Players:
Summary: Jono and Kenta talk a bit about the Paragons.
Date: April 13, 2010
When Squad Leaders Talk
Rating: Pg
Xavier Mansion - Staff Lounge
This room is warm and relaxing, the walls are a dark mahogany, a long L couch rests against two of the walls. One wall has a large flat screen TV that is set into a hidden compartment in one wall. There is a table and chairs off to one side for conferences and meetings, and a bar with stools to the back, with a variety of coffees to choose from.
Jonothon's at work here, papers spread out over the conference table. He's been grading for Hank again, since he tries to help out as much as possible. See, if he keeps himself busy, he has less chance to sink into depression. The slacker has become something of a workaholic. Yeah, Jono needs to get out more. Earbuds in place, music going, he has cheek on hand, and elbow on table, and he attempts to translate someone's homework. Kids these days, guh! The man is nicely dressed today, if in black. Slacks, dress shirt, but still there's that costume beneath, hiding his throat and chest.
Class is done for the morning, it was only five students so it wasn't too bad, he's had his cigarette break and now he's going to be spending some time in the staff lounge. His soon is at school near by so he's by himself at the moment. "Hey Jono, hard at work or hardly working?" He jokes with him as he goes over to the small fridge to pull out a bottle of water before flopping down on the couch. "I swear, these teens around here all make me feel short." He says with a chuckle.
It's not until Kenta gets that drink does Jonothon even realize he's there. «Huh?» Sorry, music was too loud. Earbuds are pulled out and if there's a repeat he smiles a little. «A little of both. Attempting to translate papers for Hank.» Which means grading, but hey. «That's because you are short.» Says the man who's average height himself. He tosses down the paper he had been holding up and stretches. One would normally expect some popping sounds for how long he's been sitting there, but there are none. He just finger combs his hair and relaxes a little. «I can't make any sense of some of these papers, and it's not because the science is beyond me.»
Kenta walks over and takes a look. "I dunno, I'm not really a science guy but I can see if I can help out." His classes aren't exactly the grading paper type, just more of the 'lets see if you how to sing/play an instrument and if you an learn this song' type. "Wow, I hope they're not passing English with good grades." He says looking at one of the papers. "So..it seems we got handed a team ripe with problems." He says with a slight grin.
«They aren't.» Passing English with good grades. «That's kind of the problem. Want to see the one in net speak?» Written out like a text message no less. Jonothon failed that one instead of trying to read it in full. About the team he motions a sigh and nods. «Give it time.» That's all he can think of. «It's just a few hours a week. They will learn to deal. Once the new kids start getting a feel for it, I'm sure everything will fall into line. We've got a team with some potential, if they can learn to work together.»
"Oh I know, it's just typical growing pains. And Lucas, he's hiding a lot. He keeps putting on different fronts trying to seem like this 'man's man' tough guy. Thus why, it might seem stupid, but the punishment I gave him is more me trying to get him to loosen up." Kenta admits as he looks at the one in netspeak. "Holy shit, this kid actually handed this in? When u + the base 4mula to teh acid, u….I can't read this anymore." Kenta says putting the paper down. "He's stuck with music lessons, once a week with me."
«I avoid Lucas.» Jonothon admits as he grins a little over the paper. Reaching out he slides it back over to his pile. «Can't talk to him, and he tells me every time he doesn't like me. No skin off my nose to give him space. Might be better for him if I didn't, but I'm not putting myself through that misery. Rashmi can deal with him.» He doesn't want to put forth that effort. Already giving too much for James. «You deal with Lucas and I'll try with James?»
"I'm not going to try to 'deal' with anyone. I'll try to see if I can get him to relax a bit though. And I don't really wanna split the team into who you and I handle. But feel free to do what you think'll work with James." Kenta says pushing his hair back as he goes to sit back down on the couch. "It's just Lucas is…I've met kids like him before. He's got a bit of a chip on his shoulder. He was in a music program in his old school, and he likes music, I can tell that. It's just…it seems like he's trying to stop himself from letting him enjoy something. So I figure that making him do something he likes as punishment is less of a punishment and more trying to get him to chill out. Put his emotions into something." Kenta explains as he thinks the kid might need an emotional outlet. "I still gotta meet with Rashmi, Tara, Marshall and Zack. I just wanna talk to them and make sure they're doing fine with the team too."
