A helping wing [butterflies]

[vile]

[17:54] <vile> An enormous butterfly, one that's black with vivid blue eye markings on the wings, rests on the twisted remains of a very dead and blackened tree. It prods at the trunk a few times with a leg and...just sits there. The thing's wings slowly beat and it seems to be lost in thought. A second, normal-sized butterfly that's the brightest of yellows settles down nearby. A third blue one flits around one of the very dead bushes from what was the maze.

[18:00] <vile> The lazy butterflies continue to laze around, acting like noooormal butterflies. NOTHING TO SEE HERE, MOVE ALONG. But things do start getting weird when more insects flutter in and land in various spots. Too bad nobody around has super eyesight or they would see the butterflies' tiny little legs depositing a seed here and there. After their payload is left in the dead earth, they drift away, likely to go fetch more seeds and plant them.

[18:09] <@JJ> Well this was an insane sight. A rare if nigh impossible scenario. JJ doing something organic. The horror! The partially cyborg boy was carrying a clump of flowers, definitely not purchased from a nursery. This look freshly plucked up from somewhere off campus. Still though the boy carried it with great care to the devistated courtyard, one of those pretty butterflies perched 'pon his neck. JJ messing around with something not technological? Far Fetched!

[18:10] <Griffin> Addison had been in the midst of working hard these past two days, doing his damnedest to repair the damage caused when he'd set everything aflame. Maybe it wouldn't be too strange to see the young man walking onto the courtyard with an unpotted plant in his hand. Fresh, somewhat dampened soil clung to the rootball of the bush he'd likely DUG Up with his own semi-clawed fingers, and a law black butterfly perched atop his short cropped blonde head. A few smaller colorful ones fluttered about as Addison went about tearing up the grass with his fingers, clawing the dirt and planting it down with his bare hands.

[18:17] <vile> The large black butterfly settles down on a higher spot of the dead drunk, watching the people get to work. The thing's wings continue to slowly beat. It glances over at some of the brightly colored insects and goes back to staring at JJ and Addison. Every once and a while one of the insects' wings flash a bright white as if they're mirrored on one side. The insects continue to stream in with seeds, dropping them into the soil in a random fashion. Some even go to the fountain, dip their bodies into the water and wanders over to the ground to deposit a drop or two of water on the soil.

[18:22] <Griffin> Addison patted the soil down gently into place with his fingers like this plant was the most important thing. He'd ceased his work on the rest of the grounds and the other members of the groundskeeping crew were likely to be quite upset with him for not pulling his weight today. Then, he gets up and walks outside of the facility again only to return with another one of these plants of similar size, same species, also dribbling clumps of soil and dirt.
[18:28] <@JJ> One would never think a tech obsessed boy like JJ to know a thing about plants other than uhhh... you water them, right? Oh yea! Something about the sun. But here he was. Planting like he was a florakinetic. Like her knew exactly what to do. And once that little bundle was made at home, JJ would rise once more to fetch another small packet of plants.

[18:33] <vile> Soon there's many butterflies! It's so colorful! But they're all working quite dutifully, each doing their share of planting and watering the seeds. The occasional insect even delivers a single blade of grass like that's going to help anything. A few team up to bring a full piece of grass into the courtyard and drop it on a mound of dirt. Though their efforts won't be seen today, just give it a week or two. The biggest black one, watching over its flock of butterflies, just...watches. Of course it's hard at work too, controlling all those brightly colored ones with its mind.

[18:36] <Griffin> Like a little worker drone, Addison continues to work, going outside back and forth to his pickup to a pile of plants and bushes he'd dug up like a bad puppy getting into his owner's garden. Each time he brings one back, he seems to pay little mind to where he places the plant and to where he'd digging these holes. So unlike himself considering he'd spent all of his morning and the previous day assisting his coworkers with making the courtyard pretty.

[18:43] <@JJ> Planting things was fun! Not that JJ was paying any attention to having fun. All that mattered was making the courtyatd look presentable again. Flowers, shrubs, hedges, if he could even trees! But saplings had to do for now. Back and forth. Back and forth. Where was he getting these things? If anyone would watch or follow the young technopath they would see he was walking over to a rented truck with various species from the plant kingdom in the back. Not minding all those butterflies - not even seeming to notice they were even there.

