10505/Winter Market

Winter Market
Date of Scene:	22 December 2019
Location:	Breakstone, Westchester County
Synopsis:	Rogue saves a bunch of girl scouts from an out of control truck
Cast of Characters:	Polaris, Rogue

---

Polaris has posed:
It was the annual Winter Market in what little excuse for a 'downtown' area that the locals had. It was a small little plaza ringed on either side with roads and trees. To one side was a 'Welcome to Breakstone' sign and an American flag pole to the other. However, for the time being there were a half dozen or so pop up tents situated around the area. Another few local businesses had come out to sell coco and roasted chestnuts. A few scouts from the local groups had come out to sing various carols.

One of the tents sold 'adult' beverages, mulled wine and cider. And a hot toddy for those that asked for it. Another stall had a Santa like display, where kids could pose with an old man that came out to volunteer every year.

There was a horse in a small fenced in area giving children rides, the mandatory 'antlers' clipped to his head too.. And a gaggle of Christmas trees for sale. Off the other side was a meager attempt at holiday lights display. ost of which were clearly in the 'Christmas' camp, but someone had attempted to put up a little light display of a menorah too.

Lorna stamped her feet, shivering in many layers of cold weather gear, hunched over a cup of coco and muttering to herself about wanting to go back to Genosha. It was too damn cold. There was still remnants of snow and ice in places here and there. Though it hadn't snowed all that recently.

"I am trying to be social. I am trying." She muttered to herself, sipping at her drink.

Rogue has posed:
Rogue was all smiles, as being outdoors for reasons like this were some of her favorite things to do. She loved being outside, even in the winter, she could bundle up and cover up all her dangerous skin except for her face and not be looked at like she's a weirdo (as if thats the reason most people are looking!).

So she too is sipping hot steaming coco out of a big white foam cup. Her green eyes are scanning this way and that as she walks along with the Princess. Rogue has to glance over at Lorna as she hears her muttering those words for like the tenth time this afternoon.

She bumps shoulders with her lightly.

"Yeah, you're a real social butterfly, Sugah." Rogue states in that sassy voice of hers. She uses her cup-holding gloved hand to point at the Adult Beverages tent. "Get in there, get yourself some alcohol, you'll loosen right up." Rogue grins then at Lorna, teasing about their Halloween outing in Manhattan a couple months back.

Polaris has posed:
Lorna huffed a breath, pouting, yes the Princess of an island nation was in fact pouting... so much for those fancy etiquette lessons.. "I miss the warmth weather.. or having my heater of a boyfriend with me.. I just don't want to be cold anymore." She whined, and sipped at her drink in a pitiful way. Unhappy with how cold it had already gotten. Or rather how it was now actually drinkable temperature.

A glance at Rogue followed her friend's gesture to the adult beverages bar set up and she narrowed her green eyed gaze at Rogue. "Oh no. Nope. I am not having a repeat of Halloween. No thank you." She blinked instead as her attention shifted to the tent next door. A little sign advertising German bratwursts, pretzels and other such lunch foods caught her eye.

"Oh, that looks good actually. C'mon." She made a beeline for the line that was curving around the corner, stamping her feet to try to bring some circulation back to her toes.

Rogue has posed:
Rogue's got her heavy dark gray navy peacoat on over a red sweater and some blue jeans that are tucked into a pair of comfy winter boots that go up to her knees. Her gloved hands are both holding onto the hot cup of coco and o her head is a dark red wool knit beanie with sunglasses resting up ontop of her forehead.

She grins over to Lorna.

"Oh I know, but I gotta try!" She states in response to her friend, glancing over to her as she follows the Princess wherever she wants to go today, it had been Lorna's idea to come out here to begin with, Rogue was here to play good friend! But it snot a party night, like that night before Halloween had been.

"How is your new relationship goin'?" Rogue then asks, glancing over to Lorna. "Berto is hot, t'say the obvious. He treatin' ya good?" She asks, before sipping her drink again.

Polaris has posed:
Lorna grinned at Rogue as they waited in line for the food, slow as the line was... talking about Roberto apparently earned a blush to her already cold chilled cheeks and a smile to her lips. "Roberto and I are good.. We to Genosha, and spent the day just seeing the sights. And we're good.." She trailed off, coughing lightly.

