ArchivedLogs:Leads

Leads
Dramatis Personae Jackson, Lorna, Sage
In Absentia	2014-02-04 Part of Morpheus TP. (Set some time after speculating on Horus and before mentioning leads.)
Location <XS> Command and Control Center - B2
Here is the heart of the Xavier Institute's true operations, the room most central to its purpose, where the Institute's most adventuresome and powerful individuals gather to receive exposition. The room is dominated by an oversized viewscreen on one wall, presently displaying an intricate diagram of the planet Earth, as well as a large central holographic projector and a handful of computer terminals along the periphery. Curiously, the whole place is rather dimly lit, as though its designers prioritized dramatic lighting over being able to find anything. Lorna Dane, known on missions with the X-Men as 'Polaris', is down in the CCC looking might comfortable. She's wearing hiking boots (propped up on the big conference table), brown cargo pants, and a fitted, green button up shirt. Her long green hair is currently up in a tightly rolled bun. Also nearby by is a half-eaten key-lime cupcake she must have swiped from the teacher's lounge. She also has a metal travel mug of something steamy close at hand. Smells like jasmine tea. She's tipped partway back in her chair, and is reading something on a tablet device. Or she would be if she hadn't nodded off at some point. The newest X-Man is breathing softly, and seems totally relaxed snoozing in the ready-room. Jackson is much more brightly dressed when he bounces in. Mottled purple and black skinny jeans, sparkly silver Doc Martens, speckled silver and black makeup and nails, a long-sleeved black t-shirt with blue-and-purple-and-black 'believe in faeries' t-shirt (the words have dotted stars around them, there's blue butterfly wings on the back) layered over, rainbow-striped hoodie over top. /He/ has a key lime cupcake, too, frosted high with chocolate mousse; in his other hand he's heated a mug of chocolate milk into rich hot cocoa. He drops down into a seat, pulling phone out of his pocket to set it and the mug and the cupcake all down on the table, humming quietly to himself. "Y'know you're missin' lunch, right? S'/excellent/ curry today." Shortly after Jax arrives, Sage is arriving too, quickly and quietly taking a seat. She has an XS black tanktop, cargo jeans, and a pair of pink sandals on, wearing her usual red tinted glasses, ATHENA. She also has a key lime cupcake because everything Jax bakes is delicious and this is a fact. And then, Sage speaks. "Hello Jackson, Lorna. Welcome back, by the way.". A tip of the head, before she focuses towards Jackson. "Jackson, I must ask, would it be possible for me to speak with you and your husband later tonight? I have a lead on the dreamweaver.". And then back to Lorna. "How have you been?". Lorna jumps slightly when she wakes up as Jax sits down and greets her. Her eyes go wide as her chair tips over backwards, but she catches herself on... nothing. She just stops falling, reorients herself and is on her feet again. She's /blushing/ as she rights her chair and sits down again, retrieving her tablet as well and setting it on the table next to her food. "Oh geez, sorry, I just..." She takes a deep breath and smiles. Her Vermont-nearly-southern accent starts to peek through in her embarrassment. "I didn't mean to fall asleep. How you doin' Jax? It's good to see you again." She leans across the table to squeeze his hand and says, "I'm sorry, you were saying something about lunch?" She nods to Sage when she comes in, and then her eyebrows go up when she recognizes the woman. "Oh hey! How are you Sage? It's like a class reunion." Her smile is warm and genuine, clearly pleased to be 'home' again. Jax leans in, skin of his hand burning -- a good deal /warmer/ even than it used to years ago with the brief handshake, though the warmth in his smile is familiar as ever even if a good deal more /metal/ glints in his face. "Said there's excellent curry. Long flight?" He swivels absently in his chair. Back and forth. Forth and back. "I heard you're like extra-extra smart now. Do I call you /Doctor/ Polaris?" "Dr. Polaris would be fitting but is quite a mouthful.". Sage says this calmly, known for her emotionless speech and behavior, as she speaks to her glasses. "ATHENA, check emails.". And then back to the conversation. "The curry is delicious, yes. It is quite good to have you back. You missed quite some events here. Mutant fight clubs, zombies..mostly zombies, however.". Sage flicks her eyes up and down inside her glasses. "Though I do not believe a class reunion would be a fitting term as we all had different graduating years.". "Oh, dang," Lorna