1709/I'm Going Through Changes

I'm Going Through Changes
Date of Scene:	17 May 2020
Location:	Happy Harbor Waterfront
Synopsis:	Andi has a discussion with members of the Happy Harbor school staff about what's been going on. It's a little tell, but also a little show. Concerns are expressed.
Cast of Characters:	Andi Benton, Morrigan MacIntyre, Daniel Hastings, Colette O'Connail

---

Andi Benton has posed:
Some few days had gone by since everything changed. By the middle of the week, certain people at Happy Harbor were made aware that Andi would not be making it to classes before the weekend. Her father was still being kept in one of the New York City hospitals for observation, and rumors were unclear why. Although Andi had returned home for a few things, she was staying in a local hotel just in case, and because being alone in her apartment was not something she felt like dealing with.

But, she knew the deal with Happy Harbor. It was a place where some of the students were 'special' and some weren't. At least a couple, she had suspicions about when it came to what was going on with them. Some things were difficult to keep hidden, no matter how much effort was made to conceal.

What would that mean for Andi? How do you tell people you only marginally know that you have what she has? Would they ask for a demonstration? A show? What could she tell them? What /would/ she say?

Plans were set to meet at a neutral location over the weekend, and the closer things got to that time and place, the more nervous Andi grew. Sensing it, the symbiote sought to reassure her.

<We will not make trouble, but we will protect ourselves if we must.> it told her.

"Yeah, I know. That's kinda what I'm afraid of," she replied to it, but was it more like talking to herself? It'd been a few days, but that was going to take some getting used to. Maybe the specifics didn't matter as much compared to the big picture.

She made it to the beach, dressed the way could be commonly seen at the school, only she had a hoodie on that obscured much of her head, hands stuffed into deep pockets as she sat hunched over on a bench facing the open water.

Morrigan MacIntyre has posed:
Morrigan was relieved that there had been contact from Andi after having been through the hospitals and things. The fact that Andi had agreed to a meeting was pushing the focus off of the Principals mopeyness and focusing her. Which she needed. She didn't live far from the harborfront and there's a text to a few others as she heads down that way. She's dressed in jeans, boots and a button up shirt. She's still wearing sunglasses, but, that was obviously just her thing. "Andi?" she asks as she sees the seated and hunched over figure. "There's a few more people coming if that's alright?" the Irish woman asks.

Daniel Hastings has posed:
Speaking of a few more people, Doctor Hastings, one of the science teachers at the school, was walking down the beach towards the arranged meeting point. He was wearing clothes as he most often does, the weathered prof look that died in the 60s. Despite looking under thirty, he was distinct in his lack of fashion sense. Still, he was a professor who genuinely cared about his students and his topic. As he neared, there was a friendly wave offered by way of his doffed cap which he put back on his head.

Colette O'Connail has posed:
    Why bring the TA along? It's an age thing. Maybe an authority thing, too. TAs can inhabit a kind of half-way house between staff and student body at times, and sometimes a troubled student will be more open with a TA than they will with full-time, older staff. Whatever's going on with Andi right now, it's a good bet that 'troubled' is a part of it.

    There's also the fact that Colette had been doing a little investigation of her own. Missing students can be difficult to trace, but it's remarkable what information you can dig up if you are morally elastic enough to ring around hospitals claiming to be a relative. From there the story only got more curious with some shadowy extra-governmental involvement that smells remarkably like SHIELD, which raises Colette's curiosity more. She may have suggested the advantages of bringing a TA angle for that reason.

    Because she's a meddler.

    In fact she even has a SHIELD file that says so. Which Captain Marvel has flagged, because poor Captain Marvel is the one who generally ends up giving Colette a despairing warning not to get in /too/ much trouble if she can /possibly/ avoid it.

    Also, like Dan, she actually rather cares about the students.

    "Hey Andi," Colette offers as her own greeting. "I figure you can swear if you like. We're off campus."

Andi Benton has posed:
She doesn't look up, but Andi's head does turn slightly in Morrigan's direction. It's an indication of acknowledgement, one that extends toward the science teacher, the the TA. The wave is not returned, hands remaining buried in the pockets.

