Reckless |
The hot June sun blazes overhead as the limo drops you off at the front of the huge building that is to be both home and school for you for the foreseeable future.
Over the course of an hour, limos pull in, dropping off students one by one. Everyone is greeted by Professor Charles Xavier, who gently encourages them to find a room for their belongings, indicating which side of the mansion contains the boys' or girls' dormitory as appropriate. He indicates that there will be an official orientation meeting at 3:00 PM, and he encourages you to explore the grounds, meet with the other students, and, if hungry, prepare a snack from the kitchen or pantry. Dinner will be served at 5PM after orientation.
Kid Wonder |
After meeting with Xavier, Jackson gives the mansion a good long look before he continues on. So this is it... I guess he thinks to himself, I guess I'll make the best of it. He makes his way to the entrance, bag slung over his left shoulder, denim jacket wide open, red tank top tucked into his jeans, gold "wonder" chain exposed, long strides with chin held high.
He passes the threshold and spots a particularly nerdy guy around his age eating a sandwich. He greets the boy with an up-nod and says
"Hey... You new here too? My name's Jackson. Where can I get me one of those?"
Instinct |
Oops, you saw my post before I deleted it, thinking I misinterpreted the initial post. I wanted to get it down before another saw it. Too late, apparently. My bad. Let's just roll with it.To others seeing, basically I came in, put my stuff down in the corner bedroom, and a got a sandwich.
The first to arrive, Michael steps out of the car, wiping the already forming sweat on his brow. He wears a plaid shirt open over a white t-shirt, cargo pants, and some old looking sneakers.
"Thank you, Professor. I'll find that room now, I guess."
Michael shoulders his bag and goes inside to put his stuff down. Finding the room in the southeast corner to his liking, he puts his stuff down.
"So this is home now" he says to himself, looking about the room Well, I might as well go back downstairs to meet the others, though that snack sounds tempting.
He comes back out, a roast beef sandwich in hand just in time to meet the next person coming inside.
"There's a kitchen that way and the name is Michael. Hello." Moving his sandwich from one hand to the other, he proffers his hand. He looks a little nervous.
Instinct |
Not really sure. For now, let's go with yes. If we are wrong, you went to the room next door instead.
"Uuhhh, sure, I guess" Mike says, rubbing the back of his neck, then a little more confidently. "Yeah, yeah. That works."
As they walk to the room, Mike asks "So, where are you from?"
Psyforce |
A very beautiful girl walks out of one of the limo's with a small stuffed backpack slung over her neck and dragging a larger suitcase with her up the driveway. She looks out of place and looks around awkwardly. As she walks to the doorway a couple of stones near the path start hovering.
"Dammit not again!" She audibly states.
You can see the professor looking at her and the girl looks back at him.
She closes her eyes and the stones slowly move back to the ground again. She opens her eyes and smiles at the professor. For whatever reason she looks more at ease for now.
She walks inside and goes into the girls dormitory to drop off her stuff. About half an hour later she comes back down and heads towards the kitchen for something to eat. She hasn't eating for a while. The boys will not have seen her pass again, she made sure to avoid them. She has had enough trouble with men for a while.
Any other girls going into the girls dormitory would have a chance to meet her though. Question GM, are all the girls in the same room or are there different rooms?
Instinct |
"Columbus, Ohio."
He goes silently for a moment, hedging about whether he should ask this or not, cracking his knuckles and fidgeting a bit.
So, uhh, if you don't mind me asking, what ar- why are you, erm, here?"
Kid Wonder |
"I mean..." , he pauses, sticking a thumb out as he stands in front of the last room in the hallway, "this is, it right?
He steps in, removing his sunglasses in the process, and sets his bag at the foot of the bed.
He crouches down and speaks as he rifles through his oversized bag
"Sorry... I don't really know why I'm here"
digs out a framed photograph
"my pops said this place was a school for people like me,
he hands the photo over to Michael.
The photograph is a candid shot, composed of 6 people of varying ages huddled around Jackson, all laughing as they begin to pick him up.
