Entertainment Room - Xtate

	You find yourself within a room designed for dance and social 
gatherings. The hardwood floor is expansive and able to accomadate more 
than 50 persons comfortablly. Stark white walls are decorated in modern 
works of art and one will even find a raised area for a band or public 
speaking. Speakers and electronic equipment are well concealed behind 
panels and glass throughout the room. Large doors to the east open up to 
the living area and to the north one will note an entrance to a kitchen. 
An exit to the lawn is found from this room as well.


Careening into the room comes Jono and Paige, alarmed at the noise.

	The Entertainment room is definatly set up for a party. Fliers 
which say "Happy Birthday" and "Sweet Sixteen" line the walls and hang 
from the ceiling. And from the looks of it the party didn't go to hot. 
Or at least no one is around. There are a few unopened presents laying 
around, and a few opened ones. The chocolate cake is sitting on the 
table with the candles stuck in, but not yet been lit. There's also a 
few things knocked over. That was probably the sound those two heard. A 
couple chairs lay on their backs, and around the table there are cards 
laying everywhere. Cards bigger then usual playing cards, more along the 
size of tarot cards. 

Roberto is standing there with a giant birthday cake in his arms. He has 
a very strange look on his face and is just standing there tottally 
still, "Ummmmmmmmmmmm..." He thinks, "...hello?" He sets the giant cake 
on the coffee table and turns all around looking for a clue of where 
everone went to... He suddenly changes his mind and picks up the cake 
silently and just walks out with a strange look on his face 

Jono just turns to Paige, (~~...wot th'bl'ddy `ell??~~)

BWAH!? Just watch Paige go into leader mode - and be bitter and kick a 
few boxes, regardless of weather or not they're empty (Damn, she's got a 
hate on for the mallrat.) She shuffles around, and inspects 
*EVERYTHING*. "Oh, Jono, the WEIRDEST shit happens with the X-Men, and 
the New Mutants... it's probably gunna happen to Generation X as well." 
She says, going into leader mode. The cards catch her attention, though, 
and she steps over to them, looking down at the patterns and stacks hte 
form.

Sidestepping a couple errant boxes that are kicked his way; at least she 
didn't get to the cake; Jono follows, glancing around, trying to sense 
SOMETHING. Damn half-assed telepathic cop-out powers.

	On the back of each of the cards is a tower inside an oval. A 
white tower. A tower in a land of ice and snow. And over the tower, is 
something semi-transparent. A letter, painted in a dark redish-brown 
shade. An upsidedown U made of straight lines, with one horn longer then 
the other. Another thing, believe it or not, each card is hand painted, 
but there is -no- veriation from the pattern on the back of the cards. 
Truelly fasinating. They are just scattered about, no particular form, 
but a majority are sitting on the table next to a wooden box, similar to 
a jewelry box, with a tower - just like on the cards - carved into the 
top of the box.

Paige's fingers wander over the cards, and then to the box, which she 
plucks up in her hands, inspecting each and every crevice and space, 
looking for something, anything. Why? Cause she's paranoid. Once she 
inspects the outside, she opens it and inspects the inside. Should she 
find nothing or nothing occur, she'll look over the cards again, 
inspecting each one.

(~~...well wot the `ell are they?~~) he asks Paige as he walks around to 
the other side, picking one of the cards up.

	Funny to say, that most the cards only have one side. The other 
side is blank, completely black. But one that is fished up has words on 
it in very elegant writting: "These cards will take you through a Tower 
of Illusion, where you will face desires, fears, temptations, and 
secrets. To enter the game you must understand that the game is real. 
There is a Shadow World. A land of ice and illusion. Like our world, but 
different. Existing alongside ours but never touching. Some people call 
it the world of dream, but it is as real as anything else. Entering this 
world can be dangerous for all involved. You play at your own risk."

(~~...wot k'nda f'cked up game is this?~~) he asks, looking at Paige as 
he twists that one card between his fingers.

"Aw, *shit*." is Paige's blunt response to reading the card. She sighs, 
an abruptly sits down. "I think we've wandered into a twisted game of 
Jumanji, Jono." She looks at the box, and then says, "You've got a 
choice. We can try and 'play' this game and find out where they are, or 
you can see if I can figure it out on my own and get them back."

Jono shrugs, (~~...lets play the'eroes, and go fish `em outta trouble 
then, luv.~~) he says, dropping the card into the box.

	Agreement is given, and the darkly stained letter on each of the 
cards flashes for an instant, as if made from foil and catching light 
suddenly. The flash is weaker then the one the others saw, because only 
two are being taken, and the cards are losing power as well. This'll be 
the last trip they can fiance for a while, that's for sure. Unlike the 
other's trip, this one doesn't wait a few minutes after activation to 
pick them up. The wind enters almost instantly, hitting them with cold 
and bitter winds, even a little snow. That's probably what knocked the 
chairs over. The wind doesn't last for too long, only long enough to 
confused and disorient, then it just... stops. And they find themselves 
somewhere else.


Lobby -- Tower of Illusion -- Niflheim

	You find yourself in a strange room, kind of a mix between an 
expensive hotel lobby, and the front room of an office building, only 
not. There's many things here that are strange, out of place. Odd. Large 
windows are covered with dark blue curtains which look identical to the 
curtains normally found in Jubilee's room. On a long, polished marble 
counter where a receptionist would usually be sitting behind, is a small 
vace with yellow daisies in it. They look kind of out of place here, as 
if taken from elsewhere. In one corner of the room sits and odd pile of 
bones, with broken and jagged edges. This is definatly not a normal 
office building.

