Players:
Summary: Summary of what happened.
Date: January 1, 2011
Log Title: What is Odd?
Rating: PG
Xavier Mansion - Lobby
A large chandelier causes light to shine over the polished surfaces of the Lobby creating a bright welcome. A few wooden benches blend in with the wooden walls. A large portrait of Professor Xavier is displayed on the wall. On each wall is a doorway that leads to a different part of the school.
It's later in the afternoon on New Year's day, and while it's cold outside, it's plenty warm in the lobby. Heather lays on the floor underneath a table, with earplugs in and clutching at her tape recorder for the time being, her eyes are closed, and her quick but steady breaths might give one the impression that she is sleeping. She's wearing her regular garrish street clothes at the moment, twitching quickly and frequently.
It's the first day of 2011, the weather has gotten better and so David has finally been able to return to the Institute. A cab has just pulled up outside and David steps out, dressed warmly in jeans and a sweater with his long white trench coat over it. David pays the driver and walks in with a tote bag. "Home sweet home." He mutters as he makes his way into the lobby of the mansion.
Cloud has only left his room due to need for food, as much fun as he had last night he's not enjoying th aftermath, he's dressed in black gym shorts, a white t-shirt, a red sneaker and a black one and his blond and blue his is sticking up at odd angles, as he wanders though he has yet to notice the other two.
Heather seems to snap awake when her watch alarm beging to beep, and she looks down at her wrist to check the time before glancing back up. She blinks her eyes several times, raising her arm to protect them from this rush of light. Hearing people in the room, she rolls out from under the table and glances about.
Making his way fully into the lobby, David is greeted by the sight of first an unkempt Cloud wandering about and then Heather rolling out from under the table, "Yep, I'm definitely home." Looking between the two, "Was there some kind of party that I missed?" He chuckles as he puts the tote bag down.
Cloud goans at the sound of talking, his head hurts, he rubs his eyes and looks over to see David and… why is Heather on the floor, "Dunno, wasn't here", sadly limited brain power for full sentances, to Heather, "Whatcha on floor for?"
Heather pulls the earplugs out and rises up, blinking a few times rapidly before consulting her tape recorder for translations. "I was tired," she plays quickly afterwards, "So I fell asleep, I was too tired to go to my room, so I found somewhere relatively dark." She rubs her eyes lightly and shrugs, "Any party I have attended is long past for me."
Listening to Heather, "Interesting way to ring in the new Year, under a table. But at least you were able ot get some sleep." David smirks before looking over Cloud, "I'm presuming from your state that you are hungover? I have some advil that might help." David ruffles through his tote bag to look for some, "And don't let Emma see you. And forget it ever happened, Cloud!"
"If you didn't go out, why the tiredness?", Cloud groans when David mentions Emma, "Dammit, forgot about Frost", he sighs, "any yeah ever so slightly hungover, but seriously not my fault".
"New Year's Eve was four sleep cycles ago already," notes Heather, "I was just under the table for the last hour in your time…" She scratches her head through her hair, and seems for a moment to try and straighten it out. "My wake cycle is four hours long, my sleep cycle is one. Please try to keep track of these things."
Looking from Heather to Cloud, David thinks to himself, <Yep, definitely home! I guess this is a good thing.> He smiles and laughs at his own thought before asking, "Alright then. And what did you do to ring in 2011?" He asks Heather before turning to Cloud and tosses him the advil bottle, "Drink a lot of water too and you will be fine, though I gotta ask how this was not your fault?"
"You're gonna need to tell me again some other time, head's not working well right now", Cloud reaches out to catch the bottle and misses, his reflexes havn't quite recovered yet either, picking it off the floor he shrugs, "Liam forgot to tell me to stop".
"How old are you, anyways, Cloud?" asks Heather from her recorder, raising an eyebrow, "You are probably too young to make it worthwhile to poison your brain. I, for one, will not waste my brilliance in that way." She looks back to David and then shrugs, "I just stayed here for the celebration. It wasn't much, but it was okay. I had to sleep for awhile during the party, too."
