2014.03.28 - Bored Now

Life was slow moving when you were a Stepford Cuckoo. Or at least slow moving compared to how rapidly their minds worked. It seemed like it had been years since the Academy Valentine Day dance where one of them was separated from their significant other. And even longer since they took 157 under their wing to help improve his cadence, poise and abilities of infiltration.

Despite the time since they started they still didn't fully understand why they wanted to help the young boy infiltrate Earth society for the sake of his alien masters. For some reason whenever they tried to think too long on it they came up with one word, 'Fourteen.'

That was not their worry today though, today they were helping young Yeweseisisel look more... correct. So that meant shopping, something the girls had learned to love more than a bigoted reverend loves Jesus. And since they had access to Emma Frost's bank accounts that meant it wasn't hard at all for them to do it. Which was also good because they hated wearing outfits more than once.

Speaking of outfits the Five-In-One were currently dressed in knock out of one that had been attracting attention since the six students left the Academy to this shopping boutique. A tight fitting black dress with a plunging neckline that showed off a fair bit of cleavage. The bottom of the dress was extremely short going just a few inches down their thighs. Black stocking and killer black heels completed the outfit. Each of them also had their hair done up in a loose hanging bun and dark smoky make up around their eyes. Apparently somewhere down the line the cuckoos had piereced their ears rather much as each had eleven earrings in each ear, the last one on each side being a simple silver cross.

As they lead the quiet Yeweseisisel into the shopping botinque the one know as Esme reminded him, "Directive: This is a test of your skills. Do not repeat, attempt to use pronouns and present tense. Do not reveal the nature of your existence or of ours."

After that the one known as Sophie said, "Now lets get this poor boy some new clothing."

"Understood," 157 says quietly--even for him--as they enter the store. "Initiating social mode." Slowly, he follows after the five girls, entering the store and looking from side to side in a manner uncannily like a security camera. He's dressed fairly well, actually, in some of the clothes Emma bought him--including the ever-present fedora, which rarely if ever leaves his head. But he hasn't objected to the trip, not that anyone would have expected him to do so. 157's very accepting. It probably looks at least a little bit like a group of girls going shopping with their younger brother, except that 157 isn't engaging in any sarcasm or eye-rolling like most 13-year-old boys might in this sort of situation.

Which in reality means that it's the Cuckoos who stand out more than 157. That's probably a new one. After all the ability for human beings to have identical quintuplets is completely null. Sophie however grabs the first store attendant she can find and says with a bit of a husky tone to her Estuary English dialect, "Excuse me good sir. My siblings and I have brought our young protegee here for a full fledged make-over."

The young man she stopped nods in agreement waiting for Sophie to finish.

"What we're going to need is," Sophie reached into her red hand bag and pulled out a Black Centurion Credit Card and handed it to him, "The attention of everyone of the employees in the store. And make sure they all talk to him and make sure he likes what we are getting him."

The young man's eyes grew for a second and he said he'd have to get his manager. Sophie replied simply to him, "Of course, darling. Chop, chop."

For 157 it would have looked like a young Emma Frost more than any of the Cuckoo sisters.

There's the slightest twitch on 157's face for just a moment when Sophie mentions "make sure he likes what we are getting him," as 157 realizes today will require him to express opinions. It's the tiniest, infinitely quick hint of a frown. He watches the exchange quietly, and turns to Esme once the employee has hustled off. "This one does not understand why...your sister...has called for the attention of the entire store. This one believes this will attract attention and cause this one to be remembered by staff. This one understood that the gathering of information is better accomplished in such a way that the target does not have a strong memory of the interaction. Has this one misunderstood?" He looks over at Sophie again. "The majority of the people in this store appear to be shopping without assistance from staff and make contact with staff when assistance is required. This one would better mimic the 'normal' behavior by doing so as well. Is this one not intended to mimic 'normal' behavior?"

Esme frowned at 157 slightly and said, "Remember your directive Yewie. Pronouns. 'I do not understand' is the correct verbage."

After that the one known as Phoebe said, "Now then Yewie you have to remember there are two ways to be unnoticed. One is by sulking in the darkness and never being seen. The other is being so natural as the center of attention that no one thinks of you as anything but a normal person."

Irma then put her hand on his shoulder and said, "You've become rather good at one of those things. The other is what you need practice at. Thus why we are here."

Celeste then added, "And as much as we'd love to be 'normal' none of us are. The best ways of infiltration for us is to be a stereotype. The type of over bearing rich customer they get occasionally. That way, when they try to remember us, we were just those rich people who held up the whole store for the day."

Esme finished there thoughts as Sophie was now talking to the Store Manager, "Trust us, we have much more experience than you do, Yewie."

After that the Store Manager finished with Sophie and she headed back to all of them, "Also, the more comfortable people become with you, say thinking you are a bunch of vapid rich people too interested in yourselves than what they know. The more they share. It's also a nice trick to trick people into letting their mental guards down."

