2010-07-16: 30 Days of Nothing

Players:

Emma_icon.jpg James_icon.jpg

Summary: Emma gives James the All-Clear, the hyena now officially, totally, unequivocally, de-possessed.

Date: July 7, 2010

Log Title: 30 Days of Nothing

Rating: PG


Xavier Mansion - Emma Frost's Office

Miss Frost's office is not as white as one would expect, however it does present an overall theme in the room. Using a classic den/office style structure from the building, the hardwood floor has been mostly covered from entry to desk with a white carpet that has been decorative bordered in an ivy-pattern, with the center having a delicately done floral arrangement. Two plush white leather chairs sit slightly staggered and angled facing a white marble topped desk of dark-stained oak, the Xavier Academy logo in front emblazoned in a polished steel. Atop the desk is materials for physical writing as well as a dual-monitor computer system that seems keyboardless, instead having a single mouse-like interface device. To the right are a pair of striated white marble book-cases filled from top to bottom, in the center of the pair a marble fireplace that burns sedately despite the time or season.


The last hour may have been agonizing for the hyena as he's been forced to sit still while a seemingly complete stranger goes walking the pathways of his consciousness. There is a sigh however as finally Emma withdraws her currently gloveless hands from the sides of James' temples and says softly, "I believe that should do it. There are no signs of any of Selene's usual bourgeois attempts to keep you handy just in case. There are no telepathic traps, hidden commands, or otherwise inside of you. So far as I can tell, Mister Palmer… the capture of her psi-essense was clean, and you are fully yourself again." Walking over to the table where she usually leaves food and drink for guests, Emma takes up a glass of icewater, and comes back over to the hyena, handing to to him, "How do you feel?"

James doesn't sit still for more than 5 minutes on the best of days, so having to do so for the last hour may have been worse on him than the news he'd spent the last month unconscious with someone else running his body. Taking the glass, eyes averted, he shrugs, "I feel fine. It's still hard to believe that this has been going on since February. I mean, I knew something was wrong…but it was after the demons…then Addison…and then she was being helpful…then this. I mean…I think I'd understand it better if I could at least remember 'something' about the last month. Not just blacking out."

Sitting down next to the larger form, Emma smiles softly, and then gives a nod, "Unfortunately, when Selene took over, it seems that your mind protected itself by swapping places with the spot she had carved out inside of you. Locked the door, and waited for her to leave. You might regain some memory of what happened over time, but you will find them to be very alien to you." Reaching into her pockets, Emma begins to pull on her gloves, "I hope you'll understand and forgive my mental intrusions on you, Mister Palmer, but of all of us present, I have the most experience in dealing with Selene… and while Addison certainly has the power… he lacks a certain gentlemanly finesse."
James nods offering little more sound than a sharp inhale as he continues to digest the last couple of hours. The waking up, the questioning, the mental scans. It's a bad day to be the Hyena. But, when you seem to have so few good days they all tend to blur together. "So…what happens now? I mean…aide from the massive apologies I'm going to owe everyone." There's a little faltering in his voice, clearly the news of just what went on while he was gone has him on the 'shocked' side. But with a face that shows so few emotions, the only two that'll ever know how he really feels are the two in this room. In a word: Devastated.

After another hard exhale, Emma replies, "That's the first thing. You have nothing to apologize for. Selene was inside your head for months, and you had little clue her presence was malign. And even if you had, she has means like the devil to make the most audacious act seem reasonable." One of her gloved hands comes up and touches your shoulder, as she adds, "You are going to see for a short time that people will view you suspiciously, but not your close friends. They will note the changes in your demeanor and speech that will signify the return of their friend. I'm given to understand many of them tried to protect you from us, under a misunderstanding that we might do something other than favor your return."

James laughs at the idea that people might 'now' view him with suspicion. Not for the incident with the crossbow and water heater, or replacing the nurses' birth control pills with tictacs…. Yeah…people are gonna love him now. He'll be 'sooo' much different. "They did…they're good to me. Better than I deserve at times." He puts his paw on her hand and shrugs, "It's just…unfair. I haven't had a normal day since I came here. Not many, at least."

