11592/I Always Feel Like Somebody's Watching Me

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I Always Feel Like Somebody's Watching Me
Date of Scene: 04 June 2020
Location: Backyard - Xavier's School
Synopsis: Secrets are learned. There is someone monitoring Betsy's world. Jeremy helps block the watcher. For now. Megan joins and more information is learned from the students, leading to perhaps more questions than answers.
Cast of Characters: Psylocke, SpyderByte, Pixie




Psylocke has posed:
It had been a short time since Jeremy had been approached and invited to the school. Betsy's first meeting with the young man had been no meeting at all thanks to some surprises involved. Which had led to her approaching Hank for completely thorough medical scans which found nothing out of the ordinary about her. Thus, her quandry. If what the boy had said was true, then there was something very strange going on. She needed answers so she opted to start at the source.

Of course, with that first non-meeting having gone so poorly, she had avoided the young man. For his own comfort. Thus, just calling him in to meet in an office might be uncomfortable to him. Instead, she sent him an email through the school computer system, asking if he would be willing to meet with her and letting him set the terms if he agreed.

Thus here she was on the lawn in the backyard, a neutral location presumably. Maybe he felt better being where he could run for safety. She didn't question his reasons. She just had agreed and thus she waited.

She was dressed in sweatsuit, lavender in color, with a darker purple tank top beneath it, the top visible since the jacket was unzipped. Her hair was pulled up in a high ponytail.

SpyderByte has posed:
The doors to the backyard opens up to reveal Jeremy as he heads outside. He's wearing a heavy, oversized black hoodie that is pulled over his head, with only a shock of black hair sticking out from it. As usual, he walks with his submissive, hunched over manner, clutching a laptop bag over one shoulder with one hand, while the other is shoved into a hoodie pocket.

It's hot outside, being that it's summer, and he is most likely uncomfortable dressed in such a manner. Especially with dark blue jeans on and dark black sneakers. There is a jingle jangle of chains that hang off his jeans, and the perceptive eye can spy a choke dog collar around his neck.

Her phone pings as he comes into view. << Hello. I am here. >>

He slinks himself down on to a bench, guiding the laptop bag between his knees, then hunches over a bit as his arms cross over his stomach.

Psylocke has posed:
As the door opens, Betsy turns that direction to watch him walk into the yard. She tracks his movements, perceptions built through years of practice in the body she shared with Kwannon picking up bits of information that others might miss. There isn't a lot to pick up here, since this young man is not really a fighter. In the physical sense. She'd already figured that out at his house when he made his great escape. Before she was blinded by his powers.

Once he was seated, she drew out the phone in her pocket and read the words on the screen. She chose to speak instead, her posh English accent at odds with her Japanese appearance.

"Thank you for agreeing to speak with me, Jeremy. I know there was quite the misunderstanding between us previously." Understatement. "I would like to clear the air a bit. Help answer any questions you might have. And I may have a few questions of my own. If that is alright with you?"

SpyderByte has posed:
<< You are still broadcasting. >>

That is the first thing that pings across her cell phone screen as he hunches himself over, reaching up to tug his hoodie further down around his face. Maybe he doesn't want to be recorded? Maybe this is just his usual submissive behavior. Either way, everything about him screams coward, introversion.

<< What questions do you have? >>

Psylocke has posed:
That gets her attention. Betsy stares at those four words on her screen. 'You are still broadcasting.' It has her mind racing as she tries to think how this could be possible.

"May I sit with you?" When he agrees, she sits on the opposite end of the bench from him. Not too close, giving him space, but allowing them to speak in low tones. Technically she could text but she preferred not to. She could use telepathy but felt he would be even more uncomfortable with that. This seemed her best option for now.

Once seated, she smiled slightly. "I thought you might have questions but certainly we can go the opposite direction. Let's start with the elephant in the room, as they say."

She looks out across the lawn then over toward the hunched figure beside her. "For your comfort, I will be closing my eyes. It's why I wanted to be seated," she offers. Then she does just that, letting her eyelids fall closed even though it was an uncomfortable thing for her to do.

