9535/Danger Room Session AJ356

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Danger Room Session AJ356
Date of Scene: 11 October 2019
Location: Danger Room - X-Men Base
Synopsis: A danger room session organized by Andrea for two of the New Mutants goes well. Bean and Shannon pass with flying colors, and organize a raid on the kitchen to celebrate their victory!
Cast of Characters: Beast, Nightingale, Samuel Morgan, Rage




Beast has posed:
Henry McCoy was using the room in a session before the last. Any students and New Mutants coming in at the end of it will see him getting shot at from three different directions as he dodges, ducks, dips, dives, and dodges his way from obstacle to obstacle, before tackling and disarming each one individuaully. Then, finished, he stands, up, and dusts his hands.

Nightingale has posed:
     Danger room sessions had been a little less frequent for the mansion's resident winged healer than she might have liked. So when the call went out, Shannon answered, stuffing herself into her yellow and black 'bumblebees', pinning her hair up in a bun at the back of her head, and sauntering on down to the danger room. As she slips through the door, she ducks to the side, narrowly dodging a stray shot heading her way. Now, this wasn't the first time she'd seen Mr. McCoy in the midst of combat, but she was impressed anew as she watches him make short work of each obstacle in his path, smiling.

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    It has finally happened. Just over a month after joining the school, after numerous sessions in the Danger Room and a lot of talking with team leaders, it has happened... Bean enters the danger room in his 'bumblebees'. To say that he looks a bit out of place in the uniform would be an understatement, but that could be because he hasn't quite gone native all the way. For one, he's still wearing his own combat boots, because he'll be found dead in a ditch before wearing anything less sturdy to what is likely to be a combat scenario, and has helpfully 'supplemented' his standard gear with a pair of black tactical gloves with reinforced knuckles.

    He steps up to the side of Shannon and watches Doctor McCoy make quick work of his attackers, with the appreciative eye of the professional. "Remind me to always be on time for his class..."

Rage has posed:
"Great job, Doctor McCoy!" Comes Andrea's voice from up top in the control booth as she taps along the buttons. "Almooooost got you on that last one." With her tablet in her hands, she taps along the glass a few times, sending over a command to the mainframe. "Hey guys! Thanks for coming. So, I figured now that Cannonball has us all on the same team together, I'd put together an exercise. I'll just be up here monitoring and recording for analysis later. But, the lesson today is to know your friend as if they were your enemy. So, today, you guys get to beat the crap out of me. Or, at least a simulation of me. We never know when someone may turn one of us, or use telepathy on us, blah blah blah, right? I know that I have an issue called dissociative identity disorder. When I am shifted, I suffer from multiple personalities that are primal and feral."

"So, today's lesson, is, take me out before I take you out. This is a real life situation here guys. I may lose myself to my wolf one day and not ever come back. My instinct is to attack and to attack and to attack. You guys may have to put aside personal feelings one day and make a hard decision. Your objective is to survive by getting from one point to the other, and to take me out if necessary. Sound good?"

Beast has posed:
Henry McCoy stretches out a bit, nodding to the arriving kids, and then looking up when Andrea starts speaking through the mic. "Interesting. Mind if I stay and observe?" he'll ask all three of them, before backing up against a wall and leaning.

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon nods, to Bean, smiling. "No kidding. The man knows his business. He's one helluva teacher, and I'd hope maybe one day friend and teammate. Wouldn't be here without him."

She turns towards the control booth, crossing her arms and canting her head. This was a scenario she'd already come very, -very- close to experiencing just the other day. It had ended well then, but would she be so fortunate this time? "If we can clarify a point, Andrea? When you say 'take you out', do you mean disable, or if necessary, kill?" Ugly question, but it had to be asked.

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    Okay, unexpected. But then again, unexpected is the name of the game in the Danger Room. Having seen her fight, and having fought with her, Bean has a shrewd idea of what Andrea might be capable of in her wolf form. And so, he has to ask the question. "Weapons? Or is this a bare knuckle challenge?" Preferably a howitzer...

