Players:
Summary: Addison talks to the second student involved
Date: December 31, 2009
Pre-Emptive Strike on the First Strike
Rating: PG
Xavier Mansion - Danger Room
A product of Shi'ar technology, the room generates apparently solid, realistic imagery by manipulation high-resolution force fields and holograms. The walls and floor appear as a steel room until a program is turned on. Overhanging the room in the center is a control Room managing the room's mechanisms to oversee the exercise while ensuring the subject's safety.
A mental call is sent out to July to come to the Danger Room. When she arrives, Addison is hovering in the middle of the room in a meditative stance. He's simply waiting. The call was sent politely, not angrily, just 'Hey, I need you to come down here for a few minutes.' But then, with Addison, it's either powers training, or someone's in trouble. That tends to be the way it goes.
Knowing that the events from the last day are still fresh in her mind, it's not hard for the rubber girl to guess what's this about. She feels like she's walking down the death corridor in Sing-Sing. She swallows dryly as she steps into the Danger Room, noticing its emptiness save for Addison, meditating in the middle of the room. Silence. That's not good. "I'm here." the brunette says as she slowly walks toward Addison, stopping a couple meters away from the man.
"Close the door behind you." Addison says, lowering his feet to the ground. "You probably already know what this is about." He says with a nod. "And no, I'm not getting into your head without your permission. I've gotten better at blocking." He says with a half-grin. "So… why don't you tell me about it?" He asks, plainly.
July turns her head around to take a look at the door, and she wonders why the door doesn't auto-close, considering the technology of the place, but she doesn't voice her question. She just stretches her arm toward it to close, without having to walk back all over there. Now that it's done, she looks back at Addison and sighs softly. "It was… my fault, mostly. I was the first one to lose my temper." she says, rubbing the back of her head as she looks downcast a bit.
Addison rotates his hand in the 'tell me more' motion. It's common knowledge that he probably already knows, but he wants to hear it. "Details." He says, with a nod. He's doing his best not to look imposing or anything of the nature, just… considering. Planning. Figuring things out.
July sighs softly as she is asked to elaborate on her explanation. "I found Dallas at the Weight Room, bench pressing some weights. I went there just to pass some time, maybe ride the bicycle a bit to warm myself up, but decided to just sit next to him and talk." the brunette says, brushing her hair back as she recalls the situation. "Just small talk, but every now and then the subject would always return to physical fitness. And then Topher arrived." she sighs softly, her shoulders slumping a bit. "He went to the sandbags to throw some punches at it as he joined the conversation…"
"Ok. What was the conversation about? Roughly. I don't need details. I just need to know what brought everything to a head. What made it all escalate." Addison explains as he lets the danger room reconstruct images of what she's telling him. So that he can play it and see if he's got it right by her reconning.
July nods softly, "Well, he asked if I work out. I said that I rarely 'work out' in the physical sense since I can't exactly improve the musculature when all your muscles are taffy." she shrugs lightly, and again brushes her hair back. "Then he asked why he rarely sees someone training in the weight room, and I explained to him that we get enough workout in the Danger Room, so we don't spend a lot of time in the Weight Room." she then pauses a bit, making a bit of a face as she nears the ugly part. "Then he asked how we, the New Mutants, as a squad, hope to beat the other squad if we don't train. He called us lax and lazy. I told him that it's not like that, that we do our best in here, improving our teamwork and abilities, but Dallas would hear none of it. He said that our team would be different now that he's in. That things would 'be done differently'. And then… when I told him that things aren't the way he things they are… he said that I wouldn't understand because I'm a girl." she sighs, her gaze moving to the ground and linger there for a moment as she remains in silence. "I was already frowning at his attitude, and was walking away from him to leave, but… I don't know /what/ got me, but when he said I wouldn't understand because I'm a girl, I… I snapped."
Addison nods. "Fortunately, even though you did make the first physical motion, you didn't actually cause any harm. We all have to learn to let words fly past us. Some people don't realize they're being provocative until they cause something. Until they start something. Dallas knows he shouldn't have said some of the things he said. But, at the same time, you also know that you shouldn't make the first move. Don't worry, you're not going to be thrown out or anything. Worse has happened." He chuckles, considering things. "But… what caused Dallas to jump at Topher. That's my big question. What brought that on?" He asks, tilting his head.
July smiles a bit, even if a bit embarrassed, as she isn't chewed TOO hard. "Ah, thanks, Mr. Addison." she says softly, rubbing the back of her head softly, but when asked what caused Dallas to snap at Topher, she winces a bit, "Ahh… have you spoken to Topher already?" she asks, looking up to the teacher.
"No. Topher is the last on the list. He's next, after I've spoken with you. And I'm just Addison. I'm not really a teacher. More like… a Resident Advisor." Addison chuckles. "But, I've heard Dallas's side, so I want to hear what you know of that happened."
July sighs lightly at that, her shoulders slumping a bit. "That part is kind of a blur. I held Dallas with my arms wrapped around him as I snapped about how unfair he spoke of me and how much arrogant he was, until I finally understood what /I/ was doing and released him. But then, when I did, apparently Topher took over. He held Dallas in the air with his telekinesis, and it seems he used his telepathic powers, I believe, to dig up some dirt in Dallas' mind." she then shakes her head softly at that. "I do not recall exactly what was said, but something about touching… and being the captain of football team…" she frowns and rubs her head, but then shrugs, "Anyways. Whatever was said let Dallas really, really angry as the guy became black as night, and rushed to punch Topher. Now… I don't know exactly how strong Dallas is, especially with that black thingie around him, but I wasn't willing to risk it. I wrapped one of my arms around his punching arm to try to stop him, and Topher used his telekinesis. Then Dallas returned to normal, and stormed out. I tried to apologize, but he wouldn't hear any of it, and I was left with Topher in the room, with his nose bleeding from using his powers."
"Alright. I thought so. Topher invaded another mind without permission." Addison says with a nod as he considers things. He shakes his head softly. "He's going to need some one on one time." He puts things together before nodding again. "Alright. You already know what you did and what was wrong with what you did, so I won't belabor the obvious. As for what Topher dug up, if you don't remember, that's for the best. If you DO remember, try to forget, and don't talk about it to anyone else. I know, because Dallas entrusted me with it." He explains as he lifts his legs off the ground, considering. "He doesn't want whatever it is to get out. Mainly to his family, but still. While he's here, WE are his family. Just like we're your family. Topher's family. The family of every student in this school. So we have to work together, to make sure that we can keep our school running well and train young mutants to the best of our abilities, so that they can lead happy, healthy lives." He says. "Now… for punishment…"
July ah's softly and lifts her hand a bit, "Um… sir?" she asks softly, "I know what Topher did is wrong, but he's also feeling bad, and… he's really fearing he'll get expelled, or ostracized from the rest of the students. He's fearing the reaction he'll get from everyone else because of this incident. Please… don't be too harsh to him?" she asks, before getting her sentence enacted.
"I've already got my plans in place. Part of it is going to be one on one work with me. After all, I'm the only other telepath in the school, and the only other telekinetic." Addison explains. "However, since you already knew what you did, and know what you need to work on it won't be too bad. Two weeks. Cleaning. Foyer. Living Room. Rec Room. Outside windows of all of the buildings, though those don't have to be done nightly. Just once. Since you can reach them while anyone else needs to fly or use a ladder. And I'll be talking to Topher personally very shortly." He offers.
