621/Burn the House Down

Burn the House Down
Date of Scene:	19 March 2020
Location:	Library
Synopsis:	The house doesn't actually burn down.
Cast of Characters:	Douglas Ramsey, Samuel Guthrie, Amara Aquilla, Alex Summers, Jennifer Stavros, Joshua Foley

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Douglas Ramsey has posed:
1:00 AM. Xavier's School for the Gifted. The Library.

The funny thing about this old house? Unless you have super-hearing, sound doesn't carry. Which is why Doug can, while he's pulling books off the shelves looking for SOMETHING, put his speaker on, and sway to the beat - he picks up a folio and flips through it, as he puts a little hip action into it, putting those Stevie Hunter dance lessons to good use.

"Way up, way up we go, been up and down that road / Way up, way up oh no, we gon' burn the whole house down-"

Samuel Guthrie has posed:
Sam Guthrie comes walking into the library. He smells of pizza, and that maybe the uniform or the pizza he carried. He looks over seeing Dancing and chuckles a bit. He will walk over putting the pizza and a six pack of cokes on one of the tables.

Amara Aquilla has posed:
Amara Aquilla Is not far off she, of course, hears the music mostly cause she's int he same place, but she's sitting in one of the reading nooks reading a book called modern culture for dummies. She looks over when she spots sam but doesn't speak the blond just watching for now though that smell of food brings her to stand up and start to walk closer. Tummy rumbles override logic.

Alex Summers has posed:
    Alex Summers....is not a student. Or at least, not a student at the mansion, and thus does not necessarily have to come here for research. While he's been someone people might have seen around the mansion of late, as he's getting help with his sudden undiscovered mutant powers, he isn't actually part of the X-Men either.

    On the other hand.

    When you suddenly are faced with what seems to be an invitation to a very formal gala in a few weeks time, it seems like like a good time to do a little research, just to see, you know....how to act. He's not sure if he'll find something like that in the library, necessarily, but it's a start.

    Thus, he wanders in, raising a brow at Doug and his dancing, shortly after Sam, starting to meander towards the magazine rack.

Jennifer Stavros has posed:
Jen smells pizza. She hears music. She senses dorkery in the offing. The first two are positives. The third exists only to be stomped out. "AJR, Ramsey?" she says from the library doorway in a tone that would receive a blatantly ignored 'shush' from any half-reasonable library. "I suppose your taste could be worse. Maybe." She saunters in, tight jeans, blue tee that reads 'green.' in lowercase red letters across her chest. "How do we feel on the subject of Marshmello, hmm?" She comes to stand close to Sam. "Hello, Sammy. You're looking well," she chirps, one hand reaching toward his pizza box, eyes never flickering from his face.

Douglas Ramsey has posed:
    Doug looks up, and other than a slight pinkening of his cheeks, he doesn't stop. "I've still got the old routine down!" He enthuses. "I don't know if I could still pull off my solo of 'Mr. Saxobeat' anymore, though." He gives a little grin, and then says, "Jenny! *Amara*!" He hadn't seen her in the alcove. He's a little embarassed about that.

"I can't." Doug says to Sam, "It's not my cheat day." And he doesn't have a calorie-sapping power like other people do.

Then he glances up. "Alex, right? This is an Xaviers' School tradition. Impromptu midnight library dance party. The goal is to see how long you can stretch it out before Ororo wakes up and-- well she doesn't *yell*, but she sort of crosses her arms and you can feel the static electricity in the room--"

Amara Aquilla has posed:
Amara Aquilla Chuckles and clearly plans on running away before that starts though she snakes her hand into the pizza box to grab za.. she frowns when it comes out though only to wave her hand under it a few times before it holds up and stops drooping " Better " She says before she bites with a clear crunch of hot crispy crust.

Samuel Guthrie has posed:
Sam Guthrie smiles and opens the box and inside is a meat lovers with extra cheese. "Well any who wants some free game to it." He will smile a bit and says "I was going to hit the Rec room but some kids fell asleep down there so figured here would work ad made sure to bring enough to share." He smiles at the others.

