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Summary: Rashmi and Mike come in after a hard fight, both in a rather sour mood. It appears that sulking is contagious.
Date: May 17, 2010. (Note, directly follows "Who was that Masked mutant?!")
Log Title Lessons in Sulking
Rating: PG-13
Xavier Mansion - Kitchen
This kitchen was designed to feed large numbers of people, and looks it with its bright white walls and stainless steel appliances. The stove, refrigerator, and dishwasher are all larger than normal. There is an island with stools around it for people to sit and eat around along with a table for twelve by the windows in back. Along the wall is a hole in the wall looking into the dining room so food can be passed back and fourth. Anything you want to cook or eat in the kitchen you will find the food and supplies to do so.
Lucas is standing in the kitchen, one glove off. His hand is a fiery ball of nuclear energy, and his other hand is holding a Pop Tart, which is browning over the nuclear reaction. His hair is a mess, long and stringy as it escapes the trendy beret on his head. He's wearing a pair of khaki cargo shorts and a wife beater.
Kael heads into the kitchen, humming to himself as he stops by one of the lower cupboards. A practiced motion of finding the ramen before he stands back up and turns around, just now noticing Lucas and he just blinks a bit. "… Wow." What else do you say when you see someone's hand when it's a fiery ball of nuclear energy!
Lucas looks over at Kael, and he shrugs. "When god gives you Chernobyl, make Pop Tarts." He finishes, sitting the cheap pastry on the plate with its partner, and then begins putting his glove back on, the brilliant ball of energy going out beneath it.
Kael lets out a laugh. "That's one way to put it." He heads over towards one of the cupboards housing the bowls, and a small gust of air pushes it open from the inside. As he grabs one, he says, "I've seen you around, but I don't think we've ever got to fully meet each other." He turns towards the sink, filling the bowl up with water as he looks back at Lucas. "I'm Kael, Corsairs."
Lucas takes a bite of the cinnamon Pop Tart, and then walks over towards Kael. He holds his hand out, as if to shake, but instead, removes his glove, the nuclear energy once more revealed. It's hot, and he lays it under the pot as Kael holds it. "Lucas." After about five seconds, the water boils, and he smirks, pulling his hand back and regloving it.
Kael blinks once more, looking down at the now boiling water and he smirks a bit back. "Now that's a handy power ya got there." He sets it on the stove; turning it on to keep the heat going. He looks over at Lucas and says, "What exactly can you do?" The teen is wearing what he normally wears, a T-shirt and shorts. Barefoot cause he's inside. Though he does still have a bit of a racoon's mask from snowboarding.
Lucas nods, "Ah done have ta be careful. Too long'll melt the pan." He smiles, and walks back over to his Pop Tart, shoving another big bite into his mouth. "Ah reckon Ah can do whatever Ah want with it." He smiles, "Kenta seems to think Ah'm the most powerful on our squad, though Ah like to think he's just shittin' me for confidence sake." He shrugs, "It ain't so great, really. Ah miss touchin' things."
Theo has arrived.
Just as Lucas is boiling the water, Theo walks in from the rec room. "A chef in the making," he comments, as he goes toward the fridge. "Hey Kael, how was the snowboarding trip?" he asks as he opens the door. He pushes food from one side to the other as he searches for his own stash. A bag full of cheese cubes.
Kael glances over at Theo, and gives a wave of a free hand as the other is stirring the noodles. "It was awesome really. Found out that using the wind helps me balance on the board." And cheat a fair bit in the half pipe. He looks back at Lucas and hms, "Which team are you on? And that does seem like a powerful ability, so Kenta could be right on that mark."
Lucas takes a bite of his Pop Tart, speaking as he chews, "Paragonsh."
Theo's expression doesn't change as Kael starts to compliment Lucas' power, but he opens the ziplock bag, and pulls a couple of pepper jack cubes out of the pouch. He pops one into his mouth, and turns away from the fridge. His foot reaches behind him and drags the door shut, the clattering of items on the door can be heard as the magnet seals the door.
The technopath lets his gaze rest on Lucas, though, after Kael's comment, gauging his expression. He hops onto the island, using it as his seat before popping another cheese cube in his mouth.
Kael hms a bit, stirring before he says, "Oh! The same team as Rashmi!" He nods a bit before he says, "I think I'd agree with Kenta then. You seem to have the powerhouse portion of the team with ya." He glances back at Theo before he says, "Say Theo. Who do you think is the most powerful on Corsairs?"
Lucas shrugs, "Ah guess. That's not a good thing, Ah reckon. Be better to have someone more stable as the heavy hitter." He looks at Theo, raising his brow.
Theo continues to measure Lucas' response until the other mutant looks back toward him, and then gives a dismissive glance away as he does, one that indicates whatever he was thinking wasn't worth saying out loud.
