Kurt Throws Like a Nerd

March 17, 2017:

A gaggle of mansion inhabitants descend upon a winter wonderland. Mayhem ensues.

1407 Graymalkin Lane - New York City

Xavier's Institute grounds are located on 1407 Graymalkin Lane in
Westchester County between Graymalkin Lane itself and Breakstone Lake (30
miles outside of NYC itself). A large portion of this is acres upon acres of
woodland forest. To the farthest eastern portion of the Institute's grounds
there is a stretch of low foothills.
Upon entering the Institute grounds immediately past the heavy
gated entrance one finds themselves on a carefully paved road that splices
in two directions, west and east.
The west leads to the School for Higher Learning where gifted
youngsters are educated and taught to use their unique talents. Here almost
year around children and teachers are housed.
To the east miles away lies Xavier's Mansion where Professor Xavier
himself and some faculty members of the school live. These "special"
individuals are those aware of Xavier's more clandestine operations, the
administration and training of the X-Men.
Beyond the neatly walled mansion's yard in those foothills is an
obscure landing strip that leads to a hangar complex and a subtly hidden
facility. A facility that houses underground sub-levels, a danger room,
Cerebro and the training halls of one of the most advanced mutant fighting
teams in the world.
An underground monorail connects the School for Higher Learning
with the Charles Xavier's Mansion and the X-Men's Hidden Complex. Security
is tight in this region, by means of limited magical warding, advanced
future tech security systems and telepathic sweeps. Tread carefully.

Characters

NPCs: None.

Mentions:

Plot:

Mood Music: [*\# None.]


Fade In…

*

A natural born blizzard (versus unnatural) engulfed Westchester for two days and while there were lulls within that storm, it was only today, that the snow finally abated enough for clean-up. While those clean-up efforts have definitely begun that hasn't stopped the majority of the school from exiting the building and playing within the many inches of snow now laying pristine upon the ground.

Already various snowmen, snowwomen, snowanimals and snowforts can be seen built upon the expanse of 'backyard' that the Xavier Institute calls its own. One can also find many discarded piles of snowballs that have been used in past snowball fights.

For X-23, she's only been back at the Mansion for a couple of hours (thanks to Warren trying to get her to socialize more) and while she would have liked to brood up within her room, or even out within the forest, two more friends have come along to pull the slim assassin outside; Nate Grey and Illyana Rasputin(a). All this socialization in one day causes Laura to give both of them the flat, 'I dislike this intensely' look, but, she goes begrudgingly.

*

Rogue has come out to watch the students that are playing in the snow, and she just wanted to get outside for a bit. She did hate the cold weather…. but she could better bare it if properly bundled up, and so she had on some of her best winter clothing. A poofy jacket with a furry collar that went down the lapel and also lined the entirity of the coat. She had on some tall boots that went up to her knees, plus her hands were obviously gloved and stuffed into her coat's pockets.

Rogue stood off to the side of a garden area, leaning against the stone railing while she puffed on a cigarette. She knew everyone hated smoking, so she only did it when she was outside and away from others.

*

Truth to be told Laura has plenty of reasons for all the gloom and doom behavior. But that only means her friends need to work harder to keep her distracted, right. Besides, Nate has been telekinetically moving snow out of the way all the morning, he deserves a break, too. "You see, Laura," explains Nate, "Illy here is from Siberia and besides she cheats all the time. So she has an unfair advantage over me. I need your help to make her eat snow."

*

Remember the small table near the doorway that now doesn't stand on end because it was knocked over? Yeah, that's the scuttle about Mattias Larsson, and though he's been quiet in settling in the last few days, he's done a few extra shifts scrubbing dishes in some awkward form of apology. NOW, that 'new tall blonde dude' (as referred to by a few students), makes his way out to the backyard of the mansion to see what the fuss is…without winter gear.

