Secret Reform (Titans, Tim's arrival)

Subject: Secret Reform (Titans, Tim's arrival) Mon Jul 23, 2012 9:22 pm

Tim approached the tower with a suit case, to the unknowing it would look like he was moving in. In reality he was looking to join, he walked to the door and rang the doorbell (or knocked or however one got their attention). Tim waited for them to answer the door he'd made sure he wasn't followed and assigned everyone in symbiote with a mission to keep them busy. The suitcase contained all the data the medics had obtained about the members, it was going to be his way in.

Tim sighed glad to finally not have to resort to murder even if he did lose his magic in the process. Tim rang the door bell again and leaned against the wall quietly, tapping his foot, he wasn't impatient but he didn't want to have to wait all night, this was a delicate issue.

Guest

Spoiler:

“...Um, hello? Can I help you, mister?” said a quiet, soft-spoken, and uncannily child-like voice. In fact, the voice did belong to a child. A child had opened the door to the outside world from the haven for superheroes that was Teen Titans Tower, his uncannily golden eyes staring up at the extremely scary-looking newcomer, a freakishly tall number with black spots strangely tattooed on his head, the gait of a lumbering monster, and what looked like––to the child––the face of a very bad man. However, looks were deceiving, and the “child” knew this well; untrue to his name, the masked shapeshifter and veteran Teen Titans called “Honest” had donned the appearance of a tiny, innocent, wee little boy of only five or so years to answer the door. Unlike the time when a certain literal witch knocked upon his lodging’s edifice, Honest had taken a much more... well, less exuberant approach in doing so; on that past occasion, he had appeared in full-out drag for no real reason. Now, he had strategically made the decision to greet whoever it was a tapping, tapping at their door in something completely different. In all honesty, the stunt served as a source of entertainment for Liev Aleksandr Ehrlichmann––better known as “Honest”––because he had grown quite bored of being in a house with over twenty other supers. Another reason to this strangeness was that it provided a unique opportunity to catch someone off-guard, therefore allowing Honest to read their involuntary gestures, facial expressions, and any other indicators that served as markers for deceit. After the infamous traitor called Backlash had killed his best friend, Honest had made it his personal mission to prevent any evildoers from overstaying their already unwelcome welcome. What better way to unearth someone’s true feelings than to shove innocence and the unexpected right into their faces?

“Umm... I’m going to have to ask you to leave, mister,” Honest said timidly, playing the role of a child very well in more than just a physical performance, “I’m not even supposed to talk to strangers, you see... I might get in trouble...”

With that, Honest waited to see how his baited trap would play out.

Subject: Re: Secret Reform (Titans, Tim's arrival) Sat Aug 04, 2012 5:59 am

Tim knelt down by the child and offered his hand as though to shake, his normally hard expression softened considerably. He set the briefcase down and said. "My name is Tim, ex-warlock. I'm here to talk to the titans, I'm looking to join their number you see. Is anyone home... are you adopted into here, or is this some kind of test." Tim's inhumanly fast brain was working at full capacity to figure out why this child lived here. He doubted that the titans would recruit children that would more likely be something for HIVE or other organizations with questionable morals.

Tim looked past Honest into the tower and said. "I met a guy called Ben, at a bank, he'll probably remember me. I work undercover as second in command for Symbiote. I brought information on every member we have." Tim waited it was his turn to wait for shock.

Guest

Honest looked warily at the newcomer, impressed that he had at least guessed that this was a test, but still unfazed as could be. He eyed Tim’s outstretched hand, but did nothing to return the gesture; instead, he recoiled and placed his own palms behind his back. Still keeping his poker face, he replied timidly, “I’m visiting my big brother. It would be kinda cool to be adopted here, but brother says the Titans don’t take in strays and I suppose I’m a stray...”

By ‘brother,’ Honest meant the real him; after all, the kid he now posed as seemed like a pretty good match, look-wise. And he should; the mask Liev had crafted for this childhood persona was almost and exact likeness of himself when he was a little boy. And by ‘strays,’ Honest was referring to the fluctuation of new recruits lately.

