9423/Meeting Mania, Maddie, and Monet in Mutant Town

Meeting Mania, Maddie, and Monet in Mutant Town
Date of Scene:	02 January 2022
Location:	Bushwick <Mutant Town>
Synopsis:	Mania chases a purse-snatcher and is met by two mutants with mental abilities that prove concerning: Monet and Madelyne.
Cast of Characters:	Andi Benton, Monet St. Croix, Madelyne Pryor

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Andi Benton has posed:
Bushwick is one of those places. Home to many mutants, but for that reason also home to many ostracized people seen as freaks. Given Mania's appearance, it ought to be no surprise she feels somewhat at home in this place. Even her 'normal' appearance would be considered punk, goth enough to draw second glances and stares from the more boring people out there.

Now, what Mania is /doing/ in Mutant Town is pretty simple. She's chasing down a purse-snatcher, using a few buildings to help her in the pursuit as she web-swings her way along in pursuit. "Go on. Keep running. You are just going to tire yourself out and we will catch you even more easily." The vigilante is in all black, with a white spider-motif, and looks potentially...dangerous.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
The tall Morrocan woman known as M does not spend a great deal of time in Mutant Town. So today she's here more to get the lay of the land and to do some exploring. M stands out in her own way - as far as she is concerned she is perfect after all, and anyone can bask at the sight of her. But Monet is at least not openly going on about this fact for everyone to hear!

When she catches sight of Mania, Monet tenses. The figure does not look like any of the 'Spider' types that she is familiar with from the news. So rather than attacking or threatening, M attempts to scan the surface thoughts of the vigilante. However, given M's limited telepathic abilities and training, she is unlikely to succeed if the pair have any sort of innate resistance to telepathy.

Madelyne Pryor has posed:
Madelyne Pryor is sucking on a large frappucino and has her hair and shades down. It's a little cool today, but Madelyne is picking up dry cleaning, stopping by her favorite record store, and making sure she has her print issues of SUPERMAN, DETECTIVE COMICS and ACTION. They may be Sinister created memories stuck in her head as a afterthought, but now they belong to her. Sure, she will burn away the brain of Nathaniel Essex when she meets him, but in the meantime this is *her life*.

So, the local Chase branch looks like there's trouble. Normally, Madelyne doesn't get in the way of normal trouble, but her telepathic senses detect something... familiar. A mutant, and something... else. "Well, this is interesting." The lovely cinnamon skinned woman registers as a mutant. The spider-person doing the Batman speech, like two conjoined minds.

Andi Benton has posed:
Mania's voice carries a sort of dual nature to it, feminine yet also alien in some way. The face is featureless, just a pair of solid white eyes that look angular and enlarged. Webbing is fired out from a hand, sticking to the legs of the runner. "Uh oh. We are getting closer now!" comes a taunt, only for her to suddenly...pause upon landing.

There is a visible show of looking around, a claw-tipped hand rising to rub the side of that smooth head. "What was that?" the creature wonders aloud, attention settling soon upon Monet first, passing over the redheaded Madelyne next. The telepathic touch has been felt, and M would immediately notice that while it's difficult to clearly read anything skimming the surface, there is a sort of shared mind of two separate entities joined as one.

The purse-snatcher takes this chance, upon stumbling, to shout, "Help! It's trying to eat me!!"

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Madelyne is not immediately noticed by Monet. She's just another person out in the crowd. M's attention is fully on the duo of Mania and Andi. As she would get the surface.. Impressions, she would murmur, "Fascinating. A loose gestalt.." As the purse snatcher would yell, Monet would glare at them.

"Don't interrupt, the adults are talking now." As if she could stare them down over into shutting up and going quiet on the ground. "You'll be handled shortly."

Madelyne Pryor has posed:
Madelyne Pryor giggles as she sucks on her large frap, wondering if indeed the Spider-thing will eat the purse snatches, and then admires beautiful Monet. She steps up, entirely unafraid. She doesnt recognize M, but politely taps on her telepathic defenses. <<Hello, Mutant comrade. Here for backup, but it seems like you got this. I'm Madelyne and I'm a 1st year at Chuck's school. Are you going to let liquid spider over there eat the purse snatcher? Your call.>>

Andi Benton has posed:
"Quiet." Mania sends a glob of sticker webbing at the man's face, covering up his mouth. It doesn't prevent breathing, but it remains sticky as he tries to pry it off. It'll dissolve in a matter of minutes, but he doesn't know that. Likely, neither do the others watching this.

Mania has a spiky demeanor to her, from the protrusions at forearms and shins, not to mention a belt that serves no real purpose except a visual one, and her head tilts in the direction of the pair.

//Did you feel that, Andi? We felt something.//
<<Yeah, but I don't know. Is it a mind-reader?>>

This brief exchange takes place inside the shared mind, and those hands rest at her hips as she faces them. "We are Mania, and this loser here stole that purse, unless you think he looks natural with it."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
There would be a swivel of Monet's head to Madelyne and a nod <<Ah, forgive me, I'm a graduate. I don't think I've run into you.>> Madelyne looks a lot like Jean, but that's not particularly important. <<I appreciate the backup>>

The purse snatcher is given a light glare, "Stay there and don't move. We'll deal with you when we're done." The statement isn't done as a threat. Just one of fact. He's now ignored.

"Fascinating." She would glance at Mania, "What are the two separate parts of you? You don't appear to be a fully merged consciousness, but two separate entities sharing a form."

