13494/An Unexpected Sight in the Park

An Unexpected Sight in the Park
Date of Scene:	13 June 2021
Location:	Columbus Park - Chinatown
Synopsis:	Jean meets a snow leopard (Vitali) in a park in Chinatown. Scott comes looking for Jean, and breakfast is discussed.
Cast of Characters:	Vitali Svyatoslav, Phoenix, Cyclops

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Vitali Svyatoslav has posed:
It's fairly early in the morning, and the sky above is grey with the promise of dawn to come. It is, yet, a bit too early for the group that practices tai chi to be present in the park. At this hour, the park is quite nearly deserted. And this is a thing that Vitali is rather keen on. And it is also a thing which suits his purposes. It's a bit cool, at this hour, though certainly not to the point of needing a jacket or any manner of warm clothing.

He's learned to leave the koi in the ponds alone. The koi are special fish. And even though a part of him is convinced that no one would miss one or two of them were he to decide to make a snack of them, he has behaved and left them be. Though he's been rather accustomed to indulging in one of his animal forms or another typically at least once a week, he hasn't partaken of any of them for a number of weeks in a row. Not until this morning. For this morning, Vitali is embodied in the form of a snow leopard that is larger than average. The eye colour of the cat is unusual, for it is a dark brown instead of the typical blue or green.

It had rained last night, and he has been hunting rabbits. Or at least, attempting to hunt rabbits, as their scent is a bit scattered because of the night's rain. He quietly pads over to the edge of one of the ponds, placing one of his front paws on the edge there before he lowers his head to take a drink of the water. And while he drinks, his ears swivel, listening for assorted sounds that might mean either danger for him or an early breakfast for him. Though he hopes the latter is more likely to happen, and he pauses after a couple of licks of water in order to glance about the trees that grow near to where he stands, and the end of his tail swishes a little back and forth.

Phoenix has posed:
After the conversation with Kurt, where he'd pushed her, Jean had gone up to her office. She'd sat down and started to do some work, and then stopped. She shut off her laptop, and the PC atop her desk, left the pile of papers she was working on where they sat, and left. Walked out of the mansion and just.. kept walking. Down Greymalkin lane. Through Bushwick. And... Jean actually focuses on where she is now. In her mind, she knows exactly how she'd gotten here, but she has no real memory of having done so.

Her brow furrows and she takes a breath. Closes her eyes and opens her mind a little bit to figure out exactly where she is, because somewhere along the way she'd lost track. 'A park somewhere' is not really overly helpful. Columbus Park in Chinatown? She'd come quite a distance, lost in her own thoughts. At least she didn't get run over by traffic when she'd been so lost in her own thoughts. Now, she's aware of her surroundings. And just how long she'd walked with her thoughts wandering. Through most of the night, with dawn just around the corner. She hadn't even registered that it was dark when she'd gone walking. She hadn't really been expecting that.

With her mind open just a little like it is, Jean can tell that there's at least one person here. She'd pulled the location from their mind. And.. something else. Something wanting to hunt rabbits? That has a human, or mostly human, mind? <<You shouldn't hunt rabbits in parks. If you get caught, you'll get locked in a cage.>> The thought comes to the cat out of nowhere. Jean hasn't even laid eyes on him yet. She's dressed in mostly normal clothing. Jeans, a white teeshirt with a mostly red phoenix of the Chinese variety on it. She'd liked the teeshirt. And a pair of black sneakers. Her deep maroon loncoat is worn over top, and her hands are tucked into its pockets.

Cyclops has posed:
All Scott knew when he woke up from dozing next to Jean's bed was that she wasn't there anymore. Looking at the clock inside the medlab, it was past the twelve-hour mark for him, and it seemed everyone else had gone, so he figured Jean went to her office. Only to not find her there. Evidence she had been there, yes, but not the woman herself. So, he did the second logical thing and went home, borrowing one of the cars because his bike was still at the park.

He doesn't find her at home either.

So, what does a near panicking, still worried, now missing his roommate slash person he loves because he can't find her anywhere do? He walks. Yep. Well, he walks back to the park where he had found Jean and Ororo to begin with so he can retrieve his bike. Then he bikes - cause it's faster and easier. Calling out Jean's name likely wouldn't do any good, and for a while he's too panicked to actually be mindful enough and realize that he's looking for a woman with telepathic abilities... so just...

