13578/Voices at Midnight

Voices at Midnight
Date of Scene:	01 July 2021
Location:	Bushwick (Mutant Town), Brooklyn
Synopsis:	Jean and her group managed to finally meet and officially persuade Kit to check out Xavier's School.
Cast of Characters:	Kit Killovarras, Jax Miller, Phoenix, Nightingale

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Kit Killovarras has posed:
It's a quiet night, the streets are starting to get emptier as is the norm. It's here that Kit can be found wandering tonight, not far from Saint Margaret's church, a little lost in his own world, "Don't know if you love me or you want me dead." He's singing a bit to himself, his body swaying with the melody and the music he's got in his head. Occasionally he'll stop if he notices someone staring at him, but as soon as the attention is off him again he'll continue.

Though his tail is out and visible, he's still wearing his hoodie up and has his hands in the pockets, concealing his clawed hands. "Push me away, push me away. Then beg me to stay, beg me to stay, yea-ah." His voice never carries far, he doesn't need it to for him to hear it properly due to his heightened senses.

Jax Miller has posed:
    The Jeep Cherokee makes no attempt at stealth whatsoever as it comes down the road at a perfectly normal speed. It's a perfectly normal vehicle for this part of town, even if it does look a bit better taken care of than most cars around. Even the color, an off-white, is perfectly normal. So normal is this vehicle, in fact, that it almost feels as if the driver is making up for something else.

    Ever since Jax had heard about Megan and Alice encountering Kit, something had been on the teenaged mutant's mind. Granted, a lot that was on his mind at the time had to do with finals, but as time passed he became pre-occupied, and much to his delight he was invited to join Jean to meet this mutant. He even insisted on driving, arguing that his personal vehicle would look and feel less intimidating than one of the school's cars...

    And now, looking at him driving responsibly through Brooklyn, you'd think he was about to meet some long lost brother. And then, his keen eyes narrow for a moment, and his ears perk up, glancing over to Jean. "There was a farmer, had a dog, and BINGO was his name-o!"

    In case that wasn't perfectly clear, he motioned momentarily over to Kit walking along the sidewalk, his ears suddenly swiveling as if he picks up something. "Oh wow..."

    Slowly, the Jeep slows to a halt and pulls up to the curb to park.

Phoenix has posed:
Jean Grey had already done all the twitting of Jax over his too normal vehicle that she was going to do. And she'd readily agreed about his vehicle. She can drive. She's even good at it. But when she's going to be pinpointing someone she doesn't know using her powers... well. It's just easier to let someone else do the driving.

Now she's concentrating. During the drive, Jean directs in general terms where to go. And hen when Jax glances to her and sings that song, she nods. "So it would seem," she says, her voice soft as it is wont to be.

She smiles a small smile and nods. "I hear it." She can't possibly be hearing it with her ears, but she has other means to hear it. "Go easy," she says softly. There's probably a reason for that cautionary warning. Even as she speaks it, a wave of reassurance goes out, from her and straight to Kit. Jean can do that, and anything she can do to make herself and Jax seem to be less threatening is always a good thing.

Kit Killovarras has posed:
He doesn't immediately notice the others but that wave of calm hits him and his demeanor changes a little. Kit lets his hands slip out of his pockets, "Call me in the mornin' to apologize! Every little lie give me butterflies!" When the song changes tone, his voice increases, far beyond what he was letting it before, though it's not enough to carry much further than across a street still. "Somethin in the way you're lookin' through my eyes! I don't know if I'm gonna make it out alive!" He's practically dancing in step to the melody now, for once letting his body move in a more natural way than he usually does and whats more.. He's standing his full height!

That is, right up until the word 'fight', which comes out as a very sudden and very surprised yelp! He's noticed them, two people who just parked ahead of him. His tail has instantly fluffed up, eyes are wide and glowing a bright violet as he stares at the car that just parked, then suddenly? His hands get stuffed back in his pockets, his head tips down to conceal most of his face behind the hoodie, he lowers his body a little to seem smaller and his movement? Picks up again, this time taking him STRAIT for a nearby alleyway.

