"What's happening?" It was like some casual comment as far as Riley cared, everyone just dawdling in at their own time, no one rushing in as if fire had been declared, and this was a fire, Scott’s parents weren’t the kind you just waltz up to and tell them what they think is wrong. It figures, it was all one big cosmic joke, first they take Connor and take away all the times Riley had with him, now they take Scott, and all the times they still had left to share.
Scott had seemed so safe, it was more then the gentleness, more then the affection, more even then the devotion and friendship which took so long for Riley to actually open up and respond to…Scott was eternal, forever, he was magic in all the sense and yet all that ever mattered to Riley was the fact that Scott would always be there, he would always outlive everyone here, no matter what happens to all the other people in Riley’s life, Scott and Connor were too of his closest friends and two who would definitely outlive him. Connor was next to unkillable judging by his father and Scott… Riley just had never pictured anything dangerous happening to the fairy until their return from the island.
The idea of living so close to others wasn’t so great a prospect until Riley heard he’d be across the hall from Connor and in the same dorm with Scott, even if it were temporarily, and now Connor doesn’t remember him and Scott is leaving, out of all the students in the entire school why these special two that actually were helping shape something more out of Riley then just the soldier and simplistic dummy the Initiative wanted. In the last few days especially Riley was ever so slowly creeping out of his shell, despite his mixed emotions with Catherine, he was separating it from his day to day life rather masterfully right now and he was coping and things were seeming to all be coming together. Sure there were a few bumps which were knocking him about a little, but nothing that threw him off the road, not like this was doing to him.
Riley remained over the stove, his back to the group gathered in the room while a spoon was dully stirring the warm chocolate. All Riley could think of saying was something negative and dreary, hardly a way to brace people for what was to come so Riley kept it to himself, leaving the talks to the others for now and just waiting for Scott’s voice to return to the room.
But Scott had no intention of leaving his room, at least that’s how it felt right then, curled atop his bed, wrapped in another towel despite having dressed into fresh dry clothes, his hair had still been wet, only the more ready he became to leave his room the more reluctant the Prince became to actually leave. Slowly Scott rolled onto his back, staring up at the ceiling for a moment before he closed his steel gray eyes, Riley had promised to paint Scott’s room specially for him, they were going to get Riley’s mother to help as well since she was wonderful at landscapes. They would have done something like a forest painted across the walls and Riley could draw the creatures, Scott would paint the ceiling and he wanted to have it a bright sky blue with fluffy clouds and at some point when they were finished with the walls Scott had asked if Riley could paint a dragon off in one of the corners of his room since the Prince was always fond of the creatures. Not just any of course, one that was to represent Arideth, his precious childhood toy that still safeguarded over him while he slept in his room. Riley had done something to his room the precious school break before the holidays, he had been really sad and so Heath, Arlen and Scott had painted one of the walls of his old room, but it didn’t seem as if Riley would be there much. It was just really simple, very basic rolling hills with scatterings of wheat, but Scott liked the picture on Riley’s wall and Riley wanted to try and make Scott’s room as nice and comfortable as possible considering the fairy’s dislike for constantly being indoors. Riley’s father was going to drive them down to a garden supplier for Scott to select native plants to display in his room and to get some stands, it was going to be a big deal and it would cost a lot of money and probably take a while, but Scott didn’t mind sleeping outside his room until it was finished and inhabitable. Lots of greens and blue, forest walls and endless sky ceilings…They were going to look for wallpaper to at least use as a base instead of having to do everything from scratch but if they couldn’t find something nice then the extra work would be put in.
They were going to get herbs, and they would get flowers, and it would be another indoor garden, and Scott knew Tessa would love it, even though it wasn’t yet discussed with anyone aside from Lexi since at the time she had been in the dorm room when Riley’s mother started talking with Scott and the two garden worshippers hit off with ideas and made sure it was all ok. The school said it was, and if there was something like wall paper underneath it all the better, but really the students were allowed to get as over the top or simplistic as they wanted, it was supposed to be their home after all, as long as when they moved out they set this back to how they were if the new occupants request it to be fixed.
Scott liked the extravagant idea, he wanted to be surrounded by animals and flowers and a bright sky and endless trees, now he didn’t care though, he didn’t need all that, he just wanted the people. He wanted Riley to fuss over him and he wanted Tess to smile at him, Ben to be awkward around him and Lexi to try and sort out when it was ok to be strict and when it was ok to just loosen up and be one of the team. To have May be as indifferent towards him regardless of how jumpy he gets and to have Michael talk to him as no one else yet felt Scott was old enough or responsible enough or mature enough to hear. The Prince wanted to walk out of his room and have Katie bounding in circles around his legs, to tackle her to the ground and wrestle until Riley got the expression which signaled he was starting to panic that someone was going to get hurt from the rough play.
Sometimes Scott wondered if the others felt as strongly as he did, but all he had to do was open his heart to them and know how they felt, it took the edge off the mystery when he saw right into their own bundle assortments of emotions. It didn’t always make things easy, far from it most of the time, but it did help explain things, even if Scott didn’t understand exactly what he was feeling, what emotions were causing the disturbance, when he felt it he could still understand how it would be effecting whoever was generating it. Ben and May were hard to figure out at times, Lexi was nice but just like the other two Scott hadn’t sat down and talked with them individually on their own like he had with Riley, Tessa and Michael.
It wasn’t going to be easy telling them, Scott couldn’t even put on a brave face of being ok, they can see through anything he tries just by studying the shade of his eyes. And say he managed to sit there and get the words of his departure from his lips, what happens when their multiplied abundance of emotions hit him? How could he hold up with their emotions on top of his own that he could already barely handle. Strangely metallic eyes opened as Riley’s voice called out, saying everyone was there and waiting, Scott didn’t answer, nor did he really flinch a muscle, not until Riley called his name again in a tone that suggested he may come and check if everything was ok if Scott didn’t reply soon.
Even the simplest of replies couldn’t be mustered up, instead Scott merely dragged himself off the bed, the slight creak of Scott’s door enough to signal he was on his way, white thick soaks padding his footsteps on the mushroom beige carpets. Black cotton pants warmed the previously numbed legs, a white t-shirt that didn’t quite fit so snuggly and a soft thin cotton jumper of an extremely dark navy blue with lighter shades of navy blue running across the chest in the form of three separate thing stripes. Absentmindedly Scott had begun combing his ruffled hair with his fingers, trying to tame the reasonably dried hair with as little effort as possible. Hot baths still had a drowsing effect on Scott, who could cheerfully curl up for an hour at least after a having bathed in refreshing hot water, usually scented as well so that probably had a large hand in the cause for sleepiness.
The jumper wasn’t cut for Scott’s wings, so they sat beneath the fabric, their tips poking out just as the rims of the white shirt stuck out. Usually Scott hated suppressing his wings, they were too much a part of his actions that half the time Scott stumbled about when his wings were half expected to support him when they were actually unable to do so and he’d lose his balance easily enough. Simple actions like climbing on stools or his bed or anything that he needed a hand up or a hand down of, then he just thoughtlessly relied on his wings and when they were tangled up in clothes he became more aware of how instinctive and how often he uses them. It really was a wonder humans managed so well without them. Right now he didn’t feel like walking over to his draws and just grabbed something from his bathroom where he had put aside things for Arlen to wear.
