished he wasn't wearing his mask so she could better read his expression, and regretted not putting her own mask on. Too late now. "You too," She said, her voice taking on a slightly defensive tone. "It's very... fitting." The teenage girl decided to leave it at that, not wanting to risk letting Peter in on how good he actually looked in it. No point in giving him a big head.

Finally answering his question, she added, "I thought we should talk before things get too far along here, maybe lay out some ground rules." She wondered again if he had known all this time that she was Spider Girl. He must, right? He wasn't acting particularly surprised to see her here. But, then, why had he never approached her about it?

"Right... Girl. And here I thought they were able to recognize your maturity as a wo--" Peter stated, shutting himself up almost instantly due to how weird he was beginning to sound. What the hell was he talking about, and more importantly; why did he feel that was an appropriate thing to do? "S-Sorry..."

But as he apologized, Gwen complimented his costume, which provided a much-needed change to the conversation. "Oh, y-yeah? I thought so... I-I dunno, I kind of like it. Keeps nothing to the imagination, y'know?"

However, Peter's mood shifted suddenly when Gwen mentioned setting up 'ground rules'. "Uh... What?" he asked, perking an eyebrow. His suit followed in response, with one eye getting slightly larger than the other in a display of surprise. "Ground rules? Gwen, what are you talking about? Is this a hero thing, or is this a 'Gwen' thing?"

Gwen almost nodded at Peter's comment on how nothing was left to the imagination. He wasn't wrong. "What do you mean a Gwen thing?" She asked him, clearly offended. She put her hands on her hips, shifted her weight to one foot. "It's a Make sure Peter knows how to not step on my toes thing. Being a part of a superhero team doesn't make us friends. It doesn't change anything. You know that, don't you?"

Peter crossed his arms, watching Gwen as she suddenly shifted her tone. "I think you know exactly what it means." Peter stated bluntly. "You're doing it right now."

With a heavy sigh, Peter shifted his weight onto his left leg and rolled his eyes as Gwen continued to speak. "Of course it doesn't. You're still Captain Stacy's 'precious little princess', and I'm just some dweeb from Queens. Well guess what Spider-Gwen; I was doing this thing first. If anyone's stepping on toes here; it's you. I was content on ignoring you and whatever alias you had, but you just had to walk over and start talking 'ground rules'." He explained, uncrossing his arms as he took a step towards her.

"Okay, but if we're going with 'ground rules', I've got a few of my own for you. First; stop trying to act like you're superior to me. We're in the same boat, we're trying to stop the bad guys; so cut it out. Second; think more carefully about who you try to lecture here. I don't like you and you sure don't like me. Hell, until now, I didn't even know you were Spider-Girl. Figures though; you've tried to out-do me in almost everything I'm involved with, I should've figured you were my superhero knock-off. Third, and most importantly,"

Finally uncrossing his arms, Peter approached Gwen further and pointed a finger towards her. His goggles shrunk into a squinting action and his voice deepened; as it seemed, for one of the first times since she had known him, he was deadly serious about something. Normally Peter tried to be more aloof, but if he was going to start over in a new school, he wanted to make a change. Maybe it was the suit giving him the extra boost, but whatever the case may be, Peter wasn't about to let Gwen try and dictate what he could and couldn't do, especially in regards to their superhero personas.

Taking a pause to consider his words, Peter spoke again. "Third... We don't have to like each other. I never want to be your friend, and I never have. You act like you're so high and mighty, well guess what sister; not all of us can climb onto that pedestal you've tricked yourself into standing on. But I'm trying something new here; it's called 'cooperation.' You might want to try it sometime, especially since it's not a good idea to set 'ground rules' with a team-member when they already didn't have any interest in bothering you."

And there he stood; silently watching Gwen for a moment, before he stepped back and shook his head. His goggles widened again, showing the big white lenses beneath and indicating his expression was now relaxing. "Screw your ground rules; just don't try to talk down to me and we'll both be a lot happier; sound good to you?"

The more Peter talked the angrier Gwen grew. Her face turned cold, her demeanor rigid. "I'm no knock-off," She felt the need to correct him, but he just continued on his rant. She took a subconscious step back as the teenage boy pointed his finger towards her. Thankfully, it seemed his tantrum was finally coming to an end. Gwen used both her hands to motion to the space surrounding the duo as she said, "This is exactly what I was trying to avoid, Parker. You claim you're trying to be cooperative, but what you're really doing is getting defensive. I just wanted to make sure we were on the same page." She shook her head in disbelief. Peter had thoroughly hurt her feelings, but now wasn't the time to let that show.