Alex Summers has posed:
    "Tradition, huh?" Alex says bemusedly, then shrugs. "Hey, do what you like then, don't let me interrupt." He turns as Jen walks in, then points at her. "That. Is an awesome shirt." he enthuses. "How many people have you had ask you why it's wrong yet?" he says amusedly. The pizza box does draw the eye, but he doesn't try to steal a piece himself. Not his pizza. Now if someone offers....totally.

    Which Sam does, meaning Alex changes course to snag a piece. "Thanks...my lunch kinda got cut short and I missed dinner."

Jennifer Stavros has posed:
"You're too kind, Sammy. Much too kind," Jen says, flashing him a bright smile that she reserves for those who can be suckered into letting her eat their food. Meat lovers wouldn't be her first choice -- she feels obligated to request veggie pizza when she goes out, whether or not it's her favorite -- but any port in a storm. She claims a slice and seems unbothered by the droopiness of it. Nom.

Joshua Foley has posed:
Josh carefully looks into the library. The pizza, well the pizza carries in ways that sound doesn't carry. He leans against the door frame and peers at the gathering of people.

Honestly he is so new that he doesn't recognize really anyone but... Guthrie. That is enough to get him to sort of linger leaning against the doorjam and take in the lay of the land over yonder.

Damn, smells good.

Douglas Ramsey has posed:
The track changes to Bruce Springsteen's 'Dancing in the Dark' - Doug has playlists for everything, even being up in the middle of the night.

"I was actually just looking through old photos of... us." Doug says, before he holds one open. "See Sam?" He says, "They always said you'd grow into your ears. I'm feeling a little nostalgic, which is best saved for one o'clock in the morning when you're not bothering anybody else with it." He looks at the... weird looking creature in the group photograph, and then closes the album with a snap, before he steals a loose piece of ham from the box, tosses it up in the air and catches it in his mouth.

"...Hi!" He says, to Josh, "I'm Doug. This is Amara, Jenny, and Alex. C'mon in."

Samuel Guthrie has posed:
Sam Guthrie looks over and holds up a soda to Josh "Join us Josh, food and drink and some guys you can ask questions about if you want to know anything about the school but were worried about asking the teachers."

Amara Aquilla has posed:
Amara Aquilla Give a shy smile to Jennifer since the two are at the table enjoying za . She pulls out a chair and sits down with her back straight even as she munches the goodness. She hmmms frowning " This tastes different than the pizza I had before.. the top seems different ? " . Her voice is still some what stiff and with a strange heavy accent.

Jennifer Stavros has posed:
"It's all about the toppings, Amy," Jenny says cheerfully. "Different people like different stuff. Me, I go for the vegetarian pizza most of the time, but you can't look a gift slice in the mouth. Not that it has a mouth, except in old Twilight Zone episodes." Her eyes go to Doug and his soundtrack. "I vote we put on different music. Doug just went from marginally acceptable to 'my dad has that album'. Hi, new kid," she adds, nodding to Josh.

Alex Summers has posed:
    Alex promptly rolls up the pizza to keep any toppings from escaping and munches on it as he leans against one of the study stables, nodding to Josh as he come sin as well. "Mm, I'm more a supreme or pepperoni/sausage...after a while you've got to omuch meat to pick out the individual flavors." He ponders. "Bacon however. Bacon can be substituted for either of those. And added to supreme.

Joshua Foley has posed:
Okay well Sam didn't do anything but invite him inside, okay that is a good sign the pizza isn't a trap or anything.

He raises his hands shooting a wave to the various people mentioned there "Hi.. uh.. Josh like he said." of course. He wanders over towards the gathered folk and snags a coke and then a slice of pizza.

"I got here last week... so.. I pretty much don't know much of anything. I mean I know the high school course work.. regular stuff but..." a shrug.

Amara Aquilla has posed:
Amara Aquilla Smiles and grins to Alex " Don't worry, I didn't know about electricity till about two years go " She shrugs, " Don't feel left out ".

She grabs another slice, and again she waves her hand under it.. causing the air to grow hot and seem to wave as she gives sit a tiny extra cook to cook the dough under it give it more crisp.

She looks over at the coke and how others are drinking it picking up the can and checking it out a bit like it's something she's seen before but never messed with .