Scott’s left hand was obscured mostly by his sleeve, all of which was covering his mouth with his teeth momentarily biting the fabric and holding it between his teeth for a moment before both hands reached up reluctantly to rub his eyes. Steps halted for a brief pause as his vision was covered, not wanting to walk into any furniture as he rounded the couch slowly to take a seat beside Tessa. Scott didn’t really take much of a chance of looking around, only seeking Michael’s eyes for a brief moment before casting them down to the couch where he intended on dropping, trying hard to avoid all other gazes, even as he gradually lowered himself beside Tess and finally managed to find himself sitting and ready to continue with the discussion. It was about the same time where the urge to shrink and sprint off back to his room became almost undeniably strong. Avoiding talking to them however didn’t make it go away, talking about his departure may in the end bring more positive results if they work a plan on how to convince his parents to let him stay. Looking Tess in the eye right now he may as well have a giant neon sign flashing over his head saying he has a problem, Scott didn’t realize how easily read he was since he came here, but then again it wasn’t like he spent time with a lot of people during the day back home. Riley handed the hot mug of coco which was being kept, sweet as ever and with a melting frothy marshmallow, yet for the first time Scott merely took the mug because Riley was holding it out to him patiently, a reluctance in Scott’s behavior towards sweets as large a sign of a problem as his eyes, even more so since usually problems for the male fairy could be washed away with a few sips of the chocolaty drink. Or anything else that was insanely sweet for that matter.
"My parents have expressed a keen desire to withdraw me from the school and have me return home, they arrive tomorrow to pick me up." Precise, to the point, Scott felt like he was dreaming once of those terrible dreams that felt so real but any moment he’d open his eyes and he’d be warm in bed and safe from these worries. Scott’s eyes finally shifted towards Tessa’s own violet gems, already feeling the swell of emotions in the room around him. "I do not wish to leave.. not now." It sounded selfish, it was selfish, how could he say such a thing? Scott’s eyes fell away from hers, gazing at the froth of the drink with a mournful look tarnishing his usually dazzling features.
Re: Green Dorm: Are We Saying Goodbye?
"Take a seat, we’re waiting for Tess, Lexi and Michael will be back shortly, we want to wait for everyone."
Ben could feel the tension in the room and decided that May’s suggestion was probably best and went to take a seat in one of the large armchairs the common room was furnished with. He had noticed that May had mentioned that they were waiting for everyone and yet when she had listed his team mates name there was one that was distinctly lacking. Why had she omitted to mention Scott? Was this something to do with him? Or did she think he was just too sensitive to hear what was about to be said? Ben sighed he could feel that this was going to be a long and less that cheerful meeting, the last thing he wanted right now.
But he still sat quietly despite the pressing need he felt to get away before anymore bad news was laid upon him. And slowly but surely the rest of his team began to gather. Michael first, apparently coming straight out of the shower and then Tess who went to the microwave to make herself a cup of something warm. It was true that today had been particularly cold and bleak which did nothing to help any of their moods. Then as the “front door” opened and Lexi stepped in it seemed that the meeting was finally going to be able to start as Ben figured that she had called it.
This illusion was quickly dashed as she asked what all of this was about and Ben found himself more bemused and worried than ever. If Lexi did not know what was going on and May had still felt it necessary to call a meeting then something must be really important. he knew he was frowning he could feel the creases that had formed on his forehead but no matter how hard he tried to relax his face that was the expression it had decided it wanted to stay in.
As the creak of Scott’s door was heard from down the corridor the tension in the room increased and it felt to Ben that all eyes were riveted on the exist of the corridor. He knew that the fairy would not like the strained attention directed towards him but there seemed no true way to look anywhere else until somebody explained what this was all about. Once his team mate had emerged it was clear to all that something was bothering him, there was no trace of the reasonable annoying overexcitedness that made Scott who he was. The fairy took a seat on the couch beside Tessa and took the cup of hot chocolate that was being proffered by Riley.
There was great silence as if everyone in the room was holding their breath until their most innocent member began to speak. "My parents have expressed a keen desire to withdraw me from the school and have me return home, they arrive tomorrow to pick me up."
Whether it was the very formal way in which Scott said it or just the fact was already so numb from the news about the other Scott’s illness, what had been said did not sink in straight away. Then his capricious mind through a thought at him that shocked him back into reality “What is it with people called Scott, it’s ironic isn’t it that the only two I know are the people causing me most pain right now.” He knew it was selfish and unreasonable to think like that but he felt as if for once his head was screwed on right and it was a very distressing feeling. He could not seem to find a logical explanation or way out of anything and seeing as this was his main defence against what through at him, he felt like he was being battered down with no means of getting it to stop.
"I do not wish to leave.. not now."
The words seemed small and far away and Ben realised his mind was trying to distance him from all of this. If you can’t take it in, it can’t be happening. It was bad logic but it was still logic.
Re: Green Dorm: Are We Saying Goodbye?
Lexis question had hung in the air for a moment as Michael had wondered how exactly to answer it Then Scott’s door had opened and the fairy had emerged looking tired and sad but determined nevertheless. He glanced over at Michael before taking his place on the couch and the astral mutant gave him a supportive smile. With everyone else either puzzled or clearly concerned about Scott’s appearance Michael forced himself to concentrate on the positive aspects of the situation such as they were resolutely trying to remain hopeful no matter how bad things looked right now.
Riley too seemed to be trying to lift Scott’s spirits if only by the judicious application of hot chocolate, though from the looks of things he wasn’t meeting with much success. Michael hesitated, wondering if he should break the silence, hoping that Scott could bring himself to do it. The problem was after all his and telling the others about it, however hard that might be to do would be another step towards the maturity of spirit Scott would need if they were to convince his parents to look upon him as someone capable of taking his own life in hand and not just as their child.
Finally with a sigh Scott did just that. "My parents have expressed a keen desire to withdraw me from the school and have me return home, they arrive tomorrow to pick me up." he announced quietly. "I do not wish to leave.. not now." As explanations went it was short and to the point. Though the look on the fairies face and the tone of his voice left them in no doubt as to the anguish that lay behind the words.
Glancing round at his team mates stricken expressions Michael was glad he had had some time to prepare for the moment. Before the atmosphere grew any grimmer he stepped forward “That’s why I asked May to call a meeting” he said looking particularly at Lexi “I hope that was all right? It just that I figured if we all put our heads together maybe we could think of some way to convince Scott’s folks to change their minds.”
“Now Im sure they have their reasons for believing that he should go home” he added earnestly “So I’m thinking we should tell them all the reasons why he should stay. And for me green rescue squad is at the heart of everything.” It wasn’t often that Michael stood while there were seats to be had but he did so now drawing peoples attention to him. Trying to make them see that this was something they had to attempt. That they could make it work if they just tried hard enough.
“I mean isn’t this a symbol of all Scott’s accomplished? Us being here? All wanting him to stay?” It was so clear to him He just hoped the others saw it too. “ From what I heard, when he first got here people didn’t even notice him Now look.” Michael said with a smile that was full of pride and affection. “He doesn’t just have friends. He has team mates He’s part of something that makes a difference. And though things get dangerous sometimes there’s not one of us that doesn’t realise we could trust him with our lives. That he’ll be there for us when we need him Just like we’ll be there for him. We have too tell his parents all this and make them realise that hes a part of our life now. And that we’re a part of his.”
Re: Green Dorm: Are We Saying Goodbye?What's wrong? was the first thought that entered Tessa's head as Scott slowly made his way into the common room and took the seat beside her. Alarm was beginning to raise in her just from the manner in which Scott was walking and acting today. Perhaps the weather was getting to him as it was her but the half-faerie didn't think so. A second glance of both curiosity and worry told her clearly that something was very wrong here. It wasn't so much his facial expressions or anything and Tess figured it was probably somesort of empathy. She didn't have actual empathic powers but she did have a keen intuition which worked both to her advantage and disadvantage depending on the situation. Here it worked against her as Tessa tried to figure out what was wrong, knowing this was more than a simple team meeting over who eat the last of the food or the next training section.
There was also the fact that Scott seemed to be skillfully avoiding her gaze and, for that matter, the gazes of his other teammates aside from Michael. Usually brilliant azure eyes would meet her own similarly bright hued eyes and there would be a connection there she could only describe as a bond between two people who have a secret that only they share. They had known eachother only a short span of time and yet Tess felt as though she knew a great deal more about Scott than she did about some people, even though their conversations had not always been lengthy and all-encompassing. With him she felt all at once nervous, excited and comfortable, the strangest blend of emotions and feelings and one so pleasant that she had never felt before. Now however, as he avoided her violet eyes, Tessa felt as though something was deeply wrong.