"that's him right there, with the grey 'fro. Then there's my big brother Chuck and his wife Corinne, my other brother Duke and his girlfriend Minnie, and my sister Eleanora.
He takes back the photo and places it on his nightstand.
"to be honest, I'd rather be back home with all of them, havin' a cookout and havin' fun, but this place is supposed to help me, make me a better person ..."
He takes a long, wistful pause to cherish the photo, and then shakes his head.
"...but I can't help feel like this ain't the place for me, y'know? No one would've even guessed that I was...y'know...different, but Pops said it'd be the best for me"
He looks down at his hands, shakes his head again
im sorry for gettin' all heavy on ya, Mike. This is my first time away from my family. What say we go check this 'institute' out, eh?" He chuckles "I wanna make sure I'm not gettin' myself into a Tuskegee kind of thing"
Jackson tosses his jacket onto the bed and heads for the hallway.
"So I'm guessing you ain't here for jaundice, are ya?"
Instinct |
"No worries. I was the one who brought it up. It's the first time away from my family, too"
As he follows Jackson out, he says "No, not for jaundice. My senses are heighten. Like, crazy heightened. He gestures to his face, pointing at his yellow eyes and tapered ears. I can smell what you had for lunch a week ago at ten paces. And I can run faster than most. Jump further too. Among some, uuh, other things. What can you do?
Kid Wonder |
"Yeah.." he points and draws circles around his eyes "..I thought the eyes had something to do with it."
Finally reaching the kitchen, he starts to assemble himself a roast beef sandwich.
oh, jeez, how do I put this?
"What can I do? Hah, well uh... This is great, he grabs a knife and cuts his sandwich in half, haphazardly waving it around as he emotes, let's just say me & death got a thing going on.
He tosses the knife in the sink and stuffs his mouth.
"Let'sh go scheck thish placesh out"
Vincenzo Tuveri, aka Twitch |
Vincenzo fairly cooked in his blue and white tracksuit and wished he hadn't been wearing the red and gray one when he seized last night. Lighter colors. Father Mazzini washed it for him, but he still felt wrong about wearing anything he peed his pants in in a church. The tracksuit he had on wasn't right either, but when the Old Man kicked him out he forgot to pack his church suit. The Father told him to dress for the weather too, but Vincenzo couldn't make himself. You don't wear shorts and a tank top in a church.
At least the limo had air conditioning. Vincenzo distracted himself on the trip by fiddling with all the little buttons. Even with his pills back -Thanks, Professor- Vincenzo didn't want to look out the window at all the things moving by that fast. Too much like strobe lights. Stress could cause seizures too; the docs always told him that. Vincenzo was nervous enough without adding another trigger on top.
Who knew what this Xavier guy was like at home? The Father said he could trust Baldy, but who really knew? Was he even Catholic? Name sounded kind of Spanish. He's sure not Italian.
And now Vincenzo was moving in, to go to school or something. But it was that or the streets. Nobody he knew would take him in. The Old Man made his decision, End of Story. He wasn't their family anymore, not until he could fix things. They were still his. Always. Anything they need. Any time.
The limo got caught in some traffic and Vincenzo started to shift around again. He needed to be up running or lifting weights or something. Staying still was-
When did that start? Could always sit still before but now it's like I'm a live wire.
Vincenzo bowed his head and prayed. A few Hail Marys helped. He still wanted to get going, but it didn't eat at him. When the limo started moving again, he even looked out the window until he started to feel weird.
When he felt the limo turn and slow down, Vincenzo looked up from the floor.
Big place. Guy must be loaded. The driveway seemed to go on forever, and then a little loop out front. Pretty out here. Lots of places to run.
Vincenzo got out of the limo and hefted his one grimy gym bag stuffed full of clothes, two pairs of good shoes, and his Bible.
Did they give all the rest of my stuff to the twins? Little brats were always taking it anyway. The thought made him smile.
