Players:
Summary: Heather gives one more friend a warning.
Date: May 21, 2011
Log Title: The End of the World
Rating: PG-13.
Xavier Mansion - Chloe and Heather's Room
//Slightly bigger than the old room, the new rooms fit two students comfortably. Each room has off white walls with a dark brown carpet. There is one window in the middle of the wall that looks out over the grounds. Each room has two beds, two dressers, two desks and two closets, one for each student.
On Heather's side, clothes are strewn about on the floor. Her 'decorations' are just cluttered up on the top of her dresser, various glass and metal figurines bearing no resemblance to one another. One might wonder if she just collects things that don't match any other thing that she already owns. Her desk is cluttered with various scrawls of poetry and journaling. She seems to have no qualms about others reading her personal thoughts, though, since they are open for everyone to read.//
Heather sits on her bed cross-legged, back turned towards the room as she stares intently at the wall, taking deep breaths. If one was to look at her face from the correct angle, they would see that there is plenty of tension in her expression, which means she's concentrating. She swats the air next to herself and mumbles, "Shut up shut up shut up. I need to concentrate."
From outside the window there is a patter of feet followed by an insistent tapping. A sure sign that Chloe is back from her training. "Heather are you in? I think I've locked myself out," she calls through the glass. "Either that or you closed the window again. I should probably start leaving post-it notes…"
Heather turns around towards the window and blinks a few times quickly with a neutral expression, "Chloe, I just have to check, is that really you? What's the passcode?" She approaches the window and readies herself to open it up, but waits for a response first.
"We don't have a passcode?" Chloe points out, dangling by her cyberntic fingers. "If you /really/ need proof there is a candy bar hidden in one of the sneakers under my bed. For emergency midnight snacking only." She drums her fingers against the glass. "If you could just let me in and then worry about if I'm me? Only I'm exhausted after bushido classes and this whole hanging from one arm thing isn't helping."
"Fine, but if you're an imposter, I will be very cross," says Heather, unlocking the window and opening it. She then runs to check under Chloe's bed for the confirmation candy bar, and pulls it out of the sneaker. "Why is this hidden? You could have just written your name on it."
Chloe sticks her tongue out. "Because I'm used to living in a room with a little sister who steals all my stuff and by hiding it I'll feel guilty about eating it. So it really only does get eaten in an emergency." She hauls herself into the room, dressed in a Death cab for cutie t-shirt and a pair of black pants. "Is there something you wanna talk about? Only you've been acting off for a while now…"
Heather puts the candy bar down on her own desk, and then sits down on her bed. She pouts slightly and notes, "It's the end of the world. I think I'm starting to understand that, and I think I can now point to the time. What a cruel and absurd joke." She rubs her face lightly, "I keep seeing and hearing things, on the edge of my consciousness, and I know the voices are counting down…"
"The crazy Russian girl didn't send you any of her coffee before she got transfered did she?" Chloe asks tentatively, shutting the window behind her and then flopping on her bed. "If not whatever whoever gave you is probably bad for your system and you shouldn't have anymore."
"No, no, no, no, no. That's not what's happening here. I have not consumed anything out of the ordinary. I have been engaged in my preparation, and I have been eating more standard fare than even usual…" says Heather, looking up towards Chloe. "Have you been keeping up with news? There have been things that caught my eye." Her eyes shift over slightly, and follow something along the floor, before she looks back up with a very serious expression.
Chloe frowns. "You mean the fake rapture?" she wonders. "Or that story about some kinds of chocolate being good for you?" Something in her roommates expression causes the speedster to sit up and lean over, as if she was hunting for hidden clues. "Have I missed your birthday or something?"
"My birthday is in August, and frankly, is irrelevant to the way that I age," says Heather, "And the rapture discussion have caught my attention, though perhaps not for the reasons that you might suspect…" She frowns slightly and glances over, "My parents broke out of their holding facility. I suspect they know where I am, as I have been experiencing both visual and auditory hallucinations, a sharp change. My father would not pass over such a joke of ending my world at the appropriate time. I can hear the countdowns, I know it's a countdown, but I can't tell where they've counted to…"
"No worlds are going to end," Chloe states matter of factly. "Sure he might try and convince you otherwise, but his power is all about faking stuff. He can't end anything. Besides if they come for you I swear I'll send them back to a high security fracture clinic." She nods. "I mean anyone trying to use illusions on me will struggle to fake my fist of doom, especially if they have to keep the illusion going at my level of fast world."