When his eyes did meet hers a moment later Tessa almost wished they hadn't for what was held within the usually enchanting eyes was devestating. She couldn't place exactly what it was, couldn't even have hazarded a guess, but the distress was so deeply ingrained there that the faerie almost wished she hadn't looked at all. It made things for difficult somehow, to know that it wasn't just a funny feeling she was having, that something actually was wrong. The movement of taking a mug of hot chocolate from Riley was what could only be described as mechanical. It was a movement devoid of life or caring, it was just because he felt he had to, or so it seemed to Tessa.
She had to wait in suspense only a few seconds before Scott shared his problem and oh what a problem it was. "My parents have expressed a keen desire to withdraw me from the school and have me return home, they arrive tomorrow to pick me up." Tessa sat numbly on the couch. Her ears registered the statement but her mind refused to take it in and a feeling of detached numbness as though this weren't really happening overtook her. Surely there had been a mistake. She couldn't meet a link to her heritage and a friend as good as Scott then have him taken away so soon.
The second part of Scott's statement registered. Tomorrow. That wasn't even time to say goodbye, if indeed she had to say it. Tessa's face had always been open emotionally and she had been told teasingly in her childhood that she would have made an awful poker player. That was especially true now. Shock and sorrow turning rosy cheeks pale, curving down strawberry lip balm lips in an expression of woe. Hie eyes were meeting hers now but Tessa was sure her eyes were blank, how could they register emotion now when it hadn't yet sunk in?
"I do not wish to leave.. not now," he said and usually dazzling eyes fell away from Tessa's. She was almost glad, not wanting him to see her blink quickly a few times to keep back the threat of diamond tears.
“That’s why I asked May to call a meeting,” Michael said aloud, jumping in before anyone could speak up and make the situation even more uncomfortable. Lexi noticed at this point that Michael's gaze was specifically on her and she knew before the words emerged that he was asking if he had done the right thing. Confirmation came with his next words, “I hope that was all right? It just that I figured if we all put our heads together maybe we could think of some way to convince Scott’s folks to change their minds.”
Oh thank the gods there's a plan, Lexi thought to herself, her stricken expression currently matching that of her younger teammates. She couldn't stand the thought of losing Scott, both as an invaluable team member and as a friend for she liked to think that they were all becoming friends by now. Green eyes glanced over unsurely at Tessa for a moment, wondering if she had known ahead of time. The devestated expression crossing her face said it all though, she had been as unaware as the rest of them. Lexi's heart went out to her, knowing how close Tessa and Scott had become since their meeting. She had been there for him during his recovery. Well they all had done that, it was part of what made her so proud that they were her team but Tess had skipped classes to stay with him only to face the possibility of losing him now. Lexi couldn't begin to imagine what those closer to Scott than herself, Michael, Riley and Tess felt.
“Now I'm sure they have their reasons for believing that he should go home.” Michael, ever the diplomat it seemed. “So I’m thinking we should tell them all the reasons why he should stay," the Scot continued, "And for me green rescue squad is at the heart of everything.” For Lexi it was as well but of course the team was everything to her, that and the classes she taught.
“I mean isn’t this a symbol of all Scott’s accomplished? Us being here? All wanting him to stay?” Slowly the Green Rescue Force leader nodded her head, damp hair bobbing slightly as she did so. It was a symbol. Scott had so many friends here and the team mission that he had made it through was such an accomplishment. She was proud of him as a leader and as a friend.
“ From what I heard, when he first got here people didn’t even notice him, now look.” Despite the shock and sadness Lexi almost smiled. If whatever he was planning on studying didn't work out for him Michael had a definite future in motivational speaking and it was a thought she meant in the best of ways. “He doesn’t just have friends. He has team mates He’s part of something that makes a difference. And though things get dangerous sometimes there’s not one of us that doesn’t realise we could trust him with our lives. That he’ll be there for us when we need him Just like we’ll be there for him. To tell his parents all this and make them realise that hes a part of our life now. And that we’re a part of his.”
She almost felt as though she should clap. For the sincerity, for the meeting and for everything. Michael was absolutely right and surely all the others would see this as well.
"Thanks Michael," Lexi said after she was sure he had finished. It was a genuine heartfelt sort of thanks, the type not given lightly. "You're right, completely on target." It felt weird talking around Scott and she deliberated on whether to speak of him as though he were here and direct it to him or to talk as though he weren't. "Scott's part of the team and I'm sure we'll all pitch in in any way possible, tell his parents everything so that they'll let him stay."
When Tessa spoke her voice sounded very distant, as though it wasn't really her speaking but some entity with a voice similar to her own taking her place. "If there's anything, any chance I want to help." Looking over at Scott with dull eyes Tessa thought to herself, 'I can't lose you. Now now after getting through the training missions and after you've shown me magic. You can't leave now when nothing is finished.' She didn't say it but it was how she felt, as though there were lose ends and things left unsaid still and Scott couldn't possibly leave, let alone on that note. Dim eyes flitted back towards Michael, wondering if he had more to say or any specific plan of attack in this situation since he seemed better than the rest of them for it anyway.
Re: Green Dorm: Are We Saying Goodbye?
Of the silence that ensued, it was Michael’s voice that soon broke it, “That’s why I asked May to call a meeting” The one of their younger members began, his voice determined but calm “I hope that was all right? It just that I figured if we all put our heads together maybe we could think of some way to convince Scott’s folks to change their minds.” Although Scott wasn’t exactly sure of what the word ‘folks’ meant, he had the vague understanding it may mean parents or family considering how Michael was using it in a sentence. A part of Scott found himself staring up at Riley as Michael finished speaking, it was obvious Riley was disturbed about this, but Scott knew that Riley didn’t think there was any chance of changing the minds of the royal fairies. In some ways it was understandable, Scott was inclined to think the same thing at first… but if there was any hope then he’d much rather focus on that, if only Riley had the faith needed to believe not everything ended off on a negative note… Maybe if this worked and the team helped him stay, then Riley would also realize that good things do happen, but with how Riley felt now Scott might as well have already been dragged off out of the room.
“Now Im sure they have their reasons for believing that he should go home” Whatever those reasons were, it was plainly clear that Scott didn’t feel partial to having such a decision decided upon, especially without any prior consultation. “So I’m thinking we should tell them all the reasons why he should stay. And for me green rescue squad is at the heart of everything.” The fairy’s metallic eyes turned over towards Michael as the human stood, leaving Scott a little confused on where Michael intended on going to while he was speaking, surprisingly enough it seemed nowhere as he continued to talk to them in a way that drew Scott’s attention vividly.
“I mean isn’t this a symbol of all Scott’s accomplished? Us being here? All wanting him to stay?” All the hurt inside both swelled a little and eased to, the words Michael spoke leaving a strange sense of satisfaction and warmth as Scott thought of what Michael said and the simple fact that there was a friend who could speak such a way in regards to the young Prince and his recent few accomplishments. “ From what I heard, when he first got here people didn’t even notice him Now look.” That was true… and in a way it still was, so many passed him in the halls and so many walked right into him if he wasn’t careful, eventually Scott just stood in the front hall and if he waited long enough someone tended to see him… usually it was Connor, Heath or Riley as they walked in and out of the school, but on the odd few occasions he had met a few new faces. Since meeting Green Scott had stopped going to the front hall, he didn’t feel so lonely that he felt he needed to put up with standing around being ignored until one out of the many spotted him. Now all the Prince had to do was to stroll outside his room, which was never with a closed door unless he was changing, and there he was, more often then not surrounded with others who were relaxing, studying or doing house chores in the comforts of their homely environment. On top of all that Scott wasn’t exactly alone with humans, he had Tessa here, and she was half fairy, and as far as Scott cared that made her the solid ground he could walk on whenever he thought he might feel homesick.
