Lumis' Office -Sept. 24th

[Marcus Kingston]

After Marcus was patched up he made his way to Lumis' office. He looked over at Denise.

"I'm here to see Lumis about the incident in the shower room earlier. I need to talk to him."

[Domanic Taylor]

Denise nods at Marcus. "He's expecting you, go on in."


Domanic is at his desk, with three computer screens popped up out of the desk around him, reading them and typing in notes. He waves Marcus in when the door is opened.

[Marcus Kingston]

"Thanks Denise." Marcus walked inside and stopped in front of Lumis' desk. "Hey Lumis. So, expecting me huh?"

[Domanic Taylor]

"Yes, security notified me that there was a scuffle in the men's bathroom. Go ahead and give me your version."

[Marcus Kingston]

"I don't think my version is going to be much different than what the others may of said. I was keeping an eye on Kelly the whole day. He wasn't doing so hot. He got pretty wasted around lunch and went to take a shower. I went in to check on him to find that Winston guy in his face and threatening him. Not sure if Calvin heard the threatening but he came in shortly afterward. Either way, I told the guy I wouldn't let him harm Kelly while I was there and ripped up one of the walls to show him I wasn't kidding around and what my power allowed me to do. I mean, seen plenty of fights before with mutants and depending on powers some were tame..others are brutal. Anyway, the Winston guy pretty much tells me and Calvin to fuck off and that this was his fight and throws a punch at Kelly. Kelly dodges it and attacks him back and suddenly, the Winston guy just explodes."

He closed his eyes, thinking about it deeply. "Freaked me out. He ignored what I had to say, what I could do and decided that he'd ignore me and still go after my friend even though I and another person who was there probably were against any fight breaking out. I don't play that way Lumis. You know me. Not to mention..he freaking exploded on Kelly. Kelly only got grazed by it but he could of him been seriously hurt..I didn't know what the guy's intent was or how bad he'd try to hurt him. So, that was it. I was in. My friends and loved ones' safety override some little prick's any day of the week. Especially if he feels like he's gonna hurt my friend over some crappy reason and try to show off how tough he is. So he found himself being smacked around by several walls, some others being hurled at him and by time I was done, I sort of ripped up the whole shower room. There was a moment when we paused for a bit. I tried to apologize after I figured maybe things just went off wrong but he was pissed and exploded. I shifted larger and blocked Kelly from the blast..and that's how my back is burned."

"That's it."

[Domanic Taylor]

Domanic sighs. "Amp... I appreciate your position, I really do. On the other hand, casual displays of power like that tend to escalate a situation. I agree that you should defend your friends, but it might have been a better idea to just walk away, with Osprey, before it became necessary to defend your friend."

[Marcus Kingston]

"To be honest, with the way that guy was, I don't think he really would of let us leave. He seemed more excited that maybe he even had a show to I dunno. Prove himself. Besides, I did that and said one thing and he throws a punch at my friend? He could of just focused on me and at least, that'd make some sense. Regardless, I am here to see what sort of punishment I'm going to get. I don't regret my actions in any form or fashion and I never will, when it comes to protecting people who are important to me." He said sternly. "And if he ever bothers Kelly again, I'm fairly sure I'll have even less concern for his well being that time around."

He clasped his hands behind his back. "I've said my position."

[Domanic Taylor]

"People are afraid of power, Marcus. For all our civilization, there are still only two real responses to fear that you'll get out of most people. Fight or flight. He chose fight. If you hadn't given him a reason to be afraid, then he might not have chosen to demonstrate that he didn't need to be afraid."

"I know that you consider your position on this firm, but I am trying to teach you something here. There are many ways to protect the people you care about. The best ones make sure that those people aren't ever in danger in the first place. For instance, rather than a pure display of power, how about physically putting yourself between Osprey and his potential attacker? As a protection strategy, that might work a lot better."

[Marcus Kingston]

Then he'll learn to be more afraid later.. He thought to himself.

"Key word is might." He said rather annoyed. He felt giving that little douche some sort of excuse for his actions were lame. "True, people may cause potential reactions to occur or sway things to lead a certain way but the bottom line is, the person at the end choose what they'd rather do in the end. I'm not saying you don't have a point or that may of been a better idea but I am not gonna sit here and allow some excuse for the actions he took. What he wanted to do mainly was hurt Kelly and even in that situation if I had blocked him, who's the say he just wouldn't of tried to get Kelly again when he was alone? Spending in front of him would of been a fear thing as well, it wasn't sure Kelly he had to worry about it was me too. He said it was between Kelly and him. I showed him that it wasn't in my way or could of in yours and you know what? He chose to make it against us. He made his choice and I showed him, I wasn't playing when I told him what I'd do."

"That is that. I understand what you're saying but I don't think that would of relieved the situation any better. If he was that angry that he wanted to hurt Kelly period, I'd just have to see Kelly later, really hurt potential or in the infirmary. Only difference there is, you'd just be talking to me later."