With that Emma keeps the touch going, but does little to move or make any aggressive stance. Strangely, while normally she perfumes herself, she seems to have had enough presence to put on a neutralizer, or something else to minimize her odor to the scent of her clothes and her hair, and that slight acrid winter tang that seems to linger permanently about her now, "You're right. It is unfair. But I also must counter this with another question… will you blame any of them? My knowledge of what happened in Central park is limited at best, only what Mister Blake and Miss Vallon were willing to tell the nurse when you were brought in."

James 'phhhts' "Connor's a dork for chucking rocks…but since you asked I won't punch him in the nose for it. Everything else…Well, I fought as had to get them 'not' to tell anything as I did hiding the fact that I was talking with someone. In the end, maybe I should have listened to them and not a stranger's voice only I could hear in my head." Life lessons learned only at Xavier's. And one he'll forget before he leaves the room. He lats out a sighs, his voice having a sardonic tone to it, "At least I still have a little summer left."

The hand slips away at the moment, and both of them press together as Emma says, "I suggest not approaching Mister Blake currently… As you were not yourself in recent times, just as the discovery of your own possession was brought to us, we had another unhappy surprise as well. It appears that Mister Blake is currently himself from ten years hence. Apparently a future timeline. His interactions with others have not ended well… worse so for young Mister Larkin if the echoes of emotions were anything to judge. This apparently is linked to the attack in Central Park where you were struck, and the man who struck you." Leaving names out for a moment, she stands and walks to get herself a drink, chilling the glass with a touch before pouring some more water, "I'm arranging for a private cabin in Maine for a group of Mister Larkin's friends… private beach, fully stocked. A week away from here. Will you join them?"

James keeps his gaze low, his sense doing all the work for him. The spotlessness of the glass…the ever-so-slight fluctuations in Emma's voice, the temperature change…these are all things he's used to picking up. However, hearing that his friend is also possessed and a teacher is about to let a bunch of students run up to a cabin for a week is something new to his eyes, ears and nose. "Whaa?" The hyena tiles his head, "What…what?" He'll have to get more info on these both later. "I mean, I dunno…maybe? Depends on how many of them still want to be friends."

After taking a sip from her glass and sitting back down once more, Emma replies, "There is much for you to take in so quickly, Mister Palmer, and some time would be understandable as you adjust back once more. So I will ask the more important question." And leaning in a touch, she says softly, "What can we, as people, not as the school, do for you, James? Everything I've seen on my return says that you have been striving to make the most of your time here, and perhaps after. With all you have suffered, it seems best to let you take and ponder that question while you recover. And I'll want to see you a few more times for supplementary scans to be sure no further damage has been done. I am most keenly aware of trust issues, Mister Palmer, and trust seems to be the larger issue for you."

James reacts to that last part. But almost imperceivably. And only in the form of a slight twitch that only someone as trained as Emmma would catch. He hmphs and shrugs, "Maybe." Afterall, when you can't even trust yourself, who else can you trust. He cuts the conversation short, "Anyways…I should go make sure Lucas hasn't burned my stuff. You'll let me know when I should come back then?" He leaves it to her.

Hearing and seeing those little things, not even a touch of her mental gifts to enhance it, Emma stands with her glass and moves over behind her desk, "Let's call it a week from today, but we'll do it earlier so to leave your evening time open for your friends. Also…" And reaching into her desk, she pulls out an X-com, a new cellphone, and an image inducer shaped like a large-scale diver's watch, "Here. We unfortunately had to confiscate and dismantle the old ones… as a security precaution." But then a small smile plays on her lips, "And while Forge MIGHT be a bit amiss at your work on your old inducer, I have asked he leave some things in place."
James walks over and takes the items from Emma. For all her work, she gets an eye narrow and a simple, almost forced "Thanks." But said to the woman who has worked with the likes of Logan, the hyena might as well be saying, 'You're not so bad after all.' He turns to leave, walking for the door before giving one last look over his shoulder. With that XComm already on his lapel, he says with a nod, "See ya around." But what isn't said with his voice is said in his eyes. Taking his leave, he exits quietly.

Just before the door closes, Emma says in a voice that despite it's softness manages to carry to those large canid ears, "This door is always open for you, James Palmer… for when you wish to speak to someone in private… and outside your problems. And any secrets you gift me with are yours alone. I do not share that which is given in trust." As if that was to settle the matter she returns to her own work to let the door close.

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