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Summary: Jonothon seeks out Robyn to talk, and Rashmi finds them.
Date: 03-17-2010
Log Title Robyn is a lousy liar.
Rating: PG.
Xavier Communication Tower
It's a beatiful day and it feels like spring is here. Finally. Robyn has decided to trek through the woods and to the communication tower to try to get some sclupting done. He's lying down on his stomatch just kind of working with the clay, it's hard to tell what though since it's an odd shape. He's got a pair of headphones on that he's humming along with as he pokes at the clay. He's been stuck on this project for days.
The headphones help in being stealthy, even if one isn't trying to be. Jonothon has been looking for Robyn some time now, and the search has finally paid off. He doesn't try to sneak up, but since he's coming from an angle that makes watching difficult, and those headphones muffle sounds.. might just scare the teen as he crouches down near at hand and asks, «Robyn?» Jono is looking like himself with the exception of his face. That's still whole for all his throat and chest are still covered in that black costume material.
Robyn nearly jumps out of his skin as he hears Jono's voice. He was not expecting that, so he pulls the head phones out of his ears and looks up at Jono. "J—jono? Jono?!" He says standing up /hoping/ that it's Jono and not Jon, and that he hasn't escaped some how. "Are you…okay? I mean..it is you, right?" He says looking at him with disbelief and hope and just a conflict of emotions.
The smile that spreads is anything but cruel or sly, and for once his whole face gets to show his delighted emotion. Jonothon spreads his hands as he too rises to his feet, and says simply, «Me.» Looks a little tired, but he's clean, and wearing 'proper' Jono attire. «Addison put me to rights earlier.» No more Jon, no more trying to hurt people. At least intentionally. «Still got some problems, but I'm safe enough now.» Clearly safe enough to be out on his own. «Wanted to come and apologize.» Arms drop and he shrugs. «Don't tell me it's not necessarily, 'right?» Amused about it though.
Robyn can't help himself and he goes to hug Jono. "You're okay, and it's…I'm just…relieved." He says as he can't help but cry right now. It's just one person whose healed but it's a start and maybe the start of the end. "I knew Addison would. How's he doing…with all that power?" Yeah, Robyn's felt it and he's drained it. It's…quite an intense experience for him to drain that energy.
Jonothon's reaction to the hug is to throw up his arms and stop Robyn. This is accompanied by a rapid shake of the head. No, don't. The smile is replaced by a little fear, but that can easily be misconstrued. Jono is afraid of hurting, not of being hugged. «Told you, there's still some troubles…» Explaining is weird, and if allowed he takes Robyn's hand. It's like there's a concerted force of will about this all, and even as the air grows prickly, the Brit carefully moves in to initiate that hug. It's actually difficult for him to touch. The hug itself is tight and firm, not at all expressing the discomfort nearly visible on the air. Jono wants to hug, but that lingering programming doesn't. His hair and clothing ruffle for his efforts.
"….Robyn? Robyn, is that you?" Rashmi picks her way through the woods, an icy trickl of worry crawling down the back of her neck. The last time, after all, that she saw Robyn out here… he was in a bad way. And if he's talking to himself? It could be a whole lot worse. Thus the Brit's presence comes as no small shock, as she breaks through the underbrush, one that causes her to stop dead in her tracks. "Jono…?"
Robyn is stopped from hugging Jono but is hugged instead which creates for a split second of confusion as he continues to just bawl. "I…happy….okay…back." It's a lot of muffled and jumbled words as he cries a bit. As Rashmi approcahes he wipes his eyes but the tears still come. "Rashmi…he's back. It's not Jon." He says sounding relieved and like a lot of stress is just unwinding.
Hair gently flowing around his head, rather like he were under water, Jonothon shakes that head as he pulls back and notes Robyn crying. «Christ.» But there's that smile again. «Hey, gel.» Looking over, curious briefly, the smile is directed at Rashmi this time. One hell of a nice smile too. «Not quite what I was, but myself at last.» No being evil! At least for the time being. «Saved me from hunting you down, Rashmi. Just.. easy with the touching. It sets all all kinds of bollocks.» Eyes roll upwards in an exaggerated manner to point out that hair. Siiiiigh. Too damn happy to sulk about it though. For once.
Rashmi moves forward, and for a moment it looks at though she's likely to disregard the Birt's warning, and do her best to continue the fine art of the overjoyed airborne glomp… but the manages to reel it back, instead placing her hands on Robyn's shoulders and just beaming up at Jono. "I see," she says quietly, not yet quite ready to trust her voice to much more volume, "and I'm *so happy* right now…"
Robyn is happy as well, that's one out of two people he's majorly worried about. He finally settles down a bit and rubs his eyes, getting some clay on his face from what he was working on earlier, but he doesn't care. "I really did miss you Jono." Robyn says beaming up at him. It also means that Jordan can be cured. "What happened?" He has to ask.
