LOG: [Doug, Marius] Lunchtime

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So, what DOES one use preternatural pattern-recognition for? Doug's got a suggestion . . .



"Don't see why Moira's still makin' me do this in Medlab," Marius muttered. "She got all the technical stuff with Kyle first go around, and I know Forge gave her the results of whatever the other week's pokin' around turned out to be, so now she's just bein' difficult." He sighed and flopped into the chair opposite the other occupant of the room, the move so heavy it knocked a few heavy curls across his eyes. "Anyway. Introductions. You'd be Doug Ramsey?"

Doug fidgeted with his T-shirt, brushing lint off of a large red circle flanked by several red triangles. He had certain clothes he liked to wear, that were comfortable. And even though he had volunteered for this, and had been assured that things would be just fine, he wasa definitely just a bit jumpy. So comfort clothing was definitely in order. "That's me. And you're Marius, of course." He chuckled nervously at the inanity of introducing himself to someone he'd chatted with occasionally on the journal system. "I gotta say you're a lot easier to get along with than Monet."

"So I'm told," Marius grinned. "But then, so's a chargin' bull elephant. Before she lit out for Xavier's ABC kept a few people in the news department whose only job was keepin' tabs on the rich and famous, or at least the parts of it that attract police attention on a regular basis. The staff doubled when Monet hit puberty. Not terribly bothered I never met her. One of the benefits of bein' legitimately illegitimate was not havin' to grow up with the silly cow." He sat back and smiled wryly, regarding the other boy. "Anyway, guess we should start. I'm all for spendin' as little time down here as possible. Any last-minute questions?"

Doug shrugged, trying to breathe normally. "Not really. I mean, it's all been pretty well explained to me. Just...y'know, kinda hard not to freak out, even so. I mean, I know it's not really supposed to hurt, but it's still kinda hard to just take the plunge on faith." And he was definitely babbling.

Marius snorted. "Well, it's a bit off, isn't it? 'Pleased to meet you, would you care to make a bone marrow donation?' wasn't quite the introduction I ever expected to be givin', but such is life." He shrugged dismissively. "Truth, I still find it a bit creepy myself, so no worries if you want to step out. Or there's good old-fashioned apheresis, but that's four or five hours with a needle in your arm."

"I don't like needles," Doug muttered. Not that he was crazy about getting bitten in the arm by the mouths in Marius' palms, but he supposed it was better than the alternative. And according to everything he'd been told, there was a sort of natural anaesthetic that the mouths secreted. Which, if he thought about it, was really kind of gross, but it made sense in a bizarre way. Rolling up his sleeve, he offered an arm. "Um, whenever you're ready," he said, trying to keep his voice level.

"No worries, this'll take a lot less'n five hours," Marius smiled, pulling off a glove and flexing his fingers. He glanced at Doug's arm, which the boy had extended close-fisted and knuckles-down, like someone preparing to have blood drawn. "Think it's better to take it from the top of the arm, by the way. The underarm's a bit sensitive, an' not a fun place to have a bruise at any rate." At Doug's look he shrugged. "You do it every nine days or so, you learn a few things. All set, then? Right."

The hand that closed lightly around his arm was deceptively warm and dry. The odd part was the teeth -- pinprick sharp, but settling slowly into his skin. There was a sharp pinch, but, as promised, the area numbed almost instantaneously.

Doug settled back somewhat lethargically due to the anaesthetic. "That feels...weird," he commented softly.

"It'd be more worryin' if it didn't," Marius replied, his attention half on the muscles working in his hand. Lately he'd been so focused on controlling the involuntary movements that it felt strange to let them function automatically. He was also conscious of Doug's muscles relaxing under his grip. That was probably better for both of them, because the tenser the donor the more Marius felt the urge to tighten his grip, and Doug had seemed nervous enough.