"Whatever," she answers, and at least one thing is still 'Andi' - the attempt to come off as disinterested. "Oh, sure. Thanks for the permission," the teenager adds with a heavy dose of sarcasm. "Forgive me if I'm not really worried about whether the way I might say something offends anybody or not."

<You are being defensive.> says the voice inside her head. Even it knows.

But Andi has often been that way, even before this.

Morrigan MacIntyre has posed:
Morrigan doesn't know how to handle the situation exactly, there might be a lot of emotions going on with Andi, so she takes up a seat a good conversation distance away. She gives a nod of greeting to Daniel and Colette, "Good evening." she tells them with a bit of a smile. Then she looks back to Andi, "This is probably the easiest question to ask, are you alright?" she asks as her gaze goes back to the kid sitting there. "I understand if you don't want to pour everything out, but, we're hear to listen and to help." she tells her.

Daniel Hastings has posed:
It wasn't a question. It was THE question. At least in Daniel's mind. When Morrigan asked it, he didn't interupt or even look to ask one of his own. Instead, he just found a nearby rock to sit on and took his hat off to let hang on his fingertips. "We're here for you, Andi. No judgement." Not even SHIELD. Not that that was common knowledge. He gave her a warm smile as he leaned forward with elbows on his knees.

Colette O'Connail has posed:
    Colette responds to Andi's sarcasm with a grin that looks suspiciously like approval. She walks forwards beyond the bench, and stands staring out across the water, hands in the pockets of her jacket, not looking at Andi.

    "What they said," she adds. "I mean I should probably say something along those lines too, but then it might sound like we were ganging up on you with the whole 'being nice' thing. Mostly, it's just good to know you're still alive."

    Colette glances back over her shoulder at Andi for a moment, then turns to look out over the water. "So... yeah. Sorry to hear your father got hurt. Apparently he's doing well."

Andi Benton has posed:
Andi Benton doesn't allow them to see her eyes or her expression. Not yet. Internally, if there's any conversations going on between teen and alien through the bond, it isn't something that's outwardly apparent.

"I'm here, aren't I?" she responds, still more on the defensive than not as she rocks slowly back and forth in place. No father there to comfort her. Faculty to seem to care, but also people she's maintained a social distance from. They're adults, authority figures, whether they're concerned about her well-being or not.

She adds, "Look, I'm not trying to say anything against you guys with this, but school's kind of not really on my list of things I care that much about right this minute. I wasn't planning on going to college anyway, and..right now I /know/ I'm not. So whether I graduate or not, it doesn't really matter, just so everyone knows."

Morrigan MacIntyre has posed:
Morrigan reaches up to remove her glasses and she drops them in her pocket. She listens to Andi though and there's a gentle nod to what she says on things. "So, this is not a visit because 'we want you back at school' or anything like that. Agent Wilson explained that you'd missed school and that there was an issue probably. I'm here to see if we can help you with anything. I'm not SHIELD...but we have things at our disposal." she states.

"We're so close to the end of the school year that it's just not really that high of a priority to stress you over attendance when you've had perfect attendance until now." she tells her. "Can you tell us what happened?" she asks her.

Daniel Hastings has posed:
"Andi..." Daniel says her name in earnest. "I know you've got a lot on your mind right now.. but the only thing left for you is exams. I'm sure we can work out some study time and a way for you to take them. Don't worry about 'coming back' per se.. but even if you don't want to go to college, you do need a high school diploma if you're going to get a job.. doing anything. Now.. when that happens.." He looks to Morrigan then back to Andi. "I'm sure we can be flexible on. So don't make rush decisions." He smiles. "The other thing I'm sure you're worried about is your dad. Don't sweat the bills. If it's a problem.. it can be handled. Alright? Right now.." Again a nod to Morrigan, "We're concerned about 'you'. Just.. focus on that right now. If you try to worry about it all at once you're going to feel buried.. which.." He gestures with a palm to her as if to say he bets that's how she feels right now.

Colette O'Connail has posed:
    "I'm pretty sure allowances can be made, Andi." Colette keeps staring out over the bay, very much not trying to catch Andi's eye. "Whatever's happening with you is obviously the priority now. If you change your mind later, there's not a 'too late'. Just so you know."