says, surprised at the temperature of Jax's hand. "Are you feelin' ok?" She blinks again, still recovering from her tumble, and shakes her head. "Not really. I've been in Vermont the last month with my mom. So it was a short trip to come up last night. But /doctor/..." She grins, and sits down again, folding one leg underneath her. She chuckles and nods, "I guess it /is/ technically true. But only the kids have to call me Doctor Dane. I like 'Lorna' better." She nods, a little more somberly at Sage, "Yeah, we had some undead on the west coast too, but nothing like what you all got. I can't even imagine." "Oh I'm fine. S'is pretty normal for me lately. Ain't no doctor but I /have/ learned a few new tricks in eight years," Jackson says with a bright-bright smile -- eight years ago there was no shielding. No lasers. Just a lot of really badly controlled glowy illusions. But that'll come later. His nose crinkles up at the mentioned of the zombies, smile fading sharply and his gaze dropping to the table. "I lived through it an' I stilll can't really imagine," he says quieter, hand tightening around his mug briefly. He shakes his head quickly, mottled peacocky-bright purple-green-blue hair shaking down over the mirror-lensed sunglasses that for some reason he is wearing indoors -- together with Sage's red-tinted glasses maybe XS is just breeding ground for THOSE ASSHOLES these days. "Pfft, homecoming's for classes of all years. How's it feel t'be back?" "I am not a doctor either, though I do teach Computer Science now and have a degree from Columbia.". Sage says this matter-of-factly, finally remembering her cupcake to /eat/ it. "Whilst the zombies are subsided, there is a new, more cheerful event going on here. Technicolour landscapes. A hug bank. Comic book costumes appearing on people as they sleep. Chocolate rain. Even I have been affected but none of my dreams have caused any landscape changes.". Sage finishes her cupcake, folding the trash cleanly. "Which I do have a lead on as I must thank the person responsible for Mr. Parker. But this is not important at the moment, as you being back is. What was it like in the west coast? Any exciting things you witnessed?". Lorna lets a moment of silence go by as all three of them ruminate on the darkness of days gone past, and then she she smiles when Jax calls it her 'homecoming'. "Honestly, it's /great/ being back. It's only been the last couple of years I was really sure about joining up with... all this," she says, gesturing to include the CCC and the rest of the X-Men base of operations. "But I've been itching to get back ever since." She smiles and takes a dainty bit of her cupcake before sipping from her tea. "Geez, who /made/ these, and how much crack went into them? They're /delicious/." She nods at Sage's question and sits back in her chair, leaving the metal mug of tea to hover in mid air for a moment while she reaches up to release her hair from the bun, shaking it free before taking the mug in both hands again. "The west coast was beautiful. But it's kinda weird to never really have seasons. I even missed winter." She shrugs and grins. "M'a little sad I missed the hug bank," Jackson admits wistfully. "Tried goin' one day but the lines was crazy-long." He blushes deep when Sage says none of her dreams caused landscape changes, sinking down lower in his chair. "I didn't /mean/ t'tattoo the whole'a New York it just sorta hapened." His blush deepens at the compliment to the cupcake, and he raises a hand, glittery nails wiggling in the air though his smile brightens. "You wanna sit in on my baking class any time next semester I can teach y'a few tricks, too." He lifts his own mug, taking a sip of the hot cocoa which -- despite being in an uninsulated mug seems to be remaining at /exactly/ the perfect drinking temperature. Mmm, dream-logic. "Don't know as I can imagine missin' /winter/ really but the rest'a it -- well, it gets crazy that's for sure but helpin' folks is nice. -- A lead?" "I however did get to see the hug bank. There was many variants of hugs.". Sage says, nodding her head. "Jackson's desserts often can be found in the Teacher's Lounge or Rec Room, and are unmissable, but they are usually devoured unless you are fast or he bakes enough.". And then, Jackson asks about the lead. "Yes. I spoke to Peter and compared my own memories, and then coincidentially, I met a man at the Sublime Center who was also affected who also met the same person. Female, adult, around my age or so, dark skinned, possibly Indian, brown hair and eyes, cheerful disposition and colorful clothing. Possesses a dog named Ratri. Her own name is Maya. That is all I am aware of at this time, and would