Grinning, David smiles as Heather speaks to Cloud about drinking and will offer no more other than to say, "Don't be so stupid next time." David turns to Heather, "Good stance on alcohol." David then playfully taps the back of Cloud's head and laughs, "Liam? Who is Liam?"
"I'm eighteen, it was only a bit of fun", though at this point Heather does make some sense, Cloud ows when David taps his head, "Please don't do that, or laugh or talk to loudly, and Liam's my cousin, it was his party".
"Your brain is still developping, I imagine that will interfere," notes Heather, shrugging her shoulders a few times before she crosses her arms, "Besides, my reality is strange enough without being altered."
"Well, I guess if you were there with family." David grabs onto his bags, Better unpack and I have to start making a binch of calls to explain why I was in Mutant Town for the holidays." David smiles and walks as he heads into the hallway, "Happy New Year!"
"It was only one night, it won't do damage", Cloud winces as David should "Happy New Year", "yeah bye David", he runs a hand though his unkempt hair, "You have a nice christmas?"
Heather shrugs and says, "Some damage, not none, it is just not enough to notice." She nods her head at the last question, though, and says, "I went to Connor's for Christmas eve, and to Chloe's for Christmas day. It was a lot of fun."
Cloud smiles, "I'm glad you had fun, you seem very serious whenever i see you, it's good", he leans against a wall and pops a couple of the pills David gave him, "Enjoying 2011 so far?"
"Twenty eleven is not much different than twenty ten, which is to say still better than two thousand nine," says Heather, tilting her head back and forth as she contemplates the question. "And maybe I seem serious, but I am capable of enjoying myself."
Huh, well guess he did ask, "I guess i've only ever spoken to you when something serious is happening", ether a hell diamention or Heather's future self showing up, Cloud slips the bottle into his shorts pocket, "i hope i didn't just jinx us".
"Something serious will happen. These are merely setting changes in the grand scheme," says Heather, shaking her head, "They keep our lives interesting, instead of repeated and dull. Our minds, exercised. There is a purpose to all of this."
"Well i guess it's good you're staying positive i suppose", Cloud however would prefur for nothing to happen, his sister died last time something exiting happened, "So you're saying we're due for something?"
"Yes, inevitably. Sooner or later, I cannot say," says Heather, shaking her head at that, "But I will say yes. And I will be fine with that, in some ways, though in others, I dread what might be coming."
"I don't think you're the only one Heather, and you're right this place is dangerous, something else will happen", Cloud can't understand why this place attracts danger so much, "Do you feel safe here Heather?"
"Safe? There is only one place that I've felt safe, and I would never want to go back. While safe, it was stagnant, routine and dull, my mind exercised only what I could provide, no outside stimulation," plays Heather, shaking her head at that. "Here, I don't feel safe, I feel like my life is usually protected, but safe? No. I'm on edge. Which is exactly where I should be."
Cloud raises an eyebrow, "Don't take this the wrong way Heather, but you kinda odd, good odd though", he'd never pegged Heather as a thrill seeker, "Still glass half full is a good way to look at things".
Walking into the lobby from outside with a duffel bag over one shoulder is Quill. He stops on the mat and stomps the snow off of his boots and waves at Cloud and Heather. "What's up folks?! Happy New Year! So whose the odd one? I mean I know that there are some really odd people here, I mean have you ever done a training session with Goofy Goggles? Or Windy McMaxLover? Those are odd people." He says with a self knowing nod.
"Odd to you, perhaps," decides Heather, shrugging her shoulders a couple of time. "I cannot imagine being otherwise…" Her attention is caught when she hears Quill speaking, her eyes blinking a few times, "Which one is Goofy Goggles?" She asks only because she tends to wear goggles with her squad uniform, to keep debris out of her eyes.
Cloud winces at the sound of Quill shouting… something, "Ow, sorry dude but can you please say your riddles a little quieter or my head may explode", hmmm, "I think windy mcmaxlover may be Kael i think his name is"
Quill raises a quilled eyebrow at Cloud. "Riddles? I'm not really saying any riddles. I'm not good at those things." He says before looking to Heather. "And Goofy Googles is the X-Men's fearless leader, Cyclops. He's wears the goofy looking headgear thus, Goofy Goggles. And ding ding ding, price goes to this chap over here for getting Kale right. He hangs with my name-enemy in which that reminds me I need to give him a New Years Gift reminding him, there can be only one."
