Players:
Summary: A trip to the mall isn't as Rockin' as the X-Students hope it to be.
Date: June 7, 2010
I Wanna Rock!
Rating: PG-13
Westchester - Salem Center Food Court
Entering the mall brings its visitors right to the Food Court. A wide open area with tables and chairs sprinkled around it, its edges lined with a wide variety of fast food choices. Pizza, burgers, ice cream, chicken, Chinese, smoothies, you name it, you got it.
Sunday afternoon and Xavier's finest are at the mall. Standing a few feet inside the door with his image inducer on, James frowns. Even wearing his human guise, he still has no fashion sense. Today's theme as it always is: black BDU's and a black t-shirt; goggles left back at the school. Looking side to side, the creature boy scans the area, managing to look predatory even now He shoots a look over his shoulder at Connor and asks, "Okay…I'm here. See?"
It's weird for Robyn….really weird, seeing James looking the way he does right now, but then at least he's not the only one in black. Robyn's dressed in his usual black skinny jeans and a black Ziggy Stardust t-shirt. Now that they're in the food court Robyn's looking around and to avoid any opinions thrown around about James being here, he says. "So you wanna get some lunch first and then look around? I know the music here sucks but we can always find some music or movies for later?"
Connor's hands are in his pockets, dressed in his usual attire, and staying a bit to the back of the group for the time being. Looking around for a bit, he tilts his head, and smiles back at James, "Cool… my first time here too." He seems to shy from most of the places where people have left clutter for the moment, his hands occasionally clenching and relaxing before finally he settles himself with a breath, "So… how's the smell?"
Jinx has an image inducer as well, and she looks like… some dark haired girl with fashion sense all her own. Her skirt is short, her boots are tall, and in her mouth is a sucker. "The chocolate tootsie pops are the best," she remarks to anyone who'd listen, as if it were the most important thing of the moment. Having traveled with the group, she looks around the food court like a lioness picking her prey. Burger King, Arbys, Sbarro, Fast Panda. She isn't sure if she is being addressed, but she casts Connor a sidelong glance. "Smells like grease and hormones."
Rather gruffly, James responds, "Agreed." He turns to look at Robyn, the imager tracking his movements better than he's hoped, "Yeah…lets to the food thing first." He scans the room looking for a table and heads towards something specific, leaving everyone behind. Apparently the seat is more important than the treat. "I'll be over here," says Mr. Personality.
Robyn can't help but snicker a bit at the hormones comment. "I'm glad I can't smell the hormones the food though, it smells good to me and the Mrs. Fields cookies and the Cinnabon are always the best." That's Robyn for you, thinking with his sweet tooth. He looks over at Jinx and runs a hand through his hair. "Oh Jinx, I had a question, James said something about you living near various art schools?"
Connor follows along after James, and makes to settle down across from him once the seat is chosen, saying over his shoulder as he does so, "Robyn… you still owe me for the batch from New York. I like chocolate chocolate chip." Grinning a bit as his hands come out of his pockets, and he turns his head to pan the place, one leg tapping up and down so that the heel is rocking, and the only real sound from it is the rubbing of his jeans against the metal chair. One hand ends up on the tabletop, a finger raising up, and then tapping down again before he says, "Give them a moment to art-gab." While he doesn't directly watch James, he still remains close in an almost bodyguard-like fashion.
Jinx blinks slowly. Her eyes are still that smokey blue-violet of her natural form, though she looks as naturally emo teen as anyone else in the group. "Yeah… sorta. I lived in SoCal and there's some of the best art schools anywhere there. So I suppose that is correct?" She considers following after James and his quest to lay claim to tacky bright mall tables, or to shop amongst the teen paradise of Greasy Fried and Sweet. Since Connor has moved in to intercept, Jinx moves towards the Meat On a Stick place, with the comically dressed teens and their unspeakable uniforms. Waiting in line, she leans towards Robyn. "I don't believe the rumors that they get paid really well," she nods to the humiliating costumes of the beanie gals. "I'll give you a dollar if you as what they make an hour." The sucker is spun in her cheek, and she crunches into it with an unhealthy pop.
