11626/Gamer's Paradise

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Gamer's Paradise
Date of Scene: 13 June 2020
Location: Danger Room - X-Men Base
Synopsis: Jean introduces Jeremy to the Danger Room and she works on guiding him down the path to conquering fear.
Cast of Characters: Phoenix, SpyderByte




Phoenix has posed:
She'd been a bit remiss in checking in on one of their newest students, but it didn't mean Jean missed some of the chatter. So it was that she'd summoned Jeremy to meet her at the school's lift. She'd told him to come dressed comfortable but nothing that would get in the way. He'd find her dressed in more low key gear, black pants that look to be some sort of synthetic material and a gold shirt emblazed with an X. A matching black jacket is over it, close fitted and waist long. It's certainly different then the business attire she usually wore around the school. She looks ready to hit the streets looking for trouble, not have a staff meeting or even a meeting with a student.

SpyderByte has posed:
Making his way to the lift, Jeremy is wearing his usual large black hoodie over his body, a pair of loose fitted black jeans with a few chains hanging off it, black sneakers and a dog collar about his throat. His black hair is growing out a bit more, showing brown roots halfway up. He needs a haircut, or perhaps he's just letting his mop grow out.

"H-h.. e.. lllo... M..Mi-sss...G-G-rey." The young man stammers out softly to her as he stops, giving a glance to the elevator.

Phoenix has posed:
"Hey, Jeremy." Jean says to the technopath with a grin. "Figured it was high time I introduce you to the lower levels. Given your abilities, it'll probably be a treasure trove for you. Come on."

With a gesture of her head, she steps into the lift and waits for him before selecting the ominous red button. "The X-Men are based here in the lower levels, which isn't any surprise to anyone who's been here a week. I make sure students know right out of the gate so they don't get surprised seeing us, especially in the event there's an emergency. But, that means students aren't allowed down here unaccompanied unless they've been given clearance. Trust me, we're always keeping an eye on who's down here. There's a lot down here you may pick up on, from labs to armories. Where I'm taking you today is the Danger Room. Have you heard of it from the other students yet?"

SpyderByte has posed:
Giving a nod of his head, Jeremy says, "Yeeeehs." The word is pulled out in a long manner, instead of a stammer. Sliding his hands into his pockets, he gives a bit of a concerned look at the press of the red button.

"I-I-I aaam.. n.. not.. a fff-i-ghter." He's heard whispers of kids getting hurt in the Danger Room. How it's designed for physical combat.

The young man practically shrinks into his hoodie as he pulls it closer against him .

Phoenix has posed:
"Good, saves me some explaining then."

Jean looks over her shoulder towards him as she steps out in the sterile, mirror polished hallway. She gives the young man a warm, reassuring smile. "Not a physical fighter, no, and I don't expect you to be. I was never geared to be a front line fighter either, I'm just too damn stubborn to stand in the background. What I did figure, though, is what better place is there to help hone the skills you were given than a room that's basically a gigantic VR system? One who's mechanically smarter than any of those computers up in the lab. You can dive head first into the guts of a government supercomputer, or practice taking over a missile that's in flight, all the way down to just pretending you're in your favorite video game."

SpyderByte has posed:
Giving a nod of his head as he listens, Jeremy rubs the back of his neck. He reaches behind him to tug his hood over the top of his head. With a shift of his jaw, he says, "I-I-... h-haave.. d-done.. sss.. some of th-at.. b-b-before.. " The idea of taking out a missile in midair is intersting.

"Y-You.. t-t-rrrust me.. with all of th-th-at stuff in there?" He clears his throat, trying to force the words out smoother instead of the hyper-stutter.

Phoenix has posed:
"...you haven't seen what Logan can do to it." Jean mutters nearly under her breath as she guides the way down the hall, passing numerous doors that look like they could take a direct blast and still be shiny after. "Some warped code would be a cakewalk. Well, for someone else to fix, not me."

She slows her pace to better match his and walk next to him instead of ahead so she's not looking over her shoulder. "The systems down here is what we rely on to stay coordinated and prepared. With what you may be able to do, there's always the risk you could cripple us if you meant us ill. So yes, this is a big extension of trust. I don't sense that in you, though."