“He doesn’t just have friends. He has team mates He’s part of something that makes a difference. And though things get dangerous sometimes there’s not one of us that doesn’t realise we could trust him with our lives. That he’ll be there for us when we need him Just like we’ll be there for him. To tell his parents all this and make them realise that hes a part of our life now. And that we’re a part of his.” Did they all think that? Just the fact that Michael thought it and had spoken it out loud had left Scott partially stunned, the fairy looked at his chocolate for a moment, slowly leaning forward to place it down as his fingers felt weak.
"Thanks Michael," Lexi’s voice continued even though Scott was still caught up on what Michael had said, his slightly brighter silver eyes watching the crippled boy and seeing only the magnificent and seemingly indestructible spirit within. "You're right, completely on target." Gradually Scott mustered the effort to look away and stare over towards Lexi, though he was constantly feeling torn between the others and Tessa who was definitely taking all this hard, giving Scott the feeling that he was losing something again, not really on the same level as he had felt around Paige’s parents… but it was still painful to feel. "Scott's part of the team and I'm sure we'll all pitch in in any way possible, tell his parents everything so that they'll let him stay." If only Scott had the effort and energy inside of him he would have smiled then for sure, all he could muster however was a more neutral expression instead of his previously distraught look.
"If there's anything, any chance I want to help." It was hard for her, perhaps as hard as it was for Scott in some ways, after all, they were both losing a bridge to a world they wanted to learn so much more about, a bridge of safety that bore so familiarity and more importantly a strong sense of friendliness and fond affection. Maybe Tessa had been trying to tell Scott something, but whatever ran through her mind was entwined with pain and a sense of lose that was setting in even though Scott was still right there beside her. It was a feeling the Prince was able to understand, it’s how he felt about everything, everything and everyone around him would be lost and it wasn’t something the fairy felt he could bare right now.
Dull violet eyes looked away however, leaving Scott to wonder if it was because she couldn’t bare to continue letting him see what was expressed within her eyes, or if she was just desperate to push onwards, as Michael had been the one she now watched, waiting for anything from the youngster who seemed to have been thrown into the middle of all this. It was all so much, all the emotions, all the words, all the expressions, Scott looked over Tessa once more before looking away towards Riley and meeting the others eyes. Whatever expression Scott had gotten when he looked towards Riley it forced the student teacher to drop his gaze away for a moment as Riley tried to rebuild his resolve before meeting the fairy’s eyes yet again. It didn’t really matter, Scott just looked away, taking the gaze which spoke of hurt and a need for support away as the Prince returned his attention towards Tessa.
The two cultures were so different, simple gestures meaning something so much more significant in Scott’s home, but humans were different, they were a lot more casual with their physical contact, a lot more open with their bodies, it was intimidating but it was also nice in some ways. Sure fairies had an intimate society as well, always dancing together and singing and they hold each other if another was upset, but a lot depended on the relation between the people, where they were from, how long they’ve known each other. Humans pat each other on the back to offer a ‘well done’ or even a ‘good luck’ and that just wasn’t common for Scott’s people unless they were intimate couples. Then again even the back was considered a pretty private part of the body for fairies, only those they trusted deeply would be able to touch the vicinity of the back. That’s why it was so easy to hang out with Connor, Heath and Riley, they all had that quality to them, tending to keep to themselves without allowing others into their personal space, though Connor did it out of awkwardness, Riley was just unaccustomed to it and Heath was being chivalrous.
However Tessa had been there when Scott was sick, she had watched over him when he took his baths and since he had been drained of magic for the first day entirely he always worried what might happen when he fell asleep in the bath. Only she was always there, knocking after ten or twenty minutes if Scott got too quiet or if she figured the water would have started to cool down. Perhaps the issue brought here now was about Scott, and Scott future, but it was also about here and now and the people involved with him in the present, and Tessa was one of those people who were involved and had gone out of her way to share in his company or tend to his needs when he was in need. If she had been raised in the community Scott had been brought up in he would have comfortably just leaned his shoulder against hers and she would have understood the depth of the gesture, but she wasn’t, and Scott had to rely on what Riley told him during one of their random discussions which Scott would bring up or just something Scott had noticed while living here… And that was that humans were a breed of people who seemed to thrive on contact and attention, just as flowers needed the suns light.
With only the slightest of hesitations, Scott gently moved his hand so that it could find Tessa’s own, timid fingers trying to appear decisive and certain, it wasn’t as if he hadn’t touched her hand before, but somehow it was differed compared to when they were at the lake… At least the situation was different… the texture was exactly the same, still just as smooth, the warmth of her skin, the comfort of her presence… the assurance that regardless of what was to come, for now he was still here, and that’s what mattered the most at this precise moment.
"They're focused on Scott's safety just as much as his development, probably even more then it, we'd have to also show them how safe he is here." Riley added while addressing Lexi, since she was after all their leader, and though Riley tried to show he was willing to help he still sounded as if he held doubts of some kind. But if Scott wanted to see Riley act then Riley was just going to have to toss logic aside and believe they can overturn the decision of the royal parents... though he could not help but wonder how the others would feel if they knew they were about to stand up against a King and Queen.
Re: Green Dorm: Are We Saying Goodbye?“That’s why I asked May to call a meeting; I hope that was all right? It just that I figured if we all put our heads together maybe we could think of some way to convince Scott’s folks to change their minds.”
Even if Ben felt like he could not deal with this situation right now, he could not help but listen to Michael’s words. Their youngest team mate was the one that had been through most hardship and yet he was always the first to take a stand if someone else needed help. There was a strength and a conviction in Michael that was rare indeed and no matter who you were when he began to speak you felt drawn to his words.
“Now Im sure they have their reasons for believing that he should go home. So I’m thinking we should tell them all the reasons why he should stay. And for me green rescue squad is at the heart of everything.”
Ben had to admit that they had not been a team for long but living together had been easy, almost natural. He knew he had not been himself recently and that he may have been cold towards them. But he sis appreciate being able to come back to the dorms and find people sitting quietly drinking warm drinks and enjoying each others company. It had stopped him from locking himself away and drowning in his own pity.
“I mean isn’t this a symbol of all Scott’s accomplished? Us being here? All wanting him to stay? From what I heard, when he first got here people didn’t even notice him.”
That was another sore spot for Ben as he had been the only team member incapable of seeing the fairy on their first meeting. And it was only because of Michael’s faith and patience that he had been able to believe that there really was magic in the world.
“Now look he doesn’t just have friends. He has team mates; he’s part of something that makes a difference. And though things get dangerous sometimes there’s not one of us that doesn’t realise we could trust him with our lives. That he’ll be there for us when we need him just like we’ll be there for him. To tell his parents all this and make them realise that he’s a part of our life now and that we’re a part of his.”
It was one hell of a speech and if Michael could pull this kind of stunt in front of Scott’s parents then everything was bound to turn out ok. It was one of those times when Ben’s logic was of no great use for he could not formulate a plan to suit a situation involving people he did not know. He would give his support to his team mates but as far as he could see the affection between Tess and Scott; his friendship with Riley and Michael were the most potent weapons they had in this fight.
He could certainly see that Tess was stricken and his heart went out to her. There was nothing worse than having something you care for take away. And as Lexi spoke he could hear the worry in her voice. They would definitely group together and fight for their friends rights to stay in the school but it was a hard thing to prepare for with no idea of what Scott’s parents were like.
Ben could not find anything to say that he felt would make a difference, nor could he look at the two stricken fairies. As far as he was concerned now that the problem had been brought up those two should be allowed some time alone. So instead he looked to May, she was always pretty steady and he wondered if she had some kind of unspoken plan or if she, like him, knew that all they had was their friendship with the non-human prince.
Re: Green Dorm: Are We Saying Goodbye?
Everybody was on board then, even if some of them seemed less than convinced that his plan could work. Lexis words had been encouraging and Tessa’s determined despite her obvious shock. Riley on the other hand looked as if the battle was lost in advance though he did at least go through the motions. And he did effectively bring up the one stumbling block they’d be hard pressed to overcome. "They're focused on Scott's safety just as much as his development, probably even more then it, we'd have to also show them how safe he is here."