    "So priority things. Anything we can arrange to help you out right now? Like until your dad's home? Talk about the... complexities... if you like. Or not. But we can help you with the practicalities too. "

Andi Benton has posed:
Andi Benton bristles. "I'm not talking to any agents or SHIELD or anyone like that. I don't have anything to say to them."

For just a moment, if they're looking closely enough, its almost as if something rustles near the corner of an eye, or within a pocket. Just the mention of that organization has her on edge, and she shuts her eyes to /really/ focus on keeping it together.

The moment passes.

"I..don't even know what I'm comfortable saying, because I'm..I'm okay and I'm kinda not okay too but some stuff happened and my dad got kidnapped and I had to go to make sure it wasn't worse. Spider-Man helped. I met him before." The words are the start of something more, but they're said with a notable hesitancy. "I know you guys are supposed to be used to this stuff."

Morrigan MacIntyre has posed:
Morrigan raises her hands, spreading them slowly in a show of no harm, "None of us here are SHIELD, so, we won't be doing any talking with them for the moment." she states. She wasn't pushing. Honestly she wasn't someone that wanted to push given the situation.

"You take your time on talking. I'm not going anywhere and I don't think Miss O'Connail or Doctor Hastings are either for a bit. And if you don't talk tonight that's fine. We just want to make sure you're safe and you have what is needed for the moment." she tells the young woman.

Daniel Hastings has posed:
"If you were okay we wouldn't be having this conversation." Daniel offers with something of a wry turn of his regard. "And that's fine. It's not okay for your dad to be kidnapped. It's okay to not want a monolithic government agency to make decisions for you. It's okay to be freaked out by all of this. It's normal." Or whatever passes for normal on this bizarro world that is Earth these days.

Colette O'Connail has posed:
"Don't talk to them then," Colette says. "I don't blame you, SHIELD is tedious. Buncha nosy fu... monolithic government agents, if you ask me. Which you didn't." Colette turns from the view over the bay to actually look at Andi at last.

    "The world's a complicated, messed up, crazy place. Weird shit happens all the time. Anyone who says they're really used to it is kidding themselves, but yeah. Happy Harbor is kind of ground zero. Nobody here's gonna judge you or be freaked out."

    Colette gives a thoughtfull tilt of her head, then fishes around in a pocket and pulls out some keys. "Andi. Talking of making sure you're safe. If you need a place to hole up for a while, until your old man's out of hospital or whatever. I've got a small place not far you can borrow. No strings attached. If you need a roof over your head where you can't easily be found, a TV to watch and a fridge full of food, it's yours. Just want to make sure you're not on the streets or something, you know?"

Andi Benton has posed:
Although Morrigan said she wasn't going anywhere, sometimes life has a fateful way of intervening as an emergency comes up shortly afterward that requires her attention. Andi flashes a somewhat amused look toward the others, then after Morrigan's bowed out - Andi might have to catch up with her more in private later - she comments, "And then there were three."

She goes on to say, "I don't think any of this is normal," though Colette is given a closer look at the correction of her word choice. "And how do you know nobody's gonna judge me or be freaked out if they knew what really happened?" There's a hesitant look in her eyes at the offer of a place if she needs one, and she fidgets with her hands. "It's not that I can't go back home, but even if that crazy freak got arrested, I'm not sure I want to be there right now."

Then she asks, "So..what usually happens when you find out someone is, you know, different?"

Daniel Hastings has posed:
Daniel takes a long deep breath. "Well. I guess that depends on a few different things. I /can/ tell you that it'll take a hell of a lot to freak me out. Short of you spontaneously exploding into a spray of your own innards then reassembling yourself.." He shrugs. Yeah that was graphic but he was making a point. "As to what happens.. that depends on whom you're telling. It's not as if it's a huge secret that I'm a mutant. I don't spread it around but after going on television and telling the world.. most people don't have long enough memories to remember me since I look normal." He lifts a palm to her. "Now.. if you happen to be able to turn into Godzilla and back? Sure, people might remember that. As to what happens? Each to their own gifts. I've been blasted into my component atoms and visited an alien planet. So.." The physics teacher. More than he appears! "I think it's going to take quite a lot to quote 'freak me out'."

