Players:
Summary: The 'team' gets on the same page in regards to James.
Date: July 11, 2010
Log Title: The We Hate Selene Club
Rating: PG-13
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.
At least today is better than yesterday, physically, for Robyn. There's a bit more colour to him and his breathing isn't as labored. He's still in quite a bit of pain though. He's been thinking about a lot in the past few hours as he just lies there, not able to move much. He's awake and there's his laptop in front of him as he watches old Monty Python episodes on his laptop. It's helping to keep him feeling not so horrible emotionally. He still has bandages around his head, one arm, his chest and the neck brace is still on but at least at the moment the pain killers are in swing.
Jinx just hates the med bay, or any medical facility and here she is for the second day in a row. She wears her usual gear, except for a cropped jeans jacket that is slung high on her ribs. "Hey Robyn," she announces as she comes in. Looking around, she slides a couple sodas out of her jacket. "I committed a crime for you," she winks to the boy, and peeks a toothy grin as she sets them on his table.
Lucas wanders in wearing his flannel sleepy pants and a wife beater. It's the end of the day, and he's checking to make sure the doctors haven't made any mistakes on his friend. He's barefoot, though he is wearing a new pair of gloves and a chain around his neck with some kind of square pendant on it beneath the shirt. He moves straight to Robyn's chart, beginning to check it over. "Hey." He looks at Jinx, holding a stare with her for just a moment longer than normal, smiles, and then looks back at the charts. "You seem to be doing better, Robear."
Connor is the last one to come in of the group that seems to be present… in his case just walking in and taking a moment to peek from the outside. After the first and short conversation where Robyn's painkillers kicked in, this is pretty much how it's been. Usually he comes around lunch time, and not in the evening however. At the sight of the others, he lingers at the door, though for one… his normal scent carries through the air after a few moments.
There's a small smile a the sodas as Robyn takes one of the cans and holds onto it. "Thanks Jinx and I'm feeling a bit better but I don't know if it's the machines or the painkillers." From his position he can't see Connor though he'd be happy to see him. "I…I have to tell you guys something but you'll probably be mad at me. I did something stupid." He says not able to meet either of their eyes.
Jinx smiles at Lucas, and exchanges his look. Howdy. She scents Connor and looks towards the door. "C'mon in, Connor. I am pretty sure Robyn and I are not biting. Meltdown might," she teases, then Robyn's words capture her attention with a sudden snap of her head, her eyes fixed on his face. "Oh god, Robyn…" she doesn't even want to ask. A hand tightens on one of his bedrails.
Lucas chuckles, "Robear, if'n y'all held every stupid thing what Ah done against me, Ah'd be in jail. Or worse. So… Just spill." He glances at Jinx and grins when she calls him Meltdown, and then looks to Connor in the doorway. "Hey," he offers, with friendliness that doesn't completely mask the subtext of not as friendly as they used to be.
Connor steps into the room after several moments, and looks at the other two before he pushes his hands into his pockets, boots echoing on the floor as he makes his way around the others, "Hey…" Offered back to Lucas and then a shrug-nod to Jinx as he makes his way around the bed and to the other side. Looking down at Robyn, he exhales once and then shakes his head gently, "You're looking better." Leaning over Robyn a bit, he reaches up and ruffles his roomie's hair very gently, though his eyes flick occasionally towards the other two.
There isn't a smile as Connor ruffles his hair but it's appreciated. The tension is noticed but there are more important things, so he thinks. Robyn doesn't look at any of them but whispers as he speaks. "I remember..what happened." His body tenses a bit and he blinks a few times. "I…I wasn't sure if what Jinx said, about James, was right. I had to find out. I got so tired of seeing my friends get hurt and not being able to do anything I thought I could do something. I…I tried to possess James the other night, in the woods. I..hit a brick wall, like nothing I've ever felt before. I walked into the lion's den and got caught. I'm…I'm so stupid. I tried to get away but I couldn't think of how without running and turning my back to 'James'. It was 'James', the person possessing him, pushed me in front of the car." He he remembers some of the words said and shivers. "I'm sorry. I was an idiot."
Jinx's hand comes up to cover her mouth as Robyn confesses. "Robyn! I told you not to go alone!" she reacts with a quick flash of frustration. Her hand curls tighter on the bed rail, and if her knuckles were visable they'd blanche with the force of her grip. "He tried to kill you…!"
Lucas looks up from the medical chart, looking right at Robyn. He stares for a long moment, and slowly, his scowl turns to a wide smile. "Wow." He closes the chart. "That's fuckin' balls to the walls, Robear!" He gives Robyn's safe calf a good pat. "What did we find out?"
Connor merely looks over Robyn for a moment, looks up at Lucas, and there's a moment where one might think he was about ready to do violence on him, "What…" He whispers out, eyes blazing up, "Look at him, Lucas… really… really… look at him." And with that he turns and starts walking towards the exit of the medical bay.
