Log:High School Wishes, Scene 2

High School Wishes 2021/03/31

Bran Heather Helen Linda Lizzy Pamela Angelina McGuinness Chas Richman Clyde Spalding Gabriella Knight Jolene Kinghorn Logan Palmer Luke Froggett Ross Price Sandy Tillet Selina Clayden Stan Dunmore Terry Ironman Todd Finch

2

It's a few days before a dance, in the CHHS cafeteria. Linda and Lizzy were having lunch with Pamela's old nerdy crowd, Luke "Frog" Froggett, (Todd) Finch and Stan Dunmore - Eddie Gladwell being notably missing today, while Pam was eating lunch with her boyfriend Logan, at the jocks-and-cheerleaders table. Helen and Bran were occupying the end of another table with Sandy Tillet.

Things were probably no better or worse than usual till Finch, urged on by certain parties, took it into his head to ask Pamela to the dance - right in front of Logan! This did not go down well, though it was Terry Ironman, not Logan, who got most aggressive. Our heroes had mostly got Terry to stand down, when Helen remarked ""Gods -- Terry, aproper girl would twist you into a pretzel." Stan, serveral tables away, said "I wish someone would!" And then someone or something (in a wash of psychic force) did just that! 

Terry's limbs, if one didn't know better, appear to have grown this way. The bones in his limbs are curved, and the softer tissue is all attached in the usual ways. He's 'just', suddenly, extremely deformed.

Though he may well be in a state of shock. Mosty he just staring in disbelief at his twisted limbs and saying "no" repeatedly.

Bran blinks and looks around. "I sensed a mental power when it happened." He narrows his eyes, trying to determine where it came from.

Lizzy says, "So did I."

Stan has gone white. He did, after all, just wish that on Terry. Could that be something other than a coincidence?

Linda goes over to the jocks' table. "You are going to be okay, Terry," she tries to reassure him. "I was in a worse state at one point than you are and I was fixed up without any problems."

Lizzy says, "Stan, are you OK?"

Helen's eyebrows lift. "Wow." She bends forward a little, examining the contorted bully. "It's like they grew that way. Well, Terry, I guess you get to experience my side of the street for a bit." And with that, she turns her back on the jock-turned-otherly-abled and starts clumping on her crutches back towards her lunch.

"OK?!" says Ross Price, another of the jocks, angrily. "He's a #$^ing pretzel!"

Helen calls over her shoulder, "and a well-deserved pretzel too. Being an a$$hole has consequences sooner or later, Mr. Price."

Linda looks to Ross. "Terry is breathing. His heart is beating. His mind is in shock but he is speaking coherently. That two out of three better than I was. He's going to be alright."

Angelina has rushed to Terry's side, while Jolene Kinghorn, another cheerleader, pursues Helen. "What kind of heartless comment was THAT?"

Stan nods dumbly. He's not really sure he's ok, though. Of course, if his wishes are coming true - despite this one awful instance - that would be cool beyond words!

Pamela frowns, looking about. "What could have caused this?"

Helen pauses, only looking at Jolene after she's examined Sandy Tillet from afar. "Not commentary, Miss Kinghorn," she says coldly, "observation. It doesn't always catch up ao spectacularly in this life, but it always, -always- catches up in the end. I'm sure you know enough about religion to understand /that/, don't you?"

Jolene looks daggers at Helen. "Then I can't wait till things catch up with you!"

Sandy is hard to see, in that many people have left their tables in order to see the what has befallen Terry. Not a few are cleary delighted to see him brought low, others are horrified, concerned, curious - in short, a huge mix.

Logan, arm round Pam, tries to steer her protectively away from the immediate scene.