Finally, when it's nearing dawn and Scott is almost all out of steam, tired, and now cranky on top of everything else...he finally gives a last ditch attempt to reach out to Jean's mind. <<Jeanie. Where the hell are you?>>

Vitali Svyatoslav has posed:
Sometimes, that's the way that walks go. One's thoughts end up turned within and the world beyond is simply... overlooked. Not forgotten, but not really and entirely aware of. And a labyrinth of thoughts can be very easy to become lost in. The snow leopard drinks a bit more of the water from the koi pond, then playfully bops one of the fish on the nose when it surfaces -- paws, no claws, and gentle.

His tail stills from the lazy swishing of it when there is the voice in his mind, and he snorts a breath through his nose before licking his nose. <<The places for hunting rabbits are few, and they are sometimes out here in the park before the people come. Rabbits taste good.>> He licks his nose again, then tilts his head to one side. <<Why is there a voice in my head that is not mine? Are you a spirit?>> Lifting his nose, he chuffs on the air, though there are little in the way of scents that come to him for the stillness in the air, and he starts to move away from the koi pond.

Phoenix has posed:
Jean Grey hadn't even thought to let anyone know she was going, or where she was going. Not even when she comes out of her own little world, distracted from such thoughts by predatory mind thinking of hunting rabbits. Until Scott's voice comes to her awareness, that is. So she thinks privately at Scott. <<Scott. I'm at Columbus Park in Chinatown.>> That's easy enough, right?

Jean's not really very close to where the snow leopard is by the koi pond. She's at the opposite end of the park. But there's not very many minds. Just the predator and the night janitor cleaning one of the bathrooms. Now she focuses on the predator. <<There are more squirrels. If you hunt squirrels, probably nobody will notice.>> Who notices less squirrels scolding them? Squirrels are, to most people, nothing more than an obnoxious pest.

Jean's mouth curls up into a smile at the thought. <<No. I'm not a spirit. I'm a person. Jean. Who are you?>> Jean starts to wander through the park, moving in the general direction of both the koi pond and the predator she can feel.

Cyclops has posed:
Easy enough now that Scott knows where she is. So he makes his way to Chinatown, to Columbus Park, finding a place to park his bike and then walks. When it comes to places in the park, he's likely somewhere between the snow leopard and Jean. Eyes lift to the skies and the coming dawn, so he looks around to find the nearest bench. <<I'm here. At a bench. Somewhere between...a tree and a flower...>> He offers to Jean's mind and then he curls up on said bench and dozes.

Vitali Svyatoslav has posed:
Rabbits are still on that predatory mind. He does still want to catch one of the fluffy creatures, and the part of him that is feline would gleefully tear it up and crunch it up. And the human part of him would try not to be too messy about it. The snow leopard pads quietly out from behind a group of tall ferns, standing at least three feet at the shoulder himself, and he takes a brief moment to stretch, his tail flicking behind him. <<Squirrels are not very big. It would take more than one of them to make a meal. Squirrels can take more effort to catch, as well.>> The rats with busy tails tend to climb trees and venture along branches that are extremely unsturdy for a creature of his size.

<<A person? How is your voice in my head?>> There's a pause then, the end of his tail swishing a bit back and forth, and he weighs out what she's shared. He has no reason not to believe her. <<I am Vitali. A person who is not a person.>> To him, it makes perfect sense. He is a person, but he isn't a person right now. Because right now, he's a snow leopard. And his nose picks up a scent that catches his attention, his ears perking a little. It's not a rabbit, but it does warrant investigating. And so, he starts to head further away from the pond, and aims his steps towards a bench, the end of his tail flicking back and forth.

Phoenix has posed:
Jean Grey smiles at what Scott sends to her. <<I think you're ahead of me somewhere. Watch yourself. There's something else here. Something predatory.>> There's concern tinging her mind voice that goes along with that telepathic message to him. She keeps walking at the same pace, neither hurried nor too slow. To the predator, she considers, then shrugs. <<There are also mice and rats. That means more practice, right?>> Jean's voice is quiet for a moment as she makes her way through the park.

In the grass, with trees and roots, the ground is sometimes uneven and she's still pretty sore, despite the walk. Or maybe she's more sore /because/ of the walk. <<My voice is in your head because I'm a telepath,>> she explains. And because she's a telepath, Jean picks up on what Vitali means when he says he's a person who is not a person. <<Shapeshifter?>> She's known a few. She's still further away from Scott than the snow leopard is.

