Cerebro

[367]

USING CEREBRO

Emma Frost has had enough.

With the situation continuing to escalate, as the marks change and spread, and magical forces emerging as a potential cause of their current circumstances, they're in need of answers more than ever. Answers about the still mentally missing Charles Xavier. Answers about the entity that had supposedly branded them with otherworldly magic. Answers about what's happening to herself and her friends. And she intends to find them.

She passes through the metal doors with Kitty Pryde -- who will be monitoring Cerebro -- and Manuel de la Rocha -- who will be monitoring her -- shortly after classes end for the day, prepared to put on the helmet and interface with the device that will magnify her mental powers exponentially. The metal doors close and seal behind them and the trio prepares, getting to work while the rest of the team waits somewhere outside.

This day is a long time coming.

As Cerebro comes to life, her telepathic awareness swells, reaching across miles and miles as she begins her search. For a long time, there's nothing but the cacophonous noise of thousands of minds that are within her reach but which must be ignored as she continues forward. Her mind expands further and reaches farther as Kitty adjusts the sensitivity of Cerebro. Minutes roll into hours and the device hums and Emma's telepathic ability is beginning to buckle under the strain. It seems like there may be nothing to find.

Until...

The familiar sense of Charles Xavier's mind. Muted and impossibly far away from her body, but near to her mind. Close enough to reach out and touch. But the man's focus is turned from her and she finds herself a passenger as he attempts to navigate (or guide?) the mind of something else. Something vast and powerful and...confused.

Something that, unfortunately, notices her before Charles does.

Suddenly, her telepathic awareness seems to turn on her and the only mind she sees is her own reflected back to her in endless, distorted, disorienting patterns. She tries to withdraw but her mind is reeling and there's a mounting sense of panic. She tries to break free instead, wildly, ferociously--

Then the helmet is pulled off and she comes slamming back into her body, breathless. Manuel is at her side, the helmet still in his hands, and Kitty rushes over to join them, asking if she's all right and pressing a tissue under Emma's bleeding nose.

Whatever had happened to her, it seems to be over now.

THE AFTERMATH

In total, Emma Frost spent a little over two hours utilizing Cerebro. Even for Charles, this would've been an unusually long time to make use of the device. But she'd been determined to find something. She will spend several days after plagued by an intense migraine. Whether this has to do with her encounter or just her use of Cerebro is unclear. Either way, she may've overdone it a bit...

Unfortunately, Emma is unable to determine a precise physical location where she had encountered Charles' mental presence. Given his disembodied status, this would be a difficult feat. The other entity, however, seemed to have been tethered to something physical and something quite far from them. She didn't get a clear enough read to pinpoint them, but is fairly confident she could given more time and less psychic interference.

The following day, Kitty Pryde(*) and Manuel de la Rocha(*) discover that their marks have also changed. Kitty actually catches her mark in the act after feeling a faint pulsing on the back of her neck. She'll have a brief opportunity to glimpse it in the mirror or find someone to be her eyes and watch it for her. Regardless, the silvery substance seems to gather together before spreading out in deliberate lines like something is writing on her skin before it settles in again. It's done in a matter of seconds.

USING CEREBRO ⮾ THE AFTERMATH ⮾ OOC

code

Comments

USING CEREBRO

[367 367]

USING CEREBRO: Emma, Manny, & Kitty

[frost_queen Emma Frost ♕ White Queen]

Even though she's stepping into Cerebro for the second time in two days, Emma does still find all the stupid dinosaur decorations she and Kitty had put up rather charming. It's childish and haphazard, but it really does feel like it's taken some of the bite out of the chill that she feels for Cerebro these days. It even actually makes her smile a bit as she glances to her companions. Her assistants.

In a comfortable white linen dress, sleeves rolled up to her elbows, she's ready to get to work. Even if there's still a bit of nervousness in her.

"What shall we have for dinner, after?"

USING CEREBRO: Emma, Manny, & Kitty

[passingthru KITTY PRYDE]

"Sushi. To celebrate."

Kitty decides, clinging on to the idea that this will in fact be a day to celebrate. She goes into business mode very easily, making her ponytail into a messy bun at the top of her head. She's in overalls and sneakers, personally, and while she kept her word and got some sleep all night, she's been in here for hours already. Only a little of that time was spent hiding one more dinosaur in Emma's Cerebro chair. Her mind, too, is focused and clear. She can do that much. "Should we place the order now so it gets here while you're in?"

