13182/The Universal Language

The Universal Language
Date of Scene:	03 May 2021
Location:	Rec Room - Xavier's School
Synopsis:	Rosie and Indi talk a bit of Faith. Jeremy comes in as a discussion gets heated with Sam Guthrie's help, and things calm down after a fair bit. Ted has the worst timing.
Cast of Characters:	Antigravity, Faraday, Cannonball, SpyderByte, Ted Gammage

---

Antigravity has posed:
    The Rec Room isn't where Rosie typically hangs out, but she got a bit of a scolding the last time she was up in the rafters in the foyer due to a footprint being left in the paint, so she's been hanging closer to earth. Rosie picks a few chords out on her guitar, playing quietly in the corner of the rec room. Her hair's pulled back in a low ponytail, wearing a green plaid overshirt over a white T-shirt and jeans.

Faraday has posed:
Indira, who's been angling towards being the most reclusive of the New Mutants, comes walking down the hall. In classes lately she's seemed quiet, though insists all is well and she's just been tired. Come finals time, it wasn't unexpected for student sleep schedules to degrade rapidly. She's got a bottle of water in hand and she's staring blankly into the screen of her phone as she scrolls through social media with the light casting shadows under her eyes. The sounds of a guitar strumming in the room has Indira pausing by the entryway and there's a bob of her head as she says, "Heya, Rosie. Sup?"

Antigravity has posed:
    Finals time was weird. Finals time and being excused partially because you came from three months of not being in school and her domestic situation and partially because the science teacher gave you an extra out in a science project involving your powers.

    Rosie pauses a moment, looking briefly uncomfortable before she looks to Indi, and she gives a smile, rubbing the back of her head.

    "Heya, Indy." she states to the girl, and looks down at her guitar.

    "Iffin' you're lookin' for a place ta study, Ah can shove off elsewheres."

Faraday has posed:
"Oh hell no." Indira says emphatically as she pockets her phone. She makes her way over towards one of the couches and drops down gracelessly into it. "I coudln't focus right now even if I wanted to. Now is the time for relaxing. More school can come tomorrow. I'm not that worried, but my mother somehow knows if I haven't been studying even in text and calls me out on it like clockwork."

She takes another drink of her water before gesturing with it, "So how've you been doing? Settled in alright? No one givin' you grief?"

Antigravity has posed:
    Rosie rubs the back of her neck a moment as she glances up at the mention of Indy's very concerned mother, and she gives a little bit of a smile.

    "N-nah. No one's givin' me grief. Ah think after it got spread around that I injured two teachers, they ain't gonna bother me none."

Faraday has posed:
"Mmmmmmmyeah, that'd be some street cred for sure." Indira says with a wide grin and a bobbing of her head. "Can't say I've done the same, but then I haven't tangled with any of them either. It's bad enough that I can't shake hands without jolting someone. I'd rather not do it on purpose to people I actually like. Now the ones I /don't/ like, well, that I'm open to."

Her last words trail off into a low cough which she washes down with another swig of water. "Not that we're supposed to be doing that either. Guess I'll just wait to happen upon another bank robbery by sheer accident."

Antigravity has posed:
    "Well... I mean, Mr. Sam was 'cause Ah thought he was gonna hurt me, on account of me tryin' not to be a mutant. An' Mr. LeBeau was 'cause... well. Never had an adult touch me in a way that wasn't..." she trails off a moment, and frowns.

    "... at least your parents care 'bout what happens ta you."

Faraday has posed:
"Eh, they're tough. I'm sure they've got hit with worse." Indira chimes cheerfully before her voice settles.

They do. Oppressively so, sometimes, but they do." She says quietly as her fingers tap quietly against the plastic of the bottle. "Can't say the same about some of my ancestors, but, you hold to those who care about you and keep moving forward. Prove to them that you're strong even on your own two feet. At the end of the day, they may have brought you into the world, but they don't dictate what you do in it. That's all on you, and you don't owe a damn to anyone but yourself when it comes to being happy with it."

Antigravity has posed:
    "That sounds like somethin' Jer might say." the young blonde replies, and she stretches her arms up over her head, and then adjusts her guitar clip a moment, and gives another strum.

    "So, you do the ancestors thing?" she questions, in curiosity.