Jennifer Stavros has posed:
Jenny reaches over to Amara's can and pops the top helpfully. "Like this," she says. She knows the girl's not from around here -- kid seems nice enough, and could definitely manage the cool factor with some proper education. Efforts will be made. "Now." She retrieves her phone from her pocket and brings up her own music, something more modern, more awesome, more generally not Doug's style. "Springsteen is out, Ramsey."

Douglas Ramsey has posed:
"It's called 'music' Jenny! You can tease me all you want, but the Boss is the voice of the highs and lows of living in America, no matter what generation you belong to. Now when I get to the Bangles, then you can start to make fun of my song selections." His gaze flicks up, and he says, "I'd seen you kicking around, but I've been so busy, and this place can be -- a lot. A lot of a lot. So giving you a week to acclamate yourself seemed pretty fair go."

Then Doug adds, "If you run into any demons, they're just Illyana's. They're harm--" He stops. "...They won't hurt you or anything."

"Probably."

Samuel Guthrie has posed:
Sam Guthrie smirks a bit and says "You may encounter.... you will encounter odd things around here Joss, sorta comes with the scholarship, but most of the time it is harmless and if it aint you will either see someone blasting it or running away from it." He looks over to Doug and says "May need your help with trying to figure out where the best apartments are between here and New York Doug.

Alex Summers has posed:
    Alex glances over to Amarah, raising a brow. Ah. girl is new here. He can just...imagine how she might deal with the stuff he's been learning. Even setting aside the time traveling future apocalypse stories, there's plenty of other things that might...yes. Like the demon thing that Doug just mentioned.

    They really don't do the whole 'easing people into things' stuff here, he's noticed. Just dropped into the deep end.

    "You're thinking of Westchester?" he says absently to Sam as he mentions apartments. "I mean, depends where, mostly. Pretty cheap out here compared to the Big Apple."

Amara Aquilla has posed:
Amara Aquilla Nods " running is a very important skill " She beams a smile sitting straight in her chair like some noble lady.. though when the drink is opened " ahhh that's now " She peers at the tab and takes a sip of the drink and curls her nose " Nope still not okay with the bubbles " she sticks out her tongue.

Douglas Ramsey has posed:
"Buy it use it break it fix it, trash it change it mail upgrade it, charge it point it zoom it press it, snap it work it quick erase it..." Jenny doesn't have him foxed THAT easily, he likes Daft Punk too. Sort of an omni-consumer of media, our Douglas.

Doug holds his hands out to Sam in a shrug. "I bought a place in Maine. Illyana and I are still figuring out how to set up a stable gateway that doesn't shortcut through Limbo. A demon ate all my frozen pizza, and got into a fight with the raccoon that lived in the tree outside." He shakes his head, and says, "That raccoon beat the hell out of that demon."

"I'll... see what I can find Sam? But you might have to settle for Newark."

Joshua Foley has posed:
"Demons?"

Josh pauses very long and hard there, then takes a bite of pizza. "Are you hazing me.. demons?"

That name again and gaetways. Well that is a thing. He sips his coke and takes another bite of pizza shaking his head.

"I met Laura and Gabby earlier. Gabby seems nice." note, he does not extend that to Laura.

Samuel Guthrie has posed:
Sam Guthrie says, "Well not sure if they are biblical demons but close enough. Beings from another dimension with a nasty attitude most of the time." He nods over to Doug, and says "Will need to be two bedrooms, I think I have Alexis ready to leave her dad's control but not ready to admit she is a mutant yet." He admits."

Alex Summers has posed:
    "Why...would you want to stay in Maine? it's cold and rocky and windy 90 percent of the year, and the rest of the time it's freezing cold. I mean, seriously, you could have gotten a house in Buffalo. Wait, is this the demon girl you were going to ask out or whatever?" Alex notes, munching on his pizza between conversations. "So you're moving in together? Moving fast there, tiger."

Amara Aquilla has posed:
Amara Aquilla Blinks as she bites her pizza her head snapping here and there is this what they call teen drama .. ohhh it's juicy! so she just listens a bit while eating her pizza watching with big blue eyes as they talk and try to connect the dots.