He pulls another cube out of the bag and gives a grin. "Me, of course," he says. He considers a moment, "I think Chloe's probably the best of us, though." Something about his tone when he says it might suggest he's not thinking about her powers.
Kael glances over at the two of the other guys, before he centers his gaze on Theo for a moment; a quirk in his brow. He rolls his eyes as he looks back at his ramen, moving to grab a bowl. "Why do ya think that?" A curious question… mostly.
Lucas tilts his head at Theo, "While you explain, how about you hook a brother up with one of those cheese cubes." He leans forward, widening his stance, and opens his mouth, preparing as if he expects Theo to toss it and he intends to catch it in his mouth.
"Which part?" Theo asks. He pulls a cheese cube out with his left hand, and tosses it into the air toward Lucas. It's a little high, but with the proper adjustment, it should be catchable. "Me being the most powerful or Chloe being the best?"
Kael pours the ramen into a bowl before he turns around, food in hand and blowing a a forkful of it. "You being the most powerful. I mean, you can't even go into the Danger Room without getting a migrane, right?"
Lucas does a quick step back, and does indeed catch the cheese in his giant mouth. He laughs as he chews, smiling widely.
"Well," Theo starts. "A few reasons. A, I'm smarter than the rest of you." No problem with self-confidence. He pops yet another cheese cube, as if they weren't a really high source of dairy that he was loading himself down with.
"B, in the real deal, I think I'd be more willing to do whatever it takes to win." He draws his legs up and sits cross-legged. "And C, because I'm conceited like that."
Rashmi has arrived.
Kael quirks a brow as he listens to the reasons. "Uh huh." He takes a bite of his ramen, and grins slightly as wind starts to slowly push Theo to the edge of the island. "And do I need to take you down a few notches… again?"
Lucas is smiling as he hops up to sit on the counter. He takes another bite of his Pop Tart. His hair is a mess, long and stringy as it escapes the trendy beret on his head. He's wearing a pair of khaki cargo shorts and a wife beater. "Ah think y'all should totally duke it out in a kids pool covered in puddin'." He laughs.
Theo is sitting on the island, and as he starts to get bowled backward he quickly catches the edge to anchor himself, and then voluntarily rolls off and lands on his feet. "Maybe, but then I'll just have a more objective view of myself and become even more powerful," he answers Kael. He gives Lucas a rather unimpressed look at his comment, glances back at Kael, but keeps any thought that he has in his head from escaping to his tongue.
*clomp clomp clomp* *THUMP* Visibly fuming, Rashmi barges into the kitchen, wringing her braid as she turns almost immediately toward the fridge. "Stupid flying people and their stupid guns is is *that* bad just to want some ice cream?" The refrigerator is yanked open, a Tupperware container filled with some yellowish, stew-like substance emptied into a bowl and all but shoved in the microwave. Turning, her eyes fall on Theo, then Kael, then Lucas, and without another word she moves over to the blond, pushing one leg aside to allow her to lean back against him. "Hi," she declares.
Kael glances over at Lucas with a smirk. "Nah, I wouldn't do that. It'd be too messy." He looks back at Theo with a smirk before he says, "When ya develop a way to fly, then come find me. Till then, ya got a ways to go." Then Rashmi makes her entrance, and the aerokinetic just blinks. "Uh… what's up, Rashmi?"
Lucas smirks at Kael, "It's chocolaaaaate!" He chuckles, and then shrugs, "Ah can float." He then leans forward a bit and wraps his arms around Rashmi, kissing the top of her head. "You're in a mood, princess. Y'okay?"
Theo's eyes go wide as Rashmi comes into the room like a tornado. He slowly pulls another piece of cheese from the bag, but doesn't answer Kael with anything witty. He grew up with seven sisters, and one thing he's learned. Never speak when you are in close proximity to a woman who is that angry.
Rashmi drapes her arms over Lucas' legs, tilting her head back and sighing. "Fine… just, a bunch of us went out to Coldstone, right? And I was all set to be outside and have cheesecake ice cream and talk to people and have fun and get something for you before we left… but *no,* suddenly someone had to be running from a whole bunch of people with guns on flying motorcycle things and shooting up the place and I *had to throw my ice cream away* and now I'm furious. No one was hurt, though."
Kael blinks as he listens to Rashmi's recount of the situation, taking a few bites of his food within the time she speaks. "Reminds me of the time that I had a slightly similar situation in a seven eleven." He takes another bite is quiet for a bit as he says, "But I'm glad no one was hurt."
Mike has arrived.
Lucas gives her a bit of a squeeze, "Sorry, hun. On the upside, y'all didn't have to get me nothin', which suits me fine." He kisses her head once more, and reaches over to his last bit of Pop Tart. "Here," he moves it in front of her, "have a bite of heaven."