"I have had my eyes checked by Doctor McCoy. They are perfectly normal according to every test we have done. Yet you say they are broadcasting. Can you explain what it is you are sensing there?"

SpyderByte has posed:
<< I can see the signals. Even when you close your eyes. They are still broadcasting, though the signal is just dark. Like putting a phone on mute. >>

Jeremy focuses for a moment, then reaches out with his hand to snag something in mid air next to her face. He clutches it tightly, then throws it towards his phone that he brings out. It takes a moment, but he realizes she can't read his text if her eyes are closed. "Y.. yooo.. c-c...aaa..nnn... o...o-p-p..n.. youuurrrr... e... eyes."

His voice comes out soft and stammery, broke and forced out. As usual when he speaks, there is a hint of frustration. His thoughts scream anger at himself, coupled with anxiety, fear.

Psylocke has posed:
When he says she may, Betsy does just that. Such a simple act of lifting her eyelids makes her less anxious. Too many years of avoiding being killed by being aware has such a simple thing as closing her eyes and being vulnerable in that way uncomfortable.

She is being careful to keep her mind shielded but, as with all things, when someone's mind is screaming it is hard to keep them out completely. Particularly this close to them. She can feel his anger though she doesn't reach out try find the source.

She looks back down to her phone, reading what he said and frowning ever so slightly. "They are broadcasting everything I see at all times? Yet, my eyes are normal according to every test. This is very confusing, I'm sure you can see." She winces slightly at her own choice of wording there.

"Can you tell where they are broadcasting to?"

SpyderByte has posed:
As he taps along his phone with his thumbs, Jeremy is staring at the screen. He rises upwards, puts his phone down, then uses his hands to make a square like motion in the sky. He starts to walk around whatever it is that he drew, for it seems that only his eyes can see it. He taps the air a few times, sighing, then gives a shake of his head.

"No." That word is easy to get out. "I c-c-caaaa-nn't... t..traa..c..c..k... it."

He rubs a hand over his face as he stares at thin air, then reaches up again to touch 'something' with his fingers, then makes a pinch and zoom motion.

"N...N... ooot.. h..eeeere... t-t-..eeech..nnnnn..TECH..Nnno..logy... offffff..w...wuh...orld."

The technoly is off world?

Ping: << Alien. Makes my head hurt. Confusing. Can't understand it. >>

Psylocke has posed:
This was interesting. Watching as he plied the air, seeing something she could not. Others might find it strange, outsiders. It was understandable that he might have problems in the outside world if he ever had done something like this in front of people. They would assume mental illness or the like. While she could recognize the signs of someone different, with a different viewpoint. Just because she didn't see it didn't mean something wasn't there. Betsy had learned that long ago.

Perhaps the fact he could just act as he needed to was something he wanted to, such as use his powers openly, would help him adjust. Hopefully.

When he spoke, that little frown was back and she repeated the words. "Off world." Ping. She glanced down at the phone.

"Don't try anymore. That is more than enough and I don't want you to be harmed from it. I...need to seek further testing using something more than medical scanning." They had access to alien tech. Or they could reach out to allies.

"Thank you for your assistance in this matter." She stared down at her phone, at the words there, then shook her head and turned to focus on him again. "How are you settling in here? Anything I can try to answer for you or help you with?"

SpyderByte has posed:
<< I do not mind a challenge. I feel like I am close to breaking the code but still so far away. >>

At least Jeremy isn't a quitter when it comes to this. He gives a swipe of his hand, as if to clear something away, then settles back down on the bench to return to his hunched over manner. He fiddles with his phone in his hands a few times.

<< Can you talk to me in my head for a moment? >>

Psylocke has posed:
Betsy is a little surprised by that request but she gives a short nod of her head. She doesn't lower her mental shields. Paranoia wasn't necessarily a bad thing, after all. At least in her their line of work as heroes.