Jonothon offers Rashmi a hand, and if she takes it, she gets a hug too. Like with Robyn, Jono's telekinesis goes a little crazy, but it does no harm. Skin feels prickly, making things a smidge uncomfortable, but the hug itself is warm and tight. «Addison set my head to rights not long ago.» That's what happened. With a little distance, his tk settles down and his hair begins drifting down into his face. He ignores it. «It changed things, what Sinister did, but I'm fully in control now.» A bit ashamed of it all still. «Sorry, Rashmi. And no chiding me about apologies.» So there.
"Oh all *right,*" comes the not-at-all-annoyed-or-upset reply, accompanied with a brief roll of the eyes. The hug, though, accepted gratefully, the redhead squeezing tight despite the prickling, uncomfortable psyfire reaction. "… But only because you say so." Falling silent as Jono tells (briefly) of how he got here, she nods. "Right now it's all that matters anyway, that you're just back."
Robyn wants to ask more but he keeps his mouth shut. He's still worried about Jordan but is holding back so much on what he wants to say. He's got a thousands things trying to escape but he's holding almost all of them back. "Yeah, he told me I wasn't allowed to complain about him apologizing." He says smiling at Jono. "HOw is Addison?"
«No lip now, gel.» As he pulls away. Jonothon drags fingers through his hair finally, getting it out of his eyes. Doesn't do much to straighten it though, as it shifts to mussed moments later. Asking of Addison has the laughter fading entirely. All he can do is shake his head. «Claimed he was fine.» The doubt in tone, and on features, tells clearly what Jono thinks of that. «Everything I'd heard about Phoenix is bad. Everything.» Even if Phoenix healed him today. «I don't know what to believe right now.»
Rashmi squeezes Jono's waist, stepping back and casting her gaze around her. "Right now…? I believe that you're back, and it won't be long until you're just fine. I believe I hear a bird singing, over that way. Squirrels, too… I *believe*… yeah, I think those clouds'll pass us on by… probably…" Looking back up at Jono, she shrugs, grinning. "Honestly? All that matters is it's a beautiful day, and we have our big brother and occasional den mommy back."
"I don't know Jono, but with you being gone, I was using Addison for my main sorce of psychic energy and with that…Pheonix in him…it's incredible, the energy." Robyn says as he doesn't know how to explain it. He just knows a part of him wants more of it. "But this is the light at the end of the tunnel, please, let's just believe that this is good?"
Jonothon rolls his eyes at Rashmi, and motions a push her way, for all it doesn't at all contact. «Bollocks.» Birds are singing? What nonsense. Yet he is smiling just the same. Until the topic wends back to Addison. «Of course it's incredible.» Another shake of the head. «Robyn, it's not that Phoenix is evil. It isn't.» He knows because it touched him. Jono felt the power within, and that terrified him. One of the few who isn't tempted by power. «It's what that power does to the host. It drives humans insane. I know of two, and neither one ended well. There's a monument in the courtyard for a reason. I worry for Addison. That power level is addicting. It'll help against Sinister, but I hope we never have to fight Addison. This is one of those situations were you worry, and pray you're wrong. Being wrong is the best possible option.»
Rashmi falls quiet, tilting her head. "I felt it too… I don't… really know how to explain what it was like… It's like… if God was looking for something… and for a second, wondered if it was me…" Shaking her head, she rests a hand on Robyn's arm. "I don't doubt it, Jono… that kind of thing… It can't be easy for any kind of mind to handle all that much… but… he's got us all. And we'll help however we can, right?"
"Did…the Pheonix…did it kill her..the women in the statue?" Robyn asks as he has to know. He wasn wondering that last night. He does understand the addicting, it feels like he doesn't want any other psychic energy but what he's absorbed from Addison over the last day or two. "I don't want to fight Addison, fighting against you was bad enough."
The description of god touching has Jonothon nodding. He found it highly disturbing. «It shocked me right out of being Jon.» That's how profound the touch was. Kind of glad for it, but scared just the same. For Robyn he says, «No. See, Phoenix is about rebirth. The host tends to return no matter what happens. No, Phoenix didn't kill Jean Gray, but as a host Jean nearly killed everything and everyone. More than once.» He spreads his hands as he adds, «And I'm talking on a cosmic level.» Dire? Highly. «It's not Addison dying that we have to worry about. But Rasmi is right. All we can do is remind Addison that the people here care. That we all take care of one another. It could be enough.»