Once he was there, Vincenzo knew how to act. He thanked the Professor, looked him in the eye, shook his hand, and went straight upstairs to dump his stuff and change. Maybe he took the stairs a little fast, but the carpet made it in one piece. His clothes too. Probably some rule against running in the house. So good time to get it in before I know better.
Picking the first room that seemed empty in the boys' dorm, Vincenzo tossed his bag on the bed and unpacked as fast as he could without losing control or throwing something through a window.
Could get used to this.
Vincenzo yielded to the temperature then, closing his door and changing into his favorite running shorts, solid red, and stretching a white tank top over his chest. Oh yeah, much better.
Properly dressed and feeling far more comfortable, Vincenzo headed to the kitchen. He found it occupied.
"Hey, how's it goin' guys? I'm Vincenzo," he smiled and stuck out his hand.
Since I've blathered long enough and there's no good way to put it into the post proper. :)
Vincenzo is a fourteen year old Italian-American kid, fairly muscular and a bit tall for his age. Long legs. Full head of blown back black hair. Brown eyes. Big smile. Aside from the wardrobe mentioned, he wears a small silver crucifix around his neck.
Catalyst |
The moment the mansion comes in sight down the long driveway, Julia's eyes are glued to the spacious grounds and facilities. On par with some private high schools or colleges, the young woman finds herself suddenly nervous at the implied intimacy the school represented. Unlike public high school were a student could blend into the background and have limited interaction with everyone nonessential, Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters did not have that vibe.
As the limo pulls to a halt before the front door steps, Julia takes a deep breath and makes sure her gloves are snug and secure before stepping out of the vehicle. She waves off the driver as she retrieves her own luggage, a large rolling trunk and several smaller suitcases, from the trunk. She quickly stacks the baggage into a balanced tower before rolling it up the steps and into the mansion.
The personal greeting by the Professor calms Julia's nerves as she tries to keep herself from geeking out to much in front of the headmaster. "Thank you again for letting me enroll in your school, sir. I'm sure I'll be able to learn a great many things in this esteemed establishment of learning." Introductions finished and itinerary laid out, Julia starts the arduous journey of thumping her luggage one step at a time up the grand sweeping staircase in the center of the main hall.
Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump.
The blonde woman finally arrives at the top of the stairs and takes a breather for a moment and catches sight of a pair of boys chatting amongst one another as they start down to the kitchen. Oh right, this school is co-ed. She straightens her glasses before turning her head and rolling her bags toward the girls' dormitories.
Julia looks for the first vacant room, not overly caring for proximity to amenities or the view from the windows when choosing. She has just begun unpacking when her stomach grumbles with the tell-tale sign of hunger. The last thing she had eaten was a granola bar that morning before the limo arrived to carry her here. Julia shot a disappointed look at her stacks of neatly folded cloths barely begun to be sorted into the closet or dresser drawers. She would prefer to be completely settled in before beginning an exploration of the facilities but another hunger rumble illicits a sigh of defeat from her as she makes for the kitchen herself.
As she exits her room, Julia catches sight of another girl leaving her own room next door. Blonde hair, good looks, athletic, and similar in age, she must be a cheerleader. She catches herself internal monologuing before she holds up a gloved hand in a wave-like greeting to Alex, "Hello, I'm new here. I guess I'm going to be your neighbor. I'm Julia."
Instinct |
Death, huh? Does he mean he causes it or prevents it?
He sits and cleans his glasses while Jackson makes his sandwich, back to the door.
Just as Vincenzo walks in, Mike says Ok, yeah. Where to first? Grounds? Library? Lower levels? I think I heard a few other people come in.
Mike turns around and puts his glasses back on so he can get a better look at Vincenzo.
Oh, hi. As he said, I'm Mike. He puts out his hand.
