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Post by Nightcat on Aug 26, 2008 23:08:37 GMT -5
After coming back from the danger room, Liz had settled herself into her office, which she rarely left these days. From there, she could monitor the comings and goings of her team from the hidden cameras around the mansion. She shook her head as she watched Ave and Jack swim then head out of the mansion. She could make them pay for staying out late, but she'd make up her mind when the session began the next day.
She watched Kitty do her damage assessment and repair. She could trust the phaser. She knew that Kitty would never do anything to jeopardize the safety of the team. If that had been anyone else fixing the danger room, the teleporter wouldn't have left the room. Liz smiled as she watched Lockheed follow Kitty out of the room then back upstairs. The leader sighed and figured that this was one night she couldn't afford not to get any sleep. She typed in her password and locked down the system for the night before locking her office and heading up to her room.
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Post by Nightcat on Sept 3, 2008 22:52:16 GMT -5
Liz left the group, her tail swinging behind her slightly. She was tired and the slow swing was the only evidence of that. She walked into her office and turned on the cameras monitors again. The blue mutant sat back down in her chair and just watched her team's actions.
She wanted to trust Avriletta's friends but her experiences had made her very wary of new people. The new girls would be pushed to their limit, but the rest of the team would just go through an evaluation to see how they've been keeping up with their private training sessions in the Danger Room.
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angelumi
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Skin as dark as night to hide a heart as good as gold.
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Post by angelumi on Dec 3, 2008 23:33:40 GMT -5
Angel followed the woman into a small front office. She glancing around feverently, as if to take in everything at once so there would be no surprises to leap upon her.
"You know, I don't even know your name..." She said softly in realization.
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Post by Nightcat on Dec 4, 2008 8:22:29 GMT -5
Liz turned and smiled softly at Angle, "Forgive me. My name ist Elizabeth van Sickle, but you can call me Liz. My codename ist Nightcat. Ze girl vith ze dragon ist Katherine or Kitty Pryde und ze dragon is an alien named Lockheed. She codename ist Shadowcat. Ze ozer girl is Sonima Lewis. I run zis mansion." She noticed the girls apprehension. Again, their similarities made her smiled, "I promise you, zere are traps zroughout zis house, but none vill activate unless vone of us enters a code. Right now, ze are all off."
She turned around again sat down at her desk, opening her system. She wanted to get the girl's information into the database before she could start getting her settled into life in the mansion.
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angelumi
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Skin as dark as night to hide a heart as good as gold.
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Post by angelumi on Dec 4, 2008 12:04:10 GMT -5
Angel cocked her head to one side, trying to ignore the spine-tingles running down her spine and to the tip of her stiffened tail.
Traps? There are actual traps in this place? She began to wonder what sort of situation she had just walked into...Mutants, code-names, a booby-trapped mansion...
"Liz." She echoed instead, repeating the names to keep them fresh in her mind. "Nightcat. Kitty. Shadowcat. Sonima. Dragon is Lockheed..." She nodded along until Angel realized what she had just said. "Wait---dragon? As in a dragon-dragon? Flight and fire and all that jazz? THAT was what that thing was?!"
Angel found herself on the edge of her seat again, her tail uncomfortably stiff, and was considering the ole well, thanks for your time, nice to know you, bye bit of running. Things were turned out to be a little more than what she bargined for when she went looking around the forest for a bit of food.
What on earth was going on this place?!
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Post by Nightcat on Dec 4, 2008 14:39:03 GMT -5
Liz smiled softly, "Lockheed ist an alien actually. I'm not to sure vhat race zough. You'd have to ask Kitty." Her smile dropped though when she saw how rigid Angel's tail was. Her own tail was behind her, perfectly relaxed and swaying softly, depicting the woman's comfortable state. She reached across with an odd hand, her blood eyes soft, "I know you are scared. Ze traps are to guard against danger. Ze are never used against anyvone in ze house. Most of us here are on a team vhile ozers are here learning to control zier powers or are seeking shelter from ze vorld at large."
She leaned back, her eyes narrowed at the girl, "I hope you do not mind me asking but where were you born and how old are you? I'd just like to know." Something about Angel's demeanor tipped Liz off to something being off. Either she was a lot older than she looked or a lot younger. Either way, it might explain the fear.
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angelumi
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Skin as dark as night to hide a heart as good as gold.