Clad in a simple, black tee shirt and a pair of jeans, Mattias glances out across the snowfield. Without so much of any sign of rosy cheeks or a cold nose, he stuffs his hand into his jean pocket and comes free with a pack of cigarettes. The chain wallet dangling from his rear pocket bounces as he takes down the steps to the garden area and waves his pack politely to get Rogue's attention. "Excuse me, Mizz?" Mattias lifts his brows, politely as well. "Could I borrow your cigarette lighter?"

*

Indeed he waas tempted to yell about the cigarette that Rogue was smoking but Kurt decided its useless to try and all she has to do is hug Logan to be alright. Wrinkling his nose he comes to stand nearby Rogue his hands tucked into his pockets listening as a guy asks his friend for a lighter. Under his breath he mutters in german before sighing deeply.

*

It's impossible for Illyana to be snowed in by even the fiercest blizzard, so there's no earthly reason for her to be afflicted by cabin fever or the need to play in the snow.

Not that this stopped her from making Laura her excuse to do just that. "You can't stay indoors. Everyone goes outside after a blizzard to enjoy the snow. It's what people /do/." That had been Illyana's argument, and she's stuck to it. With the unspoken hint that she might just use a portal to get the diminutive assassin outside if she didn't start walking.

With Laura on the move, Illyana seems in oddly good spirits. "I do not!" She protests Nate's accusation. "I'm just better than you!" She adds smugly. Illyana's preparations for the snowy conditions do include boots, gloves and a sweater, but there's no sign that the cold is bothering her even slightly.

*

While Laura wears her typical gear (healing factor and all that) she has made some acknowledgement of the snow outside; she put some gloves on. Both Nate's words and Illyana's earn another one of those looks from Laura, but, the trio eventually emerges from the School and into the backyard. Automatically the slim assassin will assess the area before the trio - Kurt, Rogue and Mattias and when she sees that student without a coat, her gaze will linger for a longer second than necessary.

Then it's back to her friends, as she considers the 'rules' of this game. "How do you determine if we have won." She states, really questions, as her flat tones raise ever so slightly to indicate that question of hers.

*

Rogue puffed on the cigarette while thumbing her cell phone's screen, but Mattias' sudden presence and question caught her attention and she looked up to him. "Oh, uh, yeah sure." She said to the new guy. "Wait… What for?" She asked then, her right hand going into her coat pocket and she pulled out a… revolver? The gun was held in the palm of her hand and she showed it to Mattias, was that her lighter?

Rogue glanced over to Kurt and she smirked at him. "You're not gonna go out there an' school those kids in a snowball fight?" She asked him then, overhearing some of what Laura, Nate and Illyana were saying. She even waved at them with her non-gun-holding-hand when they looked over at them.

*

Nate is rarely bothered by cold, but he did add a battered leather jacket to his usual armored outfit. Stepping outside, he scans the grounds with his usual wariness. Most kids are playing closer to the school building, so if they want to involve more people… hmm. Rogue and Kurt. "You know who wins because I will tell you," explains Nate with a smirk. That was obvious. "Also, innocent bystanders are valid targets. Particularly… smokers."

He leans to get a snowball and turns to Rogue, "hey, Roguie!" Snowball. Meet face. "Think fast!"

*

"Halla, Kurt, good to see you again," Mattias gives the blue elf a sharp uptick of his chin. Still speaking in that clipped, Swedish accent, he exhales a gust of foggy breath and reaches out for the offered gun that Rogue has produced. When he finally looks down, his hand stops, and he gives Rogue a discerning look. "Did I use the right words? I was about to smoke a cigarette, not rob a liquor store." Mattias laughs weakly. "I'm over twenty it's okay."

And, just then, he hears the others yelling for Rogue. He looks up to see Laura, Illyana, and Nate. His eyes widen at new faces he's yet to meet, and he lifts his pack of cigarettes to wave politely hello…because that's what polite people do but WHAT IS THAT COMING HIS WAY? Natural reflexes kick in and he jerks back suddenly to avoid being hit. Opening Rogue up, accidentally, as a bit more of a target.

