Players:
Summary: Hanging out in the Rec Room before classes, meetings and powered exhibitionism.
Date: February 4, 2010
Log Title Rec Room Before-Class Loitering
Rating: PG-13
Xavier Mansion - Recreation Room
What was once the Parlor has been turned into a Recreation Room for the students. A nice plush carpet meets the light blue walls giving it a homey feel. A pool table at one end, a foos ball table at the other, and entertainment center with video game systems, movies, and of course, cable TV. Big comfy chairs and couches surround a coffee table for comfortable loafing. Long glass windows with a pair of French doors line one side of the room bringing in plenty of light during the day. The main rule in here is to clean up after yourself.
It's early morning, classes haven't begun yet and Daisuke doesn't have to help out in one of the Math classes till later this afternoon. He's been busy with things, dealing with his personal life, so he hasn't been seen around the mansion much since he got back from visiting his Grandmother. He's now sitting on the couch with a laptop looking through various college websites while the television is on in the background. Discovery Channel, Dirty Jobs, it's background noise for him.
Clad in jeans and a t-shirt bearing the A logo of the Avengers, Eddie Parker-Mayfair has decided to stop by the Rec Room before class today. He's in an especially good mood today because this afternoon is a New Mutants training session but that's for later. "Free up your mind. Let the music free up your mind. And it will help you to find. Let the music to help you find. The beats will give you a sign," he's singing softly as he enters the room but it stops when he sees Dai. "Hey, Dai!" he greets, moving to sit next to his friend. "Whatcha up to?"
Headlights (and a belt lamp) move up and down the campus roadway across the lawn from the french doors. They turn and appear to be moving towards the mansion across that lawn. In the earlydark, the gleam of a metalflake-white robot shape moves up the step onto the flat concrete surface outside the french doors, places a snowshovel on the ground beside the door, removes boot chains, and then comes in quickly, closing the doors to prevent too much cold air from infiltrating. Mike Dracos, Boy Robot. This time his eyes don't fog up though. Rain-X? And he stops, transfixed by Dirty Jobs… because the man is cleaning a huge mining tractor.
Cloud has been up since the early hours of the morning, hes dressed in pale blue jeans, red sneakers and a red baseball cap with his old high school logo on the front backwards on his head, it may be cold but hes behind on his laundry so hes shirtless, he walks into the Rec Room planning to play a game of pool, when he gets there he only recognises one person, "Hey Mike".
Daisuke looks up at Eddie and smiles as he sees him. "Heya Eddie, not much, college hunting. Trying to decide what I want to go to college for, that's the other tough part." Daisuke knows he won't have trouble getting accepted, his grades were /really/ good and money isn't really an issue either. "I heard your Dad's back to normal." He says giving a quick side hug. As Mike and Cloud walk into the room, Daisuke gives them a shy wave.
Eddie returns the hug and stays close to his friend, looking at the laptop. "Well…what do ya wanna do after college?" he asks. "And yeah. He's back. Knew he would be all along," he says. "Hey, Mike," he greets the robot boy. Cloud gets a curious look from Eddie. "Hello. Isn't it a bit cold to be walking around without a shirt?" he asks. He doesn't mind but he asks anyway.
Huh? Hmm? Bad player. No biscuit.
Mike glances over at Cloud, then back to the television… wow, that is one AWESOME machine… wonder what it would feel like to be a giant mining tractor, working hard under the blazing sun, coming in all grimy and having a totally hot guy hose off all the dirt from your chassis… wait what? Mike, tha's weird. This place is getting to you.
He tears his attention back to the other people who are actually IN the room, and waves hi in return. He would give hugs but right now? Flagpole, tongue. The robot is also shirtless, in fact, not wearing any human style clothing except that belt with the lamp and an attached "side pouch".
Cloud waves back at Daisuke, "Hey there", he nods at Eddie's question, "Yeah im pretty cold, but i forgot to do my laundry so i have no clean shirts", he really has to start remembering this stuff.