"I meant it, when I said my goal was to help you succeed and be prepared to live the life that you choose." Jean continues as she turns down one hall, where there's symbols for lockers and an ominous vault-like door. "Some of that may involve you knowing how to fight, if only to defend yourself and those you care about. I'd say you know pretty well that even if you don't want to join a war, that sometimes it finds you. Today, though, isn't for that. This is just an introduction and a chance for you to start stretching your limits." With a wave of her hand, the door opens like the layers of an airlock and she steps into the massive, chromed chamber that is the Danger Room.

SpyderByte has posed:
"I c-c-could c-crrr-rrr...ipple.. you f-f-from my phone." Jeremy admits as he gives a glance about the hallways as he walks along with her. It seems that his eyes are constantly looking all over towards the ceiling, as if he could see the network traveling through the many, many cables that connect all the rooms together.

"B-But.. I..w-wouldn't." As in, he wouldn't cripple them. That'd be rude. She can pick up on a great deal of anxiety and nervous energy once the doors swish open to reveal the Danger Room.

Swallowing, he hesitates at the doorframe, then slowly inches himself inwards as he reaches out with his hand to grab 'something' in mid-air, clutching his fingers around it as if it was a lifeline.

Phoenix has posed:
"Deep breaths." Jean says over to him in a gentle tone. "The 'Room' can be a bit fickle some times, but nothing compared to what's down the hall. Take some time, get used to the space. I remember my first time here. It felt like I was stepping into another world, like the belly of some mechanical dragon hiding under the school. Then it *did* become another world."

She reaches up towards the lights and they dim a few notches to ease the blinding shine off the silver walls and floor. She watches him quietly as she settles a few feet into the room, calmly studying his reactions. "...you can see it, can't you? Hear it? Is it too much?"

SpyderByte has posed:
<< It's fine. >> The speakers around the Danger Room echo in a computerized voice. << It's a bit overwhelming. There is so much data. So many voices. So many lines and signals. Half of it is alien technology which makes it tricky, but over the last few weeks I have been trying to learn the language. It's a very polite system, even if at times she feels exhausted. >> She. He called the network a she.

Taking in a deep breath, Jeremy gives a scan of his eyes around the room, then steps in through the door and towards the middle of it. << If only you could see what I can. It's beautiful. >> His eyes glance about here and there, reaching up with his fingers of his free hand, stroking his fingers through the air while his other hand keeps clenched over whatever he grabbed.

Phoenix has posed:
There's a widening grin on Jean's face, but the emotions behind it seem elusive, as if they couldn't quite decide what to land on. "Mm, no rest for the wicked. Still, if there's something she needs, let me know. Code errors can likely only say so much." She also moves towards the center of the room but in no particular hurry, giving Jeremy the space and time to meet and greet the DR.

"When I was younger, the Professor actually had to help me in learning to quiet the ambient noise. Like you see data, I heard voices and I felt the emotions of all of the people around me. It was like an open book held right in front of my eyes, only my eyes were taped open, and the words screamed off of the page. It's not easy for people to quiet their mind as it is, and when they don't realize someone can hear, they tend to talk very, very loudly. I keep things at a dull roar most of the time."

"Throughout the day, the school feels like a bee hive, this insistent but familiar buzz as everyone goes about the day. When everyone's asleep, it's like soft white noise on a winter night, and you can just barely hear the snow fall." She lets out a quiet breath as she looks away from the room and back to Jeremy. "Even after all of these years, if I open myself up too much it can all come tearing back in like a tidal wave. It sounds like you may need to practice with that, to turn down the noise so you can focus a little easier. The awareness can be nice, but there's the risk that someone could blow out your circuits - so to speak - if they know what you can do."

SpyderByte has posed:
<< It is only overwhelming for me if I try to take on too much data. Like any piece of RAM, my brain can only cache so much of it. I hurt myself pretty bad the other day trying to help Miss Braddock, but it was important for me to push through it. I was able to track the source of her broadcasting eyes. Alien. Off world. I even got a fuzzy screenshot of who was watching us through her. I then programmed the signal to only play back past broadcasts of mundane tasks such as going to the store or watching television. >>

Jeremy takes a look around again, touching something else in the air as he squints his eyes at the flow of data.

<< It was a tactical play to buy us some time before they either patch the bug that I created, or they send someone physically to resolve it. If that is the case, she is at least prepared to handle it. >> Slowly, he falls down to his knees, then places his hands to the ground as he takes in a deep breath.