Posts: 31
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Post by angelumi on Dec 4, 2008 22:29:12 GMT -5
Angel flinched slightly, a minute gesture, as Liz touched her hand briefly. It was out of reflex, not reflecting on Liz. Forcing herself to physically calm, she lowered her eyes and relaxed her tail, looking at the decorated walls off to one side.
Liz was saying something that took her mind a few minutes to process: her past? Liz wanted to know about herself and her past?
That alone set her back on edge, tensing from head to tail again for a moment, before she forced herself to mask the alarm and relax once more. She hadn't thought about where she had been, where she had come from, in so many years...She had always been focused on where she was going. The past was a painful topic, one she didn't like to give thought to. Shifting in her seat, Angel was uncertain how much to say.
"I..." She started, then hesitated. What could she say? She was centuries old and came from a place that no longer existed? Liz had accepted her without reason already...how much more would she accept?
"I'm twenty-two." She lied. She couldn't tell how convincing the lie sounded, her ears ringed with a stifling tone, but she looked the age. "I...I'm not sure where I started...I've been traveling for so long..."
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Post by Nightcat on Dec 5, 2008 20:17:27 GMT -5
"Yes you have. I'm not only a teleporter. I'm a telepath und lying to a telepath ist close to impossible." Liz cleared her throat and and put her head in her hands. This was a mutant as damaged as she was if not more. To gain her trust, she might have to reveal things that she normally wouldn't have."
Sighing softly, she leaned back in her chair and turned the computer screen off with telekinesis. Blood red eyes surveyed the mutant, watching her every move. Eventually Liz sat straight again, her face sad, "Look. I know vhat es ist like to run in fear, to have people chase after you in an attempt to kill you. Zis house alone has been zrough a lot in ze past two years, but zese people, my friends und teammates vould do anyzing for each ozer. Yes, I am a little harsh on ze training und ze rules, but I do es to protect zem." She closed her eyes and shook her head, realizing that she might have used the wrong words, "Vhen I say training, I am referring to my team. Anyvone who does not make es ist just a housemate."
She leaned forward again, but did not touch Angel this time. However, her eyes searched the other's face, "Now. I vould like to know about you. Zere are no secrets in zis house."
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angelumi
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Skin as dark as night to hide a heart as good as gold.
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Post by angelumi on Dec 6, 2008 16:54:43 GMT -5
As Liz caught her in the lie, Angel's pointed ears lay back closer to her skull in embarrassment and (she was ashamed to admit it) fear. What would the woman do? Telportation, telepathic...and telekinetic Angel realized as she observed the computer screen suddenly switch off, the button pushed by an invisible hand. She was fast, but what would the outcome be like against a mutant trained in her gifts? She hoped she'd never find out...
She was suprised when Liz continued speaking. She was being given another chance?
"I...I cannot remember how old I am." She admitted, her voice hesitant and reluctant. "I have traveled the earth for many, many years and have lost track. I suspect centuries old, though I age at an almost stand-still rate. I do not know where I was born, although I suspect somewhere that was underdeveloped...the outskirts of some sort of town perhaps. I..." She paused, trying to come up with something concrete that she could offer up. So many of her memories were fuzzy from the passing time. "I...I remember my father. He was a preacher, who loved to laugh. He had a great loud laugh that made others laugh along with him." She said, then cringed at how lame that must have sounded.
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Post by Nightcat on Dec 6, 2008 22:30:06 GMT -5
The younger woman nodded, "You must have seen a lot zen, vitnessed a lot of zings. No vonder you got scared. Ze funny zing ist ist zat zings haven't changed much. Regular humans are either scared of us, hate us, or both. Zere are a few zat ve can trust, but not many." Her voice was filled with sadness, but it was quickly replaced by something that was similar to pride, "Sworn to protect a vorld zat fears und hates us. Es ist somezing zat ze original X-men came up vith. In a corny vay, ve are a superhero team. Ve do anyzing und everyzing to protect ze outside vorld from dangers, veither it be human or mutant."
She stood up and started pacing. It had been a while seen she had heard that speech, let alone give it. It made her feel like a real leader to the team. Liz turned back to Angel, leaning back against the bookcase that hid the door to the elevator, "You are lucky zat you had a good parent, even vone zat lived hundreds of years ago. I can't offer complete safety from ze outside vorld, but I can offer a family, friends, a home. Charles Xavier, founder of ze X-Men vanted to do zat for anyvone who vanted it. I now extend zat to you."