*

Kurt doesn't like smoking and Rogue knows this. Though he does chuckle deeply as she pulls out her lighter that looks like a gun. He gives Mattias a wave before blinking as suddenly a snowball is in flight towards Rogue and the other just moves out of the way. BAMF he vanishes the scent of s
ulfer clinging to the air and BAMF he reappears in front of Rogue taking the snowball to the face, "Oh zits on like mario!" he uses his hands to brush the snow off his face.

*

Illyana snorts at Nate's definition of winning, even as she offers a cheerful wave toward those innocent bystanders. They have no idea what's about to be unleashed upon them. "Don't listen to him. If your opponents are covered in more snow than you and fleeing in terror when you even /look/ at a snowball, you've won." Illyana grins evilly. "In other words, you'll know if you've won… and no matter what he says, if Nate's soaked to the skin and shivering, HE DIDN'T WIN. Got it?" Illyana barely pauses before adding brightly, "Game on!" And vanishing into a stepping disc.

*

So many definitions of winning!

It's enough to cause Laura to consider both Nate and Illyana's words; finally, the slim assassin will say, "I believe I understand."

And while her attention does turn when Nate lobs a snowball at Rogue, and Mattias reflexively jerks away from that projectile, Laura begins to move even as Kurt so selflessly takes the snowball for Rogue.

Whle Laura can't use her claws in this particular fight, she does employ all her other mutant tricks. She's quick and light upon her feet and honestly, the cold doesn't really hurt her. Or, really, it'll take much longer for the cold to hurt her. As such, the assassin will neatly crouch down, grab a handful of snow, pack it tight and then throw it (with the majority of her might) right at the back of Nate's head. This close, hopefully, her aim will be quite true.

It's not a cheat if the game is already in play.

*

Rogue grinned at Mattias as she took her cigarette out from between her lips. "Its a lighte'ah, so don't worry none on it, sugah." She said to him in her deep southern accent. But when she heard Nate's voice call out her name and felt that 'tickle' of her seventh sense telling her that danger was inbound, Rogue's green eyes shot back over to see that snowball whirling her way, Mattias went diving and then a BAMF and the snowball was blocked by Kurt's face!

The southern belle back peddled a couple steps in her tall boots, dropped the revolver down into the snow and then couldn't help but laugh when she heard Kurt's response to the thrown snow. "Get'im, pa!" She said to Kurt, to encourage the chaos further. She wasn't yet able to see that Laura had joined the fray too!

*

Betrayal most foul. Clearly Laura has been hanging out with Illyana too much! Nate was actually already on the move, expecting a counter-attack from Rogue or some kind of 'surprise' from Illy. Unfortunately he didn't expect the snowball from Laura, who was too close to dodge. "Ack! You little traitor!" He shouts in mock-outrage. He ducks behind a bench, gathering some 'ammo', and tosses another snowball at the little, traitorous brunette.

*

Chain flailing against his thigh, Mattias wheels back and takes a step away from Kurt when he takes the snowball. It's okay, only splash damage. A few chunks of snow splatter the front of his black tee shirt. Baring his teeth, the Swedish import laughs and tucks a lock of hair behind his ear. "We're allowed? Excellent!"

Allowed? Bad sign.

Regardless, Mattias is already down, scooping up snow and quickly capping it into the world's least circular chunk of snow, molded in the shape of his cupped palms. Which are large. He rises back up, already mid wind-up for a throw at the first engaged target he sees in the 'other camp'. X-23.

Mattias grunts. Mattias throws. Mattias throws it over a hundred miles per hour and the MOMENT the snowball leaves his hand, he's remembered that he has strength beyond that of mere mortals.

"Oh shi—DUCK, WOMAN!"

*

Kurt leans down scooping up a bit of snow working to form a ball of it. He honestly has never done something like this but it looks rather fun. Still in front of Rogue his back to her his hand comes back to get ready to throw but oops… The ball of snow goes backwards instead towards Rogue.

*

There's a flash of light, and then there's a blonde Russian standing next to Mattias. Illyana's eyes widen a bit at the speed with which the snowball leaves his hand but - it's Laura, Illyana's SURE she can handle it. But since Laura's on HER team…

"You do realise…" She drawls, "That THIS means WAR." She grins brightly, a glowing portal opens above his head, and most of a snowdrift falls through it.