Cyclops has posed:
Scott Summers blinks as Jean's gentle warning hits his mind and then he sits up slowly. A quick glance around is given before he looks straight ahead for a moment. <<You be careful too, Jean. I'll stay still so you can likely find me better.>> Then he gives a little bit of a better description of where he is within the park. Keeping general wits about him at least for the just in case. Mostly just to be more on the alert side, and for another moment wishes he brought a snack or drink with him. Maybe he can convince Jean to let him take them out to breakfast or something. <<How are you feeling, Jean?>> Is finally asked because he's still on this side of concerned.

Vitali Svyatoslav has posed:
The snow leopard is, at least, not stalking at the moment. Nor is he attempting to stalk. But he is quiet, for such is often the nature of cats. He pauses, and his breath chuffs through his nose as he lifts it to scent upon the air, his dark eyes half closing. He shakes himself off, from head to tail, and then he licks his nose briefly. <<Mice are barely a bite. Rats are not far removed from squirrels. I have caught and eaten both but they do not tend to taste as good as rabbits to.>> His tail flicks, then swishes. <<Mice and rats both mean more effort. I have had years of practice at hunting.>> Though the snow leopard form was the last one that he had gone after, he's had it for nearly a decade.

<<A telepath.>> The word is repeated, and Vitali tilts his head a bit to one side before looking up towards the sky, to where Soraya glides. <<It is a rare gift among my people.>> He shifts his stride, moving into a lope as he crosses an area that's more open. <<Sort of. I am a shaman.>> He leaps easily onto one of the arms of the bench that the man lays on, his tail ruddering a bit as he gains his balance, and he tilts his head to one side before he licks his nose.

Phoenix has posed:
Jean Grey worries for Scott's safety when there's weird things around. <<I shouldn't be too far away. Five, ten minutes maybe. This park is bigger than I expected.>> Probably fifteen minutes to walk across it, so not terribly huge, but she's not walking very fast because she's stiff and sore. <<Actually, breakfast sounds good. I'm a little hungry.>> Shouldn't be surprising. She hadn't eaten much pizza earlier in the day, and she'd been napping off and on the rest of the day. <<I'm okay, Scott. A little stiff and sore.>> That is probably mostly from the lightning bolt, but made worse by the long walk. She doesn't think about how she's doing mentall. She doesn't want to think about it! Which is why she's out here in the first place.

She doesn't comment on hunting any further. In fact, she has to stop and lean a hand against a tree, the thoughts of crunching bones and hot blood getting to her. She shudders and works at blocking those thoughts out. Because of that, she's blank from both Scott's and the shapeshifter's minds for several long, long moments. <<I'm not sure I'd call it a gift,>> she says in Vitali's mind. She isn't aware, just yet, of just how close the cat and Scott are to each other.

Cyclops has posed:
Scott Summers turns, finding himself nearly face to muzzle with a large snow leopard. Luckily, Jean's warning means he's not as terribly freaked out as he likely could have been. It also means that he's slightly wondering just how ferocious this cat could be. <<Jean. I have been joined by a snow leopard. Could that be the predator you were talking about?>> Sending this to her, of course, even as he sort of stares at the leopard for another long moment. "Ah.... hi?"

Vitali Svyatoslav has posed:
Vitali is a weird thing? When did that happen? He notices that her voice goes quiet in his head, and he tilts his head slightly to one side as he considers that moment of silence. He likely doesn't realize how much his own thoughts are affecting her, how much his thoughts of hunting bleed over to her. <<Mind-speaker. Even if you do not recognize it as a gift, it does not make it less of one. Some people say it is a gift, others call it a curse.>> This is offered, and then he's quiet, letting thoughts burble under the surface.

He looks to the man on the bench, wobbles a little bit where he's perched, and then he lightly steps from the arm of the bench to the back of the bench, trotting lightly across it before setting his front paws on the opposite arm and keeping his back paws up on the back of the bench. <<Great-grandmother was a mind-speaker. The gift of it was not the reason that she took a long swim and did not return.>> He seems placid, interestingly enough. He pads along the arm of the bench, and then lightly steps down off of the bench before turning and staring at Scott. Staaaaaare. Then he sits his rump on the grass and tucks his bushy fluff of a tail around himself. Still staring. He chuffs a breath through his nose, and then licks his nose.