Douglas Ramsey has posed:
"I'm really not the person to ask about that." Doug says. "After you've spent a little while existing as singular life-form fused with your space alien best friend," Doug says, "And you've got a swanky techno-organic prosthetic arm as a consequence of that," Doug flexes his black and gold hand, "...You really cease to be qualified to provide an opinion on what is and isn't weird."

Then Doug sighs, and says, "Sam, I get that she needs help, but you're playing with fire by playing chicken with that guy and his dime-store Hellfire Club. He seems like the *really* vindictive type. And if she's being stubborn..." He pinches the bridge of his nose, looks up, and down, and then he says, "You're going to have to bring her here, you know. You get an apartment, he'll find you. Here, he can't touch her. He has lawyers, Xavier has bigger lawyers. He has money, Xavier has more money. Your domestic bliss is gonna have to wait... just tell her the place you're living now is the Oldest of Old Money. It goes Jamestown. Puritans. This place."

"Oh, heh! Did. Did ask her out." Doug says to Alex, "...We're figuring out the dating thing. It's got its ups and its downs but it's nice to... have someone. And she's *really* a decent person. She just has a certain... aethetic. With a lot of spikes and demons... but you know me! I like living dangerously." Said the Mormon son of two lawyers from Salem Center, who looks like he was a boy scout - and *was* one.

Joshua Foley has posed:
Josh... well poor Josh just takes another bite of pizza and stares at Doug there. Techno-organic.. he peers at Doug's arm there and then considers. Then he looks over at Sam and considers.

"So.. .what... is techno-organic?" he is watching Doug's arm as he asks then looks up, right eye contact. Soda sip. Be cool. Yeah he knows they seem to be having a serious conversation about like relationships and girl's with dangerous dads or something.

Jennifer Stavros has posed:
Jenny blinks slowly at Doug. She zoned out for awhile there. There are often just so many better things to think about and do than school. In this recent moment, for example, she was thinking about how it was so silly because she could easily just saunter over to Vegas with a fake ID, win a couple of jackpots quietly, and live a millionnaire's lifestyle by making some stock broker very lucky. And then there was something about using her money to get the attention of Johnny Storm and...

Well, that's not really important. What is important is that "Doug Ramsey got up the guts to ask out the queen of Hell?!" These words are, yes, spoken aloud with complete incredulity. "Okay. Okay, Ramsey. Maybe you are not completely a useless, over-brained dweeb. Bruce Springsteen still sucks, though."

Amara Aquilla has posed:
Amara Aquilla Blinks Wait, what " Did thou say that correct queen of hell? " She frowns while being a mutant comes with lots of perks and strange and interesting things you learn about .. she frowns " What's hell?" She tries to remember what it means..Grabbing a small book, she looks it up " Is that like Tartarus? " She asks softly

Samuel Guthrie has posed:
Sam Guthrie looks over to Joshua, and says "Sorta the flesh and blood of a mutant alien friend of ours who is currently on walk about getting to know the world better I am sure." The last part perhaps to help reassure Doug. It is what Doug's arm here is made of now as well." He looks over to Amara "Somewhat yes, there seems to be different forms of it." And then looking over to Doug "She aint ready to admit she is a mutant bringing her here might de difficult."

Alex Summers has posed:
    Something about what Sam says draws Alex's attention as he pauses. "Hellfire Club? The one downtown? She's the kid of one of the board or whatever there?" he says thoughfully. "I mean, getting her to run away from home is a serious thing, especially if you're bringing her here and her dad comes looking for her. She old enough to be on her own? If she's an adult, it's one thing, if she's still a minor..."

Douglas Ramsey has posed:
"Well your window to persuade her's closing." Doug says, before he rolls his fingers, experimentally. "It's a -- long story. Uh, did you ever play Mass Effect? Remember the ending that everyone complained about?"

Then he sighs. "I was infected by a strain of an alien virus that converts organic tissue into a sort of malleable multimorphic nanocarbon-circuitry compound." He holds techno-organic arm up, and for a moment from the forearm down it transforms into various shapes. A nerf bat, a tennis racket, the bat signal, which... projects a batman symbol onto the ceiling, and then back into an arm.