Allowing her power signature to show, a purple glow appears around her eyes, a butterfly effect that is her signature of sorts. It wasn't one she chose consciously, it is just how her powers had manifested when she was a child and she had never tried to change it.

A moment later he would hear her voice but this time from inside his mind instead of from her physical form beside him. << Certainly, if that is what you prefer. >>

SpyderByte has posed:
His mind is interesting to say the least. It's very clinical and aesthetic. But it's also quite traumatic. He has demons that he has tried to tuck away. Like closet doors rattling with dark fingers reaching out behind them.

<< This is merely tactical for I do not want you to read the screen of your phone. >> His voice comes in clear. No studder!

<< I think I can trick the programming that is attached to your eyes to see a loop of events. So whoever is watching you, won't see things in a current event. Every computer has cache memory and I can manipulate the cache. >>

He twirls his phone about in his hands slowly as he glances back to her, putting on a big smile. One of those disarming ones from beneath his hood. His voice once more floats into her mind.

<< I'm playing stupid and inadequate in an attempt to manipulate the viewer behind your broadcast into thinking that the person you are seeking help from is incapable. >>

Psylocke has posed:
That was...unexpected.

Betsy was not expecting him to be thinking in a tactical sense. Certainly not to this level. It made sense to trick the cameras but that didn't really fix the problem behind them. But it would help for the short term until she could seek more information.

It also could bring whoever was watching that broadcast coming to visit if she suddenly had no input coming through.

Which was the better choice?

<< That seems a good option for the time being.>> Being it was part of the program, it shouldn't disappear when he was no longer in range of her. Yet it still could present a danger. << I don't want to draw whoever is monitoring to the school though, when they realize they are getting no new input. But we can do so for a day or two. I can remove myself from this location in case they come looking.>>

She had her own questions but, for now, they would wait until this was addressed.

SpyderByte has posed:
<< Whoever is monitoring you, already knows who you are, where we're at, where you live, what you ate this morning, who you emailed. It knows everything. If they were capable of making an offensive attack upon this school, they would have had opportunity to do so. This is also the best way to draw your enemy out of hiding and find a resolution. Now they know that we know, which means they are at a disadvantage and most likely will make a panic decision. Either they shut your eyes off and you go blind, or they will send in a specialist to remove me from the situation so that the show can go on. A technical support terrorist. >>

Jeremy pulls the hood back from his head, letting his black hair flop out across his face. He looks tired, red eyes that are sunken. He's sweating from the heat.

<< If you're ready, I can do this. >>

Sliding his laptop out of his bag after unzipping it, he takes a moment of focus to link himself to the world's network, then stares down at the screen as multiple windows start to flicker and flash, scrolling through thousands of lines of code as he brings up a command prompt. All of this without even touching his keyboard.

Psylocke has posed:
<< Then I would prefer them to come looking for me at a location that is not full of students, despite everything they already know. If you can choose a time to loop, use something at my penthouse. >> Technically it is her brother's penthouse but she calls it home, since he doesn't use it.

Betsy is seated on a bench next to Jeremy. She is dressed in a sweatsuit, lavender in color, jacket unzipped to reveal a dark purple tank top. There is the purple butterfly glow around her eyes, showing she has her telepathy in use at the moment.

She continues to speak to Jeremy mentally. << Me shadow porting home then remaining there would be the simplest I suppose. >>

SpyderByte has posed:
As he nods his head, Jeremy continues to stare at the computer in front of him as multiple windows flash faster and faster. As it builds to a beautiful cresendo of data, he snaps his hand out swiftly in front of Betsy's eyes making a grasping motion, followed by a /twist/ as he takes both of his hands and knots them together. He is breathing heavier now, the sweat pouring down his face from the hot sun and his black thick oversized hoodie. He looks to be trembling as well.

<< Hurts my head, but I'm going to do this. >>

With a hard /tug/ of his hands, he yanks the air over, then whips his hands down towards his computer. By now, his nose is bleeding, tears leaking past his cheeks, but his eyes are set and determined as he makes a low, choking noise in his throat.

