10166/Third time is the charm

Third time is the charm
Date of Scene:	23 November 2019
Location:	Classroom - Xavier's School
Synopsis:	Andrea has finally found her freedom.
Cast of Characters:	Cannonball, Rage, Psylocke

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Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie has asked Betsy if she could meet him and Andrea for a talk. As he walks down the hall to meet her. He looks over to Andrea, and says "Think of it this way, once Betsy says everything is ok, you can tell me Ah am just an old worry wart. You do know worrying about the students is part of my job.

Rage has posed:
"You are being a worry wort. Nothing is wrong." Andrea says as she flicks her tongue ring about her teeth, a newly acquired pierce of metal in her mouth. "We could have gone out to dinner and had a good time, but instead you and Alexis had to treat me like some type of criminal. Every popstar is allowed their Britney moment. Be glad I didn't shave my head."

Psylocke has posed:
When Betsy was asked to meet, it was after class time. She had changed clothes into a pair of black slacks, matching boots and a purple sweater. Her hair was pulled back into a high ponytail.

She was sitting in her old classroom, from when they had her teaching English. Thankfully those days were behind her. Yet, it was a convenient place for her to meet with students when necessary. The new English teacher didn't mind.

She was sitting behind the desk, her phone in hand as she waited for their arrival.

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie comes walking in and is saying "And you just told me last week how you did not have Britney moments." He looks over and says "Hey Betsy thanks for meeting us on short notice." He looks back over to Andrea, and says "Two things have changed in that time, and Ah don't think this is over him." He tells her." he will hold out a chair for Andrea, and says "So you want to fill Betsy in?"

Rage has posed:
"It doesn't mean that I can't have one now. Britney moments are unpredicrable." Andrea says as she hesitates at the door frame at the sight of the telepath. She scrunches her nose up, then heads over to the seat to sit down into it, after spinning it around so that she can straddle. "Hello Miss Braddock. Mister Guthrie is convinced that something is wrong." She says as he props an elbow on the back of the chair, cupping her chin in her palm.

Psylocke has posed:
"And you are convinced nothing is?" Betsy asks automatically as she rises from her seat to walk around to the opposite side so the wooden surface isn't keeping them apart. She leans against the edge of the desk, hands to either side. "The question is what has happened to cause his concern?"

She looks from one to the other. "There has to be something which happened for him to jump to that conclusion."

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie looks over, and since Andrea did not fill her in, he will. "She had been having issues for some time. The Prof helped her in the past, but she has told us for a while she felt she had another in her head with her. her wolfen side. The wolf seemed to be getting stronger since some traumatic events the wolf was getting stronger. She talked to Emma, and seems Emma got rid of the wolf." He looks to Andrea with concern, and says "And since then she has been acting out of character, not bad, or evil twin or anything but not like the girl Ah have known.

Rage has posed:
"I got a tongue ring." Andrea says as she gives a casual glance over towards Sam, clicking the barb against her teeth. "And then he brought his new girlfriend over to interrogate me, and I took exception to it because I felt it was a set up, and rude. So of course I wasn't happy." She picks at her fingernails a bit. "I don't really know her and I felt uncomfortable."

Psylocke has posed:
"So you've had another personality in your head? That Emma locked away? And now you are acting in ways that Samuel is not used to." Betsy talks through it, watching their expressions as she does so. "I have learned through the years that Samuel is very in tune. Thus, if he feels something is off, is it possible that they are? Have you heard any other voices since Emma cut off this Wolf personality?"

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie looks over, and says "Sorry if it made you uncomfortable Andrea, Ah thought you would be ok with her coming and just was looking for a second opinion. Did not mean to be an interrogation. Ah figured she would know more if it was just a normal girl thing and Ah was over reacting. One of the first things you asked me to do was not compare ya to Rahne when I came back Andrea, and ah have tried, but Dani, Rahne, and Illyana are my sorta guide lines for whats normal for late teenage girls."

Rage has posed:
Wrinkling her nose, Andrea lets out a soft breath of frustration. "Mister Guthrie, not every girl is built the same. It's not like there is a checklist." She gives Betsy a look, like 'is he for real?' She rubs at her knuckles that are taped up from an earlier accident, that may have involved glass. At the question if she's heard voices, she gives a pause, then glances off to the side, head tilting a bit ever so slightly. "..maybe."

Psylocke has posed:
Maybe is an answer for concern. Most people would immediately answer yes or no. Maybe was hedging. "This makes me think something may be going on but you are unsure if it is another voice or just say, your conscience?"

Betsy considers the young woman. "I would like to look into your mind, be certain that there is nothing still going on up there. Can you tell me when you first noticed this Wolf that was in there previously? And did Emma remove the Wolf or 'cage' it, so to speak?"