"Yeah.. he is hot.. literally.. It's the best thing in Winter." She murmured, and finished off her coco in a long gulp, tossing the foam cup into a nearby trash can as the line continued to slowly move upward.

"Dad hates him though.. claims he's bad for me in all the important ways. That it goes against my duty and responsibilities and everything." She rolled her eyes, "But c'mon, where am I going to find a guy that is a.) not scared of dating me b.) used to my brand of crazy and isn't running, and lastly, c.) a mutant. My dating pool is hella small!" She huffed and as finally it was their turn.

"I'll have the pretzels and mustard.. and I'm covering anything she wants." She nodded her head toward Rogue, pulling out a credit card and handing it over to the person on the other side of the little folding table. She'd even taken off her gloves to dig it out of her wallet!

"So, anyways.. Roberto is kind of dragging his feet on the PR angle. We're not out as dating 'officially' but it's only a matter of time. If his PR team doesn't get it together, someone is going to figure it out. I mean, damnit, he's been having me at his apartment in Manhattan when I'm here in the States more often than not."

Rogue has posed:
Rogue is taking her time with her drink, not attempting to chug it down like Loran just did. She just asks for a pretzel when its her time to order, thats enough for her, probably all she eats the whole day in fact. Her eyes glance over to Lorna whilst her snack is handed over to her with a napkin around it.

She grins at Lorna. "Sexy sexy..." She mutters at the various things Lorna says with regard to her and Roberto. "Someone that lights up like that would be pretty spectacular this time'a year. Don't even need'ta light the fireplace... but then... where's the fun in not doin' that?"

"As for your dad... you just remind him'a that perfume bottle if'n he starts questionin' your romantic interests and the logistic behind'em." Another grin is afforded to the Princess before Rogue samples her treat and takes a sip of her drink.

"PR team?" She says with a partially full mouth. "You're just datin', whafts the big damnf deal?"

Polaris has posed:
Lorna laughed again, rolling her eyes as she smothered yet another grin as she took her pretzel smothered in mustard and gnawed on it after paying and tucking her wallet away. Her boots crunching on the salt and slushy remains of ice on the pavement beneath her feet. "Okay. So. We actually have to be careful in public. Apparently his uhm.. powers, cause some kind of a charged particle field that interacts with the electrons in my magnetic fields and uhm.. it.. uhh.. causes a bit of a light show.." She bit her lower lip, glancing side long at Rogue.

She walked along, breaking off parts of the baked pretzel to try to smear more of the mustard on the ends as she walked. The mention of the perfume bottle nearly made Lorna choke on the bite she had, causing her to cough repeatedly as she caught herself inhaling at the wrong time. "He still thinks you'd have been way more acceptable than Roberto for me." She drawled, and shook her head. The PR team was an //issue//.

"He's the leader of an international company. He's made public statements against my father and not wanting to 'get in bed' with dictators.. in a business sense." She blushed faintly at that. "It would cause issues for his company to have word get out that we're a thing.. complications with what he's doing in his personal life verses his businesses.." She grimaced. "My end is easier, Genosha will be happy I'm dating a mutant and a guy that's hot. The news media over there is pretty relaxed when it comes to the royal family. It's nothing like England... thank god."

Rogue has posed:
Rogue cannot help but snicker at the little part about Magneto feeling a relationship with her would be better than Lorna with Roberto. She doesn't comment on it, it just amuses her. But Magneto's affection for her amuses her for a number of reasons that she knows is best not to get into here with this pretty Princess.

So she just samples mor eof her pretzel, no mustard for her, she just takes little chunks of it off to chew on and uses the coco to make it taste chocolatey.

Her eyes continue to search around, observing everything at this outdoor Christmas festival. But she keeps on topic. "Yeah but you're not your dad. Thats all your answer has t'be. If Roberto has issues with your pops, thats a completely different human bein'. Besides, separating yourself from him is somethin' ya need t'do more of for the public anyhow, right? Datin' a guy who talks ill of your dad seems like one way'a showin' that you're a different person. Thats just my take on it all though, Lorna-loo."

