xavier_institute | [Video] - Another X-Team?!

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original: alric caelegart

[Video] - Another X-Team?!

[Alric seems a bit more troubled--or at least more serious--than usual (which might be alarming to people who think he's impossibly serious normally). He smiles, politely, but his manner is a little more stern and pensive, something other members of the kendo club would likely have noticed. He pauses a second after turning on the video, before speaking.]

Fellow students. I have been thinking seriously about forming a team for some time. Since the beginning of the semester, I felt I had the luxury of focusing, above all, on protocol--deciding on the ideal foundation and mission statement for this team, before extending invitations.

[A brief pause--perhaps to gather his thoughts or perhaps rhetorical.]

However.

Recent events have lent a far greater urgency to the matter. So. My intention is to establish a team prepared for purposes of intervention. Ours is, plainly, a dangerous world, due to individuals with ill intent, be they mutant or otherwise. Given Professor Xavier's blessing, of course, I believe it would be in keeping both with my own oaths, and with the intent of the Institute, to form a team dedicated to representing the best that mutant citizens have to offer society. I believe there is much we can offer--to protect, with respect for the law, those who we can, and to offer our aid where possible. Perhaps, if we are able to do so with a measure of aptitude and wisdom, we may be able to help turn the tide of fear preemptively.

Such a team would need to be prepared for combat, if necessary, capable of fast response and deployment as needed, and, ideally, able to provide relief and protection to those in harm's way. Coordination with local authorities and regular patrolling may be vital, as well. Our training would prioritize those objectives. I would be glad to hear from any who are interested and do not have prior commitments, and am open to additional suggestions.

Mr. Hijikata: I've spoken to you about my intentions, before, in brief. I would be honored if, given these details, you still wish to support this endeavor.

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He walked with him a bit startled by the offer, then shrugged. "First floor, room four. Mine is the empty side." He considered, then said, "And if the bathroom door is shut, do not go in, my roommate was very specific about that." This whole situation was just too weird. Besides which, he was not sure what else Alric wanted him to be taking care of. Maybe the boy just needed some time away from Tiamaris to react in private. Yes. That was probably it.

Mostly he meant he was going to give Tiamaris a chance to compose himself, change (literally), and get some pants on, but expressed vaguely in order to try and be polite about it. For all that sort of thing had worked on anyone, here. Strange place, America. Alric had never met people so quick to become frustrated, rude, confused, or otherwise out of sorts over being a bit polite or expressing oneself carefully.

Nonetheless, he smiled and nodded.

"I'll be along momentarily, then."

With that he headed up to his room to fetch a couple of shirts--a dress shirt in case their measurements happened to be similar enough, and a tee shirt as well in case the dress shirt fit him poorly. He didn't rush about it too much, to give Tiamaris some time, as he'd said, but was along shortly, and knocked lightly at the door.

When Tiamaris saw Alric heading to his own room instead of... oh. Now he understood the confusion. That made more sense. With a shrug that sounded like metal against metal, he turned and headed for his room, his foot steps causing slight tremors from his increased weight.

He got to his room, glad to see that his roommate was out. He wasn't sure how to handle two people at one time.

He found pants, his last pair, and shifted out of scales, then pulled them on. He had just closed them when he heard the knock on the door.

He opened the door cautiously, having no clue how to behave at this point.

Alric smiled casually, holding up the shirts he'd retrieved.

"I wasn't sure which might suit you better--or, for that matter, fit you better--so I though it best to bring both. Again, don't trouble yourself needlessly over hurrying to return either; when you've no need is the best time."

(Just out of the hospital, on lots of meds. I apologize if my posts are odd.)

"....Thank you...." He really had no clue how to handle this... He tried to remember what would have happened in one of his books. "...Would... you like to come in?" he asked, voice cool and aloof, but inside he was unsure.

[Hope you're feeling better at least! D: ]

Alric paused a moment, but smiled a touch more sheepishly, and nodded.

"Ah... I suppose, yes, if I'm not imposing--really, though, I mean chiefly to make amends, and apologize, for that.. incident..."

(Thank you. Only comparatively. On lots of meds, though.)

Not knowing what else to say or do, Tiamaris stepped back, pulling the door further open. He set down one of the shirts, randomly, and pulled on the other.

Alric stepped inside and glanced around curiously to see what sort of decoration, if any, Tiamaris had introduced--and what it might reveal about his fellow student's interests.

