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Seth made his announcement at the lunch table and everyone made their way down to the newspaper office for some privacy.

Seth thought it a bit odd that there were only a few kids at the lunch tabel, but he had worked up the courage to do what he did with the forcefull walkaway, and well damn it. He was going to do it.

When it turned out not everyone was there, he asked those that were if he could postpone unitl after school. It didn't seem like a big problem.

So now he was waiting, with his back proped against the door.

Waiting for everyone to get here.

When would his hands stop shaking?

Kel comes in and nearly knocks Seth down as he was leaning against the door, he then goes, "Sorry man..."  He enters and walks around, noting it's the first time he's been early for a group event in a while, "So we going to wait for everyone else?..."

Seth moves his hair out of eyes, and there is fret and stress behind those green pools.

Yeah. I don't know if I could say this out loud more than once.

Colin looks worriedly at Seth and fills a paper cup of water for him. As he offers it to his friend, he asks "Are you sure you don't want to sit down while we wait for them? You don't look too well."

The last 2 weeks have been really crazy.

My head hurt.

Seth laughs.

It always hurts. I think I'll stand. Thanks though. For the water.

"If you want, I can try to do something for your head. It's not guaranteed to work, but it doesn't involve any more zappings, and it can't hurt either."

Sarah just leans back and hangs out waiting for the announcement.  She's not completely sure what Seth's going to say but she could make a safe guess.  She's known since the missing death ray that Seth had a gift.  She also had her suspicions about his involvement at the party fight but had no way to prove anything.  Maybe he's going to tell us he's really an undercover narc... or that he's from another planet!  Nah.

Donnie walks in with everyone else, snags a chair and begins unwrapping his sandwich.

Sylvia catches up afterward and takes her usual seat in one of the padded swivel chairs that are such a luxury in school room.

How many more do you think will show up?

Seth asked. His hand shaking. He notices this over his nose and moves to fold them behind his back.

Dave and Greg arrive with TJ and take some seats.

OOC: Uri is in the process of moving so he has been absent the last few days.  As quiet as he normally is I figured he can still be around.  If I'm right this should be all the Usual Suspects that are available.

OOC: Yup, Matt's still in the library or just wandering around, and he still bears a grudge over being shouted at.  ^-^

"I couldn't find Matt, so he doesn't know we postponed the meeting. Other than him, we are all here."

Colin takes a chair and sits on it backwards, with his arms resting on the back, looking at Seth expectantly.

Seth stands up straight and tall. Shaking his hands out: " I have two things to tell you. I don't really know what the best order is, so i'll go the biggest first.

I have a power. I've had it since before school started, i think.... I can move things with my mind.  I can lift a lot. Maybe almost 500 pounds. I don't know exactly. I can do other things to. I can "turtle up" and make some sort of forcefield. And the thing is. I have really good control over it. I can't like tie my shoes with it, But i'm working on it."he gives a little half-hearted laugh. "I can do velcro shoes."

He looks out at you, testing the waters and waiting for your reactions.

Colin releases his broad smile.
"Wow. That's really cool, I mean, it's a very nice talent. I am also glad you think you can trust us with it, now." then he frowns "Is that why you suffer from headaches?".

Seth sees Dave give Greg some money, and Greg says a quiet 'Thank you sir.' in response.

Kel smirks at Seth from where he's leaning against the wall and then says, "Welcome to the club Seth.  Glad to hear it."

Well that issue 3, actually. But it relates pretty strongly to issue 2. So i guess i'll talk about that now.

There are 3 people who know this. Me and my parents. Well, my doctors too.

Seth sits down suddenly. Right on the ground, indian style. He starts picking at the cheap carpet. He stares at the floor, and doesn't look up through this next bit of speech. After he's worked out a a thread and picked it into a loop...

"I have brain cancer. A golf ball size tumor. Growing too. Three years ago it was an errant collection of cells in my temperal lobe. Now?"

"This doesn't leave this room.....I......My..... My current life expectancy is 24. Unless it takes a turn for the worse."

His hand which was picking the thread starts to shake. He presses it flat against the floor. He looks up at all of you through his hair. You can't quite be sure, but you think there might be some wetness around the eyes.

It really can't leave the room. Those words are a prayer.

Colin finds no words for this. And when words fail him, he's got only one resource left. He goes sit just beside Seth, and throws an arm around him, holding him in what is half of a hug. There's no cheap compassion in his eyes. There's sincere concern instead, and a sad feeling of impotence.

