Players:
Summary: Jonothon's sister comes looking for him. The day ends poorly.
Date: 03-24-2010
Log Title Visiting Family
Rating: PG
Xavier's Observation deck
The limo that pulls up isn't one of the fancy ones, but instead the kind that speaks of heavy protection. Plain, black, and kind of ominous in its own way. The driver is wearing a black suit, but doesn't make it in time to open the door for the woman who emerges from the back. Slender, elegant, and very well dressed, everything she does speaks of class. Not snobby, elitist, but elegance instead. There's a smile, and a bit of a laugh as she finds the driver giving her a look for not letting him get the door. "Next time, luv." British accent.
So the driver grumpily goes to unload a couple bags out of the trunk, and the woman touches her hair as she looks around. A red head, her long hair is pulled back and up, leaving artful curls to drape. Think Audrey Hepburn. Beautiful, but not the modern bleach blond kind. Willowy, and warm. Small, even though she's five eight before the heels. Late twenties, for all her age is middle thirties. Leaning back into the limo, she fetches her purse and finally closes the door behind her. Now, to face this massive structure alone..
Having decided against all evidence that walks about the grounds are a good thing to help her recover, Rashmi had *just* arrived at the statue, book in hand, prepared for a nice relaxing afternoon… and the car drives up. While students being dropped off isn't terribly unusual, a limousine is in itself reason for a second look. As the woman steps out, her eyes widen, and she tugs her shawl a bit more closely around her shoulders, hesitantly approaching the gate. "Um… can I help you, ma'am…?"
Dark eyes immediately shift for being spoken to, and that smile is presented to Rashmi. "Hullo." Phone in hand, she immediately stops paying attention to it. "I'm ever so grateful I've been found. This place is daunting." Yet said with a smile. "My name is Elaine Simms. I'm here looking for Jonothon.. Jonothon Starsmore. Please tell me he hasn't pulled another vanishing trick just before my arrival?" You know, she really does look like Jono. Same eyes, same general face. A hand is offered. Not quite a handshake, but a greeting none the less. Elaine grips the hand if allowed, keeping the contact light and brief. There's a strange little feeling for it too.
The hand, taken almost by reflex, followed by a small bob of a curtsy. "Um… Rashmi… Rashmi Franklin, ma'am." There's a short pause, and a blink. "…Oh! You're looking for Jono? Um, sure, I'm pretty sure I can get him. …I guess he doesn't know you're here, ma'am?"
Such a polite girl. "..Rashmi?" Asked with apparent delight. "He's mentioned you." Elaine must think this a good thing however, but she doesn't linger on it. From behind her is a quiet, "Ma'am?" And the woman looks back to the driver carrying her bags, "On the steps, please, luv?" The man nods, moving away, and Elaine turns attention back to Rashmi. "Christ, no." Jono doesn't know she's here. "And I'd appreciate it if you didn't warn him either." Phone gets tucked in purse. "Please? I haven't been able to see him in ten years. He.. keeps running away thanks to this mutant nonsense." Looks a bit defeated for the running away part. "I don't care what's happened to him. I only want to see my little brother again."
"Oh… my…" Chewing thoughtfully on the inside of her cheek, Rashmi watches the driver carry the bags up to the steps. "Well… Why don't we… Oh!" Her eyes light up, and she spins to face the older woman. "I know! We could go up to Observation, and I can call him up? Just, y'know, tell him I'd like to talk to him and it's important?"
"That would be brilliant." Said with a relieved and very warm smile. "Rufus? Seven, two days from now?" Elaine asks the driver, holding up two fingers. "Will do." The man says gruffly before returning to his driver's seat. Then you have the woman beaming at you. "Lead on, dear." The bags are eyed a moment, but with a shrug she will haul them inside. "Leave them. Nothing I can't replace. Observation?" More interested in seeing her brother, than in her luggage.
Rashmi blinks at the notion of just leaving the luggage, but one does not lightly ignore the requests of the very obviously well-off. "Okay… um… This way, ma'am." Skirting around the bags, she leads the woman up the steps and toward the mansion doors. "I know it really seems like a lot to take in, ma'am… but there's pretty close to a couple hundred kids that live here, so after a while? It doesn't seem really terribly huge, you know?"
Slinging her bag over a shoulder, Elaine follows. "It's more of what I face here, luv, not truly the building itself." She explains gently. "I've been to Buckingham more than once. Now that was intimidating." Yet there's that smile. "Nor am I bothered by mutants. Especially not in being one. Dear Rashmi, it's not knowing how Jono will react." Lips thin as she shakes her head. "How is he? His messages have gotten smaller and smaller as the days pass. Then nothing for a week. When he writes again, there's no mention of anything about those missing days. I know that means something is wrong."
And to that, there's really not much Rashmi can say. It's in her eyes; she considers prevaricating, for his sake, as she leads Elaine to the elevator, but can't seem to find it in her to do it. With a sigh, she leans against the wall of the elevator as the doors close. "It's been… bad," she says quietly. "The last month or so…? Yeah. Especially for him."