Jonothon shrugs over this. Not going to argue. That wasn't what he meant, but he doesn't care to explain. Just slouches in the chair and stares at Kenta a little. He's still going to avoid Lucas and try to work things out with James. The team won't change that. «Enjoy.»
"Well see if it helps of if it's just waste of my time." Kenta says with a grin as he drinks from his bottle of water. "Do you know much about the others, Marshall, I know he's deaf, Tara, I think I met her once, Rashmi and Zack I don't know much about either. Just what I've read."
«Haven't met Marshall, but he shouldn't be a problem. Deaf wise anyway. I know sign language, even if being telepathic makes that unnecessary.» There was this deaf girl once.. Jonothon pointedly doesn't think about her. «Tara has as much of a chip as Lucas. She and the boys are going to clash badly. Rashmi will try and mediate. I see her being team leader, and think she'd be good at it. Zack? Well, can't see how he'd change much of anything. He's stubborn though. We could have a little trouble with wills.» Yeah, he knows most of them.
"Ah so it's gonna be a lot of trying to get them to pust aside their differences and work as a team. Ya know, I don't remember having squads back when I was a student here." Kenta says as he takes a drink from his bottle of water. "It might have been better though and made things just easier and learning to work with the same people." He shrugs and leans back, just relaxing. "Did you ever get some playtime in last night?" Talking about Jono and the guitar.
A nod about putting aside differences. «We should gear their sessions so that they have to work together to beat them. It's going to be rough though, for if they fail a lot it's going to cause stress. I really think they need the workout though.» Jonothon is sure the kids will come around. Eventually. Speaking of before here, the Brit smirks. «There wasn't an Xaviers when I was part of the school. It had been closed own, and we were in Massachusetts. Barely seven of us at any give time, so we were the only squad. Didn't even have a danger room at first. Just us kids flailing around with Emma Frost and Sean Cassidy.» He rolls his eyes about that. «Naw, I went and worked out some.»
"I agree, about the working together. And with this nickname, Team Handi, I wanna kind of put them in the other students shoes. Make them try to work together while blinded or deaf, or even someone like Lucas, work together with minimal control or James, try to deal with being something that can never pass as human. They all seem to have problems, myself included." Kenta says as he's really not looking forward to the day Armade is a teenager and he's gonna have to deal with it all in regards to his own son. "Oh, Armadne's been taking a liking to you." He says with a chuckle.
Jonothon thinks about that. It's a good idea. «I don't like the nickname either, but when you come down to it, we're all handicapped in some manner. It's funny really.» Excepting perhaps for Rashmi. «That's a good idea though. Let's do it. Blindness is easy, and you can simulate deafness with the after effects of an explosion. I've been through a few and you can't hear a bloody thing. It'd be a good team work exercise too, in having to work together to save people trapped in the rubble.» As for Armadne, the man wrinkles his nose, but it's with a smile. «He's a cute kid. Spent the last two years with someone about his own age.» So he does have some experience with children.
"I just feel bad ya know, that he has to grow up without his Mom." Kenta says with a sigh as he goes back to the previous topic. "If I lose my powers, I'm blind as a bat. Can't see a damn thing. Stupid experiment gone wrong, and bam, out went the lights." Kenta says as the only reason he's able to see is thanks to his dark force, even then not everything looks great, like seeing the world through dark sunglasses at all times. "And Blindness is easy with my powers. And I like that, the saving people thing, since it's not always gonna be having to beat costumed fruit cake with a super power sledge hammer from robbing a bank."
With a motion to his throat, Jonothon adds, «I don't have either lungs or vocal cords, so there's a host of things I can't do. Not much of a drawback really.» Even though he hates it. «And yeah, I'd rather steer away from the fruit cakes in spandex. The team doesn't need that. We can certainly use it as a reward though. Once they work together a little, let him kick ass and feel good, but to start your idea is brilliant. Let's have them learn to deal what it's like. We can even use 'venoms' in the dangeroom to simulate the loss of limbs.» Quotes because it's clearly all fake down there.