"What I meant by 'ground rules' was things like... let's not allow our personal opinions of each other to cloud our judgement, or... let's not try to influence our teammates opinions of one another out of spite. I was just trying to keep our personal stuff out of our super hero stuff." Gwen rolled her eyes, swept her fingers through her hair. "But if that's how you want it, fine. We'll behave like children who can't separate personal from business and give each other the silent treatment. Way to act like an adult, Spider-Man."

Peter groaned internally. As it seemed, the infamous Parker Luck had struck once again. Sure, he had come off a little strong. Make that too strong. Okay he was a jerk; but things just always got out of control when he was around Gwen. Now that he knew she was Spider-Girl, Peter suspected that something about their shared powers was playing with his head. Maybe it was the same issue that caused him to have a funny feeling in his gut when he was around her.

But the more Gwen spoke, the more Peter cursed himself internally. He lowered his hand, casting a nervous glance around the room as Gwen pointed out the flaws in his arguments. Peter let out a sigh and closed his eyes, allowing her to finish tearing him a new one before he acted again. This time, he thought before he spoke and removed his mask so Gwen could see the expression on his face. The mask made him feel strong, but right now it was time to show a little weakness. She was right; they had to be a team and right now, Peter had to repair some bridges.

"Gwen..." Peter stated, trying to keep his voice low as he cast her an apologetic look. "Look, I'm sorry. I just... I don't know what came over me. That was seriously uncalled for and I want to apologize. It's just... When I'm around you, there's this thing. It's like a little bug gnawing away at my brain. Not like a spider, but like a tick or some kind of worm. It started after I got my powers, but it... It just makes me stupid."

Peter rolled his eyes, rubbing a hand along his face. "Who am I kidding? I'm always this stupid. It's part of my shtick." He groaned, letting out a deep breath as he finished, placing his hands on his sides. Shaking his head rapidly and loudly clearing his throat, Peter's eyes quickly fell to the floor before they rose up to meet Gwen's again. "I'm sorry. I'm a big jerk and that was uncalled for. You're right; we're in the same boat now. So... We should try to work together."

Slowly removing his right hand from his waist, Peter extended it to Gwen with an open palm ready to be shook. "Can I try to start over?"

Gwen couldn't stop her eyes from widening a little bit. So, Peter felt it too... the tingling in the back of her skull whenever he was around. Now she knew if definitely had something to do with their shared abilities. Or, at least, the fact that their abilities came from the same exact thing. She watched him with slight surprise as he apologized to her... she could tell he was really bothered. Her blue eyes slowly shifted downward before landing on his outstretched hand.

For a moment, the blonde girl hesitated. Then, carefully, she reached out and gave his hand a shake. The tingling in the back of her skull grew much more intense the moment she touched him, and so she quickly let go and dropped her hand to her side. Nervously, she offered him a half smile. "Thank you, Parker. I'd like us to at least try to get along."

The two stood there a second longer, allowing the awkward feeling between them to linger just a moment more. It was the sound of new people arriving that finally caused them to look away from one another. Almost simultaneously, as if their movements were synced together, the two Spider-Heroes made their way to join the rest of the group.
​

 

[Michale CS]

"Nice trick, but there's no chi in that fist." I looked around. Damn. Everything around here looked expensive. "I'd show you the difference but I don't see anything I could hit in here that I wouldn't be charging to the Rand Corporation..."

"Since we are showing what we do, I will do as well." With that, Colossus takes on his metal form, then extends his hands in a sort of, see? This is it, sort of gesture.

 

[Gands]

Simon

He sighed to himself.

"Sorry Ben, I"m tired of waiting for these people to introduce us. " He kind of shakes himself a bit and walks up to the trio. Only looking over at Reed briefly with another shake to his head.

