5239/Astral Flux: Fear Factory

Astral Flux: Fear Factory
Date of Scene:	25 August 2018
Location:	Xavier's School
Synopsis:	Jean Grey meets with Erika about her experiences, and scares her away from preparing.
Cast of Characters:	Phoenix, Souvenir

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Phoenix has posed:
Jean apparently received the video that Erika sent her, as she summoned her to her office for an urgent meeting. When Erika arrives, Jean is sat behind her desk, and motions for Erika to take a seat. "Thank you for sharing that video with me, Erika, I've been trying to get Emma but she's been quite slippery...I take it you know what I'm about to say?" She asks, looking curiously at Erika.

Souvenir has posed:
Erika Kristasdottir frowns a bit in thought. "Not.. Really. I mean, I don't know what angle you are going to take. I talked to Mr. Summers about it when I went to detention, because I know I was breaking some rules and invading privacy. He sent me back to class. I don't really know what it all means, though.."

She frowns and bites her lip. "And I never heard anything more yet." She looks around, a bit worried and uncertain, climbing into a chair and putting her hands in her lap to keep from fidgeting.

Phoenix has posed:
"Very well...you may not realize it, but you've actually put your life in danger." Jean explains, "you almost allowed a terror currently infesting the Astral Plane into your mind...in other words, try to avoid using your gift on anything belonging to a telepath in the coming days." Warning issued, Jean adds, "but what you did helped me realize that Emma is under attack, and is behaving erraticly as a result. So in that regard, you did do some good."

Souvenir has posed:
Erika Kristasdottir nods... Slowly... Trying to process that. She takes a tense breath in and lets it out slowly. "... Okay. I'll try. I've been looking through some random stuff trying to find anything useful, and I don't know who left things sometimes. I wish I could get some better stuff more reliably to start with. Like a fighting souvenir - if I tap Laura, it puts me in a head space that gets me in trouble later, and she doesn't.. Deal with it afterwards the right way anyhow. And I want something better for running away and hiding anyways."

Obviously going a little bit off track in her head because she can't fight or flee a telepath the same way, but that distress track is definitely running and kind of running her mouth for a little while she tries to figure out what she really needs to say. Then suddenly, "Who was she? Who got eaten?" Which is more information than others have.

Phoenix has posed:
"There's a good guideline then, if you don't know who something might belong to, maybe try not to use your powers on that item? I hear Mr. Summers already went over with you about the issue of privacy invasion, yes?" She frowns the moment Laura is mentioned, "I would advise not to touch any of Laura's belongings altogether. You like taking risks, don't you, Erika? You have no idea the world of trouble you can unleash..."

When Erika asks a more specific question, Jean furrows her brow, "who are you referring to?" She asks, wondering just what Erika knows.

Souvenir has posed:
Erika Kristasdottir bites her lip. "That night we had the earthquake. I woke up because someone.. Touched me. In my head. A woman. She was fighting, and she was being brave, and then she was losing, and she wanted to warn everyone. Then something ate her. It was.. Really clear, but really fast."

She chews her lip. "You know how to do psychic defense stuff, right? Can you make a souvenir for me with you doing all those and thinking about the things you would want me to know if I need them? I'm still trying to learn those, but you're just a lot better at them? And it would be like having you there if I really need it..." She digs out a handful of silicone wristbands from her bag and pushes them across the table to you, with an unnerved, kind of fearful edge.

Phoenix has posed:
"Did you get a glimpse of that 'something'? Did it look anything like what you saw when you touched Emma's belonging?" Jean starts calmly, before following up with, "did you hear any of the warning offered by the woman?"

The request from Erika does give Jean pause, as she considers a brief moment, and then shakes her head. "That...would not go the way you expect. I cannot do that, it will only put you in greater risk..." Jean doesn't elaborate much beyond that. "I think you should keep away from thoughts of having anything to do with telepaths at the moment. If you avoid it, you will be much safer. Try and build up defense, and you'll flag yourself a threat, and no momento any telepath will make for you will give you the finesse required to survive, let alone defeat, that unknown entity."

Souvenir has posed:
And there it is, that fear edge that makes her powers fit her; that need to have people with her when she's afraid, protecting her. Her gloves are a gift from Rogue, new gloves, unworn before being put in an envelope. But it was Rogue who put it in the envelope, so there's a brief touch of her mind on the gloves. And the memories frightened Erika... And she opened one of the gloves, just to have that touch behind her, as useless as it is.