The problem was that being on a team did tend to put you in the line of fire. Everyone in the room was all too well aware of that. And the last training mission hadn’t exactly showed that they were protected even under what was supposed to be controlled circumstances. The teams had been attacked. Maybe not green strike force but still….. There was no getting away from the fact that students had been injured. Hell Scott himself had come close to disaster and that hadn’t even been a result of the brotherhoods intervention. One spider bite and he had nearly died. How could you ask any parent to let their child run that risk again?
Michael wouldn’t have even tried if he hadn’t been so sure that taking Scott out of the school would hurt him just as badly as the poison had. Body and mind were two very different things, Michael was well placed to know that. Tearing Scott away from the school now might well keep him physically intact but his spirit… that could be crippled just as surely as if a car had ploughed into it.
He needed to tell them that. All you had to do was look at Scott to see that it was true. His eyes were dull as if someone hand had turned off the joy that usually shone through them. Michael had lots of arguments ready to offer up. Each person in the room had their own unique contribution to add to the mix. Michael saw that clearly and he thought it all added up to a pretty substantial package. But while he was willing to toss every bit of energy and eloquence he possessed into convincing Scott’s mother to let him stay he wasn’t going to lie to her. Yes they would all do their best to keep Scott safe. Yes they were willing to risk their own lives in order to do so. But there was no getting away from the fact that he wasn’t going to be wrapped in cotton wool. He didn’t want to be. And not because of some childish whim! Because he was brave and loyal and in the end capable of making his own decisions.
It was hard to bite back on all that he wanted to say, feeling that maybe for once he had the words with which to say it. But Riley was right about another thing. It hadn’t been to Michael he had turned for an answer to his proposition but to Lexi and that was as it should be, the astral mutant told himself. After all he had called for a group action and she was the leader.
Re: Green Dorm: Are We Saying Goodbye?
Tessa didn’t have to look over at Scott in order to feel his gaze on her. She didn’t need empathy to know that his feelings were, most likely, mirroring her own of loss not only of a friend but also of a connection to worlds they were both just beginning to understand. She also had a good idea of how she must look right now, usually bouncy curls somehow losing their volume, usually bright eyes now a dull lavender-grey shade and slightly watery. That wasn’t how Tess wanted him to see her, she wanted Scott to remember her laughing and smiling in his company, not trying not to cry as he left. She had heard the words of Michael and Lexi and held deep hope that Scott’s parents could be convinced to change their minds, that he would be permitted to stay but another part of her was uncertain and pessimistic. It feared the very worst, that she might lose him forever when so much was still unsaid.
Unexpectedly she came into contact with skin as Scott’s hand moved to find her own. The touch was gentle and somehow tentative although they had held hands before at the lake. His hand felt so warm against hers that the half-fairy wondered if it was some kind of sign. Perhaps it was a gesture of hope and faith, for while Tess had never been religious she had always been spiritual. Somehow the gesture was comforting, even though she knew it might be the last time they held hands like this. Slender fingers curled around Scott’s in a similar manner of gentleness. She was returning the gesture and the assurance the best way she could at the moment and was letting Scott know that she was here until the bitter end although hopefully such a moment could be put off. Just having Scott’s hand in hers gave Tessa the strength to believe that something could be done and that he wouldn’t have to leave her.
Lexi had been so focused on her own words that Scott’s small gesture went unnoticed by her as she now listened to Riley speak. "They're focused on Scott's safety just as much as his development, probably even more then it, we'd have to also show them how safe he is here." She had made strides with the other student leader during their time together as a team and Lexi appreciated the suggestion offered, even though she could hear the doubt in his voice plainly. She offered a small smile in his direction, a private sort of thanks since it at least gave them something to work with, a direction to go in if they were going to keep Scott here and of that the redhead was determined.
Of course the problem was that being on Green Rescue Force did tend to counter the safety Scott’s parents seemed to be looking for. Somehow Lexi thought that explaining how they took precautions and that lives were only put in danger if necessary and for a good cause wouldn’t be a satisfying response. Really though, she thought to herself, would it be for any parent? As much as Xavier’s claimed it was a sanctuary for mutants, and it surely was, those on teams did have their lives in danger. They did it willingly for the good of humans and mutants alike but that didn’t take away from the fact that it was done, that there was a reason why they had a medical bay and an extremely capable doctor. She considered the time Scott had spent recovering, blonde fairy by his side. That certainly wouldn’t be in the school’s brochure and it wasn’t a great way to let worried parents know their son would be safe here, even if Scott’s injuries had been the result of nature and not of an attack on the team.
Lexi felt as though all eyes were on her and had a brief flash of self-pity. It was never intact or serious, just a moment where occasionally she would wish everyone didn’t rely on her, that important life decisions weren’t based firstly on her opinion of things. She had always been a democratic leader, believing that a loose rein gave a person more chance to contribute and help their team and she intended to continue doing things that way. It wasn’t a tactic that would ever work with a team like Exiles but with Green Rescue Force, with her team, it had always been effective.
“I think we all know this is going to be difficult,” she started slowly, deciding honesty was the best policy here. “Difficult because a bunch of us have been injured here before and that’s why we have Dr. McCoy around. Not impossible though. We’ve all got ideas and most of all we’ve got heart and I know it sounds cheesy but that’s exactly what has gotten us through in the past and on the training mission, determination and heart.” Lexi paused, brushing a stray strand of hair behind one ear as she thought about what next to say.
“Riley has suggestions, Ben you’ve always been the logical one here,” she continued, favouring Ben with a slight smile. “And Michael your eloquence will come in handy. I’m going to sound like an inspirational speaker but if we put our heads together I know we can come up with something because there’s no way we’re losing Scott now,” she finished, the ‘not after he’s just recovered from the spider bite’ unspoken. “I’m a student teacher guys, I’m not Storm or Wolverine and some of you clearly have more ideas than I do already”. At this point green eyes flickered across Michael, quite sure that the Scottish mutant had at least a spark of an idea. “No hierarchy here, we’re all just friends trying to keep another friend here so talk when you want and say what you will. All suggestions appreciated”. With that the redhead opened the floor to discussion, permitting anyone who had the beginnings of a plan to speak.
Re: Green Dorm: Are We Saying Goodbye?
It was all unfolding, the pain, the planning, the glimmer of hope, everyone trying to be brave, the one who knew they would fail, the one who only cared to focus on their chances of success and then all the ones between. Different worlds, different scenarios, but still full of similar kinds of crisis. Usually May wasn’t part of the discussions, right now she didn’t feel like she was part of it either, while the others talked another voice whispered over them in the distance, demanding of attention, cynical and mocking, souring any chance of May mustering a glimpse of a supportive expression. Letting people in was always dangerous, it always seemed a risk never worth making half the time, people would come and go so quickly in her world, and usually their departure wasn’t so simple as packing their bags and leaving, usually it was much worse, ripped away in a yet another war and another fight. Two weeks wasn’t enough with them, not after all she’s been through and Venom, being true to his name, made sure he dragged her through the emotional mud of her memories if she ever seemed to be letting her guard down.
“I think we all know this is going to be difficult,” May let her eyes move over towards Lexi, listening to the other red head, seeing the strength of her resolve just as what May had seen in Michael, they all were ready to fight, even if it seemed like a losing battle they were at least still trying. Back home people had stopped even that… stopped making the effort, the seemingly futile attempts, life was life, and there seemed little left to fight for when a world is so torn and tattered. “Difficult because a bunch of us have been injured here before and that’s why we have Dr. McCoy around. Not impossible though. We’ve all got ideas and most of all we’ve got heart and I know it sounds cheesy but that’s exactly what has gotten us through in the past and on the training mission, determination and heart.” Was it? Had May oozed determination and heart? She definitely radiated a slight impatience when she realized her team couldn’t even organize make shift beds for themselves and didn’t even bother asking if someone could help them. Ben just looked as if he was ready to break his neck for the night of discomfort and Michael’s leg had definitely been problematic enough for May to not even suggest moving him once he had settled down. At least she had done a bedding for Ben… she had done something, that had made her part of the team right? She didn’t think carrying Michael was so big a deal, he was a feather to her, and if she hadn’t been there though someone else would have helped him… at least as best they could.
