Schools For New Mutants

[sojournerwolf]

Lucas

"Unpredictible?" I ask Martin. "Let's come back to that in a moment."

"Tara from Xavier's School can put people to sleep, and has some sort of ability for walking through dreams.

"Angel, I'm not sure about. Once she gets here, maybe we can get more information from her.

"There's another student here, James, who can convert kinetic energy.

"And, if we can find him, there's this guy who calls himself fallout that can increase mass and body strength.

"Me? Besides looking like a kid's drawing of a dog," I chuckle, "I'm a bit stronger and faster than most humans, heal rapidly, and have enhanced senses. Also play some guitar and sing."

I look at Zoe. "Zoe, is your telepathy strong enough to try and latch onto the members of our schools from the images Ms. Frost and Professor provided and see if you can draw them here?"

"Martin, you said your powers involve sleeping and are unpredictible. Shot in the dark time...is it something that can cause other people to sleep or something you can do or make other people see while you are asleep?"


I can see things down near the fountain are starting to get out of hand.

 

[Vivid]

Martin, Nitemare

I shudder slightly, I can't help it, I just feel the tremors through my arms and in the pit of my stomach.

"I can pull others to sleep with me and I can make dreams real. Neither of which would be in a good way." I look a little ashamed to admit it, but I do anyway. "Something about what I do causes nightmares."

The statement hangs in the air for a brief eternity.

"Suffice it to say, it probably won't help here. Lets look to what can. If that make-out session down there is being caused by our classmates then we need to wean the humans off of it - give them something else to think of. What they need is..." I spot it on a nearby wall. I turn my attention to the red lettering 'In case of emergency break glass' I nod toward the coil of fire hose.

"... a cold shower."

 

[sojournerwolf]

Lucas

I nod at Martin's suggestion and see the direction his eyes are moving.

"Good thought, let's keep it in mind for a back up?"

I look around. "Let's see if the others catch up with us in a couple of minutes and if not, we'll try something that maybe will get them off the hook down there without causing much more of a riot."

I start to explain my plan in rough to see what they think.

"What I think we might be able to do is this. We'll go down there and announce that this is all a sort of publicity stunt for a play, say...."Sally Beyond the Woods." Vince, if you've got some tunes on tap that are sort of classical or maybe even celtic, or whatever, if you cold play those we'll give them some music. Also, you said you can drain bio energies... if you can handle it on sort of a broad basis, maybe we can start calming them down by a slow, light drain?

Martin, you talked about how you can take people into sleep with you, sort of induce nightmares if you're asleep. Do you think if you were hypnotized you could retain a greater degree of control and maybe make it wider based?"

I gesture at the crowd. "If we can get them tired enough with Vincent's bio drain, to at least be drowsy, maybe, just maybe you could draw them into a dream? maybe something not absolutely awful, but more fantastic. think maybe the Hobbit or some such, maybe a few odd creatures stirring about. Gonna take a lot, I know, but if we can distract them...We can claim later it was all holograph projection.

"Zoe, if you could play the point on this. Try maybe use some of your powers to boost the dreams that Martin can invoke. Might need some of those fireworks of yours, if you can do them at a light level and away from the crowd. Could provide a distraction we need.

"Let's slip on down to the food court. One of the other students is there, James. He might be able to give us a hand with this too."

As we head for the food court, I ask them to keep an eye out for the other students, to see who shows up and who might be able to help us.

"If we can't get anyone else, what I'll do is kind of mc the thing, spin some line of bullshit about the play...and then see if I can draw Rachel and Wei off from the fountain by chasing away the "big bad wolf". Yeah, I know it sounds hokey, but it may just be hokey enough to work, to let the humans go away thinking it was all just some sort of gag.

"We'll have to improvise, each of us as we see an opportunity to. You know your powers better than anyone else and what you can do. If we pull this off, we might just avoid trouble with the mall security...or worse.

"Are you all game for this?" I ask with a grin.

