8/14 Instance: The Exorcist

[Saint Kurt]

Office of the Wanger - Sunday afternoon



[Fr.Wagner] Kurt looked over his class schedule for the new semester. Xavier had actually listened to him. He had a lot less classes this time.

[Elizabeth] Lizzie walked up and down the corridor outside the office a few times, trying to get up the nerve to knock.

[Fr.Wagner] He'd finished with his phone call so he shut the ringer off and put it in the bottom of his drawer. At least for now.

[Fr.Wagner] "Ha! Take that vile distraction!" he admonished as he shut the drawer.

[Elizabeth] God, Wagner was going to be soo sick of her by the end of the semester, she thought and stopped her pacing and stood outside the door. She had a lot of things on her mind. Seeing TJ and Remy had NOT helped.

[Fr.Wagner] He turned back to his schedule.

[Elizabeth] Lizzie sighed deeply and shrugged a shoulders a little to loosen up and knocked hesitantly on the door. Was he even in there? She thought she'd heard a voice...

[Fr.Wagner] Kurt was thinking about how he was going to approach some of these different subjects from last time when he heard a tiny knock on the door.

[Fr.Wagner] At least he thought it was.

[Fr.Wagner] "Come in?" He asked, not sure if anyone was even there.

[Elizabeth] Lizzie opened the door a crack on hearing Wagner call out and peeked around it. "Um. Hi. Can I - are you busy? I' can come back later," Lizzie said, craning her neck slightly to see if Wagner was working or just relaxing.

[Fr.Wagner] Kurt had to crane his neck a little to see who was peeking in.

[Fr.Wagner] "Oh, Lizzie. Of course you can come in. I'm making work for myself. I'm sure I'll just be sorry later." he said.

[Elizabeth] Lizzie slid in through the narrow gap and shut the door after her and nervously approached the desk, twining her fingers together slightly nervously.

[Fr.Wagner] Kurt watched Lizzie enter, looking more like she was about to receive a punishment than anything else. As far as he knew, she hadn't done anything. Yet.

[Fr.Wagner] She still seemed a bit fragile, but he hoped that would slowly change over the semester.

[Fr.Wagner] He slid the schedule across the desk for her to see. "It appears we will be having a class together." Kurt said. He pointed down at "Remedial Movement."

[Fr.Wagner] "stupid name, but... we'll try to have fun."

[Elizabeth] Lizzie stiffened. "Remedial? Excuse me? Not that I don't think you're a good teacher...but Movement is about the only class I can do!"

[Elizabeth] "Well...once I put some weight back on..." Lizzie sighed and looked down at herself. She needed a protein shake or something.

[Fr.Wagner] Kurt waved it away. "I didn't name it. Sgt. Rankin did. But it's my class. It will be you, TJ, and Doug. We should call it ... I don't know. We'll think of a better name together."

[Elizabeth] "TJ...?" Lizzie went a little pale. Ooh, that would not be so good.

[Elizabeth] She shifted uncomfortably and perched on the edge of one of the office chairs.

[Fr.Wagner] "It is possible Lizzie, to sit comfortably in this office. I've done it at least once," he said with a smile.

[Fr.Wagner] "For instance, that couch there is much nicer than having this desk between us."

[Fr.Wagner] He got up and sat down on his couch on one end, gesturing for Lizzie to join him at the other.

[Elizabeth] Lizzie picked herself up and walked over to the couch and sat down on the other end sinking into it slightly. It did feel a little better...

[Fr.Wagner] "Now," Kurt said, pulling his knees up and leaning back, "I know 'remedial' sounds like you're behind, but I don't think that's the case. I'm considering it a chance for the 3 of you to really develop physical skills and styles of your own."

[Fr.Wagner] "I really enjoyed working with Raven last semester and so this semester I'm excited about seeing this groups' potential."

[Fr.Wagner] "So, what about you? Good idea? Looking forward to it or ... not really?" Kurt asked.

[Elizabeth] "I just...look, at home I was in the cadets. The only subject I was actually any good at was PE, and you're putting me in the special class?" Lizzie cringed slightly, not wanting to come across as such a little sod as she normally did.

