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Summary: During a conversation about /not/ being superheroes, Rashmi gets a text from Lucas and three teens go running off, against Jono's warnings.
Date: January 16, 2010
Log Title The Text Message
Rating: PG
Xavier Mansion - Medical Bay
The Medical Bay contains the latest medical equipment to patch up students and X-Men with the smallest and worst injuries. Six beds line the walls for injured patients. Equipment lines the walls, medicine in the cabinets, and more serious medical supplies locked in cabinets. One this about this room it screams sterilization.
The only reason Robyn slept last night was the resident medic gave him something to help him sleep. He's been since patched up and the only thing visible is the cast on his arm. He's been awake for the last hour and his food remains untouched as he just stares at the other wall. Addison is passed out next to him and his mind is racing with one thought 'what is going on?'
Even since the attack, and her eventual return to campus grounds, Rashmi has run herself all but ragged. Fetching blankets, regular headcounts of the students, running gofer for the medical and administrative staff, and only sleeping under protest, the redhead seems determined to keep herself busy no matter the cost. At the moment, she's back in the medical ward, seeing that the injured and bedridden are at least moderately comfortable.
"Rashmi." Robyn says spotting his friend as she walks in. "Hey." He trys to give her a smile but it's definatley something that his heart isn't behind and it shows. "Man, you look awful." It's an atempt to tease hear about how rugged she looks.
Rashmi looks up as Robyn's voice is heard, offering a smile to match Robyn's. "Hi… Feel pretty awful, too… but, there's too much to do for me to worry about little things like that, you know?" With a shrug, she makes her way to Robyn's bedside, fiddling with his blankets.
Robyn pushes himself to more of a sitting position and wincing in pain, grabbing his side. "I know things are crazy here. Just…don't run yourself too ragged okay?' He says worried about his friend. "Do you know…if Dallas slept at all? Or heard about Mikhail?" He's worried about his friends as well.
Rashmi shakes her head slightly. "Haven't heard or seen them at all… not since… well, we got back…" A shadow passes over her face as she says this, and she leans against an empty bed next to Robyn. "…I'm terrified, you know… Lucas… he's out there. He's… like Nathaniel, and James, I think…"
"Dallas and Mikhail and Trey found me." Robyn says looking up at the ceiling and not able to make eye contact at the moment. "Jordan too. I didn't know about Lucas, it just…it's all a blur Rashmi, the voice and then Jordan..and…" He just blinks a few times and sets his face so he doesn't show much emotion. He hates crying in front of others. "I'm scared too Rashmi." He says softly.
Rashmi leans over the bed, closing her eyes and hugging Robyn. "Oh God, I'm so sorry…" She lets out a quiet, shuddering breath, straightening and attempting to put on a smile. "It's okay, though… We can get them back, I know it."
Robyn winces but he does return the hug with his non-broken arm. "I want him back, Rashmi. Even though he…" He looks at his arm and even though Jordan injured him pretty bad, he doesn't blame him. "It happened after he changed, there was the voice, he changed and then I…" He closes his eyes and lets out an exhale of breath. "I'm sorry about Lucas, Rashmi, I really am."
Rashmi shakes her head softly. "No… don't be. Because we'll get him back, and Jordan, and everyone else, and then we can get on with our lives." Her voice, wavers very little when she says this, as though she honestly, truly believes it. "We just… have to do what we can, in the meantime."
"I hope so Rashmi, I hope so." Robyn nods and it's easy to tell he's just worn out and unsure. "I just want to go home Rashmi, to my Mom and Dad, but they're in Brooklyn and the whole city is effected that I don't know if I should." It's that 'I'm Scared and want my Mom' thing that lingers from childhood.
Rashmi's eyes water, and she presses her lips together, nodding her understanding. "How about… When your arm gets better, we can go to the library, and just write our parents letters? So maybe even if it's not safe to go see them… At least we can let them know we're okay?"
Robyn reaches his right hand and grabs Rashmi and nods. "Well I'll call them if anything. I just miss them right now. A lot. I'd rather be a frog again." He says sounding a lot more grumpily than intended. "Dallas said we'd find Jordan and get him to be himself again, I hope we can, and you…with Lucas."
