Percy and Jeanne-Marie
Dec. 18th, 2017 05:34 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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ax_mainJeanne-Marie runs into Percy in the Danger Room and they talk about mutants and mutations.
The enemies were faceless. Percy didn't know if that was a purposeful design of the Danger Room or if fault lay with his programming. He would have preferred to believe it was the former, that Professor Xavier didn't want children harming holograms that looked like real people, but ever since the announcement of the all-mutant super squad he was disinclined to believe that to be the case. It would be an effective way to simultaneously expose children to and emotionally distance them from murder. Maybe drowning kittens would be next.
That being said, the Danger Room was useful. Percy had been training in it fairly regularly now, though mostly on the beginner’s setting only as he refused to train under the supervision of the staff and he’d yet to ask Vax if he’d like to train together (this was possibly entirely intentional and would be dealt with when he stopped pretending it was a thing that didn’t need to be dealt with). Still, it was something. He didn’t need to be great at controlling his mutation, he just needed to be better. He wanted to be prepared when he found the Briarwoods.
The faceless forms rushed at Percy. He could do it more quickly now and the shadow burst from beneath the cuffs and neck of his shirt and whirled around him like a wind storm. When it was done, the massive shadow creature stood in his place. He swiped out, catching one of his attackers with a claw. It rag dolled through the air, disappearing before it hit the wall. He rent another down its back and it fell, disappearing as well. They kept coming, some managing to slip past and hit him. Their strikes felt like being buffeted by pillows—More of an annoyance than any actual pain. Eventually, only one on the far side of the room remained.
Percy collapsed into formless shadow and raced toward it, shadow rolling and tumbling like fog rolling in. He stopped in front of it, taking monstrous form again, and grabbed the final hologram. He crushed what would have been its windpipe had it been human and it disappeared, bringing the simulation to an end.
Jeanne-Marie had been waiting behind the glass and watching, uncertain what it was the newish boy--she thought his name was Percy something?--was doing. It looked like... smoke? Shadow? There was something discomfiting about it, but as she watched, she grew more and more curious and less... weirded out.
When he finished she clapped, still behind the glass, grinning. "Well done!”
Percy hadn’t realized he’d acquired an audience. The knowledge didn’t thrill him as he’d done his best to avoid showcasing his mutation to the people here. He smiled, though, and inclined his head to the girl—Jeanne-Marie, if he was remembering correctly. One of the people who’d told Vax mutant twins come in pairs. “Thank you.”
She smiled hugely but didn’t enter the Danger Room proper just yet. “Is it all right to join you?”
“Of course,” Percy replied and gestured to the space. “By all means.”
She came in and held out her hand to him. "Jeanne-Marie Beaubier.”
“Percy,” Percy replied, accepting the offered hand and shaking it. “A pleasure.”
She gave him a slight squeeze, wondering at the lack of the last name, but too polite to bring it up. "You're really something out here, Percy. What is that--that thing that you do? It's wonderful.”
A strange word for it, Percy thought. It would be useful when the time came, but wonderful wasn’t how he’d describe it. “A kind of shapeshifting,” he replied. “It’s shadow. Or seems to be, anyway.”
"Shadow," Jeanne-Marie said thoughtfully. Then she smiled. "You're like Vax. My opposite." She held up one hand and her light pooled around it, white and bright.
Percy smiled at the warm glow of light. “I suppose I am. It’s lovely.” He tilted his head, studying the light. He wondered if it was a form of light kinesis in the way that Vax’s was shadow.
“You know Vax?” he asked.
She nodded. “I introduced myself after his first post to the forums. I—have a twin too.” Her smile went slightly forced. “I suggested his would end up being speedy.”
Percy noted the way Jeanne-Marie’s smile went strained at the edges, but made no comment on it. “I fear for the world should she be,” he said, humor warm in his voice. “I hope you get the opportunity to meet her. There are no two people quite like Vax and Vex.”
"I think I saw her at that Brotherhood party--they look like twins, don't they? But we didn't get to speak. It was... a strange party." Jeanne-Marie made a wry face.
The corner of Percy’s mouth went up. “I can honestly say it was like nothing I’d ever experienced before. Did you not have a good time?”
Jeanne-Marie gave a small laugh. “I did, but I admit to being on guard all night. Too much to really enjoy myself. And that was before we knew, well. Everything.”
Percy made a quiet, noncommittal sound and nodded. “What do you make of 'everything'?"
"I hardly know," Jeanne-Marie admitted. "Part of me thinks it's an old quarrel between two old men that they're now making into something... bigger. And some of the brotherhood seem so... well, not normal, but they're not much older than me. It's difficult.
"That's no answer. I don't know what to think. What about you?”
"It shouldn't have been surprising as it was. With an issue this volatile, there are bound to be sides with wildly differing opinions." Percy made a face. "It's also likely to draw the extremists out of the woodwork." And terrorist or not, Magneto was certainly that.