 

[Inkubus]

Vincent

"I agree with the 'daydream believer' idea, Martin can lay down most of these people, You say Tara can do the same, what if Zoe could channel or refine there pooled abilities we'd be in bussiness. As for keeping them woosy I suppose I could try, but im not much in front of crowds so do your thing Lucas"

 

[BadForm]

Wei-Fong Chan: Overflow

In truth, Wei-fong was as affected by the emotions around her as she was affecting them. It was a rapid spiral downwards to a carnal lust which consumed her very being. She saw her friend, Rache, seemed to be enjoying the effects of the passion around her as well, and thrust harder into the joy of her emotions.

Now she was dancing with two men, one before her and one at her back. The dance was a simulation of fucking, something she had experienced and savored many times in her chaotic life. Her hips thrust back and forth, grinding over the groins which surrounded her. Already the first man had opened his belt bucked and fly. The one at her back seemed currently too interested in massaging her ass cheeks to strip. That didn't matter, she loved it all.

As her emotional push spread further, and became more powerful, it was becoming less controlled. Already, she could sense very few individuals in the seething mass of passion. The other people were an ocean around her, where she could feel and control the tide, but not the individual drops. However, she could feel a knot of concern, of fear almost, near the stairs. A group of people, not yet affected, their youthful feelings raw and untainted, together made enough of a pull to be an undertow in the ocean. No matter. She could change them too. And she spread the lust like a net to engulf them as they drew nearer to her...

OOC: Anyone who feels like going with the flow, now has an excuse. Anyone who doesn't... well I figured you have some powerful telepaths in your group, and the profs if they want to get involved, to stop her emotional control.

 

[sojournerwolf]

Lucas

Down in the food court, we catch up with James. I give him a brief sketch of what is going on, what we are going to try and do. "We might need some fireworks, if you could help us with that," I tell him.

Already Wei's powers are starting to get to us, can feel that pull of lust. But I know at this point, as much fun as an orgy might be, it would probably be more fun if say, the cops or sentinels weren't involved.

"Vince," I ask, "if you can start with the music and trying to draw a little energy out of the crowd, that would help for starters."

"Zoe, please see if maybe you can get through to Rachel telepathically. Let her know what is going on, why we want to try and calm things down...if she doesn't respond clearly to that, maybe say we can all get together and play later>"

Taking Martin aside, I ask him if he wants to try and go under on his own, or if he would like me to hypnotize him (not a mutant power, but one I picked up working for a time with a carnival.) to see if he can retain greater control over his dream state.

I really wish we had more of us here to help, but ya gotta go with the flow and things are about to move from flow to gush at any time....

 

[sojournerwolf]

Lucas II

"Vince...nows the time to start with the guitar if you would...and see if maybe you can siphon off some of the excitement, get the crowd feeling a bit drowsy. Go for it man, I know you can do it."

"Zoe, can you pick up any of our other students? See if you can get them here? I know it might be tough, but you've got the strongest psi powers among us at the moment. If anyone can do it, you can."

 

[Guest]

Zoe looked a bit haggard, paler than normal -if such a thing were possible. She looked up, and shook her head appologetically.

"I'm sorry, Lucas. I've been trying to reach out like you asked, but I'm not sure if it's working." she clasped her hands before herself, her shoulders slumping a bit. "My telepathy is more... passive in nature. I'm not certain if I'm set up for using it like that."

She began to fidget, apparently a little distraught with her ineffectiveness.

 

[Gaea]

ACK!

OOC: Sorry! My computer crashed and I lost a lot of stuff the other day, including all my cookies, so I'm not auto-logged anymore. "Unregistered" is me not having realized that.


Zoe made her way to the nearest chair and sat down. "I can amplify people's powers and atributes to an extent. If I'm not in contact with them at the time, I can project the enhancement as an 'aura' of sorts..." she pulled her legs up into the chair and hugged her knees. "But I don't know how long I could hold that."

 

[Angelus]

OOC: Sorry about being away for so long people, RL got in the way.

IC: Joseph watched the others as they moved towards where Rache and the other woman was and wondered exactly what they were going to do. He knew that he should help them but there was something about this that didn't exactly seem right, something that might blow up in their collective faces and cause a riot.

Joseph moved quickly to the edge of the balcony and looked down at the group as they moved towards the two women but saw that as they moved they were being consumed by whatever had taken over the group. He jumped up onto the edge of the balcony and dug his claws in to make himself stable and tried to think of what he could do but knew that if he went down there he would be consumed by this passion that seemed to be filling everyone around Rachel and the other woman.