"This one is not permitted to use 'I' to refer to this one," 157 responds to Esme almost automatically. "Prior directive originates from access denied and cannot be overridden. This one will otherwise follow social norms during this exercise. This one recognizes that this restriction will prevent full adherence to social norms." He pays attention to each of the comments in turn, looking to each sister as they talk to him.

He looks over at the store manager in the distance, then up at Sophie. "This one has observed similar plans previously, with varying degrees of success. Overall, you are correct. However, it is sometimes harmful to the mission to be remembered at all. In these cases it is advisable first alter one's appearance if a strategy requiring open and obvious contact is to be employed." He looks over at the manager, then back at Sophie. "It is too late to alter appearances at this time, as contact has already been made."

The girls looked at each other and their eyes seemed to glow with telepathic power for a moment before they looked back at 157. Esme said, "One day, Yewie... not today, but one day. We are going to test those mental blocks you have and change some things." Her voice was a bit more... sinister than the Cuckoos normally speak.

Sophie touched Esme's shoulder and said, "But we understand your limitations and accept them. We suggest instead of 'this one' you say 'Yeweseisisel' it makes you sound pretentious instead of weird."

Phoebe then gestured over to the arriving employees and said, "As for appearance, do not worry. Most of these people will remember the quintuplets not the wierd little boy they brought with them. And your appearance will not be the same as when you arrived. You need a hair cut anyways. They will remember you as just another customer.

All five spoke in unison for the last part, "One way or another."

"This one may instead say 'Alan' if that is preferred. This one will also accept an alternative name. Introduce this one as the name you prefer that this one uses." 157 shows no signs of intimidation at the glowing eyes, but then...they probably didn't expect anything of the sort. "This one will engage defenses if necessary," is his only, perfectly calm reply to Esme's sinister tone.

At the comment about a haircut, he looks over at Phoebe, then fingers his long ponytail. "This one has not received negative comments regarding this one's hair," he responds. Then the employees arrive, and he looks back over at them. Anyone expecting 157 to make the first move here is doomed to be disappointed. He watches the employees silently for a few moments, then looks up at each of the sisters in turn, then back at the employees.

Sophie takes direct control, "Our little protegee here, Yewie, needs a complete make over. He needs a hair cut, he needs new clothing both casual and formal and recreational. He needs athletic shoes, formal shoes and sandals."

Esme spoke to 157 quietly, barely more than a whisper and said, "We expect you to, 1-5-7," after that she looked at the store employees and said, "We need it to match his skin tone. He's a summer complex so we'll need to match that."

Phoebe then speaks up, "We also need his hair cut to around shoulder length, still long enough for a pony tail but not so long that it's hard for the poor boy to upkeep. He also needs a manicure like no one would believe so set that up after her's done with the hair cut."

The store employees start to go and grab things and Celeste adds to 157, "Sorry, I tried to tell them to tone it down. But the truth is... we all love a project."

Over the course of the next hour 157 is going to be run through the gamut of clothing. Suits, polo shirts, jeans slacks, swim suits, shorts, shoes, etc. etc. etc. All things to match the Cuckoos's description of him as being a "winter."

It's almost like a deer in headlights reaction at first, except that there'd be more emotion involved there. 157 is totally unused to any situation where he expresses his opinion about anything other than tactics. But, blessedly, he's actually been instructed by more than just the Five-in-One to start expressing opinions--the Flash, who he at least recognizes as an instructor, has given him that assignment as well. So it is that he's actually going to try.

It's almost nerve-wracking, likely. Every item brought to him elicts a lengthy pause as he studies the item and you can almost see gears turning in his head as he tries to formulate an opinion about it. He does respond to each, though.

"Yewie...likes...the color," he manages in response to one of the shirts.

A few minutes later, he's standing there having tried on a suit that makes him look rather dapper. "Yewie...likes...this look. However, Yewie thinks it is stiff. It is hard to move, which is potentially dan..." A pause. "It is stiff."

"Yewie...does not like...these sandals," he's saying later, holding up a sandaled foot. "Yewie thinks these may slide off Yewie's foot if moving quickly. This may lead to injury in comb..." Pause. "Yewie may trip."

He looks up at Phoebe, during a brief break, and as long as he's expressing opinions... "Yewie does not think it is necessary to cut Yewie's hair."

Sophie and Esme put there hands up to stop the incoming barrage of clothing and the like and let Phoebe respond to 157, "Long unkempt hair is a combat risk. You will note that all members of the Five-in-One have long hair kept in a bun at this moment. If we were anticipating a combat situation we would have this bun tighter. You need to make a choice now. Take care of the hair and learn how to style it for both social environments and combat environments... or have it cut off."

After a moment Celeste adds, "We like your hair to be honest, we just want you to be prepared and safe."

"Yewie is capable of immediate self-modification to temporarily remove hair in combat situations in order to remove danger," 157 responds to Phoebe. "It will not be necessary for Yewie's hair to be cut." Not that he'd truly resist if they insisted, but if they're leaving it up to him, it appears he's going to keep the long hair. Opinions! Who knew he actually had them? A long pause, and he looks over at Celeste. "Thank you." Pause. Extremely Fake-Looking Smile. Pause. Return to normal. Well, he's /trying/ to incorporate expressions.