Faraday has posed:
"Nah." Indira remarks with a flopping wave of her free hand. "I mean it in a literal sense, not the spiritual. I'm not really spiritual myself. Semi-Hindu from being raised that way, semi-agnostic because who can really answer it? You figure, we live in a world of superheroes, aliens, possibly literal devils and angels, ghosts, and actual gods. Not one, but multiple, and from all over the world. So, ya know, where does it lead back to? Who can even answer that? I guess in a way, it's kind of comforting, though. If gods from all different cultures are real and can work together, then hey, why can't people too?"

She gives a shrug of her shoulders as she continues, "But back on topic, way back several generations, my ancestors came here from India due to anti-mutant sentiments. Back then, and even now, all too often it was okay to treat mutants terribly. Worse than Dalits, the lowest of the castes. The Untouchables, seen as so impure that even being around them was a corrupting influence. Mutants were worse, because they were clearly not even human. They were just human shaped animals or demons. Unpeople. So, some of my ancestors managed to scrape up enough to get transportation out. In the end, some managed to make it here looking for a better life. I just wish I could tell them we'd gotten a bit further along in the equality department."

Antigravity has posed:
    The blonde strums her fingers along the strings of the guitar, she picks out a couple notes, and then she frowns.

    "My pastor told my church that Mutants are the result of lust-laden women sleeping with demons, corruptin' the infant that God and their husband righteously planted in their womb to raise in Glory. The only good mutant was a dead mutant... an' they'd probably kill the mother too, since givin' birth to a mutant makes you Unclean." she frowns a moment, then looks back to Indi.

    "So, in my church, Ah'd be executed, an' so would my momma. Jus' because she gave birth ta me."

Faraday has posed:
"Half a world away, two different religions, same shit." Snorts Indira with the edge of another cough and scowls at her water. "I guess my feeling is that I'll consider throwing my hat in a religious corner when some almighty whatever proves to me that they're not an asshole. In the meantime, I'll just try and be a decent person. At the end of the day, isn't that supposed to be the idea anyway? I don't need a book or a song or a poem to teach me that."

"Not that I actually wear hats, but you get the idea. If at the end of it I get yelled at because I did good and just didn't yell someone's name while I was doing it, then so be it. I'm okay with that. ...I need a snack." She murmurs as she hauls herself up from her seat and heads over to the cabinets where there's usually small bags of chips, crackers, and other munchies.

Antigravity has posed:
    "Heh, yeah, well.. JEremy called my church a 'cult'--" she's cut off when Sam enters the room, and she stiffens slightly, then gives a smile to the other Southerner. She gives a wave, and considering a moment she asks: "... they still got chocolate milk in there?"

    And then she picks out another couple chords on her guitar.

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie comes walking into the room. He has a tablet in hand and is heading over to the wet bar area, He looks over to the kids here offering them a nod in greeting. ONce at the wet bar, he gets himself a drink and asks "Anyone want anything while I am here?"

Faraday has posed:
Indira Bhandari grabs a bag of dried apple slices and gives a quick grin aside to Sam on her way back towards the couch as he arrives. "I'm good, boss. Got my snacks."

She resumes her seat on the couch with her legs tucked under her. "Every religion technically started as a cult. A group of like-minded people when the bulk of the others didn't. They were probably seen as weirdos and freaks, then eventually others decided they may agree with it. But I dunno, I could be wrong. Those classes usually put me to sleep."

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie nods over to Rosie, and will get her a container of chocolate milk, and some sweet tea for himself. He also grabs a bag of jerky in a plastic sandwich baggie from the back of the cabinet. He heads over to a table, offering Rosie the glass along the way. His brow does raise at the conversation but he lets them talk without his input for now.

Antigravity has posed:
    "Nah, I mean, in the modern sense. Closed population bein' assigned a husband or wife from the congregation..." she trails off a moment, and she looks up to Sam as she accepts the chocolate milk.

    "... jes'... got out at a good time I s'pose." she remarks quietly, and then tilts her head back.

    "Y'know, I was s'posed to to be Baptised that weekend. That was supposed to fill my heart with light and love and I would have found my husband... pretty sure Sam and Miss Ororo arrived just in time."

Faraday has posed:
"Sounds like it." Indira remarks as she pulls out a slice of apple and crunches down on the dried fruit. "Pretty sure you're the only one who can say who you're going to love, if ever. Hard to say who you want to be with forever when you're still figuring yourself out."