 

[sojournerwolf]

Lucas

OOC: Welcome back, Angelus! Gaea, *ouch*, hope you can recover most of what got lost in that crash.

IC:

I reach out and touch Zoe, just lightly on the shoulder, and smile.

"It's okay, Zoe. You tried, and may have gotten through to some of them, they just aren't here yet. We'll need more help from you soon, I'm pretty sure. Thank you."

Turning to Vincent. "Ready, Vincent? If you can start the music and maybe draining a bit, even a little of the energy from the crowd that will give us a start."

"James, think you can provide a few fireworks here in a minute, do you need anything small that you could give a light charge? mostly sound and light is what we'll need.

"Martin, what do you think? want to try this under hypnosis see if you have a greater control of your powers? If we can get the scenery up and running in their minds?"

I can sense Joseph watching, wary. I'd hoped he would join us, but he knows his own powers best, and it doesn't hurt to have someone watching our backs.

If we can pull this off, maybe, just maybe we won't have to mix it up with the authorities, the mall security or the cops...or those who would like nothing more than to drag a few mutants off into places where they'll not be found again.

 

[Vivid]

Martin, no time for skepticism

"I've never been able to control it before, but I guess I've never tried hypnosis before either." I wasn't sure but as soon as I found myself staring at how Rachel's wet clothing clung to each curve of her body I knew I had to give it a shot. The hypnosis I mean.

"You aren't going to make me cluck like a chicken are you?" He smiled reassuringly.

He learned it at a carnival, and somehow this made him qualified to mess around in my head? I shook off my concerns. "Okay, Lucas, what do I need to do, watch a pendant or something?"

 

[sojournerwolf]

Lucas

I grin at Martin's comment. I can tell he's wary, but got a lot of guts.

"Nope, nothing like that," I tell him. "What I'll do is just put you under real lightly. It'll be like sleeping, only you can control your own thoughts and dreams, make them do what you want them to do. You'll be able to hear and see what's going on around you at the same time.

"I had it done to me before like this. You've wondered how you might be able to control your powers, this could be a step in that direction."

I take off my shades. Martin startles a bit at the sight of my yellow eyes, then grins. Damn, he's got good nerves.

Guiding Martin to a bench, I begin speaking in a low monotone.

"Look into my eyes, Martin. Concentrate there until all you can see is your reflection. As you concentrate, take deep even breaths. In and out, slowly, in and out. Let yourself relax until you begin to feel warm. The warmth begins in your scalp, soothing. Your muscles begin to relax. Let them relax, let all the tensions flow from your scalp down through your head down through your neck down through your shoulders down through your arms down through your hands down through your chest down through your belly down through your legs down through your feet. Feel the warmth, comforting warmth flow through you."

Martin's breath is even and I can see the faint glaze over his eyes as he slips into the hypnotic state with the ease of a more than average intelligent person.

"Move into your dreamworld, Martin, slowly. It does not control you. You control your dreams. You can make your dreams do what you want them to do. I will be your guide. You will move among your dreams, molding them making them as you will until you hear my voice and my voice alone say the words, "Martin, wake up." Only those words from my voice will bring you back."

I take a deep breath, "Do you hear me, Martin? Can you understand me?"

 

[Ask For More]

James Tao

OOC: Apologies...real job crazinesss at the moment so this is my first visit in days!

IC: It's a real crazy plan to me, but there's some really bad shit going down at the moment. Nothing like a potential orgy to draw attention to some mutant powers!

So I patiently wait for my turn to create. Luckily I brought my bag of ball bearings with me on this, so I clutch a handful, while surveying the surroundings. This woman Wei-Fong was sending out some really strong signals, and I fought inside myself to hold them back while Lucas tried to hypnotize Martin.

 

[sojournerwolf]

Lucas

I catch James scent nearby, and reach behind me with a thumbs up. Just in the brief frist meeting with him, I've been impressed with a sense of inner strength. I realize if things come apart, I'm going to have to rely heavily on him to help get us out of this mess.

If this works with Martin, I know we'll be good to go. A little fireworks from James first to distract the crowd, then have Vince start with the guitar and doing a low level bio drain as much as he can on the crowd so Martin can weave his images. Hold Zoe in reserve for the moment to see if she'll be needed to enhance any of the others powers with hers. And me, I'll go out there and make a fool of myself.

