Players:
Summary: Eddie goes to check on a depressed friend
Date: February 5, 2009
Wolf and the Mouse?
Rating: PG
Location
Xavier Mansion - Pallaton's Room
If it wasn't for the few decorations, this would be just another dorm room. There's the standard window on the far end, wardrobe to the right, a bed to the left (although it's a bit longer than other beds, presumably to fit Pallaton's size comfortably) and the computer desk over by the window, letting the light filter in. The room also has a fitted beep-blue carpet and bare cream walls, making it seem as if nobody actually moved in here at all.
However, it looks like Pallaton made a few of his own additions. A cheap-looking computer with a large keyboard (again, to fit his size comfortably) sits on the desk, as well as a large bookcase over by the wall, complete with a large chair for him to sit in and small table and lamp next to it. Upon closer inspection, the bookcase seems to be filled with books on magical theory and medical sciences. Finally, hanging from the cieling above the bed is what seems to be a dreamcatcher, with about ten feathers hanging from it on tassles.
Pallaton does seem to have been rather depressed, lately, as anyone who saw him will tell. But most of the time, he's locked himself in his room. Of course, when I saw 'locked', he really just closed the door, but it's still open to anyone that pushes it. Currently, he's just spread out on his bed, staring at the dreamcatcher hanging above it as it turns slightly in the breeze.
Dressed in jeans and a 'Defenders!' t-shirt, Eddie's made his way up to Pallaton's room after his last class of the day. He's still got bandages on but not as many as before. Taking a deep breath, Eddie lifts his hand and knocks three times on the door. Waiting patiently, he shifts from foot to foot.
Pallaton lets out a loud sigh, but still stares at the cieling. "Door's open." he says, sounding as if he's quite spaced out.
Eddie waits for just a moment before opening the door and stepping into the room. "Pallaton?" he asks, closing the door behind him.
Pallaton doesn't even glance in Eddie's direction, just watching those dangling feathers flit about in the breeze, unable to escape the tassles. "What."
Eddie frowns, supressing the first response that comes to mind. "I wanted to talk," he says quietly, walking forward slowly.
Pallaton blinks, but doesn't divert his attention. He still sounds quite out of it and unhappy. "Then talk."
Eddie sighs. "It'd go a lot better if you'd talk with me…" he trails off.
Pallaton sighs, too. "And why should I? You don't care, Daisuke doesn't care… Nobody cares. I try to look out for you both and you throw it back in my face. Is that why you're here? To add salt to a wound? I'll never be like you, so you can to make fun of me, right?" He sounds… spiteful as he says it, but it's worse he doesn't even look at Eddie as he speaks to him.
Eddie cringes, looking away. He squeezes his eyes shut and shakes his head. "No," he says simply. "I wouldn't be here if I didn't care," he says. "And aside from not knowing why anyone would even -want- to be like me…I'd -never- make fun of someone for being different."
Pallaton still doesn't look at Eddie. "So now you patronize me instead?" He sighs, shaking his head. "We were a pack. We were all equal, we said we'd look out for each other. We made mistakes but we learned from them. And now you both eject me from it because I'm different. I'm not human, like you two. That's why you did it, isn't it."
Eddie blinks a few times. "Pallaton, what in the name of the Wand of Watomb are you talking about?" he asks, trying to blink away a few tears. "No one ejected anyone from anything."
Pallaton scowls. "You know what I'm talking about. Daisuke. He told me we're not a pack. If we're not a pack, we're nothing to each other. I know you're not wolves, but Daisuke thinks I don't know that. To me, it didn't matter if you were wolves or humans or mutants or whatever, we were looking out for each other and had fun together. But Daisuke doesn't want any of that."
Eddie scowls a moment as well. "Now hold it right there," he says, voice raising just a tone. His scars flicker blue a moment as he's still working on controlling that. "Never once did either of us say we weren't still a pack," he says, glow going away. "Dai said we weren't wolves and that was it. We are supposed to look out for one another. It's what we do. But what did you say the other day?" he asks. "What did you call yourself?"
Pallaton hmphs. "I'm a beast." he says. "I'm not human, I never will be. I wanted to be a protector of people, but like I said. If nobody lets me protect them, how can I become that? So rather than be gifted with this form, I'm cursed by it. It's nothing more than a block. I'm starting to think I was never meant to interact with humans at all."
Eddie goes bright blue now, eyes and scars. "Pallaton!" he says, stepping closer. He's not sure what's getting into him but hey. "Stop talking like that right now," he takes a breath. "You called yourself the Alpha. Implied that Dai and I were helpless. Useless. You know they both of us have self confidence issues and I can bottle things up better but Dai's been stressed and snapped. He got a little mad. That doesn't mean we don't want you as our friend or to be part of the pack but you need to understand…" he pauses to catch his breath again. "The way you said things…I don't know much about wolves but a pack protects one another. All looking out for one another, each watching the other's backs not one doing all the work. You're our friend, Pallaton and we want you to trust us to watch your back and keep our fronts safe while you cover our backs," he says, eyes teared up, the glowing keeping it hard to see.