[Elizabeth] "It's more like, well Doug, you said? He's alright though. And...TJ?" Lizie went a little pale again. That would be hard work.

[Fr.Wagner] Kurt leaned forward conspiratorially.

[Fr.Wagner] "My hope is this really becomes more like the advanced class. With only 3 of you, you'll really be able to focus on your strengths. That's my goal anyway. I fully think everyone is capable."

[Fr.Wagner] "I think Sgt. Rankin gave it that name to piss me off," Kurt admitted. "So don't let it piss you off." He smiled.

[Elizabeth] "Alright. I'll try, honestly. I just don't...like Sgt. Rankin much," Lizzie bit on her lip. "Most of the other girls like him, or at least they like his arse..."

[Fr.Wagner] Kurt chuckled. "So I have heard."

[Fr.Wagner] "So, how do you fee about the students in our little band of 'movement warriors'. Do you get a long with them? Doug? TJ?"

[Fr.Wagner] "And remember this is about you and you're strengths. You might not have the same focus as TJ or Doug. Like I said, I'm hoping it can just be some time to have fun. But it seems like something is worrying you..."

[Elizabeth] "Well...Doug's alright like I said. It's just TJ..." Lizzie said, flushing slighty.

[Fr.Wagner] "TJ, huh? How do you think you might have trouble working with her? Maybe we can talk about it now and work on that."

[Fr.Wagner] "Are you and TJ friends outside of class at all?"

[Elizabeth] Lizzie turned crimson. "We are...or we were, really. I like TJ. As in I LIKE her..." Lizzie said with a great sigh and pulled her feet up to her chin.

[Elizabeth] "I was stupid...I just got a bit tipsy one night and...and I kissed her. We haven't really spoken since. And then there was that day I was using my power on Remy...I guess that didn't help her opinion of me."

[Elizabeth] Lizzie stopped and checked herself. Had she really just told him that? Unbeliveable...

[Fr.Wagner] Kurt frowned slightly. He was now navigating the treacherous waters of "like as in LIKE" her. He never quite knew exactly what the students meant by this.

[Fr.Wagner] Was there some sort of double standard of like beyond just liking someone, one where you actually Liked them? What did that even mean. Was it frendship or attraction or both?

[Fr.Wagner] Why was everyone so insane about sex? Didn't anyone love anyone anymore?

[Fr.Wagner] He shook his head, trying to clear it.

[Fr.Wagner] And ask a reasonable question. "When.... When you kissed TJ. Did you both understand why you were doing it?"

[Fr.Wagner] This was the plan, just pretend TJ was a code for some other random student at the school. Don't think about Talia.

[Elizabeth] "I...Well, I was a bit drunk. But I did mean it. To - I didn't want to upset her, and that's what I did...I don't know. I was just a bit confused at the time."

[Elizabeth] "You see - I'd been hanging out with TJ, we'd chatted and she was just this sweet, lovely, pretty person...And we talked and we tlaked about guys and it just got confusing as she was trying to get me to work out if I liked Shiro or Warren...when it was her that I liked."

[Elizabeth] Lizzie propped her head on her knees, tilting it slightly to the side...God, the poor guy, she thought..she was telling him she had a crush on his daughter....

[Fr.Wagner] Kurt frowned. This was quickly going over his head.

[Fr.Wagner] TJ was a sweet and lovely person of course, but that didn't mean she had to carry on kissing everyone. Nor should everyone be going about kissing her.

[Fr.Wagner] In fact, why was anybody kissing anybody here? This was supposed to be a university. Didn't they have other things to focus on?

[Fr.Wagner] And this was supposed to have something to do with his movement class. What if, instead of experimenting with equipment he provided, they just started Kissing instead?

[Fr.Wagner] God, he didn't want to think about it. He buried his face in his hands wondering if Lizzie might come up with a new issue to talk about. One that didn't involve TJ or Kissing or Remy or any of that "butt stuff" they'd mentioned.

[Elizabeth] "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything, but...It just might be a little bit strained in your class, you see..."

[Elizabeth] Lizzie gazed around the office nervously. She still felt edgy being in there.

