For an organization that was allegedly not bagging and tagging mutants anymore, SUPER sure as hell did have a lot of holding cells in the basement. And probably skeletons in the closet, too, but none of those were roaring like a wounded lion at the moment. Pippa covered her ears with her hands, waiting for the last rumbles of the roar to subside, before she walked up to the door of the holding cell, and slid the little window open.

The young man on the other side was wearing borrowed clothes (courtesy of SUPER), and had wings and a tail, and as far as she could tell from the reports, a nasty habit of turning into a beast when angered. Right now, he just looked desperate. And very young. Pippa had to stand on her tiptoes, even in heels, to reach the window, but she did her best to sound confident.

"Hello. My name is Pippa. I thought you might want to talk to me... Carrick, right? Someone told me that's your name."

His chest, shoulder and wing all hurt, Carrick was busy adding his voice onto the list. Since he woke up from the apparently third tranquilizer dart (the last one he might have requested) the young shifter had been roaring as much as he could to get someone’s attention. Anyone would do, even the guy with the dart gun.

The roaring also might have been helping him mentally as well. Four walls, a roof and a floor. No windows, no bars on the door to make things seem bigger than an actual prison cell. He didn’t like it. In fact if it weren’t for the drugs still having some effect he would have been losing his damn mind. Carrick didn’t do small rooms. It made things difficult.

Carrick’s voice rumbled in a panicked growl that quickly turned into a frustrated roar. His hands pushed at the walls trying to move them to no avail; he couldn’t stay in the cell it was getting hard to breath. His pulse started to quicken more and his pupils turned to slits. Cracked voice, ”Like hell’s a good time to shift, had enough of yer nonsense!” it was his partial shifted form’s fault he was in this mess in the first place.

He killed a man… the thought didn’t bother him though. His thoughts turned to the princess and he silently wondered if she was all right after everything that had happened today? What day was today? How long was he out? She’d probably never wanted to talk to him again. It happened again. Carrick let out another loud roar he had to get out of here!

A few minutes passed and the clicking of heels drowned the sound of his pacing out. His tail lifted and he slid to the door he tried to downplay the panic attack that he was seconds away from. The windowed slit on the door opened up and the top of a blonde head appeared. He didn’t know why he wanted it to be black hair. Did the sound of heels remind him of the princess?

>>>> "Hello. My name is Pippa. I thought you might want to talk to me... Carrick, right? Someone told me that's your name."

Carrick tried to control himself; she must have been the nice one. Was she partnered with the dart gun guy? Everything told him not to trust anyone. His instincts and all of his conversations with his father and brother. Neither were exactly encouraging him to talk to anyone on the other side of the door.”I-m… I’m Carrick.” his voice was hoarse from yelling and roaring. ”Whose someone? My school know I’m here?” he asked defensively.

”Can ya get me into a bigger cell? One I can actually move in? Can’t even open me wings.” his voice cracked. ”Couple of seconds away from a full on panic. How long have I been ‘ere?” he asked wrapping his hands behind his head and pinning his arms to his ears. He needed to focus on anything other than the walls that were closing in on him.

He came closer, with a suspicious look on his face. Pippa was glad they had the door between them, even though she did not approve of holding mutants in cells on principle. The roaring had been pretty darn impressive.

>>”I-m… I’m Carrick. Whose someone?"

"The agent that brought you in. Big guy, very Texas." Pippa specified. The guy had been nothing if not effective. Definitely not subtle.

>>"My school know I’m here? Can ya get me into a bigger cell? One I can actually move in? Can’t even open me wings. Couple of seconds away from a full on panic. How long have I been ‘ere?”

"Alright, I'll answer some of your questions if you answer some of mine. You getting out of this cell largely depends on whether you can play nice. And I mean that in the most helpful way possible." Pippe flipped a notebook open, still balancing on her tiptoes so she didn't disappear from his view.

"You have been here for a few hours. Now, do you have a last name, Carrick? And when you say school, what school are you referring to exactly? Are you an exchange student, or are you a US citizen?"

>>>>"The agent that brought you in. Big guy, very Texas."

”Meh…” Carrick’s nose scrunched up. ”He shot me… three times hard to believe he never gave a name.” Carrick said with a smirk. Again the last one he asked for so he’ll forgive him for that. No telling what beast form would have done in that hospital. The princess shouldn’t have been there.

>>>>"Alright, I'll answer some of your questions if you answer some of mine. You getting out of this cell largely depends on whether you can play nice. And I mean that in the most helpful way possible."

”Not sure I’ll like this game…” Carrick said his voice still hoarse. ”but some say I’m a kitten.” he forced himself to start purring to try and help prove his point. It was easier to get out of trouble when he was younger… and shorter.