She swallows. "N-no, it was fast, and there were no words, it was like.. She knew she was about to d.. Die, so she yelled at me to tell everyone. But I don't think she yelled at ME, just.. Everybody. There wasn't anything about what ate her." She chews her lip. She's in danger, so she can't defend herself. O... Kay... Way to ramp her fear level up. She swallows slowly.

Phoenix has posed:
With Erika fearing so 'loudly' Jean cannot help but listen in on her fears, as she grins at the student, "calm down, Erika...what I'm doing by not giving you anything of mine, like you asked, is keeping you safe. If you shy away from the belongings of telepaths, you cannot be reached. Which is why I refused...to keep you safe." There's of course much more, but all the better not to even mention. For one thing, Erika is a student, for second, even Jean isn't quite sure of the full scope of it. Something Jean and the Professor are puzzled by, should not be given to a student at all. Let alone a non-telepathic one.

Souvenir has posed:
Erika Kristasdottir might not be a telepath per se, but she knows she's psychic, and sensitive, and therefore... Vulnerable. "Aren't I? I don't really know what I am really. I read some of Laura's senses and thoughts once when she let me hold her boots while she was wearing them. I don't know what to do with that."

She fidgets some. "I'm scared.." She hears the reassurance of safety, but she can't help feeling like she's on the wrong side of the wall to be safe.

Phoenix has posed:
"Psychometry isn't Telepathy..." Jean states flatly, looking intently at Erika who seems to wrap herself in fear. "Reading Laura's thoughts is an anomaly for a Psychometric, but you still had to employ psychometry. You didn't do it without the item belonging to her, specifically while she wore it..." Jean muses, there might be some more to Erika's power worth exploring, but she's quite adamant when she states, "if you stay away from the belongings of telepaths, no harm will come to you, do otherwise, and I think that dark tendril creature will be after you just as it is barrowing into Emma now..." the tone is much stricter than usual. Jean really doesn't want to put Erika in harm's way.

Souvenir has posed:
Erika Kristasdottir looks at the desk. "... Okay." Of course, if whatever it is gets through, it might not matter, so she isn't sure how safe 'safe' is going to be in the end.

She takes another slow breath. "Is there anything else I can do? To get ready? I'm worried that he will be coming.. Whoever it is. And then I might stand out no matter what."

Phoenix has posed:
"The only ones who are in danger, far as I understand from exploring the Astral Plane, are telepaths all over the world. Regardless if they are mutants or not...I think this is a telepathic parasite growing recklessly, taking any who connect with the Astral Plane, which is why you should keep away from the Astral Plane. Easy to do when you're not a telepath. Which is why I warned you not to touch items belonging to Emma, or Elizabeth, or any other telepath you know of." With Erika ever restless, Jean sighs, and gets up. She walks around the desk to plant her hands on Erika's shoulders, if she would allow it, before using her empathy to calm Erika down, "it's going to be alright...nothing is coming for you. You are safe. But if you must...a tip in the event you miraculously wind up in the Astral Plane, which you shouldn't, I would be very cross with you if you do...the secret is to not see with your eyes."

Souvenir has posed:
Erika Kristasdottir has a sudden flash of analogy. A 'boyfriend' (who she wasn't actually interested in) of hers from years past played video games. In one, the more powerful your character became, the more dangerous the enemies became. So she remembered a dull at the time explanation of how he was avoiding getting good at his skills so he wouldn't have to fight harder monsters. She's pretty sure this is a horrible analogy, but it's bringing her a bit of comfort and control right this instant.

She settles into the touch immediately, even without the empathy. More than anything else, she didn't want to be alone. "Don't see with my eyes. Okay. I don't know how I would even get there. I won't try to find out. Should I... You know. Stop going to powers classes for now? If they make me stand out more?"

Phoenix has posed:
"I honestly don't know of any way that Psychometry links you to the Astral Plane, it just doesn't work that way," Jean continues to reassure Erika, "if you're a latent telepath, I haven't seen evidence to suggest that much. If you must have a memento from a telepath, you should seek out Elizabeth, I will not give you one because I believe it's a risk for you...maybe Elizabeth will disagree, if you can convince her otherwise. I refuse to put you in harm's way." Jean concludes her view on the matter, squeezing a bit at Erika's shoulders, "and yes, eyes fool you in the Astral Plane, it is the mind that counts. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have other things I need to take care of."