<< Fuck you. >> He slams his finger on the enter button as red code scrolls. Reaching up with his free hand, he wipes his nose, smearing blood along his cheek, then gives a loud snuff.

<< It's done. The security is incredible. I think I pissed myself. >>

Psylocke has posed:
Another teacher might have stopped him. Another teacher would have called it quits when he was pushing so hard. The nose, the tears. All of it would have them patting him on the shoulder and saying to stop, it's okay, don't bother.

Betsy is not most teachers. Betsy was Jeremy at one time. Determined to succeed, to prove herself. Even when told she couldn't. Even when she felt she would never make it. Those were doubts she had faced even after coming to this country, to the X-Men in her lovely pink costume with her telepathic abilities. Even then, she had hated she wasn't as strong as others, couldn't fight. She had been filled with doubts but determined as hell to prove she could do anything she wanted to. She had done so, even before the body swap. To an extent.

She wouldn't take that from him.

She reached into the pocket of her jacket, taking out a honest to God handkerchief (unused!) and passed it over to help with his nose. << Thank you. A bit stubborn, are we? >> she asked in a light mental tone.

SpyderByte has posed:
<< It was within my capability. I will not let a machine talk back to me. Not today, not tomorrow. I don't care if it speaks gibberish to me. >>

Jeremy says as he takes the rag from her, then blows it into it to leave a thatch of blood.

<< Happy Birthday. >>

He turns the computer towards her, showing a hazy screen grab. It's very, very blurr, but it looks like a large, yellow slug like creature staring with wide eyes being pulled back by metal clamps. There are a few other gray skin colored humanoids dressed in uniforms.

<< I found a crack and I made a hole. I had a half second to grab it. I think I'm going to die now. >>

His body slumps to one side, then topples backwards off the bench as he hits the ground, the laptop sliding off his lap next to her.

<< .. ow. My legs hurt. >>

Pixie has posed:
It's been only a week since Megan recovered from battling her own demons, not to mention an actual, physical battle in the faerie dimension. She's finally recovered from the exhaustion of teleporting so many times and such a far distance in a single day, enough so that she's actually enjoying a nice stroll in the backyard for once.

Oh, the grey batwings are still there, but at least she's not looking quite so angry and creepy, having already lost the fangs and claws at least, which is a start. She's dressed in a bright pink summer dress with the usual black biker shorts underneath - obligatory for femaile fliers - and sandals on her feet.

She's also got that weird, creepy crystal sword tucked into a black broad belt that hangs at her hip. It almost looks too big for her, nearly dragging on the ground behind her, the tip glowing pink like her dagger, and it probably gets a few odd glances from other students, but she refuses to part with it..

Psylocke has posed:
Betsy is busy looking at the image, frowning a bit more at that yellow entity on the screen. It is why she isn't catching on to the fact Jeremy is toppling over.

"Bloody hell," she mutters when he hits the ground. She is there beside him a moment later, taking a knee to be able to reach him and looking at him in more concern. "I need to get you to the medical facility. Have someone look you over. You said your legs hurt?"

She knows he didn't do anything physical, it was mental, but that can have an effect on the body as well.

SpyderByte has posed:
<< I'm fine. >> The voice bounces about in his mind. << Not my first rodeo. When I cracked the CIA's servers two years ago same thing happened. You know how you work out so hard that your body just hates you? That's how I feel. This is like running a hundred miles for me. >>

His brown eyes peek up at her from behind his mop of black hair, giving her a rather crooked smile. << I just need to get some juice and I will be fine. Who's that? >>

His eyes move over towards Megan now, eyeing her sword and the batwings. He hasn't seen this face before.

Pixie has posed:
Megan Gwynn blinks slowly, peering around as she spots a Betsy and..Someone she doesn't know, who suddenly starts bleeding and falling over. "Hey! Are you okay?" she rushes over, moving to try and help him to his feet.

