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November 3, 2021. Claremont Academy. Midday. David Sloane Library. Terrifica Terrifica had never actually been inside of Claremont Academy. Strange, yes? Considering her endlessly curious and suspicious nature? But indeed, she had not. Until today. But the Raven-the new one, not the woman; she was retired-had contacted her and asked for a small favor. Well, not in such words. The former Nevermore (who she’d worked with before) said that there was only but so much he could teach the second to bear the name. Terrifica, for her part, agreed. And not out of any ego on her part, surprisingly. The current Raven was a more than competent detective, but he was a fighter first. While Terrifica could, of course, fight and fight well; she was a thinker first. It made perfect sense to have someone with the opposite style mentor the young man. And so here she was, in the library waiting for Nevermore II. She was, naturally, in full costume. When he entered he’d find her seated, reading an old novel rather rapidly for someone who didn’t publically claim to have superpowers.

Many students were meeting their mentors in classrooms, the auditorium or nearby, the library, or various somewhat-private spots out on the ground, etc, no one had "laid claim" to the Doom Room. Not publicly, anyways; yet, days before the scheduled Mentor Day, the Room had nonetheless been booked for several hours. No names were in the system, just a letter: R. Everyone who cared could intuit what it meant. When young Calliope Summers walked into the room, it was the bare metal and grids of power lines and projector nodes of the actual Doom Room. Gleaming and shining in the too-bright lights. Standing directly in the middle, with his back to her, stood the current Raven. His armored cowl was off of his head and held under one arm, and he was seemingly staring at nothing in particular as she approached. When Callie was about halfway between the door and the Raven, he spoke. Only then would she notice that the observation room's windows were completely darkened and polarized, and Alek had been watching her in the reflection from those windows. "Glad you could make it." He turned around, his cape naturally flowing in a way that other heroes found maddening to replicate, and that Callie knew was thanks to the materials and weight of the multi-purpose "accessory". "So. Today, it's just the two of us. Your father, your older self, Charlie, everyone else, they're busy with other things. Even the alternate of your father; I think he's in the Rookery poking that suit of his." Alek's tone is neutral. He's not one for mind games, but he will occasionally test the younger heroes who work with him. He had already made it clear to Callie, more than once, that he did things the way he did for a reason, and they were always his own reasons. "I feel like, by and large, I have a good sense of your abilities, your skills, and your style of fighting. We get practice on that every week, if not every day. I'm certainly willing to talk about that, if you'd like. But my interest today is more fundamental. Callie..." Only now did he take his cowl and place it on his head. His hands came off of the sides, and even as the tiny armor plates clicked and moved into place, his voice was automatically altered and masked. "Why do we do what we do?"

As both an alumi and fellow educator Mike found himself at the Claremont Academy not infrequently. He had at times advised students before. But this mentorship program was a rare visit not in his mild mannered grade school teacher persona but as Phalanx and while his secret identity was by most reckoning the worst kept secret among heroes he at least attempted to draw a firm line between the two. One he hoped his partner for hte mornings event would abide. Though Geckoman was nowhere to be seen yet, not that running late was entirely out of character, and if truth be told Phalanx had arrived slightly early in his efforts not to be late. He kept a wary ear for the sound of the Pitchoo just in case as he waited cape blowing faintly in the low breeze and head just shy of brushing the rafters of the small pavilion adjacent to the gardens where he was to meet his fellow alumni and any students he might offer some measure of comfort and he hoped wisdom.

November 3, 2021. Claremont Academy. Diana Falk Cafeteria. Queenie Maybelle McQueen had not been assigned a specific student for Mentorship Day. She’d signed up, that much was true. But in a reversal of how things normally worked, there were too many heroes for the job. Instead, the Headmistress had asked if Queenie could cater the event instead, and she was more than happy to. So here she was in the cafeteria. The equipment was…adequate, but all in all Maybelle was very happy she’d premade what she could. Word quickly got out that the food in the cafeteria was really good today, and soon the entire student body was finding an excuse to swing through. Not all at once, naturally, but enough to keep the ring slinging chef busy as a bee.

11/3/2021 Claremont Academy Sea Devil in her armor and Singularity with her shield, the two heroines sat together by Claremont's outdoor pool and waited patiently for their mentees to arrive. Aquaria was doing her best to avoid agitating Jessie, having done some pleading to get them both to volunteer for this very exciting occasion, so she was sitting legs folded up beneath her by her friend, her iridescent armor gleaming like a statue beneath the wan sun of a Freedom City autumn. "So all of the dogs in all of his pictures are playing poker," she croaked thoughtfully, thinking of Baxter nearby. She was not entirely sure she understood the subject of the man Jessie's thesis was about but she understood he was definitely an artist. "But dogs do not want to play poker, so I should not try and train Baxter." She shifted back and forth where she crouched and said, "I understand why you write about him. His work is a great mystery! What does it mean?"

