(OOC: Takes place 3 weeks after the Camp Rescue, and after the Registration Law is done away with. This is one of the Main Rebuilding threads; there may be more. Feel free to create others if you wish. Also, the Mansion is open again, so don't feel you have to post here first. Several things may be going on at once in this thread, so feel free to ask if you get lost later on.

(OOC2: Here is a list of repairs needing to be done. Remember, this thread is 'Day One'. In other words, you're starting from scratch. Time jumps will happened later, but half of the fun is actually rping out the work (i.e., hitting your thumb with a hammer instead of the nail, dropping a brick on your partner's foot, dropping paint on someone, etc.

First Floor (mild repairs, still partially liveable)

• Carpet damp and mildewed from exposure
  
• Holes in the wall, need to be patched and drywalled over
  
• Holes in the ceiling leading to 2nd floor needing to be repaired
  
• Needs to be repainted
  
• Furniture sorted through to see what needs replacing, reupholstering, trashed, etc.
  
• Minor rewiring done, light fixtures repaired
  
• Power and Water turned back on turned back on (You're several months behind in utility bills remember.
  
• Extra debris moved and trashed

Second Floor (unlivable except for a few stray rooms)

• Holes in floor patched and repaired, made sound again
  
• Debris cleared out
  
• Holes in the wall, need to be patched and drywalled over
  
• Holes in the ceiling leading to Attic needing to be repaired
  
• Windows pulled out and replaced
  
• Needs to be repainted
  
• Furniture sorted through to see what needs replacing, reupholstering, trashed, etc.
  
• Rewiring done, light fixtures repaired

Grounds

• 
  Debris piles sorted through to see what is usable, what isn't
  
• Weeds pulled, lawn mowed
  
• Pool area repaired
  
• Gates replaced
  
• Security system fixed/replaced
  
• Privacy wall (wall around the estate) repaired
  
• Mansion repainted, bricked, etc.

Miscellaneous (Most of which Neena will handle off-camera)

• Bills paid
  
• Supplies ordered
  
• Resident files retrieved and organized
  
• Residents tracked down and status identified
  
• Danger Room cleared out and returned to active status
  
• Basically getting the school running again.

Again, don't feel you have to rp all of these repairs. There will be a time jump later. But this thread starts on Day One. Have fun with the work. )

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Three weeks had passed since the mutants were liberated from the Registration Camps in New York. The Registration Law was officially a thing of the past, thanks to the Supreme Court. Which meant that the mutants were now free to go home.

However, some homes were in better shape than others.

Neena chose to walk back to the Mansion, after being dropped off several miles away. She needed time to clear her head of several internal issues, and walking alone was the best way to do so. For that reason, by the time she arrived at the gates, her usual carefree smile had returned to its rightful place on her lips.

The remains of the gates, that is. Well, she had known the place was a disaster zone. Whistling idly, she wandered to make an inspection of the area.

----------------------

An hour later, she sighed, and shook her head. The estate grounds were overgrown with weeds, hiding the signs of battle beneath rambling vines and rubble. It looked like someone had already tried to start cleaning things up; there were several, obviously man-made piles of debris in several locations, with clear areas around them. The gates themselves were actually missing.

The Mansion was also in bad shape, though the building still stood. Holes in the walls had allowed the elements to ravage the interior over the winter and spring. Some of the weeds had even decided to make their homes indoors. At least the majority of the structure remained sound; there would have to be some major remodelling, but the important areas seemed fairly okay.

Still, it would take a lot of time. But this school had once boasted that mutants of all nature would be welcomed, and be safe. Neena, and the others in charge of the school, intended for that claim to come true. Security obviously needed a serious upgrade. But all were still welcome.

Neena stumbled toward the front door, carrying a huge bundle over her shoulder. Once outside, she dumped it with a grunt. The bundle unrolled into a dusty outdoor mat. She grinned, and sneezed.

"There. Can't welcome people without a 'Welcome' mat." She nodded, pleased her placement. Then she set about tallying up a list of what needed doin'. Idly she wonder when the others would start trickling in.