"I still have difficulty making distinction between illusion and reality. I'm not really sure there is such a distinction… these are all mental worlds, and it is only through our perceptions that we can possibly navigate them. Do not underestimate the mental strength that my parents collectively wield," warns Heather, very seriously. "I appreciate that you will do your best to stop them, but my capture is an inevitability, the opening gambit of a very important game. You must play another role."
"Dashing heroine? Girl who kicks ass and ends up making out with some ultra hot secret agent guy?" Chloe suggests hopefully. "Or do you want me to go undercover? Actually… if I go undercover as a slow worlder that might trick them. I'd get flashes of illusion but when the times comes I'd be able to ignore it and strike before they could mindzot me."
"Perhaps that would function, though I'm not sure if you underestimate their resourcefulness. If they are capable of manipulating me, it is likely they will understand… Dashing heroine, perhaps, sounds like a better idea to me. I have made preparations… I hope you will be as informed as possible come time for encounter," says Heather, looking down at the floor again and pulling her feet up. "If you want to make out with some hot secret agent guy, well, that is up to you, I suppose."
Chloe rolls her eyes. "It would help if there was actually going to be one around," she points out. "Do your schemes include the possibility? Because if there's a chance that I'll have to look good while I'm kicking ass I better ensure I look my best." With a wink she adds "Maybe we should come up with some code phrases we both know. So we'll know we're really us. I suggest we use Steel Penguin as our secret pass phrase."
"Well, I do not explicitly exclude the possibility of an attractive secret agent, so yes, it includes the possibility. Frankly, my plans are only skeletons anyways, and it will be up to those outside of the illusions to fill in the flesh," says Heather, frowning for a moment, "When I saw flashes into the future, I wrote down what I saw. They captured me, and they won. I'm hoping my preparations will change my fate, but that is not up to me. And yes, fine, that's a fine passcode."
"But when I spoke to future you I'm sure she said they died. Which kinda implies they didn't really win, if that makes sense?" Chloe replies, sprawling on her bed with determined lazyness. "Define winning anyway. Surely for a supervillain it means world conquest or something major."
"No, not that far of a victory in that reality, I suppose they succeeded at more local control, and more specifically, control over me. And yes, they eventually died in the new world order. Sentinels don't take well to illusion," notes Heather, raising her brow slightly. "Or that's what I understand."
Chloe hmmmms. "I think I have an idea for our secret weapon!" she declares. "Something they can't influence, can't mislead and uhm… I guess they could stop it. But the rest still stands."
"Hm, well, we will see what they can and cannot stop, but do not tell me your plans, I don't care to know them," says Heather, raising her eyebrow slightly at her friend.
"But you're the girl with the plans," Chloe reminds. "And it's not like they can read your mind. So knowing isn't going to hurt providing you don't act on the knowledge."
"My father knew to include my synasthetic experiences within the World of Illusions, and that makes me suspect there is some extraction of experience that can occur," says Heather, crossing her legs, "I keep my plans fragmented and obscured from their vision, but to tell me an explicit plan, well… they may be able to react to it."
Chloe pulls a pillow over her head. "Eugh. But if they can do that they can pluck the names of your friends out and then peek in our heads for the plans. But if you /really/ insist…." She mumbles something into the pillow. "Can you at least tell me one thing, do you think they can fake input from mutant powers? Like if someone has heat vision would your dads power fake heat vision without him figuring out he needs to fake it first?"
"I have only seen my father's abilities applied to me first hand, but he and my mother have defeated many mutants with extra senses in their careers, so I would suspect that he can account for that," says Heather, nodding slowly. Well, relatively slowly.