Helen smiles with poisonous sweetness. "Oh, you innocent summer child. I've been without the use of my legs my entire life -- and had bullies like your precious jocks tend to be picking on me the entire time. You think a little ill-wishing of someone who can do a piked double-flip fifteen feet in the air is going to wound me? I didn't wish him physical harm; a real woman would make a mental and emotional pretzel out of him. But I am amused that he's so discombobulated, and that the rest of you are furious at him getting his comeuppance, however temporary it's liable to prove. Guilt is a hard thing to shake, and I can see you have your own burden of it, Miss Kinghorn."

Jolene does not try to match Helen with words. They're not exactly her forte. "LIke I care what you think!" is all she says, and turns on her heel, determined that Helen's life will soon be more miserable. Because, of course, she does care.

Lizzy says, "Stan, look at me. What just happened is horrible, right? I wish that Terry was back as he was 5 minutes ago. You do too, right?"

Helen lowers her voice. "And especially, you are wondering, 'What if I'm next?' And you're asking yourself who you?ve been a snotty bitch to lately -- because sure as Hel, you have."

Stan looks at Lizzy, and realises he should have thought to try that. It must just be the shock of what happened! "Yes! I wish Terry was back as he was 5 minutes ago." And he looks toward where Terry is - not that he can see him at the moment, with to many people crowded about.

Alas, nothing seems to happen to Terry, to judge by the lack of reaction from the crowd. Stan frowns deeper. What if the wish didn't work because he didn't really mean it? Because, heaven knows he's had enough reason to dislike Terry, all the way back to grade school...

Lizzy says, "Do you, Stan? Do you *really*?"

Bran frowns and keeps looking over the crowd, trying to spot whoever the culprit might be. While suppressing his urge to flee the situation entirely.

"I don't know!" says Stan. "ANd don't look at me like that! It's not like I have powers or anything! If I did..." He leaves the thought unfinished.

Helen straightens up a bit more, her voice gentling -- but only somewhat. "Be polite to all, courteous to all until they prove they do not deserve it, and respectful to those who have done so. Kind to all you can, and cruel only as a lesson. Bullying is a dead-end game. Take the lesson, Jolene -- from me, or from what's happened to Mr. Ironman. Learn it. It'll improve your life vastly."

Lizzy says, "If you did...then maybe you could fix this."

Helen gives Jolene Kinghorn one last level look, then continues on her way back to her seat, sitting down next to Sandy Tillman and popping a carrot piece into her mouth. "Want to try some?" she asks the other girl. "Maddie always packs a bit too much."

Sandy looks up. "Oh, thanks! Better than this broccoli - I really shouldn't have taken that... "

By this point, various memebers of staff are arriving and trying to get people to return to their lunches or otherwise go about their business, and give Terry some breathing space.

Bran picks three people out from the crowd as likely suspects, but he doesn't want to go accusing someone without proof. His status with the school's administration likely means he'd have to be perfectly sure about the culprit with solid proof. Otherwise, it might get ignored.

Helen nods. "I do not like Rob broccoli," she admits. "Steamed is good, with mayonnaise." She transfers five or six pieces of potato and carrot, oven-roasted around a whole chicken and nicely seasoned, over to Sandy's plate.

A number of Terry's friends are also looking about the crowd for likely suspects (people who are grinning at Terry's misfortune generally stop doing that under their gaze) - but the arrival of staff prevents much in the way of serious confrontation of suspects, so far.

Sandy thanks Helen, and immediately has a bit of carrot. She glances up toward the jocks' table once the staff begin to appear, but makes no comment.

The vice principal, on arriving, asks Linda for her account of what happened! A superhero and someone who believes in following the rules is presumably a better witness than the average student.

Paramedics, as it happens, are not much slower than the staff at appearing on the scene.

Linda tells the vice principal what she saw and hear. Precisely, with no embellishments or omissions. (Sorry Stan.)

This is, indeed, unfortunate for Stan, who finds himself being summoned for particular questioning!

Bran also receives a summons to the vice principal's office.

Bran sighs, as he was expecting something like that. He shoulders his bag and heads to the vice principal's office.