Yeah... this really was something that she had been needing for a long time and she was glad that it came when it did.
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angelumi
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Skin as dark as night to hide a heart as good as gold.
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Post by angelumi on Dec 9, 2008 12:12:07 GMT -5
Angel nodded. She knew where Liz was coming from. Humans just...they just didn't understand. Even when they say they're unbiased or pro-mutant, they still flinched away. It would be nice to be able to live somewhere safe...where she didn't have to worry about being woken up to the sound of gunfire or fearful shouting...
She watched as Liz paced a little. The woman seemed to be mulling a few things over. Angel's ears pricked up at the mention of Charles Xavior. Now that was a name she knew. She had seen his image on screens and in magazines; the news seemed to love to talk about him. That name was synonymous in the mutant world to "safe".
"Liz..." She started, then her voice faltered. What could she say? Thank you seemed unable to encompass the generousity of the offer. "I'll do my best to live up to your expectations for this unbelievable gift you've just offered."
Swirling one talon in the carpet, she glanced down at her feet, fighting back sudden tears of gratitude. She hadn't felt to welcomed or cared for since...well, since her father died. Lifetimes ago.
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Post by Nightcat on Dec 9, 2008 15:17:14 GMT -5
Liz walked over to ancient mutant. Stepping behind her, the younger woman wrapped her arms around Angel's shoulders. Her tail came up and the ridged egde gently touched the other's tail. She understood the woman's feelings to the upmost. She sighed softly, "I know zat you vill do fine. You are so much like myself."
She stepped away and went back to sit down on the edge of the desk, facing the Angel, "Looking as ve do, es ist hard to find a place vhere ve are accepted, but here, zat is vhat you vill find. Give ze ozers time to know you und ze vill velcome you vith open arms." She smiled softly, her tiny fangs glinting in the light.
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angelumi
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Skin as dark as night to hide a heart as good as gold.
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Post by angelumi on Dec 9, 2008 15:23:57 GMT -5
Tears slipped silently down Angel's cheeks.
It had been years...decades...since anyone had cared about her. Since anyone had reached out in friendship and understanding. Rubbing away the tear tracks with the back of her fist, Angel swallowed hard and nodded.
"Thank you" She whispered hoarsely. Feeling silly for crying----dispite they were tears of gratitude and relief----Angel ducked her head down to one side, trying to hide the light blush of red that spread across her dark purple-blue cheeks and ear tips. Clearing her throat, she looked back to Liz and nodded. "Thanks. Liz, really...thank you."
Her ears twitched at the sounds of other housemates' movements and she wondered what they might be up to. Would they accept her as readily as Liz? Or had her earlier attempt to scare them off ruined her chance for readily open minds?
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Post by Nightcat on Dec 9, 2008 17:31:46 GMT -5
Liz was about to hug the girl again when she closed her eyes and put a hand to her temple. She had gotten Jack's message and it had come through rather loudly. She opened her eyes, her dark eyes filled with worry. She got off the desk and went to the book shelf, pulled a book down and the door opened. The smaller mutant turned and faced the other, "I have to go down und check on a teammate. Somezing wrong und she might need me. Please come vith me. Es vill give you a chance to meet some of ze ozers."
She stepped in the elevator and motioned to the elder woman, "Bitte. Please."
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angelumi
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Skin as dark as night to hide a heart as good as gold.
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Post by angelumi on Dec 10, 2008 15:47:55 GMT -5
Angel's ears pricked up.
Something wrong? She wondered, quickly getting to her feet. While she didn't really want to know what might be considered "going wrong" in a mansion full of battle-capable mutants and booby traps, curiosity got the better of her, and she found herself following Liz's directions without hesitation. Perhaps I might fit in here after all... She thought wryly, stepping into the elevator.
Her knees flexed as the elevator started. Angel's stance was stable enough, balanced, and the balls of her feet absorbed the impact of initial motion. Her tail twitched in annoyance of such a confined space. She had no fear of claustrophobia, but the feeling of being entrapped still haunted her. She glanced at the doors apprehensively.
"So, where are we going?" She asked out loud, trying to take her mind off her subconscious fears.
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