6747/A Dress For Success

A Dress For Success
Date of Scene:	03 March 2019
Location:	Rogue's Room - Xavier's Mansion
Synopsis:	Kitty borrows a dress for a gala ball from Rogue, and then much talking about mutant powers and Rogue's history ensues.
Cast of Characters:	Rogue, Shadowcat

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Rogue has posed:
Sundays, Lady Sundays. Rogue's been in her room since breakfast, she'd gotten a plate and carried it up here and just parked herself at her desk to work on grading papers for her teaching assistant position.

Her room door is partially open, she's seated at said desk, wearing a baggy Xavier's School hoodie, a pair of matching sweat pants and some green and yellow striped fuzzy socks. Her hair is tied up into a bun on the back of her head and she's got some music playing on a stereo in the corner of her room, just some quiet classic rock in the background while she's humming along to it and going over the stacks of papers beside her laptop.

There's also a fire in the fireplace! Its crackling hot to add some extra ambience for her peaceful Sunday times.

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde makes it back to the school from Gotham, heading for the shower first to freshen up. Burning the candle at both ends is going to catch up with her at some point. But so far, having to stifle yawns now and then has been made more than worth it by the ways Kitty has been spending her time.

Getting dressed again, she dries her hair and then heads down the hallway. "Jean's too tall, but Anna Marie just might work," she murmurs to herself as she approaches her friend's door. Kitty wraps softly on the door jam, avoiding the urge to peek through the partially open gap. "Anna-Marie, it's Kitty. Do you have a minute?" she asks so Rogue won't have to go to the door to see who it is.

Rogue has posed:
Rogue sets down her fancy pen that a friend bought her for her birthday back in January as a gift for the special day, and for getting the teaching assistant position at Xavier's. She looks up and over toward the door, clearly recognizing the voice without needing X-Ray vision to see through the big wooden blocker between them.

"Iiiiiits, open! Come on in." She says then as she leans backward in her chair and hooks her right leg up onto it while reaching out for her water bottle to draw it back and take a sip from it.

When Kitty does come in, Rogue lowers the water and flashes her a smile. "Whats up, Hotness?" She asks the other in a cheerful way.

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde opens the door and comes inside, closing it behind her as the warm greeting from Rogue puts a smile on her face. The woman's Southern charm and warm disposition frequently seems to have that effect. "Hey, hope I'm not interrupting too much," the freshly-bathed brunette says. "I was hoping I might beg a favor of you," Kitty says.

She makes her way over to settle into the chair nearest to Rogue. "Oh, this is nice," she says of the chair. Shifting to one side and then the other and the sinking back into it. "That's it, I need to get new furniture," she comments as she casts a baleful eye into the direction of her own room.

Kitty looks back to Rogue. Right, focus. "Though, ok, that's not the favor, I don't want to steal your furniture," Kitty says with a soft grin. "I was wondering if you might have a dress suitable for a real fancy shindig though. There's this charity ball in Gotham next weekend. For a big cat sanctuary. And Jason, the guy I'm seeing, the one from Harry's? He invited me to it. It's like a high society masquerade ball. And his father is going to be there, and friends and family. So I wanted to look really nice for it, and I don't have anything like that. Would you maybe have a killer dress that would fit an occasion like that I might borrow?"

Rogue has posed:
Rogue turns to face Kitty when Kitty settles into one of the two leather chairs in front of the fireplace, they're those tall backed leather seats with the dimpled cushions, classic old world stuff. Rogue grins at her reaction and sips her water again. "I swiped those from that secret office down the hallway that I used to hide my cigarettes in." She replies.

When she hears the rest of the favor, a big smile spreads over her lips and she nods her head a single time to the other. "I got lotsa them." She tells her. "When I was with the Avengers in New York? Yeah... I had t'get all kindsa fancy dresses and outfits for the public events. Some'a the more professional stuff, and some'a the... ya know, sexier stuff for the night time affairs."

She sets her water aside onto her nightstand beside her bed and then rises up. "Come come!" She motions to Kitty then. Her closet is fairly large, its a walk-in sized close set etween her living space and her bathroom. She flips the light on and heads on inside of it.

Inside said closet is... rows and rows of clothes. Of all makes and styles, generally greens, blacks, whites, some reds... and the occasional bold yellow as those are all her favorite colors, but she's got a pretty darn big variety.

Rogue stands in the center and drags her eyes over the stuff hanging up on a center pole. "Hmm... black?" She asks, glancing over to Kitty. "Gotham has that whole... ya know, 'dark side' about it. Could look good." She says with a grin as she pulls out a long slinky dress that is backless and wraps up around the neck with a likely tantalizing amount of side showing. "I wore this one only once... it was a head turner, t'be sure."

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde lets out a dreamy little sigh. "That must have been so amazing, being with the Avengers," Kitty says, smiling over to Rogue. She rises out of the chair to follow Anna-Marie into the closet. "When I found out who Jason's father is, I kind of made a point to myself that I don't want to be that girl who is turning to him for help. And then the first time something like this comes up? There was mention of maybe getting him to spring for a Janet van Dyne dress. And my first thought was just... oh that would be so amazing! And then I realized... wow, sure were close to backslidin on that fast, Kitty," she says, laughing, but with a bit of a disappointed look for herself as she shakes her head.

Kitty looks around the closet with awe. "How have I not seen your closet before?" she comments, reaching over to squeeze Rogue's shoulder somewhere there will be cloth between them. "Black would probably be safest, yes," Kitty says. "I just don't know that I could pull off something more daring."

