PD plot
August 28th, 2024.

Whoever created the phrase ‘things are hairier than a Texan’s ass’ deserved to be dragged off into the street, and shot. Lenna had heard it on the radio, used to describe a situation. And wow. Woooooooooow. She would have to ask a Texan, in order to verify. Maybe the Green Ranger… maybe not.

The radio announcer was immediately replaced. It sounded like he had been bodily removed, choked a little, perhaps. From the gagging and complaints. Lenna looked to her super smash heroes video game opponent, Carrick. A quick series of button and control stick commands sent his hero, Adult Ikarus, flying off the stage. Her hero, the village person, did a handstand as a taunt.

”Did you hear that. Wait. I just received a text message from Cold Steel. We are to get our asses outside. New York is in peril… my word, not his.

He said shit is on fire a couple blocks away.

Wait. I texted him you are here. He said FLY.” She gave him a pointed look. ” You had better go change. You can give me a lift.”

As she’s rose and began the walk towards the door, another ping lit up her phone.

Someone else. A friend. “Lenna there’s a weird guy outside. Footsteps of fire…”


Lenna swore audibly.

So it has been a solid day for Atticus. Ever since his experience in the Danger Room, the heatmancer had been trying to keep a low profile while also trying to be as full of himself as possible. It was a hard job but deep down, he knew it was something he could accomplish. What was so hard about being absolutely amazing on the outside and trying to hide existential dread that he might not be as prepared as he pretended? Whatever. He would figure it out for himself. What he needed to focus on was his new future here at the school and how it could get him what he always wanted – real and proper fame and respect.

But such heavy conversations were for another day. What Atticus found himself doing now was chatting up a cute mutant around his age. She had fox ears and fox tail that poked out from under her skirt. In her twenties and still, this was all her mutation did for her. Not that Atticus was complaining. He thought she looked amazing.

The two of them had met in the library earlier and were trying to make plans for tonight. Maybe dinner and streaming service? He worked for a food delivery app so he knew all the best places to order from and had a few discounts lined up! But as the pair of them walked down the hall, Atticus paused when a door opened and he nearly ran into someone on their phone.

His head snapped to who they were and he tilted his head. He had seen them around the mansion, hadn’t he? Looking at the brunette a bit more closely he narrowed his eyes. He had seen her not just around the mansion, but where else? The Danger Room, right? Didn’t he briefly see her heading away as he was getting his butt handed to him by a bunch of holograms?

He straightens up a bit, unsure of how much she saw or heard, and eyes her. ”I know you, don’t I?” He asked, the fox-earred girl twitching her nose curiously from behind him.

”Look I’m not saying ya cheated. Just saying suddenly me controller is sticking.” Carrick said with a sigh, he should have been better at video games. He had the dexterity, he had the attention span for it. Why was he getting his *** handed to him. ”And I can do a better handstand than that. Tail makes it easier!” the shifter went to demonstrate as she read the text message aloud.

Flipping upside down and sniffing the air a low growl reverberated from the shifter it was something he did whenever another animal mutant was around. He quickly stopped as he saw the brit he met a few weeks ago. The one that got along great with Lizzy and Mama T. What was his name? Fire hands?

”When isn’t it?” he asked still looking at everything from upside down. ”How much is he paying us this time?” Carrick asked knowing there was a long standing tab opened from frosty the grump-man. His steaks helped, but Carrick was more motivated by money.

”I can fly.” he said honestly. ”Not a taxi service. Can give ya a lift I suppose. How much should I change? Do I need something fireproof? .....Ohhhhhh.” Carrick might have been a great thief but a critical thinker he was not. Lenna meant turn into his more majestic form.

The fox girl was now glaring at Carrick. He wouldn’t remember it but one of his forms thought she was lunch once upon seeing the fox tail. It was years ago, and people didn’t forget. All except Carrick. He forgot a lot of things.

”Right well, best get started then?” he started to disrobe.

Someone was in front of her, as she was typing and walking. Who— oh wow.

>>> ”I know you, don’t I?” He asked.

Lenna hardly noticed the foxy lady behind him. If she had, she would not have gotten jealous. The fox girl was also someone she knew. And she may have been more jealous than Lenna was, here and presently. A guy talks to you, then talks to another girl like “I know you”? Yeah. Know HOW? This was not her present course of mind, twitch twitch, but an outside observer might wonder…

Lenna was confident. Not a tongue addled fool for guys. That ship had sailed, and been shot repeatedly. By guns, but also cannons. She did not even think of Ginger-haired cowboys one time. Tex Ass.

