[Mingle-Log] Only non-alcoholic beverages in the punch bowl...

[adminfury]

[This is an open mingle log. You do not have to be part of the community to post in this thread. Consider it a test-drive of sorts to get your voice or meet new characters!]



SHIELD Academy
Open House
Everyone is congregated in the spacious auditorium of the SHIELD Academy. The noise level is probably a decibel below deafening and the lights are probably a little dimmer than what might seem normal for this time in the evening, but it doesn't seem to bother anyone as they just carry on. There are banners strewn about welcoming all first years to a new chapter in their lives while others welcome the others back for another year at the Academy. Refreshments are served up on stage while other tables set up around the massive room are home to pamphlets and flyers for clubs and classes. Special electives and advertisements for training sessions are also littered amongst the tables.

Make a few friends, find old ones, look into clubs that catch your interest. This is open house for all returning students and prospective students, so hang out, hit up others and just mingle!

Comments

[itsmychoice]

Gwen grinned when she heard the familiar voice and turned around to face MJ. "Who says hanging posters isn't fun?"

[lefthandedgenius]

Lydia plucks the flyer out of MJ's fingers, keeping a tight smile on her face in order to help hide how unnerved she is. It's actually more freaky than when she goes into one of her walking fugues and ends up finding a dead body.

"No big deal." she says in a casual tone. "There's lots to choose from."

What she really wants to do is grill the other girl about her background and see if they're surprise cousins or something. Not that she thinks Mary Jane will volunteer a blood sample.

"I'm Lydia. Lydia Martin. We should sit down sometime and maybe try to figure this," she makes a vague gesture between them, "Out."

[itsmychoice]

"It's never too early to get your name out there," Gwen said tucking some hair behind her ear. "I'm Gwen, and you look new." She smiled at the girl she didn't recognize knowing how overwhelming the welcome party could be. She remembered her first day two years ago, watching the upperclassmen hand out flyers, using their special abilities and wondering just what exactly she had gotten herself into.

[lefthandedgenius]

Lydia turns about when she's bumped into it, and it takes her a moment to ID the boy. Once she does though, she favors him with a smile.

"Hey, Bruce." She knows he's an introvert, but goodness, they're on the same academic extracurriculars. Lydia's the kind of girl who always knows who's who. "Some so far. But I'm also recruiting from the higher grades, too. Like Sam. His knack for spatial formulae is crazy amazing. And there's this new freshman, Felicity Smoak? I think she'll do really well. How was your break?"

[itsmychoice]

Gwen laughs. "True, but I only seem to pass gym by the skin of my teeth, and I can't throw a punch to save my life." She really envied Natasha's natural athleticism.

[notmymccalling]

"I'm Scott." He smiles right back, ever-friendly. "I'm actually pretty new too. I--well, my old school wasn't quite working out, so yeah. Here I am." Honestly, that made him sound like some kind of delinquent and he mentally kicks himself for it. "N-nothing bad or anything! I got a recommendation here because of stuff that happened. I... yeah, I'm gonna stop before I make myself sound even worse. But it's nice to meet you!"

"So, where'd you transfer from?"

[itsmychoice]

Gwen laughed used to Lydia's normal greeting and returning it with a quick hug. "Well if anyone can convince people to join it's definitely you. I just went home to New York, I had an internship at Oscorp, working on genetics, I think I'm going to be concentrating there this year. How was your summer?"

[lefthandedgenius]

"Not when some of them are pretty cute." Lydia grins. It's not that she doesn't have priorities - academics are clearly a big deal to her - but even Lydia enjoys having a nice view.

"That would be absolutely amazing. Let me know once you find out and I will immediately start applying the parental pressure." Maybe she can talk to Allison about it too; she's got family in France as well.

[lefthandedgenius]

"Oscorp? Really? I'm so jealous!" Bio-sciences aren't Lydia's primary focus, but Oscorp has its finger in a lot of pies and some of them do fall within her area of interest. "Not half so awesome. I went home to Beacon Hills. And there really isn't a whole lot to do there." Her smile gets a little tight. Gwen's one of the few people who might understand the parents thing without making it a big deal, but she's not ready to tell anyone just yet. "If you didn't sign a non-disclosure, I want to hear everything, okay?"

[dyskinesia]

"Not really that exciting. I mostly... did schoolwork," he smiles back at her. He's not the most sociable of people, true, but there are always those he's plenty comfortable talking with. And Lydia's a popular girl but she's as far from the stereotype as can be - she's bright and she's not afraid to show it, at least never once with him. And she's always seemed nice too, that's something he'll always appreciate.

"Sam Wilson, right? That'd be pretty cool. Good luck getting him to join either, though, I think he's in way too many sports clubs already as it is."

[voiceinthedark]

"Who knows? I mean, mom told you to keep it hidden right? No point doing that if there's nothing to hide so there has to be some reason." She probably wanted to protect Kevin from places like this. Or places worse than this. Who knew?

"Maybe they're like... like super heroes!"

Okay, that sounded way more cool now he thought about it.

