xp_logs | Jubilee and Forge, Saturday night (Reply)

After making her departure announcement, Jubilee takes a small walk and comes across Forge trying some unorthodox methods of self-contemplation. The two talk about the future, and things come full circle with the conclusion that everything will work out all right in the end.

Jubilee reached down and adjusted the knee brace she'd gained from last nights activities in the Dangerroom. She might have said that next time she wouldn't be so stupid as to try and distract herself by running a program at highest level but she adamantly hoped there would never be a next time for this sort of thing. Having your heart crushed beyond recognition really wasn't something worth repeating.

It was only another three hours till she left for the airport, and she had decided to take one more walk around the grounds, visit old haunts before she left. She'd been hiding out, without really hiding out from the others at the school all morning. It wasn't so much that she walked the other way when she saw people, more that she just chose places she knew they wouldn't be. She'd posted something brief to the journals to let people know she was moving to LA but she hadn't known how to tell anyone why, not without getting teary and pathetic anyhow.

What she didn't expect was Forge mop of hair appearing out of nowhere in front of her, upside down. A blink of surprise, and she glanced up to notice his legs hooked around a low-hanging tree branch.

"I figured it works for Kyle, I'd give it a shot," he said with an inverted smile. "But all I seem to be getting is a small touch of vertigo. How's things?"

"Gettin' a little surreal." Jubilee replied, giving Forge's current position a quizzical look. "Just what are you doing up there?"

"Pondering existence, stuff like that," Forge said, hauling himself up in a situp to grasp the branch and flip over, swinging down to flop on the grass next to Jubilee. "Pondering life, the universe, sussing out the direction I'm taking, all that. Unlike the current trend, I know mine's not just 'out of here', though," he grumbled with a pointed look in Jubilee's direction.

She smiled wryly, looks like she wasn't going to get away without at least a few explanations then. "S'not exactly that simple, Dude."

She looked around for somewhere to sit, this talk might take a little while and she didn't see any reason to just stand around making her feet sore. Not seeing anywhere nearby, she shrugged and sat down cross-legged on the grass. "So, you upset at me for leavin'?"

Forge thought, then shook his head. "I know you wouldn't be if you didn't feel you had to. And LA's home to you, really. Another one, I mean. Plus Ms. Blaire's out there, and you can help out, get your head together, all that. I mean, you could do that here..." he said quietly, then poked her in the side. "But that means we'd have to listen to more of your crap bubblegum pop music and maybe you're better off a few thousand miles away. Dork."

Jubilee snorted, gaze amused as she looked up at him. "Who you callin' a dork, Mr poster child for Dorkishness? I'll have you know that bubblegum pop music is great for workouts. I know I could do it here, but it's better that I make myself a bit unattainable for awhile. David knows I live here, he's liable to come visitin' if it gets it into his head that I'd ever forgive him. I just can't deal with that right now. I'm not sure I wouldn't do somethin' unforgivable."

"Can I do something unforgivable?" Forge said with a scowl. He'd heard the story about David's screwup, and after a week of dealing with two suitemates leaving, one of whom he really wanted to smack in the head with a shovel, Forge felt a definite urge to unleash some hostility on someone.

"No. If anyone is gonna do bodily damage to the creep, it'll be me." Jubilee replied, reaching up to grab his hand and pull him down beside her. "So what's buggin' you that you're thinkin' about your future all of a sudden? I mean, published author and all I'd have thought you had that all sorted."

Dealing with other people's problems was always a great way to put your own into perspective. Besides, she hated to see a friend unhappy for any reason.

"Let's see," Forge began. "Jay takes off, Marius leaves, Jennie's gone for the next few weeks, even Crystal - who's pretty cool, even with the whole royal culture shock thing - is taking off. Place is like a ghost town lately." He shook his head. "I've been talking to the Professor, he sent me to Mr. Kuk. I'm going to be interning with him this summer, working with the security around the place. I have a few ideas I want to bounce off folks - I mean, I'm not the kind of person who'll ever be an X-Man. It's not who I am, it's not... you remember when we went on that flight to Muir and Ms. Munroe almost crashed the jet? Yeah, I helped pull our fat out of the fire, but I was terrified the whole time. I might never be able to put on the leathers and go stop the Brotherhood, but I can do my part to make sure anyone who wants to come here, to try and come into our home?"

He held up his metal hand, clenching it into a fist with a smile. "They'll be in for the fight of their lives, let me tell you. Jay used to always tease me that I was too much of a chicken to take a real stand on things. Well, this is me taking a stand now."

It was one of those moments that required a serious note, some sort of encouraging gesture that let the other person know you were with them all the way. She knew he was going to do great, and being on the front line wasn't everything. It took all sorts to make things run smoothly.

She reached up and ruffled his hair with an impish grin. "You sir, are a Dorkfish. Everyone gets scared out there. But I can understand not wantin' to be on the front line. It ain't for everybody, doesn't mean you're a chicken though. You're gonna do great, ya know. No sharks with laserbeams though, or minature versions of yourself."

"Sharks?" Forge cocked his head in confusion. "What, in case someone tries to attack the pool? I swear, you and your weird ideas."

After a small chuckle, he leaned into Jubilee's shoulder, letting out a sigh. "Everyone leaves," he said sadly.

Jubilee turned slightly and wrapped an arm around him. "I know but it's just life, Dude. People grow up, leave to do stuff and then get together on public holidays to bitch about the weather and the price of housing. We're family though, an the good thing about family is they always turn up when ya need 'em. You ever need anythin', even just to talk, you know I'm there."

"I will, most likely," Forge admitted, "because as much as I love this place, it can drive you a little mad sometimes."

"Sometimes literally." Jubilee replied, grinning. "So, Mr up and coming security mastermind. Think we can find Lorna's stash of the good biscuits without gettin' caught?"

Forge smiled, taking Jubilee's hand and rocking up to his feet. "Of course. Rule number one of home security, know where your cookies are. See, there's this box everyone thinks has lime popsicles..."