Phoenix has posed:
"Mm." Jean hums out a considering noise. "She hadn't told me yet. I'll need to catch up with her. That's something we'll need to resolve, sooner rather than later. We don't need whoever's on the other side to come knocking. I'll go speak with her once we're done here." The redhead does not look pleased one tiny bit by the idea of how long someone's been snooping on them, let along screwing around with Betsy.

She lets out a long breath as she works to refocus herself on what they're here to do and starts walking towards the control room, though pauses once she sees him go down to his knees. She waits and watches, likely to make sure he's alright though she doesn't seem immediately concerned.

SpyderByte has posed:
<< Her eyes are not real. So if you remove them, she will be blind. There may not be a long term fix unless you can grow back eyes. >>

Jeremy feels the pulse of the world beneath his fingertips as he stretches out his senses.

<< I am ready when you are. >>

Phoenix has posed:
"Around here, there's always hope we'll figure something out." Jean says with a quiet, calm confidence.

She heads for the control room and disappears behind the closing of the door. There's a low hum as the systems begin to fire up, each of the thousands of holographic projectors whirring to life like gleaming pinpricks of starlight. The technopath would see the code move in a highly coordinated dance, a symphony of binary that seems to breath and change as if part of it was organic. Jean's voice comes to him in his mind as the speakers begin to whisper with the first hints of sound. << Nothing is going to hurt you, the safeties are on. Most you may feel is something like static shock or a bruise. I'll hear you if you need me. The first lesson is one of the most important here: Always know how to find your way home. >>

And then the whole of the room goes black. When light begins to increase again, it's in the guise of the rising moon. The pale glow reflects off of a quiet lake, the surface diamond bright and coated in thick ice. Coniferous trees are all around, heavy with snow - and the snow is startling real. Cold, wet, cumbersome; it's thick on the ground. He'd become aware of a pulse of orange to his right, only them to become aware that there's a small plane that looks to have come down and is fitfully burning up the last of what the fire can consume.

SpyderByte has posed:
As he pushes himself upwards to his feet, Jeremy gives a violent shudder as the room grows dark. She can feel his anxiety explode within his chest, his throat letting out a choked noise. Is he afraid of the dark? There is flashes of images that race through his mind. Fists hammering him, shoved into closets, doors locked.

When the room changes and he finds himself in the middle of the wilderness, his eyes widen at the sight of the plane crash in the distance. Instead of taking action, he freezes up, his mouth working slightly in fear. His hands scramble for his pockets, fishing out his phone and squeezing it tightly, his chest rising and falling with quick, panicked breaths. "H.. H.. elp.. help!" He calls out. He can see the data whizzing past him, locking him out from making changes, to fix this new world he is in. He spins around a few times, the chains along his pants clanking loudly with a jingle.

With a loud snuff, his mind races harder, faster. Scared. He's going to die. He's going to starve. He's going to freeze. Home. Home! HOME! /HOME!/. He wants to go home. He wants to go home. He wants to go home. Squeezing his phone tighter, he lets out a heavy breath, trying to force the phone to find a signal, GPS, anything.

Phoenix has posed:
Everyone panics at least once in the Danger Room. It's earned a reputation for a reason, and proves herself a formidable foe as she starts to shut out the technopath's attempts to cheat. The reasons are many, but everyone faces their demons at some point. While Jean doesn't stop the simulation, she does reach out a psychic presence and instills a quiet point of warmth and brightness at the back of his mind like the flicker of a tiny flame. It's soothing and real, even against the digitally created reality around him. She's with him. He is not alone, even if the world seems very empty in that moment.

Behind the one way glass, the woman watches with a soft look on her face. Sentimental fool that she is.

Wherever he's been sent must be remote. In the crystal clear skies above, there's a sea of stars and the milky haze of the galaxy the likes of which you don't see near cities with their choking lights. If one looks close enough, they'd catch one of the stars blinking faintly as it moves at a slow crawl across the sky. A satellite? His phone struggles fitfully to gain a signal, and his data is moving at a pace not seen since the early days of the internet. It takes several attempts to get a map to start to load, but the best it can seem to manage right then is somewhere near the northern Rockies.

SpyderByte has posed:
As he squeezes his phone tighter, he encourages it as much as he can to work harder. Clear the cache, reduce resources, focus on the task. Put everything into your CPU. Focus on the map. Get the coordinates. X and Y. Got it. Jeremy's breath slowly relaxes as he feels the warmth touch the back of his mind, but he is still very much terrified. The thoughts of dying out here, alone, cold and hungry is front and center. He was never a boyscout. He can't even YouTube a video on how to start a camp fire with this connection.