"Only one with the same name? I think I share my name with many people. Likely my entire name," plays Heather on the tape recorder, eyeing Quill with a raised brow. "I suppose I wasn't sure. Our squad leader wears goggles, as do I. Goggles are not uncommon parts of these outfits. Cyclops has more of a visor, though."
"What's a name enemy?", Cloud frowns at the comment about Cyclops, "Summers wears them to stop from blowing holes in us all, it's not a fashon choice", he walks over to Heather and whispers, "Does he always talk likt that?"
Quill shrugs a shoulder. "Sure it's a visor but Goofy Visor doesn't have a good ring to it. And can you think of a good V word to link visor to? Cause I can't. Visceral, Voracious, Voracity…none of them work. And once I see your goggles and your squad leaders goggles, I can determine if you're Goofy Goggles Jr or not." He says with a grin before looking over to Cloud. "I know that, it's just -fun- to give him the nickname." He says with a sigh. "And Name enemy, we're both Max."
"Well, I would rather you call me by my name or my codename, both or either. Heather Brown, codename: Timeslip," says Heather, before stating to Cloud, without whispering, "Yes, in one hundred percent of my experience." She hasn't really spoken much to Quill, so one hundred percent of her experience consists of right now. Contemplating the earlier question, Heather decides, "Visored vizier? This is difficult, I agree."
Cloud wouldn't know anything about having a name enemy, he's never met another guy with his name, "Well i wouldn't call him that to his face or think it two loudly, the other Headmaster reads minds", he looks to Heather, "It's less confusing now, or am i just getting used to it?"
"He's my squad leader, he's cool." Quill says as he likes Scott but he also likes giving people nicknames. "Well you shall now be Heather Brown Codename: Timeslip for me from now going forward." He says with a nod. He looks over to Cloud tilts his head. "I actually don't know you're name. I'm Max Jordan, also known as Quill…or should I say Maxwell Jordan, Codename: Quill."
"You may say it either way, it makes no difference to me. And if you would like to call me that all the time, that's fine. Most people figure out nicknames to shorten it to save time or something," plays Heather, frowning slightly. "So, Maxwell Jordan, Codename: Quill… you are on the Corsairs squad, then? I used to be. That is the one with Chloe."
"Oh, yeah my names Cloud, and as everyone swaping codenames aswell i use Rush, i'm in Alpha Squadron", he sits down on the stairs, "So i guess we're all codenamed up"
"Well pleasure to meet you both. And Cloud..you've got a twin right? I heard about you two." Quill says with a grin. "Yup, I'm on the Corsairs. The same team I was on when I left the school. I was lucky to get put on the same team when I got back. Mr. Summers is great for accuracy training cause I'm gonna be an awesome porcupine hero one of these days."
"Mr. Guthrie seems to focus mostly on close quarter combat, which is fine, since I am not a distance combatant. Personally, I focus more on team dynamic and strategy, though," says Heather, tilting her head slightly at that, "Is there anything in particular that either of you focus on in your personal improvements, aside from what the squad leader prescribes?"
Cloud nods, "Yeah, my sister Star, why have you heard of us?", "I'm not sure what Xorn's technique is like, he's only just became our squad leader, but i've had one session with him, he seems pretty ggod".
Quill snaps his fingers into a 'gun' shape to point at Cloud. "Yup, the Budweiser Duo." He says with a grin. "Mr. Summers does a lot of that tactics stuff too and likes to use our heads more than our powers. Though personally, my accuracy is what I have. I really wish Gambit was my squad leader, he's awesome. I want to get better at doing was he does." The whole thief thing.
"I know that Mr. Summers is very heavy on the tactics. I liked that about him, but I will continue to practice with that kind of thing. It is the most interesting role to take in the Danger Room simulations," plays Heather, before she tilts her head back and forth. "Gambit? I find him a little bit off."
Cloud thinks for a second, "Budweiser twins?", then it hits him, the alcohol incedent, "Where on earth did you hear about that?", huh a new teacher?, "Err Gambit, is he the one that does the thing with the cards?"
