16420/Finding the Destroyer... album

Finding the Destroyer... album
Date of Scene:	26 November 2023
Location:	Palm Tree Boulevard and North Street
Synopsis:	Crush stops in where Andi works to get a Kiss album... ends up having an interesting conversation and taking home a new drum kit.
Cast of Characters:	Xiomara Rojas, Andi Benton

---

Xiomara Rojas has posed:
The holiday season had officially begun, but for Crush all that meant was people looked at her even more oddly for not wearing winter clothing. Even as a child Santa Claus never came to her home, but that was mostly due to extremely poor, druggie parents who couldn't afford anything, even their drugs.

As a young adult, she had decided to have her own holiday. She was looking for a specific kind of gift for Richard Stadler, and another one for Superman himself, but today was about finding an album she had heard of many times.

The band was Kiss, and the album was Destroyer.

She was well aware that she could get digitally remastered versions online, but that somehow didn't feel right. She wanted the original record, which meant she'd bought a record player, but finding an intact copy of the record album that wasn't part of someone's collection had been proving to be a challenge. This is what brought her to this location today. There was no promise of the album being here, but the search for it had become almost as enjoyable as the idea of finding it.

Andi Benton has posed:
With all the things going on in her life, somehow Andi Benton has managed to hold her job at 'Tune In,' the local music store in Happy Harbor. It's one of those niche places that caters to the lovers of more classic music. Not classical, but classic in the sense of original, physical music media. Records, CDs, even tapes.

It helps that the guy running it, Mitch, has tried to keep with the times and give people other reasons to stop by, stocking inexpensive music memorabilia, posters, instruments, and of course, the right kinds of equipment to play the stuff in stock.

When the door opens, there's nobody at the front counter. Andi's in by herself, sorting a few titles over in the used CD area. "Just a minute, I'm finishing something up. Look around if you like, or whatever."

Xiomara Rojas has posed:
The place looked pretty much exactly how Crush expected it to look. She read about the times when all music required you go to a store on release day to get a hold of it, and this reminded her of that article. Life had come a long way since then, and a part of her wondered if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

"Take your time," she offered, not really looking toward the voice that spoke. It was then that her brain got over the appearance of the place and recognized the voice.

"Andi?" she asked, now looking in the direction of the voice.

Andi Benton has posed:
In ways it's a relic of the past, this place. A sign of people stubbornly holding on to nostalgia and refusing to let go until it's pried out of their cold, dead hands.

That or it's just something where people like what they're familiar with. Not everyone's upgraded to digital media and streaming music. There's still a market for actual books, after all.

"Yeah, yeah, I said I'm almost..wait." Her head pops out from behind a display pointing to 90s alternative, then a hand guides some of that purple dyed hair away from her eyes. "What the hell are you doing here?" she asks in a moment of surprise before she grimaces and waves it off, sucking down a breath before she straightens up.

"I didn't mean it like that. Uh, welcome to Tune In, where you can /tune in/ to your favorite music. Yes, it's lame. No, I didn't come up with it, so don't blame me. Soooo what's up?" It must suck to have to work a normal job when you moonlight as a vigilante.

Xiomara Rojas has posed:
Not moving any closer, Crush blinks once at the rude greeting, followed by the routine greeting. It was obvious in that moment that Andi didn't really like her job, she just did it because she had to for the money. There should be a fund to help vigilante's out, but then that would require the vigilantes admit who they are.

"Sucks you gotta say that," she admits first with a snort, choosing to ignore the rude greeting entirely due to getting it wasn't meant that way. "Maybe convince your boss it sucks? I could sign something to that assessment if it would help."

She smirks a little, then shoves her hands into the pockets of her black denim jacket. "I'm looking for uh... a certain album, original record," she then states, looking like she might have more to say regarding that but becomes distracted by something. "You got the Roland TD-07DMK Electronic Drum Kits!"

Not another word is spoken as the Czarnian moves quickly to look the kit over, "These things are top of the line, best in the business!"

Andi Benton has posed:
Andi Benton waves it off, stuffing her hands into the pockets of the jacket she wears at about the same time. There's even a nametag reading 'Andi' but it's been altered with an 'M' in front of the 'A' along with the 'd' crossed out and an 'a' scribbled at the end. Isn't she clever? The whole punk vibe is alive in this one. "Actually, it's easy as hell. I can listen to whatever I want, and sometimes it gets pretty slow in here so that's not bad. I don't really think it'd help to go 'This job sucks, so help make it suck less' to the guy writing the checks."

