X-Factor: Making An Entrance
-Jean has arrived at the ranch to help check for any lingering compulsions.
-Jean has bandaged up Amber's ribs after Sal landed on her courtesy of Alex putting her through a wall. She suspects at least one cracked rib, and has reported this injury to the three team leads as a professional courtesy.
-Amber's been handed a couple days' worth of Really Good Painkillers from Jean's personal stock, suitable for until the team gets some place with a pharmacy.
-Jean's first scan-ee is Kelsey, by Kelsey's request. She's taking other requests, for when the team leads haven't specifically assigned someone to someone. (OOC, comment, or grab me on game.)
-Not having brought her own RV, Jean's inquired if she can grab a bunk either in the 'FBI' trailer or one of the dorms.
X-Men: Movieverse 3 - Monday, June 01, 2009, 8:42 PM
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=CO= Yard - Lost Waters - Colorado
A long winding drive twists through trees and the rolling hills that precede mountains before finally reaching the arching sign that announces 'Lost Waters Ranch.' It opens immediately into a large grassy yard bordered on most sides by some building or another, all of them tall, with high ceilings and logged exteriors and roofs shingled in a warm shade of green.
The guest house is to the left, next door to the cookhouse which sits at an angle to the staff house. The Big House itself faces the drive head on, ready to welcome new guests. On the right, the stables open up into a large paddock, and the sound of horse hooves and quiet whickering is almost always audible. Horses will come out to greet curious visitors with a whuffle at their hand, especially if they've brought gifts of carrots or sugar.
The yard itself is an expanse of rustic comfort, with towering trees to provide shade and a huge open area with plenty of sun where children can play or guests can drag a lounge chair and a book. Every building has a vast porch, with swings and rocking chairs available in abundance. A handful of picnic tables snug up next to the cookhouse, while the guest house boasts a sauna set into a wooden gazebo just off to the side.
[This room is set watchable. Use alias COYard to watch here.]
(Exits : [C]ookhouse, [S]tables, [M]ountain [T]rail, [S]taff [H]ouse, [G]uest [L]odge, and [F]BI [T]railer )
Compared to the Deluxe Ultrarich Palace of Camping With Matching Car that's brought Emma to Lost Waters, the arrival of Jean Grey is a little anticlimactic. A rented Subaru, emerald green and late model, with four wheel drive practical for mountain roads, comes a-crunching up the gravel of the drive and pulls in to a halt near the staff house. A single occupant emerges in the evening light, stretching and twisting a back that's just driven the hours from Denver's airport, and running her hands through a short bob of auburn hair to settle it back in place. Her fashion sense is neither city 'nor cowboy, more the sort of thing worn by a woman of taste and means whose familiarity with ranches is based around Pony Club summer camps. There is Knit Sweater happening.
Apparently, Pete's luck regarding telepathic visitors has a sense of humour today. The arrival of the Subaru finds him out on the guest house porch, smoking one of the last, dwindling cigarettes. The glint of evening sunlight off of metal draws his attention towards the drive, and he's down the porch steps by the time the car comes to a halt. His eyes narrow warily on the woman who emerges from the car, quick visual sweep owing more to a habit of checking for concealed weaponry than of checking /out/. Recognition sinks in a moment later, and there is a brief flash of surprise across his face. "Doctor Grey, is it?"
Kelsey is mostly hiding. After all, she figures everyone probably hates her anyways, so she's been spending too much time thinking in various discrete locations. Currently she seems to be switching locales, and ends up exiting the stables when the Subaru pulls up. It takes a few steps forward for her to recognize the figure that exits, and she's quite surprised to actually recognize it. "Jean?"
Jean carries no weapons. Then again, she tends, like many mutants, to come pre-armed. The sweater is more fitted than clinging, knit with trapping warmth in mind, but there's no obvious line of shoulder holster or knife sheath beneath it. The jeans aren't concealing anything but a very nice bum for a late-thirties woman. Finishing her stretch, she's reaching into the back of the rental to pull out a hiker's backpack when the twin inquiries reach her, prompting the abandonment of her bag to turn a coolly appraising look on Pete, and a warm smile on Kelsey after a moment to think about it. "Look who's all grown up and tangling with evil telepaths," she quips, motioning her over with a wave of a hand as she shifts to lean up against her car. "And that's me. Agent...?"
Jess was quite literally sunning herself in the days last rays of sunshine, and as the light began to disappear behind the horizon she moves up towards the porch, curiously watching the Subaru come to a stop and the redheaded woman exit the vehicle.
Kelsey earns a likewise wary, sweeping look. After all, the last time Pete saw her, she was busy shooting his teammates. And shooting at him, but that is perhaps of lesser concern. He shifts his path slightly to keep both women in his line of sight. He doesn't smile, but his tone is at least civil as he introduces himself as, "Peter Wisdom. I imagine you'll be wanting to speak to Doctor A -- al-Razi about the situation?"
Jean's quip earns one of Kelsey's few genuine smiles of the day--even if it is still a small one--and she moves up closer to Jean. "Wish I was doin' a better job of it," she says, her voice a bit too self-deprecating to even be considered "humorous." She looks over at Pete as he addresses Jean, his wary look not going unnoticed. Her own expression around him is nervous--mostly that he'll start yelling at her for shooting people.
Amber heads out from the Guest Lodge having showered and changed for the cooler winter of nigh. Spotting the small group that's starting to form in the yard, she moves around in a wide arc as she heads for the cook house to grab herself a bite to eat. No need to interupt.
There's a very small flash of a grin from Jean, serene focus punctuated by what dwelt beneath the hasty substitution of names. Soon gone, she merely gives Pete a level nod, and the group in general an explanation. "I've been in some communication on the way up, but mountain reception is always fun. My job is to help pull the psionic compulsions off you, is the gist of it -- for that," she notes, giving the arcing Amber an absent look, "I often find it easier if I can get some background as to what's happened to place them... want to pull up a patch of Subaru?" she wonders, giving a friendly pat-pat to the SUV's dusty side.
Pete is more prone to verbal evisceration than actual yelling, but he seems disinclined to engage in either now, contenting himself with watching Kelsey warily in case she decides to snap and start shooting people. At Jean's reply, he actually does smile, though it is very slight, and very wry. "al-Razi's probably got the best grasp on /that/ too, unfortunately. We've most of us got only the barest understanding of what /actually/ goes into this sort of thing." It is less avoidance than, well, fact. At least from his perspective.
Unfortunately for Amber, that bite to eat will have to wait. About the time the aura-sensing mutant rounds the side of the cookhouse, the wall starts to shake. Seconds later, it explodes in a shower of brick and mortar and bright white light, as Sal is slammed through it by the force of Alex's blasts. She goes flying, a Sal-sized and shaped wrecking ball that bodyslams Amber and takes them both down in a tangle of flailing limbs and pain.
Kelsey tries to ignore Pete's behavior, keeping her focus on Jean. "We showed up?" she offers lamely. "That seemed tae do it: at least for the compulsions about not leaving," she adds, looking down at her feet. But only for a split second, because then, Jesus Christ! Sal comes through a wall. "Fuckin' hell!"
Amber pauses midstep as the walls begin to shake, brows knitting together in concern. But before she has a chance to act, there's a large scary woman flying in her direction. "Sweet Spirits!" Amber let's out a quick yell and throws her hand in front of her face as Sal and she collide in a heap. There is indeed pain, the stars dancing in front of Amber's eyes.
Jess looks from her spot on the porch steps to the sudden explosion of wall, bricks and debris, her eyes widening when she sees that someone was thrown /through/ the wall. "What the hell?" she wonders.
Exploding building walls tend to trigger a /particular/ sort of reaction in Pete. Exploding building walls the day following a confrontation with two dangerous psionic whatevers, even more so. The transition from wary-but-conversational to ready-for-violence is almost instantaneous - metal gleams as he draws his gun from where it was holstered in the small of his back, sweeping it up to target through the hole in the cookhouse wall was he registers the flying wrecking-Sal as 'ally'. "What the bloody fucking /hell/ is going on here?" he snarls.
A single brick clatters down onto the rubble through the smoke as the form of Alex wanders towards the hole and raises a foot to rest on the remnants on the wall. "Hi Jean." He says, eyes flicking towards the woman with a glimmer of surprise. When he glances back to Sal andoh. He breaks into a jog towards Amber and Sal to get the latter off of the former.
The exploding debris? They meet a wall of solid telekinetic force as Jean snaps an automatic "Get DOWN." timed with a shove of her own powers. Orange flares around her and then subsides, and the greeting from Havok earns in turn an "Alex Summers, what the hell is going -on- here? I was told the situation was contained!"
The barrel of Pete's gun tracks Alex unerringly. Because, you know, people have been kind of going crazy and trying to murder one another lately. "Explanation. /Now/."