 

[TygerEyez]

Tara

I reached forward, touching Lucas' shoulder lightly. "Let me..." I murmured, feeling a cold chill flow through my back. I don't want to do this... I'm not even sure if I can, but for the sake of the others like us... I guess I have no choice.

I'd heard their conversation, even heard Lucas' plans. I stood right behind them, but they hadn't noticed, or something. Luckily, the shopkeepers were right on my tail... so I could send them on a wildgoose chase. Asking for a certain dress in pale yellow, size 5, with a single strap, not double... It was like looking for a needle in the haystack.

Lucas looked back at me, startled for a moment, but I couldn't even bare to stare back at him. He'd see my fear and not let me.

Instead I watched this new young man, Martin. I reached my hand to him quietly. "Give me your hand, Martin."

He did, almost hesitantly. I hadn't introduced myself, afterall. I knelt before him, and took a deep breath. "Lucas, put your hand on my shoulder, and don't let go. Please?" A connection to this world. I wasn't afraid of DreamWalking... Just afraid I'd get too into it that I couldn't help with his plan. Besides, in order to coordinate what Martin and I were doing, I needed to talk to someone within bodily contact. That much I DID know about my powers.

"Close your eyes, Martin. You know that edge of reality.. just before you fall asleep? Go and stand on it. I'll help you down..." My voice trailed away, and I shivered, lowering myself into his half-dreaming state.

He looked at he, and I think he was startled that I had actually been able to do it. I smiled at him, and took his hand within our minds. "Take a breath, Martin, and jump."

It didn't feel like falling.. more like stepping down the stairs. One minute up, the next down inside his dreams. It was different than I'd felt before... more scary, almost. When I looked around our new setting, it was dark... overcast gray, with a storm on the horizon. I squeezed his hand. "It doesn't have to be a nightmare, Martin."

Outwardly, back in the store, I grimaced with the new eruption of feelings and sights. My handhold on Martin increased as my brow furrowed. I tried to focus part of my mind (the concious part) on Lucas, and the sensation of his skin against mind.

I ground out the words, forcing myself to speak. "What.... do you want... exactly?"

 

[sojournerwolf]

I smile at Tara.

"I didn't forget you, Tara. Was having trouble just trying to get this all worked out in my head. hang on with me here just a moment, please..."

I call out to Vincent, "Vince, start with the music if you can now...and the bio energy drain on the humans. See if you can get them into a sort of drowsy state.

"Zoe, I know you're not sure how long you can enhance something like that, but if you can boost Vincent's bio drain on the humans, we might get them susceptible to suggestion, like right before a person goes to sleep. If you need to be closer to him, please go ahead and move over there."

I turn back to Tara and Martin. "Okay, Tara...I know this is gonna sound weird, but it might just work. If you can help Martin keep from reverting to nightmares, we need to be able for him to enter into the minds of the humans as they get drowsy, create a sort of forest fantasy type setting through which they'll see Rache and Wei. I don't figure it will be easy, but combining our powers like this might just get us out of here without having to deal with cops."

I can feel Tara's shoulder trembling under my hand. This is going to limit my mobility, but for her sake I'll adjust. I lean down and give her a quick kiss on the cheek.

"For luck," I whisper.


Already the effects of Vincent's and Zoe's combined powers are starting to have an effect, the crowd is moving slower. I see yawns. Wei and Rache are still playing in the water and that is fine.

"Tara," I whisper, "go ahead and let Martin know he should begin creating those images now...nothing too frightening, but hell, have some fun." I squeeze her shoulder, wishing somehow I could lend her strength, but knowing this is her realm.

"James," I call out. "A little fireworks if you please, up and away from the crowd if you can...low level, if possible."

Once James can set off some of the kinetic energy in those balls he carries, then I will begin the spiel.

 

[TygerEyez]

Tara

"H... He can't, Lucas." My voice shook in strain. I hadn't imagined it would be this difficult! But through our connection I knew of Martin's powers, or at least some of them. Some parts were hazy, clouded by the storm that raged just beyond my mind's vision.

"I'll have... to create the Dream..."