“Riley has suggestions, Ben you’ve always been the logical one here,” Everyone was getting their credits, after all, credits given where credits are due, isn’t that true? A neutral gaze shifted to each face as Lexi mentioned their names. “And Michael your eloquence will come in handy. I’m going to sound like an inspirational speaker but if we put our heads together I know we can come up with something because there’s no way we’re losing Scott now,” All this talk of losing people, it didn’t help the already depressed mutant, who dealt with her problems by ignoring them as best as possible half the time. Hank had told her clearly that if she ever needed to talk he’d be there to listen, but May wasn’t really a talker, not any more..All she wanted to do was move on, to leave loss and pain behind her and any remote resemblance of the pain she had felt. “I’m a student teacher guys, I’m not Storm or Wolverine and some of you clearly have more ideas than I do already”. Well, that made everyone in the team getting praised for input of some kind aside for the distressed fairies and May herself, there used to be a time where she fitted in so well, why couldn’t that sort of attitude be as easy to reobtain as old bike riding skills? “No hierarchy here, we’re all just friends trying to keep another friend here so talk when you want and say what you will. All suggestions appreciated”. The two weeks she’d been scarce as far as the Doctor was concerned, maybe she thought things were going to improve, maybe she didn’t want to let others notice there was anything wrong with her, Scott was already anxious around her, everyone was. Not that it was unfounded, May wasn’t the most approachable person nor was she was more warm and affectionate one of the group.
"Be careful Michael," May warned, "Tell his parents things like he’ll be safe, he wants to stay, he has grown so much and the like, anything you say, you take up responsibility for Scott, not Lexi or the x-men, just you, the one who tells them all this, the one who convinced them to allow Scott to stay." There was still a neutrality in May’s voice but there was something about her, something that just gave off a slight air of irritation, or annoyance, or any number of emotions so faint it was hard to tell what it was and if indeed she was bothered by anything other then Scott’s possible departure.
Riley himself didn’t like the negativity of the statement, regardless if it seemed she was just warning Michael of what he was getting himself into, Scott was important and Riley wasn’t about to let something as silly as a parental grudge sway them from fighting for his right to stay. "We’ll be sure to make them understand we’re all behind Scott’s own decision to stay. In the end that’s all we can do, if he didn’t want to stay, we’d be upset, but we’d let him go, if it’s what he really wanted. It’d be hard for us, but we’d try and do what was best for him.. but he wants to stay and we want him to stay," That was important, it wasn’t like they were doing anything without thinking about their actions, but they couldn’t just not try… Riley knew it’d be difficult, if not impossible, to change the minds of such influential creatures, but he was still going to try, he’d stand there when they approached the fairy’s parents and he give his own words if they were needed or wanted.
"His parents could have a very good reason for calling him home, maybe there’s something going on we aren’t aware of, it seems unlikely they’d wait two weeks to rush to the school and take him now. And if they did wait, then they obviously have already put a lot of thought into this decision. Good parent’s always try and make the best decision for their child." May wasn’t trying to say they shouldn’t bother, just that it seemed to her that everyone was focused on proving why Scott should stay, maybe they should also focus on why he shouldn’t go back. What was it in his world that wasn’t helping him, what was it he was losing over there? Maybe they should just wait and see what the reason behind Scott’s call home really was, maybe all this pain and anguish was for nothing, the fairies will come and suddenly they’ll say something in which Scott realizes he has to do, that he can’t stay or that whatever they say makes enough sense and he ought to listen to it. Though part of her didn’t really see why she was even bringing any of this up, she shortly wished she had just remained silent as Riley replied quickly to her comment with a snappish tone.
"They may have the best interest at heart but that doesn’t mean it holds the best end result for the child, good intentions can screw up someone’s life." It wasn’t a personal attack from May, Riley realized he had taken it to heart with his own family problems and he didn’t want to go down there, not while Scott was in need of them to all be as a team. The former agents eyes shifted uncomfortably to the café table as he added calmly as he could manage "..and if Scott wants to stay here it’s his prerogative and as his friends we’re going to try to help him reach that goal. I don’t mind taking burdens for him, he’s taken enough from me, it’s the least I can do."
May didn’t reply, her comment hadn’t even been directed to Riley so she was a little irritated he made such a fuss over it, though she was well aware he had recently started having his emotional ups and downs in the dorm lately. If they wanted to carry the burden of someone else, then fine ,May had dealt with a lot of responsibility like that in her life, and the death toll more then taught her to avoid ever letting someone in under her wing again. She still found it absurd to do all this planning when they had no idea what his parents were really like, what they wanted and how they would respond to these comments, Scott wasn’t exactly being forth coming with details of his relatives.
The scene just caused Scott to lean his head against Tessa’s shoulder, eventually hiding his face away slightly so that his forehead rested against her. Scott’s eyes closed but his fingers made sure to tell Tessa he was still there, firming tenderly and loosening again as his body seemed to curl away from the entire situation. The Prince knew he should be listening, they were trying to help him, but everyone was so serious, especially in the last few moments and Scott had to admit he was distracted … There was a delicate scent on Tessa’s clothes that caught his attention and it was strangely calming, just as the comfort of her hand was too. Tired breaths were soft and quiet as he thought to himself…it was nice to have someone he could lean on, it made things easier to bare, he liked the comfort in which he could reside himself in while with Tessa, it was different to the others… he just could pin the reasons why.
Re: Green Dorm: Are We Saying Goodbye?
"Be careful Michael.Tell his parents things like he’ll be safe, he wants to stay, he has grown so much and the like, anything you say, you take up responsibility for Scott, not Lexi or the x-men, just you, the one who tells them all this, the one who convinced them to allow Scott to stay."
May's words weren’t harsh but they did hit home. He could hear the experience behind them as if this was something she had done herself and the ending had been bitter. She was right of course. But then again even if Scott’s parents didn’t hold him directly responsible Michael knew that he would never forgive himself if he helped persuade them to let their son stay and something happened to Scott.
And it was the risk they were taking wasn’t it. There was no one in the room who didn’t know that Scott would be safer out of the team. Out of the school . He wasn’t like many of the other students who didn’t have anywhere else to go or whose powers made them too dangerous to be left out in the world untrained! He wasn’t even a mutant with all the attendant stigma that that seemed to carry. He had a home and loving parents to go back to. Somewhere he could be loked after and cared for and…… stifled. Damn it that had to count for something didn’t it. The fact that Scott didn’t want the easy secure life they represented.
It seemed Riley thought so to. Michael appreciated his attempt to temper Mays statement, emphasising that they were all ready to back Scott in his decision. It was a nice thought but it didn’t work . In the end Michael had been the one to call the meeting. The one who had launched the idea no matter how much support he got from the others. If it ended badly they would all feel equally bad But he would know where the real responsibility lay. As would May.
The rest of the altercation between her and Riley also brought up many good points that he had already been trying to take into consideration , one of the advantages of having had some time to think things through as he showered. Now that Lexi had thrown the meeting open he didn’t feel as awkward about speaking up when the tone became more heated.
Wait he said,his voice sounding clear in the moments silence that followed Riley’s last statement. Like Riley said we’re only considering this line of action because Scott wants to stay. And I wasn’t exactly planning on ambushing his parents as soon as they arrive. “ Michael went on, the slightly joking tone hopefully helping to break the tension a little though the words themselves were deadly serious. Of course Scott will talk to them first and I’m sure that if they have a good reason for wanting him to go back with them then that will change his point of view. He glanced over at the fairy for confirmation before proceeding. If he decides he should go after all then that’s fine obviously….. but if not.