"He's X-Men O.G." Quill says with a grin. "The best kind of teacher, the one whose seen it all." Though who knows if that's true or now. "And yeah, I heard about it from kid when I got back here. And yup, he does the thing with the cards and he taught me the best way to hide my thoughts from telepaths." He says with a big grin.
"I think a lot of teachers here have seen quite a bit. Even a lot of the students, too," says Heather, tilting her head as she contemplates this, ending the back and forth motion. "What method does he use to prevent telepaths from reading his thoughts? Mine are hard to read, apparently, because there is too much going on at one time." Or because of the timeshift. "I imagine he thinks of naked women so hard that the telepaths dismiss him as a man bimbo, given what I've heard."
Cloud is interested in the mind reading thing too, "Yeah, hows he's do it?, my thoughts are really easy to read, Frost has actually caught me thinking she was hot, i'd rather a similar situation not to arise again", "In what way is he a man-bimbo?"
"You're close Heather." Quill says with an even bigger grin. "So..what do I get if I tell you? I mean that's a pretty good trick he had, I dunno how well it'll work for everyone since I never got the chance to try it out and I really don't know the exact image but I have some internet images saved up in the good ol' brain-pan."
"You will get nothing for telling me except the satisfaction of having proven that you once knew something I didn't," plays Heather, shrugging once at that, "So if you don't tell me, you only get the satisfaction of still knowing something while I can assume, without loss of generality or applicability, that you know nothing. Whatever state of reality you prefer is up to you. I have no preference." To Cloud, Heather notes, "Ms. Frost probably gets that all the time, though."
Cloud considers, "Errrm you get…", then Heather speaks up, "What Heather said", he smiles at Heather, "You're right she probably does, but it doesn't make me feel much better about it".
"I guess a while back, the X-Men were fighting The Blob and Pyro's fire ended up burning off the Blob's clothing so that image really grossed out Ms. Frost and Ms. Summers….Rachael. She's not around right now but she's a telepath too." He says with a nod. "So really nasty images like fat guys naked work really well."
"So a similar strategy to what I have put forward. However, to be thinking of such things, it's an indication that you really are trying to hide something. If you were thinking of very attractive people in the nude, that could appear as a piece of your inner character," notes Heather, looking up slightly as she thinks of this, "So for those of you who can easily be read, I would recommend putting on a shallow inner persona. And it would be consistent with your previous experiences with Ms. Frost to boot, Cloud."
Cloud nods, "Ahhh gross them out till they get outta your head, thats a good idea, though i'd rather not see Blob naked", then Heather puts forward her suggestion, "So you're saying i should walk round all day thinking about hot naked women?"
Quill looks at Cloud for a while, raising an eyebrow before it spreads into a wide grin, Cheshire Porcupine style. "Oh yes Cloud, naked women, all day long." He says trying to hide a chuckle. "Sure you may be trying to hide something but if it's done in the right way they might not even think it's worth it. You don't want to do it if you're already in trouble or hiding something major but just when you're casual about it."
"Well, I'm just making a suggestion for something I think you're intellectually capable of. Personally, I would run through chess games in my head, which keeps some interest for me, but very few other people want to read someone thinking about game moves," says Heather, raising her eyebrow slightly. "With the added bonus of not having to think of one tonne nude girth giants."
Cloud frowns, "You think the only think i'm smart enough to think about is naked women?, thats kinda harsh Heather", he doesn't really think about that much anyway, well no more then most guys his age do, and why is Quill grinning.
Quill chuckles at Cloud's protest and then shrugs at Heather. "I couldn't think about a chess game, even in my head against myself. I'd get bored so fast and start thinking of ways to make the chess board do weird things. Like in Harry Potter, the chess board that came to life..that was awesome!"
"It's not the only thing I think you're intellectually capable of, but it's within your range," replies Heather to Cloud. "Sometimes, I end up imagining the games progressing differently. Different rules. Perhaps if the pawns were all one one hoppers that can only progress forwards, as if they are always moving for the kill, or if the queen had the powers of a nightrider. I do not get bored so easily of these things, though. I have to keep myself occupied somehow while everyone is droning on."
