Stir Crazy [Andrew/Alison/(Kitty?)]

[m i c h a e l]

((Sorry for dropping MIA like that, life took an abrupt left turn for me for a while...hopefully things will settle down for me as the year winds down.))

*so he did everything he was supposed to do, and yet here he remains, a prisoner....others might be angry, outraged, but Andrew takes it in stride, perhaps too well....if his oddly sanguine reaction is noticed by the likes of his captors, Magneto hasn't complained...a complacent prisoner is easier to deal with...of course he's also got to share quarters with Alison, and that has him feeling....quite strange...he's done the best he could to ignore this fact without seeming TOO terribly blatant about the fact that he's doing so...it's not anger at Alison as much as discomfort....he'd talk to her if she initiated conversation but he's not much of a topic starter himself*

*Magneto has at least permitted them books, so he's currently reading "Freakanomics", sitting cross-legged on the lumpy cot he sleeps on*

[RazzleDazzle]

*Alison, on the other hand, is taking less well than Andrew. You were practically a hermit anyway, so maybe it didn't bother you as much. But Alison is unused to being cooped up. She tries reading, but she can't focus. All she can think about is Mystique. Mystique posing as her. Doing her show. Teaching her classes. Sleeping with her man!! Why hasn't anyone realized yet that the person parading around as her is NOT her? As the days pass by, she grows more and more frustrated. As of yet, she's not taken her frustration out on Andrew... but, you know, maybe if he never made that stupid device for Magneto, then they wouldn't be here right now. The pages of her magazine snap as she flicks them angrily, her motions jerky. She's obviously not reading the magazine, just flipping through the pages for something to do. *

Argh!

*suddenly, the magazine hits the metal wall and rustles loudly as it falls to the floor. On her own cot, she's thrown herself backwards and is staring up at the ceiling, her foot jiggling with pent-up energy/frustration, arms folded over her chest and scowling darkly at nothing in particular.*

[m i c h a e l]

*indeed, except for the change in locale, there's not a whole lot that's different for Andrew day to day...that's a sad commentary on his life to be sure....since it was never explicitly stated, we'll say that this cell is fashioned in some combination of dormitory and apartment...we each have very small bedrooms, both of which open onto a common "living" space....a doorway off to one side leads to the makeshift laboratory where he'd been conscripted to work....he hears the thud of...something...and looks up quickly.....he uncurls from where he'd been sitting and pads to the doorway leading to your little area....a quick glance around reveals nothing that looks too bad, and you don't seem hurt or anything...but he'd ask anyway*

Uhm.....Alison....are you okay? *a dumb question perhaps, considering our situation, but he means strictly in the physical sense...the words are spoken meekly and he doesn't move beyond the doorway; you look angry and he doesn't want to make it worse...he might have some vague perception that you're upset at him for all of this, since it was his device that makes the charade plausible....but really he's always been the sort to automatically assumes people are mad at him even if they're not, so either way he's going to think your anger is directed at him*

[RazzleDazzle]

*but it isn't - her anger isn't directed at you. It isn't even anger yet, just frustration. It's been days (hasn't it? It's hard to gauge the passing of time without sunlight). Shouldn't someone have come for them by now? Well, she can be patient - sort of. But a few more days and she'll probably start being all irrational and angry.*

Yeah, I guess. Maybe. I just want out of here!

*Alison exclaims loudly, practically shouting the last three words at the unbroken expanse of metal wall surrounding them. She gives a long-suffering sigh and throws herself back down on the cot, staring up at the ceiling - wishing for the billionth time that it was more interesting to look at. Perhaps an old crack even... one that had the habit of sometimes looking like a rabbit. Hehe. *

[m i c h a e l]

*he cringes a bit at your words, amplified by the enclosed space, echoing a little* I'm sorry. *not that it's his fault you're here.....not directly anyway...he pulls back from the doorway and you might think for a moment he's just going to turn and leave, but he doesn't...he peeks back into the room, taking in your sulking form...he seems hesitant to approach any further than he has....after a protracted moment he speaks again* Do you know what he's going to do? *whether Andrew means it as "Do you know what he's going to do with us" or more like "Do you know why Magneto wanted a copy of you" remains up to you to decide...or maybe he means it both ways*

[RazzleDazzle]

*she's been thinking about that almost non-stop - that and worrying about how Mystique is probably ruining her life... still staring up at the ceiling, Alison sighs again and mutters*

You mean besides ruin my life?