Elaine nods, noting the vagueness, taking it very seriously. "Then it's about time I arrived." Why does she sound like she's here to save him? Probably because that's how she thinks of it. "Can you tell me what, luv? I know there are.. hmm.. how shall we say?" A little smile for that. "Aspects of this place you're not suppose to speak of. I won't press is so, but I need a better grasp of the issue. He's closing off again. That heralds a disappearance. I'd love to stop it this time." She doesn't know that the running aspect won't be happening this time, but then only Jono does.
This news causes Rashmi to frown, puzzled. "Really…? That… I don't know…" Shaking her head as the elevator arrives, she leads Elaine out in something of a daze towards a nearby couch. "I'm not sure why he'd do that… There's a lot of kids here who really look up to him, you know? He hates hearing about it… But he's kind of a role model for some of us." Plopping into a chair next to the couch, her frown deepens. "I'm going to have to be really, *really* vague, okay…?"
The woman can only go on what's been happening in the past. Doesn't yet know that Jonothon has finally decided to change. "Luv, I don't think even he knows why he does it." She sounds so very weary of the issue. "He's been doing it all his life, and often drastically. Once, when he was fourteen, he ran off and lived homeless for months. Then when things got bad there, he came back home." There's a very helpless shrug. "That's only one example. But please, even vague could help." After that, Elaine is all ears. She is very glad to hear that he's a role model. That had her brightening even if she doesn't mention it as she sinks into a close chair.
Rashmi nods, aranging her hands in her lap, searching for the right way to start. "Well… It started a little after he came here… um… again, I guess, it was a little after I started school. He found out that he'd been kidnapped…. Experimented on, I guess. It really sort of ate at him for awhile, not knowing what had happened to him. But, then the guy who did it, came back. Messed with him some more, played with his thoughts until he was…. well…" At this, Rashmi shrugs. "Not Jono. Something terrible. He hurt a lot of kids, scared a whole *bunch* of us. But, we got him back, and he's mostly okay now. Except, he still remembers what he did, you know? And he doesn't really like being touched, anymore. It's… kind of part of what was done to him, keeping him isolated I guess." Shrugging helplessly, she takes a deep breath, looking up at Elaine. "But I think it bothers him more that there's a lot of time he just… can't account for, you know? Like, years, before he came back to the school."
Elaine's expression shifts to near horror and she covers her mouth with a hand as she's told. "..This is the vague?" But it's more of her saying she can't grasp the horror truly involved as the vague is far too much. It takes her a little while to gain a grasp on herself again, and that determination returns. If anything it's stronger. Jono isn't the only stubborn one in the family, "Thank you, Rashmi." Said seriously. "I suddenly feel so very out of my depth though. How ever do you deal with this?"
"….I don't know," is Rashmi's quiet reply. "I mean, it's easier for some of the others… But, I'm still sort of new to all this, you know? I just… keep trying to remember that it's over now, and everything'll be okay. Eventually. Hopefully sooner than later, you know?" With a shrug, she does her best to banish the black mood with a bright, cheery smile. "Anyway… shall I call him up now, ma'am?"
The quiet reply has Elaine offering a hand to the teen. Reaching out to comfort and give support. Whether or not it's taken, she says nothing of it. "Please. Our reunion may be a tad.. messy." She too puts on a smile, if wry. "Please do forgive us. I may have to be quite stern about a couple things." Which she doesn't explain. "Will you help me? He adores you, and trusts you."
Rashmi takes the hand, squeezing gently… though the admission has her looking rather startled. "…He does?" Eyes flick down and to the side, suddenly not feeling all that spectacular about betraying his trust, even if a little and for good reasons. "Um… okay, then," she says, releasing the hand and digging her phone out of her book bag. "It'll be just a moment." Type type type type [Jono? Im sorry to bother you, but. I kind of really need to talk to you, if thats okay?]
"Of course he does. No feeling guilty now." Elaine straightens in her seat, all business. Never mind she's feeling pretty much the same. The text message has a bit of delay in it, but the British woman shows no discomfort in the waiting. She merely checks her own phone while this goes on. Leans back in her chair, crossing her legs. The reply is simple when it arrives, [You okay? Where?] Elaine looks hopefully at you.
Rashmi draws in a deep breath, looking up and nodding in reply. [Im in observation. Im okay, just… need to talk i guess.]
Elaine beams, but then returns to her own phone. [Alright. Be there.] Jonothon doesn't take too long either. When he appears, well, he looks like crap. No, he wasn't like this last night. The man looks like he's the hang-over of all hang-overs on top of being sick to his stomach. Of course he also looks utterly floored as he opens his mouth and Elaine rises to her feet. No words come as the two stare at each other a moment. Then something cracks nearby.
It breaks that moment. Jono looks immediately to Rashmi, too shocked to even be angry. «Are you alright?» Asked in worry.
