12998/Back In Business (Or: How Not To Die On A Rooftop--The Aftermath)

Back In Business (Or: How Not To Die On A Rooftop--The Aftermath)
Date of Scene:	10 April 2021
Location:	Frontyard - Xavier's School
Synopsis:	Hawkeye pays a visit to Xavier's, to properly thank Shannon for her help a couple weeks prior. A new archer is born, and challenges issued. Potentially a job for Alice as well!
Cast of Characters:	Hawkeye (Barton), Cyclops, Nightingale, Nightcrawler, Red

---

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
Yet another perfect sunny afternoon in Westchester County. The rather quiet afternoon is sudenly interrupted by the loud music approaching Xavier's School, becoming even louder as it stops by the large gates. The /loud/ music emanates from a large black unmarked Hummer, with its windows down so that the song can be heard in the distance. Some might recognize a classic by Black Sabbath.

Nobody wants him
They just turn their heads
Nobody helps him
Now he has his revenge
Heavy boots of lead
Fill his victims full of dread
Running as fast as they can
Iron Man lives again!
For those in the know, even if it's unmarked, the Hummer waiting at the gates looks quite like a SHIELD vehicle, of the lesser armored class.

Cyclops has posed:
As the Hummer rolls up to the mansion, every bit of security pings through the 'system' that contacts the leading members of the X-Men. Scott Summers got the alert on his phone even before he hit the driveway. As the doors open, he makes his way across the expansive porch and down the steps.

Dressed in a snug black t-shirt, a pair of broken in jeans and his wrap around ruby Raybans, the field leader is sizing up the vehicle. Giving a small 'tap' on the red X of his belt buckle, he clears his throat. "Kurt, it's Scott. We got a visitor in the front yard. Come meet me out here." Crisp and clear is his command.

At least he can appreciate the music.

Nightingale has posed:
     The last couple weeks since an impromptu incident atop a certain brownstone roof in Williamsburg, and an equally impromptu cookout that same evening afterwards, had passed relatively uneventfully for Shannon. Well, perhaps a bit less so, if one counts a brief visit to check up on one certain archer who wound up in a tiny bit of a pickle and in need of a little first aid. Since then, she had largely put the incident out of her mind, content with the fact that she had done what was needed, at the time it was needed.

     The perfect, sunny day found her perched out on the front porch, enjoying the view of the yard, with a notebook in her lap, and pen in hand. She seemed to be jotting something down, a few words here, a few there, humming a light melody all her own. She's in her favorite light blue sundress, a pair of flip-flops with daisies on the toes, and has left her hair long and loose but for the pale blue braid on the left side of her face.

     At least, she was working on something, until Mr. Summers passes right by her on the porch. "Ack! On the left!" she calls out. But between that, his call to Herr Wagner, and the approaching vehicle, she too was on her feet, backing up towards the main doors to the mansion, keeping a wary eye on the situation.

Nightcrawler has posed:
"Coming!" is the reply that Scott's request earns from the Bavarian mutant.

There is a telltale BAMF of sound, the sound of air being swiftly displaced as something else instead fills the space. Threads of black-ish purple smoke slither through the air, carrying with them the scent of burning brimstone, and amongst them appears Kurt. Gargoyling at the side of the building some number of feet up from the ground, his tail lightly swishing behind him. He wears a pair of jeans, and a black t-shirt.

He had been summoned, after a fashion, and so he had appeared. One of his eyebrows quirks up a touch, and he tilts his head faintly to one side as he looks over the vehicle. "Shiny," he comments. Then he lightly drops to the ground before stepping over towards Scott. And he spies Shannon, to whom he inclines his head. "Meine dame," he offers in greeting, a smile quirking his lips and his yellow eyes glowing.

Red has posed:
Alice does know the Black Sabbath Classic. She listens to that kind of music after all when no soundtrack is running from her music station. So, when the black hummer comes to a stop, she eyes it up sceptic because black, unmarked cars yell police or such, but the music doesn't say that. While not actually called out, she does hurry to join the gathering group outside after grabbing a pair of fiberglass bracers she was working on.

Her knee high boots are flat, the skirt showing at best a two finger strip of skin as she joins the others, giving a short nod to Kurt, Shannon and Cyclops. "Waiting for our order.

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
Once the gates open, the Hummer drives up to the main building and parks in front of the porch, music being turned off. The driver's door opens and Clint Barton - aka Hawkeye - steps out of the black vehicle, sport bag in hand. He's wearing a pair of jeans which has seen better days, and a purple t-shirt with a large white target sign on the front.