*but that's not really fair - she knows Magneto well enough to know he always has some kind of megalomaniacal lofty ambition. So, why Alison? She's hardly the most powerful or dangerous X-Man... but of course, this isn't the first time he's switched her either. Last time, it was that other Alison... the Brotherhood one from the alternate dimension. She only assumes that one was too busy being a bitch to come help him this time, hence why he's using Mystique. But at least the other Alison had the advantage of actually, you know, being Alison. Mystique cannot possibly hope to last more than a week or two before being found out. At least, that's how Alison comforts herself. *

Same old boring agenda, right? Take over the school, mold young impressionable minds, pervert a whole generation of mutants to share his views on humanity?

*Alison looks over at you for the first time and gives a wry smile before sitting up*

But he's failed every time before... so what're his chances of success this time? Twenty-fifth time lucky, do you think?

*And now she gets up and walks over to you, throwing an arm around your shoulders*

We won't let that happen though, right?

*Never mind that they are locked up here tighter than Scott's ass. Never mind that apparently it has been successful to at least some degree - for Mystique's not come back and the other X-Men haven't come for them yet either. But they've been in far more dire situations before, haven't they?*

[m i c h a e l]

*it only takes him a few seconds to process your words before the import strikes him - his eyes widen and he takes a half step back, more as the magnitude sinks in* Oooooh. *it makes sense, kind of...you're definitely an influential person in the school (as well as within the larger mutant community), and having a way to manipulate sentiment through you...it could be really damaging...and now he feels even more guilty, his gaze slipping to one side*

*that means he's not really looking at you as you slide from the bed and approach him..he looks up sharply as you put your arm around him, his body tensing for a second....was he expecting you to hit him or something? no, not really but he still doesn't quite know what to make of your demonstrative nature sometimes....at the question he offers a halfhearted smile of his own* I....I guess not. I mean, we can try... *to be sure, even during the brief stint in his recovered memory, the team has overcome seemingly impossible odds...but this is pretty unusual...after all it's just the two of them, and he at least doesn't even know where they are*

*he fidgets but doesn't pull away from you* Uhm...is these something I can do to help? *upon your arrival you were cautioned by Magneto that simply blasting your way through the walls was not a good idea because there were wires deeply buried within the metal, wires which would trigger an explosion if they were broken..whether this is true or just a sham to keep you in line remains unknown at this time*

[RazzleDazzle]

*it's not just the two of them! There are other X-Men. Of course, they have to find Mystique out first, but that should be happening any time now, right? And once they realize that Mystique is pretending to be Alison, they'll deduce that Magneto has Alison, as well as you now, and here they'll come! How they will find Alison and Andrew is something she'll leave up to Nightcrawler or Cyclops or other team leaders to figure out. *

Of course we can try. We HAVE to!

*giving you a little pep talk seems to have cheered her up some, so she casts a smile over at you and bumps you with her hip before dropping her arm*

You and me. It'll be just like old times.

*Except that you don't remember those old times, back when Alison and George were trapped together in that alternate dimension. OH! That gives her an idea....*

Yes! Can you build us a wormhole thingy? Like the HC was, but, you know, open on the other side? Orrrrrr... we could just use a teleportation device, teleport ourselves the hell out of here.

*Teleportation would be a great power to have. Why can't she ever get trapped somewhere with Nightcrawler, sheesh. *

[m i c h a e l]

*Andrew doesn't quite have your faith in how things are going to pan out...not because he thinks little of the X-Men (and in his mind, he considers them "The X-Men and not the OTHER X-Men; he views himself very much as an outsider)....he's just not a terribly optimistic person...at your comment about the old times he gives a wan smile* I'll...I'll take your word for it.