Can I do something for him? This is so... big. It's not like a heavy beating. It's... big. Maybe just to ease his pain, or giving him some more years. I'll have to ask him another moment, with less people around.

"There are fates you can not interfere with.  There will always be fates that are beyond your influence."

Sarah takes a step forward towards Seth but stops and wraps her arms around herself.  "I promise not to tell.  I'm sorry."

She smiles a little though, "But I totally knew you had a gift.  I wasn't the one that squashed that lock and there wasn't anyone else around.  I try not to tell anyone elses secrets.  Do you need.. I mean... I don't know what I mean.  If you need anything just let me know okay?"

"I didn't say don't, I said can't."

Ok, but still, what is interfering? Using my talents or getting involved in general? If I studied to be a neurosurgeon and tried to cure him, it would be interfering? I know I can't save everyone, but I can still try to be a human being with those I can't save, can I?

"I second what Sarah said. If you need anything just ask, and we'll do our best. It's... unfair, man."

"Dude, that's messed up about the tumor. Half of us had our suspicions about you having power, but it's good you can share. A bunch of people in this room have powers too. Totally wierd.

Freshman Class of 2011, Mutant High."

Kel is slightly shocked from what he hears Seth say, he was expecting it to just be the powers, that's a pretty big step in his opinion, but then the dead at 24 thing.  He found it hard to shake, as the son of a Marine, in a family of servicemen and police officers you start to accept death as a possibility if not inevitability but you never actually knew.  You just considered it as something that was going to happen so don't fight it when it does, but you never knew, you're just not supposed to, things like that don't happen.  Kel nods numbly and just opens his mouth several times with small spurts coming out before he finally settles on murmuring, "It's just wrong." Then finally decides on nodding his head one last time.

"Seth, how many doctors have you heard about it? I mean, they're discovering something new every day..." Colin offers.

He doesn't really lean into the hug, and it becomes awkward quickly. Anyone adept at reading body langauge could tell there was a moment he almost started to lean for it but stopped himself. He just seems really closed off.

My parents know so many people. And those people know other important people, and the cycle goes round and round. I've seen some of the top nuerologists in the world. It's always the same. The life expectancy may vary by a year or so. but....Yeah.

It's all dendrcized throughout my motor control region. Surgery would be... inadvisable. Chemo really wouldnt help, and would basically make me a diferent person. My IQ would start to drop through the toilet, i would lose memory, motor control...If I couldn't play music I don't know what I would do.

It's...yeah. Anyway I don't really want to talk about this. So someone talk about something else for a little bit. And then i'll say the last thing i needed to say. I need some water.  

Before anyone can even offer, a cup comes out of the cupholder, and moves under the water cooler. The blue stud depresses and water starts to pour into the glass. He stops about halfway through, mostly because he can't really see what he's doing. Then the cup moves unnaturally evenly along a straight line towards seth. He grabs it out of the air and drains it quickly.

Colin is about to stand up and fetch another cup of water, when the cup fetches itself. So he lets Seth go, but keeps his arm around his friend's neck. With a bitter smile, he tries to think of something to talk about to distract him.

"Well... I've heard you music is something else Seth, but I've never really got to listen to you. I mean... you were playing at the party but I guess..." he glances at Sarah for just a moment, then lowers his eyes in embarassment "... I wasn't really paying attention. What do you like to play? What's your favorite instrument?"

He then remembers something that doesn't add up.
Blackbird, if I can't heal him because I cannot interfere with his destiny, what did I do to him when I shook his hand and I zapped him? He said he felt better after that.

"Thats like saying what's your favorite child. I don't know. I really like strings. And i've been getting into the violin pretty hardcore..."  

Sarah watches the cup float by her with no small amount of envy.  That's all I ever wanted.  Just to float a little cup of water like a party trick.  "That is just so cool."

Seth telekinetically crushes the cup, and looks for the trashcan. After locating it, he throws the cup away. (With the power of his mind)

He takes a moment to mentally right himself. He sort of shuffles sideways out of colin's grasp. "Excuse me. I just need to stand up to tell this next part."
He does stand, and he goes back to leaning against a wall. One hair adjustment later.."So issue two. Or issue three. I really can't remember at this point.