    He gives Shannon a smile. "I'm not the only one who thinks these uniforms are a total fashion disaster, right?"

Rage has posed:
"I do not mind, Doctor McCoy." Andrea's voice comes out from the speakers.

The room goes pitch black, followed by the rumbling of the simulation coming to life. When the lights come back on, they're deep in the middle of a thick forest with a full moon hanging in the sky, blood red, shining like a spotlight. The sounds of the woods are all about in the form of insects, birds and other various animals. There is even a stream near by that sounds like a beautiful trickle.

"If you find a weapon, you can use it. As far as the definition of taking me out means? Use your best judgement, Shannon. Good luck."

With that, a blinking arrow is seen coming into view in the sky what appears to be a few miles due North, pointing straight downwards. The exit.

Beast has posed:
Henry McCoy folds his arms, and starts watching the two kids taking this test. Smiling faintly, rolling his shoulders, sitll coming down from his ownworkout.

Nightingale has posed:
     Hmmm, alright. A dense forest was going to make flight difficult, if not entirely impossible. So it was going to be a scenario mostly on the ground, with little to no way to get a view of the area from above to scan for threats. Shannon glances over at Bean and nods. "I'm not going to be able to recon from above. Keep your head on a swivel, and let's see if we can find some way to arm ourselves." She wasn't entirely it would do much good against Andrea-wolf, but it was better than nothing... right?

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    Forest. It had to be a forest. Of all the places a Technopath is at a disadvantage... well, really anywhere that's not urban or vaguely rural, to be entirely fair. Come to think of it, Bean is always more likely than not to be at a disadvantage, so why not a forest? It's time to fall back to other skills and other tactics.

    He nods to Andrea, having come to that same conclusion, and spotting the exit in the distance. "Well, looks like it's only a few miles at least, we did twice that this morning. Let's go, stay close, because getting split up here only makes us two weaker targets." And so he starts to jog at an easy pace, a pace he can keep up for hours, minding where he puts his feet. Not just to stop himself from tripping over roots and uneven terrain, but to avoid treading on anything that looks like it might make more noise than is entirely healthy when a wolf is tracking you.

Rage has posed:
The ground beneath them is rather clean of debris outside of the ocassional root or two. One thing they will notice, if they know their trees, that these are /ancient/ trees. The air also feels a bit lighter here, pristine, clean, as if this was the air that graced the world before man touched it.

As the pair move towards their desired goal, the thick canopy of trees begin to grow even more, soon snuffing out the moonlight and the glow of the red arrow in the distance. They can either back up, or they can continue on via memorization.

As they travel through this adventure, the sounds of animals rushing through the woods can be heard, followed by what may be a 'giggle'. A human like giggle. Hauntingly bouncing about from different directions. Giggle
    Giggle
        Giggle.

Beast has posed:
Henry McCoy starts to move around a bit. Staying at the fringe, making sure he's out of hte way at all times, he has to move just to be able to see what's going on with the forest and whatnot. Eventually he just climbs a tree to get a view from above.

Nightingale has posed:
     Crap. This was not good. In thick, ancient darkness like this, Shannon's wings stood out like a lighthouse, making her a prime target. Leaving them in view in the middle of a clear, sunny day over Metropolis was one thing, but this was definitely another entirely. She taps her image inducer quickly to hide her wings from view, and render herself less of a target.

     The giggling echoing on all sides of them was a little disorienting, but she doesn't change her direction. She frowns slightly, looking to the trees, and glancing around the area immediately surrounding the pair. "I don't like this," she murmured, keeping her voice low. The less attention either one of them attracted, the better. "Keep going, or backtrack while we still can and find another way around?"

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    That was quick thinking! Bean nods in approval, smiling. "Well done. Less to track us by."