There is a pained snarl from the tangle of Sal&Amber, and then Sal extracts herself with ill grace, struggling to her feet and loosing the crispy remains of her shirt. "Oh, so /that's/ how it's going to be--" is growled at Alex, and then she snaps around and clues in to the rest of their audience. "Oh, hell, /you/," she snarls at Jean, and curls her arm over her chest as the heat and concussive force's damage starts to heal.
"The woman kept attacking me." Alex explains, less concerned about collateral damage and more concerned with Amber. He stops and crouches to her side, reaching down as he studies her. "She regenerates and knows how to fight, so...fight ended."
"Just gave him a taste of his own medicine," Sal snarls.
Kelsey glances between the let's-stop-the-fighting group of Jean and Pete and the we're-involved-in-the-fighting group of Sal, Alex, and Amber. She's not in a position to really do anything right now, so she decides to not do anything right now.
Amber let's out a tiny noise as Sal is moved off of her. Back flat against the ground, her eyes are squeezed shut, hand clutching over her side. "I'm going to kick your /ass/, Alex. What the fuck." She hisses. Her free hand reaches up for help to her feet. Little help?
"Could one of you go get one of your superiors?" Jean wonders of the non-combatants, looking alternately pained as only the headmistress of Xavier's School can know how to look, as she reaches into the Subaru to retrieve a first aid kit. There's also the tiniest smidge of relief that this? Is not -her- problem to discipline. "I'm a doctor, miss. Can I help?"
Pete's gaze flicks briefly towards Sal. Not looking crazy(er)? Apparently not from his perspective. The gun remains trained on Alex a moment longer, then he mutters a low, indecipherable curse and puts it up and away as Amber reaches to get pulled closer to his line of fire. "Bunch of sodding infants," he mutters. Radio static crackles as he thumbs his communicator on to relay, "LeBeau, Pryde. Idiot cleanup in the yard."
Amber grimaces up to Jean with a forced, pained smile. "Do me a favor and punch them both in the face for me?" Amber shakes her head with a groan. "Seriously though? A hand up. If you want to take a look at my ribs, I think the impact might have fractured something." Else it'll just be a killer bruise. The couple scrapes and tiny bruises she can deal with herself. The sharp pain in her side? Not so much.
Illyana arrives from a disc of crimson light, bringing the scent of evergreens with her.
Pete replies to crackling answers with a simple, "Summers is lighting people on fire and throwing them through walls."
Kelsey jogs over to Amber while Jean retrieves her first aid kit, offering both hands for helping. "An' I thought the fighting was over," she grumbles.
There sits Alex. Covered in Rubble. Blood pouring from the cut above his eye Sal politely unzipped. Smiling sheepishly to mask mild concern. "I didn't think she would go that far. Sorry." He offers quietly, leaning in close to check Amber's breathing. "Any weird pain?"
"Move," directs Jean to Alex with what starts with a jerk of her head sideways in indication, and ends with a gentle shake. "Take a deep breath in for me, and tell me if you feel any pain and what kind... and Alex, is this tied in with the compulsions?"
Kitty pushes the guest door open angrily, shower robe flapping slightly at the air. The robe almost reaches her knees, and is only elbow length. "Summers, what the hell are y-" She starts before her eyes light on Jean. "Jean!" She smiles warmly before turning her attention to the situation at hand.
"Harper, what the fuck are y'--" The twinned call from the other leader-type present comes from the guest house porch, where Remy and his walking stick are hobbling.
Crackle, crackle. Pete replies again, this time with, "Be much appreciated, Hyperion." And resumes a wary, watchful stance, gaze flicking between Sal and Alex. Because, really. The crazy /is/ epidemic.
Amber narrows her eyes on Alex. "You mean other than the pain in my ass that /did/ this?" Clearly she blames him for this whole thing. Then Kelsey is there and Amber reaches up to take a hand but just squeezes it, remaining with her back to the ground as Jean starts looking her over. Deep breath and then a hiss. "Rib is burning."
Walter emerges from the guest house after Remy, looking pretty rough, as he leans heavily on the railing, trying to get a sense of what's going on.
Luke steps out of the Guest House only a few feet behind Kitty, staring at her curiously as she storms outside. This looks interesting. He doesn't intrude a great deal on the people already in the yard but remains on the porch for a few minutes quietly observing. Okay... few people here he recognises, and a hell of a lot he doens't.
"Situation is under control," Sal growls across channels, although it seems that everyone is going to, uh, ignore that. "Oh, fuck /this/." Harper attempts an exit, but unfortunately there is the entirety of the yard to cross with her arm across her chest and her skin healing sluggishly and hey, /more people/. "/Nothing/, LeBeau!"
Illyana is following behind her friend, dressed like normal, but at a lag, because of her limp. Her attention goes immediately to Jean too, but she doesn't clutter the chaos by calling out, just limps up behind Kitty.
Kelsey kneels down, then, instead of helping Amber up. She looks properly concerned for a good friend, though. Her expression twinges at Amber's hiss, brow furrowing as concern deepens. She glances over at the others for a second, but quickly returns to Amber, trusting the people in charge to figure out the mess going on.
Will walks out of the FBI trailer toting a rifle. He plugs a tranq into it and looks around at the crowd. Of course, he waits to see the pretty lights and doesn't aim at anyone.
His arms folded across his chest, Lucas' attention is drawn to the sound of Sal's yelling and immediately he blushes. He doesn't immediately look away however.
Jess walks down from the porch as she sheds her hoodie - revealing a tank underneath - and stops before Sal, offering the woman the shirt. "Here."
The few steps off the crowded porch is bounded down as Kitty starts to cross the yard to approach the group at the cookhouse, looking still furious. "Jean, is that idiot under compulsions? Because if he's not, I'm going to hurt him." She directs her conversation to Jean as she approaches, though her eyes are focused on Alex.
Luke's not the only one Walter has the decency to summon a blush, and then looks somewhere else. He'd offer a shirt, but he's kinda just wearing pants and bandages at this point.
"Probably strained or bruised a rib...No gasping..."Alex says to Jean, reaching down to GENTLY caress his fingertips along Amber's side. His brow gathers for a moment before relaxing. "No free-floating bone. No dislocation." He continues, turning to focus a heated glare first on Pete then Kitty. "Your /agent/ started attacking me and would not stop."
"Show me which one," Jean directs, projecting a little oasis of calm in her little circle of healing. Literally. She glowers at the pair of wall-destroying interlopers, and begins to pat around in her first aid kit for bandages, pausing at Kitty's request to give Alex a level look and a "My apologies for snooping." before going and doing just that. Her mind slips free of its politely-maintained barriers, and goes a-poking, looking for any hints of active programs running that Aren't Alex. The bandages are forgotten.
Luke notices Walter nearby and brightens - erm, figuratively speaking. The kid seems to have made a speedy recovery. He lifts a hand toward the boy in greeting, for the moment turning away from the larger group. "How you doing?" he asks semi-softly, hoping to be heard, but without disturbing everything. Things don't look like they need to get more heated.
Pete looks around to spot Will, and cants his head slightly in Sal's direction. "Make sure she doesn't wander off 'til they're /both/ checked, would you?" he says. It is perhaps code for 'scruff her like a naughty kitten if she doesn't sit her ass down now'.
"That true, Harper?" Remy wonders, gimping along closer in order to crouch by the topless older agent and, with a sigh, start unbuttoning his shirt. "You want to give me a report on events?"
Kitty finally stops as she approaches the group, tugging her robe down where it has attempted to ride up her thighs and tight where it's attempted to come loose. "And the /only/ way you could stop her was by /blasting/ her through a /wall/?" she snaps at Alex with a grateful look spared to Jean. Thanks!
Amber holds her breath as Alex reaches down her side. He gets a glare before Jean's aura of soothing moves into effect and she focuses instead on Kelsey's hand in hers. There's a thankful squeeze as her free hand moves up to start pressing along her ribs until she finds the damaged one. "Here," she says with a rough breath.
Sal misses Jess's offer in the confusion, and snarls at Remy as he unbuttons his shirt. "We had a difference of opinion that escalated into a fistfight," Sal reports. "We seemed matched until he /threw/ me through the /wall/." She might -- sound a little bit impressed by that. She makes snappy fingers at Remy, to hurry up the shirt-removal. A piece of scab falls.
Walter notices what Kitty's wearing, and simply finds a new thing to blush about and try to not look at. It isn't until then that he notices Luke, giving the man a nod before wincing a bit in pain. Turning his head that direction, bad idea.
"An' what the hell," wonders Remy, as his fingers skim over buttons to leave him standing in his undershirt in the gathering evening chill, and tossing the button-down Sal-wards, "Made y'-have- the fistfight anyways? I am gonna stick y'on suspended duty pendin' a psych eval clearin' y'at this rate."
Kelsey offers a squeezed hand in return to Amber, keeping her eyes on Amber's and offering a smile. "Dinnae worry, I'll punch Alex for ye later."
Jess gives a bit of a shrug and quickly moves out of the circle of snapping mutants, taking up a spot against the railing as she watches the insults fly, her eyes going back and forth as if she were following a tennis match. Her hoodie gets thrown over a shoulder.