"I don't blame you," Rashmi says, attempting a chuckle, though the end result rings much more hollow than she'd like. "And… I hope so. I really do… So I'm going to see that it happens." Sitting down finally, for the first time in hours, the redhead lets out a quiet sigh. "…I think I'll talk with Pro—um… Addison. About more powers training. I, um…" And here she flushes, slightly embarrassed at herself. "Sort of… put James through a car window…"
Robyn is lying on one of the beds with his left arm in a cast and trying to foucs on the ceiling as much as possible while Rashmi leans on a bed next to him talking. "You put James through a car? Really? I just saw Jordan that was it. We were…" There's a slight blush to his cheeks. "Before he turned and broke my arm and threw me out of the boathouse."
Rashmi bobs her head. "I'm… really, really sorry to hear that, Robyn… And it's not like I *wanted* to, just… he kept coming, and just being near him was killing everything around him… He was talking about running Zack down and murdering him, so…" The redhead shrugs, looking away. "…So I hit him with my powers, and it put him through a truck window."
The door to the medlab quietly slides open for a thin man wearing all black. Jonothon's made a bit of a transformation in that he's clean and groomed. No more homeless look. Not that he's wearing anything other than black, but there's at least some improvement here. «You saved people's lives, gel.» Having heard the last of Rashmi's words. «Don't have to like it, but you did the right thing.» Coming in, he briefly checks the screens to see where Addison still may sleep. (And if Addison is gone he checks the last recorded condition of the man.) For someone you guys don't know, he clearly has used this medical system before.
Rashmi pages, "Yeesh, no kidding!" to you.
"You had to do what you had to do Rashmi. They…I don't know, but I have to accept them, along with Jordan and you with Lucas, are dangerous." Robyn says looking down, his hair flopping in his face. He watches Jono as he enters the room and doesn't say much to him, getting kind of shy in the fact that he's so emotionally right now and that Jono is a stranger.
Rashmi looks to the door, smiling slightly as Jono enters. "Yeah… I know. Just…" She shakes her head, sagging against the bed. "It's not like I'm not glad I kept Zack and July safe… just… I don't know if I want to *like* it, you know? There are so many kids, in love with the idea of being a superhero, maybe an X-Man or whatever… I never was. Especially not now that I'm in the middle of this kind of stuff." Combing a hand through her hair, she sags back on the bed. "I won't let it stop me, if I need to. I just… don't want to get used to it."
A look to Robyn, a nod in way of hello, and Jonothon turns his attention to Rashmi as he pushes the screen away from him. Done. «Sounds like a smart thing to me.» Not liking the conflict. «Being a hero is a load of bullocks. Scared all the time, hurts like hell, you almost never get a thank you, but you're out there doing it anyway because it's the right thing to do. Not liking it is a good thing. The people who enjoy it are the ones who are messed up in the head.» A little jaded? Could say that. He turns his head to Robyn again and lifts a hand in a more proper greeting. «I'm Jonothon Starsmore. People call me Jono. Used to live here years ago. You guys okay?»
Robyn actually can't help but smile at what Jono says. "I'm Robyn Larkin, and..I'm…okay." He says hesitantly. He's not dying so he thinks he's 'okay'. "I know what you're saying sir….Jono..Sir?" He doesn't know which to call him. "I have no desire to be a full time hero but at the same time I won't let it stop me ignornign something in my face, I just..don't want to go looking for it." Robyn wants to be an artist, that's his dream. He looks over at Rashmi and nods, agreeing with everything she said, and reaches an arm out to touch her arm. "We can be non-superhero mutants together."
Rashmi chuckles quietly, patting Robyn's hand. "One day, sure. Right now… I'd just settle for getting our boyfriends back." Looking up at Jono, the redhead blinks, flushing slightly. "Um… right… Sorry about before. You know, when I yelled at you. I guess I wasn't in my right mind at the moment."
That big nose wrinkles as he's called sir. «Jono.» No sirs here! He's just a slacker. «This school isn't about being a hero.» The Brit reminds you both. «It's about learning to use your powers so you don't blow the head off your best friend accidentally.» Eyes narrow, laughter wrinkles showing. It's about the only smile he gets these days. «What you do outside of that, using your powers or not, is entirely up to you.» This one would happily cast aside his powers, but that's not an option. «Frankly, not being a hero is the sane thing to go.»