There's this man. "Mr. Fortune." He claims to be a record producer. I'm beginning to have my doubts. He's offered me, everything I've ever wanted in life. A 4 year record contract with a major labor. A signing bonus that would make your head spin. Tutors. Some of the best writers in the business have offered me some extremely rediculously awesome songs...This is everything I've been working for since I was 2."

There is a large "But...?" hanging in the air.

"Oh, so you're into classical music? My mother loves that too. I think she has a penchant for Bach, but violin... mmm... I think she's got only a record for solo violin... the Devil's Trill Sonata? Is that right?"


"Wow. That'd be really wonderful. You'd become a star."
Colin notices Seth doesn't sound happy and excited as he should be, and looks instead quite doubtful.
"So... is it too good an offer? You're afraid he's swindling you? In effect 'Mr. Fortune' is quite a weird name... You'd like us to help you investigating on him?"

Sylvia, dismayed and inadequate to Seth's announcement of his tumor, finally finds something to which she can respond.  "We can do that.  Colin's d--"  She catches herself.  "Colin's mom's boyfriend can look that up, maybe."

You're right. The Devil's Sonata is a really fantastic peice of music.

---

It's more than just that. I mean yes, I do want your help investigating him, but that's not why.

He knew. He knew about my tumor, and he knew about my powers. His record deal is contractually bound by the removal of my tumor and all my powers forever. Somehow he knew. And no one but me knew about my powers. I hadn't even told my parents. And we had a big fight, and....

How could he know? And the name Mr. Fortune? There's something about this guy that just gnaws at my black place, and...The whole thing scares me.

"Dude. Once again: That's messed up. He must be some sort of wizard or someth-"  Donnie's eyes get really large. "Oh shit! Could he be the big bad mofo we are looking for? How else could he have known but for magic?" Donnie looks over at Colin. "Could you get  Chris to check this guy's credentials out or something?"

"Wait a moment. This guy somehow knew about your tumor (which only you, your parents, and your doctors knew about) and your powers (which only you knew about, though we kinda supected it). He offered you the best deal ever, he'll turn you into a big music star, and on top of that he'll remove a tumor that... cannot be removed by any doctor? And your powers along with the tumor? Well, I can totally see why you're scared Seth. This guy gives the creeps to me too."

He stops for a moment.

"Well, sure I could ask Chris to check on him... if Mr. Fortune is his true name. Did he he gave you anything? A business card? A contract to sign? Fingerprints could help, I guess."

And something he touched could help in another way too, I hope.

"Seth... Don't take this the wrong way, man, but... are you that good? Are you so good a music producer would go this out of his way for you? Do you, or your parents, have any... enemies that could have maybe spied on you and would play such a cruel joke on you?"

Colin considers something else and frowns.

"Somehow, for all of us, the world has become a bigger place lately. This summer if you asked me about witchEs, I would said something like 'Oh, you like Charmed too?'. It's like there's a whole lot of things out there we know nothing about. What I mean is, even if this guy is creepy, that doesn't mean he's lying. We can check on him, but I wouldn't want him to notice and get pissed about it, if he's your only chance to... you know."

"This sounds like the Devil and Daniel Johnson. I can make you a star-in exchange for one little, itsy-bitsy paltry thing. Your immortal soul."

"Taking away your tumor and your power isn't the same as taking your soul.  If this guy is on the up-and-up, I'd go for it.  It's better to live, isn't it?"

"I'd make the trade.  Money and your health versus not having to get up to answer the door?  No competition.  And that's with your power Seth.  I'd trade mine in a heartbeat.  Then again all I've got is a stick and a backseat driver."  Sarah shakes her head in worry, "It does sound like a deal with the devil though.  And the devil cheats in the fine print.  I'll help however I can." 

If only I could challenge him to a fiddle contest....

And Colin...Yeah, I'm that good. Like I'm not trying to brag or anything, but....

He gets a little babbily, and then just says...

"Come with me."  

He leads you all to the music room, which he has a key too. He explains..."I'm helping her out with a concert, and in exchange I get to keep some of my instraments here."

The music room is fully stocked. You see a large cabinet marked: Seth in the corner of the room, but there are a ton of musical instraments lining the walls.  Over 55 at least.

"Someone pick one. I'd prefer one of the string, wind, or keyboards. But someone pick one."  

Sylvia dutifully points to a large, mysterious black plastic case that holds, of all things, a contrabassoon.  "That's kind of a woodwind, right?"