Theo arches his brow at Rashmi's explanation of her evening. "See, this is why the country is way better than the city," he tells the group. "Garbage like this doesn't happen in little towns. At least, not often. Here, it's like a regular part of the day."
"It's *Salem,*" Rashmi says at Theo, "not like New York… You'd think you didn't have to worry about taking people's life in your hands to get ice cream in Salem…" Shaking her head, she accepts the last bite of pop-tart with a smile. "You'd be amazed… but this actually helps. Thanks, sweetie. But I *wanted* to get you something, I mean it's *Coldstone.* Oh well…" With a half-shrug, she pops the pastry into her mouth, relaxing against her boyfriend. It's definitely a new thing, seeing her more irritated than Lucas usually is, but already her temper is fading. Pop-tarts, the smell of curry, and Lucas seem to be doing the trick.
Kael hops up onto the counter, contently eating his ramen as he looks over at Rashmi. Not much else to do but eat at the moment! Cold ramen is nasty of course.
Mike (presumably, though the paint is black and the robotic form is wearing a full-face black helmet) trails into the kitchen, muttering in old-school Popeye fashion.
flying BIKE and i hadd mumble dammit MINE i told them he agreed Jono will pay mutter mutter
He looks around, and turns off his image inducer, reverting to his white-painted self, without the helmet, but still muttering. He focusses on Theo when he speaks, but doesn't say anything. Nor apparently think anything, except perhaps an annoyed 'want my flying bike' in very-fast speech. (You think Rashmi's been annoyed? Cheesecake is DEAD COMMON compared to skycycles. And with nobody to inflict hormonal frustration on, Mike is stuck sulking.)
Lucas smiles when she takes the Pop Tart. He slowly hops off the counter, moving in front of her. "No worries. We'll go get Cinnabon tomorow." He grins, and gives her a few kisses on the mouth, embracing her for a moment. "Ah have to get to bed. Big test in the morning. You be okay?"
Theo watches Lucas' masterful skills with handling Rashmi's situation, and gives him a nod. One of those guy nods that other guys can interpret. This one says 'you are godlike.'
"It's good to see that everyone is in such a good mood tonight," he comments as Mike comes in with a similar demeanor.
Rashmi loops her arms about Lucas' waist, squeezing and returning the kisses briefly. "I'll be fine," she says as Mike enters, arching an eyebrow towards the robotic mutant and shaking her head. "Cinnabon tomorrow, definitely. To celebrate acing your test, right?" Smiling, she moves back against the counter, palling the blond's hands. "Anyway… g'night, sweetie."
Kael glances over at Theo as he makes the look towards Lucas and he just chuckles a bit. Finishing up his ramen before he starts to drink the broth happily. When he puts the bowl down, the racoon mask of snowboarding is a bit more apparent.
Mike would do that 'retch' thing at Theo's reaction if he could. Bowing down? Really? Because Lucas is being nice to Rashmi? Go figure.
He sketches a wave at Lucas-who-seems-to-be-leaving, muttering 'jono is a jerk' very quietly, and distracts himself by peering over at Kael instead. Ooh, ski-mask-burn, must've had fun. But not as fun as being a flying skycycle. He considers turning on the image inducer so he can sulk more expressively. But doesn't have any all-black clothes and there's no program for emo hair.
Lucas kisses her goodnight, smiles, holding her eyes for a lingering, silent moment, and then he heads out. As he passes Mike, he hears the mutter, and points at him, "Yes he is." He winks, and is out the door.
Rashmi chuckles to herself as Lucas leaves the kitchen, shaking her head and snorting her disagreement of Lucas' opinion on Jono. "You look like the mountain was good for you, Kael… but um… one second, I have to remind Mike of something." Clearing her throat, she pitches her voice a little higher, as though some years younger and skilled in the arts of wheedling. "Miiiiike~?"
Theo grins agreeably. "I think Jono gets that alot. Dunno if he's ever done much to piss me off. I can't remember. So. What's your problem, Mike?" he asks. "Not like you to sulk like a little pussy." Yep, there's Theo's sensitive prodding. He couldn't really understand the muttering, but he can definitely pick up the vibe of Mike being peeved even without using his powers.
Kael glances over at Theo for a moment before he looks over at Rashmi and smiles. "Yup! It was an amazing time! You'd be surprised at how well I can cheat at the half pipe without even knowing what to do." He smiles brightly before he looks back at Theo, his expression turning into a slightly annoyed one.
Connor has arrived.
If I had a taser, Mike thinks with a sort of black cheer, I could remind you to take your daily suppository of STFU whenever you come out with lines like that. Out loud he says, "Is it too much to ask that I get to keep the one bike they didn't break?"
