Catching Up

May 17, 2016:

Nate finally locates the elusive X-23 and Rogue cooks breakfast for all three!

Characters

NPCs: None.

Mentions:

Plot:

Mood Music: [*\# None.]


Fade In…

The mansion is still waking up when Nate leaves the kitchen with a mug of coffee. No, he did sleep here; he just arrived with the sun after another sleepless night. He heads out, to go to the school complex a short walk away. Someone finally told him the dorm room of a certain elusive dark-haired girl, so he plans to catch her before classes.

Yes, he should have used email, but he forgot the password of his Xavier's account. Again. Maybe he will look for Kitty or Doug later. Laura first.

While Laura hasn't meant to be purposefully elusive, she has been, at least for things that aren't related to her classes. After her talk with Emma Frost, the dark-haired girl made certain to attend her classes as listed, or provide proper notification of when she would need to miss them.

Either way, the dark-haired assassin can be found within the Mansion. Or within the grounds to be specific. Her presence will likely pop up for Nate, if he were scanning for her, from the general direction of the 'back yard'. She's making her way up from the more forested areas of the acreage that the Mansion has.

Her expression is quite closed, as always, as she makes her way into the Mansion from one of the various back entrances. She's dressed as she always is, black jeans, shoes, shirt and red leather jacket. Over one shoulder is her to-go back, which currently holds her books for her classes today. For now, she's quite unaware that Nate is here and looking for her, as she moves through the hallways with a purpose.

Rogue is coming in from outside, mainly from the stables as out back she has let a few of the horses out to pasture and lined tack up over the wooden fence posts. Some kids do not come here whole, as life circumstances leave them marred in a different way then others. Knowing that, Rogue was assigned here by Xavier, to help them learn coping skills, but after a few weeks she has come to realize it was for her as well. Let the "lessons" begin.

Along with that though, she is stepping in for the Linguistics teacher. One who had disappeared with no word, and considering the late issues,there are suspicions, but the children are not to know. So as the halls become flooded Rogue takes towards her own room to change from stable gear to her X-Men attire.

And… wait, Laura is awake and in the mansion? Why is she in the mansion and not at the school dorms? Oh well, Nate has more important things to ask her, and talking with her is difficult enough. He hurries back, not quite fast enough to catch the young woman before she gets inside the old building. "Laura, wait!" No need to yell, right? She can hear him perfectly.

Nate almost runs into Rogue, he wasn't paying attention and the woman's mind is hard to read, or even 'see'. "Er… hello. Rogue? Didn't know you were here too. Nevermind, gotta talk with Laura."

+MEET: Cessily Kincaid has arrived via +meet.

While X-23 is quite focused that familiar voice calling her name causes her to look over her shoulder. A frown flits across her features as she sees Nate, but, the dark-haired woman does stop to allow for Nate to catch up.

Of course, as she waits for Nate to play catch up she does happen to spy Rogue in their vicinity, as well. A nod will be given to the other woman, as she offers greetings, "Hello Nate. Hello Rogue." She states in those muted tones of hers.

Once the greetings have been made, Laura will turn her green-eyed gaze back to Nate. She may not ask what's up, but the tilt of her head may convey that internal question of hers.

Rogue is acutely aware of her surroundings and those within it, so when Nate about runs into her she moves suddenly, yet fluidly around and away from him. Cut off shorts, cowboy boots and a tied up flanel shirt do nothing for cover and contact is a thing she avoids best.

A leather gloved hand sweeps up to push the errant strand of auburn and blonde from her face while green eyes skate after Nate towards Laura. Half greeted by one and a meeting of gazes by the other is enough for Rogue as she offers them a half-cocked smile, though the haste has her curiousity piqued. Enough so changing is forgone for lingering around the elusive duo. Though one is known and on the list handed to her for one of her two classes.

Cessily Kincaid has a ton of school work to do right now, but she still has training. And in fact her training just got harder. Non-lethal? For threats that are more mundane? Alright. This is getting more mentally taxing to shift modes. Sos he has to learn both modes of combat cold, so she can shift without having to think too much. So, she puts on a tight combat suit, and steps on downstairs, to go outside and train.

GAME: Rogue has set the pose order to Nate X Rogue Cess

Nate gives Rogue a studious glance, maybe too long a glance, but that woman was a legend back in his doomed world. And he has never met her here. Awkward. "Nice to meet you," he offers, turning to Laura. "There you are, little mouse. Let see… it has been a while. And Rachel has been kinda vague about it. But I know you got into trouble again, and I we need to do something about those assholes chasing you. Did you have breakfast?"

That brief frown flits across her features again when Nate calls her 'little mouse'. "I am not a mouse." She states in those flat tones of hers, even as her gaze flicks back to Rogue for a moment, when the other woman lingers. While others would smile or offer some sort of polite acknowledgement to the woman again, X-23 doesn't. She's just not there yet.

