Players:
Summary: Lucas comes up with a possible plan to help those in trouble.
Date: March 3, 2010
Log Title A Brilliant Plan
Rating: PG-13
Xavier Mansion - Cafeteria
There is a large cafeteria for the students. Blue and white tiled floor lines the floor and there are large windows that let in a lot of light. Six sturdy blue plastic chairs sit around each white table. There are a few snack and soda machines along with a few microwaves and refrigerators sit along one wall.
Lucas is seated at a table near the back of the cafeteria. He has a big bowl in front of him, several melting scoops of ice cream in it. He is reading a paperback novel, squinting a little as he reads, holding it a little far away. He's wearing a pair of khaki cargo pants and a tight wife beater.
"Your ice cream is melting," comes Rashmi's gentle voice as she sets down a cup of tea and some cookies in front of the chair next to Lucas. Dropping into the chair, she leans against him, draping an arm around his shoulders and giving the blond a light peck on the cheek. "Hi… What're you reading?"
Lucas squints a little more, sighs, and then shrugs, showing her the cover. "Storm Front." He shakes his head, "It's like a… wizardy… Chicago detective noir thing…" He furrows his brow a little, "Ah don't much get it, to be honest."
Robyn walks into the kitchen and heads right for the cookies, grabbing two before looking around. Seeing Lucas and Rashmi, Robyn waves and heads over. "Hey guys." He says offering a half smile. "Lucas…I gotta talk to James at some point so if you see him, let him know I'm looking for him?
Rashmi tilts her head as she peers at the cover, eyebrows rising. "Yeah? Huh… What're you not getting?" As Robyn speaks up, she looks around, smiling and waving the teen over. "Hi, Robyn! Oh, are you signing up for Addison and Mr. Keller's classes, too?"
Lucas looks up at Robyn, "What up, Robear." He sighs, and looks at the book annoyed, before tossing it onto the table and leaning back, speaking to Rashmi. "It's really shallow and kinda dumb." He shrugs, and then looks back at Robyn. "Ah got a plan to rescue your man."
Robyn nods at Rashmi's words and gives a small smile. "Addison's definitely. He also said he can give me more advanced lessons since I'm all mental powers. I have to learn how to defend my mind." He says before raising an eyebrow at Lucas. "Robear? Where do you come up with these names? I don't even think my Mom calls me as many weird names as you do." He says before the last words hit him and he sighs. "Thanks, but…I can't leave here."
Lucas' mention of a plan produces an…interesting change in Rashmi's expression. The gentle smile falls off her face, and she slowly, deliberately moves aside her plate of cookies… out of Lucas' reach, and lets her head fall onto the table with a quiet *thump* What follows is a short burst of Hindi, and without lifting her head again she speaks. "What made you decide to stay, Robyn?"
Lucas smirks, "You don't have to leave for my plan." He shrugs once more, a little bit of arrogance in his eyes as he smiles fully, deviously. He looks over at Rashmi, "None of us get hurt, or even have to leave this fuckin' school."
"Addison." Robyn says to Rashmi, a bit of defeat in his tone. "He just made it pretty clear that I can't do anything if I go out there. I'm just…usless." As a fighter. He doesn't mean it as self hating as it sounds. Though Lucas does peak his curiosity. "What do you mean Lucas?"
"Well, they *have* been training to do stuff like this specifically, for years… well enough to know how to help *us* just live with our powers." With a heavy sigh, she tilts her head, pulling back a lock of hair to raise her eyebrow at Lucas. "…That sounds like a really clever plan… what is it?"
Lucas continues smiling, "Ah know a certain student here who happens to be a fantastic cook." He shrugs, "And ah know that he can find anyone if he concentrates on them." His smile fades a bit, and he leans forward, more serious, "Ah also know if he concentrates on someone TOO hard, their head will explode." He tilts his head a bit, "We have Cam think REAL hard about Mr. Sinister."
"I know Cam can find pe…what? I didn't know he could make people's heads explode." Robyn says not sure if Cam was joking around with Lucas or confessed it to him. After all it's a creepy power to have. "Well we won't be breaking any rules if we ask him…."
Rashmi blinks sharply, head rising slightly off the table. "Um… somehow, I'm…. not sure it'll be all that easy… and, well… you *did* hear what happened when someone asked him to find Dr. Doom, right…?" Sitting up fully, she toys with a cookie. "But… I guess it can't hurt anything to ask…"
Lucas shrugs, "Whatever. It's what Ah got." He sighs, "Sorry Ah ain't crazy about doin' nothin', Rash."
"I don't want to do nothing but apparently against this guy, I'm nothing. He's just that powerful." Robyn says with a sigh. "But we can talk to Cam, see what he can do. But Addison's lessons, working to be better, that's all I can do right now. Improve myself incase the worst does happen I guess. Or so I can maybe protect Jordan next time."