Polaris has posed:
Lorna sighed and continued to pick at her pretzel as they walked around the little loop of tents and eyed the roasting chestnuts and girl scouts signing Christmas Carols. Part of her was annoyed, but the atmosphere was rather picturesque. Even if the kids were definitely off key. Her gaze swept back to Rogue and she slowed her step to turn at the end of the little Winter Market and turn back around to keep walking.

"Well, I hadn't thought of that part. I mean, I'm not worried about my image in Genosha dating him. Might even improve my ability to find business deals for Genosha and get some more work done that way. It's mostly Roberto that's concerned about his image. So, I told him, let his PR team make it something useful and use it to get some goodwill. I dunno. It's not my worry. I am getting a little annoyed that it's been a while though.." She huffed a breath.

Which is when the sound of a tire popping could be heard and the screeching of brakes against the slippery road could be heard. A beat up old pick-up truck had popped a tire going over the curb and the driver, clearly a panicked teenager, had swerved right onto the sidewalk where the carolers were standing. Screams and panicked voices could be heard all around as people saw and realization hit them.

Rogue has posed:
Rogue just gently shakes her head side to side while eyeing the pretzel in front of her. "I wish I had advice for ya, Lady Lorna, but those kinda problems are above my paygrade." She glances over to Lorna and offers the other a slight grin. "Ya'll will figure it out though, I mean take a step back and look at the problem from afar... As far as problems go? Seems like a tiny one, really."

Rogue looks away again to the girl scouts ahead of her. "Besides ya'll gotta--" she cuts herself off when she hears the pop of that tire and her eyes snap over in that direction like so many other sets of eyes here at the festival.

"Heads up!" Rogue quickly says then as she drops her food and leaps into action, her goal isn't try to the stop the truck as its between her and the people. Her goal is to suddenly lift up off of the ground and fly at the people the truck is driving toward, to try to pick some of them up and get them out of the way!

Polaris has posed:
There were gasps and screams, as the girl scouts scattered in every direction possible. Save a few of the younger ones pushed over in the chaos. It was seconds, that everything happened. The truck going over the curb and then suddenly... Rogue was there, picking up the girls and pulling them out of danger and into safety. And so the Southern Belle had an armful of crying, screaming, terrified girl scouts in her arms. Sans hot coco.

Lorna for her part, hadn't flown over, she didn't particularly need to. The instant that Rogue flew, her hand stretched out and she caught hold of the beaten up pick up truck in her magnetic fields. The metal groaned, as the force of its movement was suddenly halted and pulled backward.

The pick up truck groaned, and teetered back off the curb and back onto the street. Then leaned over with a crunch, where the popped tire's rim smacked against the pavement. Within seconds the frightened teenager was out of the truck, shaking and screaming and failing their arms all over as they stared in horror... at what almost happened.

Rogue has posed:
With the three girls in her arms, Rogue swoops up and then forward to set them down onto the balcony dining area of a cafe that was filled with patrons enjoying a meal outside during the winter festival. Rogue crouches down to look at the faces of the girls each, nodding at them as she sees their worried faces but can tell they're okay.

"We're good here, no frettin' or fussin' yeah, sugahs?" The southerner says to the girls, then gives them a big grin. "Okay, ya'll sit tight up here for a spell." A glance is given to a woman and her daughter who were standing up from a table beside them, they move to help the girl scouts as Rogue turns and leaps off of the balcony to float back down toward the truck.

She knew Lorna could and would stop the truck, its why she went for the girls ultimately, but she didn't know how quickly Lorna could stop it. When she sees it stopped, sees the kid getting out all frantically, Rogue lands there beside them and raises a hand up at them.

"Shh shh shhh!" Rogue glances at the tires. "Did ya hit somethin'?" She asks, unsure of what caused the blowout still. Worried it may have been something worse, something nefarious... after all a few months back she'd been attacked by snipers and bombs near here.

Its a weird world, with a lot of a-holes in it.

Polaris has posed:
Lorna made her way over at normal speed, though her steps were a bit more hurried as she walked around the crowd that surged forward to grab their own children or others came racing up because there was something to //see//. A Rogue something. Lorna wasn't immediately visible to caught the eye, bundled up with her hood on her head and scarves around her chin.. she wasn't immediately pegged as the one that stopped the truck. Even as she came up alongside Rogue.