"Uh, need me to take him to the medical room?" glancing back at Jeremy she smiles, a bit self-consciously as he looks at her batwings, and pulls them back, tucking them closer around her shoulders like a cape.

Psylocke has posed:
<< If you are certain. >>

Then Betsy switches to speaking outloud as Megan joins them. "I believe he will be alright. Perhaps we can help him to sit up. He can lean on the bench until he's able to get back onto it."

She watches him with concern then glances back over to their new visitor. "Jeremy this is Megan, one of our graduating class this year. Megan, this is Jeremy. He's a new student."

SpyderByte has posed:
As he reaches out with an unsteady hand, Jeremy grabs the bench and hauls himself up on to it, then bonelessly slumps down on to it. That oversized hoodie has to be killing him by now beneath this raging heat. His brown eyes peer up again at Pixie and he gives a nod, followed by a lift of his hand to her in hello.

"Hi." The word is easy to pronounce. The rest is a painful, long drawn out studder. "I.. a-aamm.. a.. sssss-sss-eeh..n-n..ior.." His eyes drop back down into his hands as he clenches his phone and the bloody hankie now that he cleaned his face off.

"I-I-t's.. nuh.. ni...sss.. t-t.. mmm..ee...t you."

Pixie has posed:
Megan Gwynn blinks slowly at Betsy and nods. "Ahh, okay." she nods to Jeremy with a cheerful smile. "Hi, Jeremy! Nice to meet you. Please dont mind the bat wings, they're temporary, as is the creepy sword." she brushes the sword idly with one hand ."Long story." After a moment's thought, Megan sits down next to him, still watching him with some concern.

The stuttering is noted with soft patient smile and another nod. "Hey, are you sure you're okay? what just happened, just now?"

Psylocke has posed:
<< Please do not mention the situation with my eyes to her. >> Betsy asks Jeremy privately although there is no telltale butterfly effect around her eyes this time when using her telepathy. She can choose to have it visible to others or not, much like the Crimson Dawn mark she keeps hidden from others most of the time.

"Jeremy was helping me with a project. I just think he overextended a bit." Not a lie though some facts were omitted. Betsy remained standing, allowing the pair of them to occupy the bench. "Jeremy, perhaps you should remove the jacket before you overheat. Or we should move inside." In case he isn't comfortable taking it off.

She does glance at the sword at Megan's side, arching a single violet brow curiously.

SpyderByte has posed:
"T-Th.. sss.. i.. isss.. h-h-how.. I s-sss-sso-ow-n..d I-I-c-c-caaa-n't HELP IT." The last two words come out sharply as his cheeks flush. Jeremy ducks his head a bit more, letting out a low wheeze of embarrassment. "I..I.. I.. a.. mmmm.. a-a-t-tsss-t-ic. M..m..muh.. vvvv.. VOICE." Flailing a hand upwards, he looks frustrated before Megan's phone pings with a text message.

<< I like to talk like this. It's easier. I'm sorry it's weird. I like your wings. >>

He gives a glance to Betsy, then to his hoodie as he scrunches himself up a bit into himself. << You don't want to see me under this. It will scare you. >> Their phones ping at the same time. << They did things to me. It will only upset you. >>

Pixie has posed:
Megan Gwynn glances back at Betsy, biting her lip. "Oh! That's right, you weren't there. It was this big, epic thing where we had to travel to the nevernever and chase down the evil goblin prince - y'know, the one who put some sort of psychic spell thinger on me that made me nearly attack Shannon, and stole my soul dagger and fused it into this sword with a hundred fairies trapped within?"

She holds it up for the lilac haired psychic to see it a bit better, and if she focuses on it, she may just become aware of a hundred tiny pixie voices screaming to be let free of the crystalline prison that makes up the blade of the sword..Ahh, so that's probably what all those glowing, multicolored lights are..

"But anyways, until I can find a way to separate my soulblade from the crystal sword, and set the pixies free, I can't return to my normal self.."