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie will move to sit at at the edge of a desk, he is going to keep quiet now and let the expert take charge. Sam trusts Betsy, possible more than any other Telepath. He does not gloat about there is something no he just watches concerned

Rage has posed:
Shrugging her shoulders, Andrea says, "I don't know.. maybe after Mason's suicide attempt when I was fourteen. Started out real soft, like a whisper. Got louder and louder as the weeks went by. Then after I got shot in the head .. by accident.. it became a full blown personality, and then I started waking up as a wolf outside with no memory how I got out there." She shifts her jaw a bit, rubbing her knuckles against it afterwards.

"Emma went into my head and she told me she put Rage in a box and she won't ever bother me again. Gwen said some stuff that supposedly Rage was yelling at them about right before it happened.. um... something about how she was protecting me and without her I'll be in danger and I won't survive what's to come.. something like that." She shrugs her shoulders upwards a bit.

Psylocke has posed:
"So after a traumatic event then a traumatic injury." Betsy gives a decisive nod. "Those are times that would make sense for a personality split. Emma locked up the Wolf then. Rage, you say?" She has a name at least. Names help. Sometimes.

"I am going to look into your mind now. If you wish to sense me while I'm in there, I can do that. Otherwise, I can make it so you feel nothing." And once she has the preference for what Andrea wants to have happen, the purple butterfly like light will appear around her eyes as she opens her mind, reaching out to Andrea's to scan her surface thoughts.

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie is quiet he just watches the real world to make sure none interrupt them, not expecting problems here.

Rage has posed:
Letting out a frown, Andrea gives a glance over towards Sam for a moment, then looks back towards Betsy. As her eyes glow and enters her mind, they are surrounded in complete darkness for a moment.

Once the mind clears, the thick, large forest that seems to have no end comes into view, surrounding a large pool of sparkling water. The moon is fat and full in the air, shining down her pregnant beacon upon the water's surface, causing it to shimmer. Where Emma may have left a calm evening behind, now exists a torrential downpour of fat rain drops from the dark cloudy sky.

Near the water's edge is a tiny black box that rattles and rocks furiously with the sound of whimpers echoing from within. Andrea comes into view, dressed in a pair of basic jeans, a conservative baggy white sweater and a small gold cross dangling at her mid-chest. One thing they can notice is how big the trees are. Standing tall giants. All about the dark shadow forest is the sound of whispers and giggling, that of Andrea's memories.

Psylocke has posed:
As Betsy goes into her mind, she finds herself far deeper than she should have. It was a surface scan but now she is far in memories and psyche. It's a warning sign again. Something isn't right for that to happen. Unless...

"Andrea. I'm guessing Rage is over here." Betsy walks over to the black box, eyeing it a moment then back to Andrea. "Who else is in here with us? Show yourself."

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie starts to whistle a tune but catches himself before he starts. He looks over making sure both are breathing Check he is good at this job.....

Rage has posed:
"I wasn't here last time when Emma went in. I don't know where this is." Andrea says honestly as she gives a glance about, shuddering at the feeling of cold rain washing down upon her. Through the woods, the sighs of glowing eyes can be seen at times, blinking in and out, followed by more whimsical giggling. A pair of koi fish the size of VW Beatles can be seen floating about, dancing around each other happily.

<< I love you, Mason! You'll always be my best friend. >>

<<I love you too. You're my girl.>>

As the two fish swim about in mid-air through the trees, the blue fish that represents Mason slowly fades away, crumbling to dust, causing the pink fish that is Andrea to come to a stop, looking about franctically, before it too fades away.

As the box rattles a bit more, there is a low whine from within it.

**Who are you? You do not belong here.** Comes a voice from the shadows as a pair of green eyes balefully glow, before the form of a large red salamander can be seen.

Psylocke has posed:
Memories can take many forms. For most people, it is pretty standard. Reliving them, seeing them as a viewer without interacting with them. This was more like a trip to the astral plane where the person could shape their own reality around them. Only, that shouldn't exist inside a single mind. Unless there was more than one person in that mind, the it might take on that astral plane feel.

They were not alone. She knew it before the voice spoke. As it did, she turned to face it even as she reached out into the mind of the man in the physical room with them. A moment to reach out to ask Sam's permission to bring him in, since he knew Andrea better. He should appear there with them.

"I was invited by Andrea. Who are you?"

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie blinks a bit and almost falls on his but as the desk aint there in this place. He looks around the place and stops his gaze on Andrea "You ok?" He asks her. Seeing if he gets the same reactions he has been out in the real world

Rage has posed:
"I am fine." Andrea says as she heads around the pond towards the black box. Kneeling down next to it, she places her hands around it, drawing it to her as she eyes the lock upon it. Her thumb brushes along the metal.