Will keeps his rifle lowered and watches Sal. "You got it," he tells Pete with a nod. He sighs softly and taps the trigger gently with his finger. No one to shoot.... Shucks.
Amber gives Kelsey the best smile she can manage. "Did I ever mention that you're my favorite?"
Luke lifts a hand to rub idly at his neck, looking on at the circle of mutants with amusement and curiosity. A few steps take him toward the railing not far from Jess and he leans against it, not saying anything at this point.
Pete remains where he is, attention still divided equally between the participants in the wrecking match. At least he's no longer watching /Kelsey/ as though she's going to snap and start killing people at any moment?
More pieces of former-Sal peel and flake off as she reaches out to take the offered shirt, shrugging into it with a scowl at Remy, Pete, and Will all in turn. She doesn't button it up immediately, instead opting to pick off a peeling bit of bubbled torso-skin. Then she starts the buttoning. "Don't need an eval," she growls. "Tension's runnin' high all around."
Illyana makes it up to behind Kitty at her own pace, finally, and leans forward to murmur in her ear. "{Gnawing off legs,}" she says, with a wry humor. "Soon isn't soon enough. We should be leaving /now/."
Walter stays right where he is, thanks. He likes this section of railing, it's sturdy, and holds his weight. He just glances about, giving a flinch of 'ew gross' at the bits of Sal falling off. Oh hey, Jean's here. She gets a bit of a wave.
"She seemed to recover well enough from a cliff. You should try stopping her without phasing some day." Alex replies curtly to Kitty, pausing to look to Jean for further guidance. Kelsey will definitely have to punch him later. "Ibuprofen?" He asks, slipping his eyes back down to study Amber with another weak, apologetic smile. "To prevent swelling, maybe?"
"Then stop being a bitch, Harper," Will replies. "You started a fight with a civilian who burned your boyfriend's face off. It doesn't take a fucking genius to figure it out. And it doesn't take a fucking genius to read you like a fucking picture book." He waits for it.
"More'n that," Remy grumbles, with a glower down at Sal that's as much hair-tearing frustration at being stuck being the Authority Figure as with the situation itself. "Go get y'self indoors an' keep -away- from Summers 'til we get this sorted. Stay in quarters 'til we ship out."
Kitty relaxes at the Russian, a soft laugh at it. She's a lot more calm and even as she addresses Alex, "Did you even think about property damage? How the hell are we going to explain it?" The questions are said neutrally as she narrows her eyes more, arms going across her chest as much to keep the robe closed as to intimidate Alex.
Kelsey chuckles at Amber. "I dinnae think ye have, but I appreciate the sentiment now." She glances over at Will's words, gaze switching back to Alex. "Ye burned Sid's face off?" Hey, some people got tranqed.
And some people got shot!
And a few people got burned.
Only the bad guys, though.
And a couple shirts, but who's counting?
Pete says, very dryly, "I'd imagine the both of them are going to need psych evals. Badly." He is /not/ in authority, thank God, and thus apparently feels free to engage in snarky commentary. Then again, there is a definite note of the serious to the words.
Eventually, Jean's gaze comes back to itself, and she reports that "It looks like we have a simple case of Summers problem solving without the benefit of Scott's tactical sense. There's no wall-throwing compulsion here." With that, she turns belatedly back to Amber, and wonders a "Do you think you can get to your feet?" quietly. "I'd rather try bandaging ribs with you sitting on a proper surface."
"I need a drink," Lucas murmurs to himself and pushes up from the railing to walk back into the Guest House. A bemused glance is cast over his shoulder a the circle of people outside as he pauses at the door before ducking within.
"You want to read me, Drake?" Sal twists 'round to confront him, ignoring the hell out of Remy's orders -- for the moment. "Read /this/." It isn't hard to see her reaction coming: she balls a fist and takes a swing at his face.
"Goddammit," Kitty greets the news that he isn't under compulsion less enthusiastically then one would think. That means Alex was just being stupid. "If you were part of my team, I'd have you confined to quarters too. Have no doubt, Alex." She glares at him pointedly before raking her curls in frustration before Sal's next attack draws her attention. "/What the hell/!"
Amber gives Jean a quick nod. "You got it." Alex's apologetic look gets a narrow eyed look. It only lingers for a second before she turns back to Kelsey. "Help me up?" She waits for a nod before using their joint grip to pull herself up with minimal swearing.
"Does anyone still have their tranq guns?" Walter calls out into the yard.
Will doesn't have time to smirk, but he would if he did. Instead, he erects a shield between him and Sal, then tries to lift her into the air and suspend her there by tugging telekinetically on her core. "That's what I'm talking about," he replies.
"That." says Jean, quiet and cold. "Is enough." Telepathic fingers reach for Sal's brain, skipping past higher consciousness to settle across the sleep centers and *poke*. Hey look, it's the trick Bahir taught to Tom, demonstrated by his teacher!
Kelsey straightens up into a standing position, offering both hands to Amber for support to help her up.
Sal flails as she twists in the air -- and then doesn't. It is like Will is suspending a giant ragdoll.
"Uh-huh." Alex replies, holding a hand towards Sal as he glances at Kitty and narrowing his eyes. "I'll bet you would. I think the collateral damage will work itself out, won't it? Just like the 'horrifying telepathic manipulation' and...other stuff...will get explained." He says, pushing to his feet and looking to Jean. "Ok. I'm going to go find some Ibuprofen before that starts to swell."
"I'm guessing Drake has it sorted," Pete says. He eyes the dangling Sal with something a little bit akin to disgust, any humour he might usually find in the situation erased by the strain of the past few days. Or weeks. "Or.../damn/ that must be useful." That, in this case, referring to whatever it is that sent Sal off to la-la land.
A comforting hand reaches for Illyana's as Kitty glances from Wisdom to Remy. "What do we want to do about..." She trails off to gesture around the yard. "All this mess?" She frowns at Alex as he gets to her feet, but looks away dismissively. She has things to take care of.
Remy says something. It's in extremely filthy Cajun, and we apologize for poor Kelsey's ears. "Get her ass in bed, an' get a medic workin' on her while she's out," he directs to Will, a low growl in his voice and a hand white-knuckling his walking stick. He does not charge it. "She's got shotgun shot in her shoulder still."
"That works too," Walter muses, looking towards what he figures the source is. Hi, Doctor Grey!
Will gently twists Sal around as she goes ragdoll. He turns her, stomach-side-up, and then steps under her and cradles the woman in his arms. She's heavy! "I'll just tend to it myself. She probably needs psycho therapy. Saw this shit all the time in the war." He hefts her up. "Nice to see you again, Dr. Grey," he says by way of departure. He moves off.
Sal would have something to say to that ... were she conscious. Her head lolls against Will's shoulder, and her arms and legs hang limply.
Pete gives Kitty a wry look, ever so slightly apologetic for dragging her into the disaster zone. "Those of us who are still mobile will get it settled as best we can, and see that the whole bleeding roof isn't about to cave in. As for explanation - some flaming drunk idiot managed to plow halfway through the wall. They'll believe /that/ more than they would a mutant battle anyways."
The Pained Headmistress look is back, as, wait for it... wait for it... Jean lifts one hand to pinch lightly at the bridge of her nose. Didn't you miss her? "You too, Agent Drake," she bids Will, in a moment's out-of-place WASP politeness, before she turns to the others, and gives Pete a thin smile. "It has its uses. Now... your ribs, young lady. Let's get some place with a full set of four walls...?"
With Kelsey's help, Amber is able to get to her feet, hunched slightly as she tries to fight the burn of pain with her movements. "You can call me Amber. Jean right?" She only guessed as much because she's the only one in the yard she doesn't know when the name Jean was being tossed around. "Guest Lodge will work." Kelsey gets a 'You coming?' sort of look.""
Illyana squeezes Kitty's hand in turn, but stays silent, just supporting her friend's efforts toward taking charge.
Such a fun day. Walter turns, hobbling back into the guest house ahead of the others, even holding the door open, so polite.
Kelsey is not only coming, she's there to help Amber walk it if need be! To communicate this, she gives a smile and offers a shoulder to Amber.
"I'll stay an' give y'a hand," Remy notes to Pete, even if his mobility is questionable at the moment. "I ain't gonna be able t'do much with Harper 'til she wakes, and Drake..." There's a moment's puzzlement. "Seems to have it," he concludes. And thus the player separates her two characters from each other's scenes. GO ME.
Jess pushes off of the railing and heads in to find herself a beer, slipping her hoodie back on as she gives a slight shiver caused by the night air.
"I can give him a..." Kitty drifts off as she looks down at her robe. "Well, I can help out after I get dressed. You need to rest up your leg, Remy." She waits as others exit the yard, not making a move yet to go get herself some clothes.
"Dr. Jean Grey, owner of a sense of timing extraordinaire." Jean quips to Amber, giving a look around at the hole in the wall and general excitement after looping back to get her backpack of gear to go with the first aid kit. "Pleased to meet you, Amber, and I or someone else will be giving your brain the OK after this... up we go, there, nice and easy."