James' doesn't grin back, the set of his jaw one that hints at a level of seriousness that's uncalled for at a food court. As if the entire area were filled with Danger Room style villains—or worse. He watches the other two wonder off, as if covering their backs, before looking over at Connor. It's a rather official sounding voice that he uses, the one he's been getting to know since taking a more serious role at the school. A voice which says, "Thanks for coming Connor." Blue eyes settle on his friends, "Just…you know Things get weird, get me out of here and then get away from me. Maybe nothing…but the last time I sat at this table I was surrounded by 200-some demons."
"A dollar that's it? Wow, now I can get that Snickers I always wanted." Robyn says with a chuckle as he looks over at the girls in the costumes. He looks back and James and Connor and debates taking Jinx up on her offer. "If I ask, you owe me a pretzel." He looks over at James and Connor and watches them for a bit. "I hope he's not pushing himself too much. I just wish there was more I could do ya know?" He says to Jinx.
Connor taps on the table once more, and then shrugs, "That was then, this is now… and this is usually the part where I make some joke about the Christmas rush, or not holding it against them for being students… buuuuuut it just seems inappropriate now." A small grin comes on him before he drags his phone out to check something, thumbing through some stuff before he starts to read something, "I admit… it's a good thing I get out too. Both Robyn and I are shut-ins of a different sort… though you wouldn't think it with how he loves to cruise around his home turf."
Jinx glances back to the table as she continues her conversation with Robyn. Her look, while casual, settles on the once-hyena for a moment longer than is casual. "He's pushing himself," she says in a soft murmur, her teeth sticking on the chewy bit at the center, and the tangy paper of the stick. "But he needs to. He needs to do what's not safe, so he can move on," she psychoanalyzes stuff she doesn't know with all the arrogance of youth. At the counter now, she proffers up a couple bills. "I would like 2 dogs on a stick and 2 lemonades, and a thing of curly fries, and I would like for you to sing us your themesong."
James nods, "Yeah…when we get back, if you want to see it, I have a DR session that's nothing but my home. It was made awhile ago when things got bad. I'll show you some time." Was that maybe just a little bit of opening up? The would-be hyena pushes back in his chair and makes it creek, "And yeah…I know. But, if I was any good at moving on I wouldn't be here. So…anything you wanna see while we're here? Apple store maybe?"
Robyn doesn't get anything to eat here but waits for Jinx to order and get her food. "Yeah, if things got bad, I told him I'd try to posses him but I dunno, I'd feel weird doing that to a friend. It's weird, I never really cared about my friends that much until I came here and it's a whole new world." And once Jinx gets her food, Robyn wanders over to the Cinnabon so he can get four gooey rolls, one for each. Yay for school allowance.
"That'd actually be kinda cool. I've… never really been anyplace but parts of the west coast… and here." Then giving a slightly soft exhale, Connor continues to look at his phone. Finally he puts it away, and sits back as well, tapping his hands on the arms of the chair, and says, "Apple store? No thanks… iThings are boring. But if you want, we can check out the Brookstone… I'm sure there's a massage chair, or some other specialty good that we could do without, but you'd love taking apart."
Jinx has the sticks looped between her fingers, and the cups in a paper tray. She got no theme song, but the sneer from the employee was free. "No Pretzel for you," she teases Robyn. "Chicken." A smile, and after he's collected his sweets, moves to meander back towards the table. She has a collection of condiments stuffed into one of the empty cup holders, and thrusts a corn dog at James.
James shrugs and is about to say something but a corn dog comes into view. He takes it with a questioning look and gives Jinx an equal one, "How can you eat this stuff? Smells like…burning." He wrinkles his nose and pokes at it with a finger…then sticks it in his mouth anyways. "Thanks again guys," the hyena says sounding a little less official, "I won't lie. It's 'really' weird to be here. But someone wiser than my said 'that was then, this is now.'"
Robyn walks over to the table and plops down four cinnabons for anyone who wants them then shrugs at James's words. "I dunno, I can eat almost anything, well..almost anything with too much sugar. And anytime you need something, ask. And it's really weird to look at you like this and not have you towering over me. And isn't everyone wiser than you?" He teases his friend as he looks around. "And if it's getting to much and you just wanna leave, just say the word."