Colette O'Connail has posed:
    Colette tilts her head to one side. "I said nobody /here/ is gonna judge. Elsewhere? Probably. Some people can be kinda judgy. But anyone who's spent much time on staff at Happy Harbor? Not so much. A lot of the students there are 'different'. Some of the staff, too. You get used to it real quick, or you find a job elsewhere."

    "If you want to avoid attention... while you process stuff... going back home right now probably isn't the best option." Colette shoves her hands back in the pockets of her jacket, with the keys. "Offer remains open. Place is less than a mile away, I only use it as somewhere to stop by close to the school if I can't be bothered to hop on the hyperloop back home. I can spare it a few days. Or a few weeks, however long you need. "

    "As for what usually happens... there is no usually." Colette shrugs, her keys jingling with the motion. " Last time a friend of mine discovered they were 'different', I took him out to an Italian restaurant. There's no rule book for this shi...stuff. It all depends on the person involved, the 'how' of the different, and how it all pans out. My advice is to take time about getting your own thoughts in order before you worry too much about what anyone else thinks. "

Andi Benton has posed:
"Look, you can fucking swear around me. It's not like I've never heard that kind of shit before," is the first thing Andi says back to Colette. "And you don't know how much I've wanted to say 'fuck this' and 'fuck that' and everything else over the last few days."

That little moment out of her system, she's listened to both Dan and Colette give their perspectives on things. "Yeah, so, I'm pretty sure I know a few people at the school who aren't normal. I mean, come on. Tanya's way too good at math not to be, like, some kind of supercomputer in a human body." Except Tanya's very normal, just very smart. "And I think Xiomara must have been born to a couple bodybuilders or something."

She's talking, which is good...yes? Talking, but avoiding the main reason they're here, until she lets out a deeper breath.

"So something happened to me when I went to try to help my dad."

Daniel Hastings has posed:
There's a glance over at Colette when Andi finally gets around to not telling them what happened yet. There's a faint smile on his face that Daniel covers with his palm. Yes, he rather got the hint that something happened. But to each in their own time. "When you involve Doctor Octavian.. that goes without saying." There's a wry turn of his tone but he does nod, listening, letting her take her time with this.

Colette O'Connail has posed:
    "Andi, I swear all the time. If you think you're prone to swearing, you should meet me outside a professional context." Colette grins. "But yeah, professional context." She takes a hand from her pocket and brushes a few stray strands of hair from her eyes.

    "There are at least four students better at math than Tanya." Colette grins. "There's even one who usually scores lower than Tanya who gets an exactly consistent amount wrong in every test, think about that.

    Daniel's glance is returned, and held a little longer than his glance is. Colette gives Andi a 'continue' gesture. "Tell us as much or as little as you want to, Andi. Obviously we think you should tell us everything so we have a better idea what we can do to help, but it's your call not ours. Whatever you feel comfortable with."

Andi Benton has posed:
"I think it's.." Andi begins after hearing the name Dan uses, then she cuts herself off. "Nevermind. He's a crazy fuck. I guess there was this meteor shower and something landed and a bunch of scientists got them and were gonna study them, then he broke in and stole them."

She shifts in place, fidgeting. "One of them had some kind of..thing in it, and I guess he found it because he was running a bunch of tests on it and.."

<Hurting us, torturing us> comes the voice inside her head from 'it.'

"..hurting it. It's, you know, sentient, and I happened to be going by when it sort of touched my mind. He saw me and noticed the way the thing reacted, and he started to chase me but I got away and when he found where I lived that's when he took my dad. He broke his arm just to make sure I went back." Does she look comfortable saying this? No way.

Daniel Hastings has posed:
Daniel is listening alright. He's also thinking. He remembers the meteor shower alright. The various thefts. That Octavian was the cause and.. a sentient being was another.. both relieves and unnerves him. "Let me guess. Octavian wanted you to help him to.. interface.. with the alien." It's a word with so many possible meanings. "See.. this is why.. nevermind." He lifts his hand from mouth to massage his forehead. "I'm just thinking of all of the things science has been used for that.. are evils. Mengele for example. But please. Continue."

Colette O'Connail has posed:
    "The concerns of a dedicated scientist," Colette says wryly in response to Daniel's brief reverie. "Think of all the evil things /hands/ have been used for." She seems to have her attention at least half on Daniel here - he's making some interesting guesses.

