Log File 2017.07.18

Pokhara, Nepal

Layla had been in Tibet with Rand for well over a month. A mix of conversation and silence along with moments in meditation or working out... Together they'd trained both her body and mind. Layla had come to seek the means of becoming stronger since the events that transpired over the Mediterranean Sea quite some time ago. Just the day before the two had started hiking down from the mountains, Layla was instructed to leave everything behind except for her jacket and gloves. There wouldn't be a need for anything else. Eventually they'd made their way to a small research lab in Pokhara, Nepal. The facility had long been closed or vacant. Rand stated that he was 'reasonably certain' she wouldn't contract anything there. It was probably as good a reassurance as Layla was bound to get from the man, even if it wasn't very reassuring. The past month, while interesting for the most part, had also been both frustrating and exhausting...she hoped it was worth it once all was said and done.

X-Men Estate

Oblivious to the world outside for the moment, Max worked out in the gym...testing his powers while the earbuds blared Trans-Siberian Orchestra. He'd been working to control his powers and in the process of this day's practice, an experiment of how fast he could go from 0 -to- SMACK at a moment's notice, the test on varying intensities with accuracy was causing the gym itself to rattle from the force ripple of his powers.

Alys had gradually gotten used to different areas of the estate, deciding to stick around even if she didn't know what she was going to do with herself, so when she was returning from the garden and noticed the gym rattling oddly...she got a bit curious. Peeking in through the door of the gym, regardless of whether it was a bright idea or not currently, she'd noticed Max inside doing a curious exercise of his powers.

Veronica had been sitting in the kitchen at the table scrolling through an iPad looking over the days current news. More mutants were popping out of nowhere daily and there was little the could do currently. Ruby kept her vigil over Mal and Layla was currently MIA-- leaving only Max and herself to do anything. The new girl, Alys, was still adjusting to the idea of having powers and by no means in a position to help make their duo into a trio to begin helping others...and that was if she finally made the decision to help. She also couldn't help but hear the rumble that was coming in from the gym, noticing Alys already taking a peek inside and asking her what Max was doing.

Max had remained focused, using the music he was listening too as a sort of focus to blast his power in time to the beat. He'd been concentrating so intently at what he was experimenting with that he'd noticed that Alys and Veronica were peering in from the gym's doorway. Alys gave a meek and questioning hello as Max finally noticed the two of them. Veronica teased him a bit, asking if he could handle the pressure of an audience...seeing as he'd stopped and teleported to stand between them. He didn't exactly answer her question, he just stated that the next time Veronica was meditating to focus her telepathy that he'd drop by to stare at her.

Max was a bit embarrassed, not having realized this test with the energy pulses had been escaping the gym and making some noise. Alys just bluntly asked what it was he was doing, curious since she'd never really seen him do anything other than disappear and reappear from one place to another. Max explained that what he was practicing was his telekinesis...making a light visual demonstration by holding his hand up towards the punching bag and focused to send it flying with his energy.

Veronica seemed impressed at his showcase for a new skill, wishing she herself had a more offensive ability to use from time to time. While there were moments that her current abilities with telepathy had helped the group...there were still times that she felt it wasn't enough-- Veronica was still beating herself up over being unable to help Kevin during that moment back on that Pyramid. The three of them: Kevin, Veronica and Val... Of the three since that time, only Veronica was walking around the estate these days.

Max smiled, answering the incomplete question Alys was going to ask-- it was a manifestation of will, like when she'd made that small orb of light in her hands. Adding that he seemed to be better at making flashy explosions than it was for moving things with more finesse...only daring to try now because earlier he might have blown up the building. He then turned his attention to Veronica as she stated she'd like to have a more offensive ability, stating that he knew of another fully active telepath that had developed more offensive abilities...and he could ask her, if she wanted. Half expecting while he said it for Ruby to turn up and slap him on the head, since the individual in question wasn't exactly well liked but most in the estate.

Alys couldn't help but let the question slip about what the neighbors might think about the building blowing up, which amused Max. Of course if she'd give it a moment to consider...there were probably very few neighbors given how vast the estate she'd managed to explore was currently in her mind. Veronica seemed intrigued at Max's proposition to her and stated she'd be interested. Not that she wasn't grateful for what she'd learned already...but she was a bit frustrated at having plateaued in her abilities for the moment.

Max did caution that his mother was a bit predatory but if Veronica could survive long enough to call her bluff that she was basically harmless. The conversation was escaping her, and Alys felt flushed from not feeling all to well earlier, so she excused herself from the two to get a small snack and rest for the evening. Max and Veronica said 'good night' as Alys parted their company. Leaving the two to discuss the matter regarding his mother and her abilities that might help Veronica a bit further.

During the talk, Veronica did wonder if Max had noticed any issues since the last time she'd taken a look inside his mind. He waived it off and stated no side effects since the initial probe into this head, but he couldn't exactly remember what had happened completely...other than getting scared as they took a deeper look and then the next memory was of coming back to the real world as if ejected from his mind by...something. The answer seemed to satisfy Veronica for the moment. Then turning back to the other matter, she accepted the idea of working with Max's mother.

That prompted Max to tend off a text and moments later got a response from Steena that she was up and willing to meet with Veronica now. He teleported the two of them to the Penthouse apartment that had been her home since the Center had crumbled after a large, metallic Pyramid had extracted itself from the 'once' lab facility buried within its walls. When the two had arrived, Steena was just emerging from makeshift lab at the far end of the apartment with a stemless glass only half full of wine in hand. She greeted Max warmly, though had a bit of condensation in her tone about teaching the baby telepath, Veronia.

Max countered about where his mother's 'manfriend' was at the moment. Frustrating her a bit...and mother and son went back and forth a moment before he teleported off to leave the two women alone to work. As soon as Max had left, all trace of softness had left with him-- leaving a more stern presence in its place. Accepting the other woman's offer for a glass of wine, Veronica started to state what it was that she was looking to achieve. She'd lost two great friends in recent events...and that had weighed on her heavily since she had been helpless to do much to help during that time.

Steena half-listened to Veronica, sizing up the other woman. Giving a slight comment to the 'empath' and the 'molecular manipulator' as if only specimens instead of actual people she'd met and spoken with at the estate months prior when seeking help for Max. She pointed out that Veronica's people didn't care for Gavin or herself. She could potentially take it out on the woman...so she wanted to know why she 'should' help outside of the fact that it would make her son happy. After taking the conversation from the normal stance in the world into the more private space within each other's minds-- the two came to an agreement. Steena would help train Veronica on the condition that she reported on Max's well being...that Steena would be the first to know if anything happened or was wrong. With that agreement sealed, Steena mentally transferred some information to Veronica...something to practice between weekly sessions. Afterwards, Max returned the two of them to the estate.

#AlysNikkole #EthanRand #SteenaWinters #VeronicaDobson #LaylaHarper #MaxwellWinters