13165/The Creepy Mentor

The Creepy Mentor
Date of Scene:	24 October 2022
Location:	Young Avengers HQ, Morningside Heights
Synopsis:	Wiccan and Mania, two of the Young Avengers, are visited by an unlikely but fitting potential mentor: Raven.
Cast of Characters:	Andi Benton, Billy Kaplan, Rachel Roth

---

Andi Benton has posed:
The budding headquarters for the Young Avengers, in Morningside Heights, has had some work done on it to make it a little more a place they could call home, or at least home away from home.

For Andi, otherwise known to them as Mania, as she has not yet let down her guard enough to let them see anyone but Mania so far, it provides a respite away from Happy Harbor and other parts of New York City. Trust is an important thing, and while members of the group have gathered together in some ways since it all became official, some of them have been more aloof than others. In fact, Mania's not the only one who's guarded her 'true self.'

Besides, maintaining a bit of a creepy level helps in some ways. For some, it's all about the image that's presented.

At the moment, symbiote and bond are sequestered off in their personal quarters, doing unknown things. That is, until the door opens and a line of webbing extends to help carry her up to the rafters of the place, where she can perch and watch.

Billy Kaplan has posed:
Billy Kaplan is here by appointment. Normally he is not around during the day because he has obligations back home- things he has to do until he manages to move out, whenever that may be. Financially, it still makes sense to live at home. Alter-ego wise, though, it makes things interesting and complicated.

But there had been a mention of something from the Amazon after the Midnight Carnival incident, and the young wizard was intrigued and rather hopeful at what was hinted. He hadn't had someone to consult with, properly, since Doctor Sims retired and took much well-deserved time off. Sure, they were still available for remote consultations, but Billy was... Billy. Polite. Considerate. He didn' want to be a bother.

Wiccan walks into headquarters, staff in hand and cape flapping behind him, and a bright grin on his face as he calls out, "Hey guys! Anybody in today?"

Rachel Roth has posed:
    Some days ago, Raven had been content. The Titans weren't getting into trouble, there was no reality shattering disaster that they were being called upon to fix, and better still, no reality shattering disaster that was /their fault./ Donna has been making friends across road, as it were- while the Titans operate out of Metropolis, Raven has heard vague stories of the Young Avengers, New York's own fledgling hero team. She approved.

    Then, one night, Donna came home, and her exact words were: "So, Rae. You know how it's better to ask forgiveness than permission?"

    Several days later, Raven arrives in a flourishing darkness outside of the the Morningside Heights building that the YA are using as their headquarters. She considered teleporting inside- but that would be rude. There has been, as yet, /enough/ rudeness. Instead, calmly- as she is in all things- Raven takes to the stairs up to the front door, and there is a solid, strong few knocks upon it.

    With no hesitation, her hand slips itself back into her hoodie.

Andi Benton has posed:
It happens that there /is/ someone in today, given Mania's spot up by the ceiling. It's nice that they picked out a place that has good spots to observe others from. Most of the time, people don't look up. They don't have much reason to, especially inside a building. There are some places with fancy ceilings, but other than that? Nah.

Billy's arrival draws the attention of the one up there, Mania's all-white eyes shifting toward his smiling face, his cape, his staff. He looks a bit like someone ready to go cosplay some D&D thing. For the first few seconds there is no response, then the rapping at the door leads her to say, "Someone is outside. You should see who it is. If it is someone trying to sell us something, we can scare them off."

Billy Kaplan has posed:
Mania's voice makes Billy jump a little. He should know better, really, knowing Mania- but he is a little too much on the excitement scale today to be as cautious as one should be. "Someone's rapping at the door... right..."

Billy collects himsels and

'round his forearm his cape he's wrapping, for there had indeed been tapping,
As of someone gently rapping, rapping at their HQ door,
"We've a visitor," he muttered, "Tapping at our HQ door-
Only this and nothing more-"

He goes and opens the door-

Rachel Roth has posed:
    Raven isn't deaf.

    Troia will pay dearly for this, later.