    As for staying on the right path, that's a fairly straightforward problem. Having done his fair share of CQR's, having been the point scout on many a mission (usually due to looking inconspicuous), and having traipsed through unknown enemy terrain far more often than he would like, Bean has a rather uncanny sense of direction. Plus he had fixed the bearing using the sound of the stream and two visual landmarks before he even set off. Now it's simply a matter of updating those landmarks faster, considering the sight lines are shorter. But that also works in their favor. "Keep going, stay close. And think of it this way... A dark night, a forest. If you could hear that giggle as well as I could, there might actually be a Fairy King around."

Rage has posed:
    Giggle
        Giggle
            Giggle

The noises continue to bounce about the forest in and out, close, then far away, then right behind an ear to breathe against your neck. No Fairy King greets them, but the sound of trashing from the left is heard, stampeding quickly towards them as if in a panic through the forest. The giggling grows louder, manic, excited, with a cracking voice on the verge of insanity.

THUNK.
THUNK.
THUNK.

A tree gets knocked to the side with a loud crack and an elk the size of a small car can be seen bolting across your path with panic in it's eyes.

Giggle.

Beast has posed:
Henry McCoy squints and looks around in various directions, getting views of what's going on in a way the students can't. Smiling faintly, he then turns his focus to what the kids are going to do here.

Nightingale has posed:
     "You weren't kidding when you said that poem didn't end well... I could do without a Fairy King." Yep. Someone did their homework. The deer crossing their path makes her frown. She'd seen Andrea-wolf almost completely feral once before and that had been terrifying enough. The look in the elk's eyes was one she knew all too well herself. With that sort of speed and that terrified look, the wolf could only be mere seconds behind. They wouldn't have much time. She looks around for any patches of underbrush, any thickets that they could put between themselves and the oncoming storm to slow down their pursuer. "We might want to shake a leg here, company inbound, nine o'clock."

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    Yeah, this wasn't good, although Bean was happy that Shannon had at least translated the poem. Clearly they have inbound, considering the state of the wildlife, and he makes an executive decision. "Double time, let's pick it up!" From a jog to a run, it was time to be elsewhere. The trees were out, considering he had just seen one being pushed over. Following the wildlife was a great way to get trampled, going the other way would only get them spotted sooner. No, the only option here was to cross the T, and hope to be out of line of sight before whatever is coming has a chance to spot them among all the fleeing animals.

Rage has posed:
The moment the pair of young students push further through the foliage, a black blur rips out of the trees and tackles the Elk to the ground. For those who have seen Rage in her battle form and her wolf form, would find her somewhere in between. She's built like a creature from the prehistoric times with thick, corded muscle beneath her muddy pelt. Long tusks jut out of her mouth and her eyes are a wild yellow.

The large Elk gives a loud scream of pain before the sound of loud rips can be heard. As Sammuel and Shannon run through the woods, they find the Elk's head flying past them and slamming off a tree, just to hit the ground in a bloody stump. From behind them, the sound of gorging can be heard as something is being torn apart and feasted upon.

Sixty seconds later? A loud, full throated howl is heard echoing through the woods and creating a rumbling through the ground beneath them.

Sniff. Sniff.

Nightingale has posed:
Would double time be enough? Shannon had seen the wolf move before, and now was not any better. There wasn't going to be much that could stop the wolf--just Bean, and herself. She takes off after him, following single file. They would likely only have seconds before they had to face the creature of the night that was even now tracking them down. "See anywhere we could make a stand? We don't have much time. Pick our own battleground, something that'll give us a fighting chance."

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    It's more than just double time. Once the wolf-thing starts gorging on the elk, Bean knew their time would be limited. Sixty seconds is still a minute of separation, and that means a chance to create distance and confuse their tracks. He motions for the stream, feeling the wind on his cheek to determine where the best direction of escape might be. Downwind from the beast, with their scent washed away by clear water... that was the ticket.

    "Into the stream, keep going. If you see a spot to get airborne, take it."

