12516/The X-Games: Flag Football

The X-Games: Flag Football
Date of Scene:	03 December 2020
Location:	Backyard - Xavier's School
Synopsis:	All Hail The Maple Marauders! Screw That Petunia Chick!
Cast of Characters:	Wolverine, SpyderByte, Faraday, Nightingale, Warpath, Cannonball, Jax Miller, Ted Gammage

---

Wolverine has posed:
"There we go. Snow's cleared out, ya buncha whiners."

Setting the snowblower down, Logan turns around to survey his handiwork. He... Got most of the snow, nobody can argue with that. Now there's a mostly-playable surface where earlier there was nothing but whiteness.

Stretching to work out the crick in his back, which works out suddenly with a metallic popping noise, the hair Canadian makes his way toward the center of the crudely chalk outlined field of play. It's obviously nowhere near the size of an actual football field. That would be ridiculous, and Logan straight up wouldn't have snow blown it.

Less than fifty meters long, which was still quite a chore on his poor Adamantium-coated spine.

"On account a somebody stole my silver dollar, I gotta use a quarter for the coin toss. Here goes..."

The Crusty Old Referee, who looks suspiciously like an unenhanced human, tosses the coin into the air, and slaps it against the back of his hand after he catches it.

It's unclear where Logan found someone to referee a co-ed high school flag football game. But he probably found the guy at Harry's...

"And... first possession goes to... the Maple Marauders!"

That's the name that Logan came up with, by the way.

Already lining up, the Other Team looks like it's made up of some of the finest flag-wearing athletes at Xavier's! There's Lefty, who is actually right-handed, but very sneaky. Then there's Big Murph, Star Runningback of his Pee-Wee Football League before his mutation caused him to grow very very big.

And last of all, though whether she's also least remains to be seen, is the mysterious Petunia, who only transferred to Xavier's in the middle of this semester and doesn't really talk to anyone!

Logan takes his place off to the side of the field now that the Coin Toss is settled.

SpyderByte has posed:
How did he get roped into this? Ted must have bailed and he got stuck with it. He was forced into being a 'team' player. The lanky Goth is standing in a pair of short gray workout shorts and a baggy gray t-shirt. He looks miserable.

He's also so pale his super power may be blinding people with his skin. At least Logan is hairy. He's practically an eel.

He lets out a sigh as he holds the ball in his hands, turning it around a few times to get a feel for it. On his arm is a phone strapped.

<< I am going to die. >>

It's flag football.

<< Probably break my leg. >>

Faraday has posed:
Sports! It didn't matter that Indira's parents would have an absolute panic attack if they knew she was out here, and neither was Indi about to point out the reasons if no one asked. She didn't even know how to play, but the chance at actually getting to do any kind of (barely) organized sport was worth all of it.

"Oh you're not going to die! Just... pretend it's a zombie apocalypse. Don't let 'em touch you, and the flags on their belts is how you double-tap 'em. Just, ya know, not actually doing that. And I'm pretty sure only if they have the ball. ...remind me, we don't kick this ball, right?"

Asks the girl in her school gym uniform and sporting her appropriate team colors while bouncing restlessly on her feet. She already warmed up and jogged a few laps around the field, but it doesn't mean she's actually stopped moving even after.

Nightingale has posed:
     Shannon's out there for the game, doing her best to help shovel away some of the snow and neaten up the edges of the playing field. She's in some soft black boots, some old but well-loved jeans, a wine-colored turtleneck sweater, and her red and white 'Where's Waldo' style hat. "I'm tellin' ya, snow like this, we ought to be having a students versus faculty snowball fight. Though if I remember from last year, you're tough to land a shot on."

     She can't help a soft chuckle, just shaking her head and setting her shovel aside, to go change into her gym clothes--a black tanktop with yellow edging, and in deference to the weather, black sweatpants and black sneakers. "You'll be okay, Jer. You're tougher than you think."

Warpath has posed:
     For a school on Christmas break, there is a lot of noise around here. Good sense would tell someone it is a good idea to not follow noise if there is no screams. Sometimes curiosity overpowers good sense. That said, Jimmy makes his way towards the sounds and pauses to watch the antics with an almost smirk.