”Yer short.” he stated before answering her questions. ”Yes, O’Conner. The one fer mutants. Xavier’s school. Trying to finish up and get that famed American education. Didn’t take it seriously the first time through.” he frowned for a second. ”With this accent? Sorry.” he apologized for trying to make a joke in a bad situation. ”No, trying to be though. Sure this doesn’t help much…”

Carrick let his question sit before asking, ”The girl I was with.” he wasn’t sure if he should title drop yet. ”She okay?” he asked showing visible concern before reverting back to indifference.

>>"Not sure I’ll like this game… but some say I’m a kitten.”

There was a deep rumbling sound from the other side of the door. It sounded like a very large feline purring. Pippa stepped back on her heels, expecting a roar, and it took her a moment to realize what was happening.

"Stop that. It's distracting."

>>”Yer short. Yes, O’Conner. The one fer mutants. Xavier’s school. Trying to finish up and get that famed American education. Didn’t take it seriously the first time through... With this accent? Sorry. No, trying to be though. Sure this doesn’t help much…”

"So. You're Irish, and you are a student at Xavier's. Got it." Pippa took some notes. She could have guessed most of that, but she was not in the guessing business.

>>”The girl I was with. She okay?”

Pippa arched an eyebrow. "You mean the Atlantean princess? Yes, she's fine. She has diplomatic immunity and no dangerous powers. As far as we know. Are you affiliated with her, or Atlantis, in any official capacity?"

>>>>"Stop that. It's distracting."

He stopped, he was trying to get something out of this.

>>>"So. You're Irish, and you are a student at Xavier's. Got it."

Carrick nodded his head and his arms fell to his sides. Wishing for something to distract his hands with. His hands went to trying to catch his tail before examining it to see if anything from the day had stuck.

>>>"You mean the Atlantean princess? Yes, she's fine. She has diplomatic immunity and no dangerous powers. As far as we know. Are you affiliated with her, or Atlantis, in any official capacity?"

His first reaction was to deny knowing her, keep her out of trouble. It was what his dad or brother would have done. ”Aye.” he sang instead. She had diplomatic immunity and he was not staying in this cramped cell. He’d rather be chained outside. ”Her at least.” Carrick said smirking now that he knew she was fine. ”Owes me money.” he laughed, ”Nothing official no, just glad she’s alright.”

”So about getting out of the cell?”

>>”Her at least. Owes me money. Nothing official no, just glad she’s alright.”

Well then. The guy was not a US citizen, but at least he was not a diplomat from Atlantis. Diplomacy with Atlantis was always super tricky, from what Pippa understood. And the girl had certainly made a fuss about the griffin being arrested. They must have been friends, maybe from Xavier's. Pippa knew that it had to suck, being tranqued and arrested in public, but the guy had killed a man in broad daylight. Even if it had been justified.

>>”So about getting out of the cell?”

"Eventually." Pippa nodded "I have a few more questions. Now. I know they brought you in... um, naked. I know this is gonna sound strange, but... do you happen to have anything on you, anything at all, that you might have been wearing at the time of the attack and it's... not part of your body?"

>>>"Eventually."

He growled a little bit at the response and threw his hands up in frustration. He was giving her more information than he normally would have done. This was a different cell than he had whenever the police brought him in when he was younger. The bars made a big difference.

Her next question was odd. Clothing? He looked on his person and shook his head. He didn’t think about his wallet or his pockets full of small magic tricks, and the lone cigarette he had. Fek. That would have been great right now. ”Ummmm.” Carrick shook his head and shrugged. His wings shifted with the shrug. A piece of glass fell from his wing. He had no idea where it came from.

”When I go into that form I don’t really have time to sort me clothes out like I usually do. Shit gets expensive.” he looked down at the small piece of glass and held it up to the light before saying, ”I have some glass from me wings? That work, love?” he paused, ”Can I bum a smoke from ya? If yer not gonna let me out?”

The shifter took a few steps to the door and said, ”I’m gonna stick me arm out now… Seen the movies. Hopefully ya don’t break it. Good way to get the mean me back.” he held up the piece of glass and waited till she stood back and then pushed his hand through the slot. He had heard stories from his father about police brutality and their eagerness to prove they were superior. Up until now he was never in a situation to have to worry about it.

>>”When I go into that form I don’t really have time to sort me clothes out like I usually do. Shit gets expensive. I have some glass from me wings? That work, love?”

Pippa tilted her head. A piece of glass... depending on how it got there, it might work. She'd have to test her powers on it and see, but it was at least something, compared to him being brought in naked. "It might."