Cloud crosses his arms in a possibly childlike manner, "I can think of loads of complicated things, for instance i can think about football play i did at my old high school, some were pretty complecated", he does however have no idea how to play chess.
Quill shrugs. "Who knows anything about football." He says as he doesn't really know much about the sport. "And as for chess..hopper pawns..now I'm picturing them all with bunny ears. Go my white rabbit army! Go fight the black rabbits trying to invade your squares! SHOW THEM NO MERCY!!!! It's a Watership Down blood bath of bunny battle!" Who knows what he's talking about.
Flatly, Heather plays, "Then you can think about the other men in your football team or whatever you would like. It makes no significant difference to me. It is a strategy you may or may not use, based on Gambit's more disturbing one." She plays Quill's speech a couple times back to herself and says, "I suppose the pawns can be represented by rabbits, after all, they are numerous. But it gets kind of sad when you anthropomorphise them like in Watership Down. Imagine that the individual pawns have hopes and dreams, but are still treated as disposable as they are moved down the ranks. Perhaps they will accomplish their goals of being a knight. Or a queen, depends on the pawn, I suppose. But most likely, they will die in the crossfires to spare the more important pieces, and even more importantly, preserve the game." She frowns slightly as the rant finishes.
Cloud just stares at Quill, "How can you not know anything about football?", he sighs and turns back to Heather, "And why would i be thinking of that?, you're a little obsessed with nudity Heather".
Quill doesn't want to get into an intellectual debate with Heather as he doesn't like that boring stuff. "It's game and it's a books so..I dunno. It's fun with fiction." He says before looking at Cloud. "I know it involves too many men touching each other and running into each other. And on naked men as chess pawns becomes the subject, I must be going. I gotta call my Mom and let her know I got her okay. Heather Brown, codename: Timeslip and Cloud, one half of the Budweiser duo, I will see you guys later!" He says as he waves as he heads to go to the dorms."
"I am. I'm a forty years old teenager, and have never seen anyone else nude. That being said, I never said you would think of them nude, and I assumed you experienced some kind of kinsmanship with your fellow gamers. To think of the plays, you must think of the pieces," says Heather to Cloud, shrugging slightly at that. She doesn't seem particularly emotional on the matter. "Farewell, then, Maxwell Jordan, Codename: Quill."
"Errm yeah, see ya Max", Cloud says as the hyper spikey kid walks off, "Heather what do you mean you're forty?, cos well if you sre, you age really well", he's kinda getting the feeling the answers gonna confuse him.
"Thirteen years in the World of Illusions, half a year in the In Between, fifteen years in the White Prison, approximately ten years here. Total: Thirty eight point five. Approximately forty," says Heather, nodding slightly at that. "I do age rather well, though, I suspect it's a protective function of my mutation."
Cloud was right the answer was confusing, but he can get his mind around it, wow Heather it technicly middle aged, if it's a fast thing how old is Chloe?, he'll have to ask next time he sees her, "Bonus of being a mutant i guess".
"Yeah, I suppose. I believe my Future self seemed about the same age as me, but clocked in at three hundred years old, so I suspect I have longevity, if nothing else," says Heather, shrugging.
Making his way down towards the lobby, David freshly showered, shaved, and dressed in jeans and a black sweater with his red cybershades. He enters and looks between Cloud and Heather, "Still here? Good. What have I missed?"
Cloud pretty much jawdrops, "The future you was three hundred?, whoa thats cool i guess", he looks round when David enters, "Oh hey David, well apparently the ony think i'm interlectually capable of is thinking of naked women and football players"
"Yes, three hundred or so… And are we still on about that?" plays Heather, rolling her eyes at this, "The point of the exercise is to make yourself look either like a simpleton, or too far above their capacities in some respect to have them care. I think you are more likely to underwhelm Emma Frost than overwhelm her, based on my interactions with either one of you."
David blinks at Cloud, "Naked women and football players? Seems like 2011 is off to a good start so far." Hearing Heather's comment, he blinks at her, "I don't really worry about under or overwhelming Emma. I've impressed her when I was a student. I would think she would be pleased as along as all of you graduate *pause* and don't die."