Whisp |
As the limo approaches the mansion, crunching up the gravel driveway, Isabelle peers curiously out the window. Nice digs! That Xavier guy said it was nice but this is... amazing!. When the car pulls to a halt she pushes open the door and steps out into the hot afternoon sun and pulls her faded army cap a little lower over her face to shield her eyes from its glare. Reaching in behind her she pulls out a large sports bag, which she shoulders with a grunt. Looking around, she spots “The Professor” in his wheelchair and heads towards him. After getting her instructions the short girl heads into the mansion itself and soon manages to find an empty room. Flinging her bag carelessly onto the bed, she turns and heads straight back out into the corridor. As she emerges she sees two other girls further down the passageway and heads towards them grinning,…. OK, so the that one looks like a bit of a girly-girl, but we’ll see,.. the other one looks alright, and at least I’m not the only one with glasses. Guess its time to find out. Sauntering up to them she props herself against the wall. ”Hey guys” she says, ”nice digs, hey? I’m Isabelle, but you can call me Iz. Are we the only ones here, or are there some more coming? Don’t know about you, but I wanna have a look around. Bit hungry too. You want to see if we can find the kitchen?”
Not sure how old you guys are, but Iz is 15.
Isabelle (Iz) is short at 5ft.1in. and is 15 years old. She has pale freckled skin, medium length black hair pulled back into a ponytail and a thin build. She’s wearing glasses, ripped blue jeans, a baseball shirt and a faded military cap.
Vincenzo Tuveri, aka Twitch |
Vincenzo gave Jackson and Mike both firm handshakes, looking them in the eye as he did. That's what you do.
"Great meeting you guys." He stepped over to the counter and helped himself to the sandwich supplies. Vincenzo almost made it fast, but then imagined food plastered to the walls and made himself go at normal speed. This was home for a while and he should show some respect.
A few bites of the sandwich disappeared.
"Downstairs sounds cool. Think maybe he's got like a crypt or something?"
Instinct |
"Possibly. More likely it's just a store room or the wine cellar. Though he did say something about a lab somewhere around here. Could be in the basement. C'mon, I think I saw an elevator back here."
Mike starts walking toward the elevator.
Instinct |
Must be important. I wonder what happens if I try this...
Might as well start at the bottom and work our way up. Let's see if it lets us down there.
Once everyone is in, he tries placing his hand on the SB2.
Instinct |
Don't know why I expect to get in there. Still, I wonder what's down there to have security like this...Plenty of time to find out though.
Well, looks like we are not getting in there, whatever it is. Let's try number 1.
He punches the button for SB1.
Reckless |
The elevator hums and glides softly downward, passing the basement and descending to the sub-basement. As the doors open, you see a corridor leading of either way, and a glass door straight across that seems to have a lab.
Several other doors and a few corridors slip off in various directions. At either end of the main corridor their are large metallic round doors with similar hand pads near them. One is labelled "Medical Bay" and the other "Shuttle to Hanger".
Kid Wonder |
He takes a step out of the elevator, peeking around nosily.
He walks briskly towards the lab, and then peaks down the corridors to see if anything piques his interest.
What...the hell? Is this how we're going to be livin'? This is crrr-aaazy. I've never seen anything like this place!"
He continues to wander down one of the corridors with wide eyes. Seconds later, he shouts from down the hall
IS THAT A GYM? MIKE, VIN, TELL ME I'M NOT DREAMIN'! THEY'VE GOT A POOL TOO?!
Well, maybe this won't be THAT bad
Instinct |
I'm sure we'll find out at some point. Honestly, I'm just surprised we haven't set alarms off all across the building. It's kind of cool though, isn't it? Like some sci fi device He leaves the elevator and moves down the hall.
Holy crap, look at this. "Shuttle to Hangar". Same pads too.
He moves back to the lab, opening the door to take a look around
I wonder what tech they have on here for genetic study...
Instinct |
He pokes his head back out of the lab
I don't know, but this place is awesome. I dont think I was expecting this when I agreed to come here. And probably. I mean they can't help us if they don't know what is wrong with us.
He presses forward to look closely at the lab, trying to identify the equipment.
