Forsythe

Avengers Academy: Junior Year 💥

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Location: Headmaster's office
Outfit: School uniform
Skills/Powers/Equipment: N/A

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Victoria heard Andy speak to her, and felt somewhat relieved, although she still failed to live up to her own standards and she wasn't as forgiving. _{"I... Thank you. You're a better person than I am."} she hushed her reply, trying to focus on what the others were saying.

Once again, Danni demonstrated how hopelessy naive he was. She let the bracelet bounce off of the cuff of her jacket and fall to the ground. She supposed she could hardly blame Diana for trusting the establishment, considering her family was part of it. But Victoria felt like somewhere down the line, she would get an 'I told you so.'

Mt. Leah then errupted and left, which was a shame, as Victoria would have liked to have the same minded voices at least present in the room. While she felt her outrage was justified, having what amounted to her best friend there for support would have been nice.

Victoria almost went after her in hopes of putting her mind at ease, or at least to try given her usual lack of people skills, but another voice spoke up in the same manner as herself. She was loathe to admit she barely knew Mary Sue, but obviously the girl had her head on straight, and realized some timeline implications that Victoria didn't even think to consider.

Then Flynn Elder opened her mouth, and Victoria found her jaw tensing and feeling like she would grind her teeth into powder. Her well of restraint has bottomed out. "Feel free to go bury your head in the sand when things get hard, Flynn. I believe that team was already started by Mr. Kingston and is gathering over on that side of the desk. I intend to find solutions to the problems I see." Victoria spat out.

The headmaster then started to say something about stuff actually getting done, but the conversation then took a turn she did NOT expect. If what he says is true... she couldn't. She didn't want to even think about that. Victoria suddenly remembered an eerily similar conversation she had with professor Harkness. I need to write to her. I want a second opinion. And if fate is really sealed... Well, then I would very much like to know what the cards said that evening, rather than stumbling through destiny oblivious to it.

And then, Nimue gave her the told you so she thought would come much later. She wanted to get mad again, but she just felt so drained by this conversation, and it only lasted a few minutes so far. She stared blankly at the 'teacher'. "I don't know what millenium you're from, Madam. But in this day and age, society builds schools to prepare their successors for the future, rather than traumatizing children or letting them die to see who makes the cut. If that was the case, why build a school instead of letting life teach us. Maybe it's your antiquated thinking that doesn't have a place here anymore."

Sighing and shaking her head, Victoria turned to Coulson: "Headmaster, maybe you should also take some time to bring more concrete idea of what future we are actually chosing by attending here. You say you are deliberating improvements, and a member of your staff says everything is working as intended. I won't be satisfied with vague promises or conflicting ideals, and I won't be bought with hush grades either. And if you want me out, you're going to have to kick me out. I'm not abandoning a cause I think is worth pursuing because it may get me in trouble with the system or be otherwise difficult. In fact, I'll happily put in the work, if you think I can be of help."

She almost surprised herself by extending that olive branch at the end. But whether she liked it or not, steadily working towards change within the system has been proven by history to be more successful than revolutionary efforts. And as for fearing retaliation? 'Usagi' has been giving them grief all year. Victoria will brave it and she will hold. Having spoken her mind, she stepped aside to allow the rest of the people to file out at their own pace, staying behind as requested, hoping that included the other teachers.

Avengers Academy: Junior Year 💥

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Location: Headmaster's office
Outfit: School uniform
Skills/Powers/Equipment: N/A

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Victoria made an effort to listen to Coulson without blowing up in his face (Maybe literally and just getting this shit over with?) and absorbed what he said.

"Therapy." She deadpanned, giving Coulson a withering, flat look, folding her arms on her chest.

"Your solution to putting our minds at ease is... therapy. Not a proposal of a vetting process to make sure you have no more imposters on your staff. Not an action plan to make sure you are not just educating more closet villains how to better make people's lives miserable and ruin their future. Not even abandoning that blatant favouritism that led us to do what we did that evening. Just... therapy." She shook her head almost refusing to accept what she was hearing.

