Song Shuffle Meme, requested by osborn_heir; Help

Logan likes the kid. He reminds him of someone. Maybe a couple of someones. Harry'd probably object to being called a kid but nearly everyone's a kid to Logan. And maybe he wouldn't object. Kid's got that look sometimes. The one that's more at home at the YMCA than the circles the Osborns run in but thing about orphans, don't matter what else they got, they're still orphans.

Not that Harry is technically an orphan but he's got the look. He sure does remind Logan of someone.

Logan will tell you, straight out and unapologetic, he's a lone wolf. He's got no need of a pack. He's got no want of a pack. Packs bring about trouble. Leading with your heart's only gonna end in heartbreak. S'why he's on so many teams, he'll tell you. That way he's not really on any.

'Course he'd be lying. But everybody lies.

"Sure, whenever you want."

'Kid' is on his tongue but Logan refrains. Harry's looking for a run in the Danger Room, Logan can provide it. Harry's looking for an escape from a life he can feel trapped in, Logan can provide that, too. Harry's looking for a big brother, well --

And in that moment, Logan realizes who Harry reminds him of.

"Sure, kid, let me handle it."

All these years, everything that's come between them, Victor's voice still makes him pause. Thing about orphans, don't matter what else they got, they're still orphans. Everybody needs a big brother, sometimes.

"Come on over, Harry. Let me handle it."

Kids tell me the Olympics are exciting. Tell me this to explain why we ain’t watching nothing else on the TV til the games are over. OK.

Equestrian. Not exciting.
Fencing. Not exciting.
Sailing. Not exciting. Boring in fact.
Swimming. Why is this exciting?
Bicycle race. No.
Men’s Gymnastics. …Please.
Beach Volleyball.

Aha.

I like the tall one. Walsh. The little one has a better name. Misty May. She sounds like a comic book character. Okay, maybe she sounds like a porn star. Still. Cute. Walsh is more womanly. More woman. Voiceover tells me they’re W’s favourite athletes. W’s an idiot but he’s got taste in athletes.

So. Beach volleyball ain’t boring. Least women’s beach volleyball.

But swimming’s on again. Supposed to be caring about this Phelps guy. I ain’t caring much. He got nothin’ on Misty May and Womanly Walsh.

There was a question. Oh yeah. What event would I compete in if I could compete in the Olympics? Should be obvious.

Boxing.

The lord of forty-seven samurai assaulted a man and was forced to kill himself. The samurai became ronin – without a lord, without a king, without a leader.

Without purpose.

They plotted. They chose to exact retribution on the man they held responsible – the man their lord had assaulted. They did this out of loyalty. They did this to honor their lord and restore honor to their lord. They did this to restore honor to themselves.

Honor became their purpose.

They killed the man. They plotted, planned and with full understanding of what they were doing and what it meant for the man, their lord and themselves, they murdered him.

Honor was restored.

The forty seven ronin samurai then took the punishment required by law and followed their lord into death by their own hands. Ritual suicide.

Honor was upheld.

A samurai’s code is as simple and as complex as this story. Morality is a personal choice. Without honor life has no purpose.

The light hits her hair in the morning and it shines brighter than the sun.

There are things he remembers, sometimes, in the dark and in the dawn. He spent so much time not remembering. Bright red hair. Bright red feathers. Red. Red, the color of fire. Flame. Lighting the room before electricity.

Now, he remembers.

Past and pasts. Future and futures. And future's past. So much to remember and try to understand.

Her hair, across his chest, shining in a tangle, brighter than the sun.

The human body cannot recall pain. Only the light of the flame, red, and gold but mostly red. A woman crying and he forgot because who would want to remember?

A woman crying. Mother. Sister. Cousin. Friend. Lover. Daughter. Wife. Tears are always falling. Never his. Sometimes his. Never his.

The man died and the woman cried and he fled and the girl fled and the girl is a woman and the woman died and he cried but he forgot because who would want to remember?

But she is just one woman and not.

Red hair, in a tangle, across his chest, the light hits it and it shines brighter than the sun.

She shines, always, brighter than anyone he has met. When she dances, when she laughs, when she sleeps, still she is shining. Her tears are his when she cries. And her hair. And her light. Red and gold but mostly red. It's not the red he fears. It's the red he loves.

It's your birthday! If anything were possible, what would be your perfect way to celebrate?

Stopped with the birthday parties long time back. Never much of a celebrator. Jean'd probably say that ain't a word. But Bill Gates says she'd be wrong.

So me and the big to-dos, we ain't friends exactly. Those that know me know I am a simple man with simple wants. My best birthday party? Me and my Jeannie in the cabin up north. I cook and she entertains. Hell, if she wants, I'll let the dog come, too.