[18:50] <vile> PLANTS! PLANTS EVERYWHERE! And so it would all continue for quite some time. Plant ALL THE PLANTS! The giant butterfly finally leaves its perch and soars oooover the two humans giving it an unwilling hand, surveying their work. It's probably happy, if the thing can even feel such a thing, but nobody would ever know that. Once an acceptable number of plants, saplings and hedges have been planted, the colorful butterflies begin to clear out. Only after the truck has been emptied will JJ and Addison be released from their insectoid overlords.

[18:59] <@JJ> Who knew one could have an electric green thumb? JJ definitely hadn't not was he aware of anything he had been doing during this brief interlude. As far as JJ knew, he'd gone out for lunch and some scrap hunting. Then nothing. This plant puchasing and planting? Totally unawares. He listened to his Lepidopteran masters. For about five more minutes any way. After he'd finished planting? "What the? What just happened? Why is there -dirt- under my finger nails?"

[19:00] <@Sisip> She'd gone home to change, the glowbug wearing a pair of shorts and a tanktop now instead of her catsuit. Her hair remained pulled back into a ponytail, stray black wisps of hair falling in her face. Moving out into the courtyard the glowbug was glad to see improvement! Improvement.. that her brother was helping with? Ash raised an eyebrow, watching he and Addison... and butterflies? Ash disliked butterflies, though she never explained why.

[19:02] <Griffin> Addison was on cool terms with butterflies even though it was one of the few insects he chose NOT to have tattooed on his body anywhere. He didn't care how much pussy he could get with a trick like that. He snapped out of it once the last of the plants and bushes collected in the bed of his truck were in the soil, seemingly without any pattern or design to their layout, then blinked around in bewilderment. The time? He could tell from the position of the sun alone that ...hours? A glance at his watch only increased his confusion until the troubled Texan saw JJ had fresh dirt on his hands too. "The hell were we doin?"

[19:02] * Midas stepped out into the courtyard as well. A what the f*** look on his face as he stared at the comings and goings of the courtyard. He wasn't dressed in his school clothes any longer. Now decked out in a pair of loose fitting brown shorts, and a black wife beater. A quizzcal gaze upon his face as he turned his head this way and that. "Butterflies."

[19:03] <vile> The butterflies that'd been controlling JJ flutter off into the sky! Their work is done here. The great black one continues to watch and even circles around Ashy a couple of times but is well out of the reach of a normal person. It has no intentions of being swatted at today! Once it's happy with how everything's gone, and all of its brightly colored drones have left, it lazily flutters over to the trunk it'd called home the last hour or two and resumes watching the humans.He may forget to bathe on occassion due to prolonged techie-episodes, but JJ knew cleanliness was most important in working with robotics and assorted other delicate machineries. It boggled him to see organic filth under his nails. This was something like grease or oils, this was run of the mill dirt and it confused him. He looked to tattooman. "I don't know... Butterflies?" Confused JJ was confused.

[19:13] <@Sisip> "Planting! You were planting! With butterflies." When the butterfly begins to circle her she frowns, glow turning white. She remembered stupid butterflies. They hijacked people. Out of reach of a normal person maybe but not so for a stretch-girl. Drawing back she throws her fist out towards the lrge black one but misses, as... she's still got to work on her aim. She tried though at least. "Going to fucking pin it in a frame." She grumbles as she heads towards the tree trunk it was on. "stupid hijacking butterflies and their stupid welfarestate mentality. Making others do all the friggen work." Leaving Midas, Jj and Addi behind the girl draws back her fist again as she gets closer to the tree. yup.. Ash was about to punch a tree. Way to smurt.

[19:16] * Midas stepping out into the courtyard curiously, eyes wandering a little. "Cool...and interesting.." He caught sight of Ashlynne then as she tried to deck one, eyebrow raising. "Are they so intimidating?" Of course he didn't know they could potentionally take him for a joyride, as he made his way towards the dou.

[19:21] <@JJ> "Me? Planting? That's immpossible.. I don't know the first thing about plants other than they like water and sunshine. Whu-a?" He loked to where Ashy threw the rock. "Yowza! That is one huge butterfly!" He looked freaked out now. "Ashy? Don't punch a tree!" He moved to try and stop her before she got a handful of splinters or the impression of bark sill puttied against her fist.

[19:21] <Griffin> "I don't know what happened to a fucking chunk of my day. Why's there flowers everywhere?" he asked, turning around and examining the surrounding courtyard with the most derp of expressions. Last he remembered was digging a hole for a hedge...and then now he was standing up with grass stains on his jeans, dirt under his fingernails, and JJ looking similar. "...You're right about that, kid, that's the biggest damned butterfly I"ve ever seen."

