Logs:Happenstance

Happenstance
Dramatis Personae Dr. Jean Grey, Kurt
In Absentia	2020-08-29 "A trap for what, Mr. Wagner? I don't believe you owe me any homework..." (Part of Final Boss: Xavier TP.)
Location <NYC> Manhattan Mall
Manhattan mall sits on 33rd street and sixth Avenue at the heart of midtown Manhattan. Despite the recent closure of it's goliath clothing store, JC Penny, the mall still bustled with the limited pandemic bustle. People walked about, only some doning protective masks. The weather was mildly warm though heavily clouded skies threaten rain upon New Yorks residents. It is mid day when Jean arrives at the mall after an hour long drive. It was rare she would come so far into town, but she found herself justifying it with many reasons. The click of her heels echoes just softly, mixing with noises of others in conversation. Today she wears her hair up in a well styled bun. A long dress in a soft blue hue, with an overlay of a sheer cover gives her a casual but still professional look. She wears a protective face mask, taking advantage of the fear to blend in just slightly. She holds her bag close to herself as she browses the windows of several stores. Her pace was leisurely as she takes her time, looking through things and letting her thoughts wander. It was rare to get a day to herself, she ought to make the best of it. Kurt had been on a prerogative to get himself out of his room and around the sights. He was in New York City, he should enjoy it. Teleporting also made it easy, although, he needed to be crafty about not having others see him. An oversized black hoodie engulfed his body, with baggy dull grey sweatpants and black mittens to hide his unique features. The hood was pulled up, and as if that wasn't enough, sunglasses and a surgical mask completed his façade. He was looking at one of the shirt designs at a kiosks, paying particular attention to a tiger. Out of the corner of his eye, he spots fiery red hair, his brow furrowing. He sets the sample down and peers over the side of the kiosk, taking a moment to recognize her. << Dr. Grey? I didn't think she left campus... >> He tenses, quickly averting his eyes from her to avoid staring. << Maybe she can help... or would she? Does she know? >> Another quick glance. << I should ask... >> This thought fades into fear, vividly remembering how helpless he felt when he learned he, too, was missing memories. He pushes those thoughts aside, focusing on Jean. << Be smart, Kurt... Can I trust her...? >> He moves horizontally with Jean, keeping his eyes trained on her as he feigned showing interest in other kiosks. Jean pauses at a kiosk and begins examining some of the tiny potted succulents in unique planter's. <<Ororo would probably love one of these.>> Picking up one in a deep wood carved pot she looks it over before she hands it over to the clerk. She buys the plant and puts the bag on her arm. She freezes for a moment, staring down as a new emotion tickles at her senses. It was a vaguely familiar presence, and the feelings of fear directed at her. She looks up from her bag and the clerk returns her credit card. "Thank you." She says in a kind tone, taking the card in her hand and returning it to her purse. While she does so she uses the moment to catch a peripheral glance in the direction of the emotions, reaching just slightly, more for threats then anything. <<No, not a threat, a student? Whoever it is, they do not wish to be seen judging by the get up...>> Closing down her thoughts she pulls her senses back and continues on from the kiosk as normal. She remains at her casual pace, stopping again at a magazine kiosk. Kurt's body is tense, his mind is tense -- he's tense. He could barely open his lungs enough to breath, and his stomach was twisted in knots. His tail, which was wrapped around his leg to conceal it, tightened it's grip. If sunglasses were not concealing his eyes, you could see how wide they were opened. He didn't dare blink -- frightened he would be caught off guard. << Magazines? >> He moves his head to look over her shoulder, trying to see which magazines she was looking at. He tilts his head curiously at one of the tabloids. << I didn't know he went through that... >> He's tempted to grab a magazine, but stops it -- unsure of if that would be safe for him to do. << Maybe now I should ask? No, no... what if -- she helped? Das ist alles zu verwirrend... >> Jean flips aimlessly through a few tabloids, putting them back she moves around the kiosk and looks over some trinkets. Tourist items, keychains, and snow globes, and a rack full of magnets. Picking up a globe of the statue of liberty she flips it and watches the snow drop down. She makes no move towards Kurt, instead the magnets on the rack next to her begin to very slowly move around. Letters arrange themselves, uneven, some comprised of numbers in place of similar alphabet. She looks up at the Kiosk worker and puts the globe down. "Thank you." She says before moving so the letters would now fully be in view. H3re 2 L1St.3N It read with an arrow pointing in the direction of the food court. Tables were spaced out still, leaving large gaps where there were already fewer people seated. Finding an empty small table farthest from people she sits and pretends to look through her bags. Her foot casually pushes the seat out from across from her as if to finalize the subtle yet pointed invitation. Kurt tilts his head further as he sees her play with the magnets. << What is she doing? >> He questions mentally, focusing his eyes on her hands as they rearrange the display. Then, she steps away, and for a moment -- his heart stops. At first, his mind is blank, and he lets out a nervous swallow as he quickly pays a glance to Jean which had just taken a seat. << Now is your chance, she's giving it to you... but what if it's a trap? >> He