Jax Miller has posed:
    Watching Kit in the rear-view mirror, Jax kills the engine and takes a deep breath. "Well, here goes... ehmm..." and he looks almost apologetically at Jean. "Ladies first?"

    Okay, so, he kind of enjoys being the wingman on outings like these, but taking charge? Hah, not with the deputy headmistress in the same car with him. Even as he feels the soothing energy wash over him, he frowns for a moment at the way the other mutant moves, and seems to understand something instinctively. He's just reaching for the door handle when that yelp rings out, and his ears flatten in an instant, clapping his hands to his ears and wincing in pain.

    "Owww! Crap..." and there it is, the change of direction he was half expecting. "... I think he's spooked. Don't run after him, he'll just bolt."

    Ears still ringing, Jax finally gets out of the Jeep, waits for Jean to get out as well, and then locks the doors.

    To a mutant with sensitive hearing, the sound will stand out in the background noise of the streets, a sure sign that whoever was in that car is probably not here to do something that's going to require them to get back in in a hurry.

Phoenix has posed:
Jean Grey inclines her head to Jax, and opens the door. She doesn't mind taking charge. Jax is along as backup muscle, a potentially soothing presence, an extra set of eyes, and a chaufer. She steps out of the car and around to the front, where she pauses. She leans a hip against the fender at the front on the side against the sidewalk.

"I'm not going to run after him," she says. And then she does something that Kit might find unexpected. <<Kit. We are friends.>> She projects that, into his mind. Another wave of soothing emotion is sent out. She doesn't keep it confined to Jax and Kit, either, but anybody else who might be around.

<<We are friends of Megan and Alice. Please don't run away. Come talk to us?>> Notably, Jean leaves that as an open ended suggestion. It's not an order, but a request. She glances to Jax as he locks the doors, and nods her approval of the action.

Kit Killovarras has posed:
Even to sensitive ears, there's an unsettling silence from that alleyway for a long few moments. Jean would still sense a bit of panic, but far less and fading quickly. It's a long few moments before Kit walks back out of the alleyway, his footfalls utterly silent.

He's still watching them with those glowing eyes now, still holding himself low and his hands are still in his pockets, but at least he's moved closer rather than moving further away.

It takes a few moments for him to speak and as freaked out as he was just a moment ago, his first word to them is still a simple, "Sorry..." as he pulls one hand out enough to scratch at the back of his head, letting his hood fall off as he does. "I didn't know who you were... And I haven't had the best week..."

Jax Miller has posed:
    And from behind the jeep walks another figure, slowly. Normally Jax favors a hoodie, but tonight he's in a simple open jacket over a t-shirt, leaving his outline unobstructed for a change. When the street lights illuminate his face, Jax' eyes glow as well for a brief moment, before the reflection fades and leaves them their usual bright blue. Blue with vertical slits. A pair of cat ears perk up slowly, and a tail is unmistakably swinging behind him, subdued right now but flicking back and forth at the tip.

    And he stands there for a moment, just smiling, slowly raising a hand in greeting. "Hi."

    With that slightly awkward first meeting over, Jax climbs onto the hood of his Jeep and sits down, cross-legged. It's his Jeep, he can do that if he wants, dammit... But his smile never fades, his body language open and friendly. "No big. It's been that kinda week for all of us, I think."

Nightingale has posed:
     Not too far away (and very likely well within earshot, for any mutants with sensitive hearing), a voice increasingly familiar to many and very familiar to a few, is singing a new, unfamiliar tune. Powerful strings, drums, and vocals tug at the heartstrings, and one particular verse stands out among them, a silky alto voice letting the words carry out the open club doors into the night.

"Sometimes, it takes a lot of faith
To keep believing there will come a day
When the tears and the sadness, the pain and the hate
The struggle, this madness, will all fade away, yeah...."

