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Summary: Tabitha and Shane receive information what the plans are within their illusory world. In reality, it's something completely different…
Date: July 17, 2011.
Log Title: Convincing Captor
Rating: PG.
It's late at night in the bleak world, full of abominable creatures. Our 'heroes' wait back at the warehouse that they use as a hideout, both Timeslip and Cheryl are present, seemingly speaking in hushed tones about what to do next. Timeslip's goggles cover her eyes so that her expression is difficult to read, so whether or not her focus is intense, it seems that way. Both Shane and Tabitha have been given time to recover from their injuries upon returning to the haven.
Tabitha is sitting up on top of a stack of crates, watching what goes on outside where she's wiped away a streak out of the grime on a high-up window. Her tail, something she doesn't realize she still has, twitches lazily as she watches, and she tilts her head this way and that to peer at creatures as they walk by outside. "Wish I had my glocks," she mutters.
"…Wish I had my batteries," Shane mutters in kind, curled up with her back to the bottom of the stack. Raising an arm, her shoulder pops loudly in the relative quiet of the room, as her joint re-settles. "…Still weird without music."
There's a quick exchange between Cheryl and Timeslip, before Timeslip simply lays down and goes to sleep as she often does, for moments at a time. "I wish we had those things too," says Cheryl, stepping away from the sleeping girl, one of her arms hanging limp in a sling. "I hope you're both feeling a bit better at least? We still have lots to do yet, and while I hate to ask young people to do so much… we all have our place." She looks to Shane and says, with a slight smile, "And I know I've said this many times already, I really am glad that you're okay and safe now." She glances out the window and the smile falters. "Relatively safe, anyhow."
Tabitha tilts her head around, and looks down at Shane. "I could go get some," she suggests. "Well, I could get guns too, I suppose." She shrugs her shoulders, and swivels around to dangle her legs over the edge of the crate. "I'm currently maintaining the powers of… uhm… a pyrokinetic, a telepath, a telekinetic, and… someone who… I dunno what you call it, absorbs stuff and turns into it." She shrugs her shoulders. "If I wanted something I don't expect the majority of the zombies out there could stop me."
"Arm still hurts," Shane grunts, "And Iunno what I did to my back, but…" Her uninjured shoulder lifts and drops in a careless shrug. "…Couldn't've gotten out without your he—" The rest of her words are bitten off, as Tavitha volunteers to go out. "*NO.* Don't. Just… don't, okay? What if?" What if, indeed. Within Shane's mind, there are all sorts of possibilities for things to go fatally wrong, and she begins to tense. "Don't, all right…?"
"What if indeed?" says Cheryl, nodding slowly, "I'm sorry Shane that we don't have batteries. But you're right, we can only go out for the sake of necessity… as much as I'd love some music around here. Me, I think this shoulder injury is pretty final. The knife was heated, so it burned away my tendons. But I'll continue to do what I can for you girls. We have to focus on taking out Brady's other facilities… he's even more connected than I thought."
"What if I can find a healer to copy?" Tabitha sits up straighter, and taps her fingertips together. "I… Okay, I won't go out for anything frivolous, but getting you two healed has got to be important. I know there are mutants out there who can heal.. I just… I just need to copy one?" She shrugs her shoulders lightly, and jumps down from one crate to the next, until she lands in a crouch on the ground. "Man, it tears me up seeing you two hurt like that."
Shane shakes her head. "I'll deal," she says, which is apparently a mantra of sorts for her. "…So what do we have to do?" she asks of Cheryl.
"I have an immunity to mutant powers. That's why I wasn't changed," says Cheryl, shaking her head at Tabitha. "If you found healing powers, that would be wonderful for Shane and Heather, but I'm afraid you shouldn't worry about me. But I'll adapt." She nods at Shane and says, "At best, we can convince Brady's associates to abandon their projects. At worst… for the sake of all those transformed? We have to /make/ them abandon their projects. The areas all keep a maintaining effect over Brady's transformative powers… so without removing them, we haven't a chance. Heather's been keeping to the project of mapping out the different locations, so we have some information."