Phantom had debated strongly about whether or not to go in costume or civvies. While she was less recognizable in her civvies, and would be able to avoid a great deal more of the inevitable small talk, it really was the Master Mage that Callie wanted to see and unlike some of the other famous heroes, Phantom actually did hold onto her secret identity. So, she was there, floating over the fountain in front of the school in her full costume. The ghostly folds of her cloak floated out, blowing in astral winds. It was a very dramatic pose, one that most people would certainly chalk up to being a spooky spell caster. Only some of them would recognize that it was dread of such a large social gathering that had her hovering over the fountain to provide some sort of buffer. Hell, she hadn't talked to some of these people since JJ was little... Shying away from those memories, Phantom finally bit the bullet and drifted down to the pathway, buried deep in the shadows of her cloak. With a small nod towards the schools headmistress, she floated through the walls of the school proper and towards the classroom that she'd occasionally taught a lecture or two in for the more magically inclined to await the first student appointment. Inside the classroom, she relaxed at the familiar surroundings. Crowds had never been comfortable but classrooms... Really, what was a Master Mage but a very, very gifted nerd. With a slight smile, Phantom gestured, lighting up the room with a soft purple glow that filled the runes and ward lines etched in the walls with the fire of her magic.

November 3, 2021 Claremont Academy Casper hadn't exactly volounteered for the whole meet-a-mentor gig at Claremont. He had sworn that he didn't do well with kids, that he wasn't the mentor type or anything like that, but hey, that was how it went, and as one of the newest members of Freedom League Auxillary, well... he had to put in the hours, somehow. Sure, he had plenty of experience, but he really wasn't sure it was the kind of experience that he should share with these kids... But, here he was, hanging around in the middle of it all, looking around Claremont, trying to do his best to seem like the kind of guy that these kids shouldn't go to ask questions.

The fairy ring situation was getting out of control. Stesha kind of hated to admit it, especially when the rest of her pregnancy had gone so well, but it was definitely a problem that wasn't getting any smaller. With Amaryllis it had been mostly the funny kind of annoying, a couple months of extra mushrooms in the yard and the flower crowns she wore becoming lush cascades by the end of a day. She'd never started growing mushrooms in pile carpeting or made exposed wood surfaces start sprouting that time. This kiddo was apparently of a different temperament than her sweet and stable Ammy, even before birth. The good part was that the one surefire cure for excessive plant growth was tiring herself out, and that got easier and easier the bigger Stesha got. Today, for instance, she'd planned on puttering in the Claremont greenhouse until her new mentee arrived, but a morning full of harvest season activities on Sanctuary meant that all she wanted to do now was take fifteen minutes with her feet up and relax. A chaise made of plants gave her the best of both worlds, a chance to lay down and a chance to let the hungry greenhouse foliage absorb some extra energy. It was nice. She didn't really mean to doze off, but it wasn't exactly surprising when she did.

Claremont Academy, Leonard Fox Auditorium Bayview, Freedom City, New Jersey Wednesday November 3, 2021 Inside the front entryway to the large auditorium building on campus waited two members of the Freedom League for the pair of Claremont students they had been paired with. One of the League members was five foot five woman in a recognizable bright yellow form-fitting bodysuit with a this black and white checkered pattern strip running down the side of the arms and legs. Most of her head was covered in a matching yellow mask, with only the lower part of the face exposed. Long brown hair in a ponytail stuck out the back of the mask and a pair of hi-tech, mirrored goggles covered the speedster’s eyes and upper half of her face. Over the last few years, Velocity had actually become much more acquainted with Claremont, if from behind the scenes. Over the last three years she and her husband had been foster parents for a Claremont student. Next year, her own son would be a freshman at the school. But of course, today was not about her connections with the school, it was about what her and her fellow League member might be able to do in terms of assisting a pair of current students.

Claremont Academy Early Afternoon, Wednesday, November 3, 2021 Dr. Ellie Espadas had gotten used to walking the Claremont Academy campus as a visiting mentor rather than a student but she hadn't really been expecting to be asked back to speak with another student. Guess I'll take it as a vote of confidence, she mused to herself, long maroon coat switching about her ankles in the brisk November air. She'd worn a tan turtleneck and black slacks with enough stretch to move about freely; she wasn't expecting that sort of action specifically but around that many kids with powers you never knew when the situation might call for some acrobatics. Waiting outside one of the school's dormitories she mentally reviewed the brief description she'd gotten of Rosalind Sommaripa ahead of time, which hadn't been much more than a photo of an uncomfortable looking teenager and a couple of sentences about extraterrestrial jewelry. Ellie considered the chunky bangle bracelets hanging about her own wrists. Probably not looking for accessorizing advice.

Claremont Academy Quad. Wednesday, November 3rd, 2021. 9:00 am It would probably go down as one of the most colorful days in the history of Claremont Academy. Students, teachers, parents and established heroes walked the campus in unprecedented numbers, creating an air of excitement. Here and there powers were demonstrated by either mentors or mentees, and the many flashes of light and occasional gouts of flame almost made it feel like an autumn carnival. Out on the quad, a small wooden booth had appeared earlier, with any instantly familiar design. The placard above read 'Heroic Advice 5¢', while the sign below read 'The Grimalkin is IN'. Behind the booth sat a slender young woman in black and midnight blue leather, legs stretched out and twidling her thumbs. Her auburn hair was short and spiky, the eyes behind her black domino mask were dark brown, and her ears were pointed like a Vulcan. She looked barely older than any of the other students wandering the campus. Grim eagerly awaited the arrival of her mentee; from what she heard from his teachers, they would have a lot to talk about.