[voiceinthedark]

He's not expecting anyone to approach him. Most of the students seem pretty settled already, excited about the new school year rather than waiting for the sky to fall on their heads.He gives her an uncertain look, an awkward smile. "Uh, 2nd year. But I just started here so... I'm Sam."

[lefthandedgenius]

"That depends entirely on the schoolwork." Lydia points out cheerfully. "I mean, did you hear about Gwen? She got an internship at Oscorp. I'm so jealous I could scream." Get it, Banner? She could scream.

She shrugs amiably with regard to Sam Wilson. "Maybe he will, maybe he won't, but I'm sad that you think that my powers of persuasion are so ineffective." She smiles at him, maybe just to make sure she can still turn boy knees into butter, or just because she's feeling particularly cheerful. "Good to know we can count on you this year, though. There's already a few projects lining up. Do you know Maya?"

[actualwizard]

Billy stares fascinated by the way his magic twists up and merges with Wanda's, as if it's found it's match, it's twin. Could Wanda be another long lost relative he's never known about, like Tommy?

"This is amazing," and it felt amazing, rightness just resonating in him.

[actualwizard]

Of course I am. [Billy smiled and rolled his eyes. Loki was incorrigible and really he should be used to that.] Does that mean I should dress nice for you?

[wellgloved]

Elsa looked down at her open palms before returning them to their default position, folded over her skirt. "I'm starting to gather that," she admitted, "but I still worry. I've never really been able to use my powers in front of anyone, or, well, I've tried not to do so."

[mimid]

"Oh. No. There aren't too many vineyards there," she laughed, "but the grapes they do have are significant because they come from that island. It's a big vacation spot and there are tourists everywhere. Most people leave their cars on the mainland and take their little public transportation system. It's cute."

"So." Changing gears for a moment. "Since we have had lackluster summers, d'you know if there's anything happening after this gathering?"

[mischiefandlies]

Are we that far along in our relationship that you no longer feel the need to get 'gussied up' for me? [That's followed by a dramatic sigh and roll of his eyes, as if he's hurt by the thought that it no longer matters. He's not. And Billy should know by now he's still just playing. Shortly thereafter, the smirk reappears.] So, which of us gets the flowers?

[actualwizard]

Who said anything about flowers? If you are taking me in a study date I demand chocolate. [Billy smirked at his friend. Of course he was joking, even if he'd never say no to candy.]

[mischiefandlies]

Loki watched her curiously for a moment. He wondered just what her power could be that was so awful. So, he did what he does when he's curious about something. "What could be so dreadful that you feel you should have to hide it from the world?" He held a hand out to her, palm up, offering to allow her to place hers in his. "Come. Let's step into the courtyard. Give me a small display and I shall do you the same courtesy."

[mischiefandlies]

[Loki scoffs with an exasperated huff.] You're so high-maintenance. Chocolate it is. [He's so bringing you chocolate, Billy. In a frilly, heart-shaped box too. Just for that.]

[unseasoned]

Now that makes you sound completely trustworthy. [Maybe in terms of being the sort of person who might get into trouble. But it's not nearly enough to put her off from this conversation, particularly as James goes on. She can't help but laugh at his descriptions, particularly the outfit the choir members are apparently expected to wear.]

They really make them dress up like that? [She shakes her head, taking another look around the room.] In my old school I was involved in a few different things. I was thinking about joining the Academy's version of them. [Except it isn't entirely a pleasant thought, and her smile falters for a moment.] I'd also been in the running for Student Government, but I doubt anyone is going to vote for the new girl.

[unseasoned]

[He isn't the only one having a hard time dealing with this particular booth; Virginia has been there a few minutes herself, reading over the pamphlet again and again, trying to absorb what it's saying. Being made into an unwitting science experiment is one thing, but this is talking about actual magic, as in the kind of thing that she's always thought of as fiction.

She looks over at the source of the voice, clearly startled out of her thoughts.] I'm sorry? Oh. Well, the pamphlet says it's real. The spells and wands. [But she remains hard to convince, shaking her head slowly even as she answers.]

[unseasoned]

I look like a freshman to you? [The corner of her mouth quirks upward, but Bruce can relax. There's more amusement in her sarcasm than anything else, and she doesn't snatch the pamphlets or anything. Typically she's been looking over each as she receives them, but this time she focuses on the person offering them. She's seen him almost cowering in the brief time she's been standing there, and she figures it must have taken him some courage to actually talk to her.]

Virginia Potts. [Shifting both papers to one hand, she offers the other to the boy across the table.] Newly-transferred Junior. What about you?

[unseasoned]

"Believe me, I'm feeling very new." Considering almost no one close to her age seemed to look nearly so confused as she is, it's impossible not to. And that's without any displays of powers to layer on top of it. At the moment Virginia is just focused on what she can handle, which right now is talking to one of the candidates for student government.

"My name's Virginia. I just transferred." From a school where she hadn't felt nearly so lost or purposeless. She gives the poster a wistful smile, silently wondering if she wouldn't be doing the same thing in her old school had her life not taken a very different direction this summer.