INTRO LOG

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[[Exactly what it says on the tin! This is just an initial log to sort of get things started and is largely freeform, open to (but not limited to):

-Meetings before classes start
-First day business
-Dorm shenanigans meetings
-First classes in progress
-or whatever the heck else you want to do for beginning-of-term things!

There's a CR meme up now for some initial planning if you like, or feel free to just hop in here.]]

Comments

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[He seems to zone out for a second while he gets that image, another chip paused midway to his mouth; it definitely explains part of the reason, and when he finishes what he'd accidentally paused he remains silent for a few moments, just slowly munching. It doesn't seem like the kind of thing John wants to talk about, but it's got to be obvious by now that Ryan got something out of his thoughts.

He just doesn't really know what to say.]

You don't have to tell it.

[It's the only answer he can really give: yes, he picked something up, but no, he won't ask about it.]

[ex_outofcontrol435]

[Yeah, he can tell. He can tell it'll be an ongoing hazard with this guy, but at least he shows some discretion. As long as the stories don't spread all over the school, he's still ready to take his chances.]

Wasn't planning to. [He shoves a few more chips in his mouth to give him time to shake off the effect of someone suddenly knowing part of his history, the defensiveness that wants to boil up even though he's not being questioned.] The point is, no one cares. Think of the money that must be getting funnelled into this place, considering they do everything for free. Some junk food going missing now and then isn't gonna put a dent in it.

So when dinner sucks, now you know what to do. [He holds up his can, like a little toast, before taking another sip.]

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[That's... a good point, actually, one that makes Ryan pause.]

...I hadn't really thought about it that way before. Where d'you think it all comes from? Funding, or are they just ridiculously rich?

[He peers over at John curiously, finishing his mouthful of chips before he takes another swig of his soda. Sure, he'd been aware the place had to have some kind of funding, on some level, but he's just never really considered how.]

[ex_outofcontrol435]

[He shrugs.]

It's a place to live, and I get everything I need. Otherwise I don't care. But god knows the government isn't funding it, and I doubt there's some philanthropic group devoted to helping mutants out there considering this is basically a bunker to keep us out of the world, so my bet's on the Professor sitting on a shitload of money.

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Hey, you never know, maybe there's just some philanthropic group on the other side devoted to keeping us in that bunker.

[It's the first thing to come to mind, and soon as it's out he shakes his head and takes another long swig. He's not even sure if he meant it to be sarcastic or not.]

...at least it's a pretty good one. Still, he's got to be sitting on a hell of a lot to run everything here.

[ex_outofcontrol435]

That - is completely nuts. But I like it.

[Humans paying mutants to stay away. It actually makes him laugh, and not much about this conflict does.]

Well, I heard it's the family mansion. So if the land and house is free, and his parents had enough to own a place like this in the first place... [A little shrug.]

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What, are all your favorite ideas the 'completely nuts' kind?

[That gets another breathy laugh out of him as he snags a couple more chips.]

Guess it doesn't really matter. But if it ever does turn out to be humans, don't tell me, or I'm gonna be stuck trying to figure out precognition and telepathy.

[ex_outofcontrol435]

Ask around. Or listen around, either way. You'll find out quick enough.

[He always seems careless about his reputation, but he does bring it up quite a bit for someone who doesn't care.

But then he's laughing again.]

Oh god, there's a kid here who's a precog. She came running out and held a book over my head to keep me from getting hit with bird shit today. Weird stuff like that. I said if she didn't come up with a codename, she was gonna be Shitshield forever.

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[This time when a laugh's startled out of him it's more audible-- a short, bright little sound that almost takes him by surprise. He has to take a moment, catch his breath where it'd been interrupted.]

Pretty sure nobody'd accept that as an official codename, that's dumb.

--but what about yours, huh? I mean, if you were gonna do it. What'd it be.

[ex_outofcontrol435]

[He was half-expecting a lecture about impressionable kids. Testing, pushing boundaries, as he always does. Getting a real sound of out Ryan because he laughed so hard makes him feel warm in a way he can't quite explain.]

I've got one. Courtesy of some old friends. [And he looks at Ryan, levelly, flatly.] Pyro.

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...I should've guessed, huh.

[It's not a joke, though. Instead he's giving John a curious look, chin propped in his hand.]

They weren't very imaginative, but at least you're still doing better than you could be, yeah? There's worse fire references.

[ex_outofcontrol435]

Like I said, it was bad when I started. Fires going up everywhere. It fit.

[It was a taunt. He hated it. But he's grown into it since, some bizarre sort of reclamation because it's simple and to the point and outlines exactly how you will be fucked up in two syllables. And this time, he'll mean it.

He doesn't realize how fierce his expression has become until he feels his lips pulled taut against his teeth, but when he does, he relaxes it into something more moodily bored.]

You got one?

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[He doesn't quite respond to the first answer or that reaction, not in coherent thoughts. Instead John gets impressions of emotion: a little sympathy, a little concern, a little of one that's hard to pin down but feels almost-- just not quite-- like something soothing.

It's all gone as quickly as those mixed feelings came on.]

...nah. I just haven't found anything that fits, you know? And the more impressive-sounding names don't feel right when I'm not any good at this yet.

[ex_outofcontrol435]

[It's uniquely strange, getting a direct emotional signal from someone. He resents most of it, writes it off as pity, but the fact that nothing is actually said in any way does earn Ryan some points. Just move on.]

Nah, the name's your whole starting point. Intimidation's 90% of winning a fight, man, and if you can scare people off before they even find out what you can do? Why not be ahead of the game?