“Umm... you mean Ben 10?” Liev made the connection instantaneously, “hold on. Lemme see if he’s here... but STAY HERE and DON’T MOVE, mister, ‘cause you can’t come in yet. Hold on...” The little boy sauntered off, closing the door a wee bit behind him but not so much as to close it completely, yet he did so in a manour that implied that he hadn’t meant to leave the double doors open at all. “BROTHERRRRRRRRRR!” the child’s voice could be heard calling for his brother, “THERE’S A GUY AT THE DOOR RIGHT NOW. HE SAYS HE’S A SPY! I DON’T LIKE HIM CAUSE HE’S CREEPY... BROTHERRRRRRRR, WHERE ARE YOU?”

And with that, Liev left Tim to wait at the door while he “changed guises” and sought out Ben.

Subject: Re: Secret Reform (Titans, Tim's arrival) Wed Aug 08, 2012 6:10 am

Tim leaned against the wall silently he hoped finding someone wouldn't take too long, the longer this took the more likely he would be noticed missing. Still nothing he could do about it. Tim sat on the floor and closed his eyes to focus on his hearing it would be easier to tell if someone was coming that way.

Tim pulled out a small stone and ran his thumb over it as though thinking. It was just to keep him occupied and help track time.

Guest

Ben 10 could be seen doing one of his favorite hobbies; playing video games after a rather "personal moment" with his girlfriend Capricious, who was now relaxing in their room. He was wearing only a black tank top and some blue jeans while eating homemade chili fries. It was actually almost amazing that he was in a good a shape as he was considering what his diet consisted of.

However, upon hearing a little boys voice echo down the hall in the tower, Ben's mind began to search for who the culprit could be. There was an influx of new members, but none were children. Not to mention none had relatives that visited often and could get in without clearance. So who was calling out? The answer came to Ben as he saw Liev enter the main ops, he had nearly forgotten that he wasn't the only proverbial shapeshifter in the tower. There was Honest and now Claria who could transform into animals somewhat.

"Erm, should I even ask what that was all about, or are you just rehearsing for a play or something?"

Ben continued to play video games now, realizing it was just his teammate up to his usual charismatic antics. Pranks, jokes, and eccentricness in this tower with a bunch of super powered teens was as normal as the crime fighting that accompanied the life they lived.

Guest

Liev wasn’t surprised to find Ben playing video games, but as child having been raised in a “no electronics for you” household, the golden-eyed shapeshifter couldn’t help but disapprove of their usage in such large amounts. Nevertheless, the Teen Titans had been though a lot of hell lately... maybe a little fantastical entertainment couldn’t hurt.

 “Nah, Benny,” Honest replied, “I was just entertaining a hooker at the door! He says he’s from Symbiote, but that he’s a spy... talk about counter-productive, eh? Oh, and he requests your presence... and membership here, which I do not approve of, but I suppose I’m not the head honcho and can’t give a final say. However, before you go and greet him, I must say that he’s not the typical type of metahuman; his involuntary actions and micro-expressions are WAY off-kilter, almost as if they have been tampered with... almost as if nothing biological about him is organic to start with. I can’t get a read on him. I can’t tell if he’s telling the truth or not...” 

That last bit is what really put Honest off. He didn’t like this “Tim” character.

“If he ends up a Titan, he’ll be your responsibility. However, he will be my subject of greatest interest. You want me to come to the door with you?”

Guest

Symbiote again, huh? Ben didn't quite trust the group yet, but so far, since he had last spoken with them they had kept their hands clean to his knowledge. From what he described it was either the big guy with the sword or the other one who kinda creeped Ben out.

"Symbiote, eh? They're a bunch of reformed criminals trying to do good. I didn't trust them at first either, but they did have me pinned once and instead of going for the kill they struck a bargain and paid for damages. I say we at least see what he's got to offer us intel wise."

That being said Ben paused the game, knowing work came first and then walked past Honest, but while passing he suddenly stopped and then turned to Liev.

"Look Liev, you may not be leader, but just know were the only 2 left...I may be 16 now and left for about a year here, but understand for me it was 6 years. You, Kara, Zack...You're not my teammates...You're my role models. The entire time I was saving my world while growing up, I thought about what you guys would do. When I was 10 I saw you, Joshua, JaK, Dan, Grace as my heroes....So even though you may be older or the people in this place keep changing. For me, your part of something that means a lot nostalgically and I always want you by my side as my teammate, mentor, and hero."