"Of course she's alright." Elaine counters, coming to stand before him. They are very nearly the same eight with her in heels. "Look at you!" She breathes in wonder as he stares down at her a little dumbfounded. Clearly she missed the whole no touching thing as Elaine reaches up to cup his face. And yet nothing happens for it. "How handsome you are! Mum said.."
That's when Jonothon pulls her hands away. «Stop it.» Angry now, he keeps her wrists.
"Let me in, Jonothon." Elaine insists.
Rashmi curls her legs up to her chest, looking on in the wide-eyed silence of one desperately trying not to be paid attention to. She was warned it would get messy, and she doesn't doubt this in the slightest… but no borrowing trouble.
Both of the Starsmores are stubborn people, so it goes in this vein for a while. And yet, before long there are no audible words at all. The conversation shifts entirely telepathically, and the two struggle against one another in what amounts to a contest of wills. It's not Jonothon who wins though. Physically they just stand there and glower at one another, until the psy-fire makes an appearance.
That's the beginning of the end. "Ha!" Elaine crows, all but throwing herself into the fire. Jonothon's eyes go wide, and then he looks dismayed. Really, it might seem like she was doing him harm. Especially as all the anger in him begins to crumble. The facade begins to break. His expression shifts to confusion, then fear, and finally agony. He can't make sounds, and he can't cry, but it's so very clear that it's what is going on. The sob that soon issues is mental and Jono crumples to the floor.
Wrapped in psy-fire, for it begins filling the whole area around them, Elaine is crying as she sinks down to wrap her arms around him. There's the beckoning motion of a hand to Rashmi. Hurry! Come here!
Rashmi slips off the chair, pushing through the field of psy-fire to kneel next to Jono. Throwing an arm around his back, she squeezes tightly, her free hand slipping into Elaine's outstretched hand. Silent, she offers her support into the sobbing tangle of sibling in the middle of the Observatory floor.
Passing through the psi-fire gives an unfair advantage in this situation. Touching it when he's like this means Rashmi gets a good look at exactly what he's feeling. Doesn't share it, thankfully, but that might not be all that much comfort when one gets to feel the agony he's been in. The pain he's been carrying for years.
Touching Elaine only furthers the contact, for she too is a telepath. Only Elaine is sending comfort. Strong, steady, and so very warm.. love. Her touch allows Rashmi's own support to be added to the mix.
When the crying finally begins to wane, Jonothon's thoughts begin to shift to embarrassment. Elaine mentally prods it, firmly feeling that this is unnecessary, but Jonothon lifts his head to look at both women he's being held by. Those eyes show absolutely no signs of crying, and they are apologetic. «Christ.» It's a very quiet protest. «Why are you always here for me?» He asks Rashmi. Elaine only laughs and smooths his hair.
At this, Rashmi can only shrug helplessly, tears still streaming down her face. It's not an easy thing to deal with, even having a look at what's built up inside Jono's head this last however long, but behind the tears and pale, slightly bloodless features, her smile is a brilliant thing, gentle and bright. "…Isn't *snif* isn't that what friends are for…?"
Elaine too is struggling with tears. She brushes at her eyes, showing that unlike her brother, she's puffy-eyed and now fairly wet. "She is brilliant." Agreeing with something that isn't explained.
Exhausted in the aftermath of this, a psy-fire tendril seeks to touch Rashmi's cheek. It's so very much like a thumb brushing away tears. And yet Jonothon himself is mostly supported by his sister. He's totally not sure how to answer that. «This seems a little above and beyond, gel.» He says, kind of amazed at it all. The psy-fire still swirls around, but a good portion of the tension is gone. Jono still hurts, but he's finally let it go. Something that was so very necessary. Then levers himself up on his own, not pulling away, just sparing his weight. «You are an arse.» Said to his sister.
She shrugs, "I got tired of waiting." Then her attention turns to Rashmi, "Thank you, luv. I know it was a great deal to ask of a stranger."
Rashmi shakes her head, wrapping her arms around Jono's waist, squeezing tightly. "No it wasn't," she murmurs, before letting go. "It was just what he needed." Scrubbing at a cheek, she looks around at Elaine, that smile returning. "Besides… if he thinks this is above and beyond, he doesn't know me all that well, y'know?"
Elaine laughs for that. "He's an idiot." The tone is so very fond though. Once Rashmi is done hugging, the woman leans against her brother. "It was still a lot to ask of his friend, luv."
For his part Jonothon wrinkles his nose even as he's hugged. There's none of the badness that had been there previous for being touched, and he hugs Rashmi back. «I am sitting right here.» It's a plaintive sound. He's kind of light headed with it all, so a little out of it. Elaine leans and he slides an arm around her. Yes, he's embarrassed, but what can the man do? «Guess I don't know you, Miss Eep.» Rueful that.
Rashmi wrinkles her nose, snorting at the nickname. "Well okay *you* meet Magneto face to face for the first time ever and see how well *you* do when he asks for your name." Her voice is hardly anything like annoyed, however, she to Elaine she just shakes her head. "No, ma'am. Honestly, it really wasn't. Not for Jono."