Rashmi nods quietly. "I didn't say it was a *stupid* idea, just that it probably won't be so easy. Like I said, it can't hurt to make sure, right? Anyway," she says, scooting the plate back and dropping a cookie into Lucas' ice cream soup for good measure, "You should sign up for Addison's class too, Lucas. Just in case anyone tries to get into your head again, you know?"
Lucas sighs, and looks at Robyn, "You know, at some point, you gotta ask yourself… Why does Jordan keep endin' up a fuckin' victim?" He glances at Rashmi, "No thanks. He's a fucktard, and Ah'd just assume keep my head to myself."
Robyn looks up at Lucas and if looks could kill, well, he's got quiet the glare about him. The comment just rubbed him the wrong way and cookie he grabbed is being subconsciously crushed in his hand. "What you're saying he did something wrong? It's happened twice….three times…in the almost year I've known him. I've had my share of crap happen that he hasn't."
"Wouldn't he have to have a mind?" Six asks cheerfully as he sweeps into the room. Wings spread out some as the space allows. The teen is teasing though, and his tone says it. Any plans of raiding food here are left aside as the winged one boldly joins you all. "Is Lucas being a jerk again?" The comments, the glares, all are telling. Six pulls out a chair and turns it around so that he can kneel in it instead of sit. More seriously he asks, "You okay, Robyn?" The missing boyfriend and friends and all.
Rashmi's lips purse as well, Lucas' statement not exactly holding any sort of water with her. "Well, *that's* a nice thing to say, Lucas." Shaking ehr head, she plucks the cookie out of the melted ice cream and back onto her own plate. "Honestly, you'd think you'd have *some* kind of sense to keep from thinking that way after—" Trailing off as Six drops into his seat, she turns her most patient expression his way. "That helps a lot, Six, thanks," she says wryly, dropping her forehead against the blond's shoulder.
Lucas furrows his brow at Rashmi, "That's EXACTLY why Ah think that way, Rash." He looks at Robyn, "Don't get mad, Ah mean it concerned. If'n he keeps bein' the victim, like THREE times, that says somethin'. Somethin's wrong there. Trainin', or better social support, or some shit…" He shrugs, "Whatever.
"It's this school that's the problem Lucas, not Jordan. Thinks about it." Robyn says as right now is not a good time for him to hear this. "I've been kidnapped, I've been turned into a frog, sometimes…it's just being a mutant that causes shit to happen, not cause you're…whatever you believe is wrong with Jordan." He looks at Si and gives a very half-hearted wave. "Hey and…no, not really."
An unrepentant grin at Rashmi, but it doesn't last. Done only for being give a, deservedly, hard time. What Robyn says Six has heard before, but the repeating has him looking concerned. Mostly for Robyn. The dangers of this place aren't real to him yet. It's only a matter of time. "Anything I can do to help?" Asked of Robyn.
Rashmi pauses, frowning to herself and mentally running the last two things said through the Lucas Filter, and blinks. "…Oh. *I* get it… sorry, sweetie," she says, flushing slightly and dropping a new cookie in the bowl. "He means, Robyn, that if it happens so much… when this is all over, maybe there's something they can teach him on the side, you know? I mean, I know what happened with the demons, but if it's usually stuff like this? Maybe there's something they haven't taught him, that he could like really *use* to keep it from happening again, right?"
Lucas points at Rashmi, "There ya go. Right." He smiles, and looks at Robyn, "Look, Ah ain't judgin' him, Robyn. ah don't know that Ah even ever MET him, so…" He shrugs again, "Ah don't know that Ah believe anythin' about him, other'n Ah was just sayin' what Rash made sound right."
Robyn doesn't say it, but he knows Lucas met Jordan as a demon, but that was odd circumstances. He looks down at the groud and takes a deep, slightly shuttering, breath. "I'm on the same squad as him, we've learned the same things. I don't know, it could just be bad luck. It could be something with him, I don't know. And I don't know what you can do to help Six. Just…maybe I should just keep my mind off of it."
Six can only frown at the translation. And he thought he had poor social skills. Wow. Giving Rashmi and Lucas a strange look, he returns his attention to Robyn. Mainly because if he said anything to the other two it'd probably be unintentionally rude. You don't have anything nice to say, you don't say anything. "Well, what can we do to keep your mind off things? There anything at all? I know that's difficult with lock down, and the worry, though."
Rashmi shrugs in response to Six' look, leaning against Lucas' shoulder. "Maybe you *should* take Mr. Keller's class too, Robyn. I know I am… Just… the thought of knowing how to do *something,* even if it's just for a maybe… It really helps, you know? And, when it's done… I'm sort of planning on getting permission to teach the kids that don't qualify, so as many people know how to help the school out as possible."