>>”Can I bum a smoke from ya? If yer not gonna let me out?”

"I don't smoke, sorry."

>>”I’m gonna stick me arm out now… Seen the movies. Hopefully ya don’t break it. Good way to get the mean me back.”

"Please. I'm not an agent. I'm in Public Relations. I can do much worse than break your arm." Pippa smirked, carefully taking the shard of glass with her gloved hand. She was not about to test it right in front of him. She had a few more questions first.

"So, you're saying... the mean, you, the form we saw on the footage... that's an involuntary mechanism? You shift when you're threatened?"

Carrick grumbled when she said she didn’t smoke. She didn’t need to just have one on her person to give to him. She wanted answers so that’s how she got them. Again Carrick had seen the shows and the movies. He scratched her back she scratched his. So far Carrick just had a very itchy back.

”Not sure that’s much better. I’d need a public to care about.” he said trying and failing to make a joke. His public who was ever enjoyed his singing and playing. They often weren’t on the receiving end of a shift. ”Can’t play with a broken arm. Be like tying a birds--- my wing and asking me to fly.” his wings tried to open but hit the walls and scrunched up. His one wing still hurt so he stopped trying to stretch.

”Beasty boy comes out more when there is danger or I’m hurt.” he said trying his best not to think about it. He had been doing great keeping his beast form under wraps. Long as his true shifted form got to stretch his wings beast seemed to keep quite. Maybe he hadn’t shifted enough lately? He could blame the princess.

He pointed to his wing, ”I don’t remember most of what happens just that I’m angry after and sore. Now me Gryphon form on the other hand. That one I like to go into. I don’t hurt anyone and I keep to meself.” he said proudly. ”I’m not me father nor brother. I don’t like to hurt or scare people.”

>>”Not sure that’s much better. I’d need a public to care about. Can’t play with a broken arm. Be like tying a birds--- my wing and asking me to fly.”

The large wings moved, and they filled in the small space of the holding cell. Pippa felt a pang of guilt. It was like seeing any bird caged, except this one could talk. And express how much he was not okay with being locked in. There used to be a time when Pippa would have stolen the keys for him. Right now, she was trying to do the next best thing.

>>”Beasty boy comes out more when there is danger or I’m hurt. I don’t remember most of what happens just that I’m angry after and sore. Now me Gryphon form on the other hand. That one I like to go into. I don’t hurt anyone and I keep to meself.”

"You have... three forms?" she ventured, taking notes, trying to untangle all this. Just how safe would it be to transfer him into another kind of space?...

>>”I’m not me father nor brother. I don’t like to hurt or scare people.”

"Alright." Pippa sighed, looking up "Look, between you and me, I want to get you out of there as fast as possible. SUPER is trying to do things above board these days. Transparency and all that. You shifted in public and killed a man. There is a lot of evidence to the fact that he was attacking you. This piece of glass might add to that. And I am doing everything I can to make you look human to the general public, and not a monster in human skin. Which, frankly, I know you are not, but my job is all about appearances. So, I need to know anything that the other side might want to throw your way. Are your father and brother included in that? Are they known criminals?"

Carrick counted his forms on his one hand in a mockingly helpful way. He was still Carrick after all and the distraction helped him not think about the walls slowly moving in on him. ”Beasty, me and my other guy. You’d know him as a Gryphon.” he said grinning proud of his other form. Not the beast one, Carrick didn’t want to give him any attention… ever.

>>>"Look, between you and me, I want to get you out of there as fast as possible. SUPER is trying to do things above board these days. Transparency and all that. You shifted in public and killed a man. There is a lot of evidence to the fact that he was attacking you. This piece of glass might add to that.

Clearly Carrick was right when he thought she was the good cop. Even if she wasn’t an actual cop. Carrick had a hard time trusting them anyways. Between his father and his time in the circus Carrick learned to trust them… only to make things difficult. Carrick’s tail perked up at the evidence that might help him. Carrick only threw his voice. That much he remembered.

>>>>And I am doing everything I can to make you look human to the general public, and not a monster in human skin. Which, frankly, I know you are not, but my job is all about appearances. So, I need to know anything that the other side might want to throw your way. Are your father and brother included in that? Are they known criminals?"

His tail dropped and started cutting through the air in annoyance. The Irishmen waited till she said everything so he wasn’t cutting her off. She was supposed to be good cop. ”I’m not human either.” he turned his back to show off his wings. His wings didn’t make him just ‘human’ he knew that much when he was a kid. It was easy for people to remind him.