Maybe a canoe trip. You ever been canoein'? Best in the early morning, earth just waking up. So quiet you can hear everything. The boat in the water. Birds chirpin', frogs croakin', wind in the reeds. Wind in the willows. Good book.

People think of the north as cold and gloomy. Tired. Dark. It's beautiful this time of year. Too bad my birthday is in November. Guess I'll have to do it all just for fun.

"The thing about dogs Mr. Logan, you gotta teach 'em good and early. If you don't start layin' down the law from the get go - puppyhood, Mr. Logan - then they'll walk all over you their whole long doggie life."

Hush a by, my baby, hush a by, my little James. Mama loves you, little boy. You’ll grow up big and strong. I know. I know.

"Corgie's are smart, though, don't worry. You tell 'em what's what and they will learn. They're not just cute - they are damn cute though, look at that face!"

Listen to me. You are not a man. You are a soldier. You are a weapon. You are the best weapon we have.

"And like, you’re getting yours all young and – what’s the word? Manageable? Makeable? Ma-ma-Malleable!! Yours is malleable. You can make him into a champion."

The X-Men are different. We do not want to promote mutant superiority. We want to promote equality in diversity. You can be a leader, here. You can make a difference.

"Not that, like, you should have a show dog. Show dogs got their place but not all dogs are show dogs."

The dream is still here somewhere. It’s clouded and muddied and maybe even missing but it’s real and it is waiting to be dreamed again.

"Bet your girl just wants a cuddly-wuddly widdle puppy, right? Don’t need a guard dog round you, right? You’ll be good for the dog Mr. Logan. You’ll be good and the dog’ll be good for you. You’ll see."

Look. I respect you to make your own decisions.

I ain't the tour guide type and no matter how Jubilee begs I ain't ever agreeing to be on MTV. So this is going to be brief and to the point. And I am only doing it because for some reason Hank and I are the only ones around at the moment. And Jeannie, but she's got plenty to do.

I live in upstate New York. Westchester County, Salem Center. Here is a map. Satellite feed. Don't try zooming in we have satellites of our own. Lots of security. Because we ain't just the school. But I'm ahead of myself.

Live in a school. Used to have the pretentious name Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters ('Youngster.' Seriously.) and now has the equally pretentious name the Xavier Institute for Higher Learning. But, a school. Hence I am often surrounded by youngsters students. Not as much now. Summer term.

But then, as is now public knowledge, it also houses the X-Men. And yes, we really do have a jet that flies up from under the basketball court. We have a whole training facility. And a revolving door of affiliated people who use it.

Now. On a personal note, I live in a what's it called, suite (as in bed and bath this post is dumb) with one Jean Grey. She's got herself an office and I kept my bedroom (man has to have his privacy). I only mention this because Jeannie is what makes living where I live more than a bedroom in a school.

[Locked from Jean]

We will soon be joined by her puppy. He's coming home in days. I am hoping the dog can be her baby so the witch doesn't get any ideas.

[Unlocked]

So. That's where I live. I also have a cabin in Canada and a place in Japan. But I don't want to bore you.

Jean had given them her tacit approval so Logan has no qualms about meeting Harry Osborn and showing him around the Danger Room. He didn't know exactly what the kid wanted out of this meeting. Lorna had been pretty vague when she'd mentioned the idea. Something about anger management. Well, Logan's pretty good with managing anger (he should have an infomercial). He's willing to give it a go if it's what the kid needs.

'Course the Danger Room is a bit specialized for a simple sparring session with a member of the pretty boy elite – even if he does seem scrappy. But Lorna had specified and hey, school's out, there are no X-teams in training and Logan really only needs a slim excuse to get it going in the Danger Room. Hell, he's looking forward to this. Damn cat's been makin' him soft. Damn life's been makin' him soft. Dealing with everybody's emotional dramas with...emotions. Enough already. He wants to punch something.

The sun's starting to set. Logan's outside the mansion, hat on head, smoking a cigar that elicits both giggles and glares from the students and staff remaining over the summer. Logan appears not to notice. He watches the sunset, waiting for the sound of a high performance engine. Pretty boy elite, after all.

Logan considers the small creature asleep on his stomach. Curled in on himself, Finn's white belly is hidden from view and he looks like nothing so much as a fuzzy black softball. A few weeks ago, a few days ago, he might have wanted to bat the cat away, but Logan has become oddly attached to Rogue's pet. Maybe it has something to do with Rachel's enthusiasm over her rabbit, or Jean's off-hand remarks about wanting a dog. Maybe it's the way the cat purrs when he's snuggled in. Maybe it is simply the fact that the cat belongs to Rogue and is a tangible reminder she is coming back. But whatever the reason, and despite the black and white hairs that have sprung up all over his room, Logan finds himself reluctantly admitting he may actually miss the cat when Rogue returns for him.