    "Andi, if you'd feel more comfortable not talking about what exactly happened, maybe you could concentrate on what happened to /you/. " Colette holds both hands up. "But whatever works. Not trying to rush you, take it at your own pace and only tell us what you're comfortable talking about, okay?"

Andi Benton has posed:
Andi Benton opens her mouth to say something to Dan but stops herself, just shaking her head briefly. No need to correct him over a name. It's hardly important compared to the bigger picture. "Something like that," she mutters. "I think he was gonna run some more, uh, tests, using me as..as..I dunno as what, but I don't think it was gonna be good. But I was talking to Spider-Man when he called using dad's phone, and Spider-Man went to fight him while I tried to get dad free."

She's sharing more in spite of Colette suggesting what she may or may not want to do with the story. The next part, she bites her lip and gives them a choice. "Do you want me to tell you what happened next, or do you want me to show you?"

<We hope we can show them> is what /it/ says to her.

Daniel Hastings has posed:
Daniel straightens from leaning on his knees to sitting upright. "Spider-Man?" Now there's a dozen questions as to how she knows Spider-Man.. but that's not important right now. "The answer to that is whatever you are comfortable with. Remember, we're here for you. Though that having been said, they say a picture is worth a thousand words. I'll try to keep my inner scientist in check." Sooo many questions.

Colette O'Connail has posed:
    "It's your show Andi," Colette says. She glances up and down the beach, and her eyes scan the water front. "Doesn't look like anyone else is around, so unless showing us is particularly noisy, probably not going to attract attention."

    Colette puts one hand back in her pocket, but keeps the other free. She waves the hand in Andi's direction, fingers rippling, a kind of 'over to you' gesture. "Whichever works best for you," she suggests. Her eyes flicker back and forth between Andi and Daniel.

Andi Benton has posed:
"I met him before," is all Andi says for now about Spider-Man. "He was doing what he does."

Sounds like 'show' it is, then. But, she shakes her head toward Colette. "Not out here. Let's go over there." She indicates one of the old, restored 1800s buildings, and there really is nobody else over that way. "I think it's safer there."

Safer?

She rises, making her way over to one of them, then she stops and lets out a breath after taking up a crouched position on the balls of her feet, balancing evenly. "So..whatever I felt before, whatever /he/ was torturing?"

There is a rippling of mass around Andi all at once. Black, inky tendrils of varying size and shape, swarming every which way. When they stop, the girl is still crouched there, but she couldn't look much more different. All black from head to toe, the hair almost cartoonishly spiky, a few large triangles of it sticking up above strange all-white eyes of a slanted nature. There's no nose, no mouth, no ears that can be seen, and the rest looks like a bodysuit but could never be mistaken for such based on what they've just witnessed. Spiked accents are noted along forearms and shins, along with a loose-fitting belt, and it's completed by chunky boots over the feet.

"<We found us.>" She says..it says..they say.

The eyes turn toward a curious look up toward them, her head tilting to match the 'expression.'

Daniel Hastings has posed:
Daniel.. didn't know what he was expecting. Not this, for sure, but.. what? So he tries to keep his expression neutral. "We?" He then looks Andi over. "Perhaps I could ask a more specific question. Are 'we' a conglomerate entity of a thousand thousand smaller beings? Or are we.. Andi and.. her new friend?" He doesn't have the 'oh wow cool' reaction but then he's a scientist. Right now, he's in examination mode. "Might I ask what planet 'we' are from? Since clearly, it is not Earth. How you happened to be on a bit of meteorite on its way to Earth?"

There's a moment's pause then he looks to the 'eyes', "So a moment ago, you were saying I and Me. Now you are saying We and Us. Does your new friend recognize a sense of itself? Or is its self.. you?" Nope, not freaking out, though there seems to be a tone of concern in that last question.

Colette O'Connail has posed:
    Colette flashes a raised eyebrow at Daniel as they follow Andi over to the old building. Maybe Andi is just being over-cautious, but maybe that indicates something a bit more dramatic.

    Let's put the check mark next to 'more dramatic'.

