Players:
Summary: Mike and Rashmi go to the chapel, Robyn is already there, and Lucas shows up as well.
Date: February 28, 2010
Log Title The best we can do is all we can do
Rating: PG-13
Xavier Mansion - The Sanctuary
Across the threshold into the chapel is a small receiving foyer, dust and dirt coating the once welcoming room, which is now bereft of furniture or decor, save one framed painting, the glass covering it dark with smoke almost to the point of making the art and inscription impossible to read. Upon closer inspection, it is a painting of two women in an embrace, one older, one younger, the inscription reading 'For whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God. Ruth 1:16'.
Through the large double doors lies the main sanctuary, pews and alter still set up as they were when it was in use, however, the ash is still thick within, and the smoke has stained the walls and chairs and wood black. Back and to the left lies and opening the fire left, a charred passage to the grounds. Leaves and dirt have made their way into the room, concentrated the most heavily in that area. Behind the alter on the back wall, there is only one place left unblackened, which seems to have once been under a large cross, as the shape, if not the cross itself, is outlined on the wall.
Off to the right side of the sanctuary are a few doors leading to small and simple rooms, all bare at this point, but once used to house the priest and other permanent staff of the small parish. The first of the trio still has a rosary hanging on a peg in the wall. The others, however, hold nothing at all, only the effects of the fire.
NOTE: The sanctuary has been repaired and cleaned since this description was set, but the player who did that wasn't able to finish the work before leaving the game. Assume that the hole is gone, that it's reasonably clean, and that any fire damage is repaired by now. Further repairs will be made during RP and reflected in the description, later.
It's a place Robyn's never been to before, he never even knew it was on the school grounds, but after he heard the news, he went wandering. Past the graveyard, down an old path, he found this old Chapel. Run down, over grown, but it seems to have electricity and he was able to find a portable heater. He didn't want to talk to anyone so this has been the perfect place and for the last day or so, he's been in here. Robyn's sitting against one of the walls, dressed for the cold, and is turning his cellphone over and over in his hands.
Mike has been coming here for… well, two months now, actually, to do his private Sunday meeting with his Papa, via laptop and wi-fi. He's swept the place, of course, and cleaned the altar so he can use it. But today he doesn't have the laptop with him. He has Rashmi with him though. He's surprised to see the light is on, but, once inside, seeing Richard's non-evil twin, he nods, "Hey, Robyn, hope you don't mind a bit of companny."
Rashmi follows behind Mike, eyes wide as she looks around at the little old chapel. "Oh, my… I never knew about this place…." As Mike speaks Robyn's name, however, her attention snaps from possible projects, to the black-clad teen off among the pews. "Oh! Robyn, hi… I…" She falters, trailing off as the reason for his seclusion pokes the back of her mind. "…*Do* you mind a bit of company?"
Robyn looks up and waves, offering a smile half smile. "Hey. I don't mind, not if it's you." Mike isn't so bad either but he doesn't know him that well, but after all he doesn't exactly want to kick anyone out. He's not religious at all but he does think a place like this is open to anyone. "So how are you guys doing?" He says standing up and brushing his hair back while trying to hold a small smile.
Mike isn't wearing his human-costume, so he's looking particularly robotic, and his voice is a little ragged, i.e. more mechanical than usual.
"Came here to pray. Mr. Summers basically told us that there isn't anything we could do by ourselves even if we were allowed. But praying is allowed."
He walks over to the front pew. He picks up a box from under it, and carries it up to the altar, then starts setting things out efficiently. Two heavy candelabra. Two tall white beeswax candles. A cross, brass and wood. A white tablecloth-looking thing. The tablecloth goes on first. Then candles. He lights the candles, and steps back.
Rashmi nods quietly. "The Headmaster posted the announcement today… The school's on lockdown, again. We heard about what happened…. oh God, Robyn, I'm so sorry…" As Mike sets up the altar, she moves to one of the pews near the back, sitting down and patting the bench next to her. "Come on, Robyn… Have a seat. Talk to me, okay?"
Robyn walks over and sits down next to Rashmi, not saying anything at first and just watching Mike. "I saw." He says before looking to Rashmi. "I don't care, I'm still going to try to do something. It's not just Jordan but Jono." Jono, someone he's come to care about and look up to in a short period of time. "I don't care what happened last time, I don't care what Mr. Summers says, if they kick me out, I don't care."
Lucas walks into the sanctuary, looking around, a clueless but jovial look on his face. He spots Rashmi, and asks, rather loudly, "Hey, what the hell's goin' on? Ah done just was told Ah couldn't go to the fuckin' mall because we're locked down again. What's with that, yo?"