Chloe throws the pillow at the wall. "That sucks, but I guess it means my super secret plan will just need a little more work and need a little less oversight. But it'll still be good… I think…." She sighs. "Want to step up our martial arts lessons? I know physical force isn't ideal against them but it can't hurt now can it?"
"Well, we can step it up for the time that I have left," says Heather, nodding quickly, in the twitchy way Heather moves that only Chloe can perceive properly. "Should the opportunity arise, I would like to punch a hole through their chests."
"/No/," Chloe snaps, jolting into a sitting position. "You're not going to kill them. Promise. And especially not using stuff I've taught you. You kill them and you become like them, which means they win. It's not a win condition you should consider. If you have to hit them anyway break some fingers or maybe a leg."
"Well, I do not think I would, because it could very well be a layered illusion. I try to avoid killing for precautionary measures, but when I say that I want them dead, I really do mean it," says Heather, expression darkening, "These are the people who have ruined and destroyed me, they are the builders of the World of Illusions, they were the ones who caught me in the In Between, they are the reason I was trapped in the White Prison. That they even exist brings me nothing but perpetual dread. I hate them, I hate them so much, Chloe." As she speaks, her voice becomes notably more upset and she tears up, "You know I'm not scared of anything. You've seen it. But they are terrifying."
Chloe rolls over. "Heather, they're only terrifying because when you last saw them you were powerless. Now you don't just have friends willing to help, but you've got experience and training. You've had so much more time to grow and prepare yourself and they've been rotting in jail. Sure they seem scary now, but when you face them remember that they're slow worlders and they're not invulnerable. They fucked up and ended up in jail once after all."
"They only fucked up because I stopped time," says Heather, taking a deep breath and rubbing her eyes lightly, "And it broke my father's control when I manifested so violently. Of course, stopping time is not an idea that I would recommend, especially if you do not know how to unstop it."
"Doesn't matter. Proves they can't predict and control everything doesn't it?" Chloe points out. "And think of all the extra variables Xaviers means. Simply accounting for the differences between my power and yours must be really tricky. Throw in Connor with his extra senses, Robyn with his ability to hop bodies and the enhanced mental resistance and you've got a nightmare scenario. Besides I'll be with you and I never lose."
"You are rather confident. I have a very high win rate myself, I would go so far to say it is competetive with yours in the various domains I play," says Heather, raising her brow with a small amount of amusement, "There are many variables they are accounting for, but the reason I fear them is because they are better at accounting for variables than I was. I only hope that I have improved by leaps and bounds enough since then. I am afraid, in another world this is a battle I lose. My hope is that we all do better this time."
Chloe nods. "We've had personal training from an Avenger. What've they had? Lessons in why you shouldn't drop the soap and plenty of time to watch daytime tv. And yes, I'm confident because I have no intention of letting my best friend get taken away and if your folks think they can stop me they'll be sorely mistaken." She giggles. "Although we're getting back onto the topic of dropping soap and thinking about that is likely to be way scarier for you than any fighting could ever be."
Heather shrugs, "I don't really know the meaning of the phrase, other than the literal one." She scratches her head and draws her fingers through her hair and nods, "Well, I hope that you are correct in saying that we will have some advantage over them. Just please do not underestimate their abilities… take them very seriously."
Chloe sighs. "Mistaken. As in taken in a… Lets just hope they don't challenge you to a joke contest. I'm pretty sure it's one arena you really would be outclassed in." She pulls herself into a sitting position. "Look just because I'm not afraid of something doesn't mean I don't respect the risk. Martial arts can be deadly but it doesn't mean I'm afraid to train in them. You just have to believe in yourself and do everything you can to make sure nothing bad happens."
"No, I'm not very good at humour, perhaps I will get better over time," says Heather, frowning slightly at that, "I tend not to experience fear either, this is probably the only exception where I feel my heart beating like this. I'm glad that you respect the risks then. I agree that you do not have to be afraid to handle a situation appropriately, but I cannot help but to be a bit fearful."
"Everyone has to be afraid of something. Even the fearless," Chloe murmurs, waving her arm. "I worry all the time that my hand will stop working and I'll be maimed again. But I don't ever want to let it control me." She shrugs. "So you really think me pretending to be slower isn't going to help? Because I won't bother trying if it'll likely be useless. Too much hassle."