She opened her mouth to reply, and —wait. Was Carrick growling?

>>>

”When isn’t it?” he asked, still looking at everything from upside down. ”How much is he paying us this time?”

Lenna’s glanced back at the shifter. As if saying “really?”

“Usual.” She said: as in usual rate. Her Colombian accent made it sound interesting, like you shoe ull.

Carrick kept talking. Lenna turned to answer the man as Carrick spoke. She caught some of it. Complaints, mostly. M
Did she know Atticus?

”Not yet.” She said. Again, accent. Colombian. She could do American, but why bother? People like accents.

Guys.

Let us be serious. Guys like accents. Girls, too, sometimes, but from her glare, fox girl likely did not. Or she did not appreciate carrick. And HIS accent. She was the only one present who lacked an accent. Was she simply jealous? The glare morphed into a frown as carrick began to get naked.

”Wait, Carrick. Get outside the building first.” Lenna said quickly.

Fox looked somehow disappointed. Curious, cross, sad, regretful? Yeah, all the emotions were on display today. Make up Your mind, Fox!

Lenna made a snap decision.

Lenna spoke. To Atticus, and only Atticus. Sorry Fox. ” You can fight.”

She ignored Fox. Fox looked offended. So expressive, Fox.

”Saw you in the danger room. Cold Steel just asked us to protect the mansion. Come with me? He pays. And will notice your help.” It was a guess mixed with a partial lie. CS had asked them to do something about shit on fire outside the gates, blocks away. Her friend mentioned fire footstep. They might be connected. Might not. Sam might pay. Might not. Would definitely pay in appreciation for assistance protecting the mansion, though. New students often wanted to become known by doing deeds, or joining teams. Atticus might.

Every second counted. She did not give him much time to decide, as she said “excuse me,” and squeezed past Atticus. She brushed against the Fox as she made it by them both. Skirt and tail flicked in annoyance.

Another one, Fox? Bound to repeat soon, but she kept finding new and unique emotions to display!

Atticus could follow if He desired. She wished him to. As she moved down the hallway, she spared one look back. One smile that promised she would appreciate assistance. Then she kept walking, to the front gates, where Fire foot waited. No doubt tapping a toe in annoyance for the wait.,

Fox girl pouted.

—-

Ooc anyone can control fire foot. Teleports in gout of flames. Fire kick. Yellow hair covers one eye. Black suit, white shirt. Smokes cigarettes. Mutant. Calls his teleportation devil jumping. Kicks are devil leg. He likes to kick, and cook… His foes. He’s very powerful, strong kicks. He will focus on the boys.

Atticus had mostly forgotten about Fox Girl at this point. Looking at the other young woman, one whom he had only seen in passing before, had certainly gotten his interest. The accent was killer. The confidence was buzzing. Atticus wondered why he had not try to chat it up with her before but before his mind could focus too much on that, he spotted another familiar face. He grinned as he eyed Carrick, the last time having seen him on his first day here. A chuckle fell from his lips as he nodded to him.

”Feathers. Good to see ya,” Atticus said…and then noted that Carrick was removing clothing. He quickly held up a hand…. ”Umm, what you on about, bruv?”

He was quickly filled in after that. As Atticus looked in confusion from Lenna to Carrick, his attention was brought back to Lenna as she made him a question/statement with “You can fight.” That much was obvious but she further explained that someone had requested help defending this place and there was someone outside bringing the heat. The last real action he got in this school was with the math teacher that made him fight a bunch of holograms and not “kill” them. This, however, seemed like it was all hands on deck and anyone who could do something about it, should.

So as she walked away, Atticus watched with interest…until she turned and gave that slight smile. And that was it. Atticus would later be ashamed of how quickly he had been recruited into whatever this mess was, but there wasn’t time to think about that now. Instead he reached back and blindly patted Fox Girl on the side (which he missed entirely and instead patted her tail).

”Listen. Gotta help with this. I’ll ring ya later, yea?” And Atticus looked to Carrick and then after the other girl leading the charge. The Carrick he snorted. ”Got to tell me who that is.” he smirked and began to follow after Lenna.

Meanwhile, Fox Girl huffs and turns to stare daggers at Carrick. She then grabs her tail, hugs it to her chest, and storms away; the whole while she continues to shoot suspicious glances towards the shifter until she is around the corner.

Pants were already down to his ankles by the time he registered what Lenna had said. Outside? Why? He didn’t go to school here how many more chances would he bless these hallways in such a majestic form. His shirt was already up halfway and he slowly lowered it. ”What? Why? Me legs? I know they could use some sun.. But this is my home Len, won’t be shamed here.” Carrick leaned over and grabbed his pants pulled them up and started working his belt back into place.