Tabitha flails, and waves her hands in the air. "Frustrating!" she declares. "Fine then, I'll… I'll go copy someone with tech powers so I can build you a regeneration chamber, like those sarcophagus things in Stargate, but without making you insane." She pauses, and sighs softly. "Yeah, alright, that's probably not going to happen. …So… Heather's mapping this stuff out. What do Shane and I do next?" She pauses, and her brow furrows. "And where's Mr. Stark? Haven't seen him since before we did that raid, and he wasn't looking good then."
Shane looks up, eyebrows rising. "What'd she get?" She asks, glancing up at Tabitha. "…Probably there's something else that needs blown up, right?"
"I haven't heard from him since then, either, but… I sincerely hope that I hear from him again soon. I just hope that he hasn't been…" She trails off and then shakes her head. "You shouldn't worry about it, Tabitha. He's Tony Stark. I'm sure whatever he is doing, it will be brilliant." Cheryl doesn't seem quite as convinced as all that, though. "And… in a sense, yes, Shane. Though I'd prefer not to blow anything up, merely get it shut down. I'll go with you girls, and I will try to reason… but… if they are any bit as 'reasonable' as Brady… we may have to be more confrontative."
Timeslip gets up, and readjusts her goggles as she awakens. "She means fight. I don't get how anyone can endorse this world, but reason is sure not going to work on someone who does. I'm unsure if I'll be available for all the missions, but I'll try."
Tabitha shrugs her shoulders lightly. "Well… I don't… really want to hurt anyone if I can avoid it. But I'm ready to fight." She shrugs her shoulders lightly. "I think I'm just slightly this side of invincible. And I know kung fu." She tilts her head to one side. "How come I was never this powerful before? It's like if I was driving and suddenly someone replaced my ninja with a rocket ship."
Shane blinks sharply, looking up at Tabitha and frowning. "…Huh? What's that got to do with things?" Pausing for a moment, she shakes her head. "…Mn. Don't wanna argue with whatever it is. Probably gonna get into a bad fight. Rather be a rocket'n'a hand grenade right now."
Cheryl nods at Tabitha and says, "You do seem like you're quite powerful, but I have no idea how powerful you were previously. I think there's something that's amplifying your abilities… I think both Shane and Timeslip have experienced something like it in this new world…" She shrugs slightly and says, "I only hope that it will stay with us…"
Timeslip nods and says, "Yes, my abilities are plenty amplified as well, which has been to my advantage here… I worry that it is part of some plan, though. We'll have to find out."
Tabitha enhs, and shrugs her shoulders. "I was just curious," she replies. "I mean, I'd like to know why I don't look like a rat anymore, too, but like *hell* am I going to complain about that! I've got my face back. I thought I'd never… y'know… see myself in the mirror again. I can't tell you how awesome that is."
Shane blinks, frowning up at Tabitha. "…Wait, you looked like a…?" Shrugging, she shakes her head. "Mmn. ..So where do we go?"
Cheryl glances over to Timeslip after Shane asks the question. "Heather, can you get them the city map?"
Timeslip nods, though remarking, "Please call me Timeslip for the time being, I'd prefer that…" She zips away and back with the city map, a few locations marked on it. "These are the areas that we have to pay visits to." She gestures to another point on the map, "And you're presently here."
Tabitha nods. "Yeah, for a while after getting into a fight with another mutant who looked like a rat, I… I did too. Not sure why it happened, it just did. But I'm back to normal now." She shrugs, and turns to face Heather as she returns with a map. "Right, so… what do we have to do at these locations?"
Shane leans forward on the balls of her feet, looking down at the map. "…Mmkay. Don't suppose we can walk to any of'm?" She glances down at herself, and scowls slightly. "…Or stop at a store on the way…"
"As I said, I will try to negotiate, but… /Timeslip/," says Cheryl with an eyeroll, "Will be with me to make sure they don't harm me. If they do try to, we have to prioritize destroying their machinery and disabling Brady's associate." She glances toward Shane and then nods, "We should be able to walk to one or two… what do you need at the store?"
Shane peers at Cheryl, then looks down at herself, and up again, raising an eyebrow. "…Clothes? Soap? …Pads? Dunno 'bout the rest of you, but I've been in the same things for what, a month now?"