This was the moment May had been talking about. When he could back out gracefully and let things slide. Or step up and take responsibility for what his actions could lead to. It wasn’t an easy decision to make. No that wasn’t true. It was the only decision he could make. What wasn’t easy was living with it afterwards. “I wasn’t going to lie to them either May. Scott’s not safe here. None of us are. That comes with the job. But we can tell them that we’re looking out for him just like he’s looking out for us. Thats what being a team is all about isn’t it?
And as for convincing them that hes mature enough to make his own decisions ….Michael looked at Scotts worried face and smiled encouragingly. Well I was pretty sure he could do that all by himself.
OOC: Sorry this is a REALLY crap post but I have just had no inspiration and really did not know where to go with it.
Ben sat back in a detached way as Lexi told them that she valued all of their opinions and wanted them to come up with a way to keep Scott with them as a team. He had to admit that it felt really good to be recognised as being an important member of the group but right now his ever present logic was telling him that he did not know how they could convince Scott’s parents that he should stay among them.
And they did of course have the problem of not being able to promise to keep him safe at all times. They had already failed once and the fact that they knew so little about fairies was not going to help them keep him any safer. They had not known about how vulnerable he had been to spiders and even though they might try there were some things you just couldn’t protect against. He was never going to be as safe here as he would be with his own kind.
Besides as Ben, listened to his team mates argue he noticed that they were pulling each others arguments apart. He felt like he was in the middle of a debate, with one team trying to find the flaws in the other team’s theory. Now in some ways this was a good thing as if someone here could find a way round the argument put forward than so could Scott’s parents. And at least they would be able to determine which arguments were the strongest and most valid. But it also proved how little they could do to help their friend. In the end it would be his decision and if he didn’t fight it, they couldn’t help him no matter how hard they tried.
He could feel everybody’s concern and how hard Michael was trying to make sure that they worked as a unit so that when the time came they could be as helpful to Scott as possible. They all wanted to help in their own way, but until they knew why Scott’s parents wanted him home there was no way of working out how to convince them to let him stay. So Ben sat back in his chair, knowing that there was nothing he could do right now. He would be more than happy to help when the time came, as he was good at thinking on his feet but right now he felt less than useless.
Re: Green Dorm: Are We Saying Goodbye?
Once Lexi Moore had openned up the floor for discussion she admitted to being slightly surprised when May was the first to speak. She liked the other redhead and felt she was becoming part of the team and yet she did still seem the most withdrawn of the lot and seemed not to be one who wasted speech. Her quick co-operation was a good sign for the unsure team leader, who still worried over whether or not she was doing enough or too little when it came to making decisions for Green Rescue Force.
Perhaps she had been too quick to call Ben the voice of logic, Lexi thought as she listened carefully to May's warning to Michael. It was true and it was something that hadn't occurred to her. Reassurances made the one saying them entirely responsible and no one could handle such a load on their shoulders. There was a reason none of the group had the codename Atlas. It was a negative statement and there was something in May's voice that made the student leader a little edgy but she couldn't deny its correctness. She understood how important and neccessary Scott was to the team, having a feeling that without him Tessa and Riley would both be unhappy in particular. And yet it wasn't fair for Michael to take that burden on his shoulders alone. If it was anyone's responsibility it was her's.
Riley was next to speak and from his words she got the feeling that he hadn't agreed with May's warning. "We’ll be sure to make them understand we’re all behind Scott’s own decision to stay. In the end that’s all we can do, if he didn’t want to stay, we’d be upset, but we’d let him go, if it’s what he really wanted. It’d be hard for us, but we’d try and do what was best for him.. but he wants to stay and we want him to stay."
And that was the issue. The fact that Scott wanted to say and was being torn away. Otherwise there would not be such a meeting of minds and brainstorming session as was currently going on.
"His parents could have a very good reason for calling him home, maybe there’s something going on we aren’t aware of, it seems unlikely they’d wait two weeks to rush to the school and take him now. And if they did wait, then they obviously have already put a lot of thought into this decision. Good parent’s always try and make the best decision for their child."
Lexi had been raised by a loving family but they hadn't understood her mutant powers and had sent her to the school on the condition that she left her mutant powers and her mutant friends behind at her graduation. Always the goodie-goodie type she had rebelled against her parents, deciding she would stay no matter what. Her parents too had attempted to bring her home against her will but she had refused and a rift had formed between the girl and her parents. Now when they spoke their conversations were cold. She could understand Scott's dilema, of being pulled away against his will, better than some and was determined to help somehow but she didn't want to ruin his relationship with his parents for she had always regretted losing touch with hers, despite there not being a decision that would have led to a better outcome.
Good parents *did* try to make the best decisions for their children but that didn't neccessarily mean they were right. Sometimes what they thought was right wasn't and who was to say that this wasn't the case for Scott? Lexi's brow furrowed a little, the only sign of her disagreement with May on this point.
As it turned out it was Riley who replied, Lexi having decided to remain silent for the moment. "They may have the best interest at heart but that doesn’t mean it holds the best end result for the child, good intentions can screw up someone’s life." Now Lexi couldn't hold back her agreement and a slight nod could be seen from her if anyone was paying attention. At Xavier's she had thrived but if she had listened to her parents? Well she wouldn't have been content anyway and there would always have been 'what ifs'. "..and if Scott wants to stay here it’s his prerogative and as his friends we’re going to try to help him reach that goal. I don’t mind taking burdens for him, he’s taken enough from me, it’s the least I can do."
Lexi Moore found herself with increased respect for Riley at this statement. Despite her misplaced feelings of her authority being threatened once Riley was placed on her team she was now finding him to be an ally. She couldn't have put it better herself and her blue eyes softened a little at the devotion and friendship evident in his words.
Tessa Macneil had been listening to the whole debate in silence, unwilling to speak up and a little afraid that if she did her voice might break. Instead she seemed to be watching a game of table tennis, her gaze moving to rest on whoever was speaking at the time before whipping back again. The opponents seemed to be Riley and May, the pair facing off against eachother with the ultimate, for her anyway, question at stake.
Her gaze steadied though and she stopped looking to each and every speaker as she felt a warm head resting against her shoulder. It was a simple enough gesture yet despite their friendship they hadn't made a great deal of physical movements towards one another and the head resting against her shoulder felt oddly right even under the most wrong of circumstances. His head turned so that just his forehead was against her but still the physical contact sent a strange spark through Tessa that she hadn't felt before and couldn't place.
His fingers were still locked around hers, reassuring her, and she held onto him tightly as if to not let him go. Unconsciously she seemed to move closer to him, not realising she was doing it and in such a slow way that it was likely no one else would notice but some part of her felt comforted by his physical prescence so close to hers and she didn't want that feeling to leave her. She wanted to listen, knowing that the end result of this conversation was more important to her than many things but Scott's prescence was distracting in the best of ways.
Lexi had her complete attention focused on Riley, May, and now Michael. She didn't notice the movement of the fairies and instead listened, intent on hearing the opinions of others and of making her own known.
"Wait," Michael was saying. "Like Riley said we’re only considering this line of action because Scott wants to stay. And I wasn’t exactly planning on ambushing his parents as soon as they arrive." When a slightly humourous tone was heard in his words Lexi almost praised the gods. A lightening of the mood was certainly needed after the heated words of other team members.
"Of course Scott will talk to them first and I’m sure that if they have a good reason for wanting him to go back with them then that will change his point of view. If he decides he should go after all then that’s fine obviously….. but if not." Michael was making a great deal of sense here, standing in between Riley and May, it seemed, on an invisible line.
“I wasn’t going to lie to them either May. Scott’s not safe here. None of us are. That comes with the job. But we can tell them that we’re looking out for him just like he’s looking out for us. Thats what being a team is all about isn’t it? And in a statement Michael had said it all. It was exactly what a team was about and none of them were safe there. Lexi's mind wandered to the injuries sported now by members of the Exiles team. That could have been Green, it was simply a matter of place and time. In another time they could have been the ones sporting bruises from a confrontation with the Brotherhood.