Phoenix has posed:
<<Yes, that could be the predator I mentioned. That tracks with the thoughts of hunting rabbits.>> There's an almost shuddery quality to that mental comment, too. Jean shoves the thought away. Jean takes a few moments there to regain equilibrium before straightening and continuing to walk toward the two now sharing a bench. She'd gotten that image from him. To the snow leopard, there's a feeling of acknowledgement, but no words come to his mind from hers.

Until he speaks of his great grandmother. <<If she was a mind-speaker, part of the long swim could very easily have been because of it. But where you are from there are not a lot of people, I think. Here, it is different. There are too many voices.>> And Jean's a strong telepath, which doesn't help. She can't always shut them out.

Cyclops has posed:
<<Well. It's here, Jean...>> Scott replies, despite the often silent times of not really getting anything from the telepath, he's likely used to it. That, or he also knows she's trying hard to keep her wits about her, manage to get to where he is, and otherwise pushing through a lot even in these morning hours.

Vitali is watched by Scott, though his eyes are hidden behind ruby glasses, so they are not visible at all. His emotions will more be told through his eyebrows and lips, though they don't really give much away. When the cat shifts to finally sit on the ground and simply stare at Scott, he tilts his head the other way. <<It's staring...right at me...and I have no idea what to do about it...>> So, he sits, and he waits...

Vitali Svyatoslav has posed:
To Vitali, the notion of hunting and eating a rabbit whilst it's still raw and doing so whilst he's in one of his animal forms is not a bothersome one. He's done it on many occassions. As a human, he does prefer his meat to be cooked. He tilts his head to one side, his ears perked up a touch as he watches the man on the bench. <<Great-grandmother left because of sorrow. A broken heart that could never be made whole again. Three moons before she left, she lost her mate.>>

<<There are not many people where I am from. It is a small village and there is much tundra in every direction.>> He's quiet for a long moment, studying Scott, and one of his ears flick slightly. Casually, he lifts his front paws and places them on the front edge of the bench, and his tail uncurls from around him to give a soft flick before curling in the opposite way. Soraya glides nigh noiselessly in the sky, and she wings down to lightly land on a low branch of a nearby tree, clicking her beak as she settles her wings to her back. <<Great-grandmother tried to have selective listening. At least, that is what she called it.>>

Phoenix has posed:
The majority of what Jean is working through is the overtones of a predator's mind. And far too many of them think about hunting and all that entails. Jean's reply comes promptly. <<If it makes a move to attack, blast it.>> Cold, perhaps heartless, but she'd rather that than a dead or severely mauled Scott. Jean swallows hard as she walks. She turns her thoughts away from eating raw things. Instead, she thinks of Great-grandmother. <<Mind-speakers tend to become entangled in their mates' minds.>> That's all she says, but it might be enough of an explanation. Being a mind-speaker is not all happy fun times.

<<Selective listening can help. Does help, when there are less people.>> She doesn't try to explain it further than that, but she does frown a little at the imagery she's getting from Scott. <<If you are the snow leopard, please stop tormenting my friend. He's not food and if you aren't careful, he's going to react defensively.>> She's not entirely certain he's the snow leopard. She's not entirely certain he's not.

Cyclops has posed:
Wait! Scott knows a few things about cats in particular. Granted it's more towards domesticated cats, but can work on feral ones too! Course...these feral cats are more...not snow leopards and more like...tabby cats what may roam the streets. Or a few of the cats that some of the students have as pets. Still!

The principle can be the same right? So, without saying anything to Jean, but keeping in mind that she's told him to blast the leopard if it attacks, the fact that the leopard has it's paws on the bench and not much else makes Scott wonder if this isn't just a leopard. So, he reaches a hand out to let the leopard sniff his hand. As that's what cats do. Sniff, perceive, and if they deem them worthy...they allow a pet or few. He's not going to just outright pet the leopard (though, that would be fucking cool, for all Scott knows there's nothing human about the cat before him) but he'll attempt to make a new friend!

