xavier_institute | [Video] OTA

Viti's jaw drops when her heard this.

"You got to be fucking kidding me! That makes no figgen sense at all! I mean for one..."

Viti pressed down is pointy finger to signify the number one. "...No diseases could be as painful as listing to Dazzler's music! She can't sing, she's unoriginal, she is just a pretty face for the huge recording companies that are suffocating anyone who tries to make real music! Secondly..."

Viti pressed down his middle finger to signal the countdown to two. "If this pathogen gets out of hand, there will be no bad concerts to go too because Dazzler, the corporate kleptocracy, and millions of other people will die from the disease!"

Viti pounds his desk so hard that his web cam shakes, then gripped his hair screaming.

Edited (Needed a better Icon. "Had to add something too. ) 2015-06-22 17:49 (UTC)

It wasn't often people got to see Greg ticked. This dude? Getting closer than most in the school.

"One," he shot back, "I happen to think her music is pretty cool. I, unlike some people have both an open mind AND a refined palette for the arts. Two. Even if you dislike her music, you should respect the work she has done to give back to the community. While I would prefer she not limit her charity to JUST one grouping of people, I still respect that she is TRYING with the resources available to her to make this world a better place."

He shook his head, trying to regain his temper before he lost it.

"Three, she used to tour with my dad, so even if I liked neither her nor her music, I'm eager for a chance to hear old war stories about the great Donovan Deegan from someone other than mom and the great Donovan Deegan." Okay, so maybe tour was a bit of an exaggeration, but he was a little past caring at the moment. And anyway... raised by a bard.

"Four, The teachers here keep telling me that I don't have the training needed to handle the medical stuff that doesn't deal with my mutant ability yet. I *AM* studying medicine, however virology is not a topic I have even begun. The only thing I could do being there is seeing the illness, and possibly getting it myself. So as much as I feel like I should be there to help, they probably wouldn't let me and..."

It hurt to admit this, but at the same time... it made him realize he was making the right choice.

"And for once... I think I agree with them. The best help I could be is to help the doctors and students who go, when they come back, to find out if my white fire can heal THEM. If it can... well... Then I'll go to war with professor Taka over using my mutant power to try and heal EVERYONE who has it. But until then... I'm of more use staying clear for now."

And then he grinned. What was it his dad and brother always said? Ah yes, nothing ticks of someone who is mad at you more than a sincere thank you.

"Anyway, sorry I started to loose my temper there. I want to thank you, though. I was feeling guilty and conflicted, but you cleared it all up. Now I can go see Dazzler, knowing I'm doing the right thing. So, thank you, man. I'll remember this."

Viti attacked the web cam! "Don't thank me you son of a bitch!" There was a crash and things went dark for a second, but then the cam came back on. A giant crack appeared to bisect Viti's face.

"Ok..." Viti's fingers and hands were so tense he looked like he might try to strangle himself, but then he sighed to calm down.

"I didn't know you father and Dazzler had such a close relationship. Deegan is a common last name... kind of..."

Viti gritted his teeth. It pained him to admit that the logic of the person who thanked him was pretty iron clad, but still he had more to say.

"District-X...How can you even resist going?" He opened his hazel eyes trying to find Gregory's, at the same time digging into his own psyche. "Do you have any idea how lucky you were to have been here when the mansion was attacked and to have been able to do something about it? How lucky you were to have trained with the X-men, and how lucky you are now for a chance to go into a hot zone and help someone somehow?"

Viti put his hand on his heart. "I can't use my powers right now. If I go in it would probably be just to serve coffee to the real researchers. But after all the opportunities that slipped away, there's no way I can resist this one."

Viti growled. "How can you stand this?! Being on the sidelines has been absolute torture, and yet you're able to put yourself there on purpose. How?!"

edit)

"If you must know, I've been to District X before, helping out. Multiple times. My X-team actually focuses on helping those in need, mutants and non-mutants alike. Whomever needs aid, we give aid."

He grinned. It seemed like thanking him had been exactly the right way to play it, so he kept his voice pleasant. Even if he wasn't feeling too pleasant about the topic.