Linda waits as she wants to talk to Bran when he gets out of the school offices.

Helen sits with Sandy quietly, ignoring the hubub. "My first bit of magic came when I was three," Helen says conversationally. "My mother had promised me a cookie if I solved something -- probably math -- and then refused to give it to me. So there I was, stuck on the kitchen floor, paraplegic even then, and my desire shaped itself and shattered the cookie jar. Ceramic everywhere. Cookies, too. And I crawled over and got my cookie." She considers this for a moment, then adds, "Reconstructing that cookie jar was my first bit of really serious magic. Took me three years."

Helen adds, once the end-of-lunch bell rings, "Let me know if there's anything you want to talk about, okay?"

Sandy looks up from under her fringe of hair, looking Helen directly in the eyes for the first time. Then she leans in toward Helen and whisper conspiratorially, "You didn't do that to Terry, did you?"

Helen gives Sandy a small smile. "No," she states, "I have better control over my magic these days. You might have, though," she adds.

Bran is /gently/ grilled about what he sensed, and a number of the questions seem to be getting at whether he himself is responsible for the event! There are no accusations, though. It seems even the vice principal is a bit nervous of Bran. Especially if he /can/ twist people into pretzels.

Sandy looks alarmed. "No - I didn't!" she says hastily, and looks straight down at her plate again.

Bran is honest about what he saw and sensed, and he also lists the three people he thought might be possible suspects: Clyde Spalding, Gabriella Knight, and Selena Clayden. But he doesn't have proof that any of them did it.

The vice principal makes a note of those names, though it's not at all clear how seriously he's taking the suggestions.

Helen smiles a but more at Sandy. "Mmm. Well. Here's my PDA number; like I said, let me know if there's anything you'd like to talk about. About anything." She struggles to her feet, braces all clicking in adjustments, and clomps steadily off, lunch pail in hand.

Bran didn't expect the VP to actually take him seriously. But...well, he's trying to be honest and on the straight and narrow. Once the interview is over, he heads back to his next class (assuming he's allowed to do so).

Helen is indeed called in by the vice principal eventually, once various people have named her as acting hostile to Terry and his situation.

Linda tries to ctach up with Bran and ask to see hin for a chat after classes.

Bran nods to Linda after she asks him in the hallway between classes. "Umm...yeah, sure. I have some time after school's out. out by the parking lot?"

Linda nods to Bran, "Great. See you there."

Of course, Helen actually gets abut the same questions as Bran - what do you know about what happened, and are you sure you had nothing to do with it, basically.

Helen is entirely, even strictly honest -- even if she can (probably) stomp inquisitorial rings around the VP. Yes, she was confrontational. Yes, she despises bullies, as he was being. No, she does not know -- /know/ -- who did it. Does she have a suspect? Absolutely, and she'll even confess to the fact that she does. Will she name who? "No, of course not. Don't be ridiculous."

(And no, it absolutely was not her.)

Helen is also allowed to go after questioning, of course. It's unclear, once again, quite how much the vice principal believed her.

Other than people being called out to the vice principal's one by one, and inevitable gossip, the school afternoon pretty well passes as normal.

Bran heads out to the parking lot after school, with his backpack on, and his skateboard under his arm.

Helen shrugs; facts are facts, opinions opinions, desuctions and conjectures those, and she has been clear which (as she speaks) is which. And she then goes abouther day, as alert (or not) as ever for issues like ... bullies looking for revenge.

Linda also heads out to the parking lot. Despite being a flyer she has a car parked out there.

Bran is seated against the wall of the building when Linda walks out. "Linda, over here!" He waves.

Linda waves back, "Hi, Bran. Thanks for waiting. Let's go sit in my car. Spring is coming but there's still a bit of chill in the air judging from the coats and jackets being worn."

Lizzy walks out also, wondering to herself what Ryosei would think of the changes in her, if he would be back before the dance, and if not...