More memories continue to trickle through the mindscape of this great forest, taking the shape of animals. A large bear is her mother, who is missing a forearm and a back paw, sending her cub off to school with a happy look upon her face. A large Elk is her father with a powerful rack of antlers trotting through the forest. They all fade in and out depending on what the memory is about.

The red salamander stares unblinkingly with it's glowing green eyes at the trio, letting out a loud hiss as she watches Andrea play with the box. As it whips it's head around towards the girl, it's tongue lashes out, long and stick, wrapping about the popstar and tugging her off her feet as she lets out a surprised cry. She jerks her head, sending her sliding along the wet grass towards her as she growls.

**I am Chrysalis and you are not welcome.**

From above the trees, a towering head of a turtle can be seen, covered in a thick brown and rust colored shell, it's features old as time as he lets out a low, tired sigh.

//You are so rude to our guests. You have no manners. Be kind and loving. They are friends.//

**SHUT UP. SHUT. UP. THE WOLF IS GONE! WE ARE FREE!**

Psylocke has posed:
"As I have stated, I was invited here by Andrea." Betsy's now going into work mode. Her mind quickly touches on each of these entities that are talking, determining if they are outside influences or something created from within Andrea's brain. When she has her answer, she reaches out with a swelling of power around her that sends the wind whipping more strongly than it already was.

"You are Chrysalis. And you are?" she calls up to the Turtle. Since they are in a mindscape, it is her plaything as she has much experience manipulating such things. "Release Andrea so we can talk politely. I wish to understand what is going on here. Rage was a problem for you, I take it?"

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie will move to offer Andrea his hand to help her. He knows his physical strength may not be of much use but he was taught his shields by Xavier himself, and he offers his strength to the girl. Not the salamander, not the turtle, not the wolf, but to Andrea.

Rage has posed:
As Betsy scans the terrain, she would find that the salamander and the turtle are constructs of Andrea's mind. There is no outside influence. The salamander tugs Andrea close, then slams a large meaty foot upon her body, putting it's weight on her as if to hold her down. Hissing, it's eyes continue to glower at the pair of them, paranoid and desperate. **GO AWAY. GO OR I EAT HER!**

The turtle lets out another slow, heavy sigh. //Overconfidence is a flimsy shield, Chrysalis.// He tilts his head down and snags the top of a tree, yanking some leaves off as he chews slowly and thoughtfully. His voice is soft, but old like leather as it rumbles through the air. //I am A'tare. Peace, be with you, my children.//

Psylocke has posed:
"I realize I have failed to introduce myself. I'm Betsy. I happen to be a rather high level telepath, though perhaps not quite on par with Emma Frost or Professor Xavier. I am meaning no harm to any of you but you are behaving very rudely and as such, you are forcing me to respond in a like manner. Release Andrea now. If you try to eat her, I will erase you before you can blink. And yes, I can do that quite easily." The scene began to shift around them. It's a mind. That is her bread and butter when it comes to powers. Many know her more as a martial artist, since her body swap, but telepathy has been honed to a fine weapon that can be used with minimal effort.

The rain around them simply stopped. It was still there but it was starting to fall down a dome shape that Betsy had erected. "Chrysalis, why are you so worried about our presence here? And in particular, about this?" She is holding that little black box in her fingers, eyes never leaving the Salamander. The power around her swells further.

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie holds onto Andrea's hand, and says "This is your mind your stage, and none rules Andrea Jackson's stage but Andrea Jackson. Betsy and I are here to help your, were your back up Dancers." He tells her and suddenly Sam is wearing the leather outfit he worse with Lila, complete with spikes and ear rings.

Rage has posed:
As Andrea reaches out to grasp Sam's hand, she can feel the lizard's tongue wrap about her neck, yanking her head back as it hisses towards the teachers. **WE SAW WHAT THE WHITE ONE DID. LEAVE NOW!** Scrambling, tears come to Andrea's eyes as she grasps at her neck, trying to yank the tug away as she coughs and sputters.

The turtle continues to eat slowly as he watches in silence, chewing, swallowing, then taking another bite. He munches away with a lazy look upon his face.

**THE WOLF WOULD NOT LET ME PLAY. SHE IS MEAN. NASTY. DUMB. RUDE! DO NOT LET HER OUT!**

Psylocke has posed:
"Then release Andrea now. Or Rage will be loosed and I will let her do anything she wishes to you."

Betsy's voice is firm. She touches the box and the metal exterior of it pulses outward, almost like the box is expanding and contracting in time with someone breathing.

Rage has posed:
The lizard finally lets go of Andrea, causing her to sputter and choke as she pushes off her feet, stumbling into Sam's arms with a loud sob. She clutches at her head, as if she was having a headache.