>>>”Saw you in the danger room. Cold Steel just asked us to protect the mansion. Come with me? He pays. And will notice your help.”

”He did? What an honor!” Carrick said sarcastically in the background . ”He does!” Carrick said knowing frosty has paid off multiple guitars that eventually ended up destroyed one way or another.

”Oh, that’s just Len. She’s fun."

They were off and Carrick was left holding onto his pants in a room that wasn’t his and being glared at by a fox girl that he was sure he met before... there was an awkward pause. ”Jane?” she grabbed her tail held it tight to her chest and walked off slowly staring at Carrick until she rounded a corner. ”Always give ‘em a show.” Carrick said as he started to run after the others.

Carrick ran down the hallway after Atti and Len.

----

Outside. That was when he should shift. Shift he did. He finally pulled his clothes off in a nearby bush held onto his pants and started his shifting process. Screeches and roars could be heard as chunks of flesh were pulled off in a painful manner. Golden bronzed fur erupted where there was pasty skin. He chose the Gryphon. He had more control in this form and it was easier to revert back once they got to the action unless it called for a mythical beast.

Running up next to Len he let out a string of chirps and lowed his head so they could climb on before he took off.

Lenna was the first outside the mansion, followed by Atticus and Carrick, in one order or the other.

—

Back inside the mansion, teachers were speaking to students, corralling the younger ones into the entertainment room and common areas, to watch movies and stuff. Not to go outside. A shame Lenna, Carrick, and Atticus had missed the memo. They were outside, potentially risking their lives to protect the mansion from— a distraction. Which probably freed up X-men to go about the city. Not that anyone knew the true end game here. La la la~!

—

Carrick Stripped. Again. When she had turned earlier, to see him already nearly naked.. Lenna had been appreciative that he followed her orders promptly and efficiently. This was growth. Carrick was not always the best at following directions, so Lenna let the jokes and teasing slide. She did not die or get uncomfortable like some people might. She knew Carrick enough to understand, nudity, you know? It was a requirement sometimes. Just be cool. It was just a precursor to shifting.

Yes. And shifting was impressive. Bits of him were stripped, stretched, grew feathers and fur. Drastic changes, in a small amount of time. Surely painful.

Running up next to Lenna, Carrick let out a string of chirps and lowered his head so they could climb on before he took off.

Lenna glanced back towards the entrance. Ah. It seemed that Atticus had followed. Wonderful. She gave him a curt nod and a smile, then turned her attention to a tree not too far off. Her mind highlighted a fallen tree branch, then tore it across the grounds to come to her hand. It was not too heavy, and of a decent size to be a little lance. She gripped it in one hand, then focused her telekinesis upon herself.

”With your permission, I would like to make you fly.” she said to Atticus. Then, Lenna lifted herself up onto Carrick’s back with a gentle application of telekinesis. Got the tree branch lance into position, resting against the gryphons side, tip down and away from him, so he wouldn’t accidentally get hurt.

Lenna waited a beat, then grabbed Atticus up with her powers, to lift him up off the ground and tow along behind them. Maybe not as fast as Carrick himself, but to just leave him by the front doors after asking him to come with them. That would have been rude. She was not certain that Carrick could carry them both, and really should have asked his limits when he still had the ability to speak English.

—

They surged toward the front gates on Carrick. Lenna directed him to land by the gates, about 20 feet away from them.

Sure enough, the man was waiting for them. Lenna could not see colors very well. Her power made everything it highlighted appear orange in her field of view. (Her powers were invisible to others). The only way to actually see colors properly was when she focused on using her powers on one, or several things. Such as presently, since her entire power focus was on Atticus and keeping him aloft. So she did get to notice things like hair color and outfit before she set the man down.

The man at the gates had yellow hair, which covered one eye. He wore a black suit, with a white shirt visible beneath the unbuttoned jacket. Nice dress shoes. A cigarette in his hand. He was smoking, leaning against the gate. And his feet were indeed on fire. Mutant. It was a fire that did not touch his clothes, confined presently to the area around the soles of his feet. Burning in a circle. It did not travel up the shoes, or to his legs. Yet. She assumed it would, once he began to fight.

At their appearance, he glanced over his shoulder. His back was to them. Like he had been waiting. He quirked the visible eyebrow, surprised someone had actually come, then smiled at them.

“Finally.” He cast the cigarette into the street. Turned to face them fully. Opened his mouth to say something else, but Lenna cut him off.