     A few minutes later, the song reaches its conclusion to considerable applause, and shortly after that, a familiar angel-winged figure slips out into the night, taking a deep breath that no longer feels as if it belongs in a sauna. Shannon allows herself a small smile, spreading out her wings as if to fly away home.

     But something stops her from taking to the air. As she looks out into the night, she spots a familiar vehicle not too terribly far off. One finely arched brow lofts, and she tucks her wings in behind her with a little flick. She starts towards the familiar Jeep at a light jog, her light blue jeans, 'Mutie Cutie' t-shirt, and wedge-heel peep-toe sandals quite comfortable in the summer weather for even this much activity.

     Sure enough, there's Jax. But what surprises her is Jean's presence in the Jeep--and a completely unfamiliar face in the vicinity as well. She stops a short distance off, within earshot herself, certainly within line of sight, and definitely in range of those with sensitive hearing. But she doesn't speak, or make any sudden moves, observing for the moment to get a better handle on the situation at hand.

Phoenix has posed:
Jean Grey lacks those sensative sensative ears. But she more than makes up for it by being what she is. A telepath. If it's something alive, she'll often know it's there before even those with super sensative hearing will. Thankfully, that sharp bark had done her no harm at all. Jean's eyes remain locked on the allyway, watching until Kit reaappears. The moment he does, she has a warm smile for him.

That apology earns a shake of Jean's head. "No Kit, you did nothing wrong," she says. She studies him for a moment. "Would you like to come somewhere safe, where the people around you understand and accept you for who you are?" She glances at Jax and smiles at him sitting on his own hood. "Now I know why you wanted to bring your jeep," she says, amusement sparkling in her eyes and threaded throughout her tone.

Jean is aware of Shannon's presence not far away. As the young woman approaches, her eyes remain on Kit, but a wordless sense of greeting and welcome is broadcast from her to Shannon. "Hello Shannon," she offers. Her eyes never leave Kit. She lifts her right hand in offer to him.

Kit Killovarras has posed:
Kit just chuckles a little at the response from Jax, he's about to say something when he takes note of Shannon and his attention goes to her for a moment. "Huh, is it bad that I feel a bit outnumbered right now?" he asks quietly, more to himself then anyone else and when Jean mentions a place where he would be accepted, there is a visible twitch as his left ear falls to the side a little, the right perking up. "That depends..." he says, giving a little pause before adding, "The last place that said they'd keep me safe, did it by keeping me locked up..." Theres a momentary crackle along the fur of his neck and paws, like hundreds of tiny bolts of violet energy jumping across the tips of his fur.

Jax Miller has posed:
    "One of the reasons." Jax admits to Jean, grinning. There was another, more practical reason which he suspects people will find out about soon. His ear flicks towards Shannon in a very casual greeting, but he keeps his attention on Kit. He has to... because it's important to read the other mutant's body language the whole time. And the twitch of that ear is all the warning Jax needs to cut in.

    "That ain't safety. But neither is running around by yourself." He gives Kit a smile, and cats make notoriously bad liars. If he'd been attempting duplicity, his tail would be thumping all over the place, and it clearly isn't. "Nah man, this is worse than that. Far worse. Much, much worse..."

    Pause.
    Ear twitch

    "We're talking about going to school."

Nightingale has posed:
     "Hi, miss Grey!" Shannon smiles in Jean's direction, the warmth coming through in her voice even if her expression is not seen for the moment. She keeps her hands in the open and visible, empty, her posture as relaxed and non-threatening as possible. Her smile, when she looks over at Kit, is more on the apologetic side, the young woman dipping her head, slightly abashed. "I'm sorry. Didn't mean to make you feel that way." She smiles at Kit, sketching a little half-bow. "Shannon. Nice to meet you....?"

