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Summary: Robyn and James go for a walk. The truth hits Robyn like a speeding car.
Date: July 09, 2010
Log Title Rush Hour
Rating: R
Xavier Mansion - Woods
Pine, Oak, Birch, and many other trees can be found in these woods. Paths lead all through out them for students to take walks. The occasional bench can be found along the paths. Students shouldn't worry about wandering too deep in these woods as its almost impossible for them to get lost here.
It's been an interesting day with his conversation with Jinx followed by an Alpha Squadron session and then some time with Forge learning self defense that after dinner and a long shower, Robyn's now able to contemplate his conversation with Jinx. He's decided to go on a walk through the woods to actually take the time to mull things over, figure out where the pieces fit so to speak. His hands are shoved into the pockets of his jeans as he walks through the woods, feet crunching over leaves and sticks as he's not attempting to be quiet. Robyn's just in deep in thought at the moment as his brain is busy thinking.
Some distance up the path in a clearing, James has found a seat on a rather large rock. Sprawled out and staring up at the night sky, the hyena's form is illuminated by a full moon that shines through a gap in the tree line. Tensing as the other boy nears, James snaps his head over his shoulder keeping a guarded eye on the approaching form as it draws near, eventually offering a "Hello Robyn. What brings you out here?"
There's a slight jump from Robyn as James speaks and he turns to look at him with a smile. Yes, act natural. "Oh James, you startled me. I didn't realize you were out here. Just, have a bit on my mind and was sorting through thoughts, you know." He says with a shrug as he takes a few steps over to his friend and shrugs. "How about you? Enjoying the fresh air?"
James nods, making an 'Ummmhmmm' sound. "I can't get enough of the outdoors. I find that school so cramped at times. Coming out here and pretending like we're back to huts and spears is a nice escape now and again." He tilts his head before returning his gaze to the sky, his aura rather quiet and not reflecting what Robyn saw a few days back.
Robyn nods at James and doesn't say anything for a bit, that slight bit he can feel, that there's something psychic about James's powers now just..it's like a itch you can scratch, it bothers him. Even if it does feel different and quieter. "Yeah, I've just been bored this summer. It's like I didn't have enough time to sculpt as school year now I have too much time." Robyn says as he tries to choose his next words carefully.
"Hey, remember that conversation we had when you were locked up?" Trying to poke to see if he knows some more personal moments between the two.
Oblivious that anything is afoot for the moment, the Gnoll just slightly shrugs and responds with a, "Yeah. Not fun times. I appreciate you all being there for me." He sits up straight and drops his hands in his lap, "And yeah…what a boring Summer. I can't wait for the team to get going. I think we're down to Kenta talking with Scott. I'll have to double check." Is it casual speak, or an attempt to change the subject?
"So..what do you have planned for the team, and do you really think you'll be okay being leader?" Robyn really doesn't believe that but he's just trying to see James's reaction, he's poking the think ice with a stick to just see what he can. "And I appreciate you being there for me and I'm glad I'm learning mental defense cause of what happened back then during the demon thing." Maybe he's not being too slick.
"Yeah, what a thing 'that' was, wasn't it?" James says neutrally with an eye roll. "As for the leader thing, I dunno. I'm not sure I'm counting on being a leader, just want to organize something. And if nothing else, it's something to do this summer?" More neutrality. "What do you think Robyn, do I stand a chance?"
Robyn shrugs as as he runs a hand through his hair, he's definitely getting that 'something's off' vibe. "I think you do James. I mean, who else would be leader? Lucas? Me? I doubt that." He says and he's honest there but the he sighs and closes his eyes muttering. "Sorry James." As his eyes flash purple in an attempt to posses his friend, to see if something is there or if it is, maybe push it out. He's tired of seeing his friends in trouble and maybe he's over reacting but he needs to be sure. If James is in trouble he'd rather do something than nothing.