Vitali Svyatoslav has posed:
The predator's thoughts, predictably, at least for the part of the creature that is truly the predator, remain on hunting and eating raw things. These thoughts are ones that Vitali is used to and they don't bother him. He isn't accustomed to someone being in his head, and he hasn't taken the time to consider if the thoughts are disturbing -her-. <<Yes. They do. They were together for many cycles of seasons. Many years.>> His nose gives a slight twitch, and then he licks his nose, leaning lightly on his front paws there at the edge of the bench.

Then he tilts his head to one side, and there's a grin that comes to the feline's features at Jean's words. <<If your friend is the man on the bench then know that I am not tormenting him. I am sitting near to the bench. Watching him. I have not touched him.>> And he hasn't licked him either! <<I know that people are not food. I am not so lost to the snow leopard's nature that I would consider attacking or harming a person. It would only come to pass if I had to defend myself.>> Then there's a hand being offered, and Vitali licks his nose briefly as he looks to the hand before lifting his gaze back to the fellow on the bench. The feline part of him responds instinctively a moment after that, his nose snuff-whuffling at the offered hand and whiskers barely touching skin. He chuffs part of a breath through his nose, and then he yawns, the gesture all sharp fangs and curling pink tongue.

Phoenix has posed:
Of course Scott would go and try to make friends with a snow leopard. Somehow, this is less than surprising to Jean. As far as disturbing thoughts.. well. They're his. Jean's not likely to tell him how they're affecting her. She's an intruder, afterall. So, she simply does her best to block what she can. She rolls her eyes, strictly inwardly, as the shapeshifter speaks.

<<With your paws on the edge of the bench staring at him? You're making him nervous. I would rather he not hurt you.>> Which is true. She'd rather not. About that point, she can see the snow leopard and Scott on that bench. Jean starts to walk faster, to get there the sooner.

Cyclops has posed:
Damn skippy Scott'll try to make friends with a snow leopard! It's better than being attacked by one! As his hand is snuffed, he feels those whiskers and then watches as Vitali yawns, baring pink tongue and sharp teeth. Once the yawn is done, Scott will actually move his hand to attempt to scritch just behind one of Vitali's ears. "Nice leopard. We don't wanna attack the human, right?"

As he's doing this, he does seem to look around, perhaps to make sure that there's not more people coming into the park who will suddenly see man and leopard. It's then that he spies Jean, tilting his head as he notices she's walking a bit quickly, so he nods his head in her direction. <<Slow down, Jeanie. I think it's okay...don't push yourself.>>

Vitali Svyatoslav has posed:
<<Yes?>> Vitali offers by way of response. <<I do not have any of my claws out, and I am not showing signs of violence.>> Both of which are very true things. He's being very calm and at ease, and there's nary a sign of his claws -- well, except for that one right there that should be trimmed. <<I would rather not end up hurt.>> Zhao would likely have words to say if he did end up hurt for such a foolish thing as what he's done here today. And he'd really rather not get thwapped in the forehead with either of Zhao's fans. Again.

He withdraws his front paws from the bench, settling them back to the ground. He tucks his tail around himself. Then the man's hand is moving, and Vitali chuffs a breath across the fellow's palm before allowing the hand to find that spot behind one of his ears to scritch. The feline part of his brain has him leaning in to the scritching and half closing his eyes. See? He's just a friendly and very big kitty.

Phoenix has posed:
Jean Grey really is pushing herself, too. And it shows. She's actually moving stiffly. Not quite limping, because it's more of a full body ache. <<Scott, mental note. Lightning officially sucks.>> Well, it's the truth. She does slow down, though. Once she does, she seems steadier on her feet. More like her usual graceful self. Of course, she /could/ be flying, but... She hadn't thought of that just yet.

She shakes her head at the snow leopard but doesn't point out how obviously foolish he's being. What if Scott wasn't Scott and in mental contact with Jean to know the leopard wasn't simply a leopard? What if it was someone with a gun who was twitchy? Or powers who was twitchy? She does mutter under her breath. Something about, "Foolish cat.." But it's very quiet and that's all that's audible. Jean approaches the bench now and sinks onto the end further away from the cat. "That's him, yes," she says to Scott. "He's a person, in there."