Connor looks at the cinnabon, looks at the corn dog being crunched down by James, and then in a fashion that seems almost too damn neat for it's own good he uses a knife to decouple one of the corners from the rest, getting it on a napkin, and bringing it over. Once there, you all can see him very neatly cut a piece off with a knife, spear it with a fork, and open wide to eat, getting none of it on anything. After chewing and swallowing, he then says, "Don't pressure him with reassurances. Anyways… I was talking about heading to Brookstone and checking out the useless junk. Or to the Apple store for more useless junk. Any takers?"
Jinx squeezes a glob of mustard out onto the corner of a napkin and smears her corndog into it. "Everything stinks," she says with a measure of finality. "But you still have to eat," she chews her mustard dog with deep appreciation for the finer things. "Hey, I'd go see useless junk."
James pulls a corndog-less stick out of his mouth. Looking at Robyn, James says "Me too…but…I dunno. I'm weird about people cooking food for me. It makes me feel, well, weird. I hate being waited on too." He shakes his head out, an action that looks odd on a mane-less, hyena-less human. The narrowing of eyes is all Robyn gets for the wise comment, his response deflected by Jinx, "I need to hit the music store. CornHoled Catastrophe has a new CD out: Tour De Flush."
Robyn can't help but roll his eyes a bit at Connor's words of not pressuring James with reassurances but doesn't say anything. "I dunno, I'm cool with anything. Like I said though, music store or something." He'd even be up for going into Hot Topic or something but Robyn's not here for himself. "I'm really glad I don't have sensitive sense of smell, then I think most foods would be ruined for me. And…CornHoled Catastrophe?"
Connor smirks a bit, "Doesn't sound any weirder than Insane Clown Posse, or Killswitch Engage. The name's the name… it's usually the style that's important. I'm down for it. I need to look for some new Sonata Artica, or Epica." Still with the same fastidious nature, he continues to eat his cinammon roll, not losing any bits of it except on the napkin in front of him.
Jinx has a freshly squeezed lemonade that she sucks through a straw. It feels very odd not to see her whiskers flicking when she drinks. Jinx forgoes the cinnamon roll. "Oh cool. I hadn't heard they had a new one out," she remarks casually. She looks around the table at the three guys and blinks slowly. "Sounds like stage one is a success. Let's move on to stage 2."
"Yes, lets," James says, loosing that casual edge to his voice again, probably more than making Jinx away of his discomfort. He looks between Robyn and Connor, "You guys ready? Any prefs on where first?" Jinx gets a long look, the hyena-boy tilting his head a little, "What about Kaiju Nation or Lettuce Stigmata?" Apparently more absurd bands he knows about.
Robyn stands up and gathers what isn't eaten to throw away. "Sure, let's go. What kind of music are those bands?" He asks since he's never heard of them but then Robyn was brought up on more classic rock and 80's type music and his obscure bands include stuff like Combichrist, Cruxshadows and Neuroticfish. "So music store first?"
Connor finishes the cinnabon and then folds up the napkin around the fork before adding it to the pile of things Robyn wants to toss, "Sounds like it." And with that said he just pushes off from his seat, and takes a moment to pan around the food court, before his hands go into his pockets, and then he turns to face James, "It's my first time. You know which store has the best stuff? I usually order online from Amazon or just buy it direct on MP3. Never went out unless I was with my sisters."
"Kaiju Nation is okay, but Lettuce Stigmata's last single sucked. I mean, how can you take a band seriously that names a song 'Radish on Fire'? Totally trite and pretentious. For sure," she drawls, her true Californian emerging in a typical valley twang and snark. She sucks the last of her lemonade from the ice noisily and pushes up from her chair. "Why did you not go out without your sisters?" Of course Jinx's brain imagines Connor dressed as a little girl. Mutant Von Trapp family.
James grins at Robyn, "Kaiju Nation has been around since the '50s. They've gone through a lot of changes. Every few years they hand themselves off to someone else and switch directions. They've been everything from big band to death metal. Right now, they're doing that rap/rock fusion that's popular. Lettuce Stigmata…welll…they're like Rush. Just without all the Rushness." To Connor, James shrugs, "Only one store the last time I was in here. But I spent almost 2 weeks going through their stuff while I was holed up in this place." He starts walking.
