7819/Log 7819

Log 7819
Date of Scene:	10 June 2019
Location:	Mall - Salem Center
Synopsis:	Summary needed
Cast of Characters:	Cypher, Mason Steele

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Cypher has posed:
    Time was, this used to be the thing people did for fun -- hang out at the mall. ...At least Doug still likes to. Though he does sometimes need to be careful. Right now, as he's walking out of the Banana Republic, he's confronted by somebody he used to go to high school with.
    "Say... don't I know you?"
    In an instant, Doug has completely changed his posture and modulated the tone of his voice. "...No, I'm sorry, we haven't met before. Can I help you?"
    "No, no, that's all right. You just look like someone I used to know."

Mason Steele has posed:
    Mason has a ball cap over his shaggy blond hair, the flat bill hanging low so that he's not quite so obvious to the passerby. His tank top hangs low, making certain that from profile his torso's well angled physique is visible for the ladies. He is chatting with a girl, maybe a couple years younger than he is. "Nah, it's cool, we can go for a ride and it'd be good, get to know you a little." She looks uncomfortable, a girl who is excited on one side that she is getting attention from a celebrity, but nervous on the other side, not ignorant of where he's likely to take things.

    "Yeah, just I'm supposed to meet my mom for lunch," she excuses herself. "But maybe we can find a time soon!" Mason nods, taking it in stride. "Hey, that's cool, you got my number so whatever you feel good with," he says.

    She nods, smiling with a blush, and then heading off in a different direction. He watches her rear as she goes, and nods to himself with a shrug. "She'll call." He pops off his cap briefly, adjusts his hair, then plops it back on his head, standing outside the same Banana Republic.

Cypher has posed:
Doug, who is well-turned out in a light jacket over a T-Shirt that has a romantic-looking Death Star shrouded by clouds that says 'Ce n'est pas une lune', tan trousers, and chelsea boots, stops, straightens back up, and then turns his head to look at Mason, one eyebrow going up. "Playing the clown always worked better for me. Girls love a guy who tries to make them laugh."
    He reaches into his bag, and takes out a pair of sunglasses, before he slides them on, and says, "Watch." He espies a couple of girls closer to his own age walking by, slides them down his nose, and gives an oversize grin and a wink, which earned him an eyeroll and a little smile.
    "...See?"

Mason Steele has posed:
    Mason grins, "Yeah, a real cassanova. Try following it up with actual words." he answers with a laugh. He gives a slightly critical look, and then gives the same question that was delivered a few moments ago by someone else. "Do I know you? You look familiar." His pocket buzzes, and he pulls it out, glancing at the text. He gives a smile and nod, holding the phone out to show a text from a number that isn't saved. 'It was great to meet you!'

Cypher has posed:
    Doug gives a crooked grin, and then he says, "Ah, but when I use my *words*, I'm irresistable." He says. "They're my super-power." He offers a handshake, gamely, and says, "Doug Ramsey. You may have seen me in the 'Gone but not Forgotten' section of the yearbook, and lately skulking around the halls looking lost." He tilts his head at Mason, and says, "And you -- didn't you play the android boy on that one Disney Channel series, or am I thinking of someone else?"

Mason Steele has posed:
    "Oh!" Mason snap-points. "Yeah, Xavier's. Cool." He laughs, "That was made like a million years ago. I did play Andrea's boyfriend in that show from a few years ago though. You're probably thinkin' of that." Mason shrugs. "But most people remember me for my music, or at least, I thought they did. Maybe not if you are thinkin' back on Disney Channel stuff." He gives a chuckle.

Cypher has posed:
Doug shakes his head. "I'm gonna level with you, I was probably gone when you got really popular." He tilts his head, and then picks up his bag. "Come on, Mason. Walk with me, talk with me. Maybe I can pick up tips on picking up girls from you." He gives an easy grin, and then says, "...But yeah. I was one of the *first* students when they really started opening up the school to a lot of different kids. New Mutants Clique," He says, "Rocking the black and yellow."

Mason Steele has posed:
    Mason seems to have little objection to walking with the fellow student. "Oh damn," he comments. "So an OG, huh?" he asks. "Yeah I just joined like a year ago. Kinda different place, that's for sure. I'm just glad that people got over the initial craziness when I got there. Getting fan-mobbed isn't always as fun as it sounds. So why'd you leave?" he asks, clearly not knowing the story.

Cypher has posed:
    Doug gives Mason a thoughtful look. Maybe he hasn't read the yearbooks. Finally, once comfortably out of earshot of the crowds, he says, "...I died." He heads for the food court, apparently inclined to get lunch. "I pushed a friend out of the way, and took a bullet with their name on it. Bled out on the floor." He quirks his mouth. "My standing here right now is a long story."

Mason Steele has posed:
    The explanation seems to stun Mason. "Like. Actually died? You mean like, in a coma or something?" He narrows his eyes, then laughs, "Dude, you sold that. I totally was buying it for a second." Naturally, this must have been a prank.

Cypher has posed:
    Doug casts his eyes downward, and then says, "...I like the teriyaki chicken here. Let's get a booth." Having captured one, he says, "...No, Mason. I died. I survived... it's really transhumanistic. My... me was preserved by a techno-organic virus I was infected with before I died. But I *did* die. And I'm still struggling to deal with it."