"Another telepath?" Amber gives a faint nod, gripping Kelsey's hand a wee bit tighter with every step. Must be a fairly common ability with this many around! That or Jeff has some weird kink. "That'd be great. Last I heard there's still some lingering crap in there. Ribs first, though?" She moves with a red head at either side towards the Guest Lodge.
Pete gives Remy a wry look, gaze flicking down to take in that injured leg. But, perhaps knowing the way of the LeBeau, he doesn't protest. He does, however, move towards the wrecked wall. "Never rains but that it pours, eh, Pryde?" he says. One eyebrow quirks slightly in question when he notes her attire, glanced over but not really registered in the heat of the wacky. The corners of his mouth twitch ever so slightly upwards.
So much for a quiet entrance...
=CO= Main Room - Guest Lodge - Lost Waters
The front porch opens up to a high-ceilinged room that boasts all the rustic comforts one could want on a getaway. The interior reflect the exterior, with warm wood broken only by the massive stone hearth of the fireplace on one wall and the pattern rugs that are scattered across the floor to mark out different sections. Chairs and sofas hug close around the fireplace for conversation or reading; tall wooden bookshelves on either side hold a variety of worn books, most left here by former visitors. Another seating area is sketched out around a massive television that doesn't get a lick of reception. Good thing there's a DVD player and a decent collection of movies, especially if they revolve around horses or the Wild Wild West.
In the back, a small refrigerator has room for a chilled drink or two, with a microwave settled on a shelf overhead. A massive green-felted pool table marks out its domain, with cues and triangles hung on the walls in easy reach. Double sets of doors lead off in each direction - a well-kept bathroom with showers and toilets and long rows of sinks for each dorm, and then the dorms themselves. It's communal living here.
[This room is set watchable. Use alias COMainRoom to watch here.]
(Exits : [Y]ard, [W]est [D]orm, and [E]ast [D]orm )
(Players : Remy and Amber )
"Better yet, she was also my teacher back at school," Kelsey mentions to Amber, trying to keep the girl distracted from the pain as they enter the guest lodge. "Dinnae worry, she'll take good care of ye. An' I'm not goin' anywhere."
A rattling of pills rounds the corner into the main room before Alex does. He slides Jean an apologetic look she's probably all too familiar with before working the lid off of the bottle and picking out a few. "Sorry Amber. Sorry Jean. You get a free hit later, Kelsey." He quietly murmurs, offering the pills to Amber.
"You're probably looking at offering more than a 'sorry' to these poor ranch people," Jean murmurs, with a rueful shake of her head as she draws the curtains to give Amber at least the illusion of some privacy. "I'll need you to get your shirt off so that I can try and bind the ribs up for you," she explains. "Without an X-Ray I can't confirm, since I think it's more a crack than a clear break, but I can at least give you some support so breathing will hurt less."
"Oh yeah? I'd just thought that she was another agent. I guess that explains why everyone knows her." Kelsey earns herself another smile before Amber pulls her hand away to slowly start peeling off her shirt. Atleast as best she can through hissing and swearing. She doesn't seem overly modest, but doesn't protest the curtain, sitting as straight as she can for binding.
Kelsey gives Alex a /look/ at his offer, then holds her hands out for the pills. "Aye, I think it's time for ye tae go now," she says. After all, Amber's apparently stripping. Even if Amber doesn't protest, Kelsey will do it for her.
"'Ranch people.'" Alex echoes with a hint of amusement, eyeing Jean then the others before returning a nod and disappearing back out the front door to start cleaning up.
"That, and there was that whole business with the asteroid," Jean murmurs, vaguely sheepish for reasons unfathomable. She gives Alex a crooked smile and an "Xavier's insurance doesn't cover Colorado ranches," before she turns back to being doctorish. Bandages, where art thou?
"Better he stay and see what his temper can do to innocent people," Amber says with a glower. But Alex takes off and Amber just goes back to concentrating on the others. "Asteroids?" That sounds like a fun story.
Kelsey cocks an eyebrow at Jean, Ibuprofen now in hand, but shrugs soon after, giving Alex a final glance as he leaves. "Alex found Ibuprofen," she lets Jean know, waiting on doctor's orders before she gives any to Amber.
"Ibuprofen's good," is Jean's verdict, before she crooks a smile from over some found bandages. "I have a few things that are better... if you promise not to think that you're fine because you don't feel anything." That caveat given, and another of "There will be some discomfort associated with this," she sets about binding Amber's ribs, with directions about arm lifting and holding given here and there.
Amber narrows her eyes for a moment before they go wide. "Whoa! Were you with that group a while back that stopped the asteroid? I wasn't even near a TV at the time and I heard about that." There's a peek of brows as Amber lifts her arms to help with the ease of wrapping. There's only a faint hiss. "I haven't felt fine since my second day at this ranch, I'm not too worried about it." she laughs, instantly regretting it.
"Same Dr. Grey," Jean confirms, and snugs the bandage tight, the end clipped down against earlier wrappings with a little metal clasp. Amber is now bandaged enough that her modesty is covered quite well, but Jean assures that "You can put your shirt on again... I'll go parcel out some painkillers."
Kelsey snorts a bit at Amber's last comment. "Aye, it hasnae really been a fun visit, has it?" she asks rhetorically. A thought, and she looks back to Jean. "Jean? Whenever it's time for it an' ev'rythin', I'd appreciate if ye were the one tae go pokin' around in my head. A good percentage of the injuries on our team were caused by me last night. It'd be nice havin' someone I've known more than a week make sure I'm okay."
"It's been a blast." Amber drolls with a frown as she pulls the shirt from her lap and struggles with getting it back over her head. "Sweet mother of crap." Yay, getting into pajamas is going to be a blast. "Yeah, poor Kels has has some of the worst of the brain screwing of the group."
"Jesus," Jean murmurs, as pills rattle from a bottle to her palm, the better to pass one over to Amber. "How are you coping with that? I wish I could have gotten word you needed me earlier..."
"I shot Percy in the arm and Walter in the chest to protect Jeff. Fortunately I missed Pete." Kelsey's voice is flat as she explains it. "It's been pretty fuckin' shitty, tae be honest." Her slight smile is humorless.
Amber takes the pill eagerly from Jean and downs it without water. "Do I get more of these, or am I working off of the normal painkillers?" She's cool either way. Pushing from her seat, Amber moves to Kelsey and gives her a gentle squeeze. "But it wasn't her fault. Clearly."
"Obviously. And having your body doing it, your mind feeling that it's the right thing..." A bone deep shudder twitches through Jean, eyes gone disfocused on some memory, before she parcels out a few more pain pills with the directive of "These should see you through until you're able to leave the ranch."
"Hence why a friendly face--or mind--might be nice," Kelsey ends quietly, shrugging a bit lamely.
Amber gives another very ginger squeeze to Kelsey before she moves off to take the pills from Jean. "I think that I am going to go try and get changed and see if I can get a little sleep. Thank you Jean, Kelsey."
"They do have a sedative effect. No heavy machinery while on them, the usual," Jean bids, before turning to Kelsey with a quiet little smile, a nod, and a brief brush of her hand against the younger woman's shoulder. "Of course," she confirms. "You'll be at the top of my list to check over, I think."
Kelsey reaches for Amber's hand and gives her a thankful squeeze back. Don't want to go near the torso for squeezing. Pain is bad. "Dinnae worry about it. Goodnight." She looks back at Jean, her smile exhausted. "Thanks."
"It is, unfortunately, quite literally the least I can do." Smile gone grim and slightly guilty, Jean pats Kelsey's shoulder again, before turning to tidying up the first aid kit. "I was going to look for some food, but it looks like the cookhouse is a bit of a construction project so it might be an ordeal. Can I get you anything?"
Kelsey leans against the backs of one of the large chairs, eyebrows raising slightly. "Nae, I'm fit as a fiddle," she reassures Jean. "Amber made sure I ate some food and slept earlier today." She motions in the area of the fridge. "There's usually some fruit around if ye're hungry."
"I wasn't expecting to toss telekinetic force around, scan someone's brain for surface signs of compulsion and then knock someone else unconscious in that span of time, and running on an airport lounge sandwich," Jean confesses, with a wry smile as she tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'll go hunt down that fruit, and hole up here where I'm findable."
Kelsey smiles. Exhausted, but it's a smile. "It's good tae see ye, Jean," she says sincerely. "I imagine they'll probably want ye in the trailer out front."
"Dear God I hope you mean the FBI and not the Princess Edition one I saw out there." With a look of mild horror at the ostentation, before it fades into something quieter, she murmurs to Kelsey that "It's good to see you, too... and now I'll go check in properly."
"I hope I mean the FBI one too," Kelsey says with a quirked grin. "Aye, I'll leave ye to it. Night, Jean." She straightens, stretches out, and heads to her bunk.