As he's apologized to, Jono shrugs. «Don't worry about it, gel.» Sure it hurt at the time, but he's not holding a grudge. «It's pretty much true anyway, and you were being controlled by an empath telling you to hate me. What's to be upset at you about?» A pause as he looks between you. «I'm not interrupting, am I?»
Robyn nods and blushes a bit, as he doesn't know Jono at all and for some reason it's a bit more awkward for him around a teacher with his having a boyfriend, but then he blinks and looks at Jono. "What, an empath controlling someone to hate? Wait…was this..right after the voice?" He says remembering not feeling like himself yesterday when Trey was around. "And I have no desire to be a superhero, I want to be a sculpter. I'm just hear to learn how to use my powers and deal with being depend on others to function."
Rashmi nods. "It was Nathaniel," Rashmi confirms. "He was making everyone feel what he wanted us to feel… Addison was having trouble holding him back, and when he got bit…" The redhead shrugs. "He couldn't keep us protected anymore. He tried to get Zack and I to go to Central Park… But I guess he went too fast, and we came back to ourselves something like on the other side of the town. And then, we ran into James, just outside the mall while we were walking back."
Eyeing Robyn for the second blush since he's entered the room, Jonothon decides not to comment on it. It should be noted, however, that he'd have no issue with the boyfriend aspect. The English are FAR more lax about that then most Americans. Nodding to confirm what Rashmi says, the Brit pulls over a chair and flops down into it. «Gave me the biggest bloody headache.» What expression he can make tells that it was a doozy of a headache to boot. «James, huh? Another student?» Saw the demon, but didn't know who it was. Not that he knew who Nathaniel was either. To Robyn he shrugs, «Nothing wrong with wanting that.» Being a sculptor and wanting a normal life. Jono wants that too, but has accepted he won't get one.
Mikhail is once again either looking for Robyn and/or Dallas, he hasn't seen either of them since he got knocked out yeasterday, hes dressed in a pair of black shorts and a white t-shirt, he hasn't really been in this part of the school before apart from danger room sessions, but this is where Robyn's scent has led him, entering the med bay he looks around for Robyn.
Robyn nods at Rashmi's word and closes his eyes with a sigh. "I really do have to apologize to Trey then, I didn't know what came over me but he made fun of Mikhai's fear of fire and I just attacked him. I don't just attack people….except for…with Lucas." The first time Robyn ever punched anyone out of anger. "Wait, Central Park, what's in Central Park, what's going on there?" He hasn't heard anything yet since being in the medbay for the last twenty four hours or so. As the door opens and Mikhail walks in, Robyn waves his non-broken arm from the bed he's lying in. "Hey Mik."
Rashmi nods to Jono. "One of my teammates, actually. But… it wasn't really anything like him. James might have been a little hyperactive, but he wasn't nearly that… hateful." Her nose wrinkles, and a small shudder runs up her back. "That's where they say all this started," she says to Robyn. "They say the City's *really* bad, right now." Looking up as Robyn waves to the feral youth, she nods her own silent greeting.
Looking over a shoulder as Mikhail enters, Jonothon lifts a hand in greeting. «Hey, mate.» Look, Mikhail, he's met Robyn! Not that he knows Robyn's name, but that isn't important. Back to Rashmi, he nods. «I've heard about something like this before. Happened a long time ago. People got turned into demons. It's why people are acting so weird, I'm sure.» Might be weird that he comes off as so blaze‘ about it all. Yeah, people are turning into demons, the temperature has risen to insane levels, and there’s great mayhem.. and?
Rashmi blinks. "Well, if it's happened once before… How'd it get stopped? Maybe it'll work again?" A thin hope at best, but, any port in a storm.
Mikhail says a quick "Heya" to Jono and Rashmi before running over to Robyn to check on him, "You ok?, i not remember tomorrow, but you hurt", he points at Robyn's arm, hes also worried that Trey may have hurt him more after he got knocked out, and feels bad about not protecting him.
Robyn smiles at Mikhail and nods. "Yeah, I'll be fine, just gotta heal." He says trying not to worry him. Then he looks at Jono curiously. "Yeah, do you have any idea how to look for a way to stop it? I know I don't want to go out there but my…our..Boyfriends..are out there, and I just want him back."
