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Post by aquarius on May 26, 2022 13:53:00 GMT -7
Finesse reflected on how Thor had been acting, was this the 'cheesy' that other Avenger Academics had mentioned in passing? Whatever it was, it seemed to infect Robbie briefly, Although in his defence he had few ways of communicating via quick gestures. His reaction to the invitation to the mansion was... fanboyesque. Clearly he was intimidated by the Avengers as a collective. Whilst that would be easy enough to help him get over, such things usually took time.
"The mansion, yes. Where we, and I specifically, live. And that code was... complicated. Without Stark's computers it would likely take hours to brute force a solution. Fortunately I have considerable talents in code breaking. That is part of my power. Enhanced reasoning skills, and accelerated learning."
This was the tiniest fraction of her potential of course, but she was trying to encourage him towards the Avengers, not to scare him off. The various expressions her classmates had used in reference to her made it clear that awareness of her capacities seemed to 'creep people out' in some cases, so best to avoid too much elaboration on that subject.
"Perhaps I decoded it easily, but I would not have been able to overcome even the warehouse full of opponents on my own, let alone this group afterwards. This is why the Avengers exist. To achieve what no person could alone. But if you don't feel you're ready to join us at the Academy, then..." she reached out to reclaim the page of names, adding 'Jeanne' at the bottom along with an email and a phone number, before passing it back to Robbie. "I enjoyed tonight. I look forwards to our second date."
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Post by numble on May 27, 2022 12:42:06 GMT -7
De4 Robbie nodded as she confirmed what he already knew; Thor did indeed mean Avengers mansion. He tried to cool his jets a little and said "Yeah. Sorry for getting over-excited about that. It's just not somewhere I ever thought I'd get to see, you know?" he shrugged. "I've been doing this for a couple of years now but in the grand scheme of things I'm still pretty new, especially to New York." As she explained her power more, he got a better idea of just how many benefits it had. "Pretty impressive power. No wonder you're so good. And yeah, working together certainly has its benefits. Filling in each other's blindspots. Many hands make light work, as they say." He thought back to when he'd met the other Ghost Riders. They both had support groups and other 'super friends'. All he had was Gabe. "And me..." Eli's voice interrupted him again. "Teamwork isn't for you, kid. Stick to the lone wolf routine. Bringing in other people complicates things." For once, he ignored Eli and took the page as it was handed to him, looking at her name at the bottom. "Thanks. Me too." he nodded. "It's been a hell of an evening."
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Post by aquarius on May 30, 2022 13:07:50 GMT -7
At his apology for being excited by the prospect of Avengers Mansion, Jeanne merely shrugged. "Whilst I maintain control of my emotions, I still experience them. I was no less anxious upon my first visit, I assure you." With his mention of being new to New York though, Jeanne mentally noted that this was another fact which would narrow down his identity. She might well end up tracking him down just for fun, though of course she'd make sure none of her instructors found out about it if so. Besides, based on the few definite deductions she could make about him, it seemed probable he was physically attractive. Finding out was surely going to be a pleasant outing for the satisfying of her intellectual curiosity.
"So, either join me for your first trip to Avengers Mansion, or at least give me a ride home? I expect we'll beat Thor back either way. He'll have to speak with SHIELD to get those criminals dealt with properly."
This last request was a combination of pragmatic just getting home efficiently, and of doing her best to make this like a real 'first date'. She was not likely to have anything close to a normal relationship after all, and definitely not with a 'normal' guy. Perhaps a Ghost Rider was far from normal, but he was certainly the closest she'd likely get for any foreseeable length of time.
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Post by numble on May 31, 2022 9:01:06 GMT -7
Robbie took some comfort in knowing that she had been nervous too. It made sense, who wouldn’t be? A literal god had just come to help them tidy up a crime scene. Being overwhelmed was a pretty natural response. “I’m more than happy to accept the invitation. If nothing else it will be cool to see the inside of the mansion. And it would be rude of me not to get you home.” He gestured to the door and said “Your chariot awaits.” before heading back out of the building to the car. As they approached the vehicle it burst into flames again, transforming once more from its guise as a normal car. He walked around to the passenger side and opened the door for her, wondering briefly as he did so if it was sexist. He figured she wouldn’t mind- she was able to read body language so well that she certainly knew he was just putting on a gentleman schtick. Hopping into the driver’s seat. He started the car and the hellfire surrounding it roared with a new burst of energy as the engine came alive. “Shall we?”
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Post by aquarius on Jun 3, 2022 14:15:43 GMT -7
Hm. Jeanne had expected him to decline the invitation to the mansion, given the combination of his nerves and this lone wolf mannerism of his which only made sense if he had a drastically inferior sense of self worth as a hero. But even that didn't seem entirely consistent with much of the way he acted. Conclusion - people were confusing, with or without a spirit of vengeance setting their hair and transportation on fire.