    Though externally her slowly building fury isn't showing, internally, there is a mildly intense disappointment. Billy wasn't supposed to be Terry. A promising magically inclined individual, she'd been told. A powerful sorcerer, or wizard, or witch, or whatever he wished to call himself, in the making.

    When the door opens, Raven's deadpan expression greets Wiccan and without a word, she starts making her way in.

    "Not another word of that. Not a single one." Stepping into the room, hands in her pockets, she starts looking around for a moment, her eyes scanning the building's interior- what they have to work with. Who's present. Eventually, after a moment, she looks up, and sees Mania. Is it because she's just been at this long enough that she knows to look up? Or perhaps is it because she has Other senses? One can never really know for sure.

    "Troia asked me to come by. My name is Raven. I'm looking for Wiccan, and Mania." There is, a short pause. "I am guessing I have found both."

Andi Benton has posed:
"You keep that up and we will stick webbing to your mouth," Mania calls down, features obscured as usual by the faceless style the 'costume' provides. Unlike Venom, she does not usually go around with the teeth and all the rest visible. It's saved for specific things.

Attention diverts toward the arriving Raven, dressed down in a hoodie that still gives away a bit of the identity, and a hand closes around one of the supports making up the framework of the ceiling as she rises from her crouched position.

"Yes. You are one of the Titans," Mania observes, familiar enough with the group to know. Then, she drops down and lands nimbly in a crouch before getting more upright again. "We are Mania." Arms cross over part of the large spider insignia that reaches around to touch its double at her back. One eye squints more than the other, head tilting in open curiosity.

Billy Kaplan has posed:
r
It's not clear why Billy chose to quote from that. Perhaps it was a brief moment of cosmic awareness that triggetered him, or maybe it is merely the season that put the poem in h is mind. But a literal (non-literal) Raven tapping at their door was a spooky coincidence.

"Y-yes," Billy says, eyes widening a little, "You've found us... oh, wow, you're Raven!"

This is, of course, information that Raven definitely needed to have imparted to her, "When Troia said she had someone in mind, I didn't think..."

Manners seem to return to Billy a the speed of darkness, which is faster than light as Terry Pratchett has often observed, "Oh, er, would you like something to drink? We've got... tea. I think." Or he could magic some up. But he hadn't gotten very good at magicking tea that didn't taste like Lipton yet, so perhaps checking the cabinets might be a better idea.

Rachel Roth has posed:
    Raven's attention hits and lingers on Mania for longer than Billy. Sure, she can sense the magical might of the young avenger, but raw and unfocused talent is of no danger to her. Mania, though? She can sense the nature of the being and how flimsy its hinges just may be. And an unhinged spiderperson? That's pretty dangerous all of the time.

    "Yeah, we sure are Mania." she comments, her eyes unblinking for the longest time. hen, Billy speaks, and for some reason, she doesn't turn to face him. "I don't need anything to drink. I brought some coffee of my own. Regardless." Her attention had lingered on Mania long enough.

    "I was informed that the two of you are- and I don't mean this in a negative sense- New. To this responsibility. To this life. With your powers come setbacks. Complications. Difficulties. We all had them, when we first started. We made a lot of mistakes. Troia has asked me to see if I can help you come to better terms with your abilities, or yourselves, so that you don't have to learn by trial and error like we did."

Andi Benton has posed:
The arms remain crossed. It isn't out of disrespect to Billy, but more of Mania's attention is placed on Raven at the moment. He is not someone Mania's really got to know yet, but already Raven is giving reasons to be the primary focus right now.

With anything Venom has done to end up in the news, it may be clear why Raven would choose to be careful, powerful or not.

"What did she say to you? We have been..us for over two years. We have learned good control. Does she think we are wild? Untamed? Dangerous? Do you think we are?" There is actually something of a huff and a defiance in Mania's body language. As far as that 'duo' is concerned, they /are/ doing well, notwithstanding occasional hiccups and moments of stronger will being necessary.

However, there is a sense of frustration in the next part said. "We have learned from Spider-Man, but..we have had to learn more on our own." The eyes turn briefly downcast, hinting at that shift in attitude.