Claremont Academy Workout Room It was strange being back at Claremont after all these years. When she got asked if she wanted to mentor a student, she jumped at the chance. She was sitting in one of the work out areas, waiting patiently. She had sent a note along to Multi-Girl to ask her to come here instead of meeting elsewhere. She assumed the young woman would benefit from her particular areas of expertise; kicking down doors, kicking bad guy ass, and sneaking around when it was the smarter thing to do. She was vaguely aware that the young woman could make duplicates of herself. That was a neat trick, Mali reflected. She'd been in the heroism business for about ten years, and having a second Crimson Tiger around would certainly make that easier. She hadn't been there for long, and just needed to wait a few minutes.

Ouroboros had been more than slightly surprised when the letter of interest from his alma mater arrived inviting, or rather requesting he attend the Mentorship program, a way to give back to the the school. Farcical on it's face he was hardly a year out of the school himself, on the other hand one did not in general choose to say no to the headmistress. The short dossier he received on his matched student was somewhat more intriguing and managed to capture some genuine interest from the jaded beyond his years dhampir. The morning of the appointed day Owain would wake to a raven perched upon his windowsill with a tiny scroll clasped in its beak. It tilted it's head as it watched him stir awake and dropped the scroll as it let out a caw that to the ears of the knight enchanter rang out, Beneath the most storied tower Destiny awaits! Upon the parchment was writ his next clue, A lonely wanderer, wounded with iron, I am smitten with war-blades, sated with strife, Worn with the sword-edge; I have seen many battles, Much hazardous fighting, oft without hope Of comforts or help in the carnage of war Ere I perish and fall in the fighting of men. The leavings of hammers, the handiwork of smiths, Batter and bite me, hard-eged and sharp; The brunt of the battle I am doomed to endure. In all the folk-stead no leech could I find With wort or simple to heal my wounds; But day and night with the deadly blows The marks of the war-blades double and deepen. Let it never be said a Chun-Faretti lacked a flair for the dramatic.

Date: 11/3/2021 Location: Claremont Academy There had been posters hanging about the school as well as announcements in home-rooms. Even if one had missed all the discussion over the last week or two about the upcoming day, there was no way to miss the way that Claremont had been transformed for the first Meet-A-Mentor day held on the campus. Regular classes were canceled, and every student had been assigned at least one appointment with one of the many super heroes milling about and making presentations at various locations all over campus. Beyond that, students were encouraged to go out and and talk to any hero that caught their interest. Headmistress Summers had really gone all out in terms of calling in contacts and favors and students and staff had worked some serious (and in some cases, perhaps literal) magic to provide spaces for each hero to talk to the teenagers looking to join their august ranks. From the bright colors announcing the Freedom League, to the dark cowl of Prime's Master Mage, and no shortage of famous heroes and Claremont alumni in between, the campus was full of heroes. While some manned their provided stations, others mingled about, saying hello to friends and colleagues. It was a superhero fan's dream, although some of the more quiet and introverted students might find the entire affair more over an overwhelming nightmare. Either way, Meet-A-Mentor Day was in full swing and would last well into the evening hours and, in honor of the event, there were no classes to be held for the following days so at least introverts could look forward to a long weekend to recover. ((Links to Meet-A-Mentor threads should be posted below))

This is the OOC. Feel free to ask me quite literally anything about the thread, especially if it doesn't make sense. I've likely missed something. Nothing much to say to start with. Terrifica got a message to Miracle Girl about the case some kind of way that didn't violate secret identity. If you like, Blarghy, she could have done the same for Leviathan. Otherwise come in as you like.

January 12, 2016. Freedom City. North Bay. Corner of Osgood and Blake. 1 AM. GM There was a new band of thieves in town. A mansion had been burgled every night. But the hell of it was, even with the expensive security systems, the perpetrators hadn’t been seen. Well, that was inaccurate. There were slight blurs in the recording. But the known people who were fast enough to pull off the robberies all had airtight alibis. Like being in prison, in plain sight on another continent, or literally a member of the Freedom League. Etcetera. That meant this set had gotten their powers relatively recently, or just weren’t in the system. It was a problem. Fortunately, a few heroes had taken notice. PC Terrifica wasn’t sure if Miracle Girl had gotten her message. She was a Claremont student, that much was obvious. Both Lucas and Meilin would attend when they were old enough. She was even considering Nicholson for Lucas’s Pre-K. It wouldn’t have been that hard to figure out which one, however she would respect the unwritten rules of heroes. Not that it stopped her brain from working on the problem, like all the other ones. She was seated on her Terrifi-cycle, observing the latest target of the thieves. Or so she had deduced, and Terrifica was never wrong. She may have had incomplete data to work from, but she was never wrong.