| A Penny For Your Thoughts |
| Summary: | Whitley and Besa investigate Rainier's mind. |
| Date: | IC Date (2017-01-08) |
| Related: | Related Logs (Say None if there aren't any; don't leave blank. You have to use full URLs, like http://coralsprings.wikidot.com/logtitle) |
| NPCs: | Players go below, other chars that deserve mention can be listed here |
| Scene Runner: | Who ran this scene, NA if no-one or mutual |
| Players: |
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Gym Coral Springs
A massive dome overhead is completely revealing of the ocean above it. This is a full size gym, with basketball hoops along the walls ready for play. Ropes hanging from a secion of that dome ceiling ready to be climbed are tied off to not impede on gym floor activity. Excersize equipment and weights are off to the far end. At anytime the floor can be sectioned off for multiple team games to be played if needed. There are locker rooms for girls and boys to one side and opposite this are wooden bleachers that can be pulled out if needed for spectators. Opposite the bleachers there is a rock climbing wall, that goes right up to the dome itself overhead.
Whitley woke up to find the infamous bowl mysteriously gone…he didn't even stop by Besa's dorm to verify that it was there because where else would it be? Instead, he has retreated to the gym this afternoon and is currently going through katana katas. His moves are precise and his errors are barely noticeable to the common eye. He, of course, notices them and focuses his time checking those minute mistakes. Also, he's blindfolded.
Besa's pretty sure today's his last day before someone forces him to the Med Bay. So he did what anyone in his position would do, get dressed and make himself leave his dorm and that damn bowl. Not that he made it to class, but he's been ghosting the hallways in thought. His hair is a mess, which is just adorable, but the rest of him just looks worn out and tired.. The circles underneath his eyes have grown, and he's bundled up in not only a sweater, but a non-school hoodie onto of that. He's finally making his way up to the gym, maybe in hopes of finding someone. He has at least two missions to accomplish today.
Skater boy he may be, but his fashion sense and style hasn't changed. Still the impeccably dressed preppy, which is how he looks coming into the gym with gym bag and board in hand. If he notices Whitley's mistakes he doesn't mention them, not when there are other things he can pester the other boy about "Heya Cuddles." he greets with a smirk and an up nod of his head. It seems his arrival is timed perfectly with Besa's "You feeling any better?" he asks the latter, cause he isn't necessarily looking better, is he?
On the other hand, Whitley is dressed in common gym attire, grey sweatpants and a plain white tee shirt. None of it belongs to the school. He is also wearing no shoes. The new voice doesn't get him to pause, the long blade swings again, possibly straying dangerously close to Rainier. A second or two later, he removes the white blindfold, hoping he did not sever anyone's limbs. "Cuddles?" He turns to the direction of Besa, "See! I told you…" Back to Rainier, "Don't tease me…or you might find that I'm not always so cuddly." He's holding a sword after all. He looks down at the blindfold in his hands. Maybe he isn't ready for blind fighting yet. The katana brooding fades away though as he smirks. "Rainier…I was actually hoping I'd find you."
Besa doesn't actually respond to the question from Rain, he just smiles. "Hello Rain. I think I would like to call your mother today, if that would be alright?" The small teen makes his way slowly over to a bench to sit down. He either didn't hear, or isn't connecting the new nickname for Whit until Whit calls him out. "So? There are worse things, I would think." He should hope, anyway. He frowns, sliding down onto the bench, "Do not be so grumpy, Whitley." Besa might not be around to cuddle soon enough. He sighs, but then tries to focus on what's happening in front of him.
It's a big gym, Rainier can get close enough for conversation without putting his neck at risk. There is a snort at the boy's threat, either it isn't taken seriously despite the sword being brandished or Rainier doesn't care. "You're dating my best friend that paints a big tease target on your back, if you don't like it, sorry that's just how it works." the teen sage nods as if that is the way the world works. Then a mask of seriousness drops onto his face, like the one that Rain wore quite frequently "You can't have to both ways, threatening me in one breath and glad to see me in another. Pick one and stick with it." there is a gesture to Besa "Listen to your boyfriend, Mr. Grumpypants."