She lets her head thump back on the cough as she takes a long, slow breath. "I don't care about getting married. What I want is a good night of sleep. Guess I'll get that once the finals crunch is over."

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie whistles softly at the bit of the story he did not know was planned for that weekend. He looks over and says "Well glad we picked you up when we did. I have heard of some folks in some of the hollars back home doing stuff like that, but expected it to have to be pretty deep in the woods." He admitd "Well we are glad your here with us Rosie."

SpyderByte has posed:
Heading into the Rec Room is Jeremy. He is dressed in his usual black attire of chained pants and a long sleeved shirt. He even has a choke collar around his throat with a single silver hoop in the middle. As he gives a look around, he offers up an awkward smile to everyone and lifts a hand upwards to give a wiggle of his fingers.

Antigravity has posed:
    "Ah /was/ real deep in the woods, Sam. My church is like, twenty per-cent of the whole town's population." Rosie states incredulously, "Includin' the fella whose shoulder I broke! Can you imagine if the Parson had paired me with *him*? That would just be a continued life a' beaten's that I'd have to take because God Commands It."

Faraday has posed:
Sitting on the couch, Indira quietly crunches on apple chips and sips at a bottle of water while listening to the two talk back and forth about how far back is backwoods country. Being the city girl born and raised, she just looks a bit perplexed at the whole thing. And maybe a little ashen. Either the concept doesn't agree with her or she really needs that sleep.

As Jeremy arrives, there's a bob of her head and a lopsided grin. "Hey. What's up?"

SpyderByte has posed:
Swinging a hand towards them, Jeremy gives a smile to his two friends as he ambles over towards the girls. He takes a seat down and sinks with a jingle of chains.

<< Hello. Not much is up. I am just getting some walking in. How are you two? >>

He waves a hand over towards Sam as well, then looks over at the apple chips.

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie looks over to Indira, and says "Basically think of the difference in New York, and Salem center, and not you think Mayberry is New York, and the hollars are their salem center." He offers in explanation. He looks over to Rosie, and says "Well I knew they were going on some of the old ways just did not realize how old ways they were."

Antigravity has posed:
    "Look, Sam, mah church let you beat your kids with sticks, and encouraged it. Ah've got marks 'long my body from the back a' my knees to the tops a my shoulders and down ta my /tits/--" she states, angrily, her fingers curling slightly. The couch she's sitting on gives a low shudder as she gets angry.

Faraday has posed:
Indi looks just about to pass over the apple chips to Jeremy when the couch starts shifting across from her. Letting out a quiet breath, she says, "And you're not there anymore. Maybe one day, you'll have the means to get others out who want out. Shit, I'll even help you, because fuck that abuse and those who claim its right. I've actually been thinking of getting into investigations and rescue when I'm out of here."

She sets down the bag and sits up straighter as dark eyes level on the girl across from her, "But to help those people out there, you gotta help yourself. Rage now isn't going to do a thing except wreck the furniture. Save it. Remember it. Use it when you're in those woods at night ferreting out another young girl with pitchforks on your tail, or on the streets breaking some girl like me out of a crate while bullets are flying. Not now."

SpyderByte has posed:
Squinting his eyes at the conversation, Jeremy makes his way over to sit down next to Rosie, then wraps his arms around her waist as he pulls her in against him. He props his chin on the top of her shoulder and lets out a soft noise in his throat. He reaches up with his hand and brushes it along the back of her head a few times to stroke her hair.

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie nods, and says "You can do a lot more by going through the right channels, and Ah am not saying legal channels. We could go down there not, and raze the place, but that would just show others reasons to hate mutants. We will help you so when or if you want to go back down there and help any people who need it out and prove the son of a bitches who are running the place are the evil bastards they are." He looks at her "Won't be the first false man of the cloth we have had to deal with."

Ted Gammage has posed:
It's been a day, and Ted's finding a spot to unwind. He stands in the doorway a few moments before he steps in, glancing around. He gives a light smile, lifting a hand in a wave, "Ah, 'lo ever'one," he murmurs out. He hasn't really caught much of the conversation, just tilts his head and wonders, "What's goin' on?"

Antigravity has posed:
    "Y-you don't... you don't understand. Everythin' I /am/ I--" she trails off a moment, interrupted by the New Mutants, and then when Jeremy sits next to her, and wraps his arms around her, she stiffens a moment. She narrows her eyes, and she goes a little limp. The couch thumps back down as Ted walks in, and Rosie gives a soft rub to the back of her neck, and then leans against Jeremy.