Daisuke looks curiously at Cloud. "Well there are always extra Xavier's shirts around, they should have TONS in the Locker Room and Gym." The school has plenty of school logo clothing for the kids incase of situations like this and worse. "I'm Daisuke, but you guys can call me Dai." He says introducting himself before looking back to Eddie. "If I knew what I wanted to do after college, I wouldn't have trouble deciding." It's more than just that but it's a problem he doesn't want to vocalize with anyone.
"Then why not ask to borrow someone else's shirt for awhikle," Eddie asks, slightly confused. "I'm Eddie Parker-Mayfair," he chimes his own introduction. He frowns slightly and then leans against Dai. "Oh. Sorry," he says. "Don't really know what I'm gonna do either."
Mike pulls out the pad and paper. Too many news guys on the radio right now, so he scribbles out, "You think YOU'RE cold :) I just went running! Don't touch me until the frost goes away." A faint rime of frost does seem to be forming from the warm moist indoor air over the metal boy's body. He walks over to a distance where he can show the notes but not so close that he might accidentally touch.
Cloud goes red with embarrasment, "I should have though of that, sorry", when everyone introduces themselves he adds his own, "Im Cloud Rosen", he gets the sudden temptation to see if his tongue would stick to Mike but decides against it.
Daisuke looks at Mike and asks something that might sound silly. "You're all metal, so you go outside and the frost forms, then it melts in the heat does that…effect anything? Or is it like Colossus, orgainc steel?" Daisuke is a bit of a sciene geek so as he looks at Mike he wants to know more about what his mutation is and how he works. "I'm really curious as to….what your power is, are you always metal like that?" Oh man, he's not going to stop with the questions now.
Eddie smiles towards Chris and shakes his head. "It's alright. I don't mind the view. Plenty of others don't either," he says. Yeah, he's a bit less fluster-able since getting back. "Shouldn't you wear clothes too, Mike?" he asks. Dai's questions put a new one in Eddie's mind. "I wonder how my powers would affect you…"
Mike has prepared FAQ pages! Actually it's a set of four of the 3x5 stickies, that say FAQ: Powers at the top. He sorts them and hands them to Dai.
1) I can merge with vehicles and transform them within some limits. Basically "repossessing" them, if you like puns.
2) I am essentially a living car or truck, in android form. I don't eat food, I run on gasoline. I have been like this since an accident totaled the truck I was possessing.
3) I am 15. Yes I'm a boy. Yes, I do have one, but I don't know where it is. Yes, it bothers me that I don't know.
4) My name's Mike Drakos. I can't talk - no voice. But I can hear fine.
He scribbles out a quick reply to Eddie, "Yeah, but I can't find them. One of the kids asked me where they go when I merge and when I came out of the snowplow yesterday they were gone!"
Cloud goes even redder, this time for a different reason, "Urrm, thanks i guess", Cloud is bi, but isn't used to male attention, when Eddie asks how his powers would effect Mike he asks to, "I've been wondering how my powers would effect him too".
Daisuke reads the cards with interest but it's just basic knowledge, he'd love to know /more/ but doesn't ask since he's not sure if it'd be invading personal space. "Number three I didn't need to know, but that's really neat. So you're like a human android, in a way." Damnit Daisuke, stop trying to be that Japanese Sterotype with Androids and Mechs. "What are your powers Cloud?" He asks curiously since he says that.
Eddie peers at the cards as Dai reads them and nods. "Now I'm really curious about what would happen if I used my powers on you, Mike," he remarks with a little laugh. The power booster then nods to what Daisuke says and looks to Cloud.
Mike grins inside, love putting that one in there. Would laugh if voice worked. He shakes slightly, a passable imitation of a human chuckling without the sound, and nods at Dai's "android" suggestion, scribbling a note. There's a faint rrrmmmmmmm coming from his body as his engine runs a bit higher to run a defrost cycle, to keep the internal mechanisms from getting damp.
The note says, "Yeah, I am supposed to meet with some of the teachers - I really don't know HOW it works, I just know some of what I can do. Started when I was 13. Dunno, Eddie, what's your powers? Cloud, we can try that next DR session if Beast says OK."