As his eyes roam upwards to the sky, he searches, finds the two Dippers. North star. He remembers that from science class. He's smart. Remember your education. As his eyes track the sky, he holds his phone up higher, then calls out to the satellite through his phone's connection. << I need you to tell me where I'm at and I need you to send a distress call. >> He tells the data, trying to convince it. The plane would have a radio. A blackbox. He knows this. Calm down. Calm down.

With that, he starts moving towards the plane at a quick run, even if he finds himself gassing within twenty seconds. He's not a jogger by any means and as he runs, he holds his phone up high, trying to gain maximum exposure to the data.

Phoenix has posed:
In the crystalline sky, it's easy to pick out the constellations. The pole star glows like a brilliant jewel, pointing the way northward across the lake. His phone all but cries with the effort, but there. On a sea of green, the shape of the lake. A point of note to his east - Holland Peak. Which, if the map is loading right, means there may be some signs of life to his west. It's not an easy walk. The phone tries its best to get a signal out, but 911 is hard to dial far from civilization.

The plane is pretty well toasted, but boxes don't die easy. He can feel it like a slow, steady heartbeat within the charred and splintered shell of the plane.

SpyderByte has posed:
Once he reaches the plane, Jeremy takes a moment to reach out to the box. << What brought you down? >> He edges closely to peek over and see if there was any other survivors. << I need your data. You have maps built into you. I need you to tell me where to go. >>

He may not be able to dig the box out of the wreckage, but he can at least convince the data to take a trip into his phone and hang out. A black box is always transmitting.

With that, he looks to use the box to boost the signal of his phone, to send out an SOS to the local authorities. At least fire is warm, so he stays near it. It keeps him visible as well.

Phoenix has posed:
The box complies. Its purpose is to remember and transmit, so the computer is all too happy to perform its function and does so without even needing a please. The battery powering the box helps provide his phone an extra hand. Between it and the phone, there's enough power to hit the air and get a ping up to the satellite. He may be in for a long wait, but the message is sent.

The box, meanwhile, shows that he seemed to have been alone. Odd, considering he's not exactly licensed to fly. The plane was set on a preset course, which it completed without issue. When it reached the intended destination, the engine was cut. Again, as the programming requested.

It leaves him to ponder the gravity of such a thing out there in the cold, which may be enough weight on the mind until the crying howl of a wolf can be heard. It sounds like it may be a few miles off, but what are miles to a hunter?

SpyderByte has posed:
Looking relieved as the signal goes out, Jeremy though is a bit concerned about the rest. He was put on this plane to be sent out to most likely die. Giving a visible frown, he eases himself down against the hulk of the dmaged plane. He fiddles with his phone now that he has a stronger connection, trying to catch radio signals to listen in on if anyone is going to come to his rescue. A downed plane is serious business.

He isn't sure what to do now. Nothing but wait. The sound of the wolf howling catches his attention, his eyes scanning through the dark, while dulling the brightness of his screen with a thought. He reaches over and pulls a hunk of metal over to him, sliding it in front as if to use it as a shield, or a wall to hide behind.

Phoenix has posed:
Civilization must not be too far off, because there is some chatter that someone saw fire in the sky. A meteor? No. A distress call was coming in. A plane? There were no reported flight plans crossing the area. Condon police were rousing a copter to go investigate the site, too remote to drive. He's been heard, at least. Hopefully not by whoever sent him out here. No flight plan meant someone didn't want him being noticed.

The howling grows nearer, the sound a primal and haunting thing. Its hungry, lonely; a solitary song.

SpyderByte has posed:
<< Help! I'm alive! I'm at the crash site! >> Jeremy sends the signal back through the radio lines. << I'm alone and scared. I think there is a wolf out here. Please help me. >> He pulls the metal around him tighter, hunkering down and pushing his back against the hull. Maybe he can stay hidden. He takes in a deep breath, swallowing tightly as he clutches his phone harder. He continues to quietly speak to the box through the signal, looking to give those who may be looking for him an exact position.

Phoenix has posed:
Acknowledged. They're six miles out, once the copter is in the air. Hold tight.

It's easier said than done. In that time, the woods have gone deathly still. In the grips of winter, the only sounds are the occasional shifting of the ice or a falling tuft of snow. No birds, no bugs. Just still, quiet emptiness and the crackling hiss of the fire.