*

Laura was expecting Nate's attack and as such, she nimbly ducks away from his lobbed snowball -

Now Mattias' attack? That's a little different. While she might have been hit by his rapid fired snowball, her sensitive hearing catches the whistle of wind and also his shout of warning. Both of those combined are enough for the slim assassin to turn towards that oncoming projectile. Her vivid green eyes narrow slightly as she's easily able to tell that snowball is coming in hot and fast and definitely something that she would want to avoid. With another one of those nimble moves, X-23 will leap out of the way and as she leaps the vague sound of SNIKT might be heard, as she releases her claws within her hands.

Yes, Nate said no claws, but Nate never said there'd be snowballs tossed so hard either!

When Laura lands back upon the snowy ground, her claws will be down at her side, even as the snowball breaks apart mid air and falls harmlessly to the ground. Then, the assassin's eyes move over to Mattias' and his group.

If Laura was the cheering sort, she'd cheer for Illyana, but as it is, all Laura can offer is a nod of thanks to the blonde demoness.

*

Rogue went to bend down and pick her revolver back up as Mattias threw a snow-rocket at the others. When she came back up she put her cigarette back in her red painted lips and brushed the gun-lighter off… right as she was struck in the face with that horrible 'throw' from Kurt. It totally extinguished her cigarette and even koncked it out of her mouth… as he'd been right next to her, her danger sense didn't do much good to save her from Kurt's bad throwing arm.

"Ya did that on purpose…" She quietly said, snow all over the left side of her face and her eyes clamped shut.

*

Nate grumps as his snowball misses. Laura is taking this too seriously. But then again, Laura takes everything too seriously. He does take advantage of Mattias attack to sprint a few yards away from snikt-girl and towards Kurt and Rogue's flank when Illyana appears and attempts to bury Mattias under a pile of snow.

"I knew you would cheat first!" He declares. Cheating being… well, something vague involving abusing mutant powers. Mostly made on the spot right now. Whatever. Nate decides to cheat too, and uses telekinesis to grab and throw a rather large mass of snow at the blonde. Like a couple times Illyana's volume of soft snow that pretty much is sweep from the ground by an invisible hand and dropped almost on top of the young woman.

*

Horrified for a few seconds, Mattias is in full-swing apology mode by the time Illyana flashes over to his side. His mouth claps shut and he turns to the blonde, holding his hands out in a simple sign of surrender. Apology mode, it is often referred to. "I'm sorry, I forgot about the-" Mattias speaks over Illyana, trying to apologize through whatever she's saying to him, which he catches the tail end of. War? "Oh! No, no need for that, I apolo-"

WHUUUUUMMMMMPPPFFFF.

Illyana may have just as well cast a spell to turn Mattias into some kind of blobby, gelatinous snow beast with two arms and two legs flailing, because the large man is floored by it. At least he's laughing as he sits upright and slicks the snow out of his hair.

*

Kurt turns around with an open mouth, "No no I'd never do zat on purpose." he works on knocking the snow off her face now. "I em o so sorry." he tells her lightly. At least the cigarette iss gone though it was an accident. Turning now he crouches down gathering another ball of snow and BAMF he is gone reappeaing behind Illyana to try and pelt her head with the ball of snow.

*

"I did not!" Illyana calls indignantly to Nate, pointing an accusing finger at the Snowdrift Formally Known As Mattias. "Did you see his fastball?!"

And that, of course, is her undoing. She's still pointing imperiously at Mattias when the leading edge of Nate's wall of snow arrives, not to mention an attack from behind by a sneaky blue elf!

"ARGH!" She yells, all trace of demon-queen poise shattered, and there's another flash of light as she ports out.

Of course, the rest of the snow Nate threw at her has to go somewhere, and, well, Kurt WAS right behind her…

*

Good. Down goes Mattias. One person taken care of.

Then Rogue too, as she gets a snowball in the face by her own treacherous teammate Kurt.