     But, as she listens to Jax describe what 'safety' consisted of in this particular situation, her smile widens into something more akin to a smirk, then an outright grin. There's a soft chuckle, that soon melts into a silvery giggle, brows flicking upwards with amusement.

     "Oh, yes," she adds. "Far worse. Just imagine... studying. Final exams. People who have your back, and pick you back up again even when you screw up." She lets out a mock-heavy sigh, but her smile is warm, even perhaps a bit fond, as she glances between Jax and Jean. "And I wouldn't trade it for the world. It couldn't hurt to listen to these two."

Phoenix has posed:
Jean Grey tilts her head as all the things she can sense come to her. She shakes her head a little bit and lifts her right hand to rest her fingers lightly against her temple. "No Kit," she says, her voice slightly distracted with the sensory input. "We won't lock you away." Her eyes hold a sorrow to them, and a sympathy and understanding. She notes the crackle of violet energy, and says nothing about it.

She nods agreement with Jax's words. "Being locked up is not safety. It's imprisonment. Or slavery." She only now looks away from Kit, and that's to give Jax a look that is equal parts disgusted and amused. "Yes. School." She looks back to Kit. "A place to learn and grow. To learn about all you can do and how to control what you can do."

She smiles at Kit again, her mind going back to his words before talk about being locked up. "And no, it's not bad that you feel outnumbered. Realistically, you are. However, even though you are, that isn't going to make a difference. Whether you come with us or not is entirely your choice. There are others like you at this school. If you would like to come and join us, you are very much welcome."

Jean chuckles at the two youngsters talking about school like it's a bad thing. She hooks a thumb toward Shannon. "Shannon bakes. So there's an extra insentive. You would also live on school grounds and not have to worry about food or shelter. Or being attacked by anyone." At least, in a general sense. And Shannon's introduction brings Jean to realize she hasn't introduced herself. "I'm Jean. He's Jax," she says, nodding toward the kitty cat in question.

Kit Killovarras has posed:
That crackling actually intensifies a little when Jax and Jean respond to what he said, then Kit closes his eyes for a moment and gives a little sigh, murmuring, "They didn't have a choice..." the faintest hint of a growl can be heard beneath those words to a good ear, but his ears fold back and his eyes close as he talks too. There's a moment where he just stands there, eyes closed, but eventually he opens them ever so slightly and tilts his head, "I actually came here to find someone, a sorcerer my grandfather told me about, but every lead I've found las been a dead end..." He relaxes ever so slightly, finally letting his eyes open again as he looks strait at Jean. "So long as I'm free to come and go when I want, within reason... I'm willing to give it a shot."

Jax Miller has posed:
    For a moment, Jax turns his head to Shannon. "You hear that? We're bribing with cookies now, that's how low we're sinking." And then back to Kit, with a shrug. "Mind you, they're pretty awesome cookies. And mac 'n cheese. And cakes..." It seems as if he's about to rattle of a whole list, but stops himself just in time. Possibly because he just made himself hungry again.

    But when Jean introduces him, Jax actually scowls for a moment. "Hear that? 'He's Jax'. Boom, end of, that's it." With a paw over his heart, he turns a mock wounded look at Jean. "What have I done to be dismissed so casually? Truly, has my star waned by such that I am now and forever but merely Jax?" Someone's been taking acting lessons from Colossus... He even hangs his head theatrically, and then extends his hand to Kit.

    "Jax Miller. /The/ Jax Miller. The one, the only, the awesome, no autographs after nine PM."

    And he smiles again, that odd feline smile that's mostly expressed in his ears and tail. "Take it from me, nobody cares what you look like where we're going."

Nightingale has posed:
     "Pffft. They're overrating my culinary abilities. So I've baked a few decent batches of cookies. So I can make a decent mac 'n cheese from scratch, or bake a decent cake, or lasagna. That doesn't make me the next Gordon Ramsay or anything." Shannon giggles softly, shaking her head. "Besides, I cuss a lot less than he does. Mostly."