Kitty moves over to look at what Rogue pulls out. "Oh, it's just gorgeous," she says as she looks it over. "If I had dresses like this, I'd be insisting we hold dances just so I could wear them," she says, looking a little awe-struck. Kitty turns her attention from the dress to the woman, flashing a grin over to Rogue. Seeing the backless nature, Kitty says, "Really glad I've been spending extra time in the Danger Room on workouts now. What did you wear it to?"

Rogue has posed:
Rogue shows a loaded grin at the part about the Avengers. "It had its moments." She replies, suggesting there might've been some downsides to it too. Likely the publicity! She definitely has some stories about it all and she was only with them for around a year.

At the bit about Van Dyne, Rogue nods her head softly. "She makes amazin' stuff, I never did get t'meet her, sadly... she was busy elsewhere the whole time I was with them. But, I got a buncha stuff here from a lotta leadin' Manhattan designers, and some lesser known ones that were wantin' t'break inta the scene." She offers Kitty the black dress on the little metal hanger. "You'd pull it off better'n me, Hotness." She then says with a grin. "You wouldn't have'ta wear a safety shawl around all the skin parts, so you'd be able t'get the full effect've that fine garment's power on people when they get t'see your form a bit." She's grinning big then before she looks away and reaches up to motion to a metal hoop that has a wide array of different colored shawls and wraps looped through it.

"I gotta cover up in those, or run the risk'a ruinin' someone's night, let alone their life." She says that with a faint smirk and she folds her arms together over her stomach, rumpling her Xavier's hoodie up a little there. "Yep. I spent a lotta dough on clothes though. You're welcome t'go through here and pick out whatever fits your style. Part'a gettin' paid t'hero, left me with a lot'a spendin' cash." And she's grinning a little again.

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde moves over to where she can hold up the dress to herself and look at it in a mirror. She turns, imagining what the back will look like. "Oh goodness Anna-Marie," Kitty says, blushing a bit at showing that much skin. But smiling too, in that way that a woman does when she's thinking about a particularly special fella seeing her in said outfit.

"I'm saving up what I have for a car. Or, I might just go with a motorcycle instead. Just something that will be reliable transportation," Kitty says as she admires the dress.

"Speaking of that," Kitty says, pausing her contemplation on the dress to look over to Rogue. "I... um, I decided I don't want to go back to England." Kitty pauses, giving a little head bob side to side. "I mean, I do. I love Oxford. But, I don't want risk leaving behind what I have started with Jason. I think it could be something real."

She draws a deep breath. "And I'm sort of proving Piotr right last year. When he told me if I truly loved him I wouldn't go to England. I wasn't willing to give Oxford up for him. But I'm not willing to give Jason up for Oxford." Kitty sighs. "Can I try this one?" she asks of the dress.

Rogue has posed:
Rogue just keeps grinning at Kitty's reaction to her taste in clothing. "Flaunt it while ya got it, Sugah." She replies to the other. "Eventually motha nature's gonna start makin it wilt, like a fine flower at the end'a summer."

She turns back to some of her stuff and she separates it them out, isolating all the dresses she has for this. "These should be the ones that you'd want t'try on and see which ya like most." She tells her before she watches Kitty look at the full length mirror on the wall opposite of the closet's entrance. "I got lucky with my car... it was a gift for savin'a rich woman in Manhattan, even before I was an Avenger. She tracked me down at a Halloween party I was at, of all things, and just gave me the keys and such. It was pretty wild. Love it, even if its not quite my style."

Rogue starts to step for the closet exit then and she stops to look back at Kitty. "Try everything on that ya want to." She says, smiling. "And don't fret on Pete... he's a tough guy, he's gonna be all right. If you choose t'stay--which I totally want ya to for my own selfish reasons--he'll support whatever it is ya do here, just cause we're all happy t'have ya here."

And with that she'll step out to go drop down into one of those comfy leather chairs.

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde gives a soft gasp at the mention of wilting. "Anna-Marie! Bite your tongue," she says with a laugh. "With everything else that's happened to us, we'll find a way to end up immortal yet. Just you watch," Kitty says with a small grin. "Well. Maybe flaunting it... just this once," Kitty adds with a laugh, checking out the dress again in the mirror.

"Well, guidance counseling definitely isn't the way to make the bucks," Kitty says as she begins slipping off her clothes to try the dress on. "We had a good talk. Piotr that is. We think we're both ok with just being friends. He was even kind of supportive when I mentioned I was seeing someone," Kitty says from the closet as Rogue heads back to the comfort of the chairs by the fireplace. "A little awkward, but not bad at all, considering."

Kitty walks out then. Rocking the dress though she's got her bra on still. She twirls about in it. "I don't know that I fill it out as well as you, but at least it doesn't look like a half full sack like it would have a year or two ago," Kitty jokes. She has grown a little bit more of a womanly figure in her time away.

Rogue has posed:
Rogue laughs on her way to the leather chair in front of the crackling fireplace. "I got a plan for that, at least for me..." She says, then huffs and settles in. "I'm just gonna stay close t'Logan and periodically touch his skin when he's not lookin'. That means I'll live for a loooong time, and maintain my natural beauty... at the risk'a absorbin' some'a his natural nastiness. But hey, longer life is longer!"

Rogue has her phone in her hands while Kitty changes, but when she emerges, her eyes come up from it and she sees the other in the black dress and she does a surprisingly loud wolf whistle. "Damn, see? Ya got nothin' t'worry about. You make that thing look precisely like its suppose to. Like a damn fireball with legs." She grins at her friend then.

"You gonna try on the others or just go with that one?" She has to ask then. "Cause now we're havin' a bit of a fashion show up in here."