Liev had gotten to see a moment from Ben or rather a side he almost never shared. When Ben was 10 years old and he was at the Christmas party he remembered Model 11, he remembered Psychosis, and Backlash busting in and Jay with her insane gifts. He remembered it all and he remembered fighting with Liev to take down Santa Claws...Those experiences made him the hero he was today and now Grace and Titans East were gone and now he and Honest were all that remained of Central. Ben for once hid his pride and just wanted Honest to know how much it really meant to him that the actor had come back.

They then approached the door and Ben greeted Tim, pretending that the touching moment back there had never happened and he had been his same cocky self.

"Heyyy Tim wasn't it? So I hear you're trying to step up from criminal reform to hero of the city? Big step, especially when you tell my friend here you're a spy. Does Kristoff even know you're here by the way?"

Ben looked about to make sure there were no cameras around exaggeratedly.

"Basically, I guess I'm saying...How can we even trust a double agent?"

Guest

ooc:// ;~;

That was... beautiful.

Subject: Re: Secret Reform (Titans, Tim's arrival) Sun Aug 12, 2012 11:56 pm

Tim looked up and set the briefcase down. Tim looked at Ben and said "I was recruited for my former talents. I only agreed to join in order to control them and keep things from going out of control." Tim opened the briefcase which had files with the members names on each there was one for him but it was marked out dated.

Tim looked to Honest and asked "have you ever been homeless? Desperate for your next meal and a roof over your head? Those are the kind of people symbiote recruits. They will do anything. I gave them access to my funds to stop crime. I hunted criminals and nuetralized them for 2 years before my old masters trail lead me to jump city."

Tim looked back to Ben and said "I have infiltrated HIVE. I have stopped 50 crimes in progress ranging top to bottom. I'm not asking for trust. I'm here to show you what I can offer I come to reform and earn my conscience again. I have killed, my master taught me it was right to fuel my power withthe life force of others. I want to change my ways I'm requesting help and bringing data on Symbiotes members from the medical bay where my employees have done blood tests, MRIs xrays among other tests and scans it should reveal anything."

Guest

Ben looked at Tim rather amazed, more so at how thorough he was...Jokes came to mind, but Ben could sense the seriousness of the situation for both him and Liev and refrained from cracking one.

"Ok...So wait, I'm confused...Do you want to be a Titan or do you just want our help?"

Was he just trying to clear his conscience or did he want to be on this team. Ben wasn't sure, it seemed he wanted to use one for the other, but that's not how the Titans work.

"Look, I'm all for you reforming yourself Tim and so far you've been on the up and up with me, so I have no reason to distrust your word or count you out. However, you are a killer admittedly...Now usually that doesn't make us turn you away, but at the same time, we do have to at least keep an eye out for you. You understand, right?"

Ben folded his arms as he spoke, he wasn't asking for trust fine, but he better know to work closely with the Titans they had to indeed be able to trust you, with their lives.

"I personally am all for having you, your attributes, and helping you on your path to full reforming yourself, but just know, if you do end up joining us. Temporarily, long term, or just as a small scale partnership....It can't be personal. When with the Titans, you're part of a family. An extended family, but a corps of tight knit super teens nonetheless, and we all believe in the same ideals. And to be one of us or to even be in league with us, you have to put the team, and that main ideal before everything else."

Ben then looked to Tim as if to say, do you understand? The Titans don't have lone wolves or secret/personal agendas. If he was to be considered one of them from then on, he had to let them in, all of them. If he was able to conform to the campy truth and justice idea of the Titans, then he was in as far as Ben was concerned unless Honest wanted to object. Everyone deserved a chance, at the least...one chance.

Subject: Re: Secret Reform (Titans, Tim's arrival) Tue Aug 14, 2012 11:19 am

Tim nodded to Ben and bowed slightly saying. "Of course commander. We will function together like a well oiled machine. All believing in the same values and goals. I'm just not sure what they are besides stopping crime and locking the criminals up."

Tim stood back up and walked toward Ben. "I've never really relied on anyone in the past, I will however try to trust and make it so you can trust me. I'll try to make it so you feel that you are safe leaving yourself in my hands."