The white haired teen scrunches up his nose. "Never said I was glad to see you…" The smirk twitches slightly, and Besa gets a look. "I am not grumpy." He shakes his head, looking back at Rainier. There is a brief moment of consideration. The 'threatening in one breath' side probably wouldn't mix well with the upcoming request, so he shrugs. "I need your help." The katana is tossed to the side and finds its way into a black sheath before settling on the ground. "I require entry to your mind. Unlike your brother, I will not enter without your consent," Okay, maybe he's a little grumpy. "Would that be alright?"
Besa's head tilts, best friend? Oh wow, he didn't realize Rain thought of him that way. But it's nice a thing and he smiles, patting the seat next to him, "Come here Rain." And then Whit is just blurting out, rather grumpy, about going into Rain's mind. Besa adds, "Only if you are comfortable with it." Whit gets as glarey a face as Besa can muster. Clearly, a 'what is wrong with you today' kinda look.
Rainier isn't buying the not grumpy part "Ahh, does someone need a hug." the teasing continues "Besa you're up." because he isn't going to hug Whitley, even though the other day he was borderline flirty. His brow furrows at the request, yeah he doesn't look at all comfortable with that. He complies with Besa's request though and goes to sit down next to him "Why? Why do you want to get into my brain all of a sudden?" he finds it suspicious, but why wouldn't he.
Whitley gives Besa a 'what?' face as he moves towards where the two boys are sitting. He wouldn't mind a hug with the weirdness that's happened these past days and with Besa thinking he's going to die, but he also isn't the one who initiates it. "I don't think it's too much of a surprise," He tells Rainier, standing over him. "Things have…changed, specifically you. We're all confused. I just wanted to clear things up, and Schuyler might be harder to get a read on." He takes a deep breath and then offers a smile. "If you're hiding any naughty secrets up there, I promise I won't read them."
Besa ignores the request to hug Whit. Not if he's grumpy! "Something isn't right, Rain. He has looked in my mind, and now wants to compare what he sees in yours." Technically true? "It is part of why I want to talk to your mother about. That, and the bowl." Dark eyes flicker back to Whit, "It is back in my room again." Which might be why Besa looks so terrible. He raises a thin hand and rubs his eye briefly, "But only if you feel comfortable with Whitley trying." The hand comes down and pats Rain lightly on the forearm.
Rainier sighs "Not this again. Why is near half the people around here insisting I have changed." he doesn't get what happened, though he gives another amused snort at Whitley "I'm not sure you could if you tried." he might not be telepathic like his brother, but he went through the same mind shielding lessons, second hand, but still. He looks between both teens "Will doing this shut you both up about it once and for all?" not really comfortable but will if it proves something.
There is a faint grin at the challenge, but Whitley isn't eager to enter another person's mind anyway. This likely won't be like the practice session he had with Besa. "Yes, I promise I won't talk about your new jiggly bits after I've tried this," He looks to Besa, doubting that the other boy will make the same promise since Rain's his bestie, and this is so very confusing. Whitley's a lot less concerned. In fact, his concern pretty much comes from the fact that this worries Besa. "We will be bonded for a bit, so try not to fall in love with me. I know, it's gonna be hard, but I'm taken." Cocky as always. As for the bowl…well, Whitley already guessed that much. So creepy.
Besa tries to sooth the situation as best he can, "Something is not right, Rain. We are just trying to figure out what." He quiets though, starting to think this is not a good idea. Between Rain's hesitance, and the obvious tension between the two…He sighs, his hand raising again to now rub his forehead. "Whitley!" What in the world is wrong with him? He sighs, but after that Besa stays quiet.
