11667/You did what now

You did what now
Date of Scene:	25 June 2020
Location:	Rooftops of New York!
Synopsis:	Psylocke updates Peter on her eyeball problems.
Cast of Characters:	Psylocke, Spider-Man

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Psylocke has posed:
The text message had come through to Peter. There were a few typos but it was understandable. She needed to meet him to discuss some things. Wanted to meet with Spider-Man. Not with Peter.

A rooftop was suggested, one they had often used for a pause when they were doing patrols together in the past. Back when they dated. Life had moved on for both of them but their friendship was still intact.

Thus she was waiting on the rooftop, eyes focused on the skyline with all the lights of the city spread out before them. She was in her costume, arms folded across her midriff as she pondered the situation before her. The options seemed few in her mind. And they were unpleasant. But Peter deserved to know the truth.

Spider-Man has posed:
    When the message had flickered across his phone, little pixels springing to life to convey the message, he felt a small surge of a smile to his lips behind that mask. Oh things had passed assuredly, but Elizabeth was always a source of nostalgic warmth in his mind and she was an exceptional woman.
    If it wasn't for that whole being a ninja thing.
    But that had been discussed at length and they had agreed to continue with their lives as they could. But still. Friends.
    Hanging upside down underneath an old flag pole that juts forth from the side of a building, Spider-Man tapped out a quick response which was just a simple...

    // Sure thing. Seeya there. //

    And off he went, flipping free of that metal pole and twisting in mid-air as he fell, then lashing an arm out and firing a web-line with the trademark _thwip!_ as he arrested his descent and converted the momentum into speed. Across the city, across the skyline. And only pausing for a minute to check the lenses on his mask to make sure no schmutz was on them...
    He landed upon the old rooftop of the Grand Hotel, just underneath the spigot of the water tower with a soft thip-thap as he lights on its wooden surface.

Psylocke has posed:
She had erased her own portion of the conversation as soon as she sent it. Thus, it seemed a new conversation when his response came though. Psylocke had never looked at the screen. She didn't want whoever was monitoring her to be able to see the meeting was scheduled.

She sensed the mind coming into range of the rooftop. She turned to face him, eyes open for the moment. "Hello, Spider-Man. Been a while."

That might click with him that something was off. For her to be greeting him so formally. For it to seem like a surprise instead of a scheduled meeting. Then he would feel the familiar touch of her mind as she spoke to him directly. <<We are being monitored. It's something I needed to meet you about. So play it cool and we can talk telepathically.>>

Spider-Man has posed:
    Crouched there on top of the water tower, fingers splayed upon the lip of that old wooden construct, Spider-Man tilts his head to the side curiously as he seems to get the vibe that something is definitely up. She can tell with the way his head sort of shifts to the left a little as if trying to get a different angle from which to view her as if looking for some puppeteer with his hand in her back.
    But not seeing such a thing, instead he answers her while balanced on the balls of his feet, "Hellooo. Psylocke. Of the X-Men."
    Overly formal as well, but no quips made. Likely saving them.
    But then there's that glimmer of her presence in his mind.
    << Play it cool. Alright. I can do that. >>
    "Soo."
    Spider-Man straightens up, "Live around here much?"

Psylocke has posed:
"Yes, I still have a place no far away. With the teleportation, not a lot of things are far away though. You been doing well in your patrols?"

She turns her head away, looking out at the skyline again. <<I recently learned that my eyes were replaced at some point with alien tech. They are cameras, sending a feed to somewhere off planet. We haven't been able to track where it is going yet. They aren't even perceivable by x-ray and the like.>> She sighs aloud, something she doesn't manage to hide. <<I don't know if they were cameras while we were together or if it happened later. I have no memory of them being installed at any point. I...intend to have them removed. Which will leave me blind unless there are others around who I can use by tapping into their vision.>>

Spider-Man has posed:
    "Oh yeah, great. Super patrols."
    Spider-Man tilts his head to the side as he sort of manages to look blankly at Psylocke somehow through the mask, then even deploys a single thumbs up to signify how well those patrols are going. But she can feel his mind, feel it focusing on her and 'listening' to the words that whisper through his thoughts. His brow furrows behind the mask and he nods again.
    "Really well."
    Then she sighs.
    "Hey, don't hate on my successful patrols. Green envy doesn't suit you. Purple is more your thing."
    But in his thoughts she'll feel his mind touch hers, << That is... >> He can't stop that feeling of shock there, a flare of fear as well as a hint of drear. << That is really not good. Do you have any idea when you... when this happened. >>
    In the real world he gulps and then asks, "So you umm, catch any bad guys lately?" If anyone was watching they would find this superhero dialogue staggeringly... dull.
    << So there are people with... maybe like knowing things. About us. And me. >>

Psylocke has posed:
<<The only time I remember getting knocked out for any significant amount of time was after we had broken up. I am hoping that it was during that time. I was away from the team at the time, dealing with some personal things.>> AKA Ninjas. Psylocke is very aware of his feelings on the matters so she is trying not to mention it too much. She doesn't want him to focus on that part. <<I suspect it was then. I lost a good 24 hours then and that would give someone time to have done such a thing. Outside of that, my knock outs have been generally less than ten minutes.>>

So some assurance but not a definitive. "Sadly, no. I have been spending more time as a teacher and less time as a hero." Since her time as a hero has been seen most definitely, considering she's been doing it all along. "I am a tad jealous you get to pick up more bad guys than I do. Maybe I should give up teaching, live the life of the idle rich, spend all my time running the rooftops."