[Domanic Taylor]

"I'm not excusing what he did. In fact, I'm not even talking about what he did. This is not about him, Amp. This is about you, and what you did. And how it could have been done better."

[Marcus Kingston]

He just sighed. "Then yes, I understand I could of went about this better."

[Domanic Taylor]

"That's all I ask. Look, stepping in front of Osprey is confrontational, sure. But it is much more subtle than tearing up a wall. It also costs the school no money, and doesn't deprive the other men on your floor of a place to shower. It's certainly worth a try."

"Big theatrical stunts like that are great during a mission, when you're actively engaged in battle against mutant or otherwise superhuman foes. You need something big to even get people's attention. But doing that in the dorms is something else totally. It's like being in a bar fight. The first guy who pulls a knife changes the whole fight. People start reaching for weapons instead of fighting with fists. Even worse if a gun comes out, because then it can turn into a slaughter."

"Leaving the shower doesn't mean turning tail and running. It can mean showing the troublemaker that his behavior cuts him off from any social context. It's one thing for Osprey to leave on his own. It's another for you to say, "Let's go, Kelly." and the two of you walk out together."

"That shows him that you are friends, that he is the outsider, and that you won't put up with his behavior. It leaves him alone, and angry, and probably miserable. And it leaves you and Osprey together, getting a beer or just having a good time together."

"So, in that last scenario, you are the winner. And as a bonus, you have a nearby shower to use the next day."

[Marcus Kingston]

He listened to what Lumis said intently. Lumis wasn't wrong one bit. He didn't really think anything he said was out of place. He just didn't think it would of helped so easily. Of course, he was pissed at the time so maybe his ideas were blurred a bit. The last line about the shower made him smirk a little. True. He jacked that place up.

He nodded. "Yes if it all worked out that way. I guess I didn't give that scenario a chance to happen though."

[Domanic Taylor]

Domanic smiles. "Good, that was a very adult admission. I'm not angry at you. People have emotions, and sometimes the emotions get to drive. Unlike humans, who can just punch a wall angrily, Mutants tend to have a few more options. We don't bruise our knuckles on that wall."

"Considering that you're starting to think it through the right way, I'm not going to punish you. I think you SHOULD help rebuild the shower, either with money or time, but that's up to you, and your own conscience. Next time, try to do it better. Not perfectly, but better, deal?"

[Marcus Kingston]

"I was expecting at least that. I would of helped out if I wasn't forced to anyway. The destruction of the shower room is primarily my fault after all. So it'd only make sense. I'll do some time and money." He said, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.

"I will be truthful. I'll try to think things out more throughly but he tries to do anything to Kelly at all, I may end up in here again. I can promise you that."

[Domanic Taylor]

"Just do it better next time. Now get out of here and have a beer or something, it's way too early in the day for you to be studying." Dom smiles.

[Marcus Kingston]

He smiled. "Okay. Thanks Lumis. I appreciate that you understood where I was coming from a bit." He turned the the side and nodded.

"Alright. I'll see you later. Thanks again." He said before making his out of the office.

[Morgan Evans]

((After the Quad incident))

Morgan was very unsettled about everything with Teri and Ayami, she just didn't like feeling powerless in these situations. Not after having finally regained some power after so long. So bracing herself for her first meeting with Lumis, Morgan entered the office and approached Denise.

"Excuse me Ma'am, may I speak to Mr Taylor?"

[Domanic Taylor]

Denise nods, and lets Morgan know that she can go into the office in a few minutes.

A short time later, she motions for Morgan to head in.

Dom is standing at his window, overlooking the city. He hangs up the phone as Morgan comes in, having just finished his conversation.

"Psyche, is it? What can I do for you."

[Morgan Evans]

"Yes Sir." Mogan was more than a little afraid but also determined.

"I was wondering if I could speak to Teri, I need her to clear a few things up."

[Domanic Taylor]

"Visiting hours are from one to two, on Sundays. She'll be getting some limited net access today, you can send her an email and we will forward it on, if you like."

[Morgan Evans]

"I'm not sure that it can wait... I really want to say I will but I have to know if she is really just as sick in the head as they are accusing her of." Morgan's tone was the ice that she felt when she thought of the people who had been her 'protectors'.

"Hate I can understand, but rape? I would have sooner see Teri kill Ayami in a fair fight than think she did that."

[Domanic Taylor]

"It's going to have to wait. That wasn't a suggestion, those are the actual visiting hours. Like I said, you can send an email and she should get it sometime this evening."

[Morgan Evans]

"Can you tell me what will happen to her if you find that she did do it?"

[Domanic Taylor]

"We did find that she did it. Examination of the victim, plus the perpetrator's confession seal this one up pretty tightly. She has been sentenced to an indeterminate length of time in Secure Holding, depending on her ability to rehabilitate."

[Morgan Evans]

Morgan felt her power flare instinctively with her hate and she blinked slowly her eyes turning white, her voice cold and detached.

"Thank you Sir, thats all I needed to know. Perhaps it would be best if I don't see her, I appreciate your time."

[Domanic Taylor]

"It probably is. Thank you for coming in."