Observing the car as it reignited, this was more first hand information on a magical phenomenon which was going to be relatively easy to research, since there were many documented encounters with the various Ghost Riders in the Avengers files, all of which would no doubt contain information she could compare to her own observations for further insight. She would also need to look up the details of the car underneath the hellfire, too. That might well reveal details of how the infernal energies interacted with it.
Getting in to the car as the door was opened for her with a politely spoken "thank you" and a graceful moving onto the passenger seat, she had just finished buckling up her seatbelt when Robbie had reached his own seat and asked his question. This elicited a more wordy response from her - "Whenever you are ready. There may be other Avengers present at the mansion, Excalibur usually at this time of night, maybe one or two of the best known ones as well. I can either introduce you, or keep it to just us and Thor if you wish. He is not the most detailed of debriefers, and since you are not currently an Avenger, I doubt he will ask you many questions." Truth be told, the few times she had given a report to Thor, she quietly completed a copy of the mission report documents for him and filled in all the gaps in the report he had completed, ensuring complete information was given to those who actually read such things.
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Post by numble on Jun 4, 2022 7:51:25 GMT -7
The car revved a little and pulled out onto the street, moving quickly but without the wild urgency Robbie had driven with on the way to the criminal hideout. He nodded at what Finesse said. He hadn't really thought about any of the other Avengers being there but of course, it only made sense. "I wouldn't mind meeting people if it comes up but I don't want to bother anybody on their down time." He wondered what kind of questions Thor would have. He didn't relish the idea of talking about the dead gang member at the scene of their first fight. "What's the matter, kid?" Chirped Eli. "Worried Captain Hammer Time will find out you're a cold-blooded killer?" Robbie tensed up a bit and internally responded "I'm not. That's you. I have to feel the weight of it every time. Also, Thor's a literal god. Would it kill you to have even a little respect?" Eli just laughed. Before long they were pulling up to the gates of the mansion and the car's fire died down a bit as they slowed. "Is there... Parking?" He asked Finesse.
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Post by aquarius on Jun 7, 2022 9:45:54 GMT -7
So he was curiously indifferent to the prospect of meeting other Avengers, despite how he had acted around Thor. All of the psychology texts she had read had suggested he'd have been either strongly interested, or strongly opposed to the idea. People really did make no sense at all. Or did a Spirit Of Vengeance have a known effect upon someone's mental equilibrium? Perhaps that might explain the puzzling responses he gave every now and then. This would take thorough research indeed, since she'd not delved into the files on the other Ghost Riders to any real level of detail.
As they neared the mansion and he enquired about what to do with his car, Finesse considered the options. Given her relatively low security status and lack of familiarity with him, the simplest option was likely the best. "When you get to the gate, I can open it with my Commcard, and you can park behind the gates to keep your vehicle safe from any curious civilians. Or indeed, to keep curious civilians safe from your vehicle."
Indeed, as they neared the main entrance she pressed at her card and the gates began to swing open to permit entry to the hell charger. Once inside and stopped, Finesse unbuckled her belt and stepped out of the car, gesturing towards the mansion doors.
"I will need to go first to ensure the security systems know you are a guest, but as long as you don't run on ahead of me, they will give you the benefit of the doubt."
As she approached the door she had been tapping at her card, but switched over to the main control panel just inside the door. After only a second or two she looked towards Robbie again with a brief smile. "Completed. Welcome to Avengers Mansion."
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Post by numble on Jun 7, 2022 12:21:39 GMT -7
He eyed her commcard as she pressed it to the sensor and- just like that they were in. With a beep, the gate swung open and he pulled up to the Avengers mansion. He stared up at the daunting building with a mixture of awe and anxiety. He got out of the car after her and followed her up to the door, waiting as she alerted the security systems to his presence. It made sense, to any sane person he looked much more like a villain than a hero. It still came as a surprise to some people when a flaming skeleton came to the rescue. He reasoned that the security system would likely be hostile to anyone it didn’t know coming in though, not just the particularly macabre ones. He began to rethink his earlier statement about meeting other avengers and turned to Finesse as she welcomed him to the mansion. “Do you think they’d mind meeting me? The other Avengers? I just don’t want to bother anybody. I gotta figure they have more important stuff going on.” He looked around the entryway. It was pretty much what he’d expected, he’d seen mansions on tv, if not specifically this one. Still, it felt pretty cool to actually be standing inside of it. He took a few steps forward and then stopped, turning to make sure Finesse was still following. He didn’t really feel like he should be walking around unattended. “So… should we see Thor first? Or did we beat him back here like you expected?” He scratched at his bony chin. “If that’s the case, I don’t suppose you’d be willing to give me the tour?” He wondered who they might bump into in the halls. “Do people spend much time in common areas here or do they stick to their quarters for the most part?” He could hear Eli yawning in his head. “What’s with all the questions? Just go look around. Even I’M bored of you at this point. If Thor didn’t want you poking around in here he wouldn’t have invited you.” He said “Thor” with the most mocking tone possible.