[Fr.Wagner] Kurt smiled. "well, how about we do our best to smooth things over. Perhaps talking to TJ might help. Have you tried that?"

[Elizabeth] Lizzie shook her head. "I didn't want to...Upset her any more than I had. She reacted pretty well given the circumstances, but still...I just didn't want to push things. And anyway, I went away for a week pretty soon after." Lizzie coughed slightly. "I umm...That was when I cam back and..."

[Elizabeth] "But no, there just wasn't a good time after that. I didn't really talk to anyone apart from Warren and all I really did was cry."

[Fr.Wagner] "I remember when you came back from New York. Maybe we should focus on one thing at a time. For instance, you."

[Fr.Wagner] Kurt smiled. "How are you Lizzie? Like today, right now?"

[Elizabeth] "I'm okay. I feel alright I guess. The school is a bit...full," Lizzie crossed her legs and started to twiddle her fingers. "I thought I wouldn't be able to cope with everyone back and there were new people too, but it wasn't bad."

[Elizabeth] "I even used my teke to float plates and stuff to show off a little," Lizzie added shyly, looking down. She knew what Wagner was trying to do....she couldn't really blame him though.

[Fr.Wagner] "See," Kurt said with a grin. "I didn't even go into their this morning. I'm sure it's pretty obvious I'm not a big fan of crowds. But you did. Very nice. What else?"

[Elizabeth] "Well...I talked to one of the girls. And the other girl had a problem with her powers - the Asian girl - and I....tried to get her to calm down and focus. I felt like a bit of a hypocrite, but someone needed to do it..."

[Fr.Wagner] "That doesn't sound so bad either Lizzie. So besides trying to fix things with TJ - to come to an understanding of your true feelings for each other. It sounds like you're doing a lot of strong things."

[Fr.Wagner] "Why do you think that is?"

[Elizabeth] "I didn't realise I was doing anything strong..." Lizzie said in a slightly small voice, picking at a loose thread on her torn jeans.

[Elizabeth] "I suppose I'm just getting used to being myself."

[Fr.Wagner] Kurt smiled. "That's not such a bad thing." he said.

[Fr.Wagner] "And I bet it's a lot easier now." He winked.

[Elizabeth] Lizzie nodded slightly. "It's just been hard here. I don't have an awful lot in common with the other students. And before you say anything, really think about it - you've read my files, you saw where I went to school, my family background even though that is a little...well, non existant now."

[Elizabeth] "And I'd never been to America," Lizzie added. "I'm sure you can understand that one and I know I'm not the only person to have come from another country...but that doesn't make it any easier when you don't even..." Lizzie trailed off.

[Fr.Wagner] "Not a lot of people know how I grew up, but I just had my mother and we were part of a circus. I never knew my father and her family, they were very ashamed of her...

[Fr.Wagner] "...because of me. I've been told they were very rich and influential, but I never actually met any other Wagners. And so besides her, I had nobody else. It was a great sacrifice she made for me."

[Fr.Wagner] "And then when I turned 16 I got an offer to come to Canada and perform with Cirque du Soleil. And so I returned the favor. Because I knew that by my leaving, my mother could go back to her home. I haven't see or spoken to her since."

[Fr.Wagner] Kurt smiled. "We make family where we find it. In the circus, the church, here in this school..."

[Elizabeth] "I haven't really done a very good job of establishing family though...I messed up with TJ, Remy probably doesn't trust me, Angel is really sweet and all, but we're not exactly on the same wavelenght." Lizzie looked around aimlessly, looking at the friendly clutter of his office.

[Fr.Wagner] Kurt shrugs. "It takes time," he said.

[Fr.Wagner] "And building trust takes a little while. In the circus we were throwing and catching each other all day so..." He laughed.

[Fr.Wagner] "Speaking of, there were some questions you had for me a little while back. I said to wait. Perhaps you're ready now? You sound like you are to me." Kurt said.

[Elizabeth] Lizzie winced slightly and drew one of her knees up under her chin. "You mean that time I nearly killed you?" she asked in a dull tone, staring at the floor.

[Elizabeth] She blinked quickly and let her hair fall into her face as a soft purple sheild and tried to keep her focus.