"Hi Scott bossman," he says, sporting this famous grin of his as he approaches the porch, taking time to nod at Kurt as well, "Still /hangin'/ around, I see?" which most likely is related to a previous adventure of the archer. Alice is given the same chance to admire his boyish smile as he nods at her, "Miss." And finally, Hawkeye turns to face Shannon, "Hiya Shannon, glad to see you here. As always, my timing is perfect."

Turning back to Scott, who is the authority figure actually present, he adds. "Before you ask, yes, I planned this visit! Actually, I called Jean, she was more than happy to let me visit, I guess she couldn't wait to see me again, hey? She was short of mentionin' BBQ, beers, sunbathing and all that jazz." He pauses, chuckling, then adds, "Well, ok, she said /You can visit/."

Cyclops has posed:
"Barton." Scott's voice is as usual that stiff tone as he stops before him. He gives him a quick glance over before drifting his eyes back to the Hummer to see if anyone else is inside. "Jean told me, yes. The Avengers are always welcome." Extending his hand outwards for a shake, he levels his ruby-eyed gaze into his. "It's good to see you again."

If the hand is taken and shook, he'll withdraw it once their salutations are complete, then gives a slight glance to the others who are gathered. He notices Shannon and Alice nearby as well. "But she did not tell me what the visit was for. Those details were left out. What can we do for you?"

He pauses for a moment in thought. "Have you come to seek out Mister Statton's services again?"

Nightingale has posed:
     "Herr Wagner... Mr. Summers..." Shannon replies, dipping her head in greeting to each. She hugs her notebook to her chest, taking another step backwards, nearly to the doors. "Alice... I don't know how the heck you manage your creations, but they're stunning every time." A light smile is offered to the other girl, and an admiring glance given to bracers and boots alike. Her own dress is more modest, reaching to her ankles, and with a neckline that leaves her modestly covered, despite the open back that allows for full freedom of movement for her wings.

     A wry smile and a nod is offered to Mr. Barton, with the addition of a slightly more appraising look. "Good to see you back on your feet. How are you feeling?" At the mention of Jeremy's services perhaps being required, she finally does turn towards the door, reaching out to open it and dart inside. "Guessing he's probably in his dorm if you need... I could go knock on his door and see, if you like?"

Nightcrawler has posed:
The sound of hurried footsteps approaching from behind causes Kurt to briefly turn his head to see who comes. There's a smile paired with a nod of greeting, but then his attention turns forward again. Lifting his right hand, he tussles his hair a bit, then lowers his hand back to his side. The end of his tail gives a flick, but then the length of it returns to the lazy swishing that so often seems to possess it.

There's a grin that quirks at the corners of his lips at the question aimed to him by Clint, and he gives a nod. "Of course! It tends to be more interesting, ja?" he suggests. There's a brief glance towards the bag being carried, but he doesn't ask. One of his eyebrows quirks up as it's mentioned that the visit was planned, and there's a hint of a grin that teases the corners of his lips at Clint's choice of words.

There's a flick of a glance towards Scott, but then his gaze turns to Shannon for a brief moment before shifting back to Clint. And he waits, for the moment, and his tail continues that idle swishing back and forth that it is so often engaged in.

Red has posed:
Alice chuckles as she offers Shannon a fistbump. "Daily training and time. Making boots during breakfast for example." She muses, the bracers showing little decor but for the pattern fof sorted fiberglass embedded in the copolyester. "Though fiberglass is a pain to work with, it's a rather nice choice for a back up. Better than ASA."

Mr. Barton is eyed sceptically, even though his familiar talking to Kurt and Scott does soften the facial expressions some. "Statton... Jeremy Statton?"

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
Scott's hand is shook in return, a frank and firm handshake between allies. "Good to see you too, Scott." Glancing over at Shannon, he adds, "It's more about what one of your students did to me. Namely, Shannon."

Then the matter of the services rendered by Jeremy is mentioned, and the archer frowns momentarily at that, shaking his head. "Naw, not for Jeremy this time," he answers, "He sure helped us," he says, both answering Scott and Alice's comments, "/Someone/ has to look into it first." And nothing more is said about it. The way he pronounced /someone/ can't be lost as to its meaning someone very high in the chain of command.

Laughing at Kurt's comment, remembering the dire situation he was in last they met - and making a mental note that being saved by the X-Men should not become a habit of his - he replies, "And I still owe you sourkrout! I mean it, that restaurant is awesome."