Yes, of course it is. And Mike is deliberately refusing to remember that there were GPS locators on the skycycle, so he would've had to disable THOSE too.
"Not even a spark plug. I could've kept a spark plug, but no, I had to be dramatic and drop them all in front of the pilot." Sulk, sulk. Wait. He says with a semi-resentful cheerfulness to Kael, "How was the mountain, did Bobby break any bones and whose, who won the snowball fight?"
Theo arches his brow amusedly, almost as if he was aiming to get a rise out of Mike, and feels rather victorious. "What bike was this anyway? What's so special about it?" He pulls another cheese cube from his bag, and pops it into his mouth, moving to lean against the counter top casually.
"It was like a rocket-bike, Theo, and can you please nicely not call one of my best friends names?" Bowl of curry in hand, Rashmi shoots Theo a rather testy look through the fragrant steam-cloud. "Anyway. Mike. Before you run out and make Jono's bike try to chew a leg off or something, maybe you could give what you found out to the back half of your brain, and let *it* work out the rest?"
Kael smiles over at Mike and nods. "It was great fun. Lorna and I went snowboarding while Bobby and Max did their own thing. Never knew how much fun it was till I tried it." He looks over at Theo before he smirks at Rashmi's statment. "Yeah, Theo. Best not do it." The look on his face says 'Else I'll tell a secret.'
Close to the door, the air begins to invert and fold inwards, before it POPS back out, and Connor comes into existence. Making a beeline right for the fridge, there's barely a wave before he's digging into the available trough of foods from the vegetables, leftover pastas… whatever he can get his hands on. Eating even as he's still gathering foods, you call get a mumbled, "Hey."
FLYING BIKE! Mike's thoughts say, resentfully, with a beautiful 3-d image, but a lot of blanks … especially around the engine and flight pods.
He steps aside from his place near the door just before Connor appears, and watches him devouring mass quantities. A sullen snark to Rashmi follows,
"I wasn't in the bike long enough to figure out how it worked. I needed at least an hour. Four minutes wasn't nearly enough time."
Theo gives Kael a rather confused response to the look, knitting his brow. He jumps as Connor appears. "Holy shit! Connor! You scared the hell outta me." The technopath pushes himself off, and wanders back toward Mike. "Well, we could fix that, where's the bike now? We'll just go get it and you'll have your toy." Seems simple enough to Theo. "Did it have Onstar or any of that jazz?"
Rashmi coughs. "Um. Small problem with that, Theo. It's impounded and anyway belonged to a whole bunch of guys with a whole bunch of guns and I *don't* want Mike getting all shot trying to get another one. Besides. Mike. If you can think up plans that involve the broad mechanics of *exploding the sun* as a solution, I'm *pretty* sure you and maybe Forge or someone can figure out how to manage a flying bike, you know? Hi, Connor, feeling okay?"
An apple is gone before Connor speaks up in reply, "Yeah… just muscle-sore from shifting mass, and hungry from it all… first time I've pushed that hard… ever. Fun though…" More gone as he uncorks come chicken picatta someone left unmarked in the back, "I'm exclusively NOT butting into this conversation, please… except for this…" And as he passes by Mike, grabbing a fork from the drawer… he smacks the robot-boy in a very Gibbs fashion in passing and flops down on a stool to begin devouring what he's got in his hands, despite being a couple days old, and fridge-cold.
But I told them it was MY bike now, Mike thinks. Sullenly.
"I liked that one. It fit." Connor passes. WHAP. "Thinnn iize, Chaaze," Mike says, adding extra growl. "aand szharksz underneeath the iize."
He mutters, "Yeah, get Forge toohelllp, he'z llocked me oouwt of the flightbaaay szo I caan't eevenn szee the f…nng blaaack birddd."
Theo smirks. "Well," he says to Rashmi. "If it's in the impound, then it's not with the guys who own it, right? So all we gotta do is go to the impound. But I don't know where that is. I can get you your bike, but I can't do it solo. So how much you want it?" he asks with a sly smile. It's almost like a taunt, but Theo seems quite serious about his offer.
Deep breaths. Deep, cleansing breaths. "…I have my curry," Rashmi says quietly, picking up a fork and striding quickly to the other side of the room, to the far end of the big table. "I have my curry and I didn't hear Theo say that and Mike is *not* sulking like a small child. Because this is a *good* evening."
Half-way through the left-over picatta, Connor stops as Rashmi comes close and settles down beside him, and arches a brow. Tilting his head a bit, he leans over and sniffs at the curry before going back to his food with a slurp, before he says, "So have you given any thought yet about where you want to go, and who you want to invite?" A rather pointed and sidelong look at Mike before smiling back at Rashmi.
"Fifteen!" Mike yells. "I am sulking like a fifteen year old!"