Robyn still doesn't look at anyone, because he's afraid, he's scared, he knows he wants to cry but Robyn hates crying. "Guys, please stop. Please. Think about James, this isn't about any arguments anyone might have, this 17,000 year old person, Selene, has possessed our friend. She tried to kill me, she told me to die. She said 'you and your team can die'. She's rounding us up to kill us. And…it gets worse." He says as he wishes he could curl up on himself and hide. "Connor…you need to hear this too."
Jinx breathes a soft hiss as the bickering begins. "Guys… just chill and listen. We're a team, right?" she looks between Connor and Lucas, a look that speaks volumes of just what she'll do to them if they make this about petty squabbles. She lays a hand on Robyn's hand…one that's unbroken, hopefully. Her calming mojo ebbs out through the skin to paw-pad connection, which she seems to be getting more practice at lately. "Keep it together, Robyn. So, this thing has a name. Selene. And she wants us dead."
Lucas scowls after Connor, but then calms when Jinx tells them to. "Connor, being a hero comes with risks." He sits Robyn's chart back into the holder, and very calmly says to Connor, "Ah HAVE looked at him. He's hurt BAD. And he already said he KNOWS it was stupid and a mistake. Lecturing him or makin' him feel any worse than he CLEARLY already feels just adds drama and guilt that we don't have time to nurse. Please… Come back."
Connor turns and faces the two, and where before he might seem angry or conflicted, instead just a mask, "Us? A team? We can barely stand a day being around each other…" There's no malice in his words, but he continues, "I'm not thinking about the heroic thing to do. All I'm thinking right now is that thing tried to kill Robyn. And he just said it… it's coming after us. So I'm going to find James, and I am going to make it very clear what happens to those that threaten the things I care about." Unlike his usual self, there's a calm confidence about him… a… togetherness, "But… if you've got a better plan, I'll hear it out." Stopping then, he drops into an 'at ease' military pose and waits, with none of the usual twitches or movements of the hands.
Robyn would probably be close to crying if it wasn't for Jinx's hand on his, causing him to calm down. He's not in any position to try to resist. "Connor don't!" Robyn says as he tries to push himself up and fails. Wincing, he takes a few deep breaths before continuing. "Last night James…Selene…came to visit me. She gave me a warning. I am supposed to throw you off the trail or Jinx will be next. I can't pretend nothing is going on, I can't lie to you guys, not about this. But, Jinx might be the next target. I don't know.." The truth is, Robyn's terrified.
"Robyn just said that he tried jumping in, and that is when he got caught. Maybe this 'Selene' felt threatened and needed to let us all know real clear that she is playing for keeps. It could have been any of us, and it *will* be all of us if we go confront this thing one at a time, right?" She looks between the boys, her hand in constant contact. Upon hearing that she is the next target, she flattens her ears a little. "Okay. Yeah. I'm an easy target. No defensive skills," the emotional connection flickers with a jagged spike of panic before settling again. Mellowwwww. "Okay… so…" Jinx concentrates. "What do we know about this thing? It's name is Selene. It wants to kill us. It's living in James's head. It wants to be leader of that Hell-whatsit gang. What else guys?" She looks back over her shoulder, her purple eyes a little wider and fur prickled along her neck.
Lucas watches Connor, and then just lets it go. He turns back to Jinx, "Relax. He ain't layin' a fuckin' paw on you." He sighs, rubbing his temple for a minute. "Okay… Ah've been researching the Hellfire Club thing. They're this super rich secret club with a lot of folks in powerful positions. Folks like…" He smiles, "Get this," he pauses for drama, "Xavier Academy Co-Headmistress Emma Frost."
Connor flicks his eyes back and forth, and then looks back at Robyn, "Whatever power this Selene possesses is now combined with James' strength, regeneration, reflexes, and his enhanced senses. Easiest ways to disable the body would be going to a hardware store and buying some mace. Right in the nose. It will overload his senses. Also, a screamer or a whistle at hypersonic frequency. If what's inside him is human, it won't expect us to attack the animal attributes." And the entire thing comes out with the smooth manner as if he'd considered all of this a long time ago, "But we're neglecting the obvious thing that should be done. We stop trying to handle this, and we tell the staff. We tell the Headmistress. Otherwise? The only way to fight a bully is to beat them until they feel the fear they're attempting to keep you trapped in."
"I agree, tell Ms. Frost. Good work finding that out Lucas." Robyn says giving him a faint smile as his hand holds onto Jinx's the best it can. "Selene has mental defenses like I've never felt and she can cause you to forget stuff. Oh and she's 17,000 years old." Robyn says finally being able to look at his friends. "I don't think what's inside is human if she's that old Connor. She wants out of him, but…she wants to kill us to. I don't know why."