Mike smiles. To himself. He takes the box back to the pew, leaving the cross and candles set up, and goes back to kneel in front of the altar, crossing himself. His voice is faintly audible without any trace of mechanical sound.
"Father in heaven, your name be holy, your kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it is done in heaven, give us today our bread for the morrow. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial, and deliver us from the evil one."
He crosses himself again, stands, and bows to the cross then turns and walks back to join the others.
"No, Robyn," are the first words out of Rashmi's mouth, quiet as Mike prays, pleading with the boy. "This is bad… *so* much worse than before… I know how you f—" Her shoulders hunch, as Lucas' voice rings out, and she turns, gesturing him over with the sort of look that a librarian would give at the very last inches of her patience. "Get *over* here," she says, trying to remain hushed. "Keep your voice down and I'll *tell* you!"
Robyn winces as he hear's Lucas' voice, but if it's the voice or the swearing in the church, it's not said. "Wow, I've never been religious but I didn't realize how much Mike is." Not a bad thing, just a bit of an observation, maybe to change subjects. He watches Mike for a bit more, stalling, but finally speaking again. "I know it's worse, but am I supposed to just sit back, and do nothing? Twice?"
Lucas sits down next to Rash, giving her a quick kiss on the forehead as he does so. "Okay, so, you totally look like your world's gone to shit, Robo." He looks at Rashmi, "Spill. What's goin' on?"
Mike comes back and sits next to the others. "I'll be goinng back over in a minute, but wanted to say, it's no probllem if you talk, I can focus. Hello, Lucas."
He offers a robot-hand to shake.
Rashmi scoots over a bit to make room for Lucas to sit, closing her eyes briefly at the kiss. "It's… some people have been kidnapped. Jono, Mr. Carrera, Jordan… and Skyler and Daisuke, Lucas. *I'm* pretty sure, but I'm mostly just guessing, that it's this guy they talk about, Mr. Sinister. He's… I tried to find out more about him, but everything in the computer about him's locked. And… after what the Headmaster says, I'm not sure I want to look any more." Shaking her head, she leaves that thread there, bobbing her head to acknowledge Mike's reassurance. "Just… Robyn, the *Headmaster* is scared. And… Lorna almost lost it, telling us why we shouldn't look. I… I don't think that you'll just get hurt again, like you did when you were with me. I really, *really* think it could kill you." Indeed, the redhead looks quietly terrified, in a way she hasn't been even in the dungeons under the demon castle. "Please, Robyn… don't go. I… have some ideas, for things we *could* do."
Robyn looks at Rashmi and seems more exhausted. "What am I supposed to do, just sit here again. Last time they tortured him until he followed what they did, he wasn't /fully/ under their control, this time I'm just supposed to left someone else torture him? What happens if he kills Jordan, or Jono or the others? and I just sat here and did nothing. I don't know, I know it's stupid but I don't want to feel like I did nothing."
Lucas furrows his brow, trying to piece together all these pieces. He shakes Mike's hand, kind of as an afterthought, still focused on what Robyn's saying. Once Robyn's finished, he asks, "What would you have us do?"
Mike walks over to the altar again, crosses himself, kneels. His voice is quiet again, and once again without any trace of the mechanical.
"Almighty God, we entrust all who are dear to us to thy never-failing care and love, for this life and the life to come, knowing that thou art doing for them better things than we can desire or pray for. O God, whose fatherly care reacheth to the uttermost parts of the earth: We humbly beseech thee graciously to behold and bless those whom we love, now absent from us. Defend them from all dangers of soul and body; and grant that both they and we, drawing nearer to thee, may be bound together by thy love."
Rashmi might notice that Mike's editing the prayer - because he doesn't know for certain what Jono's beliefs are, nor Skylers', nor several others. But this much he can do without trespassing on their path.
"Then *listen* to me," Rashmi hisses, as Mike resumes his prayer. "The Headmaster said we could still use the Danger Room, right? Well… what if we got as many kids together as we could, and, I don't know… started practicing in teams on getting the kids to safety, if there's like an attack or something? I know it's not much… but… it's *something,* and it keeps us working… And if something bad *does* come here, well… We'll all have been practicing how to do it right, you know…?" Sighing, she leans against the blond, eyes closing. "Robyn… I did a lot of stupid things, because I cared about Lucas, and James and the others… And I got everyone hurt. But that was just *hurt,* you know? Even the Magic Fixit Thingy can't do anything if you're dead…" Her head rises, eyes fastening on the robotic youth, a small smile on her face, the words a clear comfort to her.