Raina had stayed in a motel at Naveed and Flloyds insistance for the past three weeks. She wasn't sure if she wanted to return to the mansion- she wasn't sure if that was home or if New York city was even home anymore. She'd been trying to figure out with Flloyd's help how long her travel visa for being here would last. She was still a Canadian Citizen and if she didn't get a work term somewhere soon... at least for a year... it didn't matter where she thought was home they'd be kicking her out.

The time away was time for her body to heal and become aquainted with her latest power aquisition. The place they were staying had a pool and after hours while Flloyd and Naveed kept watch Raina had tried to get herself used to the painful transformation she went under when getting wet. She'd slowly learned many ways to control her muscular tail and train herself to breathe using the water. Granted, chlorine stung like a bitch.

She wasn't happy at all about the mutation but conversations with Naveed convinced her that she needed to embrace it because for the time being it wasn't going anywhere. Flloyd had given her some feeble hope that one day she might be able to control her body from allowing it to happen- much like she was learning to control the ice she created.

Finally Raina decided she needed to make her way back to the school. Someone there might be able to help her with her Visa situation, she wanted to be sure her friends were ok, and after their botched 'search party' she felt responsible to help clean up and re build.

She had spent a few days simply watching the place. It was hard to convince herself that a stalker wasn't going to jump out at her. It was weird to have her secrecy back. It was about the third day that she saw Neena. She wanted to rush right out to the somewhat familiar woman but she waited and watched.

Finally she walked up the dusty path. Her long black hair had been cropped a little shorter. She had bangs now, and like she promised herself... it was red. Fiery red. She was wearing comfortable jeans and a baggy shirt. Despite it- it was easy enough to see how thin and frail she was looking.

"Hey." she greeted with a bob of her head and a small wave not wanting to make Neena jump.

ooc: I was thinking the visa issue would be a good lead in in the future for Raina as a teacher

Jeramya felt and heard a thud from somewhere near him. Slowly he opened his eyes, looking around he noticed a black haired woman and a very red headed woman in the area. The redhead spoke in a friendly manner to the black haired woman. 'Maybe they live here, or at least know what's going on.' Jay slowly walked on all fours towards the hallway, trying to be quiet and not scare either woman. He wasn't doing as well as he'd hoped he would, stepping on broken glass, stone, wood and plaster, creaking on the floor, snapping objects all the way.

He was almost to the hall when he caught himself on debris with his horns. Giving up his quest to be quiet he tried to wrench himself free, which caused the debris he was caught on to fall, tossing up dust and creating a domino effect with other things in the area. Sighing, "Well, that didn't go so well." Shaking his head back and forth he realized he had gotten free at the expense of a horn. Looking towards the door, "Um...hello?"

"Gotta order wood to fix up, and brick. Find Ruby's robots. Wonder if they still work.... Gotta find Ruby. New gates. With cameras. Wonder if they come with thermal imaging? Hmm.... need to get the accounts going again...."

Neena sat on the step and pulled a notebook from her shoulder bag. She began jotting down things as she mumbled them aloud. She'd have to run things by Tricity, but not until she had a complete list of needed repairs.

She heard footsteps, but became momentarily confused, as they came from both in front and behind her.

"Hey." 'In front' spoke first, so that's where Neena's attention went first. She blinked at the woman waving at her, then lifted up her glasses and squinted.

"Raina? Is that you? Wow! Check out the hair!" She grinned widely and set her pad on the ground. Then she stood and strode over to give the young woman a hug. "Now that is a hot shade of red, Lady."

It wasn't just the change in hair color; three weeks of recovery had done wonders for most of those confined in the camps. However, Neena did notice that Raina seemed a bit more timid than previously. Of course, considering the circumstances, she definitely had a right to be. The Registration Law was gone, but anti-mutant feelings in the general populace still flourished. It was going to take a long, long while for the dust to settle.

A small crash came from inside the front door. "Well, that didn't go so well."

Neena turned, frowning. She hadn't seen or heard anyone in the entire hour she'd been there. Had someone snuck in when she was out checking the outer wall and grounds? She stuck her head in the door to see.

"Um...hello?"