Tim looked over to Liev and said. "Your really too similar to be brothers, maybe an old point on your timeline? Perhaps a clone I suppose, calling each other brother so things seem normal." Tim then watched him wondering how close he was to the truth, his mind was working full speed to note any expressions.

Guest

ooc:// SERIOUS BUSINESS TIME.

bic://

For all it was worth, Honest had no idea that Ben Tennyson had been such of fan of the Teen Titans, and especially not his Teen Titans––the ones that came after Robin and the rest of the amazing founders. And in his years of service as a Teen Titan, Honest really hadn’t received much praise specifically even though that wasn’t what mattered; however, it helped to be reminded that he, the masked shapeshifter with the true confidence in his abilities that measured up to about the same as a shy girl entering middle school although he did well to hide it. Despite his flamboyant style and eccentric panache when in his natural, human form, that never really transpired to the battlefield because it wasn’t him; it was the fire-breathing chimera he had taken the form of, or a perfect dopplegänger of Marlo Suda that he had fabricated, or some type of wild, vicious animal. So, in all technicality, Liev Aleksandr Ehrlichmann rarely served under the name of Justice... something better was always there. Someone or something faster. Something or someone stronger, more powerful, even smarter.

“ Umm... thanks, ” Liev muttered, caught unsuspecting of such high praise. Hopefully, Ben would not see Honest’s own uncertainty and just dismiss it as part of the young, innocent role he was playing.

But with The newcomer, Honest's judgement was certain; when Tim described his methods of operations––the way he earned trust through money, then stole virtually everything about the members of Symbiote––it was wrong. By mentioning the “m” word... Murder... it made the once-killer Liev not only want to kick the alleged spy out, but run away with him and flee his own conscience of the murder of Balthazar, a terrorist who at death’s last breath told Honest that he was a spy. But those thoughts fled quickly as Tim continued his regaling, throwing concepts of retribution, a clean ledger, and righting wrongs out as if they were common, mundane topics like ‘the soup is warm, the soup is cold.’ ‘I was once a bad guy, now I’m a good guy.’ Too cool, too calm. No passion raved in his statements. Liev listened, and liked the guy less and less. And when, at last, both he and Ben were done conversing, Honest finally spoke: “   First off, for someone who knows so much about so many people, you know nothing of human compatibility. Telling us all your deep, dark secrets does nothing but make our own defensive minds sound alarms of treason and inhuman acts of mistrust and misguidance, of deceit and carelessness. For example, me appearing as a child unto you only shall keep you on your guard from now on when you’re addressing anyone in this Tower. ”

Calmly, casually, craftily, carefully, Honest ran two fingers down the back of his neck, which in turn caused two, gold, laced strings to reveal themselves and allow their wearer to untie the bonds which held the mask to his face. In turn, as he did this, the form of the childhood Liev Aleksandr Ehrlichmann literally faded and became nearly transparent, leaving only a silhouette to testify that the ever-so-obvious head that now seemed to float did actually belong to a body. Two hands joined the mask to signify some signs of bodily presence, but they worked so quickly and removed the mask so skillfully that it was hard to think they were human at all. Finally, the real, six-foot-two, lean but fairly muscular, dark-brown coloured hair with just a little curl, bright golden-eyed, sharply prominent-featured, twenty-two year old Honest stood in the ghost’s wake.

However, all this occurred within the speed of thought. It would take Superman, or the Flash, or maybe Martian Manhunter to catch any of this crucial detail to just how the shape-shifter... well, shape-shifted. Now in his true form, Honest continued, honestly feeling a little better now that he wasn’t too below the seven-foot Tim by measures in height.

“ You were correct in your calling out of my disguise, bravo, but I wonder if you got that inclination from your own impressive brain, or if it was merely a supposition based upon information that you may already have about us, as individuals? You had your ‘own people’ steal the DNA and physical make-up of our enemies, what keeps you from doing that to us? Villain, hero, desperate or dirty rich, when you take something so vital as information, it does not matter. I am, unfortunately, going to have to disagree with Benjamin Tennyson on the value of your placement in this team. If we were to agree upon enabling you to even lounge in our quarters, you will not bring to fruition the information you have on the Symbiote by any means, whatsoever. We are a stand-by mini army of superheroes. We do not dirty our duties by digging precious details of would-be criminal organisations, nor do we plan the demise of evil-doers whilst we wait around for one of the more pressing cries for Justice to reach our ears. Until this city is at its most desperate and its inhabitants have been tagged as dangerous, the Teen Titans make no enemies. That is what separates us from the evil––we preform, not plot. We do not stick our heads into personal, territorial matters unless we, ourselves, are at our most desperate. We don’t wallow around in wonder, speculation, or calculative criticism! ”

Gaining momentum in seriousness, in truthfulness, and in passion to his cause, Honest stepped toward Tim and just stared at the guy. He fixed the gold beacons that were his irises onto Tim’s own as if prying for truth and just asking Tim to betray either himself or Liev.