"Welcome to, whatever this is going to be. Secret base, cool super club. I don't know myself yet, we only got here just a little bit ahead of you. "

"My name is Simon, and this is my friend and awesome roommate Ben. This is my first time in this outfit today. So, to make my point, I kinda came back into circulation here recently and I've undergone quite a bit of testing. I've been shot, poked, prodded, blown up and blasted in any number of ways. In Short, I'd like to volunteer for test punching. "

For reference sake, Simon is about 6'2 compared to Piotr's 6'6 in human form. He is not particularly huge and thick. But he is well defined musculature wise. His eyes, are mostly red with floating spots swirling around in them.

Susan

Susan quietly sidled up to Reed. "It uh… it looked as bad as I think it did, didn't it?"
( Reed asked quietly ) " Reed, as a good friend, I have to say that's an understatement. You are lucky Benjie and Johnny aren't here." She put an arm around him. " Look, I am still screwed up and I don't think of us as together. But I"ll never be less than a good friend. Just... don't lick anyone or anything else in public ! "

" Also, great job on the outfit ! I am impressed you remembered my measurements ! " All of this was whispered into his ear.

 

[Michale CS]

​

"My name is Simon, and this is my friend and awesome roommate Ben. This is my first time in this outfit today. So, to make my point, I kinda came back into circulation here recently and I've undergone quite a bit of testing. I've been shot, poked, prodded, blown up and blasted in any number of ways. In Short, I'd like to volunteer for test punching. "

"Okay, just... don't stand in front of anything expensive. I'll go for a body shot..." I just hoped this guy wasn't exaggerating. As Simon positioned himself, I struggled to keep the Iron Fist going. Flashing back to the plane crash and just before usually worked to keep me laser focused.

I remembered the sudden cold wind as part of the roof of the plane was stripped away...
I remembered my mother unbuckling herself to go strap me in...
I remembered the look in her eyes as she was pulled out of that hole in the plane...

And I struck, directly on the breastbone. Usually a bad place to hit someone, simply because it was unlikely to do any damage. The next thing I heard was a thump as Simon slammed against the wall 30 feet behind him, shaking it and knocking a couple pictures off the wall.

But, he looked fine. A little shocked, maybe, but not injured.

"Well shit... what the Hell are you made of? Remind me never to get you mad, Simon."

 

[Laivindur]

Ben watched everyone talk, show off and mingle with amusement spread all over his face. He lifted a friendly brow at Simon as he stepped forward like an independent male. Aaww, they grow up so fast, Ben thought amused with his arms crossed. The spider couple clearly had something going, he noticed through all the mingling. Ben hoped they wouldn't cause too much drama, and would wait for a time to get to know them whenever they weren't riling each other up. As he got introduced to the newcomers by Simon Ben lifted his chin in greeting, and leaned his weight just so that the light in the room caused his gilded armor to gleam nicely. "Good to see you all," he got to say before Simon signed up to be Iron fist's test object. Ben looked skeptic, but kept himself from intervening. He feared he would regret it when watching Simon being hurled into the wall by the awesome fist of the girl, and even though Simon got back up again, uninjured, Ben waited for the rebuke, either from their Captain, or Mr Rogers. There was a reason why they had a practice room. Even though Ben had been impressed by the Iron fist, it kind of reminded him of a bad dream he'd had. About a boasting male, not able to control himself. A male he saw as a threat. Anyway, right now, he was afraid of their superiors' opinion about such untimely display of powers.

 

[LocalAreaMan]

As the group huddled around to meet the new group of recruits the buzz made the whole area just seem like a boiling pot of excitement. Still though Reed found himself needing something to get into the swing of things as Susan put it so elegantly that he looked incredibly stupid. His cheeks were burning, and he had to fight back a tear. He was hoping joining this program, on top of doing genuine good, meant that he'd finally have some freedom to be himself. Not just hide behind his work and ignore the teasing, the 'funny' little nicknames. Sure, Reed was unorthodox, and the weird blandness he got from the vibranium made doing that pointless. But it was just something his brain figured could have some use in case he ever got more vibranium (and given this organization's clear funding and resource allocation. It was very likely). He had created great things on less common thoughts and experiments.


Still, he already looked stupid in front of all these new people. Even though they already seemed like they had moved on completely, it still stuck hard in Reed's brain they'd never forget it. It would be something that would haunt him and torment him, the weirdo who licks metal. If he wanted to feel like garbage and be made fun of again, he'd go back to Midtown….