USING CEREBRO: Scott, outside

[seeingred scott summers ⊗ cyclops]

Scott sits on the floor outside the room, arms resting on his knees and his head tipped down. Half of his attention is focused on anything he can hear from Cerebro and its operator, while the other half is simply trying to stay clear of either thoughts or feelings.

Easier said than done. He's wearing one earbud, piping white noise into his ear, and is silently counting down from one thousand. After the first hundred, he switches to saying the numbers aloud, just to force himself to go slower.

USING CEREBRO: Scott & Illyana, outside

[allhell magik 🖤 illyana rasputin]

Illyana silently watches him from approximately 623 to 589 before she says "What are you doing?"

USING CEREBRO: Scott & Illyana, outside

[seeingred scott summers ⊗ cyclops]

Scott sits up so suddenly that the back of his head hits the wall. Ow. His hand is hovering in the air next to his glasses before he sees who it is. "How long have you been there?"

USING CEREBRO: Kurt, in Xavier's office

[blauerdamon kurt wagner ⚔️ nightcrawler]

Scott is on hovering duty, as is his right, now that he and Emma are decidedly more official than one clandestine kiss. Besides, the second any news comes through Kurt could be there in less than a second. Manny doesn't need any distractions, he doesn't want Scott to start worrying about him instead of Emma (or maybe worse: smother Scott with his own worries), Kitty is more than capable of handling the technical angle, and... well, that's that, isn't it?

Instead he finally does the thing he's been putting off as long as Emma's been avoiding Cerebro: going through Charles' desk. Charles is a computer savvy man, but also the kind of man who relished in writing letters with a fountain pen. Maybe there's something Kurt missed. Some piece of paperwork, a letter from a strange contact, anything.

Even if nothing comes of it, at least it keeps Kurt busy until Emma dips into his brain or his phone rings.

THE AFTERMATH

[367 367]

THE AFTERMATH: Emma, Manny, & Kitty

[frost_queen Emma Frost ♕ White Queen]

There is blood streaming out of her nose and a painful ringing in her ears and her breaths are coming too quickly in near gasps. It takes her nearly a minute to realize where she is, and during that minute her expression is a little vacant (but, at least, she is clearly not in a coma). Then Emma comes back to herself suddenly, her hand automatically lifting to press on the tissue that Kitty has brought over. Manny has full access to her emotions. She is disoriented and still somewhat panicked.

"I'm fine." She feels a little like she's going to throw up and a little like her head is going to split open. Somehow, her voice is relatively even. "Really, it's fine. You both did a wonderful job. I'm fine."

THE AFTERMATH: Emma, Manny, & Kitty

[empata Manuel de la Rocha (Empath)]

Seeing Emma like this -- bleeding and breathless and disoriented -- makes Manuel's chest feel tight. It hits uncomfortably close to home after their recent visit to Genosha. But he focuses on her and focuses on his breathing, determined to stay in the moment as he kneels beside her, taking her hand in his and putting the other on her back to steady her.

"Emma...? Mi corazón?"

There's no immediate response, but he understands that and he waits, focusing on her emotions as she slowly comes out of her disoriented state and just resisting the urge to soothe them himself. She doesn't like that and he can feel her recovering on her own.

"...You're...What happened out there?"

THE AFTERMATH: Emma, Manny, & Kitty

[passingthru KITTY PRYDE]

Kitty has now seen both of the people in this room bloody and half-conscious, and her heart's pounding just as it had in Genosha. But Kitty suppresses the memory of seeing Manny like this, so that it wouldn't be the first thing Emma sees in her head. She goes intangible and then back, like taking a big breath. A purposefully non-shaky hand smooths Emma's helmet-hair down, and her other one shoves another three Kleenex under her nose.

"Just had to push it to dramatics, huh?" is her two cents, but her voice is unnaturally subdued.

THE AFTERMATH (SATURDAY MORNING): Kitty, with Apologies to her Neighbors

[passingthru KITTY PRYDE]

It's a few minutes shy of seven in the morning. Kitty's technically awake, but not in any mood to do anything about it except scroll on her phone, and stroke Lockheed's ears lazily. She's contemplating closing her eyes again, but as she leans into the soft pillows, yesterday's events playing out again in her brain, the back of her neck starts throbbing.

No, it's pulsing.