"Oh cool, I'll have to listen to Lettuce Sigmata, I like Rush." Robyn says as he father's band does several Rush covers. "I think it's just the one store, Fuck Yeah Expensive." Or FYE, the music store in almost every mall. "They're selection could be a lot better, but it's all we've got. Amazon is better but I don't have a credit card or anything so it's the music store. Sometimes you get lucky and find what you want on Hot Topic."
Connor shrugs once as he tilts his head to look back and forth, the group looking just like they are, just a group of kids hanging out together at the mall, "Never listened to any Rush… now what I've said it, I'll get exposed. Mostly, I like operatic metal and dance music. Something where the beat and the ebb and flow of the music can be felt." For some reason, he moves around to the outside of the group, walking to James' left, but slightly behind as he adds, "Jinx… I don't socialize well… school was always hard for me because the classes are always thirty or more, and the teachers can't give any special attention, even though I have a special condition. For me, it's easier to just stay inside, away from everyone. But… like someone else here… I can't just be comfortable."
Jinx takes a moment to get out of her chair, allowing for a tail that isn't 'there'. She breathes a soft sigh and starts moving after the gang, pausing to pitch her trash into the appropriate receptacle. Off to the music store they go. She eyes Connor and her jaw tilts slightly on it's hinges. "Ah." Not that anyone here has any special conditions, after all.
It takes a few minutes to navigate the mall. And being that it's a sunday, getting there is sometimes a slow, painful experience. So, it goes without saying that James takes a more aggressive stance on pushing through the crowds the further you all get it. Even going as far as to tell a couple of teens to 'move it' when they stop for no reason. James, however, doesn't. Within sight of the music store, the hyena eyes a bathroom, "I'm gonna jump in here. You guys head on. I can see the store from here. Promise I won't need a babysitter." Short, clipped, and to the point, his voice taking that official edge again.
Robyn nods at Connor. "Yeah, you'll be exposed to Rush soon, I have a bit of their stuff in the room. Like I said, my father's band does quite a few Rush covers like Spirit of Radio and Fly By Night and stuff." He does notice James's agitation but then Robyn isn't one for crowds either. "Maybe we should have picked a less busy time." He says and as James goes into the Bathroom, Robyn nods. "Sure thing, just meet us in there." He says as he doesn't want to be protective of James even though he does feel it a bit.
Connor reaches over and pats Robyn on the shoulder, "C'mon… maybe you can pick out some stuff for me to listen to… and maybe I'll get you hooked on some stuff too." Smiling over at Jinx, and leaving James all the space he wants, he starts off towards the store. Once James is around the corner and out of view, he says, "I'll stay close to the door, and watch for him and for anything… I'll signal you both if we need to get out there, allright? Otherwise… nothing's wrong. Treat it like it is. Just us at the mall." And once more he gives a slightly reassuring smile, though his grip tightens on Robyn for a moment before releasing.
The inside of the FYE is like any store of its type. Rows upon rows of CDs, shelves packed overflowing with movies, and a variety of action figures, candy, and t-shirts offers something for everyone. That is, is 'anyone' was in here. Maybe it's sunday in effect, but it only takes a moment or two to notice that that the store is empty of customers. And employees. That is, until someone peeks their head out from the door at the rear, "Hey…you kids. We're restocking. So go!" He takes a step out and sho-shos with his hands, looking back at the door he just came out of, "I thought 'you' locked it. And no, I don't think they're leaving." Wearing a flannel shirt and a baseball cap, the man sorta exudes 90's grunge.
Robyn looks at Connor and nods. "Sure no problem, but Connor, between us, if you keep acting so protective of James and like he's gonna explode at any moment, it won't help. I'm worried too but acting normal will be best I think." Robyn says as he walks into the store and makes a face at the creepy Twilight cut-outs, that's before he notices the odd predicament of the store. Robyn just looks at Connor and nods. "No problem..we'll be going now." Robyn says as he moves to leave and maybe duck behind an endcap.