He mutters to himself, "keep your emotions turned on Mike, it's bad for you to turn them off, but when I leave them on what do I get? Small child. Right."
A glance over to Theo, "I'm not stupid, Theo. I know where the impound lot is, and I have no intention of stealing the evidence in a terrorism case. I would have stayed in the damn thing, if I wanted to take it."
Theo gives a rather weirded out look to Connor. "You're eating like you haven't seen food in a month man, what's the deal?" He shakes his head, and looks back to Mike, reaching out to pat him on the shoulder, assuming Mike doesn't stop him.
"You said you need an hour with it. I didn't say anything about stealing it." He shrugs. "If you don't want it then you don't want it, but then Rashmi's right, you shouldn't sulk. I don't sulk about things I don't want."
Kael hops down off of the counter, turning to toss his stuff into the sink before he looks over at Theo. "You kinda get used to that." Not that Kael has, he did jump a wee bit. But not as much as Theo did. He looks over at Connor, and watches him eat for a bit. "I see you're practicing."
Rashmi opens her mouth to give Mike a heated, probably rather sharp reply, but manages to catch herself in time, mouth closing with a sharp *click* "…Actually I *was* going to ask Mike to come with, and to go to Malayatoor. I'll be asking Lucas too, but he'd probably say no since… well. All the stuff. Anyway. That's mostly up to him," she says, nodding in Mike's direction. Drawing in a deep breath to steady her nerves, she turns her attention to Theo. "Connor just did a whole lot of powers work today, Theo. Probably that's why he's so hungry, you know?"
Connor adds after nomphing down some food, "That's about the size of it. Of course… the only thing that really ticked me off about it all was Rashmi was the last person to get her ice cream, and she had to toss it because of…. hmph…" Shaking his head he suddenly turns the bowl over, and shakes it. Empty. A sigh, and then he looks at Rashmi, "Personally… I want to find the guy in the black leathers. Everything he did I could FEEL… like an ache running through my arms, clenching my ribcage. Every time he ported it was… surreal."
Mike crosses his arms and slumps sullenly. "Theo? If I go anywhere near the thing, which incidentally is INSIDE a parking structure, I will not only have to live with my own conscience, I'll have to live with a police record. I appreciate your offer of help for what it is, but there's no way I'm going to go there, because I don't want to risk them thinking I tampered with the evidence."
He straightens and stomps over to Rashmi and Connor. "Yes. I do want to go to Malayatoor. And I didn't feel the guy doing anything, he was just there and not-there. Unlike the weird twist thing that happens when you move around. And now I'm going to my room. The lump that is my roomie won't notice me no matter how I act, so I can pout in peace."
Mike starts for the door, but he'll have to go past Theo on the way.
Theo holds his hands up in mock surrender. "Just askin'," he answers Rashmi. He opens his mouth to add another comment, but then closes it again, setting his jaw in a familiar way that he does when something annoys him. Usually the motion is followed by an unsavory comment, but this time it isn't.
"Anyway," he says, turning back to Mike, he adds another plug. "You just got to think outside the box," pun intended. "You want the bike, and I'd like some practice that doesn't involve the Danger Room. I give you my word, you won't have any police record from this."
Kael looks over at Theo before he says, "You know. If this school was teaching us how to behave like criminals, then I'd say. Yeah, sure. Go ahead. But, this school isn't. So stop thinking about it." He looks over at Mike before he looks over at Rashmi and Connor before he glances back at the mechanical peer.
"Theo," Rashmi says wearily, "stop. Some of us think that not breaking the law is actually *more* important than getting what we want. Stop skipping Mutant Ethics, and maybe you'd understand." Shaking her head, she pushes the empty bowl away from her. "Anyway… Good night, Mike. I hope you feel better tomorrow."
Connor adds as he actually reaches over, swabs the edge of Rashmi's bowl, and then licks it, before saying to Mike, "You did good out there today, Rodimus… Catch you tomorrow night for Danger Room." Adding a wave once before once more his finger dips in to get another good swab, watching Rashmi's response as he seems to realize that he's doing it.
Without mentioning that fleeing the scene of a crime to avoid giving evidence is in itself a criminal act, Mike mutters, too irritated to fake sighing, and says, "What she said. The law in this case is not harming anyone, so I cannot in good conscience break it. In fact, it's helping. If you want to help me with this? Watch to see if they show up on the public auction notices. A lot of stuff that's evidence of crimes gets sold at public auction. And it doesn't HAVE to be the one that didn't crash."
He considers a semi-mean idea, and decides that in his current mood, even if it WOULD freak Theo out a bit, he won't hug him, because he's annoyed enough to squeeze too hard without stopping in time, and it's not Theo's fault this time.
