Players:
Summary: Another encounter between the self-proclaimed mind of the future, and once more all that is understood is what is known and seen by either side.
Date: July 21, 2010
Log Title: Nine Tenths Of The Law
Rating: R (Language)
Xavier Mansion - Communications Tower
This large metal tower has many mysteries and stories surrounding it. Deep in the woods it supplies most of the radio frequencies of the school. Danger and High Voltage signs hang all around the tower, but that doesn't stop the occasional group of students from trying to climb it.
Trying to stay off the student campus radar for the most part, Connor has taken to jogging odd courses around the outskirt woods when needing some fresh air and time to think. Today is typical of the time-displaced mind. Having done what he could once more in the War Room, he's now out and alone in the woods, holding a picture in his hands that he seems to be unerringly intense on. Sitting with his back to a tree, and under the shadow of the Comm Tower, his fingers run for the umpteeth time over the image of himself and his family at Christmas together. A picture under a year and a lifetime away for him.
It's just a day like any other for the hyena. He got to shove someone into an ice bin, drank 3 No Fears, and also found out the only person he really gets along with is being re-roomed. Yep…nothing like fun, excess, and bullshit to round out the day. Wondering through the area Connor has already staked out, the gnoll stops to take a look at the old-young man from a distance, his expession one that a young child might give a bug shortly before pulling out a magnifying glass. "Heeeeeyyyy Connor."
The movement is instant, powerful, visceral… he's immediately gone from view, the photo floating down to the ground, and reappears behind a tree several feet off to one side of where the voice came from, his hand obscuring the small glowing ball of energy readied to use. A couple of deep breaths to master himself before Connor replies in a gruff tone, "I was wonderin when you'd show up."
James responds the the vanishing by dropping low and fast to the ground, his form now on all fours. Judging by the amount of fuzzed-upness, he probably didn't expect the teleport, or the reappearance, or the glowing ball of energy. "Whoh…that's new," he says after a long OMFG moment. He gives the would-be student a long sensing gaze, eventually retaking two legs if no more threats are issued. He walks over to spot Connor was and goes to snatch up the photo, "Yeah, well…I'm easily found when I'm not possessed by the bitches. PLEASE tell me Selene meets soem horrible fate in the future."
Connor hisses out, "Don't… touch that…" His anger palpable, but the direction seems to be internal as he stands there and shakes his hand a few times to let the power go, crackles of it sparking away before fading. Looking down and away, be then replies softly, "Wish I knew. I wasn't here… she never popped up in my time… or she got smart and just laid low someplace other than the US. I… I'm not here to fight. Especially not you."
James stops mid-pickup, his head turning to look at the much-younger Connor who is packing much-bigger balls, "Okay…no touch. I can deal with that." Standing straight, he walks away from the spot and shrugs, "Damn…I was hoping to hear something good. Like, drawn and quartered…or one of those olde-timey punishments." Shoving his hands in his pockets, "Well, as a representative of the student population I welcome you to Earth. And ask what you are here to do…cause I'm hearing the others aren't a fan of your Gort impersonation." Smartass.
Connor smirks as he replies, "Klaatu… Verata…" Then goes into a mock coughing fit, and chuckles, "There… said your damn three words." His hands don't enter into his pockets as he walks slowly and visibly to the spot and picks up the picture, very carefully wiping it clean of anything it might have picked up from the forest floor, "Allright then. Before the other shoe drops…" Turning to face James, unlike his old self there's a lack of fear in his eyes, nor any of the rabbit-like nervousness of his OCD habits show themselves, "I missed the right time to stop Ahab's initial attack… couldn't anyways, with out his harpoons work. I'm here to track the bastard down, and put him down before he does the same to all of us. Bad news is…" He stops and smirks, "For me anyways… I'm on borrowed time, and so I'm spreading the word where I can so if I don't last long enough, someone else can pick up the slack."
James nods, eyes looking at the photo from a distance as Connor picks it up, "I won't pretend I know 100% what you're talking about…but I think I know enough at this point. So…when does your time run out and when is he gonna show up next? And how are you spreading the word to?" James walks a small circle, kicking at the earth as he speaks, "And, of course, what happens when the mother ship leaves?"
Connor's photo of his family goes into his pocket as he holds his arms crossed in front of him, instinctively moving to keep distance on James, without seeming to realize it. Fingers come up, "Brains snap back into place…" Uncrossing his arms and then lowering his hands, "And you get your boy back, James. So don't worry so much. I don't know how much time is left… a week… maybe some change. Every action I've taken has pushed the timeline further off. The searching… warning the Avengers so they can look… telling the staff here what to watch for, and who to watch…" He finally stops and then levels a look at the hyena, "There's… too much history between us. I thought I settled all of it before I took the crazy train back here… but seeing you like this… just reminds me there's hope."
James phhhhts his gaze on the other 'boy,' "Hope? You don't know me very well." He shrugs and takes a seat on the ground, his predatory glance never leaving Connor. "History, huh? SHould I ask? Everyone else has gotten kinda pissed about the whole thing. Not sure I'm in the mood for it today."
Connor replies quietly, "No… I know you better than you understand James. You keep going when others stop. You push on when others don't know what to do. You accept what's done is done… and don't let it get in the way. You didn't break… because there's always a part of you that too stubborn to let someone else win. Even when you screw up… it always works out." Shaking his head once, the fount of anger strangely subdued as he takes the picture out and then holds it over towards the hyena, "Remind him… family's not where you're born, but what you make of it, James."
James makes a sound as he moves from his siting position onto all fours to close the distance between him and Connor. Stopping a good few feet away he takes the photo, gives it a look, and shoves it in his pocket. "You realize I don't buy it all, right? This future thing? You may be an undigested bit of beef, a blot of mustard, a crumb of cheese, a fragment of an underdone potato. There's more of futility than future about you…" He raises an eyeridge at Connor, expressing that little-known literate side that came from 2 years locked up in his parents house. "Just us talking changes it all, right? Hmm…but would it change to guarantee it…See…this is why I hate Star Trek."
Connor turns around to leave, "Men's courses will foreshadow certain ends, to which, if persevered in, they must lead. But if the courses be departed from, then the ends will change. Say it is thus with what you show me." Hands finally go into his pockets, "Doesn't matter where my skeletal hand points, Tooth. You can scoff or you can believe. All I know is the things I have what little time I've been granted to do." Stopping once more, he brings his hand up and smacks it against a tree, "There's so much I wish I could tell you, because unlike anyone else here… you'd have the guts to DO something with it. Not just worry so hard it becomes self-fulfilling… but you're right. Time travel sucks. Seeing all of you reminds me of how much I hate what I am. But I am what I am… and hate or love… it's what I know best now."
James watches Connor leave, saying loud enough for him to hear, "I dunno if telling me would solve anything other than giving me the opportunity to flip a coin to decide if I'd let it happen or not." In the end, the hyena would hope he'd do the right thing. But, even he knows that's in question. "Vaio Coid Diego, Connor. Look me up if this all works out."