"There's something in the tire.." She offered, moving to bend toward it and layer her hand over the rubber. It was a subtle use of her powers, one she didn't need to do. But still, when the green haired woman straightened, she came back up with a long jumbo sized nail that looked like it belonged in a nail gun. The teenager was a shaky mess of nerves, shaking their head back and forth and jittery as she apologized over and over for almost hitting a bunch of kids.

Lorna came over to pass the nail to Rogue, "I think we should do a loop of the area." She glanced back at the teenager, as someone older came over. On the phone, giving Rogue a wide berth. An older white haired woman who was clearly concerned, but also not sure what to make of all the chaos.

At least no one was hurt.

Rogue has posed:
Rogue puts her gloved hands onto the driver's shoulders to try to help calm her down, giving them light and gentle squeezes. "You're good, nobody got hurt, okay?" She says with a deep and even stare to try to garner the girl's own stare back. "Just breath, we're all fine here."

Its Lorna's words that draw Rogue's attention away from the younger girl to the Princess again who reveals the big nail. Rogue's eyes narrow at it and she accepts it into her right gloved hand's palm. "Could just be construction for the festival maybe it was layin' on the road?"

At Lorna's suggestion of someone maybe having shot it at the truck though, "Right. If they seen what happened, they might be runnin'. Better go Birds-Eye." One thing is for sure... working with the Avengers made Rogue a lot more confident in her public use of her own powers...

As such, she looks up and then rockets into the air. There one second, the Southern Belle is gone the next! Flying up to spin all around to search for Runners.

Polaris has posed:
Lorna smiled at the white haired old woman that came up and took Rogue's place of trying to comfort the jittery teenager. The woman clearly looked to be well practiced at handling accidents and child. So the green haired mutant was more than happy to leave the still clearly upset kid to the older woman's attention. It wouldn't be long before the police showed up, took statements, checked everyone over. The girl scouts were also being tended to by the Troop Leader by now, and head counts were being made.

As Rogue shot up into the air, people shouted again in amazement, some in surprise. Pointing as the woman took off and //flew//. It was something beyond the typical small town Winter Market after all.

From a bird's eye view, or Rogue's view, at least. There didn't seem to be anyone running. Either it was done by someone that knew not to run, or it was an accident after all.

Rogue has posed:
Once in the air, a good distance at least, Rogue comes to a sharp stop and flaots there, her left leg extended down with boot tip aimed back at Earth and her right leg bent at the knee, her hands out at her sides as she does a full twirl in midair, her eyes specifically checking the roads first for any signs of fleeing vehicles...

Then she searches the park pathways for people on foot.

Eventually though her heart rate slows and she starts to look back down for Lorna, then sweeps down to join her. "Don't see nothin'." She says, exhaling a puff of steamy breath into the cold air. "Just an accident?" Rogue asks again, still holding the metal nail in her hand, wrapped up in her wine colored glove.

"Maybe I'm gettin'a little paranoid about this sorta shit?" She asks with an adrenaline fueled grin showing on her pale pink painted lips.

Polaris has posed:
Lorna watched, keeping her senses spread wide to try to sense anything in the magnetic fields.. but she picked up nothing out of place. She pursed her lips, her focus shifting back up to Rogue's floating figure above the Winter Market and back to the gathered up crowd around them. As the other mutant floated back to the ground the greenette shrugged once.

"I dunno. Hard to say. It could be someone doing something and being aware of who we are.. or an accident. Who can say?" She murmured, and the sounds of police sirens could be heard as the law enforcement finally arrived on scene.

"C'mon, maybe we should get out of here, or else we're gonna get stuck with filling out statements.."

Rogue has posed:
Rogue lands with Lorna. Her eyes go from the nail in her gloved hand to the cops who are spreading out. Some people are already pointing over to her and she shows a soft frown and gives a light exhale.

She looks to Lorna then and shakes her haed. "I've already been fingered, and not the fun kind." She shows a smirk at her dumb joke then tips her chin up at Lorna.

"Go on ahead, I'll catch up. If I run away now, it'll look suspect. Looks like I got the majority'a the cell phone footage this time anyway. Next time ya owe me, savin' ya from havin' t'explain why the Genoshan Princess is in a outta control truck fiasco."

Rogue smirks then and starts to turn to walk toward the Cops. She loves cops... So much! Well, some of them anyway.