	The only doors in the room, another quite odd thing, is a 
revolving doorway leading outside most likely. All the windows are 
covered with the curtains, or the glass is extremely clouded over so 
there is no clear view of what awaits you outside. The other door is an 
Elevator doorway, silvery in color, old looking, with a button 
indicating an up arrow in the wall nearby.


(~~...Paige! Wot th`ell is goin' on?!~~) a confused and cautious Jono 
'yells' as the winds pick up around them, buffeting his jacket agaisnt 
his thin frame.

*SCHRIPP*.. Well, Paige reacted damn quick - she husked to another form, 
and kicks her skin off to the side. You can't really tell she's much 
different - she just looks a little... plumper, maybe. Probably because 
she altered and increased her bodyfat in this form to be insulating in 
the cold. "Shit! Now what?"

Jono doesn't husk, he zips his jacket up around his lithe form, his hair 
blowing around in the wind and frost, (~~...bugger`d if I know...~~) he 
mutters, glancing around as he gets his footing.

	After dropping them off, the wind stops, but the cold remains for 
a little while longer. Enough so that the procausions where a good idea. 
This time, the wind set this group on the floor, instead of dropping 
them a few feet above it like the last group. When the wind is finished, 
all mist and frost vanishes to reveal the completely different room the 
two are in. The completely different, and apparently empty room. The 
others must have moved on.

(~~...wot th'ell?~~) is all the psi has to say

"You're not helping, Jonothon." Paige says tersely, as she looks around 
the room. She moves quietly from Jono's side, over to the reception 
desk, and then, glances at the pile of bones. "Well, look around, Jono. 
See if we can find any clue to where they went and what they were 
doing."

Brown eyes narrow. He's not pleased at this, as he moves towards the 
desk, looking for a bell or something to ring. His chest rises and falls 
as it pulses with the psionic energies contained within.

	Well, someone felt their presense when they entered and has come 
down to see who has arrived. She steps seemingly out of a shadow, 
dressed in gold and with white hair. Yes. Someone stepping out of a 
shadow yet looks nothing like one. No black hair here. No dark skin. 
When she speaks her voice has the sound of water running over rocks, 
"Well, remind me to lower the time after activation that the cards can 
still be used."

Paige WHIRLS around, her hair whipping about her face with the motion 
and the wind. "What th-" And then she stops. Okay, Paige, this is... 
what you were trained to deal with! RemembeR? You wanted to be an X-Man! 
Well... do your stuff! Too bad her confidence with this kinda thing has 
been shot, ever since, y'know, Emplate took her and fucked with her 
head. She stops, and puts her hands on her hips her sweets features 
moving into a fierce scowl. "Wheahs mah brothah? And the mallrat an' her 
party?"

The psi spins around from the counter, scowling at the figure stepping 
from shadows. He doesn't like people who sneak up on him, but he's not 
at the point where he'll let loose on the first person that messes with 
him.

	A silvery-white eyebrow raises for a moment, then she chuckles, 
"Ah, yes. So you are more friends of the group taking a trip through my 
tower." She nods, as if pleased. More people in the game means a better 
chance they all might not make it and a better chance that she will win, 
"Right now the entire group, minus one, is on the second floor. The 
other is waiting at the top." Her voice is completely calm, but icy as 
well. "And I am Lishka, by the way."

Paige's heart clenches. One's waiting at the top? Okay, this makes her 
NERVOUS. Who could it be. "And who do you have waiting in the top of 
your tower 'Rapunzel'?" She says, not one hint of that honeyed accent 
showing.

Sliding sidewards towards Paige, Jono watches Lishka carefully, his 
fists clenching at his sides as he lets his girl do the talking. Better 
he keeps his aces hidden.

	A soft chuckle, almost akin to bells ringing, comes from Lishka's 
throat. Oh, she is so amused. She thinks she's going to have to win. If 
the group was smaller they'd have a chance, but not -all- of them can 
make it through. Or at least that's what she thinks. "Oh, the one 
waiting at the top is Everett." She says it so simply. Boy, she has no 
idea that baldy used to be "in" fairly good with this hayseed.

Twitch...twitch... it takes every ounce of self-control for Paige NOT to 
husk into something combat-oriented and shred Lishka's smug face RIGHT 
off. "Everett." She says softly. "I see. Now, you spiteful little bitch, 
you're going to tell me how we 'play' this game and get them *back*. 
Now."

Jono just stands by. He wouldn't care if Everett and the mallrat were 
left here, but thats just him. He watches Lishka through narrowed eyes, 
carefully.

	Boy, that smug expression sure needs a good shreding, but it sure 
doesn't fade with Paige's words or manner. "Ah, the rules. Yes. Well, 
it's quite simple. All you have to do is get to the top of the Tower. 
Just like the rest of your friends are trying to do now. At the top, a 
doorway is opened to take you back to where you belong. Get there before 
the doorway closes in about a week. If one of you, or all of you do not 
make it, then you all stay here." Well, actually, Lishka's lying on the 
last part. She'll probably send almost everyone back if they lose and 
just keep what she wants. "I can take you to where they are right now if 
you would like?"

Paige nods curtly. "Get your ass in gear, Frosty." She snaps sharply, as 
she glances back at Jonothon. She reaches back one hand, to snag Jono's, 
giving him a somewhat reassuring (for her or him?) squeeze, and then 
says. "Well?"

And she gets a squeeze in return, (~~...lets rock...~~) Jono says, 
turning his glare onto Frosty

	Lishka gives a small smile and holds waves her hands idly, mist 
creeping into the area again. A minute later the mist literally lets you 
both go, and you drop about ten feet.