Elaine looks highly amused as there's talk of Magneto. Tossing such names around like it were nothing. "I pray I never meet such a man." Got quite a lot more than she expected from Jono's memories. While Rashmi was spared much of the horror, Elaine has a much better idea as to why her brother has been running away all these years. While smiling, there's a haunted cast to her features. "He's very lucky to have you."
Jonothon wrinkles his nose right back. «First time I met him he couldn't hear a word I said.» Not that he eeped, but that's beside the point. «He's never hurt you, has he?» Then he nods about Rashmi, «I am.» Lucky. Isn't looking at either woman for that though. His poor pride. So battered. «Robyn is going to throw a bloody fit.» Sigh. The thought is kind of random. Elaine gives him a strange look, but he only shakes his head.
Rashmi shakes her head at Jono's question, first. "No… I'm *pretty* sure hurting me would be kind of counterproductive, y'know? But he talks, and glowers and… well yeah, ma'am… Just about anyone who's lived in New York in the last fifty years or so knows to be very, very afraid of him." At Elaine's strange look, the girl shrugs. "One of my classmates… I think he tried to get Jono to open up, yesterday. But, we all do, now and again." Looking back at Jono, she chuckles. "I told you… you mean a whole lot to a whole lot of people, remember?"
That answer mollifies Jonothon about Magneto. That man is crazy, and seems to have an interest in Rashmi. That's worrying. «You already know he's crazy, but be careful. He wants something from you.» Jono pointedly looks away again as Rashmi speaks again about the people who care about him. This is so not a topic he wants to speak on.
Elaine says, "Ah!" About Robyn, watching her brother's reaction. "It's because you closed yourself off, luv." Speaking of him in spite of the dirty looks she is getting. "Jono.." Pleading that. "It's all right there." She taps his head and he wrinkles his nose in distaste. "You turned off more than you know."
«Stop it.» Now he's earnestly getting angry and he pulls away. Psy-fire lashes around a little. Reminded of it, the man starts pulling it in. The sense of Jono all around one fades as the psy-fire does. «I don't want it talked about.» So there!
Rashmi very nearly scowls at this, and one doesn't have to be a telepath to pick up on her frustrated 'is this a guy thing?!' But, she lets out a breath, pulls in a deeper one, and nods. "All right. It's just between us, and the walls. Okay? And… don't worry about Magneto, Jono. I don't know what he wants… but I know what he can expect out of me. And I'm *pretty* sure they have nothing to do with each other."
If it helps Elaine is wearing the same expression as Rashmi. Men! Doesn't help that Jonothon is stubborn in his refusal. His sister even pokes him for it. They are both so twelve at the moment. Rashmi's reply has the man looking serious again. «Good.» That's a huge relief. «I've only read about him, but sounds like you already know to be wary.» Easier to talk about this. Looking back to Elaine, he gives a little and leans against her again. This brings about one of her warm smiles. A little circle of red-eyed red-heads. The woman just radiates pleasure for a moment, reaching to touch Rashmi too. It kind of wells up inside her and spills out. Jonothon can only look away.
Rashmi smiles at the touch, nodding to the couch and raising her eyebrows in a question. "…You said you were going to be here for a couple days, right ma'am?"
Elaine sneaks something in during that touch. Just for Rashmi. «He'd decided not to run away even before we did this.» So very happy with that. «You, Robyn, and someone named James, have made a huge difference. Don't let him fool you.»
The couch is a good idea. Sure Jono wants to flee, but he merely nods and starts collecting himself. It takes help, and psy-fire TK to get him to his feet. The psy-fire startles Elaine a little, even with her previous experiences, but she helps. "Oh luv, call me Elaine, or Eli. You're making me feel positively ancient." She's smiling though. With some effort the Brits are crashing down, still close. Rashmi is of course welcome. "Two days here, if this idiot doesn't toss me on my arse." Nodding to Jono. "I'm living in New York now, however." That has Jono looking shocked. "We'll be staying at least a year. My husband's business. That means you must meet your nephew, Jono." Jono? He wrinkles his nose.
Rashmi plops down on the other side of the couch, sharing a pleased smile with Elaine over the information she'd imparted. "…Wait… You have a nephew, Jono? That's *wonderful!*" Merciful Lord save the Brit from baby-swooning women… "How old is he?"
Jonothon facepalms at Rashmi's reaction, but Elaine beams. "Carl is four." And she's already reaching for her purse. Sprawled between the two women, the man finds himself trapped as baby pictures are soon shown. Elaine leans right over Jono to get the phone closer to Rashmi. And yes, the boy is adorable. Her husband is on the plain side however. A stoic dark haired man who's quite tall, but seems pleased to be holding his son. "This is Edward." Husband. Sure Elaine is still puffy-eyed, but she's a mother. Some things take priority.