She adds to Billy, "And we do not understand your magic at all."

Billy Kaplan has posed:
. "That makes two of us, Mania," Billy says with a self-deprecating smile, and turns to look at Raven, "Considering that the other day I cast a simple spell to find out if Tommy was my brother, and I almost apparently broke reality."

He rubs the back of his neck with a gloved hand, "And then shortly found out that I apparently have two mothers, which is impossible, and two fathers- with one of them being a... synthoid, which is improbable, and yet here I am. With a twin brother with whom I share no biological family whatsoever. I think... I think it's very helpful of you, Ms. Raven-" Billy says, nodding eagerly, "I would really think it'd be best to benefit from your expertise, because the mistakes I might make... might be on the very messy side. Maybe more than I can even imagine at the moment."

Rachel Roth has posed:
    Eyes trained on Mania, Raven doesn't necessarily maintain distance, as much as she doesn't move closer.

    "She only told me that there are two of you in there. It can make you unstable. I have experience with that. I can help you... Sort through and make the right concessions. Establish the right barriers."

    Turning her attention to Billy, "I don't proclaim myself a master of anything, but getting control of the magic you have, focusing it right, getting your spells right and getting the details down... Stops the more massive accidents. The reality breaking ones. It's easy to put magic into something, but it's hard to take it out once it's there."

    She intakes a breath. Raven is not the mentorly type. This is not exactly /new/ to her, she's /helped/ before, but she hasn't really /done/ this. Her journey, too, is still ongoing. There are matters very grave that always require her attention. "But that's all for later. For now, I felt it would be best if I introduced myself. Came by and met you, before we began."

Andi Benton has posed:
It appears Mania is about to ask Billy a question of some kind, a hand with claws tipping each finger lifting as if she's in class, looking to be called on. It swiftly lowers after he further brings up having multiple parents and, evidently, a twin that doesn't fit the typical standards for being one. "That is..more than a little screwed up," is what the creature settles on.

Raven is the one who gets more of an answer, along with a huff. "Who said we needed help? We agree on a lot of things. We made compromises on other things. We figured that out on our own. We could not even talk to others..like us for help." She bristles, in the sense the spiky bits along her forearms and shins flex just so. The body language suggests someone who is irritated, even annoyed that after all this time, only /now/ is there someone coming around to even try to dig into matters of balance. "We have had many chances to kill people who deserved it. It would have been so easy to do, but we did not."

The eyes fluctuate, shifting between narrowing in anger and reshaping into something hinting at deeper struggles. Outwardly, Mania projects an image of control. There are signs to the contrary, even if it's true symbiote and host have got along overall. There is poking and prodding at times, toward other paths.

Billy Kaplan has posed:
"Well... count me in, Ms. Raven," Billy says, smiling sheepishly. "You're... well, I mean, everybody knows who you are." But most people know very little /about/ her. This was exciting. "You're one of the Titans, so you've got my total trust. And... in a way, that's what this team was set up for- for most of us to learn without having to go through the solo growing pains. I mean, America is more experienced than all of us put together, and Hawkeye is right behind her in that, but they really can't help me with my particular problems. Or mania's. It sounds like you're the perfect fit."

His smile grows, "I promise to try hard and listen closely. And not to break reality." He then looks slightly doubtful, "Much. If I can help it."

Rachel Roth has posed:
    Raven doesn't need the body language from Mania to know the woman is irritated. "And you should be commended." she notes, her head rising just a bit. "In a world where you did not have the abilities you have, where the stresses of the responsibility you've undertaken would not weigh upon you, and where there would not be more and more people who deserve death each and every day, there would be no concern... But you don't live in that world." Her monotonous voice, eerie in its calm, makes that point somehow that much more intense.

    "As it is, whether you believe you /need/ it or not, help is being /offered./ It's an offer you should take. However late it's come, however far you've gone without it, help is help. Necessary, unnecessary, you'd rather have it than not. It's why you're here. It's why you have a team."