[Fr.Wagner] "You asked if it was your fault. Do you think it was?"

[Elizabeth] "I...don't know. When I told Warren what I'd done, he said it wasn't. But maybe he was just trying to stop me having a breakdown, as I was really upset..." Lizzie said in a quiet voice, looking down at the floor. "But I don't know if he was saying it or if he meant it."

[Fr.Wagner] "Well, Warren wasn't there," Kurt said, smiling. "I was asking what you thought. Why don't we start with something that happened to me as an example."

[Fr.Wagner] "When I still lived in California, I got a phonecall telling me I needed to be at a script read through - that I was late. I wasn't really in any condition to leave the house at all, but I had to be there."

[Fr.Wagner] "While driving to the read through I realized I was on the wrong side of the road, and there was no way I was going to avoid hitting the car in front of me. Who would you said was ultimately to blame?"

[Elizabeth] "You were?"

[Fr.Wagner] "I was. I should have said I couldn't make it or called a taxi or found another way there. Except I wasn't thinking."

[Fr.Wagner] "It did occur to me that I could do one thing to avoid an accident however, and that was to drive my car off the embankment. And so that is what I did. Nobody was hurt. Except for my car or course..."

[Elizabeth] Lizzie remained mute throughout, staring down intently at the floor. "So Warren lied to me then?"

[Elizabeth] "I was thinking that night though. Maybe not as I should be, but I was thinking. I was also scared and I'd been physically thrown out of a hotel room by my father."

[Elizabeth] "I'm not trying to make excuses for myself, but I was just...You were trying to help me. I know. But I just didn't want that help you were offering, not then."

[Fr.Wagner] Kurt furrowed his brow, nodding his head. "And I was thinking too. I thought better to die saving another's life than killing them in a drunk driving accident."

[Fr.Wagner] "So Warren didn't lie to you. Not exactly at least. He didn't account for the fact that if people are under the influence, they may have bad ideas that seem good at the time or vice versa."

[Fr.Wagner] "I told you blame and responsibility was a tricky thing."

[Elizabeth] "But I was to blame. I didn't have to do what I did. I could have just smashed your desk or...You know, one of the few things that was keeping me together was the thought that it wasn't my fault. And it was. I can't deny that I wasn't angry at you or that I didn't want you to feel what I felt..."

[Elizabeth] "And as for being under the influence, I don't know if I'd taken any headache pills before then, so I just..." Lizzie blinked a tear away. God, she was cracking up....

[Fr.Wagner] "And if you were? Is that the end of the world?" Kurt asked.

[Elizabeth] "It means that you have little reason to actually keep me in this school and that I'm not to be trusted," Lizzie shrugged and rolled her shoulders, titlting her head back to stare at the ceiling so she didn't have to look at the bookcase.

[Elizabeth] "If I had had anywhere else to go, I would probably have left."

[Fr.Wagner] Kurt had to laugh at Lizzie's remark.

[Fr.Wagner] "I'm sure it will amuse you to know, that when I first came to this place, almost 20 years ago now, I broke a lot more than you have so far and ... no one trusted me."

[Fr.Wagner] "I left and came back as well."

[Elizabeth] "Is that why you forgave me that day outside of class before I went crazy and went for Remy?"

[Fr.Wagner] When he?

[Fr.Wagner] "I'm sorry, I don't know what you're talking about. I don't remember a day like that." Kurt said.

[Elizabeth] Lizzie paled. "You...You came to class to teach, but you were all...Still hurt. I just wanted to die that day."

[Elizabeth] "Then Remy took you out into the corridor to go back to the infirmary and I left - then you did this...religion thing on me. You absolved me, or something..."

[Elizabeth] "I don't know what you did, it scared me a little, then Remy started asking questions and I lifted him off the ground with my teke but you teleported him out of my hold, then I just..."

[Elizabeth] Lizzie sagged slightly as she then remembered the conversation with Warren which until a few minutes ago had seemed so comforting but now felt like a load of lies.

[Fr.Wagner] This must have been right after. Kurt could vaguely remember it. He kept wanting to go to his office to work or teach class and either Hank or Annie would stop him.

