Timelined after Second Helpings
<@Fabian> Fabian sat back from the table, deciding he was rather proud of his and Cecilia's collaboration for Mutant Physiology, rolling the sheets of paper up and carefully rubber banding them together and then saving the rest of the documents on the laptop. It was later than he had meant to stay in the library but, as today had been rather up and down, he didn't feel much like sleeping so found himself leaving the work on the desk and wandering through the bookshelves.
<Pietro> Rather than go home and risk being tackled by his sister and pregnant wife, Pietro decided the school library would do for his needs. He poked his head in through the door and was surprised to find someone else in there so late in the day. "Hi...?"
<@Fabian> "Hello," Fabian glanced back, also finding it strange someone was just coming in now, much less Pietro. He was one of the former X-Forcers he didn't exactly see around much.
<Pietro> "You're here late... figured everyone was out getting drunk by now." He headed for the biology section.
<@Fabian> "If you get drunk every night it ruins the beauty of it." Fabian replied, turning back to the books in front of him, just mulling over the titles. "Plus, it's not as if I did too much in the way of studying today so why not?"
<Pietro> "I usually find studying in my own time to be more productive so I can get that... classes are too slow." He pulled out a couple of the books.
<@Fabian> "I enjoy classes well enough, I'm just not much for schedules...plus I walked out in the midst of my first class today and didn't come back to the school until a few hours ago."
<Pietro> He raised an eyebrow, "Sensitive topic?"
<@Fabian> "Misunderstanding with a project partner, we dealt with it."
<Pietro> "Ah..." he nodded understandingly, "Yeah that happens." He sat down with his textbook selections.
<@Fabian> Fabian gave a little laugh at that, shaking his head as he made a few selections for reading purposes. "And what are you working on?"
<Pietro> "Nothing special, just a little background reading for a side project." He flicked through a few pages.
<@Fabian> Coming back over to his work table to sit down and read, Fabian kicked his feet up into the chair next to him, cracking open the first book. It was at least something to focus on as he worked out dealing with Pietro. The former X-Force people all seemed to fall in different places for him. Drake he still didn't overly trust, Wade he had just accepted was nuttier than a fruit bat, Laura was all right, he could understand her difference. He hadn't found a place for Pietro yet, however.
<Pietro> He opened his note book and scribbled a few things down, "Trying to work out just how much bullshit this 'cure' is." he decided to elaborate.
<@Fabian> "Well, there are ways of blocking powers, who knows what they've tried to use." Fabian's head shook though. "Worst case scenario it's some kind of inhibitor with a tracking device and they just bully people into it."
<Pietro> "That's the only thing it can be, they can't alter our DNA... so I'm going to figure out what they did."
<@Fabian> "Well, even here has that patch business, and some mutants can block powers as well, it's all about what they're mixing together to introduce into the volunteer's system."
<Pietro> "Yeah but that won't work for very long... especially not on some of them," he frowned, "That's why I want to know what they did."
<@Fabian> "I don't know, from what I understood that Leech kid had a lasting effect while he was around, yes?"
<Pietro> "Yeah... but his range isn't huge. The patches can inhibit certain neural transmitters but the affect wears off after a while..." he raked a hand through his hair, "We're missing pieces."
<@Fabian> "If they figured out how to recreate the kid's power they wouldn't have to worry about the range much, would they?"
<Pietro> "Not if they were dosing them with it no..." And there went his pen. Sigh. "You know... all this worry about a war between mutants and humans and they pull shit like this... they're kind of shooting themselves in the foot."
<@Fabian> Fabian couldn't help but snort. "I do believe this is what they call preaching to the choir."
<Pietro> "Yeah... sorry, I'm just thinking out loud." He shook his head, leaning back in his seat and staring at the ceiling. "I miss being a legal aid. Life was so much simpler before I stopped Rachel getting flattened by a bus..."
<@Fabian> "A simple life is a monotonous life." Fabian said automatically. "What are you now?"
