ArchivedLogs:Out of Spite

Out of Spite
Dramatis Personae Jack, Teague
In Absentia	2015-05-21 Jack & Teague have a difference of opinion when it comes to human-mutant relations.
Location <NYC> Lower East Side
Historically characterized by crime and immigrant families crammed into cramped tenement buildings, the Lower East Side is often identified with its working-class roots. Today, it plays host to many of New York's mutant poor, although even here they are still often forced into hiding. There's a chill in the air, on this dreary Thursday evening. The influx of commuters leaving their 9 to 5's is finally tapering off as they settle into their family dinners or favorite Happy Hour spots. Teague wanders down the streets with a great sense of being in an alien world. Passable as human, he drifts through the human world and watches, from atop his pedestal. Identity concealed beneath a black sweatshirt with it's hood pulls up. His long hair spills out into sight over his shoulders. He might be a girl but for his shoulders, which are broad for his slight frame. He wears black skinny jeans, tucked into black men's riding boots. A couple walk side-by-side just a few paces in front of the young mutant. Blonde and happy in pastel and beige, they hold each other close beneath a single umbrella. The woman chatters away about something mundane and then, laughs in delight at her escort's response. His chest puffs out with more confidence, "Wait!" The young man erupts, lifting both arms into the air and surprising the woman enough for her to jump back away from him with their umbrella. A few passersby leap back as well and some, jaded from city life, groan and side-step around the lovebirds as the man gets down on one knee. Stopping under the awning of an out-of-business grocer's, Teague bows forward to light a cigarette. He watches. The dreary weather hasn't kept Jack from coming out today. Sure it may have made athletics just practicing in the gym but now that it’s over, he and a couple others elected to spend a little time out in the city. At the moment they split up to handle various errands and whims but they'll meet back up later before heading home. Jack's on his own right now though. Old jeans, sneakers, and a deep blue hoodie are what he wears, the hood up and hands stuffed into his pockets to conceal the fact that he definitely can't pass for human at the moment. He's ignoring the other people for the most part, idly considering visiting a bookshop when he notices the moment happening up ahead. He frowns beneath his hood and slows down his walking, idly watching the lovebirds for the time being. "We're going to be late for our reservation!" The young woman gasps, blinking dumbly as she feigns ignorance. Her hand goes to her chest in regal surprise as she watches the young man get down on his knee in the rain. "I was going to wait for the restaurant but I just can't- Holly, baby, will you marry me?!" Prince Charming produces the ring. "Yes! Yes, I will!" The two converge with the bride-to-be squealing and jumping up and down as she tries on the ring. With a radiant smile, she shows off the diamond to anyone who will look. Everyone applauds, and the friends they'd been meeting at the restaurant appear and squeal in delight. The crowding makes it impossible to pass. Teague takes a long drag of his cigarette and watches from the only dry nook on this side of the busy street. Jack can only really roll his eyes a little. Sure, he does think two people finding eachother and getting together is good but the two of them squealing and acting corny doesn't have him in a celebratory mood. The crowd irritates him more and he glances around. Eventually he spots Teague and his dry spot and approaches, electing to stay somewhere dry and wait for the crowd to disperse rather than stand in the rain. "Hey," he gives a little nod of greeting, hoping the smoker doesn't mind sharing the dry area. “Aye,” Teague flicks his eyes down at up Jack suspiciously, holding his cigarette slightly away from his face. He turns back to the scene, “If she’d say yes on this shitty New York street, where else do you wager she’d still have said yes? The Quick’n’Stop? The D Train?” Jack quietly looks Teague over and then settles in to wait. He's a little surprised by the conversation but still smiles and chuckles faintly. "Probably anywhere. Sounded like she knew it was coming and made up her mind beforehand to me." Mere feet from them, the young woman is lifted up into her adoring fiance's arms. They kiss as he slowly spins her. Their friends snap pictures on their phones. "I wish them all the happiness in the world..." Unobserved, save for possibly by Jack, Teague extends his hand. He concentrates, gently quaking the cigarette like an orchestra conductor's baton. The British teen's voice trails off as he knits his brow in thought. Though the sun hasn't appeared, the ring on his target's hand seems to sparkle warmly for a fraction of a second. It'll be a lovely photograph of her if anyone got it. As the woman is lowered back down, Teague lazily draws back his hand. He