[Fr.Wagner] He must have finally made it.

[Fr.Wagner] "Do you remember what I said Lizzie? Like the kind of words I used? Did I ask you if I could do it first?" Kurt asked.

[Elizabeth] "You told me it was going to be alright, then you said something about transgressions and wrongs done to me then you said something about God's power and traced a cross on my forehead and said something in Latin..."

[Elizabeth] "It...it kind of scared me, if I'm honest. I thought you'd gone crazy," Lizzie shivered a little and wrapped her arms around her legs.

[Fr.Wagner] Kurt looked a little surprised.

[Fr.Wagner] "I'm sorry," he said. "I mean, I should have asked at least." He stood up and went to his bookshelf, pulling down a thick volume, and sitting down next to Lizzie thumbed through it for a moment.

[Fr.Wagner] "This is a copy of the 'Ritual Romanum', it's what Catholic priests use to perform the various rites in the church."

[Fr.Wagner] "And what I did, at least partially I think, was perform an exorcism."

[Elizabeth] "You did WHAT?" Lizzie gasped and jumped up. "But - Well, for one thing I'm certainly not a Catholic!"

[Elizabeth] She started to edge nearer to the door. Suddenly she didn't want to be in there....

[Fr.Wagner] Kurt held up his hand. "Oh no. First, understand that there are many types of exorcisms in the Catholic Church and they have very little to do with demons. And... I should have asked, that was wrong of me."

[Fr.Wagner] "But, " Kurt said, pointing to a page in the book, "there is a very important exorcism ritual that has more to do with...

[Fr.Wagner] "Well, if a person has had a lot of bad experiences in their life, it's as though these experiences create a negative... I don't know... energy... that can affect their whole being." It was hard not to explain it in terms of good and evil, but it was the best he could do.

[Fr.Wagner] "So, I think I was trying to... 'free' you in a sense... from all the things your parents said to you, the bad things that happened to you in New York, all those things."

[Fr.Wagner] Kurt sighed. "But, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done it without asking. I hope you can accept my apology, Lizzie."

[Elizabeth] "I...Suppose so. I'm sorry for what i did to you, I really am."#

[Elizabeth] "So...What happens now? With everything?" Lizzie hovered nervously, still standing.

[Fr.Wagner] "With everything? Well, in the short term, I put the Ritual Romanum away because it's heavy and kind of dull," Kurt said, standing up and going back to his shelves.

[Fr.Wagner] "And then we sit back down on my couch because I have a secret stash of PG Tips tea and I make us some. I'm not sure about the rest."

[Elizabeth] Lizzie couldn't help but laugh. "You know my weak spot!"

[Elizabeth] Smiling, Lizzie walked back to the sofa and sat down contentedly. "Got any Jammie Dodgers?"

[Fr.Wagner] "I'm more of a shortbread guy myself," Kurt admitted.

[Elizabeth] "So? Just don't eat the jam!"

[Fr.Wagner] ((and they ended happliy ever after))

[Saint Kurt]

[paws] HAHBlooper Reel - Trying to get a room

Elizabeth enters this room

[paws] well hello lizzie

[Elizabeth] Pip pip

[Elizabeth] testing

[Elizabeth] bother, pink shall do

[paws] what cha up to?

[paws] got an instance?

[Elizabeth] yuppers

[Elizabeth] an improptu meeting with the good Father

[paws] woo!! that is awesome!

Fr.Wagner enters this room

[paws] HAHAHAHA - scott flogged

[Fr.Wagner] It got too weird and I like... had to go.

[paws] yeah...

[Elizabeth] oooh this place'll always be weird

[Fr.Wagner] It was extra weird though.

[Fr.Wagner] I almost did an exorcism.

[paws] LOL!! It WAS tempting

[Fr.Wagner] Would you like one now? I'm doing them. 2 for 1.

[Elizabeth] I just ignored....

[Elizabeth] ooh me first me

[Fr.Wagner] Well... I don't want to show off.

[Elizabeth] oh you SO do

[paws] LOL!!!

[Elizabeth] anyway do I have an appointment or am I gonna barge in on your breakfast?