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde checks out the dress in the mirror, turning about to view herself in it. She looks over to Rogue and laughs. "Oh if I could just bottle the confidence you give the people around you, -that- would make me a fortune," Kitty tells Rogue. She looks back to the mirror though, giving the dress a few more looks. "It does look kind of nice," she says in understatement. Kitty's expression shows just how lovely she thinks it is.

"I'll try on one or two more if it's ok? Just... to be able to?" Kitty asks, turning her attention back fully to Rogue. "And I think your Mississippi sweetness is more than enough to keep Logan's Canadian gruff at bay. "And there's not a lot of things I'd say that of," Kitty adds with a laugh.

She walks back into the closet to change out of the dress. "I was thinking I would look for a project to take on. Some IT work I can do from here. Make someone a website or... maybe show a corporation the vulnerabilities in their firewall. That's one place that having the other degrees in hand really comes in handy," Kitty speaks of her computer science degree she'd previously completed. "So anything new going on with you?" she asks while she changes into another dress.

Rogue has posed:
Rogue also shakes her head and adds in. "Don't buy a motorcycle..." She says. "Those things are the worst. I seen so many people face plant off'a those things, its not even funny. And I know... i mean, your mutation'n all, but still. It happens so fast sometimes ya may not even have a chance t'do that magical thing you do." She pauses then. "At least not as a main vehicle, a side one t'use durin' summer when the streets aren't dangerous and the weather's all good..."

Then she just flashes a big grin. "Mom'like lecture over." She laughs softly. "As for confidence... well... Confidence, is the food of the wise man, but the liquor of the fool. Or somethin'. I read that on a napkin once."

Rogue stands up then and she moves to her wardrobe inside her room and opens it up to get a box of long gloves. "Here, you'll wanna wear some'a these with dresses like this too. They make ya look off-limits like me." She leans toward Kitty then and whispers. "And its more fun when your date starts unwrappin' their gift if the night goes well." Another grin is shown on the southern belle's lips and she darts back over to her chair to set down again and gather up her phone.
"Nothin' much is new with me, nope. I've just been stayin' around, waitin' for Sentinel alarm's t'go off'n all that horrible jazz." She swipes at her phone with a thumb then.

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde takes the box of gloves, shaking her head and grinning at Rogue's comment. "Well. That might not be bad," she says, giving a soft laugh at the thought of the gloves being peeled off. She tries one on, moving over to the mirror to look at it on her hand.

"I agree about motorcycles. I was just thinking it might be cheaper, plus gas costs," Kitty says. She smiles, admiring how the glove looks, then going back in to try another dress. "If I can find a suitable enough project though, one should pay for a reliable car," Kitty says from the closet. "Oh, I may try this strapless white one," she can be heard saying. A faint rustle of cloth ensues.

"So I got offered martial arts lessons. To help keep me safe in Gotham," Kitty says. Before long she comes out, wearing the white strapless number. She does her best runway turn for Anna-Marie, putting on the aforementioned fashion show, and laughing as she does. Turn completed, Kitty goes over to check it in the mirror. "By his father. I think I'm going to take him up on them. Jason suggested I might end up with some really impressive trainer if so. I figured it would put his father at ease a bit and... well, it can only help, right? I've been wanting to learn additional styles. Though it might raise some questions with his father with how much I know already."

Rogue has posed:
Rogue is seated cross-legged in the big leather comfy chair while she watches Kitty try on the glove and she just grins lightly at her. "I'd love those long gloves, if I didn't have'ta wear'em all the damn time, ya know?"

"Ya know, I've been thinkin' about gettin' a new car. One thats more my style... I got quite a bit'a cash laying around too. If I do, I'd be down for given ya the Bentley if ya want it. That'd save ya from havin' t'spend your own hard earned cash on one, yeah? Its a hellava car, but... I'm a bit more inta the classics, ya know?"

As Kitty is changing in the closet again, Rogue says further. "Try anything on ya want." again while continuing to swipe her phone and text some random someone some random message. When she comes back out, Rogue's green eyed gaze raises up again and she smiles. "Thats a bit more of a conservative dress. It was for a Sunday event. Sexy as hell still though and white looks good on ya. It goes with your natural beauty real good."

Rogue settles back in the chair then and shakes her head. "Don't let some meat head martial artist push ya around either. Tell'im you went to a private school with a good trainer. Thats all he needs t'know."

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde looks at the dress and nods, agreeing, "Maybe not right of a social gala ball type thing. Like... I know anything about social gala balls?" Kitty flashes a grin over to Rogue and then hears the offer about the car. Her eyebrows go up in a bit of astonishment.

"AM... I mean... wow, that's... that's too generous of an offer," Kitty says, stammering for a moment. She moves both of her hands to cover up her mouth. "Really, I mean, if you're just saying that about wanting a new car so I'd be willing to consider it, you don't have to," Kitty says. She less sits down in the chair as falls into it, seeming quite stunned by the offer. She's not just flustered, her eyes shine with such warmth at Rogue that she'd even make such an offer to her. It really means a lot, from Kitty's expression.

And Kitty realizes she's sitting in the beautiful dress. Not that dresses shouldn't be sat in, but still. Kitty pops back up rather than wrinkle it. "Let me hang this one back up," she says, hurrying into the closet.

Rogue has posed:
Rogue remains in the chair with the phone between her hands and her hands between her legs in that cross-legged position she's in. She's look up at Kitty and just smiling at her when she sees her reaction to the offer. "It ain't no thing, really. I mean, I didn't pay a dime for that car any how, right? Its helped me the past year and a half I've had it, but..." Rogue glances over toward her bed where she's got a brief case shoved under it--but its likely not visible to Kitty.

