2010-02-15: The Gift

Players:

James_icon.jpg Lucas_icon.jpg

Summary: Lucas gives James a gift.

Date: February 15, 2010

The Gift

Rating: PG


Xavier Mansion - James and Lucas's Room

This is James' room, and by his, we mean 'His.' From the looks of it, in the absence of a roommate, he's taken over the accommodations of two. In one corner of the room, two beds have been pushed together while the window itself has been covered by a few blankets and a large plank of wood—probably a desktop—to block out ambient light. But even with such personalization, there's still at least one desk and dresser left intact. With schoolbooks in one and clothes in the other (although not necessarily in the right order) the room obviously belongs to a student. But, with a lack severe of personal effects to describe what type, all that you have to go by is a large occurrence of gnaw marks distributed randomly across several items.


Lucas is sitting on his bed. He has several biology books spread out across the mattress, and one oceanography text. He's moving from book to book, like he's on some kind of scientific theory explosion. He squints a little at one book, reading the small text.

The door opens and in steps your giant hyena roommate. James walks over to his desk and deposits a book bag he had slung over his shoulder with a thump. "Hey," he says quietly, as if not trying to interrupt, and as if the book bag didn't maybe already. He opens it up and begins to pull the textbooks out, putting them up on the shelf above. He gives you a sniff, "Wazzup?"

Lucas glances up and smiles, "What up, dawg?" Then he furrows his brow, realizing what he said. "Okay, yeah… that was totally not appropriate." He shrugs, "Anyway…" He moves a book, reaching across the bed to a small mechanical device. "Here, Ah got you this." He tosses it at James.

"Ehh," James says disregarding the comment, "If there's anyone I'll let get away with it, it's you—this time." He grins toothfully. His ears go forward, hands quick to catch the small device, "Wazz'this" He pulls out his chair and sits down with an air of finality. Immediately he's looking it over, sniffing at it, maybe considering putting it in his mouth?

Lucas turns, hanging his legs off over the edge of the bed. He points at the device, to the switch on one side of it. "There's a switch there. And on the back, there's a clip to put it on your belt…" He watches James carefully, "You can program it with how you looked, and then… When you turn it on, it'll project a hologram over you." He pauses, studying the hyena. "It'll let you pass… you know… Make you appear human so we can hang out at the mall."

James' ears go back, "Realllly?" He says that with surprise and a lot of teeth! He cradles the device lovingly in his hands, "*Zack* Oh the *zack* havok I'll *zack* wr…" he stops, ears sideways, "I mean…wow…this is awesome!" He gives you the most innocent of looks, but recovers his grateful smile, "Wow…seriously dude…this is awesome." Though, strangely at the mention of the mall he shrinks a little, "Yeah…" He gives you a third look, "I didn't even know they had things like this?"

Lucas nods, and finally grins, "Yeah. They gave one to Mike, you know, the robot boy?" He shrugs, "Ah just figured, you know… Ah got new gloves what helped me, Ah can't leave my teammate behind." He chuckles, "Though, Ah'd recomend you just program it to look like old you. Ah'd hate to see you get it taken away because we was dickin' with one of the assholes." He smiles, "Anyway… Ah'm glad you like it. Ah was worried. Ah know how it feels, ya know?" He glances at his hands, and then sits back on the bed. "So, yeah."

James gives it a good going over—the look one of someone who, if he could manage tools any longer, would take it apart in a moment and make it 'better.' "Wow…this is great," he says again, "I'd hug you, but Rashmi might think I'm muscling in on her territory." He just wows for a little bit, still checking it out. he shoots a look over, "You hear about me and Zack?" He frowns a little, but he doesn't do it for long. He has toys!

Lucas tilts his head, "No. What happened with you and Zack?" he asks. "You kick his ass?"

"It was heading that way," the hyena admits, "Owen stopped us." His ears go sideways, "He just wanted to yell at me for being a dick—which he 'is' entitled to. But he can't take the same. So it went downhill pretty quick." He hmphs, "All that weightlifting is doing nothing for his personality." He looks at the device, "So…I just set it to default and go?"

Lucas laughs, "Maybe you shoulda whupped his ass. Owen stopped you, huh? He's… interesting." Shaking his head, he closes his textbooks. Gesturing at the device, he answers, "Yeah, but first we have to upload some old photos of you."