Ahh, and she is babbling a bit more. She blinks at Jeremy as he stutters, biting her lip and nodding. "It's okay, sorry to pressure you, um.." another surprised blink as her phone beeps. Wait, how'd he get her number?

"Oh, you like my wings?!" she giggles and shrugs, "Thanks although I hope my wings can return to normal soon..i'm a...Well part faerie, see.."

Psylocke has posed:
Betsy glances at the sword curiously. "I was indisposed at the time. I am sorry I was not able to help but it is good your dagger is returned. Perhaps Illyana might have some ideas for the separation of the two blades."

She looks at the message from Jeremy about his situation and the jacket. "Thus the suggestion to go inside perhaps is the better one. So you are not overheated on top of already being exhausted from the power use?" Betsy suggests gently. She motions to the building. "If you cannot walk, I'm quite sure we can get you inside with a bit if teleporation."

The idea that 'they' did something to him has her wanting to ask but she is not going to press too hard. She will open the door if he wants to continue to share. The fact he mentions it makes it seem he wants to talk to someone. "If you wish to talk about it though, my door is always open."

SpyderByte has posed:
<< There is not much to talk about. People are jerks those who are weak. They carved me up like a Halloween pumpkin in Juvie when I was spending time there. They wrote their names on my back, and other things. >> Jeremy texts them with a blink of his eyes before he rises up. He gives a few wiggles of his legs, then starts for the back door.

<<Sounds like you had an adventure. >>

Pixie has posed:
Megan Gwynn smiles and nods. "It's okay, we still managed to sort things out..Mostly.." her smile fades a bit as she glances at the sword. And at a name that she's not terribly fond of. "Hm, maybe. Though I'm hoping Morgana got out okay and can help me, as she is a magical specialist too. And one I trust." Emphasis on the 'trust' part.

A curious glance is given Jeremy and his jacket. "Yeah, you look hot, wanna take that off?" she frowns a bit at the text. "Oh wow, really? Someone d id something to you? Like, like bullies or something?" Megan shakes her head and sighs "that's terrible.."

Psylocke has posed:
"I see," Betsy says as she follows him toward the doorway. At least inside he can hide his scars, the physical ones, under that jacket without having to suffer heat exhaustion. The other scars, the emotional ones? Those will take a lot of work. "Right. Well, the offer stands should you ever change your mind." And she has to leave it at that. She isn't going to pressure him. He needs time, space. To just be in a place where that won't happen again.

She gives a nod to Megan in regards to her magic resources. "Someone you trust is good. Someone who won't take advantage and turn things their own way. I'm not familiar with this Morgana."

SpyderByte has posed:
<< Yes. A gang inside Juvenile Hall did this to me. Tagged me. Did other things to me. Nothing I should really talk about. I don't like thinking about it. >> Though those thoughts are loud against his mind. Flickering images of being held down Beat. Cut. There is something else he's hiding as well, something he's locked away.

Once inside, he lets out a low sigh, unzipping his hoodie to at least get some air in, though he doesn't remove the jacket. He walks with his usual submissive manner, heading to the fridge to open it up and take out a water.

Pixie has posed:
Megan Gwynn nods slowly to Betsy, slightly distracted as she follows the pair. "Yeah...Hmm. Morgana's a..Well she's a fae queen, if you're familiar with Morgana Le Fay of Arthurian legends?" she grimaces a bit, expecting the usual reaction.

But she frowns again, peering at Jeremy as he explains. "Oh. Wow. That's terrible." Megan sighs and shakes her head. "I'm sorry, at least you're safe here now, right?"

Psylocke has posed:
She had seen those doors in his mind, things with demons on the other side locked away. Things he didn't want to think about. He needed to talk. Also, he needed to talk when he was ready. Not be pushed too quickly. He was new. He needed to fit in first. To be comfortable.

"Then don't think about it for now," Betsy suggests. "You are safe here. Nothing like that will happen. It's a good atmosphere for learning. And healing."