Rashmi bobs her head. "He's right, Robyn," Rashmi says, still smiling. "Just because you're trying to be ready for the worst, doesn't mean you have to act like it. That's the whole 'hope for the best' part, right?"
Robyn nods and right now, he wanted to wallow in what was good, not what was potentially bad. "Jono, I'm glad you're all right. I'll find you later, right now…I..gotta go. Class." More like he just wants to be alone. He gathers his stuff and pats Rashmi on the shoulder as he leaves. "I see a light at the end of the tunnel." He says being hopeful.
Rashmi watches Robyn leave, sighing to herself and shaking her head. "…I'm not sure he's been taking any of this well at all, Jono… I mean… you can almost see it, every new problem just chips away at him a little more…"
A nod for Robyn, but the Brit says nothing as he watches the teen leave. Hands are tucked into pockets as lips thin. «He's a lousy liar, yeah.» Jonothon agrees. Dark eyes shift back to Rashmi, and he tilts his head. «Robyn really needs time off. We all do I think. It's been one bollocks after another.» Motions a sigh, shoulders shrugging. «And what about you, gel? I'll be locking myself in my room and screaming for a while to be sure, but I've been through this before and I know what to do. How about you?» Can you deal, Rashmi?
Rashmi lifts a shoulder. "…I've sort of already had my breakdown, I guess. Right now… I just want to make sure I'm ready for anything else… and that the others are, too." She doesnt quite look Jono in the eyes as she says this, instead at the ribs she'd heard break, the last time she encountered Jon. "…I keep thinking, you know… about that time we talked in the garage? I told you, I didn't want to be a hero, and you thought maybe I should stop trying to act ike one then?"
«Nothing wrong in a breakdown.» How many has he had? Lost count a long time ago. «This life is hard.» Jonothon shakes his head, noticing the avoidance. He's not thinking about those ribs though. They put themselves back together days ago. The man doesn't move as he listens, but there's a quiet «Heh.» For the garage conversation. That feels like forever ago, doesn't it? Jono's hair begins moving again, of its own accord. There's no breeze right now. «I remember.» Doesn't want to assume what Rashmi may say, so his words are neutral. This very much has his attention though.
Rashmi shrugs slightly. "I think about that… and I think about everything I've done since coming here. And I…. I don't know. I'm wondering, I guess… If I really had the right idea after all, you know? Maybe… Maybe I'm where I'm *supposed* to be… Like this was what God had in mind for me all along, you know?"
Brows furrow a little, a frown forming. Jonothon doesn't answer immediately though. No, he thinks first. «Not sure what to say.» He admits finally, but a soft smile replaces the frown. «I think you need to do what you feel is right.» Taps his chest with a hand to suggest in the heart. «But you also need to realize that this isn't all or nothing. You can see if this is what you want, and then try for law school afterwards. Christ, She-Hulk does both. Why can't you?» A shrug as arms drop to sides. He's remembering the invitation he got, for Jono had not been trying to be an X-man. «I've got your back. If I can help, let me know.»
Rashmi nods slowly. "It's sort of hard to figure out how that's possible, you know? I mean, you look at all the adults and everything they have to deal with, and you wonder how you can swing a career at the same time…" Shrugging, she looks up, meeting Jono's eyes and smiling. "I'll remember that, Jono… thanks. And.. maybe I'll see if somehow I can get a chance to talk to her, I'll ask her how she manages it."
Not having a career, Jonothon none the less knows how some deal with it. «One day at a time, Rashmi.» Said with a smile. «You deal one day at a time, taking what comes.» He nods to the path leading back to school. «Let's walk.» Time for both of you to head back. «Having a career to fall back on is important.» Knows first hand there, as he doesn't have one. «What made you think about this? You seemed so eager to be a lawyer.» Not at all chiding, or making it seem a bad thing. Merely curious.
Rashmi falls into step beside Jono, eyes turned toward the ground. "….Monday," she begins quietly. "Around eight… I was doing my Government homework… and finishing up Trig… And I just sort of looked over to the letter my parents had sent me. They'd put out for brochures to all these good law schools, you know? So, I started sorting through them… and the little statue Robyn made for me… Aragorn, actually… kind of caught my eye. And it got me to thinking… All my life I've worked *so hard* in school, even if the teachers didn't seem to care all the time. And I was always happy with that… but… It's never been like it was, when I talked with Nathaniel or James after the thing with the demons… and just saw *everything* brighten up, even if for a little bit, you know?"
Jonothon tucks hands into pockets again, nodding as he listens. While he is paying attention to direction, most of his attention is on Rashmi. «You don't have to be a super hero to get that, Rashmi.» Head tilting, he's trying to figure this out. «There are lot of jobs that help people that don't involve powers. Being a lawyer is one of them. Hell, you help many people here, and it's by talking to them, not your power. You're a big part of the glue that keeps friendships going here. Not to mention our sanity.»
