Xaviers!

Over the course of roughly a week, Sam went among the student body, always wearing a different face, and pulling from those the students trusted. She sounded out their grievances with the current administration and prefects, and when she hit on a decently strong emotion she gave them a nudge to amplify it. She justified this in her head that she wasn't putting thoughts in anyone's heads, just making what was there feel more important and urgent.

As the week wore on, she continued the process and started suggesting a date for the students to gather in the quad in protest, hoping that between her personal efforts and the ripple effect of word of mouth, it would stick.

Thus, the appointed day and time was shortly to arrive...

At the day of, Robin is already set up in the driveway near the dorms with a whole stack of signs, a stack of water bottles and a bushel or vuvuzelas, in case a more obnoxious approach becomes necessary.

All things considered, Jez had fared better under the current administration than most. But if there was a protest going on then she was going to be there, even if it was just to look out for the rights and best interests of those participating rather than raising her own voice. Well, at least one of her would be there. Probably multiple. Right now there was just the one, holding a little red duffel to her chest.

"Hey Robin! I brought a first aid kit, just in case. Where would be a good spot for it?"

"Oh hey, just over there with the water. Good thinking, though we better not be needing that." she adds with an overly dramatic fist-shake in the direction of the admin building.

"Hope for the best, prep for the worst." There were reasons other than violence that they might need the kit. Someone might just straight up trip and fall.

"It looks like this isn't your first rodeo, huh?" Jez asked as she put the kit near the water, making sure it was quite visible should it be needed.

"It is, actually. But I've seen documentaries."

"Ah, well, I've lived them. So I'll give you any pointers I can. Like... what do we say to the police if they ask you your name, or what you're doing here?"

"The truth? I doubt Lippincott's gonna call the cops though. And I'm not sure what they'd do if he did. Now I'm kind of curious..."

"When it comes to cops, there's something even better than telling them the truth. And that's telling them nothing at all."

Jez looked back toward the school. "Oh, I certainly hope that he doesn't. Or has a legitimate reason to."

"I can always tell them that..." she seamlessly shifts into Lippincott, although a much stuffier version that borders on caricature "...Everything is quite alright, my dear constable. Mm, yes, quite." she goes on in what has to be the worst posh British accent ever performed by somebody who grew up in the dang country. She sounds like she's talking around an imaginary pipe.

Jez felt both relieved and concerned about having that card in their deck.

"You don't... do that for everyone here, right? 'cause there're already enough of me running around."

"Only for laughs and never mean-spirited." she says, still using her posh old British dude voice.

"Fair enough! Though you may want to drop the act before anyone else shows up. You know, just in case someone decided to bring some bricks."

People are starting to arrive. Individuals at first, then twos and threes. Some brought their own signs, while others are pawing through the signs Robin is providing.

As they start to arrive, some of the prefects began to arrive, as well, with Zandra and Quinn watching carefully from the side of the quad, placing themselves between the masses and the administration building proper.

Jez fidgeted a bit nervously. The moment of truth was fast approaching, and if not enough people showed up in time, it'd all be over before it even began. The entire student body would be a force to be reckoned with, but just a handful would be more easily abrogated by the administration.

Also in case a more obnoxious approach became necessary, Shane was there.

"Any way I can help?" he asked as he approached.

"Hmm... Plants, right? Can you make a tree with, like, discolored leafs that spell out something?"

"I've never tried anything at that scale, but I could probably influence a tree to do that."

The two prefects were joined by a third, as Will showed up to the party.

He didn't come over to the protest-in-action yet, just frowning over there as he discussed something with the other two.

The number of people starting to gather is getting significant. It's not the whole student body by any means, but it's a surprising amount and their chants are starting to be heard.

"Well, this is awkward." Robin says as she spots Will on the other side of the proverbial picket fence. Then she shrugs and grabs one of the signs and starts chanting along with a nearby group.

Shane walked over to a tree and placed a hand on it. He closed his eyes to concentrate as he connected himself to it. He visualized what he wanted and leaves began to take on fall colors, forming a bright, autumnal X-Men logo to show solidarity. He backed away to gaze at his handiwork.

"Brilliant," he grinned.

The three prefects seemed to finish their discussion, and formed sort of a flying V formation between the students and the administration building, Will front and center.

Quinn was speaking into a communicator -- maybe talking to Lippencott?

The other pink one arrived just as things were beginning to kick off, retrieving a sign and joining the crowd.

Zandra said something about Collete's arrival which cause Quinn to laugh, and Will to roll his eyes.

Jez kept herself closer to the first aid and water bottles. Partially to make sure that those who'd been more greatly affected by the rule changes got to speak out first, but also out of respect for Katarina. She had to think of what her own activities would mean to the princess' reputation, especially now that so many eyes back home were upon her.

So long as the crowd was just milling about, the prefects were not going to make any moves to stop them. Free speech and all that, right?

I mean, probably.

"So is it enough?" Sam asks distractedly as she walks up to Robin.

"I'll say! Nice work, Sam!" she grins.

"A protest is really a conflict, if you think about it."

"Morrigan, Goddess of Uni Demonstrations. Better PR than 'War and Death' for sure."

"I don't know, that sounds like it would be sexier on my business cards."

"Depends on the kinda job you're gunning for." she chuckles.

"I'm in a band right now. That shite sells."

"You're damn right it does," Leo grinned as he lumbered over.

He had recovered from the effects of the mind control device but he had a headache. Though that could just be because he was pretty pissed about the stuff that wasn't just mood dampening.

"Oh? You should be doing protest songs! You need a guitar?"

"...I'm the drummer."

"Bloody brilliant idea! Be right back?" Shane called before double-timing it back to the dorms.

Sam's phone chimes as a text from Diego arrives

Code: Select all

DetDee99> We found something everyone needs to know. First, Will is broadcasting everything he sees and hears to Lippincott. And we were right...

He continued with a summary of the data Lippincott is gathering on their mutations, and that the prefects are test subjects for something. He concluded by asking Sam to spread the news to the others.

Sam looks to her phone and frowns.

"...then again, maybe this needs the beat of a drum."