Dr. Grey is Doctorly.
-Jean has bandaged up Amber's ribs after Sal landed on her courtesy of Alex putting her through a wall. She suspects at least one cracked rib, and has reported this injury to the three team leads as a professional courtesy.
-Amber's been handed a couple days' worth of Really Good Painkillers from Jean's personal stock, suitable for until the team gets some place with a pharmacy.
-Jean's first scan-ee is Kelsey, by Kelsey's request. She's taking other requests, for when the team leads haven't specifically assigned someone to someone. (OOC, comment, or grab me on game.)
-Not having brought her own RV, Jean's inquired if she can grab a bunk either in the 'FBI' trailer or one of the dorms.
X-Men: Movieverse 3 - Monday, June 01, 2009, 8:42 PM
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=CO= Yard - Lost Waters - Colorado
A long winding drive twists through trees and the rolling hills that precede mountains before finally reaching the arching sign that announces 'Lost Waters Ranch.' It opens immediately into a large grassy yard bordered on most sides by some building or another, all of them tall, with high ceilings and logged exteriors and roofs shingled in a warm shade of green.
The guest house is to the left, next door to the cookhouse which sits at an angle to the staff house. The Big House itself faces the drive head on, ready to welcome new guests. On the right, the stables open up into a large paddock, and the sound of horse hooves and quiet whickering is almost always audible. Horses will come out to greet curious visitors with a whuffle at their hand, especially if they've brought gifts of carrots or sugar.
The yard itself is an expanse of rustic comfort, with towering trees to provide shade and a huge open area with plenty of sun where children can play or guests can drag a lounge chair and a book. Every building has a vast porch, with swings and rocking chairs available in abundance. A handful of picnic tables snug up next to the cookhouse, while the guest house boasts a sauna set into a wooden gazebo just off to the side.
[This room is set watchable. Use alias COYard to watch here.]
(Exits : [C]ookhouse, [S]tables, [M]ountain [T]rail, [S]taff [H]ouse, [G]uest [L]odge, and [F]BI [T]railer )
Compared to the Deluxe Ultrarich Palace of Camping With Matching Car that's brought Emma to Lost Waters, the arrival of Jean Grey is a little anticlimactic. A rented Subaru, emerald green and late model, with four wheel drive practical for mountain roads, comes a-crunching up the gravel of the drive and pulls in to a halt near the staff house. A single occupant emerges in the evening light, stretching and twisting a back that's just driven the hours from Denver's airport, and running her hands through a short bob of auburn hair to settle it back in place. Her fashion sense is neither city 'nor cowboy, more the sort of thing worn by a woman of taste and means whose familiarity with ranches is based around Pony Club summer camps. There is Knit Sweater happening.
Apparently, Pete's luck regarding telepathic visitors has a sense of humour today. The arrival of the Subaru finds him out on the guest house porch, smoking one of the last, dwindling cigarettes. The glint of evening sunlight off of metal draws his attention towards the drive, and he's down the porch steps by the time the car comes to a halt. His eyes narrow warily on the woman who emerges from the car, quick visual sweep owing more to a habit of checking for concealed weaponry than of checking /out/. Recognition sinks in a moment later, and there is a brief flash of surprise across his face. "Doctor Grey, is it?"
Kelsey is mostly hiding. After all, she figures everyone probably hates her anyways, so she's been spending too much time thinking in various discrete locations. Currently she seems to be switching locales, and ends up exiting the stables when the Subaru pulls up. It takes a few steps forward for her to recognize the figure that exits, and she's quite surprised to actually recognize it. "Jean?"
Jean carries no weapons. Then again, she tends, like many mutants, to come pre-armed. The sweater is more fitted than clinging, knit with trapping warmth in mind, but there's no obvious line of shoulder holster or knife sheath beneath it. The jeans aren't concealing anything but a very nice bum for a late-thirties woman. Finishing her stretch, she's reaching into the back of the rental to pull out a hiker's backpack when the twin inquiries reach her, prompting the abandonment of her bag to turn a coolly appraising look on Pete, and a warm smile on Kelsey after a moment to think about it. "Look who's all grown up and tangling with evil telepaths," she quips, motioning her over with a wave of a hand as she shifts to lean up against her car. "And that's me. Agent...?"
Jess was quite literally sunning herself in the days last rays of sunshine, and as the light began to disappear behind the horizon she moves up towards the porch, curiously watching the Subaru come to a stop and the redheaded woman exit the vehicle.
Kelsey earns a likewise wary, sweeping look. After all, the last time Pete saw her, she was busy shooting his teammates. And shooting at him, but that is perhaps of lesser concern. He shifts his path slightly to keep both women in his line of sight. He doesn't smile, but his tone is at least civil as he introduces himself as, "Peter Wisdom. I imagine you'll be wanting to speak to Doctor A -- al-Razi about the situation?"
Jean's quip earns one of Kelsey's few genuine smiles of the day--even if it is still a small one--and she moves up closer to Jean. "Wish I was doin' a better job of it," she says, her voice a bit too self-deprecating to even be considered "humorous." She looks over at Pete as he addresses Jean, his wary look not going unnoticed. Her own expression around him is nervous--mostly that he'll start yelling at her for shooting people.
Amber heads out from the Guest Lodge having showered and changed for the cooler winter of nigh. Spotting the small group that's starting to form in the yard, she moves around in a wide arc as she heads for the cook house to grab herself a bite to eat. No need to interupt.
There's a very small flash of a grin from Jean, serene focus punctuated by what dwelt beneath the hasty substitution of names. Soon gone, she merely gives Pete a level nod, and the group in general an explanation. "I've been in some communication on the way up, but mountain reception is always fun. My job is to help pull the psionic compulsions off you, is the gist of it -- for that," she notes, giving the arcing Amber an absent look, "I often find it easier if I can get some background as to what's happened to place them... want to pull up a patch of Subaru?" she wonders, giving a friendly pat-pat to the SUV's dusty side.
Pete is more prone to verbal evisceration than actual yelling, but he seems disinclined to engage in either now, contenting himself with watching Kelsey warily in case she decides to snap and start shooting people. At Jean's reply, he actually does smile, though it is very slight, and very wry. "al-Razi's probably got the best grasp on /that/ too, unfortunately. We've most of us got only the barest understanding of what /actually/ goes into this sort of thing." It is less avoidance than, well, fact. At least from his perspective.
Unfortunately for Amber, that bite to eat will have to wait. About the time the aura-sensing mutant rounds the side of the cookhouse, the wall starts to shake. Seconds later, it explodes in a shower of brick and mortar and bright white light, as Sal is slammed through it by the force of Alex's blasts. She goes flying, a Sal-sized and shaped wrecking ball that bodyslams Amber and takes them both down in a tangle of flailing limbs and pain.
Kelsey tries to ignore Pete's behavior, keeping her focus on Jean. "We showed up?" she offers lamely. "That seemed tae do it: at least for the compulsions about not leaving," she adds, looking down at her feet. But only for a split second, because then, Jesus Christ! Sal comes through a wall. "Fuckin' hell!"
Amber pauses midstep as the walls begin to shake, brows knitting together in concern. But before she has a chance to act, there's a large scary woman flying in her direction. "Sweet Spirits!" Amber let's out a quick yell and throws her hand in front of her face as Sal and she collide in a heap. There is indeed pain, the stars dancing in front of Amber's eyes.
Jess looks from her spot on the porch steps to the sudden explosion of wall, bricks and debris, her eyes widening when she sees that someone was thrown /through/ the wall. "What the hell?" she wonders.
Exploding building walls tend to trigger a /particular/ sort of reaction in Pete. Exploding building walls the day following a confrontation with two dangerous psionic whatevers, even more so. The transition from wary-but-conversational to ready-for-violence is almost instantaneous - metal gleams as he draws his gun from where it was holstered in the small of his back, sweeping it up to target through the hole in the cookhouse wall was he registers the flying wrecking-Sal as 'ally'. "What the bloody fucking /hell/ is going on here?" he snarls.
A single brick clatters down onto the rubble through the smoke as the form of Alex wanders towards the hole and raises a foot to rest on the remnants on the wall. "Hi Jean." He says, eyes flicking towards the woman with a glimmer of surprise. When he glances back to Sal andoh. He breaks into a jog towards Amber and Sal to get the latter off of the former.
The exploding debris? They meet a wall of solid telekinetic force as Jean snaps an automatic "Get DOWN." timed with a shove of her own powers. Orange flares around her and then subsides, and the greeting from Havok earns in turn an "Alex Summers, what the hell is going -on- here? I was told the situation was contained!"
The barrel of Pete's gun tracks Alex unerringly. Because, you know, people have been kind of going crazy and trying to murder one another lately. "Explanation. /Now/."
There is a pained snarl from the tangle of Sal&Amber, and then Sal extracts herself with ill grace, struggling to her feet and loosing the crispy remains of her shirt. "Oh, so /that's/ how it's going to be--" is growled at Alex, and then she snaps around and clues in to the rest of their audience. "Oh, hell, /you/," she snarls at Jean, and curls her arm over her chest as the heat and concussive force's damage starts to heal.