Making her way closer, she lifts a brow, the one with the barbell piercing through it. "Yeah, heard that before. Chances are we got it here somewhere." The title apparently waits as Crush has one of those short attention span moments, fixated instead on the drum kit.

Clearing her throat quietly, Andi eyes it. "Yeah, which makes me wonder how Mitch got it. Hopefully not a five finger discount. Maybe consignment. So..it's been a little while, hasn't it?" Depending on how Xiomara is at reading others, Andi's not doing too badly. Seems confident enough, calm in spite of the surprise.

Xiomara Rojas has posed:
Short attention span moment having passed, Crush turns her attention back to Andi. It wasn't just body language that spoke about a person, but the tone of their voice said a lot as well. The Czarnian was just learning how to read social cues that body language could offer, but tone of the voice was something she couldn't miss.

"Been a while, yeah," she admits with a shrug. "Been trying to find my niche, ya know? I haven't, but I keep tryin. I don't fit on this planet, but I figure if I keep tryin eventually I'll find a place that I feel... myself."

Tapping the bass drum light with the toe of her boot she continues. "It's nice to see you though, been wonderin how you were. I... didn't want to just show up at your door or anything, thought that might be bad." She seems to remember something so adds, "Oh, the album... Kiss' Destroyer."

Andi Benton has posed:
Crush has seen Andi when she was uncertain about a few things in her life, trying to keep some secrets safe. Well, a very specific and particular one, especially from a very specific and particular person. Now, she just seems more comfortable in her own skin.

"Just..be careful with that. I know you're stronger than most people. Not gonna ask how you know so much about that kit, either," she says, thereby asking indirectly simply by saying it. "And it's cool not to fit in. I never tried to and I never wanted to." Not the full truth, but there came a point where it no longer mattered whether she did or not.

She adds, "And I've been keeping busy. Maybe I'll.." Say more? Not yet, because she can't help but laugh once. "Hang on. Follow me." Leading the way over to the record selection, she rifles through the 'K' section before coming up with a somewhat weathered sleeve, holding it up to look from it to Crush and back again. It's the one in question.

"You /sure/ there's no connection here? I mean, you could easily pass for Gene Simmons' daughter. If he wasn't in his mid-70s, that is. You ever get that fake I.D. we talked about that one time?" She flashes a mischievous look before adding, "This one's $15."

The store's speakers begin to play a Pink Floyd song, Comfortably Numb.

Xiomara Rojas has posed:
"I took up drummin," Crush says in answer to the unasked question, which should also cover how she knows about the drum kit. "I already got a handle on my strength an not punchin everythin through walls, an I no longer rip the top off soda bottles. Been hard work, lots a trainin, an a little advise from Sups himself."

Another thing might be noticed about Crush, she's not as tense as she was and seems to have a little better handle on being social. No, she doesn't get all the cues and she still seems to guard how she says things, but she shares like a real live person now.

Looking at the album cover just as Andi comments about being Gene Simmons daughter, her eyes narrow slightly and she half smirks, half smiles. "You ain't the first one to say that," she snorts, then laughs, shaking her head. "He'd be a better father then the one I got, so I'd gladly accept... I don't thing /he'd/ accept though." Pulling her hand from her pocket, she lays down a twenty and an ID. "It ain't fake. It's the real deal. Apparently I got connections I didn't know I had."

Andi Benton has posed:
Andi Benton heads over to the register so they can take care of the transaction, giving out proper change with tax factored in, along with the receipt. "I'm sure you had to replace a kit or two while you were learning. Huh, so Superman was helping you?" She looks suitably impressed. Then again, she's had Spider-Man as a mentor.

"I don't have much to say about bad dads. My mom's the one who ditched us. I, uh, finally got around to telling him about..you know." She indicates the nametag after squinting at the I.D. "If you saw any of the news about Carnage, we were fighting him. I thought he'd come after dad, so there wasn't any hiding it any more."

Xiomara Rojas has posed:
Crush leaves the change sitting on the counter with no intentions of picking it up. She wasn't fond of the metal money jingling around in her pocket and often just left it.

"I went through three sets," she admits with a sigh. "Which I replaced, but I finally got it down. Lookin to get my own set now so I can drive the Titan's bat shit crazy in the middle of the night." She didn't appear to be joking about that at all, the wicked little grin on her face was clear indication of that.