Rashmi's eyes just light right up, and— was that a squeal? Yes, Rashmi actively squeals at the baby pictures shown to her. "Oh, My, *God,* Elaine he's *so adorable!* Oh you've *got* to be so proud, what's his father do that has you here so long anyway?"
"Incredibly proud. He's been doing marvelously!" Elaine gushes back. (Jonothon's quite sure he's being punished. Yet he endures.) "We were a little worried to start as he had some breathing difficulties, but since then he's hit every milestone brilliantly." Leaving Rashmi to look through the hundred something pictures on that phone, Elaine leans against her brother and prods him teasingly. There's only a dirty look. "Diplomacy." Said as though she doesn't much like it. "It's what you get when you marry into the royal circles of England. A great deal of diplomacy. He'll be doing work with the UN. We're not certain for how long, so we purchased a flat down town. I encouraged the all three of us moving, for I wasn't about to have Carl do without my Eddy."
Rashmi pokes through the pictures, loosing another squeal every now and again, as she chances across something unusually sappy. "Oh definitely he's a sweetie—wait. Royal…?" Her head rises, slooooowly orienting on the redhead, face blanching. "…So wait… like… your husband is a Prince?" Another pause, and one can almost *hear* the gears clicking into place. "*Prince Edward?!*"
Elaine laughs at that look and shakes her head. "No no.." Motions with well manicured hands. "Not that Edward." «Hardly that Edward.» Jono chimes in. It earns him another poke. "The royal circle is more than the crown family, luv. There are a lot of earls and such out there as well. Minor royalty, but kept close through ties of family just the same." She accepts her phone back if Rashmi's done with it. "Our sulky one here would be called Lord Starsmore if it were a hundred years ago or so. The titles are empty things now, but they keep on being worn."
"……*Oh,* okay. I get it now." Rashmi has the grace to look abashed, but all the same she listens attentively, handing the phone back over. 'Lord Starsmore' earns Jono a shocked blink and a pair of raised eyebrows. "….Wow, really? That's… still pretty neat, all the same."
Jonothon can only shrug, «It's empty. Means nothing now.» Doesn't think much of it. «In fact it's always made more trouble for me than good.» Elaine has to agree with him there. "Being female I couldn't inherit the title. I was so jealous when I was younger." She's smiling about it though. "Then I married and got to see what it was like. I don't know how the crown family manages, Rashmi. They have almost no private time. Even behind closed doors they are surrounded by people. Eddy and I at least take shelter at home. But yes, that's why we're here in America."
Jonothon is sprawled on a couch, rather trapped between Rashmi and an older woman. The unknown woman is a beautiful, slender red-head in expensive clothing. She also happens to look a good deal like Jono. She's leaning against her brother, phone in hand, but shows signs of recent, heavy crying.
"That's… I can't even imagine." Shaking her head slowly, she leans on the arm of the couch, looking from Jono to Elaine and back again. "It's good that you can get away, at least… And now that everything's settled down, probably you'll have a really nice time in the City. … And now you have an excuse to get out of the Mansion now and again, too!" she says to Jono, pleased with herself at the realization.
James suddenly appears. However, not inside the room. Quite the contrary. On the 'outside' of the room. Pressed against one of the windows, the '7 tall hyena inches along the ledge, hands, fingers, and face flat on the glass. Minding his own business, he's oblivious to the scene going on inside the observatory. That is, until Jono and Rashmi are seen. Wait…who's the third? The panting animal pushes up against the glass even harder, one large eye overly exaggerated as his breath begins to for the pane. LEEER! Eeee….eeeee….eeeee….eeeee!
This is the look Jonothon gives Rashmi that tells he's feeling like the noose is tightening around his neck. Cruel, Rashmi, cruel! Elaine though, she's beaming and nodding… until she starts screaming. The poor woman leaps up from the couch with a shrill scream, and then stumbles back over one of the tables here. It's a graceless display to be sure, but does have her brother reacting. He jumps up too, psy-fire manifesting. Then he spots James. The sound didn't quite register at first, but the look does.
«You wanker!» Angry, Jonothon motions with a hand and psy-fire races towards James. It passes through the glass and seeks to shove James hard.
"JONO DON'T PUSH HE'LL FALL," is the first thing Rashmi says as she leaps off the couch, racing to unlatch the nearest window. "God *damn it* James, what is *wrong with you?!*"
James is pretty prone in this position. Hardly a ledge for his big feet to purchase on, so it's no real surprise what happens next. That one exposed hyena eye goes WIDE and suddenly it's gone as he gets shoved. Last thing you see is flailing arms as he tumbles out of the window and towards the school grounds. It's a hard fall, but not a fatal one, and in a moment James can be seen picking himself out of the bushes and walking off as fast as his winded-self will allow.