Cyclops has posed:
Maybe it's a foolish thing to have done, but Scott doesn't really mind at this point. Fact is, he's scritching a snow leopard, and therefore isn't being mauled by said feline. As Jean sinks onto the bench, he glances over at her, and his hand retracts from the feline slowly. "A person?" He looks to the feline then, a brow raised. "Is that so? Well..." Now he's not sure how to feel, if there's a person in there, then he's also...it's just too odd to think on. So, instead, he reaches to take Jean's closer hand. "Are you alright, Jeanie? I was worried. Looked everywhere for you..."

Vitali Svyatoslav has posed:
As Jean comes into sight, Vitali's dark eyes flick the rest of the way open, and he tilts his head to one side. Studying her, watching her. The stiffness of the movements, the not quite limp. He notices these things, and he lightly flicks his tail behind himself, the end of it swishing. When there's the muttering that happens to include 'foolish cat' as part of the words, Vitali makes a soft sound of disagreement. Except that she's not wrong. Part of his actions have been foolish.

Vitali turns his gaze to Scott, and the corners of his lips quirk a little bit. And he bobs a single nod of agreement. Because he is a person inside the feline's form. Shifting his weight, he rises easily to his paws, and the he shakes himself off before he steps over to Jean to lift one of his front paws to very lightly place it on one of her knees, if she'll allow. Then he lowers the paw before taking a step back. His focus, his concentration shifts, turning inward and upon himself. A soft green light rises up around him, marbled through in different shades like the aurora borealis playing across the sky. The light lingers around him, obscuring him, and when it fades away then he's left standing in his human form. He wears a pair of black steel-toed boots, black jeans, and a dark blue turtleneck, and his long black hair has been left loose to fall over his shoulders and across his back.

Phoenix has posed:
Jean Grey wasn't really calling Scott foolish, though he could have had his hand taken off if he hadn't been lucky and that had been a real snow leopard. She nods to him. "A person." She looks at the snow leopard. "His name is Vitali." Her brow furrows as she thinks of a report that had come across her desk not so long ago. "Wasn't there something about a snow leopard and a guy from China getting into some sort of trouble and staying in Hank's cabin for awhile afterward not that long ago?" She vaguely remembers /something/.

Her expression softens as her hand is taken, and she smiles gently to him. "I'm okay, Scott," says Jean. "I just... needed to think. Kurt.. was pushy. He wanted me to talk about what happend and I didn't want to." She still doesn't. She goes still as the snow leopard approaches her. She knows in her mind that he's not aggressive and that he's unlikely to attack, but there's still some part of her that readies for defense. Some part that has spent way too many hours in the danger room and on missions.

Jean only relaxes as he steps away, but there's still something of readiness about her. She inclines her head at the man once he's a man and not a cat. "Vitali, I presume? I'm Jean. This is Scott." Nothing more than that of who they are is offered.

Cyclops has posed:
There's a few things that happen in the blink of an eye. Scott listens to Jean, but really he almost has a moment of wanting to question everything about her 'needing to think' and that she could have done that somewhere a lot safer than out on the streets. Cause to get to Chinatown...that was one hell of a walk...and Scott's worry is still very pregnant at the front of his mind. There's no hiding it.

Then there's the snow leopard, though it doesn't remain a snow leopard for very long before there's that flash of color and soon where once was a cat now stands a man. Scott looks Vitali up and down with one quick motion of eyes and then seems to sit up a bit straighter. "Vitali?" Course Jean introduced them both, and so he simply adds, "Pleasure to meet you."

That's not all though, his attention turns right back to Jean after a moment. He takes a breath, as if he's about to say all the things on his mind of how he was worried, and how he was scared, and that he really hopes she never does any of that ever again. It all comes out! Well. Not really. It comes out in a single phrase, "You should have called me."

Vitali Svyatoslav has posed:
There is naught for Vitali to offer on the topic of reports that may have crossed Jean's desk. His brow furrows briefly, and he tilts his head a touch to one side, and it's only after he's changed that he actually addresses a part of what she had said. "Was snow leopard, before," he affirms, giving a small nod. That had been something of a bad time, for him, and he doesn't particularly want to think about it. His voice is in the baritone range, and he speaks with a Russian accent that's fairly strong. "Xiang Zhao find. Call back to self, not stay snow leopard. Wake up later, in cabin," he says, frowning a little bit before he gives his head a small shake. He's not giving up more details on that one, it would seem.