"Frankly, I'm unsure of how much use it will have, but they'll be able to take on your perceptions into the illusion. Are you able to alter the way that you actually perceive the world?" asks Heather, tilting her head slightly, "I know that I cannot, but you seem much better adapted than I am."
Chloe frowns. "Maybe a little? I can definately do tricks with adrenaline rushing myself which alter how everything seems… But that's all I'd need right? Glitches to break the illusions."
"Yes, glitches can temporarily make for bridges, as with a timestop. I idly wonder if a time stop would work again? I think I would prefer not to even attempt something so absurd though," decides Heather, nodding.
"Well. If you stop time you can be damn sure they won't beat you," Chloe ventures cautiously. "After all frozen people can't maintain illusions and you'll have plenty of chances to punch them. Just have to be sure you aren't going to cause any serious damage to the flow of time."
"I've done it before, but it almost destroyed me, I caught myself in months within a moment. Eating becomes rather difficult," says Heather, shrugging, "But I am unsure if I could reproduce those kinds of effects anyways. I'm not sure if that would be wise."
Chloe frowns. "Keep it as a back up plan then," she suggests. "Like a fire alarm. Incase of extreme evil break time. And I'll be sure if we need a rescue mission we bring plenty of food for you to be on the safe side."
Heather nods at Chloe, "That sounds like a fine plan. I think that time is much more robust than many people would expect, though. I am presently slowing time, but it is only in my own perception, since others are experiencing the same differential flow. Were I to stop it, we'd have just as much differential flow."
"Would you letting yourself suddenly snap back to normal timeflow be safe?" Chloe asks curiously. "It sounds like it might yah know. Cause ripples or something. Maybe cause earthquakes in Japan."
"Well, the slower time moves from my perspective, the more the differential flow makes me seem to be moving a light speed, I suppose. It did not seem to have much effect, since from my perspective, the world interacts with me completely normally. But I only tested it while I was in the In Between," answers Heather, shrugging, "I have not much for data on the matter."
"So if you suddenly shifted to slow world speed you don't think it'd make something go weird or explode?" Chloe double checks. "I kinda wish I had more candy hidden under my bed, because this seems like the type of chat best held with some triple chocolate icecream or very fancy chocolates. The only way we could make it any more serious would be if you confessed to having a crush on a boy."
"No explosion was experienced prior, I do not expect one to occur in the future," says Heather, nodding. "And I'm not sure if I could really do a crush. I suspect that I would likely be more forward than to have one, but I guess you cannot judge these things unless they occur. And you? Any crushes on your end?"
Chloe shakes her head. "/Now/ we're onto a deadly serious topic! And no. Not a single cute guy has made an impact, although I made one of the new kids come over all shy… I just hope he won't fall for me. Don't think I could handle having any more guys going misty eyed over me."
"I have not had anyone approach me with misty eyes, and I suppose that suits me just fine. It is a social encounter that I am woefully underprepared for, I don't have any notes about it in any of my journals," says Heather, tilting her head. "It always sounds like there is so much interest in you, and you do not take it. Have you ever gone out on a date with a boy?"
"Several. Not all at the same time before you ask," Chloe informs, shrugging. "And I wouldn't call at most two guys in my entire time at Xaviers so much interest. Trouble is I don't think I have the time to date anyone. There is so much I need to figure out about myself if I ever want to reach my goal that fitting in romance isn't going to work."
"Not enough time is an unusual complaint for one who has so much time in which to work. I suppose I make the same complaint on occasion, but still, strange thought," says Heather, glancing down slightly. "What is it about figuring out yourself that precludes a romantic relationship?"
Chloe smiles. "I want to exceed Quicksilver. Become the fastest person to ever live, which is going to take so much training I don't know if I'll ever manage it. But if I give up my dream for a guy then I'd end up resenting him for it and that wouldn't be fair. So I need to either get what I want or find my limit. Nothing else will do."