There is an eyeroll at the comment, for him its not new, he has had jiggly bits for 14 years! "I'll try to control my urge." Rainier says in complete deadpan. There is little risk of that. "But bonding? I'm not sure that is going to be possible." he already has one of those with his brother, is a second even doable? "Fine. Do what needs to be done, I warn you though don't go messing around, you won't like the consequences." there could be some trust issues in regards to Whitley.
<FS3> Whitley rolls Psychic: Good Success.
<FS3> Rain rolls Psychic +50: Great Success.
Whitley just looks at Besa, "What? If he is allowed to tease, I can too, right?" Is that not how this works? He's new to this dating thing. Whatever. He reaches out to place a thumb on Rainier's forehead with his middle and forefingers against his temple as he tries to bridge their two minds together. Perhaps it's his newness to the entire process that requires the physical aspect, but the movement is slow enough that Rainier could move out of it if it makes him too uncomfortable. His eyes suddenly blaze a vibrant blue color as he activates his psychic powers. White hair, pale skin, and vaguely effeminate features have always given Whitley an ethereal bearing…pair that with psychically charged blue wisps rising out of his eyes, and the boy looks outright unnatural. As he starts taking a look into Rain's brain space, he is rather respectful about the whole thing. He is looking for specific things. Repressed memories, mind walls, gaps where certain events should be. While it is new and confusing for him, he manages to navigate through the human mind with some competence.
Besa sits quietly, repressing the urge to reach out a comforting hand to Rain. He doesn't know if that would mess Whit up or not. He says quiet, just watching for now.
Rainier doesn't recoil from the touch, though he does find it odd, but whatever works. At the glowing, wispy eye he eyerolls again muttering "Show off." This may be a new thing for Whitley but psychic connections isn't new to him, he's been dealing with them all his life. Even without psychic powers he is able to reach out with his own mind to make it easier for Whitley to do what he needs to do. What Whitley finds though is organized and chaotic at the same time. It seems that Rainier has a compartmentalized brain, a couple of sections firmly shielded off. One large section feels like Sky, he wasn't lying when he said they share a brain, Shy is right there behind a formidable wall. Hard to say what is behind the other wall, but since Whitley isn't picking up any emotions it is a safe beat those are being shielded as well. What could the boy possibly be hiding? There are other shields but they don't seem to be of Rainier or Sky's doing, they aren't even psychic in nature, and so many gaps, where there shouldn't be any. Neither of which the teen seems to be aware off.
Whitley's lips tug into a smug smile when he's called a showoff. If he had a nickel for every time one of the Masters twins has called him that, he'd be as rich as them. Well, probably not, but still! His lips pull into a thin line as he starts focusing again. "Hmmm…I found something strange. Well, something stranger than the strangeness already in your mind." He ponders aloud. Magic, he's guessing. If he just pushes a little deeper…Nope! That would be rude, but it's clear the temptation is on his face. "Can I show you something?" He asks, the intense blue shimmering down to a gentle glow. He likes being flashy.
While Rain sits still, and Whit is politely poking around, Besa's head tilts. He is also staring, but it's at something only he can see surrounding the twin. He can't undo them, but he can follow the magical spells knotted around Rain. The more he understands, the better the convo with her mother is going to go.
"I'll try not to take that as an insult." Rainier says drily, and whether he does or not, well those feelings are lockup up tight behind one of his mind shields "Could I stop you?" Its a rhetorical question though, "What is it?" that one isn't. Following the knots of spells is dizzying work but a pattern is beginning to emerge. There is the obvious protective spell that has his mother's signature all over it, but tangled up with it is what seems be an illusionary spell and a mind-altering spell, the latter seems to be linked into that Sky part of his consciousness. Altering one mind seems to have altered the other. The secondary spells does have faint signatures of the mom, but someone else's as well, and it is a bit sloppy, hence the tangles, but strong, as if the caster didn't know or realize what they were doing.