Pallaton seems to snap, too, looking at Eddie at last, half shouting and half growling. "I'm not the alpha because I'm stronger! It's because none of you asked about it! I assumed neither of you wanted to be! The pack needs an alpha, but we're all equal in this pack! I told you this before, Eddie! I don't want to have to be the alpha, but the pack can't function without at least one. It's just not right. I know, we're equal in this. Alpha is just a word, nothing more. I have no sway over what you can and can't do. If anything, I'd say you or Daisuke are more fit for being a true Alpha than I am…" He seems to have calmed himself as he spoke and… oh, now he's tearing up.
Eddie's eyes atleast stop glowing. He holds his ground though. "Neither of us want to be the leader. Leave that to the teachers or Julian. They're the leader types," he says, sniffing slightly. "Just…don't you think I get worried and want to protect Dai when he goes out and gets hurt? But…I had to learn it too that we can't always be there to protect people. It's not not wanting help…it's just a fact of life. Not even superheroes can be there all the time…" he trails off, trying to hug the larger mutant.
Pallaton doesn't even resist as Eddie hugs the prone wolf-man. He just sniffles. "I want to help you both. You're the first two that didn't run from me, and I'm eternally grateful for that. I want to be useful to you both, not just cooped up here hiding away. I want people outside to know I can help them, so that they're not afraid of me and I don't have to hide from them, either. I don't like the idea of having a secret identity. I want to be approachable, even despite… this…"
Eddie sniffles a little as well. "I know…but we all have to keep the school's secret for now…" he trails off. "And…I want to help people too. But…we all have a lot to learn. That's why were're here. To learn how to better help people."
Pallaton nods. "I can keep the school a secret. Can't I just use the Imductor to enter and leave the school?" he asks, sniffing every now and again.
Eddie sighs and snifs. "Pallaton…it doesn't work that way…" he trails off. "Dr. McCoy, Mr. Wagner…Nick, Ben, Megan, Victor, Josh, Jay…they hall have to do it too. So do a lot of the other students. And if you're gonna be an active protector…it's even more important to hide who you are…it helps keep the school and all these students safe…"
Pallaton looks a bit down as Eddie says that. "Then… if I leave the school, it'll be fine?" Yeah… Doesn't take a brain surgeon to see what he's getting at.
Eddie scowls. "No," he says simply. Still holding onto Pallaton, he squeezes the older mutant. "You can't protect anyone by running away," he says. "Pallaton, don't," he says quietly. "Just…trust the school. Trust the teachers. Trust me. We want you here. It's the best place for us all," he says.
Pallaton droops a bit. "But…" he starts. "But I've done nothing but train here. I can't protect anyone, here. I'm wondering if it would be better for me elsewhere. Would I be able to do that elsewhere? I read about the Young Avengers… a little. Will they help more? I… I don't like just sitting around doing nothing."
Eddie sighs. "Pallaton…you're better off here at the school. With you're friends…people that care about you. We train here because we're still learning. We're not ready to be big time yet. And I'm not sure if the Young Avengers would be able to help you. I haven't heard or seen much from them since Hulkling beat up the Shocker the other day."
Pallaton nods, though sounds a bit… disappointed. "I see…" He sighs, shaking his head. "I'm just not prepared, right? It's not that they think I can't handle myself, is it?" He sort of curls himself up a little, presumably going for comfort right about now. Looks like he has a niggling doubt, too.
Eddie is still stuck on Pallaton, making it a tad bit harder to curl up. "None of us are prepared. And you won't be going out to protect people alone, Pallaton…" he trails off. "You're part of a team. You'll have me and Dai and some others backing you up so it's just waiting…"
Pallaton is bigger, so it's not as hard. But at Eddie's words, he just throws his arms around Eddie, pretty much giving him a snuggly hug. If a fuzzy one… Fur probably tickles the nose. He let's out a few sobs, trying to hold it back. "Th-thank you…" he whimpers.
Eddie sneezes from the tickling, blushing slightly. "Sorry," he sniffles. He holds onto his friend and nods slightly. "It's okay, Pallaton…you don't have to thank me."
Pallaton shakes his head. "N-no… Y-you didn't run… far, anyway. But you're a f-friend. A t-true friend. I never thought I'd have s-such a thing…" He then pauses, his grip loosening as something else eats away at him inside. "But I'll never find a mate, when I think about it…" Well… that was a pure tangent.
Eddie blinks a few times then blushes furiously. "Why do you think that?" he asks. "I'm pretty sure you'll be able to find someone…you're a great guy."
Pallaton looks up, tilting his head. "But I'm not attractive to others, am I? I mean… Will I seriously find someone looking like this?" Ah, it seems Pallaton is new to the internet… Such blissful ignorance.
Eddie blinks a few times, still blushing. "Yeah. You will. There are plenty of girls and guys that'd find you -very- attractive," he says, trying to avoid direct eye contact for too long. He's embarassed now.
Pallaton nods, then breaks off with a smile. "Sorry to cut things short, but…" He pauses, sniffing and drying his eyes. And the fur around his eyes. "I've got classes to go to. Thanks for talking to me. If you see Daisuke before me, tell him I'm sorry."
Eddie glances quickly towards the clock and squeaks. "And I have a Danger Room session with Dr. Reyes. Oh man," he squeaks again. Giving Pallaton another quick hug, he nods. "I will. See ya later, Pallaton!" he says, heading to the door and hoping to avoid the wrath of Dr. Reyes!