Bran nods and gets up, "Sure, sounds good. I mean, I'm feeling warm enough in my coat, but that's fine." He follows Linda over toward her car.

Linda waves to Lizzy too, "Lizzy. Come join us. If you dont mind, Bran?"

There is evidence of people expecting the jocks to vent their frustration on someone. Typically bullied sorts are making particular efforts to stay in groups and in sight of staff.

Lizzy says, "Hey Linda. Hey Bran. What's up?"

Pamela makes the point of walking with Finch, Frog and Stan as they leave school today. She wants to make sure they have no trouble with the jocks.

Linda looks at Lizzy, You missed the incident in the canteen?"

Helen was about to call out to Lizzy when someone beats her to it; she pauses a few yards outside the school's doors, a slight frown on her face, uncertain of her reception from the trio.

Bran raises a brow. "Umm....in the cafeteria."

Lizzy says, "Hardly. I was sitting right there with you."

Lizzy beckons, "Helen! Over here!"

Linda nods, "That's what I thought. I's have thought the 'what's up' was pretty obvious." She waves to Helen when Lizzy calls over.

Linda opens the doors of hewr parked car. "Let's get in out of the wind. Then we can talk."

Helen looks around -- specifically for Sandy, on the off chance -- before clumping her way over to the trio. "So. That was fun."

Bran shrugs, and gets into the car, in the back seat.

Sandy is not in evidence. But then, Sandy is the sort that usually gets lost in a crowd easily enough.

Linda slips into the driver's seat, turning to face the passenger and rear seats.

Helen text the other backseat; it is hard for her to turn like she would have to do if she were in the front seat.

Lizzy takes the front passenger seat. "Stan thinks he may have done it, if only because of the timing."

Bran shrugs, "It wasn't me. That's for sure. I can't force anyone to move their body. No telekinesis."

Helen smiles wryly. "The vice-principal was concerned I might have. I didn't; my mental pretzel was more on the emotional level." She thoughtfully considers Stan.

Linda nods, "I felt sorry having to name him. Because if he did do it he didn't do it intentionally. Honestly I feel like the fifth wheel on a tricycle. Whoever it was, it was magic or psionics, wasn't it?"

"Definitely not magic," Helen says with certainty.

Linda adds, "It wasn't any normal telekinesis. I've seen Baker from Starguard in action. Terry's body was changed. Transformed."

"There are aliens who can alter their flesh," Helen observes. "Might there be a race that can do it to others as well?

Chas Richman and Gabriella Knight pass by, heading to his car (not that he really needs to drive to school, living as he does, naturally, in Colonial Heights). They seem in high spirits.

Bran shrugs, "I sensed a mental power of some kind, though. I did see three kids in particular that looked suspicious, though. In the wake of the incident. Clyde Spalding, Gabriella Knight, and Selena Clayden. I think Clyde plays the same position on the football team, so that's why he might not be upset about the injury. Gabriella is an ex-girlfriend. And...Selena is...well, weird and gothy. She had an odd smile while watching."

Linda says, "I'm not aware of any. But nobody knows every species even in just our corner of the galaxy."

Helen nods in response to Linda's reply, watching Chas and Selena pass by. "Interesting thought," she says of Bran's supposition about Clyde. "What position does Chas Richman play?"

Linda looks at the three in her car, "If the faculty try to deal with this on their own, we all know they don't like calling in the police department, school reputation and all that, they'll be way over their heads. I think we should get together and sort it out. Having said that, I'm over my head when it comes to mental powers."

Bran shrugs, "I don't think he's on the team. But he's Gabriella's current boyfriend."

Linda says, "And Gabriella is Terry's ex. Anyone if the breakup was a bad one?"

Helen hmms, and nods towards the cheerful pair, now leaning agains the rich boy's car. "Aren't they all, at this age?" she asks, mostly rhetorically.