"I sold a yacht shortly before I came back t'Xavier's. For like, an obscene amount'a money. I was gonna wait till summer t'look for a new car, but I don't really... -have- to, ya know? So I mean if ya need wheels right now? T'help ya get around, t'go find a new job, and go see this hot guy'a yours? I can speed things up, make it happen sooner rather than later."

She grins at the other as she goes to return the white dress to where she got it from. "Up to you, Hotness." She says then in the end.

Shadowcat has posed:
"So the solution is I need to find some wealthy people to save," Kitty says, smiling over to Anna-Marie. She begins putting her own clothes back on. "Well," Kitty says, ruffling her fingers through her hair in thought once she's fully clothed again. She goes over and if Rogue allows gives the other woman a big hug, being careful about the contact.

Kitty hesitates. "You are so sweet," Kitty says, laughing warmly. "If it really is not going to put you out? How about if I just borrow it for the time being? Give me a little time to work out what I'm going to do with Oxford, whether they'll let me continue from here remotely. Or if I have to transfer. And get some computer work in to build up a few dollars. And then, when I have enough for a car, I can buy one and you can sell the Bentley if you don't want it?" Kitty suggests.

Rogue has posed:
Rogue laughs at the initial part. "Hey, this is Westchester." She says. "There's rich people fallin' outta trees in this place. Just stand undah one and hold your arms out. Then ask for their keys." She responds with a grin down at her phone while the other is dressing again in the closet.

When Kitty comes back out, Rogue returns the hug and leans forward off the chair to give it back, offering a pat to Kitty's back with her right hand. "That sounds like a plan and a half t'me." She says then as she pulls back and holds a grin.

"I already know the car I'm gonna replace it with. An old dodge charger that a frined'a mine is wantin' t'sell. He lives on the other side of Salem Center from here. He's a huuuuge Dodge nut, has like eight of'em. Just buys'em online and fixes'em up, then sells them off. So I'll give him a call up, make the deal tomorrow and I'll swing the Bentley keys over to ya. Sound solid?"

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde settles into the other comfy leather chair. "Yeah, absolutely solid," Kitty says with a smile. "Thanks. You are truly an awesome friend. Not that I didn't know this before. But you have a way of proving it again and again. With great regularity," Kitty tells the Mississippian, beaming that grateful look over to Rogue.

"So I guess I missed Deadpool dropping off a Sentinel derriere. Were you around for that part?" Kitty asks.

"Forge and I... ah, I don't think you guys can even fit in the Security Center now we're both working out of there. I pitched the idea to him that we try to get a lab built for the both of us to use. I'm not into the hardware stuff he is, but there's enough shared stuff we do that we could probably make use of a lot of similar equipment. Haven't brought up it to Jean or the Professor though," Kitty says. She leans forward, holding her hands out towards the fireplace. Ah, sweet warmth!

Rogue has posed:
Rogue turns in the chair now to lean back against one of the arms of it so that she can face Kitty who's seated in the other and she just smiles at her. "I just like the people important t'me to be happy and have what they need'n want t'get there, ya know? I grew up with basically nothin' and now that I've managed to carve myself somethin' I don't wanna, ya know, hog it? I mean, I've gotten pretty lucky... I shouldn't horde that luck all t'myself. I'd end up reverse'n it into bad luck. Pretty sure thats how that works."

At the other bits she just grins. "Yeah, I moved it downstairs. Logan... stabbed Deadpool in the hard, and I just left those two behind t'deal with their lover's quarrel. Ya know how that goes... that Wade fella runs his mouth like a motor boat, and Logan gets more'n more mad--or turned on--I'm not too sure... then he stabs'em."

She releases a sigh then. "I stay the heck outta the labs, I don't wanna mess any of ya'lls work up. But yeah, you guys need your own spaces, for sure."

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde turns sideways in her seat, drawing her legs up and slipping her shoes back off to make sure she doesn't scuff the leather. "I figure if Logan doesn't stab you every few months, it probably means he doesn't care," Kitty says with a soft grin. "Well hopefully the new piece helps things along. More Forge's area there. He's looking at a way to break them in half, he said. Cut off their ability to fly then. I'm kind of worried about this power nullifier he said they have. I'm afraid the Phaseball Special might be off because of it.

Kitty gestures with her fingers as if simulating herself flying through the air, only to smack into her other hand, flat and upright. "If they hit me with that on the way in, I'd just go splat against their face," Kitty says. "I'm hoping there's a way to counter it, but Forge said long distance tactics are best."

She motions to herself. "Not really a long range kind of gal, you know?" Kitty gives a wry look and a shrug of her shoulders as she rests her head back against the chair back. "Ah well, there's always something to do try to get people out of the line of fire or the like. Still, would like to be able to get my licks in against these things too. Help the team."

Rogue has posed:
Rogue shows a grin at the Logan statement but doesn't comment on it, instead she locks in on the talk of the Sentinels and all that Kitty and Forge have come up with about them.

"They got power nullifiers now?" She asks, clearly not having gotten that memo. "How does that work? Like... a ray gun or some such?" She's always curious about that kind of tech, for rather obvious reasons. "Ya know at my failed weddin', Hank gave me a powerf nullifier bracelet. It... was small and classy lookin', like it'd come from Apple or Stark Tech kinda thing. Worked for awhile, but eventually stopped holdin' a charge. That was a... bummer. It was such a tease. I got t'live my life as a normal'ish person for a little while. Four hours a day, or so." She grinned lightly again and shook her head right to left. "Damn thing took twelve hours just t'charge. When it worked at all." A heavy sigh then and she glances at the fire in the fireplace.