"The Brotherhood seemed nice enough at the party, but why wouldn't they? We're not what they hate. I'd like to think they're just good people who were swayed by the wrong person. They certainly wouldn't be the first." He paused there, then continued, spreading his hands apologetically. "Anyone who knows me would tell you I'm a fatalist. I expect the worst in everything. And...whether or not the Brotherhood are good people fooled by the wrong person, it still brings forth the question how excusable a bad thing done for a good reason is."
Jeanne-Marie leaned into the conversation, obviously very pleased with its direction. “I suppose half of me is also a fatalist, but wants to be an optimist. So I look for the best—and still I agree. It’s the most important question, and one I think we’ll all face personally before too long.”
“It’s possible,” Percy agreed with a small smile. “And I suspect many won’t like the answer.”
"No, they certainly won't." Jeanne-Marie sighed. "But what do you think, Percy? Do the ends justify the means? I can't believe it, for myself.”
Percy thought of abandoning his sister to die and of all he was willing to do to kill the Briarwoods. “A terrible thing is still terrible no matter what good it does in the end.” His mouth twisted into a grim sort of smile. “But, sometimes those terrible things get things done.”
"That is true." Jeanne-Marie sighed. "And honest of you. I suppose there are situations where one bad can outweigh another.”
“And those were what is right isn’t necessarily lawful,” Percy added.
"That is most certainly true," Jeanne-Marie said, thinking of Raymonde not being allowed to adopt her. A private institution holding her hostage, effectively, because they wouldn't release her into a gay man's custody... even though God himself knew they didn't want her themselves. "If it comes to down to what's right or what's legal, though, I'll choose right every time.”
The corners of Percy’s mouth turned up just a little at the corners. “How heroic of you,” he said honestly.
She lifted her chin, not sure whether he was teasing or not, and not caring. She smirked slightly. “I like to tell myself that, anyhow.”
“So do villains,” Percy said. “But, I think, in this case, it’s the truth.”
“Only one way to find out.”
Percy smirked. “Put yourself on national television, announce your goals to everyone watching, and see how it goes?”
"Ha!" She barked out a laugh. "Well, at least someone's already done that and shown it's--not the most advisable.”
“One would have thought that obvious without testing it, but we can’t all be gifted with common sense, even the average amount of it.”
"Something tells me Magneto feels he's beyond the need to adhere to silly concepts like 'common sense'," Jeanne-Marie said wryly.
Percy smirked. “Most self-righteous pricks generally do.”
A giggle bubbled up and out of Jeanne-Marie. "So true.
"Well, Percy, are you finished, or would you like to join me for another session?”
“I’d love to.” Why not? Jeanne-Marie had already seen his mutation, so there was no point in trying to keep it private, and the practice would do him good.
The enemies were faceless. Percy didn't know if that was a purposeful design of the Danger Room or if fault lay with his programming. He would have preferred to believe it was the former, that Professor Xavier didn't want children harming holograms that looked like real people, but ever since the announcement of the all-mutant super squad he was disinclined to believe that to be the case. It would be an effective way to simultaneously expose children to and emotionally distance them from murder. Maybe drowning kittens would be next.
That being said, the Danger Room was useful. Percy had been training in it fairly regularly now, though mostly on the beginner’s setting only as he refused to train under the supervision of the staff and he’d yet to ask Vax if he’d like to train together (this was possibly entirely intentional and would be dealt with when he stopped pretending it was a thing that didn’t need to be dealt with). Still, it was something. He didn’t need to be great at controlling his mutation, he just needed to be better. He wanted to be prepared when he found the Briarwoods.
The faceless forms rushed at Percy. He could do it more quickly now and the shadow burst from beneath the cuffs and neck of his shirt and whirled around him like a wind storm. When it was done, the massive shadow creature stood in his place. He swiped out, catching one of his attackers with a claw. It rag dolled through the air, disappearing before it hit the wall. He rent another down its back and it fell, disappearing as well. They kept coming, some managing to slip past and hit him. Their strikes felt like being buffeted by pillows—More of an annoyance than any actual pain. Eventually, only one on the far side of the room remained.
Percy collapsed into formless shadow and raced toward it, shadow rolling and tumbling like fog rolling in. He stopped in front of it, taking monstrous form again, and grabbed the final hologram. He crushed what would have been its windpipe had it been human and it disappeared, bringing the simulation to an end.
Jeanne-Marie had been waiting behind the glass and watching, uncertain what it was the newish boy--she thought his name was Percy something?--was doing. It looked like... smoke? Shadow? There was something discomfiting about it, but as she watched, she grew more and more curious and less... weirded out.
When he finished she clapped, still behind the glass, grinning. "Well done!”
Percy hadn’t realized he’d acquired an audience. The knowledge didn’t thrill him as he’d done his best to avoid showcasing his mutation to the people here. He smiled, though, and inclined his head to the girl—Jeanne-Marie, if he was remembering correctly. One of the people who’d told Vax mutant twins come in pairs. “Thank you.”
She smiled hugely but didn’t enter the Danger Room proper just yet. “Is it all right to join you?”
“Of course,” Percy replied and gestured to the space. “By all means.”
