[h1][b][i][color=MediumSpringGreen][center]James Kingston[/center][/color][/i][/b][/h1] [center][img]https://i.postimg.cc/MKVmbk8X/image.png[/img][/center] [hr] [center][color=MediumSpringGreen][b]Location[/b][/color]: Outside -> Entranceway [color=MediumSpringGreen][b]Skills[/b][/color]: Reactive Adaptation[/center] [hr][hr] While the world went to shit around him, James sipped at his coffee again. Quakes, lasers, and metal shards (which James refused to acknowledge nearly toppled him back into the last moments of the other world) flew through the air like bullets and all James could think about was how Magneto was right. Nothing anyone here said would matter; Havok took Polaris against her will and those in charge of mitigating the situation supported his decision. It was frustrating that they’d put Havok’s obsession above the wellbeing of the Underground. Defending people is one thing and James would always support escalating like they had with Sinister’s lair but this? This was senseless carnage where they considered how outmatched they were, that it was likely they wouldn’t make it out on the other side in one piece, and said fuck it. They… That wasn’t quite right. [i]They[/i] was some ambiguous figure who was incapable of accepting responsibility and consequences for their actions. [i]They[/i] was someone without a face, a personality, or flaws. It wasn’t [i]They[/i]. While Havok’s actions were the cause of all this, Sapphire was the one who shoulder the responsibility for the call. While James headed outside to hopefully establish some rapport and work to deesclate, Sapphire was handling Polaris. At the very least,come up with a plan to handle this fight. Instead, she walks out and goes for it. His respect for her ebbed away faster every day. But now wasn’t the time for idle consideration. James barely blinked when he brought himself back into the moment and found a gun levelled at him. One and two missed but it didn’t stop the visceral flashbacks―the sharp pain, the familiar mind space, the numb way he dug offending metal out of his chest even as he continued to run after them―and he slipped back into familiar space as the last two slammed straight into him. He watched with detachment as the bullets crumpled against his skin and fell uselessly to the ground, sipped at his coffee once more, and pocketed one of the bullets. This was twice now he’d been able to negate rather than restore. It would require further experimentation. [color=mediumspringgreen]“Personally, I’d prefer not to. We’re clearly outclassed and I have no interest in watching any of my allies die.”[/color] James replied emotionlessly, putting his empty cup on the ground as he took stock of the field. Echo was down, Sapphire was there, a massive snake coiled around one of the new people, and another was taking on the ground quaker. James shook his head at the utter idiocy of it all. Too many people were already getting hurt for him to handle in a fight and he couldn’t rely on this new function to protect him and them. The priority had to be getting Magneto’s group out of here and then they could focus on piecing everyone back together which meant getting Polaris out of there as fast as possible. And hopefully with no more damage to the surrounding structure. [color=mediumspringgreen]“She’s up the stairs to the left, in the second to last room. That was her and Havok’s room when she was part of this.”[/color] James explained, pointing where Magneto needed to go. [hider=Held Roll] Reactive Adaptation[/hider]