[19:23] <vile> The big butterfly is smart enough to know when to get the hell out of Dodge. And also what it's capable of. The thing's soon in the air and flashing its wings at Ashy like a beacon. One that suggests that she go smell some flowers. That would be a great idea! So very nice to do, stopping to smell a flower. Meanwhile, the giant thing flutters up through the air. Retreeeeat! Damned humans didn't appreciate all the hard work it did. Hmph.

[19:32] <@Sisip> Ashlynne's fist drops and, almost like a switch is flicked, the girl wanders off to find a bunch of flowers. Settling down on the grass the girl practically faceplants into them, sniffing their polleny goodness deeply.

[19:36] <@JJ> "I don't think I like butterflies..." JJ muttered as he watched the evil things fly away. "Ashy, what are you?... Why are you making out with the flowers? I thought you were seeing Midas now." JJ the genius, Everyone!
[19:42] * Midas blinked as Ashy faceplants. "The hell?" He'd move to follow her as she..appeared to be snorting pollen like a columbian drug lord snorts blow. Glancing at JJ. "I didn't think your sister liked flowers that much.." Nodding a little. "Yea..I am a much better kisser..." As he made his way over his hands would reach out to try and grab her by the shoulders and pull her back.

[19:47] <vile> The giant butterfly soon disappears over the top of the Sanctum. Maybe next time Ashy will have the chance to totally smashify it and turn it into a puddle of guts and broken wings! Or maybe it'll be a dirty rotten cheater and make her punch herself in the face. | Jameson soon joins the scene, shambling along like a zombie. At least there's a good reason for it and not because of mind-controlling insects! He's propped up on his walker and is moving at a better pace than the other times he'd been walking around. An improvement! It's quite good. That and he doesn't look as miserable as the last time he'd been forced to get some exercise. Tonight he's in his expensive-but-casual outfit of a dark blue t-shirt, fashionably worn jeans and sneakers.

[19:49] <@Sisip> Mumbling softly, facefirst in the dirt the girl eventually raises up a hand, finger pointing into the air, "FUGGUNHABEBUBBERFRIES". When Midas pulled Ashlynne back her face was a mess with pollen and dirt and she has a scowl. Bits of stems and leaves are stuck between her lips which she spits out. "Imma be an entomologist. You wait and see. All the butterflies in the world.. pinned down."

[19:53] <@JJ> He snickered. "Seems she does... and ewww I have dirt under my nails!" He pulled a small pick out from his left arm and began cleaning the particles out from under his nails. "You probably are. Flowers don't have mouths." He eyed Midas's mouth with some distrust... Boy#3 was seared into the techie's mind. As though his vision were a HUD and that's what Midas's name had been replaced with. But then, distraction. "Daddy! Hi!"

[19:56] * Midas biting his lower lip, he couldn't help but snicker albeit muffled as she swears revenge against the butterflies of the world. Nodding slowly. "Of course you will, one day we'll wage eternal war on them.." Then Blinking as her heard JJ say Daddy. Peering over his shoulder at Jameson. Smiling brightly. He'd never seen the man walk before, thusly he held out his left arm and gave him a thumbs up. "Looking Good!" He'd call out.

[19:58] <vile> It may be slow but James eventually makes his way over to the group. "Hey guys." he grunts and flashes his signature grin over at Midas along with a nod. "Hey there." Does he foam at the mouth and ream the guy out for daring to date his daughter? NOPE. Not worth it. So he just doesn't even bother. He stops beside them and eyes the courtyard. "Uh." he says and goes quiet. It's horribly done! Sure there's plants and flowers but the placement doesn't make a damn bit of sense. It looks like a florakinetic went nuts and turned it into a wilderness! "Right." is tacked on before he beams with delight at Junior and Ashy. "How's it going?"

[20:05] <@Sisip> Leaning up against Midas Ash huffs and wipes off her face. "It sucks, Dad.. stupid butterflies are going to take over the world and nobody will be able to stop them." She sounds crazy, she does, but she'd been there before!

[20:05] <@JJ> Afterall Jameson had already been loathed by the other two, attacked by one of them even. "It's going fine aside from some weirdo missing time thing me an' Addison mysteriously came down with... Also Ashy really likes flowers and hates butterflies." JJ shrugged. "Take over the world? You mean like Pinky and the Brain?"

[20:07] <Griffin> "Mysteriously came down with a case of the stupids is more like it," the Texan said while he leaned against one of the harmless trees. He fished a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, thumped one out and placed it between his lips. Soon it was burning hot at its tip as he puffed stressfully away. "I can go on down to Home Depot for a few cannisters of bug spray, that'll squash this real quick."