"And actually I missed this last skirmish. I blew my powers out training and slept for three day. But I hear that my team did well, and I'm proud of them. Here's the thing about the front line. If you live there, you don't live long. Even the X-men, even the professors, they don't go out, each of them on each and every mission. The training taught me to focus on doing what I can, where and when I can. If I get sick in the District, I can't help those who return. But if I wait, then I can."

"Besides which, have you read the papers? Seen our luck? You really think there isn't a chance the concert will be attacked?"

That hadn't dawned on him before, but now he chose to give the other boy an "Are you stupid" look, as if it were obvious.

[Alric answers with a smile... although just a little strained, in his case, as well, like he's not entirely pleased with something.]

If it's any comfort, Mr. Deegan, I believe I will be at the concert, myself.

"By choice?" [he asked, noting that.]

(OOC note: The mods require me to tell you when Viti's powers might be absorbing information about someone. Viti is absorbing info about Gregory. Please message me if this a problem)

Viti leaped out of his chair. "Hey I thought of the concert being attacked!" There is a moment of silence, before Viti relents to the "are you stupid" look.

"Ok, I didn't think of that. But what I did think of is that the bubonic plague once whipped out a third of Europe, and more than half of the people who ever lived died of Malria. Even hard core supervillains like Magneto and Juggernaut could never have done that much..."

Viti jaw dropped, his pupils dilated. It was as though he saw something traumatic right in front of him. He then griped his forehead like he had a massive headache.

"Aaaahhhh!" His pupils shrunk and grew, as something happened. His head wavered until he fell over, his head impacting his desk on the way down. For a second there was silence, then finally a hand reached upward, and gripped the desk.

He pulled himself up. "That training match would have went differently if was there. You wouldn't have been blown your power if I had been there."

Warm blood oozed from his forehead, dripping into this right eyes. There was already some blood on the table where his head hit initially. His gripped slipped because of it, and he would have fumbled down again, had he not quickly reestablished his grip.

"Dam my head hurts."

Edited 2015-06-23 19:26 (UTC)

None of that made sense, not really... except for one thing.

"I'm on my way," he said, getting up.

Someone was hurt. The rest could wait.

Except...

"Where are you?"

"aaaarrrr. Don't worry I'll be..." Viti was almost back on his chair, but slipped again landing on the floor.

"First floor room 9. Door's unlocked. Ow."

Edited 2015-06-24 00:51 (UTC)

He cut the connection, and flew off, literally. Walking stick in hand he flew through the halls to get to the room, then dropped to the ground and let himself in, limping in with his walking stick. He rushed over to the boy, shaking his head as his free hand shot out and his white fire rushed over him, healing the other boy.

"You're not the brightest are you?" He asked, white fire flickering brightly over his hand.

Viti's head was pounding, but then came the light washing over him. It was serene, and warm. A thousand gentle hands massaging him and quickly his pain eased. A tinge of Euphoria came over him, and he didn't even feel anger when Gregory insulted him.

He peeled the dried blood away. There wasn't even a scar.

"Thank you, Gregory. I feel much better." Viti stood up. He began walking to his desk, but then he wobbled again. He caught himself on his chair.

"This is the second time this week that it acted up like this. I don't know why. Why does everything have to go wrong at the worst possible time?" Viti collapsed back in his chair.

With a sigh, he twisted to Gregory. He lowered his head and dug deep down in his gut for gumption.

"The truth is, Gregory is that word of your power has go around, and I was counting on it. If this happened on a mission, without you around, it would be a disaster. But I can't afford to sit out another important mission."

Viti began to stand up, and clench his fist.

"This time I must go! Ow." He griped his head again, his body shifting, barely able to stand.

Edited 2015-06-24 01:24 (UTC)

"First of all, if this is the worst possible time, you need to rethink what constitutes worst. You want to go on missions? Let me tell you what the teachers keep telling me - you're not ready."

"It sounds more like you can't afford to be on an important mission, not that you can't afford not to miss it. And if I'm on a mission, I'm there to help the whole team, not babysit one member. You need better control of your power before you're anything but a liability on a mission."

"This time... you must rest." He touched his head again, using more White Fire to go after whatever he was saying "Ow" over.

Viti tensed up to stand, and snap back, but then came the white flame. The flame calmed him and did alleviate the pain in his head. Viti couldn't be mad if he wanted to be, but didn't give up his position yet.