"When you go, maybe I'll get a friend of my own," Logan says, quietly, to the air over the cat's head. "Prolly a girl-type though." He leans his head back, pulls his hat over his eyes and settles down to take a cat nap of his own.

[Locked/Private]

Tina Fey, of course. Hey, she’d be a fun drunk.
Jean Grey.
Emma Frost. Needs to let her hair down.
Ororo Munroe. Miss her.
Tessa.
Betsy Braddock.
Brian Braddock.
Wanda Maximoff No.
Lorna Dane. Maybe. Maybe not. Could be the dancing on tables type….
Bruce Wayne. Or I could just punch him out sober. Dunno which would be more fun for Jeannie to watch.
Warren Worthington III.
Beaubier.
The other Beaubier.
Rogue.
Rachel Summers-Grey. Maybe. Maybe not.
Alex Summers.
Kurt Wagner.
Hank McCoy.
Peter Parker. Miss him, too.
Harry Osborn.
MJ. Mmmmm. Right. Back to topic.
Carol Danvers.
Simon Williams.
Luke Cage.
Jessica Jones.
Jessica Drew.
Sue Richards.
Johnny Storm.
Did I mention Mary Jane Watson?
Pepper Potts.

Tony Stark. Heh.

What was the drunken orgy line-up? Pretty sure Stark was included. Maybe he doesn’t need to be drunk to participate.

Magneto. Bastard.

Batman.

All of the above: Drunken orgy and/or fist fight.

[Unlocked]

Scott Summers. Is there any other answer?

3am

It's dark and it's cold. And it's wet. And it's home.

Logan's cabin is full up. Only has one bedroom and four people and a cat are more than enough to fill it up. Three people hurting, Logan, and a cat fill it up past capacity.

Illyana is good at chores, less good at training and a mouthy little brat. Logan likes her.
Beaubier is anti-social, angry more often than not and morose the rest of the time. Logan is worried about him.
Rogue is at turns snippy and haunted, acting as a friend to the other two and then hiding with her cat. Logan sometimes sees himself in her.
The cat

The cat is not as annoying as it might be.

In the middle of the night, lying on the ground in the back woods of Canada, it's dark and it's cold and it's wet. But the stars shining down from the sky are old friends. The leaves crunched up under his shoulders are old friends. It's dark and it's cold and it's wet. And it's home.

A friend asks you to recommend a book: which book would you choose?

[Locked to Beaubier, Rogue, Illyana]

When did my life turn into Three's Company?
Kitty litter.

Attention Class. Some ground rules. Nobody leaves the cabin unannounced. No unexpected visitors. Expected visitors have to be cleared with me. We don't got cable. Sorry. Internet works in the study. Share. Grocery list on the fridge, add what's needed. Don't drink my beer without asking.

Now, Jeannie let me know in no uncertain terms that if I was taking the girl I had to keep up her school work. She didn't, however, specify what that entailed. So.

One: we'll be training for two hours in the morning every day. Don't got a Danger Room. Deal. This will teach discipline and enhance your abilities.

Two: I have purchased each of you - that's right, Jack and Janet Beaubier and Rogue, you too, you train in the morning and you intellectualize otherwise. Ain't gonna have any slackers on my team. I have purchased each of you a copy of The Book of Five Rings by Miyamoto Musashi. Read it. Then read it again. Think about it. Decide why I told you to read it. Read it again. This will teach if you let it.

Three: We ain't in no luxury hotel. Rogue is drawing up a chore schedule. Read it. Do it. This will teach responsibility.

[Unlocked]

Out. Jean knows where.

Name three things that you're looking forward to in the near future and why.


I'm old. According to some I am older than God. Not true but amusing. Point being the near future may mean the next twenty minutes or may mean the next twenty years. And truth is, either way? Damn hard to pin down. Never mind that you may have to gut your best girl so she can save both your asses from falling into a sun – happens far too often, really – the little witch might show up any time and change your path right out from under you. the future is blurry and best left to its own devices. Whatever you are looking forward to? Just as possible it ain't gonna go down that way as it IS and that's just life. So this exercise seems a bit pointless. But since you asked:

1. Tina Fey has a movie coming out.
2. Victoria Day
3. It's Hockey playoffs. Good TV all week.

Logan didn't invite John to join the Rebellion. Not because he didn't trust John's alliances due to his prior allegiance to Magneto. He had Rogue on the team after all and she is still Brotherhood, still entangled with the man body and soul. Not because John already had a team to belong to. So did everyone, Logan has about five. Not because he didn't think John would be an asset to a team; Logan knows John was talented, if temperamental. And despite his history, not because he worried John was unstable. Lorna, Rachel, Wanda. Hell, Jean. Stability is clearly not what Logan was looking for in building his team. No, Logan didn't invite John to join the Rebellion for the same reasons he left out Laura and Beatrice. Logan didn't invite John to join the Rebellion because Logan considered John a child.