*the comment about the HC gives him pause though...by now, of course, it's been explained to him what the device was, and from the explanations he was able to deduce something of its function...but the notion that he was ever capable of building such a thing still seems ludicrous to him* I.....could try... *his brows furrow as he mentally takes stock of all the equipment and supplies at his disposal....not a lot to work with to be sure....he gives a small, almost defeatist shake of his head* I don't know...it just seems...beyond me. *Andrew may posses the same capacity for learning that George had, and he may have even recovered a good deal of the academic knowledge...but there's sill a large practical gap for him....he just hasn't DONE the kind of things George did*

[RazzleDazzle]

*darn. She had this whole scene playing out in her mind - Alison and Andrew, working covertly to build some sort of device right under Magneto's nose without his knowing - and when it was done, using it to steal away so that the next time Magneto came, the rooms would just.....be empty. There's a bit of a pause while she tries to adjust her mental vision. If she was technologically inclined at all, she'd forge ahead with the plan. But if you thought it was beyond you, Alison had nothing to lend to the situation anyway. Plan B - blast her way out? She gives a worried look at the wall, then shrugs*

I'm sure we'll think of something. No situation is hopeless right?

*ever the optimist, that's Alison. She'll have to think on this. Or rather, maybe YOU should think on this... you are the genius here. Otherwise, she'll have to resort to Plan 57483975438639643-C: seduce Magneto for their freedom*

[m i c h a e l]

*it makes a nice scene in a movie, but Andrew's just not the superhero movie type...he can tell he's disappointed you (at least that's how he interprets that moment of silence while you re-calibrate)...he adjusts his weight a bit and gives a noncommittal shrug to your comment* I guess not. *he falls silent for a moment more* I.....I suppose I could try something....a teleporter might be too much to do with what we have but....but maybe there's another option. *what that option might be, he can't quite say, but now you've got him thinking about it..and while he doesn't have a lot of confidence, he does have an incredible amount of curiosity....so now he's thinking about what COULD be possible....his feet carry him away from you, toward the computer room/lab area where he'd been working....he doesn't even realize he's essentially walked away from the conversation, but you'd know him enough to realize the expression on his face means there's something going on in that fantastic mind of his*

[RazzleDazzle]

*she's not at all put out by your abrupt departure from the conversation. Alison can tell by the look on your face that something's going to happen now! She has complete faith in you, even if you don't. All you needed was a little push in the right direction.... of course, she's not done trying to think of her own way to get them out either, but maybe she'll just take a bit of a break from all that thinking and watch you for a while.*

*She sits nearby - far enough away that she's not crowding you, but close enough to see what's going on, and be of assistance if needed. Maybe she won't have to seduce Magneto after all!*

[m i c h a e l]

*how unfortunate for Magneto...Andrew looks over the array of spare parts and wires from his earlier drafts of the device he'd built; so flush was Magneto with success, he never bothered to clear the area of Andrew's tools...then again, Magneto had also deduced (correctly) that left to his own devices, Andrew wouldn't have the guts to try anything....now that you're here, though, putting ideas in his head, things have changed*

*he picks up a small battery - it's incredibly compact and powerful, far beyond what would be expected for a device of its size, but it didn't put out enough power to emulate your pyrotechnics....but it's still a usable battery nonetheless...he frowns, deep in thought, and sits down at the desk, still holding the battery in his hand* I....might be able to use this.... *pause* ...I could crosswire it and create an EMP that could take out the detonator on the explosives.. *he looks up suddenly, as if mentioning the presence of that little booby trap might be enough to bring Magneto's wrath upon them....but when no explosion comes, he continues* It would make it so we could....break out. *assuming of course the detonator is in fact electronic, and it's in range, and the EMP is powerful enough, and the EMP itself doesn't explode because of a short.....but in theory, it could work!*

[RazzleDazzle]

*and that's all assuming there really are detonators and explosives buried within the walls. There might not be - just the threat of it would be enough to stop Alison from attempting anything anyway. Because with Magneto, you never know.*

Yeah.... that could work. *she, at least, knows about EMPs and what they are capable of. Alison looks thoughful for a moment, crossing over to where you are working and looking at the battery with you. Suddenly, she grins and gives your cheek a quick peck*

I knew you'd think of something! You always do.... *and she gives you quite the smile before picking up some random thing off your workspace and brandishing it*

How do I help?