Giving Robyn a bit of a look over the 'protectiveness', Connor sighs and pushes at the other boy's shoulder before he replies, "I'm acting normal while he's around… sorry…" But then with a sigh he begins looking at the cutouts, and the latest DVDs in presence at the front of the store. The lack of people there seems not to bother him, but the person shooing him does. He turns his head to look away for a moment, and then gives a shrug, "Allright… Sorry…" But when Robyn ducks to one side, he moves to the other, and tilts his head to the side as if to say 'Something up?'.
Jinx comes out of the restroom 20 minutes later, having done something or another and managing to look just the same. Image inducer for the win. She hooks her thumbs in her belt and comes sauntering up, eyeing the store and the 80's motif of employees. "Closing up? What kid of doofus leaves the door open if they won't let us shop?" She protests lightly. Turning to fall in step with the boy brigade, she feels like the token female… and is. "So what now? Want to go get our nails done?"
Mr. Grunge hmphs and dusts off his hands with a loud clap, "Rotten kids!" He'll go onto congratulate himself later. But for now he turns to leave…and then promptly turns around when the newcomer girl walks in and then up to her friends. Another series of protests towards someone in the back…another rebuttal of someone probably more comfortable on a couch than taking orders. "Fine! Then I'll do it!" a voice from the back yells. Without warning, a 70's glam rocker is full pseudo-KISS makeup jumps out, "Show's over kiddos! Now we rock your world!" With a quick smack of his palm, he hits button on the rear wall causing the store front's windows to shut, sealing everyone in, and the rest of the world out.
Robyn goes to put a finger up to his lips to try to hush Jinx but it's too late, they're shut in, and all Robyn can think of is James on the other side of that wall. He stands up slowly from where he ducked behind the end cap and puts his hands up. "We were just hear for some music you horrible knock off of Peter Criss." Cause who wants to be Peter Criss, not even Peter Criss wants to be Peter Criss. And with that statement, Robyn's eyes flash purple as his body falls over and he tries to posses the mind of the Kiss Wanna Be Rocker guy.
"You have got… to be kidding me…", Connor says, "I mean… no REALLY…" And with that he stands up and moves into view, covering Robyn's body as he tilts his head to one side and just looks back at the closed shutters, "I just wanted a normal day at the mall… I wanted to hang out with friends… eat a Cinnabon… do regular stuff. but NO… OH NO… some trumped up whack job with delusions of grandeur HAS TO decide today's his day… DOESN'T HE…" Fuming at this point as his eyes begin to blaze blue-green, the scent of anger strong on him, and he turns to face Fashion Disaster.
Jinx takes stock of the situation. Robyn gone out of his body and James… somewhere. Connor is freaking out. Jinx is mellow, and with a slow motion, reaches up and turns off her image inducer. Her tail billows behind her as fur appears to poof onto her frame. "So much better," she murmurs, and moves towards that rear wall where the magic button lies, keeping an eye out for Mr. Grunge.
Shoved to the side by the glam man, the grunge guy toppl over onto his butt with a 'oof,' as his team mate assailant catches a guitar that gets tossed from someone offstage…or rather behind the door in the employees-only area. Strumming a rather off-key E-chord the not-quite Gene Simmons holds his battle-axe shaped guitar over his head and yells, "I'm gonna Axe you all a question! Laaa~!" Of course…the singing is cut short as his rather simple mind is taken over by Robyn. Grunge decides this is enough and makes for the door—-only to be shoved back out by a third. "What kinda jive turkey operation is this? You think I'm playing…running off from kids. Cowards…surrounded by them!" A man in a rather large fro steps out and announces, "Who dare interrupt the master of soul and all the women he rollzzzz…. The Hypno Hustler!" He immediatly eyes the skunk, "Oh you have GOT to be kidding me. Spider-man, you fools. I said I wanted a shot at Spider-Man. Not Wild Kingdom."
Now that Robyn is in the head of the Wanna-Be-Gene Simmons and is holding the battle axe shaped guitar, he grins. "Riddle me this asshole." He says as he swings the guitar around and aims to hit it as hard as he can at Hypno Hustler, hoping to catch him off guard and in the face. After all he's got the strength of the guy whose body he's in just…none of the skills or his knowledge.