«He'll survive.» The words are harsh ones, and Jonothon regrets it all even as they are said. One little slip and he's likely made a huge mess of what little friendship remained. Shoulders slump, and clearly he's having a lousy day over all. Looks like hell, been ambushed by sister, had a complete emotional breakdown in front of witnesses, and now this! A resolute expression settles in and the Brit strides to the window. Flame tentacles slide through the glass and reach down to pluck James up off the bushes he's climbing out of. «…Sorry.» Kind of sheepish once James is in arms reach of Rashmi.
Kind of forgotten behind everyone, Elaine is picking herself up. "..I broke a nail." She murmurs to herself. Straightening clothing and hair, she's soon behind Rashmi. Her dark eyes are wide. "What was that?" No, not too familiar with the school, but since the others aren't freaking out, neither does she.
"That's James," Rashmi says with a sigh, and a look of emphasis. 'That' James, the very same one currently bouyed by tentacles of fire in front of the window. Yanking the glass open, she reaches a hand out for the hyena to grab, well beyond Looks of Infinite Patience at this point. "So are you going to come inside and *introduce* yourself now you've scared the life out of Jono's sister?"
James stares at Jono, eyes full of discordianistic thoughts as bits of leaves and twigs, leaves, and dirt cling to the young boy, "Ow…." He looks at Rashmi as she offers, "No. I was quite enjoying the weather out here. Until I was 'interrupted.'" An eye back at Jono, never mind it was the hyena that was out of place, not the reaction from his friend. He holds out his hand, keeping it just out of reach with a smile, "Can't quite…" Teasing. "Almost…there…no…there." He lets her pull him in, still attached the the psy-fire.
Wrapped in psy-fire, a very obvious sign he's doing something with telekinesis, Jonothon stands at the windows. Two of his psy-fire tendrils hold James up, but outside. Rashmi is at an open window, trying to get James inside. Jono looks haggard. Like he'd been suffering a hang-over.
Behind Rashmi is a late twenties looking red-head. She's willowy, beautiful, and elegantly dressed. Casual, but wealthy. She's also clearly intimidated by James, staring at him with wide, brown eyes. The resemblance to Jono is very strong. "…James?" That's a person? It's clear on her features that she's having trouble with this. Where Jono has never feared James, this woman does. Not that this is unusual.
Rashmi hauls the hyena in as best she can… It's something of a job, as she's never been much for athletics, and the hyena outweighs her by a good multiple or so of herself. "Yes," she grunts to Elaine. "James. Hi James." At the moment, she's a little too annoyed with her fellow student to worry about getting him on the floor with a great deal of gentleness. "Seriously, *what the hell.*"
After the yelping and other dubious noises, Hank makes his way up to the third floor observatory. Smartly dressed in what looks to be Armani, black of course, Hank enters the room with a fair measure of trepidation — and is much relieved to see no minions of evil (unless Jono counts!), no supervillains, or other chaos. Nope, just students, his teaching assistant, and… "Oh my stars and garters, by the family resemblance I can only assume that this is your elder sister, Mrs. Simms?" A broad smile and a massive hand are offered the woman. "How do you do, madame, Doctor Henry McCoy at your service."
It's James. Or rather, one beset with pits of leaves and twigs. Otherwise, it's biz as usual for the hyena as he's clad in his BDUs and blak t-shirt, "Oh…yeesh. You act like 'I' was the one in the wrong. Tell me, where does it say in the school handbook I can't climb the school?" He dusts himself off and gives the woman a toothful smile, a very toothful smile. Filled with lots of sharp points, "Hiiiiii." Ooops…little far there. James wrinkles his face, "Bah! Humans." He lets Hank serve as the distraction and beelines for the door.
«…James.» Please don't go? Jonothon's voice is rich with that. «I'm sorry.» Not that he stops the boy again, but the Brit looks highly dejected.
Elaine meanwhile, her eyes go huge and she leeeaaans away from James for that toothsome smile. Quickly puts a hand over her mouth so that she remains silent. Confused and frightened, the woman still has composure enough to merely stand there (This time!), but Hank is a little much. The blue Beast has her stepping back. Pretty much against Jono, who slides an arm around her. She fumbles for his hand and grips it. Something passes between them, her glancing to him. They are very nearly of a height with her in heels. "Good day, Dr McCoy." She manages, afterwards, accepting Hank's offered hand. "This is quite the interesting school."
Rashmi reaches out for James' wrist as he passes. "Please, James?" Whether successful or not, she looks to Hank, bobbing her head and smiling in greeting, moving off just to the side a bit, to give Elaine room to talk to the erudite sometime-Avenger herself.
A hint of a frown as Elaine steps back, but it passes almost too quickly. "Forgive me, Mrs. Simms, I did not mean to be offensively effusive. I assure you I am neither bounder nor cad, nothing less than a true gentleman who is genuinely and sincerely pleased to make your acquaintance." Noting the tension, he looks to James and Rashmi. "Mister Palmer, are you quite well? Miss Franklin?"