"...mm. I wonder, with all their experience dealing with various inconvenient abilities, if the faculty might not be able to help with the, ah... clothing issue. Something elastic, perhaps, and fireproof. Control, of course, is the best solution, but... ...well. In my case, at least, it took quite some time to learn--and, in all honesty, I am still learning."

(Still on the pain pills)

There was no decoration on his half of the room. Just the new bed after the last had been melted, vague scorch marks and dents in the floor here and there. The smell of brimstone was not fully diffused by the open windows. His closet stood open, and empty. The other half of the room belonged to Koshi, and I honestly have no clue how it was decorated. probably with baseball paraphernalia.

Tiamaris had heard of fireproof clothing, but never anything that had actually worked. But elastic... his eyes went gold with humor, bright and liquid, at the mental image of a dragon in pants and a shirt. Where would the wings go?

He shrugged a bit, face still expressionless, except for the liquid gold of his eyes. "I am... trying to learn," he admitted. He was curious what the other meant about his own control...but did not ask.

"Mm. I was--I am--lucky to have so... understanding and wise a family as my own."

He smiled a little to himself, although there's a hint of something bittersweet about his expression, as well.

"...let's just say since I was... oh, five years old, I suppose, we always had fire extinguishers near at hand."

A small wince at the mention of family and eyes that descended immediately to a dull flat red. Before the mutation the eyes would not have changed at all, of course, but the wince.... His face was so much more... Readable then. Not that he was aware of it, he never spent much time around mirrors.

She closed his eyes and turned away, not knowing what to say to that. What could be said? He was hardly going to tell this person about how he had killed his own mother, how his father had seen him for the monster he was. But... He was trying to not be a monster any more. He was tired of killing and was trying to protect, to do good, that should count for something... Right?

It really seemed as though everything Alric said was upsetting to this fellow, in one way or another. Particularly, it appeared, attempts at expressing any sort of sympathy or camaraderie. His expression faltered somewhat, although he glanced off to look around the room pensively as a cover for that reaction. No need to make a show of having noticed it.

"...ah. ...anyway. I don't mean to intrude on you, of course... I imagine I ought to get out of your way. I do hope you'll let me know if there's anything I can do to help."

Not purely a formality, but he glanced back to Tiamaris with a more restrained, businesslike smile. It wasn't the first time here someone hadn't exactly responded well to Alric's attempts at friendly overtures.

"Then... That is it?" He asked quietly. "I failed the test, because I could not control the monster?" He should have realized he couldn't manage it. He wasn't able to be of help to anyone, he could't protect...

Alric stared a moment in total confusion. What was what? As Tiamaris continued, though, a hint of his growing frustration showed itself in his expression--up to now carefully kept polite, conciliatory, and friendly, when not simply confused. His eyes narrowed somewhat, and he tilted his head forward slightly, with an expression of exasperation.

"Tiamaris. I don't know what you've been told. But I am not here to >test you. That's neither my intention nor my obligation, any more than it is to antagonize or harm you. I, like you, am here as a student. If someone's testing you, it is not I."

He stops there, although he certainly looks as though he could keep going. In particular he's tempted to make some comment to the effect of Tiamaris himself being the test, but restrains himself. The tension is obvious for a moment before Alric raises a hand, pressing it to his forehead, and lets out a sigh. He only relaxes slightly, and while he stuffs down any explicit trace of anger, his manner remains much more formal.

"...what I meant is that, as before, quite contrary to my intentions, it seems my every word and deed is troubling to you. That is in itself good reason to take my leave and let you have some peace. It is not, I assure you, an expression of judgement. A point on which I'd thought I had been clear, but evidently not clear enough. Although I pray that, at least, has been rectified, now."

He took a deep breath himself, then said quietly, "I came to you wanting to join your X-man team, and all I have done in that time is loose my temper, loose my control, and upset you," he said softly, "proving that I have no place on a team like that. I failed the test." He wasn't looking at the other man, his eyes a dull red again.

Maybe this time he would be brave enough, kill one last person - himself - before he could hurt anyone else. He clearly had no skill with people, no chance at ever being anything but a monster, no matter what the professor said. Maybe he was just being a coward, clinging to life, like this. He should have let his father shoot him, or better, he would have never been born, then his mother...then everyone he killed... would still be alive.

Alric shook his head, raising a hand to rub at his temple lightly, but he speaks levelly and calmly.