Rage has posed:
As they barrel through the woods, they find the opening they were hoping for. The trees break to a huge valley with a long stream. On either side is a pair of hills and in the distance? The glowing red arrow. If anyone in their adrenaline fueled run was to take a look out towards the hills, they will find one has a massive turtle perched upon it with glowing blue symbols etched into it's shell. He looks /ancient/, as if perhaps he has been here, waiting, since the dawn of time.

On the other hill is a large blood red salamander, staring with glowing green eyes curiously, looking far more active and lively than his turtle companion across the way. The two Gods of this realm then turn their focus towards the woods as the sound of trashing can be heard, followed by a few more trees knocked over.

The salamander giggles in amusement, eyes widening as he looks over towards the turtle with excitement, who merely watches in a calm, composed and tired manner.

The ground of the valley has numerous large rocks along the riverbed and thick sticks that have seen their share of scorch marks upon them. Perhaps once, long ago, there was a blaze.

Nightingale has posed:
     Finally, a chance to get airborne! As per arrangement with her teammate, Shannon unfurls her wings and, with a few powerful downstrokes, climbs into the sky as quickly as she can. At least she could give Bean some warning about incoming, and get a better sense of the area. Something about the Watchers on the hill... she frowns, thinking quickly for a moment, before tapping her comms.

     "Techno, we've got two bogeys on the hills ahead of us. Possibly magic, uncertain at this time. If we can get past them, think they could be... persuaded... to maybe help us out a little here? We're gonna need all the help we can get." Though just -how- that could be accomplished, well... now that was a work in progress.

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    "Copied Nightingale, let's hope they're not instantly hostile. Can you see the target behind me?" It's all delivered in a bit of a strained voice, Bean focusing on opening the distance more and pelting down into the stream as quickly as he can. He's counting the seconds, giving himself at best half of the time he estimates to have, which should also provide him with some margin.

    Ten seconds in, and he identifies a boulder that's large enough to hide him. Twenty seconds, and it's time to angle for that boulder, having splashed through the water until he's pretty sure he'll have to re-do the waterproofing on his boots. Thirty seconds, he's behind the boulder, going to ground, taking slow, even breaths despite the furious hammering of his heart. Let come what may.

Rage has posed:
The trees shake, shake, and shake. As if they were dancing with the rumbling of the earth beneath them. Sixty seconds goes by and the treeline explodes with the visage of Rage as she sniffs at the air again. The wolf is soaked in blood and core as chunks of Elk fall from her mouth as she gives one last crunch of bone between her jaws.

As she steps outwards into the valley, she gives a loud howl from the depth of her chest, tilting her nose upwards to spy the flying form of Shannon, who can easily make it to the exit from her vantage spot. The eyes of the wolf narrow, then goes about scanning the land for the other, though Bean proved to be resourceful by covering his tracks and hiding behind a boulder.

The salamander is practically dancing on his tiny webbed feet in excitement, eyes wide and /giggling/. OH, such fun! SUCH FUN. The turtle? He just watches quietly and composed as his eyes settle upon the large wolf in the distance. If one was a child, the other is a grandparent. It doesn't appear either is going to give Rage a clue. They are merely witness to this cosmic event.

Nightingale has posed:
     Witness or not, the fact of the matter is that Shannon and Bean were going to need help to get both of them out of there alive. She takes a quick moment, hovering in the air near the hills to assess the differences between the two entities at their top. One might possibly have a great deal of power, but be a loose cannon. The other might be slower, but relying more on wit than heat-of-the-moment emotions. Definitely the vibe of the grandfather, and of course, there was always the adage of Aesop's classic fable--the turtle won the race in the end.

     She glances back towards the woods, only to spy the wolf in full battle rage. "Uh-oh... wolf's coming out of the woods, Techno, and she is /pissed/. Not sure how much time you have, so think fast. Going to see if I can talk to these things on the hills." With that, she flies down towards the hills, descending at a rapid rate, only to come to hover roughly between them. This could either go very well, or go sideways very quickly. But it was a gamble she would have to take. "If you can understand me," she calls out to them. "My friend and I need help, we are under attack. Are you willing to help us?"