Shifting his weight slightly, he settles to the ground in cross-legged fashion, a couple of steps in front of the bench where they sit. To Jean, he gives a nod, and a smile turns the corners of his lips. "Da, am Vitali. Is good for... to meet both, da," he says. There are times when English is his nemesis for he fights with it. And he looks to Scott and gives a small nod as well. He studies one of them, then the other, considering what the feline's senses had given him in the way of knowledge. And he considers for a moment, uncertain. And he looks to Jean, studying her. "Are hurt?" he asks, a gentle tone to his voice. He lifts his left hand then to touch his chest with his fingertips. "Am healer. Can help, if will allow," he adds, giving a small nod. Asking permission is apparently not just a thing that applies with just Zhao, though Zhao had taught him the importance of it... through experience.

Phoenix has posed:
Jean Grey has a back stage pass to surface thoughts in general, but Scott's are something she has trouble tuning out on the best of days. She knows what's going through his head, but.. she comments on none of it. Instead, she simply nods to him, to his words. "I should have," she agrees. "If I had realized how far I walked, I would have. I didn't realize until I heard your mind call." Because that's about when she snapped out of it.

She looks to Vitali and nods. That tracks with what she vaguely recalls coming across her desk. Vitali's offer gets a raised brow in response, and silent, for a long, long moment. Then she shakes her head. "I'm fine. I don't need any healing, but thank you." And that offer appears to be rejected right from the start. Jean would feel bad, but... no. She wouldn't. She doesn't much care for people to be quite that close to her.

Cyclops has posed:
Of course, Jean doesn't have to respond to every little thought that Scott has in his mind, and he tries his best after a moment to use some big effort to tuck those thoughts away. He doesn't want to overload Jean with the surface of everything that's been going through his head. She's been through enough already without dealing with that.

He does, however, reach to take her hand and squeezes his gently. "I've only got my bike...but I can go switch it out for a car...if you want to rest here while I do that and then we can go to breakfast." He offers Jean before glancing to Vitali. "Sorry. I'm not trying to ignore you and I hope it doesn't seem like I am. Also, we do appreciate the offer of helping Jean. Just not what's really needed in the moment."

Vitali Svyatoslav has posed:
The Siberian brings his hands to rest lightly within his lap and the fingers of one hand entwine with those of the other, the movement soft and quiet. He tilts his head a bit to the other side as he looks to Jean, a more feline than human expression of curiosity at the answer that she offers. He is disappointed, and yet he offers no argument and no questions, and instead nods once. Asking permission is important, and heeding the answer given is even more important. He doesn't understand it. People here would rather live with their pain and discomfort and injuries than have any of them taken away. It's so different than his home, where he was -expected- to do what he could without being asked and without permission being given. It is what it is, and he simply does his best to accept it. He's been here for a few months' worth of time now and he's no closer to figuring out what he's supposed to be doing.

Vitali turns his attention to Scott, and he gives a small shake of his head. "Is fine. Is not needing for giving apology. Am understanding," he says, a small smile finding the corners of his lips. He shifts his weight then, untwining his hands from each other as he smoothly rises to his feet, and he inclines his head towards them both. "Was good for meeting both. Will not keep from breakfast. Is important," he says softly. Soraya easily steps from the branch she had perched on, spreading her wings and sweeping them through the air in flight. He doesn't look towards the direction that she approaches from, and he lifts his left arm at just the right moment for her to swoop up and land on his forearm. The eagle clicks her beak and ruffles her feathers as she settles her wings to her back.

Phoenix has posed:
But, sometimes it's fun to respond to all the little thoughts. But only sometimes, or it might get old, fast, never being alone in our own head. She smiles gently to Scott as he takes her hand. "If you have an extra helmet, I'll ride with you on the bike." She doesn't old out hope that he has an extra helmet, though. "But if not, I'll rest here." She could probably fly, but that would be pretty conspicuous, especially as dawn is very nearly upon them. The sky is lightening from black to paler blue in the east.

Jean studies the Siberian for a few moments. She nods to his acceptance, and says nothing further on it for now. It's a cultural thing. And that is not something easily explained away. Jean looks at the eagle as she takes flight, perhaps sensing something. Perhaps simply catching movement at the corner of her vision. She watches the eagle come in for a landing, and her eyes are drawn back to Vitali with it. "It was good meeting you as well. And I do thank you for the offer. I would prefer it if you saved your strength for those who need healing far more than I do." For when a life is on the line.