Wolverine has posed:
"Go get 'em, killers! Yer the roughest sunnsabitches ever throwed a football!"

Wearing a red sweater over his white collared shirt, Coach Logan is already getting into the spirit of co-ed competitiveness. He gets to do some of his favorite things; yell at students, and take credit for their successes.

But privately, he appears to have doubts.

"God... they're gonna lose..."

The Other Team puts on quite a Defensive Showing! They don't give up any yards easily, and even manage to pull off a sack or two!

But they aren't really the kinds of people that you want to root for. Especially that Petunia. She's not going to win any sportsmanship awards.

SpyderByte has posed:
It's flag football, but Jeremy has found himself sacked twice and eating snow covered mud. Ow. He tripped over his feet both times also. He skinned his knee as well. He's not going to cry though. Much. In public.

Letting out a soft huff, he gives an embarrassed look to the two girls, then lines up on the defensive side of the field.

<< I'm sorry. I'm still downloading the top ten best plays of the last twenty years so that we can try and get an advantage. >>

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie comes walking out towards the field as well. The young man saw something was going on from his fly in, and hence after putting some things away, he comes to find out whats up.

Faraday has posed:
Indira can run, jump, and dodge with the best of the normal-legged kids, but she may have just learned this game about thirty minutes ago and did some quick wiki-reading to round out what Logan was trying to explain. Jokes on anyone who tries to tackle her, though. Ramped up as she is, even an accidental collision with her is like what a dog's shock collar must feel like. Some powers you can't turn off.

"Those plays didn't involve mutants!" She calls back to Jeremy as she shakes out a shoe that's gotten a bit too much snow and muck trying to creep in. "Try and get me the ball. I should be able to get around Murph at least, just gotta keep the others busy."

Nightingale has posed:
     The first play of the game was... a play. Perhaps that's about the best that could be said about it. Shannon did her level best, dodging the players on the other team, avoiding getting her wing feathers pulled out, but she couldn't score a point this time for the life of her. Her brows furrow with frustration, and she grumbles softly. "We'll get 'em, guys."

     Too bad for Petunia and her poor sportsmanship. When she needed someone to break her fall, slipping and sliding in the muddy, snowy goop that is the playing field, Shannon just steps aside. Was that a satisfied smirk on her face? No, it had to be a trick of the light.

Jax Miller has posed:
    At times like these, what you really need is a ringer. Someone who has played semi-professionally for practically all his life, and who, when merely hinted at participating, would not only leap at the chance, but probably leap twice as far as the next best competitor. Someone, in short, who isn't going to be listed, ever, as the 'also ran'.

    Someone, in short, exactly like Jax.

    He comes trotting up to the field, fashionably late, although less than twenty minutes ago he was still on the roof fixing the Christmas lights in place. Now he's clad in his football outfit, minus the armor, and looking... well... like he belongs on the field. Per the rules of the game, he's waiting patiently for a down to swap into the team, bouncing on his toes at the sidelines and smiling at the Other Team. /Smiling/. With intent.

Warpath has posed:
     A slow raise of his brow and Jimmy shakes his head. There is something to be said for slow motion car wrecks though and the smirk spreads a little more. He crosses his arms and settles in to watch for a while.

Wolverine has posed:
"Oh come on, ya bums! Rip their flags off like ya mean it! I bet if they was attached to one of them Playtendo's you'da figured out how to get a touchdown!"

It's usually not a great sign when the coach seems to be cheering against his own team, but maybe it's some sort of advanced reverse psychology that Logan has been learning about in therapy?

Probably not, he skips out of virtually all of his therapy sessions to go deer hunting.

The Other Team just barely manages to squeak by a Touchdown on the very last play. It was a close one, and we've all learned something about ourselves. Petunia, for instance, has learned that she's not a very good sport, and she's mostly fine with that.

Big Murph has learned that his team is better at Co-Ed Flag Football, and he's fine with that.

SpyderByte has posed:
Oh Thank Geezus, it's Jax! Jeremy perks up at the sight of his friend and football star of Xavier's. He pushes himself up from the mud, then trots past him, pausing to give him a quick hug. << Okay, team is yours. I'm going to .. um... get everyone water and die. I need my inhaler. >>

The technogoth hobbles off the field and flops down on to a bench, rustling around in his backpack to take out a yellow and red device, then pops a huff off it with a wheeze. He is still missing his flag. Probably being held captive as a trophy from the other team.