"Anyway," Marius said after a moment, hoping to fill the silence while his body continued to feed, "usually people have a bit of problems with their powers right after, but I don't know how yours'll take it. You're the only other one in the school with a mental mutation, aside from Forge. He didn't seem so bothered, but he also hadn't had his powers for a while, so I'm not quite sure how this will work out."

Doug struggled to follow Marius' conversational path. It was like his entire brain was wrapped in cotton or something. "You mean the only mental mutation you've been feeding off?" he asked a bit muzzily. "Because there's plenty of other mental mutations around here..." The Professor being the most glaring example, followed closely by Jean, Nathan, and his girlfriend. He giggled abruptly at the thought of Marie-Ange, and wondered what she was up to. "And if I can't speak Swahili for a little while, I doubt the world will end," he continued.

Marius waved dismissively. "Oh -- you mean telepathy and that. That's different. That's . . . outward. And I haven't fed on anyone with telepathy, anyway. Apparently there's some consensus among the staff that it'd be a bad idea givin' me brain powers for some reason." Marius grinned. "You an' Forge, though, your mutation is inward. It works on your own brain, not anyone else's. It's a bit unique."

"So says the guy with mouths in his hands," Doug replied with a snicker. "Unique is a pretty null-content word around here, what with the guy who turns himself into twins and triplets and so forth, the seven-foot-tall groundskeeper, and the girl who habitually tears her skin off." He grinned back. "But my power's been pretty useful a few times, so I think, upon mature reflection, I'll keep it."

Marius snorted. "Only way I see mine comin' in useful is if I take up the leather-thing, and even then there are some issues. For instance, somehow I don't think Magneto'll be nice enough to roll up his sleeve and stand still for a few minutes." He felt the teeth withdraw from Doug's arm as the muscles in his hand relaxed, and grinned. "Speakin' of, looks like our five are up," he said, releasing the other boy. He wiped his hand on his pantleg and glanced up at Doug. "So, how's your brain? Any difference?"

Doug paused dramatically to assess his mental state. "Wonky," he finally said, with another giggle. "Am I supposed to be this..." he gestured with a hand, searching for a properly descriptive word, "...giggly?"

"Mate, I just sucked your platelets out with my palms. 'Supposed to' anything is a bit of a rhetorical question." Marius stood up and stretched, feeling better already. Somehow he never really noticed how run-down he'd gotten until right after he'd fed. Rolling his shoulders, Marius briefly pondered reactions. "Hard to say. Forge was actin' a bit giddy, but then, Forge's powers'd just gotten a kickstart for the first time in days. An' if that time's any indication, it's a natural consequence of the power anyway. Might want to watch yourself gettin' up so you don't find yourself back down."

Doug half thought about standing up to see how he felt, then thought better of the idea. "I think I'll stay sitting here for a while, thanks," he said. "And right back at you. Your brain doing any different?"

"No clue," Marius said cheerfully. "Your power's languages an' that, right? Not much goin' on to trigger that." Although he was beginning to become aware of the flourescent light above their heads. He'd noticed it was flickering when he'd come in, but -- as with anything he deemed unimportant -- had simply blocked it out. Now, however, the fluxuations were getting a little distracting.

Doug noticed Marius getting progressively more distracted, and nodded, a wry twist to his mouth. "Oh yeah, forgot to mention the 'ferret shock' aspect of my power. The downside to pattern recognition is that you start seeing patterns in _everything_. A word of advice? Don't go into an airport or any other huge crowded place under the influence of my power. Trust me, it's for your own good."

"Aw. Guess clubbin's right out, then." The light was flickering 3-rest-2.4-rest-4-rest-3-rest and-- Marius really, really needed to stop looking at that light. He made a face and attempted to focus on Doug. "So, your power. What is it good for?"

"Well, you can go clubbing, it just takes some getting used to." Doug grinned. "And I thought you'd never ask." He stood up, much less wobbly than before, and drew Marius along by his shoulder. "Have you ever heard of a game called Dance Dance Revolution?" he asked as the Medlab doors closed behind them.