"Because I have been in one every day for the past week with no end in sight, as I can't stop thinking about-" she paused briefly. Go on. Be open. You need to say this, and they need to hear it. What is the worst they can do, expel you? Considering the state of this place, not such a great loss, she motivated herself, "-about how I would rather off myself next time, rather than being reduced to a prisoner in my own body, helplessly watching as it is made to kill someone. Do you even realize that you're lucky Ms. Drummond's powers and a fortunate lack of knowledge of them on that freshman's part allowed her to revive in the first place? Does that bother you at all, or is that just 'tuesday' for you? But sure, fixing the aftermath and not the causes of the problems will make me feel better." She gripped one of her wrists with the other hand to stop them from shaking again, although she didn't care to figure out whether they were shaking because of thinking of that again, or from trying to contain rage. Vicky didn't like either as an answer.

"You're right, you are ultimately accountable for this, and frankly from what I'm hearing, even one of us taking your place would fix this place better. Because, honestly, even if we just let all this die by doing absolutely nothing and just letting the finances run out, at this point I'm starting to think that there may be a bigger net benefit in letting this institution die rather than allowing it to continue with how it works now. Okay, I made up my mind, I will be writing to my representative about this." And mic drop. she thought.

"As far as the contest goes, I never cared for it. I don't exactly hide the fact that I think it is one of the many wrong reasons for people to be motivated to attend this place-" Her eyes ticked briefly to April before she could stop herself, "And I am sure at least one member of the team feels the same. Split us, give us someone new, call us off of the roster, I don't care. If the rest of the team wants to continue, I'll stay on for their sake, but my only motivation from now on is to help ourselves improve for our sake alone, noone and nothing else."

Vicky was amazed she made it through all of that without raising her voice, although she had to admit, venting this out to higher places was the first thing that made her feel slightly better all week.

A new guild

Though if we can't find horses, probably any mountable animal would do.

A Pegasus anyone?

@Cyrania

"Not it."
- Flickerwing

Avengers Academy: Junior Year 💥

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Location: By the Headmaster's office
Skills/Powers/Equipment: N/A

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Unlike most others, Victoria has not gone home. In her head, she was calling staying at the school 'Jordaning it out'. Ironic, since Leah has actually gone away, although if Vicky could tell, she did not look as happy as someone who was given a new place to stay when she was leaving for the break. Probably something to do with having to leave her fortress, Vicky thought. And if someone could physically prevent her from coming back on her own volition, a hulk probably qualified.

Unfortunately, there was no time to handle the problems of others. The android had more than enough problems of her own. Vicky has looked up available psychiatrists in the area and found someone who actually had a free slot on such a short notice. Initially, she even felt like a responsible member of society, coming to terms that she had a mental health issue and taking steps to solve it. But, of course, nothing with her was ever so simple.

It didn't help. A week has gone by, she had a session every day and nothing to show for it. The doctor mentioned that it may be a futile effort since she wasn't human and noone could guarantee the same approach that worked for them would work on her. And not only that, but something that had loomed over her ever since she was active took on a new, dark presence in her mind. Her purpose. Vicky thought that she has wanted to do this. That it was her choice, even if she was meant to do this by her creators. And even though she was never sure of it, she was kind of okay with the possibility that that drive was actually hard-coded into her being.

Now though, she was given a mirror of what she could become in this line of work. That her system was very much vulnerable, albeit under some rather extremely convenient circumstances. And for the first time, she doubted whether this was the best course of action. Perhaps she could do the most good for humans by not actively searching for people who could turn her into another Ultron? And what did she do first with that doubt? Rather than weighing the pros and cons of staying the course or abandoning the superhero path, as logic would dictate, she ran to a psychologist doing her best to remove what she considered an obstacle in her purpose. And for the first time it bugged her: Was that her choice, or was that a program telling her to get back in line? Was she actually free to choose?