"No, it's cool. I'm interrupting. And I still haven't found where that student I tossed landed." His ears go sideways, a glance over at the woman, "Kids…so light! Who knew." He shrugs and looks at Jono, "Sure he'll show up sooner or later." He's suddenly got Rashmi's hand on his, "Wazzup teammate?" He nods over to Hank and offers a big smile, "Never better! Just got pushed out a window. But, that's the least of my worries around here."
Brows furrow as James goes on, and Jonothon lets go of his sister so she can better speak to Hank. «James..» This time there is a warning to the tone. «What's wrong with you? And I don't mean about the window?» Had too bad a day to take this gently. Maybe Rashmi should step in.
Elaine grips Hank's hand, looking apologetic. "Please forgive me." The smile she gives is wan, but she's trying. "I've heard many wonderful things about you. It's…" She doesn't even know how to begin to explain. A glance back to her brother and his wealth of psy-fire, a pointed look to James, and then a pleading look to Hank. Where does she start. "It's a pleasure to meet you." Lame, but hey.
Damage control! This is a role that seems to suit Rashmi, for without missing a beat she circles around behind James, nudging him toward the door. "Y'know actually now that I think about it, probably not all that great a time to be making introductions and all, so hey James! Made some cookies down in the Kitchen, let's go have some okay? Sure Dr. McCoy, everything's fine, I'm very nearly done with my biology makeups, and Dr. Williams says I should be fine for Danger Room sessions by the end of this week. Or maybe next week. I forget. Anyway! Why don't we leave the adults alone to have a little peace and sanity and besides, cookies!" My, but can the girl talk amazingly clearly in one breath, when need dictates.
Hank watches as Rashmi and James tag team their efforts to get James out of the room, one brow quirked even as he shakes Elaine's hand, and then turns to face her. "Oh yes, this is a very interesting place, Mrs. Simms, and consider yourself forgiven. This school is a testament to the very essence of diversity. Should you wish it we can arrange a full tour." Releasing her hand when he's done with shaking it, he grins to James. "Getting thrown out of windows can be fun, defenestration however, not so much." And then to Rashmi. "And why, miss Franklin, would you assume we wouldn't want cookies too? I happen to be quite fond of cookies." The last said very quietly, with a woebegone look that is artful.
James isn't as dumb as he looks so, cookies or not, he's not going to miss a chance to leave the room and the adults that inhabit it, "Yeah…sounds great. Can't wait." Little reluctance there as he suspects he's about to get yelled at again, "Wasn't serious about the student comment? I made that up." He waves his arm towards the group and follows Rashmi out the door. This leaves the adults free of any more of The Instigator's remarks.
Jonothon is defeated, so lets the teens go. There's the sharp motion of a hand as he turns and goes to sprawl in a chair. Frankly, he's exhausted and has no patience for anything right now. The psy-fire lashes around, but doesn't do much more than look irritated.
Elaine holds her hands before her as she watches the kids. There's a look of regret there. "I would appreciate that, Dr McCoy, but first, might I have the chance to freshen up? I left my luggage down stairs. I pray it's still there." She does happen to look mussed. Not to mention a bit trembly.
"I'll bring some more back with me," Rashmi says, turning and bobbing a curtsy to the adults in the room. "I promise. Elaine… it was *really* good to meet you, and I hope you have a nice time here. Jono, Dr. McCoy, I'll see you later okay?" Beaming at the adults, she turns quickly, chivvying James out the door and toward the kitchen. Once the elevator door are safely closed; "…So what *were* you doing* out there anyway?"
"Very good then, be well you two." Hank knows better than to ask the to keep out of trouble. Not going to happen no way, no how. Once the children have exited stage left, he turns back to Jono and Elaine. "By all means, Mrs. Simms, let me show you to a guest room, I hope you'll be staying with us for a while." Hank looks to Chamber. "Jonothon, shall we get your sister ensconced in a room? There's a matter I wanted to discuss with you as well, I believe I have a functional cure for the Mark. It…is not pleasant, not by any stretch, but it does seem to be effective."
Mark? Elaine is beginning to nod that she wants a room when that offer is made. A look at her brother though, well, that keeps her from asking. "A room, please. I'm here only a couple of days, but I've recently moved to New York. I'll be close." More than glad to follow and get safely locked behind a door.
Jonothon meanwhile glowers a bit. A cure? «Let's get this over with.» He's already miserable, so why not? Rising to his feet with nearly more TK push than muscle strength, the Brit strides over. «I want that gone.» And yet, Elaine is escorted to her guest room first. Jono also gets a firm hug whether he wants it or not. «The lab?» Once his sister is gone.
Hank will try to catch Elaine's eye, a promise of answers forthcoming eloquent in his expression, and then he leads the way to the guest wing. "I'm afraid that Jonothon is likely to be very ill for the next two days, I'm sure he'll welcome your company." And it prevents him from running off!
As the bouncing Beast leads the way to the med lab, he nods. "A cure. Do you want the boring details or should I just give you the quick and dirty explanation?"
Glad? No, Elaine isn't glad, but once she's alone she gradually realizes what was being spoken of. She was in Jono's mind, sharing thoughts, for a while. The mark just needed remembering amid all the horrors.