Rashmi nods, flushing faintly at the assessment. "Well… I mean, it's because I *care* about everyone here, you know? Even if they're not my friends… usually they're important to someone I care about, or they're just caught in the middle like everyone else here is. But if I go right to law school… that's like *seven years,* at the very *least,* before I'll be able to lift my head long enough to make sure everyone's all right. I mean… balancing this and a job? That's hard, but like you said, She-Hulk does it all the time. But *school?* I'd be shocked if I had two hours together to *sleep* on my own, you know?"
He drags fingers back through his hair, having noticed that it was moving again. «Well, why not work here while you finish your schooling?» Jonothon shrugs, spreading hands briefly before letting them fall to his sides. «Not like I've got a goal right now, but I'm doing something positive here. If you jokers are serious anyway.» Teasing a little about being the big brother. «You do good, Rashmi. You've made sure James didn't hurt people with his jokes, and you give someone to talk to. That's really important. People trust you. Nothing much has to change beyond how you think about it. Be a student counselor while seeing if you want to be a super hero. Get a taste of the work load.. This part of your life is all about that. Trying things to see how they fit.»
Rashmi tilts her head, looking over at the Brit. "Really…? ..Hm. Well… I guess I was right, then." She leaves it at that for a moment, before continuing. "Maybe you scoff, but I really *could* have done worse for a role model myself than you, Jono."
And scoff he does, for all that it was said he would. Brings Jonothon to stop and look at Rashmi. «Gel, I've spent eight years being the biggest loser I could possibly manage. Sinister didn't change my powers. He didn't alter that at all. He only changed how I thought about them. I'm the X-man who doesn't know how to use his own powers, who'd been running away from every bit of trouble that came his way. Christ, Scott had to send people out more than once to talk sense into me, so that I'd return and not end up dead in some ditch. Rashmi, one time I called for help, and no one believed it was me because I've lied about my telepathy..»
Shoulders slump a little as he gives a bitter smile, «So of course I think I'm a lousy role model. I have no drive, no focus, and I'm coasting through life. I've nothing to show for the years I've been with the school. No, Rashmi, you really can't do worse for a rolemodel.» Bitter, but at himself. «You met me after I'd decided to change is all. I'm trying to do more, but even so I'm making a bollocks of it all.» Motions to his hair, which is floating around again. «I can't even control this. I'll have to relearn my powers all over again.»
Rashmi raises an eyebrow. "And that's why I think you're perfect, Jono. You've dealt with all the worst there is to deal with… You've been genuinely horrible, and you've paid for it, probably more than you'll ever tell a kid like me. But, you know what? You've *decided* it'd be different. And with everything else that's happened… you know *exactly* what the problem is, and what a smart person wouldn't do, right? Well… there you go. You're basically proving everything I've always believed; that no matter how bad someone is, they can *choose* to change that. Like you have… and when you have something to say, it *means* something, you know?"
Jonothon's uncomfortable with this, and it shows. Both in expression and power use. The ground ripples at his feet, his hair shifts without wind, and the air grows prickly. It's only a couple feet around him though, so easily avoided. «Rashmi, what you see now often scares the shit out of you. How could I possibly tell everything?» The air darkens, but he shudders and straightens. No, not letting this happen. The effects dim pointedly. Yes, trying to change. «I did that to James.» Eyes show the melancholy over that. «I showed him a little of it. If I can keep you from experiencing even part of what I know, I'll gladly live with being your rolemodel.» Which isn't remotely so bad.
"I didn't say I *wanted* to know more than you're telling me," Rashmi points out gently, eyes flickering to the ground, goosebumps raising on her arms against the prickly feeling. "Just that it goes to show I'm not wrong about you. I've already told you once, you know… I don't care about you because you're safe. I care about you because you're really a good person… even more, because you *want* to be one."
He looks back and can't help but smile. «See? You always know what to say.» Even if there's nothing to say. «I think I got lost.» Jonothon explains somewhat. «Getting unlost is hard though, but I've found some pretty good sign makers recently.» Namely Rashmi, Robyn, and even James. «Well, if my having screwed up life can help you, I'll be there when you need me.» And he is a good person, just has trouble seeing that.
Rashmi nods slowly, her smile widening. "Same here. It's a promise." With that, she continues the walk to the mansion in silence, the murmur of mental static that fills her head, shot through with a warm, glowing thread; Jono is back, and soon the world will be right again.
A promise. That's a good thing. Jonothon smiles soft, stuffs hands in pockets yet again, and lets the silence continue. There's a great feel to the quiet friends can manage. Sometimes no words are necessary.