The entire experience only last only a split second. Theoretically, James should be possess-able. Although he's a hyena, his brain, its functions and his origin are all human…no matter what type of beast he keeps trying to make of himself. So, it may be with great surprise that Robyn hits a spiritual 'Brick Wall.' A very large, hard one. The impact will probably send Robyn reeling back to his body, the experience leaving a rather perceivable bad taste on a level that goes soul deep. Something is there; it's corrupt, decayed, oily, and filled with darkness. James twitches and slowly turns his head towards his 'friend' eyes glowing blue in the night. The hyena speaks, lips moving to form words, but a voice never reaches Robyn's ears. Instead, a very female reaches out mentally and chides, «That was a Very Foolish thing to do Child.»
Grabbing his head, with a groaning sound he takes a few steps back. It's worse then when he practices with Addison. He was prepared for some resistance but not that. Not that in the least and his head -hurts-. "No…you just proved me right is all. What do you want with James." He says taking a few deep breaths to ease the ache in his head as he finally lifts his eyes to look at 'James'. They were right.
James slides his…no her…legs off the rock, followed by the rest of her. More mouth moving, no voice to speak of, «I expected to be discovered sooner or later. Bravo for it being a group of children and not the headmistress herself. But I suppose I should not be surprised, given my past run-ins with Xavier's cattle.» There's a sigh, a smile, and a tilt of her head, «So, here you are, little Robyn. Alone in the woods with the tiger by the tail. What will your next step be?»
Robyn's hand moves slowly to his phone, trying not to make it noticeable, but he needs to do something. "The telekinesis, that was a give away, James has never has psychic powers." Trying to seem smarter than he is not because he wants to seem 'awesome' but he wants to keep the predictions of others quiet. "You didn't act like him, you didn't know stuff. You were close, you almost had me fooled, I just had to make sure." He says but he's nervous, he doesn't know what to do now. "Let go of the tail?" He says meaning, stop pissing it off?
«Clever,» the creature inside says in response to the tail-grabbing. Her eyes look towards the hand, head shaking, «But not that clever.» There's a paw wave, «I've been alive long enough to know the body language of a person reaching for a gun, a sword, a knife, and even a sharpened, pointed stick. So whatever decision yourself residing to, it will be a foolish one.» James eyes turn ever-so-slightly red, «The only reason I have not killed you in the blink of an eye is because of my good graces. Do not test that.»
Robyn stops going for his cell phone and stops trying to take a few steps back. He knows he's in -way- above his head and the fact that she threatened to kill him, well he's scared. Really scared. "So what do you plan on doing with me then?" He asks as he knows there isn't much he can do. He's not going to try stabbing her or possessing again. The only idea he has is leaving his body behind and trying to find Emma or Addison astrally and let them know what's going on.
James answers the question in the standard super villain way: he turns his back on the boy. Looking over 'her' shoulder, the creature's eyes fade to blue, «Walk with me.» It's said casually, as if nothing had conspired between the two and everything was normal. The woods might as well be a park; the creature a friend. «It's not by my choosing that I find myself in such a limited body, Robyn. It is, in all honestly, a sting of events that started in…oh…several months ago.»
Robyn looks at 'James' cautiously and he doesn't want to walk with her, he's too scared and doesn't trust her, but what happens if he refuses, he's not sure. "How did Addison miss you?" He can't help but asks as he takes a few cautious steps to follow her. "And if you're not choosing it, why not get us to help you out so he can be himself again and you can be yourself?" Wishful thinking but it's hopefully something.
James waits for Robyn to catch up, eyes never looking for the child, «Because Addison, for all he is, is 'not' trained in the magical arts. When he scanned James I was not around and he missed the sigil I had placed on James when we first met.» Head tilt towards Robyn, «In the interest of full disclosure, I actually left him alone for some time. I decided he was too uncontrollable after those incidents that lead up to the scanning.» There's a tongue click, «As for help, Emma would gladly sacrifice James in an effort to be rid of me once and for all.» James leads Robyn deeper into the woods.
Robyn just wants to turn and run and get help more than anything but he's too afraid to turn his back on a predictor. He doesn't know what she'll do if he runs so Robyn just follows growing more and more nervous with each step. "What makes James controllable now." He says sounding more bitter than intended. "And Ms. Frost, I'd like to think she'd try to save James. I just want my friend back."