Minutes go by, then more. Maybe ten in all. Just outside of the fire's glow, Jeremy would see two points of pale light amongst the trees. It's the light reflecting off a pair of eyes, set in a shaggy, low set shadow.

SpyderByte has posed:
<< Please don't let me get ate by a wolf. Please. Please. Please. >> Jeremy begs the signal as he continues to hunker behind his metal wall he has in front of him. Maybe the wolf can't see him. Maybe he can't smell him. In the command center, Jean can feel his heart rate spike, his anxiety growing, fear increasing. He's wet himself at this point, terrified, embarrassed.

<< HELP ME PLEASE. PLEASE. PLEASE. PLEASE. >>

He pulls his hoodie over himself tighter, curling into a smaller ball as he tries his best to not sob outloud. He's shaking, his fingers growing numb from shock, tears streaking down his face. He grips his phone so tightly between his hands that the screen may break.

Phoenix has posed:
Into the firelight steps the wolf. Red. So red, its fur in the light seems to match the brilliance of the fire. It shifts and shimmers as the wolf approaches and crouches - scarlet, gold, copper. Calmly, the wolf regards him with those luminous eyes that throw back the light in a haze of green.

<< Jeremy. >> He hears Jean's voice. It's so gentle, even in light of his trouble. << Easy, breathe. The Danger Room isn't just meant to teach you to fight. What it's really for... >>

"Is facing your fears." And she's in front of him then, crouched where the wolf was, and the holographic world is fading back into the real one with snow fading to steel. He could feel the code opening like someone slowly pulling back the blinds on a window, letting in the familiar light.

SpyderByte has posed:
The young man is trembling, even as the world melts away. He is rocking side to side, holding on to his phone as if it was a lifeline. The scent of urine is in the air, his body cold and numb as he cries to himself. There's a loud hiccup from him, reaching up to wipe at his face. He stares at Jean with blurry eyes, his face mostly hidden by the hoodie and his thick hair.

"Sssss..sssor..rry.. " He gets out in a raspy voice.

Phoenix has posed:
"No, don't apologize." Jean says to him as she shrugs out of her coat and stands so she can drape it over him, though she doesn't go outright hugging him. "You were doing great, actually. Even out of your element, you were finding the opportunities, playing it smart, and not trying to go be a hero about the whole thing. You kept your priorities."

She does offer down a hand to him to help him up, if he'd accept it. "That's what I wanted to see. Would you be able to keep your head in it and focus on what was critical, or were you going to go spin down a conspiracy rabbit hole and forget about making sure you stayed alive long enough to investigate. Don't sell yourself short."

SpyderByte has posed:
Taking her hand, Jeremy rises up slowly on trembling knees. He looks embarrassed, biting his bottom lip, his face crumpled. There's another wet sniff from him as he reaches out with his free hand to grab a signal and squeezes it. << I only go down holes when I can safely research and I have time to kill. I was too scared to do anything else. >> The speakers start up again, though this time there is a good deal of static behind it. He's not as focused as he could be.

<< I didn't know what to do. I thought I was going to starve or freeze, or get killed by a wolf. I don't like planes. I don't like trees. I just want to be in my room. >>

Phoenix has posed:
"I know plenty who would have taken an attempted murder pretty personal and gone off on a tangent that would have finished the job." Jean says to him and tips her head towards the main entry hatch. "Fear isn't always a bad thing. At the right level, it can make you stop and think, warn you and keep you wary. The trick is not letting it control you."

She begins walking for the door, leading the way but staying close enough to talk at a reasonable volume. "I didn't put you in that situation to succeed, that isn't something that has a clear cut ending. I wanted to see how you thought, how you reacted, how you used your strengths and weaknesses. And yes, we all have them, so don't be ashamed of being afraid. What I want you to start doing, though, is just one small step at a time starting to approach and deal with those fears. Learn to recognize it, but to take back control. Fear is just a chemical. A signal in your brain, like code. Once you learn to master your fear, I think you'll find there wouln't be much of anything that's out of your reach."

She steps outside and gestures towards the lockers. "No one else is down here, so feel free to clean up. There's laundry there, I'll see that it's taken care of and brought back to your room. There's sweats we keep in the locker rooms for, ya know, uniform destruction. So grab a pair, that's what they're there for. I'll meet you at the lift when you're ready."