[Video] Friday, late morning

[catchingflies]

[The network is lucky. It missed out on one panicky teenager bouncing around and screaming as the spaceship shouted at him and alarms blared. The feed opens with alarms still blaring, but at least there's no more voices coming from the ship, and Todd is a little calmer, though he still looks pretty freaked out.]

Okay, so. I, uh, I think I got myself locked in. The doors won't open and somebody was goin' on about a lockdown. And there's some kinda weapon er somethin' in here.

[He shuffles nervously, looking around, then adds plaintively,]

Help?

Comments

[lehnsherr]

[yes, he has each of your names on alert. yes, he's trying to keep an eye on you all. no, he wasn't expecting the ping to come right now. and no, he's not impressed by what he sees.]

What did you do?

[he'll just be off looking for the nearest telepath to guide his way now. :|]

threadjack? :D

[abetterway]

[Sternly, her expression deeply concerned.]

Erik.

it's like you read my- wait :|

[lehnsherr]

Show me where he is.

[show, not tell. he knows how much quicker it'll be to let jocelyn guide the way herself.]

>.>

[abetterway]

Do attempt to be gentle. [There's just a hint of wry amusement in her tone, before her mind brushes against his. She shares what she gleaned from Todd's; the path he took through the ship and where he's found himself.]

creep

[lehnsherr]

When have I not?

[no, you're not allowed to reference any time it hasn't involved an xavier okay.

it's easier this time not to react to the intrusion as he welcomes the information she provides him with. he's already well on his way to reaching the ship, his abilities propelling him forward far quicker than his own two feet ever could.]

[abetterway]

[She doesn't speak aloud, this time, settling into the back of his mind, ready to guide him if needed.]

I haven't even finished the first list yet, and you want me to start another?

[lehnsherr]

[well, toad should be thankful to jocelyn for this. a few responses in and already erik's anger is pulling back a little. he's still annoyed, but nowhere near as much as he was when he first saw the message. there's even a hint of amusement at her words there, however briefly it lasts.]

Surely that shouldn't take you too long, Professor.

[abetterway]

[There may be a gleam of triumph in her reply.]

I'll need to cross-reference with my other selves.

[That really shouldn't be so easy to say.

Then, more soberly...]

You'll want to approach the ship carefully, Erik. I'm not entirely certain what Todd did, but it might well be weaponised.

[catchingflies]

[Oh great, the other Magneto guy is the first to answer? Todd's not sure whether he's relieved or nervous. His Magneto could probably get him out of here, but he'd be pisses as hell when he did.

So Todd's face is a little defensive on top of nervous when he responds.]

I was just explorin' the ship, that's all! And this one thing in a box went all powered on, an' then somebody started talkin', an' all the doors shut! I didn't do nothin' wrong!

[abetterway]

[Jocelyn's voice is calm and soothing.]

It's all right, Todd. These things happen. We're going to get you out.

I'm going to look into your mind, all right? Just so I know exactly where you are.

[catchingflies]

[Oh, hey, it's the Xavier lady. She's a little easier to deal with than Magneto-but-not, and Todd just nods at the camera anxiously.]

[abetterway]

[She offers him a reassuring smile before, ever so gently, probing his mind; seeing through his eyes, before tracing his path back through the ship.]

[catchingflies]

[ ... and that's just weird. It's like remembering, only not trying to remember. Todd looks a bit cross-eyed when she's finished.]

Didja, uh, find what you needed?

[abetterway]

I did, Todd, thank you. Erik will find you soon. [...She suddenly realises how reassuring that's not.] He has your best interests at heart, I assure you.

[lehnsherr]

Just... [there's a moment the where it looks like he's going to snap and tell toad off. that he's going to blame the boy for getting himself caught up in a dangerous situation, alone. but the anger doesn't come. he manages to keep it in check, with only the slightest amount of exasperation to show for it.]

Wait there and don't touch anything. We'll get you out of there soon.

[catchingflies]

[The look is enough to make Todd cringe a little, but when all he gets ia a little growling, he nods hurriedly a few times.]

Okay. A'right. Don't touch anything, you got it.

[ ... and he'll try, of course. It lasts a couple minutes, but that'll be about it. At least he doesn't set anything else off in the process?]

[lehnsherr]

[if toad wasn't currently stuck in the ship, then maybe erik would take the time to assure him that he wasn't angry, as such. annoyed, yes, but toad isn't entirely the one to blame.

but as it stands, the comments don't come. instead, he just continues on his way to the ship, the only sound coming from his feed being the rush of air as he pushes himself to move as quickly as he can.]

[catchingflies]

[It's a good thing Todd knows he can fly, or he'd be disturbed. As it is, he just kind of vanishes from the phone feed so he's not getting stared at or anything. He hops around, puts his ear to the walls here and there, pokes at the thing in the box that set this whole thing off, prods at the glowing panels by the doors...

Yeah, that not touching anything thing doesn't last long at all, but at least Erik can't see it, exactly.]

[lehnsherr]

[it takes a few more minutes before the ship comes in to view, and another few to finally step into the cool interior of its hull. tracing his way through the hallways is easy enough thanks to jocelyn's input, and it isn't much longer before he finally reaches the door.

a thump of his hand against the front of it is toad's only warning before he's pressing against the door, his hold against the alien metal being next to useless. but the power running through the lock is a whole other story as it starts to spark, the alarms seemingly growing louder as the lock is forced to disengage and let the door crash open.]

[oreskahouse]

...You need extracting?

[Watchers, apparently, will forever and always be endowed with the ability to make him insane, even if they're odd children he hasn't really convinced yet, let alone sworn in.]

[catchingflies]

[What the heck's extracting mean? Todd replies while looking agitated and distracted.]

What I need is somebody to get those doors to open up again. An' this room to stop flashin' lights at me!

[oreskahouse]

I don't know a thing about the doors, but I could probably get you out of the room.

[Ugh, transportation spells along with establishing location? He won't be good for much else for a while.]

You're aboard the... ship?

[catchingflies]

Yeah. In one of th'cargo bays. I think, uh, somebody's already comin' to get me.

[Todd pauses and glances aside, looking even more nervous.]

... think he's kinda mad, though.

[oreskahouse]

Ah, you're set, then.

[He suspects "kinda mad" happens to Todd a lot.]

Best of luck?

[catchingflies]

Thanks. I'm gonna need it.

[Too bad Thero isn't going to come, too. Maybe if there was another person around, Magneto-but-not wouldn't get too obviously mad and, like, cage him up in metal or something.]