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    It's not that hard to spot the wolf, and Bean doesn't reply over his comms. At this point, even the slightest sound might give him away. Given that the wolf can't get to Shannon, and that he himself will never be able to outrun the wolf on a hill, no matter the gradient, he'll have to play to the one advantage he does have. It'll have to be a battle of wit and ingenuity versus animal instinct and cunning.

    Luckily, there are things readily available to help with his escape. To whit, sticks. He grabs several, carefully, skirting around the boulder as he hears and smells the wolf move around looking for him. Elk gore... it has a whiff that is easy to track. Once he's certain the wolf can't see him, and Shannon is clear, he whirls a stick over the boulder to the other side of the river, hoping it makes a clatter and aiming to dash to the next bit of concealment while the wolf is looking for him on the wrong side.

Rage has posed:
As Shannon heads off towards the exit to talk to the two gate keepers, the Salamander looks curiously interested at the flying creature. It's tongue slips free of it's mouth, rolling about curiously. Maybe it will try and snag her out of the air like a moth. Does it even understand or speak English? He continues to do it's weird little dance on the hill in excitement, staring at her, then to the turtle just beyond her.

The Turtle lets out a loud, wheezing sigh in his throat as it turns it's attention from Shannon, to the woods, staring at the wolf who is sniffing loudly and pacing around in front of the forest, searching. Her ears are pricked upwards and at times she stares at Shannon, giving a lick of her bloody stained teeth.

The sticks that are tossed to the side and splashes in the stream cause her ears to jerk forward, followed by her head as she blurs forward in a fast speed to investigate, giving Samuel the opening he may need to hustle.

The turtle continues to look hesitant, as if unsure if they should act. Finally, with a slow push of it's legs, it rises upwards, dust and dirt billowing out from beneath him. He lumbers slowly down the hill, creating one loud rumbling thump after the other, looking to place himself between the exit and the large wolf.

Then, it starts humming, deep and guttural in it's throat. The salamander watches, continuing to dance about in the hill, then does a few circles.

Nightingale has posed:
     Shannon calls down to the turtle and the salamander, "Thank you!" Hey--it never hurts to show a little gratitude to your allies, right? She sees the wolf veer to the side to go after the stick, ignoring both her and Bean for the moment. In that instant, she taps her comms. "Techno, get to the choppah! I'll try to keep the wolf occupied while you get out of here!" She keeps an eye on the happenings below, waiting to see when she might be needed to distract the wolf and buy Bean a few more seconds to escape.

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    Aw yes! Go fetch! Bean is actually grinning when he dashes from cover and heads for another boulder some distance away. The thumping steps have him look, seeing the Elder Turtle come down off the hill and... place its bulk directly between him and the wolf? Well, gift horse and mouths and all that. "Negative, negative. Head straight to exfil."

    Now it's just a matter of speed, speed and endurance, which is the wolf's game... but he has a head start, has concealment, and clearly a very powerful ally. He can even see the safe exit from here. What starts as a run turns into a dash, and Bean has a remarkably good turn of speed, which so far only Shannon has ever seen. Feet pound the bank next to the river, carrying him on muscle power and adrenaline toward safety.

Rage has posed:
Snarling as she finds herself tricked, the large wolf whips her head upwards and bellows out a loud, air shaking roar of anger as she spies Sam barreling for the exit from between the turtle's legs. Digging her sharp, black talons into the ground, she takes off quickly, zipping over the ground like a herd of wild mustangs. Her muzzle drips of rabid ichor, eyes wild and glowing. It's a good thing the young boy has a headstart.

As the wolf races towards the turtle, the ancient creature of these lands turns towards her and lets out another low 'hum' in it's throat as it shifts it's position to face her more openly.

The Salamander waits for Shannon to turn her attention away, then flicks out it's tongue and misses her by a few feet. Darn. Almost had lunch. The red creature looks sheepish for a moment. Well, it had to try, right? That or it could be Andrea in the control booth having a gas. Either way, they can both exit on the next round if they wish with plenty of room to spare as Rage and the Turtle seem to be in a bit of a pissing match with each other. One howling, one humming.