"The woman kept attacking me." Alex explains, less concerned about collateral damage and more concerned with Amber. He stops and crouches to her side, reaching down as he studies her. "She regenerates and knows how to fight, so...fight ended."
"Just gave him a taste of his own medicine," Sal snarls.
Kelsey glances between the let's-stop-the-fighting group of Jean and Pete and the we're-involved-in-the-fighting group of Sal, Alex, and Amber. She's not in a position to really do anything right now, so she decides to not do anything right now.
Amber let's out a tiny noise as Sal is moved off of her. Back flat against the ground, her eyes are squeezed shut, hand clutching over her side. "I'm going to kick your /ass/, Alex. What the fuck." She hisses. Her free hand reaches up for help to her feet. Little help?
"Could one of you go get one of your superiors?" Jean wonders of the non-combatants, looking alternately pained as only the headmistress of Xavier's School can know how to look, as she reaches into the Subaru to retrieve a first aid kit. There's also the tiniest smidge of relief that this? Is not -her- problem to discipline. "I'm a doctor, miss. Can I help?"
Pete's gaze flicks briefly towards Sal. Not looking crazy(er)? Apparently not from his perspective. The gun remains trained on Alex a moment longer, then he mutters a low, indecipherable curse and puts it up and away as Amber reaches to get pulled closer to his line of fire. "Bunch of sodding infants," he mutters. Radio static crackles as he thumbs his communicator on to relay, "LeBeau, Pryde. Idiot cleanup in the yard."
Amber grimaces up to Jean with a forced, pained smile. "Do me a favor and punch them both in the face for me?" Amber shakes her head with a groan. "Seriously though? A hand up. If you want to take a look at my ribs, I think the impact might have fractured something." Else it'll just be a killer bruise. The couple scrapes and tiny bruises she can deal with herself. The sharp pain in her side? Not so much.
Illyana arrives from a disc of crimson light, bringing the scent of evergreens with her.
Pete replies to crackling answers with a simple, "Summers is lighting people on fire and throwing them through walls."
Kelsey jogs over to Amber while Jean retrieves her first aid kit, offering both hands for helping. "An' I thought the fighting was over," she grumbles.
There sits Alex. Covered in Rubble. Blood pouring from the cut above his eye Sal politely unzipped. Smiling sheepishly to mask mild concern. "I didn't think she would go that far. Sorry." He offers quietly, leaning in close to check Amber's breathing. "Any weird pain?"
"Move," directs Jean to Alex with what starts with a jerk of her head sideways in indication, and ends with a gentle shake. "Take a deep breath in for me, and tell me if you feel any pain and what kind... and Alex, is this tied in with the compulsions?"
Kitty pushes the guest door open angrily, shower robe flapping slightly at the air. The robe almost reaches her knees, and is only elbow length. "Summers, what the hell are y-" She starts before her eyes light on Jean. "Jean!" She smiles warmly before turning her attention to the situation at hand.
"Harper, what the fuck are y'--" The twinned call from the other leader-type present comes from the guest house porch, where Remy and his walking stick are hobbling.
Crackle, crackle. Pete replies again, this time with, "Be much appreciated, Hyperion." And resumes a wary, watchful stance, gaze flicking between Sal and Alex. Because, really. The crazy /is/ epidemic.
Amber narrows her eyes on Alex. "You mean other than the pain in my ass that /did/ this?" Clearly she blames him for this whole thing. Then Kelsey is there and Amber reaches up to take a hand but just squeezes it, remaining with her back to the ground as Jean starts looking her over. Deep breath and then a hiss. "Rib is burning."
Walter emerges from the guest house after Remy, looking pretty rough, as he leans heavily on the railing, trying to get a sense of what's going on.
Luke steps out of the Guest House only a few feet behind Kitty, staring at her curiously as she storms outside. This looks interesting. He doesn't intrude a great deal on the people already in the yard but remains on the porch for a few minutes quietly observing. Okay... few people here he recognises, and a hell of a lot he doens't.
"Situation is under control," Sal growls across channels, although it seems that everyone is going to, uh, ignore that. "Oh, fuck /this/." Harper attempts an exit, but unfortunately there is the entirety of the yard to cross with her arm across her chest and her skin healing sluggishly and hey, /more people/. "/Nothing/, LeBeau!"
Illyana is following behind her friend, dressed like normal, but at a lag, because of her limp. Her attention goes immediately to Jean too, but she doesn't clutter the chaos by calling out, just limps up behind Kitty.
Kelsey kneels down, then, instead of helping Amber up. She looks properly concerned for a good friend, though. Her expression twinges at Amber's hiss, brow furrowing as concern deepens. She glances over at the others for a second, but quickly returns to Amber, trusting the people in charge to figure out the mess going on.
Will walks out of the FBI trailer toting a rifle. He plugs a tranq into it and looks around at the crowd. Of course, he waits to see the pretty lights and doesn't aim at anyone.
His arms folded across his chest, Lucas' attention is drawn to the sound of Sal's yelling and immediately he blushes. He doesn't immediately look away however.
Jess walks down from the porch as she sheds her hoodie - revealing a tank underneath - and stops before Sal, offering the woman the shirt. "Here."
The few steps off the crowded porch is bounded down as Kitty starts to cross the yard to approach the group at the cookhouse, looking still furious. "Jean, is that idiot under compulsions? Because if he's not, I'm going to hurt him." She directs her conversation to Jean as she approaches, though her eyes are focused on Alex.
Luke's not the only one Walter has the decency to summon a blush, and then looks somewhere else. He'd offer a shirt, but he's kinda just wearing pants and bandages at this point.
"Probably strained or bruised a rib...No gasping..."Alex says to Jean, reaching down to GENTLY caress his fingertips along Amber's side. His brow gathers for a moment before relaxing. "No free-floating bone. No dislocation." He continues, turning to focus a heated glare first on Pete then Kitty. "Your /agent/ started attacking me and would not stop."
"Show me which one," Jean directs, projecting a little oasis of calm in her little circle of healing. Literally. She glowers at the pair of wall-destroying interlopers, and begins to pat around in her first aid kit for bandages, pausing at Kitty's request to give Alex a level look and a "My apologies for snooping." before going and doing just that. Her mind slips free of its politely-maintained barriers, and goes a-poking, looking for any hints of active programs running that Aren't Alex. The bandages are forgotten.
Luke notices Walter nearby and brightens - erm, figuratively speaking. The kid seems to have made a speedy recovery. He lifts a hand toward the boy in greeting, for the moment turning away from the larger group. "How you doing?" he asks semi-softly, hoping to be heard, but without disturbing everything. Things don't look like they need to get more heated.
Pete looks around to spot Will, and cants his head slightly in Sal's direction. "Make sure she doesn't wander off 'til they're /both/ checked, would you?" he says. It is perhaps code for 'scruff her like a naughty kitten if she doesn't sit her ass down now'.
"That true, Harper?" Remy wonders, gimping along closer in order to crouch by the topless older agent and, with a sigh, start unbuttoning his shirt. "You want to give me a report on events?"
Kitty finally stops as she approaches the group, tugging her robe down where it has attempted to ride up her thighs and tight where it's attempted to come loose. "And the /only/ way you could stop her was by /blasting/ her through a /wall/?" she snaps at Alex with a grateful look spared to Jean. Thanks!
Amber holds her breath as Alex reaches down her side. He gets a glare before Jean's aura of soothing moves into effect and she focuses instead on Kelsey's hand in hers. There's a thankful squeeze as her free hand moves up to start pressing along her ribs until she finds the damaged one. "Here," she says with a rough breath.
Sal misses Jess's offer in the confusion, and snarls at Remy as he unbuttons his shirt. "We had a difference of opinion that escalated into a fistfight," Sal reports. "We seemed matched until he /threw/ me through the /wall/." She might -- sound a little bit impressed by that. She makes snappy fingers at Remy, to hurry up the shirt-removal. A piece of scab falls.
Walter notices what Kitty's wearing, and simply finds a new thing to blush about and try to not look at. It isn't until then that he notices Luke, giving the man a nod before wincing a bit in pain. Turning his head that direction, bad idea.
"An' what the hell," wonders Remy, as his fingers skim over buttons to leave him standing in his undershirt in the gathering evening chill, and tossing the button-down Sal-wards, "Made y'-have- the fistfight anyways? I am gonna stick y'on suspended duty pendin' a psych eval clearin' y'at this rate."
Kelsey offers a squeezed hand in return to Amber, keeping her eyes on Amber's and offering a smile. "Dinnae worry, I'll punch Alex for ye later."
Jess gives a bit of a shrug and quickly moves out of the circle of snapping mutants, taking up a spot against the railing as she watches the insults fly, her eyes going back and forth as if she were following a tennis match. Her hoodie gets thrown over a shoulder.