Or, Petunia ate it.

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie walks up towards Logan and nods to the shorter man "Hey, you got them playing with or without powers?" He will ask, as he crosses his arms smiling a bit over at the group offering Jeremy a nod since he is now on the side lines.

Jax Miller has posed:
    Honestly, defense is not Jax' game. Used to running free or throwing a ball arrow straight down the field, it takes a change of mindset to /stop/ the touchdown rather than cause it. He rarely ever plays on the defensive team, but he's trying. Trying hard.

    Trying and failing.

    Reflexes work against him today, because no matter how fast he might be, the grip his shoes have on the slippery field is always just a little bit slower. At the end, he misses the final grab for the runner's flag and goes flat out into the mud and snow. Honestly, it's humiliating. It's enraging. As he watches the touchdown, he slams a fist into the mud and feel the prickle of his own claws into his palm.

    Claws!

    Standing up with as much dignity as he can muster (and as a cat, that's quite a lot), Jax dusts himself off or at least smears the mud around more evenly, and then starts to take off his shoes. He's a cat. He has toe claws... built in extra grip.

    Just what he needs.

    He trots off to the sidelines to drop off his shoes with Jeremy and then returns to the team huddle. "Sorry guys, that was awful, I'm sorry. Won't happen again."

Faraday has posed:
"Celebrities being all fashionably late!" Indira calls over to Jax with a laugh as he reaches the field and joins them in a quick breather as the roles begin switching. Then he's promptly swapped out for Jeremy and she shoots the technopath a sympathetic look. "If you find a good play, let us know."

And they start to look better, but the terrain is awful. It was freshly snow blown, but there's no salt and oh - it's still winter and they're all essentially in gym clothes anyway. It's cold out there.

"Eh, warm up. We didn't bet anything, so don't worry about it! ...well, unless coach did. Then maybe worry." She adds covertly to her teammates, even if said coach could probably hear a fly sneeze in the next room. "I'll try and keep 'em off your back, Jax. You know what you're doing here, I'm just winging it - er, bad pun. Sorry, Shan."

Nightingale has posed:
     "I'd only worry if he bet any of his stogies or his stash of beer," Shannon replied to Indi, chuckling. By some miracle, at least she had managed to keep her flag. By that same miracle, she now had mud and snow all down her front, her tank top and sweat pants now clinging wetly to her skin.

     Note: black does not conceal dirt, not when it's gobs of mud and who knows what.

     Despite her slightly bedraggled state, she's grinning, thoroughly enjoying the moment. Friends and family were near, and they hadn't heard the infamous *snikt*. "Besides," she adds. "He usually only yells at the ones he gives a crap about. So we're good."

     Jeremy is offered a look of sympathy, and a thumbs up. "You did good there, Jer. Take a breather, we'll be okay out here." Jax gets a jaunty two-fingered salute and a smile. She also winces when he meets a similar fate to her own. "Ooof... walk it off, we'll nail them yet!"

Warpath has posed:
     As the teams start to go through plays, Jimmy's smirk darkens to something else. He watches each player in turn and his head moves to the side just a little. He doesn't look mad really, just really studying pretty much everything about both teams and how they are acting and reacting to the game as it unfolds.

Wolverine has posed:
There isn't really a 'bench' for the players to come to when they're subbed out. More just... some lawn chairs that have been set up near the Gatorade bucket. Which is where Logan is hanging out.

His job is done, now that he's coached them the past few weeks and turned them into this team of cutthroats. Well, he explained the rules to them once.

He was drunk then, but he got credit for doing it. This counts as participating in the children's education. Xavier can't say otherwise.

"Good job, kid. Don't worry, next year we'll have some kind of... computer fixing game. And you'll get the trophy for sure."

Logan's voice is as gravelly as ever, but it seems like he's actually trying to be encouraging.

But then he stands up, and yells at the players out in their huddle.

"If I don't see some GOTT DAMM HUSSLE, yer all gonna be runnin' laps until ya PUKE!"

He's... actually getting kind of into this whole coaching thing.