"I was hearin some of the news," she admits. "So uh.. how'd your dad take it? You were real worried about him findin out, so I hope it went okay."

Andi Benton has posed:
"Three isn't that bad, and if that's your goal and you've got the money..well, Mitch will be glad to have that sale. Might even give me a little bit of it as thanks," Andi speculates. It couldn't hurt to sweeten the pot a little and improve her chance of being able to boast to Mitch that she made the sale instead of him.

She admits, "He kind of went pale like you, but not that far. He was close to flipping his shit, which is exactly what I was afraid of. I had to do some quick talking and show him that it was all right. He listened to me and got out of town for a few days until it was safe."

Rolling her eyes, Andi adds, "Now he's all proud his daughter's a hero in his eyes, but he's gonna keep quiet about it. I hope. The last thing we need is someone coming to attack us where we live. There was already one guy who kidnapped him to get to me before we bonded."

A little head creeps up from the back of a shoulder on a few tendrils, that little cartoonish visage of the eyes and exaggerated, jagged grin. "The bad scientist octopus man who hurt us, but helped us find each other," Mania says. It's safe for the moment. Nobody else in the store. Andi raises a hand nearby and the thing curls around her fingers and burrows into her palm like it's nuzzling, and she briefly brings it up to her cheek with a smile she allows Crush to see.

"If you say this is cute, we'll both deny it," she warns.

Xiomara Rojas has posed:
There is a moment when Crush looks like she just might vomit... not really, but the sweet and cuteness of that moment had an effect that was visible. "You can deny it all you want, but I can never unseen it," she states in an amused tone. "But don't worry, I won't tell anyone else, ever, about the sheer adorableness of the moment. I know how to keep secrets."

She looks toward the drum kit again, giving Andi and Mania a moment to be all insulted, upset, or whatever it was they would be over Crush's comment. "I'll buy it from you," she then says as she looks back. "An ya best get a commission off it from your boss."

Now she turns more serious again. "I'm glad ya dad took it alright, an he should be proud of his hero daughter. As for going pale, no one goes as pale as me, takes make up to achieve this level of pale perfection." She wiggles her brows, then gets serious again. "I'm glad your both alright, you and Mania, but I'm gonna make an offer that you can toss out or accept. If your ever worried bout your dad again, but can't get to him... call me. I'll drop everything and go protect him. I mean it Andi, any time, anywhere, I'll go. Alright?"

Andi Benton has posed:
"That's enough. Now disappear before someone walks in," Andi says in a loud whisper, which Mania at least obeys. Always pushing things, constantly. She rolls her eyes at Crush. "Whatever. The fact is after the Carnage stuff and telling dad the truth, things have been..better." Is it hard to imagine the bond strengthening over that level of acceptance not just from Andi's father, but between host and symbiote as well?

Distracted by something for a moment, it takes a couple extra seconds before she asks, "Huh? You will? Uh, okay. Yeah. Great. You got cash, or..? And are you taking it with you, or do you need to get it delivered?" All the important questions for the logistics side.

As that's being squared away, she fends off a frown as she nods and gives a brief smirk at the talk of pale skin, nodding once before the vow is given. "I've been hanging out with the Young Avengers lately, but it doesn't hurt to have another person ready to watch out for him, so..sure. Thanks." She holds out a fist to bump.

Xiomara Rojas has posed:
Looking back to Andi, just as Mania disappears, a hint of a real smile plays on the Czarnian's lips. "Better is good," she says softly. "Better means life goes on without angst and pain, two things no one needs."

Reaching back into her pocket she removes a debit card that she lays on the counter. "Better to get it delivered, I might drop some part trying to jump around with it."

Now the fist bump, which Crush does with perfect ease and doesn't blow Andi through the wall behind the counter or break her hand in the process. "Don't know much bout the Young Avengers, but I met one of em the other day. Didn't know she was one until after the fact though." She tucks her hand back into her pocket and leaves it there. "She also helped out on New Krypton, which I'm still tryin to wrap my head round the fact I was there. I'm goin back to help with clean up, cause that was some really messy shit... not sure if I'm even supposed to talk bout it, don't really care either way."

Shoving her other hand into a pocket as well, she focuses on Andi for a minute as if there's something she wants to say but isn't certain she can, or should. Finally she just says, "I'm glad you got a group to work with, hope they appreciate you."