And that was only part of it. What has happened to her as of late? Vicky has split her days into three parts. Visit the doctor in the morning, train in the afternoon, and tinker in the evening. And during the last part, she has reviewed her previous plans, and was appalled at her priorities. What the hell? I have started everything I could think of and what have I actually finished? What do we have here? Making the armor more streamlined: Barely an idea. Miniaturizing the MFG? Concept drawings. Repairing my internal antenna? Not. Even. A. Thought. There was even talk of coming up with something to help Diana teleport in one piece, what happened to that, huh? And Leah's implant? You are some friend, van Dyne. Absolute mess!

Vicky forbid herself from starting anything new until she either made tangible progress on anything on that list, or decided to abandon that idea. Which turned out to be easy, since she did not want to repair her antenna until she analyzed how Edward took such a firm grip of her, and streamlining the armor went into the garbage bin immediately as that was far too big of a project than she presently had resources for. Those mini-MFG though? Those required some more attention.

Now though, it was new week, and she has received summons to the headmaster's office. No doubt something concerning the contest. Which can crash and burn as far as I care. On her way there, she replied to Cassandra:

Nuts'n'bolts:
Can do. By the big tree in the yard? Yell when you're free.

As she arrived by the hedmaster's office, she noted a couple of familiar faces there already. "Mornin'." Vicky greeted everyone yet noone in particular, leaning on the wall, giving the present company a once-over:

Ew. Get a room.
Oh, wow. 'My body has been through some changes recently'.
Well you look... Worse off than I am. Broke a nail or somehing?

She decided to stop before she blurted something out loud.

Avengers Academy: Junior Year 💥

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Location: Stark hall
Skills/Powers/Equipment: N/A

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As she returned from her walk, a lot fewer people were mingling about. Vicky supposed that sleep was desirable after an vent like this. For those lucky enough to be able to. she thought, still quite bitter about her lacking capabilities.

The Avengers were still there though, and She-Hulk waved her over, asking to contact her guardian. "You mean my creator slash owner? No thanks. Not in the mood to talk to her of all people. Besides, you brought Scott Lang, he's close enough. Tell him to get the story out of the park's ants."

With that she walked off. Her 'guardians' were ill equipped to help her anyway. Her present situation showed just how well Hope was able to design her AI's hardware, and while Scott was a lovable oaf, his background in electrical engineering and burgalry would not be of use in calming the hurricane of her mind.

Why was she surprised? Biological life had millions of years of iterative design to figure out the kinks and balance all the settings. It was hubris of humanity to think they could do in the timespan of one generation what took nature that long, and here was the result. Your feeling machine is ready to break, because you made her incomplete. Just stop making thinking machines, you don't have what it takes to make them correctly! Fuh. I gotta think of something else or I will go nuts.

She rounded the corner and headed to the workshop, hoping that focusing on precision work would allow her enough respite until tomorrow.

A new guild

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Flickerwing

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Location: Above Balenof's
Current objective: Satisfy curiosity

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The fey dragon has had a rough month. Ever since he vanished through the gateway, he has been everything he asked for. A completely alien world. A world so devoid of magic compared to his home that he had to pick his fights when hunting for food.

At first, he thought that animals were ruling this world, as an ape, and possibly a strange fish with horizontal tail fin and a... beak? Were showing the most intelligence, but nowhere hear his kind.

A week ago though he has made an interesting discovery. While he was resting high in the canopies, he spotted a hairless ape. Which would be nothing strange, were it not for the fact that she was riding a weird, white, wingless and hornless alicorn. That was a trick he has not seen before! Flickerwing supposed his species did not need to invent anything like it since their wings could carry them faster than anything on land.

He has been shadowing her since, and found more interesting stuff. Apparently, the apes have been collecting themselves in patches of heavily reshaped land that reminded him of the crystalline dwellings of the fairies of his homeworld.

Even more interesting, they mostly seemed content staying there, only a few of them venturing out from their mounds of stone and wood. The few like the Not-alicorn rider that ventured out seemed to collect in a single building.

He has made his new camping place on its roof, cloaking himself while flying over the apes' dwellings as to remain incognito, the only creature aware of his presence was the marten that has made home in the attic - Or so Flickerwing hoped.