Alice's mention of clothing and creating boots isn't lost to the archer, "Hey, this could be handy. Can you work like, say, reinforced kevlar too?" Who knows what he might have in mind. Of course, SHIELD and the Avengers have the best material possible for protective uniforms, but the archer is always open to new ideas.

Noticing that Shannon is retreating indoor, Hawkeye calls out to her, "Hey, not so fast, Shannon! Yeah, I'm fine, getting back to A-1. But you and I, have some account to settle. Come back here." The grin remains on the archer's face, which, despite his most likely intentional vagueness about the purpose of his visit, should reassure anyone that all is fine.

Cyclops has posed:
"I would suggest having that someone look into it. We took a risk allowing him to be utilized. We try to allow our students to just be students, to be children. Mister Statton though is what we call an outlier. Though I am sure you already know that, being that you have extensive files on him at SHIELD."

Scott says in an even tone as he gives a slow glance over his shoulder towards Shannon as it appears that Clint has business with her. "Miss Lance though is not an outlier." He says matter of fact. "Even if she tries her best to be. What do you need from her?"

There is that clearing of his throat in the student's direction. "Miss Lance, come here."

As he turns his attention back towards Clint, his gaze passes over to Kurt, one of those unspoken conversations between teammates. He is still loose, even if he moves stiff and tight.

"Alice here though is not a student, but she is a ward of the school. She is also looking for gainful employment and her skill-set involving reiforcement and enhancements of bodyarmor is actually quite useful when used appropriately. You should see about seeking out an internship for her at SHIELD. I am sure she could be an asset."

Nightingale has posed:
     Welp. So much for that. Stopped in her tracks just one step away from the door, Shannon just lets out a light sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose. It was going to be one of -those- days, she just knew it! With a little flick of her wings, she turns right back around to rejoin the gaggle on the porch.

     That tone from Mr. Summers was rarely, if ever, a good thing.

     "Unless it's a matter of the good Captain stealing the rest of those cookies I baked, then I can't think of what it is, Mr. Barton," she finally says. "I just made use of a little first aid to get you back on your feet when you needed it." Her voice takes on a distinctly annoyed grumbling note, and... is that an eyeroll from her? "I swear to god, trying to get to that shawarma place is -cursed-. It's gonna wind up being like Hudson Hawk trying to get that dang fool cappucino of his in that old movie."

     Oh, my.

Nightcrawler has posed:
Daily training and time. As the saying goes, practice makes perfect. Kurt tilts his head a touch to one side when Clint mention Shannon, a flicker of curiosity drawn to his features, and he glances towards Shannon. He's perhaps aware of what that could have entailed. And he quirks a bit of a grin. "You have a way of finding people who need you, it seems," he comments, a thread of amusement to the words. A healer's job is seldom ever done for long!

Then his attention shifts to Clint, and he grins as he nods. "Ja, and the schnitzel. We will make an adventure of it, one day!" he says brightly, not seeming to mind that it hasn't happened yet. "And perhaps some bienenstich, as well," he adds with a renewed grin.

There's a glance cast over the others that seems to be naught more than a casual sort of thing from him. The end of his tail flicks, briefly, and there's the slightest dip of his chin.

Kurt gives a soft chuckle at Shannon's words, and he lifts one of his shoulders in a bit of a shrug. "You will get there, eventually. And it will be savoured all the more for it. Food is worth the wait, often."

Red has posed:
Alice says, "Kevlar? Poly para-phenylene terephthalamide. Poly meta-phenylenediamine isophthalamide isn't much worse though. Both aren't too hard to work with." Alice gives back to Clint, the off-yellow bracers around the arms getting twisted a little. "At least you don't need to wear a mask to work with that, unlike with glass mats." Yes, she knows her polymers.

"5 more days, mister Summers, but thanks for the adverisement." After the short side quip, she returns to Clint, tuning the hand to show her palm. "Though unpaid internships I could have in holleywood studios en masse and still become a YouTube star working at Adam Savage's shop or something. And cosplay comissions do pay. So if you offer an internship, make sure that it's neither unpaid, nor a deadend job." Her blue eye are focussed on the archer with an almost mischivious smile."

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
Almost grinning like the Cheshire cat, Clint turns to Shannon. Anyone who knows him, would concur that the archer enjoyed setting up a friendly trap to Shannon, putting her on the spot for a moment. But all good things must end, and the charade is over.

"I never got a chance to thank you properly," Clint starts, holding the sport bag Kurt noticed, and offering it to Shannon. "So I thought you might like this."