Lucas rolls his eyes at Rashmi, "Suck up." He chuckles.
"Maybe I will, but I dunno." Robyn's not sure if that's something he'd want to do but then he did just turn seventeen recently. "I don't Six, maybe I'll go watch some movies in a little bit. And Rash isn't a suck up, she's just an over achiever." Yeah, there's a little bit of teasing there.
Knowing he's stepped into the middle of something he isn't entirely comfortable with, Six merely tugs on an ear lobe and offers, "Want some company?" No big deal if the offer is turned down. "Being alone like this is the worst." Just someone around to maybe ease the loneliness. "What class are you guys talking about anyway? The one about shielding?" Since it was one of the new ones. "I had to get one of the teachers to explain what it meant." He shrugs kind of sheepishly. "They said anyone with psi abilities should. That rather counts me out."
Rashmi rolls her eyes. "Well," she says with no real rancor in her voice, "excuse *me* for taking these classes at face value. And, we were talking about Mr. Keller's class. The one about tactics, and simulations for getting the younger kids evacuated if there's an emergency, that sort of thing. Besides, Lucas, I hear you'd *like* Mr. Keller. Or, y'know, hate him *a lot.* I hear he acts a little like you do. *Any*way," she goes on, before Lucas can tell whether that's a compliment or not, "Addison says that kids who can do things with their mind would probably be *best* at the shielding stuff… but that any of us can get *something* out of it."
Lucas rolls his eyes at Rashmi, "Ah don't know Mr. Keller. Sounds like a joy." He picks his book back up, and starts to read again, holding it a little farther away than most would, and squinting a bit.
"Maybe I'll join you in that class Rashmi, it'll give me something to do." Robyn says pushing his hair back and standing up. "Uh…sure if you wanna join me Six. I'm just gonna head out now. We'll talk to Cam later. I just…thanks for the offered help, really." He says to Lucas and then nods at Rashmi. "Thanks." He says looking at Six. "Wanna head out with me?"
"Sure." Six noddles for being asked to go, and his wings lift and spread a little as he rises to his feet. "I think Rashmi has the right idea about the evacuations classes. I'm signed up for that one. See you later, Rashmi. Don't study too hard." A smile, a wave at the couple, and he trots after Robyn to watch movies. "Didn't sign up for the other one though." Said to Robyn as the two leave. "I can't wrap my head around it really." Felt damn stupid in having it explained to him. What he was picturing was far different.
Rashmi chuckles, lifting her hand to wave to the boys. "Six, if you haven't seen Big Fish, have Robyn show you that one. It's *really* good, seriously." As the two head toward the door, Rashmi glances aside at Lucas, brow furrowing. "Are you all right, there?" she murmurs. "You look like you're halfway to giving yourself a headache…"
Lucas shakes his head, and tosses the book onto the table, huffing. He looks at her, and then shakes his head, "Ah'm fine."
Rashmi raises an eyebrow, having heard those words far too often. By this point, she barely even needs to speak her inevitable response.
Lucas sighs again, looking away. He mumbles something. "Ah'm hav..n…oble…in…"
Rashmi raises an eyebrow, resting her head on his shoulder. "You're having trouble….. hmm? I didn't catch that last part, you sort of switched into another language or something where everyone speaks in Mumble."
Lucas growls, and tosses his hands onto the table. "Ah think Ah need readin' glasses," he says, with a lot of venom.
Rashmi blinks sharply, shocked by the sheer amount of venom in Lucas' voice. "…Oh. Okay? Well, why not get some?" She looks left, then right, and lifts her head, pressing her lips against the corner of Lucas' mouth. "Besides… guys with glasses are cute."
Lucas folds his arms over his chest, though he does return her kiss. "It ain't fair."
Rashmi chuckles. "Oh, *what's* unfair, hmm?"
Lucas sighs, "My hands. My maw. Now Ah fuckin' have to have glasses, too." He scowls, "This sucks."
Rashmi sighs, settling back against the blond, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. "You pick the strangest things to put in your Big List of Problems. Your hands, okay, I can see that. Your mom? Definitely, sure. …Glasses? You want to be a *scientist,* just get like a lab coat or something when you pick up a pair, right?"
Lucas sighs, and sort of looks off, speaking with a more quiet defiance. "And Ah ain't cute."
"Oh, for… *fine,*" Rashmi says, exasperated, "you'd look *hot* with glasses, okay? Like, little wire-rimmed square ones, the kind professors always pull down their nose when they want to glare at you? Those ones."
Lucas huffs again, but he kisses her on the nose. "Ah'll look dumb." He sighs, "Whatever."