Cloud sighs, he really dosen't like explaining his powers, "Apparntly what i do is called Absorbtion and Replication of Matter/Energy, i can absorb things and use them for protection or as a weapon", he walks over to the nearest metal object and touches it, a metal colour spreads across his body, clothes and hair, he then holds out his hand palm up and there is a crackle of electricity, "probably not the best idea Mike, im not sure what would happen if i tried to absorb from you, it could do serious harm".
Daisuke watches Cloud and nods. "That's kind of neat and any of us can do serious harm with our powers. I don't know what would happen but trying in the danger room would be a good idea since it's this odd simulation where it's happen but not really happening. I'd love to be able to learn how the Danger room /really/ works but I don't know if anyone knows but the people who built it. I mean Alien Tech, it's really neat and more advanced than anything we have." Okay he's geeking out a bit, he finds the Danger Room fascinating. "You just wanna be a big metal andriod." Daisuke teases his best friend.
Eddie nods as he watches Daisuke. "So you sorta have powers like the Absorbing Man…or that guy from the Acolytes then," he guesses. "Pretty cool!" he declares. He laughs a bit when Dai teases him and gives his friend a little playful poke. "Well, I can increase the powers and abilities of a person based on how much faith and confidence I have in them. And I'm also able to mimic the powers of the person I boost."
Mike responds to Cloud by pulling out one of his prepared notes: "EEP!" Yes, he uses that often enough to make it worth keeping a prepared note.
He scribbles, "Cloud? What happens if you absorb from live things?"
He tilts his head at the "big metal android" line, because who WOULDN'T? He adds to the note, "I was human until the accident. Bet you'd just be able to merge. Careful tho, damage to vehicle => mechanical replacement parts on human body. QED." And shows it to the others.
The frost has melted off and is now beads of water over Mike's frame.
Cloud bites his lip, "If i absorb from a living thing i absorb it's lifeforce, so i have to be very carefull with my powers".
"That's kind of like the music teacher here, Kenta, and Owen too. They can absorb life force with their powers." Daisuke says, more just stating the fact. "I have no idea who the acolytes are or who Absorbing Man is but I'm guessing he…absorbs stuffs?" Daisuke then looks up at Mike and nods. "So okay, Eddie, if you copy him, don't merge with a vehicle and get injured cause…I don't think you'd be able to undo that at all."
Eddie smiles a bit. "Absorbing Man's a really strong supervillian. He's got magic based powers that let like…turn into stuff he touches. Like if he picked up a rock he could have a rock form. You and me could kick his butt though," he says to Dai. "Maybe we should try down in the Danger Room sometime," he suggests. Though Dai knows Eddie well enough to know he'd likely fight the real deal. "And the Acolytes are an old team of bad guys the X-men fought a lot. Like an upgraded Brotherhood," he says. "I dunno, Dai. My powers are weird…I mean, I don't even know where those clothes and stuff I get come from but I try to avoid injury in general," he chuckles. "Wanna try and see what happens, Mike?"
Mike shrugs. What could it hurt? Well, a lot actually if he let someone in the driver's seat and the rapport was boosted, but he doesn't know that.
Other than that, his strength, his metal form, all that is normal to him so he doesn't think of them as powers.
He writes a note to add to the stack, "OK, go for it. No vehicle here to merge in though."
Cloud looks kinda worried, "So people with my powers become villans?", he thought his powers were bad but…
Daisuke shakes his head. "No, it doesn't mean that at all. It just means people with your powers in the past, have used them for their own reasons. Powers don't make the person Cloud, the person makes powers. There are both heroes and villians with my powers, Eddie can probably name the better than I can." He says as he can only think of two, Banshee and Siren.
Eddie nods and stands. "Alright…here goes," he says, taking a deep breath. When he opens his eyes, Eddie's are glowing bright blue. Mike will feel all his abilities double in power as the boost is applied. There's a flash of light from Eddie and he seems to have changed as well. His entire body seems to have taken on a metalic blue shine. And as usual, his clothes have shifted to mimic what Mike's are. This proves to be…not so much. Just a white version of Mike's belt, lamp, and sidepouch. Pretty much naked metal Eddie there. "Okay…this is kinda cool," he says, voice a bit more tinny than normal. He pauses at a sudden realization and quickly covers himself. "My powers are weird sometimes…" he trails off. The power booster lets Mike feel the boost for a short while longer before dropping it and the mimicking. With a flash of light, Eddie returns to his normal and clothed self.