Seeing that Shannon didn't explain the circumstances of what happened, Clint fills in the blank, as he looks back at Scott. "Shannon happened to... be around when I was... trying to remember how many pints of blood a human body contains and praying it was more than four." He pauses, almost laughing, "I also have a faint recollection of cookies, though that is quite vague."

Oh, food! Mention of cookies, then all-goodies from the German restaurant. "I tell you, Kurt, if you keep mentioning schnitzel, you'll have to bamf us to this bloody joint right now!" So it was good to see Kurt, and this will most likely be followed by a good meal shared between them.

Listening to Alice's detailed explanation with words he could never pronounce, and contract-like provision, Clint smiles at her, "I can't give you a job," he says, "But I'd sure would like to see what you can do. Who knows, you might like a side contract here and there?"

Nightingale has posed:
     Shannon grins a little bit sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head. "You could say that, Herr Wagner. Mr. Barton found himself in a spot of trouble, and depending on if you ask his injured pride or not, was either lucky or unlucky I was en route home. Fortunately, the answer to how much blood is inside the humna body was never fully answered. Let's just say I was intensely grateful for some of the first aid training here." A wry smile is offered to Mr. Summers. "Namely, the proper way of setting a tourniquet."

     But was she getting into further detail? Nope.

     That is, untl the sport bag is passed over her way, and its contents withdrawn. In her hand, a small black graphite bow springs to life, and yet inside the bag can be heard a faint rattling one can guess is likely arrows for practice. "Holy crow... wow. That's... thank you." Once again, a look is given to Mr. Summers. "Hopefully, I'll be allowed to take up the art, same as I was the bo staff?"

Nightcrawler has posed:
There's a blink, and it's a slow one, as Kurt turns his glowing gaze to Alice. The who and the what now? Science words are always so long! He blinks a second time, then gives a brief shake of his head as he has no idea what such things are. He's not a scientist!

Kurt watches as the archer's attention goes to Shannon. His curiosity flickers as the bag is offered out to Shannon, though he doesn't move to intervene at all. "I think about ten. If I remember right," Kurt offers, about blood volume. Not that he's a medical person either, but he's perhaps been lectured a time or three about letting certain amounts of his blood end up leaking out! And about how unhealthy it might be. "Oh, Shannon makes very good cookies, ja," he affirms, giving a nod.

There's a grin, about the restaurant, and then he laughs. "Well, it could be arranged, if you are hungry. And if you don't mind the smell of burning brimstone. But you could hold your breath, maybe. It is not terribly far. But it might need more than one hop," he comments with a grin. More than one passage through the Brimstone Dimension. It's not all sunshine and roses!

With the contents of the bag being withdrawn, Kurt raises an eyebrow slightly out of appreciation. "Very nice," he says, giving a small nod. Then there's a glance towards Scott, for the other's say in the matter of learning to use such a device.

Red has posed:
Alice eyes the exchanged bow, raising an eyebrow at the shimmering material of the item. "Archery is a classic summercamp thing..." Alice notes, chuckling as she brushes her red hair back. "And an olympic disciplin. Though Hanzo Shimada so isn't your style. You can't make that one-shoulder-free Kimono look work. Angela Ziegler on the other hand? You'd rock that."

"Side contract? Well, what kind of thing you'd like to see then? A 501st-rated costume? Screen accurate replica of Seven of Nine's borg implants as seen on the holoscreen after the doc removes the most stuff?"

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
"Be allowed?" Clint can't but repeat, a puzzled look on his face. Right, this is none of his business, this is school business, so he drops it. "Shannon not only tourniqueted my leg - which really hurt like a biatch, trust me - she also did some target shooting to save the day. Oh, and myself. She has potential, really." As he talks, he reaches for his pocket, and produces a small card, credit size card which he hands over to Shannon. "And I wouldn't go to this extra if I didn't think she can become good with a bow."

Of course, if there's a bow around, Hawkeye can hardly keep his eyes from it. He really chose one that would be fit for a debutant, with an adjustable tension, and very low weight. It being made of graphite also talks of its durability. "You can lock it to you, fingerprint activated if you want, and have it color coated too. You'll find the instructions in the bag. Didn't bring a quiver, cuz you have to be one with it, so you'll have to go try some types."

The idea of bamfing their way to the restaurant doesn't seem to appeal to the archer. The whiff he got during their last encounter, he's certain, he can still smell! "Huh... no bamfing, no barfing, thanks. Whatabout I call you in a few days, I'll drop by to get you?" He laughs then, rolling his eyes, "And yes, I remember, was man versprochen hat, muss man auch halten." Basic training for SHIELD operations also includes basic language training.