Tech: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (19) + 9 = 28
Kid Wonder |
Jackson becomes cautious. Cautious enough to seem unusual. His typically cheery demeanor is gone now as he thinks back on what he's heard about the Tuskegee experiments...
Lets head back upstairs... let's scope out the rest of the kids comin' in..maybe we can mingle and make some friends"
C'mon Pops, I hope you know what you signed me up for
Reckless |
There are actually three labs; one for physics, one for electronics, and one for chem/bio. The equipment is state of the art, actually beyond state of the art.
The labs look like something out of a science fiction movie, with what look like computers, only the screens are wafer thin and you don't see anyplace for floppy disks.
The door to the lab slides open as Mike approaches, and the lights turn on, as do the nearest monitors.
Instinct |
Holy crap. It's like I've been dropped into a sci fi novel. This stuff is amazing!
Yeah, yeah. Ok. It's just this stuff is awesome. Seriously this equipment is amazing. Way beyond state of the art. Maybe not even earth tech. Reed Richards, maybe, but not by anyone else or anything available to the rest of us. Holy crap, just look at these monitors. I wonder how these work...
He will touch the nearest keyboard to try to activate the nearest computer.
Instinct |
Absentmindedly, Michael says It's possible. But I don't think so. They wouldn't have recruited me if they had. Putting me in an enclosed space in a stressful situation wouldn't end well for the others...More likely it's for studying what we can do in order to help us. The way the Professor told me, this is a sanctuary for people like us, meant to help us. Not to train us for some crazy mission
Kid Wonder |
Curiously, he cocks his head
"Ah, so those 'other things' you mentioned...not something you can control, eh?"
He raises a hand to his chin, thoughtfully
"This Professor Xavier is gonna help you get in control...he'll help all of yall get in control of your...gifts... but then why am I here?
It's not like I can hurt anyone with my "gifts". It's not like my "gifts" even matter. I just have to try my hardest to not die.
Listen, we should just start heading back. Too many questions make my head hurt."
Instinct |
Michael freezes, realizing he said that out loud.
Crap. My inner monologue became my outer monologue.
Umm. Crap. he shakes his head.Well, yeah. Something like that. Forget I said anything. Yeah. Let's go.
He'll start back for the elevator and go back upstairs.
Whisp |
Going to assume that the other girl's agree to come down to the kitchen so that we can get some food and maybe meet the boys... hope that's OK?
Iz makes her way downstairs with the other girls to the kitchen talking as they go. "So why're you guys here? It's an amazing place don't ya think? Did the Professor invite you too? He told my mum n' dad that it was a special place where 'people like me' can come to get help. So the way I figure it you must've had somethin' strange happen to you too." As they enter the kitchen she grins "Wow! nice place. Let's see what's in the fridge - hmmm. I could have a sandwich. What've they got hmm... nice." Iz prepares herself a quick meal and then vaults onto the kitchen bench to eat it cross-legged as the others get their own food...
Vincenzo Tuveri, aka Twitch |
You go away for a few hours... :)
Vincenzo walked around, gaping like a tourist. This what the inside of those computers looked like? The kind banks and the government used? And how did those TVs work that thin? Didn't they need tubes?
The mention of things you couldn't control brought him back to reality.
"This is nuts. I feel like I'm gonna break something."
Mike has control problems too. Ok. Stuff he doesn't want to talk about. I get it. Does everybody have control problems, except Jackson? This place the Island of Misfit Toys?
"So either of you guys into sports?"
Kid Wonder |
As Jackson enters the elevator, he turns to Vincenzo, his cocky grin returns
"Sports? Now you're talkin' my language! I play soccer, baseball, some basketball and football here and there. You look like you're a runner..a pretty fast one too, huh?"
Jeez, this kid can probably SMOKE me on the track, but dad always said "train with the best to be the best"
He begins to rub his hands in excitement
"I try to run at least 10 miles every mornin' before I start my work out, you down for a run tomorrow?"
Instinct |
Clearly relieved at the change in subject, Mike says
I don't play sports much, but I do a lot of running. I'd be down for it.