The intro and everything else seriously floors him for a moment. The Hypno Hustler. Connor has to blink and process that for a few moments before rubbing the back of his neck and saying, "Okay… I think I've stepped into the wrong 3rd-string superthug debut…" But witty lines fail him at the moment, and taking a couple of breaths he reaches a hand out and suddenly the entire Kanye West selection floats into the air as a group, "And no… I'm not saying anything silly while I do THIS!" And Hypno Hustler gets it Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger right in the face.
Jinx five feet of black and white splendor. Or so her stride says. She moves with an inevitable pace since no one is throwing anything at her or charging at her at the moment. Ooh, Daft Punk! She ducks as the rain of CDs comes her way, and picks up the pace. Still no James. Must be on the other side of the wall. Bad news. She shuffles on her skunky feet towards the button, and gives Grunge a swipe on the shoulder as she passes. Hot fear and nausea flooding through. The button is steps away. Skunks do not move terribly fast, after all.
Being caught off guard is an understatement. No one expects to be face'd by their own minion. Falling into a racks of CD's, the Hustler goes down like the $2 whore his ma'ma probably was. He glares up at 'Gene' checking his now broken nose, "Boy, you dun ruined what my ma'ma gave me." He pulls out a switchblade, ignoring the kids, "And now, I'mma let you finish that solo in heaven! But first…" His speech is interrupted as the hit parade starts raining. *thud*thud*thud* Meanwhile, Grunge gets his comeuppance as Jinx springs her passing surprise. Grabbing is mouth, he runs towards the front of the store, hoping to escape all this scaryness…but only makes it as far as Stevie Nicks before letting loose *BLARGH!* the button is as close as ever, but just before she can hit it, a 4th and final minion rushes out. Dressed as Keith Moon, the man screeches, "DRUM SOLO!" and begins trying to smack the student with oversized drum sticks.
"I didn't mess up anything that wasn't already broken before." Robyn banters to the Hypno Hustler as he brings the guitar down a second time on the leader, but as soon as the guitar connects, Robyn is gonna jump out of 'Gene's' body and back into his own, hopefully leaving his minon stunned. "Drum Solo….wow…I really wanna know what kind of d-villain horror rejects these guys are." He says now that he's back in his own body.
Connor winces at DRUM SOLO… it's painful… not to see or feel, but to watch… and in this case so much more so it seems, "No really… do you even… I mean…. this is…" Sputtering for several moments before finally he snaps himself back into the present and points a hand at the newcomer, "Okay, this is ENOUGH…" And blue-green energy flares up as he launches a graviton 'grab' at the drummer.
Drum solo gets a knee to the groin, and a slap of her hand against his chest. Claws splayed, Mr. Moon soon feels utter horror at the cute lil black and white girl before him. And then something more scary than the skunk comes at him. Jinx has only to bare her teeth to make all the world spin. Jinx slaps the button on the wall. "Guys! Door, now!" she calls, her quips reserved for some special occasion.
Glam brings his guitar down once more, hitting the Hustler square in the head. *kong* The switchblade hits the floor as does the guy who was holding it. "THe hell?!" Glam asks as he comes too, the 'great plan' suddenly looking much worse for wear than a second ago. He sees Grunge…nearly to the door…but still in the 'Fs' as he drops another wretch on Fleetwood Mac. Moon? Well…he's tripping ballz and is suddenly air borne. THe leader? Out like cold cuts. Glam makes a run for the doors as the shutters release. But, one thing about the emergency shutter system being used—the cops are already waiting on the other side. "I surrender! I surrender!"
Robyn stands there and is about to turn and go after Grunge, a psi-dagger forming in his hand to stab someone, but as soon as the cops are seen on the other side, the psi-dagger goes away and he just stands there, kind of frozen in place, backing up against whatever surface is there as he waits for the cops to say something. Things'll be under control soon, right?
Connor also turns to leave as the shutter goes up, and looks right at the cops… another shock and enough to cause his 'grab' to stutter and fall, and for Drum Solo to fall to the ground. Moving close to Robyn he murmurs out one side of his mouth, "We… are so boned…" One of his hands going onto Robyn's shoulder in case an emergency port is needed.