This will work.

He grabs the instrament and checks all the valves. He settles himself. Goes to play...And stops. "This is called The Dream of St. Ursala. There should be a full orchastra behind me, but I'm going to rock it anyway."

He puts his lips to the peice and begins to play...

---

Hero Point for 20 on the perform check.
Extra Effort for +2 to the check.
Check result 31. Greater than Astonunding performance.
Using emotive performace...Emotion-Hope

---

Even if you are not familair with the peice, and even though it's meant to be played with a full orchastra, his performace for you is fantastic, touching, and beyond the scope of some high schooler who let someone else pick an instrament at random. It's really quite good. All three minutes of it.

When he's done, he's breathing heavily and quite pleased with himself.

"I'm not trying to be like that guy....But i'm going to be. I'm that good. The only reason i don't have a contract is because i've been waiting. Just playing little clubs. My mother has the connections to get me at least an audition."

"And that was just some classical. I'm writing songs, and getting ready to start a rock band. Think the decemberists meets Jimmy Eat World, with a jazz component."

Colin can't help but feel his eyes watering and having goose bumps as he listen to Seth playing. It's so... Colin isn't sure he knows the right word for it. He just wipes his eyes, as he struggles to regain control of himself and to contain the urge to applaude.

"Wow. Just... wow. Ok, so you're that good and then some. It's definitely enough to get a music producer to offer you a deal. You're gonna make him rich. But why telling you to give up your powers? You'd even more of a star with them. Unless... Have you been visited by one of your doctors since the powers came out? May it be that tumor is the cause of the powers, or vice versa?"

Edit: Sorry it was late at night and I didn't realized I accidentally erased a part of the post and that it didn't make sense without it. I hope it does now. :)

T.J, who had sat silently through the talk, stands and claps with amazement in his eyes. But he still looks troubled. "If I was a record producer I would probably try to give you a label as fast as I could." He cringes and scratches the back of his neck nervously. "But I'm not sure about this Mr Fortune guy. If he takes your powers, where will they go? Energy can't just be destroyed or got rid of. It has to go somewhere."

He stops and frowns. "What if he's going to take your powers and then use them himself. And how will he use them? I'm not saying that you should refuse and die in around 10 years, it's our decision. But personally, I don't like the sounds of it."

Yeah.

Yeah.

I want to find out everything about this guy there is to know. I've got his card.

Seth fishes it out of his wallet. Holds it out for anyone to take.

"I'm sorry I didn't come forward, like, earlier. But, this is my first time in a public school. And most of my schooling was home schooling anyway, what with the music and everything. I just didn't really know what to do.

From now on I'm in. I'm part of all the weirdness too. I can't fight it anymore."

Colin takes a deep breath, blinks a couple times and lights up his ghost vision, then he takes the card, hoping he can pick up a vision, or at least a sensation that could help his friend in the decision. If he gets nothing, he asks Donnie for a card plastic sleeve and puts it away for Chris.

Colin can see the card is magical, but it's in a very general way.  Almost as though the paper was magical, or the ink, but with no identifiable purpose.

"Seth... this card... it's got magic on it. It doesn't look like a spell, maybe it's just the paper or the ink, but it's definitely magic, and I don't know what it does. Can you leave it to me? Maybe at the PCD they could tell me something about it. Donnie, do you want to take a look as well?"

"My guess would be a tracking device.  Simple little drop of magic that Fortune left on it to find you wherever you go.  Or maybe even listen to you?  See you?  Yikes.  Sorry that didn't make anybody feel any better did it?"  Sarah slouches back against the wall and shuts back up. 

"Or, just in case he's actually a good Samaritan, it could be just checking on your health and use of power. Y'know to make sure nothing really bad happens to you." T.J shrugs and scratches his neck. "Don't worry about not coming out straight away. I didn't even know I only know I have powers because of Colin and a psychotic water man.."

Seth kind of half shudders at sarah's suggestion.

That brings up a question I have T.J.

"What powers do you guys have? Like i've heard the word magic thrown around alot, and i have my ideas and everything. But Id would be nice to know in a definitive way.

My Name is Seth and I'm a Telekineticist."

Kel smirks, ignoring the card and leaving it to everyone else to figure out, he then nods and says, "I'm a natural ass kicking machine."  He refrains from using the word super-soldier though it does almost roll off his tongue.