Before he could dwell on those fun little memories, Susan caught his attention again by talking about the suit. Reed hadn't had a chance to see Susan in it yet but when he gave her a very quick once over from where he was standing. Quickly to avoid making it look or feel like he was ogling her or something creepy to that effect. He tried to savage a breath to calm himself. "Yes well the suit…" Susan's mentioning of her measurements quickly slipped into Reed's hearing and suddenly he was pink on the cheeks again. This time not from embarrassment though.


"I uh… I don't believe I know those Susan…" Reed meekly pointed out, scratching his head and looking away awkwardly. "The suit's elastic fibers are just designed to comfortably fit any figure. That's all." He tried to note before letting a small cough escape his throat.


---


Both Steve and Margaret clearly tried to get control of matters before suddenly, although without any malice behind it. Simon got smashed and launched into a wall by Danni and her chi based power. Steve stepped out between the two small groups of costumed students as Margaret pointed to Danni with a look that was equal parts horrified, impressed, and a bit cheeky. "Okay when we spar, that's definitely not going to be allowed." She told Danni.


"Okay you guys calm it down, before we wreck anymore of this place on its first day." Steve told the group, waving to get their attention and also try and calm things before they get any worse. "Now that everyone's here let me start by giving you guys a tour of the facility before we get down to the nitty gritty of what the project is about."


---


Needing a distraction Reed did finally notice the three new faces in the group. He didn't recognize any of them, not that he thought he would or anything. Still they caught his attention when he got a sample of what they were capable of. The sheerly massive muscle man with the Russian accent was impressive in being able to turn into a metallic state. Two thoughts ran through Reed's mind.

1. He had to know the science behind the metal compound this Piotr turns into (Without any sort of licking…)
   
   
2. Thank God Ben isn't here… he'd want to fight the guy for no reason.

The woman though was another story. Part of Reed was very impressed with the power shown in her fist… though… chi? As in the thing they talk about in all that mythical mumbo jumbo? No, something was behind it that science could explain. Reed knew he could get down to the bottom of it.


Frankly, the group was going to learn soon why Susan, Johnny, and Ben quickly grew tired of Reed after the large scale experiment failed.


If you have a superpower, Reed Richards has to know the science behind it.


---


"Alright everyone come this way." Steve waved to the small crowd to follow as Danni's limo pulled away as he had been previously instructed. Once the group was back in the room with all the pods, table, and massive screen the tour began…

War Room: "Now this room is first but I'll be revealing a lot of its nuances later on if that makes sense. For now, just know this is the 'war room' and that when you aren't in your costume we'll expect you to keep them here for safekeeping."


The Gym: "Now this isn't just any gym. All of the equipment is specially made by SHIELD's best to provide something that even the strongest and fastest can use to effectively train. Piotr and Anton can both attest to that, as their base with the X-Men has a lot of the same equipment in it. We also have mats for sparring training when needed, and a fridge that we'll try to keep stocked with water."


The Lounge: "So with all of the arcade machines, pool table, couches, and TV we are expecting each of you to treat them with care. The budget for the project is good, but we can't go replacing every little thing that breaks due to carelessness or recklessness. Still, I think each of you can agree this will be a good place to unwind."

The Labs: "Now technically I can't let any of you into this room yet, only a select few with the correct privileges will be allowed in. Who that'll be will be decided at a later time. But I will say for now that this room will also be doubling as a medical bay should anything happen to any of you."


Bunker Room: "We have two of these rooms, one for men and one for women. If any of you need a place to rest at night, feel free to use these rooms. Otherwise, we want to keep them available in case… and knock on wood that we never will… in case any extreme emergencies occur in the city."


Steve led the group back to the War Room where he had the group take a seat at the large table. Each one getting into a sleek matte metal chair which has a nice contour to it. "Alright, so besides the obvious one I'm going to answer here in a moment, any questions about the base of operations?"