Andi Benton has posed:
Andi Benton appears to still be reluctant to just smile left and right. She's got an image to keep up. Punky, gothy people aren't cheerful and bubbly, damnit! "Something like that," she begrudgingly agrees with a shrug. Like it's a confidential thing, she admits, "Symbiotes love strong emotions, whatever they are. And yeah, we can do that. Just give me the address after I run this." She arches a brow at the card, as if she didn't expect Crush to have one, but she goes through the process.

"Which one? I don't know anything about Krypton, new or old or otherwise, but..yeah, it's all right so far. Just not used to working closely with a bunch of others. It's different. We're still figuring shit out. A couple of them seem like they might be all right." Getting her to open up around others to that extent is /also/ a process. "You going through anything like that?"

Xiomara Rojas has posed:
Taking one of the business cards, Crush writes the address on the back of it for Andi to have, then lays the pen back on the counter. "I got a real job, going to college, and a real ID," she explains to Andi's look. "Had to have a bank account for college funds to go in to."

Turning slightly, she leans against the counter. "New Krypton is where the Kryptonian's who didn't didn't die call home. I don't know where it came from, or any of the major details, I just know that Superman's aunt asked for help when it was under attack, and I wasn't about to say no." She sighs a little, remembering the combat with giant robots and the struggle the planet was facing at the time... and remembering how she was thrown through someone's living room by one of them.

Cracking her neck by rolling her head, she looks toward the windows of the place, debating if she should bother saying anything. "I always got troubles with people," she says bluntly. "I met most of the Titans at this point, but..." she shrugs slightly. "don't matter, just a couple I trust the rest, whatever."

Andi Benton has posed:
Andi Benton slides the address over and after confirming the sale, she gives a short 'huh' at the explanation. "I still say you all can have college. Not for me. But..good for you. I mean it." Her own thoughts on secondary education aside, she understands the value in it for others.

"And that's fucked up. The Kryptonian stuff. I didn't even know he had an aunt." Not that she's kept up on it all. "And it sounds like you're in the same place with the Titans that I am with the Young Avengers. Sort of in, but sort of not."

Xiomara Rojas has posed:
Taking the card back, along with her ID, Crush puts them both in her pocket. "I don't trust anyone else to work with my DNA, so I gotta learn how to study it myself an maybe, if I'm lucky, find out who my mom is," is her reply regarding college. "I also like engineerin, but this is all likely cause I never went to school until Happy Harbor, an there's a lot of thins I wanna know how to do."

"I didn't know he had an aunt, or a cousin, or any of that until recently," she says regarding Superman. "I think its nice he's got family though, I mean from his race. He's got his human mom an dad too." That statement leaves a bad taste in her mouth so she moves to the next one.

"I'm a Titan, sort of... maybe? I still don't get it, an I don't think I belong. Gar, Kian and Caitlin are real nice, an Wally too, but I don't know much bout em save the obvious. The rest of em? No clue, know the names, met em once maybe, some I haven't even met..." she stops there, shaking her head. "Never mind. It's the same shit as it's been the last year, just a different day. Not shit you need to worry bout."

Andi Benton has posed:
Andi Benton takes all of this in stride, which is saying something compared to what it would have been like a few years ago when she lived in Philadelphia and just knew about the existence of supers and that was it. "At least you found something you want to focus on, and..good luck with the whole finding out about your mom thing." At least Andi's got one parent in her life. That's better than none. "Even if I lose everyone else, I'm not totally alone." But is that a good or bad thing in this case? The Kryptonian topic is left alone, but for a couple nods.

"I don't really know any of the Titans very well. I've talked to Raven. I think I could like her." Which ought to say a whole lot. Nodding, she admits, "Ain't got much advice there, but how about I get that kit packed up for you? Mitch is due to take over here in about half an hour and I want to have something to brag about before I'm off. You want to get something to eat after that?"

Xiomara Rojas has posed:
There were a hundred things Crush could say in regards to parents, having them, not having them, knowing one and not wanting that one... instead she lets that particular series of thoughts go away. In fact she lets it all go away. Being alone, feeling alone, belonging, not belonging... none of it mattered.

"I met Raven," she states with a nod. "I could like her, but she don't come out much. I bet she and I'd get along great." She pauses a moment then starts laughing, "Hell, /I/ don't know the Titans very well!"

Enjoying a moment of laughter over that, she collects herself and nods, "Yeah, if you need help getting things ready I can help out, then we'll go get something to eat, my treat."