«Quick and dirty.» What else would Jonothon want? «I'm not stupid, Hank, but much of what you say goes right over my bloody head.» He's in no mood for being patient. The psy-fire trails behind him, little wisps of fire fluttering like a living cloak.
Elaine taken care of, Hank walks Jono down to the lab, and then takes him to the secure lab, the one that's as close to a perfect containment as they could come up with. He shows Jono to a seat, and then sits across from him. "Very well. Essentially, stage one of the cure will mark every cell in your body that is 100% you based upon previous medical records and my own genetics work. Stage two will kill anything within you, and this is important, or that comes into contact with you — you'll roughly as poisonous as a box jellyfish. You'll also be very ill during this time. Stage three purges you of the toxins, and then regrows the needed flora and fauna in your system…though in your case the regrowth is secondary to the purge."
While the man pauses at the entrance, there's only that brief one. Jonothon comes inside and sits down. Does finally tone down that psy-fire effect though. It becomes little more than what it used to be. Just around his face and upper chest. That can't disappear because Hank's words shock him. «Are the kids going to be able to survive this?!» No, he's not worried for himself. Takes the poor guy a moment to process and accept. Slow to respond after that, Jono none the less asks, «How long will I have to remain locked up?» For he isn't comfortable with that aspect.
"The time in quarrantine will very depending on the quantity of foreign matter found. The whole process should take no more than six or eight hours, but it will leave you both exhausted, and also completely free of foreign contaminants." Hank nods. "There is a very minor chance of complications, but it should be safe for anyone that isn't on the inactive list due to injuries." A sad shake of his head. "I couldn't come up with anything less extreme to undo what was done, but my tests show over a 96% success rate, and my own trial went perfectly."
Dropping head into hands, he scrubs at his face. Strange how the little things like that matter. Jonothon trails fingers down cheeks and finds himself still grateful for those little things. «It doesn't matter.» There's the shake of that head, hair swaying. «I've lived without so much already, what's one more thing. Do it.» He'll gladly deal with being locked up, and being sick, if it means getting rid of this tie to Sinister. The dark head lifts, and the man fixes glowing eyes on Hank. «The risks don't matter.»
"The risks most certainly DO matter, but they're worth taking, I wish I could improve the odds that last few percent, but there's too many variables unique to each individual. In truth the odds are somewhat less gracious in your case due to the singular nature of your biochemistry." Once he's sure you are ready for the process he dons a protective suit, a lot more effective than the hazmat suits so many are familiar with thanks to the movies, and one hell of a lot more comfortable. "I won't lie to you, Jono, this will be very painful." And then he loads three ampules into a hypo-spray, injecting the first serum. "This is the marker. It will take twenty to thirty minutes to do its work."
Jonothon motions sharply with a hand. No, he really doesn't care. «Just make sure you get out before I explode. There's no way I'll be able to hold back.» Not after the time he's been having lately. As Hank suits up, Jonothon removes things. Gets most of his uniform off and somewhere safe. Especially his X-comm. Needs that thing way too much. Wearing pants and shirt when Hank is ready, the Brit merely nods. Really, Hank, he's fine with this. Just do it. Jono's dark eyes are so very human as he looks up at Beast, but they are also steadfast and without fear.
"I'll vacate after the stage two serum injection, and will return for stage three once you reconstitute yourself." Hank stays by Jono's side as long as he can, vacating only once the pain from the stage two toxicity gets to be too much. Hank went through this all himself, he knows what it will be like, though of course in most ways it will be easier for Jono than it will for those with normal biologies…it is still about six hours of absolute horror, waves of nausea, chills, hot flashes, and pain…constant pain until the explosion. Only after Jono reforms does the blue furred Beast return, and give the stage three injection. "We'll have to burn the clothing you kept on, it will be saturated with expelled toxins I'm afraid."
«It's my costume. Won't burn.» That only means Hank uses a different manner by which to destroy it. Satisfied that Hank is going to leave though, Jonothon settles in to wait. Sadly the wait doesn't last long enough. The poor Brit is soon completely miserable, and then in agony. Enduring it isn't remotely easy. All Jono can do is struggle to remain conscious, then be grateful when he fails. Hour after hour slides by, and during the worst of it his powers attempt to ravage the room. It's not that he destroys himself this time, but nothing else could have survived. In the end he's done a good deal of damage to himself on top of everything else, and he's quite unconscious. This makes dealing with the end fairly easy.
"I am so sorry, my friend." Hank murmurs to the unconscious brit. He then gets him out of whatever is left of his costume, gets him thoroughly clean, and put to bed in his own room once he's safe again. Hank then spends the next few hours repairing the damge to the hermetically sealed lab, fortunately the seals held. That's something. When Jono recovers his wits he'll feel a lot like a wrung out dish rag — but he'll also feel CLEAN. Really clean, fully and completely free of any taint from Essex. Was it worth it? Only Jono can say.