For a moment Logan imagines John's reaction to that statement. 'Mad' would not begin to describe the tirade. And the boy would not realize that reaction would only prove Logan's point.

John Allderyce died far too young.

To: Beaubier, Jean-Paul; Cassidy, Theresa; Darkholme, Anna; Maximoff, Wanda; Ramsey, Doug; Summers-Grey, Rachel
From: Logan
CC: Dane, Lorna; Grey, Jean
Subject: {encrypt} The Rebellion

Welcome to the team. Please understand you must adhere to the highest levels of security. Do not share this information with anyone not listed here – ANYONE, including significant others and family members. All contact information is encrypted for your safety and security. Codenames are to be used for public interaction. I'd like to acknowledge Rachel for her clever idea, no one will suspect Star Wars geeks.

The Rebellion

Red Team

Logan// Codename: Lando
Beaubier// Codename: Luke
Cassidy// Codename: Mara Jade
Darkholme// Codename: Vader
Maximoff// Codename: Leia
Ramsey// Codename: C-3PO
Summers-Grey// Codename: Padme

Gold Team (The Gold Team are not members of the team proper but they may be involved in certain operations at a later date.)

Dane// Codename: Handmaiden
Grey// Codename: Kenobi

Additional Terms

Project Wideawake: The Trade Federation
Senator Kelly: Senator Organa
The Brotherhood: The Imperial Senate
Magneto: Palpatine
Pyro: R2D2
Freedom Force: Jawas
SHIELD: The Ewoks
Stark: Wicket
Wayne: Jabba the Hutt


Here is an example of a missive:

Luke – let Padme and myself know when phase one versus the Trade Federation is done. Until then may the Force be with you.

Yeah, it's a real one, too.
So.
If you want to be secretary, let me know. This bit ain't my strong point.

-Logan

For daughter_of_m, tm_northstar, doug_ramsey, siryn_song, tm_rogue, summers_grey

It is colder than it should be considering Spring has supposedly sprung. Logan arrives an hour early, sets up at the top of the steps where he has a good view of any and all entrance points. He is hiding in plain sight; despite being one of the most recognizable mutants on the planet no one pays him any mind. Wanda is with him; sitting propped up against a Lion to read she appears to be just another college student.

With the events of the day before, his simple plan has taken a turn for the weird but Logan remains determined. Call them misfits, black sheep or power rangers this team is necessary – now more than ever. But, the Brotherhood breakout puts more pressure on relationships already very fragile.

Beaubier, Ramsey and Cassidy have reason to care about and fear for Pyro. Logan believes Rogue does too, hopefully she can convince the others. Rachel and Wanda, they are the wild cards. Could be the greatest members of the team...could destroy the world.

Well, Logan has always liked a challenge.

He sees a flash out the corner of his eye; Wanda looks up, too. Beaubier, no doubt. And there, Cassidy. As the others start to appear, Logan stands straight, ready to lead them to the real meeting place, office space a few blocks away.

Ready to lead them.


( OOC )

[...AKA Beaubier, Ramsey, Cassidy, Rachel, Rogue, Wanda]

Meeting: Wednesday, 7PM. Meet at the New York Public Library, we'll move from there.

Topics to be discussed:
Team assignment
Team name
Communication network
Project Wideawake
Toad/the Brotherhood
All threats to mutants and/or mutant threats

Eat first. Bring your ideas. Comment with questions and problems.

Hockey is going well. Started out a bit rough what with the number of interested parties who didn't know a Puck from a Mustard Seed (Logan, as may surprise many, is well read) but once everyone got past that first awkwardness and Little Miss Organisation let them all get back to playing...

Hockey is going well.

It also gives Logan a chance to see people outside of their roles as students, teachers, X-Men, former X-Men, future X-Men, and the like. Helped him decide Beaubier was worth pursuing for a team whatever the kid says himself. Helped him decide he should let the kids stay kids a long as he could, though the dividing line is blurry. And helped him decide Rachel is ready to be on a team again.

He approaches her after practice. He smells, his clothes are dirty and his feet are wet but hey, same could be said for her. He gives her a smile as he takes a seat beside her on the benches set up for the group.

"Hey."