The mention of trouble only causes that frown of hers to flicker even deeper now. Yes, trouble is a good name for it. Still, she doesn't quite remark upon her trouble yet, as she offers a shake of her head at the mention of breakfast. "I have not eaten, no. Have you?" She asks, actually remember to reciprocate that question back to Nate and possibly even Rogue, as Laura looks once more back to the other woman.

The look from Nate has Rogue moving from nearly uncomfortable in stance to that of statuesque. Her chin rises and a single brow perks aloft with it. An unspoken question there, and likely one that would be very open if he spoke his mind. Someone trying hard to -be- a hero, having actually -been- one elsewhere? She'd love to know, maybe it would help.

When Nate actually speaks up towards X, though the curiousity did her favors, though butting in just yet was put on hold until she had the right moment. Food. The look from X goes passed off as Rogue slips a glove off one hand, and then the other, slapping the hide to clear it of stable dust and tuck them in the back pocket of denim jeans so the fingers hang lazily over the hem.

"Maybe before ya attack a lady with questions and insult her predatorial nature, ya may wanna offer her some food an coffee. Ah know Ah'd be less likely to punch you on a full stomach."

And there was her offer, with a brief flick of hand she is gesturing for them to follow her to one of the small kitchenettes.

"Yes, but it doesn't matter," it is Nate talking, he can have two breakfast to make up for the hundreds missing, right? "Come, we have time before class…" Rogue said what? He snickers. "You don't know Laura very well, Rogue, right? I was not insulting and… nevermind. Breakfast that way." The cafeteria at the school must be opening now, but this conversation is not for students. "I wanted to try to find Kimura telepathically, maybe the professor would let me use Cerebro for it?"

Maybe not. Last year he used it without permission and friend several expensive circuits. "Still, I got a good look at her mind, and maybe Rachel did too, she can maybe track her. It is past time we turn the tables on them."

"Ah don't know anyone here very well, but I know women…" A pause as she opens the door and steps through, looking downwards towards X. "And Ah know that look."

Time with the Brotherhood showed her many things, taught her many things, all of it good and bad but everything she could still use as long as she did so with caution and kept her head. Which leads to her here - pulling out a deep cast iron skillet and spooning out the crisco. Nope, not healthy at all, but while that heated she started pulling out the rest. Bacon, chicken steaks, sausage, eggs, breading, grits, and flour as well as butter.

"Good cookin' of my grandmas always made me smile." Gaze to X and Nate and the small smile grows. "Seems ya both can use some of that, as well as the weight it'll put on ya." Concern is there but none of it shows in scorn or admonishment, she knows well enough.

When Rogue offers that drop of Southern Wisdom to Nate, Laura can't help but look between the two. While others might laugh or just grin, X-23 does neither, as she simply watches the byplay between the two. She's uncertain what to add at this point, so instead, picks her customary silence. Until, that is, Kimura is brought up.

The hand upon the strap of her to-go bag tightens when Nate brings up her former handler's name and for a second all X can do is stare at Nate. Eventually, though, that heavy silence is broken, but it's clear by the even flatter than normal tones that Laura is feeling some way about this discussion. "I believe Rachel and Emma Frost are starting to break down all the memories Rachel was able to glean from Kimura's mind. It was not much, but it is something."

Thankfully no more can be said, as Rogue motions for the two of them to follow her to one of the kitchenettes. Laura is good with that, as she silently ghosts after the taller woman.

That Rogue does the cooking is probably safer for everyone. Nate is dangerous in the kitchen, even after three years out of the Age of Apocalypse the only thing is advisable to let him make in the kitchen is the coffee. Which is what he gets going, of course.

"Yes, hmm… Emma is a busy woman." Comments the young man, "I don't want more incidents, and they are getting too close to the school with all this business."

Once in the kitchenette, X-23 will automatically scan the area, before she steps further inside. Her to-go bag will be slowly eased atop the small table within the room, as she turns her attention back to Rogue and Nate. And while Nate's words are likely the more important of the two, Laura will turn her attention back to Rogue for a moment. "Thank you for the food."

See? She's been practicing. She has.

Now it's back to Nate, as Laura says, "I do not wish for the school to be caught in this. It is why I went to negotiate." In the loosest of terms. "With them. I had thought we could come to an understanding." And while she knew that would never happen, she had to try. Again. Blame it on Doug, after he had Laura watch ALL of the Star Wars movie.

While the two discuss, Rogue keeps cooking, breading the chicken steaks as well as making dough for biscuits, all the while bacon is frying just along side the rest of the meat. No, not at all a healthy mix, but it is flavorful and the smell of home for once, permiates the small kitchenette. This allows Rogue some of her own mental peace while that of the other two is primarily opposite.

Though, when the school comes into mention with the dangers her motions over the skillet cease briefly, the fork tapping the edge of the skillet only to stab the chicken and turn it. "You're welcome." Though after that pause and flip of food she turns and leans against the counter, keeping away from the two while manning the food console.

"Ah don't know what all is going on or the extend, and it ain't none of my business likely," Pausing the fork bounces between fingers. "Until it threatens my home. So, to be forthright, how do you propose this ends. Sooner then later?"