Nightingale has posed:
     "Copy that, Techno, heading straight for exfi... HEY!" That was just a little too close for comfort, the salamander getting away with a feather yanked from her wing-tip. Shaking her head, she calls out down to the Salamander, laughing. "We're friends, not food, buddy! Thanks!"

     With the wolf occupied, and Bean well on his way to safety, it's time for her to make her exit as well. She wheels about in the air, executing a tight turn to head straight for the exit, descending towards the flashing red arrow at a rapid rate.

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    A flash of tongue, it has Bean turning his head to the Salamander. "I'm watching you buddy!" But there's no malice in the statement, no anger either. It would have been different if Shannon had been caught, but for now, all is good and all can be forgiven. Over his shoulder, he can see Grandfather Turtle hold up the wolf, and he can't help but call back his thanks. "Next time I'm here, I'm bringing you enough lettuce to keep you fed for weeks."

    All that's left is the run to the exit, watching Shannon descend, and timing his run to coincide with her arrival. "Fresh air and exercise. Nothing to it."

Rage has posed:
As the two pass through the exit, the simulation cuts off immediately, shrinking back into the cold steel of the Danger Room. Andrea, who is watching through the control booth, taps a few buttons to end the recording, then sends it over to her tablet for future review. "Good job guys!" She calls down to them. "That was educational."

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon backwings to a landing next to Bean, and gives him a high-five. "Good going there." She looks up towards the control room booth, and fires off a jaunty, two-fingered salute, a la Return of the Jedi. "There's one thing I don't get about that whole thing, Andrea. You said we were going to have to take Rage down. But we didn't even have to come close."

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    At the end of the simulation, Bean runs out a little while and then doubles back, in time to high-five Shannon as she lands. "Yeah, that was a good run. Good call on the image inducer there. Anything that made us harder to see was a bonus until we were spotted."

Rage has posed:
"True, I did say that, but you guys also ran for your lives and outwitted her. She's not me in that form. She's wild and untamed. She wouldn't have my analytical mind. You guys outhustled her, which is good, because I honestly thought you two wouldn't stand a chance." Andrea says with a laugh. "You guys did what I hoped you would do, which is play the smart game instead of thinking you can go up against a beserking werewolf. I planted the seed that you two would have to fight, but I was really hoping that you would choose a different path. The goal wasn't to mix it up and prove you're a badass. It was to show that you aren't idiots. You passed with flying colors."

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon facepalms, letting out a soft little groan. "Flying colors? Seriously? That was just... bad." She smiles a little bit and nods to Bean, tapping her image inducer to reveal her wings once more. "Still got a lot to learn, but yeah. The less of a target we present to something like that, the better chance we stand of getting out alive in the end. No visits from the Fairy King today."

Beast has posed:
Henry McCoy coughs. "Well, kids, don't worry too much about pass or fail. The important thing is that you're able to analyze what you did, and why, and learn from it. Honestly, a clean success in the Danger Room is worse than an opportunity to make a mistake here, so you don't make it in the field."

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    Bean nods to Andrea, Shannon and Doctor McCoy. In turn, like some kind of oddly serious bobblehead. "Understood. I would personally rate the performance acceptable, but I'm eager to hear the official results and read the AAR. And I will have a few suggestions of my own about these uniforms..." Because, oh boy, did he have ideas to improve them.

Rage has posed:
"I've already uploaded the session to your files so you can access them and review if you want. I got a three-sixty angle." Andrea says as she comes down from upstairs, heading into the room and dressed in her normal clothing. "What's wrong with the uniforms? I'd change the colors personally, maybe change out the gold to a neon blue or a red, but they're comfortable..ish." She gives a yawn, stretching her arms up and over her head. "Don't know 'bout you guys, but I'm starving."