"Rashmi….I'm not asking anyone to help me or go with me. I don't want what happens to you guys to be because of me, but what is practicing in the Danger Room going to do?" Robyn hates to be pessimistic, and maybe if it wasn't Jordan and Jono involved he might listen to reason but he's not thinking right. "I don't even know where to start but I have to find out where Jordan is, sneak out, head to the Train Station, see what I can find there." Not like the X-Men haven't already done that.
Lucas tilts his head a bit, looking at Robyn, "Tell me what to do, and Ah'll help you," he says, very confidently.
The robot boy continues, "O God, you have bound us together in a common life. Help us, in the midst of our struggles for justice and truth, to confront one another without hatred or bitterness, and to work together with mutual forbearance and respect. Grant, O God, that your holy and life-giving Spirit may so move every human heart, that barriers which divide us may crumble, suspicions disappear, and hatreds cease; that our divisions being healed, we may live in justice and peace…"
It's almost like he's praying his part of the conversation, is the thought that flickers across Rashmi's mind, reflected in her expression. Her eye moove from Robyn on one side of her, to Lucas on the other, and heaves a deep sigh. "…*That's* no help," she grumbles, pinching the bridge of her nose. "…Robyn. Please, *please* listen to me. Going out is a *bad* idea. Especially not if you don't even know what's going on. Just… look. If you want to know more? Ask Lorna. *She* seems to know all about this Mr. Sinister."
"I don't know Rashmi, I hate feeling so….argh!" Robyn says feeling kind of bad that he's loud in the church. He then looks over at Lucas. "Why would you offer to help me?" He's very appreciative of it, but just a little surprised. He's not saying it in a rude way but more in a shocked, curious tone. "I'll talk to Lorna first, I'll do that but Rash, Jordan is out there, I can't go through this again. I really can't."
Lucas shrugs, ignoring Rashmi, "Ah offer because people went after me. Maybe it didn't go so well, maybe it cost some more than what Ah'd like, but…" He sighs, "Ah owe it to the sacrifice. If'n you go, Ah'd like to help."
Mike prays. "O God, by whom the meek are guided in judgment, and light riseth up in darkness for the godly: Grant us, in all our doubts and uncertainties, the grace to ask what thou wouldest have us to do, that the Spirit of wisdom may save us from all false choices, and that in thy light we may see light, and in thy straight path may not stumble."
At that point he stops, not saying anything else out loud for a noticeable moment. Silent prayer. He crosses himself, stands up, and walks back to the others again.
Rashmi's head falls back, eyes rolling skyward… good timing, for that, as Mike's prayer continues. "Oh for… well… fine." Shaking her head, she heaves up off the pews, snatching a push-broom from the corner and beginning to sweep, mouth a tight, unhappy line, more shoving the broom along than sweeping properly. "I know how that feels, you know… And I guess I'll just have to deal with it again. Well… fine."
Robyn is getting frustrated but he's holding it all in, he's not letting himself snap at anyone, just like he's not letting himself break down and cry. Neither will help anything. "Rashmi, if it was Lucas again, what would you do, honestly?" He asks, wanting a straight answer. He then looks over at Lucas and nods. "Thanks, but you don't owe me anything for trying to go after you and for what happened. She loves you, keep her safe."
Lucas furrows his brow a little at Robyn, "It ain't about you, Robyn." He looks at Rashmi as she steps away, and he says to Robyn quietly, "She'll be fine. Just tell me when you need me." He stands, and gives Rashmi a wave as he heads for the door.
"You're free to pray if you like before you head out," Mike says to Lucas, "Or not if you wouldn't. I'm staying until everyone's done so I can take down the altar pieces."
Rashmi ducks her head as Lucas waves, broom scraping harder at the floorboards. "See you later," she mumbles, *attempting* to be at least polite beneath the mounting anger in her chest. "What would I do, Robyn? What *did* I do? And unless I hit my head on something, *everyone* said it was a stupid thing to do. Even you. And considering how much *worse* this seems to be? All I know is, it wouldn't make Jono any better if any of us died on him."
Robyn looks at Mike and waves his hand. "I'm not going to be doing that….I'm not, I wasn't raised…religious." He says trying not to sound insulting before looking at Rashmi. He looks at her for a long time and the look in his eyes is of someone who is at a loss, someone who is suffering a loss, someone who doesn't know where to go. "Rashmi…let me be stupid this time around, please. I want him back."
Lucas waves off Mike, "Thanks for the offer, but there's noone up there what listens to me no mores." He glances over at Rashmi, "Don't hate me too much."