    "They already hate us. 'Long as I get mah momma outta there --" she trails off.

SpyderByte has posed:
<< You are our friend, don't think of yourself as anything else. >>

Jeremy leans forward to press a kiss to the side of her head before he gives her another squeeze with his arms before they loosen up around her. He shifts his jaw in thought some, then gives a glance over towards Indi.

<< Where is your mom at currently? >>

Faraday has posed:
"No, Rosie." Indira says, her voice quiet but hard as stone. "That's everything that /they/ told you that you are, what /they/ told you to believe. Who you really are and what you believe in? Only you can answer that, and only you should."

The hair on her arms and neck is up as she stands, and even that on her head is lifted ever so slightly like going through a plastic slide on a dry day. There's a murmured, "Hi, Ted." before she drains her bottle of water and chucks it into the recycle bin, only to grab out another bottle from the fridge as soon as her hands are free.

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie nods a bit to Indira's words, and says "You choose who and what you want to be, if you want to be a hero, you can choose it, you want to be a villain you are the one to choose it. Monster, or Angle or even just an average person doing something you love and not getting in the middle of things. You get to make that decision not them. Your past might have a hand in shaping you, but you decide the final shape your life takes."

Ted Gammage has posed:
Oh, its one of those kind of talks. Ted's been awkward at best for those. He has only made it about a step inside and he pauses, looking to the grouop, then pondering easing out before anyone realizes he's here. But then he's briefly addressed, so now it would look weird and he's a bit confused about what to do, but he eventually goes over to sit nearby. "Hay Indy," he says, though softer, less boisterous than he usually bellows out.

Antigravity has posed:
    One of those talks, and Rosie had not intended this all to happen, and she looks horribly embarrassed by the whole situation at this point.

    "My mom's still livin' at home, last I knew. My gram picked up the phone but isn't 'xactly as forthcomin' with information-- an' I'll just... kinda stop now. Ted doesn't need ta be drawn up in my life. Neither do you, Indi. An' I already put Sam through a tree... so..." she trails off, and then just leans back against Jeremy, and drinks her chocolate milk.

    "... ain't never had chocolate milk 'fore I made it up here."

SpyderByte has posed:
<< Okay. Do you want me to handle things? >>

The way Jeremy handles things and the way other people handle things are not always on the same level of values and ethics. His eyes give a slight flicker as he reaches to his arm and draws his phone off the harness. He shifts his jaw to one side to pop the joints with a loud crack.

<< If you can give me whatever information you have on her, I can ensure a secure exit for her out of there. >>

Antigravity has posed:
    Rosie pauses a moment, looking at Jeremy as he pulls the phone off his arm, and then to Indi, to Sam, and to Ted, and she takes a deep breath.

    "Ah don't think Ah'm ready for that, 'cause... if I go back, I don't even know if my mom will accept me." she explains quietly, and her shoulders sag, and she goes to stand.

    "THanks, y'all, but I think... maybe I oughta just meditate on it for a bit?"

Faraday has posed:
As Rosie insists she doesn't need to be involved, Indira falls quiet and leans against the wet bar counter and gives just a faint nod of her head in regards to Rosie's comment about thinking on it. Her free hand scrubs a palm over the left side of her chest like she was tending to an itch before she twists off the cap and tosses it, and the partly eaten bag of snacks, into the trash.

Seeming unsettled, she restlessly shifts where she stands as she looks aside to Ted. "So, whatcha been up to? Haven't seen you much outside of class."

Ted Gammage has posed:
"Ah, nah," Ted says, shaking his head a bit. "Y'all get off yer chest what y'need to," he says with a smile. He hefts up a bit and gives a roll of his shoulders and then he too heads over to get a drink and pretend he can't listen in on the rather important conversation.

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie nods, and will let Indira change the subject, but he does make a note on his tablet to check on Rosie's mom for her. He may have to talk to some people about getting her mom a job out of the area or something.

SpyderByte has posed:
<< You don't have to go, I can do everything from here. >>

Jeremy quiets down as he slides his hand into hers for a squeeze, leaning in to press his shoulder against hers. After a moment he lets her go and rises upwards and smooths his pants down. He works some of the chains out of being tangled with each other, then listens to the rest of the converastion as it starts to drift away from her problems.