 

[Laivindur]

Benjamin had a mild 'told you so' face before joining on the tour with Mr Rogers and the gang. He was positive about everything except the lab, because being healed in a lab made him feel more like a test object than anything else. To avoid that he'd simply not get himself injured. If he did get injured, he'd simply hide it, and heal on his own. No problem, he thought. Other than that Ben enjoyed the tour. The mention of the x-mens' training ground however made Ben look at Anton and Piotr with wistful longing, as if they had been something he'd been looking for for quite some time. He averted his eyes after a moment however, and bravely suppressed whatever thoughts and feelings had erupted within him. Ben could not allow himself to think of the past, and despair. King Loki had done that. He would not, but perhaps he wouldn't have had to hide, cheat, and lie to hide who he was on earth if he'd been picked up by the X-men. If that was a place like this, how many other places were there? Anyway, it stopped bothering him when sitting down around the big table. The square table, as Ben liked to think of it as. Not just a normal square table though, but the square table of many destinies! Anyway, not the time to start making up mystical objects, Steve was speaking. Questions. Ben had some, but would wait for others before asking what he wanted to know. Patience, that was the clue. Usually being a good boy meant he'd not speak until spoken to, and behave properly, letting others speak their minds before him. Yes, Ben was being a very good boy, he thought sitting straight and attentive at the middle of the table, on the same side of his pod.

 

[Ms.Ezra]

The light faded from Raven's fist when Danielle, to her surprise, is unfazed by seeing a copy of herself so suddenly. Could only mean she has seen stranger things before. Intriguing. Raven is further intrigued and surprised when Simon, so quiet and reserved before, steps forth to volunteer for her proposed test punch. The moment she witnesses said punch connect and Simon fly across the room into a wall, she utters a gasp of surprise and trots over to him. An opportunity to ingratiate herself to Simon in particular and their team generally.

"Are you okay?" Raven asks concerned, reaching out to touch the spot where Simon was hit. A clear violation of personal space, yes, but ostensibly for benevolent reasons. She feels nothing but solid, unharmed muscle in that brief touch before pulling her hand away. "Good, feels fine." Raven says and looks thankful. "I hope you won't mind if I hide behind you sometimes. I am not nearly as tough." She admits to him.

Her attention is commanded by the Dean like everyone else in that moment after saying that, and she walks beside Ben during the tour. The war room she breezes over just as Rogers does as well. Evidently there was just too much to even begin the summarize for a tour. The gym was more interesting. Raven looks at any gymnastic equipment visible, thinking how long it's been, maybe three months, since she's done any extensive gymnastics or brushed up on her self-defense training. So a bit Rusty in both respects. Less than an amateur by comparison to everybody else. The lounge was probably where she'd spend quite a bit of her time when here, even if she knows she should prioritize other things first. The Bunker Room is not inviting to someone like her who is accustomed to five star hotels, so she hopes there doesn't come a time it is necessary.


The labs are even less inviting for her and the girl tries to step away from the area quickly but discreetly; she's been warned by her father that should the wrong kind of people learn what she can do, she could spend the rest of her life in a lab. This motion brings her from Simon's side to Gwen's, to whom she whispers "I love your costume. Stylish, and the colors work very well together." and punctuates it with a smile and thumbs-up. She had overheard the rather intense conversation between her and the other Spiderperson, but feels this is not the time or place to discuss it. You can hardly let your venom out properly with the subject of that venom nearby.

Back in the first room, Raven takes a seat next to Gwen, and makes it spin once around before giving Steve her undivided attention. When he opens the table for questions, her small hand shoots up first. "A few questions Herr Rogers. First, will we be excused from classes and such if this requires us to miss them? Will this count as our…" She pauses and looks to struggle with the right word in English "...physical education credit? I think it only fair, but that is my opinion. And last, but not least important, will we be out in public much?"

 

[Gands]

Simon Graham Williams

Simon did feel the fantastic chi powered punch from Dani, but was more surprised at being launched into a wall. There wasn't more damage to his body, but it was exhilarating to say the least. Then Raven came running up. That Ben suspects her to be manipulative doesn't matter in the least to Simon. Raven was in fact a very pretty girl. That put his senses a bit on reset.

" I'm alright Miss Raven, thanks ! More surprised than anything else. As for hiding, I can't imagine it will be easy for anyone to tell who you are for you to be targeted !"

Then Steve tries to ... Calm them down. Fair enough, though Simon wasn't excited in the first place. He gets into the group during their tour. Nothing seems all that mysterious to him about the base so far though when questions are called for.

' I have a question, but it's mostly about myself. I went through a bunch of tests and I've not seen much of the results. Maybe someone in team science can help me figure out the how and why of who Simon is ? "