A new guild

Flickerwing

Source

Nickname: Flickerwing | Name: Unknown | Age: Unknown | Gender: Male | Race: Faerie dragon

Main role: Scout

Side skills: Magic subversion (absorption, nullification, reflection), flicker (short-time phase-shift based invisibility)

Minor skills: Hunting, sense of orientation

Personality:
Like most Fae Dragons, Flickerwing is a mischievous and playful creature, until he suddenly isn't. His natural ability to seemingly pop in and out of reality is useful for pranking others, something he frequently amuses himself with, and with which he will torment you savagely if he dislikes you. He is also one of the fae dragons who chooses not to speak unless the circumstances are very dire, and even then, he hardly offers more than a word. Instead, he communicates with various sounds like chittering, squawks and hoots, as well as facial expressions and the occasional hand claw signals.

Not originally of this world, he is curious, perhaps to a fault, opening doors that would have better been left closed. Of all discoveries, he likes new tastes the most. Flickerwing has sensitive nose, so he steers clear of pungent odors, to the point of blinking away, regardless of any objectives in the contaminated area. When not doing antyhing, he loves to lounge on a sunny spot or by a fire to soak in the heat, and he loves flying in the rain.

Reason for joining:
He noticed others were venturing behind the walls, and followed them home.

Background:
Flickerwing has grown bored in his home, using his world's saturation with magic to cast a powerful gateway spell to a new world to explore.

Coming from a different world or perhaps dimension, Flickerwing is stuck in an alien world, unable to find his way back home as this world is not rich enough in magic energy for him to open a gateway back home.

As such, he was forced to adapt to his new surroundings, surviving in the wilderness long enough to encounter the hunters. Recognizing a fellow intelligent creature, he followed them to one of the towns, observing it from afar and from up high. Eventually, he recognized the 'outgoers' started grouping up, and as someone venturing into the wild himself, he came to join them, because of course - There was no other company to be had on his explorations.

Equipment:
Nothing yet.

Misc:
Theme: Nightwish - Moondance

A new guild

Easier? Sure. More fun? No :D Flickerwing will only just arrive, I think. For glorious chaos.

A new guild

Flickerwing

Source

Nickname: Flickerwing | Name: Unknown | Age: Unknown | Gender: Male | Race: Faerie dragon

Main role: Scout

Side skills: Magic subversion (absorption, nullification, reflection), blink (short-range teleport)

Minor skills: Hunting, sense of orientation

Personality:
Like most Fae Dragons, Flickerwing is a mischievous and playful creature, until he suddenly isn't. His natural ability to seemingly pop in and out of reality is useful for pranking others, something he frequently amuses himself with, and with which he will torment you savagely if he dislikes you. He is also one of the fae dragons who chooses not to speak unless the circumstances are very dire, and even then, he hardly offers more than a word. Instead, he communicates with various sounds like chittering, squawks and hoots, as well as facial expressions and the occasional hand claw signals.

Not originally of this world, he is curious, perhaps to a fault, opening doors that would have better been left closed. Of all discoveries, he likes new tastes the most. Flickerwing has sensitive nose, so he steers clear of pungent odors, to the point of blinking away, regardless of any objectives in the contaminated area. When not doing antyhing, he loves to lounge on a sunny spot or by a fire to soak in the heat, and he loves flying in the rain.

Reason for joining:
He noticed others were venturing behind the walls, and followed them home.

Background:
Flickerwing has grown bored in his home, using his world's saturation with magic to cast a powerful gateway spell to a new world to explore.

Coming from a different world or perhaps dimension, Flickerwing is stuck in an alien world, unable to find his way back home as this world is not rich enough in magic energy for him to open a gateway back home.

As such, he was forced to adapt to his new surroundings, surviving in the wilderness long enough to encounter the hunters. Recognizing a fellow intelligent creature, he followed them to one of the towns, observing it from afar and from up high. Eventually, he recognized the 'outgoers' started grouping up, and as someone venturing into the wild himself, he came to join them, because of course - There was no other company to be had on his explorations.

Equipment:
Nothing yet.

Misc:
Theme: Nightwish - Moondance

Heroes Underground

Hum. So, basically the same premise as Kickass? (I assume this would be happening in present day-ish world?)