Once eyebrow raised behind the dark glasses, as she found herself looking at, for lack of a better term, a gargoyle. A talking gargoyle, with dark eyes and...... one horn? Maybe that's why she hadn't noticed him. If he hadn't actually been talking or moving, she would have sworn he was just.... well, a statue.

"Hi m'friend! You okay in there?" She smiled and waved. After reaching down to grab her pad, she entered the room all the way. The carpet squished under her feet.

<"Replace carpet. Something bright this time...."> She noted the repair on her growing list. The she looked at the two.

"Well, I was wondering when people were going to start trickling in again. So, how are ya both?"

Registration was a thing of the past. As such, Neena filed in her mind under that exact category. 'Things of the Past, things you can't change, so why worry about them?' It was time to move on. Time to Rebuild.

Raina beamed when Neena still recognized her. It was so strange to see her with her regular glasses again and not the silly googly ones. She looked sleak and sophisticated. The past three weeks had obviously been kind to her. She returned the hug trying hard to not feel too much like skin and bones to the woman. "It's great to see you." she remarked. "Thanks for the compliment." she gave her hair a flick. "first thing I had to fix. I missed the red so much." she blushed a little.

She picked up her pace behind Neena as the woman surveyed the building. She hadn't brought anything with her but Rupert's jacket that she was wearing despite the heat. She hoped he didnt catch her in it. She coudln't part with it. "Making a list of the fix-er-uppers? I came to see about that myself. My brother and fi..." she hesitstated trying to find her choice of words "friend offered to help too after I check things out. Honestly I just want them out of my hair." she smiled.

It was then she heard the crash and feeble hello. She peaked around Neena to see what had made it.

'They're not afraid? This is going better than I hoped." Mentally he scratched his head, 'Not that I knew what to expect.' Jeramya moved to the side of the hall as the first woman began to walk forward. She was friendly, even asking how he was without knowing who he was. "Umm...I'm alright. I ahh....I was told I should come here. Father told me I might be..." Putting his fingers to his forehead he began tapping them, creating a slight clicking sound from his nails, "What did he call it...Ahh yes, 'Mutant'. He said this is...err...was a place they could come to? He didn't know too much..."

Jeramya slouched visibly. He really didn't know what was going on. Sure the pastor had told him about the world and everything else, but, it was still hard for him to believe. He brought his wings around to wrap his body in them, quite an odd thing to see, and to some a bit creepy. A one horned gargoyle, wrapped in it's wings, and eyes peering over them.

Raina was still peering around Neena when the person came in to sight. Usually she'd at least gasp with something like this... but after seeing a red dragon in the camps nothing really surprised her. "Well Father was Partially right." smiled Raina now standing beside Neena instead of behind her. They were used to mutant drop ins like this.

"This is a good place for Mutants... or it was... not much left of it now." she laughed. "We'd love to have you..." she started "but im afraid it's all very dependent on your abilities with power tools." she muffled her giggle and tried to keep a stern expression on her face while waiting for Neena to possibly introduce them.

She didn't exactly feel right greeting 'new mutants' even though she'd been there a little longer than Neena. If someone was going to be accepted to the school... or rather what was left of it... it would probably be a team effort. "What's your name man? and come on out of those shadows... I gurantee you we've seen stranger." there was a comic glint in her eye and a welcoming smile on her cheeks.

"Umm...I'm alright. I ahh.... I was told I should come here. Father told me I might be... What did he call it... Ahh yes, 'Mutant'. He said this is...err...was a place they could come to? He didn't know too much..."

Neena was paying more attention to the wings than what he was saying. Staring, of course, was not the best thing to do when meeting someone new, but at least she had the glasses to hide it. Besides, those wings fascinated her..... She loved birds, especially owls, but anything with wings was a potential interest. And the way he curled them around his body reminded her of a bat....

"This is a good place for Mutants... or it was... not much left of it now. We'd love to have you... but im afraid it's all very dependent on your abilities with power tools."

Neena grinned at Raina. "Power tools? Aiie, I'd better leave then, for everyone else's safety."

"What's your name man? and come on out of those shadows... I gaurantee you we've seen stranger."