Seth grins.

So like, super strength, and increased dexterity? Or do you have some sot of ability where your leg detaches and hones in on people's asses?

Kel takes off his coat and flexs to show off a surprising amount of rippling muscle, "Strong, fast, and I can get hit by a few guys at once and then come right back at them."

Seth's eyes kind of bug out a little.

Sylvia quietly swoons.  Kel, Kel.  Wherefore art thou, Kel?

Donnie stares at Sylvia, turning away at her subtle-flushed look as she stares at the muscle-bound oaf. He clenches his teeth several times before calming himself. and resists the urge to stare daggers into the preening Kel.

Fucker.

"I have developed a knack for magic. I seem to be doing the equivalent of third-year college spell development, according to a student at Miskatonic U.

I also have a dragon."

Colin is a bit embarassed.

"I am a spirit dancer. Which means a lot of complicated things. Let's say it doesn't give me cool muscles to show off, nor a cool dragon friend, but it makes me see things. And sometimes I can ask spirits for help. I'm still getting the hang of it. Lots of learning left to do."

Kel throws his jacket back on as the conversation moves towards everyone else, he seems to take no notice of everyone's reactions.

Sarah just shrugs.  "Nothing much to report yet.  I got a giant glow stick and a voice in my head so ... I'm not sure if I'm super or psycho.  Ah well at least I can mess with people at a rave."

Glow stick?

Voice's in your head?

Maybe your some kind of telepath?

"Seth, how much time have you got before you have to decide about Mr. Fortune's contract?"

It's pretty opened ended at the moment. But I have the feeling that's going to change.

"Anyway I'll let you know what we find out as soon as I can."

Colin really wants to help Seth. Seth helped him when he needed it and now it's time to return the favor.

"I explode and unerve people." T.J says with a chuckle.

Explode?

That kinda sounds like a one time ability, ya know? Do you mind clarifying?

First class sarcasm as only an 18 INT can provide.

Sylvia cringes.  Oh god.  Is TJ going to do it?  Right here?

She hides behind Kel, hoping she's out of the splash zone.

T.J looks around the room to make sure no one is watching and shrugs apoligeticly at Sylvia. His brow furrows and he takes a deep breath. And explodes into a cloud of bubbles. The bubbles swirl around in a cloud for a minute before reforming into a human, but faceless, shape. He waves and his hand shapes into a lance before returning to his normal form.

He smiles and puts his hands into his pockets. This was getting a lot easier.

Kel looks over behind his shoulder as Sylvia ducks behind him, then as T.J. lets loose with his bubbles he understands why.  He smiles when it's all over and done with, T.J. was looking smoother with his powers.

Wait. Do that again. Only this time don't turn back into Dry T.J. so soon.

Seth's cogs are spinning.

Sylvia lets out a strangled noise.  TJ's power gives her the wiggins.  She hides her face against the back of Kel's jacket and tries not to think about where TJ's spare bits are when they're not attached to him.

"What amazes me all the times is that his clothes explode with him. I wonder if he could make explode a person he is touching when he does that. not that I want him to try. It just makes me wonder."

And another tortured whimper erupts from the squeamish girl who's disappearing in Kel's shadow.

Donnie does his best to ignore Sylvia's squeamishness and choice of hiding behind Kel.

TJ exploding was just wicked.

Sarah applauds.  "That was amazing!   Can you go down drainpipes or under doors?  Have you thought of a good supername?  Captain Carbonation?  The Fizz?"

T.J shrugs and explodes abruptly again and stays still as a floating cloud of particles. He floats around the room and then decides to show off. The particles attach to the wall and climb up, until he is looking down at the others.

He smiles inwardly as he falls to the ground and returns to his natural form. "I think I can go through things which have gaps big enough for air particles, but I doubt I could escape from, say, an air tight room."

Before seth can activate his plan Sammy again reforms into a human.

"I was going to see how fast I can move you when your made of water...I was kinda assuming you would weigh less in that form. I can move normal people around. Just not very fast.  

"What about we play with T.J. when Sylvia's not around, so we don't give her nightmares? C'mon guys!"

OOC:  Sammy has always been a human, really!  You're talking about TJ, yes?

OOC- Yes...For some reason i said Sammy. I think i read timmy as sammy in the character generation log? who knows why?

I'm ready to close this thread when you all are.