"We'll just surprise the Sentinels... hit'em like the revolutionary war, attackin' them red coats when they don't expect it."

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde draws her legs up to hug them to her chest. Not realizing how much the posture shows her uncertainty about the future with the topic being the Sentinels. "Well, Forge said for now it is a focused burst. I do not know the range of it. And it could result in a lengthy effect. He's worried it could get turned into a field around them. Or, made more lengthy," Kitty says. "He suggested having seen some avenues for development he's worried they might be able to take."

Kitty reaches over and gives Anna-Marie's arm a soft squeeze. It's not uncommon from Kitty, and if Rogue suspects Kitty is more touchy with Rogue than most people, that she tries to give her that contact that others might avoid? Well Rogue's a pretty perceptive person if so.

"Well, maybe Forge can make something a little better for you, someday? Though I hope we can find a defense against it. Also, hoping to figure out more on how their detection works. If we could stay hidden from them, that would be a big plus. But these are all short term solutions. Tactics, no more," Kitty says with a little shake of her head. "We definitely need to be striking against them before they can build up their numbers."

Rogue has posed:
Rogue draws in a heavy breath and lets it out with one sharp exhale. "That is a terrifying ability. Like some kinda mutation negatin' EMP pulse attack." She knows a fwe tech-things, mostly cause of Carol Danvers. "I'm sure that between the two'a you, ya'll can find a way to counter it.. or shield us from it. Maybe some kinda special suit'n helmet... like Magneto's, or something. I dunno."

At the reach out and the arm squeeze, Rogue smiles over to it. It does mean a lot to her because she figures most people are dreadfully terrified of touching her, skin covered or not. Its lead to her often feeling isolated from others. Less so than she used to, but still lingering effects of that.

"Ya know." She starts then. "As silly as it is, I used t'try'n find ways to shut my power off, like how Scott just has t'close his eyes. I used t'think that... maybe if I squeezed all my toes together, then if I touched someone it wouldn't do anything." She huffs out a little laugh. "Sadly, it still did. I wish they made ruby colored glasses that could work for me. Actual 'tech' things that stop it?" She shakes her head side to side. "They kinda freak me out."

Shadowcat has posed:
"When it comes to tech that does that kind of stuff? Freaks me out too," Kitty says. "I'm much happier just dealing with computer stuff. I'm kind of hoping Hank gets back. This is more of his area, he and Forge," she says with a little shake of her head. "I mean, I get some of the technical side, but I don't have their background in understanding mutations and powers and the biology of it all."

"And, that's not silly at all. I'd have done the same thing if I were you," Kitty tells her friend. "It's sad. We go through so much, some of us, just trying to deal with our abilities. And then regular people have to heap so much more on top." She shakes her head with a sigh, eyes going over to the fireplace.

"Sorry I'm being a total bummer, aren't I? And after you're being just the sweetest person in the entire universe with the dress and the car," Kitty says, swinging her gaze back to flash a grateful smile to Rogue. "And I'm going to pay you back. Let's see, what would be something good to do for you," Kitty muses. She wants to say spa day, but... not really something Rogue can do.

Rogue has posed:
"I imagine Beast is off handling the politics of all'a this Sentinel stuff somewhere." Rogue replies then, softly adding. "But I'd feel better if he were here too. I've liked seein' so many familiar faces come back lately. I hope they stick around longer this time." She shows a soft smile then to Kitty.

With a deep inhale, Rogue dips her head in a quick nod and softly exhales it out again. "I'd much rather find a way t'naturally... shut off my mutation, if possible... someday. But, I mean, I'll take what I can get, so long as people I trust tell me that its as safe as possible."

Its then that Rogue laughs softly and again shakes her head. "Ya don't owe me nothin' at all, Kitty. Like I said, I just wanna see people happy and havin' fun around here. ITs what I like most. I... ya know, never had a family. So walkin' around in the halls and seein' everyone here, and just 'good'. It makes me feel good."

Shadowcat has posed:
"Well, I like seeing you be happy too," Kitty replies with a warm smile given over to the Southern woman. "I'll start with ice cream. Ernesto at the Baskin Robbins is a close personal friend. And I'll figure out the rest from there," Kitty decides.

Kitty snaps her fingers as if remembering something. She pulls out her phone and flips through it. "I just remembered. My mother is coming in town. In a couple of weeks. Just staying for a few days probably. We're working out the details still. If you'd like to join us for lunch or dinner one of the days?" Kitty asks.

She slides about in the chair, turning over to sit on her side again, facing towards Rogue with her legs drawn up. "There's a holiday coming up. Purim. You'd like it. There's a lot of wine involved. One of the goals is said to be to drink until you cannot distinguish the difference between arur Haman and baruch Mordechai. Basically, between the cursed and the blessed, or between evil and good," Kitty explains. "I'd invite you to that. But, we're kind of keeping it to Lorna's family and mine as... well, we're hoping to get through to someone during it," Kitty says. Her expression a little determined. The number of people in both mentioned families is small. The number that could use someone getting through to them even less. The math is probably easy to do.

Rogue has posed:
"Yes, that." Rogue says then about the Baskin Robbins suggestion. "Repayment in the form of ice cream hookups is an utterly acceptable proposal." She says in a sassy use of her southern influenced voice. She grins super mischievously too. "And I'm totally down for dinner with the Prydes. "I'd love t'meet your mother... I just hope she'd like me. Sometimes parents think I'm trouble on their kids, ya know, because I'm... well, me I guess. I don't know." She laughs a little then.

"Oh god, you're gonna get with the Magnetos and drink with'em?" Rogue then asks, using Magnetos as though it was Lorna's last name... which is just fun to say sometimes, especially to Lorna's face.