[Fr.Wagner] Office. Hold on.

[Fr.Wagner] I'll conjure it.


[paws] dude - are you a magician or a priest?

[Fr.Wagner] what the hell was that.

[paws] LOL

[paws] cause the two seem to not jive.

[Fr.Wagner] Apparently. I'm a priest.

[Elizabeth] what the hell was what?

[Elizabeth] a priest? since when?

[Fr.Wagner] I tried to "conjure the room" and it kicked me out of chat instead.

[Elizabeth] it did?

[Fr.Wagner] I will Consecrate it instead.

[Elizabeth] chat's bitchin good today

[Elizabeth] thrash it

[paws] ahh...it didn't show up for us.

[paws] HAHAHAHA! there you go.

[Fr.Wagner] Can we include this part?

[Fr.Wagner] As like the blooper reel for the instance?

[Elizabeth] if you so wish

[Fr.Wagner] Amen.

[Fr.Wagner] k.

[Elizabeth] ditto

[paws] blooper reels are the best.

[Elizabeth] for sure

[Elizabeth] ooh, I'd best be off, I don't want to keep Wagner waiting to be disturbed

Elizabeth exits from this room

[littlebamf] duuuuude

[littlebamf] Wanger....

[paws] what is wanger doing?? LOL

[littlebamf] being Wangery

[chicory]

The blooper reel was cute

Poor Fr. Wagner - he didn't sign on to be finding out all this personal stuff about his students - at least I don't think he did.

And Lizze was exorcised... that it so perfect even though I know it doesn't mean what I think it means.

Great job fleshing out the characters and building up the rp universe!

[fourpawsonthefloor]

HAH - the problem is 90% of the personal stuff is about his daughters sex life. No fun.

we all agree on that - pooooooor wanger.

Paws

[Saint Kurt]

At the end of this instance, Kurt talks about the idea of different kinds of exorcism rites. Here is an example of a "simple exorcism" (it's a lot longer than what happened in the original instance of course) and it also has a few paragraphs of explanation at the top.

It might be a little confusing for non-Catholics, but generally in any kind of ritual there is scripture quotation and in this case the intercession of a patron saint (St. Micheal the archangel).

Text for a Simple Exorcism

One important thing (and it's even mentioned on the page) - this ritual can be performed by a "lay person" or a baptized Catholic with a few changes. Unlike a priest they cannot do things ("bless") in the name of the trinity. Each time there is a "+" shown in the ritual - it is a blessing (or for laity, just making the sign of the cross in silence).

So there you go. Exorcism. It's not just for horror movies - you can try it at home!

-e

[chicory]

I liked the explanation in the instance a lot - about getting rid of negatice energy

But this paragraph in that link confused me -

[quote]The term “exorcism” does NOT always denote a solemn exorcism involving a person possessed by the devil. In general, the term denotes prayers to “curb the power of the devil and prevent him from doing harm.”[/quote]

The wikipedia article also didn't separate exorcisms from satanic influences. It makes me wonder if he thought that Lizzie was being affected by something unnatural...

Now I'm wondering if Fr. Wagner has an alterior motive for teaching at the school. [spoiler]perhaps the Vatican sent him as a spy to report back on the mutant question? :[/spoiler]

[Saint Kurt]

Originally posted by chicory

The term “exorcism” does NOT always denote a solemn exorcism involving a person possessed by the devil. In general, the term denotes prayers to “curb the power of the devil and prevent him from doing harm.”

The wikipedia article also didn't separate exorcisms from satanic influences. It makes me wonder if he thought that Lizzie was being affected by something unnatural...

The explanation for this is shockingly simple.

Catholics (and all Christians actually - though not all of them have the idea of possession and exorcism) believe that God did not create evil. Evil was/is the creation of the devil so whenever and where ever there is evil it is the action of the devil either directly or indirectly.

So any kind of exorcism or idea of evil (bad spirits, negative energy, etc) affecting a person would involve some, even the tiniest, influence of the devil since only the devil could be responsible for creating that evil. That's all it means, and depending on the way a person wants to present it, they may include the devil in the discussion or not.

Either way, that influence, whenever evil exists is always implied.

-e