Tabitha fidgets, and generally looks uncomfortable at that. "Uhh, yeah. I have been too. Motorcycle leathers do tend to hold up pretty well, though, I mean… they're supposed to, but mine have been shot, stabbed, burnt, dragged, and… well, generally abused. And I haven't had a shower. I'm probably rank."
"Yes, some new clothes would be a good idea, I'd like to get into something a little cleaner myself… and a warm shower…" She sighs wistfully at that, and then nods, "We'll try to get that for you girls. As for pads? I've hit menopause, but you could have asked Heather for those, I think she has plenty. Her powers cause her to have her period several times a month, unpredictably, so I remember she has a stockpile somewhere…"
"Mother!" barks Timeslip, clearly horrified at the things coming out of her mouth, before she turns to the others, "Er. Yes, sorry, anytime you need to borrow something, please ask. I can scout for an abandoned residence we can use too next time I go out. I've been cleaning myself in fountains, but that's not the cleanest water available."
Tabitha blushes, rather fiercely. "Uhm, ahem, yes. Those would be good too. I've been… yeah… well, we'll not talk about that." She pauses, and coughs softly. "I could use some in about a week if we haven't found a supply by then." She shrugs her shoulders lightly. "Our enemies should beware. Women in the middle of their periods with no pads would have toe be the pissiest creatures on Earth, and we are badass as is."
"…Yeah well. Pissy's one thing. Pissy and on the move… Not so much," Shane mutters, cheeks darkening. "…Anyway. When're we going out for business next?"
Looking towards Timeslip, Cheryl says, "What's your timeframe?"
"Well, I've stolen us some food… It will not be distributed evenly, I apologize, but my metabolic rate likely exceeds all of yours. If either of you two require extra, let me know, but we should try to conserve," says Timeslip, nodding, "Then… the rest of you can sleep. In the morning, we shall stage our first confrontation."
"Well, actually, I've had to eat a lot more since my mutations first… manifested? Whatever you call it." Tabitha shrugs lightly. "But I'll deal. if necessary I'll go snatch some McDonald's out of the hands of one of the zombies. I've gotten about half my food over the last month that way. It's crap food, but it beats an empty stomach." She nods, and clasps her hands behind her back. "Which location are we going to hit first?"
"S'fine," Shane agrees, raking a clump of hair our of her face. "Food's food. … …Real food, anyway. Swear the only thing I had in that place was dog food."
"I'm so sorry, Shane, that you had to go through that. I wish that had never happened to you," says Cheryl, sounding quite sincere, "What did you get, Heather?"
"Timeslip," corrects Heather again, adjusting her goggles, "And you'll get a larger portion as well, Patches, if that's your metabolic requirement. I found some frozen meat in a grocery store, as well as frozen vegetables, there should be plenty for all of us. I cooked them on an outdoor grill I found, but… they're likely at room temperature now… still. It's real food. So let's eat."
Tabitha ehs, and waves her hand. "I'm not particular. I've had to survive on worse before… even a tin of catfood once. You have no idea how much life sucks when you're a strange looking mutant." She hops down off the crate, and wanders over towards the table. "As long as Shane gets enough, too. I don't mind going a bit hungry. She needs to heal up, she's more important."
Shane snorts, shaking her head. "Am not. Like you said. Practically untouchable, and on fire. You're more important, Patches. Can't get where I need to blow up once without you. Eat. I'll wait 'till y'both're done. S'fine."
"Girls," says Cheryl, "There's enough for all of us, as Heather said. At worst, we have other stores, canned goods if you run out of the fresher food Heather's prepared." She nods to Timeslip and then says to the others, "Please, eat, enjoy yourselves. You all deserve a good meal for once."
Tabitha shakes her head slowly. "I don't want to prioritize like that," she replies, quietly. "We're not like… nazi soldiers here or anything. We're just people, and you gotta eat. Don't worry, I'll be fine; if I get hungry I'll just go snatch food from a zombie, it's like taking candy from a baby but without the moral implications. Eat, seriously, Shane." She pauses. "Or, Kiloton if you prefer, since we're all using code names."
Shane shrugs, scowling at the use of her codename. "Shane's fine. Patches just stuck. But whatever. Tabitha. C'mon. If it's done, we'll eat." And with that, she hauls herself to her feet, wincing as her back twinges, and starts to head off toward the smell of food.