"Exceed Quicksilver? Hmm. Are you willing to exclude any time benders from your competition, because while you are faster than me, and I suspect you always will be, I may learn some tricks…" says Heather, smiling slightly at that. "You just need to find yourself a fastworlder. It will be easier to fit your interactions between tiny pockets of moments…"
"A fastwolrder who doesn't mind being second best," Chloe corrects. "And I don't doubt you'll come up with all kinds of tricks. But for this… I don't think timebending counts." She chews her lip. "The way I see it timebending is more about changing the rules rather than winning within them."
"But see, if I stop time, I approach light speed, and that is pretty fast indeed," says Heather, "If I go backwards it's faster yet! But you're correct, it is about rule change, at least from my own perspective. And you do not think you would tolerate being mates with a rival? It would push you both to your limits."
Chloe waves her hand. "I don't mind a rival. Providing they know they're never going to beat me!" she exclaims. "And I think I might become some sort of legendary martial artist. But again that's something which will need plenty of focus that a boyfriend would get in the way of."
"I'd like to be a legendary player. Whatever that means, we will see, but I do not mean it in the way I see it used on MTV closed captions," says Heather, nodding firmly. "I suppose I would never qualify as your rival, though, being one whose only hope for speed is in fact cheating."
"Being rivals seems like it could get in the way of being friends," Chloe muses, trying very hard not to imagine Heather as a ghetto pimp. "You mean a power behind the throne type thing? Or something else?" Alas the image is too hard to fight and giggles set in.
"You thought about it, didn't you. You are imagining right now in a lime green suit and covered in bling and gold teeth, aren't you? Maybe I am even lifting my cane and claiming that I will smack a bitch. That is certainly not what I mean," huffs Heather, "And yes, perhaps something like that. I want to make sure if I am ever engaged, for any reason, in any way, I will win," says Heather.
Chloe shakes her head. "Not true! It's a pink leopard print suit with a feather boa and a really wide brimmed hat. Oh wow. You should totally dress like that if you have to face your folks. It would utterly mess with thier heads. Especially if you can somehow get a Seventies saxophone track playing in the background." She slips into song and adds "You see this cat Timeslip is a bad mother— Shut your mouth - But I'm talkin' about Timeslip - Then we can dig it!"
Heather just stares at Chloe for a moment or two, "Okay, well, I think they'd be surprised. Certainly surprised. Though I suspect my choice in garb for our faceoff will surprise them in any case." She closes her eyes in a scrunchy face and opens them again.
"Shall we add bitchslapping to the self defence routine?" Chloe asks innocently. "Nothing says contempt for your foe like a back handed slap to the face. Except maybe a battle wedgie."
"You're being absurd. /Absurd/. And I'm calling you that, Chloe, that's a signifier of the absurdity," says Heather, putting on a very serious face, "I will express my contempt in letter form, written in rhyming iambic pentameter. Such structure would be unexpected, and they would feel the full concentration of my disgust for them."
Chloe takes a bow. "I do my best," she teases. "And, not to spoil your plan, but if they're so evil why would they read your letter? Surely they'd be too busy being supervillians?"
"Hmm. Yes, they would probably reply by crumpling it and tossing it to the ground, stomping it to show their disregard for my emotional state, giving them the emotional edge. That's a good catch, Chloe." The way Heather speaks makes it seem as if that particular statement was genuine. "Although…"
"What about soaking the letter you give them in something which will cause chemical irritation?" Chloe advises solemnly. "And that way you win whatever they do with it. Especially if you slip a bug into the envelope."
"Well, that was not what I was thinking, but thank you for the advice," says Heather, raising her eyebrow slightly at her friend. She scoots back on the bed and leans against the wall she was previously staring at.
"I figured they wouldn't expect something like that from the good guys," Chloe explains, yawning. "And I think my running to and from training has left me in need of a nap. Wake me up if you need me." And with that she prods at her alarm a few times to ensure she doesn't miss her evening meal and curls up on her bed.
Heather nods at Chloe and says, "You sleep well." She turns around in order to face the wall once again, glancing down at her wristwatch for a moment, before relaxing her body and waiting.
