Scott and Shinobi, Sunday evening

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Set well before this log. Scott is enraged over the incident in Angelo's journal. Shinobi brings him good news. Scott is cheered up. Shinobi is devious.



Scott couldn't remember the last time he'd been this angry. Stalking back into his suite, he slammed the door behind him so hard that the noise echoed.

He could not believe this. He could not believe this. Of all the things the kids had done, all of the stupid, irresponsible, hurtful things... this was malicious. Calculated and malicious, and he was going to find whoever was responsible and demonstrate just why they called him Captain Fuckwad. Grinding his teeth, he bent to pick up one of the empty boxes still sitting in the middle of the floor - and hurled it at the wall with a curse.

It would have been hard to ignore all the noise even if he'd wanted to. Shinobi could certainly understand the irritation.. but that was just all the more reason for this not to wait. He eyed the freshly-slammed door to Scott's suite for a moment before he lifted a hand, and knocked, just a little tentatively. "Scott?" he said after a moment, raising his voice enough to be heard inside - barring any further crashing, anyway.

Scott sucked in a breath, hearing Shinobi on the other side of the door. Calm down, Summers. Someone else might need you. Forcing himself to relax, to unclench his hands from fists at his sides, he took another deep breath, then another, before he answered. "Come in," he called in a good facsimile of a normal tone.

That was a good sign. Shinobi pushed the door open enough to poke his head inside, eyes quickly surveying the room before settling on Scott, whom he offered a slightly strained grin. "Canada's looking rather good, isn't it?" he asked dryly, ducking inside and closing the door behind himself.

"No, actually, I think I need to stay here for the foreseeable future," Scott countered with a very tight smile. "Someone needs to be tracked down and strung up by their toenails." Then the implications of the comment about Canada dawned on him, and he gave Shinobi an intent look. "Are you all right?"

"When you find them, let me know," Shinobi agreed, tucking his hands into his pockets with a tired sigh. "If only so I can be kept very, very far away from them. I don't think using them as a guinea pig with my phasing is quite called for." No matter how tempting it was. The intent look shook him from that train of thought, though, and despite his irritation with the new crisis, he cracked a smile. "I'm very good, actually.. and all things considered, I thought maybe sharing some good news was in order. Unless you're enjoying the throwing about of things, I mean? I could wait, if you want."

Scott's lips twitched. "Well, no, I think I ought to stop doing that. The next stage is blasting my dishes into dust, and the last thing I need to be doing is shopping for kitchenware again." Taking another deep breath, he went over and sat down on the couch, gesturing for Shinobi to join him. "And good news is always welcome."

"Cain would probably take offense, too, and we can't have that." Shinobi's grin grew, and he dutifully followed along as he was beckoned to, dropping down to sit on a free cushion. "I just wanted to let you know, I talked with Sarah. About Boston. It.. went very, very well, I think. I made 'move on' noises at her, and I'm here to tell the tale and everything."

Scott tried not to look taken aback. "That's... good news, Shinobi," he said, and discovered that he meant it. Something struck him, and he tilted his head a little, regarding the younger man thoughtfully. "You didn't just make 'move on' noises, did you. You really talked to her. About the impact the whole thing's had on you."

Shinobi nodded, glancing down as his smile turned a bit sheepish. "I think it helped," he admitted, rubbing at the nape of his neck. "But she agreed to try talking with Kylun when I suggested it, so.. fingers crossed that he'll be willing to."

"Kylun?" As soon as he said it, he realized what Shinobi was getting at. "Ah," Scott said more quietly. "That's a very good idea. I can't imagine he wouldn't be willing."

"I hope so. I mailed him about it before I came up." Shinobi finally looked up, smiling tiredly as he slouched back against the sofa's cushions. "You seem a little less murderous, now."

"My murderous rage is in abeyance," Scott said wryly. "I had to talk to Hank about trying to figure out who got into Angelo's journal. Then I went down to hear Nathan's detailed account of the state Angelo was in, and hey, if you thought I was murderous..." He shook his head, sighing. "Part of me just can't conceive of any of the other students doing this sort of thing. Maybe I'm overly optimistic."

"The only I can think of being capable would have had no way of knowing in the first place, so I'm stumped," Shinobi mumbled, pinching the bridge of his nose. "If there's anything I can do to help figure it out, unlikely as it is in this situation, let me know?"

Scott frowned. "Who would that be?"

"This wouldn't be the first Angelo-related hissyfit Manuel's pulled in recent memory," Shinobi observed darkly, unable to keep himself from rolling his eyes. "But there's no way in hell he'd have known about this."

Scott was silent for a moment, thinking about some of the past history between the two boys. "You're absolutely sure of that? No... of course you are," he said, before Shinobi could answer. He grimaced. "I doubt Manuel's got the technical skills, in any case. Whoever did this covered their tracks very well."

"I'm still suspicious, mind, but it probably doesn't help that I'm still quite righteously pissed off with him," Shinobi observed in a wry voice, shoulders rising in a shrug. "Don't think my judgement's at its best when it comes to him. Doubt it will be for quite a long time."

"It's a shame that lining people up against the wall and having Charles scan them isn't an option," Scott said almost dryly. "Darn telepaths and their ethics..."

"At least he has them," Shinobi nodded, making a bit of a face.

"I think we may need to keep an eye on Paige, as well," Scott said very seriously. "I can't imagine she's taking this very well."

"Probably not," Shinobi agreed, drawing in a deep breath and letting it out in a sigh. "She bottles. Was planning on peeking in on her tomorrow morning, so she can focus on being there for Angelo tonight. I'd suggest you peek in on her, but.." But he didn't know if she'd talk to Scott about it, since he was, after all, the Captain. She had enough trouble showing weakness to her boys.

"Double-teaming is a practice of long standing and high tradition," Scott said almost lightly. "We'll both take a crack at her."

Shinobi nodded, cracking a wry grin. "Sarah might, too, possibly.. they're close. Shall I let you go first, Fearless Leader, or should I?"

"Email me in secret code when you've had a go," Scott said, wondering just when this conversation had gone from serious to serious, yet ridiculous. "I might have quite a bit on my plate tomorrow morning, but we don't want to leave the Paige-poking too long."

"Definitely not," Shinobi agreed, nodding his head solemnly. "If I could figure out how to transcribe it to text, I'd make the code be the sound of a dying giraffe.. though I suppose the joke might be lost, if you haven't the same refined taste in film as I do."

Scott blinked. "Yep," he said. "That one sailed right over my head."

"I am shocked," Shinobi replied, shaking his head gravely. "Shocked and appaled, sir, that you have yet to see one of the finest musicals of the last ten years. You're borrowing my DVD once all this ruckus is wrapped up."

"If we wait until then, I may never see it," Scott said with another wry smile. "Sometime this week?"

"Now you're being a pessimist," Shinobi observed, tutting in disapproval. "But I think that could be arranged, just the same, sure. Swing on by whenever you want to nab it, I ought to be around."

"Sanity breaks," Scott said with a sigh. "Highly underrated, I think."

"Don't tempt me into organizing another ski trip, Scott," Shinobi chuckled. "The last one was fun, but damn it, Paul and I have a party to plan, and I can only do so many things at once."

Scott, almost on instinct, reached out and ruffled Shinobi's hair. "Overstressing that brain would be bad, yes," he said lightly. "I have high hopes for it."

Shinobi just beamed, not really minding the newly mussed state his hair was in at all. It meant Scott was in a good mood - mission accomplished. "I'll try not to let you down. I have high hopes for it, too."