Cyclops has posed:
"No extra helmet, Jean, but you can wear mine..." Scott offers, because he always does. Even if it only works sometimes. He's fine with doing whatever Jean wants or needs in order to get her fed, and then get her home and resting. He'll insist.

Then the snow leopard turned human named Vitali is seeming to take his leave and Scott thinks on it for a moment. "You were hunting weren't you? Needless to say I would assume you're hungry? If you want to wait with Jean...I can go get the car anyway and if you'd like.." He looks to Jean as if asking permission to offer at the same time he's offering, "We could...treat you to breakfast?"

Vitali Svyatoslav has posed:
Softly, Vitali lifts his right hand in order to lightly draw one of his fingertips down over the eagle's beak before softly cupping his fingers over her beak, and she half closes her eyes and lowers her head slightly towards him. A faint smile finds the corners of the Siberian's lips, his dark gaze turned to the eagle. Softly, he lifts his hand away from her beak and then lifts his arm to help her in launching into the air. She easily wings her way around in a circle near to them, climbing higher. It takes a moment before he turns his gaze to Jean, and his head tilts a touch to one side at her words. "Is fine. Is not needing thanking. Did nothing besides offer. Is way," he says softly, then gives his head a small shake. It is as it is. This isn't the first time that he's offered his healing and been told no, and it's unlikely to be the last. Not many seem to believe that his offer is genuine or that he's not wanting some sort of compensation for any efforts he gives. He still has a lot of things to get used to, here. He's still an outsider, and he's likely always to be one.

One of Vitali's eyebrows quirks up slightly at the question from Scott, and he gives a small and single nod. "Da, was hunting. Rabbit. Scent gone. Maybe there. Not able smell, now. Snow leopard have better nose," he says in a thoughtful tone, then lifts one of his shoulders in a faint shrug. It's not exactly uncommon knowledge, that. He looks from one of them to the other as though perhaps weighing the offer, considering it. "Am not wishing for being intruding," he says softly.

Phoenix has posed:
Jean Grey almost always says no to that particular offer. "No, Scott. We both need helmets. I'll wait, it's fine." Jean honestly isn't against having a little more time to rest before getting back to her feet. Really. She looks from Scott to Vitali and then nods. "You always know what I'm thinking, Scott. Yes, Vitali. Please, let us take you to breakfast." That had been what Jean was thinking when Scott had first mentioned breakfast.

Jean raises a brow at the thoughts she picks up from the Siberian man. "On the contrary. I know your offer is genuine, and I know you don't want compensation for it. My reluctance has nothing to do with monetary value." Jean's other brow joins the first. "It stands to reason that if you're invited, it's not an intrusion. I don't consider your presence an intrusion. Do you, Scott?"

Cyclops has posed:
Scott Summers shakes his head. "Not an intrusion at all. You're right. There was an offer made, so there's no intrusion. If you're hungry, we will feed you. Simple as that." The man with the ruby tinted glasses offers as he stands and nods to Jean. "Okay Jeanie. I'll be back with a car in just a little bit." He then leans over, almost forgetting himself, and the kiss he was going for is rapidly turned into a kiss to her forehead. A smile and a nod then. "Yes. Back in a bit." And then he's walking off back towards his bike.

Vitali Svyatoslav has posed:
The Siberian man settles his dark gaze upon Jean, watching her whilst he listens to what she says about breakfast. Then he blinks at her, a bit of surprise showing in his dark eyes even though he knows she's a telepath. He hadn't figured what he was thinking was -that- plain to be plucked. He softly clears his throat, and then he gives a small nod to her. "Am sorry. Did not mean for implying your reasons were same as ones in head," Vitali says softly, a bit sheepishly. The words are sincere. "Is... different, where am from," he adds, his brow furrowing a bit. He can't help but to miss his home sometimes.

Vitali looks from Jean to Scott for a moment, considering each of them in turn, and then he gives a small nod. "Da, am hungry. Appreciate offer, invitation, very much. Is very kind," he says, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. He looks over to Scott, and then he gives a small nod to him as well, before the fellow heads off for the bike. He intends to wait with Jean, to keep her safe -- or at least, as safe as his efforts might do, should things go sideways. Then his attention turns to Jean, and he gives a small nod to her. "Spasibo," he says softly, stepping over to the bench and taking a seat whilst they wait for Scott to return.