"I'll pass on that, when I drink until I'm about ready t'black out, I generally don't do it in a family-oriented settin'. I'm far too reckless for that. I'd end up flirtin' with Mags or somethin'. It'd go badly!"

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty flashes a toothy grin. "If the Louvre had a wing devoted to ice cream, Ernesto would be in it. The things that man can do with a couple of bananas and hot fudge?" Kitty shares. She pauses gives a speculative look. "Ok that probably sounded bad," she says, breaking out laughing.

Kitty relaxes her head against the leather seat back. She gets a faint grin. Anna-Marie flirting with Magneto. That would certainly be a different way of finding God, but if anyone could...

Ok, some thoughts should not be pursued. Let alone shared! Kitty just smiles and says, "You know I'm not the biggest fan of every member of the family. But I hope some good will come of it. Why I asked my mom to come. Kind of hoping some of her stories of my grandfather..." Kitty says, trailing off. "Well, I hope some good will come of it. Though I kind of wonder if I need Jason nearby in a motel room so I have somewhere safe to pass out, myself," Kitty adds with a laugh.

Rogue has posed:
Rogue laughs at the first part and she raises her hand up and snaps her finger-point right at Kitty. "That!" She says. "Thats the kinda lines I use on guys when I get all liquored up. It is... super, super dangerous. Cause boy do their eyes light up like lighthouses in the dark!"

She grins then and shakes her head. "I've only ever known Pietro more than Wanda. Lorna I know the best, obviously... Wanda was with the Avengers while I was, but I only ever saw her a few times. Never worked with her out in the field. Pietro... well, he goes back t'my days with Mystique's Brotherhood. We didn't talk too much. He was always pretty crabby back then. But, we all were, really."

With a nod then, Rogue's right hand comes up to sweep some of her white hair back behind her right ear. "If your guy would be up for that, I'd recommend somethin' like that. Ya never wanna get stuck in situations like... whatever it is you're gonna be doin' there."

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde draws a slow breath as something that is set triggers some thoughts. "While, I would like him there, normally, I want to keep our focus on... on what Lorna and I are hoping for," Kitty says. "I don't really know her siblings either, more reputation than anything. But I figure they'd be on board. Just, yes, I really hope Pietro's not a handsy drunk," Kitty says with a chuckle.

"Other thing is... well, I told Jason I'm a mutant. And he was good with it. Really accepting," Kitty says. She is looking very thoughtful though. Reflective, and as if she still has things to work out. "That's the only part I've told him though. Not about being part of the X-men or any of that. I don't imagine I could sit him down to drink with the Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, Polaris and Magneto... Erik... without having to have a bit more of that sort of talk," Kitty says.

"Have you ever had to explain things about yourself to someone? I've really only had Piotr, so, it wasn't something I had to deal with like this," Kitty asks, glancing over to Rogue.

Rogue has posed:
"Well he sounds like a great guy." Rogue replies on the subject of Mr. Todd himself. She has a smile on her lips, but its a soft one, just one of being glad that Kitty has that for herself. "But yeah, bringin' him to THAT kind of family dinner? Thats a lot for the poor fella t'have t'chew inta this soon in ya'll's thing. So I don't blame ya at all for bein' skittish about his inclusion." She pauses then and draws out her next words. "That.... bein' said, ya gotta explain why to him, if he asks. So he doesn't think you're ashamed of'im, or some such. Guys will make that kinda dumb leap if ya let their mind wander there."

Rogue then grins at that last question. "Me? Have t'explain myself?" She asks. "Psssh... Nah. Nevah!" She then raises her left hand up and taps her bottom lip with her index finger. "Unless ya count that time that Captain Marvel found me, years later after I sucked her life outta her body, along with all'a her powers, and then threw her off'a the Golden Gate Bridge where she ended up out t'sea, and then in a coma for months..." She tilts her head. "Does that count? I mean, I'm not sure."

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty looks over at the fire thoughtfully. "I think just telling him the truth about trying to help a friend's father regain his faith, would be enough he'd understand," Kitty says slowly. "And the rest... when I can then. I do want him to know it all."

But he has darkness of his own, and he's not ready to talk about it. And if he's not, can he truly handle finding out just how messed up Kitty's life can really be as an X-man? She silences her inner voice for now.

Kitty raises an eyebrow at the tale of Captain Marvel. "Well, I mean if you two... ah... if she was a... special friend. Not that I'd be judgmental if you were," Kitty says teasingly. "No seriously though, I've never asked you about what happened. That was right before you ended up at the school, right? Is it something you mind talking about? Or can I get you to dish on the details?" Kitty asks, leaning closer and reaching over to give Rogue's arm a little squeeze. She doesn't pull her hand back if Rogue is comfortable with it, just offering that human contact if Rogue wants to let it linger during a possible story that Kitty doesn't know how traumatic it might be to share.

Rogue has posed:
Rogue nods her head softly two quick times. "Always tell the truth." She says then softly also. "As much of it as ya can... Cause I've learned, if ya lie, it always comes back t'bite ya in your ass." She gives another quick smile then.

The other questions, about Carol and the squeeze to her arm again just makes her grin. "I don't mind talkin' about it anymore. Not since Carol and I have come t'terms on it, and we're 'friends' now? I guess?" She then tilts her head and grins at Kitty. "Not like that, no. You'd get Gambit excited if ya made him think otherwise though. Not that it takes much for that one."