“ But before you give your counter-arguments to mine, let us make it clear that if you are to even be considered for such a position as ours, you will understand that we leave ourselves in no-ones hands, not even our own teammates; we take care of ourselves while looking out for others. If anyone is to be holding any strings in this scenario, it will be the Teen Titans puppeteering you. As believers in a bright future, the Teen Titans know that they must first take small steps to make the world around us a little less lonely, a little less burdened by the bad. However, that means we must become all-too-familiar with what it feels like to sift the sadness of humanity. We must understand the delicate balance of chaos and harmony in order to tip the scales in our favour,” Honest professed before stepping away from Tim, breaking his interlocked fixation to turn his attention toward Ben, then finalising his words with a final, solid, vow. “Oh, and one more thing, on the vague subject of ‘trust.’ To gain my trust is impossible. I trust no one, and I expect no less from anyone else, not even from the ones I love most in this god-forsaken life. If you even dare to try and cross me––or any of my teammates for that matter––I promise that your hopes and dreams of being an agent of justice will be shattered, and the skeleton of your new life will not be broken, be powdered to nothing more than dust to be scattered by a soul’s single breath. I will personally record in stone and in blood your misdeeds, and ensure that the world will know upon what side your deeds were done. That, I promise you. And I will do it with every ounce of truth, righteousness, justice, and holy recompense within me. You have been warned. Knowing what lies in store for you, Mr. Tim, are you positive you know what you're getting yourself into? Do you know for a fact what it means to be a Teen Titan, and are you willing to be subjugated to our rules and regulations? ”

Guest

Jeez, if Ben was the celebrity of the Titans, Honest was definitely the actor. The talented tongued young adult gave a long testimonial speech that put Ben's to shame. However, Ben had always been more about action than talking. Where as Ben had required Tim to show him how much he wanted to be on the team, Liev wanted clarification and gave him warning of what's to come if he didn't meet the standards presented before him. To be fair, Tim did have a questionable background, and he hadn't been tested as everyone else who joined, so the heckling was a bit warranted.

Ben kept opening his mouth to interject at multiple points in Honest's address, but then just shut up as the elder Titan continued. He was just so good at this, just so sure, and flamboyant! Ben thought he was used to Liev's more dramatic side by now, but right now, even Ben felt put to shame by how he showed his cautious leadership.

"Erm, ya, basically what Honest is saying is...He'll be watching you to make sure you keep to your word. We all will."

In all honesty, pun intended, that's all Ben could manage to say. I mean it was pretty clear, Tim wasn't trusted by the senior Titans and where Ben was willing to give him a chance, Liev made it clear he would never be trusted due to background. Could Tim handle such criticism is the question, in a way, this was a test in of itself...

Subject: Re: Secret Reform (Titans, Tim's arrival) Sat Aug 18, 2012 6:27 am

Tim smiled more and more as Honest went on. Tim said honestly, "I have no data on any of you, only on Symbiote, and I didn't bring it to betray them I brought it for their own good. I'm glad to know that if I fail that someone will be there to stop me, I say that honestly. If I can't reform I want you to end me and let the world know what was done. I haven't been a great person but I've always kept the greater good in mind. Please I'm only asking for one chance." He suspected this wouldn't be what was expected but that didn't matter, he'd only come to the titans for a chance to do something truly good for once.

Tim looked over at Ben and said. "I know it's not your way to execute people, but please if at any chance you feel that I've failed your team, end me." Tim walked toward Ben with no fear of death and offered the hilt of one of his swords saying seriously. "Your team has my tools and abilities at any point their needed. I understand I'm not trusted to be inside the building and that will help me keep Symbiote on the higher path for now."

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