She feels at the mark. Something's moving. It's a split-second decision between the bathroom and the wall to see what. She might miss it if she tries to see around her shoulder, into her mirror. Good thing she has a pathologically alert neighbor conveniently located a few feet away. She hasn't heard him leave yet. "Scott!!"

She yells out, dashing through the wall, shaking all her hair in front of her face to clear the spot for inspection before she's even landed on the floor, and definitely before she's spotted any actual people in here. "What's my mark doing??"

There's been weirder requests from her, probably.

THE AFTERMATH (SATURDAY MORNING): Kitty, with Apologies to her Neighbors

[seeingred scott summers ⊗ cyclops]

It's rare for Scott to actually sleep in on Saturdays, but he also usually doesn't have Emma in his bed. Still, at the sound of his name, he jerks upright, his hand going to his ruby quartz goggles as he scans their surroundings for the attack. Bigoted extremists. Giant robots. Evil wizards.

None of the above. No attack at all. Just Kitty, coming through the wall that separates their bedrooms, a thing she does so often that Scott can't even muster embarrassment that he's not wearing clothes right now. "Emma." In his head are steps on what to do if his mark changes: first, a video for their records. In the 1.75 seconds it takes for Scott to grab his phone and start recording (he timed it), he trusts Emma will reassure Kitty.

THE AFTERMATH (SATURDAY MORNING): Kitty, with Apologies to her Neighbors

[frost_queen Emma Frost ♕ White Queen]

Though not usually Kitty's neighbor, Emma isn't unaccustomed to her just appearing in whatever room she's in. It's a little rougher when she's sporting one of the worst migraines of her life, but she takes it in stride nonetheless.

She sits up, eyes barely open, sheets pulled around her with one hand as she tries to focus. She doesn't have it in her to mentally soothe her friend, so she'll have to make do with regular comforting.

"Shh, darling, it's alright. Your mark..." Is changing. Not good.

OOC - QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, CONCERNS!

[367 367]

You know the drill. ♥

Re: OOC - QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, CONCERNS!

[seeingred scott summers ⊗ cyclops]

Emma 😱

Scott was hanging outside for 2+ hours and will run in there as soon as he can. if you want him for any kind of scene I'm always down

Re: OOC - QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, CONCERNS!

[frost_queen Emma Frost ♕ White Queen]

Sorry for like 50 million threads but also... maybe a thread?

Re: OOC - QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, CONCERNS!

[passingthru KITTY PRYDE]

AAAH EMMA 😭
Kitty is gonna have a lot of feelings and worry and lite regret about letting it go on for too long but. That’s fine.
Would love to do threads abt it if anyone wants and also if anyone does want to see her mark change that sounds like a fun opportunity so lemme knoooow

Re: OOC - QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, CONCERNS!

[seeingred scott summers ⊗ cyclops]

Scott is neighbors with Kitty... tho emma might be there too so this is maybe a bad suggestion lol

Re: OOC - QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, CONCERNS!

[frost_queen Emma Frost ♕ White Queen]

Do we want to do one with Kitty and Manny and Emma at some point either before or after? No pressure!!!

Re: OOC - QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, CONCERNS!

[frost_queen Emma Frost ♕ White Queen]

HI sorry my day has been busy busy but, obviously......... here for threads. I go out of town Sunday night so I'll be slow after that, but I want it all~

Emma is just going to be very pathetic in bed for a few days but also maybe a little excited because she kept her brain AND they have a lead!! yay!!

Thank you Kasey 🥲

Re: OOC - QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, CONCERNS!

[blauerdamon kurt wagner ⚔️ nightcrawler]

At least she's guaranteed to be pampered by the rest of the team while she recovers :')

Re: OOC - QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, CONCERNS!

[allhell magik 🖤 illyana rasputin]

Illyana's staying outta everyone's way today generally but she is theoretically around if anyone wants her for anything.

Re: OOC - QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, CONCERNS!

[seeingred scott summers ⊗ cyclops]

come bother him... he is doing NOTHING for two hours lmao

Re: OOC - QUESTIONS, COMMENTS, CONCERNS!

[frost_queen Emma Frost ♕ White Queen]

HELLO I just want to say I don't have plans to do a journal post to discuss what Emma saw because 1) I just did a post and 2) she is being a pathetic lump anyways, so someone else can absolutely feel free to do one to discuss theories and stuff if you want! Emma will have given a full account to at least one person, so it's safe to assume the information has disseminated fully and they know everything that's in the narrative above. ♥