Giant wild animal, hurt people, cops outside. This is a recipe for disaster for the giant skunk. She reaches up to flip on her image inducer and takes a moment to tug down her skirt and sweep back her hair. "Where's James?" she asks the guys, walking over and trying to move in front. "if I let them cuff me, I can make them think everything's fine… you guys need to find James." Jinx moves off towards the cops, looking remorseful.
Thankfuly, there's no need for worry. Aside from being an idiot, Glam is also a cowered, "Arrest me! We tried to rob the store! Employees are in the back! I didn't want to do it, but they said it'd be cool! Then they told us to attack the kids! And then…I beat think I beat up our leader!" He points accusingly at random directions into the store as the cops rush in and begin arresting the whole lot of 'em before checking on the real employees hidden somewhere in the back. As a crowd begins to gather, a single cop walks up to you three. Looking gruff and sounding it to match he says, "I need a quick statement before you rejoin your friend. Okay?" He starts ushering you all out.
At the request for the statement, Robyn nods. "Okay, well, we just came in here to buy some music and the store was empty except for these wanna be seventies musican rejects, well we were about to leave when they locked us in and said something about kill the kids. Then something caused that guy.." Pointing at the wanna be KISS rocker. "Started hitting the one who called himself the Hypno Hustler or something. We were just lucky they turned on each other before they could hurt us." No mention of mutant powers.
Connor sticks his hands in his pockets, and looks down and away for a moment, taking a couple deep breaths before finally he just nods and glances up at the cop, "Yeah… that's about it. Stuff just kinda… went weird in there. So… can we go?" Asking softly towards the end, and with a mild edge of irritation at all of this.
Jinx is busy looking remorseful, now scared. Her eyes are scanning for the human-form of James, and she oozes the happytime feelings like fresh baked bread and warm cookies fresh from Mom's oven. She glances back at her partners in crime here, and nods along to everything Robyn says. "These guys are psychos," she says in her best teen-on-the-edge quaver. "I gotta call my mom for a ride! Is that okay, officer?" Big eyes.
"No! And you all better tell it to the judge!" the boy in blue says with an edge to his voice. He then sighs and shoves his hands in his pockets as he leads you three away from the scene, "I'm sure the cameras will tell the story. But for now…you are all in big trouble." Leading you all towards a nearby exit he clears his throat, "I mean, seriously. Attempted theft. Wrongful imprisonment. Breaking….things." He smiles wide, "It's like…I seriously can't leave you all alone long enough to pee. Now…keep walking and lets get out of here before anyone realizes that some cop no one knows just ran off with the witnesses."
At first being told that they're all in big trouble, Robyn swallows but as soon as the cop says 'breaking…things', something dawns on Robyn and he supresses a grin. "Well it's not our fault you miss all the fun." He mutteres as he starts to follow along with Police Officer Tooth at a rapid pace. "Thanks 'Officer'."
Connor has to almost double-take before he then says with a grin, "Brilliant…" And with a sigh he affects his continued slouched pose. Looking around, he mumbles to the group, "Find me a spot where no one is looking and I can get us all back to the school ASAP…" Exhaling once, he closes his eyes as much as possible as he continues to look down, starting to focus energy for a portal.
Jinx turns down her mojo once she realizes who it is. She saunters along, moving with the group just as nervous and repentant as she can be. She casts the 'officer' a glance. "Nice uniform. Spencers?" she asks, wondering just where one would find something like that in a mall like this.
As an adult passes, Officer Tooth says loudly, "And for the the last time, stay out of the dressing rooms! That's what hotels and seedy road-side bathrooms are for!" Then, more walking as James leads everyone back behind a Sears to an area he remembers from overtaking the mall. An area where the cameras don't quite cover completely. Looking at Jinx he shrugs, "What, don't like a man in uniform? But no, not quite. Anyone tells anyone that I re-hacked my imager and I'll bring you back here myself." There's a smile on his face, the would-be hyena admits, "I put this on here to screw with the kids at school. Just hadn't had the chance. Glad I did now." Stopping at his pre-determined destination he gives Connor the thumbs up, "Alright, we're clear."