"See you tomorrow, Connor. Good to see you back, Kael, glad you guys had a good time in the snow."
He heads out the door, after that, his engine revving up to get him across to the dorms faster.
"Criminals?" Theo echoes, becoming visibly annoyed. "Just because you're all too stupid to think about things beyond committing crimes to get the bike doesn't mean I'm as dense as you rejects. It's really simple. When a car gets impounded, they don't stay in the police station, they go to an impound lot usually owned by some fat old guy with a mean dog, and the same process is followed to get a vehicle back no matter why it's impounded," he explains, his tone still rather hot, and he stops. "You know, forget it, I'm not telling you. You just wanna think I'm an ass that likes to see what he can get away with, believe whatever you like." He throws the bag of cheese cubes in his hands down on the island in the middle of the room, a few of them falling out, and storms toward the opposite door of Mike, but then pauses and faces back to the group.
"You treat me like some kind of villain, and I ain't . So just save the 'holier than thou' routines. You all suck, okay? I try to do something nice and you just wanna pretend you're all better than me. So screw you all." And with that, he also leaves, much more irate than he came in.
Kael gives Mike a wave, "Thanks, Mike. I'll talk with ya later." Then, Theo starts off on his rant, and the aerokinetic moves to be in line with the technopath and he clicks his tongue. "Rashmi, look away." He brings a hand back, a swirl of wind forming around it before he brings it forward; like snapping a ball forward. A small windblast, going at a decent clip rockets towards Theo's back. "That's for bein' an ass!" yells Kael towards him before he looks back at Rashmi. "Alright, /now/ you can yell at me for that."
"Theo… would you j—" Not having looked away for a moment, Kael's windblast brings Rashmi up short. Her eyes widen, lips press together, and she slowly rises from the table, using one finger to scoot the curry bowl in front of Connor. Fading in on the move, two pairs of spheres separate from her to orbit the boys, one pair for each of them. "…All right. That does it." She closes her eyes, taking in a deep breath. "Theo? Please stop for a second. Kael. I'm not going to yell at you. I don't *have* to." With that, she points up and behind her, to the security camera in the far corner making slow, lazy sweeps of the kitchen. "I'll let the Headmaster do that for me."
Connor continues to lick the bowl a moment, longer and then looks at Kael, and shrugs lightly, "Seriously… that was stupid. It doesn't matter what you think. Theo WAS attempting to be nice to Mike. It might not be what we agree with… but what right do we have to judge his motives? We can only judge his actions… and so far, no one's told me free speech comes with limitations of not talking about doing bad things. Why do you think I've been quiet on this since I got here? Beside the fact that I'm hungry as hell. Scuse me." And leaving the others to their thoughts, the insightful one goes to the fridge and returns with two cupcakes that were not on a 'do not touch' plate, coupled with another apple.
Theo is struck on the back squarely, and lands on his face. He's up again in an instant, and mad as a hornet. He's not taking it like the last time. His response is rather fast. However, Rashmi's containment causes him to pause. He glances up at the camera, and makes certain that he's in view of it, and looks back at Rashmi. "Speaking of what the Headmaster can deal with," he says, taking a step forward into the path of the bowling balls. He doesn't think she'll let him be hit with them, but whether she'll yield, he'll find out in a moment.
Kael's eyes track the orbs floating in the air before he looks back at the camera as Rashmi points at it. A brow quirks before he looks back at her and says, "Figures. The day I get back from Vacation, I get detention. Awesome." He lets out a sigh before he shakes his head; lifting his head back up to look past Rashmi at Theo. Staying silent for now.
The two spheres still orbiting Rashmi leap into action, now, arcing toward the stubborn, furious Theo. Just before impact however, they slow almost to a stop…. almost. Slow they may be, but there is a definite pressure against Theo's breastbone and stomach, and it is pushing him slowly, inexorably back from Kael. "Get ahold of yourself, Theo," Rashmi says, her voice low, but not particularly hard. "You know this is a bad idea. And, Kael? If you didn't want dentention, maybe you shouldn't be blasting other students, mh? A bad idea is a bad idea, and you've been here longer than any of us."
Connor holds his hand out to the bowl that was being licked from, and a small spark of energy leaps from him and surrounds the bowl, floating it over towards the sink, before it's released and the collective stuff joins the others. Then he stands up, and walks over towards the dishes and sighs… turning on the sink, and actually pulling everyting from it… stacking all the mess by type, including the silverware… all with an almost artistic sense of perfection. Seeming to ignore the moment, he begins filling and soaping up the water. While the rest of this goes in the background, the young man starts to handwash the dishes there, taking one off the top of each pile and putting it in before he starts scrubbing it all, starting an equal set-up on the opposite side… to the point where one might see it's a perfect reflection.