Rogue was not pulling punches nor waiting for an eloquent way to word fighting a bloody battle, and the stoic facade as well as the way she folds her arms across her chest with the light flux of toned musculature beneath portrays it well.

Nuke them from orbit. No, really. The Facility has managed to be on top of Nate's kill list for attacking Rachel, Rose and Laura. It could only be slightly higher if they had attacked Jean too.

"Hmm. We… find them, and break all their toys." Answers Nate. "And mind-wipe from their heads any and all information they have on Rachel and Laura. I bet Emma knows some creative mind-fuckery to make the rest of their lives miserable." And this is just him being nice for Rogue because he happily would replace mind-wipe by kill-them-all.

Laura continues to stand there and while she could just sit, she doesn't. Not while they're discussing The Facility and Kimura, to be specific. While the edge doesn't necessarily show outright, Nate might be able to tell from the flatness of her words, and the vague stiffness of her stance.

While Rogue's question is heard, it's Nate's words that are acknowledge, as Laura says. "Everything must be destroyed, agreed. Do you believe a mind-wipe will hold?" She asks, with the slightest of up-ticks to her voice, denoting that last bit as a question.

"If you did not want to be found, yet are comin' out ta play, then there is the first foolish move on their part. Let them think they are gettin' what they're after, let them take said mouse right into a trap. Though if they are -that- good, then patience will have to be the key until it's the right trap." Rogue turns back to the food, picking all the fried meat out save the sausage where she mixes the gravy in what remains, the meat lain aside on paper towels to absorb some of that grease.

"Negotiate your heart out darlin'. They'll think they have what they want and your negotiations will be mistaken for begging if they are that relentless." A small huff from lower lip and her hair is blown from where it fell over her face. "Then we break all their toys and anyone who seeks to keep them."

Laura's question has Rogue peering back over bare shoulder at her. "Memories can always come back, just make sure we leave them with memorable ones." The words should have Rogue smiling, but instead her expression goes a bit south… Until food is served and set on hot pads on the small dining table.

Nate grunts. No, his mind-wipes won't hold forever. Emma might do it a bit better, he guesses. Fact is mind-wiping is not foolproof in any case. But he was planning killing anyway. They can hardly send them to jail with all they know and the tech they handle. No one wants the US agencies fielding clones of Laura. It is bad enough they probably can deploy Kryptonian clones.

He brings the coffee pot to the table and gets mugs for the three of them. "You sure take breakfast seriously," he comments (happily) to Rogue's activities. "Yeah. We do what we can. We can probably find enough evidence to put most of them in jail for life, and it is going to help we have Nick Fury friendly at the moment, right?"

When Rogue's expression turns more pensive, Laura automatically scents the air, trying to see what emotion has caused Rogue's expression to change so. And while she's curious, she doesn't outright ask, instead turning her attention back to Nate, as the slim assassin considers both Rogue and Nate's words.

"Then we should kill them." Says X-23 in her typical monotone voice, "We cannot afford to have a memory wipe fail. Especially with Kimura. My powers are ineffective against her."

And while Nate obviously won't say the k-word, it's clear that X-23 has no issue saying it out loud.

"Where Ah'm from, sugah; Breakfast means business, as does dinner." Though truth be told there has been limited time to do such in a long time… Years, and she was loving that feel of home, one she also had not had in years despite 'family'. So slowly now, her defenses over this place, a place that has adjusted for her to belong, Rogue is becoming defensive of it.

Filling up her plate and covering it in gravy, Rogue seems like she is about to claim one of those stools with them until Laura speaks up. Her fork clinks to her plate and her stand returns. "Ah gave my two cents, and it don't involve killin'. Ah got enough blood and lives on my hands." The mention of Fury makes Rogue tense as well, but it is hard to discern among the already prevailing issues.

"Ah'll break their toys, Ah'll gladly make them lose weeks of sleep until sanity is questioned and the amount of pain killers ain't enough. But Ah got my limits." Rogue moves towards the door as she speaks, evidence showing she would likely see herself out of this conversation.

"Girls gotta have limits when she don't likely have none anyway." Restraint is a hard won thing in Rogue's world.

"Yeah, X-men don't kill," notes Nate, not sounding very convinced. "Xavier rules, anyway. You gotta respect the old man if only because all this stuff was his idea and he pays the bills."

Note is not a very good liar.

"Anyway. I don't think we should wait for alternatives. We should go hunting as soon as possible. Rachel must have recovered already, and I am ready too."

Rules. Yes, she forgot about those pesky things.

When Rogue makes her way to the door, her plate of food in hand, X-23 will simply offer, "I understand." That a person has to have limits, she does understand that to an extent, but she also knows how The Facility is and as such, she'll turn back to Nate.

"Agreed. I believe we will need Rachel and potentially Emma Frost."

Nate nods, attacking the food as if he had not eaten fifteen minutes ago. Rogue's departure makes him raise an eyebrow. No food for her? Oh well. Once she is out of earshot, however, he adds something for Laura. "I am starting to think this problem is best solved outside the X-Men."

Rogue heads out to X-Men HQ.

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