Will keeps his rifle lowered and watches Sal. "You got it," he tells Pete with a nod. He sighs softly and taps the trigger gently with his finger. No one to shoot.... Shucks.
Amber gives Kelsey the best smile she can manage. "Did I ever mention that you're my favorite?"
Luke lifts a hand to rub idly at his neck, looking on at the circle of mutants with amusement and curiosity. A few steps take him toward the railing not far from Jess and he leans against it, not saying anything at this point.
Pete remains where he is, attention still divided equally between the participants in the wrecking match. At least he's no longer watching /Kelsey/ as though she's going to snap and start killing people at any moment?
More pieces of former-Sal peel and flake off as she reaches out to take the offered shirt, shrugging into it with a scowl at Remy, Pete, and Will all in turn. She doesn't button it up immediately, instead opting to pick off a peeling bit of bubbled torso-skin. Then she starts the buttoning. "Don't need an eval," she growls. "Tension's runnin' high all around."
Illyana makes it up to behind Kitty at her own pace, finally, and leans forward to murmur in her ear. "{Gnawing off legs,}" she says, with a wry humor. "Soon isn't soon enough. We should be leaving /now/."
Walter stays right where he is, thanks. He likes this section of railing, it's sturdy, and holds his weight. He just glances about, giving a flinch of 'ew gross' at the bits of Sal falling off. Oh hey, Jean's here. She gets a bit of a wave.
"She seemed to recover well enough from a cliff. You should try stopping her without phasing some day." Alex replies curtly to Kitty, pausing to look to Jean for further guidance. Kelsey will definitely have to punch him later. "Ibuprofen?" He asks, slipping his eyes back down to study Amber with another weak, apologetic smile. "To prevent swelling, maybe?"
"Then stop being a bitch, Harper," Will replies. "You started a fight with a civilian who burned your boyfriend's face off. It doesn't take a fucking genius to figure it out. And it doesn't take a fucking genius to read you like a fucking picture book." He waits for it.
"More'n that," Remy grumbles, with a glower down at Sal that's as much hair-tearing frustration at being stuck being the Authority Figure as with the situation itself. "Go get y'self indoors an' keep -away- from Summers 'til we get this sorted. Stay in quarters 'til we ship out."
Kitty relaxes at the Russian, a soft laugh at it. She's a lot more calm and even as she addresses Alex, "Did you even think about property damage? How the hell are we going to explain it?" The questions are said neutrally as she narrows her eyes more, arms going across her chest as much to keep the robe closed as to intimidate Alex.
Kelsey chuckles at Amber. "I dinnae think ye have, but I appreciate the sentiment now." She glances over at Will's words, gaze switching back to Alex. "Ye burned Sid's face off?" Hey, some people got tranqed.
And some people got shot!
And a few people got burned.
Only the bad guys, though.
And a couple shirts, but who's counting?
Pete says, very dryly, "I'd imagine the both of them are going to need psych evals. Badly." He is /not/ in authority, thank God, and thus apparently feels free to engage in snarky commentary. Then again, there is a definite note of the serious to the words.
Eventually, Jean's gaze comes back to itself, and she reports that "It looks like we have a simple case of Summers problem solving without the benefit of Scott's tactical sense. There's no wall-throwing compulsion here." With that, she turns belatedly back to Amber, and wonders a "Do you think you can get to your feet?" quietly. "I'd rather try bandaging ribs with you sitting on a proper surface."
"I need a drink," Lucas murmurs to himself and pushes up from the railing to walk back into the Guest House. A bemused glance is cast over his shoulder a the circle of people outside as he pauses at the door before ducking within.
"You want to read me, Drake?" Sal twists 'round to confront him, ignoring the hell out of Remy's orders -- for the moment. "Read /this/." It isn't hard to see her reaction coming: she balls a fist and takes a swing at his face.
"Goddammit," Kitty greets the news that he isn't under compulsion less enthusiastically then one would think. That means Alex was just being stupid. "If you were part of my team, I'd have you confined to quarters too. Have no doubt, Alex." She glares at him pointedly before raking her curls in frustration before Sal's next attack draws her attention. "/What the hell/!"
Amber gives Jean a quick nod. "You got it." Alex's apologetic look gets a narrow eyed look. It only lingers for a second before she turns back to Kelsey. "Help me up?" She waits for a nod before using their joint grip to pull herself up with minimal swearing.
"Does anyone still have their tranq guns?" Walter calls out into the yard.
Will doesn't have time to smirk, but he would if he did. Instead, he erects a shield between him and Sal, then tries to lift her into the air and suspend her there by tugging telekinetically on her core. "That's what I'm talking about," he replies.
"That." says Jean, quiet and cold. "Is enough." Telepathic fingers reach for Sal's brain, skipping past higher consciousness to settle across the sleep centers and *poke*. Hey look, it's the trick Bahir taught to Tom, demonstrated by his teacher!
Kelsey straightens up into a standing position, offering both hands to Amber for support to help her up.
Sal flails as she twists in the air -- and then doesn't. It is like Will is suspending a giant ragdoll.
"Uh-huh." Alex replies, holding a hand towards Sal as he glances at Kitty and narrowing his eyes. "I'll bet you would. I think the collateral damage will work itself out, won't it? Just like the 'horrifying telepathic manipulation' and...other stuff...will get explained." He says, pushing to his feet and looking to Jean. "Ok. I'm going to go find some Ibuprofen before that starts to swell."
"I'm guessing Drake has it sorted," Pete says. He eyes the dangling Sal with something a little bit akin to disgust, any humour he might usually find in the situation erased by the strain of the past few days. Or weeks. "Or.../damn/ that must be useful." That, in this case, referring to whatever it is that sent Sal off to la-la land.
A comforting hand reaches for Illyana's as Kitty glances from Wisdom to Remy. "What do we want to do about..." She trails off to gesture around the yard. "All this mess?" She frowns at Alex as he gets to her feet, but looks away dismissively. She has things to take care of.
Remy says something. It's in extremely filthy Cajun, and we apologize for poor Kelsey's ears. "Get her ass in bed, an' get a medic workin' on her while she's out," he directs to Will, a low growl in his voice and a hand white-knuckling his walking stick. He does not charge it. "She's got shotgun shot in her shoulder still."
"That works too," Walter muses, looking towards what he figures the source is. Hi, Doctor Grey!
Will gently twists Sal around as she goes ragdoll. He turns her, stomach-side-up, and then steps under her and cradles the woman in his arms. She's heavy! "I'll just tend to it myself. She probably needs psycho therapy. Saw this shit all the time in the war." He hefts her up. "Nice to see you again, Dr. Grey," he says by way of departure. He moves off.
Sal would have something to say to that ... were she conscious. Her head lolls against Will's shoulder, and her arms and legs hang limply.
Pete gives Kitty a wry look, ever so slightly apologetic for dragging her into the disaster zone. "Those of us who are still mobile will get it settled as best we can, and see that the whole bleeding roof isn't about to cave in. As for explanation - some flaming drunk idiot managed to plow halfway through the wall. They'll believe /that/ more than they would a mutant battle anyways."
The Pained Headmistress look is back, as, wait for it... wait for it... Jean lifts one hand to pinch lightly at the bridge of her nose. Didn't you miss her? "You too, Agent Drake," she bids Will, in a moment's out-of-place WASP politeness, before she turns to the others, and gives Pete a thin smile. "It has its uses. Now... your ribs, young lady. Let's get some place with a full set of four walls...?"
With Kelsey's help, Amber is able to get to her feet, hunched slightly as she tries to fight the burn of pain with her movements. "You can call me Amber. Jean right?" She only guessed as much because she's the only one in the yard she doesn't know when the name Jean was being tossed around. "Guest Lodge will work." Kelsey gets a 'You coming?' sort of look.""
Illyana squeezes Kitty's hand in turn, but stays silent, just supporting her friend's efforts toward taking charge.
Such a fun day. Walter turns, hobbling back into the guest house ahead of the others, even holding the door open, so polite.
Kelsey is not only coming, she's there to help Amber walk it if need be! To communicate this, she gives a smile and offers a shoulder to Amber.
"I'll stay an' give y'a hand," Remy notes to Pete, even if his mobility is questionable at the moment. "I ain't gonna be able t'do much with Harper 'til she wakes, and Drake..." There's a moment's puzzlement. "Seems to have it," he concludes. And thus the player separates her two characters from each other's scenes. GO ME.
Jess pushes off of the railing and heads in to find herself a beer, slipping her hoodie back on as she gives a slight shiver caused by the night air.
"I can give him a..." Kitty drifts off as she looks down at her robe. "Well, I can help out after I get dressed. You need to rest up your leg, Remy." She waits as others exit the yard, not making a move yet to go get herself some clothes.
"Dr. Jean Grey, owner of a sense of timing extraordinaire." Jean quips to Amber, giving a look around at the hole in the wall and general excitement after looping back to get her backpack of gear to go with the first aid kit. "Pleased to meet you, Amber, and I or someone else will be giving your brain the OK after this... up we go, there, nice and easy."