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon nods to Mr. McCoy, what smile she had fading. "We were lucky this time. We may not be next time. No sense getting cocky over a success in here." The discussion on the design of the uniforms brings a ghost of a smile to her face, and she just shrugs. "The looks don't matter quite so much to me just for vanity's sake, but I'd sure feel better if they offered a little bit of protection. And I'm not sure a bright shade of any color would be wise if these were to be redesigned. For practical purposes, it's still a bright color right over our chests that makes us a target."

Beast has posed:
Henry McCoy chuckles. "Keep in mind the purpose of a uniform is so you call look somewhat the same, and are a team. But you can run it by Sam, Sam." Then turning. "And Shannon, relax. LEarning from it doesn't mean beating yourself up. I suggest giving yourself as much credit for the things you did right, as learning from what you did wrong. It's important to be neutral in your analysis."

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    And Bean starts smiling now, indicating Shannon to show that she just mentioned what he was going to. "Exactly that. Color scheme aside, the contrasts need to be muted, and we can't put what is essentially a crosshair directly over center mass. This isn't a uniform, it's an inner lining for a uniform. Ideally I'd like to see the colors muted, the outer shell made from Cordura or some other hard wearing, tear resistant material, and incorporating some kind of soft shell body armor. Flexibility and protection can be had in the same package."

Rage has posed:
"Well, to be real technical, these uniforms are designed for Danger Room sessions only, not for going outside and pretending we're superheros. It's not what the New Mutants are about. We're designed to be student representatives with special priviledges of getting to work with actual superheroes to learn self defense and to work as a team." Andrea explains as she rocks on her feet. "It's not designed for us to hop in the Blackbird and go flying off to pick a fight with Sentinels. I've only been on one mission with the big guys and it was because my powers of tracking was very specific and needed when another member was not available. I also got shot at."

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon nods slowly, turning a little bit red. "Sorry about that, Mr. McCoy. I heard the exact opposite of that from Josh the first time I actually came in here for training with Noriko." She tilts her head slightly towards Bean. "Could looking somewhat the same be accomplished, perhaps, with a few of the ideas Techno's offering? We should talk to Cannonball, of course, and get some input from him." She glances over to Andrea, and tilts her head. "Very true, but think of those rare occasions when we -do- get called out there. I'd rather stand the best chance possible of coming back in one piece. I got called out pretty early on, before even even being asked to join the team. I was plainclothes out there, and zero clue what to do. Got lucky that time, but if things had gone sideways--which they can, real fast--we might not even be having this talk right now. Is there some middle ground to be found here?"

Beast has posed:
Henry McCoy grins at Andrea, and looks to the others. "All that is true in theory. But, just between us, we all know the New Mutants are out there in the real world as well, and have repeatedly gotten mixed up in real world problems, and real world fights. I can't you how many times I've told various of you," and he can't help but look at Shannon, "To get home, only to be ably supported in the field. Off the record. And my suggestion is get the full AAR, and analyze it. Second by second if you have to. Look at a tactical map. Look at what you're doing, why, what you did right, what you did wrong, and how to improve regardless of right or wrong."

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    "I understand we're not supposed to be frontline soldiers..." Bean begins, although he's used to being exactly that. "But Doctor McCoy is right. We're around, we're going to get in trouble, more so now when the Sentinels are actively hunting all mutants. They don't care that we're the second string team. And there is going to be a day when we have to be out there, as a full team, by ourselves. And when that day comes, we need proper equipment, equipment we've trained with and equipment we're comfortable with using. Because nobody, and I do include a certain organisation I used to work for in this, nobody sends out assets they want back without proper protection."

    And on the topic of uniforms. "I can understand why the uniforms are the way they are, I do. But look at me. I've made two minor adjustments, and without my boots I can guarantee you that wolf would have gotten me. The idea behind the team is noble, but it's very clear to me that people who designed this uniform had no form of military or tactical training. I have a fairly unique point of view on this, let me assist in developing this further."