Cloud decides he should probably alaborate, "Max was here and told us that Gambit gave him a tip on how to stop telepaths, which was to picture blob naked, which is gross, so Heather suggested i think of naked women as thats within my mental capacity, i suggested thinking of football plays instead, and she told me to think of naked footballers, cos thats all i'm capable of, isn't that nice", he grins, "I'm almost definatly gonna graduate, no promeses about dying though".
"I didn't say naked footballers. You added the qualifier on your own without my help," replies Heather, shrugging at that, "I know nothing about football in either case." The speedster leans against the table she was sleeping under, "I have awhile to go before graduating. Likely, I'll end up being here for quite a long time."
David nods, "Well, You'll both do well. Again, you've both impressed the right people and seem to be ahead of some your classmates." He leans against the wall, "And even after graduation, somehow some of the students seem to stick around. Do either of you aspire to make the X-Men?" David asks curiously as most of the student body seems to aspire to that.
Cloud shrugs at David's question, "I dunno, i dont really have any career prospects after high school, but i don't really think i'd make the cut for the X-men, i'm kinda impulsive and without things to absorb i'm useless in field"
"I don't know what I aspire to. Honestly, I do not think I could function properly in the normal world. It's why I'm here. Psychiatric treatment. So I'm not sure the X-Men would want me, either," says Heather, shaking her head quickly. "I could become a supervillain. I suppose in a different timeline, I do."
David smiles, "Well, so do I actually." David seems a bit excited by that thought as he responds to Heather. "In one future, I apparently I cure AIDS, cancer and every other known disease and I elected President of the United States, eliminated poverty, unemployment, and discrimination against mutants and has nearly created a worldwide government."
Cloud raises an eyebrow, "So i'm in the presance of future evil?, wow thats impressive, all i do is die, i feel lazy", he hmmms, "So if i took you guys out now, do ya think i'd get a medal?"
"Doubtfully. The ethical question presents itself, but I do not think I would be morally stellar by committing suicide," says Heather, shrugging, "That being said, the timeline was split. I'm free from that particular fate, in which it was best that I was a villainess in the end, because it helped things get resolved."
David nods as Heather speaks and responds to Cloud, "One I doubt you could kill us, anyway. But the way timelines are and the idea of alternate realities and whatnot, you never really know." He shrugs, "And you never know. Cloud, you could become the next Apocalypse or Mr. Sinister."
"I'd rather not end up that pale or blue really, also not sure i have it in me to be evil though, too much planning", Cloud puts on his serious face, "Though if in the future i'm all evil, don't shake my hand or enter my fortress of doom"
"If you are evil in the future, I will defeat you," says Heather simply, shrugging at that. She scratches her head lightly and notes, "Anyways, I don't think I'm cut out for the X-Men, but I'll probably end up sticking around here doing some function. Maybe janitorial."
Cloud nods, "Fair enough, same goes for me, you go evil and i'm gonna take you down, though now i've said that you could just come back in time and kidnap me again, wait, you're sure you're the presant Heather?"
David shrugs, "Well, maybe we'll take out each other." He blinks, "Sorry, Heather, but you will be more than a janitor." He offers a polite smile.
"Such confidence that such a thing will be the case," says Heather, raising her eyebrows slightly, "I think if I become a villain, there will be problems, but I don't see myself becoming evil and actually believing what I'm doing. But when, what is evil anyhow?"
Cloud shrugs, "I think evil is doing bad things for selfish reasons, but i could be wrong", damn may have just walked in to a philisophical discusion here, bad move.
David hmmmmns, "That is a conversation for Emma's ethics class." He pauses at the thought of Emma teaching ethics and then shrugs, "Either way, for now, we are not villains and if that is the case. It wouldn't be the first time a student or X-Man has gone rogue, so to speak." With that, he yawns, "Well, time for me to get some sleep." He waves his hand at the two students, "Night."
"It's difficult to precisely define," says Heather, frowning slightly at that. She glances about and says, "I should eat, this conversation has been too long, I've wasted ten hours and I'm hungry. I still need to do some journaling."
Cloud nods, "Well ok i guess i'll see you guys later, i'm gonna grab something from the kitchen and head back to my room", with that he also heads off on his way.