<Pietro> "A geneticist." He lifted his head to look at Fabian, eyebrow raised and waiting for the inevitable barrage of questions.
<@Fabian> Fabian didn't actually have a barrage of questions, simply nodding as that made sense. "Well, I'm sure eventually you'll have a theory. Lets just hope they don't decide whatever they're doing is a success."
<Pietro> "That would be very bad... but then at least we'd have a location."
<@Fabian> "And a federal mandate to be dosed more than likely."
<Pietro> "Well they tried that with the registration act and look how well that went for them."
<@Fabian> "Yes, but it's what happens after such a mandate that should have people worried."
<Pietro> "The natural backlash yes but this is back to them shooting themselves in the foot."
<@Fabian> "I meant what they would do. Eventually it's not going to just be acts and mandates."
<Pietro> "Well then we'll just have to stop them before that happens."
<@Fabian> "You know," He chuckled a bit, letting his book go closed. "That's what I thought I was doing."
<Pietro> "Buuuut, you sided with a crazy person." He pointed out, "Now you're on the right side with someone that knows a lot about getting to things before other people."
<@Fabian> And who was also a murderer and all sorts of things that Fabian preferred not to consider at the moment. He just nodded, figuring it was the safest thing to do. "Suppose that's right."
<Pietro> "Super speed has to be good for something, right? ... Apart from accidentally blowing things up."
<@Fabian> "Right." He nodded, although he found the word choice extremely unsettling.
<Pietro> "Speaking of... I need a new pen." he frowned. He hated when that happened. "Excuse me for a moment."
<@Fabian> Fabian simply inclined his head in answer, figuring he didn't really have time from when Pietro was gone to make an exit considering the speed.
<Pietro> He did not, Pietro was back seconds later with several pens just in case. It was becoming an issue all these accidental explosions. "So you seem to be settling in alright, despite the misunderstandings."
<@Fabian> "I don't know, it's improving I guess. It's touch and go, especially after what happened at the Hellfire Club." He admitted, pulling a face. "And the whole cure thing as well puts an understandable damper on things."
<Pietro> "Well it's not fair of them to blame you for that." he shook his head, "and as for this so-called 'cure'..." he rolled his eyes, "More trouble than it's worth I think."
<@Fabian> "Well, you know, not everyone was as sure as some that I didn't have anything to do with Nur being there that night so I can see it. You're right on the cure though. With any luck it will fail but never count on luck."
<Pietro> "If you knew Nur was going to be there would you have showed up? Because anyone with sense would have been half the continent away if they'd known that was going to go down." He shook his head dismissively, "I think their science is wrong. And you can rely on science."
<@Fabian> "And you can rely on people playing the system and claiming they have a cure to get more money to fund whatever they like. Who knows what it is, I just know I don't like it. And no, he tried to get me killed. I would have been as far away as possible."
<Pietro> "Well there you go, that's how we know you were telling the truth about that. And if they try to pull the wool over anyone's eyes about this cure I will do more than research it for a hobby."
<@Fabian> "What do you mean?" Fabian just wanted to make sure he was understanding Pietro right here.
<Pietro> Pietro gave Fabian a questioning look before assuming he meant about the cure thing. "I mean I'll do everything in my power to discredit them which, given my field, is a lot."
<@Fabian> Well, that was a relief then. "I wish you luck then." He nodded to Pietro, stacking his books up.
<Pietro> Pietro inclined his head to Fabian in thanks for the wishes, "Thanks... but I think the luck I need is the kind that stops my wife finding out I'm thinking of taking on yet more work."
<@Fabian> "I'm afraid that is something I definitely will be no help with. Relationships and such things are beyond me."
<Pietro> He laughed, "Yeah, it takes practice... and allies. I can rely on you not to mention it to Illyana, I'm sure."
<@Fabian> "You've my word as far as it will take you. I won't tell her."
<Pietro> "Good. Because, if you did, I'd have to take you down with me," he gave him a grin.