Jonothon shrugs to Rashmi about her questions. «Before my time, gel.» Doesn't know how to stop these things, sorry. «I wasn't even in America, much less a part of this school, when that happened.» He's not that old, sorry. «Read about it. Don't remember much.» There are several reasons he's not rushed out to try and help, and the simple lack of being an official part of any team is a large factor. He's wise enough to know that alone he doesn't stand a chance. That and he can at least protect some people here, as well as has no ID, no money, and no transportation.. yeah.
With the motion of a hand Jono says he isn't sure. «We could look it up in the files, but I don't have access anymore. Been gone too long. What we need to do is talk to Summers. He was there, then. Fought the demons, stopped them. I know it seems bad, but right now the best thing we can do is wait. Rushing down there will get us dead, or worse.» Nope, doesn't even bat an eye at boyfriend.
Sage advice. Probably the best course of action that could be taken. So of course Rashmi's phone picks that moment to let out a generic text-message tweedle. Blinking in surprise, she pulls it from her book bag, fumbling with the menus for a moment before opening the message… and her face goes pale, eyes widening sharply. "Oh my God… no…"
Mikhail nods at Robyn and cant help but smile when he realises that Robyn's gonna be alright, "We will get them back", he is deadly serious about that, he starts to calm down but then feels a dramatic increase in the level of fear Rashmi is feeling, he doesn't understand texts but that gets his attention.
Robyn is about to say something in response to Jono but all that is forgotten as Rashmi looks a the text and he sits up quickly, ignoring the pain for the most part. "What? Everything okay Rashmi?" He's obviously worried for his friend.
The phone rings and Jonothon frowns at Rashmi's reaction to what she finds there. Makes him wonder if he was that young, and stupid, once. The answer of course is yes, he was. Now watching someone else go through this, he sighs. Hopefully she will listen to sense. «Gel, what?» There's a pause before he asks, «Your boy?» Who else could it be? Demons have to know how to use cell phones, especially if their hosts do.
Rashmi's fingers fly over the phone, sending a reply back, and the response is almost immediate. Her face turns slightly green, and she nods, hurriedly getting up from the bed. "He said… he said he's going to… perform… at the Gershwin. At eight." A quick glance is given to the phone's clock. "…I think I can get there in time…"
Mikhail has know idea what a Gershwin is but he does know that leaving the Institute now is a bad idea, especialy when Rashmi doesn't look to good right now, as she goes to leave he runs to block the door, when standing there he puts a hand out, "Wait".
Robyn goes to move out of bed crying out a bit in pain from the cracked ribs but trying not to pay attention. "I'm going with you Rahsmi, maybe..I can help or maybe Jordan will be there." He's not about to let a broken arm stop him. "I just gotta find my Alpha Squadron uniform and stuff, when do you want to leave?" It's like nothing Rashmi, or anyone will say at the moment, will really stop him from going with his friend.
Jonothon rises to his feet. «Are you both insane?!» Asked darkly of the girl as she claims she can get there in time. «He's one of the missing, remember? That means he's probably a demon. You going down there is going to get you killed. Have you been listening at all?» No, he doesn't much expect her to listen, but he tries anyway. «Don't go, gel. If anything, tell him to come here. Maybe we can help him if he does.» Looking between Robyn and Rashmi, his expression is pleading.
"I already tried, Jono," Rashmi says, her voice resigned as she sets Robyn's free arm around her neck, helping him out of the bed. "He's not coming. But… I have to. If I can just talk to him, maybe it'll help. You don't know him… I'm the only one in this school who doesn't think he's not worth the time, even Robyn. *I* can talk to him, because… well, nobody else would…" Closing her eyes, she shakes her head. "I know it's stupid, Jono… I know it's probably the worst idea ever. But… What else can I do?"
Mikhail doesn't move from his position in front of the door, "Stay, it dangerous outside", hes not sure what to do, but he isn't just gonna let then go, he will physicly restrain them if he has to.