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Post by aquarius on Jun 11, 2022 12:03:24 GMT -7
The human mind was a curious thing. Whilst it was true that the Avengers were often busy with saving the world in some way or another, it was extremely rare that this was done from the comfort of the mansion, and of course even more rare that they would be upset at anyone speaking to them in such a situation. But of course, nerves made just about everyone worry about illogical scenarios and Robbie was no exception, as she'd concluded a long way back in their shared evening.
"Anyone above ground in the mansion will not be on any active duty, nor training. Sadly as I am a trainee I have limited security access. I can only take a guest into the above ground areas, which are broadly speaking ordinary, at least by the standards of a mansion. My quarters are also somewhere I can show you though, if you wish to see what the Avengers provide for their students."
A quick glance at the nearest data terminal and Finesse was able to answer a few more of Robbie's questions with her usual steady, relaxed tone. "Thor is not listed as present, though I would anticipate his return within a few minutes at most. Other Avengers tend to come and go quite randomly. Excalibur is prone to spending more time in the common areas though, her powers include healing so she prefers to make sure people know she is around."
As she was talking her attention returned to the data terminal, she spent a few seconds typing and scanning a screenful of information, a pattern which lasted to the end of her brief monologue, before one last piece of information emerged onscreen, and she looked back to the Ghost Rider.
"I do not know the limits of her powers, but it is possible she could heal Gabriel."
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Post by numble on Jun 12, 2022 15:50:10 GMT -7
"So this place has some sort of underground facilities?" He asked, noting her repeated use of 'above ground's as a descriptor. "I guess that's not really surprising. You'd run out of room fast with how many Avengers there are otherwise. Plus, I didn't expect this to just be a normal mansion. I suppose I would like to see what the quarters are like though, if you're sure." He'd heard of Excalibur but had never seen her in action around the city as he had other heroes. She was easier to miss than a zillionaire in a bright red rocket-suit. Meeting Excalibur would definitely be great." He nodded enthusiastically. He stepped to the side as she worked at the terminal, studying pictures on the walls as he waited for her to finish. When she spoke again though, and mentioned Gabriel, he was caught off guard. "Excuse me?" He turned to her, his body language suddenly much more defensive as the fire on his head sparked up a bit. He thought he'd been careful. In his mind, Eli was suddenly shouting at him. "This was a trap and you walked right into it! She knows you're a killer. She knows everything. Your family, your name, all of it. This is why you work solo, kid. The Avengers'll bring you in. If they don't kill you, that is." "Don't bring him into this." Said Robbie, a dangerous tone suddenly in his voice as he hunched like a cornered animal.
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Post by aquarius on Jun 15, 2022 11:15:16 GMT -7
The nature of the Avengers' headquarters was frequently in flux, due to their changing roster and repeated destructions of the premises. But that was easy enough to adapt to if you were considered worthy of the name 'Avenger'. "Indeed. Most of what people usually seem to be most interested in is below ground, where greater security can be assured. The bedrooms are usually above ground, but we have only recently finished rebuilding after the destruction of the mansion, and many things are still not in their proper place, whilst others may well never return to how they were."
At his expressing an interest in meeting Excalibur, Finesse nodded, tapping a couple of buttons on the nearby console again, sending a low priority request to the British champion's comm card. "If she is not busy, she will probably be here in a minute or so."
His response to the suggestion of healing his brother seemed... near paradoxical, though. Clearly she had misunderstood something on a fundamental level, for him to respond so negatively to the idea. Jeanne looked towards him, then back to the computer screen, before pressing the power button, leaving the screen blank again.
"As you wish. I have difficulty following most people's emotions, I confess I would have expected the possibility of undoing his injuries to elicit a positive response. If it doesn't cause further offence, may I ask for an explanation of why that is so upsetting for you?"
Her understanding of psychology meant that she knew a few principles that could conceivably be factors, though none were possibly significant enough to account for such a response. One she was aware of and could easily change though, was that of eye contact. Sunglasses for example tended to dehumanise the wearer just a little bit. Whilst her domino mask didn't do that to the same degree, it was still a small factor she knew. After only a fraction of a second her hands moved up to remove the obfuscation of her appearance.