    "They said 'we found us'," Colette says, addressing Daniel with his flood of questions. "Plural for finder and findee." There's just a hint of eye-rolling going on. She seems to think that Daniel's scientific curiosity is a little over-eager, even if he's not exactly 'oh-wow-cool'ing.

    It's probably a slightly odd concern for her to be having while Andi's turning into some demi-Cthuloid monstrosity.

    "Does the 'we' who isn't the 'I' of Andi have a name?" she asks Mania. "And what are your intentions with Andi? "

Andi Benton has posed:
Whatever it is that Andi's become rises slowly, looking both of them over, the expressive eyes narrowing slightly into a more speculative, wondering look. If they're surprised, they're hiding it well. They don't appear to be showing any fear, but they certainly have their questions. Who wouldn't?

"<No. Not from Earth. We do not remember what happened,>" it claims, and there comes a shrug as the arms cross as she leans against the exterior of the building. The question of another planet is not getting answered right now, evidently.

"<We needed our help,>" it then adds, doing little to sound any less cryptic than before. "<And we have no name...yet. We mean to protect us, keep us safe from more experiments, more torture, more bad people.>"

Then the faceless, expressionless (except for the eyes) visage peels back to reveal Andi's face again. "Look, we're still trying to figure things out. It's only been a few days. But it knows some things, and has felt some things. It's not trying to hurt me," she says, sounding like she believes it.

Then she either lets it cover her face again or it does it on its own.

"<Keep Andi safe. Keep us safe.>"

Daniel Hastings has posed:
Daniel hasn't taken his eyes off of Andi though his hand is now stroking his chin and cheek as he thinks. "Well.. that's a good thing." He acknowledges with a nod at last. "It's what we all want. And her father safe as well." He takes a deep breath and rises to his feet. "Andi.. I've got no doubt that this entity wants to keep you safe from harm. Now whether that's a permanent state or whether its definition of harm differs from yours.. or whether its intentions are truly benign? You don't know." He doesn't either and that's what's bothering him. "But.. and I think I can speak for the Doctor and Colette.. our first concern is you. If you're.. comfortable.. with this new change. Then we're here to help you. I know a few super genius types that would love to figure out your friend.. without hurting it.. and that aren't SHIELD. I'll just put that out there. No obligation. No pressure. It's just a thing to consider. If you need answers."

Colette O'Connail has posed:
    "Symbiosis rather than parasitism then," Colette says, her voice very level. "The idea of succesful xenosymbiosis on a purely physiological level arising through natural evolution is pretty remote, but neurological interfacing? There has to be a psychic element. "

    Given Colette's a literature major, that's perhaps not the most expected of responses.

    "The obvious - and least invasive test would be psychic. There are some powerful psychics around who... if you would be willing to trust them, Andi - both of you - could probably supress the connection sufficiently long to ensure that there's no coercion involved. Such coercion might not even be something the host was aware was taking place. They might consider thoughts to be their own which were not."

    Colette studies Mania's face closely. "Would that be something you would be prepared to consider consenting to, both of you? If you could feel certain of the good intentions of such a psychic? You say you want to keep Andi safe. That's what we want too. That's why we are here. If you truly care about Andi, about your host, would you be prepared to agree to such a test, so she could be certain of /your/ intentions?"

Andi Benton has posed:
The eyes begin to tell the story once again. This time, the sense is one of suspicion. "<No more experiments! No more tests! No more hurt!>" Notably, the spiky protrusions along the arms and legs appear to stand out slightly more, as if a twisted version of goosebumps on the skin. A defense mechanism, styled after a punk/goth look?

Then in an instant, all traces of the symbiote disappear, flowing back into Andi and leaving her visibly by herself again. "I think you just made it hide," she murmurs, a doubtful expression to her features, which are actually normal compared to the lack of same in the appearance they had seen.

"So..I don't think it trusts anyone around here enough yet to be comfortable with that, and right now I kinda don't want to go see anyone either. I get it if you can't let me back in the school because you don't know if it's safe or not, but this all literally just happened a few days ago. I'm still learning about it. It's learning about me. We need time without others making it even more complicated. And it's not making me do anything."