"To my understanding, Tiamaris, we are here to learn, if we are willing, not to be tested or judged. I assure you, you are not the only student here with... difficulties. Were I to be a team leader--which, without a team, I'd say is a rather too-generous attribution--it would be my responsibility to work with those in my team, even if... especially if... they're troubled, and not exacerbate their troubles. If I'm... upset, it's on account of the.. unexpected challenges I've encountered, here. Not something to hold against yourself."

He paused a moment, and shook his head.

"If you feel compelled to make reparations in some fashion, I'd ask that you do so by committing yourself to learning, as we are here to do. If you have failed, there is no better remedy than to learn and do better in the future, and it certainly goes a long way toward improving the odds of accomplishing some good in the world."

...accomplishing some good in the world....

Those words struck something in Tiamaris the way a clapper strikes the inside of a bell, and with no less resonance. He grabbed the back of a chair to support himself as the words circled in his head, sounding in his mind over and over and over again. That was what he wanted, to do good, to do enough good to weigh against all the evils he had done, enough good to bury forever the monster.

"That," he finally managed to say in a quiet voice, "was why I was trying to join a team. To do some good," he said. He was surprised his voice was strong, though quiet. He expected a whisper. These days he could choose his words, and he did his best to do so with care, but his voice.... It was odd, no longer sounding quite like himself, but he supposed having no choice in how he sounded also meant he didn't have to stress out about choosing how to sound. Still....

He swallowed hard. This man had... Had not seen him as a monster had tried to help, and might be his team leader, if he could get himself under control enough to help, to be worthy. But... The man thought he needed to remove himself from tiamaris' presence for Tiamars' sake. How to explain to him that he did not, that this was the longest conversation he had ever had with someone that didn't end in threats or violence. Well, since his uncle died, anyway. Part of Tiamaris, a small part he was sure he should be ashamed of, wanted the man to stay, wanted to keep the conversation going. There was a weird feeling inside him that he did not understand, like something was less, but the lack was a relief. It made no sense, but he had a feeling that if this man left, he would take the less with him, and what remained might destroy whatever there was left of Tiamaris. Nothing made sense, and all he was doing was confusing himself...

Alric paused, but nodded in understanding, at least, of Tiamaris's answer, if not all the internal context. He allowed a brief silence to follow--partly to gather his own thoughts, and partly to give Tiamaris the opportunity to say more if he had more to say--before clearing his throat lightly by way of a rhetorical segue. He smiled, at least, although it was a more practiced, formal smile than his usual, but generally a reassuring gesture.

"As I said... I believe that is true of most of us, if not all of us. If I can be of some assistance in that respect, in addition to the efforts of the faculty, I do look forward to it. ...but, for now, I think perhaps it's best we... collect ourselves, and consider in what manner to proceed. If you'll be all right."

Was he saying he wanted to leave? And if so, leave and come back, or just leave? Suddenly it was just too much, this dancing around that people called manners and society. But if he wanted the other to speak plainly, maybe he had to start.

"I don't understand people," he said his words flat, his face, turned away still, a blank mask. "This is the longest conversation I have had since I was five, so if you want me to understand something, speak plainly," he said bluntly, with a bit of heat coming from his mouth. He forced himself to calm, as best he could, before fire followed.

Alric glanced off a moment, hesitating--that was a bit blunt, but blunt was likely better than another misunderstanding--speaking up after considering his words for a few seconds.

"...for the moment... I mean only to say that it has been an... intense encounter--for the both of us, I believe. It might be best to take a breather, so to speak."

He smiled a little.

"I don't mean to avoid you, I assure you of that, but rather to suggest that we speak again in a calmer, more rested state of mind, and perhaps with a little new perspective."

He hesitated. He could not imagine he would be calmer, or gain any new perspective any time soon. He was a monster. No matter how he tried to fight it. But...

he gave a small nod, wordlessly. The other... Alric... he said he would not avoid him, but... Kiyoshi had said similar, and he hadn't seen his roommate since... that day....

He closed his unintentionally expressive eyes.

Alric paused a moment, then chuckled lightly and scratched the back of his head.

"Ah... at any rate, apologies, again, for the... inauspicious beginnings. Hopefully we'll be rectifying that. Have a good night, Tiamaris."

He smiled a touch more jovially, nodded in almost courtly manner, and moved to step out. Among other things, whether Tiamaris needed to at the moment or not, Alric needed to get his bearings a bit. Lending a hand with the cleaning up downstairs might help, there. Doing something helpful and physical in the way of manual labor or community service could be excellent internal atonement for bollocksing up a social situation.

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[Video] - Another X-Team?!

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