Mason Steele has posed:
    Mason loses the smile, "Wow. Um, sorry, didn't mean to be a jerk. That's like..." he shrugs, looking away. He follows to the booth, "So like..." he stops, deciding not to ask what it's like being dead. "Glad you made it through," he comments instead. "Kinda wild to think about." He drums his fingertips on the table of the booth.

Cypher has posed:
    "Well. I'm still working my way through it." Doug says, "Probably will be for the rest of my -- um -- life." He studies Mason thoughtfully, and then he says, "The thought bothers you. The thought of dying?" He asks. He brings up the automated menu on the table, and orders a couple of milkshakes.

Mason Steele has posed:
    Mason gives a wry smile, "Uh, yeah. Kind of a deep topic for first conversations, y'know?" he says. "Most people talk about sports or girls or stuff. Guess that's life at Xavier's though, huh?" he acknowledges. It's hardly a normal school.

Cypher has posed:
    Doug considers that, and then says, "Sorry. I sometimes forget how unusual my story is." Then he leans back in the booth, one arm draped across the back of it, before he says, "...But, okay -- tell me your story, Mason. How did you wind up at the school? I mean, I know WHY you're there, but you're famous. As swanky as the place is, private school dormitory life had to be a downgrade for you."

Mason Steele has posed:
    Mason shrugs, "Eh," he answers, "Kind of a bummer in some ways, but there's some ladies it's nice being close to, y'know?" he gives a wink. "But I all the telepaths make it hard to get away with much. Totally pictured Ms. Frost with her clothes off the first time I saw her. Did NOT know she was a telepath." He laughs, as if it is all a big joke. "But really, music room is top notch, and I still get to go to Julliard, so that's good, but getting into the city sucks. I thought L.A. traffic was bad, they got nothin' on New York."

Cypher has posed:
    Doug contemplates that, and then says, "Imagine not knowing she was a telepath. That was how I first met her." Then he says, "You're not used to people asking what you think or how you feel." Then he says, "Those things matter, you know. In some ways, they're the only things that matter. I apologize, by the way. My mutant power allows me to get a read on people's emotions, among other things. I try to play dumb about it, but sometimes stuff gets through. You have a low-key worry about what's going to happen to you -- it's all right to feel that way, you know."

Mason Steele has posed:
    "I didn't know!" Mason says, "Things are a little different for me," he comments without expanding. He isn't a fan of his powers, whatever they are. "Hopefully mine will stay out of my way enough to let me just live my life." He gives another shrug. "Just gotta deal with whatever it is, right?" he offers as advice to himself.

Cypher has posed:
    "...Do you know what my super-power first manifested as?" Doug asks. "I could speak any language. Even if I'd never heard it before, I'd pick it up and be able to start talking in it, or reading it, within a couple of minutes." He beams at the waitress as their milkshakes arrive. His is vanilla bean. He sips it, and then resumes, "I struggled with how USELESS that felt compared to other people's powers. But... now I see, it's more than most people've got. It can be a pain in the butt, but I make it work for me. What do you do?"

Mason Steele has posed:
    "Useless, are you kidding!?" Mason laughs. "I could write a song in any language, connect to any culture and make it fit right? That'd be the best power I can imagine," he compliments. He glances around, as if making certain no one is in earshot. "I really...it's not really useful for me. Maybe if I was a crime fighter or superhero type, but..." he shrugs. It's clear that being in a public place to talk about it is not on his list of pleasurable activities.

Cypher has posed:
    Doug rests his chin in his hand, as he thinks about that. "Sorry." he repeats. Then he gamely reaches out, and puts his hand on Mason's shoulder. "One of the hardest lessons I've hard to learn is that I have to measure my value on what I *have* to contribute, not what I don't have. So if you want to help... start thinking of things you can do to help. Then do *those* things. It really is that simple. If all you can do is carry boxes, be the best damn box-carrier there ever was."

Mason Steele has posed:
    "I play music," Mason says. "Don't need a power to do it," he adds. "Maybe it's bragging, but I'm pretty damn good at it, too." He shrugs. "I like to make something that people can listen to, and say 'Hey, that gets me.' Make people feel like they aren't alone, or just make them happy for a little bit." He reaches out for the milkshake, and takes a sip. "So it's cool, y'know? Don't need any powers for what I do. If I can keep it out of the way, that's good enough."

Cypher has posed:
    Doug quirks his mouth, and then says, "...You're a good egg, Mason. You know that?" He stirs his straw in his drink, and then says, "I'm big into the language of music, the way it affects our moods, how it speaks to us and how it encourages us as people. You like the Boss?" Then he snorts, "Of course you do, who doesn't like Springsteen. Of course, the best live performance ever was when Tina Turner did 'Proud Mary' in 1982."

Mason Steele has posed:
    "Dang, how old are you?" Mason asks, "My mom wasn't even born in 1982. But yeah, Springsteen is pretty good. I gotta say, best ever was Gershwin though." He arches his brow. "Dude was a baller. Best in American music ever. And Billy Joel, even though he cheated and stole all his stuff from Beethoven, he did it well. Hard to just single one though, y'know, so many different good artists out there."

Cypher has posed:
"I prefer to think of my tastes as timeless." Doug says. "The day people declare Blondie wasn't awesome is the day the human race can have the door shut on it for good." He flashes a faint grin, and then says, "So tell me something, Mason. What are you hoping to get out of this whole thing, and how can I help you do that? That's what friends are for, man..."