Daniel Hastings has posed:
Daniel takes a deep breath. "To be honest.. I'm almost glad that it fears. That it relies on you. That tells me that you're in charge of this.. relationship. For now." The latter being his concern. "Look, neither one of us wants to do anything against your will. But we do have concerns. As to the school.. it can keep a low profile.. if you think you can make sure it stays keeping a low profile? Well.. you're not the biggest concern I have in the school." Is he implying there are 'others'? Probably. "So right now.. we need you in a safe place." A nod to Colette. "Where you can do some studying, get used to your new friend, eat regular meals, and not worry about the bills or your dad. Does that sound about right?"

Colette O'Connail has posed:
    Colette takes a step backwards when the symbiote starts spawning spikes, but it's a distinctly defensive reaction. She holds both hands out in calming gesture, fingers wide. Does that 'I'm not holding anything' gesture translate to the symbiote? Probably it will through the link to Andi's mind, but that's not certain. It's instinctive anyway.

    In Colette's case it's also a lie, but nobody needs to know that.

    When the Symbiote retreats, Colette relaxes a little. "If you think it's not making you do something, then you're almost certainly right Andi. But it's not cast iron. There is a small possibility it is affecting your mind in a way that you're unaware of. My suggestion would be a way of reassuring yourself that wasn't the case. But clearly neither you nor /it/ should invite a psychic into your heads unless you are both convinced of their good intentions. Think it over, discuss it with your guest, and if it seems like a good idea, I would suggest an approach to the Martian Manhunter, from the Justice League. He has a very strict moral code, you would be able to trust him not to interfere. But no rush. Take your time."

    Colette reaches into her pocket and pulls the keys out again. "So. Safe place. Yours if you want it. It's not even my registered address with the school, if you'd prefer I won't let anyone know where you even are."

Andi Benton has posed:
Andi Benton begins to close up, shut down. She's back to arms wrapped around herself, growing quieter again. "Yeah..I'm worried about my dad. I think he's okay, but he's not gonna be able to work for a while and I don't feel comfortable at home without him there." That's said, even if the symbiote has more at its disposal to help keep her safe.

"If you think I should be in school, I'm pretty sure I can keep things hidden around the others." The Martian Manhunter mention leads to a speculative look in her face, but it's met with just a brief nod. She holds out a hand for the keys. "Thanks.."

Daniel Hastings has posed:
"I can't speak for others but I've got a nominal amount of money and don't need much." Daniel offers, "It helps not having a car payment and cheap rent. I'm sure we can scrape enough to keep you guys housed.. though you'll probably want to move. Maybe have your dad live in your safe house with you until we've got a new spot in mind. Then I can get your things over there without anyone the wiser." How? He doesn't elaborate. "That way Octoman can't find you. At least not without serious effort. And if he tries anything at the school.. well.. I don't envy him the error of that decision."

Colette O'Connail has posed:
"It really would be better if you keep coming to school," Colette agrees. "I'm guessing your future looks really..." she shakes her head. "A huge unknown to you right now. But my advice is don't close off any avenues you don't have to. It's just a few more weeks."

    Colette drops the keys in Andi's hand. "Don't worry about it Doctor Hastings, I've got this covered." On a TA's non existent salary? Well she does seem to have a 'spare' apartment on Staten Island, so she's probably not kidding.

     "It's walking distance from the school. Come along and I'll drive you there. I'll leave you my phone number so you can call me if you need anything. We can fetch some things from your place first, and let me know if you need me to bring more food, if you hate my selection of X-Box games, whatever. If you don't want even the school to know where you are, that's cool." Colette breaks into a grin, and winks at Andi. "I do expect you to do your homework though. No slacking off on the X-box all evening, every evening, okay?"

Andi Benton has posed:
"Yeah, well..thanks. I don't think I should be going on this trip that's coming up, though," Andi says. That may be up for discussion later on along with everything else, but knowing what they know so far about this, and especially what they don't know, it could be a whole lot of potential trouble.

She rolls her eyes at the rules Colette lays out, or at least the main one, mumbling, "Yeah, sure. I usually just play stuff on my phone anyway. And I'm supposed to be working this weekend, too." It's that music store a few blocks away, the one that's still holding on to the used record market as part of its business model.

"And no offense, Mr. Hastings, but fuck's sake, it's Doctor Octopus, and his name is Otto Octavius, and he's probably my biggest nemesis now." At least the guy is in jail.