A calculating look enters Laura's gaze as she shifts her gaze towards Nate and Illyana and when she sees the demonic princess in danger of being snowed in, X-23 will step forward, "Illyana." She calls out in that monotone voice of hers, likely too late, "Look out." That warning is almost said again when Kurt starts to make his sneak attack against Illyana, but, instead of saying anything else, X-23 now moves.

Her quick-footed steps will have her moving closer to Illyana, Mattias, Rogue, Nate and Kurt. As she moves the slim assassin will sheath her claws back within her hands and forearms and once that's complete, X-23 leans down to scoop up another handful of snow in both hands. Those miniature missiles will be clamped tightly to create more ice-based balls than snowballs and when she has a good bead on Nate, and Kurt, X-23 will lob those missiles at the men's torsos.

*

Rogue wasn't the type of person to do anything small-time. So while the others were in full-out war-mode, she was crouched behind a stone wall and was now rolling up a giant snowball… that was really more like the base of a snow-man. This of course, was taking time though even if she was unusually speedy… she even reached up to grab her thermos to use some of the tea she had to wet the powdery snow to make it pack together more tightly as she started to 'glide' over the garden pathway, rolling the ball up…. oh god, who would be the target for the Rogue Mega Snowball…?

*

"Sorry, elf," says Nate cheerfully. Not sounding very sorry, it at all. He got Illyana, mostly. Happy day. Briefly, as Laura ice-ball hits his chest. Good thing he wears some armor. "Okay, now you get it," he grumbles, seeking cover behind a tree and reaching for more snowballs to throw at the brunette.

*

The abominable snowman wipes snow and slush out of his eyes, laughing loudly at the carnage he sees. Still? Not a single shiver or bit of rose to his cheeks, but that's normal for Scandanavians, right? Those IKEA blankets are always so thin. With a new sheen of moisture to his blonde hair, he climbs to his knees and slicks his hair back…then explodes. One second he's there, the next? There's a flash of flame and he's falling from up above. "I APOLOGIZE IN ADVANCE!" He bellows from up above…

…and then the flash of fire comes again. With a snowman. The one with the Burger King crown. At a running pace, he grunts and throws the entire snowman at the collected clump of X-mansioners, which breaks apart in mid-air, raining dead snowman their way.

*

Kurt is suddenly hit by a wall of snow along with snowballs. BAMF! He disappears and then reappears up into one of the trees sitting on a limb now watching those below. He is indeed smiling rather enjoying himself as he enjoys it when others can have some fun. BAMF!! He reappears at the base of the tree now balling up more snow, "Oh come now all! Do youse vanna build a snowman?" Indeed the fuzzy elf asked and went there, "Maybe not zen!" he tosses the ball towards Nate now. But then he blinks as well a snowman appears and is thrown. He BAMFS out and then back in hiding behind Rogue now, "Zat iz not zee kind of snowman I meant."

*

There's a time for massive overkill and there's a time for precision. Illyana judges, from her perch in the branches of the tree Nate's sheltering behind, that now is the time for precision. Stealthily packing a snowball into a near-perfect sphere, she suspends it above him and waits, waits a bit more, and then…. perfect! She drops the snowball toward the back of his neck, and leans forward at a frankly dangerous angle to check on her aim.

And then snowmen are being thrown. Illyana looks around, coolly remarks, "Inventive." And falls off her branch.

She reappears beside Laura, looking only slightly discomfited. "Good aim." She tells the assassin, breathlessly. No one heard her yelp, right?

*

PFT PFFT PFFFT

That's the noise of Nate's snowballs hitting Laura fair and square. The dark-haired assassin had been too focused on the bomb dropping Rogue and was caught just enough unaware that her reaction time was too 'slow' to avoid those powdery missiles.

Glancing down at her snow splattered coat a moment Laura will consider those 'wounds' and while she doesn't necessarily have a danger sense, like Rogue, when Mattias once again apologizes (not to mention explodes), X-23 turns her attention towards the sound of his voice. While nothing can currently be done about the snowman parts raining downward, Laura will at least dodge, dodge and dodge again to avoid the majority of that free-fall. Then, with a look towards the group, the slim assassin quietly turns towards the wooded areas beyond.