"But near as I can tell, the strain I'm infected with is benign. It saved my life." He rubs the back of his neck. "Or at least it's only rendering me inhuman one piece at a time. His organization's like the Hellfire Club without the swagger. Sam's new girlfriend was his golden child, meant to exemplify the superiority of Homo Sapiens Sapiens over all deviant and deficient genetic outliers. Only she's a mutant. Whoops!"

"But the guy is rich. And well-connected. And isn't the sort of person who takes no for an answer."

"...You all act like she's some unapproachable ice queen, but she's really not! Seriously. She's a lot of fun, and more sensitive than you think. She's just..." He says, "She's got a unique sense of humor."

Jennifer Stavros has posed:
"Technically it's Limbo. Totally different from hell. It's just full of fire and demons and whatnot," Jenny explains to Amara. "And Ramsey, if there is one of your little gang that is cool, it is her. I mean, if nothing else she's practically my twin, which gives her points right there." She pauses. "Moonstar could probably get a pass too. But, the point is not that she is demon queen of another dimension. The point is, you asked her out. And she said yes. Which blows. My. Mind. Because as we all know, you are King Geek of... oh!" She nods suddenly, everything right with the world in her head again. "You're King Geek. A queen's gotta have a king. Whereas..." She gestures at herself. "Princesses are free to do their thing. Right, Ames?" This last clearly directed at Amara, who may not realize she has at least a half dozen nicknames in Jenny's head already.

Amara Aquilla has posed:
Amara Aquilla Blinks totally confused but one thing she's learned at this school dunno what's going on just roll with it till you figure it out. She just nods her head " Yup," she says softly as she sips the pop again not thinking before she scrunches her nose " Uggg wrong one, I need wine " .

Joshua Foley has posed:
Josh takes all of that in and looks then snags another slice of pizza, because well no one else is snagging it right. He takes a bite then when Doug gets to the part of explaining about Sam's new girlfriend well. "That is such a mood..."

"Wait.. is it contagious or safe to touch?"

Samuel Guthrie has posed:
Sam Guthrie smiles and says "Well sorry Mara, I just brought soda up." He looks to josh and says "Doesn't seem to be,. And yea she just turned 18 this week, she was the one standing up to power girl at her early birthday party last week, and speaking at the Genosha rememberance ceremony before that.

Jennifer Stavros has posed:
Jenny leans over, murmurs to Amara, "Talk to me later. We'll get you wine." A pat to the other blonde's arm. She gets it. Sometimes you just need a drink. Every other damn country in the world knows that. America. Full of suck.

Alex Summers has posed:
    This was why Alex came back a bit tipsy a few nights back. Being at the mansion is just...something that occasionally requires copious alcohol. He shrugs at Sam. "Don't know her, sorry, didn't see any of that. I'd ask one of your teachers though if you're going to bring her here, just so they've got a heads up?" He pauses to snag another piece of pizza, rolling it up again, then says sympathetically to Amara. "It's a lot to take in here. Why I go out sometimes. Open offer really for anyone who wants to tag along next time who needs some normal pub time." He tilts his head at Josh. "...I'm gonna hope non-contagious...though you're taking the whole 'merged with an alien' thing well." he compliments him. Alex himself is just...kinda numb to the craziness by this point.

Douglas Ramsey has posed:
Doug extends his hand. "It's fine, go ahead. You'd only risk infection if I physically integrated the techno-organic arm with your body, and even then it'd take repeated exposure over the long term for you to be infected unless I was TRYING to pass the virus to you. Warlock and I were -- repeatedly merged into a singular entity. Him, me, we, us, I. It - well. You're not the same after something like that." He pauses, and then clears his throat. "I'm told that I'm also the world's cutest nerd, so... you do what you can with what you've got, right?"

Then he muses, and says to Alex, "You are *not* a lot like Scott. I mean, I like Scott but you seem more... relaxed."

Amara Aquilla has posed:
Amara Aquilla Sighs growing up in nova roma the water wasn't exactly safe to drink so everybody drinks wine even the smaller kids just they drink a weaker version. She is still getting used to all the drinks of the modern world but still prefers her wine. She nods to Jennifer and beams a smile "Awsome.. " She frowns " That was the right word right awsome? "

Samuel Guthrie has posed:
Sam Guthrie looks over to Jennifer giving her the eyebrow raised, while alex may not be much like Scott, Sam can be at times. He will eat another piece of pizza quiet for now listening.