It's through sheer force of will that he doesn't facepalm at Rashmi's answer. «Look…» Trailing off he motions with both hands, palms upwards. «Think of it this way. /He's/ not in any danger right now. I know you're worried, but he's not. Not if he's bloody well performing tonight in a demon run city. Think, gel.» One of those hands lifts and he taps his head. «Think. He knows you love him, so he sends a message that he knows will get you running off at the first available chance. What can you do? You can wait for a group to form up to deal with this. You can learn about what's going on. Then, with backup, we'll all go down and fight this. Then you can talk to him. Doing that now is throwing your life away quite pointlessly.» Jono won't physically stop Rashmi, but he appreciates that Mikhail will try.
"And if I don't go and don't try to stop him, then what?! Jono, he's going to be there and he's probably going to *kill* people! Probably a lot of them!" She's terrified, yes, but her eyes have that regrettable look every X-Man has held more than once; now she Has A Purpose. "And if I *don't* try, then I'll let that be on his head for the rest of his life? *No.* No way. We're going. If anyone wants to help, that's great. If not…" Shaking her head, she starts toward the door, eyes pleading with Mikhail. "Then just pray for us. Or wish us luck. Y'know… whatever…"
Mikhail still doesn't move, but he is now enen more unsure of what to do, hes torn between wanting to protect his friends from getting hurt, but he also knows he cant let other people get hurt, he looks to Jono for advice, "What do Mikhail do?", if they do go, hes definatly going with them.
Hands drop and Jonothon tilts his head. «And if you go, he'll probably kill you too.» Said plainly. «If the other demons don't kill you first.» Of course he does understand. The man has been in her shoes before, and has been even more stupid, but he still had to try. «It's been a day. You think he hadn't killed anyone yet? You really think love is going to magically remove possession? This isn't a romance book, gel.» And yet, Jono isn't blocking her path. She can easily get around him if she opts to. «Good luck finding a bus that goes down there. Or the train. I'm not driving you.» Hands are tucked into pockets as he lets her go.
Asked what to do, Jono shrugs. «You willing to hurt her to stop her, mate? If not, then let her go. Doesn't mean you have to like it though.» He sure doesn't. «You're being right stupid, Rashmi.» Using her name for the first time.
Robyn looks down at Mikhail as he walks with Rashmi, should he be going, hell no, but he's a teen whose not thinking straight. "I don't like Lucas, not at all, but he means a lot to you Rashmi, even if Jordan isn't there, maybe it'll help." And he cares enough about Rashmi to care about her feelings for Lucas. "Mikhail, you can come with us and help us figure out a way to bring them back." He's not thinking straight, just like Rashmi.
"Yeah… yeah I am." A small, sad smile is given to Jono at the use of her name. "…And I'm not silly enough to believe I can save him just by loving at him. Just… maybe I can give him a hand saving himself, y'know…?" She doesn't stop as she leads Robyn to the door, skirting Jono and walking slowly up toward Mikhail, clearly intending to move on by.
Mikhail nods when Robyn tells him to go with them, "Ok, Mikhail will go", he walks over to open the door, his trust in Robyn completly clears up his indecision on what to do, he is going with them.
Jonothon's dark eyes are melancholy as he stands there. «Just come back alive?» People have to learn for themselves. It's a very bitter pill for the man to swallow, regardless of his lack of throat, but he lets you all go. «I do have to warn, that if you go you can pretty much kiss the idea of a normal life good-bye. These things change you.» No, you won't listen, but he warns regardless. «Good luck.»
Robyn walks with his arm around Rashmi's shoulders, ever ounce of his brain is screaming 'bad idea' but the idiot part takes over going 'you can help'. He feels bad that he's dragging Mikhail into this. "We will Jono, I'm…sorry."
Rashmi listens closely to Jono's advice, nodding slowly. "I know… Kind of silly, isn't it? I *just* spent all this time saying what I didn't want…" With a sigh, she turns back to the door. "We'll be back as soon as we can, Jono… all of us. I promise."
Mikhail gives Jono a nod before turning to Robyn and Rashmi, "We will bring them back", he knows what hes agreed to is dangerous but he is completly ready to help.
No, not sorry enough yet, but Jonothon's sure you will be. Saying nothing, showing no further emotion, the man may as well be a statue for all that he moves.
Robyn looks to Jono and gives him an apologetic look and just goes out with Rashmi and Mikhail. "I'll make sure they're okay." He says putting the responsibilty on his shoulders.