"And as long as you're not a robot sprouting blades and bullets, I'd say you're definitely welcome." She held out her hand to shake, though she didn't know if his mutation had anything to do with touch. "I'm Neena, one of the teachers here. This is Raina, one of the residents. Welcome to Xavier's Institute for Gifted Youngsters. And oldsters."

<"Come to think of it, am I thirty-one yet?"> When was she born again? The seasons were so different in this half of the world.....

Mentally she shrugged and continued. "The school has been abandoned for a while, because of the Registration Law. We're just starting to rebuild. It's won't exactly be luxury accommodations for a spell, but you're more than welcome to stay, if that's what you're looking for. Speaking of which...."

She turned to Raina, her tone a bit softer. "Are planning on staying with your brother and friend? Or were you going to come back?" She had a thought in the back of her mind, but it depended on what Raina's plans were.

After his very trying recovery at the Labs he was back to his full strength faster than he had ever healed. This was mainly to their help, and many of them were healing mutants that knew exactly what to use to speed up the healing process.

It had been months since Streak had set foot on the mansion grounds. After the Registration Law had been revoked and the break out was a huge success Streak decided it was time he headed back to the mansion to see the kind of shape it was in. He hitched a ride from a taxi driver, who didn't know Streak was a mutant, and had him pull up to a place that was a little less conspicuous of him being a mutant. Even though the law had been repealed he was still wary of most humans.

He walked along, keeping his powers hidden from all the passers by around the area. After a while he found himself on a familiar road that he had traveled many months before when he first arrived at the mansion. He walked up the road to where the gates remained and saw them lying in a heap. Streak walked right over the gates and noticed all the rubble the mansion itself was lying in. I cant be the first one to have returned, can I? Streak thought.

He began to look around the place when he heard voices a little ways off. He couldn't make out who the people were by the voices but there was obviously more than one. He snuck around just in case it was some humans looking to vandalize the place some more. He rounded a pile of rubble and saw two girls looking into a space and talking. One with bright red hair and the other with dark hair.

He got closer and noticed that it was Raina and Neena. Just then it occurred to him that neither of the two had ever seen him while he wasn't using his powers. Streak didn't want to sneak up on either of them because he all three of them had been at the camps and they were probably just as paranoid about people as he was. Streak listened to their conversation for a little while without being noticed. He then noticed that they were talking to someone else and not each other.

"Hey Raina. Hey Neena." He said walking up to them. "I'm ready to help with what ever needs fixing, which by the looks of it is quite a bit." There were still a few scars visible from the camps on his arms and face; however there were a lot more that were covered by his clothing. He walked right up to them and wondered if either would recognize him, but he doubted it. The time he had spent at the Labs recovering had helped him build his muscle and normal body size almost back up to where it was from before the camps. Streak did, however, still look a little skinny and under nourished.

After arriving back at the mansion the Lupin sisters had taken a chance to spend more time with one another before Emerald went off to, ‘take care of some things’. She was only gone for a day and she had returned soon after but she was somewhere else on the Mansion grounds.

However, little Ruby had decided that she was going to stay close to the mansion after reacting some of her robots to begin doing very minor things. To do this though, she needed to use her electricity which was something she was still recovering. Her powers had fully returned to her but she was still a bit weak from all the lack of nutrition from the camps. Another week or so she would be fine but for now it was recommended she not use her electricity powers to much. Of course Ruby didn’t listen to this due to the fact that she wanted to help out around the mansion so she reactivated about twenty of her robots before she eventually got so exhausted she had to rest.

Ruby now slept in her fox form, ontop of a tree stump that was surrounded by tall grasses. Even in her fox form her tail was still bandaged up and recovering from her encounters with the guards in the camps. The fourteen year old had been doing a lot better since the camps but one the remained the same and that was the fact that she lost a small bit of her innocence while she was there. Despite her elder sisters efforts Ruby still lost some of that childlike outlook on some people. Her timidness had grown and she didn’t trust people as easily as she used to.