looks around him. << There are people, she couldn't kidnap me. >> His train of thought pauses for a moment. << ... can telepaths mind control people? >> He shakes his head, pushing his sunglasses further up on the bridge of his nose. He has to force his legs to move from their place, beginning to make his way to the teacher. Another glance both directions and he swiftly sits down across from her, placing his hands flat on his thighs. Now that he was closer, she could see the texture of his blue fur from what little of his face was showing. "... how do I know?" He starts out, keeping his eyes on the table. "-- t-that you're not -- t-that this all isn't some -- some trap?" When the boy sits Jean glances up slightly. She went to smile behind her mask but it dropped before it finished when she heard his words. <<A trap? For what? What exactly was going on they were so spooked? Though it's not as if this is the first time people were afraid of you...>> She reaches up and pulls the mask from her face, folding it neatly. "A trap for what, Mr. Wager? I don't believe you owe me any homework..." Jean knew this was not about the kids avoiding school work, but perhaps a light hearted approach would set him at ease. Kurt's brow furrows in thought. << Either, she does know, and she's playing dumb, or she doesn't know and thinks I'm insane. >> He thinks carefully over what to say, what could possibly weed out one of the possibilities. << If I tell her I know, she may tell the others... or Xavier. >> "It isn't..." << How do I do this? >> "I need to know that -- that I can trust you. That you're not... working with him." Now he meets eyes with Jean. Even with sunglasses, his bright, yellow, pupil-less eyes can still be seen. Jean meets his eyes. <<He is so afraid, what did you do Charles?>> Her expression shifts just slightly, a sadness in her emerald eyes. <<What could I even say?>> "I don't know why you are so afraid," she began in an honest and blunt tone, thinking honesty might be the best approach. "Or if I can say anything to have you trust me... but I am not here to hurt you, or anyone, for that matter." She was certain she knew who he spoke of, she didn't need to read his thoughts to get the picture. Jax had told her enough earlier this week. "I am not working for him, no. My interests are in the safety of my students..." She puts her own hands on the table, to show she was up to nothing. It really didnt matter if her hands were concealed, in reality, but she found the action to be psychologically calming to most. Kurt quickly averted his eyes to his lap, his fingers nervously clenching onto his pants. There's this... nagging feeling from the back of his head, from an origin he couldn't place. It was almost instinct that he wanted to distrust her words, distrust everything she was saying. << She's lying, she has to be, she has to be working with him. >> He thinks, feeding into this unexplainable paranoia. The fear traveled all over his body now, muscles stiffening until he could barely breathe, think, his only thought being to flee -- to hide. Abruptly, he stands up, shallow and quick breaths making it hard for him to speak. "I-I can't -- I --" The panic escalates, tears beginning to fill his eyes as his hands trembled. "Th-this -- I-I--" He quickly glances around him, and he feels as if everyone is staring, judging. His breathing picks up to hyperventilation, and in his mind -- he feels the hot glares of hundreds on him, picking him apart. << Why is he here? >> He imagines one of them saying, << he should be in the freak show. >> The young boy's mind is completely consumed by this terror, not even able to teleport himself out of the situation. << It doesn't matter if you teleport -- they'll find you, hunt you. >> <<He's panicking, no, think. If he Teleports... I'm not about to chase him. But why? Why is he so scared.>> She stands and decides to take a risky move. <<Something tells me if I try my powers, he will panic and flee... please let this work.>> She very gently puts a hand on his arm when she is at full height, not holding, but touching. She feels the fear spilling off him with no effort on his part, and it was not longer focused just on her. "Kurt." She says in a quiet voice, so as not to draw more attention to them. Her eyebrows furrow in sheer concern for the young boy. "Please, breath. You don't have to tell me anything, alright. I just want to know you are okay... that you are all okay." She drops her hand, to show she wasn't trying to keep him here. <<Please talk to me... how can I help any of you if I don't know what the problem is.>> She did not voice her thoughts, or project them, but they say heavy in her gaze. Kurt, initially, flinches at the touch, looking up at Jean with wide dewy eyes. Looking at her allowed him to focus on anything but the mallgoers and their imaginary glares. He hears her voice, her words, but they don't make sense at first. He blinks a few times, his breathing beginning to calm down. "We're... w-we're okay..." His voice is shaky, quiet. "I'm okay..." He says, more for himself if anything. Quickly, he reaches under his sunglasses and wipes his eyes of tears. "I-I just, ahh, I don't think this was a good idea." His eyes dart to his feet. "I-I'm sorry for bothering y-you, really, I-I should go." Before he gets a response, he turns his back towards Jean, shoving his hands in his pockets and keeping his eyes on the floor as he falls back into the crowd. Jean does not stop him, nor does she pursue him. Instead she gathers up her bags, slowly, taking a long defeated breath. Her eyes look just briefly into the crowd where he had disappeared too. "I'm sorry too.." she says to no one in particular before she puts her mask back on and turns to leave, heading in the opposite direction of the boy. More questions now swam in her head then answers...