”What do you want. This is a private school. You do not get to lurk here.” She said.

She was still on the back of the gryphon. She patted Carrick with one hand, letting him know to just keep steady and wait a minute. The blood feast would come soon. They needed to attempt peace talks first. At least, put up the visible act of trying. Even if she and Carrick both knew where this would lead.

The fire foot guy grinned at her. “God, you’re gorgeous. What’s your name? My name is Vale.”

Tersely, she said ”Lenna. Please leave.”

He laughed, and pressed a hand to his hair. “Akh said to cause trouble. She said ‘hurt people.’ But I don’t want to hurt a woman. Even if I die. You, though.”

In a burst of flames approximately 3 feet high, he vanished, only to reappear in front of Atticus and kick at him with a foot covered in flames.

“Devil’s leg!!” He shouted.

”Dumb move.” Lenna said. She patted Carrick’s side and told him to take off.

Len. Cute name. He would have to remember that from now on. Atticus folded that bit of knowledge into the back of his mind as he chased her down the hallway, leaving Feathers behind. He wasn’t exactly sure what was going on, but they said something about being paid and defending the mansion. Finally some action after all that nonsense back in the danger room. Shin was the exact type of person that Atticus wanted to both show up and (unbeknownst to him) impress. Atticus craved that attention as much as he denied it. Maybe this mission, whatever it was, would be enough for Atticus to finally prove himself.

…or whatever.

Shaking the thoughts away, Atticus follows after Len and is marveled when he is bypassed by Feathers and his half-naked body. To make things worse, Atticus eventually lost sight of them because he still wasn’t used to the twists and turns of this place. One day he would get it but it definitely wasn’t going to be today.

Moving out through the front doors, finally, he finds Len and a naked Feathers. Feathers it shifting in a most painful looking way. Bits of flesh and muscle falling to the ground as the winged man he once knew changes into something out of a fantasy movie. Could he do that the whole time?

”What in the heEEEEELLLLLLLLLLL!!!

He didn’t know what it was but Atticus was suddenly snagged off of his feet by some invisible force. It pulled and moved him away from the front doors and into the air. Trailing behind the now flying Feathers with a mounted Len, the heatmancer found himself flailing wildly in a vain attempt for any kind of control over his body. Thankfully the flight wasn’t long and after Atticus landed with a thud, he righted himself and wobbled. That had not been the best feeling.

Someone nearby was monologuing but Atticus was busy trying to get his head back on straight. Once the world had finally managed to regain normalcy he saw a burst of a fire in the air and someone shout something utterly stupid.

”Eh? What was tha–UURK!!!” Atticus flew, his words cut off, as a fiery foot slammed into his cheek and sent him rolling across the grass.

That…hurt…

While he could have carried both of them, Carrick was grateful Lenna was willing to fly Atti herself. It was good for two reasons, one he was faster with one person and while playing the role as steed it made his job easier for maneuvering and two he still wasn’t sure about Atticus. There was already one musician with an accent at the mansion. He didn’t like his toes to be stepped on.

From the sound of things neither did Atti. Carrick was already off in the air as Lenna patted him to give him direction. Letting out a loud “Sceeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!” Carrick was flapping with all his might to pull him and Lenna about face towards where Atticus just got attacked by the teleporter. Great. Carrick hated dealing with teleporters. He made a mental note to watch his own back. That was usually where they’d try attacking (the lesson was previously learned the hard way).

The mythical beast pounced where the teleporter was and right before he landed a quick flame and the man was gone. Massive claws and paws slammed into the ground tearing the dirt and flames in the process. Carrick staggered back slightly as a few of the hairs on his paws were burnt from the failed attempt to catch his prey. Carrick let out a low sigh and chirped a few more times. If anyone could speak Gryphon they would have heard the words ‘coward’ followed by a few curse words.

The teleporter appeared again on the shifters side ready to land a flame kick to the bird like face. Carrick shifted slightly bringing Lenna into the direction of the attack. He did say he didn’t want to attack her right? Carrick was willing to see how far the man was willing to stick to his principles.

>>> ”What in the heEEEEELLLLLLLLLLL!!!

Oh. She had surprised him. Atticus must not have heard her request.

”I am SORRY!” Lenna called back to Atticus.

She did not glance back, much, so she did not see his uncool flailing, much. They needed to work on that. She needed to work on that. Levitation.

She felt kind of bad he had not landed gracefully, as she had desired.

Yes, most certainly. Practice was in order.

Lenna compartmentalized, and focused on the bigger problem. A monologuing idiot.