The foxes ears twitched when she heard people nearby, causing her to awaken from her slumber. After listening Ruby identified two of the four voices each belonging to two of the women that were in the camps with the Lupin sisters. Ruby also heard her name being spoken so now she was curious as to what they were talking about. The fox stepped off the stump and casually trotted up to the two females and the new person. Ruby glanced up, letting out a bark , green eyes examining the two. She noticed that Raina had dyed her hair to a bright red, almost as red as her fur and she also noticed that Neena had gotten normal glasses. Ruby saw the new people as well a gargoyle and another male that smelt a little bit like metal.

The Crimson fox Sat down next to Neena’s foot, staying close to the two people she knew, rather than getting close to the other two. The young one was rather apprehensive about meeting anyone new at the moment so it was best she was sticking with Raina and Neena so she wouldn’t be too nervous.

ooc: gargoyle i'm going to fill in some conversation between Neena and Streak but feel free to post going-ons in between!

ic:

Raina laughed at Neena's 'concern' over the power tools. She tried to picture Neena with a power drill and again stifiled a giggle.

It was interesting that Neena was too thinking about her birthday, because although Raina coudln't have known that was what she was thinking Raina had too stopped to ponder a moment how old she was now. 22. that's right. Her birthday was in November, a long time ago, when they first landed in the camps.

<i>""Are planning on staying with your brother and friend? Or were you going to come back?" </i>

It took Raina a moment to break her thoughts when Neena started speaking to her again. She shook her head and focused on the words. Her body posture gave away her feelings instantly as she slumped a little. She looked down to the ground and kicked the dirt trying to plaster that smile on her face. "I'm not sure honestly. I'm having... immigration issues." she admitted. "My Visa was technically up while in the camps but given the circumstance the government has given me a thirty day grace period in which to find a work contract for a year so I may have my visa renewed. How gracious of them after sticking me in the camps to begin with eh? I suppose I should have remembered it coming. My initial hope coming to the mansion in the first place was not only for family..." she hadn't realized she'd used the word family but it rolled out so naturally. "but for work too." she admitted. "All of that got a little side tracked with the camps." she laughed.

She brought herself back up to eye level and seemed to regain her confidence a bit. She was smiling now and it was sincere. She heard a voice come from behind and before she could hear Neena's thoughts on the matter she spun around to see a young man of maybe 17 standing there. He was skinny and knew her name.

It took her a minute but Raina was pretty good with voices giving her sensativity thanks to her mutation. It was a heart beat when she dashed from her spot to wrap her arms around the young man.

"Streak!!! you really are a teenager!" she laughed ruffling his hair. "I'm so glad you're ok! Look at you! wow, you really look like a kid!" she joked walking around him surveying his body. "how's it feel to see your skin? you got away alright? where you been staying."

Streak was being bombarded with questions and though in her only family Raina was the youngest she was completley unaware of how big sisterish she was now being.

Streak stood there a minute and waited. Raina turned around and to Streak's surprise she recognized him. He stood there and wrapped his arms around her in a big hug. It must be my voice. Streak thought. "I didn't think you would recognize me without being all silver." Streak admitted to her. He flashed his right arm silver and then back again to normal.

It had been so long since they'd seen each other. She looked good, healthy. A little skinnier than normal but getting better. Streak was so happy to see her. One of the first faces when he got back to the mansion was hers. That made it feel like home again, even though the mansion was a pile of rubble.

After they let go of each other Raina started to take him in by walking around him. It didn't take long for Raina to start bombarding him with questions of what happened once they got separated at the camps. "I'm so glad you're ok! Look at you! wow, you really look like a kid!"
"how's it feel to see your skin? you got away alright? where you been staying."

Streak smiled at all the questions and laughed a little. "Alright one question at a time please." Streak said like he was addressing the press. "Ya, I'm actually 18 though all my friends and family always said I looked really young for my age and apparently it's true. It feels a little weird, I'm not gonna lie, to see my skin again. Ya I got away alright. I've been staying at the Mondragon Labs from when everyone escaped from the camps. I never saw you there the entire time I was there. And you never visited me while I was healing in the infirmary." Streak said in a slightly accusatory but friendly manner.

"According to the doctors there I was almost dead. I had internal bleeding from what was apparently a shotgun wound and other infections and injuries from being in the camps." Streak said slowly answering her bombardment of questions. It was rather big-sister-ish the way she was asking all the questions. But that was alright by Streak.