It is then, without getting a clear answer from Rainier, that Whitley sends a mental image of the real Rain, Besa's Rain. The image is Rain dressed in the gown she wore at the Charity Ball. "That is how we all remember you. From the Charity Ball, when you danced with me," And Besa. Whitley has no idea if boy Rain ever laid a finger on either of them. "There is shielding inside your head. Something preventing you from remembering. If I break it…" He pauses, swallowing. The teen is awfully curious, but courtesy prevents him from shattering the other's mind. He doubts he could even if he wanted to. "Can I break through it?"
<FS3> Besa rolls Mystic: Success.
Three different spells, Besa actually sways slightly as he tries to follow them, but they get so knotted together! The Guardian looks slightly green (not that he's ate anything recently). Eyebrow furrow, "No….It's magic. We need to…talk to your mother…Her signature is on them…someone else's too." His hand raises to his head, the headache that has been every present is making itself more apparent. His other hand lowers to hold onto the bench, he'd rather not draw attention to his swaying and fall down. This is about Rain! "We should wait and talk first." No breaking things! No more broken bowls!
<FS3> Opposed Roll — Rain=psychic Vs Whitley=psychic
< Rain: Good Success Whitley: Failure
< Net Result: Rain wins - Solid Victory
Rainier makes a face as the image is broadcast into his brain "How can that possibly be me. I'm a guy. Have been all my life." He truly believes this "Who is the girl really..and how the heck did you hide her from me at the ball?" so he has a clear memory of being at the ball, but as a guy. At the first mention of breaking mental shielding his or otherwise, Whitley is quite aggressively ejected from the boy's mind. For not being a manifested psychic there is some skill and ability there. "I said no messing around." and he meant it.
As for the magic, it is no secret that Rainier's mother is pregnant with her third daughter, which means the child is sure to have magic herself. Magic is one of those powers that isn't always latent until a certain age. And then there are the pregnancy hormones. Just a thought.
There is a frustrated growl as Whitley pulls back, both physically and mentally. "You could have just said no." He rubs his own temple, the mind scan seems to have disoriented him and Rainier's aggressive push certainly didn't help. "That girl is Rain Masters…you. From literally three days ago." He crosses his arms. Dying Besa goes unnoticed for now as his eyes focus on Rainier. "Someone's screwing with your head, and I'm not the one doing it." Not being trusted is annoying.
Besa blinks, the dazed look fading from his eyes. "Rain…he asked. He wouldn't try anything." A hand reaches out, one to each actually. "Please. Something is not right. Let us call your mother." If allowed he touches Rain's forearm again, in the same comforting way as before, and tries to take Whit's hand in his own.
Ranier shakes his head in disbelief, "How can someone go from being a girl to a boy overnight? That's hardly possible." He looks at both of them. He wants to believe them, but all his memories, false as they are, tell him something different. He doesn't pull away from the touch "Well that much I can agree with." that something isn't right. "Call mom. I won't stop you. Maybe she can put this to rest once and for all." He'll give him the number later today.
"That sounds like it would be best," Whitley nods in agreement. "I think she owes you some answers," The teen smiles at Besa and doesn't shy away from the physical contact. "From what Besa has said and from what I have felt, I'm pretty sure she has a hand in this."
Besa manages a soft smile and nod to Rain. "Magic is a strange thing." His fingers tighten slightly before dropping from Rain's arm. "Thank you. I wish to speak to her about the bowl as well." See? He can ask for help! Sky needs to back off! Whit's hand gets a squeeze as well, not quite a warning. He looks up at the boy, worried. "We will get it figured out."
Rainier is at the point of just letting them do whatever it takes to get them to drop the whole thing "So strange." He can agree with that too "Definitely ask her about the bowl." now the familiar worried expression comes "You haven't looked well since you first laid eyes on it." and it is just getting worse. He gets to his feet. "I'm going to go grab something to eat, suddenly I am starving. "I'll check up with you two later." With that, he grabs his belongings and heads out, practice will have to wait until after foodage.
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