     She rolls her eyes at Jax, now approaching close enough to reach over and lightly thump him on the shoulder. "Listen to this one complaining about his star waning, and no autographs after nine PM, while I'm trying to get used to giving any autographs at all! It's an honor to be on a first-name basis with you, Jax, so shh."

     Looking back at Kit, she smiles once more, taking a deep breath and letting out a slow sigh. "There are a lot of dreams I thought were hopeless when I got to the school. Singing as a professional was one of them. So's med school. That's not the case now. So if there's a sorceror you heard about from your grandfather that you're trying to find, you can bet the help will be there if you're willing to just ask."

Phoenix has posed:
Jean Grey snorts a breath out her nose and rolls her eyes at Jax. "Yes. Just Jax," she says firmly, a smile dancing in her eyes. Clearly, she's as amused by his acting as she is by her insistance that he's 'just Jax'. She nods to Kit, though. "Within reason, yes. We do have students who live off campus. So long as you're at classes and lessons, you can come and go pretty much as you please." She mentions nothing about a curfew at all. "We ask only that you not disrupt the other students with your coming and going." That seems reasonable, right?

"Shannon, you're underrating," she points out. "Maybe we can help you find your sorceror. I'm willing to try, at least."

Kit Killovarras has posed:
When Jax approaches him and offers a hand, Kit's fur crackles again for a split second, the fur along the back of his neck and head raising for a moment before it smooths out again. He shakes the felines hand, giving a thin, toothy grin as he muses, "Huh.. /The/ Jax Miller?" with a tilt of his head, the glow in his eyes fading to reveal their true, mismatched colors. "Should I already know you?" He is, of course, poking fun at the man and eventually just chuckles and grins, "Pleasure meeting you, Jax."

Then he looks to Shannon and tilts his head slightly. "Less of a dream to find this guy and more of a necessity really." His ears twitched at the mention of singing and he just gives a little smile, "Singing professionally, huh? Maybe you could give me some pointers later. As for the baking?" Theres a pause and a sheepish grin before he adds, "My tastes are a bit weird, but I'm willing to try just about anything."

When Jean mentions classes, he just nods and scratches at the back of his head. "I can't promise I'll be fully awake if there are morning classes, but the not disturbing other students? I mean, I've spent most of my life learning how to not be seen or heard, so I don't think that'll be a problem."

Jax Miller has posed:
    If anything, the grin on Jax's face only widens when it becomes clear that Kit doesn't know him yet. Excellent! And soon enough he's pressing the unlock button for the car doors, climbing up onto the hood again. "Everyone, get to da choppa!"

    Lithely, he goes in via the sun roof (because cat), and leans over to open the front passenger door for Kit. "C'mon, you've got shotgun."

    And the reason why becomes obvious soon enough. The front two seats have been adapted, part of the lumbar support of the bucket seats has been scalloped out... And that's the other reason why he wanted to bring the jeep. Because in which other vehicle are you going to find seats specially adapted to fit tails?

Nightingale has posed:
     "Oh for love of... damn it, one of these days I'm gonna call shotgun and actually get it!" Shannon giggles as she clambers into the Jeep, sliding into the back seat. Have wings, will travel--but this time, she was going to ride in style! Okay, maybe it wasn't a limo, but it was a ride home with friends, both new and known. What could get better than that?

     Oh, wait, there was perhaps -one- thing, if the rather unladylike growling of her stomach was any indication....

     "Any chance we could stop for some pizza on the way home?"

Phoenix has posed:
Jean Grey seems amused by Kit's teasing of Jax. "If morning classes are a problem, that's simple. We'll schedule you for afternoon classes. Not everyone is the same, so we're pretty flexible." She doesn't even seem to mind it when her seat is given to Kit. She understands. She doesn't have a tail, afterall! She moves toward the vehicle and climbs into the back seat.

"I have no issue stopping for pizza. I'll even pay for it." So generous of Jean. "Drinks and dessert too."