Spider-Man has posed:
    "Wow," Peter says at first. Out loud. But then he tries to cover for it with the conversation and he says, "I mean. I'm just surprised. You always struck me as... like, way more of a hero. Than a teacher."
    There's a pause as he swallows then he adds, "What with how you can't stand kids and all that." Inwardly he winces a little, she can likely feel him mentally kicking himself.
    But then he latches on to that thread of a story she gives him, "Well, that's always an option. I know if I had the option to..." But he can't complete the sentence, she'll feel his smile in her mind more than hear it in his words when he adds, "Ok I'd probably still be running across rooftops."
    Yet while all of this is going on, he answers her. << Do you need anything? >> His first concern, then he adds to drive the point forward. << Is there anything I can do? I... do know a thing about cameras, but alien tech... >>

Psylocke has posed:
Her own smile appears as she hears those words in her mind. "You definitely would still be on the rooftops. It's your thing. And you are great at it." True and heartfelt. Despite the game they are playing for whoever might be listening in.

<<I'm not sure. I have the X-Men looking at it. A technopath we were recruiting for the school is the one that discovered them. It was rather amusing looking back. He thought I was some new sort of sentinel. He is able to turn them off and on. Was able to track the signal a bit, thus us realizing it is transmitting off world. Just would need more to figure out where to. I just feel it is best to be done with them. But, therein is a problem. I would be blind. Unless I could get new eyes.>>

Spider-Man has posed:
    @emit

    "Yeah," Spider-Man says as he crawls over to the edge of the water tower then down its side, palms and sides of his feet keeping him tight against the wooden surface then his legs slip free as he flips end over to roll to his feet in front of her with that effortless grace of his.
    "You're probably right. And yeah, I am kinda great." His lip twists under that mask, enough though that with her having known him for so long, she can at least read it there.
    << You guys sure deal with some crazy stuff. >>
    A few steps carry him across the rooftop as he looks across the way at the New York skyline, then turns his head back to her, those mirrored lenses reflecting her image back to her even as they narrow with a faint 'whir'.
    << Me I just deal with the occasional animal-themed weirdo. But you guys. Aliens. Man. >>
    Then, out loud, "So if you need someone to cover for you or whatever, I'm your guy. Just call, ok?"

Psylocke has posed:
"I'll do that. Thank you. For now, I need to get back before something attacks the school or the like."

<<I dealt with aliens before the X-Men. I think it is a British thing. Or a Captain Britain thing at least, since I was part of the Corp in the past. Anyway.>> Psylocke's mental voice goes softer, more apologetic. << I am sorry you are getting dragged into this. I hope that it will have nothing to do with you or us. But I thought it only right to let you know. Next time you see me, well...I might not see you.>> She says it in a joking tone but they both know how serious that is. <<I may need someone to help me learn to fight that way. If you might want to volunteer for beating me up duty.>>

Spider-Man has posed:
    "Wait what?"
    That's said out loud and she can tell what she says flusters him as he rests his hands on his hips, then tries to cover for the subterfuge as he clears his throat. "I mean, yeah sure, of course. I should probably get back to. You know. Spider-things." He lifts a hand to gesture over his shoulder nebulously at the world behind him. Since clearly that's where spider-things are.
    But in their shared mindlink she can tell he's off balance, and worried. << You may have to lose your eyes? Like entirely? Isn't there some other way? Or... >>
    He starts to pace, the red and blue suited superhero pacing around and entirely out of character for their 'real' discussion. But he isn't quite that good of an actor at the moment.
    << You've got some of the most powerful people in the world there, there has to be some other option. >> Though the way he thinks that through to her, it's more hopeful, and a little upset.
    Out loud he pushes a hand over his head, then grabs at the back of his neck. "Sorry, I'm getting... a spider-sense thing. I should. It's why I'm seeming a bit distracted. People to save."

Psylocke has posed:
"I understand. Do what you need to do."

Psylocke closes her eyes, still facing the horizon. She has done what she can to not look at him too much, trying to save him from the cameras as much as she can. It's the least she can do.

<<I'm not sure what else to do. They haven't been able to turn them off permanently. They can be turned off for brief periods but reboot in about five minutes. We have Forge working on it as well but I am seriously tired of feeling like I'm spying for someone constantly. I...am lacking patience and everyone is feeling the need to take time to figure it out. I just want them gone. They are a violation of everything.>>

Spider-Man has posed:
    "Alright, I will."
    Spider-Man says that as he walks away from her while she averts her eyes. His footsteps are soft and light upon that cement surface of the roof, and he's nodding as he walks backwards. She looks away as she tells him more of her thoughts and she'll hear him inside her mind.
    << Just hang in there, Bets. You'll get it handled, you and the X-Men accomplish the amazing every day. Just give yourself time before you force the issue. >>
    And then, perhaps against his better judgment as she's about to turn away as they both seem likely to depart. He abruptly flips back toward her, an amazing leap twisting in the air to land in front of her and stop her in her tracks, hands upon her shoulders as she... can see herself through his eyes, the way he looks at her, sees her, and feels still about her.
    There's a brush of a hand over her brow, and then his arms around her as he draws her into an embrace. The feeling of comfort, concern, it flows free between them as he holds her for a time. Not saying anything further in that shared link. Instead just letting her feel that esteem he holds her in.
    And then his voice gentle as he says, "That was... for you being you. Don't change ponygirl." A little something from 9th grade English that she likely isn't familiar with being a Londoner and all. Still... the sentiment is felt.
    And as quick as that he leaps away, over the side of the roof, and gone.