"Also I think once they see what it's like to be in their teammates shoes, they'll know and understand them a bit better. And also, looking at the schedule, we've got team practice on Friday Night. Maybe we should do some sort of reward thing, like if they work well together during the week, after practice we treat them to pizza or chinese or something where we order out. Just a bribing incentive." Kenta says with a chuckle. "But I like the loss of limbs ideas too. And I like the stopping the bad guy as reward incentive also."
Jonothon nods again, «Sounds brilliant.» The rewards. «We should let them pick too.» What type and where, etc. «We should be careful though. Let them work things out, and step in only if it means stopping someone from getting hurt. We can't hover, or they won't learn anything.»
"Oh I don't really plan on working with them, like actually getting in there but doing the watching from the control booth. So we can see where they need work from up there." Kenta's sure Jono feels the same way. "You know, for starters, we can always asign one team leader a session and see whose most comfortable in the role. And who the kids listen too. With Lucas and James who knows if they'll just listen to anyone."
«That's what I meant.» Another smile. «Step in only if necessary.» Jonothon plans to keep his distance and watch from on high. «Maybe instead let's see what happens. Don't assign anyone. They are already biased enough. One or two sessions without one shouldn't hurt. To be honest I don't expect them to do much the first few times anyway.» They will probably stand around and fight.
"We were just as stubborn when we were teenagers weren't we?" Kenta says laughing. "I'm glad they assigned us to work together Jono. I don't think I could have handled this all by myself combined with teaching and being a father, but I do want to help out. I'm tired to just sitting on my ass and just beeing half-assed about most stuff I do. It gives me an excuse to pull myself out of this two year rut."
Jonothon tilts his head, «I stopped being stubborn?» No, as a matter of fact he didn't. «Yeah, I feel the same. Don't want to be a teacher proper, but I do want to help. Hopefully the kids won't kill one another, and us.» Which,, reminds him. «Uh, speaking of that.» He straightens in his chair. «After he beat up Lucas, James did nearly kill me.» Serious, but not too worried. «He didn't mean to, but I wanted you to know. We have to be careful.»
Kenta sits up straight and looks at Jono. "What do you mean he almost killed you? What did he do?" He's a bit concerned and something like that, well he wants to know more than just the small bit that Jono's offering. "And what's his deal, what ever you want to tell me. I just want to try to know who I'm training is all." Thus why he wants to meet with the others too.
How to explain this? «My issue with James is difficult to explain. There's something lurking inside his head, but I'm to poorly trained to even attempt searching for it. I don't know what it is, but mentioned to Lucas it could be a left over from demon possession. Lucas of course blew that out of proportion.» Jonothon rolls his eyes at that. «After the Sinister bollocks James started acting strangely. He was paranoid, and growing more and more violent. One day he tried to hurt himself, and so I put him in the holding cells in hopes Addison could look at him. Sam of course, the toerag, thinks the worst of me and let James go.»
«I haven't tried to put James back because I was sure no one would believe me. Then he attacked Lucas, and put himself in the holding cells. I went down to talk to him. Didn't lock the door, because I didn't want him feeling trapped. He used this against me. Slipped out, and activated the locks. Unfortunately this also activated the full power dampeners. You remove my powers and I die.» There's a shrug. «James didn't know this, and he didn't mean to, but that's what happened.»
"This whole demon thing, do we know of anyone else still effect by it?" Kenta asks as that might be a hint to if it is that or somethine else or who knows. "Well you know the X-Men, they like to think they know everything we don't. Look at Summers." Kenta says with a brow raise. "Well I'm glad you were able to get out of there. Though I agree, something is up with James even if it's a small as a temper problem. I mean, he fucked up Lucas over being called a liar. Maybe it's not only Addison he needs to talk to but someone to control anger issues."