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Post by numble on Jun 17, 2022 11:31:05 GMT -7
He took a step backwards, eyeing the other hero carefully. He shook his head at her question and said "Of course I would love for him to be healed. My concern is that you know about him in the first place. You've clearly figured out who I am and delved into my life but without asking or giving a reason for it. Then you sprung it on me by mentioning my family. I don't know if I can trust you. Is this some sort of mind game? Is this a trap?" He looked around, wondering if Avengers were about to descend upon him and try to lock him up for murder. She'd already called one, admittedly at his request but if she had time to unravel his identity, she had time to call more. Eli chimed in, egging him on. "Attack! Don't wait for them to come for you, strike now and then get out of here while you still can!!" "No!" Robbie shot back, internally. "I'm not attacking an Avenger. If there's going to be a fight, I'm not throwing the first punch." He looked her in the eyes and said "I want to trust you. Why did you do that?"
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Post by aquarius on Jun 17, 2022 13:46:15 GMT -7
Ah, so it was more of the 'librarian assassin' vibe that her classmates had commented on before. Why were people so easily overwhelmed by simple detective skills? Especially when they'd made it so much easier for you to find things out. Well, time to explain it all, since it apparently was not astoundingly obvious.
"The deductions were surprisingly simple, to be honest. I had your first name, an estimation of your likely height, build, age and a few other physical characteristics. Plus the fact that you stated you were relatively new to the city, and the make of your car. On its own, that information would have taken an hour at most on social media to determine your identity by entirely public means. But when you parked and camouflaged your car, you rendered the license plate visible. With that, it left the rest of the information obsolete. A brief check of your records, and your living circumstances indicated the relevance of Excalibur's abilities.
Rest assured, if I had intended you any harm, directly or otherwise, I would not have given you any kind of a warning. I believe I have established that I am no fool, and you are far beyond my ability to combat. My suggestion was entirely intended to demonstrate that you can trust me, and by extension the Avengers. However, it seems the manner in which I have done this was... miscalculated. As I have said, I struggle to anticipate emotional responses at times. For this, you have my apologies."
Again she used her knowledge of psychology to do what she could to hopefully put him at ease. Placing her billy clubs on a table nearby, she walked to a chair well out of reach of them and sat down. Disarming herself, moving away from her weapons and putting herself in a very much non threatening position would hopefully make it clear that she had no hostile intentions, but ultimately she could only change the likelihood of how things were perceived by him. Actually predicting any emotional response was - as she'd already said - near impossible for her.
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Post by numble on Jun 17, 2022 14:04:43 GMT -7
Robbie slowly calmed down as she explained herself, his flames dying down and his posture relaxing. This was just who she was and what she did. It was like a reflex to her. He sighed and walked closer to her. "I'm… sorry.' he started, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck. "I've just never been picked apart like that before. Even knowing what you're capable of, it came as a shock. Gabe was the only person who knew about this for… a very long time. It wasn't a secret I felt ready to share but I can't fault you for being you." Tentatively, he reached out and touched her shoulder. "I really appreciate the idea. It was incredibly thoughtful, in your own way." Withdrawing again, now much more relaxed he added "You should know though… I'm shorter when I'm normal. Less boney though."
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Post by aquarius on Jun 20, 2022 14:05:35 GMT -7
The fact that Finesse had for the most part avoided social interactions was for this sort of thing. People were easy to figure out, right up until emotions got involved. Then they were incomprehensible bubbles of mystery that seemed to speak the only language that she couldn't decode.
At least she seemed to have reasoned her way through this first riddle though. "I know secrets about many people, most of them have no idea, either. People are... less subtle than they realise. But to extend the same trust to you that I have forced you into giving me, I am Jeanne Foucalt. I have accounts on several social media sites, though I almost never update them. I shall send friend invites to your accounts, and if you choose not to accept them, I will understand. This is intended to let you learn more about me in your own time, and to have means to contact me outside of the Avengers if you so desire in the future."
She was about to continue, but the sound of rushing winds outside heralded the return of Thor, descending from the sky to step gently onto the front doorstep of the mansion, whereupon he opened the door and stepped inside, beaming a smile at the two younger heroes in front of him.
"Ah! It seems you are both here already! That is good, I have finished the handing of the captives over to the SHIELD jailers, and now am ready to celebrate your victory with you. I would call for mead normally, but I know Finesse is not yet permitted to drink such, and... I am unsure of whether the Ghost Rider is even capable of drinking. And no doubt Stark will want many questions asked. Finesse? Are you going to ask my questions for me, answer them as well and write it all down? If so, then we can move on to our guest's questions, if any."
Naturally, Finesse nodded at his question, the both of them turning to look at Robbie, Thor settling into a seat nearby with his hammer laid on the floor by his feet.
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