With a little shake of her head then Rogue glances down to Kitty's hand on her arm. "It happened when I was sixteen. I showed up here the week after I was eighteen. I had t'deal with the... mental effects of it all for two years, livin' on the streets, not knowin' where my next meal would come from. Cause after it happened, I ran away from Mystique. I was so mad at her for makin' me do that. For usin' me like a tool t'get her own bullshit done." She looks back up to Kitty.

"Ya see, she told me t'just drop Carol like I do others, people who'll wake up a few days later. But... once i had Carol in my hands, Mystique ordered another mutant--one with a special power--to lock us together. Mystique wanted me to drain her for everything she had, just t'see what would happen." Rogue clears her throat then. "But once I got Carol's strength? I... broke free, and instead'a lettin' Mystique have Carol... I threw her over the bridge. It was the only thing I thought might actually save her. After that? I ran away."

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde gives a soft laugh at the comment about Gambit. "Yes, there are people that are good for teasing about such things. And then there's Remy," she agrees, grinning gently over to Anna-Marie.

Kitty sits up a little more as Rogue gets into the tale. She winces as she hears about what Mystique pulled and shakes her head. "I'm glad Carol ended up okay. And that the two of you were able to work it out as well," Kitty says, shaking her head.

Her eyes move to the fireplace, the young woman seeming to lose herself in her thoughts. "I'm glad you ended up here. Though I'd not have wished for that to be how," Kitty says, giving Rogue's arm a soft squeeze before finally pulling her hand back. "I know what you mean, what you said earlier about having everyone back together. That had been one of the hardest parts about being gone. I know I could have gotten Illyana to move me back and forth, but at the same time I kind of thought I needed to focus on being there. Or else I'd be pulled back into everything constantly. But... wow did I miss everyone."

Rogue has posed:
Rogue shows a soft smile to Kitty's words and she just glances down to her lap and listens to the rest of what she says. She then nods her head to the other's words and looks back up at her.

"Sometimes, bein' far far away, is the exact kinda medicine that the soul needs in order t'heal or grow stronger. Thats what I learned when I went not-so-far away down t'Manhattan t'live and learn. You just maybe went a little more dramatic with it and put a whole god damng ocean between us 'nd you." She flashes a bigger grin then.

"I don't blame ya for that though. Back in my aunt's house in Mississippi, my bedroom walls were covered in maps that I ripped outta National Geographics from the library. I stuffed'em in my shirt and smuggled'em home. Stuck'em on my walls and then pinned'em with all the places I wanted t'visit someday, all around the world." She grins at Kitty still. "I thought I was gonna be a big time adventurer, thrill seeker type. That was before my mutation showed up thugh..."

Shadowcat has posed:
"You can visit all of those places still though. I mean, even easier than Anna-Marie from Meridian, Mississippi could. The whole... flying thing," Kitty says, wiggling her fingers towards Rogue and then using them to indicate an up, up and away sort of thing.

Kitty takes on a playfully sassy tone. "And how fair is that? You can fly. I can... walk. It's faster to take a car," Kitty says before leaning back in her chair again and relaxing.

"That might be fun though, going and seeing the world. Traveling. I mean we've traveled a lot. Though, like my memories of Japan are never quite those of a quiet vacation, you know?" Kitty says. Her expression grows a little troubled as a few thoughts flit through her mind. Or memories.

Rogue has posed:
These two leather chairs and the crackling fire make for just about the most perfect conversation location imaginable, and thats why Rogue stole these chairs (or liberated them) from that secret office behind a false wall down the hallway.

Rogue laughs lightly at Kitty's words and she shakes her head. "Its not quite that simple." She says. "See, I get kinda freaked out if I'm flyin' over open waters and I can't see land. It makes me get worried that I'll drift off i nthe wrong direction and not know where I am. I can still drown, ya know?" She licks her lips for a second and shakes her head again. "Cold weather makes me suffer up in the air too. If I'm flyin' in it it starts to soak my energy. I don't feel 'pain' like most folks do? But I feel the... locking up of joints and like, my body getting stiffer'n such? Hard to explain. But if I were out over the water and I froze up? I could splash down and? I don't know."

She flashes another quick grin. "Maybe I'm just bein' a fraidy cat though. Hell, from sixteen to eighteen, I didn't even know how t'control the flyin' stuff. The first time I did it, I accidentally took a kid up into the sky with me cause we were playin'? Boy did his parents get pissed at me when we came back down. They kicked me right outta their campsite that night."

Shadowcat has posed:
They just need popcorn. Or maybe two bowls of cereal, the way Kitty's mind works. There's a good present she could get Rogue. A popcorn popper. Or just loan her Lockheed to breath on the popcorn kernels in the container.

"I don't think I knew that about your flying," Kitty says, smiling gently after Rogue explains what it is like for her. "Don't know that we've ever discussed flying over the ocean before." Kitty ruffles her fingers through her hair and gaze at the fire.

She gives a little side to side bob of her head. Kitty says, "It's difficult, experimenting with powers. I don't really know what I'm capable of. Because I'm afraid I could phase myself right out of existence. I mean... I don't like turn it on and it finishes and I can go through a wall. I stop it there. I don't know where the limit is. And the first time I fell a big height? I didn't really know if I could slow myself well enough, or if trying would be like hitting the ground, or what," Kitty says.

Rogue has posed:
Rogue grins softly at the talk of her flight hiccups. "Yeah... its not all free'n easy. Its why I don't go out and fly much for fun this time'a year, cause its just too damn cold. Hell it even gets cold up above the clouds in the dead'a summer. But, its more bearable then.