"That was different than I thought it would," he says. Cloud gets an odd look. "No. Absorbing Man was a bad guy before he got empowered," he says. He then nods. "Yeah," he echos Dai but holds off on the list of names.
Mike blinks twice as his power surges… meaning… well, he can sense the cars and motorcycles in the garage, and … he stares at ShinyNakedEddie. Meanwhile the pen writes on the pad of paper he just dropped on the floor, "How did he DO that?" and the note flips itself over to Daisuke, then the boost goes away and Mike picks up the pad, wondering when he dropped it as he was just writing on it. A fast note follows, "I could feel the other vehicles out there, but I don't think I got much else," and he shows that around.
Cloud doesn't look too reassured by what Daisuke says, but he is quickly distracted by the sight of naked Eddie, grinning he winks and wolfwhistles, "Nice".
Daisuke just shakes his head and watches it all. He smirks but doesn't say what he's thinking 'showoff'. Instead he just goes back and looks at his laptop, trying to figure out this college thing.
Eddie blushes and smiles. "Thanks," he says. Still shy but not nearly as bad as he used to. He sits back down near Dai and leans back against him. "That's just how my weird powers work, Mike," he says before looking to Dai's laptop as well. He wants to help his friend if he can.
Mike blinks again. He glances at his arm, and is horrified to see the water bead drying is leaving him with SPOTS. There's a microfiber cloth rolled up in the pouch he wears, and a small squeeze-bottle of something that smells like vanilla mixed with a volatile oil, maybe the stuff they put in auto antifreeze. He squeezes a little of it onto the cloth and begins systematically rubbing out those spots. Thus he is distracted from noticing how (on Dirty Jobs) the host has now crawled into the transmission case and is applying lube to all the joints.
OUT, damned spots!
Daisuke watches Mike for a bit, just more curious than anything else. "Sorry, I don't mean to stare, it's just..you're kind of facinating in a weird sort of way." Then Daisuke facepalms, yes, face in palm, as he realizes he's kind of looking at Mike as an 'object' not a person. "Nevermind. So how long have you been here?" He asks trying to just make casual conversation.
Eddie gives Dai a side-hug after the faepalm. "Yeah, when did you join the school, Mike?" he asks. "And what about you, Cloud?"
Mike looks up from the polishing job, and writes out quickly, "I got here late in the day on the 18th. Came down instead of up - there was a "weather incident" that had the roads closed through NYC, so … Hey, could one of you do my back? I can't reach," and he offers the polishing-cloth. He doesn't remark on the face-palming … kind of used to that fascinated stare now, and really a bit flattered.
Daisuke is quiet for a bit as Mike asks if either of them can help. He's not sure how to take that. He does stand up and nod. "Sure. Why not." He's a bit akward about it as he goes to help Mike but he can't help but take the oportunity to take a closer look, just to see what Mike is like. "So is this like, steel steel or is it like organic or what?"
Eddie smiles as Daisuke goes to help Mike, sitting back. "Yeah…" he trails off in reply to the weather incident. He peers out at the snow falling outside and lets out a thoughtful noise. "Ah, relatively new students. What do ya think of the place so far?" he asks Mike and Cloud.
Mike twitches a bit when Dai gets too close to the sides. Ticklish!
He scribbles out another note, "I dunno. I can feel everthing that touches me, it itches when my paint gets scratched, hurts when I get dented, etc. Don't know what organic steel is. I like it here, except for the whole 'demon' thing - that sucked. Also when is your dad coming back? The sub teacher now wants us to make mac n cheese w/different mixes and compare the flavors."
Daisuke is a bit awkward about the whole thing. "YOu know, I've never even washed a car or anything before so this is a bit weird, cause you're ticklish too." So the metal has nerves? That's interesting. "I've been here pretty long so if you need help with anything, I can help. I kind of help tutor kids here."
Cloud smiles, "This place is cool, but i still miss home though, wait that reminds me.." he pulls out his cellphone and starts texting.