That got a eyebrow raise from Phoebe and then Sophie said, "No hair cut it is."

Phoebe then replied, "You really need to tell us these things Yewie we are only looking out for your own survival."

Celeste added, "Especially after the U-Man attack on the school."

The quintuplet of telepath's eyes glowed again and then Irma said to 157, "We can make this easier if we were given permission to enter your mind and make certain changes, your expression especially are off. They look like Jake Lloyd trying to act."

Everyone in the store seemed to be on pause at the moment. None were moving at all. Locked in place.

"We would promised not to access any restricted areas of your mind. But we are at the moment, bad teachers," the girls said in unison.

"Yewie apologizes. Yewie is very experienced in dealing with dangerous situations and does not require assistance in preparing for combat." And, truth be told, he handled himself /very/ well during that attack--protecting other with his portals and avoiding any harm himself. It was pretty clear that he's been in more than a few scraps.

At Irma's offer, he looks over at her. "Yewie is to resist any telepathic alteration of mind." Sometimes he can't, but he's evidently not intended to give permission, at least. "While Yewie has secured critical information, telepathic alterations may compromise ability to fulfill mission or otherwise cause negative effect. Yewie must refuse." He would have refused the dancing skills too had he been given the choice. He looks around at the five, and adds, "If you are bad teachers, practice may lead to improvement. Yewie advises that you continue instructing by current methods and demonstrate examples of proper use of expressions."

Honestly, the Cuckoos only brought it up because they wanted to test their own skills. They had met some very powerful telepaths lately and wanted to know where there the Five-in-One placed among them. They knew that Ms Frost had added his dance skills. It was rather obvious after all. The girls said in unison, their eyes glowing still as they said, "We are the Five-in-One, 157. (it should be noted that staff and customers are still frozen) The most powerful telepathic mind that has ever existed on this planet. We can not be stopped."

Then their glowing eyes stopped and Sophie said, "But you are right, we are too quick to take the easy way out. Telepathy makes it that way. We were born with it. We exist with it every single moment of every single day. We think faster than we can speak and we are eternally linked."

Celeste spoke up, "Ms. Frost tells us not to abuse our power but we see little point in it."

Irma spoke up, "If I had not read the mind of Kurenai she would not have been with me, I would not have understood her like I did. We wouldn't even speak the same language."

Esme said, "We have little care of your ultimate goals, Yewie. We have our own goals. You have two options, the fast way... or the long way. If you want the long way that watch how we talk and how our faces move. We feel very little emotion. It's not in our... nature."

All the girls then look at each other and look to 157, "We are Weapon Fourteen."

Sophie finished, "But we are good at faking emotion. We've learned that not learning to fake that which normal people experience means that won't trust you. Humanity is a jumpy animal, ready to attack that what it fears. And it fears what it doesn't understand."

"Yewie understands that Weapon Fourteen is extremely powerful. Resistance may be unsuccessful. However, Yewie's directives state that he must resist. Therefore, Yewie is required to choose the long way. Yewie will observe." 157 looks over at Celeste. "Yewie advises that the advice of Ms. Frost should not be disregarded. Ms. Frost has demonstrated intelligence and forethought during observations. Additionally, Ms. Frost demonstrates similar abilities. Therefore, it is highly probable that Ms. Frost is correct in advising caution and restraint. The potential use of power is often more effective than the actual use." A pause. "Yewie will discuss nature of 'weapon fourteen' with you at a later date. Present location is not ideal for discussion."

The Five-in-One looked at each other for another moment. It was times like that they wished that Hope or Mindee was here, there connection to the hive mind represented an outside perspective that they could share with 157. Without them, they were diminished. They felt the pain every moment of every day.

Suddenly this make over was not as fun as it was a few moments ago. The people in the store still did not move, but the Cuckoos said in unison, "Bored now."

Two of them take 157 by the hand and lead him out of the boutique as they rewrite the memories of all those who have seen them. It's easy for them, an Omega level telepathy even before they add their additional sisters.

Once they are out of the store the Cuckoos let go of 157's hands and say in unison, "Your not as fun as we once thought you were. Go back to the Academy. We will resume your lessons at a later date."

There was no telling what 157 did that suddenly made the Cuckoos upset and distant, it was just what happened it seemed. They were as capricious as the Headmistress that adored them so much.

157 follows the Five-in-One out of the store, not resisting, but there's a momentary flicker of expression as they tell him to go away. A tiny hint of a frown, and a flicker of worry across the eyes. It isn't much, but it's there. A pause, and he takes a step back. "Yewie...this one apologizes for not being fun," he says. "This one recognizes this one's failure. This one apologizes for failure. This one will leave. This one will attempt to be more fun in the future." Another pause, and he kind of stands there for a few moments, awkwardly. "This one apologizes for failure." He turns, walking into a nearby alleyway. A moment later, there's a flash and a sucking sound, heralding the arrival of one of his portals, and he is gone.