At the talk of Kitty's mutation, Rogue just stares at her friend's face and watches her while she talks about it. She's never asked about it at all, ever. After Kitty stops talking Rogue is quiet for a second and then speaks, having run Kitty's words through her head for a moment. "Ya know what freaks me out about your mutation?" She then says. "I've dreamed I've stolen it from ya before, and then ended up fallen through the ground and deep inta the center'a the Earth, never t'find my way out again."

Rogue holds her light grin at her friend. "Please tell me thats not actually possible and that nothin' like that has happened to ya?"

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty gives a quick shake of her head and says, "Well, you wouldn't make it that deep. Not alive. I still have to breath. I can breathe while I'm phased, but there has to be air there. If I just sank in the ground and didn't find air somewhere, I'd eventually pass out suffocate like anyone else."

Kitty draws her legs back up beside her in the chair. "If you ever did get my power? You can pick which parts of yourself phase and which don't. And how far you take your body. So when you see me go up through a ceiling? I have to phase all of myself so I get rid of my weight. But I leave the bottom of my feet matching the air, so I can step on it. It's pretty easy once you get the hang of it."

She motions with her hand as if something falling. "So when I'm falling, I have to phase all of me, and then like... do that air walking thing but pulse it to slow me down to a safer speed."

Kitty looks thoughtful and asks in a gentle voice, "What does it feel like you for you? When you touch someone?"

Rogue has posed:
Rogue just softly shakes her head at that explanation. "That makes me more scared." She says then, lightly grinning again as she holds her phone between her hands but the screen is off-and has been off-since they started talking.

"Reminds me of my favorite Patrick Swayze movie." She says then, her grin growing larger. "My aunt made me a Swayze fan when I was a kid. One'a the only things we did together that didn't end up in us showtin' at each other. But yeah... his movie, Ghost. How he could run through walls'n such." She then sits up a little higher as she'd been slouching. "I remember my first day here, I saw you run through a wall and put an apple on the Professor's desk. I thought I was goin' crazy." She laughs just a little then.

At the question about her absorption sensations she gets quiet then, and her expression is more solemn. "Ya know its different... for different people. Different types of people. Like if I absorb a Human versus a Mutant. Humans, are, like... it makes me whole body feel 'luke warm' like if ya've been in the shower too long and you've used up all the hot water?"

"But mutants?" She shakes her head. "Its like a hot shower, where their mutation is... alterin' my body t'be like theirs? At least, I think thats whats goin' on anyway. It just sorta..." She motions with her hands from her shoulders down to her hips. "Rushes over me'n through me."

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde gives a warm laugh at Rogue's recounting of her first experience with Kitty's power. "I have to be careful about what I pass through. I've killed so many people's cell phones accidentally. At least places like the kitchen I know where everything is so I don't take out the coffee machine again."

Oh were there unhappy staff and students that day!

Kitty rests her elbow on the arm of the chair, head on her hand then as Kitty looks fascinated by hearing what it's like for Rogue. "So you actually feel your body changing. Wow. But then you have to figure out how their power works and... well. I mean we see what people go through on their own with that. You still retain your other powers though, right? Or do you ever lose those at the same time?"

Rogue has posed:
Rogue releases yet another little laugh at the devices getting ruined part. "Some'a the kids that live with their faces stuck in their phones downstairs in the rec room? Yeah, they could use a bit'a you shortin' out their shit, so they'd look up and stare at reality for a second or two..." She then lifts up her phone which is still off and holds it between her hands. "Stay away from mine though! Its got all my pics on it!" She's just teasing though, maybe.

Rogue's phone is set back down into her lap then and her hands cup overtop of it. "Well, the power thing is tricky..." She says then. "The trick bein that I need'ta hold onta a mutant for a little while longer than a human, in order t'draw out enough 'time' from their memories that I'll have a good chance'a seein' how they control their mutation--if they themselves even HAVE control figured out--which sometimes theyu just don't. Which means I won't neither. So that can get messy."

She raises her left hand up to rub her finger over the tip of her nose where a stray strand of white hair was tickling the tip then her hand flops back down into her lap. "Hank said its possible that everyone I absorbed who had a mutation?" She looks right back onto Kitty's face then. "That its possible that all those mutations are still inside me. That I could be collectin' them and that someday, I might find a way t'actually... recall'em. Like, all at once." She shakes her head then just a little. "Not sure how that might happen, but we'll see, I guess."

Shadowcat has posed:
Kitty Pryde laughs and says, "Yes, I imagine that's probably a threat that the teachers are going to use now I'm back, and students are stealing out their phones during class." She grins and wiggles her toes in her socks as they hang out over the edge of the chair's seat.

The talk of the powers being inside of her bring a curious expression. "If you could recall them as you chose that would be great. I'd really worry if they came back at once though," Kitty says. She looks thoughtful. "So if you could have 1 power from anyone else, all the time, whose would it be?" she asks.

Rogue has posed:
At first, Marie just looks over at Kitty and grins at the first words, then she looks down again and her lower lip dips in between her teeth as she gently bites down on it while she listens to Kitty and stares down at the back of her hands resting on the tops of her legs crossed in the leather seat she occupies.

She has to take a second to consider what all that last question could mean and she shakes her head a little then. "Logan's restoration, maybe." She says, looking up to Kitty again. "But then thats pure selfishness. I'm already really durable, but... I fear the aging stuff. Ya know, death'n all. I'd much rather have something like his, but... a version of it that I could share with people around me."

She looks down again at her hands and the phone beneath them. "I'm afraid of losin' people I care about. Here one day, gone the next, ya know? Just thinkin' about that kinda stuff, I can feel myself gettin' angry, wantin' t'do whatever it takes t'protect everyone." Its heavily rooted in the loss of her parents, she was very happy back then, up to age six when they vanished.