Theo doesn't stand still for the orbs to continue to push against him. "Rashmi, I'm not going to hit you because you're a girl, and that'd be really rude. But this isn't your issue, you aren't my mom, you're just another kid here. "And Kael," he says, looking back to the aerokinetic. "I'm not going to hit you, because I can't fully convey what I need you to understand. So here's my attempt at talking things out."
Theo takes a deep breath, and measures his thoughts. "I wasn't being an ass. You were being an ass. I wanted to help Mike get something that he wanted in a legal, yet creative manner that you all clearly weren't coming up with by yourselves, because you're too busy thinking with your powers rather than with your heads," he looks between Kael and Rashmi, but also speaks to Connor.
"Those of us who don't have the advantage of 'cool' powers have to actually think our ways through life instead of just blasting them with wind or floating sports equipment. You were just peeved off because you were worried that I came up with something you couldn't. Well you know what? You better get used to it, because you spend your time floating around with your head LITERALLY in the clouds while I spend my time studying and strategizing so that I can have a successful future in a world controlled by humans who despise me, and I can do it as something other than a vigilante crime fighter."
Kael closes his eyes with a soft sigh. "Seriously, Theo. Do you even listen to what you're saying? Not all humans despise us. And as for your plan to get Mike's bike back?." He shakes his head with a laugh. "That was something that could've been done legally, if it were a normal bike taken under normal circumstances. Mike himself said that it wasn't taken to a normal place. In case you weren't listening." That last part said with as much sarcasm that the teen could muster. At the last part, he quirks a brow before he says, "Do you honestly think that I spend all of my time in the clouds? You might be right. But, you'll never know."
"No, Theo," Rashmi says quietly, shaking her head. "That's not it at all. In fact, there's *so much* of what you just said that has so little bearing on the truth… I have to wonder if you've ever actually *asked* anyone here what they want." There's a small laugh, another shake of the head, and she scoots her chair over, settling down. "…Actually, you know what? I don't think anyone's ever asked you… What *do* you want out of life, anyway? If I let go, would you please come over and tell me about it?"
Connor balks a moment at the cool powers, and then simply return to doing what he's doing… washing the dishes, one set at a time, one pile to the other in the same order he puts them in the sink, continuing to keep his back to the conversation, but finally saying, "Kael. Clean towels are in the bottom drawer to your left, there should be three of them left. Dry and put away, but not until I'm done." His voice quiet and composed the whole time, but with his back to Theo, the glare of enough fulminating force comes from him that one might think he could boil the water or burn off the soap present. But still his hands go through the clean and efficient motions, while the pile continue to neatly stack as they are, in their own disturbingly orderly fashion.
Theo is ready this time for the question. "What do I want?" he echoes Rashmi. "I want to not be surrounded by fools who are absorbed in their self-righteousness. I want to not be treated like I'm a fool by people with half my IQ," he says, his gaze going back to Kael.
"I WANT to not be looked down upon because I'm not as strong, or as physically talented as the rest of the people here." He seems to be getting on a rant. "I WANT to stop being judged by everyone here! And I WANT my life back!" His expression changes at the last, which clearly was not intended to be spoken. His voice lowers. "But I guess I'm not going to get any of those things as long as I'm here," he adds.
Kael looks over at Connor, moving over to grab a towel and start to dry the dishes. Then Theo starts to talk, and then he goes on his rant. The aerokinetic just stops what he is doing, his hands frozen against a plate as he in the middle of drying it. He takes a breath in, and the lets it out slowly. "Rashmi. Either you verbally knock some sense into my teammate. Or else I'm going to be chasing him throughout this mansion to give him the meaning of fear." All that said in a level tone, an almost frightening calm one.
The rant, on the surface, leaves Rashmi unfazed. Certainly not upset, though her slightly tilted head speaks of curiosity. At Kael's less-than-request, her eyes slowly move toward him, an eyebrow rising slightly. "I think I'd planned on it anyway," she says, her tone gentle. "C'mon, Theo…" Her spheres vanish, and the redhead slowly rises from her seat. "I do still want to talk. Please?"