    There is less to say to Billy, to whom she nods after a moment's passing. "We'll work on the breaking reality thing. The next time you're whipping up a spell that is more complex than something that you simply /do,/ make sure you reach out. Someone will help you get it right. The more you do that, the more you get it right on your own."

Andi Benton has posed:
Mania is not like Billy in the sense she isn't calling anyone 'Ms.' anything, Raven or otherwise. She also hasn't had much time to get to know him yet, so there is another bit of bristling when he brings up the idea that she has problems. "Hey, maybe /you/ have problems, but /we/.."

Something causes he to stop mid-sentence, however. He just seems to be so..so /nice/ and insulting or verbally scolding him feels, in a sense..wrong? "Ah, forget it."

There is another huff from her, a reaction to Raven's words of praise but also the ones that go into help being offered, regardless of the level of need.

<<Mania>> We are strong, Andi. We do not need the help of anyone else.
<<Andi>> You sure about that?
<<Mania>> Of course we are. We found each other. It was meant to be.

"Yeah, but I was nobody before this. Nothing special." The words are more Andi's than Mania's, sounding slightly more singular rather than as that dual voice that combines both, as she responds verbally to the internal chit-chat. "Tshh. We..we are supposed to help others. That is the right thing to do. It is hard to do it by ourselves." In that, Raven is right. She knows the benefits of being part of a team, of having others to count on, others who count on her.

Silence follows as she turns partly away from both Billy and Raven, attention diverting toward the ceiling. Her hands come to rest at her hips, arms bent at the elbows.

Billy Kaplan has posed:
Billy looks at Andi with a slight frown on his brow, "Mania, nobody is nobody." He pauses for a moment and thinks about what he said. "That was awkwardly phrased, admittedly, but I think you know what I mean. Everybody has the chance to make an impact, big or small... that's nothing to sneeze at. You'd have that ability with or without... ou know, the powers."

That's something he had grown up believing as part of his faith. Everyone could perform a mitzvah, you didn't need tights for them.

"And now we're not by ourselves... hey, I know. Would you like to go on patrol?" he asks Mania, and then glances at Raven, "I promise not to do any complex magic. Otherwise I will reach out... uh, should we trade numbers? Or- oh, do you prefer to communicate via..."

He wiggles his fingers in the air, in an arcane attitude to convey his meaning.

Rachel Roth has posed:
    "Nobody is nobody." Raven states, hands still in her pockets. She lets that linger for a time, to focus on Billy. Turning somewhat, she lets her gaze fall on the young man for a time before speaking.

    "Patrol sounds like a good idea. For both of you. When you need help, Titans tower is never that far away."

    With that, Raven's shadow swoops swiftly up around her form, the protective wings of a great bird encircling her and then collapsing in upon itself... And then she is gone.

Andi Benton has posed:
Both of them tell Mania that 'nobody is nobody.' They're right. The strangely-suited, black-and-white spidery type frowns, though it's not visible in this case. The eyes give it away. They turn somewhat downcast, then balance out again.

"Yeah. We know. We have helped people, and sometimes we have wanted to punish the bad guys, but we know that would be bad for us."

The prospect of patrol is weighed. "We have patrolled a lot alone," Mania acknowledges, shoulders moving in a shrug before Raven offers the hospitality of a visit to Titans Tower. No, with Hyperloop and other methods of transportation, not far at all. "..thank you," is the response given.

"We can patrol, if we get ice cream afterward. Extra chocolate." Because the day wouldn't be complete without it.

Then, Raven makes her departure, and the eyes widen in obvious amazement. "That was fucking wild."

Billy Kaplan has posed:
"Alright, ice cream it is! We can stop by Big Gay, they have the /best/ ice cream," Billy says, adjusting his cape to make sure it's in place, and glancing at Raven as she says her fareweels and disappears with a flutter of dark shadows and-

"Whoa..."

Billy stares at the place where Raven /isn't/, and lets out a quiet whistle.

"I want to learn how to do that!" The few times he has teleported, it has been very bright, very crackly, not that /suave/.

"To patrol. And ice cream!"