Mike winces internally at Lucas' statement. He's not prepared to help with that much pain at the moment. He murmurs, the reverb-buzz back in his voice. "Not a problem, Robyn. I was, it's kinda hard to avoid with both parents being priests. They let me decide for myself too, which… yeah well you don't need to hear that whole story. So. When Magneto grabbed me … he started to take me apart to see how I worked, and he even 'let' me see what he was doing. Have you ever seen your guts? Or been forced to see them? And had someone talk about taking you apart? He did that. And Scott said Sinister does that sort of thing with Organics. So they haven't been teaching us anything about how to fight back against that. You've been here longer, have you been taught how to resist telepathic commands?"
Rashmi winces as well, looking up from her sweeping to fix her eyes on Lucas, brow furrowed. "I don't *hate* you, Lucas," she sayd, clearly exasperated. "I'm just not happy about the idea of you disappearing on me again, okay?" For the moment, she leaves Robyn to Mike, choosing to throw her hat in after Lucas leaves.
"I've been kidnapped before, by people who wanted to use me for a drug, a drug called MGH, mutant growth hormone. I wasn't dissected but I was strapped to a lab table and used just for my DNA. No one came after us." Robyn says as he lost a lot of faith in Xavier's at that time. "We just were stuck there, thinking every day might be the last, until one person, the doctor that was forced to do work for them, found a way for us to escape. What happens if what you said is true, Mr. Summers and Lorna are scared….what happens if they're not willing to go into dangerous waters, what if they just let him and Jono and the others die?"
Lucas sighs, "Relax, Rash. It's me." He smiles, confidently, and then heads off.
Mike says, as casually as if this were a normal non-seditious thing, "We don't let them. We have been promised that they will fix this. I for one intend to make it very plain that I am watching. If they seem to be hiding, cowering, not doing anything? Then we call bullshit on them. If they DO have someone out there doing what needs to be done to get our friends back safely and without damage, then we continue to trust them. Scott gave me the same bullshit line I got from every administrator at every school, but he backed it up by telling the truth about why he said it. He's afraid, but he also said they were handling it. We have to let them prove they're right before we go charging in like the Light Brigade."
Mike isn't the best person for hugs and things, being all metal-shell and not very cushy, so he reaches a hand over to Robyn's shoulder, at least if he's allowed; his palms aren't as uncomfortable as the rest of him. "I'd say you probably just need to eat something, get some reszt, and maybe
"I'd say you probably just need to eat something, get some reszt, and maybe sleep on it. Or it's cold enough, if I could I'd have cocoa I would."
Rashmi watches Lucas leave, knuckles popping around the haft of her broom, and as he walks out the door she shakes her head. "That's what I'm afraid of," she murmurs, setting the broom down against the back of a pew. "He's right, Robyn," she says, walking over to squeeze his other shoulder. "We have to trust them, this time. Let them *try,* before saying they're not going to handle it, okay…?"
Robyn leans against Rashmi as she puts a hand on his shoulder. "Okay, I'll let them try first." He'll wait it out, for a bit. Then once it seems like there isn't any progress, he'll run off. "I just…it's hard guys, it's really hard. It's just…I just got him back and now….this again. And Jono….why is it the last time you see someone before they disappear it always seems like you have an argument with them?"
Mike tries not to snort. "It's just God's way of saying you should never leave someone with an unresolved argument hanging."
He is totally NOT serious and it shows in his voice.
Rashmi manages half a chuckle, moving to rug Robyn briefly. "I know it's hard, Robyn… God, I know… but… Think about it like this… when they get everyone back… What would happen to Jordan, if he found out you'd died going after him? I know, it's a mean question to ask… but… it's also a really good one, you know?"
Robyn nods and stands up, pushing his hair back with both hands. "I should try to get some sleep." Robyn says as he doesn't think doing nothing is a good idea, like a typical teen he's thinking 'how can I sit back and do nothing when someone I love is out there, doing nothing proves I don't care.' Doesn't make much sense but it's what he's thinking. "I'm not going to do anything stupid guys. I'm…" He shrugs and starts to head out.
Mike ponders, "Sleep… yeah, I need to run backups. I can do that here though. There's electricity."
Rashmi nods. "It'll be okay, Robyn… I understand. Just… please, have some faith in the teachers, okay? We have to believe in them. Otherwise… why are we trying to learn from them?" Patting Robyn's shoulder, she moves back to pick the broom up again. "…I'm going to keep cleaning here, Mike, is that okay? Just… it's something to do that keeps me out of the library."
Mike shrugs, "It's fine. I'll just be looking like I'm asleep. Or praying."