Antigravity has posed:
    "... I'll be okay, Jeremy. Jus'..." she states weakly, and waggles the glass that her chocolate milk was in.

    "Least I'm not slinging glasses 'round this time?" she asks weakly to Jeremy, and she breathes out quietly.

    "... three weeks. A new record."

Faraday has posed:
"Hmf. My issues aren't on my chest." Indira says in a murmur aside to Ted. "They're in it. But nothing is helping with that."

She takes another long drink and clears her throat with a mix of a cough and a harumph before she gets up from her lean after a glance at the clock. "I should probably try and get some sleep, getting late. Um. Guess I'll catch everyone in class. Maybe the team can get together one of these nights. It's been awhile."

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie looks around him and will have to make sure to set up a danger room session sometime soon.

Ted Gammage has posed:
Ted crosses his arms over his chest now and grins, "In it? Ah thought your issues were high powered static charges," he says, trying to joke. "An' mine are mostly breakin' keyboards. Ah think Jer's gonna get onto me if ah break anymore. Maybe need one made o' somethin' indestructable," he muses and then grins. "Ah, later Indy."

Antigravity has posed:
    Rosie looks around the Rec Room, as if making sure she wasn't leaving anything a mess, and she takes a deep breath, releasing the glass in mid-air, letting it float before she gives a nudge of it towards the sink in the rec room.

    "... it's getting easier."

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie smiles and says "Hey, looks like it is coming easier to you as well." He munches a bit of his jerky, and says "Practice helps with all things we try to do."

SpyderByte has posed:
<< I can get you a Stark Tech keyboard. They're about a grand but they're made of titanium. >>

Jeremy says to Ted with a smile to himself as he thumbs along his keyboard.

<< Okay, ordered two for you. I primed it. >>

Antigravity has posed:
    "It helps that Dr. McCoy gives me extra homework with practicing. More than the six-a-m runnin'." she sticks her tongue out at Sam, and Rosie's hazel eyes give a slight narrow. "Someday, maybe I'll be able to take someone flying, y'know, like romantic-like," she glances back to Jeremy, and then back to Sam.

    "... can I ask a question, Mr. Sam?" she inquires quietly, trying to be out of Jeremy's hearing.

Faraday has posed:
"See? He's already on it." Indira says to Ted over her shoulder with a wane grin and a slow shake of her head, likely at the pricetag. "But yah. I guess electrocuting everyone I touch probably is a bit of trouble too. I just haven't found old lady rubber gloves that I like. Or... a whole suit. Eh, probably just need to look on those 'specialty' websites."

She pauses briefly in the doorway and turns like she was going to say something, but questions are in the air so she seems to decide to keep it to herself. Instead, she lifts her bottle in a salute as she says, "G'night." And then she's headed out into the hallway.

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie 's brow raises a bit to this. He hmms and says "Well you can ask, and chances are Ah will answer you if I can." He does let his voice soften since she did asking him.

Ted Gammage has posed:
"Ah s'little more than ah could pay for, ah think," Ted says with a chuckle. He yawns, "Eh, ah think maybe its time t' hit the sack m'self," he says, "Ah'll see everyone later."

Antigravity has posed:
    "I know guys get girls flowers for prom, *what do girls give to guys*. I can't search on the internet because he'll know!!" she squeaks to Sam, giving a wince, Rosie blushing as she makes the 'serious conversation' hand gestures.

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie hmms and says "Well I don't think there is a tradition of the girl bringing the guy something, but if you were going to ah think I would go with a flower for his lapel, or if it is who I am thinking it is for, maybe a pin of some sort that represents something he is into computer based, an eight bit character or a little tidbit of code or something?"

Antigravity has posed:
    Rosie blinks as she looks up at Sam.

    "Mr. Guthrie. You're a genius." she states, and then Rosie turns, and gives a grin, looking back to Jeremy, and she gives a little bit of a smile.

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie chuckles a bit and says "Oh Ah know a lot of people who might argue that with you, but Ah appreciate it, If there is anything I can do to help just ask and will do my best.

SpyderByte has posed:
As he plays with his phone, Jeremy has tuned himself 'out' for a bit. His thumb tops along the glass a few times, his eyes 'flickering'. As he feels the eye supon him, he glances over towards the pair, then gives them a quick smile before looking back at the phone.