Vincenzo Tuveri, aka Twitch |
As Jackson enters the elevator, he turns to Vincenzo, his cocky grin returns
"Sports? Now you're talkin' my language! I play soccer, baseball, some basketball and football here and there. You look like you're a runner..a pretty fast one too, huh?"
He begins to rub his hands in excitement
"I try to run at least 10 miles every mornin' before I start my work out, you down for a run tomorrow?"
"Guess it shows," Vincenzo smiled, plucking at his tank top. "This place looks great for cross-country."
"I'm always down for a run," Vincenzo said, beaming.
Clearly relieved at the change in subject, Mike says
I don't play sports much, but I do a lot of running. I'd be down for it.
"Cool. Always easier to stay motivated when there's a group."
Psyforce |
Alex turns to the two girls and smiles while introducing herself.
"Hi, my name is Alex. Nice to meet you. And yes I am a cheerleader...or rather was. I guess everything has changed now."
She turns to Isabelle and continues
"But no I'm not really a girly girl. You know how high school is, either you end up a chew toy for the most popular girls or you become the most popular one. So I decided to do the latter."
She notices the look on their faces or hears their thoughts when they realize Alex just read their minds. Dammit, I did it again. Please don't hate me.
She holds up her hands and apologetically says
"Sorry, sorry, I didn't mean to listen to your thoughts. But it comes so naturally I sometimes can't stop it. The professor is going to help me control it better. Sometimes it just switches on and off and its almost as if you just said it out loud. Especially recently, everything became a lot harder to control." Alex's face starts to look more solemn as she thinks back to recent events where everything went out of control.
A couple of flowers start to float up from the vase next to the girls and drop a moment later when Alex notices them floating.
She moves to pick them up and put them back in the vase.
"Ugh this is what I mean. Do you guys have trouble controlling your powers as well? I hope I am not the only one."
"But yes, let's go to the kitchen for a bite. The boys went exploring the mansion, so we have it to ourselves."
She takes a deep breath as if having to calm herself before opening the fridge and quickly picks out ingredients for a healthy sandwich. She leaps onto the kitchen counter and eats it up.
"So how did you two end up here?"
Vincenzo Tuveri, aka Twitch |
The elevator approaches it's intended floor. Jack turns to Vincenzo and says "Sleep?" The elevator doors swing open, Jack turns his back to them and starts to walk out with his hands raised to shoulder level,
"I'll sleep when I'm dead".
Good timing.
"Ok, more for the rest of us," Vincenzo said, grinning.
Psyforce |
Hope that the girls get as much time to interact before the boys drop in :P. In any case when the boys ride the elevator up again Alex would be able to sense them and warn the girls of possible male intervention ;)
"Oh by the way the three boys exploring the place are somewhere beneath us, probably a lower level. No doubt getting into trouble. But at least that gives us some time to get to know each other before the boys start drooling over us girls and go demanding some attention, right?" Alex adds with a smile.
She looks out of the window for a moment, lost in thought.
I really do hope none of them gets a crush on me, not after what happened the last time
Whisp |
Iz turns back to Alex as they make their way towards the kitchen, blushing at being caught out in her thoughts, but intrigued. "You can really read thoughts? Hey, that's really cool! Bet you could play some pretty good tricks on people. Hey, does that mean that you can read boy's minds too yeah? Now that'd be interesting. Or, actually, maybe not after all. So these boys you saw. Are they cute? So, yeah I'm here 'cause of this thing I can do. Its kind of weird actually. I was, like, in the middle of a baseball game at school and, right in the middle of it this.. thing happened. Apparently one of the boys was kind of hurt and there was all this fuss. Mum and Dad had to some to school to try and sort it out - I honestly don't really know what happened but I was sure in trouble. That's when the Prof. came. He spoke to Mum and Dad and,.. well here I am. Do you think this place has a pool?" I bet the boys are all over her! Must be weird knowing what they,... arg., let's see.. Are you listening to me Alex?