Madelyne Pryor has posed:
Madelyne Pryor can of course telepathically also hear the entire conversation. She extends a telepathic dispersal field, so that gawkers go on their way and they won't be bothered while they conversate. She holds the crook in a telekinetic grip and floats the purse back to it's owner, if no one objects.

Andi Benton has posed:
One of those eyes grows larger than the other at Monet's question, but also Madelyne's display with the telekinesis. Arms cross, folding beneath part of the white spider insignia, and there is a sort of defiant stance to her.

"We do not know what you are talking about," Mania states, ignoring of course the fact they are speaking in the plural, rather than the singular. A little more prodding: likely necessary.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would turn to Madelyne and nod her head appreciatively. <<Excellent work, thank you>> Not that she would admit it, but probably better than her own. And then going to Mania, "You share one body, but have two consciousnesses within it. A true gestalt would have the minds be singular in nature. Joined to a whole. You both appear to share the body but as separate individuals, hence your conversations. However, given your shared method of speaking I may be in error of my evaluation."

Yes, lecturing.

Madelyne Pryor has posed:
Madelyne Pryor says, "Thank you, babe! You're not bad yourself. As for this person here, I don't think they are related to the Spider-Family. Damned unique!"

Andi Benton has posed:
There comes a shift in Mania's demeanor. A hint of discomfort? Concern? It follows the words from Monet, talking about gestalts and shared body but different minds and.. "You did not hear any conversations. It is important you did not hear any conversations." Definitely a sense of worry there, and an attempt to then explain a bit as others move along like they're not really there.

"It is a..a bond. That is all. And we know Spider-Man very well. Does this not tell you something?" A thumb jerks at the white spider shape, front and back, but the body language remains wary.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would look over at Madelyne and smile, "Why thank you." Her going to glance at Mania and shaking her head, "I did not hear any conversations. I merely heard two individuals talking." A very slight evasion, but close enough to the truth.

"Fascinating. It seems that the bond is quite effective and efficient."

Madelyne Pryor has posed:
Madelyne Pryor says, "And don't worry, it's rude to eavesdrop - that's something some people try to drill into us every day where we come from. You're a couple and deserve your privacy."

Andi Benton has posed:
Mania raises a finger to say something more, only to stall out. A couple? In some ways yes, in other ways not at all. "It is complicated," comes the response, those eyes squinting again in Monet's direction afterward.

"The one who had the purse stolen is a few blocks back that way." A thumb is jerked behind her, but they can see someone waving her arms for their attention as the distance is closed. Must be the one. The robber just sits there looking between them with wide eyes. He may still think his brains are on the menu, or something.

"And we are very effective," Mania adds, a sense of pride inflating the ego for a moment. "We appreciate not eavesdropping. We have not seen either of you before. Your hair is very red," indicating Madelyne. As for Monet, "And you are very..stern."

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would nod over at Madelyne's comments, "Yes, it's rude and unethical to invade privacy. You were engaging in stopping a crime and retrieving stolen property. You were not a threat to anyone other than the perpetrator." She would glance at the robber.

He has no brains to eat anyways. But he's still sitting there and not moving just as she told him to! LIke a good little animal.

"You did an effective job at it." She would allow after a moment. And then at the next comment, "Of course I am."

Madelyne Pryor has posed:
Madelyne Pryor twirls the purse snatcher around slowly. "So, why don't we hand this clown to the NYPD, and get some coffee? Do you both drink coffee?" She refers to Andi. "Or get some lunch. Always nice to make new friends."

Andi Benton has posed:
Mania moves closer to the purse snatcher as he hangs in the air courtesy of invisible bindings of some kind. "How are you doing that?" she asks, looking back toward Madelyne with the way she seems to be responsible for it.

There is the concern that they both caught Andi's name if they picked up on that part of the internal talk, but they are both playing it off like it wasn't much. "Yes. Stopping a crime. And that makes us hungry. Anywhere with chocolate, we would not turn down." Seems this gestalt, this bonded pair, whatever they are, loves chocolate, as a line forms at the location of the mouth to show an alien tongue slipping out to act as if licking said chocolate clean.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would give a shrug over at Madelyne, "If you prefer." She doesn't say 'insist'. She's being polite after all. "I feel we can find a location in this area which has acceptable coffee and chocolates." She would cross her arms over while considering the particulars. "If you are more familiar with the area, please lead on." She would offer to Madelyne.

Madelyne Pryor has posed:
Madelyne Pryor leads them to a nearby bakery known for chocolate pastries and good espresso. "So, I run flights for Summers air freight out of Newark Air Port, making runs up to Alaska. I'm entirely new to this mutant business. Oh, I'm a psychic. That's how I am holding this guy." Madelyne gently deposits him with the local NYPD, who have just shown up.

Andi Benton has posed:
"A mocha is a very tasty drink, especially with quadruple chocolate shots," Mania puts forth, moving slightly more into cover as the police arrive. Best not to draw too much attention from them, forgetting that the two with her could just cover for that if they need to. At least in Mutant Town, looking different isn't an immediate attention-grabber, though in some cases a unique enough look can still draw attention.

"Interesting," is added, to the explanation about how the guy was being held. There is, if guardedly, time spent to take care of some cravings centering around chocolate, but Mania remains more wary than not even as talk of gathering again nearby soon takes place.

Monet St. Croix has posed:
Monet St. Croix would nod at the other two, "Very well. This is acceptable." Not every shop can be as high class as she might prefer. It's the location after all. It caters to those who live in the area and their preferences. So she can accept this style of establishment as she would sit and join with the others while having coffee and talking.