"Martin, you have to keep them asleep." In my vision, I blinked, and found Martin suddenly standing across from me. Behind him, the bright lightening suddenly silhouetted his features, sending another chill down my back.

What was going on?!

I closed my arms around myself and slipped into the gathered consciousness of the mall shoppers. They resisted at first, as everyone does just before sleep. But slowly they were being drawn to the DreamWorld, where I could create the vision Lucas had asked for.

I had to wait until Martin was ready, or until Lucas gave me the signal that the others were ready. Until then, I simply stood in the shadows of their dreams, watching and waiting... and praying the headache would start to go away.

 

[Ask For More]

James Tao

I loosen myself up a little; it doesn't help to be tensed up when the pressure is on. I draw my hand out of my pouch with two balls held between each finger.

"Alright guys," I say quietly, "I believe the saying goes 'Lights....Camera...Action!"
Concentrating I manage to channel the required energy into the ball, and I released them quickly before they explode in my hand.
The air sparkles with small explosions, and the sounds can be heard easily over the noise of the gathering crowd. It's showtime......

 

[sojournerwolf]

Lucas

James' display sparkles in the air. The crowd, though drowsy, ahh and gasps at the beauty of it. Wei and Rachel turn to watch.

"You can do it, Tara," I urge her. "Draw on Martin however you can. See if you can evoke a forest scene in them, then make it more fantastic, more magical."

I can feel Tara trembling as she concentrates. There's pain there and I wish with all I have that I could help alleviate it. My hand slips from her shoulder to interlace with her fingers. If even just my presence can help her stay centered, I won't leave her, but do my thing from here.

Pitching my voice so the crowd can hear, something not difficult for me at all, I begin.

"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls of all ages. On behalf of the, ah, Outrageous Company, I welcome you to this special preview of the new children's play: "Sally Beyond the Woods."

I half grin to myself. Pitching it as a children's play should cause at least a little psychological quirk, I hope, enough low level embarassment for those most recently aroused to back off more.

"Hey, Rachel. Take a bow. You get to be Sally!" I call, waving to her.

"Our story opens with the lovely and talented Rachel playing the part of Sally who one day found herself wondering deeper and deeper into the forest during a camping trip.

"She could feel eyes upon her, eyes she could not see."

The crowd wavers back and forth from me to where I gesture at Joseph on the upper level.

"the woods begin to look strange, fantastic as if out of a fairy tale."

I can't myself see what is being projected into the crowd's minds. I can sense the tension from Vincent as he tries to draw them into that semi-sleepy state and maintain it with Zoe's help.
I hold Tara's hand closely, but not hard, in mine, giving her a reassuring squeeze. Beads of sweat are forming on Martin's forehead. whatever they are doing, it's working, for I can hear murmmurs from the crowd, small laughs at what is unfolding in their heads.

"Suddenly, Sally walks into a clearing. There in the middle is a beautiful fountain of ancient design. And in the midst of this fountain, behold...the very spirit of water, a sprite of indescribable beauty, our own Ms. Wei!"

By damn, it is working, at least at the moment, for there are scattering sounds of applause from the crowd.

 

[Gaea]

Zoe blinked, and shook her head as if to clear it. She was getting dizzy... the strain of holding up the aura was becoming something of a burden. Well, that was easily solved.

She stood and shuffled over to Vincent, sitting down next to him. "Don't mind me," she whispered, trying to be as unobtrusive as possible. Delicate fingers now planted on the small of his back, she dropped the aura and allowed herself to relax -with solid contact, the amplification was simple and almost effortless. Already, she could feel her light-headedness fading...

 

[Vivid]

Martin, lands of dreams

OOC: Sorry for the delay in posting

IC: I scream silent cries that echo in the cavernous recesses of my mind. They told me to jump, I jumped. The sickening rush of air past my ears almost drown out the words of this new, softer voice that started speaking to me.

I see the ground rushing to meet me and knew I would hit and hit hard. This was it then. I'm falling and I'm going to die. Okay. Let's get it over with.

It was an awareness inside of me. Something comes into my head and applies order. Something was cushioning my landing, softening the edges.

When I look around, I am in the food court. There are all those people there. I see myself on the bench holding hands with a young woman. The name "Tara" whispers from somewhere.