"How can I rest, when my power might be the key to solving this whole problem? I have a portal in my brain that continually absorbs information. If I can just control my powers I could know everything there is to know everything about this disease, and everything about every disease ever, at the snap of the fingers!"

Viti could finally stand steady and did.

"If I had control of my powers when the mansion was attacked, I could have known all the security codes to hack into the system and bring our weapons back on our side. If I had control of my powers I could have been there in the fight with Gene nation to tell to you all their weakness to give you an edge. More importantly, I could have told you the strengths of all your teammates, because, frankly you could have used that when Skaar was suddenly dropped on your roster."

With his fist on his side, he declared. "Yeah, you might be babysitting me out there, But if I figure out my powers it wouldn't be for nothing." His eyes suddenly bulged when he suddenly found the weakness in his own argument. He let his head fall, and his tone became quiter

"If...I figure out my powers."

Edited 2015-06-24 02:00 (UTC)

"First of all, Skaar was not DROPPED on us. I recruited him myself. And from where I stand, it's still for good reason. I can work with him. He's willing to work with us."

He made a mental note to get a hold of Skarr again and touch base there.

"But the bigger note is what you keep saying. If you had control of your powers. Missions aren't where you start to learn that control, that's not where you start to learn how to handle your powers. Not when people are depending on you. You learn the basics first THEN you come out and help."

"You don't join a sword fight the day you pick up a sword. You learn how to use it first! Yes, you refine your abilities, hone them, learn finesse in the field, but right now? Right now you can hardly stand on your own! You're swinging blind. And what would happen if your swing hits me, or Skaar, or Krista, or some bystander?"

"You want help with your powers? There are plenty of people here, willing to help. But the question if you went on a mission now isn't if you'd hurt yourself, it's how many people you;d take down with you."

He sighed and ran a hand though his hair. "I'm one of the ones willing to help you, and you know what? If you can do all that, yes. Your power does sound useful. When it's trained. When you can use it."

...mm. Not entirely.

[He flashed a smile, although rather more peevish than usual.]

It was decided that the situation with this... contagion was too hazardous. I have, I'm afraid, my orders--to stay out of District X, if at all possible, until matters are resolved. ......until such a time as it's clear there's something fruitful I can do there, I'm afraid it will be difficult to make a compelling argument to the contrary. ...but perhaps I can at least benefit from the opportunity to meet and speak with someone experienced in the peaceable support of 'mutant' rights.

"More or less my thoughts. I'm good with curing people, but researching a plague? That's more my brothers' area," [yes, if this were subtitled, an astute person might catch a reference to more than one brother in that,] "than mine."

Viti growled. He opened his mouth to say something, but realized it wouldn't have made sense. He got up and walked to the window. He peeled back the curtain. He looked outside and when he looked far enough he could see two children, possibly younger than him, playing with a ball. His eyes were dead set on the scene, as he looked on at them with envy at how they moved, so fast, so free, and joyfully yelling so loud that half the neighborhood could hear them. One child shot the ball into the air with his mind.

"Everyone admires the pain a hero goes through for everyone else. Well they should. I appreciate it."

At that second, in the far distance, a child teiliported in front of the ball in the air, to catch it. She thrust her fist up and cheered when she did so.

"But not being the hero comes with a pain all it's own. To not be able to do anything for the people around you, to be ineffective when your world is collapsing. To be helpless..."

Viti turned away from the window and faced the camera.

"To be useless. To be disa...dis" Viti couldn't say it, but anyone who looked at Viti and Gregory through the cam would have saw the crack in the lens appear to cut through Viti's head, and bisect Gregory's leg.

Far in the distance, the ball bounced on the ground. The teliportaing girl failed to catch it that time.

Viti slumped back in his chair.

"I won't go on this mission. But I have to ask about my powers. Do you know enough about the human body and healing to have an idea why my powers might be causing me pain? I've had this power since I was born, and why does it suddenly hurt now that arrived at the institute, the worst possible time?"

"I don't know anything about your powers," he pointed out. "Without that, what I know about the human body doesn't much matter in this case."

Greg sighed and helped himself to a seat, leaning his walking stick against the armrest.