"Another telepath?" Amber gives a faint nod, gripping Kelsey's hand a wee bit tighter with every step. Must be a fairly common ability with this many around! That or Jeff has some weird kink. "That'd be great. Last I heard there's still some lingering crap in there. Ribs first, though?" She moves with a red head at either side towards the Guest Lodge.
Pete gives Remy a wry look, gaze flicking down to take in that injured leg. But, perhaps knowing the way of the LeBeau, he doesn't protest. He does, however, move towards the wrecked wall. "Never rains but that it pours, eh, Pryde?" he says. One eyebrow quirks slightly in question when he notes her attire, glanced over but not really registered in the heat of the wacky. The corners of his mouth twitch ever so slightly upwards.
So much for a quiet entrance...
=CO= Main Room - Guest Lodge - Lost Waters
The front porch opens up to a high-ceilinged room that boasts all the rustic comforts one could want on a getaway. The interior reflect the exterior, with warm wood broken only by the massive stone hearth of the fireplace on one wall and the pattern rugs that are scattered across the floor to mark out different sections. Chairs and sofas hug close around the fireplace for conversation or reading; tall wooden bookshelves on either side hold a variety of worn books, most left here by former visitors. Another seating area is sketched out around a massive television that doesn't get a lick of reception. Good thing there's a DVD player and a decent collection of movies, especially if they revolve around horses or the Wild Wild West.
In the back, a small refrigerator has room for a chilled drink or two, with a microwave settled on a shelf overhead. A massive green-felted pool table marks out its domain, with cues and triangles hung on the walls in easy reach. Double sets of doors lead off in each direction - a well-kept bathroom with showers and toilets and long rows of sinks for each dorm, and then the dorms themselves. It's communal living here.
[This room is set watchable. Use alias COMainRoom to watch here.]
(Exits : [Y]ard, [W]est [D]orm, and [E]ast [D]orm )
(Players : Remy and Amber )
"Better yet, she was also my teacher back at school," Kelsey mentions to Amber, trying to keep the girl distracted from the pain as they enter the guest lodge. "Dinnae worry, she'll take good care of ye. An' I'm not goin' anywhere."
A rattling of pills rounds the corner into the main room before Alex does. He slides Jean an apologetic look she's probably all too familiar with before working the lid off of the bottle and picking out a few. "Sorry Amber. Sorry Jean. You get a free hit later, Kelsey." He quietly murmurs, offering the pills to Amber.
"You're probably looking at offering more than a 'sorry' to these poor ranch people," Jean murmurs, with a rueful shake of her head as she draws the curtains to give Amber at least the illusion of some privacy. "I'll need you to get your shirt off so that I can try and bind the ribs up for you," she explains. "Without an X-Ray I can't confirm, since I think it's more a crack than a clear break, but I can at least give you some support so breathing will hurt less."
"Oh yeah? I'd just thought that she was another agent. I guess that explains why everyone knows her." Kelsey earns herself another smile before Amber pulls her hand away to slowly start peeling off her shirt. Atleast as best she can through hissing and swearing. She doesn't seem overly modest, but doesn't protest the curtain, sitting as straight as she can for binding.
Kelsey gives Alex a /look/ at his offer, then holds her hands out for the pills. "Aye, I think it's time for ye tae go now," she says. After all, Amber's apparently stripping. Even if Amber doesn't protest, Kelsey will do it for her.
"'Ranch people.'" Alex echoes with a hint of amusement, eyeing Jean then the others before returning a nod and disappearing back out the front door to start cleaning up.
"That, and there was that whole business with the asteroid," Jean murmurs, vaguely sheepish for reasons unfathomable. She gives Alex a crooked smile and an "Xavier's insurance doesn't cover Colorado ranches," before she turns back to being doctorish. Bandages, where art thou?
"Better he stay and see what his temper can do to innocent people," Amber says with a glower. But Alex takes off and Amber just goes back to concentrating on the others. "Asteroids?" That sounds like a fun story.
Kelsey cocks an eyebrow at Jean, Ibuprofen now in hand, but shrugs soon after, giving Alex a final glance as he leaves. "Alex found Ibuprofen," she lets Jean know, waiting on doctor's orders before she gives any to Amber.
"Ibuprofen's good," is Jean's verdict, before she crooks a smile from over some found bandages. "I have a few things that are better... if you promise not to think that you're fine because you don't feel anything." That caveat given, and another of "There will be some discomfort associated with this," she sets about binding Amber's ribs, with directions about arm lifting and holding given here and there.
Amber narrows her eyes for a moment before they go wide. "Whoa! Were you with that group a while back that stopped the asteroid? I wasn't even near a TV at the time and I heard about that." There's a peek of brows as Amber lifts her arms to help with the ease of wrapping. There's only a faint hiss. "I haven't felt fine since my second day at this ranch, I'm not too worried about it." she laughs, instantly regretting it.
"Same Dr. Grey," Jean confirms, and snugs the bandage tight, the end clipped down against earlier wrappings with a little metal clasp. Amber is now bandaged enough that her modesty is covered quite well, but Jean assures that "You can put your shirt on again... I'll go parcel out some painkillers."
Kelsey snorts a bit at Amber's last comment. "Aye, it hasnae really been a fun visit, has it?" she asks rhetorically. A thought, and she looks back to Jean. "Jean? Whenever it's time for it an' ev'rythin', I'd appreciate if ye were the one tae go pokin' around in my head. A good percentage of the injuries on our team were caused by me last night. It'd be nice havin' someone I've known more than a week make sure I'm okay."
"It's been a blast." Amber drolls with a frown as she pulls the shirt from her lap and struggles with getting it back over her head. "Sweet mother of crap." Yay, getting into pajamas is going to be a blast. "Yeah, poor Kels has has some of the worst of the brain screwing of the group."
"Jesus," Jean murmurs, as pills rattle from a bottle to her palm, the better to pass one over to Amber. "How are you coping with that? I wish I could have gotten word you needed me earlier..."
"I shot Percy in the arm and Walter in the chest to protect Jeff. Fortunately I missed Pete." Kelsey's voice is flat as she explains it. "It's been pretty fuckin' shitty, tae be honest." Her slight smile is humorless.
Amber takes the pill eagerly from Jean and downs it without water. "Do I get more of these, or am I working off of the normal painkillers?" She's cool either way. Pushing from her seat, Amber moves to Kelsey and gives her a gentle squeeze. "But it wasn't her fault. Clearly."
"Obviously. And having your body doing it, your mind feeling that it's the right thing..." A bone deep shudder twitches through Jean, eyes gone disfocused on some memory, before she parcels out a few more pain pills with the directive of "These should see you through until you're able to leave the ranch."
"Hence why a friendly face--or mind--might be nice," Kelsey ends quietly, shrugging a bit lamely.
Amber gives another very ginger squeeze to Kelsey before she moves off to take the pills from Jean. "I think that I am going to go try and get changed and see if I can get a little sleep. Thank you Jean, Kelsey."
"They do have a sedative effect. No heavy machinery while on them, the usual," Jean bids, before turning to Kelsey with a quiet little smile, a nod, and a brief brush of her hand against the younger woman's shoulder. "Of course," she confirms. "You'll be at the top of my list to check over, I think."
Kelsey reaches for Amber's hand and gives her a thankful squeeze back. Don't want to go near the torso for squeezing. Pain is bad. "Dinnae worry about it. Goodnight." She looks back at Jean, her smile exhausted. "Thanks."
"It is, unfortunately, quite literally the least I can do." Smile gone grim and slightly guilty, Jean pats Kelsey's shoulder again, before turning to tidying up the first aid kit. "I was going to look for some food, but it looks like the cookhouse is a bit of a construction project so it might be an ordeal. Can I get you anything?"
Kelsey leans against the backs of one of the large chairs, eyebrows raising slightly. "Nae, I'm fit as a fiddle," she reassures Jean. "Amber made sure I ate some food and slept earlier today." She motions in the area of the fridge. "There's usually some fruit around if ye're hungry."
"I wasn't expecting to toss telekinetic force around, scan someone's brain for surface signs of compulsion and then knock someone else unconscious in that span of time, and running on an airport lounge sandwich," Jean confesses, with a wry smile as she tucks a strand of hair behind her ear. "I'll go hunt down that fruit, and hole up here where I'm findable."
Kelsey smiles. Exhausted, but it's a smile. "It's good tae see ye, Jean," she says sincerely. "I imagine they'll probably want ye in the trailer out front."
"Dear God I hope you mean the FBI and not the Princess Edition one I saw out there." With a look of mild horror at the ostentation, before it fades into something quieter, she murmurs to Kelsey that "It's good to see you, too... and now I'll go check in properly."
"I hope I mean the FBI one too," Kelsey says with a quirked grin. "Aye, I'll leave ye to it. Night, Jean." She straightens, stretches out, and heads to her bunk.
Dr. Grey is Doctorly.