*Now she seems less frustrated and angry... instead, she's filled with hope and energy for the first time in days. It might not work, there's a hundred reasons why it won't probably, but just the mere act of doing SOMETHING seems to have invigorated her*

[m i c h a e l]

*that's true, the whole "bombs in the walls" thing could be a bluff - Andrew never contemplated that but even so, he wouldn't have enough confidence to simply try it and see....he's turning back to the desk to take stock of what he has to work with, thereby presenting you with a cheek to peck....the act causes a faint blush to creep up his face* Thanks... *he murmurs the word awkwardly, fidgeting under your high-wattage smile like it's spotlight*

*then you pluck a transistor from the desk and ask to help, and his mouth gapes open...the best thing you can do at this moment is not touch or break anything but he doesn't know how to say that without sounding rude* I, uhm, ah..... *and then it hits him* Maybe you could...listen, and make sure that no one is coming? *how she'd be able to do that through steel walls he doesn't know, but it's something that aught to be done, to the best of their power...if someone catches them in the act, their goose is cooked*

[RazzleDazzle]

Oh, good idea...

*and she's not even put out by the insinuation that she would be less than helpful if she hung around here. After all, she doesn't have the best track record in labs. So, off she goes to be "look-out"... only there's nothing to see. So, she just positions herself near the wall, sitting on the floor with her back against the wall. Maybe she could hear something.. but if Magneto starts to move the walls to come back in, she'll hopefully feel it. For a while, Alison sits quietly, her knees pulled up against her chest and arms wrapped around them with her chin resting on a knee. Minutes tick by, and then the quiet is interrupted by a muted sniffling sound... Alison is crying. =( *

[m i c h a e l]

*there's a sense of relief when you either don't get the implication of his words, or aren't bothered by them....somehow he manages not to give a sigh of relief, nodding absently as you take your position* Thanks.... *but he already sounds distracted, and he doesn't even look at you when he says it - he's already falling into the deep haze that normally encompasses his work*

*when he gets into that state, even an attack doesn't always shake him out of it, so he doesn't immediately pick up on your weeping...he cants his head to one side, like a dog straining to hear something distantly, and then slowly is dawns on him what he's hearing...he puts down the screwdriver and gingerly turns to you, frowning* A....Alison......are you okay? * dumb question perhaps, given our situation, but you didn't seem this bothered by things the entire time we've been here....he takes a step toward you but stops after that, unsure whether he should approach any further*

[RazzleDazzle]

*she turns her head to the side quickly, wiping at her face. Alison usually takes these sorts of things in stride, not letting situations bother her too much. But that doesn't mean that they don't... And maybe after being cooped up in here for so long, it's just getting harder to maintain a positive outlook*

Yeah, I'm fine. *her voice holds only a bit of a waver, but she looks back and gives you a smile*

Just...indulging in a bit of self-pity. *and she laughs, a fake laugh, taking a deep breath and drying the tears from her eyes. She can look on the bright side of most situations, because they're usually X-Men situations - but this.... this has been very personal. Maybe Magneto doesn't see it that way, but Alison sees it as an attack on her - Alison Blaire, not Dazzler, the X-Man. Sure, she is a good target if a school take-over is what he has in mind, but Magneto could have tried that any number of other ways. Instead, he chose to send in Mystique to impersonate HER, take over her LIFE. And ruin it, for all Alison knows. And that's why it feels so... personal... to her. And the reason she got a bit teary-eyed*

[m i c h a e l]

*you say you're fine, but you don't LOOK fine...the doubt is clear on his face at your words....he shifts his weight from one foot to the other, looking all around the small space before his eyes come back to focus on you* I...well..alright. *if his expression didn't properly convey his disbelief, then surely his dubious tone would* Is there....uh....anything I can do to help? *of course the obvious answer is "get back to work so we can break the hell out of here" but he's talking about the immediate situation, right this very minute...it doesn't see right that you should be crying, it twangs a very deep and empathetic part of his psyche*

[RazzleDazzle]

(sorry, but the holiday prep caught up with me!)

No...it'll be alright. The sooner we get out of this place, the better. So.... let's get to work! *moment of self-pity indulgence over. Alison sits up straighter, brushes the remainder of tears from her cheeks and eyes, and casts a smile over at you*

Magneto has alot of answer for... *bum bum bummmmmm*