"Not ever mutant power starts out wonderful and glorious. And not ever power stays the same as it grows, as we grow. And hey, like they say, sometimes the best roses have the worst thorns, if you get my point. That is... if the analogy isn't too painful."

Yep. He totally just said that.

Viti takes a deep breath so as not to roll his eyes at the pun. He gave a fake laugh instead.

"I see." Viti said as he nodded. For a moment he is silent. He looks away, but then he suddenly looked back.

"Speaking of wonderful powers, please tell me more about your team. My power certainly didn't tell me everything."

Edited 2015-06-25 00:39 (UTC)

"Even if it had, it would enamor you more to the group to learn by talking to us," he pointed out. "Same for whatever team you wind up joining."

Yes, that implication is what you thought it was.

"Do what you want."

Though, he is a little worried about the virus. His mind, as always in such situations, goes to human conspiracy.

"I generally do."

[Alric sighs a little, but smiles sympathetically.]

So. Distasteful as we may find it, I suppose we leave the front line to those best able to assist, for now, and busy ourselves elsewhere, mm?

"And if we can't help yet, might as well at least have some fun, yes?"

...mm. Well, hopefully, yes. I shall you you there, then?

"Of course. Unless you thought I'd...blend in....?"

Viti got out of his chair, and kneeled in front of his small refrigerator.

“Well I’ll tell you what my power did tell me, other than that Jimi Hendrix once got arrested for jaywalking.” Viti pulled out a bottle of orange juice, and some seltzer water.

“My powers told me, that your team has a member who smash well, but cannot alter emotions or offer support…”

Viti poured the orange juice into two paper cups till they were half full.

“Another member who can alter emotions well, but cannot smash well or offer direct support…” Viti poured in the seltzer.

“And a third member who can support well, but cannot smash well, or alter emotions…” Viti used a spoon to mix the two substances together.

“And that’s what I call…” He picked up a cup and offered it to Gregory.

“…a perfect team.” Viti had a large smile on his face.

“Your team has great potential as it is, but is there nevertheless room for someone who might be able to spy well someday, even if he has some learning to do?

"So, what's so great about this Dazzler chick anyways?"

"There is room for those who want to help, yes. But that's not what I meant," he said, taking the cup with a nod of thanks but setting it aside for the moment. He wasn't inherently distrustful, but consider it a side effect of having Donovan Deegan for a father. Dramatic law said that if this were a story, there would be something in the cup meant to incapacitate him. He was sure there wasn't, but on the slim 1% chance there was...

He would never live it down if he drank it. Not from his dad, and not from his brother. Seers made annoying older brothers. They really really did.

"What I meant is that we are more than the powers we contribute to the team, and the most important things to learn about us... are best learned by experience. The way it takes forever to get a laugh out of Skaar, but it's totally worth it when you do. The way Krista smiles, and tries so hard to be there for everyone at once."

"That's more important than support, tank, rouge," how to classify his description of Krysta in this analogy? He wasn't sure. Should have thought this out before he started speaking. Of course, that wouldn't be him being him, so he just grinned, "and peacemaker."

"To work well as a team, we have to work well as people. That's what matters most. Because trust me... if you can't get along with us as people, being on this team would just feel like pun-ishment."

Yeah. He really just said that.

...probably not that much.

"Aside from her charity work, the good work she does for the community, her donations to those in need, her support of us in particular, and the fact that according to dad she's a nice person? Aside from that? Her music is pretty good."

[He laughed.]

"See you there, then."

"Room for people who want to help?"

Viti pulled his head back.

"The one and only good thing you can say about me is that I wanted to charge into a plague zone to save lives, and freaked out when I found out I couldn't.

That's almost as brave as trying to help Zancrow with his homework." He couldn't help but chuckle at his own joke.

"As for getting along with the team as people..." Viti's eyes veered away from Gregory's. His body shifted uncomfortably. He could only speak after he downed some of his spritzer. After the sizy juice washed over his tongue, he spoke.

"ummmmm. Well..."

He finally sighed, and his whole body drooped so hard his glasses almost fell of his nose, but he was finally able to look in Gregory's eyes. "The truth is, I have a learning disability that makes it hard to relate to people, and even if my powers were at full capacity they wouldn't let me gain information about human emotion, because the disability would stop it."