James goes quiet, "I don't have any." He puts the device down and wipes his hands on his pants as if the thing left a residue on them, "Long story…" He sighs a little, "I can't even tell you what I used to look like anymore."

Lucas didn't expect that, so there's a short pause before he slowly nods. "Okay." He swallows, "Well, if'n ya'll went to public school, we could prolly google your ass." He thinks another minute, and then offers, "Maybe we could use your DNA to try to computer generate an image. Or, Ah reckon, we could always just find a picture of someone good lookin' for you to be- But not TOO good lookin'. Ah don't need you competin' with me for hottest student, dude."

James shoots you a smile, but considers the realistic options as the hyena is already far too pretty to have any competition, "I didn't even have a computer until I came here, so the Google thing will be probably a neg-a-tory." Any strange looks are answers with, "Parents are farmers." He hmmms, "However, the DNA thing would…I dunno…how 'would' the DNA thing work on me now, I wonder." He looks at his paws, "I guess photo it is!"

Lucas furrows his brow, "Farmers? With no computer…" He slowly smiles, "Man, were you Amish?"

James laughs, "No, worse, I'm a Hoosier." He grins, but admits, "My home town has like 500 people in it. Things are a little…sparse." He looks at the device on the desk, "So…try the DNA thing first?"

Lucas nods, "Sure. Ah'll nab a hair off your pillow in the mornin' an' see if'n Ah can get old man Beast to help me. Ah understand the science, but the equipment's a bit beyond me." He sits the pile of books down at the end of his bed. "Ah had 19 kids in my senior class, so Ah do get the whole small thing." He shoves his legs under the covers, looking over at James. "Ah went to an art and science magnet school. So, even though it was a city school, it was still pretty small."

James gives you a long look, "Really? The science thing, that's cool. I used to love biology." He wiggles his claws, "Mine was a normal, small town high school. But, it was in the city over, since we'd have had like 5 kids spread out over 3 grades." He nods to the books, "What'cha working on?"

Lucas nods a little, "Ah was actually more there because of my singing. Just… don't tell nobody that." He smirks, "Anyway, Ah wasn't really workin' on nothin' for class. Just readin' some things Ah like is all. Now that Ah have my hands back, more or less, Ah might actually be able to have a real life and career again one day."

James give you a quasi-surprised grin, but adds, "That's…cool. And I won't say a thing." He waves a hand, "You're on my 'protected species' list, so you're immune to my SHTs." He adds, "Stupid hyena tricks." He looks at your hands and his, "I wanted to be a mechanic. Right now, that's a little 'difficult." That last word is enunciated with teeth.

Lucas nods a little, "Thanks." He sighs, and asks, "A mechanic? Like, cars? Or something else? Ah mean, Ah reckon you could fix the blackbird one day, huh?" He shrugs, "And you know, this holoemitter just fakes it, but one day, maybe we can figure out something more, huh?"

James nods with a sigh, "Yeah…" There's a soft shrug, "I keep hoping. When it started I could shift in and out. Not sure what happened. So, maybe I just need practice. I need to get the Dr. McCoy and see what he thinks."

"So, you were more like a were-hyena at first?" Lucas asks. "That… Ah mean, if'n that's the case, then it's totally possible we could train or teach you to make that shift still. We should absolutely talk to Professor Beastly about it."

James nod-nod-nods! "It was easy. Painful, but easy." He shutters at the thought, "Imagine a 7-foot, 250-pound thing tearing out of a 5-foot 120-pound body."

Lucas chuckles, "You'd be the dirty sex king at Dragon Con, James." He lays back, pulling the covers up around him. "Maybe there's hope for us yet, brosef."

James laughs and shakes his head, "Okay..I need to go try this out. I…promise not to get it taken away. No Zack." Words of truth, eyes of lies. "Rashmi says he's off limits.," okay—Zack's safe.

Lucas rolls over, "Have fun. And no lookin' like me and makin' out with Owen or Rashmi!" He pulls the covers all up around him, and sighs. "Good night, Jim."

James' ears go sideways as he plots…something, "No, you're safe. She is too. Promise. Night!" And with that, he *springs* out of his chair and runs out.

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