SpyderByte has posed:
Peeling his shirt off, Jeremy reveals his skinny, pale and lanky upperbody, then fishes out a sweater from his bag that he tugs on over him. He still has a few scars that line his body from the steel edges of switch blades and shanks. But the worst of it at least has been removed.

He fishes out some bottles of water and takes the cap off one to sip off it. He offers up a smile and a thumbs up to Mister Logan, then goes back to enjoying 'not' running and getting hurt.

Ted Gammage has posed:
Late as always, Ted at least makes an appearance. He's not in athletic gear, though, just his usual jeans/t-shirt combo. He stands at the sidelines, nearby Jeremy, brow raised up as he watches the going-ons. He gives a light wave of greeting as his friends notice him, but for whatever reason, he doesn't seem eager to join in the fun and games.

Nightingale has posed:
     Revenge could indeed be sweet. Petunia was about to get a lesson in sportsmanship. Beware, oh ye who would engage in fowl play--the avenging angel is nigh!

     Sidestepping Petunia, Shannon steps around behind her, diving in as if to grab for the flag attached to her belt. But at the last possible second, she straightens up, instead flaring her wings to 'encourage' the girl to move, as if she were herding a sheep. This would not stand. Petunia just refused to lose it for her team--and, as a matter of pride, against those she saw as losers!

     Big mistake....

Jax Miller has posed:
    Offense? Now Offense is Jax' game. The feel of the football on his fingers, the length of the field in front of him, a clear goal, clear obstacles. A quick huddle, a grin, and the play is called. "Hut seventeen. Huttentut. Nobody cares 'bout the Pizza HUT!"

    There's actual coordination now, and although it looks like he's going to tackle Lefty, Jax suddenly breaks right, sidesteps around Petunia and reaches to grab her flag with the speed of a striking snake.

    Should have watched both ways! Never take your eye off the cat!

Faraday has posed:
"I have no idea what that means!" Calls Indira towards Jax. See, if only her parents let her do legitimate sports, she'd be able to actually help her team. But nooooo, she had a "bad heart" and "shouldn't run around". Puh. Run she shall!

AShe's trying to run interference and keep the big guy out of the ball's way while the others divebomb Petunia. It's a tall order - literally so - but she's quick on her feet.

Wolverine has posed:
As the referee whistles to indicate that the first half is over. Logan is practically feral on the sidelines. He's apparently the kind of guy who should never have kids, because we definitely don't want to see the aftermath of the fights he has with the other parents at the T-Ball games.

Seriously, his stubbly face turns red every now and then from all of the yelling. Some of the yelling is football-related, but most of it just sounds like the sort of thing an old prospector would yell when the mine he spent four years digging didn't give up any silver.

But now it's halftime!

"Alright kids! Hurry up and drink your GOTT DAMM GATORADE and tie your GOTT DAMM SHOELACES! We're tied right now, and that PISSES ME OFF! Look at 'em! They're GARBAGE! So get back out there and RRRRRRRRRRIP 'EM APARRRRRT!"

Warpath has posed:
     Watching the game a little longer, Jimmy hmms softly and turns to go back towards the mansion again. Noise got his attention for a while and then it didn't have it anymore. Things to do and such.

SpyderByte has posed:
"Hey Ted!" Jeremy calls over to the large teenager as he scoots over to make room and motions to the other lawnchair. He used his actual voice!

He pauses for a moment, then taps his phone again on his arm. << Are you going to join in? It's just flag football. Jax can launch the football to you in the endzone. I bet you can catch every time. You're like a foot taller than everyone else. >>

Cannonball has posed:
Samuel Guthrie looks over to Logan, and smirks a moment, and resists the urge to ask him to quote Rocky lines." He does lean down to Jeremy, and says "From the side lines, you should watch and see if you see any tells the other team are doing and tell your guys."

Jax Miller has posed:
    Ah, half time. Jax drops into a lawn chair for a few moments and lounges there, getting an energy drink in him. His outfit is covered in snow and mud, but at the suggestion that he tie his shoelaces, the cat mutant simply wiggles his toes. The trick with the bare feet had worked, and he's not even feeling any colder. Who'd have known that his shoes were holding him back?