Rage has posed:
"You become a target when you pick a gun up and point it at someone else. If you go out there in uniform, you're going to draw attention and become a target. Because this." Andrea points to the uniforms. "Is a lot like what a military would put on. It puts you in an us versus them situation just by simply putting on clothes. I don't want to be a superhero, or an X-Man, or an Avenger. Neither should any other student here. We should enjoy being kids and gossiping about boys and having pizza and giggling over television shows. My issue is that a lot of people that join the New Mutants, instantly think it gives them an open door to rush out and fight bad guys and think they /have/ to be heroes. This is a school, not a military camp. Otherwise, we may as well just quit and join Magneto." Rubbing her nose, she starts for the door. "I got homework to do guys. I'll catch you all later."

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon shakes her head, pinching the bridge of her nose. She takes a few deep breaths, gathering her thoughts and praying she doesn't trip over her own tongue in the process. "I can't honestly think of any sane person who would go out there just because they -have- to. There's a cost to be weighed when we make the -choice- to go. Doesn't matter which team we're on, or if we're on one at all. I don't see a single one of us here who -has- to go." She looks up and smiles somewhat, and there's a little bit of a twinkle in her eyes. "But at the same time, we have our dreams, our hopes, our feelings. Things we want to do and be, outside of all that. And that's a good thing, something we shouldn't give up. We're just damn lucky to be here and now, with the best of both worlds."

Beast has posed:
Henry McCoy smiles to the others, and nods. "Well, honestly, if you need any help with your analysis. I'm happy to sit in on that as well. For this, I'm trying to be an advisor, not a lecturer. IF you want me to give more input, I can sit you all down at the tactical console and walk you through it."

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    "Oh, there's plenty of people who -have- to, wearing things much worse than this." Bean begins, rolling his shoulders and shifting his weight to stay limber. "I've been in all sorts of colors. But the difference is that I want to be a hero. I want to do good. I've been a villain for too long not to take the chance."

    He looks at Andrea, at her retreating back and calls after her. "I didn't join this team because it's a social club for mutants, or some kind of senior debating society. I joined because there's people here that need protecting, a way of life that needs protecting, and I'm suited to do that protecting. I will rush out to fight the bad guys, because they'll be attacking me regardless, so I'd rather be attacked while I have friends to back me up. The teachers aren't always going to be around to protect us. When they're not, we're here to protect the students. We learn how to stand together as a team so we don't fall as individuals."

    Having said his peace, Bean starts to jog, having a lot of nervous energy to burn off. "Being who we are makes us a target. We might as well wear something that protects us while at the same time telling the whole world that we're here, and we stand together. That's the point of a military uniform. A sense of unity. If you don't understand that, you don't understand anything."

    His next lap brings him close to Doctor McCoy. "I would appreciate your insights, thank you."

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon nods, and smiles. "Well said, Bean. We make a stand, together. All of us." She calls out to Andrea as she retreats, "Pizza and shopping later, 'k? We've got a missed shopping trip to make up for!" Looking back at Mr. McCoy and Bean, she inclines her head. "Actually, an analysis wouldn't be a bad idea, and bring team leads in on it if possible. See both what we did right, and what could be improved. Now THAT is what I was trying to tell Josh that first day in here."

Beast has posed:
Henry McCoy nods. "Alright, we'll schedule a meeting, and we'll go over your black box data and you can study how to do better. But I'm hungry after my own trianing so.. not now. Good luck, and get your homework done."

Nightingale has posed:
Shannon calls out to Mr. McCoy as he leaves. "Thanks! Don't worry, I will!" Oh yes, homework. But, there were more pressing matters to take care of, one hinted at by the rather embarrassing growling in her general vicinity. "What do you think, Bean? Organize a raid on the kitchen and come up with some good eats?"

Samuel Morgan has posed:
    There is really only one way to answer that, isn't there? "Mission accepted, commander." Bean bellows and doubles back, heading for the exit. "Mission, raid! Target: fridge!"