[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.

[lehnsherr]

[there's acknowledgement there, the ship looming in to view at long last as he finally lets himself touch ground again.]

If anything happens, focus on getting him out.

[in other words, take the reins and force him to leave out of whatever hole erik blows in the hull of the ship.]

[abetterway]

I'm sorry, I seem to have misheard "us".

[If there's any assistance she can give Erik, she will, no matter the strain.]

[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.

[catchingflies]

Yeah, I bet.

[As long as his best interests include being yelled at, maybe.]

[abetterway]

If he didn't care for your well-being, he wouldn't be angry at you for risking it.

[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.]

[catchingflies]

[Warning or not, Todd comes bounding over at the sound, hoping that it's who he thinks it is-- and at the same time, not hoping that's who it is. He doesn't look forward to the lecture he's expecting, but he is liking the idea of getting out.

But he still keeps his distance from the door as it buzzes angrily and finally slams open. He's in clear view about a dozen feet away when it does, and he grins sheepishly.]

Hey, boss.

[lehnsherr]

Toad. [there's a brief flash of amusement at the word 'boss', gone just as quickly as it arrives. with the alarms still blaring, he doesn't know just how much time they have until it manages to alert the wrong people. which means-]

Get moving.

[he steps to the side, motioning back out the room and down the corridor he took to get there. a quick thought is sent back to jocelyn, despite knowing she's probably already fully aware of what's happening. but it never hurts to be sure.]