Jennifer Stavros has posed:
"That's the word," Jenny agrees cheerfully, her brows rising at Sam. Jennifer Stavros can be the picture of innocence when she wants to. She's not averse to using that look even on people who won't believe it for a second. She pops the last bit of her pizza's crust into her mouth.

Alex Summers has posed:
    "The fabled Summers stick does not come standard shoved up somewhere sensitive." Alex notes dryly, before taking a bite bite of the pizza and chewing, as he gestures with it a bit. "...who exactly is telling you you're the cuted nerd? Because if it's your girflriend, there's some subjective bias built into that assertion." he says amusedly, then ponders, looking over the group. "Okay, he's a self declared super nerd...would any of the rest of you know anything about going to fancy galas and how to not screw up too badly when going to one for the first time? I got invited to one, but I don't really know how to act at stuff like that."

Samuel Guthrie has posed:
Sam Guthrie looks to the group, and says "Well I worked tonight and I am tired, Jenny and Mara might be able to help you, Jenny more modern, Mara classical, but I am going to head out. Doug make sure it is all cleaned up for me man." He asks of the one he trusts to do it the most.

Joshua Foley has posed:
Josh reaches and grabs a napkin so he isn't messing with Doug's arm with pizza grease then he slips to his feet and moves closer. He carefully reaches out and touches his two fingers to the arm sort of like he is taking a pulse.

Which in a way he is, he is still learning and knows next to nothing, but the different ways that 'life' feels under his touch is an ever expanding fascination.

He blinks and pulls his fingers back a little startled. "Okay.. yeah... that feels REAL strange.... but it is alive... I think." pause "Maybe."

Douglas Ramsey has posed:
"Yeah, it's weird, isn't it? It's me but it's not me. As it was explained to me, when a living thing is infected with transmode it's transformed into a Phalanx, which is... well. Horrible. It's a Gray Goo meets the Borg scenario, except that the Phalanx's goal are to build a 'Babel Spire' which they believe will allow them to ascend to heaven to be one with their gods -- but it's actually a giant signal array which will summon a planet-eating alien that. Uh. Eats the planet. But that's not happening to me. But everything about Warlock was different from the usual Technarch."

He looks up at Sam and waves a hand. "Get some sleep, we'll talk more about how to help your girlfriend tomorrow." Then he glances around at the others, and his shoulders raise and fall. "Well I can see I'm being a giant downer."

Jennifer Stavros has posed:
"Like nobody else can clean up," Jenny says drily, making absolutely no move to clean up after the small feast. "You're not the king of cleaning things, Doug." She shakes her head. Jeez, Sam, like she's never lifted a finger to help. To Alex, though, "I know a bit about etiquette and galas and that sort of thing. Even if I hate it all. I'm probably not going to ruin things for somebody else."

Joshua Foley has posed:
"You are saying words... but ... yeah pretty much none of it makes much sense Doug." he smiles though and slips up to his feet with a stretch. "Thanks to whoever brought the pizza... " he pauses and looks to Jenny then the box .. I mean there is still pizza in it so he snags the papertowel he used and his soda can to bus those at least. "Uh... night all..."

The teen has a lot to think about, mostly how damn strange everyone in this school is.

Douglas Ramsey has posed:
"Ehm." Doug says, he looks up at Alex and then says, "...Betsy. You want to talk to Betsy." He rubs the back of his neck and yawns, and then says, "Does anybody want more of this pizza? I'll leave what's left out in the kitchen and it'll magically be gone by sunrise. Seeya, Josh. Have a good night." He glances at Jenny and the corner of his mouth turns up. "It's good to see that you're doing so well, Roulette."

Jennifer Stavros has posed:
"Seeya, new kid!" Jenny calls after Josh. She probably knows his name. But really, so much of what Jenny is keyed to annoy somebody. And anyway, she's totally normal! Just, you know, normal awful. "I'm always doing well, Doug," she replies, rising and collecting more pizza as she sways toward the door. "I'm gonna have to track down 'Yana now. Have a good night!"

Jenny always gets in the last word.