Jonothon's eyebrows lift. «I am one of the X-Men.» He reminds, and yet he doesn't disagree. «No, I don't know if anyone is affected by it, but both James and Lucas were made demons during those weeks.» And more nods about James. «There's definitely something wrong, and I don't think it's just control issues. I do think those count however.» Motioning a sigh he folds his arms on the table, and rests there. «I catch glimpses of something in his mind. It's driving me buggy figuring it out.» So frustrating.
"Just make sure you don't drive yourself too buggy trying to figure it out. I know you want to help him cause I can tell it's more than a teacher student relationship, you two are friends too." Kenta says as that much is clear between them, not that he has a problem with it. "Helping him is good but don't let it become your obsession." He says a bit concerned for Jono as well as James did admit there might be something wrong with him but at the same time he's not sure if all is right with Jono.
There are lots of things wrong with Jonothon, but they are the same things that have always been wrong with him. Nothing new going on here. He eyes Kenta for that and rolls his eyes again. «So not going to happen. Where do people get these ideas? I'm worried, that's all.» Really, he's not obsessing. Promise. «Trust me. The reason James locked me in the cell was because I said I'd had enough. I really should wash my hands of him at this point, but I'll give him one more chance.» Doesn't look to happy, but he's trying to save his friendship.
"That's the last thing you should do." Kenta says staring at a very non-interesting point on the way. His voice kind of drops a bit and gets a bit distant. "Don't give up on people, I made that mistake. If I didn't, who knows. Armande might have still had a mother. There's always room for one more chance with friends."
Jonothon smiles just a little for those words, but it's not all that much out of humor. «There's a line though. You know that.» Sometimes you have to cut ties. «Or the cost gets too great. My life is worth more than his friendship, Kenta, and he's nearly taken it once.» Doesn't count anything that happened when he was controlled. «He'll get his chance though, and so will this team. We just have to be watchful.»
"That cost goes both ways." Kenta says with a shrug. "I left her, Daphne, I took Armande with me and left cause I didn't know what to do about her relationship and that things were falling apart. I felt like she kept pushing me away, so I left. She died, she became a SHIELD agent and died. I gave up on the woman I loved Jono, if I didn't, maybe she'd still be around. I deal with that every day. You talk about lines but I don't know, I just don't know if giving up on a friend is worth it no matter how much pain and close calls it might cause cause the end result might be worse if you just let them go. I don't know Jono…I'm just glad that you're giving a friend another chance. And I agree about the watchful part."
«We're all different. I can't be you, and nor would I try. The line is of my own choosing.» The man smiles though, wan and quiet, for he does understand. «You're letting grief and regrets cloud your thinking. The simple truth is that we can't save everyone, no matter how hard we try. I'm sorry for your loss though.» Real sympathy for that. «I've too much horror locked inside my head to give selflessly. It's something I've struggled with a long time.» James was right, there is something wrong with Jono. It's just not a recent thing.
Kenta looks over at Jono, which is only noticable because he turns his head in his direction. "Aren't we all clouded by our past in regards to thinking?" Kenta shrugs and nods. "And don't we both." Have too much horror locked inside their heads, but they way Kenta deals with it is different than Jono, which isn't a bad thing, it's just how life workds. "Good, I wouldn't want you to me, cause that'd just be weird. And kinda scary." He says with a smile.
Jonothon nods slowly, «The kids don't understand that though.» That most adults here have horror. «It's why James insists there's something wrong with me. I hope he never understands.» Straightening, he begins to gather papers. «I'm going out. This conversation is a bit much, sorry.» The apology isn't angry though, and he smiles back about the joke. «You've some great ideas for the team. I look forward to trying them.»
Kenta doesn't vocalize his thought but it's basically 'James is a student here, he looks the way he does, he'll understand it sooner than we want.' "Good, well I look forward to working with you more Jono, sorry I'm being kind of a downer. Take care and don't let the text essays explode your brain." Kenta says as he plans on hanging out here a bit longer, then another smoke then his next class.
«Cheers.» Jonothon has no problem with the smoking. Especially since he can't smell and doesn't breath. Papers semi folded, and in hand, he pulls his jacket from off a chair and makes his way out.