Jinx is surprised by the revelation about Emma Frost being involved with this Selene entity in the same secret rich club. "Dude…." her inner SoCal girl emerges with a bit of Valley twang. "Really? You think Miss Frost is involved in this too?" Now that is a chilling thought right there. She listens to Connor's surprising lucid breakdown of the various attack strategies. "I can't help if you go that route," she says flatly. "I don't think it will work, beyond just pissing him off a lot." Calmmmmm says the emotional link to Robyn, all pink and fuzzy and warm. "What if this Selene and Ms Frost are working together? What if this is some sort of bigger scheme and we're being set up?" Her tail gives a quick lash of annoyance.
Lucas shakes his head, "Frost is NOT working WITH him. One of James' goals is to overthrow the head of the club and be their leader. Honestly, Frost doesn't strike me as the type to be okay with helping anyone be in charge but her." He shrugs, "Maybe Ah'm wrong, but that's just my gut." He looks at the other kids, and he sighs. "My vote is we solve this ourselves. Leave the adults out of it. Everytime Ah ever involve them, it gets overcomplicated and stupid. That's just me." His eyes move to each of his friends here, then back to Robyn. "If y'all say tell, then okay. Ah'll see her first thing in the morning."
Connor shifts only a fraction where he's standing, "Actually Jinx, you've got the perfect weapon. Ever seen a telepath that wasn't a control freak? Ask Robyn… he keeps a tight rein on himself because of the things his mind can do. Your power doesn't have anything to do with psychics… you use pheromones… olfactory senses. She's going after you first because you're the most dangerous. You can make someone fear, Jinx. Fear is an emotion, and I think you could make her afraid. Very afraid." Sighing once, he closes his eyes and takes several breaths, clean and even through the nose and out the mouth, "I've spoken my peace. I say we tell, but if you all disagree… then we have to make it abundantly clear from the beginning that this Selene no longer creates the rules of engagement we follow. You're right that together we can do this… but it also means we hurt someone we all care about. Hopefully he'll either never know, or be able to forgive us."
"No, I think letting Ms. Frost know is a good idea Lucas. I just..we need help. I don't want what happened to me happen to one of you. We might not get lucky a second time." Robyn says meaning that, maybe next time she causes one of them to have an 'accident' they might not survive. "I agree with Jinx though, that attacking him isn't an option. It won't accomplish anything. We need to stick together….I don't care about Selene but I like to think the four of us are a team." The only reason he's not breaking down is because of Jinx. "Lucas, as much as I want to solve this, I think we need help. And you let us know who we can ask for it."
"My powers only work to people who don't know that they're suggestions. I think if she has James' memories, she'll know that as well," she breathes a soft sigh and looks to Robyn again, her hand curling around his finger. She is concentrating hard on remaining calm, but little flashes of her own inner turmoil ripple to the surface like fish jumping in a lake. "Robyn said if we told, she would come after me first. If we don't tell and pretend like Robyn told us all a story, it will only buy us time and information." She pauses as Robyn speaks. "That's two to one. We tell." Her lips press together in a thin line. Of course this means that she is next on the chopping block.
Lucas nods. "Fine." He's not happy about it, but he doesn't protest. "Ah should get some rest then. It'll be a long morning." He sighs, nods, and then turns to go.
Connor doesn't say anything in that regard, instead just turns to the side and takes a couple steps back to give Lucas the room to leave that he wants, but his eyes follow him as he departs, turning back later towards the other two.
The emotions that keep hitting Robyn are odd as he feels it from Jinx. "Jinx..has a point. About the buying more time and information. We can always use that later, tell Emma, when we're ready." Robyn says as he looks at everyone and closes his eyes. "Thanks Lucas, keep up the research." He says meaning to be a compliment as he closes his eyes."
Jinx is tired as well, suddenly oh so tired. "Yeah, Okay. Tomorrow then," she gives Robyn's finger a squeeze before pulling away, and having a quiet sort of freak out in her mind when she does so. "I'll see you tomorrow, Robyn. We'll keep you posted." Her arms cross over her chest and she turns as well. Her tail sags against the ground in an unhappy sort of curve. Being a hero sure sucks sometimes. "I'll walk ya up. See ya, Connor." She nods to the boy, her eyes fixed on him a long moment before sliding away.
Connor waits until after the pair have left, and approaches Robyn for a moment, leaning over the bed and whispers down towards him, "Robyn… what you're trying to do is noble, but ultimately stupid. No one can be here with you all of the time, no one can be with Jinx all of the time. And no one can predict where or what it will do next. Telling the staff is the right thing, but we shouldn't wait. Good night Robyn." And with that he turns to leave, boots thudding evenly on the way out the door.
"Good night Jinx. Thanks." Robyn says, looking forward to the company tomorrow. Then as Connor speaks he just nods, he's fine with them telling Emma. "Connor, thanks." Is all he says as he watches the last of his friends leave. Though with Jinx and Connor gone, and realizing he's alone, all the fear comes flooding back into him along with the fact that 'James' might be back in the middle of the night, he loses it and just starts to cry from being scared.