Lizzy says, "If the school doesn't bring in the police, Terry's family might. Or the hospital."

Helen sighs, then adds, "Linda, I'm kind of in the same boat. I can -deal- with them, I just can't sense them." She hesitates, then says quietly, "I think this may be a matter of the dog which did nothing in the night."

Linda says, "She looked pleased when she walked past a minute or two back."

So, some people miss things here and there. Heather shows up however, holding a bag in one hand, and a drink carrier full of StarDancer blend coffee she picked up at a local place. She holds them up to the window of the car with her blonde brows lifting inquisitively.

Linda grins and points to the rear seat. "Should be plenty of room."

Chas and Gabriella leave the car park with a roar of unnecessarily powerful engine.

Lizzy says, "Someone needs to get his muffler checked before he gets a ticket."

Bran moves over in the back seat to give Heather some room to get into the car.

Helen snerks at the muffler comment, then smiles at Heather's arrival. "I love the scent of coffee," she admits.

Climbing in the back seat, Heather grins and says, "Sounds like he installed a loudener." as she settles in. She holds the coffee cups out and says, "Who needs caffeine?" before turning her head towards Bran and offering a more genuine smile of greeting. "What did I miss?" she asks.

Linda says, "So Gabriella break up with Terry. That doesn't seem to be a cause for jealousy. But, maybe the break up was because Terry tried to go too far. I heard a rumor some of the jocks were involved in something like that?"

Helen quite happily takes a cup -- she had the same attitude about coffee at the mansion -- but only inhales the scent. "Not too far a stretch," she muses of Linda's theory, "but was Gabriella the one involved?"

Bran smiles and says to Heather, "We were just discussing who might have attacked Terry. We have a few suspects."

Blinking a bit, Heather turns her head to look from one of the others to the next. "Um. Question. I know I missed something when I went to get snacks but.. someone attacked Terry?" she asks curiously.

Linda nods, "Someone changed Terry. Transformed his body into a severely deformed one. Bran said it was psionic. Is that right, Bran?"

Helen adds drily, "Attacked may be a strong word. Rebutted, perhaps. Transformed, definitely." She sniffs at the coffee again. "Into a pretzel shape."

Bran nods. "I definitely sensed a mental power of some kind, but couldn't tell where it came from."

Lizzy says, "Psionic, yes. I felt that too."

Cringing, Heather lifts a bagel and takes a bite. She's always eating. She shakes her head as she chews and swallows, "That seems.. excessive for anyone, no matter how much of a jerk he is."

Bran nods. "It came right after someone wished he was hurt? I forget the wording."

Helen mms; she has -opinions- on that. Ooo, bagels? She'll take one of -those-, and bite into it with relish. "I am perfectly certain he will be back to his athletic good shape in time for the school dance," Helen says a bit acidically.

Linda says, "That was Stan. I was at the table where he was. He said he wished it would, after someone, was it you, Helen, said a real woman would bend Terry into a pretzel."

"Regardless, it's not fair that -anyone- suffer like that." offers Heather. She's really that goody goody kid. Despite looking like she'd fit in as a 'mean girl'. "Oh, I do recall someone saying something like that as I was walking off. Also, Finch.. turns out he's not really a bad guy."

"Only suffering is mental," replies Helen. "His body is like it grew that way. And I had commented that a real woman would twist him into a pretzel -- after he told Pamela's boyfriend that he should date a real woman."

"You say that like mental suffering is less painful." suggests Heather. She shakes her head, "Trust me, it's not any less terrible."

"I am fairly conversant with most forms of agony," Helen says drily, "Mental as well as physical. I do agree that this is likely intense for him -- but a single instance of a few hours is mild compared to the extended amount he's dealt to his undoubtedly many victims. With luck, this will be educational -- and not just for him, but for other bullies." Helen -definitely- has opinions on bullies -- but does seem to hope that they'll become not-bullies in the not-too-distant future.