    "Great job guys." he salutes his team members, and then leans back in the chair to give a thumbs up to the Other Team. "And you guys too. I was expecting to be three points ahead by now, great work!"

    Then he tries his luck. Takes his life in his own hands and smiles towards Logan, without an ounce of guile. "Y'know, I've been thinking of starting a proper all-mutants Xavier football team. Want to be our coach?"

Faraday has posed:
Sweating even in the winter cold, Indira beelines right for the Gatorade and chugs down a cupful as soon as she gets the thing full. "Phew.. hey, Ted!" She finally gets out once she sucks in a breath. "What's up? Wanna swap in?"

She doesn't sit but keeps to a slow pacing in order to keep her muscles loose and warm. Sitting just invites idleness. "I keeping the urge to kick the ball instead of grab and run with it. Clearly soccer and kickboxing do not align well with football."

Ted Gammage has posed:
Ted wanders over to Jeremy as he calls him over. "Sup," he says with a wry grin. He's asked about joining and then Indira asks as well. "Ah," he says, pondering for a long moment, as if trying to decide wether or not to explain something. "No," he says. "Naw. Uh, las' time ah played football, nearly killed someone accidentally. Prolly wouldn't happen this time but..y'know, don' think ah'm ready for that mentally." He grins, "Ah'll just be th' ugliest cheerleader out here."

Nightingale has posed:
     While Jax might get away without wearing shoes--and indeed, he seems to fare better sans footwear--Shannon was another story entirely. She does indeed take a moment to check her shoelaces, and slug back some of the aforementioned Gatorade. She also takes a moment to check her teammates, as well as the players on the other team, for any injuries. The last is with a bit of a sheepish smile towards Logan.

     She is as she is, after all--a healer by nature.

     Thankfully, nobody seems hurt, beyond the prerequisite scratches and one or two good bruises that will look pretty ugly in the morning--but she would let Nature take its course on those. Turning back towards her own team, she smiles, and waves to Ted. "Hey, Ted! Going to join... oh."

     Her eyebrow lofts as she hears him putting himself down. This would not do. Bedraggled and covered in mud--though somehow, her wings have managed to remain immaculate--she simply slogs right over to Ted, still smiling, her sneakers squelching for all the mud soaked into them, and stands toe-to-toe with him. "No more dissing yourself, okay?"

SpyderByte has posed:
<< I don't know, I think you'd be cute if you shaved your chest and put on a skirt. Kidding. Mostly. >>

Jeremy quips to Ted with a giggle as he blows some hair away from his eyes, then looks over to the rest of the team coming back.

<< You guys are doing great! Way better than when I was in the game. You're so good, Jax. >>

Wolverine has posed:
The Other Team also have a coach, who is yelling at them almost as much as Logan is yelling at the Maple Marauders. But he's yelling at them ever so slightly less, and that's why they're going to lose.

"You see them over there? Right now they're laughin' at you! They're sayin'... them Maple Marauders, they suck at flag football! Well you know what WE'RE gonna say ta THEM?"

Any minute now, it looks like Logan is going to rip his shirt off and drink from the koi pond again. There's actual sweat forming on his forehead and in the pits of his sweater, and it's like twenty degrees outside.

"We're gonna say 'HOW DOES IT FEEL TO GO HOME AND TELL YER PARENTS YA CAME IN SECOND PLACE!!!!! HA HA!"

"Probably adopted, too! Now let's get out there, and rip all their flags off, and make some footballs!"

Ted Gammage has posed:
"Eh," Ted tells Jeremy, "Last Halloween, they made us freshmen on th' team dress as Cheerleaders. Put ah picture of it on the internet. It's awful." He blinks a bit as Shannon comes squishing muddily up to him and tells him off a bit. "Ah, is ah joke. Cuz Cheerleaders 'r usually pretty ladies an' ah don' know if ah could pass for one." He explains with a chuckle. "S'all."

Jax Miller has posed:
    "One player doesn't make a team." Jax grins as he stands back up and pats Jeremy on the shoulder on the way past. It was of course entirely true. One good player can't save a team. But a good player can certainly inspire confidence, and confidence is often the key to victory. So, no pressure then? Nah. Ignore the twitch at the tip of his tail, that's not stress at all.