"And as for convincing them that hes mature enough to make his own decisions...well I was pretty sure he could do that all by himself." By the end of it Lexi was ready to jump up and praise Michael. As it was she simply shot him an appreciative look, glancing over at the faeries herself afterwards. Scott seemed not to be paying much attention, his brilliant blue gaze obscured by Tessa's clothing. It didn't escape Lexi that the two seemed physically closer than the last time she had looked over at them.
The redhead returned to her thoughts. Safety was important, no question, but it couldn't be everything. A human or mutant was succeptible to anything and it could be a car that ended their life or a product of nature or even another mutant. There was no way to be sure and life in general was about taking risks. Yet Scott would be safer among his own kind. They could protect him in a way Xavier's school and Green Rescue Force could not. However, if given the choice between a life of safety and a life of danger but making a difference and living among friends Lexi would choose the latter. She was not a parent though.
When the arguements seemed to, for the moment, come to a lull Lexi decided it was her time to speak up again, despite not really having resolved anything in the matter. "I don't know how much we can promise Scott's parents. We can't promise them safety, only that we'll do our best and maybe that isn't good enough for them but we have to try."
She sighed a little, realizing that despite the ideas put forth and ideas torn down they weren't much closer now to any sort of a solution than they had been before. "Look, I think we're all coming at this in a personal way. How can we not, right? My parents didn't want me to be here either and I stood up to them because that was what I wanted. If Scott's parents have a good reason, like Michael said, then as much as we don't want to we'll have to back off but if not, and if this is what Scott wants and where he wants to be, then we have to at least try, even if we can't promise absolute safety."
"Good parents do want what's best for their kids but they don't always know best," Lexi added, flashes of her own parents flashing through her mind. Of Alexander Moore putting his foot down and the betrayed look on Eliza's face when Lexi made up her mind and put her foot down. She wondered if her personal judgement was clouding her judgement and if she wanted so badly to back Scott up partially because she wished she had had backup against her own parents and support when they unwillingly let her go.
"I think.." Lexi paused, trying to figure out how she wanted to say things. "Ultimately Scott has to be the one to tell his parents what he wants and that he's sure and can make his decisions for himself and we have to be there to back him up completely." Her blue-eyed gaze fell on Scott. He wasn't the only one to say nothing but he was the one involved, the one whose future was being decided without him, or so it seemed. It felt only right that he should be the one to say what it was he wanted.
Re: Green Dorm: Are We Saying Goodbye?"Well I was pretty sure he could do that all by himself." The words repeated in the back of Scott’s mind, all of them did really, so assuring and strong, everyone seemed to think so highly of his abilities… It felt out of place, yes Scott knew he had so much to offer, but not yet, he didn’t know enough, he wasn’t experienced enough, so many more spells to learn, so many more traits to pick up, skills to define… He was young, but he wasn’t entirely helpless either, not as how his family tended to treat him.
And as Lexi spoke, Scott realized his petty wish for his own parents to respect his growing maturity may seem a lesser of a problem then most had with their families, considering the stories he knew of Riley, Connor, Tessa and Arlen, who had far more stressing fissures between them and their parents. And as moods dropped and talks really did become personal, Scott opened his eyes from where the azure gaze had hidden away against Tess. She felt so close, so near in so many ways, comforting and secure, a promise of hope without the need to speak, she was a friend, like all of them, and she’d not let him go without a fight… none of them would. The prince never had a companion that was so… loyal and there for him.
"I think.." Lexi continued on, and strangely enough Scott found himself already missing his team mates, the way they acted together, the way they fell silent to listen, even though they all had their own opinions they still listened to each other and in the end that is exactly what Scott was raised to believe humans were incapable of doing. "Ultimately Scott has to be the one to tell his parents what he wants and that he's sure and can make his decisions for himself and we have to be there to back him up completely." There was a slight inhale of air as Scott seemed to will himself from Tessa, his eyes lifting to the side of her face, then drifting over towards the others. This was it then, this was all that could be done, and in some ways, it was more then Scott could have dreamed, their words had awoken something inside of him that he often let slip away… He was strong, he could do this, he was able and willing and more then that, he was determined and hopeful. All he could do was face what was thrown at him and try his best to sway things into his favor, and for all they know, in the end perhaps the reasons his parents had were in fact reasons that Scott and his team would be forced to bend to… regardless of whatever happens though, Scott knew one thing, and that was he cared too much to drag his team through any more strain… this was definitely not how he wanted to share his final few precious moments with them.
"Then all is settled," The Prince declared with an air of authority to his gentle words, his own resolve so much stronger now having heard the wonderful things his friends had said to him… It was painful, but at the same time, sometimes it wasn’t until the final moments, the most serious or scary of situations, till you really discover just how true and honest a friendship you have with people. And if Scott left, then he did so knowing that for them, he was more then just a passing face in their life, that by some chance time may roll on and yet there will still be moments where their thoughts are of him, and his presence and memories are still held within their hearts… He’d never experience such revelations before, and it left him with a strange air of maturity and understanding that clung to with affection and strength of mind.
"In the coming day I shall meet with my parents, and with them discuss what has been brought forth this night, and armed with that knowledge only then can we truly begin any discussions as to what is next to happen." He looked away from the group and seemed to give his attention to Tessa, his voice softening as he spoke, though still addressing all by the way his words continued on. "Should my summons indeed be for reasons that I can not ignore, then I will be forced to say my farewell," Azure eyes slid away from the amethyst gaze, only because it was too hard to keep looking at them without wanting to fall back into his insistence of wanting to remain, regardless of anything! "If we are lucky, and all is well, and it is for reasons we can fight, then we will fight it once we know how and why." Now his eyes slowly trailed across the table, a small breath drawn in as he continued. "If these nights are however the final hours I am able to share with you, then I should not like to part company with the memories of your sadness as the last thing I see." Granted it was getting late, but still, there were things they could do, surely… even if it was just all sitting around talking, watching TV, listening to music, reading a book…do homework together! Scott would be up for anything right now, it just didn’t seem right to all just walk off and lay sadly alone in their rooms.
Re: Green Dorm: Are We Saying Goodbye?
Lexi had been made team leader for a reason and she showed it now. Always ready to listen she still knew when to step in and sum things up, taking the best from all the arguments put forward and forging them into a strategy that the could all agree on. Or could they. In the end it all came down to Scott didn’t it? His choice. His desires. Ultimately his strength though theirs would be there to call on if and when he needed it.
Would that be enough? Michael knew how much strain this predicament had put on his friend. He had also see the well of self doubt that lay behind those shimmering eyes. *Come on Scott you can do this* he encouraged the fairy silently “We all know you can Now all you have to do is realise it as well!*
"Then all is settled," Michael grinned with pride and pleasure hearing the determination behind the quiet words, sentiments that only deepened as Scott reiterated his intentions. Now they would at least be prepared to do their best whatever happened. No regrets! No sad ‘what ifs’ to haunt future nights. They would act as a team should backing him up, supporting his decisions, their fervour and abilities put into the service of his needs. And if he told them that that meant letting go then so be it! They would do that to. Wish him well and wait for his return. Like friends should.
Scott seemed to realise that as well, valuing their presence, their affection, taking encouragement from it as they had hoped he would but still not shrinking from the potential parting that could lie ahead. “ If these nights are however the final hours I am able to share with you, then I should not like to part company with the memories of your sadness as the last thing I see." he told them solemnly. “Ok “Michael said with a smile “ Let’s make some happier ones" .”
Suddenly an idea hit him from nowhere but that didn’t stop it feeling right. As right as them all being together at that time and place. “Oh and Scott, if you’ll show me how.. lets save them…. in the orb! That’s what he had said he would do when the fairy had entrusted it to him. Keep the important things in it. “I know this might not be the birth of a phoenix or a dragons roar” he went on “but still…..its special . Your people and mine working together, caring for about other. That what we said we wanted to use it for, to show that was possible. To help people understand. And I for one can’t think of a better place to start than right here.
.................
Group hug and fade?..... or does anyone else want say something?
Topic Commands
Click to receive email notification of replies
Click to stop receiving email notification of replies