"Monday," Eddie replies automatically. He's been asked a lot as Chris is a popular teacher. And the sub is evil. He's curious about Mike's form as well but keeps quiet, watching his best friend work. "Yep. You guys can ask me for help too," he offers with a grin. "Dai is a great tutor. I wouldn't be getting the grades I am if not for his help."
A nod of thanks for the finish-up on the polish, and Mike glances at Cloud, texting home, common thing to do here. He writes a reply to Dai and Eddie, "Why the face thing earlier? Also, I need help with a LOT of classes. Don't know if I have nerves or if it's an electrostatic/electrocapacitance effect. Just feels like touch to me." Yeah, Mike would be a great student if he paid attention and didn't goof off in class.
Daisuke blushes as he hands the cloth back to Mike. "Just…I know you're a person but a part of me can't help but think of you as..well…something new, like I'd love to find out the science behind your powers. I guess that's it. I was always a straight A student and took an interest in school when I was younger, that was my escape and it's kind of carried over."
Eddie takes a deep breath. "Think I'll go spend lunch my Dad…" he trails off thoughtfully. He glances over as Dai explains things and chuckles. "Dai's just really, really smart," he says with a nod.
Ah, the object-person thing again. Yeah. Had that even before the machine took over. Mike writes out the answer he worked out with his parents. "I am a person, but I'm also a machine, and I am also very curious how I work, and why. So don't feel bad about that, OK, just don't take me apart without my permission. ;) Also, what's it like having straight A's?" He looks up at Eddie, and waves with one hand, treads squnching together along the palm.
While they are talking Cloud is texting his sister, he promised to text her four times a day, plus grade talk isn't realy his thing.
"I should spend lunch with your brother soon too." Daisuke says teasing Eddie with a nudge as he nods. "Tell your Dad I'm glad he's back. And what's it like getting straight A's?" Daisuke's never been asked that before. "It's a lot of hard work. I mean, I did it so I could get into any college I wanted to get and just kind off..well, it doesn't seem as important than it used to."
Eddie smiles and chuckls a bit as he's nudged. "Jared'll be happy to eat lunch with you, Dai. You know that," he says, nudging back. "I'll pass along the message," he says, smiling wider. He then leans back to listen and watch.
Mike suddenly has the feeling that there is subtext about which he doesn't know and probably wouldn't want to. And a glance at Dirty Jobs eeeeewwww. No longer on the mining machine, now it's a turkey farm. Somehow that's nowhere near as interesting.
He scribbles out, "Is that why you're having trouble picking? Not important to you now?" and gestures at the laptop with its collection of college-pages. Wait, confused now, thought Eddie meant NOW. Time for the red paint-job, again. Or not. Mike just takes advantage of the no-emotions appearance of his face instead.
Daisuke shakes his head. "No, it's kind of complicated. A part of it is, I don't know what I want to do." He notices the time and shuts the laptop. "I'll see you guys later, I gotta get to one of the class rooms, I'm helping in algebra today." With that he waves and heads out.
Cloud finishes his texts and sends it with a smile on his face.
Eddie waves, giving Dai a hug right before he goes. "Bye, Dai," he calls. He makes a note to spend some time with his best friend later and then flops back onto the couch.
WUPS. Mike *pings* audibly … time for class. OK. He nods, and pulls out prepared note #5, "Gonna be late to class, gotta go!" Will be funny if it turns out that it's the same algebra class. He has to stop off to get his book bag too, since he's obviously not wearing it, and possibly clothing. Maybe. He heads out the door as well.
Cloud waves as Daisuke and Mike leave, he puts his phone back in his pocketand walks over to sit next to Eddie, "So do you do any sports?"
Eddie checks his watch. He's got a bit of time before his first Thursday class so he sticks around for now. When Cloud sits near him, Eddie shakes his head. "Naw, unless an occasional game of something out back or down in the gym counts. What about you?"
Cloud nods, "Yeah, i play football, back home i was my high school football team's quaterback", yep Cloud is a Jock.
Eddie blinks a few times then grins. "You, Jordan, and Dallas should get together sometime then. Throw the ball around. They do football too."