Bran repeats some of the information he relayed previously for Heather. "The three suspects I picked out of the crowd were Clyde Spalding, Gabriella Knight, and Selena Clayden. The first is a football player. Same position as Terry. Gabriella is Terry's ex. And Selena is a witchy-goth sort. All three were looking...not that horrified or...well, downright happy with what happened to Terry."

"This isn't a case of.. well he's done bad things so he deserves this more. He has been forcibly transformed... against his will. That is tantamount to rape." she says as she shakes her head.

Then she turns and regards Bran. She nods, "Okay. Are these suspects due to motive? Or do we have some reason to think any of these possess psionic talents?"

Oh, and another bagel is chomped. Duh.

Bran shakes his head, "Just based off of motive. I have no idea if any of the three have powers. It could be someone else entirely."

"Okay. So maybe we round'em up and interview them all? Or.. should we do some sort of background check and such?" asks Heather with a shake of her head, "Sorry, the closest I've ever gotten to being a detective was playing Clue."

Helen's expression goes a little colder at Heather's comparison. "You know who I find never makes that comparison? No, never mind; that is a fight I do not want. This is vicious, yes, and I suppose that no, he does not deserve punishment quite this extreme." She looms once more at Bran, listening and considering their list of suspects -- or rather, their list plus one.

Lizzy says, "Men?"

"No, people who are privileged and fully functional. Look..." Heather says to Helen, "I am sorry if I upset you. That was not remotely my intent." She sighs and shakes her head, "I just want to help out however I can really."

Bran gets very quiet after Helen's comment. He just listens for hte time being.

Helen sighs. "No, the people who never make a comparison to rape are those who have been raped, of both genders. I have met many, though I expect -- hope -- I never do so myself. No, Heather, it isn't your fault, we should focus on trying to make sure this doesn't happen again, preferably by making sure this was not done on purpose. If it was, then they need to be stopped. If it wasn't, then they need to be taught. I do," she adds with visible reluctance, "have one more suspect."

Inclining her head, Heather nods. "Okay. So who is your other suspect?" she asks, moving on and -not- wanting to keep talking about the comparison and other issues Helen spoke of.

"Well, I first want your oaths," Helen says, looking at all four of the others, "that you'll speak of this part to none but who are present without getting my permission. Because if this is the case, I think it's accidental. And I have already made overtures for .... communication."

Bran nods. "Sure. Fine. I won't mention it to anyone else."

Chewing, Heather swallows a bite of bagel and nods, "Sure. You're all my friends. You ask me not to talk about it, I won't talk about it."

Lizzy says, "I promise too."

Helen nods in acceptance as the others promise. "Sandy Tillman. She did not ... rubberneck, as the term goes, however ghoulish that seems right now. She very carefully didn't react, didn't go look. A case of the dog doing nothing in the night."

"Kind of like the one person who doesn't flinch when an explosion they are expecting goes off while everyone else is totally shocked. Yeah. I can see that." offers Heather.

momentarily abstracted at Heather's parallel, then nods in firm agreement. "Kind of, yeah. Maybe not wanting to see what she'd done. Or laying low so as to not get caught."

Bran nods. "Did she say anything right before it happened?"

Helen looks momentarily abstracted at Heather's parallel, then nods in firm agreement. "Kind of, yeah. Maybe not wanting to see what she'd done. Or laying low so as to not get caught."

Helen hesitates. "Not ... -right- before," she says slowly, "though I wasn't near enough to jer to hear, but -- she /did/ mentioned something to the effect of wishing that someone would do something about bullies like --" and here Helen waves towards where Chas Richman's car was. "Bullies."

Helen inhales once more at her still-full cup of coffee.

Bran nods. "Maybe, then? It definitely sounds like she's a possible culprit."

Helen nods. "As with Stan, I would think it accidental. Which is why I simply gave her my number in case she ever wanted to talk."