[20:08] <Midas> "I bet they have like a Mothra sized butterfly queen plotting it right now.." He'd say nodding in agreement, of course jokingly at Ashy's world domination claim. "So I've noticed she does." His arms would close around the glowbug as she leaned against him. Chocolate colored eyes glancing between Jameson and JJ. "How are you two doing...well...other than eyeing this..new planting pattern we have?" Chuckling a little..as he realized just how chaotic it did indeed look. But in a way to him at least it looked more natural that way.

[20:09] <vile> "I...what." James says and looks at Ashy like she's lost her damn mind. "Uhh. Did you, like, spend too long in the kitchen or something because I think you got exposed to, uh, too much heat. Or something. I dunno. Maybe you should, uh, sit down or something." Butterflies? He's not going to believe that! Though stranger has probably happened. The raised brow is turned to JJ and he...scoots away. Everyone's crazy! "Uh. Missing time? Stupids. Yeah. Stupids I got." he nods to Addison, "Probably a good idea. I don't want Ashy to come home with no butterfly guts in her hair and stuff." Aaaand back to Midas. "Nuthin'. Ain't got nuthin'. A project or two but other than that...eh."

[20:20] <@JJ> "Sounds good, Addison! Blast those butterlfies back to where they came!" He then went back to digging the dirt out from under his nails - and then all the little grooves and joints and hinges of his mechanical arm. He was going to need more picks and to do a full cleaning of the prosthetic. Back to Midas. "I'm doing ok... aside from the missing time and the dirt... And, waht, dad?"

[20:21] <@Sisip> "Look, dad, it's gonna happen, so don't be surprised when they come to get you and I'm the only one who knows whats going on." She tried not to yell otu that she wasn't stupid.. she knew whta she sounded like.. she sounded stupid.. and crazy. "gonna kill them all." Honeygolden eyes narrow just a bit as she sits down on the ground.

[20:24] <Griffin> "Well they ain't gettin' me again. I"m goin' out to Lowes or somethin' right now," the man remarked after taking another drag. He was right pissed about this butterfly mind control, since the courtyard looked like a bunch of children had taken a chance at gardening. There was no order or pattern to the plants, bushes here, flowers there, and he'd be redoing it all on the morning too. Addison did not like earning money by the sweat of his brow apparently and preferred the quiet, sedate days of riding a mower for an hour then trimming a few hedges. Nothing difficult. Addy waved at J and J and stalked off for his truck, deciding that blasting the courtyard with bug spray was the best solution.

[20:25] <vile> "Yeaaaah. I'll keep that in mind, Ashy." He gives her an insincere smile that completely suggests he thinks she's laughing mad. "You all can, uh, kill all the butterflies." He's going to be reviewing the security cameras later! Only then will he believe any of this madness. And he'll be apologizing to everyone for the looks he's giving them now! "Bye!" he chimes to Addison and waves to him, "Uh. You guys did...a good job with the planting?" NO THEY DIDN'T. At least there's plants there again! It's not just sad and burnt.

[20:26] * Midas shook his head watching his fellow Texan head off, a roll of his eyes as Ashy flopped down into the dirt. "I don't see what the big deal is..." Then again he hadn't been mind controlled himself. "I mean looks like they did us a favor...it looks much better than the wasteland it was after the great plant uprising of twenty twelve." That last part said a little sarcasticly with a snicker.

[20:33] <@Sisip> "They kidnap people, butterflies do, and they use them like taxis to get to the public gardens, and you can't do anything about it and then you end up face down in a flowerbed." She harumphs and flops backwards, arms extended outwards. "Yeah, a favour.. that's like.. saying Hayden does us a favour by keeping badguys away cause they're too scared to come to Cobalt!"

[20:33] <@JJ> Waved goodbye to Addison in his usual good-natured happy go lucky manner. Then JJ looked to his father in confusion. Brows furrowed "I... ME? I planted this?" JJ looked around the courtyard in utter confusion. "I don't know the first thing about gardening." And from the state of the courtyard? DUH. "It umm... looks better than all torn up?"

[20:35] <vile> "Uhh." James grunts again and shakes his head. "Well. They're gone now so, uh. I don't really know how to stop no, uh, mind...controlling...butterflies." That's just too damn crazy! He sighs and uses his handy dandy powers to view the security tapes. OH. Well then. He sighs and offers Ashy a warm smile. "You ain't nuts. Uh. I don't know how to ward off no butterflies like that other than tellin' people to avoid them." He shrugs and looks around as well. "Yeah. Better than, well, dead. Still ugly. Maybe it'll look better after it gets a proper waterin' and some time to grow?"