Now it was Streak's turn for some answers. "I never saw you there. You look good." Streak walked around her this time taking in her appearance. "You look healthy and like you're getting better still. Where'd you go? Who were you with? What'd you do?" He began asking her question just as fast as Raina had been asking him some. "Oh, yeah. Who's the fox over there? I think she gives your hair a run for its money." Streak said finally stopping back in front of her and smiling, satisfied with how she looked.

Mettaliar walked around the premises of the ruined mansion. His home. Another home he failed at protecting. And why? He didn't know. He just knew he had to make up for not being there to stop this wreckage; he had to help clean up. He walked onto the premises and started cleaning up anything left on the ground and putting it in a pile. He noticed others working on fixing up the mansion and recognized one of them in particular. Neena, the danger-room lady. Mettaliar sighed and walked over to the others and helped them out, listening in on their conversation.

(OOC: Let me know if I got the order of things mixed up (highly possible ).)

Neena heard Raina's words, but her body language said volumes more. Perhaps she was wrong, but Neena got the distinct feeling that Raina didn't want to spend any more time with her brother and friend than was necessary. If that was the case, the dark-skinned woman could definitely relate. And, she could possibly offer a solution.

"A work contract, eh? Hmmm. I think that could be arrang-" She didn't get to finish her statement before another body approached.

"Hey Raina. Hey Neena. I'm ready to help with what ever needs fixing, which by the looks of it is quite a bit."

Neena turned to view the youth. She didn't recognize him at all, until Raina spoke up.

"Streak!!! you really are a teenager!"

Streak? Wow, he looked different.....

A sharp little back came from the ground. Neena looked down, expecting to find a stray dog. Instead a little red fox with huge ears sat between her and Raina, looking up with bright green eyes. A fox with green eyes?

Neena knelt and rubbed the foxes ears. "Let me guess," she said softly, and winked. "Ruby Lupin? We were just talking about you. How are you doing kiddo?"

While Raina and Streak caught up on news, Neena continued to talk to the little fox. She wasn't one hundred percent sure this was Ruby. But really, if it wasn't, what was the worst that could happen? She'd be accused of talking to animals? So did people who dressed their chiuauas in leather jackets and poodles in ballet skirts. Some one called her crazy? That was already documented fact. They'd try lock her in a looney bin? Hello, Registration Camps. Been there, done that.

"Ruby, do you know if those worker robots you built are still around? I've got to order building materials and all that, but I have a feeling we're going to have a hard time finding experienced labor. And the faster we get started, the better. Though it looks like someone already started." She looked around, then frowned. "Is Emerald around?" The lack of presence from the wolf girl did not bode well.

She turned back, and again spotted the statue-looking boy inside. "Oh sorry, m'friend. Didn't mean to be rude. This is Streak, and this is Ruby. I think." She pointed to each in turn, pausing for confirmation from the little fox.

As she turned, she spotted another person making their way toward them. She recognized him well before he arrived, but she waited till he drew closer to wave.

"Heya Mett! You're okay!" Giving the little fox another ear scritch, she stood and strode over to Mettaliar. "Good to see you Mett. Are you doing okay? You look all right. You didn't caught and sent somewhere else, did you?"

Jeramya didn't have much time to speak or respond as more and more people began to show up, along with a fox, an odd looking fox. If his ability to stay here was really dependent on his ability to use power tools he was in a bit of trouble. "I don't mind simple livings. I rather enjoy it actually, but," Speaking softly now, barely above a whisper, "I...I don't know what a....power tool..is...." His voice trailed off and he backed up slowly, which put his back fully against the wall.

As people came to the hall, Jeramya didn't know what to do. Sure he'd hidden in the church while worship was happening, and before that, he'd hidden while people passed him unknowingly. But now he was out in the open, and people knew he was there. He didn't know what to do or how to act. They all seemed to know each other, he was the outsider. Jeramya felt like he was intruding on a reunion. For a minute or so, he sat unmoving, until he took the form of the burrower. After doing so he backed up into the debris and found a place to wait until a better time came to talk. He could still hear everyone in the area.