While she would have simply left then the appearance of Illyana causes the assassin to pause. "Thank you." Comes her flat tones and her next words come equally monotone as she adds, "I must leave." Abrupt, sure, but it's X-23, that's how she works. With that brief farewell, Laura will start to move, as she trots quickly towards the wooded areas not far off. They beckon to her with their solitude and right now she needs that quiet.

Should Nate touch her mind he'll find that she just needs space for a bit. Yes, she had fun in her own way, but the thoughts of her 'sisters' still housed within Limbo gnaw at her and she must leave. Just for a bit.

She'll return later.

*

Rogue is hit by various bits of snow and ice from the carnage that is going on in the backyard today, but she's set on a goal and that goal is to finish Nega Snowball. There's no short amount of grunting and grumbling and giggling as she assembles it. And… when Kurt arrives next to her, she spins around and eyes him with a wild look and a puff of steamy air leaving between her lips.

"Ah came in like a wreckin' ball." She said in her thick southern tone to Kurt, before she picked up the giant snowball and swung it at him like a baseball bat. It probably weighed like thirty pounds, but if she hit him it'd likely burst into pieces!

*

Nate laughs when his snowballs hit Laura. Take that! His victorious smirk doesn't last long, since suddenly whole snowmen gets thrown in, and Illyana hits his nape, too. On the other hand the blonde ported in the middle of it all, too. So they are both going to end up completely snowed-on. As usual in snow-fights there is not going to be survivors or prisoners. "Gah! I regret nothing!" He splutters.

*

Dripping sludge from his hair, and with a shirt that's soaking wet over his torso, Mattias strolls up to the group. Sure, he put a little distance, and he's now brushing his hands off and laughing as he watches the ongoing fun. His eyes trail Laura's exit, nonethewiser to her less than social habits. No. This is fun. Fun will be had now and the foreign exchange student couldn't be any more smug as he re-approaches the group.

"Okay…I lied. I don't apologize for that." Mattias cracks a broad grin as he slicks his hair back another time. There's always that one or two stringy strands that never lays just right. "But my…cigarettes." Pat. Pat.Pat. Mattias lost them somewhere. "Excuse me, have any of you seen a small white and gold pack of cigarettes?"

*

Kurt wasn't prepared for what Rogue was about to do and it sends him backwards onto his back in the snow. "I deserved zat." he mutters while staring up at the sky above.

*

Illyana's eyes follow Laura as she walks away, the Russian's eyes thoughtful and some of the carefree, almost gleeful energy she'd been displaying up until now draining away as if it had never been. She doesn't follow, or for that matter pay any attention to the bits of snow that are melting on her.

A moment later she looks back to the others, a smirk arriving on her lips, but her eyes aren't quite as bright as they were a moment before. Taking a step toward Mattias, she raises a hand, palm open, and with a flash of light a soggy and not quite rectangular packet of cigarettes arrives on it. "You might want to let them dry out first." She suggests, then glances at Nate. "We'll call this round a draw, Nate." She says, her tone suggesting she's being very generous, then nodding to Rogue and Kurt. "See you for round two." She adds, and vanishes.

*

Rogue's Mega Snowball broke over Kurt and covred him in snow up to his head. She picked up one of the halves of the Mega Ball and just lobbed it toward Nate too! "Thats what ya'll get for challengin' me!" She shouted proudly toward everyone. Rogue's green eyes then went to scan around for the lost cigarettes… She crouched, grabbed them and flung them at Mattias. "I think they're safe!" She said at him with a big grin. Looking around for Laura then… she saw that the little scamp had run off, so she looked at everyone else. "Come on, lets go inside. I'll make everyone some hot cocoa or tea, or whateve'ah floats your proverbial boats!"

Rogue lifted up off the ground and floated her way toward the Xavier House, not wanting to have to trudge her way through the snow again!

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