—

And then the idiot was attacking Atticus and she was telling Carrick to take off.

>>> “Eh? What was tha–UURK!!!”

Lenna suddenly felt really bad for the guy. Getting levitated by surprise, then kicked across the field. All for following her?

>>> Carrick turned them around with a “Screeeeeee!!”

Lenna made a mental note of the man’s powers. He had moved from one spot to another, rapidly, in a burst of flames. What was his name again? Vale?

She kept her eyes open, prepared to target him to moment he appeared nearby. He was absolutely in her range. She could immobilize him and let the guys beat him to death. Correction: near death. X men do not kill.

Carrick pounced at the guy, and Lenna went along for the ride. FlamePOOF. Aaand he was not there. The mansion grounds were pawed to hell as the gryphon landed. Chirps and a sigh. HE was Clearly upset they had not raked the foe. The scent of Burnt hair reached her nostrils as Carrick reacted to the flames left behind. She pulled back a little at the heat, but it was not high or hot enough to get her atop Carrick’s back.

Lenna turned, as something appeared in her peripheral vision. The teleporter. Ready to aim a kick at the gryphon’s head. Aaaand— she was moving towards the kick, rather than Carrick moving away. He was positioning her—

Lenna let out a hurried “hey hey hey!” He was going to have her take the kick, and— her eyes hardened and got a steely glint to them as Vale came in, with a kick. She could take this. She would hit him with her power!She would block the leg with a bubble before it hit, then counterattack, and— !!

He just stopped, mid-strike. Halted his kick in mid-air. Seemed to float for a second, hair drifting in the wind.

“No.” Vale said. A puff of smoke left the side of his mouth.

Would he really not attack her, because she was a woman? At all costs? Really?!

”FOOL!” Lenna screamed. She lobbed the tree branch she had been holding with all her telekinetic might. It spun through the air, to smash him in the chest. Redness sprayed from the impact site. Vale fell like a flaming meteor. Straight Towards the ground. And then— !!

There was a burst of flames. He was not falling any longer. He was on the ground below them. He brushed his hair aside, and spat out a mouthful of blood with a laugh. Then looked up towards the pair.

He cups both hands to either side of his mouth, and shouted up at them. “You know, the Vale in Vale is short for AVAILABLE!!”

If he had still been within range, Lenna would have hit him again. Her branch was gone now. She needed something to hit him with, from range. The woman reached into her pockets for something, anything. Rooted around for a moment, noted her pocket contents. Here they were, assorted odds and ends from her pockets. Coins, subway tokens, other things… She settled for the house keys. suitably slashy.

”Good idea. Now get me closer. I will cut him.” She told Carrick.

On the ground, Vale assessed his situation and decided on his next target. He was still standing. That tree branch had HURT, though. What a woman.

It had worked, not only did the teleporting man not hit Lenna but Lenna didn’t hit him in response! Smart play by her, it would have sucked to buck her off. Not that he wouldn’t deserve it though. The shifter made a mental note to not stand in striking distance. A distance that got longer as he saw the tree branch smack the porter in the chest.

There were a few more chirps, words that wouldn’t be understood by anyone unless they could speak giant bird. The chirps all were in support for Lenna’s strike. They also encouraged her to hit him again. This man was a fool. Lenna had training, he had seen her throw knives. It was one of the reasons Carrick was so fine with throwing her in the direction of the attacks.

At least this guy didn’t hit animals.

>>>“You know, the Vale in Vale is short for AVAILABLE!!”

The massive head of the Gryphon turned to look at the rider on it’s back and cocked his head to the side as if to say ‘Len? He’s single!’ interested?

”Good idea. Now get me closer. I will cut him.”

“Screeeeee!” the bushy tail flicked behind him as Carrick’s body went into a sprint towards the fire porter. Carrick inhaled and let out another screech this time it was directed at his prey hoping he wouldn’t flame out of the way again.

Atticus, she was not thinking about. He had gotten kicked, went down, things had happened. Lenna had lost track of him. Hopefully he was alright. Her and Carrick would take care of this Vale. Ugh.

Carrick sprinted towards the guy on the ground.


The man got ready to dodge an incoming gryphon Lenna gripped her keys in mundane hands as she switched her telekinetic focus, a holding maneuver. Keep him from running. Maybe he would forget to teleport. Carrick could take him with claws, or she could redirect the attack she had planned to where ever he went in response to Carrick’s assault. Then, she felt Carrick inhaling for a screech,

Lenna did not expect anything other than a mundane screech. Vale got stuck in place, as she mentally held his person.