«And all 'I' want is to go home. Your friend is the one that put himself in this situation. I never sought him out,» the creature retorts, «And I've been doing all I can to ensure that nearly everyone gets what they want. But there's something….missing.» James frowns, «He's not the first body I've taken over. But, this time it's different. Something isn't right, and I was 'never' supposed to be here. I was only watching…well mostly watching. Now and again I had some fun. But you can't blame a girl for wanting to be more than a voyeur.» James looks over his shoulder again, «Keep up child, you're being rude.» A big paw goes to touch Robyn on the back in a slow 'helpful' movement.
Now with the paw on his back, Robyn has to keep moving forward, and at James' speed. "Well what can we do to help you. We can get help you go home and we can help James get his body back, two birds, one stone, right?" He thinks that right now the best option is to offer to help her, appeal to her. Sure it's selfish and only to get his friend back and sure she probably knows it but it's an option. "And what's missing?"
James smiles, «Several things. The access to all of my knowledge being the most troublesome. So, I've had to get creative. Which is where this 'team' comes into play.» Hand sprawling ever-so-slightly James directs Robyn, the two headed out of the woods and towards the street, «I'd like to hear more of what you're suggesting, before I make one of mine own.»
He's never been out this far in the woods, he's always gone back to the school before going to the other side, or the street, but he's kind of trapped. "We can find where you are, your body is, and maybe if you let me, and if it's close distance, I can' try to figure out how to push you out, with your help since I'm not a match for you there." He says honestly. He's floundering for an idea but he figures there's something that has to work. "Maybe the 'team' can figure out something together."
James smiles kindly, as he leads Robyn out of the woods and towards the street, «Love, I am 17,000 years old. As sweet as the suggestion is…» The hyena turns 'her' head, eyes glowing and focused tightly on the boys. There's an energy she's trying to pass between the two, something that will put Robyn in a momentary trance, «…it falls, rather foolishly, on a set of unkind ears.» She scoffs, looking him over, «I have toppled entire civilizations. You can't even dress yourself properly.»
The words sink into Robyn's brain but after her saying her age things just kind of get fuzzy. He hears them but they don't really register as he just stares at 'James'. His mind feels like it's a million miles away and things are just fuzzy. He doesn't seem to register things properly like, where he is or why he's out here. Instead 'James' is just in his focus and thinking, who needs to think?
James reaches down and touches Robyn's cheek, «I have nothing to offer for the closure your about to give me, except that you've always 'really' pissed me off. » She chuckles, «Isn’t that a funny thing?» Headlights glow in the night, and James' fur begins to ebb into darkness, his body becoming surrounded by shadows; the car comes closer, driving the marked speed limit of 35mph. «What was it you asked? What can you do to help?» In all that blackness, rows and rows of what teeth gleam, «Simple. You and the team can DIE!» With a hard shove, James sends Robyn into the street.
The words aren't registering nor are the actions as with the shove he's pushed out on to the street into the headlights. The car tries to stop with a screech of breaks but it's too late and Robyn's hit full on by the car. He's not even aware enough to try to shield himself or get out of the way as bone breaks from the force of the car. He folds on the hood and when the car stops is flung forward. The driver panics and just keeps driving, leaving the broken teen to lie there on the pavement in a bloody heap.
From the roadside James smiles, the rest of his body disappearing into the blackness, «Farewell Robyn; first of many. My only regret is that you could not be a proper sacrifice for the goddess-incarnate Selene!» Robyn's body is left in the street, the hyena gone. A pair of headlight wash the road in a bright glow as another car approaches. Slamming hard on the brakes, the car skids to the right, barely missing the prone child. The door opens, Forge stepping out, "Robyn!" He immediately grabs his phone, hitting the X-men version of the panic button, "I need an emergency response on my location. I have a severely injured student." He looks down at the Alpha Squad leader, "Don't worry, Robyn. Help is on the way."