Robyn turns an interesting shade of red as James says what he does loudly. Once they're back behind the Sears, he lets out a sigh. "Thanks a ton James, for looking out for us like that. I knew we didn't have to worry about you in the bathroom, I just didn't think we had to worry about us…but then…I dunno, it's just nice to run into a villain that's not about to kick your ass and have the edge on them."
Actually chuckling a bit under that, he murmurs back to Robyn, "What… Jinx is kinda cute, and you've got nice eyes… but yeah, thanks…" Connor adds with a slight sense of bemusement, "Though seriously… you missed all the fun… so many horrid one-liners I had to pass up because it was too awful to ponder." Looking up and around, the young man moves to the back of the alley, and nods to the others, "Watch the alley a moment." And with that a sphere of blue-green light appears in his hand. Several seconds of focus passes and then he pushes the sphere into… nothing… but that nothing begins to distort and as Connor steps back a central point appears, before true to his word… a portal spiral-explodes into life before the group. Six foot diameter plate of blue-green energy swirling and water-like.
"Mall villians," Jinx scoffs with a roll of her eyes and a flick of her hair. The portal is something new, however, and she watches it with wide eyes. "What. The. Fuck." She sums up her feelings in a tight whisper.
James eyes the portal, "Well…that's an arresting development." Officer Snaggle Tooth sneeze for no apparent reason. "Alright. Anyone who hasn't seen Sliders follow my lead." He takes a running leap and jumps into the unknown!
Robyn has already teleported with Connor before but the portal is something new. "Let's hope for now creepy voices." He says before following James through.
Connor motions for Jinx, giving a little grin before he says, "Just walk through… and exhale on the way in… it's cold in there… and I'm sure I could come up with a dozen silly things to say." But with that he motions for her to get a move on, "Fourty-Five seconds until I have to collapse it…"
Jinx has sudden visions of waking up on the other side without her fur, making the skunk look more like plucked mangy rat. She hesitates at the gateway as it looks just terrible, and her uncertainty oozes from her. She glances at Connor quickly, then holding her breath.. dives through.
Xavier Mansion - Spuyten Duyvil Cove
This little cove leads off to Breakstone Lake. Students can go fishing, boating, and swimming in the fresh water. There is a small beach off to the side of the dock where students can also go sunbathing.
For each that passes into the swirling vortex of light, there's a feeling like jumping into lightning as you pass through the event horizon, and for the eternity of a moment for each, the world is a starfield, but all of them seeming to contrail light towards a center point before you. As you are almost forced to gaze into a central darkness for a moment, each of you see a multitude of other selves… Robyn sees himself not as an artist, but as a dancer, then as a carpenter, then as a sculptor… Jinx sees herself without fur, then a great hulking beast, then once even a male. What James sees… is what James sees… but for all, whatever velocity you entered the gate, the moment you entered is the moment you exit at that speed, now on the beach under the school and facing the lake.
From the other side of Connor's portal comes a "Woohooo!" and then thud as the beast lands in sand. Falling onto the image inducer with a snap, the Officer disappears, leaving a rather startled hyena, "Ahh…man." That's the issue with hacking an inducer. You void the warranty.
Coming out behind James, is Robyn and he shakes his head as he lands, putting a hand on James's shoulder to steady himself. "Wow…and I thought the voices were weird." Robyn says as his mind processes what he says and tries to filter it out. "So..how about we do something relaxing here now, just hang out for a bit and watch movies or something."
Jinx launches through the portal only to hit dirt on the other side. That whole jump and roll thing not being instinct to the new girl who ends up with a mouthful of dirt. "Blah.. ptooo… ahhhrgh!" She slaps the inducer and shivers as she gathers herself in the mud. Her ears are pinned back, and she hails herself upwards almost violently. "I. Am going. Home," she huffs, her tail floofing behind her as a warning to anyone who might argue. She skulks off towards the mansion, hands knotted into fists.
Last through is Connor, who steps out, and then flails a bit as he tries not to lose his balance from falling several feet. But bending his knees, he lands on his feet and stands back up, looking around and then up at the portal, "I reeeeeeeeaally need to fix the exit point down here… sorry guys…" Then he looks around at the others… James and Robyn getting up to leave, Jinx stomping off, "Guys? Ummm…. hey… wait up?" And he turns to trot off after the others…