like to cross examine what I know with Micah.". "Oh yeah, I saw the paint job on the news," Lorna says, smiling at Jax. "It was /very/ pretty. But strange things are afoot in this town, for sure. And I will definitely take you up on that cooking class if it meshes with my schedule." She tosses Jax a subtly raised eyebrow as Sage begins rattling off information like a computer read-out, but nods when she's done. "Huh, that is fascinating. I mean, I hope she's not doing it on purpose. As nice as everything's been, it seems like something could go really wrong too. It's just best, I'm sure for everyone, if her ability gets under control, don't you think?" She directs the question to both of them. Jax's blush spreads deeper at talk of the paint job, a reddish tone tinting the air around him -- /that/ part, at least, a holdover quirk more familiar from eight-years-ago days when his power was far less controlled He rubs at the back of his neck, and then just curls both hands around his mug, sipping slowly at his cocoa as he listens to Sage. "Huh." That is his quiet response when she mentions the potential dream candidate. "Around your age?" Now he sounds puzzled. "See, I was thinkin' maybe some kid jus' manifested -- I mean, what's to say her ability /ain't/ under control? I mean, cheerful -- like. What if this is jus' all on purpose? Everything that's happened so far -- ain't none of it seemed the least bit -- /harmful/. Or -- malicious. Maybe someone's just -- tryin' to -- make people happy." "Well, there is one strange thing I noticed, that upsetted me greatly.". Even saying this, Sage does not sound upset. "My manifestation was my mother's old silver pendant. This morning I went to put it away in a locked box of her things. I instantly noticed that her wedding ring was gone, inherited from her grandmother. Whilst this could easily be some sort of prank, I am absolutely certain it was in there, there is 0% chance I misplaced it.". When Sage mentions her mother, there is a /slight/ tinge of sadness, but it's quickly gone. "I agree with you, Lorna. Whilst I do not believe they have any malicious intent, we all know of the bigots like the Friends of Humanity and similar groups. I actually believe that the mutant responsible, who is most definitely an adult from what I remember, and I remember vividly, is trying to bring peace to a distraught world. If I do find them, my only action will be to thank them. Anything else will be left up to Xavier.". "Oh yeah totally," Lorna says to Jax apologetially. "I don't mean they're being mean or anything. I mean, I guess the real grumps aren't gonna like the town painted all fun, but whatever. I'm not real worried about what grumps want or don't want," she says with a grin. "It just seems to be that mutant gestures of goodwill and kindness tend to be taken the wrong way." The corner of her mouth tugs down into a quarter-frown, but it's not enough to pull it all that into frown mode. She looks genuinely concerned about Sage's ring though. "Oh /no/," she says, sitting forward in her chair. "You ring went missing? Are you sure it has something to do with the dreamscapes? That would be awful." "Huh." An echo of his other huh. "That's a shame, m'sorry. You /sure/ it didn't jus' go miss --" Jackson stops, fingers drumming absently against the side of his cocoa. He stops, knocking the rest of the cocoa back in a quick gulp. "Y'know, I had a little crucifix go missin' the same night that Micah --" His head shakes quickly. "But my house is so full'a people, it'll prob'ly turn up sometime." His fingers slip through his colourful hair, and he picks up his cupcake, polishing it off in a few quick bites and licking his lips clean. His glittery makeup doesn't smudge at all. "M'sure there's some folks out there Grinchin' all the heck over the cheer but y'can't win 'em all." He hops to his feet quickly. "/I/ should go grab some more'a that curry 'fore it's all gone. There was another dream last night, though, y'know. Ducky this time. Think it connected to -- another kid who's gone missin'. I'm gonna talk t'the Professor about it. I think this person might be doin' more than jus' spreadin' cheer. Might be goin' a long way towards -- helpin' in other ways too." "I do not lose things. The box is always locked, and the key was where I left it.". Sage says this with complete confidence. "If your crucifix is missing, perhaps there is a link. Ask Micah and Mr. Tessier if they are missing anything as well. Perhaps Peter or Ducky as well. See if this is a side effect. I may ask Ducky later if she has met the woman in our descriptions.". Sage nods, before rising as well. "Though, it would not hurt to check my room again for the ring.".