    Time to get back to it. A wink to Indira. A nod to Shannon. They can do this. "You heard the Coach! Let's make some footballs, rip some flags and not come in second!"

    "Huttamaya, Huttamaya, Jabba Jabba the HUT!"

    Dodge. Weave. Slink. Pass. Catch with finger tips. Fumble, recover, roll and go.

    Bloody hell, the Other Team is good.

    In the end, it's down to an all or nothing, the quintessential Hail Mary... no strategy, no plans, nothing but thirty yards on the final down, a refusal to lose, and a whole lotta hope and wishful thinking. Hut, break, pass. Pass before intercept. Pass again and receive, ten yards, pass before interception. Dash forwards, slide underneath Lefty, come back up, get out of the way of a pass, dash another ten yards, note the pass from the corner of an eye, twist, intercept, tuck under arm and RUN!

    How is Petunia directly ahead?!

    "Maximum...." full speed, claws digging in "... Effort!"

    Mud flies as the paws leave the ground and Jax flips over Petunia, lands on his toes and continues running. Five more yards...

    TOUCHDOWN!

Faraday has posed:
"You're a beautiful cheerleader, Ted! The pyramid would fail without you holding everyone up. Becky only wishes she could get that high!" Indira calls back with affection to her teammate while she bounces in place prior to getting called to retake the field. "I don't want detention, Coach, but I'll say it in my heart!" She probably will not, but inside is better than outside. This school has a very very stern take on bullying for some reason.

And onward into football. Indira may not know much about football, and her athleticism is great until compared to Jax, but the girl can *go*. Like the Energizer Bunny, she doesn't slow up and it helps in running circles around the other team and trying to wear them down while trying to either catch or avoid her as the game progresses. She doesn't even seem to care if they're actually doing good. Like a greyhound pointed at their first rabbit, she just seems overjoyed to run. It doesn't mean she misses the touchdown, and there's a full-throttle, "YEEEEAAAAHHH!"

Even if, mid-celebratory leap, her triumphantly raised fist accidentally discharges a pent up volt of electricity to zap the nearby basketball hoop. "Crap, sorry!"

Nightingale has posed:
     Shannon grins at Ted. "Can't see you in a skirt, but glad you're rooting for us out there." Whirling about, she sloshes back out onto the field for the game. Surely nothing would go wrong, right? Right!

     Whirl and dodge, duck and cover, she manages to evade Lefty, then Big Murphy. But it seems Petunia was out to avenge the indignity visited upon her by the winged healer. Shannon stepped right, so did Petunia. One stepped left, so did the other. It was like a very, very bad mirror out on the field.

     And, just as Shannon dove the other way to snag Petunia's flag....

     RRRRRIP!

     She rolls onto the ground, her belt now empty--and the air ringing with the sound of colorful metaphors in varied languages.

     "GO GET 'EM FOR ME, GUYS!!!"

SpyderByte has posed:
<< You're really hot. >>

Jermey says as he glances up at Ted, giving him a bright and sunny smile, followed by a huff of bangs away from his face.

The Goth-no-path has been in a really chipper mood lately. As his team cheers, he hops up to his feet and cranks the volume upwards on his phone. It starts to play Kool and The Gang's Celebration.

<< YAY JAX! WOO!!!! >>

Ted Gammage has posed:
"I'm nothin' if not supportive," Ted tells Shannon as she wades back into the game. He chuckles a little at Indira, nodding, "Suppose ah would be pretty good at holdin' folks up," he admits. Then to Jeremy he gives a light, amused roll of his eyes. "Man y'google faster than google does."

Wolverine has posed:
"RRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!"

When his team finally makes it across the end zone, and the game is called for the Maple Marauders, Logan is every bit as ecstatic as he formerly was angry. He doesn't rip off his sweater, or drink from the koi pond, but he does let out a feral roar that's suspiciously like the one he shouts when he's gutting an enemy in a particularly satisfying manner.

He yells it like twice a day, on average, but the kids rarely hear it. When they do, they have nightmares.

"WE WON! THAT'S SHOWIN' 'EM! Get over here, ya champs!"

He runs out onto the field, hands raised in the air, in imminent danger of accidentally putting someone's eye out.