Viti sighed yet again. "There I said it. I'm disabled ok?"

"Brave isn't wanting to run head first into danger," he said. "Brave is being scared out of your wits and running towards the thing that scares you, not because you want to, but because you have to. Because someone needs you, because someone is in danger, because it's the right thing to do."

When he said the thing about being disabled, he shrugged. "Hard to relate to people is not impossible. It just means it takes more work. None of us are perfect, but we are understanding. And while maybe I don't know just how difficult it is for you to relate to people...

He leaned forward and rolled up his pant leg, showing off the blight. "I know something about how hard a disability can be. And about using mutant powers to compensate... and how to cope when that disturbs people."

He rolled his pant leg back down and smoothed it. "The walking stick isn't just a comedic prop; though it does serve that purpose as well."

Zancrow gives a shrug. He never really listened to her before. He's vaguely aware of her charity work, but over all she doesn't come on his radar.

"So go see her."

"I'm going to. You coming?"

Viti's pupils dilated when he saw it. The blight that ran up Gregory's leg like a black chasm, and spread its tendrils like a kraken reaching from the black sea to pull down a ship.

He was stunned by the sight until the pant leg was finally rolled down. It took a second before he could gulp down the rest of his drink.

"Not all of us are comfortable talking about our disabilities, so I didn't bring up your leg injury, but now that you have, may I ask how something like that can happen?"

Edited 2015-06-26 18:58 (UTC)

He shrugged. "Part of my mutation."

He didn't add the fact that it hadn't been that bad before Jacob got to it. "Not much to talk about. And, I'm not particularly comfortable or uncomfortable talking about it. I thought it would help you to know that I do understand, at least... in part."

"I see. Well I appreciate it. We both have large hurdles to get over."

Viti picked up his cup and threw in the garbage, and sat back down in his chair.

"As for my request to be part of your team..." Viti shrugged, "...there's really nothing more I can say for myself. I would love to be part of it, but if I am not a good fit, then I am not a good fit. I wish I could say that I have true bravery, but I don't know that I do. Now if you'll excuse me I do have some work to do.

I won't be going to district X, but I should still do some research in case the pathogen makes its way here. Even if you are going to the concert, you might want to read up as well."

Viti faced the glow of his monitor, but when his eyes lit up in revelation he turned back to Gregory.

"Oh by the way, you are certainly not useless in an outbreak. Even if your fire doesn't kill pathogens, its healing properties would allow us to use more powerful drugs than normal, which might be needed."

"Maybe it would help that way," he said, nodding as he pushed himself up carefully, holding onto his walking stick.

"And I didn't say it was a no, just at the least a not yet. I'd also want to talk to the others, and have you talk to them, before making any call either way. I'm willing to help you, to work with you. Teammates or not. That offer is still in place."

"Alright?" he said with a warm smile.

"Alight. Thank you for the offer and thank you for the help so far." Viti followed his statement with a nod.

(ooc note: I am going to assume Gregory left at this point."

When Gregory left Viti bathed in the light of his computer.

He imputed the words "District-X" into his search engine, and that would be the start of many hours of research.

And he limped back to his room.

Zancrow paused for a moment, then nods.

"Sure, why not?"

"Rocking."

[Video] OTA - plans

no subject

no subject

no subject

The crack is in the camera or his face? Presuming camera, if it is his face, please message and I'll

no subject

no subject

The crack is indeed in the camera. My apologies for my bad description.

Re: The crack is indeed in the camera. My apologies for my bad description.

Re: The crack is indeed in the camera. My apologies for my bad description.

Move from video to physical.

Re: Move from video to physical.

Wow, Greg is TICKED.... I am kind of in shock.

Dam. I messed up. But this may yet lead to something better than I planed.

You happen to have AIM/Plurk/Yahoo? I'd love to chat as we work on these posts...

no subject

no subject

Got a plurk account. I will pm you about it.

Added you

That is so Gregory.

no subject

[Video]

Re: [Video]

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

I had to make a new icon for this

no subject

no subject

I am flattered about the new icon. I am.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

So we're done?

no subject

no subject