[20:41] * Midas crossed his arms loosely and frowned a little at Ashlynne's comment, but other than that..he didn't reply to it. "Oh no...they did do it, I just don't think it was malicious...I mean it's not like they mind controlled you two then made you attack each other." Through the idea of JJ and Ashlynne fighting gladiator style did turn that frown upside down into a light chuckle.

[20:47] <@JJ> Sorry, Jameson. At least there's still Izzy. You still have a shot! 1/3 isn't bad! It's not good but at least one of your rapidly aged offspring has to have some medecum of day long intelligence. JJ was a genius when it came to some things but he was easily distracted and prone to random acts of whimsy. "Mind controlling butterflies? THAT'S what they were doing? ug! sadira-flies. Yuck yuck
[20:47] <@JJ> yuck! Kill and mount them all! Take a fishing photo with that big one."

[20:59] <vile> One out of three? Maybe. But Izzy is too reclusive and he's not even sure if she's related to him in the first place! Junior has his powers and looks, Ashy his ability to cook and Izzy...completely takes after her mother in every way. He chuckles at Midas and shakes his head. "Mind control is all bad, man. I don't care what it's used for. Ain't never no good." He glances around and eyes the plants, "But...yeah, it's nicer out here. But anything would be an improvement over, uh, burnt...everything."

[21:03] * Thief hummed lightly as he made his way into the courtyard, looking around he whistled lightly.."someone had just a little to much fun and they didnt even bother to invite me, how rude" looking around again he smiled as he noticed the small group of people and hey he even knows a few of them, heading that way he gave them a small wave

[21:10] <Midas> "I guess so, but its not like they could ask permission first without at least taking over one person to do just that right?" Defending butterflies really? "But you got a point, I guess it's the thought that counts..." Those choclate colored eyes rolling onto Ashy. "Even if the endgame thought is global domination.." Chuckling a little then. A curious gaze sent in JJ's direction "Sadira flies?"

[21:13] <@Sisip> They didn't understand, they weren't the ones who'd been taken, who wound up somewhere else. Sitting up the glowing girl looks from her brother to her father then to Midas, "Sorry." Looking around she chews on her lower lip which curl up softly at Midas's chuckle. Nodding a bit she clears her throat, "Yeah, she was a crazy person here before we were born."

[21:21] <vile> Jameson nods to Thomas in greeting and even flashes a broad grin, something like what a superhero would use while posing for a pic on the front page of a newspaper. "Hey there, man." he chimes and turns his attention back to his pissed off daughter and her boyfriend. "Yeah. Uh." He shrugs and leans a bit harder on his walker, getting tired of standing. "It's okay. I, uh. I understand. I wouldn't want to be controlled by no butterfly either."

[21:22] <ThomasYoung> "greetings Midas, Ashy, how are two this fine day?" Thomas smiled softly to them given them and JJ a nod, Thomas was in his normal form and he was dressed in a nice designer black suit that had been tailored to his body or at least it looked like it had been, he had a white shirt on as well as a plain black tie, all and all he was dressed up rather nice.."so what happened to the courtyard?"

[21:25] * Midas would squat then, lifting one hand to rest it on Ashy's shoulder. " Oh!" He'd say once she expounded upon the crazy factor of the named person. A nod offered to Thomas. "Oh you know the usual...watching mind controlling butterflies use my girlfriend and her brother as puppets you?" The odd part he was completely serious as he said it, he'd creep over behind Ashy to offer a hug of sorts whilst squated.

[21:25] <@Sisip> Ash curls up and falls aslepe as midas hugs her. awww

[21:34] <vile> "Uh. Fine now that the...mind controllin' butterflies are all gone. Uh. They made people...plant things." He glances over at one of the victims, poor ol' Junior, and offers an apologetic smile. He notices the other guy's snazzy wear and chuckles. "All dressed up and nowhere to go? And, uh. Evil...florakinetic er somethin'. Trees went and attacked everybody and someone set them all on fire. It was kinduv a clusterfrak. Uh. Glad I wasn't around fer it."

[21:37] <Midas> "I was, trust me..when I was training for boxing..going toe to toe with a tree wasn't exactly what I had in mind." Infact under his shirt he was still a nice blue and black in certain spots where he'd been struck. "Shame they had to use fire to get it under control though.."