Carrick turned and chewed his lip slightly before inhaling and expelling a lot, ”I’m a singer, play guitar and tell jokes when I’m not trying to stay awake as I finish school. Second go for being eighteen. Mother passed and father’s branded as a terrorist. Half-Brother well on his way to being just like dear ol’Dad. I hate them both mind ya. Hard to like anyone who’s never there.” he said with a shrug putting his hand on his chin. ”Might also have a few minor run-in’s with the police…. Nothing violent…. That was permanent. Might have been a minor….” he said with a grin knowing that was way information than she wanted. ”How good are ya at yer job?”

>> ”I’m not human either.”

"Technically. But we'll need to work on your phrasing." Pippa pointed out, adjusting her glasses. It was getting tiring to be standing on her tiptoes, so she stepped back, keeping Carrick's face in view.

>>”I’m a singer, play guitar and tell jokes when I’m not trying to stay awake as I finish school. Second go for being eighteen."

Pippa blinked, tilting her head. "You're de-aged?"

That was definitely relevant information. She was not sure for what, but it could go either way. De-aged mutants often did not have a firm grasp on their powers.

>>"Mother passed and father’s branded as a terrorist. Half-Brother well on his way to being just like dear ol’Dad. I hate them both mind ya. Hard to like anyone who’s never there. Might also have a few minor run-in’s with the police…. Nothing violent…. That was permanent. Might have been a minor….”

Pippa took more notes. Father, brother. Half-brother. Possible terrorists. She'd need to check that. That was never a good look, even if family relationships were far from amicable.

>>”How good are ya at yer job?”

"Very" Pippa looked up "But I'm SUPER's PR person, not yours. Good news is, for now, our goal is the same: prove that you were dangerous enough to detain, but not too dangerous to release on bail. Right now, we are just a fancy jail cell for you."

"You're de-aged?"

Carrick gave a slight nod eyeing the wall behind Pippa wishing it was a better scene maybe of the outdoors ”Aye, did it to meself though.” he wasn’t like the other people who got attacked and were de-aged the shifter chose this. He didn’t know exactly why he did but he had a good feeling it had to do with his mother’s passing and the fact that he left home.

>>>>"Very" But I'm SUPER's PR person, not yours. Good news is, for now, our goal is the same: prove that you were dangerous enough to detain, but not too dangerous to release on bail. Right now, we are just a fancy jail cell for you."

Pointed ears perked up at her being very good at her job maybe he’d get out of here sooner than expected? Twenty minutes ago would have been expected. His tail flicked when he looked at his cell again he just be getting an upgrade. ”What’s yer rates?” he tried to smirk but the realization of not being able to afford bail let alone her rates.

”Fancy… not the word I’d use.” fancy would have had windows. He knew he shouldn’t complain about his situation too much. Someone was dead and his shifted form did it. Unfortunately that form was attached to him and he had to pay the price. Maybe he could let the beast out and let him deal with it? No… that would definitely make things worse. ‘My cross to bare’ he thought to himself finding it somewhat comforting to remember his mothers words when she talked about his father.

”Maybe tiny? Any chance you got a fancier one? Maybe where I can open my wings?” Carrick asked trying to open his wings again feeling antsy. ”Trying real hard to be good, but I got a feeling I’m gonna lose me mind before you can get me out of here.”

”How would bail be?” he asked afraid for any answer she gave him which meant more than likely he’d end up stuck in this ‘fancy’ cell or another one. ”Do I get a phone call?”

>>”Aye, did it to meself though.”

He was de-aged, and he had done so voluntarily. That made Pippa wonder what his older self had done... how old his older self had been when he decided he wanted a do-over on his life. She wondered if she'd ever do that. In a way, she already had. She made a note to look at his background. De-aging could be a little too convenient sometimes.

>>”What’s yer rates?”

"Sorry, SUPER is kind of a full time job." There was a hint of sarcasm in her voice. God knew SUPER had a lot of PR problems to handle, on account of being a mildly reformed clandestine mutant-catching operation and all.

>>”Fancy… not the word I’d use. Maybe tiny? Any chance you got a fancier one? Maybe where I can open my wings? Trying real hard to be good, but I got a feeling I’m gonna lose me mind before you can get me out of here.”

"I will see what I can do." Pippa allowed finally "We really don't want to torture you. SUPER might not be the most emphatic of organizations, but lucky for you, it's also bad for PR. I'll tell them that." she added with a small smile.

>>”How would bail be? Do I get a phone call?”

"Again, we are not officially the police. You can make more than one for all I care" Pippa noted "I'll get you a phone. Just don't try and plan a rescue on it. SUPER would be a bit miffed about that." she added with a chuckle. "Is there anything else you need?... The options are not unlimited, but everyone has some things unique to them. Or their powers." she imagined being held without her gloves on. Ugh.