I turn back to the food court. I knew the plan. I pull. I pull at their minds and loosen the fetters of control that their waking selves had, letting their already altered concious minds drift. I feed their subconscious, coerce it to grow and meld to one - shared dreaming. I pull them to me.

Now, I could just reach out and shape it. The collective unconscious lacked strong focus. I could just... I could... but what if it turns, what if they start to fear, what if the nightmares return? I start to doubt, I start to fear. Even through the hypnotic numbness I feel a darkness trying to leech out from me. I clench my body to prevent it's escape. It seems to want to mix with the dreaming minds I hold in my hand.

I hear that soft, sweet voice lulling me again. Shushing me. The darkness recesses, the fears receed. I feel Tara take the bundle of sleeping minds from my hands. I feel the effort she exerts to make the scene. I see it, like a snowglobe. A beautiful forest within a small, clear ball. All of the sleeping minds put inside, marvelling at it's beauty.

I step closer to the clear sphere with the intricate forest scene inside. It's inspiring. Relaxing.

Too beautiful to keep inside here! I hold the image-globe she made in my hands her protests die away in awe as I simply pull at the barrier between dreams and reality. Through my trance-haze I wonder breifly if this is when my powers are active; is this when I'm a mutant?

The globe cracks apart like an egg, releasing the forest veil. It envelopes and surrounds until the entire food court is embraced in the serene image more beautiful than I could ever make.

I couldn't see it because I was already in the dreamstate but I could only imagine the reactions of all of the others as they watch the magical foliage grow from the walls and floor. Trees spring up, and the happy bird sounds filled the air. Brightly colored mushrooms pop up from the ground and the scents of a forest - plants and wholesome earth - fill the mall. A deer clamours over by the Chinese fast-food and glowing, winged fairies examine the guitar in Vincent's hands then flit away.

 

[sojournerwolf]

Lucas

Vincent and Zoe have managed to get most of the crowd into a semi-conscious state. I can see from here the strain it is causing. Likewise, I feel Tara still trembling, the sweat beading on Martin's face. Yet, at the same time, something I can't quite put my finger on...it's as if their powers are getting stronger, more confident.

The crowd seems filled with wonder at what Martin and Tara in tandem are working through the mall. And I am having trouble myself keeping focused. It is a scene unique, with hints of fairy tale and pictures of real woods, as if someone took the best parts of those kind of Disney cartoons and put them together...but it is far more than that...it looks real...


I call softly to Angel.

"Angel, I need some help. Please ask James to move into the crowd. He's a martial arts expert, and I suspect has some ways of possible gently disabling anyone who's fighting the work Vincent and Zoe and Tara and Martin are doing. Also, if you would. We need to find the shut off valve for the fountain. Don't want to cut it off yet, but in a little bit. There's a pond out near where the Professor parked the van. I'm going to try and figure a way to get Wei to move there. Once outside, she might be easier to help."

I pick up the story, raising my voice so the crowd can hear.

"Sally was amazed to find this ethereal creature, a playful being straight out of a fairy tale. Together, they splashed about in the fountain, reveling in the joy of freedom as the cool waters poured over them. The sprite wove magical spells with the water, making it obey her every command."

 

[BadForm]

Wei-Fong Chan: Petulence

At first, Wei-fong though the guy in front of her was getting more passionate, as his head drooped to her breast. However, as he started to snore, she realised how far that was from the truth. As the guy behind her keeled gently over, her attention was finally snapped to the rest of the crowd. All of them were slowing, relaxing, collapsing and falling asleep. She put her hands on her hips and pouted as she tried to work out what had happened to spoil her fun. Then she heard Lucas gabbling on about some kind of play. She turned to face the other mutants and scowled.

"Hey, what's going on?" She called. "Is it you making them all fall asleep?"

She lost her concentration on the water fountain, dropping the last of her cascade over herself and Rache as the main spout returned to normal.

 

[sojournerwolf]

Lucas

I grin at Wei. "I think maybe they're just fascinated with what you can do with water. That is some show you've been putting on. What else can you do with the water in the fountain?"

I can feel the sweat trickling down my chest. I don't know much about her powers, but the last thing I want is to get her ticked off.