Connor turns his head to look at Kael, and goes square in his eyes, before saying softly, "Congratulations… now you're Magneto. Just because you're angry about what he said about himself… gives you no right to judge him. Do you know how many of those who would rather not be here and ARE here there are? How many would rather not the burden of their powers? Why not talk to Robyn about having to suck the life force from people… or James about being stuck forever in his hyena form. Or for Mike… who doesn't even live on our plane of existence any more. ANY. ONE. OF THEM…" Emphasizing the words as his eyes begin to blaze, "Don't go a day without thinking the same thing he just said. And you owe him… no… you GIVE him… the respect of his opinion. Otherwise… you're just Magneto. Just another thing to be afraid of… and then ignored… and then forgotten for the good things you might have done." Practically panting by the end of it, he simply turns back and as if it never happened, resumes washing the dishes…
Theo's doesn't blink as the sphere's vanish, but he's ready for the moment. It's not Rashmi that spares Kael Theo's wrath, though, it's Connor. Had it not been for his interjection, Theo would have torn into Kael on the spot. "See, this is why I don't try talking things out Rashmi. People don't listen. They don't listen because they don't care. They only care if it hurts them, as long as they aren't hurt, they remain apathetic. That's why the humans WILL try to destroy us. Not because they all hate us, but because the ones that don't won't lift a finger to stop the ones that do. That's why children in Africa starve to death while we get fat in America. Go peddle your mock psychology to someone else. I'm not different than the rest of society, I just don't bother to keep up the charade." He turns and begins to walk back out of the room.
Kael glances over at Connor, resuming drying the dishes. "I would give him the benefit of my opinion. If I knew he didn't think lesser of me because of what I am." He puts the plate down, bundling the towel up in his hands as he looks down at it. "I know how many don't like their powers, and how many don't like the burden of it." He looks back up at Connor. "Here's something for you, Connor. I don't look down on people unless I have a reason to." He gestures back at Theo, "He and I have an issue that we can't resolve between us. It's always going to be there."
"How do you know, Theo?" Rashmi asks, brushing down her skirts. "Maybe I'm just trying to talk at you, sure, get you to fall in line for whateverthehell reason. Maybe Connor's just spinning words to make you happy. The sad part, though? I know for a fact that neither of these things is the case. I, honestly, want to talk because I *don't* judge people, if I can at all help it. You called me on that, and frankly thanks for it. Connor means what he says… Trust me, I know because I've only ever seen him like that once… When he was trying to shout Magneto down right next to me. Why's that sad?" Shrugging, she nods to Connor, thanking him with her gaze, and moves to catch up to Theo. "Because unless someone told you, you'd never know. And even then, you probably wouldn't believe it. So… I guess I'm just trying to say, you can't reasonably expect people not to judge, if you can't stop doing it yourself, you know?"
Connor finishes up the dishes, still arraying them neatly, as he says quietly, "Kael… I don't think he thinks that way… I honestly think… everything he says to others is a reflection on himself. He cries out against humans, but wants his life as one back… he talks about how people don't care… and he has a hard time accepting those that try and do. He pushes away until you're where his comfort zone lies. He talks about cool powers… but as cool as it might be… these are flash. If anything… it can make the alienation worse. He's lucky… if he'd stop to realize it. He doesn't stand out, he doesn't have anything obvious to mark him as different… but in that he probably sees himself further seperate." Exhaling, he drains the sink, and begins to clean that as well, "I didn't mean to flare off like that.. I… I always think people are judging me. Even if they're not, that's the problem I have. And most of the time, I can ignore it… but when something like that comes up… when you judge with
"….when you judge without really knowing… it just makes those voices seem right to me."
Theo continues to walk to the exit, but slows. "Whatever," he answers Rashmi dismissively. Either he doesn't have an answer, or he's just shutting down, or both. He pauses at the doorway. "And no, Connor," he comments, looking back, "I'm not lucky. Just because you can't see the marks, it doesn't mean they aren't there." And with that, he's gone.
Kael mutters under his breath, loud enough for only Connor to hear. He stops, letting the teen process that for a second before he looks back up at Theo. He shakes his head, before he lets out a quiet, "Sorry," to the retreating teen. Then he just slumps backwards onto a stool, the drying forgotten for now.
Rashmi glances over her shoulder at Kael and Connor, a glimpse of sadness on her face. Then she turns, hurrying after Theo, possibly to catch up with him and continue their conversation.
Connor watches the pair depart, and then as he finishes cleaning the sink, cleaning the sponge, and tucking it all away, "Sin is a disease of the soul, Kael… it's nature being that which seperates us from God in that only by accepting sin for what it is, and in that embrace, expelling it from ourselves in contemplation, and in confession to our spiritual fathers do we finally achieve the perfect communion that man once had with God. God in man, Man in God." Stopping as he then smiles, "It means that the hate in his heart will only blossom to more hate until he accepts why he hates… and only in understanding it will he ever release it. Until he does… all we can do is be understanding for him. The problem is… Hate is the easiest thing in the world to have, and the hardest to get rid of." And on that he puts his hands in his pockets, looks at the fridge, "I've got detention coming up too. Misery loves company." And with a smile, he reaches up and pushes at Kael before heading off himself…
Kael lets out a soft laugh. "Least that's something." He looks up, watching everyone leave and he stands up; tossing the towel into the sink, heading outside after a bit. A rush of wind, and the aerokinetic is off. He's going to sulk atop a tree for a good bit.