She came in and held out her hand to him. "Jeanne-Marie Beaubier.”
“Percy,” Percy replied, accepting the offered hand and shaking it. “A pleasure.”
She gave him a slight squeeze, wondering at the lack of the last name, but too polite to bring it up. "You're really something out here, Percy. What is that--that thing that you do? It's wonderful.”
A strange word for it, Percy thought. It would be useful when the time came, but wonderful wasn’t how he’d describe it. “A kind of shapeshifting,” he replied. “It’s shadow. Or seems to be, anyway.”
"Shadow," Jeanne-Marie said thoughtfully. Then she smiled. "You're like Vax. My opposite." She held up one hand and her light pooled around it, white and bright.
Percy smiled at the warm glow of light. “I suppose I am. It’s lovely.” He tilted his head, studying the light. He wondered if it was a form of light kinesis in the way that Vax’s was shadow.
“You know Vax?” he asked.
She nodded. “I introduced myself after his first post to the forums. I—have a twin too.” Her smile went slightly forced. “I suggested his would end up being speedy.”
Percy noted the way Jeanne-Marie’s smile went strained at the edges, but made no comment on it. “I fear for the world should she be,” he said, humor warm in his voice. “I hope you get the opportunity to meet her. There are no two people quite like Vax and Vex.”
"I think I saw her at that Brotherhood party--they look like twins, don't they? But we didn't get to speak. It was... a strange party." Jeanne-Marie made a wry face.
The corner of Percy’s mouth went up. “I can honestly say it was like nothing I’d ever experienced before. Did you not have a good time?”
Jeanne-Marie gave a small laugh. “I did, but I admit to being on guard all night. Too much to really enjoy myself. And that was before we knew, well. Everything.”
Percy made a quiet, noncommittal sound and nodded. “What do you make of 'everything'?"
"I hardly know," Jeanne-Marie admitted. "Part of me thinks it's an old quarrel between two old men that they're now making into something... bigger. And some of the brotherhood seem so... well, not normal, but they're not much older than me. It's difficult.
"That's no answer. I don't know what to think. What about you?”
"It shouldn't have been surprising as it was. With an issue this volatile, there are bound to be sides with wildly differing opinions." Percy made a face. "It's also likely to draw the extremists out of the woodwork." And terrorist or not, Magneto was certainly that.
"The Brotherhood seemed nice enough at the party, but why wouldn't they? We're not what they hate. I'd like to think they're just good people who were swayed by the wrong person. They certainly wouldn't be the first." He paused there, then continued, spreading his hands apologetically. "Anyone who knows me would tell you I'm a fatalist. I expect the worst in everything. And...whether or not the Brotherhood are good people fooled by the wrong person, it still brings forth the question how excusable a bad thing done for a good reason is."
Jeanne-Marie leaned into the conversation, obviously very pleased with its direction. “I suppose half of me is also a fatalist, but wants to be an optimist. So I look for the best—and still I agree. It’s the most important question, and one I think we’ll all face personally before too long.”
“It’s possible,” Percy agreed with a small smile. “And I suspect many won’t like the answer.”
"No, they certainly won't." Jeanne-Marie sighed. "But what do you think, Percy? Do the ends justify the means? I can't believe it, for myself.”
Percy thought of abandoning his sister to die and of all he was willing to do to kill the Briarwoods. “A terrible thing is still terrible no matter what good it does in the end.” His mouth twisted into a grim sort of smile. “But, sometimes those terrible things get things done.”
"That is true." Jeanne-Marie sighed. "And honest of you. I suppose there are situations where one bad can outweigh another.”
“And those were what is right isn’t necessarily lawful,” Percy added.
"That is most certainly true," Jeanne-Marie said, thinking of Raymonde not being allowed to adopt her. A private institution holding her hostage, effectively, because they wouldn't release her into a gay man's custody... even though God himself knew they didn't want her themselves. "If it comes to down to what's right or what's legal, though, I'll choose right every time.”
The corners of Percy’s mouth turned up just a little at the corners. “How heroic of you,” he said honestly.
She lifted her chin, not sure whether he was teasing or not, and not caring. She smirked slightly. “I like to tell myself that, anyhow.”
“So do villains,” Percy said. “But, I think, in this case, it’s the truth.”
“Only one way to find out.”
Percy smirked. “Put yourself on national television, announce your goals to everyone watching, and see how it goes?”
"Ha!" She barked out a laugh. "Well, at least someone's already done that and shown it's--not the most advisable.”
“One would have thought that obvious without testing it, but we can’t all be gifted with common sense, even the average amount of it.”
"Something tells me Magneto feels he's beyond the need to adhere to silly concepts like 'common sense'," Jeanne-Marie said wryly.
Percy smirked. “Most self-righteous pricks generally do.”
A giggle bubbled up and out of Jeanne-Marie. "So true.
"Well, Percy, are you finished, or would you like to join me for another session?”
“I’d love to.” Why not? Jeanne-Marie had already seen his mutation, so there was no point in trying to keep it private, and the practice would do him good.