At Alice's question, Hawkeye thinks for a moment before answering. "I have access to many types of material," he says, "I'm interested in improving them, or create something stronger, fire, bullet, arrow, shock, magnetic, hydrofuge resistant. Say, whatabout I contact you in a few days, and we chat about possibilities?"

Cyclops has posed:
There is a furrow of Scott's brow at the sight of the bow being presented, as well as the talk about the type of technology it wields. "I suppose asking for forgiveness instead of permission applies here." He says to Clint with an even tone. He lifts a hand up to rub at his face, his fingers grinding along the past two days of stubble in thought.

"You can have it." He says to Shannon. "But the conditions are you can't use it in the manor outside of our approved training facility, and you are not taking it off school grounds to shoot car jackers or pick pockets ... or super villains. Is that understood?"

He reaches up to rub at the bridge of his nose for a moment with his knuckles before he drops his hand down. "It's a generous gift, Mister Barton. I am glad to hear that she was in the right place at the right time."

Nightingale has posed:
     Shannon breathes a sigh of relief, nodding. "Of course, Mr. Summers. Thank you!!! I'll also make sure I learn how to set this to fingerprint activation to avoid accidents." The smile that spreads across her face is a priceless one. "As for anything further? It'll take time and proper training, just like everything else."

     Oh, yes. Her wings are ruffling and starting to flare to their full span behind her. Although she fumbles for a moment or two, she manages to collapse the bow and stow it with care back in the bag--just in time for the card to be slipped into her hand.

     THUNK.

     Was that the sound of her jaw hitting the ground?

     "Wow. Just... wow. Thank you!!!" On impulse, Shannon leans over to give Mr. Barton a quick, if fierce hug, wings and all. "This is incredible. Sometime, when I've got some practice behind me, you, Dani, and I will have to try for bragging rights? Or... a full batch of cookies solely to the winner?"

Nightcrawler has posed:
There's a smile that tugs at the corners of Kurt's lips, and he gives a nod of agreement to Clint's words. Tourniquets are synonymous with pain. He might well know that one from personal experience. "Ja, she does have potential," he agrees, a smile easily coming to his features. He is quiet whilst Clint provides information about the bow itself, listening, and one of his ears gives a slight twitch.

Then he grins, his tail giving a momentary quicker swish from amusement. "Ah, I understand. It can be somewhat unpleasant for others," he says, inclining his head towards Clint. His ears perk up at the offer, and he willingly nods in agreement. "Ja, this is very acceptable. Whenever is the most convenient for us both," he affirms with a smile.

There's a glance towards Scott when he affirms the bow is able to be kept, and then Kurt chuckles softly. It's not terribly unexpected. Being able to defend one's self is a good thing to know! And archery provides range.

Red has posed:
Alice shrugs as she nods. "You can call me here or use that internet page..." she searches in her pockets for a moment, bringing forth a business card with an email address and a link to a portfolio instagram. "Though I can only work with what I get and I ain't a material science engineer or something."

Hawkeye (Barton) has posed:
Honestly, if he thought of everything for the perfect bow for Shannon, he didn't think of asking if it could be allowed at the school in the first place! Being more used around powerhouses, deadly SHIELD agents and all that the world can produce as matter of villains, the archer forgot that this is a school, after all!

"Cool," he says, not that anyone requires his approval on the matter, "You are right, Scott, a bow isn't a toy. Using it safely requires training, and training. And more training." He pauses, then adds, chuckling "And please? Call me Clint. This Mister Barton, really, makes me feel fifty years older."

Shannon's hug is briefly returned, "Don't mention it," he says, "And start cookin', cuz these rights are already mine." On that, Clint steps back toward the Hummer, signifying his depart. "Kurt, I'll call you in soon, so you can start fasting a couple days in advance!" He then turns to Alice, taking the offered card, smiling, "I'll get in touch with you, Miss, we'll see what you can come up with."
Then Hawkeye climbs into the Hummer, the black vehicle driving away soon after, the loud music returning as it leaves Xavier's School for the Gifted. And one more young mutant has just been gifted indeed.

Nightingale has posed:
     "You say that now, but we'll see how the cookie crumbles come summertime! The student may out-shoot the master one day!" Shannon shouts after the departing Hummer, laughing. Oh, the gauntlet has been thrown down, and now someone will have to train--or eat their words. Slinging the bag over her shoulder, she grins at Alice and Kurt, giggling. "Maybe I should get some baking time in, too, just in case. You, and you. You've just both become taste testers."

     Really, was that such a horrible fate?