Rashmi chuckles. "No," she stresses, looping both hands around the blond's neck. "You *won't.* I'm a *girl,* we know these things right?"
Lucas shrugs, "Maybe…" He doesn't sound convinced. He leaves his arms hanging at his side, and he pouts a little. "Ah hate that we can't go find Jordan."
Rashmi is silent for a moment, eyes slowly closing as though to sort out her thoughts on the matter. "…Lucas… If you'd realized I was going to try and get you taken back… Or… even if it'd been someone else, and I just told you i was going out to risk my life… What would you have said to me?"
Lucas swallows, and then looks her right in the eyes. He pauses a moment, and then says, "Ah would have said it was stupid, and then made you take me with you."
Rashmi leans over a little, meeting his gaze intently. "Would you have rathered I didn't go, Lucas? Because it was putting my life in danger, on the off chance I could do something about it?"
Lucas shakes his head, "No. Ah would rather you have gone." He shakes his head, "Just sittin' here's a load of shit."
Rashmi lets out a quiet breath. "Yeah… And if I didn't know what I do know… maybe I'd agree with you, sort of. I'd want to do *something,* anyway… but, Lucas, please… Even if you're the only one who really does, please *listen to me.* I keep telling Robyn not to go, because from everything I've heard… This Sinister guy? He's like *ten times* worse than the demon that took you. I mean… just his *name* scares the hell out of some of the adults… Don't you see what that *means?*"
Lucas puts his hand on her shoulder, "Hey. Look, Ah ain't goin' out there an' doin' nothin' what's dumb, okay? Hell, the plan Ah thought of involves us sittin' right here in the kitchen, so… relax."
Rashmi shivers slightly. "I'm just… I'm really scared, Lucas… I mean, you've probably been the *most* reasonable out of everyone who's talked about it… And, look at what the teachers are doing. Addison's teaching how to keep people out of our minds… Mr. Keller's teaching about evacuation and tactics… *Think* about that, for a second. This isn't stuff they've done all this time, that means we'll probably *need* it, as soon as possible, you know?"
Lucas shakes his head, "It means they aren't as smart as we think they are. That should be regular curriculum, not something they use to scare us, Rash." He sighs, "Look, you don't have to preach this to me. Ah'm in the choir, okay?"
Rashmi sighs heavily, letting her head fall on his shoulder. "Sorry… just… I'm *really* scared you'll try to sneak out and help someone, you know? It was bad enough, just having you taken by demons… I don't even want to *think* about you dying…"
Lucas puts his other hand on her other shoulder, now one on each of hers. "Rash. Ah told you. Ah ain't goin' by myself. Ah promise, if'n a group goes an' Ah go with, Ah'll ask you to join us. okay?"
Rashmi looks up, staring into the blond's eyes for a moment. Nodding softly, she looks away, flushing. "…All right… But in the meantime? Let's take as many of these classes as we can. And, um… Can we go on a picnic this weekend? Just like, you and me, maybe at the edge of the forest? It'd be nice just to have a little time to ourselves."
Lucas nods, "Sure, but only if you put out." He lets her go, and takes a few steps towards the door before turning back to look at her, struggling not to laugh.
When Lucas turns around, he'll note he's getting a distinctly unamused glare, accented by a half-dozen spheres whirling at shoulder-level as something like close to top speed.
Lucas raises his brow, "Heh. Yeah… Okay." He backs away slowly, a goofy not quite grin on his face. "No jokes about doin' it."
The spheres fade, and Rashmi crosses her arms over her chest, all but flouncing back in her chair. "It's just not that funny," she says quietly. "I don't want to think you're with me just because I'm going to hike my skirt sometime soon, you know?"
Lucas pauses, and sighs, "Rashmi. You ain't hikin' it no time soon. Remember? You was right clear about it. And Ah didn't dump you. Chill. It's okay."
"I know, I know, I'm sorry," the redhead says, sagging in place. "I sort of can't help it, though… I mean, that what *all* the really good-looking boys were like at my old school, you know? And, well, there you are. Good looking, stupidly amazing smile, the works."
Lucas shakes his head, "Ah ain't all that." He reconsiders, "Okay, Ah am incredibly good looking." He smiles at her.
Rashmi bobs her head, chuckling slightly. "Yes… yes you are, not that you need the help. So if i get a little bit… weird… I'm sorry. I'm just not used to being the girl that gets *you* for a guy, y'know?"
Lucas smirks, "Yeah, well… Ah ain't like most guys." He walks back over, gives her a kiss on the forehead, and says, "Night, Rash."
Rashmi smiles, wrapping her arms around his neck to returnt he kiss. "No," she chuckles, "you're not. g'night, Lucas."
Lucas smiles, lingering a long moment to look at her, and then he runs his fingers down her cheek, turns, and heads back to his dorm room.