takes another drag before flicking the bud into the street. "Shows over, I imagine," he purposefully does not reveal his face to Jack, which is perhaps why he also hasn't realized Jack doesn't have one. He shoulders onto the sidewalk to make a quick exit. The woman screams, holding out her hand shakily. The band of her engagement ring is still there, but it does look rather sad without a diamond. She searches the ground all around them, "Where is it? WHERE IS IT?" Everyone around her searches the ground, actually. ...especially the groom. "Yeah, good for them getting married and all," Jack replies, shrugging his shoulders a little. "Wish they'd stop blocking the whole sidewalk though..." he trails off. An invisible brow lifts when he sees Teague extending his hand and he watches the little smoke-show. The glinting light draws Jack's attention for a second and he frowns. "Huh?" he asks, looking back towards Teague as he starts to leave. And then there's the sudden reaction to the lost diamond and Jack tilts his head to the side. It takes a few moments for him to make a connection but eventually he decides to investigate, starting after Teague to see where he's headed. And if he had anything to do with the disappearing diamond. Teague continues at a brisk pace, but without looking back he has no way of knowing he's being pursued. He shoves his hands into his pockets as he slips down into a subway entrance, his speed slowing as he rounds the dingy concrete stairwell. Besides a homeless old man curled up in a corner, the underground stop is empty. Jack continues to follow, keeping pace with relative ease. Going down into the subway prompts a little tension but he relaxes when he sees how empty it is. He waits until he's closer before speaking up. "Hey. What'd you do back there?" he asks, taking a guess that it had to be this guy. Weird gestures then a bright light and a vanishing diamond? It seemed connected to him. Though he does jump a little, Teague’s ever cool expression only registers mild alarm as he looks back over to Jack, “Excuse me?” He purrs, cocking his head playfully to the side before turning to face the train rails, as if abandoning the /absurd/ question altogether. Jack sighs. "Dude, I saw you do something," he says. "You started waving your cig, there was a light, and suddenly that woman's diamond disappears," he steps closer. "So what'd ya do? Teleport it somewhere?" Teague turns back to Jack, dipping his head in a slow movement as if to try and see under Jack's hood. He doesn't succeed, but isn't so concerned. "Tell me now," the teen asks in a soothing, near-monotone, "of all the teleporters you've come into contact with, about how many of them need to take the subway?" The teen offers a breathy laugh, haughtily turning back to face the tracks once more. Jack gives a little scoff. "Dunno. But even people who can do the same things don't have the same limitations or methods," he replies, tilting his head up so under his hood can be seen. Well, so that the emptiness can be seen. “Oh,” Teague lowers his shoulders, relieved to be dealing with a fellow mutant. His boot scuffs softly against the ground as he takes a step back. From beneath his own hood, he stares into Jack’s hollow one, “The diamond no longer exists.” The explanation is definite. Out of pride for what he’s done, his chin tips up just slightly. Jack gives a faint nod and waits. The explanation gets him staring though. "Wait...what? You destroyed it? How?" he asks, confused. Jack may not be a scientist but he's pretty sure diamonds are hard to break. "Why?" Teague blinks, as if the answer should be quite obvious, "Why? Out of spite." He raises both hands to shrug before letting them drift back to his sides. Without being able to see him, Teague grows unsure of where he stands with Jack. He peers into the floating hood warily, eyes narrowing into thin slits. "Seriously?" Jack is almost not sure he heard it. "What the hell'd they do to you?" he asks, shoulders tense and hands still in his pockets. His eyes stay unseen but they're narrowing too. Teague squares off his shoulders in response, "What did you do to them, to have to hide under that hood, eh?" He pouts, "Do you think they'd clap for you? If you got down on one knee for some blathering idiot?" The Brotherhood recruit flicks his eyes down and up Jack, "They'll live. Their love will conquer all. Spare me the lecture." "Probably not but going out of our way to be dicks to them isn't helping to improve their reactions when they do see under the hood," Jack replies. "I don't have a lecture for ya. Just...dude, way to make things worse," he says, shaking his head and starting to turn away. Turning back to face the tracks, Teague rolls his eyes dramatically. “Nerd,” he scoffs, scuffing-kicking his boot against the subway platform as the train rolls up. The boy doesn’t bother looking over as he steps on, walking to the back as people filter off. "Asshole," Jack mutters, heading back up to the street. He doesn't bother looking back either, head tipping back down to avoid anyone seeing under the hood.