Chrysalis stares at the box with fear in it's glowing green eyes. **I let her go, now leave! Throw the box into the water. Do not let her out! Let me play! I am tired of being good. I want to be baaaaad. I want to have fun.**

Psylocke has posed:
"Andrea, you are going to need to help here. I believe I understand what is happening but I need to look at something. I apologize as it may be traumatic but I need to see this memory." Betsy delves quickly into the moment when Andrea was shot, when she started to hear Rage as her own entity in her head. She looked for other fractured bits of psyche that were scattered when the injury occurred.

"I see. Andrea. This is fixable but you have to help. You need to show that strength that we know you have within you. This is your mind thus your world. You can shape and create anything you want here. They..." She motions to the Turtle and Salamander, nodding at the black box in her hand. "Are all pieces of you that have been fractured off the original. We need you to reclaim them into yourself."

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie looks to Andrea and says "Andrea, sing, sing us the song of you. Not the song of the heartbroken, not the song of the hero, not the song of the popstar but the Song of Andrea Jackson, the song that is you and none can claim but you."

Rage has posed:
Giving a loud sniff, Andrea wipes at her face as she trembles against Sam's body. Turning around slowly as she listens to Betsy, she sucks in a deep breath, then gives a firm nod of her head. She gives a motion of her hands, as if she was strumming an instrument, allowing her guitar to appear out of thin air and into her grasp. Taking a few steps forward, she starts to sing in her beautiful, powerful voice that shows a deep sense of vulnerability.

"Lost and defeated, but still I stand,
My heart in pieces will beat again!
There is a story written in the stars,
That makes it worth it just to bare these scars."

"Left foot forward and then my right,
It's not over, I've still got fight,
You get that feeling when you cross that line,
Like it was worth it just to take what's mine!"

"Brave enough to broken!
Can't see, but keep going!
Brave enough to be broken!
There's no more fear inside!"

"I threw my heart in the fire!
I've never fallen from higher!
But I'm still here!"

As the guitar plays, the rest of the instruments for this song comes into the background. Drums. Tambourines. Piano.

The forest starts to slowly melt away, becoming a stage with a sea of people watching silently.

Chrysalis' eyes widen in fear, trembling, soon fading away in a spiral of dust, soon followed by A'tare who simply continues to chew what was the last mouthful of leaves that he had in his mouth. There is no fear in his eyes, only peace and tranquility. All that is left is the box in Betsy's hands.

Psylocke has posed:
As Andrea claims back her mind, Betsy watches as the pieces disappear. They are being drawn into the young woman, merging with her, becoming one again instead of being scattered apart like petals from a flower.

The box in Betsy's hand was a construct from someone else. It will require a little more to free this one. There is a purple glow around the box as it floats into the air. It shakes and jerks a bit as she works at the box, the bonds that are there to tether the creature away. Only because of Andrea's boost, since it is her mind they are in, is she able to undo the more powerful telepath's work.

One moment the box is there, the next it expands rapidly outward then disappears to reveal the wolf within.

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie smiles and softly says "ah knew you had it in you girl, you are a survivor, and you will be you no matter what or who is there, they will not stop you.

Rage has posed:
As the song comes to an end, Andrea is breathing heavily, emotional, with tears in her eyes. When she feels the fractured parts flow back into her, she glows a bit brighter.

Once the box opens, Rage comes leaping out, growing swiftly to the size of a small vehicle, tilting her head upwards for a powerful howl of triumph! Her thick black fur is shaggy and she looks more prehistoric than a normal wolf. Long tusks jut from her muzzle.

~I knew you would come back for me, pup.~

Trotting towards the girl, she leans in and shoves her muzzle in against her hands, allowing Andrea to work her fingers into her pelt. With a sniff, she leans down to wrap her arms about Rage's neck, burying her face into her fur. "I've missed you so much." She says softly.

~The white one angered me greatly. I see you brought red chicken spawn and purple hair with you.~

Psylocke has posed:
"She is a part of you too, Andrea. Not apart. Not separate. She's Andrea and you are Rage." Betsy points out, not wanting her to consider this to be anything else other than a part of her full being.

"Accept her back to yourself and you will be whole again."

Rage has posed:
Pressing her forehead to Rage's, Andrea looks into her gold eyes sadly as she gives another sniff. She strokes her fingers through the thick fur, letting out a soft sigh. It seems that they are finally at an understanding with each ohter. As the wolf shimmers away into a spiral of white stardust, she feels her pass back through her body and complete the healing process.

Wiping the tears from her face, she looks a bit sad to see the wolf no longer standing before her. As if she had to say goodbye to a sister, or a best friend. "I'm ready to go home now."