But Megan's words did catch her attention. "Morgana Le Fay? The Morgana?" If that was the reaction she was expecting, she was right. Betsy seems surprised at first then slightly disapproving. "Her reputation is...not one of trust. She certainly will help someone. If it suits her purposes and she can get something out of it. I admit I have never met her but the legends of the fae are quite clear on this being a recurring theme."

SpyderByte has posed:
<< Yes. >> Is the response in regards to being safe. Jeremy takes out a bottle of water and open sit up, taking a quick couple of long sips to quell his thirst and hopefully cool his body off. He's a pale, skinny thing and so being out in that type of heat isn't the norm for him. He's better suited for a dark room with a computer.

<< I don't know how to begin to even talk about it. I did once in therapy and even I could tell that my therapist was unsettled. She was not used to hearing about this types of violence. It is my fault though, in the long run. If I did not get caught by the FBI using my powers and got sloppy, I never would have been in that situation. >>

Pixie has posed:
Megan Gwynn hmms, hovering around Jeremy almost protectively although she knows he doesn't have to. She really really hates bullies, and the idea that Jeremy was bullied, scarred even, makes her really mad as she clenches her fists at her side.

"Huh. Maybe you should go see Kitty, she's the counsellor around these parts and she's really nice. Maybe she can help you?" Her frown deepens at a thought, "Hmm why would the FBI be after you..?"

To Betsy she grimaces a bit, used to that reaction at the name. "Well. To be honest she..." She attacked her and some friends. The thought is there but Megan tries hard not to think it. Bad move with a psychic of course!

"Um..." she clears her throat, hoping Betsy wasn't listening. "Umm, well..She's not perfect, but there is good in her, I know it. She helped me get back my sword. AND she practically sacrificed herself to draw the army away from her so we could rescue the prisoners. I believe in her, Betsy, I just hope she made it out okay.."

Megan seems really quite worried about her, actually.

Psylocke has posed:
One of the things with telepathy. It's always on. Even with mental shields up, if the person thinks loud enough, it is like they are screaming with their mind. The shields dull it, making it less, but sometimes things do get through. It isn't on purpose. It isn't the telepath eavesdropping. The shields make all the minds around them a whisper of sound, something trying to tempt them to open up and peek. But they mustn't or they betray the trust of everyone around them. Those strong stray thoughts are like a sudden burst of noise that fades back into the dull, drawing the mind that way and having to be corrected to keep those shields up.

Betsy sometimes hears things. Sometimes she does not. She does not purposefully intrude into minds though. Not unless invited. Or it is a situation such as a mission. Then morality is more fluid. With students? It is firm.

"Again, she may have helped. She may have seemed to be on your side. Do not trust too easily. It can come back to bite you."

Then she turns to Jeremy and that frown is back on her face. "I never, ever want to hear that again. Someone who is preyed on or bullied is not to be blamed. The ones who were at fault were those who did the harm. Only them. You may have used your powers in a way that was considered illegal, but you did it for the right reasons. Those who take that high ground, even when there is a cost to themselves? Those are good people. Half the heroes you hear about in the media are breaking the law with their actions. Vigilantism is not legal, after all. Yet they do it because it is right. Not because it is easy."

SpyderByte has posed:
Wincing, Jeremy ducks his head again and shrugs his shoulders. << It was my fault. My fault my family got divorced. My fault my family nearly went bankrupt paying court fees for expensive lawyers to keep me out of adult prison. My fault for not being strong enough to fight back. I let my entire life fall apart the moment they put me in handcuffs. >>

<< It may not be what you want to hear, or what I should be saying, but that is how I feel. I could have just chose to be normal and to not do what I did, and what I am continuing to do. I was selfish in not thinking of my family or the reprecussions. They don't even know I'm a mutant. They think I'm a gifted hacker. >>

He curls up tighter into himself, pulling his hood over his head once more as if to hide himself from the world, cloaked in dark.